Pre-32 Hot Choco-fuelled Introspections

I find it really fascinating that life nowadays changes in a blink. No exaggeration there. It’s already the 3^rd month of the year, a few days to my 32^nd birthday and it’s 2014 for God’s sake! Twenty-Fourteen!

Do you remember during the early 90’s where we can only imagine 2020 as like the year of jet packs and robot butlers and silver-cased flying vehicles? It didn’t turn out the way it was envisioned but we are getting there. And man, that’s like 6 years away. How soon can it get?

I feel refreshed.

Must be the hot choco cup that I downed in one gulp that’s causing this hysteria in my nerves, but it is just boosting what I am really feeling.

I am turning 32 in approximately 13 days.

In spite of all the ribbing of good friends, I really can’t be worried about getting old because I really don’t feel old. I like to think I have my best days ahead of me. Life may not be perfect, but I am learning to tame those negative thoughts. Everyone deserves to be happy, I heard myself telling somebody.

Yes, Ahmad. That includes you.

Some changes are needed in facing reality, because in all relationships, you can’t be forever lenient. That includes my relationship with life.

Here are a few things I kept thinking about lately:

• I need to exercise more. 

Health doesn’t usually agree with our philosophy that everything comes down to a sunny disposition. The mind is powerful, but it can only do so much.

More push ups. Brown rice. Minimal fast food diet, if not nil. Fruits, more fruits.

• I need to invest on my guitar gear.

This may sound like a want., but you can’t be a serious musician if you are not really revving up your own signature sound. 

Main target gear: MXR Carbon Copy + Visual Sound Double Trouble + Korg Pitch Black + Zoom G3.

I only got the Zoom G3 for now. I hope to own the Double Trouble before our recording this end of the month. A birthday wish that is destined to be an impossible one. Boohoo.

And oh maybe another guitar. Still dreaming of my own Epiphone ES-339, and a Squier Tele Custom, but not rushing it. I still have Areola, and Nami.

I need more guitar lessons too. Just watching some tutorials in youtube gives me the rush to write some more. That’s a good thing now for my overly-critical self are hijacking every creative idea I can muster these days.

• I need to save. 

I admit I don’t have any hidden treasure in the bank. But I am not the typical spender who waste every penny of my salary for my hobbies. Everything is cashed out to settle bills and priorities. I am a responsible man. I just need to find my footing. Work harder, grab all rakets so there will be extra. 

I need money for my annulment too. Damn that’s a pretty expensive ordeal. I still find myself praying for a law to be passed that will make it easier for someone like me who have moved on from my past mistake.  

Everyone deserves to be happy. Hope politicians see that as a huge non-debatable point.

• I need to finish my MA.

This has been going on forever. I am not succumbing to the possibility of just letting this go because I feel that my strengths will shine more in the academe. It's actually surreal to be talking about this now since I have just dreamt about teaching last night. That dream is still up for grabs.

• I need to spend more time with my kids. 

They are growing up fast. I talked to them almost every day, but I know it is not enough. Bringing Art here over for her birthday was a dream come true for both of us. It was only for 3 days but it felt like eternity. I know she will cherish what we did for the rest of her life. I am planning to give Dylan that experience too this June. I am excited to be bringing her to her very first concert. Never mind that I am not a fan of Taylor Swift, but on that day, it will be all about her (Scalpers, if you are reading this, contact me). 

The trouble with parenting is there is no concrete formula. It a hit-or-miss thing that you make up the rules as you go. I am honestly defying all concepts by trying to be the best dad even if I am not physically present, but I am determined to win. God help me.

• Lastly, I need to be expressive in the right places.

There used to be strains in my relationship with Mawhi for my outburst. That happened too with my band. I talk too much. I feel too much. I have not tamed that trait as it already become a signature character, but I am learning when to stay put. I am blessed to have people who listens and who doesn’t leave you for dead when you are at your worst.

I realized I am getting cheesier. That will give away my age, I suppose.

an argument with my demons

Things that got to me last week:

That this blog site is becoming a public confessional. 

That’s OK. I need sympathy. I find it really unfortunate that people choose to pour their hearts out in a page then keep it like they're Marcos’ hidden treasures. The point you write is for sanity, and sometimes sanity can be redeem by sincere ears (or in this case, eyes). We all want someone to just take it all in for us.

I am proud to say that I can thoroughly accept that I need the attention. I don't want to fake it. Number one to big realizations.

Number two isn't a big revalation: I am a jealous lover.

And though there’s a romantic notion always chained to that feeling, I assure you that high school kids got it good. It won’t be funny anymore when you are older, you see. And jealousy encompasses all relationships. And where I am going with this, I don’t know. I just want to say that it is a real serious emotion.

One can easily point out insecurity as the main culprit, and he/she may be right. But who isn’t insecure? I find it baffling that there are people who are too secure, it is almost unworldly.  That’s a real problem right there. That’s one thing I don’t agree in church – calling out insecurities as if it’s a big disease. Well it may be is, but it is what makes you human.

Because we all have that. Like that artificial heart that serves as the main breathing apparatus for Iron Man, it is a rather unfortunate fault to your perfect world. Maybe how you project it is what we should be mindful of.

I have been trying to exorcize my demons. To people who knows me, they may not actually see it, but I am in the process of doing so. And somehow it gets in the way of trying to fix relationships.

It hurts me to see close friends not accept what I am feeling or going through when I openly spill it, and eventually take it against me – resulting to bigger catastrophes. But who can blame ‘em – everyone got demons to chase. I just wish mine can coexist with their fiends.

I mentioned this to Eric days ago, and I still know, without raising the flag of egoistical bullshit, that this is true: our band is like a marriage of four individuals. It is harder than a real marriage ‘cause you have 3 minds to please, secure, understand and live with. Everyone needs assurance. Everyone. You know you are in the right relationship if you don’t get tired of taming each other’s fears.

Oh wait, you’ll get tired – we are humans after all - but the connection and your children (songs) are too deep and special, you won’t even think of leaving. 

And I assure you, this isn’t idealistic. Insecurities will abound, but heck, that’s part of the ride. Main advice I think is not keep it wrapped up. And not take the imperfections as something to convince yourself that what you have isn’t special anymore. 

I am being general now, but I guess being in so many bands, so many f**ked up relationships and one bad marriage, I can safely say I am slowly figuring out the recipe:

commitment. and communication.

That is number 3.

It may sound too cliché, and too dramatic, and it is actually. That’s what confessionals are for. I’ll try to talk about something else to break the mood. Hmmm.

About Time is such a special movie. I cried hard. Mawhi cried too. It isn’t a love story like what I expected it to be. It was light-hearted, but just hits the right spots. I really have a big weakness for stories about fathers being expressive to their loved ones. Richard Curtis has a gift of storytelling. He also got me with Love, Actually.

I was taught to remind myself about the blessing I have to beat the blues.

Well, here goes: I have a great band and I am excited to record new songs. Just got in a new label, which means it won't be long 'til the world hear our masterpiece. I got Mawhi who seems to never get tired laughing at my clumsiness and geeky jokes. I have wonderful kids whose smile means the world to me. I have a well-paying job. I even got free passes to The National concert and 7107 (which I opt not to attend) last week.

But friends, where are you, real friends?

I wish I can write a song about this, but I am too busy. and blank. You see, demons…

EVAPORA

that process from damp to dry

is called evaporation

                                            but I call it cruelty

 

when you discuss love

between teabags

between this table where you

punctuate every sentence with

giggles to downplay tension

of your thoughtless revelation

between the division of

glass inside this coffee shop

that makes us spectators

of outside lovers discussing

                                            a possible evaporation

rewrite science then

because the universal truth

does not account

                                             to the truth you want to impart

when you hike your skirt

to silence us naysayers