Today marks my 20th year
living in North America.

That’s half my age, if I may share that too.
I left the Philippines for Canada when I just turned 20
and was reborn to a whole new life,
in a whole new place.

Interestingly enough, this year also marks my 10th year living in the States.
So that’s 20 in the Philippines,
10 in Canada
and 10 in the US.

And between how old I am and living in these three countries,
I can surely tell you, in my experience,
that people are all the same wherever you may go.
And by “all the same” I meant there will always be nice people
and assholes.

Sure, people have different customs and traditions or how they do stuff,
but when it really comes down to it, you can’t avoid the assholes, bitches and pricks.
Seems like it’s getting harder and harder to find nice and well mannered people nowadays.

What?
Oh yeah. Right.
I should be writing good stuff in here.
How I should be thankful that I had the opportunity to live in other countries and start anew?

Well, I am sorry.
I’m an asshole too.
And a jerk.

I’m sorry. I am on my third coffee,
and someone just pissed me off today.

How about that time when I attempted two guitars
to talk?

Yeah, they didn’t understand each other.

Whenever I would like to do another song rendition,
I always tend to look back and listen to the old stuff I have done.
For some reason it gives me both inspiration and education.

I get inspired to do more because hearing what came out of me at that moment
reminds me of how good it felt.

I also get educated because I get to hear my mistakes
and the notes and melodies that I should have played differently.

This randomly played first on my iPod today.

An old OPM song I learned a long time ago.
First time I heard this was from my Cousin Gerdie’s wedding.
I loved it so much that I wanted it playing in my wedding too.
Maybe on the first dance at the reception, swaying side to side slowly.

Hey, guys get to envision their weddings too.
Do not judge me.

Besides. I still love this song after all these years.
I still play it even though I may have played it a thousand times
in other people’s weddings.

I also still listen to it with full attention.
I still think about it playing in my wedding.
And finding myself still swaying and dancing to it
when I come back to reality,
by myself, standing there, all alone,
like the idiot that I am.

What?
I said don’t judge!

I hate you guys.

“I like beautiful melodies telling me terrible things.” – Tom Waits

A friend told me yesterday,
now that I have reached my age,
I will start to “Not Care” about stupid things I cared about when I was younger.

I think I have been preparing myself for this,
because quite frankly, I really haven’t been paying attention to anyone’s bullshit.

And of course,
here’s my obligatory “another year older” cover song.

I’m so old, I’m gonna have to start driving slow and yell at kids
to get off my lawn!

And start smelling like Ben Gay or Kaopectate.