Kalachuchi

I WAS meaning to write something long-ish tonight but I ended up logging in to Facebook instead. I’ve been inactive on FB for so long and — holy biscuit I missed a lot! Kasal na si Ganito, engaged na si Ganyan. Tapos may baby na pala si Ano at si Kwan? Shuta, ‘di ko man lang alam.

And then of course I read the news about NDFP consultant Randy Malayao who was shot dead in a passenger bus on Wednesday. The bus pulled over at a designated stop in a town in Nueva Vizcaya when the gunman boarded and shot Ka Randy. It was 2am; Ka Randy was sleeping.

I couldn’t help but worry about my friends back home. They ride buses too — will I be reading obituaries about them next? Hindi naman sila NDFP consultants, pero mahirap na. Sa tindi ng karahasan laban sa mga progresibo, hanga talaga ako sa tapang ng mga taong hindi natatakot lumaban. Sana wala namang mangyaring masama sa mga kaibigan ko. Nami-miss ko na sila; gusto ko silang yakapin nang mahigpit isa-isa.

But because Facebook is Facebook (like any other social media), notes about an activist’s death are squeezed in between memes and travel pictures and other dashing displays of success. I learned that a friend’s sister has finally earned her physician license, another friend has decided to go to law school, and a former org mate has started running a successful (I think) baking business. Weow.

Is this why I prefer Twitter over Facebook? At least on Twitter being a “loser” seems to be the norm. I often read posts about being lost in life and not having one’s shit together and I’m like — yes baks samedt.

But Facebook, I suppose, is what connects me to home better. I see old friends, I hear their stories, and I feel genuinely happy for their success. I also see photos of places that trigger instant nostalgia — an emotion that’s been soothing me in recent days — like Philcoa, Maginhawa, etzeteruh. Nakakamiss din talaga.

Just a bit ago I saw a link to the music video of “Kalachuchi” by Munimuni, and I noticed how strangely familiar the setting was — pucha Area 2! D’yan ako tumira n’ung freshie ako! D’yan ako bumibili ng shake kapag wala akong pera pambili ng totoong pananghalian. Kapag medyo may budget, d’un ako kumakain sa may siomai-an. Tapos ‘yung malapit na football field? Naku, baks, d’yan ako umiiyak. Charot, exaj lang.

Teka, ba’t ko na nga ulit isinulat ‘to? When I started writing this post I only intended to write a short intro to the music video. Welp. I guess here goes the long-ish writing that I was meaning to do.


Note: I proofread this post a few days after it went live (weow). Ampangit e. There were grammar mistakes and I’m sure there still are. I will try to do better next time na lang, char.

The featured image is a screenshot from the Kalachuchi MV.

7 Comments

  1. yin

    Ibang klase nga talaga ang tapang ng mga aktibista sa atin. Haay hindi na ako actively nanonood ng news, makakarinig nalang ako ng mga balita sa iba na minsan iniisip ko wala akong ginagawawa at ano ba puede gawin ng “ordinaryong tao”. =(
    Eniwey, parang puro pang nostalgia tong mga posts mo lately haha. Mygehd gusto ko gawin yan magsasayaw ng ganyan pero may kalachuchi sa tenga. Noon minsan naglalagay ako ng kalachuchi sa tenga na parang baliw kaya may extra nickname binigay sakin asawa ko na Ms. Kalachuchi. hahahah. Tapos recently naman naisip ko yung sisig sa Lutong Bahay kasi wala namang masarap na sisig dito sa Vancouver. At may mga fave memories din ako jan sa football field! Ok isang buong nobela na tong comment ko pero nakiki-reminisce lang. Ngayon ko lang napanood tong music video na to eh. Hihihi.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Jolens

      Ayiiie, bagay pala sa ‘yo ‘tong kanta! 🙂 Recent ko lang din napanood ‘to e — ganda ‘no? Hindi ko maalala ‘yung sisig sa LB. Mas madalas ako sa Lutong Kapitbahay noon e. Mas konti kasi ‘yung tao, haha.

      So ano-ano ang mga naganap sa ‘yo sa football field? Ako d’yan ako umamin ng feelings, char! Hahaha. Tapos dahil malapit ako nakatira d’yan noong freshie, d’yan din ako tumatambay with friends. Hay, nakaka-miss! ❤

      Walang bet na Pinoy resto sa Vancouver? Or 'yung masarap na sisig lang ang wala? Sayang naman! 'Di pa ako nakakapunta d'yan e, jeje, pero ang dinig ko marami raw Pinoy? One day sana makadalaw ako! 🙂

      Like

      1. yin

        Ang mga ganap sa field: Bumibili kami ng isaw tapos punta sa football field para kumain at mag “date”. Hahaha. Pang confessions at hanging out pla talaga sya na place.  Oo marami Pinoy dito. After the Chinese at Indians, Pinoy yung 3rd na marami na immigramts.  Hmm meron naman mga Pinoy restos pero walang super exceptional at di ganon ka rami. Haha yas dalaw ka dito! Pero mas charming sya sa spring or summer. Message meeee pagpunta ka! Haha parang penpal.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Jolens

          Truly, pang-“date” nga siya (kasama ‘yung quotes hahaha). Sige sige imi-message talaga kita ‘pag dadalaw ako d’yan! Seryoso ako a, haha. 🙂 🙂

          Like

    1. Jolens

      True, nakaka-senti nga. Hindi pa naman ako nato-toxican, siguro kasi maliit lang naman mga account ko. Welkam back sa WordPress-sphere Anje! 🙂

      Like

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