Author Archives: batjay

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About batjay

I am an overseas filipino worker. Now, I am part of that "babalik ka rin crowd" you see around christmas time, arriving at the NAIA in droves from all over, gold chain around their necks, in jeans and maong jacket, ray-ban shades, goatee, and baseball cap, pababa pa lang ang eroplano kinukuha na ang hand-carry luggage at nagpapalakpakan na't handang halikan ang lupa pagka-landing!

KINARAYOM SA PEKPEK

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KUALA LUMPUR – A broken surgical needle was left inside a woman’s vagina for more than eight months causing her great pain as well as destroying her marriage.

Ms Rozita Haron, 32, said the negligence of the Sultan Aminah Hospital in Johor Baru had caused her great pain and mental anguish. It also led to her divorce because she could not have sex with her husband due to the pain, the Malay Mail reported.

The needle was left inside her vagina after it was sutured when she gave birth at the hospital on Dec 27, 1995. She filed a suit in 1998. Her case came up for assessment of damages before the High Court and a further hearing was fixed for July 8.

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CURRY FISH HEAD

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one of the favorite dishes of singaporeans is “curry fish head”.

ulo ng isda, na may sabaw na curry at asam (in tagalog: sampalok). hinaluan ng iba-ibang gulay: talong, okra, string beans, lemon grass… para itong sinigang na isda na binuhusan ng curry powder. in many ways, equivalent sa ulo-ulo na nabibili natin sa manila. sa may likod ng veterans memorial hospital sa qc (kung saan “nakakulong” si erap) may singigang na ulo-ulo na dinadayo ng mga kung sino-sino (in short, the who-who go out of their way to eat the head-head soup – hehehe). anyway, kahit kasing init ng sabaw ng ulo-ulo ang araw eh tuloy pa rin ang dagsa ng mga tao…

ang ulo-ulo rin ni mareng marlene na asawa ni mon ay napakasarap! samahan mo ng bagoong na may suka as sawsawan. tapos sabayan mo na rin ng inihaw na liempo na may toyo, sili, at suka. hmmmm…. tamang-tama sa sunday lunch after the visit to the veterans driving range. hanggang ngayon, naaalala ko pa rin ito: yung lasa ng ulam at yung saya ng pag-sasama…

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APPROACHING 40

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isipin mo next year: may 40 years old na sa batch natin. nung high school tayo, ito ang age ng mga parents natin. ngayon, ito na ang age natin. when you look in the mirror – do you see your father’s face? minsan… minsan sa biglang tingin sa salamin, nakikita ko ang mukha niya. minsan, pag umubo ako – nanririnig ko ang boses ng daddy ko.

birthday ng daddy ko ngayon. sana buhay pa siya para mapakita ko sa kanya na mayron na rin akong naabot kahit papano. sana pwede kong ayain ng 2 bottles sa bahay ko. sana pwede kaming mag-ihawihaw sa garden habang pinagkukwentuhan ang mga chicks niya. puro sana.

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AIMLESS WALKING

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aimless walking… another favorite after-career career. there’s nothing better than walking on a cool morning with just your nose to lead the way. where to go? (a favorite singapore phrase when the people here ask what to have for lunch) where to go indeed… wala lang. nowhere – here, there, anywhere. in my morning 20 minute jog – i just aimlessly wander and really don’t care where i end up… well, anywhere that will bring me back home in 20 minutes. i still have a career as an engineer, you know, and i have to be in the office by 8:30 – but after i’ve retired, 8:30 won’t mean a thing to me anymore.

a vagabond's limerick

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by jay david
31 may 2002
my mom’s birthday

i am an aimless walker
on a clueless trip.
the wind blows behind me
but i’m a rudderless ship.

where will this lead me?
i surely don’t know.
it matters not really
since i don’t know where to go.

don’t fret my love
this is the way i feel
but i’m just talking about my morning jog, you see
so it’s really no big deal.

a vagabond’s limerick

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by jay david
31 may 2002
my mom’s birthday

i am an aimless walker
on a clueless trip.
the wind blows behind me
but i’m a rudderless ship.

where will this lead me?
i surely don’t know.
it matters not really
since i don’t know where to go.

don’t fret my love
this is the way i feel
but i’m just talking about my morning jog, you see
so it’s really no big deal.

LADY CHATTERLY'S LOVER

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i want to be a gardener. that’s my calling… well, maybe a part-time engineer on the side (for the extra cash). this is my dream job – but i cannot apply for it now because i am not qualified. to qualify for the position of gardener, one must have a sustainable retirement fund. this is only possible if i save up while i’m here in singapore. and it could take me 5 to 10 years.

let’s do the math… 5 to 10 years in singapore will guarantee me a good enough amount of cash for an early retirement. that will put my age to around 40-45 years old. i don’t think i’ll live to be 70 or 80. so, 45 plus 20 years is 65… a good enough age to permanently call it quits. it will give me 20 or so years to enjoy my retirement. not bad…

LADY CHATTERLY’S LOVER

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i want to be a gardener. that’s my calling… well, maybe a part-time engineer on the side (for the extra cash). this is my dream job – but i cannot apply for it now because i am not qualified. to qualify for the position of gardener, one must have a sustainable retirement fund. this is only possible if i save up while i’m here in singapore. and it could take me 5 to 10 years.

let’s do the math… 5 to 10 years in singapore will guarantee me a good enough amount of cash for an early retirement. that will put my age to around 40-45 years old. i don’t think i’ll live to be 70 or 80. so, 45 plus 20 years is 65… a good enough age to permanently call it quits. it will give me 20 or so years to enjoy my retirement. not bad…

HAPPY VESAK DAY SA MGA KAPATID NATING KABUMBAYAN

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Vesak Day (actual day of celebration – 26 May 2002) is celebrated by Buddhists annually to commemorate the birth & enlightenment of Buddha and his entry into Nirvana.

The day starts with chanting of the sutras by saffron-clad monks, while devotees visit the temples to pray and meditate and to make offerings. Acts of generosity known as Dana are observed by Buddhist organizations and temples. These include the freeing of caged birds and animals, visiting and giving alms to the poor and needy, while some Buddhist youths organize mass blood donation at hospitals. The celebration concludes with a candlelit procession through the streets.

25 may 2002, 11TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

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tomorrow, 25 may 2002, holiday rin sa pamilya dahil 11th wedding anniversary namin ni jet. wow… it’s been a long trip man! pero di bad trip ah. hehehe… naalala ko pa nung kasal namin, a long long time ago. nasa labas kami ng munisipyo ng kalookan kasama ang ninong ko – ang pangalan niya ay si Dr. Boyet Silverio (kilala nyo ba siya? hehehe), at ang isa ko pang ninong na si mael (hindi siya malibog ha!).

kaming dalawa lang ni jet, kasi simpleng kasal lang ang gusto namin. ni wala ngang kamag-anak, kahit parents namin eh wala… wala kasi akong pera nung araw. nag sisimula pa lang kaming mag-ipon. reception nga ng kasal namin eh sa jolibee lang. nung panahong iyon kasi, pang jr. champ with fries at chicken joy lang ang budget namin. doon pa nga ata kami kumain sa sangandaan. at saka, kaming dalawa lang ni jet, di ko na inimbita ang 2 ninong namin – gastos lang iyon.

wala rin sing-sing, kasi walang pambili. isipin mo, ang suweldo ko nung panahon na iyon ay 2,000 pesos per month. kulang pa ngang pagkasyahin sa pamasahe at pagkain papuntang trabaho, sing-sing pa makakabili. dehins pre. inisip ko na lang, kung mayrong diyos – maiintindihan niya, dahil hindi naman siya tumitingin sa mga bagay na walang kabuluhan.