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Sa Disyembre 22

LILIYAB ang umaga, mabilis ang sakmal ng dilim sa pinakamaikling araw ng buong taon… kaya maghanda ng pulang kandila—ukitan ng larawan ng araw sa gilid nito, umusal ng kahilingan habang umuukit…

Igiling-giling ang hiling sa isipan.

Hihiling na rin lang, h’wag naman mga imposible—tulad ng kapayapaan sa sanlibutan… aba’y malinaw ang nakasaad na peace on earth to men of goodwill, talagang liglig ng ligalig ang masama ang kalooban, kung sama ng loob ang itinanim, huwag umasam na katiwasayan ang susupling…

Huwag hihiling na malantakan ang Kim Chiu, kimchi na lang, mas may anghang-linamnam pa… Huwag hihiling na tumama ang kahit limang numero ng tayang lucky lucky pick pick sa lotto araw-araw… mas masarap tumama do’n sa huli.

We’re working with symbols of the yuletide season—that red candle stands for the bet… oops, Yule log.

Sindihan ang dila, oops, kandila. Hayaang maupos, tangayin ng hangin ang kahilingan upang makarating sa kinauukulan… tatalab ang alab ng hiling sa dibdib, ah, let your heart be light, infused with light, as it is written in Ecclesiasticus 21:8-9, “To build your house on other people’s money is like collecting stones for your own tomb.”

Do I hear a choir or a throng over there muttering a death wish for geezers gathering tombstones?

Oops, I should have jotted down Ecclesiasticus 13:31… “A man’s heart moulds his expression whether for better or worse. The mark of a good heart is a cheerful expression.”

Kaya hindi maunawaan kung bakit pinagpipilitang mabura sa gilid ng mata ang mga naiwang bakas ng galak at halakhak… ‘yung tinatawag na crow’s feet… pinauso yata ng mga cosmetic surgeons ang tinatawag na mukhang poker… that’s a face to be used to poke, poke, poke…

Birthday greetings to the Greek goddess Demeter or the Roman Ceres, Jose D. Lina, Jr. and Oliviaria F. Manaois… kapwa isinilang sila sa sagisag ng Kambing na si-- ayon sa alamat—Amalthea na nagtustos ng gatas kay Zeus matapos iligtas ng kanyang inang Rhea sa amang Chronos, yeah, Father Time which devours its children…

Today is a perfect day to hang a she-goat’s horn as homage to the archetypal nanny who suckled a god, why, it was her broken horn that was transformed into the cornucopia or horn-of-plenty, ah, so horny, horny, horny.

Wala namang mawawala sa inyo kung magpupugay sa kambing… matapos maibay sa laklak-alak aba’y masarap na pampahimasmas ang sabaw ng sinampalukang ulo’t paa ng kambing…

Isubi ang sungay: gawing palamuti, salpakan ng barya o nakangiting pera (‘yung bagong P500), kendi, binhi ng upo, mustasa o kalabasa, butil ng mais o palay, asin at bulaklak-- itutok sa pintuan ng inyong tahanan ang sagisag ng walang humpay na daloy ng kasaganaan—at libog-- sa buhay…

Sa’n makakabili: nagtitingi po ng kambing sa Farmers Market sa Cubao at sa gilid ng Commonwealth Avene na sangkilometro ang layo sa bukana ng Fairview, Quezon City.

Manigayang Pasko at maligong bagong taon sa lahat!

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