Sharon

Sharon (noun / verb).

A colloquial Tagalog term meaning to take home leftover food from a gathering, often used humorously. The term derives from Sharon Cuneta, a prominent Filipina actress and singer. Its vernacular usage is closely linked to her performance of the song “Balutin Mo Ako (ng Liwanag ng Iyong Pagmamahal)”, featured in the film Bukas Luluhod ang mga Tala (1984).

The verb balutin (“to wrap”)—repeated in the song’s refrain—became culturally resonant and was playfully reinterpreted in everyday speech. Over time, balutin, associated with wrapping something to take along, was humorously mapped onto the social act of packing food to take home after parties, celebrations, or handaan. Through popular culture, anecdotes, and repeated social use, Sharon Cuneta’s name underwent eponymization, shifting from a proper noun to a common vernacular term:

Mag-sharon (verb): to wrap and take home leftovers

“Nag-sharon siya ng pansit pagkatapos ng handaan.”

Sharon (noun): the act itself or the container used

“May sharon ka bang dala?”

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Imbitado ako sa isang kasal. At ito ang na-Sharon ko.

Yes, I take flowers from the wedding venue and bring them home. With permission from the newly wed couple, of course. That way, their money goes miles beyond their wedding.

Ilokano blood is strong.

Mouthful purchase from UPLB

From Quezon City, I was supposed to go directly to Lumban to get my piña callado barong for a work event this July. But circumstances made me visit the 60th anniversary of UPLB CIDL.  It was where I saw this, ehem, mouthful pottery. 

The seller said that she got the pot from Region 3. The seller took time to color the pots she ordered, a hobby during the COVID-19 pandemic, which in the post-pandemic then turned into a small business. 

It's ugly and enticing. Despite the hassle of bringing it back to Quezon City as a hardcore bus commuter, I can't turn down the enticing 50% off from its original price. 

So yeah, cheers to purchasing an unneeded item just because it's despicable and ugly and enticing. 

My CCS. Creative and critical space.

I arranged my office in a way that when I write on my work desk, this corner of my office is what I see. It has several meaningful art pieces, five to be exact. Three are paintings, one mix media, one BNW photograph. It also has three-piece furniture, which I bought when I received my first salary in my current position. Each element of the corner tells a story of what I like and don't like in life. They also become a sort of reminder of where I came from and where I want to be.

My room has the color of malachite, from the stone associated with transformation. It is believed that malachite helps reveal and heal emotional pain by absorbing the pain into itself.

My accent wall is colored grey. Cool, cold and masculine. I chose the grey as the accent color because I want to remind myself of grey areas of our lives. The either or.  Neither nor. That when I make decisions, I have to weigh between being considerate and  being consistent. Loving but also firm and authoritative. That when people make small mistakes, there are times that I just have to bring these to them for their awareness but overlook afterwards. Grey also because sometimes being clueless is normal. 

Diskrit na nasa 2

Gaano katagal,

ilang gabi,

o buwan,

o semestre,

bago limutin

ang minsang

mahigpit na

yakap ng kamay mo

sa kamay ko?

Naratibo ng piksyunal na buhay ko kapag retirado nako

Kapag retirado nako

Sa unibersidad bilang propesor

Maglalakad na ako

Sa academic oval

Na may malakas na speaker

Na nakasukbit sa aking backpack

At papatugtugin ko ng malakas

Ang waltz of four left feet ni

Shirebound and Busking.

Susuutin ko ang pinaka- nagsusumigaw

Na orange shirt na pwede ko bilhin.

At pinakamahal na 

carbon plated running shoes

Na mayroon sa Kamaynilaan.

Hindi ako tatakbo

Pero mabagal

Na mabagal

Na mabagal

Na maglalakad. 

Para dinig ng mga nagsusuyuan

Sa oval ang musika na dala ko

At kitang kita ang 

Karumaldumal na kamiseta ko

Habang naglalaway ang ilan

At nanghuhusga sa pangyapak

Na kayang bilhin

Ng isang retiradong 

Nagmumurang kamatis na katulad ko.

Hindi ko na kailangan 

Isipin kung malalathala ba ako

Sa tagong identidad ng mga lintik

Sa reddit at iba pang ukininam

Na anonymous platform.

Hindi ko na kailangan

Maging mabuting halimbawa 

Sa mga estudyanteng ambivalent

Kung makamasa o makasarili.

At mga batang fakulti 

Na nagsusumikap umakyat 

Sa kung anumang hulma

Ng karera sa akademya.

Hindi ko na kailangan

Maging simbolo ng institusyon--

Primyadong, pambansang institusyon.

Bibili ako ng fishball

At makikiusap sa tindero

Na hatiin ang bawat fishball sa apat

At idadahilan na

Mahina na ang aking bagang

Kahit na sa totoo lang ay gusto 

Ko lang mang abala

Sa walang saysay na mga bagay.

At kapag sinunod niya ako

Ng maalwan

Magbabayad ako ng sobra

At sasabihin na

Keep the change.

At kung hindi naman ay

Itatanong ko kung may senior discount

At kung wala

Ay susulat ako sa 

Bise tsanselor para sa gawaing pangkomunidad

Para ilatag ang di pagsunod ng 

Mga manininda

Sa pambansang patakaran

Para sa mga senior sitisens.

Isipin niyo 

Primyadong, pambansang institusyon

Hindi sumusunod sa batas.

Hahagalpak ako ng tawa.

Madami na akong oras

Para magganito.

Pero ngayon,

Magiging bukas muna ako sa 

Pormal na feedback ng mga estudyante

Sa akong pagtuturo 

At susubukan na mag adjust

Sa kanilang learning style.

Magiging modelo muna ako

Ng student-centered teaching at learning.

At magiging mabuting akademiko

Na pwedeng sundan ng mas nakababata.

Hindi kakain ng fishball 

Kasi empty calories

At kailangan na maging malusog ang katawan.

Gagamit muna ako ng earphones 

Kung gusto ko makinig ng musika

Ni shirebound and busking.

Kapag maglalakad ako

Doon ako sa bangketa

Para di abala sa publiko na gusto 

Tumakbo sa oval.

Respetadong pagbabahagi ng espasyo

Para sa lahat.

Pero ano kaya

Kung magsimula na ako

Magsuot ng pinaka- nagsusumigaw

Na orange shirt na pwede ko bilhin.

Para di naman magulat

Ang mga tao

Kapag retirado nako

Sa unibersidad bilang propesor.

Diskrit na nasa 1

Sa ilang nakaw

na sandali

sa pagpuslit at

pagkubli,

Ilang sipat sa

kanan

at kaliwa

kung may makakahalata.

Naalala ko

ang pagtatago

at pagtawa ng tahimik

pagngiti,

kilig at kiri

na dulot ng

kaunting dikitan

ng balikat at braso.

.

..

...

Kailan kaya?

Kailan

ulit kaya?

Japan dream came true

I want to Tokyo for a business trip. It was a very tight schedule. I was hopping that I'll be able to get a Tabi Shoes while I was there. Four days have passed, no Tabi shoes. On the last day, while visiting a temple, a pair of Tabi shoes presented itself. Cheers!