Gulp and drown,
Sip and escape,
Swallow and let go,
The experience of drinking coffee.
Soft-spoken words,
Echoing clinks,
The scent of Java beans
And Sumatra.
You take in all.
A modern-day barista,
Like a traditional chashitsu,
Tranquility, Attaining the Zen,
In ecelectic beats and cosmopolitan thoughts.
Apples and mice,
Books and newspapers,
Art and aroma,
Thoughts and notes,
Conversation and creativity,
All intertwined,
In this technicolor quilt of life.
The sign in the window reads: "Espresso for the soul".
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Being free
What is freedom?
Is it standing by the ocean and letting the waves wash away the day's grime and disquiet ?
Is it drinking hot coffee curled up under a blanket, sitting on the terrace under the starlit night, street lights, whistling winds and rustling leaves keeping you company?
Is it standing atop a mountain, feeling the weight of the world lift up and disappear into the winds?
Is it jumping into a waterfall, eyes wide open, cannon ball stance, secretly dreading and desiring the big splash at the same time?
Whatever it is, it is worth having. And never worth the sacrifice.
Is it standing by the ocean and letting the waves wash away the day's grime and disquiet ?
Is it drinking hot coffee curled up under a blanket, sitting on the terrace under the starlit night, street lights, whistling winds and rustling leaves keeping you company?
Is it standing atop a mountain, feeling the weight of the world lift up and disappear into the winds?
Is it jumping into a waterfall, eyes wide open, cannon ball stance, secretly dreading and desiring the big splash at the same time?
Whatever it is, it is worth having. And never worth the sacrifice.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Phone Calls
Inspired from movie watched last night
Theme: Repetitive and boring day-to-day phone conversations
"What's up, Mom", she mumbled through the crackling line.
"Ummm... I said what's up?", a little louder this time.
She hated how she always had to do that on international calls. Repeat herself.
"Oh, nothing much... I just got back from work, sitting around. Ya, everything's fine."
Yesterday's four lines repeated today.
"What's up, hon?, she got the tone just right.
Upbeat, just how she's practiced right before dialing his number.
"Umm, nothing much...just got back from a movie with the ladies."
"Why didn't you call me yesterday?", she mocked a fake jovialness.
"Oh... aliright. Ya, everyhting's fine."
Relief laced with disappointment.
"Hiya, what's up?"
"No, not today. How is everything going on your end?"
"That's good to hear. Good. Great."
"Maybe we'll do lunch next week. Ya, everything's fine."
Both lies.
Phone calls or bullshit social conversations?
Distance was in more than just the miles.
Theme: Repetitive and boring day-to-day phone conversations
"What's up, Mom", she mumbled through the crackling line.
"Ummm... I said what's up?", a little louder this time.
She hated how she always had to do that on international calls. Repeat herself.
"Oh, nothing much... I just got back from work, sitting around. Ya, everything's fine."
Yesterday's four lines repeated today.
"What's up, hon?, she got the tone just right.
Upbeat, just how she's practiced right before dialing his number.
"Umm, nothing much...just got back from a movie with the ladies."
"Why didn't you call me yesterday?", she mocked a fake jovialness.
"Oh... aliright. Ya, everyhting's fine."
Relief laced with disappointment.
"Hiya, what's up?"
"No, not today. How is everything going on your end?"
"That's good to hear. Good. Great."
"Maybe we'll do lunch next week. Ya, everything's fine."
Both lies.
Phone calls or bullshit social conversations?
Distance was in more than just the miles.
Monday, June 1, 2009
The Beholder
She was a show-stopper, a heart-breaker,
A porcelain doll, always perfect and proper.
He was her friend, her confidante,
Uncontrollably in love, but too afraid to touch her.
One day, she was gone
T’was past midnight, no text message or call.
He sat there wondering, is she with another man?
One more deserving of her elegance and charm?
Suddenly there was a weak knock at the door,
His stomach churned as his angel’s eyes he bore.
Grimed and bleeding,
She lay crumpled to the floor.
He cleaned her wounds, and washed her face
And noticed for the very first time,
The wrinkles under her mascara-smudged eyes,
The small freckles on her cheeks usually hidden under pink blush,
The scar on the nape of her neck, old and deep and dramatic.
Always concealed under wisps of foundation.
The frown on her brow created crevasses in her soft, white skin.
He stood stunned.
In her imperfection, she had never looked more beautiful.
He made love to her like never before.
A porcelain doll, always perfect and proper.
He was her friend, her confidante,
Uncontrollably in love, but too afraid to touch her.
One day, she was gone
T’was past midnight, no text message or call.
He sat there wondering, is she with another man?
One more deserving of her elegance and charm?
Suddenly there was a weak knock at the door,
His stomach churned as his angel’s eyes he bore.
Grimed and bleeding,
She lay crumpled to the floor.
He cleaned her wounds, and washed her face
And noticed for the very first time,
The wrinkles under her mascara-smudged eyes,
The small freckles on her cheeks usually hidden under pink blush,
The scar on the nape of her neck, old and deep and dramatic.
Always concealed under wisps of foundation.
The frown on her brow created crevasses in her soft, white skin.
He stood stunned.
In her imperfection, she had never looked more beautiful.
He made love to her like never before.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Taming the Beast (aka On Climbing Mountains)
Nausea, saline saliva,
Deep breaths of near-defeat,
One more staggering step, almost held back
By aching quads and lack of will.
No, not one more.
The bass of each heartbeat
Reverberating through my veins.
3,100 ft up, another 1000 to go.
The buzz cajoles another step out of me.
Light-headedness, the mind stops thinking,
The heart is racing on.
Stubborn determination speaking through my fingers,
As they push aside every branch, snap every twig
That obstructs my path.
Snow, mud, filth, sweat, tears, rain,
Or dogs.
I am immune to all.
It is not the spectacular summit sunrise
Or the exuberance of success
Or the shame of failure
Or even the challenge,
That drives me.
It is the simple satisfaction of
Taming the beast. Every time.
Each time. And again.
Deep breaths of near-defeat,
One more staggering step, almost held back
By aching quads and lack of will.
No, not one more.
The bass of each heartbeat
Reverberating through my veins.
3,100 ft up, another 1000 to go.
The buzz cajoles another step out of me.
Light-headedness, the mind stops thinking,
The heart is racing on.
Stubborn determination speaking through my fingers,
As they push aside every branch, snap every twig
That obstructs my path.
Snow, mud, filth, sweat, tears, rain,
Or dogs.
I am immune to all.
It is not the spectacular summit sunrise
Or the exuberance of success
Or the shame of failure
Or even the challenge,
That drives me.
It is the simple satisfaction of
Taming the beast. Every time.
Each time. And again.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Keep It Simple
Keep it simple.
Do what you love.
Have faith. Pray. Believe in prayer.
Work hard. Don't stop trying.
And do not ever quit.
Learn from failure. Strive for success.
Remember, you do not need to earn happiness.
It is your birthright to enjoy the sunset at the beach or
to laugh so hard that your stomach hurts. It is your
birthright to live one moment to the fullest even
if the next one holds a storm in its wake.
Like I say....
Keep it simple.
Eat a good meal. Sleep deep.
Dream of your lover.
Hope for your children.
Go green. Teach your parents and your grandparents to do the same.
Listen to them. Love them. Tell them so.
Try your best to understand them. If you don't, ask questions.
Learn from them. Laugh at their jokes, even the silly ones.
Like I say...
Keep it simple.
Read. Dance hard. Dance harder in private.
Listen to music. Listen to your inner voice (it is music to your ears).Trust it.
Speak the truth. Always. Especially to yourself.
This is difficult to do. Do it anyway. All the time. Practice this like a religion.
Like I say...
Keep it simple.
And live a life worth living.
Do what you love.
Have faith. Pray. Believe in prayer.
Work hard. Don't stop trying.
And do not ever quit.
Learn from failure. Strive for success.
Remember, you do not need to earn happiness.
It is your birthright to enjoy the sunset at the beach or
to laugh so hard that your stomach hurts. It is your
birthright to live one moment to the fullest even
if the next one holds a storm in its wake.
Like I say....
Keep it simple.
Eat a good meal. Sleep deep.
Dream of your lover.
Hope for your children.
Go green. Teach your parents and your grandparents to do the same.
Listen to them. Love them. Tell them so.
Try your best to understand them. If you don't, ask questions.
Learn from them. Laugh at their jokes, even the silly ones.
Like I say...
Keep it simple.
Read. Dance hard. Dance harder in private.
Listen to music. Listen to your inner voice (it is music to your ears).Trust it.
Speak the truth. Always. Especially to yourself.
This is difficult to do. Do it anyway. All the time. Practice this like a religion.
Like I say...
Keep it simple.
And live a life worth living.
Failure = Success
Defining failure is exactly the same as defining success. Failure is a personal struggle. A rebellion inside you against all that is against your character and the very grain of your existence. It speaks the truth when you can not or do not have the courage to speak it yourself. It is asking for attention, re-evaluation, deliberation of your thoughts and actions. It is telling you, without mincing words, that you are acting in ways that are unnatural to your being and detrimental to your personal growth. It is sometimes the only way you will listen to the voice inside of you that somehow already knows what you really want. And once you do, you already have it in you to act on it. When you act on what you really want - not what well-wishers, advisors or loved ones want - but what you really want, you succeed. The definition of success is what you've gained from failure. There is no other way to view it.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
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