The Challenge

The first time I did home service tutoring was with a young piano enthusiast who thought she could learn to play the piano in three days. She did of course, learn finger placement, and I’d say it kept her interested until the next rounds of lessons until her recital came up. And perform she did! To the delight of the audience, she played with gusto, her small fingers gliding and flying on the keyboard like a real pro. The happiness and pride I saw on her face as she took her bow amidst unceasing applause is one that has been etched in my memory.
But it isn’t always rosy. I had a chance to teach dyslexic brothers who competed for attention ever so often! This meant preparing extra set of visuals for them coupled with, you know what, patience! There will be days of crying, some bickering, but always ending up with them on the piano, trying to outdo each other. I was the proud teacher on the day of their recital!
With home service comes the hassle of having to commute from one end to the other. It isn’t always that you can have two or three tutees within the same block (I wish) but my home service experiences included catching the next commute, rain or shine, being late and suffering the awkward moments of having to explain that you will cancel due to inclement weather or simply difficulty in getting a taxi ride.
I have the good fortune of parents who were enthusiastic with their children’s progress. They asked questions, extended help when needed, and were very punctual with payments. And what’s more, they recommended my service to other parents, which is an acknowledgment of their satisfaction. I particularly remember a parent who went out of her way to help me find other tutees within her area after seeing how difficult it was for me to always be on time! Some of the parents, past and present, are friends of mine in social networks.
One advantage of doing home service is that it afforded me time to schedule my personal affairs without the hassle entailed in school teaching. I am currently graduating from a second degree, something I probably may not have been able to accomplish had I been in a regular school setup.
Another big factor is commanding your own fees. There are of course considerations to make, distance and travel time, available hours, mine and those of the tutees. Since I have students who are both free in the morning and in the afternoon, everything comes down to scheduling.
The thing is, what I thought to be the last I’d choose as a career, home service, that is, turned out to be a wonderful decision after all.

Concert at the Park Year Opener

I was back…sarap mag-perform ulit

It’s not far down to paradise
At least it’s not for me
And if the wind is right you can sail away
And find tranquility
The canvas can do miracles
Just you wait and see
Believe me

It’s not far to never never land
No reason to pretend
And if the wind is right you can find the joy
Of innocence again
The canvas can do miracles
Just you wait and see
Believe me

Sailing
Takes me away
To where I’ve always heard it could be
Just a dream and the wind to carry me
And soon I will be free

Fantasy
It gets the best of me
When I’m sailing
All caught up in the reverie
Every word is a symphony
Won’t you believe me

It’s not far back to sanity
At least it’s not for me
And when the wind is right you can sail away
And find serenity
The canvas can do miracles
Just you wait and see
Believe me

My friend was asking for directions and I was still in “twilight zone” but was able to give her the correct route and was even able to advice the Correct short-cuts to take.
No wonder she calls me “the navigator“. I guess when it comes to goin’ ’round the metro I can confidently say “I’ve got you covered”.

I’ll Cover You from RENT

ANGEL
Live in my house,
I’ll be your shelter,
Just pay me back
WIth one thousand kisses
Be my lover
and I’ll cover you

COLLINS
Open your door,
I’ll be your tenant
Don’t got much baggage to lay at your feet
But sweet kisses I’ve got to spare
I’ll be there and I’ll cover you

BOTH
I think they meant it when they said you can’t buy love
Now I know you can rent it
A new lease you are my love, on life
Be my life

Just slip me on,
I’ll be your blanket
Wherever,whatever, I’ll be your coat

ANGEL
You’ll be my King, and I’ll be your castle

COLLINS
No, you’ll be my Queen, and I’ll be your moat

BOTH
I think they meant it when they said you can’t buy love
Now I know you can rent it
A new lease you are my love, on life
All my life

I’ve longed to discover
Something as true as this is

COLLINS
So with a thousand sweet kisses,I’ll cover you
, With a thousand sweet kisses,I’ll cover you,
When you’re worn out and
tired,When your heart has expired

ANGEL (At the same time as COLLINS)
If you’re cold and you’re lonely
You’ve got one nickel only
With a thousand sweet kisses, I’ll cover you,
With a thousand sweet kisses, I’ll cover you

BOTH
Oh, lover,
I’ll cover you,
Yeah,
Oh, lover,
I’ll cover you…

Para sa inyo ito…

Dahil Nariyan Ka
by Noel Cabangon

Ang aking puso’y puno ng tuwa dahil nariyan ka
At ang bawat tibok nito’y may kakaibang nadarama
Kay tagal kong naghintay, ngayo’y di na muling mawawalay
Ang lubos na ligaya na nadarama ay dahil nariyan ka

Ang aking mundo’y biglang sumigla dahil nariyan ka
At ang simoy ng hangin ay may pag-asang dala-dala
Ang mga bituin sa langit ay liwanag na nagsasanib
Ang lubos na pag-ibig na nadarama ay dahil nariyan ka

Ang bawat likha sa paligid
Ay tila umaayon sa ‘ting pag-ibig
Parang langit
Parang walang hanggang panaginip

May [likas] sa aking mga mata dahil nariyan ka
Ang bawat sandaling kapiling ka’y anong saya
Kay tagal kong naghintay, ngayo’y di na muling mawawalay
Ang lubos na pag-ibig na nadarama ay dahil nariyan ka

Ang bawat likha sa paligid
Ay tila umaayon sa ‘ting pag-ibig
Parang langit
Parang walang hanggang panaginip

Dahil nariyan ka…

[REFRAIN:]
I love the Lord, He is filled with compassion.
He turned to me on the day that I called.
From the snares of the dark, O, Lord, save my life,
Be my strength.

Gracious is the Lord, and just.
Our God is mercy, rest to the weary.
Return my soul to the Lord our God who bids tears away.

I love the Lord. (REFRAIN)

How can I repay the Lord for all the goodness He has shown me?
I will raise the cup of salvation and call on His name.
I love the Lord. (REFRAIN)

I shall live my vows to You before Your people,
I am Your servant.
I will offer You my sacrifice of praise and of pray’r.
I love the Lord. (REFRAIN)

From the snares of the dark, O, Lord, save my life,
Be my strength.

From the snares of the dark, O, Lord, save my life,
Be my strength…

When you try your best but you don’t succeed
When you get what you want but not what you need
When you feel so tired but you can’t sleep
Stuck in reverse.

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can’t replace
When you love someone but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

And high up above or down below
When you’re too in love to let it go
But if you never try you’ll never know
Just what you’re worth

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

And the tears stream, down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears stream down your face and I…

And the tears stream, down on your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down your face and I…

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you.

I’ve seen myself in countless situations where I find myself at a loss for words and would gladly revert to singing or humming a few songs to express myself.
Weird, I know but it works for me.

I can’t imagine myself without music. It comes to me so naturally that I can’t remember any instance wherein I had no music in my life. If I am not listening to it, I am creating one. There are times when I hear myself humming a tune and quickly notating the melody before it escapes me.

When I was in High School I remember being able to compose a song/jingle within 5 minutes or less. I was more of a composer than a piano player then…made numerous jingles, love songs, instrumentals etc. Though I am sure my friends remember me being a “composer” I think I am still and will be best remembered as the person who loves harmonization.
There was this one time when a friend of mine introduced me to one of her other friends and she went
“Hi this is Eloise, magaling sha mag second voice…o eto sample…psst lagyan mo nga ng second voice yung “A Friend Like Me” yung kanta ng genie sa Aladdin”

Ahahahaha…like that’ll sound good. Now, if that’s not proof enough…i don’t know what is.

Northern Downpour by Panic at the Disco

If all our life is but a dream
Fantastic posing greed
Then we should feed our jewelry to the sea
For diamonds do appear to be
Just like broken glass to me

And then she said she can’t believe
Genius only comes along
In storms of fabled foreign tongues
Tripping eyes, and flooded lungs
Northern downpour sends its love

Hey moon, please forget to fall down
Hey moon, don’t you go down

Sugarcane in the easy mornin’
Weathervanes my one and lonely

The ink is running toward the page
It’s chasin’ off the days
Look back at boat feet
And that winding knee
I missed your skin when you were east
You clicked your heels and wished for me

Through playful lips made of yarn
That fragile Capricorn
Unraveled words like moths upon old scarves
I know the world’s a broken bone
But melt your headaches, call it home

Hey moon, please forget to fall down
Hey moon, don’t you go down

Sugarcane in the easy mornin’
Weathervanes my one and lonely
[x3]

Sugarcane (hey moon) in
(Hey moon) the easy mornin’
Weathervanes (hey moon) my
(Hey moon) one and lonely

Sugarcane (hey moon) in (hey moon)
The easy (hey moon) mornin’
Weathervanes (hey moon) my (hey moon)
One (hey moon) and lonely

[Continues in background:]
Sugarcane (hey moon) in (hey moon)
The easy (hey moon) mornin’
Weathervanes (hey moon) my (hey moon)
One (hey moon) and lonely

Hey moon, please forget to fall down
Hey moon, don’t you go down
You are at the top of my lungs
Drawn to the ones who never yawn
[x2]