Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Sweepy's July 22 Post

I do not want to translate this post
but Keeper asked me
so here it is in a capsule:


Sweepy is busy running for Palimpics.
Abala si Sweepy tumakbo para sa Pawlimpics.


I decided not to translate it word for word
because I find the little brown thing
pathetic.


End of argument.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

My Dear Neighbor . . .

Every time I take a peek at our gate
she is there.


Every time I go around, practically tired
from running after whoever is passing by
around our place, she is there . . .
peeking around as well.


After a long day, as I bark at everybody I see,
she is there. And hey, she goes barking as well!


She is our neighbor. She has sharp hearing.
Brave. Cunning. Fast.
And evey time she sees me and my pups, geez, she goes ballistic.
She gets mad as hell. And barks at us!
But every time, she sees Lui, she just looks while Lui waves at her.
Their eyes seem to communicate at each other.
As if they understand each other.
But with us, a seeming dark cloud hovers . . .


I wonder who you really are?



Sumo's July 19 Post:
Ang "dear neighbor" Ko.

To All My Readers: I Am Busy!

Woof!
I am not translating this blog
posted by Sweepy, July 18,
because it is stupid.
End of Argument.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Typhoon Helen at Isang Patay

Eto ang tumambad sa amin sa garahe
habang hinihintay namin ang bagyong si Helen.


Woof!
Kaawa-awang kwan.
Ano ba iyan, bigB?


Biglang nagsasalita si bigB
ng kung anu-anong bagay na lumilipad.
Ha? Ano bang nakakalokang bagay ba iyang pinagsasabi mo?

Basta ako, lahat ng lumilipad ay . . . langaw.
Nagbabago lang ng laki at kulay
at minsan pati ng pangalan
pero, ano ba ang paki ko . . .

Sabi ni Bogart
huwag na lang daw namin galawin ito
para mapakita namin kay Keeper.
Eh, paano kung isipin ni Keeper
na pinatay natin ito?

Tumahol si Bogart.
Aha, huli kita diyan!
O, ano ang gagawin natin dito?

Naku, tulo laway lang si Bogart.
Hindi alam ko ano ang gagawin.
Kaawa-awang bobo.


O sya, eto ang puede nating gawin:


1. Ilibing iyan sa paso ng bulaklak ni Keeper.
Huwag, at baka mabuhay pa iyan!


2. Itago natin sa lalagyan ng paintbrush ni Keeper.
Naku, huwag! Eh kung dumikit iyan sa brush
at magmukhang katawatawa ang larawan natin!


3. Kainin natin.
Yikes, kainin mong mag-isa!
Naku di mo ko mapapakain ng kung anu-ano!


4. O sya, hintayin na lang natin ang bagyong si Helen
na liparin ang bagay na iyan palabas ng Heaven
at ng hindi makita ni Keeper.


Ayan.
Na-ayos rin natin ang patay na kwan na iyan.
Nakakarinding katapusan
na binalot ng misteryong kamatayan
ng hindi matukoy na bagay.


Nasaan na ba si Keeper?
At nasaan na ba ang bagyo?
Hmmm, sana hindi dumaan sa atin
at sa kung ano mang lugar ito . . .



Sweepy's Post: July 15, 2008
Typhoon Helen and a Dead Thing

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Kagila-gilalas (Shocking)

A lot of people were asking Bogart for the meaning of this word. Bogart is patiently transcribing my stories for my friends in other countries.

Wow, I never knew they want to read my stories. Geez, I even made the font smaller so that some oldies there will get lazy reading. Arf! Now don't tell on me. That was just a joke.

Anyway, this is what is 'kagila-gilalas':


There, look at that face?
You don't need words to describe it.
It is clearly etched in my looks.
Truly shocking, right?


So when does my world get kagila-gilalas?
Okay, listen well and I will share it with you:


1. When I read Sweepy's blog.
It is not only shocking. It is crazy and at times, embarrassing.
That one is pretty spoiled. He was full of antics ever since
he was a puppy. . . Quite shocking really. . .


2. Everytime Bogart barks.
Now here's another one. So pesky.
You don't know what is ailing him.
When he was a puppy, he was sooo quiet.
At first, Pica and I thought Bogart was slow.
But as the years passed, he started showing
he is smart. Look, he is transcribing my stories.
Unlike Sweepy, who claims to be a Pinoy Hound,
when he can't speak Pilipino. He speaks in English always.
But Bogart, even if you do not say a word, he knows
what you are thinking. That is why when Bogart barks,
you get surprised. That is rare and for sure he has
a real reason for it.


3. The other shocking thing in my world is my good friend Lui.
She is human, unlike us. But her world is harsh. Rowdy and
dangerous too. Sometimes, she would say that the world of
humans are surrounded by beast. Hey, Lui, I am not a beast.
I am a dog and even if I look like a beast, I am really gentle
and tame . . .

And here's my gentle face. Rough but gentle.

Lui was able to tap into our powerful sense of hearing
and smelling. She can strongly hear the coming of rain,
storms and earthquakes. She taunts us a lot whenever
she gets ahead of us. "It's going to rain! . . .Looks like a
storm is coming! . . . Sumo, earthquake!"

She is ahead of us by 5 seconds and we are ahead
of people by 10 seconds or even by 1 minute.
Lui is probably half human, half animal.

But inspite of her power to hear and smell, the opposite
goes to her movements. She falls easily. When she plays
running with us, she always bumps and slips into a fall.
She is extremely clumsy. Forgetful too!

Anyway, I better take a nap for now. It is pretty tiring
to be in my kagila-gilalas world . . .



Sumo's Post July 12, 2008
Kagila-gilalas


Friday, July 11, 2008

Can You See That?

Geez!
I knew it!


There!
Do you also see that?


And here's another one!
Geez, these cats don't get it!


Peeking.
Passing.
As if taunting you.
As if looking for
a bloody fight!


I don't know know why I am pissed
every time I see a cat.
After all I grew up
surrounded by cats.
They cleaned and hugged me.
But as the days passed, as I grew up
and as my family grew
they left one by one.
They probably did not like the noise.
They are quite finicky.
They hate rowdiness.
They hate noise.
Just like some people at times.


Some people when they get irritated
they leave even their own house.
Of course, they return.
But the cats,
when they get irritated
they leave and don't return at all!
Truly irritating.


I miss them that's why.
And I don't want another cat.
I want our old cats.
"Cause I know their smell.
And I know them well.
Even if they were pesky, I loved them.


Just like Pica.
My late mate.
Pretty pesky but I truly miss her.


That is why when I see a cat
my head boils.
I feel like biting
to ease the pain.
To ease my loneliness.


So now,
when I catch that one
that one will surely get my bite.



Sumo's Post: Nakikita Mo Ba Iyan?
July 11, 2008



Thursday, July 10, 2008

Translation Request from Julian

A reader named Julian
requested me to translate the page of Sumo.
Here it is:


Ako Si Sumo
I am Sumo.

mga kagilagilalas na pagmumuni
ng isang asong itim
sa mundong ginagalawan ng tao

mga kwentong binalot ng dilim. puot.
pagkamangha. luha. ligaya. at tuwa.

some shocking musings of a black dog
in the human world
stories enveloped in darkness. sadness.
surprise. tears. happiness. and joy.


Ako ay Asong Pinoy.
Walang labis.Walang kulang.
I am a Pinoy dog.
No more. No less.


Hoy, bawal umistambay . . . O umihi dito
Hey, no loitering . . . Or taking a pee here . . .


Ang hindi tumingin sa pinaroroonan . . . ay nawawala
Those who do not watch where they are going . . . gets lost.


Ang hindi lumingon sa pinang-galingan . . . ay tamad.
Those who do not look back
to where they came from . . . are lazy.


Ang asong ulul ay likha ng taong ulul
A crazy dog is created by a crazy person.


Ang mga anak ko, tulad ko, aba eh di guapo din!
My puppies are also handsome like me!



May Ipapatrabaho Ako Sa Iyo!

. . . at dahil bati na kami ni BigB
meron akong ipapasalin sa kanya.


Naku, medyo mahirap ito
at siguradong hindi kaya ni bigB
na isalin ito sa Pilipino
kahit na nandiyan si Keeper at Webster!


Malaking pagsubok talaga
na napapatahol at tumutulo ang laway
ko sa laking tuwa!


Ito ay lumang SMS/text
na hinugot ko sa inaalikabok na inbox ng celfon ko
na siyang bagay para sa matalino na mga asong itim.
Ha!


Tingnan mo ang mangyayari
kung pagbabaligtarin ang mga letra
na sumusunod na salita:


Dormitory
dirty room

Desperation
a rope ends it

The Eyes
they see

The Morse Code
here come dots

Slot Machines
cash lost in me

Animosity
is no amity

A Decimal Point
I’m a dot in place

Snooze Alarms
alas, no more Z’s

Astronomer
moon starer

Mother-In-Law
woman hitler

Eleven Plus Two
twelve plus one

Election Results
lies, let’s recount



Ayan.
Siguradong pagpapaguran ni Bogart iyan
sa buong taon . . .

O sya, makatulog na muna
ng mahimbing na tulog
ng isang MATALINONG aso.




Sweepy's July 9 Post.

Giyera sa Langit

Oo, ganyan na kami ngayon ni bigBrother
na hindi ko pangangalanan sa ngayon.


Isang milya ang layo naman.
O, isang silya ang layo.


Umupo si Keeper sa silya at agad niyang naramdaman ang
masamang hangin. Malakas makaramdam si Keeper ng ganito.
At ito ang sabi niya:
"Hmmm, parang may nasasaktan at galit at ayaw ko ng ganyan"


Agad tumahol si bigB:
"Mukhang galit yung Maliit diyan.
Feel ko nagseselos si Liit sa blog ng mga asong itim"


Naku, dinadaan na naman sa asaran.
Si Liit daw, woof, buntot ko!
Eh si Keeper lang ang tumatawag sa akin ng "Little One"


Tinawag ako ni Keeper sa tabi para mag-usap.
Sabi ni Keeper okay lang daw
kapag may kanya-kanya kaming blog.
Kung ano ang tingin kong nakaka-umay
eh baka masaya naman sa iba.
Kung mayroon daw kaming sariling blog
malaya namin na masasabi kung ano
ang tingin namin sa mga bagay-bagay!

Malayang Pamamahayag daw ang tawag dito
at ito ay sumasang-ayon sa lahat
kaya daw ang mga tulad namin
ay pinapayagan ng malalaking kumpanya
gaya ng Google at Blogger
na magkaroon ng sariling blog site!

"At saka, sa Giyera lahat natatalo
at walang pakinabang at kalunos-lunos ito"
At diyan ni Keeper tinapos ang usapin.


Bumalik ako sa lugar ko kanina.
Pilit akong inaamo ni bigB.
Alam ko namang mahirap talikuran
yung tunay mong minamahal . . .
Hindi ko lang kasi kapatid si Bogart
siya ang pinakamatalik kong kaibigan
pangalawa lang kay Keeper . . .

Pero marami kaming dapat pag-usapan
at ito ay pinagtatahol ko sa kanya:
O sya, puede nating ipagdakdakan
at pagtawanan ang isa't isa sa mga blog natin
pero isasa-isip natin na ito'y biruan lamang.
Walang samaan ng loob.

Payag si Bogart.
Alam naman ni Bogart na nagsasayahan lang naman kami.
Pero ang pagsasalin ay hindi pagsasaya kay Bogart.
Hindi ito madaling trabaho.
At and tulad namin ay hindi basta basta.
Pinag-papaguran namin ang blog namin.
At tunay kaming "nakikipag-usap" sa lahat
pati sa tao at halaman
at hindi kami bumubulong . . .
tinatahol namin lahat . . .


O ayan.
Naayos na rin.
Imbes na magkamayan kami
maghahalikan kami at magbabati.


Ngayon, balik na kami sa aming lugar.
At para ipakita ko na mapagbigay ako
ipauubaya ko ang silya kay Bogart.
Papaunlakan ko na malagay siya sa ibabaw paminsan-minsan
at ako naman sa tabi o sa ilalim niya . . .


Masaya si Keeper.
Umaasa si Keeper na sana masaya rin ang mga tao
na nagkakasunduan at binibigyan ang isa't isa
ng malayang pagpapahayag.


Masaya si Bogart
Malaya na makaka-trabaho na si BigB.
At masaya rin ako . . .
malaking tulong talaga kung may nagkukusa
na pag-intindihin at liwanagin ang mga bagay.
Hindi ka naman puedeng galit at nagtatampo palagi.
Nakakapagod at nakaka-umay ito. . .


Masaya rin si Sumo.
Basta hayaan namin siya
sa madilim at matalinghaga niyang mundo
. . . masaya si Sumo.
Kakaiba talaga ang saya ni Alfafa.
At kinasasaya ko ito . . .

Sana masaya at mapayapa rin ang araw ninyo!



Sweepy's "Bark War In Heaven"
Posted July 9, 2008.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Kapag Napikon Ang Pikon, este si Sweepy Pala. . .


. . . . Natatanga si Bogart
Gusto ni Bogart maglaro
Pero ayokong makipaglaro sa kanya.
Ayaw kong makipaglaro sa sinuman
na ang turing sa kuwento ko . . .
basura.


Pero, itong walang kaalam-alam na si BigB
ang tingin niya walang masama
sa mga malayang paglalahad.
Malayang maglahad ang mga hayop.
Pero hindi naman ako Hayop.
SuperHound ako.
At mayroon akong pakiramdam.
Pakiramdam na maaring masaktan ng tunay.
Basahin-Mo-Ang-Labi ko:
Maglaro kang mag-isa!

Na-bo-bored si Bogart maglaro ng mag-isa.
Hindi kasi nakikipaglaro ang laruan
at saka hindi rin ito nakikipag-amuhan.
Tinapon ni BigB ang laruan sa akin.

Aba, siyempre, nilaro ko ito
. . . ng Mag Isa.
Kaya ko yata maglaro ng Mag-isa.
Kaya kong maloka sa kalalaro ng mag-isa.
Hindi ko kailangan ng tatanga-tanga na kalaro.
Hahanap ako ng ibang kalaro.

Tama!
Hanapin ko si Keeper.
Siya ang makikipalaro sa akin.
At sigurado akong hinding hindi niya
papayagang masaktan ang damdamin ko.


Sweepy's Post: When Sweepy Turns Sour, July 7, 2008.

It's Noisy Again!

It is noisy around my place again.
I get surprised every time several cars, people and animals pass by. Oh yes, there are so many animals who passes by our street who seemed lost or wild. You will find stray cats, dogs forsaken by fate, birds, lizards and all sorts of flying things. There are flies, mosquitoes, fleas, etc. They are so noisy. Most especially the ants. Super noisy. Super plenty too. Sometimes, they pass by at a time when I am sleeping. I have no idea where they are going . . .

When I get irritated with the noise, I check the surroundings and at times, I add to the noise. There's nothing to it. I just feel like joining the noisy world. Haha.

When I start barking, the others like me will join in the fray. As if awaken from their sleep, their barkings can be heard down to the end of the street! Most of the dogs in the area are familiar with each other's barking. As if warning each other that something is not right. . .

When the barking gets unbearable I start running to the back of the house. For I'm sure that one of the people in the house will come out to check and I do not want to get scolded for being too noisy.

Now, when there is something to bark about, I will stay put and continue barking together with my pups and the other dogs around me. I am sure that the reason for barking: be it the garbage truck or the postman or whatever . . . the people in the house will surely kiss me in joy. I am sure they will fill me with happy compliments for calling their attention.

It sure feels good to serve and help. That's our role in society anyway. And that is the reason why every time it gets noisy I immediately check the surroundings.


Sumo's Post: Maingay Na Naman, July 7, 2008.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Tumatahol Ang Asong Itim!

Siguro alam nyo na,

na si Alfafa Sumo (ang Alpha-Papa ko)
ay may sarili ng site sa salitang Pinoy.
Pinasilip ko kay Bogart at pagbalik niya
maikli lang ang report niya.
Pero dala niya ang maraming hiling
na isalin ito sa English!

Ang Report ni Bogart sa site ni Alfafa Sumo:
Madilim at Artsy


Aba, ano bang ka-polgasan iyan?
Anong Artsy? Ano ang madilim dun?
Ano ang madilim at artsy?


Bogart: Eh di kewl.


Ah, talaga?
At ano naman ang tingin mo sa site ko.


Basura.


Hoy, sandali lang . . .
Sino ang may sabing basura ito?


Duh . . .


O sya, bigB.
Tanggal ka na sa site ko!


Ok.


Anong ok?


Eh di gagawa na lang ako ng sa akin.


Woof! Arf!
Anong ibig mong sabihing 'gagawa'?
Gagawa ka ng sarili mong blog?
At ano naman ang ilalagay mo dun?


Magsasalin ako ng blogs.


Woof! Ha?


Isasalin ko ang blog ni Sumo sa English.
At itong blog mo naman sa Pinoy.
Simple lang.


Aba
, ang galing ah!
Sampalin ko ang buntot ko,
bakit kaya hindi ko naisip yan noon?


Eh kasi hindi ka naman marunong no.


O sya ‘di nga ako magaling dun.
Eh ikaw rin naman di ba!


Simple lang.
Tutulungan ako ni Keeper.


Aba, Malaking Balita iyan!
Si Keeper kamo tutulong sa iyo?


Yeah.
Kahapon pa.
May treat ako.


Anong ‘kahapon’?
Anong ‘treat’?


Eh kinulit ng mga tao si Keeper
na isalin ang blog ni Sumo
kaya ginawa na namin agad.
At dahil tinutulungan ko ang mga tao
sa buong mundo para maintindihan
ang blog niyo, trabaho yan sa akin.
Kaya may bayad ako.
Simple lang.


Bayad?
Anong bayad?

Yogurt . . .
Mga bagay-bagay . . .

Ha, tama na!
Naku talagang Sobrang Isyu ito.
Mag-aahin ako ng PROTESTA.

Pero bago iyan,
ano ba ang pangalan ng blog mo?


Eh di –
Bogart In Heaven.
At ang kulay ko ay Berde.
Gaya ng Inggit.
Woof!



Sweepy's July 4, 2008 Post

Cranky Weather

My friend Lui would always say that.

I never knew that the weather can be described as that. Cranky,
she says. Sometimes, she describes the weather as “clear” . . .
at times, she calls it “playful” . . . but she always prefer to call it
cranky.

The weather is cranky when it is cloudy and there is the threat
of rain. It is also cranky when there’s a storm. Playful when it
gets too hot and when it rains suddenly. The weather is clear
when it is sunny and the sun is shining bright.

When I took a peek at the weather today, I do not know if it is
cranky, playful or clear. It rained last night yet it was sunny in
the morning. By noon, it rained. By late afternoon, it became hot.
And it got cooler by night time. . . no wonder I slept well!

Sometimes, I wonder if the weather is just going with the flow of
life. Like the weather, the people can also be cranky, playful and
clear. Sometimes, people can be all three combined when life gets
too harsh like it is at present.

My pups say I am cranky. That is not true! I am just concerned.
I do not want them to be frisky and noisy. One of the people in
our house hates noise. And Lui gets affected whenever somebody
would scold us. And my pups get confused when this happens.
Hounds like us can understand calm and simple language. We
may not be able to speak the human language but we sure do
understand what they mean. I wonder if people can understand
the language of animals?

Like the weather, we can also be playful.
And just like with people, life is also fine for us.
And like the weather, we also get confused.


Sumo's July 2, 2008 Post

Silence Can Be Deafening.

Have you ever wondered how silence can deafening?

I was sleeping soundly yesterday when something woke me up.
I immediately checked my two pups who were quietly sleeping.
My grown-up pups can be frisky and noisy when awake. But
they are sleeping and there are no people in the house.

I went around the quiet place. The silence was deafening.
Maybe this was what my late mate Pica was referring to when
she said that the eerie silence would sometimes wake her up.
Maybe this only happens when one is getting old.
Maybe I am getting old. I don’t notice these things before
since I get to sleep soundly even when it’s noisy. My two pups,
who are 1 to 2 years younger than me, are not bothered by
the noise either.

I am not really that old. I am still energetic and can run after
anybody who dare trespass our property. One time I even
jumped at a kid who tried to climb our chico tree. I hate seeing
strangers in our property. I am sure if I get to catch them I will
not hesitate to bite them off!

Maybe my friend Lui was right in saying that silence is deafening
because this rarely happens. Lui is the one who takes care of me
and my hounds family. Lui said that the world is too noisy
so when the noise suddenly dies down, you get startled.
You are not used to the silence anymore.

No wonder why Lui would often do yoga to bring silence back
to her world. She would sit in a corner and her world would
stand still even if we are barking. She remains seated as if in
sleep. She does this a lot.

Pica also told me when she was still alive that I can still be with her
in silence. She does not mean in death. She probably meant in the
stillness of the hour. Just like Lui’s yoga. Sometimes when I am
in my house and cuddled in my pillows, I do remember Pica and
my former owner, Cesario. Cesario gave me as a puppy gift to
Lui’s family. Pica and Cesario are both gone now, but I always
remember them, especially when it’s quiet.

Everytime I watch the sun during those quiet hours, I see
different things. The world feels happy and calm.

My world is quiet now. And I am happy . . .


Sumo's Post: July 7.


Thursday, July 3, 2008

Hey, It's Already July!

Time flies so fast. It would seem that not so long ago, time just changed its rhythm. Rainy, and then sunny. . . hot, and then cold. . . Sometimes your love is there with you, but sometimes, at the blink of an eye, she's gone . . .

Yes, time flies. I feel old, although when you think of it, I am only 8 years old, but it feels like I am ten years old already. When hounds like us reaches the age of 10, life slows down. We move slowly and our eyesight gets blurry. Maybe, like my love Pica, I will die too.

I once love somebody. One day I woke up and my love is gone! That was eight years ago. I was just a young puppy then. It was also in July. Pica loved me. She took care of me like I was her own puppy. She adopted me, guided me and by July, everything changed. I grew up. I was not a puppy anymore. I saw her differently and I fell in love . . .

It is so difficult to imagine that for eight long years that we were together, we will lose each other and leave. Maybe I will do the same. I will leave sooner than the people around me. We will lose each other too. I wonder if these people will get lonely the way I do when I think about my past love?

July has many secrets. Deep. Dark. Just like me.


Sumo's Post: June 30, 2008

Are You Sumo?

Yes, it's me.
You were not mistaken.
I am here too.


Sumo's Post: June 28, 2008