Ramblings from My Soul

Music has always been an important part of my life. One of the vivid memories I have of it is how I eagerly listen to my parents' vinyl records every Sunday morning when I was a kid. Up until now, I can hear in my mind the crisp static-like sound at the start of every record or when there is a transition from one song to another. My aunt is my biggest musical influence. She stayed with us for a couple of years and she would play the guitar while we were tending to our sari-sari store. During the summer and semester breaks, we would flip over the pages of song hits and song books. Unfortunately, this was during my puberty years. So you can just imagine how often my voice would crack when I sing. Fortunately, my aunt was kind enough not to mind it and encouraged me continue liking music (even if it didn't like me in return, as the common joke would go).    All these fond memories came back to me when I attended Cattski Espina's music appreciation session last October 17...

The other night, I was listening to music while making an exam for my class. I put my iTunes on shuffle mode. I was busy trying to make the most difficult exam ever for my students (just kidding as I actually make easy exams) when my attention was swayed from my academic task. The Abba's Chiquititta was being played at that moment. This is a song from my parents' yesteryears, I thought to myself. I wondered where they were and what they were doing when this song hit the charts in 1979. How do they look like sporting bell-bottom jeans or baggy pants? I wonder if they look funny. I guess I'll have to do a little bit of photo album digging. Chiquititta's melody faded out. The next song on the shuffle list was Toyang by Eraserheads. A floodgate of memories cracked open. This time, my memories. 1996, high school. I remember singing this song while a record cassette tape was lodged in my car stereo. My classmates and I were taking a break from planting the "immo...