just realized there’s been no entry
in ramrom’s august pantry

time to go to bardmart
fill the cart
with words smart
throw a dart
be profound to confound
play sound to propound

august was a month of walk
around country club with christine to stalk and talk
a month of birthday parties to chalk

neighbor joy turns 80
bey turk and cs both beyond 50
GGG moonyit around the globe on fatt-fatt nifty

reunions abound
annual intercon gathering this time around
27-year catchup chirpings with melody found
a month of new and old unravellings astound

yesterday i saw double
removing stones in the yard did i huddle
my muscles did grumble
to linda’s hot tub bubble did i tumble
floating on margaritas, seeing 2 sistahs did i crumble
then off to cupertino park did i rumble
to watch shakespeare infamous fumble
comedy of double trouble

amidst backdrop of flying geese and sunset glow
antipholus and dromio twins intertwine blow after blow
while lydia and i on endorphins gloated and floated
with picnic meal of rillettes, pluot, okra and noodles digested

august a montage
of cozenage
28 “years have i but gone in travail”
now strumming life’s lyre

ramrom is musing
with these lyrics singing

it only takes a spark to get the fire going
and soon all those around
can warm up in its glowing

took swee from rome
a trip to hometown roam
a connects b
b connects c
c connects d
and e-f-g, o gee

soon  class74 network gets busy
then came a tsunami of emails across the seas

cyberspace is wide expanse
but arghh, there lurks better sense
to unite and park lost&found memories in one place
and ride the tsunami together with mellowing feisty grace

so our rendition of georgygirl  got birthed
filled with great hope and mirth
to harness the special talents we once were and now wear
our dreams to share
our unique souls to comingle and bare
what collective purpose shall we seek and care to bear?
we have no time to sit and stare
let’s rock the world while we have plenty to spare

hey there, georgy girl
there’s another georgy deep inside
bring out all the love u hide
and oh, what a change there’d be
the world would see
a new georgy girl!

with a purpose larger than us to make the world better, i dare
by george, we got it,
the rain does fall mainly in the plain
a nice dilemma, i do declare…

finally reunited with our wine
unshackling ourselves to prune the vine
aging over 10 years in erwan’s cave
now we shall revel the last laugh
c’est ne pas grave

hey dude, don’t be afraid
to imbibe and good times raid
we have found nirvana and liberated the slave
now go and rave, no need to $ave
we took a little trip to st nazaire les eymes hometown
first stop was de nardi’s boulangerie  for croissants golden brown
to accompany confitures de marie-francoise, don’t forget crispy crust baguette
a table aussi – mf’s homemade yogurt, le petit dejeuner is perfectly set

there was music playing everywhere
the music came from within my heart

how did it happen
how did it start
i only know that we fell in love
i guess the answer lies up above
and so we sing , yai yai yai, ya ya ya yai yai, of golden years a-teaming
and as we stomped through route national thorough-fare a-gleaming

it’s all coming back
montage of gastronomic livery attack
fond fine friends to re-tack
a sojourn yielding slack for bric-a-brac

go to grenoble market, pick up gourmet grub
fix rendang curry, partake melange of amuse-guele our stomach to rub

jambon persille, fromage de tete, moules, anchois et pied de porc
mingle them morsels with 1993 barbaresco to hit the spot
wok-fried courgets-carotte-chou bathed in garlic, taipan’s curry over basmati spiked our langues
soothed by roquefort, st marcellin and reblochon swivelling in aged nebbiolo, our tongues tingled and sung

finished meal with marie-francoise strawberry delight
oh, a stroll through bois de biviers lightened our stomachs to snooze well through the night
strawberries, cherries and an angel’s kiss in spring
our summer wine is really made from all these things
take off your silver spurs and help us pass the time
and we will give to u summer wine
oooooooohhh summer wine

when i woke up the alpine sun was shining in my eyes
awaiting homemade pate, tripe, poulpe et cuisses de grenouilles to feast and prize
stay tuned for further emission of joyous sights and sighs
as we foray chemin de vie, unveiling truths and highs…

john newman memorial – april 11, 2009

it seems like only yesterday
you diligently tended the garden from going astray
you kept the weeds at bay
can you prune our hedges too, by the way

since you went away
we miss the neighborly care you displayed
how you picked up our mail and garbage-can attendant play

you got us hooked on sudoku
with passionate gusto, you  kept on skiing and biking too
how you kept up with all these, we have no clue

farewell john, take eternal rest from labor
thanks for the fond memories to savor

life’s indeed a great buffet
now we can see you having a field day
having all the ice cream, literally a 7th heaven restful stay

goodbye to u, our beloved mere
you’ve tended us with your loving care
you taught us how to strive and dare
bad company to avoid, bargirls to beware
earn our keep, make our mark and not to swear

goodbye my mere, it’s hard to say goodbye
but a life confined is no life, leaving u high and dry
now that the cold nip is in the air
northern lights beckon, snow is everywhere
now we see pure heart a twinkling star in pure land over there

we will be known forever by the tracks we leave…..american indian proverb

wow, a blessed visit from one of 8 cousins residing in down under
into ramrom’s hotel california, today sea pearl and family did wander
nathan and simone had no idea they had an aunt of ebullient pedigree
united by a piece of grandmere in all of us in the family tree
our hubbies had no clue what lurks in the history about to set free

we had a jolly time down at silicon valley’s billabong
under the shade of our silver birch tree
we laughed and we ate and we drank coffee on the boil
cousins came a-waltzing with ramrom and me

portugues “saudade” is used to describe a nostalgic longing
for someone or something
that one was fond of and which is lost, never returning…..

the hills are alive and wet
since our feet in salzburg set
the tv replays sound of music 24 by 7
takes me back to nostalgia heaven

teardrops on verses when ramrom reverses
loving embraces, sweet kisses and caresses
dad’s tailored dresses fit for carmen’s inn prancing
these are a few of my favorite things

talentine contests and singsong entertainment
60-70’s music that evoke fond sentiment
wind that blows on my face as we bike to youthful springs
these are a few of my favorite things

when fright turns to might
when might takes flight
when i’m too weak to fight
i simply remember my favorite things
and then i don’t feel….so tight

recapitulating 2 back2back “retreats” time-off…

ac >>>> women’s retreat in asilomar, california
dc >>>> as in washington, dc

130. Sun 13 Apr ’08 blog entry that poofed

carmina sakura

chicago air blues written nov 28, 1974

snowed, slushy streets
the bus crawls
minutes fleet
gotta make it
a r.bannister feat
the very last minute

barely touching
the doors of the silver bird
she takes off to
another experience of…..

june 7, 1975

blasted, busted bag
oh heck
minutes crawl
gotta make it

thoughts spinning
over fear of contents spilling
fear of losing

silver bird waking
no, another hour
wrong,
two more hours

when will it end
when will it land
air blues persist
like a maglignant disease

fast forward to april 10-16, 2008 trip to dc transiting chicago…

windy city airport blues revived
another chasing planes experience survived
missed connecting flight to dca-reagan, airblues soar
divine hotline responded with last dc flight via baltimore

no more
will i transit thru chicago o’hare i swore
no more
feel the pain of running gate-to-gate for boarding pass to score

i close my eyes and clearly my heart remembers
my third o’hare flight plight could never put out the embers

finally by 4am friday our exhausted bodies to lay
it was quite a “bad-air” day
since things delayed in san jose

nevertheless the things we do to view sakura blossoms galore
after tummy filled with a&j taiwanese grub, off to tidal basin explore
dropped in dome-shaped rotunda memorial housing 19-foot bronze jefferson
the 7.5-acred fdr memorial with statues , quotes, waterfalls was a history lesson

the annual parade yesterday closed sakura matsuri with brash
checked out the old post office when rain pellets crash
fast food ain’t that fast nor good, so transit-railed back to alexandria
after rest-up, to thai duangrats to get our real food criteria

slept in late and helped out consumer struggling with turbotax
writing user-intuitive tax software is perplexing hex
debate was hot and lunch was not
so early 5:30pm dinner at todai was the first meal we got
tomorrow is tim’s big moment to dot
why we’re really here to celebrate freedom fought and bought

131. Mon 14 Apr ’08

mmm..mm good

m is for monday
d-day has come for tim, nation’s facts to ready-relay

m is for momentous milestone
within 30-minutes, tim passed test, citizenship shown

m is for m street
in georgetown for a magnificent lunch treat
oysters, clams, lump crabcakes, kobe burger and sirloin sliders
with j.paul’s draft specials and mango cheesecake gliders

m is for mailing tax filing extension
tim racing to buy time to give tax computation more attention

m is perfect excuse for malaysian marathon meal
at kopi-tiam with bryan, some precious moments to seal
fried koay-kak, lamb satay, lobak, oyster omelette, curry-roti chanai to whet appetite
then hor-fun, nasi lemak, sambal okra, sambal udang, assam laksa, curry mee to excite

all in all, oy-vey
what a mmm..mm food day

tomorrow’s highlight
official swearing delight

132. Tue 15 Apr ’08

stand up

the road was long
with many a winding wear and tear
today with him, we got there
finally tim can singalong the song

this land is your land
this land is my land
from california
to the new york island

evoking our own journeys to get to where he got
fellow americans from h-1 days to pr to citizenship to cherish and forget-them-not
who crossed the english channel 3 times with us back2back within 12 hours
who availed their backyard for our wedding amidst dog barks, family, friends and flowers

yea, lee greenwood, we thank our lucky stars,
to be livin here today.
‘cause the flag still stands for freedom,
and they can’t take that away.
and i gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘cause there ain’t no doubt i love this land,
God bless the usa.

the beauty of america is reflected in the diverse cuisine partook
to wrap up today, off to annandale korean nook
checked out sorak garden, it was unbelievable hankuk
spicy beef tripe casserole, kalbi, seafood pancake, panchan – our tastebuds to hook

just one look
that’s all it took
5 stars to the cook
sorak made it to our black book

congrats tim
to realize a dream

thanks for dc memories of museums, monuments and memorials
for mmm…mm virginia magic moments and letting us share your holy grails and tales

today marks tax filing deadline
“the hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax” says einstein
and it was benjamin franklin who said “nothing is certain but death and taxes:
but death isn’t annual”…the latter is unchangeable nexus

133. Thu 17 Apr ’08

homo conexus

well, stay with tim
meant entering his viewing beam
first, finally “300? movie watched
how spartan courage against persians lodged

then, eyed book “jewtopia”
highly recommended for hilarious hernia

then while waiting for taipan to fix brunch
july-aug 2006 mit alum’s “technology review” to munch

attention perked
when article on tom perkins of class53 lurked
who “learned everything i know about venture capital from dave”
while sprouting early years in hp cave
who considered packard “the ultimate entrepreneur”
now gained stellar fame from being a great learner

in 34 years, kpcb invested in 475 companies
spawning 90billion revenues and 275000 job economies
of which 167 funded went public
among which amazon, aol, netscapes, genentech and google clique

next, “homo conexus” article caught my eye
“dodgeball truth” unveiled ie web2.0 is meant for gen y
how derived?

writer james fallows experimented to strive
living a web2.0-only life
by shifting life activities on internet drive
using gmail,gcalendar,voo2do,writely,babel fish,pandora,zillow,dodgeball crush2survive
that’s how “dodgeball truth” to arrive

looking back at progress
in some ways we advanced, in other ways we regressed

trading off human touch
when u substitute with e-clutch crutch
so, have we moved much?

134. Sun 20 Apr ’08

eshet hayil

great scott
to atlanta for 30th classwomen’s reunion, i did not
instead to asilomar i trot

whisper directed my heartbeat
choose pbcc women’s retreat
leave mainstream, flow with asilomar offbeat
courage to take spiritual stock, to replenish and accede

theme was centered on “eshet hayil”

– a woman of valor
king solomon’s proverbs 31 in 22-verse hebrew acrostic manner
with speaker merilyn copland unveiling the wraps
of how eshet hayil dances with God, His lead in steps

she nobly struts
with guts
to rumba out of ruts
dips and all
how far u think u will fall
a function of how deep your relationship with Him and call

for eshet hayil fears the Lord and relates with Him
which in turn drives her relationship with others, exuding intensity of His gleam

shelagh and i at workshop with ears attending
gerontologist magriet aka blueberry listener revealing
the healing
of unpeeling
life review story-telling
and art of deep listening

to navigate next course
reflecting and connecting is living and leaving legacy sauce

and climactic annaliese
with her locks-of-love release
for when u have the Lord, there’s nothing to miss

He’s callin’ out around the world
are u ready for a brand new beat?

He’s always there and the time is right
for dancing in the street

oh it doesn’t matter what u wear
just as long your soul to bare

valori, swirl and twirl
ev’rywhere around the world

we”ll be dancing, dancing in the street
to a better place and Him meet

this entry is dedicated to my biweekly valory pbcc sisters….

we could have danced all night!
we could have danced all night!
and still have begged for more.
we could have spread our wings
and done a thousand things,
we’ve never done before.
we’ll never know what made it so exciting;
why all at once, our hearts took flight.

i only know when He
began to dance with me
i could have danced,
danced, danced all night!

“we’re on the move”, treasure island 4alice today
12 dedicated walkers, hooray of commitment and care display

“gno” gang in full force plus melanie, avis, doris, and taipan
as intuit team, we’re ending alzheimer’s, we care & give back what we can

thanks also to financial supporters from near and far
– andrea, aida, catherine,
– goon, grace, yim, ye-lin
– fundraisers and their team
– brian, bruce, melissa
– brooks, john&dana, laura, stella
– tim&tee, haydee, helen, amy
– linda, lucy, lee, dotty, family
without whom we couldn’t have crossed our target bar

fundraisers lin, leemin, melanie, doris, avis
all added to the barometer bliss

we all did it, we raised 4alzheimer’s cause to tune of $3530
alice is indeed honored, a memory to cherish dearly

we know what we would do if any of us sang out of tune
u would stand up and not walk out on me, phew

ooh pure heart gets by with a little help from her friends
mm, i fly high with a little love from my family and friends

yes we need each other to care
we have some love to spare
could it be anybody to serve
i want somebody to love

when we walk through dementia storm
keep our chins up high
and don’t be afraid of the dark

at the end of the storm
is a golden sky
and the sweet silver song of a lark

walk on through the wind
walk on through silence and din

walk on through the brain rain
tho’ memories minced from circuits blown
today’s symbolic hope refrain
we’ll never walk alone

15 is “chup-goh” in hokkien
“meh” means night
in 28-day lunar cycle, 15th = moon at fullness might
basis of 2 kinds of moonlight-festival event

one around 15th and final day of the lunar chinese new year
other is mid-autumn festival celebrating the harvest with chinois cheer
marked by mooncakes and colorful lanterns glowing in the dark
around the world similar harvest festivals mark

in korea, a 3-day chu suk festival
in vietnam, tet trung thu is their carnival
in japan, tsukimi to mark harvest bounty arrival
http://www.everythingesl.net/lessons/harvest_festivals_around_world_79423.php go travel

grew up singing this rap
in penang, carrying candle-lit red cellophane lanterns
http://www.flickr.com/photos/deadcat/45592082/in/set-1828031/

framed fish, dragon, rabbit, butterfly patterns
here goes in hokkien wrap

chup goh meh

hoay kim cheh fireflies
jiah loo eh koowa lai chiak teh invite fellowmen to drink tea

teh siuo siuo tea, hot-hot
kia law ki bay geen jiuo walk to buy banana
geen jiuo bay ki peh forgot to peel banana
kia law ki bay chekh walk to buy book
chekh bay ki thuck forgot to read book
kia law ki bay buck walk to buy stone sharpener

buck bay ki bua forgot to sharpen
kia law ki bay chua walk to buy snake
chua bay ki liak forgot to capture snake
kia law ki bay ka-kiak walk to buy clogs
ka-kiak bay ki cheng forgot to wear clogs
kia law ki bay ka leng walk to buy mynah bird

ka leng kong, ka leng poh male mynah, female mynah
jiah loo eh koowa lai tchit toh invite fellowmen to play
tchit toh eiah play with coconut
chiak kam cheah eat sugar cane
kam cheah tee sugar cane is sweet
chiak lai chee eat lichee

lai chee pong lichee is puffed
chiak tombong eat heart of coconut
tombong pekh heart of coconut is white
chiak kelinga teh teh eat indian’s nipple!

last domingo a track back to location of matrimonial past
at gringo tio jaime’s patio, a walk down memory-lane fiesta blast
our tastebuds tantalized by aida’s humitas ecuadorian style
sin carne, solamente con queso, muy sabroso on the scale dial

next treat presented was chiles en nogada, covered with walnut sauce sprinkled with pomegranates
poblano filled with savory mix of pork morsels, fruit and nut mates

appetite satiated and friends appreciated
marriage, fellowship, good times and good eats consummated

yummy, yummy, yummy
i got love in my tummy

reel back to first day at asc
at walters dorm #311, in walked my roommate to be
from worlds apart we now entered the same
to school our minds, our thinking to tame

she left agnes scott to land of scots
i sojourned to places of various sorts
over the years different things we sought
lo and behold we now find ourselves in sf bay spot

what provoked the above memory?
well, a cab ride email entered my ramrom sanctuary
which beckoned strains of eleanor-sinatra grand jury

u make me feel so young
u make me feel like spring has sprung
u make me feel there are songs to be sung
bells to be rung, and a wonderful story below to be flung

20 years ago, he drove a cab for a living
responding to a call, he arrived at 2:30 a.m. at the building
it was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window
hmm, maybe go to that door, his instinct to follow
passenger might be someone who needs his assistance
so knock on the door to find out this instance

“just a minute,” answered a frail, elderly voice
he heard a “something being dragged across the floor” noise
after a long pause, the door opened slim
a small woman in her 80’s stood before him
she was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it
by her side a small nylon suitcase, like somebody out of a 1940s movie hit

the apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years
all the furniture was covered with sheets likely from sears
there were no clocks on the walls, no knick-knacks or utensils on the counters
he noted though, a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware in one of the corners

“would you carry my bag out to the car?” she said
he took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to the woman to aid
she took his arm and they walked slowly toward the curb
“thank you” many times, she blurbed
“it’s nothing”, he told her, time for golden rule to be repeated
“i just try to treat my passengers the way i would want my mother treated”
“oh, you’re such a good boy”, she complimented

they got into the cab and she gave him the destination address
adding “could you drive through downtown, though it’s not the shortest way,” she confessed
“i’m on my way to a hospice but in no hurry”
not a problem for the cab driver this favor to curry

he looked in the rear-view mirror and her eyes glistened back
“i don’t have any family left,” she continued her story deck
“the doctor says i don’t have very long”
he knew it’s time to shut off the meter gong

they drove through the city some 2 hours solid
taking them to places of her golden past, she recanted a farewell bid
“there’s the building where i once worked as an elevator operator” she gasped
drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds

pulled up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom
where she had gone dancing as a girl, her mind excitedly boomed
slowing down to front of a particular building or corner, they would sit staring into darkness gloom

as the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said
“i’m tired, let’s go now” enough of reminiscing laid

they drove in silence to the address she gave
it was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway paved
two orderlies came out as soon as the cab pulled up
they were solicitous and intent, watching her every move, like a pup
he opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door
the woman already seated in a wheelchair, “how much do I owe you?” she implored
“nothing,” he said, his emotions explored

“you have to make a living,” she responded
“there are other passengers,” he bonded
almost without thinking, he bent and gave her a hug
“you gave an old woman a little moment of joy, thank you” she tugged
he squeezed her hand, then walked into the dim morning light
behind him, a door shut and he knew the plight
it was the sound of the closing of a life, after the reminiscence delight

he didn’t pick up any more passengers that shift
driving aimlessly, lost in thought, deep insight rift

for the rest of that day, he could hardly talk
what if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient, the lady to balk
what if he had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?
on a quick review, he thought he had not done anything more important in his life than that day

we’re conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments won
however, often times there are great moments beautifully-wrapped in a small one
people may not remember exactly what you did or what you said
they will always remember how you made them feel instead
echoing gord mclean’s wisdom on handling people under your stead

u make me feel so young
u make me feel like spring has sprung
and even when i’m old and gray
i’m gonna feel the way i do today
’cause u make me feel so young

back to silicon pace where we came from
tomorrow at high noon, we’d be gone
but while the moon is bright
dream of our return through the night
no one knows
life comes and goes

goodbye, santorini and grecian play
who could hang a view on u?
when u change with every new day
still we’re gonna miss u…

don’t question why we all need to go on such a spree
to keep one’s sanity, it’s the only way to be
we just can’t be chained
to a life where nothing’s gained
and nothing’s lost
at such a cost

goodbye yanni of golden rust
greeks certainly know how to have a blast
we enjoyed your warm hellenistic embrace
gonna miss your sense of time and place

there’s no time to lose, i heard delfi say
catch your dreams before they slip away
dying all the time
lose your dreams
and you will lose your mind
ain’t life unkind?

goodbye, yanni thursday
who could hang a name on u?
when you change with every new day
still we’re gonna miss u…

cos’ we’re leaving on a jetplane
don’t know when we’ll be back again
stars willing, we’ll be heading to pylos terrain
in due time to peloponnese, nico …all is not in vain

wow, we’re marching into march
hotstuff scotty memories ignited to starch
rains of past days, soil to quench
now in sunshine, my poetry to drench

astral travel to days i owe
liberal arts foundation for future to grow
cherishing the learning gifts bestowed
doors opened by my curiosity to know
asc profs imparted teachings aglow

from pepperdene who ignited chaucer in me
to burnside, patterns in music to see

from brooking, speak the speech theatrics
to mills on mead, kibbutz, koinonia rubrics

from weber, independent study of galbraith vs veblen
to behan, dabbling logical deduction of heaven

from mckemie to physically charge my morning glory
golfing mcconnell, sync swim manuel, darling pas de deux story
campbell to trace back my asian history

von steubing wer got me competing in dionysia at clemson
to pepe introducing duccio, da vinci to pollocking jackson
mcgehee drew out my inner self with twig and ink to exhibition

agnes scott honored me to uphold honor code
gave me fibres of tensile strength to stay upright, any road or abode

hear convocation strains from presser hall
stand tall whatever our call

God of the marching centuries
Lord of the passing years
leading a people’s victories
sharing a people’s tear
seal us now we worship Thee
here on this moment’s height
star of the way our fathers found
be still our guiding Light

try to remember
the kind of september
when you learned to bike
bold enough to tell someone to take a hike

try to remember
love smoldering amber
the first kiss
a heartbeat miss
to be dumped and to dump
first disco coke and rum

try to remember
sweet surrender
floating on a cloud
receiving a prize proud
collecting stuff for jumble sale
counting jelly fish when ferry to butterworth sail

try to remember
the childish pranks i now shudder
lighting up firecracker in can to blast the new year
screams elicited in the cemetery under moonlight clear

try to remember
on guitar folk songs to render

gurney drive strolls, “you can’t help going for a walls” ice-cream

campbell street shopping and faraway lands for hope and dream

rest your head on flashback pillow
and sweet bliss hollow will follow and fallow…

try to remember
the kind of september
when you learned to bike
bold enough to tell someone to take a hike

try to remember
love smoldering amber
the first kiss
a heartbeat miss
to be dumped and to dump
first disco coke and rum

try to remember
sweet surrender
floating on a cloud
receiving a prize proud
collecting stuff for jumble sale
counting jelly fish when ferry to butterworth sail

try to remember
the childish pranks i now shudder
lighting up firecracker in can to blast the new year
screams elicited in the cemetery under moonlight clear

try to remember
on guitar, folk songs to render
gurney drive strolls, “you-can’t help going for a walls” ice-cream
campbell street shopping and faraway lands for hope and dream

rest your head on flashback pillow
and sweet bliss hollow will follow and fallow….

yesterday ufo landed on maple lane
with special delivery of lobsters from maine
meursault, surf&turf, our tastebuds to entertain
tee and tim’s generosity was insane

what a memorable time we had
what delightful dialogs and fun was bred
a gamut of reminiscing, bliss and teasing
garden paradiso, the evening most pleasing

frankie valli’s oh, what a night
hypnotizing, mesmerizing me
the company was everything we dreamed it would be
sweet surrender, oh what a night