Tried Singing Tenor... Cried Watching Boxing

...pretty much sums up my Saturday. Sorry this kwento is sooooooo stale, but I only had time to update my blog today. I'm in madaldal kwento mode today by the way, as I've finally finished ten pages of my faculty grant research paper! Puro review of existing literature pa lang, haaayyyyy.... Hope to finish it by Friday! :D Anyway, Here goes my long narrative about the little things that made up my Saturday...

The Tenor Thingie. Saturday morning we (Praise Theme) sang at the CACD Coordinators' Meeting at the Manila Bible Seminary. (Sorry don’t have pics kasi my camera is still with Nats: he uses it to take pictures of his “scenes at the operating table.” He plans to make a blog out of it—but I told him that for the sake of good taste, and uh, various people having their meals while surfing the Net, maybe he should forego this grand idea.)

Dapat "Praise Theme" ang kakanta, pero since walang mga boys, naging "Praise Theme Girls" (a la Starstruck Kids). Ok lang naman, kineri namin. Aside from leading Worship, we sang two songs: Yes, I Believe (Point of Grace) and Adonai (Avalon). I totally love the second song! It's one of those songs that Ate Abbie and I have wanted to do for the longest, longest time. It was meant to be sung by a quartet, SATB. The other guys (kuya eldrin, darvin, gian, ted, wendell, etc.) couldn’t make it for various reasons kaya naging girls ensemble kami. I also sang the tenor solo (the song has two solos, one for a soprano—which rina sang—and one for a tenor solo na dapat paolo will sing but he has an exam so ako ang pinabanat). Hindi sha madali is all I can say about the adonai solo... but I hope to do it again kase enjoy. :) anyways, as usual, here are the lyrics...

one single drop of rain,
Your salty tear became blue ocean
one tiny grain of sand turning in Your hand,
the world in motion;
You're out beyond the furthest morning star
yet close enough to hold me in Your arms...
Adonai, i lift up my heart
and i cry, my Adonai
You are maker of each moment,
Father of my hope and freedom...
oh my Adonai
one timid faithful knock resounds upon the rock of ages
one trembling heart and soul
becomes a servant bold and courageous
You call across the mountains and the sea
i answer from the deepest part of me
Adonai, i lift up my heart
and i cry, my Adonai
You are maker of each moment,
Father of my hope and freedom...
oh my Adonai
from age to age You reign in majesty
today You’re making miracles in me…
Adonai, i lift up my heart
and i cry, my Adonai
You are maker of each moment,
Father of my hope and freedom...
oh my Adonai

The Boxing Boohoo. After the CACD thingie, umuwi na ako with my dad to spend a lazy afternoon at home. Did a little reminiscing on the piano: played all the old songs of the Cruzada Choir na meron akong piyesa dito. Concert level na ito. After this “workout” (pramis, playing the piano can be a workout), I sat myself down in front of the tube and watched Million Dollar Baby on DVD.

Yuckygrossy mga boxing scenes ha (never liked boxing that much). But overall, I have to say this movie touched me in ways I didn't expect. It's all about the underdog and about people "getting their shot" at life chuchuwa. Although I personally am not a believer in euthanasia, I appreciated how they used this element to reflect more of the characters', er well, character. It's also amazing how Hilary Swank can still look so fresh and hopeful even if her face is all swollen up and bleeding--she was definitely beaming the entire film! Her face really registered everything about believing in and fighting for yourself regardless of your circumstance, hoping beyond all hope, at the same time humbly appreciating what life gives you, even the littlest things (like those leftover steaks she regularly takes home from the diners she waitresses in). No, I don't think it's the makeup. I think it's her smile and how it's just so genuine and expectant. She's supposed to be 31 in the movie, but she looked more like a 21-year-old to me. i cried towards the end—pero tears at the corners lang naman. hindi naman torrents of tears. hello so whats new?

So.... that rounds my Saturday up. Pretty relaxed considering ang dami kong workload. But I pretty much decided as early as 5am: no work-related thinking, doing, speaking, or even breathing. I just wish if my life were on video, I also looked as hopeful and fresh as Hilary Swank even without the matching black-eye (in short: wag naman sana shiny ang fez ko… kainis kasi ang humid e… hehe).