Singing Amidst a Stormy Weather

Hi and Good day, everyone! Hope you're having a good time, wherever you guys are.

It's stormy in Hampton Roads today, Thursday. Nothing we can do about it but to do what we can do to live in and enjoy the present moment. One thing that I can do is to praise God. How? Singing! Yes, singing church songs and recorded them and uploaded them on YouTube, and eventually shared a couple to our Facebook families, folks and friends.

Here below are a number of videos I've done today while it's stormy outside. I just don't know but I felt like singing...That's just one way of praising our God, our Heavenly Father. So, here's just sharing with you one of my favorite things to do...Hope you're inspired to sing or share whatever talent/s and/or skills you have also to our world, trying to make a difference, even in small ways, in others' lives.

Again, thanks for listening and watching my videos. (Btw, I'm still new to this newly-discovered "adventure" in "vlogging?" I admit, I still have a lot to learn. Hopefully, I get better at it as I go on with this hobby of mine.)

Hope you enjoyed listening and watching my videos. If you like them, subscribe to my YouTube channel. Do appreciate it.

Well, this is all for now, folks and friends. Until next time around...Take care and have a wonderful day. May God bless US always!-chris a. quilpa, 24Jul14

A New (Ad)venture?

Hi, everyone! Good day to y'all! Thank God, we're alive and well...

OMG, what did I get into? A new (ad)venture! Yes, I'm excited to be an amateur vlogger/YouTuber! Why did I venture into this new experience? Simply my dear folks and friends, I just want to learn more stuff about this and that, and share what I know to the world. That's about it. Here's my maiden video on YouTube.

Now, let me share with you another sample, my first attempts at vlogging or video making? Let me know how did I fare, okay? I'm still a neophyte, learning how to do it and share or upload what I captured out of my camera. So, folks and friends, bear with me. I promise to get better as I continue to learn technologically. Enjoy and, if you like it, do subscribe to my channel. Thanks for watching and listening.

Well, that's all for now. Btw, thanks, YouTube and Blogger, and Google. Thanks, everyone, for visiting my blog and watching my video. (I hope I didn't bore you to death...Just kidding! Again, I do appreciate very much if you have time to comment and let me know what you think of my videos. Thanks. Until next time around. Take care and Have a wonderful day! May God bless US always!-chris a. quilpa

D.C. Road Trip Silliness

My Country 'Tis of Thee & America the Beautiful

Dagiti OFWs*

(Author's Note: For the past couple of days, I have been watching videos on YouTube about the Philippines and Filipinos who are or have been working and living overseas like Italy, Spain, Canada, etc. Watching the videos makes me feel nostalgic and, at the same time, critical especially with the "exodus" of adventurous and courageous Filipinos. Hence, my reaction is captured in my Ilokano poem below which I humbly dedicate to our OFWs. Dare I say to them, "Mabuhay" and "Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat! ("Long live" and "Thank you to all of you!") May God bless US always!)

Dagiti OFWs*

Exodus dagiti umili a napili

A napinget a rumuar iti pagilianna

Ket agbirok ti trabahona

Iti sabali a daga...

Gapu iti rigat

Ti biag a nakayanakanda

Lumuasda ket umadayoda

Agarubos luluada

Saem, sakit ti nakem ibturanda

A mangpanaw ti lugarda

Pamiliada ken kakabagianda

Uray pay dagiti gagayyemda

Tapno makigasanggasatda

Iti ballasiw-taaw 

A datdatlag kadakuada

Iti damona.

Nagkas-ang a panunoten

Kitaen, denggen, lagipen

Ken mapagpapatangan

No apay nga adda exudos 

Dagiti Filipino iti nakaipasngayanda

Ket agsakripisio ken aganusda

Iti lugar  ken amo a pagserbianda

Tapno birokenda ti gasatda

Ken inda padasen a gun-oden

Napintas, naraniag a masakbayanda.

Wen, awanen talekda

Napukawen namnamada iti pagilianda

Awanen makitada a pagsayaatanda

Ken lumung-awanda

No agintekda iti lugarda

No di laeng umadayoda

Panawanda ti nakayanakanda.

Copyright 2014 by Chris A. Quilpa

*Overseas Filipino Workers

Like Waves*

Like Waves

Friends come and go

Like waves in the ocean

They come and go

And as they go they leave us

Memories and experiences to remind us

All the bondings and happenings they've made

All the tears and laughters they've shared

All the connections and contributions they've done

With all the snow, the rain, the sun

The walk, the rush, the skate, the run

The motive, the objective, the mission, the fun

As they continue to work, to play, to sing with us

To dream, to scream, to live with us

Until they're gone, completely gone

Leaving everything that they have done.

Friends come and go

Like waves in the ocean

They come and go

And as they go they leave us

Everything to remind us...everything!

-Copyright 2014 by Chris A. Quilpa 

*Appeared in the poetry anthology, "Amidst the Splendor," published by The National Library of Poetry, Maryland, USA, in 1996.

(Celebrating) Fourth of July*

(Author's Note: Today, Friday, marks the 238th birthday of the United States of America. She became independent from Britain on July 4th, 1776. God bless America always!
As a tribute to The Land of the Free World, here's my poem, Fourth of July, which originally appeared on July 5, 1991, in Sandpointer (an authorized weekly newsletter/publication of then Naval Station Puget Sound (NSPS), Seattle, WA, where the budding poet/writer was stationed as a U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman, at then Naval Medical Seattle, WA). The poem also appeared in 1995, in the poetry anthology book, Walk through Paradise, published by The National Poetry Library in Maryland, USA. It was registered in the United States Copyright Office, The Library of Congress, Washington, DC, on December 23, 1997, along with the author's other poems such as In Loving Memory, The Stars and Stripes, It's Summertime, A Tribute to All Veterans, LOVE is..., and Brother Jesus.)

Fourth of July

I was born on the Fourth of July.
Each year, I celebrate my Freedom,
My Independence and Liberty
Cherished and enjoyed by all
My people of different colors
From all corners of the world
Who desire to live with me,
To share with me their hopes,
Their sentiments and frustrations,
Their dreams and aspirations
To make the world a better place,
To let others live and be free
United and liberated, like me---
The United States of America!

With pride and power
Valor and vigilance,
I celebrate my birthday
With fond memories of my past,
My history that I inherited
From my forebears and forefathers;
The history that I wrought
For all my generations to keep.

With spectacular fireworks all around
And parade of colors here and there...
My Independence reigns everywhere
And I exult with glee and jubilation;
With open arms and loving heart
I welcome all who seek refuge,
Who long for peace and brotherhood
Offering each and everyone my freedom,
Justice, liberty, and equality,
Power, prosperity, and security,
Pride, beauty, and democracy,
Wishing all a fair and equal share
Of all my blessings from Above!

Today is a very special day
To commemorate my independence;
A day of unity and victory
A day of remembering our men and women
Who sacrificed their lives
From wars fought and won,
From crises overcome and resolved;
A day of thanksgiving
To those who served and are serving me,
Protecting me and others' lives,
 Keeping me strong and always ready
To watch, save, and lead our world!

Happy Fourth of July!

-Copyright 2014 by Chris A. Quilpa

-Chris A. Quilpa, a retired U.S. Navy veteran, lives in Suffolk. Email him at chris.a.quilpa@gmail.com.Visit his blog at onebudding poet/writer-chris.blogspot.com

*Published in the award-winning Suffolk News-Herald, online edition (July 3, 2014), and print edition (July 4-5, 2014). For more information, visit www.suffolknewsherald.com

Whew...It's July, Summertime!

Good day, everyone! Thank God, we're alive and well...I know, it's been a while that I haven't posted something here...But, I'm still here, very much alive, and living and enjoying life in the present moment. That's NOW!

July...yes, it's here again! What comes to mind? Summertime! Summer heat! Travelling, road trips, vacation getaway! Independence Day for the U.S. of A! It's also storm/hurricane season, especially in the East Coast or Atlantic coast. And more...That's right, folks and friends near and far. Any plans this summer of 2014? Me? I don't have any, besides living in and trying to enjoy the present moment.

Short road trips is what we've been doing for the past days and weeks. We've been going back and forth to D-ville, and also in C-ville. Of course, I have taken selfies and uploaded/posted them on Facebook, and shared them to our FB folks and friends. This way, they know that we're still alive and doing well. And, trying to enjoy life simply, less stress as much as possible. Travelling, to me, is kinda relieving and healthy. Being on the road gives and/or provides me the opportunity to appreciate life and the nature, and the changing world as a whole. The trees on the way, the farms and fields of corn, peanuts, wheat, etc., the bales hay, farm animals, beast of burden, farmers market, business parks, hotels, motels, restaurants, visitor's center and rest areas along the way, paved roads and bridges, rivers and lakes, et cetera---these are delightful to see. They are useful and beneficial to all of us, travelers.

As we're anticipating the 238th anniversary of Independence Day in the United States come July 4th, Friday, we're thankful to have this freedom and liberty that we enjoy. Celebrating our freedom and independence is a human right endowed to us by the Almighty. That's why, I, for one, should not take this freedom I have for granted. I love my freedom here and I won't trade it for anything else. I feel so fortunate to have this freedom that I can share with others, too. At this time, I pray for our veterans, dead and alive, our armed forces personnel who volunteered to serve in defense of our country and her allies. Thank you all, veterans of war and peace. Thank you for all your commitment and services to our country. You are our unsung heroes. may God bless you all. God bless America, The land of the Free World!

Summertime is in full swing already in the U.S. and elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere. That means that we have longer days, with more sunshine, and shorter nights. As always, we have to observe safety while on vacation everywhere. Safety in what we do, where we go, and how we live our life. With the inevitable summer heat, we have to protect ourselves from being dehydrated and from skin burns or cancer. Exposing ourselves to the sizzling, simmering summer heat for a long period of time is detrimental to our health and well-being, we should know that. We remind ourselves to drink plenty of water or liquid (not soda or soft drinks that don't have nutritional value, except sugar!) when we feel like we're thirsty. We also have to dress up lightly, using summer wear, i.e., cotton clothes.

Lastly, we know that school is out, for our students, with the exception of those attending summer class/school. Our children need to be engaged in learning and reading. Visiting a public library is one way to accomplish this activity. Mind you, they will pick up a (pictured and colored) book or a book that will help stimulate their mind to read. They will still read something interesting, even if they have their own electronic/social media gadgets like cell phone, laptop, notebook, tablet, etc. If we, parents, demonstrate interest in showing them the value of learning, especially reading, they will eventually thank and appreciate us for giving them the tools necessary to excel and succeed in school, and in life. Let's inculcate in them the value of learning and reading just as we encourage them to stay physically fit. We heard of this statement before: "Reading is to the mind, what exercise is to the body." Health mind and a healthy body is and should always be one of our guide posts in life.

Well, this is all for now. Thanks, folks and friends, for keeping me company. Until next time around and take care. Have a wonderful day/night, everyone! Have a safe, enjoyable summer! May God bless US always!-chris a. quilpa