Farewell, Blogspot!

This will be the last blog entry that I will be posting here in Blogspot as I have decided to transfer to Wordpress for some reason. I don't have anything against Blogspot. I just think I needed another venue to start anew.

When I said goodbye to my Friendster blog, I took the posts with me and dumped them in Kring's Recycle Bin which is my other blog here in Blogspot. But in transferring to Wordpress, I have decided not to bring anything with me. I will be leaving my posts here to preserve the dates when they were written and posted, and to free myself from the hassle of another sleepless night of copying and pasting everything from one site to another.

Turtle Keziah and Kring's Recycle Bin will remain here as accounts of my works and expressions during my school life. turtlekeziah.wordpress.com will be the home of my musings now that I have graduated from college and have been venturing in my career. Since I also am a very proud Filipina and I want to relive my Multiply account which is in Filipino, I also made mabangongpagong.wordpress.com for my works and writings in Filipino.

Thank you for all those who took the time to read whatever I have posted here. Blogspot will always be here to reminisce what I have written in my younger years. God bless everyone!

Fastfood Chain Floor

I make up the foundation
Of the place that gives you life

You brighten up my surface
Each and every day,

You put that yellow caution
So I would cause no one to be hurt,

When I’m done with the rain
And on with the summer,
You take away the caution
And the feet are back again

Stepping on me happily.

Gratefulness is what I feel.
Through me,
You serve them well.

Krizelle R. Talladen
February 27, 2011

Dance Floor

You accept all soles,
Have the guts to face the dirt.
You are happy with where you are,
Without you, they will all just fall

Down, deep under.

You accept the slipper
Of Hanna who comes early.
You see her new nail color,
But it will be covered soon
with her pink socks.

You accept the sneaker
Of Joseph who comes in late,
Hurrying to the group of eight,
You don’t mind his heavy kicks.

You accept the sweat
That drips from Miggy’s face
You accept even his whole body
When he lies down tired and exhausted.

You accept the slides, the strides,
The slips and the points
Everything.

You accept even the souls,
Have the guts to face their dirt.
You are happy with where you are,
Without you, they will all just fall

Down, deep under

The regrets of passion.


Krizelle R. Talladen
February 26, 2011

Ulan

Sanay na ako sa ulan.

Maliit ka pa lamang
ay sa mukha ko na dumadaloy,
Tubig na gamit ng iyong ina
habang marahan na hinahaplos
Ang maselan mong balat.

Hindi niya hahayaang
Sa sinapupunan ko
Ika’y bumagsak.

Naalala mo ba noong ika’y sampu?
Nagtampisaw kang may galak
At patalun-talon,

Naku!

Sakit ang naidulot
Ng iyong pagkakaumpog.
Bagyo ang umagos
Sa mata mong agad namang
Patatahanin ni ina.

Ngayo’y tayo na lamang ang narito
Sa tuwina’y takbuhan ako
Ng mga patagong sikreto

Tanggap ko lahat ng ulan
Mula sa gripo at sa mga mata mo,

Ito ang kapalaran
Ng sahig sa banyo.


Krizelle R. Talladen
Pebrero 27, 2011

Apat na Wala

Naalala mo ang langit na walang bituin

At tubig na walang tigil sa pagkalawkaw,

Ang gabi kung kalian pinasikat mo ang araw

Mula sa iyong dibdib

Nasalamin sa tubig ang sinag nito

Ngunit tila yata hindi nasilayan ng mga

Matang hindi mo matingnan nang tuwid

At lumipas ang apat na pag-agos ng kalendaryo

Tubig ay natuyo,

Ang sinag ay nagdilim

Hindi na nagpakita’ng mga bituin

Ang mga matang hindi mo matingnan

Ay hindi na nga nangislap sa ‘yong harapan,

Dahil sa ano? Hindi mo alam.

Sapagkat wala.

Wala naman talaga.

Krizelle R. Talladen

Hunyo 16, 2011

Why?

Love:

The sole reason

Why the mermaid

Made a deal with the witch

For feet to run the earth

And be part of his world

Why little Tristran

Traversed the wall to search

For the falling star

And bring it back

To his heart’s desire

The very core

Why everything exists.

And yet,

The same reason

Why the mermaid

In fear that her family

Will be devoured

By the witch’s sharks,

Remain to be a mermaid

Far from him

Who walks the earth

Why little Tristran

After coming back with the star

Left the earth next

Without his heart’s desire

Why is love

Killed when it is found

Suppressed when realized

Stopped when started

If love is as good

as fairy tales,

Why is it as destructive

as these?

July 12, 2011

It’s not all there is – Find IT!

(This essay was written some time in the late 2010 to early 2011.)

Have you ever thought you’re happily living a simple normal life? Do you think that your reality is all there is? In your believed reality, have you grown? Have you won? Or were you just stuck to where you are with people pressuring, controlling, and threatening you? Think again. You don’t want a normal life, eh?

These were the questions I’ve reflected upon after reading Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere. This is the book which became one of my inspirations in facing life’s challenges just like how Richard Mayhew, the main character of the story, faced all his ordeals.

As I read the novel, I put on Richard’s shoes. He was a normal Londoner just like how I am here in the Metro. He went to work as I go to school; he had a fiancée named Jessica that I don’t have; his life was a normal routine just like how mine was. Of course, he seemed stressed like I am most of the time. He forgot about things like accomplishing some reports for his boss, reserving that table in a restaurant for Jessica, and meeting Gary, his friend, for a drink. Reality bites: work, school, love life and friends are stressors in life.

As they say, everything has a purpose. One may be bombarded with all the stress in the world but it’s just temporary. In the middle of Richard’s stress came a bleeding girl in the street where he and Jessica walked. Instead of ignoring the girl, Richard helped her. Even if Jessica objected his decision, he still went to help her. Even if Jessica threatened him to forget their engagement, he still carried the wounded to his apartment. No one stopped him from helping the girl, not even his fiancée who kept on pressuring him. One might think Richard’s gone crazy. Yes, maybe. But it’s all because the help he extended to this girl named Door would be the start of something that would change his life forever as he was introduced to London Below, in the old and abandoned subway stations and sewer tunnels.

Door, who was sort of a princess in London Below, had a simple mission—to know the mastermind for the murder of her family when they had no enemies she could think of. Based on what she believed to be his father’s last statement, she went on her way to find Islington, an angel whom she thought would help her with her query. But then there were Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar, who served as the obvious antagonists even from the start of the novel. They were there to kill people and to capture Door for their boss. In one of the chases, Door got wounded and bumped into Richard. She bumped into Richard for a purpose, of course. Someone out there might be in suffering because of evil attacks like I do but I never know; we might be each other’s saviors once we bump to each other.

Richard saved Door and Door saved him as well. After the heroic act, he became invisible to London Above. It may be the curse for interacting with someone from Below but it is also possible that Richard belonged there after all that’s why he cared to help Door when she found her on the street.

Door saved him as well, of course. She promised him to get back his life. After meeting Door, he met marquis de Carabas, who was Door’s guardian and Old Bailey from a London rooftop which made him face his fear of heights. Richard was in for more unbelievable creatures when he met Iliaster, the beggar who introduced him to talking rats, the Lord Rat-speaker and Anaesthesia.

Anaesthesia was one of my favorite characters here. He served as Richard’s guide as they crossed the Knightsbridge while looking for Door after being separated with her and the marquis. From her came the words: “It’s one or the other. Nobody ever gets both.” Indeed, life is a choice. You can never get all the worlds you want and so you choose your best world. Anaesthesia was taken by the darkness as they crossed Knightsbridge. But her voice was the same urge that made Richard surpass the Ordeal of the Key by the Blackfriars when Islington ordered them to get the key in exchange for the information about the murder of Door’s family. Her voice uttered two magical words to Richard: HOLD ON. I did the same from then on and holding on never fails me.

Hunter is another remarkable character in the story as she served as Door’s bodyguard. But she was also the traitor who only wanted to get the spear for hunting the Great Beast of London from Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar and kill the Great Beast herself. But it was Richard who successfully killed the Beast and was awarded the honor in the end.

The biggest traitor comes in the most thrilling part of the novel—Islington. It was an angel that could help them as Door believed but the statement from her father was just made up by Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar. Betrayal is a natural phenomenon. We never know whom we can really trust. But in the midst of betrayal, one thing is for sure. Justice will prevail.

In the end, Door and Richard won. Because of Door’s talent in opening doors, she was able to throw Islington, Mr. Croup, and Mr. Vandemar to somewhere far from Heaven. Richard returned to London Above as Door promised with improvements like he was promoted in his work, Jessica was the one chasing him now, and he could enjoy with his friend Gary again. But then, Richard realized that his normal life wasn’t what he wanted.

Gary said, “Richard—this is reality. Get used to it. It’s all there is…”

But then Richard mumbled, “I thought I wanted a nice normal life. I mean, maybe I am crazy. I mean, maybe. But if it is all there is, then I don’t want to be sane. You know?”

Just like Richard, I don’t want to be sane. If there’s a greater opportunity for me to grow somewhere else, I’d follow it like how Richard returned to London Below in the end. For me, it’s not escape but a step in rising up. Life is a great adventure of taking risks, freedom, finding purpose, betrayal, holding on, and giving yourself for others. I’ve chosen to rise up from the routine of life, follow what my heart says, and let it take me where I should be. Thank God for being here. ###