On Today's Tragic News...

.:I Need To Get On My Soapbox Briefly...:.

I've been delinquent with blogging, what with My Beloved back in Australia, and all the things I have to deal with at work lately. It's been a time of transition and adjustment for me, and it feels wildly frustrating.

Of course, it is with a heavy heart that I discovered that the great Subas Herrero passed away today. He lived a full life, I believe, and he will be missed. It is sad, indeed, but not necessarily tragic.

However, what is tragic is that today, a 16-year old has apparently taken her life as she was consumed by a system that refused to help her out when she was down. And as much as I'd like to be on my high horse while I'm on my soapbox, too, I realize that in my complicity and complacency, some of that blame falls squarely upon me.

Which is precisely why the last thing I would do is to blame her for it, and to tell her what she did is wrong. It's an exercise of futility: she's not even there to hear it.

I am not a psychologist by practice. I am not the most empathic person around. Despite that, this is not the time nor the place to push one's moral agenda in the middle of a tragedy, and one that could have been prevented, in the first place. I had no desire to jump on the bandwagon, and I will probably jump off it as quickly as I came on it once I get to say what I need to say.

Over on Twitter, I had some very choice words for someone who decided that sensitivity was not the order of the day, and was shocked when he got his back. It upset me to no end because I realized that here was a person who failed to see that this girl who took her own life was a victim, and we don't go around blaming victims.

I think back to the countless gay kids who have killed themselves because they were bullied relentlessly for who they were. I think back to how it must have felt to be in their shoes, and the awful things that they must have gone through, and I cannot, for the life of me, find it in my heart to condemn them. They were already condemned by their tormentors in their lives. Why would I choose to add to that in their deaths?

They were victims, as this 16-year old student was also a victim. Do I want to play the blame game from here? No. I'm not going to even go there. But I just refuse to take it sitting down that someone would dare attack this student, as if she even had any means of defending herself, whatsoever. She does not.

We say of those who have left us: "rest in peace." That's the least we could offer someone whose only true mistake was to put her faith in a system that failed her. And I, for one, choose to do so.

I do not know you, child. I have never met you. But may you rest in peace.

Song Lyrics: After All This Time, by The Itchyworms

.:After All This Time:.

Everyone knows how much of a fan I am of The Itchyworms, and how I've opened for them a few times before in the past.

After all these years, this is my only picture with the whole band!

Well, recently, they came out with a new song, and it's called "After All This Time." The first thing you will notice about it is that... it's an English song. Surprise, surprise! They're actually bilingual! Well, just kidding. We've heard "Season Of Smiles" before... heh.

The second thing you'll notice is that apparently, Jazz is handling lead vocal duties for this particular song, and it's awesome!

Anyways, if you've been living under a rock filled with nothing but bad OPM, let's change that right now with their official music video...

Sniff. Something got in my eye.

Doesn't the song just hit the spot? It really hit home for me, considering where I am in my life right now, and it's been nearly four years, when I think about it. Still, what a wonderful song, and I can't help but be reminded of how many songs The Itchyworms have had that never fails to really affect me to my very core. To put it in the vernacular, nakaka-antig ang mga kanta nila.

So. I checked online for lyrics and all that. Guess what? There were none! Since I was willing to keep listening to the song on loop anyways, I decided to take matters into my own hands, so with 

all due credit to Jugs, Kel, Chino, and Jazz, here goes nothing...

After All This Time

by The Itchyworms

Walkin’ away

 From what I felt would never end

Lookin’ okay

 But deep inside, I’m lost in time

It’s never over

What I feel for you won’t die

We’re all getting older

But my heart keeps asking why

Refrain:

‘Cause I’ve thrown away my lucky stars

And my wishes don’t come true

I’ve been lookin’ up to heaven

While I’m cryin’ over you

‘Cause I can’t forget the good times

We’ve had when you were mine

I just wonder if you need me still

After all this time

I just wonder if you need me still

After all this time

You turned away

I called you back, but it’s no use

What can I say?

Now I know I’ve got nothing to lose

Sometimes I still miss you

I just wanted you to know

I can’t be without you

‘Cause my heart never stopped, I just had to give up

Repeat Refrain

Bridge:

I wanna know when you stopped tryin’

You’re part of all that I’ve been through

Were all these years of hopin’ for you just a waste of time?

‘Cause whatever I do

(Whatever I do)

It’s no good without you

(Insert rippin’ guitar solo here!!!)

So I’ve thrown away my lucky stars

‘Cause my wishes don’t come true

(Wishes don’t come true)

I’ve been lookin’ up to heaven

While I’m cryin’ over you

(Cryin’ over you)

‘Cause I can’t forget the good times

We’ve had when you were mine

I just wonder if you need me still

(Wonder if you still need me still)

Wonder if you need me still

After all this time

(After all this time)

After all this time

(Time)

After all this time

(Time)