Category Archives: Music and Dancing

Praise The Lord!

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It’s that time of year again when everybody will be busy – I am always busy, though. 😀 But because I feel the “tugging” to update this blog, I am writing this article even though I am physically exhausted. When I am too tired, it’s just hard for me to tap into the creative part of my brain.

Before we all get caught up with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I thought I’d share with you a song that I feel should be the “anthem” for this month. I first heard it last year, sang during the youth service of a church beside my apartment. The song is entitled “Praise” by Elevation Worship.

PRAISE (feat. Brandon Lake, Chris Brown & Chandler Moore) | Elevation Worship

Let’s clap, one, two, hey
Oh, yeah

Let everything
That has breath
Praise the Lord (you got it)
Praise the Lord
Let everything (let everything)
(Hey) that has breath
(Hey) praise the Lord
(Hey) praise the Lord

I’ll praise in the valley
Praise on the mountain (yeah)
I’ll praise when I’m sure
And praise when I’m doubting (yes, sir)

I’ll praise when outnumbered
Praise when surrounded
‘Cause praise is the water
My enemies drown in

As long as I’m breathing
I’ve got a reason to

Praise the Lord
Oh, my soul (c’mon)
Praise the Lord
Oh, my soul (hey)

I’ll praise when I feel it
And I’ll praise when I don’t
I’ll praise ’cause I know
You’re still in control

Because my praise is a weapon
It’s more than a sound (more than a sound)
Oh, my praise is the shout
That brings Jericho down (oh)

As long as I’m breathing
I’ve got a reason to

Praise the Lord (c’mon)
Oh, my soul
(So I’m gonna) praise the Lord
Oh, my soul (oh)

I won’t be quiet, my God is alive
So how could I keep it inside?
Praise the Lord
Oh, my soul
(Praise the Lord)

Come on, let me see that dance
Put a dance on it tonight
If you’re grateful
Come on, aye, aye (eh)

I’ll praise ’cause You’re sovereign
Praise ’cause You reign
Praise ’cause You rose and defeated the grave
I’ll praise ’cause You’re faithful
Praise ’cause You’re true
Praise ’cause there’s nobody greater than You, I’ll praise

I’ll praise ’cause You’re sovereign
(You reign) praise ’cause You reign
Praise ’cause You rose and defeated the grave

I’ll praise ’cause You’re faithful
Praise ’cause You’re true
Praise ’cause there’s nobody greater than You

Praise the Lord
Oh, my soul (come on, come on, come on, come on)
I gotta praise the Lord
Oh, my soul

Praise the Lord
Oh, my soul (yes, my Lord)
Praise the Lord
Oh, my soul

I won’t be quiet, my God is alive
How could I keep it inside?
(Oh, I won’t be quiet)

I won’t be quiet (my God)
My God is alive (how could I?)
How could I keep it inside?
(Oh, I won’t be quiet)

I won’t be quiet, my God is alive
How could I keep it inside?

praise the Lord
Oh, my soul

Let everything
That has breath
Hey, hey (praise the Lord)
Hey, hey (praise the Lord)

Let everything (let everything)
Come on, come on (that has breath)
Come on, come on (praise the Lord)
Come on, come on (praise the Lord)

Let everything (let everything)
If you got breath in your body (that has breath)
If you got breath in your body (praise the Lord)
Praise the Lord, come on (praise the Lord)

Let everything (let everything)
That has breath (that has breath)
Praise the Lord (praise the Lord)
What? (Praise the Lord)

A busking rendition of it also appeared on my Facebook news feed as performed by Ms. Kate Torres, who’s also an Autism advocate. Please do check out and follow her page through this link: https://www.facebook.com/katetorrestv/about. I am praying she’ll include Bicol in her future live performances. I’ll definitely be in all of them, even as far as Catanduanes. 😀

I love busking so much (playing the guitar is also my favorite hobby) because it is raw and simple music, highlighting only the artist’s voice and the musical instrument. I find this type of music very calming, uplifting, and soulful.

It is also my prayer that worship busking will become a regular, not just inside the malls, but also in parks, offices, hospitals, and just literally EVERYWHERE. Here are some of her Facebook videos and reels performing live in my favorite hangout place in Manila – BGC. Because BGC is near our condo, and there are a lot of music artists busking there. 😀

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/177L8eQ8gs/?mibextid=wwXIfr

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1D8Vv6oRaB/?mibextid=wwXIfr

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1KKQCbB5wA/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Tama ang sa Bible verse na, “For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” – Matthew 18:20

I also encourage you to make this your dance number at your Christmas parties. 😉 You can check out the dance videos below for inspiration.

The energy in this first video reminds me of my spiritual journey in Victory GT Toyota and Victory Katipunan – churches near the Ateneo de Manila University and my alma mater, the University of the Philippines (Diliman) – from 2013 to 2018. I was a young professional back then, and being in a congregation of jumping worshippers composed mostly of students (youth service) during praise and worship is contagious. I am not that expressive when singing worship songs, but with an ecstatic crowd, you can’t help but join in the fun. 😀

I am not promoting any church, by the way, because I actually came from a family with diverse religions. For me, as long as the center of the church is Christ and you are spiritually growing, be in that church.

This second dance video has more complicated footwork and hand movements, but still not too difficult to execute.

And this third video is for “Zumba Titas,” me included. 😀

I would have to skip videos #1 and #2 because all the jumping is so “makulog” sa aking likod. 😆😆😆

In case you didn’t notice, I used 3 languages here – English, Bicol, and Filipino respectively.

If I have a kid, he’d most likely go, Moooooom, you’re speaking “chop suey” language again?!?!?!

Well, sweetheart, that’s the advantage of having a Mom who’s a Bicolana, a Filipina, and an English Studies major. How about you? Can you try the “pinakbet” language, too? Kay yaadi ka sa Bulan, mag-Bikol ka. 😆

Seriously, though, I don’t encourage using this kind of language. When I was a student in UP Diliman, there was a particular department notorious for using this “conyo” language (it’s from the College of Science 😁). I observed that culturally it represents the language of the elite, though I can’t really pinpoint how. I guess it’s similar to how branded clothes, muscle cars, or pets with specific breeds become a form of status symbol. I support the “Adopt, Don’t Shop” advocacy, by the way. It just so happens that my husband gave me a ginger Exotic British Shorthair as a surprise gift.

Society’s norms dictate that if you have these things, then you are now culturally accepted as “can afford” or “maykaya,” especially when you live in the province. Some of our English professors describe the “conyo” language as a total abuse of both the English and the Filipino languages because it awkwardly breaks your sentences into fragments, making it difficult for your listeners to process and understand. So in our department, this language sort of became an object of sarcasm and was made into a joke.

But now, when I hear people talk or write using this language, I have to remind myself that “to each his own.” And that, as a born-again Christian, these prejudices should no longer dominate my relationships with other people. This means I will no longer make fun of the “conyo” language, but you won’t hear me using this language either. Unless…um…never mind. 😁

To end this article, AI can create music, poems, and visual art. But AI can’t replicate the collective experience that you’d get when artists and creatives come together. It’s just plain mesmerizing and at the same time overwhelming when you are physically rejoicing and celebrating with the body of Christ. Ramdam na ramdam mo ang presensya ni Lord. I guess that is the power of fellowship as expressed through praise and worship.

I believe this song is just right for the season – let’s praise the Lord because we survived 2025, and here we are still hoping AND giving hope moving forward. ❤

“Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wondrous works!” – Psalm 105:2

P.S. I am posting several versions of this song because I want it to be your last song syndrome for a month. lol Because God indeed deserves all our praise for sending His son, Jesus Christ, so man can be saved – this should be the only reason for celebrating the season. 🙏

Here’s another version featuring Tiffany Hudson. ❤

A Throwback To How I Started Playing The Guitar

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Because today is Friday, let me share with you a little throwback to how I started playing the guitar. My Mom and my brother both know how to play the guitar. But it’s my brother who influenced me when he was in high school and I was in grade school.

This will explain why I also like to play songs by Oasis, Nirvana, Gin Blossoms, Def Leppard, Firehouse, and the like. 😀 I’m actually a combination of all of my siblings’ music interests. My eldest sister loves Enya and my second and third sister love country music. And also a little bit of Mom and Dad’s favorite music like The Beatles and Carpenters.

Do I like classical music? Yes, I do. But I only listen to them when I’m writing and studying. Instrumental music helps me concentrate because I tend to get distracted by the lyrics of pop songs. And when this happens, you’ll catch me daydreaming. 😅 I learned mostly by ear, though my brother taught me the basic guitar chords and how to pluck “When You Say Nothing At All.”

Music Through The Ages

If you play a musical instrument, then you’re most likely familiar with songbooks. We still have Mom’s songbooks actually, and they’re older than us. lol But they will all be remnants of the past since everything is digital now.

I got to seriously learn how to play the guitar only when I was in college. My brother was studying at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) back then, and he left his guitar in our apartment. He bought me my own guitar as a graduation gift because every time he comes home, his guitar is out of tune because I used it to practice. lol Sorry, brother bear. 😂

Choosing A Guitar

I have 2 guitars back home. One has nylon strings and the other has metal strings. If you’re a beginner, I would suggest trying the nylon strings first because they’re less painful. You also have to practice consistently so calluses will develop at the tip of your fingers and they will help lessen the pain.

But if you like a clearer sound, go for metal strings though they are pretty painful, especially if you’re just starting to learn how to play the guitar. Metal strings sound more defined, especially when you strum. But for plucking, I prefer the guitar with nylon strings. You may use a capo so you don’t have to strain your voice to reach the notes, especially if they’re too high or too low for you.

Do I Need A Guitar Pick?

For guitar picks, I use them depending on my mood like if I prefer a low and mellow tune and to concentrate on my singing, I just strum using my fingers. But, if I want to concentrate on the guitar chords and less singing, I use a guitar pick. Every guitar pick creates a different kind of strumming sound depending on how thick it is.

Let Your Fingers Glide

If you’re a beginner searching for songs to play using a guitar, go for songs that only have four chords all throughout the song such as “Leaving On A Jetplane.” As for strumming, start with just one stroke starting from the upper strings down to the lower strings. Then when your hand is comfortable, you can start gliding your finger up and down over the strings. I normally use my point finger to strum.

Just a tip for beginners, try to relax your hand, especially the wrist, when you’re strumming. The more tense your fingers, the harder it is for you to strum continuously. I also discovered a trick when transitioning from one chord to the other. Just continue strumming even when you haven’t pressed all the strings that you need to press yet. It’ll sound just like a variation of that chord you’re playing. I think there’s not much difference in how it sounds, but music majors can definitely tell that you missed a string. 😀

How To Tune Your Guitar

By the way, I also tune the guitar by ear. If you’re not confident with your tuning skills, you can download a guitar tuner app. Just make sure to turn the string knobs slightly when tuning to avoid breaking the string. It’s kind of scary when a string breaks because if it’s a metal string, it just flies off and can leave a cut on your face. I already experienced this with a nylon string.

So what I would do when I feel like the string is already tight enough but I still have to tighten it a bit more is that after I turned the knob, I press all the strings together to allow them to stretch a bit and then that’s when I begin to strum again.

GUITAR W/ NYLON STRINGS: I am not a very good singer, and also not a pro guitarist. This video was also a product of the Covid-19 quarantine and the very first time that I recorded a video of my very awkward self singing. So…please be kind to me. lol 😅
GUITAR W/ METAL STRINGS: This was taken in 2017.

I am not a pro when it comes to playing the guitar. But I’ve been playing since 2002, and I keep on practicing whenever I have the time. Playing the guitar is one of my hobbies to relieve stress. And as always, music heals the soul. If I can learn this skill, I know you can, too. 👍

Here’s one of my favorite songs that I love to play on my guitar. Enjoy! ❤️

CHECK OUT THE CHORDS HERE: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/bryan-adams/heaven-chords-20606

P.S. There was one time when my grandma heard me singing while washing the dishes, and she told me that I have a nice voice (I really am not sure about this 😅). But she also added that I should sing worship songs, too. I was still in grade school back then. And three decades later, here I am singing and playing mostly worship songs on my guitar. Praise be to God for this gift to play music. 😊🙏

“…speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.” – Ephesians 5:19

Gaano Ba Kahirap Magkaroon Ng Isang Malubhang Karamdaman?

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Hindi ko talaga ito masasagot pa sa ngayon. So, bakit ka pa nagsulat, Tin? lol Sa totoo lang, wala na dapat talaga tayong paguusapan dito kaya mas maigi sigurong tapusin na natin ito. Ito ‘yung article na hindi pa nagsisimula e natapos na. 😂

Pero ‘yun talaga ang totoo. ‘Di ko ito masasagot hanggang sa ako mismo ang makaranas ng isang malubhang karamdaman. Minsan nga iniisip ko na kapag nagpacheckup ako ay sana ganito lang maging usapan namin ng doktor ko:

Me: Dok, may parang kakaiba po kasi akong nararamdaman sa banda rito at banda roon. Ano kaya ito?

Dok: Ah, actually pinipitik lang ‘yan. Parang ganito. Gamit syempre ‘yung middle finger kasi mas malakas. Tapos kung ‘di nawala, pitikin mo ulit gamit naman ang forefinger. Tas ‘pag ‘di pa rin talaga nawala, ‘yung ring finger naman. Ganun lang sya.

Sa mga pasyente na makakabasa nito, ‘wag na ‘wag po kayo maniwala sa doktor nyo kapag ganyan ang sagot nya. Malamang at sa malamang ay doktor sya ng mga kababalaghan. 😆✌️

Dahil wala pa talaga ako gaano maise-share sa topic na ito, ititigil ko na ito at saka na lang ulit kapag matino na ako mag-isip. Alam ko napaluha ko kayo sa article na ito. Pero at least masaya ang inyong mga luha kahit kayo mismo ay hindi. 👍👍

Ang gusto ko lang talaga sabihin na sana ay manatili tayong matatag sa gitna ng mga mabibigat na pinagdaraanan natin sa buhay at huwag mawawala ang pananampalataya natin sa Panginoon. 🙏

P.S. Dahil hindi ako makagalaw masyado dito sa condo at maliit ang space (kaya siguro kung anu-ano iniisip ko), hanggang nood na lang muna ng mga dance workouts. The video below is a high-intensity cardio workout kaya mas magandang may warm-up and cool down sessions before and after the dance routine.

P.P.S. At na-LSS din ako kaso ibang lyrics nakakanta ko sa part ng “tu me qemas me qemas me qemas” kasi nagiging “kume-kyeme a kyeme a kyeme.” 🎵 At siguraduhin lang din na may at least 2 meters na social distancing habang sumasayaw kasi kung ang katabi mo ay nasa energy level 100 humataw, baka ma-knockout ka nya. Hataw, mga bes, and stay healthy! 🥰💃

BAILANDO (By Enrique Iglesias) Dance Workout

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I wanted to break in a pair of high-heeled shoes last weekend and also to burn some calories because I gain weight fast every time I’m here in Manila. I searched YouTube and found Enrique Iglesias’ “Bailando” as the perfect dance song for Zumba and Salsa routines.

I can’t do the dance with a partner though because my husband loves teasing me and dances like a super energetic wriggling worm with too much flailing arms and so out of beat. lol Like seriously, I cannot focus because I am literally rolling (not dancing) on the floor laughing.

So yes, I’m going to give my husband a straitjacket (I had to correct the spelling, sorry lol 😃) next time we dance so he can learn to dance with grace, poise, and finesse.✌️

Seriously though, everything can be learned. What matters is that you’re enjoying what you’re doing. Check out the videos below for the different choreographies. Happy Friday, loves! ❤️💃

Always my favorite Latino singer. 😍
Simple Bailando couple dance.

Perfect for ladies who love twirling around. 😉
Bailando Zumba Dance Workout

P.S. Don’t forget to search for the translation of the lyrics if the song is written in a foreign language. I think you know what I mean. 👇

My Favorite Guitar Acoustic Covers

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I’m currently working on a couple of projects, and I got inspired even more when Spotify played my favorite guitar acoustic covers. 🥰 I will fall in love over and over again with these renditions. Oh, my heart. ❤️ I can’t wait to play these songs again on my guitar when I get back to Bicol. 😍

Singer: Kina Grannis
Singers: Music Travel Love feat. Bugoy Drilon

47 RONIN

Kai : “I will search for you through a thousand worlds and ten thousand lifetimes until I find you.”

Mika : “I will wait for you in all of them.“

❤️❤️❤️

“Padaba Taka” By Dwta

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I stumbled upon this very beautiful song just now, which was written by a very talented local singer and kababayan from Bicol. And I can’t help but wish I’m watching her concert for the New Year’s Eve countdown tomorrow. 😃

But I am also looking forward to my first ever NYE countdown in BGC (Bonifacio Global City). I know the crowd will be enormous (and traffic might be worse 😅), but I know it’ll be fun. This will be another checked item on my bucket list, and I’ll share our experience tomorrow in my next blog post. 👍

Meanwhile, let dwta serenade you with this romantic love song. ❤️

Follow her on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/07gUvSU765VtVbSoHPMHHO?si=yk-eFyMtSzCGJxsIP13BtQ

PADABA TAKA (I LOVE YOU)

English Translation by MusicMatch

How was your travel?
Did you get tired?
Come here, I cooked you some
Bicol express, pancit bato
There’s vegetables and siling loveu
Oh! Pepper I meant.

How was your day?

Stay with me

Can you come with me?
We’ll explore the whole Bicol
You’re like the pretty Mayon Volcano

Just stay here

I love you
I don’t love anyone else, except you
I’ll keep loving you
I’ll keep loving you until we got older
I’m not gonna love anyone else except for you

How are you? Get some rest please, we explored too far
I bought you some pili nut, and
Some gifts (gifts, gifts)
I hope I made you so happy

You’re only mine

I love you
I don’t love anyone else, except you
I’ll keep loving you
I’ll keep loving you until we got older
I’m not gonna love anyone else except for you

That’s one of the things that I’ll do

What more if I say that

I love you
I don’t love anyone else, except you

I love you
I dont want anyone else except for you
I’ll love you
Until we got older
There’s nobody else that I’ll love, except for you

There’s nobody else that I’ll love, except for you
There’s nobody else that I’ll love, except for you

P.S. This will make as a perfect wedding song (the acoustic/a capella version of it) if both of you are from Bicol. 😍

MOOD: Rewrite The Stars

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When I first heard the acoustic rendition of this song by Joseph Vincent back in 2018, I instantly fell in love with it. Unfortunately, I still can’t perfect his staccato strumming until now. It looks like I will need to practice this song in my guitar a million times before I can play it right. 😃🎸

REWRITE THE STARS

You know I want you
It’s not a secret I try to hide
I know you want me
So don’t keep saying our hands are tied
You claim it’s not in the cards
But fate is pulling you miles away
And out of reach from me
But you’re hearing my heart
So who can stop me if I decide that you’re my destiny?

What if we rewrite the stars?
Say you were made to be mine
Nothing could keep us apart
You’ll be the one I was meant to find
It’s up to you, and it’s up to me
No one could say what we get to be
So why don’t we rewrite the stars?
And maybe the world could be ours, tonight

You think it’s easy
You think I don’t wanna run to you
But there are mountains
And there are doors that we can’t walk through
I know you’re wondering why
Because we’re able to be just you and me within these walls
But when we go outside
You’re gonna wake up and see that it was hopeless after all

No one can rewrite the stars
How can you say you’ll be mine?
Everything keeps us apart
And I’m not the one you were meant to find
It’s not up to you, it’s not up to me
When everyone tells us what we can be
And how can we rewrite the stars?
Say that the world can be ours, tonight

All I want is to fly with you
All I want is to fall with you
So just give me all of you
It feels impossible (It’s not impossible)
Is it impossible?
Say that it’s possible

But how do we rewrite the stars?
Say you were made to be mine
And nothing can keep us apart
‘Cause you are the one I was meant to find
It’s up to you, and it’s up to me
No one can say what we get to be
Why don’t we rewrite the stars?
Changing the world to be ours, tonight

“He determines the number of the stars; He gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; His understanding is beyond measure.” – Psalm 147:4-5

Dance The Bachata While Waiting

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Ater 1 week of hibernating, I can no longer dismiss the “tugging” to come back on WordPress. This will break my yearly tradition of hibernating here for my birthday prayer and fasting, but I believe God has planned this all along.

I also stumbled upon this Youtube video today, and I also felt the “tugging” to share it here. I have a hunch a lot of single people out there need to watch this, especially since December (and February) is usually the month where a lot of single people feel depressed for not having a special someone to spend the holidays with aside from their families.

I hope this video will remind you to appreciate this season of waiting for the right love to come along – God’s best for you. Because if I can give a message to my younger self, it would be this: “don’t be young and reckless.”

This video is about an hour long, you might want to set aside time for this so you can watch it without any distractions. 🙂

While waiting for your special someone, you might want to learn a new dance routine – Bachata. What is Bachata?

“Bachata is a genre of popular song and dance of the Dominican Republic performed with guitars and percussion.” – Merriam Webster

Who knows, you might dance this in the future with your God-given special someone on your wedding day or honeymoon. 😉 I chose “Bailando Bachata” because the beat and melody can also be a perfect addition to your Zumba sessions at home.

Bachata – Couple

You can dance the Bachata as a pair or as a group. I am currently practicing a few Bachata steps though I am no longer new to dancing because I’ve been dancing since grade school. You may read more of my dancing experience here: “When Grace And Aura Captivate You.”

Bachata – Group

The poet in me also loves the English translation of the lyrics of “Bailando Bachata,” but methinks it’s too sensual for my blog. Though I find it similar to “The Song of Solomon” in the Bible. ❤️

Enjoy dancing (while waiting and praying), my loves! 💃🎶🕺

“Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away.” – Song of Solomon 8:6

My Spotify Playlist: Christian Feel-Good Beats

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If you’ve noticed, I’ve been embedding Christian music videos in most of my articles. So I thought, why not create a playlist on Spotify so we can listen to it together?

My Spotify Playlist

SPOTIFY LINK: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5xYVJZPEbDWiGR81qrABwD?si=ExX5tzMCR6afiFTWCRBS-Q

My music selection is mostly upbeat, just the perfect tunes to dance the weekend away. A blessed weekend, everyone! 🙏❤️

Here are some sample music videos from my playlist:

P.S. Stay tuned for my next article. It’s about the “beasts” in agriculture. 💪

My last “pink” entry before October (Breast Cancer Awareness Month) ends. 💗 Before our freshness fades, too. lol And no, I’m not trying Photo Lab. This was taken before the heat and sweat got the best of me. Being a farm girl really is no joke. But I’m embracing every moment of it. 🙏

My FIRST “Formal” VLOG

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Finally, I had the time last Holy Week to tinker with the “vlogosphere” while hibernating on Facebook. My sister-in-law actually suggested a few months back I should also do vlogs for all the articles I’ve written here.

Methinks it’s a very excellent idea. However, I’m fervently praying to God about it because I’m an introvert, and I’m just too awkward in front of the camera. 😀

For now, I hope this will do – the first edited (formal) video of an amateur singer and guitarist playing worship songs and other types of music. 😊

Contemplating whether to become a journeyman vlogger or not,

NewBlogSignature_edited_edited

P.S. Please don’t forget to subscribe to my channel, and thanks for watching! ❤