Cantara’s (Social) Notebook

And for you, Cory, God rest you, here’s none other than the king of hearts, Nat “King” Cole, singing the national anthem of the Filipino heart, Dahil Sa Yo”. Sa buhay ko’y labis Ang hirap at pasakit Ng pusong umiibig Mandi’y wala ng langit At ng lumigaya Hinango mo sa dusa Tanging ikaw, sinta Ang aking pag-asa Dahil sa yo nais kong mabuhay Dahil sa yo hanggang mamatay Dapat mong tanungin Wala ng ibang giliw Puso ko’y tanungin Ikaw at ikaw rin Dahil sa yo ako’y lumigaya Pagmamahal ay alayan ka Kung tunay man ako Ay alipinin mo Ang lahat sa buhay ko’y Dahil sa yo Dahil sa yo nais kong mabuhay Dahil sa yo hanggang mamatay Dapat mong tanungin Wala ng ibang giliw Puso ko’y tanungin Ikaw at ikaw rin Dahil sa yo ako’y lumigaya Pagmamahal ay alayan ka Kung tunay man ako Ay alipinin mo Ang lahat sa buhay ko’y Dahil sa yo [ Dahil Sayo, Sung by Nat King Cole ]

This Memorial Day here’s honoring one man who kept his promise: General Douglas MacArthur. As the supreme commander of the American and Philippine forces in the Pacific in early 1942 when the Japanese advanced on the Philippines, he held out till the very last, until the Japanese were virtually on the doorstep of his headquarters on the strategic island of Corregidor. He left his command with great reluctance, and only when Roosevelt himself ordered him to evacuate to Australia in order to gather fresh troops. And even then , he still toyed with the notion to resign from the US Army and go up into the hills to fight alongside the guerillas. But duty was stronger. Evacuate to Australia he did, and there he vowed, “I shall return.” He did return , in 1944. My mother, a teenager then, was part of the crowd that welcomed the liberating Allied forces when they finally entered Manila. The city had been burnt to the ground by the fleeing Japanese, but after two and a half years of bombs...

My other blogs and feeds have been showing some brisk activity as well. Biggest surprise is the most visited photo . It’s not a celebrity, not a pin-up—it’s a dress: The Maria Clara Dress Second most visited is one of my personal favorites: A Doisneau Moment Stephen Gyllenhaal Wears a Tie for the Wedding Coming up fast from behind: My Beloved Manchild in the Film, Crashing Stephen Gyllenhaal Wears a Tie for the Wedding And last but not least: Susan Boyle’s New Look So far I’ve had only two pictures deleted by the thought police from public photo file sharing: Me at the age of 24 on the cover of the San Francisco sex tabloid, The Spectator Hokusai’s “Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife”, a hentai print that features prominently in Mad Men You can, however, find one of them at Dave Herrle’s online literary zine, Subtletea.com. SUBSCRIBE TO MY OCCASIONAL NEWSLETTER. CLICK HERE. _____