Olsim: 3 a.m.

THE city rarely sleeps. The dark blanket cannot hide that buzzing energy of a constantly growing city. Even at midnight, the night market thrives, and the drunks populate the sidewalks. Mysteriously, they vanish at 3 a.m. -- revealing the honesty of dawn when the moonlight adventurers finally get home, or when the sober morning joggers are yet to rise. Sometimes, I wake up at 3 just to listen to that silence. Still, nothing is more oddly powerful than the music we hear at 3 a.m.

Although highlighted in television, films, and literary works, dozens of musicians have already wrote songs about this eerie hour -- albeit, riding on the same theme of “angst,” “longing” and “loneliness” (and usually ending with “hope” when the first ray of light appears). But try listening to Peter Cetera/Chicago songs in that particular hour, or Queens’ “These are the Days of our Lives,” or Philis Hyman’s “Old Friend,” or any acoustic music (or stripped down version of your favorite songs). I bet that you will be remembering much of your colorful life and before you know it, you will be shedding a tear (if not, crying uncontrollably).

Waking at three is dramatically elucidating as it is rewarding. There is that feeling of gratitude; of waking up alive, of the opportunity to wait for the sunrise with a cup of coffee, of preparing the day’s breakfast, of reviewing the checklist for work, of breathing the cold morning breeze. There must be a reason why there is much regard about such. Perhaps one can only discover that by fixing the alarm at 3 a.m.

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The Benguet Adivay’s Music Fest is composed of various musical events: The Adivay unplugged (Acoustic band contest), the Intermunicipal Battle of the Bands, and the main Music Fest on November 17, 2018 which features our indigenous music/chants, and our local artists who will be singing your favorite Ibaloy and Kankana-ey songs. For the Battle of the Bands, our municipality will be represented by “GiggleBox” -- the LT Strawberry Fest 2018 band champions. Unfortunately, Ibaloy music legend Raul Beray will be out of the country during the event date that is why “Kaman Nina” Kankana-ey singer, Ivan Rufino will take the stage on his behalf. Good luck to all the participants, not only La Trinidad, but to all Benguet municipalities!

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After a weekend adventure, I was reminded that those who have less are the most generous, and those who have the most material things are often the poorest since they won’t even budge to share. The laborer colleague would buy you a drink or two, but those earning a fortune with all the titles in the world would make you bleed for just a dime. As they say; “the wealthiest are not the one who has the most, but those who needs the least.” A life that requires constant gratification and greed to be validated, is a life of poverty. Maybe not materially, but dearth of the soul.

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