Monday, October 11, 2010

Namamahay





I used to do sleepovers at my favorite aunt's place. It was meant to forge a bond between us cousins since we are quite few in the family. We did bond - me and my favorite aunt's son over console games and summer sports clinics. I also bonded with Tita Beauty's eldest daughter Ika who opened my world to playing with Barbie and Ken. You see, two families with kids share a big house with all the perks I can never enjoy at home. Good corned beef sandwiches, good VHS Disney movies, quiet neighborhood with lots of open spaces just beyond the houses across the street. All these were the things I look forward to when I spent the weekends with my relatives. My parents approved the set-up at the beginning, but my dad became more annoyed the longer I stayed out of the house every school vacation.

However, I was raised a nocturnal person. Mom sleeps at past midnight. Dad used to start his day just before twilight. We all get up late in the morning and this habit clashed with the hosts who happen to sleep past nine. Save for Ika who is also nocturnal. We would talk about our juvenile interests and read books until it was way past midnight or until one of us called it a night.

The accommodation didn't go well with my favorite aunt's son, who preferred me sleeping in their room rather than with my other cousin. The problem was, I would lie still for hours. awake inside a dark, cold place while both him and his mother were sound asleep. Badtrip. But that was how life was. When pressing needs required me to stay at home more often, (actually, the favorite aunt must have gotten tired of my presence, she gave her son's old SEGA console to me) the sleepovers finally ceased.

Years went by and as I gained more awareness of the things I could enjoy at home, (like neighborhood fuck buddies, porn cartoons on television, and Sonic the Hedgehog on SEGA) I dropped the idea of staying over elsewhere - even for a hang-out. I became so accustomed to my own territory that I feel a little unease when stepping over someone's realm.

I still do sleepovers out of convenience. But to slumber peacefully and without interruption, I bring with me the most obvious object that would serve as a reminder that though my body lies somewhere, my thoughts still embrace the memory of home.

My blanket.




33 comments:

Ronnie said...

This is so cute, Mugen.

Sa akin naman, kapag may outing kami, alam ko na hindi talaga ako makakatulog kasi namamahay din yung katawan ko.

Pwera na lang kung pagod na pagod at lupaypay. Hehe

aris said...

Ang unang pumasok sa isip ko, si Linus at ang kanyang security blanket. Na sobrang nag-clash sa picture mo. Hehe.

casado said...

iba talag feeling ng natutulog ka sa sarili mong kama, ako din hanggang ngayon, kahit sobrang late natatatapos ang hangout ng bakad at dun ako pinapatulog sa bahay nila, umuuwi pa rin ako...i hate the feeling of waking up sa ibang bahay!

sa bahay lang ni bff ako nasanay matulog magdamag ehehhe (memories! ching!)

John Ahmer said...

nocturnal din ako, pero kahit san bagsak ako palage sa dreamland. namamahay lang ako pag dating sa *toot* hehe : D
meron akong kaibigan kelangan may kulambo sya sa paa pag matutulog.

Canonista said...

Ako nakakatulog halos kahit kaninong bahay, maliban sa bahay ng mommy ko at sa iba kong kamag-anak. Mas nakakatulog pa ako sa bahay ng mga kaibigan kaysa sa mga mamag-anak.

There are four houses that I can sleep soundly aside from my own home. My best friend's family's house and her boyfriend's house and my other best friend's house; and my ex's house, where I lived for 6 years. Although I haven't spent a night in my ex live-in partner's house since we broke up. Ang weird ng feeling kapag nasa master's bedroom ako, na dating kuwarto ko rin 'yon, ngayon, kanya na lang at kung kaninong lalakeng inuuwi niya. Although, it is such music to my ears that he still calls the things in his house "atin" instead of "amin" or "akin". The yaya still serves me well whenever I am there, the doggie still recognizes me, the mother still looks for me as well as the other siblings. He and his family is the one thing I never had when I was growing up.

Alter said...

some soft spots are worth flaunting i guess, reading back, you Spartan got a lot.(I find them cute & sexy for the lack of better words to use, lol)

and yeah, Linus.

Guyrony said...

The blanket, that wonderful, comforting piece of cloth used to drape our bodies into warmth and solitude, merely trying to forget for at least eight hours or less, the life we are living in.

Such, such sweet memories.

Désolé Boy said...

like Ronnie, na-cutean din ako (giggling)
.
.
Papa Joms is bringing his fave blanket on sleepovers! Hihi.
.
.
ganun din ako dati. pro since college and experiences ko sa work, nasanay na ko matulog kahit saan.

Ms. Chuniverse said...

Pareho pala tayo. I always bring may 'kumot' with me during sleepovers. Hahaha!

Anonymous said...

namamahay din ako. naalala ko nung pumunta kami ng Baguio ng mga barkada ko. 2 araw akong walang tulog dahil sa nyemas na pamamahay na yan. :)

yung iba, kulambo ang dinadala. kinkaskas nila sa paa nila. :)

Cio said...

Mugen,

Can't bring my blanket, nakakahiya sa ibang tao, halos mapuno kasi ng mapa bawat sulok.

Bakit ang angas mo ha?

Lols

Cio

Eternal Wanderer... said...

magcocoment sana ako.

kaso baka maincriminate din ako sa sasabihin ko.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA

Anonymous said...

Bakit si Linus van Pelt ng Peanuts ang unang pumasok sa utak ko? Hahaha.

Lab yu, papa Joms.

--JP

Mugen said...

JP:

At parang kilala ko kung sino ka. Lolz. Actually, may pagka-ugaling Linus van Pelt ako. In some other entries, I would expound.

:P

Ternie:

Ay may dala ba akong blanket noon. Wala yata akong matandaan. LOLZ!

Cio:

Anong klaseng mapa yun? Iba yata ang nabubuong impression sa utak ko. Hahaha!

Mugen said...

Jepoy:

Huwag mong sabihin na ikaw yung nagdadala ng kulambo pag nakikitulog sa ibang bahay. Hahaha!

Miss Chu:

Napaka-comfortable kasi ng feeling no? Parang kahit nasaang lugar ka, sinasabi ng diwa mo na hindi ka malayo sa bahay.

Dboy:

Giggle ka diyan.

Of course, ibang topic yung tulugan kung saan. That's what I call catnap.

Saka part yata ng trabaho mo yun eh.

Mugen said...

Guyrony:

You put into words some of the things I would like to share. Ang galing.

Oi, paano ka nakakarelate eh natutulog ka naman madalas sa bahay mo?

Alter:

Nawala na naman yung blog mo. Ikaw pa naman ang isa sa madalas kong basahin.

Even the toughest brutes have soft spots too. When they show these glimmers of their other self, that's when they tend to be appareciated. Naks.

Ahmer:

Pareho ba kayo ng friend ni Jepoy? Hehehe. Sarap maging nocturnal. Kaso conflict sa trabaho. Hehehe.

Mugen said...

Soltero:

Kung alam ko lang, kaya ka nasanay matulog sa bahay ng BFF mo eh dahil nangangarap ka na ma-hug siya sa bed. Yiiii!

Siratalaga:

Pictures, even outward attitudes can be very, very deceiving. Hehehe. Thanks for dropping by dude.

Ronnie:

Usually pag outing, ako ang last man standing. Kahit out of town pa ito.

Mugen said...

Canonista:

There are four houses that I can sleep soundly aside from my own home. My best friend's family's house and her boyfriend's house and my other best friend's house; and my ex's house, where I lived for 6 years. Although I haven't spent a night in my ex live-in partner's house since we broke up. Ang weird ng feeling kapag nasa master's bedroom ako, na dating kuwarto ko rin 'yon, ngayon, kanya na lang at kung kaninong lalakeng inuuwi niya. Although, it is such music to my ears that he still calls the things in his house "atin" instead of "amin" or "akin". The yaya still serves me well whenever I am there, the doggie still recognizes me, the mother still looks for me as well as the other siblings. He and his family is the one thing I never had when I was growing up.

I can relate.

The ex used to sleep in my place every week. There were times I allow him to stay even when I'm out of the house. No questions asked from my mom. Probably she figured things out.

Anyway, I guess, part of the revelation here is that ummm.. Should I become taken, again, the partner will never expect me to sleep soundly elsewhere.

True to my namamahay habit, the strongest bonds I forge with a guy happens when it was the guy who sleeps over. That's when I tend to give my trust the most.

And the cruelest form of detachment whenever things don't work between us.

Anonymous said...

Mugen,

Tamod!

Cio

red the mod said...

Sleep is the holy grail of relationships with other people, and places/ spaces. Because we are most vulnerable when we are sleeping. It is this very vulnerability that leads one to be uncomfortable when in another person's place, or arms for that matter. We hold it dear, this vulnerability, and only find comfort when the depth of connection transcends our self-defined boundaries. For when that boundary is crossed, our heart are at its most open, to give and receive.

I am nocturnal too, and find it very challenging to sleep in other places, whether it be a hotel suite, a friend's house, or simply a tryst. Which is why in most sleepovers, I rarely actually sleep at all. I take the time to fix the place up, take care of the host/s, and clean up after everyone else.

This is also why I've never brought a single friend home to our family's house down south. Never. Not a single one.

I used to live-in with a sort of ex of mine, but both of us are nocturnal too, and rarely sleep normal hours. So we would spend our time talking, discussing, and debating until the witching hour, when we are both too tired to deny the call of hypnos.

One day, when I have a partner of my own, I'd like the same. Exhaustive nights of expanding our minds, and passionate mornings of waking up to his warmth.

MaginoongBulakenyo said...

Hirap lang akong matulog sa ibang bahay kapag hindi ko suot yong favorite boxer shorts ko. Kahit medyo bacon na yong garter..bwahahaha

jc said...

ngeks. bakit parang ako lang naiba? nakakatulog naman ako kahit saan. HAHA!

Mugen said...

JC:

Antukin ka naman talaga eh, kahit sa kalsada natutulog ka! Wahahahaha!

MB:

Post ang picture ng mahiwagang boxer shorts!!!

Cio:

Pag nagjakol ka pre, sa maduming boxers pinapahid, hindi sa kumot. Kadiri yun.

O wag mo sabihing sa tanda mong yan eh may Nocturnal Emissions ka pa???

Mugen said...

Red:

I am nocturnal too, and find it very challenging to sleep in other places, whether it be a hotel suite, a friend's house, or simply a tryst. Which is why in most sleepovers, I rarely actually sleep at all. I take the time to fix the place up, take care of the host/s, and clean up after everyone else.

I bore witness to your twilight rituals. We share the same tradition.

As for future lovers and long-term trysts, I'd rather have him in my arms, in my own fortress, assured that the one I protect is within my realm.

Mr. Brightside said...

Anong klaseng blanket yan Mugen? I really find fleece blankets very comforting =D

Hindi naman ako namamahay pero ang lalim ng tulog ko is dependent sa quality ng bed, dimness ng room at temperature

Cio said...

Mugen,

Haha. Tinabla mo talaga ako ah.

Cio

Guyrony said...

Because we shared something special?!

Hahaha!

Maybe because that's what you really wanted to convey, in some way?

P.S. We haven't shared that something special yet.

You owe me.

;)

wanderingcommuter said...

sobrang curious na ako sa blanket na yan!!! ipakita mo nga yan sa amin one time!!!

but this post, i must say, is something a bit different. light and very refreshing...

salad?? hahaha!

miss you kuya joms!

china eyes said...

isang pirasong tela...subalit nagpapakita ng kabuuan ng pagkatao ng nagdadala sa kaniya..mahusay.

~Carrie~ said...

It's a cute and warm entry. Love!

Mugen said...

Mr. Brightside:

Just a plain cotton blanket na minsan ay amoy barako. That would do. :)

Cio:

Nagsasabi lang ako ng totoo no! Hahaha.

Kuya Pawpaw:

And what do I owe you ha? Sharing? Lolz.

You are too young to miss your childhood kaya!

Mugen said...

Ewik:

Coming from you, I'm impressed. Hindi ko ineexpect na good vibes ang taglay nitong entry na ito. Hahaha!

Medyo malabo mo makikita yung mga kumot ko. Di naman tayo nagooutoftown eh.

China Eyes:

Isang salita. Linus. Hehehe.

Carrie:

Pangatlo ka na nagsabi na cute tong entry na to. Sana yung nagsulat rin. Bwahahahaha!!!

John Ahmer said...

isama mo na ako sa cute este nagsabi na cute tong entry na to hehe apir!

wv : tummy

: D