5 Things this Blog Accomplished in 2012

Warayblogger.com may be one of the more inactive blogs in the blogosphere, but it still managed to do five (5) great things in 2012.

This site got its domain name in January 2012.  At the time, I wasn't sure if I could keep up with the demands of maintaining a website. I'm glad I made that decision because the act of shelling out a few dollars led to my utter dislike of failing as a part-time blogger. (It's great to have my own dot-com, and I'll hold on to it as long as I can.)

It finally got a 6-digit Alexa Traffic Rank (TR).  Initially, this site had a 27,000,000+  Alexa TR. Getting a 6-digit rank was, in other words, an elusive dream. I read, studied, and visited every blog that talked about Alexa TR. I follwed other bloggers' advice and was soon giving tips on how to improve a blog's Alexa statistics myself. As of this writing, Warayblogger has a three-month global Alexa TR of 746,766. Elusive dream? Not anymore.

It got back its Google PageRank (PR) in May. When this site's URL changed, it also lost its Google PR. Majority, if not all, webmasters worldwide go gaga over Google PR at some point. Some say  chasing this Google thing is like having your own Holy Grail quest. I don't think I'm up for this challenge; hence, I'll stop running after it. That green bar is enough to make me a happy blogger.

More blog posts were written this year.  I once read an article titled "How to Make Your Blog Look Old." It had such a compelling content (sadaly, it's unavailable now) that I followed the blogger's advice -- I reviewed my blog and  wrote posts for those months where I had no entries.  For example, the Waray dictionary can be found in last year's archive, but it was actually written in April, 2012. I'm admitting it now: some blog posts that appear to be from a year ago were actually written recently.

This blog is starting to be self-sufficient through its passive income. I may not have been your typical prolific blogger, but this blog was quietly doing something for itself.  As a result, I'll have funds for the domain renewal come January 30, 2013, which means I'll be able to continue serving those who visit this site searching for information. Life is great, isn't it? There is hope for this site, and I'm looking forward to bigger and better things ahead.

Waray Expressions Using the Word DIRI

Diri is the Waray equivalent of the Tagalog word "hindi".  It means "no" or "not".  Below are some expressions containing the word "diri".

diri andam	not ready
diri angay	not fit (as in not fit for the job)
diri babayaan	will not be left behind
diri ginrerespeto	not respected
diri halot	unselfish
diri harumamay	not easy (What I went through was not easy.)
diri hinatag	not given
diri human	not finished; unfinished
diri ighahatag	will not be given
diri kinasingkasing	not sincere
diri maapi	will not participate
diri mao	incorrect; improper
diri mabubuhi	cannot live; will not live
diri madidipara	will not be noticed
diri mahibabaro	will not know
diri mahibabaruan	will never be known
diri magbabag-o	will not change
diri magbabasul	will not regret
diri mag-iimod	will not watch
diri magikan	will not leave
diri maglalabot	will not meddle
diri maglalaum	will not hope
diri magsasaad	will not promise
diri magsasari	will not try
diri magsasarit	will not ask permission
diri magtitikang	will not start
diri mahinatagon	ungenerous
diri mahingangalimot	will not forget; will not be able to forget
diri mahingangalimtan	will not be forgotten
diri makakag-imod	will not be able to watch
diri makakalauy	will not be able to visit
diri makuri	not difficult
diri malilibuan	cannot be cheated on; cannot be swindled
diri malilikayan	cannot be avoided
diri marururespeto	not deserving of any respect
diri masayon	not easy (The test was not easy.)
diri mautro	will not do it again
diri mauutro	will not happen again
diri na	not anymore
diri nabulig	does not help
diri naeskuyla	does not go to school
diri nagbabasul	does not regret
diri nagbubuwa	does not lie; is not lying
diri naglalaum	does not hope
diri nagtitikang	does not start
diri nagugutom	not hungry
diri nahahadok	unafraid
diri nahatag	does not give; ungenerous
diri nahigugugma	not in love
diri nahingangalimot	cannot forget
diri nahingangalimtan	cannot be forgotten
diri nahingangaturog	not sleepy
diri nahimumurayaw	uneasy; restless
diri nahimumutang	same with diri nahimumurayaw
diri nakakabulig	does not help; cannot help
diri nakakakaturog	cannot sleep
diri nakakasabot	cannot understand
diri nakaon	does not eat
diri narespeto	does not respect
diri naruruyag	does not like
diri nasabot	does not understand
diri nasari	does not try
diri nasarit	does not ask permission
diri nasasabtan	cannot be understood
diri uutruhon	will not do it again
diri pa	not yet
diri pinapasaylo	not forgiven
diri tangkod	dishonest
diri tangpos	unfinished
diri tinuyo	unintentional

Cha-Cha Waray Medley (with lyrics)

Youtube video courtesy of  MsSimplegirl1234

Maharaw nga Misay

I.
Kay ano ini nga gugma kon danay
Mapawala, mapatuo usahay
Pag-abot waray na gud paru-pahuway
Daw sugad hin kaliding
Ini nga gugma ha kasingkasing

Koro:
An gugma daw sugad hin maharaw nga misay
Diri nagsasarit danay/ anay
Magkadiano pa man
Ini nga gugma kon lus-ay
Bisan may lipong, makalilipay

II.
Bisan pa hiram-usan, kariguan
Himsawon, kudkuron hin kaguran
An gugma nadukot gud ha dughan
Labot la kon nadangat
Ha kasingkasing an kagul-anan

Koro:
An gugma daw sugad hin maharaw nga misay
Diri nagsasarit danay/ anay
Magkadiano pa man
Ini nga gugma kon lus-ay
Bisan may lipong, makalilipay

Magkadiano pa man
Ini nga gugma kon lus-ay
Bisan may lipong, makalilipay

On Empty Houses and Well-Lighted Cafés

The deaf old man in Ernest Hemingway's A Clean, Well-Lighted Place is a relatable character for many of us, especially those who live alone. In Hemingway's story, the old man lingers in a café until the early hours of the morning. His nightly presence sparks a conversation between the two waiters -- one older, one younger -- revealing contrasting attitudes toward loneliness and human connection.

When people find themselves alone, without family close by, they often turn to friends. But when friends are busy with their own lives, a solitary place of refuge -- like the café  for the old man -- becomes a sanctuary. In these quiet places, one can collect his/her thoughts and reflect on life's uncertainties.

The contrasts between the two main characters of A Clean, Well-Lighted Place depict two types of people -- the compassionate and the unsympathetic. The younger waiter is always in a hurry to go home to his wife after work. At one point, he even becomes rude to the old man and refuses his request for another brandy. His priorities are different because he is young and has the comforts of home waiting for him.

The older waiter, on the other hand, is patient and understanding, not only toward the old man but toward people in general. Perhaps it's because he, too, lives alone and has reached a point in life where he no longer feels the need to compete or chase after things. No loved one waits for him at home. He has only his job and an awareness of life's quiet emptiness. "Nada," according to him.

Often, it's only when people have experienced loneliness themselves that they learn to be truly sympathetic to the needs of others. Hence, the older waiter's statement: "Each night I am reluctant to close up because there may be someone who needs the café." He works diligently to keep the place clean and inviting, so that it can provide comfort to anyone who seeks it.

Loneliness carries a peculiar ache. Coming home to an empty house highlights what’s missing more than what remains. The familiar furniture and quiet rooms become constant reminders of absence.

Perhaps this is why some people seek out cafés, parks, or other well-lit spaces at night -- not to find cheap amusement, but to escape their solitude, to soften the edges of grief, and to wear themselves out until sleep comes more easily in an otherwise empty bed.

Common Expressions Using the Word "Waray"

Masuna ngan waray uran yana nga aga didi sa VSU.  [It's a bright rainless morning here at VSU (Visayas State University).]

The word Waray does not only refer to the Waray-speaking people or to the Waray language, but it also refers to one particular Waray word, "waray", which means "nothing", "none", or "not".  Here's a list of common expressions using the word "Waray".

(1)

Waray ak labot.	I don't care.
waray aram	uneducated
waray batasan	lacking good manners
waray buot	innocent; childish
waray duda	no doubt
waray gamit	useless

(2)

Waray ka labot.	It's none of your business.
waray pagkakapoy	untiring
waray kapagalan (N.Samar)/ waray kapaglanan (N.Samar)/ waray pagkatanglay (N.Samar)	untiring
waray kaluoy	ruthless
waray kinabuhi	lifeless
waray makakatupong	unequaled; incomparable

 

(3)

waray pagkahadlok/ waray pagkahadok (N. Samar)	fearless
waray paglubad	unfading
waray pagruhaduha	no second thoughts
waray sarabutan	no idea

(4)

waray tango (N. Samar)/ waray ngipon	toothless
waray tingug-tingog	quiet/ no comment (e.g., My friend was very quiet the whole time we were there.)
waray upay	worthless; no good
waray utang	debt-free
waray kalipay	no happiness

(5)

waray utang nga buot/ waray utang nga kaburut-on	ungrateful
waray dum-it	pure; innocent; inexperienced
waray katapusan/ waray katangposan/ waray pagkatangpos	endless