“The term ethics comes from the Greek word ‘ethos’ which means character. The Greek philposopher Aristotle, who popularized the study of ethics, equated an ethical person to a ‘man of character,’ i.e., someone who does what is right and what he ought.”–R. Khan

“Be still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you unmasked. It has no choice. It will roll in ecstasy at your feet.”–F. Kafka

Perfect day.

As if on cue . . . the rains fell. P said, “I ordered it.” I laughed. It’s been a tender, loving sort of day.

Earlier, in the car, P told me, “Alam mo , malabo na ang mata ko. I can no longer see that far (pointing to two vehicle distances in front of us). You know how they say that when you reach 40, your eyes will suddenly go dim?” 

I smiled, made consoling noises, and rubbed his arm. 

P is turning 37 in August. I’m turning 35 in November.

I met him when I was 16 . . . we were young together.  

Finally got my hands around a couple bags of sublime coffee beans, just the way P and I like it . . . aromatic, suave, and sexy or as the packaging calls it: “Medium to Dark Roast, Sweet, Mild and Flavorful. Full Aroma and Well-Rounded Body.”

Ay caramba!

Who would have thought that I’d be into coffee? I used to pride myself as being the ultimate tea drinker, as fussy as your next pretentious tea snob—I didn’t want adulterations (blends are for sissies!). I wanted my teas to have balls, so I didn’t appreciate those pa-chichi Green Tea Passion Fruit and Whathaveyou blends.

With tea I particularly like the oolong and green varieties and altho. I don’t like the fancy blends, I’m open to infusions (of flower or herb). For infusions, I  love to use  jasmine or tarragon. For example,  I simply let steep fresh tarragon leaves in a cup of hot water for that perfect after-dinner libation.

Well, back to coffee. Now, I’m addicted to freshly brewed ones (again, I’m a purist by nature so no Hazelnut Macchiatos for me). The first thing I look for in coffee beans is the characteristic of having a nice, clean aroma (that’s how you can tell a well-roasted coffee from an over-roasted one). Next, after brewing, I like to see a little glossy sheen on top. Some coffee fans do not like oil in their cups at all, but a nice, even sheen for me is the difference between the perfect cup and a so-so cup. If my coffee does not have the froth on top, I can tell that it’s going to be just “regular.”

Next, I like for the taste to be of one, full-bodied note. Some coffees (like those from shops like Starbucks) have an acidic aftertaste. It’s a puzzle to me why people spend so much for a Starbucks coffee. It’s rather . . . substandard?

I’ve always loved Dame Kiri Te Kanawa’s rendition of “The Heart is Slow to Learn” since I first saw it sung (by her) in the DVD of the 1998 Royal Albert Hall concert in honor of Andrew Lloyd Webber. The song has haunting, beautiful lyrics and Dame Kiri interpreted it in, for me, a passionate, touching way. The song was supposedly made by Webber as part of the libretto to the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera. This project was set aside and the song had since been repurposed in another Webber musical, with different title and lyrics.

Last week, I saw P watching the video of Sierra Boggess singing “Love Never Dies,” the title song to the latest Webber musical—Love Never Dies (2010). The song uses the same melody as “The Heart . . .,” but with different, more hopeful lyrics. I don’t know, I still like the very first version by Dame Kiri—lyrics, music, and all.