impulse blogging

Elmer

2011-10-20T21:36:00.000+08:00

What would happen to the world if chickens suddenly started gaining sentience? This was what the comic Elmer was mostly about. Jake, a rooster with great need of anger management, has to go back home since his father Elmer was quite sick and expected to pass away soon.

Elmer finally passes away and Jake's mother hands over to Jake his father's diary. Once Jake starts reading the story of Elmer, the reader joins his journey in tracing the history of man's reaction to chicken's gaining sentience. Obviously, it was not something that men nor chicken easily accepted. I mean how else would you react to your dinner suddenly talking and some even attacking you? And in the midst of such a global issue, how did it affect individual lives of humans and chickens?

The theme of discrimination is nothing new. It has been an age-old tale that has been told over and over. What makes Elmer different, other than the fact that the tension is between human and chickens, is the beautiful story telling and line work of Gerry Alanguilan.

Alanguilan has made quite a name of himself in the international comic scene for his comics art. So it is no wonder that the art, especially the details, of the comics is impeccable. I could not helped but be awed by the painstaking effort he put in each feather, in each cloud, in each leaf on a tree.

The story was also able to infuse social issues with personal ones. The discrimination is not something that chickens experienced, Jake also has disdain against the human fiancee of his sister. His anger has bred tension in his home, yet it is also understandable because Jake somehow thinks that being a chicken has affected his own search for a job.

There are so many layers in the story, which theme can be considered simple but with an execution so unique. The menage a trois of the story, the storytelling and the artwork truly makes Elmer deserving of its Will Eisner nomination.

Launch of Gerry Alanguilan's Elmer

2011-10-16T21:23:00.000+08:00

I have been wanting to get a copy of Elmer for almost a year now. I was able to find a copy in Comics Odyssey for P650 but I did not have that money at that time. During the Summer Komikon I was able to read a few pages of Elmer in the Komik Nook which got me more and more interested in the comic. Gerry Alanguilan announced in his blog a while back that there will be a mass release in paperback with National Bookstore.

It took several months since his announcement for NBS to release the comic but finally last October 15, there was a launch at their Best Sellers branch in Galleria. Jan and I attended the launch which was hosted by Jiggy Cruz.

I was happy with the turn-out since there were quite a few people present. It's always nice to see local arts being supported. What was more fun about it was Jan and I won a special edition Elmer shirt. Woot! I usually never win any thing in raffles. After the interview and the Q & A, there was some pica-pica served. Guess what it was. Chicken lollipops and Coca-Cola. Jake must want to claw our eyes out if he finds out. LOL.

My fingers are crossed that I win either the Trese iPad or the Elmer iPad. Because that would be more awesome than winning a shirt!

Trese

2011-10-12T20:51:00.005+08:00

Last October 8, Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo launched the fourth book of Trese. (I would have been there if not for a fiery celebration of basketball victory down in Katipunan.) This collection, I have been waiting for since... well, since I finished reading the third book.

Cover of Trese 4: Last Seen After Midnight

For the unitiated with Trese, the comic is about Alexandra Trese and the Kambal. Whenever there's some strange crime in the neighborhood, some crime which can not be explained by forensic science, Sgt. Guerrero of the police calls on Trese to do her own version of underworld sleuthing. Trese deals with white ladies, kapres, manananggals, duwendes and a slew of elementals and mythological creatures from Filipino folklore.

This is way beyond Lola Basyang stories. Budjette has succeeded in merging the world of the living and the world of the undead. There is still something to fear in them, but they can also fear us and they can fear each other. Kajo was able to render Budjette's ideas with his beautiful yet gritty and dark artwork. I could not imagine any other artist who can illustrate the story of Trese better.

The dustcover

The fourth book is like most Trese compilations with four stand alone stories. "Cadena de Amor" is about a young sapling running amok looking for the gardener Florabelle. "A Private Collection" is about the mystery of a murdered manananggal. Trese tries to discover the cause of deaths and coma cases that occur during the same time in one dormitory in "Wanted: Bedspacer." The last story, "Fight of the Year" is an interesting inside look at the unusual albeit almost benevolent manner of achieving glory and fame of a world-renowned boxer.

All the stories are engaging and have quite interesting twists, though Private Collection could have been fleshed out more. However, I discovered that it was supposed to be the plot for the short film they were trying to make but due to budget constraints had to be shelved. It would have made an AWESOME movie! The Bangungot, I would say, has joined the ranks of my favorite Filipino mythological creatures, alongside the Kapre, Tikbalang and the Duwende.

To be honest, however, I like the other compilations better. But that should not take away from how good Trese 4 still is. It still offers a lot of excitement very much worth reading. I could say with conviction that Trese is one of my favorite comics ever, local or international. It's that good!

If you have not read any of the books, get all of them now! If you are a Trese collector, go out there and get the latest book!

Johnny Chow in Resorts World

2011-09-04T21:53:00.004+08:00

It was my first time to visit Resorts World near the airport last Saturday. I'm actually quite impressed. It looked quite posh and high end which made me look like my mother's alalay wearing old baggy jeans and trekking sandals.

Our agenda was dinner. We proceeded to the second floor where the restaurants were located. It took us a while to choose where to go since we really did not have any particular craving. I ruled out Filipino and New Orleans cuisine though.

The last two restos we had to choose between were Mr. Kurosawa (European-Japanese fusion) and Johnny Chow (Asian Fusion). I was actually more attracted with Mr. Kurosawa in terms of presentation of their menu and food photography. Johnny Chow's menu needed a lot of work in terms of lay-out and food photography but it won my brother and I out with its Coffee Spare Ribs and Lantau Island Tuna dishes.

I had some issues with the naming of their food which tried to have a theme but really did not make sense. For example, in the "Pork Dynasty" section, they had "Maggie Woo," "Broken Arrow" and "Sweet Sour Pork" dishes. So I was scratching my head wondering why they used actors, movies and the actual name of the dish in one food section. They even had Chuck Norris for fish. As to why the names were that way, I could not find any connection.

Their chairs had pop art faces on them, the waitresses were wearing colored wigs and the waiters had gelled hairstyles. It was actually what got me a bit hesitant to try the place. It was projecting itself as young and hip, but the audience seemed to be families. Judging from the full resto and the people waiting, one could guess that there must be something in Johnny Chow.

True enough, it did not disappoint. In fact, their food was a pleasant surprise as it was all absolutely delicious! All six of us enjoyed the food that we ordered.

Tropic Thunder was their version of fresh spring roll. The sweet sauce completed the taste of the appetizer.

Wu Mountain was also good. The tofu was really feathery soft and light and absorbed the sauce really well. I don't remember enjoying not-crispy tofu like I did Wu Mountain.

The Lantau Island tuna was one of the dishes on the menu which attracted me with its description. Seared tuna with mango salad. I imagined a regular sized tuna rather then the bite sized pieces that we received. Each order had eight mini-servings on top of mango ensalata. Eat everything all together to get the full flavor. Yum!

The other dish which attracted me was the Coffee Pork Spare Ribs with a side of kimchi. There were bits of coffee sago (tapioca) with the sauce.

It was to be paired with the kua pao. Indeed it was a good combination. The spare ribs tasted more like asado than coffee. It was actually quite sweet thus working with the siapao dough. It was good but not the best dish of the bunch.

The chicken we ordered, and which name I forget now, was really really good! The crispy fried Asian chicken was really crunchy. The crunch as well as the herbs worked well together. Not being a big fan of chicken, it was a bit of surprise that I consider this my favorite dish of the night.

The chicken worked quite well with the Johnny Chow fried rice, which is like your typical Yang Chow, except with more veggies.

Chuck Norris was salmon with buttered vegetables. It also came with lemon butter sauce. The salmon was really tender. The sauce was perfect for the salmon and the vegetables were very crunchy. Again I'm not a fan of beans, but Johnny Chow had me eating more than my usual share.

The last of our order was the salt and pepper spare ribs. It's best to remember to dip the pork in the vinegar because they weren't kidding with the salt and peppery taste. The vinegar gives it a balance for that perfect bite of meat and fat.

Overall, I was glad I got over the bad food photography and decided to be attracted to dish description and the number of people flocking the restaurant. It's a bit pricey but it's good for an occasional food treat.

The Collective at Malugay St.

2011-09-02T23:23:00.004+08:00

It was one of those unplanned get-togethers. Jan and I were almost ready to go home when Nin sent a text inviting us to join her and Jerry at the Collective. Jan was planning to jog when we got home and I would do anything to get away from exercise. I convinced him that it would be raining when we got home and we would just be stuck in traffic for most of the night. He said yes and we were off.

The Collective is located in Malugay St., near the Avida Makati West Tower where we were waiting for our little studio unit to be ready soon. I would say the Collective was what I was most excited about living in the area, next to finally having our own place.

The gang went to the Outer Space gallery where they were having an exhibit of photos taken in airports. There was also a crude world map painted on the floor and this sign below.

If you leave an unwanted souvenir and place it in the map where you got it, you can get a free poster. The poster shows the heights of the world's mountains and depths of the world's rivers. It's an ingenious gimmick for an interactive installation art! Cool, huh?

We didn't get to leave any but I do plan to go back and find something from my stash to take part of this collective art! There were a few things others have left behind though.

My favorites were a Delftware ceramic Dutch house from Netherlands (I want to steal it to keep the one I have company!), an unopened Stolichnaya Vodka fro Russia (whu? If I drank alcohol, I would have finished that one up!) and a maple leaf from Canada (pretty!). There was also henna powder from India, a Buddha figurine from China and beauty contestant postcards from Thailand. The Africas and the Balkan states are still empty, so if you have been there, leave one for the map. It's on until October 30, 2011.

Above is a photo of a photo taken by the artist. Awesome "No Gizmos!" sign. It's so dated that it features: Gizmo the Gremlin, a radio, a walkie talkie, a beepr and a clunky mobile phone. I wonder if kids nowadays will get the Gizmo joke? :P

The "living room" area of the gallery was also a treasure of old books and classic items. Too bad they weren't selling because there were a few items I'd love to get hold of! This Luke Perry autobiography in Spanish is not one of them though. LOL.

Walking around the rest of the Collective, I found this gem of a bust. Hail Rene Requiestas! May he rest in piece.

From their last the Collective visit, Nin and Je were raving about Ritual, the resident organic store, and its variety of dark chocolate flavors. We got Dark Chocolate with calamansi and dark chocolate with green mango and salt. There were also other food items like salad dressings, coarse sea salt, organic rice and dark muscovado sugar. They also sold ketchup gasera, melon scraper, nescafe glasses and even a classic engineering notebook.

I can't wait to buy some of my groceries here when we move!

The plan was to have dinner in Wingman for some chicken wings but first we passed by Offbeat Cafe to have a taste of their nefarious Offbeat Burger which had a thick beef patty, bacon, cheese and friend egg sandwiched in between Krispy Kreme Donut!

We ate the chocolate and the Offbeat Burger at Wingman while waiting for our order. I loved the chocolate with green mango and salt. It was a nice mix of salty, tangy and bittersweet. The calamansi zest also added a slightly sweet sour zing to the chocolate.

We girls enjoyed the Offbeat burger. The patty was very juicy and its flavors burst. The donut gave that extra surprise of unexpected sweetness. The boys however preferred to have the regular bread with the beef. Typical. :P

In Wingman, we ordered lemon pepper and garlic parmesan chicken wings with extra bleu cheese dip as well as pulled pork. We were so excited to eat that I forgot to take a picture. Teehee. The food were all sooooo gooood. Really good! Definitely a must-try.

So we ended the night early, with soul food from the art and body food from a few restaurants. The sign from The Outer Space gallery says it all...

Loving Harry

2011-07-16T11:04:00.006+08:00

There I was wearing my cape, with a packet of tissues, anticipating the start of the last movie installment of Harry Potter. I ooohed, aaaahed, clapped, teared-up, anticipated and yahoo-ed throughout the movie. I dreaded the end of the movie anticipating a hollow in my heart after the credits rolled, but it did not come. Instead, I felt satisfied. I felt closure.

* * * * *

Harry Potter and I knew each other for 11 years, when I was introduced to him in 2000 by a friend who has the same penchant for books on fantasy, magic and children. It was when Hagrid brought Harry to Diagon Alley to buy things for school that I knew I would be with this boy until the end of the series. It was when Ollivander and Harry had their conversation at the wand shop that I felt the magic. It was when Harry and Ron shared their first chocolate frogs that the wizarding world became real for me.

What is it with Harry Potter that it took the world by storm? Many fantasy geeks would argue that "The Lord of the Rings" is better-written and has a more complex mythology. I wouldn't argue against that. One could say that Tolkien was a pioneer in creating fantastic worlds and characters and peoples beyond Aesop's fables and Grimm's fairy tales. The same could be said of his friend CS Lewis and his "Narnia Chronicles." Yet for both writers, the world took a while to realize the genius of their work. But when people finally did, they paved the way for the likes of Douglas Adams, Neil Gaiman, Lemony Snicket and JK Rowling.

Rowling was lucky in the sense that the world has gotten used to magic and fantasy (though she had her share of "HP is the work of the devil" haters). It took a few years for the her wizarding world to fly, but when it did, it was like riding a Firebolt to fame. Every other attempt to follow suit was a ride on a sad Cleansweep 7.

What kind of magic did Rowling cast? It has been pretty much established that it had to do a lot about love. But I also think beyond the typical battle between good-evil, it was her care in details that made the world not just like Harry and his gang, they wanted to be like them! It did not matter if you were 12 or 21 (my age when I began) when you started reading the book. I remember discussing with Pia how butterbeer would taste like, and closely approximated it to Zagu's brazo de mercedes brew. Pia was also our generous donor of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans from the US, of which I knowingly chose weird flavors like grass and pepper (vomit and booger were still in production) which tasted the way it was advertised. I had to finish off with buttered popcorn so as not to have the same aversion to the treats as Dumbledore. Crissy brought home Chocolate Frogs from Australia, which included a limited edition card. I was half-expecting the frog to move about once I opened, but to no avail. Rowling presented broomsticks like they were the latest car models, that one is better on the other, taking into consideration the maker, the model, the drag and what have you. The spells were delightful (Riddikulus, Expecto Patronum, Petrificus Totalus, Avada Kedavra, Crucio, etc. etc) and the magical items awesome (floo powder, portkey, sneakoscopes, remembralls, howlers, etc. etc.) and the mytichal creatures mystical (grindylows, cornish pixies, centuars, giants, house elves, ghosts, etc. etc.). I could go on and on and on. For me, it was all about the intricate details that Rowling put together to make the wizarding world more magical, more fantastical and more real to its readers.

The details also went into the people. The characters in the book were quite complex. With the teen-agers, you can imagine the insecurities they had to deal with and realize you were once or are like that. Hogwarts students had to deal with bullying and pranks and falling in love. They had to face the dreaded exams or deal with terror teachers. And in the end, they had to deal between the choice of good and evil, right and wrong. They had to grow up in a world at war.

As for the adults, many had complex histories (it is now I realize that we know little of McGonagall. Hmmm.). You had an truly evil Voldemort who never experienced love and therefore could not understand it. You had an unfathomable Snape, whose enduring love for Lily Potter kept him from going to the dark side before or during Harry Potter (thank you, Star Wars!). You have Horace Slughorn, who along with Snape, showed that being Slytherin does not necessarily make you evil but emphasizes on slyness and cunning. You have Remus Lupin, whose kindness of heart is shadowed by the stigma against werewolves. The list goes on and on and on. Bottomline is you get to know the characters in the book as persons and not just names.

Rita Skeeter wrote sensationally. Rowling wrote lovingly.

And so in the last 11 years, I, along with millions of Potter fans, saw many characters grow up, some grow old and a few pass away. The younger fans grew up with Harry while I felt like the three's bigger sister, proud with their achievements, sad with their pains.

We alternately waited for the next book or the next movie to come out. The anticipation is sometimes more exciting than reading the actual book or seeing the actual movie. What made the anticipation delightful was it was shared with many people. The funny thing is, Harry Potter is one of those things you don't mind the world likes/loves along with you. I mean, I know friends who lose interest in music or books because other people caught on. But Harry... you want to share him. You want others to experience the magic as you have.

* * * * *

The anticipation for Harry Potter truly has ended when the last movie installment has shown. Waiting for this last unkown Harry Potter franchise rooted itself in nostalgia, led me and a lot others into tears thinking it was THE end. It was like knowing family will be going away.

And yet, when I saw the final movie, I did not feel the sadness that I expected. What I felt was closure... even peace and contentment. It is AN end, but not THE end. Rowling and Dan Radcliffe were right when they said, "The stories we love best lives in us forever."

Harry Potter will live on in the pages of the seven books, in the cel of eight films and especially in the hearts of its fans.

So along with the thousands of fans camped out waiting to watch the UK premiere of HP as Jo Rowling was making her speech, I shout "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" to her. It was a wonderful ride of which I would be sure to take over and over and over.

Thank you for the wonderful wizarding world of Harry Potter. He is truly "The Boy who Lived."

Fave HP 7.2 moments

2011-07-15T16:34:00.002+08:00

Beware: Spoilers ahead.

I want to emote about the finality of the anticipation of Harry Potter with this movie. But thankfully, the movie did well in providing a closure to the wonderful, magical journey I had with Harry and the rest of the wizarding world. The drama may be for another time since I still have two to three weeks to cling on to since the movie just started showing.

So for now I relive moments in the movie that had a lot of impact on me. I want to write it down and relish them without watching the movie over.

Dobby's tombstone. "Here lies Dobby. A free elf." Dobby knows much more about freedom and choice more than most people we know.
Snape's silhouette framed by a tower window then cut to the scene of Hogwarts students marching into the castle. Once the camera pans to Snape's face, you see he takes no delight. Also, the scene below is a contrast to the colorful, noisy greeting of Hogwarts in the past movies.
The Gringotts dragon. Such a beautiful, majestic creature! My heart bled with its chained neck. Beautiful creatures like that should be allowed to roam free!
The Gringotts massacre. I don't remember having read this in the book. And I hope it really wasn't there. Poor goblins! But uhm, why were those security wizards dressed like regular cops?
Hermione as Bellatrix. HBC does great in impersonating Hermione impersonating her character. Priceless. Ron wears a wig and goatee as H's companion. That look actually suits him!
Neville coming out the portrait with Arianna Dumbledore. That was a wonderful moment in the book for me too! I missed seeing Hogwarts in the first half of the book and first installment of the movie. And of course, knowing he will soon be out, Mayette and I were squealing "yey, Neville! Neville."
Harry meeting with other Hogwarts students. The look on the students' face, especially Seamus, when they discover had no plan. Priceless! :P
Snape fleeing Hogwarts. That short duel with McGonagall was the first sign of the coming battle. She may look old and a bit Miss Minchin like at times, but she's a bad-ass witch so don't mess with her!
McGonagall animating the Hogwarts statues. Like a giggly school girl she tells Molly "I've always wanted to use that spell!" I was laughing so hard I had to clap. And so did a good number of people in the cinema.
McGonagall instructing Seamus to work on pyrotechnics. If you did a marathon of the movies like I did, you will notice that Seamus gets blasted in the face almost all the movies. I was so happy with that reference but only a few seem to have got it. :/
The shield slowly covering up Hogwarts. I don't remember if there was music playing, but I was literally at the edge of my seat as it was happening.
Voldemort speaking to everyone in Hogwarts. His voice was soft, yet the malevolence was creeping on my skin. Wow.
Tonks and Remus holding out to each other when the shield was about to break. A pair of lovers, a pair of warriors.
The twins having their last conversation before the battle. I couldn't hear what they said to each other though. But still... my heart was in knots knowing what is to happen to one of them.
Neville aangas-angas with the Voldemort followers when they could not pass the shield. Then running as fast as his feet would take him when the shield broke. When he re-appears he goes, "That went well." Though I wish he said "I'm okay" because that was his dialogue everytime he fell in the earlier movies.
Ron and Hermione finally kissing! When and how. Big moment. Of course, clapping from most of the audience here. Sa wakas lang no!
Snape's death. It broke my heart.
Snape's love for Lily Potter. It broke my heart again. His love for Lily was as true as her love for Harry. Alan Rickman, you did justice to Snape. Thank you
Fred getting disarmed. Nooooo!
The death toll in the Great Hall. The undramatic manner of the showing the dead Fred, Remus and Lupin. As no fuss as it was in the book. Which makes it more heartbreaking.
Snape saying "always," Lily saying "always" in separate scenes. Sigh!
Draco crossing from Hogwarts flank to the Death Eater's side to be with his parents. Disappointing but expected.
Voldemort thinking Neville was joining the death eaters. "I was expecting someone better. I'm sure we will find something for you in our ranks" And the mockery in his voice as he said it.
Neville daring to speak up against Voldemort. Go Neville, true Gryffindor!!
Harry at King's Cross with Dumbledore. Conversations between those two are just full of quotable qoutes!
Neville cutting Nagini's head off. Yeaaaah!
Battle between Harry and Voldemort. (but not as Epic as the Voldemort-Dumbledore duel though)
Luna and Neville sitting quietly together. The pride in Neville's face. Win!
The last scene with the triumvirate 19 years later.

I did feel disappointed that they did not show Harry repairing his old wand with the elder wand. I really, really love that scene in the book. But oh well...

So obviously, I enjoyed the movie. And I am glad to have known Harry Potter and his magical world.

taal volcano monster

2011-04-27T22:17:00.005+08:00

One of the difficult things I had to deal with in Komikon was finding the right comics to purchase. It was unfortunate that I had little lead time to research on the indie comic book artists present during the event because I could have made a more informed choice on which ones to buy. As much as I would like to support all artists, my benevolence far exceeds my purchasing power. I ended up focusing my energies on the more famous comic books.

I knew I wanted to get Elmer and other Gerry Alanguilan works but he made a previous announcement that he won't be able to sell during the Komikon. Bummer! I knew I should have gotten Elmer at Comic Odyssey when I had a chance!

I brought my previously purchased comic books to be signed by the artists and writers. Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah had to be left behind since I had Carlo Vergara sign it during the ZZZ Ze Musikal at the CCP. I even bought the first installment of the next ZZZ when Ada and Dodong have finally arrived in Manila. I also brought Andong Agimat, hoping that Arnold Arre might be there. Apart from the Budjette and Kajo team-up, Arre must be the artist I the most collection. Unfortunately, my Martial Law Babies have been reduced to a stuck-together mess by Ondoy, my favorite Mythology Class situated in Davao and After Eden stuck somewhere in limbo of transferring from one hand to another. Unfortunately, Arre was not present in the Komikon. I was hoping to grab a copy of Trip to Tagaytay which a friend recommended.

During the Komikon, I felt like a little child with P20 in her pocket with so much craving for sweets but daunted by all the wonderful colors of colorful candies and scented sweets. This is where friend recommendations come in! Thankfully, I bumped into a friend from the office who had so much conviction in recommending Macoy's...

TVM vs. ESP2 was just a photocopied comic book (I like it that way!) which cost P30. I was immediately captivated by the illustration in page 2! By page 3, I was convinced that the comic contained the kind of humor that I appreciated. Mahirit, makulit and pakyut. By page 4, I was in-love with the TVM. His dress code propriety was impeccable.

It's interesting to discover that the comic was just made in 2 days. I thought it was done in one. Just kidding! I would dare conclude that it was precisely the rush, the cramming which added to its charm. The story is simple and straightforward with little fru-fru but abundant with heckling. That's precisely why I enjoyed it immensely.

If you pass by Comic Odyssey or Sputnik (I've never been here!) and you have P30 to spare. Go grab the TVM vs. ESP2. I can imagine the chuckling happening as you read it. Unless you're the kind of person who prefers a hearty laugh to a good joke. Either would be good for the heart. ;P

I love my Larry Alcala stuff!

2011-04-26T00:27:00.002+08:00

ybe a couple years back, Freeway launched their National Artists tribute. I've always wanted to get something from their collection, but could not find anything that suited me. The clothes were great, albeit a bit expensive, but I don't mind getting something to honor great artists of the Philippines.

I've never been able to get any from Freeway. I know they launched F. Sionil Jose and Jose Garcia Villa. Their names, I am familiar with. Their legacy, I am aware of. Unfortunately, I have not read any of their works. This fact embarrasses me a lot, moreso that I still have not bothered to get their work. They also launched a Ramon Valera line which makes me doubly idiotic because I hardly know the work he's done for fashion.

So imagine my joy when Solo, Freeway's sister company, launched their own great Filipino series with Larry Alcala! This man, I am extremely familiar with! I remember spending Sunday mornings looking for him in his Slice of Life cartoons. I've read a few strips of Siopawman and Kalabog and Bosyo. Larry Alcala is one of the most popular comic strip artist in Philippine history! And I love his work!

I immediately trooped to Solo the weekend after they launched his line. Unfortunately, they still did not have all the shirt designs shown in their website. The ones they launched were the more formal kind that costs an arm and a leg. I decided to get myself the watch instead.

Lovely watch! So Filipino with trademark Larry Alcala drawings of Filipino games. It's a bit difficult to wear, but it tells time and it's cool, so I love it!

A few months later, I was finally able to get another Larry Alcala item. I was finally able to get hold of their Telepono shirt. Among the other designs there, this shirt fit me the best and its illustration was the one I liked most. So it was perfect! I didn't get it immediately though. I left the store to go around the mall some more and to ponder if I should really get it. I've already spent too much on the Komikon the day before, would it still be okay to purchase another whim?

Well, I did end up getting the shirt. I loved the design. I loved how it fit me. I loved how Larry Alcala it looked.

Now I have two LA items, it might be time to stop getting them na. I'm hoping if they release another artist line, they wait for a few more months when I've saved up again. I can imagine how my pocket will hurt if they decide to launch a Jess Abrera or Nonoy Marcelo or Pol Medina, Jr. Oh dear.

Happy Easter

2011-04-25T00:03:00.003+08:00

May the glory and love Jesus has shown always be with you!

In celebration, I cut my hair really short. I'm happy. :)

using technology for Lent

2011-04-23T11:24:00.004+08:00

We did not have the new way of the Cross for our Stations of the Cross. So what did I do? I looked for a free app on via crucis. I found two and read them on my iPod touch during our Visita Iglesia. I was the only one who was using a technological device I observed. Cool!

* * * * *

These last two years, I have just spent Holy Week at home. It's often a more difficult way to spend the culmination of the Lenten season since everyday distractions like the internet and television are there to tempt me. It's been a struggle keeping away from FB and twitter, though I've allowed myself to read blogs and news.

There are, however, some gems on the internet that help me achieve my desire for reflection and deeper understanding of Jesus' sacrifice.

My particular joy for these last two Holy Week period is the website Pins of Light. Last year, I was able to spend time reflecting on God in the Dungeons. This year had another interesting theme, the Fugitives of Lent. Younger people may appreciate recollections found on the Pins of Light because it uses secular songs, popular songs, in the context of Jesus' love. I never realized how apt Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love" is for Good Friday!

The Fugitives of Lent is an online recollection that looks at the journey of Christ through the lives of three "bad boys" --

Fugitive # 1 - Judas Iscariot (Holy Thursday)

Fugitive # 2 - Pontius Pilate (Good Friday)

Fugitive # 3 - Simon Peter (Black Saturday).

The first two are obvious choices, but the third may be interesting for some since Peter did become the first Pope and the rock of the Church.

As I matured and experienced a bit of the ways of the world, I have learned not to take Judas and Pilate as villains but rather victims of their own circumstances. And true enough, the online recollection allows the retreatant to see these two outside their vilified status. And to see our own moments of being/encountering Judas and Pilate.

The other two were very insightful but I would say my favorite was the recollection with Peter. I think it is easier for people to falter the way Peter has. To claim much love for the Lord, yet in the end, when it was necessary to proclaim him, he denied Jesus because of fear.

Holy Week hopes that we see how much love Jesus has for us that we forget our fears. Tomorrow, I look forward to the hope and love that Easter brings. :)

Holy Week reflection guide

2011-04-22T11:17:00.004+08:00

I resolved to immerse myself in prayer and reflection during this Holy Week period. This is one of those times when technology can bring you closer to God. I really have not gone out of my room for a spiritual encounter.

In case you would also like to have your own journey inside the screens of your computers, here are some websites which can be your spiritual guide.

Sacred Space Lenten recollection. Around four hours for retreat including those quiet moments for reflection.

The Fugitives of Lent. Experience the grace of Holy Week by understanding the "bad guys" in Jesus' life.

Seven last words. By Mark Roberts and the Passionists. Go through the last moments of Jesus before he dies on the cross.

* * * * *

Happy Earth Day, by the way. Maybe you can add a reflection on our stewardship of Mother Earth in your reflection.

Pass by google.com to see their tribute. So cute!

donsol: swimming with the whale sharks

2011-04-20T21:57:00.006+08:00

Who would not put swimming with the whale sharks on their things to do before ___?

I've been wanting to go for a long time already. Thanks to Jerry and Ninin's invitation, I was finally able to do it. It was such an AWESOME, AMAZING, WOW experience. No exaggerations there.

I'd skip through the lousy Zestair experience to get to Legazpi and go straight to the adventure part of the story. Jerry and Ninin arrived a few hours ahead of us and signed up for a tour for the next day at seven in morning.

A morning tour would be advisable because the heat would not be as bad. In our case, it was also an advantage because it was raining in the afternoon and I would think the visibility would not be as good. I'd also say have a heavy breakfast because you need all the energy you can get to fully enjoy this wonderful experience.

Most resorts and boats have a tarpaulin reminding tourists the proper way of swimming with the butandings. To be honest, it's hardly followed but do try your best for your own safety and for the good of the butanding too.

Tarpaulin explaining the proper way to interact with whale sharks.

We were lucky that the day started bright and sunny. The sun's reflection danced merrily on the water's waves. The gang were quite excited as we slathered ourselves with sunblock.

When spending time with the whale sharks, it is a must to have your snorkeling gear, including fins. I brought my bro's gear with me but they fit neither Jan nor me so we ended up renting the entire set from the resort which cost us P300.

Our BIO (butanding interactive officer) was Johnson. He was a burly man with long hair. He has been doing this for so long that his skin has this permanent burnt quality to it. Johnson gave us instructions to be alert when he gives the signal. He would tell us which side of the boat to go and jump from.

Before we actually dove in with the butanding, he made us look at the water and taught us a bit of how to spot one. It was quite easy in that weather. From above, you'd see a large moving shadow a few feet below the water. That signified the butanding was there.

I opted to use a life vest since I'm not a very good swimmer. I don't want to mar my whale shark experience by almost drowning, you know.

After a few minutes, Johnson signaled for us to sit on the edge of the boat and wait for his signal. A butanding was nearby.

Feet with flippery fins

Johnson shouted "go" and dove in. Ninin, Jerry, Jan and I dove after him. At first, we could not see anything but water. Then our BIO pointed ahead of us. The whale shark was coming our way!

It was magnificent.

Wow.

There it was, right in front of me, the largest fish in the world. It was coming right at me. I was both nervous and excited. I could see its slit of a mouth. I could see it's very small eyes. I didn't know if it could see me but if it did, it did not seem to mind because he was still coming our way.

When you see a creature, the size of a small car coming at you, I don't think it's wise to crash into it. So I made a U-turn and moved out of its path and swam along with it. This is where the flippers helped. I could float easily and swim fast and with little effort.

I was finally swimming along with the whale shark.

Wow.

There it was beside me, in all it's spotted splendor. It was intimidating. Yet, it did not seem to care about the people who were crowding around him. It must think that we were just like the other fishes that would hitch a ride with it.

Little fishes hitched a ride on its spotted back. They looked edible. Photo by Jerry.

Wow. Amazing.

We dove into the water around eight times. Seven of those times, we were able to swim with the whale sharks. One swim went as long as eleven minutes! All the others lasted for more than five. Every time was as amazing as the previous swim. I can't get over how thrilling the experience is!

There is a bit of a downside to it though. While the tourism office says that there should be one boat (or six tourists) to one butanding, that is hardly the case. Our awesome BIO was great in spotting whale sharks, and doubly skilled in getting us to be the first group to be with the butanding. We were quite lucky with him. However, most of the time, other groups would flock to our butanding and join us in the viewing. It would be perfectly fine if they were just behaved. But noooo! I had flippers hit me in the face in arms. I had someone who had her arms hit my snorkeling mask. Several times. I don't really think they were intentionally being rude, but they were just too focused on having the butanding to theirselves that all politeness and etiquette just flew out of the window. In the middle of the sea, people would cut you or get in the way, much like motorcycles in rush hour Manila. It was really quite annoying and I really ranted about it. But I refused to have that little problem get in the way of the joy of spending time with whalesharks.

We had so much fun swimming with the butandings that my feet started to blister. My big toe started to chafe and my other toes had little bubbles of air. Ouch.

Chafed big toe. Just ignore the hair. :P

I noticed the pain around the fourth dive, but that did not stop me from keeping on. I hardly noticed it while swimming. Or I think I did, but chose to pay attention when there is this resplendent creature swimming right in front of me.

Every dive was awesome. There was a time when the butanding started going up, as if trying to get to the surface. Guess who located on top of its dorsal fin? I had to scoot out of the way before we could bump into each other. For one, we were told not to touch the fish. Second, I don't want to find out by experience which one of us has the smoother and softer flesh. No thank you.

During our last dip, we were lucky to be the only ones with the butanding. Jan and I were by the head while Ninin and Jerry were with Johnson at the back near the tail. While watching it swim, we saw its head jerk nervously. We decided to get away from it lest it does something crazy. We saw Nin, Je and Johnson a few meters away talking about the major tail swish. Apparently, the BIO accidentally touched a part of it which agitated the monster. I could imagine how exciting the view of the tail do a big sway, though I could also imagine how terrible it would have been to get hit a SUV-sized fish.

After that, we decided to call it a day and go back to the hotel. We were lucky with the crew we were assigned to and could not ask for anything more.

Jan and I were talking about it for days. I enjoyed the experience so much that I would like to do it again the next year! Seriously. It was just so exhilirating and surreal that I need to have more of it!

Thanks to the WWF for this great idea! Not only did the experience give people a good time, it also helped the community see the importance of co-existing with other wonderful creatures.

Do go if you can!

Summer 2011 Komikon

2011-04-16T19:35:00.013+08:00

WELCOME TO KOMIKON!

Finally, after several attempts to attend a Komikon, I finally made it! It was only through Gerry Alanguilan's tweet that I found out there was one. This was last Thursday. I had to beg/force Jan to promise me that we will go. There has just been too many times that I missed it! Unfortunately, I was stupid enough to forget my camera so I had to do with photos from my iTouch. Kainis.

We arrived around 11AM. I actually wanted to get there earlier to participate in the games. Hahaha! But well, it's really no fun to rush on a Saturday morning. It was good that the venue was quite large. There were just a few people in the morning but I was certain there would be more coming in the afternoon.

Indie tiangge of comics. Comics as low as P20!

Animahinasyon clips were already showing on the screen. I'm happy to observe that we have so much potential with animation. There was a Siopawman clip shown, as if a trailer for a cartoon series. I'm not sure if it is for real though I very much hope it is.

This little girl was enjoying the shadow art style animation.

I was happy to see that there were a lot of independent comics producers. Many of their products were actually just photocopied original art. I think that adds to the charm. In case any of the guys that I bought would become rich and famous, I would have a collector's item. :P

Comic Odyssey also brought their comic book store at the Komikon. They discounted their stuff to as low as 80% off! I actually wanted to buy the X-Men: Days of Future Past and X-Men:First Class. They also had single issue comics and I saw one Sin City title and New Mutants #21 which went for P20. I wanted to get it too! Two things stopped me - 1) I did not budget for it and 2) I was intent on supporting local comics for this event.

The Comic Odyssey section.

Another section of the indie tiangge

Around lunch time, they had a Hero Sausage sandwich eating contest. The host asked for 10 hungry guys to come on stage. One of the guys who went up was Danny Acuna (more on him later). The winner would, of course, be the one who ate the sandwich fastest. I didn't really bother finding out who won.

Danny Acuna is the guy in black with white hair.

It was the girls' turn after the boys finished. At first, there were only three girls who came up. It took a lot of prodding before the ten contestants were completed. Again, I did not bother waiting for the winner. :P

Enjoy the sausages, girls!

After a while, Jan and I decided to go around the venue to look at the comics sold. I was also intent on looking for the celebrities of the Philippine comiverse. I actually brought with me the three volumes of Trese, the first compilation of Kiko Machine, 12 and Andong Agimat for the writers and artists to sign.

We bumped into a couple of Jan's friends from UP Fine Arts who had their own booths. There was Elmer Damaso who created Cat's Trail with his wife. We also bumped into Carl at his Electromagnetic Tentacle booth selling shirts that gave foreign superheroes a local twist. Jan bought the Lobo for me and Dirty Harry and Green Parol for himself. I also wanted to get the Batmanananggal and the Friendly Neighborhood Spiderfight but our funds were not up to our whims anymore. :P

I also bought three comic books from Macoy. I discovered that he was from Gabay, an organization in the Ateneo. I love his artwork!

THE HOTSHOTS

Pol Medina, Jr. was there! It's awesome how he was able to sustain Pugad Baboy through the years. Up to this day, I love the humor of PB. Unfortunately, I rely on my brother for PB comics so I did not have any for him to sign. I was thinking of buying one but then I really had to be smart with my purchases so I just took a photo. Next time, I will get my bro's stuff and have them signed instead. :P

I saw a Freedom Wall. Since I can only stick figures, I just had my photo taken with it instead. There's a little drawing that's trying to hit me in the head though. :P

A few months back, I heard about the Filipino Heroes League through Jonas Diego's blog. I wanted to get it but have yet to find it in bookstores. Finally, I was able to lay hands on it today. It was a surprise to find out that Paolo Fabregas of the Coca-Cola "Bridesmaid ka lang" commercial with Belinda Panel actually created the comics! I've only read the first two pages so I could not say anything about the story, but I really liked the artwork.

Paolo Fabregas, FHL creator. :)

My signed copy of FHL!

I was most excited about meeting Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo, the team behind Trese. I absolutely love Alexandra Trese and the Kambal. The characters and the concept are superb! And how I wish they can produce as many issues as possible! I'm so in love with the comic that we bought two collector's items posters -- "Maliksi" (#157 of 1300) and "Hannah and Ammie" (#57 of 1300) I also bought Presinto 13 which Budjette did with David Hontiveros.

We saw Manix Abrera there as well. It's Jan who's really the fan of Kiko Machine. I liked his work on 12 most. It's amazing how you can tell so much without words! I would say that Manix is the best when it comes to signing his comics. He takes so much care in doodling your name and writing with care plus a little drawing to match. Rakenrol!!!

Manix signing my copy of 12

A sample of his meticulous autograph signing. Asteeeeeg!

THE LEGENDS

I felt bad that I did not know much about the Filipino legends in comics. I saw this old guy who reminded me a bit of Stan Lee. He was signing some posters, so I knew he was someone big, someone younger artists looked up to. At first I thought he was Alex Nino, the guy which Neil Gaiman mentioned as one of his favorite artists when he was younger. Upon more snooping, I found out he was Tony de Zuniga, creator of Jonah Hex!

I had to get something from the man! At first, I wanted to get the Star Wars poster, but I decided to think about it first. Mali! It was sold out by the time I decided to get it for my brother. I had him sign a Conan the Barbarian poster instead. While I was enjoying the signature on the poster, I realized I was envious of my bro. I decided to get one for myself as well. While the Jonah Hex posters were exquisitely done, it was much too dark for my taste. I decided to get an illustration I liked but I absolutely had no idea who it was. Hehe! Still I finally have a Tony de Zuniga signature!

I only had my photos taken with Tony de Zuniga. Here was after he signed the poster for me.

The poster he signed for my bro.

For my bro.

For me. Any idea who she is?

I also several other old guys in the event. I tried as much as possible to get their names, but it was a bit difficult. It would have been better if the organizers put some name plates or their names on the IDs so the fans can easily identify them. I was unable to find out the name of the guy below. Sayang.

I discovered one of the other legends present was 87-year old Jess Jodloman, who illustrated for some horror-mystery comics in the US.

He seems intent on the Komikon newspaper.

There were several other artists I was trying to get hold of, but it was a bit difficult. The last two I was able to encounter were Rico Rival and Danny Acuna. Rico Rival did some work in the US but was more prolific with the local comic scene.

Rico Rival in yellow and Danny Acuna in black. Both of them were sketching for clients. DA was doing mine actually. Hehe!

I already said that Danny Acuna joined the Hero Sausage eating contest. During the contest, he showed the host the empty wrapper of his sandwich as if saying he won. When the host asked him if he was done, he showed his half eaten sausage. It was at this point that he endeared myself to me. He was a funny man with a quick smile that I could not help but be drawn.

When we were looking around and he was doing a sketch of a young man, he talked to me and said, "ikaw sunod." I agreed even without knowing what his style is or how much it costs. I just wanted to have a moment with a legend. I also bought three of his comics, each at P30. So he did sketch me...

Danny Acuna doing my sketch.

As usual, I was conscious so I was laughing while he was sketching me! I had a headache from smiling too much.

One just had to pay a donation for the sketch. Jan bought some Filipino comic artists portfolio for P300, I bought three of Danny Acuna's comics for P90. In total we gave him P500. He gave me a fourth comic for what we gave him. He's adorable. :)

His signed works.

His sketch of me. Not too much like me but it's still a DA work of art!

Overall, it was a great day of comic bliss! To be in the same room with all these artists really made my day. I ended up spending much more than I expected but I really don't mind helping out struggling artists or affirming established ones. I dream that the comic book industry in the Philippines prospers and reaches more people in the country and even abroad.

Looking forward to the next Komikon in October/November!

saturday misadventures in Albay

2011-03-27T15:48:00.010+08:00

Before I even write about the surreal joy (and dangers) of butanding (whale shark) watching in Donsol, I'd first like to write down about our crazy Saturday adventure in Albay. I need to, just so I do not feel like such a loser. Maybe it's the modern-day trick of the tikbalang, who knows. I'd just like to laugh at myself and Jan for what we had to endure yesterday.

It was one of those rare occasions when I go to a place with no plan at all. What was just clear was we do all the fun stuff in Donsol on Friday, then on Saturday Jerry and Ninin will leave Jan and I to our own devices since they have to fly back to Manila.

Friday evening, we were still undecided whether we stay in Donsol, transfer to Pilar or go back to Legaspi. The weather has been uncooperative since we had our awesome interaction with the butandings. Somebody up there was switching the rain faucet on and off for the rest of the day and nothing indicated that Saturday would be any different.

Jerry suggested that we might like to give Daraga a chance since Mayon was there in the first place. Plus, there was also the Daraga church which had a special place in JVPs hearts since its doors had JVP crosses (Jerusalem cross) carved on it. I thought, why not? I have always meant to do that anyway.

Saturday morning, we were on the van on the way to Legaspi. The weather was still unsure whether it wanted to be drizzly, rainy or simply cloudy. I fell asleep on the trip only to be awoken by "Daraga na." Huh? Uh? Huh? Uh, okay? Jan and I got off the van as Je and Nin sped off to catch their flight. The rain was strong. We stood in front of a paint shop. My mental faculties were hardly awake. A tricycle driver was asking us if we wanted a ride. We did, except I did not know where we wanted to go. Finally we asked the driver if he knew of a clean and affordable place to stay for the night. He said he knew exactly where to take us.

He finally dropped us at a place that looked doubtful from the moment we went down from the trike. I could not remember the name except it had the words "inn" and "24 hours." Those words always smell fishy when associated with a "hotel." I mean kelan ba hindi 24 hours ang hotel?! We took a look at the rooms anyway (aircon at P450 and non-air for P300++). Cheap, yes. Clean, yes. Like, no.

We decided to look for other places. We asked the dude at the counter if he can show us the way to the mall. He pointed to the right direction and told us it was walking distance. Experience has now taught me never to trust a guy who you took business away from to give you right information. Yes, it would have been a 20-minute walking distance on a good day. But if you were carrying several kilos of clothes and contraptions on a rainy day... Let me just say, we never got to the mall.

I told Jan that we should just proceed to Daraga Church instead and figure our plan from there. Might as well have a bit of sight seeing already. It was at a trike stop that we decided this. Again, an ever vigilant trike driver offered to take us to the Church for P30. I was in doubt of this price and said... "baka naman yan sinisingil niyo sa amin dahil di kami tagadito." He answered, "twenty pesos kada isa nga dun kasi pataas." I still doubted his price but I was tired, my back hurt from the bag and I just needed to be somewhere.

Putsa. We were already at the foot of the church before we rode the trike. It would have been a five-minute hike up. This was actually the only time that I was annoyed and almost ready to burst with road rage. I told the driver, "kasama ba dyan pababa?" Of course, he was not answering. Jan, being the nice guy that he is, just said that I let it go. (No I have not, to be honest).

The church would have had a spectacular view of Mayon on a sunny day. But since it was not, this was all we saw.

If you look hard enough, you might see the faint outline of our majestic mountain. Use your imagination, go ahead.

It would have been all okay if the church turned out what I expected it to be. I thought it would look like this. But no!

Somebody had the stupid idea to make it look like a plaster of paris model of Daraga Church! The photo actually looks better than the actual monstrosity we saw. I'm sure it is still unfinished. But the very thought of painting over the beautiful stone finish of an old church just makes me question the taste of whoever thought of that brilliant idea. Calling on the Bishop of that Diocese!!! Some lessons on basic appreciation of architecture for your people, please. Sigh.

I had to make do with the JVP cross on the doors, which really, wasn't all the impressive either.

I went inside the church to look at its nooks and crannies for other hidden JVP crosses, but I can't seem to find any more than what I already saw.

I just had to make it fun for my self taking photos of what I thought was interesting. Below is a photo of my favorite part of the church.
When I couldn't find anything to amuse me anymore, I dragged Jan so we could grab something to eat. However, the rains just got stronger with winds driving the drops at 45 degree angles. We had to wait for thirty minutes before we can get out of Daraga Church.

It was still drizzling a bit when we finally left the church. We decided to eat at the Bigg's we passed by on the way. It was just fitting since 1) when in Bicol, Bigg's is it and 2) Jan worked for Bigg's as graphic designer before.

Bigg's was probably the best thing that happened to us that day. The crew were polite and very professional and the restaurant was clean. We also had the chance to catch up on the news since they had newspapers to read for those who were waiting for their orders.

The food was good. Not just because we were really hungry. Jan ordered pork cordon bleu. It tasted good but my favorite was the baked potato. Mmmmm....

I ordered the baby back ribs which was also good. The meat was tender and easy to chew. The vegetables was crunchy and slathered with the right amount of butter.

It was at this point that Jerry texted us that their flight was cancelled and they decided to take the bus to Manila instead. Let us just say that this part of their adventure somehow influenced ours.

After our meal, we finally decided to go to Legaspi City and look for an accommodation there instead. I was able to research something about Tanchulling Hotel, which had good reviews. I told Jan, at least we know one hotel we can stay in Legaspi.

So off we went. We realized that Daraga was really near Legaspi, so I took note of possible places we could go back to once we settled in Legaspi. We went down at LCC Mall and asked for directions going to Pacific Mall which is supposed to be near Tanchulling. As we searched for the hotel, we found a hostel across Pacific Mall called SedCen. I was attracted to the place because it was supposed to be a cooperative. I took a look but there was no receptionist. I peeped into the rooms and saw it was clean and comfortable though the comfort rooms were common. I would not have minded it at all. Too bad there was no one to entertain us.

We decided to resume our search for Tanchulling. After finally finding it, I wanted to curse the hell out of whoever reviewed the hotel. I had a feeling that the dude might be related to the owner. The place was creepy and dark, much like the stuff in Filipino horror movies. Our room was at the very end of the second floor, right next to a fire exit with an axe (The Shining anyone?). The walls and the ceiling were of plywood that was curling probably from exposure to moisture. The bed was creaky and the mattress was so thin. Our lights were not working so we wanted to call the front desk. Hep, the phone was not working either. Jan suggested that we take our money back and just look for another hotel. Thankfully, they let us cancel our transaction.

Off we went again to look at Dreams Hotel recommended by the guard at Pacific Mall recommended to Jan. It was as bad as Tanchulling, only smaller. I was surprised that I was still not annoyed at this point. There we were at two in the afternoon, with heavy bags in tow, no place to sleep in a place we have never been to. I would usually have blown my top by then.

Anyway, Jan and I decided to give SedCen Hostel another try. Jan went up again and still found no person there. There was a souvenir goods at the ground floor, which seemed to be the same company as SedCen so we decided to ask the staff there. We were informed that they only had work on Mondays to Fridays, but she was kind enough to get in touch with the manager to explain our predicament. After her call, she asked us to wait because the person would come and see what he can do for us.

We decided to stay at their coffee shop and take advantage of the free wifi. We were still full, so I decided to order their strawberry smoothie. Jan ordered the same. The lady at the counter was very nice and friendly. The smoothie was awesome too!

Taking advantage of the wifi, we decided to look on the web for other hotels we can stay in. After an hour's worth of searching, we were down to Legaspi Tourist Inn and Casablanca Hotel. Initially, it was a stark difference in price. What we saw was LTI was P900 for standard rooms while Casablanca was P1700. I was torn. If the weather stays as bad as it was, then it would be best to stay in a nice, cozy place where we could just hang out. If the weather gets better, then the room would not matter. But the way the rains continued, I was inclined to get a room in Casablanca Hotel. After calls made, LTI turned out to cost P1,200. We finally decided to go to Casablanca Hotel, especially after being informed by the staff that SedCen was booked for the night.

We paid for our smoothie and was about to get a ride to Casablanca when I suddenly remembered something. Jan and I saw a Jessie Mendez overnight spa for couples which cost P1,500 for the night which was inclusive of massages for two pax. I told him we should check it out before we proceed to Casablanca since it was just across SedCen anyway.

As we were walking I thought of something again. I asked Jan if we should just go home to Manila instead. Jan said we should check the weather report for Sunday. When we checked, the weather will stay the way it was which meant we will not be able to do any going around the city as we initially planned.

So here was how our train of thought went:

1. Je and Nin's Cebu Pacific flight was cancelled in this weather. We were riding the tin can plane of Zestair. The likelihood of that being cancelled was quite high. If that happens on a Sunday, we will be forced to take a ten hour bus ride home and go to work on Monday looking like zombies.

2. If we stay in Legaspi, we will be spending on the hotel as well as food and transportation. Plus if our flight gets cancelled, then that would be another expense. So if we go home right then and there, we just spend on the bus. Never mind throwing away an P870 plane fare for the two of us.

Yup, going back to Manila was the best thing to do with that situation. It was after all, five in the afternoon. We would not have maximized our hotel stay anyway. There was really no point any more.

The great thing about it was, I still got to have my sili ice cream from 1st Colonial Grill! I went to the mall to withdraw and saw the restaurant. I ordered one scoop and wow, it was no kidding anghang ice cream but since it was made of milk, it kinda balances off. I actually liked it. Jan appreciated it as well but would probably still order chocolate next time we are there. :P

At 6:30 in the evening, Jan and I were on board the Cagsawa Royal Elite bus to Cubao. We arrived at 4:45 in the morning in Manila. Happy to back but actually a bit glad to have had a bit of crazy adventure in a strange place. :P

the brave fukushima workers: i want to remember

2011-03-20T13:36:00.004+08:00

Last March 11, the world witnessed what you would usually think just happens in the movies. Japan was hit by a powerful 9.0 (initially indicated as 8.9) magnitude earthquake. The country is the best prepared when it comes to disaster preparedness, but the tsunami that followed was so huge was just no stopping it.

Watching it happen on live television was like a scene from a movie. On CNN and BBC, you could see the water from the beach slowly receding to be followed by a huge wall of water (ten meters to be precise) raging towards the coastal city of Sendai. It looked slower from aerial view but I can imagine how fast it must be when seen from the ground! The tsunami just uprooted not just trees, but entire houses from their very spot. One house was even seen in the Pacific Ocean!

It was a horror to see. To know how frail even the most advanced man-made technology is against the wrath of nature. To see houses and cars being swept away by a huge mass of water, knowing that in a few or a lot of them are people. I only pray that it does not happen again to any country.

To make matters worse, the tsunami affected several nuclear reactors in Fukushima which is now a major cause of alarm as the possibility of a meltdown increases every day. Nobody wants another Chernobyl. And so, while the rest of the people of Fukushima has evacuated the city, some workers of the nuclear power plant chose to stay behind to do everything they can to make sure the situation does not go from bad to worse.

The situation is like a scene from Armageddon. A clear suicide mission. Kamikaze. Running your plane through the enemy would be more merciful. A quick heroic death and it's all over. But these workers are martyrs. They are at risk for dying from explosions, that's clear. What is much worse, once they get the situation under control (I believe it!), who knows what can happen to these people. Most probable is the slow death of cancer. Possibly isolation from loved-ones. Either one is not something you would like brave souls should receive after saving a population. Yet they are still there, fully aware of the risks and still whole-hearted in their valiance.

I want to remember what bravery is like because it may not be something I will have the chance to exercise or if the situation comes, I may take the coward's way. I want to remember these people. They are nameless and faceless to me. I have read a few names, a couple of stories and the short snippets are already heartbreaking.

I want to remember because through them I have seen nobility and it is beautiful.

some weird daily random thoughts...

2011-03-15T23:32:00.003+08:00

"bilbil. di na kayang tunawin ng willpower tulad nung bente-kwatro ako."

"shucks gusto ko ng coffee cappucino ng starbucks! hindi na. mahal. may 3 in 1 naman sa mini-stop."

"shucks, gusto ko ng istarbaks. sige go. minsan lang naman."

"ayus. araw-araw sila nag sa starbucks."

"shucks. look at all these condo buildings being built. does the metro have enough water supply to sustain everyone?"

"gutom na ako."

"shucks. how do i pay my taxes?"

"aw. what a cute dog."

"lekat na mga singit yan e. here i am and all these other people trying to put some semblance of order and there they are, the singits, still putting self ahead. hateful people."

"my boss is so pretty."

"my poor rockports."

"i'm lucky with jan. :)"

"gutom na ako."

"lekat na mga billboard yan. talaga bang pangangalandakan nila si jake cuenca and his pink underwear. di ako market ng board na yan. hmph."

"bagal maglakad nito."

"gutom na naman ako."

"hay buhay"

senior year by jerrold tarog

2011-03-13T19:49:00.005+08:00

When I first saw the ad for Senior Year in the newspaper, I thought it was a 2D animated feature. I thought, unless it was going to be treated with Japanese manga crazy storytelling, it will not work.

It was a relief to discover, during my meanderings in SM Megamall, that the movie was actually live action. Seeing Ramon Bautista as the PE teacher piqued my interest and strengthened my resolve to watch it.

I'm glad I did.

Despite the fact that I come from an all-girls school, I could relate to the movie on so many levels. My experience of HS co-education was a teacher. What I saw in the movie was a mix of both my experience as student and as teacher.

The story of Senior Year is not really a singular one. Neither does it have the usual beginning, middle and end. The movie is like what high school is all about. Little stories of different people that hardly form a whole. Little stories that matter to each one living it. Little stories, just like our own recollection of high school would be.

I enjoyed the hodge-podge of high school characters in the movie. Somewhat stereotypical but representative of the kinds of students you usually encounter. The nerd, the wannabe, the sosyalera, the playboy, the sexually confused, the tsismosa, the angas. Take your pick. Yet despite the "classification," they each share their complexity. Falling in love. Apprehending the future. Holding on to friendships.

The teachers were also interesting to watch. I particularly related with Che Ramos' character, The idealistic teacher who saw her position as an opportunity for the change, the chance to make a difference, if only in the life of one student. I dream to be her someday.

Senior Year is a simple, quiet movie about high school. Its simplicity is what makes it worth watching.

To any one who were ever subject to the four walls of learning, to any one who feared the future, to any one who went through confusion, watching Senior Year would be a recollection.

To those who are where they are right now and realized how different one turned out from what one expected or hoped to be, to those who look at themselves and realize how much they have turned out to be a surprise, pleasant or not, watching Senior Year would be a reflection on a past reality.

Go and watch it at your nearest SM Cinema. It's definitely much more worth than your money that Who's That Girl. Especially since we got free Selecta ice cream on the way in. :P

And oh, Ramon Bautista? Not much minutes in the movie but what little exposure he had, I was giggling like crazy. Not even sure if it was because the scene was funny or it was because Le Bautista was in it. :P

See the trailer here.

the perks of being a wallflower

2011-03-10T22:40:00.002+08:00

You can say the book came to me serendepitiously. I was at National Bookstore at Ever Gotesco Ortigas looking for fantasy books to purchase when I found the book on the new arrivals table. I've heard about it before but never really gave it much attention. But there it was, with a nice cover and a blurb putting it alongside JD Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye." Being a fan of coming of age stories, I decided to get it.

I was introduced to Charlie, the first person narrator of the story. I flipped page after page, getting involved with him and his friends. I read on and on and find myself loving Charlie. Charlie must be one of the most sincere and most beautiful persons I have come across.

Despite joining along the many crazy things American teen-agers do, illegal even, Charlie shows that young people are more three dimensional that they are often portrayed to be. He shows how young people are blessed with their own kind of wisdom, the kind filled with wonder and intuition. The very things that make Charlie beautiful to me.

As for the Catcher in the Rye comparison, I would hardly say so. I'd say the similarity ends with having a young teenage boy who smokes and drinks as a protagonist. Charlie hardly has the angst of Holden Caulfield.

"I feel infinite." A powerline from Charlie that captures what every teenager feels upon discovering freedom and independence. That feeling of looking up at the vast sky and being sucked into its vastness and sensing every bit of the world.

"Ang ganda." It's beautiful. A phrase I often throw around about books. But it has been a while since I FELT a book, a character to be beautiful.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is beautiful because it is simple and quiet and real. And with the crazy noise surrounding the world, we need more books like this.

random thoughts

2011-03-09T17:00:00.003+08:00

there is this thirst within me in which i seek to have a deeper experience of Lent for this year. i am doubtful of my capacity for self-reflection. evidence to which is how little i have blogged for the past year. blogging has always been space for thoughts, no matter how mundane or philosophical. and to not have much chronicled makes me feel that i have not done much. which, on the contrary, is not the case since life can get interesting on some occasions.

today is ash wednesday, the beginning of Lent. a perfect and opportune time to once again reflect on how one has lived his Christianity. i am uncertain how i have practiced it, though i am certain there is much to improve. and yet, while persons on the pulpit would challenge us to go beyond sinfulness and work towards divinity... i also find comfort in the fact in my humanity. there is nothing to be shameful in being human but i sometimes think, the best part of it is realizing our potential for divinity and not achieving divinity itself.

going back to blogging, i do find it a pity that i do not have the same passion for writing as i did before. especially when i look back at old entries and find myself occasionally sensible, more often silly. which is nothing to be embarrassed about. like i said, there is much to be joyful about in realizing one's humanity. i look back and see myself beautiful in my joy, beautiful in my sadness, beautiful in my faults. not a vain kind of beauty but rather an understanding of my frailty and trying to overcome it. and despite my constant struggle for spirituality, i sense that much of my beauty is having faith that i am loved by someone greater.

Van Gogh is Bipolar: A dining experience

2010-11-14T13:26:00.007+08:00

Yesterday morning, out of nowhere, I asked Jan, "date mo ako, beh!" I wasn't really expecting a yes since he still has some work to finish so imagine my delight when he said, "Sige. Van Gogh is Bipolar?" I said yes immediately.

You see, since I have read about Van Gogh is Bipolar in the Inquirer around June or July, I have always wanted to try it out. The chef and owner, Jetro, sounded like an interesting person. He is bipolar like Van Gogh, but instead of having his condition own him, he owned it. The meals of VGIB, named after famous bipolar people, were created to make those who partake to have a better mood afterwards. How can you not want to try out a restaurant like that?

Since then, I have been trying to eat there but it has been difficult finding the chance. When a good friend arrived from New York, I was able to convince the gang to try out the restaurant. After finding it on FB, I sent a message to Jetro if we can have reservations. He replied that he was in Europe at that time and the restaurant was closed for the time being. It was a bit of a disappointment but the way he responded to my message was very polite and quite charming. I was doubly determined to try it out.

You are greeted with this sign. "Here we celebrate our imperfections, embrace flaws and accept weaknesses." I honestly feel good and liberated already!

So yesterday, November 13 (our 29th month to be married incidentally), we dressed up to have our dinner at VGIB.

Parking was a bit of difficult. It took us around 15 minutes to finally find a spot. When we finally proceeded to the restaurant, it was quite full. Another couple were 10 seconds ahead of us and were able to take the last make-shift table. I was certain that the guy who met us was Jetro, who adorned an apron with Michaelangelo's David on Italian flag colors and a military hat. He said he can prepare another table by the stairs. We told him we don't mind waiting for a good table and he said, "that's better!" He informed us we can have our tea while we wait.

For that night it was a set meal, Mozart's Meal for the Day, which was P555/head. Part of the set was tea. In VGIB, a diner makes his own tea.

Feel free which pot you would like to steep your tea of choice.

There are instructions on how to make your own tea. Quite easy and straightforward and actually fun to do!

You can choose from six variants of happy tea.

The tea area was quite charming. There were containers for the different tea as well as one for muscovado sugar. An Erlenmayer flask contained the Palawan wild honey. If you look closely you can see a bottle of Jagermeister (I do not think that is part of the tea experience.:P) Jan and I wanted to try the Spanish Plum but it already ran out so we had Avocado tea instead.

I put our share of honey in a mini-wine glass and took a couple of small clear mugs to drink our tea from. Jetro prepared a mini-table where we were waiting and placed a candle for an additional touch of ambiance. The tea was good. I quite enjoyed its taste, its warmth and its uniqueness.

After a while, one of Jetro's assistant's brought over our Courtney Love potion. It was calamansi juice with honey and pomelo bits. It was a bit sweet for my taste but was still refreshing.

After a while, we got our Virginia Woolf's Tear. It was turkey soup (not so much turkey) which had bits of banana chips in it. I didn't expect that. At first, I thought it was a piece of turkey, but after tasting it, it has to be banana chips. It was initially weird, but after a while, it all made sense. It was an interesting soup and the chips added to the whimsy of the experience.

Our makeshift table with our tea, drink and soup. Even if we were by the door and the stairs, it was still enjoyable to just be there at the restaurant.

We probably waited for 30 minutes but since we had tea and soup, we hardly realized it. Finally some diners left and we took our seat inside. As Jan and I waited for our food, I did a bit of exploring. It was not a big place but there were a lot of interesting knick-knacks and decor to look at.
There were a bunch of old alarm clocks and a mini-bust of Van Gogh. Not clear in the picture is a Starry, starry night tea pot.

There was also this old leather travel suit case covered with stickers. The globe added a nice touch.

This clock reminded me a bit of Paris though the welcome sign is in English. :P

There is again the lamp with the teapot selection. I think after the VGIB experience, I would like to steep my tea in a pot as well. It's just more charming that way. :P

I was unable to take a photo of the toilet but it was probably the most whimsical and/or artistic part of the place. The washing area was in black light so it was mostly dark with glowing drawings all around. The toilet area itself also had its share of knick-knacks but the best part was a post it containing a marriage proposal. I wonder if the girl ever said yes. I would. It would be fun to be proposed to in VGIB toilet. :P

The blackboard has instructions on how to dine in VGIB. The message from the front door is repeated in the board. Celebrate food, celebrate the self!

We actually did not place any order with Jetro. Neither did we have any idea what the meal would be. I came for the dining experience more than the food itself. And so far, it has been a quiet adventure. Our main course was finally served - Francesco Scavullo honey-glazed chicken with organic pasta.

The way to eat the pasta was to wrap it in cabbage and dip it in either the salty or sweet sauce. Jetro came by and told us that cabbage was the best food to relieve one of depression. Information that will be good to know should another moment of blah happen.

Afterwards, we were served our dessert -- water buffalo ice cream with walnut and crushed Oreo toppings. It was yum!

My favorite part of the night was dining in a top hat. It was like being invited to the Mad Hatter's party in Alice in Wonderland. Thankfully, there was no dormouse in any of the teapots. The hat rack had several hats diner can choose from. Jan and I had the most fun playing around with them!

To be honest, the food is really just one of the elements of Van Gogh is Bipolar dining experience. There would be better food out there, for sure. But what makes VGIB worth going and coming back to is the that feeling that you are being served with passion, with dreams and maybe even love. To eat there is to celebrate, to be whimsical and to have fun.

After eating at Van Gogh is Bipolar, I was quite full. Not just in the tummy but all over. :)

* * * * *

Van Gogh is Bipolar

Address: 154 Maginahawa St., Sikatuna Village, Quezon City

Contact details: 09228243052

it's just a phone...

2010-09-26T22:51:00.003+08:00

It was six thirty in the evening. Jan and I were standing on my dad's resting place in Loyola Memorial. The cemetery had no lights but the night sky was bright enough to be reassuring. I tried to embrace the serenity of such a place. I just had a rough afternoon after discovering that my phone was nowhere I thought it would be. Just to be sure, Jan drove me for almost an hour back to the cemetery to check if I might have left it there. It seems I did not.

I stood there on dad's grave, frustrated and burdened. Damn phone.

I looked back to January 2000 where I was a young teacher living in rural Bukidnon. I just lost P3,000 which I was certain was just kept in my filofax which I left in my room. I knew someone from the house has stolen it. The landlady thought it was her relatives who stayed in the boarding house for a few days. Two years after, I would discover it was his youngest son who was then eleven.

It was a bit strange how the landlady was all riled up, while I just kept calm. At that time (and even now), P3,000 was a lot. It was almost an entire month's salary as a teacher. It was eight month's worth of savings which I hoped to use for a post-JVP year trip. Yet I could not feel bad about it. I told my landlady, "there are more important things than money. It's okay."

I meant it. Because a month before that, I found out my dad had cancer...

Today, while the whole phone fiasco was going on, my brother received a text from my cousin that my uncle was in the hospital and was not in good shape. My shoulders stooped a little lower after hearing that news... And then I thought of Divine... In my head, I was pleading to God for my Uncle, for Divine...

While we were on our way to the cemetery, I was reading "Anne of the Island." I was already at the part where Ruby Gillis, just barely twenty, passed away. She has been struggling with "consumption" (what it means, I do not know) the entire summer, yet she refused to believe death was coming for her. One day, she talked to Anne Shirley and told her she was afraid that heaven would not be like what she was used to, she told Anne that she wanted to live, to get married and to have children... But it was after her admission of her fears that she peacefully left the world in her sleep...

Divine would be around 27 I think. Divine with her happy grin... Divine, who loved Mindoro as much as I did... Dear, wonderful Divine. When I saw her last, she was very thin, refused to eat and attached to a dextrose but still wore that happy-to-see you smile... Divine got her wish to return to Zamboanga and continue her healing there. Now, she has asked for her oxygen removed because it has become painful...

Darn that tumor.

Jan and I went to mass after the cemetery... I was still burdened with uncertainty over the state of my phone. We were a few minutes early for mass so I had time to kneel and talk to God. I prayed for Divine. I prayed for my Uncle.

When my dad was already in the hospital for more than a week, I did not know what to pray for anymore. Should I ask for his healing or should I ask for his peace? Can they not go together? My father was suffering. My mother, in her own way, was going through her own pain. So were all of us children and those who loved my father dearly. When my dad was still conscious, he kept telling us that he was happy to share in the Lord's suffering. For him it was an honor to be given that burden. He was at peace that he has sent all of us to school and that we can take care of ourselves already. I did not know what to pray for but I asked God to do his will and to give my father the peace that he sought...

The last few days, the entire JVP community has been united by Divine's condition. To hear the news that she has been given a few weeks was difficult to digest. It gnawed on me at random moments... I want to storm the heaven with prayers for miracles. To ask heaven to heal Divine's physical body. I fear to speak out about my fears lest they come true...

Yet I also know there is a gift in all this. I've learned that from my father. Like I said, I saw Divine last with her grin wide as it always has been. The JVP community was there to support her. That day, she had more than thirty guests wanting to extend their support and love. How can you not smile? Yes, there is a gift in this. There is gift in knowing that it will soon end... the suffering, the pain. There is a chance to look back and remember how you lived, how you loved. There is gift in looking back at mistakes and forgiving yourself and throwing away regrets. There is a gift in having people you love show how much they care for you, how much your presence have marked them. There may be some regrets too... a place not visited, words, not spoken, a dream not fulfilled... but in the end... you can look at your heart and know that it is good. And everything else becomes insignificant and you can embrace your peace.

I am still being selfish about my Uncle. I do know his state, I do not know what he seeks. I do know those of us who love him want to be with him as long as we can. I am bargaining for his physical healing but I am also asking God to give what is best for my Uncle. All shall be well.

What has my phone got to do with all this? After all the frustration and irritation at myself and at the situation, I just had to remember, it is just a phone. Replaceable and merely a thing. There are more important things...

Dear Anne Frank...

2010-08-22T13:37:00.005+08:00

Dear Anne,

It's a pity that I did not discover you when I was much younger. You see, I have been so keen on reading about fantasy and magic and super powers that I barely give much thought to stories of real people. I thought, how could someone's life be more fascinating that pyromancers or wizards or superheroes, which goes to show I really don't know much.

You could say it was your affiliation with the Netherlands that made me read your diary. Ever since I lived there for fifteen months, falling in love with its people and the country, I can't help but want to associate myself with things related to Holland. You were one of them.

L, who loved your book, asked me if I wanted to come with her to your house in Amsterdam. I went with her for lack of anything better to do. I also figured I could brush up a bit of my history.

We arrived at your house. It was quite ordinary... a home I would not have expected to have anything happen much. But like I said, I really don't know any thing. As we walked past the photos of you and your family, I felt goose bumps. The same kind of goosebumps I felt when I went to the Jewish Cemetery in Prague. The same kind of goosebumps I felt when I saw pictures of people who suffered in the hands of the Nazis. The same kind of goosebumps I felt when I saw drawings of young children who spent time in camp before being gassed. Those are the moments I was like your mother, "Thank you, Lord, that I did not experience that kind of misery."

After a visit of your home, I vowed to read your book. It was actually tempting to get a copy from the museum store that was packaged like your red and white diary. But I did not have the 30 euros to spare...

Yesterday, I was finally able to read your story....

Anne, you are an amazing young woman. So full of life and intelligence. So full of wisdom. I am amazed at how you were able to survive those 24 months without going outside. Moreso, without hitting any one of your miserable companions. But you were always self-conscious, aware that you are writing out of anger or spite. Something people could hardly be aware of in the best of circumstances.

Despite being locked up, you experienced life to the fullest. I find myself kilig with the developments between you and Peter. And I find myself proud that you are not easily swayed by your feelings. You know your limits. Something that young girls nowadays can learn from you as well.

Despite being young, you have been given wisdom that people my age need to pick up. You see your faults... you accept who you are, yet at the same time strive to be better. You are young, full of dreams, self-aware.

You truly have the gift of writing. And I am glad you got your wish to be immortalized.

Your story is definitely something that people should know about. Yes, people should know about the difficulties of the war. It is something that should not happen again. But there are countless of other more violent, more disturbing films and books about that. No, your story is not just about the war itself. Your story is about every girl or even boy out there struggling to discover who they are as they slowly make their way out of childhood and into adulthood. Your story is about every person who struggles to deal with people every day. Your story is about every individual who finds themselves trapped one way or the other.

I despair that you were so close to freedom and yet you were not able to get it. It was unfortunate that someone felt the need for money more than the need to protect. And yet, as I read the epilogue... your little story (which is not so little) have influenced more people that you will ever know. You have given catharsis to some, inspiration to many. Despite having lost you, people found themselves through you.

Indeed, Anne, you are a wonderful girl. You are a gift to the world. When I have a child of my own, I will encourage them to read what you have to say. I hope they will learn to have their own voice from you.

Thank you, dear Anne Frank, for being so honest to Kitty. Because of your honesty, the world may just be a little better.

Yours, Anj

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

2010-08-21T19:03:00.002+08:00

One would think that a classic like this would be read by a girl like me much earlier in life. I've always known that this book was a classic along with Hellen Keller and Anne of Green Gables, but no, I have not ready any of the three before. It's only now that I am actually reading Anne Frank!

It would not have landed on my reading list if not for the fact that a friend from ISS asked if I wanted to go with her to the Anne Frank Museum in Amsterdam. I never thought for a second that the her story actually occurred in the Netherlands! Since I did not have much to do anymore since it was my last few days in the Netherlands, I gladly joined her to the Museum.

As we were walking around Anne Frank Huis, I felt that the experience would have been much more meaningful if I have read her book. The house looked like an ordinary house. Names and notes that were posted by pictures or desks meant little to me, though I could still feel some goosebumps thinking that the people who lived in that house suffered terribly from the war.

After the trip, I promised myself to read the book. And now, I am halfway through the diary with just a few hours on it.

If I did not know that this book was actually a diary, I would have thought that this was just a wonderfully crafted tale of a young Jewish girl stuck with her family and strangers in a hidden house. Yet we all know that it is a story that happened. Truth is indeed stranger, and immensely more fascinating... and tragic, than fiction.

It's a bit funny that I am reading the book at a time that I am quarantined from the world, unable to go out and see people lest I spread my virus. Yet my predicament is barely anything compared to the madness that must have been Anne Frank's life.

I have not come to the ending yet but I already feel a bit of pain and sadness at the thought that this brilliant girl will come to a tragic end. How I wish somebody would discover who ratted them out to the Nazis. For what? Maybe to channel the anger I feel with everyone else who has read the book. Maybe so the Frank's can have a certain sense of justice, I don't know.

I wiki-ed a bit about Anne Frank and discovered that her last entry was August 1, 1944. August 1 is my birthday. Manuel Quezon died that day in the US. In 2009, Corazon Aquino passed away from cancer. My birthday does not seem to bode well with famous people.

Every pause I have from reading the book, I am thankful to have lived in a time of freedom. Indeed we rally and fight against constant injustice, corruption and greed. But what we experience now can never compare to what happened during the time of World War II.

I am glad that time is over.

Pacific Rims

2010-08-18T19:13:00.002+08:00

If I heard of the title before I read the book, I would not have thought basketball in the Philippines. I'd probably think of the various calderas in the "Ring of Fire" before thinking hoops.

The book is by Rafe Bartholomew, a Fulbright scholar who decided to do his research on Philippine basketball. Being a hoops lover himself, the he heard about rumors of our obsession with basketball. What could be more intriguing than a country of short people hopelessly devoted to a game that height was a major requirement? Of course, he had to come and see for himself.

I am not a basketball lover. I am a Ateneo basketball fan. My love for the sport begins and ends with the UAAP, fueled by my love for my college alma mater. I do not care much for PBA, though I did try to follow it after seeing the 2002 Championship team finding in different teams. But it was just not the same.

So why did I read the book?

It began with this video.

Adorable ain't he? Clearly fully American yet he speaks better Tagalog than most people who has lived in the Philippines for ages! This guy definitely wanted to know basketball in the Philippine context that he learned the language to have a better gauge of it. He has more love for our country than some of our population.

But it was still not enough for me to shell out P900 for a hardbound copy. I would have waited for a paperback copy or borrowed from someone who had the book.

What finally encouraged me was an article from Michael Tan, one of my favorite Inquirer columnists, about the book. He included some snippets of the book in his article which piqued my interest: the carnival side of the sport where there was a game of gay men vs. midgets to entertain people, the relation of circumcision with the sport and finally, the lack of academic research on the sport. The last one did it for me. No, I have not turned nerd all of a sudden. But it was indeed interesting to discover that despite our undying obsession for it, no one has really written about it in an academic perspective.

* * * * *

I'm finally done with the book. I thought I would turn Alaska Aces afterwards because it contained a lot about his sojourn with the basketball team. He talked at length about Roe Ellis and Willie Miller, their lives and how they played ball. We become privy to their 2007 championship (which was an unexpected bonus for Rafe). It was like watching "Coach Carter" or some basketball movie. The underdogs working their way up for the happy ending of winning the trophy.

But what was more interesting was how he was able to incorporate Philippine culture through a basketball lens. Rich kids vs. servants, sneakers vs. tsinelas. It was about the income gap. It was about our ingrained politically-incorrect nature. It was about our ability to laugh even at the most miserable of occasions. It was about Philippine politics. It was about our "agency" (ah, such an ISS word) within a system that did know how to be fair.

It is an engaging book, with Rafe as a participant observer. He was both insider and outsider. A lover of basketball and yet a foreigner researching on local ball. He was both knowledgeable of the subject matter as well as one in a journey of discovery.

After closing the pages, I had the most interesting reaction... "wouldn't it be fun to go back studying again?" Gasp! It must have been how he has been able to make his research enjoyable yet still meaningful and full of discoveries that made me think that.

Anyway, this book is for Alaska fans, basketball fanatics and anyone interested in Philippine culture. National Bookstore is on sale until August 22 so you get 20% if you buy before that. What's more he's coming for a slew of book signings the coming week so that's an extra bonus!

August 21, 5PM at National Bookstore Cubao.

August 24, 6PM at Powerbooks Greenbelt3

August 25, 6PM at Fully Booked Fort Bonifacio

August 28, 5 PM at National Bookstore Ayala Mall

Meet Orange

2010-07-01T21:54:00.002+08:00

She's my Panasonic Lumix ZS3.

I know, I know. I already have Dixie, my Nikon D40x. And I love Dixie to bits. We've seen the world together, how can I not?

But then there are things I want that Dixie can not provide. Like video function. And easy to handle. Low maintenance. Something I can stuff in a small bag.

It was a tough ride. I considered getting a waterproof camera and almost did. But considering that I do not go on intense field work nor go to the beach as often as I used to, an additional 10K felt ridiculous for something that I want to use often.

In the end, after researching camera reviews, I found myself falling in love with the Lumix ZS3, which was considered one of the best cameras of 2009.

Looking forward to more moments taken with Dixie and Orange this 2010. :)

a new day

2010-06-30T21:43:00.002+08:00

Today the Philippines welcomed a new president.

Today the Philippines breathed a sigh of relief as it gets rid of a president whose legitimacy has always been in question.

Today the Philippines hopes that this man, the son of a martyr and a former president, will restore, at the very least, trust in the system.

While I did not vote for this man, I accept his overwhelming mandate. I embrace the hope he gives to people. I accept the challenge he has launched during his speech.

Let's all work together, shall we?

Toy Story 3

2010-06-26T11:57:00.004+08:00

When I was a little kid, I only had a few toys. My favorite was a rag doll which my dad gave me and I would have brought it with me wherever I go whatever age I get if it did not disappear from me. I suspect my unsentimental mother dropped it in a donation box along with our old clothes. Sigh. I was not even asked my permission but I console myself with the thought it was making some other child happy.

I had a crazy belief that things came to life when my back was turned. Whenever I would go out of my room, I'd do a quick turn back and see if the toys would be caught moving. But they were faster than my own reflexes.

So it was great to have had a movie like Toy Story in 1995 to assure me that I was not the only person in the world who believed toys had their own lives apart from those times they are played with.

Toy Story 3, 15 years after the first one was released, tells the story of how the toys are coping with Andy finally leaving for college. Pixar does its magic again! They successfully closed the story of whimsical bunch of memorable characters leaving the audience with bittersweet feelings that most of us experience during crossroads in our lives.

TS3 is more Woody's story. His loyalty and love for Andy is limitless. But all the characters, no matter how short their lines or roles, make their indelible mark to the viewer. Buzz accidentally discovers a new side of himself which everyone would enjoy watching. Jessie's cynicism is understandable having experienced Emily. Bull's Eye is as loyal as Woody. The Potato Heads, are funny and lovable, individually or together. Mr. Potato Head goes into hilarious transitions, all for the family. T-Rex and Hamm and Slinky Dog continue to complement and enhance their toy family. Of course, the aliens fixated with the Claw. Hilarious! Even if you just met the new characters, you feel for them. Whether good or not so. Watch out for the Shakespearian Hedgehog and a cameo by Totoro (from Japanese animation).

It was a wonderful way to end Toy Story. The movie made me despair and eventually relieved. I was thinking during those scary moments, "how can they get through this?" while gripping Jan's hands tightly. And after that, you just have to give it to Woody to think of something to make things all right again.

I am still breathless from remembering the movie. I'm not sure if I can watch it some time soon. If I was just the only person in the cinema I would be sobbing. I don't know if I can deal with overwhelming emotions that TS3 coaxes out of its viewers so soon after.

Sigh. It is a beautiful movie. A must see for those who loved their toys like family. You can be assured that your toys loved you back too. :)

APO Hiking Society

2010-05-30T13:34:00.004+08:00

As Barney Stinson would say, "Legen... wait for it... ARY!!!"

The APO as a group has been longer than I have been alive. That means all my life I have been entertained by their songs and performances. Heck! I made sure I get to watch "Sa Linggo nAPO sila" when it was still showing in Channel 2. I always enjoyed their "Knock Three Times" segment. I still believe it is far superior in entertainment quality than "ASAP." But that could just me being biased. "'Sang Linggo nAPO sila" was harder to follow since it was daily but I did look forward to Saturdays. It is a much better family fanfare show than "MTB" or "Wowowee" I tell you. No gyrating girls needed.

photo taken from Amazon.com

I have always loved the group. I find myself feeling in love when listening to "When I Met You" and "Yakap sa Dilim." I wanted to have "Panalangin" as soundtrack to my wedding but Roj and Alwin beat us to it (it was their first dance). I enjoy singing with off-key voice to "Ewan" with wanton abandon.

Their songs of friendship strike true and strike deep. "Awit ng Barkada" chronicles perfectly the kind of friendship that stands through thick and thin. "Saan na nga ba ang Barkada?" echoes the nostalgia of friendship changed by time. "Pumapatak ang Ulan" is a perfect story of bored friends stuck in the house because of rain. I don't remember if Jim or Danny wrote this, but whoever did, wrote it only in two minutes while being stuck in a Baguio house during a rainy day.

photo taken from pinoygigs.com

And of course, their songs of patriotism and love of Filipino culture. "Lumang Tugtugin" heralds our classic folk songs and kundiman. I love how Pidro (Danny) makes fun of "American Junk." Even "Syotang Pa-Class" pokes fun at an ordinary bloke falling head over heels over a high society girlfriend.

It really is amazing how they are able to conjure up these beautiful or wacky songs. And they become more amazing when they perform. I've seen three APO concerts, including the last day of their concert last night. The first was their 25th year anniversary at the Ateneo, the second was their 35th in Ateneo de Davao and the last was their 4oth anniversary and farewell last night.

These guys are just natural comedians! Their singing voices blend wonderfully and so do their comic timing. Concerts become long and drawn out just because their spiels can be very long. But I actually find it entertaining because it was just like watching a bunch of friends make fun of each other in their living room.

They always have something up their sleeve. Last night, I couldn't stop laughing from their rendition of "sirang plaka" music of the top two most sung song in the world. Hilarious!!!

Last night was a very enjoyable concert. As their 25th anniv concert (I still can't get out of my head their W-O-W spiel. Retro!). From start to finish, I didn't stop laughing or singing. And there was that level of comfort even amidst strangers that somehow, everyone has something connecting them. And that was APO. When the show ended, I felt a little void forming in me. They showed a video clip of APO throughout the years. I just found out from Jim Paredes' tweet that they could not bear to sing the song because it was just too emotional for them.

Today, as I was listening to their music and reading a blog entry of a close friend of the APO, I found myself crying major tears. I was telling Jan, "It's like Pope John Paul II, they've been around since I was alive!" God knows how much I cried when the Pope passed away.

I can imagine how bittersweet it is for Jim, Danny and Buboy. To have seen so many people come and watch them and sing with them and laugh with them. 2,770 concerts since they began, that is what Buboy said. 27 albums according to Jim. What an achievement! I bet they have made millions of Filipino happy. They have become the soundtrack of many love stories and barkadas.

It must be so hard to say goodbye to that. But at the same time, you quit while you are on top. All good things must come to an end.

I remind myself to find joy that the first 31 years of my life have been sprinkled with the pixie dust of APO's music.

To Buboy, Danny and Jim... thank you for the precious moments you have uplifted our spirits with your crazy musical antics. You will forever be the score of my personal movie.

tsk, tsk, tsk

2010-05-24T18:32:00.003+08:00

there was a time in most women's lives when will power was enough to keep the fat away from the waist and the thighs. then you turn 30, and somehow your body is wired to take into account every calorie you intake and successfully converts carbs into cellulite.

i have come to that point. argh.

from the time i graduated from college until i turned 30, which is a ten-years span, i gained about ten pounds and four inches. which is fine considering i was on the slim side back then. and then thirty struck. in a matter of two years, i gained two inches and ten pounds. what makes matters worse, i've been doing mostly desk work for the last three years compared to the miles and miles i walked during my five years of working in davao. i've become uninspired to exercise, with this heat and unfamiliar territory.

it becomes tough when you come to that age when you have enough buying power to get the food that you want. and what i want are often creamy or meaty or sweet or salty. not exactly the best food to help me stay lean.

and am i doing anything about it? no. i keep on eating. i hardly exercise.

my clothes of two years ago are telling me to do something about it. my flabby tummy has been spilling over my jeans. my sleeves have become too tight. i gained a bra size, except its not the cup.

and what do about it? why what every girl usually does! retail therapy. :P

i really have no point to this entry except to say that i feel fat and i am fat. do i feel bad about myself? not really. i'm actually craving for another serving of bicol express which i've loaded on the last three days.

told you there is no point to this entry.

joiner goes to the best concert ever

2010-05-03T21:50:00.004+08:00

When I found out about the Tears for Fears concert more than a month ago, I was excited for my brother and Jan. They were true TFF fans whom I thought would enjoy a live performance of TFF. I, on the other hand, would just be happy to sing along with the band their most famous radio-released songs. As I told Jan, I am a joiner, who find particular pleasure in sharing an amazing experience with many people. I just love concerts of familiar artists in general. (I have to say familiar because Jan took me to the Nine Inch Nails concert, which I only know one song... I found myself sitting the concert out. I found joy in seeing Jan excited with NIN's arrival in the Philippines. :P)

I was soooo glad that I actually coerced Jan to watch the concert because it was absolutely amazing! For most of the crowd, it was 25 years worth of repressed fandom thus the VERY enthusiastic welcome for the band. And that is an understatement. Araneta became one big giant rockaoke bar with my estimate of 17,000 people singing to classic TFF. As Curt Smith declared on his twitter, he was speechless. And that they have officially peaked.

Jan and I went with my brother and met up with R, M and F at Araneta. We were supposed to have dinner at Volare first but there were already lines going inside the venue. They were ahead of us, so they were able to save good seats (as good as you can get in Upper B), twelve o' clock to the stage.

This looks like an empty Araneta but it was already half-full by 6.30PM. It's empty because everyone else is outside the lens range of my camera. And those near the stage, they have reserved seating and come as they please. Which is okay because they paid eight times I did. :P

Front acts were Pupil and Sandwich (which actually sealed the deal for me and made me finalize that I should go to the concernt). Sandwich sang their own song then proceeded with a sampling of 80's song from The Cure, Cult and The Smiths. The 40 year olds were quite happy. We, who were grade school at the peak of TFF career, just sat and enjoyed the older generation enjoy a flashback of high school.

Front act bonus was Ely singing with Sandwich, classic Eraserheads song, "Alapaap." I find it amusing that Raymund introduced Ely as "a friend from college." Raymund took to the drums for this song.

Pupil played afterwards. The crowd quieted down a bit because they sang their own hits. I think the people were unfamilar with their music. I, on the other hand, found it a little too angsty for movement or cheers. Polite clapping was the most people can offer.

R and I rocked to "Alapaap," reminiscent of our ORSEM days dancing to Indio-I performing "Baby, I love your way."

Music master M and R pose while waiting for the TFF to appear. As Ely said, "huwag muna kayo aalis, kasi may susunod pa."

The once empty stadium is now an SRO venue housing the excitement of people in their prime. Many of which are quite happy the next day is a holiday. This kind of crowd usually just happens when there is an Ateneo-DLSU game. But this crowd is just cheering for Tears for Fears.

I think we surprised Curt Smith and Roland Ozabal with our excitement. Their voices were drowned out by the crowd singing to their classic hits. I can see Roland singing amused as people belted out the lyrics with him. As he said... "we have been to the plains of Siberia, the deserts (?) of Scandinavia (there is a desert there?)... I don't know what took us so long..." and here the crowd drowns out the rest of his statement but I assume he meant Manila.

It was an awesome night. I was so glad to have gone to the concert even if I was not a hard core Tears for Fears fan. I like it when foreign artists love the Philippines. I love it when crowds act as one. I love it when artists and politicians alike turn ordinary fan girls.

This has been the best foreign artist concert I have been to!

Jan and I post-TFF. I am malat.

My brother and I. Kuya, I should say, is the more authentic TFF fan having enjoyed their music when he was in high school.

I do hope the rumors of them coming back for a round two is true. Whether I am able to watch again or not, I would like for those to missed the concert to have the same opportunity to enjoy such great 80's music.

Love live 80's music!

the process to Perlas

2010-04-17T22:32:00.007+08:00

From the very start, I knew who I did not want to vote for. That was the easy part. Who to vote for was a much more difficult task. For the past few weeks, I have been examining three options. And no joke, I spent every day thinking about it, especially during my commute to and from work. With four hours wasted on the road, that's a lot of thinking time.

At first, I was certain I was not going to factor in winnability. At a certain point though, I did falter, but eventually assured myself that my compelling reason to participate in this elections is TO VOTE AGAINST THE PRESENT SYSTEM more than anything else. Whoever wins, at least we can finally move on from this saga in Philippine history. After having come to terms with that, winnability was no longer a factor.

It was just a couple of days ago when I FINALLY DECIDED who I want to be as MY PRESIDENT.

It's funny, actually... when Jan told me that a friend of ours was endorsing a certain Nicanor Perlas, I scoffed. I said, "Who's that? Another nuisance candidate? This country is just full of delusional people." As I was saying that, I was picturing Eddie Gil singing "Pelukang Itim."

It was one of the ABS-CBN debates when he finally caught my attention. I think it was his answer to a question on education that he got me interested in him. He was advocating for mother tongue instruction, which was something I believe in as well. I also liked the fact that he pushed for sustainable agriculture and that he practices it in his own backyard. (Not only that, he looked like an adorable uncle. He's just cute that way, and I'm mababaw that way. hehe.)

After that, I usually listened intently to what he has to say. I find myself agreeing with his own ideas. At that point, I thought... "Sayang. He should have ran for senator. It would have been a better start." It was when Rowie sent me a FB post by a Nick supporter that made me think about him more. I wrote an entry in my blog, of which a supporter left a comment and led me to websites providing more information about him. After that he was finally on my top two choices.

It was only last Tuesday that I finally come to terms with why I am voting for him. I am voting for Nick because I want to vote for someone I TRULY BELIEVED IN.

For most of my employed life, I have been working in social development. While there is so much critique we can throw at NGOs and the many issues that surround them, I have to say there is a lot of learning that can be found in the industry. I believe people in the development sector tend to be more in touch with the issues of the marginalized. They learn to be more realistic in the approach to poverty, with an understanding that IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT PROVIDING NEEDS, BUT EMPOWERING PEOPLE. (This, however, may be a hasty generalization. NGO people have their own politics that can be frustrating as well) This, I think, is one thing lacking in traditional politics, which has thrived on creating delusions of instant poverty alleviation by promising the world. Nick Perlas, on the other hand, has constantly said that in his interviews and his website, it will not be the president alone who will be doing the change. He strikes me as one who really believes in people and their own capacity for change and for self-empowerment.

Perlas also had work in the government, having been part of Ramos' Agenda 21 team. He also did work for the UN. These two credentials would give him a good background in research and policy-making. I, therefore, feel that Perlas has the goods to back his crusade for the presidency. But then, so do the others.

My biggest reason then is I WANT GENUINE CHANGE. Most, if not all, the candidates have used CHANGE as part of the motherhood statements they throw around every sortie, TV interview and debate. Yet most, if not all, have been in that traditional system for years and have not really done anything to make me believe they have it in them to make things different from what it has been the last nine years.

One candidate has been running on the steam of hope brought about by his ancestry. I, too, believe in that hope. I believe in the people that believe in him. The problem is, I'm not sure if I believe in him. I'm not sure if I believe he can change things. And like I said, CHANGE IS WHAT I DESIRE MOST. I also imagined myself shading his circle and gauged how I feel after the exercise. I don't feel too fulfilled or excited.

Perlas may be on a Quixotic quest and he knows it. But I think he thinks he is already a winner because by running he delivers a strong point. If we want the system to change, we can not just sit idly by and pray that the people in power start getting a conscience. If we want the system to change, we can not expect our leaders to just be benevolent all of a sudden. If we want the system to change, we have to be part of the change ourselves. What he is advocating is what I would advocate for too.

THAT is what I am voting for. I am voting for an overhaul in the system. I am voting for an overhaul of the people running the system. I am voting for Nick Perlas' message. I am voting for what I believe in. When I vote for Nick Perlas, I am voting for who and what I am.

Perlas is chasing windmills. So am I by voting for him. The world always has space for more idealism and blind faith, doesn't it?

Like I said, there are just too many delusional people in this country. I never realized I was talking about my self back them. At least, I am a delusional person at peace once I get my finger dirty on May 10. ;p

"How to Train Your Dragon " rocks!

2010-04-11T00:43:00.002+08:00

Dragons have always fascinated me. I am, after all, a lover of fantasy books. There was a time I'd buy books just because there is "dragon" in the title or in the cover. But then, I started to earn my own money and plan for bigger things so I had to be choosy.

I've seen the "How to Train Your Dragon" book several times in the bookstore and have thought of buying it. Unfortunately, other books kept overtaking it in my buying list. Until I realized that it is too late... the book is now a movie. So it is highly likely that when I buy the book, I'll have the Dreamworks cover.

Which is actually not that bad because the movie was absolutely enjoyable. I LOVED IT! The facial expressions of the characters were good. The script was great. The music was fascinating. The dragons were creative and lovable. The animation was fantastic.

At the end of the movie, I said to myself, "Best Animation Feature" nominee! I hope it wins but it might be too early to say especially with Toy Story 3 coming out. Nonetheless, I really really enjoyed the movie a lot and if movies were cheap, I'd watch it again.

This is one movie that would have been great in 3D. Unfortunately, Clash of the Titans just bumped it off. And that movie was not even that great.

How to Train Your Dragon! Watch it!!!

i can buy books again!

2010-04-04T21:51:00.003+08:00

since i got back, i had to hold back buying all the books that i wanted because... well, because i wasn't sure when i get a job. and while books would have been the perfect company while i was stuck at home waiting for job interviews, it would also be an unnecessary expenditure.

thank God for great friends who lend their own! bunny lent me "underpass" while andoy lent me the entire percy jackson series and some issues of fables. great reads! i finished all five books of PJ and fables issues in less than one week. i did read edgardo reyes' "maynila sa kuko ng liwanag" which was written in the 80's (or was it 70's) and unfortunately speaks the truth about poverty until now.

there were a lot of other books that i looked at longingly every time we entered a bookstore. some of the titles i wanted to read, since they were indie local comics, could only be found in local comics stores which thankfully are not in the easily accessible paths of the mall. in other words, kelangan sadyain.

now... i finally have a bit of disposable income. and so i bought some of the books that i wanted.

i have been looking for septimus heap for ages. none of the places i went have the first book. i went to a less-known branch of National Bookstore and found lots of copies. wooot!

Since the movie was coming out, I had to put it on priority list. Read the book, saw the movie. Makes it fun to be 12 and reading this.

And TRESE. Trese, trese, trese. Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo... wow. wow. wow. I can't get over the fact how amazing the story of Alexander Trese and the Kambal are. My fancy for local folklore has been tickled crazy. I've re-read the comics twice. In two days. And I want to read it again. And guess what... Neil Gaiman likes Trese too. NEIL GAIMAN LIKES TRESE. How cool is that?! How cool is that?! I think this book should be released world wide!

I hope the duo comes up with more Trese stories soon.

Anyway, I want to buy more books soon. But I think I should hold back a bit. I should really put a book cap on myself per month because I can go crazy especially since I've been using my credit card a lot (i know, i know... I tread dangerous waters here). I think I've reached my April quota. So I should buy on May already.

Next on the list is Elbert Or's Lola (as illustrator, not writer), Alanguilan's "Elmer" and "Where Bold Stars go to Die", the second Wimpy Kid and Septimus Heap book,

Though... on the 17th would be the KomikCon... so I may not be able to keep my word. uh-oh.

wheeeee!

2010-03-27T12:51:00.002+08:00

Congrats, Bunny! Lawyer ka naaaa! Kagalang-galang na Atty. Galang. Woooot!

Why I do not think we should have a twelve year education cycle (yet)

2010-03-02T16:13:00.002+08:00

Many presidentiables and even civil society are pushing for a twelve year education cycle. I think I am one of the few who do not find this a promising solution at the moment.

Here is a quick summary as to why I feel that way:

The quality of our present education system is already flawed. At grade 3, only 50-60% actually learn what their level should know. We need to ensure the quality of our ten years before adding to it.

More than 50% of our students are out of school by high school. This does not signify an Education Nation. Exert more effort putting children in school FIRST.

As it is our budget for education is below the UNESCO recommended. We lack teachers, classrooms, chairs, restrooms, books as it is. Do we even have enough budget for another two years?

There is lack of attention to teacher’s training. We should increase our budget for the skills upgrading of our teacher, so they can teach our children better, so the kids can learn better.

(The situation may be different for those studying in elite, private schools. I write this with the situation of urban and rural public schools in mind.)

This is the declared situation and my explanation with has more supporting data:

The Philippines has the shortest education system in Asia. Our neighbours have 13 years, while the Philippines have ten, not including the recently declared compulsory pre-education for Filipino children. Filipino students are lagging behind our Asian neighbours. In 1999, the results of an international test taken by Filipino eighth graders ranked the Philippines 36^th out of 38 countries. These facts led the Department of Education to conclude that the answer to a better-educated Filipino people would be to add two more years of education to level the playing field with our Asian neighbours.

I take a controversial stand. There are other deeper, more immediate issues on the Philippine education system which need to be addressed, which requires a solution other than adding two years of education. IT IS a solution, but not THE solution for a better educated Philippines. There are other actions that need be addressed FIRST and must take PRIORITY.

National diagnostic tests for third graders and sixth graders reveal that only 50% gain competency in English, Math and Science (World Bank 2004 data). This shows that without having completed the Philippine education cycle, our students are already performing below par. This then also shows that the problem of our education system is already problematic FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. Adding years would not make those sixth and third graders perform better. We need to provide quality education more than quantity education.

More than 25% of Filipino children are out of primary school and more than 50% are not in high school. Dropout rate in high school is 20% (National Statistical Coordination Board data). This shows that we have a more urgent issue at hand. The challenge to the government then is how do we get the other half of our students in school? Should we further the cause of ALS (alternative learning systems) or should we be more vigilant in supporting them so they can be formally educated? Whatever it is, adding two years will not solve this problem and may even create a bigger education gap.

UNESCO recommends a budget allocation of 6% of GNP. As of 2006, the government only allocated 3% of GNP. Our 2008 budget was further reduced to 2.18%. While the budget decreases, the number of students increases by the year. So this budget shortage would translate more shortages in classrooms, teachers, facilities and school materials.

Classroom shortage is so severe that schools are forced to conduct morning and afternoon shifts (sometimes evenings!) Single shifts = shortage of 74,115 classrooms. Double shifts = 6,832 classrooms (1 room: 50 students). We are short of 3.48million chairs as of 2008. Double shifts would mean six hours for eight subjects and triple shifts would be just four hours in the classroom. How then do we expect our students to perform well against our Asian brothers when there is hardly time for our students to learn what they have to?

As of 2005, there is a shortage of 50,000 teachers which is probably a reason why target teacher to classroom ratio is 1:50 (ideal is 1:25 according to studies). DepEd budget for teacher trainings does not benefit all of the 500,000 existing teachers (2005 data). What is interesting, while I was doing research regarding DepEd budgets for teacher training, I could not find anything sufficient. Most of the issues being addressed by DepEd and by its critics are the lack of infrastructure and textbooks. I could not find anything sufficient data on how many are being trained in a year, how much is actual budget for training. This leads me to think that teacher’s training is least priority. I think this is a big mistake. TEACHERS ARE THE CORE, THE HEART of education. A good teacher will still be able to teach their students with resources available while a good classroom will be useless with a bad teacher. This is not to say that infrastructure should be dismissed. This is to say that the DepEd must give better priority to developing their teachers.

(This has yet into consideration the reaction poorer families against the DepEd 2004 proposal for a bridging program year. Parents complained that this would require additional expenses on their part. Expenses they can not afford. Additional years in education would mean expenses on baon, transportation, books, projects... An additional two years would also mean more expenses on the part of the government. This money that would be spent on the additional two years, could be used for more pressing education concerns.)

What I am basically trying to say is there are too many problems in our education system which contribute to the non-performance of our students vis-a-vis our Asian neighbours. These are problems that have persisted through time and have yet to be addressed. My stand is for the government to tackle these issues first. If they are hell bent on the additional years, then I suggest a thorough study be done to ensure that that is the immediate and best answer to our problems.

i love earning points!

2010-02-12T20:04:00.002+08:00

i try to write as much as possible for igougo.com not really to share travel experiences but for earning the points. lol. each travel review or photo can earn corresponding points which upon accumulation can earn a certain amount of gift certificates. 6000 points = $25, 12000 points = $50 and 24000 = $100.

early last year, i was finally able to claim a $100 amazon gift certificate which i used to purchase several books. those 24000 points took two years to accumulate! mainly because i wasn't that faithful in plotting my journeys.

with the recent wealth of time that i have in my hands, i try to write as much as i can. i've earned a little over 7000 points in a month and i love it! at least it gives me a sense of accomplishment that i have not had much of lately.

are you a traveler? why not try to make the most of your trip by writing your own stories over at igougo.com?

getting used to being married...

2010-02-11T22:03:00.005+08:00

it's not a secret that i had to leave a few months after the wedding because i was able to get a scholarship abroad. so my on-the-job training for being a wife and someone's 'live-in' partner had to be cut short.

now i'm back to it. both of us, i think, are still getting used to the daily motions of being married though we haven't really stabilized yet given my current state of 'lost' as i hunt for work.

a clear evidence that we are still unused to married life is... toothpaste.

yes, toothpaste.

i brought a tube back from netherlands which i was currently using. after a while, i realized that there were a couple of toothpaste tubes on the dresser which were both used. i asked him why he was using his own. he thought i wanted my own tube.

i found this absolutely hilarious. i told him i did not mind sharing because i am fairly certain that i will have to ask for toothpaste from him if i don't get work any time soon. other than that, i think sharing would be more cost-efficient if we are to be room mates anyway.

i'm glad marriage does not come with manuals. it would be no fun that way!

the campaign period begins...

2010-02-09T19:32:00.003+08:00

right now, i'm watching TV Patrol feature the different campaign launch of presidential candidates. as expected, the front runners have their bonggang-bonggang activities. bands. dancing. actors. personalities. willie revillame (*gasp*).

with the debates and the news giving the candidates more exposure, i have more or less an idea who i want to vote for. it has yet to be backed by a decent research but mainly driven by gut feel.

for now, i am quite inclined to vote for nicanor perlas. as i said, we have the same vision when it comes to education particularly first language instruction of which i am very passionate about. another thing that i am quite excited about when it comes to nick perlas is how he wants civil society to be closely involved with governance. having worked for NGOs most of my life, i have come to believe that true sustainable development can only come from synergy among stakeholders.

this is not set in stone though. i have yet to review his track record and determine how he plans to execute his platform. but i will admit to being enamored by the romance of his vision. in this regard, i take back what i said that i will not give my vote to sentimentality. this might be my act of sentimentality... to vote for someone people consider an underdog, way below the radar with hardly the 'financial' goods to back it up.

i have not ruled out the others yet though.

i'm still strongly considering gordon, though he has slid a few points for me after i realized that he was really serious with the kindle and the P40,000 public school teachers' salary. while i wish the salary scheme was possible, i do not find this a realistic vision. (i like how perlas answered when he was asked about this in the inquirer Q&A). gordon is right in saying that this implies repercussions in taxation. as employed middle-class, i do not think i can afford to have more money taken away from me by the government. at the same time, kindle will not make children more educated. a good percentage of schools hardly have access to electricity, much less e-books. train the teachers. provide decent text books and classrooms. that is what we need. i am still considering him because people in olongapo vouch for the good work he has done as SBMA chairman. i was very impressed with his DOT work. i have yet to review his work in the senate though.

now, for the front runners.

when people were wanting noynoy to run for president, i hope that he won't. when he decided to run, i was a bit disappointed but somehow i did have hopes. he is after all the son of ninoy and cory. but despite the disappointment, i was inclined to vote for him. despite the fact that he was reluctant, that he was inexperienced. i was inclined to vote for him because people, many of which are good friends, campaign for him and sincerely believe him. i thought, if he were president, it's good to know that civil society is behind him. that if he will owe people, it will be civil society. HOWEVER, the past few weeks he has been losing points for me. mainly because of how his campaign is being directed. there is too much negative campaigning going on. he seems to talk more about how bad villar is rather than what he can do for the country (aside from not stealing). i forgot was tv patrol was saying in the news tonight, but my reaction was just, "stop it, stop it! why do you make it about villar all the time?' it's really such a turn off. that is not how i envision moral ascendancy.

i do not close my doors on noynoy. i am still hoping that i see something in him that will make me decide to vote for him. i want to like him so bad for so many reasons. but mainly because he has good, nay, great people backing him up. i believe in these people so i want to believe in him. mainly because of this, he is still up for consideration.

ah, yes. he who holds the holy grail of jingles, manny villar. i give him credit for having that thick skin with all the jabs he is getting from jamby and LP. however, this 'i am poor' story is getting old. you WERE poor. you are not now. and i am so unsatisfied with how he has been handling the C-5 issue. we have been subject to endless avoidances of GMA regarding the issues thrown against her. i want him to answer monsod's questions point per point because she does present interesting facts. (however, i do not like how the senate is handling the inquiries either)

i do have this feeling that villar is not after my vote. looking at the strategy of his campaign, from earworm jingles to Willie Revillame and Sarah Geronimo endorsements, it's clear who he wants to talk to. my vote is not his loss because i don't think he's after it in the first place.

jamby is starting to grow on me though. i'm starting to be glad she's running because she provides such comic relief.

i forgot bro. eddie in the other post, by the way.

as for the others, wala na talaga. i dislike GMA so much that, while i am charmed by gibo's wit and good looks, i will not even consider him. i am not comfortable having a religious leader run the country. i do not like how jc de los reyes is cutting off the RH bill. erap and his many wives... no.

there are still three more months before the actual elections. so much can happen. so much can be discovered. this can change within that period. for now, this is my short list.

presidentiables and politics

2010-02-04T17:26:00.006+08:00

the battle among presidential candidates are getting hotter as the campaign period draws near. i expect more mud-slinging and negative campaigning in the coming days.

we have been subjected to elections of voting for the lesser evil. yet i am thinking about what kind of lesser evil do i allow?

today the news revealed that manny villar is fast catching up with noynoy aquino. this can probably be attributed to the amount of 'airtime' villar is getting with the C-5 scandal. as conrado de quiros mentioned in his column, his publicity is giving villar an advantage because noynoy is getting less coverage (though arguably, the SCTEX issue cropped up in relation to the C-5 issue).

but then i think that is too presumptuous. we have to remember as well, that noynoy has not given people a solid reason why he should be elected president other than the fact that he will not be corrupt (but is not SCTEX a form of corruption as well?). i honestly do not find this a sufficient reason to give my vote to him. i adore his parents but my vote is too precious to be left to sentimentality.

i find it disturbing that it took villar a long time to face the senate and say his piece about the situation. when he finally did, he walked out immediately leaving questions unanswered. maari ngang lutong macao pero napapapaisip ako kung bakit ayaw niyang sumagot. if he is really for the people then it is not really the senate that he owes an explanation to but the people. and it is not enough for me to be directed to the website (though i should start studying their profiles soon) for that question to be answered. things are easy to hide in writing. facing a crowd full of questions takes guts. and i want my leader to have guts and to be honest. i have a feeling that villar has not yet shown this.

on the other hand, i am also disturbed by the fact that noynoy has not given a satisfactory answer regarding hacienda luisita. when i listen to him answer questions in debates, he is always vague and unclear. i find this as dangerous as not answering questions. more so because people loyal to him can interpret it the way to his advantage. or even those he is loyal to. after these past few months, i am still unclear what he stands for. moral ascendancy is too precious a term to just be given away like that. this is something that is shown or practiced and not claimed.

one question i have regarding this senate inquiry on villar though is, why just villar? have we not heard news of bayani fernando's construction company doing the overpasses and fly overs and urinals all over the metro? why has this not been raised in the senate? did i miss this one? because i hope not. i dislike the guy because he has turned metro manila into one giant ugly playground. i could not take it seriously with the blue and pink (in the shade of the blue and pink in an 8-color crayola box). makati has similar structures but it looks serious and clean. i digress. anyway... why have i not heard of this? if you have, please point me to the right direction so i can read about it.

and why has the senate not exerted the same amount of time and effort with the arroyo scandals? why do they let it die down? yet this issue with villar drags on and on.

right now, neither one is on top of my list. unless i get the last minute idea that i should just vote for a candidate who is more likely to win rather than one i truly believe in. i have not done that ever yet. i voted for roco twice despite knowing how little chance he had because he was who i believed in.

i hardly have the same certainty for any candidate as much as i did for roco. though i am strongly considering nick (perlas) and dick (gordon).

i don't care if gordon is using his red cross experience because it could not be any worse than asking me if i have swam in a sea of garbage or being told of his heritage over and over. i thoroughly enjoyed gordon's time sa DOT secretary. all those WOW activities generated a lot of local tourism. though after being informed that he feels kindle is the answer to education woes lost a few points for me. but i don't think that will fly anyway. but he seems to be able to get things done. and we need things done in this country. we are too stuck in words and debate. :(

nick perlas, on the other hand, swept me off my feet when he said he would push for first language medium of instruction. i think he was the most clear with what he wanted to happen in terms of education. he gives well thought out answers and seemed intelligent enough. he just is not popular enough, unfortunately. if he chose to run for senate, he would definitely be one of my top votes. but who knows... i never really factored in winnability when it comes to casting my vote.

as for the rest...

erap. he should not even be a candidate. stupid comelec knows that by putting him in the roster is inviting a constitutional crisis. he looks like he still has his dose of booze and women. no no no. i do not want a president who slurs.

gibo. well.... he is quite a looker. and it's nice to listen to him talk. he won pogi points for me when he answered that he should abstain himself from GMA issues because they are of the same party. it's a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. so i credit him for honesty. and honesty in this game is a breath of fresh air. nonetheless, it is clear that he does not run the party, that he is a puppet by the very fact that he allowed edu manzano to be his running mate. at the same time, masyado syang magaling magpalusot sa mga GMA questions. he answers the questions, but the things he does not say sound scary to me. can still be considered but more likely a no vote.

jamby. number one nuisance candidate. i can't believe they disqualified ladlad and not this woman. NO NO NO NO!

jc delos reyes. no sex education? are you kidding me?! and i also want a president who can speak with confidence. maybe he should run for mayor first. no.

anyone i missed out?

if you have any dirt on gordon or perlas, i welcome it. and if you have arguments for villar and noynoy, i welcome it as well. i have not done much research on the candidates yet. my thoughts are mainly formed from what i see on tv and read on the newspaper and my own gut feel.

if you are a follower of any of the candidates, i welcome a sales pitch. i want to know why you are voting for your candidate. if you want to argue, do so, but do not take it personally against me. i am not out to be vile against your candidate (unless she is jamby or BF) rather it is just what i see.

i am very confused. :(

i lurv kitties!

2010-02-03T23:52:00.002+08:00

photo from fuckyeahcuteanimalss.tumblr.com

many things may me go awwwwwww! and kitties are one of them. i usually visit icanhascheezburger.com for my daily dose of cat but lately the jokes and/or photos are getting corny. then i stumbled upon a tumblr that featured cute animals. i loooove most of the photos but i especially love kitty cats. i wish i can own one.

there was a time i had a cat. no one in the household really liked cats except myself but we were forced by a mice infestation in an old decrepit apartment we used to stay in in makati to get one. and believe me! the cat did his job well! every day we would find one or two dead critters caught by kim (our helper named him that).

he passed away eventually, the way cats usually do. away and secretly. i loved kim. and i wish i could keep a cat.

though funny thing. after i finally discovered my allergy to alcoholic beverages (because i finally tried one), all my other allergies started coming out. including cats. which made me feel really bad. cats just take away my crankiness more than dogs. well maybe because we usually have regular sized dogs who are frisky and stop being cute the moment they hit puberty. i like my animals small and cuddly that i can carry them and squeeze them... gently of course.

gimme a kitteh now! me wants to hold a kitty and just go gigiiiiil!!!

crushed. literally.

2010-01-30T19:09:00.002+08:00

Yesterday, I left the Ateneo Professional Schools Congress with a bit of hope and a bit of dream. Mostly I was pondering what was my place in the world when it came to playing my part in nation-building. Lately, it has been mattering to me more and more. I have to do something. What it was, I was uncertain.

I continued pondering as I walked to the Guadalupe MRT Station. When I got there, I was aghast by the number of people. It has been quite a while since I set foot there though there was a time that was my stop. It was re-awakening of MRT rush hour.

With exasperation and surrender, I positioned myself in the throng of people that stood by each door. How I wished there was a line but that seemed logistically impossible given a people that lacked discipline. Myself included.

At first, I was in the general section instead of the ladies' (scoff) section. After two cars, I noticed that the cars for women had more space so I decided to move to that part. It was a mistake to have done so. I should have stayed with the men than be in a stampede of women desperate to go home. Though that was the least bad thing about the situation.

After a couple of cars, another came with a couple of cars which had relatively more space to accommodate people. I was to find out why. The women in the car refused to go in the center section! Despite the sardine situation by the doors, none of the bitches would budge to make way for more people to be able to ride. I was absolutely infuriated. Such inconsideration!!! Out flew the window my thoughts of a better Philippines. Sheesh.

A couple more cars came until I was pushed by a wall of people inside the train. I didn't need to move my legs at all. I just allowed myself to be pushed. And there I was on the train. I tried to make it to the other door because I was just a couple of stops so I can get out easily without having to worry about getting left behind. But no, none of the women refused to move to the center. And I bet more than half of those are getting down Ortigas or Cubao.

I had to be impolite and brutal myself. I had to push in between people, which I was sure would push others as well, to get to the other side.

When my stop came, getting out was as disastrous as getting in. People were trying to get in, people was trying to get out with me. Someone was shouting, "may bata, may bata" which hardly mattered even if it were women in there. After what seemed like eternity, I made it out.

So much for hope and trust and dreams.

It was a rude awakening. Not all people are as giving as they should be. I was angry. Pissed. Irritated. But that doesn't mean I want to give up. It didn't make my resolve better. I was just myself in the unforgiving real world. Where little things can get in the way the greater scheme of things. Little things that eat away at your resolve.

But this is the world. It has ceased to be flowers and butterflies since the bronze age and currency. But this is the world. People are stubborn. I will just have to make that constant choice to be stubborn in a good way.

i need to get a job soon because

2010-01-26T20:44:00.002+08:00

1. i want to buy books i like in a bookstore and not just stare at them longingly.

2. i want to eat snacks that are more than P40 without guilt.

3. i want to watch more movies. i want to watch zombieland again but it seems silly right now.

4. i want to go on weekend trips.

5. i want to buy a nice notebook. cattleya and king jim just don't cut it anymore.

6. i want to have my camera fixed. the auto-focus is not working anymore and i'm getting tired blurry pictures of myself.

7. i want to stop asking jan, 'libre mo ako' all the time. i want to actually say, 'libre kita!'

8. i want to be involved in something again. i want to have a purpose.

9. i like the fact that i can read books in a day but sometimes pacing makes stories more exciting.

10. i want, when the time comes, to be able to give the best to my child/ren and not worry too much.

work hard and be kind

2010-01-25T22:54:00.003+08:00

the world bid farewell to the tonight show with conan o' brien last friday.

this guy just made a very touching farewell to his fans. and an impromptu quotable quote that will be remembered for a long, long time. he said it beautifully and eloquently:

Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard, and you're kind, amazing things will happen.
this guy is a class act. with a good heart and great mind. we will definitely seeing more of him soon.

think about your local governent too

2010-01-22T23:42:00.006+08:00

I've been quite concerned for the past few days regarding the 2010 elections. Most of the information that we are getting are those in the national level. Followers of presidential candidates are doing a lot of hard sell. People are thinking hard of who to vote for this coming May. I, for one, have yet to decide for who to vote for. But one thing I have been bothered about the last few weeks is the local government level. I think we should work as hard educating our peers about local candidates especially those in Congress.

GMA is running for Congressman in Pampanga. This just goes to show how much she really lacks dignity or pride. Much worse, this goes to show how much she is addicted to power. I do not know who her opponent is but I heard that that person hardly stands a chance. Given how loyal Kapampangans are (for better or for worse), it is highly likely that we have not seen the last of this evil incarnate.

We know that she holds majority of the Congress in her hands. In a few months, we will be seeing her in the Congressional halls. I am certain that she will once again push for Charter Change. If majority of the people in Congress are loyal to her, then it is highly likely that she might just get what she wants after all.

So I really worry about this. Seriously worried. Thus I hope that people will be vigilant to campaign against those who have continuously supported GMA if we want to see a semblance of integrity return to our political system with her departure from Malacanang.

LP 89: Maibigan o magustuhan

2010-01-21T23:08:00.002+08:00

Nung naglakbay kaming magkaka-klase patungong Marrakesh, isa sa mga inaasam-asam ko ay makabili ng sapatos na disenyong Moroccan at gawa sa leather. Nakakalula ang dami ng mga uri at kulay ng magagandang sapatos na naroroon. Ang hirap pumili! Sa kasawiang palad, ang mga sapatos na nasa larawan ay di yata nababagay sa akin kahit ganano ko pa sila kagusto! Pero hindi bale, nakabili din naman ako ng isang pares kasi mura lang.

* * * * *

When my classmates and I traveled to Marrakesh, one of things I really desired was to buy a Moroccan design camel leather shoes. The different kinds and colors of beautiful shoes were overwhelming. It was so hard to choose! Unfortunately, the shoes in the photos do not suit me no matter how much I wanted them. Never mind though. I was able to buy one pair because it was really cheap.

In response to 'Ganito Tayo Noon, Ganito Tayo Ngayon' centerfold in the Inquirer

2010-01-21T22:55:00.003+08:00

In the centerfold of the Inquirer is a huge table of data comparing our present data compared to past presidents. It is undeniable that this is another attempt by the government to laud the 'achievements' of the nine-year GMA regime.

First response to that is that the UN itself is saying the Philippines is performing poorly in the Education For All program (EFA), trailing only after Tanzania and Zambia. Here's the link:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100120-248349/UN-RP-trails-Tanzania-Zambia-in-education

Data given:
Teachers' salaries from P9,939 in 2000 to P14,198 in 2009. Excuse me but given the inflation, their value is probably just about the same.

Textbook to student ratio: 1:1 for English and Sibika in Elementary, 1:1 for English, Math and Science for High School. Sounds good. But what about the other subjects? And do you honestly think these books translate to better understanding on the kids part? AND are they allowed to bring this books home in the first place? I've visited rural public schools before and the kids ARE NOT allowed to bring them home because they will get old fast and may not be able to be used the next year.

Classroom to Students ratio: 1:39 Elementary and 1:55 HS. This ratio is not exactly something to feel good about. A conducive learning environment for children and a manageable classroom level for teachers would be a ratio of 1:20--25. 30 at most. And excuse me, but you have failed to note that A GOOD NUMBER OF SCHOOLS HAVE THREE SHIFTS OF FOUR HOURS just so there would be less students in class. So you think students can learn seven subjects in four hours?!! Tell me.

PAG-IBIG calamity loans for Ondoy and Pepeng victims: None for 2000. P12B for 2009. ALANGAN!!! Walang Ondoy at Pepeng nuon. Please say NOT APPLICABLE.

Farm to Market roads: 1998-2000 = 3,044 kms. GMA term = 17,517. Woman, you had nine years to accomplish that. Your average is just about the same.

OFW Deployment: 841,628 OFWs in 2000. 1.28M Jan-Nov 2009. You are proud of sending people abroad to work to keep this country afloat? Many are leaving this country, finding work abroad because they are desperate to survive. Nothing to be proud about.

Land distribution through agrarian reform: 523,000 hectares 1998-2000. 1.8M from 2001 to Sept 2009. That's just an average of 200,000 hectares per year for you. 260,000 hectares for Erap.

Buying rice for palay: P8.50 per kilo in 2000. P17 per kilo in 2009. Excuse me, magkano bigas nuon? I think it was around P18. Magkano ngayon? P30-40. Hello.

Cellphone subscribers: 6.4 M in 2000. 75M in 2009
Internet usage: 1.98% 2000/24.5% in 2009
1) It was just starting then. What do you expect?
2) I think Globe, Smart and Sun are the ones we should thank for this. Not you.
3) And oh... do you remember the time when text messaging was free? We pay P1 per text now. Whee. Hah.
4) Wala pang FB at kasisimula pa lang ng Friendster. Wala pang halaga ang internet nuon. (hehe! joke lang to)

There are so much more data in the newspaper. I can't seem to find it online yet. But those stuff up there are the only ones I have an answer to. The economy part... malamang it's true. I know crap about econ.

I mean I understand the needing to justify what you have done for your work. I used to that for my work too. But the thing that pisses me off is that those data pretends that everything is fine and dandy in this country because she took over. Pshaw. No, it's not.

knowing it's your time

2010-01-19T19:59:00.003+08:00

Press Secretary Cerge Remundo passed away today from a heart attack. Sudden and unexpected. I don't remember ever liking him. I even came to a point of absolutely disliking him after the Le Cirque incident last August. Despite that, I feel for his family and friends who mourn his loss.

But I wonder if he saw it coming. His last FB status was a prayer of entrusting all worries and fear to the Lord. It gave me goosebumps reading it.

It led me to wonder how much of a blessing it is for someone to somehow know it is his time. He can be able to come to terms with all the things he has done or failed to do. He can say goodbye, forgive those who have hurt him and most importantly, forgive himself for whatever guilt one may have in the heart. At least one can go in peace...

Movie: Zombieland

2010-01-18T23:42:00.003+08:00

Two thumbs up for this romp of a movie!

I was glad that May8, Jan and I were able to watch it together because movies like this need to be seen with other people or else you'd look silly laughing like a loon as people get eaten on the movie screen.

Love love love the script! It had really funny lines executed perfectly by the characters. Woody Harrelson has mastered the acting of a crazy lunatic (he was probably the most memorable in 2012) with a gun. Can't imagine anyone else in the role. And damn... Bill Murray's death was predictable yet was still funny when it happened.

This movie has to be nominated for at least an MTV Award or a Scream Award!

Awesome. Simply awesome!

travel diaries: a moroccan meal

2010-01-13T11:32:00.008+08:00

I had no idea that filipinos do not require a visa to enter morocco, so thanks to G and L, I was able to find out.

As usual, it was the Pinoys who started it all. Conversations during parties grew our group of four into an international group of eight. Thus we formed an ISS contingent represented by Philippines, Indonesia, Sudan/Saudi Arabia, Colombia and Canada. Seven ladies and one gentleman. Or as C says it, "me and my seven wives." Two of us were Muslims who can interpret the calls for prayers and inform us about etiquette in a Muslim country. Two can speak basic Arabic and basic French to help us with transactions. With that kind of mix how can the trip not be exciting?!

There were two batches since we booked different flights but agreed to meet up at the El-Fna Square. We took a cutting trip from Amsterdam to Madrid then Madrid to Marrakesh. Our seven hour lay-over in Madrid merits a story by itself, but suffice to say, I never thought I would do an all-nighter club hopping with crazy and lovable Colombians. Definitely an interesting night!

When we arrived, I was astounded by the beautiful Marrakesh airport! The design seemed to be inspired by a honey comb. The glass had designs that reflected beautiful shadows on the floor. I was already impressed by this city!

A basic information we got was to try and haggle everything in Morocco, including the taxi. Drivers approached us offering to take us to our hostels for a fee. It was not something we could easily decide on. We eventually chose to take the taxi for an extra 50 dirhams assuming that we will be dropped off right in front of our hostel. Apparently not. The streets of Marrakesh were too tiny to accommodate big vehicles. From where we were dropped, we had to get lost, er, walk around for 30 minutes before we found our hostel. We could have asked around but we were a little wary because we heard that people tend to ask for money for every little help they get. This was not entirely true. Some were more than happy to help out though there are some who you can sense is out for a few coins.

It was 2PM and we have yet to have our breakfast or snack or lunch so we decided to eat. We stopped at the first restaurant we saw and checked the menu. I was happy to know that the complete set of marrocain salad, tagine, moroccan mint tea and yogurt cost 45 dirhams (less than 4.5o euros), while the couscous set was just 50 dirhams. Being more familiar with couscous, I ordered the tagine set for my first Moroccan meal.

Most meals are served with bread. Ours was warm and fresh out of the oven. Perfect for our rumbling stomachs.

The marrocain salad was served with the bread. I was expecting greens but we found out it was just diced tomatoes with chopped parsley, onions and salt. It was a perfect combination with our warm bread.

Our tagine arrived shortly. I ordered tagine viand or beef (it is called so because the meal is cooked in a tagine, made of clay and composed of two parts -- the base and the conical cover), which at first look made me wonder where the meat was. After digging through the potatoes and carrots, I found the meat at the bottom. The food floating in oil was a little scary but it just looked so good. And it tasted great too!

We were most excited with the moroccan mint tea having heard good reviews from friends who have been there. It did not disappoint. The tea was more on the sweet side but the mintiness was undeniable. It helped take away the aftertaste of the tagine too.

Their yogurt was a pleasant surprise as well. It had the taste of natural yogurt mixed with honey and a bit of lemon. Even after being filled up with the appetizer and meal, I could have gone for a second yogurt.

It was quite a satisfying meal which sated the hunger we have been feeling since morning.

on being told to be pregnant...

2010-01-12T00:53:00.005+08:00

a couple of years back, i wrote an entry about the many questions women are asked in their lifetime. as i re-read it again, there are some things i may take back. like men not suffering the same questions as women do. i have come to understand that the issues they face are different from ours, so i really can not say that one or the other has a harder time.

i still stand by my belief though, that women, especially here in the philippines are subject to expectations at certain ages in their life. this is called life course theory in sociology. it is actually an interesting study especially in a society like the philippines which seem to have a set idea what people should achieve at a certain age. for the individual and/or those surrounding him/her, there is the tendency to be alarmed if they have not achieved the indicators of the life course.

what do i mean by this?

here at home, there is the tendency that there are just two options in life when one becomes an adult -- either one gets married or one enters the religious life. the idea of remaining single is alien to many people. to many, it does not seem possible for individuals not to want to get married. there is concern when people hit their 30's and are still single, especially for women. (these concerns have yet to cover those who are gay, single parents or common unions... for me that would be a separate discourse i dare not get into)

"settling" is the expected life course for adults. it seems that society dictates that the point of getting an education, getting a job is to prepare for family life. and many choose that path. but society has to realize that things have changed so much in just a few decades. technology and globalization has given people more options with their lives. getting married or having children is not the sole purpose of living. while sushmita sen may have said that the essence of being a woman is motherhood, women of today have now more options open to them. it is not always the most obvious choice anymore.

why this particular rant today?

i just somewhat received a lecture from a stranger (a person i encountered twice and hardly even talked to) that i should be pregnant already because i'm already 31.

since i returned home, jan and i have been asked when we plan to have a baby. but these are friends and relatives so i don't mind. it is an expected question though not necessarily a welcome one. i choose not to take offense and rather choose to be amused... it is a valid question just one we do not have an answer to.

but when a complete stranger tells you that... it is intrusive. does she even know me for her to even merit the license to be a commentator of my life? nee. i wanted to throw so many retorts at her. 'and this is important for you to know because?' or 'if i give birth, would you spend for all my child's needs since you seem so excited about it?' instead i just smiled and let her keep talking.

and in my head, i was doing a discourse analysis of the exchange. might as well put what i learned to good use and practice my already rusty brain than waste a good day on people that don't matter.

the year that was 2009

2010-01-11T11:42:00.001+08:00

i did this last year lacking the time for introspection and review of what 2008 was for me. now i have the time to introspect, but i can't seem to put the right words together. so i do this once more to review what the year was like for me. thanks to diane for reminding me of this 'quiz'

2009 Year-End Report

What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
write a research paper

Did you keep your New Years’ Resolutions, and will you make more for 2010?
i don't make new year's resolutions. but i made one this year, so let's see how i do in 12 months time.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
yep, toni. and may be some that i might have forgotten because i was away.

Did anyone close to you die?
none. but i was really affected by the death of alexis tioseco.

What countries did you visit?
dami! france, germany, spain, switzerland, greece, italy, slovakia, hungary, austria. i think my masters was MA in Budget Tourism rather than development studies. heehee.

What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
quality and quantity time with jan. and savings.

What date/s from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
december 11. graduation! june 12. the day before my wedding anniversary. the hubby finally made it to netherlands, just in time for us to be together again a year after our wedding.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
graduating with merit despite the fact that i did too much television, facebook and travel and hardly gave as much as i should with my studies.

What was your biggest failure?
not appealing for a better grade for my research paper when i knew i deserved a better one. i did feel a little better when my supervisor herself told me that i should have gotten higher.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
flu several times of the year and regular bouts of dysmenorrhea plus weird discomfort in my achilles heel.

What was the best thing you bought?
plane tickets to athens and boat tickets to santorini for jan and me

Whose behavior merited celebration?
jan. for being so patient with me being away

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The perpetrators of the Maguindanao massacre. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

Where did most of your money go?
travel

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
jan finally getting his schengen visa.

What song(s) will always remind you of 2009?
i gotta feeling by the black eyed peas. it will always remind me of the great vibes of the ISS community

Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. happier or sadder?
happier.

ii. thinner or fatter?
definitely fatter. i was so sedentary and i'm in my 30's. bad combination for someone who loves to eat like me. hahaha.

iii. richer or poorer?
definitely poorer! but still happy

What do you wish you’d done more?
focused on my research paper. seriously.

What do you wish you’d done less of?
TV and FB

How many one-night stands?
why is this an important question? and none, to answer.

What was your favorite TV program?
how i met your mother, glee, america's next top model, american idol, top model, coffee prince. shows that got in the way of proper studying.

Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
the ampatuans

What was/were the best book/s you read?
I didn't get to read as much as I wanted to because of academics. But because of school, I finally got to read Ch. 1 and 2 of Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Hope to finish it someday. And definitely loved "The Graveyard Book."

What was your greatest musical discovery?
Queef and Dave! my classmates rock!

What did you want and get?
a trip to a greek island.

What was your favorite film of this year?
star trek. 500 days of summer.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
nothing. i turned 31!

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
a higher RP grade. ;p

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
european - coats, jackets and boots. me likey!

What kept you sane?
the pinoy mafia.

What political issue stirred you the most?
The Maguindanao massacre!

Who did you miss?
jan

Who was/were the best new person/s you met?
Peter and Anky Jansz. My dear dutch family

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
It's a small world after all.

What was the nicest thing someone told you about yourself.
everyone loves the pinoys.

The most touching experience you’ve had this year?
seeing the filipino unite for ondoy/pepeng and cory aquino's passing

What did you like most about yourself this year?
i had the guts to travel by myself. it's nothing new, but i did it a lot more this year.

What did you hate most about yourself this year?
not having the discipline to be focused in my studies.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
'the rest is still unwritten' from natasha bedingfield's unwritten. it is the ode to my RP

Was 2009 a good year for you?
very much

What was your favorite moment of the year?
riding the atv with jan around santorini island.

What was your least favorite moment of the year?
finding out about ondoy and not having any communication with jan during that time.

Where were you when 2009 began?
In Paris

Who were you with?
crevette and albert, our french-vietnamese hosts. rino, reg, bernice, alma, maricar, risa, dani, nick. and crevette's french guest.

Do you have a new year’s resolution for 2010?
to buy a filipino book or smart non-fiction book for every juvenile fiction book i buy. which should also translate to reading it.

What was your favorite month of 2009?
november, june-july

How many concerts did you see in 2009?
two

Did you drink a lot of alchohol in 2009?
not much. hardly.

Do a lot of drugs in 2009?
tried some marijuana but was unaffected by it. figured it's no use spending my money on something that does not do anything for me.

How much money did you spend in 2009?
too much

What was your proudest moment of 2009?
graduation day

What was your most embarrassing moment of 2009?
i probably blocked it out of my memory.

If you could go back in time to any moment of 2009 and change something, what would it be?
booking tickets for my trip with jan. i'd have found a way to sneak in rome somewhere.

What are your plans for 2010?
get a job. get an apartment. spend lots of time with jan. travel locally and hopefully one south east asian country.

How are you different now that the year has ended?
i'm now a master of the universe.

What are your wishes for the new year?
a job i will love and still pay well. a comfortable and accessible home/apartment jan and i can afford. good health and safety to all those i love. to keep communicating with my ISS friends. a clean and honest elections.

from the web,,,

2010-01-10T23:28:00.003+08:00

from icanhascheezburger:

from postsecret:

LP 87: makapal (thick)

2010-01-08T01:46:00.005+08:00

May salamangka ang Praha. Misteryoso. Tila may tinatagong lihim.
Sa kalagitnaan ng tag-lagas, kung kelan nagsisimulang maghari ang gabi sa araw... makapal na hamog ang bumabalot sa buong lugar. Hamog na lalong nagdadagdag sa kahiwagaan ng Praha.

There is magic in Prague. It is mysterious. Like it is keeping a secret.
In the middle of autumn, when night starts to reign over day... thick fog wraps itself around the whole place. Fog that adds to the mystery of Prague.

artwork

2010-01-08T01:08:00.002+08:00

before i left the philippines, i had 15 artwork shirts. i heart artwork.

i think i still have all of them. some of them don't fit as perfectly as they used to. :P
that's all i wanted to say.

in compliance to my new year's resolution...

2010-01-06T01:07:00.002+08:00

when i returned from studies, the first book i bought was artemis fowl: time paradox by eoin colfer since i collected the series. bad idea. my bro gave me the same title for a christmas gift. oh well.

then a few days ago, i bought the first book of the percy jackson series. i'm curious about the book especially after learning that instead of witches and vampires, this juvie fiction deals with the greek gods. ahhh... a mythology close to my heart. how can i resist!

but then, i did make that resolution that for every juvie fiction i buy, i should get one that is either adult (which meant non-fiction, i forgot to say) or filipino literature (comics don't count though because i will buy and read them anyway).

so to fulfill my new year's resolution, i bought...

i actually saw this last summer and found it quite interesting. being a sucker for philippine pop culture, i wanted to have a copy. i didn't get it because i had to buy another book which i thought i needed for my research paper.

i still find it a little expensive given my current unemployment, but i figured... might as well get it. it's a chance to see how discourse was applied on popular culture, given that my research topic is somewhat related to it. not to mention that i am a fan of zsa zsa zaturnnah and darna (the pre-angel locsin one). everything else in between will definitely tickle my jologs fancy. so i'm actually excited to read this one. not to mention that i had soledad reyes for a teacher and found her to be a brilliant woman. :)

the other book i bought was edgardo reyes' maynila sa kuko ng liwanag (two reyeses in a day. i impress myself. heehee!). jan mentioned the other day that he wrote somewhat like hemingway. having read only a couple, i'm not sure what that means. haha. but i bought the book anyway because jan said he was impressed by e. reyes' writing style. i think the filipino used is quite deep and the story is quite depressing, but i will force myself through it.

i don't know when i can start though... i borrowed a couple of HP books thinking i won't be buying any new books, but i can never resist a national bookstore when i am in the mall.

sigh. addictions, addictions!

resolution for 2010

2010-01-03T10:18:00.003+08:00

i've never really been big on resolutions. back in high school, i tried it and failed it a lot. apparently, there is an explanation for it (thanks to rowie for this link). knowing it's pretty futile, i've given up making one and just started the year with the hope that things will be better than the last.

this 2010, i decided to make one: for every juvenile fiction/children's book i buy, i also purchase either one filipino literature book and/or an educational book.

i am so much into juvenile fiction that i actually hardly read books outside the genre. this was one of the things i revealed to my supervisor/convenor during our last lunch together. and she said, i have to change that habit. haha. i'm not one to change skins quickly, nor do i want to let go of something i dearly enjoy but i do believe that i should expand my horizons more. studying in the ISS made me realize that real world issues are as exciting as fantasy, that informational stuff can be great literature.

at the same time, last year's fiasco about carlo j. caparas being nominated as national artist got me really riled up. yet, he did have a point when he said that how many people have really read the works of rio alma or f. sionil jose? i, unfortunately, am not one of them. while he has been allowed to receive the award, i thought it important to continue to advocate against him by reading the works of those who oppose him. that will be statement. and that will be my support for the local arts. i want to have legitimacy to promote arts and culture which represent the genius of our country and not the capitalist side of it.

so while the article above somewhow says that resolutions are physiologically hard to keep, i'd like to challenge myself this year. reading is always fun. purchasing local books not only contributes to the local economy but will encourage more and more filipino writers to blossom in their craft. and reading more mature books can help me have confidence dealing with people my age and older.

Q

2010-01-02T23:13:00.003+08:00

i don't remember when the last time i saw my jvp partner, Q. my memories dictate my birthday in 2003 but i'm not entirely certain. though i am sure we ate corned beef sinigang in sentro-greenbelt 3.

when i found out that he would be going home for the holidays, i hoped that we would have the chance to meet. but knowing how busy and popular he is, i was open to the possibilities of just a phone conversation. luckily, he sent me a message if i had some time to meet up with him in greenbelt. but of course i did!

it was great seeing him again. he looked as cute and scruffy as ever. but then i'm as cute and scruffy as ever too. we both gained weight. we both hit our thirties. thinga change. things stay the same. i was just so glad to find out that we still adore each other. and that we both as cheap as we were 11 years ago. ;p we just had a tour of greenbelt 5, amused at how posh the place is in a third world country. i can finally discuss with him the people of the world because i've finally had my chance to observe.

our time together was too little to really get in depth with how we are, but we were able to do that. but more than that, i was just glad to finally see him after a long time and to know that we still share that special friendship we've always had. and yes, we still both miss our dear mindoro terribly.

2009 in review: travel

2010-01-01T17:57:00.011+08:00

2009 spent mostly with my ISS family has been quite amazing.

it was opening the eyes and mind, widening horizons and expanding visions. it was about my personal globalization. whereas, prior to ISS, my world was limited to my beloved philippines, my 15 months in the ISS has expanded it to at least 52.

it has taught me to understand and accept what is different from what i have come to believe in my lifetime. yet it also taught me to strengthen what i truly believe and value without having to compromise my ability to be in solidarity with those who are unlike me. this, i can say, is truly one of the best things i have learned for the year. but there is so much more. extracting lessons from 365 days would be quite a task when what one day can already be very educational.

2009 was also about living a dream. back in my youth, i remember reading about europe. and every time i saw the pictures or read something about it, i wished that i could see it for myself. 2009 was about that.

i do not know if the miles i covered for 2009 would ever happen again so i know a blessing when i see one. allow me this moment to relish the journeys i took, not to brag but to rejoice knowing that dreams come true.

many of the pinoy ISS students greeted the new year in paris through the generous hospitality of crevette. wine, cheese, sausage, balloons and friendship are definitely wonderful things to have at the beginning of the year.

february. maricar, marwell and i hied off to maastricht to celebrate the carnavale celebrated every palm sunday as preparation for the solemnity of lent. it was a 'holy' day indeed. ;p

march was a date with risa in beautiful barcelona. casa battlo, sagrada familia, parc guell... gaudi architectural pieces that made me a fan! (i also had a study trip to geneva... not as exciting as barcelona, definitely)

april was time for tulips. i was able to visit keukonhof twice. within three weeks, the flowers a-bloom were different from each other. being in the midst of a sea of colorful flowers will not fail to lift your spirits. what's more, they make good photos! ;p

may. it was my first trip to by myself with out the pinoys. nadya of sri lanka and sanjukta of india were my companions for this trip. we had a marvelous time with the red tours who had young, vibrant guides (and quite cute) to take us around berlin. definitely one of my favorite cities with its rich history.

june finally brought some good news. jan finally got his visa after being rejected once. most of the month was spent working on papers and exams. but there were study breaks which gave me the chance to bring jan around netherlands. it was the perfect time because it was summer and we can bike for as long as we like. and who would have thought we would spend our first anniversary abroad?!

july. after we have fulfilled all our requirements, off we went to greece and paris. i remember watching 'the sisterhood of the traveling pants' with jan. and i told him to take me to greece. it was such a blessing to have that declaration fulfilled sooner that i expected. though it was me who did take him there. :p

august. i was able to go home for a while for research. i was looking forward to celebrate my birthday only to be met with the news that our dear president cory aquino passed away. yet, while it was a great loss, i feel somehow that people may have regained a little something from that event.

september. i think i spent most of my time in the netherlands trying to cram for my first draft and RP presentation.

october. what i missed for that month in travel, i made up by being in four different countries in one month. austria (vienna). germany (munich). hungary (budapest). slovakia (bratislava). quite a brave but dumb thing to do, a month before our RP deadline.

oktoberfest was definitely the highlight of october having celebrated the occasion with an international contingent of 9 countries!

november. one of the motivations to keep on writing the RP even after wanting to give up is morocco. it was another international contingency with 5 countries represented. we finally got out of europe without needing a visa. the experience was totally different and arguably more exciting. definitely one of the most memorable trips ever! especially since i finally got to see and ride a camel.

december. last trip using my scholarship money is rome. it's one of the top of my list of places to see before i die, thus i had to go while i had the visa, the funds and the chance. michaelangelo just happened to be my favaorite ninja turtle, so all the more i should go and visit. heehee. ncient rome. medieval rome. catholic rome. every place we visited in rome was just spectacular and breath taking. a must-visit!

and of course, december meant graduation! i am a master of the universe now. wheeee. here's hoping it will convert to a job soon. ;p

i can not deny how much of a blessing 2009 was for me (though if jan and i were together physically, it would have been perfect!). it would be hard to replicate what the sugar and spice that happened to me last year. though i pray that happens again sooner than later.

here's hoping that 2010 brings more journeys and adventures. :)

I condemn the Ampatuan massacre

2009-11-24T17:24:00.002+08:00

yesterday, 21 people were killed in Maguindanao. people were on their way to the COMELEC office to file a certificate of candidacy. they never made it. along the way, 40 were taken hostage and 21 of them found dead. the massacre is being blamed on Gov. Ampatuan, a new Maguidanao dynasty, but one not afraid to abuse its power.

I condemn these killings. I condemn any abuse of political power. I condemn the culture of impunity in the Philippines. I do not know what my condemning it can do. But I want my government to know about it. I want my people to know about it.

24 hours post-RP submission

2009-11-12T10:38:00.005+08:00

it has almost been 24 hours since i submitted my research paper (11/11, 4:21AM) and the disbelief of coming up a master's paper still amazes me. technically, we had five months to research and write. but discipline has always been my problem. most people began taking the task seriously september, when supervisors started asking for details of field research and data-gathering.

despite:
15 days of travel
endless movie nights
frequent facebook checks and posts, including mafia wars every three hours
livestreaming television every hour
the greatest halloween party ever
'disturbing the peace'

i made it. i did it. and on time. wow.

of course i could hardly assess the quality of the paper. my supervisor liked the idea, but that never really is a gauge of a final grade. but what the heck!!! i don't care. i achieved something i never imagined i would ever do. and i enjoyed the process of discovering the value of my research. maybe not to the development studies field, but to myself. i've learned things that i wanted to do eventually.

i'm just happy to be done. happy to be free!

LP 73: Lakad

2009-09-03T07:02:00.003+08:00

Maliit pa lang ako, pangarap ko nang mapuntahan ang lungsod ng Athens kung saan diumano ay naglakad ang mga diyos at diyosa ng mitolohiyang Griyego.

Natupad na rin aking pangarap nuong nakaraang Hulyo.

Ang di ko akalain ay mayroon din palang "changing of the guards" katulad ng nagaganap sa tirahan ng reyna ng Britanya sa Athens. Bawat oras ay may palitan ng mga guwardya sa harap ng National Parliament nila.

Naaliw ako dahil kakaiba ang kanilang paglalakad. Para silang nag-e-ehersisyo. O di naman sumasayaw ng mabagal sa musika ni Michael Jackson na "They Don't Really Care About Us." At sino ba naman ang di matutuwa sa pompom sa sapatos ng mga gwardiya o tassle sa likod ng kanilang mga tuhod. At napapaisip ako, "ang init ng suot nila. buti buhay pa sila!"

RIP, Alexis Tioseco

2009-09-03T00:01:00.004+08:00

There are just too many good people passing away this year.

This morning, I woke up with my usual routing. Turning on my laptop. Checking facebook and twitter. I found it strange seeing Gang's status with just Alexis Tioseco's name. It was too cryptic, so I looked at the tweets from different online newspapers to see if there was any report about him.

And there it was. He was shot dead in his own home by robbers.

I do not him personally, though I wish I did. But he was part of my mornings in Davao when 'Breakfast' still aired on Studio 23. He would be a weekly (or was it bi-weekly) guest on the show, and he would talk about films. It was interesting how this Ingliserong Amboy from Canada (Amboy, pero Canada? ano yun?! haha! but you know what I mean) had so much passion for the local film industry. Most of the time, he discussed about independent films or old classics that should be revived.

He was clearly an advocate for the film industry as an art. I could sense his frustration when he would talk about lost films of the old greats. It was also interesting how he tackled the issue on National Artists. More than lobbying for Caparas not to receive the award, he was clamoring for the NCCA to actually set aside a budget to educate the people about the arts. So no one can claim that it is for the elite. I did not think of it that way. Such a philosophical, deep thinker.

I came across an article he wrote for Rogue Magazine. It showed how much he loved his girlfriend (who along with him was also murdered) and how much he loved the local film industry. It's a beautiful piece.

And he also wrote a piece about his wishful thinking for Philippine Cinema. This guy is did not just love the film industry, he was in-love with it.

It's sad that such a passionate advocate is gone. And gone the way he did. It is so wrong on so many levels.

I don't know if I have the right to feel this way not having known him. It was also just recently that I got re-acquainted with his work because of the National Artists brouhaha. But I feel I lost my voice with his passing.

Thank you, Alexis Tioseco. I pray that justice will be served.

not a sleepyhead

2009-09-01T08:09:00.003+08:00

since i got back in netherlands, my sleeping pattern kinda normalized. sleeping between 12 and 1, waking up between 730 and 9. it feels good actually.

but tonight, or this morning, i'm back to restlessness at 2 in the morning. i want to go to sleep. but i couldn't bring my body to lie down.

was it because i actually started doing something for my paper? i doubt it. it's hardly a breakthrough. but at least it's a baby step.

i miss home. i really do. not the philippines itself, but home.

it's true what they say. leaving the second time is much harder, more gut-wrenching. the first time i got here, i was so excited. taking in anything and everything. i wanted to go out and see as much of it as i can. i usually just think about jan during lull times in the day.

but now, i think about my home most of the time. 10 weeks of hardly being apart can do that to you. the four days that i was away during those 10 weeks was spent with my family so that was also a very busy time. but most days, we were just together. eating together, working (or not working, in my case) together.

sigh.

i hate being a mush ball. but sleep deprivation can do that to you, i guess.

and when i watch Up again, i am probably going to cry buckets not just because of the story but because of so many things.

i want my home. :(

been a while

2009-09-01T03:20:00.002+08:00

it has been a while since i posted anything decent in this blog. school and trying not to do school has been keeping me busy. and honestly, i really have nothing in mind to say. oh, there is much in my head for sure. but none of which i can actually blog about meaningfully yet. i have not the words.

anyway, the last few days, i have been looking bact at my old blog. i surprised myself. i did not know i could write so well, if i can just give time to actually think about what i say, if i actually give myself time to reflect. but i have not.

i wish i could say life is happening to me right now. but not really. most of the time, i'm cooped up in my room, surrounded by books i have yet to read, battling thoughts on my research paper, running away using facebook and livestreaming movies.

but i want to blog again. to write again. to free my mind again of thoughts that hardly mean anything, but then i want to say them anyway. maybe just writing nonsense random things will get the mojo back again.

i miss it. i miss writing. i miss writing to share what i see, what i feel. so i'm hoping this is a start.

naniniwala, nagtitiwala

2009-08-06T01:48:00.002+08:00

naniniwala ako na hindi makakalimot ang pinoy.
kailangan lang na may laging mag-paalala.
nagtitiwala ako sa pilipino.
kailangan lang niya ng paniniwalaan.
ipagdasal natin na darating siya sa panahong kailangang-kailangan natin.

maraming salamat at paalam

2009-08-06T01:28:00.002+08:00

salamat, tita cory, at muli mong pinag-isa ang bansang pilipinas.
nawa ay hindi namin hayaan ang aming mga sarili na muling makalimot.
magkasama na kayo ni ninoy. salamat sa inyong dalawa... sa magkaibang paraan ng pag-alay ng buhay para sa pilipinas.

cory naming mahal

2009-08-01T11:30:00.002+08:00

with your quiet grace, you have inspired an entire nation.
the humility of your faith is your strength.

thank you, Cory. i pray the nation will not forget.

to she who is the beacon of hope

2009-07-27T14:38:00.002+08:00

it's been a while since i have lost blogged anything. things have been in busy frenzy and the time to sit down, reflect and write has been elusive.

but today, as the SONA is about to be said, i take time to pay tribute to our beloved President Cory Aquino who continues to battle her colon cancer in the Makati Medical Center. more and more parts of the metro are being festooned with yellow ribbons in honor of her. even the web has been adorned with it.

once, in my childhood, this yellow ribbon was a defiance to a tyrannical administration. now it is to show continued support to she who has been the beacon of hope, even after she has graciously turned over the presidency to her legitimate replacement.

i post this yellow ribbon in honor of her.
and i also post this yellow ribbon to be once again that symbol of defiance to a tyranny.

today will be a battle of wills. may the end of this day pave the way for hope for a frustrated country.

a frustrated happy independence day

2009-06-12T17:06:00.001+08:00

our original independence day was the same date as america, july 4. a date declared by the US for the country. historians urged then president Diosdado Macapagal (why oh why did you create such an evil spawn of a daughter? why!) to change it to june 12, originally Flag Day.

why june 12? in 1998, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the sovereignty and independence of the Philippines and unfurled our flag to the people for the first time.

we were yet to be free from the spaniards. the war to drive them out was still ongoing.

i take pride in this day. i take pride that we did not wait to be declared independent by our conquistadors, rather we claimed it for ourselves. we did not need to win the war, we just need to know it was time to reclaim what was justly ours.

were we truly independent? technically not. we were turned over to the americans, who in the wake of world war 2, the coward douglas mcarthur left us to fend for ourselves upon the arrival of the japanese. he only came back when the war was over and it was safe for his sorry ass to come back and be safe in holding true to his promise.

now that our conquistadors are gone, we fight a new war. a sad war because it is our fellow Filipinos who oppress us. this greed for power has deprived farmers of their land, students of their education, squatters of their homes.

last week, a farmer activist fighting for land reform. last wednesday, thousands gathered in makati to express outrage for the 'timeliness' of a constitutional assembly just a few months before elections. for the last 60 years... we have been a confused nation managed by power-hungry elitists. i want to be independent from that. i want my countrymen to be fed, to be educated, to be nursed.

but how? sigh.

pretty flowers by steve martin

2009-05-25T01:38:00.001+08:00

the moment michael sarver opened his mouth to sing the song, i could not help but fall in love with the song. steve martin's mean banjo playing made it all the more lovely. megan joy fumbled a bit, but the song was too feel good to be damaged.

i had the mushy mental imagery of jan and i walking hand and hand by the schev (oh, please, please let this be) to this song.

one month to one year

2009-05-13T06:27:00.005+08:00

there three important questions you asked me

Q1.
it was late evening when we were hanging out by the benches under the tree of our alma mater. i don't remember anymore how the conversation led to you asking me what was happening between us.

you had your knee in a brace then. i remember the tail-end of our five hour conversation on the phone, i wished you 'break a leg' for your basketball game. ooops, wrong idiom. that was for theater. i did not, for the life of me, imagine that it would be taken literally. the next time i saw you again, you had a leg brace because of MCL. oooops, sorry.

you asked me, while our hands held each other, "ano to?" (what is this?) i wanted to be ambiguous, you didn't. i guess we know who won the case that night.

Q2.
it was funny how pinoy big brother got in the way of your moment.

after what i thought was our despedida dinner for you since it was your last day in davao and was already home, you gave me a scrapbook. i was teasing you for being romantic, a rare event and one that i always welcome.

i leafed through each page which i could see was made painstaken care and love. knowing you to be unexpressive, i teased you for putting images of our story in a book. so not you. so me, actually. and such an idiot i am, i really did not know what was coming. and because of that... the tempo broke when an interesting scene was happening on big brother. thank God for commercial breaks. haha.

yes, i am such an idiot. even upon reaching the page when THE question was there, i didn't get it. i read it the first time and snickered and teased you again. 'yiheeee, you love me! you are sooo cute.'

then i went back to the note again. waitaminute. your note said, "angie, mahal na mahal kita. maari ba kitang makasama ng habang buhay?" (angie, i love you very much. may i spend forever with you?).

people who knew about it actually bet i would cry, being such a cry baby. guess what, i laughed. laughed long and loud. not at you, but at myself. for being caught by surprise. for you actually pulling off a surprise! for me not getting it the moment i got the scrapbook. i laughed and forgot to say yes. we did resolve that at some point. :)

Q3.
well, it wasn't really you who asked me, but the priest. and he asked you the same thing. it seemed we kinda agreed on an answer.

the answer which decided our forevers was a leap of faith.

i believe.

<---------0-------->

i am fervently hoping we spend it together. yes, we can. :)

today the seeds* danced and sang

2009-05-11T06:40:00.002+08:00

it was a perfect day to bike around in den haag to get lost.

as i pedaled my way through the bike paths, gusts of wind blew the seeds from the trees down to the ground. hundreds of tiny little seeds danced and spiraled as they made their way down. yet as they gathered in heaps, the wind would blow again and the seeds would ran and glide on the concrete making them sing. such a magical and ethereal day!

i love spring! spring is such a wonderful time of the year. :)

litratong pinoy: gusali

2009-04-23T06:51:00.002+08:00

dahil sa pagkalakwatsera ko, may ilan-ilan na rin akong nakitang mga kilalang gusali sa europa. nuon, di ako bilib sa eiffel tower. feeling ko, building lang siya na nakalimutang damitan ang bakal. pero nuong nakita ko na sa personal... di ko mapigilang matuwa. kakaiba ang pakiramdam na makita mo ang isang bagay na palagi mo lang nababasa o napapanuod. di ko alam kung nagandahan ako sa kanya, pero sigurado akong ako ay namangha.

happy easter!

2009-04-13T05:48:00.003+08:00

may the hope of the season be with you. :)

this holy week turned out to be a pleasant surprise. :)

Good Friday was spent in Brugges, Belgium. A somewhat imposed presence to Marwell and Maricar's road trip, thanks to Jo and Alma backing out last minute. Brugges is what I had always imagined Europe to be, back in those days when I did not know any better. Old Europe. Chocolates, beer, lace, fries and belgian waffles. Shocked the other passers-by with our fish-rice-tomato-shrimp paste lunch complete with utensils. But definitely a good Pinoy meal in Europe. Really goooood. Thanks, Marwell, for the free ride.

Black Saturday was spent to meet with my 'adopted' Dutch family. I joined the 'Meet the Dutch' program in school which allowed the ISS students to spend time with the Dutch (given we barely see Dutch people in school as we are quite multicultural in set-up). Peter and Anky were such wonderful hosts! My first time to ride a high Dutch bike. And didn't expect to do 34 kms of it in one go! We went around the towns of Bodegraven, Reeuweg and Gouda. A nice mix of small town, big countryside tour. Reeuweg was particularly exciting, with its lakes and sailing areas. The sun was absolutely perfect except with a few minutes of rain. The guided bike tour taught me about dikes and ditches and peat and sea level and such. Peter did a good job of letting me know a bit more about the Dutch way of life. Brought home pictures and instructions to send them to my mom and Jan. Plus a recipe to try out too! Yummmm...

Easter Sunday started with a surprise breakfast for Risa, which I hope made her happy, despite the fact we woke her up from sleep. Tee-hee! Breakfast with most of the gang then off to mass. Mass was also good wherein we witnessed how a European baptism goes, with babies exposed in their full glory to the audience. Haha! Plus beautiful Nigerian songs to welcome Christ's Resurrection. Afterwards, I spent the afternoon with the bday girl and Iain in Amsterdam looking at Van Gogh paintings.

Not bad at all. Especially for someone who had no specific plans for the week whatsoever.

Happy Easter again!

missing 70s bistro

2009-04-08T08:59:00.003+08:00

70's bistro is that little hole in the wall bar along anonas that was probably the home of my melancholy and joy when i stared to work for non-profit organizations. NGO workers often hung out there, probably because it was a stone's throw away from the unofficial development organization district. and maybe because the performing artists themselves were active in social movement.
photo lifted from greenpeacesoutheastasia.wordpress.com

other than that, it was where many jesuit volunteers (JVP) like me frequently drowned our re-entry in the 'real world' angst with beer and noel cabangon's music . we listened to his songs of longing for a loved one far-away, of yesterdays that can never be relived, of frustration with the country, of hopes for tomorrow. and it was not just noel. there was joey ayala and gary granada and cookie chua and cynthia alexander... my demi-gods, if not gods, of alternative filipino music.

of course, there were also those dancerous nights listening to brownman revival. moving to their reggae beat, wondering about the injustice in the world with dino (the lead singer) having a smaller waist and shirt size than us girls.

what made it even better... were conversations with them during intermissions. most of them devoid of celebrity pompousness would sit down with us to share a beer and conversation. the waiters have also come to know us and usually seat us as near to the stage as possible. and despite work at 9AM the next day, we would go home at 2AM with our thirst for life sated and fired up at the same time.

my last two wednesdays in the philippines was spent watching noel. once with the fuhkers sucking on cannabis lollipops sent by tatit. once with maita while jan was watching argentina play olympic basketball at home.

i miss that when i feel like what i feel right now (reflective), my heart was tugged by the sound of an acoustic guitar while sitting in the middle of a cramped room sipping on my cold coke and crunching ice cubes.

* * * * *

as an aside, it was usually after going to bistro that i am able to write poems. i am no way a poet. but there are days when words just come and put themselves together using my hand to be alive. the ones i post here were written after noel's 10th anniversary gig in bistro. one of the best gigs ever.

BISTRO. MGA TULA PARA SA IYO.

1. BISTRO

tahanan ka
ng mga dakilang nakikibaka
nakikiramdam sa naghihingalong pilipinas.

kanlungan ka
ng mga mang-aawit
na sumusubok
buhayin ang pag-asa
sa pusong pagod na.

daungan ka
ng mga kaluluwang naghahanap
ng pagkakataon
na lumaya
kahit panandalian lang.

samu’t-sari
iba’t-ibang mga nilalang.
ngunit nagiging
isa
sa mga bisig mo.

1:52 AM 3-27-03

2. TISSUE
tissue

strewn all over the floor.
blown by the ceiling fan’s
tender (almost nothing) gust.

dry.
tainted with bleeding ink
and smeared lipstick.
(and someone’s broken heart)

damp.
wrapped around a glass
(and maybe on trembling fingers)
full of spiked tea.

wet.
wiped against the beer bottle’s flowing tears.
(and possibly that man’s too.)

soaked.
spilled with cold cerveza
warmed by lingering thoughts.
(and sometimes broken dreams)

later,
when the lights are out
the gentle movements
of the sleepy waiter’s broom
shall gather
you
all
in
one
big
heap.

2:01 AM 3-27-03

3. TIGANG

piga na
ang katas
ng kaluluwa.

ngunit ang
iyong tinig
ang nagdidilig
sa kanyang katigangan.

uhaw.
gutom.
ngunit higit sa lahat
lito
sa kalawakan ng buhay.

di na kayang
liparin
languyin

kulang na ang lakas.
ngunit pag nalubog na
sa awit mo ang kamalayan,
ito na ang lakas ko.

bukas…
baka kaya pa ang bukas.
basta umawit ka pa
ng isa pa.
awit pa…

3-27-03 1:30 am

4. AMBROSIA

i have always heard
that ambrosia
was food for the gods.

i have not tasted
nor seen ambrosia.

neither am i a god.

what shall i be fed?
i.
who is but a frail, hungry, thirsting human.
what shall i be fed?

ah.
sing to me your soul.
that mine may know
how it is to live again.
nourish my soul with your song.

i know
not even ambrosia
can satiate me
nor quench me
as much as your odes.

1:40 AM 3-27-03

litratong pinoy: sapatos

2009-03-26T03:07:00.004+08:00

ito ay sa Palavas sa Montpellier, France. araw ng Pasko.

matapos masiraan ng bait at naisipan ng tropa na maglakad papuntang beach sa halip na maghintay sa bus ng isa at kalahating oras.

tatlong oras, nangangalahati pa lang kami ng lakad. salamat na lang at may dumating na bus!

bakit namin naisipan na maglakad? para makita ang isang beach na nasa Mediterranean. at dahil excited akong sa Mediterranean, deadma na na ang lamig ng tubig ay halos freezing point na. kelangan mailagay ko ang aking mga paa sa tubig.

lekat! ang lamig! halos 20 minuto bago ko bumalik ang pakiramdam sa aking mga paa.

di bale, masasabi ko naman na nakatungtong na ang aking mga paa sa mediterranean. hehe.

30 going 13... or 16 maybe

2009-03-25T00:54:00.000+08:00

mehn...

there is something seriously wrong when exams are coming up and essay is due and the panic button is still not on, when half the day is spent watching a taiwanese soap opera from six years ago.

there is absolutely something serious wrong when anything heard that is not filipino or english sounds chinese. or when one of the F4 boys looks at the camera and one feels all kilig and giddy all over. or when upon watching aforementioned boys (who are probably men now) singing in chinese makes one laugh like a sixteen year old being wooed by her crush. and gawd, there is something seriously wrong feeling all giddy for men who wear shirts smaller than mine!

damn.

i really need a life.
or at least need to have these exams and essays over.
or dance like crazy and get this trapped energy out.
damn.

*oh baby, baby, my baby, baby...*
*giggle, giggle, giggle*

note to self: you are 30 years old

this is all barcelona's fault.

(non) study trail

2009-03-22T23:41:00.000+08:00

my quest for the right study spot. and how it failed.

sylar

2009-03-20T07:06:00.003+08:00

is it just me or did sylar just suddenly become hot?

dang those eyes! and when i finally did a heroes marathon of season 3... the dude was near naked in some scenes... yowzaaaah!

and so ends my study break.

i hope.

litratong pinoy: paboriting alahas

2009-03-19T02:44:00.003+08:00

hindi ako mahilig mag-alahas. ayaw kong nagsusuot ng tunay, marahil dahil commuter ako. bukod sa masaya na akong magsuot ng fancy na mabibili ng 3 for P100. at least hindi masakit sa loob kung mawala. na madalas mangyari sa aking mga alahas.

ngunit ngayon, meron na akong suot-suot palagi -- ang aking engagement ring at wedding ring. :)

ang larawan sa baba ay ang engagement ring na pina-custom made ng asawa ko para sa proposal niya sa akin. peridot ang bato, na birth stone ko pala. di ko man lang malalaman kung di dahil sa regalo niyang singsing.

kahit na hindi ako mahilig sa alahas, palagi ko nang suot suot ito kasama ng wedding ring ko. lalo na ngayon na malayo kami sa isa't-isa ng panandalian, isang alaala na merong naghihintay sa aking pag-uwi.

litratong pinoy: polo/blusa

2009-03-12T06:17:00.008+08:00

huwag kayong mag-alala... hindi kumanta ang mamang ito ng 'my way' sa videoke kaya duguan ang polo.

ito ang kanyang costume para sa carnaval sa maastricht, netherlands. ang carnaval ay dinidiwang ng ilang bansa ng europa sa panahon bago mag-ash wednesday. nagsasaya ang mga tao bago dumating ang panahon ng lent. ang mas masaya dito, lahat ng tao ay ganadong mag-costume. isang malaking party ang mga kalsada. walang tigil na inom ng beer ang mga taong hindi sila sa araw na iyon.

at patatalo ba ang pinoy? aba ako rin! bihis-madre naman kami ng kasama ko. at bongga, nakikipicture ang mga tao sa amin, tulad ng pakikipicture namin sa ibang taong aliw ang mga costume. :)

bigay-pugay kay Francis Magalona (a tribute to FrancisM)

2009-03-06T18:33:00.005+08:00

i first discovered francis magalona in the movie 'bagets 2.' but in the movies, he did not shine as much as his contemporaries did.

it was only a few years after that he was rediscovred and finally found his niche in rap music. it was francis m that introduced filipino rap to the philippines. his debut rap/song, 'mga kababayan ko' (my countrymen) was a phenomenal hit. it was a fresh and new take for the pinoy audience. i loved the song, not just for its upbeat tempo and the fact that i can sing along with it (because i do not need to be in tune, and i can not for the life of me, be in tune)... but because it was a song of Filipino pride. at 12, having been brainwashed my Smokey Mountain (my first obsession in entertainment), FrancisM resonated my feelings of pride of being Pinoy.

FrancisM was the voice of my generation at that time. he spoke of love and identity and country. and he made us dance. and yes, he also sing songs sung by Bart Simpson! and i still feel it blasphemy to even compare him with andrew e. no waaaaay do you compare the REAL king of rap with someone who only talks about sex and toilet humor as well as delusions of grandeur when it comes to his face.

FrancisM IS the king of filipino rap. no other.

he did have his share of trouble with his drug use. but in the course of time, he went into rehabilitation and became a spokesperson against it. he picked up the pieces and made a comeback.

this cool, handsome chap became a music icon. and he used that to speak of issues and to promote nationalism. he has come up with his own brand of clothing called 'three stars and a sun' which is about wearing our national pride. he was also doing so well in photography, even winning awards and all that. so his artistry has expanded beyong just music and business.

today, i receive a message from tatit, telling me of his demise. my heart broke the second time this week. the last i heard about him was that he was responding well to his chemotherapy. and then this.

we have lost a great artist. one that has still so much to say, and so much to share.

FrancisM, you have gone too soon. Salamat sa pagiging isa sa mga inspirasyon ng aming henerasyon.

litratong pinoy: bag

2009-03-05T04:57:00.004+08:00

matagal-tagal na rin mula nung aking huling lahok sa litratong pinoy. mabigat na rin kasi ang mga gawain para sa paaralan...

bag. isang bagay na malapit sa aking puso dahil hindi ako maaring mawalan ng bag kung ako ay lalabas. marahil kaya ako nahikayat na mag-post muli.

*****
ang mga tropa ng pinoy na nag-aaral sa paaralan namin ay naisipang magbakasyon sa italy. sa laki ng grupo namin, nagkahiwa-hiwalay ayon sa nais mapuntahan. may nag-venice, nag-roma at kami naman ay napadpad sa lucca. masyado kasing mabigat sa bulsa ang venice o roma.

wala sa plano ang pagpunta sa lucca. at huling araw na namin ito sa italy. pabalik na kami sa pisa kung saan ang airport. dahil madadaanan namin ang lucca, naisipan namin na dito pumunta. ngunit dahil wala sa plano, bitbit namin ang aming mga kagamitan. dahil linggo nung araw na iyo, sarado ang tourist office. napilitan kaming mag-ikot ng maliit na siyudad ng lucca bitbit ang mga bag na ito.

hindi maikakaila na turista! bukod sa halatang hindi kami taga-europa, height pa lang. haha! bagamat mabigat at nakakapagod magbitbit, sa ganda ng lugar, hindi namin maiwasang lumisan ng lucca na maligaya. kahit pa sarado ang karamihan ng mga mapupuntahan. bukod pa sa walang-tigil ang ulan.

ngunit kelan ba napigilan ng mga bagay na iyan ang taong may nunal sa paa? ;p

2:10 AM

2009-03-03T09:13:00.002+08:00

kumakapit pa rin ang tinig ni jess sa aking balat. bumabalot ang saliw ng gitara sa aking isip. ayaw bumitiw. antok man ang aking mga mata, nagpupumiglas ang aking diwa. kanyang bulong na dumadagundong, 'hayaan mo akong maging malaya!' matagal na ring nakakulong ang mga salitang naibaon ng panahon.

Blueberry Girl

2009-03-02T19:17:00.001+08:00

a prayer to all the little girls, in age and in spirit, of my life.

this is a video of neil gaiman's voice interespersed over charles vess' illustrations for the upcoming book of the same title. the background music also adds to the beauty of the imagery and voice.

i have not faltered in declaring being a neil gaiman fangirl. but charles vess is also one of my favorite artists. he does the perfect fantastical drawings which appeal to the child in me. this coming collaboration is something i am looking forward to.