Manila

Wew! Manila, sweet old Manila, with its smoke filled highways and dust infected roads. I can't believe I was able to come back here again. And I can't believe that I was able to see HER again. Anyways, I'll just update you guys more on my next entry, coz right now we're preparing for our trip to Tagaytay. Weeeeeeeeee!

Frustrated Writer

I've always wanted to be a writer, ever since I was small, I've always imagined myself holding a plumed pen and dipping the tip inside an ink bottle. Not that I find it cool to write and write, actually I find it boring. What I like most really is to tell stories, and the best way to be able to tell stories is through writing. A friend of mine once told me that books affect him more rather than movies because one's imagination is at play and once it's inside a person's head, it's really hard to shake it thought off. As of now, so many ideas and so many characters play inside my head, but I just don't know where to start. I wish I had the help of an experienced writer, but there are only a few of them here in our place. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to settle with these ideas playing along inside my head.

New Banner

I decided to change the banner of my blog, along with the blog title, coz I realized (it took me that long) that my banner had a certain hint of arogance to it. The phrase "stupidity is not tolerated here" is somewhat cruel and kind of portrays me as conceited and very sure that I am not stupid, when in fact I am. It's rather true for most of us, there are times when we say or do stupid things, but because of our conceit and self pride, we don't really accept that the things we do are stupid. The reason why I chose the phrase "Life, Less Serious" is because I wanna loosen up for a change. Try to be more optimistic and not anxious or skeptical. I think that's what all of us need today, to just enjoy life and live it to the fullest. Not that serious, but not that slacky as well.

On a Thursday! As in?

That was the reaction of most of the students in my department when they found out that our Christmas party was scheduled on a Thursday, this Thursday for that matter. Who's the birdbrain who's behind the scheduling? This totally, totally sucks. It's not that we wouldn't enjoy the event that night, it's just that most of us have classes Friday morning, so we can't fully be at party mode when we still have classes to attend to the next day. Huhu!

The Time The World Stops

It started out as any other day. I woke up, ate breakfast, and prepared myself for the sunday rituals that I was about to undergo when I noticed that there was something slightly different, it's like an atmosphere of anticipation and anxiety has engulfed most of the neighborhood. Then it hit me, today was the scheduled fight of boxing superstar Oscar "The Golden Boy" dela Hoya against our very own Manny "The Pacman" Pacquiao. No wonder there was an air of excitement all around our place, everyone was already looking forward to the brawl that was gonna happen later in the morning. Unfortunatley we can't view the whole thing live because we had church, so we would have to do with the delayed telecast. It's really surprising how amidst all the differences that most people in our country have, we always become united everytime Manny Pacquiao has a fight. Sometime I just wish that Manny has a fight everyday, so that this country could be united everyday too, but that would be impossible. But if one really thinks about it, if we were able to be united in a time like this, then we can really do it regardless if Manny Pacquiao has a fight or not. Perhaps it's just in the mentality of each and everyone of us in this country. If we choose to be united, especially in this time of economic crisis and ever increasing prices of comodities, then we absolutely can.

Finally, An update

For the past few days I havn't been able to post anything on this blog. It's not that I don't want to say anything or that I din't have anything else to say, but I was just super duper busy these past days. What with the intramurals and all, then there's also the school stuff that I have to finish before the Christmas break, and so many other stuff that's kept me busy and frantically asking for a release from all the stress. But thankfully I was able to surpass all that and now, I'm writing on my blog again. To all the people who've read this blog and are continually reading it, most especially to my friend Mya, thanks a lot. 'Till next we scribble guys.

It's Been a While

Hello to all the readers of this blog (are there really any?). It has been definitely a while since I last updated, this is due to the horde of requirements, assignments, and all other stuff that's keeping me busy. Along with these things are the constant strains because of our softball practice. Yes, I do play softball, because baseball isn't allowed in the school intramurals, so I just have to contend with the next best thing. Although these things are taking up most of my time and my energy, I do enjoy doing them, and I'm looking forward to a whole week of intramural games. I do wish I can have time to update this blog during that time, and I also hope that I can finish atleast half of the things that I really need to finish before the Christmas break. Well, I guess I'll end this post here. It's probably gonna be a week before I can post another entry, but I'm gonna try my best to squeeze in some time. 'Till next we scribble.

A Change of Mood

I decided to remove my music playlist on this site. I can't stand it when Paramore keeps on bellowing out "That's what you get when you let your heart win..." coz even if it's done in a fastbeat punk-rock genre, it's still actually a really sad song. I'm still contemplating if I'm gonna put another playlist here with another set of songs, probably with a different mood this time.

Spread The Word

ATTENTION all DUMAGUETEÑO/DUMAGUETEÑA or
DUMAGUETE-BASED Bloggers...


Anyone interested in helping Kaakaams put up a Bloggers Society for us?

What she only needs now is a CORE GROUP.

This would really be a fun start at a really great endeavor.

Let's grab this chance to meet peers that we share something in common with.

For further questions, you may check out her blog, or e-mail her at kaakaams@gmail.com or you can email me at nethan2105@gmail.com.

Ocho means 8

Since Kaakaams was kind enough to break the rules of Ricky's blog tagging (Instead of tagging 8 other people, Kaakaams tagged everyone who read her entry), I'm now supposed to be stating 8 random things about myself that some of my friends don't know about (Coz I'm one of those "un" fortunate people who read Kaakaam's entry). So here goes:

"8 WEIRD THINGS YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME"

• I own four dogs with HUMAN sounding names (Jerry, Rap2x, Goldie, and Mojo).



• I eat at FOODNET because of the girls that serve the food, not because of the food.



• I'm secretly addicted to GMA telenovelas.



• I eat spaghetti with a spoon (though i usually do this at home).



• I'm allergic to eggs, chicken, beans, crabs, shrimps, lobsters, shells, and many other seafoods.



• I was a member of the school drama club in high school.



• I can eat a whole piece of roasted chicken on my own.



• I have had at least one crush in all the subjects I enrolled in since I started college.

Here are the tag rules that were supposedly to be followed (before my good friend Kaakaams decided to break 'em) :

1. Each player starts with eight random fact/habits about themselves.


2. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.


3. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their name.


4. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged and to read your blog.

Happy Tagging!





But since Kaakaams decided to break the rules and tagged everyone who read her entry, I'm also gonna tag everyone who ever gets to read this.

Peace

I find it hard to find peace of mind these past few days, normally I'd feel really good and relaxed just by reading a book or eating my favorite chocolate ice cream, but now I can't seem to relax. I'm stressed out because I have so many requirements to submit from the previous semester. Talk about major setbacks, I got an INC in Fine Arts because the teacher lost the VCD of our music video and an INC in Lit 21 for NOT being able to pass a special project (which I thought was optional). Now I'm juggling these stuff along with this semester's requirements and projects and all other stressful stuff. I'd probably be taking a chill-pill any day now, maybe a bottle of Red Horse and a platter of smoking hot sisig would do the trick. Anyone care to join me?

Adjustments

It's basically a new semester and I'm still trying to accustom myself with the change in schedule and the new set of classmates. Though it's only been five days since the start of classes, I'm already feeling that sense of restlessness that I feel every 2nd part of the school year. I do hope that I can recover from this and I can atleast try to excel in my classes, although I seriously doubt if I can.

Classes

It's been a great start of classes so far, though it really puts a drag on my online gaming, but nevertheless I'm trying to adjust myself to the new schedule and the new set of faces that make up that horde called 'my classmates'. Though I don't have that much time for gaming anymore, I can still squeeze in a few hours of the day to check up on things and stuff. I just wish I can manage being an avid RAN player and being a student. I guess all it takes is proper time-management.

2 Weeks Until Sunday

This is the proposed title of the story that I'm currently working on, though it's not yet final. I've always wanted to write, ever since I was little I've have these really strange and interesting stories bottled up in my head, and sometimes I could stay up all night just thinking about these stories. Although I have already thought about "2 WEEKS UNTIL SUNDAY" and how the story will progress, I'm not sure if what I thought of earlier will eventually be included in the story, I mean as of now I already have so many revisions in the plot and the characters that I'm doubting if my original plan would actually push through.

Basically the story is about a couple (boyfriend-girlfriend) who, because of unavoidable circumstances have to separate for 2 whole weeks and without any communication. The story will tackle the lives of the couple and the people around them, how they will survive the 2 weeks and how those 14 days can shape the way they see life and their relationship as a whole.

As of the moment, I'm still trying to piece together a major story setting so that later I can weave in the minute details of the story, but basically all is ship-shape. I hope I can share to you Chapter I by the end of this month, and I would appreciate comments and suggestions from all of you. Thanks a bunch!

'Till next we scribble.

2 Days From Now

Two days from now, classes for the second semester will begin. I earnestly hope that I 'd have the energy to go to school this monday. I'm still contemplating whether I'll go to school or just play RAN the whole day. It's always like this every second half of the school year, it seems that the energy and drive to go to school as all been spent and there are days that I feel that I just wanna give it up and just sleep. But my rational self gets the best of me and I end up going to school even if I don't really want to. I'm guessing it's gonna be like this for another 5 months, up to the finals of the second half of the school year, I just wish I don't get too tired.

New Songs

If you noticed, I changed my playlist and put in songs that are more of the punk rock genre. Hope you guys like it.

At Long Last, I Finished The Enrollment

Classes start Monday, but that's if I have enough energy or the mood to go to school. Hehe

A constant struggle

It has been days since I've last posted an entry, perhaps it's because I haven't found the strength to do so, or perhaps I was just so addicted to RAN Online that I forgot about posting on this blog. As the days passed, I've always been in constant struggle with myself, what I will do, what I will say, whom I will trust, it's always been hard for me to decide as to which course of action will I take regarding studies, love, life and everything else. I guess there are just times in one's life wherein one is faced with the question, "What now?". I've thought about it earnestly, and decided that perhaps I'm just taking things way to seriously, perhaps I should relax a little bit, and try to take things one step at a time. I know that the wait may belong, but I'm sure I'll get there eventually. Well, it's a start of a new semester and perhaps a new chapter in my rather methodical and boring life, but who knows, some surprises just might be lurking around the corner.

Addicted to Ran

If you guys are wondering why I haven't been able to update my blog for a little while, it's because I've spent most of my time playing RAN. I haven't really had the urge to post some new entries because I've been so hooked on the game that I spend hours after hours just playing the wretched game. Actually, I really haven't been able to think of things to write so why bother writing. The fact is I'm still really depressed about my previous entry, and I can't really seem to shake that stressful feeling and that sense of hurt and pain. Maybe that's why I'm trying to distract myself by playing RAN.

Frustrations

Today is by far the most depressing day for me ever since the semester ended. This is not only because of the fact that I havn't seen my dear in almost a week now, but also because today is the day that her ex-boyfriend was supposed to be arriving from the states. I'm not usually the jealous type, but the mere fact that the guy came here just to see her and talk things out with her gives me a really hard time. I know I'm in no position to argue, and neither am I in the position to hold her back if she wants to talk to him, but it just scares me what the outcome of their meeting might be. I knew I should never have given it way to much emotional input, but my relationship with my dear has become so special to me now, that I am willing to do anything just to be able to keep her with me. Though I cannot force her to choose me (since we've only just met) over her ex-boyfriend whom she really cares for but I can try to just be there for her even if all we have left is only friendship. It realy is complicated when you fall for a person who is still in some way attached to her past, you just end up being heart brokened and left with nothing more than just sheer memories of the time you had spent together. Nevertheless, I'm not regretting the decisions I made concerning her, coz' I know for a fact that she loves me too, she just can seem to shake away from her past. I'll contiue to wait, even though it pains me everytime I think about it. I just hope my waiting will not be in vain.

XOXO =(

An Update on Yesterday's Entry

This entry is an update on my most recent entry about a teacher in my school receiving death threats from disgruntled parents. I was able to acquire permission from my teacher (a colleague of the teacher receiving death threats) to use his recent entry on his blog so that I can share in detail what really happened. This entry was posted by The Sandwich Spy, and it goes:

Death Threats for Good Grades

The Sandwich Spy

I’m still debating with myself whether this post should get written. “You be careful, too,” my associate dean told me that Tuesday night when I had frantically texted her and our vice president for academic affairs about a fellow teacher’s deadly predicament.

It was almost midnight, but it felt like an emergency. I told them what happened, and our missives went back and forth in our cellphones. They told me something would be done, but my dread was growing. But I could only imagine the kind of terror my teacher-friend—let’s call her Miss Piñero (not her real name)—was going through: it would be fiercer, I knew, and dark as hell. Are people really capable of this these days? I asked myself. The whole thing reeked of third-rate crime drama, the ones you see on late night cable television on some B channel nobody watches. And yet there it was: the message was clear, and the intention was deadly, and only a fool could mistake that as a joke and pretend all was well in the world.

The associate dean had good reasons to tell us to be careful: our world had suddenly become such a murderous place, where, for a price, death was easy and terrorism now acquired a domestic and more familiar face. It struck me how easy it was for Evil to swiftly become so ordinary, and so cheap. We all suddenly learned that night that anyone’s life was nothing more than a bargain of P3,000 tops.

And according to the police, that sum was even a little generous. In the station, my beleaguered fellow teacher got told, pointblank: “Naay uban mopatay ug tawo mas barato pa ana (You can hire people to kill for even less than that),” as if it was the most normal information to impart.

Which, of course, did not calm the nerves of my fellow teacher. Who would after you get told that life was even cheaper than the most-marked down cellphone?

It was already past midnight, and Miss Piñero had gone to the police station to have the incident “blottered,” and the process was taking too slow. Even spelling out her name for the police officer to write down on the form was too excruciatingly slow.

I wasn’t there when she finally passed out. I wasn’t there when she—already suffering from a form of heart condition—was taken to the hospital and admitted. I wasn’t there when she couldn’t speak, when all she could feel was primal fear, of having been violated. Another friend, who was also a fellow teacher, was there, sending many of us missives through cell phones, the midnight crackling with concern.

The next day, I visited her at the hospital, bringing two books she had requested. She looked both weak and strong: the ordeal she bore the night before was clear enough in the way she reclined on her hospital bed—and yet there was also a fierceness in her eyes that said she would not be defeated.

She told me that the night before—after she had seen me in Café Noriter where I was busy checking papers and she was busy tutoring a bunch of Korean girls—she had gone to church for a bit, then went to the department office to get some student papers to mark.

She had decided to walk home, to do some thinking. And that was when she first felt that something was not right. She felt someone was following her in the darkened street, with only a few halogen lamps, standing far apart from each other, providing garish illumination in the lonely early evening stretch that was Hibbard Avenue. Some years ago, she had been accosted on the same street, her bag snatched by some ruffian with all that month’s salary still inside—and so she had some reasons for concern. But she still decided to walk on, until the feeling of being watched was becoming a little too unbearable.

She quickly remembered that that Tuesday was the final deadline for her classes in _________, a special English-writing course designed for the language needs of a particular college. It was a course she liked because it was a challenge for her, and Miss Piñero was the only one in our department who taught it. She is a kindred spirit—and I share with her and some other teachers a standard of learning English that can be very exacting and demanding. Among many student circles, we are basically known as the “terror teachers.” Not because we throw books at students in the classroom, or shout at them, but only because we do not just pay lip service to the “quality education” that Silliman University boasts about. Our mantra is simple: you get a good grade for a good job, and a good job meant requirements submitted on time that passed a certain criteria for excellence. For some students—many of whom mistakenly believe college is something you just have to cruise through—that demand constitutes classroom terrors. We could only sigh and say, “If you want to be spoonfed, go to a diploma mill. Go to a computer college where downpayment is only P1,000 for tuition.”

Miss Piñero is demanding, yes—but observe the way she holds her classes, and you will see that this is one teacher who takes her job seriously. Her comments and suggestions on every single exercise are detailed and helpful, and her dedication extends beyond the ordinary hours of the day. She told me once, “I demand a lot of my students because when I do my work I demand a lot of myself as well.” We used to joke—our heads shaking in commiseration at the same time—that it was almost unbelievable to have students who would submit a paper clearly copy-pasted from the Internet (including hyperlinks printed in blue), and then complain about getting an F. “I submitted, didn’t I?” they would say. And you have to be gentle in reminding them, “Yes, but we grade you for the quality of your work, not for the act of submission.” Miss Piñero had many students like that. In one particular class, she had constant repeaters who could never seem to get it right. One time, Miss Piñero found the tires of her car punctured clean through by a nail—something clearly done deliberately. Later, she would get the following text message that was meant to taunt her: “So, ma’am, dili na ka kalarga, sa? (Ma’am, just look at the way you can no longer drive.)” She shrugged that message away and went on with her life.

This time, last Tuesday night, it was different. She felt she was being watched. And so she flagged down a tricycle as soon as she could, and arriving home, she found her other cellphone—one meant to receive student messages for instant consultation about class work—vibrating with a new message. Unedited, it read: “we parents decided 2 contrbute 4 u, pls mam kalas na au og mccge ka pnghagbong estudynte or dli imu e.inc, ayw hagbonga o e.inc miski usa sa mga studnts nmu rn, wla me m.himu kung dli mo.amot pra m.wla ka, ur lf only cost 3thou, ma.apil pa gd imu fmly. Mas gas2 pa mn gd p.eskwla kysa pagpatay tawo rn.”

An hour later, another message came: “Try to fail any1 of ur studnts, wer not joking. we just warn u 4 u to be prepared. Also kip quiet, mblis kumalat balita, bka mapa.aga buhay mo nd ur fmly.”

Another hour passed, and the last message came: “By da way, gve ur studnts at least 2.0 in.ordr to pass. Ur vry lucky, we stil gve u a chnce, f u mde a mistake, wer vry sori. Wer on povrty now, got nothn 2 do.”

I will string the death threat in one go, edited this time: “We parents have decided to contribute for somebody to assassinate you. It will only cost us P3,000 for somebody to kill you and your family. We will spend more in tuition if you continue to fail students or give them an INC (incomplete). Do not fail any one of your students. We’re not joking. We just want you to be prepared. Also, keep this quiet because news travels fast, and you will only be inviting death a little early. Give all your students a 2.0 in order to pass. You’re very lucky that we’re giving you this chance. If you make a mistake, we’re very sorry. We’re poor and there is nothing else we can do.”

The tone of the message was clearly serious. That the parts were sent an hour apart meant this was not just some random ravings of a deadline-pressed individual: this was a murderous mind in perfect calculation. It could be a false note. But it could also be true.

It made me mad.

But my fellow teacher, lying on her hospital bed, was philosophical about it: “I can understand their desperation. It is not easy to send somebody to school, only to be rewarded with one failing mark after another. Life is getting hard, and tuitions are getting harder to pay. When you’re desperate, you do whatever you can—even if you have to sink low to get what you want.”

“But poverty doesn’t excuse them to send you death threats like this!” I said. Is getting the grade you want enough in exchange for your soul? I wondered.

Miss Piñero could only smile sadly. Then she said, “What saddens me is that there is only one way to get a good grade without having to kill someone. And that is to study hard. Is studying too much to ask for these days?”

In an age of instant gratification, I guess it is.

And when I left Miss Piñero to go home, I thought that the classroom is largely a misunderstood place. It should be a place of academic give-and-take. A good teacher starts by giving his or her all—although sometimes, bad teachers can happen. But all that perfect classroom dynamics come to naught when students themselves don’t meet the teacher halfway by showing at least a little enthusiasm, or a little effort to learn something. I remember Miss Piñero once telling me, “I had this student who wrote a paper, and he misspelled this particular word. I encircled it, and noted: ‘Check spelling.’ In the next revision, the word remained misspelled. I encircled it again, and noted: ‘Please check spelling.’ And in the very next revision, the word still remained misspelled. This time, I had to check the dictionary to see if it was I who was wrong.” She wasn’t wrong.

The poet Paul Engle used to say, “Even the best teachers can’t make hair grow out of a billiard ball.” It explains a lot of things.

But what if the billiard ball demands to get a passing grade of 2.0, or else will murder you for it? It now becomes a story of how low this society has become.

Before I left the hospital, I told my fellow teacher I was mad. “I want to write about this,” I said. “But I’m also afraid of these morons’ threats. They want you to keep quiet.”

She looked at me and said, “If I keep quiet, they win. I want you to write about this. That way, they know they’re being watched. That way, we tell the world we’re not cowards.” That way, she said, we stood on the principle that quality and standards must not be mocked and be compromised, even with the deadly promise of bullets.

And that is why I’m writing this. I remember something Edmund Burke once wrote: “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” I feel this is true for this given moment of crisis. And at least, by God, I know I’m doing something.

Sillimanians at Their Worst

Nobody is safe, one could take your life just for the price of a beat-up old cellphone.

That is what I learned upon reading the recent entry on my teacher's blog. Apparently a fellow teacher had been receiving death threats just because that teacher always gives students an F or an INC. The sad part about it, I learned upon reading, is that the threats came from the parents. Is this what our society has become? Has crisis really gone through these parents heads that they are willing to resort to violence? And for what? Just so their sons or daughters could have a grade? Are these parents really that desperate? For one thing, if their sons or daughters don't perform well in school, well it's the fault of their stupid and moronic sons and daughters. Why blame it all on the teachers? Are these parents as stupid as their children? Their so-called excuse for hiring someone to supposedly kill the teacher was that it was much cheaper to pay an assassin than to pay the tuition fee. Well, tell that to my parents, who have been struggling hard as they can to pay for my education. I've had setbacks as a student, with grades that were more letters than numbers, but that didn't force my parents to act the way these parents acted. I believe that these people lack character, and that they are opportunistic dumb assess who are willing to hurt someone just to let their children pass. What they don't realize is that these acts don't help their children, but rather these acts ruin them. I mean, let's say the teacher decides to agree and give the students a high grade, the students pass, but did they really? As a student myself, I believe that one passes a subject if one was able to understand it completely and was able to comply with the requirements of that subject. From the looks of things, I'm confident in saying that these students don't even know squat. They're the ones that'll suffer in the long run, and that's what the parents fail to realize.

To think that this incident happened in my school is really saddening. Sillimanians pride themselves with being civilized and educated, but is this the behavior of a supposedly civilized and educated person? I know that ranting about this would definitely put me in a dangerous situation with these desperate parents, but when morality and the reputation of the school are at stake, I don't want to keep quiet and turn a blind eye.

Scared

Today is the schedule for my mom's eye operation, and I'm scared sh*tless at what might be the outcome. The reason why my mom has to have an eye operation is because she has cataract (I'm not exactly sure if this is the correct spelling). She already had an operation on her right eye a few years ago, but it didn't go quite well, and the result was she totally lost sight with her right eye. Now when she went to her doctor (a new one because the first that operated her was wack), the doctor said that now her left eye has cataract and needs to be treated as soon as possible. I just hope that the operation will be successful, so that my mom doesn't have to be worried so much. I'm praying as hard as I can for a positive outcome.

XOXO =)

To Be A Rebound Guy

It's tough, being a rebound guy and all, but I'm not complaining. It's just that sometimes, you can't help to feel jealous about her past. There's also that feeling of fear, now that her past is coming back for her. I just wish that I can take whatever decision she's going to make. I know it's gonna be hard, but I just have to be strong and have faith.

XOXO = (

Hunger

I'm starving, but I don't want to go home yet. It's this addiction to TV sitcoms, I can't seem to fight the urge to watch my favorite sitcoms on the internet. Argghhh!!

Heroes

It's an addiction I tell you. An addiction!

Pushing Daisies

A new addiction. I've included it on the roster of "my most watched TV shoes on the internet". It's a fun and heartwarming story, though it deals with dead people a lot. I'm not gonna give in more details as to NOT be spoiler. Hehe! If you guys want to know more about the series, I suggest you watch it yourselves. Here's the link: http://www.watchtvsitcoms.com/pushingdaisies.php

Hope you guys enjoy watching!



XOXO =)

Addicted to Need For Speed

Can't get over it. I'm so soooo into the Need For Speed craze. I've finished almost all of the Need For Speed versions. From Need For Speed 1 to Need For Speed Most Wanted. I really love that adrenaline rush one feels when playing the game. Now I'm currently enjoying the installment which is Need For Speed Carbon. After this, I have my sights on the next installment of the game, which is Need For Speed Pro Street.

Undergoing MyBlogLog Verification

Sino Ba Talaga si Bob Ong

Hello again guys! It's been quite a while since I last scribbled an entry on this blog, so I wanna make up for lost time (ows?). I recently finished reading two of Bob Ong's books, ABNKKBSNPLAko?! and Bakit Baliktad Magbasa ng Libro ang mga Pilipino (It's obvious I love reading Philippine literature). These are the first two books in which Bob Ong showed his talent and outrageous humor as a writer. An average Filipino can really relate to his brand of humor and his style of writing. But more than his wacky sense of humor, Bob Ong shares to us another thing in his books. He gives us a glimpse at the harsh reality that is in our country today. In his first book, ABNKKBSNPLAko?!, he takes his readers on a journey, back to his schoolboy days. What's fun about it is that if you're a true-blue Filipino and was fortunate (yeah right!) enough to study here in the country in your elementary and high school days, you'd easily relate to what he talks about in the story. But don't think that those who weren't able to study here can't relate to what he's talking about, because the stories that are in the book reflect the things that are happening in our educational system, and basically those who weren't able to experience first hand how it is to be a student in one of the schools here in the country would really learn much about how our educational (idiot-cational) system works. In his second book, Bakit Baliktad Magbasa ng Libro ang mga Pilipino, Bob Ong takes his storytelling a notch higher. In this book, he talks about, in a conscious manner, what most writers would only the talk about sub-consciously. He talks about the Philippine economy, governance, and society as a whole in a way that is blunt yet highly entertaining. Though some parts of the book were taken from his website (it's non-operational now) Bobongpinoy.com, you can easily understand the central point of the book because he easily weaves these ideas and opinions together to form a sort of eye opener for anyone who ever reads the book. I wish everyone can have a chance to read it, because it's really a good book to read for all of us who point with our lips, eat with our bare hands, has a "tabo" in our bathrooms, says "boose" for bus, eat underdeveloped duck eggs (commonly called balut), and call ourselves Filipino. So what are you guys waiting for? Grab a copy of these books at a bookstore near you! Hehe!

XOXO =)

Small Circles Indeed

I just finished reading F. H. Batacan's Smaller and Smaller Circles, and I must say, it is a book that most of us can be proud of. The story setting was cool, the protagonists unconventional, and the overall pacing was fast and exciting. What's also most interesting about it is that it is set in the most unlikely of all places that a serial killer would be lurking in, the very infamous Payatas Dumpsite. You'd be surprised how the author was able to capture the Western style of writing suspense thrillers involving serial killers and forensics yet still retaining a sense of Filipino style of writing. The characters in some parts of the story even spoke in French, which just proves the high level of intelligence the writer has, which would also prove that our new generation of writers have truly evolved and that we are on the verge of new literary ventures. I just hope that in time we can write our own story in the form of CyberPunk. If you don't know what that is, try reading Ghost in the Shell. Well, I guess that's all I can say, atleast for now. I'm still trying to finish other literary works that were created by our very own breed of Filipino writers (Budjette Tan's Trese and Arnold Arre's Ang Mundo ni Andong Agimat). I'm also currently looking for a copy of Arre's Mythology Class and After Eden. So I guess I'll end this post here, and I'll probably be back after I finish reading. 'Till next we scribble.


XOXO =)

Finals

Sorry if I havn't been able to update this blog lately, I've been very very busy with school. What with this week being our finals week, most of us are already stressed out with all the requirements and projects that we need to finish, deadlines we have to meet, and exams we have to study for. What's really getting to my nerves is that our teachers are no where to be found when I want to ask a question. They're the ones that are supposed to help us out right? But most of my teachers become AWOL during the week before finals. It's one of the things that keep my stress levels up. Well, I'd love to do more whining and complaining, but I have this project for Digital Design that I have to finish, curse you JUNGLE STALKER! 'Till next we scribble.


XOXO =)

Re-birth

Wooohoooo! Finally I got a chance to post a new entry. After days of being so busy with schoolwork, I was finally able to squeeze in some time to write on my scribble pad. It's only a couple of weeks 'till final exams and we're all scared sh*tless if we are going to pass our major subjects or not (I DESPERATELY HOPE we can). With all the drama we're encountering and will these schoolwork we're juggling around, I'm really surprised how we were able to manage our already too crowded up schedules. Finals week is really a hassle, but one has to go through it, lest he/she wants to decrease his/her chances of getting a grade. The problem with all this is that an average student, especially an IT student, has to go thrugh several other things aside from the much feared final exams. Most of our teachers, especially "Jungle Stalker", requires a final project for us students, moreover, there's an oral defense of that said project. It's not that I hate making all these things, it's just that, well I hate making all these things. This blog is afterall a medium to express my thoughts and frustrations, so I'm doing just that. Besides, no matter how I rant about it, it still won't change anything, so rather rant about it than be passive, right?
Anyways, it'll probably a few days before I do another entry, have to focus on school stuff first (plurking excluded, hahaha). I guess I'll end this post here, don't have much energy to type, or to think for that matter. Scribble you guys later. 'Till next we meet.


XOXO =)

Heroes Season 3

Weeee! I can't believe this! My all-time favorite series is now on it's third season. Although there are still only two 3rd season episodes that are available for streaming, I don't really mind. All I want is to continue watching this really, and I mean REALLY, cool tv series. To those who are avid HEROES fans, let's continue to watch and wait for what happens next. To those who aren't familiar with it, I suggest that you start watching right now, I mean RIGHT THIS VERY MINUTE! Go grab the nearest laptop or sit in front of the nearest pc and go to WATCHTVSITCOMS.COM/HEROES.PHP to watch all the episodes from Season 1 to 3. Well, I'd love to talk more about this wonderfully amazing (what?) series, but I'm afraid the video (Heroes Season 3 Episode 1) had just finished buffering, so I guess I'll just end this here. 'Till next we scribble, see you guys later.

XOXO =)

(HEROES WATCHING MODE)

"Life" in a hospital

I was at the hospital yesterday because my dear got sick. She was hospitalized Sunday evening and since her mom had already been absent from work for two days, I volunteered that I'd be the one to take care of her while her mom was at the office. I thought that, "Hey, this is not gonna be hard, just a piece of cake." I didn't really know what I got myself into. So here's a little look at my stay in the hospital:

2:00 pm

I arrived at the hospital at around this time, after having finished eating my lunch. Our teacher was absent again so I was able to grab a bite to eat. After arriving at the hospital lobby, I quickly took the elevator to the 3rd floor where my dear was staying. She was inside a ward along with 5 other patients since there wasn't any other private room available. Here are the first things that I observed when I first entered the room:

- The room was full of trash
- The room was badly ventilated
- The room had only one bathroom (6 people were in the room, excluding the one's taking care of them)

- All the people look stressed (the nurses included)
- All the people lacked sleep


There was one patient there, an old lady, who captured my attention. When you first look at her, you'd think that she was a man because her head had already been shaved off. When I inquired about this, the nurse said that the reason why she had short hair was so that she was easier to clean and so that it wouldn't be a hassle when they were taking care of her. Further investigation and "nosy-ing" around lead me to one sad truth, the old lady had been in that hospital for 7 months. She was abandoned by her real family and is now in the care of their former maid. The reason for this abandonment was supposedly because her family was supposed to migrate to the U.S. but her visa was not approved since she was too old to travel. Her family left for the U.S. anyway and she was left to the care of her old maid, with the promise that her family was gonna send some money for expenses. But seven months and a lot of tears later, not even a single peso was sent. One nurse told me that all her hospital bills and her medication is being shouldered by the doctors and nurses in the hospital. Since she has no where left to go (the maid's family are in no better shape than she is), the doctors and nurses decided that she stay in the hospital until her family comes back (or until she dies).

We might ask ourselves what this story has to do with us, us being of the post-modern nature and all. But if you ask me, this story has everything to do with us. What has happened to the family values that was supposedly inherent in the Filipino? Was has happened to the close family relations that we constantly brag about? Is this what our country has become? As I try to imagine what might happen to the old lady in the future, I can't help but think of her family being a bunch of inconsiderate ingrates. I feel sorry for the old lady, but more importantly, I feel sorry for her family, they have been so consumed by their ambition to go abroad that they forgot how important it is to be human. But even so, I know that she is still waiting for them, though their will come a time when she can wait no more, then she will give up. I hope the family realizes their mistake and come back for her, before it's too late.

Tuesday Blues

Today is Tuesday, and just like all the other Tuesdays in the past, this one is sooooo boooooriiinnggg. I woke up at around 9:30 only to find that no one else was in the house. My allowance for the day was left on top of the table, breakfast was already prepared and ready to eat in the kitchen, but there was no other person left in the house. That's the deal with our family, there's only three of us left in the house now. My Dad, my Mom, and I are the only ones that are "living" in the house (well if you exclude the household help). All of my brothers and sisters (there are 6 of us by the way) have gone off to live in different places to find work and provide for their families. Well anyways, so there I was, staring at my breakfast and my allowance with no one, not even a single person to thank for giving me this treatment. It's always been like this since I first started college. Since I'm the youngest of my siblings, all my brothers and sisters had already graduated by the time I was a freshman. I never had the experience of having a big brother or big sister help me crawl through my college my life, but it doesn't bother me though. All that bothers me is the numbing feeling that is brought about by this boring of all days. I can't wait for the clock to hit 12 noon so that I can go to school. Anyways I saw this post at friendster just now, and I think it's really cool. The words are in tagalog, so to those who can't understand well, sorry guys.

Ang Pag-ibig ay parang DotA:

• c Enchantress k b?

-habang lumalayo ako sau, mas masakit..

• c Doom k b?

-pag-anjan ka, mainit paligid ko..

• c Silencer k b?

-kpg anjan ka, natatahimik ako..

• c Beastmaster k b?

-maalaga ka kc..

• c slardar k b?

-kc ms lumalakas tama ko sau..

• c darkterror k b?

-ikaw lng gumagalaw sa mundo ko..

• c razor k b?

- nakukuryente kc puso q sau..

• c nerubian weaver k b?

-naghahabol aq lagi sau..

• c omniknight k b?

-ikaw ang aking Guardian Angel..

• bka naman CREEPs k?

-lagi kasi kitang kasama..

hmm..

• c phantom lancer b?

-cnong pipiliin ko sa inyo?

• c techies b?

-suicide na ako kapag ala ka..

• c leoric b?

-binubuhay mo ulit ako..

• c crystal maiden b?

-kinikilig aq pag ksma k..

• c pudge k b?

-nahuli mo kc puso q..

• c mirana k b?

-dahil sau, napapatalon ako sa saya..

• Frozen Throne o World Tree k b??

-kapag wala ka na, wala ng dahilan

para lumaban pa.. =

Yan Ang Aking Pamaraan

Sa Pag-ibig ng Isang Babae

Dahil Akoy Adik Sa DotA

Not to be undone

Wahaha! I can't believe this, my fourth post for the day. I just finished watching and "indie" (slang for independent) film that was featured in this year's cinemalaya. Our school was lucky enough to negotiate with the Cultural Center of the Philippines to be able to show the movies here in Dumaguete. The first film that was shown tonight was entitled "Endo", springing from the tagalog slang of the words "end of contract". Though it was the main reason why I wasn't able to catch the last bus for home, I have no regrets, coz' the film was really nice. And if I did catch that bus, I wouldn't be writing this entry now.

I'm gonna share to you a little bit more about the film, and I'm also gonna give a critique of the film, it's overal appeal, the storyline, the actors, the script, the whole shebang! So here's a little look at the film entitled "Endo" :

The film basically focuses on the lives and loves of the ubiquitous, but unseen, labor force that consists of our sales clerks, waiters, and others. It centers on the life of Leo (Jason Abalos) whose life is a series of terminable contracts. In short, he's a contractual worker who hops from one job to another, usually for 5-6 months at a time. Having finished only high school, and being forcibly assigned as the family breadwinner, he takes on five month service-oriented jobs, one after another. In comes Tanya(Ina Feleo), a spirited dreamer whose exuberant nature creates a sudden shift in Leo's life. But the question is, will this love affair finally give him a taste of security and permanence?

MY CRITIQUE:

Please note that the following observations are mine, and mine alone. As a sensible person, you shouldn't judge the film based only on my, or anyone else's, point of view. Watch the movie first, before you make hasty judgments.

The Good:
What's good about the movie is that it focuses on the most interesting, yet most ignored classes in the country. It shows of the struggles of a young breadwinner and his topsy-turvy encounters in his life, and the lives of his friends, family, and lovers(he had 2 lovers in the film). Perhaps one factor that set it apart from other films is the fact that the masses, are able to relate to it better. Most young people, especially those living in highly urbanized cities, had probably experienced what the actor had gone through in the film. Another thing that's interesting about it is that it is written in such a way that most of the people would easily understand it. And the situations and different scenes in the film clearly resemble those of the life of an average underpaid, contractual worker, who has to look for a new job every 5-6 months. Storywise, the film was really something to be proud of, though I have some negative comments about it too.

The Bad:
Although the film as overall good, there are certain things that I really couldn't brush off. Like the fact that certain scenes in the film were badly(really harsh) made. Also, some of the actors weren't really into character when giving their lines. I mean, one could really tell that they were just "acting", with no sense of realism in their portrayal of their roles. It's not really the how big the role is, or how many lines or words you utter, it's basically how well you perform your role that counts.

The Ugly:
Amateur actors I can handle, but having supossedly experienced(experienced here in a sense that this wasn't their first time acting) actors show mediocre performances is a real pain to watch. I also detest the poor use of lighting in the film, along with the poor sound and noise adjustments. I think it was pretty much the technical stuff that made the movie weak.

CONCLUSION:

Though the movie was already good, in terms of story and content, it could have been even better if it was masterfully done and technically enhanced. But honestly, we have take into consideration that this film wasn't really made by some big-ass production companies, but rather, this film was created due to the efforts of various individuals who wanted the movie industry to be more than just about box-office hits. Furthermore, I believe that we need more of these types of films to give as a real sense of what is in our society today. Let us not settle for movies that give us giggles, kisses, hugs, though lacking in content. Let us not be mere followers of the romance genre or the american movies, but also of the diverse and spectacular stories that make up most what we popularly call as "Indie Film."

A quick one

I just hijacked this laptop I'm using to write this entry, so I'm gonna make this one quick. I wasn't able to attend my last class(I'm totally dead) because my dear friend was brought to the hospital yesterday and so today I visited her. I stayed there for more than 2 hours, forgetting that I was supposed to have a class at 6 o'clock. Much to my dismay, I only noticed the time when it was already 6:20, which would mean that our class would have started by then and the door would have been closed.

I'd love to write more about my mishaps today but I'm afraid the owner of the laptop is already glaring at me. I'll just scribble some other things tomorrow. Till' next we meet.

XOXO =)


P.S. I'll continue on that lunch trivia probably on my next entry.

Between all the hustle and bustle

So I've gone through most of my day, two more subjects to go and I'm off to watch a movie. Though I'd rather really NOT watch the movie. I mean, who would want to watch a movie when one is required to watch it? Doesn't it give us the hint that the movie is really THAT bad that we have to be required so that someone will watch it? This whole system sucks if you ask me. One more thing I'm worried about is my exam this afternoon, this 3pm to be exact. I'm not really what you can call a model student but I do have the capacity to understand the lessons which are being taught to us, except for this weeks lesson which completely escapes my understanding. I don't really have a problem with mathematical equations and such, but it's as if I'm having a hard time comprehending the lessons we had. Maybe it's because of too much caffeine in my system(blame the coffee?). Or maybe it's because of those many sleepless nights watching Gossip Girl(my secret addiction) when I was supposed to be studying. But whatever the real reason is, I'm not really sure i can pass this exam this afternoon, I'm not even sure if I will take the exam. This is not really that hard for me to decide on since I'm the type of person who easily gets distracted, especially when I'm sitting in front of a computer screen. Ahhh! What am I saying? NO! NO! NO! I need to really focus, I need to psych myself up to take that exam. This is one of the many dilemmas I get when I'm here at school, I constantly need to remind myself of the sacrifices that my parents have done so that I can have a taste of good, quality education(excuse the drama).

LUNCH TRIVIA:
I just finished eating lunch at this local food shop. I'd usually eat there every day, and just like any other day, I didn't think today was gonna be different. I didn't really think something extraordinary was gonna happen. But of all the places (not to mention the time) that my muse comes to me, it had to be in the middle of a very succulent meal. My muse called for me to write about the different eating habits of the people that were in my immediate surroundings during that time that I was eating. I know it's a little bit nosy and not that really good a topic to write about(who'd wanna read about the eating habits of other people? gross!) but hey, that's the purpose of this blog anyway, to write about anything that comes to my mind. So, as you read the next lines that come after this, try to imagine yourself eating in a restaurant, or a food shop, or whichever place where food is sold, and here are the different types of people that you'd probably see:

The Food Addict - He (usually boys have huge appetites) is the type of person who's not contended with one type of viand and one cup of rice. You'd probably see 3 or 4 different types of viands on his tray, not to mention the numerous cups of rice along with the viand, add to the that the large bottle of soft drink or iced tea that comes with the viand and rice. You would probably tell yourself that he's not gonna eat all that food, maybe he has a companion or something, and he's just using one tray to carry the food so as to save the rest of you from "tray depletion", but that was before you saw him sit in a corner and heartily ate all the food that was placed on his tray. Bon appetit!

The Food Hater - She(most often it's a girl, though sometimes boys are like this) is the type of person who eats as if she's gonna have a dance rehearsal after, so the food that you see on her tray would consist only of half a serve of viand, half a serve of rice, and a cup of water. You then ask yourself, is she on diet? But you quickly expel the thought when, upon looking at her closely, you see that she's as thin as a twig. She's the exact opposite of the Food Addict, who eats like there's no tomorrow. The way she eats is a real sight to see as well, with movements that could only be defined as, "an indolent ease that verged on grace", which would mean that she eats really, really, really slowly. With each spoonful she ingests in her mouth, it would be 3-5 minutes before that food is swallowed.

The Dessert Junkie - This guy doesn't really care much about rice and viands, all he craves for is dessert. Weather it be a cold salad, or ice cream, or a float, he doesn't really care. As long as it's either cold, or sweet, it can even be both. He is like the Food Hater, who orders just half a serve of rice and viand except that he orders a whole bunch of dessert. You'd probably want to go to this person and tell him, "Dude, there is such a thing as diabetes", but because your not a nosy person, you brush off the notion and continue eating your own food.


I still have a lot to say about the different persons you see during lunchtime, but since I still have a whole lot of sh*t to do, I'll probably(I say this word a lot) end this post here and continue again some other time. Till' next we meet guys.

XOXO =)

What the F!

Against my own will and better judgment, I came to school very, and I mean very LATE! My class supposedly started around 8 o'clock, which was about the same time that I took a bus for school. That's the problem with living 32km away from one's school, one always end up late. I arrived here at around 8:50, and had I the guts to go inside the classroom even though I was already 50 minutes late, I wouldn't have been able to write this blog. I would probably be inside our classroom right now, listening to our teacher a.k.a "the jungle stalker" talk about circuits and digital latches and all the other stuff, half of which I don't even remember anymore. Sh*t! Add one to my record of absences, which would probably come around to the same number as with my record of tardies, if only our teacher recorded absences and tardies, he doesn't even check the attendance.

Well, anyways, the bus ride that I had on my way here wasn't as bad though. I got to sit next to this really cute girl, who kept smiling at me every time that I would glance at her. The only problem was, I wasn't able to ask for her number. Heck! I wasn't even able to ask for her name. The only conversation we had, if you could call it one, was when she asked me if I could help her close the windows because it was cold and drizzling outside. I, being the gentleman (ows?) that I am, willingly obliged. But after helping her with her so-called "window problem" (the window wasn't really that hard to close) I wasn't able to break the ice and start a decent conversation. It was only later that I realized that, maybe she didn't really need help with the window, maybe she just used that opportunity to probably stir up a conversation, probably. Pardon if I sound really conceited or something, this is my ego talking here, I have nothing to do with this, hehe. So here I am, slowly regretting not being able to open a conversation with a really really really cute girl. AHHHHHH!!
I can't help not to hate myself for being such a "torpe".


I'm in GammaNet right now, writing this entry. For those of you who know where this is, well then good for you. For those of you who don't, GammaNet is located at the second floor of the Portal West Building, Silliman University, DUMAGUETE CITY. If you still don't know where that is, get a map, or better yet check the internet.

I'll probably end this entry right here, at least for now. I still have to study for an exam this afternoon, but I can probably squeeze in some time for another entry, probably later this day. Oh! I almost forgot, I have to go visit my
dear friend who's in the hospital. So it'll probably be a few hours before I write another entry. Well this is where I end, write to you guys later.

XOXO =)

Wheew!

I just finished editing some features of this blog, and I must say it's really hard, yet overly addictive. It's like I can't get enough of adding gadgets, removing widgets, it's crazy. Now, as I have the time to write on this blog, I don't seem to have the energy to do so. This is a dilemma for me, since my purpose of logging on was to write on this blog. Does anything I say make sense? Well, it's kinda hard to think when one is tired, not to mention really really hungry. I seem to have used up the time that I was going to spend writing on the blog doing some editing on the blog's overall appearance. Da**! I knew I should never haved checked out those templates earlier.

The First Day

Huraah! I've created my own blog, finally! After months of hearing my friends and classmates talk about how they love blogging, and after contemplating if I would, sooner or later, create a blog, I finally made a decision. So I quickly sat in front of the PC, opened my internet browser(which ironically has Blogger as it's homepage) and decided to register for an account. A little "typee-typee" and viola! I am now the proud author of my very own blogsite. I must admit it feels really, really good to have a place where one can talk about anything, and anyone, for that matter. I have so many things inside my head right now that if I don't express these thoughts, I fear I will go crazy. So many things can be said, about the society, about school, about love, about life in general. And I can't wait to see what comes popping out of my information storage device I call "my brain". Clearly the person who started this blog thing is a genius.

And now, as I stare at this monitor screen with all those locked-up thoughts rushing to get out, I contemplate on which should I write about first. I guess when you have so much supressed thoughts, it's really hard to figure out which would come first. Sh*t! I didn't realize having to decide WHAT to write can be really taxing, not to mention stressfull. Ok, ok! So before I have a panic-attack and start hyperventilating, I decided I'm just gonna do that hey-I'm-a-writer-I-can't-wait-to-express-my-thoughts thing some other time. I'm probably gonna call it a day, for now...