The wrath of a million tears

You see things like this on the news and in the movies. As a setting for a story, a major motion picture, to add a dark color and a sad soundtrack to a blockbuster. But seeing and experiencing things like this happen live, with your own eyes, is quite surreal.

Images that will forever be etched in the collective subconscious of Mega-Manilenos are the photos, videos and live feed of the rage of the storm that was called "Ondoy".

The video of the group who, save one, never made it past the underside of the bridge in Rizal, The countless corpses and overturned cars, the insenstive comments of some "filipina" in Dubai (The term Filipina in quotation as she has obviously not shown that she deserves to be called one),the outpouring of support from the angelic samaritans (some even to the point of sacrificing their own lives), and of course celebrities as well, for ne'er a story be complete without them and they, too, were equally affected.

Soaking in the tearful aftermath, one cannot help but ask "What now?". When everyone has recovered from the fury of the storm, will this just be another memory swept under the rug? Will we just let this be another spectacle in time, through which we survived but did not resolve much like the tragedies of the Superferries and Sulpicios?

This calami-tragedy struck me as more of a grieving, melancholic Mother Nature than an angry one. Baguio in 1990,Mount Pinatubo in 1991, Ozone, The Bocaue Pagoda and other similar tragedies all felt "angry". Those seemed as if the discipinarian in Mother Nature spoke up and screamed "This is what you get for treating me like this". Ondoy's case was much different. It felt as if she just poured out in one day (or a few hours) years worth of tears held back, and every single drop of those tears united in one titanic display of authority.

 We must cuddle up to Mother Nature, show her our love and affection, before she leaves us for good. She might just, so as the late MJ said : "Let's make a better place for you and for me".

The Jobe Issue

Eligibility issues take to the floor once again with this Jobe Nkemakolam issue. Honestly, from the moment I read the first article on it, I knew right away that it was a personal matter. It's a typical case of "mother disliking the daughter's boyfriend". What normally happens in this scenario is that the mother stops at nothing until she gets her way.

So now, because he (Jobe) knocked her daughter up, she exacts revenge by bringing (or trying to) his team down. Today, this superficial issue has been settle when CHED declared him eligible. But what about the deeper issue?

What's to say that this is not an issue of Racism? Because Mr. Nkemakolam does not look like someone she wants for her daughter, the mother goes and does this? I'm not saying that this is the issue, but it could be, considering his physical attributes and the usual superficiality that most people have.

So what now? Now that this issue has been resolved, I doubt it's gonna just die out like that. Mother dearest is probably scheming up another attack. Now this may or may not involve the team, but she's definitely after his head and won't stop until it's on a silver platter.

I wonder if she thinks that her daughter got pregnant because Jobe willed it like Zeus in Ancient Greece?

Super Mario in the Real World

Growing up in the 80s and the 90s, you could not have missed out on the Super Mario Brothers and all the different adaptations, sequels and spinoffs. I found myself learning more and more everyday about the Super Mario World.

 Over time, questions arose such as:

• Who is the older brother? (I heard that Luigi was older, but this was just hearsay)
• Are there two princesses with different names or is it just one?
• What will Bowser do to the princesses? Eat them?

 Also, once you enter into adulthood, you begin to associate some of the images and characters with subliminal meanings. Even before I saw this video, I already thought to myself "Was Mario (or his creator) under the influence of narcotics?".

Playing the game, even just at a novice level, the player experiences mario's different power-ups. The mushroom, for example turns mario "super". The flower gives Mario firepower and the star, renders him invincible.

Back in the real world, "Shrooms" (or Magic Mushrooms) are hallucinogens similar to LSD, in which user experiences an intense appreciation of everyday things, normally taken for granted, and a feeling of having found their "true self" (http://www.guide4living.com/drugabuse/magic-mushrooms-effects.htm).  This altered state of perception could lead you to believe that you are larger or more powerful than you really are, hence the "super" state.
The flower is a slightly more complicated association. Though I cannot recall of any flower as a drug in itself, I know of users who have smoked/puffed pollen much like they smoke pot/marijuana. Lighting them up coulkd be the association of firepower and the flower. Also, the symbol of the narcotic-influenced hippie culture was the flower.

An even more complicated association would be the star and its invincibility. When Mario touches the star, he becomes temporarily invincible and flashes many different colors. Now, in 1938, research scientist Albert Hoffman derived LSD from ergot, a fungus found growing wild on rye and other grasses. Five years later he underwent the first ever LSD trip by mistake while carrying out an experiment in his laboratory. "..I perceived an uninterrupted stream of fantastic pictures, extraordinary shapes with intense kaleidoscopic play of colours." And the world hasn't looked back since. (http://www.guide4living.com/drugabuse/lsd.htm) Aside from the flashing of many colors, it can also alter one's perception, such as appearing invincible, as this is a hallucinogen.

Of course, I still enjoy, my Mario games. I'm not saying that Mario IS an addict, but the association is just funny. I mean it may be possible but so what? it's not like kids who play Mario become drug addicts (well, not because of the game anyway).

The video should provide for a laughtrip. That should give you a natural high.

The Quiet One

There's hardly ever a group of people, where everyone is just as loud and outspoken as the other. Normally, in a group of four or more, there is at least one quiet one. But with the "silence" comes power. Usually, when the silent one speaks, everybody listens.

The voice of the quiet one is often filled with a resonance and charm of churchbells as the ring and reverberate as cherubs in the sky. The messages they bring are simple yet lasting.

Such was the case of our late chairman, Sen. Sotero H. Laurel. I will admit, I never knew him. I never even met him. And yet, he is spoken of in the highest regard by everyone whose lives he has touched. He was not a man of the spotlight, and yet, his very existence has brought about many great things to our people and to our country.

He has left behind a great legacy in Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU), as it makes its way towards its 60th anniversary. Being a bastion of Academic Excellence in the country as its founder,Dr. Jose P. Laurel envisioned, LPU was nurtured and cared for by Sen. Sotero, as he brought Lyceum from Manila to Batangas, Laguna, Makati and Cavite.

Sen. Laurel was also "one of the ‘Magnificent 12’ who voted against the extension of the United States Military Bases" in the Philippines in 1991. Thus, as if to honor him for his participation that nationalistic act, he was taken peacefully in his sleep on the 18th anniversary of that historic moment.

Sen. Laurel was not a politician. He was a public servant. He was an educator. He was not one to take the mic, but when he did, people listened. People, the Filipino people, remember and will remember him for his life and what he did with it.

I cannot help but allude and compare Sen. Teroy (as he was fondly called), to the late, great Beatle George Harrison (as Music is the only way I can express my thoughts well). George Harrison was not as vocal and outspoken as Paul and John. He was not as distinct as Ringo. But when he spoke, people listened. When he cracked a joke, people laughed. And when he played his guitar, people lived.

Hari ng Sablay

Ever find one of those days where everything you do goes wrong?

Hmm.

Food for thought.

Writing 001

People always, always, ask me why I write. And then even more of them say " I (they) can't write". And then they proceed to say "How do I (referring to both me and themselves) write?".

Honestly, the best advice I've ever gotten from anything or anyone is from NIKE : Just Do It.

If you have a thought, let it out. Don't bother with worries about how it'll turn out. Just write it. Who knows if it'll turn out good or not until the pen starts to bleed ink onto paper and draws your thought out in the color of words.

But if you really want direction, or a sense of standard to your work, one latin phrase that I like to always, always remember is:

Dolce et Utile

Which in plainspeak is literally translated as "sweetness and usefulness". But going beyond literal echo, it basically stands for "Entertainment and Function". Your work must be catchy, pleasing and entertaining so that readers will want to read, and yet it must also serve a purpose. For example, this blog entry serves to inform those who want to write about "Why and how they should write".

Without one, the writer's work remains but a paraplegic block of words, going nowhere. I may not be a multi-awarded writer or Palanca poet or Pulitzer Pen Man, but then again, these aren't my own words. I am just echoing a bunch of words I heard and learned from a long time ago. I forgot which teacher taught them to me, but that goes beyond the point. It is the lesson that builds the writer and not the teacher. It is what he/she has learned from the teacher that defines the work and not the person that taught them. Of course, the teachers' efforts do not go uncredited, but the fact that they have taught you well is more than enough credit. The fact that you apply what you learned from them should be credit enough, and you remembering their names and faces come just as a bonus.

So, write not because your teacher said so. Write because there is a thought, an idea, an emotion in your soul that you just cannot fathom, and only the pen can concretize its existence. Write because each drop of ink or each graintrack of lead is a footstep towards building the monument to the teacher with no name.

Spada Again

When things are new, we like to give them a lot of attention. New shoes are worn daily (as much as possible), new toys or video games are played with a lot, and in this case, newfound massage spas are given another try.

Fresh from last week's initial experience, I felt I needed to try some more of their services, so I did. this time, I had me a Coffee body wash with my Reflexology Massage. So up I went to the body wash "shower" and lay down to have my body wash. I wanted to try the Coffee wash as last time I had the Organic one. Surprisingly, this time felt twice as long. I don't know if I was rushed the last time (as the one who washed me was the same one who massaged me) or this time was just more thorough. I felt she made me clean twice over. This, of course, is a good thing, heading on to a massage.

Again, the wash felt like a pre-massage massage. But, this time, the experience was enhanced by the grainy granules that were in the wash solution. It felt as if everything dirty was scrubbed away by the solution and nothing was left but clean little (?) old me. She even managed to knead some parts such as my hands and shoulders to give a preemptive massage.

With the actual massage, though, I'd have to say the first time was much better. Though I liked the massage (being hard, and all), I still think that sometimes I can't handle hard massages as they don't make me relax. That being said, I felt like kneaded bread, but felt de-stressed afterwards, which was why I went in the first place.

For readers out there who would like to know what services they have, I got me a brochure/service list that goes thus:

BODY CARE

1. Spada Massage PHP 300 (1 hr)
2. Swedish Massage
3. Shiatsu Massage
4. Relexology

TRADITIONAL

1. Ventosa + Massage(1.5 hr) PHP 700
2. Guasa + Massage

BODY TREATMENT

1. Dead Sea Salt Scrub PHP 500 (45min)
2. Pure Chocolate Scrub
3. Natural Coffee Scrub

BODY WASH

1. Organic PHP 180 (20min)
2. Coffee
3. Chocolate

FOOT CARE

1. Spada Foot Massage PHP 300 (1hr)
2. Shower PHP 50

Next time I go, I'll probably try something new, just for the heck of it. Maybe a PURE CHOCOLATE SCRUB! Sounds yummy. Ooh Yes. Smack your lips and drool.

The Climb - Miley Cyrus

As a musician (and a vocalist/lyricist), songs are not just pastimes to me. Music, especially songs with lyrics, is a philosophy to me. It is a reflection of philosophical perspectives put into words and enhanced by a melody. Though at times the tune may be simple, the words are so powerful that the song becomes timeless. Artists such as John Lennon, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder and the lot of them have all written some powerful lyrics that have and will forever remain in our souls.

One such example of a powerful song (I decided to write about this while I was surfing the net and reencountered it) is Miley Cyrus' "The Climb". Surely critics may say that she's too mainstream to be philosophical, and others may say she probably didnt write it. Now, I don't know for sure who wrote the song, as I have not done much research on it, but for purposes of identification, her name will remain beside the title.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I watched the movie (as I watch the series), but I will say that I should have waited for it at home instead. That being said, lest we veer away from the topic, I'd have to say the song was the only part of the movie that made it worth going to the cinema. The lyrics of the song, especially the chorus, summarize any endeavor much the way a kung fu master would tell his student.

There’s always going to be another mountain

I’m always going to want to make it move

Always going to be an uphill battle,

Sometimes you going to have to lose,

Ain’t about how fast I get there,

Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side

It’s the climb

Daddies can quote this to their sons, mothers to their daughters. It will sound cheesy, but it doesn't make it any less true. Having lived 28 years on the face of the Earth, I can safely assume that this will remain a constant truth.

Those that have heard the song may probably brush it off as another pop hit by "achy-breaky" Billy Ray's daughter, when I heard it the first time and the whole lot of times, I was awestruck. It hit the spot that people know is there but just can't seem to hit. Plus everything she said prior to it was encapsulated by the last line of the chorus and the manner by which it was sung. So direct. It's the climb. That's it.

No matter how beautiful the prize is, you will never appreciate it as much if you didn't earn it. It will be devoid of value if it is just given to you just like that. But on the flipside, even the smallest prize is treasured when compared to the blood, sweat and tears put out to earn it.

One such example is Graduation. Just because we don't graduate with honors, doesn't mean we don't attend the ceremonies. We attend the ceremonies because we owe it to ourselves and our parents to formally culminate the long, hard journey of education in which we journeyed hand in hand.

So to sum this up, I shall quote the immortal Steven Tyler: Life's a journey, not a destination...It's Amazing.

Prayer Eggs

I guess it's just really part of Filipino nature to be animistic and superstitious, despite our strong catholic faith. It's what makes us unique as a people, that we haven't forgotten what was, but in a sense just adapted to what is, to forge what will be.

One such example is the practice of offering eggs to Sta. Clara for good weather. Now, personally, this goes beyond scientific explanation. Questions arise such as "How does it work, exactly?" or "Is this not just a matter of coincidence?". Honestly, I don't know. I have been boggled by the fact that the eggs have this "magical" characteristic about them.

Case in point: Last week, my boss had one of our staff offer some eggs to Sta. Clara in Katipunan for good weather for Saturday's event (The one with Kjwan, et.al.). Steph (the one sent with eggs) also had an event to handle yesterday. Now, when saturday came, the weather was relatively good. It did not pour until late in the night when most of the program was over.

However, the curios bit was this: Steph's event was yesterday, Sept. 10. We all know that September 9's rains were so hard that a lot of schools suspended classes. Today, as I look out the window, it seems to reflect the same showers. Yet, the whole day yesterday, the sun shone as it does on a regular summer's day.

Coincidence or intercession? I think the fact that it has happened so many times that people actually believe in the practice, justifies that a higher being is in control, and that these "magical" powerful eggs symbolize our prayers offered up to the almighty, with the intercession of Sta. Clara.

The Final Four

Earlier today, due to DLSU's loss against National University, the whole nation found out who this year's final four contenders are. What we don't know as of now, though, is who is playing who. Although, ADMU and FEU are the top 2 teams, they still have to play their final game against each other.

Whoever emerges #1 (not necessarily the victor, due to the quotient system) will play current #4 (UST), while #2 is to play #3 (UE). Ofcourse, I would like the Blue Eagles to keep their top spot all the way to the Finals, but this will prove to be an adrenaline-packed Saturday.

Who's your pick?

Chavit the Victim

I wonder if Mr. Singson (No, he does not deserve to be called Governor) was a Prodigy fan. He seems to have taken their words to heart:

Come play my game (Inhale, Inhale, YOU'RE THE VICTIM!)...

He was the Firestarter during the Erap Trials, claiming to be the victim in the whole mess. Just because he blew the whistle, does that mean his hands are clean? We know that he was party to everything, as he admitted. Just that he didn't get his cut, so he cried "Victim!" and told on the others.

We see a familiar trend with what JDVIII did with Sen. Gordon. The Senate inquiry was meant to clarify issues on ZTE and basically point out that NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW. Everyone at fault gets grilled one way or the other. Just that we (the Filipino People) lack muscle to carry some of the bigger pork to the grill. If only our armed forces would see the light.

So after claiming (more than) his fair share of pats on the back, Chavit is now on the news again. This time, for beating his wife. And he still claims that he is the victim. The wife is battered, and he is the victim. Sure, maybe the wife cheated on him, but she doesn't deserve a beating. Maybe a separation or a lawsuit, but definitely not a beating.

In Chavit's mind he must probably think he can do anything to her because she's at fault. He must think he's Judge Dredd...Judge, Jury and Executioner. oh, and Victim, according to him. That's one hell of a starring role.

Does that mean that one can now kill, burn, maim, strangle, kick, gut or do anything brutal to their partners because adultery (or any other wrong done to them) voids their human rights?

I sure hope he doesn't run in 2010, or we may just have a drop in population.

Moore's Law Complaint

When I got up this morning, I received a funny email from my mom about some fictitious(?) thirty-something complaining about how the youth (i.e. under-thirties) have it made for them. Let me share that "letter" with you and insert my own comments. It goes like this:


When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious diatribes about how hard things were. When they were growing up; what with walking Twenty-five miles to school every morning.... Uphill... barefoot... BOTH waysYadda, yadda, yadda


And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way in hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap like that on my kids about how hard I had it and how easy they've got it!

But now that... I'm over the ripe old age of thirty, I can't help but look around and notice the youth of today.

You've got it so easy! I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a damn Utopia!

And I hate to say it, but you kids today, you don't know how good you've got it!

I mean, when I was a kid we didn't have The Internet. If we wanted to know something, we had to go to the damn library and look it up ourselves, in the card catalogue!! (yeah I had to experience the same thing, learning the Dewey Decimal System and how to read/browse through a card catalogue. Most, if not all, libraries nowadays have an Online Public Access Catalgue, sort of like Google for the library -- Z)

There was no email!! We had to actually write somebody a letter - with a pen! (I had two penpals: One was from North Carolina and the other was from France. It's just not the same nowadays, where you expect to receive email, seconds after sending, and it doesn't come in fancy paper or envelopes. But the speed is good for business, though --Z)

Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the mailbox and it would take, like, a week to get there! Stamps were 10 cents!


Child Protective Services didn't care if our parents beat us. As a matter of fact, the parents of all my friends also had permission to kick our ass! Nowhere was safe!(I still think this is the most effective way to straighten up the youth. Of course, there is an acceptable amount of buttwhipping a child can take. Parents should know that whipping is not mean to beat children to death, but to discipline them [see Psychology: Operant Conditioning(?)] So when you see a bruise on the child's skin, you've done too much---Z)

There were no MP3's or Napsters! If you wanted to steal music, you had to hitchhike to the damn record store and shoplift it yourself!

Or you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio and the DJ would usually talk over the beginning and @#*% it all up! There were no CD players! We had tape decks in our car. We'd play our favorite tape and "eject" it when finished and the tape would come undone. Cause - that's how we rolled, dig? (Mix tapes rocked! except you couldn't control the tracks ---Z)

We didn't have fancy crap like Call Waiting! If you were on the phone and somebody else called they got a busy signal, that's it!

And we didn't have fancy Caller ID either!
When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was! It could be your school, your mom, your boss, your bookie, your drug dealer, a collections agent, you just didn't know!!! You had to pick it up and take your chances, mister! (I guess this is one of the reasons why I'm not really a phone person today, but when the cellphone with all those features came out, I embraced its wonderful technology --- Z)

We didn't have any fancy Sony Playstation video games with high-resolution 3-D graphics! We had the Atari 2600! With games like 'Space Invaders' and 'Asteroids'. Your guy was a little square! You actually had to use your imagination!! And there were no multiple levels or screens, it was just one screen... forever!
And you could never win. The game just kept getting harder and harder and faster and faster until you died! Just like LIFE! (I am one of the few that didn't even have a video game console of my own until PS1. Before that, everything was borrowed or played at a friend's or a cousin's house which in turn led to many many sleepovers. But what's sad is that people don't play board games anymore. And playing cards are now only used for gambling. --- Z)


You had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on! You were screwed when it came to channel surfing! You had to get off your ass and walk over to the TV to change the channel! NO REMOTES!!!(I think the 80s TVs had remotes already, so...yeah --- Z)

There was no Cartoon Network either! You could only get cartoons on Saturday Morning. Do you hear what I'm saying!?! We had to wait ALL WEEK for cartoons, you spoiled little rat-bastards!(We had a rule which Mom strictly implemented : NO TV DURING SCHOOLDAYS/NIGHTS. So we could only really watch on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and on Holidays --- Z)

And we didn't have microwaves, if we wanted to heat something up we had to use the stove! Imagine that!

That's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids today have got it too easy. You're spoiled. You guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes back in 1980 or before!

Regards,
The Over 30 Crowd

============================


So yeah, if you think about it (not too hard), today's youth enjoy the benefits of technology under Moore's Law (Technology is to double every two years, and by 2010, every 72 hours).

Week 1

I'd say this week had little to no productivity.

Weight : 232.7 lbs
Waistline : 45 in.
Weight to ideal : 47.7 lbs

DinoRPG

Anybody who has been bored once in their life (most especially during younger days) has lived a moment of fantasy. Whether about making the game-winning buzzer shot, flying on a magic carpet or defeating hordes of invaders (or being the invader), we have all lived momentary roles in our minds. Sometimes these roles were made real through costume, or a group effort, while most often they were just in our heads, personally real.

With the emergence of technology, such role-playing has not been eradicated, but transformed and adapted. There are now other ways to fantasize, which give the reality factor a boost with greater "visuals". Role-playing games have now been translated into role-playing video games, where we can control the experience gained by our characters as if we are living alternate lives.

I recently encountered one such video game online called DINORPG, in which you buy a pet "dino/beast" from the "store" and you make it undergo missions and level-ups. Though playing the game is free, the game can be really time-consuming. The compromise is that you are given only a certain number of turns per day. You begin with a certain number of turns turns in which you can either move to a different location, fight or rest. Some locations give other options such as "speak to so-and-so" or something.

After the six turns are used up, you are forced to wait for a certain time until your turns are recharged. However this time around, you only get one turn per recharge. But, since each turn gains you experience AND money (not real money, of course), you can buy turns ate the flying shop for 900 coins. Also, if you are a bit more ambitious and rich, you can use real money to buy online money, thru a credit card. But then of course, this move is only for the true DinoRPG addict.

I am currently at level 14, after roughly 3 or 4 months in this.

Bar

In a few hours, a new set of Board Examinees will increase traffic in the Malate area (especially along Vito Cruz) AGAIN.

Good luck to all those who will be taking the bar exams.

Spada Massage

By experience, I have found that the search for the perfect massage is a futile one. This holy grail of a quest is asymptotic at best, yet I still continue to look for different places that are both affordable and exciting.

Right after the Freshmen Day Event at LPU, I drove around looking for one such venue. I decided to try different routes, since I felt like driving and it was still just 9:30, relatively early in the night. At around 10:30, I spotted a well-lit place near the corner of Taft Ave and Gil Puyat (Buendia) called Spada Massage. The place had ample parking (for about 5-6 cars) and had a sign (huge one at that) saying that it was open 24 hours, so I decided to check it out.

I went up to the counter and scanned the list of services. Actually, since I was only interested in having a massage and since I was dead tired from the event, all I could remember were the massages, but there are other services such as body scrubs and the like.

After I chose my massage (I availed of the Reflexology Massage, apparently just a Swedish-Shiatsu Combo), they offered me a body wash. Since I felt like all the stink and grime of Intramuros had stuck to me after a whole day of stress, I took it despite the added cost. To my surprise, the body wash location (upstairs) had a bed in it. It felt like an initial massage already, as the warm water from the shower was run up and down my back.

After the lovely "bath/shower", I was led back downstairs where they had a row of beds side by side, separated by drapes. The music was calmer than elevator music, typical of most massage venues. The light, dim, so as not to keep one awake. The messeuse that was assigned to me was very highly skilled. She had sent me to sleep for almost as long as the massage itself.

Upon realizing I had been asleep for almost an extra hour (though they don't charge you for it), I rushed to settle my account

(300 for massage and 180 for body wash)

. You decide whether it's WELL WORTH IT, or not.

Cheap Jeep

Meet the Jeepney.

Is this really the symbol of Filipinos? are we just really surplus parts of a once classic essential with a pun of a name?

After WWII, surplus parts of GI Jeeps we converted into reverse Jitneys. Where Jitneys have seats facing outwards for easier harvest gathering, the Jeepney has inward facing seets, to accomodate simple modifications to the back of a regular Jeep.

But these "icons" have had little to no evolution since their creation. Apart from the change in colors, designs and borloloys, They've appeared resistant to change. If anything, the culture that most of their drivers have has led to a deterioration in its image. Their countless numbers have clogged up the streets, not to mention their lack of conditioning and maintenance have polluted the air around the Metro and then some. Their drivers spit (but then again a lot of private owners do too), and they swerve in and out of lanes like they own the place.

The worst part is that they just stop anywhere and pick up passengers. Actually this is done by all our Public Utility Vehicles (except the trains, of course, as they are bound to the tracks and stop at designated stations).

So should we really be proud of the jeepney? Proud that at anytime, they cause a standstill in the Metro because we don't give them what they demand? Are we really resistant to change?

Think about it.

New Bee Species

(I heard this from TMZ)

Question : What type of bees produce milk?

Answer : BOO-BEES!

It was funny at the time, but I don't find myself laughing as I type this post. Not as much funny-hangtime as the Fish Spa.

Angry

I still have this feeling of annoyance, ire, madness and volatility lingering. My forehead is cramped from a constant state of contraction. My blood has turned to a thick stew after being slowly and steadily boiled for so long. I've been gritting my teeth so much that my molars are flat and smooth.

Ha.I'm sure you've seen the interview that Mareng Winnie and Arnold Clavio did with Mister Sister Golden Hair.

So Mikey Arroyo wants to play habulan? Agawan base? langit-lupa? Well if anything his whole family is already in "im-im-impyerno". He can't even explain why his net worth ballooned from 5 million to 76 million in 6 years. Of course, all of which saw his mother warming the presidential seat at Malacanang while his daddy reaped the benefits.

He can't even explain that without his lawyer. Even a kindergarten drop-out can spell F-i-s-h-y, Or can try, anyway. Why does his lawyer need to be present? Is he illiterate that he needs Atty. So-and-so to spell everything out for him? It's his own statement of assets and liabilities. Not his lawyers. Unless of course, the lawyer needs to enchant us with a smokescreen of technical legal terms while Mikey runs of like a squid in his ink.He's probably afraid that if the people found out where their money went, they'd turn him into Calamares.

And as if Mikey's not enough...

Joey DVIII does a "paawa effect" with his "Go after Mike Arroyo and not me" claim. Ha. The Senate should go after Mike, Gloria, Mikey,JDV and Son and even "BenBurjer". One bite at a time, Sen. Gordon. Chomp away.

One Step Closer

I thought "sembreak" would last us til about next week. Apparently not, as I was told by Emz this morning "Sir, may pasok na daw tayo mamaya kay Ambassador". I'm glad we started already though. That only means it's on step closer to graduation.

Yes, folks, I am studying. Still. Haha. I'm taking my MA in Foreign Service (briefly changed to International Relations, then reverted). It's my second trimester at LPU (Lyceum of the Philippines University), the bastion of Academic Excellence in Foreign Service, among others. (Naks!)

This, after 7 (yes, seven) lovely years of College. I learned a lot in college. wings soaring free above the hills, flying with the EAGLES in the clear BLUE skies over Katipunan. Yep.

Sometimes, I feel like I've made the wrong decision, sometimes I feel like there's a long way to go, but then I always tell myself "Stop Whining. One Step Closer to Graduation. To that Degree. To the next step". It helps that I have divided the number of units into 6 equal parts, made of 6 units each. Since 2 years sounds a lot better than 42 units (12 classes plus 6 units of thesis), It helped me stay on track.