Disoriented

On the way to school from work, I took the bus where I fell asleep some 20 minutes after boarding it. I was just so tired and so stressed out from all the things that are happening all at once. For one, I'm feeling the pressure to submit all the requirements ASAP because I really need to graduate this summer. Second, I'm no longer happy with my job seeing that there are lots of negative people out there who take pleasure in making people feel bad, not to mention those who resort to backstabbing and conjuring exaggerated stories to make a person look bad.

So that's my situation now. Somehow, going to UP makes me feel better. I had an order of nachos at Foodtrip Strip today. It costs P40 and it's good. (And yes, I promised myself to support this little kiosk since it's the only stall aside from the one at CASAA that has nachos... I think.) Somehow, Mexican food lifts my spirits up.

Upon arriving home, I went straight to sleep. About two hours later, I woke up. For once, it felt as though I were looking at the world from the eyes of a stranger. Everything seemed strange, so unfamiliar. I looked around me, wondering what time it is already. I looked at the window and saw that it's partially dark. I thought to myself, shit, I'm gonna be late for work. Then I remembered my sisters who were supposed to share the bed with me. Waking up on their territory, I thought, where were they? Did they leave home without waking me up? Then it struck me, what day is today? I'm so dead. Feeling weak still, I went back to sleep, telling myself not to worry if ever I were late or whatever.

Minutes later, someone walked into the room. It was my sister and she had just gotten back from work. She told me to move a little to give her some space to sleep on their territory. I obliged, half-awake. Then it dawned on me that what I just experienced a while ago was disorientation. I realized that it was already 6pm. I remembered that, oh yeah, I already got back from work and school. It was a scary feeling. I thought I were transported to another world. (Though I think that would be most welcome at the moment to once again escape from my duties.)

I wonder what causes disorientation. I found some answers here. I think that maybe there are a combination of causes in my case. For instance, I suspect anemia, high anxiety level, forgetfulness, concentration difficulty, and possibly hypoglycemia. Sometimes I think I am working a little too hard. I need to find relaxation soon.

2012 ACLE: Livebox's Screening of "Ang Umaatikabong Buhay ni badong Aguirre"

This afternoon, I rushed to UP thinking that we had class even though I knew it was ACLE day. I shouldn't have come. Before I got to my building, I received a text message from a classmate who told me that there was no class. I proceeded anyway, and borrowed lots of books for a minor paper I will be writing this weekend.

After that, I visited the GT Toyota Auditorium and a man asked me if I were to attend Livebox. Oblivious to ACLE activities for the day, I said no but asked what their ACLE is anyway. He told me there would be a movie screening. After I checked out the library, I entered the venue and was met by a noisy bunch of people. Then it struck me that Livebox is actually a youth-oriented religious organization.

I was able to see a live performance by From the Author. The lead singer was a cute girl. Though she has a very small voice (I couldn't hear the lyrics well from the back), I am impressed at the musical composition.

After that was a movie screening. The title was "Ang Umaatikabong Buhay ni Badong Aguirre". From the title, I thought that maybe this is one of those boring indie films. But I was wrong. Every scene was humorous. The movie, about a man who looks like a bad person but is actually kind-hearted, is a brilliant opus. I can't help thinking about Shrek the whole time. This movie also incorporated many tropes like the police who always come late. The movie also explores the background of hired goons, something unheard of in Pinoy movies. As Josephine Carreon, the lovely director of the film, puts it, goons are only there for the hero of the movie to punch and kick or kill. We don't even know how these goons came to be.

As it turns out, the goons in this movie are gruff-looking guys who are actually kind-hearted. All of them, including Badong, were tricked into the kidnap trade to serve as goons. These goons earned the trust of Princess, the kidnap victim whom they sought to help later on. Towards the end, Badong was shot. He told his newfound friends to escape quickly and just leave him there for the police to arrest. While in prison, he remembered his father telling him about not killing cockroaches. His father's secret was unfortunately lost because he suddenly died of heart attack. But upon seeing a roach in prison, he reflected on this and realized that like a cockroach who is always despised, he must be strong and stay happy.

So I guess my going to UP today is not wasted since I was able to see this wonderful film for free.

No to SOPA and PIPA

Tonight while researching on anything new about Aya Kamiki (as I listen to her albums "CONSTELLATION", "W.H.Y.", and "Ashita no tameni-Forevermore"), I happened to click on Wikipedia and was greeted by this:

Is the U.S. government afraid now of the internet after seeing how this technology brought down dictators in Libya and its surrounding countries? Is it afraid that more protests will be spawned especially with the economic crisis the world is suffering from? Is it afraid to see more enlightened souls who can no longer believe in the government and the principles they supposedly espouse after the Wikileaks scandals?

The internet is a free sphere and it should remain so. With SOPA and PIPA, information on the internet will be restricted. This will result to monopoly by the powerful and the rich (and more often than not, they are evil who are all out for world domination). This means that the small voices which have proliferated the internet since the emergence of blogs and social networking sites will once again lose these voices.

We have already entered the digital age. We have already been accustomed to being exposed to copious information from multiple perspectives. Let us not go back to the time when power is concentrated to a select few.

Philippine Fengshan Temple

The Philippine Fengshan Temple was open to the public late last year. It is one of the projects of the Philippine Nan-An Association. Last October, my father invited me to join the "dian yan" ceremony. Basically, a monk is invited to "make the saints alive". I said yes because it is a rare opportunity to witness such an event, at least for me. At that time, I forgot to bring my camera with me. The ceremony was NOT enjoyable to say the least. Tears welled in the eyes because of the heavy concentration of incense. And then there were loud firecrackers which I hate a lot.

But anyway, I told my dad that if ever he's going to visit the temple, he should let me go with him. Last December, I had my chance. My mom also joined us.

note the intricate designs and the two pillars with dragon designs. My dad says that highly skilled craftsmen were flown from Mainland China for this temple.

the inside of the temple showing ShengGong and ShengMa. Red and gold colors complement each other well and give off a very rich impression

both walls inside the temple are lined up with artworks depicting the story of Shengong.

And I must admit that the one thing I was looking forward to after our visit here was a trip to Cafe France as promised by my father. But we had lunch late in the afternoon.

My mom and I love the grilled chicken salad. I love the pizza best. Really yummy :)

Emoing: It's More Fun in the Ordinary Bus!

The "It's more fun in the Philippines" slogan is very contagious. So tonight I write the most emo lines. Write for example, "It's more fun to emo in an ordinary bus!"


It all started early this week when I happened to get inside a bus which played my favorite songs. One of them was David Pomeranz's "On This Day" which spirited me away to the land of fantasy. As the wind blows through my hair, I close my eyes and savor each word and each melody. This is one of those songs that easily arrests one's heart. The first time I heard this on the radio many years back, I thought to myself, this IS my wedding song. And even at present I still tell myself, this is really really THE wedding song.

And tonight the bus I took played "Out of the Blue" by my favorite band ever, Michael Learns to Rock. Ever since I heard their "Nothing to Lose", I craved for their every song. In highschool, I considered buying original CDs of just two bands and one of them was MLTR. (The other one was Linkin Park.)

Every time I'm inside the bus, I cannot help but think of my love life and the lack thereof. And when there's nice music, all the more do I think of my future love life. I think about supreme happiness and sadness derived from love. I think about the many broken hearts, the reasons why couples break up, the passion of loving someone to the point of breaking... Of these my favorite is the last. Because passion for me is what keeps a person alive amidst the absurdities of life.

So who says taking an ordinary bus is no fun? The speed, the wind, the roar of the motor, and occasionally the nostalgic songs...

A Message 3

"You'll never be brave if you don't get hurt. You'll never learn if you don't have mistakes. And you'll never be successful if you don't encounter failures. Negative results do not mean that God is hard on you. We always start from the ground in order for us to appreciate our way to the top."

It's More Fun in the Philippines?

It's in the frontpage. The new slogan of the Department of Tourism was met by criticisms for its adoption of the 1951 slogan of Switzerland.

The question is, is it really more fun in the Philippines?

Being a citizen of this country for a little more than a score, I would have to say that it depends on where in the Philippines you are in. Having the opportunity to have a month-long trip to a province in the south made me see how beautiful the countryside is. Lots of trees, very few people, fresh foods... And what they say about Filipinos being hospitable and friendly is definitely true.

Being in Metro Manila has its perks because it's the urban center. But it also has many drawbacks. For one, there's the issue of congestion which results in more pollution. These days, I can no longer go outside without covering my nose because of the dust and smoke. Everywhere you go in the metro, you will see garbage. I always am in awe at how indifferent the average Filipino is to his environment and to his fellow Filipinos. There's also the perennially annoying heavy traffic mostly caused by public vehicles who think they own the roads.

Many times I think of going abroad and stay there for the rest of my life, seeing that ours is a hopeless country beset by the same problems we have been contending with for many years now. Many times over we are told that we lack discipline. But knowing this does not amount to anything when not coupled by immediate action. In school, since elementary days we  are taught to care for the environment, but growing up we seem to have forgotten the main reason why we are taught thus. In school, I remind my students to throw their trash in proper trash bins and I am ashamed to learn that a fellow teacher herself does not hesitate to throw food wrappers out to the streets. While on board jeepneys, I am horrified whenever I see parents telling their kids to just throw out candy wrappers and such. I don't see the fun there. Even those who received formal schooling turns out to be uneducated after all. And this, I keep on telling my students--- that true education goes beyond the diploma and high grades, that true education is being a man of the self and a man for others, someone who not only knows how to think but also someone who cares for others. And I do not have to say that in taking care of our environment, we also take care of ourselves.