PORK BARREL - JANET NAPOLES ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS

(Courtesy of RJ Ferrer)

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A letter from Joselito de los Reyes:

Dear Janet,

Hindi ko alam kung makakarating sa iyo itong sulat na ito. Idinaaan ko sa Facebook kasi bente otso ang bahay mo, trenta kung ibibilang pati lower house at senado. Kaya hindi ko alam kung saan ia-address, mahal ang selyo, lalong mahal kung ipapa-LBC ko sa lahat ng bahay mo. Hindi ko rin alam kung mababasa mo ito talaga kasi ako man ang lumagay sa pwesto mo, tiyak hindi ako magbubukas ng FB. Babalik ako sa Friendster.

Kahit nasaan ka man ngayon, kung nasa isang yate sa Celebes Sea palabas ng Pinas o nagpaparetoke ng mukha at katawan sa Bangkok o nagpapatanim ng balbas at bigote sa Tayuman, susulat pa rin ako. Dahil isa ito sa kaya kong gawin habang ngumangata ng sinangag at Reno Liver Spread.

Simple lang naman, sumusulat ako sa iyo kasi, kasi paano ko ba ito papadaliin, kasi hayup ka. Ikaw ngayon ang napagbubuntunan ko kasi habang isinusulat ko ito, naaanggihan ako ng ulan. Hindi ko maipagawa ang bubong ng kapiraso kong barong-barong dito sa Coloong. Kailangan kong lumayo sa mag-iina ko dahil kailangan kong magtrabaho dito at kaltasan ng buwis, mga otso mil kada buwan. Hayup ka. Andaming diaper na mabibili sa otso mil. Andaming gatas. O paracetamol hayup ka.

Gusto kitang makulong sa Manila City Jail. Gusto kitang palusungin sa bahang may ihi ng daga. O sige, tutal sulat ko naman ito kaya masasabi ko ang gusto ko: gusto kitang maghirap nang husto. Gusto kong mabungi ang lahat ang ngipin mo maliban sa isang ngiping bawal bunutin, yung ngipin sa harap. At iyang ngipin mo sa harap, habampanahon sanang kumirot hayup ka.

Hindi mo ito magagawa nang mag-isa. Marami kang kasabwat sa kabuhayan slash kababuyan mo. Bukod sa Kongreso, kasabwat mo ang nagpapalabas ng pera namin sa DBM. Siguradong mayroon sa COA. Tapos iyong mga NGO na nakakapit sa kung saan-saang sangay at Department ng Malakanyang. Kaso, at ito ang maganda sa bayan mo, makakakuha ka ng tala-talaksang magagaling na abogado. Dahil bilyonarya ka, sasaksakan mo ng bayong-bayong na pera namin ang kahit sinong kokontra sa iyo. Lahat. Dahil dito kayo nabuhay ng pamilya mo. Ang manuhol ng pera namin. Ano nga uli ang ibig sabihin ng iginisa sa sariling mantika?

Yung nangupit nang barya-barya ang napaparusahan dito sa bayan mo. Alam mo iyan, kaya bilyon-bilyon ang ninakaw mo. Kaya isang batalyon ang nagtatanggol sa iyo: pulitiko, abogado, huwes, si Korina, mediang nabubuhay sa kalabit-penge, Kongreso. At kami, alam mong darating ang oras na magugutom, uulanin, babahain, at aasa kang makakalimot kami.

Hindi ko naman talaga kayang ipangako na hindi ako makakalimot sa kahayupan mo, ninyo. Mamaya, magba-brownout dahil sa baha. Baka nga hindi ko na rin ito maging istatus sa FB dahil baka ubos na ang load ng internet ko. Poproblemahin ko ang tanghalian at hapunan at makakalimutan kita dahil kailangan kong isalba mula sa baha ang kaunting anik-anik na naipundar ko sa pagtuturo at pagpapatawa o pagtuturo nang nagpapatawa. Samantalang ikaw? Hayup ka.

Wala akong ipapanawagan. “Tawag” ang salitang-ugat ng panawagan (nyemas, hindi ko maialis na maging titser kahit sa oras ng pagsesentimyento ko). May epekto ang tawag sa nakakarinig. Eh bingi kayo di ba? Kaya nga idinaan ko sa sulat dahil sigurado akong nakapagbabasa ka lalo na ng kulay ng pera at nakasulat sa tseke.

Hindi ako mag-aaya sa August 26 sa Luneta. Kasi baka ako mismo, hindi makarating dahil baka nagtatae ako sa kinain kong murang barbeque, baka botsa kasi. Natatakot din kasi ako na baka pakana mo rin ang mangyayari sa Luneta. At pipilitin mong magkagulo. Ano ba namang magpasabog ka ng ilang pillbox na binili ng gangsta mo sa mga lumpen na gangsta sa Baseco sa Tondo at Banaue, Quezon City. Na baka nga sinimulan mo nang magpasabog tulad nung sa Cagayan de Oro, Cotabato, at Greenhills. Tapos dahil sa takot ng mga tao, kakaunti talaga ang dadalo kaya mava-validate mo, ng abogado at kampon mong pulitiko, na wala talagang public clamor para parusahan ka.

Kaya susulat na lang muna ako. Ito ang kaya kong gawin. Kaya hindi muna ako makakalimot. Iuukilkil ko sa sinumang makakabasa at makakarinig sa akin na pwede ba, huwag muna tayong makalimot. May oras at araw kayo. Huwag munang makalimot hanggang dumating ang araw ninyo. Darating ang araw ninyo kapag sinabi at sineryoso na nung nakatira sa Malakanyang, yung tao na laging nag-i-invoke na ako ang boss niya at dapat maglakad ako sa kaniyang tuwid-na-daan, na parusahan kayong makulong sa tunay na kulungan at hindi sa resort na kung tawagin ay St. Luke's o Veterans. At sana, habang nakakulong, kumirot habampanahon ang namamagang ingrown sa hinlalaki at molar teeth mo. Hindi dapat ako nag-iisip ng masama sa kapwa. Sa kapwa. Pero ibang specie ka.

Hindi ako papayag na mag-crash ang Lear Jet mo. O lumubog ang yate mo. Masyadong madaling kamatayan. O baka nga gawin mo pa itong palabas. Tapos mabubuhay ka bilang ibang tao o ibang hayup. Tapos magiging paksa ka na ng mga conspiracy theorist na nagsasabing buhay si Marcos, Michael Jackson, Elvis, John Lennon, Michael Jordan (syet, buhay pa nga pala si MJ, bura-bura). Hayup ka. Ang swerte mo, makakasama mo sila sa alinman sa isla sa Greece o Cyprus.

Pero alam mo yun, at the end of this rainy day, lalangoy ka sa pera namin, papakainin mo ng nakaw ang pamilya mo, at ako, magtsetsek ng exam ng mga estudyante kong kabilin-bilinan kong mabuhay nang parehas, nang patas dahil ang tunay na edukasyon ay hindi lang basta makapasa sa board exam. Ang tunay na edukasyon ay mabuhay nang parehas at makatao.

Saka na muna yung ganap na world peace. Ang mahuli at maparusahan ka kasama ng iyong minions will make this world a better place.

Joselito

Pahabol: sa makakabasa at gustong i-share ito hanggang sa makarating sa Friendster account ni Janet, i-share nyo na. Baka bilhin bigla ni Janet ang Facebook. Yari tayo.

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Forgive me for being a bit vulgar, even sacrilegious, but... LINTEEEE!!!! NGA-A INDI NYO NA LANG PAG-I-SAYLOHA ANG KWARTA HALIN SA PORK BARREL PAKADTO SA EDUCATION, AGRICULTURE, KAG HEALTHCARE, MGA GAGO KAG GAGA KAMO SA GOBYERNO!!!

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As they say nowadays, "MAKIBAKA! H'WAG MAGBABOY!!!"

Good luck, godspeed, God bless

Agosto Beinte-Uno

It won't suffice to honor just one man's death for the sake of "democracy".

Let us honor and not forget the memories of these people, as well as those of other men and women, who had their blood spilled and gave up their lives in genuine service to put an end to that dark period of the Filipino nation's history:

* Sen. Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. (Statesman)

* Dr. Bobby dela Paz & Dr. Johnny Escandor (Medical Doctors)

* Edgar "Edjop" Jopson (Youth Leader)

* Macli-ing Dulag (Kalinga chieftain)

<

Drowning in my own sadness...

You've got to get yourself together...♪
You've got stuck in a moment...♪ 

And now you can't get out of it...♫

Letting go...

Try this exercise. Get something. Anything you can hold or grip. It can be as soft as a handkerchief, or as hard as a brick. Anything rough and dry like a rock from your yard on a sunny day, or slippery and wet like a bar of soap from your bathroom after a shower. Grip it hard. Grip it hard for a long time. Very hard. As hard as you can, as if you cannot let go because your life depends on it.

Now, odds are either your fingers will get fatigued and your hand will loosen its grip (and of course, you'll experience pain if you grip it too hard), or the thing you are holding will slip from your hand (or disintegrate from the force of your grip, especially if it's something like eggs or fruit).

The moral lesson of this is, don't hold on too much to objects or people, especially when it's something temporary like organizational positions in college (or material trends or fads), or someone fleeting like a crush or idol. Don't hold on to things that might be too hard to handle. Things change. So do people. If you don't let go, you'll only weigh yourself down or even hurt yourself. When circumstances for the worse arrive, especially regarding people, you'll not only set yourself back, but also the other person involved.

Too much attachment is never a good thing, especially in my case. Recently though, I have learned to let go of some people and things that I've grown over-attached with. I have to, so that I would no longer have any such delusions of over-familiarity. I must, because if I keep up with being too attached, I'll only suffer emotionally, considering that I admit that I am not an emotionally-stable person due to some traumatic experiences in the past.

Good luck, godspeed, God bless!

Compare and Contrast

ANTICIPATIONS...

Can't wait for these to come out and/or happen

in film...

Dragons, goblins, giant spiders and other nasties...
I'll be keeping my eye out for Beorn the Bear-Guy.

...video games...

Ideology systems, eh? Order or Freedom would be my preference...

The revamped Cultural Victory and Trade Systems still puzzle me, though.

About the New Civs, I can't wait to try playing as the Indonesians under Gajah Mada

Fairy-type, eh? Intriguing.

(Though I still do not get it on how prancing, delicate pixies
can beat the crap out of kick-ass dragons...)

...and I also anticipate that moment of glory at the end of this final year of my undergraduate/college/tertiary education, after all the effort...

"Hindi tayo tumatambay lang para gumradweyt.
At, hindi tayo gumradweyt lamang para tumambay. Hinde!
Kung ayaw man natin mag-apply agad ng trabaho,
ang tawag lamang dito AY PAHINGA!"

...and kon may tiyempo man gid after graduation...

I hope I can finally find "her", whoever she may be... ♥

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Here's to a new academic year! And the first half of my last one. Good luck, godspeed, God bless!

Para sa kilala ko...

Kay daw ginapasan niya gid ang kalibutan...



I know, I call you "Nang" most of the time. However, being the older one, I can only tell you with whatever wisdom I have, to LIGHTEN UP. Daw kabug-at gid daan. Matters of the heart are not the only thing that keeps society, or the world, or human civilization running, you know.

Naagyan ko man 'na. Kag nalampasan ko man. Kag kabalo ko nga kaya mo man. Good luck, godspeed, God bless!

Para sa pagbabago, sana manalo...

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(I should have registered as a voter for the incoming elections. Dang it! :( )

Labor Day post

"Workers of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose, but your chains!"

 -- Karl Marx

"All of these things the worker has done

From tilling the fields to carrying the gun

We've been yoked to the plough since time first began

And always expected to carry the can"

 -- "Workers' Song", performed by Irish folksinger Dick Gaughan

The Manila Odyssey of Pax Florius

Full Title: The Three-Hour* Manila Odyssey of Pax Florius (on foot around the EDSA-Ortigas-Shaw-Mandaluyong area during one Tuesday on the last day of April)

DISCLAIMER: This tale, despite being spiced up with terms suited for epic sagas, is not really so epic. (And the epic terms used to spice up said tale does not at all lessen the mundaneness of this anecdote.) So dear reader, please, instead of wasting your precious time on this anecdote, go open a link, or get a book/magazine/newspaper/other reading material that incites greater interest and relevance. Thank you. (To those persistent on reading this tale, you've been warned...)

And there he was, mustering all of his courage and sanity to do it... (because what in bloody blazes was he thinking?! He's a PWD guy for crying out loud! He won't make it! Something bad might happen to him! He'll get lost!)

It was just him and himself. Who knows what the concrete jungle holds... He steps out of the gate of the apartment complex where he resided with his sister and aunt. There will be perils to be confronted... and there will be spoils for the taking (for the purchasing, actually.).

He walked along sidewalks, traversed pedestrian lanes, sidetracked towards a toy store to purchase a Php200 item, climbed stairs, crossed overpasses, entered doors, until he reached the glistening halls of that [not-so] exotic realm of Shangri-La (the shopping mall, mind you, not the  mythical Himalayan utopia). He walked around... and walked around again... and again... until a National Bookstore branch caught his eye. He swiftly went for the sci-fi section and looks for any book cover with the words "Herbert" and "Dune". There were, but to his dismay, each cost Php300+ and he'd descend into a state of destitution if he dared to spend his measly budget without care. He went for the discount stall. Nothing. Tough luck for him.

And so he departed from Shangri-La, off to another realm (a 7-Eleven branch, actually).  Journeying with hunger and thirst (he woke up kind of late and never had a full meal, save for a pandesal and Cheez Whiz), he was in luck for not blowing his cash on those "Dune" novels (since he already blew 200 pesos on an "item"). Php22 for two hotdog sandwiches is a bargain, after all. So, he also bought a bottle of Smart-C for he was thirsty and his throat was parched. (So dramatic...)

Again, after some walking, he encounters another National Bookstore branch, this time, with a sizable discount stall. Fearing the crushing dismay he would feel if he dared look at the regular book prices, he passed on entering the store premises and instead, went for the discount stalls. As usual, to his dismay, neither "Herbert" nor "Dune" there. He moved along.

He meanders the sidewalk and pavements, walking on and on until his eyes spied the SM Megamall in the distance. He draws near, entering that humongous complex of consumerism (as if he isn't a consumer himself. -_-).  After further exploration (read: wandering) and whatnot inside the shopping mall, he felt his legs tire and evening darkness has descended upon the urban jungle. He sends a call of distress (actually a request for directions) from his sister and aunt. Then, he departs from that colossal complex of buying and selling.

It was a Herculean task for him to relate his comprehension of roadsigns and place names to his experience of actual navigation on foot. How Fortune must've come upon him when upon the dwindling strength of his feet, he stumbled upon a tricycle stop. He sat onboard, informs the driver of their destination, and moved on back to the apartment complex. A ride back home filled him with relief for  his mind (and for his legs).

Thus, the Tale of the Manila Odyssey of Pax Florius on foot, around the EDSA-Ortigas-Shaw-Mandaluyong area, during one Tuesday, on the last day of April ends (thankfully).

[Actually, he just decided to go on foot because, aside from being a bit kuripot/spendthrift, he was saving his money just in case he needed to catch a taxi during the possibility of totally realizing that he was lost somewhere and totally giving up. The "spoils" of his journey? Two hotdog sandwiches and a bottle of Smart-C from 7-Eleven, a strawberry-glazed donut from Go Nuts Donuts, a serving of passionfruit tea nata from one of those hip bubble tea places, and... the mystery item worth Php200: a Guy Fawkes mask. You know, the one worn by V in "V for Vendetta"? Regardless of the leg fatigue, hunger, thirst and expenditures, he was thankful that no peril occurred to him, and that he arrived in one piece. Over all, this is an Odyssey without sirens ('di ba, bawal na ang wangwang?), mythical monsters, heroic acts, glorious triumphs, and other amazing circumstances. I told you it wasn't that relevant nor exciting. -_- ]

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Good luck, godspeed, God bless!

Preparaciones para el viaje

Yo voy a Manila este viernes. Por lo tanto, tengo que empezar a hacer los preparativos de esta noche. Sería la segunda vez que viajamos en avión solo. Viaje feliz para mi, supongo.

Buena suerte, con dios, Dios los bendiga a todos!

Random Quotes...

"Where tillage begins, other arts follow. The farmers therefore are the founders of human civilization."
- Daniel Webster

"Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn."
- The Bible, Deuteronomy, 25:4

"The haft of the arrow had been feathered with one of the eagle's own plumes. We often give our enemies the means of our own destruction."
- Aesop

"So teach us to number our days, so that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."
- The Bible, Psalms, 90:12

"How happy are those whose walls already rise!"
- Virgil

"The meek shall inherit the Earth, but not its mineral rights."
- J. Paul Getty

"Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou?"
- The Bible, Isaiah, 45:9

"He who commands the sea has command of everything."
- Themistocles

"Wisdom and virtue are like the two wheels of a cart."
- Japanese Proverb

"Even brute beasts and wandering birds do not fall into the same traps or nets twice."
- Saint Jerome

"He who destroys a good book kills reason itself."
- John Milton

(Nasubrahan na 'ko hampang Civilization 5. Good luck, godspeed, God bless!)

A reunion of sorts...

Finally, I had a reunion of sorts with my original "grand-daughters", Thea and Jenny. And so, I decided to spend quality time with them. Here are some of the highlights caught on camera...

Trip to memory lane anay sa UNO-R eh...

Channeling Edvard Munch's "The Scream"

Sigh... They sure grow up fast.

Minanol sa vending machine sang ila alma mater.

Thea: (ginkuha ang paper cup with ice sa vending machine)

Me: Thei? I-uli mo guro anay kay waay pa niya ginbu-bo ang drink mo...?

Thea: (dali-dali ginbalik ang paper cup)

A bit later on, we had late lunch at KFC Lacson, then we proceeded to...

FREE CUPCAKES! (For them, kay ako nanglibre.)

Proof that we went there. 

Next itinerary: Balay namon. We decided to take home na lang our cupcakes.

L-R: Akon, kay Jenny, kay Thea.

And to help burn up those calories (especially Jenny's)...

Dance Central mania ang duwa.

Lingaw ko tan-aw sa ila duwa ah.

Wow. They got free dessert AND A FREE WORKOUT SESSION.

Waswas, Jen! WASWAS!

Of course, indi man magpapirde ang isa. Biraha, Thei!

You two smell sweaty. -_-

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I cannot exactly recall how we first met and got along, but I am very thankful for sharing their company with this old geezer trapped in a 21 year-old body that afternoon. Thanks gid sa first batch sang kaapohan ko. I had a blast yesterday and I really, really appreciate it. (Kag salamat kay Jenny for bringing her camera along.)

Good luck, godspeed, God bless us all! 

Compare and Contrast

You are probably familiar with this guy...

Jon Stewart, American political satirist

...who happens to host this television program...

Whoa! And they even managed to guest Peter Dinklage of GoT fame!

 Now, meet his Egyptian counterpart...

Bassem Youssef, political satirist and actual heart surgeon

...who happens to host Egypt's version of "The Daily Show"...

I don't have that much idea of Egyptian politics (except for the fact
that they recently deposed their president in some revolution),
but it's hilarious. (Hurray for subs!)

Considering that things in Egypt are still quite unstable, politically-speaking, Mr. Youssef still manages to pull off punchlines on President Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood...

Also, he manages to guest-star himself on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart"

Apparently, due to his irreverent and critical style of humor, this happens...

Freedom of expression. It's also an issue in Egypt.

And so, somebody takes a stand...

Stewart:"As for the pig thing, come on! If you're gonna insult the Jews, 

you can't go with a kosher animal? 'You're goats?'"

Watching these shows, I can at least get a laugh and another different perspective on current events and issues in the international scene. And if I wanted to get a laugh off sociopolitical issues from a Philippine perspective, I tune in to this...

"Tatlo ang panahon sa Pilipinas: panahon ng tag-init,

panahon ng tag-ulan, at higit sa lahat,

panahon ng ELEKSYON." -- Lourd de Veyra

Freedom of expression is also an issue for Egyptians, as well as for us Filipinos. Youssef himself said, "you know how freedom of the press is like around here. No really, we do have freedom of press. They literally said 'no pencil shall be broken'. And they were right, the pencils are safe despite the TV channels shutting down."

Closing down TV stations is a rare event and one thing I haven't yet witnessed in the Philippines, although it has happened back in Martial Law days. Cybercrime Law? It's still a problem, of course, but the greater problem here is the death rates (not just death threats, mind you) of journalists in the country. I'm pretty sure that with the issue of freedom of expression, names that ring bells are: Ampatuan, Magindanao...

...and this guy, whose tarpaulin I saw at the ukay-ukay
where he was said to have been shot

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Hay, Pilipinas. Democracy kuno. Good luck, godspeed, God bless!

UPDATES

UPDATE 1: Gary Granada concert
I finally got to witness the man behind those Ginebra commercial jingles and seldom-heard (but incredible) acoustic tunes. He was awesome! His voice has the same awesome quality with his recorded tracks. And I never knew that his guitar's head is circular in shape. Like his own head. Hehe. Kidding aside, it's a pity though, that perhaps due to his aging, he said that he already has difficulty with performing vocals. Despite this, he has a teaching job at UP Diliman aside from his sporadic music career, which is quite good for him.

And it's a pity that I forgot to request him to perform this. :(

Anyway, thank you gid kay "Nang" Miloink (Mary Louise) kag Buttercup (Nang Lery) for accompanying me sa concert. :)

UPDATE 2: Palawan Vacation
Went to Palawan for Holy Week vacation together with Nanay, Tatay, and Malem. Particularly, in El Nido and Puerto Princesa. The Palawan experience for me is basically: sunburn, white sand in the singit, piles of sea urchins, more piles of jellyfish, and getting scratched by sharp coastal rocks and corals. Ooh, nasty!
Nonetheless, the nature, the beaches, the Underground River, the food (especially lobster, which I had for the first and second time, I think), the hospitality... very nice indeed. So many beautiful things to see. So brillant and beautiful, to the point that I wished I could gouge my eyes for witnessing too much brillance and beauty of some of those, uh, things. Gahd, this is the problem with being male. (Keep those hormones at bay, kid!)
What was regretful was that we scheduled this vacation during Holy Week that we couldn't visit the other attractions because they were closed.  No crocodile spotting. No visit to Vietnamese restaurant to try chao long or pho (nga gin-recommend pa naman ni Nang Jamie). No extra foodtripping (kay sirado sila for Holy Week).
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that Hagedorn's face is everywhere there! Aside, from Eddie Villanueva and Cynthia Villar, that is. Also saw a poster of Doc Gerry Ortega, an anti-mining activist killed for vague but obvious reasons (if that made any sense).

Picture courtesy of my older sister, Malem.

Thank you, Manang Kim! :3

UPDATE 3: Summer 2013

BAKASYON NAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! 'Nuff said.

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That's all for now, folks! Good luck, godspeed, God bless!

So long, Hugo Chavez (d. March 5, 2013)

"We have never entertained even the slightest idea of a dictatorship. No, we are guerillas, we are not tyrants. We are democrats and we will now demonstrate."

Years of LSS finally put to rest...

The sounds of my childhood... At least I don't have to stay tuned to Bee Friday Madness anymore (as if I still listen to the radio).

Kag Belated Happy Birthday kay Tatay (March 5) kag kay Manong ko Demsen (March 3). Ooh yeah!

Good luck, godspeed, God bless!

21 FOR 21 ON 21: Wish #1

WISH #1: GOOD HEALTH, PRODUCTIVE LIFE, AND MORE BLESSINGS TO COME FOR ME AND MY GOOD FRIENDS, COMRADES AND FAMILY.

* Kabay pa nga indi na maging sip-unon ukon magka-allergy masyado.

* Kabay pa nga magdugay pa ang kabuhi ko para malab-ot ko man ang akon mga matarong nga handum sa kabuhi.

* Kabay pa nga padayon ang bonds and solidarity ko with my good friends, comrades and family.

* Kabay pa nga maayo gid ang lawas ko (bisan imposible gid nga madula completely ang cerebral palsy ko).

* Kabay pa nga magapadayon ang biga-on nga pagdugha sang paminsaron (flow of creative juices and ideas).

* Kabay pa nga puro kaayohan ang maabot indi lang para sa akon, kundi para sa aton tanan.

* Kabay pa nga padayon ako sa pagtapik sa tarung nga prinsipyo sa kabuhi.

* Kabay pa that I live a successful but simple and productive life.

* * * * *

And so, I am now 21. I am now officially and totally legal. Pwede na gid. Pwede na gid ako ka-- 

Uhm, pwede na gid ko ka--

Pwede na! PWEDE NA GID AKO! I CAN NOW--

I CAN NOW... SING A SONG OF CELEBRATION FOR HAVING REACHED 21 YEARS OF EXISTENCE!

Hava nagila, hava nagila, hava nagila venismeha! ♪

LET'S PARTEH!!!

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Happy birthday to meee... ♫

Good luck, godspeed, God bless!

21 FOR 21 ON 21: Wishes #5-2

Sorry for the delayed post. Been busy with GenBuKen affairs during the Sportsfest.

WISH #5: GET ON WITH IT FOR MY CREATIVE WRITING

I'll still continue to write poetry and essays. However...

At the urging of these two literary giants' inspiration...

...I have been brainstorming concepts for this possible series of books I plan to write later on. I don't have any exact story lines for the plot yet, but so far I've been doing some research during my spare time. Momentarily called "Project Imhil", it will be in the high fantasy genre but with a lot more allusions to Philippine Mythology and Filipino History. I gotta polish my story-writing first...

WISH #4: CHANGE PHILIPPINE HISTORY AND USHER IN A RESURGENCE OF FILIPINO CULTURE.

Oh sure, wishful thinking of perhaps playing God and changing a few, but crucial, events in our history can be great. (Like: (1) unleashing an earthquake on the participants of the 1898 Treaty of Paris so that the Philippines wouldn't be sold to those damned Yankee colonizers, (2) letting Bonifacio win the revolt against the Spaniards, (3) sinkng the ships of those pesky Spanish expeditions)

But then, that would make us wear loincloths (bahag),

fend off headhunters from other tribes,

and practice animistic rituals compulsorily TO THIS DAY.

I guess the only thing I (and we) can change is the future. I just wish that we should show more respect and acknowledgement for indigenous culture, though. Our intricate ethnic arts and crafts can equal (or be even greater than) foreign ones.

And our REAL OPM is this awesome.

WISH #3: GENUINE AGRARIAN REFORM AND NATIONALIZED INDUSTRIALIZATION FOR THE COUNTRY I LIVE IN.

Because landlessness, unemployment and poverty are still gaping realities brought about by three things: unequal distribution of wealth, elitist/transnational/foreign agenda, and inherent systemic corruption.

My family from my father's side are small farmers and own a few hectares of land for rice. Though they are fortunate to have their own land to till, government support is not that substantial.  Same thing with other small farmers. (Kag mas kaluluoy gid ang mga waay duta.)

Same thing with the working class in the cities. Anhon mo man ang imo degree sa Engineering, Education kag Medtech kon ang tupa mo man lang, CALL CENTER?! Kag ka-afford man ayhan mag-call center ang mga kargador kag factory worker? Swerte man lang tuod ang makagwa sa Pilipinas, galing kay gaka-brenda[maged] kita tungod sang bren- este, brain drain. :P

Ang hirap ng marami ay sagana ng ilan

Ang nagpapakain, walang laman ang tiyan

Ang nagpapanday ng gusali at lansangan,

maputik ang daan tungo sa dampang tahanan...♫

WISH #2: CHANGE THE SYSTEM

Many decades have passed. Many leaders have come and gone. Still the same social and economic problems. There are some who claim that the foremost solution is to change the individual first, but how can we change the individual, especially other individuals, if the current socioeconomic/political system is preconditioned many of us to get fooled and succumb to their whims?

There are those who claim to bring change if ever they win during the election period. And so they try to come out clean and play nice to everyone who is a potential voter. However, when they are put to power, they tend to succumb to power playing to the point that they are influenced by those already in power who maintain the same old order of things. They are no longer the squeaky clean and nice leaders we thought they were during the campaign period. Thus, things stay the same. Crime, war, corruption, poverty, injustice, suffering, apathy... Same old, same old.

Indeed, changing the individual is also a crucial step to social change, but more important is to change the system. Individuals are imperfect, free and fickle. Try to change each one and there would be a great likelihood that he or she would just ignore you or even deride you. But try to change a system, and people will be more likely to be conditioned to do what is good and proper for themselves and for the system itself.

Of course there are legal and extralegal means. Revolution right away? Not yet, as they tend to get bloody when won, and bloodier when lost. We must first start simple. We can first play by their rules but if they keep playing dirty against us, we have the right and power to drive them away and start playing by our own rules. And it's a game that cannot be played and won overnight. Years, decades or even centuries may pass before we can find that perfect opportunity to win the game. We should take our time, because if we rashly rush, the chance for success might be disrupted.

Change the individual? Ako ang simula bull$#!+? Oh, puh-lease... Society is a collective effort. No particular person and small group should be the focus or center of social attention. Society does not rely on the ego of merely one person or a few people in order to survive. Otherwise, that person or group might become a potential dictatorship while the rest would become cannon-fodder for the wars or sacrificial lambs being herded to the slaughter. The only way for the individual to change is to have the system change the individual.

Thus, the individual must not just change himself or herself. He or she must also change other people in order to change himself or herself. They must change each other. We must change each other. After all, society is not just me OR you OR him OR her OR them OR us. Society is us altogether. We altogether are society. And by changing the system into a better one, we can become better individuals who are part of a better society.

And if the repressive and malevolent continue being makulit with their whims and hidden agendas, well...

Mene, mene, tekel, uprashin...♪

ANG KATULAD MO'Y BABAGSAK DIN! ♫

* * * * *

Daw medyo bug-at gid aw?

Well, good luck, godspeed, God bless! BWAS NAAAAAA! XD

21 FOR 21 ON 21: Wish #6

WISH #6: LEARN THE ART OF PERSEVERANCE.

"Nin" (Perseverance) + "Jutsu" (Art) = "Ninjutsu" (Art of Perseverance)

Need I explain more?

The outfit should be a good start.

And I should learn to persevere more in life. -_-

* * * * *

Good luck, godspeed, God bless. Four days to go.

21 FOR 21 ON 21: Wish #7

WISH #7: LIVE A MONASTIC LIFE (IF #8 DOESN'T COME TRUE)

If I end up being a bachelor for life, I want to be a monk.

No, not that kind of monk.

(It'd be cool, though. HIII-YAH!)

This kind of monk.

I was raised in a Catholic home. My father is an ex-seminarian. My cousin is an ex-seminarian (and currently a Catholic apologist). My late grandma is very religious. I was baptized by the late Bishop Fortich. We have a lot of family friends who are clergy people. Most of all, my elementary yearbook entry states that I wanted to be a priest. And I predict that I won't be having any girlfriend later on.

And if I do find a life partner and get married later on and have a family, when I retire, I will still ask for my family's permission and become a monk. (Especially kon settled naman yah ang mga bata ko kag na-fulfill naman ang akon life goal, 40-50 years from now)

A simple life of Ora et Labora would be a suitable way to spend my twilight years. Prayer and good honest work would make my geriatric years more meaningful. By this time, I've probably accomplished everything I wanted to do (and I could use some spiritual inner peace for my old age later on).

And it would be a good way to atone and repent for my wrong deeds in my younger years.

* * * * *

Six more wishes! Five days to go! Good luck, godspeed, God bless!

21 FOR 21 ON 21: Wish #8

WISH #8: FIND MY MATE* WHEN THE PROPER TIME COMES.

* - Daw sapat lang bah.

Yes, I admit it. Even if I'm that eccentric and [more often] introverted, I am a human being. No man is an island. Social interactions, obladi, obladah... socializing, yadda, yadda, yadda. I also get attracted to the opposite sex. AND YES, PEOPLE WITH CEREBRAL PALSY (like me) HAVE FEELINGS TOO.

And what kind of lady do I want be with? Apparently, she is not Jinri Park. (Hehe! Indi man gid 'ko amo 'na ka-ambisyoso.)

The type of girl that I want to be my life partner would be someone who:
- has good attitudes, social graces, and personal ethics (or morals)
- knows how to be assertive without being too domineering
- knows how to be accommodating without being too submissive
- knows how to be smart and wise without being too highfalutin
- has a healthy sense of humor and an open mind
- can appear (and be) beautiful without trying so hard
- isn't too materialistic and capricious

BOTTOM LINE: I just want to be with A SIMPLE LADY.

If Divine Providence allows it, I wish I could have a girlfriend perhaps six years from now (after I finish graduate school and, perhaps, my PhD). The reason why "six years from now" is that I still have plans for life, like getting a career, and fulfill my life goal of writing and publishing some books. And besides, it's not just practical for my part to date and court and other mushy, lovey-dovey stuff. (Gahd, that makes me sick.)

And lovey-dovey stuff costs money, time, effort, and stress.

It does not mean that I have totally ignored the emotional aspect of my life, though. I too want to meet the girl of my dreams, tell her how much I would do for her good, and hope to gain her acknowledgement, if not her approval. But, since I do not have a career (and a stable, secure life) of my own yet, I can only look and dream of her (whoever she is). After all, I'd rather not waste my time and resources (and hers, as well) over such mushy "romantic" nonsense. We now live in a world where socioeconomic stability is important, and no lady would want to end up with an already physically-challenged guy who is unaccomplished and underprivileged.

Anyway, to the girl of my dreams (kon sin-o ka man), I can wait for you. However, the question is, "Will you wait for me?"

In the meantime, I'll just live a cold and not-to-solitary life while working for a stable and bright future. -_-

Oh, and happy Thursday. I don't believe in that sugar-coated, consumerist crap they call Valentines.

* * * * *

Good luck, godspeed, God bless! NEXT WEEK NA!!!

21 FOR 21 ON 21: Wish #9

WISH #9: BECOME AN IRON CHEF. (OR HAVE A PHILIPPINE EDITION OF IRON CHEF).

WHOSE CUISINE WILL REIGN SUPREME?

When someone asks what the oldest profession is (it's not what you think it is, you naughty-minded blokes), cooking is way older. (Besides, daw waay pa man prostitution sang hunters and gatherers pa lang ang mga tawo?)

I've been watching cooking shows since I was four and I used to play "luto-luto" as a kid. I even remember playing with my older brother and pretend that we have a halo-halo stall (it was actually a box for keeping my toys). Of course, our make-believe halo-halo is actually a cup filled with Duplo blocks (they look like Legos, but only bigger and less likely to choke a toddler).

But, it was this cooking competition show from Japan (and imported by Food Network) that totally converted me into a foodie. The theatrics and dramatic production are awesome, but what drew me to the show most of all is the elevation of cooking from everyday drudgery to high art. And the culinary arts became a spectator sport. Because of this show (and its incarnations in other countries), a new perspective shone upon chefs, that the craft they practice is not just work, but an art and science requiring great creativity and knowledge. Chefs and cooks should be revered and treated with esteem.

And so, I too learned to cook, as a hobby like writing or drawing. Now, it's just instant noodles, eggs, hot dogs, de lata, and tig-ang that I'm good at. I've graduated from those. I can make soup, bake, stir-fry, deep-fry, and more. It's a pity that at the time when my interest in Iron Chef grew, the show already ended its original run way long ago (back in 1998 or 1999). But I never stopped learning to cook and love food, because food cannot be erased from human identity and culture. (And I did not, do not, and will not hesitate to learn to cook despite my cerebral palsy.)

If there are some things I learned from Iron Chef, I learned about the importance of perseverance, that one should not give up when there are people (especially challengers) who are attempting to pull him or her down (like every Iron Chef's predicament). I learned of rising back up when toppled down, because Iron Chefs do not always win. I learned also of the importance of learning and passion in whatever pursuit, because Iron Chefs respect tradition while looking for progress.

And I also learned the importance of making do with what you have.

Can you improvise a dessert kon amu 'ni theme ingredient mo?

Sure, there is Iron Chef America, Iron Chef UK, Iron Chef Thailand, Iron Chef Vietnam, but nothing can ever compare to the original.

\

Ti, san-o pa yah magka-Iron Chef Philippines?

Filipino cuisine is just as diverse, you know.

And they recently "renovated" the Japanese version.

It's a pity that they replaced "Allez Cuisine" with "Good Gastronomy"!

Their original announcer and that quick-talking floor reporter too. ("Fukui-san?")

And, NO MORE BELL PEPPER CHOMPING!!! WHY?!!! 

Earth calling to Philippine TV execs! IF YOU WANT TO RAKE IN RATINGS, BUY THE FRANCHISE OF THIS SHOW FROM FUJI TV! AND DON'T SCREW IT UP! (Tani, GMA7 lang. Kapuso ko daan. Hehe!)

And make sure you get this guy as Chairman!

* * * * *

Oh well. 7 more days to go before 21. Good luck, godspeed, God bless!

...and ALLEZ CUISINE!

21 FOR 21 AT 21: Wish #10

WISH #10: CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS TOGETHER WITH THESE GUYS...

"Our death ray doesn't seem to be working. I'm standing right in it, and I'm not dead yet."

 -- Jamie Hyneman

This being Mythbusters, one myth I'd like to test for confirmation, plausibility or "bustedness" is...

"DO POLITICIANS WITH INTEGRITY WHO ARE FOR GENUINE PUBLIC SERVICE STILL EXIST?"

Now that's a social myth worth proving (or disproving).

Confirmed? Plausible? or Busted?

* * * * *

Eight days to gooo before 21! Woohoo! Good luck, godspeed, God bless!

21 FOR 21 AT 21: Wish #11

WISH #11: GROW A BEARD WHEN I'M OLDER. WAY OLDER.

Because beards are epic.

 

Even God Himself has a beard, they say.

Need I say more?

* * * * *

10 more wishes. Good luck, godspeed, God bless!