Happy Birthday, my baby!
This is the reason why mothers are more devoted to their children than fathers: it is that they suffer more in giving them birth and are more certain that they are their own. - Aristotle
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Find delight in the beauty and happiness of children
Three years ago, June 30th was a Sunday; my husband went to a racetrack for his RC car, that is, we were eagerly waiting for the live feed of the FIFA World Cup Finals between Brazil and Germany, and then suddenly, I had given birth to a little baby boy. And my life had changed since then.
Happy Birthday, my baby!
This is the reason why mothers are more devoted to their children than fathers: it is that they suffer more in giving them birth and are more certain that they are their own. - Aristotle
Happy Birthday, my baby!
This is the reason why mothers are more devoted to their children than fathers: it is that they suffer more in giving them birth and are more certain that they are their own. - Aristotle
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Oh my hands are burning!
Have you ever had that feeling like you were about to combust in excitement? I had never wanted a book so much as this one. I'm all psyched up, as the release date is getting nearer.
Please forgive me if I will suddenly turn into a recluse come July 16th and a few days following that. Pardon me if I'll have my head buried so deeply on the book, or I haven't posted any entries on this site during that period. And for those who plan on borrowing my copy, sorry I don't think I'll part with it in the next six months or until the paperback edition comes out; I am just that selfish and self-absorbed when it comes to Harry Potter.
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Nothing beats the Filipino resiliency
I was watching TFC (nothing compares to the Filipino sense of humor) last weekend and something struck a chord in me: with all the troubles an ordinary Filipino meets throughout his daily grind, he still finds the time to have a MagicMic session with his family and friends at the end of the day.
Imagine living in a country where what you earn in a day isn’t even enough to cover for your family’s daily expenses, where you always get stuck in a traffic jam going to and from work for almost 2 hours, where roads are not well maintained and are flooded even with just a light drizzle, where prices of oil increases almost everyday, where transportation prices can hike up almost 30%, where you would fear meeting a cop as much as meeting a burglar, where politicians don’t keep their promises, pocket the country’s funds, cheat on elections, receive bribery from every crook, and even have the gall to kiss a bishop’s ring. I grew-up in that country and loves that country still, even with all the bad memories and shameful stories it brings.
What happened to the Filipino people that Ninoy Aquino once thought that was “worth dying for”? (Forget about Kris, I’m pretty sure that all the things she had done had kept her father rolling on his grave like a spinning top.) Where’s the Filipino that Rizal and Bonifacio bravely fought and died for?
They are still there waiting for another “messiah” to release them from the bondage of poverty and oppression. More than a hundred years had passed and yet the little brown man is still downtrodden. Three hundred years of Spanish occupation, 50 years of American colonization, 20 years under the Martial Law, and another 20 years of struggling in the claws of a group of jokers, when can the Filipino find its well deserved freedom – freedom from poverty, freedom from tyranny?
I do hope that that will be answered in my lifetime. And while we wait, watch us find the humor in our troubles by watching our sitcoms, listening to our phones’ ringtones and re-mix cd’s of phone conversations. Or better yet, join us in another round of videoke sessions.
A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both. – Dwight D. Eisenhower
Imagine living in a country where what you earn in a day isn’t even enough to cover for your family’s daily expenses, where you always get stuck in a traffic jam going to and from work for almost 2 hours, where roads are not well maintained and are flooded even with just a light drizzle, where prices of oil increases almost everyday, where transportation prices can hike up almost 30%, where you would fear meeting a cop as much as meeting a burglar, where politicians don’t keep their promises, pocket the country’s funds, cheat on elections, receive bribery from every crook, and even have the gall to kiss a bishop’s ring. I grew-up in that country and loves that country still, even with all the bad memories and shameful stories it brings.
What happened to the Filipino people that Ninoy Aquino once thought that was “worth dying for”? (Forget about Kris, I’m pretty sure that all the things she had done had kept her father rolling on his grave like a spinning top.) Where’s the Filipino that Rizal and Bonifacio bravely fought and died for?
They are still there waiting for another “messiah” to release them from the bondage of poverty and oppression. More than a hundred years had passed and yet the little brown man is still downtrodden. Three hundred years of Spanish occupation, 50 years of American colonization, 20 years under the Martial Law, and another 20 years of struggling in the claws of a group of jokers, when can the Filipino find its well deserved freedom – freedom from poverty, freedom from tyranny?
I do hope that that will be answered in my lifetime. And while we wait, watch us find the humor in our troubles by watching our sitcoms, listening to our phones’ ringtones and re-mix cd’s of phone conversations. Or better yet, join us in another round of videoke sessions.
A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both. – Dwight D. Eisenhower
Sunday, June 26, 2005
Words that rang true and glowed like burning coal
I like reading poems, but I love poems that crack me up. I’m going to introduce you to one poet who’s a very good friend of mine. He’s Filipino, obviously, and his writings could make you roll on the floor laughing. We call him Kabayan, and I couldn’t find any other suitable name that fits him to a T.
Here’s a sampling, titled Manok.
For more poems, come and visit his place in the tangled world of the world wide web.
We all write poems; it is simply that poets are the ones who write in words. – John Fowles
Here’s a sampling, titled Manok.
Ang Manok (baw!)
malinamnam kainin masarap na manok
type ng marami lalo na si Niknok
prito ma't pasingaw kahit lasang usok
t'yak ang kasiyahan 'wag lang amoy bulok
dibdib na malaman ang ibig ng iba
ang iba nama'y sebo ng kuyom na paa
ang bitukang isaw 'pagpapalit mo ba?
leeg, atay, hita, p'wet idagdag pa
sa tsiken o' pok kung papipiliin
iwasang mag-'yah-yah' sabihin mo'y tsiken
paka-asahan mo't mag-eenjoy ka rin
lalo't merong sili at toyong kay itim
nais ding isali sa usapang manok
ang nais ng iba'y maitim ang buhok
ke dibdib o puwet kahit amoy bulok
basta nga't matikas at ayos ang lilok
ayyy! 'nong manok yan nasasambit mo ba
huwag pakalayo't sasabungin lang pala
sa maganda ang tindig dito ka pumusta
lalo na't ang palong'y me buhok na hibla
(baw uli)
malinamnam kainin masarap na manok
type ng marami lalo na si Niknok
prito ma't pasingaw kahit lasang usok
t'yak ang kasiyahan 'wag lang amoy bulok
dibdib na malaman ang ibig ng iba
ang iba nama'y sebo ng kuyom na paa
ang bitukang isaw 'pagpapalit mo ba?
leeg, atay, hita, p'wet idagdag pa
sa tsiken o' pok kung papipiliin
iwasang mag-'yah-yah' sabihin mo'y tsiken
paka-asahan mo't mag-eenjoy ka rin
lalo't merong sili at toyong kay itim
nais ding isali sa usapang manok
ang nais ng iba'y maitim ang buhok
ke dibdib o puwet kahit amoy bulok
basta nga't matikas at ayos ang lilok
ayyy! 'nong manok yan nasasambit mo ba
huwag pakalayo't sasabungin lang pala
sa maganda ang tindig dito ka pumusta
lalo na't ang palong'y me buhok na hibla
(baw uli)
For more poems, come and visit his place in the tangled world of the world wide web.
We all write poems; it is simply that poets are the ones who write in words. – John Fowles
Thursday, June 23, 2005
The efficiency of lying and deceiving depends entirely on the clear notion of truth the deceiver wishes to hide
I have finally seen the latest Brad Pitt movie, Mr. & Mrs. Smith. It’s a sexy, action-adventure film that has hit its goal, which is to entertain. I entered the movie house and left my brain at the door, knowing full well what I should expect from this movie.
It started off with a scene of both characters, John (Pitt) and Jane (Angelina Jolie), talking to a marriage counselor, very reminiscent of that other movie I like, The Story of Us. You could see right away the reason their marriage was failing, which explained the hurt and animosity they expressed through out the film. People who have a notion of romanticized marriages may not like what they would see from this film, but married couples could laugh out loud and see themselves being portrayed by these hot Hollywood stars.
The action sequences were good that made my husband grinning and romance was just about right that kept me gushing with glee. Punch lines were delivered perfectly and the soundtrack made it more fun to watch; I especially like the Air Supply hit Making Love Out Of Nothing At All (the scene where it was placed was so damn funny). Watching John and Jane bumping cars reminded me of another old movie, The War of the Roses.
It was a film not made to tug our hearts and keep out minds whirling; it was there for us to enjoy, and I came out smiling, loving it, and wishing there's a sequel.
It started off with a scene of both characters, John (Pitt) and Jane (Angelina Jolie), talking to a marriage counselor, very reminiscent of that other movie I like, The Story of Us. You could see right away the reason their marriage was failing, which explained the hurt and animosity they expressed through out the film. People who have a notion of romanticized marriages may not like what they would see from this film, but married couples could laugh out loud and see themselves being portrayed by these hot Hollywood stars.
The action sequences were good that made my husband grinning and romance was just about right that kept me gushing with glee. Punch lines were delivered perfectly and the soundtrack made it more fun to watch; I especially like the Air Supply hit Making Love Out Of Nothing At All (the scene where it was placed was so damn funny). Watching John and Jane bumping cars reminded me of another old movie, The War of the Roses.
It was a film not made to tug our hearts and keep out minds whirling; it was there for us to enjoy, and I came out smiling, loving it, and wishing there's a sequel.
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