Samhain (pronounced as sow’en) is the Wiccan New Year and the Feast of the Dead. It is a time to honor and to say goodbye to loved ones who have passed on, especially if their deaths have occurred within the last year.

Samhain, also All Hallow’s Eve, occurs 15 degrees of Scorpio, or November 1, before the winter solstice where the days become shorter and the crops begin to die. Halloween, according to Will and Grace is also known as the Gay Christmas.

Christina Rossetti has 15 published works that talks of death. She must be pretty suicidal.

--

Remember
by Christina Georgina Rossetti
(1830-1894)


Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day


You tell me of our future that you plann'd:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while


And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.


--

The 2002 movie Mr. Deeds that starred Adam Sandler and Winona Ryder was a remake of the 1936 film Mr. Deeds Goes To Town which is about a frustrated greeting card writer guy who suddenly inherits a corporate dynasty when a long lost relative died.

On the 2002 remake, Deeds recited a poem he made to Pam Dawson (Winona) and by the movie’s end, the poem was published by a leading greeting card company all over the world. On the 1936 movie, Longfellow Deeds wrote a letter with his poem in it for Mary Dawson. It’s quite romantic really, here it goes:

--

"I tramped the earth with hopeless beat
Searching in vain for a glimpse of you.
Then heaven thrust you at my very feet--
A lovely angel, too lovely to woo.

My dream has been answered
But my life's just as bleak.
I'm handcuffed and speechless in your presence divine.

For my heart longs to cry out,
If it only could speak,
'I love you, my angel. Be mine. Be mine.'"

- Longfellow Deeds' poem to 'Mary Dawson' in MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN (1936)


--

The full trailer for Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire is now showing in cinemas. THAT is what a film trailer should be. It was fantastic! Or maybe I’m just a biased HP fanatic, I don’t care!

We were pointing at the screen and practically shouting “It’s Mad Eye Moody!”, “Those are the Nymphs!”, “The merfolk!”, “The guys from Durmstrung Academy!”, “That’s Voldemort!”. And throughout the trailer we were “Is that Cho Chang?”, “No that’s Cho”, “No, that’s Ron’s Yule Ball date”, “Which one is Cho?”, “Where’s CHO?”.

Funny how interested we were in finally getting an image of Harry's big crush. Specially when we all know they won't work out. That's not a spoiler, it's been published, go read.

HP-GoF will be showing simultateously in theaters around the world November 14, 2005.

--

I also saw the poster for The Da Vinci Code. It’s still in production but the lead cast are out. Tom Hanks will play Robert Langdon, the Harvard symbologist who got summoned and been suspected for the murder of the Louvre Museum curator. He’s a terrific actor but I was imagining someone like Harrison Ford for the part. If only Tom Hanks could loose that belly.



Audrey Tautou (A Very Long Engagement) plays Sophie Neveu, the French cryptologist who’s also the curator’s grand daughter. I thought Audrey was charming in A Very Long Engagement and she really went on her way just to find out the fate of her on-screen fiancé. I guess she’ll be perfect for the role in DVC.

Ian McKellen (Magneto in X-Men) plays Bishop Aringarosa, the over zealous leader of Opus Dei – the Vatican prelature-slash-cult. I couldn’t think of anyone better to play the part.

I’ve read all of Dan Brown’s thrillers – Digital Fortress, Deception Point and the equally (if not more) thrilling (and controversial) Angels and Demons. He basically has the same twists and turns and pacing and it’s becoming quite predictable. When he changed his plot style a bit, he hit the best-seller list. That was when he wrote The Da Vinci Code.

Columbia Pictures is producing the film adaptation which will be showing May, 2006.


--

I wasn’t using much of Friendster’s alloted picture uploads per month so I thought of posting some of my photography prowess (ha-ha!). In photography, I’ve one motto – You best capture the life and energy of your subjects when you do candid shots.

This one's from last Saturday's Ocean Adventure outing. I desaturated the colors for this post so it doesn’t clash much with the page design.


























--

Here are some facts I’ve learned about Dolphins.

Unlike you or I, dolphins' breathing is not part of their autonomic nervous system (ANS). It's voluntary. It's as though while you were sitting there in front of the computer reading this, you were also having to remember "Breathe in. Ok, breathe out. Now breathe in again. And out."

Dolphins have ears.

Dolphins save people from drowning but do not bring them back to shore.

Dolphins have the largest brain found in any nonhuman animal.

Dolphins sleep with only one half of their brain. Dolphins are conscious breathers. If they should go unconscious they would die. They float at the surface and keep one eye open at all times.

Dolphins enjoy sex as humans do.

Like pigs, a dolphin's orgasm can last for up to 30 minutes.


--

So I did get my vacation. Not my ideal one though because it was a company (free!) outing. Nothing extraordinary – Ocean Adventure, whale and dolphin and sea-lion shows, white sand and lots of fish swimming about the beach. It was raining all week so it was miraculous that the sun was burning us creatures medium rare last Saturday.

My guitar took a heavy beating from my playing, poor thing. Got to have it tuned up real soon (baka magtampo). The reef were so sharp my swim shoes got damaged. It was either my shoes or my toes so I’m still thankful

I swallowed some 5 gallons of saltwater and 2 days after I’m still dehydrated. I told Merlin that it was interesting to know where the whale, dolphin and sea-lion waste went because from what I remember during the tour, the place they were keeping and training the water creatures were just a few blocks right of the beach – and the waves were moving from that place to ours.

~

The day after the outing, Leah, Merlin and I saw Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo. It was mainly because of tradition. I wasn’t expecting a great sequel but I loved the original movie’s concept. It’s the same almost slapstick, silly comedy you’d expect from Happy Madison (the production company owned by Adam Sandler whose earlier films include Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison).

I think the producers were trying to not go over the 90-minute playtime because the scenes and dialogues were paced like that of a 20-second commercial. Some of the script were so corny but at least Rob Shneider (The Animal, Hot Chick) was made for such lines.

As with the first film, there were the usual women-slash-freakuh-nature gigolo patrons. The trailer already showcased the lady with the hole on her throat and the big lady with a creepy longing for a baby of her own. The trailer also showed a gothic girl with vampire fangs but she did not figure on the actual movie.

It was both corny and funny as hell. There’s this lady who, instead of a nose, was born with a male appendage on her face. It gets erect when aroused too! (It’s like pinnochio) When you think about it, she can perform cunnilingus and actual penetration simultaneously. I restrained myself from screaming “She’s not a freak! She’s the lesbian dream lover!”.

Merlin also pointed out the scene where the woman with the penis on her nose tripped and she fell forward to the lady with the hole on her throat. You can guess where the erect nose-phallus went. Gives a bright new meaning to the term “deep throat”.


--

I had to give a consultation to a client yesterday for their freight-tracking system. Apparently, their main business was travel and tours and there were lots of brochures and posters of their rainy season discounted packages. We were there early so I decided to walk to the counter and look around their tours. One of the ladies decided to help out and be friendly.

“Yes sir, tour packages po?”

“Ok, what do you have on promo?” I have no idea if what I said made sense. Thankfully, she figured out what I meant.

“Madami po, eto sir…”, she put 3 photocopied brochures on the glass counter.

“Ok. Kailangan ko ata ng bakasyon eh...”, trying to sound as congenial as possible.

“Ah, sa <location> po, or sa <location>… or Palawan, may mountain hike, monkey trail walk and climbing...”

Sabi ko bakasyon, hindi pagod. I wanted to tell her but I figured maybe a lot of people do see climbing, walking, running, over-stretching muscles and sweating about as a good vacation activity.

Not for me it isn’t! If I say I want a vacation, I’m looking forward to playing in the sand, listening to mp3s while sipping some lemonade, relaxing on the poolside and do some people-watching and sleeping all day.

I’ve had officemates going out for a vacation to “relieve themselves from stress” but on the location, all they do is much more stressful stuff. They end up going to work after the weekend with huge eyebags, sore muscles and with only 2 hours sleep. They end up only in being underproductive.

Whatever happened to basking in the sunlight, getting full-body massages, eating lotsa steaks and salads, basically pigging out, getting great bazaar deals and having daytime sex? If my vacation composed of all those, I’m good to head for 3 months non-stop workload. Now that’s my kinda escapade.


--

I’ve just read Emyn’s post on blog-writing and I think I’ll share them and more on another entry. Meanwhile, some friends were asking and telling me how they wish they could write poetry like the ones I do. Really, I appreciate it much that they like what I write and I just tell them they could write poetry too. It doesn’t take much talent in my opinion. It takes experience and emotions. So you’re not perfect in English grammar, then write in Tagalog.

As Emyn has put it, words are just “containers” – of emotions, experiences etc. No matter how good a writer is, if s/he hasn’t got much experience on what s/he is writing about, the piece will not work out.

While I’m not exactly the guy you could ask on how to write better poetry, here are some tips I picked up along the way from other writers as well.

The words you use need not be too deep. People don’t always have a thesaurus in hand incase they get to read a poem full of words that not even Einstein can figure out. None of the poems I write require dictionaries. I want what I write to be easily relatable and don’t have that “superior intellectuals only” label on them.

Rhyme. Poems need not rhyme as we all know but it just reads easier when words rhyme. At least try to rhyme. Even if only the last few lines on the poem rhyme, that will make the whole poem feel much like a poem. Kids only consider it a real poem if there are words that rhyme and I'd like kids to appreciate what I write too. Rhymes carry the words through an invisible melody that the readers “dance along” with. Just keep away from the “love – in the form of a dove – from above” lines please!

Experience is necessary. Even if you use big words, if the emotions aren’t there on the whole poem, it will not work out. If you use simple words but everything you felt and experienced flow through the other words, the poem is very much relatable. There’s no need in trying too hard.

Abide by the KISS rule – Keep It Short and Simple. Or Keep It Simple Stupid. Unless you really have much to say that will help the overall poem, such as letting the readers know you’ve been through a lot of stuff or letting the readers feel the same experience, then the poem can be as long as it needs to be. Try and eliminate as much words as you can until you get to the point where if you remove a word, the essence of the sentence will not be the same.

Don’t be too critical of your work. I’m never critical of others’ poems. A person’s poem is probably something they want to share. The effort enough merits appreciation. Love your own.

--

This article from About.com explains more about combining the technical aspects of poetry and the emotional aspects.
(http://teenwriting.about.com/cs/writingpoetry/a/HeartOfPoetry.htm?terms=writing+poetry)


--

Kiss Me Goodbye


Don't look back
When you head for the door
Because if you do
I'll only hurt more

Don't try to explain
Don't tell me why
If you're going to leave
Just tell me goodbye

I love you, I'll miss you
But I can make it alone
For the last time I'll kiss you
I can still hold my own

You see, I can't hold you down
You've got to be free
And I can't make you love
Nobody but me

So don't look back
I'll tell you again
Just kiss me goodbye
If this is the end

--
This year is a year full of parting of ways for the Insomniac. I've been able to achieve the goal I've set for the department I'm handling but it was short lived. Two of my teammates needed to leave for their own reasons and I've felt helpless ever since. I've managed to fill in the missing positions in no time but my department will never be the same (perhaps for now at least). Leslie is also resigning end of this month for personal matters. Leslie and I were the first regulars on the production department and I've seen her go through relationships, get married and bring about her first baby - now she'll be gone too. One of the hardest workers my department has seen will also be leaving end of the month.

They say though, that when an MRT train leaves, another train will come along. Merlin, my bestfriend since time, is now working with the company although on another department. That's a good deal enough.

I've seen a lot of relationships falling apart, friendships broken. My bestfriend is going through his post-breakup recovery phase, Sigrid flew abroad and her department was left in chaos for a while. She and her bestfriend had a falling out too but I think they’ll be able to work it out.

Time will do the healing as I always say. Lotsa doors closed this year, perhaps lotsa doors will open next year.

I just go on with it as it goes and get back up with grace.


--

Forget Him


Forget his name, forget his face
Forget his kiss and warm embrace
Forget his love that once was true
Remember now, there's someone new


Forget the love that you once shared
Forget the fact that he once cared
Forget the times you spent together
Remember now, he's gone forever


Forget you cried all night long
Forget him when they play your song
Forget how close you two once were
Remember now, he has chosen her


Forget you memorized his walk
Forget the way he used to talk
Forget the times he was mad
Remember now, he's happy not sad


Forget the thrill when he'd pass by
Forget the times he made you cry
Forget the way he spoke your name
Remember now, things aren't the same


Forget that time went so fast
Forget them all, they're in the past
Forget the dreams that can't come true
Forget him, girl, for he has forgotten you.


--

I love poems that asks questions. Questions that seem to have no answers.

When love fails, some people immediately look for places to put the blame. Even more unfortunate, some people find it easier to blame themselves. In truth, putting the blame anywhere else neither heals the pain or answers the questions. In short, 'Get a grip, get on with your life and stop asking!'

The copy of the poem below I have with me has some corrected phrases and some additional lines written in pencil. I took the liberty of re-typing the lines as they were without the corrections to preserve it and added the 5th block in which were still in pencil. I took out the last two blocks because they seemed like they were not yet ended yet but the poem below is good as whole...

--

Was It Right?
Tina Alano

Was it right for me
to talk to you
and know you didn't care?

Was it right for me
to feel this way
the love I coud not bear?

Was it right for me
to wait for you
and know that you won't come back?

Was it right for me
to regret the love
the love I gave had lack?

Was it right for me to open my arms
to a stranger I had not known?
Was it right for me to open my heart
the love I had now shown?

Was it right for me
to think of you
and love you the way I do?

Was it right for me
to wish you'd want me too?


--

I saw Into the Blue for two reasons – Jessica Alba and the underwater scenes. That’s exactly what I got at least. Never mind the dragging plot; I wasn’t expecting compelling twists and climaxes to begin with.

Into the Blue is three genres of movies rolled into 2 hours of clear saltwater. It’s a love story, a treasure-hunt adventure and Jaws. Paul Walker (The Fast and the Furious) plays Jared - a diving instructor-slash-treasure finder. Jared’s girlfriend is Sam (Jessica Alba - Dark Angel) and they live in a trailer. Jared and Sam’s friend Bryce comes over from the big city with Amanda – the blonde Bryce just picked up from a club the other night.

The foursome goes diving for some shrunken pirate ship treasure and discovers a plane loaded with multi-million-worth cocaine. Soon after, blinded by the money, Bryce betrays Jared and decides to sell the cocaine. That’s when they get entangled with the drug lords.

The scenes were great because there were lots of underwater acts – like 80 percent of the film was shot underwater. Unfortunately it got really dragging with a lot of stuff happening that the director could’ve done away with. The character build-up was working well for Sam and Jared whose love for each other is supposed to be worth more than the millions of dollars they’ve found on the plane. Hmmm, I think I can go sell out my soul to the devil for a couple million bucks really. But anyway, somehow the directors found a way to keep the audience from falling asleep – whenever it gets boring and uninteresting; they focus on Jessica Alba’s tight butt-cheeks in bikinis. Works like a charm! Sometimes they throw in a shark attack, some blood and a missing limb.

Jared is portrayed much like the one Paul Walker played on The Fast and the Furious. He’s indecisive and gullible. Sam is the girl who doesn’t care about money and won’t mind living in a trailer as long as they’ve got love. Oh yeah, right, AND PIGS FLY.

Seriously, if you’ve got looks like her, you’d want to get pampered a lot because the women who aren’t interested in money and are happy enough with love are just plain ugly.

--

"Ngalang Pinoy: A Primer on Filipino Wordplay", published by Tahanan Books just went out last month and I'm rolling my ass off laughing at the book's content. Selected and edited by Neni Sta. Romana Cruz (Author of: You Know You're Filipino When), the book is a collection of hilarious business names and signs found all over the country. Oh yeah, this one has pictures of the shops even!

For a sample dose, there is a kiosk that sells kikiam, siomai and fishballs - the name of the shop: Kik-Mai-Bols.

Then there's this canteen named Ka-me Mura. Just across that one is another eatery signed Mas Mu-ra Ka-mi. How about the laundry place called Cinna Von and the car wash shop BayWash?

This is a laugh-trip book plain and simple. Good to have if you're a moron at entertaining guests at your house.

--

I'll try and find time to share those stuff online but for the meantime, it made me remember another publication on moronic signages. Whoever made these signs below surely defeats their purpose.

• From a sign used by the Metro Vigan Water District: "Thank you for the inconvenience."
  .
• McDonald's - "Sarap ng breakfast, maghapon na!"
  .
• Gin-gin's Tailoring and DressShop Accepts Maid-to-Order
  .
• On a wall: "Bawal magtapon ng Basora at Diapir dito!"
  .
• Photocopier in Diliman: "PAKOPYA NI EDGAR"
  .
• NO TILIBABAD (bawal daw tumili sa phone??)
  .
• On a jeepney: "P7.50 ang pamasahe kahit dyan lang"
  .
• Wanted: OFFICE PERSONALS
  .
• On a lot: "Tresspassers will be shot! Survivors will be... SHOT AGAIN!"
  .
• "Wanted: Boy waitress" - on Baguio restaurant
  .
• "Sala sit for sale" - on a free ads paper
  .
• Warning: Men working a head.
  .
• "National Bookstore: The Country's National Bookstore" - just plain moronic
  .
• Malolos, Bulacan: ICE FOR HERE
  .
• On a construction site - "Erection in progress" - nice!
  .
• On a wall: "Bawal umehe deto"
  .
• OUR PUBLIC BAR IS PRESENTLY NOT OPEN BECAUSE IT IS CLOSED - thanks for explaining...
  .
• "WE MAKE APHOLSTERY"
  .
• "NO ID NO ENTER"
  .
• "None ID... Nothing Entry"
  .
• BF Homes: "Ice 4 sale.
  also available Drinking Meneral Water and Water thingy.." - What they really meant was water dispenser.
  .
• Champion to: "DOGLETS for sale"
  .
• Eatery: "LOGAW BBQ at LUMI for 20 pesos"
  .
• Sa jeepney: God's Provide
  .
• On a shop: "We fix deepwills"
  .
• On the jeepneys: "BATAK MO, STUFF KO"
  .
• Tarlac: "We make antique furniture"
  .
• Boracay: "henna tatoo & body penting"
  .
• On an Edsa beer joint: "Tonight's SURPRISED Guest..."
  .
• WANTED: Cook, Yaya, Baby Sister
  .
• Los Banos: "shoe reaper"
  .
• BF Homes: "NO PARK" - parang kulang ata toh??
  .
• Welcome Rotonda:
  ITAAS ANG SAHOD>>>
  PANTY IBABA>>
  .
• On a wall: "BAWAL OMEHI DETU -
  ANG MAHOLI BOGBOG"
  .
• On a road sign: "no parking, to away zone"
  .
• On a Sampaloc lot: "Hindi dito ang tapunan ng patay na pusa"
  .
• On a wall near FEU: "BAWAL MAG TAPON NG SINUPOT NA TAE DITO."
  .
• On a bumper sticker, DON'T STEAL. THE GOVERNMENT HATES COMPETITION
  .
• WANTED: Bedspacers For Rent (Ladies Only) - must be a prostitution den
  .
• At a Megalink ATM: "OOF LINE"
  .
• Bus signs:
  "BEFORE PAY, TELL WHERE GET THE ON BEFORE GET THE OFF" (?!?)
  .
• Vacant lot near Makati Ave.:
  "DON'T PARKING"
  .
• Tubero:
  Call Boy
  .
• PLEASE DON'T BLACK THE DRIVEWAY
  .

Our office building has a badminton court with parking area. The sign on the parking lot reads:

• To all cos2mer, please park properly. Please don't gap big space between cars.
  .

--

If we think we're dumb, Japan's definitely the worsest when it comes to English.







See more of this at http://www.engrish.com/

This has been gowing around on the emails for a while now. I'm still trying to accept I'm paying huge amounts of taxes taken from my paycheck. Kung sa'kin lang napupunta yung tax na binabayad ko, meron na sana 'kong limpak-limpak na salapi!

** To those who've read or who are reading this, it would do our country a favor if you'd forward, post on your blogs or share on forums the following essay.

--

SANA TAMA KAYO AT MALI AKO...
Galing sa isang ordinaryong manggawa sa Pilipinas


Walang kwenta ang Pilipinas
By: jawbreaker (isang ordinaryong office worker na ayaw na magbayad ng
tax...ever!)

Hindi ko na mapigilan ang sarili ko. Sukang-suka na ko sa mga nangyayari sa bansang 'to!

Walang katapusang corruption, walang kamatayang pangbabatikos,
pagbabatuhan ng tae at pagpapa-taasan ng ihi ng mga pulitiko sa bawat
isa, walang tigil na imbestigasyon ng kung ano-anong isyu pero wala
namang matinong resolusyon, walang puknat na pag-aagawan ng
kapangyarihan sa pagitan ng mga partido, patuloy na pagdami ng tamad
at tangang Pilipino, patuloy na pakikipaglaban ng ideolohiyang wala namang
silbi.

Ang gobyerno ng Pilipinas, talo pa ang septic tank na hinihigop ng
Malabanan - saksakan ng dumi at napakabaho. Kaya hindi nakakapagtaka
na ang Pilipinas ang isa sa pinakamahirap at corrupt na bansa sa mundo.
Kasi lahat sila bulok, lahat sila walang kwenta. Lahat sila sugapa sa
kapangyarihan at sa pera.

ANAK NG TETENG! !$#%Q!&!* @!!!!!

KAHIT KRISTIYANO AKO, HINDI KO MAPIGILANG MAGMURA AT HILINGIN SA DIYOS (MINSAN NGA PATI SA DEMONYO) NA MAMATAY NA SILANG LAHAT AT I-BBQ SILA NG HABANG-BUHAY SA IMPIERNO.

SINONG "SILA"? EH DI MGA CORRUPT NA GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND
WORKERS, MGA TAMBAY NA PILIPINO NA ANG LALAKI NG KATAWAN PERO HINDI NAMAN NAGTRATRABAHO AT HINDI NAGBABAYAD NG TAX, MGA MAYAYAMAN AT ARISTANG TAX EVADERS, PATI MGA AKTIBISTA, NPA AT IBA PANG IDEOLOGICAL GROUPS NA HINDI NAGBABAYAD NG TAX PERO PANG-GULO!!! MAMATAY NA KAYO!!!

Lagi na lang sinasabi ng mga pulitiko: Ipaglaban ang masa!
Tulungan ang masa! Mahalin ang masa!

PUNYETA! MASA LANG BA ANG TAO SA PILIPINAS?

SINO BA TALAGA ANG BUMUBUHAY SA PUNYETANG BANSANG TO?

SAAN BA GALING ANG PANGPAGAWA NG MGA TULAY AT KALYE? SAAN BA GALING ANG PORK BARREL? SAAN BA GALING ANG PERANG KINUKURAKOT NYO?

KAMI NA MGA MANGGAGAWA AT MIDDLE CLASS NA BAGO PA MAKUHA ANG SWELDO BAWAS NA - KAMI ANG BUMUBUHAY SA WALANG KWENTANG BANSA NA 'TO!!!!!!!!!

BAKIT YANG BANG MGA MASANG YAN NA LAGI NA LANG SENTRO NG
PLATAPORMA NG MGA PULITIKO EH NAGBABAYAD BA NG TAX???!!!!

F**K YOU! KAHIT ISA SA MGA NAG-RA-RALLYING MGA SQUATTER NA YAN, KAHIT SINGKO HINDI NAG-RE-REMIT YAN SA BIR!


PERO PINAPAKINGGAN BA KAMI NG GOBYERNO?

LAGI NA LANG OPINYON NG MASA ANG INIINTINDI NG GOBYERNO.

KUNG SINO ANG NAG-RA-RALLY, SA EDSA, SILA ANG NASUSUNOD.

KUNG SINO ANG MAS MALAKAS SUMIGAW PERO WALA NAMANG ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION, SILA LAGI ANG FOCUS PAG MAY PROBLEMA.

SILA LAGI ANG BIDA.

KAMING MGA ORDINARYONG OFFICE WORKERS, OFW'S, LABORERS AT IBA
PANG NAG-TRA-TRABAHO AT NAGBABAYAD NG TAX - KAMI ANG NAGPAPAKAHIRAP PARA BUHAYIN ANG PILIPINAS. KAMI ANG MGA TUNAY NA BAYANI NG BANSA!!!

Tuwing nakikita ko ang payslip ko, nag-iinit ang ulo ko at gusto
kong maiyak sa inis. Napakalaki ng tax na binabawas sa akin pero
ginagamit lang sa walang kwentang bagay ang perang pinaghirapan ko.

Lahat ng pagtitipid ginagawa ko para suportahan ang sarili ko,
pamilya ko at ang punyetang bansang to.
Ni hindi ako makabili ng chicken and spaghetti meal sa
Jollibee kahit gutom na gutom na ko. Nag-tya-tyaga
ako sa waffle na tig-P10, o kaya pag may konting pera, junior
bola-bola siopao sa Mini-Stop sa halangang P20.

Eh kung yung pera ko na pinapangbabayad sa tax sa 'kin na lang
napunta, eh di sana nakakapanood pa ko ng sine at least 2 beses sa isang
buwan. Nakabili na sana ako ng bagong rubber shoes. Nakapagpagawa na sana
ako ng sarili kong bahay.

Yung tax na binabayad ko, karamihan nun derecho sa bulsa ng mga
corrupt na mga government officials at workers. Habang hirap na hirap akong
i-budget ang pera ko, sila naman nagpapakasarap sa mga mansyon. SUV's
at luxury cars pa ang dina-drive nila, samantalang ako sa pedicab lang
sumasakay!

PUTANG INA! PERA KO YANG PINAPAGPAPASASAAN NYO!!!!!

Yung tax na binabayad ko, pinapangsuporta sa mga mahihirap. Saan
ba galing ang pera pangpagawa ng housing at pagtulong sa mga mahihirap,
di ba sa mga manggagawa na nagbabayad ng buwis! Pero karamihan ng
mahihirap, kung umasta akala mo inaapi sila ng sobra.

SA TOTOO LANG NO, KAYA ANG MGA MAHIHIRAP LALONG NAGHIHIRAP KASI MGA TAMAD!

Ang daming mga tambay sa kalye na walang trabaho pero ang laki ng
katawan. Eh kung sila ba nagkargador sa pier eh di sana may pera
sila.

TAPOS WALA NA NGANG PERA, ANAK PA NG ANAK!

PUNYETA! LALO NYO LANG PINAPADAMI ANG TAMAD AT TANGA SA
MUNDO!!!!!

Naaawa ako sa mga batang pakalat-kalat sa kalye at namamalimos.
Imbes na nag-aaral, dumadagdag lang sila sa bilang ng mga future criminals
sa Pinas. Hindi ako magtataka na yung batang nakita kong namamalimos
sa Cubao, pagkatapos ng ilang taon cellphone snatcher na.

YUNG MGA MAGULANG NAMAN DYAN, COMMON SENSE LANG! HIRAP NA HIRAP NA NGA KAYO SA BUHAY, MANGDADAMAY PA KAYO NG IBA?! PAPARAMIHAN NYO PA LAHI NYO!

Palibhasa walang mga trabaho at walang pinagkaka-abalahan, kaya
nagkakalabitan at nagsusundutan na lang maghapon, magdamag. Sa totoo
lang, nakakabilib. Kasi kahit sa ilalim ng tulay o sa kariton lang,
nakakabuo pa rin ng bata! Ibig sabihin, maabilidad ang mga Pinoy.
Kung gugustuhin, gagawan ng paraan. Kahit sa makipot, mabaho at maduming
lugar - SOLVE!

Isa pang mga grupo ng tao na nakakainis, yung mga aktibista, NPA
at kung ano-ano pang ideological political groups. Sabi nila, mahal na
mahal nila ang Pilipinas kaya pinagpalalaban nila ang kanilang mga
adhikain.

PUNYETA! EH HINDI RIN KAYO NAGBABAYAD NG TAX! ANG KAKAPAL RIN NG MGA MUKHA NYO!

MGA IPOKRITO! MAHAL DAW ANG PILIPINAS AYAW NAMAN MAGBAYAD NG BUWIS!

BAKIT MAY BIR COLLECTOR BA SA GITNA NG MENDIOLA AT EDSA?! MAY TAX COLLECTION BA SA BUNDOK?!

WALA DIN NAMAN KAYONG MGA TRABAHO! KUNG MAY TRABAHO TALAGA KAYO, HINDI KAYO MAG-RA-RALLY DAHIL SAYANG ANG SWELDO NYO PAG ABSENT KAYO!

PAANO NYO MAIPAPAKITA ANG PAGMAMAHAL NYO SA PILIPINAS KUNG WALA NA KAYONG GAWANG MATINO KUNDI MAG-RALLY AT MAMUNDOK??!!!

ISA PA YANG MGA MAYAYAMAN AT MGA ARTISTA, NA NANGDADAYA AT HINDI NAGBABAYAD NG BUWIS. ANG KAKAPAL NG MUKHA NYO! ANG DAMI NYO NA NGANG PERA NANGDADAYA PA KAYO SA TAX!!!! HINDI NYO NAMAN MADADALA SA IMPIERNO YANG MGA KAYAMAN NYO. MASUSUNOG LANG DUN YAN.

KAYA LALONG BUMABAGSAK ANG NEGOSYO DITO SA PILIPINAS, KASI MGA NEGOSYANTE MANDARAYA. PATI SHOWBIZ INDUSTRY, BAGSAK NA DIN. KARMA ANG TAWAG DYAN. MGA BALASUBAS KASI.

ISA PA ITONG SI SUSAN ROCES MAS LALO NIYANG GINULO ANG PILIPINAS !!!

Sana magkaron ng POLITICAL AND NATIONAL CLEANSING.

Alisin (mas maganda kung patayin na lang) ang lahat ng pulitiko
at political families sa puwesto. Tibagin ang lahat ng mapanirang
organizations at grupo. Itapon sa malayong isla o kaya i-pwersa
ng hard labor ang mga sobrang tamad na mga Pilipino.
Ihiwalay ang mga bata sa kanilang mga tamad at tangang magulang
upang makapag-aral sila at maturuan na maging mabuting tao at mamamayan. Magkaron ng bagong lider na walang political ties at utang na loob sa kahit sino.
At higit sa lahat, dapat tax payers lang ang pwedeng bumoto!

Kung kinakailangang magka-giyera para magtino ang mga Pilipino,
ayos lang. Masyado na kasing matigas ang ulo ng mga tao dito. Gusto ng
kalayaan, pero hindi naman handang panagutan ang responsibilidad ng
pagiging malaya. Meron daw pinaglalaban na prinsipyo at adhikain
pero takot namang mamatay para dito.

(Sa mga nakaka-alam sa anime na Gundam Wing, yan ang inspirasyon
ko sa new Pinas hehe. I love you Zechs! I love you Treize!)

Hangga't hindi nagkakaron ng radical change, patuloy na walang
kwenta ang Pilipinas at patuloy na magiging tanga ang majority ng mga
Pilipino.

Sa dami ng nag-mi-migrate na Pilipino sa ibang bansa, dadating
ang panahon na minority na lang ng population sa Pilipinas ang may utak.
Yung mga magagaling na Pilipino, malamang maubos na. Sobra na kasi
silang na-fru-frustrate at na-de-depress sa mga nakikita nila.

Ilang taon pa at aalis na rin ako sa Pilipinas. Wala kong balak
na magkaron ng pamilya sa isang bansa na hindi pinapahalagahan ang
kontribusyon ng mga taong tunay na bumubuhay dito. Kawawa naman ang
magiging anak ko kung dito sya mabubuhay.

Sa totoo lang, broken hearted ako. Minahal ko din ang bansang
ito. Pilit kong pinagtatanggol kahit bulok. Nakarating na ko ng ibang
bansa, pero pinili kong bumalik. Pero ngayon, ayoko na. Suko na ko.
Sayang lang ako sa bansang to. Simple lang naman ang hiling ko.
Gusto ko lang mabuhay ng tahimik at maayos.
Gusto ko na kahit paano eh maipagmalaki ang Pilipinas.
Pero wala eh. Doomed to be jologs ang bansang to.

Alam ko marami pa ang umaasa at naniniwala sa pagbabago. Good
luck and God bless! Sana tama kayo at mali ako.


--

People make mistakes when they act on their emotions or their so-called superior intellect too quickly. I've got a couple of friends who are currently in a state of confusion - in this case all in the context of love.

Usually, if I find myself in a predicament wherein I am in limbo (meaning I don't know kung saan ako lulugar), I just take in a breather and try to relax and let fate decide the way. This is when I find myself singing Love Hewitt's "Don't Push the River Let it Flow".

Sometimes you don't need to make the decisions, I just do as much as I can but if I cannot figure out a way to clear up my confusion, I let time do the deciding and the eventual healing process.

When you go with the flow of things and let fate do the decision making, fate gets more efficient on sorting and placing things where they are supposed to be. "How sure are you it will work out? - I don't know, it's a mystery?" - Geoffrey Rush, Shakespeare In Love.

It is also a good idea not to read too much into things like assuming too much, expecting a lot or daydreaming. This'll only bring about disappointments and false hopes. When you don't expect anything, you get in life what many people are looking for - spontaneity.

"Just go with it" - Elisha Cuthbert, The Girl Next Door.

~

Exerpts from "Don't Push The River" - Jennifer Love Hewitt

Don't push the river let it flow
Don't let the one who loves you go
Love will deliver let it go
Don't push the river let it flow

You got to remind yourself
To give it time
Even the sun can?t make you blind
Why don't you close your eyes
And ease your mind
Let it all go...

--

New reality TV show Pinoy Big Brother which shows on ABS-CBN has been suspended for 1 day last week by the MTRCB (Movie and Television Review and Classification board) due to (get this) lewd clothing, kissing and language. PBB, by the way, is a Parental Guidance rated show which also airs late at 10:20pm.

Lewd clothing, kissing and inappropriate language ? hmm, I'm just thinking don't we have that already on our telenovelas (kissing), Darna (lewd, but delicious, clothing) and Lito Camo and our noontime shows (for foul language)?

Last I remember all of the shows above except for PBB are rated for general patronage.

Y-speak (youth oriented debate-ish show), held it's first part of debates regarding PBB last Sunday. Pro-PBB roster includes Rico, JB, Jenny (all eliminated housemates from the show) and the PBB resident shrink. Anti-PBB has the MTRCB chair Maria Consoliza Laguardia, a priest, a psychologist and a perky girl moralist.

Some potshots:

+ PBB should stop the housemates from wearing skimpy outfits.

Hello World! This is a REALITY show. What does everybody wear when they're at home? In my opinion, their house attire would be considered glamorous when compared to my air-kewl t-shirts.

+ Cass should wear her bra underneath her blouses during daytime.

WHO'S COMPLAINING???

+ The perky girl from the anti-PBB party said that we should stop trying to be like the Americans. We must preserve our Filipino values.

Hmmm... lemme see about that values stuff. Why doesn't anybody realize that it IS our VALUES that are causing our country's DEMISE? I don't love the Americans but generally speaking, we should start thinking, acting, working and being efficient like first world countries if we want to get out of this shit pit we're in.

+ PBB should just be taken at its face-value. It's a show conceptualized by Endemol not to imbibe good morals and mushy stuff. It's supposed to bring in ratings money for the station and it works perfectly for them.

This is probably the only acceptable anti-PBB comment I've heard although the comment isn't actually anti. It's just a reality show and contest meant to challenge the housemates and award biggie money. Just like any other game shows.

It's just that PBB is perhaps just too-real for the conservative and in-denial Filipino who still can't accept that our values and morals have evolved, adapted to society. Which also means Filipinos cannot accept reality. They'd rather spend time at EDSA kicking out presidents as they please.


--

To Sigrid / Ging / Ziggymermaid (or whatever she calls herself at the moment) who just celebrated her birthday. Just some bits about what I've learned in life so far.

• Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born..



• The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart..



• Always give your troubles to God - he will be up all night anyway..



• Life is not a problem to be solved but a gift to be enjoyed..



• Many people will walk in and out of your life. But only true friends will leave footprints in your heart..



• To love is like playing the piano, first you must play by the rules. Then you must break all the rules and play by your heart..



• I hold it true, whate'er befall;
  I feel it when I sorrow most;
  'Tis better to have loved and lost
  Than never to have loved at all.
  - Alfred, Lord Tennyson.



• Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams dies
  Life is a broken bird that cannot fly.
  Hold fast to dreams, for when dreams go
  Life is a barren field frozen in snow.
  

And my favorite...

• Nothing is impossible except dribbling a football.

-

Pare, take care there. And don't you ever forget us here kung yumaman ka :D

--

*Sigrid used to be the sales manager here at work. She now works abroad chancing for better pastures.


--

The plan was simple.


Leave the house with Merlin to buy cake.
Fill radiator with water.
Drive to the gas station.
Drive to Goldilocks to buy chocolate roll for my sister's birthday.
Park the car. Lock it.
Buy the Cake.


No more choco roll available.
Malas one.
Had to buy Brazo de Mercedes instead.
Walk back to car.


Keys are still inside.
Malas two.
Leave car, commute back home.
Get spare keys and commute back to Goldilocks.
Drive back home.
Only to find out it was my turn on the videoke.
Wait for random song...


My Way
Oh fuck me...
Malas three.
Sing the forsaken song as best I could and get paranoid.
Hope that nobody shoots me dead while singing...
Hope that nobody stabs me in the back while singing...


--

Perhaps it's because you almost hear Andres Segovia's classical Spanish guitar playing in the background that reading Neruda?s works will always break you into tears. Or perhaps it's simply because he has the most beautiful lines.

For me, Pablo Neruda is the Van Gogh of poetry - tragically romantic and sentimental. Put an emphasis on mental for Van Gogh although he's still my all-time fave painter. Many will say Tonight I Can Write is the saddest prose on love. Perhaps it's because it's so freaking long your eyes will definitely red out reading it he-he.

For my sister Tere who's celebrating her birthday today.

--

Tonight I Can Write
Pablo Neruda
(1904-1973)


Tonight I can write the saddest lines.

Write, for example, 'The night is starry
and the stars are blue and shiver in the distance.'

The night wind revolves in the sky and sings.

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.

Through nights like this one I held her in my arms.
I kissed her again and again under the endless sky.

She loved me, sometimes I loved her too.
How could one not have loved her great still eyes.

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
To think that I do not have her. To feel that I have lost her.

To hear the immense night, still more immense without her.
And the verse falls to the soul like dew to the pasture.

What does it matter that my love could not keep her.
The night is starry and she is not with me.

This is all. In the distance someone is singing. In the distance.
My soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.

My sight tries to find her as though to bring her closer.
My heart looks for her, and she is not with me.

The same night, whitening the same trees.
We, of that time, are no longer the same.

I no longer love her, that's certain, but how I loved her.
My voice tried to find the wind to touch her hearing.

Another's. She will be another's. As she was before my kisses.
Her voice, her bright body. Her infinite eyes.

I no longer love her, that's certain, but maybe I love her.
Love is so short, forgetting is so long.

Because through nights like this one I held her in my arms
my soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.

Though this be the last pain she makes me suffer
and these the last verses that I write for her.


--

~
I'd like to pay a bit of tribute to the dead poets that influenced my twisted sense of poetry...

One of the classical authors who inspired the Insomniac in writing was Christina Rossetti. I just discovered then that poetry, as we studied her works in high school, can be so sad and also so morbid. Her work below would be the first poem I read that talked of death. I thought then that a love tragedy must feel like the way she writes - like an unconscious invitation for death to come rescue oneself from being awake and suffering, alive but unable to breathe.

--

When I am Dead, My Dearest
by Christina Georgina Rossetti
(1830-1894)


When I am dead, my dearest,
Sing no sad songs for me;
Plant thou no roses at my head,
Nor shady cypress tree:
Be the green grass above me
With showers and dewdrops wet;
And if thou wilt, remember,
And if thou wilt, forget.


I shall not see the shadows,
I shall not feel the rain;
I shall not hear the nightingale
Sing on, as if in pain:
And dreaming through the twilight
That doth not rise nor set,
Haply I may remember,
And haply may forget.

--

I love contemporary writing like the way Class Ring and The Skywriter was written and I've a very low tolerance with classical poems that tend to be too deep. But Christina Rossetti's, along with Pablo Neruda's (Tonight I Can Write) works are exceptions when it comes to classical writing.

--