Asians Eat Weird Things

This made me want to go to an Asian supermarket and buy all the foods that I want. 


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Do you really eat all the foods featured in the video? 

Of course not. I'm Filipino so I grew up eating foods like dinuguan, jackfruit, pig intestine, and balut. I even wrote a blog post about these foods if you want to see some pictures. But I would love to try the foods in the video. 

Japan 2011 Earthquake aftermath

"It felt like it would never end and my friends and I ran outside crying as we waited for the shaking to stop," says Wakana Sato, an earthquake survivor.

On June 1, 2013, the Mirai 3.11 Committee hosted the Mirai 3.11 Benefit Fundraising event at the Manitoba Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (MJCCC).

The committee organized this event for the orphaned children of the Japan 2011 earthquake and to raise awareness of the current state of Fukushima City that the Canadian media does not cover.

There was also an exhibition to show the "Cloth Letters" made by the children from Minamisoma, Fukushima. 

"Two years after the nuclear accident, there are many problems in Fukushima. Honestly, the people of Fukushima are fed up with the slow progress of the repair work. Friends who lived near Sendai Airport and Ishininomaki City are still missing." - Wakana Sato, translated by Azusa Osawa

The event raised a total of $9,000 to be donated to Kodomo Mirai Kikin. If you would like to send your donations please email Atsushi Kawazu at activeatsushi@gmail.com. 

Philippine elections :: baffling

Former President Joseph Estrada won as Manila City's new mayor. (cue silence) Did I miss anything here?

I don't know how I feel about this news. He was the 13th Philippine president from 1998 until 2001. He was charged with graft and corruption so he was impeached in 2001. Filipinos protested for four days that led him to resign from his position.

I don't understand it.

Should I complain that the people voted for him when I don't live there anymore? Or should I understand their reasons for voting him? The former mayor was Alfredo Lim, and people didn't like him because he allegedly "decayed Manila".


Is that why Estrada won? Because Lim was his other opponent?

Everyone knows that Estrada is corrupt. Filipinos who saw his impeachment trial in 2001 knew that he was corrupt. That's why Filipinos who lived in Metro Manila protested in EDSA and forced him to resign. He's now the mayor of Manila, the capital of the Philippines. I don't know what's going on here.

Nancy Binay won a seat in the Senate on the May 13th election. She gained recognition because she is from a political family. Her father was the former Makati City mayor and the current vice-president of the country. Her mother was former Makati City mayor. Her brother is the current Makati City mayor. And her sister is a House of Representative in Makati (you get a sense of what Philippine politics is like. And you can read this Philippine Star article about Nancy Binay).

The Internet community (or Filipinos who have access to the Internet and use it wisely) knows that she is incompetent and inexperienced. She was her mother's personal assistant when her mother was the mayor. She became her father's personal assistant after he won vice-president. Now she's a senator.

She says she had a 20-year on-the-job training (or work placement) experience through her parents. And her dad is the vice president.

She's a senator. A senator. Granted, the official results are not yet released, but she's in the 5th place out of 12. So obviously she won. She won by going to rallies and traveling around the country. But she never showed up in any debates. Not one.

This is the political culture I grew up in.

Philippine elections :: Dirty politics

The Philippines will have a midterm election on May 13, Monday.

This is a general election where Filipinos will vote for senators, House of Representatives members, provincial governors, provincial legislature members, city mayors, city vice mayors, City Council members, municipal mayors, municipal vice mayors, members of the municipal council, and party-list representatives. In the southern region of the country, voters will elect their regional governor, regional vice governor, and regional assemblymen. (1)

This is why I don't like Philippine politics.

Philippine election epitomizes "dirty politics" literally and figuratively.

Every time there's an election, there are flyers, stickers, posters, and handouts everywhere. When you're waiting for a bus, someone would give you a handout or flyer. When you're walking on the street, you'll see posters and stickers on the walls of business establishments, local stores, and sometimes even on the cement.

And there are people who die during the election period.

In Batangas, south of Manila (the capital), a campaign coordinator was on his way home when he was shot by men riding on a motorcycle at noon Sunday. According to the news source, local police have not yet determined if the crime was "politically motivated". (2)

I wouldn't be surprised if the incident was politically motivated because I hear news of people dying in every election. People who lost their lives for a mere vote. They would never be given justice because the rich and the powerful always wins.

It's been a while since I've read news about the Philippine elections. When I read the news about the person who died, it made me think that nothing has changed. Philippine politics is still dirty.


Sources:
(1) Wikipedia: Philippine general election 2013
For more information about the Philippine elections, visit Commission on Elections
(2) Philippine Star: Campaign coordinator shot dead in Batangas

Can't idle at all

The semester is *almost* over. One more week left. Time to move on. Time to enjoy summer. Time to enjoy the school break. But not me.

I registered for a spring course at the university so we'll see how that goes. I hope I can still write a blog post every week--especially now that I have more free time. College has made me a workaholic, so I don't think I'll be idle the entire break. I can't do it. I don't think I can do it. But let's see what happens. I hope I won't be lazy and do nothing this summer. I'm just glad that the semester is over and I can focus on myself and other personal projects this summer.

Right now, I'm savouring the moment that school's over. I know I'll worry about school some time next week (or even tonight), but it's alright.

Some people would celebrate or party now that the semester is over, but not me. I'd rather hibernate and stay in bed for an entire week. After the long and exhausting hours, the cups of coffee I drank, the number of sleep I get every night, I just want to rest. I need a break. Which will never happen of course. I can't just stay in bed for an entire week. I'll die. I have to eat, I have to be on the Internet, and I have to do something to pass the time.

Here's a little something I can do: soul searching.




What do you do when you have nothing to do? (The Internet doesn't count.)

Eight Months

School is almost over. There's only one week left (or less than a week) and then I'm done my first year as a Creative Communications student.

I learned a lot in eight months. A lot.

Back in August last year, I didn't know what to expect from the program. I knew that it was going to be stressful and I had to dedicate long hours, but I didn't know what I was going to learn within the eight months I was in the program.

There were so many things I didn't know back in August. 

I didn't know how to write a news article.

I didn't know how to organize an event without a PR proposal. 

I didn't know how to operate an ENG camera or switch the controls in a TV control room. 

I didn't know how to use ProTools or the soundboard. 

I didn't know how to write a print, radio, or TV ad.

I didn't know how to use InDesign or Photoshop. 

These were the basics I had to learn. I'm not an expert in all these things, but the fact that I learned all of these in eight months show what an incredible experience the program is. And how much I love school and learning.

Now that school is (almost) over, I'm more determined to improve these skills and learn new things this summer. But mostly have fun. It's summer, after all. 

Indak (Dance) by Up Dharma Down

This is my first time to translate a Filipino song into English. It's a very rough translation so the asterisks are translations that I'm not sure. When I say "rough" translation, some of these are the literal meaning of the song. This song is written like a poem too. Filipino language has only one Pronoun for 'he' or 'she' so it's hard to tell who the lines refer to in the song. I listened to the song a couple more times before I fully understood the song so it's okay not to understand it the first time--especially if you don't know Filipino. 

Up Dharma Down is one of my favourite Filipino bands. Their music is different from Filipino mainstream. Armi Millare's voice is so soothing and Paul Yap (bass), Ean Mayor (drums and synthesizers), and Carlos Tanada (guitar) complement her voice. This is talented band that stands out from other Filipino artists.


Indak (Dance*)

Tatakbo at gagalaw
Running and moving

Nag-iisip kung dapat bang bumitaw.
Thinking if I should let go.

Kulang na lang, atakihin
All that's left is a heart attack*

Ang paghinga'y nabibitin
Always out of breath

Ang dahilan alam mo na
You already know the reason

Kahit ano pang sabihin nila
No matter what they say

Tayong dalawa lamang ang makakaalam
We're the only two people who knows

Ngunit ako ngayo'y naguguluhan.
But right now I'm confused.

Makikinig ba ko sa aking isip
Do I listen to my mind

Na dati pa namang magulo?
That has always been confused?

O iindak na lamang sa tibok ng puso mo
Or do I dance to the beat of your heart

At aasahan ko na lamang bang
And expect that 

Hindi mo aapakan ang aking mga paa
You won't step on my feet*

Pipikit na lamang at magsasayaw
I'll just close my eyes and dance

Habang nanonood siya. 
While he's watching.

Paalis at pabalik
Leaving and coming back

May baong yakap at suklian ng halik
Giving a hug and exchanging kisses

Magpapaalam at magsisi
Saying goodbye and regretting

Habang papiglas ka ako sayo ay tatabi.
I'll stay close to you while you let go.

Tayong dalawa lamang ang nakakaalam
We're the only two people who knows

Ngunit hindi na matanto
But I can't decide

Kung sino nga ba ang pagbibigyan ko
Who I'll give a chance

Makikinig nga ba sa isipan na alam ang wasto
Do I listen to my mind that knows what's right

Ngunit pipigilan ang pag-ibig niya na totoo
And stop him from loving me

Iindak na lamang ba sa tibok ng puso mo
Or do I dance to the beat of your heart

At aasahan kong
And expect that

Hindi mo lamang aapakan ang aking mga paa.
You won't step on my feet*

Pipikit na lamang at magsasaya
I'll just close my eyes and be happy

Habang nalulungkot ka.
While you're sad.

Pipikit na lamang at magsasaya
I'll close my eyes and be happy

Habang nalulungkot ka.
While you're sad.

Ako'y litong-lito
I'm really confused

Tulungan niyo ako
Can someone help me

Di ko na alam kung sino pang aking pagbibigyan o.
I don't know who I should listen to

Ayoko na ng ganito
I don't like this feeling

Ako ay litong-lito
I'm confused.

Here's one of my favourite UDD videos (not the best because Ean Mayor's not here.). And because I can't get enough of this band, here are two more live videos: at One Esplanade and at the 2011 Stagg Awards. All credits go to the uploaders of the videos. 

credits to TOWERofDOOM

Questions? Leave a comment and I'll try to explain it further. 

And I hope I did justice in translating the song. >.<