person, meet person.

“You're a dandelion seed that flies through the air, and lands randomly, and disappears.” 

   - Swingset Chain, Loquat (It's Yours To Keep)

photo from our backyard

  People meet people everyday but there always comes a time when we lose them and forget that we met that certain person. This person may be a parent, a cousin, a friend, a partner, or anyone who once left a mark in our lives.

  A parent may be a mother or father who abandoned us when we were young; whom we have never met that when they appear again in our lives, the familial feeling is gone. A cousin may be someone we see on holidays, and if you count the holidays in a year, it's not really much. Quick and polite exchanges are made, but other than that, there is not much to discuss because we don't spend enough time with them to actually get to know them. It's a different situation with a friend. Some friends we meet along the way are like that cousin we rarely speak to, that we treat them as acquaintances because you and your friend have a common friend that connects you two together. While some friends, we meet them at one point in our lives and treat them well, but when time and distance interfere, that important friend gradually becomes an acquaintance and someone whom we are not excited to see once again. But there are others, or the special ones, whom we may or may have not known for a long time but we have treasured that friendship so much that our heart will feel incomplete when they are once gone. As for the partner? Just read what I wrote for the friend. But remember, this is not the same with everybody else. For everyone is unique in his or her own way of keeping any relationship alive, and it is up to us if we want to keep the love with that person alive.

  So when you lose someone in your life, either you blame yourself, that other person, or both of you. Time and distance can be deterrents, depending on the circumstances. But in the end, it's really up to us so it's time to forget those list of excuses. Time to face reality. 

Two films. One premise.

   It has been an interesting movie marathon for me because I saw two films that include an illness as the theme but originated from two countries that are both on the other side of the world. Instead of burning the midnight oil reading and studying for my exam, I spent late Sunday night watching these two movies. I was supposed to watch only one movie, but I lost interest in it that I decided to watch another one to make myself feel better.

   I'm not sure if spoilers are included in this post, but Love and Other Drugs is one of the typical boy-meets-girl film so even if I mention the ending it wouldn't be a spoiler right? In addition, I'm watching the second movie entitled My Love By My Side to distract myself from bawling my eyes out (Well, it's true. But I started writing this post while watching the second film and finished it when I was available.). Here goes.

Will there ever be an epiphany?

So I had some free time to write this post, and I am open to any downtime considering what the past few weeks have been for me. I've just finished watching a BBC documentary about an English bus driver who went to Manila, Philippines, and experienced the life of a jeepney driver. I am grateful to BBC for doing this documentary, so at least the Philippine government can do something about it: to make them realize what life is like in that country from a foreigner's perspective. 

I found the video in youtube, and it took me a few minutes to find the link so I apologize but I can't provide the link in case BBC closes it down, and I might not be able to watch it again. Nor the other people who can watch it. I could send an email if you're interested, but really, youtube's search bar is pretty easy to navigate and you would find the link easily. The video is accessible in the BBC website though; so you can visit there to view it. However, it's not available in all areas so one may not be able to watch it depending on which country they live. 

The documentary is an hour long; an average time for a one-episode Korean drama but longer by 10 minutes for a Japanese dorama. Josh West is a bus driver in London and he embarked on a 10-day journey in the Philippines to live the life of a jeepney driver in Manila, Philippines. He stayed for a while with Rogelio Castro, a jeepney driver and his family in San Andres Bukid, Manila, Philippines. Josh drove the jeepney by himself on his last day to get a taste of what it is to be a driver in the bustling and overpopulated streets of Manila. 

As I was watching the documentary, shame and embarrassment were playing in mind, thinking how a foreigner would see this from their perspective. And it's true; I should be ashamed that I used to live in that city more than three years ago and things are still the same. There is still a clear disparity between the rich and the poor, with the poor people living day by day, just like Rogelio. On a typical Monday morning, Rogelio wakes up, drives in Manila for 12 hours, goes home, eats. The next day, he does the same thing. But he doesn't think about what's going to happen the next Monday. All he thinks about is hoping that he makes enough for the day to pay for the debt that he used to buy the jeepney and give the money to his wife, Edith, and she manages the budget for the eight people living in their home. At least Rogelio and Edith only have three children, because Edith did not want her children to die of hunger. Their grandchildren lives with them as well. But they had a neighbour, Elsie, and she lives in a smaller place with her husband and her thirteen children. Thirteen children. Can you imagine that? And now Elsie just realized that she needed to learn more about Family Planning because she was just experiencing the hardships of having a large family. Which she should've done before so she didn''t have to suffer the consequences now. Here's what I like on what Josh said, when they were about to go to the hospital and saying how Elsie should have gone to the hospital a long time ago but then he said, "I'm not living their life, they are." I don't know if this sounds mean to some people, but I find that he's just being realistic that Elsie and her husband decided to have thirteen children, so they have to suffer that. I know, I know. Their children would suffer greatly because they were only born and they're defenseless. But they should also blame their parents and the government for not implementing a bill like the hot issue of the Reproductive Health Bill (or RH Bill) that is opposed by the Catholic Church (who else?). It annoys me that Elsie's family are going through this because the government didn't have Family Planning programs in the slum areas, but I couldn't help but blame Elsie and her husband as well, for they should have known better. I mean, they already know they're poor, so why produce thirteen children, and not be able to feed them? Why? And her first pregnancy was when she was 14 years old. How about that. It's just annoying, really. And disappointing. That the government still remains paralysed even after twenty-five fricken' years of the democracy the Filipinos fought for. 

Alright, here are some pictures, and I apologize if they're blurry. 

the jeepney

Rogelio's jeepney

Rogelio's neighbourhood

Manila

the crazy streets of Manila

a typical day in Manila

Josh and Rogelio, the latter pondering on the distinct separation of the rich and the poor

Josh workin' it

Josh did it! (love their smiles here)

To describe that country, it's like a deteriorating and paralysed place that is also moving backwards. And I am really, really glad, that BBC did this documentary to show the world how ugly the system is.

And don't even get me started on the pagpag. 

A/N: I wrote this in a hurry, and I don't plan on editing it, so I'm sure there are lots of grammatical mistakes, but I don't really care. 

Do the right thing

University has kept me on my toes these days, especially the paper deadlines that I am now used to. Finals are coming up though, so I'll be gone again for a while but I'll try to update this blog every month as much as I can. I still have some pending posts regarding some anime and Japanese films and once I have the time to actually write them, not just jot them, I'll post them up here too. 

Anyway, this would be a really random post; an assortment of ideas that have been running on my head so I just thought I'd share with you. 
By now most of us in the globe are aware of the the Arabic revolutions and disasters striking in the Eastern and South Eastern Pacific. If you have not heard about it at all nor aware of it, then I will ask you: what are you doing on the internet? It's thanks to this technology that people from the Islamic countries are able to post videos or tweets a millisecond faster than a CNN correspondent, transcending time and space. It's a wonder what globalisation has brought to this era. 

Now, for these events, we do not want them to happen. We do not wish for them to happen. But what can we do? Prayers help, that is true, but aside from prayers, if you have anything that you can do, help. Donate. Volunteer. The Red Cross is a wonderful international organization and I'm sure your donation would be a great help and it would go farther than what you expected. And besides, if you're able to buy a small double-double, you can afford to donate something right? And it's not just Red Cross where you can donate to. There are hundreds of groups and medium for you to give. So if you have something you want to give, please do. Someone needs it more than you do.

Now back to the Philippines. I thank my parents because we don't have any Filipino channel at home because we're just not interested. I may have offended a fellow one but that's our choice. My parents are not exactly tech-savvy either, so they can't just turn on the computer to read some news back home. What connects them to the country though, are the local Filipino newspapers circulated for free in the city. And a conversation my dad overhears or is a part of. The thing is, because we don't have these channels on our tv, I am also not aware of every news that are happening in the country. I believe it does have its consequences to me, because I am beginning to break the connection that I have for it. There is still an association, but only because of the memories in that country, but not the government. I do love the Philippines, but only the country as a geographical and tropical country with its lush and unique environment and wildlife that the government should be active in preserving it. Okay I'm digressing too much. 

Here are some pictures Joey Mendoza designed himself, and I'd like to share with my fellow Filipinos and you can post them on your Facebook wall. I got these from Carlos Celdran and I thought about sharing them as well.

Like I told you, this post is scattered, like I just threw them all together to one brew, but if you think about it, it makes sense too (oh hey, they rhyme). 

Homecoming Part 2: Is all hope gone?

Due to lack of interest and the constant slandering and complaining, I have shunted myself from any news about my motherland. I'm not surprised that it eventually led to this, because after living in this country for three years, I have become accustomed to some of the norms and culture that is expected of me. My culture is still preserved; I still speak my language at home or when I am with my Filipino family, friends, and acquaintances. However, current news in that country is the one thing that I want to stay away from, despite living there my entire life and have a community of relatives and friends that I grew up with. 

It's not my fault. To be indifferent and unconcerned never crossed my mind before migrating and leaving my home land for good. But what can I do? The more I learn about the culture and history of this progressive, first world society, I unconsciously compare it to the deteriorating third world country that I grew up in. It sounds arrogant if one thinks about it, but honestly, I'm not the only one who have these thoughts that cross their mind. Despite all these hatred I convey to the people around me everyday and some posts here in my blog, there is still a trickle of hope that there would be change. Unlike my friend who believes that all hope is gone, he even humourly suggested that the country should be wiped out to begin a new one. Again, he was just kidding. I apologize if I offended anyone. But whenever we have these discourses, we always come to a consensus: the people should change. 

I believe that the Philippines will develop. I have hope that the country would flourish. I want people to practice their rights, to initiate the change themselves especially if the government is useless. If structural reformation is what the country needs (and very badly, considering the current situation of politics in that country), then the people should do something about it, as quoted by Tindal and Tindal in their book, Local Government in Canada (55). If the developed countries today were able to do it in the past, then I think the Philippines could do it. All they have to do is to take the initiative. One has to be a better person first, by being knowledgeable and successful through hard work and perseverance. 

That said, I need to hit the books for some reading (more like skimming. heh.) for tomorrow's class. It's been a while since I've updated this blog, and I miss posting here. I actually have some pending posts I haven't finished yet, and I can't wait to publish them because they're mostly about movies that I like. So this is just a quick post to remind myself that I have a blog. 

Think about the children

I wouldn't consider this a literary piece, only a post that I randomly thought of while reading about the right wing government in a municipality. This one is a really, really quick post, before I dive back into the right wing and finish a novel for tomorrow. And also, I missed my blog. Hence this post.

Think about the children who were born with illiterate parents. It was not their fault that they were brought to this world by these people. Their parents are only human beings, and there is a reason why they are not able to read and write; it maybe because of poverty, an irresponsible government, a war-stricken area, or they are just not cut for education. 

So why were they born then? To help the parents earn more money for the family. 

Do they have a choice? No. They are children. They are powerless. Young. Innocent. And vulnerable. 

But do they really have a choice? If given the chance. The opportunity to wake up at the crack of dawn and walk a few kilometers to school just to learn a new lesson each day. To play with friends and experience the joys of being a student. To be reprimanded by their teacher because it is the teacher's right to differentiate and identify what is right and wrong. To write words, sentences, paragraphs, and stories that are made of their wild imaginations. To read a book that would bring them to a new world of the unknown. To speak words and a language that unites a nation together. And to listen intently to a person and focus on what they are saying and argue if possible. At the end of the day, they'll be going back to their warm homes, walking the same distance that they have walked that morning. Making a few stops here and there, greeting the familiar faces that they pass by. 

Their day doesn't end there. Homework has to be done, or else the teacher would be angry. Aside from the homework, little brother needs to be fed first because the parents are away working. To top it off, the oil lamp ran out of oil so a candle has to be used while reading the assigned homework that is due for tomorrow. 

But what if they are not given a choice? Then it's back to work. Standing under the scorching heat of the sun for a whole day, seeing children who are on their way to and away from school, jealous at them for having the privilege. Would give anything just to take the role of a student once again. 

The late nights? It's the same as going to a party that lasts until dawn. 

The readings that are either on the internet or on a book? Having the internet is like getting a cellphone. It's not unusual anymore. Don't read books? Be grateful they are still printed and there are trees to use. 

The pressure of having to manage time between school, work, home, social life and extracurricular activities? Big deal. There are some children who work in the fields and mountains all day. 

Instructor is not worth the bucks? At least there is someone who's standing in front of you. 

So everytime you feel like giving up, don't. Some still think of education as a privilege, and perceiving it as the worst time of you life, think about the children who are always wishing, wishing under the stars, to their God, to their parents, to the society, to the government, that someday, they would have a chance to go back to school and be a normal kid again.

(Forget revising. I am tired.)

sharing some SP love

I have this post in my other blog but that was more than a year ago and more personal. Seeing that I always miss listening to them even though I've got three of their albums ripped into my laptop and synced to my iPod, I thought of giving them this post since they deserve it as well as they are one of my favorite bands of the 90's. 

To kick start the new year, I've got The Smashing Pumpkins as my first (long-delayed) post.

I was lucky that I found three of their albums in this place. I had a hard time searching for it in the Philippines back then, so I had to resort to another option. So you can just imagine my happiness and excitement when I saw three of their albums in one of the music stores on this area.

Why do I like the Smashing Pumpkins? Well, first off, the lyrics. I think Billy Corgan is one of the best songwriters I've known, for he writes it like a poem, with deep and meaningful words behind them. And I think poets understand their fellow poets. Afterall, poets' minds think alike. Okay, don't listen to me, I made that up. His lyrics can also be used as a topic in English class where the students talk about the form and content of one song, say, Mayonnaise from Siamese Dream, and how the content and form work together to create meaning for the song. And when he and James Iha collaborate on a song (or with Jimmy Chamberlain and D'arcy Wretzky), they create beautiful lyrics that define Smashing Pumpkins.

As for the music, you can't go wrong with Billy's smooth and husky vocals with backgrounds from the womanly voice of D'arcy. James does his solos too in some songs, and his low voice adds depth and (should I say it?) melancholy to the song. Their genre is mainly alternative rock, and judging on their singles it is not surprising that some of them are as heavy as the rock music of the late 80's. What I love about the Smashing Pumpkins is that some of their songs are really, really mellow and sweet, it sounds (and feels) like a love song. Well, I categorize them as one because that's what I feel when I listen to their music. Especially if its written by Billy and James. 

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness pretty much says it all. It has some 'loud' songs as well (an SP trademark), but the ''love and slow'' songs stand out too. Which, in my opinion, is really nice. And soothing to the ears. This 2-disc album was released in 1995 has around 28 songs. I love the Siamese Dream album as well, and I got nothing bad to say about it, since this was the first album that I listened to back then. Siamese Dream was the first album that introduced me to the world of SP, and it didn't stop me to just listen to their songs in that album. It piqued my curiosity because of the melodies and the lyrics that that I sought for their old albums. Adore didn't have much impact on me, I guess being the third album that I bought, for it did not have the "life" that Siamese Dream had, nor the nostalgic and melancholic feeling like in Mellon Collie. There are some songs that are worth listening to, while the others can be marked as average SP music. 

I'm not forcing anyone to listen to their music because they are the best artists in the world. However, if you ever become interested, I suggest that you try listening from their old albums first, because first of all, I haven't listened to their new albums yet and second, I personally like their old albums better. Which... doesn't really prove my point that didn't even make sense to begin with. I mean, it's your choice. Listen to what you want to listen.