I'm a self-conscious Bisdak Blogger who loves nothing more than to read and write for the Glory of God. Just as imperfect as your next Joe, but just as perfectly made as each Child of God.
Aw c'mon! This is too much, we are reverting back to the ancient times when opinions opposing the Church merit threat to the infernal fires!!!
"The CBCP threatens politicians who support the RH bill with excommunication. But our representatives are not backing down. To ensure the passage of the bill, they are willing to risk being excommunicated," according to the article from filipinofreethinkers.org.
It is so sad that things have come to this.
Surely, the higher ups in the Catholic Church are doing their job according to the teachings of the Vatican, etc. But sadly, I must say that oppressing people who share a different view is unloving, the total antithesis of what Jesus taught.
It is true that humans are biblically told to multiply. But I believe that it should be responsible reproductive health that we must go for, for the sake of the next generation.
How?
First of all, get into the context of the day. The media is the number one worldly ruler of this era. Everyone is exposed to media. And media, for better or for worse, is a reckless, if happy, laissiez-faire of all things under the sun. Needless to say that includes the implicit sensuality and outright pornography in the radio, prime time TV and in the web.
We can use this as a spring board to teach responsible reproductive health to our children, which does not exclude the teaching of moral values (such as how to choose the right partner, when the right time to get married and have children is; and on a more basic note teach them about what hormones do to their bodies and the alternative activities to deal with changes in the bodies and the resulting reactions to these changes; how to protect themselves from pedophiles, molestation and being physically violated and on and on and on).
The Church has taken an offensive tactic which is working to their disadvantage. But then again, they could always say that Jesus lashed out a couple of times in the Bible (for sure, once in the temple where people put up a bazaar). But still, this bullying via the threat of hellfire is not helping the Philippines and its wards towards its goal of progress.
Progress (even in this issue) can be attained but not with this "religious and civil" war of words.
In RH Bill No. 5043, the people are given a choice between natural and modern family planning methods with the bill but not the option of abortion (Thank God!). In fact, this bill broadens the assistance it gives to the grassroots members of society, beginning in the barangay, reproductive healthcare assistance, not limited to, but neither excluding family planning.
Our country has too many children who are either living in the streets or living in poor emotional conditions due to parents' and extended families' lack of real education (whether they are college graduates or not). The education we are talking about here is the basic knowledge of knowing one's body, how it works by itself and in relation to another (meaning sexually). We can even point the truth to ourselves and to impressionable minds what ignorance of the matter can result to!
If the family is to be saved, we have to teach our children how to take care of their bodies, minds and souls. And how can we freely teach our children these things if even our Church plays guilt trips on the adults?
I commend the authors of the RH Bill in the Philippines. Your dedication towards education and healthcare is one concrete step towards our nation's progress. Your courage in standing firm in this controversial issue is much needed and appreciated.
God is blessing our country right now.
"Education costs money, but then so does ignorance." -- Sir Claus Moser
I am currently watching Down With Love starring Jerry Yan (of Meteor Garden) and Ella Chen (of the female band S.H.E.). This is Jerry Yan's best idol drama since Meteor Garden. Needless to say, Jerry provides the eye-candy while Ella Chen lends the cutest comic relief in the series.
Down With Love is yet another Cinderella story - leveled up to the max, with Ella Chen playing Yang Guo, a poor, hardworking, tomboyish girl with the most emphatic facial expressions, and Jerry Yan as Xiang Yu Ping, the cold-hearted, cynical divorce lawyer who doesn't trust girls.
I like the themes of the series which include some child psychology, same-sex issues, and tough love on errant parents (so far) - which is a refreshing change from the "magical thinking" mechanisms usual for Asian TV series. Of course, as it is, Down With Love, with the central Cinderella motif is magical thinking in itself, but I highly appreciate how the writers peppered the fairytale storyline with pressing issues of the day (ahem, here I am again defending my beloved Jerry Yan dramas).
I thought I wouldn't like Ella Chen as Jerry Yan's leading lady. Being used to the likes of Janine Chang and Barbie Hsu, willowy and dreamy, Ella Chen is a refreshing difference. I like how natural her beauty is, with the apple hairdo only some fashion mavericks would dare to sport. She has this cute stray cowlick that makes her look anime perfect! What makes her stand out is her acting abilities - slapstick but not awkward, downright funny, you can't help but love her! She shifts from silly facial expressions to a more serious appearance with natural grace. Ella Chen's Yang Guo grew on me after 2 segments, I could actually empathize with her character.
If you're looking for a good laugh and a live-action-anime-style series, Down With Love is it!!
Forget about the diabolical clowns or creepy poltergeists. Get your popcorn, pizza and soda ready for the vintage movie from the book or the book that was made into a movie: Stephen King's Carrie.
Carrie is the ultimate pariah in the typical American highschool - withdrawn and insecure, she hides a secret power and a secret homelife and nurtures special dreams just like any other teenage girl.
When the high school hotties play a dirty trick on her, trampling on her hopes, Carrie unleashes her rage that turns a dream prom into a nightmare.
Are you the next girlfriend? If you are, then there's a tall order from the standard your predecessor set, for better or for worse.
Before you, there was a love affair of the now-ex-girlfriend. Your boyfriend and his ex shared a history, whether long or short, good or bad, happy or sad. That's a given. You, yourself, unless this is your first time to enter into a relationship shared a history with your previous mate.
Then ties were severed, bitterly or gracefully, partly or in totality.
And now you and your boyfriend forge a new life together.
How do you deal with the past history which is part of the whole which is your boyfriend? What do you do when you see presents from the ex-girlfriend still decorated in your boyfriend's place? How do you respond when his ex-girlfriend or a member of that continues to interact with your lover?
1. RESPECT YOUR BOYFRIEND'S PAST. Just as you have your own history apart from your boyfriend, your boyfriend has that too. Don't meddle with it. Treat it according to its position: a thing/relic of the past. So with his ex's gifts (after all, you've received gifts from your exes too - it's a matter of how both of you decide what to do with these things).
2. RESPECT YOUR PREDECESSORS. Whether she be an ex-wife, former paramour or plain ex-girlfriend, show some grace in accepting his past and showing them that you are worthy to be part of his life, his PRESENT life. Should you meet his past flames, be magnanimous (even if you should find that his exes are deplorable). This will impress the others, or cause jealousy at the worst, but it will give you a feeling of goodwill not only to your boyfriend and to his exes, but most of all to yourself.
3. RESPECT YOUR BOYFRIEND'S FAMILY. This will never go out of style. Even if you find that you don't like them that much, always be polite. There's nothing like a courteous girlfriend (whether you're 16 or 65). Keep your distance should you find them disagreeable. Speak your truth quietly and clearly, to quote the Desiderata. But show respect.
4. RESPECT YOUR BOYFRIEND'S PRIVACY. In the digital era, this is the easiest rule to break. What with accessible cellphones and hackable emails. But you will know something's wrong with your relationship when you will feel the itch to check his messages behind his back or even upfront.
5. RESPECT YOURSELF. Should you find something amiss, i.e. a flirtatious message from an ex-girlfriend or someone you don't know from Adam, confront your boyfriend, but never give yourself away to the other person. Confronting the other person will put you in a compromised position: you will appear uncouth, uneducated and wretched. You may feel the latter, as jealousy is normal. But if you cave in and explode to her, you could be accused of assault (physical or verbal)and you also give up your power. Keep your self-respect at all times. If there is a person you need to face, it is your boyfriend. Let him be the one to tell her off, this will be the test of your relationship. LEAVE THE RELATIONSHIP if you need to. Or work it out with your boyfriend without giving the other person the satisfaction of your jealousy.
One of the hallmarks of a longstanding relationship, aside from the mush called love, is RESPECT.
My eleven year old son and I were waiting to be waited at the mall pharmacy. He was looking at the merchandise on the left side of the counter. Son: (Reading aloud from a packet) Brand-X Lubricating Jelly, water-based, easy to use, condom-safe. (Pause) Ma, what's a condom? Me: Er, er, it's a plastic (!), like a plastic bag, a man puts on his penis to protect himself from diseases... But it's not too safe, it sometimes gets ripped... (Satisfied with the answer, despite the faltering introduction). Son: Ah, yeah, the disease... (looking thoughtful) So ma, why are they flavored? Me: @.@ (Dazed) It's like, er, perfume, son...Yeah (sniff) They want to put perfume... @.@
Beware of posers. Warn your house help, relatives and staff of posers who SEEM to be looking for you or a member of the family (or officemate, in the workplace). TELL YOUR STAFF AND FAMILY MEMBERS NOT TO LET UNFAMILIAR PEOPLE INTO YOUR PREMISES, even if they claim to be relatives, close friends or business associates.
These people look confident, educated and ACT AS IF THEY HAVE IMPORTANT BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS OR SOCIAL RELATIONS TO YOU.
LET US TRAIN OUR CHILDREN IN DEALING WITH STRANGERS. It's sad, but the police and intelligence officers I have spoken with have said that October to February are the months when MODUS OPERANDI are rampant in progressive cities such as ours. TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WHAT TO DO WHEN STRANGERS TALK TO THEM. "Don't talk to strangers even if these strangers look and act pleasant and claim to know you." Teach them who strangers are (people who are unfamiliar to them). It's okay when children act aloof to people they meet for the first time (even the ones you know). It is one of their ways of protecting themselves. If a stranger holds their hand, tell the children to scream out for you and bite the stranger or do anything to attract other people's attention (make your own suggestions to your children/ask your children what they think will help them be safe and work from there). They will appear rude and uncouth but BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY.
As much as we want to expose the children to the outside world, it is best to keep an eye on them at all times while teaching them safety measures, especially the young children, tweens and teens.
I'm saying this because there have been real incidents wherein a "confident", Tagalog-speaking man who calls himself different names for each location (sometimes not identifying himself at all), rides a Maroon Vios (Plate # to be posted later), has been surveying premises within our barangay, in the guise of having some "important personal business" with "someone" in the premises. This has happened in two different locations known to me. Thank God no harm has been done to anyone within both premises. BUT BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY. IT'S SAD, BUT FOR SUSPICIOUS LOOKING PEOPLE WITH DUBIOUS INTENTIONS AND ACTIONS - "Guilty until proven innocent."
This has already been reported to one of the higher ranking police officers (a family friend) and to the active members of the barangay. Safety measures are being taken.
LET US PRAY FOR SAFETY AND PROTECTION FOR OUR CITIES, PUBLIC PLACES, SCHOOLS AND HOMES. LET US TAKE ACTION IN PROTECTING OURSELVES AS WELL. May God bring security and peace in each of our lives.
Whether this Bible verse is within context, this will still help us gain the courage to carry on while being safe:
1 Corinthians 16:13 "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong."
So while we are being on GUARD, let us also have faith that God oversees all.
GOD BLESS US ALL. Please pass whether by message or word-of-mouth. Thank you.
I had the chance to visit Camiguin, an island which is a 1 hour and 20 minute plane ride from Manila and a 2 and a half hour fast-craft ride from Cagayan de Oro City last week, in time to witness the Lanzones Festival highlights which are the Miss Camiguin Tourism and the streetdancing the next day.
This year's festival was blessed with fair weather, which is unusual at this time of the year for the Island Born of Fire. Camiguin is a pear shaped island with a 68 km coastline that can be traveled by motorcycle in half a day or less. It has 7 active volcanoes responsible for the fertile land that produces the sweet Lanzones. It has retained its old world charm and still boasts of the marriage between the indigineous culture and Spanish heritage. One can tell by the smiles and hospitable gestures of the Camiguinons that their beautiful virgin island has not yet been adulterated by the uptightness of "progressive city life".
This is not to say that Camiguin is backwards, as most of its resorts have Wi-Fi access and other modern amenities. In fact, because tourism is one of their strongest industries, Camiguin banks on it's almost untouched environment. There are still vast expanses of greenery: forests, rice fields, front and backyards. There are beautiful coastlines of un-littered beaches. It is also a photographer's paradise with the silhouette of Hibok-Hibok looming over the island.
A week's stay in Camiguin rejuvenates one's weary soul. With the local scenery and the locals' smiles, their delicacies (pastel - a custard filled bun, tablea - native chocolate, dried squid and etc.) and the restful ambiance of this tourists' paradise, Camiguin is absolutely perfect!
I can hear the supercilious, syrupy singsong - mellifulous - lilt of the women from Manila; their Tagalog peppered with English or the other way around. The normalcy of pretense and the pronounced dysfunction in a family dinner where the protagonist guests is a total riot. The ubiquitous Filipino world-view (from my vantage point) of finding the right to be citizens of the world, finding passports from Goethe ("National literature no longer means much these days, we are entering an era of Weltliterature.") and being well-heeled and -traveled is palpable in each rich chapter of Miguel Syjuco's award winning novel Ilustrado.
The book is erudite, no doubt about it. There is a myriad of high-sounding words (get your dictionaries ready!) and intelligent jokes (deftly translated from the hysterical dialect to the equally hilarious English conversion) that lend to the true Ilustrado appeal and parody even. All in all, the book has its attraction on both the honesty and the self-depreciating quality Syjuco weaves his Filipino-universal Ilustrado story.
While it is wittily engaging, it is a modern-day exhortation of sorts for Filipinos to look at our culture straight in the eye and see it for what it is. You've got a good eye, Syjuco. Kudos! You have made this Filipino book lover proud!
Peony in Love is the historical novel by Lisa See set in the opulent Chen family villa and the lively Chinese afterworld back in the time when Lotus Feet were the rage and women's work got published.
Sixteen year old Peony, beautiful and betrothed, reaches a turning point in her life when she meets the man of her dreams on the opening night of her favorite play, The Peony Pavilion. She and her dream lover meet in secret in the courtyards of her family villa. Her sweet clandestine affair evolves into a lovesickness not unlike her favorite heroine, Du Liniang.
Will there be true love for Peony, who has been promised to another? What course will she take in the pursuit of finding her happy ending?
Peony in Love will sweep you off your feet to vistas of China and the rich landscape of Love.
We have to admit the benefits of living in the Philippines is the availability of domestic help within our capacity to employ and add as a member of our household. Hiring a household helper will change the family's lifestyle for better or for worse, so it would be beneficial to consider some important things.
This post will attempt to answer the question: Any tips on hiring, training and hopefully keeping a house helper?
On hiring: 1. Employment agencies - they have the advantage of trained helpers and midwives (as "yayas" for infants). 2. By recommendation - from friends, relatives, employees, co-workers.
(It would be good to ask for a barangay clearance, police clearance & valid ID; cellphone numbers of relations in the helper's hometown).
Meeting the kasambahay (the interview): 1. Things to look out for:
a. Respectful bearing and language, eye contact.
b. Hygiene (check out for body odor, bad breath)
c. Manner of dressing (tacky, sexy? neat? respectable?)
d. Intelligence (Street smarts and common sense)
2. Things to ask about:
a. Name, age, address, occupation of parents, siblings, cellphone number
b. Educational attainment
c. Health problems (asthmatic? allergic? arthritic?)
d. Ambition in life
e. Basic household skills
f. Expected salary (optional*)
g. Relatives and friends in the city
h. Opinions on children, housework, etc.
Give yourself a day or two until you decide whether the applicant in question suits your needs (based on the first impression and the interview). This will also test the applicant's decisiveness in having you as her employer.
Should you decide not to hire the applicant, tell her so politely.
When you and the applicant have agreed with the employment, take a week's off to personally train the helper. This will benefit you greatly as it will also be the time to test the new employee's trustworthiness and thoroughness with work. This time can be used to show the new employee the household's routine and needs. A few things first:
Before training:
a. Inform the new employee how much her salary will be and when payday will be.
b. Indicate the benefits of employment (include the comparison between renting a room and the free room that comes with employment, free meals and snacks).
c. Indicate the boundaries of the benefits (what do free meals include? coffee, tea, milk? or none? Be specific with the boundaries (Is the detergent she will use for your laundry be the same she will use for hers? Who will buy her toiletries?).
d. Inform her of her rest day and what time and day she is expected to return.
e. You can have a trial period of one month and inform her if she decides this.
f. Inform her that should either of party decide to terminate the employment, all her bags will be checked before she leaves.
g. Tell her of the boundaries you feels strongly about. ("I don't want to smell my perfume on you.", "Never take things that are not yours.", "Use your own slippers, comb, towel, etc.", "Take care while washing and ironing the clothes.")
Training: On the first day: 1. Orient the new staff on the daily routine, integrating a house tour and what you want done everyday. Make sure to give her enough lunch and rest in the middle of the day. 2. Write down her schedule (daily, weekly).
Within the week: 1. Check if she was able to follow through the schedule you gave on the first day. 2. Always put your valuables in a safe place. Tell your family to do the same. Always check pockets before putting it in the laundry. 3. If you should test the trustworthiness of a household helper, make sure you willing to risk firing her and losing the "test" item. Go back to square one.
How to keep a good helper:
1. Treat her well. There is a Kasambahay Bill Situationer which will help to protect your own and the employees interests. 2. Appreciate her good efforts through kind and sincere words and occasional tokens of gratitude. 3. Give her a raise. 4. Give her used items (clothing, etc.) 5. Feed her well (but remember your personal boundaries). 6. Give her enough rest and respect her personal space. 7. Nobody's perfect: she may be a good cook but a lousy cleaner or vice versa. If she's worth keeping (maybe because she's trustworthy), you might be willing to overlook her imperfection based on your own need. 8. Treat her the way you would want to be treated if you sought domestic employment in a king's palace (you are the queen of your home after all). 9. Be honest with her. Pay her on time and give her the rest day you agreed upon. 10. Take care of her health. (Her physical well-being is her investment. She will not be able to serve you well.) 11. Add your own.
I watched the whole first season of Lipstick Jungle on DVD this afternoon. My interest was a residue from my '80's movie craze over the summer.
Andrew McCarthy, Pretty in Pink dreamy prom date turned Jungle bazzilionaire, and the dewy Emmeline in Blue Lagoon turned power executive/wonder mommy in Lipstick Jungle shone on the Jungle of New York.
I'm not a big fan of western T.V. series. Grey's Anatomy turned me off with the multiple sex partners carousel. And I never got into the Sex & the City hype (I'm more into the oddities).
I Googled Lipstick Jungle because of my mad crush on Blane and I fell in love with the stills on Andrew McCarthy and Lindsay Price.
There's a lot of bad reviews on Lipstick Jungle, which is understandable since Sex & the City is so big, it must've made LJ look like an ugly step sister to Sex fans.
Lipstick Jungle, based on the novel by Candace Bushnell (same author of Sex & the City) follows the lives, loves and lusts of three glamorous, high-powered bff's in New York. Portrayed by Brooke Shields, Kim Raver and Lindsay Price, the three stunning women were perfect for the roles. The seven-episode first season attempts and somehow succeeds in giving humanity to the beautiful socialites struggling to find their rightful gilded thrones in the Big Apple.
I actually enjoyed the dramedy, and for a lazy Sunday afternoon it wasn't a bad way to pass the time.
I liked the soundtrack too. Lots of chill, trance and indie-sounding tracks; very modern.
I'm looking forward to reading the book version. A big, fat 500+ page narrative on the soirees of the glossy lipped power women and their adventures. I'm getting that next week.
Meanwhile, over lunchbreak this week, I'll finish season two and find out why the poor show was canceled.
"Out with the old and in with the ew? That is so mean!" Victory Ford, fashion designer, Lipstick Jungle
When boredom and ennui strike and not all resources have been used, there's the DVD player. Here are some feel-good movies I love:
1. Titanic - True love saves 2. Never Been Kissed - Love in a flashback 3. Ever After - Love in a fairytale 4. The Goonies - Love of adventure 5. Love Affair - Love can wait 6. I Wanna Hold Your Hand - Love the Beatles and the laughter 7. A Walk to Remember - Love changes everything 8. The Last Holiday - Love wished for, love unexpected (expectantly) 9. The Secret - Love for all things good 10.Music and Lyrics - Love musicians
Shangri-La is a mythical place authored by James Hilton. It is located up in the Himalayas where one is eternally happy and ever so young.
While Shangri-La has been synonymous to utopia since The Lost Horizon's inception, in the business world, Shangri-La is well known as the world-class business address for topnotch fieldwork. Indeed, the Shangri-La I visited with my mom and son last weekend was nirvana, albeit a consumerist one.
The monumental landmark is conveniently located in the country's business capital, Makati. Small wonder it was a place where well heeled businessmen and socialites and people of all colors and races converge. There is an endless stream of pleasant greetings from the charming and dapper bellhops and guest service ladies, nodding becomingly to each tourist, wedding guest and all and sundry. The marbled floors of the lobby and chandeliered high ceilings are palatial. And if that's not enough for the senses, the scent of Eternity for Women by Calvin Klein wafts through the pleasantly airconditioned hall.
Our room was overlooking the adjacent Glorietta area, with a panoramic view of HardRock Cafe, Saisaki and Dad's. The bathroom was marbled with a nice bathtub and a separate shower room. There was a nice complimentary fruit bowl of banana, mandarin citrus and Fuji apples.
That night, before dinner, my son frolicked in the fourth floor pool area where he was got first-class treatment, Zack and Cody would be jealous! "I wish we lived here, Ma," my son would muse repeatedly.
The next day, I experienced the world-class breakfast buffet. Upon entering Circles, their breakfast hall, one is greeted with the assortment of fruit juices (some laced with alcohol [early in the morning!]), Japanese food, bagels, croissants, puddings and waffles. And then a long row of casseroles with every mouthwatering, culinary delight. Across the buffet counter was a another table filled with chilled milk, fruits and cereals. It was a feat to choose from the variety. Eventually, I settled for myself old-fashioned ham, steamed mushrooms, eggs Benedict and a waffle. I took a glass of Carrot and Orange juice and within minutes, I felt a lovely buzz between my ears and decided that it's definitely laced with vodka.
Relaxed and pleased from my wonderful breakfast, I milled around the hotel and struck a conversation with a lovely lady New Yorker on a business trip. The company she's with is into outsourcing, a very lucrative business enterprise and employment opportunity in the Philippines. I also talked with some locals, asking them what their affair was in the hotel. They had a call center office event in the posh venue. (They're the guys in front of the facade).
I was intoxicated with the consumerist sensuality of the hotel, the scent, the sights, and the gastronomical delights such that when a nice-looking Indian guy who happened to be a Service Manager greeted me, I gushed to him "You're hotel is beautiful!" I was bowled over when he said with a twinkle in his eye, "Not as beautiful as you."
I took a lot of pictures in hopes of encapsulating the materialistic idyll I was in. After interviewing two elegant and charming Guest Service ladies (a graduate from De La Salle College of St. Benilde, the other one from "Iceland"), I asked them to pose in front of an immense seascape of a gorgeous sunset. "Shangri-La smile!" I cheered while clicking. Just then, a tall white man in a sharp business suit, looked solicitously amused, "Would you like to join them?" he asked. He was the General Manager (with the bellhop in the photo). "You're hotel is beautiful," I seemed to say this a lot. He was delighted, "Not as beautiful as you!" (That seems to be a standard form of flattery. After all, it is Shangri-La).
On our ride to the airport for our flight home, my mother said to my eleven year old son, "There's no place like home, is there? Home sweet home."
"There's a place like home, grandma," my son said.
We both looked wonderingly at my son. Without missing a beat he said with much conviction and nostalgia "Shangri-La feels like home."
Jerry Yan will be my hottie forever (according to my fan-heart)... And wow! Has the packaging of his stardom improved by meteorical measures since Meteor Garden (no pun intended). For one, his fashion sense has greatly, astoundingly improved...If in Meteor Garden I, he was up against his tacky clothes and reliant on his amazing looks, in Hot Shot, Jerry has become a real star!
But since this is not mainly about Jerry, let me get to the "review" part of this post.
All in all, I highly enjoyed the series. Surprisingly, it got lower ratings compared to high ones of Fated to Love You. Perhaps it's because Hot Shot wasn't all that emotionally sensational - again, compared to Fated to Love You. In fact, Hot Shot is a very easygoing watch, with its fair share of intriguing twists and turns and spectacular scene sequences (especially when they play basket!). I also love how they interspersed the comedy and drama of it.
But then again, my son and I were looking out for an important sequence at the end, which would have tied up the whole series and make the title truly worth being called "Hot Shot". The sequence we had in mind wasn't there.
Other than that, I should say it was worth watching. It was not sensational, but I must say it was really good!
Tomorrow is the first Friday of the month. It would be a good day to go to the mananambal, or faith healer to inquire about a person's otherworldly status; to ask whether he is dating true, blooded human being... or a bal-bal.
According to Wikipedia, the Bal-Bal is a mythological monster that steals corpses whether it is in a funeral or grave and feeds on them.
My friend is seeing a lovely girl from a nearby town that is known to be infested with bal-bals. Contrary to the Wikipedia definition, the term bal-bal in our region describes an otherworldy creature/being with a human appearance and demeanor but has powers one of which is the ability to fly (and yes, think bat wings). Bal-bals are attracted to the scent of the dead or pregnant mothers. More frightening, their condition is contagious. Bal-bals can contaminate persons who offend them by patting the latter in any part of the body. Other ways of contamination is murmuring spells on a person and blowing a breath on a person's skin. Eating food prepared in bal-bal's homes can also infect a normal human being.
When my friend told his colleagues that he was seeing this girl, his co-workers burst his romantic bubble by telling him the long standing rumor that this girl was a bal-bal. Her parents, though well off and highly educated, are reputedly bal-bals as well. My friend and I then decided to interview my hilot, or masseuse on what she knows of bal-bals.
I presumed that my hilot, a devout Catholic, didn't believe in such backwards superstitions. But she did know some faith healers and she traveled in such circles so my friend and I took our chance on her.
Apparently, she did believe in the existence of bal-bals and taught us how to detect one.
Faith healer friends of my hilot would always gift her with lana, or oil from herbs that has been prayed over. This was said to protect her from bad spirits and yes, bal-bals. She always brought lana in a small flask, making sure that the outer surface of the bottle was dry. One night, she and her children were in an area in our city thought to be ridden with bal-bals. The hairs on her neck were standing as she and her children took a row boat or bangka that would bring her to the other side of the river. Her flask of lana was "boiling", and warm oil spewed from the bottle. A bal-bal was in the vicinity.
According to my hilot, when the bal-bal would detect the odor of the lana, the flask of oil would sweat while the oil would boil inside . In turn, the bal-bal would feel uneasy and uncomfortably warm, and even avoid the person carrying the native, blessed concoction.
"I thought you didn't believe in these things," I told her.
"Oh, but I do!" she said, "I'll tell you more."
One night, her son came home from basketball practice. He complained that his shoulder blades felt weird, like something wanted to come out of his body, and that he felt like flying. He climbed the walls of their home. She asked her son what happened. "Ma, an old man came to me tonight and asked me hat time it is. I answered him and then he patted me in the back and left." Frantic, my hilot went to their neighbor, a faith healer, knowing her son had been contaminated. The spell had to be undone. The son was ordered by the faith healer to take in a concoction of lana. Something was lodged at his throat. He threw it up and out came what looked like a bird's embryo with wings. He vomited some more and out came fine feathers, like a lovebird's. He puked some more and out came another bird that had soft bones, like a balot (a Filipino delicacy). "He's going to be weak in the next 24 hours," the faith healer said. "Don't let him eat anything that is cooked with blood for a year. No dinuguan (pork blood stew), chicken and pork entrails for a year. And always let your children bring lana."
Bal-bals are also known to keep on asking the time, though it is obvious that you belong to the same time zone. Their purpose is to know that it is the hour of contamination.
By the time we had finished our interview with my hilot, my friend and I were in a stupor. We couldn't believe that we were actually taking this seriously.
His date who was a suspected bal-bal was a prospect for a relationship. She seemed nice. She looked nice. She even has a nice job! Besides, the first decade of the millennium is almost over and here we are regressing to myths on the kapres, diwatas and bal-bals!
I feel bad for the lady/bal-bal suspect. I feel bad for my friend too. My friend has it in him to find out the truth. Off he goes with the lana. Seriously. But I did tell him I wish he'd call the whole thing off - for his safety's sake.
"Can you believe this?" he asked quietly, but incredulously. "Can't say I do, can't say I don't," I said.
God bless us ALL.
This is not fiction.
*Comic relief: This is so in the tune of the Twilight Saga. But I swear, it's not funny at all. Ironically it makes me laugh.
Two nights ago, I finished the award-winning Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray.
The trilogy follows the phantasmagorical adventures of Gemma Doyle, an English girl of sixteen who embarks on a journey to the Motherland from the British colony of India to learn to live like a proper English lady.
Replete with drama, peril, romance and magic, The Gemma Doyle Trilogy will sweep you off your feet in three delicious books, starting with A Great and Terrible Beauty, continued by Rebel Angels and is concluded by a big, fat, satisfying ending in The Sweet Far Thing.
The themes of authority, family, bonds of friendship, young love and the ambiguity of good and evil are explored in the sweeping chronicle of Gemma's exploits.
Makes for a good, lazy weekend(s) reading! Don't forget the biscuits and the tea!
My son's been itching to watch The Proposal, and I've been adamant in PG'ing it. My son's 10 years old and is at that age when kids are curious about grown up things and think/feel brave enough to take on "adult" stuff. Well, I'm one of those protective mothers who wants to keep her cub in the den... But heck, one adult said the "adult" scenes weren't obscene or lewd - and indeed they weren't and bless him, my son found the birthday suits scene hilarious. I was at wit's end trying to keep my protectiveness at bay while barely stifling guffaws!
I also had to tell him that love stories like those are just in the movies (yeah, ma, they're fiction, you've been saying that since I was little). I had to say that lest he thought it was ok to short circuit love... I had to say my brief spiel on love, friendship and respect...
God, to be a mom!
Eventually, Andrew and Margaret's characters grew on me, and the development of the story caught on my sentimental side, that I was actually crying (eeek, yes! it's one of my weaknesses!). My son asked "Do you like the movie ma?" And my reply was "Do you think I'd still get married?" (Haller?!!!) And then he hugged me. "Yeah, you can get married ma." Yep, that's my son.
Now when Margaret admitted to their charade in that barn wedding scene, I had to say "Now that's very brave! She did the right thing." ("You do like the movie.")
It was really nice, that movie. "But that's a fairy tale, kid."
***
Speaking of proposals, now I understand why the American husband of my friend looooves telling his proposal story where he gets down on his knee, opens the Tiffany box with the rock and pops the question. And he is astounded that my friend was speechless, she almost spaced out. All this in the backdrop of New York with the view from the Brooklyn Bridge (when I was not there LOL). And he loves telling that story over and over again.
I was reminded of this during the scene in The Proposal when Andrew's ex-girlfriend asks them to tell the proposal story... And the guests at their party were intent on listening to their story... Fast forward to the end where Andrew actually proposes to Margaret, his former tormentor, with purpose and conviction in his former concentration camp - the office, and the onlookers, their officemates were all dissolved into mush...
Gosh I wonder if that happens in real life... Come to think of it, romantic proposals worth recounting happened as it did to my friend. (She's the one who gets embarrassed each time her husband relates it with such gusto, you can't help but get engaged - no pun intended!).
That's The United States of Hollywood for you, and I have to admit, I love it too!
The MAJOR MAJOR trend in Facebook statuses is Venus Raj's now-a-mega-hit Miss Universe 2010 answer to the brains and wits test by William Baldwin: "What is the biggest mistake that you’ve ever made in your life and what did you do to make it right?"
Facebook posts range from fellow Filipinos tearing their hair and their clothes over Ms. Raj's off the mark reply to spectators who are more sympathetic of Ms. Raj's human error.
I just watched the 46 second video of the Q&A and I have to admit that I quite cringed...
It is not without shame that I reacted that way because after all, if anyone one of us was Venus Raj, it wouldn't be easy being up there in front of the Universe, being weighed for beauty and wits.
In fact, it's an irony that i had laughed, having joined local beauty contests myself.
Last week, a friend of mine invited me to anchor the local pageant which I had joined lifetimes ago, and because I had a flu attack, I declined.
Over the week as Venus Raj's answer has been talked about in grocery aisles where acquaintances meet, or used as a humorous reference to whatnot ("I'm having a MAJOR MAJOR headache!"), I thought about how I was supposed to be part of our city's beauty contest once again.
I recoil at the thought of how women (myself in the past, included) subject ourselves to judgment over a short period of time (some, merely hours), to be placed in the annals of local history, booboo's, "wits" and all.
Although beauty contests will be here to stay, unless some MAJOR MAJOR universal paradigm shift deems it irrelevant, I do, though, advocate guidance to beauty contestants that though preparation for the big night is good, winning is not everything, and life in the limelight (win or lose) has its price. It is good to remind contenders that there are more things in life that matter than glitz and glamor, fame and glory.
I hope that Ms. Venus Raj will use this paradoxical fame to her advantage and learn how to laugh at her faux pas. Laughing at one's own chagrin can be disarming. She has lots of chances to show the world and herself that she is more than the seemingly shallow seconds-long answer she made.
My male cousin was still proud of Ms. Raj, despite her embarrassing response. And in turn, I'm proud that my cousin saw past that. Indeed, Venus Raj's beauty is a true representation of our beautiful islands, tall, strong, dark-skinned, and beautiful. And if she hasn't had any "MAJOR, MAJOR problems in her 22 years of existence," - now she does, and I'm sending her all the light and love in hopes that she can do something good about it!
Sigh. It's past my bedtime and I just finished wrapping some presents for friends: a mother (her birthday tomorrow) and daughter (the latter being my godchild, whose Christmas present I ordered and just arrived). I thoroughly enjoyed wrapping the gifts - but it took me one hour to find the perfect motif for the ribbons and charms. So now, it is past my bedtime and tomorrow is the last day of the working week (yahoo!) -
To watch or not to watch? I'm now at episode 10 of The Hospital starring dreamy Jerry as Dr. Su Yihua, and am I having a ball!
This time around, I am enjoying my eye candy sans the anger and violence of Dau Ming Sz (of my all-time favorite Meteor Garden). In The Hospital, Jerry's character is more subdued as the underdog (ahem!!!). His acting is more dynamic than as he was in Magic Kitchen (where his acting was subject to criticisms, i.e., Jerry just smoldered. [lol!] - and I have to agree, his acting in Magic Kitchen was flat). But this time around, the variety of facial expressions of Dr. Su is absolutely - sigh - heartmelting.
Overall impact? Mushy in an Asian sort of way. I was thinking before that The Hospital was another poor imitation of Grey's Anatomy (which I avidly watched until I couldn't stand the musical chairs of romantic and sexual partners). Well, the producers of The Hospital, also known as White Tower, did follow the Western suit of creating TV serieses based on lives of professionals in the medical field, and though not an original concept (what's original these days, anyway?!), The Hospital is highly watchable (I'm biased :D).
Eye candy is number one, second is the Asian flavor of dealing with the issues (the ceremonies behind transactions, blind respect for hierarchy, the awkward fight for idealism which is a "new" concept for "obedient" Asians, to name some), and the assimilation of Western "values" into the Asian context is quite interesting. I would like to say I'm in it for the story. Well, maybe, but definitely I'm in it for the pleasure of watching Jerry move haha - and okay,I admit, to see the unfolding of the subplots, which are well, Asian kinda good.
And I love that, Asian kinda good...
To watch or not to watch. I'll decide while I take a bath (which reminds me, Jerry has a safe and sexy bath scene which almost made me faint! hahah!)
"That is so codependent!" my mom huffed in exasperation when she saw that I was reacting emphatically to a scene in Boys Over Flowers.
I bit my tongue. BOF is not worth an argument with the Queen Mother.
I wanted to say, "Aren't most love stories codependent?" (Save for A Walk to Remember which was very inspiring and spiritual.) But I kept mum...
Her Western preferences are so full of S-E-X! Betrayal and violence. What makes it any different from my preference?
Though I concede HYD, MG and BOF have more than their fair share of violence and betrayal, the sex thing is not so blatant. In fact, the kissing scenes are tame and decent (save for the episode in MG where DMSz forces his kiss on Shan Cai in the school balcony. His lack of social skills and restraint was made evident in that scene. Either that, or I'm defending the story hahahah! In fact in the manga version, there are "up yours" hand signals and expletives). But for all 25 episodes of the Korean Version, there are only a few kissing scenes which are more sweet than sensual.
Besides, the redemption of Tsukasa/DMSz/Jun Pyo's role were threshed out clearly (from my point of view) that his wrongdoings are forgivable if only as a TV show. I haven't thought about the real life plausibility of his character's evolution.
After all, I'm all in it for the fantastic relief. After all, it is a most girls' codependent dream to be a catalyst for change. After all, in A Walk to Remember, Jamie Sullivan was a catalyst to Landon Carter's improvement.
One more thing that fascinates me about HYD/MG/BOF is that Tsukushi/ShanCai/JanDi's role as a middle class girl thrown into the world of the spoiled, rotten and rich and overcoming obstacles just to get by is a feat many of us would like to achieve... And of course turning the frog into a prince just by being oneself is the height of that dream. Though Shan Cai and Jan Di's role of being violently oppressed by the F4 is too much for reality, it sadly resonates most women's capacity to suffer. The healthier thing to do is WALK AWAY, but Tsukushi/ShanCai/JanDi is a radical activist who stands up for her "rights", to the point of putting herself in harm's way. Oh well, that's why it's called fiction. The danger is that impressionable minds might think it's okay to brave it out; in real life it's called being foolhardy (but that calls for another discussion).
Going back to the fantasy, it is every person's dream to be the kind who doesn't give up even in the face of destitution and humiliation. To still have that strength to stand straight, chin up, shoulders back and walk steadily, confident that the world is still a friendly place despite all the hardships. And getting the happy ending - which Tsukushi/ShanCai/JanDi got in the end, after many twists, turns and tears.
And those back up guys, the rest of the F4. I love saying that the F4 in MG are hunks, while in BOF they're cuties. But nonetheless their characters which are seemingly shallow eventually revealed men whose loyalties are towards the righteous (Tsukushi/ShanCai/JanDi) - to the point of them being there for the T/S/JD at every whiff of trouble - is again, another favorite fantasy. In real life, we know that people only help to a point, because they have their own lives to lead; besides nobody likes to be anyone's charity case. But the genius of Yoko Kamio lies in that Tsukushi/ShanCai/JanDi was never portrayed thus. At the same time the F4 were not portrayed as guys who keep tabs, what is given is a gift; and it is implied that after all things in each characters' lives are taken care of, they attend to our protagonist.
Is this codependent or not? LOL...
Oh my, count on it, there's a part 3 of this...Jaa Ne for now!
For a couple of nights now I've been beating the drum pads of our Rockband like mad. Well, small wonder since I've loved the Beatles since high school.
It was in the middle of our junior year when one of my girlfriends lent me a Betamax copy of Steven Spielberg's '80's flick "I Want to Hold Your Hand" starring Nancy Allen (from "Carrie"). The movie was a total riot! Lucky for me I was able to get hold of a rare copy of it on DVD and still break into fits of laughter whenever I watch it.
On Christmas of my junior year, the sister of my late godmother gifted me with a Beatles songbook and I sung out most of the songs from their earlier albums.
Since then, I've been a staunch fan of the Beatles. My favorite (among my favorites, is "I Will", which you will hear if you click on the Polyvore image). Boyfriend after boyfriend, I have sung that song, and break up after break up, "I Will" has never grown old, never tasted bitter.
Now, my son and I enjoy The Beatles Rock Band so much. In fact, my son has memorized some songs which I never bothered with such as "Back in the U.S.S.R", "The End", "Paperback Writer"& many more.
I'm glad their music will never die. The Beatles' passion for music should live on!
I'm still not over the magic of Pretty in Pink. Here are some youtube videos of Psychedelic Furs' "Pretty in Pink" and Suzanne Vega's "Left of Center".
The first song was reportedly John Hughes inspiration for the movie. He wrote the script of the movie for Molly Ringwald. It couldn't have been played better by any other actress. Her acting is fluid, charming and very natural.
The second song, "Left of Center", was written for the movie by Suzanne Vega ("Luka"). The sound is very contemporary, as one viewer commented, and I couldn't agree more.
I couldn't find a youtube video of "Wouldn't It be Good?" performed by Danny Hutton Hitters. I loved how that song segued the scene from Andie's school to the street leading to the record store where she worked.
“1) Usually seen around social networking sites such as Friendster and Multiply, jejemons are individuals with low IQs who spread around their idiocy on the web by tYpFing LyK diZS jejejeje, making all people viewing their profile raise their eyebrows out of annoyance. Normal people like you and me must take a Bachelor of Arts in Jejetyping in order to understand said individuals, as deciphering their text would cause a lot of frustration and hair pulling.
CAUTION: THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE BREEDING! THEY CAN BE SEEN WRECKING GRAMMATICAL HAVOC ON FACEBOOK TOO!
2) Jejemons are not just confined to trying-hard Filipino gangsters and emos. A Jejemon can also include a variety of Latino-Hispanic fags who enjoy typing "jejejejeje" in a wider context, much to the disdain of their opponents in an internet MMORPG game such as Ragnarok and DOTA.
3) Basically anyone with a low tolerance in correct punctuation, syntax and grammar. Jejemons are usually hated or hunted down by Jejebusters or the grammar nazi to eradicate their grammatical ways.”
I think Jejemons are hilarious, if not a riotous fad that is indeed contaminating the cyber-psyche that even the contending presidential candidate, Gibo Teodoro, gave an emphatic reaction “Pababalikin ko ang mga Jejemeon sa elementarya.” (“I will send the Jejemons back to elementary.”).Many “Gotta Kill ‘Em All” Jejemon buster sites are setting camp over the internet, too.
My teacher friends and I were talking about these Jejemons over a fiesta lunch this afternoon.The Jejemon power could be felt in that we spent a good 10 minutes or more just talking about these grammar/spelling annihilators who are creating a horridly funky amusing way of communicating.It was mentioned in our conversation that the length to which grammar Nazis or plain Jejemon haters are going has reached the analysis of the Jejemon psychology.I think it is hysterical!!! Jejejejeje!
Now that Jejemon has been defined and established as a legitimate fad not unlike swardslang, here are my thoughts on Jejemon:
I understand how Jejemons can be complacent on their newfound, unconscious interest in gibberish and that teachers ought to be more on the lookout on how to attack the virus.
Aiming to eradicate the Jejemons will only give them power.They feed on publicity, “hate” or even mild annoyance.A more objective look at these Jejemons will give teachers a better perspective on how to win over the Jejemons to the proper way of communicating.
Just like swardslang that evolves and grows, I have a suspicion that Jejemon might mutate as this generation will grow out of it and find neophytes to contaminate.Our role as teachers is to use the Jejemon virus as a spring board to teach correct grammar; so as to get into the context of the current craze and let misguided Jejemons see that we are on their side.This way, we have better hope of guiding them away from their “yOeWniMaaiNd” (translated as “Unimind” in reference the the good Little Green Men in the Toy Story series).The Jejemons are a collective (un-)consciousness that evolved and mutated with the adults’ published disdain.
Thus said, I will attempt to make a lesson plan for the English subject on Sentence Patterns using the Jejemon Virus as the spring board.
Here is the sample lesson plan I have made for teachers. Teachers who are interested to use it may do so, and acknowledge the source. It can also be improved upon and customized so as to meet the need of the class.
I was just so amused by this Jejemon craze that I came up with a leisurely activity of thinking up how it can be used as a spring board in order to relate to the youth of today and guiding them to the rIgHt jejejeje pfAtH! Jejejejejeje! Long live free and responsible speech!!!
***
Lesson Plan on Sentence Patterns
General Objective:
To bring into light the importance of correct spelling, grammar and punctuation usages as opposed to Jejemon jargon.
Values Objectives:
Exchange views on how the Jejemon Virus is affecting communication today.
Respond to the necessity of conforming to spelling, grammar and punctuation rules through teacher prepared classroom activities.
Internalize the necessity of studying and using spelling, grammar and punctuation rules through an essay.
Subject Matter:Sentence Patterns
Materials and References:
Teacher-researched jejemon sentences.Cellphones. Pad paper.Resource on sentence patterns.
Specific Objectives:
Translate sentences into Jejemon gibberish.Create Jejemon sentences and translate them into the four correct sentence patterns.
Compare and contrast the advantages of correct grammar usage in communication and Jejemon jargon.
Presentation:
Context:Teacher sets the tone of the class by opening the topic about Jejemons and embark on a discussion on the students’ view of Jejemon language.
Guiding questions:
What are the specific benefits of communicating in Jejemon?
What comments do you hear about Jejemon?What are your reactions to these comments?
If your parents or a trusted adult/authority communicated to you in Jejemon, how would you react?
What would become of the world if we spoke Jejemon?
What are the advantages of learning how to communicate using correct grammar and punctuation?
Activities:
Day 1: Teacher hands out slips of paper with Jejemon sentences to students.Ask students to translate these sentences into grammatically correct sentences on pieces of paper.
Let volunteers read their Jejemon messages and their correctly translated answers.
Teacher introduces the four sentence patterns:
Subject – Linking Verb – Predicate Noun or Pronoun
(Jejemon message:Eeeeht eeeaaazz a Jejemon.) Translate
2.Subject – Linking Verb – Predicate Adjective
(Jejemon message:zzlEEpyy NaH Meeeh.)Translate.
Subject – Intransitive Verb
(Jejemon message:dEeeehdo na Xeae.) Translate
Subject – Transitive Verb – Direct Object
(Jejemon message: Mmaah, leW2 naH pwwhou keO nG dinNah?)Translate.
Teacher gives a more thorough explaination of the sentence patterns and examples.
Teacher asks students (as an assignment) to make sentences using the four sentence patterns in correct form and in Jejemon form.
Day 2: Teacher checks assignment through discussion and recitation.Teacher directs a more formal discussion on the sentence patterns and lets pupils answer textbook or teacher-prepared seatwork.
Day 3:After more discussion and activities on the sentence patterns, let students make an essay to compare and contrast the advantages of learning correct grammar usage and the benefits (if any) of Jejemon jargon.
Evaluation/ Assessment/Agreement:
Write how one can have fun with language without forgetting the importance of spelling, grammar and punctuation.
***
(Teacher can also include the more respectable and accepted gibberish in English Literature which is the Jabberwocky by Lewis Carrol [Author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland]. It could be seen as a forefather of Jejemon or any other evolved (mutated?) form of communication - by a revered author who never forgot his grammar, but had fun with language.)
***
Again, I created this lesson plan in leisure. It may be used and improved upon should any teacher care to use it, as long as the author is acknowledged. I apologize in advance for any errors, if any, but then again, I created the lesson plan as a hobby and did not test this in the classroom.
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." Aristotle
***
The Jabberwocky
by Lewis Carroll
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.
And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! and through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
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