Our Planet Needs help!

STOP GLOBAL WARMING!

 

Global warming is a serious problem that the whole Planet earth is facing. It is no longer a myth but a fact and is very evident. Have you noticed the unpredictable and sudden changes in the weather, and the excessive heat that we are now experiencing. It is due to the accumulated greenhouse gases. Let’s act now, while we can before it’s too late!

Please Join the campaign and let our voices be heard!
I’m tagging everyone to Post this Message on Their Blogs. Please Pass it on!
I signed up to join the Stop Global Warming Virtual March and I encourage you to add your voice as well. Global warming is the most urgent issue of our time and since we are all contributors to global warming pollution we must all be part of the solution. Joining the Virtual March is a first step to joining the movement to demand solutions now.

You can join by visiting: http://www.stopglobalwarming.org/countmein.asp

StopGlobalWarming.org’s mission is to use the strength of numbers to urge our government to address global warming, and urge businesses to start a new industrial revolution of clean energy that reduces our dependence on oil and helps stop global warming.

Together we can make a difference.

Disturbed Slumber

For the likes of me who toil the midnight oil, literally, rest (a.k.a. sleep) is sacred. Call it blasphemy all you want but I care a rat’s ass about it. These days, I would stay in my bed until my back blisters and my behind feels really sore. And honestly? I feel fine. I only have few regrets in becoming a self proclaimed weekend bum; I miss writing. Yet most of the time I still feel that I am blameless. If you stare at a 24 inch LCD monitor, 8 hours a day , 5 days a week for a job, you wouldn’t want to see a screen glow for the next two days. But, Today is an exemption.

I started my Sunday (my Sunday clock starts at 9:00 am) with the usual trip to nanay Carmen’s turo-turo. A nilagang baka breakfast (Nanay Carmen’s especialty) every Sunday has become part of my routine. upon entering the carinderia, I waved at Nanay Carmen and give her the cutest school boy smile I could muster. She waved back at me but I noticed that the smile is not like what it used to be. Nanay Carmen is at her early 60’s. But despite the age, she still keeps a lively disposition in life. She loves to joke around, and calls me anak (like she does with almost everyone she likes).

It’s almost 3 years now that I frequent Nanay’s turo-turo. during those days when I was thinking that Manila is to congested for me and it’s nights are to gloomy, Nanay is one of those few people who showed me otherwise. Part of the few people is Tuying, a 7 years old son of a drunkard. I met Tuying one rainy September afternoon of 2005. It was must be a Sunday then because I’m at nanay’s place. I was at the middle of my steamy nilaga when a boy approached my as he did with everyone else in the place. he stood in front of my table and said “Kuya penge ng pera,” the tone is courteous. It must be a day after payday then that I felt generous. Most of the time, I would just say “wala akong pera, sorry”. That time I reached inside my pocket and gave him a five peso coin. After the boy left Nanay approached and sat at the available chair beside me. She told me the boy’s story. I learned that the boy is using the money for “baon” in school, that nanay let him eat the turo-turo everyday, That the boy’s mother is gone and his good for nothing father, as nanay would call him, is going. I don’t know but I feel impressed with the kid. With a life like that, ordinary kids should have given up schooling a long time, but not Tuying. He would go to school even if it means he have to beg his way to it. That was the beginning. I usually join the boy on his table when I come to the place and find him eating there as well (if he is not out begging for some money anywhere else). He talks a lot, but he also takes time to listen. A good sign of intelligence. He loves to joke around. He told me a lot of corny joke that you could only expect from a kid. The jokes eased the loneliness in me somehow. He is street smart, with the kind of life he has, he needed to be.

Today, In the middle of consuming my steamy nilaga, as I’ve done a hundred times before, I can’t help but to glanced at every table. Nanay approached my table and sat beside me, like she did a hundred times. She put her gentle hand over my arms and said “kailangan mo na ulit masanay kumain mag-isa tuwing linggo”, I looked at her face puzzled, she have this pained look painted on her usually smiling eyes. She told me that Tuying passed away last thursday, I was in shock. Other datails about Tuying’s passing escaped my understanding. I did not ask any question. All I understood is that he came to Nanay’s place after school with a fever. That Nanay took him to the hospital, That Nanay was there with him during those critical times and his turo-turo was closed. That some of the medicine that Tuying needed is so expensive and the Government hospital doesn’t have it available. It happened so fast, Tuying left this world a little after 4:00 AM last Thursday.

The nilagang baka all of the sudden tastes so bland. but what left bad taste to the mouth is that fact that a hundred of Tuyings are lying in government hospitals right now. With no medicines for them in the hospital pharmacy and with no money to buy it with outside. They will go back to search for answer in the only place in the hospital where service is for free, the chapel. Yet even that place won’t provide answers, it provides only hope. And hope is not something you could always hold on to. In Tuying’s case, Nanay could only do so much.

It is depressing to think that while our senate continuously talk about corruption in public television, we still can’t do anything about it. Hundreds of Tuyings are dying everyday because the money that should go to the coffers of the hospitals to buy equipment and medicines went to the pockets of officials who is worthy of public execution. We all know that a crime of corruption has been committed but what other things have we done so far aside from senate inquiry in aid of legislation? None! Our call for change has fallen on deaf ears. Senator’s who have expressed their willingness to run for the Presidency on 2010 is cautious in a making a stand on this issue. Is it to early to Sirs? What hope does the weak and underprivileged of this country have when the good people they believe in has lost their courage to fight for the right cause.

What do we have left? what do we have left but ourselves. Let this be an appeal, a call to arms. A call to arm ourselves with enough tenacity to keep fighting for justice when it seem lost. A call to arm ourselves with enough vigilance to keep us grounded from what is right and wrong. A call to arm ourselves with enough prayer to keep us guided. and a call to arm ourselves with enough hope that our heart will stand his ground. A time might come when our patriotism will waiver and our courage will fail, but it it will not be in this time. Not in our generation. A call to arm ourselves with enough fortitude to respond just in case history summon us to come together again.

Wake up from this deep slumber, I will…

Stand!

 

It was 4:00 PM. Everyone in PBCom building was in a hurry to go home. Our training class was dismissed earlier than usual. The inter-faith rally has begun. The management is worried of hooliganism, the rest of us was just worried about walking the distance from PBCom tower to the MRT station in Ayala.

I packed my things, picked my back pack ang head towards the exit. speeches ang yells from the nearby Paseo de Roxas greeted me as I stepped out. Headed towards the underpass and was determined to start the long walk.

As we pass through Paseo, Enoch, a co-worker asked me if we could stay for a while and listen to what the politicians are saying. I was really not in the mood for hanging around that day. At the same time, I am not interested in listening to politicians saying what has been said before. The same banana, different day. You just get tired of it. At the same time, it actually feels like watching a comedy seeing Erap egging a President to step down (Whether that president was actually elected by the majority or won the presidency by fraud).  I Said no, but Enoch is persistent. Eventually, I agreed. As we move forward to get a better look at the crowd, I was amazed. It’s a sea of humanity. 

It has been a while since I last attended a protest rally. That was way back college years when I was still an active member of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) Cagayan Valley. Along the way things happen, somehow, you get disillusioned or simply got tired of things. That was the time when you turn your back and moved on.

I was beginning to feel dizzy, I was about to tell Enoch that I have to go, but he’s busy talking with someone. Eavesdropping to their conversation. I overheard that some protesters were unable to join the rally due to different reasons. Some were stopped at Laguna by LTO because of the Jeepneys permit to enter the metro and other groups were stopped because of phoney reasons.

I was thinking, If only the president allows the people accused of involvement in this multi-billion peso scam to come out in the open and try to clear their names, then there is no need for protests like this. Why is the Government so afraid of people coming together? Was it because there no longer any doubt in the mind of the populace that there are truths with Lozada’s testimony. Is the goverment (especially malacañang) beginning to fear its own shadow?

Right then and there, I feel like a college student again. Maybe, if the mind begins to forget, the heart never ceases to remember. Is my respect for my government taking a back seat if I ask myself how much I  love my country? The answer is without a doubt, YES!

During times like this, being neutral is a mortal sin. One needed to know if they are black or white. There is no middle ground for truth.

Enoch looked at me and said ” Tara na, malayo pa lalakarin natin” I looked at him and said, “una ka na bro, Maiiwan muna ako dito”.

Bagsakan na!

Medyo maganda ang gising ko kanina. Bumangon ako mag-aalas singko na ng madaling araw. Himalang hindi ako inaantok. Nag-almusal, naligo, nagsepilyo, nagbihis at lumayas ng bahay na hindi nadidisgrasya. Ayos, so far so good.

Pagsakay ko sa bus, medyo nagsimulang umasim ang tono ng araw. Masuwerte lang at madali akong nakasampa. At least nakaupo pa ako. apat na tao na ang nakatayo sa isles ng bus. Panay pa ang sigaw ng kundoktor ng “Sakay lang! maluwag yan. araw araw ginagamit yan!” naknampucha. Maluwag nga, wala namang maupuan. at isa pa hindi ko naintindihan yung part na araw-araw ginagamit ano kaya yun. (Bwahahahaha).

Pagdating sa cubao, nagkakaamuyan ng ng kilikili yung mga nakatayo sa isle ng bus. Siksikan, halo halo, mayroon nang tsumatsansing, mayroon ding natsatsansingan, at may may mga nagpapatsansing, Humm. sa dami ng tao hindi na maiwasang magkatulakan. along the way tatlong tao ang nabilang kong medyo minalas malas. Dito nagsimula yung trend ng bagsakan sa araw na ito.

• Una, yung kunduktor ng bus, nalaglag sa pagkakakapit sa estribo nung umabante ang bus. (tatang tanga kasi eh)
• pangalawa, Yung mamang nagtitinda ng sampaguita sa timog, bumagsak nang matisod sa sidewalk, yung paninda niyang sampaguita, nalaglag sa estero. (kawawa naman)
• pangatlo. yung trafic enforcer ng MMDA, bumagsak sa motorsiklo nung nagmamadaling sumampa sa motor dahil gustong hulihin yung bus na dumaan sa crossing ilalim. 5:30 ng umaga, ang tawag sa huling ganoon ay hulidap. Kotong to the max. Gumewang yung motor, nalaglag yung mama. (Yehheeyy).

Pagdating to sa labas ng opisina, panay ang dasal kong huwag sanamng bumagsak yung elevator na sasakyan ko. sa 4oth floor ang training room namin, kung nagkataon na bumagsak yung elevator, hindi sapat yung taas na 4oth floor, Siguradong bago ko pa matapos yung dasal na our father ay paktay na ako. sa awa ng diyos nakarating naman ako sa training room ng maayos.

nagsimula ang qualifying exam ng alas nueve, natapos ng alas dose.  Pagka announce ng scores, dalawa daw sa klase ang bagsak. Nak ng bibeng duling, Bagsak na naman. before lunch. dalawang kasama sa training ang nawalan ng trabaho.

Hindi ko lubos maisip kung paano sila bumagsak gayong ipinagmamalaki pa ng isa sa kanila na naperfect niya yung isang unit ng hindi nagrereview. Tinanong ko kung anong items ba yung naperfect niya. ang sagot niya “yung sexual harrassment section”. Paksyet. Sa damin ng pwedeng maperfect, yun pang freebie questions ang naperfect ng hinayupak.

May mga katanungan na hindi ko mahanapan ng sagot.

• Hindi ko alam kung bakit kahit may nalalalag na sa bus, mayroon pa ring mga gagong nananatsing.
• May qualifying exam, yung may kaugnayan pa sa sex ang hindi makalimutan.
• Likas ba talagang malibog ang mga lalake at nauuna pa ang sex minsan kesa sa ano pa man?

Paulit ko man tanungin ang mga bagay na yan, hindi ko kayang tanggapin na ganun nga. hindi naman ganoon. nagresearch ako sa internet, naghanap ng kasagutan sa aking mga tanong.  Kung paano gumagana ang utak ng lalake. Eto ang aking natuklasan.

Virus!

Nagumpisa na ako sa bago kong work. Maganda naman ang mga benepisyo kaya kahit medyo malayo ang site ng unang linggo ng training hindi ako nagrereklamo. Ang hindi lang naging maganda ay ang simula ng aking linggo.

Lunes, pag gising ko sa umaga parang may nakabara sa aking sisinghutan. Hindi normal sa panahong mainit ang sipunin.  Napilitan akong dumaan sa drugstore para bumili ng pagtunaw ng bara. Mahal na ngayon ang decongestant, naisip ko, bakit di na lang buhusan ang ilong ng liquid sosa? mas mura, at sa palagay ko ay mas epektib, kasi yung bara nga sa tubo kayang tunawin, yun pa kayang sipon. di ba? Pero dahil sa may duda pa din ako, kahit mahal ang gamot, sumige na lang ako.

Pagdating ng tanghali, nawala naman ang bara. at least umepekto yung gamot. so kahit papaano medyo umayos ang pakiramdam ko sa training. kinagabihan, pagsapit ng alas diyes, bigla nanaman bumara ang hinayupak na ilong. nagtake naman ako ng gamot. marahil may ibang dahilan. Marahil ay;

• May iskedyul ang oras ng aking sipon
• May appointment lang ang virus sa loob ng aking sisinghutan kaninang tanghali kaya hindi niya naasikasong barahan ang ilong ko.
• Hindi pumasok ang karelyebo niya sa pwesto kaninang hapon
• May lahing call center agent ang hayop na virus, graveyard shift ang pakingshet.
• Hindi mo rin masisisi may additional percentage pag may kasamang night differential eh.

Sana lang ay matapos na ang cycle ng sipon na to. Hindi na nakakatuwa. Ayoko namang dumalaw sa doktor. May phobia yata ako sa amoy ng clinic.  hindi ako makatagal sa loob. Bukas ay sabado, kukunin ko na lang sa pahinga.

Back to Basic

I resigned from may last Job. Wahoooo!!!! I will start working with a new company next monday. Wahooo ulet. Ang sarap magbakasyon, kaso lang napabayaan ko ang mahal kong blog ng ilang dekada. Kaya after the longgggggg hibernation. start na ulet.

Hindi ko lam kung paano magsimula. nakalimutan ko na yata magsulat. Ito ang masamang dulot ng bakasyon, inaagiw lahat pati utak. naalala ko tuloy yung kwento ng pinsan ko dati. kasi daw nakalimutan nung BF ng bestfriend niya yung bestfriend (yung gf ng bf..Malabo ba? yaan mo na.) niya after ng mahabang bakasyon. Nak ng bibeng duling, hindi yun dahil sa bakasyon. malamang dahil yun sa monay na iba ang timpla. pag nakalimutan ka ng BF mo, ibig sabihin nun malapit na matapos ang show. Okay?!!!  Kasi kung iisipin mo ng mabuti, Para mo na ring sinabing tinanggihan ng askal yung hopyang tinapon mo sa kanya, di ba? unless nakatikim ang hinayupak na askal ng Alpo.

Ang hirap mag-isip pag ganito. parang kang lasing na hindi mo maintindihan. Alam mo ang ginagawa mo pero di ka makapag-isip ng matino. Ilang oras kang nakatitig sa monitor pero. Ang mga kasambahay mo nakatingin na sayo, nagaalala na. Siguro naiisip nila nasisiraan ka na ng bait, nakatitig sa blankong screen na parang nagbabasa pero walang nakasulat. Mapagbibintangan ka pang sira-ulo ng di oras. Parang yung lalakeng may problema sa pag-iisip sa probinsya dati. Walang direksyon ang lakad, walang tino and ginagawa. Minsan nabuhusan yun ng beer dahil bumangga sa mesa ng Ihaw-ihaw, basang basa ang pobre. Sa kamalas malasan hinuli siya nung baguhang pulis sa pag-aakalang lasing lang hinayupak dahil hindi deretso ang lakad at sa pagaakalang nagwala ito sa ihaw ihaw at amoy alak. Kinulong hanggang mawala daw ang kalasingan. dalawang araw ang pobre sa kulungan, tinatanong na nung pulis kung ano ang ininom niya kasi dalawang araw na hindi pa rin sober ang hinayupak. Saka lang siya pinalabas nung nalaman niyang baliw yung ikinulong. Bobo.

Tangena, wala talaga akong maiisip isulat. Kailangan yata ng utak ko ang isang matinding overhaul. Maraming Ideya ang naglalaro sa utak pero walang lumalabas. Parang yung gulong ng tricycle ni Maryong Pururut na kapitbahay namin nung maliit pa ako. Tatlong gabi ko din pinagtangkaang pasingawin ang hangin sa pito ng hinayupak na tricycle. Ang Dahilan? Dahil sa pagpapahabol niya sa amin sa aso niyang galing sa impyerno pa ang breed kasi nalaman niyang kami pala ang umuubos sa bunga ng tanim niyang makopa.  Muntik makagat si Kokoy.  Tatlong gabi ko pinagpuyatan ang maghintay na makatulog sila para matanggalan ko ng hangin ang gulong ng demonyong tricycle. Pero tatlong gabi ko nang pinag-aaralan ayaw talagang sumingaw. frustrated talaga ako. Puno ng hangin pero ayaw sumingaw. Sa ikaapat na gabi, di ko na pinagaksayahang paglaruan pa ang pito ng gulong. Tinusok ko na ng kutsilyo. Mas madali.

Ang ganda ng komparison pero ayaw kong gawin yun sa utak ko, hayaan ko na lang ang ideya sa loob lalabas din yan sa tamang panahon. Ayokong madaliin.

Wala talaga akong maiisip isulat. Di bale, bukas susubukan ko ulit.

kwentong aquarium

Sabi nila, ang lamay sa patay ang isa sa pinakamalungkot na okasyong dinadaluhan ng mga tao. Maaring tama, maaring hindi. Pero sa maniwala ka’t sa hindi. Ang lamay ay hotbed ng maraming ideya. Bakit kamo?

• Unlike sa party, hindi ka pwedeng hindi ka pwedeng magpatugtog ng old school rock sa lamay. isipin mo, kasagsagan ng iyak at ngawa ng mga kapamilya, bumibirit ka ng kantang Unforgiven by Metalicca. Hindi ba parang may mali?
• Hindi ka rin pwedeng magsasaway ng modern dance sa gitna. Oo nga, maraming ilaw, pero hindi yun disco lights. ibang ilaw yun, kung mapapansin mo ang amoy, amoy kandila.
• Tambayan ito ng mga sugarol at usisero. ibig sabihin, karamihan sa mga tao rito ay nag gagaling-galingan. Karamihan diyan mahilig magsabi ng, “Sabi ko na nga ba mali ang diskarte mo, dapat yung barahang yun ang itinapon mo, hindi ito”  eh, tangena, ang lakas mag komento pero kaya lang naman naging usisero ang hinayupak kasi natalo na lahat ng pera niya. paksyet, daming salita.

To cut the long chase short, puro salita talaga ang nangyayari sa lamay. konting condlence sa tabi tapos sandamakmak na kwentuhan na ang mangyayari. Sa dami ng gustong magsalita, makakapulot ka talaga ng iba’t ibang ideya. may mga marurunong talaga, meron namang mga nagmamarunong.

Katulad na lang nung isang gabi, dahil siguro wala nang mapag-usapan sa lamay o dahil feeling ko lasing na ako sa dami ng kapeng barakong nainom namin, kung saan-saan na napadpad ang usapan. mula sa topic na kung sino ang pinaka seksing supermodel napunta ito sa usapang hayop. ang baba ng tinunguhan ng usapan.

Nabanggit ko kasi na gusto kong bumili ng aquarium. nabanggit ko rin na gusto ko itong lagyan ng goldfish at janitor fish. Sukat ba namang pagtawanan ako. tangena. paglasing ako sa kape, madali akong mapikon. Pero dahil sa lamay nga ang kinaroroonan namin, hindi ko na lang masyadong pinansin. Tinanong ko kung bakit siya natawa. ang sagot niya sa akin ay “Janitor fish ba ikamo? eh, yun na yata ang pinakatangang isda sa buong mundo eh, bakit ba gustong gusto ninyong mag-alaga ng bobong hayop ha?” dapat daw, aso na lang ang alagaan ko, yung matalinong pet. Sumagot ako, “kasi mababaw lang ako, mahilig din ako sa bobo. kita mo nga, gusto ko ring makipag-usap sa bobong tao, di ba?” kulang na lang dagdagan ko ng “pwede ba kitang maging pet?”.  ewan ko kung hindi niya talaga naintindihan ang sinabi ko o talagang dedma lang ang hayop.

Wala akong pakialam kung bobo o matalino ang pet ko. eto ang listahan ng dahilan

• Hindi ko siya uutusang maglaba
• Hindi rin siya magtuturo ng calculus sa college
• Hindi ko siya uutusang mamalengke
• Ayoko ng pet na may malisya ang tingin sa tuwing nadadapa ako o nalalaglag ako sa hagdan.
• Pet lang ang kailangan ko, hindi mayordoma.

Mas gusto ko ang bobong alaga. Okay????

Naisip ko, malungkot talaga ang lamay.  

Castañas atbp.

Napagkasunduang mag-inuman. walang problema, okay lang sa akin. Ang problema lang naman eh yung pagiging mahina ko sa inuman. tatlong bote ng red horse at siguradong tahimik na ako at ngingiti-ngiti na lang pag kinakausap. 

Maagang dumating ang mga hinayupak. dinatnan ko sila sa bahay nina Annie na nakaupo sa sofa na parang binayaran nila yung renta ng appartment buong taon. mga walanghiya. Hindi ko maisip kung bakit nung napagkasunduang magsimba ng maaga nung pasko, communion na ang inabutan namin dahil sa kung ano-anong dahilan, ngayong inuman ang pinag-usapan, 1 hour before time dumating sila sa lugar.

Pagkaupo ko, binulungan ako ni paul “Ice, pabili ka na ng pulutan” Anak ng bibeng duling, “bakit ako?” tanong ko. kala ko ba ambag-ambag. medyo kinapos daw ang budget. tangena. “wag ka mag-alala, dalawang beses kang pwedeng mamulutan sa bawat lagok mo ng beer” nakangiting dagdag ni Doris. langya, pag minamalas ka nga naman.

Pumasok si Annie sa sala na mag dala-dalang bowl. “kain muna kayo ng castañas, ako nagluto niyan” bungad ni annie sabay lapag ng bowl sa mesa, sabay smile. hindi pa totally nakababa yung bowl sa mesa, ang kamay ni paul nasa castañas na. Kinagat, hinati, nguya pag katapos ay dinura sa palad. “Annie castañas ba talaga to? bakit ganun ang lasa? di ko maintindihan” angal ni Paul. 

Annie: Bakit ano ba ang lasa?

Paul: Masama

Annie: Eh ano ba dapat ang lasa niyan?

Paul: Masarap! teka bakit may sabaw to? at bakit amoy sampalok?

Annie: Natural kasi sinigang ko yan. yun ang sabi nung tindera, isigang daw. 

Paul: Tanga, iginigisa lang yan sa mantika!

Tangena. Di pa ako nakakatikim ng sinigang na castanas, ayokong makatikim, ni ayokong isipin. Napatingin ako kay annie, nangingilid ang luha sa mata, namumula ang mukha. Masamang pangitain to. Dumating sina Dae may dala dalang tilapia. Iniaabot ka kay Annie sabay sabi ng “O eto na, lutuin mo na”. “Lutuin nyo na, tutal kayo naman ang magagaling magluto di ba?” ika nito sabay takbo sa kwarto. Nagkatinginan kaming lahat. Inabot ko kay Paul yung tilapia, “Ikaw na bahala diyan, kaw naman ang dahilan kung bakit nag walk-out yung cook” nakangiti kong sabi. Napilitan itong tumungo sa kusina. Maya maya lang ay narinig ko siyang sumigaw. sabay tawag sa pangalan ko.

Paul: Ice, tangena, buhay pa tong isda.

Ice: Eh di patayin mo

Paul: Paano?

Ice: Dukutin mo yung hasang

Pual: tangena, gumagalaw, di ko kayang dukutin yung hasang. wala na bang ibang paraan para patayin to?

Ice: Lunurin mo na lang?

Paul? Lunurin? paano?

Ice: Ilublob mo sa tubig.

Paul: Tangena, isda to, hindi to mamamatay sa lunod,

Ice: Anong kulay ng mata ng isda, mapula ba?

Paul: Hindi, puti!

Ice: Tama ang hinala ko, malulunod yan, hindi yan marungong lumagoy.

Paul: Pakyu! tatagain ko na lang.

Bumaba si Dae galing sa kwarto ni Annie, umupo sa tabi ko sabay bulong ng, “umiiyak si Annie, hindi lang daw natin naappreciate yung effort niya”. Naisip ko, kung mauubos yung hinayupak na sinabawang castanas, magiging okay ang lahat. kaya naman kahit masuka suka na ako sa lasa, pinilit kong lunukin.  Tatlong piraso na lang siguro ang natitira sa bowl nung bumaba sa annie. Tinanong kung sinong umubos ng castanas, Itinaas ko ang kamay ko, pakiramdam ko pag nagsalita ako, ibubuga ko lahat ng castanas na nakain ko. Tumingin si Annie sa akin sabay sabi ng ’bakit naman hindi mo na ipinagtira yung ibang hindi pa dumarating?” sabay talikod ulit nito papunta sa kusina. Naiwan akong nakatanga.

Tangena, ang hirap magpasaya ng kaibigan.

God by another name

Imagine getting jailed for blogging.

Fouad Ahmed al-Farhan is a blogger that is currently in jail in Saudi Arabia. His crime? he criticized religious extremism. Nice! Say something against this religious zealots and you loose your freedom.  You get a jail time for disagreeing with the politics of the ruling party. Well, for a place like Saudi Arabia, this incident will not be the first time. people get jail time for a lesser reason than blogging about religious extremism and about people close to the saudi Royal family for supporting it. With that said. let me just say; Saudi Arabia is no different to other countries that tolerates religious extremism, they never left the dark ages when it comes to matters of governance. In these countries, human rights is screwed in all sides.

Sometimes I wonder; Is religion a breeding pool for hate? people kill people because of Religion. How many times have we heard the word Jihad or Holy War in our lifetime? Too many that I loose count. It makes me want to puke everytime I hear these words. Using the name of God for terror is a disgusting.

I am a catholic by virtue of my birth and baptism. I was made to believe that Jesus Christ is God before I heard the name of Allah.  I was trained to go to church every sunday. I learned the 10 commandments in school way before I heard the name of Islam as religion. I was in the 5th grade when I learned about the prophet Muhammad in our social studies. But is it my fault that i was born in a catholic community? That i never heard other religion until I was old enough to understand? No. Never.

 Right now, somewhere on the other side of the world. A child named Abdullah is learning the Pillars of Islam. He is listening to someone teaching him the words of the prophet Muhammad. He will listen with all his heart and mind. He never heard of Jesus or Christianity yet but it doesnt matter. It will not make him a lesser man. Its not his fault. We christians doesn’t have the right to criticize his religious upbringing. the same way that our Muslim brothers never had the right to criticize us with ours.

A lot of Muslims, like Fouad knew how to respect religion. They understand that bloods needs not to be spilled to show faith. They openly criticize religios zealots and those that supports it to show that they are willing to cleanse that smudge on their religion that these zealots have shamelessly distorted. I salute them.

Its time to stop this savagery. Religion should not be used to breed such hatred. Enough blood has been spilled because God was called by another name. Enough! 

Free Fouad!

Starting the year with a TAG!!!

Tag Galing kay MAMARU! Sige…eto na. Bente-Bente 

1.) At what age do you wish to marry?

• Ahahaha…. Hahahaha…. Hahahaha… E sa… Hahahaha…. Hahahaha

2.) What color do you like most?

• Lighter shade ng blue. hindi yung MMDA blue ha? dead blue yun kasi sinamahan ng pink ang hayup.

3.) If you have the chance, what would you probably say to your beloved one?

• Bilog ang mundo. Maghiwalay man tayo ng landas, magkikita pa rin tayo sa dulo. Kung napapansin mong binabagalan ko ang aking lakad. Ibig sabihin may tampo ako. Kaya plis lang amuin mo naman ako kahit minsan lang.

4.) Where is the place that you want to go the most?

•  Motel din kaso lang minsan magastos, kaya sa powerbooks na lang, kahit maghapon akong tumambay sa sofa nilang pahirapang makaupo. Okay lang. Libre namang magbasa. New Year’s Wish ko lang, sana bumait na yung isang gwardiyang mukhang tigre dun, sama ng tingin sa akin tuwing pumapasok ako. Alam sigurong makikibasa lang ako at hindi bibili.

5.) Which part of you that you hate the most?

• Chicken Pox mark ko sa mukha. (Magkano ba ang major face renovation kay belo?)

6.) When you encounter a sad moment, what do you do?

• Maswerte akong tao. Hindi ko pinapansin yung problem until darating yung solution. (May awa ang diyos, sana lagi akong kaawaan)

7.) What are you afraid to lose the most?

• Honestly, I’m afraid to lose my inner child. I don’t want to mature in a way na maaring mawala yung magic na yun.

8.) If you win $1 million, what would you do?

• Give it to charity all of it. tangena. plastic ang hinayupak. Ibibili ko ng libro lahat.

9.) If you meet someone that you love, would you confess to him/her?

• Depende… likas talaga akong sinungaling eh , nyahahaha

10.) List out 3 good points of the person who tagged you.

• Mamaru???!!! humm. Makulit, Malandi, Baliw Maganda at Sexy, Ayan, wala ka nang reklamo niyan siguro. :) 

11.) What are the requirements that you wish from your other half?

• Yung honest kasi ako, sinungaling ako eh, kaya sana naman honest para at least may isa sa amin ang nagsasabi ng totoo.

12.) Till now, what is the moment that you regret the most

• People come and go. Some of them matters so much. I regret the times I failed to say. I wish I said what needs to be said before.

13.) Which type of person do you hate the most?

• Mayayabang!

14.) What is your ambition?

• I want to succeed sa work ko ngayon. Sana matapos ko din yung tangenang law school na yan.

15.) What is the thing that will make you think she is bad?

• Hummm. Di ko lam eh. basta ang alam ko cummulative ang scoring system ko sa BAD na yan, halo-halong sama ng loob muna, tapos biglang sasabog na lang, sabay sigaw ng “You’re a very bad person! Magagalit sa’yo si God!”  

16.) What is it that people doesn’t know about you?

• Despite ng pagiging barubal ko, sa loob madrama akong tao. uy pero di ako umiiyak pag nalalasing.

17.) What is your Motto in life?

• Life is a Game, Play it well. (Ang Mahuli Taya!)

18.) Name one of your body part your hubby or boyfriend wife or girlfriend tells you she adores. (Nyahahaha, tangenang tanong to)

• My Eyes (thanks mamaru )

19.) In 2008, do you have a new year’s resolution?

• Sana di nako tatanga-tanga. Ayoko nang abuting ng kamalasan ngayong year na to. 

20.) If your better half is cheating on you, will you forgive him or her?

• Hummm…ewan!

I’m Tagging Koreanmine, Youareyou, Trisha and Jei,