I Need to Read a Book

I don't read books much. Because I don't need to look for lines to quote.

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The first time I met her, she was holding a book, talking to friends. Then she slumped on the chair and started reading. She opened the book where her fingers marked it. Then flipped it. Flipped it a couple of pages forward! I knew she was just looking for intelligible lines to quote.

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Some are just so pretty, so well read, the perfect girl, a social deb...but they don't really know much.

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I only quote lines that really matter to me, those that I will remember until I die. Some people quote lines because they ain't got nothin'. To say.

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Every time you quote a smart line from a book, or a song, you come across as...smart?

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That's what I call "pretencious".

Oh, I spelled it incorrectly? Well, I told you, I don't read much.

It's Raining!

Sarado lahat ng blinds sa office. Pero naramdaman kong umuulan. Binuksan ko ang blinds sa tabi ng work station ko.

Ulan.

Magandang ulan. Pero maaraw.

Walang ibang 'nakaramdam' na umuulan dahil sa mga nakatabing na bintana.

Tumitig ako sa puno ng buko na hinahangin. Naisip ko kung gaano kasarap tumambay sa bahay pag umuulan. O magyosi sa tambayan. Naisip ko yung maglakad ng naka-hoody lang sa ulan, habang nagyoyosi. Tas mababasa yung yosi. Maglalasang tubig. Malamig na tubig.

Wala akong malinaw na magandang alaala ng ulan. Pero ulan lang mismo, madami nang nabubuong magandang pakiramdam sakin. Positibo. Isa ang ulan sa siguradong nakakapagpaganda na ng araw ko. Pede kong sabihin na buo na naman ang ulan ko. :)

Tokwa vs. Tofu (sa pananaw ng isang matakaw)

Nagdala si Cha ng curry tokwa/tofu specialty nya nung Saturday sa birthday party ni Che.

Hindi ko natikman, kaya hindi ko alam kung tofu or tokwa yung dala nya. And someone would say "pareho lang naman ang tofu at tokwa" and I would always insist na hindi sila pareho. I was a vegetarian, and matagal tagal na din napamahal sa kin ang tokwa (ayoko ng tofu), bago pa man ako maging vegetarian. Hindi naman espesyal ang tokwa o tofu, mahilig lang talaga ako dun. Lalo na't wala naman ako gaanong choice sa kakainin noon. Kaya din minsan, hindi ko maintindihan ang mga tao na sinasabing favorite nila ang tokwa o tofu, especially kung di naman sila mahilig sa tokwa o tofu nang makilala ko sila. Hindi naman masarap ang tokwa o tofu. Sawsawan o seasoning lang nya ang masarap.

Simple lang naman lagi ang explanation ko sa usapin na "magkaiba ang tofu at tokwa" -- ang tokwa, when fried, matigas/malutong. Ang tofu hindi. Kahit sunugin mo ang tofu, hindi sya titigas or lulutong.

Sabi ni Cha, na isang chef, pareho lang ang tokwa at tofu. Sino ba naman ako to contest? Eh kumakain lang ako, hindi ko naman pinag-aralan at kinabubuhay ang mga kaalaman sa pagkain. Pero bilang isang kumakain, mali ba ako na hindi pareho ang tokwa at tofu base sa aking explanation? Totoo namang hindi mo mapapalutong ang tofu. Kung bakit, hindi ko alam.

Sabi ni Cha, may iba't ibang klase lang ng tofu. May silken tofu, may samting tofu... di ko na maalala yung iba. Silken tofu na lang naalala ko. Dahil technically, ang tofu na kilala natin at ang tofu na tinutukoy ko ay ang silken tofu! Ang tokwa ay ang firm tofu. So technically, pareho silang uri ng tofu. Pero hindi natin sila kilala na parehong tofu. Or at least ako, hindi ko sila kilala bilang parehong tofu. Kilala ko sila bilang tokwa at/o tofu. Kumbaga, by default, pag sinabi mong tofu, ang iisipin ko, yung malambot na bean curd (o para sa akin ay kung ano ang tofu, na definitely ay hindi tokwa).

Pag nakakita ka ng tofu cubes sa pinggan mo - yung malambot na kulay gatas, sasabihin mo bang, tokwa yun?

Salamat kay Cha sa pagpapaalala sakin sa silken tofu. So oo, pareho lang silang tofu. Pero hindi "pareho lang naman ang tokwa at tofu" dahil ang una ay firm, ang ikalawa ay silken, by default, sa pagtukoy, sa ating language game. Hindi mo naman nire-refer na 'tokwa' ang malambot na tofu, di ba?

So sa usaping ito, by default - ang tofu ay yung malambot na bean curd o silken tofu. At ang tokwa ay yung matigas na bean curd, o firm tofu. Pero sa normal na usapan, kaya mo bang kumain ng tofu't baboy na nakababad sa suka't toyo na may sibuyas at sili? Kung kaya mo, then, pareho nga ang tokwa at tofu.

Ermmm...

May interview ng artist today. Hm, ito na kaya ang ating iniintay?
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Kung wala kang sasabihin sa akin, wala din akong sasabihin sa iyo.
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Malapit sa puso ko ang Session Road na banda, dahil sa tatlong main reasons. Let's go to Baguio!
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With a love like that, you know you should be glad.
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Madami akong naiisip, gusto mo subukan magtanong?
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Nag log in ka na ba?
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Trabaho.

Work Resumes

Hey, Happy New Year!

Hope you were able to relax and recharge during the 23-day long vacation. I was, but not for the most part.

I am a person who finds it a waste of time when I rest when I am at home. Weird, I know. But when I'm at home, i usually tend to sort out stuff, organize things, or do accessories for Ananda Kanani. I want to write, draw, finish rendering the house layouts i've drawn in the past years. But I don't want to do stuff that needs me to think. Organizing and making accessories, however, relax me.

I needed to go to the salon for hair maintenance, but thought, I could do other things than that. I only watch TV and DVDs while organizing and beading, or when I am lulling my self. But yesterday, I called for someone who does dreadlocks and had 1/4 of my hair done. While he was doing it, I watched Project Runways Season 5. The guy left at 4PM, and I watched until around 7 PM, from 10 AM. That's the longest time I've been in front of the TV my whole life! The longest time that I was not doing anything else. Not sorting out stuff, not beading, not using my laptop, for nine hours straight! Of course I ate lunch and dinner and walked around to stretch from time to time. But that's still nine straight hours of pure bumming. It's kind of a waste of time but I'm proud of myself for staying put, and not getting bored in doing only one thing (watching) for a loooong time! Hah!

Now my butt's back in in my office chair and I like it. Bumming's over.

The Year That Was

I don’t really summarize my year into an article. But this time, I’ll try to write something about the highlights of last year. I will even enumerate them.

1. My dad had a series of acute strokes last march and april, and he just turned 65 yesterday! Yehey!

2. I went to Boracay twice in one month. One week apart. A record for a lot of firsts: first time that I traveled via PAL Express. Cebu Pacific is my airline of choice. First time I went to the beach and brought only a small bag, without any swim suits – because I was only there for an ocular inspection for a company event.

3. Girls, girls. Sneaky, sneaky. I cannot elaborate, sorry.

4. My parents finally decided together that we are moving back to the province! Yehey! I cannot wait to live outside the metro again!

5. Went to Puerto Galera with my whole family, it’s been a long time since the whole family’s been in the beach again because our annual vacation spot is in Baguio City.

6. Acquired Potpot, my macbook!

7. I went out of the country! I did not want to at first. Because I haven’t been to all 7000 islands of the Philippines. But I enjoyed Singapore, a lot. I even plan to go back this year!

8. I only had two cameras in my life – an SLR Pentax1000 (as I recall), as my mom’s birthday gift to me when I turned 18, that got lost. A two-megapixel camera that my sister gave to me when she accidentally broke my new silver hard cover luggage (that I bought from my tuition fee waiver) in the airport when she borrowed it for her first trip to Cebu. The camera broke after I used it in Boracay (2006). Used it only once. Then finally, here’s a camera that can last, the latest model, and I bought it with my own money. The best part is, it’s an underwater camera!

9. My brother’s been working out again – losing his weight through basketball. He lost a lot of his beer belly, I tell you!

10. First time I enrolled to a gym. I never wanted to, because I was active before. I had a couple of sports, which I was never good at, but at least, they kept me fit until after college when I worked, and gained weight and had to go to the gym for professional training. What a shame.

11. I’ve been at my heaviest. And I really am kind of ashamed to myself, as I’ve mentioned, being fit and active before.

12. We lost three people in the office, but gained four new ones.

13. We have acquired a really healthy working environment ever since our new artist, Hix, and our new account personnel, Mark, joined us. Every day is just lovely. Really lovely.

14. I felt betrayed by a close friend. Someone that I was really fond of. I shared a lot of things to her, and then sometimes, it felt like she’s using these against me. I’ve felt this way before, but I think it’s my fault for trusting too much.

15. Ah, all our friends in the SnL group have been almost, if not completely, taken. All of them except for the FATT.

16. FATT who? The band Flush and the Toilets was born! It’s been almost half a decade since I last played with a band, or last played on stage. It felt great. Thanks to the support of our friends.

17. I fell in love again.

Season of Giving

I noticed that the best gifts that I get at this time of the year at this time of my life are from my friends.

Not from my parents because they don't give me gifts anymore because for one, they are old enough to stop playing Santa to me. I am the youngest of three children and I am 26.

Not from my sister or brother because I've been independent for about three years now, I've been away and they only see me on birthdays and holidays and some occasional lunch outs and coffee bonding. I think they don't know me anymore. Well at least what I want or use on a regular basis. My sister and I are really close, but she still thinks that I still am a psuedo hippie (the original hippies are the people from San Fo, and technically, all others are psuedo hippies) who wears floral clothes and loves flower-decorated accessories. I would still do, when I get thin enough to fit my bellbottoms. I still am a psuedo hippie at heart, though.

At the age of 26, the people I always see are my officemates, my housemates, and my friends. Two days ago, a lesbian friend gave me a box of Marlboro Red flip tops as exchange gift. The next day, an officemate gave me a fabulous lighter. Today, another lesbian friend gave me a necktie. A special someone gave me the Victorinox pocket tools I've been wanting for ages. You can now judge me by the gifts I received from four people.

I have yet to see the gifts my relatives would give me, but I'm 80% sure that they would be stuck in the 90s when I was still cute, girly and skinny. But I love the gifts they give me, make me wanna become skinny and girly again. Cute, however, I cannot go back to.

I give gifts every year to all of my relatives that I see on a regular basis. And give gifts to all my godchildren (inaanaks), i have eight, though some of them have not seen me for years. I always want to make sure that when they come, I have something to give them. But just like my sister to me, I can say, I think I don't know some of them anymore. Well at least what they want or use on a regular basis.

But honestly, what I want or use on a regular basis doesn't matter. It's the thought that counts. Really. I am thankful that no matter how far I've been or how detached I've become (because of work and other things that maturing grown ups do like become independent and shit), they still include me to their shopping lists. I am thankful that I still receive gifts at times when the oil price is really high. And I am happy to still buy gifts for people I don't see even at times when the oil price is really high. Because it would be sad if an inaanak comes, expecting for a present and doesn't get one.

I am thankful that I still get gifts from friends. I am thankful that even if my parents don't give me gifts anymore, they are still with me on birthdays and holidays and some occasional lunch outs and coffee bonding. I am thankful that I still get gifts, period.

Because some people dont even know what a gift is, at this season of giving. Some haven't even celebrated Christmas yet. Because they cannot afford to.

So let's not forget to share our blessings. Have a Merry Christmas!

Singapore Tap Cards

September, 2008

Karla: Punta tayong Singapore!
Ako: Bakit?
Karla: Wala lang.
Ako: Sige.

September 10, 2008, nag book kami ng ticket papuntang Singapore.

November 2008, kumuha ako ng passport, madami akong pinagdaanag di kanais nais na mga pangyayari sa pagkuha ng valid ID. Nag-ahensya ako para makakuha ng passport.

December 03, 2008, nakuha ko ang passport.

December 04, 2008, lumipad ako papuntang Singapore.

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Ayoko sanang lumabas ng bansa. Gusto ko munang malibot ang Pilipinas bago ako mangibang bayan. Sa totoo lang, meron tayong mahigit pitong libong isla, ibig sabihin, mahigit pitong libong beaches, libong mga piyesta at parada, sagana sa kultura at magagandang lugar. Pero sa kabila noon, mahirap pa rin ang Pilipinas. Isang bagay kung bakit pilit pinauusbong ang turismo sa bansa. Sabi nga ni Sec. Ace Durano, pag may turismo, mas madaming trabaho.

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SINGAPORE

Tourism

Main article: Tourism in Singapore

Singapore is a popular travel destination, making tourism one of its largest industries. About 9.7 million tourists visited Singapore in 2006.^[48] The Orchard Road shopping district is one of Singapore's most well-known and popular tourist draws. To attract more tourists, the government decided to legalise gambling and to allow two casino resorts (euphemistically called Integrated Resorts) to be developed at Marina South and Sentosa in 2005.^[49] To compete with regional rivals like Hong Kong, Tokyo and Shanghai, the government has announced that the city area would be transformed into a more exciting place by lighting up the civic and commercial buildings.^[50] Cuisine has also been heavily promoted as an attraction for tourists, with the Singapore Food Festival in July organized annually to celebrate Singapore's cuisine.

Singapore is fast positioning itself as a medical tourism hub — about 200,000 foreigners seek medical care in the country each year and Singapore medical services aim to serve one million foreign patients annually by 2012 and generate USD 3 billion in revenue.^[51] The government expects that the initiative could create an estimated 13,000 new jobs within the health industries.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore#Economy

I think they (writers, travellers, articles, etc) always forget to mention how really extravagant the lights and water shows that Singapore also offers. Napansin ko na parang na-master na ng Singapore ang pagpapalabas gamit ang ilaw at tubig, kung may fireworks ang China, may lights and water show naman ang Singapore. Hindi ko alam kung sino ang naka-imbento ng teknolohiyang ito, pero mahusay dito ang Singapore. Sa Sentosa, madaming tubig, mga fountain at bonggang show na gumamit ng laser lights at tubig. May fireworks din. Nasa Singapore din ang tinuturing na World's Largest Fountain. Namangha talaga ako. Ito ang highlight ng pagpunta ko sa Singapore. Hindi ang mga malls.

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COST OF LIVING

Madalas sinasabi na mahal ang magpuntang Singapore, mataas daw ang cost of living doon. Pero sa aking pag tantya, hindi naman:

rice: SG$ 0.5
food/meal: SG$ 2.00/4.00 - pataas, buffet: SG$ 20.00 pataas (ito yung nakainan namin na hotpot)
mrt: SG$ 0.80 - SG$ 1.80
bus: SG$ 0.90 - SG$ 1.80
water/soda: SG$ 1.20 pataas (depende kung saan/ano ang bibilhin mo)

Madalas sinasabi na mahal ang magpuntang Singapore, mataas daw ang cost of living dito. Pero sa aking pag tantya, hindi naman, yun ay kung hindi mo ito ikukumpara sa Philippine Peso.

Pinilit ko ang isang kaibigan na sabihin sa akin kung magkano ang sweldo (starting) sa Singapore. SG$ 3,000 daw. Gusto ko sanang i-compute kung magkano ang buwanang gastos sa pamasahe, pagkain at tirahan ng isang empleyado kung ia-itemize ko ang mga ginagastos niya sa loob ng isang araw, time 22 days na may pasok, plus ilan pang gastusin kapag weekends at bayarin sa utilities at renta ng bahay. Pero sa mas madaling paraan, ganito ang naisip ko:

rice: SG$ 0.50 = PHP 5.00
food/meal: SG$ 2.00/4.00 pataas, buffet: SG$ 20.00 pataas = PHP 20.00/40.00 pataas, buffet: PHP 200.00 pataas
mrt: SG$ 0.80 - SG$ 1.80 = PHP 8.00 - PHP 18.00
bus: SG$ 0.90 - SG$ 1.80 = PHP 9.00 - PHP 18.00
water/soda/drinks: SG$ 1.00 pataas = PHP 10.00 pataas

Kung gayon, kung sinasabing SG$3000 ang starting pay sa Singapore, at sa equation ko sa itaas, masasabing PHP 30,000 ang halaga nun dito sa Pilipinas. Mataas na sweldo, kung tutuusin, sa halos parehong halaga ng gastusin na umiiral ngayon dito sa bansa. Ang mahal daw sa Singapore ay ang renta sa bahay. At kung may lupa ka na may nakatirik na bahay duon, napakayaman mo na. Hindi kataka taka kung bakit napakadaming housing units (mala-NHA na hamak na mas maganda at mas maayos) at condominiums at apartments duon. Kapag daw naka-condo ka, mayaman ka na. Pag naka-apartment, mas mayaman pa. At pag may bahay, lalo na kung malaki ang lupa, Ayala, Zobel at Lopez na ang level.

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SISTEMA

Apat na araw lang ako sa Singapore. My experience and stay there are well not sufficient to say what I will say here. But let me give you my two cents worth.

Every cent has a value in Singapore. A cup of rice in hawkers (a strip of foodcarts, like a giant foodcourt, carinderia style) is SG$ 0.50. Sa carinderia natin, PHP 5.00. Train rides are at SG$ 1.20, top up a SG$ 1.00 deposit for the tap card. Sa MRT natin, PHP 12.00 pataas, walang deposito ang tickets. Tap cards ang ginagamit nila, hindi tulad ng sa atin na sinusuksok pa sa entrance ng MRT Station. Meaning, hindi nagagasgas at madaling maluma ang cards nila, hindi kailangan agad palitan, kaya mawawalan ka ng isang dolyar (na katumbas ng dalawang tasang kanin) kapag hindi mo sinoli. Sa ganito palang, nakakatipid na ang Singapore sa paggawa at pag imprenta ng mga bagong tickets.

Wala silang takilyera sa MRT stations dahil sa cards. Meron lang isang booth para sa pagbili ng tap cards na may stored value (pre-paid kumbaga). Bukod duon, makina nalang ang kausap mo. Sa makina ka kukuha ng card, at sa makina ka rin kukuha ng deposito. Walang konduktor ang mga bus dahil sa tap cards at toll boxes na katabi ng driver. Wala din gaanong mga security guards sa mga malls, dahil automatic doors ang lahat ng pinto. Walang gaanong police, dahil law-abiding ang mga tao. Walang traffic enforcers dahil sapat ang mga traffic lights at signs na kakailanganin ng mga drivers, commuters at pedestrians.

May camera kahit saan ka pumunta. Meron sa loob ng malls, ng train stations, sa kalye, sa kainan. Sa lahat ng lugar. Kaya natatakot gumawa ng krimen ang mga tao dito. Minsan daw, pag nag-overspeeding ka, dadating nalang sa bahay mo ang tiket. At hindi mo pedeng sabihing wala kang kasalanan, dahil ilang warning din ng "Speed Camera Ahead" ang nakita ko sa daan. Sana lang, merong nanunuod lagi sa mga camera na nasa public places, dahil kung hindi at may nangyaring nakawan, masosolve nga ang krimen, hindi naman din masyadong maaagapan sa mismong oras na mangyari. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang parusa sa mga nagkakasala sa Singapore, sabi ng isa kong kaibigan, lashing daw.

Inisip ko, isa sa mga bagay kung bakit mayaman ang isang bansa ay dahil talaga sa teknolohiya nito. Matipid ang tapcards, ang machines at CCTVs. Dahil mahal lang ang pagdevelop, pag install, implementation at maintainance ng mga nito. Pero hindi na kailangan magpasweldo ng manpower buwan-buwan para gawin ang mga gawaing pedeng gawin ng makina. Mataas din ang kalidad ng mga gamit kaya hindi kailangang madalas palitan o kumpunihin, na nakakatipid din sa production at man hours sa paggawa ng mga ito. Naisip ko, although pede naman magkaroon ng ganitong sistema at teknolohiya sa Pilipinas, hindi naman natin kayang i-raise ang initial funds para dito. At sa laki ng populasyon ng Pilipinas, madaming mawawalan ng trabaho.

May malaki din namang bilang din ng labor workers sa Singapore, at sila ay nasa construction work dahil sa dami ng mga ginagawang condominiums, hotels at casino. May ilan na janitors/janitress din akong nakita. Yun ay dahil hindi kayang buuin o linisin ng isang building ang sarili nya.

Pero kung iisipin, nasaan ang mga tao sa Singapore?

Sabi, mababa ang pupolasyon ng Singapore. Dahil hindi daw marunong magreproduce ang mga tao dito. Kumbaga, hindi mahilig mag-sex. Mas gusto nilang magtrabaho, kaysa ang magpamilya. At nagagawa nila to, dahil sa kalidad ng edukasyon. Basic naman yun, diba? Kung nakapag-aral ka, mas malaki ang chance na makakuha ng trabaho na hindi labor work, at bilang advanced na bansa, madami ding naio-offer na trabaho ang Singapore, hindi lamang sa mga locals, pero pati na rin sa buong mundo. Sa ngayon, apat sa mga barkada ko nung high school ang nanduon at kinita ko silang lahat para ilibre nila ako ng Tiger Beer! At hindi sila nagkikita kita, hanggang nung dumating ako, dahil busy sila sa trabaho!

Siguro, mababa din ang krimen, kase sapat ang kita ng mga tao para mabuhay. Hindi nila kailangang magnakaw. At hindi nila kailangang mang-rape dahil hindi sila mahilig sa sex!

Dito sa bansa, mahal ang edukasyon. Kaya madami ang hindi nakakapag-aral. Kaya madami ang may kailangan ng labor work at iba pang unskilled workers. At minsan, kahit nakapag-aral, mahirap kumuha ng trabaho dahil sa kakulangan nito. Dahil wala tayong sariling industriya.

Pero hindi ako tutol sa labor work, dahil kung iisipin, wala tayong kakainin kung wala ang mga magsasaka at mangingisda. Wala tayong titirahan kung wala ang mga karpintero at mason. Wala tayong susuotin o gagamitin kung wala ang mga nagtatrabaho sa factories.

Pero kung meron tayong sapat na edukasyon, at sapat na teknolohiya, maaari na nating bawasan ang libo libong excess na mga tarabahador at empleyado na minsan, wala naman talagang ginagawa pero pinapasweldo at ilipat sila sa mga trabahong mas mapapakinabangan sila.

Sa Singapore, sinusunod ang mga tamang tawiran, tamang sakayan ng bus, tamang pila, tamang pasukan, tamang pagtatapon ng basura at iba pa. Sa ganitong paraan, mas maalwan ang bansa nila. At mas mabilis at maayos nagagawa ang mga bagay bagay. Syempre, wala ding traffic sa kanila.

Wala ding traffic dahil may tatlo lang na main modes of public transportation -- MRT, bus at taxi. Very inexpensive and very much efficient ang kanilang MRT at bus. May mga ruta silang sinusunod at humihinto sila sa tamang terminal, kaya hindi nila kailangang mag-unahan sa pasahero, hindi katulad dito sa Pilipinas na kaya nagtatrapik ay dahil sa mga nakabalandrang PUJs at PUBs na naghihintay mapuno. Ang MRTs nila ay nagkokonekta sa madaming istasyon sa buong Singapore. Maaring libutin ang buong bansa sa pamamagitan ng MRT. Wala ring traffic dahil konti lang ang may sasakyan. Dahil nga siguro efficient ang kanilang public transportation system. Hindi ko napansin kung mahal ang gasolina dahil isang gas station lang ang nakita ko sa loob ng apat na araw. Pero napansin kong mahal ang public parking. Isang dolyar sa bawat kalahating oras. Kaya kung magmo-mall ka ng nakasasakyan, magbabayad ka ng SG$ 10.00 sa loob ng limang oras.

Bawal manigarilyo sa madaming lugar, SG$ 500.00 - SG$ 1,000.00 ang multa dito. Bawal magkalat, bawal dumura at madami pang bawal. Na makikita ang mga warning sa lahat ng lugar. May multa ang lahat ng bagay pag sinuway. Kaya malinis ang daan, hindi nagbabara ang mga kanal, at hindi kailangan ng madaming street sweepers. Nakakatipid sila sa pag-aayos ng sewer system at sa pagpapasweldo ng street sweepers. Pero syempre, nagpondo sila sa mga kaukulang signboards at mga basurahan na pang matagalan. Syempre, hindi rin bumabaha sa kanila.

Ang dami kong nasabi, ang totoo nyan, naisip ko lang kahat yan, dahil sa simpleng pag-gamit ng tap cards sa Singapore. Naisip ko lang kung gano katipid yung tap card sa salary at man power. At kung gaano kasistematiko doon.

Napakalaki talaga ng nagagawa ng sistema para sa isang bansa. Kung maganda ang sistema at magaling ang implementation nito, siguradong mas gagaan ang buhay. Basta maganda ang sistema at very favorable ito sa mga tao, sino ba naman ang tatanggi o susuway?

Pag maganda ang sistema o pamamalakad sa isang bansa, o isang city, malaki ang natitipid ng bansa, mawawalan ng baha, mababawasan ang traffic at populasyon, at mas madali itong lalago dahil mas magiging efficient din ang mga tao, dahil makakatipid sila sa oras, pera at enerhiya. Walang hassle, walang problema.

Pag maganda ang sistema o pamamalakad sa isang bansa, o isang city, malaki din ang chance na makapagbigay ng sapat ng pondo para sa edukasyon. Mas madaming bata ang makakapag-aral at magiging edukado, maaaring bumaba ang crime rate dahil mababawasan ang pagnanakaw at iba pang common na krimen dahil mas malaki ang chance na mas gusto nilang magtrabaho kaysa maging kriminal, at makakatipid ang bansa sa pag-maintain ng mga pambansa at pangsiyudad na kulungan. Kung mas madaming paaralan, mas magiging efficient din ang mga estudyante, dahil makakatipid sila sa oras, pera at enerhiya sa pagpasok sa klase.

Pag maganda ang sistema o pamamalakad sa isang bansa, o isang city, mas magiging efficient ito at self sufficient. Mas matutugunan nito ang problema ng kahirapan, population at unemployment. Mas magkakaron ng focus sa basic social services tulad ng edukasyon. Kung maganda ang sistema o pamamalakad sa isang bansa, o isang city, mas magiging ganado sumunod sa batas ang mga tao. At mas magkakaroon ng kapayapaan sa loob at labas ng bahay.

Opinyon ko lang ang mga yan, parang common sense ba. Alam kong mas komplikado pa dyan ang realidad nating mga Pilipino. Pero malay natin, marating din natin ang antas ng kabuhayan na sapat para sa ating lahat. At kung lalabas ka sa syudad o hindi mo iisipin ang mga kakulangan ng bansa sa masa, makikita mo na napakaganda pa rin ng Pilipinas, kailangan lang ng konting kalinga.

Who was I?

I was born and raised (but only until I was seven) in the province. My first teacher was Ms. Maroma. I was in kindergarten. The first boy that had a crush on me was my classmate named Ryan. My first crush on a boy was to the school priest's grandson, Darwin. My first crush was Mary Ann.

My family moved to the city when I was 7.5 years old. I took an entrance exam in a private school in the city and passed it but chose to go to a public school instead. I could not believe that little girls aged seven and below would yell at their yayas, in the school ground.

I finished my elementary schooling at a public school. I wore white blouse and green pleated skirt. I had a choice of going to my Mom's high school but they enrolled me to a high school in Tondo -- where my Tita was schooled. They say some pretty popular celebrities went to that high school - like Dolphy. I did not believe them. Doesn't matter. High school was a blast for me.

I was in section 5 in my first year, section 2 in my second year, section 3 in my third year, section 1 in my fourth year in high school. I did not have honors but graduated in the top 2% of our batch. I had more than a thousand batchmates in senior year. I attended the Prom twice. I think.

I took the entrance exam of a state university. I was to take another exam to a university in España but got the results from the exam at the state university ahead. I only took one college entrance exam, at my dream school and passed it, on a quota course. But that does not pass me as intelligent. I just got lucky.

I finished a non-quota course because I shifted from my prestigious quota course to a more colorful course. I shifted because, for one, I thought the new course does not require a licensure board exam to practice. I was obviously wrong. The new course was fun. But the teachers were strict and the people were a bit boring. Unlike in my original course, students would smoke in a no-smoking floor and would go directly to a watering hole nearby after classes.

I joined a theater group, and four other organizations. All related to art -- film, photography, cultural arts, and architecture. But I did not even try to join a club under the college or department that I graduated from.

I was in second year college when I started hosting the UP Fair, I've done it until this year. Then I had a band.

I drank every after class in the summer of 2003. I got drunk thrice in college -- in a frat house, in my band mate's house and in my orgmate's house. I used to party hard. I went to hundreds of concerts and I only had to pay a ticket once. I had VIP tickets and all access passes. But that does not pass me as important, I just got lucky.

I wore a beige and mocha custom-made dress-gown in my graduation march. The photographer was not able to catch me receiving my diploma on stage. Bummer.

I bummed for 1.25 years after I graduated from college. I applied for a part time call center job, passed the exam but did not take the job because my best friend did not pass. I applied in a furniture shop that has a branch in Megamall (among others) but the owner said I was over qualified. That was the first time I was discriminated because I went to a good school.

I got my first paycheck in January of 2006. After that, I always paid tickets.

I wore sunglasses in the morning, I wore them at night. Some college friends never saw my bare eyes in daylight.

I girl-watched with guy friends. Because girls are pretty. I fell in love with boys, and girls too. I fell in love with enemies, and friends too. I had boyfriends, I had girlfriends, maybe I had too much love to give.

I was born 26 years ago, today.

Dahil Ganito

Simple lang akong tao, nakakatulog ako sa simpleng tapik sa braso na may kasamang sintunadong hele.

Narerelaks ako sa mahabang ligo, nakakalma ako sa swabeng musika.

Maamoy ko lang ang ulan, o makita ang kulimlim, naramdaman ko na ang patak ng ulan at sayang maligo dito. Minsan pipikit lang ako, iisipin ko lang ang malamig na simoy sa mukha ko, sabay malalim na hinga, para na akong nagka-enerhiya.

Madali akong makahanap ng mga bagay na makaka'refresh' sakin -- pag-inom sa basong may yelo sa harap ng electric fan, parang Nestea ang feeling. Mag 'ahhh!' pagkatapos lumagok ng malamig na Coca-Cola. O basain ang paa sa gripo, sabay tapat sa bintilador.

Madali akong sumaya, sumayaw o sumabay, dahil mababaw lang akong tao. Mababaw ang tawa, minsan, mababaw din ang luha.

Simple lang ako magsalita. Simple lang ako magsulat. Hindi ako simple pag tinignan mo ako, pero lalong hindi ako komplikado. May hikaw ako sa tenga, may relo ako sa kamay, may salamin sa mata. Masasabi mong nasa tamang pwesto naman ang mga bagay. May bag ako, para hindi ako nakakaiwan o nakakawala ng gamit. Pag binuksan mo ang bag ko, makikita mong direkta ang mga laman nito. Walang hidden pockets, walang kikay kit, walang mga extrang lalagyan na walang laman. Walang nakakalat na kung ano ano.

Ayoko ng komplikadong araw, araw araw. Komplikado na ang buhay, kaya hindi ko na yun dinadagdagan ng mga simpleng trobol sa araw araw. Mas gusto kong ngumiti, tumawa, matawa, kaysa mainis, mang inis o sakyan ang inis ng iba. Hindi ako mahilig sa tsismis. Mukha lang oo, dahil palaging 'safe' ang mga sagot ko. Mukha ding oo, dahil inaral namin ang arte ng isang cinco tsismosa.

Minsan, nahihirapan akong magpaliwanag sa ibang tao, dahil baka hindi nila ako maintindihan, o hindi ko maipaliwanag ang sasabihin ko sa salitang maiintindihan nila. Pero tinuturing kong maswerte ang mga taong sinubukan kong paliwanagan. Dahil kung tutuusin, ayokong magpaliwanag. At ginugulan ko ng oras at kakayahan ang subukang magpaliwanag sa kanila, kahit kadalasan, sarado naman din ang utak nila. At mas gusto nilang punahin ang sinasabi ko, kaysa ang ibig sabihin nito. Kaya minsan, diretso nalang sa barangay.

Pag nagtanong ako ng bakit, yun ay dahil hindi ko talaga alam ang sagot. Hindi ko alam kung madali o mahirap. Lahat yata ng dati kong karelasyon sinabihan ko ng "huwag ka nang magpaliwanag" at hindi ako madalas magtanong ng "bakit?" kapag alam kong mahirap ang sagot. Bakit? Dahil mahirap magpaliwanag, at ayokong nahihirapan sila.

Ayoko ng matalinhagang mga salita, dahil simple lang akong tao.

Nakakatulog ako sa simpleng tapik sa braso na may kasamang sintunadong hele.