Eh-hum # 60

Weather-Weather Lang Iyan

Monday and Tuesday: I was miserably coughing and sniffing my way inside the house and kubo, braving the tremendous heat the month of April just had to offer. Staying in my parent’s room (where air-conditioning reigns supreme) did not seem to help, as everyone in the family keeps complaining. The sudden change in body temperature, I believe, was the main reason I got sick in the first place. For almost a week (last week), I was drenched by my own sweat (not pretty, I know) and then getting blasted by cold wind from the air-conditioner. After some bed rest and water, water, water, I’m able to attend work. However, I’m still a little “deaf”, I couldn’t smell a thing (has its advantages) and my taste buds are still “confused” (no effect on my appetite; not even a tiny bit). Aside from getting sick, the weather also lowers my chances of achieving what I call the “Ken” hairstyle (you know, Ken of Meteor Garden). The weather isn’t hair-friendly, so I may end up going to the salon for a hair cut.

This morning, I read in the news that May will be an even more scorching than April, with temperatures up to 36-37 degrees centigrade. Could the Philippines get any more humid?! Suddenly, I am looking forward to June’s rain showers and thunder storms (not the floods, of course). On the lighter side, I think women are more equipped during this hot season since most of us have “kikay kits” that helps us to “freshen up” and eventually conceal any traces of discomfort due to commuting (mine hardly qualifies as kikay, since it lacks anything related to cosmetics). Plus, we can wear skirts for ventilation (last time I wore a skirt was college; uniform).

Since we are on the subject of uncomfortable weather conditions, we all have heard this phenomenon called the greenhouse effect (low oxygen, high carbon dioxide), which also adds up to the heat. It is said to be caused by having less trees and more air pollution. This is bad news, thus giving a new meaning to the expression “out of breath”. Furthermore, certain pollutants can cause the depletion of the ozone layer, which is even more bad news. While the planet may burn like hell, exposure to the sun will cause the polar ice caps to melt. This in turn will create massive floods, possibly swallowing several islands and even whole countries. The future will be bleak if we don’t work to preserve our environment or dispose of our wastes properly. If not, we will have to deal with temperatures beyond 37 degrees centigrade.

Eh-hum # 59

TANJOUBI DESUNE

Yep, last 12 April, I celebrated my birthday…making me 25 years old (sigh).

I decided to treat my officemates some good Pancit Bihon we ordered outside the office (way, way out). Nothing fancy really, but it was all good.

Until I realized I am THISCLOSE to reaching 30. Uh-oh. Will I still be “well-rounded” by that time? Or for the next five years, will I muster enough will-power to exercise and eat less? What say you?

They say age doesn’t matter. Perhaps. It is possible to be in your 20’s and feel that you are already 50 years old. Or it could be the opposite. I guess the key is to lead a healthy lifestyle, be content and enjoy the blessings that keep coming. It great, really.

HABEMUS PAPAM

Its official: the new leader of the Catholic Church is Pope Benedict XVI, also known as Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger of Germany and formerly the Dean of the College of Cardinals. When white smoke came out the Sistine Chapel and the bells gave a mighty bellow, people were excited. Moreover, they got the idea who the new Pope would be when someone else announced to the whole world that the Vatican has a new leader.

As I have mentioned in an earlier post, it will take sometime for me to get used to the new face giving out blessings and wearing the papal white robes. For most of my life, and perhaps other people from my generation, I have associated the faith to the late John Paul II. He was THE Pope. However, he has peacefully passed away. But I am sure he will never be forgotten.

Nonetheless, we welcome Pope Benedict XVI as the new Holy Father. It may not be easy at first, but am sure that he will be able to overcome any obstacles during his term. We’ll be praying for his success.

WHAT THE F*CK?!

Is it just me or did a certain local network decided to make a J.R.R. Tolkien knock off by blatantly copying some (what used to be unique) elements of the Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillon to its new fantaserye? Okay, emphasizing Angel Locsin’s breasts than her acting in Darna is senseless, but THIS IS APPALLING. I have seen the billboard along EDSA and the trailer and guess what? I HAVE A REALLY BAD FEELING ABOUT THIS. HELLO?! DON’T THESE PEOPLE KNOW THAT TOLKIEN’S WORKS ARE SACRED AND SHOULD BE LEFT ALONE?!? Would it hurt them so much to be a little more creative or do more research on Filipino legends and folklore??!! But hey, most televiewers don't care; the masa el fanaticos do not care just as long their favorite stars are on the show. Right, who gives a damn about the orginality or quality of the story line (and even the acting)??!? WHY, WHY, WHY?!?! Ehem, it better be just me....

Eh-hum # 58

Another post for the late Pope John Paul II. Yep, even people with a huge amount of responsibility (and authority) can be silly (in a nice sense) every now and then.

Blessed be those who have a sense of humor...they will have a blessed life, reach the ripe age of 84 and will be respected and loved by about 1.1 billion people and even the rest of the world.

The Passion

I know its quite late, but let me just say that I find Mel Gibson's movie, The Passion of the Christ, intense and moving. I watched the movie during, I think, Black Saturday (I bought the ORIGINAL vcd version). I recommend the movie to all Christians, not just Catholics. I cried in a few scenes and it was great. Many said it was too violent, but I thought the violence helped illustrate the Christ's earthly suffering to save humanity (and indeed, Jesus was very much human in the film, especially in the scene when he was making a table for a rich man and sharing a light moment with his mother).

Another plus is Jim Caviezel (and I don't want to elaborate my personal "opinion" on him in the same post as the Pope and Jesus. SIGH), he's really a talented actor (among other things, whoops). Seriously, the film for me was something worth watching. It was even more meaningful when I watched it during the Holy Week. It wouldn't hurt to take time and look into the teachings or fundamentals of our religion, right?

Eh-hum # 57

Pope John Paul II
1920-2005

Although much of today’s youth have been partying due to their graduation or simply the end of SY 2004-2005, I doubt they haven’t heard that the 264th leader of the Christian Community/Catholic Church, Pope John Paul II, has peacefully died on Saturday evening in Vatican City (however, let me point out that I am sometimes stunned how clueless the younger generation can be).

I remembered waking up on Sunday and learning from Merly that the 84-year old Pontiff, who has served for almost 27 years, has indeed passed away. I was dismayed by the news, but was somehow expecting it since he was critically ill. After a quick trip to the bathroom, I turned the TV on to CNN and watched the news until breakfast. I wouldn’t deny that I sad enough to shed some tears while watching. It’s amazing, really.

For me, his death was somehow different from the passing of other world personalities, such as the Mother Theresa, Princess Diana or even PLO leader Yasser Arafat. Maybe because, being a Catholic myself, Pope John Paul II was the face of faith that I have come to know and revered. To be honest, it will be quite an adjustment to see a new Pope wearing those familiar white robes.

He will always be referred to as the “Great Communicator”, and his being down-to-earth sets him apart from his predecessors who, in a way, have enjoyed the pageantry of the papacy. He was unique in many ways: first non-Italian pope in four and half century; first pope hailed from Eastern Europe; known as the most traveled pope, with visits in Africa, Asia, Latin American, North America, Europe and even the Middle East; has visited a synagogue in Rome and a mosque in Damascus (yep, he took his shoes off); has encouraged dialogue between nations and religions; said to have been partly responsible for the demise of Communism in Eastern Europe; aside from world leaders and other dignitaries, has met with personalities from the entertainment industry, such as U2’s BONO and the Passion of the Christ’s Jim Caviezel; and has canonized the most number of saints (or at least placed them on the path to sainthood).

On a serious note, like a President of a country, there were a few assassination attempts. Furthermore, there were criticisms against his efforts of keeping the Catholic faith conservative. A minority of Christian women called him not women-friendly because he disagreed to the petition for the ordination of women priests. Meanwhile gay activists referred to him as a bigot, since he was against gay marriages and homosexuality in the priesthood. While the Pope may have the power to pave the way for these changes, I believe the Church as a whole is not ready for these radical amendments any time soon. Since Christianity is deeply rooted in tradition, even if the Pope was open-minded, his education as a priest prevented him from considering these options.

Of course, the Filipinos will always remember the charisma of John Paul II, or Karol Wojtyla. As we all know, he visited the country twice as Pope, the first in the 1980’s and the other during the World Youth Day celebration in 1995. I just found out last night that in mid-1970 he was in the country as Cardinal Wojtyla, and celebrated mass in Baclaran Church while waiting for his flight for Papua New Guinea (?). In my opinion, the most memorable image of him during that week long celebration in 1995 was when he whirled his cane like Charlie Chaplin; the man obviously had a sense of humor.

Before going to work this morning, I decided to buy a newspaper that would definitely feature an article (rather, articles) on him. I like the picture printed in today’s Inquirer, which occupied the front page; the Pope was wearing his white miter and crimson robes (the wind made the picture all the more dramatic) and holding his, uh, staff (hehehe), his right hand was raised as if blessing the eager crowd before him, he was smiling of course. I guess this is how all of us should remember the Holy Father: eagerly spreading God’s word and assiduously promoting peace and unity among Christians and non-Christians.

We will be waiting for the election of the new Pope, but John Paul II will definitely be “a tough act to follow”. Nonetheless, the faithful will have to move on, since the Holy Father has moved on and returned to the house of the God. Our memories of him will last forever and his noteworthy contributions to the world will go down in history. The simple boy from Poland will gain immortality for his service to his brothers and sisters and ultimately, to his (and our) God.

Eh-hum # 56

Strange but amusing. Got this from my classmate, Jera.


You're Betty Grable!


What Classic Pin-Up Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Eh-hum # 55

REALITY BITES

While my mom and sister are hooked on American Idol (also my classmate Jenny, whose post motivated me to do this one), I was more interested in another popular reality show, the Amazing Race 7.

A couple of posts back, I think, I mentioned that I was suppose to comment on the result of the Amazing Race 6. Well, it's simple really: Freddy and Kendra sucked.

I was disappointed that they won because I find them annoying, with all of those unnecessary bickering. Especially the first trip to Africa, when Kendra rudely commented on the unfortunate state of the city/town they visited. Since she's only a model, we can't really expect her to be open-minded of the plight of most African countries.

I was rooting for this team:

Cool Couple of Amazing Race 6

I liked Kris and Jon because they rarely fight, they worked together and they were respectful of the people and the culture they encounter along the race. Oh well.

***
Now, its the seventh season of the race and I bet this season will get more ratings that the last ones because of the these familiar faces:

Reality Show Veterans

In case you've been missing a lot of quality TV time, Rob and Amber former contestants (or castaways) of the popular Survivor series produced by Mark Burnett. Fans of Survivor might want to see how this couple can managed a race around the world.

While my sister may disagree, I wouldn't mind Rob and Amber winning this season (actually, according to an online poll in the Amazing Race 7's website, they are currently the fan favorite to win). Boston Rob honestly upholds the reality show/game credo: MUST WIN AT ALL COST. He's manipulative and sneaky, classic Survivor strategy indeed. Amber, who seems to be a nice girl, will perhaps try to keep things from getting messy for them. She could be the lucky charm of the group since she won the Survivor All-Star.

While Rob and Amber are seen as a major threat in the race, their presence obviously makes the show more interesting. Hope they won't get eliminated soon. Heheheh.

Eh-hum # 54

Omigulay!

It has been almost a MONTH since my last post! Valentines day pa...its already the middle of March...graduation fever na po.

Speaking of graduation...both my sister and brother will be graduating from college and highschool respectively. Wonderful, isn't it (especially for my parents, hehehe)? My bro's pretty psyched about college while my sister is making plans for her future career. I wish them both well. On the other hand, its also a sign that I am getting OLDER. Come this April...SILVER na ako..hehehe.

Also, more good news: Nakaka-first sem na ako sa grad school! Huwaw.It only seems like yesterday that I was fixing the necessary documents for my grad school application. How time flies when you are having...uh...fun? While it has been a blast, it was definitely a learning experience. I mean, while cramming seems to work back in college, in grad school...its not a very good idea. I like CRAMMED my last two papers. Ergo, the quality of the papers weren't good enough and I ended up submitting them just for the sake of completing my requirements. My assessment for this sem was okay, but I am not expecting high grades. For the summer (yes, may required subject po ako), I need to be serious about it. I just have the appropriate study aids:

The Working Student's Must-Haves...hehehehe.

The planner was a Christmas gift from my sister. I understood that you can't just BUY the planner itself, you can only get it by completing a number of stamps. Since my sister's a regular at Katipunan, it was pretty easy. Its a very special gift :). The tumbler I bought it myself. Sinadya ko na terno sila, hwehehehehe.

***
Hobbies

I realized that I don't share some details about myself in this blog, which, ironically, is suppose to be about me. Anyway, to make it simple, I'll just post pictures that might give the blogging community (who happens to drop by)ideas of what makes ConCon ConCon (GETZ?).

My gadgets: Palm Pilot m505, Nokia 5210, Sony Walkman and Canon A85 Powershot...actually its just the case.

Eh-hum # 53

Hey, its VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

Its suppose to be this special day when couples celebrate their love by going to the movies, restaurants (lunch or dinner), parks (ok, maybe a RARE kind of couples still go to parks) and if the purchasing power permits, off to a romantic island getaway. Nice.

However, you don't have to be in love to enjoy the day as well. Flowers, from the classic red roses to the more contemporary tulips, are (usually) selling like hotcakes during Valentine's (para sa mga nagtitipid...Dimasalang na ito, hehehe). Hallmark cards expressing undying devotion to one's partner (take note..."Partner") are also popular. Syempre, who has not resorted to (expensive) chocolates to impress the love of your life? These businesses are capitalizing on the idea that most of us aren't expressive or poetic. For couples with a sense of notoriety, a visit to the COURT (and others) will be the itinerary for this evening...ehem.

Whattabout for the single people out there?!? Should we consider this sugar-coated holiday the very bane of our singled existence, rubbing it in that we are (still) miserably unattached?? HHeeeyyyy. The love month is not only for those involved romantically...I mean, love is a "many splendor(ed) things". I know, I know. Its nice to have a special someone, but surprisingly...Its not a priority for me (Yes, people. TODO NA ITO). My luv philosophy is simple...Kung meron, meron. Kung wala, eh di wala. Remember, forcing someone is never good (shotgun marriage anyone?).

I guess, I just have a different set of priorties. Besides, I have four research papers to work on, no time to look for Mr. Right (or Mr. Right Now). Happy Valentine's Day Folks! If you don't know what's the fuss is all about, click on this: HISTORY.

***

Its important that I write this down.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE ULTIMATE IPIS-KILLER...MS. MERLY RONQUILLO...WHO IS AN INTEGRAL MEMBER OF THE LINSANGAN-CASTILLO HOUSEHOLD.

(salamat sa libre kahapon).

Eh-hum # 52

Ouch! Its the middle of Febuary and still no new post!?!?? I was suppose to write something about the disappointing result of the Amazing Race 6, but since I couldn't accept the fact that whiny models won the race instead of a cool long-distance dating couple, I'll share my thoughts when my blood pressure normalizes.

For the mean time, check out this quiz I got from my classmate, jera. Thanks!

***

1) Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, find line 4. Write down what it says: Not really a book, but a report...."two pieces Tripods"

2) Stretch your left arm out as far as you can, what do u touch?
Our old fax machine.

3) What is the last thing you watched on TV?
Ever After (Drew Barrymore)

4) WITHOUT LOOKING, guess what time it is:
Uuuuhhhh.....11:30 am

5) Now look at the clock, what is the actual time?
Hehehehe, 10:45 am, medyo malayo.

6) With the exception of the computer what can you hear?
My brother singing

7) When did you last step outside?
This morning when I closed the main gate

8) Before you came to this website, what did you look at?
Our office website

9) What are you wearing?
Pambahay….a gray shirt and blue shorts. In fairness, very comfortable

10) Did you dream last night?
Yes, I rarely don’t dream. Parang adventure...involves flying cars.

11) When did you last laugh?
Last night, while watching “Bruce Almighty”

12) What is on the walls of the room you are in?
A picture of a sailboat, small wallclock, and the Last Supper….the computer is near the kitchen

13) Seen anything weird lately?
The flying cars in my dream.

14) What do you think of this quiz?
It's nice, not too long.

15) What is the last film you saw?
In the movies? Would you believe, the Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.

16) If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy first?
Buy a fully-furnished condo unit near work.

17) If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do? Bring back the rain forests.

18) Do you like to dance? Nope…the question is...would people like to see me dance?

19) George Bush:….loves to fight tearism (terrorism)….yeeehhaaaa!

20) Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?
Maybe, after my mom: Eleanor

21) Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him? Joaquin or Avelino

22) What time is it now? 10:50 am

Eh-hum # 51

BUSY...daw

There are some MAJOR changes at work....BUT, I am not at liberty to disclose any information on this one for the fear of jinxing (if there is such a term) the opportunity. Like the planning stages of my application to ADMU Graduate School, I'm keeping this concern/topic hush, hush.

Speaking of SCHOOL, I have quite a handful of paper works to do: For History, a revised version of my book review, hand-out for a short report on my book review and a paper; for Research Methods, a matrix on the different soc. sci./pol. sci. approaches, an assessment of a journal article and a research proposal. Some due in weeks, others by the end of the semester. I handle this much schoolwork...if only I can control TIME.

MOVIES!!!
Hehehehe, umpisa na ng paglagay-lagay ng mga litrato dito, BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

Here are some flicks that I am looking forward to watch....if I don't get too lazy and just wait for the video or wait until it gets on HBO. Since I didn't get a poster of this movie, I also like to see CLOSER starring Jude Law, Julia Roberts, Natalie Portman and Clive Owen. If you have seen the 62nd Golden Globe Awards, this movie made winners of Natalie and Clive. I think both actors have potential to be even bigger movie stars.

Among the super heroes, my favorite is Batman. He's smart, filthy rich and should ALWAYS be good-looking. Plus, I really like Christian Bale (played the dreamy Laurie/Teddy in Little Women). I was able to watch his launching movie: Empire of the Sun...I think.

I thought the plot was interesting (married couple who had no idea that they are assassins for rival organizations). Of course, this is beside the fact that I think both actors are scorching hot.

Eh-hum # 50

AKO AY WAGI!!! Medyo mababaw, pero okay lang.

Finally, I figured this one out...something that fits my 50th POST!!! AAlleeewwww....this is just the beginning of more pictured posts. Hwehehehehe.


it's MEH!!!

Eh-hum # 49

PUCHA (excuse my japanese, hweheh)!!! Halos kalahating buwan na at wala pa akong nai-susulat?!?!

I have yet to figure out the advantages of using HELLO in uploading pictures in this here FINE blog. One of my goals is to be able to post pictures without hassle within this lifetime.

Meanwhile, here's a quiz i got from my MA classmate, jera. Cuteness-wise.

You Are a Golden Retriever Puppy

Tolerant, fun-loving, and patient. You are eager to please - and attached to your frisbee.

What Breed of Puppy Are You?

Eh-hum # 48

The FIRST POST OF 2005....I pray that this new year will give us the best things this world has to offer and opportunities for us to be better individuals in our chosen paths.

Year of the Rooster

I found this website that gives (Chinese Horoscope) animal predictions for the year 2005. I'm no devout feng shui believer, but I think it wouldn't hurt to be aware of the possible things to come in the year of the wooden rooster. Besides, in every situation, we always have a choice. We should use our free will properly. For my fellow Year of the Monkey people, see a part of the prediction below from http://www.fengshuiweb.co.uk/.

"Playful Monkey may have to adopt a conservative outlook for the year. This is a time to pay attention to details such as manners and not be too forceful with your views. Monkey will enjoy a busy, fun and social life and may get distracted easily. When dealing with others, you need to exercise your charm and eloquence. Romantic encounters are in abundance but hold no high expectations and you will not be easily disappointed. You may have to control your temper in moments of frustration and not over-extend yourself or health may become an issue."

Holiday Recap

Remember my christmas wish list (Eh-hum # 38)? If you're wondering, I was able to acquire two out of ten of the goodies listed: new CDs and a digital camera. Once I figure out how to post pictures without hassle, will write more on this.

Eh-hum # 47

Hehehehe, something I got from my brother. Again, I couldn't help myself. Hweheh.

You Are a Dreaming Soul

Your vivid emotions and imagination takes you awy from this world So much so that you tend to live in your head most of the time You have great dreams and ambitions that could be the envy of all... But for you, following through with your dreams is a bit difficult You are charming, endearing, and people tend to love you. Forgiving and tolerant, you see the world through rose colored glasses. Underneath it all, you have a ton of passion that you hide from others. Always hopeful, you tend to expect positive outcomes in your life. Souls you are most compatible with: Newborn Soul, Prophet Soul, and Traveler Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

Eh-hum # 46

Back to Reality

Oh great, am back at work.

Management decided to observe this staggered working schedule. By choice, I had my Christmas break from 20 to 24 December 2004 and then go to work the following week. The schedule worked for me, since I was able to go to my cousin’s wedding (more on this later on). Prior to the circulation of the office memo, there were a few problems with regards to the scheduling. But eventually, it was straightened out in the end.

I struggled to wake up this morning, since during the break, I had the luxury of waking up at past 7:00 (On working days, I wake up at quarter to 5:00). It was unusual that I return to work more than a week later and the found the surroundings, the environment, the same before the holidays. It was also weird that when the first BER month came, we are so excited for the 25th of December. Now that’s over, suddenly, everything went back to normal. More than 3 months of anticipation and preparation will come down to only one day. Like training for the Olympics, you train for more than a year, and then it comes down to that crucial minute whether your performance will get the gold or not.

Oh well.

Anyway...(Belated) Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!

Wedding Blues 2

I don’t really remember, I guess this is the 2nd time I will write on Weddings. Perhaps next to May and June, December is a favorite wedding month. Last 22 December 2004, my cousin, Kuya Erwin, tied the knot. Sa aming magpipinsan, pang-apat na siya na nag-desisyon na magpakasal. During my niece’s baptismal, I think that was in June 2004, we had the chance to meet his fiancée: Ate Cheryl (there is a story behind the "ate"). She works in the same industry as he does and graduated from a good university. Overall, my first impression was that she’s this really nice girl. As they say, simplicity is beauty. Initially, we were surprised when they decided to get married since they have been dating less than a year. After some thinking, it was just fine. I mean, we would never really understand the kind of loving relationship they have so why question them. While a long engagement is considered advantageous, it may not really determine if a marriage will be a success.

The wedding was simple and something that was exclusive to the family and some close friends (which makes up the entourage). Also, the feel of the celebration was solemn. My computer at work does not support .exe programs so I couldn’t post pictures properly. Good thing my brother posted the pictures on his (picture) website. Just click here please.