The Minimalist Sense

One Proud President

2012-02-22T21:10:00.002-08:00

There are just moments in college that you wouldn't forget even after graduation. I bet spurs of nostalgia would creep after watching these videos even after a decade or so. Here's the performance of the UST Coro de Ruisenores in the recent Himig Tomasino, the inter-collegiate chorale competition of the University of Santo Tomas, held last January 29,2011 at the Philamlife Theater. Although three bouts of applause in the middle of the performance was more than enough, we were also blessed to have placed fourth in the competition. I am one proud president! :))

Pop Music
A song about carbonated beverages with an upbeat rhythm

Por Cuanto Tiempo (How Much Longer)
A spanish love song about having to wait for someone who could never be yours. Originally sung by David Bisbal.

Happy Valentines! :))

2012-02-18T08:11:00.001-08:00

A video featuring 69 pick up lines from the girls and professors from the UST College of Nursing. :)

*Some puns can only be understood by those in the medical field

Lines, as taught by Ms. Summer

2012-02-08T17:34:00.000-08:00

In the blank sheet of paper when I was in preschool, I tried to draw a line.

I moved my hand, still hardly skillful, across the broad sheet for paper where traces of lead followed every motion of my little hand, erasing the bareness of the it. My classmates and I used to write with fat yellow pencils that we routinely get from the pink cabinet at the side of the chalkboard at the start of every class. My teacher, Ms. Summer, who always wore a smile and a printed floral Sunday dress at most days, explained that we should use pencils so that we could easily erase our less beautiful drawings and re-create them again to our heart’s content.

To much frustration, I had trouble drawing the perfect straight line that extended at both ends ad infinitum without deviating from the point source. Often, the should-be straight lines I drew turned out to be either squiggly or broken ones. I was frustrated in drawing in my paper, now bearing helpless pencil marks. I was so irritated with my unskilled hands. The annoyance grew every day until it got to the point when I, out of impulsivity, repeatedly banged my clasped hands on my little yellow desk and my own head. It was such a quiet and frantic day when I cried without a sound as I didn’t want the entire class’ or Ms. Summer’s attention drawn to myself. Yet, my teacher seemed to notice. She always does sense when someone in class is not in their prime mood.

As a result of that incident, Ms. Summer instantly made up an on-the-spot puppet show. She set all the tables together to form a stage and used the class’ writing materials as her characters. She spoke the lines of the characters while trying her best to hide under the set of tables which I allayed by frustration and caused me to laugh at my teacher’s ridiculousness. The puppet show miserably failed in terms of technicalities. Yet my beloved teacher succeeded in introducing us to Sera the Eraser, who was at that time felt like my fictional soul mate. I carried a replica of her around and she became my best friend who corrected every deviation from the lines that I make. She offers a chance for me to better my skill of drawing lines with less obvious marks or wasted sheets of paper. I hope you don’t find me weird carrying a rubber eraser around.

After much practice in drawing lines as a child, I grew up drawing near perfect lines even without an aid of Sera the Eraser and Tracy the Tracing Instrument (another character in Ms.Summer’s puppet show). Ms. Summer, who obviously noticed the change, told me to use a ballpoint pen starting today. It is one of those kinds of writing materials that leave a permanent mark.

“No room for mistakes now, Andrew”, she said as she handed me my first pen which haven’t lived long enough to write the last sentence in my essay. I tried to draw another line with it. It was perfect as the last time I drew one with a pencil.

As I went into my older years and experienced a lot of loses and undeserved hurting, I tried to draw lines again, bold and straight. But this time, I had no writing instrument at hand and drew permanent lines not to test the skill of my hands but to draw a line to demarcate from people.

I heard Ms.Summer that day when she handed me a ballpoint pen telling me again “No room for mistakes now, Andrew.”

On Academic Freedom

2012-02-02T20:43:00.000-08:00

Last semester, I was set aback by the letters that kept on coming in the student council office. They were individual letters from the different RLE groups in the third year containing concerns addressed to the president of the student council. Later on, I’ve learned that these letters had been set as a “requirement” in one particular subject. Some arguments mentioned in the letters seemed sound and feasible yet some are just too ridiculous to be implemented. I wish not to comment further on the suggestions. Yet, one question that made people raise their eyebrows is the fact that those letters were even made as a “requirement.” It would only serve either purpose: to help the student government better themselves or to ignite a black propaganda by encouraging fault finding in the incumbent government. I wish to believe it was the former.

This made me think on whether this activity can be considered valid, as justified by the academic freedom of professors, or not.

"Academic Freedom", as defined by Britannica Online Encyclopedia is the freedom of teachers and students to teach, study, and pursue knowledge and research without unreasonable interference or restriction from law, institutional regulations, or public pressure. It includes the freedom of teachers to inquire into any subject that evokes their intellectual concern, to disseminate and teach the information and the conclusions gathered by the scholar without control or censorship. This freedom is also upheld by the Philippine Constitution as it was stated on Article XIV Section (2) that “Academic freedom shall be enjoyed in all institutions of higher learning.” Therefore, all universities are covered and academic freedom is made available to every student and professor.

According to Russel Kirk, an American political theorist, Academic Freedom includes the promise to “guide and awaken the students but not indoctrinate them”. This presupposes that students should be the ones to reach their own conclusions and determine their own opinions based on their own independent thinking. We go back to the “requirement.” It must be a good exercise in the part of the students to apply the lessons in class to their student government. I find this exercise very refreshing to stimulate some mental workout although requiring it to be passed to the student council (who wasn’t even informed of such activity) can be in a way considered as indoctrinating them. Students must be given a choice whether they would like to pass the letters or not. I was talking with some student leaders from the third year and some verbalized that they were quite hesitant to pass their works. One even shared that their RLE group recognize that some of their suggestions are inappropriate as their proposals must be in line with the thinking of a certain philosopher assigned to them.

Former UP President Vicente Sinco (1984) once emphasized that academic freedom, aside from being an individual right, is also an institutional right. As such, the university’s jurisdiction still covers on the four essential freedoms, which are to determine: (1) who may teach; (2) what may be taught; (3) how it shall be taught; and (4) who may be admitted to study.

Therefore academic freedom, like all other freedoms, is not absolute. It is still grounded on the policies of the university as an institution. Like other freedoms, it goes hand-in-hand with responsibility. It can be said that, although professors have the right to explore subjects on what they deem is important in their subject matter; they are still bound to work towards fostering the students' education, aligning their teachings towards the legitimate pedagogical goals of the course that they're teaching them.

As a self-governing body, a student government exists to provide additional learning that cannot be gained from didactics alone. It is through this mean where leadership skills of the students are developed as the virtues of responsibility, accountability, and decisiveness outflow. With this, I remembered my high school's philosophy, “Seipsum Facit Persona” (Man Makes Himself). It recognizes that through the right interrelationship between the child, the adult and the prepared environment, the students will become self-developing and productive members of the society One factor that is believed to be needed in this system is independence, through which the learner is expected to learn from their own experiences while being guided by the teacher. Metaphorically speaking, this system of learning is like having an MS Word without the autocorrect feature. It does not correct the learner as he types, allowing the one to discern his mistakes by himself so as to serve a long term benefit. In relation to this, mentors to the student leaders must take a less active role by guiding but not dictating; influencing but not controlling, channeling all the experiences to the development of the student government.

The relationship of the students with their mentors are never abused for one’s vested interest. Since the mentor may be a professor or an academic official, he or she should not take advantage of his or her position by introducing topics that are clearly outside the scope. As Dr. Esther Garcia, President and Chief Academic Officer of the University of the East (UE), would say in the January 2007 issue of UE Today, the professor, as the students’ intellectual guide should be an “epitome of utmost integrity, impeccable scholarship and high standard of professionalism”. Now, if the requirement still has that tiniest possibility to pass as “within the scope,” the professor must evaluate if the requirement is really necessary based on the possible outcomes.

Or, just like in the case of the professor involved in the news that I've heard, he or she should ask himself or herself a question: Would the requirement lead to a better student government or just a futile move as a flamebait?

***

The author would like to express gratitude to Mr. Jan Robert Go, a Teaching Associate from the University of the Philippines-Diliman, for allowing me to borrow the sources from his thesis on Academic Freedom and for sharing his valuable insights regarding the topic.

We Barely Know Each Other Outside this Room

2012-01-01T04:59:00.000-08:00

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We were each other's temporary lovers. Bounded by the ticking of the clock and the confines of the four corners of the peach painted room. Our romance ends and goes on like Cinderella's story where her elegance is dispelled by midnight; minus the prince who pursues a lingering connection with a crystal slipper as the only clue to the short lived love affair We were the pacifiers of each others whimsical wishes and desires. A cure to our hearts who longs for belonging. Or even just a sense of it.

December the twenty sixth was a Friday night. We lie in my bed, covered in the white sheets that drape just exactly below the bed. The room had books scattered everywhere; in the table under the lamp's yellow shade, in the bed next to our warm bodies, and in the floor where the books had fallen from the pile next to us. Soiled dinnerwares lie on the desk, still containing morsels of supper, waiting to be washed after being untouched for a period of more or less three hours.

We lay there next to each other, in each others arms. Our eyes fixed onto one another like in a staring contest where nobody wants to lose. We fix gazes on each other, taking mental pictures of that moment. A moment that is elusive, yet binding. We shower each other's lips with occasional kisses followed by smiles which breaks each others barriers.

We make the most of this moment. For fate rarely gives us the chance to do so. The clock is ticking. Time is running out. We lie here in bed together, trying to make the most out of the remaining minutes, our hands clasped together. For after all, when we go out of this private place we shall remind ourselves again that all of this temporary and shall end very soon. Appearing like it didn't even happen. This was our reality.

A kiss travels down to my neck. I squirm a little and we fix our eyes once again and give each other a giggle. Spiteful that I am, I take my revenge by retaliating so generously by guiding my lips, the way you maneuvered yours. Up to your delicate and soft neck. You also squirm slightly. You seemed to be ticklish to the brushing of my facial hair.

You put your lips near my ear. I feel the gushes of air as you spoke these words. Make me a hickey.

I hesitate, thinking that a love mark, or more of a lust mark, shall put a sense of permanency to our temporary affair.Part of me wanted to do it. Part of me held reservations. We liked each other but we held on to the choice that we do not want to be each other's own. I value my singleness. I'm not into relationships right now, you would always remind me. I was quite cool with that. We happened to share the same perspective.

"Make me a hickey...", you say again.

I wanted to remind you. But those words were all I needed for me to surrender. Words which sounded like you were ready to swallow your statement. On valuing your singleness. On not being ready for a commitment soon. On not wanting to be mine.

In that moment when you mouthed those words, I felt I was being given the chance to be the one. The one who you'll be willing to let your guards down. The one who will be the exemption.

I was overturned by that little hope. And yes, partly by lust too. I let go of all my inhibitions and all the reservations that held me from consuming you and your entirety. There was a part of me that took control of my senses. I gave in to the wanting of my lips and to the testosterone that fuels it.

I obeyed her command. Still thinking, I was the exemption. Slowly, I plant my lips to her neck. I close my eyes. My lips continue to do their thing like they were an autonomous part of my body. They had their own business and they took pleasure in it in a vigorous way. She moans in pleasure. I fix my eyes on her face. My lips still in place. Her mouth opens occasionally. She breathes more heavily as seconds pass by. Her eyes now closed. Then I stop.

I try to regain control of myself. Lifting my now tamed lips, I see a red mark on where my lips had been feasting on.

A love mark was formed. Or a lust mark. Whatever.

I hear my mind ask myself lingering questions after three hours of intimacy. My mind was being interrogative. I feel I was hearing auditory hallucinations.

Will the hickey change us and how we relate from this time forward? Or we stay as we are, as each other's temporary lovers? Did she surrender because she was willing to give herself. Or is it just a fetish that surged from her body and she dared for the nght?

I stare on the blank wall and the silhouette she forms as she puts on her clothes, all of which scattered across the room. My hallucinations subsided. She left without a word. She was poor in giving her courtesies.

I see her again walking across street of McKinley Hill after several days. No calls, no messages came after those moments of bliss. The hickey stayed in the same spot. She walks, head high, wearing the hickey for all the people to notice without any reservation . She wore it like an award that needs to be noticed. Oh, she longs to be praised for it. She must've wanted compliments for having been a really good lover.

As I walk nearer her, we fix our eyes once again. The only chance to do so after the night we had each other in our arms. In a split-second, I divert my sight to the red spot on her neck...while she continues to walk past me.

At least now I am certain of two things:

That all of it was temporary. And that she was so good in making me believe otherwise.

* The passage is a liberal metaphor for a social issue affecting teenagers. The author is not a nympho nor does he advocate having sex without the sanctity of marriage, thank you.

11 Things I've Learned in 2011

2011-12-31T03:45:00.000-08:00

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind?

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and old lang syne?

The coming of a new year always brings us to our most sentimental selves. It’s the perfect time, if not the appropriate, to reflect about the things that had happened in our lives have shaped us to who we are now. This year, I’ve learned a lot of lessons. There were good times as there were down moments. There were moments of hope and instances of helplessness. There had been trials and sweet victories. Through all of these, I can say that the year 2011 has been really good to me.

Let me share with you some things I've learned through my own experiences this year. Here are some of them:

Choose your battles wisely. While a lot of causes are worth fighting for, not everything is worth exerting the effort.
People do come and go in our lives. And when they decide to go, let them. Sometimes people just decide not to be part of our life anymore. Yes, it is a loss, but don't let that loss make you lose yourself. Am I making sense?HAHA
Delegate. No man is an island. A goal is more fulfilling to pursue when you do it as a team.
Learn to stand up for something and rally for it. Do not allow yourself to be bounded by conventions and the status quo. Things can always be better. Start the difference. Be dynamic and unpredictable!
Indulge in reading a wide variety of things. A mind well read is like a foot well traveled. (quotable quote ko yan) Read text books for technical knowledge; explore the depths of human nature and invite some inspiration by reading a novel.
Do not expect that all efforts will be reciprocated. For when you give, it must always be voluntary.
Be sincere and generous with compliments .Uplift people and brighten their day with positive vibes.
Be fair. Always present two sides of the story. Know when to take sides and when to keep neutral.
Dwell into the entire course of human experience. Happiness. Anxiety. Even melancholia. Learn to turn even the negative experiences into lucrative sources of inspiration.
Speak your truth quietly. You get your point across better that way rather than by shouting or competing to be heard.
Invest in yourself. Get a new hair cut. Buy some clothes. Go to the gym. Don’t forget love yourself as you would love others.

Those were the 11 things I learned in 2011. How about you guys? Let me know your thoughts by commenting below. Hoping for all the best this 2012! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

And there’s a hand my trusty friend!

And give us a hand o’ thine!

And we’ll take a right good-will draught,

for auld lang syne.

Segunda Mano Movie Review

2011-12-27T16:22:00.000-08:00

Segunda Mano, sorry to break it isn’t a purely horror movie as some of you might expectd it to be. It’s more of a psycho-thriller movie masked within a horror plot.

THE PLOT

In the story, Ding Dong Dantes plays Ivan Galvez, a mentally disturbed lover turned killer after losing his wife (Angelica Panganiban) over another man. He soon meets Mabel Domingo (Kris Aquino), an owner of an antique shop, and soon starts a romantic affair. In one of their dates, a designer friend chances on Ivan over dinner leaving Mabel insecure. So she decides to reinvent herself and turns to her best friend played by Bangs Garcia, owner of a second hand bag retailer. Unknowingly, she purchases a red bag which used to belong to Ivan’s late wife.

Add a little of mother-daughter drama scenes wth Helen Gamboa which all rooted from the untimely demise of Mabel’s lost sister which turns out to be Mariela, Ivan's late wife.The series of scenes then leads us into believing that Mariela was the one who haunts Kris and eventually kills other characters in the story. However, we then unravel in the near end that it was Ivan who does the killing and Mariela actually played as Kris’ advocate.

We see again the role of religion as a last resort when being haunted. I realized that these kinds of scenes only happen in Filipino movies. Haven’t seen anything like it in Japanese or American horror films.

The story itself had a good twist in the last twenty minutes. Although the idea that Kris and Angelica as sisters was a giveaway, the motive of the ghost was quite unexpected and wasn’t revealed in the near end. Finally, not another horror movie that was predictable from the very start.

SCREENPLAY, SPECIAL EFFECTS, AND COSTUME

The special effects and costume wasn’t that amusing, especially the rainfall that obviously pours down in a button press. The death of Kris’ sister was unconvincing as the tides seemed too small to wash away a girl. The “magical” apparition of Angelica, riding the sunken car as it was being towed upward from the lake didn’t work either. It was corny and not to mention, generic.

The shady lighting of the night scenes in the movie was effective in creating a “horror” atmosphere. The use of the horror elements such as the appearance of a cat under the table was very thrilling yet some of the parts looked like they had less than ideal timing for an added shock value. (e.g. the scene in the swimming pool when Ivan’s child was telling Kris that dinner was already prepared. Nakita agad yung bata sa likod nya bago magplay yung gulat sound effect)

Let me share with you one thing I’ve learned in class. That once someone gets hit in the head, the part in your brain which is responsible for vomiting will more likely be triggered first before falling unconscious. A thing that isn’t portrayed in most movies. Let this be a note to all directors to keep some realism going on. Although I doubt if a vomiting Kris Aquino would be good for screenplay.

Being a nursing student, I was surprised that in the movie, Kris knew how to manage a feverish child: giving a sponge bath and administering medication. Although it is never ideal to self-medicate, the thought of including “sponge bath” sounded very nursing to me. Lay people will more likely say, “punasan natin sya”. Kris didn’t do sponge bath the ideal way in the movie though, just saying.

CHARACTERS

Bangs Garcia was a scene stealer and a comic relief in the movie. I like the part when she was freaked out after seeing the ghost in her rearview mirror while she was driving in the middle of a highway. To her panic, she literally jumped out of the car and ran across the middle of the street. I was half- expecting that she would get hit by a speeding car as would most movies would portray but Direk Joyce knew how to play with her audience.

Ding Dong Dantes’ acting was exemplary. He deserves a Best Actor nomination for an excellent portrayal of a psycho. Heck, he acts like Robin Padilla in one scene, which actually worked, I think.

Kris Aquino’s performance was okay. Not best actress material for me. Although I have to give props to her for appearing so soft spoken, reserved, and meek in the movie. Definitely different from what we see on TV.

SUMMARY

This movie tells us that not all ghosts are there to rip the flesh out of you or scare you at wits end. That sometimes they are the ones who even try to help or protect us. Congratulations to the writer, Joel Mercado, for giving justice to the good spirits out there.

Overall, the movie has an unpredictable and fresh storyline, good acting, and satisfactory cinematography, screenplay, and special effects. However, I would really disagree with its classification as a horror movie. But yeah, it’s better than Dalaw in more ways than one.

Segunda Mano

2011-12-22T17:41:00.000-08:00

Joyce Bernal and I had something in common: We have this tendency to nitpick Filipino horror movies, making fun of how un-scary they are or how fake the props/make-up looked up to verge of being a comic outburst. Well now, Bb. Joyce understands how hard it is too well with her first horror film, Segunda Mano.

I happened to post a review on Dalaw, Kris Aquino's movie last year and to sum up my review, I can say that I wasn't very impressed with the acting and other technicalities. I may not be an authority in movies but we can really see gap between locally made horror movies and those that are made abroad. We have a vast source of inspiration to draw scary screenplays from, why don't we utilize them?

In a press conference held at Teacup Cafe in Mo. Ignacia St., QC few days ago, seasoned director Bb. Joyce Bernal shares her excitement and anxiety over her first horror movie project. She says, "Natatakot akong hindi siya [maging] nakakatakot" referring to the movie. Another thing Bb.Joyce seemed to be reserved about is the outcome of this project. She didn't want to make a fearless forecast on the outcome in the conference for the reason that she still haven't watched the other Metro Manila Film Festival entries. Still, she's hoping that the movie would do good in the box office plus some awards wouldn't hurt as well.

With a robust cast line-up led by the Philippine queen of horror cinema Kris Aquino, seasoned leading man from the Kapuso network Ding Dong Dantes, and veteran child-star turned actress Angelica Panganiban, The movie also stars Bangs Garcia, Ian Veneracion, Rico Blanco, Angel Jacob, and Jhong Hilario. I'm pretty certain that this movie would at least offer some moments that will scare out the wits of the audience. If not, I think the tambalang Dingdong and Kris is scary enough. But kidding aside, they'd look pretty good on camera.. The age gap isn't that obvious, really.

The screenplay will revolve around Mabel Domingo (Kris Aquino), an owner of a high-class but creepy antique shop, hence the title SegunDa Mano. In the story, she'll meet Ivan Galvez (Ding Dong Dantes), a rich and successful architect who was currently nursing a heartbreak from his former wife who left him for another man. On with the romance and snippets of comedy until they experience chilling encounters with a violent ghost that puts their relationship to a perilous test.

Screenplay writer Joel Mercado shares the inspiration from the Filipinos' fondness for second hand original items bought from thrift shops. I guess, after watching this movie, we may never see ukay-ukays the same again..

Segunda Mano is produced by Star Cinema and MJM Productions. It will be open in all theaters nationwide on December 25, 2011. For more details visit their site at www.SegundaManoMovie.ph

The Night He was Sad but Didn't Know Why

2011-12-21T15:16:00.000-08:00

He was unusually early at home that night. Quarter past seven. His apartment was empty and so was his bed. No one was there to welcome him except the unmoving furniture, all covered in dust and stale memories. Or to cuddle with him under the sheets of the bed that was covered with love of which only the scent still lingered but in itself, dissipated in time.

His mind felt empty, as lifeless as his apartment. His phone, clasped around his fingers, started to blink. The phone was ringing but no audible sound was heard. Verbs can be so confusing. He had put his phone in silent mode ever since he decided that no one was worthy of a good ol' ringtome. "Drei calling...", the blinking screen displayed. He answered the phone. Friends were asking him to go out for the Saturday night. He refused and recited a monologue:

"Tonight, I want to wallow in my sadness. My emptiness. My solitude. I wanted to remember things that I lost but could not retrieve. Memories lost that could never be re-done. People who left, and left without a trace. Just for one night, I wanted to remember."

He wanted to remember.

Few minutes have passed, he was restless. Struggling on how he will be able to make it through the remaining hours of the night. Or for as long as the sun doesn't rise. He didn't dare risk going to sleep this early for he would risk waking up in those ungodly hours which have higher affinity for boredom. Suicide rates are high in bored people they say. Probably, that's one legitimate explanation of the phrase "dying out of boredom".

At 8:45, he decided to go to the supermarket which was a couple of blocks away. He decided to cook his recipe, the one he concocted for a high school cooking project, the one that delights every bud who makes love with it. It was her favorite. He wanted to remember.

Chopped button mushrooms, half cooked pasta, opened canned tuna, minced garlic, and cut tetra packs of cream were all over the table. But in the middle of the preparation, he realized that no one would eat the lot of it anyway. He has this habit of not eating what he cooks. To taste, yes, but not to finish it up. He wasn't hungry for food. He was hungry for something else. The night would seem more lonely if a plate full of pasta lay untouched above the table, he thought. He scrapped the whole idea, leaving the half cooked pasta and other ingredients in the kitchen table.

Man has this compulsion to fill empty time with activities, useful or not, so as to avoid the emptiness that comes from within. He resorted instead to going to the nearby convenience store. They say chocolates have these properties that stimulate the release of endorphins - those feel good chemicals. He was hoping they would work on him tonight, A few minutes after, he was already on one of the seats, enjoying a drumstick of Cornetto. Chocolate flavor. In front of him was a glass window which reflected someone familiar. A young man unsympathetically enjoying a Cornetto, devoid of all the melancholia the guy from the other side of the glass was feeling at that time. Some of the ice cream went to his face but he didn't care. He wanted to remember. The time when there was someone who will wipe all the stains with a Kleenex after he finished.

The image was carefree and happy like a child.

Reflections can be such liars.

After a sweet treat, he walked home. His ears covered with earphones which do function far from an actual phone. For one, it doesn't carry any conversation. It plays music. A repertoire bounded by a memory worth of a couple of gigabytes. The acoustic version of Maroon 5's Misery was on.

I am in misery.

There ain't no body who can comfort me.

Oh yeah!

Why won't you answer me?

The silence is slowly killing me.

Oh yeah!

There's always some kind of comfort in those kind of songs. It was played on a loop until he arrived home.

He was again sitting squarely in his room. From the cupboard, he saw recently opened bottles of vodka, rum, brandy, and grenadine that his friend, Ryan, left the last time he hosted a drinking session. Quickly, he scanned behind the pile of books and found the only thing that touches his lips these days - a shot glass. He poured the vodka on it and added some of the grenadine syrup which had a sparkling red color. The grenadine settled on the bottom of the shot glass as a red blob while the clear vodka enclosed it from the side of the shot glass and above. The two drinks looked wonderful. Yet they weren't meant to be mixed without losing the vodka's clarity and the grenadine's vibrancy.

Hello Mr.Vodka and Ms.Grenadine! It's been a long time since we had each other for company! He said to the lifeless shot glass as it neared his lips. As he finished the few milliliters of alcohol and syrup, he realized that the tonic tasted more bitter when drank alone.

He raised up his glass and said cheers to the empty house. To the lonely bed. To the uncooked pasta. To the untouched ingredients. To the receipt of the Cornetto. To the bottles of grenadine and vodka.

And yes, that night, he remembered.

When Mothers Kill Their Offsprings

2011-12-20T15:12:00.000-08:00

Walking along the street of A.H. Lacson, I saw a typical scene of what seemed to be a street child having a tantrum and a mother who tries to console her child. The boy, aged below ten years, was covered in tears and clothed in dirt and grime. The lady, who seemed to be the mother, was slapping him mercilessly on his cheeks, alternating sides with every slap. Not so typical scene for a child who just wants to have another toy, I thought. I was never slapped by wanting something I couldn't have.

As I was getting nearer, I started to hear their conversation. "Wag mo pakialaman yung pagkain ko ah!", the lady cried in the middle of the street. The boy, clinged on to her leg, while trying to avoid another slap. Ba't ba lagi ako pinagbibintangan mo? Finally, the boy answered back. Ako hindi na nakakain kasi pinapalamon ko na sainyo lahat, ngayon lang ako makakakain pinakelaman mo pa. Another hand fell on the boy's cheek.

It was a heartbreaking moment, seeing a mother not willing to suffer for her children. But who are we to judge her actions? She must've been that hungry and must've given her whole life for her family and for a moment, wanted something for her own. She needs nourishment too. Scarcity truly can bring the worst out of people.

After passing by Richville to drop something for a friend, I passed by the same scene. A twisted cloth was already around the child's neck, both ends pulled on by the mother. Sanamagan!

Paskuhan Dinner

2011-12-17T20:44:00.000-08:00

Paskuhan dinner last December 15,2011. Brought tupperwares for free food! :)

With some of my classmates (Julie, Jonah, Gigie, and Anna) after having lined up for food

Lechong Manok, Baboy, at Baka feast at the Nursing Organization room. :)

One happy block. :)

This is a gruesome picture pero ang sarap talaga ng lechong baka. :)

My Quintessential Gift

2011-12-16T19:28:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking lately on what gift would not lose its essence even if it gets old. A gift that would not lose its value even as it ages. Something that does not deteriorate in essence, cannot be dilapidated, and can be enjoyed by more than one person.

And after a minute it came to me that a book is what I want this Christmas!

Sa mga nakabunot sakin sa exchange gift alam nyo na. Okay lang kahit di bago at gamit na, hindi naman nagbabago ang nakasulat habang tumatanda ang libro. :)

Here's my Christmas wishlist:

The 33 Strategies of War by Robert Greene
Art of War by Sun Tzu
Any book by Haruki Murakami, Paolo Cohelo, or Chuck Palahniuk
Any book about body language and hand writing psychology, therapeutic communication, social issues, writing techniques and bioethics

Concierto Priori

2011-12-12T06:05:00.000-08:00

"Even the best fall down sometimes

Even the wrong words seem to rhyme...

...even the stars refuse to shine."

Simple lang . Di kami ang sobrang galing pero respeto naman sana. That act was undoubtedly a bitch slap on us considering that you had all the means to change the order of your repertoire. Still, I have no one to blame but ourselves for a mediocre performance. We were just simply at our worst tonight... and we have no intention of repeating it again on the 29th of January.

Why an Anti-Exchange Gift Bill is Needed

2011-12-11T00:47:00.001-08:00

The incidences of the exchange gift activities are already quite alarming. It’s as if having one is a pre-requisite for any Christmas party or celebration. As of the moment, I have yet to buy six presents. One is for the one for our organization, another for the one in class, and four for the one I picked in our RLE group whom I failed to give even a single gift for our weekly exchange gift giving. I haven’t been awarded the most compliant in exchange gift activities. Neither had I been the winner for the Best Gift award category.

One factor that I see is my tendency to procrastinate my gift shopping. Delaying it until the night before a party, rushing for the mall hours, and end up stashing something generic and/or hideous inside shopping bags. Like scented candles, towels, or picture frames. Well, not exactly but the one I pick are always the less lucky ones. Sure, Christmas is the time for giving but in exchange gift activities, the entire purpose is defeated as you expect to receive something in return. It becomes an alternative way of self-gifting that, even for a few days, spares our scrupulous superegos from asking penance for our selfish spending.

I’ve learned that the strategy in giving the worst present is summed up in eight letters: WRAPPING. As I am also not blessed with the talent for paper folding and would not stand for repetitious work, I would always buy those nicely decorated boxes in Papemelrotti then tie it up with a fancy ribbon. That always does the trick. At least if the thing you gave was useless, the box can also be used as a container.

Back to the endemic spread of exchange gift giving. I find this practice pointless and just but another stressor to people during Christmas season. Instead of just enjoying the season, feasting on good food, and being with the company of people we love, we preoccupy ourselves with the chore of thinking, wrapping, and giving gifts. Do yourself a favor and spare yourself from the hassle. Give the little meaningful gifts, like a note or something you created yourself . Let not the materialism of gift giving be the focal point of this season.

UPDATES:

My opinion column is about to be published in our school paper in its December issue
I'm doing part time work as a research assistant of my professor for his study on Tuberculosis. I'm so looking forward to the new things I might learn. :)
Himig Tomasino, the local intercollegiate chorale competition of UST, is coming up. I will be very busy with choir practice once January starts. See you all at PhilamLife Theater on Jan 29. :)
Will be proposing a Student Awards and an HIV advocacy activity as being the Student Council's Coordinating Board Secretary. :)
Will organize a concert for the launching of the Nursing Music TV along with the lower batch of officers.

REALigion

2011-12-05T23:51:00.001-08:00

I long for a religion that accepts and cites philosophies other than its own, rather than solely relying on their teachings based from their own scriptures. A religion that does not dictate its words into the consciousness of its followers. A religion that challenges the minds of its followers and not bank on their blinded faiths. For almost all war and persecution comes from the irrationality of churches who believe they are the standards of righteousness.

I long for a religion that honors man's freedom and not subject the faithful's lives to a predetermined plan construed by a higher order. A religion that values the prayers made with the silence of one's heart and not through mouthed prayers. A search of repentance that does not need any other human to act as a bridge between you and your God. For in that privacy, one can really tell his faults plainly without pretense.

I long for a religion that is not bound by ceremonies, dogmas, and memorized prayers. Whose rules are followed not because they are compelled to do so, less they want risk their salvation. A religion whose dominance is not misused by interferring with the matters of the state. One that knows clearly their bounds, which is to educate their followers and not the entire nation of different gods. A religion that does not threat excommunication to anyone who wants to say otherwise and knows how to consider the viewpoint of others.

A religion who practices what they preach. One that does not contradict their own scriptures through their actions.

Thus, I realize that I long for a religion that does not exist.

Note: The author understands that there is no perfect religion since it is but man who consitute it.

What Basketball and DoTA have in common

2011-12-04T03:31:00.001-08:00

People seem to be in rage nowadays. Yesterday, while watching a basketball game, I could not help but be disturbed at the silent fistfights some players do to their opponents. I've learned that those less obvious jabs to the gut and uncalled for charges are termed as fouls, to whatever extent they may be. The referees cannot be blamed as well, some players really do a good job of faking being pushed, punched, or tripped. Never had I watched a game with so much physical contact that already borders between a display of dexterity and a riot. Anne Lonesome, who was beside me during that time, relayed a story of how a several of our classmates were included in a brawl after a game of DoTA. She told me how our classmates were the ones who provoked the inhabitants of the internet cafe by trash talking in the chat function of the game.

I couldn't help but say "Ang g*go ninyo! Di ba kayo nagiisip?!", when I saw my classmates the next day. One was with a hematoma, another had a bruised lip. I cannot understand why these people should resort to a violent, and not to mention, uncivilized mean to settle disputes? Why can't they practice restraint and thing before they act? Why can't diplomacy be practiced in these settings? I guess I should teach them how to rant through blogging now.HAHA

Sweet Dreams Cover

2011-11-29T22:04:00.001-08:00

Three of our choir members (Philip Lorena, Beryl Lopez, and Poch Garcia) performing an acapella cover of "Sweet Dreams" by Beyonce at the Nursing Idol 2011. Arrangement by Kim Sarmiento :)

I'm so proud of them I couldn't help but post a videoclip in my blog. :))

Nursing Idol 2011

2011-11-27T08:35:00.001-08:00

Two more days to go and another load on my shoulder is removed. I’ve been stressing the past few weeks for the finals of the Nursing Idol. From the auditions to the event promotion up to the grand finals, I’ve been pretty obsessive compulsive about it. Almost every day, I make a new list of the things to do, kept on reminding the members about their tasks, and coordinating with the student council. Now who could blame me? This project was sponsored by our organization of which I currently am the president so I have to do everything possible to make this event as perfect as it would. The students of our college deserve no less than a great show on the night of the 29th.

After seeing the VTRs of the finalists hours ago, I had this surge of energy, or maybe excitement, all over me. I was just drawn to them as they were singing a part of their audition pieces and promoting the event in the end of the clip. From the Nursing Music TV page where the pictures for the online voting award were uploaded, I just can’t help but smile at the comments below the finalists. Some comments were even off-topic to the contest: “Ang ganda talaga ng apo ko! Ikaw na mananalo dyan” Huh? Pageant ba ito?haha

After the stress I went and will go through the following days, I know it will all be worth it.

Who’s your bet in the Nursing Idol? Here are the VTRs of the contestants:

Parallel Play

2011-11-26T14:30:00.001-08:00

It’s surprising you give everybody

things I thought were mine alone,

things I started to hold possession of,

with my frail hands and ambivalent mind.

This moment of histrionic outburst

Is a grievance to a sport played less fair.

I guess I was the one who didn’t play

by the rules I was informed with

Now I clasp on to what remains still

-a sad song, tears, and a damp pillow

Realizing that this affair is

“Exclusive, maybe, but not entirely.”

Parallel play is a form of play where children play adjacent to each other, but do not try to influence one another's behavior. It usually involves two or more children in the same room that are interested in the same toy, each seeing the toy as their own. An observer will notice that they occasionally see what the other is doing and then modify their play accordingly. The older the children are, the less frequently they engage in this type of play.(from Wikipedia)

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Written based from a random source of inspiration – either from stories of the people around the author or story concepts that spring forth from the imaginative, random mind of the writer.

Dito sa UST, “No Money, No Entry"

2011-11-26T01:14:00.001-08:00

The University of Santo Tomas recently made a new enrollment policy of not accepting promissory notes, banning the issuance of “pre-enrollment forms” to those who may want to reserve slots but are currently short of cash, and not allowing students with previously unpaid accounts to enroll. (with reports from The Varsitarian) With the implementation of this new stringent policy, students who can’t pay the minimum down payment for installment fees are likewise not allowed to enroll.

This announcement was posted through a memorandum which circulated during the final examination during last semester. During the days of enrollment several signage bearing the words “NO PROMISSORY NOTES ALLOWED” were clearly displayed.

Here's the memorandum from the Vice Rector for Finance:

Aside from the fact that the announcement was done on a short notice and did very little to provide ample time for the parents to prepare their pockets, I believe that this policy is again an incident of lack of consultation with the students. No dialogue was done with the student body. The policy making rested solely on the administrators. We, the students, had become passive recipients of this memorandum, forcibly fed onto us and we, like abused children, apathetically opened our mouths to whatever gustatory dread awaits us.

Good thing not everyone accepted this policy with open arms.

I was talking yesterday with a leader from the Anakbayan-UST Chapter who spearheaded a move against this policy. Together with the Central Student Council president Lorraine Taguiam, they went on a dialogue for the reconsideration of the policy. On November 23, 2011, the Varsitarian released an update announcing that the administrators lifted the policy.

The University will be entertaining late enrollees starting today, while promissory notes will be accepted again but will be subject to the approval of the Treasurer’s Office - Central Student Council

***

When you come to think of it, the policy is in itself covered with a dark shade of elitism. It presupposes that if the student can’t pay the exact fee on time, one's right to education is rightfully waived. In another way we may ask, “Has education been confined only to the elite who can afford it?” This also speaks of the commercialization of education where issues of money come first before the fulfillment of the university’s mission, which is to provide education, so to speak.

It must be an arrogant statement for a student to demand education without doing his part by first paying the tuition fees, but then again, due consideration must be given by the administration since not every family can afford to produce money in time with the enrollment and some even technically depend on promissory notes to enroll.

To sum up, I suggest consultation must be done with the students with regard to such policies that directly affect them. As per the university administrators, they must carefully consider the possible consequences of the proposed policies so that the interests of the students are not sacrificed by a less than effective administrative process.

***

I enjoin the student councils and organizations of the different colleges, let us continue to do our part in protecting the students rights and interests. May our functions extend more than that of organizing activities. The student body technically gave us our positions and it is but just that we work for the people we serve and not for another party. Kudos to the CSC President Lorraine Taguiam, Anakbayan and other students who participated for this feat!

Duet by a Soloist

2011-11-24T13:21:00.001-08:00

At the stage, the singer stands alone

under the dim light. He sings his piece

like an elitist who discriminates –

heads up, ears only to hear his own voice

Traverse through the two-staffed measure

singing to himself both parts. Disillusioning

himself by trying a measure so high a pitch

– fit only to be sung by a mezzo soprano

The song goes on, perfectly, yet bare

On the walls resound the divine tremolos

that can only reach thus far, pervading

‘til the curtains meet again in the end.

He sighs exasperatedly, waiting for

a sound to emanate from the space beside him

Yet in a distance, he hears once more

A voice of a lovely soprano singing a new song

Are you Mine?

2011-11-23T06:33:00.001-08:00

Are you mine forever?

Or just for the moment?

Do I measure it in seconds?

Or do I count for a lifetime?

Shall I see you every waking moment?

Or shall you fade quickly like a dream?

Shall you stay in my memory?

Or will you fleet like a thought?

But what’s the point in asking,

if all I know is I am yours?

Photo from here

Above Average

2011-11-21T00:41:00.001-08:00

ABOVE AVERAGE. This is the minimum IQ grade requirement of an aspiring UST Nursing Freshman. With the high quota and high applicant turnout (considering that it almost has 15,000 applicants every year – Ma’am Maila from the Dean’s office would attest my claim) the college has every year, can we surmise that the 400 qualified enrollees are the cream of the crop (in terms of intelligence) among all of those?

Well, I don’t think works quite that way.

Let me explain why in 3 points:

USTET

Undeniably, having a high score for the entrance examination can be a valid measurement of an applicant’s academic proficiency. It might depict either the precision of the thinking faculties or the perseverance of a person.

But how about the other aspects of intelligence? A good score is just but a reflection of either how well you take the test or how much you’ve prepared for it.

IQ TEST

I am reserved with the idea of this cutoff IQ score being as one of the factors in the freshman screening process. First of all because it leaves no room to what psychologists call as divergent thinking where innovation, creativity, imagination, and invention are highlighted. Rather the IQ tests adopt the convergent way of thinking where a “right” answer is what the students must arrive at. The latter is exemplified by the use of IQ tests to test one’s capability to notice the difference between abstract shapes and figures.

Can we say that the act of “finding the right answer” can be a valid measure of one’s intelligence?

In the real world we are not confronted with multiple choice questions answerable by the letters a,b,c,d.

The answers to life’s questions are always subjective and such solutions for it will only be left to be justified by the person.

If we would accept that there is a “right” answer, this would be contrary to the popular cliché “There are no wrong choices in life” which will be most likely be followed up by the phrase “But what matters most is how we deal with our choices”. Believe me, I’ve heard this line at almost every self-help speech and the speakers would definitely save your egos by agreeing to this popular saying.

TO EACH HIS OWN

The theory of multiple intelligences explains this beautifully. It states that every human has the same level of intellectual capacity yet differ in the area most developed. This is the reason why the segregation of students based on their exam grades is quite a narrow-minded idea and should be looked upon for its effects.

Admission to a certain program must be more liberalized and should also evaluate the different aspects of intelligence of the students. Although, yes, I would agree that no test for multiple intelligence currently holds much water.

***

The picture above was taken from one of the masterpieces at Art 19b at Cubao Expo. The concept of having a Filipino version of chess is quite interesting don't you think?.

Cultured Performance

2011-11-17T14:46:00.001-08:00

After the applause our performance yesterday, I realized one thing:

A cultured performance begets a cultured applause.

For a cultured performance like is a painting carefully done with every stroke calculated and details so intricate. It deserves a silent respect, not jeers and purposeless yells. A wordless applause that is communicated between the audience and the performer without each party even realizing. An applause so cultured, it’s actually heartwarming.

On Winning

2011-11-14T06:48:00.000-08:00

Hearing criticism on the validity of a win is one of the things a winner must endure. There will always be someone who will question either the performance or the taste of the judges. Bakit nanalo to? Bakit nanalo yan? Pano napili yan?

Yes, hearing disapproval from people may really too hard to accept but the art of enduring it is I think part of maturity. This is one thing I’ve learned by joining our college merchandise design contests. Now, I understand the meaning beneath the cliché that says people have different tastes and are entitled to their opinions. Some will like it, some will don’t. Dati nadedepress ako pag nakakarinig ako ng something na hindi maganda about sa design ko. But now, I learned to shrug it off and listen more to the not so good comments (most of them thrown unknowingly that the designer is just beside them), build from them, and do something better the next time I have the chance to do so.

***

My entry won on BLUEPRINTS: The College Shirt Design Contest. My design will be the official shirt of the UST College of Nursing for this year. Yay! :)

***

Here’s another random thing: Once I see my designs get printed or made, I suddenly have this aversion on wearing it.