A Challenge For Your Inner Philosopher

Guys! Gals! What’s up with everyone?! Is it just ME or is there a virtual gloom or dejection looming over the blogosphere? I know I’m feeling some slump, but it shouldn’t stop us from writing something inspired! So, to challenge everyone to think and get their juices flowing while having some fun, I’m posting a pseudo-meme that anyone can answer!

From the Philosophical to the Comedic to the Blatantly Blunt, these questions will get you thinking or inspire you to write a noteworthy and creative post (I hope!). Answer everything! Challenge yourself and voice your opinions, let all of our thoughts bring forth chaos! Too much? Aaaaanyway, even though the pseudo-meme is open to all, I will tag seven people whose brains I want to sink my teeth into. Yummy…

What is the meaning of life?

If a tree falls in a forest with no one to hear, does it make a sound?

What is the fundamental flaw in human nature? Pride - or greed?

Would you kill one person to save a thousand? However, that one person is the most important human being in your life. Would you still do it?

Are men naturally Polygamous?

Are women naturally competitive with other women?

Is the human race essentially good?

"If all the world's a stage and we are merely players..." what game are we playing?

Have you been accused of being a genius?

In a society where everyone is "entitled to their opinion", what place is there for Right and Wrong?

Descartes said "I think therefore I am", How can one prove to themselves that another person exists beyond their imagination?

If it was never illegal, would you have killed someone by now?

Does everything in the world have an opposite? If no, give an example.

How do you define personal honor?

How would you describe the color blue to a blind person?

How will you prove that genuine love exists?

Will humankind annihilate itself eventually?

What is the greatest unsolved mystery on earth?

Given infinity, will all that is possible eventually happen?

Is it better to be uncertain about something forever, or know the truth and be very hurt through all your life?

Is it bad to call in to work because you are sick of it?

If you saw a yellow ball but everyone told you it was purple, who would you believe? If no, what would you do to prove your side?

Is education the filling of a pail, or the lighting of a fire?

What would you be willing to do to survive?

Is a lie a lie, if everybody knows it is?

Imagine yourself experiencing a car accident. What happens and how does everything look like after the accident?

Do you ever wonder if you're already dead and this is just your life flashing before your eyes?

(And finally, my favorite question of all…hehe..)

Should the conservative Christian husband of an atheist woman allow her to have an abortion if there's a chance the kid might grow up and turn into a gay Mormon?

There you go ladies and germs (I wonder who came up with that line), my thought-inspiring meme. Do try to answer everything! Have fun and get those juices flowing again!

I AM TAGGING…

THE BRILLIANT BASTARD. . .PAOLO

THE GIFTED GIRL. . .JUICE

THE SMART SCHOLAR. . .REX

THE LUSTROUS LADY. . .FRUITY OATY

THE CREATIVE CUTIE. . .DONYA QUIXOTE

THE BRAINY BOY. . .DAN HELLBOUND

UPDATE: Read and View Paolo's answers in his BLOG! His Answers are priceless! After viewing feel free to join Khoops.com

Being Irregular...

I just experienced another unexpected hiatus. This semester entails some familiarization. Classes aren’t hard, but there are just things that need getting used to. Professors, classmates, environment and a whole lot more. Let me give an example…

First Day…First Class…

I don’t know anybody in my class (One pro AND con of being an irregular student). I take a seat at the back of the class and try to look bored and unnoticeable. I hate block students (the opposite of an irregular student). They can be so boisterous and inconsiderate, plus they have control over the class and easily influence teachers. The minute I stepped into the class, I saw their eyes darting towards me with the expression of “subtle smugness” in their faces. It was as if they didn’t want me to invade their little clique. There were the usual stares and mumblings. Let me just say that I know not all block classes are like that. Unfortunately for me, this one was. I settled in, drowned out all the noise with my iPod (my good friend), and decided to recheck my schedules, hoping that this future hell hole I’m in was the wrong room. It was the right one (surprise, surprise).

A few minutes in, another student stepped in. He received the same “welcome” I got. He sat next to me and settled in. He then faces me and asks, “Irreg ka?” I gave him a small nod and a small smile. “Pareho tayo. (chuckles) Wala rin akong kakilala dito.” We kept to ourselves after that short conversation. Then came, the Professor. Female and quite striking. My first impressions: kind, approachable, and patient. What was that saying about first impressions again? She stepped in the classroom, set her things on the table and sat down. Her first words were, “Get 1 whole sheet of paper and define the following.” Of course, the block students, in chorus, moaned and complained about the sudden test, but to no avail. After 30 minutes, the papers got collected and the professor introduced herself. She spoke as if she had no desire to speak. She dragged her sentences and slowly threw them away. She stated her rules and requirements and she was not a woman who was easily pleased, but all too easily offended.

She then asked a simple question, “This is a block class right? Are there irregular students?” The block students instantly turned and glared at us. I raised my hand and so did the guy next to me. We both noticed two girls raising their hands on the other side of the room. Then, the instructor asked a loaded question, “why are you irregular students? Don’t you want to be regular?” I never thought I had to defend my choices or decisions on something that is completely valid and acceptable. None of us wanted to answer. The rest of the class kept looking back expecting someone among us to defend our state. The guy seating next to me whispered something, “Kilala ko yang si ma’am. May nagsabi sakin na hindi daw nya gustong may irregular student sa mga klase niya.” I was surprised. I never expected such feelings from an educator. The teacher suddenly calls on my seat mate, “Mr. _____, maybe you want to share your little discussion over there with the rest of the class, and maybe tell me why you are an irregular student.” Demeaning is an understatement given that the whole class was looking at him expecting a complex string of events which lead to him being an irregular student.

“Ma’am, I failed po two subjects so I am retaking them.”

Then the rest of the class immediately turned their attention to the teacher eagerly waiting her reaction. She answered in her dragged, apathetic tone, “Hmmm, well that’s too bad. Do better this time around” “You really should waste your parent’s money.” If that wasn’t demeaning enough, she called on a regular student and asked, “Am I right Ms. ____? What do you think?” And the girl blatantly answered, “Yes ma’am. May nagsabi din sakin na teacher that irregular students are irresponsible, kaya sila naging irregular.” Whoa! Definitely uncalled for. I was riling at this point. And then opportunity presented itself. The professor called my name, “You are also irregular, do you agree? I think her statements are not only justifiable but also logical.”

I said, “Ma’am, her statements are nothing short of offensive, bordering discriminative.” The woman then stands up and tells the teacher, “Ma’am hindi naman po ako nagsabi non! Sinabi lang sakin ng teacher yun noh!” I continued interrupting her, “Even though it was not she who actually expressed those sentiments, to affirmingly correlate being irregular to irresponsibility is in itself irresponsible.” Mumbling ensued.

“Being an irregular student doesn’t automatically categorize you as an irresponsible money-wasting child. There are several justifiable and logical reasons why we are irregular students. Some of us might be working students who need flexible schedules. Some may even be smarter than the average student by prioritizing subjects which would optimize their learning experience. Some may fit the description you have so narrowly placed them. They may have failed, but they are trying hard to change that. And if there IS such a teacher, a supposed educator who would discriminate or favor a student for not being irregular, he or SHE should be ashamed of themselves, then, they should be fired.”

I sat down and the mumbling continues and intensifies. The teacher, after a few moments, silences the class and begins to explain the subject material. After ten minutes, the class was dismissed…

I had never had to defend myself for doing something that was not wrong uncommon or different. I’ve been irregular all my life, in more ways than one. What happened was just ridiculus. Just goes to show, some people can really be idiots…

Two Weeks without technology

Is not as horrible as you may imagine.

Now when I say technology, I mean the stuff bloggers and young adults are made of: PCs, Laptops, iPod, Camera, VideoCam, INTERNET, TV, Vehicle, Microwave and Cellphone.

Well, I did have my cellphone, but it barely made a peep so it was virtually invisible. This would explain my short hiatus once AGAIN.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand. I spent my whole sembreak at my aunt’s house in Marikina. They are affluent, and probably owned anything their hearts ever desired. They owned a veritable mansion. I expected extravagance, luxury and some well deserved relaxation.

“Gino, we’ll be spending a week at our farm in Ilocos.” – these are the words that shattered my prospects into tiny pieces, like the grains of sand, soil and rice that I will be getting acquainted with, very soon.

There was that dread of the unexpected. Not knowing what I will encounter at a “farm” where my stereotypical mindset imagined a small kubo hut, with no beds, and no proper lavatory. And a huge field with the overwhelming stench of cow manure and the usual abundance of mud, livestock and greenery. However, there also was that security of the identified. Meaning, I knew my aunt wouldn’t consent to me experiencing a horrible time during my vacation, and knowing her standards, she won’t let herself experience that too.

o I accepted my fate and embraced all the experience had to offer. When we got there, I was surprised. It was nothing like what I imagined (of course it wasn’t! come on!), it was surprisingly a beautiful sight to behold. It was just an inch short of the huge haciendas portrayed in television. The place was simple, the only advancement visible was the vehicles and machines used in the farm. The house we inhabited was big and was one of those antique Spanish colonial houses.

“Technology is but a brushstroke

in this rural backdrop.”

This rustic locale had a substitute for everything. A few days in the whole experience, you get to revert to a more simple life where no one will scoff at you for not putting on a thousand peso shirt or applying your make up before going out. You are appreciated for just being there and sharing the whole experience with them. Everyone got along, even the owners and the employees.

It was a great. It has been a while since I did so much with such little effort. It was wonderful. It was refreshing. It was just what the doctor ordered....

To be continued...

P.S. Ayo... I'm tired of using technology...

The Jigst Of Things

What a month September was! I’ve never been soo busy in my entire life. It completely forced me to go underground and temporarily redirect my attention and forgo blogging. Since I haven't fully recovered from the whole ordeal, let me just give you a rundown of what transpired last month in my world:

1) Took Part In A Marketing Bazaar. We had to establish a business that we believe will be profitable with an inventory that will last for at least a week. It is in essence the application of being a business owner and manager.

2) Joined A Marketing Competition. We had to create an original and dynamic marketing plan for Taco Bell whose budget was 10 million pesos. At first, I didn’t know what to do with all the money allotted for the task, but in the end, I almost didn’t make the budget fit!

3) Participated In A Sales Promotion Contest. Each contestant had to create a convincing and creative product pitch to a panel of 6 judges. It’s just like what Steve Jobs does when he presents a new product from Apple.

4) Participated In A Thesis Making Contest For The Philippine Stock Exchange. This was definitely one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever had to undertake. Many students dread thesis making, what more if it is for a contest where excellence is expected of you and you are competing against the country’s top colleges.

5) Produced and Directed 3 Commercials and a Print Ad. We were tasked to put together two sets of advertising campaigns accompanied by an advocacy for two different organizations. Editing was the greatest torture here. It took three solid days (with barely any breaks) to finish everything.

So basically, to sum it all up in one sentiment, September utterly kicked my ass. I was so busy and so toxic with everything I needed to do that I didn’t know which I should do first or how to fit everything in my schedule. Where’s a secretary when you need one?! Anyway, October is here and I can’t be any more relieved. I just hope as my favorite month progresses, my stress levels would go down and I can finally get to have some fun.

Yes, I did say October is my favorite month. October is just awesome. I don’t know, but I just love every second of every hour of every day of every week of this glorious month. Some of you may already know a reason why I love this month, but here’s a rundown of some of the reasons why this October is shaping up to be a GREAT month:

1) Fruits Of My Labor. It is true that if you work hard and believe in your work, all your efforts will be worth it, rewarded even. Believe me, the returns were worth it after everything. Our marketing bazaar was so profitable, our investment came back three-fold. I won several awards (1^st place for the Marketing Competition, the Sales Promotion and the honor of receiving the best thesis award in the PSE Contest!) and recognized in others (3^rd place in the Advertising and Advocacy Campaign). I've never been this successful ever! Hahaha!

2) Oktoberfest! I’ve only been to the event once due to the incessant demands of my manila friends and I had such a great time. Honestly, I am not a huge beer drinker, I prefer a different poison, but this is the only time in a year where I actually like beer. Luckily, I’ll be going this month with my cousins so I finally get to unwind, party and then some!

3) Halloween! My favorite and the ultimate pseudo-holiday! Ghouls, Witches, and Zombies roam the streets! Well, not really, especially in the Philippines (we prefer Kapre and Mananangal). I am fascinated by the “other side” and what perfect way to soak in all the mystery than during All Hallows Eve. Boo!

4) October is the Perfect Month. For me, October has the best weather and atmosphere. This can be felt more dramatically if you are in a country experiencing 4 seasons. October falls (no pun intended) in the season of autumn. Not too hot, not too cold. The hues of the season are red, orange and brown. A great month for contemplation, celebration and affection…Perfect…

I know I have another reason why October is so fantastic, I just keep forgetting what that reasons is…hmmm…

Anyway, that’s about everything that has happened to me these past few weeks. This is officially my return to the blogging scene and hopefully it sticks. I’m also announcing an October Blog Special! I’ll be writing posts geared towards this month’s theme of fright! Hehe!

Ok, I’ll end it here. Till the next post!

Of My Thoughts and Contemplations

This is part two… More drama? I think not…

It is because of deep thoughts and contemplations of my world in its entirety that I feel my mediocrity. I feel insignificant and could’ve done better. However, it is by those musings that I realize I am surrounded by people who love me, not only for who I am but also for I what I can do. I have my family and my friends who whisper to me, “You have done well.” I know I am loved; it is only by my frustrated insecurities that I forget to realize or feel that.

It is because of my deep thoughts and contemplations of my world in its entirety that I have somehow made sense of things. The week before last week was one of the most fruitful, enjoyable and enlightening weeks in my life. Let me explain. As a teenager, the course I wanted to take up was Comsci (Computer Science). Computer courses were the popular choice back then. My second choice, Business Management. Back then, I saw a manager as a “general job.” It was a job anyone can do even if you didn’t finish business management. With just a bit of training, a nurse could be a manager, an engineer could be a manager, a graphic designer could be a manager. But a manager cannot be a nurse, a manager cannot be an engineer, a manager cannot be a graphic designer. It was a course, I thought, I couldn’t boast about. Yet, it was the course I passed in U.P. so I ended up in that same course.

It was that week that changed my opinion on Business Management. I saw the fundamental nature of what it takes to be a manager. A manager has to be a leader; unafraid to take risks and move his team forward. A manager has to be brave; unafraid to take responsibility or to be resented when making the unpopular decision. A manager has to be intelligent; able to organize the business, control the processes required and create solutions for the company. A manager must be able to MANAGE; it is the integration of a commander, a peacemaker, a businessman, a creative director, a counselor and a friend.

But most of all, I believe what sets a manager apart from any other profession, is the passion. The passion to make your business better by empowering your employees and utilizing the best options for the growth of the company and the business. Business is at times impersonal and unethical. That's where the line, “it’s nothing personal, its business” comes from. But for a manager, whose concern is for the whole organization, it can’t be helped to be personally involved.

Why am I going on and on about Management and Managers? It’s because I think I have found a profession I can be good at (great even). As common or unimpressive as most would believe managers are, I believe it takes a special breed to be great at this job and not all can be excellent managers. If only I can turn back time, I can finally get to answer that question I have been wanting to answer ever since I was 5 years old.

As self-serving as this post may be, it reveals the kind of person I am. And I wanted to share it to you because I think, even if we haven’t personally met, you should know a more personally-in-depth me. Something purely of my thoughts and contemplations. Something purely me.

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

As a kid, and even when I was in High School, I didn’t know what I want to do, or BE when I grow up. During the preparatory years and early elementary, the most cliché question you could ask a child would be, “What do you want to BE when you grow up?” The youngster would always have an answer. It is always the profession of the person they look up to. The top three answers would be teacher, doctor and architect. My brother wanted to be a doctor. My sister wanted to be a teacher. I, however, didn’t have an answer to that question at that time. I don’t think I can concretely answer that question even now. I am envious of those who had that passion so early in the game.

My siblings and I weren’t trained to pursue one thing and be good at it. We were brought up to take on whatever lay ahead of us. “You can be whatever you want to be! The world is yours for the taking!” – that was my Mom’s battle cry. And I love her for being like that, giving us the freedom to do what we want when we grow up. She is living proof of her own slogan. She has been successful and excelled in everything she does. My father is another prodigy. He has got to be the most hardworking man I know. He thrives on the idea, “If you work hard, it will come back to you tenfold.” They are best mentors I have ever had in my life. No professor can properly teach me half of what my parents know. I’ve always had a fear of losing them. Not really knowing how I’d move forward without their guidance. I’ve never disclosed this to any one because it seems pathetic in a way. Digression aside, amidst all the support, freedom and knowledge imparted by my parents, I just wish they directed all our drive to just a few things rather than to everything. For example, my father loves music. He has an awesome CD collection and he listens to them every time (when he is here in the Philippines). I inherited this passion but, for me, it is half-baked. I wish they got me music lessons or teach me to play an instrument. It is a passion which I nourish incompletely.

“Jack of All Trades, Master of None.” I honestly do not like that line. Unfortunately, it kinda applies to me (and maybe to some of you too). I can do a little bit of everything, but do not excel at one thing. I AM MEDIOCRE. It sounds so negative, but most of us are mediocre. Not everyone can be extraordinary or else, no one is. Some one has to play the role of the average guy and I think I currently fit into that category. Why do I say this? Why am I being such a downer? Maybe because of all the realizations I had these past few days. I used to think I knew a lot about music, movies, technology, literature, public speaking, gastronomy, etc. And then, at some point you will encounter someone better than you. Far better. And you realize, what you know is so miniscule, all that I-AM-SPECIAL feeling just disappears and is replaced by mediocrity.

Please don’t try to cheer me up. I don’t need it. Everything changes…

Part Two...Soon...

D-Day

It is the culmination of a month’s worth of preparation, brain-storming and serious hard-work. It is the equivalent of everything that I have learned so far in college. It is what we have all been waiting for… It is that day…

4 days actually. Next week. Everything will come to play.

It all started with an idea. An idea that took on so many forms. I have always wondered, “are unique, outstanding, and totally out-of-the-box ideas a sudden flash of a bulb or does it require contemplation?” A question which I find myself feeling uneasy whenever I try to answer.

Rambling aside, the idea grew. It evolved. It matured. It was the logical next step. The only step to be taken, but a precarious phase nonetheless. And with that step, the next one became obvious and so did the next one, and the next one. The process was not at all delightful. It was littered with stress, frustration, rejection and illness. Although it did have its whimsical moments. The idea was now something more, much more. It has grown to be a challenging but exhilarating endeavor which has brought about magnificence, closeness and creativity.

It has required all my attention. My introvert in me rejects the notion of delegating. A true testament to the want-something-done-right line. It is the reason of my illness. The reason of my stress. The reason of my absence here.

And this is the part I say, I will be slightly nonexistent in the blogosphere starting next week. Not too long, just a four to six days. If you think of it, my short leave wouldn’t really matter because I usually only post once a week, so my time off would be inconsequential. But if you’re not too busy or want something more to read, please feel free to check out my review blog, inFLICKted and maybe you have a review in mind!

Before I go, let me thank all the people who voted for me at the recently concluded Pinoy Evil Blog Awards! I’m still waiting on whatever prize I won *glaring at Paolo’s direction*! Hahaha! A big congratulations to all the other winners too!

I have to go, got to finish the flyers and posters for Saturday. Wish me luck on my all-too-vague undertaking. Hehe. I’ll be back soon for updates (I can’t seem to get myself to update twitter more often).

When I was young-er

By the time I post this, the poll for the Pinoy Evil Blog Awards Poll will be closed, so there’s really no point in campaigning for my blog. I just wish I knew who nominated me so that I can thank him/her properly. And if any of you voted for me, thank you!

When I was a young-er, I enjoyed a normal childhood. I played out in the streets, came home all sweaty and dirty and had a blast with my cousins, neighbors and friends. We amused ourselves with every game an average kid would know: Langit-Lupa, Tumbang Preso, Patintero, Moro-Moro, and Taguan. We played some not so traditional games: Pass the Message, Dr. Quack Quack, Chinese Garter, and Dodgeball (the ball we used was a knotted up handkerchief). We even used props: Bahay Bahayan and Role Playing.

When I was still a kid, I basically got what I wanted. But that does not automatically mean I was a spoiled brat. I seldom asked for more than I deserved. Unfortunately, my parents believe their children deserve the world. Parents…Sometimes they get it right… I digress. So, my parents bought toys, toys, and more toys. Every birthday, every Christmas, every perfect score, I was treated to something new. I dare not try to remember the first ever toy I got, but the first toy I ever really liked and had a collection of was…Matchbox… These were small scale cars that could easily fit inside a matchbox (so aptly named). I had probably over a thousand of these cool cars which I stored in cool carrying cases for all my playmates to see and enjoy. Every time we went to the mall, I would always check out the toy section of the department store to see if there were any models which I have yet to possess. And every time, I went home with at least one.

I had another collection…Text Cards…More specifically, trading cards of X-Men characters. I had three favorite cards: Magneto, Professor X, and Phoenix. I never used them for games or for betting. The game was utterly simple. If I remember correctly, you flick your cards to the air and the if your cards land face up, you win (or something like that). Unfortunately, we all change and this was not made any less hurried by my short attention span. I quickly moved to a new prospect.

My parents bought me one of the coolest toys I’ve seen…NERF… This huge canon-like barrage weaponry was just what my crazy personality needed. I got to hurt everyone without really hurting or killing them thanks to the foam ammunition. Every time I hear the loud popping sound of the air pressure being released gave me a kiddie adrenaline rush. Too bad the ammo was too limited.

After all that chaos, I opted for simpler toys. Once again, my mind was jaded and indecisive. I knew now what I wanted. It was the simplest of toys but it fascinated me…The Slinky… This coil shaped toy was my ultimate desire for a whole year and never asked for another toy. As simple as it was, it kept me entertained and occupied during the most tedious of times. I had the rainbow colored plastic slinky and the metal slinky. Other simple toys/games I liked was the slap bracelet (not really a toy nor a game, but I liked it!) and Pogs which I believe was popularized by Coca-Cola.

After the simple came the complex. I started playing with “high-tech” toys. 2 Ts mainly covered this point…Tamiya…and…Tamagotchi… I got into Tamagotchi because my aunt gave all of her nephews and nieces one. So the challenge of raising the best monster pet was on between us cousins. It was so stupid and yet you feel so weirdly attached to it. But I never named a pet, ever. As for Tamiya, it was introduced to me by an older cousin. This was the time was so eager to be an adult because they got to do what they want. I played the toy and the game and was hooked. I always modified my racer to make it faster, lighter and balanced. This is the only time I will ever be a mechanic.

And finally, One of the best games I’ve ever played in my life was during my late elementary years, to early high school. It required intelligence, strategy and mettle. It is not only a great game but also a wonderful collection. The name fittingly says it all…MAGIC: The Gathering… I know, it seems kinda dorky but it is definitely entertaining and a good strategy game. The artwork is equally magnificent. I have several specialty decks created during those days (the unglued edition was great! Haha!). The game MAGIC is still alive today and has spawned plenty of expansions, but if you ask me, “old magic” is always the best and strongest…

But now, all of these toys and games are given away, lost (when we moved houses) discarded, or destroyed (I had used the images from Wikipedia). How sad that the things that gave me so much pleasure when I was a child is carelessly discarded and no more. I want to discuss more about my childhood and how much I miss it nowadays, but I guess I have to leave that for another post (this one’s long as it is!). I know I missed a whole bunch of other toys. I didn’t even share my discourse on whether “action figures” are really just dolls for boys. But I’m sure everyone has their opinion. Share it, and let me know okay? Till then, I’m off…

Shelling out the LOVE

I can’t get any love nowadays. Everybody keeps ordering me around, “Jigs do this,” Jigs do that,” “Jigs die and burn in hell,” everyone’s such a downer! So I’ve decided to proliferate some lurve for everyone and hope it gets multiplied (back to me hopefully).

A HUUUUGE Thank You to three great graphic designers for helping me Pro Bono with my Advertising Project. To JAMES, BIM and KEVIN, I still don’t know how you guys do it, but you do it hella well!

A BIIIIIG Congratulations to my best bud REX for writing 200 sensible and note worthy posts! Well Done! You are twice the blogger I will ever be and I mean that whole-heartedly. Thank you for introducing me to this world!

A MAAAASSIVE good luck to all the bloggers I nominated in the truly wicked and endlessly controversial EVIL BLOG AWARDS!

JUICE, stop complaining about the fact I nominated you, I know you like it! Hahaha! I really do hope you win! So start shaking that yummeh booty!

REX, your controversial post was exceptional but you definitely have some stiff competition. SKYE wrote one tirade of a post. Good luck to both of you!

POLI, I was the one who nominated you! Mwahaha! And isn’t it ironic, we’re competing under the same category! Let us see who is deemed more Machiavellian! Hahaha!

TALAMASCA, ever the controversial writer! Congrats for your nominations in two categories (we’re also competitors)! Finally some recognition eh?!

This pseudo-awards thingy (which by the way is getting more serious by the day) was the brain fart of the most sinister of us all, the philosophical, the bastard, the GREEEEAT PAOLO!

Still on the Evil Blog Awards, I nominated a blogger who unfortunately didn’t make the cut, but I believe deserves to be noted and recognized. SLIM WHALE is truly an excellent writer with a VAAAAST array of metaphors and wide vocabulary under his belt.

Also, I have a couple of choice words for the JOYFUL CHICKEN and his GRAAAAND MAFIA…I will never let you have…my precious…You will have to pry it from my cold and sweaty hands before you can even have a whiff of it! The soft served ice cream is mine! Mine I tell you!

And finally, I want to greet the Goddess of Chocolates, my dearest sister, an ENOOOORMOUS congratulations! She just passed the nursing examinations! She is now officially a nurse!

She didn't have a good photo of her in a nurse's outfit so I just used her grad pic. ;)

I've given out all the love I could give at the moment.

As the song goes, All you need is LOVE... Then here you have it...Pass it on!

Invoking Malu Fernandez

I have never been to Divisoria. I hate everything about the place. I hate huge crowds, I hate the scorching sun and I hate the putrid stench of the trash infested streets, but I decided to give the place a chance because my marketing group needed to buy raw materials in bulk for our marketing bazaar and my team insisted on saving money. I, on the other hand, didn’t get their logic for “saving money”. Who knew this slight disagreement would set the mood in a magnified way.

We decided to meet at 7 am in the morning. I had a vehicle prepared already for us, a brand new Honda Pilot. It’s not the best, but will do for this sort of trip. Unfortunately, no one bothered to check the freaking plate number. “Color Coding yung honda mo!” A friend blurted out. There was a second option, it was an Isuzu, and it made me squirm. It reeked of old fabric and moldy plastic. I had to empty out a bottle of Bvlgari Blu. Thank God I had a spare bottle with me.

I had to prepare a lot of stuff for this “undertaking.” I bought with me a big bottle of alcohol, face towel, extra shirt, sunglasses, handkerchiefs, ipod, and Valium. After a whole hour of preparing (on my part), we were ready to go. It was a long trip, and thanks to the portable DVD player I brought along with me, it was not that boring.

When we finally got to Divisoria, we could not get a parking spot and traffic was horrible. It was because of all the people crossing everywhere and the different modes of transportation. There were Jeepneys with drivers who would endlessly honk for invisible passengers, the tricycles that would transport items bigger than themselves, the taxicab that was a rusting oasis in the heat, and of course the pedicabs, that can be seen everywhere but only a handful use them. We decided to step out of our car and just let the driver look for a parking spot. The moment I took one step out of the cool but barely comfortable car, I wanted to get back in. I was simultaneously struck by the shocking sight, smell and sound of the space.

“Handa ka na bang maglakad?” my teammate asked

“La-Lakad?” I stammered. “Baka gusto mong maglakad pauwi ng Pampanga?!”

The sun bore down on me like it had a grudge. I reluctantly strode with the group, and showed that unwillingness by taking my sweet time. Everywhere, people were shouting and clapping. “Dito ang pinakamura!”, “Pili napo kayo!”, “ano po ang sa inyo?!”(I doubt it ever persuaded anyone). After 3 hours of non-stop walking and buying stuff later, my hush puppies were no longer quiet, they were barking mad. And things weren’t about to get any better. In just a few minutes, dark clouds loomed above our heads, and before you could say “F#ck Divisoria!” it started to pour. An umbrella was no where in sight (that was the one thing I didn’t bring!). In the vast vicinity of the war-torn land called Divisoria, we were stuck in the section where no one was selling umbrellas.

So we were stuck by the sidewalk along with other sweating stranded citizens without any signs of the rainstorm stopping anytime soon. A can of sardines had more elbow room than we did, and everyone’s smell was creating a whole new fierce odor. There was this lady (with thick make-up and bad hair) who kept spraying herself with an imitation perfume that made the pungency even worse. There’s nothing worse than the smell of sweat, rain, street puddle and cheap perfume.

After 45 minutes, the rain subsided, and I decided to quit and head for the car (the lesser evil). I didn’t care if my teammates wanted to keep going and battle their way through the traffic and the people. After an extra 30 minutes of waiting, my teammates finally arrived and we finally went home. We were all knocked out cold during the trip home because of exhaustion. Before completely going home, I dropped off my teammates and passed by a mall to buy some stuff to nurse my physical and mental aches (Starbucks, DVDs and Teriyaki Boy).

This was one of the more painful experiences in my life which I will definitely tuck away and never ponder on again. Just a few more hours of relaxation and I’ll feel better…

NOTE: This is a parody on Malu Fernandez’s article (mine is not as "priceless" as hers). This is only 40% factual.

Drinking and Driving

This is so far the best and most unique excuse I have ever made up to get out of a ticket.

However, I wasn't the one driving.

My cousins (4 of them) and I were out for a night of drinking and partying. We decided to head home at around 3 AM because one of my cousins was already spewing his guts out in the bathroom.

Of course most of us were beyond tipsy but the designated driver was sober, enough (we permitted him to have a few drinks because he wouldn’t shut up about not wanting to be the designated driver), to drive and be alert. However, I was wrong. The next thing we knew, we were being pulled over by a traffic enforcer/policeman (I can't believe he was vigilant enough to enforce traffic rules during 3 AM!).

We were all freaking out. One of us was semi-passed out, moaning and drooling all over his face, and most of us were drunk! This was beyond a traffic violation, this is a freaking DUI ala Paris Hilton waiting to happen! I told my cousins to shut up and let me do all the talking (since I was seated at the passenger seat beside the driver, we probably won't get a whiff of my beer breath).

The cop came up to the driver's window and told us that we were speeding, had ran a red light, then drove in the wrong way of a one way street (Thank God he didn't smell booze). I thought the one way rule didn’t apply during those hours. Apparently I was mistaken.

Since all our windows were down (which is probably the reason we didn’t stink of alcohol), he saw my cousin at the back seat, who was moaning and clutching his stomach because it was sore from throwing up so much, but it his faced expression seemed like he had more to give. The officer asked us what was wrong with him. That was when I saw my chance to exact my concocted excuse...

ME: Sir, pasensya na po, nagmamadali lang po kami kasi dadalhin po namin pinsan ko sa hospital kasi nagsusuka po at nagkukumbolsyon!

COP: Ano bang meron sya? Mukha namang ok ha.

ME: Sir, hindi po okay yan! Kanina pa po siya nagsusuka. Tumigil na po ng konti pero hindi namin alam ang nangyayari sa kanya.

COP: Eh bakit kayo dumaan dito? Mali ang dinaanan nyo. One way ito! Humaharurot pa kayo! Kung di ko pa kayo pinatigil, baka naaksidente pa kayo!

ME: Sir, sorry po talaga! Hindi po namin sinasadya, nagmamadali lang po talaga kami kasi kailangan namin siya dalhin sa hospital! Hindi na po mauulit, emergency lang po! Sige na po, paunahin niyo na kami. Baka po kung ano pa mangyari sakanya kung di kami makarating dun kagad!

COP: (thinks for a second) Hay nako... Sige, sige. Dahan dahan lang sa pagmamaneho! Sige na!

And that's how you get your way out of a traffic violation and possibly a best actor award. Hehe!

My cousins were laughing their asses off when we took a turn down the street. One of them even had to prevent herself from burping! We couldn’t believe we got away with it! We were so pumped up that we were actually thinking of going back and commit the same violations but this time tell him we’re lost and ask him to perform CPR on my cousin quickly because his unconscious! Hahaha!

And what makes it even funnier is that my semi-passed out pinsan didn’t have a clue of what’s going on! So what did I learn from this experience?

Always keep a passed out relative handy…Just in case…

Death By Chocolate!

Balikbayan Boxes!

Yes, my room is filled with that “state side” smell. Lovely. I did mention once HERE that I like that smell. In this family, a balikbayan box can also be called the box of surprises. A box can contain anything from a brand new audio stereo system, to flower shaped stickers with a rubber surface used in bathtubs to prevent children and elders from slipping. My mom basically sends us anything they have no use for over there. Now, I love mom with my whole heart and I’m not one to complain, but sometimes, I can’t help feeling like we’re a virtual salvation army, or worse, a dumpsite for their unwanted. Don’t get me wrong though, we have yet to get a box where we didn’t like anything inside. There are just those stray items which we find no apparent use for and are reluctant to give it to anyone else. I mean, what am I supposed to do with a small plastic blinking bicycle tail light when I have never owned a bike in my life?! Maybe they’d come in handy during brownouts! Haha! Probably not…

Anyway, the reason for this post is to tell you about one of my lovely sisters. Her name is Dyan and she’s two years younger than me (making her the third eldest). The reason for me telling you about her is because in the 4 balikbayan boxes we got this week, two were almost filled with…CHOCOLATES! Dyan is an absolute chocolate addict. From Ferrero Rocher, Snickers, Curly Tops, down to the humble Chocnut, she’ll basically devour anything brown! Wait…That didn’t come out right…

Step aside King of Chocolates, here comes the Goddess of Chocolates!

Be it white, milk, mint or dark, this chocolate girl has devoured it. And as luck would have it, the powers that be have provided her with as much chocolate she could sink her teeth in. Most of the chocolate sent to her were her favorites: Crunch, Kisses, M&Ms, Reese’s and her most coveted Ferrero Rocher. The moment I opened the box and she saw the abundance of chocolate, I swear you can hear her shriek from a mile away. It was as if she saw a couple of long lost loved ones, and their names were Hershey, Nestle, Reese and Mr. Ferrero. If she doesn’t watch her consumption of this sweet treat, the next time I post about her, she won’t have legs to stand on! Haha! Okay, bad joke, really mean…Whatever…

CHOCOLATE TRIVIA:

Chocolate originates from a Nahuatl word meaning "bitter water."

The Swiss lead the world in Chocolate consumption per capita.

Mozart made reference to chocolate in his opera, Cosi fan tutte.

Dark chocolate contains substantial amounts of flavonoid phenolics which may lower the risk of heart disease.

Pure chocolate contains anti-oxidants which aid better skin complexion, which negates the belief that it causes acne. The milk content in chocolate bars is the one that cause acne.

Chocolate (cocoa) prevents Diarrhea and treats persistent coughing by soothing and moistening the throat.

The average person will consume 10,000 chocolate bars in a lifetime.

Theobroma Cacao (used to make chocolate) roughly translates to..... "FOOD FOR THE GODS."

A Horrific Downpour

It’s finally raining. It has poured non-stop over our roof since last night. It came late, but finally the rainy season has come. I was afraid we're going to experience a full blown drought. Maybe all my concerns were fueled by the documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, which I bet most of you, had already heard of. It’s about the adverse effects our excessive waste and over consumption of natural resources are doing to the Earth. These effects are also known as Global Warming. According to Al Gore (presenter in the film) we only have less than ten years in order to change the imminent outcome of our excessive and wasteful ways. Signs are everywhere: drought, floods, heat waves (like what we are experiencing) and the cracking of the great glaciers. If we do not change, our children, and their children will suffer for our mistakes…

It scared the crap out of me! I knew we had to conserve, to save energy and keep our environment clean and green. But I didn’t think we were this far gone. It’s really terrifying to think that we have done this to the one place we ALL call home. Preachy isn’t it? I thought so too. It seems false, exaggerated and straight out of an apocalyptic science fiction movie. Unfortunately, it was factual, undeniable, and forthcoming. We, at home try our best to help stop contributing to the problem. We’ve been using compact fluorescent light bulbs, keeping our air conditioning filters clean, using less energy and recycling. I just hope everyone changes their habits before it’s too late.

Too serious? I know it is… I just had to get it out there.

Anyway, on to my brand of scariness! Which is blood-splattering, gut disemboweling, and limb chopping gore extravaganzas!!! (that sentence was so good, it needed two more exclamation points!). Horror was the name, movie marathon was the game. With a big tumbler overflowing with soda, a huge bowl of popcorn, a bag of Ruffles, a remote control (to replay any porn-like or extreme gore scene!), and a huge pillow (to cover my eyes if I get too scared…as if!) at hand, I was ready to strain my eyes with all the fright it can handle. Ladies and gents, here’s the list of my Terror Torrent Trip: The Hills Have Eyes 2 (the first one was better), Hostel Part: 2 (Gore fest! Awesome!), Turistas (sucked!), The Descent (excellent!), Disturbia (so real, it’s scary!), Vacancy (well done!), The Reaping (what a waste!), Them (skillfully scary!) and Severance (funny and horrifying!). More than FIFTEEN hours of non-stop fright! I love it! It’s one of the best things I could have done during this very rainy day, when most of us do nothing but sleep.

If you know of any horror flick I have yet to watch but should watch, tell me or better yet, challenge me not to finish it! I have yet to watch a horror film and not be able to finish it. Mwahahaha!

On to other news, one of my favorite directors of all time is actually in the Philippines! Quentin Tarantino, director of Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Hostel, Kill Bill and Grindhouse, is here to receive a lifetime achievement award from the 9^th Cinemanila International Film Festival. He has been an ardent supporter of independent filmmakers and Asian cinema. There will also be a showing of all of his movies. I hope it will be open to the public, because if it is, I will definitely not miss that chance!

Anyway, I’ve put up another review in my blog, inFLICKted. It’s about the movie Sunshine, a good Sci-Fi thriller without lightsabers and aliens. Please try to visit and link me up too! I’ll transfer my reviews of Harry Potter 5 and Transformers there soon.

Erratic Excursions

Let me start by saying, RATS! I didn’t win 100 bucks! Haha! Anyway, a big congratulations to the top ten emerging and influential blogs of 2007! May you guys prosper and continue to be as influential as ever. As for those who weren’t fortunate enough to influence others or didn't influence enough, there’s still 2008 so I suggest creating a new blog after August and start influencing people’s lives! Same holds true to the current top ten! Weeeee!

Forgive my bluntness, I find myself lacking of an artistic approach to the whole thing. Soooo, new topic! Exposure trips are common events when you are in Business Management. An excursion would usually consist of three company tours and visits, a little sight seeing, and a quick stop to a mall right before going home. The first excursion trip I was a part of was for my Financial Management subject. It was good enough for my first time. A visit to the Stock Market, a conference with an apparent “big time” stock broker and a tour of the Philippine National Bank was the main agenda of the day. But my classmates had other plans. We spent a good 5 hours roaming Mall of Asia. My feet were killing me after the whole ordeal. Even sadder, was the reality that I didn’t really learn anything or take home with me, other than a few fake rejected bills from PNB (yeah, we manage to get some, haha!), and a Pizza Hut doggie bag from the unfinished meatlovers my friends and I had for dinner in MOA.

Just last Wednesday, we had another exposure trip. This would be my fifth time to go on a “business” trip for students. This time went to 2 Production Factories of Nestle’ (one in Quezon City and the other near Rockwell) and to Pilipinas Hino which makes, assembles and distributes buses and trucks in the Philippines.

Nestle’ was as expected neat and very strict about their policies: No sleeveless shirts/blouses, no open toe footwear, no picture taking, keep quiet and maintain two lines. I knew they would have lots of restrictions. We were used to it since most of us have been through several factory tours. Despite the restrictions, the lady giving us the tour was very entertaining and witty. She could totally keep up with more than 240 rowdy students (separated in two batches). Unfortunately, our factory tour was not as expected. They were experiencing technical difficulties and had to stop production completely, so we basically didn’t get to see their products (ice cream, yogurt, and other chilled items) get made. So much for that experience! At least we got free ice cream! Haha!

Next stop was Pilipinas Hino, where they made buses and trucks. They actually made the buses we were using during our trips. The factory tour would have been very interesting if it wasn’t for the overwhelming stench of burnt steel, paint and thinner. For the whole experience, we all had handkerchiefs over our faces. The assembly line was very ordered but nonetheless chaotic and noisy. Thank goodness it only lasted for 15 minutes! What was interesting though was the different customers they had and how customized the designs can get. I couldn’t take any pictures so I can’t show them to you. It was very entertaining though to see only one company making buses for different universities like UST, Ateneo and CEU. Each bus was so cool looking and expertly designed.

As a finale, our teachers decided to pass by Tagaytay to get some sight seeing and shopping done. On our way to there, it started to pour. Yes, it was raining, and mist started to cover Taal Lake and the volcano. When we got there, the sprinkle subsided. We got to take some pictures and shopped as many pasalubong as our poor hands and arms could carry! I bought a whole bunch of yummy specialties! Choco Flakes, Sweet Pineapples, realy small bananas, Cassave Cake, Espasol (to name a few) and of course, my all time favorite, BUKO PIE! I had several plastic bags filled with yummy delicacies. Add to that four boxes of buko pie and two boxes of cassava cake! Never mind the fact that we have no idea on how to carry everything home! Haha! That's not all for me you know! I'm gonna give it to different people as pasalubong for them! Going back to Manila, we had one final stop, TriNoMa. It was huge and elegant, but far from complete. I wasn’t impressed at all, maybe because most of us were spent and just wanted to go home. We went around and saw what the mall had to offer. But for now, I shall reserve my full interest until the time the mall is finally finished.

It was a long day, and I know you guys wouldn’t probably read this whole post (maybe because it can be considered as a “what I did today” or narrative type of post), but I know most of you will read this last paragraph. As much as you plan every detail of an outing, an expedition or a trip, everything can fall apart even before you can say “Tara lets!” What salvages the voyage however, are the people along for the ride. Their overall demeanor and attitude towards the expected and unexpected makes the experience memorable.

Squirt Silly String Up My Nose

Persuade Me! I Dare You! Who can persuade me to keep blogging?! I’m so down lately. It’s all because of the stress I currently have to deal with: Exams, Marketing Plan, Marketing Bazaar, Finex Congress, Business Debates and lots and lots of reports and lectures. Add to that lack of sleep and my dusty cobwebbed social life, and you have the makings of a straight-jacketed nincompoop that’s slightly good with money.

I like that word, nincompoop. It’s really fun to say. I’ve never really had a favorite word, but I have some words I do like saying like LUDACRIS, WICKED, RAMBUNCTIOUS, NONCHALANT and of course, CHAOS to name a few. Another word I like using is the noun ME. Why? Because I don’t get to use it that often much less vocally.

So, to hit two birds with one stone, (did you notice nobody uses that line anymore?) I decided to get some “ME” time and unwind by nourishing the frosty side of me! This week, I amused myself two ways, 3D and 2D! Oh yeah, you know what I mean! I watched Ratatouille and The Simpsons Movie Back to Back! More than 3 hours of animated hilarity in all their high-tech and traditional glory was just what the doctor ordered! I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed both movies. I can’t favor one over the other! Ratatouille is magnificent because it’s about a rat who loves to cook! A rat! A cook! Perfection! The Simpsons is simply the best animated sitcom ever made and movie was like revisiting everything that made The Simpsons the longest running American sitcom of all time!

Since we’re talking about movies, read my review of Ratatouille, my first ever post on my newest blog, inFLICKted! Link me up okay guys! What a fitting start to my blog, a movie which tackles a lot about me: my cuisine fascination, my inhibition and desire to be a cook and my love of good food! You can even add to that the fact that I'm born in the year of the rat! Haha!

Speaking of things I love, I love the fact that COOKING and FOOD is slowly entering the mainstream. As of late, three themes are booming in the TV industry: POLICE, MEDICAL, and SCI-FI/FANTASY (LEGAL Dramas are starting to slip and EVERYDAY LIFE will always be big so I didn’t include it). Movies like Ratatouille and new movie No Reservations with Catherine Zeta Jones put cooking in the center of their stories. TV shows like Iron Chef, Kitchen Confidential, Top Chef and Hell’s Kitchen are getting much attention. Thanks to cooking shows from the Food Network, great chefs are now sharing great recipes to simple cooks like me. I’ve always been adventurous when cooking and I appreciate good food, no matter who made it or where it came from.

Just last Saturday, I had lunch with a good friend in a modish town bistro. Along with our main meal, we decided to order basic Spanish treats like Tacos and Burritos. They were so delicious! I loved the kick the meat had and the heat was not overwhelming (for me anyway, hehe!) but you can feel it. This inspired me to prepare my own at home! I haven’t prepared Spanish food before so I decided to make the same ones we ate: Tacos, Burritos and added some Enchiladas. It didn’t disappoint at all! I am a big Italian aficionado but Spanish food is also really delectable!

Burritos (upper left), Enchiladas (below) and Tacos (upper right)

But of course, nothing beats a good Italian recipe. I have grown to love not just their cooking but their culture as well. I’ve even gone as far as learn their language! Yes folks, I’m currently learning Italian and I’m starting to get the accent they have! In no time at all, I’ll be speaking fluent Italian, then reading and writing! It won’t be long before the medium of writing in this blog would be changed! It would become… Jigs’ Italian Food Blog of Chaos!

I will advertise that new blog all over the internet just like those great memorable advertisements I saw in this show called Ad Persuasion. They feature commercials with really creative and original ways of grabbing your attention and persuading customers to buy their product! It’s really helpful to Marketing majors like myself. I have a subject called Professional Advertising where we analyze advertising efforts of different companies and find out why they used that type of marketing strategy. It’s all really creative and challenging but definitely my cup of tea. Thanks to Ad Persuasion, I’m starting to understand what it takes to make a commercial and what it needs to contain.

So, I tell you again, Persuade ME! Persuade me to keep blogging…in English! Or else I will definitely bring this blog to a whole new level where no one will understand everything I’m writing because I haven’t completely finished my lessons and then no one will dare visit my blog because it’s so messed up! We shall see who will come crawling back! Hahahahaha!

Wait.....Did that come out right?