I'm not really running up my blog posts, but it seems the past few days I've had the opportunity and the inclination to put down some of my random thoughts in this space. Obviously, I'm all over the place, not settling down on any particular one but trying to keep with my various interests.
I also noticed it has become rather "sport"-y here of late, because of the ongoing NBA Playoffs. I'm not into fantasy or other amusements others get into, but I do follow the game almost religiously. That's because basketball was one of the few things the men in our family all got to do and more or less agreed about. We watched the game not from a fan perspective of being entertained, but in terms of how each player displayed his character, and how well a certain coaching philosophy brings out the best from particular players. It was rather ironic (and unfortunate) that I didn't grow up to be athletic - I guess I hit the books more than I did the basketball court, but my jumper was solid and if I played "Base-ketball" (c/o Parker and Stone of "South Park") I would have done a lot of damage.
Anyhow, sports edifies life --- it captures the essence of the struggle of life, and through its duality of cooperation-competition we also get to understand what it means to be human. That sappy NBA TV commercial with the kids and basketball stars on the similarites of basketball and life rings true.
Watching sports, such as a tennis/football match or basketball game, breaks down life into simplicity. Naturally one wants to be a better person, but to get there one has to earn it, get the necessary repetitions, turn the habit first into a skill, then a mind-set. Of course it isn't that simple when one gets to implementation - while I believe in the value of coaching/mentoring, it's something that hasn't caught on with me. I haven't committed to it yet. Someday I will. (As to finding the right life coach...we-ell, good luck son!)
So far, sports has been the only bright spot --- the rest of life these days is a struggle to fight off monotony. As the groups with whom I am associated have no major production at this point (I don't know if I have the "fire" for this anymore) there is no variety in my life. As for romance, I'm not so sure. I am not as sanguine as I would have liked, which is hardly fair to the particular girl in question.
I don't want to make it another "it's not you, it's me" statement, because I like her a great deal - but I'm not doing enough to show it. Besides, no one gets away with that kind of cop-out without being savaged by recriminations (along the lines of "insensitive," "asshole," and worse, "gay!") or racked by guilt (also along the lines of "insensitive," "asshole," and "gay!") Let's say that however I want to change my personal life, I am not prepared to make the sacrifices necessary to make it happen. In my defense, I have acknowledged this failing and am not making any excuses. However, it's rather late in the day and the proverbial window of opportunity won't stay open forever.
As with sports I have to hunker down on my life and build the habit. Do as many repetitions as possible. Watch the form and the release of my shot. Get into better conditioning. Prepare myself for mental and physical breakdowns. Roll with the groove. Get into the zone.
Living life beyond watching sports, or whatever form of entertainment, means seizing the challenge within one's life and not projecting one's life in the struggle of others. If we knock our athletes/celebrities for not doing their job well, why can't we take time to shape up on our own?
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Help Me Slash the Music of the Night
Willing Exile: Phantasy
I'm sharing this video that amazingly captures the childish wonder of Sesame Street (with the puppets), the subject matter of the parody lyrics featuring "Psycho" by Alfred Hitchcock (and I really like those slasher flicks), and finally, the accompaniment of "Music of the Night" from "Phantom of the Opera" (see my previous post, link just above).
Special props to the writers of the song (one of whom also happens to have staged the puppet show) and vocal performers MooseButter, the real voices behind one of the most celebrated videos on YouTube (original lipsync version, by Corey Vidal / MooseButter response video).
Enjoy the show.
I'm sharing this video that amazingly captures the childish wonder of Sesame Street (with the puppets), the subject matter of the parody lyrics featuring "Psycho" by Alfred Hitchcock (and I really like those slasher flicks), and finally, the accompaniment of "Music of the Night" from "Phantom of the Opera" (see my previous post, link just above).
Special props to the writers of the song (one of whom also happens to have staged the puppet show) and vocal performers MooseButter, the real voices behind one of the most celebrated videos on YouTube (original lipsync version, by Corey Vidal / MooseButter response video).
Enjoy the show.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Extranjera
Opposition to foreign wives for Saudis mount
I'm not sure if I follow the slant of the article, but then again, modern journalism has really gone to the crapper these days. But I digress.
The main points of the article are:
1. It is apparent that more and more Saudi men choose to marry foreigners.
2. Things fall apart at home especially if the man already has a wife, since he is likely to neglect his first family in favor of the second.
3. No support can be found for the rising number of unmarried eligible Saudi women.
4. The proposed solution is to ban intermarriage of Saudis and foreigners.
Number 1 is natural since foreign women are likely to be more liberated and by virtue of the cultural barrier, present something more interesting for Saudi men. A no-brainer especially in this repressed society.
Number 2 is not a natural antecendent of number 1; after all, the practice of neglecting and abandoning families is not unique to Saudis. It just seems to be a universal disease among men of any stripe, color, location, or persuasion. And no, I'm not kidding.
Now, Number 3 wouldn't be so hard if this society were more open to employing Saudi women and with that emancipation create the necessary social infrastructure to prepare these young women to actually embark on their own careers and be self-sufficient. As of now? The expectations of the entire cultural mindset (never mind their religion) weigh heavily against women being able to independently provide for themselves. So it is either a woman's father or husband who will settle her place in society. And if you lost the former and have no means to secure the latter, there you have it --- a woman with no means to support herself.
There is of course, the matter of presenting a considerable amount of dowry to the girl's family, aside from the man's family or the man himself assuming the burden of the wedding expenses (as directly opposed to the bride's family sharing or even assming the expenses of the wedding in the West). If this amount were less onerous, Saudi men would find it easier to look for wives.
I'm not sure if I follow the slant of the article, but then again, modern journalism has really gone to the crapper these days. But I digress.
The main points of the article are:
1. It is apparent that more and more Saudi men choose to marry foreigners.
2. Things fall apart at home especially if the man already has a wife, since he is likely to neglect his first family in favor of the second.
3. No support can be found for the rising number of unmarried eligible Saudi women.
4. The proposed solution is to ban intermarriage of Saudis and foreigners.
Number 1 is natural since foreign women are likely to be more liberated and by virtue of the cultural barrier, present something more interesting for Saudi men. A no-brainer especially in this repressed society.
Number 2 is not a natural antecendent of number 1; after all, the practice of neglecting and abandoning families is not unique to Saudis. It just seems to be a universal disease among men of any stripe, color, location, or persuasion. And no, I'm not kidding.
Now, Number 3 wouldn't be so hard if this society were more open to employing Saudi women and with that emancipation create the necessary social infrastructure to prepare these young women to actually embark on their own careers and be self-sufficient. As of now? The expectations of the entire cultural mindset (never mind their religion) weigh heavily against women being able to independently provide for themselves. So it is either a woman's father or husband who will settle her place in society. And if you lost the former and have no means to secure the latter, there you have it --- a woman with no means to support herself.
There is of course, the matter of presenting a considerable amount of dowry to the girl's family, aside from the man's family or the man himself assuming the burden of the wedding expenses (as directly opposed to the bride's family sharing or even assming the expenses of the wedding in the West). If this amount were less onerous, Saudi men would find it easier to look for wives.
(Side note: it is not altogether surprising why Saudi men seek foreign women - and men for those of that persuasion -for relationships especially to find an outlet for all those repressed sexual urges. And yet I digress again.)
Fix Number 3 and Number 1 will be less true. Saudi women can meet cultural expectations and yet remain exciting and viable at the same time.
As for the proposed solution - even the most humble Muslim would say that neither the Holy Quran nor the Hadith outlaw a man's choice in spouse unless said spouse is heathen AND unwilling to accept the teachings of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Some people are just getting WAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY too ahead of themselves. Haven't you read the news? --- the Kingdom is no a longer an island of isolation.
Fix Number 3 and Number 1 will be less true. Saudi women can meet cultural expectations and yet remain exciting and viable at the same time.
As for the proposed solution - even the most humble Muslim would say that neither the Holy Quran nor the Hadith outlaw a man's choice in spouse unless said spouse is heathen AND unwilling to accept the teachings of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Some people are just getting WAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY too ahead of themselves. Haven't you read the news? --- the Kingdom is no a longer an island of isolation.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Ouch!
Lakers' Odom has back contusion, is day to day
Posted using ShareThis
Or as they say in the old neighborhood, "Aray ko po!"
Posted using ShareThis
Or as they say in the old neighborhood, "Aray ko po!"
The so-called walk-over by the Lakers suddenly has become much, much more interesting.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Hilarious Fare
An interesting commercial, and probably reflective of the characters' actual psyches, but the LeBron character is probably on speed at this point and (old man) Kobe is probably feeling his years.
Looking forward to a Cavs-Lakers final, but Celts-Lakers will top that, of course.
Extinction
GM bankruptcy is almost inevitable
With the bankruptcy of General Motors almost a done deal, it is time to close one of the chapters of modern history - the dominance of American manufacturing. The lack of competitiveness thoroughly exposed by the Japanese during the oil embargo and throughout the last 25 years has finally run its course - and as the old adage goes, the bigger you are, the harder you fall.
I'm not going to pretend I'm an expert here but it's pretty much evident that size and power can only go so far with cars. Of course, here in Saudi Arabia, upsizing is more the norm than the exception, but elsewhere, people don't want to spend all that much money on gas guzzlers. Especially if they drive badly and do not offer much value-added --- Japanese cars take the cake with reliability, while the Europeans have pretty much cornered the market on luxury.
American cars? They are neither here nor there --- too many brands, not enough exciting models, putting premium on muscle when finesse is needed, and on this I am certain --- not knowing enough of the paying consumer.
With the bankruptcy of General Motors almost a done deal, it is time to close one of the chapters of modern history - the dominance of American manufacturing. The lack of competitiveness thoroughly exposed by the Japanese during the oil embargo and throughout the last 25 years has finally run its course - and as the old adage goes, the bigger you are, the harder you fall.
I'm not going to pretend I'm an expert here but it's pretty much evident that size and power can only go so far with cars. Of course, here in Saudi Arabia, upsizing is more the norm than the exception, but elsewhere, people don't want to spend all that much money on gas guzzlers. Especially if they drive badly and do not offer much value-added --- Japanese cars take the cake with reliability, while the Europeans have pretty much cornered the market on luxury.
American cars? They are neither here nor there --- too many brands, not enough exciting models, putting premium on muscle when finesse is needed, and on this I am certain --- not knowing enough of the paying consumer.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
And the Floodgates Begin to Open...
Bahrain ends sponsorship system
For good or for ill, this signals a lot of change.
I'm not drinking the Kool-Aid among the "rights" people that this is a great thing so that people working in Bahrain can move freely as regards their profession.
Since the whole concept of human capital is still in its infancy in the Middle East region, and that the paternalistic culture prevalent in the work environment still governs hiring and promotions, this ruling will basically guarantee that the subcontinental mafias (among the Indians and the Pakistanis) will have free rein.
It's not so much as the rights of people to work in Bahrain, but that they are qualified to do so. Or that the correct amount of opportunities are being created and given. Those are the more important questions.
Yes, this openness with the labor market is a great thing. But without the accompanying civil rights, the crowd that will come is a crowd that will be subject to oppression and remain huddled in fear. While Bahrain is a relatively open space compared to dinosaurs of tradition such as Saudi Arabia, it's no cakewalk either.
The lessons of Dubai should ring out clearly --- freedom is only so much of a commodity, but without proper fundamentals, the road from boom to bust is just another oil recession away.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Under the Knife
Quotes of Thomas Merton: “Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone – we find it with another. We do not discover the secret of our lives merely by study and calculation in our own isolated meditations. The meaning of our life is a secret that has to be revealed to us in love, by the one we love. And if this love is unreal, the secret will not be found, the meaning will never reveal itself, the message will never be decoded. At best, we will receive a scrambled and partial message, one that will deceive and confuse us. We will never be fully real until we let ourselves fall in love – either with another human person or with God." - From Love and Living
It's official - my mother is having her hip replacement surgery sometime this morning Manila time. We (the family) had been expecting this for some time now, but it does not make it any easier for me.
I should have been there in Manila right now to support my family, but pride, stupidity and the difficulties of circumstance all conspired to keep me here. Objectively, of course, there is nothing I can do from here or there to aid in her healing process. BUT THAT'S MY MOTHER! You can exchange all the friends and the lovers in the world, but you will only have one beginning, and one mother.
If I could only be there to look into her eyes and reassure her that this is a standard operation, nothing critical, nothing to be really worried about. Of course half of that dollop I will say is more to reassure me than her.
Sure, it sounds lame that this bears down on me, but it's true. The best I can do, is to do what I always have done - live each day to the best. Well, I am not doing so good in that area, either, not yet 100%. But I'm getting there.
Hoping for the best and looking forward to her recovery.
It's official - my mother is having her hip replacement surgery sometime this morning Manila time. We (the family) had been expecting this for some time now, but it does not make it any easier for me.
I should have been there in Manila right now to support my family, but pride, stupidity and the difficulties of circumstance all conspired to keep me here. Objectively, of course, there is nothing I can do from here or there to aid in her healing process. BUT THAT'S MY MOTHER! You can exchange all the friends and the lovers in the world, but you will only have one beginning, and one mother.
If I could only be there to look into her eyes and reassure her that this is a standard operation, nothing critical, nothing to be really worried about. Of course half of that dollop I will say is more to reassure me than her.
Sure, it sounds lame that this bears down on me, but it's true. The best I can do, is to do what I always have done - live each day to the best. Well, I am not doing so good in that area, either, not yet 100%. But I'm getting there.
Hoping for the best and looking forward to her recovery.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Finishing the Bulls
Well, at least today my Internet connection has been A LOT more reliable than yesterday. Whereas I couldn't get reliable audio streaming yesterday, ESPN Radio was really smooth today.
Something to smile about instead of imagining the game from the game track. =)
The Celts walloped the Bulls in the second quarter but they just allowed the Bulls to keep on coming back. Rondo has his first bad game of the series (he was due). Thank God Eddie House's jumper came back to life, Davis and Perkins really played solid games, and some good effort from the bench. And finally, both Pierce and Ray Allen played well consistently the entire game, the likes of which we haven't seen since the Celts sliced up the Bulls in Game 3.
Intellectually, it feels as if the Bulls shouldn't have had made a series of it, but in reality, these guys are DANGEROUS. As is any NBA team that clicks at the right place at the right time. (Recent memory --- Exhibit A: 1994-95 Rockets. Exhibit B: 1999 Knicks. Exhibit C: 2006-07 Warriors).
Now if they can put it all together again next season, watch out rest of the NBA. Thanks Derrick Rose, thanks Ben Gordon and (belatedly) Kirk Hinrich, and yeah, big thank yous to John Salmons (man, isn't that a horrible goatee?), Brad Miller, and Joakim Noah. Tyrus Thomas, get your head screwed on straight, you're one more bonehead play from being a Josh Smith.
I'm both pumped up and drained at the same time. Been up since 3:00am. Now the matador has finished the bull. Looking forward to the series against Orlando, where the Celtics have to conjure up some magic of their own against the Magic.
Quandary: some of the fellows are already set to play hooky just to watch Pacquiao-Hatton. Hmmm...I don't think so.
Edit - and I don't have to do it. This time, the bull gored the matador. Pacquiao in a second-round KO that should have ended in the first round. Told you it'll be a demolition.
Something to smile about instead of imagining the game from the game track. =)
The Celts walloped the Bulls in the second quarter but they just allowed the Bulls to keep on coming back. Rondo has his first bad game of the series (he was due). Thank God Eddie House's jumper came back to life, Davis and Perkins really played solid games, and some good effort from the bench. And finally, both Pierce and Ray Allen played well consistently the entire game, the likes of which we haven't seen since the Celts sliced up the Bulls in Game 3.
Intellectually, it feels as if the Bulls shouldn't have had made a series of it, but in reality, these guys are DANGEROUS. As is any NBA team that clicks at the right place at the right time. (Recent memory --- Exhibit A: 1994-95 Rockets. Exhibit B: 1999 Knicks. Exhibit C: 2006-07 Warriors).
Now if they can put it all together again next season, watch out rest of the NBA. Thanks Derrick Rose, thanks Ben Gordon and (belatedly) Kirk Hinrich, and yeah, big thank yous to John Salmons (man, isn't that a horrible goatee?), Brad Miller, and Joakim Noah. Tyrus Thomas, get your head screwed on straight, you're one more bonehead play from being a Josh Smith.
I'm both pumped up and drained at the same time. Been up since 3:00am. Now the matador has finished the bull. Looking forward to the series against Orlando, where the Celtics have to conjure up some magic of their own against the Magic.
Quandary: some of the fellows are already set to play hooky just to watch Pacquiao-Hatton. Hmmm...I don't think so.
Edit - and I don't have to do it. This time, the bull gored the matador. Pacquiao in a second-round KO that should have ended in the first round. Told you it'll be a demolition.
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Banners
Just throwing out Green-and-White for the Celtics for Game 7 later today, and the red-and-blue (sorry, yellow would ruin the color combo) for kabayan Manny Pacquiao. Because of the time difference these sports events will occur sometime in the early morning tomorrow.
I expect a Pacquiao demolition of Hatton so that one I could watch via pirated DVD. No need to sweat this one. Dang I haven't seen a boxer this white in a long time (We've got a BLEEDER here!).
Game 7 of Bulls-Celtics? If I could transport myself to Boston to watch the game, shoot I would. But I would settle losing some sleep if our local provider televises the game. Otherwise, it would be business as usual on the Internet.
See, the small dramas of life lose their intensity when the raw fibers of humanity are on stunning display as they are in the Bulls-Celtics series. It hasn't been so ON for a long, long time, since the days when the Celts lorded over the East and Michael Jordan and his gang were still eating Pistons dust (and the Pistons were eating Celtics dust). The only time I felt some emotion in this match-up was when the Celts beat the Bulls at home during Antoine Walker's rookie year, and even if 'Toine happened to be on my favorite team, I never liked his play and his attitude much.
Fast forward to now and as other fans are rushing to see if either the Cavs or the Lakers will be hanging the banner of the 2008-09 champions, I'm not going anywhere. Bulls-Celtics it is, and even as I pray that they will live on to fight another day, I'm hanging a banner right here that celebrates their spirit and their determination to keep on going.
As for the Bulls, you'll get a small bandanna from me, win or lose. Thanks for being such worthy competitors.
I expect a Pacquiao demolition of Hatton so that one I could watch via pirated DVD. No need to sweat this one. Dang I haven't seen a boxer this white in a long time (We've got a BLEEDER here!).
Game 7 of Bulls-Celtics? If I could transport myself to Boston to watch the game, shoot I would. But I would settle losing some sleep if our local provider televises the game. Otherwise, it would be business as usual on the Internet.
See, the small dramas of life lose their intensity when the raw fibers of humanity are on stunning display as they are in the Bulls-Celtics series. It hasn't been so ON for a long, long time, since the days when the Celts lorded over the East and Michael Jordan and his gang were still eating Pistons dust (and the Pistons were eating Celtics dust). The only time I felt some emotion in this match-up was when the Celts beat the Bulls at home during Antoine Walker's rookie year, and even if 'Toine happened to be on my favorite team, I never liked his play and his attitude much.
Fast forward to now and as other fans are rushing to see if either the Cavs or the Lakers will be hanging the banner of the 2008-09 champions, I'm not going anywhere. Bulls-Celtics it is, and even as I pray that they will live on to fight another day, I'm hanging a banner right here that celebrates their spirit and their determination to keep on going.
As for the Bulls, you'll get a small bandanna from me, win or lose. Thanks for being such worthy competitors.
Friday, May 01, 2009
Bleeding Green
One of the sorry states of being here in Saudi Arabia is that there just isn't enough meaningful basketball coverage to go around. I mean, in the Philippines, coverage of basketball is even better than coverage of Sunday mass - you can choose which game to see, and you have choices of league --- the NBA, the PBA, college ball, or whatever bush league has managed to get some airtime.
I stayed up until about three in the morning to find out if there was coverage of the Boston-Chicago game (Game 6) on NBA TV. I got geeked up to watch the game (I was able to watch Games 1 and 4, at the least) since the series was really heated and Boston was gamely trying to fend off a younger, fresher, and (perhaps) more talented rival, what with injuries to their most important player, Kevin Garnett and to one of their substitutes, Leon Powe. To think their bench already had a downgrade from last year's team. The young players are doing fine, it's the veterans with whom I have a beef.
They showed the Houston-Portland series. Now, I know Portland is one of darlings of the Internet - among its fans and with a lot of bloggers, for having a system that works and young talent in action --- yup, there is much to like about Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Rudy Fernandez (Greg who?) --- and that Houston has a compelling storyline with a history of first-round disappointments and a new chip on its shoulder with its highest-profile player (Tracy McGrady) apparently quitting on the team. But dang, I just couldn't bear to watch the game knowing that the real tussle was ongoing.
So I logged on instead and tried to follow the game on ESPN. Of course, I missed all the visuals and the usual commnetary that made watching meaningful, but shoot, was I hanging on every blip on my darned display and even with my neurons half-fried (too much Krispy Kremes, not enough sleep coming from Thursday night)!
Injuries are only one half of this series. The other half is made up of so many great storylines --- from the transcendent play of the point guards (the much-ballyhooed - vindicated many times over - Derrick Rose, and the underrated Rajon Rondo), the feistiness of the veterans of both sides, the decline of Paul Pierce and the rejuventation of Ray Allen, spotty officiating, and mind-numbing coaching blunders.
For much of the flow of the game, it was apparent that the Bulls (and their crowd, from what I could imagine) brought it to the Celtics, proverbially swinging away. The Celtics rolled with the punches, and then swung into counterattack. From his shot chart, Ray Allen was UNBELIEVABLE - the stat line shows 51 points, but the man was in a groove - he was connecting from his various sweet spots, and I could guess most of his shots were under duress. As I was saying from Game 4, they're not feeding this man enough shots. Sure, he stunk up the joint in Game 1, but this guy is running on all cylinders.
Paul Pierce is going to cost Boston the series, if he hasn't already. He basically blew the game in both Games 1 and 4 with missed free throws. To be fair, the young Bulls' nerves need some settling down, but from last year's Finals MVP? Come on! We all know he is the emotional leader of the Celts, but he just hogs the ball way too often, overdribbling and stopping ball flow. He needs to make a lot of clutch shots (and he has made several nice ones) because at times he put himself in that hole.
Can't say enough of Rondo and Rose --- I like the rookie's game more because it is less forced, but shoot Rajon is clearly the engine of the Celtics' train, and their victory in this series hinges on him continuing his stellar play. Alas, he is not immune to mistakes (mainly his questionable shot selection during crucial times), but give him credit, he's only on his third season and much wasn't expected from him coming out of college. But Rose, Rose, Rose, Rose. I hate him being on the other team, but the kid is officially treading the path of other greats.
I finally found some use for my big imagination --- projecting how it could have appeared onscreen, how the players reacted to big plays, especially since this has been a very, very physical series with both coaches coming from hard-nosed traditions (Atlanta/Lenny Wilkens and New York/Pat Riley for Doc Rivers, and San Antonio for Del Negro).
My heart was pulsing (more from lack of sleep I surmise) when the score was tied at the end of the game and we had to go to overtime. I was wondering how the hell they frittered that lead as regulation ended and I found my answer later on - Glen Davis (the Celts' most reliable forward with Garnett out) sat and Tony Allen played. What were they thinking? If they wanted to go small, they could have played Marbury and made use of his speed and ball-handling. Tony Allen?!
The Bulls took the initiative in all the overtimes, and I could guess Pierce played hero in the first overtime. John Salmons (my "WHO IS THIS GUY" of the series) tied up the game and Pierce clanked his potential game winner. EXHALED a little and muttered an obscenity.
Salmons was big again in the second overtime as the Bulls took the lead. But Ray-Ray saves the day with an assist, a long two-pointer (feet on the line), and an ice-blooded three pointer to tie up the game!
On to the third overtime. By now I could visualize the players with their legs all rubbery and joints aching all over. Things went back and forth with the game tied until Pierce lost the ball to Joakim Noah (the Bulls' top agitator), Noah makes the basket, and Pierce FOULS HIM and one! (WTF!)
Well that was pretty much it. Rondo makes another basket off a tip, gets the ball stuffed in his face by Rose on a potential go-ahead basket, and it could have ended right there had Rose made his free throws on what would seem to be an intentional foul by Brian Scalabrine.
Seeing the final score hurt. Apparently they called the last play for Rondo, who took a three-pointer from nowhere (again, to be fair, they had only three seconds left on the game clock) when RAY frickin' ALLEN was frickin' UNCONSCIOUS for the latter part of the game. (AGAIN, A HOOOOOYUGGGGGE WTF!)
Now that I couldn't sleep I just had to write this.
I really wish they would cover Game 7 so I could see whether the Celtics would redeem themselves at home. I won't be able to stand following the game over the 'Net. Not again. I already did that last year on the Celts' win in the NBA Finals. I just want to be there to watch the end of this series, and while I would bleed green if they lose, I wouldn't really mind. Chicago was a worthy opponent, and if they had a better coach, they might have put this series to bed already.
It's not the result, but that I could share in it and be with the team in spirit until the end.
The sun is way, way up and I haven't slept more than 40 minutes in the past 10 hours. Guess I couldn't do myself wrong by grabbing breakfast.
I stayed up until about three in the morning to find out if there was coverage of the Boston-Chicago game (Game 6) on NBA TV. I got geeked up to watch the game (I was able to watch Games 1 and 4, at the least) since the series was really heated and Boston was gamely trying to fend off a younger, fresher, and (perhaps) more talented rival, what with injuries to their most important player, Kevin Garnett and to one of their substitutes, Leon Powe. To think their bench already had a downgrade from last year's team. The young players are doing fine, it's the veterans with whom I have a beef.
They showed the Houston-Portland series. Now, I know Portland is one of darlings of the Internet - among its fans and with a lot of bloggers, for having a system that works and young talent in action --- yup, there is much to like about Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Rudy Fernandez (Greg who?) --- and that Houston has a compelling storyline with a history of first-round disappointments and a new chip on its shoulder with its highest-profile player (Tracy McGrady) apparently quitting on the team. But dang, I just couldn't bear to watch the game knowing that the real tussle was ongoing.
So I logged on instead and tried to follow the game on ESPN. Of course, I missed all the visuals and the usual commnetary that made watching meaningful, but shoot, was I hanging on every blip on my darned display and even with my neurons half-fried (too much Krispy Kremes, not enough sleep coming from Thursday night)!
Injuries are only one half of this series. The other half is made up of so many great storylines --- from the transcendent play of the point guards (the much-ballyhooed - vindicated many times over - Derrick Rose, and the underrated Rajon Rondo), the feistiness of the veterans of both sides, the decline of Paul Pierce and the rejuventation of Ray Allen, spotty officiating, and mind-numbing coaching blunders.
For much of the flow of the game, it was apparent that the Bulls (and their crowd, from what I could imagine) brought it to the Celtics, proverbially swinging away. The Celtics rolled with the punches, and then swung into counterattack. From his shot chart, Ray Allen was UNBELIEVABLE - the stat line shows 51 points, but the man was in a groove - he was connecting from his various sweet spots, and I could guess most of his shots were under duress. As I was saying from Game 4, they're not feeding this man enough shots. Sure, he stunk up the joint in Game 1, but this guy is running on all cylinders.
Paul Pierce is going to cost Boston the series, if he hasn't already. He basically blew the game in both Games 1 and 4 with missed free throws. To be fair, the young Bulls' nerves need some settling down, but from last year's Finals MVP? Come on! We all know he is the emotional leader of the Celts, but he just hogs the ball way too often, overdribbling and stopping ball flow. He needs to make a lot of clutch shots (and he has made several nice ones) because at times he put himself in that hole.
Can't say enough of Rondo and Rose --- I like the rookie's game more because it is less forced, but shoot Rajon is clearly the engine of the Celtics' train, and their victory in this series hinges on him continuing his stellar play. Alas, he is not immune to mistakes (mainly his questionable shot selection during crucial times), but give him credit, he's only on his third season and much wasn't expected from him coming out of college. But Rose, Rose, Rose, Rose. I hate him being on the other team, but the kid is officially treading the path of other greats.
I finally found some use for my big imagination --- projecting how it could have appeared onscreen, how the players reacted to big plays, especially since this has been a very, very physical series with both coaches coming from hard-nosed traditions (Atlanta/Lenny Wilkens and New York/Pat Riley for Doc Rivers, and San Antonio for Del Negro).
My heart was pulsing (more from lack of sleep I surmise) when the score was tied at the end of the game and we had to go to overtime. I was wondering how the hell they frittered that lead as regulation ended and I found my answer later on - Glen Davis (the Celts' most reliable forward with Garnett out) sat and Tony Allen played. What were they thinking? If they wanted to go small, they could have played Marbury and made use of his speed and ball-handling. Tony Allen?!
The Bulls took the initiative in all the overtimes, and I could guess Pierce played hero in the first overtime. John Salmons (my "WHO IS THIS GUY" of the series) tied up the game and Pierce clanked his potential game winner. EXHALED a little and muttered an obscenity.
Salmons was big again in the second overtime as the Bulls took the lead. But Ray-Ray saves the day with an assist, a long two-pointer (feet on the line), and an ice-blooded three pointer to tie up the game!
On to the third overtime. By now I could visualize the players with their legs all rubbery and joints aching all over. Things went back and forth with the game tied until Pierce lost the ball to Joakim Noah (the Bulls' top agitator), Noah makes the basket, and Pierce FOULS HIM and one! (WTF!)
Well that was pretty much it. Rondo makes another basket off a tip, gets the ball stuffed in his face by Rose on a potential go-ahead basket, and it could have ended right there had Rose made his free throws on what would seem to be an intentional foul by Brian Scalabrine.
Seeing the final score hurt. Apparently they called the last play for Rondo, who took a three-pointer from nowhere (again, to be fair, they had only three seconds left on the game clock) when RAY frickin' ALLEN was frickin' UNCONSCIOUS for the latter part of the game. (AGAIN, A HOOOOOYUGGGGGE WTF!)
Now that I couldn't sleep I just had to write this.
I really wish they would cover Game 7 so I could see whether the Celtics would redeem themselves at home. I won't be able to stand following the game over the 'Net. Not again. I already did that last year on the Celts' win in the NBA Finals. I just want to be there to watch the end of this series, and while I would bleed green if they lose, I wouldn't really mind. Chicago was a worthy opponent, and if they had a better coach, they might have put this series to bed already.
It's not the result, but that I could share in it and be with the team in spirit until the end.
The sun is way, way up and I haven't slept more than 40 minutes in the past 10 hours. Guess I couldn't do myself wrong by grabbing breakfast.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
No. 400
Just to get over with it.
One would think you would need something important to say to get what you need to say, said. (Was that clear? Hmmm.... yes, it is.) But, as Twitter has proven, you can be as trivial as you can bring yourself to on the Internet. As some people may have already said elsewhere, the quality of journalizing has gone from "reflecting on recent events and impressing upon oneself or others a lesson" to "posting your thoughts online as quickly as possible" to finally, "I have nothing else to do and I'm doing this to be with the 'In Crowd'!"
I mean, would you really care that I just took a dump on an eastern-style toilet struggling to just keep my waste from spraying all over because I overate at lunch and ate a bad pear? Would you really care that the front side of my pants (specifically my groin area) is all wet because I was stupid enough not to bring toilet paper to aforementioned toilet? Or that I had to run in between two toilets because some other people just happened to take a dump/read newspapers/God knows what, like, hey, mastrubate in the other available toilets?
Sure, while people won't generally go that low to Tweet or to post updates on Facebook, sometimes, it just isn't that important. The readiness of thought becomes more of a commodity than the depth and beauty of it. While this instant messaging has its own uses, I'm sad that the days of digesting words --- or marveling at the intricacy of well-written sentences --- have simply passed.
The lesson and the challenge then is to weave magic around the most trivial parts of the day and make them magical. Now that's tough.
One would think you would need something important to say to get what you need to say, said. (Was that clear? Hmmm.... yes, it is.) But, as Twitter has proven, you can be as trivial as you can bring yourself to on the Internet. As some people may have already said elsewhere, the quality of journalizing has gone from "reflecting on recent events and impressing upon oneself or others a lesson" to "posting your thoughts online as quickly as possible" to finally, "I have nothing else to do and I'm doing this to be with the 'In Crowd'!"
I mean, would you really care that I just took a dump on an eastern-style toilet struggling to just keep my waste from spraying all over because I overate at lunch and ate a bad pear? Would you really care that the front side of my pants (specifically my groin area) is all wet because I was stupid enough not to bring toilet paper to aforementioned toilet? Or that I had to run in between two toilets because some other people just happened to take a dump/read newspapers/God knows what, like, hey, mastrubate in the other available toilets?
Sure, while people won't generally go that low to Tweet or to post updates on Facebook, sometimes, it just isn't that important. The readiness of thought becomes more of a commodity than the depth and beauty of it. While this instant messaging has its own uses, I'm sad that the days of digesting words --- or marveling at the intricacy of well-written sentences --- have simply passed.
The lesson and the challenge then is to weave magic around the most trivial parts of the day and make them magical. Now that's tough.
What Darker Days May Come...
Statement of the Makati Business Club
THE UNRELENTING SUPPRESSION OF TRUTH
The arrest of whistle-blower Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada Jr. and the filing of 16 criminal and civil cases against him and members of his family are blatant acts of harassment with the object of suppressing the truth about the overpricing and bribery that attended the NBN-ZTE deal.
It is highly ironic that while Mr. Lozada's testimony is now being used against him, the persons implicated in his testimony are still immune from prosecution. No less than a Cabinet member, former NEDA director general and now SSS president Romulo Neri, testified under oath that then COMELEC chairman Benjamin Abalos had offered him a bribe in exchange for the facilitation of the approval of the NBN-ZTE contract. And yet, the Ombudsman has yet to file any charges against Mr. Abalos.
The Makati Business Club joins former President Corazon Aquino and the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines in expressing our full support for Mr. Lozada and his fight against corruption. We remain hopeful that despite current setbacks to hold erring officials accountable before the courts of law, there will come a time for these officials to account and for truth to triumph in the end. We call on the Filipino people to remain vigilant against all efforts to use our justice system to intimidate whistle-blowers in order to suppress the truth.
29 April 2009
Copyright 2009 © Makati Business Club - re-posting to spread the word!
Postscript - I was skeptical of Mr. Jun Lozada from the very beginning, because he said little that was different from what was happening. What has made his journey unimaginable to inspiring to challenging is the crucible of spin doctors, harassment, character assassination, and now criminal charges that the government has arrayed to discredit him. Hindi na nakuntentong pabayaan dahil eleksyon na next year. I am so ashamed and dumbfounded people find excuses for the GMA administration because they have been conditioned to distrust everyone else. Such cynicism is one of the greatest atrocities that our leaders have perpetrated, first with the Estrada administration, then pushed to the limits of decency by the Arroyo administration. One can only hope that there is some learning or development we can glean from this.
Schadenfreude
1. Nagdiriwang siguro ang mga relihiyong nagbabawal sa pagkain ng baboy. Mabuhay ang swine flu! Ibagsak ang mga oink oink!
2. Sadista lang siguro o mga kontra sa Celtics ang natuwa nung ma-injure si Kevin Garnett at di na makakalaro sa playoffs. OTOH, hayuf si Derrick Rose, idol!
3. Ewan ko lang kung proud pa rin ang mga Indiano sa style nila sa election. Sino bang engot ang mag-suggest na lagyan ang mga hinlalato nila ng indelible ink? Sa posing tuloy nakangarat sila. Panalo!
4. Sabihin nating ma-jinx natin si kabayang Manny Pacquiao, pero magkano kaya ang tinaya nina FG, Chavit, etc. at makakaya ba ni Pacman na matupad ang hiling ng mga ugok na sugarol?
5. Set na ang mga timers: kung kailan mahe-headline ang mag-asawang Judy Ann Santos at Ryan Agoncillo dahil sa gulo sa kanilang relasyon.
6. Saan ka makakapanood ng hero movie na papalakpakan mo yung kontrabida (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) ? Idol kita, Liev Schreiber (just stop appearing in crappy remakes like "The Omen"!), panalo ka bilang Sabretooth! Downside - mukhang advance copy with incomplete special effects and canned music ang napanood ko (hehe, wala pa nga sa mga sinehan, eh). Upside - panalo ang pirata ng pelikulang ito.
7. Ayaw kong mang-api (pero gagawin ko pa rin, hehe, 'lol!) pero ilan na kayang admirers ang pipila para maging syota si Susan Boyle? Ang siste, ilan kaya sila bago lumabas si Susan sa "Britain's Got Talent"?
8. Taong nagpakatotoo: si Nicole ng Subic "rape" case (ay, hindi pala rape, consensual sex pala). Tunay siyang mukhang pera. Pasipol-sipol (pa-dedma epek) - gobyerno ng Pilipinas. Lusot kayo mga tsong! Iwas-gusot sa mga Onaks!
9. Hirit na makukulit na sektor: dagdagan ang party-list representation (kahit walang matibay na pruwebang nailunsad nila ang mga isyu na kani-kanilang "marginalized sector")! Ang kanilang premyo - si "Terminator" Palparan, magiging Congressman.
UPDATE:
10. Bagong drama sa TV - suicide ba o homicide? Nag-umpisa sa "ayan, nasampolan ka na" at "KARMA!", ngayon, misteryo na. Ano na nga ba, Kuya Ted Failon?
Tatawa ka na lang minsan kahit mag-isip ka ng masama sa iyong kapwa. Kaysa naman maiyak ka at ma-depress.
2. Sadista lang siguro o mga kontra sa Celtics ang natuwa nung ma-injure si Kevin Garnett at di na makakalaro sa playoffs. OTOH, hayuf si Derrick Rose, idol!
3. Ewan ko lang kung proud pa rin ang mga Indiano sa style nila sa election. Sino bang engot ang mag-suggest na lagyan ang mga hinlalato nila ng indelible ink? Sa posing tuloy nakangarat sila. Panalo!
4. Sabihin nating ma-jinx natin si kabayang Manny Pacquiao, pero magkano kaya ang tinaya nina FG, Chavit, etc. at makakaya ba ni Pacman na matupad ang hiling ng mga ugok na sugarol?
5. Set na ang mga timers: kung kailan mahe-headline ang mag-asawang Judy Ann Santos at Ryan Agoncillo dahil sa gulo sa kanilang relasyon.
6. Saan ka makakapanood ng hero movie na papalakpakan mo yung kontrabida (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) ? Idol kita, Liev Schreiber (just stop appearing in crappy remakes like "The Omen"!), panalo ka bilang Sabretooth! Downside - mukhang advance copy with incomplete special effects and canned music ang napanood ko (hehe, wala pa nga sa mga sinehan, eh). Upside - panalo ang pirata ng pelikulang ito.
7. Ayaw kong mang-api (pero gagawin ko pa rin, hehe, 'lol!) pero ilan na kayang admirers ang pipila para maging syota si Susan Boyle? Ang siste, ilan kaya sila bago lumabas si Susan sa "Britain's Got Talent"?
8. Taong nagpakatotoo: si Nicole ng Subic "rape" case (ay, hindi pala rape, consensual sex pala). Tunay siyang mukhang pera. Pasipol-sipol (pa-dedma epek) - gobyerno ng Pilipinas. Lusot kayo mga tsong! Iwas-gusot sa mga Onaks!
9. Hirit na makukulit na sektor: dagdagan ang party-list representation (kahit walang matibay na pruwebang nailunsad nila ang mga isyu na kani-kanilang "marginalized sector")! Ang kanilang premyo - si "Terminator" Palparan, magiging Congressman.
UPDATE:
10. Bagong drama sa TV - suicide ba o homicide? Nag-umpisa sa "ayan, nasampolan ka na" at "KARMA!", ngayon, misteryo na. Ano na nga ba, Kuya Ted Failon?
Tatawa ka na lang minsan kahit mag-isip ka ng masama sa iyong kapwa. Kaysa naman maiyak ka at ma-depress.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Panalo Ito
Tunay na Lalake Blog
Alam naman natin panay gagaguhan ang site na ito, pero panalo siya sa akin. Ito ang Manifesto ng Tunay na Lalake:
1. Ang tunay na lalake ay di natutulog.
2. Ang tunay na lalake ay di nagte-text-back, maliban na lang kung papasahan ng load. Gayunpaman, laging malabo ang kanyang mga sagot.
3. Ang tunay na lalake ay laging may extra rice.
4. Ang tunay na lalake ay hindi vegetarian.
5. Ang tunay na lalake ay walang abs.
6. Ang tunay na lalake ay hindi sumasayaw.
7. Ang tunay na lalake ay umaamin ng pagkakamali sa kapwa tunay na lalake.
8. Ang tunay na lalake ay laging may tae sa brief.
9. Ang tunay na lalake ay di naghuhugas ng pinagkainan o nagliligpit ng kanyang mga gamit dahil may babaeng gagawa noon para sa kanya. Mas lalong nagiging tunay ang pagkalalake kung di niya kilala o di niya maalala ang pangalan ng babae.
10. Ang tunay na lalake ay di nagsisimba.
Kapag ginamit ang ganitong batayan, lalung-lalo kung dinagdag pa ang kung anu-anong shit, dahil mahilig ako sa showtunes at mahilig manggaya ng sikat na sayaw noong '80s (para manggago at mang-inis man lang ng ibang tao), eh mukhang hindi ako tunay na lalake.
Talo din ako dahil mahilig akong matulog sa opisina (hmmm, consideration dahil hilig ko rin ang tumambay imbis na pumasok).
Kung may extra points ang number 8 at mga usaping kababuyan, swak na swak ako.
Alam naman natin panay gagaguhan ang site na ito, pero panalo siya sa akin. Ito ang Manifesto ng Tunay na Lalake:
1. Ang tunay na lalake ay di natutulog.
2. Ang tunay na lalake ay di nagte-text-back, maliban na lang kung papasahan ng load. Gayunpaman, laging malabo ang kanyang mga sagot.
3. Ang tunay na lalake ay laging may extra rice.
4. Ang tunay na lalake ay hindi vegetarian.
5. Ang tunay na lalake ay walang abs.
6. Ang tunay na lalake ay hindi sumasayaw.
7. Ang tunay na lalake ay umaamin ng pagkakamali sa kapwa tunay na lalake.
8. Ang tunay na lalake ay laging may tae sa brief.
9. Ang tunay na lalake ay di naghuhugas ng pinagkainan o nagliligpit ng kanyang mga gamit dahil may babaeng gagawa noon para sa kanya. Mas lalong nagiging tunay ang pagkalalake kung di niya kilala o di niya maalala ang pangalan ng babae.
10. Ang tunay na lalake ay di nagsisimba.
Kapag ginamit ang ganitong batayan, lalung-lalo kung dinagdag pa ang kung anu-anong shit, dahil mahilig ako sa showtunes at mahilig manggaya ng sikat na sayaw noong '80s (para manggago at mang-inis man lang ng ibang tao), eh mukhang hindi ako tunay na lalake.
Talo din ako dahil mahilig akong matulog sa opisina (hmmm, consideration dahil hilig ko rin ang tumambay imbis na pumasok).
Kung may extra points ang number 8 at mga usaping kababuyan, swak na swak ako.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Surviving Saudi Arabia, or the Economic Laws of Expatriate Employment
(Note: This entry was inspired by a speech delivered by Robina Gokongwei-Pe, journalist and entrepreneur, at the commencement exercises of the University of the Philippines-School of Economics, April 25, 2008.)
I have just celebrated my five years in Saudi Arabia, and while this may not be a worthwhile milestone to my seniors who have been here longer, it is also a significant milestone since this is also the longest I have spent with a single company.
Through the ups and downs of my employment here, including my weight and my waistline, the main quality that has allowed me first to endure, then to enjoy, working outside my native land was the value of persistence. So it is said, “Persistence is the twin sister of excellence. One is a matter of quality; the other, a matter of time.”
In persisting against the difficulties of working in a different culture with several other nationalities, the lessons of schooldays past have impressed upon me the unique situation which befalls expatriates in Saudi Arabia.
Given this world climate where institutions among our top corporations and banks have collapsed in the face of recession, I also would like to share these lessons with you, and you can verify it against your basic Economics textbook.
#1 THE LAW OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND – The standard law of economics, it is simple to note that the demand for affordable workers, plus the continuous supply of higher salaries being paid here than in our home countries, have made employment in Saudi Arabia. While this gives us the confidence that we expats will always have a place here, this also means that this demand, while still strong, may not last longer than we think. We have a joke among my colleagues in Human Resources that he who supplies the money can make all the demands.
#2 THEORY OF COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE – This leads us to the second rule – competitive advantage. In order for us to retain the demand for our services, we have to continuously upgrade our own skills, not only in our given profession, but more importantly, in the way we communicate and present our ideas. Being in Toastmasters, among other things, can help us sharpen that edge.
#3 COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS – We all know that there is a labor market out there that is calling out to be filled. However, even if there is sufficient demand, or even if there is competitive advantage, there are built-in costs to changing jobs. For those who recall their choice to work in the Middle East, the transition entails so many sacrifices.
For those who have no families here, being without family is a hardship many cannot endure. For those who do have families here, flexibility is now a premium.
For those who think that they are moving to a better position with higher pay, the uncertainty in this world market gives one very obvious lesson: today you may be in a better position, tomorrow your company may close. Conclusion: if you are in a stable position already and are experiencing sufficient work satisfaction, there is no need to change jobs, no matter how high or attractive the offer may seem.
#4 THEORY OF OPPORTUNITY COST – The next rule is closely allied to the previous one. When considering our careers long-term, we would always consider the packages being offered to us. A better package from another company is an opportunity to make more money, but taking the first offer means we will lose out on better offers that may come along. Or leaving this job means losing the opportunity to be promoted six months down the line.
In the past few years, I have noticed so many people readily switch jobs, going from one company to the other in a virtual criss-cross of the Gulf countries, sometimes not even completing their contracts. One lesson future employers will note here is that this kind of employee cannot be expected to stay. No employer will dare hire a perpetual nomad, because he will think the employee will leave after a while.
This now leads to Rule # 5 or LAW OF DIMINISHING MARGINAL RETURNS – After so many years of moving around, you have gone down in market value, because you have not steadily built a career. You may rake in quick gains, but in the end, your long-term value as a professional will diminish.
Finally, there is rule # 6 or THEORY OF MARKET COMPETITION – Building a career requires a combination of hard work, patience, and oftentimes, just good old-fashioned luck. However successful we may get, we still cannot be too comfortable. We still have to learn new things. We have to face challenges that did not exist in our work environment before. And sometimes, there are just others who will take what we have worked so hard for away from us, fairly or unfairly.
What to do with that? Nothing – it’s just a reality of life. Thriving with competition makes us better competitors – whether at work or in public speaking, or even in talent shows. We compete because this world is based on competition, but at the same time, as long as we are focused on our objective the quick wins are not as important as the long-term victories. We get by as well through cooperation and collaboration.
Surviving in Saudi Arabia is not only for the expatriates, but for the Saudis as well. This is a lesson they can learn from the professionals who have helped build their country.
Persistence, patience, and curiosity – they are among the tools we can use in furthering our careers. Remember, whatever works for you, your career is only one component of your search for happiness. But that is a story for another day, and for those colleagues who have persisted despite the odds, or because of them – congratulations!
I have just celebrated my five years in Saudi Arabia, and while this may not be a worthwhile milestone to my seniors who have been here longer, it is also a significant milestone since this is also the longest I have spent with a single company.
Through the ups and downs of my employment here, including my weight and my waistline, the main quality that has allowed me first to endure, then to enjoy, working outside my native land was the value of persistence. So it is said, “Persistence is the twin sister of excellence. One is a matter of quality; the other, a matter of time.”
In persisting against the difficulties of working in a different culture with several other nationalities, the lessons of schooldays past have impressed upon me the unique situation which befalls expatriates in Saudi Arabia.
Given this world climate where institutions among our top corporations and banks have collapsed in the face of recession, I also would like to share these lessons with you, and you can verify it against your basic Economics textbook.
#1 THE LAW OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND – The standard law of economics, it is simple to note that the demand for affordable workers, plus the continuous supply of higher salaries being paid here than in our home countries, have made employment in Saudi Arabia. While this gives us the confidence that we expats will always have a place here, this also means that this demand, while still strong, may not last longer than we think. We have a joke among my colleagues in Human Resources that he who supplies the money can make all the demands.
#2 THEORY OF COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE – This leads us to the second rule – competitive advantage. In order for us to retain the demand for our services, we have to continuously upgrade our own skills, not only in our given profession, but more importantly, in the way we communicate and present our ideas. Being in Toastmasters, among other things, can help us sharpen that edge.
#3 COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS – We all know that there is a labor market out there that is calling out to be filled. However, even if there is sufficient demand, or even if there is competitive advantage, there are built-in costs to changing jobs. For those who recall their choice to work in the Middle East, the transition entails so many sacrifices.
For those who have no families here, being without family is a hardship many cannot endure. For those who do have families here, flexibility is now a premium.
For those who think that they are moving to a better position with higher pay, the uncertainty in this world market gives one very obvious lesson: today you may be in a better position, tomorrow your company may close. Conclusion: if you are in a stable position already and are experiencing sufficient work satisfaction, there is no need to change jobs, no matter how high or attractive the offer may seem.
#4 THEORY OF OPPORTUNITY COST – The next rule is closely allied to the previous one. When considering our careers long-term, we would always consider the packages being offered to us. A better package from another company is an opportunity to make more money, but taking the first offer means we will lose out on better offers that may come along. Or leaving this job means losing the opportunity to be promoted six months down the line.
In the past few years, I have noticed so many people readily switch jobs, going from one company to the other in a virtual criss-cross of the Gulf countries, sometimes not even completing their contracts. One lesson future employers will note here is that this kind of employee cannot be expected to stay. No employer will dare hire a perpetual nomad, because he will think the employee will leave after a while.
This now leads to Rule # 5 or LAW OF DIMINISHING MARGINAL RETURNS – After so many years of moving around, you have gone down in market value, because you have not steadily built a career. You may rake in quick gains, but in the end, your long-term value as a professional will diminish.
Finally, there is rule # 6 or THEORY OF MARKET COMPETITION – Building a career requires a combination of hard work, patience, and oftentimes, just good old-fashioned luck. However successful we may get, we still cannot be too comfortable. We still have to learn new things. We have to face challenges that did not exist in our work environment before. And sometimes, there are just others who will take what we have worked so hard for away from us, fairly or unfairly.
What to do with that? Nothing – it’s just a reality of life. Thriving with competition makes us better competitors – whether at work or in public speaking, or even in talent shows. We compete because this world is based on competition, but at the same time, as long as we are focused on our objective the quick wins are not as important as the long-term victories. We get by as well through cooperation and collaboration.
Surviving in Saudi Arabia is not only for the expatriates, but for the Saudis as well. This is a lesson they can learn from the professionals who have helped build their country.
Persistence, patience, and curiosity – they are among the tools we can use in furthering our careers. Remember, whatever works for you, your career is only one component of your search for happiness. But that is a story for another day, and for those colleagues who have persisted despite the odds, or because of them – congratulations!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Padayon sa Pabrika
Walang kasintamis
Ang tagumpay ng pagpapawis
Ang amoy ng usok
Ang kaluskos ng makina
Hindi man ako ang siyang
Obrerong nagsisikap at naghihirap
Ramdam ko ang sikdo ng kanyang puso
Dahil ako'y hingal
Sa pag-akyat ng hagdan
Papuntang opisina
Minsan aking nakalimutan
Ang halaga ng paghahanapbuhay
Sinayang ang aking oras
Sa gawaing mali ang landas
Sadyang ganyan ang ating buhay
Hindi maiiwasan
Ang ganid
Ang sinungaling
At matapobreng amo
Lahi man natin
O iba
Wala mang dagliang
Dahilang makapagsaya
Ako'y nagpapasalamat
Ang trabahong siyang tunay na grasya.
Tulad ng mga nagbabanat
Ng buto at kalamnan
Tuloy sa padayon
Dito sa pabrika -
Sa pabrika ng ideya
Magpapanday ng sariling layon
Kahit di maaninag
Ang liwanag ng umaga
Ang tagumpay ng pagpapawis
Ang amoy ng usok
Ang kaluskos ng makina
Hindi man ako ang siyang
Obrerong nagsisikap at naghihirap
Ramdam ko ang sikdo ng kanyang puso
Dahil ako'y hingal
Sa pag-akyat ng hagdan
Papuntang opisina
Minsan aking nakalimutan
Ang halaga ng paghahanapbuhay
Sinayang ang aking oras
Sa gawaing mali ang landas
Sadyang ganyan ang ating buhay
Hindi maiiwasan
Ang ganid
Ang sinungaling
At matapobreng amo
Lahi man natin
O iba
Wala mang dagliang
Dahilang makapagsaya
Ako'y nagpapasalamat
Ang trabahong siyang tunay na grasya.
Tulad ng mga nagbabanat
Ng buto at kalamnan
Tuloy sa padayon
Dito sa pabrika -
Sa pabrika ng ideya
Magpapanday ng sariling layon
Kahit di maaninag
Ang liwanag ng umaga
Monday, April 13, 2009
Moving (and Moving On)
The days of spring here are moving on a glacial pace now that the school holidays for the Pinoy kids are on and most of the families I know have made their plans for their annual vacations.
I guess the pace has caught up to me as well. Been in some knot of emotions about how things are going on in the office. I don't like nitpicking about work; being employed is a blessing in these tough times and whining about work seems ungrateful.
However, it is true - I hate the whole situation about my job. It is only my sense of equanimity, or perhaps those bills gnawing at my insides like army ants, that has kept me on an even keel. Certainly I could do with better management, but as Johnny Rico says in "Starship Troopers" - "I'm your guy, until I'm dead, or you find someone better."
Trust me on this one, I'll be dead before they'll find someone better. At least for the price they're paying.
I have made peace about this situation but I need to do more. If I don't excise the negative influence it has over me, it will poison the rest of my life.
As it is, I feel that I am not a good person right now. At least the kind of good person with whom I am comfortable. Much too self-absorbed, methinks. Not even giving time to the people I have professed to care about.
The only bright spot in all of this is that I have moved offices (yet again), so that I can improve at the very least, my "physical karma."
But I'm marking myself down here, I must put myself in a position to move on. I'm too old to be acting like a petulant child.
I guess the pace has caught up to me as well. Been in some knot of emotions about how things are going on in the office. I don't like nitpicking about work; being employed is a blessing in these tough times and whining about work seems ungrateful.
However, it is true - I hate the whole situation about my job. It is only my sense of equanimity, or perhaps those bills gnawing at my insides like army ants, that has kept me on an even keel. Certainly I could do with better management, but as Johnny Rico says in "Starship Troopers" - "I'm your guy, until I'm dead, or you find someone better."
Trust me on this one, I'll be dead before they'll find someone better. At least for the price they're paying.
I have made peace about this situation but I need to do more. If I don't excise the negative influence it has over me, it will poison the rest of my life.
As it is, I feel that I am not a good person right now. At least the kind of good person with whom I am comfortable. Much too self-absorbed, methinks. Not even giving time to the people I have professed to care about.
The only bright spot in all of this is that I have moved offices (yet again), so that I can improve at the very least, my "physical karma."
But I'm marking myself down here, I must put myself in a position to move on. I'm too old to be acting like a petulant child.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Regurgitation
Flashback to an episode one might have seen on the Discovery Channel, National Geographic, or Animal Planet : the she-wolf, back from a successful hunt and feeding, makes her way to her cubs, and she regurgitates the chunks of meat from her stomach to feed her young.
As life goes on, events keep on happening, some good, some bad, some with purpose, some without, some planned, some surprising.
My life IS. There was the struggle to say what I needed to say - on the other hand, the more I lived the ideals by which I wished to live, the less I wanted to say things about them. I wanted to make my life THE STATEMENT -- and it worked for a while.
For quite some time, yes. Yeah, and Facebook is cool too.
But I need to express my feelings as well --- for my writing, just like that she-wolf, keeps on regurgitating chunks of my life for me to sort out.
Sometimes blogging is flagellation --- and the ones who don't notice aren't living their lives. But I do, or at least I think I do. This internet footprint demands a bigger span, and so I must.
I can't say that it would be the same ME on this space. Certain events - and people - have made my life much more interesting. In time I will write what I believe is reasonable exposure for me and for them (them to be more carefully handled, of course).
So here I am again.
As life goes on, events keep on happening, some good, some bad, some with purpose, some without, some planned, some surprising.
My life IS. There was the struggle to say what I needed to say - on the other hand, the more I lived the ideals by which I wished to live, the less I wanted to say things about them. I wanted to make my life THE STATEMENT -- and it worked for a while.
For quite some time, yes. Yeah, and Facebook is cool too.
But I need to express my feelings as well --- for my writing, just like that she-wolf, keeps on regurgitating chunks of my life for me to sort out.
Sometimes blogging is flagellation --- and the ones who don't notice aren't living their lives. But I do, or at least I think I do. This internet footprint demands a bigger span, and so I must.
I can't say that it would be the same ME on this space. Certain events - and people - have made my life much more interesting. In time I will write what I believe is reasonable exposure for me and for them (them to be more carefully handled, of course).
So here I am again.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Waxing Sergio
This is for the inspiration that Sergio Mendes gave to me when I hardly appreciated music. I am thankful my brother got hooked to Sergio just about the time I was starting to like music. To think I could have been influenced by Hagibis!
A perennial favorite, and always sums up my best thoughts when I'm in love with someone.
LIKE A LOVER
(Alan & Marilyn Bergman / Nelson Motta / Dorival Tostes Caymmi)
(Sergio Mendes & Brasilia '66)
Like a lover the morning sun
Slowly rises and kisses you awake
Your smile is soft and drowsy
As you let it play upon your face
Oh how I dream -
I might be like the morning sun to you
I might be like the morning sun to you
Like a lover the river wind
Sighs and ripples its fingers through your hair
Upon your cheek it lingers
Never having known a sweeter place
Oh how I dream -
I might be like the river wind to you
I might be like the river wind to you
How I envy a cup that knows your lips
Let it be me, my love
And a table that feels your fingertips
Let it be me, let me be your love
Bring an end to these endless days and nights
Without you
Like a lover the velvet moon
Shares your pillow and watches while you sleep
Its light arrives on tiptoe
Gently taking you in its embrace
Oh how I dream -
I might be like the velvet moon to you
I might be like the velvet moon to you
How I dream I might be like the morning sun
How I dream I might be like the river wind the river wind
How I dream how I dream I dream
I might be with you
Oh how I dream -
I might be like the river wind to you
I might be like the river wind to you
How I envy a cup that knows your lips
And a table that feels your fingertips
Let it be me, let me be your love
Bring an end to these endless days and nights
Without you
Like a lover the velvet moon
Shares your pillow and watches while you sleep
Its light arrives on tiptoe
Gently taking you in its embrace
Oh how I dream -
I might be like the velvet moon to you
I might be like the velvet moon to you
A perennial favorite, and always sums up my best thoughts when I'm in love with someone.
LIKE A LOVER
(Alan & Marilyn Bergman / Nelson Motta / Dorival Tostes Caymmi)
(Sergio Mendes & Brasilia '66)
Like a lover the morning sun
Slowly rises and kisses you awake
Your smile is soft and drowsy
As you let it play upon your face
Oh how I dream -
I might be like the morning sun to you
I might be like the morning sun to you
Like a lover the river wind
Sighs and ripples its fingers through your hair
Upon your cheek it lingers
Never having known a sweeter place
Oh how I dream -
I might be like the river wind to you
I might be like the river wind to you
How I envy a cup that knows your lips
Let it be me, my love
And a table that feels your fingertips
Let it be me, let me be your love
Bring an end to these endless days and nights
Without you
Like a lover the velvet moon
Shares your pillow and watches while you sleep
Its light arrives on tiptoe
Gently taking you in its embrace
Oh how I dream -
I might be like the velvet moon to you
I might be like the velvet moon to you
How I dream I might be like the morning sun
How I dream I might be like the river wind the river wind
How I dream how I dream I dream
I might be with you
Oh how I dream -
I might be like the river wind to you
I might be like the river wind to you
How I envy a cup that knows your lips
And a table that feels your fingertips
Let it be me, let me be your love
Bring an end to these endless days and nights
Without you
Like a lover the velvet moon
Shares your pillow and watches while you sleep
Its light arrives on tiptoe
Gently taking you in its embrace
Oh how I dream -
I might be like the velvet moon to you
I might be like the velvet moon to you
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Breathing Hope
This post is dedicated to all the folks that loomed large in my life and for reasons of distance and time, or perhaps the onset of death, have somehow been "forgotten" or submerged underneath all the muck and scree that litter my mind nowadays.
I haven't forgotten you at all, it's just, well, it's just I'd like things to be great when we see each other again. I believe we will, someday.
The biggest solace I get from having to live without most of my family and friends near me is that somewhere out there, the Divine is breathing hope into the world, sometimes like the sunrise in the picture (taken at Khobar Corniche, courtesy of one of my friends), or that I can poke some fun at myself occasionally for taking some things too seriously.
One lesson I learned from one of my friends from way back is that you can have all the drama in your life if you want, but then at times you have to switch it off to stay sane. The song doesn't exactly share that message, but I remember Bobby P and those days of youth when we had little more to think about but sing about our life's dramas and wish for more inspiration and challenges. Those are the days I would like to share, one day, with young people of my own.
For the days in Palawan at Holy Cross College, with Anna, Gina, Rommel, Janice, and Bobby P ... those few days of teaching (and learning from) our retreatants were my breath of hope that kept me going for a long, long time, the fumes of which have left a lingering fragrance which will stay with me for the rest of my life.
HINDI NA, AYOKO NA
(Regine Velasquez)
Noong iwanan mo 'ko
Hinihintay kong marinig mo lang ang
Tinig ko
Sa bawat tawag ng pangalan mong
Binihag ng bigat sa puso ko
Ngayon, ika'y naririto
At ang sabi mo'y, 'ika'y akin mula ngayon
Iwanan na sa limot ang noon,
O giliw ko, narito ako!'
Biglang ligaya ang naramdaman ng pusong
Kay tagal nang naghintay sa iyo
Ngunit ang dulot niyang sakit ay di malimot
Ipagpawalang-hanggan mo man
Bulong ng puso ko ay, 'hindi na, ayoko na'
Puso'y mas malakas sa isip ko
Tibok nito'y di patatalo
O kay ligaya ko sana ngayon nandirito't
Aking-akin na'ng pag-ibig mo
Ngunit darating ang panahong di ko malimot
Ipagliban mo na lang sa iba'ng pag-ibig mo
Pagka't ayoko na, ayoko na!
Ngunit ang dulot niyang sakit ay di malimot
Ipagpawalang hanggan mo man
Sigaw ng puso ko ay, 'Hindi na, ayoko na...'
My little prayer to get me through tough patches:
Father in Heaven, I know everything that has happened to me is because of what I've done and freely chosen. You have given me signs - the people and events in my life to show me what I must do. I can't ask you anything more than what you have given, but all I ask, for this time, is a breath of hope that will get me through this.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
And Now You Have It...
Binay declares candidacy
It's hunting season again, fellas! Trot out the hare!
I hope we had learned something from the conduct of the US election, not because of the by-words and slogans used by the candidates, particularly Barack Obama, but by the way America encourages discipline among those with ambition. Secure enough grassroots support, slug it out in primaries before launching a national candidacy.
Some people may doubt the electoral college, but I believe it works wonders for voting.
The multiparty system doesn't work, it never has, and it foments division rather than creating genuine party-line differences. For the same reasons that the parliamentary system didn't work in the country, we should abandon this feature in our basic laws.
However, this should get interesting over the next few months as we will find out who is "oppositionist" or not as the forces will begin to re-align and coalesce for the 2010 elections. There are rumblings there won't be any elections (surely an opportunity on which some personalities close to the President would gladly latch), and so far, we haven't seen a candidate who has a value-proposition other than changing the occupant of the Palace. Hmmm... I will stay tuned.
It's hunting season again, fellas! Trot out the hare!
I hope we had learned something from the conduct of the US election, not because of the by-words and slogans used by the candidates, particularly Barack Obama, but by the way America encourages discipline among those with ambition. Secure enough grassroots support, slug it out in primaries before launching a national candidacy.
Some people may doubt the electoral college, but I believe it works wonders for voting.
The multiparty system doesn't work, it never has, and it foments division rather than creating genuine party-line differences. For the same reasons that the parliamentary system didn't work in the country, we should abandon this feature in our basic laws.
However, this should get interesting over the next few months as we will find out who is "oppositionist" or not as the forces will begin to re-align and coalesce for the 2010 elections. There are rumblings there won't be any elections (surely an opportunity on which some personalities close to the President would gladly latch), and so far, we haven't seen a candidate who has a value-proposition other than changing the occupant of the Palace. Hmmm... I will stay tuned.
Friday, November 07, 2008
Soggy
We just finished our first HR monthly meeting under our new manager last Wednesday (so we finally had our first shot as a group).
In the meeting, I realized that I had a really solid year. If only... well, if only I took care of myself better and laid off depressing thoughts... think Bill Clinton's presidency without Monica Lewinsky. Pristine ... a few bumps here and there, but not bad altogether, even though he did start his presidency with so many scandals hounding his public image...
Hmmm, come to think of it, the only thing I would like to share with Bill Clinton would be, "Successful with the ladies." Tsk tsk, torpe ka kasi, boy!
So the cycle of recriminations has to stop and I'd better give myself a break.
Life works - stop throwing wrenches into the gears just to make it exciting, buddy!
I stared down into the read-out of our home weighing scale and it read 260 pounds. Holy crap, holy marshmallow man, Batman! We've gotta do something!
It's a soggy day today, the kind of day where you would like to lie in your bed and laze forever... only to find out next day is not meant for the lazy.
Shoot, I'm hungry, I gotta eat (rubs stomach). Shawarma run, shawarma run!
In the meeting, I realized that I had a really solid year. If only... well, if only I took care of myself better and laid off depressing thoughts... think Bill Clinton's presidency without Monica Lewinsky. Pristine ... a few bumps here and there, but not bad altogether, even though he did start his presidency with so many scandals hounding his public image...
Hmmm, come to think of it, the only thing I would like to share with Bill Clinton would be, "Successful with the ladies." Tsk tsk, torpe ka kasi, boy!
So the cycle of recriminations has to stop and I'd better give myself a break.
Life works - stop throwing wrenches into the gears just to make it exciting, buddy!
I stared down into the read-out of our home weighing scale and it read 260 pounds. Holy crap, holy marshmallow man, Batman! We've gotta do something!
It's a soggy day today, the kind of day where you would like to lie in your bed and laze forever... only to find out next day is not meant for the lazy.
Shoot, I'm hungry, I gotta eat (rubs stomach). Shawarma run, shawarma run!
Thursday, November 06, 2008
No Title to Peddle
This image is an homage to the late Michael Crichton, who passed away on Tuesday. I was a follower more of the movie adaptations of his books than the books themselves - having seen "The Andromeda Strain" (1971), "The Terminal Man" (1974), "Rising Sun" (1993) "Jurassic Park" (1993) "Disclosure" (1994) "Congo" (1995) "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" (1997) "Sphere" (1998), "The 13th Warrior" (1999), and "Timeline" (2003). I only read the Jurassic Park novels and "Eaters of the Dead" (the sourcebook for "The 13th Warrior"). Crichton is a master at making scientific conjecture very plausible to the reader, especially the ones who have illusions of understanding the science in the novels.
This image is also a reminder that much has to be done to end the dinosaur politics of old. The win of Barack Obama, I hope, will be the start of the mass extinction of the old kind of politics. On an aside, I kind of snickered when Madam Gloria tried to congratulate candidate Obama and he didn't give her the time of day - obviously, he gave more time to people he considered more important. She probably would have done better sending him a sweet SMS. Aren't we Filipinos champion texters of the world?
I do hope that President-elect Obama lives up to the hope (not the hype) that buoyed his electoral campaign, from the time he took on the Hillary Clinton juggernaut to roundly beating McCain.
For all the media coverage, this win appears like the ultimate anticlimax. It seems all the fears of a McCain uprising and Republican comeback were mere wisps of smoke. This was supposed to be a titanic struggle - a real nailbiter. It ended up like watching the Celtics wax the Lakers in that ho-hum six-game series last June. The anticipation built up nicely, but the elections were hardly competitive.
Still, throughout all the cheers of the crowd, and the attempts at introjection of the unscrupulous and the wily to give handshakes and pats on the back, only the true faithful understand how far the winner had to travel just to get to the battleground. Rooting for ignored or forgotten causes and hard-luck teams does have unexpected and over-the-top rewards - the unbelievable rush of euphoria being the first.
Here in the Middle East, the Arabs (at least the ones I meet) are roundly congratulating everyone on the Obama win. Nationalities from other countries are pretty much saying the same thing — the end of the Republican reign means a fresh start. Life, at least for one day, has suddenly become rosier, and the prospect of a better world isn’t all that hopeless.
It's funny how most Filipinos fail to see the need for an overhaul --- ours is one of the few countries that actually wanted John McCain to win.
I would candidly say that my support for Obama was guarded even though his message and the image he presented were very powerful - as is my hopes are guarded over what his administration can do to turn things around.
It doesn't change however the slight tinge of delight his win brought, as if my belief in the inherent goodness of humanity has been somewhat validated. Just speaking for myself, of course, but looking at the jubilation all over the world, if in this way Barack Obama has already affected billions worldwide, just by being there, it's encouraging to see that there is hope for us human beings after all.
We can, if we so choose, live as if everything we believed mattered, and so everything we do in support of that belief matters.
(As my post title goes, there is nothing to peddle today, so I have no catchphrase in my title today as well.)
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Heavyweights
The HR Department. Two members not shown - the guy holding the camera, and one of our Recruitment guys who is now in the Philippines supporting a recruitment trip.
I am not talking about my relative size (as you can see the pudgy fellow in stripes and glasses standing to the left), but the way HR has impacted our company in the last few years.
Hope we can see more heavyweights in action in the future...
And by the way, loving the fact that Barack Obama will now take office as the 44th president of the United States of America.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Sea Change
Hamilton is youngest F1 Champion
Iverson to Detroit for Billups, McDyess
Within today, the American electorate will elevate one man to the Presidency -- whether it will be war hero, former test pilot, and self-proclaimed maverick Sen. John McCain of Arizona, or former community organizer and neophyte Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.
I believe a sea change will happen after this election, whomsoever wins. It's not a matter of politics, it's a matter of necessity.
There are issues greater than the American economy (significant as it is, but not at all world-ending); chief of them is achieving a new equilibrium in the world order. If America is to remain the chief arbiter of world events, it better get its house in order.
Meantime, there is a sea change in the world of sports - Lewis Hamilton is the youngest champion in Formula 1 history and the first one with African roots. I've always been a Ferrari fan, but they screwed up their own title chances this year. So Lewis won this year fair and square (he should have won last year, too, but last year he was the one who choked on his lead).
In the Association, Pistons president Joe Dumars shipped 20004 Finals MVP Chauncey Billups along with starting power forward Antonio McDyess and reserve center Cheikh Samb to Denver for Allen Iverson, thus ending the era of the superstar-less team. So sad. I wish they would have succeeded again, but in the NBA, star value counts far more than it does for the other pro leagues in other sports.
While I'm rooting for Obama to win, as he is better-posed to do so than McCain, I'm more thrilled to see how both teams make adjustments. Detroit is prepared to take a step back now, so that its future will be secure, while Denver is struggling for a direction which only a true point guard can establish.
Here's to some sleepless nights waiting for the games...
Iverson to Detroit for Billups, McDyess
Within today, the American electorate will elevate one man to the Presidency -- whether it will be war hero, former test pilot, and self-proclaimed maverick Sen. John McCain of Arizona, or former community organizer and neophyte Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.
I believe a sea change will happen after this election, whomsoever wins. It's not a matter of politics, it's a matter of necessity.
There are issues greater than the American economy (significant as it is, but not at all world-ending); chief of them is achieving a new equilibrium in the world order. If America is to remain the chief arbiter of world events, it better get its house in order.
Meantime, there is a sea change in the world of sports - Lewis Hamilton is the youngest champion in Formula 1 history and the first one with African roots. I've always been a Ferrari fan, but they screwed up their own title chances this year. So Lewis won this year fair and square (he should have won last year, too, but last year he was the one who choked on his lead).
In the Association, Pistons president Joe Dumars shipped 20004 Finals MVP Chauncey Billups along with starting power forward Antonio McDyess and reserve center Cheikh Samb to Denver for Allen Iverson, thus ending the era of the superstar-less team. So sad. I wish they would have succeeded again, but in the NBA, star value counts far more than it does for the other pro leagues in other sports.
While I'm rooting for Obama to win, as he is better-posed to do so than McCain, I'm more thrilled to see how both teams make adjustments. Detroit is prepared to take a step back now, so that its future will be secure, while Denver is struggling for a direction which only a true point guard can establish.
Here's to some sleepless nights waiting for the games...
Monday, November 03, 2008
Weeping Blossoms
Funeral Blues - W. H. Auden
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone.
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.
Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling in the sky the message He is Dead,
Put crêpe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.
He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever, I was wrong.
The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun.
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.
This was already popular before John Hannah recites it in "Four Weddings and a Funeral." Just a dark day.
I'm not about to apply the mood-buster. I will revel in this dark mood to support those who have lost most dear to them. Like flowers, grief is something we can freely partake; a state that we never run out of.
In time, it should blossom and we will find a source of joy.
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone.
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.
Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling in the sky the message He is Dead,
Put crêpe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.
He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever, I was wrong.
The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun.
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.
This was already popular before John Hannah recites it in "Four Weddings and a Funeral." Just a dark day.
I'm not about to apply the mood-buster. I will revel in this dark mood to support those who have lost most dear to them. Like flowers, grief is something we can freely partake; a state that we never run out of.
In time, it should blossom and we will find a source of joy.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Worlds
There is a poignant line in the first ring of stories in "The Gunslinger" (first of the Dark Tower series by Stephen King) where Roland Deschain, the last gunslinger, is forced to make a choice - whether to pursue the Man in Black, or to leave behind his young ward, Jake Chalmers, a boy transplanted from our reality to his world.
Jake says, "Go then, there are other worlds than these."
... and from there he plunges to his death.
El DÃa de los Muertos - the Mexican expression for the Day of the Dead - is a national holiday of celebration, of mirth, in Mexico. It has, somehow, crossed the Pacific with the galleons to the Philippines, where the animistic rites and Chinese traditions also have a high reverence for those who are past. One of the most common customs is the making of elaborate altars to welcome departed spirits home. Families go to cemeteries to fix up the graves of the departed, and oftentimes vigils are held.
Filipinos have an obsession for the dead, sometimes more so than for life. In death, slates are wiped clean, and fond memories, once embittered by too much pain or too little affection, come to surface once again. A person, once fallen and clasped by the Hand of Death, undergoes beatification and becomes a saint.
It isn't really like that with me, only...
Sometimes I dream of the what-could-have-beens, lives hidden within the possibilities that were left hanging when the dearly departed pass away. Or at other times, I think about the never-weres, but still more powerful are the potentialities of the what-should-have-beens --- the events of my life that should have been the correct course were it not for crucial missteps, careless mistakes, losing struggles to venality or convention, and most of all, glaring omissions.
Of course, there are truths which are but shouldn't be, because we could do better. Or that we should do better. I can't say much for the rest, but I know this world could be a brighter place if I smiled more, or if I gave much more of myself.
There are worlds, and there are worlds of possibility. For some, the possibilities have been too palpable, too reachable, only to be stymied in the end.
It would have been great had my father lived longer, if he had not driven himself to drink in the last few years of his life. But that, too, has its own worlds of possibility - if my brother hadn't suffered a mental meltdown that would eventually become the cross our family would bear - it's frustrating to think what kind of present we would have had. My brother had always been the good son, the helpful one, the supportive one. Just thinking of what he could have been - a successful architect, for one - is so painful it could make my heart stop.
I wonder how things would have turned out had I gone on to be a lawyer on the one hand or La Salle Brother on the other...
I stopped this post just right here. I received an e-mail advice that Marcial Soriano, co-founder of SHARE and one of my mentors and "big brothers" during my high school and university days, was murdered this morning by one of his domestics. Details are sketchy.
A part of me is saying I should mourn more --- but the shock, like the shock from losing a limb, is still paramount. There is the foreknowledge that our lives could end any time, but there is also the hoping (or the denial) that it wouldn't happen to me or to anyone I knew personally. This loss is devastating --- the only way I'm protecting myself is to think of this in abstract terms.
Of course I'm just fooling myself.
Last night I lit a candle for the souls of the departed in my life and prayed for them. There is the faith that these dearly departed have gone on to a better place, and that's just it, all I can go on is that faith.
There are more worlds than these, but this world in itself, with all its beauties (and mirrored in ugliness as well), can be so fleeting if one doesn't take the life one has in hand, and, in Thoreau's terms, suck the marrow out of it. Sometimes the road is hard, and wishing is so much easier. But we do walk this road, and death is waiting at one end. I believe something else awaits on the other side, but all I can do right now is live this life as best as I can, as much as I can.
It could end a lot sooner than I would like to believe.
Jake says, "Go then, there are other worlds than these."
... and from there he plunges to his death.
El DÃa de los Muertos - the Mexican expression for the Day of the Dead - is a national holiday of celebration, of mirth, in Mexico. It has, somehow, crossed the Pacific with the galleons to the Philippines, where the animistic rites and Chinese traditions also have a high reverence for those who are past. One of the most common customs is the making of elaborate altars to welcome departed spirits home. Families go to cemeteries to fix up the graves of the departed, and oftentimes vigils are held.
Filipinos have an obsession for the dead, sometimes more so than for life. In death, slates are wiped clean, and fond memories, once embittered by too much pain or too little affection, come to surface once again. A person, once fallen and clasped by the Hand of Death, undergoes beatification and becomes a saint.
It isn't really like that with me, only...
Sometimes I dream of the what-could-have-beens, lives hidden within the possibilities that were left hanging when the dearly departed pass away. Or at other times, I think about the never-weres, but still more powerful are the potentialities of the what-should-have-beens --- the events of my life that should have been the correct course were it not for crucial missteps, careless mistakes, losing struggles to venality or convention, and most of all, glaring omissions.
Of course, there are truths which are but shouldn't be, because we could do better. Or that we should do better. I can't say much for the rest, but I know this world could be a brighter place if I smiled more, or if I gave much more of myself.
There are worlds, and there are worlds of possibility. For some, the possibilities have been too palpable, too reachable, only to be stymied in the end.
It would have been great had my father lived longer, if he had not driven himself to drink in the last few years of his life. But that, too, has its own worlds of possibility - if my brother hadn't suffered a mental meltdown that would eventually become the cross our family would bear - it's frustrating to think what kind of present we would have had. My brother had always been the good son, the helpful one, the supportive one. Just thinking of what he could have been - a successful architect, for one - is so painful it could make my heart stop.
I wonder how things would have turned out had I gone on to be a lawyer on the one hand or La Salle Brother on the other...
I stopped this post just right here. I received an e-mail advice that Marcial Soriano, co-founder of SHARE and one of my mentors and "big brothers" during my high school and university days, was murdered this morning by one of his domestics. Details are sketchy.
A part of me is saying I should mourn more --- but the shock, like the shock from losing a limb, is still paramount. There is the foreknowledge that our lives could end any time, but there is also the hoping (or the denial) that it wouldn't happen to me or to anyone I knew personally. This loss is devastating --- the only way I'm protecting myself is to think of this in abstract terms.
Of course I'm just fooling myself.
Last night I lit a candle for the souls of the departed in my life and prayed for them. There is the faith that these dearly departed have gone on to a better place, and that's just it, all I can go on is that faith.
There are more worlds than these, but this world in itself, with all its beauties (and mirrored in ugliness as well), can be so fleeting if one doesn't take the life one has in hand, and, in Thoreau's terms, suck the marrow out of it. Sometimes the road is hard, and wishing is so much easier. But we do walk this road, and death is waiting at one end. I believe something else awaits on the other side, but all I can do right now is live this life as best as I can, as much as I can.
It could end a lot sooner than I would like to believe.
Who'd Win in 'Pinas?
This is a cross-post, originally posted in Jessica Zafra's blog, in response to her question, "Who would receive the Filipino vote, Obama or McCain?"
My response, with a few additions ---
Obama will win the election in the Philippines. Obama is masa, McCain is snotty, rich, and most of all, old. Even if someone would say, “Ayoko sa negro” more would say, “Ayoko sa amoy-lupa!”
Obama is populist, a publicity-hogger, and he is far more entertaining on-screen than McCain. His minuses would be: he would lose the endorsement of the bishops, the businessmen (who love the O&O industry)., and probably a segment of the Fil-foreigns. Pinoys look more on the messenger than the message - look, we’ve lapped up Ronald Reagan and as a nation, could “forgive” Bill Clinton. Obama has macho value.
Obama also has more cash! Did you hear how much he spent on that infomercial that almost locked in all the major networks to broadcast his message? A guy who is willing to throw away that much money on his media campaign could probably, ehem, share the wealth a little to his poorer brown brothers.
I disagree with those who say the Pinoys would vote McCain because he is white. The American-based Pinoys, yes. The common Pinoys, who are looking for someone who poses more of a sympathetic figure, would go for Obama. I’ll mention one other thing here that will swing the race for Obama — going by the political yardstick, he would also win over the INC vote.
Obama wins the sportsmen, the tambays, the noontime-show crowd, the telenovela crowd, you name it. The guy can entertain.
On the other hand, he loses points among the semi-educated who pretend that they can see through his overspending, hyper-gimmicked, celebrity-filled campaign. And what it means to the kind of government he will have - more taxes, more welfare, etc. McCain is the smart vote daw. Yeah, they said that about Salonga too, and look what happened to him.
Joe Biden is a liability to Obama - he’s a traditional politician, he appears to be snobbish, run-of-the mill, someone who comes from a small state, and in most perceptions, a specialist who could only talk politics but can’t do much else. Those guys never win big-time elections (and Biden’s record in the primaries shows exactly that). Hillary would have been the slam-dunk choice (if we are talking Filipinos, of course.) Naturally, Obama wouldn’t pick Hillary - otherwise, he might end up just like JFK (knock on wood!).
Other thoughts … If we can split the ticket, Palin would win hands down. All she has to do is carry a tune, show some legs and cleavage, and sound somewhat intelligent and controversial at the same time. Look, we are still swallowing the dollop Miriam Santiago doles out. Palin is a reminder of the young GMA --- supporting a trapo, carrying some political capital, has some popular appeal... maybe she and GMA can be really, really, close. Scary.
I would say Palin would even have better chances to win the election than Obama, if they went head-to-head in the Philippines. Golly, that would be a natural disaster.
My response, with a few additions ---
Obama will win the election in the Philippines. Obama is masa, McCain is snotty, rich, and most of all, old. Even if someone would say, “Ayoko sa negro” more would say, “Ayoko sa amoy-lupa!”
Obama is populist, a publicity-hogger, and he is far more entertaining on-screen than McCain. His minuses would be: he would lose the endorsement of the bishops, the businessmen (who love the O&O industry)., and probably a segment of the Fil-foreigns. Pinoys look more on the messenger than the message - look, we’ve lapped up Ronald Reagan and as a nation, could “forgive” Bill Clinton. Obama has macho value.
Obama also has more cash! Did you hear how much he spent on that infomercial that almost locked in all the major networks to broadcast his message? A guy who is willing to throw away that much money on his media campaign could probably, ehem, share the wealth a little to his poorer brown brothers.
I disagree with those who say the Pinoys would vote McCain because he is white. The American-based Pinoys, yes. The common Pinoys, who are looking for someone who poses more of a sympathetic figure, would go for Obama. I’ll mention one other thing here that will swing the race for Obama — going by the political yardstick, he would also win over the INC vote.
Obama wins the sportsmen, the tambays, the noontime-show crowd, the telenovela crowd, you name it. The guy can entertain.
On the other hand, he loses points among the semi-educated who pretend that they can see through his overspending, hyper-gimmicked, celebrity-filled campaign. And what it means to the kind of government he will have - more taxes, more welfare, etc. McCain is the smart vote daw. Yeah, they said that about Salonga too, and look what happened to him.
Joe Biden is a liability to Obama - he’s a traditional politician, he appears to be snobbish, run-of-the mill, someone who comes from a small state, and in most perceptions, a specialist who could only talk politics but can’t do much else. Those guys never win big-time elections (and Biden’s record in the primaries shows exactly that). Hillary would have been the slam-dunk choice (if we are talking Filipinos, of course.) Naturally, Obama wouldn’t pick Hillary - otherwise, he might end up just like JFK (knock on wood!).
Other thoughts … If we can split the ticket, Palin would win hands down. All she has to do is carry a tune, show some legs and cleavage, and sound somewhat intelligent and controversial at the same time. Look, we are still swallowing the dollop Miriam Santiago doles out. Palin is a reminder of the young GMA --- supporting a trapo, carrying some political capital, has some popular appeal... maybe she and GMA can be really, really, close. Scary.
I would say Palin would even have better chances to win the election than Obama, if they went head-to-head in the Philippines. Golly, that would be a natural disaster.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Something to Look Forward to...
Sample Chapter: A Dance With Dragons by George R. R. Martin
I just hope this book will be worth the wait. Good thing I haven't been reading A Song of Ice and Fire as long as other fans have; otherwise I'd be pulling out my hairs by now.
Witness - Robert Jordan passed away before the last book of The Eye of the World series was released. And I was starting to hate the series by the release of the eighth book (and continued grotesquely in the next two volumes). Book 11 was a recovery, but I don't know if the writer the estate hired to finish A Memory of Light would be able to match Jordan's effort.
Keeping the fingers crossed.
I just hope this book will be worth the wait. Good thing I haven't been reading A Song of Ice and Fire as long as other fans have; otherwise I'd be pulling out my hairs by now.
Witness - Robert Jordan passed away before the last book of The Eye of the World series was released. And I was starting to hate the series by the release of the eighth book (and continued grotesquely in the next two volumes). Book 11 was a recovery, but I don't know if the writer the estate hired to finish A Memory of Light would be able to match Jordan's effort.
Keeping the fingers crossed.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Pop Quiz!
Something I haven't done in quite a while...
You Will Die at Age 79 |
 You're pretty average when it comes to how you live... And how you'll die as well. |
You Are Emerald Green |
 Deep and mysterious, it often seems like no one truly gets you. Inside, you are very emotional and moody - though you don't let it show. People usually have a strong reaction to you... profound love or deep hate. But you can even get those who hate you to come around. There's something naturally harmonious about you. |
Saturday, October 11, 2008
13,155
SWEET BABY JAMES
(James Taylor)
There is a young cowboy, he lives on the range
His horse and his cattle are his only companions
He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyons
Waiting for summer, his pastures to change
And as the moon rises he sits by his fire
Thinking about women and glasses of beer
And closing his eyes as the doggies retire
He sings out a song which is soft but it's clear
As if maybe someone could hear
Goodnight you moonlight ladies
Rockabye sweet baby James
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose
Won't you let me go down in my dreams
And rockabye sweet baby James
Now the first of December was covered with snow
And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston
Lord, the Berkshires seemed dream-like on account of that frosting
With ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go
There's a song that they sing when they take to the highway
A song that they sing when they take to the sea
A song that they sing of their home in the sky
Maybe you can believe it if it helps you to sleep
But singing works just fine for me
So...goodnight you moonlight ladies
Rockabye sweet baby James
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose
Won't you let me go down in my dreams
And rockabye sweet baby James
Well, this isn't about the number of days since this song was released, but it does come close.
It isn't the monthly salary I first drew when I realized that I was really, really, really a bad employee (I made somewhat more, but as it goes with salaries, they are never enough...)
On the fact of it, in the scale of things, the number is less likely to be remembered because it isn't even a prime number (13,155 is divisible by 3 and 5).
As of today, these are the number of days that I have been living. We keep on thinking about the fortunes that we are about to make, but this is a treasure that may not just add up, no matter how we try --- the finite value of our lives.
For some who have much in this world - it just shows that no matter how much your estimated worth increases, there isn't much to add to your life, especially if you're throwing it away following your career.
For others who have much, much less - while it can be said that time is the great equalizer, it all makes the good times more precious than they seem to be.
For those like me, it's a gritty reminder about the sacrifices we have to make, though it's not much of a sacrifice when I can fill my world with just about any diversion I can afford. Still, the clock is ticking on the time I should be spending on parenting, the meter is on and it keeps on piling a value I can never recoup or ever pay for.
The timer is on and there is no answer for me but to accept the circumstances into which I have put myself. And to accept and value the self that is the result of these circumstances. In time, time that I may never seem to have, the road I tread will show me that which I seek ---
So for the while, I will rock myself to sleep and please, please, don't let me go down in my dreams.
(James Taylor)
There is a young cowboy, he lives on the range
His horse and his cattle are his only companions
He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyons
Waiting for summer, his pastures to change
And as the moon rises he sits by his fire
Thinking about women and glasses of beer
And closing his eyes as the doggies retire
He sings out a song which is soft but it's clear
As if maybe someone could hear
Goodnight you moonlight ladies
Rockabye sweet baby James
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose
Won't you let me go down in my dreams
And rockabye sweet baby James
Now the first of December was covered with snow
And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston
Lord, the Berkshires seemed dream-like on account of that frosting
With ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go
There's a song that they sing when they take to the highway
A song that they sing when they take to the sea
A song that they sing of their home in the sky
Maybe you can believe it if it helps you to sleep
But singing works just fine for me
So...goodnight you moonlight ladies
Rockabye sweet baby James
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose
Won't you let me go down in my dreams
And rockabye sweet baby James
Well, this isn't about the number of days since this song was released, but it does come close.
It isn't the monthly salary I first drew when I realized that I was really, really, really a bad employee (I made somewhat more, but as it goes with salaries, they are never enough...)
On the fact of it, in the scale of things, the number is less likely to be remembered because it isn't even a prime number (13,155 is divisible by 3 and 5).
As of today, these are the number of days that I have been living. We keep on thinking about the fortunes that we are about to make, but this is a treasure that may not just add up, no matter how we try --- the finite value of our lives.
For some who have much in this world - it just shows that no matter how much your estimated worth increases, there isn't much to add to your life, especially if you're throwing it away following your career.
For others who have much, much less - while it can be said that time is the great equalizer, it all makes the good times more precious than they seem to be.
For those like me, it's a gritty reminder about the sacrifices we have to make, though it's not much of a sacrifice when I can fill my world with just about any diversion I can afford. Still, the clock is ticking on the time I should be spending on parenting, the meter is on and it keeps on piling a value I can never recoup or ever pay for.
The timer is on and there is no answer for me but to accept the circumstances into which I have put myself. And to accept and value the self that is the result of these circumstances. In time, time that I may never seem to have, the road I tread will show me that which I seek ---
So for the while, I will rock myself to sleep and please, please, don't let me go down in my dreams.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
No Restitution
Teehankee goes free
I didn't follow this case when it hit the papers --- at that time sensational crimes of passion were rather du jour and the Hultman-Chapman slaying, however tawdry it was, was, well, little more than a soap opera.
The whole affair, given the slam-dunk guilty verdict, lacked the machina, the driving force that would make people go up in arms. It was rich people killing rich people --- and despite the tabloid material, the motive provided showed the victims as more venal, less tragic figures than those of bad melodrama.
But still. Whether or not she had a death wish, or put herself at risk by associating herself with her eventual murderer, Maureen Hultman did not deserve to be gunned down while begging for her life, a sacrifice to irrational jealousy and uncontrolled pride.
Now this - I can point out to many of the symptoms of the moral bankruptcy of the current administration of the Philippines, but this, this pardon and release takes the cake. See, I don't believe in the death penalty, but neither am I a believer in forgiveness without restitution.
They couldn't even put him in jail for the number of years his victims lived on this earth, the lives he stole away. And for what? So that the President wins a few points from the press? So that political debts can be paid?
Of course, not everything revolves around politics or the need to please political barons. Maybe there is justice, maybe there are glorious epiphanies spinning left and right around the person of a freed man. Maybe he has been transformed.
There are loopholes in the system, loopholes that can be twisted to the advantage of the learned and the sly, and most importantly, the rich. The system could have stopped it. But it didn't.
The bigger question it, could it, with a moral bank account so bereft even 20 bailouts won't even make a dent?
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Overheard
It's late in the evening on this my nth birthday. As I sit back and relax, knowing nothing will come about with moping, I'm just glad that there is still some fun to be had in this life.
Scene 1
One of my colleagues went on his morning jog during the long Ramadan Eid holiday and since he was out of the exercise habit for the past few months, he was literally out of gas by the time he was back in downtown Khobar (he lives some blocks away from the city center). A Saudi in a swanky sedan stops by before him and asks him where the Rahmaniyah mall is. Since the fellow asked nicely, he found nothing amiss and even offered to get in the car and lead the way.
(Now, getting into a stranger's car in Saudi Arabia is a major no-no, especially if the driver is a Saudi or Pakistani, as even heterosexual men are not guaranteed immunity from sexual assault.)
By the time they got to the mall, the driver fielded another question, a specific corner somewhere off 1st street. As soon as they round the street to that corner, my colleague spotted an overtly homosexual Filipino waiting there. Before he could show his dismay at the turn of events, he pressed the proverbial panic button and asked to be let down.
We couldn't help ribbing him about helping to pimp a fellow Filipino.
Scene 2
Three of us buddies had nowhere to go during the long Eid break so we went on a joyride along the causeway to Bahrain. At least there was some sightseeing to be done, and we could while away the time pretending we were not in the Middle East.
Well, we did land in some other part of Asia - the Indian subcontinent. The causeway checkpoint area was literally choked with Bangladeshis --- with a smattering of some Arabs and (if any) a few Filipino families. It was a disaster. Had I known this, I would have thought of going to Halfmoon Beach.
The second part of this story is very much like the first --- after the longest time to find a parking space (I even fell asleep during this wait), we got out and went to the Kudu outlet (Mickey D's was full to almost bursting). I was ordering for the three of us when I felt a hand brush against my left butt cheek. I first thought that someone would make a play for my wallet --- but this someone had other ideas, apparently.
Beside me was a disheveled Saudi who had obviously too many drinks or had too many puffs of shisha. He ordered a bottle of mineral water, (which was only SR2 at the place), and made an obvious hand gesture pertaining to sex on the counter. I was too dumbfounded to even get angry. (Oh, the horror of it all! HAHAHAHAHA!) While paying the bill, he flipped through his wad of bills (mostly fifties, the cheapskate!) as if I would bite on his line. I really wanted to pull out my wallet and show him my wad of two-hundreds, but that would be pushing it. Eventually the schmuck saw he had no opening and gave up.
I gotta stop wearing these form-fitting shirts, but I just can't --- I've gained 20 pounds in the last three months! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Scene 3
This story is from an earlier incident within the month of Ramadan. I was late for the practice of our kids' concert, and I flagged down a cab to get to our headquarters. As per my custom, I sat in the front seat, and I knew from the beginning I was in for a rough (if short) ride.
Some Pakistanis and Indians take pride in their potency by NOT taking showers regularly. In this driver's case, he must have been at it for at least a month. The blast of musk from him was like a vibranium shield. WHACK! --- the odor from him came wave after wave. He smelled like the inside seam of my underwear after a horribly sweaty day. He WAS the lining of my underwear with the way he smelled.
The bad thing was that we were held up a few minutes by traffic and only good manners (and a really hot afternoon) prevented me from opening the window. Speaking of underwear...the only way I could bring myself to tolerate the smell was by pretending that the smell permeating throughout the cab was from one, hot, steaming female sex organ.
(Sub-tangent point: their theory has been proven! Not taking showers = getting people to think about sex! HAHAHAHAHAHA!)
I was so grateful I got off the cab I even thought of giving the driver a tip. Those seven-odd minutes were among the longest in my life.
I wonder if I'll remember the guy the next time I'll have sex (yuck!).
Scene 4
Some memory of India - rain had come and some portions of the new airport road in Pune had puddles in them. I watched a fellow brush his teeth, rinse his toothbrush in the puddle water, and brush his teeth again. And oh, one of his kids was taking a crap out on that same street.
Wonderful.
Such is life --- I've never known how good I've had it until I see someone scraping his life from somewhere around the bottom of the barrel. I just peeked into the bunghole and ehem, I guess I'm happy with my lot, for now.
Happy birthday!
Scene 1
One of my colleagues went on his morning jog during the long Ramadan Eid holiday and since he was out of the exercise habit for the past few months, he was literally out of gas by the time he was back in downtown Khobar (he lives some blocks away from the city center). A Saudi in a swanky sedan stops by before him and asks him where the Rahmaniyah mall is. Since the fellow asked nicely, he found nothing amiss and even offered to get in the car and lead the way.
(Now, getting into a stranger's car in Saudi Arabia is a major no-no, especially if the driver is a Saudi or Pakistani, as even heterosexual men are not guaranteed immunity from sexual assault.)
By the time they got to the mall, the driver fielded another question, a specific corner somewhere off 1st street. As soon as they round the street to that corner, my colleague spotted an overtly homosexual Filipino waiting there. Before he could show his dismay at the turn of events, he pressed the proverbial panic button and asked to be let down.
We couldn't help ribbing him about helping to pimp a fellow Filipino.
Scene 2
Three of us buddies had nowhere to go during the long Eid break so we went on a joyride along the causeway to Bahrain. At least there was some sightseeing to be done, and we could while away the time pretending we were not in the Middle East.
Well, we did land in some other part of Asia - the Indian subcontinent. The causeway checkpoint area was literally choked with Bangladeshis --- with a smattering of some Arabs and (if any) a few Filipino families. It was a disaster. Had I known this, I would have thought of going to Halfmoon Beach.
The second part of this story is very much like the first --- after the longest time to find a parking space (I even fell asleep during this wait), we got out and went to the Kudu outlet (Mickey D's was full to almost bursting). I was ordering for the three of us when I felt a hand brush against my left butt cheek. I first thought that someone would make a play for my wallet --- but this someone had other ideas, apparently.
Beside me was a disheveled Saudi who had obviously too many drinks or had too many puffs of shisha. He ordered a bottle of mineral water, (which was only SR2 at the place), and made an obvious hand gesture pertaining to sex on the counter. I was too dumbfounded to even get angry. (Oh, the horror of it all! HAHAHAHAHA!) While paying the bill, he flipped through his wad of bills (mostly fifties, the cheapskate!) as if I would bite on his line. I really wanted to pull out my wallet and show him my wad of two-hundreds, but that would be pushing it. Eventually the schmuck saw he had no opening and gave up.
I gotta stop wearing these form-fitting shirts, but I just can't --- I've gained 20 pounds in the last three months! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Scene 3
This story is from an earlier incident within the month of Ramadan. I was late for the practice of our kids' concert, and I flagged down a cab to get to our headquarters. As per my custom, I sat in the front seat, and I knew from the beginning I was in for a rough (if short) ride.
Some Pakistanis and Indians take pride in their potency by NOT taking showers regularly. In this driver's case, he must have been at it for at least a month. The blast of musk from him was like a vibranium shield. WHACK! --- the odor from him came wave after wave. He smelled like the inside seam of my underwear after a horribly sweaty day. He WAS the lining of my underwear with the way he smelled.
The bad thing was that we were held up a few minutes by traffic and only good manners (and a really hot afternoon) prevented me from opening the window. Speaking of underwear...the only way I could bring myself to tolerate the smell was by pretending that the smell permeating throughout the cab was from one, hot, steaming female sex organ.
(Sub-tangent point: their theory has been proven! Not taking showers = getting people to think about sex! HAHAHAHAHAHA!)
I was so grateful I got off the cab I even thought of giving the driver a tip. Those seven-odd minutes were among the longest in my life.
I wonder if I'll remember the guy the next time I'll have sex (yuck!).
Scene 4
Some memory of India - rain had come and some portions of the new airport road in Pune had puddles in them. I watched a fellow brush his teeth, rinse his toothbrush in the puddle water, and brush his teeth again. And oh, one of his kids was taking a crap out on that same street.
Wonderful.
Such is life --- I've never known how good I've had it until I see someone scraping his life from somewhere around the bottom of the barrel. I just peeked into the bunghole and ehem, I guess I'm happy with my lot, for now.
Happy birthday!
Friday, October 03, 2008
Just Another One of Those Days
RUBY TUESDAY
(The Rolling Stones)
She would never say where she came from
Yesterday don't matter if it's gone
While the sun is bright
Or in the darkest night
No one knows
She comes and goes
Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday
Who could hang a name on you?
When you change with every new day
Still I'm gonna miss you...
Don't question why she needs to be so free
She'll tell you its the only way to be
She just can't be chained
To a life where nothing's gained
And nothing's lost
At such a cost
There's no time to lose, I heard her say
Catch your dreams before they slip away
Dying all the time
Lose your dreams
And you will lose your mind.
Ain't life unkind?
Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday
Who could hang a name on you?
When you change with every new day
Still I'm gonna miss you...
(Note: What with the demise of our free connection in the flat, am left to have later posts with earlier post dates. Cannot be helped, unless I pay!)
The smiles are wide, and the blast of the stage lights blaze a warm glow into the photographs as the performers and their families pose for the camera.
The fathers buckle down to work in dismantling the set - thankful for the lack of necessity to do more than usual as another community group volunteers to take down our decorations since they would re-use our set-up.
I peer into the eyes of the newly-initiated, suffused with an inner light of both relief and triumph. Relief that the fears did not come true. Triumph at having gone through what they have done. They are an object lesson in the challenges of life ---that the living is all about NOW. I hope time and consequence will not dim the light that is within them.
These children are truly the light of the world precisely because they are young and have the power of dreams in them. There is always the seed of darkness --- doubt and anger and self-loathing --- doing nothing perpetuates all of these. But it does take energy and effort for us to bring forth light. The Stones do talk of this thing - catch your dreams before they slip away.
Confucius says, "The object of the superior man is truth." Truth is, I was somewhat awed by the effort of the kids in performing for this concert. No ifs, and no buts. If I had to do this all over again, I would of course want to do better. But as it is, I am happy with what they have accomplished.
I am, however, disappointed at the level which this performance connects with me.
I am tired, awfully tired of doing this. It breaks my heart to say so, but I am burdened with the realization that I am struggling to find meaning with what I am doing in this organization. This isn't necessarily a bad thing --- what's done is done and the past, while meaningful, is conveniently, well, past.
I love the kids. I always will, and part of me breaks when the times pass and we must move on. Perhaps I will learn, in time, to heal myself. Maybe if I have my own kids.
Maybe.
Now, after all the storm and thunder of the grand presentation, it turns out to be just another one of those days.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Princely
Eid Mubarak!
In keeping with the season, I'm posting a hodgepodge of statements derived from Antoine de Saint-Exupery's The Little Prince, though some passages are paraphrased in order to make it more substantial in Filipino. It was intended to be delivered before an audience for a Closed-Eye Process.
Alam ninyo, kay tagal ko nang gusto kayong kausapin. Siguro sa ngayon hindi pa ninyo ako kilala. Hindi naman mahalaga talaga ang aking pagkatao, pero baka magtaka naman kayo at sino naman ang kumakausap sa inyo. Tawagin na lang ninyo akong Munting Prinsipe, pero hindi naman dahil sa maliit ako ngunit sa dahilang naghahari ako sa napakaliit na planeta sa kalawakan. Minsan, napadpad ako dito sa inyong mundo. Marami akong nakilala at nakita, at marami rin akong nalaman ukol sa inyo, mga tao. Sana, hayaan ninyo akong magkuwento. Kaunting panahon lang, kaunting oras ng iyong pakikinig.
Siguro, sasabihin ninyo, sino ba itong nanghihimasok sa amin? Ganyan na nga ang gusto kong ipaliwanag sa inyo. Minsan kasi, napansin kong napakatigas ng ulo ng tao, kahit wala siyang kaalaman, nagmamalinis at nagmamarunong. Ngunit, sa katotohanan, hindi naiintindihan ng tao ang tunay na kahulugan ng kay raming bagay. Masyadong nakatuon sa mga pigura at sa mga numero. Tingnan mo lang kapag sinabi mong mayroon kang nakitang bahay na napakaganda at may malawak na hardin at malinis na pader kung paniniwalaan ka o bibigyan ng pansin. Ngunit kung sasabihin mong nakakita ka ng bahay na nagkakahalagang limang milyong piso, aba'y sasang-ayon sila sa sinabi mo't tatanungin ka pang, "Nasaan ang bahay na iyon?"
Ganoon din sa tao. Hindi naitatanong kung mabait at tapat ang iyong kaibigan, at kung malinis ang kanyang pagkatao, ngunit ang itatanong sa iyo kung pang-ilan siya sa pamilya, sino ang kanyang pamilya, kung saan siya nanggaling at kung ano ang kanyang trabaho. Kung ibibigay mo ang kasagutan nais nilang marinig, hindi na sila magtatanong.
Maraming nang nakalimutan ang tao dito sa mundo. Isa na dito ang bisa ng pagsasama. Ito ang mga tipong nagsasaad ng mabuting pakikitungo at pakikisama ng tao sa kanyang kapwa. Ang isa pa ay ang ritwal at rito, na siyang tumatawag at humahalina sa tao upang pagtibayin ang kanilang pagsasama. May ritwal tayo tulad ng pakikinig, ng pagsasalita nang may paggalang sa iba, at nang pakikiramdam sa pangangailangan ng iba. Wala tayong matatamo kung wala tayong kusang makisama sa iba. Ngunit, wala ring halaga ang ritwal kung pagmamalasakit ay kulang. Walang halaga ang buhay kung walang tunay na pagmamahal.
Kaya naman siguro hindi na nakikialam ang tao sa isa't isa, nag-iisip ang karamihan na masyado silang importante. Siguro, ang akala ng tao ay napakahalaga nila dito sa mundo, kesyo malaking lugar ang nagagamit ng bawat isa. Sa totoo lang, mapagsasama-sama natin ang anim na bilyong tao sa isang napakalaking plasa sa kahit anumang malaking siyudad. Kung tatayo lamang ang lahat, magkakasya ang lahat ng tao sa lugar na mayroon sukat na 30 milya pahaba at 40 milya palapad. Magkakasya ang buong sangkatauhan sa isang maliit na pulo sa gitna ng dagat Pasipiko.
O, e ano ngayon? E ano nga kung sa totoo lang ang tunay nating halaga ay nakasalalay din minsan sa ibang tao. E ano nga rin na kinakailangan din natin ang iba? Maaari nating tulungan ang isa't isa, hindi ba? Paano? Simple, makinig tayo. Bigyan natin ng kahalagahan ang bawat isa. Amuin natin ang isa't isa. Mapapaamo natin ang isang tao sa atin sa pagiging maaalahanin, sa pagiging maunawain, sa pagiging mapagmahal, hindi dahil mayroon tayong makukuha sa kanya, ngunit dahil siya ay taong may halaga tulad natin.
Ang mga bagay na napaamo ng isang tao, ang mga bagay na binibigyan niya ng halaga, ang siya lamang niyang nauunawaang tunay. Ngunit palaging gahol sa oras ang tao para umunawa ng kahit anuman. Binibili na kasing yari na ang mga bagay sa mga tindahan. Pero hindi ka naman makabibili ng pagkakaibigan at pagmamahal sa anumang tindahan sa buong mundo, kaya nagkukulang na ang mga tao sa tunay na kaibigan. Kung naghahanap ka ng kaibigan, paamuin mo ako. Paamuin ninyo ang isa't-isa sa inyo. Narito na kayo lahat, mga taong nangangailangan at nagtataglay ng tunay na pag-ibig.
Sa paggamit ng puso't pakiramadam mo lamang makikita ang tunay na halaga ng isang bagay, sapagkat ang mga pinakamahalagang bagay ay hindi mababatid ng ating paningin. Sabihin nating maihahambing mo ang isang tao sa isang rosas, na mahina at madaling masaktan, na kailangan ng maasikasong pangangalaga. Paamuin mo ang isang rosas. Mahalin mo ito. Ikaw ay may tungkulin sa lahat ng bagay na iyong napaamo. Sapagkat napaamo mo ang isang rosas, ikaw ay may tungkulin para sa kapakanan nito.
At sabihin din nating namumunga lamang ang rosas na ito sa isang sulok ng kalawakan, at dahil mahal mo talaga ang rosas na iyon, sapat na siguro sa iyo ang pagmasdan lamang ang mga bituin sa kalangitan. Sasabihin mo sa iyong sarili, "Naroroon ang aking bulaklak sa kalawakan..." Ngunit, kung nakain ng isang tupa ang bulaklak, anong mangyayari sa iyo? Hindi ba maglalaho ang liwanag ng lahat ng bituin para sa iyo? Ganito rin ang halaga ng iyong pag-ibig para sa iba. Maganda, ngunit dapat nating alagaan.
Ngunit huwag na huwag ninyong kalimutan ang inyong tungkulin sa inyong sarili, at baka maabala kayo ng tuluyan sa iba. Sapagkat sa huli, ikaw lamang ang makapagsasabi na ika'y mayroong nagawa. Samakatwid, titimbangin mo ang iyong sariling iyong pagkatao, ang iyong halaga. Ang gawin ito ay ang napakahirap para sa marami. Mas mabigat na pasanin ang husgaan ang sarili kaysa na ang magbigay ng pasya ukol sa iba. Kung karapat-dapat ang sukat mo sa iyong sarili, malaki na ang nagawa mo.
E di saan tayo ngayon tutungo? Kayo ang bahala, kayo naman ang may kapangyarihang humubog sa inyong kinabukasan. Wari ang aking mga salita ay munting paalala lamang, tulad ng aking pangalan. Pansinin ninyo ang inyong kapaligiran, pansinin ninyo ang inyong mga sarili. Mabuksan sana ang inyong mga puso sa pagmamahal. Pakinggan natin ang taginting ng mundo.
In keeping with the season, I'm posting a hodgepodge of statements derived from Antoine de Saint-Exupery's The Little Prince, though some passages are paraphrased in order to make it more substantial in Filipino. It was intended to be delivered before an audience for a Closed-Eye Process.
Alam ninyo, kay tagal ko nang gusto kayong kausapin. Siguro sa ngayon hindi pa ninyo ako kilala. Hindi naman mahalaga talaga ang aking pagkatao, pero baka magtaka naman kayo at sino naman ang kumakausap sa inyo. Tawagin na lang ninyo akong Munting Prinsipe, pero hindi naman dahil sa maliit ako ngunit sa dahilang naghahari ako sa napakaliit na planeta sa kalawakan. Minsan, napadpad ako dito sa inyong mundo. Marami akong nakilala at nakita, at marami rin akong nalaman ukol sa inyo, mga tao. Sana, hayaan ninyo akong magkuwento. Kaunting panahon lang, kaunting oras ng iyong pakikinig.
Siguro, sasabihin ninyo, sino ba itong nanghihimasok sa amin? Ganyan na nga ang gusto kong ipaliwanag sa inyo. Minsan kasi, napansin kong napakatigas ng ulo ng tao, kahit wala siyang kaalaman, nagmamalinis at nagmamarunong. Ngunit, sa katotohanan, hindi naiintindihan ng tao ang tunay na kahulugan ng kay raming bagay. Masyadong nakatuon sa mga pigura at sa mga numero. Tingnan mo lang kapag sinabi mong mayroon kang nakitang bahay na napakaganda at may malawak na hardin at malinis na pader kung paniniwalaan ka o bibigyan ng pansin. Ngunit kung sasabihin mong nakakita ka ng bahay na nagkakahalagang limang milyong piso, aba'y sasang-ayon sila sa sinabi mo't tatanungin ka pang, "Nasaan ang bahay na iyon?"
Ganoon din sa tao. Hindi naitatanong kung mabait at tapat ang iyong kaibigan, at kung malinis ang kanyang pagkatao, ngunit ang itatanong sa iyo kung pang-ilan siya sa pamilya, sino ang kanyang pamilya, kung saan siya nanggaling at kung ano ang kanyang trabaho. Kung ibibigay mo ang kasagutan nais nilang marinig, hindi na sila magtatanong.
Maraming nang nakalimutan ang tao dito sa mundo. Isa na dito ang bisa ng pagsasama. Ito ang mga tipong nagsasaad ng mabuting pakikitungo at pakikisama ng tao sa kanyang kapwa. Ang isa pa ay ang ritwal at rito, na siyang tumatawag at humahalina sa tao upang pagtibayin ang kanilang pagsasama. May ritwal tayo tulad ng pakikinig, ng pagsasalita nang may paggalang sa iba, at nang pakikiramdam sa pangangailangan ng iba. Wala tayong matatamo kung wala tayong kusang makisama sa iba. Ngunit, wala ring halaga ang ritwal kung pagmamalasakit ay kulang. Walang halaga ang buhay kung walang tunay na pagmamahal.
Kaya naman siguro hindi na nakikialam ang tao sa isa't isa, nag-iisip ang karamihan na masyado silang importante. Siguro, ang akala ng tao ay napakahalaga nila dito sa mundo, kesyo malaking lugar ang nagagamit ng bawat isa. Sa totoo lang, mapagsasama-sama natin ang anim na bilyong tao sa isang napakalaking plasa sa kahit anumang malaking siyudad. Kung tatayo lamang ang lahat, magkakasya ang lahat ng tao sa lugar na mayroon sukat na 30 milya pahaba at 40 milya palapad. Magkakasya ang buong sangkatauhan sa isang maliit na pulo sa gitna ng dagat Pasipiko.
O, e ano ngayon? E ano nga kung sa totoo lang ang tunay nating halaga ay nakasalalay din minsan sa ibang tao. E ano nga rin na kinakailangan din natin ang iba? Maaari nating tulungan ang isa't isa, hindi ba? Paano? Simple, makinig tayo. Bigyan natin ng kahalagahan ang bawat isa. Amuin natin ang isa't isa. Mapapaamo natin ang isang tao sa atin sa pagiging maaalahanin, sa pagiging maunawain, sa pagiging mapagmahal, hindi dahil mayroon tayong makukuha sa kanya, ngunit dahil siya ay taong may halaga tulad natin.
Ang mga bagay na napaamo ng isang tao, ang mga bagay na binibigyan niya ng halaga, ang siya lamang niyang nauunawaang tunay. Ngunit palaging gahol sa oras ang tao para umunawa ng kahit anuman. Binibili na kasing yari na ang mga bagay sa mga tindahan. Pero hindi ka naman makabibili ng pagkakaibigan at pagmamahal sa anumang tindahan sa buong mundo, kaya nagkukulang na ang mga tao sa tunay na kaibigan. Kung naghahanap ka ng kaibigan, paamuin mo ako. Paamuin ninyo ang isa't-isa sa inyo. Narito na kayo lahat, mga taong nangangailangan at nagtataglay ng tunay na pag-ibig.
Sa paggamit ng puso't pakiramadam mo lamang makikita ang tunay na halaga ng isang bagay, sapagkat ang mga pinakamahalagang bagay ay hindi mababatid ng ating paningin. Sabihin nating maihahambing mo ang isang tao sa isang rosas, na mahina at madaling masaktan, na kailangan ng maasikasong pangangalaga. Paamuin mo ang isang rosas. Mahalin mo ito. Ikaw ay may tungkulin sa lahat ng bagay na iyong napaamo. Sapagkat napaamo mo ang isang rosas, ikaw ay may tungkulin para sa kapakanan nito.
At sabihin din nating namumunga lamang ang rosas na ito sa isang sulok ng kalawakan, at dahil mahal mo talaga ang rosas na iyon, sapat na siguro sa iyo ang pagmasdan lamang ang mga bituin sa kalangitan. Sasabihin mo sa iyong sarili, "Naroroon ang aking bulaklak sa kalawakan..." Ngunit, kung nakain ng isang tupa ang bulaklak, anong mangyayari sa iyo? Hindi ba maglalaho ang liwanag ng lahat ng bituin para sa iyo? Ganito rin ang halaga ng iyong pag-ibig para sa iba. Maganda, ngunit dapat nating alagaan.
Ngunit huwag na huwag ninyong kalimutan ang inyong tungkulin sa inyong sarili, at baka maabala kayo ng tuluyan sa iba. Sapagkat sa huli, ikaw lamang ang makapagsasabi na ika'y mayroong nagawa. Samakatwid, titimbangin mo ang iyong sariling iyong pagkatao, ang iyong halaga. Ang gawin ito ay ang napakahirap para sa marami. Mas mabigat na pasanin ang husgaan ang sarili kaysa na ang magbigay ng pasya ukol sa iba. Kung karapat-dapat ang sukat mo sa iyong sarili, malaki na ang nagawa mo.
E di saan tayo ngayon tutungo? Kayo ang bahala, kayo naman ang may kapangyarihang humubog sa inyong kinabukasan. Wari ang aking mga salita ay munting paalala lamang, tulad ng aking pangalan. Pansinin ninyo ang inyong kapaligiran, pansinin ninyo ang inyong mga sarili. Mabuksan sana ang inyong mga puso sa pagmamahal. Pakinggan natin ang taginting ng mundo.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Cinematic Escape
"Don't be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends."
--- Richard Bach, "Illusions"
I finally completed watching the entire season of "Death Note" (Kuro-Hana)and it re-kindled my love for a lot of things Japanese. Shikata ga nai, it can't be helped. This fact has no relation to the rest of this post. I just had to say it; that's all. The aforementioned quote is apropos as more change comes into my life - even though I am somewhat insulated from it, as I am living here in Saudi Arabia. Every phone call, every meeting, every e-mail is proof positive that life offers a short time for us, and exacts a heavy price. The best way, then, to pay for it, is to be in the moment NOW.
Which reminds me, I just have to share my thoughts on a movie I saw on the plane from Mumbai to Bahrain last month on my way back from my India trip.. This is U ME AUR HUM (You Me & Us), directed by Ajay Devgan, topbilling himself and his wife, Kajol.
I don't know to which film this movie pays homage --- there's certainly enough fodder from movies like "The Notebook" or "50 First Dates", but somehow there's something about the movie that takes an unexpected turn which made it more memorable than either. That is, if you do like some amount of melodrama. Please read on if you do.
The first half is rather talky, and the pace was quite slow (and of course, I was on the plane, de-stressing over my travel), so I didn't pay attention to much of the dancing-musical numbers. The premise is rather simple --- a young man makes a half-serious wager with his father over how well the latter can pick up a woman. So the son chooses a middle-aged woman from a table somewhere across the restaurant and this is where the father tries to score some points.
Enter the story of Ajay and Priya. Ajay, a twenty-something psychiatrist, meets Priya, a cocktail waitress working on a cruise ship, and is promptly bowled over. With the help of his friends, Ajay woos Priya. Naturally, the girl gives him the cold shoulder. The lovestruck idiot, however, breaks into her room, reads her diary (more like a scrapbook of her hopes and dreams), and using this privileged information, gets the inside track on her heart. In saccharine fashion, Ajay is guilt-stricken and 'fesses up, and she drops him quicker than you can say "cliche!"
Somehow, they get married and this is where the fun begins... well, she doesn't get disfigured and we have to watch some Florence Nightingale tale, but it's something along the lines of the two earlier movies --- and something that tests the limits of their love. The story in itself is rather homespun, but it does have an unusual receptivity to the supporting characters, and has a much more layered take on the way men and women fall in, and out of love. Of course, the central tenet is the responsibility people take as regards the people whom they love --- do we love because we feel better about the person, or that the person needs our love?
The best moods of the movie are the dark ones --- though sometimes the visuals are rather contrived, and while there is some attempt at levity, including a misplaced music number (danced with incredible zest by Kajol, and awfully treacly at that) in the middle of the heavier dramatic sequences, the serious stuff in the movie works best.
Some of the scenes are real heartbreakers --- as someone who has a close relative dealing with mental illness can truly attest --- which again puts into focus what we value out of our relationships. How many mainstream romantic movies have you seen where the hero confesses that he’s pushed away the woman he loves because she was a millstone around his neck?
Like "The Notebook," this movie succeeds in taking the conventional themes of the genre and gives it additional texture. One warning though --- those people who have no patience for dialogue shouldn't watch it. And oh, of course, get one with good subtitles.
--- Richard Bach, "Illusions"
I finally completed watching the entire season of "Death Note" (Kuro-Hana)and it re-kindled my love for a lot of things Japanese. Shikata ga nai, it can't be helped. This fact has no relation to the rest of this post. I just had to say it; that's all. The aforementioned quote is apropos as more change comes into my life - even though I am somewhat insulated from it, as I am living here in Saudi Arabia. Every phone call, every meeting, every e-mail is proof positive that life offers a short time for us, and exacts a heavy price. The best way, then, to pay for it, is to be in the moment NOW.
Which reminds me, I just have to share my thoughts on a movie I saw on the plane from Mumbai to Bahrain last month on my way back from my India trip.. This is U ME AUR HUM (You Me & Us), directed by Ajay Devgan, topbilling himself and his wife, Kajol.
I don't know to which film this movie pays homage --- there's certainly enough fodder from movies like "The Notebook" or "50 First Dates", but somehow there's something about the movie that takes an unexpected turn which made it more memorable than either. That is, if you do like some amount of melodrama. Please read on if you do.
The first half is rather talky, and the pace was quite slow (and of course, I was on the plane, de-stressing over my travel), so I didn't pay attention to much of the dancing-musical numbers. The premise is rather simple --- a young man makes a half-serious wager with his father over how well the latter can pick up a woman. So the son chooses a middle-aged woman from a table somewhere across the restaurant and this is where the father tries to score some points.
Enter the story of Ajay and Priya. Ajay, a twenty-something psychiatrist, meets Priya, a cocktail waitress working on a cruise ship, and is promptly bowled over. With the help of his friends, Ajay woos Priya. Naturally, the girl gives him the cold shoulder. The lovestruck idiot, however, breaks into her room, reads her diary (more like a scrapbook of her hopes and dreams), and using this privileged information, gets the inside track on her heart. In saccharine fashion, Ajay is guilt-stricken and 'fesses up, and she drops him quicker than you can say "cliche!"
Somehow, they get married and this is where the fun begins... well, she doesn't get disfigured and we have to watch some Florence Nightingale tale, but it's something along the lines of the two earlier movies --- and something that tests the limits of their love. The story in itself is rather homespun, but it does have an unusual receptivity to the supporting characters, and has a much more layered take on the way men and women fall in, and out of love. Of course, the central tenet is the responsibility people take as regards the people whom they love --- do we love because we feel better about the person, or that the person needs our love?
The best moods of the movie are the dark ones --- though sometimes the visuals are rather contrived, and while there is some attempt at levity, including a misplaced music number (danced with incredible zest by Kajol, and awfully treacly at that) in the middle of the heavier dramatic sequences, the serious stuff in the movie works best.
Some of the scenes are real heartbreakers --- as someone who has a close relative dealing with mental illness can truly attest --- which again puts into focus what we value out of our relationships. How many mainstream romantic movies have you seen where the hero confesses that he’s pushed away the woman he loves because she was a millstone around his neck?
Like "The Notebook," this movie succeeds in taking the conventional themes of the genre and gives it additional texture. One warning though --- those people who have no patience for dialogue shouldn't watch it. And oh, of course, get one with good subtitles.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Puppy Power!
Dog dials 911, saves owner - CNN.com
Someone has got to love this story.
I know I do.
Underdog, anyone?
Someone has got to love this story.
I know I do.
Underdog, anyone?
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