Weng and I are off to Naga this weekend to attend a friend's wedding. It's about freaking time. You see, it took them only about 10 years before both of them decided to finally tie the knot. Just for perspective, they have been dating for maybe three years or so, before I met my then future wife. Well, at least, we know that they really thought about this very seriously. We can also rest assured that they are entering into this special contract knowing fully well all its effects and consequences, both having taken up law, and presumably familar with the Family Code. For his own health and physical integrity, I also would like to remind the groom of the significance of Art. 247 of the Revised Penal Code.
I spent the last five months or so listening to an old fart make the same old jokes about his marriage and his wife, week after week. The jokes were admittedly funny (at least for the first two times you hear them). But, when you think about it, marriage is really not so bad. Really (Granted there are others out there who will swear otherwise). Although I have to submit that he has a valid point about how the wedding ring restricts the circulation ("of the blooooood!"). Of course, when you really get tempted to take it off to uhm, permit circulation, you can always remember Art. 247, supra.
Speaking of wedding rings, after the four-hour funfest last weekend, I went to the marketplace that is SM Megamall to have my eyeglasses fixed. Weng went there later and we decided to finally have our names inscribed on our wedding rings - over three years after the fact. The delay was not deliberate on our part - we simply have not gotten around to doing it for the past three years. I was thinking to have "Oh my God, what have I done?!" inscribed, but it looked like the words wouldn't fit.
I was kidding. Really.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Monday, April 23, 2007
More Ads
I never thought I'd see a worse TV commercial than that of Mekeni Food Products, until I saw the ad for Arthro Food Supplement. Until you see it with your own two eyes, you wouldn't believe somebody would be so stupid as to show something like that on TV.
In the ad, a rather unfortunate old man, apparently in really bad shape, testifies before your very eyes how sick he is, while his pitiable condition is shown onscreen. At that point, you are expecting him to drop dead anytime soon. But no. Due to the miracle that is Arthro Food Supplement, the still unfortunate old man, obviously still in really bad shape, is next shown doing something which oddly resembles jogging (or maybe he's trying to kill himself, I can't really tell), and unconvincingly proclaims "Ayan! Ang lakas ko!"
Whoever came up with that ad, should be fired, shot and quartered, not necessarily in that order. I saw pretty horrible ads in my life - from a toothpaste ad asking the entire family "How do you brush your teeth?" to a cowboy with an unmistakable American twang asserting the efficacy of a mosquito coil in the vernacular - but this one, hands down, takes not only the freaking cake, but the entire bakery with it.
In the ad, a rather unfortunate old man, apparently in really bad shape, testifies before your very eyes how sick he is, while his pitiable condition is shown onscreen. At that point, you are expecting him to drop dead anytime soon. But no. Due to the miracle that is Arthro Food Supplement, the still unfortunate old man, obviously still in really bad shape, is next shown doing something which oddly resembles jogging (or maybe he's trying to kill himself, I can't really tell), and unconvincingly proclaims "Ayan! Ang lakas ko!"
Whoever came up with that ad, should be fired, shot and quartered, not necessarily in that order. I saw pretty horrible ads in my life - from a toothpaste ad asking the entire family "How do you brush your teeth?" to a cowboy with an unmistakable American twang asserting the efficacy of a mosquito coil in the vernacular - but this one, hands down, takes not only the freaking cake, but the entire bakery with it.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Die, Bitch, Die
"Ikaw ang kanlungan sa kahirapan/ Ikaw ang pagasa at kinabukasan/ Haplos mo ay lunas sa bawat pagal/ Ikaw ang dampi ng pagmamahal: PCSO."
There really are only a few things in TV that are a notch higher than mediocre, so you don't really expect the extraordinary, and you don't exactly turn on the tube hoping that the networks would cut down the tele-fanta-sine-seryes and whatnot, and show something intelligent for a change.
So, there are really, really very few things in TV nowadays that would arouse one's senses and stir one's blood into murderous rage.
Take for instance, PCSO's ad. This is slowly becoming to be the most annoying, infuriating, fingernails against the blackboard-type ad ever created by man. The lyrics of the song are probably the most juvenile and pathetic lines of futile attempts at basic poetry that I have ever heard in my life. Whoever came up with this shit must be high on something really very cheap. Either that or they did not have enough monkeys and typewriters.
But no, it doesn't end there. In the ad, while the band (which nobody in the country has ever heard of, but now has more airtime than Parokya ni Edgar) is adeptly demonstrating exactly why nobody has ever heard of them, GMA is portrayed in various poses of care and concern. I don't know shit about psychology, but with the lyrics of the "song" and her face together, it's almost diabolical.
There really are only a few things in TV that are a notch higher than mediocre, so you don't really expect the extraordinary, and you don't exactly turn on the tube hoping that the networks would cut down the tele-fanta-sine-seryes and whatnot, and show something intelligent for a change.
So, there are really, really very few things in TV nowadays that would arouse one's senses and stir one's blood into murderous rage.
Take for instance, PCSO's ad. This is slowly becoming to be the most annoying, infuriating, fingernails against the blackboard-type ad ever created by man. The lyrics of the song are probably the most juvenile and pathetic lines of futile attempts at basic poetry that I have ever heard in my life. Whoever came up with this shit must be high on something really very cheap. Either that or they did not have enough monkeys and typewriters.
But no, it doesn't end there. In the ad, while the band (which nobody in the country has ever heard of, but now has more airtime than Parokya ni Edgar) is adeptly demonstrating exactly why nobody has ever heard of them, GMA is portrayed in various poses of care and concern. I don't know shit about psychology, but with the lyrics of the "song" and her face together, it's almost diabolical.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Sonofabeach
Yesterday was the first day in a quite a while that I did not have to even touch a single book written by any old, dying, or dead lawyer. After the three-hour mind-numbing, harakiri-inducing exercise last Tuesday, the last thing you wanted to do was look at the text of the Civil Code. You were just grateful that the gods saw it fit to mercifully end your misery, and make the three hours gently pass into oblivion, before you can figure out whether the goddamn aquarium guy was a depositor or a bailor.
While most of our fellow masochists are enjoying the summer, or taking summer classes (why they want to subject themselves into such horror, in the only two months of the year that you can actually watch dibidis, is way beyond my comprehension), we lucky bastards still have to prepare for one more four-hour funfest and one whodafuckknows. Hopefully, all of these will come to pass before June - when succession, corpo, et. al. come along.
The good thing is I made it a point to enjoy summer at the same time as the rest of the country. Last week, Weng and I visited the folks at Gapo and spent Saturday at White Rock in Subic. I grew up five minutes away by foot from the coast of Subic Bay. It was the first time I paid any amount of money to swim in it. But, it was all good. After last Tuesday, I was able to confirm that I made the right choice. No further amount of preparation could have prepared me for that one. So, if anything, the pictures should be able to explain my grades.
While most of our fellow masochists are enjoying the summer, or taking summer classes (why they want to subject themselves into such horror, in the only two months of the year that you can actually watch dibidis, is way beyond my comprehension), we lucky bastards still have to prepare for one more four-hour funfest and one whodafuckknows. Hopefully, all of these will come to pass before June - when succession, corpo, et. al. come along.
The good thing is I made it a point to enjoy summer at the same time as the rest of the country. Last week, Weng and I visited the folks at Gapo and spent Saturday at White Rock in Subic. I grew up five minutes away by foot from the coast of Subic Bay. It was the first time I paid any amount of money to swim in it. But, it was all good. After last Tuesday, I was able to confirm that I made the right choice. No further amount of preparation could have prepared me for that one. So, if anything, the pictures should be able to explain my grades.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Granfalloons*
My old basketball team won the alumni league championship in its division two Saturdays ago. It was the team's first championship since the league's founding in 2000. For the past two years, the concurrent demands of unreasonable clients and really, unreasonable professors of the grand manner, would not permit me to join the team, and be its human victory cigar. I would have loved to be on this year's team - I would have been a champion without even breaking a sweat. Literally.
Speaking of the grand manner, three folks from Diliman made it to the top ten of the most hyped examination (probably, rightly so) in these islands. Somebody from my father's Alma Mater placed first. Good for him, and good for all of us, as well. This year's top ten, at the very least, shows that the provincial schools have enough brain cells to give Imperial Manila a run for its money. Nevertheless, I am still happy that the only two law schools I ever considered applying to are still in the list, as always.
On a related note, if you're shopping for a law school, check out if the owner also owns a car dealership. The confluence of such orthogonal factors appears to be a good incentive to prepare well for the Bar.
---
*A granfalloon, in the fictional religion of Bokononism (invented by Kurt Vonnegut in his 1963 novel Cat's Cradle), is defined as a "false karass" (imagined communities). That is, it is a group of people who outwardly choose or claim to have a shared identity or purpose, but whose mutual association is actually meaningless in terms of fulfilling God's design. The most common granfalloons are associations and societies based on a shared but ultimately fabricated premise.
- From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Speaking of the grand manner, three folks from Diliman made it to the top ten of the most hyped examination (probably, rightly so) in these islands. Somebody from my father's Alma Mater placed first. Good for him, and good for all of us, as well. This year's top ten, at the very least, shows that the provincial schools have enough brain cells to give Imperial Manila a run for its money. Nevertheless, I am still happy that the only two law schools I ever considered applying to are still in the list, as always.
On a related note, if you're shopping for a law school, check out if the owner also owns a car dealership. The confluence of such orthogonal factors appears to be a good incentive to prepare well for the Bar.
---
*A granfalloon, in the fictional religion of Bokononism (invented by Kurt Vonnegut in his 1963 novel Cat's Cradle), is defined as a "false karass" (imagined communities). That is, it is a group of people who outwardly choose or claim to have a shared identity or purpose, but whose mutual association is actually meaningless in terms of fulfilling God's design. The most common granfalloons are associations and societies based on a shared but ultimately fabricated premise.
- From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Did You Know?
Reading the Revised Internal Rules of the Sandiganbayan can actually kill off parts of your autonomous nervous system.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Orapronobis
Four exams, one paper, and one whodafuckknows, and my second year in hell is over. Woohoo! Three more to go!
Pretty soon, I'll be missing all the things that make life in Malcolm, oh-so-fun!Hint: We dont need no thought control; No dark sarcasm in the classroom...
Right now I am praying that I can motivate myself to prepare for the upcoming exams like hell.Who am I kidding? I should be reading Crim Pro now - no check that -I should be reading Crim Pro yesterday. I really, honestly want to do well. Oh God, please give me a 3.
The thing is, I have been doing this for two years now and somehow, it always feels like the first time.Yeah, I wish all things are like that. You enter the room and you almost, always feel, that you could have probably prepared more. Yep, like I could have memorized the fucking textbook. I probably need to learn to relax some more.
Speaking of relaxing, we can breathe easy now because we were allowed to take one of the exams on a separate date. This, after the other blocksmindlessly refused to move the date, after the professor announced that she's willing to have it moved to after the Holy Week. Of course, after we were able to get the professor's permission, and after we wrote a Palanca-worthy letter to her (I'll give you one shot to guess who wrote the magnificent letter), some blocks now want to join us. Well, sure. It's a free country. Lookie here, weren't you fuckers planning on taking it this week? What? You're not "well-equipped?" Then, WHYTHEFUCK did you want to take it this week in the first fucking place?!
Pretty soon, I'll be missing all the things that make life in Malcolm, oh-so-fun!
Right now I am praying that I can motivate myself to prepare for the upcoming exams like hell.
The thing is, I have been doing this for two years now and somehow, it always feels like the first time.
Speaking of relaxing, we can breathe easy now because we were allowed to take one of the exams on a separate date. This, after the other blocks
Monday, March 19, 2007
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Legalized Larceny
Once Confucius was walking on the mountains and he came across a woman weeping by a grave. He asked the woman what her sorrow was, and she replied, "We are a family of hunters. My father was eaten by a tiger. My husband was bitten by a tiger and died. And now my only son!" "Why don't you move down and live in the valley? Why do you continue to live up here?" asked Confucius. And the woman replied, "But sir, there are no tax collectors here!" Confucius added to his disciples, "You see, a bad government is more to be feared than tigers."
- Lin Yutang
I just saw my payslip today. Consequently, I also realized that I made the right decision by enrolling at the State University. At least, (1) I know that my taxes are well spent (read: spent on me), and (2) I know that I am getting my money's worth (I think).
Why is this suddenly so important? Well for one, I want a Macbook. But, I cannot get one right now. I also want a PS3. And an iPod Nano. Nevermind the Civic.
It is the election period, after all. And if we are not vigilant, and we are most definitely not, I am pretty sure that bad people (Joker will make you lagot!) can find plenty of ingenious and creative ways of funneling money from the National Treasury to Garci's best friend's efforts at achieving "Unity," if you get my drift. In the not so distant past, even agriculture secretaries have been known to allocate your and my taxes to things totally and absolutely unrelated to planting rice.
Word is, even the Comelec is short on kerosene nowadays. But, that's another story.
Oh, and Pacquiao has an upcoming bout. So, we also might be paying for the airfares and allowances of some honorable representatives of the people who may be attending some Filipino-American conference somewhere near San Antonio, TX sometime mid-April, without us even knowing about it. And if the Pacman is not thinking too much about dislodging a known opposition member from the House during the bout, we might be blessed yet again, of (1) the sight of Chavit on top of the ring, and (2) of the sound of that voice, which no Filipino, other than the Press Secretary and members of the President's immediate family, will mistake for other than that of the most-hated woman in the history of this country, eerily speaking through the din, "Hello Manny?"
- Lin Yutang
I just saw my payslip today. Consequently, I also realized that I made the right decision by enrolling at the State University. At least, (1) I know that my taxes are well spent (read: spent on me), and (2) I know that I am getting my money's worth (I think).
Why is this suddenly so important? Well for one, I want a Macbook. But, I cannot get one right now. I also want a PS3. And an iPod Nano. Nevermind the Civic.
It is the election period, after all. And if we are not vigilant, and we are most definitely not, I am pretty sure that bad people (Joker will make you lagot!) can find plenty of ingenious and creative ways of funneling money from the National Treasury to Garci's best friend's efforts at achieving "Unity," if you get my drift. In the not so distant past, even agriculture secretaries have been known to allocate your and my taxes to things totally and absolutely unrelated to planting rice.
Word is, even the Comelec is short on kerosene nowadays. But, that's another story.
Oh, and Pacquiao has an upcoming bout. So, we also might be paying for the airfares and allowances of some honorable representatives of the people who may be attending some Filipino-American conference somewhere near San Antonio, TX sometime mid-April, without us even knowing about it. And if the Pacman is not thinking too much about dislodging a known opposition member from the House during the bout, we might be blessed yet again, of (1) the sight of Chavit on top of the ring, and (2) of the sound of that voice, which no Filipino, other than the Press Secretary and members of the President's immediate family, will mistake for other than that of the most-hated woman in the history of this country, eerily speaking through the din, "Hello Manny?"
Monday, March 12, 2007
Useless Thoughts
I just miraculously finished all the administrative crap that needed to be done at the office which, incidentally, are all due today. I know that I could have finished them all last week, but I try to put off until tomorrow what I can do today. I just see no point in fulfilling obligations not yet due and demandable.
Last night was the series premiere of Heroes in these islands. It is a very good thing that the semester is just about over, and that our Mondays suddenly cleared up. And thank God for Channels 9 and 23. The so-called Kapuso and Kapamilya networks seem to just keep on churning out garbage, and outdoing each other on coming up with either rehashed story lines or imported dramas, and so far, it's the viewer who's on the losing end.
And what's up with the old man? I don't know if senility is catching up with the arrogant dick, but he really needs to take it easy. He should also stop reliving tales about the good old days. It's the 21st fucking century. We cannot go back to 1941. Unless he can bend time, which I reasonably doubt.
Apparently, the man had the utter misfortune of having professors who are arrogant and aloof. Big deal. Our professors are arrogant, aloof, and assholes. It is also no secret that the old man thinks very lowly of today's generation of students. The thing is nobody cares. I think of some people ahead of me at the ATM line as having the same intellect as that of amoeba, but that wouldn't make them work the ATM faster. Look gramps, nobody is forcing you to talk to me. And contrary to what you think, we do know a thing ar two. We just shut our traps because you are not relevant to us and it's not worth the aggravation.
Last night was the series premiere of Heroes in these islands. It is a very good thing that the semester is just about over, and that our Mondays suddenly cleared up. And thank God for Channels 9 and 23. The so-called Kapuso and Kapamilya networks seem to just keep on churning out garbage, and outdoing each other on coming up with either rehashed story lines or imported dramas, and so far, it's the viewer who's on the losing end.
And what's up with the old man? I don't know if senility is catching up with the arrogant dick, but he really needs to take it easy. He should also stop reliving tales about the good old days. It's the 21st fucking century. We cannot go back to 1941. Unless he can bend time, which I reasonably doubt.
Apparently, the man had the utter misfortune of having professors who are arrogant and aloof. Big deal. Our professors are arrogant, aloof, and assholes. It is also no secret that the old man thinks very lowly of today's generation of students. The thing is nobody cares. I think of some people ahead of me at the ATM line as having the same intellect as that of amoeba, but that wouldn't make them work the ATM faster. Look gramps, nobody is forcing you to talk to me. And contrary to what you think, we do know a thing ar two. We just shut our traps because you are not relevant to us and it's not worth the aggravation.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Back in Time
Last week, I missed seeing the closest thing possible to an Eraserheads reunion. Marcus, Buddy and Raymund got together with Cambio for the book launching of Tikman ang Langit at Powerbooks GB4, which happened to be 10 freaking minutes away by foot from where I am sitting right now. The book supposedly "chronicles the lives of 14 Eraserheads fans as they grew up with the band’s music." Ely was conspicuously absent.
I am not really too excited about the book. It was written by a couple of IT reporters, and not by the members of the greatest Filipino band ever. Besides, I really don't care much about the lives of the Eheads' fans other than mine.
What I sorely missed was the first performance of all three former Eheads in four years. Scratch that. Truth be told, I never saw the Eheads perform live. Ever. That may be the one thing that I wish I could have done. Years ago, I had to forego being in an Eheads concert because of a planned road trip that I couldn't miss. I figured, there would be more concerts to come. Yeah, right. Of course, at that time, nobody - and I mean nobody - ever imagined that they would break up after a few more years because of "height differences."
I am not really too excited about the book. It was written by a couple of IT reporters, and not by the members of the greatest Filipino band ever. Besides, I really don't care much about the lives of the Eheads' fans other than mine.
What I sorely missed was the first performance of all three former Eheads in four years. Scratch that. Truth be told, I never saw the Eheads perform live. Ever. That may be the one thing that I wish I could have done. Years ago, I had to forego being in an Eheads concert because of a planned road trip that I couldn't miss. I figured, there would be more concerts to come. Yeah, right. Of course, at that time, nobody - and I mean nobody - ever imagined that they would break up after a few more years because of "height differences."
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Final Approach
I cannot wait for this semester to end. The solitary thing that keeps me going, is the thought that only a little less than a month is left on the academic calendar. After that, bliss and eternal happiness. Not unless, of course, I flunk a subject or two. Oh, God. Please make the bad man stop.
This, by the way, is the heaviest, most loaded semester we ever had, and hopefully, ever will have for the rest of our stay at hell, both with respect to the number of courses and the number of units. As you can well surmise, I am trying to reassure, if not convince, myself that it's going to be relatively easier after this. Yeah. Who the fuck am I kidding?
We have discovered during the course of the semester that the number of units per subject don't mean shit. Two-unit subjects, in particular, are utterly misleading. We did not know, for instance, that they require four-hour exams. Where you really get to use the whole four hours. That is about as long as the entrance exam to the college. Without breaks.
The three unit subjects, on the other hand are something else. One has been expressly made to be a distance education course - we meet only a week before the exams, ala Open U, and the other has been a de facto holiday practically every single week. Yep. It's deja vu all over again.
* * *
On a lighter note, I was told that there is absolutely no truth to the rumor that James Yap begged off playing for Philippine team because Coach Chot Reyes has scheduled practice every Monday. So there.
This, by the way, is the heaviest, most loaded semester we ever had, and hopefully, ever will have for the rest of our stay at hell, both with respect to the number of courses and the number of units. As you can well surmise, I am trying to reassure, if not convince, myself that it's going to be relatively easier after this. Yeah. Who the fuck am I kidding?
We have discovered during the course of the semester that the number of units per subject don't mean shit. Two-unit subjects, in particular, are utterly misleading. We did not know, for instance, that they require four-hour exams. Where you really get to use the whole four hours. That is about as long as the entrance exam to the college. Without breaks.
The three unit subjects, on the other hand are something else. One has been expressly made to be a distance education course - we meet only a week before the exams, ala Open U, and the other has been a de facto holiday practically every single week. Yep. It's deja vu all over again.
* * *
On a lighter note, I was told that there is absolutely no truth to the rumor that James Yap begged off playing for Philippine team because Coach Chot Reyes has scheduled practice every Monday. So there.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Curriculum Vitae
I once shook hands with Eddie Vedder (Tibetan Freedom Concert, Alpine Valley, WI, 1999). I was once also a member of the Ten Club. I saw Star Wars Episodes I and III on opening day, and have an autographed copy of the Eraserheads' Natin99 album. I have written for the Youngblood column of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, and covered the UAAP for the college paper.
I was able to watch live sporting events at America West Arena (Suns), Soldier Field (Bears), Sun Devil Stadium (Cardinals, Arizona State Sun Devils), United Center (Bulls), Ryan Field (Northwestern Wildcats), and Wrigley Field (Cubs). I have been to the following HRC locations: New York, Chicago, Phoenix, Dallas, Niagara Falls, Washington DC, San Francisco, Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Key West, Tijuana, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Atlanta, and needless to say, Makati.
I made my first strike on a bowling alley in Puerto Rico; I was robbed in Tijuana; and I was once sitting on the earth 90 miles off Cuba.
I have seen Les Mis at Broadway, Cats and The Who's Tommy at Chicago, and Pagsi's Sinta at Naga. In high school, I was once a member of the chorus of Ang Pagkamulat ni Fernan Bulastog.
Twice in my life I drove a car at 100 mph (160.93 kph): once when we drove from KC to to Iowa to see the Bridges of Madison County (on a Honda Accord), and another on a stretch of I-65 in Indiana on a long drive from Chicago to Atlanta (on a Honda Civic). I have never had a single ticket for a traffic violation, moving or otherwise, in my life.
My PE subjects in college were: Fitness Walking, Chess, Orienteering, and the required PE101 lecture class. I played, in chronological order, Double Dribble (NES), Lakers vs. Celtics and the NBA Playoffs (PC), and the NBA Live franchise (PS). I played real basketball in the dorm intramurals on my senior year, and played for two seasons in the alumni league (career averages: 0.7 ppg, 1.0 rpg). Virtually, no one - and I mean no one - can beat me at basketball. On a real court, I really suck.
The best job I ever had was teaching at a university 377 kms. south of Manila. The lowest paying job I ever had was teaching at a university 377 kms. south of Manila.
In my opinion, the best bargain in life is still Chinese buffet.
I was able to watch live sporting events at America West Arena (Suns), Soldier Field (Bears), Sun Devil Stadium (Cardinals, Arizona State Sun Devils), United Center (Bulls), Ryan Field (Northwestern Wildcats), and Wrigley Field (Cubs). I have been to the following HRC locations: New York, Chicago, Phoenix, Dallas, Niagara Falls, Washington DC, San Francisco, Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Key West, Tijuana, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Atlanta, and needless to say, Makati.
I made my first strike on a bowling alley in Puerto Rico; I was robbed in Tijuana; and I was once sitting on the earth 90 miles off Cuba.
I have seen Les Mis at Broadway, Cats and The Who's Tommy at Chicago, and Pagsi's Sinta at Naga. In high school, I was once a member of the chorus of Ang Pagkamulat ni Fernan Bulastog.
Twice in my life I drove a car at 100 mph (160.93 kph): once when we drove from KC to to Iowa to see the Bridges of Madison County (on a Honda Accord), and another on a stretch of I-65 in Indiana on a long drive from Chicago to Atlanta (on a Honda Civic). I have never had a single ticket for a traffic violation, moving or otherwise, in my life.
My PE subjects in college were: Fitness Walking, Chess, Orienteering, and the required PE101 lecture class. I played, in chronological order, Double Dribble (NES), Lakers vs. Celtics and the NBA Playoffs (PC), and the NBA Live franchise (PS). I played real basketball in the dorm intramurals on my senior year, and played for two seasons in the alumni league (career averages: 0.7 ppg, 1.0 rpg). Virtually, no one - and I mean no one - can beat me at basketball. On a real court, I really suck.
The best job I ever had was teaching at a university 377 kms. south of Manila. The lowest paying job I ever had was teaching at a university 377 kms. south of Manila.
In my opinion, the best bargain in life is still Chinese buffet.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Cardiology, or Valentine's Day Redux
The faculty manual, officially, strongly discouraged me from proceeding with the course of action that I was about to take. Well, obviously I didn't care.
Admittedly, it helped that you were past the age of majority, you already had a college degree, the summer term was over, the dean was a dormmate, a batchmate and a friend, and yep, I didn't care. In addition, the unconfirmed rumors that almost everybody else in the college did the exact same thing at some point before, did not make the decision any harder. I was also advised early on, that the Supreme Court has subscribed to the notion / truism that the heart has reasons of its own which reason does not know, and has held that “yielding to this gentle and universal emotion is not to be so casually equated with immorality” (Chua-Cua v. Clave GRN 49549 August 30, 1990). Yep. I had all my bases covered.
So almost six years after that rather fateful first day of summer, I remain humble and thankful for being truly blessed with someone to annoy, irritate, vex, and infuriate for every single day for the rest of her life. Knowing myself, it's either you really love me or you're a hopeless masochist. Needless to say, I am sincerely hoping it's the former.
I never really watched TV soap - unless, of course, they feature the great thespians Angel Locsin, Katrina Halili, or both - much less, TV soap from other countries. But, somehow, I have learned how to understand koreanovelas in spite of their horrible English (I think it's English) subtitles. If and when we become filthy rich someday, maybe we'll go see Jeju Island.
I apologize for being mentally absent sometimes. They say that law is a jealous mistress. Which is just a fancy way of saying that it is hell on relationships. I know that a part of you is wondering why I did not do this before, but if it makes you feel better, please believe me when I say that I wouldn't have lasted as long as I have now, if I did.
"...I give you my hand!
I give you my love, more precious than money,
I give you myself, before preaching or law;
Will you give me yourself, will you come travel with me?
Shall we stick by each other as long as we live?"
Admittedly, it helped that you were past the age of majority, you already had a college degree, the summer term was over, the dean was a dormmate, a batchmate and a friend, and yep, I didn't care. In addition, the unconfirmed rumors that almost everybody else in the college did the exact same thing at some point before, did not make the decision any harder. I was also advised early on, that the Supreme Court has subscribed to the notion / truism that the heart has reasons of its own which reason does not know, and has held that “yielding to this gentle and universal emotion is not to be so casually equated with immorality” (Chua-Cua v. Clave GRN 49549 August 30, 1990). Yep. I had all my bases covered.
So almost six years after that rather fateful first day of summer, I remain humble and thankful for being truly blessed with someone to annoy, irritate, vex, and infuriate for every single day for the rest of her life. Knowing myself, it's either you really love me or you're a hopeless masochist. Needless to say, I am sincerely hoping it's the former.
I never really watched TV soap - unless, of course, they feature the great thespians Angel Locsin, Katrina Halili, or both - much less, TV soap from other countries. But, somehow, I have learned how to understand koreanovelas in spite of their horrible English (I think it's English) subtitles. If and when we become filthy rich someday, maybe we'll go see Jeju Island.
I apologize for being mentally absent sometimes. They say that law is a jealous mistress. Which is just a fancy way of saying that it is hell on relationships. I know that a part of you is wondering why I did not do this before, but if it makes you feel better, please believe me when I say that I wouldn't have lasted as long as I have now, if I did.
"...I give you my hand!
I give you my love, more precious than money,
I give you myself, before preaching or law;
Will you give me yourself, will you come travel with me?
Shall we stick by each other as long as we live?"
Monday, February 12, 2007
W.T.F.
Turns out that "TEAM" in Team Unity stands for something: Together Everyone Achieves More.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
What the flying fuck?! I guess some idiot happened to pick up his daughter's slumbook from grade school and decided that those old cheesy and tacky acronyms in the "dedication" section are cool. Or, more probably, he thought that they sum up well enough the level of maturity of the Filipino voter who he plans to screw within the next few months. Who the hell even dared to come up with that crap?
What's next? J.A.P.A.N. (Just Always Pray At Night)? I.T.A.L.Y. (I Trust and Love You)? H.O.L.L.A.N.D. (Hope Our Love Lasts and Never Dies)? Or maybe P.A.R.I.S. (Please Always Remember I’m Sincere)? Note: you can find these acronyms on the Internet. No, really. - d.
O.M.G.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
What the flying fuck?! I guess some idiot happened to pick up his daughter's slumbook from grade school and decided that those old cheesy and tacky acronyms in the "dedication" section are cool. Or, more probably, he thought that they sum up well enough the level of maturity of the Filipino voter who he plans to screw within the next few months. Who the hell even dared to come up with that crap?
What's next? J.A.P.A.N. (Just Always Pray At Night)? I.T.A.L.Y. (I Trust and Love You)? H.O.L.L.A.N.D. (Hope Our Love Lasts and Never Dies)? Or maybe P.A.R.I.S. (Please Always Remember I’m Sincere)? Note: you can find these acronyms on the Internet. No, really. - d.
O.M.G.
Monday, February 05, 2007
The Ninth Circle of Hell
The universe is conspiring.
After reading a pathetic 20 pages (target: 60 pages) of the narcolepsy-inducing textbook in Crimpro last Saturday, it is slowly becoming evident that independent self-learning probably is not best for me. Which is not to say that this is the first time we had a chance to try distance education in the college. We have done it before. With disastrous results.
The PBA is really bad for my Credit class. In a cardiac-finish Game 6 last night, Red Bull went past SMB to live another day and get one last shot at the final All-Filipino championship berth on Wednesday. (How come its not bad for my Torts class, you ask? You see, in Torts, we usually have waaaaaaaay plenty of time to prepare for class. If and when there's class, that is.) I barely finished the 30-something pages of commentary before the game, and ended up finishing a grand total of four assigned cases by 1 am. I was about to start on case no. 6 (at work, earlier today), before good news came down like manna from heaven.
So, basically, there are no classes for the whole week - except for the elective on Friday, with no new assigned cases, mind you - which gives me no reason whatsoever not to prepare for the old man on Saturday. It's really freaking me out, since most of it still doesn't make sense. Wish me luck.
Illegitimi non carborundum.
After reading a pathetic 20 pages (target: 60 pages) of the narcolepsy-inducing textbook in Crimpro last Saturday, it is slowly becoming evident that independent self-learning probably is not best for me. Which is not to say that this is the first time we had a chance to try distance education in the college. We have done it before. With disastrous results.
The PBA is really bad for my Credit class. In a cardiac-finish Game 6 last night, Red Bull went past SMB to live another day and get one last shot at the final All-Filipino championship berth on Wednesday. (How come its not bad for my Torts class, you ask? You see, in Torts, we usually have waaaaaaaay plenty of time to prepare for class. If and when there's class, that is.) I barely finished the 30-something pages of commentary before the game, and ended up finishing a grand total of four assigned cases by 1 am. I was about to start on case no. 6 (at work, earlier today), before good news came down like manna from heaven.
So, basically, there are no classes for the whole week - except for the elective on Friday, with no new assigned cases, mind you - which gives me no reason whatsoever not to prepare for the old man on Saturday. It's really freaking me out, since most of it still doesn't make sense. Wish me luck.
Illegitimi non carborundum.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
That's Entertainment
My college yearbook write-up begun thus:
He is a cross-breed between Albert Einstein and Richard Gomez. He has the looks of Einstein and the brains of Richard.
That should tell you everything you need to know about what I think about Richard Gomez' announcement that he will run for the Senate. I am not saying that he will miserably fail as a senator just because he is an actor. I am saying that he will miserably fail as a senator, period.
Come on. Who the fuck are we kidding?
Since 1986, we have had the following illustrious people as members of the upper chamber of the Congress of the Republic of the Philippines: Tito Sotto, Ramon Revilla, Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr., Lito Lapid, Jinggoy Estrada. (I have left out former Pres. Joseph Estrada. He was, after all, a town mayor for some 20 odd years before he won a Senate seat.) Years have come and gone, to this day I have yet to see a former actor argue against one of his colleagues on an issue of national significance on the Senate floor. One of them actually had the gall to be caught - on national TV - napping during the impeachment proceedings. To be perfectly honest, I am salivating at the thought of Lito Lapid engaging Joker Arroyo in a debate. That would be good enough for Bubble Gang.
This is the Senate folks. Not the set of Enteng Kabisote. This is the same chamber which produced the likes of Manuel Quezon, Sergio Osmeña, Jose P. Laurel, Rafael Palma, Claro M. Recto, Manuel Roxas, Elpidio Quirino, Lorenzo M. Tañada, Gil J. Puyat, Francisco Soc Rodrigo, Jose Diokno, Ferdinand E. Marcos, and Benigno S. Aquino, Jr.
Now, in their stead, we have had Tito Escalera, Nardong Putik, Ben Delubyo and Ben Tumbling. And we can't wait to vote for Tuklaw.
He is a cross-breed between Albert Einstein and Richard Gomez. He has the looks of Einstein and the brains of Richard.
That should tell you everything you need to know about what I think about Richard Gomez' announcement that he will run for the Senate. I am not saying that he will miserably fail as a senator just because he is an actor. I am saying that he will miserably fail as a senator, period.
Come on. Who the fuck are we kidding?
Since 1986, we have had the following illustrious people as members of the upper chamber of the Congress of the Republic of the Philippines: Tito Sotto, Ramon Revilla, Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr., Lito Lapid, Jinggoy Estrada. (I have left out former Pres. Joseph Estrada. He was, after all, a town mayor for some 20 odd years before he won a Senate seat.) Years have come and gone, to this day I have yet to see a former actor argue against one of his colleagues on an issue of national significance on the Senate floor. One of them actually had the gall to be caught - on national TV - napping during the impeachment proceedings. To be perfectly honest, I am salivating at the thought of Lito Lapid engaging Joker Arroyo in a debate. That would be good enough for Bubble Gang.
This is the Senate folks. Not the set of Enteng Kabisote. This is the same chamber which produced the likes of Manuel Quezon, Sergio Osmeña, Jose P. Laurel, Rafael Palma, Claro M. Recto, Manuel Roxas, Elpidio Quirino, Lorenzo M. Tañada, Gil J. Puyat, Francisco Soc Rodrigo, Jose Diokno, Ferdinand E. Marcos, and Benigno S. Aquino, Jr.
Now, in their stead, we have had Tito Escalera, Nardong Putik, Ben Delubyo and Ben Tumbling. And we can't wait to vote for Tuklaw.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Finding Mr. Right
Mr. Right could be standing next to you.
- deodorant ad posted inside MRT trains
For anyone taking the MRT every day, the ad admittedly poses a curious scenario. And the folks over at the ad agency certainly knew that during rush hour, save for some people who boarded the train at Taft, everybody else would practically be packed and cramped like illegal Asian immigrants in container vans on their way to some US West Coast city. Just like in the movies.
The only problem with this scenario - which the folks over at the ad agency obviously failed to consider - is this: the trains are segregated.
The dumb, rich boys forgot that women and the elderly exclusively occupy the first three cars of the train. The rest of humanity occupy the remaining cars. Which means that, if you are seriously considering the possibility that Mr. Right is standing next to you:
a. You like them old. Really old.
b. You are into toddlers.
c. Your boyfriend is an inconsiderate and insensitive dork who had to drag you into a cramped and testosterone-charged car because he cannot stand a thirty minute train ride to Cubao without molesting you.
d. You are not into girls.
- deodorant ad posted inside MRT trains
For anyone taking the MRT every day, the ad admittedly poses a curious scenario. And the folks over at the ad agency certainly knew that during rush hour, save for some people who boarded the train at Taft, everybody else would practically be packed and cramped like illegal Asian immigrants in container vans on their way to some US West Coast city. Just like in the movies.
The only problem with this scenario - which the folks over at the ad agency obviously failed to consider - is this: the trains are segregated.
The dumb, rich boys forgot that women and the elderly exclusively occupy the first three cars of the train. The rest of humanity occupy the remaining cars. Which means that, if you are seriously considering the possibility that Mr. Right is standing next to you:
a. You like them old. Really old.
b. You are into toddlers.
c. Your boyfriend is an inconsiderate and insensitive dork who had to drag you into a cramped and testosterone-charged car because he cannot stand a thirty minute train ride to Cubao without molesting you.
d. You are not into girls.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Now Showing
Leave it to local movie producers to ruin really good songs for you by making movie titles out of them, while at the same time, trying - and eventually failing - to make any coherent and sensible story, even remotely related to the title of the song (who cares about the lyrics?). I am expecting nothing less from GMA's latest film, The Promise, which stars Richard Gutierrez and Angel Locsin (who else did you expect?).
The Promise is a very good song. The Promise will be a really sappy and predictable movie. In that film, I am pretty sure someone, sometime during the span of two hours, will make a promise, almost break it, and end up fulfilling it in the end. In between, would be all the other scenes written for the sole purpose of filling up the dead space. It's all too anti-climactic. I hope I am wrong. But, pinoy commercial films are just too predictable that you can almost swear that you know what the lead characters would say next.
Speaking of GMA (the channel, not the dwarf) and Angel Locsin, I thought that after ripping off Smallville, they would, at least, try to give originality a shot. After seeing an episode of its latest offering, Asian Treasures - which could very well ruin the next generation of Filipino students' knowledge of Philippine history more than any texbook ever has - I could swear I was watching Lara Croft. Only this time, the special effects, the budget, the acting, and, uhm, the body parts, are on a much smaller scale. I once said that the mute button has made it possible for me to enjoy Angel Locsin starrers, but the Lara Croft look just doesn't cut it as well as Darna's costume, if you catch my drift.
The Promise is a very good song. The Promise will be a really sappy and predictable movie. In that film, I am pretty sure someone, sometime during the span of two hours, will make a promise, almost break it, and end up fulfilling it in the end. In between, would be all the other scenes written for the sole purpose of filling up the dead space. It's all too anti-climactic. I hope I am wrong. But, pinoy commercial films are just too predictable that you can almost swear that you know what the lead characters would say next.
Speaking of GMA (the channel, not the dwarf) and Angel Locsin, I thought that after ripping off Smallville, they would, at least, try to give originality a shot. After seeing an episode of its latest offering, Asian Treasures - which could very well ruin the next generation of Filipino students' knowledge of Philippine history more than any texbook ever has - I could swear I was watching Lara Croft. Only this time, the special effects, the budget, the acting, and, uhm, the body parts, are on a much smaller scale. I once said that the mute button has made it possible for me to enjoy Angel Locsin starrers, but the Lara Croft look just doesn't cut it as well as Darna's costume, if you catch my drift.
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