This blog has interviewed the year 2014 two times, first before he took over from 2013, and again right after he gave way to 2015. Since then he has retired to a penthouse suite in Kuala Lumpur, and has observed how the past couple of years have conducted their business. During my recent vacation there last November, I caught up with 2014.
You're looking good, 2014. Looks like retirement has treated you well.
You don't have to worry as much anymore, so you get time to focus on yourself, to pamper yourself.
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12/31/2016
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12/30/2016
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Today is the final weekday of this year, so the morning shows were filled with features on who would be luckier than others in the year that's to come.
It's all pretty vague, as you'd expect. One sign is luckier than others when it comes to money, or romance, or career. Nobody really talks about family relationships. Perhaps it's all tapping in our unspoken need to break away and be our own man, or person, if you're going to nitpick that. But I digress. Nobody really offers specifics - another unspoken acknowledgement of how different we all are, perhaps, of how our fates cannot be determined by when we're born, otherwise you and all of your peers would have very bad years and very good ones. Although that might explain everything of late.
When I was younger we had Jojo Acuin all over the tail ends of the news broadcasts. His predictions are vague but a little more specific - an actress will get pregnant, a presidential candidate will die, that sort of thing. You spent Sunday evenings huddled around the television set, Mel & Jay devoting ninety minutes (not accounting for advertising) to his predictions. You'll get shocked, momentarily, and then you start wondering who it might be. When it does happen, you don't immediately remember the prediction was ever made. I wonder if Jojo ever predicted his own death?
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It's all pretty vague, as you'd expect. One sign is luckier than others when it comes to money, or romance, or career. Nobody really talks about family relationships. Perhaps it's all tapping in our unspoken need to break away and be our own man, or person, if you're going to nitpick that. But I digress. Nobody really offers specifics - another unspoken acknowledgement of how different we all are, perhaps, of how our fates cannot be determined by when we're born, otherwise you and all of your peers would have very bad years and very good ones. Although that might explain everything of late.
When I was younger we had Jojo Acuin all over the tail ends of the news broadcasts. His predictions are vague but a little more specific - an actress will get pregnant, a presidential candidate will die, that sort of thing. You spent Sunday evenings huddled around the television set, Mel & Jay devoting ninety minutes (not accounting for advertising) to his predictions. You'll get shocked, momentarily, and then you start wondering who it might be. When it does happen, you don't immediately remember the prediction was ever made. I wonder if Jojo ever predicted his own death?
Read more »
12/25/2016
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It already took enough energy to adjust to the fact that June is no longer the month for weddings, but December. Not that it's important, but growing up I saw all those features on television about weddings happen in June, and I saw them move, slowly, to six months later.
Now, though, I have to adjust again. Again, it's not important, but it seems that every time I go on Facebook these past few weeks I see a friend (or acquaintance, let's be realistic here) of mine get engaged. A flash of a finger - not the middle one - with a diamond ring would say everything that needs to be said. I don't feel cynical about this, no. I instead wonder: what's in the water at this point in time and everybody has the urge to get engaged?
Perhaps it's 2016 being just, you know, terrible. It's a universally agreed sentiment, right? Looks like the world's had enough of all the incessant positivity, so here we are, pummeled day after day with bad news, or at least bad news to us. (You. Them.) So, here's one last grapple, one last attempt to make something happy out of this sucky year. And boom! "This was the year I got engaged to the one I love."
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Now, though, I have to adjust again. Again, it's not important, but it seems that every time I go on Facebook these past few weeks I see a friend (or acquaintance, let's be realistic here) of mine get engaged. A flash of a finger - not the middle one - with a diamond ring would say everything that needs to be said. I don't feel cynical about this, no. I instead wonder: what's in the water at this point in time and everybody has the urge to get engaged?
Perhaps it's 2016 being just, you know, terrible. It's a universally agreed sentiment, right? Looks like the world's had enough of all the incessant positivity, so here we are, pummeled day after day with bad news, or at least bad news to us. (You. Them.) So, here's one last grapple, one last attempt to make something happy out of this sucky year. And boom! "This was the year I got engaged to the one I love."
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12/24/2016
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I'm a guy who likes my traditions. Or, perhaps, you could put it another way. I'm a guy who likes my routines, the idea of doing the same thing at a particular point in time.
Well, I'm really writing this because I have to let one of those routines go.
Usually, on Christmas eve, I send out a group text message to a particular set of people, and write their replies to me. I've done that for a good ten years now. Last year, I said, if the year ahead does not prove to be a good one, I might stop.
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Well, I'm really writing this because I have to let one of those routines go.
Usually, on Christmas eve, I send out a group text message to a particular set of people, and write their replies to me. I've done that for a good ten years now. Last year, I said, if the year ahead does not prove to be a good one, I might stop.
Read more »
12/23/2016
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I'm done with the Christmas parties.
Well, I'm done with having to deal with a lot of them. Last year I had to deal with at least six, although I only attended three of them. This year, I had to go to one, and it was the party I helped to organize (and volunteered to host, despite me just coming from Kuala Lumpur two days prior). Well, there's this other Christmas party, but I went there halfway through - apparently there was an invitation and I was not aware of it at all.
It's a good thing. You don't have to stay up very late and worry about going to work the following day. (The second Christmas party was a daytime affair, even.) You, however, can't escape the gifts. Now, that is not a bad thing, of course - gifts are always good unless they're clearly regifts. But you have to go home, and if you don't have a vehicle, going home carrying bags of things is a struggle.
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Well, I'm done with having to deal with a lot of them. Last year I had to deal with at least six, although I only attended three of them. This year, I had to go to one, and it was the party I helped to organize (and volunteered to host, despite me just coming from Kuala Lumpur two days prior). Well, there's this other Christmas party, but I went there halfway through - apparently there was an invitation and I was not aware of it at all.
It's a good thing. You don't have to stay up very late and worry about going to work the following day. (The second Christmas party was a daytime affair, even.) You, however, can't escape the gifts. Now, that is not a bad thing, of course - gifts are always good unless they're clearly regifts. But you have to go home, and if you don't have a vehicle, going home carrying bags of things is a struggle.
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12/17/2016
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In the past few weeks, the world has been noticing the rising death toll in Rodrigo Duterte's campaign against illegal drugs.
A few months ago, his victory was treated with a token mention - a few details of who he is, of what he's done, of what he vowed to do, mostly of the fact that his nickname is "the Punisher". There were, perhaps, some mentions of how similar he is to Donald Trump, at least in their rhetoric - perhaps a subtle caution to the Americans watching. "Do you really want this to happen here?"
Well, the wave of populism has been unstoppable, to the dread of those living in countries with the belief that respect for the law will always prevail. Of course, there are the Americans, dreading the possibility of Donald Trump undoing progress made in the social front in the past few years. In Europe, anti-immigrant sentiment has led to the rise of far-right groups such as the Front National in France, and has arguably contributed to the United Kingdom voting, by a slim margin, to leave the European Union; on the flip side, left-wing populist groups like Syriza in Greece have emerged in response to a feeling of being left behind by those outside of the upper classes.
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A few months ago, his victory was treated with a token mention - a few details of who he is, of what he's done, of what he vowed to do, mostly of the fact that his nickname is "the Punisher". There were, perhaps, some mentions of how similar he is to Donald Trump, at least in their rhetoric - perhaps a subtle caution to the Americans watching. "Do you really want this to happen here?"
Well, the wave of populism has been unstoppable, to the dread of those living in countries with the belief that respect for the law will always prevail. Of course, there are the Americans, dreading the possibility of Donald Trump undoing progress made in the social front in the past few years. In Europe, anti-immigrant sentiment has led to the rise of far-right groups such as the Front National in France, and has arguably contributed to the United Kingdom voting, by a slim margin, to leave the European Union; on the flip side, left-wing populist groups like Syriza in Greece have emerged in response to a feeling of being left behind by those outside of the upper classes.
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12/15/2016
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Well, great. I'm going to talk about my domain again.
First, to answer Jackie's question: me of all people, right? Taking a while, yes? So long, yes? I don't really know why either, but it never really felt essential to me all these years. I'll admit, however, to feeling some pressure when you, of all people, got a domain. I knew this conversation would come up. But anyway. This just seemed like a good opportunity, so I grabbed it. That, and I'm on a misplaced spending spree.
That said, since that last essay announcing the domain purchase, I haven't written anything. And it's been ten days, and I haven't really been very busy (except for writing, perhaps) so, here I am, justifying my purchase by writing something that's not really substantial, at least at this point.
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First, to answer Jackie's question: me of all people, right? Taking a while, yes? So long, yes? I don't really know why either, but it never really felt essential to me all these years. I'll admit, however, to feeling some pressure when you, of all people, got a domain. I knew this conversation would come up. But anyway. This just seemed like a good opportunity, so I grabbed it. That, and I'm on a misplaced spending spree.
That said, since that last essay announcing the domain purchase, I haven't written anything. And it's been ten days, and I haven't really been very busy (except for writing, perhaps) so, here I am, justifying my purchase by writing something that's not really substantial, at least at this point.
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12/05/2016
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Let's address the elephant in the room: yes, I finally have my own domain.
After almost twelve years of blogging - writing, writing - I finally have my own domain.
Yes, I know, I have railed many times before about what bloggers here have ended up doing. They get a domain, they filter up their photos, they talk about their day, and presto! As a guy who has a blog solely because he has to write (and, well, okay, get validation for writing things), I never thought I needed it.
Read more »
After almost twelve years of blogging - writing, writing - I finally have my own domain.
Yes, I know, I have railed many times before about what bloggers here have ended up doing. They get a domain, they filter up their photos, they talk about their day, and presto! As a guy who has a blog solely because he has to write (and, well, okay, get validation for writing things), I never thought I needed it.
Read more »
11/22/2016
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Several things have been called "the great equalizer". Education, they say, is the great equalizer. The Internet, they say, is the great equalizer. I'll add another one to the list: rain.
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11/21/2016
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"I would like to check in, please," I say, as I hand over my passport and ticket.
"Have you paid your travel tax, sir?" she asks.
"Ah, yes," I answer, as I fiddle through my envelope for the receipt.
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"Have you paid your travel tax, sir?" she asks.
"Ah, yes," I answer, as I fiddle through my envelope for the receipt.
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11/17/2016
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11/08/2016
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A few months ago, SM decided to start an experiment in their malls. What if, I assume the buildings said to each other, we force people to form a queue while on escalators? Right side for those standing, left side for those who need to walk on the escalators. They do it in other countries, after all.
And so, they did. Overnight the signs went up on every mall. "Stand on the right side. Walk on the left side." An attempt to bring order.
Nobody followed.
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And so, they did. Overnight the signs went up on every mall. "Stand on the right side. Walk on the left side." An attempt to bring order.
Nobody followed.
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11/07/2016
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Okay, maybe not. Pinoy Big Brother is still on, and new housemates just went in, and they'll still have to speak about their innermost thoughts, or something, to a disembodied, distorted voice in some room.
Then again, that is the exception. They don't really have much of a choice but to speak about those innermost thoughts. It's the format. It's what powers the whole enterprise. It's what gives the overloads the material to edit all that footage one way or another. And besides, they get something from it, provided they play their cards right and the millions of people watching love them enough to want them to get ahead of them (further, in some cases) in life.
Set all that aside, and the confessional is dead.
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Then again, that is the exception. They don't really have much of a choice but to speak about those innermost thoughts. It's the format. It's what powers the whole enterprise. It's what gives the overloads the material to edit all that footage one way or another. And besides, they get something from it, provided they play their cards right and the millions of people watching love them enough to want them to get ahead of them (further, in some cases) in life.
Set all that aside, and the confessional is dead.
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11/06/2016
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I planned to stay awake until half past eleven, but I bought cola by mistake, and I drank it because I already opened it, so, hello, midnight, or close to it.
I'm writing for no particular reason.
I just had a thought, really.
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I'm writing for no particular reason.
I just had a thought, really.
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10/21/2016
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The first group is comprised of those who like a little thrill in their lives.
"You know," he says, "what's the use of living if you don't get to have adventures?"
"What do you mean by that?" I ask.
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"You know," he says, "what's the use of living if you don't get to have adventures?"
"What do you mean by that?" I ask.
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10/19/2016
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I would never have thought that the introduction of digital television in the Philippines would benefit those in public transport. Very quickly, the buses I've ridden on have switched - mostly the ones on EDSA, but the buses I took to and from La Salle a few weeks back also had the "mahiwagang black box" - and are now carrying programs much more clearly than before.
Yesterday I was on one of those buses. I came from Makati, a trip that, while inconvenient, is necessary, since that meant I get my laptop back and it no longer makes this very noisy sound. (I should have had the HDMI port fixed, though. I mentioned it to them but I don't think they got around to it.) I was seated comfortably - thankfully; carrying a laptop on a bus still makes me antsy - so I had nothing left to do but watch whatever's on television.
Granted, I wasn't paying that much attention. I had a podcast on. I had a queue, all of a sudden. Anyway, the thing on television - it was a movie, a local movie, one of those movies from the early 90s. You know, that comedy-action-romance hybrid? You know the trope. The protagonists stumble upon some scheme while going about their daily life. They essentially give chase. They find some pretty chick along the way. They go against all odds and somehow survive. They don't become superheroes - that's what the police are for.
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Yesterday I was on one of those buses. I came from Makati, a trip that, while inconvenient, is necessary, since that meant I get my laptop back and it no longer makes this very noisy sound. (I should have had the HDMI port fixed, though. I mentioned it to them but I don't think they got around to it.) I was seated comfortably - thankfully; carrying a laptop on a bus still makes me antsy - so I had nothing left to do but watch whatever's on television.
Granted, I wasn't paying that much attention. I had a podcast on. I had a queue, all of a sudden. Anyway, the thing on television - it was a movie, a local movie, one of those movies from the early 90s. You know, that comedy-action-romance hybrid? You know the trope. The protagonists stumble upon some scheme while going about their daily life. They essentially give chase. They find some pretty chick along the way. They go against all odds and somehow survive. They don't become superheroes - that's what the police are for.
Read more »
10/07/2016
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From a marketing perspective, well, good for them. Good for them. Theirs is a ubiquitous presence, sure, but you go to the Internet and it's venerated like a God, perhaps disproportionately so.
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10/06/2016
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I don't know if I'm qualified, or what passes for "qualified" these days, but I have a few thoughts, if you may.
Yes, illegal drugs is a big issue in the country.
Yes, these things can kill you, as we've seen over and over.
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Yes, illegal drugs is a big issue in the country.
Yes, these things can kill you, as we've seen over and over.
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9/30/2016
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I did not need to eat, but I felt I had to. What else do I do? Sit around this McDonald's not buying anything?
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9/29/2016
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So, here I am again, forcing myself to write something, because this is only my third essay for the month, and I should be writing four - four being a compromise, because I really should be writing five. Well, to be honest, I would have if not for the first half of the month being really busy. And then my laptop had to break, which was fun, supposedly.
Yeah, I think I have something to write about. It's just that these thoughts are so disorganized lately. I used to be able to just sit here and write, but now there's a lot of pre-writing involved. Not good if you have a self-imposed quota. I can only imagine what people who churn out content for a living have to do. Wait, I was one of those people.
Last night I was talking with a colleague about the whole idea of content. I know this sounds like marketing malarkey - even I am uncomfortable with this, and yet I both do content and work in marketing. But, you know, "content" is king, to the point that you get a lot of it that's really just filler - and, like junk food, it doesn't matter if you like it or not, because you've paid for it already, with your money or with your clicks.
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Yeah, I think I have something to write about. It's just that these thoughts are so disorganized lately. I used to be able to just sit here and write, but now there's a lot of pre-writing involved. Not good if you have a self-imposed quota. I can only imagine what people who churn out content for a living have to do. Wait, I was one of those people.
Last night I was talking with a colleague about the whole idea of content. I know this sounds like marketing malarkey - even I am uncomfortable with this, and yet I both do content and work in marketing. But, you know, "content" is king, to the point that you get a lot of it that's really just filler - and, like junk food, it doesn't matter if you like it or not, because you've paid for it already, with your money or with your clicks.
Read more »
9/26/2016
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My laptop's out of commission. Something about a thermal sensor. It thinks my laptop's extra hot, or my fan's close to breaking, and it throws up a warning that I should not use my laptop until I have it checked. "Sure, I can," I go, and the fan starts to whir louder, way louder than usual.
Well, that's what I assume is the problem. I had it checked and it's not the fan; despite a replacement it still whirs loud. So, tomorrow, off I go to the service center, and I'll be without a laptop for a week, I hope. Two, possibly. Three, heavens, please, no.
I'm writing this on the home PC. I have to do everything on the home PC for the foreseeable future. Since I could still open my laptop, I proceeded to back most of everything up - and, finally, fix this little thing; the system hard drive conked out, apparently, or perhaps maybe, because of ants, so we had to buy a new one and do a fresh install. I think I'm set, but I'll have a check later once I'm finished with this.
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Well, that's what I assume is the problem. I had it checked and it's not the fan; despite a replacement it still whirs loud. So, tomorrow, off I go to the service center, and I'll be without a laptop for a week, I hope. Two, possibly. Three, heavens, please, no.
I'm writing this on the home PC. I have to do everything on the home PC for the foreseeable future. Since I could still open my laptop, I proceeded to back most of everything up - and, finally, fix this little thing; the system hard drive conked out, apparently, or perhaps maybe, because of ants, so we had to buy a new one and do a fresh install. I think I'm set, but I'll have a check later once I'm finished with this.
Read more »
9/19/2016
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I'm pretty positive you don't read my blog, Noynoy. I'm definitely sure you have no idea what exactly I have said about you in your six years as president.
And I am very sure you will not read what I have to say now. Not that you'd care. You're probably enjoying your break from public office. Perhaps you've started dating under the shadows of this war against drugs your successor is waging? It's not really my business. I'm just grasping at straws here.
Anyway, I'm writing you this letter, this letter you will probably not read, to call you out on that one mistake you've made that has, perhaps, a more lasting impact than any of the other things you did not quite get right.
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And I am very sure you will not read what I have to say now. Not that you'd care. You're probably enjoying your break from public office. Perhaps you've started dating under the shadows of this war against drugs your successor is waging? It's not really my business. I'm just grasping at straws here.
Anyway, I'm writing you this letter, this letter you will probably not read, to call you out on that one mistake you've made that has, perhaps, a more lasting impact than any of the other things you did not quite get right.
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8/31/2016
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At least once a week, usually on a Monday, there's bound to be someone who attempts to, supposedly, seize the day - or the week, more likely - by declaring that nothing will bring her down, by declaring that this week is her week, by declaring that she chooses to be happy, and so she will.
Arguably it makes some kind of sense. If you just overlook the bad things and focus exclusively on the good ones, the world has to be a better place, right?
I mean, if you just think of not waking up to an alarm, staying in your somehow perfectly-lit bed once you do, and going, "well, isn't this swell?" it makes everything immediately ahead of you seem worthwhile, right? Yeah, arguably, that could happen.
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Arguably it makes some kind of sense. If you just overlook the bad things and focus exclusively on the good ones, the world has to be a better place, right?
I mean, if you just think of not waking up to an alarm, staying in your somehow perfectly-lit bed once you do, and going, "well, isn't this swell?" it makes everything immediately ahead of you seem worthwhile, right? Yeah, arguably, that could happen.
Read more »
8/23/2016
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It's not often that I'm the last one to sleep.
A particular dread sinks in when that happens, though.
It's quiet. It's quiet, save for the whir of the electric fan.
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A particular dread sinks in when that happens, though.
It's quiet. It's quiet, save for the whir of the electric fan.
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8/15/2016
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This weekend, I rediscovered Jamba Juice.
I mean, I wasn't living under a rock or anything. I just haven't had it in years. A couple of days ago, though, I decided that Shalla and I would have a couple of their drinks while watching Suicide Squad.
"Anong sa'yo?" I ask.
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I mean, I wasn't living under a rock or anything. I just haven't had it in years. A couple of days ago, though, I decided that Shalla and I would have a couple of their drinks while watching Suicide Squad.
"Anong sa'yo?" I ask.
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8/14/2016
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"Why don't you talk to someone about it?"
Okay, sure, let's give it a try.
They always say you only really need to talk to someone to feel better, at least for a little while, at least for a little bit. Nobody, however, talks about how most of the time there really isn't somebody you can talk to about things.
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Okay, sure, let's give it a try.
They always say you only really need to talk to someone to feel better, at least for a little while, at least for a little bit. Nobody, however, talks about how most of the time there really isn't somebody you can talk to about things.
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8/11/2016
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Perhaps one of the most important takeaways from Rodrigo Duterte's first State of the Nation Address - at least when it comes to defining what we can expect from his six years as president - is his vow not to blame the past administrations for the problems he has, well, inherited.
Arguably, it's a good thing. Sure, he still has the propensity to say outrageous things - and, more scarily, nobody knows whether he means what he says or not - but at least they're different and fresh every time, or something. Noynoy Aquino spent his six years lamenting that he has to clean up the grand mess Gloria Arroyo left behind, and he did it so often you can set your clock to it. This is when he paints himself as a messiah. Done and done.
But, at the very least, it shows that Duterte would rather get down to work than get stuck on sentimental vagaries that, admittedly, have indeed bogged the country down. Then again, that's his rationale for allowing the body of Ferdinand Marcos to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani - and that is not going well with a lot of people, for obvious reasons.
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Arguably, it's a good thing. Sure, he still has the propensity to say outrageous things - and, more scarily, nobody knows whether he means what he says or not - but at least they're different and fresh every time, or something. Noynoy Aquino spent his six years lamenting that he has to clean up the grand mess Gloria Arroyo left behind, and he did it so often you can set your clock to it. This is when he paints himself as a messiah. Done and done.
But, at the very least, it shows that Duterte would rather get down to work than get stuck on sentimental vagaries that, admittedly, have indeed bogged the country down. Then again, that's his rationale for allowing the body of Ferdinand Marcos to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani - and that is not going well with a lot of people, for obvious reasons.
Read more »
8/03/2016
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A couple of years ago I began writing, in my head, another essay about how people are perceived in society, how people are expected to act in society - that convoluted umbrella, gender relations.
Specifically, I wanted to write about rape culture.
This was the time when the term was gaining traction, at least on particular corners of the Internet, the very corners I happen to find myself in. I'm hearing it from friends. I'm hearing it from the people whose posts my friends were sharing. I'm hearing it in columns from writers, mostly, but not all, feminist. And I get it: I get that we're asking females to act a certain way because males act a certain way. I just wasn't sure if we are supposed to call it a "culture" - that term meant "universally accepted" to me, and I wasn't sure if we all really agreed to that.
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Specifically, I wanted to write about rape culture.
This was the time when the term was gaining traction, at least on particular corners of the Internet, the very corners I happen to find myself in. I'm hearing it from friends. I'm hearing it from the people whose posts my friends were sharing. I'm hearing it in columns from writers, mostly, but not all, feminist. And I get it: I get that we're asking females to act a certain way because males act a certain way. I just wasn't sure if we are supposed to call it a "culture" - that term meant "universally accepted" to me, and I wasn't sure if we all really agreed to that.
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7/25/2016
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If you came to Rodrigo Duterte's first State of the Nation Address hoping for some grand statement on what he intends to do with his six years as president, well, there isn't much. Arguably there isn't really much said.
Not that he had an empty speech. If anything, it at least felt a bit more substantial than a typical Noynoy Aquino speech. If you subscribe to the belief that Duterte is a no-bullshit president that gets things done, then that's your showcase.
I wouldn't call it his best showcase, though. He clearly got bored as he read from his prepared address. For a moment I wasn't sure if he believed everything he said. He clearly wanted to speak a bit more freely, and when he found a chance, he did just that. Those off-script moments - often sign-posted with assurances that they are, well, off-script - were when he felt a bit more confident about speaking, although those moments were when he went wildly off course, disrupting what probably should have been a well-constructed speech.
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Not that he had an empty speech. If anything, it at least felt a bit more substantial than a typical Noynoy Aquino speech. If you subscribe to the belief that Duterte is a no-bullshit president that gets things done, then that's your showcase.
I wouldn't call it his best showcase, though. He clearly got bored as he read from his prepared address. For a moment I wasn't sure if he believed everything he said. He clearly wanted to speak a bit more freely, and when he found a chance, he did just that. Those off-script moments - often sign-posted with assurances that they are, well, off-script - were when he felt a bit more confident about speaking, although those moments were when he went wildly off course, disrupting what probably should have been a well-constructed speech.
Read more »
7/24/2016
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Noynoy Aquino was blocking it, virtually, for years, but now, Rodrigo Duterte has taken that first step: he has signed an executive order guaranteeing freedom of information.
This means ordinary Filipinos now has access to information and data used by those under the executive branch. This is apart from official records that are already available; going through the executive order, this would include data and research used as a basis for government processes and issuances.
Needless to say, this is a very good move. This shows how serious the Duterte administration is in promoting transparency, leading, hopefully, to a stamping out of corruption in government. Say what you want about his predecessor, about how serious he is about transparency, but Aquino's failure to support the long-languishing Freedom of Information bill in the legislature showed that all he really was into was window dressing. (Also add to that how the government failed to build their case against Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, resulting in the Supreme Court throwing out one of the cases against her.)
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This means ordinary Filipinos now has access to information and data used by those under the executive branch. This is apart from official records that are already available; going through the executive order, this would include data and research used as a basis for government processes and issuances.
Needless to say, this is a very good move. This shows how serious the Duterte administration is in promoting transparency, leading, hopefully, to a stamping out of corruption in government. Say what you want about his predecessor, about how serious he is about transparency, but Aquino's failure to support the long-languishing Freedom of Information bill in the legislature showed that all he really was into was window dressing. (Also add to that how the government failed to build their case against Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, resulting in the Supreme Court throwing out one of the cases against her.)
Read more »
7/13/2016
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"Suicide is not an option," I wrote eight years ago, and, yes, I am amazed at how fast things can change.
But then again, that was eight years ago. That was when I still had a good idea of what would, or should happen. That was when I had, as it turns out, no idea what really awaited me when all the shackles are off.
And I thought I was in control.
Read more »
But then again, that was eight years ago. That was when I still had a good idea of what would, or should happen. That was when I had, as it turns out, no idea what really awaited me when all the shackles are off.
And I thought I was in control.
Read more »
7/05/2016
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I'm 27 years old.
All of the actors who I watched when I was a kid are now playing parents on television. That, or parents hiding a superhero identity.
Most of the pop acts that were around during my childhood have broken up, and reunited again.
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All of the actors who I watched when I was a kid are now playing parents on television. That, or parents hiding a superhero identity.
Most of the pop acts that were around during my childhood have broken up, and reunited again.
Read more »
6/30/2016
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When it became clear that Rodrigo Duterte was going to be president, the country was essentially split. There's the half, give or take, who celebrated the win, claiming that change has indeed come to the Philippines, that only good things could come to it now that the mayor from Davao is going to be in charge. There's the half, give or take, who despaired the losses that's definitely coming our way - investors losing confidence, successes losing traction, freedoms losing its existence altogether.
It all really came down to one choice. Do you want things to continue as it is, or do you want to change things radically?
A significant chunk of the country - while Duterte received over 40% of the popular vote, which is big in itself, it is still not a majority - voted for change, a change away from the failures of Noynoy Aquino, a change away from all that he stood for. After all, they say, why would you keep a government that's insensitive to the plight of the poor, one that bungled the response to Mamasapano, Zamboanga, Yolanda, and Luneta, one that brought the full force of the law down to its opponents, but not on its allies? Are you that stupid, they sometimes imply, to stick with that?
Read more »
It all really came down to one choice. Do you want things to continue as it is, or do you want to change things radically?
A significant chunk of the country - while Duterte received over 40% of the popular vote, which is big in itself, it is still not a majority - voted for change, a change away from the failures of Noynoy Aquino, a change away from all that he stood for. After all, they say, why would you keep a government that's insensitive to the plight of the poor, one that bungled the response to Mamasapano, Zamboanga, Yolanda, and Luneta, one that brought the full force of the law down to its opponents, but not on its allies? Are you that stupid, they sometimes imply, to stick with that?
Read more »
6/29/2016
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Some time a few weeks back, I had a think about how I would describe myself as a writer. By that, I mean how I would sell myself if I ever went freelance, not that it's in my plans, or something, or whatever.
Niko Batallones writes about supply chain, urbanism and transportation in a professional capacity, and about politics, culture and society in a personal capacity.
Okay, that looks snotty, but frankly, that covers all of it. In between all of the things I write lately - that day job, the two blogs - I really do write about a diverse, if not arguably random, range of topics. It's come to the point when I could, plausibly, make a connection between, say, local music and urban planning. Say, how urban planning is killing the live music scene. But yeah, I know people will get angry at me for saying that the live music scene is dying. You don't even go to gigs, Niko. How dare you!
Read more »
Niko Batallones writes about supply chain, urbanism and transportation in a professional capacity, and about politics, culture and society in a personal capacity.
Okay, that looks snotty, but frankly, that covers all of it. In between all of the things I write lately - that day job, the two blogs - I really do write about a diverse, if not arguably random, range of topics. It's come to the point when I could, plausibly, make a connection between, say, local music and urban planning. Say, how urban planning is killing the live music scene. But yeah, I know people will get angry at me for saying that the live music scene is dying. You don't even go to gigs, Niko. How dare you!
Read more »
6/28/2016
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Today, while walking on the sidewalk, I saw someone who looked just like you.
Then, inevitably, I remembered you.
Hello. Did you bite your tongue today?
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Then, inevitably, I remembered you.
Hello. Did you bite your tongue today?
Read more »
6/21/2016
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I've been thinking of guns lately.
I mean, it's all over the news. Three high-profile (for lack of a better term) murders, one of them involving 49 casualties, all involving guns. There's singer Christina Grimmie being shot point blank after a concert in Orlando. The following day, there's that mass shooting at a gay night club, also in Orlando. A few days later, somewhere in West Yorkshire, a British MP, Jo Cox, was fatally shot and stabbed after meeting with her constituents.
I watch a lot of those late night shows. I have made a routine around it, arguably: John Oliver on Mondays, Samantha Bee on Tuesdays, Stephen Colbert and Seth Myers across the week. They themselves have pointed out - and this is before Cox's murder, although with that being a British news item it inevitably wasn't tackled as much - that there's a routine, a frustrating routine, where people start talking about gun control, about background checks, about how the National Rifle Association prevents anything from ever happening in the name of protecting the sanctity of the Second Amendment. And then nothing happens, and then something happens again. More people die, and the cycle repeats.
Read more »
I mean, it's all over the news. Three high-profile (for lack of a better term) murders, one of them involving 49 casualties, all involving guns. There's singer Christina Grimmie being shot point blank after a concert in Orlando. The following day, there's that mass shooting at a gay night club, also in Orlando. A few days later, somewhere in West Yorkshire, a British MP, Jo Cox, was fatally shot and stabbed after meeting with her constituents.
I watch a lot of those late night shows. I have made a routine around it, arguably: John Oliver on Mondays, Samantha Bee on Tuesdays, Stephen Colbert and Seth Myers across the week. They themselves have pointed out - and this is before Cox's murder, although with that being a British news item it inevitably wasn't tackled as much - that there's a routine, a frustrating routine, where people start talking about gun control, about background checks, about how the National Rifle Association prevents anything from ever happening in the name of protecting the sanctity of the Second Amendment. And then nothing happens, and then something happens again. More people die, and the cycle repeats.
Read more »
6/02/2016
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The moment it became very clear that Rodrigo Duterte will be president, there seemed to be some peace and quiet. Maybe this could be a good thing was the general sentiment, more so when the quick count showed Leni Robredo just pipping Bongbong Marcos for the second highest position in the land. That, they say, is better. Better a woman who will provide balance to the president's macho tendencies, than the son of a former dictator who, they say, should not be anywhere near an official ballot anyway.
The moment Rodrigo Duterte began setting the stage for him assuming the presidency, naming his preferred Cabinet and forcing the normally Manila-centric media to troop to Davao to listen to him speak at ungodly hours, the familiar rumbles returned. It may have seemed less toxic than the campaign season itself, but it certainly was familiar.
It's quite hard to make sense of it. Frankly, though, I say that because I have made no attempt to. I may or may not have decided to stop following the news, or at least the local side of it. It may be because I'm busy or I'm still fragile. I don't know. All I know is, some things have been said and done, and it does not sit well with everybody.
Read more »
The moment Rodrigo Duterte began setting the stage for him assuming the presidency, naming his preferred Cabinet and forcing the normally Manila-centric media to troop to Davao to listen to him speak at ungodly hours, the familiar rumbles returned. It may have seemed less toxic than the campaign season itself, but it certainly was familiar.
It's quite hard to make sense of it. Frankly, though, I say that because I have made no attempt to. I may or may not have decided to stop following the news, or at least the local side of it. It may be because I'm busy or I'm still fragile. I don't know. All I know is, some things have been said and done, and it does not sit well with everybody.
Read more »
5/31/2016
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"If ayaw mo mag-send ng pic mo na landscape a la blogger, just send me your blog logo."
And that's where the problem lies.
It's not that I don't want to send a photo of me. There's no turning back on that now. All my past jobs involved posting a photo of myself online. Heck, I did that before I got a job. I guess I'm also narcissistic - why else would I maintain a blog for eleven years?
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And that's where the problem lies.
It's not that I don't want to send a photo of me. There's no turning back on that now. All my past jobs involved posting a photo of myself online. Heck, I did that before I got a job. I guess I'm also narcissistic - why else would I maintain a blog for eleven years?
Read more »
5/23/2016
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There's only a week left for the month of May, which means there's only a week left before the whole "entrance to all government museums is free" thing ends... well, at least for this year. Whether you miss it or not, though, we have a few tips on how to make the most of your visit to the museum - a treasure trove of, well, things that will connect you to our heritage and culture!
Know where you'll go. Doing your research is never a bad thing. There's bound to be a museum that will click with your interests and preferences. Whether you're in it for the art history or for that other kind of history, there's a museum ready to satisfy your craving for knowledge.
Prepare for the long lines. This applies especially if you're looking to visit in this last week of the month. The lines are long, and you'll likely be standing under the heat. Well, you can't blame the many others who also want to connect, or reconnect, with our rich heritage and culture. Just wear light clothing and bring something to drink.
Read more »
Know where you'll go. Doing your research is never a bad thing. There's bound to be a museum that will click with your interests and preferences. Whether you're in it for the art history or for that other kind of history, there's a museum ready to satisfy your craving for knowledge.
Prepare for the long lines. This applies especially if you're looking to visit in this last week of the month. The lines are long, and you'll likely be standing under the heat. Well, you can't blame the many others who also want to connect, or reconnect, with our rich heritage and culture. Just wear light clothing and bring something to drink.
Read more »
5/09/2016
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Well, it's over but the counting. And a bunch more precincts. And the inevitable protests, offline and online. And whoever winning going on stage to a throng of supporters, asking the country to unite for the sake of national interest.
Read more »
5/06/2016
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It's getting much harder to avoid.
It was easier when the noise was still online. I could always just close the tab or scroll down quickly. It's not to dismiss what they were saying. I get it. I get where they were coming from, and I get why they were doing what they're doing. I could have been doing the same if things turned out differently.
But then it felt like they were judging me - judging me for not seeing things the same way as them, judging me for not agreeing with what they believe in, judging me for being selfish, for putting myself above everybody else. Or maybe it was the stress talking. It's been stressful, the past few months, the sort of stress that breaks spirits and drives people to do what was previously the unthinkable. I did not want any of that, I thought - and then I'd end up breaking anyway.
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It was easier when the noise was still online. I could always just close the tab or scroll down quickly. It's not to dismiss what they were saying. I get it. I get where they were coming from, and I get why they were doing what they're doing. I could have been doing the same if things turned out differently.
But then it felt like they were judging me - judging me for not seeing things the same way as them, judging me for not agreeing with what they believe in, judging me for being selfish, for putting myself above everybody else. Or maybe it was the stress talking. It's been stressful, the past few months, the sort of stress that breaks spirits and drives people to do what was previously the unthinkable. I did not want any of that, I thought - and then I'd end up breaking anyway.
Read more »
5/03/2016
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Claud and I have been chatting a bit more these past few months. Years, really, but only in the past few months, it seems, did we find some sort of common ground - and only then, when I pretended to know more about design and typography.
Well, I only say that. I'm no expert, but I get it, I'll say. It's really just me being constantly insecure, that feeling that, no matter what others say, someone out there is doing much better than me.
But, yeah, we've been talking, about graphic design, about songs (which explains her being a part of the earthings! team), about Serial. We've been talking on Twitter, on Facebook, but never offline, and that is the most fascinating part.
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Well, I only say that. I'm no expert, but I get it, I'll say. It's really just me being constantly insecure, that feeling that, no matter what others say, someone out there is doing much better than me.
But, yeah, we've been talking, about graphic design, about songs (which explains her being a part of the earthings! team), about Serial. We've been talking on Twitter, on Facebook, but never offline, and that is the most fascinating part.
Read more »
4/28/2016
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Despite the copious amounts of noise, and the fact that it had wreaked havoc on my mindset, I have tried to make sense of just who the current crop of presidential aspirants appeal to.
Mar Roxas appeals to those who believe the country has gotten better under Noynoy Aquino. From my perspective, that's mostly made up of members of the business community, alongside those who have worked with government in one way or another and have seen the changes, however incremental. Chances are, a significant chunk of those people are managers and executives working in big companies.
Again, let's be fair - there are changes for the good. I am one of those people who have worked with government in the past few years. Well, not so much work as attend talks with government figures, attend consultations, attend meetings. Perhaps it's also down to the fact that, before 2010, I haven't had a good idea of how government works exactly. Yes, it's a complicated machine, I've long known that; from the outside, however, it's made to look like this one creature than can grant your wishes, but takes so long to do it because it's decided it deserves a manicure every single day.
Read more »
Mar Roxas appeals to those who believe the country has gotten better under Noynoy Aquino. From my perspective, that's mostly made up of members of the business community, alongside those who have worked with government in one way or another and have seen the changes, however incremental. Chances are, a significant chunk of those people are managers and executives working in big companies.
Again, let's be fair - there are changes for the good. I am one of those people who have worked with government in the past few years. Well, not so much work as attend talks with government figures, attend consultations, attend meetings. Perhaps it's also down to the fact that, before 2010, I haven't had a good idea of how government works exactly. Yes, it's a complicated machine, I've long known that; from the outside, however, it's made to look like this one creature than can grant your wishes, but takes so long to do it because it's decided it deserves a manicure every single day.
Read more »
4/24/2016
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Has anybody said something along the lines of "your YouTube history says a lot about who you are"?
Someone might as well say that. I mean, sure, nobody really looks at their YouTube viewing history - I think - but that dictates the videos it suggests you watch. And chances are, on those nights when you just sit in front of your laptop, not sure about what to do, you'll just click on one of those recommendations, and down the rabbit hole you go.
My recommendations, of course, lean towards K-pop lately. If you've read my almost 3,000-word essay on my music blog a few weeks back, you'd understand. Or maybe you'd frown at how I have lost all credibility despite me arguing that all four of Mamamoo's members have strong vocals. Ew, Niko has no taste!
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Someone might as well say that. I mean, sure, nobody really looks at their YouTube viewing history - I think - but that dictates the videos it suggests you watch. And chances are, on those nights when you just sit in front of your laptop, not sure about what to do, you'll just click on one of those recommendations, and down the rabbit hole you go.
My recommendations, of course, lean towards K-pop lately. If you've read my almost 3,000-word essay on my music blog a few weeks back, you'd understand. Or maybe you'd frown at how I have lost all credibility despite me arguing that all four of Mamamoo's members have strong vocals. Ew, Niko has no taste!
Read more »
4/20/2016
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4/18/2016
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I am so much better than you because I am voting for Mar Roxas.
Unlike you, I understand the hard work the current administration has done to stop the decline of this country. I have seen the efforts to eradicate the corruption that has blighted this country, my beloved country, for so long. Only under Noynoy Aquino would the likes of Arroyo and Revilla and Enrile - the vermin of this land - be put in jail. Only under Noynoy Aquino would the likes of Gutierrez and Corona be kicked out of office for preventing justice run its due course - its due course favoring the people.
Unlike you, I do not spend my time complaining about the smallest things. I have hope, and I have trust. I have the highest hopes for the Philippines, the country to which I am devoted to with all my heart and soul. I have the highest trust in this government to do the right thing. Only they can do the right thing. This is not opinion: this is fact. Under whose watch would our economic numbers blossom? Under whose watch would we gain the respect of the entire world, rather than become its laughingstock?
Read more »
Unlike you, I understand the hard work the current administration has done to stop the decline of this country. I have seen the efforts to eradicate the corruption that has blighted this country, my beloved country, for so long. Only under Noynoy Aquino would the likes of Arroyo and Revilla and Enrile - the vermin of this land - be put in jail. Only under Noynoy Aquino would the likes of Gutierrez and Corona be kicked out of office for preventing justice run its due course - its due course favoring the people.
Unlike you, I do not spend my time complaining about the smallest things. I have hope, and I have trust. I have the highest hopes for the Philippines, the country to which I am devoted to with all my heart and soul. I have the highest trust in this government to do the right thing. Only they can do the right thing. This is not opinion: this is fact. Under whose watch would our economic numbers blossom? Under whose watch would we gain the respect of the entire world, rather than become its laughingstock?
Read more »
3/30/2016
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It's ten to four in the afternoon and traffic is already terrible along the South Luzon Expressway. "But of course," I mutter to myself. "There is no such thing as rush hour anymore." That, and trucks are plying the route, although there never really are a lot of trucks along this highway when the sun is up.
For some reason the car's audio cable wasn't around, but I was still winging it. I want to listen to a radio station that's not from where I am. So, off to Monocle 24 I go, my phone playing it out loud even if the results will never be as good, turning it up just as my copy of Mamamoo's Melting finished. (Okay, it's our copy. The first thing Shalla and I own together. It had to be a Korean pop album.)
Traffic had really slowed down now. Could it be the idiots blocking the entire highway just to exit to Bicutan? Or Sucat? It has happened before, many times - a regular occurrence, actually. Ah, well, at least the stream isn't dropping, although I'd really rather be sleeping now.
Read more »
For some reason the car's audio cable wasn't around, but I was still winging it. I want to listen to a radio station that's not from where I am. So, off to Monocle 24 I go, my phone playing it out loud even if the results will never be as good, turning it up just as my copy of Mamamoo's Melting finished. (Okay, it's our copy. The first thing Shalla and I own together. It had to be a Korean pop album.)
Traffic had really slowed down now. Could it be the idiots blocking the entire highway just to exit to Bicutan? Or Sucat? It has happened before, many times - a regular occurrence, actually. Ah, well, at least the stream isn't dropping, although I'd really rather be sleeping now.
Read more »
3/28/2016
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A friend once suggested to me that, once people get to spend time with me and know me, they will like me.
Well, it's a nice thing to hear, but right now I'm having another one of those moments. Perhaps, apart from my girlfriend and a few others - mostly people who feel obligated to at least tolerate me - nobody really likes me.
Once again, I wonder if there's really something about me that people will never, ever like.
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Well, it's a nice thing to hear, but right now I'm having another one of those moments. Perhaps, apart from my girlfriend and a few others - mostly people who feel obligated to at least tolerate me - nobody really likes me.
Once again, I wonder if there's really something about me that people will never, ever like.
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3/25/2016
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Did you know that today is National Crucifixion Day?
Every Good Friday, the day when Jesus Christ gave up His life on the cross for all of mankind, we mark National Crucifixion Day. This is when we let go of all that is bad in our lives - all that stresses us, all that angers us, all that disappoints us, all that irritates us - by crucifying them on a metaphorical cross. At the end of the day, we come out cleansed, absolved and refreshed, with a lighter load, ready to face the days ahead.
So, to mark this special day, who would you like to crucify, and why?
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Every Good Friday, the day when Jesus Christ gave up His life on the cross for all of mankind, we mark National Crucifixion Day. This is when we let go of all that is bad in our lives - all that stresses us, all that angers us, all that disappoints us, all that irritates us - by crucifying them on a metaphorical cross. At the end of the day, we come out cleansed, absolved and refreshed, with a lighter load, ready to face the days ahead.
So, to mark this special day, who would you like to crucify, and why?
Read more »
3/23/2016
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Like any guy who's traveled more than usual in a given time period, I now feel like I'm an expert. I, therefore, have become an asshole like I think everybody else is.
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3/17/2016
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Once again I'm forcing myself to write something here. It's been seventeen days since the last time I wrote something - and that thing I wrote, I also forced out of myself.
Yep, looks like we're at that point.
I usually have a lot of things going on in my head. Now, not so. Arguably it's a good thing. But along with the dissipation (for now) of the self-loathing came the dissipation of all those concepts that would make for good essays. I guess I've been powering myself, for the past decade, with cynicism and frustration and all-too-frequent confusion that, when that got out of the way, I have nothing.
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Yep, looks like we're at that point.
I usually have a lot of things going on in my head. Now, not so. Arguably it's a good thing. But along with the dissipation (for now) of the self-loathing came the dissipation of all those concepts that would make for good essays. I guess I've been powering myself, for the past decade, with cynicism and frustration and all-too-frequent confusion that, when that got out of the way, I have nothing.
Read more »
2/29/2016
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I'm just forcing myself to write something today, the 29th day of February. Leap day.
It's not a blog tradition, although, as it turns out, I have written something on the last two leap years. I don't know. I guess I thought we'd have something worth talking about on a day that is so special it only comes once every four years, a day so special the universe literally made it so.
I wish that was the case, but today was really just an ordinary day. You know, like I usually do. A day spent thinking, doing, regretting, and doing anyway. A day spent being productive, or at least trying to, knowing deep inside that you aren't really all along.
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It's not a blog tradition, although, as it turns out, I have written something on the last two leap years. I don't know. I guess I thought we'd have something worth talking about on a day that is so special it only comes once every four years, a day so special the universe literally made it so.
I wish that was the case, but today was really just an ordinary day. You know, like I usually do. A day spent thinking, doing, regretting, and doing anyway. A day spent being productive, or at least trying to, knowing deep inside that you aren't really all along.
Read more »
2/25/2016
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Today marks thirty years since Ferdinand Marcos was ousted from power due to the sheer strength of the people, or so says the prevailing narrative.
I don't mean to sound skeptical. I was not yet around in 1986. I would be born three years later; I'm one of those kids who supposedly have lived through all the graces of a post-Marcos world. I am perfectly aware of the atrocities Marcos did to consolidate power and wealth, for himself, his family and his friends, especially in the immediate aftermath of the declaration of Martial Law, purportedly to quell a swelling communist contingent. I have read the books, seen the documentaries, and heard the stories from my parents, who were college students when Ninoy Aquino was assassinated, when anti-Marcos sentiment was at its peak - when things went pop and boom on those fateful four days in 1986.
And yet things are not sitting well with me today. Inevitably, you could say. It's not exactly the fortuitous timing of a landmark anniversary coinciding with an election year, however. It's not my skepticism of politicians using the supposed legacy of EDSA to further their place in the race for president. Perhaps it's something bigger.
Read more »
I don't mean to sound skeptical. I was not yet around in 1986. I would be born three years later; I'm one of those kids who supposedly have lived through all the graces of a post-Marcos world. I am perfectly aware of the atrocities Marcos did to consolidate power and wealth, for himself, his family and his friends, especially in the immediate aftermath of the declaration of Martial Law, purportedly to quell a swelling communist contingent. I have read the books, seen the documentaries, and heard the stories from my parents, who were college students when Ninoy Aquino was assassinated, when anti-Marcos sentiment was at its peak - when things went pop and boom on those fateful four days in 1986.
And yet things are not sitting well with me today. Inevitably, you could say. It's not exactly the fortuitous timing of a landmark anniversary coinciding with an election year, however. It's not my skepticism of politicians using the supposed legacy of EDSA to further their place in the race for president. Perhaps it's something bigger.
Read more »
2/19/2016
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Remember finally graduating from college and you feel like you have the entire world to yourself? You're seated in one seat among many, rows and rows of similarly giddy graduates wearing togas, fidgeting because the wait is long and you're incredibly bored. But at the end of all of this, you'll get your diploma - or, in this case, a diploma analogue, since they'll send you the real thing in a couple of weeks - and, well, that's it. You've graduated. You're ready.
The moment the dean hands you that rolled up piece of paper, you are powerful. You now have everything in your hands to make a change in the world: all those lessons, from the classroom, from the field, from the nooks and crannies in between - and the approval of the people that matter. "Yes, you know very well, now. Now, go!" As you take photographs with your friends, the frenzy of all this possibility overshadows the dread you actually are more inclined to feel.
What do I do exactly now?
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The moment the dean hands you that rolled up piece of paper, you are powerful. You now have everything in your hands to make a change in the world: all those lessons, from the classroom, from the field, from the nooks and crannies in between - and the approval of the people that matter. "Yes, you know very well, now. Now, go!" As you take photographs with your friends, the frenzy of all this possibility overshadows the dread you actually are more inclined to feel.
What do I do exactly now?
Read more »
2/16/2016
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I used to take pride in my ability to compose prayers on the fly.
They're not particularly amazing prayers. I just follow the same template as everyone. You thank the Lord at the beginning; you ask for his grace next; you sum it up nicely by invoking Jesus Christ in the end. But somehow this becomes a very monumental task. Ask someone to do the prayer and the first thing they'll say is "can it be someone else?" Nope, no chance of that, so they'll just fall into this sort of staccato rhythm using stock phrases.
It's really just me being a little too confident. My parents were part of Couples for Christ for a few years, which meant my sister and I were dragged to its equivalent for kids, named, well, Kids for Christ. We tagged along in prayer meetings, although I mostly spent the time sleeping at the master bedroom. On Sundays, I watched the same people give prayers, praising and exalting and whatever. It's just the template I picked up, and picked up with a bit more zeal than others.
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They're not particularly amazing prayers. I just follow the same template as everyone. You thank the Lord at the beginning; you ask for his grace next; you sum it up nicely by invoking Jesus Christ in the end. But somehow this becomes a very monumental task. Ask someone to do the prayer and the first thing they'll say is "can it be someone else?" Nope, no chance of that, so they'll just fall into this sort of staccato rhythm using stock phrases.
It's really just me being a little too confident. My parents were part of Couples for Christ for a few years, which meant my sister and I were dragged to its equivalent for kids, named, well, Kids for Christ. We tagged along in prayer meetings, although I mostly spent the time sleeping at the master bedroom. On Sundays, I watched the same people give prayers, praising and exalting and whatever. It's just the template I picked up, and picked up with a bit more zeal than others.
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2/09/2016
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I have just gotten my hands on the latest issue of Monocle, wrapping up a possibly misguided bid to collect an entire volume of the magazine - and by that I mean all ten issues in one year, plus the two special issues that are not sold here. (I know that reads like a brag, but I just got lucky I was in countries that sell those issues in months those issues are sold. But yeah, a brag.)
Now, yes, call me a hipster. I'll allow that. The magazine is decidedly international in perspective, definitely artisanal in orientation, and very much a creature of multiple paper stocks and the particular scents they give off upon opening. I'm not necessarily a fan of their escapist travel recommendations - after all, the magazine, the whole project, is aimed at jet setters who earn a hundred times more than I do - but I find the topics they cover interesting. Monocle articulated my views on how a city should work, for one; funnily, it wants its cities a little bit gritty and not too polished (ahem, Singapore), but then it features yet another heavily-gentrified First World neighborhood. It also tends to feature oft-overlooked players in world affairs, too, although it will almost always be followed by some entrepreneur from Japan, or Turkey, or Scandinavia.
In short, it is very white.
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Now, yes, call me a hipster. I'll allow that. The magazine is decidedly international in perspective, definitely artisanal in orientation, and very much a creature of multiple paper stocks and the particular scents they give off upon opening. I'm not necessarily a fan of their escapist travel recommendations - after all, the magazine, the whole project, is aimed at jet setters who earn a hundred times more than I do - but I find the topics they cover interesting. Monocle articulated my views on how a city should work, for one; funnily, it wants its cities a little bit gritty and not too polished (ahem, Singapore), but then it features yet another heavily-gentrified First World neighborhood. It also tends to feature oft-overlooked players in world affairs, too, although it will almost always be followed by some entrepreneur from Japan, or Turkey, or Scandinavia.
In short, it is very white.
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2/08/2016
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Stop worrying about what's yet to happen.
Stop talking about your problems in public.
Stop throwing a tantrum.
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Stop talking about your problems in public.
Stop throwing a tantrum.
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2/03/2016
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"Eh bakit nawala 'yung Nutribun?" he asks his colleague, an older man.
"Kasi ganito," the older man began. "Sinimulan ni Marcos 'yang Nutribun. Tapos tinigil."
He pauses for a bit, as the people settle in and the elevator door closes.
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"Kasi ganito," the older man began. "Sinimulan ni Marcos 'yang Nutribun. Tapos tinigil."
He pauses for a bit, as the people settle in and the elevator door closes.
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1/24/2016
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"Hindi ako sigurado kung si Duterte ba talaga ang kailangan natin."
I was talking to Shalla. We were in the car. We just came from the hospital, where I picked up my X-ray results. (Normal, in case you were wondering.) We were on our way to the mall for lunch. It's some weird Saturday date we found ourselves in, and in between, we were talking about politics. And again, I was unstoppable.
"Sabi ni Cayetano, 'si Duterte, mayor ng Davao, and it's three times bigger than Metro Manila,'" I continued. "Ako, I'm, like, anong kuneksyon nun? Ibig sabihin ba nun kaya niya ang buong Pilipinas?"
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I was talking to Shalla. We were in the car. We just came from the hospital, where I picked up my X-ray results. (Normal, in case you were wondering.) We were on our way to the mall for lunch. It's some weird Saturday date we found ourselves in, and in between, we were talking about politics. And again, I was unstoppable.
"Sabi ni Cayetano, 'si Duterte, mayor ng Davao, and it's three times bigger than Metro Manila,'" I continued. "Ako, I'm, like, anong kuneksyon nun? Ibig sabihin ba nun kaya niya ang buong Pilipinas?"
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1/20/2016
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I don't remember it like yesterday, but for some reason I remember more details of that particular day than most others.
I think it was because that was the day I took my high school entrance exam.
I don't remember the questions, nor the faces. I do remember that, during a break, I opened a pack of Chips Ahoy and munched on those. I stayed on my seat in the classroom, mindful not to let any crumb fall on the floor, because this could be my school for the next four years and I want to make a good impression.
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I think it was because that was the day I took my high school entrance exam.
I don't remember the questions, nor the faces. I do remember that, during a break, I opened a pack of Chips Ahoy and munched on those. I stayed on my seat in the classroom, mindful not to let any crumb fall on the floor, because this could be my school for the next four years and I want to make a good impression.
Read more »
1/08/2016
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Belonging is hard.
If you've been reading this blog for an extended period of time - I don't expect anyone to have stuck around throughout the past ten years - you would know that I haven't exactly had the best luck with belonging. I just seem to rub people the wrong way, whether I don't share the same interests, or I'm just plain obnoxious. Or, well, they're idiots.
Well, okay, I know I'm being overly dramatic. Yes, I have made friends, and yes, I'm still very good friends with some of them. But when you've seen so much volatility in the things you believed will last forever, you learn to become quite apprehensive - and, at the same time, you strongly hope that you will find your crowd soon. Then again, I'm getting older, and finding a crowd is increasingly hard these days, because people calcify into their habits, more or less.
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If you've been reading this blog for an extended period of time - I don't expect anyone to have stuck around throughout the past ten years - you would know that I haven't exactly had the best luck with belonging. I just seem to rub people the wrong way, whether I don't share the same interests, or I'm just plain obnoxious. Or, well, they're idiots.
Well, okay, I know I'm being overly dramatic. Yes, I have made friends, and yes, I'm still very good friends with some of them. But when you've seen so much volatility in the things you believed will last forever, you learn to become quite apprehensive - and, at the same time, you strongly hope that you will find your crowd soon. Then again, I'm getting older, and finding a crowd is increasingly hard these days, because people calcify into their habits, more or less.
Read more »
1/06/2016
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I'm a bit OC when it comes to names, specifically names as they appear on lists, specifically names as they appear on lists I use. I don't demand full names - there would not be space if you had, say, four first names, and anyway, if you had four first names does that mean one would become the second name, then the third, then the fourth? - but it'd be nice to have a first name and a last name.
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Niko Batallones writes The Upper Blog.
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Some photographs have been edited using post-production curves from Shalla Yu.
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