Enter the Village (or better, The Woods?)

With so much hype given by its trailer, The Village could be a big disappointment to all of those who are expecting the most out of what is has pre-delivered. The marketing has done it well enough to encourage me and my friends to go out and watch the movie on its first day of showing here in Davao. Much to my surprise, as we are about to enter the theater for its last full showing that night, as the credit was flashing on the big screen I heard some claps from the audience. It might be a good sign that the movie indeed is great, from what I have read from a review that gave it a good one.

If ever you want to venture into the woods or enter the village, expect something different from what the marketing has given you. It is not what you think it is.

The Village, helmed by M. Night Shyamalan of the Sixth Sense phenomenon, is about a community situated in 1800s of rural Pennsylvania surrounded by woods that is inhabited by some mythical or furious creatures. The movie centers on the romance between a blind girl, Kitty and a man, Lucius, who always questions the policies set by the elders of the community. The movie takes a great time to develop each characters and the movement of each shots takes you deeper into the personality of each individual as well as the entire village. Shyamalan has delivered a unique love story which caused the dismay of some of my friends because they were expecting to be frightened. But I wasn’t disappointed by the movie since I have read some mixed reviews and some gave out hints on what to expect on the movie. Nevertheless, it was breathtaking and lovely especially when watching how the blind girl was able to gain strength from her love to his man to conquer everything that is forbidden. Kitty has to venture into the forbidden woods to get medicine from the nearby village of which no one has ever done. It's like Frodo venturing out of the beautiful shire to save Middle-Earth. I hate romantic movies, but this one is different because the circumstances set around the love birds are different from what we usually saw on screen.

Another thing I want to say, Shyamalan is a fave of mine, I have seen his movies since the Sixth Sense and I had admired his creativity even though Unbreakable delivered a different tune from the others. There is a certain philosophy he has fixed in the movie (Don’t read the following if you don’t want to be spoiled). As we were about to go home, I told one of my friend that the movie’s theme is about how we were being scared by our elders so that we don’t do some of the things that we wanted to do. I was even become biblical that I told her that “what if” hell is much like the woods. We must not do things that are unholy for our soul will go to hell. What if Hell is created so that we will be sacred to do things we desired to do? That hell is created by men before us to not lead us to our desires?

If you are a fan of good movies, go and see this one.

The Festival of Festivals

The Annual Kadayawan Festival is coming to its culmination this Sunday, August 22, 2004 with big concerts and parties everywhere in the city. Today, Friday, that’s August 20, I am at the office, it is supposed to be a holiday but I am here. I am doing something that is not part of my work. It is much boring if I stayed home the whole day watching TV. At least here in the office, I am able to surf the net and check my emails. Tonight, I won’t be able to catch Sarah Geronimo and others on her concert at Holy Cross Gym because I don’t have money to buy the tickets even though a hundred would do.

Saturday is also a holiday in celebration of the natal day of the late Ninoy Aquino but the main events of the festival will start on that day. Early in the morning the street dancing will begin and I’ll be roaming the city taking pictures just for fun the heck of it. DTC will be having IEC around the downtown area of the city. The volunteers will be there to lend their hands. On the evening of Saturday, there will be concerts everywhere you will go. MTS has SouthBorder, the Venue has Bamboo, and at the PTA Ground Rivermaya will grace the Tsinelas Party of MOR. I wish I have the power of astral projection so I could be in those places at the same time. Well for sure I’ll be at the PTA grounds because that is the only show that is for free and I adore Rivermaya most than the other bands.

Just like the last time we had the celebration, everywhere we go there were street parties. Every street in Davao was packed with people dancing and cheering with joy. The downtown area was closed to vehicles so you will see people walking their way to the street where they want to be.

I have heard also that there will be lots of showbiz personalities to join the occasion and ABS-CBN is having a telecast of the event over Studio 23. So people not in Davao will be able to see what spectacular this event is.

The festival will end on Sunday with another concert at the PTA grounds sponsored by the City Mayor’s Office but Monday will be another day at the workplace so I guess I might be coming late on Monday (hehehe…).

It’s a heartwarming experience to enjoy occasions like this in the city that I have loved so much.

A Dialogue at 5-A

I was in a hurry finishing the certificates for tonight’s event. It was already 7:00 in the evening and the show will start at 7:30. The blank ink on the printer was empty and I couldn’t finish printing the certificates because the designs were all in black color. So I called Veejay and never got an answer. Unfortunately, the printer mixed the three remaining ink colors to create the black, but the printing was too slow. I tried calling Veejay for the second time, he answered and said that I’ll just have to deal with what is available because they are about to start the program. The venue for the program is at Brgy. 5-A Gymnasium in Bankerohan (where Davao’s Public Market is situated), all of the volunteers were there and I was left in the office with June, who was busy framing the certificates. We finished the certificates and head to the venue in no time.

On August 14, 2004, the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) of Barangay 5-A with Davao Teen Center, conducted a Parent-Child Dialogue at the Brgy. 5-A Gymansium. The aim of the event is to have a venue where parents and their children discussed adolescent issues that are sometimes a taboo in their own homes. Some of these issues include pre-marital sex, teen-age pregnancies, and drug addiction. A number of parents and their children attended the event. There were even younger kids who attended but were more occupied playing with there colleagues.

The program started with a doxology, an interpretative presentation by my fellow volunteers to the song Bathala of Joey Ayala’s Band, and then followed by the national anthem heartily sung by Liezel.

The show proper began with some dance and song numbers by some of the volunteers and some special guests (?). The first part of the dialogue was the youngsters’ points-of-view on the issues. I got the chance to ask them and with me was Jupanie. Most of them are SK officials from the neighboring barangays of 5-A. I got the chance to ask one of the ladies (there were 2 guys and 2 girls) about her opinion on teenagers getting married to the guy who accidentally impregnated her so they might not be labeled as immoral even though she doesn’t love the guy. She simply answered me that if it would be her case she would gladly tell her parents the possible problems and difficulties she might encounter if she gets to marry the guy. She will openly tell her parents what she thinks about the situation because, as what she said, it is about her future not theirs. There were a lot of questions I would love to ask them but our director was already telling us to cut our questioning short because there are still a lot of things to do that night. We wrapped up the portion and the singers replaced us on the stage.

I never got the chance to listen attentively when the parents’ dialogue came because I could not get the words they were saying. There were problems with the sound system. I was thinking then that some of them might not be able to hear us out clearly lately when we were on stage because of the audio problem.

There was a part of the program where the audiences get to play a “Pera o Bayong”-kind of game. The kids outnumbered everyone on the stage. And fortunately a boy won the contest which kept me guessing how he was able to answer those questions.

After the game and some dances, we arrived to the culmination of the program. We lighted candles and together we sang the theme song of every young people, “Next in Line” by After Image. The volunteers and the staff gathered on the stage as we sang the song and ended the night with confetti and balloons.

It was a tough event, it ended around 11 and we only had bread on our stomach. So we headed to Sir Chris’ house for a late-night dinner. Everyone talked about how well the event was and celebrated until our stomach got filled and felt the need to sleep and rest. We headed back to the center, where some of us stayed to let the night pass.

Another mission was accomplished, another mind was being educated, and another life was being connected. I’m out!

The Practice

It’s been a long time since I have posted my last web log. I was very busy with work and with the center and I really haven’t had time watching movies and even going out for gimmicks.

The days last week was full of pressures and stresses as all of the volunteers of Davao Teen Center had practices for dances and other presentations for the upcoming event which happened last Saturday, August 14. Everyday, during those weeks, I always have to go to DTC as early as possible to join the practice since I am beginning to encourage myself that I am not yet old enough to join a dance number. Some of us who had their respective jobs had been excusing their selves from their work just to have a nice presentation on the event.

It became a routine that everyday I have to bring some extra shirts for the practice. I think everyone of us does. The music they have chosen was kind of a slow Hip-Hop but entertaining. I get into my position and asked Jordan, our choreographer, for help to teach me the moves. I was kind of irritated by the way he teaches me because he somewhat wants me to dance as good as possible when I was just memorizing the steps. I even told him that I’ll just have to look at them dancing and I’ll just study the steps.

I could still remember when I was in high school; I used to dance in the school with some of my classmates. I even help choreographed some of our steps. There was one time when we had to travel to another municipality to join a dance contest there, which we haven’t won. (I don’t want to reason, I might sound defensive). I missed the sweating and the shouting if one or two missed a move. And I began to miss my high school classmates. L

Back to the practice, everything went fine as the days passed us by. We had snacks of bread and juice. The bread has been our all-time favorite snack.

While we were practicing our dance, some of the volunteers are also practicing their song numbers and doxology presentation. One volunteer invited someone to teach them the doxology presentation.

As the days passed, the time to practice seems to adjust farther. From 6PM, now its 7PM. Some of the volunteers who are part of our dance number coincidentally got some job and they are only available after 7pm. We sometimes finished practicing at around 9 in the evening and sometimes have to sleep at the center for some of us are tired to go home.

There was one instance, it was Tuesday night, and I was still at the office by boss came to our cubicle and surprisingly told me that he has to see my presentation on Wednesday. I was told I was going to present my project on Saturday before that. So I asked my colleague if I could borrow his laptop just for a night. I bought my work at the center but I have to practice first before I start my work. I slept at 2am, woke up by 6 and the next day, I have so much stress and was so tired.

Then the event came.

Disco Infierno

Everything went out just fine last night; I was watching soaps on TV and catch the episode on CSI on TV. The CSI episode was amazing, a man charged with arson and the fire brutally killed his wife and his 8-year-old son. Mel was with me watching the episode and before the episode ends, VJ called my attention. He was asking me to buy them dinner; he and Jups were finishing their reports for their submission today. I went out to buy and when I came back I missed the last part of CSI and Mel told me everything about it. We ate our dinner in the staff room. Jupanie told me that she borrowed a VHS of a movie entitled "Holy Ghost" of which I have never heard of. I was thinking maybe it was an independent movie; most independent movies here in the Philippines are released only on video. It starred Kate Winslet and Harvey Keitel, directed by "The Piano" director, Jane Campion. 
 
The movie was all about an Australian girl (Winslet) who went to India and was captivated by the guru of an ancient belief. Her amazement led her to live in India to become one of the wives of the guru. Upon hearing this situation from a friend, who was with her when they traveled to India, her family decisively planned to hire a “cult exiter” (Keitel) to get her back. And the rest of the film became an intriguing tale of love, sex, passion, and lust.
 
I was so consumed by the film's story when VJ and Jups came and told me that we are going to The Venue. It’s ladies’ night so Lotlot and Jups will not be paying any fees and besides they wanted to have some good night of fun and dances. Off we go to the place despite the rain the heavy rain. Unfortunately, Ladies’ Night is not really free for ladies, they will have to pay half of the entrance fee. We paid and got ourselves in a huge place where everyone was having the time of their lives. The live band played a mix of hip-hop and R&B, they got a nice rapper although I must admit that I can’t figure out what he was yelling. We ordered four bottles of beer, fries and a pizza. The waiter asked us that we have to pay for the beer because it’s not included in the fee. Off they go dancing while I was waiting for our orders at the table and taking care of their belongings. The second band for the night started their playlist with a mellow. Everyone got back to their sits and listened. When the dance music came back and our orders came, we get to feet and went to the dance floor leaving out things behind. Anyway, their where people sitting next to us and would notice if our things will be stolen.
 
Everything went fine until the clock hits one in the morning. We went back to the center and I finished my viewing while they are busy finishing their reports. I fell asleep after watching, woke up early, went home, sleep and came to the office late.
 
I’m out.

Teacher and Students

I was a teacher back when there were no jobs available for me. I got the job easily because the school was in a hurry to hire one and because the classes are about to start. I found the job hectic and tiresome, I get to shout at some of my hard-headed students, I sometimes think too much on whether to pass or fail a student. It was more than just a mental activity, talking for long hours about the same topic to different classes; I was like a pirated CD.  I was teaching college students, and some of these students were about my age or older so I get along with them very well. It seems awkward that they pay courtesy to me even though they knew all that I am younger than they are. The uniform is the only thing that separates me from them and my position but on days when I will not be wearing my uniform, I am sometimes mistaken for a student.
 
During break times, I get to sit with my students, talking anything from their classes to their evening gimmicks. Sometimes, I got invitations from them, to join them in some of their crazy nights drinking and spilling beers and other intoxicating liquors. Although I must admit that the invitation was tempting because most of my friends where not here in Davao and some are busy with their jobs. But what I always keep in my mind is that I am their teacher and the distance between our obligations in the institution must be kept apart, as much as possible. If my co-teachers would invite me out, I won't have to think about the invitation. There are rules and regulations and even ethics that I must follow once I became part of the institution.
 
On the recent seminar I attended on Team Building our facilitator stressed to us that when a person is joining an organization, he has to adapt a new kind of behavior being set by the rules and regulations mandated by the company. I do agree with her as long as the rules and regulations are beneficial to me and the company. She said this behavior is called the adaptive behavior. These behaviors are not being taught in our own home and we only exercise if we are inside the company. These include punctuality, observing the dress code, wearing IDs, and a lot more. This behavior also applies to universities and schools where girls are required to where long skirts and such which they have to wear. Basically, these are implemented to create a harmonious relationship among co-workers and to promote good character of the company. These behaviors are not meant to be kept with us wherever we may go but when the time comes that we leave the company, it then that it is taken away from us.
 
So to speak in relation to the teacher and student relationship, as long as I am a teacher, I should not cross the line so to be able to achieve the effectively of the said behavior. I was thinking, if I gave in to the invitation, what would happen tome then? They might take away their respect and my position might become questionable. Should I care? Yes, because it is what I should as part of the institution. 
 
If I am not part of the school anymore, I do not bring the behavior with me. It is only then that I can join my students, I mean my ex-students, in their hang-outs.

The Forgiveness Affair

Last Saturday, July 17, everyone was gathered around the parking lot of Davao Teen Center, there were at most 20 of us. Saturdays are always been the time of our spiritual formation, a day in a week where all of us share what we think about a certain human value. It became a tradition to invite our friend from a Bible college here in Davao, a foreigner and preacher named Zach. Zach will be the one who will share to us the insights about the value according to the Bible.
 
So then and there we started the session. Our Youth Coordinator started the discussion with these questions: Is it easy for you to forgive? Have you had forgiven someone? Have you been forgiven by someone? What situations or instances do you think where you cannot just forgive someone? What situations or instances do you think where you can easily forgive someone? How long does it take for you to forgive?
 
A lot of us shared our thoughts to these questions. One of us shared his situations that he once had an argument with a friend of his, his former best friend. The argument became so furious that they don't want to see each other anymore. He tried to have contact with him and eventually everything went fine. He said that committing the mistake was so simple but the act of surrendering yourself to ask for forgiveness is difficult. He can easily forgive someone if the action is minor, other than that would mean that there is no more connection. He said forgiving someone is a kind of relief to him because the burden created by such misunderstanding is too heavy that sometimes he thinks of the situation more than his studies. So it was in his perseverance that everything now went as good as how he wanted it to be.
 
Of all the questions raised, only one among those given where we have common answers. What are those instances or situations where it is hard for us to forgive? The answers were betrayal of trust, backbiting, and cheating (on relationship). Although these are not the crimes punishable by law like rape and murder, these things are so meaningful to being a human that when committed by someone, will eventually attacked your emotional being.
 
On the topic on asking forgiveness there where two points raised by our facilitator on why it is sometimes difficult to ask for forgiveness, shame and guilt. I was struck and it made me feel bitter because it is a fact. Sometimes, it becomes hard for us to ask for forgiveness because we know we did something wrong and we are ashamed of ourselves because we did such thing that could ruin a precious relationship.
 
Time passed and still there were a lot of ideas being exchanged. The time came when Zack will give us idea what the Bible says about forgiveness. He gave us copies of the testament and asked us to read the passage. The parable was about the man who owed his master and was asked to pay his debt but he couldn't and he was forgiven by his master. When he met his co-worker and ask his co-worker to pay his co-worker's debt, his co-worker couldn't pay him so he scolded him. The master saw this and called his attention and told him about what he had done to him and that he expects him to do the same to his fellow. After the reading, Zach asked a representative for a demonstration and he showed us a plastic chain. He wrapped it around the volunteer's body and locked it. He said that we are like the volunteer who lived in sins and the sins are our chain. If we continue to commit these sins, we will be living in bondage. He stressed that when Christ came to live with us, he untangled this bondage and free us on our sins and wanted us to never commit the sins again.
 
The discussion ended with a little bread shared among us and some chit-chats. It is very heartwarming for all of us to have at least an opportunity to share everything we have and what we experienced so that all of us can learn from each other and understand one another. I will be looking forward on what we will be sharing again this coming Saturday. 

The Burden of Destiny

Last night me and my friends were able to watch on tape the movie Serendipity. A story about how can destiny be able to have two people fall in love even in the most inconvenient way. I was so touch not because it is a romantic film, it is because it dwells so much on how we, human beings, rely so much on destiny and fate. As the film progress, it was visually interpreted that a person has to work on what he/she wants and destiny will just be his/her side.
 
There was a scene in the movie that strikes me most, where Sara's bestfriend was in a confrontation with Sara herself, she mentioned that if destiny do really exists, and that everything in this enormous world has a plan already, then why don't we just sleep all day and let destiny work its way?
 
This kind of belief is sometimes misinterpreted by most people, that our lives has a already been planned. It might be a force or a being, regardless of what we believed in, it is a reality. Most of us look for signs and signals from these forces, a sudden drop of rain in a hot sunny day is interpreted as a good sign, to sight an example.
 
I know someone who is so devoted to this belief, that his life has been planned already. He gets into a relationship because he believes there a sign has been given to him that the girl he has met is meant to be his love of his life. He does eveything to his ability to keep the relationship going, even to the extent of losing his interests in dating some other girls. He is though still young and unemployed. When the girl told him to look for a job, so he did just to please the one being destined to him.  His life goes on for so many years keeping the relationship together and even planned for their marriage until one day he met another girl. It was an unexpected meeting, he meet an old friend on his way home who was with someone who attract his attention. His friend is working in the same building, just a floor ahead where he is working and the girl is her officemate. From that day on, the three of them go out together for lunch and get to know more about each other. He became fascinated with the girl's charm that he can't stop thinking about her but he tried not to because his inner self is keep on telling him that he has someone already. He has never felt that way before in his entire life, like he has met someone who might be his soulmate. But he is also telling himself that her girlfriend is his soulmate. He can tell the difference of the feeling whenever he is with his grilfriend or whenever he is with the other girl. He was so consumed with his destiny that he has not been able to explore the reality that there is so much in this world that he has not discovered. The dilemma continues until today.
 
I will just focus this issue on relationship itself. Just an observation, most guys or girls marry because they have to, because they have set time for theirselves that at this certain age they have to be married, something of a societal issue. A fact also is that if you don't have a girlfriend or a boyfriend at a certain age, expecially older, you are either gay or just a hater of a relationship.  We believe so much about what other people say or what the forces has installed for us that forget to believe in ourselves. What do we really want? What do we really need? Most relationship are stable not because they want to but because they have to. Both parties tries to build a beautiful family because it is the next phase of life after being single and because they believe they are destined to do so. We became to fixated to the destiny being laid upon us.
 
There are so many choices in this world that we haven't choosen and most of these we either painfully or have to pick. After all, it is either we say sorry for ourselves or live with it because the fact is, we chose it.

TSR: Trust, Respect, and Sincerity

on Trust...

How do you trust a person? Some says trust is too expensive to be given. Some asks for price. Some choose someone who can be trusted.

I could still recall what my cousin is always stressing about trust, 'Keep a friend and love him such, but never know him too much, because if a friend becomes a foe, your secrets, the whole world will know.' isn' that scary?

Well, for one, i am a person who easily trust someone whom i have had a talk for maybe a month. I mean whom i know not as much as i know my bestfriend. But i always keep in my mind that the choice is always been mine. The choice to have this person carry the burden of my trust. It is a burden to that person, especially if it is a secret. As i was saying, trusting a person is a choice, you can never ask someone if you can trust him/her because it is you who has the nerve to give trust to that person. It is now up to the person being trusted what he/she is going to do, what he/she is choosing to do with the trust. It is becomes the person's choice what to do with the trust you have given him/her. Do not blame the person if he/she betrays you, it would be better if you are not going to see that person again, to avoid violence or whatsoever.

As you may have noticed, it is all about choices. If the other person is a keen chooser then i guess you have made a right choice of whom to trust. This is what I usually do, I have to make it a point to know if the person i am about to be trusted knows how to rightly choose even in smallest situations, like buying things, choosing places to hang out, etc.

You may use a lot of technique like me but still, it all boils down to one thing: choice.


on Respect...

We used to hear from our parents to respect older people. If you're older than I am, you will have my respect. Do you really need to be respected?

Conflict and misunderstanding arises when one of the parties do not respect the position of the other party. Expect quarrel, bad words, skyrocketting-objects, punching and even death. War is the worst of them all. People not respecting other people, people not respecting others' faith and beliefs and principles. Respect is not as costly as trust. Respect can be easily given without you yourself getting hurt.

Why do people older than i do needed respect? How about the younger once? It is like in the workplace, when someone who is in the higher position than you, you are expected to respect that person. Is it acceptable? Well, it has become a norm. Everyone is exercising it. But of course, respect can be taken away once our morale is damaged. Like when i used to work as a lecturer in a school, I was really irritated by my boss everytime she shouts at my fellow lecturers (I must admit I haven't been shouted by her). Some of them cries and some leave their work and never come back again. Back when I got the job, I was able to appreciate everything my boss has done for the school but as time goes by everything changes. The place becomes a jungle where my boss is the lion and we are my boss' preys. With the situation, I have decided to quit before I loss my temper on my boss.

Sometimes it is hard for me take back the respect I have given because respect is so important that it becomes the reason many misunderstands, even war. The war in iraq is the effect of "unrespect" because two or more people do not respect one another. If you value respect, let is flow through everyone, a small amount of respect can give this world a peaceful turn.

Here's a scenario where trust is very much neeeded. There were two people (A & B) who works on the same organization and has been quite fine dealing with each other, almost to the point of being bestfriends. In an unfortunate circumstances, the other party (B) failed to keep the closeness that they had established. Then there is another person, a third party (C), who wishes to make things right (which C thinks) for both parties. Nevertheless, both parties (A & B) fix what has been broken, sins has been forgiven, but the closeness can never be back again. A says that since they belong to the same league, A would better act as civil and professional as possible, and stresses that this is all A could offer B. B agrees and believes that what has been can never be restored, at least B could still talk to A. Upon hearing the arrangement, C thinks that it is all bullshit and unacceptable. So C wanted more than what the 2 parties has agreed. Isn't C should respect the decision of the 2 involved? C has just stepped into the area where C should not be, invading what A & B know belongs to them. C never respect their stands and worst of all added insult to the injury.

Respect is so simple that it can create a harmonious atmosphere between all of us.


On Sincerity...

Need I say more? Isn't lies acceptable? When in doubt? Some of us used the world 'jamming' or 'ride on' to emphasis that saying the things been said is because we just want to make an impression to a certain person.

How sincere are we when we deal with our angst, our emotions, our thoughts? According to dictionary.com sincerity means as the quality or condition of being sincere; genuineness, honesty, and freedom from duplicity. Quality is how good you mean the things you say or do. It follows that even if you are honest, you have to check if your honesty has quality. Condition is how do you feel your being genuine. On our latest team-building seminar, our facilitator refers sincerity to where your thought and feelings come from, if it is from your heart, that is sincerity. I do agree and this is the only way we can be able to weigh our being sincere.

Sincerity comes when you trust and respect someone. Trust and respect go along with sincerity because it is the measurement of how much you mean to trust and respect a person. You can respect a person without trust but not without sincerity, same way that you can trust a person without respect but not without sincerity but would it be better if you respect and trust someone with sincerity?

I'm out!

The Intriguing Sabel

I have heard so much rave about the transition Judy Ann Santos has made from a bubblegum-pop-like actress into a more daring and adventurous one. It has affected my senses and brought me to see the movie.

Sabel is a story of a nun, who was raped by a prisoner and as the story goes, we are brought to series of flashbacks to fully explain her identity. Sable is so much like all other women who longs for love and justice in the world and we were thankful that in the end she did found what was hers.

The movie’s progress in storytelling will not get you bored. The flashbacks are quite necessary for so many explanations that the movie has to do. I was able to sympathize with the lead man’s longing for his lost love. Wendell Ramos has delivered a good acting in finding his lost love but eventually in the end settles on someone else’s arms. I was asking myself at the end of the movie, ‘Am I supposed to sympathize with Sabel?’ I have read a column in a newspaper that says that Sabel is supposed to be sympathized. Maybe I was dragged to this thinking. But nevertheless, I don’t think I have too. Sabel is someone like us who are still looking and longing for that thing called LOVE and don’t need other’s sympathy. Judy Santos truly delivers her best as Sabel, every scene of hers is a must-see. The sensual parts of the movie were perfectly directed. Just a thought, would it be better if the story started in the courtroom?

What I hate about the movie are the noises that backgrounds the scene where Sabel is confronting a prisoner who is attempting to commit suicide. I was leaning on my seat figuring out what she was telling the man. But that did not distract my concentration.
The movie has an excellent story which is, unfortunately, for Filipinos who are privileged enough to get a good education because there are lots of discussions that is going to happen once you get out of the cinema. It is a kind of film that needs a lot of intelligent to be understood because of the complexity of the lead character that is being presented to the viewers.

I'm out!

Looking for someone...

Everybody needs somebody who will fill in there longing to have someone to hold and hug and kiss and everything for the rest of our lives. Everyone is looking for someone somewhere else. There's the internet, the old-time-style pen pals, and even blind dates. What ever medium it maybe, it is undeniable that everybody is looking.

Famous of them all is the internet. There are lots of dating service available online, there are chat rooms, everything... A lot of people too a getting much profits from these form of businesses... There is this friend of mine who imagined herself getting married to a foreigner, not because of money, just the fondness to the white races... She constantly surf the net and chats with whoever wanted to chat with her, as long as the person on the other line is caucasian... There's also another kind of girl who wishes to marry a foreigner to have a prosperous living... For her, it is her only escape from poverty... These scenarios are common to woman, but what about guys? Some guys don't think of it as a way to get married but for satisfaction, i mean cybersex... It may sound nasty but it is a fact... Some do look for a companion but it is uncommon...

We may have varied reasons to these so called fashion but I can only think of one, the need to connect... the entire universe is so huge for all of us to get connected and we have been wondering what would the other people on the other side of the world be doing at this point in time... we have known this and we have made the necessary inventions to satisfy these needs... Time will come, when we will know that we are not alone in this universe, are we still eager to invent new approach to connect with them?... could you think of yourself chatting or having cybersex with an alien?... hahahahaha! NASTY!

I'm out!

Sleepy Head...

I am lazy, I do accept that I am really lazy but i do like going to work. I've heard it many times I've been called a lazy person. I might be the only lazy person who loves going to work instead of hanging around doing nothing.

I love going to work only and only because my time doesn't require me to report at a specified time. I am supposed to work 9 hour a day, but at times I just have 8 or seven hours. Hahaha... I am lazy indeed...

I don't know why i easily get restless especially in the afternoon where everything is hot and not a good time of the day to take a sleep. so i just opened some of my projects at work, do something which i think would require me to think much so i will not be thinking more of the sleep. at times i am tempted to drink coffee which i have been trying to avoid. i've been having at least a glass of coffee a day for almost a couple of months now and i want to continue this discipline.

After lunch break, most of us have at least 30 mininute to have a siesta or do something out of work. Sometimes, i do feel sleepy that i lay my head on my table and just think of a thousand sheeps jumping over the fence... But I feel like someone is calling my attention, my computer is urging me to surf the web... Aaaarrrgghhhh! There's Friendster, Yahoo!, Inq7, everyone... My Yahoo Messenger is giving me notices that i have a message and my computer beeps everytime i receive a message from Outlook... how can i ever take a nap...

By the time the clock's hands hits six o' clock, i feel like i wanted to sleep in the office and dont want to go home... i am sleepy... i yawn and yawn and yawn... almost every second... Is there someone out there who can help me with this?

Ooops, it's 1pm already. Time to go back to my work... Ciao!

Im Out!

Life After Work

It is about 6pm and i am about to leave the office... Where would be after here? Of course, first stop would be Davao Teen Center (DTC)... I know as of the moment everyone there are preparing there things for the saturday's training which i was hopefully be able to attend. unfortunately, we are also having our office-sponsored training that day... Good for them, they will be heading to samal where they prefer to have it, on the other had, we will be at Malagos Garden... Fortunately, it will be my first time to visit the magnificent (it's what some of those who have been there described it) Malagos... We will having our Team Building.

So what with DTC that I am very much eager to join them, aside from some obvious reasons, DTC has been a family to me... i might admit that i have been involved with the Center since the time i met there youth coordinator, before he was only an assistant... If i had known this institution during my school days, i would have spent my wee hours with them... It is kind of nice to help other people especially the younger generation realize their importance and in sharing also everything you knew about everything... we shared our hopes, our dreams, our life... after work, i always do visit the place to fell the need of connection to the humanity... (grin!)

Although I must admit that i only stay there at most a couple of hours. so afterwards, i go home and watch tv until my eyes hurt and fall asleep... i have my schedule of what to watch... if i come home earlier than 7, i'll be watching the news (TV Patrol), then Wassup! Wassup!... i fixed my viewing on Studio 23 until 9 then i switch to MTV to watch TRL... at 10 ill be watching News Central, Oprah then back to MTV to have my eyes get sore... hehehehe... i guess ive shared enough today...

it's time for me to go....

im out!

July 8, 2004

I had just finished with the updates of my program and I felt my eyes are getting heavier. I am thinking about what will i be doing next. Our office is new, we just transferred here 2 days agao and is still under going some minor changes. I could hear the knocks of hammers and it is quite irritating. i felt like my ears are going away from my head. And now somebody is sawing. Ooops, its 3 in the afternoon already, and i am hungry. Maybe tonight we might get to watch Kill Bill 2. I wanna know why some of the critics dont like it. I love Uma Thurman, i love watching her kicking some hard ass. i have watched the first one and it was great, although too bloody but still great. I thin k it is time for me to smoke... my head is busting me... Oh, i have to wash my laundry tonight coz ill be havinga seminar on saturday and i'll be staying at the venue. This seminar has been postponed twice and fortunately just got its approval... nasty huh?

I just checked my blog on my pinoyster account and omg, it wasnt there... watever they did to my blog... :(

ok, so this morning i came late again, although we dont are not entitled to have a late coz our office hours are flexible. (the priviledge that i think i have been abusing) hehehehehehe... lucky for me, because they are fixing everything here in our office and it is kind of noisy in here... and my officemate been going outside coz he can't take the noise... first thing i did today is to check on my pending program... i need to make the necessary updates our branches... quite easy coz i just finished it, have it emailed too so i need not to worry about it...

sorry i cannot collect my thoughts that much... ill just post watever is it i want to post...

thanks for reading... :D