Everything will be all right

Late Saturday morning. I wake with the worsened condition of my colds. I wanted more sleep but I have to get up as I was about to get drenched by the rain water coming from the roof holes. The day is dark (and noisy) with the typhoon. I tried to go online but the internet is so slow (out-of-order even) that I was only able to post one update (my complaints for the day) on Twitter after an hour of trying to do so. I gave up after. And I thought this could be one of the worst days I ever had.

Then an hour later or so, reality strikes and I realized that I am much luckier that I thought. There are a lot out there that unfortunately have to suffer more than I have to come accross. I was complaining about the rainwater coming from the holes while a lot have to deal with the water coming all over the place. I was complaining of my colds, but I know it is a lot harder to be out there battling the forces of nature. I was grumbling on my internet connection, while others are doing what they can to get help and don’t know if others are responding.

At the end of the day, there is still discomfort because of the colds, I wasn’t able to sleep to my room because my bed’s got drenched, and I never got back online as the line got busted. But I am no longer complaining. I am happy to count my blessings.

But I am hoping that everyone and everything will be all right after the misfortune.

yani’s hunger

I rarely load credit to my prepaid phone lately since I never really get to maximize everything and the load credit always end up expiring with still substantial value on it left unused. Or worse, out of the blue, that load vanishes in thin air without even knowing it did. Actually the latter reason was the main beef I have while I rarely use my phone nowadays. I hate the feeling of being cheated again so I avoid suffering the same fate I had seven months ago.

pet peeve number one

maybe i am just making a big deal about it but i am still ticked whenever media (or anyone at that) call the northern provinces of cagayan and isabela as cagayan valley and isabela province, respectively. it’s as if the official names of those provinces are such and calling them merely cagayan and isabela will make anyone lost.

okay, the idea of adding “valley” in the province of cagayan is to distinguish it from the city of cagayan de oro in misamis oriental (down south). and adding “province” in isabela is to distinguish it from the city of isabela in basilan (also down south). but why do we need such distinction? to reduce confusion? i don’t think so. the more i have been confused with the idea. who should i follow now, what my teachers thought me, from the books i read, and what i have known since i was born or the things the media is telling us. unless there are changes in things i have not known.

Seven: Top Keywords to this Blog

For the last 365 days, the following are the top keywords that led someone to any page of this blog. In reversed order.

did you write the book of love – There are other entries who barely made it to the top seven keywords but I picked this line from one of my favorite songs since I think this appealed more to searchers than the other keywords used. It’s one of the titles I used before that has nothing to do with the content of the post.

It won’t work here

I usually do random useless things during breaks at my workstation. So today was no different. While (almost) everyone is talking about the historical win of the first black American president, I too read about it on the web.

Then it got me thinking what if we are to adopt same mode of voting – the so called electoral college? In our case, provinces and cities will have a designated number of vote based on the number of representative they have at present, e.g. Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur will have 2 assigned vote each, Manila will have 6, QC will have 4, etc. Everyone will still vote but once the the vote are counted, the winning presidential/vice-presidential tandem will get all the votes assigned to the province or city they have won. So say, if Juan/Pedro won against Juana/Petra in Ilocos Norte count (even if just 1 vote difference – i think this is what the US calls as popular vote), Juan/Pedro will get the two votes 2 votes equivalent of US’s electoral vote.

Using the data gathered at wikipedia (for the result of the 2004 elections and the no. of representatives of each province and cities) and working on my worksheet for about twenty minutes, I came to a conclusion that if we have adapted the system, we have still a woman president leading the country since FPJ-Legarda team beats GMA-Noli team via 106-92 votes. (Lacson gets 3 for winning in Cavite while Roco gets 7 for winning in Albay and CamSur. The two Eddies got zero.) FPJ wins the majority votes (not the popular one) but since he already passed away, Loren takes over his post thus becoming the third Philippine woman president.

An out of this world and useless post, I know. Just passing my useless time at somebody’s expense .

Just another day in the life of a MRT commuter

My bout this morning for a small space at the MRT for the ride to work could have been one of the most annoying experience to date. Good thing I have somehow foreseen in advance when I saw the long queue of people not moving at the Quezon Av MRT station south bound. Apparently, the “management” decided to get to a stop entry mode again. Not wanting to suffer the discomfort of waiting outside the MRT premises before the guards are allowed to have the commuters inside, I decided not to join the long line and went the opposite north bound loading flatform. I decided to go for a round trip – taking the south bound train to North Av station then alight there to take the train going on the south bound to my destination.

Found out later that the North Av station is also on a stop entry mode and people waiting outside is even more than that of people in the Quezon Av station.

I got into the train together with the most of the people in the loading flatform. (Although the train can still accommodate more passenger, some people don’t want to go in – maybe waiting for the next train so they can sit in.)

After two minutes or so, I wondered why the train isn’t moving. I don’t regularly do the round trip so I assumed this is normal. But after another five minutes with the doors routinely opening and closing the operator announced that one of the doors is defective and they are fixing it. After another five minutes, the operator asked us to go out the train since they can’t fix the problem immediately so we will have to use another train. That is another five minutes wasted on our precious time. Just when I thought this will be one of those I will be at the gig earlier than usual.

While I was a little bit frustrated with the lost time, I thought that I am still lucky than the most of the passengers waiting outside not knowing what’s happening inside. Have I decided to take the Quezon Av queue, maybe I would have been still outside the train waiting in vain. Maybe I was late for about thirty minutes, but it could have been one hour if I made the wrong decision.

Then I realized that in this everyday journey, in the same situation as the others, sometimes you will find yourself luckier than many of them. But many times you’re not. If only I could extend this steak to other phases I will still go through.

bullet points: SP week 2

• Disappointed with Naak loses. Their a little disorganized in the reward challenge. There are too many leaders and wannabe leaders.
• For the second week, I missed the Tuesday episode. Naak still got a consolation prize and that matters.
• Fire at last! All the while, I thought the castaways don’t need it anymore.
• Watched the Wednesday episode in the middle of the heavy rain. With the noise generated by the rain, I barely hear what the castaways are talking about. It’s good that there are subtitle every now and then so I still able to catch up with what is happening.
• I don’t like immaturity of John (and Jace) on Wednesday’s episode but somehow he made it up on the Immunity challenge.
• With the alliance brewing, will Veronica be persuaded with Jace’s charm?
• To lose or not to lose (the immunity challenge). That could have made a big twist in the game. Too bad it never happened.
• If Ateneo got the winning streak against La Salle in UAAP, Jarakay is doing it with Naak winning four straight challenges against them.
• Jarakay’s intensity is winning against Naak’s passion.
• SP just gave a new meaning for “gentlemen’s agreement”. Thanks, Jace.
• Patani has her own moments. Really now, whatever yaya…
• After the immunity challenge, I thought Vhev would be the next to go.
• I overestimated Emerson this time.
• Still think that one in the Naak tribe can be the sole Survivor. I hope they will start winning next time, though.
• So far, candidates for me are John, Veronica and Jace for Jarakay and Rob and Vhev for Naak.

Blue or Green

I was blue in my elementary days. Green during high school. Part yellow and part blue again during first part of college but went green on the later part. No, I am not talking of La Salle nor Ateneo.

I never went to any of the member universities of UAAP. In fact, when I was still taking my secondary education, those schools was out of the options as they are considered too high for us to even dream of going there. Specially La Salle and Ateneo.

I had application for UPCAT then. I never got serious in applying then though since UPCAT was an alien word/acronym for me and just never realized it’s importance until later. Beside, my parents seems not interested also and not pushing me to apply for it. I have never seen their eagerness nor their support in this possible option in college. As if fate would have it, that application form was ruined by my brother before I could even fill it up.

Then come closing time when I will have to enroll to college, I tried applying and took entrance exams in UST among other schools. Unluckily, I failed to make the cut on UST. This caused me major heartbreak that I hate the school after that. I also took entrance examination in Adamson but I never get to know the results since I have decided just to enroll in a college the majority of the family has preferred. When already there, I was able to see two other campuses. We went to UP for the orientation of freshmen students who passed the government scholarship program which I was once part of. We also had our recollection in one of the facilities inside the Ateneo campus during my first year in college. It was then that I realized that I wanted to be one of those students cheering for any school that is member of the UAAP. I have dreamed too late that it will never come true anymore.

With the hype and noise generated by media on UAAP specially on mens basketball games, it was hard to ignore it’s presence, that even if I don’t belong to them I always anticipate the games. On the first years that this was introduced to me, I have been rooting for La Salle. This was the time when they are ending up as runner-up and not the champion. Underdog effect.

As the time goes by and when La Salle finally winning championships, I switched to UE – the school where I have my board exams and passing it. They never won a championship however. Now, I am for Ateneo. For no serious reason since I don’t need one. Sometimes the only reason I have is that my “enemy” is on the other side so I need to go against that person.

By the way, as for the cheer dance competition, I am a fan of the UP Pep Squad but I always want to see either La Salle, Ateneo, or Adamson Pep Squads to pull up surprise and have them on top 3. Never been a Salinggawi fan ever since the school denied me of a chance to be with them but I have to thank them for allowing me to be in their church during the review period for the board examinations.

And that’s the good side of not an alumnus of any of the universities. You can side whichever team you want and never be guilty of disloyalty. Bad side is you can never be identified as one with them.

That Catholic curse

My family met a car accident six years ago. Five members together with Mark – a cousin – was in that car accident. Four of them got some minor injuries while two brothers got from worse to worst.

One of the most stark side-comment that I have received came from one aunt talking to someone else (not me), loosely said – “Look at Mark, he was safe as if nothing has happened to him. He suffered no injuries whatsoever. That’s the power of prayers and faith to the Lord.”

I was so pissed with that comment that until now it’s still fresh from my memory. As if she was telling that our family is not praying and has no relationship with the Person Above. I give her the benefit that she doesn’t mean to hurt somebody’s feeling by saying that but I was so dismayed and so upset by that. Whatever she wants to tell then, it’s clear to me that she thinks that we belong to a inferior “faith” and that theirs is superior and maybe the right one. Once you’re not belong to them, you’re doomed.

Years past, I already forgot that comment. Then, Mom told us about her recent discussion with a “convert” relative. That relative was there for a vacation and told that he will get married two months from now with a woman she met at their church.

Dad then asked if this was the same woman he told a year ago he’s getting married with.

He told, “No, not the same girl. She doesn’t want to be a Christian so we called it off… She’s a Catholic.”

That relative’s response got the ire of Mom. She told him that they (Born-again Christians or Baptist) should refrain from giving those impressions that Catholics are non-Christian since like them, Catholics do believe in Christ also. It has been a common for her (and even me, and the rest of us) to hear such comment to “Christians” like that relative of ours. But that relative never conceded and seems to stand firm to his conclusion: Catholics are not Christians. That’s a Christian behavior personified, huh.

And he’s not the only relative I have heard to have that notion. It seems to me that this campaign against Catholics has been going on for sometime now. I even received a letter from another aunt abroad urging me to know HIM more by attending Sunday service in the church attended by an uncle’s family. After being obliged to go for a week or two (pakikisama, you know), I refrained going with them.

This campaign of sorts against Catholic (even few) got me turned off to consider (or reconsider) “conversion” even if there’s a lot of pressure to get me in one of them since I was in grade school. Many of my aunts and uncles have already turned back to being Catholics. A lot of them. In fact, on Dad’s side, we are the only remaining Catholics in the family. They might have realized that they could not remain non-Christians so they stepped out of this religion. Hmmm

Instead of stepping out of the faith I was born with, I have decided to be more Catholic as much as I could.

BUT

One issue that I have to live with (and sometimes get on my nerves) is the way the Catholic leadership try to manipulate everyone regarding certain issues in the society. They are there sometimes not to guide their parishioners rather persuade them to be on their side on issues that they should not be involved too much as this is not their “expertise”. They say it is their moral duty.

Sometimes I ask myself if I am wrong when there are issues that I don’t totally agree with the church. Am I that evil?

But when I hear / read the arguments of both sides on those issues that the church opposes (like say the reproductive health bill), I still believe my values are intact even if I am not with the side of the church. What is wrong with the church is that they give their opinion and yet they don’t give an option. When they give one, I find it not plauisible – something that don’t really solve the problem but just compicate things up.

THEN AGAIN

While there could be flaws in this religion – a lot of imperfections even – I know I can live with it. Besides, I believe that faith with Him doesn’t depend on the sect you belong to but on the relationship with Him that you got to establish. There is no perfect entity, so is with your faith. And who is anyone to judge one’s person based on his religion? No one.

Move on… Let go…

Aug 14 2008, Thursday.Marks the last day of Campus FM. Okay, where have I been then? Hmmm… by the time it went off-air, it was the moment when I am feeling the worst “moment” in my life – something that I never felt for so long time. Although I am not aware of the event, it seems that my energy then was taken away by the news that I would hear two weeks after. Weird.

Aug 27 2008, Thursday. It has been almost three weeks since I have opened the radio to hear music – been a busy weeks for me. So when I saw the radio just sitting on the corner at the living room, I took that low-tech thing and put it on my room. I started scanning for the Campus FM’s frequency (99.5 MHz) but it seems it can’t get a signal. And so I thought. Then I found RJ100. That means, just a little turn to the left would mean that it’s already 99.5. I am right. I forgot what’s the title of the song that’s playing then but I am positive I am on the right station since the song is relatively new – a new hit. But to be sure that I found the right radio station before I go to bed and lie down, I waited for the familiar radio ID plugs in-between songs or the voice of the DJ on board. After three songs straight, neither of the two happened. Instead, a taped voice played informing that I am indeed listening to the right frequency but it’s “under construction” (or renovation was the word used, I forgot). What “under construction”? “Where’s Campus FM?”, I asked myself. “Is it gone too soon?”

After listening for about thirty minutes or so with almost straight hits (with few plugs in between), I resigned. There’s no sign that I can listen to that familiar “Campus” plugs I have been used to. But I wonder what happened for the sudden disappearance of Campus FM. All of us at home were surprised with the development. If I remembered it right, just last week, I have heard Ingrid (of Mellow 94.7) telling she’s been in the radio studio of Campus to greet Brewrats fellow with fellow jockey Chloie so it is really surprising to hear the news. Since I can’t wait for the morning to come before I have an idea to what happened, I tried to search for news in my cellphone. Except for the wiki article description that said Campus FM was “abruptly discontinued” last Aug 14 2008, no other details were gathered.

Aug 29 2008. I was still in denial. I was hoping that the “construction” will be for a better and bigger Campus FM. I know that there is a lot of improvements in store for the station to do. But since I was really curious about what really happened (and what will happen next), I search for details in the net. There’s no article found on the recent events since search results was more on the events that transpired five months ago – the return of Campus Radio then. But after getting the right keywords, I came to a blog post that details (at least on the blogger’s knowledge) on what happened. Reality strikes, after the short-lived resurgent, I have confirmed that “Campus FM” will not return and has died once more.

It seems that the reason for the abrupt discontinuance of the Campus format now was the same as the reason when same Campus format was changed in it’s original home. It’s sad that FM stations with bubble-gum pop (read: baduy, jologs, masa) format has more listeners thus these stations earn more on adverts. Campus FM has it’s own audience, right. But apparently this is not enough reason for them to survive. They need support not only from their listeners but from advertisers as well.

I feel bad for those who have been a loyal follower of the Campus Radio/Campus FM. I feel bad for those who have dedicated their time and life (in any way and not expecting something in return / just for the love of it) for the Campus format to continue and move on. Only to fail for the second time.

I am hoping that, albeit the very slim chances now, the Campus will come back for good. Wherever and whenever that even will happen, I shall be one of those waiting for it.

Sep 1 2008, Monday. The first thing I have done is to open the radio to judge the new sound of 99.5. It’s same same. If it’s in any consolation 99.5 RT (The Rhythm of the City) is not bad at all. It only changed from one good format to another good one. (Being a Campus listener though, I refuse to say that it is better one.) At least, the change was never to a worse one like it did on it’s former Campus home.

And, another consolation is that Brewrats is still there. At least, I will never miss the show that has been my reliever for some months now.