This Special Week

I wanted to start with what we call the Palm Sunday. But everything else was really uneventful. But then, I wasn't expecting anything eventful for this week. I just wanted to rant about a few things that happened. So I might as well just rant away.


~ On Holy Tuesday, we went to our Dad's home, in his hometown in Paete, Laguna. It was good to see my cousins, nephews and my only uncle by my dad. This is the biggest family we have, since on Mom's side, we only have two cousins, their dad, and a spinster aunt (oh, then what do you call an unmarried uncle? Or is spinster is what you call an old-maid aunt?) Anyway, I had a good time there but since it's a little far from where we stay, we got to get started going home early.

~ On Good Friday, I joined the yearly Prusisyon ng Bayan. I wasn't prepared to finish it giving my condition. We are all a little apprehensive but I was surprised, too, realizing that I was able to go through it. In my mind while I was walking, I was always thinking, "You have to finish as strong as you have started." I did, but I realized that I was dead tired by the time I lied down my bed. I tried to compare the body ache with the pain I used to have after our Holy Week climb at Mount Banahaw and it's somewhat the same to me.

~ My cousin from the States arrived on Black Saturday. I wanted to go to the airport to pick her up but decided against it because I might tire myself too much and that might not be good for me yet. So, we just decided to wait for her till she gets home to Paete, Laguna. It was a surprised that they got back earlier than expected. I was like having regrets because I didn't go, but then again, you know how the traffic situation is here in our country. So, almost all of us had dinner together and before we know it, it was time to go. This time, we have a transpo so going home late is not much of the problem.

~ Sunday brought a little surprise for me. Most of you know that I am supposed to get this job that I turned down the last minute for some issues. Yesterday, I saw one of my supposedly co-worker from that job. She is doing field work and she's not supposed to, given the nature of our job description. So, I asked her how things are and she said she transferred to field work since the database that we were supposed to work on isn't complete yet. Out of the ten agents as starters (which went down to nine after I backed out), only three were left and they all transferred to field work. So, this answered my long-time (since I backed out) question of what-if I joined? I think I made the right decision of backing out, since I can't do field works yet.

~ I am going out after this rant. I have like three inquiries for the books that I listed on my eBay account, and that's only for this week (well, it IS a record for me lol). This is also a surprise to me. It was really a tough decision to sell my books. But then again, I really think I should because I just don't want them to rot here like what happened to a lot more of my books years before. Also, we don't have much space for a shelf to keep it. That goes without saying that I could use the sales to buy more books to read. Oh well, on a positive note, it pays to see that someone else is interested in the books that I have so wanted for a long time and took a while to get. There's one buyer who bought my Hannibal trilogy saying that she's a book collector and was looking for this series. I wanted to say, "Oh gurl, I hear you. I've so wanted to get all these three books altogether." The fact is, I had a hard time getting all these three from second hand book shops. And when I finally got it, I googled and asked around which book am I supposed to read first.

A Special Kind of Friday

This one of the reasons why it still feels to be home at this time of the year. This is the time to really look inside us and think about those things that happened to us - good and not-so-good. The past two years that I was away, I looked back during those times that I was part of this event. True, there were parts of our life that we spent this time up north, meaning the beaches. But we got over it.

There were also times that we went to the mountains to reflect on everything, too. Lying on the ground up on the mountain, the sea on one side and mountains on another, the stars upon you, you feel small, but overwhelmed in so many ways. I did it for five consecutive years. I had the fear of heights and nothing felt so bad as the first time. And then it was almost gone. After a bad fall at the place they call the Kalbaryo (Calvary), I didn't go the years after. I don't know if it was a bad decision to stop. But even if I want to, Mount Banahaw was closed for about ten years for restoration. I think I will have to find out if it is open again. I feel like I'm missing the mountains, and the feeling of awe in being there, without most of the conveniences.

This year is a very significant year. Having gone through an operation, the sad news of the biopsy, and then the gift of the CT scan result, there is no other reason for going except to thank HIM that I am: Admiring the little things around me, the joy of reading books, the laughter of a sit-com, to feel for other people's sorrows, and much more.

Shaded

My friends were here last night. It has become a Sunday thing since my operation and I kinda miss it when they don't come over when they have other things/errands to do. It used to be in time for dinner but they were a little late last night. But they came.

They came with the sample ballot. My friend's mom is a teacher and I guess they must have started their seminars/briefings or whatever for the upcoming elections, which to date, is just 42 days away.

Here is the heading of the sample ballot:

The instructions are clear. We will never miss it because it is in Filipino.

Shade the oval. This took me back to high school days of NCEE where I heard many students failed the exam because they did not follow the instructions. Now, this isn't an exam wherein if we fail, we get ourselves affected and only ourselves. This time, it's one vote... one vote less or one vote more for a candidate to win or lose his most dreaded seat. One vote less or one vote more for the person who will rule our country, who will change our country's future. You might say I am thinking too much, but isn't it true?

Anyway.

My friend said this is the most important thing: "Di baleng kulang, huwag lang sobra," referring to the number of candidates for those seats that require more than one person.

I really hope this works.

Singkil

I couldn't remember when I got fascinated by this dance. But what I know is that I fell in love with it the moment I saw it in grade school.

About a week ago, I had the chance to see it again. We were accidentally informed that a cultural presentation was scheduled that day. We had absolutely no idea what was in store for us but off we went for the sole reason that my sister and I's god daughter has a number.

There is such an elegance that I see whenever I see this dance. It didn't change as I grew older. I realized it that night. The performers here are still on grade school and I feel awed that the cultural dance were taught to them and will be on their blood as they grow old. I feel that our culture has to be cultivated so that it may continue to be known to our future generations.

Rated

A few weeks ago, they released this video on the internet as part of the campaign AmBisyon 2010.

Then there was a showcase of Filipino directors like Brilliante Mendoza and Jeffrey Jeturian. They both have videos featured.

Yesterday, on twitter, I read that these video, along with Jeturian's were given an X rating by the MTRCB. So, I went to back-read my FB (and discovered I posted it March 5) and searched for the video to see it again. I actually did post it on my FB with some kind of excitement because I find the video on a positive light. I know it shows poverty. But just like Brillante said, it's what he sees and that's the reality.

I don't see anything wrong about the video. The scenes are true and as real as they can be. The music? Full of hope. FULL OF HOPE. It is actually inviting the youth (and all of us) to start the change.

The board said that video is injurious to the image of our country. I don't see how.

The song is not actually about the scene. But as Brillante puts it, if you will just simply interpret the song, it is somewhat elementary. He was (oh so) right about that.

Perhaps, the board saw it this way: since the song was in the Filipino language, the whole world will not understand, so they'd probably just rely on the scenes. I think it would be good to put subtitle and review it and pass it.