Care to Scream?

I love horror movies. Just earlier today, I watched the first installment of Scream. I never saw the full length of this movie until today. I used to stop watching a movie the moment I realize it’s not really that scary. I have to say I found it kind of bordering on comedy. Unlike most horror movies, it had a lot of light moments and funny scenes. It’s not something I would list down as my favorite, but I would watch it for as many times as I can. At least, I don’t get to sleep with obscene memories about gross scenes from the movie.

My friend, Jingle, is not calling up a rally this week. I will still try to post a poem tomorrow, to keep the tradition alive. Even if there’s no official rally, I want her to see how much I value the efforts she is doing for me and the rest of the bloggers that she has brought together. I hope she comes back online ASAP. Blogging and Thursdays won’t be the same without her.

Rants

I have nothing against the Jejemons. I just don’t approve of the publicity and the attention that the fad is getting these days. It’s not even something that helps the society. it does not even do anything for the society at all. So why bother? I am not calling myself a Jejebuster because frankly, I have more important things to do that chase after a useless fad. It’s just that communication should be clear, correct in grammar and easily understandable by people you talk to. Communicating the Jejemon way is absolutely not going to help anybody conquer the world. I find it as a waste of time.

I don’t know about any other Filipino out there. I never used text lingo before, why should I use Jejemon texting now? I would rather be straight to the point and simple. At least, it got me where I am now. I am sure that non-Filipino readers of my blog will not understand what I am ranting about. Thank goodness they can’t. It’s really not something I am proud of. People have been making fun of Filipino English for so long. This just gives them yet another reason to think that we are all trivial people who just happens to have one very good boxer and one very corrupt government.

*wink*

Winning or Losing

What do you think of cheaters? I don’t just mean men who are committed to the respective girlfriends but men who are married and have children as well. However, even if they are fond of their family, they can’t help but cheat on their wives, lie to their children, and screw around with different women.

I know some men who are like that. I am not surprised by men who behave that way. I don’t condone or condemn them. I am only thankful that I did not have to grow up with that kind of environment.

We can’t stop men from “being men” as they say. If men really cannot stop themselves from cheating on their wives, well, there’s pretty much nothing we can do about it right? They already said it. It’s an urge they can’t control or probably lack to willpower to control.

I have always viewed cheating as a voluntary act. It is not like the muscles in your stomach working their way through digesting the food you ate. It’s not like your brain relentlessly trying to control all the other parts of your body. With cheating, everything is always controllable. Eveything is always under your control.

When you go out or meet with the person you’re cheating with, that’s voluntary. Your feet just won’t atomatically take you to that meeting place. You work  on your own to get there. When you get to the point of no return, there is always that moment when you can always step back or back out. There’s always that split second where you can still change things. It is always a matter of choice, of decision.

Maybe that’s why I have little sympathy for cheaters. I had a wild ride when I was younger, but I never cheated on anybody. I don’t like cheaters, but I still consider them human beings who judge fail to make right decisions all the time. Sometimes, we don’t have to think whether one this is right or not, we just have to think about what SHOULD BE, and that’s we should stand by our decisions. If we’ve already decided to have our own families, then that should be final. Anything else that comes after that should only be a test as to how dedicated and faithful we are to our own decisions.

I am not a cheater. I don’t want to be cheated. But right now, I can only hope to never experience the pain that people experience when they realize that they have been cheated on. 🙂

Reruns

I watched a rerun of Ally McBeal last night. It was the episode where Billy Thomas died. If you haven’t seen Ally McBeal at all, then you have missed a huge part of your life. I can remember the days when their episodes made me feel like I was going through Ally’s heartache myself. If you’ve never heard about Ally McBeal, well, let me give you a vague idea.

Ally McBeal is this quirky and smart lawyer who is still single. The love of her life is Billy Thomas. They separated when they went to different law schools. When they saw each other again, Billy was already married to Georgia. What’s more was that the three of them had to work in the same law firm. Together with their friends, Richard Fish, John Cage, Nel Porter, Elaine, and Ling, Ally, Georgia, and Billy faced the ups and downs, the loves and hates of their lives. Unfortunately, Billy was suddenly diagnosed with brain tumor. The tumor was so progressive that he lost his life while he was doing his closing in the courtroom.

There was just so much sadness with the series. Yes, they had comedic moments, but underneath all that comic and laughter, the show was generally a sad one. It was the kind of show that did not leave you with a good feeling at the end of every episode. Before there was Grey’s Anatomy, Ally McBeal reigned over heartbreaks and weird circumstances. I still wish Ally and Billy had a better ending. But, like any other thing in life, we don’t always get the happy ending we all hope for.

The Explanation

For today, I want to explain the reason behind yesterday’s poem, “Found.” I feel that a lot of people may not really appreciate the poem because the message of the poem was not really laid out in simple words, like what I always do with my other poems.

Wednesday afternoon, while at work, I was listening to this song by the APO Hiking Society called “When I Met You.” For those who are not from the Philippines, I’m sure you don’t know who the APO Hiking Society are. Well, they are a legendary trio here in the Philippines. They have become a big part of Philippine music history. They have popularized, written, and produced some of the best songs that the Philippine music has ever known.

Their song, “When I Met You,” talks about the kind of love that changes a person. The first few lines go like this: “There I was, an empty piece of a shell, just minding my own word without even knowing what love and life were all about.” Then all the emptiness was filled when he found the girl who made all the difference. This is the chorus of the song: “You gave me a reason for my being, and I love what I’m feeling. You gave me a meaning to my life, yes I’ve gone beyond existing. And it all began when I met you.”

It’s a very beautiful song. It does not have just the poetic lyrics, it also has the melody that people can’t help but sing along with. I have loved that song for as long as I can remember. However, I suddenly thought to myself that not all loves happen like that. Some kinds of love start by being hesitant, repressed, even learned. Sometimes, we are not empty shells who are just waiting for the right person to listen to our hidden melody beyond the emtiness. Sometimes, we are the shining star that people can only look up to. Sometimes, we are achievers who are not searching or waiting for love at all. But love still finds its way to us. Sometimes, we do not even realize that we are already in love with somebody until the second that we are torn away from the person.

This is why I had the irrevocable urge to write a poem. I wanted to write a poem about a love the did not make the skies any bluer, the roses any sweeter, the birds any more melodious. I wanted to write a poem about a love that was simple, that never changed anything at all, that never made things better. I wanted to write a poem about a love that was just as simple as love can be.

The poem is about a love that did not make the sun shine any brighter. It was about a love that did not bring any sunshine at all. But during the dark of night, was always there, to hold you close, to keep you warm, to make sure you are safe. It is about a love that did not bring springtime, or any of the beautiful things. But it was a love that was constant and consistent whatever season you may find yourself in. I was about a love that was not new at all. It was not something new. It was a love that was familiar. A love that has always been there for as long as you had knwoledge of the word. It was a poem about a love that did not make two halves whole. It did not bind two people as one heart and one soul. No, these two people still had their own heart and soul, but they had the heart and sould that existed only for each other. Basically, I wrote a poem about a love that was not shiny, new, and beautiful. It was a love that was simple, familiar, and unchanging.

Waiting…

Finally, it’s Sunday. I am just waiting for my friends to show up. I hope they come, though. At the moment, I am busy trying to write a blog, check my email, watch TV and finish the downloads that I am doing. I’ll probably not be online anymore later.

Last night was the Coronation Night of the BB Pilipinas 2010 Pageant. I did not watch it, but from the comments I heard from my mom, I don’t think I missed much. As usual, the hosts did a poor job, the pageant was not as good as it used to be a few years ago. It’s sad because this was supposed to be the contest that will search for the most beautiful Filipinas to represent the country. Unfortunately, I’m not seeing the class anymore.

On Taylor Swift’s Album of The Year Award

With the conclusion of the 52nd Grammy Awards, the internet is now full of negative reactions against Taylor Swift winning the Album of the Year Award. It is amazing what people can say on their comments and their blogs.

I am not a huge fan of Taylor Swift. I think that she is just a simple artist who is getting more attention than she deserves. I also think that Lady Gaga or Beoynce deserved that award more than she did. But I also do not agree with all the haters who post very hurtful and destructive comments over the internet.

Let’s face it, she won the award. Why don’t we all move on? Wasn’t it just like yesterday when the airwaves were flooded with requests for her songs? Weren’t we, the general consumers, the exact people who catapulted her to the pedestal that she sits in now? The fact is, the people behind the Grammy Awards saw something in her and thought that she deserved the award. There is no need for us to attack her. She did not let herself win. We did. Whenever we talk about her, good or bad, we make her a little more popular. Whenever we make a comment about her performance, it only means that we watch her. Whenever we say something about her talent, it only means that we follow her career. So now, who was it again who made her into a celebrity? It’s the people.

I know that I am going to piss off a lot of people with today’s blog. But I can’t help it. There’s just too much of Taylor Swift on the internet now. Whenever I read the news online, I always get an article or two about her. I just think it’s so overrated. I don;t understand how people can react so fiercely over something they’re not even a part of.

Here are a few questions I want to ask:

1. Can we even perform half as good as she did when we’re on stage?

2. If we had our own record, would it even sell as much as hers did?

3. If our favorite artists screwed up, would we be fair and attack them just the same?

4. When we were just about Taylor’s age, did we even accomplish as much as she had?
If we think that our favorite artists are all better than her, then no one would actually agree on who should have won that Album of the Year Award. I think we all should just take it down a notch and get on with our lives. The Grammy’s happened three days ago. Isn’t it now time to let it go?

On Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt

I am one of the hopefuls who wish that Angelina and Brad will always stay together. I mean, look at how beautiful their family is. Their children are all well-behaved and so adorable. It would be such a waste if they sepated.

However, we are recently being attacked by such strong rumors that their breakup this time is for real. There are several pictures coming out on the internet about their falling out. Articles tell us that Brad bought a house for himself, that his family had always favored his ex-wife over Angelina, and that they have already consulted their lawyers to make sure that the separation will not be as messy as any other couple’s separation.

Until now, both parties have neither confirmed nor denied the issue. Althought there are a lot of unnamed sources saying that the breakup new is not true, a lot of other people are also showing evidence that Hollwood’s Most Glamorous Couple, Angelina and Brad, are really in Splitsville now.

All I can say is that as long as neither of them says a word, I will remain one of the hopeful ones. I have always supported their love story. I have always followed their careers and their updates. I hope that the rumors that circulate these days are just what they are- plain rumors.

Wrongful Suspension of “Showtime”

Whenever I chance upon it, I always watch the TV show called It’s Showtime. Ever since its pilot last November, the show has attracted a large number of avid fans and supporters. Now that the show has been suspended by the MTRCB, I feel like the momentum is lost, and even if the show airs again, it won’t be the same anymore.

If you’re not familiar with what I’m talking about, let me give you the facts. TV giant, ABS CBN, came up with a show that would promote talent and showmanship. Everyday, they would have around 3-4 groups of contestants who showcase their talents and skills, all hoping to win the 50000 PHP prize. On Saturdays, they air weekly finals wherein all winners from Monday – Friday compete with each other. Again, another 50000 PHP goes to the Saturday winner. After four weeks, they have a monthly finals wherein all winners from the weekly finals compete, still trying to win another 5000 PHP.

A lot of people joined the show because they want to show the whole country that they have untapped talents, and they deserve to be given a chance. There have been many inspirational stories that were discovered through the show. Many talented children and youth were discovered because of the show.

Unfortunately, last week, a guest judge, Ms. Rosanna Roces, offended the teachers because of her remarks and comments that were derogatory. To be honest, it wasn’t just her comments for the teachers that were rude,  most of her other comments were. Because of this, the MTRCB called for a 20-day suspension of the show.

I personally think that this is not a fair decision. The thing is, there was some truth behind Roces’ comments. Some teachers are indeed not worthy of the pedestal they put themselves in. While I have utmost respect for all my teachers, I will not deny the fact that others may have had traumatic experiences with their teachers. There is a fair number of reports about that. Our problem is that we are still narrow minded people.

Our country has tried to be as open and liberated as it can be. But we are obviously still left in the dark. We are still not mature enough to accept the truth and to digest insult. We are still vulnerable people who run around blaming everybody else whenever we get hurt. When somebody says something bad about us, we always attack back. We are still not wise enough to know how to empathize and dig through the reason why that person feels that way.

Roces was wrong because she said it on national TV, at a show where a lot of young people are watching. Yes, there is some truth with what she said, but it was just not the right channel to air her thoughts and opinions regarding teachers. We are still trying to promote education to young people. We still need for them to respect a social institution, and making those remarks about teachers can possibly affect the way that children think.

I totally empathize for all the teachers who have given so much of themselves to their students. I have learned so much from my teachers, and I am very lucky to have been educated by them. However, the teachers who reacted to Roces’ comments also need to accept that fact that not all teachers are so noble to deserve such high regard. The truth hurts, but there really are some teachers whose minds are very corrupted. Calling for a suspension of the show just shows that teachers sometimes can be selfish people. Did they think that when the show gets suspended, people can benefit from it? What happens to those contestants who have tried so hard to practice and to enter the show? What will happen to the talent that the youth are trying to promote? Aren’t teachers supposed to support that? Aren’t teachers supposed to be the ones to encourage their students to shine? I guess not.

MTRCB was right to take action against the offense made by the guest judge. The people need to be assured that they are still vigilant in guarding the quality of the shows that are aired on TV. But they were wrong to suspend and drag the entire show along with the rest of the issue. The issue is between Ms. Rosanna Roces and the teachers group that she offended. The show must go on for all the peole who want to showcase their talents and win. The show must go on for the hosts, the judges, and the staff who have worked their asses off just to give the public pure entertainment.

I hope that even with this obstacle, Showtime will still end up getting rave reviews and massive viewership when it returns. Until then, we just have to content ourselves with watching celebrities battle it out against each other.

Expired Marriage?

As liberated as I am, I still remain conservative and idealistic about some issues in society. I am not embarrassed to say that. One thing that I have conservative views on is marriage.

For me, marriage should be a priviledge. It should be a priviledge for people who have prepared themselves for a married life. In a perfect society, all marriages would always work out and couples would stay together and grow old together. But we are not in a perfect society, and our status now is the closest that we can get to being perfect.

Recently, a women’s party-list group proposed for a 10-year expiration on marriages. I am not going to mention the name of the group because this is, after all, a personal blog. Yes, I get their intentions, and I know that they mean well. I just don’t support it.

Personally, I think it defeats the purpose of marriage. When people get married, they vow to God and their families that they will stay together for the rest of their lives. What’s the purpose of those vows if you can just get away from it all after 10 years? What’s the point of trying to make a marriage work if, at the back of your minds, you know that you don’t have to be stuck with it for life?

Yes, there may be so many marriages these days that do not work out and end up in separation. But there are also people who really wait for the right time, who really prepare themselves for a lifetime of commitment, and who really stay together and remain happy. My problem  with the proposal is that it generalizes marriages as one big problematic scene that needs an expiration date to end the misery.

I have nothing about the party-list who initiated this proposal. I totally empathize and understand wherever it is that they’re coming from. But I will never support this cause. I apologize if I offend anyone, but this is just what I believe in. A marriage is not just a legal obligation. It is also a commitment that you make in front of God, and while earthly laws may treat marriage differently, its sanctity never changes with Him.