Pleasure, Pizza and The Feast!

Long time no blog!

To tell you straight --  this entry has nothing to do with the twilight of Mother's Day (May 12) nor the dawn of midyear elections in my ever-hopeful country (May 13).

I just want to share with you how I find peace in my Sunday service; plus the many perks that come along with it.

It's just less than a year since I attended the Feast PICC -- a weekly prayer meeting of the Light of Jesus family; a congregation founded by Bro. Bo Sanchez. In it, I find serenity every Sunday.  Each rest day is a renewal for me -- another chance to be distressed, inspired, motivated, forgiving, grateful, and feel loved. Last week, I had a very crazy epiphany: being in the Feast is more liberating than touching one's self -- or succumbing to temptations of the flesh.

Oh yes, I just included the phrases "weekly prayer meeting" and "temptation of the flesh" in one paragraph. My apologies for the conservatives, but just continue to read, please.

Have you ever felt those times when something inside you wants to get out? Something buried or sustained finally calls for freedom. It's so hard to resist and so you look for ways to liberate yourself. Well, I'm only human and I do have those times -- unexpected or not. There are times when being alone with myself is tantamount to being in a confession room. Only I cannot invite a priest -- or someone -- to do it with me. 

But what happened last week as I was worshiping -- I felt as if I am reaching a climax -- a different climax altogether; no deep breathing, but with tears prompting to flow down my cheeks. I got so contained in the songs and in the warmth of the entire reception hall that suddenly I felt as if I am free. It was not like those moments when I hide something in order to free something else.

And that is what I like most in the Feast. It makes me feel these inexplicable emotions and overwhelming feeling of acceptance; that no matter what sins I committed in the past weeks or so, I know I am forgiven. I know that somewhere in Pasay City every week, I can be one among the unnoticed worshipers who go to the venue only to ask God for a repair. I like the idea of being seated next to a probable prostitute, mistress, abusive father, foul-mouthed teenager, or flirty, sexually active couple, but only because we all want to be healed in areas we are most damaged at. I especially love how Bro. Bo Sanchez claims not to be perfect and still manage to be legitimately inspiring.

I think this is what will make me continue to attend the Feast until I'm a father or a grandfather. It is a home to people with or without apparent connections. It is home to people who only wish to be present once the Teacher calls for Sunday attendance. A simple nod of recognition can change a week or an entire life! And when it becomes a habit like what it is to me now, you could also be surprised at how it could be more liberating than our nastiest means of escape :)


Segue:

Every week after service, my cousin Honeylette and I proceed to Harrison Plaza and have our late lunch at Patrick's Pizza. It is an affordable pizza store located in front of Shopwise which sells 2 slices of supreme flavored Pizza (ham, cheese, pineapple, pepperoni, bacon), plus 2 8-oz. mountain dew drink for only Php 25.00.

I say you try it because (1) it is very affordable -- bordering on cheap -- considering that (2) it tastes legitimate, if not better than many other pizza labels we know. It is best eaten when toasted and fresh from the oven. It is tasty and mouth-watering. 

1 whole Patrick's Supreme Pizza -- sorry for the quality, wish I had a better camera phone

My cousin and Feast buddy, Honeylette

Her boyfriend; another Feast volunteer, JC

My Sundays are complete when I get to have 2 feasts: one in PICC and the other at Patrick's Pizza. 

The Help (2011)

Drama movie directed and written for screen by Tate Taylor.

Starring Emma Stone,Viola Davis, Jessica Chastain, Octavia Spencer, Ahna O' Reily,amonth others.

I feel relieved and thankful to have watched yet another touching film regarding universal themes such as love and equality. Two of the traits which when included in a film, really get into me.

The Help features a young and budding writer, Skeeter Phelan (Stone), as she not only tries to write her first book, but also invites the colored maids of Jackson, Mississippi to speak up about the good and bad sides of being a help to the white folks; some of which are Skeeter's own friends.

The movie is set during the height of Civil Rights movement in the United States. In Jackson, Miss., the colored community is everything but respected and treated equal. Members are all qualified as plain maids and servants to white families.

It was not easy for Skeeter to get the trust of maids like Aibileen Clark (Davis) and Minny Jackson (Spencer) for fear of being caught, identified, and rendered jobless. With the turn of unfortunate events toward the black community, plus their personal mishaps, however, they learned to confess to Skeeter. Their days and nights of storytelling later on turned as a publishing success which rocked their town and their lives.

The actors in this film naturally and strongly portrayed their characters, especially Davis, Chastain and Spencer. The supporting actors were felt as well. They deserve all ensemble acting awards they received for this :)

Let me go now to the strength of the film which is the story (as you may know by now, I am always into stories/ plots, and not necessarily into the music, production design, directing, or cinematography). Set in 1960's, the theme of the original novel from which it was adapted from is something most people- then and now- can relate to. Everywhere we could still see signs of discrimination, inequality and stereotyping. No matter how many bills were signed into law to combat the racists- the majority- we can never really assume full equality in this earth.

We grew up- or we are trying to correct- the concept that black is ugly; the browns are chimpanzee descendants. We always see the white as the glorious race, the black as the unfortunate ones, and those in between as Asians- short and studious. In the Philippines, our Muslim brothers and sisters are tagged as terrorists. The priests' image are currently challenged as being pedophiliac, while LGBT members are condemned for being sinners.

Time and history has proven that things can change for the minority, the underprivileged, the oppressed. There are movements and groups which actively promote what they think they deserve as a community. And thankfully, there are people who listen to them... and we need more of them.

In The Help, Skeeter is a hero. She may be a pursuing a career at first, but she ended up freeing emotional prisoners. She helped rebuild broken spirits. And that is what we should all try to achieve,no matter how hard it may seem. You see, there are ways when we can pursue the things we like, and still be able to be a blessing to other people. 

Watch it and relate yourself to any character in the film; from Skeeter, Aibileen, Celia (Chastain), and Minny. You have the option to be a hero, a dreamer, a success, a helper,a writer, an honorable person- all traits which you can proudly wear as badges of honor. 

All men are equal. Remember that!

Segue: The novel The Secret Life of Bees written by Sue Monk Kidd also tackles the issues of the black in the early 60's. Here's my take on it: http://rossmanicad.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-secret-life-of-bees-2002.html

A Thousand Splendid Suns (2007)

Khaled Hosseini/ Novel

Here is another heartbreaking story from my favorite novelist, Khaled.

A Thousand Splendid Suns chronicles the lives of two women in Afghanistan society, and how they struggled for hope amidst the cruelty, violence, injustice, and war surrounding their unfortunate country for the last 30 years.

Mariam

Mariam is an illegitimate child (harami) of a wealthy businessman (Jalil), and his servant (Nana). For the sake of Jalil's good name, Nana and young Mariam is then forced to live in a faraway kolba (shack). 

Jalil visits them weekly, receiving different reactions. Mariam is all smiles and excitement every time she opens his gifts and listen to his stories on how he deals with his businesses. On the other hand, Nana is anything but warm to Jalil. 

Young Mariam does not understand her mother's utter hatred for Jalil. She believes that one day, Jalil would let her experience what his ten children from three other wives are experiencing in the city. Nana insists otherwise.

This confusion develops into mistrust and into a hasty decision. Mariam leaves Nana for Jalil. Nana feels hopeless upon Mariam's leaving. Thus, she ends her life, instantly.

Laila

Laila is the youngest and only daughter of a university professor (Babi) and a renowned gossiper (Mammi) in their community in Kabul. She has an endearment with her cousin, Tariq- a one legged, handsome young man. Laila is a promise and hope to the people who know her. Babi insists that she finish her education because Afghanistan will soon need empowered women in its social affairs. Laila affirms this thought.

However, Laila is unfortunate enough to deal with growing up and surviving. She has her fair share of challenges as well. At an early age: she loses her two brothers who fought with the Soviets; to her mother, she is shadowed by her brothers' heroism; she loses a dear friend to war; she has to stop schooling; and worst, the war also kills both her parents, and her, almost.

Fortunately- or unfortunately for Laila, an old widower named Rasheed finds her almost lifeless body in the street and help her live again. 

Rasheed is the man whom Jalil has entrusted Mariam to marry in a simple nikka (Islam wedding). 

Two women. One man. One house.

Rasheed and Mariam has long been married before Laila came in their quiet- oftentimes muted- household. Mariam suffers from eight or so miscarriages. To Rasheed, she is a useless wife. Maybe to Rasheed she is, but as the story develops, Mariam is nothing but salvation to people she genuinely loves. 

Laila easily becomes the noor (light; favorite) in Rasheed's eyes because of her beautiful youth. He then proposes marriage to this hopeless girl. As Islamic traditions have it, Rasheed can marry more than one wife in his lifetime. Laila accepts the foolish offer. 

Mariam and Laila's relationship does not start off good. Mariam fears the day that Laila would give Rasheed a child- a son; one simple thing she constantly fails at. And it comes true. In time, though, Mariam and Laila lean on each other for survival.They opt to trust each other because regardless of age gap or childhood, they are suffering the same ill fate of being Rasheed's wife. 
***

From there the story develops... A Thousand Splendid Suns is not for everybody. I have a lot of friends who read books, but would not open a heartbreaking novel. The reason Khaled is my favorite novelist is that he writes beautifully and would leave you hoping that he mentions the next part to you without having to flip the page. As others say it, unputdownable!

His beautiful writing is a compensation for the horror and sorrow in his novel's characters. Like Mariam and Laila, along with other protagonists in the Suns, they all suffered unpleasant fates. There were chapters where I was breathing heavily due to what was happening to them. To my wonder, how can one person think of all these things? But like John Green once wrote: when we know sorrow, we know joy :)

And that is when the redeeming factor of Hosseini's novels comes in. There is always a promise of a better tomorrow for the characters who remain alive. There is always the promise of a thousand splendid suns. 

On another note, if you are innately interested in Islamic culture, you should really read Khaled's works. In them, Hosseini expounds on the impacts of a male dominated culture, women's subversion and oppresion and the issues concerning the relevance of Islamic rules and practices to modern societal settings- in terms of religion, customs and traditions, and gender equality,of course.

I wish I had the energy to write more about this novel. But as a blog is, I just recommend that you read his works and experience suffering within pages. Don't you worry, child, after reading his novels, you would never think of hardships as cul-de-sacs or dead end. In his works, hardships and suffering are essential to personal freedom and pursuit of life. No matter how we deny it, it's true :)

Here's what I could say about Khaled's first novel, 'The Kite Runner'...
http://rossmanicad.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-kite-runner-2003.html

P.S. I am so excited for Khaled's third novel "And The Mountains Echoed" coming this May 2013! :) The books is set for release on May 21 in the US, May 22 in the Philippines- my birthday :)

(Photos courtesy of Tumblr)

Sights and Scenes: BORACAY!

March 01-04, 2013.

Days when I went to see and feel what most tourists say as the best summer destination- Boracay Island. This world-famous white beach is situated just a boat ride from Katiklan Airport in Aklan. 

I was with Mylene and Arianne, both college friends, along with other acquaintances. After landing and before leaving Kalibo airport, we were generously accommodated by Hsam's family who fortunately owns a restaurant and a resort in Kalibo, named Miggy's.

We reached the island by night time.Thus, we witnessed it's night life and its length of buffet offerings. By midnight we watched fire dancers energetically swirled their poi accompanied by pop music. We just spent the night with a simple dinner and got inked!

"All Is Well"; battle cry of my college buddies; Barkadang Walang Pangalan.

By day, we dared some of its must-try activities. It was crazy how my friends cursed and screamed their lungs out at Fly Fish while I cried laughing at them, especially at Ayang. And because I was so engaged on laughing at them, I lost my grip and was thrown out of the water. Fly Fish was an absolute fun!

And then we went on a ride with an all terrain vehicle. My favorite activity! Our end point is the Mt. Luho viewpoint- Boracay's peak. Upon going back, Arianne's ATV malfunctioned, thus, leaving the two of us way behind everyone else. I was the last in the convoy and so, I had to ran after the team who were very far from us. I felt invincible driving my ATV at its fastest since the highway is free for swerving :) I still wish I could drive it everyday!

After which, we went on island cruising and snorkeling. Seeing the underwater world was amazing. It was a priceless experience looking down on the deep blue see and watching our marine friends go on with their daily lives... fishes and corals I cannot name but whose snapshot still lingered on my mind. I genuinely enjoyed looking at their world. I pray it would continue to remain that way- regularly visited yet undisturbed.

Speaking of the beauty of our natural resources, we stopped by the far end of the island and saw the infamous West Cove Hotel allegedly owned by Manny Pacquiao, or his good friend (as per PacMan). I was sad and disappointed to see how they agreed to have the mountain cut out and the huge rock formations refined just so they could have a summer hangout 'far' from GenSan, or wherever. 

This hotel cannot be found in the island, it was ON the island :( It looks good in pictures, but in reality, it was disappointing. I wish you could see first hand how the planned expansion on its left side was put on hold. Thanks to the National Building Code of the Philippines which pointed a finger on West Cove for threatening to destruct the fragile ecosystem of Boracay.

Anyway, our last morning in Boracay was spent 14 feet 'down under' via helmet diving, as we stared at the likes of Nemo. I was glad to have seen a stone fish :) Here is another sad part in this experience, our professional diver killed a sea urchin, opened it, took something from it, and gave it to the fishes as food. While he was killing the sea urchin, he was also carelessly and unconsciously hitting the corals :( It was for entertainment, but gave us another dismay, in turn.

To sum up all that we have been through in Boracay: it was unforgettable! Now I understand why some of my friends who have been there would anxiously wait for the day they would return. For four days, Boracay gave us an escape route, another world where we can be anyone, do anything, and experience everything. 

While the above may be my impression, I wish for certain things to change in Boracay. First, the prices of commodities and services are really expensive. As I observed, most Filipinos who are there are not actually tourists but entrepreneurs and middle men; making profit out of a foreigners' leisure. I am not saying it's wrong; it's actually good for their local economy. What I am concerned about is that at some point, they may forget to adjust these prices to locals, accordingly. And if that would be the case, then local tourists would not be able to experience all of Boracay's offerings because of financial constraints. I hope even one person gets my point here :)

Second thing: I hope that Boracay environmental authorities would be weary of the slow destruction of the marine life brought about by some water activities, like what the professional diver did during our helmet diving. Just to add, we snorkeled the second time at a shallower part of the sea and there, the corals were mostly dead (black). In the site of our helmet diving, the sight was also not lively; mostly coral remains.

Third, there are a lot of prostitutes by night; girls and gays, alike. It was as if they were hiding from the deep parts of the sea and would surface on the shore by dark, dressed with seaweeds. Yes, and you could still see some of them by 08 AM the following day. 

On another note, I would like to commend the security and peace-keeping authorities of the island for escorting vagabonds and panhandlers our of the beach. It was an awful sight to see a foreigner took a photo of a panhandling child, then gave him money afterwards. It was sad not because the child is poor and homeless, but because I am a Filipino, as well :( To me, it came across as if foreigners could screen capture our poverty (then exploit it in Facebook as part of their 'Boracay Getaway' album) and then pay us for it, afterwards.

Amidst all the pleasant- unpleasant sights and scenes in Boracay, one can truly find it as hideaway from the stresses in the Metro. You know that you are in the Philippines, but at the same time, it feels like  you're not. In Boracay, you can upgrade in being a photographer because every sight is picture perfect; nature gives you 'rule of thirds', effortlessly. The white sand is pure and not sticky. And most of all, you can be proud in saying that Boracay belongs to the Philippines.

Summer, indeed, is more fun in Boracay!


Related Albums:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4430391286146.1073741825.1480044620&type=3
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10200362497039120.1073741825.1055827368&type=3

On Being Gay (and being straight)

-What happened to them this March-

This morning, I was bombared with blogs rebutting the article of Christine Bersola- Babao entitled "Being Gay" in PhilStar.com last March 11. In it, Tin Tin cited professional points from TV5's Face-To-Face resident psychologist Dr. Camille Garcia regarding children and homosexuality.


To sum up her points, Babao pointed that for Garcia, when a parent sees signs of homosexuality, s/he must make efforts to correct them the soonest ("arrest the situation" is Garcia's term) and reiterate to his son/ daughter what is his/her expected roles to play in society when s/he grows up; a little boy grows up as a gentleman while pretty little girl turns out to be a fine lady. 

While Tin Tin may have expressed a number of fair comments showing respect for the members of the LGBT community, it was not enough to calm netizens who are proudly carrying their coloured flags. Some tagged Tin Tin as 'bigot', and 'unfit parent'. No matter how sorry she was on twitter, she cannot calm down informed and fierce bloggers.

While reading the entries of certain Shakira Sison and Laurel Fantauzzo (both are lesbians, you may see their links at the end of this blog), I could not help but think of how I felt when I was a kid- when the world was still a blur for me, and how my neighbors, even some of my meanest relatives, stereotyped me because of how I act and react.

For the record: I did not grow up to be gay. I thought, however, I was until high school.


-What happened to me way back-

Looking back on my shitty memory lane, I remember being jokingly hugged and kissed too many times (I try to escape everytime but to no avail) by our neighbor who is a policeman. 

An uncle from my mother's side confidently predicted that one day I'll be managing my own parlor shop and cut their hair. Hey, tito a**hole, unfortunately, I give hope to our needy kababayans thru my job and no matter how I like to, I cannot cut your hair because it will soon be gone. 

My cousins from my father's side would annually force me to recite the phrase "lalaki ako!" as manly as possible. Without confidence and certainty why choose me, I would say "lalaki ako", and I would receive faces of dismay and disapproval. I usually end up crying and hear my mom defend me "hindi, lalaki yan, may girlfriend nga yan, maganda eh"- referring to my puppy love.

For the record: We never were an official "thing".

By college, I am convinced to get out of the shadow and face the demons my relatives introduced me to. I pitied myself for the cowardice and insecurities I felt whenever discussion on gender and sexuality arose, especially during high school. A trusted friend once told me (not in exact words), "alam mo, hindi ka naman ganyan eh. Sila lang ang nagsabi niyan sa'yo, naniwala ka lang." She struck me like lightning. 

True enough, if the people who were expected to give me love, care, support, and proper (gender- appropriate) guidance gave me such, then I wouldn't have spent a decade or more confusing myself from who I really wanted to be vis-a-vis who they thought I was. 

I started to really know about myself through Faith. Only through it am I constantly assure that even if I could not erase the bad experiences with them, I have One Firm Believer who supports me, regardless. 


-So what happens now-

If you would ask me which side I am on this issue, well, both, but parts of the sides only. Like Tin Tin and Dr. Garcia, I affirm that parents need to accept their children regardless of who they grow up to be- straight one or proudly curved! However, if they see signs of gayness to their kids, they can address the issue, but up to a certain extent.


Meanwhile, I am on the side of Sison  and Fantauzzo who said that the role of a parent should be support and acceptance, not necessarily error-pining and threatening their kids. If they would calmly ask their child to confide to them, there would probably be room for conversation, hence, a healthy, open relationship. If parents were to be unwise of their language and be arresting of their child's acts, then expect the worse. As Shakira put it:

" If my parents locked me up when I decided to shave my head, get tattoos or pierce my ears. If my parents told me that God doesn’t like it if I don’t wear a skirt. If my parents disowned me when I told them I’d fallen in love with a girl. They wouldn’t not have a gay daughter. Instead, they would have lost a daughter."


I think a parent need not go to telling a child, "Alam mo anak, hindi namin gusto ang ginugusto mo," and "Hindi kasi tama ang makasama sa buhay at magpapamilya ay parehas na lalaki. Kung ayaw mo itama ang ginugusto mo, hindi namin matatanggap yun." like what Dr. Garcia advised. These are heavily condemning phrases, considering that you are talking to a child who perhaps doesn't understand gender roles yet.

I remember my father asking when I was a kid, "Anak, masyado kang madaldal, bakla ka ba?", and I would answer "hindi". To myself, is it wrong to be opinionated and curious? More so, I do not have memories of playing any sport with my father- or brother. I was just this studious boy who seeks information, knowledge and experience from the world. 

But this I say- I did not, in any way, took against my father how I got confused with who I am and what people tell me I am. You know why? because he never insisted which roles I have to play. Both my parents let me learn from the world. They trusted that in time, I will fall and get back up. I know there were times when they are confused for me, but they never sent an impression that I was on the wrong track and is going to a deadly life. They were just plainly supportive of my decisions and loving of my actions. Hence, I felt no pressure in finding out what the world could offer me, and take my best option among them.

I would not say I choose to be right. Because then I would imply that being gay is choosing to be wrong. To be one is not wrong. I have a number of LGB (no transgender yet) friends and they really bring genuine happiness to every occassion. They dare to discuss what's hidden and they are not afraid to take on the world differently. Like those who stick to their gender, LGBT members also love, live, dream, fail, survive, and pray.

If you are straight and happy, then I don't think you should tell a gay person he is unworthy of his happiness. You are not the owner of another person's life. You may observe and react, but you don't dictate. 

For the record: I love God. I love my Church. But I also love mankind. I respect diversity.

I guess what I wish for all of us- straight or not- is, let us be genuinely happy for ourselves and others. When I was a kid I would play 'ten-twenty'. The one girls mostly play using garter that you jump inside-and-outside to. I overheard a neighbor ask my mother: "bakit siya naglalaro ng ganyan?". My mom replied "hindi ko nga rin alam sa batang 'yan eh." 

Mawalang-galang na po, pero pakelam mo ba? Pumasok man lang ba sa isip mo na paglaki ko, pwede pa kong magbago? :) I made it through the toughest days of my childhood, and I don't think you should deprive me of making it to Level 5 of Ten-Twenty.


Related links:
1) http://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2013/03/11/918157/being-gay
2) http://www.shakirasison.com/being-gay-really/
3) http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/299095/opinion/to-filipino-parents-tempted-to-change-their-gay-children
4) http://www.rappler.com/entertainment/23640-tintin-bersola-babao-being-gay-online-flak

Photo Credit: www.rapppler.com (my favorite news site, now)

Room (2010)

Author: Emma Donoghue

“When I woke up in that shed, I thought nobody ever had it as bad as me. But slavery is not a new invention. And solitary confinement- do you know that in America we’ve got more than 25,000 prisoners in isolation cells?  Some of them for more than 20 years. As for kids, there’s places where babies lie in orphanages five to a cot with pacifiers taped into their mouths, kids getting raped by Daddy every night, kids in prison, whatever, making carpets till they go blind.”- Ma.

I just finished Donoghue’s Room where in an eleven-by-eleven room, Ma and Jack strive to survive everyday having relatively nothing, and possessing the very basic of furniture and commodities, as well as dealing with unannounced visits of Ma’s undesirable captor, Old Nick.

Seven years of isolation and captivity. To Ma, it’s worst while to innocent Jack, it was everything he ever needed. It hurts to read the first three chapters of the book (Presents, Unlying and Dying) because you know that the protagonists do not deserve the life they live. Fortunately though, this novel is an extensive fairy tale which gradually presents a happy ending to Ma and Jack’s life.

I have nothing but admiration for Ma’s utmost sacrifice for Jack’s welfare. At twenty six, she endured five years of creating and faking joy. Meanwhile, Jack is the youngest novel hero I have encountered yet.  At five, little boys should be out on the fields learning to play, fight, fall down, and stand up. With Jack though, his daily exercises made him save two lives- his and Ma’s.

Emma made use of Jack as the narrator, and so most of the sentences are incorrect, and constructed in a youngster’s language. To me, it is brave of a writer to enter a child’s world and create misery in innocence.  I can read it through the pages but I don’t think I can take my son suffering the harshness and diversity of the Outside world, if ever.

Room is a mix of fairy tale, suspense, drama and adventure. It is plain on the outside yet rich in details. For certain, all of us have memories in a particular place we wish we could forget, forever. This place may not have a secured lock or may not be located in a backyard, but we still find it hard to escape, permanently.

Let us try to be like Ma and Jack, no matter how hopeless our situation may be, there is always a way to get out, go back in reality, and live life anew, from then on.

Read Room and be free!

Upside Down (2012)

People say that to love another person from a different world is hard to maintain and fight for; that is, in terms of social status. But to love a person from another literal world would seem worse.

In Transworld, though, nothing is as impossible for Adam (Jim Sturgess) and Eden (Kirsten Dunst). In the film, they live in twin worlds but with opposing gravity, thus, making it nearly impossible for any physical contact. Adding up to the barricade is the racism that people were cultured with.  Adam lives in the slums down there while Eden resides privileged in the upper world. Transworld is connected only by a single structure where people from both ends can work but only for the advancement of the upper’s way of living.

As some love flicks gives us, Adam and Eden knew of each other since their teenage years, forgot each other for quite some time, and started falling in love again opposite the odds. But Upside Down does not grant us this structure ordinarily. They fell in love on opposing mountain peaks, Eden had amnesia because of an accident that separated them for a decade, and Adam had to cross the upper world just to make her remember him- even at the expense of being a fugitive.

There are a number of tear-jerking moments as Adam exhausts all means just so they could be together. Most scenes would make you feel terribly hoping to do something to connect them so all problems be solved. In terms of loyalty and actions, I wish I could learn from Adam. And when it comes to submission to feelings and openness to chance, I wish I could find another Eden.

Upside Down, or love stories in general, give viewers reasons to smile, be hopeful, and get inspired that in this world, you will find your soul mate or better half. And when you do, make sure to fight for him/ her.

The film would not make you go upside down, head-over-heels with remarkable lines nor heart- racing scenes; only a happy ending. Watch it to lighten up a seemingly ordinary day :)

P.S. Included in the film are anti-ageing cream and liquid formula for balancing two opposing gravities; products of Adam’s intelligence. As well as futuristic architecture that connects the lower to the upper world as designed by Eden. These two, if real life persons, would surely make geniuses of the next generation.

For more of Upside Down and the cast, visit http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1374992/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Maybe This Time

If you can't be happy with your love life, opt to be happy for your friends'.

This is my guiding principle while I remain single, or as John Mayer put it, 'perfectly lonely'. I am a loyal friend to high school and college buddies, and at times, a reliable bridge that gives way to two friends meeting up in the middle, trusting each other, and staying in a relationship as long as they can.

I have been witness to a number of barkada relationships; some of which lasted, some did not. I am a 'couples' friend'.

Now, I would like to introduce you to two of my friends, Ephra and Majh. Our friendship dates back in high school, and is still tight, currently. 

Ephra is a gentleman; one of my closest guy friends. While Majh is a cheerful lady; considered to be one of my 'daughters' in our barkada of nine 9 girls and 1 boy (me). Both of them are faithful members of their churches, they also possess a good sense of humor and are breadwinners.

December 19,2012

Last Holiday season, I have been with my 'tol' and my 'nak' spending midnights in Makati and Divisoria. We looked for clothes, had dinner anywhere, and chatted endlessly. Before we were able to do all of the above, I chaperoned Majh while she patiently waited for Ephra. 

The guy is often late and the girl always waits. Her knight-in-shining-armour would appear an hour-or-two late, loaded with excuses (some lame, most valid), instead of sword and shield.

Being the odd one out, I just watched them go through petty arguments that soon ended up in reconciliations... so cute! :)

One midnight in a convenience store, Majh was pissed off bigtime with Ephra's tardiness, giving her tired self valid reasons to be mad and sulky with her boyfriend. Not to mention that in a few hours the next morning, Majh would have to go to office and work.

That moment was legitimately awkward: me staring at the window, angry Majh also staring at the window, and Ephra standing behind us, occasionally begging his 'chast' for forgiveness. 

And then THE moment came... the radio station on loud speakers played the song "Maybe This Time" while the three of us were quiet. The moment I recalled what the song meant, I laughed myself off. Laughed hard until Ephra asked me "yun (song) ba yung kinakatawa mo?"

"Oo"

And then the iceberg begun to melt. The fire slowly exhausted. Hidden smiles peeked out.

Ephra and I sang our hearts out like drunkards. 

"(kalabit) sorry na... yan na oh... Maybe This Time na nga oh"- Ephra; again, just so cute! :)

This song is blog worthy

Two old friends, meet again, 

Wearing older faces, talk about the places they've been...

Two old sweethearts, fell apart, somewhere along the road...

It's the same old feeling back again, It's the one that they had back when, 

They were too young to know when love is real...

It (love) got another chance, and if they take it...

These lines talk about former lovers who separated ways when they were younger. Since their reunion, they realized that they still dearly hold each other special. Very chast-like.

Maybe this time

It will be lovin' they'll find

Maybe now they can be more than just friends

She's back in his life

And it feels so right

Maybe this time

Love won't end

Ah...the song just fits my friends. It appropriately conveys the story of their whirlwind romance during high school, their silence during college, and coming back together slowly, thereafter.

From friends, lovers, strangers, friends again, stronger lovers now.

By the way, did you notice that I highlight those two lines in the chorus? Because Ephra and I did not sang those lines, we shouted the hell out of them! Haha... 

During college, I remember having lunch outs with Ephra and we would talk about personal matters; of the heart, of the soul, of the body. I would not go into details but I could say how he was during those 'letting go' moments with her. 

Seemingly (or as far as I can claim it), this song is their couple song. I can presume that their relationship would continue getting stronger with God in the center.

Thus, for them, maybe this time, love won't end. For the nth time, so cute :)

Post Script

It feels really good to go through a love story not written on paper. I was not cupid which struck them both with arrows nor did I bribe them to be sweet hearts again. I just watched them mature over time. I saw their individual strengths and weaknesses. 

Time amazingly works for our betterment. Love provides for our emotional security. Friends inspire us to be better version of ourselves. 

In the right time, I would know how to love someone better because I have seen it with my friends.

*** I did not bother asking permission while writing a part of their story; when I heard the song I knew I just had to.

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS (2012)

 John Green/ Novel

Cancer. A word which does not require any other word to follow it yet makes a resounding impact. You may know one who has it, who had it, or you are afraid of it, yourself- like me. I am a guy who fears the world of mother med. I do not like talking or thinking about diseases; hospital confinement weakens me.

Much to my surprise, The Fault in Our Starts by John Green talks about two teenage protagonists whose early lives were spent battling with the big C. As a reader, I know that I would have to surpass my limitations and deal with reading topics which normally scare me or make me anxious.

So I had to read TFIOS.

Hazel is not your typical cancer patient. She long accepted the fact that she is dying. She is only afraid of leaving like a bomb fallen on a field- destroying the area; thus, shattering happy lives of her loved ones. For this, she mostly had emotional episodes with her parents. Meanwhile, Augustus has pre-survived a leg operation and was declared NEC (no evidence of cancer). But this was only given on the surface.

It was crush-on-first-sight for Hazel when Gus first appeared in the Cancer Kids Support Group. Romantically speaking, it was not hard for Gus to be close with her. They started exchanging books, playing with common friends, spending time with each other’s families, and sharing their life wishes.

As the story progressed, I cried, laughed, and wept as to how Hazel and Gus have come to love each other (with special credits to their trip to the Netherlands in pursuit of the author of their beloved open-ended novel ‘An Imperial Affliction’), and how their lives have seemingly intertwined with the terminal disease they carry both literally and figuratively.

The world is not a wish-granting factory.

As funny as the book may be for young adults, it teaches us a lot of truth in this world from the viewpoint of teens who are deprived of longevity and youth.

The more the world is unfair, the more it is fair to you. Life gives us trials and sometimes sorrow and remorse- to test our strength and faith. It is an unwritten fact that we cannot get what we always want. Worse is that if you want to live cancer-free, like Hazel and Gus.

Most, if not, all of us, may still be wishing for grander things to happen in our lives, but I hope we could all reflect at how lucky we are not to be diagnosed with the big C-and let us try our best not to.

Should we remain discontented, we could all die of cancer- not medical cancer but spiritual, emotional psychological and social cancer. So, let us try to be thankful with what we have and what He gives us, for it should be enough.

It pains to know how the lives of Hazel and Gus have gone. As said in the book, without pain, we couldn’t know joy. To affirm it, we must first experience the bad side of life in order to fully appreciate it. But there could be another option for us- face the bad side with a smile and embrace it for a while, while walking hand-in-hand with the good side.

NOWHERE BOY (2009)

"Is nowhere full of geniuses, sir? Because then, I do probably belong there."

I love John Lennon.

That is the reason why I watched this film.

I cried to most scenes because they were emotionally affecting. To think that despite being a music icon and lyrics genius, John suffered from the difficulties of being an 'unwanted' child.

Julia, his mother, surrendered him to the custody of her sister, Mimi during breaking up with her husband (John's father). Julia never had the courage to retrieve John until he was teenager. Now she has to deal with the consequences of her cowardice while cleaning up emotional mess she has stained to young John.

After reconciliations were made, another tragedy struck John- Julia's passing. The soon-to-be Beatles front man has to face the world on his own, pursuing his music, while staying in touch with his now considered parent-guardian, Mimi.

I love John Lennon. And now that I knew his 'untold' story, I appreciated him more. He may have been an out-of-school youth and deemed to be good-for-nothing; but if building The Beatles is nothing, then his life was indeed wasted.

I think maybe that is why his (and The Beatles') music influenced me since childhood because of the emotions hidden therein. Their music is old, classic, timeless,and again, I love it.

The biopic only presented a short period in his life as a teen and has not much to do with his entry to fame. However, I can imagine him all by himself, in his room, composing, playing his guitar, thinking of his past, being passionately like these for years, and hence, creating what we now call 'history'.

I do not claim to know all information about the life of John Lennon- or Paul's, George's, and Ringo's. All I can claim is that even before maturity, I remember loving The Beatles music as my father would always play it on weekends.

I love the man. I love the band. I love their music. 

True enough, if 'nowhere' is full of geniuses,I would love to be there, too.

THE NEWSROOM brought me five years backwards

Here is the thing: if you have just finished the first season of a newly-discovered, dearly-loved television series about your interest, how would you start writing about it?

I don’t know.

What I know is that this is the least I can do to give justice to THE NEWSROOM, an HBO series written and created by Academy- award winning writer Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network).  Newsroom presents the lives of American news personnel producing a prime time newscast in a fictitious Atlantis Cable Network (ACN), who also deal with the stresses of balancing corporate and citizen interest with their profession, as well as facing their personal ordeals- love included.

In newsroom I met Will McAvoy and MacKenzie (Will and Mac). The former is the anchor and managing director while the latter is the executive producer of News Night. They are past lovers; ‘past’ because she cheated on him. Yes, she did and he has not really gotten over it. Mac is irresistibly charming and is a dignified woman. Losing her in reality would be a big deal. Will, on the other hand, is a deemed egocentric boss but is a gentleman and was a loving partner to Mac. I know their love story may have excited you, but let me tell you now- there is more in season 2. Meaning, nothing life-changing and love-changing was shot yet.

I also met some of the characters whom I already admire and secretly wish my teammates would be like- professionally speaking. They are Maggie (associate producer), Don (executive producer; formerly from Will’s team), and Jim (senior producer).

Meanwhile, in the story, they are in a love triangle. Don and Maggie are living-in partners while Jim had a crush on Maggie. Since Jim is a shy, nice guy who respects boundaries, he opted to date Maggie’s flatmate, instead. Yeah, it hurts because Jim is a good guy while Don is... a guy.

Normal audience/ fan reaction to this: when will Jim and Maggie be together? I do not know. Maybe Aaron does not know it yet, too. Let us just hope that the 2^nd season will be nicer to hopeless romantics.

Meanwhile, let me commend the writer and creative team of The Newsroom for coming up with a lot of subplots in the story while being able to return to the main plot every ending. There are as many twists and turns in each episode as chaperoned by heavy, lengthy dialogues. If you have watched the movie The Social Network, you can relate and be tolerant to this style as popularized by the scribe.

Upon finishing the first episode, I was back to being this high school -news writer wannabe wishing to be included in a team composed of highly determined, competitive and principled young men ready to risk all so that the public may know the truth via news reporting.

But that was then. Priorities have changed and God is in control of my future now. I may not be in a newsroom yet but I am surely trying my best to be a highly determined, competitive (only to myself) and principled young man wherever I am, in whatever task I have to perform.

I know that if it is for me, in time it will be. But for now, I also know that I have to wake up each morning and not expect flowers blooming outside my window and birds chirping as a way to say ‘hello’. I have to set my priorities right, first.

If first-time employees get to choose their teams, I would surely pick one like the News Night staff. I do not care about working late as long as it pays off. I do not care about not taking a rest as long as the pain is worth it. (Redundant, I know; just for emphasis). And I don’t care if I would put up a fight with my teammates as long as it’s for the good of our beloved job- beloved dreams- beloved passion.

God knows I want a career perfectly suited for me. But since I have not chanced upon it yet, I am remaining indebted to my academic and professional mentors who guided me in my short 21 years of journey through life and career. And I will remain one, most especially if I am already doing a job for a life, and not just a living.

*Sigh.

See, I thought I was writing about how I loved Newsroom being a 10-episode series but turns out I am conducting positioning assessment. Pardon me for opting to go this track in this blog. But as I always am, let me thank you for sharing part in my dream through reading this.

As how one of my wallpapers would put it: I am an idealist, I don’t know where I am going, but I’m on my way.

Trust me, with God’s providence, I always know.

Back to what I really was supposed to write

 In Newsroom, you also get to know Charlie (news division president; fully supportive of his righteous team), Sloan (anchor, economist; fiercely in pursuit of news credibility), and Neal (IT staff, blogger; highly reliable), among others.

Let me warn you though, there are certain episodes/lines which may have been written to highlight the magnificence of America as a nation (e.g. when U.S. special forces killed Bin Laden) and if you cannot take this ‘hail to the land of the brave and free’ subtle context, just let it pass- like what I did. Besides, it’s fiction. They maybe based from what or what did not happen in the US for year 2011; but it remains a fiction- a work of art.

Some contexts may have been realigned and/ or overemphasized, but for television- it is highly entertaining. And that, my friend, should be enough.

#must watch