all about elizabeth

I just finished watching Elizabeth the Golden Age, Cate Blanchett’s second take on the role she did back in 1998. This is also the second time director Shekhar Kapur, a brilliant Indian film maker tackled the story of what is obviously her favorite subject - Elizabeth I.

And despite the fact that this is the second time for both, I was still very much entertained. I had to hold my bladder until the end of the film, ayaw kong tumayo at umalis sa harap ng screen which is my gauge kung na-capture ako ng film o hindi.

And I think, come awards season, a few Oscar wins are possible, or at least nominations siguro.

Hindi na natin ku-kwestyunin yong story line coz everybody (well at least people like me who finds the story of Elizabeth fascinating) already knows this is one hell of a story of a strong woman who lead England to it’s golden era.

And since alam na nga natin ang story, yong presentation na lang ang nagkaka-iba. Talo-talo pagdating sa paraan ng pagku-kwento. Fortunately, this film managed to give it a different take. Kaya kahit predictable na yong story dahil alam mo na ang susunod na mangyayari based on history and other countless films done before, I still found it very engaging.

One big factor was the very grand production design. Talagang kita mo ang production cost sa mga damit pa lang na ginamit ni Cate.

Though kung napanood na ninyo yong version ni Helen Mirren of the same queen na pinalabas sa HBO, I have to warn you, don’t compare like I did. Dahil magka-iba yong HBO version at itong film ni Shekhar.

The HBO version attacked the story in a historical/biographical approach. Because the intention was to give you the story of Elizabeth’s life as a queen. Kaya kung magco-compare ka, mas comprehensive and I guess more factual yong HBO version.

Itong kay Shekhar Kapur, like his first in 1998 was more fictionalized. And, if the HBO version told the story of how the queen was charmed by the Lord of Essex, dito sa movie version ni Cate, nag-focus more on her attraction towards Walter Raleigh (who was convincingly played by the ruggedly handsome Clive Owen) and the ensuing love triangle kung saan ang kaagaw niya kay Raleigh was her favorite lady in waiting Dess. So it was more of a love story told against the backdrop of treason and a bloody war.

Kaya sabi ko nga, I had to warn you not to compare like I did. Coz I realized I had to appreciate this film in it’s own merits. HBO/Helen Mirren’s version was excellent. But I can’t take away the fact that this Shekhar/Cate Blanchett’s version is also a very well-crafted film. It was worth all the 110 minutes I spent watching this film.

Now, talking about Cate’s performance.

Hindi na rin natin ku-kwestyunin ang galing ni Cate Blanchett. In fact, kung member ako ng AMPAS, I would give her my vote for this year’s Oscar Best Actress. Yon nga lang, medyo awkward siguro para sa Hollywood na two years in a row nilang ibigay ang trophy to an actress portraying the Queen. Di ba last year Helen Mirren won for her role as the present-day Elizabeth II in the movie The Queen. Tapos she won Golden Globe and SAG trophies pa for her role as Elizabeth I on her HBO series, the same role here by Cate Blanchett. Kung ibibigay kay Cate ang Best Actress award this year for this role, does it mean you have to play the Queen para ka lang manalo? Yon ang sinasabi kong medyo awkward. But hey, who would ever say Oscars was predictable. So let’s just wait and see how the voting goes.

In the meantime, I would recommend that you grab a copy of this film and enjoy it like I did.

usapang katas

Catchy ba yong title? Well if you’re expecting this is something green eh sori po kasi rated GP itong ating site! Hehehe! When I said usapang katas, I’m referring to that ubiquitous phrase that you see in every conceivable piece of property money can buy – jeepney, house, car, even pedicab na nilalagyan ng Katas Ng – wherever the money came from.

Pinauso ito ng mga pamilya ng Saudi OFW’s noon pang 80’s yata when you can see Katas ng Saudi sa karamihan ng mga pampasadang jeepney. Telling you that that moving piece of multi-decorated stainless steel eh nabili galing sa pagsasakripisyo ng isang miyembro ng kanilang pamilya sa Saudi.

Fast forward to 2007 and still, buhay na buhay pa rin ang phrase na yan. And it has evolved to so many other forms like the kaiyak-iyak na Katas ng Sibuyas in a jeepney whose owner is an obvious negosyante ng Sibuyas. Or the very metaphoric Katas ng Bakal na nakita ko sa van ng isang nagba-buy and sell ng junk materials. But nothing beats the original Katas ng Saudi. Nandyan pa rin sya at nakikita kong nakatatak, naka-dikit o nakapintura in many things na nahahagip ng aking singkit pero matalas na mga mata.

Bakit nga ba hindi nawala at nalaos ang phrase na yan, bakit hindi napalitan ng Katas ng Japan when thousands of our entertainers trooped to the land of cherry blossoms and Mt Fuji? O kaya ng Katas ng Tate when in truth eh napakarami na nating migrant workers, aside from the permanent immigrants, na nasa USA? O kaya Katas ng Italy ngayon na marami na sa ating mga kababayan are working legally or not sa bayan ng mga gondolas?

I think I can offer just one answer to that question.

Success tastes the sweetest when you’ve gone through the worst to achieve it.

Eh ano namang koneksyon non?

Eto. A piece of material possession is one’s trophy for his surviving the worst possible working conditions. Ang kotse, jeep o bahay nya ang kanyang award for having lived and worked his way through the worst. And to many of our kababayans, working in Saudi Arabia still ranks as the ultimate sacrifice one OFW can make.

Bakit na naman kamo? For a couple of reasons. Yong sobrang init at yong mahigpit na social/cultural laws ng bansa. Two things na sa tingin ng mga kababayan natin eh hindi appealing lalo na ngayon at kahit lalaki eh ayaw mabilad sa init ng araw dahil masisira ang balat nilang alaga ng Belo whitening soap. O yong mga mahihilig sa ABS. Hindi po yong channel ng Tv. I mean alak babae at sugal. Impyerno para sa kanila na mapunta ng Saudi.

Pero sa totoo lang, that is not entirely true. Hindi po Saudi ang worst destination for an OFW and working here is not the ultimate sacrifice you thought it would be. Which means, masyadong OA ang dramang ikinakabit sa linyang Katas ng Saudi. In fact, I think it is the most over-rated one-liner of the century.

Oo nga at topographically, Saudi has probably one of the worst summer heat in the world. Pero hanggang ngayon, nagugulat ako na marami pa rin sa ating mga kababayan na hindi alam na umuulan din sa Saudi ng todo – the kind of downpour that can easily submerge the whole Metro Manila in floodwaters in just a few minutes.

At marami pa rin sa ating mga kababayan ang nagugulat pag nakukwento kong naka-experience na ako – not once but twice – na umulan ng yelo (hail to be more precise) sa lugar ko sa Jubail.

Kaya kung sa mga kababayan natin, ang picture nila ng Saudi eh yong extreme heat lang, sa mga nakaka-alam, mas grabe dahil may kasama pang extreme cold yon. That makes it worse.

But then again, yong mga nasa Jeddah, Abha and other mountainous areas, siguradong hindi mag-aagree. Dahil ang climate sa kanila eh parang Manila lang. Better yet, Baguio. And it doesn’t agree with the presumption na sobrang init sa Saudi Arabia.

Besides, hindi ba nila alam na mula bahay, hanggang sasakyan at hanggang office, naka-aircon karamihan ng tao dito? Kahit yong mga manual laborers na ang trabaho eh nasa labas, naka-bilad man sila sa init ng araw maghapon, pag-uwi naman ng mga yan, naka-aircon yan sa kanilang mga bahay.

So to generalize Saudi Arabia as hell on earth (in reference to the summer heat) is totally unfair.
Now let’s talk about the bigger issue. Yong culture.

Inaayawan ng mga mapiling job-seekers sa Pinas ang Saudi dahil sa culture. Because of the strict, male-dominated social and cultural situation, marami ang umiiwas dito at para bang yong mga tulad kong pumunta dito eh napaka-desperate na at wala nang ibang choice sa buhay.

Kaya pag may nakilala kang sosyalera, tataasan ka ng kilay sabay lilinyahan ka ng "so you’re working in Saudi huh".

Yes I am. And by the way, let me untog your ulo to the pader! Dahil sa true lang, Saudi is not as bad as you morons think.

Oo nga at mahigpit ang batas dito kaya hindi mo pwedeng dalhin ang mga bisyo mo. But come to think of it. Nag-abroad ka para kumita ng malaki, mai-ahon mo ang pamilya mo sa hirap or maka-ipon para sa future ng iyong family. Kung allowed pa rin dito (at least, legally) ang alak, babae at sugal, sa tingin mo ba may maiipon/mai-uuwi kang libo-libong dolyares tulad ng mga kaibigan kong sina Cesar, Homer, Longlong, Caloi, Raoul, Edgar Vayren, Irwin, Matt, Bienvenido Junior et al?

Look at Dubai or Bahrain kung saan may bars at pwede kang uminom, mag-disco at mag-date. Marami sa mga kakilala ko ang malalaki nga ang sweldo sa lugar na ito and yet, hirap na hirap pa ring makaipon. Paano, malaki rin ang nagagastos nila sa mga bisyo nila kaya halos walang maiuwi sa Pinas.

Balik tayo ng Saudi. Yong mga makukulit na pilit sinisingit ang mga kalokohan nila sa buhay, ano’ng nangyayari? Umuuwi na walang bitbit dahil nahuli at nakulong dahil sa ilegal na sabong o kaya eh gumagawa ng sadiki (a local concoction worse than gin bulag). At yong mga mahihilig sa chicks na nambibiktima ng mga kababayan nating nurse or dh, either nasira ang pamilya or umuuwing puro utang din ang bitbit dahil inubos na sa kareregalo ng cellphone sa kanyang mga chicks.

So, mahigpit man ang kultura ng Saudi, bakit hindi mo subukang tingnan ang side na nakita ko. I saw it as one opportunity to earn more and at the same time instill some discipline in myself. Nawala ang mga hindi ko magagandang ugali. Natuto akong makisama hindi lang sa mga kapwa Pinoy, international pa (and in the process acquired some good traits ng mga foreigners na ito – isn’t that more sosyal huh? Hehehe).

Nawala ang pagiging lakwatsador ko buhat ng mag-Saudi ako. Kung dati, inuumaga ako sa mga disco (ooppss, anong era pa ba yon), ngayon, matino na ako at tahimik sa bahay. Something you should start learning and achieving habang nagma-mature ka at tumatanda (aheem… umamin ba). Then you become more responsible not only to your family but most importantly, to yourself.

Magtitino ka rin kung may hindi ka magagandang ugali because you work, live and mingle with a crowd na puro lalake. Kung maangas ka, subukan mong mag-Saudi. Kung hindi ka man tumino, mababawasan ang kaangasan mo.

At yong notion ng karamihan na nakaka-homesick sa Saudi, siguro totoo yon nong unang panahon na puro disyerto at camel lang ang makikita mo. Pero ngayon, ibang-iba na ang sitwasyon. Because of technology, hindi ka na mag-aantay ng isang buwan para sa sulat galing sa pamilya mo. They’re just a text or phone call away. At pwede mo pa silang i-chat kung maturuan mo silang mag-online. Mag-C2C kayo. Aba, marami akong nakikita sa internet shops na enjoy na enjoy dyan, inuutusan pa ang misis nilang palabasin si junior sa bedroom! Hehehehe.
Better yet, dalhin mo sila dito dahil marami nang mga kumpanya ang nag-bibigay ng family visa sa kanilang mga empleyado.

Meron ding nagsasabing wala silang career sa Saudi. I myself can prove you wrong. Nag-prosper ang career ko dito from various on the job promotions sa dati kong kumpanya. Mapunta ka lang sa isang matinong kumpanya who can recognize your talent, you will earn the reward you deserve. Katulad ng countless kababayans natin who are respected in their own fields. Di tulad sa ibang bansa na aani ka ng discrimination and second-class citizen treatment. Sa Saudi hindi, dahil alam nila kung gaano kagaling, katalino at ka-abilidad ang Pinoy.

So what’s the fuss about the culture ng Saudi? Culture nila yon eh. Sumunod ka na lang. But learn to appreciate the things this culture does to you.

Hindi lang sya financially rewarding. You will also benefit emotionally dahil magiging matatag ka from the occasional hits of homesickness. Aside from the fact na pwede ka ring maging matatag spiritually dahil dito mo mate-test kung gaano ka katatag in your faith. Pag inalok ka na na mag-convert to their faith, kahit papano mag-uumpisa kang magtanong at mag-analyze ng kung ano ba talaga ang pinaniniwalaan mo.

So who said working in Saudi is pathetic at ang mga Saudi OFW eh kawawa? Sorry na lang kayo. Hindi po lahat. It’s better for some lalo na to those who stick to their original plan, remembers their reason kung bakit sila nag-Saudi, and in the end achieving their goals. A house and lot and a four-car garage of the latest Fortuner and Armada. Ewan ko lang kung may tatak na Katas ng Saudi under the hoods! Hehehe!

At yong mga sosyalerang nakilala ko na nilinyahan ako ng "so you’re working in Saudi" sinasagot ko na lang ng "Oh yeah. And you’re not." Coz they were obviously ignorant of the fact that I was glad to be an OFW in Saudi. Nagkapera na ako (hindi pa naman po yumaman huh), naging better person pa ako.

Eh bakit ko naman naisipang isulat ito? Kasi nga ang dami ko pang nakikitang stickers na Katas ng Saudi. Tapos ginawa pang pelikula ni Jinggoy at Lorna para sa MMFF. Eh sa tingin ko nga, masyadong over-rated yong Katas ng Saudi. Gawin na lang nating Katas ng Kaligayahan. Maganda pa! Hahahahah!!! Bliiiiippppppppp!!!!

byaheng pang-himpapawid

My flight back to pinas last Thursday made me wonder what would I write in this blog related to flying.

And then I realized, marami pala akong mga naiipon na mga observations sa utak ko that I have to share with you. Siguro alam na rin ninyo ang karamihan dito. Nevertheless, let me share with you ten tips that I thought every flyer should remember.

• While packing, never ever go beyond allowed weight limits saka ka magdadasal na sana mabulag yong check-in officer at hindi makitang 48kg ang bagahe mo. Huwag ding i-exceed ang carry-on bags. Pag sinabing isang piraso lang ang cabin bag, huwag gawing dalawa at saka magmamaktol pag pinagalitan ng airline crew. Cause of delay, embarrassment and unnecessary stress ang mga ganyan. Kaya nga ako nagpapa-freight kung marami akong iuuwi eh. Para hindi ako ma-mroblema sa excess baggage. So don’t you ever approach me dahil nakita mong isang maleta lang ang luggage ko at ipapa-bitbit mo sa akin ang isang kahon or plastic bag mo. Don’t you know it’s one of the mortal sins of flying? Kailangan ko pa bang i-esplika yon?
• This December ng magbakasyon ako (my first December break after a long time, dati kasi off season ako lagi umuuwi), nakipag-chikahan pa ako sa mga naghatid sa akin sa airport after I checked-in my luggage. Forgetting that it was peak season at marami ang umuuwi. Kaya inabot ako ng indulto sa immigration checks pa lang. Halos boarding time na ng matapos ako sa final checks. Lesson learned: never ever procrastinate. Allow ample time for all the pre-departure formalities lalo na kung peak season.
• During check-in, don’t forget to request for your preferred seat. Chances are, you’ll get it. Kung hindi naman, at least nasabi mo. Better say it than get stuck on an 8 or 9-hour flight in a seat na hindi ka kumportable. Kung ayaw maistorbo, ask for a seat by the window. Kung tulad ko namang madalas mag-cr, by the aisle. Request for forward seat also kung gusto mong madaling maka-labas ng plane. Kakainis pag nasa dulong-dulo ka ng aircraft lalo na kung economy ticket ka. Lagi kang last sa serving ng food. Last ka pa to leave the plane. Hindi ako makikipag-unahan sa boarding pero sa deplaning, nakikipag-karera ako pababa ng Manila. And here’s one thing na palagay ko hindi alam ng lahat: if you request for Exit seats (yong seats right beside the exit door where you have more legroom) may kasamang responsibility yan. You have to act as emergency officer if something happened on the plane.
• Keep proper documents ready para hindi ma-abala. Marami ang hindi nakaka-realize nito pero in each step of the pre-departure formalities, iba-iba ang documents na kailangang i-present mo. Most of us bundle our passport, ticket and other documents doon sa flap na binibigay ng travel agent. And most of us just hand it over to the officer on duty who tosses back to you with matching simangot yong mga hindi nya kailangang papel. So just give them what they need. Baggage check-in: passport and ticket. Immigration: Passport, immigration card and boarding pass. During boarding: boarding pass na lang. Some airline/airport also check the passport before entering the aircraft. Upon arrival naman, passport lang and immigration card sa immigration officer, passport and customs declaration sa customs officer and keep the ticket handy para doon sa final check ng baggage as you leave the arrival area. Itabi na lang ang mga documents na hindi kailangan to avoid losing them. Basta ilagay mo lang sa isang bulsa na madaling dukutin in case hingin sa iyo.
• Your attire in flying: cowboy boots with steel toes and spikes, horse shoe steel buckles, blings including huge Damascus necklace, monstrous gold bracelets and gigantic gold rings, not to mention the stainless steel wristwatch ke branded man o ja-fake. What’s wrong with this picture? It’ll take you forever before you strip down and get yourself past the metal detector. So please, minimize metals sa katawan mo para di ka maging cause of delay. Malayo pa lang sa x-ray machine, tanggalin na ang mga keys, pens, cel phones and anything in your pockets. Ilagay sa carry-on baggage na dadaan sa x-ray. Hindi yong kung kelan nasa harap ka ng metal detector saka doon ka magtatanggal nito. Kung ako ang nasa likod mo, you’d see how my eyes would roll. Hmmmppp!
• There’s something I really don’t get pag boarding time na. Why hurry? Bakit nag-sisiksikan during boarding time? Haller, hindi naman jeep yan o bus na pag nahuli ka, tatayo ka na lang or sasabit sa pakpak noh. And besides, hindi ka nyan iiwan at magte-take off na hindi ka sakay. So, what’s the rush for?
• Nag-announce na ang captain: no cel phones and electronic devices please. Pero ang mga hindurupot na feeling VIP, naka-cel phone pa rin, tawagan ng tawagan. Eh sinabi na ngang nagi-interfere yon sa communication system ng aircraft. Ano bang gusto ng mga ito, makipag-chikahan na lang sa cel o maka-lipad safely? Ako mismo naiirita sa mga taong ganito who compromises my own safety just because of their stubbornness or plain stupidity. Kaya ang irap ko sa mga ganitong tao, ay naku, if looks could kill talaga!
• Be considerate sa mga katabi. Go to the lavatory kung kailangang umutot. Sa liit ng confined space ninyo, you cannot go finger pointing. Sobrang obvious kung sino ang salarin. Wag ding makulit sa seatmate. Try to strike a conversation pero kung tantiya mo, ayaw makipag-usap, lubayan mo. Baka he/she’s not feeling well or may iniisip. I-minimize din ang pagbubukas ng overhead light kung natutulog ang katabi. If you need to recline your seat, do it slowly. Baka mauntog mo yong nasa likod, away pa ang kauuwian non.
• Madalas when I travel, knapsack lang ang hand-carry ko. Lately, laptop bag. And I store it underneath my seat. Pag ganon kasi kaliit ang bag mo, more often than not, hindi ka pipilitin na ilagay sa overhead compartment. Kaya kung may kailangan ako sa bag, mas madali kong madukot like - passport, pen, pocketbook, etc. Mas madali rin akong maka-exit ng aircraft kesa kukunin ko pa ang carry-on baggage ko habang sinisiksik na ako ng mga pasaherong nag-uunahan pagbaba ng plane.
• Speaking of deplaning, ito ang isa ko pang ikinaka-irita. Sabi na ngang remain seated until the aircraft has come to a stop, bakit ang daming matitigas ang ulo na akala mo eh mananakaw ang bags nila. Tatayo at bubuksan ang overhead compartment kahit aalog-alog pa ang eroplano. Hindi ba alam ng mga hunghang na ito na safety issue din yon. A bag could fall and injure someone. Ewan ko talaga sa mga taong ganito. Naku, grrr.
  

And, one final thing na hindi naman mandatory pero siguro maganda ring gawing practice. As you exit the aircraft, return the farewell curtsy of the cabin crew. Lalo na kung maayos naman ang service nila. The least you can do is to say thanks and smile back at them. Hindi yong parang wala kang narinig o nakita. Sige ka, baka matandaan ang mukha mo, next time you fly with them, duraan ang tubig na hiningi mo!

a break

well i'm leaving for my vacation in a few hours. pahinga muna from kayod. but definitely it will not be bakasyon kasi may project akong tinatapos which means i will be very busy in the next four weeks.

but i'll surely be here all the time to receive guests like you, syempre hindi pwedeng mag-sara ang flower shop! LoL!

i just don't know kung anong forex ang aabutan ko sa atin, luging-lugi na naman tayo lalo ngayon na dahil pasko eh bumabaha ng dollars sa pinas. kaya nga nag-ngingitngit ako sa posting ko the other day. which, by the way, ay mukhang umiikot na sa mga kasamahan nating ofw base sa mga natatanggap kong e-mails expressing their support to my sentiments. maraming salamat po for understanding what's goin on in my mind and heart.

meanwhile, have a great christmas everyone. saan man kayo magsi-celebrate ng pasko, let's make it more meaningful. and don't forget, spend wisely sabi ni owwa deputy director! hehehe...

the wounded ofw

(note: i already sent this to feedback@gmanews.tv today. however, feel free to forward this to any of your contacts - friends and families, fellow ofws and most importantly, media people you might know)

There’s nothing more painful than rubbing rock salt to a gaping wound. And topping it off with a few drops of lemon? Ouch!

That’s what I felt when I read the article ‘OWWA exec rules out special $ rate for OFWs’ by Marie Neri today at http://www.gmanews.tv/. The culprit? A supposedly high ranking official of the government arm that is supposedly tasked to look after the welfare of OFWs, ironically.

OWWA Deputy Administrator Noreil Devanadera reportedly said that “the families should instead be educated in having a change in their lifestyles. The OFW families should learn how to be wise in their expenditures and practice better management of their earnings," That was the rock salt.

This is the second time I’ve heard of this idea. The first time it was tossed around by the present government, an angry housewife penned an open letter that got circulated via e-mails and landed in, as far as I know, at least two tabloids. And now here it is again. Being an OFW all my life, I was just about to say ENOUGH ALREADY.

What the heck is wrong with Mr. Devanadera and all the other government officials who share the same line of thinking? Have their intelligence and doctoral degrees deserted them already? Have their fingers of no better use than pointing it somewhere else but themselves? Why keep on passing the buck to our families instead of coming up with better, more logical solution?

For your information people, not all OFW families are lounging in luxury. A lot of them, including my own family, are still struggling to make ends meet in your ill-fated Philippine economy. A lot of them are still renting shabby apartments or shanty-like houses in the murky parts of Metro Manila. A lot of them are still trying to survive the day’s expenses on three simple meals, paying enormous electric bills, taking on the ridiculous tuition fees, tricycle or jeepney fares, not to mention the exorbitant cost of medication. Why? Do I have to tell you how much a kilo of galunggong is? Do I have to tell you how much a sack of rice is? Do I have to tell you how expensive the medication of my already frail mom is?

And here you are telling them to spend their money wisely? How do you want them to do that? Enroll in UP College of Economics just to achieve your idea of wise spending?

Change their lifestyle? To what? Surely not to upgrade coz that would mean more ‘unwise’ spending. So downgrade? Yes? Well you are not just a bunch of morons but a bunch of ruthless technocrats as well.

How can you downgrade something that is already at the minimum? If a family is living simply, barely above the line of what you can call a ‘decent living’, how can you ask them to downgrade? No more three square meals? Two will do, is that what you want? Wow!

And now, the lemon drops.

“The foreign exchange will not affect the entire OFWs. There are only certain groups that are affected. These are the domestic helpers and laborers, who are in the $200 (monthly salary) bracket. But those who are earning euros are not affected by the strengthening of the peso," Devanadera said.

Mr. Devanadera sir, I’m sure you’ve heard it many times before: Less talk, less mistake. More talk, well, more enemies. And in this statement, you’ve just earned the ire of thousands of domestic helpers and laborers who feel insulted by your indifference. What they need right now is help from you and the government. Not a callous statement like that.

And you’re talking of Euro earners. Now where are your statistics? Do you mean OFWs outside the EU earning dollars are less in number and are, therefore, insignificant? Well, you also earned the wrath of OFWs like me in the Middle East and our brothers and sisters in the other 5 non-euro earning continents.

And oh, before I forget, let me mention Mrs. Corazon Atuel who, after being awarded the Model OFW Family of the Year award, was the dirty gauze to dress the wound. This lady beamingly announced “Hindi ako pabor diyan dahil dapat walang special treatment [ang OFWs]”. Newsflash Mrs. Atuel, what your fellow OFW’s are asking for is not a special treatment. What we are asking for are:

a: help to alleviate the current problem we have

b: a concrete manifestation of the many lip service by this government trumpeting OFWs as the new heroes, and

c: a miniscule return of the billions of dollars we are funneling, day-in and day-out to keep the heart of the Philippine economy beating.

So don’t you ever refer to it again as a special treatment. Because it is not. That goes as well to you Mr. Devanadera and the rest of your tribe.

(a whole lot) more on BMW Part 3

and finally, here's the conclusion of my very long article (article daw, oh!) about bmw...

so what are the things na pwede mong gawin kung may bmw ka and, as i said, hindi mo dapat inuuwi ang galit sa bahay mo?

in this aspect, marami kang pwedeng gawin. if you cannot face the person or a situation head on, try doing the following:

walk away from the person/situation – ito ang unang-una mong dapat gawin. let it pass. hayaan mong lumamig ang temper mo. palipas ka na lang ng galit. uminom ka ng isang basong tubig like what my friend raoul always says. saka ka mag-isip ng maayos. dahil totoo yong sinasabi nila na baluktot ang takbo ng utak mo pag galit ka. coz you ignore reason. ang energy mo, focused doon sa galit mo and you don’t think clearly. you say and do things na hindi mo dapat ginawa or sinabi. and remember, pag nasa isang laban ka, never say or do anything that you will say sorry for later. look at it as a war na pag ikaw ang nag-sorry, talo ka. kaya ingat ka not to be the one to apologize later.

analyze the situation. kung tama ka, pat yourself on the back dahil hindi ikaw ang asshole sa sitwasyon. kung ikaw naman ang mali, then work hard para hindi na maulit yon. otherwise, bubonic plague (read: bobo) ka na if you repeat the same mistake twice. at kung hati lang kayo ng kaaway mo – meaning partly tama ka pero mali din, then work harder. dahil ibig sabihin non may mali ka pa rin. and getting it half right is just as bad as getting it all wrong.

magpaka-philosophical. tulad nga ng sabi ko sa isang kaibigan, rise above the situation. put yourself above it. because if you put these people and these situations beneath you, then you have just elevated yourself to a higher form of existence. sobrang lalim ba? to make it simple, tingnan mo ang mga presidente ng bansa at mga ceo ng malalaking companies, they are so cool and composed. hindi mo sila pwedeng galitin basta-basta. kasi hindi na sila pumapatol sa mga trivial na bagay. they deal with bigger, grander things. which means, kung magpapa-apekto ka sa mga maliliit na bagay sa trabaho mo, hindi ka president o ceo material. you’re doomed to remain a sorry, lowly worker forever. so strive to be someone greater. kahit hindi ka maging president or ceo, at least you’ve become a bigger person inside yourself.

find a group. kung hindi mo talaga matiis na hindi ka dadakdak to somebody else, wag mong gawin sa friends or family outside your work. find someone within your work at sya/sila ang gawin mong shock absorber. at least madali syang maka-relate sa mga bmw mo. pero wag ka namang maglagay ng banner na “wanted, kakampi sa crusade against my jerk na amo”. be subtle. makiramdam ka lang. pag sa tingin mo nakakita ka ng kakampi, cultivate him as your confidante. at pag pareho na kayo ng wavelength, dito mo i-vent ang galit mo. magpalitan kayo ng pag-katay sa taong kinamumuhian nyo pareho. pero ingat ka lang kasi baka bumaligtad yang kakampi mo, pwedeng-pwede ka nyang ilaglag anytime.

the bash! hindi yong program ni boy abunda at cristy fermina huh. kung iba-bash mo ang taong kagalit mo, stay away from personal attacks. tandaan mo na kahit anong galit mo sa isang tao, you do not have the right to bash him/her on personal level. stay within bounds of work related issues. sabi nga, trabaho lang, walang personalan. if you stick on it, kahit saang korte kayo makarating, malaki ang laban mo.

ngayon, after you’ve tried all of the above and nothing worked, kung hindi mo talaga mapigil ang inis/galit mo, maghanap ka na ng karton. yes, carton boxes. kasi kailangan mo yan para lagyan ng mga gamit mo. coz you’ll definitely get your ass kicked dahil hinulog mo sa bintana yong office mate mo or binuhusan mo ng mainit na kape ang boss mo! pack your things and run! hehehe!

so bmw? ok lang yan. nasa iyo na kung paano mo sasakyan. huwag lang na ikaw ang masakyan. don’t let your bitching, moaning and whining get the better of you. talo ka pag ganon.

drama politica

just a few hours ago, the siege at the manila pen ended, thank goodness, rather peacefully.

i was glued to the tv set for a couple of hours as al-jazeera news channel gave blow by blow account of the event. good thing veronica pedrosa was at the anchor today from their kl base. at least she gave more credibility to the coverage as opposed to seing the report from some foreign anchors.

first thing i said to myself was 'oh this is good, forex will surely pick-up' thinking about the continually plummeting exchange rate between dollar vs peso that so unfairly lessens the power of my hard-earned green buck. what a pity huh. short of rejoicing from a serious political situation for personal gain.

but hey, i guess i'm not the only one who thought of that. i bet you did too. in fact some of us would've probably prayed for something like this to happen. not only to get better exchange rate but also to punish gloria for ignoring the plea of ofw's for help on this particular dilemma.

but then again, the drama ended too quickly and with less action than what we probably were hoping for. no casualties. just some yadda-yadda from trillanes and his group, fishing for sympathy and support from the filipino people, then surrendered peacefully when they realized that they cannot turn ayala avenue to another edsa 1, 2 or 3. otherwise it could really be something.

why didn't they generate the support they needed? trillanes was there, reprising his oakwood 2003 role once again but where are his supporters? where's the 11 million voters who put him in the senate despite being locked up in one of the military bases in manila? they should have rallied and trooped to the posh hotel, camped it out with him and made his demand for gloria to step down. better yet, fill the stretch of ayala and makati avenues, putting an end to the already overused legacy of the edsa revolution and creating a new one - ayala 1. at least that's original.

but as marga ortigas, jazeera's manila correspondent put it, this recent outing by trillanes may not sit well with his supporters. business sector was not so happy with what he did - interrupting the day's proceedings right in the middle of the financial district which means losing millions of dollars in thousands of business transactions within the cordoned perimeter. even the original rebel soldier gringo distanced himself from the situation and instead attended budget hearing which, according to him, is more important.

i called up my mom and she, as well as everybody back home who are watching the same event, were sympathetic to trillanes and were cursing gloria. but maybe they were just like the rest of the 11 million fans of trillanes who chose to stay on the sidelines and simply watch their hero risk his life one more time to bring gloria down. just watch him from tv and do nothing to participate.

my take on it is that filipino people are already on the verge of frustration, resigned to the fact that despite the many edsa revolutions, the country is still on a downward spiral. and they chose not to march to ayala because they've grown tired of taking their cause to the streets. of course there are sporadic rallies and protests here and there but these are minor movements. i'm talking about the real, massive action of edsa revolution proportions that must have already lost it's appeal.

i missed edsa 1 but i made sure i didn't miss it the second time around. i even dragged some of my friends to join the cause, convincing them that people power, an authentically pinoy phenomenon, will make our future better. and our lives will be better if we kick erap out and install gloria. boy was i wrong. maybe that is the reason why i seem to have lost my inclination for mass actions like this.

i hope my impression is not true. and i hope that i'm the only one having this detached, nonchalant attitude. or else, those abusive, corrupt and heartless people in power will have a field day for the rest of their lives.

but, alarmingly, it looks like most of the filipino people are already sharing what i feel. as marga said, our people loves tv or movie drama. a simple statement that i translated into something more serious - we are a nation fixated to the formulaic drama of the entertainment industry, and that fixation has removed us from the harsh realities of the current social, economic and political situation.

and yes, according to her, what trillanes did was exactly just that - drama.

no. 5: just as mushy

You would probably see me as a strong character. In fact, marami ang nagsasabi na mukhang matapang ako, unapproachable, etc., etc... lalo na't hindi mo ako masyadong kilala (or does knowing me make any difference? ewan hehehe). Hindi kasi ako mahilig sa ka-dramahan sa buhay. I’m overly practical, a bit cold-hearted and it takes a lot to make me cry. But believe it or not, there are a few things that could melt my heart in an instant.

One of them is seeing a stray cat. Dogs too. But I feel more strongly for cats. May istorya kasi sa likod non.

Siguro mga 7 years old pa lang ako when my father brought home a stray kitten. A cute, furry, white ball with black spots at ang buntot eh nakabaluktot in three sections. Tuwang-tuwa ako to have him. Only child ako so ang magkaroon ako ng kasama at kalaro, even in the form of a kitten, eh big deal para sa akin. I named him Turnino (I really don’t know where I got that awful name).

I took good care of him. Kung ano ang pagkain ko, yon din ang kinakain nya. In fact, madalas akong napapagalitan coz i spoiled him a lot. Naging very choosy sya sa pagkain. At hindi mo mapapatapak sa lupa or putik. Maglalaro man sya sa labas pero sandali lang, babalik agad sa bahay. And never messed himself up tulad ng ibang nakikipag-away at uuwing putikan, duguan or nanglilimahid. Kung sa tao, he's always neat and clean.

Dahil para ko syang stuffed toy, tinatabi ko sya pagtulog. Hanggang nasanay na sya at hindi na umalis sa tabi ko. Then my parents warned me that I could get asthma if I go on like that (thank God I didn’t).

So I tried to kick him out of my room. Nila-lock ko pa ang bedroom door ko, and tucked the kulambo (mosquito net) edges under some heavy pillows para hindi sya makapasok. Pero magigising pa rin ako sa umaga na nasa tabi ko sya, all warm and purring from a deep, comfortable sleep.

After High School, I left home to study in the city, leaving Turnino behind with my parents. Pero ang parents ko, ayaw pumayag na matagal akong hindi makikita so they had to relocate from Mindoro to Batangas, mas malapit sa Manila at mas madalas akong makakauwi.

Trouble is, they left Turnino behind.

Studies, and, later on work, took 100% of my time and attention. It was years later when I realized I was missing something. Then I started wondering what happened to my Turnino.

Sabi ng isang pinsan ko, he became a stray cat after my parents left. And that made me so guilty. Naisip ko, after living a comfortable life, siguro nag-suffer sya while trying to survive in the streets, scavenging for food, fighting it out with meaner cats or dogs, getting soaked in the rain and just wandered aimlessly. Siguro nagkasakit sya at basta na lang namatay sa isang madilim na sulok. O kaya nasagasaan ng truck. Tuwing naiisip ko yon, i feel so bad.

Until this day, isa sya sa biggest guilt na dala-dala ko. Sure he’s just a cat. But he was a part of my childhood. We practically grew up together. And I loved him like a brother that I never had.

The fact na hindi ko na malalaman kung anong nangyari sa kanya is unbearable. It always makes me sad. And I think I’ll never forgive myself for making him suffer whatever he’s gone through.

33 days... and being senti

It’s been a month and 2 days since I came up with this blog and I’m very happy that in just 33 days, I’ve got 600++ hits. Ewan ko sa ibang blogs – siguro thousands ang hits nila every month but for a newbie like me, I feel so elated dahil ibig sabihin maraming bumibisita sa bahay ko!

O sige, sabihin natin half of the 600 would probably come from my countless log-ins – either to upload new postings or simply to check kung may nagco-comment (hmmm, parang eksads kung 300 yon noh). But hey, 300 hits is still something I’m very thankful for. Kasi ibig sabihin non, friends like you spend time browsing/reading through my messages.

And even if the footprints left are very few judging from the low volume of comments, at least I know many pairs of eyes have read what I’ve written and quite a few minds are churning away, contemplating on what I wrote.

And so, because I’m a newbie, pagpasensyahan nyo na ako if I’d go senti and say I’m celebrating this blog’s first monthsary by acknowledging people who frequents this place. Salamat sa mga matiyagang bumibisita dito.

First, to Raoul who’s my blog patrol, sinisita ako pag wala akong bagong posting. At may suggestions pa ng magagandang topics. At yong sinabi mong reason why you always frequent this blog, touched talaga ako. Hindi ko na sasabihin dito. But believe me, it made me realize na inumpisahan ko na rin lang ito, I’d rather continue building it up and become a better journal for people like you who takes something out of it. Thanks Raoul.

Thanks also to Jun C who’s always curious about my top-tens and hopefully the alternative rock stuff is a good influence… in addition to your Kamikaze, Megadeth and Kiss! Hehehe!. At si Matt na kahit alam kong maraming ka-c2c na girls eh may isang window open just to browse through kung may ginamit na naman akong mga pic nya LoL.

To Jonas na aking tanungan ng mga cool sites simply because I don’t have the time and the initiative to go find it myself :D Thanks dear.

Si “A Movie Fan” na kahit anonymous pa rin up until now is someone I always anticipate postings from coz of his nice comments. Sa true lang, I’m puzzled kung sino ka and I hope one day you’ll leave a clue somewhere para alam ko naman who’s at the other end of the conversation. Nevertheless, thanks for always dropping by.

At yong mga hindi ko ma-mention ang names simply because they just vist and never post, maraming salamat pa rin. Sana you’ll let me hear your thoughts too one of these days.

At syempre, hindi ko makakalimutan ang friend ko from Jeddah na si Cesar. Itong isang to, tatawag pa sa akin just to let me know that he’s online and visiting my ‘flower shop’. Tuwang-tuwa kasi sya sa banner ko na multi-colored flowers. Eh di ba sabi ko naman, me and my rainbow of thoughts. Kaya nga sari-saring topic ang napo-post ko eh, parang halo-halo! Ayan, nagka-idea tuloy ako… palitan ko kaya ng halo-halo yong pic…. Hehehe!

Thanks again to everyone and I really hope you’ll keep coming back.

(a whole lot) more on BMW part 2

Okey. So hindi mo masabi directly ang inis o galit mo sa taong kinaiinisan mo sa trabaho. At ang gagawin mo, totoma ka with your barkadas at doon mo iku-kwento ang office mate mo na kinagagalitan mo. Maglilimatik ang mga mura mo habang naka-tunganga sa yo ang mga tropa mo na walang kaalam-alam sa pinagbubusa mo.

Or, magkukwento ka sa family members mo while having dinner. Yon ang gagawin mong topic ng dapat sana eh bonding moment ninyo ng pamilya mo. May matching cussing pa na nakakasira ng appetite ng mga kaharap mo.

Parehong mali. Parehong unfair.

Remember this: never ever bring the bitching, moaning and whining home with you. Leave it parked somewhere in your office. Basta wag mong dadalhin sa bahay or outside your work for that matter.

I know hindi ito madaling gawin. But if you cannot take away the thought na hindi maganda ang naging araw mo sa trabaho, then just try to separate the anger from the thought. Hindi mo man makalimutan, at least alisin mo yong anger factor. Iwan mo yong init ng ulo.

You had a bad day at work. That’s it. Just a plain statement. Minus the fuming and the incessant ranting na baka marinig pa ng mga anak mo. Hindi maganda yon. Wag na wag mong ibunton ang init ng ulo mo sa mga kaibigan or kapamilya. That’s totally unfair. That’s your own battle so you just have to fight it yourself. Wag mo nang idamay ang iba.

Afterall, hindi mo ba naisip na sila mismo, they have their own officemates, co-workers, classmates, acquaintances or boss na kampon din ng kadiliman para sa kanila? They have their own battles too. So don't you ever think na akala mo ikaw lang ang sumambot ng lahat ng sama ng loob sa trabaho.

Besides, ni hindi nga nila kilala yong taong kinagagalitan mo eh. Ni hindi nila alam ang sitwasyon sa office mo so mahihirapan silang maka-relate. You’ll put them in a situation na hindi nila alam ang pwede nilang gawin o sabihin. And you can’t expect them to say something objective pag ganon. The only thing they can give you is their sympathy.

Which means, ano, nagpapa-awa ka? And would you believe them pag sinabi nilang ‘oo nga, tama ka, you did the right thing’ kahit alam na alam mong hindi nila alam ang detalye ng pinagbububusa mo. And what do you get out of it? A false sense of encouragement?

Over the years that I’ve worked, at sa dami na ng dinanas kong bmw, I’ve learned later on to separate my office life from my life outside of work. Paglabas ko ng trabaho, I shift from the ‘office me’ to the ‘real me’. Kapag nag-lock na ako ng aking office, I leave everything locked up as well. Kung hindi pa tapos ang bmw, then I’ll just deal with it the next day. Sometimes nandon pa rin sya pagbalik ko kinabukasan. But most of the time, kusa na syang nawawala.

So why torture yourself for the rest of the day kung pwede mo namang lagyan ng to be continued ang istorya.

Isa pa, ang katwiran ko, hindi na sakop ng timesheet ko ang oras ko pag alis ko ng office. And I have a life outside work. something more exciting, colorful and wonderful kesa sa mga officemates or amo kong hindi ko dapat problemahin.

Kahit nagbabakasyon ako sa Pinas, I don’t waste my time telling my friends or family kung anoman ang mga bmw ko dito. Siguro hindi rin maganda ang effect coz they look at me na parang kumakamada lang ako ng pera ng walang kahirap-hirap. They don’t realize na marami ring problema dito sa buhay at trabaho ko dito.

But my point is, I’d rather spend quality time with them instead na sayangin ko ang oras sa pag-e-emote ng mga bagay na hindi naman nila maiintindihan or sa mga taong ni hindi nila kilala.

Ngayon, re-cap lang tayo ng mga pinag-sasabi ko na:

1. Hindi mo ma-confront ang taong kinaiinisan/kinagagalitan mo. And it adds frustration to your already boiling temper.

2. Unfair na gawin mong tagasalo ng galit mo ang friends mo or family sa mga bagay na dapat iniiwan mo na lang sa iyong workplace.

You might ask me… eh ano naman ang ini-expect mong gawin ko? Keep it to myself na lang?

Hindi naman siguro. There are ways to deal with it.

Pero next posting ko na lang yon kasi mahaba na naman ito. So just hang on!

my top ten comedy/musical films

As I said before, marami pa akong favorite films and here's my top ten pagdating naman sa comedy and musicals. See if you can recognize all of them.

A Chorus Line. Released in 1976. Directed by Richard Attenborough. Starring Michael Douglas. With unforgettable songs like At the Ballet, Sing, Nothing and the more popular What I Did for Love, it ranks as my number one favorite musical of all time.

The Sound of Music. Released in 1965. Directed by Robert Wise. Starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. Ok, so this is pre-historic. But who can argue with the power of this classic. In fact, we wouldn't have learned our musical notes that easy if not for this movie. I watched it just recently in cable and I was awed. A timeless masterpiece.

Falling In Love. Released in 1984. Directed by Ulu Grosbard. Starring Robert deNiro and Meryl Streep - two of my top faves in the acting department in a romantic comedy about middle-aged lovers.

Big Business. Released in 1988. Directed by Jim Abrahams. Starring Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin. Two comic divas in a story of two sets of twins switched and separated at birth, one set ending up rich and the other poor. Imagine the riot when they meet later on.

Moulin Rouge. Rleased in 2001. Directed by Baz Luhrmann. Starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. According to my research, this is the third version of the film – with two previous versions, one in the 30’s and the other in the 50’s. Very smart use of contemporary songs on an old but still interesting material.

Death Becomes Her. Released in 1992. Directed by Robert Zemeckis. Starring Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis. A top-notch cast in a comedy-horror film that looks deep into our fear of getting old and dying. It won Best Visual Effects in 1992 from Oscars.

Flashdance. Released in 1983. Directed by Adrian Lyne. Starring Jennifer Beals and Michael Nouri. The 1,000-watt smile of Jennifer, some mean dancing and an OST that remains as one of my favorites. Flashdance… What A Feeling still makes me wanna dance whenever I hear it today.

Evita. Released in 1996. Directed by Alan Parker. Starring Madonna, Antonio Banderas and Jonathan Pryce. I was not a Madonna fan until she did this film. Then she turned me into a believer. Awesome songs like High Flying Adored, You Must Love Me, She Is A Diamond and Another Suitcase in the Hall made me buy the complete OST album.

The Full Monty. Released in 1997. Directed by Peter Cattaneo. Starring a host of British actors. The film that showed me that Brits, aferall, has got humor. A story of 6 ordinary, unglamorous steel workers who formed a group and did a striptease act! Hilarious!

The Devil Wears Prada. Released in 2006. Directed by David Frankel. Starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway. In case you haven’t noticed, this is the third Meryl Streep movie in my top faves on comedy/musical category. Which means I love her on offbeat roles as much as I love her on serious ones. Hell, I love this wonderful actress in whatever she does .

If you haven't watched these wonderful films, I suggest you try them. Really entertaining. (Naku dapat bayaran ako ng mga producers nito huh!)

(a whole lot) more on BMW part 1

nabanggit ko na sa previous posting ko (cappuccino at multo) ang tungkol sa bmw. eto ang ginagawa namin noon ng mga officemates ko sa makati. and i’m sure many of us still do it. we bitch, moan and whine on anything and almost everything that comes our way – lalo na sa trabaho.

so i thought maganda siguro i-expound yong topic that’s why i started writing about it. but before i knew it, nakaka-four pages na pala ako ng nasusulat, hindi pa ako makapag-conclude. then i realized how big the topic is. kaya instead na isang mahabang article, i divided it into sections. sana pagtiyagaan ninyong basahin and tell me if i missed out on anything.

saan ba nanggagaling ang bmw? sa germany dapat dahil doon ang gawaan ng bmw cars. lol! but seriously, nagkakaroon ka ng mga complain, himutok, sama ng loob at kung ano ano pa because of people or situations sa trabaho mo. either because of a co-worker who’s a jerk, o isang amo na boss from hell, o kaya ay isang client who’s an ass, lagi kang naa-upset, naha-high blood at nagpuputok ang butse.

kung ang conflict ay na-resolve immediately o yong tipong nagsagutan kayo ng boss mo or ng officemate mo and then natapos agad, walang problema. kasi nailabas mo agad yong nasa loob mo, may resolution yong sitwasyon and all you have to do is to move on (unless na ikaw yong tipong pinapahaba ang dapat eh tapos na).

but what if you are stuck in a situation na parang wala kang magawa. may inis/galit ka sa isang tao pero hindi mo magawan ng solusyon. a boss who treats you badly. o isang officemate na inaangasan ka. and many other things that bothers you pero hindi mo magawan ng solusyon.

all you can do is go fuming, ranting and spewing tirades na hindi mo masabi ng diretso sa mga taong kinakainisan/kinamumuhian mo. dakdak ka ng dakdak tungkol sa sitwasyon or tungkol sa kaaway mo but you’re just barking at yourself.

bakit? kasi naiinis ka sa ginagawa ng office mate mo pero di mo masabi sa kanya kaya idadakdak mo na lang siya sa best friend mo. or bwisit na bwisit ka sa amo pero ang lahat ng p***ng ina or f**k na dapat ibato mo sa kanya eh sa mga barkada mo ibinabalibag. bakit?

dahil hindi mo masabi ng diretso doon sa taong kinagagalitan mo. bakit?

dahil kung below sya or ka-level mo lang in the corporate heirarchy, umiiwas ka sa isang confrontation that could lead to something embarrassing. tulad ng magsagutan kayo sa office. worse, mag-umbagan kayo. baka ma-personnel pa kayo. and you don’t want the embarrassment it may bring. kaya hindi ka na lang umiimik kahit nagpuputok na ang butse mo. and you still smile or say something nice while bordering on being the ultimate representative of tupperware. plastic!

o kung amo mo naman sya, of course, hindi mo sya ku-kumprontahin and say it to his/her face na f**k u boss, hindi na tama ang pinagagawa mo sa akin! unless na mas malaki ang galit mo kesa sa takot mong mawalan ng trabaho at magutom, hindi mo gagawin yon. unless na ready ka na to pack your bags and go, hinding-hindi mo gagawin na kumprontahin ang pumipirma ng payslip mo. kaya, again, tatahimik ka na lang kahit 200 over 200 na ang bp mo.

so what’s my point? yon nga, ang inis o galit mo, nadadagdagan pa ng ibang bagay - frustration. dahil hindi mo makumpronta ang taong kinagagalitan mo or the situation itself. and that exacerbates the whole situation. hindi mo maibato ng diretso ang anger mo doon sa tao and you have to find other targets para lang mailabas ang inis/galit mo. and that’s what makes it more frustrating.

you vent your anger on other things. sayang naman kung yong workstation ang hahambalusin mo, baka masira. or sayang naman ang flower vase na décor sa mesa mo kung ibabato mo lang sa dingding. besides, mahirap i-explain sa boss mo kung bakit sabay nabasag ang vase at ang plake na nakasabit sa dingding di ba.

so you would pick up the phone at tatawag ka sa isang friend. or mag-e-email ka na ang font eh 48, bold and blazing red! if not, pag-uwi mo ng bahay, tatakbo ka sa isang family member at magsusumbong ka na parang isang batang naumbag sa school na hindi makalaban.

but is it the right thing to do? not really. and that, i will deal on my next posting!

what's currently on my player

hindi ko masabing 'what's on my ipod' kasi wala naman akong ipod kaya sabi ko na lang what's on my player. but i just wanna share 5 beautiful songs that i downloaded yesterday - thanks to my ever-reliable and good friend jonas na nag-introduce sa akin sa esnips na dati na palang alam ni matt pero hindi naman sini-share sa akin hmmmppp (hehehe... joke lang pow!).

so what's currently playing - over and over and over - on my wmp?

1. chasing cars by snow patrol - eto yong song na ginamit ng one tv in their plug of grey's anatomy (though i'm not aware if this is really the theme song of that program). gandang-ganda ako sa melody nya. parang tunog love's divine ni seal which is another top fave ko.

2. white flag by dido - matagal ko na itong hinahanap coz i'm a dido fan.

3. listen by beyonce - ok, i'm not a beyonce fan but i like the song. it could have been better if someone with a more powerful voice like katherine macphee sang it. (papatayin na talaga ako ng beyonce fans nito... lol!)

4. only the lonely by the motels. in case na hindi nyo kilala, the motels was one of the better new wave bands noong 80's with martha davis as lead vocals. ang ganda pa ng nakuha ko kasi accoustic version! cool!

5. do they know it's christmas by band aid. eto ang sagot ng UK artists sa USAid for Africa noon who did the very famous we are the world. do they know it's christmas was the chart-topping recording by the group called band-aid, a group created by bob geldoff (boomtown rats) with mega-star performers like phil collins, bono of U2, Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet, Boy George, Simon LeBon of Duran Duran, David Bowie and many more (80's na 80's di ba!)

anybody who wants to try these cool sounds, punta na lang kayo ng esnips!hehehe!

my top ten best films (2 of 2)

So to round up my ten best films, here's the last five of the list:

Not Without My Daughter. I believe this film met some trouble due to the storyline that tackles a very sensitive racial and cultural subject. Thus preventing it from being shown to a wider audience. I was lucky to have seen it even on a VHS (oh yeah, it was quite some time ago). Sally Fields starred in this 1991 film by Brian Gilbert as Betty Mahmoody who wrote the book of the same title based on her real-life experience. I wouldn’t delve into the story line but rather suggest that you find the film and watch it. Very, very interesting.

The Passion of The Christ. Mel Gibson, in this 2003 masterpiece, proved that he can still go one notch higher than the commercially successful and critically acclaimed Braveheart. Although Hollywood didn’t give it the thumbs-up like it did to Braveheart (which I see as playing safe, distancing itself from the movie which gathered a lot of criticism and controversy) no one can deny that this is one powerful, highly crafted film. I didn’t find it offensive. In fact it made me dig deep into my own faith and conviction and find what my heart truly believes.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. This Ang Lee 2000 film, no matter how corny the concept of flying martial arts warriors are, still ranks as one of my best films ever. I still can’t get over the fight scenes, the beautiful cinematography, the touching love story and the wonderful characterizations breathed into life by Chow Yun-Fat, Zhang Ziyi and Michell Yeoh. It won Oscar’s Best Foreign Film that year. I think one of the reasons why it won is that it presented an authentically Chinese culture that has never been seen before in the western world. How I wish we can do something so authentically Pinoy also and win over movie goers around the globe like what this beautiful film did.

Ben Hur. Ok, I can’t go as far back as 1939 for Gone with the Wind but at least Ben Hur is still Jurassic-era. I watched this 1959 mega-epic starring Charlton Heston in VCD with total viewing time of 3 hours and 43 minutes! Directed by William Wyler who must be the Spielberg of his time (he won Oscar Best Director 3 times – Mrs Miniver in 1942, The Best Days of Our Lives in 1946 and for this one), Ben Hur won Oscar Best Picture and a host of other awards – 11 in total – only equaled in 1997 by the soapy Titanic (ooopppss, sorry Titanic fans!) and The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King in 2003. It tells the story of Juddah Ben-Hur of Jerusalem in the First AD. What captured me is the grandness of this movie. Thousands and thousands of extra cast, elaborate sets and bloody battles that was successfully choreographed, directed and filmed without the help of CGI which was invented some thirty years later. No wonder it gobbled up a budget of $75 million! A huge fortune that can probably buy a small country that time!

I Am Sam – A 2001 film by Jessie Nelson that tells the story of an autistic father fighting for his right to keep his daughter. It was one utterly moving film where Sean Penn’s portrayal of Sam was faultless from start to finish I think he was robbed the Best Actor trophy in the Academy Awards that year. His superb acting was complemented by Dakota Fanning’s heartfelt portrayal of the little daughter. Together, these two great actors made the movie quite unforgettable.

There you go.

So these are the top ten of my favorite, best movies. However, there are quite a few more that came up while I was doing this list. And since I cannot fit them all in here, I will just come up with a different category. Just watch out and it'll be posted here soon.

no. 4: sing, sing, sing

some people think that i can carry a tune (hindi ko sinabing magaling akong kumanta ha). at least hindi naman siguro ako mababato ng kamatis pag humawak ng microphone.

but the truth is, super late na bago ako natutong kumanta. dati noon, sintunado ako at parang ngiyaw lang ng pusa kung kumakanta ako sa banyo, kung kanta mang matatawag yon.

then nauso ang multiplex (ahemm… ano’ng year ba yon!) and most of my friends, kamag-anak at mga kakilala started singing. nag-aagawan pa ng microphone sa karaoke! eh hindi nga ako marunong kumanta kaya tatahimik na lang ako sa isang sulok.

parang na-challenge siguro ako so i said to myself na kailangan matuto rin akong kumanta. afterall mahilig ako sa music. ang dami kong alam na songs. yon nga lang, alam ko lang yong song pero hindi ko kayang kantahin.

i love basil valdez and i thought mas magandang mga songs nya ang umpisahan kong pag-aralan. oh yeah, basil valdez talaga! lakas ng loob di ba. from the very popular kastilyong buhangin to my personal favorites kung ako’y iiwan mo, iduyan mo and paraisong parisukat. lahat yon minasaker ko while i was trying to to learn how to sing properly. the nerve di ba!

siguro early 30’s na ako noon (mabibisto ang age! hahaha) and you can just imagine how difficult it is para mag-vocal stretching sa ganong edad. do-it-yourself pa dahil hindi naman ako nagpa-turo kahit kanino, nahihiya ako so i had to do it by myself sa kwarto ko na walang ibang nakakakita at nakakarinig.

basta susundan ko lang ng susundan yong mga tono ni basil. nag-umpisa akong walang mic. then nong kabisado ko na ang tono, sinabayan ko na. swerte ko dahil hindi naman ako nakaranas makatok ng kapitbahay!

naawa naman siguro sa akin ang bathala ng kalinangang musika kaya pinayagan akong maabot ang mga matataas na nota ng songs ni basil. sa tuwa ko nga non, nag-record pa ako ng songs at pinadala ko sa amin para marining ng mom ko, mga tita at kapatid na nakaka-kanta na ako! (hmmm… come to think of it, hindi ko nakita yong tape na yon ng magbakasyon ako! baka itinago – collector’s item! bwahahahaha!!)

since then nakaka-kanta na ako sa mga videoke bars kahit maraming tao at may scores pa na lumalabas after the song. and so far, hindi pa naman ako nababato ng bote ng beer. in fact, minsan sa san pablo, na-request akong ulitin yong wildflower (originally by skylark later on popularized by martin nievera). yong mag-asawa palang owners ng bar ang nag-request, theme song daw nila yon.

and since then, hindi na limited to basil songs ang mina-masaker ko. may aerosmith pa, bon jovi, u2, barry manilow and lately eh josh groban.

did i learn how to sing? siguro. but more than that, may natutunan pa akong isang mas importanteng bagay – and that is, kapalan lang ng mukha yan! hahahaha!!!

cappuccino at multo

last wednesday nag-rent ng car si ren and matt in preparation sa lakad nila nong thursday. nakisabit kami ni raoul sa test drive and went to fanateer with no particular purpose kaya sinamantala ko naman na mamili sa sacco dahil nga malapit na ang bakasyon ko.

nag-dinner kami sa yacht restaurant na dati ay ranked 2 sa favorite dining places ko sa jubail. ngayon mukhang babagsak sya sa aking rating dahil na-disappoint ako sa asparagus soup nila plus the fact na matagal dumating ang order namin, at hindi maayos ang pagi-explain ng waiter na kabayan pa mandin.

eniweys, we finished early sa dinner at sa sacco kaya si ren nag-yayang mag-coffee. eh wala namang starbucks sa fanateer kaya dinala ko sila sa isang coffee shop na one year ago ko pa yata na-discover. sa faiha district na pare-parehong hindi namin alam puntahan pero dahil sa tiyaga ni ren mag-drive at pagko-co-pilot ni matt, nakita din namin. (ngayon ko lang naalala, nagpaka-layo-layo pa tayo eh may cinabonn nga pala right in front of fanateer mall!)

we hanged out sa coffee shop for more than an hour, with our cappuccinos and muffins talking about things from house decorating to our parents, mga planong negosyo hanggang mauwi sa multo at mga halloween stories ang chikahan. kaya siguro nag-aya agad si raoul umuwi kasi baka lumala pa ang kwentuhan eh wala pa naman syang kasama sa bahay pag weekend.

sana madalas mangyari ang ganitong kwentuhan. kahit kasi nagdi-dinner ang mga adik (birthday ni ega, nag-aya si ega, trip lang ni ega… bakit puro si ega!? hehehee), normally pagtapos kumain, layasan na. but that particular night sa coffee shop, iba ang kwentuhan. parang nasa bahay lang kami and freely engaging on conversation na kahit sabihin mong mundane eh napakalaki ng nagagawa to relieve you from stress of the week’s work.

nong nag-trabaho ako sa makati, ganito rin ang ginagawa namin ng mga friends/officemates ko. from our antel office (and even nong lumipat na kami sa citibank towers), hindi pa kami uuwi at didiretso kami sa pinakamalapit na starbucks.

doon na kami magku-kwentuhan, lalo na ng mga problema sa work. in fact we called ourselves the bmw group – bitching, moaning and whining – dahil ito ang naging venue namin na ilabas ang mga daing, sama ng loob at kung ano-ano pa tungkol sa work.

first part lang naman yon actually. pag tapos na ang bmw, ibang chikahan na. tawanan na at halakhakan. saka kami uuwi na magaan na ang pakiramdam. wala na ang stress kaya normal na ang mga temperature at takbo ng kukote.

malaki ang nagagawa nito to keep you sane from the crazy things going on in your work. para pag-uwi mo ng bahay, wala na yong baggage mo sa office so that pwede ka nang mag-focus sa dadatnan mo. and be a better mom/dad or anak/kapatid sa mga dadatnan mo sa bahay. hindi yong sinalubong ka ng anak mo pero hindi mo man lang pinansin coz you’re still fuming about your boss.

talk is therapy. so we should do it more often. wag lang sa bus na dinig ng buong mundo kung ano ang mga reklamo mo. or else magiging nega ang dating mo at mahahanay ka kay melanie marquez, james taylor and company! hehehehe!

a different beat

i guess you'd see me as someone conventional, a bit old-fashioned and almost a bore. and i guess you're expecting me to post my top ten songs that will include barbra streissand or barry manilow. we'll, i'll sure do that. but maybe later.

you see, my taste in music is unbelievably wide - from folk music of don mclean and james taylor to the rock hits of rod stewart and u2. from music of divas like barbra, celine, bette midler and carly simon to the more contemporary dido, fergie, jewel and christina. from louis armstrong, lionel richie and barry white to james blunt, eminem and john meyer. from yanni, enya, gregorians, kenny g to greenday, the calling, nickelback and the verve.

when it comes to music, i can be a jukebox. so don't be surprised if we are in a car, on a long trip, and i sing along with anything that comes up on the radio!

so let me share some of my favorite alternative rock. i've got quite a few of them - i think more than 50 favorites and it's quite difficult to come up with my top ten. anyways, here it goes, again in random:

1. with arms wide open by creed

2. black balloon by googoo dolls

3. let her cry by hootie and the blowfish

4. drive by incubus

5. iris by googoo dolls

6. drops of jupiter by train

7. how you remind me by nickelback

8. hanging by a moment by punklifehouse

9. if you're gone by matchbox 20

10. one last breath by creed

of hope and faith

I have a friend/officemate who is going through a hard time right now. Actually, mahigit two years na ngayon that his wife is battling the big C. At alam naman natin na ito ang isa sa pinaka-mahirap na situation one can possibly go through.

Kahit sino sa ating family member, be it wife, son, daughter, parents or siblings na magkaroon ng sakit, malaki ang epekto sa atin. Lalo na kung sobrang close tayo sa family member na ito and we love them dearly.

We share their pain. Dahil nakikita natin sila suffering from their disease, meron din tayong pain na nararamdaman sa ating puso. And that second-hand pain ang pinakamahirap gamutin dahil walang gamot para doon. The only thing that will take it away ay ang makita nating gumaling ang ating loved one.

When my father was sick, na-prove ko na totoo pala yong mga dramang napapanood ko. That you would rather trade places, you will pray na sa iyo na lang ipasa ang sakit, ikaw na lang ang mag-suffer, wag lang sila. Honestly, I was surprised na kaya kong gawin yon. Sa sobrang pagiging selfish ko noon, I never thought I could say it. Pero nasabi ko, na-pray ko with all honesty. Makakalimutan mo pala ang pagiging self-centered mo pag ganoon.

It doesn’t only take so much emotion on your part. It takes other things too. Like time. Dahil hindi mo sila pwedeng pabayaan, you would rather be with them, sa tabi ng sickbed nila and serve them and let them know that you are there for them. Kaya noon, nagbabakasyon ako pero hindi sa pagpapahinga at pagre-relax ko ginagamit ang oras ko. I’d always be with my dad, bring him to any hospital or clinic na may mabalitaan akong magaling na doctor.

And now that my mom is confined on a wheelchair after suffering from a bad fall, hindi na rin ako masyadong naglalakwatsa pag nagbabakasyon ako. Kung hindi rin lang importante, hindi na ako umaalis ng bahay, I’d rather stay with her para makabawi kami ng oras ng bonding.

It takes so much patience too. Dahil pag may sakit, nandiyan yong nagiging sensitive sila, maramdamin, matampuhin, mapaghanap. You have to be your best whenever you’re with them. Kung 100% ang patience mo, make it double. At kahit anong marinig mo o makita mo, you have to let them know na mahal mo sila. Kahit nagmamatigas at ayaw uminom ng gamot or tinatabig ang food tray. Wala kang magagawa kungdi unawain sila and be gentle with them para mai-paramdam mo that you love them, and you’ll be with them no matter what.

And of course it takes away so much resources. Pera. Mawawala lahat ang plano mo sa buhay pag may sakit na ang isa sa family member mo. Whatever savings na meron ka, ilalabas at ilalabas mo just to make sure na magagamot ang mahal mo sa buhay. Never mind that property that you wanted to buy. O yong kotseng matagal mo nang pangarap. All that takes second, third or even the last priority in your life pag nasa ganong sitwasyon ka na.

Afterall, kikitain mo pa ang pera. Marami pang darating na ganon sa yo. But you can never replace your family member, kahit saan ka mag-trabaho, kahit anong negosyo ang pagka-kitaan mo. Walang magpapa-sweldo sa iyo ng isang Nanay o Tatay. Hindi ka tutubo sa negosyo ng isang anak o asawa.

And of course, hindi maiiwasan that you will be consumed by frustration. Lalo na pag ang sakit ay nasa extended period na. May mga oras na gusto mo nang sumuko. May mga oras na ramdam mo, pagod na pagod ka na. Lalo na pag ang problema, dinagdagan pa ng kakulangan ng pera. Or may iba pang problema ang pamilya na ang pakiramdam mo, pinag-bagsakan ka na ng langit.

Kaya pala may mga taong nababaliw o kaya nakakagawa ng masama. Pag nasa ganon kang sitwasyon, you have nobody else but yourself to hang on to. Ilabas mo na yong pinakamatigas na parte ng puso mo. And do not let yourself be overpowered by the pain and frustration. Hang on to whatever support system other family members and friends can give you.

And most importantly, this is the time when you should dig deeper into your faith. Dahil sa mga ganitong sitwasyon, wala kang ibang magagawa kungdi magdasal with all your might and ask God to give you strength. Totoo yong sinasabi nilang lift it up to Him. Naniniwala ako doon. Coz when you’ve done it, kahit anong mangyari, the situation can turn better or worse but you’ll be able to take it. Dahil alam mong ginawa mo na lahat, including trusting your loved one to the Greater Power.

my top ten best films (1 of 2)

A lot of my favorite films include Oscar Best Picture winners. Although that wasn't necessarily my criteria in putting them in my favorites list. It also includes films that are, at least to me, remarkable and unforgettable. These are the films that I wouldn’t mind buying the expensive original dvd so I can watch them over and over, and later on store them in my archives.

Unfortunately, I haven’t watched the classics yet like Casablanca, Gone with the Wind and other earlier movie greats. Maybe if I see them this list will change. But as of now, here’s how it stands, in no particular order.

The Silence of the Lambs. This dark, psychological suspense thriller of a 1991 masterpiece by Jonathan Demme has, so far, the only movie that made me feel disturbed after watching it. For days, I was gloomy, inexplicably depressed and feeling creepy. And I can only blame it on the intensely effective acting of Sir Anthony Hopkins whose portrayal of Hannibal Lecter is a lot more frightening than Jason and Freddie Kruger combined. He rightfully deserves his Oscar Best Actor trophy that year. And so does the film in winning the Best Picture award.

The Piano. Jane Campion did a wonderful job in this masterpiece of a 19th century love triangle starring Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel and Sam Neil. It was not your usual love triangle, just looking at the setting which is the dark and muddy frontier of New Zealand. I adored the cute and very effective Anna Paquin who was just 12 years old here. It lost to Schindler’s List as Oscar’s Best Picture in 1993. But it still ranks as one of my best ten.

Schindler’s List. I must admit I went to see this film out of curiosity from the brouhaha generated by our censors who wanted to cut the very controversial pumping scene by Liam Neeson. But I left the movie theater getting a lot more. For me, it was one of the two finest works by the genius Steven Spielberg (the other one is also in my tope ten fave). In this black and white medium, Spielberg vividly painted the gruesome picture of the genocide of the Jews during the Holocaust.

Gladiator. This 2000 Ridley Scott film successfully captured the barbarism of the gladiators, the struggles within the royalty of the Roman Empire, the tragic love story of Maximus and his wife and the humanity of all the characters in this epic movie. This is one very effective film that made me feel like I was right there, in the 180AD Rome, watching with my very own eyes the many glorious scenes in this movie. Few movies can make me cry. But this one made me teary eyed in at least two scenes – the death of Maximus’ wife and the finale where Maximus triumphed over the treacherous Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Russell Crowe deserved his Oscar Best Actor trophy. And I think Joaquin Phoenix should have won his Best Supporting Actor award too.

The Color Purple. Long before I adored Whoopi Goldberg in Ghost, she has already made me cry in this 1985 film of the great Steven Spielberg. I never get to read the Pulitzer winning novel by Alice Walker where this film was lifted. But however great that novel is, I’m sure the film version didn’t fail in any account. It was a powerful story of self-discovery that I haven’t forgotten until today. And I think Steven not winning the Oscar Best Director, much more this film not winning the top prize that year, was one of the greatest blunder Oscars has ever committed.

no.3 : ocd

I have a trace of what is clinically called Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. According to Wikepedia, this is a psychiatric anxiety disorder most commonly characterized by one’s obsessive, distressing, intrusive thoughts and related compulsions (tasks or rituals) which attempt to neutralize the obsessions.

In English, (hehehe) it is an abnormality in one's behaviour and in my case, it manifests on several small and even trivial behavior I have.

I hate messy, unorganized room – either in the house or in the office. It bothers me if a picture hangs askew. I just have to fix it. I can’t bear to see one sheet jutting out from a stack of paper. I need to arrange it. I always want my shoes neatly lined on the shoe rack. I don’t want to see one single crease on my bed sheet; it has to be totally flat and taut across.

When I do my laundry, things have to be neatly and evenly lined on the clothesline. Socks have to be hanged in pairs. Shirts on hangers have to face just one direction, evenly spaced.

Even in the office, I don’t leave a messy table at the end of the day. Everything has to be on the exact same place where I want to find them the next morning.

And my wallet? I hate it if the bills are mixed up like a stew. I always arrange it in order from the smallest to the largest bill.

Fortunately, nothing major so far that can be cause of concern. As I said, it’s small, simple things that don’t hurt me or anybody around me. Afterall, there’s no law anywhere that forbids having a well-organized dresser or closet, right?

no. 2: zzzzzzzzz!!

I sleep on my sides. For whatever reason, I cannot sleep when I’m lying on my back so I have to do it sideways. I would normally toss back and forth, left to right, before finally settling in on my left side and doze off.

It wasn’t always like this. Coz I remember when I was a bit younger, I can only sleep when I’m lying flat on the bed. But a year or two ago, I changed my sleeping posture.

I once read somewhere that people who sleep like this are deep thinkers. So maybe I wasn’t doing this earlier coz I didn’t have much on my mind? Ah well, maybe that’s true.

Aside from the posture, it’s my sleeping pattern that’s totally off. I salute people of my age, and some of people I know who are a lot younger, who can discipline themselves by going to bed early. Coz I can’t.

I’m a night person. While most people are already having their dreams or nightmares, I’m still wide awake – watching television or running some fantasies or daydreams on my mind. (hmmm…do you still call it a day dream when you do it at night?!?)

Though I wouldn't say that I'm insomniac coz I think I don't have that extreme condition of staying up all night like a zombie. Insomniacs don't know the word sleepy. I do. It's just that the sandman visits me much later, probably after he has already tucked away most people in their beds. Blame it on my body clock that simply refuse to recognize whatever time zone I'm in.

So for the longest time, it’s always been a struggle holding a day job. Coz waking up in time to make it to a 9am clock-in, worse a 7:30am work, has always been a struggle for me. I really wish I had a different line of work and eternally given the 2-10pm shift. That way, I can sleep at 3am and stay in bed until mid-day. That’ll be heaven for me.

beneath the bubbles

I’m not a big fan of soap opera, at least not many of them. Coz I think a lot of them are just made of exactly what it’s called – soap. A lot of suds but nothing underneath really. Storylines are used, abused and overused. Nothing new, everything’s just a copy or an improved, glamorized, satirized, whatever version of the other. Not only on local (I mean Philippine) television but even in the more advanced American television programming.

In the 90’s I liked Melrose Place. I watched it for several years until the story and characters started turning crazy. At least, to me, it was better than The Bold and the Beautiful which, I think, should instead be called The Never, Never, Never, Never, Never… ehhmm… Ending Story. Gosh, I’m still seeing it today with the once dashing Ridge already old and saggy. For goodness’ sake, give him a rest already!.

Lately I’ve become a fan of Desperate Housewives. Chic and slick storyline of funny, real characters who get into tricky twists and sticky situations along the way. I adore the pool of writers of this show. They must be working overtime to come up with something brisk and highly entertaining show, episode after episode. But it’s not Desperate Housewives I’m writing about.

It’s Dr. Heo Jun - a drama series shown in Arirang Tv, Monday to Friday.

I’ve seen it before, maybe a few times in passing whenever I’m surfing channels, trying to find something entertaining in the hundreds of free channels in my television. But I never paid attention to it. In fact, my first impression is that it’s just one of those corny dramas from Korea, one of the suppliers of soaps in Philippine television today (are Mexico and Taiwan still on it? Dunno really, got no TFC nor GMA.)

But somewhere in the 80th episode or so, I started appreciating it until I finally got hooked. I realized this soap has got some good things going for it.

First, the eye-catching costumes. Elaborate Hanboks – jeogori, baji and chimas - that probably cost a lot to the producers. Bright, colorful costumes that present a rich culture of the Koreans.

And yes, it’s the culture. The story is presented against the backdrop of idyllic life in Korea in, what I figure is, the 18th century. And it’s quite interesting to see how people of that era live their simple lives.

But Dr. Heo Jun doesn’t stop at cultures and good production design. It also presents a complex storyline. Based on the 20 or so episodes I’ve seen, it’s one story of epic proportions.

It tells the story of Heo Jun, an extremely talented doctor who made good reputation while he was still a student in a medical school, gained fame after he saved thousands of lives during a plague and in the process gaining the recognition of the King. Sweet huh. But wait, all the glory he’s enjoying is suddenly quashed as his dark past begins to haunt him.

It turns out that he was, in his younger years, a smuggler. An offence that has never lost it’s notoriety whatever century you’re in. And, he was a commoner who fell in love to and married a noble lady. Another major violation during those times when social classes command everything in one’s life.

He was a bad boy then. But a very good, dedicated and hard-working doctor now. And people around him – friends, colleagues and superiors at the hospital and even the chief of police, are struggling on where to place this man in their hearts and minds. Do you let him off the hook, let him do his noble work but in the process exonerating him from his crimes and in effect condoning his past? Big dilemma huh!

This is the kind of show that turns me from a watcher to a participant. When I start assessing my own judgment, analyzing my own principles and convictions. If I were the Police Chief, shall I arrest him or let him free? If I was his friend, shall I turn him in or shall I help him escape punishment? And believe me, when I start asking questions like this, then I know that the storytelling is indeed effective.

One thing I find corny though is the acting. It’s a bit like our ‘zarzuela’ movies of the 60’s – remember those b&w films RPN 9 run after lunch? The actors tend to OA all the time. Though I’m sure it’s not the skill of the actors that’s in question here. Some of them star in another soap (a more contemporary soap also in Arirang) and they act just fine (but I don’t watch it religiously like Dr. Heo Jun). Maybe it’s the director.

But it doesn’t take away the joy of watching the show. Afterall it’s not the acting I’m focused anymore. It’s the presentation of the story. And each episode ends leaving me with a bit of anticipation on what’s gonna happen next.

Some twenty episodes ago I was watching it at 11pm. So I had to stop myself from dozing off early in the night. Good thing I discovered just a few days ago that it’s shown a lot earlier, at 6:30 pm where the sub-titles are in Japanese and English. While the 11pm run is in English and Spanish. Hmmm… maybe the producers are thinking of exporting this to Mexico!? I hope Philippine Tv discovers this gem too.