The Odd Names Who Adopted Thee

Toto, Bonbon, Dudut, Jenjen, Evelyn, Ronie -- these are the uncommon names of the people who adopted me on one Christmas Day. Even a 20-year old bully has his own share of daydream of getting adopted to another family in just a day or two.

"Naa nas Ryan!" Toto said, informing her older sister Jenjen, as I got closer into their front doorstep. I stepped a few more and sat on a bamboo seat. But before that, Jen and I had finally exchanged smiles and greeted one another.

The smiles and hellos that we both have shared were as important as playing DotA with my peers at the computer shop. Those were as important as eating my favorite meal at Birdie's bakeshoppe. It was an encounter that I rehearsed in my mind from time to time while riding on the bus.

Okay, so I'm kinda tired right now to write all the things that happened there so let me give a summary.

- I sat quietly inside the church. (So not me)

- I included myself with the Sunday school for children. Did some kiddie stuff.

- I had to tell the story of Jesus of Nazareth when he went to the Temple. (not sure) because my kabarkada who were kids 8 years old below, chose me. Had no choice.

- I had to sing the Love of Jesus infront of the kids. It was my fault since I raised my hands when Jen asked if who knows it.

- Went back to the church. Listened to Pastor Ronie's sermon.

- Ate lunch. Good Food.

- Made the kids look cool because they were having a playlet later that afternoon. I became an instant hairstylist who knows nothing but combed their hair Jose Rizal style.

- The playlet started. Everyone was laughing because the kids were hilarious.

- The program has ended, and I laid down in the bamboo bench.

- Felt sleepy and watched television.

- Played kayokok late late in the afternoon.

- Went inside the house. Watched TV. Talked to bonbon, and dudut.

- Had dinner with the rest of the family.

- Listened to a few waley jokes from Pastor Ronie and Ante Evelyn

- Watched Tangled with the four of them. I mean, five of them because another one was adopted, Chenchen.

- Ate Breakfast. Had talks with them again.

- Enjoyed the entire holiday.

Note: Here are the videos of their playlet and dance number. Bad quality since I only got 2 megapixel camera phone. Bear with it. :)

Playlet Part 1. Bith of Jesus

Playlet Part 2. Jesus at the Temple

Their Dance number.

Thoughts of a Nomad

I breathed deeply, the one that filled my lungs with enough air to last for a couple of minutes, or days perhaps. But that's just the absurd thought that I momentarily have in my subconscious mind. I couldn't breathe that long. So, this is it. When everything around you is dark, and there seems no chance of light to seep through a thin lining below the door or to any other tiny holes that leads to your room, you just want to stay there. Lie in your bed forever until you become weaker and weaker  each day. And there and there you die without anyone knowing.

But I'm not dying. I for sure knows that I don't want to die this time. That's just ridiculous of me. I tried my best to get rid of these unwanted thoughts and listened to the whirling of my two electric fans. The noise they make compliments the eerie silence of the room. Together, they produced a horrific sound, something zombie-iush. I still find this place scary sometimes.

How I wish I can talk to them, my two electric fans. How I wish they have a life of their own so that I can tell them happy and sad things. The same way, how I wish they will talk back so that we can share the same thoughts. I have a feeling that they know me very well. For all the years that I sleep and wake up together with them, I am sure that they know me more than anybody else.

I have to stop my rubbish thoughts. I rubbed my eyes with my wrist, removing all the unnecessary dirt that make them not able to see clearly. I stared at the ceiling for a while. Then, I realized that it isn't the ceiling but the upper deck of my bed. It's colored orange, the only thing that has color in that dark room. And I think it's nice.

I tilted my head a little to the right while my hand reached for the phone. It says 8.30 PM. What shall I do next? I don't know. I always don't know what to do. I am always unsure of almost everything around me. All I know is that I am hard, careless, and selfish. I think of nothing but my own. But that's not true, I also think about my mom everyday. Oh, yes, my mom, and my sister, too. I also think about falling inlove, if that's possible at this moment in time.

I also think of some old friends. Or if they were really friends. Or if they really thought of me as a friend. Or was there really friendship that blossomed among each of our hearts. Or was it my fault that I no longer have one. I know it wasn't my fault. I've been the ideal friend all along. Maybe I should just skip the friendship stage this time and save it for the future when they are no longer immature brats. They'll always be my ideal friends.

My thoughts were like these as I trailed the walks of the highway. I wore cargo pants, a checkered shirt, paired with a red hoody jacket. I can feel the chilling sensation brought by the wind. It's a hell of a wind. It's too cold for an ordinary evening wind. I can smell a scent of death through this wind. It was Sendong's wind but, it's no longer my problem. People live, people die. What make them worthy of remembering are their good deeds.

I neared the bakeshop as I think of these. I fished my wallet in my back pocket and scanned some peso bills. I have 40 pesos with me. With that, I can eat. I ordered a combo meal that consists of a longganisa, egg, and rice. I watched the saleslady as she gets the uncooked longganisa at the fridge. I enjoyed watching as she did the cooking.

Unfinished Tasks

Sometimes, you just need to go to school without taking a bath because you need to do something really really important. But that doesn't meant you need to do it everyday. That's just so yucky.

I think I'm becoming lazy in writing. I mean, I don't know if I still have a talent in writing features because I'm becoming too stupid, blank, and weird these days. Actually, I supposed not to write any articles this upcoming issue of our weekly paper but when I've learned that the writers didn't work on their respective assignments, I decided to just take the job.

That's all.

Scrumptious Meal

It was too delicious that I almost have forgotten that the bones ain't edible.
This is an overdue entry. I supposed to blog this one a week ago but I kept on forgetting things these days. I forgot even the birthday of my mom last Tuesday that I greeted her late in the afternoon. Memory gap. Needs to drink Memo Plus.
I can no longer recall the name of the appetizer but I think it was somewhat like this.

After a while, a mouthwatering dish was served. Baby Back Ribs. Yummy!

Then, desert. Amigos and amigas! Here goes Mango Crepe!

Now, ain't all of these can make your tummy ask for more?

Melodies of a Sleeping Man

I know I'm sleeping, quietly in my bed as I buried my head in a soft pillow. The sam quite unique thing happens the time I close my eyes.

And I also know that you're being so close to me is just a product of my creative imagination. I for sure knows that this is just a dream because nothing like this one exists in the real world.

You glide towards the aisle .

The smiles I see, the laughs I hear, and the voice so clear are so familiar to me. I knew these all because nothing in this world possess them all. Perhaps it is you. Of course it's you.

Often are the times that I look at you. But you just don't look back because you are preoccupied with too many things that excludes me. 

Lyrics and Metaphors

If I still think of her today

Why didn't I tell her long ago?

I could have saved all wondering

For I'd have peace if I did know.

If I had learned of metaphors

Before I wondered 'bout the stars

Would I have written verses then

And worshiped Venus instead of Mars?

If I had found my tongue could rhyme

Would I have shown a face sans mask,

A heart unsure? But woe is me--

I'll never know, I didn't ask.

This is a magnificent poem written by a Filipino Artist H.O. Santos. I think this is wonderful, and at the same time sad. Is this for real? Was he really regretting that he wasn't able to say the right words for the woman he loves? I think he is romantic, and the woman must have been so lucky if ever she knew about this.

Why did he not tell her? I can't sleep thinking of what could have been the probable reasons on why he became a martyr of love.

Another Puppy Love...

After a five-minute drive from my boarding house, I turned off the ignition and left my cab improperly at the parking space since I was sure that someone would come and park it symmetrically along with a dozen other motorcyles. Sometimes, I asked myself if my having a motorcycle is a wise idea or it is just a show off of my boastful character. I also wonder if it's a waste of money.

It was a cloudy Sunday yesterday. I loved days like that, the air is not too hot and not too cold, just right. But despite the neutral weather, someone made me blush that I could almost see myself as a red pepper masquerader. Here's the story.

I like first Sundays, mainly because a church offers free purple juice drink and bread. Okay, perhaps I am beaing mean and that's not really what I want to say because yesterday wasn't first Sunday, it was the second.

As I climbed the stairs, I opt to make the proper steps, the ones that show formality, just enough to give me ample time to see her standing beside the doorcase if ever she was there. But sad to say, she wasn't there. It was another usherette.

I was disappointed. But I took the dissapointment out of my mind because my being there was not because of my newly-born puppy love or anything that would imply as something cheesy. I wanted to be religious that time, though it might sound so ridiculous if ever one of my friends hear me saying this.

As I enter the church, I made sure that a joyful aura envelopes my presence. The praise and worship started already and I paused for a while to find a seat , picking a row that has a vacant chairs for two. Actually, nobody was with me that time since I usually go to church alone but I wanted two vacant chairs because I didn't want people to think that I'm with somebody. The room was crowded with young people. For a moment, I found two vacant chairs.

Suddenly, "Hello, are you alone?" It was a female voice coming from my right side. Then, I turned my head and answered....Okay, I wasn't able to answer right away...It was her...LOADING...BUFFERING...The dissapointment washed away...

Should I speak English? I thought to myself. "Actually, I was looking for a friend," I stretched my neck upwards, acting as if I was searching for somebody, my eyes wandering the crowd. "I think she's not here.... so I think I'm alone." I did a good English without stammering. I feel more at ease talking to girls nowadays. I'm old enough.

Then, I smiled, my eyes met hers. She's so lovely and her beauty an oriental. (I think we look good together. Haha) She smiled back, and I stood there for a couple of seconds not saying anything. "I think there's a vacant chair over there." She pointed it out using her little finger.

"Where? I can't see anything. Medyo daghang tawo man." I laughed softly. "This way," she ushered me to my seat.

'Thanks," I said.

She just smiled at walked away. Never saw her again after the service. THE END.

Would You Jog For This?

I carefully turned a page of a black-covered paperback of a classic fiction by a best-selling author named Dean Koontz. Actually, this is my first time to read a craft of his because I am not really fond of reading books that would send chills to my spine. I am more into the genre of espionage, action, mystery, thriller, and sometimes, romance.

My writing an entry this very moment is not really about the book but the pain I feel in my back that I'm currently experiencing while reading the book, hoping it is not osteoporosis or things closer to that. Geez. I'm too young for this my-back-hurt-alot drama of a seventy year old.

I wonder if it's the price of getting older. I wonder if a twenyish guy like me who had lost his teen years very recently would actually have osteoporosis on a very sudden basis. Perhaps, it is the result of no longer having a sport, or doing something that would break a sweat every afternoon. I gave a pause to my daily exercise routine, two months ago when I experienced a series of headache, fever, and backpain scenarios.

Not until a while ago that I realized I have to jog once more, adding up the Vitamin A and the wide array of legs running in the oval that I would actually get for free. Yeah, I like going to the oval once more. Seeing all the Sillimanian legs and faces and curves out there.

I might consider the faces, and the legs, and the curves of those chicks as a primary cure for my backache. P.S. I AM NOT A PERVERT.

When Hero defines Stupidity...

Seems like I never felt that I am enrolled this semester. Never even felt that I am a student. Never even remembered that I wrote down notes or had an assignment early this semester. Perhaps, the class is still on a quarter of getting started. I assumed that my instructors are still having their work at the highlands of Mindanao since licensed geologists usually work there for good.

That's me over there. I'm doing the planking thing. Actually, I have done this hilarious act a couple of times already and every time I do this, I feel like I'm superman, the one who has super strength, the one who can fly, the one who has laser eyes. But of course, since I am Filipino, I'm the conservative type so I have decided to not where red underwear outside my dashing suit. But you know, if ever I've got no other choice but to wear undies outside my suit that defines my masculinity and well-fit body (Don't say yuck, okay?), I would choose a more vibrant color, not red. It's a pain to the eye for Gas Sake!

Wonderful Tonight

The title of this entry is the title of one of my favorite love songs. Well, it's classic by the way. I think it is romantic, passionate, and filled with love. Each time I hear this song from my music player, I always wonder how he deeply loves the woman. He watches her momentarily as she brushes her hair, as she chooses her dress, and as she walks beside him in the party. Perhaps, she's his wife. I just don't know what to say. He is just so deeply and irrevocably inlove with her. Here's the lyrics. :) You can play the video above, too. But, pause first the music player in the left bottom-most portion of this page.

It's late in the evening

She's wondering what clothes to wear

She puts on her make up

And brushes her long blonde hair

And then she asks me

Do I look alright

And I say yes, you look wonderful tonight

We go a party

And everyone turns to see

This beautiful lady

That's walking around with me

And then she asks me

Do you feel alright

And I say yes, I feel wonderful tonight

I feel wonderful

Because I see the love light in your eyes

And the wonder of it all

Is that you just don't realize

How much I love you

It's time to go home now

And I've got an aching head

So I give her the car keys

She helps me to bed

And then I tell her

As I turn out the light

I say my darling, you were wonderful tonight

Oh my darling, you were wonderful tonight

Why Boys Love Girls

And this is the reason why men are crazy about women. Who wouldn't?

Women are incredibly unique creatures. They are beautiful, smart, seductive, and alluring. Their thoughts as deep as a trench. Their bodies and faces can make guys go crazy. They taste like food but not. They quench our thirst but not. They are more than that because they are women.

Take Note. I am not a sex maniac.

Enrolled Na Me? Joke Lang

Of all the staffers here in the publication, I am the lousiest when it comes to the enrollment. I am always late and  often practice the "manyana habit".

Okay. I'm not enrolled yet. As what they always say, "It's better to be late than never." I do believe in that, too. I'll get my subjects encoded later because I have decided to play Tetris Battle on Facebook. Bwhahahaha (evil laughs). I will be the Ultimate Champion in virtual block building!

To my blogger friends, I want to tell you something about our enrollment here in the university. It's like hell. You'll get enrolled after five days if you won't cheat or insert in the line.  The enrollment system here is surely one thing you haven't experienced yet.

I Cannot Sleep!

I cannot sleep. I tried to close my eyes as hardly as I can but they just won't rest. My brain, my body, as well as my eyes have become too hyperactive since last night. I spent all night reviewing my notes, and studied the lessons that would hopefully come out for the final exam that I took a while ago. I have become a nocturnal specie for the last two days. Blame the caffeine-rich energy drink!

The subject is Historical Geology (It's the preparatory subject for Paleontology and much more likely the basics of Plate Tectonics, Volcanism, and Evolution of Men). Here are some parts of the lessons that are still actually inculcated in my brain as of this moment.

It's about the Geologic Timescale and the environments(Tundra, Lacustrine, etc.), flora (flowers), and fauna (animals) that were present in every epoch. It also talks about the Plate Tectonics and the natural phenomena that took place on earth billions of years ago.

Geologic Timescale has aeons, eras, periods, and epochs. We are focusing on the Phanerozoic Era. It has the Cenozoic, Mesozoic, and Paleozoic eras. Cenozoic has the Quarternary and the Tertiary Period. Under these two periods are Hologene, Pleistocene, Pliocene, Miocene, Oligocene, Eocene, and Paleocene epochs.

Under Mesozoic is Cretaceous, Jurassic, and Triassic. Under Paleozoic is Permian, Carboniferous' Penssylvanian and Missipian, Devonian, Silurian. Ordovician, Cambrian, and Venian.

The hard part is you need to study every epoch. Let's take for example Pleistocene Period of the Cenozoic Era. During this time, there exist four common fauna; Dire Wolf, Wolly Mammoth, Short-faced Bear, and Sabre-toothed cat. A series of ice ages occurred during this period. Herbivorous animals' only source of food were savanna flourished lands that have shrubs, grasses, canifer trees, and mosses.

I still have to get ready for the next wave of final exams! Petrology! Structural Geology! Mining Laws and Ethics!

I'm Thinking About You

I've got nothing to write about. So, let it be this way. These are all I want to say.

I just want my gift!

Beep. Beep.

I held my phone and searched for the inbox. My heart jumped for it was Papa. It was unexpected. He rarely remembers me. He rarely sends text message to me. He never calls. Last year, I received two messages from him. That was all. And the message I received from him yesterday was the second one this year.

Papa: Hello yan. How are you? Just focus in your studies. Okay. Give me Rachel's number. (Rachel is my younger sister.)

Me: Fine Pa. How about you? My birthday is upcoming. My gift?

Then, he didn't reply. I waited for an hour...two...three...NONE.

This morning, I've got his reply.

Papa: When is your birthday again?

Wow.  I said to myself. Wow. I just learned that there's a father in this world who can't remember the birthday of his oldest son. It didn't anger me. It was normal. It was expected. It didn't hurt my ego nor affected my emotional behavior. It didn't affect even a single cell in my body. I just want my gift! That's all!

Happy Go Lucky!

There were three of us. My guy friends here in the publication have realized that after having a delicious and tummy-bursting meal at Mang Inasal last night, we've got no other place to go. For the nth time around this semestral break, boredom struck again. And it was at moments like these that we usually hear our spontaneous yet sporadic laughter. We have got the happy-go-lucky-air of a young man with an expanse of freedom.

Here's the first thing we did. We played DotA non-stop until one o'clock this morning. We also played DotA later that afternoon.

The second thing we did. We parked the motorcycle and realized that policemen we're having "Dakop  Session." We watch the different reactions from people who were caught by them. It was funny. Some were afraid. Some were sweating. Some were pissed off. Some wants to run away. Some throttled their motorcycles at max speed at taxied the road like   they own a national high way.

The third thing we did. We ate. A lot

The fourth thing we did. We walked. A lot. Around three hours or so. And talked nonsense.

The last thing we did. We played DotA from 4 AM to 5:30 Am.

When Two Broken Hearts Talk

The rain just fell down quite a sudden yesterday afternoon. I could hear thuds of hurrying feet. And as each raindrop slaps the soil on the ground, I wondered how many drops of tears ran through her face, spilled to the ground when she was heartbroken.

Me: How's your heart?

She smiled, and told me to stop it.

Me: Really. How are you?

Her: I don't know. I still think about him sometimes. It hurts. Still.

Me: Hahaha. I know!

Her: Shut up!

Me: You don't need to lie about it.

Her: I always wanted to tell you about this. It's just that you are always not around.

Me: I'm getting popular. I'm hiding from the press.

Her: I want to move on. How will I do that?

Me: You want to move on? Then let's walk.

We were walking while the rain poured over us. Maybe an hour or so.

Her: I want to forget him.

Me: You can't do that. I mean, you can. But not now.

Her: What did you do when she left you?

Me: You know how it is. I was devastated.

Her: What did you do to get rid of the pain?

Me: I eat. All the time. You see that? That's tempura. I eat things like that all the time.

Her: I don't eat tempura. It makes me vomit.

Me: Then, eat ice cream. See that store over there? it gains profit because I buy ice cream every night.

Her: hmmm...Really?

Me: Sure. Let's eat then. My treat.

Then, it was my turn.

Her: Why still single up to now? I know you. You can get one whenever you feel like it.

Me: You know I'll marry someone at 27 or 28, don't you?

Her: Hahaha. I know. Just stop the cold and harsh social drama.

Me: I'm not hurting her, am I? I know I'm not. Besides, I'm tired of all the people there.

Her: She told me about it. The books and stuff. Hahaha.

Me: I hope she'll be fleshy when I turn 27.

Her: So, how about now. No plans of having a girlfriend?

Me: I'm tired. I'm looking for something. Something real.

Her: Hahaha.

Me: Really. I just don't want anyone getting involved with my life.

Her: Can you remember the days with your ex-gf? Come on! Weren't those days nice? You can stay in your room and be happy about it. That there's someone who loves you.

Me: Was it all about sex? I don't know. You know how she is and what she looks like. Her cleavage makes me weak, and all about her makes me think nothing but sex.

Her: You said you love her?

Me: I did. There was love and lust. But when we broke up, I come to realize that I was attracted to her looks, and later on, feel inlove. I loved her. You know that. And sex, too.

Her: You really did that?

Me: No. Just kidding!

Her: Come on. Just tell me. Did you two screwed up?

Me: What are you talking about? I'm clean. And Fresh. Haha.

And another conversation came up.

Her: You look good together.

Me: Who?

Her: ______

Me: She doesn't get me. She just don't get me! She's playing dumb.

Her: It was your fault.

Me: Mine? My fault!

Her: Yeah. You didn't tell her.

Me: I was obvious. She's just.....complicated.

Her: You're the one who is complicated. I often see you around walking with her and you just  can't say it.

Me: I'm tired. It was Joshua Harris' book. That jerk! That guy led me to singleness.

Her: hahaha.

Me: It's okay. I'm dating someone now.

Her: who?

Me: A Sillimanian chick.

Her: Another one?

Me: Yes. Another one.

Her: Stop that. Go back to her and talk her out. The other one.

Me: Geez. You're sick!

Dark Clouds

I can see dark clouds coming. Thunder roars and lightning rumbles in the gray horizon. I can feel the strong gush of selfishness brought by the wind.  I am afraid of what is coming. I am afraid of what lies ahead of me.

I walked around, trying to see a fine lining where the rays of the sun can seep through a humongous dark marshmallow in the sky. But there was none. There was no light.

Urgghh!!! Waaaaa!!! Grrrrrrrr!!!

This is a post of a zombie. This is an entry of a hopeless mathematician wanna-be who didn't even invest too much effort in taking his math exam. While most students here in the university had spent a cold night, preparing for their exams the next day, there was a good-looking asshole who was too confident with the outcome of his exam finale, and spent the night with his friends playing DotA.

I took my exam a while ago in Differential Calculus. It was easy. Chicken. Pansit. The sad part was, I wasn't able to answer the rest of the test items because it didn't occur in my bean-sized brain that such test questions would come out in the exam. Equations of Circles. Damn. There were 5 items of it, 2 points each. I just missed 10 points!

But you know, I am a procrastinator. I procrastinate most of the time. I did a little review around three o' clock this morning. I studied about Real No.s and Inequalties, Lines and Circles, Linear Functions, Limit of a function. All in all, I did a hell of little review. Around 80 pages or so in a book.

If only I reviewed my notes earlier, if only I refused my friends from playing DotA, if only I did not procrastinate, if only I have become a goody-goody student even just for a night, if only I invested enough effort, I could walk out from that room with a smile drawn in my face.

Which Way To Go?

There is something wrong with the air I'm breathing. It is suffocating and at the same time, it carries a typical cold gush of the wind that makes me shiver. If not because of the sun this morning, I could have managed to sleep all day long. I could have not eaten my meals. I  could have stayed at my room, lie down in my bed and think of the possible eerie silence that will soon strike.

I was thinking since early last week if I could go to a place where I could spend my little vacation. Beach. Farm. Home. Then, I thought again and again for the word 'home' and I wondered if there is someone who can give me one, or who can give them one.

It's not about me. It's about my sister and my mother. I wondered if they're searching for a home, too. And get disappointed because neither one of us can give each other one. I have lived my life well. I no longer ask for a home.

I was planning to bring my sister here in Dumaguete. I'll buy movie tickets for her. I will let her watch two kiddie movies and let her eat all the food that she likes. It's the only thing that I can do for her for all the lonely years that she has been through. She's living a pretty tough life. 

She's living alone since she was 12 years old and was living with our Yaya since childhood. She's renting a room, cooks her own food, washes her own clothes, manages her own money. Now, she's 15, and she is a one tough and smart kid. She'd been in different schools and was a consistent honor student.

I wondered if she was able to understand life at her early age. I wondered if what she does when she's emotionally down, and has nobody to turn to. Does she cry all night long? does she go to school even with a heavy heart? does she think about me? does she think about mom? does she hate the world? does she have a cold heart?

Was there a time when she can't wash her school uniform because she was so tired making all her projects, and wished that if only mom was there with her, things might change?

Was there a time when she get jealous because one of her classmates had a new pair of shoes from his/her father? does she feel sad when she sees her friends together with their families? what does she feel when she goes home late at night because of a school activity and too late to find out that she hasn't got any food left?

Cold heart. I have that one. But I hope that hers is different. I hope that her heart is filled with hope, and love. I hope that she has many friends. I hope that she is always kind to everyone. I hope that she is forgiving and understanding. I hope that she is patient. I hope that her heart is like mother's who is kind and loving. I hope that she will never be like me. I hope that the bitterness of life will never change her.

Lecturing Greenhorns

Me and the rest of my co-editors had a campus journalism seminar and workshop at a public high school last Saturday. My lecture was about Column Writing.

Me: So, anyone of you here knows what a column is?

Students (around 13 of them): NO!

Me: Really? (Then, I smiled and showed them our paper and a sample of a column article.)

Students: You have a picture in it.

Me: I do. Am I not adorable?

Students: (They were laughing out loud) Hahahahaha...

Me: I know. You just can't say it but I know. (I smiled, again. It seemed that my lecture was filled with laughs. Then, I gave them a definition for column.)

Me: When you write a column. You should be one sided. Unequivocal.

Students: What's that suppose to mean?

Me: I mean, when you think that Ai-ai delas Allas is ugly and smells really bad and you write about it. That's your opinion,  without the influence of anyone. And you should write it with conviction. That she smells really really bad. That she's very very ugly. And you shouldn't care of what other people will say about your article. It's yours! You give them the info!

So, I am hoping that within this year, we can give a lecture to a few more public/private schools, both in elementary and high school. I want to meet hundreds of aspiring young journalists out there.

Ulcer Attack: back to back

Have you experienced a sudden shift of mood because your stomach hurts so bad that you want to vomit all the acid you've got in inside your belly?

Sure you do. That is if you have ulcer or if you are hyper acidic.

It pained so much that I can hardly walk all afternoon. Thanks to my friend's girlfriend. She's an instant girl scout. She has got a dozen of medicines that include two chewable tablets of antacid.

Actually, that's just the shortcut of what really happened. So, it was somewhat like this. In my chemistry class this afternoon.

Gay 1: Ryan, you look so haggard.

Me: I frowned and gave him a finger.

Teacher: What happen to you?

Me: My stomach hurts. Ulcer, Sir!

Teacher: That's fine. Just eat on time. (He smiled and walked away. Checking if our experiment is going fine.)

Me: Thanks, Sir! (You are small I want to kick you.)

F's GF (Friend's GF) : Ryan, what's wrong?

Me: My stomach hurts. Soon to die.

F's GF: I've got kremil-s and another one.

Me: Sure. Get me. Faster.

F's GF: Need water.

Me: I'll just think this is chewable.

Lesson of the day. I need to bring antacid chewable tablets all the time!

How to Sell Chickenjoy

“Selling PH is like selling Chicken Joy,” says new Tourism Secretary Ramon Reyes Jimenez in a press conference at the Malacañang Palace earlier last month. I have no doubt in his confidence to make the country top the tourism industry in the world. After all, no one beats his credentials as a czar in advertising.

I like his idea of comparing Jollibee’s Chicken Joy to our country itself. That would mean world-class. That would mean he is conceited that the Philippines is ‘crispylicious’ and ‘juicylicous.’ However, when he said, “The Philippines is the most beautiful country in the world,” I wonder if he is even close to the truth, and if all he can do is just plain sales talk and advertising.

You see, there is much more about Jollibee than the Chicken Joy itself. And again, no matter how beautiful our country is, if the environment and facilities is the irony of Jollibee’s, then the booming of our country’s tourism cannot begin soon enough.

Customers go to Jollibee not only because of their delicious Chicken Joy but because of their accommodation, strategic location to the masses, clean comfort rooms, neat surroundings, and attentive and well-trained staff. This is what I’m talking about. The Philippines lacks these things.

The Philippines is a very beautiful country, that’s not a question anymore. But I am also very sure that tourists won’t be coming back after they found out that a paradise like ours has nasty-smelling comfort rooms, terrible services in some restaurants, aging airports, and bumpy roads.

Now, is selling the Philippines like selling Chicken Joy? I don’t think so. That would mean selling the Philippines like the fried chicken found in our public sidewalks where there are no spoons, forks, and plates, not to mention the high risk of Hepatitis to the customers because of its extreme exposure to dust and smoke. 

For our tourism industry to succeed, we need to reshape the physical appearance of our country. We need to invest more on infrastructures. We need to create more concrete and wide roads, maintain the cleanliness of our tourist spots, remodel and renovate all of our international airports, fix the rates of the hotels and restaurants, and lastly, supply enough manpower that are well-trained and service-oriented.

In other words, advertising is not enough. The beautiful beaches and breath-taking sceneries are not enough. For the Philippines to be truly world-class, we need to be world-class in all aspects.