Happy to be Home

I'm never been so in demand this Christmas vacation.

My coming home to Iloilo has been compulsory due to my self-imposed rule: If I can't go home on November 1 for my father's grave, then I really have to fly home by December. Even before my father's death two years ago, I made it a point to go home to my family to spend my New Year, if not Christmas vacation. This year there's more reason to it. On Dec. 26 my alma matter in high school will have a grand reunion from graduates of 1950 until last year. Surprisingly I'm one of the 60 most outstanding alumni to be given a plaque. Two years ago, our batch had also a reunion where I relinquished my post as president to the current head. On Dec 29 I'll be attending another grand gathering in UP Visayas. This will be hosted by the UPV UP-SILAK Brotherhood residents. Being the new Chairman of UP-SILAK Diliman, and a true Ilonggo indigene, I'd be more happy to brush shoulders with my brothers there. Afterall, the gathering is in the spirit of fostering the Ilonggo tradition and making every member count, if not excel, in their respective communities/companies.

I just hope I still have enough money to buy me tickets back to Manila.

Simbang Gabi

I am one of the luckiest Catholics this Advent season. Others may have adapted the habit of waking up early, or keeping up the energy until 10pm for the traditional Simbang Gabi. I am not gifted with such powers, but I have the inherent advantage of living beside a church. Yes, literally.

My room is facing the church's altar right across the street that separates me from St. Joseph the Worker parish. I will always be one of those few first persons to hear the church doors open and see the lights on-- even in the deep of my slumber.

Each day, I could not escape the sermons that come faint, or distractingly strong, depending on the priest and the mood of the sound system, just as I start to set my feet on dreamland. Unlike the sleep junkies, I am not annoyed though. I know, something blissful is happening while every word is uttered and every song is sung just across my room. If the Lord is in the tabernacle, then He surely is my closest neighbor. "Where can I hide from your spirit? From your presence, where can I flee?".

Thank you Lord!

MRT and Me

It's been over two months that I returned the car I'm using for seven years. They said "maninibago ako" because I got used to driving for a very long time. I started hugging steering wheels when regular gasoline price was just around P22. Now it hovers between P36-37.

Well, I didn't had a hard time though. My first MRT ride was three months ago. Funny, I didn't know what part of the card to insert first. I acted as if "nagkamali lang". Obviously the lady from behind knew I didn't know how, so she helped me insert it properly. Sheeshh. The lazy me caught up with my rush hours, and what an embarrassment!

Good thing, I learned that using an MRT can get me to Quezon Ave. from Buendia for only 15-20 minutes. By car, it usually takes 20-30 minutes! Well, I heard that first thing when MRT was launched. It's my first chance to really experience the convenience. Had I not, I might have exclaimed I've witnessed a miracle! How I missed a lot of useful things because I had a car then. (car comfort is immobilizing i warn you!)

Portion of my receivables from my previous employment will come in a form of non-cash incentives. I have a barter with Imarflex totalling worth over a million Pesos, part of which was sold by the company to its sister companies. They're offering me an automatic, disc-braked motorbike as payment for the undisposed barter. I'm tempted to accept it, what with the unabated rising cost of fuels. But I have to learn how to drive it, and I still have to convert my license into 1 & 2 restrictions.

On the other hand, the cash portion is worth a second hand car (Only, their audit seems to have sat on my documents causing to delay processing of its release). With the recurrent rain, the pollution and the danger on two wheels, I just thought a good second hand car is more practical. Well actually, more convenient.

So, what's smarter? Cheaper gas consumption or protection from pollution and rainwaters? I'll know after the egg is hatched.

(Need I tell you that a competitive "quality" network is taking me in? I'm still contemplating on the offer though...)

Creative

It may look like the simplest. But UP's Lantern Parade would have lacked the appropriate symbolism without that giant fecal matter. For indeed most of the things that this public institution stood for has turned into feces. The UP budget cuts, the endless bickering of its famed graduates in government, the internal conflicts of the current student politics, the deterioration of its academic excellence and the growing apathy of students towards the greater plights of the masses that sent them to school -- what other symbol can best represent these than that bigger-than-life feces.

And yes, APO's Oblation Run, which originally was a form of protest against the Marcos dictatorship, is no match to the all-encompassing revulsion symbolized by that golden stool.

May mas hubad pa ba sa tae?

A Nation of Online Writers?

It's school vacation once again. With students having more time to squander around, blogosphere will be digitally crowded once more. I just hope that keeping a journal will eventually lead them into more serious writing. Serious writers find time to read. Conversely, critical readers can also become good writers.

Recently, the LiveJournal team has launched a feature for new schools. I am not a user of LiveJournal but this one is pretty exciting. This feature enables LiveJournalers to add a school to their profile and create school-oriented communities. Among the listed countries, the Philippines appears to have the most schools (or students) with "LiveJournallers" (that's excluding "blogspotters", etc.). Take out the bigger continents and you'll see in this School Directory how addicts we have become weblogging. Out of curiousity I clicked "Philippines" which led me to choose from its "provinces" then to my home city "Iloilo" I found UP Visayas and wondered how many were using LiveJournal. Shisia has a nice site and so with UPfight.

Either students have grown lazy studying to have time blogging or we are just plainly a country of writers.