Observations of the Oblivious

Now I know what Princess D felt during her last breathing moments.

I was on the bus this afternoon when two perverts took my picture using a camera phone.

And they even looked so satisfied about it, too. As if it wasn’t bad enough that they kept on staring at me during the first five minutes of the bus ride. I wanted to take their pictures too and have them blottered out but I couldn’t get a good one because I was sitting behind them.

As my heart is so full of hatred right now, let me take this opportunity to pray for the souls of those scoundrels.

Dear God,

I felt extremely violated this afternoon by two perverts. I pray that their souls would leave earth as soon as possible. If lightning strikes them dead, it’s okay. If the earth opens up and swallows them alive, it’s okay. If they are fathers of a family, then they don’t deserve the love of children who don’t know what they do when they are not with them. Please take care of them.  Amen.

Keanu cried but he still managed not to move me.

Would you really kiss a person you’ve just met?  Fine, they already danced… but still.  They were making out.

At least the characters were given dimension this time.

The dog was cuter in IL MARE

I loved the chess game.

The actors were wearing really light make up.

There wasn’t any spaghetti throwing scene!

The movie had approximately the same energy, or lack thereof, as in the original.

Sandra and Keanu kissing is not a pretty sight.

Amazing though is that there was still the "finally!" moment.

IS THIS BOOK ANTI-CHRISTIAN?
No. This book is not anti-anything. It’s a novel. I wrote this story in
an effort to explore certain aspects of Christian history that interest
me. The vast majority of devout Christians understand this fact and
consider The Da Vinci Code an entertaining story that promotes
spiritual discussion and debate. Even so, a small but vocal group of
individuals has proclaimed the story dangerous, heretical, and anti-
Christian. While I regret having offended those individuals, I should
mention that priests, nuns, and clergy contact me all the time to thank
me for writing the novel. Many church officials are celebrating The Da
Vinci Code because it has sparked renewed interest in important topics
of faith and Christian history. It is important to remember that a
reader does not have to agree with every word in the novel to use the
book as a positive catalyst for introspection and exploration of our
faith.

-ayon po ito kay Dan Brown, ayon sa bobongpinoy egroup.

rkAlam niyo kung bakit nanalo ang Pinas sa Ms. International?

"MABUHAY! representing the democratic and freedom loving people of the pearl of the orient, i am precious lara quigaman, from the beautiful country of THE PHILIPPINES"

Grabe nga ang tanong sa kanya.

Q: "what do you say to the people of the world who have typecasted filipinos as nannies?" 

A: "i take no offence on being typecasted as a nanny. But i do take offence that the educated people of the world have somehow denegrated the true sense and meaning of what a nanny is. let me tell you what she is. she is someone who gives more than she takes. She is someone you trust to look after the very people most precious to you - your child, the elderly, yourself. she is the one who has made a living out of caring and loving other people. so to those who have typecasted us as nannies, thank you. it is a testament to the loving and caring culture of the Filipino people. and for that, i am forever proud and grateful of my roots and culture." 

super lakas ng palakpakan! grabe

(thanks kuya ben for this one)

In my Psychology of Perception class, I became groupmates with four of the closest people to me in college. We were all Psych majors, orgmates and graduating that sem. But our similarities didn’t end there. We could have founded an organization called Crammers Inc. and it would have flourished.

Yes, we were all crammers, self-proclaimed master crammers.

Part of finishing that subject, thereby passing and graduating on time, was that there will be times when we had to create two research papers in a matter of three days. We would perform experiments on Tuesdays, or Fridays, and then we had to pass two research papers, containing an introduction, review of related literature, methodology, results, individual discussion parts and conclusion, on the Friday of the same week, or the Tuesday of the following week. Anyone would be mad to think that this was an easy feat, because it’s not, definitely not (considering you have a big biology test, or a big report, or another paper on that same day). But I guess I and my groupmates were more than mad; we accomplished these two papers just the night before the deadline.

Well, it’s not very surprising that we were able to pull it off, and managed to get more than just decent grades as a result, too. We were actually able to pull it off each and every time. However, we’re not as great as it might appear. During deadlines, my groupmates and I were always one of those who arrived late to class… but not very late though, 30 minutes max. NOTE: the one who printed the papers always managed to get there on time. It was very funny, thinking that we crammed our papers but couldn’t stand up to our reputation; we always came to class on half-bent knees or half-bent backs, with our heads bowed to appear as inconspicuous as respectably allowable. I would have rather had it that we got there on time, with heads held high as we entered the classroom. It’s like, since you already crammed your papers then come to class on time, like a dog that can still smile at its disgusted master after it has eaten its own puke. Or something like that.

All of these did not mean that we were very bad students. I believe we were not. I bet some of the other groups also crammed their papers. Some of them who did were able to come to class on time though, but others missed class altogether. So we weren’t so bad… maybe not model students but still not the worst.

Anyway, I don’t know about my groupmates, but I am a crammer by circumstance, not a procrastinator by nature. I mean, cramming has become adaptive for me, like being able to breathe air instead of water.

I think it started in grade school. I was never the type of student that studies every night (or everyday, depending on your perspective). I don’t think I had to. Modesty aside, I think I had a very good memory. I could recall everything, well, maybe almost everything that the teacher taught in class. So I just did my assignments after school. Furthermore, doing my assignments was something I did to avoid punishment, not something I did to learn.

There were times when I studied three nights in a row: during periodic tests. My mom had a system back then, I (and my sisters) would “study” in the afternoon and she would “review” us in the evening. Studying involved memorizing each and every word written on my notebooks (we were never big on books back in grade school), including the dates that the notes were written on. On the other hand, reviewing entailed telling my mother each and everything I studied. During these times, bedtime became extended until 12 midnight, three hours later than the usual.

This is not to say that my mother was the one who instilled the value of cramming in me (maybe she was, but I wouldn’t want to blame her); I haven’t gotten to the adaptive part yet. During my fifth year in grade school, we moved to another house, three cities away from our former house and five cities away from our schools. This made things very difficult. We had shorter time for “studying” and “reviewing”. And because we live so far from school, studying each night became impossible since we were already exhausted at the end of the day. As a consequence, our regular bedtimes became later, and bedtimes during periodic tests became even later, just to be able to accommodate the reviews.

When I entered high school, the mandatory studying and reviewing with my mom came to an end. I was already on my own. What could’ve appeared as a blessing, or a load off at the least, was actually just practical enough. I went to a high school where being toxic is an everyday state, and being stressed is just normal. By the way, I did my first 10-paged term paper in my first year in high school, during the first grading period. I didn’t cram for that of course. Anyway, each exam day contained four subjects and all those four years, the earliest dismissal time I experienced was at 4 pm, with the latest being 7 pm, except during Fridays which has a different schedule (like most schools, all our classes started at 7am). Evidently, it was next to nearly impossible to study four subjects for the first day of exam period, when one gets home at 9 pm. Sleeping then became something I avoided at all cost.

Throughout high school, I took tests that I really studied for, barely studied for, never got the chance to study for, forgot to study for, and decided not to study for. Cheating was rampant during my first two years in high school. I’m not really proud of it but I guess there are things we’d rather do than risk facing failure, humiliation, failure, humiliation, etc. In my defense, most of the times that cheating occurred, I was the one who was cheated from. I didn’t mind; I could absolutely understand my classmates (duh!). Anyway, cheating is another story…

So there, it was as if all the forces of nature conspired into making me the crammer that I am today. And with the results I got from those exams (all passing, or stellar of course, heehee), it was only logical to stick to that technique. I must admit that in college, though, there were plenty of times when my schedule was relatively conducive to studying every night, I never did it. Well, I did, once. And somehow, it didn’t suit me well. That was the time when I studied for an exam for two days (a record, really), partly because I was fairly incompetent in that subject, but mostly because I wanted to impress my professor (NOTE: he is old, bald and gay). The result? I was six points short of passing (my second failed exam ever). Looking at the class statistics, I was in the mode; the curve was positively skewed. So there went the winds of change… blew past me. After that exam, I never studied twice for just one exam again.

Of course, cramming wasn’t always the road to success. I failed several more tests after my twice-studied-for test… and these resulted into having one more exam to cram for. However, cramming wasn’t just applicable to research papers and exams. Of course not. There were also reports, handouts, take home exams, reaction papers, term papers, quizzes, long exams, short exams, research papers and more research papers (I did a total of 16 major papers, all were done in a group, thank God!).

So what is adaptive about cramming? Well, everything.

Cramming has been able to let me focus on just one task at a time, and rest and recuperate the rest of the time. Because of this, I was able to give my 90-100% to a given task and was able to enjoy my life and actually experience living during the intervals. Psychobabbly speaking, cramming can also be used as an excuse, a scapegoat. If I managed to fail, then oh well, that was probably because I crammed. This took care of my self-esteem or self-efficacy. This took care of my crammer ego, too. If, on the other hand, I managed to pass, then hurrah! I passed even if I just crammed. And because of the work load and coursework given to students, no one should blame anyone who crammed over something. It’s like it’s morally wrong.

Surely, cramming has its drawbacks… but I wouldn’t be a cramming advocate if I wrote that here, would I?

1.  Ang "google" ay tawag sa "1" na sinundan ng isandaang "0".

2.  Ang "google" ay hindi verb. i.e. "Did you Google it?"

3.  Hindi ko ginagamit ang salitang "Yahoo!" dahil naco-corny-han ako

4.  Hindi ako nagta-type ‘pag nakikipag-chat ako

5.  Ang kabuluhan lang ng salitang "cookies" sa buhay ko ay bilang pagkain

6.  Kontento na ko sa Free Cell at Minesweeper

7.  Sa library lang ako nagreresearch

8.  Kapag wala akong pambili ng mga tapes o cd nagrerecord ako ng mga kanta galing sa radyo

9.  Hindi ako napupuyat kakahintay sa free internet access

10.  Ang "blog" ay tunog ng nahulog na ulo sa desk

Ang astig ng Il Mare! 

Ang Il Mare ay tungkol sa isang lalake at isang babae na tumira sa iisang bahay, na pinangalanang "Il Mare"  Dalawang taon ang pagitan nila sa pagtira sa Il Mare at ang mga buhay nila ay pinagdugtong ng isang magic mailbox sa tapat ng bahay.  Yung lalake from the year 1998, tapos yun babae from the year 2000.  Nakapag-usap sila sa pamamagitan ng paglalagay ng sulat sa mailbox. Shempre, ayoko namang ibigay yung buong kwento.  Pero promise, ang galing.

Shempre kagaya ng mga napanuod kong Korean films, “end where it started” ulit ang drama ng Il Mare.  Pero di gaya ng Windstruck, na drag ‘til you can ang drama, napanindigan naman yung gano’ng technique; ang last scene ay ang first scene.  Benta talaga ‘to sa ‘kin.

Balita ko nga gagawin nang Hollywood film ito.  Pero di ko maisip kung paano nila ito mapu-pull off.  I mean, malaking bahagi ng effectiveness ng pelikula yung mga subtitles.  Medyo kasi low ang atmosphere, tipong depressing, so baka maADD lang yung mga manunuod.  Pero dahil sa may subtitles yung Korean version (kasi kung hindi, good luck na lang sa’yo), mape-pwersa kang tutukan yun palabas.  At dahil dun, di mo mamimiss yung mga detalye.

Bukod pa dyan, si Sandra Bullock at si Keanu Reeves ang gaganap sa mga major roles.  Although paborito ko si Sandra Bullock sa totoong buhay, medyo di ako pabor sa casting.  I mean, bukod san na-associate ko na si Sandra (close kami) sa comedy, sa tingin ko hindi s’ya marunong mag-internalize ng mga roles.  Tipong sa halip na maging s’ya yung role, nagiging Sandra Bullock tuloy yun character.  Pagdating naman kay Keanu I-can’t-act Reeves, to put it mildly, hindi s’ya marunong umarte.  To put it bluntly, iisa lang ang facial expression n’ya kahit pa s’ya dapat ay masaya, malungkot, galit, nag-aalala, in love, o constipated.  Lahat mukha s’yang tuod.  Siguro magaling s’ya sa poker.  Pero kung sakali man, baka okay na rin s’ya dun sa role sa Il Mare dahil mostly nagbabasa lang naman s’ya ng sulat at kumakausap sa aso. 

Anyway, masyado nang nega.  Malay natin maging successful naman pala ang movie.  Pagkatapos, yung My Sassy Girl naman ang gagawan nila ng Hollywood version.

In Psych 135, I learned that there is an absolute threshold that must be overcome before a person can perceive something. The absolute threshold can vary from person to person, it can be very low, very high or just average, depending on the intensity that must be available for the person to perceive a thing. If one’s threshold is high, then that person has to have a very intense stimulus before he/she could perceive it. The opposite is true with people who have low thresholds.

I have a very, very low absolute threshold.

For example, I hate it very, very much when people elbow me or push me, albeit slightly, while getting off the MRT. I don’t like it when people touch me. I hate it when people had to tap me with their fingers (kalabit) to get my attention. I hate it when guys who sit beside me spread their legs so our legs are touching and that my legs fall asleep because they can’t move.

Another example, I hate it when people yawn inside the train. According to the Lucky Me commercial, this is because the gastrointestinal stinks up when its empty.  I myself do not eat breakfast but at least I do not yawn inside the MRT.

One thing more, I hate the smell of peanuts. and I really hate it when those peddlers board airconditioned buses and sell those things! It stinks up the entire bus! Ihe worst are the smokers. I hate smokers. I’m a human smoke detector and I can smell smoke 10 miles away (maybe this is an exaggeration, but still…). Darn! I have a very sensitive sense of smell!

There are, I guess, a million other things that I hate but i won’t write them down now. I guess I’ll save them for another day.

Nakakatuwa, Nakanuod ako kahapon ng gig ng Sugarfree.  Shempre, hindi ito ang first time, pero this time, alam ko na yung mga kanta. ^___^  Di gaya sa U.P. Fair last year na sobrang naO.P. ako among the jumping and singing fans nila, Jamila included.

Anyway, yung gig ay sa Activity Center ng Glorietta sa Makati.  Libre.  Kaya mas lalong masaya.  ^___^  Tatlong bands ang tumugtog, Hale, Sponge Cola (Spongebob daw, sabi ni Edison, hehe…!) at Sugarfree.  Sugarfree lang naman talaga ang pinunta ko ro’n, but wait, there’s more, may thrown in pang DTM dancers in between bands.  Hehehe, wala silang reli.  Pero dahil mataas ang need ko for social desirability, aaminin kong: in fairness, passable ang itsura nila, okay silang sumayaw at nakapaghanda ang next band dahil sa kanila, kaya okay sila! Hehehe…

Ito pala, si Jamila todo crush si Champ Chuva (forgot the last name, hehehe…) ng Hale.  And I really doubt na magalit yun kahit pa ipagsigawan ko sa mundo ang fact na yun.  Anyway, mukhang promising naman yung band… di ko kasi pa sila kilala.  However, medyo walang stage presence si Champ… dinaan nya ang performance sa good looks and passable vocals (passable kasi panget yun audio, di ko masyadong naappreciate).  Baka hiramin ko yun CD ni Jam or something for further evaluation.  In fairness naman kay Champ, mabait at accommodating sya sa fans.  Nakapagpa-autograph pa nga si Jam (lucky girl, sabi nga ni Kai).

Tungkol naman sa Spongecola, well, I don’t care about them.  Although todo stage performance naman ang naipamalas ng vocalist.  In fairness, okay naman pala ang version nila ng Crazy For You, the ultimate sex song of all time, at ginawa pang nila itong action song.  At nung natapos yung set nila, grabe, mga 1/3 ng audience umalis.  Ang dami nilang fans (dahil dyan, kailangan kong pag-ingatan ang aking sarili dahil baka one of these days mapahamak ako)!

I just realized that I should start listening to the radio or watch MTV and MYX more often… put bumhood in socially acceptable use.  Nasasayang tuloy sa’kin ang pagboom ng O.P.M….

Grabe, ang sarap mag-P.O.sa Powerbooks! Ibang klase pala kapag sa isang area pwede magbasa ng libro ang mga tao. Sa Greenbelt kasi, may area dun sa second floor ng Powerbooks na may 5 sofa at may 6 x 10 feet carpeted platform. May fountatin effect pa na binabakuran ng mga malalaking bricks. At dahil mapamaraan at matiisin ang mga Pinoy, pwede na ring mag-accommodate yung mga bricks ng hanggang sampung tao.

Nandoon ako ng mga 4-5 pm at sari-saring mga tao ang nakita ko. May mga mukhang executive na posturing-postura; pero pusta ko, mga taong naghahanap lang ng trabaho ang mga yun… gaya ko. May mga Koreano pa, may babaeng may balat sa mukha, lolo, lola, nanay, tatay, ate, kuya (ang mga bunso ay pwedeng magbasa sa carpeted floor ng Young Adult section), pati magshotang natutulog. Astig talaga, kahit siguro 20 degrees ang temperature dun stay pa rin sila… kami. Pagdating ko dun, nakita ko na medyo unfair ang seating arrangement. Yung mga mamang malalaki ang pwet ang nakaupo sa sofa. Tapos, kaming mga seksi ang mga nakaupo sa carpet o sa mga bricks by the fountain (oo dun ako umupo).

Iba-iba ang binabasa ng mga tao. May mga nagbabasa ng self-help book, computer books, magazines, komiks, bestsellers at iba pa. Ako naman, naisipan kong basahin ang Bakit Baliktad Magbasa ng Libro ang mga Pilipino ni Bob Ong. Yun kasi ang pinakamalapit na librong nakuha ko nung nakita ko ang reading area. Ayos lang dahil astig talaga si Bob Ong. Inspiring. Hirap na hirap nga akong pigilin ang tawa ko. Baka maloka kasi yung lolang katabi ko, bising-busy pa naman sya sa pagkopya ng mga pangalan ng restaurant galing sa isang mahal na libro.

Maya-maya, may tumayong mama na mukhang daddy ng isang coño. Shempre, lipat naman ako bigla. At dahil sa seksi ako, may isa pang babae ang nakitabi sa akin. Maya-maya, bumalik yung mama na may ibang librong hawak. Nung nakita n’yang inokupahan na ng dalawang seksing babae yun upuan nya, napangisi at napailing na lang s’ya bago umupo sa tabi ng fountain. Akala n’ya yata irereserve naming yun upuan para sa kanya. Nye-nye-nye-nye-nye, belat!

Habang tumatagal ay palamig na nang palamig. Padami na rin nang padami ang mga taong nakikibasa. Sabi siguro ng management ng Powerbooks “’tong mga taong ‘to! Tignan natin ang kapal ng mukha at taba n’yo!” Shempre, read on kami.

Maya-maya, may mga manong na dumating at nagset-up ng mga monoblock chairs. Napatingin ako, pati ilan pa sa mga kasama ko. May dumating na baguhan at napalingon s’ya sa mga monoblock. Uupo na dapat s’ya sa isa nang biglang tinakpan ng puting tela yung mga upuan. Sampung monoblocks na ang nacoveran, naging fidgety ang iba sa amin, pati ako. Tapos, parang nagkaroon ng mental hamunan na patagalan kami roon. Dalawampung monoblocks at walang gumagalaw, walang naglilipat ng pahina, walang humihinga. Mataas ang tensyon at todo na rin ang ginaw. Nung unang dating ko dun, three is to one ang ratio ng mga executive-wannabes sa upuan, pero simula nang magset-up ng mga upuan, naging five is to one na: 3 executive wannabes at 2 seksing babae sa isang upuan. Naisipan yatang magshare ng body heat kaya pumayag makipagsiksikan.

Tatlumpung monoblock at 10 degrees later, tumayo ang magshota, nagising na yata. Mataas ang E.Q. ko pero sa sa pagkakataong yun natalo ako ; tumayo ako pagbilang ko ng sampu.