Boot Camp on my iMac

So SWEET! I'm running Windows on my iMac now and the dual-boot functionality of Leopard is AMAZING! Boy am I a happy teddy bear ...

My Relationship with Technology: The Beginning

It all started with an internship at PHINMA in the early 90s, back when Windows 3.0 was just taking off in the Philippines.

I wasn't really required to take a summer internship at any company since taking Interdisciplinary Studies didn't really force you to unlike the Management courses in Ateneo. Thankfully the Management Engineering Department, with whom at that time I still had some affiliation with, assisted me in landing an internship at the MIS Department at PHINMA.

My computer background was very much limited to the vagaries of DOS and Wordstar at that time (Ctrl B anyone?) and the MIS Department at PHINMA I assumed was at a loss as to what to assign to me given that (1) I was not enrolled in or taking courses involving Computer Science and (2) I was not really required to take the internship as an IS student. So what did I end up doing?

Documentation.

That's right. I was introduced to MS Word 6.0 (on DOS) and was tasked to do documentation on the systems the MIS Department did for the various cement plants for PHINMA. I even vaguely remember the opportunity to go along with the team for a tour of the plant in Antipolo and understand what the systems looked like in place at the site. Impressive aye?

So for a measly P200 per day allowance, I was driving from Antipolo to Makati to my daily chores of creating an idiot's guide to these systems. It was through the course of this summer that I realize that I had a knack for computers. Not very in depth mind you, but enought to hold my own in any geekfest out there.

To be continued ...

Cebu Pacific: It's Time Everyone Waits!!!

I am writing this blog at the Davao International Airport, having come in at the prescribed 2 hours prior departure (me being very anal as far as punctuality is concerned). Just while I'm settling in for the prescribed wait for the plane to Manila ... BAM: another 30 minute delay for the Cebu Pacific flight.

Whatever happened to their ad: arrive on time, or something like that, (which was a direct dig at their only competition in the Philippines, Philippine Airlines)? PAL (or Plane Always Late as the jokes go) had a penchant for having delays in their schedules every time. To which you would wonder ... why set a departure time in the first place when you always miss it? But that's PAL. Which is why I never took PAL for domestic flights (among other reasons).

Now with the way Cebu Pacific has been very remiss at their responsibility to have their passengers "arrive on time" is the Filipino traveler left with no alternative at all???

This flight to Davao has not been very good schedule-wise by CebuPac. First off, I receive a text Friday (a day before my flight) that my flight will be delayed 7 hours. Excuse me? Did you say seven hours? Yes, I applaud their efforts to be proactive and have customer satisfaction at heart when they called me, took my rebooking and accepted my complaint with nary a squeak.

My flight to Davao this morning, supposed to leave at 5:10am, leaves at 6:10am. I had to wake up at 3 in the morning for it and this is what we travelers get ... idle, unproductive time at the airport all bleary-eyed and wishing you had that extra hour of sleep.

Maybe next time I'll take a boat.

the eXpat update

Final eXpat showing date (from the show's Executive Producer so don't quote me) will be on January 3 on TFC and January 4 on Studio 23. We had a photoshoot recently so watch out for our profiles on this website (once it's updated): http://chasingcarscreatives.com/

The Expat Reality TV Show

Yes this is going to be a shameless plug ...

Watch me, your dear old friend/contact, at the upcoming reality TV show called "The Expat" which will be shown on Studio 23 starting the 3rd week of November.

I would call it a mix of "The Apprentice", "Survivor" and "Extra Challenge" all rolled into an hour of combined sobriety and hilarity (at least for the moments that I'm there).

Stay tuned to my site for updates on the show.

When you "ASPIRATE" for things ...

A brief, funny story: I was on my way to reserve seats at the Ateneo-La Salle game in Araneta and was fiddling through radio stations. I chanced upon MAX 103.5 which is the second re-format from the original K-LITE (which was my FAVORITE station until they started playing mushy songs as Heart 103.5. Ewww.).

The DJ seemed to be hosting a technology show and was wrapping up and talking about two new Nokia phones. I will quote him verbatim:

"The Nokia N93 is such a nice phone, one of these new phones that you ASPIRATE for. I mean ASPIRATIONAL for."

Double boo-boo. Man. That's so "ASPIRATIONAL."

LSGH 1991 Memories

This was posted by a batchmate (Emil Bonoan) in LSGH Class of 1991. Brings back a lot of funny memories.

I don't know why some of the numbers are blank but a few of my LSGH batchmates filled it up with more things to remember about the late 80s and early 90s in La Salle Greenhills.

1. The very expensive but very masarap na taco in St. Benilde.
2. When someone drops a tray, nagwawala lahat.
3. Teachers with code names: Jaicheal Machson (7th grade history teacher) and Capt. Caveman (our late great teacher Antonil), Ms. Fwetnes(Fuentes).
4. Calling each other by last names because there's too many Michaels and Johns.
5. Greenhills McDo
6. Half-day academic classes (whole day pag PE, CAT and work ed!)
7. Greenlanes
8. Shoppesville (ano ulit yung pangalan nung famous bilihan ng topsiders dun? Jonels? And the famous Cafe ???? na turo-turo sa third floor?!)
9. Magoo's Pizza
10. Gate 8 (and the sidestreet "parking lot" of the boys who got to drive cars highschool pa lang!)
11. Petals and Twigs Virramall
12. Michael Jackson (guess who this is!)
13. The gym
14. The gym during GALS (syempre GALS!)
15. Maison
16. Shakes costing P2.50!!!
17. Telephone booths at the main gate and gate 8 (from 4 10 centavos to 3 25 centavos!) para tumawag sa mga....???!!!
18. Ang malaking bato sa field (in between the grade 7 building and the cafeteria/gym), near the high jump.
19. The basketball courts on the upper field.
20. The Gazebo
21. The HS school quadrangle
22. The bookstore
23. The bookstore before exams (lahat nag papa-xerox!)
24. The principal's office
25. The assistant principal's office
26. The typing classroom overlooking the swimming pool.
27. Walking to Unimart/Shoppesville/Virramall
28. Taking a jeep to Unimart/Shoppesville/Virramall
29. Kung Fu shoes and black espadrilles na pinagpipilitan "regulation" leather shoes for our uniform.
30. I, II, III green and white badges and eventually the barong to show your HS year.
31. Nag-prom sa CAFETERIA
32. Work Ed na automotive.
33. Buong klase - cutting class! (Believe it or not - kasama ang honors class dito!)
34. Guidance councilor?
35. Baguio lahat nung grade 7!
36. Coleman na laman beer
37. 12 people in a car - para lang makapuntang Greenhills!
38. "O...field na lang tayo!"
39. TIA MARIA
40. V.R.
41. "Speak English Campaign"
42. Newspaper Drive
43. Sizzling na may katakot-takot na gravy.
44. May homeroom section na, may Level - level section pa nung gradeschool!
45. When girls from other schools visit - dito nagwawala lahat!
46. Kundirana
47. Ghost stories - sa puno sa lower field and grade school building and chapel.
48. Pinagkakasyang 20 pangalan sa off campus pass.
49. O, HS, VS, S, MS, NI, NSA (oh by the way nung Grade school alam ko wala atang 100 na numerical grade, highest ata nun 98 nagkulang ng 2!)
50. Search-In
51. Discovery
52. Yung mga vendors sa labas ng gate [fishball, mangga, gagamba, etc...]
53. Viramall [wala pang Robinsons at Megamall noon]
54. Lower field after class
55. Greenhills McDo
56. Parking
57. Dance Craze: Strutt (Ricky Liboro and co.), Funk ala MJ (Rodney Soriano), Breakdance (Lahat ata ginawa to...uso pa rin until now) and New Wave (di na uso,music na lang.....)
58. Tracy Lords
59. Soiree
60. HS Fair sa field
61. Fun House located at the back of Mom and Pop's
62. Mom and Pop's beside Greenlanes(ala Mini Stop)
63. Bilihan ng Tops (INO) 2nd flr. Virra Mall
64.
65. Katrina's (owned by Michael Del Rosario...I think) 2nd flr. Shoppesville
66. Top 40 T-shirt
67. Bla Bla shoes
68. When gel was a big hit (Grade 6).
69. Father and Son camping Grade 3 (Mt. Makiling)
70. Father and Son camping Grade 4 (Caliraya)
71. Par 44 infront of Uni Mart
72. blowing bubbles with laway during the flag ceremony that go all the way from Abet down to the quad.
73. sliding down the ramp of St Benilde after it rains with leather sole shoes.
74. GALS--nga pala sinabi mo na, but hey, its worth mentioning twice.
75. Interaction vs. Soirees?
76. Black pants, as oppose to Zobel's green pants. hahahah- may chiks nga kayo pero baduy pa rin ng dating ng pantalon nyo!!!
77.
78. wasak na polo=last day of school
79. Selling leather braided belts and other leather goods
80. Wearing Haruta Penny loafers sold at Tokyo Hana (2nd floor Shoppsville)
81. Wearing Espadrilles sold at Regina's (2nd Floor Shoppsville)
82. Having a long bangs (ala Patrick Formoso) If its long enough kinakagat para pakitang maba bangs.
83. Wearing Sperry Topsiders that were also sold at the store beside Christian Joel in Virra Mall. (ano ulit yung store name?)
84. Buying a friendship band from Jet Del Valle
85.
86. Interaction with girl schools
87.
88.
89. Chew Chew Junction
90. Trumpo
91. STC interaction
92. Depeche Mode Haircut - Flat top na may gel sa gilid :-)
93. The LaSalle Brothers(Karate bro. Mario, Bro.Ken, Bro. Peter-art grade 7)
94. Search In Sports Fest---with full time DJ(up to now bilib ako don)
95. hindi lang gel, Dep gel!
96. school projects: radyo na hindi umaandar at fake na leather brief case
97. algebra teacher Nunez throwing your notebook for wrong answers.
98. Patintero craze (nung Gradeschool)..........
99. Meron pang kasabay yan.....Ray Ban Wayferer's....(tama ba spelling?)
100. Swatch watches and swatch guards
101. Drakkar Noir (if you can't afford buy Charmis Body spray---the one that David Kaufmann endorsed)
102. alam ko may isang nagsisiga-sigaan sa McDo pangalan Boobsie...hanggang ngayon di ko alam kung lasalista yung hayop na yun, daming kilala sa batch natin e.
103. C.A.T. for athletes.
104. Pingpong craze nung grade school
105. Deposit ng soda bottles: Kahit ma-late sa class after recess o lunch basta ipon ng bote.
106. Poveda soiree
107. Sleep over with rich kids on a weekend
108. Activity Sheets in a folder
109. Baston na pants with zipper
110. Spray net
111. Slap Jack nung grade school...mas mapula dapat yung kamay ng kalaban.
112. Lahat ng Interaction.
113. Lahat ng soiree.
114. Fair ng mga girl schools
115. Having Tatang Mendoza as your PE teacher/coach from Grade 1 to 4th Year HS
116. Meal tickets noong grade school
117. Becoming experts in Supertrump
118. Sliding your lunchbox sa gilid ng steps ng Main building (grades 3-6)
119. Lunchbox battles (yung mas maraming kupi the better)
120. Christmas caroling contests (gr 6 and 7)
121.
122. The old band and music rooms (ngayon wala na)
123. away ng gagamba, pagandahan pa ng case ( yung may sliding glass )
124. java rice at bbq sa maison
125. anong grade ba nung nauso yung brief case
126.
127. fishballs at itlog
128. newspaper drive...
129. yearbook solicitation
130. a whole class of high school students singging Didn't We Almost Have It All by Whitney Houston. Labo!

Why I Live In the Philippines ...

This is lifted off an email I received from my High School yahoo groups but it is so, SO TRUE ...

Subject: Big Why????? YYYY

Why I live in the Philippines

When I travel people often ask me why I live in the Philippines.

Well here it is, the only place on earth...

…Where every street has a basketball court.
…Where even lawyers and engineers are unemployed.

…Where doctors study to become nurses for employment abroad.

...Where students pay more money than they will earn afterwards.

...Where school is considered the second home and the mall considered the third.

...Where call-center employees earn more money than teachers and nurses.

…Where mutineers get elected senators.

…Where luxury cars are being destroyed.

…Where the press people are the most powerful.

…Where the priest knew everything about politics

…Where everyone has his personal ghost story and superstition.

...Where mountains like Makiling and Banahaw are considered holy places.

...Where you can buy school diploma on the street.

…Where everything can be forged.

...Where Starbucks coffee is more expensive than gas.

...Where flyovers bring you from the freeway to the side streets.

…Where people cross the street under the overpass and not using the overpass.

...Where crossing the street involves running for your dear life.

...Where the personal computer is mainly used for games and Friendster

…Where protesters with anti-American sentiments are wearing a pair of Hanes and Levis.

…Where street protest is 12/7 activities and considered a living.

...Where colonial mentality is dishonestly denied!

...Where 4 a.m. is not even considered bedtime yet.

...Where people can pay to defy the law.

...Where everything and everyone is spoofed.

...Where even the poverty-stricken get to wear Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger

...Where the honking of car horns is a way of life.

...Where floodwaters take up more than 90 percent of the streets during the rainy season.

...Where everyone has a relative abroad who keeps them alive.

...Where wearing made in the Philippines clothes makes you baduy.

...Where even the poverty-stricken have the latest cell phones.

...Where insurance and educational plan do not work.

...Where the government makes the people pray for miracles.

...Where fast food is a diet meal.

...Where traffic signs are merely suggestions, not regulations.

...Where the definition of traffic is the 'non-movement' of vehicles.

...Where the WWII fighter planes are used for military engagements, and the new fighter planes are displayed in museums.

...Where cigarettes and alcohol are necessity, and where the lottery is a commodity.

...Where soap operas tell the realities of life and where the news provides the drama.

...Where actors make the rules and where politicians provide the entertainment.

...Where people can get away with stealing billions of pesos, but not a thousand.

...Where being an hour late is still considered punctual.

…Where late departure (ferry or plane) is considered normal.

...Where the squatters have more to complain (even if they do not pay their tax) -

than those employed and have their tax automatically deducted from their salaries.

... and where everyone wants to leave the country!

According to Manila businessman, there is so much wit in the Philippines because '. . .
we are a country where a good sense of humor is needed to survive.

This is the reason why amazingly Filipinos are one of the happiest people in the world.

We have a 24-hour comedy show here called the government and a huge reserve of comedians made up mostly of politicians and bad actors.

Now I ask you where else in the world would one want to live?

A Really GOOD Tagalog Song

After the breakup of Eraserheads I thought it would be difficult to find Filipino bands with considerable songwriting talent. I have to admit that I am a very big fan of the E-heads because of the melodic prowess of both Ely Buendia and Raimund Marasigan.

Then again Rivermaya, minus Bamboo, had a few respectable songs, some of good enough to break the regional divide (I saw an MTV of "You'll Be Safe Here" in Singapore).

But this song really caught my attention. I wonder why...
(Thanks to kumanta.com for the lyrics)

Wag Ka Nang Umiyak
by Sugarfree

Wag ka nang umiyak, sa mundong pabago-bago
pag-ibig ko ay totoo
ako ang iyong bangka, kung magalit man
ang alon, ng panahon, sabay tayong aahon

[chorus]
Kung wala ka nang maintindihan
Kung wala ka nang makapitan
Kapit ka sa akin, kapit ka sa akin
Di kita bibitawan

Wag kang umiyak, mahaba man ang araw
uuwi ka sa yakap ko
wag mo nang damdamin kung wala ako sayong tabi
iiwan kong puso ko sa yo
at kung pakiramdam mo’y wala ka nang kakampi
isipin mo ako dahil puso’t isip ko’y
nasa yong tabi

[repeat chorus]

…di kita pababayaan

Kapit ka, kumapit ka
(para sa buhay ng buhay ko)

Watch the MTV here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19L3yVbiAic

My 80s Movies List Part 2

Teen movies!

1. Some Kind of Wonderful
2. Gleaming the Cube
3. The Wraith
4. Pretty in Pink
5. Ferris Bueller's Day Off
6. Say Anything (Remember the boombox scene? With John Cusack playing Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes")
7. Teen Wolf

and do I dare mention the 80's teen movies from the Philippines?

1. Bagets (1 and 2)
2. Hotshots
3. Ninja Kids

Next: Horror Movies

My 80s Movies List Part 1

I now have some of the movies that I enjoyed thoroughly when I was a kid in my portable hard drive. Don't ask me how I got them ...

I daresay that when you're a kid growing up in the 80s the sense of wonderment with movies on the big screen is always present, never taken for granted. I say this of course in reference to the proliferation of DVDs that have minimized the need to beg parents to see the new movie in movie houses. (Just wait for the DVD anak ...)

My first list covers sci-fi movies targeted for kids. I don't think I ever grew up because seriously I still love watching them until today.

1. Krull
2. The Last Starfighter
3. Labyrinth
4. Ghostbusters (not Ghostbusters 2. The sequel sucked big time.)
5. Flight of the Navigator
6. Return to Oz (a bit on the eerie side though)
7. D.A.R.Y.L.
8. Flight of Dragons
9. The Rainbow Connection
10. Innerspace
11. Cloak and Dagger (still looking for this one)

A lot of sci-fi/fantasy stuff on that list I admit. I'm sure a lot of other people would add the following:

1. Neverending Story (never watched it)
2. Princess Bride (too mushy for my taste)
3. The Boy Who Could Fly (mushy-ER!)
4. The Dark Crystal (only watched it recently)

Plus of course the inevitable Star Wars (which I love), Star Trek (which I never got around to like) and Back to the Future.

Next: Teen Movies

Digital Photo Experiment # 5

Guess what this is ...

Where The Points Don't Matter

My wife and I are avid fans of "Whose Line Is It Anyway" (I can't get the rather high-brow jokes on the UK version so we watch the US version). In tribute (?) to their "points don't matter" attitude here's my own list ...

So as Drew Carey would introduce it: "Welcome to Whose Line Is It Anyway, the show where everything is made up and the points don't matter. That's right the points are like:


1. Pedestrian lanes in Manila
2. Sidewalks in Manila
3. Elections in the Philippines
4. 3G for mobile phones
5. Gravy containers in KFC (just give us the whole pot!)
6. Security guards in malls and hotels and the whole shenanigan of checking the car chassis!
7. Electronic TV Guides (I'd rather exercise my thumb and surf through channels 2 to 99)

I remember having a longer list ... I'll add more to this in a few days time.

One Cruel Exercise Machine

We tried riding a pedicab from Tutuban Mall to 168 Mall (all of probably 300 meters) because we had no intention of walking in 35-degree heat and 90% humidity. This was a first for me.

Did you ever consider how difficult it is to power it, especially if you have two grown adults riding in the sidecar (combined gross weight of 300 lbs.)?

Of Scooters and Side Mirrors

Quite a long time updating this blog. I've been meaning to believe me but unfortunately too many things get in the way ...

I had every inclination to buy a motorcycle. I would probably have saved up for it as well except for two very crucial things:

1. My wife would probably kill me if I bought one
2. I would have been killed anyway considering the kind of road rules there are in the Philippines for two-cycled modes of transportation.

It's a toss up as to which would be less painful.

My mind, however resolute it was several months back, now is resolute NOT to buy one. One is because while traveling down from Tagaytay we encountered two horrific motorcycle accidents (one of which we narrowly missed). Two is because I cannot give any respect to scooter-riding fanatics who either do not wear helmets or do not understand they have no fight against four tons of steel moving at 80 kilometers per hour.

So with Steppenwolf's signature song ringing in my head ... I bid my motorcycling, leather-jacket riding fantasies adieu ...

P.S. What is it about scooter manufacturers who don't ship their vehicles without side mirrors anyway?

Around the Philippines - "C" Traveler

This should say that before I do decide to bring my family to another country I should see more of mine ...

What a cool site ...

My Lakbayan grade is C!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out atLakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

Digital Photo Experiment # 4

More of normally mundane shots at home, given new perspective by a recognition of something worthy to look at ...

Ode to a Stolen MacBook

Because my wife's birthday was coming up I bought her a MacBook so that she could use it for her virtual store business. Unusual for me to buy her a gift anywhere remotely leaning towards technology but then again her body language suggested how much she wanted it so I reckoned it will make her happy.

It did. For less than 24 hours though, since the following day thieves stole the MacBook in a crowded coffee shop in Makati.

*SIGH*

Of course, I'm devastated with the fact that my wife was SOOO happy to get the Mac from me only to get stolen the following day. It still affects her of course and that's what saddens me the most.

My only hope then is not to recover it (fat chance of that) but to find a means to make her ecstatically happy once more with a replacement. Gotta line up for those lotto tickets soon ... or get some businesses churning faster than before.

Let's see.

Vietnam Travel Diary # 1

This is actually my sixth business trip to Vietnam but the first time I'm writing down my thoughts on this wonderful country, a country with a lot of ironies and a lot of history and a lot of getting used to.

Vietnam is a country with very sharp contrasts, where like the Philippines, the disparity of the haves and the have-nots are clearly well-drawn. Interestingly though, which is where some of the ironies start is that they are building one of the newest international airports in the region (while the Philippines' new airport has been languishing in la-la land for over 5 years now). For a third-world country it has serious intentions of leap-frogging over its other SEA neighbors, our beloved country included.

Vietnam is where a farmer (I may be misjudging him and my apologies for this) takes a plane ride from HCMC to Hanoi. Where a nice little old lady jumps the queue over the flustered looks of my fellow foreigners.

Vietnam is a country who does not forget its history. A visit to two war museums (Hoa Lo prison in Hanoi and War Remnants Museum in HCMC) shows how the past has never been forgotten. Sadly this is a trait the Filipinos severely lack which is either our biggest boon or our biggest bane.

And Vietnam is where exotic food is as exotic as it can be. And I thought balut was pretty exotic. On my last trip my boss and I had the lovely opportunity to have fried baby bird (bones and all). This time, alone with my Vietnam friends, I had the chance to sample their version of "seafood": turtle. Yep, served in two versions. And to wash it all down: Hanoi vodka mixed, first off, with fresh turtle blood (thankfully just one shot of the stuff) and with fresh green bile from the turtle's gallbladder. My host's non-plussed response to my first time eating turtle was: "You don't have seafood in Philippines?"

And no, I am not posting a picture of the dish although I do have one. It's one meal to remember and one I would unlikely soon forget!

Digital Photo Experiment # 3

Macro shots taken from my mom's garden. Hopefully with a bit more practice I'll have the nerve to put my shots in Flickr ...

Now THAT's a Career ...

Interesting conversation I had with my wife on my way up to my parents' place about "dead-end" careers. This of course has a lot to do with the current under-employment (as opposed to unemployment) statistics here in the Philippines. It was prompted by a "help-wanted" sign in a gasoline station.

Have you ever wondered the job-description and official designation of people who push elevator buttons for you? In malls or in commercial buildings?

Elevator button pusher?

Can you imagine the kind of patience they have staying day-in day-out in that small 2x2 cubicle, going up and down every single day of the week? I'd go crazy they first week I can assure you that. You have to put up with the smell, the nausea, the claustrophobia and the whole "mundane-ness" of it all.

Then of course you do this kind of job 3 years and move on to become what? What kind of experience and additional skill sets would you have garnered as elevator button pusher to put on your resume?

I intend to get more concrete details on this if I could and interview someone the next time I go to a mall and see how they manage to keep their sanity in check.

So in the meantime, to those courageous ladies and gentlemen manning elevators at the various malls throughout Metro Manila, I salute you!

Digital Photo Experiment

Part 2 of my DSLR fiddling. Pardon me to rave a bit about photography but really it's all about finding beauty in the most mundane environment.

Just stop and look around and you'll be surprised at the stuff you find ...

More Chances to Shoot

Went to the old alma mater yesterday with the family and had the courage to take out my DSLR for a spin. Fiddled with the manual settings and got better results actually so I would probably be sticking to this setting for a while. I envy the guys who post in Flickr and I see these fantabulous shots.

Boracay is going to be the subject of more than a few photos in the next few weeks. Definitely looking forward to that.

Tone-Deaf Idol Voters

It's all wrong ... too damn wrong. And I for once agree wholeheartedly with Simon Cowell.

Either the viewers/voters have their TV volumes turned down or they are really tone-f**** deaf. My apologies for the heavy-handed language but while watching the show last week with my wife I had to slap the sofa silly when Sundance was booted out.

Or even in the week before in the toss-up between Sanjaya and AJ I still couldn't believe how this boy managed to snare more votes despite his lack of vocal talent.

Then again the fact that Antonella Barba stayed on for two weeks shouldn't be of any surprise to me anymore to the type of "discriminating" audience Idol has.

Let's watch and move on shall we ... and hope to the high heavens the voters wake up next week and boot Sanjaya out.

why pinoys can't get out of this rut ... or something to that effect

of all the things to start a blog about it had to be about my fellow filipinos.

first off, this project is a long time coming having too many thoughts in my head but not enough finger-power to put it where everybody else can see. never too late for a good idea or a controversial one at that.

the only thing this website will ever be is to put it aptly a "verbal vomit". i use this phrase with respect to the man who coined it, my boss and my mentor who thought up the term and have used it to the hilt quite a number of times in the past.

so ...

verbal vomit number 1: the culture of convenience.

ever wonder why we filipinos have a tendency to do the opposite of what government or society expects us to do. cases in point:

1. throwing garbage where we are NOT supposed to throw it. brazenly in front of signs that say "NO THROWING OF GARBAGE HERE"

2. going against oncoming traffic.

3. spitting. (this still grosses me out)

i think the above examples are enough. the reason why pinoys do it is simple ... it's convenient.
they throw garbage where it's the easiest for them to throw it. never mind if it's alongside somebody else's fence, the sidewalk or the where ever it is that someone else had started to throw there garbage at (you never see individual pieces of junk. it's always one big pile that somebody, in one way or the other, started).

same with the counterflow initiatives of some lazy-ass drivers. (i'm really getting worked up here am i?) only because they can't wait in line for the traffic to flow its natural course, they go against the flow, try to wedge themselves in between cars that have lined up legitimately and ultimately cause traffic for both lanes. inane and stupid but nonetheless understandable because it is the most convenient for them. i mean, come on. why wait in line? we're all going in the same direction anyway right?

as for spitting ... yeah again it's all about convenience. you can't swallow your own damn spit so you need to excrete those fluids. forget about waiting for the bathroom to do the dirty deed there's a whole concrete street right in front of you that's ripe for the spitting.

the ills of the filipino, in my opinion, all boil down to this. the culture that is dictated by what ever is easier to do and more convenient for the person. gambling, petty crimes, traffic, pollution, garbage ... they're all part of the symptoms of the same sickness.