Survey from My Cousin

Please answer these questions truthfully and thoroughly. Thank you very much! (Need more space?? Please write on the back of this paper indicating Q#.)
Female ( X, wait x ba meaning no? HEHE JOKE! :D) Male ( ) Age:15…ata. Wait…uhh 1993 basta un… JOKE. :D Good luck sa survey/project mo! Here comes my stupendous answers to your most wonderful survey! YEY! Cue the fanfare!

1. What music do you listen to? Why?

Mostly jazz, pop, classical, pop-opera(or whatever you call it, basta JOSH GROBAN :D), (melodic and not SCREECHY) rock, slow sweet songs, BASTA ung relaxing. (Pwede ba tagalog? HAHAHA…ANYHOW, you can translate anyway. )

I like listening to music that put you in a good mood, those with good lyrics and catchy melodies. I like those kind of music basically just because they make you feel better. When you’re feeling down, they cheer you up (especially those with uplifting lyrics). And good songs really calm you down. I love Norah Jones, most of her songs really make me feel super relaxed and just calm—like I’m apart from all the chaotic madness of life.
So here’s a list of artists I like:
Norah Jones(obviously), Josh Groban(obviously again :D), Corinne Bailey Rae, Kevin Kern, Jason Mraz, Jon McLaughlin(LISTEN TO INDUSTRY!! GRABE UNG PIANO PART!! :D), Vanessa Carlton, Taylor Swift(I know, not the greatest lyrics-wise, but her song “Love Story” is just reallyreallyreally sweet and it’s a feel-good song :D But I don’t like it when she’s just moping about a guy in some of her songs)

I don’t like listening to those kind of “music” (and this is using the term broadly) which are full of nonsensical lyrics about sex, drugs, hot girls, etc.etc. AND I hate it when they use bad grammar and COIN terms with no special meaning at all. Para lang magfit sa music. EWAN. AGH. I hate it when they use the ALLURE of practically naked women in music videos. (Sorry, I’m kinda ranting here. It’s just that I hate what’s happening to ‘MUSIC’ nowadays. I MEAN, you know that new Hilary Duff song which just repeats this imperative sentence again and again and again: “REACH OUT AND TOUCH ME.” Where’s the vocal ability? The creativity? SHEESH!! And this sing has actually gone farther than those other songs with only ONE repetitive word/phrase. At least now they’ve managed a sentence.) Don’t get me wrong, I know that not all rap music are about those worldly things, and I do appreciate some music of those kind because they’re catchy. HAHAHA…but I get to know of them involuntarily, unlike those kind of music that I really like which I know of voluntarily. I mean involuntarily because I just hear them through media or because my brother’s playing his music.

2. What TV shows or channels do you usually watch? Why?
Uhhhm. I Don’t watch much TV, but when I do, I watch American Idol.  I watch ETC, Lifestyle Network, 2nd Avenue, Fox Crime, NatGeo and Discovery Channel, sometimes MTV(when I like the music video= not filled with practically-naked women). I watch those because they entertain me? Hahaha…Well, let’s see. Fox Crime, NatGeo and Discovery Channel are channels I watch because they sometimes have really interesting documentaries/shows that intrigue me. Like say, this one about the mind of serial killers in Fox Crime (forgot the name of the show). Why did they become that way? What lead to their massacring of countless numbers of people?

But sometimes, when I just want an instant respite from the harsh realities of life (HAHA, JOKE LANG, di ako emo)—I mean, when I just want to be entertained I watch reality TV shows in those other channels. AND who doesn’t like watching Iron Chef? MEHN, just looking at the food is torture. See? If they made TV’s 4D, you’ll smell the food too! Ahhh….WAW.

I personally am not very fond of sitcoms or soap operas. They require too much time and some of them don’t even HAVE a point.

3. What do you read? Why?
Books! Hahaha, what else? I read good books. LOL. Genre: Fantasy, adventure, fiction and also non-fiction. But I’m more of a YA-reader still.  I love adventure/fantasy fiction. The epitome of my favourite kind of book would probably be the first book of Ranger’s Apprentice/ Harry Potter :D. I also am fond of Jodi Piccoult’s work. She writes really really well with depth to her characters. I read these books because they entertain me, and because I actually learn from them. Books I’ve learned a lot from: Harry Potter(yes, seriously, here’s an example, Dumbledore said: “Someday, people will have to choose between what’s easy and what’s right.” It’s so true. Also, here’s another one: “Play to your strength.” This was by Mad-Eye Moody. :D) See, I read non-fiction which teach you lessons too. For example: The Last Lecture.

4. Do you smoke? What brand? Why?
NOPE. NEVER! Smoking kills every type of living system. It kills animals(HUMANS, THAT MEANS YOU AND THE PEOPLE WHO INHALE WHAT YOU’VE EXHALED—if you’re a smoker, that is.), and out nature. I don’t know if it kills specie from the Kingdoms Protista, Monera, Fungi and Plantea, but it sure as heck kills the planet. Smokers are murderers and victims themselves. What a pitiful way to EXIST.

5. Do you drink? What is your choice of drink? Why?
NOPE. Well, let’s see, I’m 15. Isn’t that enough reason? I’d probably consider drinking some in the future, but that’s in the very far future. And largely because they say drinking wine has benefits.

6. Where do you go on the weekends? Why?
Uhmm… church? Because I’m Catholic and I sing in the choir. I go to my grandmother’s house because it’s tradition for our family and it’s the part of the week I look forward most to because I love seeing my family. Those are the two constant places I go to every weekend. Sometimes, the malls and restaurants because of course, you gotta get outta the house too, ya know?

7. What do you do on the weekends? Why?
I do my homework (DUH). I go to those places mentioned beforehand. I read, listen to music, eat, sleep, etc. What else? Sometimes, there’s the occasional party or soiree or special event.

8. What do you wear on the weekends? Why?
Clothes? Hahaha…what kind of question is this? Umm, casual clothes? Depends on the occasion/event I’m going to. Uniform for choir.

9. What activities are you involved with?
What do you mean? Organizations? The choir and schoolwork(hahaha),. I am a member of the Batch Production crew, I was a Facilitator for the Xavier-ICA interaction. What do you mean exactly? Hahaha….basta yan.

10. What are your choices of fashion brands? Why?
Kamiseta, Plains and Prints and Bayo. I don’t know, because they have good clothes? Nice quality, nice fit, nice designs?

Iyong iba kahit sa department store na, why not? Sayang sa pera. Hahahaha….

11. What would you never be caught dead wearing? Why?
Uhhmm… I don’t know. Uhh, a super micro-mini skirt, (excuse the vulgarity)‘pekpek’ shorts. (You know what I mean) Those that show too much in the chest area. I think I’m a pretty conservative dresser. Hahaha, di ako furniture.

12. Do you consider yourself a trend-setter/trendy? Why?
Uhm, well, since in school we’re all just basically wearing the same thing—uniforms—I don’t think it applies that much. But I’m not a trend-setter. I just dress how I want to dress. Sure, I also sometimes go with what’s ‘in’, but because I want to not because I’m compelled to.

13. Do people consider you as a trend-setter/trendy? What makes you think so?
Nope, as I’ve said before, the only thing you could probably trend-set in school are the socks you wear and the way you wear your hair. And changing your style of socks can land you in the principals office. Anyhow, I’m not much focused on these things anyway. I do care about how I look but not too much that I lose sight of more important things.

14. How important is it for you to be a trend-setter/trendy? Why?
Obviously not very much. Refer to number 13. :D

15. What is your definition of “cool” and being cool?
None. Hahaha…Well…I guess I identify cool with those things that amaze me. Let’s say, may nasabugan ng bomba, tapos nabuhay pa siya. Iyon ay COOL. ASTIG, dba? Hahaha…ewan. Joke lang. Ewan ko. I don’t really use that word much, only when you have nothing else to say. HAHAHAHA! COOL=Malamig! :D Hahahaha….Cool(the kind of cool you’re looking for, I think), I believe, is defined by media. (Pop culture)


LONG ENOUGH? :D

Anger Management

Sheesh. What is this day? Officially Terrible(TE-RI-BL-E) Anger Day? I know corny, but what the heck? So, what I'm not creative. Sheesh.

SHEESH. (I'm saying that a lot.)

My whole being is waiting to burst from suppressed anger. Morning started out badly, the afternoon resurrected the blood-boiling episode and just this night, I am so MAD...SO ANGRY!! ARRRRRGGHHH! So many thoughts are running through my head. They're like just zip-zapping all over my mind. This one leads me to another thought and another and another. So on and so forth.

But oddly, once I've started writing, I can't even remember half of what I've been thinking. Weird.

It's just so frustrating! I'm really trying so hard to be not so temperamental and to do WHAT JESUS WOULD DO if he were in my situation. But IT IS HARD.

I have the WEIRDEST dreams.

Seriously, I do. I mean, my Biology teacher said something about recording your dreams and eventually you'll find a pattern or something like that. But my dreams, MEHN. I don't think I'm finding any pattern at all--only that they are so utterly RANDOM.

So first off, I remember this dream I had...Though I just remember snippets as of now. But I remember that Reese Witherspoon was there and some people I don't know, some of them grannies and grandpas, we were looking for someone. I think the grannies were holding weapons, like knives or something. And then there was this big house and it was kind of dark.

Next, I remember that in the dream it was Halloween. Then in the dream I kinda knew what was going to happen BUT I still got surprised when this thing (I forgot. LOL) came out from a shelf behind this guy...

And just this morning. MAHN, was my dream SO weird. I remember that first I was in a bookstore-ish shop in a beach. It was big, and I remember that it was all woody, dark wood. And then I was buying or looking for a book, I don't exactly remember all the details. I went to this rack/stack of books then I met 3D people there. Omar, I remember most. But RR, Ramon and others were present, I think.

THEN, suddenly, I was in a car (or this is all I remember) and there were three of us at the very front of the car. There was a girl at the leftmost corner, I think then our driver, and then me at the rightmost corner(Yep, I don't know how 3 people could fit in the front too. We were at the white Hiace/Van). The driver was falling asleep while driving us so he was slumping in the seat and falling on his side on ME. SHEESH. I remember that he was directing the car to go straight then dozing off...It was scary!

THEN, we were at Arcadia. I just remember SPICY CHICKEN and the fact that my cousin, Sarah was the one who cooked it, IF I remember correctly. OH MEHN... I think I dreamed all this when I was already about to wake up because I remember that I was actually thinking while I was in the dream about the dream. Weird.

AND YESTERDAY! WHOAH! I remeber only one scene. Melanie O., my classmate was there. I remember that we were talking about supernatural things, specifically about supernatural creatures/beings--vampires, I think. She said that there was this being/vampire/I-don't-know-because-I'm-not-sure which can REPRODUCE. YES, I did not forget that Mel was actually speaking in a very scholarly manner. And that he can reproduce--he is white-haired, by the way. Not Spike or whatever his name was in Buffy. He has un-gel(ed) white hair. Anyway, I'm digressing here. SO, this guy/being can reproduce if he's procreating in front of this magical mirror and magical box? Something like a magical treasure chest...

SEE?? AREN'T THEY JUST ABSOLUTELY WEIRD?

I honestly don't know what to make of them.

Diasappointment towards Them

What a night. I just had a soiree yesterday night and it didn't go as well as I'd hoped it would. It makes me wonder, "Is Friday the 13th really cursed like what people say it is?". Let's rewind it back to February 12, the day before the D(Disappointment) day.

My best friend Denise and I keep on either calling, texting, or YM-ing each other. She is scared because she hasn't asked her parents about the soiree yet and she's going to be news reporting tomorrow. So I guess, it's nerves mixed with anxiety and blended together with apprehension to form the perfect "scared-tishless" frappuccino. I am comforting her and encouraging her to think positive. I am her eternal cheerleader, I will tell her tomorrow. Then, I am trying to sleep. Denise still hasn't asked her parents about the soiree because her parents aren't home yet.

While trying to fall into the sweet comfort of unconsciousness, My mind is being troubled by thoughts about the day that is to come. My mind keeps on thinking about the soiree tomorrow, and God forbid it, it is excited. I will meet good guys tomorrow. Oh, joy!

February 13 creeps up on me fast enough. The night turns into morning and then I am back in school. Denise comes in. Her mom has said yes, BUT she has to ask her dad still. I am still enthusiastic and cheering her up, encouraging her to be optimistic. Morning turns into afternoon. I am preparing for the soiree and a friend of my brother's comes with him to our house. He is very tall. They're both preparing for a party too.

I go to Barbra's house, our(some of my classmates and I) meeting place. Denise was there, taking a shower. She is allowed to go. Yes!

We arrive at the host's house after picking up Janelle and Viviane, respectively. We are excited. We come in and then I go to the restroom! HAHA! My bladder was about to burst.

Anyhow, we find the guys and mehn were they mostly quiet, shy and suffice it to say that we were probably all disappointed that night. The kind of good-looking ones all were attracted like bee's are to honey to the--sorry for the term--sluts. HAHAHA. Then BAM, awkward awkward awkward to no end. We were all uncreative and I admit it was probably the girl's fault too. But hey now, it was the guys who invited us AND guys are supposed to be the ones who approach us, not the other way around. I don't know, maybe I was expecting some lingering traces of the obviously nonexistent virtue called chivalry in some of them. BUT, no, all they were able to talk about were teenager stuff. Soirees, scandals, people, etc.etc. Even my classmates were not volunteering anything. ARGH. They just went there and WELL we all expected the guys to do everything for us, I guess. Oh well.

It's so disappointing to find that there is most probably no guy in my generation who would be mature enough to talk with me about real life. About things like family, friends, life itself. Even just jokes. Sure there are some, but I'm guessing none would even be mature enough to talk with me about let's say, philosophy. Or even just good books. I was sorely mistaken about the maturity of 16 to 17 year old BOYS. I was hoping to click with them, you know. But no, I was very nicely thrown over the unending cliff of disappointment. Nice one, fate.

Maybe it just really means, I really have to wait until after college to find really mature guys who can actually stand up to me. Young boys aren't very fond of girls with actual thinking heads which aren't focused on boys, relationships and drama. Or maybe, it will be really hard to find guys who can stand up to me.

I kind of found one. And he is taken. See? All the decent guys really are either gay or taken. Woe is to me. I'm not even looking for a relationship in that sense, we were just looking for guy friends.

And what did we find?

Well, I'll leave that up to you to infer. I'm assuming you've enough information already.

Haha, all this on V day. :) It's ok really. I will not be sad today just because of them. This experience really just cemented my opinion about not having relationships at this age.

My Life As It Is

Since I am flawed by the inferiority complex, I have thought of a good idea--at least, I think it is--to boost my self-esteem. Every time I see or meet an inhumanly beautiful person, I will bless them with the most creative ugliest name ever. This way, instead of becoming paranoid and stimulating my not-so-dormant-ultra-competitive self, I will just be enormously humored. Yes, this is my kind of humor. Sorry to disgust.



Anyhow, I just received an e-mail for my aunt. She constantly reminds me of the fact that "I will accomplish great things.". It's kind of flattering but at the same time also it makes me feel like I have to NOT disappoint her. Pressure, man. Of course, I want to be "great" too. It's just that there are SO MANY things I want to do.

Here's a list:
I WANT TO:
- be a great artist
- be a great dancer
- be a great writer
- learn yoga and pilates
- become fluent in Chinese
- understand (at least) Japanese
- learn Spanish, European Languages basically
- attain a scholarship in Ateneo
- attain a scholarship in an Ivy League
- serve others: organizations
ETC.ETC.ETC.

-----------------------

Just today, I found a side of my bestie I wasn't really aware existed. Hahaha...It's just that she is usually so kind and considerate that you wouldn't guess she could experience all sorts of negative emotions. Stupid assumption, I know. It doesn't really make me like her less. It's actually a good thing because now at least I know that she IS human too, not just an angel sent by God to be my friend. :)

That's all my thoughts for now, folks. :)
I'm so corny. Gotta eat and study.

Optimum Level of Tolerance

I am so insensitive.

I mean, I know that I'm a pretty frank, straight-forward, and I really tend to express my opinions in a very blunt and sadly, offending way. I'm even bordering on domineering. But I don't--well, I guess I have to admit that I DO SOMETIMES force my views on some people. I just like making people know me, understand me. I want them to know what I think. Wow, that's so...self-centered? At the end of the day, don't we all just want to be understood?

So the sun was intense. The temperature was rising, and sweat was trickling down our backs, making our shirts stick to our skin. It was very hot and the light was almost blinding, being directly on us.

Denise said something along the lines of her skin getting darker. I said what's wrong with that. She replied that she just didn't want to get darker. I was vehement. I said, "Discrimination. Why is darker skin always equated as less desirable, ugly, and inferior?" Something along those lines. She just kept quiet.

Yes, she is indeed that kind. She follows the principle of not saying anything if you don't have anything good to say.

Which brings me to my conclusion. Around me people have an optimum level of tolerance--when they don't spend that much time around me and when I'm actually aware of everything I'm saying/doing. Otherwise, they will just die in the zero levels of tolerance.

Biology is seriously growing on me.

God help me, bless me for our quiz tomorrow.

Injustice at its BEST

Friday, December 26, 2008
The world has gone crazy.
So, I just had the worst day of my life.

At around 1:30 PM today, at Valley Golf and Country Club, Antipolo City, Mayor Nasser Pangandaman, Jr., Mayor of Masiu City, Lanao del Sur, his father, Secretary Nasser Pangandaman of the Department of Agrarian Reform, and company, beat my defenseless 56-year-old dad and my 14-year-old brother to a pulp because of some stupid misunderstanding on the golf course.

This is a golf course. I have been a golfer all my life, and I have never seen anything like this. NOTHING. This is hard to comprehend. And it happened to my own father and my own brother too. Right in front of my eyes.

My brother and I were playing golf at the South Course of Valley. We were on the 3rd hole, and we see two golf carts going past us, overtaking our flight, and setting up to tee off on the next hole. My dad goes up to them and asks them why they would do that, why they would overtake us without even asking for our permission. Golf etiquette 101. One of the guys says that they're with the flight in front of us. (So what? That doesn't give them the right to just pass us WITHOUT asking.) So, we go to the 5th hole. The flight behind us catches up with us, and asks us what caused the hold up. We said that this flight just slipped in front of our flight. So we complained to the marshall. We play the 5th hole and walk towards the next hole, where there is a teehouse, and both the flights in front of us were there, talking with the marshall. The mayor of Masiu City, Lanao del Sur talks with my dad. Things get heated up. Voices were raised. But never, in my wildest dreams, did I ever imagine that someone would pull out a punch. Apparently not. He attacks my father. His flightmates, maybe 2 or 3 of them, rush to his aid and beat up my father. My 56-year-old father. My younger brother and I could not just watch. We rushed to break the fight. My younger brother pleads to the mayor to please stop it. To not hurt my dad. To just stop. His words still ring through my head..."Sorry na po, sorry na po...tama na...tama na po..." With his hands in front of his chest in a praying position. PLEADING. The mayor socks him in the face. My brother defended himself. My dad is still on the ground getting clobbered. My brother is the same way. I try to stop the fight, but all I can do is stop one person. There were 4 or 5 of them attacking now.

Someone breaks up the fight. I thought it was all over. The mayor shouts to his caddy: "Hindi nila kami kilala! Sabihin mo nga sa kanila kung sino ako!" And believe me, I had no idea who this person was. But now I know. He's the person who, with 4 other men, beat up my 56-year-old father and my 14-year-old brother. He's the person who sacks a pleading 14-year-old kid in the face. He's a person who, I am sure, is gonna rot in hell.

I lash out, but my dad held me back. I was screaming my lungs out, shouting to this mayor, telling him about what he had done. I said: "Nakakahiya kayo. Singkwenta'y sais anyos ang tatay ko. And kapatid ko kakatorse anyos. Anong ilalaban nila sayo?"

The mayor looks at my brother, point to his face, and says, "Tatandaan kita!" And he tells me that my brother has a bad attitude and that I need to watch him. WHAT THE HELL?! So, my brother's bad for defending his father?!

We leave. We walk to the clubhouse to file a complaint. My brother asks for a doctor. My dad could barely walk. Their group comes to the clubhouse, sees my brother. Once again my brother pleads, says sorry, and is crying. He was CRYING, for crissakes. But no. The relentless mayor still punches him in the face, and then sees my dad and goes after my dad again. Him and his friend pull my dad to the ground, pulls at his feet, and steps on him like he's dirt. I run to him and try to hold him back, holding him back by his shirt, while this other guy and this girl tries to stop me. She tells me to just stop it. I scream in her face "they're beating my father up and you want me to stop?!" I pull at his shirt--I don't let go. All I can see was my dad being trampled on. I didn't even see my brother getting beat up.

People pull them away. I get my dad, and I saw my brother. His right ear was bleeding. I freaked out. I told the receptionists to bring my brother to the clinic. I pull my dad away. People were separating us.

My mom and my older brother come. I tell her Bino's right ear is bleeding. They both look like they could kill. My dad holds my brother off, I hold off my mom. When I finally got my mom under control, my older brother gets away and I hold him off. Two of the mayor's bodyguards pull out guns. I embraced my brother from the back, just holding him back, crying. The receptionists came to us, crying, hugging me, my dad, and my mom, whispering to us to just leave. "Maam, umalis na po kayo, may mga baril sila...Maam...umalis na po kayo please..."

I am pretty sure the Secretary of DAR did not take part in the fight, but he just watched all this happen. He watched two of his sons, as we figured out, the other guy was his son, too, beat up my father and my 14-year-old brother. He didn't do anything to stop it. And this person is what now? A cabinet member. A politician.

Sounds like something out of a movie, doesn't it? But this is what happened. TODAY. The day after Christmas. To my family. And all I ask for is JUSTICE. The people at Valley Golf did not seem to want to help us. None of the security guards even tried to stop the fight. Right in the clubhouse. I came back after the fight was over and talked to the receptionists. They say they did not see anything. The general manager of Valley Golf would not give us the names of the men who made my brother's ear bleed. It took him an hour. Maybe even more than that. He seemed to not want to help us. Because, we were against the SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRARIAN REFORM and the MAYOR OF MASIU CITY, LANAO DEL SUR. They were all scared.

The world has gone crazy. Two politicians beat up a defenseless 56-year-old father and his 14-year-old son. At a golf course. I swear to God, I thought golfers were decent people. You would think politicians were decent people. I guess not. I guess they gang up on 56-year-old men and beat up pleading 14-year-old kids.

Please pray for my dad, my brother and for my whole family. Please pray that we get JUSTICE. Oh God, please, give these people what they deserve.

I got this from this site:
http://vicissitude-decidido.blogspot.com/2008/12/world-is-fucked-up.html

My comment(also posted there):

Kristina said...

You may be wondering how a stranger stumbled upon your blog and the answer is that my cousin, Jammy C., posted this link in our family Yahoo!groups. (Sorry, if this freaks you out.)

I am TOTALLY ENRAGED for your family. I am FURIOUS. I want to throw something. I hate injustice. I abhor it. I cannot even comprehend the fact that this happened, that this HAPPENS. Almost too hard to believe this is in fact our reality. This has absolutely lowered my confidence in humanity in general. How can someone so viciously act for oneself only? How can someone be capable of doing such an act of selfishness? How can a (let's assume) Catholic Filipino LEADER( SUPPOSEDLY) act like this? What has the world come down to?

Though, I am glad that you and your family are alive. No one should experience this degree of cruelty. (ESPECIALLY on freakin Christmas.)No one should even be capable of carrying out an action of this degree of cruelty. I am hoping for the best for your family. I hope you will all heal.
I will pray for you and your family. For every Filipino out there who has experienced,are experiencing, (God Forbid) will be experiencing this malevolence from our very own government. And, as hard as it is for me to say it, we must pray especially for these kind of people. 'Love your enemies.' As hard as it is to accept, we would be nothing better than those we hate, if we aren't even capable of this. Though, don't worry, you don't need to accept this yet. It might take a while, but eventually, we must forgive.

And for exactly this reason, we must hope. For the people who have been victimized, like your family, we must hope. For these dogs who don't even deserve the title of being called 'human' much less that of a 'mayor', we must hope. For our country, we must pray.

I will pray for you.

- Kristina C. (Jammy's cousin. Just reminding. :) )

The world has gone crazy. But then again, when we lose hope, we lose ourselves too.

Link of news report here: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/141418/DAR-chiefs-son-5-bodyguards-face-charges-for-alleged-mauling-of-2-golfers