Name: The Geek
A bagatelle, really. Jostein Gaarder, "Sophie's World" My name is Mark Angelo V. Ching, born on March 14, 1988. I am a sophomore taking up Journalism in the University of the Philippines (Diliman), a bookworm at a young age. If I have money, I make it a point to veer away from bookstores because I tend to spend it all on lots of books. I own a lot of books now because of this; a lot from Stephen King, some from Dean Koontz, Jane Langton, Dick Francis, Susanna Gregory, Ursula K. Le Guin, Patricia Cornwell, Iris Johansen, and more. I am a lover of music, and I sing a lot. Maybe I would try out for Philippine Idol's season 2... hmm. I am also prone to fatal bouts of depression. Now all these are just important for me only, but for you these are just a bagatelle, or worthless. But then, I wish that I'd make a mark on you... even unconsciously.
today
January 2008
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
February 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
visited *loading* times
Sorry if I can't post any new entries lately.
The reason?
I have a big Scrabble tournament to lord over on Sunday, Oct. 29.
So I'm really preparing for it.
Wish me luck!
They say that if the women population were to be taken as a whole, we’d find a creature that’s very much like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The creature would be in split personalities. Thus, we say that it is with an alter ego.
One of its personalities would be the Mr. Hyde. She would be a girl whom everyone would like: kind, cheerful, obedient; pretty much like the dream daughters of every parent and the dream wives of every man.
The other personality then would be extremely unlike the first. She would be a girl whom everyone would like only on the surface: she looks like a Barbie Doll that has been breathed with life. And, like the Barbie Doll, she costs much more and is harder to maintain. She is a bilmoko monster. She has the saying “what <name>… <name> gets” as a virtue of life. Then, she rewards those who give in to them with (gasp!) their bodies. After all, what is a Barbie Doll’s use for?
Can this be true?
Somehow, the situation produces a false dichotomy. Can’t these two egos mix together? I believe that there is no individual female that solely only has only one ego. If there is one, that girl will be an actress, and a great one at that.
Besides, how could anyone know which is which? The former can act as the latter and the same follows vice versa. If then, no one can now assume surely that they had guessed the right ego rightly. I guess no one will pass go and collect 200 dollars with this situation. No one will win a Kewpie doll.
I can then say that the alter ego can be altered. If be, there will never be one in the first place.
And you know what this is about now. This is about the object of the sensitive part of the soul according to my professor in Philo 10 (I disagree, but hey! That’s another paper…). Yup! I am talking about colors, colors and, if you’re a Canadian, colours.
However, you ask what color/colour is to our meaningful subject? It is used as a gender stereotype, that’s why!
BLUE
This colour is always associated with masculinity. Those who wear this colour are perceived as strong and manly, courageous and fearless. Somehow, I do doubt why not all of the students in Ateneo are men… or are men who are courageous and strong.
Enough of the satire. When male babies are born, parents (excited and nervous at the same time) furnish their newborn with all things that are coloured blue. The baby wears blue clothes, blue diapers, blue mittens, blue bibs; the room has blue walls, a blue crib stands at a corner, the blue curtains flutter with the wind. All that’s missing in this scene is for the baby to be colored blue, or at least feel blue.
PINK
You knew this was coming. Of course, as we all know, this colour is intended for the little girls. (And again) The female baby, when born, is dressed in pink clothes, adorned with pink accessories, placed in a pink room and fed with a pink bottle. Groovy, eh? NOT! Actually, what is missing in the puzzle piece is a pink-colored baby, or a baby with only pinkies as her fingers.
This color is always associated with feminity. What follows is that when you wear pink, you are feminine, even though you look like Son Gokou complete with over-sized biceps and a tight six-pack. Then again, I’ve been seeing guys wearing pink with the message: TOUGH GUYS WEAR PINK, so maybe a revolution is coming.
RAINBOW
In the end, can this revolution win? Maybe. However, this revolution seems to be very quiet and very slow to be qualified as one.
… marriage to a woman will be useless, for men could reproduce by themselves.
… Men’s Health magazine would print issues on how to build the body safely while pregnant.
… more babies won’t be born, they’d be aborted accidentally.
… the lasenggos and sigas would brag on the number of their cesarean scars on their abdomen.
… computer games would feature pregnant men.
… rock groups named “Big” and “Conception” would be very famous.
… newborns will have to fend for themselves.
…(the women don’t menstruate), women can’t get pregnant.
… women will be extinct.
Hmmm… with women now extinct, it will be a sad world! Now do you want the men to be pregnant? With that settled, the women should be proud that they are the only ones that could get pregnant. Don’t ever say things like sana mabuntis din kayong mga lalaki para malaman niyo kung gaano kahirap. Believe us, we already do…
I left Dalisay Aldaba Hall feeling empty, like I’ve lost something. In fact I did. I lost my favorite baseball cap in there, the brown one with a Chinese character on it.
Buti na lang, the Takilya Peyups gave me compensation; there were great movies in there’re.
The following were great movies:
Edi Po: The use of flashbacks was essential to the story, and the cinematography and sound in these shots were uniform and not confusing. The lighting design didn’t fail. Most of the camera positions were right-on. The only camera position I think should be changed would be when Edi’s mother was walking up the stairs towards the movie’s end. The camera should have been placed at the top of the stairs, not at its side, to create more tension.
Now Hiring: This was a very funny movie. The two’s performances were perfect, especially Sophia Mo who played Zai. She is a natural! The story was finely crafted and never failed to delight the audience. The lighting design and the cinematography were also perfect. The only blemish I could find was the acting of Zai’s parents.
Quiet Dinners: The story was okay. What made this movie shine were its two leads: Joshua Ilaya and XY Martillo. They have the spark. The lighting design and the camera positioning were also good. I wanted to say one thing about Prof. Pinky Aseron’s performance, but then I’d rather not. *wink*
Then there were the movies that were not that good:
Deadline: The story was stretched too much. There were also inconsistencies in it, like how affected the guy was with the death of the actress, even blurring out the faces of that actress in a magazine, then shift instantly to joy. Then there was the scene where that guy chased the two girls with a knife. There were unnecessary shots, like the shot of one girl’s face looking through the glass. The lighting design also failed in some parts.
Abot-Tanaw: Inconsistencies were also in the story, like how joyful Elena was to be tied up in the trunk of a car. She didn’t even feel dizzy. The lighting design was bad, evidently in the scene where the two leads went to see the view, then saying that it’s beautiful. Unfortunately, the viewers can only see the dark.
You Had Me at Hello: The problem with this movie is it’s being a musical. Musicals should involve a beautiful score and a beautiful choreography. Sadly, I don’t think it has these.
I liked Takilya Peyups. To the extent of losing my favorite cap? Maybe. But I still want my cap back.
Found my cap? 0906-2315207
You should know now what this is about as the title is too suggestive.
Yup! This is a reaction to Kara David’s documentary on GMA 7’s I-Witness, titled Pinoy XXX shown last Monday, January 16.
The documentary focused on the cd movies being peddled everywhere around the Philippines these days. These movies are very x-rated, and apparently, they hadn’t even been shown to the MTRCB (which would overly cringe and overly react if they did).
What’s worse is the actors and actresses in the movies. Kara David clearly showed that the actors in these movies are minors. They are high school students “discovered” by talent scouts at billiard tables, bars, and discos… anywhere teens hang.
The teens are ushered into a hotel room where they are paid more-or-less 5000 pesos to act as “toreros” in an amateur fuck film for mature people.
They are told that the movies will only be released in Taiwan so they conceded. However, you know how piracy works; it spreads like wildfire in all parts of the world.
Hadn’t they thought about that?
Ms. David interviewed on girl who starred in the movie. She said she wasn’t expecting that the movie would be posted over the Internet. Now, she’s famous even though she doesn’t want to be famous. Worse still is that her sister who’s doing well in school is mistaken as she.
Indeed, this piracy couldn’t be stopped. A director/producer making this fuck movie will only need around 50,000 pesos. Each cd will cost him/her 10 pesos to make, and in turn, he/she will sell it with the price of 35 pesos each (25 pesos as his earning per cd). He sells 1,000 pieces of it per day. Therefore, he earns 25,000 per day. Hooray! On two days, he’ll have earned back what he produced.
The producers earn, but do the actors earn too? Of course not! All that they earn is shame and humiliation. Maybe if they could get some royalty fee for every cd sold, they would earn more and would at least be happy of them being famous (Ha-Ha).
Otherwise, in the need, only the producers win. And it’s not even a film fest (where only Mother Lily wins… OOPS! That is another story…).
My older brother once said that the opinions of the old people to the roles of the sexes are hardest to change, for these old people are stubborn; they think that what they know is right, and that what they believe is correct. For them, everybody else is wrong.
He stated one case wherein his professor in Pan Pil 19 went to a province to spearhead an establishment of a school. The professor, together with two members of these biased species, became a judge in the selection of teachers for this new school. They rejected an applicant although he was the best of the lot. The vote of rejection had been two Nos (courtesy of the biased species) and one Yes (courtesy of the UP professor). The reason? The biased two were afraid that the students would catch his disease. And, they consider homosexuality as a contagious disease.
Isn’t it disheartening to think that some people can be like this?
Apparently, it is.
Furthermore, although this is a cruel idea to think about, I would be very happy if ever this group of species would be extinct.
I have never really liked Christmas. Firstly, the cold weather that accompanies it triggers my asthma, and secondly, the long vacation breaks off my academic stride.
Nevertheless, in between wheezing attacks and efforts to preserve my head start, I noticed some peculiarities and thinking about them, they procured some fun. They somehow made me like Christmas a little bit.
One of these peculiarities is how people associate more of Santa Claus in Christmas than Jesus, who is known to be the celebrant.
An evidence supporting this is how children know of him more. They wait for Christmas so that they could receive the things that they like from this sleigh-riding, sack-toting, chimney-sneaking red creature. Furthermore, they are told to be kind all throughout the year so that Santa would put his or her name on his list, not that Jesus ordered them to be so to receive the gift of everlasting life.
Santa surely carries the symbol of a materialistic Christmas. He represents the Yuletide Season today where people don’t even think about whom we should turn the season to, the people just think about themselves; what they will receive, and what they could dish out to give.
Some wise guy could then reply that there is something that reminds the people of Jesus Christ, and he would say something about the Simbang Gabi. Well, I will tell Mr. Wise Guy that this Simbang Gabi has been largely ignored, and had been already infected with the materialism virus.
Ask the churchgoers during this time why they try to wake up early to attend the mass, and most of them will answer that they do this so that they will get what they want for Christmas. Now, isn’t that materialistic?
Because of this, a large part of the congregation ignores the mass completely. Besides, these people don’t usually go in the church. They form clusters around the nearest stall beside the church, eating puto bumbong and bibingka; hence the term Simbang Tabi.
Very Peculiar
Very peculiar, eh?
Nonetheless, let me greet you a Merry Christmas. But then, I think a Merry Santamas is more appropriate.
I recently watched a segment in “Extra Challenge: Milyonaryo--- E Kasi Bata! Series” wherein the kids are debating on the issue of what sex is greater than the other. Stroke of a genius, eh? Apparently, it is not.
For one thing, using this battle-of-the-sexes topic for a debate will not accomplish anything. It runs as a runner-up to the egg-or-chicken issue. Furthermore, both are the same as to the fact that you can never really raise a sensible point that rings some truth in it. All of the points that the kids raised are laughable, such as: boys are stronger than girls so they’re better (my answer: wait ‘til you see women who are into body-building); girls carry a baby to term so they’re better (my answer: but can girls make a baby themselves?); boys work (my answer: huh?); girls are pretty (my answer: huh?).
Their points are funny, but the underlying point is not. This underlying point is that all these biases are still instilled in these kids’ minds. In our time of equality and liberation, it is not necessary to still plant all these biases in these tender minds.
Now who are at fault here? The blame goes to the parents, because they are the ones who are the first teachers of their children.
Now, the media should also take some of the blame-flavored pie. The media also teaches children on what they need to know, and what their parents don’t want them to know.
We must always think that what we say to them are taken as biblical truths--- that is, they think that these are all true. We must be careful for they will grow with these biases clinging with them.
Kubrador affected me greatly. It gave me a headache.
Kubrador is a movie directed by Jeffrey Jeturian, which has won awards at the 28th Moscow International Film Festival (Best Film in Competition) and at the 8th OSIAN Cine Fan Festival of Asian Cinema (Best Picture and Best Actress, Gina Pareño). The Cinema Evaluation Board also gave it their first A of the year. Kubrador tells a story about a woman and her life centered on jueteng.
On the other hand, the headache in question was brought about by the movie’s camera shots, which in my opinion, were poor. What signifies this the most was when the character of Gina Pareño walks to collect bets. The camera follows her around in these scenes, and then the camera shots shake around, and then blur. There were three scenes like these, and the first one already gave me a headache so in the next two ones, I was crying out things like “no not again!” and “jump scene please!”
Headaches aside, I didn’t see why this movie won the awards. Actually, as I was about to exit SM North Cinema 9, I thought maybe the Fipresci people are blind. I mean Kubrador doesn’t even have a plot! OK, so Gina Pareño is a jueteng kubrador who has a son who died recently. Then at the end, Gina Pareño was still a jueteng kubrador who has a son who died recently. Nothing happened!
What was the whole point of this movie? If it was to show how jueteng works, then I must say that it succeeded in telling the viewer how appalling the situation of this illegal numbers game is. If it was to show the current state of poverty in the Philippines, then I must also say that it succeeded in portraying the real score of poverty. However, if it was to tell a concrete story, then it has failed. The movie’s plot involving a car crash and gunshot wounds is a diversion to the plot, as it was unsuccessful in bringing together all the elements of the story. This plot doesn’t even involve jueteng, which is (if I’m right) the theme of the movie.
So my advice is this: if you want to see Kubrador, then do. Just do not forget to bring aspirin.
Disclaimer: But then, maybe it’s just me.
One-Liner: As I was about to enter this R-13 movie, the lady collecting the tickets asked me, “Sir, ilang taon na ho kayo?” ----------------Huh? Do I look that young?
Left and right, night and day, we see and they hear revolutionary women fighting for equal rights. Apparently, these protagonists were succeeding and their antagonists are losing, much like Darna winning over Valentina. But enough of the opposites (and unequalities) shall we? It’s getting to be a tiring read.
According to experts, the women are one of minority groups around the world. A long time ago, they aren’t given equal rights, such as having to vote, having careers and having to choose their husbands.
In the Philippines today, according to women militants like the Gabriela, they are slowly turning up the tides and winning. The typical Filipina now vote (be voted for), work (and be worked for), and choose their husbands (by collecting and selecting).
No, no. This article isn’t about praise or criticism. This is written to point out and raise a certain issue.
This is on the equality that they want to have. Apparently, they want to be heard. Men (like me) want to be heard too.
One point: there was one time in one class (yep… here in UP) where a woman was supposedly late. Because all the seats were taken, she just stood up while the class was going on, obviously wanting any of these two things to happen: for some male to stand up and offer her his seat; or, someone nice enough to fetch her a seat from the next room. The professor (who was male) sensed this, and he told the girl that if she wants to sit down, she has to get her own seat. The girl reluctantly went out and fetched a seat, and the professor told the rest of the class the problem with these women who speak of equality.
Why do women act out as activists when they feel stepped upon, then act out as kittens that need to be taken care of when wanting a seat (or any favor whatsoever)? Men are also a minority there. When he doesn’t see to what that woman wants, he is seen as ungentlemanly. With the equality that they want, it follows that they should fend for themselves in lieu to these little favors. After all, they’re independent, right?
Now please forgive the ego of this man (and other men as well)… just as we forgive the women’s…
Grabe naming pagmaltrato sa mga babae ‘yun!
This was my father’s reaction when my I told him of the processes of women circumcision, aptly termed as clitoridectomy and infibulation, practiced in countries including Kenya, Gambia, Sudan, Somalia and Nigeria. He expressed exactly as my sentiments.
Clitoridectomy is a process where the clitoris, a part of the vulva that apparently has no direct function in reproduction, is cut off. Girls in infancy or in ages four to 10 are the victims of these practices.
Infibulation is much, MUCH, much, MUCH, much, MUCH (I could go on and on typing this word… believe me) worse than clitoridectomy. If the former only deals with the cutting off of the clitoris, infibulation now concerns with the removal of the whole clitoris, the inner lips, and some of the outer lips. Then, the raw edges are stitched together, leaving only a little opening for urination and menstruation. In short, the woman is given a silent order to just die.
If it is, this bad, then why couldn’t the parents of these women and the women themselves say no to the practice? The reasons that tell that they cannot be married unless they succumb to these practices are not worth the trouble. After all, what would be the benefit of having nearly killed then be married? Eternal happiness? C’mon…
This clearly shows the inequality between the men and women in these countries. Accordingly, if the woman hasn’t been circumcised, then she can’t marry. Now if the man then is not circumcised, he could still be regarded as a brave hero (if he kills a tough enemy or if he can hunt skillfully) and awarded with wives.
What comes to my writer’s pile now (which is my overworking mind) is to write a horror story on women who take revenge on men by circumcising them in fun (!) new processes. Revenge should be sweet.
Template by motime.com | header image credit: Markus Gann © www.begann.de