Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Stop women violence

I just feel really breached whenever I see or hear stories about emotionally or physically abused women. I am not what you call a feminist but really, I don't think it's appropriate to treat us the weak gender.

Weeks ago, I have read a story about a Japanese girl, Junko Furuta, who was tortured to death for 44 days. Having read her story, I felt pain, agony and mercy for the poor girl. I don't want to get into details but she was gang-raped, fed cockroaches and urine to drink, hands tied to the ceiling and body used as a punching bag and lit her body by a lighter to burn. Junko already begged her torturers to kill her on Day 40 since having experienced such would make anyone wish to die.

She doesn't even deserve that kind of treatment from her killers since she doesn't even know them. What's most terrifying about the story was, a lot of people (reportedly) knew about her being held hostage but nobody wanted to speak up for different reasons - one of them was fear of being gotten back to. 

What's sad was that, the killers didn't even serve reclusion perpetua or a death sentence since they were minors at that time. They only served 7-8 years in prison and now are freed men. 

It's just so sad that the murder of Junko Furuta didn't get the justice it deserved. And these murderers are again out. 


Thursday, January 13, 2011

My Prince Charming

"My heart stops when you look at me. Just one touch and Baby I believe this is real so take a chance and don't ever look back"



I was all effed up last year. It started like as if I was in a roller coaster ride. My feelings fluctuated but it all circled around just with the negative adjectives you could think of. Lonely, miserable, sick, paranoid, underappreciated and effin oppressed. I remember how C and I watched "Miss you like crazy" emptying a Kleenex box as we internalized every John Lloyd-Bea crying moment until we went out of the theater. We were pathetic.


 I was like that for months. I didn't have the energy to even listen to Celine Lopez when she said that a girl is only permitted to be ugly, introvert, miserable for 3 weeks if she was from a bad break-up and yet I overstayed and took another 3.

But that's just fine. Heck, when I finally decided to look for a job and help myself because no one could but me, I looked for 2 jobs. I planned to busy myself with work to forget all about the life called LOVE.


I kinda felt happy and all just spending "ME" time, once in a while - with new friends and old, catching up with cousins and tourist-guiding my students. But, that was until JB.


I've known JB since I was 15. He's my buddy, Jonas' brother. And I mean younger brother. If cradle snatching were a crime, I'd be guilty as charged! Haha.. He's even younger than my biological brother. We've only exchanged His and Hellos when I visit Jonas during parties. Having said that, I never remembered him spoke to me. It's either he smirks at me or raises his eyebrows. But he NEVER said Hi. What a snob!

 
Last November, my 3-month old "trusty" laptop malfunctioned and being the panicky person that I am, I called the best, nearest possible help - Jonas, who referred me to JB since he was all computer geeky and techie-ish. And for a person who has been telling me that he doesn't like to study, he knows a lot when it comes to computers.

The first few days were the worst ever. Connection lost - I hate you Sky Broadband. Laptop broken. Classes missed. Students quit. Great! I couldn't even see what the silver lining was. I didn't know it was my techie boyfriend, after all.

Okay, I won't go into details but you know how the story began. And my addictions include:



His speaking voice. The sexiest voice ever. You won't know until you hear it. But think of Josh Hartnett.






His singing voice. Lovely and eats my heart out. It's like listening live to Christian Bautista. Seriously.




His eyes. I have a thing with chinky-eyed men. And as what Debbie Gibson always said: I get lost in his eyes.



His hands. Beautiful hands ever. Macho but neat. And so fast when he plays Counter Strike. haha!!! I even plan to record it on video. Baby, please let me?


 
His scent. Sometimes Oxygen, sometimes Lacoste, sometimes Lewis and Pearl. What-have-you. Still the best smell/s in the world.



His kisses. Okay, kisses from the one you love are all addictive. I shouldn't be explaining this since this is obvious and given.





His heart. He is nothing but nice. I feel like he's bringing out the best in me. And I think I can let it pass when he says that the other thing that he loves besides me is his PSP. Okay, then. You'll have your bonding with the PSP and those DOTA vanguards. Haha..

I never expected him and my brother to be close but thanks to The Bar. He is now officially Pogs' drinking buddy but in moderation. I promise. My mom likes him. Even Apollo does.

We are both Pizza monsters. Haha.. It's a good thing my brother works at Greenwich. Pizza is just one text away.

We sing together. Songs from the 80's. Ballads.
The Backstreet boys. RnB. Heck, and even Linkin Park!

He's so addicted to computers that he lets me hold the remote control EVERYTIME.
The TV is mine. The computer is his. Yay.

Last Christmas I had coffee with C. We caught up on old times and remembered that the last time we had that "bonding" was last Valentine's day when we were both plain lonely and miserable. Last Christmas was an emotional night since we were both happy at the moment and that the year won't end in tears but with all the joy and happiness that we deserve.

She's got L and I've got J.


I mean, it's true that when God closes a door, He opens a window. And that's JB to me.

Jb and Elle - Just LOVE

Saturday, April 24, 2010

The kindest felon


Is there chocolate in Prison? Well, I don’t really care just as long as Michael Scofield’s there to make my day.



Saturday, March 13, 2010

Skirts and Pants


 It’s Apollo’s first anniversary today.

The thrill of having my car is still in me. It’s still fresh in my memory when I’d stay up until 4 in the morning to have driving lessons, inconsiderate of my instructor’s sleeping time.


I remember spending 600 bucks a week just to gas Apollo up and venture every place in the Metro. It was like Alice traveled in wonderland with a 4-wheeled transportation. So modern.



At that time, my hands love the steering wheel.

There was a connection between them brought up by my passion. When I was a student driver, I heard horns blowing left and right so all I wanted to be was a skilled one. Maybe, it’s also because of the stereotype that women are bad drivers. I wanted to prove them wrong.

I had to go through a lot just to have Apollo but the bottom line is – it really was an exhausting day (the details will bore you, believe me). And yet a relief. It was like having to eat meat after Holy week.

Excitement, joy, pride – all at the same time. I didn’t feel even the slightest insecurity driving it given my gender.

Anyway, my car has been named after a Greek god. I wanted to give him the name Adonis, at first, but I’ve been told that it would sound like a place visited by cougars and homos. So, there, I came up with Apollo.

That’s why I have always loved the SPICE GIRLS. Their popularized cheer “Girl Power” makes every woman to go-go. And as a disclaimer, I am not a Mary Wollstonecraft who will struggle for women’s rights. I just wonder why men are always thought of as the great drivers and generally, the dominant gender.

Honestly, I had my fair share of betraying my gender. I like men in a funny, friendly, platonic kind of way. I can say that I’m comfortable being friends with them than that of my kind. It’s because of the reason that, men are fun, simple and sometimes stupid. Women are smart, yet boring and most of the time, fake.

Men are goofy. What seems to be “wow” to them is “eewww” to the women.

I feel more attached to men because they love inside jokes. Smirking. Greeting each other with their stunting hands. You can tell them anything and everything without having to worry of judgment. They can appreciate humor in ways more than one – green, idiotic, dumb, funny, and nasty and even the sarcastic ones. If you even wore the same shirt color, they’ll probably just laugh it off. They won’t mind eating a bunch and they’ re like kids whom you’d just bribe with video games, ice cream or fish balls to do you a favor.

Women, however, are different.
You tell women something about your dark past and the next thing you know, they’re all out when you, two, declare war – that is, if she hasn’t blackmailed you yet. We greet each other with a pair of kisses on the cheek. You’ll be in a humdrum talking about getting As in class or having a pedicure or dating the prettiest guy in school. And if you get so lucky, you’ll be analyzing yourselves in an open forum and talk about your life’s misery. Plus, you’ll have to buy a sized 7 – 8 Jimmy Choos or boxes of Ferrero Rocher for her to forgive you… if she isn’t on a diet trying to look like Kate Moss. No Fun.

But, and there’s always a but, women are empaths. Try to open up a love problem and the guys would just tell you the cheesy line: “If he really loves you, then he’ll have to accept you for who you are”. (Same, old, exact excuse they give for themselves.

And yet, women dissect. Are inquisitive. And are detailed. They usually like solving the puzzle – and not in a mathematical kind of way. Most women hate Math. Just like how any window shopping goes – they visit from one boutique to another and don’t buy right away.
I mean, Albert Einstein, as said to be the most intellectual person to date, had won a Nobel Prize but hadn’t Marie Curie won one, too – and even earlier? Not that I don’t appreciate Romeo and Juliet but Pride and Prejudice is more hopeful. And Bill Clinton’s sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky circused America but Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s “Hello Garci” scandal made a rant even more.




Well, why? It’s for the reason that even though we have women’s month, mothers’ day and sorts, the world is too used to womanizing men but so disgraced with slutty women. So unfair.

What is the essence of a man, really? Has anyone answered this question? Apparently, it’s more amazing watching women flaunt their curved bodies than men’s muscles in beauty pageants. The harsh reality is, we don’t give a damn about Arnold Schwarzenegger and his Mr. Universe thingy.

Watching Clueless is a hundred more times watching than The terminator because it’s cuter to say “As if” than “Hasta La Vista, Baby”.


I talked to one of my exes recently. Since I, still, am a drama queen – cherishing and lingering the pain from two months ago. I just wanted a breather, and maybe, someone who’ll tell me that I am not a masochist, after all -- I’m really starting to believe I am one and it freaks the hell out of me.

He told me” What’s meant to be’s meant to be. I know I eff up a lot in relationships but that’s it? No wisdom. No Sympathy. No heart. Isn’t it ironic when reality seems to be crappy and the only things you want to hear are illusioned, reel and hopeful for your dying lovelife?

If I knew all along that that was what he’d say, I wish I had talked to one of my girlfriends, instead. She’ll probably want me to check my horoscope out because the rotation of the moon and the planets have something to do with my life… now, that’s more light and more fun!



Well, one thing that separates us from the male species? We are believers. There’s fate, destiny, time and the heavenly bodies. We watch too many movies so definitely we believe in happy endings.








Tuesday, February 16, 2010

The Partner-in-crime

When I first watched Gossip Girl, I knew I was gonna love it. Good-looking guys. Elite people. Manhattan. Chic. Fashionable. Blair. Nate. Chuck.


But, really, what made it interesting was, eventhough how bitchy, wicked and stubborn Blair is, she found herself a bestfriend in the person of Serena.


When Serena knew that Blair wasn't gonna get into Yale, she was there for her and same thing goes to S when B knew that she killed someone. She didn't judge Serena and instead, helped her resolve issues.

Having a boyfriend is great but having a bestfriend is even greater. It's a BLESSING.

Who would you call in the middle of the night when you and your guy fight?

Who would suggest you a make-over when you're not looking your best?

Who would tolerate your naighty-ness for the sake of your happiness?

Who would criticize you in a nice wat as not to hurt your feelings?

Or who would you share those bars of chocolate when you feel down and depressed?

Just your Bestfriend. Thank heavens, literally, since I first met C in this church community called Antioch. She was one of the prettiest in my batch and as I was in that superficial episode of my life, I only talked to pretty people. We didn't hit the friendship mode until a year after - and it's because between the two of us, C is the friendlier one.


Eversince C and I became friends, it was so easy for me telling my thoughts to her. It was comfortable being me. It made me think of friendships like Courteney Cox and Jennifer Aniston's, Katie Holmes and Victoria Beckham's, Tobey Maguire and Leonardo diCaprio's or the infamous BROMANCE of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.

They are all twosomes. People who have found their partners-in-crime in the other. Friends that aren't as alike (personality-wise), but can meet halfway for the sake of friendship. That is what I feel about my friendship with C. Safe yet careless.

Last Sunday, C and I planned a movie date. Call it divine intervention but we were both wearing the same thing - black and white striped blouse and a pair of  black shorts. We also both wore flip-flops.

We first went to the grocery to buy 2 bars of chocolate, 4 kinds of potato chips, mini wafer bars, cheesy flakes, chocolate cookies, iced tea and lemonade. We made it specific to buy sweets because we both know that John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo will never fail to make anyone hopelessly in-love. And we don't wanna allow that feeling at the moment since there are enough dramas happening in our lovelives lately.
As the movie went on, we weren't able to eat those bags of chips and drink the lemonade that costs $2 We both shared tissue papers for 2 reasons: One, that we were so touched and moved by the story and two; that we both can relate to it.

The amazing thing about it was - we never were ashamed of sobbing inside the theater. I never felt embarassed crying over a tagalog, cheesy, hopeless romantic film and it's because I was with someone who understands my whole being.

Isn't it nice to have someone by your side days after Valentine's Day and you're lovelife-less, alone and single? I know it sounds pathetic but what have we? No C, No P. Nobody exactly. Just us.

This is so mushy hearing from a girl bestfriend but I promise you that my favorite color is still pink, my favorite word is make-up and eventhough how gorgeous Angelina Jolie could be, I'd still prefer dating Brad Pitt. I'm straight.

It's just that we complement each other a lot. I'm the bread and she's the butter. I'm the milk and she's the coffee. I'm the sago and she's the gulaman. Hahaha!!

And if ever I tell her, I killed someone, I know she'd help me out how to lie to the cops. Or surrender. Or disappear. And here's what, I'd do the same thing to her.

Heck. I just found my SERENA.

Me and bessie!

Thursday, July 2, 2009


Money. A lot of people like it - including yours truly.

When I do have classes with

Advanced students and ask them if

they like money, they'll always say

that they do.


Some would say that money makes

them happy.

Some would say that money is a necessity but

not overall happiness.


One student told me that

money doesn't make him

happy. It just makes him buy

all the things that he

wants to buy and for him,

that's not happiness but

only satisfaction -- and I've always

wanted this student because he always made his

point. With money you can buy everything and

anything~~ cars, bags, accessories, cosmetics.




I do get it when people like money. But

to love it is absurd.


I like money but not as much as I appreciate the

world around me with so much joy because I don't

hurt others. I don't judge them.


And I'm not saying that it makes us all bad people if

we love it. It's hypocrisy.

Unless there still is Galleon

trade, I'm afraid we

have to keep on earning money.



Well, my friend Kate always talks about how she

wants to have a foreign hubby for her to be well-off.

And since she's my friend, I respect whatever she

wants to do with her life.

She's kind, smart, thoughtful. She's

sweet in her own little way.

She's a good daughter and a loving

sister, too. She's very friendly and you

can always see her smile.


What's not to love about her, huh?


I just warned her that money can change everything

and I don't want that friend of mine to just be history.


I don't want everything I have just

mentioned to disappear because of

tons of Benjamin Franklin bills.  




I like Kate because she is what she is.


Does money make the world go round? In a way, yes.



But still, the best things in life are free.

Love. Joy. Parents. Brothers. Sisters.

Friends. Sleep. Laughter. Music.

Blue skies. Smile. Peace of mind.





...and the thought that you make other people happy

with your existence.


That's priceless.