• Maundy Thursday (April 9)
• Good Friday (April 10)
• Araw ng Kagitingan (April 6) 
• Labor Day (May 1) 
• Independence Day (June 12) 
• National Heroes Day (August 31) 
• Bonifacio Day (November 30)
• Rizal Day (December 30) 
• Special working holidays include:  Ninoy Aquino Day (August 21), All Saints Day (November 1) and New Year’s Eve (December 31). November 2 and December 24 were also added as special non-working days.
• As for Eid’l Fitr (end of Ramadan), holiday will be based from the Islamic calendar or the lunar calendar.

Actually, I don’t know why I’m even interested in this list.  My work isn’t even affected by it anyway, haha.  Or rather, yes, we do still have holidays but we work on holidays still.  It only matters that if the day is marked as a holiday, we go on skeletal duty (only duties go to work and the nonduties can stay home).  So, technically, we do still have holiday vacations, only that it is staggered in between days of scheduled duties.  What a life.  But then, I have to be thankful for the small stuff.  At least there are days of vacation.

And, as for emphasis and show of power, he beat up a 56-year old man and a 14-year old boy…in an effing golf course because of an effing golf game.  And that guy who felt he’s entitled to too many things he doesn’t deserve is a politician, Mayor Nasser Pangandaman Jr. of Masiu, Lanao del Sur.

Bambee, in her blog, Vicissitude, tells us the tale of how this Masiu mayor and his company (including his father, the Secretary Nasser Pangandaman of Department of Agrarian Reform) bullied and mauled her father and her brother:

“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…”

Read the rest of her tale here.

Things such as these always make me fuming mad.  Oh, how I wished I can say, “FUCK YOU, MGA PUNYETA KAYO!” to these politicians faces and hit them with their own golf clubs!  Punyeta, the mayor acts as if he’s answerable to no one.  And he’s just a FUCKING MAYOR (imagine what else he’d do if he’s holding a higher government position…)

What irks me more is how the entire Valley Golf and Country Club (Antipolo city) behaved in such situation:

“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?!”

“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 feel a mixture of pity and anger for the employees of Valley Golf present on that unfortunate day.  Obviously, they were scared of the mayor and his father.  But I pity them for not having the courage to do what is right and what they’re supposed to do to take care of their clients.  I strongly advise that the dela Paz family include the Valley Golf club in filing charges.  THEIR SECURITY GUARDS DID NOTHING.  And it even took them a while to help them physically get out of harm, even advising them, the victims, to SIMPLY LEAVE THE PLACE, as if they’re the aggressors.

It’s appalling that people have the gall to simply just let this happen.  All the more appalling is how some people think that this is the usual occurrence in the Philippines and that those who fell victims to such should simply “deal with it”.  The apathy!  Surely it is one thing to acknowledge that such violence occur to average people, but it is one thing to say that it is but a wakeup call to “clueless middle-class people”.  Perhaps some person is forgetting that he, too, belongs to the middle class (maybe even upper middle class).  Indirectly, he’s incriminating himself to be rather clueless too.  One of the things I really do get annoyed is when stereotypes are applied to people because they seem to belong to a “class”.  Sorry, but I prefer to see individuals, not simply groups of people.

This is a very horrible experience on what’s supposed to be a relaxing vacation on a holiday.  But, I think, it’s fortunate that Bambi is a blogger and that she wrote her experience on her blog.  The mayor may have all his money and all the connections to be able to manipulate the outcome of all of these.  But Bambi’s got her own voice, her blog, in cyberspace.  And she’s out to tell her story.

So, sorry ka na lang, Mayor.  You can manipulate some people most of the time, but you cannot control everybody all the time.  Of course, you’ve got your own side of the story to tell and I believe EVERYBODY would be darn interested to hear all of it.  But surely don’t justify your wanton acts with a kid’s cussing!  Though in time you may be able to get away with all of it, her story will still survive and those who’re willing to know about it will REMEMBER.  

To Bambee, I feel your anger and your cry for justice.  I don’t really pray, but nevertheless, I still wish that the right things happen and you’d get the justice your family deserves.  And I wish all of you a speedy recovery from this traumatic experience, especially to your father and your brother.

To the rest of the blogosphere, spread the word!

The news articles:

• DAR chief, son face raps for allegedly mauling golfers from abs-cbn news
• DAR chief’s son tagged in golf attack from Inquirer.net
• Kalihim ni Arroyo inakusahang nanggulpi sa golf course sa Antipolo from Gmanews.tv
• MAG-AMA BINUGBOG NG ANAK NG DAR CHIEF from Abante Tonite
• Why GMA must fire DAR Sec. Nasser Pangandaman Sr. by William M. Esposo

Others who have blogged about it:

• Impunity and Golf by caffeine_sparks
• DAR chief Pangandaman’s son, Mayor Nasser Pangandaman Jr., in mauling golfers in Antipolo by Noemi Dado
• Mayor beats up 56 year old man and 14 year old boy by BA Racoma
• Golfs, Guns, & Goons: Philippine Golf Horror Story by Joel Chua
• Politicians beat up defenseless dad, 56, and son, 14, over golf by Shari
• Mayor of Lanao del Sur mauls father and son by Village Idiot Savant
• DAR Secretary Nasser Pangandaman and Son maul 56-year-old Golfer and 14-year old Kid by Neil Es2pido
• Irony to a Tee by Marck
• Mayor Beats Up 56 Year Old Man and 14 Year Old Boy by BA Racoma
• DAR Chief and Mayor of Masiu City Maul Helpless Dad and 14 yr old Son by Jepoy Bengero
• Politicians are the WORST. Stay away from them by Jen
• Entitlement by Ia Lucero
• A Dampener on the Season by Jonas Diego
• These Bastards Have To Pay by Gerry Alanguilan
• Mayor Nasser Pangandaman Jr. (son of DAR Chief) in Mauling Golfers in Antipolo by Dine Racoma
• Crazy Politicians! by Lalaine
• The World has Always Been Crazy, We Just Don’t Notice It: Mayor Beats Up 56 Year Old Man and 14 Year Old Boy by Ade Magnaye
• DAR chief and Mayor of Masiu city maul helpless dad and 14-year old son by Jepoy
• When a Family Golf Game Turns Ugly by Dementia
• With Great Power Comes Great Irresponsibility by Yogajane
• Mayor Nasser Pangandaman Jr. (son of DAR chief) in Mauling Golfers in Antipolo by Dine Racoma
• Philippine Mayor Beats Up Helpless Old Man Over Golf by Flisha
• Politicians Maul Father & Son Over Golf by Regnard Raquedan
• Of Thuggery and Courtesy Resignations by Ding G. Gagelonia
• You’re Not Getting Away With This. by Marcelle
• Mayor, You’ve Been A Bad Boy! by Mark Bravo
• Mayor Pangandaman Beats Up 56 year old man and his 14 year old son by Karla Redor
• Potpourri II: The widening gyre
• just a couple of days ago, sabi ko gusto ko maging pulitiko someday… by sourcreamjunkie
• Blogs on Pangandaman
• We haven’t really gone anywhere by Alex Maximo
• Do Not Underestimate a Blogger: Bloggers Buzz Against the Injustice of a Mayor Nasser Pangandaman Jr. by cmaotaku
• The “DVD” Side Of Philippine Politics by Dexie
• Philippines: Uproar over mauling by mayor/son of Cabinet secretary by Global Voices
• Ang Kapangahasan ng Isang Pulitiko by Fjordan
• Mayor Nasser Pangandaman Jr. mauls golfers while father/Cabinet secretary just looks on by Tonyo Cruz
• PANGANDAMNYOU: will GMA force Sec. Nasser Pangandaman to RESIGN? by Spanky
• A Mindanaoan’s point of view on The Valley Golf Antipolo Controversy by Yolynne
• Bully Foolitician Nasser Pangandaman Jr. by Pedestrian Observer
• The Golf Incident: The Trouble with Mirrors by Juned
• Golfing with the Pangandaman…can hurt…(Repost of Bambee’s post) by lyn
• Mayor and Bodyguards beat up 56 year-old man and 14 year old boy over GOLFby the_bumper_car
• Mayor Nasser Pangandaman Jr., Mayor of Masiu City, Lanao del Sur: Golf Attackby Reynz
• Not a Videogame This Time Folks by Rocky
• DAR chief, son accused of mauling golfers in Antipolo by Jay-R
• Local politicians maul a 56-year-old man and a 14-year-old boy by Lyn
• Impunity by Manolo Quezon
• Reports on DAR chief’s son, Mayor Nasser Pangandaman’s Assault on Father & Son at Valley Golf & Country Club Antipolo by Bong
• Of Golf, the Internet and Elites by Butch
• Pangandaman and son display bad behavior by Arpee
• DAR chief’s son, 5 bodyguards face charges for alleged mauling of 2 golfers by Pres. Mau of Dateline Cotabato
• Nasser Pangandaman Jr.: The Warlord of Masiu by Carlos Conde of PinoyPress.net
• Blog entry take your time to read this. these politicos need a REFORM. by xkeldax
• Two politicians beat up a defenseless 56-year-old father and his 14-year-old son. At a golf course. (repost of Bambee’s post) by Azrael
• Coming Up for Air…and Bored by Jester-in-Exile
• A Mauling Mayor from Lanao del Sur by PolitEkon
• From Bambi dela Paz’s Blog - First hand account of the Slugfest at the Golf Course (Repost) by Toots Ople
• A Good Round Spoiled by Dr. M. Bautista
• This is why our country will be forever poor. by themiserablehumorist
• A Mayor on a Mad Rampage as Father Looks On by Ricelander
• Abusive Politicians in the Philippines by Mithril Knight
• On arrogance: This world *is* crazy, Bambee. We just have to fight the craziness the best we can and hope that we kick its ass. by arc
• Arroyo’s peace adviser merely watched his son’s mauling spree by Ellen Tordesillas
• Public Servant Power by Mon Casiple
• How NOT To Play ‘Spin Doctor’ on Blogs [The Pangandaman Golf-Mauling Incident] by Ely
• Nasser Pangandaman Mauls a Father and His 14-year-old Son? by Pinoy Copywriter
• UNLUCKY by the Professional Heckler
• Comment: Nasser Pangandaman Jr.: The warlord of Masiu
• Character and Abuse of Power by Congressman Ruffy Biazon
• Arrogrance on Naked Display by the Unlawyer
• Thug Thumping by Jen
• You Don’t Know Who We Are by Dean
• Civilized Behavior by Fabian

Like what a senior resident told me, I’m taking it one day at a time.  The work can be so overwhelming but trying to focus on what is at hand, and not solely on what work and burden that is yet to come, can help one survive residency.  Imagine, going on 24-hour duties every 3 days and in between, being in the hospital for almost 12 hours everyday, plus the readings and other activities indirectly-related to medical training for 3 years…it can really take its toll physically and emotionally.  But it’s good that I have fun people to work with, and it makes everything more tolerable and enjoyable even.  And it helps also that I keep telling myself that I’ll be reaping the benefits of hard work someday.  

So, I’m taking it one day at a time.  And enjoying every moment for all its worth, despite the work load and the time pressures.  

Pardon me, though, if I’m not able to update much.  But for sure, I always have blogging in mind, whenever work allows me to think of something else.  Hehe.

The thing with getting new pair of glasses is that one has to go through the process of selecting a frame again and measurements of visual acuity to get a prescription.  I’m not really that choosy with frames though, because all I wanted are the normal, non-attention getting ones.  I’ve been going around to some shops and all I see are the flashy ones.  The ones that looked “normal” and elegant were kinda expensive (in my book).  Shopping for glasses ain’t that much fun as shopping for dresses, bags, and shoes.  I don’t know why, since one could consider eyeglasses as a fashion accessory.  Perhaps, the reason is that I’m looking for the mundane ones and all the shops offer the more fashionable ones, which I don’t really like.

Hell, I wish I could just shop for my eyeglasses online, like for books and cds.  Well, there’s one that I found online (though it would have to be an international shipment) which offered frames and lenses, with proper description as to the width and thickness of the frames.  It offered some Holiday frames, in keeping with the season I guess.  Some are just too flashy for my taste, but here’s one that I think will be good for me:

Pretty boring?  Well, that’s me and my taste in eyeglasses.  I can be more fashionable with other stuff, but not with the eyeglasses.  Besides, it’s only lately that I’ve to use them and I don’t really wear them that much.  Bah.  Hahaha.

But hey, it’s only for $8, both the lenses and the frame.  That’s pretty cheap, isn’t?  But then, international shipment can be pricey.  So I guess, I’ll just have to suffer going through the optical shops to look for my new eyeglasses.  

Oh please, I wish I could find something below P1000!

These are the books I took home from the Fully Booked Yehey Event.  I find it perfect that I got one non-fiction (We are at war by Simon Garfield) and a fiction by Isabel Allende (Forest of the Pygmies).  I really had a great time!  More stories about the event tomorrow or next time that I’ll be able to post again.  Hehehe.  I was just so excited to share my new books.

So, there I was early last night, inside the FX, figuring out which way I should take to get to the venue, which I’ve never been to until last night’s event.  I got to Quezon ave (and the friggin’ FX driver decided to just drop me on the other side of the road, forcing me to traverse to the other side while committing a lot of road traffic violations along the way <insert plurk angry emoticon here>) and decided to stop by McDonald’s to satisfy my craving for chicken (any kind of fried chicken, actually, though it would have been more awesome if it were Savory classic chicken) and also to give me more time to think of my plan on how to get to the event venue.

It was a pleasant surprise to find Shari there (while I was gnawing on a chicken drumstick), who’s also wondering how she’d be able to get to the venue.  We also stumbled upon Joy who’s waiting for her friends she’d be going with to the show.

Few minutes after, Shari and I found ourselves at the Vibal Publishing House roof deck (after meeting Azrael at the ground floor) and being welcomed by Carlo and L.A., who’ve come early and found themselves a tambayan at the ticket table.  Manolo was there too, with some friends, and lots of bloggers whom I really don’t know yet.  Carlo, L.A., Shari, and I stopped at the nearby canteen to have some smoke and food, while guests came in groups and gradually filled the venue.

The show started a bit late (and I heard it was because of some VIP) but it was all worth it! (Pictures and videos after the jump…)

This band opened for the show (sorry if I wasn’t able to catch the name and I hope someone can enlighten me on this).  Like what Shari said, it was like watching Sister Act.  They’ve got beautiful, powerful voices and they’re very entertaining to watch.

After some songs, the ever beautiful and sexy Giselle Sanchez took the stage.

I love how she can be so irreverently funny and sexy at the same time.  Bawal ang pikon kapag nanonood ng show niya, I’m sure.  Haha.  It’s all harmless fun anyway.  But we sure can’t stop laughing at her jokes, it makes me think that perhaps, in real life outside of the limelight, she’s probably a natural gregarious, loquacious person.

She had a nice time on stage with some of the male bloggers from the audience.  Take a good look at the photos, you might know some of them:

They’re smiling, but, I’m sure, they’re not at all enthusiastic to be made to dance on stage.  Haha

Azrael being “hypnotized”

Manolo’s Great Escape, though, is a phail (see the next three photos):

Sneaky, sneaky side steps…

There’s the backstage!  But…

Now look who’s not putting out his tongue.  Great escape: Phail

(Next time, when the uploads are done, I’ll post a video of the bloggers dance.  Many would be disappointed, though, to know Manolo did not dance.  Heehee.  Azrael’s good though!)

UPDATE:  Here’s the vid of the bloggers dance with Giselle!

Then, of course, after Giselle’s act is only the opening for Kel and Jay’s performances.  The duo performed both familiar and new tricks and they never fail to amaze.  See the photos below.  (The videos will have to come later, sorry). The Shackles trick Jay getting his volunteer from the audience after throwing a green stuffed toy (allegedly, a green hippo stuffed toy) And somehow I found myself in the middle of all these mentalism and magic tricks, not simply as part of the audience, but a participant.  Jay gave me this, just after the show started: I was very much curious as to what is inside, but then I’ve promised I won’t open the bag, no matter what happens, until the last part of the show.  But then, he didn’t tell me that I couldn’t feel what’s inside, right?  I was thinking it might be a book or something similar.  Well, I didn’t want to spoil surprises and I like keeping my promises so I took away my attention from it for a while. And it helped very much that guest Wanlu, the Ventrillusionist, was a riot to make me forget about that mystery bag!  I remember Manolo saying on plurk that, if Gary Lising was a ventriloquist, he would be Wanlu.  That’s because the guy’s that funny! Wanlu and Don Dominador When he got Don Dominador out, I heard he had to tone down some of the jokes because of the presence of kids in the audience.  But well, I don’t think the kids would mind at all because they’re busy in their own play world.  Haha.  But still he was a riot.  And Don Dominador’s facial expressions are FTW!  Even funnier than the jokes themselves! After Don Dominador, Wanlu got a couple of volunteers from the audience, Carl from The Story Circle and Estelle, Kel’s bestfriend, whom he made into “puppets”: They look good, don’t they?  It’s weird and funny at the same time how those contraptions work.  It make it seem that the volunteers were doing the funny voices and expressions.  Haha!  I want those! Now here’s something I can’t even begin to explain: Photo snatched from Shari Well, of course, in the beginning, it was a whole coffin-like box in which the girl assistant stepped into, wiggling her hands and toes as seen on the appropriate holes to demonstrate that she’s really inside the box.  Wanlu even had that box turned around just so we could see the whole apparatus.  Then all of a sudden, he just pulled that upper side of the box away and what you see in the above photo is the end result.  Wanlu even had the doors to the upper and lower box opened just so we could see that the torso of the girl is in the upper box and the lower part of her body is in the other one.  Too bad I wasn’t able to take photos of this part of the act.  I was just that amazed and I’ve never seen anything like it.  Audience were left dumbfounded. Now that was the “Laughs” part of the show.  And truly they’re not kidding when they said the second half is the “Gasps” part because it all left us pretty dazed and amazed. Watch this part where Jay walked on a bed of broken glass:

And he survived the feat with no visible bleeding wounds on any part of his body. Truly amazing!  Got pretty scared though in the part wherein Mike Abundo had to step on Jay’s back while he’s lying on his face down on the broken glasses.

Kel, himself, did a fire poi spinning, a form of juggling or object manipulation employing a ball (in his case, a ball and chain on fire) suspended from a length of rope which is held in hand and swung in circular patterns.  And quite believably, he did so to the tune of a Rick Astley song.

And for a tall guy, boy, he could dance!  And with fire!

Now for the last act, the mystery bag comes to attention again.  I went to the stage and gave the bag to Kel who told me to put it on the table.  He gave away 3 magazines (Maxim, FHM, and Playboy) which went to 3 girls, Ethel, Shari, and the other girl whose name, I think, is Luanne.  Kel read some pages from a magazine he was holding and asked me to tell him which page he’s going to stop reading.  I was then told to pick two girls and I picked Ethel and Shari.  They were eliminated and Luanne was asked to come up on stage.  She was then asked to tear that particular page from the magazine she’s holding (FHM) and tear it further into little pieces.  I was asked to pick a number from 1-10 and I picked 5.  After 5 pieces of the torn magazine were removed, I took the topmost piece and chose a word from the text.  I have lingered on 3 words but finally I picked one.

But lo and behold! Still Kel was able to guess which word it is that I picked.

A text on the white board that was written even before the show started and before I even got hold of that “mystery” bag

Yes, I chose the word “selection” over “slated” and “complicated”.

What’s more amazing is what’s inside the mystery bag:

It’s an FHM magazine with page 103 still intact and the word selection circled in red ink.

I don’t know how to explain all of those, but Kel and Jay explained that these are just but the power of subliminal messages.  They explained through some videos from early that night that they’ve been giving out subtle suggestions during the entire show that would lead me into thinking of picking the necessary to choices to lead to a desired outcome.

Hmmm, this whole mentalism art is beginning to get interesting.

And so that was it for the night.  Everybody, especially the performers and organizers, are tired but very much happy and satisfied.  All P250 of what I’ve paid is SO worth it and even more.  I’m glad a lot of people showed up, watched the show, and got to help underprivileged but deserving students to get and stay in school through the Giselle Sanchez Foundation, which is the beneficiary of Laughs and Gasps show.

It really was worth it.  I hope there’s another show in the future!

Other bloggers who have posted about the event:

• Laughs and Gasps Photo coverage by Azrael
• A Glimpse of Laughs and Gasps by Shari
• Heart Pounding Laughs and Gasps with Kel and Jay by Ada

I think your usage of the written English language is more pitiful than I could ever be, considering that you are a DOST scholar (that is, if the information in this site is accurate).  And because you cannot even try to present your arguments on why the Desperate Housewives episode was a racial slur, you preferred to resort to pathetic comments such as this:

it’s easy for you to say all of that because you’re not a filipino neh??

no matter how you say it,, if you veiw it
form a filipino’s point of veiw,, it’s really very
dicriminating..what’s wrong with meds who graduated in the
philippines??

oh well,, that’s how “WHITE” people usually are..
they think they’re the best,,…..
duh!!! stupid americans…
RACIST!!!

And like what I’ve said, your comment only beautifully illustrates why Filipinos are racists too.  Perhaps, you were also embarrassed I’ve to point out that you haven’t been reading the post very well because you didn’t glean from it that I’m also a Filipino.  And because of that you email me this:

you’re a filipino??
what a shame!!
i’m ashamed of filipinos like you..
i pity your mother for raising someone like you..
i just hopew our country won’t turn it’s back on you..

It is something that I would have let pass, since such kind of comment isn’t worth any time at all.  But hear me on this: I am annoyed by the fact that you have to insult my mother because of this issue.  Any decent, educated, civilized person would know that to argue or disagree in any given discussion only entails logical presentation of facts and opinions, and not ad hominem attacks.

And for resorting to ad hominem, I pity you.  Maybe someday, when you’ve grown more mature as a person, you’ll be able to hold your own arguments, without having to demean other people just because they do not agree with your views.

But then, receiving such a comment is not my loss anyway.  Actually, it is your loss.

A lot of things have been happening in the blogosphere, as I read through the plurks.  I guess, I’ll just list them down:

Somebody needs your help!  Donate Blood!

I got wind of this through Benj’s blog and then surfed into Couchsurfing:

My friend, Sheng Tienza, is in the Intensive Care Unit of Makati Medical Center. She has been continuously bleeding after giving birth to her fourth child. It was her third revival last Saturday. Her condition is critical and we urgently need at least 40 donors of blood per day till the end of this week in order to save her life. She needs plenty of O+ blood, but we can donate any blood type so we could get O+ from the Blood Bank. We are trying to find all the help we can get. Kindly text me if you’re willing to help save a life. My number is 09186091214.

Thank you very much and God bless you.

Sincerely,
Chai

I hope people who’re able to donate blood could help. You won’t really get that much dizzy afterwards, as long as you take some cookie or chocolate or juice after the blood donation and you don’t do anything strenuous an hour after the blood donation. I’ve texted Chai and she said to just proceed to MMC’s blood bank and inform them that the blood is for Sheryll Tienzo.

Laughs & Gasps, Kel & Jay and Ms. Giselle Sanchez

This would be happening at the Vibal Publishing Rooftop (Beside Shell Station) in G. Araneta Ave. street on November 22, 2008, Saturday, from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.  For only P250, you’d be able to help the Giselle Sanchez Scholarship Foundation (a foundation established to give scholarships to brilliant but underprivileged students), plus have a fun night filled with magic, mentalism, music, and comedy!  More details at Marcelle’s site.

ELECTIONS 2010: THE HYPE ABOUT HIGH-TECH (Elections and Automation in the Philippines)

I believe everybody’s starting to tighten up, anticipating what 2010 elections will bring to our country, whether hope for a brighter future or another reminder that we have not been vigilant enough.  I’ve signed up for the forum and hopefully, my schedule will remain free enough for me to attend this.  After all, we’re growing wary (and not weary) and therefore, we must keep all eyes open.

To register, please go to this site.

That’s it for now.  Will have to sleep earlier tonight because tomorrow, my second abode won’t be so wifi-less anymore.  Yay!

I’m thankful that my folks are considerate enough not to drag me to the cemetery with them.  Not that I don’t want to visit the graves of my lolo and lola and my bestfriend, who died young, but I’d rather not follow the traditions set for this holiday, seeing that, for a long time, the holiday has really been for the living and not for the dead.  I get more than a horrible headache having to weave through the crowd of cemetery-goers, most of which are groups of youngsters, in their best gimmick clothes even, who’re milling around, having a look at which of their friends have come to visit their dead too and soon enough, the group gets bigger as they round up their usual members.  I find it such a nuisance too that most can be so inconsiderate, chatting and laughing so loudly, unmindful that a neighboring grave, with its own set of visitors, is very near and may be saying their prayers for their dead.  I hate how a beautiful tradition of remembering the dead devolved into a yearly fiesta/picnic.

Perhaps, the reason for the hate is because of my preference for solitude and solemnity, when it comes to matters of the dead loved ones.  For how can one truly remember and talk to the dead, when preoccupation is with the living?  Why the need for setting only a single day in a year to visit the dead, when we could see them any random day, as our schedule permits, or remember them in our minds?  Why the need to be physically near their graves, when actually, they’re always with us, in the air we breathe and in the earth which walk on everyday?

So, tonight, for my dead grandparents, I lighted a white candle.  Could be some other color, but white, I think is a safe color because I don’t know which color they preferred.  For my bestfriend, I lighted a little blue-colored candle for her.  Well, she likes blue, so I find it appropriate enough to have a blue candle for her.  And maybe one of these days, I’ll just pass by their graves and leave some flowers, red roses for my grandparents and white roses for my bestfriend, ‘coz she liked them like I do.  I don’t think they’d really remember the things they like, though.  But I do.

Perhaps, they’re partly right; it is a holiday for the living.  For the ones who’re left behind, those who could still remember how some people have come and gone.  For me, though, it should still retain a measure of solemnity and respect.

Definitely the photo above doesn’t have anything to do with testing Windows Live Writer, except that it’s my test photo.  Hehe.  Maws is rather cute, isn’t she?

This is looking good.  However, the real testing will start once I plunge into the wifi-less land soon.