No Pain, No Gain

Many people think that the torture of beauty has now drastically lessened. People are no longer forced to adhere to the cruelty of tight-laced corsets or foot binding shoes. However, beauty and pain often work hand in hand. Times may have changed and the severity of the conquest for beauty may have declined, but it has been replaced with modern torture devices ranging from simple to downright absurd.
Waxing, plucking, wearing high heels, skintight jeans, and thongs are but a few simple ways that women inflict pain on themselves just to look attractive. Beneath the glamour of timely styles that are subtly enforced on women are hidden physical pains that they hide from inside out. The process of acquiring beauty in the modern times has not always been the same for every woman. Some people nowadays tend to look into the extremes of solutions. With the help of technology; it has made these solutions costly and sometimes hazardous. Botox, nose lifts, tummy tucks and liposuction are some of the various resolutions to a woman's dire need for enhancement. These contemporary surgical procedures have gained much acceptance this era not because of the creation of a miracle product but because of two underlying psychological reasons. First, is that cosmetic surgery is not built out of vanity alone but of two more powerful feelings: rejection and envy. This industry thrives on man's refusal to accept his limits. It also makes a person think that contentment can only be possible through perfection and attainment of nature's ephemeral charms - youth, beauty, and fertility. The second reason is inferiority complex, a school of thought that was created in the early twentieth century by Viennese psychologist, Alfred Adler. It was this idea that gave an important bond to mental health and appearance. This meant that psychological suffering because of physical unattractiveness required medical intervention in order to ease emotional pain.

Original Sin

Vanity finds its literary celebration in the Myth of Narcissus. But history, too, gives a detailed account of man's thirst for physical beauty. Archaeological evidence reveals that the use of cosmetics to enhance the face and preserve its youthful features was a popular practice among the Ancient Egyptians, Ancient Greeks, and Romans, with the first recorded usage at 4000BCE. In the East, the Japanese Geisha were famous for their use of flower essences and wax to paint their faces to perfection. In the west, make-up was very much in vogue among the upper classes of the medieval period. However, when cosmetics became very popular with actors and prostitutes in the 1800s, Queen Victoria banned its use among the elites.
Even the human body became an object of obsession. In medieval England, the corset was used to give the illusion of the perfectly-shaped body, in conformity with the fashion of the times. Because society dictated that women with smaller waists were considered to be more beautiful, there was a clamor for hourglass corsets, which shaped the torso in such a way that the bust and hips looked more pronounced while the waist remained small and flat. However, looking sexy according to medieval standards came at a heavy price. Corset-wearers risked breaking their ribs and twisting their nerves, not to mention incurring indigestion and respiratory damage.
Given the severe difficulty of wearing corsets, people sought a more natural way to achieve the perfect silhouette. Today's popular practice of dieting was first developed in the 17th and 18th centuries. One of the first successful target diets ever recorded was William Banting's low-carb diet in 1863. Exercise regimens, such as vigorous ten-mile-a-day walks and ten-minute lung gymnastics supplemented corset-wearing and dieting.

Hurt Me Beautiful

In 1956, American anthropologist Horace Miner penned and published a memorable essay entitled Body Ritual Among the Nacirema. There, he described an obscure North American tribe's unusual beliefs and barbaric practices, the main focus of which is the human body.
An example of such rituals is the insertion of a rod containing a bundle of hog hairs and special powders into the mouth to exorcise it of its "evils". There are also rituals mentioned that are exclusive to specific sexes. Male members of the tribe, for instance, scrape and lacerate their faces with sharp instruments. Women on the other hand, bake their heads in small ovens in hour-long ceremonies in order to beautify themselves.
Indeed, no tribe could be ever more masochistic, or cruel, or inhumane. But if you think that Miner's anecdotes aren't shocking enough, wait until you reach this surprising revelation:

"Nacirema" is actually "American" spelled backwards.

In fact, a quick run-through of the entire essay reveals a lot more surprising clues that point out to that truth. It would be interesting to further note that the so-called barbaric rites mentioned earlier are not so out of this world after all. In fact, people around the globe, not only Americans, do these everyday.
The insertion of a "bundle of hog hairs with special powder" actually pertains to the act of brushing one's teeth. Facial mutilation wouldn't sound so gruesome once you learn that the more hirsute members of the male population do it in front of their mirrors in a process called "shaving". How about the women exposing their heads to extreme heat? They do it to style and dry their hair. Ever heard of salon?
hehehe...

Up, up and not going away...

Besides children exclaiming that they want to be Batman when they grow up, and people dressing up as heroes in anime and toy conventions, what superhero culture brings in us is a lifestyle. Christopher Reeve will always be known as Superman, and seldom in his other movies such as Somewhere in Time. People now anticipate superhero movies and stay turned for the next episode of....Super Inggo. Superheroes have come a long way, and have evolved from goodie two-shoes to the gritty and dark anti-hero. Fans have evolved too, not only in taste, but they have become millions in number.
As this world is evolving, superheroes have been the source of strength and inspiration for many things, and for people to believe in. Come to think of it, it used to be the lives of saints, apostles, and religious heroes which satisfied this need and now they have become people with secret identities who run and jump around in spandex battling the forces of evil. Garret says that they are "the ones we most need to hear to be whole". These stories lead us and inspire us in our very own quest to do good.
Who says getting rescued is a far-fetched thought? After all, "Superman was seen in Manila at 10:55PM", wasn't he?

World Superhero Federation

If nobody can fly, and nobody can have heat vision, it would seem that real-life superheroes would be too far-fetched. Nonetheless, real-life superheroes maybe closer than you think. Besides the heroic deeds of firefighters, police, and actors dressed in spandes, the closest thing to superheroes would be surprisingly, professional wrestlers.
In a way, they parallel heroes in such a way that they each have their own gimmicks, they have their own costumes, have their own moves, and they portray the classic good vs. evil scheme in their storylines. And of course, they are marketed like superheroes,where even the supernatural such as The Undertaker or even WWE's former superhero The Hurricane come lay the smack down in their own super-feats. Some of them even attempt to fly as they showcase their agility and even moves such the "Super-plex". And the masks where they hide their secret identities also come to mind. They're also larger than life, real - except for the match results.

WORLD OF ADAMANTIUM CLAWS, and SILLY RED SHEETS

The world today has witnessed the golden and silver ages of superhero history where campy dialogue and pastel colors donned the utility belts of superheroes. As a result, the "KAPOWS!s" and the "SPLAT!s" of lore are now replaced with neat looking special effects and futuristic costumes to glamorize our favorite heroes; and the anti-hero is the new appeal to audiences. So where is superhero culture in the world today?
Superhero movies have become an eye opener and have become a respectable genre in itself. Movie franchises such as X-men, Spiderman, Blade and even Zorro have cracked Hollywood and local box offices showing that superheroes have come a long way since the "Holy Cow" expressions from the 60s. In the past years, there have almost always been new superheroe movies premiering every quarter, and now they are seen as serious money makers rather than last resorts.
Besides the big screen, superheroes have occupied the boob tube through series showing familiar and new heroes to the audience. Heroes on TV battle little conniving villains each day at a time making the adventures more micro in nature. Smallville portrays young Clark Kent who needed to cope with the trials of peer pressure, love, and resentment of his powers. Stan Lee now even has his own Who wants to be a Superhero? reality show where people get to live out their superhero fantasies.
Superheroes exist globally, with each country adopting their own super savior. Japan is the home of a number of famous superhero franchises that have even reached the Philippines, such as Ultraman, Super Sentai and their adaptation Power Rangers, Sailormoon, The Powerpuff Girls in anime rendition and other heroes. In India, an adaptation of Spiderman was published where he has a costume with an Indian touch, got his powers from an ancient god, and Uncle Ben was named Uncle Bhim. Locally, superheroes have been dominating the television ratings since the introduction of Darna, Kristala, Captain Barbell, and Panday, and film festivals are abound with superhero themed entries such as Lastikman, and Gagamboy.
Besides television and movies, superhero culture can be seen in other things such as toy and comic collections, where even a rare 20 page comic can sell for hundreds of dollars; and toy collections keep track of new releases and hard to find bargains to add to their exhibits. Superheroes appear in advertisements, merchandise, video games and almost any place anyone can put a super seal on. The culture of superheroes has such a following spanning from song titles to t-shirt designs to perhaps even cults, and one could wonder what it is that turns ordinary human being to graphic novel geniuses. Greg Garett in his book Holy Superheroes! tells us that Superheroes are well loved because they, unlike the Greek gods and legendary monsters of fame which we refuse to accept, have become the primary mythology of our society. And even though we don't accept myth, a part of us keeps reaching out to fill the gap that reason has left behind.

SECRET IDENTITY

"Timeless" is a perfect word to describe superheroes. While the genre itself was born in 1938 before the Second World War, the superhero genre has sparked a culture in itself by evolving. Now decades after the war, we find ourselves in a world sparked by these tights-wearing men and women alongside global threats. People like Jerry Siegel (Superman creator) and Stan Lee (Marvel heroes creator), have already made a fortune out of their "super ideas", yet we question: How can something that's so outrageous and imaginary be so real at the same time?
In the comics or in movies, Superman is stronger than his creator Jerry Siegel or in fact, than any other human, while in the real world which we live in, he's nothing but an intellectual property, and Superman nor Clark Kent neither exist. Yet we don't even look at it that way, and that's the secret: Superheroes are larger than life; they are portrayed to live among us and we wished they do. We imagined unlocking our secret powers through a failed experiment or a spider bite. We want to be them or be with them and we relate with them, and that's why we admire them.
Ironically, some situations in superhero stories such as The Hulk, shows us that Bruce Banner doesn't want any part of that. Come to think of it, who wants to transform to a big green brawny raging juggernaut when he gets angry? On the other hand, the supervillains and the arch-enemies serve as the balance as they also have their own story that we can relate to, but that they come from the other side of the light. In many cases, they are admired like the protagonists and some are even remembered more than the hero himself. Too bad Luke, everybody loves Darth Vader.

CLARK KENT, BRUCE WAYNE, PETER PARKER... IF THEY DON'T SOUND FAMILIAR TO YOU, THEN YOU NEED TO BE RESCUED FROM UNDER A ROCK. WHILE THE WORLD AS IT IS TODAY IS STILL REVOLVING AROUND POLITICS, TERRORIST ATTACKS AND STOCK MARKETS, IN ANOTHER CORNER IS THE REMARK ZABIE HEROICS, AND ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, BATMAN, SPIDERMAN, AND WHATEVER PREFIX "MAN" CAN BE ATTACHED TO. ENTER THE SUPERHERO CULTURE OF THE WORLD: THEY FASCINATE, THEY MARVEL, AND THEY CHANGE OUR HEARTS AND MINDS.

quote

There are only two worlds - your world, which is the real world, and other worlds, the fantasy. Worlds like this are worlds of the human imagination: their reality, or lack of reality, is not important. What is important is that they are there. These worlds provide an alternative. Provide a threat. Provide a dream, and power; provide refuge, and pain. They give your world meaning. They do not exist; and thus they are all that matters.

The Break-Up

Director: Peyton Reed
Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman
Genre: Romantic Comedy
rating: 2.5

Love is never a one-way street. For a relationship to be fruitful, it requires a tremendous amount of patience and understanding from both sides. But when your relationship starts to go one-way, then you most certainly have a problem.
This is what The Break-Up is all about. The romantic-comedy flick is all about the relationship of tour guide Gary Grobowski (Vince Vaughn) and sales representative Brooke Meyers (Jennifer Aniston). After meeting at a baseball game, Gary and Brooke fall in love and decide to live together. They seem perfectly content in each other's company. What one day begins as a rather small argument over dinner escalates into something even bigger. It is funny to think how such small things can ultimately destroy a relationship. Gary and Brooke decide that they have had enough of each other and break up. However, both are unwilling to move out of their condo. They go to various lengths to kick the other out of the place by annoying each other, such as declaring their own "spaces" and doing whatever they want to the condo. As they go about their separate ways, they find a new found appreciation for each other. But the question remains, will it be enough to restore their tattered relationship?
The ending is somewhat hanging and disappointing, though, for audiences might expect it to be something better than what the filmmakers decided on. The movie borders between a light comedy and a mild tearjerker, but don't expect too much from it. The movie is interesting to watch, yet it lacks that certain humorous streak that most people would find in most romantic comedies. The dialogues are not extremely witty, but they are good enough to coax some smiles and laughs from the viewers. Also, having been set in Chicago, the film could have featured more of the scenic spots of the place; almost all the scenes simply travel back and forth from Gary's and Brooke's workplaces to their condo. Nevertheless, Vaughn and Aniston, the main stars of the movie, succeed in displaying their on-screen chemistry, which can be said to reflect their real-life relationship. Both experienced actors, they play their roles with conviction and complement each other's acting abilities quite nicely.

WORDS AND GRAPHICS PART 3

Graphic novels showcase two of arts' most powerful mediums. With the boundless creativity of man, who is to say that literature should only be restricted to letters and words alone? In addition, graphic novels are also becoming an effective teaching tool to students since they sustain the reader's level of interest through eye-catching images. Libraries in the United States are maintaining their graphic novel collections to encourage educational interest among children and young adults.
People are starting to consider the effectiveness of graphic novels in telling stories as more and more graphic novels are integrating into pop culture through other forms. 21st century movies Road to Perdition, Sin City, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and V for Vendetta are graphic novels adapted to the big screen. The critical successes of these movies have played a part in exposing graphic novels to the mainstream.
Avid bookworms or regular readers may have also heard of Neil Gaiman and his Sandman graphic novels. He is one of the premier writers of graphic novels at present. His Sandman series has made believers of those who doubt in the effectiveness of comic books and graphic novels as a story-telling vehicle, and is considered as one of the best examples of the literary heights a graphic novel can reach.

WORDS AND GRAPHICS PART 2

Many notable graphic novels do have substance, and the public is starting to recognize their achievements, not only in the field of drawn art, but also in the field of written works. Dylan Horrocks, an award-winning graphic novelist and comic artist, and a University of Auckland Creative New Zealand Literary Fellow for 2006 recognizes the graphic novels' increasing popularity. Horrocks notes that the graphic novels have become an increasingly important literary form with many writers and artists choosing comics as a means to create serious literary material. More and more people are actually starting to look past the graphic novels' "comic" past and considering the medium as a new form of legitimate written literature.
What does literature actually mean? The common noun "literature", refers to any form of writing. However, the proper noun "Literature", refers to a written work of exceptional intellectual caliber. Giving emphasis on the word "written".
Traditional fiction literature has always been all about the words. Graphic novels dispute the assumption that only words can move the heart and challenge the mind as an excpetional piece of literature can.
Graphic novels have achieved the level of traditional fiction, enriching both mind and imagination through the effective use of its picture and text components to tell a story. People who criticize graphic novels for the lack of narration and undue focus on conversation are missing the point. Drawings are as much a story-telling device as sentences and paragraphs. As Eric James Shanower, an American comic artist and writer simply puts it, "Writing is an art, just as drawing is."

WORDS AND SKETCHES

Superman. Wolverine. Archie. Polgas.
There is a certain charm in the comic book world that appeals to the inner child inside every one of us. Vivid imagery and witty banter combine to form a medium that has captured the imagination of people everywhere.
Yet comic books have always been dismissed as a juvenile form of entertainment. Because of their unique attribute of having their stories told in still, hand-drawn panels, comics have never been compared to traditional written fiction. Since a lot of comic strips focus on life's lighter issues, people tend to dismiss them as "fluffy" pieces of work. Comic books have a history of not being taken seriously, although one can say that's the whole point.
In recent years, the comic book has been gathering respect from the literary field as more and more stories released under this form feature darker plots and characters than would be expected from a "comic". Often termed "graphic novels", these comic books feature longer and more complex storylines aimed at adult audiences.
The phrase "graphic novel" rose into popular use after it appeared on the cover of Will Eisner's A Contract with God and Other Tenement Stories, a collection of serious short stories depicted in the comic book style in October 1978. The term "graphic novel" is still in the process of evolution though, leaving it difficult to properly define. While it's generally accepted that a graphic novel is a lengthy piece of written work expressed in sequential art, a number have used the expression to suggest work that is more mature than "mainstream" comic books. Others have used the term to refer to collections of multiple comic book issues that tell a single story.
Contract with God and Other Tenement Stories. These early books set the standard for graphic novels in the years to come. They had dark, mature storylines that weren't afraid to address serious issues. This new take on comic books earned praise from critics, who came to see the potential in its reinterpretation of a supposedly "kiddie" medium.

Pangya - Online Game

rating: 3.0

Massive...Multiplayer...Online....Golf? Pang you, because here comes Pangya. Fresh from the success of MMORPG's, Netgames brings you to the world of Pangya, where everything is second to golf.
While still making waves in its native country Korea, and taking over Japan like a storm, Pangya (meaning "Bang!" in Korean) is now slowly eating up leisure time by indulging in a cyber game of golf. The game is presented with a cute and colorful presentation, along with an intuitive interface, making it user friendly. Gameplay is a breeze, using timing and accuracy in clicking the mouse or pressing the keyboard for the "Pangya" moment, or the perfect shot. Along the way, players pick up Pang points after every game, which is the game's currency for items, new characters and your fashion statement to show off to other people's PGA fantasies.
The game has its quirks in determining the Pang points you receive; which brings gamers to a high score of Albatross, down to the dismal Triple Bogey. The "Caddy" system is a nice touch, bringing the Microsoft Office assistant to cyber golf. Different modes of play include "Stroke Play" mode, and "Family Mode" where even someone who hates golf's peaceful sport can swing a few polygonal clubs. Some of the best items of the game can be bought with another currency called "Cookies" which cost real money for the real Pang in you.
This is no stimulation like EA sports' Tiger Woods franchise, or Microsoft's physics savvy Links. This game is what it is, a straightforward golf game recommended for anybody: you can play for a hole, or play for hours. Along with the "pick up and play" style of gameplay, the game's graphics, and sounds are easy to the eyes and the ears. With so many options to tweak your golfing pleasure, its not surprising that game rooms are full of Pangyaddicts. It's only a download away for those with broadband, and computer shops are begging you to swing your keyboards to Pangyaville. Now imagine this: Tiger Woods doing his trademark fist pump and shouting "Pangya!"

My Super Ex-Girlfriend

Director: Ivan Reitman
Cast: Uma Thurman, Like Wilson, Anna Farris
Genre: Comedy
Rating: 1.5

Have you ever wondered what it would actually be like if you realized your ex had super powers? Fortunately for you, you never had to be Matt Saunders. Matt (Luke Wilson) thought he found the perfect woman in demure and outwardly bashful Jenny Johnson (Uma Thurman). After a few dates, he gets the biggest surprise of his life as he realizes Jenny was actually the city's local superhero, G-girl. This feisty and sexy superhero does nothing short of saving the city from halting colossal meteors to saving children playing on the street. In spite of her seemingly blissful perfection, Jenny turns out to be the epitome of neediness and paranoia. Matt turns to his co-worker, Hannah Lewis (Anna Farris), and inevitably finds himself falling for her. Upoin their break-up, G-girl does everything to wreck Matt's life from bashing his car in to hurling a huge shark into his bedroom.
My Super Ex-Girlfriend was a rather satirical view of the plethora of superhero movies hitting the big screen. This was Ivan Reitman's take on the female version of Superman, minus the trademark costume and the sanity. There were humorous scenes with witty quips and amusing special effects, but it lacked the special ingredient that had to be present in memorable films - substance. As the movie went on, it was already a question whether she was the protagonist or the antagonist; it was safe to say that the character was not flat at all, but it was just blatantly messy. The humor ran dry as she kept on vindicating herself from the break-up, and it became annoying watching the lead character get swallowed up in her own bitterness.
This flick is pleasing if you've just gone through a messy break-up and looking out for light laughs. However, if you intend to see real comedy with heart, this may not be it. The concept may be a bit alluring (read: a female superhero who can rival Superman's powers, plus clad in fashionable clothes), but offers little to the emotional and intellectual levels.

well...

More than anything else, the current situation in the Middle East should remind us of the reality of the law of unintended consequences; that things (people, objects, events) and their corresponding relationships in a system are not as simple as we make them out to be. Here, the term "unintended consequences" is synonymous to what economists refer to as "negative externalities:" unplanned effects that nevertheless carry noticeably destructive impacts in a large number of people. Pollution is a good example. Many forms of pollution are unintended consequences of industrialization and urbanization.
Unintended consequences may be incremental or immediate in their impact. Ever wondered why environmental issues matter little during elections in this country? Because politicians and policymakers - who (normally) hold office for a maximum of three years - as well as the public, can literally afford to ignore them. Since the environment can tolerate some levels of pollution, negative environmental externalities more often than not build up for a considerable time before resulting in extremely devastating outcomes. Landslides which result to considerable losses in human lives and property, for instance, are the result of years of irresponsible land use and development due to excessive soil erosion. Similarly, planting trees without adequate knowledge of the site's local ecosystem disrupts the natural order of things in ways we still do not completely understand.
In complarable yet more noticeable fashion, Israel and Lebanon (perhaps more so Israel) are suffering from unintended consequences brought about by each other's actions. Israel, with its superior military capability, probably only set out to dismantic Lebanese political group Hezbollah in a few days. Instead, the world is seeing a Hezbollah "trained like an army and equipped like a state", described The New York Times, "a revolutionary force within a civilian sea." Hezbollah, on the other hand, could not have expected the capture of two Israeli soldiers to cost their country hundreds of civilian causalties. To further complicate matters, it appears that other nations (allegedly Iran and Syria) are keen on fanning the flames of conflict for their own interests.
What has emerged is a protracted war of far more serious and complicated proportions; a conflict which has destroyed forests (in northern Israel), driven poor people to greater poverty (especially in southern Lebanon), and polarized the international community over which side is right - and what solution is really needed to defuse the situation. (Again, disagreement: immediate ceasefire or a long-term peace settlement>)
In a region of uneasy alliances like the Middle East, tracing the roots of any major conflict is especially difficult and confusing. The phenomenon is logically equivalent to economic historian Deirdre McCloskey's critique of qualitative theorems: new conditions (assumption) yield new conclusions. While two parties may join forces against a common enemy, it is also likely that they will be odds with each other when faced with even very slightly different circumstances.

Sikreto ng pagpili ng kumpanya sa empleyado

Aminin man natin o hindi, nandyan ang mga pamantasan upang magsilbing tagapagsuplay ng mga empleyado para sa mga komersyal na kumpanya. Karamihan sa mga kakilala kong nagsipagtapos ay nakahanap na ng trabaho sa mga bangko, kumpanya ng mga kompyuter, multinasyonal na kumpanya, at mga food chain.
Oo nga't nandito tayo sa ating pamantasan para matuto, pero hindi pa rin maiaalis ang katotohanang pagkatapos nitong paghihirap, kinakailangan naman nating maghanapbuhay para sa ating sarili at sa ating pamilya sa hinaharap. Kung tutuusin, lahat naman ng ating inaaral ngayon ay napupunta lamang sa wala dahil iisang bagay lamang ang dapat nating matandaan: ang matutong mabuhay sa mundong ginagalawan.
Ngayong tapos nanaman ang isang termino, isang batch nanaman ang magsisipagtapos sa kanilang mga tungkulin bilang mag-aaral. Maswerte ang iba dahil may trabaho nang nakaabang sa kanila...lalong-lalo na ang mga nakapagtapos nang may Latin Honors. Para sa iba, magiging simula sa pagharap sa tunay nilang mundo ang paghahanap ng trabahong nababagay para sa kanila.
Sabik ka na bang malaman kung ano ang sikreto ng isang kumpanya sa pagkuha nila ng mga empleyado? Nagkaroon ako ng pagkakataong makasalamuha ang ilan sa mga opisyal ng Procter & Gamble (P&G), isang multinasyonal na kumpanya, para sa kanilang taunang diskusyon ukol sa pagpili nila ng kanilang magiging empleyado.
Hindi na pala singtradisyunal tulad ng pananaw ng ating mga magulang ang hinahanap ng isang kumpanya mula sa isang mag-aaral. Dati kasi, basta makakuha ka lamang ng mataas na grado mula sa iyong kurso, siguradong magkakaroon ka na ng maayos na trabaho. Ngayon, tinitingnan na rin nila ang naging karanasan ng isang mag-aaral bilang pinuno ng kahit anong organisasyon ng paaralan. Mahalaga na kasi para sa mga kumpanya ngayon na mayroong kakayahang magdesisyon para sa kanilang mga sarili ang mga makukuha nilang empleyado.
Ginagawa ito ng mga kumpanya dahil sa pagkuha nila ng bagong empleyado, parang nakahanap na rin sila ng mga pinunong susunod na papalit sa mga kasalukuyang lider nito. Kinakailangan nila ito upang mapanatili ang katatagan ng sarili nilang kumpanya. Hindi naman kasi bagong kompyuter o makina ang hinahanap nila, kundi mga taong marunong mag-alaga ng kanilang kumpanya.
Isa pang hinahanap ng kumpanya ngayon sa mga maaaring maging mga empleyado nito ang pagiging mature ng mga ito. Ayon nga sa isang opisyal ng P&G, dito nadedehado ang mga mag-aaral ng DLSU dahil mas maagang grumagradweyt ang mga mag-aaral nito kumpara sa ibang Pamantasan. Aniya, mayroon daw itong maaaring maging implikasyon na hindi pa handang harapin ng mga batang Lasalyano ang tunay na mundo dahil nasa isip pa rin nila ang mag-enjoy ng buhay kabataan. Makikita naman ito sa mga Lasalyanong nagbabakasyon muna ng ilang buwan hanggang taon bago maghanap ng trabaho.
Kaya kung isa kang Lasalyano, sana hindi pa huli ang lahat para sa iyo para maipakitang kayang-kaya mong makapasok sa kumpanyang nais mong pasukin. Simulan mo na ang pagsasaayos ng iyong resume sa pamamagitan ng pagsali sa mga organisasyong kinaiinteresan mo. Kung sasanayin mo ang inyong mga sariling magpakaaktibo sa isang organisasyon, magkakaroon ka ng pagkakataong maranasan ang magdesisyon para sa ikabubuti mo at ng iyong grupo. Hinahasa kasi ng mga organisasyong itong isipin ang kinabukasan ng buong grupo at hindi lamang ng sarili. Dahil dito, mas matututo rin kayong maging mature sa pagharap sa buhay.
Kung patuloy nating itataas ang bandila ng mga Lasalyano sa ganitong uri ng larangan, kinakailangan nating makibagay sa patuloy na pag-ikot at pagpapalit ng ating mundo.
Good luck sa mga nagsipagtapos ngayon at nawa'y mahanap ninyo ang trabahong babagay para sa inyo.

Kampeon ka ba?

"Hindi tunay na kampeon ang mga taong hindi nabibigo kundi ang mga taong hindi sumusuko..."

Maraming bagay sa ating buhay ang nais nating balikan at bawiin, pero ika nga ng isang mensahe mula sa isang kaibigan, bakit mo pagsisisihan ang isang bagay na ginawa mo, gayong ginawa mo ito dahil ito ang gusto mo. Samakatuwid, masaya ka sa nangyari. Nalalaman mong maaari kang mabigo o magtagumpay pero buong tapang kang nagpatuloy dahil ito ang sigaw ng iyong puso, ang nais mong gawin. Maaaring marami ang nagalit sa iyo, dahil para sa iba mali ang ginawa mo. Ngunit tatandaang higit na mas mahalaga ang iyong pananaw dahil ikaw ang may hawak ng iyong buhay. Kung hahayaan mo na maghari sa iyong isipan ang iba't ibang opinyon ng iyong kapaligiran, ikaw ay maguguluhan lamang. Lubos na mahirap ang magpatuloy matapos magkamit ng kabiguan sa kabila ng iyong pagsisikap. Pero di kaila sa ating ang maraming taong tinitingala ngayon na nagmula sa paghihirap at nagtagumpay bunga ng pagtitiyaga. Sa kanilang pagsisikap, marami rin silang narinig na masasakit na salita at dinanas na pagtitiis, maraming pagtatalo sa kani-kanilang mga sarili kung ano ang dapat nilang gawin at kung ano ang dapat nilang iwasan. Ngunit nanaig ang kanilang kagustuhang magtagumpay at ang takot sa Panginoong Diyos na gawin ito sa tamang paraan. Maraming tao ang hindi matanggap ang mga kabiguang dinanas nila at hindi natututo sa mga pagkakamaling ginawa nila. Sa pagod na nadarama, nagagawa nilang umasa sa mali, ika nga'y kumapit sa patalim dahil sa kawalan ng pag-asa. Ang mga ganitong tao ay mas lalo pang naghihirap, dulot ng iyong konsensya dahil sa maling nagawa at ng panganib dahil sa ikaw nga ay lumabag at nagkasala.
Sa bawat oras na magugunita mo na ang sumuko, isipin mo na lamang: Paano mo mararamdaman ang tagumpay kung hindi mo nagawang maramdaman ang kabiguan? Paano mo maikukumpara ang liwanag kung hindi mo pa nararanasan ang mapunta sa dilim? Paano mo mararamdamang ikaw ay maligaya kung hindi ka pa nakararanas ng kalungkutan? Kampeon nga bang maituturing ang isang taong lumaban ng may nalalaman kaya't nakasisigurado siyang tama ang kaniyang ginagawa? O mas maituturing na kampeon ang lumaban ng buong tapang bagamat di siya nakasisiguro sa maaring kinalabasan nito? Hindi ba't mas masarap ang pakiramdam ng natatalo ngunit lumaban ng patas kaysa nanalo ng nandaraya. Mas masarap ang pakiramdam ng nagtatagumpay dahil sa sariling paghihirap at hindi dahil sa paghihirap ng iba. Mas masarap sabihing mapalad ka kung nagbubunga ang iyong pagsisikap. Mas masarap sabihing "nanalo ako!" dahil alam mong karapat-dapat kang manalo. Bakit ka mahihiya sa lahat ng dinaranas mo, gayong ang mga bagay na ito ang magdadala sa iyo sa isang kapalarang ikabubuti mo?
Ngayon nais kong dagdagan ang mga kataga "Hindi tunay na kampeon ang mga taong hindi nabibigo kundi ang mga taong hindi sumusuko at patuloy na lumalaban ng may prinsipyo't takot sa ating Diyos"
Sa bandang huli, maiintindihan mo ang lahat ng nangyayari sa iyong buhay at masasabing masarap ang maghirap at magtiis. Ikaw, nais mo bang maging kampeon sa buhay na ito?

Career MOVE

One of the reason people are not successful is because they are not in the right career. One of the top reason people are not in the right career is due to lack of purpose. Sense of purpose sets the sail for them to move on. This is what differentiates the achiever from non-achievers.

People like Bill Gates of Microsoft and Steve Jobs of Apple may be high school drop outs and did not have a college degree but they know what they want in life. They didn't run around idly going to bars or videoke just to have booze. Computer is their passion and they spent their time learning. They learned only in a non-structured way for they didn't go to school, but they still got what they want and moved ahead.

No matter what our economic, political and other situations befall in our life and in our country, the core message is still the same. Same logic, same opinion across different career fields.

BE PREPARED

Go to interview appointment prepared and on time. Bring your pen and wear something presentable. It need not be outlandish. Be confident but not bold that you might appear haughty and proud. Answer using the language used by interviewer. Talk in a single language, either in English, Chinese or Tagalog. First impression last. You are judged from the moment you step into the company. Truth be told, seasoned interviewers already sized you up just because of the way you enter the room, sign your name on the logbook, sit in the waiting room, among other things. The Q&A part is just a formality.

BE PASSIONATE

Passionate people do things more than what is required of them. You not only fulfill your job requirements but you are putting your heart and soul into it. It can be distinguished by your output whether it is done methodically like a robot or done enthusiastically by an "alive" person.
Go to any fast food store and observe how the cashier or order taker does his/her job. You can easily spot who is enthusiastic or mechanical.

BE CALCULATIVE

Be calculating about the risk that you would like to take or consider and not so much about how much monetary benefits you will be getting. If you want to jump into a business or propose a major project to your company or switch jobs, be sure you have covered your ground. It starts with knowing yourself, your abilities, character, attitudes, the plus and the minuses. Knowing where you are headed, the nature of business, competition, opportunities, hindrances and others.

BE NOT AFRAID TO FAIL

Failures serve as learning experience. Successful people failed at one time or another, be it bankruptcy or loss of a job. Did you know that Steve Jobs of Apple was at one time kicked out of his own company? If he had lost hope with life and stopped at that moment, he would not have come back for you to enjoy your iPod today. Failure is not a stop sign for you to move on. It might be a ceasefire or a wake-up call, but still it is a sign to move on.

BE ACCOUNTABLE

People would like to hire people who are credible, respectable, honest, dependable and a team player. One's technical skills might be the reason one is hired but one's character and attitude would determine how long one would be staying in the company, not to mention the promotions. If you can be entrusted with small things, then you can be entrusted with bigger things next time.

BE ONE STEP AHEAD

Be updated with the latest trends and developments. Learn endlessly by attending seminars, reading books, enrolling in a course and things of the like.

BE A CHEERFUL SHARER

Pass it on. Share what you've learned and train people if it is needed. Make it your principle, that whenever you are promoted, the people under your management are also promoted in one way or another.

BE A GOOD STEWARD O YOUR TIME, MONEY AND ABILITY

Your work and the money you earn may not last forever. So save a fraction of your money. Take care of your health for you may not enjoy the fruits of your labor due to medications and hospital bills.

BE THANKFUL

Be thankful for God's grace that He has given you talents, character and abilities to achieve. Give what is due to Him by giving your time, money and devotion.

Ang Tunay na Kahulugan ng Pamumuno

"Leadership isn't about titles, positions, or flowcharts. Leadership is one life influencing another."
-John C. Maxwell

Kaaya-aya ang pananaw ng taon ito ( John C. Maxwell) sa aspeto ng pamumuno. Ayon sa kanya, nangangahulugan itong impluwensiya at hindi lang posisyon o titulo na maaaring makamit sa isang organisasyon. Sa pamamagitan ng impluwensiya, nabibigyan ng lakas at inspirasyon ng pinuno ang kanyang mga tagasunod upang maisakatuparan ang layon ng organisasyon.

Mahirap ngunit kinakailangan

Masasabing handa ka na mamuno sa lipunan kapag napamunuan mo na nang husto ang iyong sarili. Tama nga lang naman na ganito sapagkat ito ang hinahangad at tinitingala ng bawat tao sa isang tunay na pinuno. Subalit, hindi lang naman puro tamis ang buhay na dala ng pagiging pinuno sapagkat may mga pagkakataon ring ikaw ay madarapa. Minsan, hindi maiiwasan ang pagkakamali.

Lider ba o lider-lideran lang?

Sa panahon ngayon, minsan na lang makakita ng isang dakilang pinuno. Sa ating bansa ay mangilan-ngilan na lamang sila. Ating tanawin ang kondisyon ng pamahalaan, ng mga pinunong namamalakad dito, at kung papaano napakikilos ang sistema ng bansa. Hanggan ngayon, pansin pa rin ang mga problema at kabuktutang sanhi ng ilang mga lider ng lipunan. Isa na rito ang walang kamatayang korupsyon at ang mga makasariling pamamaraan ng ilang mga pinuno ng bayan. Ebidensya lamang ito na mali ang nabigyan ng kapangyarihan sa lipunan at kaya na lang hindi pa rin maayos ang sistema ng pamahalaan. Naaabuso ang kapangyarihan kapag ito'y ginagamit sa personal na pakinabang ng isang pinuno. Hindi ba't dapat gamitin ang kapangyarihan sa pagtulong sa kapwa sapagkat hindi ito ipinagkaloob para sa personal na kapakanan lamang? Kung tunay ka, parehas tayo ng pananaw. Sapagkat, susunod lamang ang tao sa isang pinunong nagpapakita ng kakayahan sa gawain, tunay na pakialam sa kapakanan sa iba, at kahanga-hangang kaugalian. Ito ang mga bagay na dapat maimpluwensiya ng isang tunay na lider.

To Cram or NOT TO CRAM

Smell the 6:30 morning air, taste the early breakfast meals, feel the weight of the world with the tons of books, and hear the speakers singing the National Anthem - school is in the air. And believe me when I say that time fly so fast. The next thing you know, you have piles of home works, projects, and exams.
Let me get to the point, with a lot of things to do and a little time to do it and most of the time students procrastinate resulting to the next best thing - cramming. If you cram in school, you cram in just about everything else.
During my university years, I rarely cram. I think I procrastinated more than cramming, but again it is the cause of my cramming. But I will say that I am proud to live through college without cramming too much. The only time I crammed was during a sleepless night before my thesis presentation.
Some of us have made the art out of cramming, and most of the time it works. But with most short-term activities, it only stays short. Maybe enough for the next day's test but won't carry through the rest of the semester exams. Studying is a lifestyle, and you will learn things for the rest of your life. So why not start early?
Listening and jotting down notes are quite the basic in order to retain the lessons being taught. Highlight the important facts and keywords can help associate with the key points. This can be practical over a lifetime, especially at work.
In reviewing your lessons, use your senses. Write down notes, read it aloud, the more senses you involve, the better you will remember them. Using mnemonics can help as well. If acronyms or singing helped us memorize faster, why not apply it in studying?
Time is of the essence. Really, it applies even when you work. Reviewing lessons can be done whenever you have spare time but you need to set up a regular study time and place. Less distraction mean more lessons learned in the same amount of time. All we need is discipline. But hard work has its rewards. Taking time off and relaxing for a break can reinforce learning.
You don't have to cram; you have a choice of getting it started early on, and avoid stressing yourself out hastily. Studying until your body drops is not always the best solution. My two (more) cents - practice your discipline by working well with pressure and managing your time.
So before everything else, smell the scent of your room, taste the sweetness of your warm milk, feel the softness of your pillow, and hear the sound of the silent night - because time flies so fast and the next thing you know, school is indeed in the air.

Tungo sa tagumpay

Mag-iisang oras na akong nag-iisip kung ano ang dapat kong isulat. Konti na lang at susuko na talaga ako nang bigla kong naisip ang salitang determinasyon. Oo, dahil sa determinasyon, magagawa at matatapos ko ito.
Determinasyon, tiwala sa sarili at sa Itaas. Noon pa man naniniwala na akong ito ang tatlong pinakamahalagang bagay na kailangan ng lahat para makamit ang bawat pangarap sa buhay.
Determinasyon ang kailangan ng mga estudyante para magtagumpay. Puspusang pag-aaral ang kailangan para sa kinabukasan. Hindi maiiwasang bumagsak minsan pero hindi ito nangangahulugang wala nang pag-asa. Hindi dapat sumuko. Dapat mayroong determinasyon at tiwala sa sariling makapagtatapos din tayo sa ating kurso.
Para sa lahat, anuman ang mangyari, kahit ilang beses pa tayong madapa at mabigo, kahit gaano pa kataas at kahirap abutin ang ating mga pangarap, hindi tayo dapat sumuko. Lagi dapat nakakabit sa atin ang determinasyon at tiwala sa sarili na magtatagumpay tayo at makakamit natin ang mga pangarap na ito. Hindi rin dapat mawala sa atin ang tiwalang may magandang plano ang Panginoon para sa ating lahat.

Makitid na pag-iisip, hangad sa bagong pagtuklas

Ipinanganak tayo sa mundo kung saan karamihan ng ating pinapaniwalaan ay hinubog na ng lipunan. Kung ano ang popyular at alam ng nakararami ang siyang sinusunod at tinatanggap bilang katotohanan kahit na hindi masusing sinusuri ang pinag-ugatan nito. May mga tao na piniling suwayin ang kombensyon at ano ang ginagawa ng lipunan sa kanila? Pinagtatawanan at tinawag na hangal dahil pinili nila na maging iba. Kung babalikan natin ang kasaysayan, hindi ba't inalipusta si Copernicus at tinawag na heretiko nang dineklara niya na hindi ang ating planeta ang nasa sentro ng sandaigdigan? Mahirap tumaliwas sa kombensyon dahil nagiging malupit ang sosyedad sa mga taong pinili na hindi sundin ang hindi nakasanayan. Mahirap maging iba sa mundo kung saan namamayani ang mga hangal at makitid ang pag-iisip.

Disiplina

Minsan inilahad ni Lee Kuan Yew ang sikreto kung paano niya naiahon ang bansang Singapore at nagawa ito bilang pinakamatagumpay na ekonomiya sa Timog Silangang Asya. Inobserbahan niya ang mga kalapit na bansa ng Singapore at kanyang napagtanto kung ano ang wala sa mga bansang ito: disiplina. Mula rito, ginawa niyang pundasyon ang disiplina upang mapaangat ang kanyang bansa. Halimbawang may ipinangako sila sa mga mangangalakal at sa kanilang mamamayan, ito'y kanilang tutuparin. Kung mas naging disiplinado tayong mga Pilipino, makakamit din kaya natin ang tagumpay ng Singapore?

BASURA

Basurahan, ito ang tingin ng ilang Pilipino sa mga kalsada ng Kamaynilaan. Kahit saan ako magtungo ay kapansin-pansin ang mga samu't saring basura na nakalatag sa daan: upos ng sigarilyo, mga plastik, bote, wrapper ng kendi atbp. ang tumatambad sa akin. Ang mas masama pa roon ay tila walang pakialam ang mga tao at lantaran pa rin nila itinatapon. Nang minsan bumili ako ng sago at naghanap ng matatapunan sa tinderong aking pinagbilhan ay sinabihan niya ako na itapon na lang sa daan tutal doon naman kadalasan tinatapon ng mga mamimili ang kanilang napaggamitang baso. Umalis ako tangan ang basong napaggamitan at nayamot sa tinderon pinagbilhan. Nagmumukhang katanggap tanggap na lamang magtapon ng basura kung saan-saan dahil marami ang gumagawa at sadyang nakasanayan na. Sana naman ay magkaroon tayo ng disiplina na itapon ang ating basura sa tamang kalalagyan nito. Hindi dapat itinatapon ang basura, kahit ang bata alam yan. Sana sa susunod na magtapon ka ng basura sa kalsada, mahiya ka naman.

Pulitika ni GMA

Kamakailan ay pinatay ng house committee on justice sa mababang kapulungan ang inihaing reklamong impeachment laban kay Pangulong Arroyo. Sa botong 56-24, idineklara ng ilang kongresista na 'insufficient in substance' ang pangalawang reklamong isinampa matapos lumipas ang isang taon na moratorium. Sa naging resulta, hindi malayong ganito rin ang kahahantungan ng botohan sa plenaryo at mukhang mauulit lamang ang nangyari noong isang taon, mananaig ang mga kapanalig ni GMA sa kongreso at tuluyang maibabasura muli ito. Paano masasagot at maipagtatanggol ni GMA ang mga akusasyon ng korupsyon at pandaraya kung pinapatay ng kanyang mga alipores ang reklamo? Kungsabagay, kahit na maiakyat ang reklamo sa Senado, sa tingin nyo ba ay hindi rin hawak ni GMA ang numero? Malamang mapupunta rin ito sa wala at gagawin lamang itong behikulo ng libreng publisidad ng ilang nagnanais tumakbo sa 2007.

GRATEFUL FEELING

After updating my blogsite with several journals, I decided to take a browse with my previous posts, it's just now that I've noticed that a lot of people has been posting comments on my page. I don't personally know these people, but I would just like to say THANK YOU for taking your time in reading my blogs even if sometimes I post nonsense journals hehehe...Nonetheless, I'll try my best more on posting good articles for all of you =)
Pleae do add me here in blogspot, pity me for I've got no friends here LOL. I'm not really familiar with blogspot, I just like to have a place for me to write my thoughts and ideas...

You guys make me feel more inspired to write more haha! Seriously, I felt more inspired to think of things to write after seeing at the comments...Don't worry guys, more to come =)

Feel free to comment on all my articles so that I would know if I did good or bad =)
Also, feel free to suggest on topics that you would want me to write, or in what language do you prefer. Pardon me, I am only fluent in English and Filipino...so you only have two options to choose from hehe...

See you around guys, just keep visiting my blogsite, I promise to try my best to keep it updated for all of you!

P.S. post comments so that I would know that people are visiting my page hehe...

GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU!!! TAKE CARE =)

Kawalan ng preparasyon sa nakaambang panganib

Isang nakakaalarmang pangyayari ang naganap sa isla ng Guimaras kamakailan nang magkalat ang halos dalawang milyong litro ng langis sa karagatan nito. Napakalaking pinsala ang naidulot nito hindi lamang sa mga residente ng isla kundi na rin sa pambansang kapaligiran ng Pilipinas. Nag-iwan din ito ng marka sa pagbaba ng turismong magsisilbing malaking kawalan sa ekonomiya ng bansa.
Ang trahedya sa Guimaras Island ay isa lamang sa mga halimbawa sa kawalan ng preparasyon ng mga Pilipino pagdating sa paglunas sa mga aksidente. Hindi naman ito mangyayari kung pinag-ukulan ito ng sapat na pagtingin at panahon ang kaligtasan ng mga lalagyan ng langis na dumadaong sa dagat. Hindi inaasahang hahantong sa trahedya ang operasyon ng Petron Corporation subalit maaaring hindi lang naging maayos ang pagmementena ng barkong Solar 1. Isa itong marka ng kakulangan sa parte ng kumpanya ngunit hindi natin pwedeng sisihin lang ang Petron at ang Sunshine Maritime Development sapagkat tayo rin mismo bilang mamamayang Pilipino ay may pananagutan dito. Tila wala na tayong nagiging pakialam sa ating kapaligiran dahil mas pinapansin natin ang ating pagiging komportable sa buhay. Hindi na natin binibigyan ng halaga ang aspeto ng pag-iingat para na rin sa ating sariling kaligtasan.

Isa lang ang trahedya sa Guimaras sa napakaraming aksidenteng dulot ng kapabayaan o walang pakialam. Isa rin ito sa mga salot na hindi agad-agad na malulunasan dahil sa kakulangan sa mga kagamitan. Kung hindi pa rin tayo matuturo mula sa ating mga pagkakamali, ilang sakuna pa kaya ang dapat maranasan ng buong Pilipinas na maaaring kumitil pa ng mas maraming buhay at kabuhayan?

Upang bigyang lunas ang kaugaliang ito, dapat ay maging responsable tayong mamamayan. Sa atin nagsisimula ang pagbabago sapagkat ang tao rin naman ang nagdidikta sa maari niyang sapitin sa hinaharap. Mahalaga ring hindi makaligtaan ang mga importanteng aspeto ng anumang operasyon tulad ng mga safety precaution upang hindi humantong sa kapalpakan o panganib man.

Tono ng isang manunulat

Sadyang maraming bagay ang nakapagpapagulo sa buhay ng isang tao. Kay hirap nilang takasan at iwasan dahil parte na sila ng buhay mo. Para bang wala nang bukas kung sila'y umatake; hindi ka nila titigilan hangga't sumuko ka sa hirap na iyong nararanasan. Ngunit may mga bagay din namang maaaring makapagpagaan ng loob mo habang nararanasan ang mga bagay na ito. Kaya't ako, sa tuwing gusto kong makalimot sandali ng ilang mga problema, may isang bagay na nagiging katuwang ko sa tuwing ako'y nagnanais na mapag-isa at mag-isip, ito ang musika.

Buhay na may musika

Sadyang kay daming klase ng musika ang lumalabas ngayon. Pero nakakapagtaka kung bakit halos lahat ay sabay-sabay na nagsisipaglabasan kung kaya't marami nang mga kumakanta ang hindi ko kilala. Pero para sa akin, kahit sino pa mang kumanta, basta ba't nagustuhan ko, isinasantabi ko na ang mga bagay na tulad nito.

Kung mahilig kayo sa OPM, marahil alam mong kung ano ang tunog at tono ng bawat kanta ng paborito mong mang-aawit, ngunit madalas na hindi nakikilala ang pamagat ng mga kantang ito. Sa bawat tono ng musika na kanilang tinutugtog, maraming lumalabas na katangian ng bawat komposisyon na lumilitaw sa tuwing ito'y maririnig. May iba't ibang mga bagay na posibleng mapaghuhugutan ng emosyon at konteksto ng bawat kanta. Maging tungkol man ito sa araw-araw na gawain hanggang sa problema sa buhay at pamilya, maaari itong maging paksa ng isang mang-aawit sa kanyang kanta. Kaya siguro maraming tao ang nakakaugnay sa mga kanta dahil sinasalamin nito ang mga bagay o pangyayari na nagaganap din sa kanila sa araw-araw.

Musika at manunulat

Kahit ako, bilang isang ama, kaibigan at anak, maraming bagay ang nakakaimpluwensya sa akin upang ipagpatuloy ang kung anumang sinimulang kong trabaho. Ayokong isipin ang mga hadlang na nasa paligid ko dahil mas lalo namang na hindi ko maipagpapatuloy at maibibigay ang nais kong gawin o sabihin. Gaya ng pagiging isang manunulat, may tungkulin akong ibigay o magbigay ng impormasyong dapat ay maging patok sa aking mga mambabasa. Dapat kong alamin kung paano nga ba maging isang mamamahayag na karapat-dapat umani ng respeto at tiwala ng aking tagasubaybay. Tulad ng isang manunulat at mang-aawit, trabaho nilang gampanan ang responsibilidad nila bilang mga taong nagbibigay-aliw at inspirasyon sa kanilang tagapakinig. Hindi birong maituturing ang kung anumang naiatas na bansag sa kanila. Kumbaga, pressure ito kung hindi nila maitataguyod ang kanilang imahe lalo na kung sikat sila sa lahat ng klase ng taong nabibilang sa iba't ibang estado ng buhay.

Ang musika ng pagkakataon

Lahat tayo, maaaring hindi man sa lahat ng pagkakataon, ay nakakaranas ng matitinding pagsubok sa buhay. Ngunit kung iisipin, lahat ng mga bagay ang nangyayari ng may dahilan. Wala naman tayong mahanap na sagot sa kung bakit nangyayari ang mga bagay na iyon, dapat alam nating kung ano ang bawat hakbang na makakapagpabuti sa ating magiging desisyon.

Kung babalikan ang paksa ng musika, masyadong malawak ang salitang ito. Sadyang kay dami ng nais ipahiwatig ng mga salitang o lirikong nakapaloob dito. Ang bawat salita ay may katumbas na kahulugan, na maaaring maging iba sa interpretasyon ng nakikinig at sa lumikha nito. Kanya-kanyang gawa ng tono, kalidad at antas ng kasikatan ang hatid ng bawat kanta, ngunit iisa lamang ang sa tingin kong nais nilang ipahiwatig: ang maging parte ng buhay ng bawat taong nakikinig sa kanila.

Ang drama sa likod ng buhay (Pinoy)

Naalala ko ang sinabi ng aking guro sa Araling Panlipunan noong hayskul na ang buhay ng mga Pilipino ay umiikot lamang sa PBA (Pulitika, Basketbol, Artista). Hindiako agad naniwala sa kanya sapagkat wala naman akong hilig sa mga bagay na kanyang nabanggit. Naiisip ko rin sa lagay ng panahon ngayon, wala nang oras ang mga Pilipino, lalung-lalo na ang mga mararalita na bigyan ng pansin ang PBA. Masyado na silang problemado sa kanilang buhay. Mas pipiliin pa nilang mapunan ng pagkain ang kanilang kumakalam na sikmura, makahanap ng panandaliang masisilungan o kaya naman madamitan ang kanilang hubad na katawan. Ito ang totoong realidad ng buhay Pilipino na mas dapat bigyan pansin ng mas nakakarami. Ayoko sanang sumang-ayon sa kanyang kuru-kuro, kaya't pinilit kong hanapin ang butas ng kanyang paniniwala. Ngunit ako'y nabigo, bagkus nakita kong may posible ring maging tama ang mga iyon. Hindi ako eksperto sa pagsusuri ng kulturang Pilipino, ngunit sapat na siguro ang mga napansin kong kalakarang namamayani sa ating lipunan upang pagtibayin ang pahayag ng aking butihing guro.

Pulitika

Sa kabila ng masamang imahe ng pulitika sa ating bayan, tila tanggap na ito sa ating kultura. Dahil na rin ikinakabit ang kapangyarihan sa pulitika, hindi maialis sa atin na ikabit ang ating sarili sa mga pulitiko upang kahit papaano ay makatamasa tayo ng kakaunting kapangyarihan. Kadalasan itong naisasakatuparan sa mga simpleng hakbangin. Nakakatuwang suriin ang mga bagay na ito, ngunit talagang nangyayari ito sa ating lipunan. Malimit nating iimbitahin si kongresman o kahit sinumang pulitiko upang maging ninong/ninang sa kasal o kaya naman ng mga bibinyagang anak. Umaabot pa nga sa paghingi ng mga calling card ng pulitiko sapagkat malaki ang maitutulong nito sa oras ng kagipitan. Sa probinsya naman, nagiging takbuhan ng mga tao ang mga opisyales ng kanilang lokal na pamahalaan. Kapag may patay, kasal, binyag, kaarawan at anibersaryo, kay mayor agad ang punta upang makahingi ng kakaunting tulong. Kung tutuusin, hindi naman ito masama sapagkat hindi mo naman pinipilit ang mga pulitiko na bigyan ka ng pera. Ngunit sa pagdaan ng panahon, nagiging abusado na ang mga tao. Umaasa na lamang sila sa tulong na maibibigay ng pulitiko. Nagiging abusado na ang mga tao kaya't hindi na sila nagsisikap itaguyod ang kanilang sarili. Ganyan ang pulitika sa ating bansa, marami sa atin ang gustong makisali sa larangang ito para maisulong ang pansariling kapakanan. Alam nating mangyayari ito sa ating lipunan, ngunit marami sa atin ang takot na baguhin ang pag-uugaling ito sapagkat malaki ang magiging epekto nito sa ating nakasanayan.

Basketbol

Sikat na sikat ang larong ito sa ating bansa. Sino namang Pilipino ang hindi nakakaalam kung ano ang basketbol at kung paano ito niyakap ng ating kultura. Kung tutuusin, maganda naman ang naidudulot ng larong ito sa atin sapagkat nailalayo tayo sa mga masasamang bisyo tulad na lamang ng droga. Kahit saang parte ng ating bansa, hindi mawawala ang mga laruang basketbol. Ang masama nga lamang dito ay mas inuuna itong maging proyekto ng mga pulitiko kaysa gumawa ng mga dagdag na silid-aralan, pag-ayos ng sira-sirang daanan at pagpapagawa ng mga pabahay para sa mga mararalitang Pilipino. Para sa ilang publiko, ang pagpapagawa ng isang basketball court na ipapangalan sa kanila ay animong isang matagumpay na paglilingkod-bayan. Mabuti sana kung napupunan nito ang pangangailangan ng mas nakararaming Pilipino. Hindi naman ako kontra sa mga pagpapagawa ng basketball courts. Pero sa aking palagay, mas may mga importanteng bagay na dapat pagkagastusan.

Artista

Mahilig sa mga artista ang karamihan ng mga Pilipino. Marahil epekto lamang ito ng ating ilusyong makatakas sa ating buhay. Tuwing napapanood natin ang iniidolong artista, tila nadadala tayo sa bagong mundo kung saan malaya tayong kalimutan ang ating problema. Ang masama lamang dito, kung minsan pinag-lalaruan ng medya ang emosyon ng tao. Tulad na lamang ng mga usong-uso na mga reality shows na halata namang dinagdagan lamang ng konting drama upang makaakit ng mas maraming manonood. Dahil dito, umaasa na lamang ang mga taong maaaring mangyari sa totoong buhay ang mga napapanood nila sa telebisyon o napapakinggan sa radyo. Hindi na nila pinagsisikapang abutin ang kanilang pangarap gamit-gamit ang sariling kakayahan. Marami rin sa mga artistang hinahangaan ang dapat hindi binibigyan ng pansin. Ang karamihan sa kanila ang nagiging masamang halimbawa sa mga manonood lalung-lalo sa mga kabataan. Sana matuto tayong mas maging mapanuri sa mga bagay na nakikita natin mula sa medya. Hindi ko layuning siraan ang kulturang Pilipino. Nais ko lamang suriin at alamin ang tunay na mukha ng ating lipunan. Masakit mapaso sa apoy ng realidad, mahirap aminin ang sariling kabulukan, ngunit mas pipiliin ko na iyon kaysa manatiling bulag sa katotohanan.