Watta!!!
These past years I haven’t been impressed by people who brag that they’ve been to Boracay whether once or more. (Maybe because my maids take their vacation there. Seriously!) Blame it on the commercialization. It’s not as private as it used to be. For me, Boracay is just one of the Philippine beaches with fine white sand. It’s just a fad.
Now if you want fine white sand and some privacy, plus calm waters and minimal commerce, go to Zambales. There are loads of island to choose from – Potipot, Camera, Capones, Anawangin, Miss Universe, etc.
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Last Friday until yesterday was spent in Zambales with BFU and parental units (plus Joseph, the driver). From Iba to Potipot, Candelaria back to Iba then Subic. To say that Potipot island is elegantly beautiful is an understatement. But the best part of the trip is the company I was with.
Thank you, lola Ellen, for accommodating us. Thank you, ma and pa, for everything. Thank you, BFU, for the fun. Sana maulit muli.
I’ll post the pics soon. For now, mga nakaw muna:
BFU in Potipot
Potipot, baby!
New Princess
Walt Disney Pictures is returning to 2d animation with The Princess and the Frog. Now this news excites me as a child who grew up in a world of fairy tale books and Disney princesses because this presents a new angle to the old story. And aside from that, there other things to it which I observed from the trailer.
First is the non-white princess. We have to admit, almost all of the female protagonists of Disney animations are white. Correct me if i’m wrong but i think you can count with one hand those who aren’t – Pocahontas, Mulan, Jasmine. And this is another reason why I look forward to this. At least our population doesn’t have a new reason to think that white skin implies beauty. [This reminds me of a friend whose favorite Disney princess is Jasmine because of her skin color. It makes sense because at least in a way we can still identify ourselves with a princess.]
And from the looks of it, this is another princess who isn’t a passive protagonist just awaiting the rescue of her true love. (not to mention the singing animals) And this sends out a good message about actively pursuing our destiny.
Anyone want to watch it with me? Yung totoo, ha? Hindi yung interesado lang pero hindi din pala matutuloy. Haha. This will be released December 11 but I don’t know when it will hit Philippine theaters.
Trailer:
Sunrise
Although I believe mothers deserve more than just a day for them, here are some personal observations and comparisons for mothers’ day.
I’ve always had my share of colds and allergic reactions and flu. At least 4 times a year I get a major attack. For the different types of colds, there are different medicines to take. But for all of them, the best relief would be a mother’s backrub. [plus some magic water and vicks on the feet]
The family business used to be, for a short time, private massage. I’ve had massages from some of the most trained in the country, especially when I was still seeing my chiropractor. But nothing was more soothing than a mother’s massage. [with some essencia and giga]
I’ve been to some of the best eating places in Manila with my friends and family, from the hole-in-the-wall carinderias to the 5-star hotel restos to out of town bests. I’ve had a taste of some exotic food, some even endangered species so I’ve heard. But nothing satisfies like a breakfast prepared by a mother who woke up earlier than 5am to cook for her kids.
Mothers know best, sure. But what they don’t say is that mothers love best. Maybe that’s why the Jews say “God can’t be everywhere. That’s why He created mothers.”
Guys, appreciate your mothers. You have no idea what they had to go through just for you. The least we can do is be good children and be good students. But if you’re like me who treats her mom like her best friend, then you should always be there for her. One day you’ll be proud to tell your children how great your mother was. I’m sure I will.
Ok, I can hear my mom screaming “sobrang cheesy talaga!”
Anyway, happy mothers’ day to all. Even if you are not a mother, you still deserve to be happy on this day. Greet your mothers a happy one from me, too.
I love you, ma.
like mother like daughter
On Machiavelli and Moore
Those left standing will make millions writing books on the way it should have been. – Incubus
Niccolo Machiavelli said that writing about politics should contain what is and not what should be. But I guess in our time now it’s better to write about what should be rather than what should have been. While the former is still able to spark some hope to readers, the latter talks of observed mistakes in the past.
They say to learn about mistakes of the past helps us avoid repeating it. But I think it would be more helpful if we focus on the more relevant mistakes, say the one nearest the present. Because if we keep studying about the invasion of the Spaniards, the Americans, the Japanese, and the British (yeah, they did conquer us for a time), we get a picture of that time’s context. But we need to know the recent contexts because it is more relevant. Take for instance martial law. If we can formally study that then we, as the youth who are too young to remember those times or too young to have lived during those times, can get a firmer grasp on why the politics here is as it is now.
That is not to say that studying about the country centuries ago is bad. But we don’t really have to know the details, just the bigger picture. I guess this is why me = epic fail in history. I get the big picture and I can’t really take all the exact details.
[This reminds me of Bob Ong’s story that in school they were asked how many holes were in the boat in the early part of noli. When they checked their books, there was no mention of how many holes were there. I also checked my version and saw the same thing. Only to find out for myself years later that in the original version it indeed was mentioned. I forget now the exact number but I do remember that it was the same number as the girls riding the boats. And I can remember there were “plugs” to the holes which is also equal to the number of boys there. So I’m guessing innuendo, perhaps?
But I digress.]
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Michael Moore was once asked in Larry King Live that if he will just keep looking for mistakes in America, why doesn’t he just leave. (or you know, something to that effect)
And he answered that it’s precisely why he wants to stay. He looks for things to fix because he wants America fixed. He’s not complaining about it in the sense that he will just complain. He says what’s broken with full intention of showing what it is that needs to be fixed.
The same applies here. But the problem is, what if the things I see as problems, things I want us to fix, are not what most people see as problems in the first place?
Lair of the Mad Scientist 