Pinoy Nga!

Filipinos, a race of creative, competitive and cranky people. Sometimes, we prefer doing things the wrong way and laugh them all out. Don't we just love such feeling?

I've always been fascinated at how a lot of us Filipinos manage to spend time face to face with Adobe Photoshop and make fun of other people's faces. Take for instance the fancy photographs of the people's champ, Manny Pacquiao and his mom scattered all over the web.

I'm admitted that these are really funny photos but on the part of the people involved, these may not necessarily be fun at all. A lot of us are aware that this is sinfully hilarious at the expense of somebody else's image but then it's apparent that not even the act of sinning bothers us anymore – not even the slightest of it. So now, is it still safe to call the Philippines a Catholic/Christian country or is it just by name that we consider ourselves such? I am led to believe that Filipinos are somehow the same as before in terms of religiosity but a part of me says that people are becoming even more sinful by the generation.

I can't help but mention the growing number of teenage pregnancies in the country. Isn't it against our own faith? The past years, I've grown to embrace the fact that a lot has changed already. Yesterday's Maria Clara is already 6 feet below the ground. Crab mentality worsened even more and its end is nowhere in sight.

Frustratingly, there are even a lot more to mention but I prefer not to. It's hardly bearable especially that I somehow feel guilt in realizing that at certain instances, I am one with the majority in failing to right the wrong.

At the end of them all, we always assign the blame to something or someone else; often neglecting the possibility that we ourselves can be worth the blame too. Who's to blame might turn out to be a question that nobody might dare answer in the near future.

Loose Grip

What happens to a relationship when one loses hope on the simplest of situations? That is among the many questions scattered all over my consciousness as I face one of the toughest struggles I have encountered in my 20 years of existence.

I used to think that relationships should be deeply rooted on present situations but this certain instance proved me wrong. There are a lot more to consider in order to attain a desirable journey as a pair. Among those that need to be considered in a relationship is a deep understanding of what a real couple is. I just cannot imagine how a number of people get to compete with their other half's friends, family and most frustratingly, work. I just find it real shallow especially with a mindset that there will surely be rougher seas ahead that can barely be predicted.

I just wish people will learn how to give way at certain instances especially because there is no such thing as "total ownership" when it comes to relationships. It is but selfishness that prevail among people who think about the word "I," most of the time forgetting that sometimes being alone is not a bad thing. I hate to say this but I don't think people who possess majority of the aforementioned problems will ever find someone who can last long with them; that's if they ever will find one.

Given the chance to name the ideal significant other for me, that someone should first and foremost, understand that there is somehow that little world outside the relationship that needs particular attention as well. Second, I find it essential that deeper understanding of work and its purpose be instilled especially that it's usually for a selfless reason. Third, I'd go for someone who knows how to understand situations and analyze before throwing whatever "brilliant ideas/comments" there are. If only people knew better on the aspect of understanding, then the world would have been less complicated.

There's no sense in quitting where there isn't really any point of doing so but if everything else fails, giving up can be the only resort.

And because of this, I rest my case. I find no sense in fighting for someone, who can't even fight for what used to be "us" in the first place. I'm just human, prone to vulnerability and weariness. I once again, officially, embrace the arguably lonely world of aloneness.

Paper Clip Prince

Kyle walks along one of the streets in the city when he saw a red paper clip on the sidewalk. He stopped and pondered deeply, and without hesitation he picked it up. He knew he can do something better than throwing it away. And from that time on, every paper clip Kyle sees was never the same again.

It was one of those lazy afternoons when Kyle became hooked with a new hobby. It was a hobby he never imagined to be hooked at, or even care much about. It was a realization that came to his brainstems: that by seeing things in a creative way, he can make a difference.

Yes, Kyle Howard Demerre, a 19 year old junior student did make a difference. He made a difference from his creativity and innovation, and touched a lot of young people in looking at things in their different perspectives.

But how did this young boy make such a difference?

Transforming paper clips into robots is something that Kyle boasts the most. Every paper clip he sees in everyday is being added to the many boxes of paper clips he has stored in his room in their ancestral house located in Looc, Dumaguete City. These paperclips, through the use of his innovative mind and power of his hands, are being transformed into colorful robots and images. Some of Kyle’s creations were patterned after some famous characters like Voltes 5, Goku, and Pokemon.

Aside from cartoon characters, which Kyle idolizes as well, his masterpieces also have a touch of environmentalism. As a matter of fact, Kyle also has creations of robotic animals like scorpions, crocodiles, spiders, even dinosaurs add up to his huge number of paperclip-made collections.

Truly, it was not just a mere “creativity” this guy possesses. Amazingly, he has a lot of patience too. Imagine being able to create robots out of paper clips through the use of pliers, armed with limitless patience. And because paperclips vary in colors, it has surely made Kyle’s collection of robots and galactic characters extra stunning.

But things were not easy for Kyle. It was in high school when Kyle knew that creativity was his gift, and he knew he wants to live with it. For Kyle that time, imagination was the key toward nurturing his creativity. He was not amazed at how he made his paper clip robots, but as his friends start to appreciate all his works, he realized that indeed, there was something worth the pride in his masterpieces.

The moment Kyle entered college, he began to make the most out of the paperclips he saw around him. Every curl of the pliers, every piercing, and every robot he creates gives him a sense of pride and inspiration. There, Kyle knew that he gets all his inspiration from his artworks, and as time goes by, the flame of creativity enflames more and more.

Kyle narrates that many of his friends expressed their interests on his works and began visiting his place to learn how to make the said artworks. During free time, Kyle does nothing but think of characters and images he can pattern his work to.

“I make it because I want to make use of my time,” Kyle said. But this young guy continued that he does not make it just for the sake of art. There is something more than simply making artworks for his self-gratification. Kyle knows that there is a need to bring his creativity a notch higher, and its first step can only be taken through using his skill for others’ benefit. Besides sitting on praises from his friends and teachers, Kyle, through his amazing creativity, still wants to touch other young people’s lives. In fact, Kyle has been doing a number of workshops with his friends and classmates to share his knowledge and skills to other young people. This, Kyle believes, will somehow give the young people the idea that there is a need for recycling the things we see around us.

As of this time, this young boy continues to make use of his unique skill of making the most out of the simplest things, and most importantly, touching other teenagers’ lives in giving them the realization that creativity can be mastered, while helping the environment in little ways.

After college, Kyle still plans to continue his old ways of transforming paper clips into artworks, and still be able to reach out to others through the arts.

Reasons to celebrate this November

November is seemingly among the ordinary months of the year for me. This may be because it's back to school for me and the majority of young people out there. But I think there are even more reasons why I feel this way; reasons I am yet to find out.

As I roamed around the city, the wind's direction seemingly changed. Things changed - a lot! The festive mood is finally on and everybody around the city can, perhaps, feel it too. So, what are the reasons behind the festive mood anyway?

Pacquiao's fight against Cotto is set today and as I write (or encode) this, the fight is already on. Though the fight just started, I can already smell victory from where I'm at. Or is it just because of the perfume I'm wearing? LOL. But seriously, win or lose, it is still our pride that someone gets to represent our country in the international arena. But wait, there are even more reasons to rejoice. It's now time to move the spotlight to the local scene.

On November 23, Dumaguete's first full-service mall will open its doors for its first batch of mall rats. From that day on, the new and preferred commercial center will be the Dumaguete Business park. At long last, people will stay kilometers away from stalls, grocery and convenience stores that close at noon time; not to mention their early closing time. Boohoo! Isn't this reason enough to be ecstatic? No more MISfortune marts and the like! LOL

November 24 marks the vesperas of the city of gentle people's charter day celebration. Not only that, the 24th is another holiday for students, employees or perhaps employers too and that means no classes and no work! Thank God for holidays! LOL. But even before the aforementioned day, the city's inhabitants (and non-inhabitants) will get to gaze the showcase of a rich culture that will give the people a glimpse of the past.

November 25 is Dumaguete's big day and I know food will be on top of the majority's priorities but aside from that, this is one opportunity for camaraderie among friends, relatives and people from a distance as well. I remember those days when we used to hop from one house to another in our quest for food (or maybe something else. LOL). That was surely fun and I look forward to experiencing it once again this year.

The festive mood doesn't necessarily have to end there, at least for me it doesn't. The last day of November is the most significant day of the year for me - my birthday. It's supposedly one of the happy days of my life. This year, my boinkday will surely be a good one. (Don't ask why. ROFL) In a matter of days, I will give the age of 20 my final adios. Because of this, I find a countdown to 21 necessary:

Drowning From Within

As we enter into a more diverse community in college, we encounter people from nearly all walks of life. It is a difficult transition from high school in a sense that we meet different classmates in a matter of an hour or two. Because of that, we come across different persocnalities; from friendly individuals to loners, from studious students to lazy heads, from introverts to extroverts and from sensible to shallow people. The world is full of shallow people and I don’t know if that is reason enough to write about them but I will, anyway.

Generally, shallow people see almost everything in a superficial manner. Ironically, a lot of them are not even aware that they are already drowning in their own shallowness. They are, most of the time, suffering from boredom and unhappy with their state of life—which actually explains why they end up picking and prodding at another person to feel good.

So, how do we really know if a person is shallow? Listed below are a few characteristics that compose a shallow person based on personal and other people’s experiences. These include intolerance, insecurity, being judgmental, hypocrisy, tactlessness, materialism and flashiness.

A shallow person desires to get rid of all unattractive people in the world—something clearly futile and nearly impossible to accomplish. They are intolerant of how other people dress or even look like, with a mindset that they are far superior. Who would one stand next to for him to feel less unattractive himself in the first place? Pardon me for the shallow joke but it somehow makes sense, doesn’t it?

Shallow people ridiculously take too long before they decide to introduce their boyfriends/girlfriends to peers for the reason that they’re afraid to have them “stolen.” I can’t help but think that this is due to the insecurities they possess. Unfortunately, this happens frequently in real life.

“It takes one to know one” as they say; shallow people think otherwise. Being judgmental is apparently innate in them. They easily jump into conclusions thinking that they know everything. It’s a pain that they seem to know us more than we do. Adding insult to injury, these narrow-minded people mostly insist on what they believe is true; often not paying attention to what other people say.

Hypocrisy is another addition to the parameters of shallowness. If it’s not you, don’t act it! Showing people something contrary to the real you doesn’t help but add to the long list of vices you can have. There may be instances that may be so pressing that one may see hypocrisy as a last resort. But even then, it should not be considered a choice.

Words are extremely powerful that a word or two could either please or hurt a person. When people start using the wrong words, it may follow that he/she is tactless, insensitive or just don’t have a life. A tactless person can be identified as someone shallow. It is worth remembering that there are some matters better left unsaid to avoid making someone miffed; a tactless person can be very weak at this.

Shallow people give importance to material possessions more than well-being or anything else. Materialistic as they are, shallow people attend to a seemingly unending crave for a variety of things at the expense of intellectual or even spiritual values. There is more to life than mere materialistic happiness.

Those who show-off a lot are more likely to be shallow people. They are attention-seekers who think they are successful in entering the limelight through flaunting their possessions. Oftentimes these people have high self-esteem and most, if not all, of the time too arrogant.

Now is the perfect time to evaluate yourself whether you belong to the growing number of frivolous people or not. So, if you’re one of them, you shouldn’t wonder why a lot of people dislike or do not even bother to notice your existence. It’s not yet too late to make a full-360 though, so make that change and make it now.