Historian’s Nook

Read the other day that the movie The DaVinci Code has been banned for showing by the city council of Manila.  Likewise, several movie houses have refused to show this controversial movie within their bounds. 

Bad trip.  Hanggang ngayon ba pinipili pa rin ng mga kinauukulan kung anong dapat nating panoorin, basahin, at pakinggan?  Para tayong ibinabalik sa panahon ng mga Kastila kung saan idinidikta sa atin kung ano-anong mga bagay ang maaaring ipasok sa sistema ng mga kaawa-awang indio. 

No doubt, most of us are old enough to know the difference between historical facts and fiction.  So please spare us the agony of trying to explain to us that the movie will question our faith.  We all know what’s best for ourselves damn it. 

Wala talaga yatang pinag-iba ang panahong ito sa panahon ni Rizal kung saan patuloy niyang binabatikos ang pagsikil sa mga karapatan ng mga indio bilang mga tao.  Lampas sandaang taon na ang nakalilipas pero tila nandoon pa rin tayo sa panahon ng bulag-bulagang pananalampataya.

And read this, a councilor even stated that banning the movie was the ‘sentiment of the City of Manila’.  C’mon.  I’m from Manila and have been living here since the day I was born.  Sarap pumatay…

Love is a wondrous feeling and yet some people seem to just take it for granted.  Can people live without it?  I don’t think so.  When someone begins to love someone, it’s the start of something wonderful.  But when love starts to fade away, a person’s world begins to gradually shatter – all in vain, all down the drain…

Most of the time, we are not able to comprehend what’s happening to us.  Why do beautiful relationships end?  When do we finally say they’re over?    Why do we have to commit mistakes just for us to learn the lessons embedded within?  Why do we have to suffer just for us to learn the valuable lessons of life?  I dunno.  Intriguing questions abound yet precise answers are always hard to come by…

Had a great time touring Hong Kong late last year. Just for fun and though seemingly late, here are the ten things I like about the place…

1) an efficient transportation system all throughout Hong Kong

2) clean surroundings (whether in malls, streets, or just about anywhere)

3) Hong Kong time that is practically ‘on time’

4) the double-decker bus

5) Hong Kong tour guides with different personalities and ideologies (and mannerisms too)

6) the ever reliable ‘Big Mac’ at McDonald’s just around the corner

7) the many noodle shops found everywhere

the death-defying freefall ride in the ‘The Abyss’ at the Ocean Park

9) the hair-raising ‘Space Mountain’ ride at Disneyland

10) Donald Duck himself (idol!)

Sa mga pupunta ng Hong Kong, tip lang: Mag-ingat sa mga mapanlinlang at kapitalistang tour guides!

Mahusay kung sinuman ang may pakana nito…

3 Names U go By: 1) Jerome, 2) Jake (dunno why), 3) Elom (para sa mga kamag-anak)

3 Screen Names U Have Had: Walang maalala…

3 Things U Like about Yourself: 1) a good sense of humor, 2) passion (or fashion?) for teaching, 3) nature-lover

3 Things U Don’t Like about Yourself: 1) mabilis mainip, 2) ‘escapist’ (hay buhay…), 3) hot-tempered (daw)

3 Parts of Your Heritage: 1) Chinese (my grandfather’s a full-blooded Chinese), 2) Ilokano (dahil sa aking mahal na ina), 3) Tagalog (Manila boy…)

3 Things that Scare U: 1) cockroaches, 2) cockroaches, 3) cockroaches

3 of Your Everyday Essentials: 1) facial kit ek-ek, 2) sunglasses, 3) celfone (siyempre)

3 Things U are Wearing Right Now: 1) a silver bracelet, 2) two rings (Dragon sa right and Buddhist sa left), 3) a friendship band (sa paa)

3 of Your Favorite Bands or Musical Artists: 1) Eraserheads, 2) Rivermaya (‘ung original band), 3) Stephen Bishop

3 of Your Favorite Songs: 1) ‘Something New In My Life’ (by Stephen Bishop), 2) ‘Don’t Know What To Say’ (by Ric Segreto), 3) ‘You and I’ (Gino Padilla)

3 Things U Want to Try in the Next 12 Months: 1) drive a car (!), 2) bungee jump (!), 3) eat beef / beefy foods (!)

3 Things You Want in a Relationship: 1) dapat ay masaya ang ugnayan, 2) dapat ay makabuluhan ang mga talastasan, 3) dapat ay may walang hanggang pagmamahalan para sa isa’t isa

2 Truths and a Lie (Guess which one is the lie): 1) I am a Realtors (Sta. Lucia) fan, 2) I am a Nowitzki fan, 3) I am a Mariah Carey fanatic

3 Things about the Opposite Sex that Appeal to U: 1) talino, 2) yumi, 3) ganda

3 Things about the Same Sex that Appeal to U: 1) kalog dapat, 2) magaling makisama, 3) madalas manlibre

3 Things U Just Cannot Do: 1) uminom ng kape, 2) sulatan o tupiin ang mga pahina ng isang libro, 3) kumain ng bulalo at sinigang na baka

3 of Your Favorite Hobbies: 1) play basketball, 2) assemble jigsaw puzzles, 3) browse all books at all Booksale stores

3 Things U Want to do Really Bad Right Now:

1) bilhin lahat ng French Baker products at tinapay two minutes bago magbigay ng 50% off ang establishment sa mga customers para sa last 15 minutes ng kanilang pagtitinda,

2) kumanta nang kumanta using the Magic Sing hanggang sa magdugo ang mga tenga ng aming kapitbahay na puro urot, at

3) takasan ang lahat ng mga meetings ngayong summer and ever and ever 

3 Careers U are Considering: 1) basketball player (yeba!), 2) commercial model (ha ha ha!), 3) product endorser (school supplies?  cloth apparel?)

3 Places You Want to Go on Vacation: 1) Cambodia (visit the Angkor Wat!), 2) China (walk through the Great Wall!), and 3) Venice (ride a gondola!)

3 Things U Want to Do Before U Die: 1) circle the globe, 2) finish a Ph.D degree, 3) read all the books in my collection

3 Ways U are Stereotypically a Boy: 1) play basketball, 2) eat all I can (!), 3) appreciate the nice ladies out there

3 Ways U are Stereotypically a Chick: 1) shopping (kahit window-shopping lang okay na), 2) magbibili ng mga damit, paraphernalia, accessories, etc., 3) alagaan ang buong katawan (the skin, the face, the hair, and everything.  ha ha ha!)

3 Celeb Crushes: 1) Maria Sharapova, 2) Jackie Rice, 3) Zhang Ziyi

3 People U Would Like to Complete This Quiz: kahit sino puwede…

Ciao!