Bata pa lang kupal na
JuLiE
Tinanong ko si Allen (kapatid ko na 7 years old) kung sya ba pinakagwapo sa klase nila. Pa-humble pa, sagot sa 'kin, "Ewan ko..."

Inusisa ko kung ano sa tingin nya. Aba! Lumabas din ang pagkakupal! Sagot ba naman sa 'kin, "Oo siguro kasi yung isa kong kaklase mukhang saging. Flat na flat 'yung mukha nya tapos ang haba ng baba. Tapos pati ulo nya mahaba din. Mukha talaga syang saging! Tawag ko nga dun minsan, 'Hoy saging!'"

Syempre ako tawa lang nang tawa. Hindi ko matanto kung bakit ganun sya kakupal! And wait! Hindi pa pala tapos ang kwento nya tungkol sa kaklase nyang mukang saging. Sabi pa nya, "Tapos Ate Jul may dalawa syang nunal sa mukha. Ung isa patay. Ung isa buhay, lumalaki, nakakadiri!"

Siguro 'pag pumapasok sa school si Allen nakaka-imagine sya ng palengke kasi 'yung isa naman daw mukhang pakwan. Ang taba-taba at ang bilog-bilog daw ng mukha tapos ang kapal ng labi. Hay, buti na lang hindi ako napaanak sa kakatawa!

On second thought, farm ata ang naiimagine nya. Pati teacher nya walang kawala. Ang laki daw ng tyan at ang ikli ng kamay, mukhang duck. Hanep sa imagination, ano po?

Kinumusta ko naman 'yung kinikwento nya dati na crush nya (take note: nag-diet pa sya dati para pansinin sya nung crush nyang yun). Di na daw nya crush. Tapos may naalala na naman sya na kaklase nyang babae. Bumbay daw. Pagkasabi pa lang nya na bumbay 'yung classmate nya, tawa na sya nang tawa! 'Yung classmate daw nya na 'yon ay may kuyang bumbay at mommy na bumbay (malamang!). 'Yung kuya daw ang tulis-tulis ng ilong (sabay tawa) at 'yung mommy nakapang-desert. Hahaha! Grabe racism na ito! Pero 'di ko makuhang magalit kasi nakakatawa talaga syang mgkwento! Tinanong ko sya kung may friends ba 'yung bumbay, "Wala, teacher lang! (sabay tawa na naman)."

Kinabukasan may developments sa kwento nya tungkol sa bumbay. Inaasar daw nila, "One, two, three bumbay! One, two, three bumbay!" Bakit kaya feeling ko pasimuno kapatid ko sa pang-aasar??

Sabi ni Jen sa kanya, "'Wag nyo na asarin 'yung bumbay, bad 'yon. Ikaw ba gusto mong tawagin kang Intsik?" Sagot ni Allen, "Ok lang intsik naman ako." Jen: "Bumbay naman sya." Allen: "Eh bat sya naiinis?" Hehehe! Jen, mali naman analogy mo eh..
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I hate goodbyes
JuLiE
It was last Sunday (June 19). We woke up at 5am (no, we set the alarm at 5 but woke up at around 5:45) to prepare for my 9:40 am flight. Regulations say that you have to be checked-in 3 hours before the flight, so, we were off to an early start.

I took a bath while Onac prepared breakfast. At around 6:30 we were already on our way to Changi Airport. I was already checked-in at around 7:20. Good thing Onac can wait with me inside the terminal, unlike in NAIA where relatives and friends can only stay behind the gates. With nothing better to do, we took our second breakfast at Burger King until I already have to check-in at the immigration.

Tears that I tried hard to control since I woke up (unsuccessfully though) started to fall on my face (again)... I hate goodbyes more than ever.
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Out Of My League
JuLiE
-Kanta daw sa 'kin ni Onac to eh, kaya favorite ko na sya... yiheee! =)
.
it's her hair and her eyes today
that just simply take me away
and the feeling that i'm falling further in love
makes me shiver but in a good way
all the times i have sat and stared
as she thoughtfully thumbs through her hair
and she purses her lips, bats her eyes as she plays,
with me sitting there slack-jawed and nothing to say
coz i love her with all that i am
and my voice shakes along with my hands
coz she’s all that I see and she’s all that I need
and i'm out of my league once again
.
it's a masterful melody
when she calls out my name to me
as the world spins around her she laughs,
rolls her eyes and i feel like i'm falling but it's no surprise
coz i love her with all that i am
and my voice shakes along with my hands
cause it's frightening to be swimming in this strange sea
but i'd rather be here than on land
yes she's all that i see and she's all that i need
and i'm out of my league once again
.
it's her hair and her eyes today
that just simply take me away
and the feeling that i'm falling further in love
makes me shiver but in a good way
all the times i have sat and stared
as she thoughtfully thumbs through her hair
and she purses her lips, bats her eyes as she plays,
with me sitting there slack-jawed and nothing to say
coz i love her with all that i am
and my voice shakes along with my hands
cause it's frightening to be swimming in this strange sea
but i'd rather be here than on land
yes she's all that i see and she's all that i need
and i'm out of my league once again
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ARGGGHHH!!!
JuLiE
Nakakatmd, nkkatamad, nakaktamad... NAKAKATAMAD! Leche di nako marunong mag-spelling!
---oOo---
,
Punyeta aircon namin, tulo nang tulo. Bumabaha na sa loob ng kwarto. Pati lababo sa kusina at inidoro sa CR tumutulo rin. Aircon sa isang kwarto di gumagana sa kabila naman di lumalamig. Bullshit, pagkamahal-mahal ng rent, dispalinghado naman mga gamit! Pakshet talaga!

---oOo---
,
Eh sa nabuburat ako, may angal?!
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Hindi na sapat ang People Power
JuLiE
Ang kulit-kulit na talaga ng gobyerno! Puro na lang pulitika, nakakarindi na! Nitong mga nakaraang araw eh puro issue ng destabilization plots ang lumalabas. Wiretapped phone conversations para patunayan ang pandaraya ni Gloria sa eleksyon (huuu, as if naman hindi rin nandaya ang kabilang kampo), pahayag ng mga ex-AFP officials laban kay Gloria, pagkuha ni Gloria ng suporta mula sa militar (may 'gathering' pa nga sila sa Malacanang 'di ba?), pagbigay ng suporta sa kanya ng PNP... got the picture?

Hindi naman kabigla-bigla kung marami na talaga ang dissatisfied kay Ate Glo. Pati ilang mga myembro ng administrasyon ay hindi na natutuwa sa pamamalakad nya. Paano pa kaya ang masa na lubos na biktima ng ganitong sitwasyon?

Tignan natin... isa siguro sa mga issue na malawak na tinututulan ng publiko ay ang nag-e-exist na oligopoly sa industriya ng langis. Sige lang sa pagtataas ng presyo ng gasolina. Ikaw, alam mo pa ba kung ilang beses na tumaas ang gas kamakailan? At syempre walang kontrol ang gobyerno dito dahil sa Oil Deregulation Law. Eh bakit nga hindi pa i-scrap ang crap na yan? Ang malala, kaakibat nito ay ang pagtaas ng pamasahe, ng bilihin at ng lahat-lahat na. Tapos sasabayan pa ito ng pag-apruba sa dagdag na VAT para maiahon daw sa fiscal crisis ang bansa. Consequence: higit na paglubog naman (may ilulubog pa pala) sa kahirapan ng karamihan ng mga Pilipino na ang survival ay on a daily basis (baka nga hourly na eh). Buti sana kung ang sahod ay tinataas din. Nasan na nga ba ang pinangakong wage increase para sa mga manggagawa noong Labor Day. Sabi na nga ba press release lang yun (o sige, nadagdagan daw ng bente pesos ang COLA ng mga manggagawa sa CAR at Reg3, 'yun lang ang nabalitaan ko eh).

Ang dagdag na VAT ay pandagdag sa pambayad utang panlabas ng bansa (ano ba, major percentage na nga ng national budget ay napupunta sa foreign debt servicing!) Kaya syempre tuwang-tuwa ang World Bank. Napakatuta talaga ng gobyerno. Pero may provision naman daw na ilalaan sa basic social services ang ilang parte ng malilikom mula dito. Wish ko lang. Baka sa bulsa ng mga dupang na pulitiko hindi pa kasya 'yun.

Speaking of basic social services, ang edukasyon na supposedly should have the highest priority of the government, e nabaliwala na naman (kelan ba hinde?). Nagkaroon nga ng pagbabawal sa tuition increase sa state colleges and universities pero hindi naman din dinagdagan ng budget (nabawasan pa nga eh). Sa private schools naman, nag-issue nga ang CHED ng bagong regulation sa tuition and other fee increases pero huli naman na ang lahat (kung kailan nakapag-enrol na ang mga estudyante). Labo.

Huwag din natin kalimutan na meron pang pending balikatan exercises in the next few months. At wait, nagkaroon pa ng bagong agreement ang AFP with the US pacific command kaya mukhang mas magtatagal pa ito.

At syempre kapag nagsalita ka laban sa kamalian ng pamamalakad ng gobyerno, tepok ka. Literal ha! Sino ba naman ang hindi matatakot kung nagkakaroon ng mass murder and harassment sa mga aktibista at mas pa sa mga journalists? Ayos. Tumitindi na talaga ang kontradiksyon. Papano pa kaya ang patuloy na militarisasyon na nagaganap sa kanayunan? Mga balitang hindi nilalabas ng mainstream media.. And wait! Idagdag mo pa dito ang National ID system na ang layunin daw ay sugpuin ang terorismo (na hindi pa rin nabibigyan ng malinaw na depenisyon) sa bansa. Pero in effect, isa itong pagkitil sa karapatang pantao. Kaya nga hindi ito naaprubahan ng supreme court noong panahon ni Ramos eh. Tapos ngayon, pinirmahan ni Gloria ang initial draft bilang executive order (para hindi na dumaan sa kongreso). Mautak ano po? Bakit hindi palakasin ang AFP para masugpo nga ang terorismo? Kung anu-ano kasi ang inaatupag eh. Resthouse sa Boracay? Duh!

Sa kabila ng lahat, may ambisyon pa ata itong si Gloria na magpatagal ng term. Nagpalabas sya ng pahayag na pag-uusapan ang issue ng charter change sa pagbukas ng sesyon sa senado. Isa sa proposal ay ang pagtanggal sa term limit ng mga tumatakbong pulitiko at syempre ang paglipat from a presidential form of government to parliamentary. Ibig sabihin ang mamumuno sa bansa ay hindi na pagbobotohan ng sambayanan kundi ng mga tao sa kongreso. Kaya naman matagal na itong pinaglalaban ni De Venecia, pano hindi siya manalo-nalo sa kasalukuyang sistema ng eleksyon. Hindi natin masasabi na ang kagustuhan talaga ng majority ang napapaupo sa gobyerno (syempre dayaan dito, dayaan dyan, may mga voters pa na hindi nag-iisip).Pero kung ipapaubaya na lang natin sa mga pulitiko ito, naku suicide na ata yun!

Hindi lang naman issue ng pagpalit ng form of government ang pumapaloob sa charter change. Kasama rin sa proposal ang pagpayag sa 100% ownership ng lupa, businesses at maski public services para daw maka-attract ng foreign investors... para daw makasunod sa call of globalization. Isa pa rin ay ang pagpapaloob ng mga provisions na magiging consistent sa war on terror ni Bush. Baka nga sa sinusulat kong ito eh mabansagan na rin akong terorista. Ang saya-saya.

Ngayon lang ay nagpalabas ng statement si Pimentel na kinakailangan nang mag-resign si Gloria dahil nawalan na sya ng kredibilidad para mamuno sa bansa. Ito na daw ang konstitusyonal na paraan para maisalba ang papalubog na gobyerno. Pero asa ka pa na magre-resign nga si Ate Glo!

May lumalabas rin na issue ng takeover plot na mag-cu-culminate sa Sabado. Ano, panibagong People Power na naman? Dahil marami na nga ang napipikon na kay Gloria hindi ito malayong mangyari. Ang People Power ay patunay lamang na kaya ng pinagsama-samang lakas ng sambayanan na magpatalsik ng pinuno na hindi na nagsisilbi sa interes ng nakararami.

Pero kung babalikan natin, ano nga ba ang magandang naidulot ng People Power? Si Marcos ay napalitan ni Cory, si Erap ay napalitan ni Gloria. Kung iisipin natin, pare-pareho lang naman ang mga yan. Magpapatalsik tayo ng presidente pero ang nakikinabang ay mga oportunista na wala rin namang inisip kundi ang kanilang personal na interes.

Dahil hanggat hindi nagbabago ang sistema ng lipunan, ang kurakot ay mapapalitan lang din ng mas kurakot. Ang bulok ay lalo lang mabubulok.

Hindi na nga sapat ang People Power.
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Torn
JuLiE
It's final. I had my return ticket booked on June 19, morning flight. I know I was excited to see my family the minute I got here in Singapore. Then why do I feel so sad just thinking about going home? Of course I know the reason... I'm gonna miss my husband so much :-(
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Creatures of the Night
JuLiE
Ok, this is a little bit late. I was supposed to post this last week but I got bored updating my blog.

Anyway, right after we went to the zoo, we had dinner then we were off to the night safari. It was actually on the same vicinity as the zoo. And I had a feeling that after the zoo closes at 6pm, the zoo management transports the animals to the night safari, which opens at 7:30 p.m. Ample time right? Nah, I'm just joking. =)

This night safari is, I believe, the first wildlife park to offer a night view of several species of nocturnal animals. The animals were settled in shadowy half-light, thus, they were mostly unaware of the presence of visitors. Too bad, we were not able to take pictures. The management was very strict with their no-using-of-flash policy since the animals are very sensitive to light and sounds. Who would want these wild animals to actually get wild??

I wouldn't have enjoyed the night safari if we were not aboard a tram. See, I was already so tired that even the most magificent creatures would not relieve me if we took the walking trails.

Anyway, I wish I could take Allen (my little brother) here because he has an affinity with the wildlife. Young as he is (he's only 7), he watches national geographic specials and discovery channel (aside from cartoon network of course) with real interest. Smart kid huh?

The only pictures we were able to take were outside the trails.
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Can we go to the zoo today?
JuLiE
I had my most wonderful zoo experience last Saturday (May 28)! Duh, as if I have a lot of zoo experiences... But in fairness, I remember going to Manila Zoo when I was a kid. All I remember is that I saw a caged lion and that the place stinks (so much for a lasting impression). I don't know if the place is any better now.

ANYWAY, Singapore Zoo on the other hand is fantastic! It takes you to an intricate journey in the jungle to discover its vast species of wildlife. The zoo attempts to emulate the creatures' natural habitat to stimulate survival. Meaning, instead of confining the animals in a cage (unless completely necessary) they transformed areas into grasslands, forests, swamps, plains, depending on the animals that situate on it. Cool huh? I just wonder if the animals haven't realized yet that they're NOT on their natural habitat. I mean, an animal's area is too small to be say, a forest. And they don't have their natural enemies appearing any moment. Oh, they must be bored.

We arrived at around 4:30 p.m. (a little late) so we really had to double time to see all the animals in that huge park. By the time we went out of the zoo at around 7 p.m. (the zoo closes at 6), I had aching feet, legs, and lower back but very much satisfied nonetheless. It was just too bad that we were not able to see the animal shows.


Me and daddy at the entrance.

These are lovelier than their relatives (horses).

The elepahant stinks! I touched it to feel its skin. After washing my hands for five times, the smell is still there. Eew!

The tallest mammal. Their hearts got to be so big and beats 3x faster than that of a human in order to transport oxygen and blood into their brains.

Mommy chimp w/ baby chimp. Cute di ba? Young chimps stay with their mothers for upto 10 years.

This is a jaguar.

This is a leopard.
Can you spot the difference?

Inuka - the first and only polar bear born in the tropics.

A lioness. Lions are the only cats that live in a large family group. They are toe-walkers, meaning, their heels do not touch the ground when they walk.


Camels have a double row of long curly lashes to protect their eyes from sand and dust. They can regulate their body temperature to conserve body fluids, thus, they perspire very little.

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