Ka-Booze

After weeks and months of what I tout as "blind" friendships (because I literally haven't seen them, or better yet, I haven't made myself available for mutual oggling ang updating), I was able to meet my friends yesterday/yesterafternoon/yesternight. I treated Piya, Daryl, Adam, Myles, Mikael and Caloi to two 14-inch pizzas at Lotsa Pizza in Maginhawa St. After that, Mikael and Caloi went back to UP to attend to several organizational matter. The rest of the gang decided to go to Javi's in Sikatuna Village.

It was a spur of the moment thing, deciding to grab and take a few swigs of beer. 4am. How unruly! Hehehe. Anyway, much to our disappointment, Javi's was still closed when we got there so we settled for Molo's where a bunch of proverbs by anonymous persons were displayed. One apothegm I couldn't rid my head of is "There comes in the life of every man when he becomes a fool because of a woman." Or something to that effect, which of course, the apothegm, however proverbial it may seem, could always be explained and interpreted in various ways.

Anyhow, I had quite a feat of anxiety attacks lately. And for some reason, I gave in to breaking my eight-month old record of non-alcoholic-beverage drinking last night. Though unlike my drinking buddies, I opted to drink San Mig Light while they gulped in the calories of Red Horse 500. It was also last night that I kinda verbalized my anxiety attacks. I don't usually talk about them these days. And I wouldn't say that the occasion befits it that's why the emotional deluge set forth, but because I decided to make the release. No more, no less.

I'm just relieved that my mom, Karen (my sister-in-law) and Mark (my brother) are taking good care of Amery (Mark and Karen's seven-month old daughter). There's nothing more relieving than being told that "ok naman, wag mag-alala." That's a hand or two stopping the trembling of my hands. :)

There were stories last night that are best not eviscerated here. I find solace in the fact these stories will not rot or calcify because they have all been etched, in more ways than one, in our collective psyche. Piya, who I pray, will go back to her old happy solace of silence. And Daryl who'll realize that she's more than just a film buff. And to me, and others like me, who are ready to court the creative and challenging life of agents of call centers.

Later last night, after Molo's, Adam and Myles went home. On the other hand, Daryl, Piya and I waited for Mikael and Prech at Order, Order Pares House beside Mang Bok's beside Javi's, almost across Molo's. After they arrived, Mikael talked about someone he has the hots for. And how I envy him for having the guts to spill it all out on the person. I am definitely happy for Mikael. Prech was also quite happy, fidgety and sweetly, cutely in-love with this guy. Kudos kids!

Earlier, Daryl texted me that she will pray, which admittedly for her and for me, is very unusual and un-Daryl; to which I replied, "same here" which is very un-Mykel. However a reader of this takes what Daryl and I have just uttered, feel free to commune with us.

Here's to letting go of my anxiety attacks and hoping for a better and more fulfilling life. However cliche it sounds.

Piercing

My morning started with breakfast -- pancit canton which my mother bought from a carinderia along P. Margal St. It was sweet -- my mom and the pancit canton.

Yesterday, I was with tens of thousands of people. We met outside the Sto. Domingo Church and marched for Liwasang Bonifacio, but we were met by police clad with batutas and shields and grim faces at Welcome, Rotonda. We knew then that the National Day of Protest for Arroyo's Removal would have to be conducted in front of Burger King Welcome, Rotonda.

The last time I felt like how I felt yesterday was February 14, 2000 when thousands of UP students along with other members of the education and sectoral communities marched for Mendiola to ask for a higher budget for education and for basic social services. It was a deluge of people, covering Quezon Bridge.

Yesterday was like that. Only that alta presyon kicked me in the head and I had to go home (I live very near Welcome Rotonda). The June heat was piercing; it penetrated my semi-bald head. When I got home around 5pm, it started to rain.

Last Sunday was Father's Day. After performing at the Aroceros Forest Park (Rizal and the Environment), I went to SM Manila to meet my family. We ate in a chinese restaurant, accompanied my brother Mark to buy polo barongs, among others. My youngest brother Jay-ar took me to Silveworks and I had my left ear re-pierced. I was in my fourth year in high school when I had my left ear first pierced.

In a bit, I'll be going to Quiapo to raid pirated DVDs, needless to say.

Desperate Housewives and Politicos

I'm desperately wanting of owning a DVD collection of Desperate Housewives. Watch it every Thursday, 9pm, Studio 23. Also, visit this site: www.abc.go.com/primetime/desperate.

The fictional tv housewives aren't the only ones who are desperate. Pres. GMA is atop the list. She desperately needs to redirect the issues she's facing right now. Her crisis.

Today marked the launching of UP AWARE, a broad alliance of UP students, teachers, scholars, alumni, workers and the like for the removal of PGMA from office. It was a success; the alliance, of which I am a member of, was well-received by media and the common tao.

Open Letter: Kawawa Naman ang UP Manininda

Hunyo 10, 2005

Atty. Ida La’o
Vice-Chancellor for Community Affairs
University of the Philippines, Diliman


Mahal na Atty. La’o:

Magandang araw!

Sumusulat po kami sa inyong opisina upang ipabatid sa inyo na tutol kaming mga guro sa nakaambang pagpapaalis sa 16 na UP Manininda na nakapuwesto sa Academic Oval. Naniniwala po kaming arbitraryo ang desisyong ito at isang porma ng pagsiil sa karapatan ng mga miyembro ng komunidad ng UP Diliman.

Napag-alaman po namin na dalawa sa mga dahilan na inyong ibinigay sa mga opisyal ng UP Manininda kung bakit sila ay nararapat na tanggalin sa Academic Oval ay dahil sa usapin ng seguridad at kalinisan. Ayon po sa inyong opisina, nagiging sagabal sila sa pagmimintina ng seguridad sa kampus dahil nakababalakid sila sa operasyon ng UP Diliman Police (UPDP). Gayundin, nagiging sagabal sila sa promosyon ng kalinisan dahil tila nagmimistula silang “eyesore.”

Ang mga ganitong dahilan ay absurdo at hindi kapani-paniwala. Una sa lahat, ang problema ng seguridad sa UP ay hindi dahil nakababalakid ang UP Manininda sa operasyon ng UPDP. Ang problema ng seguridad ay maiuugat sa mababang badyet na inilalaan ng gobyerno sa UP. KULANG NA KULANG ang pondo ng UPDP, kakarag-karag na ang sasakyan nila, at hindi sapat ang kanilang sahod. Kung hindi man sila nakakapag-opereyt nang maayos, iyon ay dahil wala silang motibasyon. Kung tutuusin, isa sa mga sandigan naming mga guro at sandigan ng aming mga estudyante hinggil sa seguridad sa kampus ay ang mga UP Manininda. Bahagi sila ng Multisektoral Assembly ng University Student Council at nagiging dagdag na tagapagbantay at tagapagpanatili ng seguridad namin sa kampus.

Hinggil naman sa usapin ng kalinisan, kahit noong panahon ng panunungkulan ni dating Vice-Chancellor Gil Gotiangco, epektibo ang mga miyembro ng UP Manininda sa pagpapanatili ng seguridad at kalinisan sa kampus. Tumutulong sila sa lingguhang paglilinis ng mga nakatalagang lugar sa loob ng kampus. At kahit kaming mga guro ay makapagpapatunay na hindi sila eyesore, bagkus ay tumutulong sa pagmimintina ng kalinisan sa kampus.

Naniniwala po kaming ang inyong aksyon at desisyong paalisin sila sa Academic Oval ay upang i-prioritisa ang mga pribado at malalaking negosyanteng nais pumasok sa loob ng UP bilang mga konsesyonair. Hindi makatarungan na isakripisyo ninyo ang maliliit na UP Manininda upang paburan ang malalaking negosyante. Sa taas ng mga bilihin, na lalo pang tumataas dahil sa dikta ng malalaking negosyante, ang mga UP Manininda ay nagbibigay sa amin ng kakayahang bumili sa mas murang halaga, para sa aming pang-araw-araw na panawid. Kadamay po natin ang UP Manininda, at dapat sila ang inyong pinoprotektahan at pinaprayoritisa.


Lubos na gumagalang,


G. Michael Francis C. Andrada
Ad-Hoc Committee Officer
Congress of Educators/Teachers for Nationalism and Democracy (CONTEND-UP)
Intructor, Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas

FC 3009 Blues

Nagpapawis ang mga bintana sa maliit na silid ko dito sa Faculty Center. Unti-unti nang nag-aagawan ang dilim at liwanag sa labas, ngunit mas nananaig ang dilim. Nagbabadya ang ulan.

Hindi ko gaanong makita ang koronang pula ng mga Punong Apoy.

Hapong-hapo ako ngayon. Masakit ang balikat at nagnanais na makawala sa gapos ng medyas at sapatos ang aking mga daliri sa paa. Habang ganito ang aking pakiramdam, lumilipad ang isip ko sa pagnanais na matapos ang silabus at reading list ko para sa Pan Pil 12. Tapos ko na ang sa Pan Pil 17. Kaunti na lang ay tapos ko na ang Pan Pil 12.

Hinihintay ko si J.

Naiihi ako, pero tinatamad akong tumayo, buksan ang pinto, lumabas ng kuwarto, at pumunta sa palikuran.

Ngayon lang ay bigla kong naalala yung rally na pinuntahan namin sa...

Mga Bagong Email Address

Ayan, malilimutin kasi ako. Gumawa ako ng tatlong bagong e-mail addresses, para sa mga bagong klase ko para sa Unang Semestre AY 2005-06. Sa gmail naman:

1. puzong@gmail.com
2. popsikol@gmail.com
3. tokentext@gmail.com

Nag-isip rin ako ng mga bagong sagisag-panulat o nom de plume:

1. Francois Puzong (after Francois Ozon, favorite French director ko)
2. Ewan McEwan (after Ian McEwan, favorite fictionist ko)
3. Quentin Tarantado (after Quentin Tarantino)