Si Bruce at Si Tony

Sila yung kaka-iba, kasi sila yung normal. 

Simula't sapul, hangang-hanga na ako kay Batman at Iron Man. Sa kani-kanilang mga grupo, sila lang ang hindi taga-ibang planeta. Sila lang ang hindi nakagat ng insekto. Sila lang ang hindi nag-iiba ang anyo dahil sa kahit anong kemikal. Sila lang ang walang kapangyarihan. Sila lang ang mga ordinaryong tao na purong katalinuhan lang ang ginagamit para puksain ang kasamaan. Sila yun. Sila na!

Nasa magkaibang kalawakan man ng comics (taga-DC Universe si Batman habang nakatira naman si Iron Man sa Marvel Universe) ang dalawa, mayroon din silang mga pagkakapareho. Animo'y sila ang mga alter ego ng isa't isa. Pareho silang ulila. Pareho silang mayaman. Pareho silang mahilig sa babae. 

Sa isang banda, sa mga katauhan nila, iisipin mo na pwede ka nga naman pala maging bayani o superhero kahit hindi perpekto ang kalagayan mo sa buhay. Kahit wala ka ng magulang, kahit marami kang problema. Basta't matalino ka, at may determinasyon, pwede kang makatulong sa iba. 

Ngunit sa talino nga lamang ba nagula ang kanilang kapangyarihan? At sabihin man nating oo, maari ka pa nga kayang maging Bruce Wayne o Tony Stark sa makabagong panahon? 

Talino nga naman ang dahilan kung bakit nakakapag-imbento sila nga mga armas. Ngunit para magkaroon ng talino, kelangan mo ng edukasyon. At sa panahon ngayon, hindi na ito libre. 

Mabuti na lamang at may mga dambuhalang mga kumpanyang naipamana ang mga magulang ni Tony at Bruce. Ito ang mga kumpanyang tumutustos sa pagpapagamot nila sa kanilang mga nabaling buto, nagalos na mga braso at makabili ng hi-tech na mga kotse, at makaimbento ng mga kagamitan. At sapagkat hindi na nga libre ang edukasyon, ito rin ang naging tulay para sila maging makapangyarihan. 

Ang komersyalisasyon ng edukasyon, patuloy na pagtaas ng matrikula, pagsasapribado ng mga SUCs, at ang patuloy nag pagkaltas sa badyet ng edukasyon ay unti-unting humahadlang sa posibilidad na maging kasing talino natin si Batman at Iron Man. Hindi din naman natin sila kasing yaman. Sa patuloy na pagwawalang bahala ng pamahalaan sa edukasyon, ang buhay ni Bruce at Tony sa makabagong panahon para sa mga ordinaryong tao ay mananatili na lamang na nasa komiks -- mga kathang isip. 

Kung iisiping mabuti, ang edukasyon ang "great equalizer" ng mundo. Hindi nababatay sa lahi, sa kulay, sa tangos ng ilong, o sa yaman, ang karunungan. Ngunit tila ang mga mayayaman na lamang ang nakikinabang sa kapangyarihang hatid ng edukasyon. Mula sa pagiging "equalizer", ang edukasyon kapag nilagyan ng presyo at  ginawang eksklusibo lamang sa may mga pera, ay nagiging sandata pa upang mapanatili ang status quo.

Oo. Marahil hindi naman talaga natin kelangan ng edukasyon hatid ng pera para maging mga bayani. Kaya din naman nating tumulong sa sarili nating mga paraan. Pero ang nakakalimutan natin, ang edukasyon ay karapatan. Karapatang hindi natin natatamasa dahil lang hindi tayo ipinanganak na mayaman. Karapatang ipinaglaban ng ating mga bayani upang ating matamasa. Wala sa atin ang karapatang balewalain lamang ito at sayangin ang mga nabuwis na dugo at paghihirap ng ating mga ninuno. 

Ang hirap ano? Bahala na si Batman.

Ngunit, sa pagkakataong ito, hindi na kaya ni Batman mag-isa. Kahit samahan pa siya ni Iron Man, o ng buong Avengers, o ng buong Justice League. Ang pinaka-unang hakbang ay ang pagkilala ng bawat isa na ang edukasyon ay karapatan, na hindi ito produktong dapat bilihin, na hindi ito dapat nababatay sa kakayahang magbayad. Nasa balikat ng bawat isa ang laban na ito. Hindi kailangan ng mundo ang superheroes kung ang bawat isa ay ipaglalaban ang sariling karapatan at ng kapwa. 

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When two ordinary men become superheroes, its a testament that money is the greatest source of power. Just ask Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne. 

Christmas Wishlist

I think its that time of the year to make a list of what I want for Christmas. In no specific order:

1. Blackberry 9900. Actually, I just want another smartphone. But, there is this chance that I will be able to have this one come December 8. My mom just bought this 2 weeks ago, but when in Vietnam, she found out that mobile providers in Vietnam actually charge a lot for BB service. So she decided to get another one, and that I buy BB 9900 from her instead. Yay for me! An installment-mode of payment with no specific time table. LOL. 
 

 Est. Price: P 31,000+

2. Kung Fu Panda 2: Kinect for Xbox 360. My Kinect is actually gathering dust because I don't like my Kinect Adventures. Though I have completed a considerable amount of levels, the game looks stale as you go through obstacle courses again and again. I fell in love when I watched the movie, and am intrigued with this relatively well-reviewed Kinect Game.

Est. Price: P1,800

3. Gold Membership at Xbox Live. I love every bit of my Xbox 360. However, I am not able to maximize the whole capacity of my console or have a total gaming experience as I am playing offline. It would be a blast to get this one. I may eventually get this but its currently out of the budget. It would be really appreciated if someone gets this one for me. Thaaanks!!!! Lol.

Est. Price: P2,500

4. PBA Tickets. Now this one is the more "realistic" wish among the things in the list. I want to watch PBA courtside! December 2 is a great schedule to watch courtside as power teams will be playing. Gary David, Asi Taulava, Mark Caguioa, Jayjay Helterbrand, Arwind Santos are just some of the athletes playing that night. But in any other case. I wouldn't mind any game as long as its courtside. Of course, it would be greatly appreciated if its for 2 pax. What better way than to enjoy the game with someone!

Est. 600 each

Merry Christmas everyone! 

Catch Me if You Can

Brace. Check.
Wheelchair. Check.
Game face. Check.
Look likes everything is set.
Open the gates,
gather all media you can get
I've done this all my life,
I can always pretend,
Ive done that in '04
I can always defend
myself through the lawyers
I can rent and pay
there is nothing you can do
I can always get away
before I get convicted
for the things that I've done
Farewell Philippines,
I'll be long gone.

When I entered into politics,
I have killed since
my litte Jiminy,
who rants about my sins.
Without that little prick
I never had to bother
nor think about the country
nor the rights of others.

What's more,
I'm lucky for sure
my nose does not lengthen
when I tell a lie or four.
All I'm now missing
is a low rider for the show
'cause I own
the "Lie, Cheat, Steal" phrase
not Eddie Guerrero.

No one can stop us,
not even two nor three,
not even four,
and not Lima definitely.
I have the SC behind me,
with all my midnight appointees
But wait,
who the hell is this Pasay RTC!

No warrant can defy my
plans of wanting to fly
Singapore, Hong Kong,
Turkey and back,
'Yes we can!'
Ramona and I
will say it with Barack.

I'll pull a Leonardo on all of you,
you'll be wondering where I went,
I leave you a note saying
I have gone, and I'll repent
This time I really will,
This is really real, 
I'll put my life on the line,
For when I die,
I'd lie still.

But sick or well,
I won't care about hell
I'd will not comeback for you all
All we have to lose,
is Atty. Topacio's balls after all.

Beauty I

I never had a concept of Beauty
it's hard to define
I thought for a time,
its essence was only mine.
But a lot has changed,
since that fateful day,
a witch changed my looks,
it then changed my ways.

Through a broken mirror,
I try to think,
about the past, the present
and what should have been
The mistakes I've made,
the unwise decisions
I remember them all,
through Reflection. 

From the best, to the Beast,
I am now wanted least,
hidden down in the crypt
where my secrets are buried deep.

And then came a maiden,
she wandered in the woods,
her smile shines in the dark,
her voice was just as good
as chirps in the morning spring
I felt a different ring,
with my heart fast beating,
I found my self staring. 

But the beast in me was defying
while on the edge I kept fighting
to succumb not to the urge of falling,
to that fucking
awesome feeling.

Belle. Her name.
More than beautiful than Notre Dame's,
she was not in a tower high,
but within my reach and gaze
She need not ring to call attention
Just her eyes, merits my affection
Though not a jewel decorated her,
not a gem can compete with her.

I'm luckier than Quasi,
and all his gargoyle friends,
all they have
is a fake bell to defend.
But at least they can all it their own,
one they can touch and hold
one they can truly care
all I can do is stare.

Stat Blog No. 1: New Job

Ohh. Testing the waters here in new job. Officemates seem great. What is interesting is that you are a pilot of your task. A certain data will be given to you, subject to your own interpretation and comprehension. You're analyses will be then presented to the lead researcher, who will not try to make something out of your data -- whether its relevant or irrelevant. Para nga lang araw-araw kang nagtthesis at mag dedefense at the end of the day. Well, thats what I make out of the briefing kanina.

I don't know if THIS IS IT, but this will definitely help me find my THIS IS IT job, especially with a tracking in the academe.

Ohhh. Wish me luck! At sana, makahanap na ako ng Friday/Saturday job to complement my research work.

Stat Blog

When Facebook is asking whats on your mind and its too long to post as status update, or when Twitter asks you about what you are doing and its more than 140 characters, you STAT BLOG it.

It's just basically blogging a status update or a feed -- the Mojojojo kind of way, explaining even when unwarranted or not necessary. This will also be a regular part of my blog.

Cheers!

Leaving Neverland

Leaving.
Isn't it an awkward feeling?
To act like everything is alright but deep down you're just trying
to be okay, to seem fine like nothing ever happened
but you know you will leave some people still disappointed.

Still you know its better this way,
to create a path of your own with no one else to blame
but yourself on wherever you might end up
Be glad these tough decisions will help you grow up.

You may feel like Peter Pan
wandering around searching for a better place than Neverland
You will leave your wild "boys" behind, and its sad
but unless you leave, you'll never mature on that island

Comfort zones have a funny way of making us mediocre,
where there are no challenges, we become weaker
contentment comes faster,
complacency then becomes a factor,
without any accomplishments, we somehow feel better.

But when you sleep at night, before you close your eyes,
you think about the progress, what was done during the time
you spent over the past weeks
you spent over the past days,
then you ask, are you now better than yesterday?

This is the insatiable need of man,
The emptying of the cup, learning a new craft
But the pursuit of perfection, and honing of the wit
is not as rewarding with no one to share it with.

So as you find niche, find your place,
Leave Neverland, push to be great
wherever you may land, strive to do well,
But dont forget your partner:
Your own Tinkerbell.