Saturday, December 17, 2005

The first article

I made this while I was in Starbucks in Araneta Center, Cubao. I was just inspired on the spot on what I see there. Well, at least something to do after 2 hours of nerve wrecking Jose Rizal finals. I got to edit this article once I arrived home.

Observing the coffee shop hype


The coffee shop, it is the status quo of today’s society. It is a norm these days. Almost every one for sure, had been to one. For some people, it is part of their daily routine, maybe another way to kill time to spend the day or night with someone. Whatever reasons people have, going to a coffee shop is the way to go.

Coffee shops evolve and grow in a rapid rate every year. I can pass by one once I stepped out of my house, and pass by another one as soon as I arrived in my destination. The whole metro alone has many coffee shops. From the mainstream Starbucks, Seattle’s Best and Coffee bean & Tea leaf, to the few branches of Figaro (since I rarely see one) and the Australian based Mocha Blends. Plus the fact that there are a lot of local coffee shops that opens and splurge out in every school and business areas. Anywhere you go, for every 800 meters to a mile, you can spot a coffee shop.

Everyone is a coffee addict. I myself, admit to be one. So everyone goes to these establishments to have a treat of their favorite coffee or maybe a tea. But for me, going to coffee shop has a lot of reasons. It is not just for the sake of going there to have a dosage of caffeine. For this, we will talk about the reasons of people and social effects that it brings. All facts that are written here are all based on my observations and experience hanging out in a coffee shop.


The social effect of the coffee havens.


I find it odd that these coffee shops are always full with people everyday. I can see one sitting in a chair having their coffee with friends, or even a person hanging out and reading a book (I find it odd and funny to see one). People go here in numbers, that it is so ironic that these said establishments are more like a church (ouch! That just hits me!). If only the church has the option or decide to change their mass venues, they will definitely choose the coffee shops.

Well it is not bad nor is it good to be here. That will depend on the person who goes there. If you go to church as you go to coffee shops religiously, then good for you. But this will really hit hard for the people who are ignoring some responsibilities of their different aspects in life like self, social, religious responsibilities (I am one of those people who miss their religious responsibilities I have to admit). It is now a saddening fact that people in a so much fast-paced society, who are always on the go, have time to fall in line for a grandè latte for 15 minutes while missing out the 15 minutes that they should focus on something else. Well everything has its pros and cons. One has just to weigh things out on how to manage everything they do. I will not go on further on these topics, as I feel guilty about it.


The reasons behind the coffee shops.


But what’s up with these establishments? I mean, why are they so “hot” these days. It is more like a Beatles era where people go gaga over them. Right now, as I was writing this article in my scratch book in a coffee shop, I came to different people on how they utilize their time in a coffee shop. I realized as to why people go to these places.

For one, I saw people most of the time if I’m passing by or spending my 2 hours in a coffee shop, reading books. As Sean Connery said in the movie Finding Forrester, “people read books just to get laid.” I agree for what he said. That is my viewpoint. People go there and read books because they want to get laid. It is more like someone reading a newspaper in a train over rush hour, so other people think they are cool and that is cute. Yeah, I may sound like I’m generalizing here, but why would someone, in all places, read a book in a coffee shop filled with people who are nothing compared to a Dolby digital sound system in cinemas? Read it somewhere else! Read it in the comfort of your own home, in your room, much better if you do it in a library, but never, ever, in a coffee shop. This goes to anyone who read books in public utility vehicles.

For sure, people will react to what I had said. They will rebut with something like “Then why write something in a coffee shop?” Simple answer, it is a different thing. People tend to write in everywhere. It is an accepted and known fact that people write in public places. I write everywhere, coffee shops included. It is my way where I can take down notes about things that just came in my mind so I won’t forget them. Bottom line is, writing in coffee shops is a different thing and it is ok to do it.

Another observation will be that coffee shops became a “social tool”. People go there to social for whatever reasons they have. People utilize these establishments to meet people and gather up to socialize. It became a medium for people to do their social responsibilities. Funny fact about it is that people don’t go on a date with someone in restaurants or those cheesy romantic places. They do it in coffee shops over a treat of Sumatra-Decaf and Sulawesi. Another unique thing with coffee shops is that it became the new conference room for the corporate world. Executives do a client meeting or they go over business proposals in these places.

People have a lot of specific reasons on going to the so-called coffee havens. One of them is to unwind, or to chill as what the yuppies will say. They go there and have a dose of Rhumba Frappuccino and an oatmeal cookie. Sitting there, chilling out, having a sip, and smoking a cigarette! Definitely a killer combo for these yuppies. A new way to let out the stress they got at work.


Reasons by gender


Aside from the general reasons as to why people go to coffee shops, Let us talk about the reasons for each gender or sexual preferences. First off, the women. Women go there to have a certain chill out style of spending a day, or to go there with a date or meet their friends (so as to men). But as I has observed, women go there with a different reasons at the same time. They go there to flaunt their new hairstyle, or their rebounded hair. You will notice these women fix their hair and look at their mirror every 30 minutes or so. Even to a point that they are wearing those new released designs from Bayo or Plains & Prints. Showing off those sexy and skin revealing clothes. Where men would stare at them for minutes, if not, for time to time.

But what is more exciting whenever I’m at these places are observing how the third sex (yup, the gays and the lesbians), go try their luck. Whatever their intentions are. I mostly observe these people as they go alone or in a group and try their luck by, approaching one and talking to that person and hit on them. This goes to men and women too. But it is funny to see these unique people do their thing. I got my own experience about it (some are good and most are worst!); even a friend of mine has a funny side of her story about it. Well, as I had said before, it is a medium for socialization. Flirting is included.

My most exciting observation is about men going to coffee shops. Yes, us. Where some (the geek and the feeling geek) with their books and reading glasses combined. The cool and the feeling cool men hanging around just to dig some chicks. Men go there for one primary reason, to do some sight seeing. They stay there for hours, just for the sake of fulfilling their eyes with almost naked clad women in their most alluring and skin revealing clothes. Trying out their luck to meet one and maybe, just maybe met one “Eve” to get their hormones up and running… again. Just by going there, hanging out and looking at these women gives such a delight for men. (I included)


So-called conclusion


These facts are enough for us to be amazed and still go to coffee shops. Whatever our own reasons are, our day won’t be enough if we haven’t been to one; at least once a month. Truly coffee shops had change the way people live. It has change dramatically where before, it is a trend. Now, it became a lifestyle for most people. Coffee shops are now here to stay to fulfill everyone’s caffeine needs. Teas included.

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Before I end this so-called article of mine, let me share you what I just saw. A while ago, there is this young woman in a very sexy and almost provocative clothing sitting next to me in a another table. She borrowed my lighter and after that, we are sharing a table right now. Oh I just love hanging out in coffee shops!

Friday, December 16, 2005

The first A

This is my first paperwork for my Rizal course this term. I'm gonna post it coz I was so proud of it. I never expected that it'll get a grade of 98 (I was even thinking a grade of 80 here).

A reflection on Rizal’s poem, “To My Fellow Children”

Rizal’s poem put emphasis on two things - The language, and the youth. You might not see exactly the emphasis on the youth if you will read it line by line only. One will have a hard time interpreting it, if he will read it between the lines. I too found myself to be in what I so called a dilemma. For me to understand the poem, I had made three questions. 1) To whom did he dedicate this poem? 2) What caused him to write such poem? 3) Why did he make such poem? To answer these questions, we have to analyze the poem. We also have to know the situation at Rizal’s time.

As I said earlier, Rizal focuses on two things here - The importance of the youth, and the language. He believed that the youth is the core factor of building a nation and the foundation of a society. Rizal believes that the youth needs to be socially aware and opens their minds to different ideologies, and especially giving them the importance of having a language and loving it. I read the poem many times before concluding that he dedicated it to the youth and the language. Giving emphasis about the importance of having a language, but having respect and loving it. Here, I see the Rizal made the poem because he sees that a lack of respect and love for their own language is one thing that divides each of the Filipinos at that time. He sees fellow fellow citizens lacking the appreciation and love for their own language and thus loosing their identity. He made such poem to address this situation at his time. Making the poem a tool for opening the Filipinos minds of having one language, having an identity of their own. Moreover, not just by accepting that the Spaniards calls them Indios.

The statement “Ang Hindi Magmahal sa sariling wika/salita ay higit pa sa malansang isda” still makes sense this day. Even in this age of globalization. We still have to adhere to our own language. Our own language is our passport to different culture, and the passport of the different cultures to us. We should never abandon our national language. As I said before, loosing it means also loosing our identity. Our own cultural awareness and love for out nation. Globalization does not mean to abandon our language, but to love it more and give importance to it. English is really an international medium of communication. However, never it should be the national medium of communication. It develops the country, yes, but we should also put into fact that besides our own country, China was such a powerful nation without the love and admiration for English. Therefore, as Japan, where culture and language are the key factors for them to be successful. Two good examples of a nation loving and keeping their own language, and thus succeeding in the global market and trade.

We can be globally competitive without abandoning our language. Heck, we should be more successful in terms of communication since we are better English speakers that the two countries I have mentioned. These countries are developing a bilingual or even multilingual individual that helps them grow in terms of dominating the global market and acquiring newer technologies. Far better than ours (I’m very sad to say this but, even if we are directly connected to United States in terms of technological partnerships. China and Japan are far ahead of us). How do you think China got the big deal from Nike in shoe manufacturing? On the other hand, how about Japan dominating the video game consoles like Nintendo, and the Sony Playstation? Moreover, driving the Americans crazy by making and releasing the Microsoft Xbox to counter the so-called Imperial domination? (Should I go on with the TV and other multi media devices?) The sad point is that we speak far better English than they do. It disheartens me that we should be the ones having the success of these two countries are enjoying now. Nevertheless, because of the government just only focusing on the development of the English language for the sake of getting more nurses to United States and other jobs overseas. It truly disappoints me on how “they” or we only think of us to be just having a blue color job over foreign soil. Have we already lost our love for our language? Have lost our identity? Should we really sacrifice this for the sake of success, wealth, and just to get out of the slums?

Abandoning our own language means suicide. Loosing our identity is the door to insanity and chaos. How can we develop English speaking Filipinos when we do not even develop and love our own language? Such hypocrisy makes me that we are competitive because we are good English speakers makes me on my own soil. Rage flows in my blood as I see that these so-called English speakers just having a blue-collar job overseas and just landing in a call center job here in our own country. (I have nothing against the people who work in a call center. I just hate the people who run those businesses. Such crab mentality dominates their senses) The cancer is in us. We ourselves abandon our own language in the knowledge that English is our answer for our misfortunes. Stand up and have an identity young man. Be proud to say that you speak in your own tongue, not by the tongue of others. And with this let me say in my own tongue “Dumadaloy sa akin, ang kamalayan ng isang nasyong matagal nang nahihimlay sa bangungot ng ibang sibilisasyon.”

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Artistic in Baguio

One of the poems I made when I was in Baguio for a vacation. I was hanging out in starbucks there in SM Baguio (which is a cool place by the way). I made this one August 27, 2005 around 5:25 pm.

Chemically Abused

Every night I long for thee
Thy addiction shall never cease
Blistering effects is under this skin
Such addiction drives me to insanity

I've tried the forbidden
I kept for longing something that wasn't meant to be
Something that was so wrong

I'm addicted to thy blissful taste
Of love and misery
To someone unworthy of me

I'm addicted to thy lustful smile
Such sparkling eyes gives me such delight
Time moves slow
With every moment I take
Such dosage that was never meant to take

I'm abused to an awful substance
Each elements of addiction falls me apart
Numbness is temporary
Such bliss ends up in unexplainable misery

I'm an addict for thy love
Such addiction I can't let go
Withdraw this syndromes seem to be impossible
It kills my inner self
I'm such an addict with no integrity left

Sunday, December 11, 2005

Farewell...

A poem I made as a sign for me moving on. I made it around September 2005, when I was back in school.

Huling Paalam


Tapusin na ang lahat
Ang nadaramang sakit na tila walang katapusan
Mga tulay patungo sayo'y di na pwedeng tawiran
Tila di ka na maabot ng kahit nino man

Wakasan na natin ang pagkukunwari
Tawanan na lang natin ang bawat pagkakamali
Ang dahilan kung bakit tayo'y naging sawi
Nakita na natin sa ating mga mata
Na tayo ay di na masaya

Ako'y magpapaalam na
Sa bawat alaala na ika'y kasama
Kakalimutan ang ligaya't pighati na aking nadarama
Tatangapin ang katotohanan na tayo ay hindi para sa isa't-isa

Ito na ang aking huling paalam
Iisipin ko no lamang na ito ay isang bangungot
Paalam na mahal ko
Sana ay maramdaman mo
Ang pagluluksa ng puso ko

Friday, December 09, 2005

Too much political angst

I just got zapped one way or another. Thanks for too much Dictal License in my MP3 player. I just suddenly felt to write and do another poem. This time, its more of like a social awareness thing.

Pag-babago

Bakit nga ba ganito ang himig ng musika?
Palagi na lang ba ito ang patutugtugin mo para sa madla?
Hindi ka na nakakatawa
Hindi na tama ang mga ginagawa mong pangungutya
Kailangan nang wakasan ang mga baluktot mong paniniwala

Paniniwala ng tao’y iyong binalutan ng kasinungalingan
Pawang mga pangako mo’y nilibing mo na
Kasama ang kanilang mga pangarap
Wala ka bang napapansin?
Ang pagbabago ang kailangan

Sinisigaw ng bawat uhaw sa katotohanan
Na ika’y lumisan sa iyong palaysong binabahayan ng kasakiman
Ang pagbabago sa lipunan ang minimithi
Di lang para sa kanilang kapakanan
Ngunit para sa lahat ng nakakarami

Puso ay nag aalab na
Bawat pagkilos ang nangyayari na
Panahon na para mag bago
Bumangon para sa makabagong paraan
Para sa sistemang wala nang kabuluhan

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Shitty days

I just feel out of focus lately. For some unknown reasons I got this feeling I suck. Errr...

Withering Dreams

The pale moonlight touches my soul
As it tries to cleanse me
Of my pain, of my impulsive actions
Such course makes recoil
A reaction I never meant to be
Such anger keeps me away
And now my dreams are withering away

Fading away is a term too lame
Falling out of love is too common
But holding on is something I always do
I keep on falling for you
But still
My dreams are withering away

Gone are the facts that I'm only human
Who make mistakes, who take actions without thinking
Just let my emotions burst, is all I care
Never thought someone will be hurt in the process
I never thought my dreams are all withering away

Such dreams I always cling to
As my hope for survival
As my guide for me to get into you
But it's my entire fault
And now my dreams are all withering away
You are one of my dreams
And you are withering away