In Memoriam : Freedom Of Expression

I, Too, Am Charlie Hebdo

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!

I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection. - Sigmund Freud

Season's Greetings!

Goyong And Lucit

In his younger days, my grandfather was popular among his peers. I didn’t know that until one of my barkada’s grandmother asked me; “Kaano-ano mo si Goyong?” When I answered I’m his “apo”, she began telling me stories about my grandfather’s “escapades” during his student days. It was “colorful” and at the same time strangely creepy. She’s almost as if talking about me. Older relatives would comment - I’m his “carbon copy”. It makes me wonder if the reason why the bond between my lolo and I was strong was because he saw himself in me, both in attitude and appearance. Perhaps it’s true, but we differ in “taste” when it comes to choosing a partner in life.

My grandmother was the opposite of my grandfather. Goyong was the eldest, Lucit was the youngest. He was “fair”, she’s “dark”, got kinky hair and a “hauty-tauty” attitude (“trademarks” in her side of the family). I wouldn’t give a second glance if I meet a girl like her. Out of curiosity, I asked my grandfather what he sees that he chose to marry her; he’d smile and said “she’s meticulous and organized”. Maybe that’s the “quality” he was looking for. Between the two of them, their sheer hard work and determination produced two professionals without any help from anybody. My father and my aunt were the first engineer and doctor hailed from their place. An achievement that earned my grandparents the respect of their town.

Perhaps love was also a factor because in spite of Lucit’s “kasupladahan”, Goyong took it in stride. A grand aunt once told us a story about my grandparents when Lola was pregnant with my father. It's not exactly a scene from Romeo and Juliet but if things didn’t go her way, she’ll climb on the veranda and threatened my lolo; “Goyong, tatalon ako, tatalon ako!” And Lolo on the ground, arms stretched out (as if that’s enough to support the force and weight if she decided to jump) pleaded for her to come down. Later in life, when I teased him about it, he’d just smirked and said “Eh, di tumalon sya ngayon!”

When Lolo passed away at a ripe age of 90, I asked my aunt a silly question; “Aunty, what if some strangers comes to attend Lolo’s wake and tell us they are Lolo’s children?” My aunt laughed and said she’ll welcome them with open arms. It happened that Lucit overheard us and she indignantly blurted “My Goyong would never do that to me!” So I ribbed Lola; “When Lolo was still able, he goes at dawn to tend his farm and arrives home before dusk while you just stayed home. That’s almost 12 hours a day, six days a week that you don’t know what he was doing out there”. And that did it. Her blood pressure shoots up and my aunt had to inject her with something to calm her down. When my father arrived, he inquired why “Nanay” is in bed. Somebody told him. Batok at mura lang naman ang inabot ko sa tatay ko.

Now and then, I still get misty eyed every time I remember my grandparents, especially my lolo. I missed him a lot.

BTW, Happy Valentines to all of you!

Holiday Greetings

To all my friends, readers and lurkers...

From BlogusVox Family

In Memoriam: Dennis Ritchie (1941 – 2011)

Unlike Steve Jobs, his was not a household name except among Computer scientists, C programmers and maybe UNIX users. But his influence is at par or perhaps surpasses that of Steve Jobs.

Dennis Ritchie touches each one of us one way or another. Every time you turn on your desktop, laptop or tablet, you benefited in his genius. Every time you use an application in your IPhone or Android, he helps make your life a little bit easier.

Thank you and farewell, Sir. Rest In Peace.

On the Spotlight…

Meet Ms. Sardonyx of Hulascoop atbp; a wife and mother who looks at life in a positive way in spite being an NPA (No-Permanent-Address). That’s because she’s been transferring from one country to another, depending where her hubby is assigned. But she’s no ordinary “army wife”. She's a Mapua engineering graduate who sacrificed her profession to take care of her husband and be a doting mother to her two lovely children.

I have no other specimen of Ms. Sardz except from what I found in a PEBA site. It’s quite difficult to draw a frontal face when your model’s picture is taken from an above-the-head angle. I hope I did justice to this one.

Ms. Sardz, if you have time, please email me your address so I can send you the original copy of your caricature.

And The Winner Is…

Thank you to all who participated even though some of you broke the code but didn’t finish the problem. I know you’d like to remain anonymous and I respect that.

To those who are wondering, here’s the deciphered code:

And the answer is “Emilio Aguinaldo”. Congratulation to Ms. Sardonyx of Hulascoop atbp for her correct entry.

For a snippet of history and clue, you may find this interesting. Of course a more “colorful” narrative of what happened that faithful day could be found in Ambet Ocampo’s book - “Luna’s Mustache”. Acampo’s research was also the reason why I don’t consider Aguinaldo a “hero”. To me his just another political opportunist with a “gangstah” mentality. His thinking and methods are comparable to those warlords from Maguindanao.

I’ll post Ms. Sardz caricature in a couple of days. Again, thank you all.

Anniversary Treat

How time fly fast and another year was added to my blog. As I’ve promised before, I’ll do another “pa-contest” and who ever wins will get a picture of them selves in cartoon form. All you have to do is solve this puzzle:

Just like before, I’ll pick two winners. The first commenter to solve it will take the first slot. I’ll gather the rest of correct answers and raffle it using my random program. Who ever wins will take the second slot.

You have one week to find out the answer. Goodluck!

P.S.

By the way, previous winners may submit their answers but will not be included in the contest. Pag bigyan naman natin yung hindi pa nanalo, hane. Thanks!

Season Greetings

I’m busy but that doesn’t mean I forgot. I would like to thank you all for your untiring visit even when my posts are declining lately.

To my long time and new blog friends;

Abou, ardyey, atticus, , A-Z-E-L, bertN, bing, bw, chris, Dong Ho, ever, Francesca, gandarynako, HalfCrazy, isladenebz, Ka Rolly, katcarneo, kcatwoman, keith, Lawstude, Lee,Life Moto, Lord CM, mightydacz, Ms. Jo, Ms. Loida, Mimi, NoBenta, Nortehanon, pamy215, Panaderos, prinsesamusang, RJ, R-yo, Sardonyx, sheng, theonoski, The Nomadic Pinoy, The Pope, Thoughtskoto, Trosp, YaNaH, yellow bells, 7thstranger.

And to those who commented;

aira, annalyn, AJ, Diamond R, Diana, eRLyN, Fickle Cattle, iresh, Jules, kulas,mommy ek, Mayet, MK, Pinky, Reymos, siyetehan, SLY, world news

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EACH AND EVERY ONE AND MAY WE HAVE A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR AHEAD OF US!!

PEBA 2010

PEBA is now open for submission of your entries for the year 2010. So if you missed last year’s contest or didn’t make it to the Top 10, now is the time to try your luck again.

This year’s theme is “Strengthening the OFW Families: Stronger Homes for a Stronger Nation” but to my understanding, unlike last year, an essay is not required when submitting your entry.

So let’s support the only Pinoy Blog Contest dedicated to OFWs and expatriates around the world. More power to its organizers and may it be a success. Good luck!

Blogger-toons

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the winners!

Atticus, of Tales of a Backpacker, is a confessed bum. Quit her job, packed her things and her camera to pursue her dream: backpacking across Europe and Asia.

Sheng, of Anything Goes, is the lady blogger from Gen-San. Proof-reader by profession and studying to be a lawyer, she juggles her time between work, education and taking care of her hubby and two lovely kids.

Gals, I sent copies of your caricature to your email address. Again, thank you all!

And The Answer Is… And The Winners Are…

To all well wishers, commenters and just plain lurkers, I thank you for your untiring visits. To those who didn’t get the answer or too lazy to even try solving the puzzle, here’s the solution:

From my comment page, you’ll think that ever of Pamatay Homesick was the first commenter to get the answer right. That’s what I thought too until I opened my email’s inbox and read this:

The email came from atticus of Tales of a Backpacker. And if you looked at the email’s date and time stamp, she was clearly the first to solve the puzzle.

For the second slot, I gathered all the correct answers (sorted in order of comment) and they are:

1. ever of Pamatay Homesick

2. sheng of Anything goes…

3. Ms.Jo of Wits and Nuts

4. Pope of Palipasan

Using a small program I made, I called Random Generator, the result of the raffle and the winner is… (drum roll) number 2!!

Congratulations to atticus and sheng.

I thank those who participated and to those who didn’t make it, better luck next time.

2nd Anniversary Special

I should have done this last April when my blog turned another year old. But because I was on vacation and busy doing other things beside blogging, it was delayed for a month.

Anyway, would you like to see yourself in cartoon form, like my picture in the sidebar? All you have to do is solve this puzzle.

Hint: The truth lies underneath ("pick" the image to enlarge).

As simple as that. Cut-off time will be 4 days from today. I’ll gather all the correct answers and pick the winner by using a simple random program. The lucky winner may send his/her picture to my email address (blogusvox@yahoo.com). And please include a sentence or two, telling me something about yourself (like your profession or hobby). Just to make the cartoon look interesting.

Good luck!

P.S.
Just to be fair, I'll pick two winners. The first commenter to solved it will take one slot. And the rest who also guessed correctly will be raffled in my random program and will get the last slot.

Earth Hour! Jo-join Kami!

Our species needs, and deserves, a citizenry with minds wide awake and a basic understanding of how the world works. – Carl Sagan

A couple of days ago a commenter invited me to join and spread the word regarding our inter-galactic ship named “IGS Earth”. It’s a “green” project; educating us, not only of our limited energy resources, but pushing as well the understanding of the delicate balance of nature, conservation and recycling. To “celebrate” it or mark its “awareness”, Earth Hour was conceived.

Therefore, on Saturday, March 27 at 8:30 pm (Saudi Arabian Time), let’s commemorate it by turning off unnecessary lights and appliances for one hour. That means we’ll have a candle light dinner (isn’t that romantic) and you’re going to miss an episode of your favorite pinoy soap.

But that “sacrifice” is miniscule compared to what’s in store if we all join in. Imagine what will happen if less light is reflected on the sky. We’ll see the night sky in its natural state just like this:

The universe in its entire splendor; calm, beautiful and mysterious. Miles away ahead compared to this:

Astronomers call it “light pollution”; combined luminance of an entire city covering the night sky that you can hardly see heavenly bodies except for the moon and the “evening star”(not a star at all but a planet). And like earth's satellite companion, it gets its “twinkle” from the light reflection of our sun.

So on Saturday night, let’s watch and dance with the stars as they waltzes across the sky while the crickets played in the background a Strauss concerto.

Images were taken from the net. I forgot who owned it but would like to thanks him/her anyway.

Bea’s 5th

I’m one of those OFWs with a “family status” privilege appended on their contract. It may not mean much to some and taken for granted by others who have similar benefits, but much sought by those who have to leave their family behind back in the Philippines. If you're a family man, without it, it is as if a part of you was stolen. You can only enjoy your “family life” for a month once a year and for some, only after two years.

I guess, in spite of being an OFW, I’m lucky to gain this understanding of what “family” is all about. To be called, not only as a “provider”, but as a parent as well. To experience the ups and down of a family life and witness my child grow; From a 3 month old baby, who likes to hold her Daddy’s finger, to what she is now, a little girl who can’t sleep at night without her Daddy’s arm around her.

She’s her Daddy’s joy and sometimes her mother’s aggravation, full of life, eccentricity and naughtiness. And tomorrow will be a special day. It is the day, five years ago to date, when she came into our lives... and everything changes.

Happy Birthday, anak!

------------ oOo-------------

TriviaFebruary, 2010 is unique. It has:

4 Mondays
4 Tuesdays
4 Wednesdays
4 Thursdays
4 Fridays
4 Saturdays and
4 Sundays

A phenomenon that happens only once every 11 years.

Samot-Sari ‘09

A couple of nights ago I woke up to find my wife watching “Shootout ’09” on TFC. It’s a talk show whose topic was to highlight and discuss the Philippines' best and worst events in 2009. What caught my attention was the way it was presented. The setting was informal; using a typical office environment as backdrop and the participants are clustered around a cubicle. It depicts something like a casual conversation among co-workers. Para bang iyung karaniwang tanawin sa opisina nang gobyerno o di kaya sa pribadong tanggapan pag wala ang amo. The subjects were interesting and the exchanges of ideas were stimulating. This prompts me to share my personal opinion on some of their topics.

MMFF and “Inde” Films
I seldom watch pinoy movies. I can count in my fingers the number of Pinoy films I’ve watch since the days a double-feature cost 50 centavos. It has nothing to do with anti-nationalist, un-pilipino and other boo-boo. It simply bores me to watch a movie where you know, most of the time, what will happen before it happens. Besides, seeing Bong Revilla commenting something like “It’s not about the award. Ang mahalaga ay makapag bigay saya sa ating kababayan” and then adding “hindi pa ako nanalo ng best actor” only makes him looked phony even more. Why enter in a competition in the first place, if his “noble” reason is just to entertain and not win an award? Who ever believes the significance of this “award” doesn’t know any better. Urian? Yes! MMFF? They can have it! Take it, take it!

On the other hand, our “inde” films made some marks in the international arena. And it empresses me to know one even won The Best Director award in Cannes. But when Karen Davila lamented on its unpopularity among local movie goers, my answer is, because the casts are unknown. Movie owners know this, that’s why they seldom support it. Put Sharon or Juday in it, tingnan lang natin kung hindi tatabo yan sa takilya. Papatok yan at bibilhin pa rin ng tao kahit ang kabuohang estorya ay paulit-ulit lang. If you doubt me, watch some old Sharon, Dolphy or FPJ films. Si Sharon palaging api. Si Dolphy, bading. At si Fernando, pabugbog muna bago uubusing mag-isa ang ‘sang katirbang goons.

Just like in politics where we vote the person and not his political platform, we also patronize pinoy movies on how popular (controversial?) its leading casts. Disregarding the merit on how good an actor portrays a role. A good story line is just an add-on.

Pacman
Manny Pacquiao, I would say, is a unique athlete, a man whose feat happens only once in every two or three decades. Not only did boxing make him filthy rich, his achievements make us proud being Pinoys and puts the Philippines on the map once again.

But one should also know ones limitation. I don’t know if all his “blessings” went up his head. But to believe in oneself, I’m a good singer and actor or enter politics leaves a bad taste in my mouth. One can’t help but think if his either surrounded my yes-men or by people whose intention is to partake in his billions.

Charice
No doubt, the kid got talent. She was my bet when she’s just starting in that talent show some years back. Pero nakaka-umay din when every time you see her, all she does was ape Whitney Houston or Mariah Carrey. She’s like a jukebox where all the records play “…and aaaaayyyy-eyay-eyaay will always love youuuu oh wooo… ”.

Joey Reyes put it bluntly when he said “She’s a novelty”. Categorically, he puts her in the same level as Yoyoy Villame, along with Lito Camus and Willie Revellame. The sad thing is if she can’t find her own identity, she’ll definitely end up as a novelty act. A filler, pang patay ng oras habang ang “main act” ay bumibihis at mini-“make-up”pan pa.

Tita Cory and Ondoy
Corazon Aquino’s administration maybe rated as “pasang-awa”. But even if she took the responsibility with reservation, she did her role, performing her job to the best of her ability.

Many of you weren’t born when Martial Law was declared. Many of you are too young to understand what it is like living under a dictatorship. During those times when we need a rallying point, she reluctantly stepped forward. I was one of those thousands who responded when the call to protect the two military camps was announced. Because of that shared event, I felt a special affinity towards her. The feeling I felt that day will never leave my mind.

I’ve experienced that feeling again when I saw those multitude of people lined up on the side of the road when her remains passed by. I’ve witnessed again as people from different walks of life become one in feeling and purpose. I realized that it takes a special event to awaken the nationalistic spirit that lays dormant inside us for so long.

That spirit manifested once again when Ondoy visited us. We saw how gallant our kababayan are in facing a disaster of that magnitude. We saw how some of them risked their lives in order to save other lives. We saw how those who weren’t affected, chipped in, sacrificing a day’s wage in order to send relief goods and financial aid to those who were affected. We saw how complete strangers helped one another, holding hand-in-hand, united in believing that we shall overcome this calamity.

This is the spirit that left us for so long. It takes a gracious, charismatic lady to pass away and a devastating typhoon for her to return. Grab her. Put her in our heart and mind, for she will guide us to a better future as a nation.

These ends my rant for this year! See you in 2010!

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!

Congratulation!

Kudos to those who made it to the Top 10 and received special mention awards in the recently concluded PEBA!

It’s like I’ve won myself. I voted for seven (you know who you are) of those who received an award and six (I’m not sure if you know who you are) of those I picked as a judge made it to the top 10.

Again, to all who have won…

KONG-GRAT-TYO-LAYS-YOOOON!!!

Season Greetings

Wishing you all a very

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Merry Christmas

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and may we all have a brighter future, a blessed and

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Happy New Year!!

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BlogusVox & Family

To All Fathers (Including Me)

“Any fool can have a child. That doesn't make you a father. It's the courage to raise a child that makes you a father." – Barack Obama

A man who has begotten a child. That is the definition of "father" according to Merriam-Webster. But does it stop there? Is that the only function of the male specie? To sow his seed, for some in reckless abandonment, and his purpose in the cycle of life is done? Maybe, that holds true with respect to faunas at a lower tier of the food chain. But I disagree when it comes to us, humans.

In the old days we are content with the notion that man’s responsibility is to put food on the table. As long as stomachs are full, man has done his task and is free to indulge on other forms of diversion. But in a modern world we live in, where men and women are on equal footing, where both parents (in most unit) equally share in the family expenses, it is but just right that men should also take half of the domestic chores, especially when it comes to raising offspring.

I did my part and proud of it. It never occurred to me that a portion of my manliness was taken away. I have my share in wiping off my daughter’s ahh-ahh, cleaning her butt of pooh-pooh and mopping her wee-wee. Not to mention the lack of sleep, waking up in the middle of the night to feed her when she was a baby. I don't look at it as my responsibility, but rather, I want to experience what its like to be a father.

I want to raise her in a way I deem right. Fill her with love without spoiling. Educate her in the best way I could afford. Guide her but letting her choose her own destiny. Helping her realize her own dream. In my capacity, that’s the only legacy I could give and left behind.

When I’m gone, I want to be remembered, not as the man who begotten her, but as a parent whose sacrifices were willingly made in order for her to be where she wants to be. Intact recollection of struggles and happy times we spent together, so she'll have something to reminiscence, to use as guidelines and to share to her own children. I want to be remembered as a father.

Happy Father’s Day everyone.