OSCAR SEASON 2010

Same old awards show. Absolutely new movies. I won't make predictions this time. I will just try to catch up on the viewing. I hope to be able to see most of the nominated movies. By the way, they have doubled the traditional number of Best Picture nominees --- it's now 10! That just means I would try watching more than 5 or all nominees if it had been in previous years. Great.

Avatar I have seen, but who hasn't? The Hurt Locker, frankly I thought it was a B movie when I first saw the trailer.

If I can only watch four other movies, I'll go for A Single Man (Colin Firth nominated for Best Actor), Up In The Air (George Clooney nominated for Best Actor), Julie/Julia (Meryl Streep nominated for Best Actress), and The Blind Side (Sandra Bullock nominated for Best Actress).

I almost forgot. I have watched District 9. Another alien movie and it's one of the nominees this season. That flying saucer hanging over Johannesburg rocks!

OF STATUS AND STATISTICS

I haven't been creating posts as often as I used to. Blame it on Google Adsense. If that seems unreasonable, blame is on me. After all, I have the sole responsibility for this blog.

There was a time when the novelty of blogging and the prospect of earning through it motivated my day to day posts. As time goes by, as I read content from numerous blogs countless of times, the motivation fades.

Then quite suddenly you hear from Google Adsense. I used to relish receiving emails from Google. They would welcome me as a bonafide publisher. They would send confirmation of my address. Later I would receive my first checque via Western Union. Now, the sight of Google in my email scares the living daylights out of me.

This is all because Google deactivated my Adsense account. For technical reasons I could not understand, well, they shut my account down. I filed appeals to no avail. I have received emails confirming the permanence of their decision. I want to tell them: nothing is permanent ya know. One can only do so much to the "official appeal form" they'd provide though.

Not even death is permanent according to the imagination of a certain Doctor Parnassus. But for Google, my Adsense death is beyond salvation.

After that episode, however, I kept on blogging. This blog has never been intended to earn. It was part of the consideration but not nearly the main one. As I have always admitted, this blog is mainly a result of my narcissism. A form of expression I could not otherwise cull from myself.

Then there is the issue of Dot.tk, my site's alter-ego basnav.tk, that too has been deactivated. If you may have noticed, you can no longer use that domain name to be redirected to this blog. That was quite sudden, too. All I know is that I have always somehow managed to reach the minimum 20 pageviews required. Now it may have all been due to problems with the Dot.tk server and not with my statitics. Whatever happened, nothing has been explained to me. So please bear typing the whole gamut of my impossibly long domain name or url, http://www.accountingtopbestschool.blogspot.com, which by the way, I seem to cringe upon reading now.

But this is like real life. Forever changing. Yet always the same when seen at a different angle. Like my personal status: single. Yes, but on one hand, my personal statistics of a certain aspect can't always be that...

EARTHQUAKE!

Earthquake

Learn about its causes and effects. Speak about them in a calm and composed manner.
Keep in a handy place a torch and a portable transistor radio.
Arrange your home in such a way that it is possible to move more easily, keeping corridors clear of furniture and toys.
Attach shelves, gas cylinders, vases and flowerpots to the walls of your home.
Place heavy or bulky objects on the floor or on the lowest shelves.
Teach all members of your family how to turn off the electricity, water and gas supply.
What to do during an earthquake?

Keep calm and keep others calm.
If you are at home or inside a building or auditorium

Do not rush to the doors or exist; never use the lifts; keep well away from windows, mirrors, chimneys and furniture.
Protect yourself by staying under the lintel of an inner door, in the comer of a room, under a table or even under a bed.
If you are in the street:

Walk towards an open place, in a calm and composed manner. Do not run and do not wander round the streets.
Keep away from buildings, especially old, tall of detached buildings, electricity wires, slopes and walls, which are liable to collapse.
If you are driving:

Stop the vehicle away from building, walls, slopes, electricity wires and cables, and stay in the vehicle.
What to do after an earthquake?

Keep calm, switch on the transistor radio and obey any instructions you hear on the radio.
Keep away from beaches and low banks of rivers. A huge wave may sweep it.
Expect aftershocks
Turn off the water, gas and electricity.
Do not smoke and do not light matches or use a cigarette lighter. Do not turn on switches. There may be gas leaks or short-circuits.
Use a torch.
If there is a fire, try to put it out. If you cannot, call the fire brigade.
If people are seriously injured, do not move them unless they are in danger.
Immediately clean up any inflammable products that may have spilled (alcohol, paint, etc.)
If you know that people have been buried, tell the rescue teams. Do not rush and do not worsen the situation of injured persons or your own situation.
Avoid places where there are loose electric wires and do not touch any metal object in contact with them
Do not drink water from open containers without having examined it and filtered it through a sieve, a filter or an ordinary clean cloth.
Eat something. You will feel better and more capable of helping others.
If your home is badly damaged you will have to leave it. Collect water containers, food and ordinary and special medicines(for persons with heart complaints, diabetes, etc.)
Do not re-enter badly damaged buildings and do not go near damaged structures.
Do not walk around the streets to see what have happened. Keep clear of the streets to enable rescue vehicles to pass.

DATELINE: QUIAPO

A sea of people roam the streets around Quiapo, Manila. They go in the general direction of the vicinity of the Quiapo Church. To the uninitiated, today is the Feast of the Black Nazarene. Hundreds of thousands of "devotees" would try touching their "idol," a wooden statue of Jesus Christ hued in, you guessed it right, black. Barring physical contact, they would join a parade or procession through a designated route.

The adjectives I placed in quotation marks because in my opinion these people, save perhaps a few, are just "in" it for the moment. It's like your normal barrio fiesta when on a certain day of the year your house is open to other people for a free meal. The house is cleaned thoroughly for the benefit of the visitors. It's putting your best foot forward. For a day.

(What about the morrow which happens to be my birthday? Well, it depends. At least that's the custom I grew up with in the province.)

Commerce dominates the occasion. Hawkers of t-shirts and all sorts of memorabilia line the streets. Since elections are upcoming, posters of political wannabees dirty the surrounding landscape. The normally busy intersections grow a lot busier. Even adjacent districts to Quiapo are abuzz.

But this post is not specifically about the event. This is still about me. I am here in Quiapo right now. As I scan the faces of passersby, I notice a sense of urgency. Their gait spells excitement albeit of something unclear. They appear to be so much ado about nothing. That's just me though. As a movie and literary line suggests, who knows what lurks in the minds of men?

I'm pondering about my life. About all of the superficial things I have ever done in the name of nothing. I'm sure everybody at various points in their lives, like mental cases at all points in their insane lives, does illogical actions that serve no purpose. And so it came to pass that I bought a shirt with the emblazoned portrait of the Black Nazarene. In the lull of the moment, you are bound to do some things unexpected.

I feel like a rube wearing the tee. I can see people looking at me, at my shirt. I feel like they are assessing me; how I might be a devotee. For those of the same mindset as I am, they stare with suspicion. Do I belong to the fake ones, just in it for the moment?

The message of the Catholic Church in a speech by the Manila Archbishop I espied upon early this morning on TV is that the Jesus depicted by the Black Nazarene espouses simplicity. This is why a lot of people walk barefoot during the procession, completely divesting of the footwear as a token of "simplicity." I personally find this "over-acting," part of the superficiality.

Going back to my very own superficial or put-on behavior, I can't deny loosely belonging to the same hypocritical camp I am ranting about. Perhaps the slight difference is that I am acknowledging it. Some are blinded by their faith they can't go beyond their focused vision. Which may be a good thing for them. Because of my introspection, I am somehow bound to get confused and bothered by my worldview. They, on the other hand, seem content their solemn faith consolidates their lives; while mine seems fragmented, always seemingly imperfect.

I never lack a sense of humor though. I am secretly amusing myself when I do a social experiment on people during ordinary conversations. An example is when I play pretend and gauge the reaction. Sometimes I insist on a point of view or a particular knowledge that I know is inane or inaccurate. Just for the heck of it. Of course some people would start a debate, trying to censure me or correcting whatever erroneous information I innocently declare. I then assess them based on how adamant they would be on defending what I already know is true or right. A lot about a person's manners can be gleaned from this exercise. And although this is largely done for no purpose at all, it does give me an idea how to deal with what I gather to be the kind of persons they are. A barometer, if you will, that tells me whether I will be friendly, unfriendly, close, distant, whatever, to a particular person.

In the end, I think it doesn't matter what we believe. Life is composed of moments. The challenge is to get the groove to make successive moments wonderful and therefore happy. Strive to be happy. Desiderata's last line. My life's line.

NEW YEAR'S DAY 2010

I can't let the first day of the new year pass without a holler. A blog post will do.

Let's thank our God(s) - "whatever (we) conceive Him (Them) to be" - that 2009 has left us already. New year, new opportunity.

Although it's going to be still difficult, I will persist in perfecting the ideals embodied in DESIDERATA. This has been a constant New Year's resolution.

The first lines of the poem are especially hard for me. I guess it's a per-person basis that somehow I can't be expected to make the same level of adherence as other people in different circumstance. However, it will be nice to be able to finally say I did it.

These are for sure general rules. This year I will again specifically deal with a laundry list of things to do, things that I had attempted doing in the past with limited or zero success.



Thanks to everyone, apologies to anyone I have ever offended, and I wish you a successful, however you define that to be, 2010! To those reading this blog, friends, family: HAPPY NEW YEAR!

FOOTNOTE: A rare family gathering and spontaneous singing I not-so-secretly took footage of, January 1, 2010.

DECEMBER 2009

HERO

I am a "Scrooge" when it comes to celebrity and all that it entails. I don't give in easily to hype. In fact, I usually do a lot of criticizing on people who dare hug the spotlight even if they do actually end up becoming public figures.

I once told a friend that I find this a negative trait of mine, one that is very hard for me to change. It's automatic; I don't have to blink before I could form a negative opinion on almost everything around me. This maybe the reason why I am also too hard on myself at times. Napapansin ko nga kapansanan ng iba, ang sa sarili ko pa, hindi?

But despite having said that, I consider everyone, especially myself, a hero. This old blog post is proof of that.

However, if a distinction has to be made, if I were to judge who could be true heroes of today other than my narcissistic self, there are two. Efren Peñaflorida and Manny Pacquiao.

It is such an irony that these two became public figures and heroes to countless Filipinos because of superficial means. Pacquiao rose to fame because of boxing which IMO is a very inconsequential sport. You prove your strength and brawn in real life, not on the ring with perhaps millions of bloodthirsty people watching, jeering and cheering. Peñaflorida became CNN Hero of the Year. So what? It's only one news network. And it's not even my recent favorite, the BBC. You mean we can all forget commonality of opinion and just cave in to a single cable channel's vanity show?

But lo and behold. My view changed completely upon seeing these two genuine heroes' actuations during interviews and media guestings on television. They are who they are: Genuine. They both exude a certain dignity that goes beyond or transcends their fields of endeavor. It's remarkable how I believe I could see through the TV screen the aggregate of features and traits that form their true nature as persons of great character.

RESPITE

CHRONOLOGY

Thursday. Finally Avatar came. Very colorful and the special effects are impressive. Though I would have wanted scenes on Earth and more interaction between the Navi and humans in their original physical forms. It's nearly three hours but it does not feel like it maybe because it's a very engaging movie even if IMO the story is not quite as impressive as the imagery.

I bought some expensive stuff for myself. There's almost something tangible about the difference between pricey objects and cheaper ones that I haven't given much thought before.

Friday. We had our company Christmas party. It was fine and not much different from previous years. Something miffed me though. I decided to leave early and went straight to an appointment I hurriedly set up with a school batch friend. We went to see Jaya and Elizabeth Ramsay in a special birthday show "Ina ni Jaya" at Zirko along Tomas Morato. Ms. Ramsay is 78 years old but looks and acts like 50. We had fun. (I haven't been bringing my camera lately. Sayang.)

Saturday. I made it a point to watch PBB and was a little disappointed Carol got evicted. Another expensive turn for me. I checked in at a hotel for that simple purpose (watching TV) but availed myself of a few luxuries inside at the same time. I can truly say I felt bliss.

When I checked out after just a few hours and just before daybreak, I continued with the extravagance. It's Christmas after all and I think I deserved the fun.

Sunday. So today I rested all day. I came to my pad a little past six in the morning from Saturday's shenanigan. Drat my expenditures. I vowed to be stringent once more in this regard. But I highly doubt it considering I still have to be in Baguio tomorrow before going home to the province. I plan to buy a few items there and I expect to be spending some more during the holiday vacation home. Perhaps the tightening begins in the new year.

Turns out the past few days have become a chronology of spending. But I never lose sight of creating balance in my life. And spending is part of that balance.

This poem has always been an inspiration. It also encapsulates my worldview. I hope to emulate it in all the days of my life.

DESIDERATA

-- written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920s --

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

HERE WE GO AGAIN

Christmas is just around the corner. Same time last year and the years before, I would be in a hurry to look for apt holiday scripts to put up on this site. I did it earlier this time. And I don't intend to clutter this blog some more. That narcissistic "Christmas Tree" you see on the header, stays.

Last Christmas I chose to spend the holidays alone. Not per se but meaning I didn't go home or go anywhere to be with family. Baguio proved to be a worthwhile place to be.

I am now busy buying Christmas presents for the nephews and nieces. All sorts of suggestions from the mainstream media, assorted displays and advertisements everywhere leave one aghast at choosing what to actually give. They say it's better to give than to receive. Hmm, I would have thought differently in the past but on deeper analysis that statement does make sense. I won't explain how but just do it and you'll feel the spirit. And that's all that matters.

My mother has since gone home. The past few days after the unfortunate incident when she was here gave me some leeway within which to process what happened. I have always been watchful against untoward incidents but on that particular instance that I held my guard down, destiny took over. But we faced the situation head-on and I particularly liked my resolve to dismiss what happened as a little challenge. I am proud that we have somehow managed to put things right. All told, nothing that was lost hasn't been replaced. The money was an early Christmas gift for the pickpocket. Best of all, I got to show my mother I could handle the situation. It was also an opportunity for me to give her early Christmas gifts, something she would not have normally allowed, overly conscientious as she is (in my opinion) with expenditures.

So here we go again with Christmas. Each year is a little bit different. We are thankful that we get to experience it once more as each added year is proof that we are alive and ready for new challenges ahead.