The Gecko trade

Wazzaaaaap?!

Okay, I wasn't planning on putting an entry on my blog today. But the opportunity always presents itself. 


Lacking the motivation to study, and also because my body clock seems to be in an irregular state of functioning, I decided to check on my e-mails and possibly go trolling in social networking sites (Refer to my previous post. Trolling brightens up my mood).  Suddenly, a friend of mine messaged me and started asking questions about a rather interesting reptile. That I happen to frequently see around my place and the woods nearby.


Tuko. (Tokay Gecko)


Then comes into my mind images of Pokemon-like geckos taking revenge on the human population, particulary in the Philippines. At this point, I would like to note how Pokemon communicate when the only thing they can mutter is their respective names. How the hell do they know that's what they are called? Maybe Geckos are the real-life pokemon of our time since their call or sound they make is what we call them. *Tuk-O! Tuk-O! Tuk-tuk-tuk-O!!! 


Just imagine how they would evolve. Now that last bit was a bit irrelevant, don't you think?


I was like, "Come on, man. That shit's illegal!" But comes a very long discussion (I felt like I was in front of a pyramiding scheme seminar. The one that these "speakers" talk to you using conveniently placed mental and subliminal messaging that suggests positive things when they try to trick you out of your money? Like... Legacy, for example), and the fact that it is very lucrative. Very. I won't go into the details of what we talked about, though. It's some sort of information that... well, if it falls into the wrong hands, then maybe we'll see less and less of those cute, scaly lizards that protect us from mosquitoes and dengue. 


I just can't help but feel sorry for the little critters. Don't get me wrong, fellas. I am not with PETA (they creep me out). And I am not vegan either. I mean, our ecosystem is already fucked up as it is, and exploiting another wildlife specie just makes it... well, I guess it just makes it so ridiculous. According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, okay here's a link: 


http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/10994/illegal-wildlife-traders-target-endemic-geckos
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/10994/illegal-wildlife-traders-target-endemic-geckos


and another link from the DENR website:


http://www.gov.ph/2011/07/12/denr-warns-public-on-illegal-trade-of-gecko/
http://www.gov.ph/2011/07/12/denr-warns-public-on-illegal-trade-of-gecko/

A really good specimen will be worth around, P100,000.00 or more. But seemingly, if the terms of the buying is per weight, it can give one instant millions of pesos. Also to note, that this seems to be too good to be true, and along with this thought, the government and other authorities warn people not to engage in the trade because, like we all know, it is illegal, and most of the time these are just scams. The appeal here is the thought of quick bucks. Or buckets of them, if you happen to be the lucky one who chances upon a 2-foot long bright-colored gecko... which might happen to be also a specie of Pokemon. So before you "gotta catch 'em all", I'd rather you get the facts right first before finding good old Professor Oak and stealing his balls. 


Some interesting facts about the gecko: As taken from the DENR website (and wikipedia -- THIS IS NOT RESEARCH!):


This bit is taken from the DENR website:


Geckos (family Gekkonidae) are carnivorous, usually nocturnal, reptiles that can be found in tropical countries, and are known for their sticky footpads that allow them to climb vertical surfaces, including glass. They are also known to be the only reptiles to use their voice for social interaction 


The Tokay Gecko (Gekko gecko) is a nocturnal arboreal gecko, ranging from northeast India andBangladesh, throughout Southeast Asia, Philippines to Indonesia and western New Guinea. Its native habitat is rainforest trees and cliffs, and it also frequently adapts to rural human habitations, roaming walls and ceilings at night in search of insect prey. Increasing urbanization is reducing its range. In the late 1980s and early 1990s it was introduced into Hawaii, Florida, Texas, Belize, and several Caribbean islands, where it can be considered an invasive species.


And that last bit from Wikipedia. And finally, some legal stuff: 

Paragraph E and F, Chapter IV of RA 9147 spelled out that trading of wildlife and collection, hunting or possessing wildlife, their by-products and derivatives are considered illegal acts.

For illegal acts under paragraph E (trading), penalties/fines can be imprisonment of 10 days to one month, or a fine of not less than P200 or not more than P20,000, if inflicted or undertaken against other wildlife species.

For illegal acts under paragraph F (collection, hunting or possession), imprisonment of one month and one day to six months and a fine of not less than P5,000 to P50,000 will be imposed if inflicted or undertaken against species as other threatened species.

All wildlife, its derivatives or by-products and all paraphernalia, tools and conveyances used in connection with violations of RA 9147 shall be ipso facto forfeited in favor of the government. 

That one above is from Sunstar website. 

Some reasons behind the latest fad on geckos include it being a source of medicine that can cure ailments and diseases ranging from Asthma to AIDS. These, however, are not scientifically/medically proven. Maybe they got the notion how cats eat house lizards because their grandparents also told them that it can cure cat-asthma. 

I then suddenly remember the one movie starring Richard and Raymond Gutierrez. 

Another Law School Rant

It's August and I haven't posted anything here since...

A hiatus is just an indication that either:
a. I'm a lazy-ass writer (and an amateur to boot)
b. There's nothing to write
c. I am just too friggin' busy
d. All of the above

Take your pick. I think we all know the answer. But the answers can be harmonized. There's nothing to write because I am too busy, but since I am a lazy-ass bastard, because I am too busy that there's nothing to write about.

Nonsense lang, ano?

Like I said in one of my entries, you have to be mad to enter law school. I mean, where else will you experience the "fun" stuff of studying? Only in law school, of course! Tons of fun. Yeah, really fun stuff. You get to study for what? Six to eight hours and when you get to class... It's an instant photo shoot! Wacky pa...

"Mr. X." Professor calls student. Student stands up. Professor says, "Same question." Student stands and looks prof straight in the eyes and smiles. Prof nods. *Cha-click! Student sits.  So you get to study long hours and when you do get called, it only takes 3 seconds. Other courses? Well, they get to stand in front of class and present a powerpoint presentation of tables; charts; photos of animals, people, and unsuspecting fruit; videos of interviews, dumb things people do, smart things people do; etc. Tiring. In law school, you only get to stand and run your mouth about something you barely understand. Easy!

Well, it goes both ways, too. Sometimes you get to stand for the whole period. And it's a 5-unit subject. And standing for one to three hours uses up calories. More calories used, more weight is lost. Hello, good looking.

Anyways, the title of this entry says it all: I AM JUST RANTING. Midterms is right around the bend and so far, I feel so uninspired to get to "exam mode". It just gets to all of us - one day or another - and that's a crisis in the making. My insomnia is slowly killing me, and my backlog of readings is gradually making its way up to my neck in a steady pace. Of course, there is the occasional "really good day", but more of the "bad ones" just keep popping up recently. I am just hoping the next two weeks will turn out okay, at least.

Few people know this, but I never even wanted to be lawyer in the first place. It also goes that I never could see myself as one in the future. I always thought I'd be something else, but not an attorney. Life has a way of joking and maybe I was just at the receiving end of it. Oh well, gotta man up to it now, since there is no turning back. But I did get to know some pretty neat stuff along the way, so I guess it's not a total waste. This week, when the opportunity presents itself, I am going to recharge my batteries, reset my internal clock, and delete temporary stored information (Oh, not this one, though. Might come in handy someday). Maybe I'll go trolling... yeah, that brightens my mood anytime.

On a lighter note, the Fraternity I joined celebrated it's 40th Founding Anniversary. The organizers planned the thing so well, and they invited notable and distinguished alumni in their respective fields to give inspirational speeches. I was elated, of course, but somehow the talks fail to inspire me that much (not like the time after watching Rockys I-IV). The venue was superb, the food okay, and our friends from Playboy Philippines gave us a treat, too. I had a great view.

Another thing is I got to have my picture taken with certain idols of mine. FM radio DJs Slick Rick and Sam Y.G. of Magic 89.9 and 2/3 of the Boys Night Out radio show of the Magic. I am not ashamed to say I was star-strucked, but seeing these two in person was one item checked off  in my bucket list. I just couldn't resist telling them I was a big fan and shaking their hands and requesting to have a picture taken with them. So cool. It was also interesting that Slick told me that it was great to hear that guys like us (they think maybe we're lawyers already, I don't know) listen to their show. They said it was nonsense. Well, to a certain extent it is. Maybe because most people have this notion about law students. The one that brands us as serious-all-the-time-since-we-study-law type; or maybe the we-are-no-nonsense-folk-because-we-are-law-students... I can't put a finger on it, but I might be wrong, too. Slick told me their show is nonsense. Because I was still awed by them, I couldn't make my mouth work and strike a conversation about it and just tell him that sometimes nonsense is what we need.

You see, in the way we study law, we need to make sense of what we are reading. It becomes an obligation or duty to do so. There's even a subject totally devoted on how to study law. And we make sense of things all the time that it just gets tiring. So we try our best to enjoy the little things, just to keep our minds off the stress and relax our nerves. And most of the time, the most nonsensical things is the best pill to knock us out of our socks, and even for a few moments, takes away all the worry, stress, and even (in my case) the pressure off our heads. It keeps us grounded. I don't know about the others, but coming home from school, right after a really bad day in class, I'd turn on my radio and tune in on their show. I'd slowly smile at the jokes, and that turns into a giggle or guffaw, and then kalampag na ako at gumugulong na sa kakatawa. Aside from trolling, this would usually brighten up my mood.

So, midterms is just around the corner.

It's Not Always Sunny in Manila

Tropical storm Falcon. What a guy. Serious about his work. Great with kids.

Seriously, though, he made me worry. A lot. Like I mentioned in my previous entry (Re: Hell's Kitchen), I live in the vicinity of Mendiola for almost a decade. And although I had my share of awesome shock-and-awe storms in the past like Bagyong Milenyo, it RARELY floods where I live. Except for Ondoy. Now that was some flooding there. So when a storm brews up and starts raining down cats and dogs (in my dormitory, almost literally. There are 5-7 cats, 2-3 dogs that dormmates and my landlady's daughter keep as pets and what a ruckus when it rains), I tend to stare at the sidewalk. You see, that is my personal danger meter, so to say. And when the water rises up to the yellow line... I start thinking about Ondoy all over again.

This is not the latest satellite image from PAGASA. I just added this one just to show the extent of the area of rainfall Falcon bestowed upon us. In a bad note, before Falcon, my cousin's house was literally swept away by floodwaters from a nearby river. Flooring na lang ang natira. And as I type this message, my mom just sent me a text message that the sky just cleared in Batangas. Hello Mr. Sun... we miss you here in Manila. And the rest of the Archipelago.

The territory of the Philippines as stated in the Constitution should include the waters covering, submerging, or otherwise ravaging the Archipelago therein. Now this is a rant.

And here comes the fun part. Class suspension. Construe liberally in favor of the students. Doctrine of liberal construction applies.

Now what to do when a tropical storm hits and you're left in a dormitory?

1. Indulge in alcoholic drinks
2. Nap all day
3. Drink some more
4. Nap again
5. *fwap *fwap *fwap (you guys think what this is. I leave it all to your dirty little minds)
6  Debate about the current school policy
7. Give up studying and join the other groups either indulging in alcoholic drinks or debating about school policy
8.  Read back-issue magazines
9. *fwap thinking about back-issue magazine photos and contents
10. Leave debating and try to study again but fail
11. Indulge in healthy, nutricious, and satisfying karinderya food
12. Debate about benefits of right or left-handed *fwapping
13. If there's internet, surf, or play games
14. Repeat as necessary (or until your mind blows)

But I get to do not one of those. Hell, I was stuck in my cell with the Labor Code, a foil of Strepsils, some Biogesic (later on Tempra Forte), and several gallons of water. Sucks to be sick during a storm. Well, I did manage to post an entry though. But I'll just categorize this later on as just another rant on the weather. Something we call in legal humor here as "BED weather"...

*chuckles... you and your dirty little minds.

Hell's Kitchen

If you're thinking of Manhattan, no.

It is a place I'd like to call the University Belt or U-Belt in the heart of Manila (there exists other similarly nicknamed U-Belts in other parts of Metro Manila). Its name comes from the string of colleges and universities forming some sort of... well... for lack of better descriptive words - a belt stretching inside the San Miguel area, from the western end of España Boulevard, Nicanor Reyes St. (formerly Morayta St.), the eastern end of Claro M. Recto Avenue (formerly Azcarraga), Legarda Avenue, Mendiola Street and the different side streets. Each of the colleges and universities found here are at a short walking distance of each other (thanks to Wikipedia for that bit. Although I use it, I remind you all that IT IS STILL NOT SYNONYMOUS WITH RESEARCH). 

The reason why I called this area Hell's Kitchen is because of the "closed-in" feel of the area. More like a serious 80's film in the light of The Graduate meets A.K.O. Batch '81. It is generally a melting pot of all Filipino ethnic lineages. From all walks of life, social status, political, and religious views, people are basically thrown in the cesspool and mixed so well I could even name it Hell's Blender if it weren't only too macabre.

And the population... The residents here are swamped by the number of students who come to this area every day. Even on Sundays this is a busy, busy place. And with the major roads that goes around the Belt, commercial establishments with some places for leisure (wholesome or not), this has become a sub-district of sorts. Think of human traffic jam during the rainy days, too.

So, yeah. This is a really crowded place. You can find anything you need here if you know where to look - from used books to magazines, skateboards, clothing, printing presses, hole-in-the-wall stores selling anything from piercings to dentistry equipments, banks, side-by-side internet shops that are open 24/7, eating establishments, billiard halls, churches, a mall... even petshops (my buddy got one of those Pac-Man Frogs in Recto. Now he's got a scorpion) Name it, and the list goes on and on. On the plus side, Quiapo, Divisoria, and Binondo are only a jeepney ride away with minimum fare from this area if you ever get the hankering for electronics, pirated DVDs, and cheap clothing for the budget wary one. From here you can almost get to anywhere in Manila. Bus lines go through here, jeepneys, taxis (although it is still a mystery to me why the hell I couldn't flag a cab if I needed one badly).

I live in the vicinity of Mendiola smack-dab in San Miguel. An easy walk away from Malacanang Palace, Mendiola is that piece of road many people refer to as "that one place where rallies happen". It's true, because my school's address is at 638 Mendiola St., San Miguel, Manila. And during snack time, we can hear the slogans of various groups voicing their grievances at the current administration. We get used to it.

"Pogi, burjer?"
"Hinde, ate. Hamenchizwidegg. Damihan mo sibuyas."
"Karapatan ng manggagawa, Ipagloboooon!"
"Sopdrinks?"
"Ano malamig nyo?"
"(some policy or new law, whatever), Ibasuraaaaah!"
"Sparkol, Pop, me Pepsi"
"Sparkol, ate."
"Salamat, Pogi."
"Ipogloboooon!"

You get used to it. The fishballs and kikiam go well with most the militant types, while the burger and ham and cheese with lots of onions and cabbage passing off as lettuce is seeked out by the more choosing conneoisseurs - when the water cannon gets pulled up at front.

There are a lot of dormitiories and boarding houses here to choose from. And lately, with the boom in this thing called a "student-condo", you can practically turn a cell into your own bachelor pad! Look what I did to mine (Paolo, yours is still a cell. Says my girlfriend). Most of the places to live are close to shops so necessities aren't a problem, and food is easy - albeit lacking in nutrition - as long as you know where to grab a bite. Laundryshops here and there, and even gym rats wouldn't get to miss a session.

Of course we get the occassional rumbles between gangs and frat wars, but what the heck. This sort of thing happens and like the rallies that sometimes turn into riots, we get used to them, too.

So it's all hustle-bustle and razzle dazzle in here. Until it gets dark. Time to go home for most. For us "vampire" types who gets to burn the midnight oil more often than other students, our day is just begginning, and ends at about 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. Back at home 8:00 is late... here, the night is still young. Just be careful on the way home. U-Belt is also notorious for robbers, snatchers, and other shady individuals. Just don't flaunt that iPod or Galaxy Tab on the way home and you'll be okay. But despite the stories of robbers and snatchers, this is still a very fun and lively place to live. And it's safer now! I lived here for about 9 years now and I can't imagine myself anywhere else. It is accessible to other parts of Metro Manila, and like I said earlier, food is not a problem (with the abundance of convenient stores, who can worry about that craving of 711 Slurpee not getting answered?), and I don't have to pay fare to get to school.

(these photos are not mine, though. They are Googled - another Antonym for Research)

So I lived almost a decade in Hell's Kitchen. I once called this a cesspool, or darkest pit of Manila. It is overcrowded, dirty, polluted, and congested. And it takes a certain amount of guts to live here during a part of your young life. Some don't have it. They crack. And tomorrow, I'll be hauling my ass off my sweet Batangas home for another wicked (in an evil way) academic year in what I'll call home for the better part of the year.

Welcome to Hell's Kitchen, fellas. And as a caveat, I'd like to read a passage from Dante Alighieri's work, Inferno. It says, "Abandon all hopes, all ye who enter here." Hope for the best and prepare for the worst and you'll survive. And with that, dinner's about to be served. Don't ask the cook what he put in here, tho. Now let's rock.

Yet another END OF THE WORLD rant

Okaaaay. So somebody predicted the world will end TODAY. At precisely 6:00pm. (Standard time? Eastern? +8:00 GMT?)

In the meantime, I am going to be stuck at our store this afternoon and will be smirking at people panic-buying in case those that believe that thing will wander into the store. Come on... I have been through this before in two blog entries (re: earthquakes, etc., and the blog entry after that). Reminds me of Good Omens: the Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch. There was this one bit where the angel Aziraphale went astral surfing and managed to possess a daytime telly evangelist. As the preacher went on his explanation of the Rapture (where, according to him, all the believers will be whisked away to some place to be spared of the coming Tribulations), Aziraphale did the most expected thing of him, and told the truth (according to him he is morally obliged not to lie) about the book's version of the Rapture. Hysteria follows, more astral surfing... heck, read the book yourselves, and I promise it will be worth the time (of course, the humor is a bit British so the editors' footnotes come in handy).

So, Harold Camping predicted that today will be the day of Rapture, and not really the day of Judgement. There will still be a five-month span of terrible terrible things to happen (Think Book of Revelations) before the world finally ends. And, oh yeah, he previously predicted the world will end on September 1994.

And there's the deal with those posters and banners all over Manila. And there have been reports of people selling their stuff and even websites to assign who will take care of your pets in case you get whisked away to somewhere on Rapture day. So, you are sure you're one of the saved? Click on YES. Thank you for transacting with us, billing will be sent to your address (and follows a screen of your pet staring longingly into heaven while a ray of light shines on them). There are people who gave away all their riches and belongings, some who dug them a hole in the mountains, one guy who said he'll be in Time Square so he could get the best view when it happens, and some are celebrating their birthdays today. I browsed Wikipedia (it is still not synonymous for "research" by the way), and found a cool piece - a list of all predicted dates of Armageddon (Eddie Izzard: "that's Australian for Armageddonouttahere.") and it was quite a list.

So, how will the Rapture happen? There's talk of whisking away to heaven. How do you whisk someone away like that?  Currently it is almost 4:00pm here and while typing, rain clouds suddenly gather and thunder peals from the darkened skies and i suddenl------

Nah, kinda bleak and frightening don't you think? Well, I still plan to go to our store in a few minutes after I post this entry. And I am pretty optimistic that this won't be my last. And just in case, Mom... Dad... I love you so much. Oh, and I won last night at poker session with my friends. I'll leave the money on Mom's desk in case some of us gets whisked away.

In the meantime, there is still a reason to hope. Despite the fright and sheer anxiety it causes, I still believe that whatever faith you profess to, whatever belief one has, there is still that one common thing that all of us believe in. The human spirit (no, not the soul... some don't believe in that). I mean the power that every man, woman, and child on the face of this green earth has to hope and cling to that hope. Whatever we may hope for - a new car, graduating, really really great parties, more time for family and friends, let's just hold on to that. Or else, I will post another entry giving a tribute to my dear old friend, and hopefully yours, Johnny Walker.

(re: the "Keep Walking" bit on my previous entry?)

Well, at least I had time to spend the last days of the world inside my mausoleum. Hmmm... Fascinating how one American Institution wants us to prepare for a Zombiepocalypse scenario. Good thing I brushed up with the rules in Zombieland.

Good Friday Hike

"Will pick you up at the corner road going to the villa." A text message from my buddy was sent at around 3:45am. I replied it was fine by me and will be there. It's been Holy Week here in the Philippines, and since it was Good Friday, customarily Christians devote their time to prayer and penance. As a Holy Week activity, me and my friends decided to do another hike up the mountain nearby while praying Stations of the Cross. We did it last year, and a quarter up the mountain I was gassed. I really wasn't in shape and didn't expect that it would be that hard (i lost a boot sole while going down, too), considering that mountaineers consider Mt. Maculot a walk in the park.

This year, I made sure it would be different. Well, considering we ACTUALLY prayed this time, there was a lot of time to rest in between stations so I guess that if we climbed non-stop I would gas up again. And last year I brought four bottles of Gatorade and two bottles of drinking water plus an extra shirt and a camera. This year, I cut down the Gatorade and settled for facetowels. Although I brought a jacket because we started early this time. 4am sounded reasonable. Will be there around 4:30-5:00am so it can be a bit chilly despite the summer, I said to myself.

Our hike was planned for 4:00am we
ended up climbing Maculot around
5:00am.

Mt. Maculot is just less than an hour's drive from my town. It's a favorite place for would-be-pilgrims looking for a good place to make sacrifices and offer prayers (I didn't notice a lot of people praying, though, and most of the other folks are family trippers and teenagers looking for a good time and an excuse to just hang out). I lost track of time when we started climbing, but it was still dark when we did do so.

I brought the candles

After parking our friend's truck (yeah, he drove us in a big-ass truck used for hauling softdrinks), where we rode at the back where the wind whipped my usually curly hair straight, we went on our way.The trek up wasn't really that bad, except for loose soil that make you slip sometimes and loose rocks tumbling down from the top made by someone losing a foothold. Good thing I wore rugged rubber shoes with lots of grip left in the soles. Boots with really good ridges is ideal for such a climb, especially for us casual hikers. But like I said earlier, I lost a sole going down from last year's hike.

Just a few meters up the hill going into
the woods and you're already tired?

Yes, we DID pray along the Stations of
The Cross this time.

A bit of the way there are stone and concrete steps leading the trail through each station, but that doesn't mean the walk would be easy. The way up is still steep, and people tend to crowd in the steps. So, being the adventurous and over-confident type, we tried cutting our own trail by the sides, clawing on dirt and grabbing protruding vegetation. By that time, the sky is already brightening up as the sun is slowly rising. And, yeah, the stone steps suddenly disappear for a good portion of the trail. More dirt and rock action... and a bit of plantlife. Sacrifice... Sacrifice... "uy, five pesos." (takes a knee and picks up the coin)

Small altars depict scenes from
the Passion of Jesus Christ mark each
station. Surprisingly, we only encountered
three groups praying at each - including ours.
The sun is not too hot during the mornings
here, and some parts have dense vegetation.
There is a part where steps leading from one
part of the climb just disappeared. 

After a few more stations, prayers, slipping and occasional cussing, one can notice how far it there is still to go to get to the "Cross" near the summit. Some people refer this to the top of Mt. Maculot, but it is just a small area of relatively level ground with a great view of the surrounding countryside ("Dude, I can see my house from here"). Nothing beats away the sore legs than this. I couldn't get a shot at the Grotto beside the cross, but a long line forms up to it, where candles are being offered instead of lighting them. A kitten took refuge at the foot of the statue of the Virgin Mary there, as to how it got there, I'd like to think it just crawled up there and decided it a good place to take a nap (the thought of somebody putting the kitten there as "alay" disturbed me somehow. And I'm known to be used to such disturbing things.)

This area just below the "Cross". Littered with small shops
where one can  buy coffee, noodles, and other items.
Nearby is the path leading to a campsite for those who pitched
up tents for the night.

  Now comes the tricky part. Getting down. Down your Gatorade, boys. You'll need it. Trust me.

It wouldn't be so difficult if it weren't for a ton of people around. Going up would be a breeze compared to the way down because it is so rocky. But the up side of it all is that they provide good footholds and things to cling on as climbers make their way down to town. Oh, yeah. They make a pretty sight if some loose ones come tumbling down in a small  avalanches(safe but hurts the shins and feet, larger ones are known to knock people out if they happen to hit them on the head). Things like that cause injuries familiar to Mt. Maculot on Good Friday. So far, this year the only casualty we saw was one having too little oxygen as opposed to last year's fall (presumably a drunk climber or one who got hit on the head by one of those falling rocks). It's a good thing none of those boulder-types get dislodged (think Indiana Jones).

 It was a good day to climb a mountain and a great way to start the highlights of Holy Week. As far as I remember, mixing prayer and penance with a little bit of fun as long as they are meaningful was really a part of the whole thing for my family and friends. And it doesn't hurt anybody in the process. Just don't decide on dislodging those rocks. And please avoid wearing setp-ins, ladies. That was my primary pet peeve last year and this one's hike. You're going up a mountain, not pic-nicking in some stroll in the plains. You're in for a world of hurt withuot the proper gear and attire.

The rope helps. But not so much.

For some reason, one Taho vendor got our attention by walking straight up the steep trail carrying the two aluminum drums full of the sweet, nutricious, all-time favorite soy-based snack. And he did that without a lot of difficulty. "Ayun, daig pa kayo ng magtataho." Anyway, he'll have no problem coming down since those cans will be empty way before lunchtime.

The writer. Gawking.

There is actually another path down. We didn't take the route since we are unfumiliar with it, but I heard it passes by some sort of body of water - a pond, small waterfall, or stream - we didn't know. Maybe next year we'll get to use that one. Or maybe we'll hike up another mountain, who knows?

Oooh... Banahaw sounds promising.

Batangas Summer

Went to the beach two days ago with close friends. Nice weather, hot enough for summer, intense enough to give me a sunburn.

It was such a good day to go to the beach. Yep. I live close enough to the sea; about forty-five minutes tops to a really good beach or about twenty if I go to a nearer one. But since Anilao and Lemery here in Batangas offer really good ones, we opted for those. In the end, we settled for Anilao.

A typical summer outing in the beach here in Batangas will consist of several neccesities. Food, water, and a little money. Of course, alcohol can be an option and more or less it takes a notch higher than food sometimes (with my friends it is a must that we bring be a bottle of something) in the priority list. Strange enough for this one outing, we didn't bring any. ("ano? maglalasing tayo eh ang aga-aga?")

Beach food consist of the usual summer choices. Watermelons (we didn't get to buy one), ripe mangoes (that we had), unripe and green mangoes (we mixed these up with "sinaing na isda", salted eggs, tomatoes, and onions... yum), juice and soda, and most important: the barbecue.

Although in the photo, the reader will notice dumplings. It's not really your usual beach munchies but I wanted to compliment another familiar staple on the sea-side table. You mix soy sauce with calamansi and "sili" (small red peppers that rival the jalapenos in spiciness) as dip for your barbecue. And what else goes well with that dip? Dumplings! I bought two boxes of pork Siomai from the local market and it even went well with rice.

Typical 'Pansit'

Here we find another Filipino dish heavily influenced by the Chinese. Noodles with vegetables, a little meat (or fish), and best served fresh from the stove. Pansit. My buddy cooked up the seafood variety. Instead of using soy sauce, he used oyster sauce. Nice.

We didn't stay long. Just enough for a good dip in the sea, and lunch at the beach. Although I did made good on my promise to soak in the sea, since I miss doing that stuff a lot. And now I give you more photos taken from our table by the sea.

Bamboo floaters mark where its relatively
shallow under normal tides

Hut rental ranges from Php 500.00 - Php. 1,000.00

The sea in this part of Batangas is actually a cliff. So expect some parts getting suddenly deeper as you swim further out. Tourists (mostly Koreans) visit primarily for the dive spots, since the area boasts of some pretty impressive coral reefs and variety of marine life. Recently, Anilao is a haven for water sports. During our stay we watched enthusiasts board sailing and water-skiing. For a fee, you can hire a boat and take you to the outer islands where there are more beaches and coves. Some are even with white sand, if you know which ones to look for.

Huts  and tables like these cost less

"Help us out, will you?"

The road to Anilao

A photo here shows me and my friends working the grill. Actually, they worked on it while I just looked on, mouth watering for the hotdogs. We also had another treat that goes well with grilling - marshmallows! A good few minutes above the hot coals and it's all set for and tastes like... who cares what it tastes like? It's roasted marshmallow. 'Nuff said.

Now I got a really good burn from that trip. Who knows a good ointment for treating sunburn?

On Aging, Billed as the OLD ONE, and Enjoying it.

My birthday's next month. Yipee! Only I will be 25 years old. A quarter of a century old. Hurrah.

I remember my 18th birthay. That was loads of fun... I was saying to myself, "I can get a driver's license now! I can get to watch movies rated 18+! Now I can..."

"Sue and be sued." Said my mom. Thanks mom...

Now, everything's seem different. I know I may be overreacting since 25 is not such an "old" age. Hey, mid-twenties are the next best thing after your teens. Your body's more adaptive, muscle fibers grow and develop quicker, a man in his mid-twenties "perform" better since he can make up with experience what any endurance lost when he's in his teens, and people tend to take you more seriously (this last bit is relative, though). This is the age where independence and opportunity comes hand-in-hand for wider avenues for some. This is when boys really become men. Not just before, but more so nowadays.

Except in my case, I get to hang around with people YOUNGER than me. And when you're twenty-five and already graduated from college, and mid-way to post-graduate studies and into possibly a career path (albeit mine seems so senseless), the guy who happens to be my age is billed as "the old one". Yep, they make fun of my age. At first I get irritated, throw another witty remark in retaliation, but the whole effort is futile. You cannot win in terms of chronology what you already passed by. Hell, some even LAP me. And since I get to stay in a very, very, very, lively dormitory, and I am delayed by two years in law school, the people you hang out with DO NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE. Big deal, you may say. Well... It isn't really, at least for us. It is to them young'uns.

What do they see in us? I would ask myself. Rather, how did I see those who are older than me when I was in my late teens up to my first year after graduating college? I grew up as the only kid at home, since my cousins who were almost my age left for the States when I was young, so I was immersed in the world of grown-ups. No problem. But then I get to go to college. So there I was, hanging with upperclassmen with "awesome" and "cool" going through my head when I get to know what they do for fun, when not in school, or whatnot. It was great, and I remember teasing them also about their age. So, I guess what goes around comes around.

So here I am, the "old guy". Come to think of it, I'm not that old... I mean, look at my dad. Now that's old. Or somebody's grandpa. NOW THAT IS OLD AGE. A friend of mine said that, they (the ones who always tease me) are just looking for somebody to look up to.

Me: "So, you're saying is?"
Psych Pal: "They're just looking for an older brother figure."
Me: "Must you use the word - old?"
Psych Pal: "I mean, it's true, man. Hell, I'm 29 years old and younger guys at the clinic make fun of me all the time, but when they're in trouble, guess who they go to?"
Me: "Their moms?"
Psych Pal: "You got that right. They'll cry and piss their pants when they realize what shit they got themselves into."
Me: "Like how you did when-"
Psych Pal: "Shaddup. I was saying they come to me for advice... The 'old guy'."

And I guess he's right in one way or another. I mean, we've been there, done that. Did this, know a lot more... So, I guess it's just fair.

Now, when they say, "dude, you're old." I don't quip a witty remark back at them designed to attack their naive and immature view of the real world, though I can, and just say, "uh, yeah. I am." Most of the time it stops them, but sometimes they keep on pressing, like they have something to prove. My thinking is, you haven't proven anything yet, virgin. (that was my one-time favorite 'witty quip' to throw back at them, but decided to stop using it since it is way too harsh) All I do now is smile and throw a witty remark at them, but this time designed in a different way, not attacking them but helping me at the same time.

"Bro, you're old"

I answer, "Yeah... Care to buy me arthritis pills?"
or, "Yeah, I just got my senior citizen's card."
or, "my high BP's acting up again."

Sometimes, I will make fun of myself. And I do admit it IS fun.

"Im old now, not as fast as you guys, so... you do it."
"Hey, I'm older than you."
"My back... I pulled something when I was with that girl last night. Man, I hate being old."
"Magmano sa nakakatanda..."

And now, come to think of it, I do enjoy being the older guy. I'm more positive of things, I realize I'm not easily shaken, and I know a lot of stuff now... cool stuff to boot. The more that I enjoy it, the more I feel, strangely enough... younger. I can't explain it but when I was in my college years, I just can't handle the tension which made me haggard. Because I didn't know how to react. As the - hahaha! - age-old saying goes, experience is the best teacher. Now like I said, I know what to do now and I need little advice. And when I do need advice, I make sure I get it from the ones with experience with it, and who's most likely been there. Now, I feel better about myself, I feel stronger even I joke about having rheumatism (part of the sore joints is true, though. It's a gene thing), and I'm happier.

Another cliche I'd like to add, before ending this entry goes: "with age comes wisdom."

And so does wisdom teeth. Ouch.

On being an Aikidoka (Break Falls, 18 Lockings, Getting thrown around by a girl)

Like football (re: my previous post on the Azkals), I learned Aikido for all the wrong reasons.

It started in highschool upon the height of my struggle to "fit in". I reasoned at one point, "hey, if I can't join them, might as well beat em (up)..." or, "look cool enough." When the announcement that our local highschool will hold summer training for anyone interested, I signed up immediately. Like in my previous post, all I was required to do was to pay required fees, get a nice pair of jogging pants (to be used temporarily in place of official uniforms), and show up at least thirty minutes before the start of the session. And so it began. My quest for awesomeness was well on its way. Except for several speedbumps that slowed my acceleration.

THE WHITE BELT

Basic training. Our style of Aikido stemmed from (I think now defunct) the Philippine Combat Aikido Federation (who turned into the ridiculously jaded Tapondo International Federation) system of hybrid Aikido. Not too far from the traditional Aikido that Osensei (Morihei Ueshiba) developed. Ours involved for the white belts, the "Traditional Twenty Basic Techniques" to practice and memorize. I went through all the movements, the techniques (that I considered up to a point as dance steps), and the exercises. I did feel like I was getting stronger and better. Until we get to the promotional exams. Randori is actually... exciting... when you're not the one in the middle of it.

GREEN BELT

Nothing interesting. Newer techniques to master, more difficult ones I might add. Twenty-five "basic-to-semi-advanced" basics. Randori (multiple attackers) with more aggression designed to immerse the student to a semi-realistic attack scenarios designed to relax the mind of the practitioner to perform each technique without hesitation, and to face each attack without fear.

PURPLE BELT

Same pace as the Green belt. Only there are Thirty "advanced basic techniques", and an introduction to grappling defenses. They also teach you to defend against mugging and "hold-ups" here. At this point I will have to say that I suck at techniques. I have had a hard time memorizing them and only pass promotional exams by sheer luck. Getting the lowest passing grade in each exam is my definition of sheer luck since other students get relatively high marks.

YELLOW BELT

Now here things get pretty interesting. You get to defend against kicks. Fun. Especially when your instructors have trained extensively in kicking arts and watch too much Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pride FC. Oh, I did mention you are the one defending against kicks? So, after exercises, warm-ups, advanced techniques and grappling practice, the rest of the session involves you being target practice by really good kickers. On the bright side, you are considered a senior student, so you've earned the right to get kicked around. Bravo. And your exams require you to perform all the techniques from white to purple belts. Fun.

BLUE BELT

Aside from getting kicked, you also earn the right in this belt grade to get stabbed. By an equally painful wooden knife. Nope, no spring-loaded toy practice knife. You get the bamboo one. Stings like hell. At least, when you're not treated as something to sharpen that knife on, you get to play hostage in hold-up defenses and advanced grappling sessions. And randori is much more interesting. No more two-againts-one. Three-against-one to the more thrilling adrenaline rush of random attackers from different sides is there for your training enjoyment. Plus by this stage, you must have the ability to somersault and break falls properly. Trust me, it's for your own good. I've been thrown around by girls half my size and almost broke an arm, leg, and almost suffered a concussion.

BROWN BELT

To make things short, this is the REVIEW belt. All you've learned - kicking defense, hold-up defense, grappling, knife defense - you'll learn new tricks while re-mastering all of it. Additional things to learn are: defense against boxing and stick and long bladed weapon attacks. But the fun part is weapons training. The bokken, jo, bo staff, and kali/arnis sticks get thrown in the curriculum. All to prepare a student to his transition to

BLACK BELT

I've learned that the real training starts here. So far, I'm still stuck to the first degree, since there are no more promotional exams held in the Cubao HQ. Our dojo split from the main years back and became an independent dojo.

I've continued my training since then and finally grasped the ideals of the art only superficially. You see, Aikido was a mindset - a philosophy; a religion; a way of life - for dear old Osensei Ueshiba. It preaches non-combat over direct opposition against an opponent's force. You direct that force against your opponent not to hurt him, but to neutralize and frustrate the attack. Same applies to real life, as with most martial art philosophy. So when I said I learned aikido for all the wrong reasons, I just wanted to look cool and be able to kick ass. Of course I got into fights, as many fledgling martial artists do, but age and wisdom tend to change that perspective. One only fights when he needs to. Aikido translates to the Way of Harmonious Living.

Despite my deep understanding of the art, like I said, I have yet to realize and experience it in its entirety. I have yet to experience the "enlightenment" that many Aikido masters have had for them to be called as such. But I am indeed looking forward to it someday. I do practice the non-combative attitude, but sometimes when that punch is thrown, instinct takes over and philosophy is thrown straight outside the window. It's not a question of how you did it, but rather how did you react?

Nevertheless, I have really benefited from it. I've become more patient (I do think so), learned nifty techniques to get calm, and face things without fear. I've become more calculated, motivated, and goal-oriented. So I wanted to kick ass, and I got more than I hoped for (most of the time my ass was the one gettig kicked a lot). So did my parents and friends noticed.

But I am still lazy and hard-headed as an ox sometimes.

"Oh dear, after this he'll go get his old gi and sit on one corner and pretend to meditate." Says my mom.

But, mom, you have to admit, I do look good in it.

Azkals, Football, Aikido and Me.

I started appreciating football out of the wrong reasons.

It started one lazy afternoon after merienda (in other countries, afternoon tea and biscuits), when my cousin from the States came home for a visit. He brought along a ton of goodies, and one of them was a DVD-ROM for the Playstation2. He popped the disc in my PS2, started a game with his favorite team - Inter Milan, and kicked the crap out of the computer-generated AI.

"Who's the rival of your beloved team?" I asked my cousin. And when I got the answer I boldly announced, "Okay... I'll use that team and I will beat you so bad." Of course, I didn't win. As a matter of fact, I sucked. Big time. But I got hooked. Later that night, I tuned to the telly and watched a game of footba- almost forgot. For other non-fans, I am obliged to inform you that football, is also called soccer. Watched a game of football and fell asleep before first half was over. I woke up just in time to witness a most spectacular goal. And the hook just sunk deeper and deeper, the wound it gave me will get infected. Ever since then, I found a few friends with a similar interest, who, despite my being ill-equipped for the game, allowed me to tag along their games and let me in on some. I got six bruises, both knees scraped, a bloody nose, and a huge smile on my face. Afterwards, I bought shoes to play with, on account of three toenails getting... well... hurt. I tagged along with my friends, played and fell in love with the sport. So I researched, asked my Dad who played the game well back from his military days, and practiced with a ball and a makeshift goal in the form of two cones near the garage.

I wasn't really born athletic. I was the kid who never got picked even for dodgeball despite my attempts to get into a sport. Other kids grew up playing basketball, volleyball, and whatnot. Me? I grew up in a dojo of some sorts, so I had a lot of difficulty getting into team sports. Now that's another story.

(flashback ala Chang Kwai Cain:

"So, you want to enroll in our Aikido dojo, huh? Young grasshopper?"

"Yes, I do."

"Ok. You're in. Pay the corresponding fees and be prepared by Saturday. Your training starts then."

huge smile.

of course, like Pol Medina, Jr. - creator of Pugad Baboy, no one told me about somersault break falls, and the eighteen wrist locks)

Back to football. (flashforward)

Like I said, I wasn't talented in contemporary team sports. I sucked before and I still suck now. But despite all that, the desire to play THE game just settled in my blood. I still watch different leagues on the telly, but I liked the German leagues and Italian series the most.I attempted to play in our school intramurals, and so far I discovered the hard way that being goal keeper was not my thing. I could be better in it, of course, but doing fullback defender suits me just fine. I enjoyed that position, comfortable with it, and able to do good to our team. This year, I wasn't able to join the Law School team, and got a wee bit depressed about it. Oh well, there's always next year provided I won't get kicked out because of my "technical" subjects.

Recently, the Philippine Football team is getting the attention of mainstream Philippine Sports. Mainly because they are performing quite well. Like in my previous post, I commented on a reaction by a dorm mate that their qualifying in the AFC Challenge Cup was to be credited on mere luck. I replied, "oh ye of little faith."

3-0 is no mere feat, my boy. Of course, I had to remind myself that this person is unfamiliar with the game in its entirety. As my cousin, the same one who introduced me to the sport, observed, our countrymen are fair-weather fans. As long as the team does good, it's all swell with cheers and support. If the Azkals don't give a stellar performance in 2012, then the support will drop back to hard-core football fans. I'm hoping despite this, the support and popularity of the team as well as football in the Philippines will never wane.

Of course, many of us haven't heard of Paulino Alcantara Riestra. A Filipino who is, in my opinion, the greatest football player our country ever had. He was born to a Spaniard and a Filipino mother who is from Ilo-Ilo (the Philippine's football capitol. Ask a kid who plays football barefooted from that province who's his sporting idol and he will most likely answer Ronaldo), and became Barcelona's youngest player to play or score for the team. He also made 357 goals in over 300 plus games during his career, making him somewhat of a legend. He also became a manager, selector, and club manager, and later on after he retired, a doctor. This was way back during the colonial periods. Paulino Alcantara also represented the Philippines in Tokyo, where the Philippines scored an amazing 15 goals. Amazing because for me, scoring one goal is such a task already. Alcantara also played in different international games, and always giving a stellar performance.

So far, I am all for football. I may not be the best one for a team, or even for a replacement, but I will still play when the opportunity arises. I may suck at it, but I love it. As well as my dad, my only fan so far. But as far as fans go, well, he's the criticizing type.

I popped that old FIFA CD into my PS2 once more, and laughed at my dad about something he said.

"Anak, ano yan? Replay?"
I snickered before answering, "Yep."
"So, who's winning?" Asked my dad.
And I answered with that silly smile of mine, "Me."

RH Bill, More Earthquakes, Tensions in the Middle East, and Fast Eating coupled with the Azkals

I was not able to post anything new. Basically because there was nothing to write about. Actually there's a ton of things to write about, only that I don't want to write it. Not yet. No, it is not writer's block, not a motivation thing, but something every writer (or in my case, an amateur) looks for. The right time to put it down on paper... or blog.

Finals are done and all in the past, and since coming home I was swamped with things to do. And none of those in the top of the priority list was done. Mainly because I was hooked to the telly this past week. Telly and internet news. CNN, BBC, ANC, Al-Jazeera - name it, I was channel surfing like a paranoid android. Of course, the occasional silly movie and MMA events got into the line of "things to watch", only to lighten my mood.

Libya's troubles so far didn't turn out for the better. Coalition strikes, and lately something of a statement of support for the no-fly zone from other Arab nations, are the meat of the soup... What worries me is the bombing in Jerusalem. Let's face it, anyone who read the Book of Revelations can, at first glance, if you wanna take things literally (thanks, St. John of Patmos, you messed up my imagination again with your mushrooms), will really consider thinking Parousia. It's just a scary world we are living in now.

I am conflicting myself with earlier statements I have given in my last post (re: Earthquakes, Tsunamis, 2012, Tibetans, and Atlantis Rising A.K.A. Don't Panic). But don't get me wrong, though. I am still going with the Johnny Walker mantra (re: Ibid). It's just that you cannot help but worry. What makes matters worse is all those irritating end-of-times posts on social networking sites. Come, on! We've been through this before. Well, if you'd only read my blog. Must I remind you guys of our dear old friend Johnny Walker?

Another thing that is a worrisome thorn in my side is the consecutive earthquakes here in Asia. Thailand and Myanmar got hit with the latter having it a bit worse. Pacific Ring of Fire. And here I am living kilometers away from a volcano within a volcano. Well, a few days ago, Manila was rocked by a quake, which led the media to broadcast speculations on whether the country will be ready if ever a big one will hit. Then I receive an e-mail from my uncle containing the correct way of finding shelter if ever you find yourself in a situation induced by tectonic plates deciding to do the salsa. Or cha-cha... whatever. How I wish the government spent more budget on Phivolcs.

As a good buddy of mine said, "Oh Lord, madami pang magaganda sa mundo. Wag Ka muna maglinis." (or something like that).

Lastly, not that this bothers me much in any way since legislation in the Philippines is a tedious business, is the highly controversial Reproductive Health Bill. Whatever it boils down to - morality or modern healthcare, there is always, in my belief and I could be wrong, of course, the Separation of Church and State. Like I always say, I have nothing against those who protest the RH Bill, but please, clergymen, you're duty-bound to the people as a moral and social element. Not political. Your job is to educate and guide the people. I found it a bit amusing to find that some supporters do not understand what the RH Bill is about. I mean this: "we are against Abortion! NO TO THE RH BILL!" Abortion was not even in the said piece of legislation. It's for contraception - artificial. Our Revised Penal Code and I think (oh, dear. My CrimLaw profs will kill me if I get it wrong) a special law provides for that. (what, Mr. Marxius Pollux? YOU THINK?!) But what is a really good sign is that different religions here united against it in a recent prayer rally held to show their protest. However, some supporters seemed misguided. But then again, this is a good step for them, I suppose. I was even happy to see the different representatives of their respective religions and sects seated beside each other on the stage. Now, only if everyone had that similar mindset.

Hmmm... The Constitution does provide for the protection of the unborn child after all.

Since it is the time of Kwaresma (in preparation for the Holy Week), I've made it a personal sacrifice to fast every friday for the whole 40 days before easter. Every year I've been doing it, end every year I just can't get used to it. (Oh no, it's almost Friday... time to chow and beat the clock) Hence, my joke about Fasting getting turned to Fast Eating. My mom told me a few hours ago, "before you'd practice abstinence (not eating meat), now you're fasting. When you'd abstain, you weren't really sacrificing, but rather enjoying yourself with all the seafood you can eat," and she goes far to add, "and when you fast, as soon as Friday is over, you pig out."

Mom, it's the thought that counts. Is it?

On a lighter note, the Philippine Football team Azkals (WOOF!) made it at long last to qualify for the AFC Challenge Cup. Yay! As soon as I posted a comment on a social networking site, one of the unbelievers/non-football fans said it was a mere stroke of luck. Chamba. Whatever, dude. I love THE game so much I will post a separate blog post on it as soon as I am through with this one. Which is now.

Funny, I got something to write about after all. Hah!