Wednesday, January 05, 2011

Kaganda at Kaartehan

Minsan sa isang biglaan kwentuhan, napagusapan ang koneksyon ng arte at ganda. Sabe ng kaibigan kong si Emil, dapat daw ay pantay ang arte mo sa itsura mo. Kung titignan napaka discriminating, na para bang wala nang karapatan ang ndi maganda para umarte. Pero masakit man tanggapin, totoo naman un. Bakit ka nga naman aasal nang malayo sa dapat mong asal? Ang malungkot lang, maraming tao ang ndi nakaiintindi nun. O di naman kaya iba ang nakikita nila sa salamin (?) haha!

Pero ang mas nakatutuwa ay ang realidad na ndi la ng pala kame ang nakapagisip at umaayon sa "pilosopiyang" yun. Eto na at naisulat ni Lourd De Vera.

Umasal Lamang Nang Ayon sa Ganda


Q: Bakit kailangan nito sa mga panahon ngayon?

Dahil sa mundong pataas nang pataas ang stress levels, dala ng banta ng climate change, kriminalidad, trapik, polusyon. Wala nang mas nakakakulo ng dugo kesa sa isang taong hindi umaasal nang ayon sa kagandahan.

Q: Ano ba talaga ang ibig sabihin ng pilosopiyang ito?

Ilang gabay, alituntunin, at halimbawa:

• Kung di naman kagandahan ang katawan (at lalo na kung tadtad ng kurikong ang balat), ‘wag mag-post ng mga Boracay pics sa Facebook. Polite lang ang mga kaibigan mo pero pinagtatawanan ka nilang lahat. ‘Yan ang mapait na katotohanan.
• ‘Wag artehan ang pananalita. Wag lagyan ng impit at kulot kung wala rin lang natural na impit at kulot ang dila mo—unless lumaki ka sa US, nag-aral sa mamahaling paaralaan, nakatira sa exclusive subdivision, o nanggaling sa pamilya ng mga panginoong may-lupa.
• ‘Wag magpumilit mag-Ingles kung di ka rin lang naman lumaki sa Forbes Park o nag-aral sa I.S. Mas lalong wag na wag kung mali-mali rin lang naman ang Ingles mo.
• ‘Wag mag-sleeveless kung maitim ang kili-kili. ‘Wag na ‘wag mag-sleeveless kung maitim na nga ang kili-kili, pamalo pa ng dalag ang mga braso mo. Mas na mas na ‘wag—nakikiusap kaming lahat lalo na ang mga tropa ko dito sa Project 2—lalo na’t lumalabas ka pa sa TV. Alam naming karapatan ng bawat tao sa mundong itong magsuot ng sleeveless, pero tandaang karapatan din naming laitin ka nang bonggang-bongga.
• Kung di rin lang naman kagandahan, wag magti-tweet ng “WALANG GUWAPO DITO" dahil masaklap ang tatalbog sa iyo na paghusga. Wag rin magti-tweet tungkol sa kalidad ng wine lalo na’t bisita ka lang. At kahit na may training ka sa oenology, ‘wag manglalait ng wine ng ibang tao—lalo na’t pinapasuweldo ka ng taong bayan.
• Kung ka-edad mo na si Madonna, wag nang labanan ang makinarya ng panahon at isipin na ikaw pa rin ang seksing haliparot noong 1985. Kahit cultural icon ka na. Ang pagsuway dito ay magdudulot lamang ng matinding bangungot sa mga milyong-milyong tao tulad ng sa latest mong music video.
• Kung ‘di rin naman talaga model, huwag tangkaing mag-model—maliban na lang kung ang produkto ay hollow blocks o kaya’y Pigrolac. Sinadya ng Diyos na bigyan ng angkop na tangkad at ganda ang ibang tao para sa trabahong ‘yun.

Q: Ano ang kinaiba nito sa “Kung ‘di rin lang kagandahan, wag mag-inarte?"

Wala masyado—magkamag-anak nga sila, in fact. Pero masyado namang garapal itong nasa itaas. Pero ‘yan ang masakit na katotohanan: marami talagang hindi umaasal nang ayon sa ganda.

“Things that are pure within themselves evoke pleasure, thus beauty," ika nga ni Socrates. Sa Tagalog, naaalibadbaran tayo sa di-kagandahan. Lalo na’t nag-iinarte pa.

Ang di pagsunod sa batas na ito ay nagdudulot ng mga di-kanais-nais na pakiramdam sa mundo. Basic human courtesy lang dapat, di ba? Hindi tayo umuutot at pinapaamoy sa katabi natin. Hindi natin dinuduraan ang pagkain nila. Pag humihikab tayo, tinatakpan natin ang ating bunganga. Ang pag-ebs ay isang pribadong aktibidad at hindi natin ipinagmamalaki sa ibang tao.

Q: Bakit marami pa ring mga taong hindi kagandahan na hindi likas na sumusunod sa pilosopiyang ito?

Hindi ko rin alam. Bakit ba may mga taong nagnanakaw? Bakit may mga taong pumapatay? Bakit may mga mahilig manood ng child pornography o kaya bestiality? Bakit may mga opisyal sa gobyernong nakaw pa rin nang nakaw kahit na sobra-sobra na ang mga pera nila sa Switzerland?

“Good nature will always supply the absence of beauty; but beauty cannot supply the absence of good nature,"ika nga ng Briton na si Joseph Addison. Ang mahirap ay kung pangit ka na nga, maarte ka pa at masama pa ugali mo. Yung mga ganoon ay wala na talagang pag-asang lumigaya sa mundo kahit ilang hamster o pusa pa ang alagaan nila.

Q: Ano ang karaniwang nangyayari kapag hindi umasal nang naayon sa ganda ang isang tao?

Wala naman sigurong direktang koneksyon ang stress at ang mga di-kagandahang billboards sa Edsa, pero tingin ko yung kay Joel Cruz Aficionado ay isang ehemplo ng hindi umaasal nang ayon sa ganda. Ang isa pa ay yung kay Ellen Lising ng Ellen’s Aesthetic Surgical Center (Naaalala ko bigla yung The Crow. O kaya yung Joker ni Heath Ledger sa Dark Knight). Naiintindihan ko na karapatan nila ang ilagay ang mga pagmumukha nila sa mga naglalakihang tarpaulin sa bawat sulok ng Maynila. Pero magkaiba yung pag-promote ng negosyo sa pananakot sa kapwa tao.

Q: Ibig sabihin ba nito: Ang mga pangit ay wala nang karapatan mag-inarte?

Kung magdudulot ng pagtatalo sa magkakaibigan, argumento sa magkaka-opisina, suntukan sa bar dala ng kaartehang ito--- oo, wala silang karapatan.
Pero, nasa demokrasya pa rin naman tayo. Kaya, sorry na lang ako.

Q: Totoo bang pinagpapala o mas sinesuwerte ang mga taong umaastang sapat lamang sa kanilang natural na ganda?

Higit pa sa pagpapala ang ihahain sa iyo ng langit. Kabit-kabit kasi yan. Una, hindi maiismiran ang iyong dangal. Hindi ka pagbubulungan. Hindi ka pagpipyestahan ng kritisismo at tsismis. Kung walang maipipintas, walang papasok na panlalait sa aura mo, walang magnet ng negatibo. Despues, gagaan ang buhay. Tiyak na ang pagpasok ng swerte sa buhay.

Q: Magbigay ng mga halimbawa ng mga taong umaasal lang nang angkop sa kanilang ganda.

A. Buti na lang marami pa sila. Si Lucy Torres Gomez ay isang halimbawa nito. Kung tutuusin ay may karapatan siyang umasta sa anong paraang nais niya—dahil siya naman talaga’y diyosa ng kagandahan. Pero kahit na ganoon ang sitwasyon ay hindi niya kailanman inabuso ang pribelehiyong ito. Alam niya kung anong asta ang bagay sa kanya. Laging nakangiti, mabait ang pakikitungo sa tao. Hindi binabalandra sa madla ang kanyang mga mamahaling damit at pabango.

Shalani Soledad, maganda at sikat pero hindi rin nakitaan ng angas. Simple lang siya. In fact, siya pa rin ay larawan ng lumanay kahit sa gitna ng ingay at gulo ng game show. Masdan at pakinggan kung paano siya magbilang ng “…One… two… three… Goooow!"


Q: Bakit naman ito pa ang napili nating pag-usapan sa pagpasok ng bagong taon at hindi ang mga hula-hula at mga pampasuwerte sa buhay?

A: Dahil wala akong bolang kristal at wala ka ring makikitang turban sa ulo ko. Umaasal lang ako ayon sa aking ganda.

Artwork by Warren Espejo.

Monday, January 03, 2011

Reminscin year 2010 (Part II)

*New found FRIENDSHIPS
I thank God for new blessings He lead me to.:)




*The family that party(s) together stays together.
This year was filled with family celebrations. The highlight of the year was the Welcome New Senior Citizens Birthday party for our parents. Also, we would always celebrate any holiday that was created or we would create our own.



*The First Times
This year I have experienced so much like zipline, played frisbee, jumped in a trampoline, and lastly be a "yaya" for a day in Wyatt's field trip.





*Me in my Traveling Pants
I went traveling this year in Asia and in the Philippines. This is one of the expenses of my life and i don't regret any of it. Traveling anywhere is an opportunity for me to understand the world, people and especially myself. If only I had more money and time, Id love to travel everyday!:)





*Jho in 2010
2010 has been very good to me. I even consider it to be one of the best years of my life. It was so wonderful that I had to do this blog. I think I owe it to the universe to give back for all the amazing blessings it conspired to give me. (inspired from Paulo Coelho's Alchemist) I have grown so much as a daughter, friend, teacher, and student. I have learned to decide for what I think is best for me, even if it will hurt me. I have been blessed and I hope my life had brought the same blessing to other people.

Looking forward to another BEST year this 2011!:)



Pahabol(Video kasi)

*Gimme some of that Spotlight
2010 has given me opportunities celebrity style.:)

MTV for Peachy's bridal shower
An NSTP version of Glee's Journey for Peachy.

Every Little Thing He Does -
Literally a DREAM COME TRUE. Been dreaming about singing in a live band since 3rd year HS.:) Thanks to Jewel and Bert's band.:) Till our next show.(haha!)
















Saturday, January 01, 2011

Reminiscing year 2010 (Part I)

As the New Year comes, I found myself feeling grateful and content on the year that was. I felt 2010 has been good to me. With all the blessings and little triumphs I've had last year, I needed to give back by sharing those beautiful moments. I have pondered on different insights I gained, and what best to show it but by pictures. :)

* No distance can hinder REAL friendships.

(Left)Stephen migrates in Canada
(Right) Deo Dave in Dubai

They are the people who taught me friends do not really need to be together all the time. With the power of technology, friendships can still be nurtured. All it takes is some little work:) I miss both of you everyday!

*Getting out of our comfort zones once in a while, builds not only friendships but families.
Anawangin, Zambales First Camping Trip May 2010
My first camping trip in Anawangin. I thank God for creating boys who knows how to cook, pitch a tent and carry stuff. A once in a lifetime experience. (When I say once, I mean it.:))


*Great adventures start with great companies.

Laoag-Pagudpod-Vigan Escapades May 2010
Best summer vacation ever! First non official travel of NSTP Facilitators. Seen three places in 4 days, eaten to die for food, took wonderful pictures, shared stories and laughed our hearts out. This has become one of my most memorable summer vacation.

*Finding people who's as crazy a
s I am, is a blessing this year.

From Veronika Decides to Die, I have learned that in life we find people who are as crazy or even crazier than we are. Luckily, I found these CRAZY people. Though not all of them are as crazy, they understand that crazy side of me.




*Its FUN b
eing a Girl.

Having fun dressing up, and wearing a dress.:) Simple happiness.






*New
CAREER discoveries

(Left) Organizer (Center) Bartender (Right) Emcee

I found three wonderful career choices in case I fail being a teacher. (*Crossing Fingers) This year was filled with successful surprise parties. SO successful that we did it almost every month.:) Lots of work,really but the fun part comes with good people, food and especially drinks. Speaking of drinks, I learned so many cocktails from all these parties, and got drunk (real DRUNK). With the emceeing part, I did it twice this year, first was with my parents' 60th bday and second, was with Jewels' birthday. Both event didn't have any other option but me. :)

*Reasons to Celebrate are Endless
Need I say more? My AEP family knows how to throw a party, enjoy a party and create them.
2010 is really one hell of a PARTY for me because of them.

*I hit my fourth year in teaching.

Coming from a family of teachers, I never thought I would be that one from our generation. Being that not "people-person" person, I have learned to become a "people=person"person. There are times I feel frustrated, confused, and hurt with te aching but every time I feel like giving up, the LOVE I have for the craft and for that percentage (even just a small percentage) of students who I get through to, makes me continue with what I do. Not to mention, colleagues who are always ready to give all the support and reality checks every time I need it.

*Teacher Jho does some learning.

I have always known that there is always something to learn, to experience, and to understand. This year gave me the opportunity not only to teach my students but more to teach myself. Hacienda Luisita farmers and its community, taught me so many things I did not get from reading books, watching the news, or even in my major subjects in college nor in master. Things I wished I knew when I was younger. At some point, I was sad that those were not taught to me by my professors, knowing that my course had to do with being ambassadors of this country. Though there are so many regrets that there are so many things I didnt do, I am still blessed that I have learned about it now. Now that I have the biggest opportunity to make students, family, and friends aware of this issue. This is also the best time for me to take action to in my own little ways help them with their struggles.



*Cheers to years of Friendships

The wonderful people who graced my life and decided to still stay in my life. For being part of who I was, is, and will, thank you. For the Supers of my life, you will always be my superheroines.:)
The krungkrung friend I have since orientation in college.
OLGA Kada, who have seen me blossomed into a lady:)
To DJP, that one super kulit, kalokang, fab friend of mine.
To Leilani, who will be my first lawyer friend and who unde rstand my every move without speaking.
To my bestfriend, Terin, who defends, supports, laughs, and cries with me.

Those not in picture:en
Patch, (ayaw mo kasi isend ung pic) Youre still my twin sister, though I noticed you have so many look alikes. I wished we could spend more time together.:)
My amazing AEP Family (kelangan nyo pa ba ng picture, eh kayo na buong blog na to) You know who you all are, thank you for being my friend regardless of my Kabibohan and (aaminin ko na) kasamaan.:) I love you all!


*Lost and Found

People do certain things for a reason and no person can judge anyone for that. Understanding people's action can only be possible with trust and communication. The secret ingredient is time. Finding time for people that matters.

You are found. Thank you for giving us a second chance.






I