Pinahiping Pagbati

Erupted unannounced
And once again, I am caught helpless

Delicate like a butterfly wing;
Lively as it seems
Trapped between boundaries after boundaries;
Like the gates of heaven and hell
Will I cross the line? Love to, but for now, no!
Do you want me to cross that line? And that I do not know.
In my fantasies you reside
Like heaven and earth collide
And when the clouds are gone
I see the sky so close like my sister
So clear like water
So gorgeous like the lady in the “Gone with the Wind” teaser
And yet, so far like a dream.
And like a shooting star
I am Wishing, Falling………, hoping that one day
I’ll have the guts to say I love you
followed by you saying, “YES”.

Like a sugar-free expresso
You remained intense
I never knew madness like this
I never knew love like this
Bitter and yet I call for another

But if you will break the doors of heaven
I will surely sing with the angels
I’ll pull the guitar strings for God creating a rock ‘n roll rhythm that would make us all, head-bang.
And if Angel Gabriel would kick us out and send us back to hell ‘coz you’re so hot and I sang out of tune;
I’ll tear down the gates of hell and lock myself with Lucifer so you wouldn’t have to.

Friend (or Insert name), if falling in love with you is a crime;
Then I plead myself guilty as charged.

A Premature Hostility

The standoff between the policeman and the hostage taker ex-Police officer Rolando Mendoza, had displayed the capacity of our commando’s to address a hostage crisis. The situation lasted from more or less twelve hours – from 9:00AM to 9:00PM.

Also it is an acid test on the competency of our local police; to address those types of situations either through antagonistic approach, or through a peaceful negotiation.

In addition, the situation is tougher since it involves a well-trained police official who was demanding to be reinstated in the service. Also, the ex-Police was reportedly armed with an M16 rifle and a short service firearm.

Following the news, I was able to notice some lapses on the side of the Police. Although it is somehow subjective, it may cause others to ponder about the hostage situation. Even though I’ve turned on the television starting 7PM, I was able to have a picture of the whole story. And I believe that the situation could have been apprehended through a peaceful negotiation.

Studying the case, the hostage taker, I believe, was not insane. I stand that he was trying to make a scene to lobby his demands. The fact that earlier he released some of the hostages shows that killing and suicide is not his primary goal. Also, it elicits that he is just using the hostages to have a bargaining power.

Next, the scene about the brother of the hostage taker tends to aggravate the situation. The emotions involve somehow triggers insanity on Rolando’s side. Note that after seeing what the police did to his brother, assuming that the bus has a television, he threatened to kill some of the hostages; and so he did.

The presence of Rolando’s brother was a vital key to end the situation. Note that in a hostage situation, being the hostage taker, you know that you don’t stand a chance against the Police. And the best thing that you could have is a negotiation, or else, you kill and die.

Therefore, his brother who was also apprehended by the police could have been a vehicle for a negotiation. Note that there is a tight emotional connection between both of them; it is clear by the way on how the hostage taker reacted to what the police had done to his brother – he started the killing of the hostages.

Also, Rolando has a family that he could seek refuge on situations that he feels helpless; situations like him being a hostage taker. If dealt perfectly, his family is the most effective negotiator on the situation. And if he is not in his proper mind, maybe an over-the-phone counseling session might help.

Rolando do not want to die! But he is ready for it. If I am Rolando, why bother releasing those Chinese tourists if my point of detaining them is to kill myself, or get killed after killing them.

Lastly, the hostile approach is an incompatible solution to the situation. I think that they, the Police, used coercion too early. As a result, a bloody ending ended the life story of a Police official who is a victim an ill political system.

Note: Yes nalang mo ha. Hehehehe

Complaint Free Activity

by: Anjo J Bacarisas


Complaining is one way of a person to release feelings that causes anxiety. When an individual has a resentment on something; complaining, I think, is the most automatic and easily done negative expression of how a person feels towards something.

Based on my record, I have done more or less 60 to 80 complaints in the entire duration of the activity. Although there are times that I was conscious that I am not supposed to make a complaint, but it seems like the urge to make one cannot be defied. In line to it, most of my complaints are automatic (can I consider it as part of my personality? Or behavior?).

On my observation, every time I throw a complaint, a negative thing always follows. For instance, I blab to my cousins about what they have done to my room. Although words that came out are not that relevant to the mess, but then I was overwhelmed by my emotions. As a result, they all go out of my room and I became isolated for a moment. See? Negative ang results.aw. And I believe that complaining would result to something that is more undesirable than what you are complaining with. And you sure get to hurt other people’s feelings.

On the brighter side, a complaint is a way to show that you dislike, feel unease, mad, or uncontended of something. By then, the receiver of your complaint will have the idea of what you want and what you do not want. It is somehow normal since it is part of us as social animals.

On the contrary, there are a lot of ways to express your discontent, madness, and the like of it. In fact, I’ve learned from the activity that you have the power to control your MOUTH from complaining. So the paragraph above this is not a good excuse! And I was able to rationalize that if your goal is to bring change that is beneficial to you and the people around you, then complaining is not a good vehicle for such. (Change = for other people not to commit again those things that causes you to complain).

Also, from the activity, I was able to differentiate complaint from a feedback. I think that a complaint is somewhat involves emotions and unlikely feelings and is therefore destructive. Feedback on the other hand is a positive reaction and is constructive for any individuals. Therefore complaints are feedbacks; the only differences are the emotions that are attached to it and how it is delivered.

Lastly, complaining only elicits that you have an external locus of control. And although I’m not sure about this but most of the complaints that I’ve heard are geared towards blaming others in bringing in unlikely situations.

Living Beyond Misfortune

“It is because I’m an extrovert”

“Although it’s poor but that is all that I’m capable of”

“The situation does not permit”

“It’s because I’m addicted to it”

“I can’t help it”

Denial, Lies, Alibies, and Justifications! These are the most common things that a person employs every time that what they believe was a misfortune get into their lives. They put the blame on the external factors; they believe that they have no control over their lives; they settle to a poor performance and say that: that is all that I can do. (They’re so external locus of control)

There are even some who blamed God on everything that is happening in their lives. That is because the scripture tells them that everything is according to God’s WILL! Well, they may have misunderstood what it really meant.

In addition, the use of alibies and the like is a submission to your limitations. It is like resolving yourself that you have no control over your decisions and all the things that is happening around you. From that orientation, the feeling of having no choice at all times, in the future, may “contaminate your cerebral fluids” with those ideas. Also, there is a great chance that you’ll develop inferiority when it comes to making decisions. Worst, you’ll be dependent on other people in making decisions for yourself.

To make everything grave, they QUIT! This would be anybody’s last resort when they think that everything seems to be out of control. Note that if QUITTING is your habit, then you’ll surely end up having nothing in the end. And when you realize that you have nothing, anxiety strikes. Well, let’s just hope that you could use that anxiety to advance, or seek for advancement – existential anxiety.

It is non-debatable that external factors do affect us. But again, it should not be controlling our lives. A person must take the responsibility over his decisions. Whatever the outcome is, an individual must have understood that his or her decision is the one that is behind what is happening. In other words, he must see that he is the captain of his ship.

From that, regardless of the outcome, an individual develops the understanding that he has a choice; that he has a freedom to choose; and that he is making his own way on what kind of life he wants to live in the future.

To cut it short, I really do not know how to cut this article short. Well, again it’s on how you want to make an ending on everything. It’s your life story that YOU (they?) are creating. Life is short, and so as this article.

That was My First Time on a Duet!

Beyond the Alcohol?

That was my first time in a duet! And it gives me the chill knowing that it was with the woman with a voice beyond mediocrity. Well, for me, the duet must have been one of the most remarkable experiences during that night (because it’s in the intro).

Also, we sang at Wills for two-hours-and-a-half. That was the first time I see them do their moves – dancing, singing, and everything. And that was the first time for Pokotski and Liza.

Anyways, that was a chilling-drink-all-you-can-pay night out with my newly added friends namely: Pokotski, Nadz, and Liza (sharry and HanaDox wasn't around). Although only Nadz has the guts to kill a number of neurons, we enjoyed the night, talking – sharing each other’s thoughts and ideas regarding anything that puffs into our mind.

The beer was the villain behind the removal of our mask. Since it’s a newly found circle, all of us have our private self to keep. But then, all of us have something in our minds: to table all of our reservations, perception about self, and how we see each other. However, I miss the most beneficial part on my end – to ask them about the negative things they have noticed about my personality.

Telling your friends about you and your story is like writing a journal; it allows you to lay down your cards; it allows you to be in touch with yourself since you know that you’ve got nothing to be ashamed of; and it’s like squeezing a sponge to release all the “negative energy.”

BTW, it was therapeutic for all of us. A mutual conversation that allows us to speak whatever we want. As an end product, we were able to know and understand each other. We were able to be aware of our self.

To cut the story short, after the hugs while saying our goodbyes; I end up being drank. And I think that everything was enough to call it a night!

(Set the next schedule guys! Hannah and Sharry – they must be around next time).

Who the hell are they?

As opposed by many Filipino’s, same sex marriage is a crime against (what?) their religious belief. The entire populace is irrationally conservative in terms of understanding their doctrine. Although most of them are apt to inconsistency when it comes to their judgments; their canons – Bible texts that are bias; and lacks the decency of using science, is their last resort to defend their stand.

They believe that same sex marriage would cause a breakdown in our society. They say that both men cannot produce an offspring. True! But isn’t it a good solution for the perceived global problem – overpopulation? That wasn’t my best argument though. But let us say, for instance, a married couple for 20 f****** years. They have had sex thrice a week but they were not able to provide an offspring; should we part them? Obviously the answer is No. That is because they had promulgated their vows under God.

Rationalization - a defense mechanism by Dodong Freud. It is clear that they are not up to their standards. It is not about the offspring and their concern over society! If there is anyone out there who can provide me with biblical evidence stating that homosexuals are not allowed to make vows on their well-decorated churches, then I would give up my stand.

If their basis of not allowing same sex marriage is their concern for our society, then they have nothing to worry about. Note that we are entitled to decide for ourselves; that means that homosexuals may decide if they want to marry a woman and reproduce, or not. They may in fact stay with their man and suffer a death from their judgmental, angry, and discriminating stare.

So what are their other reasons? Immorality based on their hard bound King James bible.

I think there is nothing more immoral than imposing what you believed in to the entire population with the fact that not all of them believed in what you believe in. From that, you are emotionally battering people who wish to live a decent and independent life. Who the hell are they to judge people based on their doctrine?! Now tell me that GOD IS LOVE ‘coz obviously I can’t see love in their as a verb.

That is, perhaps an act of terrorism to the gay population. It is a massive scale of emotional torment enforced by the enforcers of the King James Bible.

Homosexuals are not hurting anyone when they requested for the church bells to ring. Note that they are taxpayers, believers, God-fearing individuals who wish to live a life free from stigmatism. And all of you (against same sex marriage) are hurting them every time you say NO--using church funding that doesn’t require auditing – and mobilize people on the streets to influence the ruling of the Supreme Court. Remember, we have our right to freely enjoy our liberty as long as it does not hurt others. And I am sure that all of you had violated what is in the constitution.