RAIGE-O-LOGY

The following morning, my family and I visited Mr. Lim's house, bringing along some fruits as an offering to their deity. During their previous visit, they had mentioned that despite our different religions, we all serve the same God. Apparently, God has a penchant for costume changes. We entered a room where an altar stood. At the center of the altar was a statue of a white, bald figure dressed in robes. In front of it sat a vase or pot where lit incense sticks were placed. There were six kneeling pads on the floor. Mr. Lim entered the room accompanied by three women dressed in attire reminiscent of Jet Li in "Once Upon a Time in China." And so, the ceremony began. First, they presented the fruits. Mr. Lim and the three women performed a sequence of intricate movements—bowing, kneeling, placing the offerings on the altar, and lighting three incense sticks. They chanted in Mandarin as they carried out these actions, creating an eerie atmosphere. I couldn't understand ...

As previously mentioned, I hold a different perspective on the effectiveness of prayers in helping Grandma. I believe that when people say they'll pray for someone, it's often a way of expressing their inability to provide more tangible assistance. Nevertheless, I was taken aback by the sheer number of individuals who expressed their desire to pray for Grandma. Among them was Mr. Lim, a friend of Grandma Fely's, who visited our house to discuss his intention to pray for Grandma Mely (please note that Grandma Mely and Grandma Fely are two distinct individuals, not a typographical error). Apparently, this prayer ceremony held great significance in Chinese culture, similar to the Holy Rosary in Catholicism. I must admit, though, that I didn't fully retain the details of the ceremony. My attention was diverted by the interpreter, who happened to be quite attractive, and my attention span is comparable to that of an M&M candy. All I recall is that our presence at the cer...

It's been some time since this happened, but I feel compelled to write about it now. Aunt Teeals reached out to us a few weeks ago with some news. Grandma Mely, whom Mom was supposed to accompany back to the States (as mentioned in " One Way "), had undergone a bone marrow biopsy. Previous blood tests had indicated a decline in her red blood cell count, prompting the need for further investigation. Unfortunately, the biopsy revealed Acute Leukemia. Life has a strange way of playing its hand. Since receiving the news, Mom has been in tears almost every day. The worst part is that we are unable to do much about it. An ocean separates us from our loved ones. We long to be by Grandma's side, providing comfort and holding her hand, hoping to alleviate even a fraction of her pain. Yet, due to governmental regulations, policies, and laws, we are prevented from being there during this incredibly challenging time. It's truly disheartening. Chemotherapy is not a viable opti...

I don't typically watch shows like Eat Bulaga or Wowowee, as I find watching people embarrass themselves for money to be unappealing. However, one particular gimmick managed to capture my attention and entice me to tune in to Eat Bulaga. They had arranged for a special live performance featuring Ely Buendia and Francis Magalona. In case you've been out of touch with recent events, Ely had recently been hospitalized due to his heart condition during the Eraserheads' reunion concert. Similarly, Francis had been undergoing treatment for his leukemia. Both musicians had taken a step back from the limelight to focus on their recovery. Nonetheless, the creative minds behind the cameras at Eat Bulaga orchestrated a remarkable comeback performance for Ely and Francis on television. Ely and his band, Pupil, took the stage to perform their latest single, "Disconnection Notice," from their second album, "Wildlife." Ely appeared in great form, fully recovered from h...

After being thoroughly captivated by Imago's performance, I returned to the booth feeling rejuvenated. Aia's mesmerizing voice continued to resonate in my mind, overpowering the drunken singer in the neighboring booth. The cheesy hosts had also reclaimed the stage, while the next band was in transit. For any avid listener of original Filipino music, the title of this post would give away the identity of the upcoming band. Can you guess who it is? That's right, it's The Dawn. Give yourself a pat on the back. Whoever is in charge of selecting event hosts should consider a change in the department. The current hosts were painfully dull. Even the tipsy singer from the neighboring booth would have been a better choice. We were already well aware of the event sponsors, yet they felt the need to mention them every 15 seconds. The Dawn encountered the infamous traffic of Angeles City, causing a delay of about 45 minutes before they finally took the stage. However, the wait was ...

Despite the initial frustration caused by the neighboring videoke singer, my spirits were lifted when the hosts on stage announced that Imago would be performing next. It had been quite some time since I last saw them live, about two years ago, at the same event. As the crowd started to gather in front of the stage, I abandoned my booth duties and made my way there. I fought my way through the crowd to secure a good view. The girl behind me muttered curses under her breath as I unintentionally obstructed her view. Although our booth offered a partial view of the stage, this was Imago we were talking about! Seeing and hearing Aia de Leon was the main reason I had come. Zach and Timothy began their soundcheck, but Myrene was noticeably absent. I assumed that Sandwich had another gig elsewhere, and she was replaced by Dok Sergio of Pupil. Then, Aia graced the stage, and everything else faded into the background. It felt as if it was just me and her. The band kicked off their performance w...

Deaf individuals are just as normal and capable as you and me, with the only difference being their inability to hear. They possess a wide range of abilities and can accomplish anything I can, and maybe even more. Their mode of communication is sign language, which I find fascinating. Despite their inability to speak, they have a wealth of thoughts and ideas to express. I've been observing their conversations, and it's remarkable to see how they engage with each other using gestures instead of spoken words. This mode of communication even offers advantages, as they can converse even when there's some distance between them. As long as they can see the gestures, they can understand one another. As I mentioned, deaf individuals are just like anyone else, and that includes having diverse sexual orientations. Yes, my friends, there are deaf individuals who identify as gay. Two of the deaf volunteers I encountered were gay, and I noticed their sign language featured more graceful...

I discovered that the volunteers from the Pampanga Deaf Association were not easily distinguishable as deaf individuals. They looked just like any average person you might encounter on the street. I had somehow expected them to have some noticeable sign or indication of their deafness, like a large sign floating above their heads. It was only when they communicated with each other using sign language that one could recognize their deafness. Interestingly, it seemed that many deaf individuals are also unable to speak, which makes sense since hearing is necessary for learning to talk, right? I started pondering how I would communicate with them. Should I carry around a notepad and have them read my written messages? Or should we resort to charades every time we wanted to converse? The answer became clear when I attempted to ask a question to one of the deaf volunteers. I was making all these exaggerated gestures like a fool until the deaf person stopped me and began typing on his cell ph...

We were fortunate enough to secure a booth at the Tigtigan Terakan venue, and it happened to be located near the entrance, right next to the first stage. Interestingly, the booth belonged to the Pampanga Deaf Association (PDA), an organization dedicated to serving the deaf community in Pampanga. The City Tourism Office generously sponsored their booth, which meant they didn't have to pay for the booth rental and even received complimentary accommodation at Marlim Mansions Hotel. Talk about luck! All the proceeds generated from their sales would contribute to the funds of the PDA. Here's how we ended up being part of their booth: My grandmother, Fely, runs a catering business. Coincidentally, the daughter of her business partner teaches deaf individuals who are members of the PDA. We agreed to supply the food that they would sell at the booth and offer our assistance throughout the event. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement. Grandma asked if I wanted to help with the cookin...

This event marks the pinnacle of the Twin Fiesta celebration in Angeles City and is part of the San Miguel Corporation-sponsored Oktoberfest parties. For two consecutive nights, a section of MacArthur Highway in Balibago, Angeles City (from Balibago Supermarket to Balihai) is closed off. The ticket price for this year's Tigtigan is P100, which includes a complimentary drink, a Globe starter SIM card upon loading P30, a friendship bracelet, and, unfortunately, unwanted physical contact from the entrance guards (unless that's your thing). The event is organized by the Angeles City local government, tourism office, SMC, Globe Telecoms, and BBEA (Balibago Business Establishments Association). Once you enter the venue, you are free to stroll around, enjoy some beer, watch live band performances, indulge in delectable food, dance, get a henna tattoo, have your face painted, participate in contests, consume more beer, and potentially end up vomiting on the street after excessive beer ...

Following our somewhat satisfying meal at McDonald's, Tolits and I headed to the next must-visit spot in an SM mall: National Bookstore. It had been ages since I last purchased a book, so I promptly made my way to the Philippine Fiction section, hoping to find a new release by Bob Ong. Unfortunately, there was nothing new; it was the same old selection. However, I did come across a book by Zafra that I hadn't seen before—Twisted 8! Sadly, it was beyond my current budgetary limits. I continued browsing through the other books on the shelves, searching for something captivating and within my price range for the day (around P200). There were a few novels by Hontiveros without price tags. I attempted to scan them using the price checker but ended up looking foolish instead. I returned the books to their places. Meanwhile, Tolits was engrossed in checking out the manga titles. There were plenty of fantastic options, but most of them were too expensive for me. Then, one title caught ...

My friend Tolits is the epitome of punctuality. We had planned to meet at 8:30 this morning in front of Dieg's bakeshop near AUF. I don't know if his watch is broken or if he's just overly eager to reach the rendezvous point, but he arrives there an hour and a half early. I had no other option but to begrudgingly wake up and wait in line for the bathroom. Poor Tolits needs to find a part-time job. Unfortunately, he couldn't continue with the working student program at school due to his OJT. I helped him secure an interview with one of the burgeoning online tutorial centers for Koreans here in Pampanga. It was his first time applying for a job, and I took pleasure in making him nervous. To cut a long story short, we arrived at the tutorial center in Mabalacat and submitted his application. He underwent an interview and was instructed to await their call. By this time, hunger was gnawing at my stomach since I hadn't had breakfast yet, and it was already 9:25. We decid...

Tomorrow is a new morning Looking through beyond and waiting From the sky, you’ll be descending Oh, what a wonderful feeling See the heavens I am yearning Where the pain inside is fading Tears of delight will be falling My star will be brightly shining Limitations here are binding Kept holding me back from soaring Listen to the voice unveiling Free my mind from this suffering Look at my eyes, they are searching Feel my heart, how slow it’s beating Take me to where you are staying A life that is never ending

It's been quite some time since my last blog update. One of the main reasons for this delay is the constraint of time. I've been so occupied with nothingness that I couldn't find a spare moment to visit an internet shop. By the way, I believe we should refer to these establishments as internet shops (hmm... I should have included this in my previous post about naming things). Some people call them internet cafes, which is fine. But what if they don't serve coffee or any kind of beverage? Can they still be considered cafes? And what about those internet places that cater to teenagers burning through their money, spending hours engrossed in online gaming? What should we call those? Should we label them as internet shops (since most of the games they play are online), video arcade centers (since people solely go there to play games), or even casinos (since betting is prevalent among their patrons)? Personally, I despise going to internet shops that prioritize gamers. Here ...

The second Sunday of October holds great significance for the residents of Angeles City. It marks a time when people willingly incur debt from loan sharks just to prepare a lavish feast for unfamiliar visitors. The streets become crowded with wandering vendors peddling all sorts of items, from balloons to dyed chicks (yes, actual baby chickens with vibrant colors, although I still can't fathom the reason behind it; perhaps they don't suit yellow). Beggars roam from house to house, playing shabby musical instruments and offering a chorus of a novelty song in exchange for food and alms. Drunken men enthusiastically belt out the lyrics of "Knife" on karaoke machines, and carnival rides demand exorbitant prices for a fleeting thrill. This boisterous affair is one-half of the twin fiesta celebration in Angeles City, commemorating the feast of the town's patron saint (although I personally have no interest in knowing which saint it is). Amidst all the commotion, there i...

I just need to vent: why do Filipinos struggle to use the correct names for things? It's frustrating to hear people consistently refer to objects by the wrong names without bothering to verify if they're correct or not. And most of the time, they're not. Let me point out a few examples of this common naming confusion: 1. Flash or removable disk/drive – Many people call these devices "USB." USB, or Universal Serial Bus, actually refers to the port on the CPU where you can connect various devices such as printers, scanners, digital/web cameras, and yes, flash drives. 2. DVD – How many times have I heard someone say, "The DVD cannot play on my DVD"? I've lost count. But what I do know is that this is incorrect. Remember, DVD refers to the disc itself. Saying that you're playing a DVD on a DVD is like saying a car is driving a car. The device that plays DVDs is called a DVD player. 3. Cartoons – I don't know if this is common among your folks, bu...

Have you ever found yourself so emotionally attached to your clients in a job that you momentarily forget it's just a job? Hold on, don't let your mind wander into inappropriate territory. That's not what I mean. I have a relatively easy job, at least when compared to professions like road-kill collectors. I work as a tutor, and my main responsibility is to reinforce lessons for my students, who are essentially my clients, helping them better comprehend the material. Tutoring is similar to classroom teaching, with one key difference—when tutoring, you develop stronger emotional connections with your students since you often work with them one-on-one. Unlike in a classroom setting, where you might unintentionally overlook certain students. When I say emotional attachment, I mean becoming friends with them. Not in a creepy Michael Jackson kind of way, of course. Sometimes, they feel like family, almost like younger brothers and sisters. And that's where the challenge aris...