The Truth Behind Pretension

A crooked smile, a broken laughter --- humans' masterpieces I guess.

When pretension is the last resort, honesty to oneself is ignored. It's quite hard to explain why, but human as I am, I tend to conceal what I truly feel so as not to offend others. As much as I want to be true to myself, but if doing so would compromise my relationship with other people then I might as well pretend.

A ridiculous idea maybe, but isn't this what everybody is doing most especially when they do it to protect the ones that they love?

Liberation from the Shadows

Restrictions disgust me. Limitations abhor me. Manipulations despise me.

Ever since I was granted the ability to grasp the things that are happening in my surrounding, I have learned to loathe the society as it continuously frustrates me. Rejections, criticisms, admonitions --- I wrestled as I try to piece my crushed heart into one but to no avail. I could not keep up with their expectations; I could not meet their specifications. I found myself in the gutter and so I defied, I rebelled, and I deviated.

I became hopeless. I was breathing but I was struggling for air. I was alive but I felt dead. I was like a zombie in distress. I condemned the society for psychologically and emotionally ostracizing me. Then I resorted to anger and hatred as they discovered their way into my heart. I let them devour and poison my entirety. Then I felt the power. Pride was oozing in my veins. I played the game the world had lain on me. I let them believe that I had become a puppet. I would nod when they asked me to nod, smiled when they told me to smile. They were so pleased but I just smirk. I did not know that the world could be so stupid.

However, just when I thought I was winning the game, I realized that I was only digging a grave for myself. I could not believe that it was I who was dragging myself into the abyss of darkness. I recoiled at the thought of it, so I ran away and shut myself from the world. I placed myself into emotional reclusion as I assessed my deeds. It was then that I recognized the role that I was supposed to play in the society. I have my own mind so I should have my own judgments, my own principles, and my own beliefs. The humanity only existed to assist me in living my life the way it should be. I have become what I have become because of my own doing, thus I have no right to point my fingers to anyone and everyone.

It was then that I have decided to live in harmony with the people around me. Although it is quite difficult as humanity sometimes tend to be so controlling, I have all the freedom to choose what I want to believe and what I want to follow. I would only submit to their demands if I think that there is a need to but I would refuse if I feel that is contravening with my principles. Nevertheless, restrictions still disgust me, limitations still abhor me, and manipulations still despise me, however, they could no longer frustrate me as I have learned to control my life and live it the way it should be.

Mga Kaibigan Ni Mama Susan

Instead of buying a pair of jeans for myself, I ended up at National Bookstore (Gaisano Mall of Davao Branch) buying some writing stuff and other paraphernalia for my crazy luxuries. While looking for things that I think I badly need, I came up with NB's quick-search-item computer and began searching for Bob Ong's new book Mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan and to my own dismay, found it already out of stock! Although, I am aware of the fact that Mr. Ong is already popular and more and more Filipinos are actually getting hooked to his books however I just can't help believing that his new book would be out of the shelves in few weeks after its release! I haven't checked NB SM Davao though but I doubt they have some copies left. Anyway, I hope I'll be able to get myself a copy next year. It comes with a cheap price for a masterpiece and I really won't let it slip off my hands.

On the right is the cover of Bob Ong's new book and I won't be surprised if most would brand it as the violet book (as most of his books are labeled according to its color, with the exception of Stainless Longganisa and Ang Alamat Ng Gubat). I can't wait to have a copy of my own already! ^_^

Virtual Torture Chamber

Did I just admit myself in the virtual torture chamber when I required my students in technical writing class to setup a blog? Hmmmmm... well... I really don't think so... True that reading the blogs is quite troublesome but I think it's worth it. Besides, it is my job to let the students understand the importance of writing in their lives, not only in the academe but in the real world per se.

Bienvenida!

I have been encouraging my students to write a blog and as a start I made it as their requirement for my Technical Writing class. I know, some of them were not pleased, but what choice do they have when one blog entry is equivalent to 20 points of their quiz (I haven't told some of them about this, but I will this week.. XD).

No, I am not being ruthless. I am just trying to help. ^_^

So, what's with blogging anyway? A lot of them might be wondering why I am asking them to setup one. For now I know they can't still see the essence of blogging. I am aware of the fact that most of them despise writing especially when it is in English - an attitude that is honestly alarming because writing is just one of the most important human activities. True that not all humans are born to be writers, but all humans are born to communicate and writing is one of the means of communication.

But why blogging? The answer is very simple --- I am just exploiting the existence of internet. Since most of the students are so hooked with it, why not make use of it, right? Besides, I think they would prefer a blog over a technical writing journal (or am I just assuming too much? hahaha!). More than that, if they can update their Facebook accounts every day, why not blog something about what they have learned at school?

Well, I just hope that after this semester they would grasp the importance of writing (or blogging). I hope that they would grasp the importance of being able to communicate through penning down what they have to express. I hope that they would grasp the importance of being able to put down into writing the information that they acquired from their studies. And I hope that they would be able to grasp the importance of being able to convey their thoughts and ideas to other people.

Octopus's Plural

Weeee.. the plural form? Whatever.. XD

Octopodes, octopi, or octopuses? So, which is the correct plural form of octopus? Well, all those three are correct. According to the associate editor of Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Kory Stamper, the word octopus first appeared in mid-1700's and its plural form octopuses, but when radical grammarians decided to standardized the pluralization of nouns, where the Latin's pattern of pluralization was adapted, octopuses became octopi. This should have resolved the issue of octopus's plural form, however, another concern was raised - octopus is not a Latin word but Greek! For this reason, some smarter grammarians gave a proper Greek plural ending to octopus which is octopodes, a term seldom used and only heard in British English. But then Stamper asserted that when a foreign lexical item enters the English world, its inflection must be according to the language's pattern! Hence the three plural forms of octopus - octopuses, octopi, and octopuses. (Just be careful when using the term octopodes, you have to say it in the British English way.) ^_^