...The 2012 NBA Playoffs: The East...

The playoffs are finally less than a week away, and matchups are already set. Everyone will have they say on who’s going past who and I’m going to be one of those friends you have who’s going to throw my opinions out there.

So here goes, from the perspective of an odds and fantasy player for the 2011-2012 NBA season, my picks for the first round matchups of both conferences.

(1) Chicago Bulls vs (8) Philadelphia 76ers
(Chicago won regular season, 2-1)

Bulls:

They are one of the best teams in the NBA this season, winning with or without reigning league MVP Derrick Rose. They have an abundance of talent to make up for the loss of even their best player. They are a title favorite, and it doesn’t look like they’re going to give up an upset.

Sixers:

They had a good stretch during the start of the regular season, which propelled them to the upper half of the East standings. However, as the season progressed, their performance dipped as well, losing games they should be winning. Now they’re down to the 8^th spot in the East, and it’s probably their own fault. They still are a dangerous team and can pull off an upset against another team, probably, but not the Bulls.

What to watch out for: The “Bench Mob” vs The “Night Shift”

This is a matchup of 2 bench-heavy teams; the difference being Chicago having a solid starting 5 filled with all-stars Rose, Boozer, Hamilton and almost All-Stars Deng and Noah while the Sixers have Elton Brand and Andre Iguodala (has he ever been an All-Star?), which says a lot when comparing talent depth of both squads. With Rose not being in his best form, look for the Bulls to look to their bench to see how they can best compensate for the lost production from Rose. On the other side, look for Sixers to employ a heavy reliance on their bench more because of adjustments rather than keeping their starters fresh. The way that Sixers team has been playing all year, it doesn’t look like they consider their “starters” to be their best 5 on the floor.

Who to watch out for:

Taj Gibson is going to have a field day in this series. The Sixers don’t have much inside presence, and Gibson might be able to use that to his advantage by posting up or just crashing the boards.

Spencer Hawes is still not 100%, and may not be able to provide the numbers he gave his team at the start of the season, but Nikola Vucevic has played well filling up for him. Lou Williams might make his case to be starting point guard at some of the games as well, if he can pick up the defensive slack to complement his explosive offensive game.

Prediction: Chicago in 5

I think this has a sweep potential, but I won’t go that far. I think the Sixers will win at least one of their home games, catching the Bulls off-guard.

(2) Miami Heat vs (7) New York Knicks
(Miami won regular season, 3-0)

Heat:

They’re on their way to yet another successful season together, with LeBron playing for his 3^rd MVP plum, and the team gaining more chemistry as this is their second season together with the three stars. Norris Cole has been a nice surprise for the Heat; the rookie has provided a nice spark off the bench to give more stability at the point guard spot behind Mario Chalmers (like they still actually needed it). They’re still undersized at the center position, with Joel Anthony not given enough minutes because he’s an offensive liability and Udonis Haslem not really the big, bruising center they need.

Knicks:

Fans have forgiven the Knicks for a dismal close to last year’s campaign, thinking this year would be better with Anthony and Stoudemire having training camp together. Then they got Tyson Chandler, which got everyone buzzing as it suddenly transformed them to title contenders. Then the losses. Then Jeremy Lin explodes from nowhere. Then he goes down to injury. Talk about an up and down season for the Knicks. They made a nice push to get in to the playoffs despite their season struggles, and only time will tell if that’s enough to overcome the mighty Heat.

What to watch out for: LeBron vs Melo

As much of a Dwayne Wade fan I am, I think this series is a test for LeBron more than it is for Wade. Wade can close out games, no doubt. But the way that LeBron has been playing has earned him the right to call the Heat “his” team. To complete this process, LeBron needs to own his team by actually closing out. He can take over games to give them a chance to win, but at the end of the game, he doesn’t seem to want to take that last shot. If he can learn how to close out, it will only make the Heat more dangerous as teams would not know how to deny the last possession when they have to guard both LeBron and Wade.

Adversely, Melo has shown time and again that he can close games. However, he can’t seem to always will his team to win, as he tries to do a little too much at times. New York has offensive options that can help Melo out in cutting leads down; streaky JR Smith and sweet-shooting Steve Novak are there, Landry Fields has some shooting range as well, plus the inside presence of Amar’e and Tyson Chandler.

Whoever learns faster, LeBron closing or Melo sharing, could determine the fate of these two teams.

Who to watch out for:

Chris Bosh will be a major factor in this series, if he decides to play the bruising center that they need (a realization he had during the offseason), or he just plays his role effectively. Much of the attention will go to LeBron and Wade, so Bosh needs to prove why there are 3 stars in this team.

Baron Davis is a strong candidate for the most crucial player in the Knicks roster. They have ball hogs in Melo and Amar’e who want to create for themselves, but if there’s a point guard who will be able to take them to the right spots, it would make this team more efficient. Davis could be a ball hog himself, and he does have a strong offensive game, so enhancing his passing game would greatly benefit the Knicks. 

Prediction: Miami in 6

New York has the potential for an upset, especially if they wax hot. But I don’t think this is their year just yet. I’m looking at Miami to close out in the Garden, as stars usually bring their A-game there.

(3) Indiana Pacers vs (6) Orlando Magic
(Orlando won regular season, 3-1)

Pacers:

This team is an illustration of what a “streaky” team looks like. Their regular season win-loss record is filled with long win streaks, but had losing streaks as long as those win streaks were. Like all teams, they lost some players due to injuries, but didn’t have significant roster losses to explain their long losing streaks. However, this team still looks good, with Roy Hibbert blossoming into an All-Star, David West regaining his form, Danny Granger still leading the pack, Paul George just having an amazing season, and the backcourt rotation of Darren Collison and George Hill where you can’t go wrong whoever you choose. The late season acquisition of Leandro Barbosa is a brilliant move for the Pacers to infuse an offensive boost in their bench.

Magic:

I’d say this was a potential upset if Dwight Howard would still be able to play for this series. They do have the tools to compete, with Glen Davis filling in nicely for Howard offensively and on the boards, JJ Redick and Jason Richardson shooting nicely at the backcourt, Jameer Nelson picking his game up, and Ryan Anderson having a career year. However, without Dwight, they’re not the same team.

What to watch out for: Pacers Dominance

If there’s a playoff series that I think I can bet my arm on, it would be this matchup. The hustle and energy of the Magic can only get them so far; the Pacers have those hustle and energy guys too in Lou Amundson and Tyler Hansborough.

Who to watch out for:

George Hill is a player that got the coach rethinking his point guard rotation when his initial choice of starting point guard comes back from injury. It’s a good problem to have, really. With his length and defensive prowess, Hill may just showcase how good a player he is and get the nod for a starting spot despite the return of Darren Collison.

Jameer Nelson was selected as an All-Star reserve some years back, but injury prevented him from playing in that game. Without superstar Dwight Howard manning the middle and this team desperately looking for an identity, Nelson has to find his all-star form and lead this team to win.

Prediction: Pacers in 5

I would call sweep, but the Magic look like a gutsy bunch that could pull off at least one win.

(4) Boston Celtics vs (5) Atlanta Hawks 
(Boston won regular season, 2-1)

Celtics:

The aging big three look like they still have something left in the tank and at the same time, they have look to have a good young core with them. Despite the loss of Jeff Green for the season due to a heart surgery, they did have nice revelations in their rookies Avery Bradley and Greg Stiemsma. Bradley has given them a lift on both ends of the floor when called on, and Stiemsma has been a shot blocking machine. The return of Marquis Daniels will also help the cause of the Celtics. Brandon Bass has been pretty solid for them but I think it would be more beneficial for him to move to the bench in favor of a center to play alongside Garnett, so that the Big Ticket can play his natural PF position rather than play as a center or for Bass to play undersized.

Hawks:

What started out as a great season for the Hawks went back down to being another mediocre season when Al Horford went down. If Horford does indeed return for the Hawks in the postseason, it will only improve their chances of advancing to the second round. Zaza Pachulia, who has been playing well to fill in for Horford, is also set to return, which will make the team formidable. They already have a strong backcourt with the improved Jeff Teague, the steady Kirk Hinrich, and the sharpshooting Joe Johnson. Marvin Williams has played his role nicely as the wing man, and rookie Ivan Johnson has shown skills and energy on both ends of the floor.

What to watch out for: Tradition against Promise

The Celtics has a winning tradition and a group of guys who understand and live by this tradition. The Hawks have a promising future ahead of them, with current players not even on their prime and already playing well. This will be a close series to call, with the Hawks trying to get over the hump by beating a Celtics team whose core has already won a championship.

Who to watch out for:

For Boston, there won’t be any surprises. Marquis Daniels might provide a spark off the bench, Sasha Pavlovic might have his moments, but for the most part, this is going to be where Paul Pierce will take over. Rajon Rondo’s brilliance have people buzzing over how he may be taking the torch even before the Big 3’s time is over, but I think Paul Pierce will step up to show the basketball world that this is still his time, their time.

Atlanta’s Josh Smith will need to get his head in the game if they want to win. His contributions show up in the stat sheet, but for the most part, he plays erratically and wants the ball when he doesn’t need to have it in his hands. He needs to crash the boards on both ends, and don’t try too much on the offense, because they have good players who can get him the ball on places where he can score.

Prediction: Boston in 7

Not a dig on the talent level of Boston, but more on respecting the Hawks’s ability to match up well against the Celtics. This could be over in 5 games, with the Hawks stealing one in Boston and the Celtics winning the rest of the games, but I’m leaning more on the possibility that this will be a home and home series, with no team giving up their homecourt advantage.

...How Things Change, Or Not...

It's been a while since I blogged, and my motivation on blogging again is to rant about how frustrating life has been. I do realize that I've written something similar to this before, and I looked at my Multiply timeline, and saw this post http://voltz1129.multiply.com/journal/item/237/.An_Admission_of_Weakness...?replies_read=2 which, incidentally, was posted on Feb 20, 2011. Talk about coincidence. Is February made to be shitty? 

On to my rants:

In Sickness and In Health

My dad and my aunt are suffering from different illnesses. I'm not sure how serious they are, but I guess they're pretty significant. My aunt had to fly to the US for some treatment, and my mom has regularly accompanied my dad to the doctor for the past couple of weeks for treatment. Since my mom's side rarely has gatherings, I make it a point to be there whenever there is one. My dad has recently been trying to connect by starting a conversation that usually gets me going: basketball. 

I do try to start conversations and keep it going. However, it sometimes is difficult to sustain something that I have never been used to. My mother's side of the family has a huge age gap, and we barely see each other (usually about 8 times a year?), so it comes across as awkward at times when we talk. My dad has always been "right" in everything that we talk about, and never really listened to me (to this day, we still argue about Charles Barkley not having a ring in the NBA). I think that it may be one of the reasons why I'm such a prick at times. It seemed to me that all my life, I never really got to do anything right or impressive for him, that when I'm with my peers, I try to have some kind of superiority complex just so I can make myself feel less inferior.

It's frustrating now that I can't change. I can't shake off the awkwardness with family, nor can I face the inferiority I feel when I talk to my dad. I can hear Britt Reid's dad telling me "trying doesn't count if you're only going to fail". 

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On Perfection and Learning

I love my uncle. He sees the best in people, and gives them a chance when nobody else does. That's why I'm working for him, because he's giving me a chance. Outside work, I get to freely talk to him more than I can talk to my dad. But over the past few weeks, I'm learning why my co-workers have a communication problem within the office.

He told me that he can be a different person when he's in work mode. He told me that he would be shouting at me at times, but that would be only within the confines of the office. And with our relationship as family intact, I respect him for that. But as a boss, I'm becoming more and more afraid of him. Well, not because he'd shout at me, but because I'm afraid of being "wrong" again. It's my dad all over again. My uncle rarely taught me stuff, and I've never really practiced some of the things he taught me, that sometimes, I tend to go back and ask him again.

I'm barely being productive these past few days, and I think I'm blaming this stupid fear for my ineffectiveness and lack of effort. I need to talk it out. I'm eating a lot of pride here. I can't wait to win the lottery to start my own business.But for now, I need to persist. And I need to find inspiration and courage to face my fear(s) NOW. 

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On Reality and Cheesy Movies

Its always fun to watch cheesy flicks. You get an idea of what makes people react the way they do, and you feel good if their love persists and goes on a "happily ever after" ending. But sometimes, I think they tend to make you forget about your reality, and lose yourself to that fantasy. 

You never question why the protagonists get to eat and not pay for their food, you only see them having a nice dinner date at a fancy place.You never question how they can get off work so easily just to declare feelings for their significant other, you just find the gesture as the sweetest thing ever. You don't ask what they do for a living, you just see that they can go on random getaways to spend time with each other.

Movies are made of fiction, and though they do show some conflict, they resolve it in grand ways that aren't always possible in the real world. It's like fast-forwarding to the good parts, without consideration to the essential parts.

Movies are supposed to entertain us, not provide blueprints of our lives. Its frustrating to want a fairy tale when reality is telling you that things don't work that way. 

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Social Networks and Technology

The idea that technology has made it easier to connect to people who are far away and made it more difficult to connect with those who are closer is not new. We all see it happening. And we have acknowledged it.

But as somewhat of a slave to these tech stuff myself, I feel a bit violated because of the widespread use of social networks. While it may be true that the essence of having one is to actually share yourself to the world or friends, it is now becoming more and more limiting despite them being more flexible. When before it catered to a younger audience, now it is almost becoming a necessity that almost everyone has to have one, including your parents. On one side, it is actually fun to think that they are trying to connect with you or your peers, but I don't know, sometimes it just doesn't work that way. 

Blogging is my escape. It is my public diary. I know that people may read my blogs, but I'm pretty confident that nobody really reads it so I feel free to post whatever I want to say in my blogs. I do accept criticism and comments, heck, even jokes about my thoughts, but what I can't accept is ridiculing how I handle my social networks, what I want to share and why I want to share it.

Old people want to be "in" but they never really understand what it is to be "in" this social network thing. There are things some people post that irk me, and there are some posts I do that may irk you, but if I've got reason for it and you don't understand, don't try to be a freakin know-it-all and ridicule small nothings because to me, they are something.

I daresay that social networks are only fun when the right people are in it. That said, I have finally made use of some privacy features of Facebook. I shall take to Twitter for random musings. Facebook just isn't as fun anymore. 

...The "Bakit Sila" Mentality: Keeping a Third World Country Where It Is...

We hate our government.

The Philippines I grew up to, the "free" Philippines not anymore limited by the dictatorial rule of then President Ferdinand Marcos, has always been plagued by corruption. As far as we're concerned, the word "government" is so synonymous with "corruption" that no one would be surprised if they were seen in each other's entry in the thesaurus.

I have been vocal of my support for President Noynoy Aquino during his presidential campaign. After enduring 10 years of crap from the previous administration, everyone wanted positive change. We each had our views, and ultimately, the yellow campaign won. Looking at the state of the government now, it seems as if nothing has actually changed much. Corrupt and/or unqualified politicians are still voted into power and we still loathe the government because of how much tax they deduct from our salaries, only to give back so little.

Despite how loud we shout for change, though, we seem to just let tradition drag us down, then blame it all on the government. Despite our clamor for change, we continue to cultivate our traditions. It shows on the political families that dominate the local scene. And it shows on our everyday lives.

The "Bakit Sila" Mentality 

We Filipinos are creatures of imitation. From movies inspired by Western media to fashion inspired by our neighboring countries. This same drive to imitate is that which keeps us from being a developed country, but it may also serve as an inspiration to finally start change within ourselves. Let me cite some negative examples of this mentality:

On Mall/Train Lines - It's usually chaotic, going to a mall during rush hour, or lining up to get to a train station in the morning. Lines are crazy and people continually bump you to be able to get in first. People with baggage line up at the "express/no bag" lane and guards still check them and let them in. Those who see this do the same, thinking "bakit sila, pumila dun?" and do the same thing. 

On Traffic Rules - Traffic lights. Traffic signs. They're there to be followed, not merely suggest. If it says "yellow" you should slow down, "red" to stop, a sign that crosses out an inverted "U" means you can't make a u-turn on that street. Basic rules and regulations people need to know before being able to acquire a license. Yet because of people who break these rules, those who wonder "eh bakit sila, pwedeng gawin yun?" follow suit, resulting to more chaos on the roads.

Cultivating Corruption - A respected friend of mine was known to be a man of principle back in his college days. Eventually, he got a position in the government and enjoyed the perks it brought. I remember him telling me that its either you let the system eat you up, or fail in that field. The government has become a "survival of the fittest" kind of game, and newbies entering it would have that "bakit sila, ganun kumita?" line of thought, and eventually learn to play the same game the older TraPos play. 

Discipline and Change

I think genuine change still lies within ourselves. Refraining from the negative "bakit sila" mentality and turning it into a positive thought. We envy the roads of Singapore and resign to thinking that its not possible to emulate here, however, we can see traces of it in Subic. How come we can do it in Subic, but can't do it in freakin Quezon City? We shouldn't keep thinking and acting on "bakit sila, pwedeng mag-counterflow" when we should be thinking and acting on "bakit sila, maayos ang disiplina sa kalsada?". 

I do not wish to defend the government, I'm as disappointed as most Filipinos are. While it is easy to blame everything on the government, no change will come to us if we don't trust in it. So, why would we wait for positive changes in a government we can't learn to trust, when we can start change within ourselves by doing ordinary things guided by discipline and not by what others do? Rules are meant to be followed in order to avoid chaos. While breaking some of it allows temporary relief for us, it does not help our cause in aspiring to be a better country to live in.

So I say, stop ranting and start doing. If politicians can't make our country better, why can't we? 

...Afternoon Pakialaman: Spot the Not!...

Sa nuknukan ng pagkabato ko, nagbabasa ako ng mga comments sa websites at fanpages. Ang napala ko ay sakit ng ulo dahil sa maling paggamit ng mga salita. At upang ipamahagi bahagya ang sakit ng ulo ko, idadamay na lang kita.

Nais ko sanang gawing parang pagsusulit ang blog na ito at pahulaan kung ano ang mali, pero habang umuusok ang ilong ko kakaisip at hindi pagsasalita laban sa mga pagkakamaling nakita ko, naisip kong gawin na lang silang katatawanan. Dahil UAAP ang usapan, naniniwala akong tapos na o kasalukuyang nasa kolehiyo pa ang mga naguusap. At punyetang mga pagkakamali yan. Subukan nyo na lang i-tama ang mga pinakialaman kong mga hirit. 

Isang mensahe sa mga tao: wag nang piliting mag-Ingles para magmukhang aral dahil mas nagmumukha ka lang tanga kung di ka talaga marunong.

1. "It seems to me that they lost their esteem when UST started firing back to back to back 3's." 

- Ang daming back! At esteem talaga yung nawala? Lakas pala ng 3 pointers. Kakanood mo ng TV di mo iniintindi. Di porke't pareho ng tunog eh yun din yun.

2. "They are just proving na worth it sila sa final 4 this year"

- Worth what? Ano yung "it"? 

3. "Mga looser kasi kayo." 

- Ano, taga-pagpaluwag? Ito siguro ang salin sa Ingles ng mga kasali sa Paluwagan. (weh!)

4. "This is just an opinion and my insights regarding on how Falcons play."

- Teka, opinion, naging insights, pero is? Ano ba talaga gusto mo palabasin? 

5. "Bawat team gusto makuha ang championship ng walang hustle parang kayo..." 

- Defense wins championships. Not hustle. So may point naman siya. Hassle nga lang basahin comment nya. 

...Panginigalam ng Pakialamero: Oo, Pinoy Ako!...

May mga bagay na gustuhin man natin o hindi, tila naka-imprint na sa pagkatao natin. Marahil dala ng pagpapalaki sa tin, marahil sa kapaligirang nakagisnan natin, marahil sa mga kaibigang nakakasama natin parati. Pero may mga bagay na magkaiba man ang mga pangyayari sa buhay natin, ay mei pagkapare-pareho pa rin sa tin sa kadahilanan lamang na Pilipino tayo. 

Ito ang ilan sa mga bagay na napansin kong hindi nawawala sa ating mga Pilipino saan man sa mundo, kahit paano pa pinalaki ng magulang. Mga bagay na pinakikialaman ko habang pinapanood ang mga tao sa paligid.

"Kain tayo"

Likas sa atin ang isali ang mga tao sa paligid sa kung ano ang ginagawa natin. Ilang beses na rin ako naaya ng mga taong kumakain para saluhan sila. Napadaan ka habang kumakain sila, bigla kang aayain nang "kain tayo!" na kala mo naman buffet yung nasa harap nila. Madalas, baon naman o sariling order ng pagkain ang meron ang meron sa harap nila.

Alam kong nagmamagandang loob lang, at nagpapaka-Pilipino lamang sila. Pero minsan ko na rin naisip na mang-trip lang at makikain talaga. Makihati nga ako sa kinakain nila.

"Malapit na ko"

Dito sa Pilipinas ang ibig sabihin dapat ng "malapit" ay maaaring abot-kamay, dalawang tumbling, o ilang kandirit na lang. Pero madalas, ang katagang "malapit na ko" ay ginagamit lamang para manlinlang ng tao upang di masyadong mainip sa kakaantay.

Meron kasing tinatawag na "Filipino Time" o ang oras na tayong mga Pilipino lang ang nakakaintindi. Basta sigurado, ang oras na ito ay hindi eksakto sa tinakdang oras. Sa mga hindi pa nakakakintindi nito, o kung negatibo ang dating ng katagang "Filipino Time", mas mainam nga namang sabihing "malapit na ako". 

"Basta libre, pwede!"

Nakapagtataka na para sa isang mahirap na bansa, sobrang daming mamamayan ang bukas-loob na gagastos, lalo na pag may sale. At pag may libre, asahan mong dudumugin yan kahit ano pa man yan.

Likas sa ating mga Pilipino ang maghanap ng "free taste" sa mga grocery, o di kaya'y mga sale sa kung saan saan, na tila isang beses lang mangyayari sa buhay ng tao ang sale na yun. Kaya nga lumalakas ngayon ang mga website na nagbibigay ng mga sale, tulad ng DealGrocer at Ensogo.

"Ikaw ang boss ko"

Kilala ang katagang binitawan ni P-Noy noong unang SONA nya. Tayong mga mamamayan daw ang boss nya. Parang bago sa mga pandinig natin, pero di ba totoo naman para sa karamihan ng mga Pilipino? 

Kakain ka sa restaurant, ang tawag mo sa waiter, "boss". Magbabayad ka sa jeep, ang sasabihin mo eh "boss, bayad po". Tatanong sa sikyo ng direksyon, "boss, san po ba dito yung.."

Meron ba tayong inferiority complex na tila lahat na lang ng tao sa paligid eh "boss" natin?=P 

Ang Walang Lamang "Kamusta"

Ano ba ang salitang Pilipino sa Ingles na "Hi"? Tila "kamusta?" ang nagiging katumbas nito. Nakakatawa lang minsan kasi, wala ka naman talagang interes na kamustahin ang tao, gusto mo lang siyang batiin. Pero dahil Pilipino ka, nasasabi mo na lang bigla ang "kamusta?"

Madalas, ang unang nasasagot ng nasabihan nito ay "ito.." na tila hinahayaan ang kausap na husgahan na kung anong tingin nya sa kalagayaan ng taong kinumusta. Walang tama o maling sagot. "Hi" lang ang gustong sabihin, simpleng ngiti, onting kaway, posibleng beso, pero wala lang naman; gusto lang nyang ipaalam sa iyo na kilala ka pa rin nya. 

Pero minsan, parang trip kong kwentuhan ng buhay ko yung biglang magsabi nyan. Yung tipong, makasalubong ko sa mall habang nagmamadali siya, tapos kakamayan ko pag sinabi nyang "kamusta?" sabay kwento ng mala-teleseryeng kwento ng buhay ko nung mga nakalipas na araw. Tingnan ko lang kung di siya matutong mag-"hi" na lang sa susunod.

Kamustahan ng Obvious

Eto naman ang karugtong ng tanong na "kamusta?". Natural lang sa atin ang mangamusta sa ating mga kaibigang matagal na nating hindi nakikita. Ngunit hinding hindi naman mawawala sa kamustahan ang unang bati: "tumataba ka na ah!" Pag mga bata naman ang pinag-uusapan, ang unang nasasabi ay "ang laki laki mo na!" susundan pa ng "parang kelan lang, karga karga lang kita, ngayon.." 

Tila ata may hilig tayong mga Pilipino na pansinin ang mga bagay na kapansin pansin naman, o di kaya'y obvious na. Siyempre lalaki na lang yung bata, sa alanganamang lumiit pa yan? Eh kung patpatin yung tao nung huli mong nakita, sa alanganamang pumayat pa lalo yan sa susunod ninyong pagkikita? Pucha yung mataba nga minsan nasasabihan pang "tumataba ka ah!" dahil lang sa habit ng pagbati ng pagtaba ng tao eh.

Suggested Answers:

1. Kaw din!

2. Yumayaman eh. May pang-kain.

3. Tapos na ko lumaki ng pahaba, palapad naman.

*Hindi sinama sa suggested answers ang posibleng sagutin ng bata. Masamang ehemplo ang pinapakita natin kung turuan na silang sumagot sa murang edad.

"Mind your own business"

Ito siguro ang isa sa mga katagang hindi naman talaga pwede sa ting mga Pilipino. Kahapon lang, habang naghihintay magsimula ang misa sa Padre Pio, may nagbubukas ng pintuan at medyo maingay. Ang mga tao naman sa paligid ko, tingin ng tingin sa pintuan na tila tatahimik ang mundo pag nakatingin sila.

Ilang aberya na ba meron sa kalsada ang nakita mo na pinagkaguluhan ng mga "usi" kung tawagin natin? May nagsisigawang mag-asawa, mei magkukumpulang tao. May nasiraan ng kotse, magkukumpulan ang tao. May umiiyak na bata, may magkukumpulang tao. Sa 10 tao na magkukumpulan, 5 lang ang magtatanong, at siguro, 2 lang ang tutulong, pero isa lang marahil ang makatulong talaga. 

Tapos nagtataka ka pa kung bakit kasali sa pambansang balita ang "Chika Minute" at "Showbiz Patrol" na tila nakasalalay ang progreso ng bansa sa susunod na ka-love team ni John Lloyd.

Kung iniisip mo na hindi ka interesado, pwes... Akala mo lang yun.

"Babay na talaga."

Ang pagpapaalam siguro ang pinakamahirap na gawin nating mga Pilipino. Pag nagkikita kita, madalas ay matinding paalamanan muna bago kayo tuluyang magkahiwa-hiwalay. Halimbawa, bumisita ka sa bahay ng kaibigan. Tapos, magpapaalam ka na. Nariyan na ang beso, ang kamayan, ang tawanan, ang "next time ulit", ang pasalamatan, at kung ano ano pa. Nandun pa rin kayo sa pwesto nyo, pero nakatayo na kayo. Pag mei nakapansin, sisimula na ang paglalakad palabas. Siyempre bilang maybahay, ihahatid ka nila palabas. Pagdating sa labas, mei kwentuhan pa rin na pahabol. Tapos pag medyo nakatagal tagal nanaman, mei papansin nanaman nyan, at saka lang tuluyang makakaalis.

Sige, sabihin mo sa kin na mabilis ka lang magbabay. Kita tayo.=P 

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Ito'y mga bagay na di ko naman pinipigilan. Dahil di naman kaya, bilang mga Pilipino tayo. Di ko rin naman kinukutya dahil minsan mei mga nagagawa din ako dyan. Pinapansin ko lang at sinusulat. Pakialamero kasi ako.:P

…On Sunday Masses and Religion…

"I like your Christ; I do not like your Christians.
Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."
-Mahatma Gandhi

I am a Catholic Christian, though not a “model” example. But I do take to heart the Apostle’s Creed. I do firmly believe in God. In my own way, I believe that I have a strong faith in Him. I was schooled in Christian schools ever since I was a kid. I am thankful that the formative years of my faith were spent within Don Bosco Mandaluyong, because I think they built a strong enough foundation for me to always put Him ahead of everything that I do.

Now that I got that out of the way, let me make my points. I rarely go to Church on Sundays since college. I don’t blame my being a Philosophy major, even though people tend to attribute it to that. Philosophy didn’t teach me to think, but it inspired me to be more critical. And being critical made me sad, as a Catholic Christian, that parishioners have somewhat become mindless drones who go to Church without knowing why they’re really there. The hourly masses at Baclaran on Sundays have become like free-seating movies; people come in anytime, and leave after they reach the same part of the next mass. At another church, some old people who seem like regular church-goers don’t seem to know when to sit and stand without some lector telling them to. Everyone is looking at everyone else feeling out what they would do.

I still go to mass occasionally, but only because it’s family time. I sometimes refuse, because I find it hypocritical for me to go there and not want to be there. I want to hear mass because my heart openly wants to hear the word of the Lord and to be with my family, not because I am dragged to go out of obligation and to have the opinions of men shoved into my system. While it is nice to know that the men who serve the Lord are all keeping up to date with current events, I’m a bit disappointed that they use the Homily to spread their cause. I write not because of my inclination towards the issue, but rather because I feel as if my religion is being alienated by political intentions.

My high school Religion teacher (now a priest), on the issue of EDSA 2, did explain to me why the Church had to be involved. “To protect the morality of the nation from an immoral leader,” was the gist of what I learned from him. Today, the RH Bill and the Divorce bill are prominent topics that are inserted to Homilies I hear. I do not wish to defend any side; both have their pros and cons. But I do want to defend my Church. If I wanted to hear the Church’s view on the matter, I would gladly listen through different avenues (public forums, interviews, debates, etc) than in the House of God.

The Philippines may be the biggest/only Catholic country in Asia, but we have to understand that the constitution separated the Church and the state for a reason. As our population grew, so did the number of religions our country plays host to. Why, then, should the Church be so vocal to the extent of dedicating part of the Sunday Mass to discuss the “perils” of the proposed bills?

I am more inclined to believe that despite such a growing population, our nation is still not prepared for such radical changes. There are still the malleable minds of those parishioners I spoke of above, who will blindly follow what has been “taught” to them during the Homily. And to be fair, there are the media puppets, who dance to the tune of whatever is being thrown at them, blindly defending something they know only “parts” of, and not the whole picture.  

I just want my Church back.

...On Filipino Hospitality...

We, as a nation, are known to be generally hospitable. We accommodate visitors pretty well, we smile at people often, we talk to strangers, and we are just, generally nice. Best example; if you're walking on the road or even the mall, then someone stops to ask for directions, do you not try to help out? We just can't be rude. 

On Invitations and Greetings

We have this "nakakahihiya kasi" mentality that sometimes gets us to a situation we're uncomfortable with. While talking casually with people, we tend to sometimes bring up plans that they're not included, and we usually end up trying to invite them without the intention of really inviting them. For example:

1. "Gusto mo sumama?" - after opening a plan that originally didn't include person you're talking to, but it's with common friends. 

2. "Kain tayo!" - while munching on a burger for yourself, with no extra food on the table.

3. "Kamusta?" - the most generic greeting, and the first you would get from an acquaintance you haven't seen in a while.

These are the most common invitations we get. And just because we can't be rude and decline outrightly, we have these following answers:

Replies to invitations to an invitation or event you won't go to:

1. "Try ko." - They probably won't even try, but the effort has to be shown that you're interested, so as not to be rude. 

2. "Text text!" - You won't get any. They probably wouldn't text you either, anyway. 

3. "Habol ako." - Probably won't. But personally, I usually do.=P

Replies to above-mentioned eating invites:

1. "Sige lang, *add smile*" - Nicest way of saying "nakasubo na kaya lahat ng pagkain nyo para sa inyo"

2. "Ok lang, kakakain ko lang din" - But you haven't. Nakakahiya lang makiupo at maging masiba. 

Replies to "kamustahan":

1. "Eto, ok lang, ikaw?" - Basic conversation killer. You'd probably get the same "ok lang" reply, and conversation ends there. Then person pulls out the "pumapayat/tumataba ka" card.

2. 

On Ending Conversations

"Like"

"Haha"

"Oo nga eh"