deja vu

On the 30th of June, we will have a new president. But the news will start to look like the old and stale as the weeks progress after that much televised inauguration.

This is certainty.

History has always told us that every time an incoming president wins by painting how bad the outgoing president was or that he or she did not do anything, it has always been proven a sort of an omen for a heightened graft and corruption bonanza that's about to come. A graft and corruption bonanza that seems to be bigger than the last one :-)

When President Marcos was elected, he threw everything at President Diosdado Macapagal and how incapable he was and pointed to the fact that it was under President Macapagal's watch that the Philippines got poorer. Look at what happened after 21 years. When President Corazon Aquino became president, ever heard of Kamag-anak Inc? When the FVRamos Presidency was on its last legs, ever heard of the Amari fiasco? And did President Erap ever finished his term? Ooops. He did not. He was driven off Malacanang nga pala. And now it is GMA's turn to be booted out.

Bottom line. Every incoming Administration has harped, and won, on the fact that the past Presidency was a bad one and that under the past President's watch the Philippines lagged behind in the world because the outgoing administration did not do its job.

But that's not my point :)

This well advertised and well sold mindset sets up everyone that the incoming government has to spend huge amount of money on infrastructure to catch up with the world and this is where the newspapers and the network make their money - stories of scandals and of corrupt and greedy politicians :)

Let me explain.

The more we lag behind, the more we have to spend in infrastructure projects. The more we have to spend, the temptation to dip one's hand into the cookie jar called "kaban ng bayan" becomes more unbearable because the amount is getting bigger and bigger because the gap of the Philippines and the world is getting wider and wider. And because the wheels of justice is slow on corrupt politicians in this part of the world, the gap widens which in return sets the next infrastructure projects to become even bigger. Thus, the temptation becomes even stronger. And the media moguls get even richer :)

Apparently, we all drank the Kool-Aid of to play in this world economics, one has to spend.

If we adhere to this logic bubble, then let's, for our own peace of mind and for the next generation, do only small infrastructure projects that will not attract the bloodhounds called corrupt and greedy politicians. Like for example doing our jobs at the most excellent way :)

Maybe, it is this wanting to hit a home-run or this penchant for hitting the 3-point shot to win it all or this wanting to build this marvelous infrastructure projects that's wrong.

I mean, think about it. Maybe the small things matter. I mean just ask your wife or your girlfriend :)

But even if I seem a bit pessimistic, I am hopeful. I will do my part in building a better Philippines so that the next generation will see that not everyone was asleep in the past.

The darkness is the perfect foil for a weak and "insignificant" light. For it is because of the darkness, that one sees this light.

"... why think like mere men?"

man talk

For a man, it is necessary to know and to confirm to himself that he can do it. That he can honestly do it. That he can honestly go through the ordeal and come out a victor on the other side.

It is very important.

Once he tried to fool the authority by cheating and gets away with it, he can say, and even brag about it, that he put one over. But, seriously and honestly, he simply emasculated himself. He made himself weak. Weaker.

Because there will come a time when the real test comes and he will be found out.

The next important question is, will he man up to it? When he has been found out, weighed and found lacking? Or will he will blame others again and cheat himself, again and once more, from what is suppose to be a painfully liberating experience?

I am talking to you. Yes. You! You know who you are.

Will you man up? As Kobe manned up? :-)

"... why think like mere men?"

type and go to this link

www.gmanews.tv/story/193261/old-manila-photos-show-what-the-war-destroyed

For us to understand who we are today, one must go back to the past and see the journey.

I thank God for, finally, information like this proliferates.

"... why think like mere men?"

an ad where the inspiration seemed limited

Not that I am against foreigners. I am not.

It just leaves a bad taste in my mouth when I see caucasian talents being used to "sell" an aspirational ad geared towards the Filipino teen market.

Can we not use Filipino talents to "sell" a concept of aspiration? When are we going to be comfortable in our skins? When will the Malay color be associated with something to be aspired for in this part of Asia?

Or maybe the minds of those creative people are so defaulted or hardwired to their colonial state that they can not seem to be aware that they are in that state? That they, instead of building the next generation's pride and identity, continually perpetuate this pride-sucking and emasculation mantra of the past? What kind of education did they receive to continually enslave the next generation to this colonizer-friendly "default"?

There will come a time when that "logic bubble" will end. The creative people seem to forget that that end can start with them :- )

"... why think like mere men?"

Game 7

I watched it. And I just can't seemed to get enough of it. I am watching videos and interviews of after the game up to now.

Artest was special this night. Most brave when he told everybody in an interview that he sought psychiatric help to handle the mental part of the game. In my mind, he was most brave because to become a champion, he needed to work on, not on his strength but had to accept his weakness and do something about it. He was the MAN of Game 7.

Pau Gasol had, as always, his steady and silent magnificence in full view. Derek, was being Derek. Clutch. And let's not forget Sascha. He knocked down two free throws after a timeout. Apparently, it was a play designed by the 11th time champion Coach Phil for him. A play that will have LA inbound and Sascha will be the receiver. Phil had the foresight, he will be fouled and he will knock down the two free throws even if he did not play a single second of the game before that. Brilliant.

Last point.

Most people would argue that Kobe's imprint was not in the game. To that, I would say, you are missing the point.

Kobe was everywhere. The mere fact that Boston tried everything to contain him and in doing so dared his teammates to step up that's the time when Kobe showed up everywhere, in his teammates. Kobe's imprint was obvious for me when Boston was up eleven points and LA had to claw themselves back in. That spirit. That drive. That competitiveness. That's Kobe. Only this night, Kobe did not have the monopoly of being Kobe. Kobe was in his teammates.

My hats off to Boston. But this night, belonged to the purple and gold.

As Doc Rivers said a day before Game 7, "They are a great team. We are a great team. May the best team win..."

"What if?"

What if our lives are not measured by what we have done and achieved but by what did not happen because we truly lived?

Only God knows what did not happen because we lived and we did our part.

"... why think like mere men?"

exhaling in awhile

This term is busy. Engaging.

I have been facilitating learning close to 10 years now and I can say I am most tired this term.

I do not mean tired in a bad way. I mean tired that I was exhausted by the classes. Not by the conduct of class but by the class. I felt it. Maybe it is because my day starts at 7:30 am and the heat, the hottest in a decade, did not help. Plus, the assault that comes from having the first ever automated election added to the mental and emotional burden.

Or maybe, I am getting old :)

Looking forward to that one week respite in two to three weeks.

I finished reading and grading the last quiz of my EMG111 (Principles of Marketing) classes. Maybe it was close to one when my eyes glided over the last word.

And then, I smiled. Misty :)

Teaching or facilitating learning has a way of bringing you to these kind of moments. A moment when you fully accept the now and you are embraced by it. Somehow, things are lighter. And the upcoming day will be brighter. And all those struggles of waking up early seem to be a very poor price to pay for this moment.

I am humbled. Re-energized :)

Lord, I am humbled by what You have done and what You are doing in my life. Thank You.

Hope lulled me to sleep last night.

"... why think like mere men!"

a pleasant surprise

Finally.

I got my surprise this term and they came in a box called Alvin and Chris.

I was there when they were struggling and I was pleasantly surprise when the promise finally turned to reality.

I hope they continue...

"... why think like mere men?"