A slice of choco-HUMBLE cake

Humility has never been a light and cheap-tagged virtue where you can automatically assume everybody of having the luxury of carrying it around their pockets. With that fact in mind, I don't expect to receive it from everyone I deal with. But still, my inner hopeless-sympathetic self screams that it's not a crime to dream of the impossible.

There will be disappointing days, that I am sure of, where people from "your past" will tap you on the back just to heat up a quarrell. Human as you are, you'll get pissed and may fall into the trap set for you. But before you put on your bitch mode shoes for an all-night battle with "the Joker", know first what side are you battling from. Are you on the RIGHT side, or you're on the DEFENSIVE side. If you're goddamn sure you're on the former, lace up your shoes on tight 'cos you're enlisted for a feud with the "masked man".

Just a couple of days ago, I had an encounter with "The joker". Of course, I mustered all my self-control and tact and dealt with him with civility. But as the conversation progressed and things were not curbing favorably on his terms,it seems like he was getting the impression that he can still order me around like a servile maid of the sort! He was expecting me to subserve smoothly without question on his demands like a puppet! Come on! You are not in the position to bargain with me, or worse, DEMAND a favor! Let me remind you of that incase you have forgotten! The least you could've done was ask nicely! But hell no! He was combative to the very core as soon as he sensed that I wasn't giving in to all of his whims! Can you hear the loud applause??..yeah,.that's for your lack of manners! Good job on that part! It just goes to show what kind of a person he really is behind that smiling mask he wears around. Underneath, he's an impatient, manipulative con artist disguising as a friendly clown carrying a balloon!

Seriously, how hard is it for somebody to ask nicely? Will it cause one to contract a high fever or a viral disease if he/she chooses to be humble and chew on his pride for a minute or two? NO! But I am sure that the over sensitive ego will take a hard beating out of it. Its such a shame that people did go to school which makes them educated, but I guess not everyone were able to grow into the manners and ethical practices taught inside the classroom.

I am growing tired with the increasing number of times that I am tested in this kind of situation but then again, this is the price to pay for having to walk this earth tall and strong. People will contradict your opinions at one point or another, you will make enemies along the way and expect that you'll get out of the battleground with bruises and scars. You must always be tough enough and ready to take a whack of that hard slab of pride that more people opt to carry around instead of the oh-so-sweet slice of humility that only a few people have the strength to "serve" during these kinds of moments. Oh well, you know what they say.."You can't always have the cake and eat it too".

SPEAK NOW OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE (a.k.a Republic Act No. 10175)

In every wedding, before the ceremony progresses, the priest would always deliver this line:

 "speak now or forever hold your peace"

It may seem to be just a scripted dialogue uttered in every ceremony as part of tradition, but it tells us of so much more. It reminds us that our voices, no matter how small, matters. And that we are all entitled to oppose or agree on something, at sometime, at some point of our dreary-almost miserable-poverty stricken-lives.

"SECTION 1. Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012″."

I have been a Filipino for 25 years now, and I can say that I have always had my fair share of opinions regarding the current events. And recently, the Cybercrime Prevention Act has been stirring up the news and making huge waves regarding the dreaded "cyber martial law". For a Filipino who has always enjoyed the freedom of speech, there are sections of this law that appears to be nothing but a huge gag order for each and everyone of us. I, for one have always been an opinionated citizen of this country, feel the same way too, but just partially. 

CHAPTER II

PUNISHABLE ACTS

SEC. 4. Cybercrime Offenses. — The following acts constitute the offense of cybercrime punishable under this Act:

In all fairness, the law itself isn't all that centered on rendering us mute individuals of this nation since it also covers sanctions for internet hacking, illegal/unauthorized use of private computer devices, information theft, cyber pornography, acts violating cybersecurity, computer related fraud and the likes. The clauses tackling these issues are actually beneficial to a common Juan of the Philippine islands. All the hooplas and commotion going on are simply directed to the inserted Section 4(4). 

(4) Libel. — The unlawful or prohibited acts of libel as defined in Article 355 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended, committed through a computer system or any other similar means which may be devised in the future.

**Art. 355. Libel means by writings or similar means. — A libel committed by means of writing, printing, lithography, engraving, radio, phonograph, painting, theatrical exhibition, cinematographic exhibition, or any similar means, shall be punished by prision correccional in its minimum and medium periods or a fine ranging from 200 to 6,000 pesos, or both, in addition to the civil action which may be brought by the offended party.

Photo credits to YAHOO! News Philippines

It is just so exasperating to know that an old existing law has to be dragged on, rather sneakily, into a new one that is made and tailored for the modern society. The journalists specifically are the ones who are going to feel the knot on their hands on this law since the internet has been a huge medium to disseminate the news to the people. I was a part of a journalism team during my highschool days and I remember reading a slogan in a gathering that says "Do not oppress the press". This law, if not amended, is gonna do just that: Oppression. It actually creates a loophole on the incumbent government leader's vision to promote transparency and freedom of expression. Afterall, this was their main idea why they had set up a twitter and facebook account named after the government, right? Now this is where the common Filipino gets tangled up with the issue-the social networking sites. I honestly know just ONE person who doesn`t have a facebook account in my circle of acquaintances which makes us all seriously vulnerable to the stringent chains and sanctions of this law.


The common Filipino doesn`t have an editor nor a 24-hour monitoring team to filter through our thoughts posted in the internet. The common Juan is only armed with his values and principles to do all that strenuous filtering. Although I stand that libel is really something that shouldn`t go unpunished, I appeal to our lawmakers to amend this law before implementing it totally. Or atleast launch a massive information education campaign about cyber-manners or other ``deemed acceptable`` levels of internet etiquette pertinent to this law. I mean, the journalists know how to dodge the ball in the game of libel by heart, the ordinary Filipino doesn`t.

I repeat for one more time, the law isn`t all that bad, BUT it needs to be ironed out before it gets implemented. I just pray to God that whatever group is spearheading the TRO for the Cybercrime Prevention Act gets a two-thumbs up to buy us more time to adjust to the newest ``lunacy`` of our respected lawmakers. May the Supreme Court hear those who are speaking now so that we`ll forever be able to maintain each of our inner peace that we Filipinos rightfully deserve.

THE BIGGER BURGER: Zark's Burgers

Last Friday, my co-workers and I decided to have a bit of splurging since its payday. So we scooped up all energy after the tiring day at work and headed to Zark's Burgers located at Taft avenue (infront of Lasalle Taft campus). We were first held on a waiting room since they don't have that big of the place and the customers have already piled up. When we were finally seated, we took our orders and waited, all stomachs grumbling with hunger.

The selection was wide. So was the menu itself, so even before you could taste the burgers, your inner glutton is already playing games with you as to what you should order.

We came in a group of 12 and most of us ordered the Zark's Ultimate Burger meal while the rest ordered the famous Jawbreaker and the Stone-cold stunner.

The orders came:

Zark's Ultimate Burger

wing and chips

Jawbreaker

We can't help being the fun-loving Filipinos that we already are, so a quick camera click had to happen even before we could dig into our burger buns!

We finally feasted on our burgers and fries. It was too enormous for a standard sized female mouth. Holding it firmly in your hands without the contents oozing out was in itself an ordeal, and attempting to take a bite from it was a totally different dilemma on its own.

Before we paid the bill, a surprise birthday cake was given by Yna to the soon-birthday celebrant Tubs. We were all wide smiles and gleaming eyes at the site of the pastry. What better way to scrape all that grease from your palate than having a freshly baked, moist, Starbucks chocolate cake! And who are we to resist? hah!

Zark's burgers were filling undeniably. But the taste? I wouldn't say it was not delicious nor was it bland,but it was "just okay". Let's just say the taste didn't exactly live up to the hype it was getting from everybody. Well, what do you actually expect from a burger anyway! It was all grilled beef, with the usual slab of grease and cheese and what not. Either way, our grumbling stomachs had its usual fix and our tastebuds were quite glad as well!  The burgers succeeded its purpose of being the biggest burger to ever to hit my digestive system! And the people munching together with me made the burger-bonding experience truly awesome!

Are we gonna be back?..DEFINITELY!

HE LOVES ME NOT

Lo and behold, truth be told,the petals have spoken- he loves me not. 

I have always known and have already felt it for the longest time; but as huge of a hopeless romantic as I was, I continued to hope. Hope that all the words of love and promises spoken at the start still ring true, and that we're "soulmates",just like how he would say it. He used to make me melt,and during the latter part of our story,he still did. So I kept convincing myself-- he loves me.

I am far from perfect and I know that. Im the girl who usually runs late,who's always running out of time, who juggles things and issues greater in number than the fingers on my hands, scared of the unknown and whining,the girl who worries about something that hasnt happened yet, who sets goals too scary for one person to handle. An ambitious dreamer,so to speak.,I have always planned for us two,and it seemed to scare the wits out of him. He started to falter, suggested I find somebody better. My heart cracked,oh God--he loves me not.

But inlove, a woman's hope runs deep,bottomless even. F*ck our imperfections! We've accepted thay Im never going to be a prototype of a stepford wife. And him, he's not most likely going to quote me poetry or shower me with gold or have the tamest of temper, but he's still holding my hand and tells me he loves me. He would still make me melt and laugh with the shallowest of things and all these were enough for me. Yes,i repeated to myself--he loves me.

But fooling yourself could only go so far. I know deep inside he doesn’t love me, as me-the person, but maybe just the "idea of me". Planning marriage and details of the future was just made just because the feeling of having the idea of "the future" to look forward to was just too warm and awesome in the inside to resist. Just like fairytales, everything was just make-believe. 

The cat is out of the bag, there's somebody else--he loves me not.

Hearing it for the first time was numbing. It confused me with the feeling of wanting life to end and fighting for dear life both at the same time. It just wasnt right. I felt like he was just waiting for something better to come along, keeping me on hold until he finally found it. Like a yoyo: release and catch over and over until he has found a game he'll be able to play better. It only took another sad person's shoulder to make him do a full 360 turn. And just like that-snap-he's weak on the knees inlove again, but this time on another girl--he loves me not

From him, I quote, "I was weak". He was always vulnerable to the tendency of falling for people right beside him. I believe it was not a matter of human nature alone, but it also was a matter of choice, his damn choice. Strength drew out of him the moment he re-defined our relationship as a costly routine, where he sees love is no longer an emotion, but rather an obligation. He would always make it feel like he had bitten off more than he could chew. I have told him that for "us" to work, we need to be "more", but I can't seem to inspire him to be more. He was unwilling to meet me halfway. I know because he has too many excuses before he even tries.
He had already drawn the line, I am just not worth the extra effort--he loves me not.

The bitter,cold reality is that no person could possibly steal or snatch anybody from you. Truth is he was already prepared to leave a long time ago, and the girl was just the plane ticket excuse to go. 

Truth had always been there staring me in the eye,I was just too stubborn to make the eye contact. The flower petals have run out, and the stems, they unfortunately dont count. This is a bright,new and better start. I can see clearly now,Iam off the leash, this is a blessing in disguise, all because he loves me not.

★Helen :)