Mitsuru

I was bestowed a new title by one of the denizens of cyberspace whom I stumbled upon while passing the time on a lazy afternoon doing nothing but tinkering with the old notebook in the comforts of the sofa- bed in the living room. I came across this test while surfing today and took the plunge just for the heck of it. The result is quite a surprise though-- See Result: History / Lit Geek So, I took the test the second time with a different set of questions but with identical results none the less. Let me state for the record though that I was neither dragged nor forced to take the said on-line test. I was neither hypnotized nor conned by this inhuman force lurking in the world wide web. I did it on my own free will and was knighted in the process or should I say, crowned as the... I'll let the picture/ words of the said program do the talking in this case-- From this time forward, you'll hold the title: Cool Nerd King Carry it proudly! To say that I was bewildered is an underst...

Three words that caught my attention today while looking into some patients' chart courtesy of a wet-behind-the- ears Nurse Intern fresh out of school and eager to prove her mettle in the chaotic world of the Emergency Room Triage... HEMMERHOID MAGGETS TETNAS Are these some forms of medical/technical neologism or just some typos? Or sounds like some words fit for Pictionary? You be the Judge.

My father would have been 60 years old today but he died young at age 43 from complications of his excesses in life. I remember my Dad mostly as a beer- drinking, chain- smoking, black- coffee drinking, temperamental man who spoke English, which he learned from my mother, mixed with the vernacular he learned from the Istambays in our town. He was a young man of 21 when he first set foot in our remote town in the Philippines as an eager member of the Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteer (JOCV), Japan’s version of the US Peace Corps in trying to make amends for the war that devastated his neighbors years back. It was in Tiwi, Albay famous for its Hot Springs and Pottery among others where he first made his mark in the Philippines. He was assigned as a Ceramic Technician and had a hand in the rehabilitation of the Ceramic Plant of the town. And with the cooperation of some local folks, he was instrumental in making maybe the first and probably the only Japanese Garden in the Philippine...

Grazie Mille, Bouna Notte e Arrivederci Maestro...

Effie, And I am telling you this little one can give you a run for your money- So, what d'ya think? lol

The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) , Claimnants 1081, HIVOS- The Netherlands, and the Embassy of the Republic of France in Manila will be holding a tribute concert for all the Desaparecidos entitled, “Presente!” on August 30, 2007 from 6:30- 11:00 p.m. at the UP Film Center in Diliman, Quezon City. This is to commemorate the memories of the people who were victims of Involuntary Disappearance in the Philippines as well as increased awareness on the said issue through music. In the former Banana Republics of Latin America, “Presente!” is the word families, relatives and friends usually used to shout during the traditional calling out of the names of the desaparecidos to connote that even though the State and other nefarious powers have succeeded in vanishing them without a trace physically on the face of the earth, their memories will forever live in the hearts and minds of the people who were left behind. Performers are Noel Cabangon, Cookie Chua, Susan Fern...

"A dream is a wish your heart makes when you're fast asleep. In dreams you will lose your heartaches. Whatever you wish for, you keep. Have faith in your dreams, and someday, your rainbow will come smiling through. No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dreams that you wish will come true." - Cinderella (1950)

Having been out of the blog loop for a time, this one’s taking me a long time to start. But what the heck, I’m back and that’s all that matters. So, to all my blog pals out there who never fail to visit this site even if I have posted a lot of inane and insignificant material in the past months or have never posted at all, thank you very much for bearing with me. You know who you are. Peace. It’s 12:51 in the afternoon and having just woke up a few minutes ago after another night of staying up late until the wee hours of the morning which was really the norm for me rather than the exception in this hot, hot summer of ‘07. My mind is still foggy and I am still groggy not just because of that never-ending booze and plenty of that three-letter word (ha-ha) but rather more so of my disrupted circadian rhythm. To put it simply, I am still dazed and confused in my bed and have no desire to get out of it. Anyway, in the next couple of posts I’ll be doing some re-programming and reformatting o...

MAALAB NA PAGBATI SA IKA- 35 TAON NG KAPATIRANG PI SIGMA Agosto 15, 2007! (Paragon of Scholarship/ Paglingkuran ang Sambayanan) 'twas 14 years ago (UERMMMC Batch 93) SO THE PEOPLE MAY KNOW... OF LIVES AND SACRIFICES FOR THE PEOPLE On December 1987, Edwin Laguerder (Batch '79, UP), an adviser of a farmers' organization in Davao, was brutally murdered by unidentified men. The following month, Bernie de Guzman (Batch '82, Chevalier School, Angeles City) who joined the left, was gunned down along with his companion by the Philippine Constabulary (now known as the Philippine National Police) troopers in Tarlac City. On July and September of 1988, Benito Clutario (Batch '77, UP) of the Kilusang Mayo Uno (May First Movement or KMU, the most militant nationalist workers' union in the Philippines) and Benjamin Lazaro (Batch '77-C. UP) of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) involuntarily disappeared at the height of the ...

In case you haven't seen this one on YouTube. This is the video of the prisoners/ inmates of Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) in the Philippines dancing to Michael Jackson's superhit Thriller... There are mixed views and reviews on this one but I won't add my opinion to the growing list. All I can say is-- most Filipinos are really born dancers. ha-ha.

I was browsing on the AOL website when I saw the news about the conviction of US Marine Leandro Aragoncillo for spying wherein he was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his crime. I logged in to the comment section and saw a lot of negative things about the Philippines and the Filipino people. I am no fan of Aragoncillo and I don’t like his bosses in the Philippines especially but when other people began lambasting us and giving their ignorant and obscure views of the case, I was compelled to do what every Filipino should do and is capable of doing---roll with the punches and give them what they deserved in return. Many comments were obviously from ignorant readers and since I have nothing else to do I decided to join the fray and give them hell if there is such a thing. Or at least give them my Piso- worth take on their issues and before I knew it I was on the warpath and everybody was fair game. I don’t know if I succeeded but as of this writing the ones who commented and insulted u...

One college professor of mine whose face has a funny resemblance to one of the characters of the “Tatlong Itlog” fame/notoriety of Philippine Comedy once told his chemistry class that “some of you here have photographic memories” looking directly at me while he was seated in his desk and the whole class were busy copying some texts from the blackboard that he had written earlier. Only a handful of my friends have known this before; I finished my Bachelor’s Degree which was my pre- med course from Aquinas University in Legaspi without a single notebook in my possession. I never took notes and I managed to survive the course by reading the textbooks once in a blue moon (or when I am not under the influence of the spirits of the glass then) and most of the time by reading my girlfriends' notes on the subjects. Ha-ha. But no, I don’t possess a memory that will put the famous Savant Daniel Tammet to shame. It’s just that I hate taking notes because I can’t decipher my handwriting aft...

I’ve been tagged about a week or two ago by my blog “berks”-- Salamin and Snglguy and I haven’t done my end yet. Sorry guys, I promise that the next post will be the much awaited---tararan-tadan, response. Nowadays, aside from getting home late at night or early morning from my shift at the ER, I spent my free time and waking hours wandering around town- watching concerts, shows, exhibits, street fairs, etc. The Summerfest is in full blast right now and I am taking every chance I get not to miss anything and make the most of it. Two years ago I had the opportunity to see some of the finest works of Auguste Rodin at the Detroit Institute of Arts for what I considered as “loose change.” If you’re not into “art” and the name doesn’t ring a bell to you, I’m sure you’ve seen a print of his famous “The Thinker” on somebody’s shirt, in books, posters, etc. Yes folks, he was the creator of that iconic man sitting on a toilet bowl! Kidding aside, considering the value, in...

The United States of America was born on the Fourth of July in 1776 after a bitter War of Independence (a.k.a. The American Revolution) with “mighty” Great Britain. She is now celebrating her 231st Year of Independence… I am celebrating the birthday of my adopted country in the comforts of the living room with an ice- cold Bud in hand and broiled Tuna dipped in a mixture of soy sauce, sliced tomatoes and onions for “pulutan” made just like the way it is back home while waiting for the Macy’s Fireworks Show on NBC to start. Come to think of it, July 4 is also Filipino- American Friendship Day in the Philippines. I’ll leave the politics aside (there’s time for that and in another post probably) and instead focus more on the positive side of the holiday (at least, for now) and that doesn‘t make me less of a Pinoy for doing that, I hope. Many former "friends" from the good old days may disagree with me but and it‘s always a big but? And the debate on that will also come at a late...

Every year while under the intense heat of the hot, hot summer sun… All roads in Michigan lead to Downriver ; that is all classic car enthusiasts in the Wolverine State and their cross-state neighbors to as far back west like sunny California and down south to stormy Florida, not to mention the Canucks from across the river would all converge into the biggest show on this side of town where many of the hottest rockin’ a’ rollin’ oldies but goodies automobiles that once ruled the roads of Continental America sashayed amidst the oohs, aahs and oh-la-las of the fascinated audience. The annual Classic Car Cruise in June draws a crowd of more than 500,000 people as they feast on the nostalgic sights and beauties of the pioneering American Automobiles of a bygone era and relive even just for a day or two the good old days in a massive show of booming engines and pageantry that can only be found in the heart of the American Automobile Industry. Cool Slideshows! The still steaming cars crui...

"He was magic.” Kirk Douglas recalled that he was mesmerized by “this guy, this young actor” while watching The Indian Wants the Bronx eons ago and remembered going backstage and telling : “'Mr. Pacino, you're going to be a star.' That was 45 years ago. What took you so long, Al?" Al Pacino in his speech acknowledged that The Godfather made him a household name and a star and showed gratitude to his Director, Francis Ford Coppola whom he admitted he haven’t seen in a long time and thanked him profusely for standing pat on his choice of the actor that will portray the coveted role of Michael Corleone" "I hardly ever see him anymore," he said. " Francis didn't just put me in the Godfather. He fought for me. Even when I no longer wanted to be in it. I wouldn't be here without him." Francis Ford Coppola in his videotaped tribute in turn revealed that while reading the book, The Godfather by Mario Puzo , the only f...

The American Film Institute (AFI) is a non- profit organization that was created in 1967 to preserve America’s Film Heritage and train future filmmakers which was made possible when then President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the legislation creating the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in 1965 whose Board of Trustees in turn established the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1973. The AFI Life Achievement Award is recognized and considered to be the highest honor given to a career in film. Stars like Robert De Niro, Tom Hanks, and Meryl Streep as well as Directors Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese just to name a few were all recipients of the prestigious award. This year’s honoree Al Pacino will be very much at home in their company, all giants of the silver screen and talented actors/actresses in their own right. One touching moment in the show was when Hollywood’s Nanogenarian Icon and Mr. Spartacus himself, Kirk Douglas , who survived a stroke in 1996 which left him p...

AL PACINO : Man of the Hour “Say Hello To My little Friend!” If you don’t know that line you probably don't know who Tony Montana was nor you have not seen Al Pacino at his wicked- best. And I would probably say that you missed one of the best "bleep" movie of all “bleep’ time! Those were the words that cocaine- powered Tony Montana in the movie Scarface hurled to his enemies behind the door before unleashing the M- 203 grenade launcher at them in one of the highlights of the brutal and savage film by Brian de Palma and script written by Oliver Stone in the early 80’s. Last night, his colleagues at the American Film Institute (AFI) and his legions of fans have once again said hello to this diminutive man by Hollywood standards but a giant one in stature both in life and on the screen by presenting him the 35th AFI Life Achievement Award reserved only for the silver screen’s elite. The televised show was actually held at the Kodak Theater in Los Ange...