On Rip Van Winkle

Washington Irving was among the first generation of people to know from birth that they were not British subjects but Americans. Romantic literature was just starting to grow and the people were as well striving for new identity.

Escape from reality, a message of freedom and identity. Adventurously dangerous. This is how my emotions mixed after I had read the journey of a man named Rip Van Winkle. How he, painlessly dreamt. Later I knew, he is my countries version of Juan Tamad, who yonder and leans against a tree. As an embodiment of the notion of Romantic freedom as described as, “one of those happy mortals, of foolish, well-oiled dispositions, who take the world easy”. As his name is still used to refer to anyone who is content to sleep his life away, who spends much of his time in sleeping idleness –embodied by a common human desire and that is to sleep through all the trials and tribulations of adulthood and thus to move painlessly from childhood to the second childhood of old age. Unconsciously awake.

Rip Van Winkle missed all the fun to his life because he wasted it too much, he no longer take the hardships. As historically depicts the journey of a man during the time when the country was a province, a replica of the industrialized country –Great Britain. The nation was still new and in many ways, unforced. An extraordinary memorably rest during the Revolutionary War and he caught himself mourning. The sad stories of his loved ones welcomed his ever-sweet dreams into a nightmare. He never once enjoyed mingling with his wife, who as always look after him. Just like when the Americans came upon their independence, Rip first doubted his own identity, and then a magic spell by the bystanders from the people of Old English appeared.

Rip Van Winkle often goes to nature to escape from the labor of the industrialized farm and clamored society just as American had thrown off the yoke of matrimony or the Old England. Rip Van Winkle and the United States finally accepted their place in the world and were able to enjoy their new found independence. Once he dawned upon the fact that he was independent though, Rip resumes his old walks and habits. Just like his old talks and custom. If left to himself, he would have whistled life away in perfect contentment. A story about a journey of a lifetime missing the essence of living it rightfully for a lifetime.

summer the!?

SUMMER CLASS is freaking hot!!!
caught myself hooked at tumblr.

Lola

I accompanied my mother to the market. The weather is gloomy that afternoon. Then, suddenly an old woman approached us. She wears ragged clothes I wonder how she feels given the cold weather that day. She must have been freezing last night. As she walked slowly, her slippers could barely feel her agony, her tiring feet’s. Her hair was out of style and I see her supposed to be black hair dominated by a white hue. Her crowning glory was tied imperfectly.

“Pahingi ng pamasahe pauwing Sta. Mesa...”she told us.

I was shocked when I heard her speak. I didn’t know what to do then. My mother gave her a coin. Her wrinkles are visible with those fines lines as she smile. How I missed my grandmothers at that very moment. They were with me for a short period of time. And I could still remember my grandmother when I was about to graduate from elementary. I was overflowing with childhood tears then. She must have been seen our graduation rites with her camera. I realized then, how I really longed for her for a long time.

At her age the old woman can still smile. How ironic I asked myself. She still gave us that smile as she begged for sympathy. Back then, when I was walking alone, I saw an old woman outside the bakery. She gave everyone a glimpse of her old and tiring eyes. She was with her empty steel can that serve as container for coins. As I passed her, I saw her eyes rummaged to me, pleasing. Without a word, I go inside the bakery and brought bread for her. I gave it to her –it must have been bigger than the coin for her empty can. She accepted it with her face that tenderly gives me that happy smile. I could still reminisce that very moment when she say to me, “Salamat hija”.

“Wala ba siyang kasama?” I asked my mother. She did not give me an answer. Instead, she asked the vegetable vendor. The vendor told us that the old woman is staying around the market in Makati and not in Sta. Mesa. “Pinababayaan na lang siya ng mga anak niya”, he added as he gave to us our plastic that contained the vegetables. I was speechless and we went home.

Our encounter with an old woman reminds me to be forever grateful every single day. Thou, I have my questions on that day that concerns the old lady, I used to asked myself on how do the people that surrounds lola to just let her loiter in streets. Considering the fact that she can no longer be alone with her age. She must have been in her home. If only we give them what they deserve, we might not see them loitering. They need comfort and they were old...

University Publications

The three-student publication from the University of Santo Tomas (The Varsitarian), Ateneo De Manila University (Guidon) and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Manila (Ang Pamantasan) have their own common denominator that is the idea of having the freedom of expression. The three-student publication talked about something relevant as to their case-to-case basis. They do write about a thing that concerns their readers’ references. Anyhow, all of them are derive from relevant issues that exist in our country.


Fearless views
That is how the Varsitarian publication started their way writing. As we all know, UST is a catholic university. That is why most of them write about religious issues. On the contrary, something that is not accepted to their authority will not be as well time-honored for them to read. Because of the main vivid reason, that they are living in a religious atmosphere and all must abide to the laws. They talked about the usual trends in social behavior leaving to the reader a very intriguing question, “Do young Thomasians adhere to Catholic teachings?” Some focused on the Maguindanao Massacre that really the talk of the town, maybe it will served as a hot issues for journalists. Thus, this issue will be relevant until the justice has achieved. Leaving a statement that says, “We cannot really call our country “democratic” or “free” because it lives in the fear of its safety" Because of the reason that the publication can be seen through net, the spreading of the news is really at its rapid criticism. Let us face it, everyone that read the article will hold their thoughts about it and its there will come a time that the writer might be misunderstood.

Regardless with its style, the publication has their writers recognized by posting their complete name with their respective pictures.

From the Ateneo De Manila University, Guidon their official student publication holds very relevant issues to their readers. With their university that is well known to produce a one-of-a-kind thing as for their student, mentors and the like. Having said that, their opinions from their publications were as well viewed as a excellent one. They were an open book for some. The university does not always talks about their triumphs; they also take the side to their readers to discover their lapses, particularly non-academic basis. And they were open-minded to lay down themselves to it. Thus, they ended it with their motivating statement, that they will once again retrieve their excellence into sports.

In the end, the freedom of expression is once again rain to their publication, with their less criticism to their university authority. Instead, they freely lay down their opinions about the government. Some even blame the administration. They viewed their writings as for their observation. Some news was bound to be news feature that add spices to their article. It is cool.

With the publication from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Manila, Ang Pamantasan, discussed about news that derived from their university issues. They also shared their insights about the current news about the country. One thing that we can observe is that the style they cling. They used detailed information with an ounce of opinions just like the other publication. They even add humor to it. Some of their article focused on what is happening to their university, they out-going university president. As recognized in Manila the publication holds an identity to bring up the city’s developments and changes. Most of their articles talks about the assumption for the coming days. Their on-line publication is like a newsletter with their writers columns on the right side.

I've been part of a school publication since high school. I've learned to be a versatile student since then, you cannot choose what to do. That experienced helped me a lot to work on my cup of tea. The thing that rescues my day from the boring atmosphere I am at. When, I reached college, my world seems to be a big circle, I am again become an editor for our university publication. The world I m leaving to that publication set a barrel of limitation. I didn't enjoy the so-called freedom of expression.

It was nice to have various university publication in dined at your place.

Adapt to AdEPT

Another load that seems to be a burden to our sophomore shoulders, wherein AdEPT is define as Advance English Proficiency Training. The estimated twenty-five students were are shocked, a paranoia in the making.

The program that is signed for the education students. Badly, we are those chosen students to take this program, I must say they don’t have a choice .Thus; the university subscribed to it a s an ordered from the university President. Much have been said, that this program will help us, that it will indeed help us necessity to be specific. Wherein the idea of improvement will welcome us in a blast!

You need this very, very badly.
The ticking of the clock put everyone minds into a bursting bubble. As the department head lay-down her reasons for the program, we are also lying for a vivid reason that in deed it will soon help us but, pardon us if we say that for a while, we just can’t live with it, we cannot.

You will be also given grade.
Another remarkable statement or, so an unfavorable speech. We are not grade conscious anymore. We are already on the middle of our second semestral curriculum. This program will be a non-credit course. Too bad, we are in the middle of the rorad torn between two choices. An option that eventually lead us the program without a clue. We will be given certificates as a reward to this program. Thank you very much.

And then the conversation is getting hotter, bolder and louder. We were all in a chaotic environment with that mouth-watering conversations, flying minds during that hot afternoon was indeed an history, those bulging eyes and a half-raised eyebrows behind those occupied minds. We must be very drained that day. Imagine a yourself sitting six hours on that chair later we knew, we have to complete the required 100 hours, what a new investment to bear.

We tried our luck as we asked for conditions that we don’t want the program. All we heard was this...Give it a try, adaptation that we must live for.

No Id and I am Afraid!!!

I have one. However, it is not a university id. It is a scholar’s id. For the past few months, I can pass by the gate with that id. And I must have been an irresponsible student for wearing that scholar’s id as a replacement for my university id.

“Bawal ang scholar’s id ...” as the university guard welcomes my morning. He offered that tiger-eyes with frightful gestures, he is scary. I can still reminisce that day, when I am so happy for the Thursday because tomorrow will be a happy Friday! But not anymore. I am not allowed to enter that narrow entrance gate I must say that the entrance for cars are wider that the gate for us students.

I made a decision in a snap. I hurriedly turned my back to that monster guard and talk to my conscience. He was just doing his job. Well, a job well done sir! I just missed my quiz to my minor subject. Thank you very much.

I take the other route and that is to pass by the back gate. The heat of the sun escorts me as I walked with agony. My hair welcomes the dust as I pass by the street as the vehicles emit its smokes engine. Nevertheless, I am not bothered with that, I am after my class that I almost missed by walking for about 30 minutes. As I am approaching the entrance, I do cross my fingers for those two guards sitting as they welcome their day with a sip of their coffee. And gladly, they did not see my id. Because of my ever-loyal id lace, maybe that is the reason that they did not see me break the rules.

Another guard to watch out for, a guard that sits in the entrance of our building. An obstacle to watch for and I survived. As I walked approaching to our room, without those eyeglasses, I did not enter the class. They were having their test and without me knowing they were about to check them. I also saw my other classmates who were late.

If only the university could release the id in an earlier time, I might not have been to this failure. I am about to explain the reason why do I wear the scholar’s id that time, but still I try my luck for me to attend my other class. At the end of the day, I could still remember my encounter with that monster guard. And as a student, I am once again reminded of my responsibilities. If only my university id was not lost at that steel-style jeepney, I might have been safe and sound to enter the university.

It is Friday then.
As promised, we are going to savor our cravings with the Shawarma that catched our attention. It was late at noon, and the people were rushing to buy their foods for supper.After we have roamed around the mall to sight some stuffs, window-shopping for past time and yes, you may include the reason “to entertain ourselves”.

Let us praised the national bookstore that never failed us. The fully booked that entertained us along the way with those sea of books that amused us, as we flip the pages we can never explain why we keep coming back for more.As we walked along the way, with the various restaurants that tickles our funny minds of curiosity, with those various food-shops that served customers from different walks of life, indeed they helped us to dream high. Thank you then. After the long wait of forcing each other to some thing to eat, we end up with the Shawarma.

We all stared to the vendor as he entertained us with his flowery words of perfection, he must have been a good sales man instead. He prepared those Shawarma so fast, were like in a circus, a magical show and o-la! Our order is done. I offered my Shawarma with my two comrades. They refused to give it a bit and they have decided to order for themselves. Then again, the vendor used his famous flowery words; he must have been selling flowers before. We ordered the same kind of Shawarma. As I take the first bite, AAAHHHH!!! What the hell am I eating??? However, I do like the taste of the cheese, beef with the domination of onion rings in it with red tomatoes to complete the recipe of what they called Shawarma.

My two companions were really quite. Believe me; they were not like that before if, we are eating. It must have been the other way around. As we walked, gladly they talked.

With their ears bursting and their faces that turned red, it must have been loved in the air, but the air is filled with rushing criticisms. We laughed harder inside the jeepney. I am very hungry that time, which I do not care for the taste I am eating. The hot sauce as an accessory for that Shawarma really test us. We almost crave for water. That onion rings put us to calvary.

Our just ordinary day turned out to be extra-ordinary with that shocking Shawarma. We all agreed that the looks could be deceiving and it is. We almost laughed harder as we narrate our own experiences with that awful Shawarma that hunts us. So next time, we must be familiar with to the food stall that we are eating its better that way. And our day with that shocking Shawarma put us to sumptuous laughter.