New Blog, Same Ideas

Once again I've made an entirely new blog. It's called Tempest Trodden hosted this time by WordPress.

I've lost heart in continuing this blog since I missed writing an entry for the August 2007 archives. I really wanted to have each month but I'm afraid that's impossible. But still this blog won't be deleted. It contains memories too precious to be forgotten.

One more thing. I sadly (but not regretfully) cancelled my account in Vox hence Sunset Epiphany is no more. I just found it much too geared for personal blogging. Plus its entries aren't worth keeping anyway. And just for some reason, I find it hard to write passionately there.

I'm thinking of starting an account in Multiply since Friendster is far too jologs-infested. Then again I don't know many people who have or even manage their accounts in Multiply. I know quite a few who abandoned their accounts since it seems too tedious to upload sound files and videos. After all if you want music, just go to MySpace. If you're looking for videos, YouTube has millions of them.

Might as well look for other social networking sites which are just as decent.

Two Years

Happy 2nd Birthday, Lunette Reverie.

Although we're now vaguely connected, you'll forever be engraved a fragment of my past.

Globalization

If you're going to ask me the most accurate definition of Globalization, the answer would have to be Princess Diana's death. Why?

An English princess

With her Egyptian boyfriend

Crashes in a French tunnel

In a German car

With a Dutch engine

Driven by a Belgian driver

Drunk on Scottish whiskey

While being chased by Italian paparazzi

On Japanese motorcycles

She was then treated by an American doctor

Using Brazilian medicine

This was written by a Pakistani

Forwarded to you by a Filipino

Using Bill Gates' technology

With a Korean monitor

Using Taiwanese chips

With a PC assembled by Chinese workers

In a Singaporean factory

And delivered by a Bangladeshi rickshaw

*The above post is taken from a forwarded email.

Yeah, yeah, just an excuse to keep this blog alive and entertaining, and also to finally add July 2007 to the archives.

Halfway

I am born to a middle-class family.

I don't live in a mansion but I don't live in a shabby little hut either.
I live in a house my Pops designed and rents on a monthly basis.

We have a car but not a chauffeur.

I may not have feasts and eat like a king everyday but I never had to experience my family and myself going hungry.

I may not study in a prestigious exclusive school. However my Pops can afford to send me to a decent and acceptable university.

I prefer Nescafé over a cheap local brand of coffee but I find it impractical to spend a day's worth of allowance for a cup of Starbucks coffee.

I find it uncomfortable sleeping on a mat but I can go for years without an air-conditioner at home.

I don't have the money to buy designer tsinelas and branded outfits whose names take a mouthful to pronounce. On the other hand, I never find myself having to wear rags, hand-me-downs and sub-standard outfits.

I may not be what we call an anak-pawis but I'm definitely not a spoiled urban princess dependent on daddy's big fat bank account.

I have many privileges to be thankful for: A weekly allowance enough for food, transportation, likes and wants and fun and dates with my boyfriend. That aside, I have a nice cellphone, broadband Internet at home and occasional trips to restaurants.

I am born in a third-world country but there's food on the table, I live under a roof to shelter me from rain, I don't have to flip burgers at a fastfood joint to sustain my education, I am healthy and well-clothed.

But the most important thing is I'm happy and satisfied.

*I remember a character from The Zahir by Paulo Coelho. His name is Mikhail. Whenever he talks about himself, he speaks in the present tense. I simply followed his format for this blog entry.

Crabs Prohibited

Once again taken from Sunset Epiphany.

Susmaryosep! Umaagos na naman ang utak-talangka ng mga tao! Some people just don't get it, huh?

Just a few pointers to those who have nothing productive to do but flame my Lunette Reverie.

1. Don't like my posts? Screw you. Don't bother to comment. Or better yet don't even bother to visit my blog. Why should the opinions of someone I don't know even matter to me at all?

2. I don't recall asking for your attention nor does my blog have any space for it. And absolutely NOBODY told, coerced, forced, recommended, dared, obliged, assigned, pleaded, begged, threatened, blackmailed, or even asked you to read my blog. So once again if you don't like the content, get out.

3. Since we live in democracy we all have the right to express our opinions hence the freedom of speech. I therefore express mine at the right place which is de facto MY blog. I can post whatever I want, whenever I want to and however I want it to be.

4. As pertaining to #3 I created this blog to express myself and NOT to please other people especially those critics I'm not even acquainted to. Whether I impress people or not is no longer my problem.

5. Lastly this blog is mine, me, myself and I. So if you don't like my posts, quotes, style, pictures, downloads, design, layout, template, favorites, features, blog name, letter font, neighborhood, et cetera, there's nothing you can do about it especially if you're an insecure attention-seeking crab whose self-esteem depends on putting other people down.

At isa pa. Kung ayaw mo sa sakin, puez ayaw ko rin sa 'yo.

But if you still insist on posting insignificant comments, go ahead. They'll just end up being disposed of anyway thus putting them, your time and your efforts into obscurity.

If people start talking shit about you, that means they're touched and it's a good sign. And we don't care what people say about us or our music. We don't give a fuck.
-Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil

Русский Язык

*Taken from Sunset Epiphany

Русский - pronounced "Russkiy", Russian for "Russian"

I know this idea is amazingly absurd but for someone living in a country which has no significant relations with Russia, I'm considering learning its language - Русский.

Ultimate Russian - Beginner-Intermediate

Living Language

I found the very same book on a shelf in [shop name censored] at [mall name censored too]. Now it was the ONLY copy there and I'm quite positive no one would bother to purchase it. After all who here in the Philippines (but me) is interested in learning a language that hardly anyone's familiar of and whose native speakers sound like rallyists itching for a revolution?

But just in case there are loose ends lying around, I hid the book behind another row to ensure absolutely no one would come across it. After all the teach-yourself books that are most often picked up are Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Arabic, normally by those who want to go abroad. I'm surprised they also have German, French, Spanish, Italian and even Brazilian Portuguese in stock. But most shocking of all is Russian!!

Now just in case you're wondering why I'm so interested in learning Russian to a point I'd change my name to Jiashka Deenova (Жыяшка Диновa), it's quite simple. I'm astounded by Russian culture and history from their матрёшка (Russian nesting dolls) to Space Exploration and World War II. Plus I also made the effort to learn to read and write Cyrillic (Russian alphabet).

Another (somehow irrelevant) inspiration is the once lesbian techno-pop duo t.A.T.u. comprised of Yulia Olegovna Volkova (Юлия Олеговна Волкова) and Elena Sergeevna Katina (Елена Сергеевна Катина). Another inspiration is of course that game for the PlayStation created by the genius Hideo Kojima, the Metal Gear series. The femme fatales who speak in a Russian accent are just so gorgeous!!

Then again the red and green lights are flashing simultaneously in learning Russian. First and foremost it's gonna be as hellacious as an exam in Chemistry since I have thousands of new words to memorize. Second, with no one to speak it to, being fluent will be like grabbing the stars. And what are the benefits of learning this mouthful language anyway?

Maybe I can list down some job opportunities:

1. An interpreter for the United Nations - Oohh! The pay is sure to be delicious! But since I'm dealing with the UN, I'll spend more time in the office and less time with my family hence leading to break-ups.

2. An interpreter for Russian immigrants in the United States - Hmm, not bad. I've always heard that interpreters are paid like lawyers without the bribery and corruption. Mom's boyfriend (who works for an airline company in Seattle) said that Russian speakers are high in demand. Then again I don't even have my own passport yet.

3. A translator for books - Yeah, right. I don't know even know any Russian novelists. And the classical literature of Russia has long been translated by professionals.

4. Migrate to Russia and find a job there - Culture shock, environment adjustments and application for permanent citizenship. No thank you.

So maybe the very reason why I want to learn Russian is for my own self-amusement and fulfillment. Nothing to benefit from it in other aspects. Oh well. Good thing I wrote about it in the first place.

And since I'm half-Chinese, I might as well prioritize this. After all I already have it! =)

Ultimate Chinese (Mandarin) - Beginner-Intermediate

Living Language

Hah! I've decided I'll just import some posts I find interesting from my new blog to this blog. Kinda like a mirror image.

Blessings

Buong araw ng pag-agos
Kailan ang huling unos
'Di alam kung tatakbo
Kusang lalayo sa 'yo
-Up Dharma Down, Pag-agos

Hey, I did say I'd still post once in a while! Maybe at least once a month will do.

I just thought I'd share this text message I received here in my blog. It sure is an eye-opener. Of course I edited it slightly since you know how cramped up txt msging is.

Think.

If you have food, clothes and a home, you're richer than 75% of the world's population.

If you have some money in the bank, you're among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If you woke up healthy this morning, you're more blessed than the one million who won't be surviving this week.

If you have experienced peace and freedom, you're ahead of 500 million in the world.

If you can read this post you're more blessed than over two billion people who can't read at all.

Always thank God for what you have.

I've learned to overlook my burdens and count my blessings. In fact I have to be thankful that I'm alive.