mY pErFeCtEd oZ wOrLd

Are you familiar with these places, Emerald City, Munchkin Land, Haunted Forest, Witches Castle, and Apple Orchard? Exactly! These are the fictional places from the famous fantasy tale “The Wizard of Oz”.

First written in 1939 by L. Frank Baum, the said story/movie has enthralled many children from different parts of the world. Having been a child, I too was fascinated by this. The underlying political and social issues and icons in the story seem to have caught my attention the most. We all know that in this tale, there are three flawed characters, tinman, scarecrow, and the cowardly lion. Along with the main character, Dorothy, they journeyed to find the remedy to their perceived imperfections/handicapping conditions.


Scarecrow. This straw-stuffed creature desires to have a brain that will make him a man, capable of reason. In the book, the Scarecrow's head (which is filled with straw) was emptied, and replaced with a mixture of bran, pins and needles and straw to hold it in place. He was made to believe that he’ll be a great man for he got this “bran-new brain”. Sure, he got this “brain” but could he put it into good use, or if not, simply use it wisely/rightfully? I mean not all brainy/smart people are successful as most of them are usually minimalist(nice one Gil!). While those people whom we call unsmart/ less smart yet diligent, amazingly, yield gold for they know how to maximize the use of their limited time and resources.

Tinman. This rusting fellow was encouraged to join the journey in hope of acquiring a heart. He argues with the scarecrow believing that brains do not make one happy for the heart does. For him, happiness is the best thing in the world, and having a heart would complete his existence. The wizard fulfilled the tinman’s desire by cutting a hole in his breast, putting a red satin heart stuffed with sawdust into it, and finally patching it with the use of a soldering iron. It’s funny how one could believe such a crazy idea; producing a heart and having someone believe that this man-made heart could make him feel the ever so wonderful feeling we call love. Let’s say we got this heart, and we got this love…but are we careful enough not to break another person’s heart? A heart is made to love, it’s true, but we should also remember that it is made to be loved. Most people have this flawed perception that love waits. Indeed, true love waits and it transcends boundaries but it also has its saturation point. We’re all humans; susceptible to stress and weariness. No matter how much we love someone, eventually we’ll grow tired of understanding and compromising, then give up. Lesson learnt? Treasure what you have before it withers.

Lion. Ironically, this beast appeared to be a coward. He roars at animals to scare them off but does nothing to harm them. I mean he’s just using his “being a lion” to stress power not realizing that power is not equivalent to courage. Thus, making him a powerful coward. Upon hearing about the magical land of Oz and its wonders, the lion thought of going with Dorothy and the rest to obtain courage. He believes that his life is simply unbearable without a bit of courage. To fulfill its heart’s desire, the wizard gave the lion a green drink that would give him courage. A common misconception about courage: courage=power + superiority. Many people are blinded by power and fame, and is delighted by the thought of being on top of another person. They believe that when some person is scared of them, it is because they’re valiant. They don’t realize that using power over the little ones is the biggest weakness one could ever have. Further, courage is not only about being physically strong, it’s also about being emotionally stable; having the guts to live dangerously.

Imperfections are part of being human. Life isn't perfect, and so are the people living it. But let's not forget that there are plenty of rooms for improvement, and that it's never too late to change. Opportunities are given to those deserving but these things only come once in our lives. Hence, letting it slip away would mean another bag of regret. You wouldn't want that, would you?

You, my friend, are a victim of disorganized thinking. You are under the unfortunate impression that just because you run away you have no courage; you're confusing courage with wisdom.

sLiPsTrEaM

kaboosh! been there, done that? a bump is never too hard to forget, huh? sure thing. scars of a lifetime and memoirs of twinges. whoosh! who could, who would?

trips, slips, falls, call it whatever. the common denominator? pain. there again, this thing is so irresistible. my golly! i wish Nevermore (you know the shadow fiend?) would just go to outer space. at least there he could be invi. oh well. but you know what? my friend is not that evil after all. as every thing in this world is neutralized, and so is he. and when he is, he creates this friendly atmosphere of learning.

things happen for a reason, do you believe that too? i do. without pain, without struggles, life would definitely be dull. as i have been telling every emo person i know, and to myself as well, life is not perfect but instead it’s beautiful. we may be in the face of hell today, but tomorrow is yet another day. thus, we should remain positive. keep the hope, my friend, it’s free. remember Newton's third law of motion? “for every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction”. indeed, the adversities we face are simply the products of our own doings. hence, the choice on reversing things up is on us. what’s important here is that we learn. it doesn’t matter if we got it the easy way or the hard way.

experience makes us better people, tough enough to resist breakage. so if you’re still feeling grumpy about how doomed or miserable your life has become, think of the things I have just said. :) and in case i'll forget them too, please remind me. :D

bAreLy bReAtHiNg

Now Playing: The City is Far From Here by Aiden

Next on the Play list: Still Searching by Silverstein

A cloud of fear, and a face without a name? Hate and pain in a twin pack sachet? Dare to live it? I bet not.

Every person in this world desires a life of bright colors. Something like that of the rainbow. But life isn’t perfect, and it can’t be. Let’s face it. Life is beautiful; it’s sexy. It may be a little bent or even twisted but that doesn’t make a big difference. It’s still worth living. Just hang on it and it won't fail. Hope and prayers are the answer. :D (oops..add shopping to the list! the top effective and immediate remedy).

The interesting thing [ding! lol.] here is the ironically, baffling reality about life. In life, people wish for things they can’t have. Yet, often, what they get is what they don’t need. They do what’s forbidden, and regret every single slip taken.

Life can't get any harder. It's already 98% knotty and 2% ecstatic. These figures can vary from time to time but more often than not, it's like that. c: There, too much pressure can cause heart attack, so keep things light. Drink San Mig Light! weh?! corny. So what are you waiting for? Kick that emotional tension off your way, and shake that booty. Throw a party! A little alcohol won't hurt. It could, in fact, restore hormonal balance. Got that from the expert! wahaha! :))

Last Song on the List: If All Else Fails by Matchbook Romance

tUrMoiL: a cRiTiCiSm

A government should work for its citizens. Its primary responsibility is to ensure the welfare of its constituents. Any affair a government would be involved in would have an effect on the people they govern. Thus, a government should be capable and credible in managing the intricacies of governance like providing security and livelihood. As such, a government who can wield their authority and power effectively is assured of unwavering support from the people they serve. The people would manifest love for their life, their countrymen, and their government.

But in the Philippines now, go out and ask a person on the streets what they value most and they would probably answer that they want a good life for their families. BY this, they mean a stable life (which could be translated into having three-meals daily at the very least), and a future for their children. With the present state of governance in the country, a layman would ask and desire only things for his own and never about the government. Though there are still who believe in the strength of the government to rule things in the country , many have given faith on their own ways instead of on the government meeting their needs. Needless to say, the government has taken care of (petty) squabbles instead of prioritizing its constituents' concerns which has led to a serious power struggle for a few, and political apathy and frustration for many. But more than it being a cause of low political effficacy, the present political situation is a result of years, even decades, of jostling for position of different groups and individuals in the government to protect and advance nothing but only political interests. All under the cloak of nationality and service.

The elderly would say, in a tone fearful and hopeful, overwhelmingly confident, yet suspect, perhaps really confused, that they are fortunate to have experienced this turmoil while they are already old. At least, they say, their years are numbered so they would only just sufffer for a short time. But they ask, what about the children? What about those of still simple mind and heart? The young ones who would probably live at least 50 more years (oh yes, i hope!)? How would they face the present volatile socio-political environment the Philippines has for them? They are without a sturdy foundation to live. No livelihood and worse no education. The most essential thing that the government could have given them is instead neglected. Their future is written not on paper, not on something permanent, not on something accepted in legal transactions, but on old and tattered plywood, rusty g.i. sheets and scrap; the very things that make up their present homes, just like their future, are flimsy and scrawny. One strong wind and their lives would end up in shambles. They write with rocks, cement as canvass, everything can easily be erased, can easily be forgotten. A future built on these will easily wilt away, all because their leaders are engrossed in bringing down political adversaries.

[a product of awareness; c'mon people let's all watch the news, and be involved!]

LiFe, oH LiFe! :p

Life on Earth is temporary…Things come and go… Things change. Life can be easy yet it could also be extremely difficult to live. Indeed! All of us agree with this, I suppose. But what could life be beyond these four letters? A lot of truths about life have already been written but as for me, LIFE=PLAY. By this, I mean two things. Play as a GAME, and Play as a PERFORMANCE.

A GAME; life is a game of survival. Rules are set out for us, and it’s up to us to follow or to break away. We may find the game awfully hard but that’s how it was made to be. The challenge lies in its intricacy, remember? And, and…giving up would only make us losers so better yet fight to the very end. There’s no such thing as perfect but there’s this thing we call beauty. We don’t need to see life as something infallible for it’s a masterpiece with a speck. O_o Like in a real game, life has its ups and downs. You don’t always score a point, do you? And this game, I forgot to tell everyone, is a team game. We have our buddies and our foes. We cannot expect everyone to be on our side. We need to have people to battle against and to prove ourselves to. After all, life is all about living to fight and fighting to live, am I right? Hahaha! Enough of the rhymes. :p

A PERFORMANCE; life is an ongoing stage play/ theatrical performance. We are directors, actors, and scriptwriters in one. What else can I say? We’re all talented individuals, huh? :D Every day that we face, is a scene that we create. We shape our own lives. We can, and we do, make things happen. But if that’s the case, why then do we sometimes tend to blame other people and the Lord above for the melancholic lives that we have? Aren’t we satisfied by the simple joys life brings to us? Poor souls! We don’t realize how God made this LIFE beautiful for us. We look for things beyond our reach that we tend to overlook the little things that make life worth living. And since the said stage play is ongoing, there’s no rewind or fast forward. We live with the present yet look at the past for learning, and at the future for vision. Great, great! *to be continued, im sleepy*

mAn aNd aRt

The Renaissance era was a great shift in the way people viewed art. Everything people know about art, the reason why they do it, their approach, changed dramatically at the birth of this age. Art was revolutionized. At the onset, the change, as with the other new ideas introduced, was met with either hostility, for the Renaissance was not only a change in art but in science and philosophy as well. Traditional viewpoints, belief systems, were challenged, put into question, and eventually disregarded. The change was significant since it claimed that the focal point of art and science was man, not God. It's number one proponent, Leonardo Da Vinci, the Renaissance man himself proved himself "correct" by making advances in art, philosophy, and science and technology. All in all, he defined not only science, but also most importantly art and philosophy. Since art cannot be separated from philosophy, he didn't only contribute to the advancement of then unacceptable views, but altered the conventional at the same time.

One could have a completely opposite view of this, but since the shift of ideas focused on man, whether a particular stance is right or wrong, only the individual can judge. Therefore, he is the center of his own views. And in this scenario, man himself is the definition of art. Art is man. His values, his hurts, his pains, joys, experiences, and thoughts are of utmost importance. Unlike traditional values wherein God or the divine is the one who defines art (and philosophy), man now is at the very core of art. He is one with art. Without him, art will not exist. The Vitruvian man, though a sketch made by Da Vinci for his scientific studies, is a perfect embodiment of how art could be defined. Man is at the center of the universe, of the affairs of this world. Moreover, art is not an extension of man. But instead, art could be his very heart, his mind, his soul. It could even be his hands, because he could do great things with it; his feet for he could travel, even transcend beyond great boundaries. Art could also be his voice, for he could speak a great deal of words, sharing his ideas. It could be his most private parts, bringing sensation, ecstacy. Art is he. Whoever he is in life is, what he is, is art.

poLaRiTy

Several theories about how birth order affects people's personalities have been laid down and examined. A few of which have been considered valid for numerous reasons. Below is a summary of Adler's theory:

First born/ Only child:

• are in danger of acquiring perfectionistic or people-pleasing behaviors as parents set high expectations for them.
• tend to be quite confident, controlling, diligent and mature.
• over-achievers, though not all.
• they are guided by a need to do the right thing and strives to make a difference in society.
• also experience being de-throned when younger siblings come along.
• like being the center of attention.
• often has difficulty sharing with siblings and with peers.

Middle born:

• may develop great social skills and have an easier time growing up with an other-centered point of view.
• knows what he or she is doing and tends to become very intelligent in their efforts to gain attention from siblings.
• usually quite talented, and their quest for perfection against their siblings can lead them to discover new and unlooked-for qualities, musically, academically, and theoretically.

Last born:

• is viewed as the party animal, the entertainer who is unafraid to test his or her luck.
• an endearing, delightful friend.

These qualities vary of course; they do not apply to every person in this world. We are unique beings, with different strengths and limitations. Thus, we need not have to rely on this list. This is just a guide. The choice is still on us. It's up for us to know how we could best relate to new people (or even to our dear old friends).

So what then is the point of this matter if this is just a theory and is not applicable to every one and to every situation? Hahaha! I just realized something...

Our differences make us at odds/ at ease with each other. These things either bring us together or tear us apart, which makes adjustment an extreme necessity. As much as we hate CHANGE, we have to deal with it. Changing does not necessarily mean becoming a different person altogether. It simply means adjusting rightfully to a situation as conflict arises.

Truly, change is inevitable and necessary. We just have to make sure that it is done with a legitimate reason, and with prudence. Before making any decision (big or small, short-term or long-term), we should look at both sides of the equation for we might have missed doing something very important (wrong position of the decimal point or an error in multiplication), which could lead us to the wrong solution and final answer. ;D

Hate it or love it. We are born this way...Come one, come all. Let's all make a difference! :)