Bulongbulongan with Tita Bee

Sinulog Celebration by Pin@ys Abroad

2011-01-16T21:55:00.008+01:00

(Photo taken from Sinulog

Walang katapusan pagdiriwang. Katatapon pa lang ng mga Christmas
trees ay kasunod na ang mga masasayang araw ng Karnival dito sa
Alemanya. Hindi di naman nahuhuli ang ating mga communities.
Bukod sa walang hupay na mga pribadong sayawan, fund-raising
galas, birthday brunches ay abala din ang mga maraming kababayan
sa paghahanda ng isang unang malaking pagdiriwang sa buwan ng
Enero - ang Sinulog na kung saan ay ipinagdiriwang din ang Mahal
na Santo Nino.
Nagtanong ako sa mga ilang kababayan kung ano ang tingin nila
sa mga nangyayaring pagdiriwang ng Sinulog dito sa Europa ng
mga kababayan.
Here are two views on the celebration of Sinulog in Europe:

Sinulog "Festival" in Europe is just one of the many Filipino celebrations/festivities celebrated by Filipinos in Europe and
around the world just like Santacruzan etc. This Festival honors
the child Jesus (Santo Ninyo), patron of Cebu. It is a ritual
(dance)commemorating Cebuanos pagan origin and their acceptance
of christianity.
I am not really a fan of this celebration but most of us consider
this as an important spiritual event.
Your question boils down to the necessity of creative litury.
Is creative liturgy really necessary? Does it work? Does it connect?
Creative liturgy is, of course for me as an Asian, a great development
in our church...some don't like it because it creates chaotic ambience
and lacks the order that it deserves. But then again, it is always
a question against good taste and "perhaps" doctrine...how is
creative litury being done? Does it rhyme to the normal flow of
the liturgy? Does it integrate well?
Sinulog dance can be integrated to the liturgical flow during
entrance, offertory, and recessional, thus making the liturgy
creative.It also corresponds to the celebration of the day. But if
the dancing is nonstop from, i.e., entrance to recessional, then
that's too much craze.
Otherwise it is OK and sinulog only happens once a year (3rd sunday
of January)I hope thats Ok, im not a liturgist though.
Shared by one Jan de Lina.

Another view by one Jun delos Santos

Actually Sinulog dance is a pagan ritual dance and I still remember
that most of the church authorities in the Basilica del Sto.Nino
even banned it during the feast of Sto.Nino. It was not observed
until Cardinal Rosales tolerated it to be danced only after the mass!!
In 1984, Cebu Tourism Director Boy Odilao created the Sinulog
Festivities outside the Basilica to lure more tourists to Cebu which
the church autorities at that time criticised due to the secular
character of the festival;(sometimes dancers were dressed like
GO-GO dancers and tourists joined the festivities as if they were
attending carnival in RIO.)
The fact that Sinulog doesnt really reflect the real prehistoric
essence of the whole ritual(prehispanic Sugbu was a matriarchal in
religious aspects) made some critics more skeptical about the festival.
Nowadays the Provincial Government of Cebu even hold Beauty
Pageant to culminate the event. Many Filipinos still do a pilgrimage
to Sto.Nino and at the same time enjoy the Sinulog festivities.
Now regarding our diaspora Pinoy communities celebrating Sinulog
here, most of them really does not know the real meaning of the
feast.
Kaya nga halo-halo na lang ang mga sayaw!

Pit Senyor!

The Martin Nievera Show in Phantasialand, Bruehl

2010-06-06T09:40:00.009+02:00

We learned about the concert as early as February and we reserved
tickets so we could all be seated in one table for the concert.
Ticket costs 50Euro with buffet without drinks.
In one recent brunch with women friends, Bettie gave us info
leaflet about the concert and we found out it was not
Matin Nievera's show only but it was a search for Queen of Globe Asiatique...whatever.
Too late to return the tickets? Sige na nga, ituloy na rin,
pakikisama. At may live disco music pa with the local talent
Ms. Pearl McRay plus chances to win fabulous prizes and if you
buy many tombola tickets,you might be the lucky winner of
one unit house in St. Monique Valais...kung saan man eto.
So nagsimula ang struggle sa entrance pa lang ng Phantasialand.
In the meantime, my eyes were feasting on the attractive
semi-formal attire of many Pinays.
Siguro nahirapan din silang magbihis kanina tulad ko na walang
magkasya ng damit kaya "kahit paano look ang fashion...basta
may glitter dyan, cowboy boots to go with crocheted dress and
lots of flesh to show.

Vicky commented that I was wearing my red shirt to match my
intention...mamula...pulaera. No, I think I am not. Curious lang
ako kung saan nanggaling ang mga idea ng mga ilang kababaihang
magbihis para mapansin sila. Interesting observation.
As usual, puro kababaihan at ilang ilang mga puting lalakeng
kasama.
May advantage yun kakilala mo yun nasa takilya kasi hindi
na pumila si Victoria para kuhanin yun mga reserved tickets
for us. Kailangan mo lang ng guts to overtake the long waiting
lines. Mabait naman ang mga Pinays kasi walang nagreklamo na
una sila sa linya.
Eto na ang eksena sa loob ng Phantasialand Wuze Town...
Impressive naman ang table arrangement pati na ang
buffet stands scattered all over the Wuze hall...but where
are the people? Lo...may isang separate dark hall naman
with rows of seats now almost all occupied. Maingay, mabango.
Duon sa dapat na upuan daw namin ay may mga nakapwestong
mga magagandang Pinays all in black cocktail dresses na ayaw
umalis duon sa mga reserved seats namin kasi daw walang reservation.
Okey lang. We went out of the "Buchi Hall" to look for free
table together with other Pinays who could not get their
supposed reserved at row P. Swerte naman namin kasi may
free seats pa at malapit din sa buffet table. Habang sa
loob ng Buchi Hall ay tuloy tuloy ang ingay, musika,
announcements, sales campaign yata on buying real property
sa Pilipinas, may nagsabi sa amin na open na daw ang buffet.
How to get the food without losing our place? So we took
turns in fetching our booty and ordered our drinks. Ayan na.
Lumabas na ang mga crowd sa "Buchi" Hall and you could imagine
the atmosphere. I ended up getting first my dessert as ther
was no chance in getting the Veal Ramp with celery mashed
potatoes, Zander fillet in wine sauce, Fried chicken, Sherrsauce
Bisi, and Vegetable selection.

Yvonne got us rice noodle with Pok Choi, baby corn, ginger and
pork, carrots, leeks. ..and we began to enjoy our dinner,
eating out the frustration of not getting the front row of seats
for the concert. Then suddenly, we heard screaming in the hall
and saw a swirling object running on the decorative tracks
on the ceiling of the hall, just above our table.
Ay sos...rollercoaster hall pala tong Wuze Hall. Talking about
enjoying Wed pasta, white wine and in between anxiously looking
up that none of this rolling coaster fall on our table.
Stress with enjoyment. At least we had a table. I saw one Pinay
in black cocktail dress eating her noodle with chopsticks
while walking. Mga champion talaga tayo sa adaptation sa
situation.
Well, the show? Sa tingi ko naman, enjoy to the limit ang
mga kababayans to the boredom of some of their companions
who could not understand the reason for the laughters and
screamings. Eto yun kulturang Pinoy na katatawanang mula sa
salitang baklese, sa public pagtatawanan o insulto na hindi
natin masabi kung hindi tayo mga gay moderators. Parang okey lang]
manginsulto kasi enjoy na enjoy naman ang crowd.
Sabihin niyang parang curtina yun gown ng isang contestant
or para siyang sagala siya sa Santacruzan, tawanan...o yun isang
Pinay na nagumpisa sa Of course...at duon natapos yun salitang
English kasi hindi na nadagdagan yun sagot sa salitang English,
o yun isang contestant na sumagot na may Kondomeneyom...tawanan
uli. Sigawan, tawanan, di bale enjoy naman tayong lahat.
Kulturang Pinoy talaga.
Finally, in the midst of the screaming and publc mobbing
of the beauty contestants, the star of the show came out.
Martin as a professionaol concert singer knew this kind of crowd
pero at one point sinabi yata niya na ang ingay dito! Pity hindi
niya kinanta yun theme song ng isang tv drama na pinapanood ko
habang ako ay nasa Italia nuon isang taon.
Ikaw ang aking Pangarap.
Well, the noisy beauty contest was still in progress when Martin
started signing his sold cds at the side of the stage where
we found empty seats intended for the beaty contestants.
And so I was able to observe this boyish looking concert star
in his element. Smiling all time, exchanging hellos,
posing, asking the names of the Pinays who bought
his cds, writing, smiling and letting be hugged and kissed by
fans who could not contain the joy of seeing this Nirvana, rather
Nievera in person in Germany. May isa pa ngang Pinay na after
getting her digitalized photo with Martin gave him a folded
Euro bill (ten Euro yata)and Martin caught surprised, I'm sure
embarassed at the situation, asked her, Ano to? No, No, NO,quickly
returned the folded bill to the Pinay. He friendly hugged her back
and I thought..hmmmm, a nice gesture from the star of the concert.
At this point, I asked him as challenged by another FB friend to ask
him why he does not run for the Senate. He acknowledged the joke
with his charming boyish smile.
Ano kaya ang sinasabi niya pagbalik niya sa kaniyang hotel?
Anyway, I was not able to ask him if his grand grand mother
the sister of my grand-grand mother. Maybe there would be another
chance to meet him without the noise and the antics of this insulting
enteraining gay moderator. Pero that's kulturang Pinoy, too.
How far do we go in accepting that's part of our culture we
could be proud of?
Kanya kanyang pagtingin yan.

2010-06-06T09:39:00.001+02:00

Exporting the Image...Typical ba tong ganito?

2010-04-25T19:18:00.013+02:00

Sa wakas nakabisita uli sa Keukenhof! Natiyempo naman maganda din
ang panahon ng weekend nato sa NL, kaya sabi ko, sige na nga will
visit the place kahit solo flight na lang...no friends...hubby ay out
of question na sumama kasi sa tingin ko lang ay aabutin to ng inis
kung ang daming tao at puro tulips lang ang habol ko para, of course,
mapost sa bagong hobby na social working sa Face Book.
Ticket per person is 14Euro. More info, please click on this
Keukenhof

If you could avoid it, don't visit on weekends as the place could really
get so crowded you would hardly have time to meditate on the beauty
of each tulip and there are thousands and thousands of them in
this haven of spring flowers.

Well, kasi nga visiting Holland lang for a few days kaya napilitan
din pumunta ng weekend at sa tutuo lang, akala ko hindi na puedeng
makapasok ang bus na sinasakyan ko sa traffic at sa daming bus
na nakaparada sa parking space.
Tong taon na to, ang thema ay "From Russia with Love" at ang pinaka-
malaking attraction ay yun mosaic of colorful flowers of Saint Basil's
Cathedral. And of course, sang katutak din na mga Russian speaking
visitors ang nakasama ko sa walang katapusang paggala sa Keukenhof.
Pero walang sinabi ang mga to sa saya at ingay ng isang wika na
malayo pa ay alam ko nang taga atin. Malayo pa rin ay alam ko nang
galing sa bansa ko...isang grupo ng mga mahihilig sa boots na nga
Asian women at nagsasabing "o picture, picture tayo" masaya,
maingay pero duon pa nagpakuha ng mga group photos na kung saan
nakalagay "Please don't step on the grass". Nang makita sila ng
garden guard at sinabihan na umalis sila...lalo nang nagingay.
Minsa parang mga bata sa saya pero sobrang ingay hindi na yata
nakakatuwang tignan. Gusto mo agad lumayo pang ganitong tipo ng
mga visitors ang makakasama mo.
Nang mapaalis ang grupo ng mga maiingay na pinay, may sumunod
naman uli para magphoto session duon sa bawal na lugar. Napansin
sila din ng isang babaeng "garden guard" at sinabihan "please don't
step on the grass."
Sa inis ko tuloy, nasabihan ko ang grupong to...ano ba naman kayo,
nakasulat dyan na don't walk on the grass, tuloy pa din kayo...
nakakahiya kayo! Sagot agad nuong isang Pinay na nahuli...hindi
daw sila yung grupong yun! Ang ibig siguro niyang sabihin, hindi
sila yun isang grupong napasin at pinaalis. Bagong dating lang
sila, bagong di pagsunod sa park regulation. Saan ba kayo galing
sa atin mga Ineng?
Aywan ko ba mukhang tong Linggo to ay araw ng bi-national
relationships at maraming mga Asian women ay kasamang
namamasyal ang kanilang mga European partners. May isang Asian
na babae na kasama yata yun kaniyang puting photographer at siya
ay laging nakapose kadikit ang mga tulips.
Tiyak ipakikita sa kanila ang ganda ng Europa at tiyak na
may magsasabing "Ay ang sarap naman niya...ang swerte naman"
at tiyak dadami uli ang mga bisitang Pinay sa Keukenhof...
siguro dapat sa susunod ang regulation ay sa wikang Pin@y na...
susunod kaya tayo?

November 25, VAW, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

2008-11-25T11:35:00.003+01:00

Today, in observance of the International Day for the Elimination
of Violence Against Women, we would like to inform the public
about the disappearance of a Filipina named Lotis Kohl,
a native of Cebu, who is missing since April 2007 in Cologne,
Germany. The circumstances of her disappearance implicating
Lotis Kohl's husband Siegfried K. together with his twin sister
and her husband led the police to suspect murder.
Court hearing about her case is still in progress. We fervently
hope that Lotis Kohl be found and that the people responsible
for her disappearance be punished.

A Forwarded Email/News: A World Without the Filipinos

2008-09-15T10:12:00.003+02:00

Received this forwarded email early this morning.

Sana naman mas maraming balita ganito at hindi puro
nakakasakit na lang ng mga puso natin.

An Invitation to the International Festival in Bonn

2008-08-27T20:29:00.003+02:00

Internationales Begegnungsfest
spielend verstehen
6.September 2008, 13-21 Uhr
Freizeitpark Rheinaue Bonn

For detailed information please click:
www.bonn.de

Dreaming about the Cup

2008-06-08T14:43:00.006+02:00

Our first private viewing of the Euro Games. No restaurant,no public
viewing as I am on my 5th day of fasting. Portugal vs Turkey.
"Who is your team?" hubby asked.
"Turkey," I answered.
"Okey, I am for Portugal and wish 2:0 for the team."
"Well, let me see first which team has the most cute players," I added.
We were watching and hearing the moderators naming the players
when it came to my mind suddenly this thought:would it be
entertaining if one day a Philippine team could make it to the
World Cup one day?
Not to the European Cup unless we migrants in Europe could create
our own state someday and apply for EU membership.
My own dream Philippine team would be called Football Pinakbet and
the players would be the following:
1. Bago-Ong, Pete
2. Ampalaya, Renato
3. Talong, Andy
4. Okra, Adonis
5. Luya, Dong
6. Camatis, Angelo
7. Sibuyas, Antonio
8. Liempo, Lito
9. Asin, Jack
10.Bawang, Rey
11.Sitsaron, Danny
The reserved boys will be then called:
1. Picadillo, Mario
2. Laing, Michael
3. Cueta, Ryan
4. Callos, John Paul
5. Rebosado, Camaron, Jr.
6. Cubana, Aaron
7. Budbud, Ramon
8. Pata, Chris
9. Humba, Gary
10. Labahita, Orly
11. Biko, Vic
Extra Goal Keeper
Dinuguan, Embotido, Jr.

I would be very delighted if you know anyone
who has such a delicious name and let me touch
base with him.
Meanwhile, I am thinking of cutting short
my yearly Fasting to see the games in Italian
restaurants. Salvatore, here we come!

Tita Bee

Hip Hop de Mayo

2008-06-01T02:00:00.003+02:00

Instead of Flores de Mayo to mark the end of May, we celebrated
another birthday party enjoying burgers and hot dogs and
all mixed goodies from Oriental Bulgur to Thai eggplant salad.
It was strictly a kids'party with some adults helping themselves
with the patties and chocolate cakes.
A surprise hip hop number came from Vanessa Z. to the
birthday celebrant Antonia Marikit.
Will we ever learn how to move like that. Yo!

I wanna run to you

2008-05-28T01:00:00.005+02:00

I know that when you look at me
There's so much that you just don't see
But if you would only take the time
I know in my heart you'd find
A girl who's scared sometimes
Who isn't always strong
Can't you see the hurt in me?
I feel so all alone

I wanna run to you (oooh)
I wanna run to you (oooh)
Won't you hold me in your arms
And keep me safe from harm
I wanna run to you (oooh)
But if I come to you (oooh)
Tell me, will you stay or will you run away

Each day, each day I play the role
Of someone always in control
But at night I come home and turn the key
There's nobody there, no one cares for me
What's the sense of trying hard to find your dreams
Without someone to share it with
Tell me what does it mean?

(chorus)

I need you here
I need you here to wipe away my tears
To kiss away my fears
If you only knew how much...

(chorus)

Original Song by Whitney Houston
Lyrics Source: www.lyrics007.com

Thanks to Cecil Centeno for sharing with us
this romantic song in one of our Karaoke meetings.
With this special song Run to You...we would like
to run to Fr. Jun (not because we want to ask for
utang)but to wish him Happy Birthday today, 28th of May.
Good Luck, Good Health, God Bless You!

Austria: "What is going wrong in this land?"

2008-04-29T11:46:00.009+02:00

Source:www.cnet.de

Austria - the image I have since I saw this film "The Sound of Music"
breathtaking view of mountains,laughing brooks and hills alive with
the sound of music as the song goes...pure idyll!

Austria - brings to my mind Beautiful Blue Danube by Johann Strauss,
our traditional yearly watching of Vienna New Year's Concert.

Austria means Mozart, his music and his now famous souvenirs
a must for every tourist...Mozart balls and other temptations
like the world's most famous cake - Sacher-Torte and Kaiserschmarrn
also known as the "emperor's mishmash".

Austria stands for Vienna Cafes where historically intellectuals
used to meet and maybe enjoy Viennese Apfelstrudel and Vienna sausage.

Austria stands for Sigmund Freund and his redefinition of
sexual desire and of course, the now famous "freudian slip".

(But not to forget, Hitler was also an Austrian and I personally
can not forget his date of birth as he has the same birthday
like my mother!)

So what is going wrong in this beautiful land?

All these beautiful images tarnished by this monster Josef F.
and his criminal doings against his own daughter.

And the most asked question...How come no one has noticed?
Not even his own wife???

How can she not notice it? Ask many Filipinas who call
their husbands to lunch or dinner and if they do not appear
at the table after the second call they would be screaming
and checking what they are doing in the cellar!!!

The question will remain...what is going wrong in
this beautiful land?

Pinay Jokes

2008-04-15T11:46:00.005+02:00

Got this forward from a dear friend in Manila. So if you
have not received it, here's a copy to ease a bit of
the daily stress you have. Have a big good laugh!
I have seen some of them patched in some other emails
but reading them again gives me such liberating laughs.

Break Muna!

Misis : Darling, ano ang tawag sa isang asawa na sexy, maganda,
hindi selosa, mapagmahal,masipag, mapagkalinga, masarap magluto?
Mister: Guni-guni!

TANONG: Paano mo sasabihin sa isang babae na mataba siya nang
hindi siya mababastos?
SAGOT: "Uhm, excuse me, miss...Mang Tomas ba ang lotion mo?"

Aanhin ko ang napakalaking bahay, mamahaling sasakyan,
milyun-milyong kayamanan, at masasarap na pagkain kung ang
kapit-bahay ko ang may-ari ng mag iyun?!

Nanay: Ano 'tong malaking zero sa test paper mo?
Anak : Hindi po 'yan zero, 'Nay. Naubusan lang ng star ang teacher ko
kaya binigyan niya ako ng moon! Moon la ng 'yan,'Nay, promise!

Mga sikat na salawikain:

Better late than pregnant.
Kapag may tiyaga, good luck!
Aanhin pa ang damo...kabayo ba ako?
Do unto others, then, run! Run! Run!
Ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika ay lumaki sa ibang bansa.

Guro: Sino si Jose Rizal?
Juan: Di ko po kilala.
Guro: Ikaw Pepe?
Pepe: Di ko rin po kilala..
Guro: Di nyo kilala si Jose Rizal?
Pedro: Ma'm, baka po sa kabilang section sya!

Husband: Kung di ako makaligtas sa operasyon ko bukas,
ikaw na sana ang bahala sa lahat-lahat. ..
I LOVE YOU!
Wife: Tumigil ka! wala pang namamatay sa TULI!

Boy: Di na tuloy ang kasal natin
Girl: Bakit?!
Boy: Kuya mo kasi eh!
Girl: Hindi no! Gusto ka ng Kuya ko!
Boy: Yun nga eh...gusto ko rin ang kuya mo!

BALIW (tumawag sa mental hospital):
Hello...may tao po ba sa Room 168?
Telephone Operator: Wala po, bakit?
Baliw: Check ko lang kung nakatakas talaga ako!

Misis: lolokohin ko mister ko, magpapanggap ako na prosti dito sa kanto.
Timing (dumaan ang mister nya...)
Misis: Pogi! available ako ngayon, pwede ka ba?
Mister: Yoko sayo...kamukha mo misis ko!

Quote for the Day...

Ang Buhay ay parang bato...it's Hard.
Love is a hidden fire, a pleasant sore, a soothing pain,
an agreeable torment, a sweet wound, in short - a gentle death!
Ang lalim! Shit! Dati Love is blind lang, eh!

Mister: Di ko na kaya problema ko!
Misis: Hon, problema natin ito, tayo ang magkasama sa buhay,
lahat ng problema mo problema ko... ano problema natin?
Mister: Nabuntis natin si Inday, tayo ang ama!

Kapag may kaaway ka, tandaan mo...dito lang ako...
dito lang talaga ako...tapos dyan ka lang,
wag kang pupunta dito! Baka madamay ako.

Prospective Employer to Applicant:
" So why did you leave your previous job?"
Applicant: " The company relocated and they did not tell me where!"

and this is my favorite:

Juan: Birthday ng asawa ko...
Pedro: Ano regalo mo?
Juan: Tinanong ko kung ano gusto niya.
Pedro: Ano naman sinabi?
Juan: Kahit ano basta may DIAMOND.
Pedro: Ano binigay mo?
Juan: Baraha.

How to Relax on Sunday, Go to a Concert

2008-04-02T02:34:00.002+02:00

Karaoke Birthday Party and Women Talks-Pre Holy Week Celebration

2008-03-17T13:51:00.003+01:00

One of those birthday celebrations happening in
Filipino communities around this world: good food, mood
and of course, karaoke evening, songs and lots of
talks in the background.
Marilyn cooked for her guests kare-kare, menudo,
adobong pata, shrimps with cashewnuts and green peas,
dinuguan, etc, etc and for desserts: wow, the ever
Filipino classical for sweet things...buco pandan,
kutsinta, varieties of kalamay and bibingka.
On the eve of Palm Sunday...we were willing to make
this big sacrifice in eating all these lovely food.
Then came the best part of the evening...karaoke.
But what a frustration as I struck out not only
with singing but also filming the highlight of
the evening when professional Filipino singers
took the mike and started belting out love songs.
Sigh!

Flash: A Forward: A Letter From Feminists on the Election

2008-03-04T23:58:00.005+01:00

A Forward: A Letter from Feminists on the Election

The Nation Posted February 27, 2008 (March 17, 2008)
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080317/feminists
Two days after the Texas debate between Hillary
Clinton and Barack Obama, a group of old friends
brought out the good china for a light breakfast of
strong coffee, blueberry muffins and fresh-squeezed
orange juice. We were there to hash out a split
that threatened our friendship and the various
movements with which we are affiliated. In some
ways it was a kaffeeklatch like a million others
across America early on a Saturday morning - but
for the fact that this particular group included
Gloria Steinem, a co-founder of the National
Women's Political Caucus; Beverly Guy-Sheftall,
director of the Women's Research and Resource Center
at Spelman College; Johnnetta Cole, chair of the
board of the JBC Global Diversity and Inclusion
Institute; British-born radio journalist Laura
Flanders; Kimberlé Crenshaw, professor of law at
Columbia and UCLA; Carol Jenkins, head of the
Women's Media Center; Farah Griffin, professor of
English and comparative literature at Columbia;
Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority;
author Mab Segrest; Kenyan anthropologist Achola
Pala Okeyo; management consultant and policy
strategist Janet Dewart Bell; and Patricia
Williams, Columbia law professor and Nation
columnist.
It was a casual gathering, but one that settled down
to business quickly. We were all
progressives but diverse nonetheless. We differed
in our opinions of whether to vote for Hillary
Clinton or Barack Obama - our goal was not an
endorsement. Rather, the concern that united us all
was the "race-gender split" playing out nationally,
in which the one is relentlessly pitted against the
other. We did not want to see a repeat of the ugly
history of the nineteenth century, when the failure
of the women's movement to bring about universal
adult suffrage metastasized into racial resentment
and rift that weakened feminism throughout much of
the twentieth century. How, we wondered, did a
historic breakthrough moment for which we have all
longed and worked hard, suddenly risk becoming
marred by having to choose between "race cards" and
"gender cards"? By petty competitiveness about who
endures more slings and arrows? By media depictions
of white women as the sole inheritors of the
feminist movement and black men as the sole
beneficiaries of the civil rights movement? By
renderings of black women as having to split
themselves right down the center with Solomon's
sword in order to vote for either candidate? What
happened, we wondered, to the last four decades of
discussion about tokenism and multiple identities
and the complex intersections of race, gender,
sexuality, ethnicity and class? We all worried
that the feminist movement's real message is not
being heard, and we thought about how to redirect
attention to those coalitions that form the bedrock
of feminist concern: that wide range of civil
rights groups dedicated to fighting discrimination,
domestic violence, the disruptions of war,
international sex and labor trafficking, child
poverty and a tattered economy that threatens to
increase the number of homeless families
significantly. We thought of all that has
happened in just seven short but disastrous years
of the Bush Administration, and we asked: how might
we position ourselves so we're not fighting one
another? Our issues are greater than any
disagreement about either candidate. We all know
that there is simply too much at stake. On the
one hand, we celebrate the unprecedented moment in
which a black person and a female person have risen
to the lead in the Democratic race for President of
the United States. On the other hand, both of them
are constantly pressed to deny their race or
gender, to "transcend" it, to prove by their very
existence that misogyny and racism no longer exist.
This, even as both are popularly and reductively
caricatured in perniciously stereotypical ways.
Clinton as a woman with balls, Obama as
"unqualified" and "grandiose,"Chelsea Clinton
being "pimped" by her mother while Bill O'Reilly
declares that Michelle Obama should be "lynched."
How do we resist such a toxic Punch and Judy show
of embattled identity, to the degree that many
women feel that a vote for Obama "cheats" Clinton
of her chance to break the glass ceiling, and many
blacks feel that a vote for Clinton is a betrayal
of the chance to break the race barrier? We
agreed that everyone needs to refocus on the big
picture. All of us know that another Republican
presidency would effectively bury the gains of both
the civil rights and the feminist movements of the
past fifty years. Judicial nominations alone could
upend decades of hard work.How, therefore, to
reclaim a common purpose, a truly democratic "we":
we women of all races, we blacks of all genders, we
Americans of all languages, we immigrants of all
classes, we Latinas of all colors, we Southerners
of all regions, we families of all ages, we parents
working three jobs without healthcare, we poor who
sleep on the streets, we single mothers whose homes
are being repossessed, we displaced New Orleanians
whose neo-Arcadian epic of displacement has yet to
resolved. "Can't we all just get along?"
could have been the mantra of this power breakfast
though certainly not forever, nor for all
purposes. Just long enough to roust the Republican
rascals: the oil barons and Enron fraudsters and
pre-emptive warmongers and sadistic torture-masters
and trigger-happy antiabortionists and Blackwater
mercenaries and the tribal extremists of various
religious stripes who seem to look forward to
Armageddon finally segregating humanity into true
believers and recalcitrant, disposable trash. In
the confusion of this triumphalist but precarious
moment, therefore, it is important that the
alliance between a now global feminism and a now
global civil rights movement not be turned against
itself and ultimately defeated. Obama and Clinton,
each a complexly archetypal "role model,"
represent, at their best, a new kind of American
possibility. If we could get over our fixation on a
fantasy that many of us hoped to see realized in
our lifetimes, maybe we could finally turn to the
issues that each of them brings to the table. We
cannot remain tangled by stereotypes that demean
with their sweeping divisiveness and historical
cliché. As we gathered up the empty plates, we
recommitted ourselves to further joint discussions
about how to attain that collective better future,
however many early mornings, late nights and urns
of coffee into the future that may take. We hope
women across America will choose to do the same.

22 Tags/One Liners for People Power Revolution Anniversary

2008-02-24T22:39:00.003+01:00

(Photo is from internet. Source is unknown.)

22 Tags/One Liners for People Power Revolution 22nd Anniversary

1. People Power Revolution
2. Edsa Revolution/Rosary Revolution
3. Tama Na, Sobra na, palitan na!
4. Defection
5. Radio Veritas
6. Cardinal Sin
7. Ang Bayan Ko
8. Laban
9. I was a part of the human barricade.
10. The revolution that surprised the world
11. The culmination of long resistance by the people
Against the 20-year running authoritarian regime of Ferdinand Marcos
12. cut and cut cleanly
13. It’s all over, Marcos flees!
14. Paoay vs Hawaii
15. Corazon Aquino
16. Restauration of Democracy
17. Amnesty
18. Social Justice
19. Elite Democracy
20. 2001 EDSA Tres, arrest of Erap
21. GMA
22. I’m the president, there’s no other!

A Love's Declaration....the making of a myth

2008-02-14T09:48:00.006+01:00

Some years ago, I received a beautiful poem written by
the nobel prize winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I suppose it is
somewhere saved in my files until I received last week
for the third time this beautiful poem asking me to share
it with friends. Angela, a dear friend asked me for a copy
and I thought why not post it on Valentine's Day despite
so much consumption and commercialization associated with
the date.
So here's the copy of this beautiful poem with a short
note that the poem was not from Marquez but written by
a Mexican ventriloquist named Johnny Welch for his puppet
named Mofles. Enjoy it

The Puppet (La Marrioneta)

If for a moment God would forget that I am a rag doll and give me
a scrap of life, possibly I would not say everything that I think,
but I would definitely think everything that I say.

I would value things not for how much they are worth but rather
for what they mean.

I would sleep little, dream more. I know that for each minute
that we close our eyes we lose sixty seconds of light.

I would walk when the others loiter;
I would awaken when the others sleep.

I would listen when the others speak, and how I would enjoy a good
chocolate ice cream.

If God would bestow on me a scrap of life, I would dress simply,
I would throw myself flat under the sun, exposing not only my
body but also my soul.

My God, if I had a heart, I would write my hatred on ice and wait
for the sun to come out. With a dream of Van Gogh I would paint on
the stars a poem by Benedetti, and a song by Serrat would be
my serenade to the moon.

With my tears I would water the roses, to feel the pain of their
thorns and the incarnated kiss of their petals...My God,
if I only had a scrap of life...

I wouldn't let a single day go by without saying to people I love,
that I love them.

I would convince each woman or man that they are my favourites
and I would live in love with love.

I would prove to the men how mistaken they are in thinking that
they no longer fall in love when they grow old--not knowing that
they grow old when they stop falling in love. To a child I would give
wings, but I would let him learn how to fly by himself. To the old
I would teach that death comes not with old age but with forgetting.
I have learned so much from you men....

I have learned that everybody wants to live at the top of the mountain
without realizing that true happiness lies in the way we climb the slope.

I have learned that when a newborn first squeezes his father's finger
in his tiny fist, he has caught him forever.

I have learned that a man only has the right to look down on another
man when it is to help him to stand up. I have learned so many things
from you, but in the end most of it will be no use because when they
put me inside that suitcase, unfortunately I will be dying.

translated by Matthew Taylor and Rosa Arelis Taylor

http://www.chatters.it/lettera_di_gabriel_garcia_marque.htm

/Testo Originale/

"Se per un istante Dio dimenticasse che sono una marionetta di stoffa
e mi regalasse un poco di vita, probabilmente non direi tutto quello
che penso, pero in definitiva penserei tutto quello che dico.

Darei valore alle cose, non per quello che valgono, ma per quello che
significano.

Dormirei poco, sognerei di più, capisco che per ogni minuto che
chiudiamo gli occhi, perdiamo sessanta secondi di luce.

Andrei avanti quando gli altri si fermano, mi sveglierei quando
gli altri dormono.

Ascolterei quando gli altri parlano, e come
gusterei un buon gelato al cioccolato!

Se Dio mi regalasse un poco di vita, vestirei in modo semplice, mi
butterei a terra al sole, lasciando allo scoperto, non soltanto il mio
corpo ma anche la mia anima.

Mio Dio, se io avessi un cuore, scriverei il mio odio sul ghiaccio, e
aspetterei che uscisse il sole.

Dipingerei con un sogno di Van Gogh sulle stelle un poema di
Benedetti, e una canzone di Serrat sarebbe la serenata che
offrirei alla luna.

Innaffierei con le mie lacrime le rose per sentire il dolore delle loro
spine, e l’incarnato bacio dei suoi petali...

Mio Dio, se io avessi un poco di vita...

Non lascerei passare un solo giorno senza dire alle persone che amo,
che gli voglio bene. Convincerei ogni donna o uomo che sono i miei
preferiti e vivrei innamorato dell’amore.

Agli uomini proverei quanto si sbagliano quando pensano che
smettono di innamorarsi quando invecchiano, senza sapere che
invecchiano quando smettono di innamorarsi!.

A un bambino gli darei le ali, però lascerei che da solo imparasse
a volare.

Ai vecchi insegnerei che la morte non arriva con la vecchiaia ma con
la dimenticanza.

Tante cose ho imparato da voi, gli uomini...

Ho imparato che tutto il mondo vuole vivere nella cima della montagna,
senza sapere che la vera felicità sta nel modo di salire la scarpata.

Ho imparato che quando un bambino appena nato stringe con il suo
piccolo pugno, per la prima volta, il dito di suo padre, lo mantiene
intrappolato per sempre.

Ho imparato che un uomo ha il diritto di guardare un altro dall’alto,
solo quando lo aiuta ad alzarsi.

Sono tante le cose che ho potuto imparare da voi, però realmente
a molto non serviranno, perché quando mi mettano dentro quella
valigia, infelicemente starò morendo."

"Si por un instante Dios se olvidara de que soy una marioneta de
trapo y me regalara un trozo de vida, posiblemente no diría todo
lo que pienso,pero en definitiva pensaría todo lo que digo.

Daría valor a las cosas, no por lo que valen, sino por lo que significan.

Dormiría poco, soñaría más, entiendo que por cada minuto que
cerramos los ojos, perdemos sesenta segundos de luz.

Andaría cuando los demás se detienen, despertaría cuando los demás duermen.

Escucharía cuando los demás hablan, y cómo disfrutaría de un buen
helado de chocolate!

Si Dios me obsequiara un trozo de vida, vestiría sencillo, me tiraría
de bruces al sol, dejando descubierto, no solamente mi cuerpo sino mi alma.

Dios mío, si yo tuviera un corazón, escribiría mi odio sobre el hielo,
y esperaría a que saliera el sol.

Pintaría con un sueño de Van Gogh sobre las estrellas un poema de
Benedetti, y una canción de Serrat sería la serenata que les ofrecería
a la luna.

Regaría con mis lágrimas las rosas, para sentir el dolor de sus
espinas, y el encarnado beso de sus pétalos...

Dios mío, si yo tuviera un trozo de vida...

No dejaría pasar un solo día sin decirle a la gente que quiero,
que la quiero.

Convencería a cada mujer u hombre de que son mis favoritos y
viviría enamorado del amor.

A los hombres les probaría cuán equivocados están al pensar que
dejan de enamorarse cuando envejecen, sin saber que envejecen
cuando dejan de enamorarse!

A un niño le daría alas, pero le dejaría que él solo aprendiese a volar.

A los viejos les enseñaría que la muerte no llega con la vejez,
sino con el olvido.

Tantas cosas he aprendido de ustedes, los hombres...

He aprendido que todo el mundo quiere vivir en la cima de
la montaña,sin saber que la verdadera felicidad está en la forma
de subir la escarpada.

He aprendido que cuando un recién nacido aprieta con su pequeño
puño,por vez primera, el dedo de su padre, lo tiene atrapado por siempre.

He aprendido que un hombre sólo tiene derecho a mirar a otro hacia
abajo, cuando ha de ayudarle a levantarse.

Son tantas cosas las que he podido aprender de
ustedes, pero realmente de mucho no habrán de servir, porque
cuando me guarden dentro de esa maleta, infelizmente me estaré muriendo."

Traduzione a cura di Patrizia Monticelli ePatrizio Perrella
da bech_ett, 10/05/01 **(da Libri e letteratura - Yahoo It**)

Another English translation follows. I wonder which one sounds better
to a native ear:

If for an instant God were to forget that I am rag doll and gifted me
with a piece of life,
possibly I wouldn't say all that I think,
but rather I would think of all that I say.
I would value things,
not for their worth but for what they mean.
I would sleep little, dream more,
understanding that for each minute we close our eyes we lose sixty
seconds of light.

I would walk when others hold back.
I would wake when others sleep.
I would listen when others talk,
and how I would enjoy a good chocolate ice cream!
If God were to give me a piece of life,
I would dress simply,
throw myself face first into the sun,
baring not only my body but also my soul.
My God, if I had a heart, I would write my hate on ice,
and wait for the sun to show.
Over the stars I would paint with a Van Gogh dream a Benedetti poem,
and a Serrat song would be the serenade I'd offer to the moon.
With my tears I would water roses,
to feel the pain of their thorns,
and the red kiss of their petals.

My God, if I had a piece of life...
I wouldn't let a single day pass without telling the people I
love that I love them.
I would convince each woman and each man that they are my favorites,
and I would live in love with love.
I would show men how very wrong they are to think that they cease
to be in love when they grow old,
not knowing that they grow old when they cease to love!
To a child I shall give wings,
but I shall let him learn to fly on his own.
I would teach the old that death does not come with old age,
but with forgetting.
So much have I learned from you, oh men...

I have learned that everyone wants to live on the peak of the mountain,
without knowing that real happiness is in how it is scaled.
I have learned that when a newborn child squeezes for the first time
with his tiny fist his father's finger,
he has him trapped forever.
I have learned that a man has the right to look down on another only
when he has to help the other get to his feet.
From you I have learned so many things,
but in truth they won't be of much use,
for when I keep them within this suitcase,
unhappily shall I be dying.

[Edited by Jacek Krankowski on August 28, 2003 2:44 AM]

Kosmetikselma...All for Rosenmontag

2008-02-04T14:24:00.000+01:00

hi malou, look how funny my hubby is...er hat ein Gedicht
enwurfen while i was with my ladies group in the cinema!

Kosmetikselma

Füße sauber, Nägel blank
Kosmetikselma Gott sei Dank.
Ob Gesichtsmassage, Maske oder Pieling,
Kosmetikselma kann das mit feeling.

Permanent Make up,das kann sie auch
sie macht es dem, der es brauch.
Manchmal sitzt sie Stunden dran,
weil Kunden forden alles dann.

Füße, Finger Kopf und Body,
manchmal auch rasierte Beine,
alles nur fürs äußerlich Reine.

Kosmetikselma arbeitet viel,
oft auch mal mobil.
Sie schnappt sich ihren Koffer,
mit dem BMW zum Kunde,
so dreht sie manche Runde.

Die Arbeit ist nicht leicht.
Oft tun ihr die Knochen weh.
Dann braucht sie das was sie selber macht:
eine Massage für Nacken und Rücken,
um Bandscheiben wieder gerade zu rücken.

Manchmal ist aber alles zu viel.
Haushalt und Familie hat sie noch,
Reisen macht sie auch.
Das ermüdet sie schon sehr.
Da muss eine andere Lösung her!

Deswegen Kosmetikselma schone dich.
Familie, Haushalt, Job in maßen:
bitte weniger schnell durchs Leben rasen!

Das sagt vor allem dir dein Mann,
der das ja alles auch schon kann.

This is really cute. We should all work that
our men write, compose love letters or
poems while we spend our time with
women friends knowing that this time
with friends are quality time. We should
encourage them to keep this hobby and hone
their hidden talents while keeping watch on
our flats and homes.

For all writing Men! Alaaf!
For all Housemen! Alaaf!
For all Women Friends! Alaaf!

Viva Colonia!

2008-02-01T22:53:00.000+01:00

Thursday, Weiberfastnacht...Cut and Kiss!

2008-02-01T13:34:00.000+01:00

To all our guests, comes the warning...don't wear
long ties and don't get surprised if women start
grabbing your ties, cut them and give you kisses...
it is Thursday, Weiberfastnacht in this region of
Carnival...when women have all the power and rights at
least to cut neckties and kiss even strangers.
This will depend, of course, on the amount of
beers consumed by some women.
My version of enjoyment, so with my friends is not
found in cutting though nor getting all the booze
to celebrate..Just have good music, good food and some
glasses of Kolsch in between. To get a cute Pinoy
who could also dance passionately is a big bonus
and if he will pay for all the booze, then he is
the most coveted, sought after Weiberfastnacht
date. Alas, true to the word, Women's Fastnacht,
we manage every year to go out without this
godly dancing partner...no neckties to cut, no
kissing!
Alaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaf!

Aaah Awitin mo at Isasayaw ko

2008-01-27T15:32:00.000+01:00

Strong Peso making the value of money transfer weak

2008-01-10T15:39:00.000+01:00

It sounds really good, finally strong peso. Hey our
economy has started so good with the new year but
I found this posting from this think-tank foundation
IBON
FYI
IBON News / January 10, 2008
DUE TO STRONG PESO: OFWS LOSE P700 PER $100 REMITTED
The strengthening peso has resulted in a sharp cut in overseas
Filipino workers’ (OFWs) incomes, costing them over P700 per $100
remitted,according to independent think-tank IBON Foundation.

From January to December 2007, the exchange rate of the peso
to the dollar has strengthened by almost fifteen percent. This means
that over the period, the family of an OFW who remitted $100 in
January were able to exchange it for P4,891. By December this had
fallen to P4,174 or a decline of P717.

Such a reduction is especially painful given the increasing prices
of basic goods and services in the country.
For example, from January to November 2007 the cost of an 11-kg
liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder increased by P76.94
to almost P600. Manila Water also recently implemented a rate
hike that will cost consumers who consume 30 cubic meters per
month an additional P60 on their bills.

“Overseas workers were forced to tighten their belts and remit
more of their income to make up for the lost value,” said
IBON research head Sonny Africa. Monthly remittances grew 26% from
P1.1 billion in January to P1.4 billion in October.

The strengthening peso and its effect on OFWs’ incomes reveals the
folly of the government’s labor export policy and its continuing
reliance on migrant workers’ remittances. (end)

The strengthening peso is one of the issues that will be discussed
at the IBON Yearend Birdtalk on January 14 at the UP Balay
Kalinaw. The media is cordially invited to attend the press briefing
on January 15 at the IBON Bookshop, 114 Timog Ave. Quezon City.
For details, please call IBON at tel. (02) 927-7059 or 927-6986.

(Ang immediate na kahulugan nito ay: Mas maraming "moneyobra" ng
mga allowance at pera sa daily needs ng mga sarileng pamilya
sa Alemanya para makapagpadala pa ng sapat na suporta duon
sa Pinas. Hindi lang yun mga tao ang nagTT and T, pati yun mga
household money kailangan tipirin, itago, palaguin, sumama pa
sa ibang paluwagan para may nakatabing pera, hanap pa ng extrang
trabaho, walang party party muna, saka na lang muna yun mga sales
after Christmas at mga iba pang stratehiya para makapagpadala ng
pera sa naiwang bansa na habang tumataas ang halaga ng salapi
lumalaki naman ang problema ng mga taong lumabas ng bansa...
hay ano ba yan?)

Tita Bee

Bless this Mansion Three Queens' Day 2008

2008-01-06T18:09:00.000+01:00

Remembering the Holy Night on December 24

2007-12-26T15:27:00.000+01:00

December 26...Boxing Day...who will clear up the stuffs?

December 8, International Day of Climate Action

2007-12-08T12:46:00.000+01:00

Ciao! Chanced on these posters today,
December 8, Saturday. Actually, I am transcribing interviews
with IT experts from India for a radio feature and before I
turn into some kind of (pili)nut for deciphering the meanings
of some spoken words,I decided to check on my long unattended blogs
which have not been updated since summer this year. I think
I have done my part in contributing to saving our dear planet
earth without going to Bali for this climate conference. I have
not been using much energy since August...see, no updates!
But today, Saturday, another date for another small
Christmas party celebration and will meet my mama manita...
hope she is generous and fun to be with and just a nice
person. She will love my gift certicate from Tchibo where
she could get her energy conserving electric blanket
and egg cooker, electric peeler, shaker, can opener
chocolate and breadmaker and what have you.
No, Tchibo does not deal yet with electric hair curlers
and electric...relaxation... chairs.
BTW, remember those T-shirts sold by Apo Hiking Society
with funny logos and one liners like:
Anong ginagamit ng mga Pilipino bago nila naimbento
ang gamit ng kandila? Electricity!
For translation, ask your NPs...nice Pinay and Pinoy
friends and neighbors.

Tita Bee

Invitation to a Philippine Summer Festival in Duesseldorf

2007-08-24T00:06:00.000+02:00

Philippinen-Forum NRW
Sommerfest 2007
Samstag, 25. August. 2007
Ev. Gemeindezentrum in Düsseldorf-Gerresheim
Programm:

Ab 12:00 Uhr: Anreise
Philippinische Erfrischungen
(kleine Speisen und Getränke)
13:00 Uhr: Ökumenische Andacht
mit Rev. Joy dela Cruz und Fr. Jun de Ocampo, SVD
in der Gustav-Adolf-Kirche

14:00 Uhr: Eröffnung des Sommerfestes

14:30 Uhr: Zeit zum Kennenlernen
Vorstellung der Aktionstische und Ausstellungen
Philippinische Speisen und Getränke

ab 15:30 Uhr: Kultur und Informationsprogramm
mit Tanzen, Musik und Liedern aus den Philippinen
Beiträge zur aktuellen Situation auf den Philippinen,
Präsentation der neuen Ausstellung "Armut unter Palmen"
Vorstellung von Nord-Süd-Projekten
Zeit für Gespräche, Diskussionen und Austausch
Lustiges Kinderprogramm

ab 19:30 Uhr Verabschiedung

20:00 Uhr Ende des Sommerfestes

20.07.2007 As good luck would have it

2007-07-20T22:33:00.000+02:00

As good luck would have it.
William Shakespeare "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

Got this forward today from another "kababata"
a childhood friend. He has found my email and since then he has
been sending me interesting stuffs and forwards. I have no idea how
he would look like today but I have with me a group photo
after we had performed a dance number during our Kindergarten days.
I could not recall what dance we performed but I still could remember
or maybe I am also imagining that we danced this
"step-close-step, step-close-step" or "heel and toe, forward
backward" sort of folk dancing.
The photo shows little girls standing in a row wearing
long gowns with butterfly sleeves while the boys were half-kneeling
in front wearing Barong Tagalog. And how cute looking these kids
are in this photo.
So when I got the forward about Anti-Ageing Diet today from my
Kindergarten classmate, that group photo suddenly flashed back to
me. From cute looking Kindergarten kids to recipients of Anti-Ageing
tips...

So here's the forward from Boy K. if you have not yet received it
from your own loop.

If AGING IS AN ISSUE WITH YOU.......READ ON.

If I want to live as long and as healthily as possible, what should
my daily menu look like? Something like this, created by
Bonnie Taub-Dix, R.D.
It's a balanced diet packed with the best anti-aging foods: colorful
fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and whole foods. And because
research has shown that reducing calories by 25 percent has
impressive anti-aging benefits, it contains around 1,700 calories
a day — about a quarter fewer calories than the National Academy
of Sciences average requirements for an active 30-year-old woman.
(If you're only as active as the average gal, then drop to around
1,500 calories by cutting the last snack.)
Use these first 3 days as your guide, then mix and match.

Day 1
Breakfast
8 oz fat-free yogurt mixed with 1/2 c raspberries
8 oz green tea

Lunch

2 c mixed greens,
1/4 c tomatoes, 1/4 c carrots,
1/4 c red cabbage,
1/3 c chickpeas, 1/3 c red beans,
1/3 c edamame, 1 oz slivered almonds, tossed with 1 Tbsp olive oil
and as much red-wine or balsamic vinegar as you'd like
1 plum
8 oz sparkling water mixed with 1/4 c pomegranate juice
and a twist of lime

Snack

A mini-sandwich: 1 slice whole-grain bread with 1 oz low-fat cheese
and 1 tsp mustard
3/4 c blueberries

Dinner

3 oz grilled wild salmon
1 c brussels sprouts and 1/2 c thinly sliced beets sautéed in
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 small sweet potato, baked
1 glass red wine

Snack

1/2 c high-fiber cereal
1 c fat-free milk
1,710 cal

Day 2
Breakfast

1 slice toasted whole-grain bread, spread with 2 Tbsp peanut butter
(or other nut butter, like almond)
3/4 c strawberries

Lunch

2 oz white turkey, 3 spinach leaves, 2 slices tomato, and
1 Tbsp mustard on 2 slices whole-grain bread
1 c red grapes
8 oz green tea

Snack

6 oz or 100-calorie pack low-fat popcorn, sprinkled with
2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Dinner

5 oz grilled albacore tuna
1/2 c whole-wheat pasta tossed with 1/2 c broccoli and
garlic to taste (about 1 clove) sautéed in 1 tsp olive oil
1 c red-leaf lettuce and 1/4 c shredded fresh beets topped
with 1 Tbsp chopped pecans and 1 Tbsp dried
cranberries, tossed with 1 tsp olive oil
1/2 pink grapefruit
1 glass red wine

Snack

3 graham crackers, topped with 2 Tbsp low-fat whipped
cream cheese and 1/4 c sliced berries of your choice

1,730 cal

Day 3
Breakfast

3/4 c high-fiber cereal
1 c fat-free milk
1/2 banana

Lunch

4-egg-white omelet with 5 spinach leaves,
1/2 c diced red peppers, and 1 slice low-fat cheese
1 small whole-wheat pita
3/4 c grape tomatoes mixed with 1/4 c diced avocado
3/4 c blackberries

Snack

1 Tbsp peanut butter on 2 whole-grain crackers
8 oz raspberry iced tea

Dinner

1 veggie burger on a whole-wheat bun
1/3 c cooked brown rice
1/3 c black beans
1 c sautéed yellow and green squash
1 c mesclun greens with 1/4c shredded carrots, topped with
1 Tbsp chopped walnuts and 1/2 c diced apple
1 glass red wine

Snack

1/2 c low-fat frozen yogurt with
5 c fresh berries of your choice

1,740 cal

While posting this forward, hubby told me that the recent
kidnapping of Giancarlo Bossi (PIME)in Payao, Zamboanga Sibugay
has ended today. He was released on this lucky day 20.07.2007.
Luck-bringing Filipino tactic. Kidnap for Kidnap. See daily bulletin
today.

Summery Tags

2007-07-16T00:58:00.000+02:00

Summertime and the living is easy
Saueregurkenzeit
Italian ice cream
summer camp
when the sun is hottest
and the days are longest
rainstorms
grill partys
candles cozily burning
garden time
summer house
summer holiday
summer job
traffic jam in the Autobahn
cafés
punks in the cities
summer sales
Halo-halo
Love Parade
CSD
cherries and all berries
tanning lotion
shades and caps
open-air-concerts
umbrella and sweaters
fan
eau de cologne
season of B.O.
bikes
cabrio
rollerskates
trip to the zoo
fruit salad
flea markets
summer love
summer wedding
FKK season
daylight saving time
Ozone alert
Sommerloch

Cologne Lights

2007-07-15T01:51:00.000+02:00

If you are planning to visit Cologne, check the calendar for the
summer activities to get the most of your visit. Kölner Lichter or
Cologne Lights is one of the main summer attractions in the city.
Thousands of tourists and local residents alike flock yearly to the old
city to watch the magnificent display of fireworks from the Rhein
river starting at about 11 in the evening with accompanying music.
But one word of caution...the city could get really so crowded
especially after the spectacular show of fireworks.
I experienced for the first time this crowd, coming out from
a birthday celebration of Helen S. at the flat of Marilou F. where
we enjoyed the lights and sounds of Cologne Lights from a live tv
coverage of the show and from her windows where we enjoyed seeing
some stray bursts of fireworks.

I really panicked when I was caught in this crowd of spectators who
were heading to the platform for their trains. My Japanese
fan came out to be a handy rescue when the heat inside the train
station became unbearable, und all I could see were Caucasian heads
towering over me. I forced myself to walk on toes fearing I might get
lost in the crowd while furiously fanning myself to the delight of the
people around me. To make the Cologne Lights story short, I was able
to catch my train which was similarly jamp-packed with homeward
bound sweating spectators, and I reached home nearly one in the morning.

Photos of Fireworks taken from www.wdr.de and
http://files.koeln.de

Eve of CSD in Cologne on 07.07.07

2007-07-08T10:03:00.000+02:00

Was checking on some hostels for our scheduled conference in
October when I passed by Altermarkt or the old market area in this
city where tourists and Koelners alike are flocking for rounds and
rounds of Kolsch (local beer brewed in Cologne)when I saw rows of
white tents lining one pavement leading to the old city and crowd
of people flocking to Altermarkt.
The alleys were all lined with stands selling bags, silver ornaments,
t-shirts trinkets, belts, drinks, multi-cultural fingergoodies and info
stands for networking for gays and lesbians, holidays and health
info about HIV. There was this particular stand offering Health Check
and info about TransFamily.Near the Rathaus or City Hall, crowd of
elegantly dressed people were cheering and throwing rice, confetti
to newly married couples coming out of the ceremony hall. It was
the 7 of July on the year 2007, shortly coded as 07.07.07 and
it is a common belief that such combination of numbers brings
luck and harmony in marriage and so the rush of many couples to the
city hall to get official blessing and recognition for their
marital relationship...well marital can mean so many things and
what I would like to say is the legal relationship. Kasalang Opisyal.
(Sa atin sa Pilipinas, maraming possibilidad na makasal na
ilang beses, depende kung marami kang kilalang huwes at loyalists
sa record section ng mga city halls). I will not translate that one,
if you wish, ask a Pinay or Pinoy for this especial feature of
marrying in the Philippines. BTW, we have theoretically no divorce
law but that can like the word marital mean many surprising things.

So this is the weekend of the traditional, yearly Christopher
Street Day of Cologne with the parade scheduled today, this
sunny, beautiful Sunday.More posting later. Aloha ala Cologna!

Anita's Kitchen

2007-07-03T19:32:00.000+02:00

On the eve of July 4th, here's a especial recipe shared by
Anita Sese Schoen from the States. Instead of the photo of the
cooked goodies (which I have been searching in my files)
I've posted instead her logo from her kitchen.
Enjoy trying them.
Tita Bee

WELCOME TO ANITA'S KITCHEN!

This is Anita. I love cooking, specially for my nine co-directors
of the OFC (Overseas Filipino Council).
Let me share with you my favorite recipes.

Cooking, I believe is an art. The artist, more of than not, does
not depend on measuring cups or high-tech kitchen gadgets.
She uses her creativity and her senses. She has confidence that
whatever she cooks will be a winner.
I, am a good cook... nobody has complained, no one has gotten
sick and I see their smiles after partaking of whatever I cooked
for them. Anyway, they can always go to Mcdonald's or to
pizza parlors...they are all over the place.

There are many ways of cooking our favorite dish-the Adobo.
Let me share with you the best Adobo recipe
I have tried and tasted so far. But first here is a tip to
make your kitchen odor-free. Be kind to your neighbors,let them smell
the aroma of your adobo. Cook outside, in the patio. If this is not
possible,boil some water and add in some cinnamon. The cinnamon
will absorb the unwanted smell of garlic and vinegar.
If your husband is sensitive to this smell cook inside your house.
I promise you, you will either be kicked out or nobody will visit you anymore...anyway, the cinnamon mix will save on house cleaning.

ADOBO DE CARAJAY

Ingredients:

1/2 pound chicken
1/2 pound pork
1 head garlic, crushed
1 cup thinly sliced onions
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 piece bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup white (Paombong) vinegar
1 tablespoon Virgin Coconut Oil

Procedure:

In a cooking pan, marinate the chicken and the pork in vinegar,
soy sauce, salt and pepper, minced garlic and bay leaf for 30 minutes.
Do not add water (do not use aluminum pan or aluminum frying pan).

Remove the chicken from the marinade. Boil the pork in the mix then
simmer for 15 minutes.Add the chicken and simmer for another 15
minutes or until tender. Remove the bay leaf.

In another frying pan, caramelize chop onions. Remove the sauce
from the pork and chicken mix. Add the VCO and fry until brown then
add the onions. Now, if you don't have VCO, forget everything...
order some pizza.

You found some oil? Ok, olive oil will do. Saute the mix and add the
sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes... presto, you have the best Adobo.

BISTIK TAGALOG

Ingredients:

1 pound beef sirloin, sliced thinly across the grain
1/2 cup lemon or calamansi juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Virgin coconut Oil or olive oil
1/2 cup water
1 medium-size onion, sliced in rings

Procedure:
Marinate the beef in the soy sauce and lemon juice for 30 minutes.
Heat oil in a frying pan. Remove the beef in the marinade and fry
these in the hot oil for about 1 minute on each side.
Place the fried beef in a serving platter and set aside. Fry the
sliced onion rings for a minute or until it becomes tranluscent.
Arrange the onions on top of the beef in the platter.

Add water to the marinade and boil this in a pan until mix thickens.
Season with salt and pepper, cook for 3 minutes.Remove from heat
and pour boiled marinade, while still very hot, over the steak.
Serve with rice. Serves 4 to 5.

This is one of my husband's favorite Filipino food. When i was in
Sydney, Australia in November 2006,I prepared this recipe for
my friends Yasue and Gonz Reynaldo and Nitz and Dindo Generoso.
It has become one of their favorites since then.
*******************************************************************

Enjoy your July 4th Celebration, with tempting Philippine
Adobo! Thanks Anita and keep in touch while you are in
Manila or share highlights of your visit.

Subject:Pampatanggal ng Stress

2007-07-03T09:04:00.000+02:00

Korkie sent me this set of Pinoy jokes yesterday. If you have not
received your forward, I am posting them here. Just for the laughs!

Subject: pampatanggal ng stress

ANG NAKARAAN....

May ibinulong ang daga sa elepante. Biglang hinimatay ang elepante.
Ano ang ibinulong ng daga?

DAGA: Buntis ako, ikaw ang ama!

SA PAGPAPATULOY....

Dahil di makapaniwala ang elepante, dinala nya ang daga sa doctor.
Tuwang-tuwa ang elepante at
masayang ibinulong sa daga ang resulta ng ultrasound. Biglang
hinimatay ang daga.

Ano ang ibinulong ng elepante?

ELEPANTE: Ako nga ang ama, at elepante ang anak natin, at kambal sila!
----------------------------

TEACHER: Anong similarity nina Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio,
Ninoy Aquino at Apolinario Mabini?

STUDENT: Ma'am, pagkaka-alam ko po, silang lahat ay pinanganak ng holiday!

----------------------------
TITSER: Juan, use recharge & caffeine in a sentence.

JUAN: Si "Recharge" Gutierrez ay si "Caffeine" Barbell.

----------------------------

ERAP: Soli ko tong nabili kong DVD.

FPJ: Anong problema?

ERAP: Walang picture, tsaka sound. Sayang. Suspense thriller pa yata to.
Tsk, tsk...

FPJ: Anong title?

ERAP: "The Lens Cleaner"

------------------------------

BUNSO: Tay, may multo daw sa kusina natin?

TATAY: Anak, sino naman nagsabi sayo nyan?

BUNSO: Si ate po!

TATAY: Ay nako, wag ka nga magpapaniwala dun!
Wala namang multo eh!
Ang mabuti pa samahan mo na lang ako sa kusina, at iinom lang ako ng tubig...

---------------------------------

BATA: Pabili nga po ng ubas....

TINDERO: Wala kame ubas

......kinabukasan...

BATA: Pabili nga po ng ubas.....

TINDERO: Wala kame ubas

......kinabukasan ulet...

BATA: Mama, pabili nga po ng ubas....

TINDERO: Sinabi na ngang wala e! Pag nagtanong ka pa, iistepler ko
na yang bibig mo!

......kinabukasan ulet...

BATA: Mama, may stapler kayo?

TINDERO: wala..

BATA: Pabili nga po ng ubas
---------------------------------

Psychological Fact:

"All emotional pain lasts for 12 minutes. Anything longer than
that is self inflicted."

In short, nag-iinarte ka na lang daw nun!
------------------------------
PROMDI: Lam ko promdi lang ako kaya wag mo kong lolokohin!
Bakit ganito ang kwarto ko?!?!
Maliit, wala pang kama at bintana..... ha?!?!

ROOMBOY: Sir, nasa elevator pa lang po tayo...
------------------------------

Bill gates' wife was interviewed..

REPORTER: How does it feel to have sex with the richest man?

MRS. GATES: Oh, it's no big deal.
Now I know why his company's named MICROSOFT!

-------------------------------
MRS: Bakit ngayon ka lang?

MR: Pasensha na, nagyaya mga officemates ko, nagkainuman lang. Hehe!

MRS: Lasing ka no?

MR: Hindi!

MRS: Anong hindi?! La ka namang trabaho, pano ka nagka-officemates?!!

Things are Changing! Was sich zum 1.Juli 2007 ändert

2007-07-01T15:35:00.000+02:00

Things to change starting July 1, 2007

Was sich zum 1.Juli 2007 ändert

Berlin (dpa) Eine leichte Rentenerhöhung, ein
Mindestlohn für Gebäudereiniger, eine neue
Steuernummer und niedrige Handy-Tarife im
EU-Ausland. (Taken from Finanzen and Karriere)

Rough translation:

Things to change starting 1st of July 2007 in Germany
* a slight increase in old-age pension
* a minimun wage for building cleaners
* a new Tax or Income Tax Return Registration Number
* a lower Mobile Roaming Rate in EU countries
* more rights for flat/apartment/condominium owners
* no smoking in regional trains
* new regulations concerning labels for nutritional values
of foodstuffs

and hopefully, the weather will be not too hot
just sunny but cool!

Answer July

2007-07-01T15:29:00.000+02:00

Where is the Bee -
Where is the Blush -
Where is the Hay?

Ah, said July -
Where is the Seed -
Where is the Bud -
Where is the May -
Answer Thee - Me

Emily Dickinson, Answer July

From gardendigest.com

Musikalische Reise Durch Indonesien (Cultural Tour Through Indonesia)

2007-06-25T22:15:00.000+02:00

Musikalische Reise Durch Indonesien
Universitas Advent Indonesien-Bandung
Deutsch-Indonesische Gesellschaft e.V.
invite to a musical tour through Indonesia
on Tuesday, 3. July 2007, 7 pm
Bürgerzentrum Alte Feuerwache, Köln
Melchiorstr. 3 (am Ebertplatz)

Eine Gruppe der Universitas Advent Indonesia
(UNAI) aus Bandung lädt im Rahmen einer
Europa-Tournee mit Liedern und Tänzen zur
einer unterhaltsamen Reise durch den Indonesischen
Archipel ein, u.a. mit 'Widuri-Operette',
Volksliedern und Kantaten. Indonesien beheimatet
auf seinen 17,000 Inseln viele "Völker", Kulturen.
Die 30 Mitwirkenden vermittelt einen Blick in die
reichhaltige musikalische Tradition.

Leitung: Christina Tambunan-Simanjuntak
Pianist: Ridwan Lingga

Tombola and Indonesische Spezialitäten
Eintritt, incl. Tombola: 7Euro 4Euro (Studenten)
Kontakt: 0221. 527720/ 413743

The Madrigal Singers in Berlin

2007-06-22T22:34:00.000+02:00

BERLINews
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Online News Service of the Philippine Community in Berlin - Nr. 116
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Filipinos Shine Abroad:
Madrigal Singers conquer Europe!

This group of Filipinos has been conquering Europe.
Not with weapons of war or violence, but with their powerful voice.
The Philippine Madrigal Singers, popularly called the “Madz” has
reaped prestigious awards in various Choral Competitions around the
world,but especially in Europe. Their worldwide recognition started
when they participated and won in the “Choruses of the World
Festival” in New York in 1969. Thereafter, they started to shine in Europe.
In 1976,they won First Places in various competitions in Poland and
Hungary.Five years later,they excelled in Italy, France and Bulgaria.
In 1989,they won nine First Prizes in various Competitions held in
Spain,Austria,Italy and Germany.
Winning the Grand Prize in Tolosa, Spain in 1996 qualified them to
participate in the European Grand Champion,a choral competition
among the Grand Prize winners of the six prestigious choral
competitions in Europe.This was held in 1997 in Tours, France. They emerged undefeated and was crowned the European Grand Champion.
Yes,the best European Choir then were the Philippine Madrigal
Singers!In 2004, they again emerged victorious in Torrevieja, Spain
by winning two First Prizes in the “Certames Internacional Habanera
y Polifonia.”

Founded in the year 1963 by Prof. Andrea O. Veneracion, the “Madz”
has a long history of success as Philippine Ambassador of Music and
Culture.They have inspired people around the world with their music.
Like what they have been presently doing during their European Concert Tour.
This year, they have visited Norway, Finnland, Czech Republic,
Germany and France where they will participate in a Choral Competition.
In Berlin, they took part in a series of Concerts marking the 109th
Independence Day celebrations.They have shared their world-class
music in churches, halls and on Radio. On June 12, they sang at the
French Cathedral.
The next day, they graced the afternoon meditation in the presence
of the Cardinal Georg Sterzinsky, Archbishop of Berlin. They also sang
at the historical memorial Church and during the Global Summit on
Women at the Intercontental Hotel.
Wherever they go, they have shown that international standard of
Filipino artistry. The Germans admired their discipline,their
friendliness and above all their music which “comes from the heart.”
Once again the Philippine Madrigal Singers have proven that, they are
one of the Best Choirs in the world, and that we, Filipinos
could shine abroad!

(By Fr. Adonis Narcelles Jr., SVD)

(Pictures) The Philippine Madrigal Singers during their visit in Berlin.
They sang in the presence of Berlin’s Cardinal Sterzinsky and
Philippine Ambassador to Germany Delia Domingo Albert. They also
staged a concert at the Church of the Philippine Community in Berlin.

Ika 146 na Taong Kaarawan ni Dr. Jose P. Rizal

2007-06-20T00:00:00.000+02:00

146th Birthday of Dr. Jose P. Rizal on June 19, 2007

Song of the Wanderer

by José Rizal

(A Translation from the Spanish by Nick Joaquin)

Dry leaf that flies at random
till it's seized by a wind from above:
so lives on earth the wanderer,
without north, without soul, without country or love!

Anxious, he seeks joy everywhere
and joy eludes him and flees,
a vain shadow that mocks his yearning
and for which he sails the seas.

Impelled by a hand invisible,
he shall wander from place to place;
memories shall keep him company
of loved ones, of happy days.

A tomb perhaps in the desert,
a sweet refuge, he shall discover,
by his country and the world forgotten
Rest quiet: the torment is over.

And they envy the hapless wanderer
as across the earth he persists!
Ah, they know not of the emptiness
in his soul, where no love exists.

The pilgrim shall return to his country,
shall return perhaps to his shore;
and shall find only ice and ruin,
perished loves, and gravesnothing more.

Begone, wanderer! In your own country,
a stranger now and alone!
Let the others sing of loving,
who are happy but you, begone!

Begone, wanderer! Look not behind you
nor grieve as you leave again.
Begone, wanderer: stifle your sorrows!
the world laughs at another's pain.

(Translated from the Spanish by Nick Joaquin)

Awit Ng Manlalakbay

Kagaya ng dahong nalanta, nalagas,
Sinisiklut-siklot ng hanging marahas;
Abang manlalakbay ay wala nang liyag,
Layuin, kalulwa't bayang matatawag.

Hinahabul-habol yaong kapalarang
Mailap at hindi masunggab-sunggaban;
Magandang pag-asa'y kung nanlalabo man,
Siya'y patuloy ring patungo kung saan!

Sa udyok ng hindi nakikitang lakas,
Silanga't Kanlura'y kanyang nililipad,
Mga minamahal ay napapangarap,
Gayon din ang araw ng pamamanatag.

Sa pusod ng isang disyertong mapanglaw,
Siya'y maaaring doon na mamatay,
Limot ng daigdig at sariling bayan,
Kamtan nawa niya ang kapayapaan!

Dami ng sa kanya ay nangaiinggit,
Ibong naglalakaby sa buong daigdig,
Hindi nila tanto ang laki ng hapis
Na sa kanyang puso ay lumiligalig.

Kung sa mga tanging minahal sa buhay
Siya'y magbalik pa pagdating ng araw,
Makikita niya'y mga guho lamang
At puntod ng kanyang mga kaibigan.

Abang manlalakbay! Huwag nang magbalik,
Sa sariling baya'y wala kang katalik;
Bayaang ang puso ng iba'y umawit,
Lumaboy kang muli sa buong daigdig.

Abang manlalakbay! Bakit babalik pa?
Ang luhang inyukol sa iyo'y tuyo na;
Abang manlalakbay! Limutin ang dusa,
Sa hapis ng tao, mundo'y nagtatawa.
(Isinalin sa Pilipino di kilala)

Kaarawan ng Paglaya ng Pilipinas June 12, 1898

2007-06-12T10:04:00.000+02:00

*PAG-IBIG SA TINUBUANG LUPA*
ni Andres Bonifacio

(Madarama sa tulang ito ang mapusok na diwa ng Ama ng Katipunan)

Aling pag-ibig pa ang hihigit kaya
sa pagkadalisay at magkadakila
Gaya ng pag-ibig sa sariling lupa?
Aling pag-ibig pa? Wala na nga, wala.

Pagpupuring lubos ang palaging hangad
Sa bayan ng taong may dangal na ingat,
Umawit, tumula, kumata't at sumulat,
Kalakhan din niya'y isinisiwalat.

Walang mahalagang hindi inihandog
Ng may pusong mahal sa Bayang nagkupkop,
dugo, yaman, dunong, katiisa't pagod,
Buhay ma'y abuting magkalagut-lagot.

Bakit? Alin ito na sakdal ng laki,
Na hinahandugan ng busong pagkasi,
Na sa lalong mahal nakapangyayari,
At ginugulan ng buhay na iwi?

Ay! Ito'y ang iang bayang tinubuan:
Siya'y iona't tangi sa kinamulatan
Ng kawili-wiling liwanang ng araw
Na nagbigay-init sa buong katawan.

Kalakip din nito'y pag-ibig sa Bayan,
Ang lahat ng lalong sa gunita'y mahal,
Mula sa masaya'y gasong kasanggulan
Hanggang sa katawa'y mapasa-libingan.

Sa aba ng abang mawalay sa bayan!
Gunita ma'y laging sakbibi ng lumbay,
Walang alaala't inaasa-asam
Kundi ang makita'y lupang tinubuan.

Pati ng magdusa'y sampung kamatayan
Wari ay masarap kung dahil sa bayan
At lalong mahirap. Oh, himalang bagay!
Lalong pag-irog pa ang sa kanya'y alay.

Kung ang bayang ito'y masasa-panganib
At siya ay dapat na ipagtangkilik,
Ang anak, asawa, magulang, kapatid;
Isang tawag niya'y tatalidang pilit.

Hayo na nga, hayo, kayong nagabuhay
Sa pag-asang lubos ng kaginhawahan
At walang tinamo kundi kapaitan,
Hayo na't ibangon ang naabang bayan!

Kayong nalagasan ng bunga't bulaklak
Ng kaho'y ng buhay na nilanta't sukat,
Ng bala-balaki't makapal na hirap,
muling manariaw't sa baya'y lumiyag.

Ipahandug-handog ang busong pag-ibig
At hanggang may dugo'y ubusing itigis;
kung sa pagtatanggol, buhay ay mapatid,
Ito'y kapalaran at tunay na langit!

http://www.seasite.niu.edu/trans/tagalog

See English translation

G8 Summit 2007

2007-06-08T14:46:00.001+02:00

Breakthrough on Climate Protection

The leading industrialized nations (G8) aim to at least
have global CO2 emissions by 2050. The Heads of State and
Government agreed at Heiligendamm to achieve this goal
together as a part of a U.N. process. The big emerging
economies are also to be incorporated in the process.

Bulongbulongan lang naman!!!!
Bakit kailangan pa nilang magconference kung sa simula
naman klaro ang kanilang mga linya...gumagastos lang ng
malaki para sa kanilang mga takot, sa kanilang security
at sa karangalan ng Host country.
Sa susunod, tumigil na lang sila sa kanikanilang
mga bayan at opisina at magSkype conference na lang kaya
o chatting...at yun million na million na kwartang nagagastos
para sa mga ganitong kumperensiya, ibigay na lang talaga
duon sa mga talagang nangangailangan.
There should be other alternatives to expensive
conferences like these. Why meet when from the very start
it is very clear that many of these powerful nations will
only be sticking to their own suggestions and decisions.
Stay in their own offices and countries if they are
scared of their security. Just do chatting and Skype
conferences...no need then for this dramatic scene of
tight security, millions for their safety and all for
aim to reach results which will be visible in the year 2050!!!
if ever anyway...

Heiligendamm and Heilige Cologne

2007-06-05T10:05:00.000+02:00

G8 Summit Week of Action

2007-06-05T09:59:00.000+02:00

Another World is Possible
1.6-8.6 2007
Week of Action

International Demonstration June 2, 2007

Info: www.heiligendamm2007.de

Fiesta at Santacruzan sa Isang Parte sa Alemanya

2007-05-29T13:14:00.000+02:00

Kommentarya! Masaya as usual pero sana kaunting decoration naman
para ipakita yun magagandang bagay mula sa atin at hindi lang
kaldero at plastic na lalagyan ng mga suman, puto at dinuguan.
At please, huwag naman Barong Tagalog with denims as pants or
kahit na denims, itim na parang pormal wear naman!
May kaunting ambiente naman at hindi lang parang karinderia
atmosphere.

At saka, nasaan yun mga bulaklak? Pati ba naman yun nawawala
na rin at papalitan ng Maria cut out of hard cartons? Sana man
lang nilagyan ng kaunting decorasyon. Parang basta na lang ba
nagawa, tapos.

Mahalaga yun may pagkakataon kumita yun mga associations, pero
mahalaga din naman na may presentation, di ba. Hindi lang basta
nakalagay ang panindang pagkain, benta, luto tapos pack-up for
the next opportunity of selling. Hay kulturang maski pops...
mukhang yata talagang mabigat.

Birthday ni Philip II, King of Spain

2007-05-21T12:49:00.000+02:00

He was born on May 21, 1527, six years after Magellan chanced
upon Mai or Mayi, Luzon and other names referring to "Filipinas"
prior to the Spanish colonization.

More of Prince Philip's titles:

First Official King of Spain from 1556 until 1598,

King of Naples and Sicily from 1554 until 1598
King of England (as King consort of Mary) 1554-1558
King of Portugal and the Algarves 1580 to 1598

Important Details on this monarch whose name
we have for our dear Motherland:

...The rebel leader, William l, Prince of Orange (William the Silent)
was outlawed by Philip, and assassinated in 1584 by a Catholic
fanatic after Philip had offered a reward of 25,000 crowns to anyone
who killed William the Silent, calling him a 'pest on the whole of
Christianity and the enemy of the human race'.

Now we have a country known as Philippines, the only Christian
Country in the Far East (Ost-Timor is the second country competing
with us for the title).

For more interesting details on the life of this King, read Philip II
of Spain in Wikepedia and find many aspects which might be missing in many of our textbooks.

Fast Running Business, From Formel 1 to Strawberry Fields?

2007-05-20T15:17:00.000+02:00

I came about this article in Vanity Fair about
Schumacher. "Es ist eine große Erleichterung,"
roughly translated: It is a great relief.
He says, he has more time now for his family, one wakes up in the morning and one works out his own plans. He will help wherever he can.
Taken from Vanity

Well, I have no idea that he wants to help out in
do your own harvest of strawberries in this village.
I know that he comes from the next small city of Kerpen before he bought this villa in tax-friendly Switzerland. Maybe this is a family related enterprise.
See, nothing comes from nothing. From Formel 1 to Strawberry Fields.

Vaters' Tag o Araw ng mga Tatay sa Alemanya

2007-05-17T02:22:00.000+02:00

In Germany, we celebrate Father's Day on
Christi Himmelfahrt or Ascension Day. Why they choose this day
to honour German fathers is not the reason for this posting, but I
think I have stayed long enough in Germany to say that if one asks
me about symbolic image associated with Vaters Tag, I would not
think twice but would say men with beer and carts.

Symbols for me for today's honouring the 'breadwinner' of
German families are not men pushing baby carts but men dragging
carts full of beers. It is actually a day for men to go
bonding, grilling and whole day feasting on Wursts (sausages)
and beer with their male friends. I read the other day a German
online survey asking male readers to click on what they would be
doing on this especial day for fathers, drinking excluded as this
is considered as the alpha and omega of this celebration.
* i will go hiking
* i will stay in the garden (will work or will grill?)
* i will go boating
* i will go biking

While loving mothers stay with their families and
enjoy their house arrest and cake with them, dutiful
breadwinners and fathers are granted this especial day to spend
it with their buddies sans baby carts and screaming kids.

And when I see men so gloriously drunk on their
way home after a whole day of fatherly leisure,
either I begin to understand or wonder why they choose
Ascension Day as Father's Day in Alemanya.

Prost! Magbeer muna tayo!

Salamat sa mga uliran Tatay: Chito, Eddie and his Apo Andrea,
and cooking wizard, Glen.

The Day After

2007-05-15T13:59:00.000+02:00

Everybody is hoping and praying, I should say for their voted
candidates to occupy any of the seats up for election May 2007.

In the meantime, we read news both in German and English
dailies describing our election from dramatic to bloody
exercise of democracy. Polls "worse than Afghan election,"
says foreign observer reads in the Inquirer Breaking News from
May 15, 2007.

Just a reminder: We are electing candidates for 17,889 seats
including 12 in the Senate and 275 in the House of Representatives.
Women and men with promises to be of service for the
welfare of the country and its people.

HARINAWA!

Philippine Election Day, May 14, 2007

2007-05-14T13:07:00.000+02:00

Same Procedure as Every Election Year?

*No elections in some areas in Laguna, Mindanao provinces
*Comelec exec decries PPCRV's refusal to open Cainta counting
*Disabled voters decry lack of facilities
*Aquino leads AMA unofficial count
*Local Absentee vote canvassing starts
*Negros town poll exec relieved for defying exclusion order
*Makati senior voters a force to reckon with
*Binay leads Lapid in initial count in Makati first district
*Uncle of Masbate mayoral bet killed in shootout
*Rich or poor, voters find their names missing
*Defensor at peace with self, will respect outcome of vote
*Cops brace for violence during canvassing as deaths increase
*Pinikpikan singer claims mayor threatened her
*Kabataan claims votes going to Anak party-list
*(UPDATE)Despite 114 dead, polls 'generally peaceful'

Please click for details of the news in
INQUIRER

*Quo Vadis, Genuine Opposition?
(Q & A with Atty. Adel Tamano, Genuine Opposition Spokesperson)
*We Need Good Leaders
*Kabataan Partylist: Ready for Congress
*Anti-Fraud, Militant Groups Fear OFW Votes Tampering
*Militant, Religious Ask for Ban of AFP
Deployment in NCR
*Soldiers Ordered to Vote for Team Unity,
DND Employee Confirms
*Military Geared for Massive Poll Fraud-NPA Leader
*Election Fraud in Mindanao Begins - Pimentel
*Fraud, 2007
*The Philippine Poverty Situation:
Beyond Poverty Measures, Inequality Grows

Please see complete stories in BULATLAT

The Hands that Rock the Cradle Will Rule the World

2007-05-13T12:35:00.000+02:00

Mother's Day in Germany on May 13, second Sunday in May

Featuring the origin of Mother's Day in USA.

As a protest against the Civil War, Julia Ward Howe
wrote the Mother's Day Proclamation in 1870.

A part of her proclamation reads:

"Arise then...women of this day!
Arise, all women, who have hearts!
Whether your baptism be of water or of tears!
Say firmly:
"We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage,
For caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity,
mercy and patience.
We, the women of one country,
Will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."

A Meaningful Mother's Day, A Day of Peace
to all Mothers.

Philippine Election Special, Voice from a New Botante

2007-05-12T18:44:00.000+02:00

Would like to post here a letter/comment from Michelle who will
be voting for the first time this coming Philippine Election
on May 14, 2007.

I'm 23 and I will be voting for the first time this
May 14. I have always been passive about the elections and
have always seen it from an outsider's point of view. This
time, I will try to be a concerned Filipino citizen and
participate in choosing the people to hold the reins. For the
past month, I have been following and watching the news to see
which candidates are worthy of my vote. And to be honest, I
still do not know who is deserving. They are all the same,
I see them as a power-hungry, corrupt officials who have
been milking on the people's tax. What I hate most are
those who bragged about the facilities they have built while
they were in position. (i.e. a bridge with a huge sign
"contributed by Congressman____"). The money used for building
each and every "project" (for lack of words to use), are taken
from the taxpayers'contributions and how dare them take
credit for that.

I have graduated just last 2005 and am in the labor force
for two years. I have felt the bite of tax contribution.
Maybe those who have been working for a longer time now has
taken for granted and/or just choose to forget about these
deductions. But I do not. I get angry while looking at the
"Tax Deductions," in my payslip. It is the amount that I
contribute to the politicians' pocket every month.

This election, I will write the names of those I think are
the lesser devils. I won't vote for actors running for
senators. What do they know about law and lawmaking?
I hope I will make a good choice.

One thing that has been in my mind were the words of
a woman who lived in one of the squatters areas in Manila.
She was interviewed about her views about the candidates
and about the elections. She said, "kung pagsama-
samahin at tuparin ang lahat ng plataporma ng mg kandidato,
tapos ang problema ng Pilipinas" (something to that effect.
How true!

One show in ABS-CBN was also featuring about what children
see about the candidates and politicians; all of them
answered that all Philippine politicians are corrupt.
How sad is that?

I continuously pray for the betterment of the Philippines.
I hope those elected and who will be in power will be
conscientious, and I hope that they would forget their
personal agenda and see what our country desperately needs.
What makes me sad is that I know that I shouldn't hope for
such miracles.

From Michelle

Philippine Election Specials

2007-05-11T13:49:00.000+02:00

BEES AND BUGS CONVENTION

BEES
Bees for Eliminating Election Scallywags

BUGS
BUGS UNDERCOVERING GOVERNMENT SECRETS

Who said it in a newspaper that it is better to vote
straight for the carabaos as they are more useful
than some candidates? Touché!

Party-List for the May 14 Philippine Election

2007-05-10T09:26:00.000+02:00

Certified List of Sectoral Parties/Organizations/Political
Parties/Coalitions Participating in the Party List System
May 14, 2007 National and Local Elections

1Utak, AA-Kasosyo, At, Abakada, Abanse!Pinay, Aba Ilonggo,
Abono, Add-Tribal, Add, A Teacher, Asahan mo, Agbiagi, Aging Pinoy,
Agap, Ahon, Ahonbayan, Apoi, Akbayan, Aksa, Alagad, Abay Parak,
Abc, Anad, Aawas, Anc, Apo, Arc, Vendors, Ave, Ats, Almana,
Akapin,Agham, Asap, Aba-Ako, An Waray, Amin, Anakpawis, Bandila,
Ag, Alif,A Smile, Aangat ka Pilipino, Anak, Abs, Amang, Assalam,
Aaps, Apec,Babae Ka, Bago, Batas, Btm, Bahandi, Banat, Bayan Muna,
Bigkis, Bp,Biyayang Bukid, Buhay, Cibac, Senior Citizens, Cocofed,
Grecon,Diwa, Gabriela, Hapi, Kabataan, Buklod Filipina, Kalahi,
Kakusa,Ang Kasangga, Kasapi, Butil, Nelfi, Pm, Pmap, Pba, Sm,
Sanlakas,Spi, Suara, Sb, Bantay, Tucp, Umdj, Uni-Mad, VFP,
Yacap, Lypad.

If you wish to check on the meaning of the acronym, please
click on all links pertaining to Philippine Election May 14, 2007.

Photo Credit: Taken from the Internet.

Philippine Election 2007 Specials

2007-05-09T17:29:00.000+02:00

Senatorial Candidates for the Philippine Elections on May 14, 2007

Angara Edgardo,Aquino Benigno III, Arroyo Joker, Bautista Martin,
Cantal Felix, Cayetano Alan Peter, Cayetano Joselito,
Chavez Melchor, Coseteng Anna Dominique, Defensor Michael,
Enciso Ruben, Escudero Francis Joseph, Estrella Antonio,
Gomez Richard, Honasan Gregorio, Kiram Jamalul III, Lacson Panfilo,
Legarda Loren, Lozano Oliver, Magsaysay Vicente, Montano Cesar,
Oreta Tessie, Orpilla Eduardo, Osmena, John Henry, Pangilinan
Francis, Paredes Zosimo, Pichay Prospero Jr., Pimentel Aquilino III,
Recto Ralph,Roco Sonia, Singson Luis, Sison Adrian, Sotto Vicente III,
Trillanes Antonio IV,Villar Manuel Jr., Wood Victor, Zubiri Juan Miguel

Photo Credits: Niklas

Election Special 08.05.2007

2007-05-08T18:26:00.000+02:00

Iniibig ko ang Pilipinas,
aking lupang sinilangan
tahanan ng aking lahi

....So far, 95 people have been killed since campaigning
started in January, including two gunned down last
month when police acting as bodyguards for rival politicians
exchanged fire at a road block in a northern province.

In the 2004 presidential elections, 189 people were
killed and 279 wounded.

See complete story in
Reuters

Election Special

2007-05-07T23:14:00.000+02:00

Panatang Makabayan

Kasalukuyang bersyon

Iniibig ko ang Pilipinas, aking lupang sinilangan,
Tahanan ng aking lahi, kinukupkop ako at tinutulungang
Maging malakas, masipag at marangal
Dahil mahal ko ang Pilipinas
Diringgin ko ang payo ng aking magulang,
Susundin ko ang tuntunin ng aking paaralan,
Tutuparin ko ang tungkulin ng mamamayang makabayan
Naglilingkod, nag-aaral at nagdarasal nang buong katapatan
Iaalay ko ang aking buhay, pangarap, pagsisikap
Sa bansang Pilipinas.

Dating bersyon

Iniibig ko ang Pilipinas
Ito ang aking lupang sinilangan
Ito ang tahanan ng aking lahi.
Ako'y kaniyang kinukupkop at tinutulungan,
upang maging malakas, maligaya at kapakipakinabang
Biglang ganti ay diringin ko ang payo ng aking mga magulang
Susundin ko ang tuntunin ng aking paaralan.
Tutuparin ko ang mga tungkulin ng isang mamamayang makabayan
at masunurin sa batas.
Paglilingkuran ko ang aking bayan nang walang pag-iimbot
at nang buong katapatan.
Sisikapin kong maging isang tunay na Pilipino,
sa isip, sa salita, at sa gawa.

Patriot's Oath

I love the Philippines.
It is the land of my birth;
Is is the home of my people.
It protects me and helps me to be strong,
happy and useful.
In return, I will heed the counsel of my parents;
I will obey the rules of my school;
I will perform the duties of a patriotic,
law-abiding citizen;
I will serve my country unselfishly and faithfully
I will be a true Filipino in thought, in word, and in deed.

Overseas Absentee Voting

2007-05-07T16:30:00.000+02:00

Calling All Registered Oveaseas Absentee Voters!
For this coming Senatorial and Party-List
Election on May 14, 2007,please be reminded
that the last day of submission of ballots
is on May 14, 2007 not later than 9:00 AM
at the Philippine Embassy.
For detailed information, please
click on the posting regarding May election
in this blog:

Check also Comelec<

Botschaftergespräch, Länder und Kulturen

2007-05-03T15:29:00.000+02:00

Im Rahmen des Veranstaltungswochenendes Kölner Bürgerzentren 'Kölner Elf'

Alte Feuerwache Köln
Samstag 5. Mai 2007 17:00 Uhr
Veranstaltungssaal Eintritt frei

Kuturbotschaft in der Alten Feuerwache
Botschaftergespräch
Länder und Kulturen, Begegnen und Handeln

Am Ende der Multikulturellen Gesselschaft wird deutlich,
dass Toleranz mehr ist und mehr sein muss, als den jeweils
Anderen 'nur' zu dulden. Lessings verzweifelt
aufrührerisch Wirkender Ausruf 'Wir müssen, müssen
Freunde sein!' besagt, dass gerade unsere Unterschiedlichkeit
uns zu Austausch und Gespräch verpflichtet. Denn wie
sonst lassen sich Konflikte und Ausseinandersetzungen
vermeiden, wenn nicht durch den Dialog - die Kenntnis und den
fortlaufenden Abgleich unserer unterschied-lichen Positionen.

Dieses von Lessing weltumspannend gemeinte Gespräch zwischen
Ländern, Kulturen und Religionen nennt sich heute
'interkultureller Dialog'. Nicht nur in Köln soll er vor dem
Hintergrund wachsender Bevölkerungsanteile mit 'Migrations-
hintergrund' gestärkt werden. Dabei wird interessanter Weise
den oft als zu kostenintensive geschmähten Künsten eine
Vorreiterrolle zugewiesen.

Vor dem Hintergrund der von uns geplanten 'Kulturbotschaft', in
der KünstlerInnen aus allen Ländern leben und arbeiten
werden, lader wir daher zu einemm 'Botschaftergespräch' ein.
Am Veranstaltungs-Wochenende, 'Kölner Elf' der Kölner
Bürgerzentren werden wir uns mit KünstlerInnen aus
verschiedenen Ländern aber auch mit MitarbeiterInnen unseres
Zentrums über ihre Welten-Erfahrungen unterhalten und
sie zu Möglichkeiten und Begrenzungen des Interkulturellen
Dialogs und zu unserem Projekt Kulturbotschaft befragen.

Teilnehmen an dem Gespräch werden unter anderem

Sonia Mota Tänzerin, Choreografin; Deutschland-Brasilien
Lena Simanjuntak, Theaterregisseurin; Deutschland-Indonesien
Ade Bantu, Musiker, Gründer Brothers Keepers; Deutschland-Nigeria
Ali Jalaly, Theaterautor, Regisseur; Deutschland-Iran
Leornardo Martinez, Schauspieler, Hörfunkregisseur; Deutschland-Iberoamerika
Moderation: Hans-Georg Lützenkirchen und Gregor Leschig
Information: Gregor Leschig: kontakt@gregorleschig.de

Indonesian Song - Sama-Sama

2007-04-29T21:57:00.000+02:00

A multi-Cultural Band CILIWUNG with
Singer YAYAK performing during the
Exhibition of Indonesian Contemporary Art
at the Alte Feuerwache, Cologne City
on April 27 - 29, 2007.

Indonesian Contemporary Art Exhibition in Cologne

2007-04-28T18:46:00.000+02:00

Indonesia in Cultural Diversity

In the bustle of Asia's fine arts development in the world,
Indonesia's fine arts is attempting to gain its position,
folowing the earlier China's and India's fine arts.
As a country with the third largest population in Asia,
as well as geographical nature which consists of archipelagos,
Indonesia owns diverse cultural assets, in language and
fine arts.
This time, >The Aryaseni Gallery Singapore
whose programs always introduce the works of Indonesian fine artists,
brings along the works of 8 Indonesian artists to have
an exhibition together. In Alte Feuerwache, Köln, Germany. The 8 artists, who come from different places
in Indonesia, like Marsoyo from Java, Zam Kamil from
Makasaar-Sulawesi, Antonl from Padang-Sumatera and Gustl Alit
Cakra from Bali, the four of whom domicile in Jogyakarta,
as well as Rudi Mukahar from Tasikmaya-West Java, I Wazan
Sujana (Suklu) and I Wayan Sudiarta as Balinese who live in
Bali,try to express Indonesia`s fine arts as a result
of cultural tradition process in globalization era.
Through different style, theme and technique, each artist
reflects what has been part of himself, which bound
to the regional culture, and also, due to the intellectuality
and urban lifestyle which have shifted from tradition to
universal direction. Indonesian culture through the hands
of those artists has become richer and diverse, from which
inbred a new form which is able to cross geographical borders
and is easier to be digested by generation of artists.

The exhibition is expected to encourage cultural
exchange and enrich knowledge so that the understanding
and friendship among countries can grow in harmony.

The involvement and attempt of Elizabeth Becker,
Karl Mertes and Daniel Kho in organizing the exhibition
shall not be forgotten and shall deserve some compliments.
They are infinite steps in the journey of culture.

Cosmas D. Gozali
The Aryaseni Gallery

A as in Asparagus

2007-04-26T15:19:00.000+02:00

With this springtime saying April Showers Bring May Flowers,
I am posting one of my favorite things in this
month (it is actually the last week for this tropical-like April heat
which according to German news is the hottest April since 1901 with
a recorded temperature ranging fro 26 to 36 degrees Centigrade).
But more on global warming later.

April in Germany means the start of the season of Asparagus
or Spargel in German which they named as king of
vegetables which is not the explanation why Asparagus is one of my
favourite things dating back since pre-Be (Blogging Era).
Another explanation reads that it is a member of the lily family
which includes onions, leeks and garlic! Watch out for those water
lillies still floating on Pasig River...it might be as delicious
as these wonderfully tasting spears. Anyway.

I bought yesterday about three pounds which was about 1 and half kilo
of white asparagus...(wonder what is the plural form...asparagi?)
for 12Euro which was stilll cheap according to another girlfriend
who bought half a kilo asparagus for 10Euro. Not that she has
what the Germans call a Tick for designer's label
but asparagus could really cost a fortune depending on its quality
and the name of the supermarket, of course.

For tips on how to cook asparagus, please ask your favourite neighbor
for her secrets and this is a good communication skill to keep good
vibration with the rather 'aloof' kapitbahay.
My other German girlfriend who is not hooked on blogging yet,
gave per phone call this tip: Boil water with a teaspoonful of sugar
and salt,a spoonful of butter. Put in the asparagus to cook for
about 25 minutes.I told her that I also put some slices of lemons
to the water,and she said she would try that, too. At least I was
happy to share one piece of wisdom in cooking Spargel while she paid
for the expensive Telecome calling bills.

Our call lasted more than an hour talking about the political
economy of growing and harvesting Asparagus. We talked on topics
like more and more Polish seasonal workers are quitting work in
German asparagus fields for better pay in France and on the effort
of German employment agencies to attract unemployed Germans and
recipients of Hartz IV
unemployment benefits to work in asparagus fields.
In the meantime, the kingly spears were waiting to be cooked and served.

To go with these edible ivory pieces, we just enjoy the simplest mix
of boiled potatoes, Parma ham and butter sauce or what they called
Holland butter sauce.

If interested, click on this website
for info related to Asparagus Officinalis:.
Below are some flash info about the king of the lily family:"
*China is the largest grower
*South Africa and Spain are asparagus powers with US and Peru.
*Japan is the world's importer of asparagus.

And while or rather before we enjoy our delicious Spargel, let us
say these blessings for those workers who start as early as
six in the morning in the asparagus fields for 4.78Euro hourly
working rate, amen.

Tita Bee

International Fair in Cologne City

2007-04-19T12:39:00.000+02:00

41st International Fair for Modern and Contemporary
Art in Cologne, Germany on April 18-22, 2007 at the Cologne Exhibition Hall in
Cologne, Germany.
Featured works above are from Ayako Rokkaku
China Hero Series No. 13 from the art seasons Gallery
The Fertility of Capitalism
from Wang Mai courtesy of alexander ochs gallery
and August Macke Paar am Wasser
Bei Vollmond, courtesy of allposter.
For detailed info on the International Fair, please see Art Cologne

If you need an interpreter, guide or travel coordinator for your
visit to Cologne, please get in touch with Tita Bee. You can email
her at this email: babaylanes@gmx.de

Happy Birthday, Dear Pope

2007-04-16T16:02:00.000+02:00

Some quotations written by some popes:

"Men are like wine. Some turn to vinegar, but the best
improve with age."

Anybody can be Pope; the proof of this is that
I have become one.

Pope John XXIII 1881-1963

"Adultery in your heart is committed not only when
you look with excessive sexual desire at a woman who
is not your wife, but also if you look in the same
manner at your wife."

Pope John Paul II 1920-2005

"Women preserve the deep intuition of the goodness
in their lives of those actions which elicit life,
and contribute to the growth and protection of the
other...But, in the final analysis, every human being,
man or woman, is destined to be for the other..."

"God 'has a great sense of humor'."

Pope Benedict XVI

....Aha, so that is one simple reason why we have
now a German pope?

All Things Fundraising: Too Little for Board Members to Do?

2007-04-11T12:44:00.000+02:00

All Things Fundraising: Too Little for Board Members to Do?

More on Shakira's Fijacion Oral Vol. 1 Concert in Cologne, Germany

2007-04-06T15:46:00.000+02:00

and all the things I deserve
for being such a good girl honey

Because of you
I forgot the
smart ways
to lie
Because of
you
I'm running
out of reasons
to cry
When the friends are gone
When the party's over
We will still belong to each other.

Underneath your clothes
There's an endless story
There's the man I choose
There's my territory
And all the things I deserve
For being such a good girl honey

I love you more than all that's on the planet
Movin' talkin' walkin' breathing
You know it's true
Oh baby it's too funny
You almost don't believe it
As every voice is hanging from the silence
Lamps are hanging from the ceiling
Like a lady to her good manners
I'm tied up to this feeling.

Underneath your clothes
There's an endless story
There's the man I choose
There's my territory
And all the things I deserve
For being such a good girl honey

Produced by SHAKIRA

Laundry Service with Shakira in Cologne

2007-04-06T14:50:00.000+02:00

SHAKIRA performs in Koeln Arena on Sunday, April 08,2007
at 20:00.
Koeln Arena in Willy-Brandt-Platz 1, Cologne City

Solidarische Diaspora

2007-03-26T15:05:00.000+02:00

Als mich im vergangenen Dezember Antje fragte, ob ich
anlässlich dieses Treffens über Solidarität sprechen könnte, habe ich ohne lange nachzudenken sofort
geantwortet, dass das kein Problem sei.

Dann verstrichen Tage und Wochen, ohne dass ich mir auch nur die Mühe gemacht hätte, über das Thema Solidarität auch nur in Wörtchen zu notieren und zu Papier zu bringen - immer ein Konzept, das stark
strapaziert und vielfach falsch verstanden wurde.

Als selbst GMA im letzten Jahr Spanien busuchte, erschien sie dort mit der Botschaft an die spanische Regierung, sie habe eigentlich nur drei Anliegen vorzubringen-Leben, Solidarität und Wirtschaftsbeziehungen. So wie ihr hier jetzt, so habe
auch ich über ein solches Statement geschmunzelt und
dachte, "Auweia."
Solidarity photo: www.nataliedee.com

Warum? Weil ich glaube, dass viele von uns hier mit einem Verständnis von Solidarität politisch augewachsen sind und ihrem praktischen Tun von dem Gedanken beseelt wurden, selbst in kleinen Aktionen wie Tagungen, Konferenzen und dergleichen darauf hinzuwirken, Ungerechtigkeiten beim Namen zu nennen, Menschenrechtsverletzungen anzuprangern, gerechte Landverteilung zu fordern und sich für Frieden einzusetzen. Mir scheint, über all` die Jahre - und selbst angesichts dieses Jubiläums - ist die Liste der Anliegen und unseres Engagements eher länger geworden; wir stehen nach wie vor vor großen Herausforderungen und Kampagnen, wobei uns im Innersten immer wieder die Frage umtreibt, wie man/fra dem Heiligen Gral der Solidarität näher kommen kann.

Ich möchte meine Beobachtungen bezüglich unserer Tugenden als patriotische Filipinas/Filipinos in der Diaspora.

Aufgrund unserer Tradition und Wertvorstellungen wie "damayan" und "tulongan" haben
Migrant-Filipinas/os - oder zuvor die sogennanten US-Immigrants - stets enge Bande zur
Heimat unterhalten und gepflegt. Sie überwiesen Geld an ihre Verwandten, und es waren und sind ihre unterschiedlichen sozialen Organisationen, Verbände oder Vereine, die sich ihrerseits dafür stark machten, diese oder jene Projekte in ihren jeweiligen Barrios zu unterstützen sowie Hilfsgüter jenen zukommen zu lassen, die Opfer von Naturkatastrophen wurden oder zu Weihnachten des besonderen Beistands befurften.

Eine Freundin von mir vertraute mir kürzlich an, sie habe sich für die Renovierung des Altars ihrer Heimatkirche eingesetzt, nachdem aus dieser sämtliche "Santos" und golden Kelche gestohlen worden waren.

Andere sozial eingestellte Verbände sammelten gar Brillen und gebrauchtes medizinisches Gerät, um dieses lokales Gesundheitsstationen oder Spitälern daheim zu schenken. Dann gibt es natürlich auch "Bingo-Nächte", Tombolas und Gala-Partys, deren Veranstalter/innen behaupten, das beim Festessen und Tanzen gesammelte Geld kommen natürlich vollumfänglich armen Straßenkindern oder Opfern von Flutkatastrophen und Vulkanausbrüchen zugute.

Das Sich-Kümmern und die Liebe zu ihrem Heimatland wird der Löwenanteil von Filipinas/os bejahen und diese als Triebfedern für ihr soziales Engagement und für Projektarbeit bezeichen. Doch der Begriff "Solidarität" und was sich damit konkret und praktisch verbindet, ist den meisten von ihnen völlig fremd. Eigentlich seltsam; denn dieser Begriff scheint dem Kern ihres Einsatzes für Proyekte überhaupt nicht zu entsprechen, wenngleich das Wort "damayan" nichts anderes bedeutet als Solidarität in all' ihren Aspekten.

Solidarität ist zweifellos eine politisch motivierte Kategorie, die historisch ihre Wurzeln in der westeuropaischen Arbeiter-und Gewerkschaftsbewegung hat: Was natürlich nicht heißt, dass es nicht auch ausgeprägte Reziprozitätsbeziehungen oder Beziehungen auf Gegenseitigkeit in anderen wie auch in unseren Gesellschaften gegeben hat.

Jemand mag großzügig sein oder sich um die Belange von hilfsbedürtigen Menschen zu kümmern - doch eins sein zu wollen mit dem Volk und dessen Anliegen, sein Schicksal zu wenden, mit Sympathie zu begegnen, scheint äußerst suspekt zu sein.

Gegenwärtig sind in Kirchen oder "socio-civic" Vereiningungen Trends auszumachen, sich weg von reinen "Charity" (Barmherzigkeitsanliegen) hin zur aktiven Umsetzung eines neu gefundenen Konstrukts zu bewegen - Migration und Entwicklung. Es reicht nicht aus, wenn Gläubige einfach nur Geld und materielle Güter nach Hause schicken. Vielmehr Sinn macht es, Alternativen dazu finden und sich zu überlegen, ob solche Überweisungen nicht besser und dauerhafter in Projekte investiert werden, die ökonomisch tragen und den Menschen dahein mehr würdige Jobs verschaffen.

Es geht nicht nur darum, wie viel Geld eigentlich von den vermeintlich "modernen Helden" akquiriert wird, die die Migranten/innen von der eigenen Regierung genannt werden, sondern um die neue Kunst des Miteinander-Kommunizierens, welche eine andere Form der Solidarität hervorgebracht hat - nämlich die Internet-Solidarität. Mit wenigen Mausklicks sind Initiativen
für "overseas voting" zu kontaktieren, lassen sich förmliche Klagen oder Beschwerden über öffentliche Bedienstete in einigen Botschaften und Hinweise an Migranten/innen verschicken, in denen vor zweifelhaften Praktiken skrupelloser Arbeitsvermittler oder deren Agenturen gewarnt wird. Manifestoes hier und dort, alles zirkuliert wild im Cyberspace. Darüber hinaus finden Messages rasch ihren Weg in die Netze von "Couples for Christ," die Ritter Rizals oder Migranten/innen mit oder ohne Grenzen - oder was immer sonst noch, was Menschen interessant zu sein scheint.
Vor wenigen Wochen ging es aber auch darum, Unterschriften zu sammeln, um gegen die anhaltenden "Killings" in den Philippinen zu protestieren und diesen Protest durch geschaltete Anzeigen in philippinischen Tageszeitungen publik zu machen - doch viele soziale Organisationen selbst angebliche politische Gruppierungen winkten ab, empfanden das bereits als zu politisch oder als ungeeignetes "Steckenpferd" ihres eigenen Vereinslebens oder Verbandsklüngels - oder was auch immer!

Wir moegen unterschiedlicher Meinung sein und unterschiedliche Perspektiven haben, doch der Grund für unser Engagement ist und bleibt, beim Aufbau einer gerechten und humanen Gesellschaft mitzuwirken. Wenn das der Ziel ist, dann brauchen wir uns nicht grossartig zu überlegen mit wem, und für was wir gemeinsam erträumen.

Und das abschließende Wort zum Sonntag: You do not lose by loving, you lose by holding back.

SPRING IS HERE

2007-03-21T08:37:00.000+01:00

Let us have no care, but be glad of the approaching springtime of the peoples.
Let us have no fear of the movement into the open.
(Ludwig Börne)

Alles eine Frage von Beziehungen...

2007-02-27T11:24:00.000+01:00

(photo: ml)

GLOBALIZIERUNG BRAUCHT SOLIDARITÄT!
Nur: Mit wem? und wie?
23. - 25. März, 2007
Jugendgästehaus Bad Honnef
Selhofer Str. 106
53604 Bad Honnef

In den 70er und 80er Jahren erlebte die Solidarität mit
einzelnen Ländern ihren Höhepunkt. Solidarität bedeutete
Identifizierung mit den Zielen von Befreiungsbewegungen -
sei es mit den Sandinisten in Nicaragua, mit der Antiapartheidsbewegung
in Südafrika oder mit der NDF in den Philippinen. Dass,
"das unterdrückte Volk" keine homogene Masse war,
wurde nur klar, wenn persönliche Beziehungen zu den Menschen
im Zentrum des Engagements standan. Kirchliche
Partnerschaftgruppen nahmen da eine Vorreiterrolle ein.

Wo aber steht die Solidaritätsbewegung heute und vor allem:
Was sind ihre Perspektiven? Ist länderbezogene Solidarität in
Zeiten der Globalisierung nocht zeitgemäß? Oder bedeuten die
regionalen Kompetenzen und das Veständnis für die konkreten
Lebensituationen gerade jetzt eine große Chance? In diesem
Reflektionsprozess befinden sich derzeit Solidaritätsgruppen
aller Regionen.

Das Seminar will:

Engagierte der internationalen Solidarität und Partnerschaft zusammenbringen und einen Erfahrungsaustausch ermöglichen.
20 Jahre Solidaritätsarbeit reflektieren.
Konkrete Formen des Engagements und des Umgangs mit den Herausforderungen der Globalisierungs vorstellen.

Wir freuen uns auf ein Wiedersehen und Kennenlernen! Das Seminar ist gleichzeitig die 20Jahrsfeier des philippinenbüros und das Partnerschaftsseminar der VEM.

Tagungsablauf:

Freitag. 23. März
bis 17:00 Ankommen
17:15 - 18:00 Begrüßung und Einführung
1800 - 18:45 Abendessen
19:00 - 20:30 20 Jahre Solidaritätsarbeit mit den Philippinen - Rückblick aus drei
Blickwinkeln
Moderiertes Gespräch
Elsie Joy dela Cruz (philippinischer Blick), Jörg Schwieger (Blickwinkel aus der
Gründungszeit des philippinenbüros), Niklas Reese (Blick für aktuelle Bewegungen)

Samstag, 24. März

9:00 - 9:15 Morgenandacht
9:00 - 10:45 So nehmen wir die Herausforderungen der Globalisierung an.
Podiumsdiskussion
Nonoy Hacbang (Commission for Filipino Migrant Workers), Dorothea Seeliger
(Partnerschaft), Dieter Simon (Koordination Südliches Afrika), Gert Eisenbürger
(Informationsstelle Lateinamerika)
10:45 - 11:00 Kaffee und Tee
11:00 - 12:30 Impulsereferate (1)
1. Solidarität ist keine Einbahnstraße - Beziehungen im Globalen Süden
Niklas Reese (Prekarisierungsprojekt - Überleben)
2. Veränderungen im Kleinen - Projektarbeit
Andrea Schirmer-Müller (EED - Partnerschaftsprojektefonds)
12:30 - 14:30 Mittagessen und -pause
14:30 - 16:00 Impulsreferate (11)
3. Veränderungen im Großen - Kampagnen
Christiane Schnura (Clean Clothes Campaign)
4. Solidarische Diaspora
Mary Lou U. Hardillo (Babaylan)
16:00 - 16:15 Kaffee und Tea
16:15 - 18:45 Workshops zu den Themen der Impulsreferate
19:00 Das philippinenbüro wird 20! - Feier

Sonntag, 25. März

9:00 - 10:00 Gottesdienst
10:00 - 12:15 Und wie geht´s weiter? Plenum
12 :15 - 12:30 Auswertung und Tagungskritik
12:30 - 13:30 Mittagessen
13:30 - 15:30 Mitgliederversammlung
philippinenbüro e.V.

Moderation: Katharina Stahlenbrecher

Andacht und Gottesdienst: Pastorin Elsie Joy dela Cruz, UCCP
und MÖWE-Regionalpfarrer Cristian Hohmann, Ev. Kirche vo Westfalen

Tagungsbeitrag: 72Euro regulär /36Euro Geringverdienende
Verplegung und Unterkunft ist im Tagunsbeitrag enthalten.
Kinderbetreuung wird angeboten.

Anmeldung: unter 0201/8303828
oder pannenbecker@asienhaus.de

Eine Veranstaltung des philippinenbüro e.V. im Asienhaus
und der Vereinten Evangelischen Mission

Birthday Bash for Aquarian Women

2007-02-23T13:58:00.000+01:00

The Water Carrier

Traditional Aquarian Traits

Friendly and humanitarian
Honest and loyal
Original and inventive
Independent and intellectual.

on the dark side...

Intractable and contrary
Perverse and unpredictable
Unemotional and detached.
(hindi to tutuo!!!)

(source: www.astrology-online.com)

Calling Aquarian Women:

Cora, Marilou, Mary Lou, Vicky and Edna

For Lovers on February 14

2007-02-14T07:04:00.000+01:00

LOOKING AT EACH OTHER

Yes, we were looking at each other
Yes, we knew each other very well
Yes, we had made love with each other many times
Yes, we had heard music together
Yes, we had gone to the sea together
Yes, we had cooked and eaten together
Yes, we had laughted often day and night
Yes, we fought violence and knew violence
Yes, we hated the inner and outer oppression
Yes, that day we were looking at each other
Yes, we saw the sunlight pouring down
Yes, the corner of the table was between us
Yes, bread and flowers were on the table
Yes, our eyes saw each other's eyes
Yes, our mouths saw each other's mouth
Yes, our breasts saw each other's breasts
Yes, our bodies entire saw each other
Yes, it was beginning in each
Yes, it threw waves across our lives
Yes, the pulses were becoming very strong
Yes, the beating became very delicate
Yes, the calling the arousal
Yes, the arriving the coming
Yes, there it was for both entire
Yes, we were looking at each other.
Muriel Rukeyser

Snowfall in my village-Winter is back!

2007-02-08T11:47:00.000+01:00

But pleasures are like poppies spread -
You seize the flow'r, its bloom is shed;
Or like the snow falls in the river
A moment white, then melts for ever.

Robert Burns

Christmas Lights Official Last Day February 2 Candelaria

2007-02-02T15:19:00.001+01:00

Maria Lichtmess in German, Candelaria in Pilipino.

If you are getting used to the cosy view of the Christmas
lights when you pass by gardens and houses of some of
your neighbors, tonight might be the last night your
neighbors are treating you with free , twinkling wintry
illumination.

It is February 2 and to many devoutees, especially
those who have Catholic calendar, today is the official
last day for displaying Christmas tree. Well, at least
according to hubby. His mother would display
Christmas tree, lights, bulbs and decors until
February 02 for Maria Lichtmess, the official
last day of Christmas season in Germany. She would
repeat the whole ritual, with a new pine-tree,
of course, starting with the first Sunday in Advent.

What happens then between the official closing
of the holy season filled with much eating and
gift-giving and the start of season for penitence for
our mortal indulgences?

Season for Carnival, season for merry-making,
custumes, clowns, chocolates and beer.

Enjoy the lights tonight.

Tita Bee

The Future will be better tomorrow. G. Bush

2007-01-28T13:28:00.000+01:00

This article is taken from WOZ, 5/1/01
von menschen und mäusen

George W. Bush: Weisheiten zum neuen Jahr
(GWB: Wisdom for the New Year)

Ökonomie: "The vast majority of our imports come
from outside the country."
Mathematik:"One word sums up the responsibility
of any Governor, and that word is `to be prepared`."
Geschichte:"The Holocaust was an obscene period in
our nation`s history. I mean in this century`s history.
But we all lived in this century. I didn`t live in this
century."
Geographie:"We have a firm commitment to Nato,
we are part of Nato. We have a firm commitment to
Europe, we are a part of Europe."
Politik:"A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer
people going to the polls."
Ökologie:"It isn´t the pollution that`s harming the
environment. It is the impurities in our air and water
that are doing it."

First Tulip for the Season

2007-01-27T15:43:00.000+01:00

Die Gruppe KETEWA

2007-01-22T14:53:00.000+01:00

Verleihung des Berliner Literaturpreises

Die Gruppe heißt KETEWA, diesmal mit Daniel, dem
Trompeter. Er ist aus Kuba. Die Bandmembers sind alle
Berliner;alle sind in Berlin geboren: Isaak, Dani, Nara,
Dudu, Charlotta, Valerie und Chana. Die Musik stammt
von Kofi Asamoah, Bandleader aus Ghana, und Norbert
Mattes.
Die Gruppe KETEWA spielte anläßlich der Verleihung des
Berliner Literaturpreises im "Roten Rathaus." Der Preis
wird von der Stiftung Preussische Seehandlung verliehen.
Diesmal an den bulgarischen Schriftsteller Ilija Trojanow.

The band KETEWA comes from Berlin. Members are all
Berliners as they were all born in Berlin. Photo shows
Norbert Mattes with Daniel who comes from Cuba
playing music of Kofi Asamoah, the bandleader from
Ghana and Norbert Mattes. Bandmembers are Isaak und
Dani whose father and mother come from Ghana; Nara,
father is from Malawi; Dudu, father is from South Africa.
Other female members from Berlin are Charlotte, Valerie
and Chana who is currently in Valencia. The group played
during the presentation of the Berliner Prize for Literatur
in "Roten Rathaus". Recipient of the prize is the Bulgarian
writer, Ilija Trojanow.

For more information on KETEWA, contact:
norbert.mattes@inamo.de

Orkan Kyrill

2007-01-18T23:12:00.000+01:00

As reported by many online newspapers, Hurricane Kyrill (the word comes from an old Greek word meaning The Lord), was the most severe storm to hit Germany since 20 years. The highest wind recorded was 169kph in Brocken mountain in the region of Harz. (Radio news was saying even as strong as 200kph.) Other online newspapers were reporting that gale force was reaching as high as 190-200 kph along the coasts of UK. In Germany, train and bus services were cancelled and electricity was cut off in some cities. Due to the weather forecast and warning, we opted to stay home, cancelled our Thursday film watching day, stayed indoors and waited for the storm. And what a view and sounds we got from our balcony! I "enjoyed" experiencing my first "brown-out"in this country which lasted for about two hours. (My neighbors surely heard me clapping when the lights came back.) As there was no possibility of heating the milk to enjoy a cup of Italian thick chocolate, I took a glass of white wine, heard the sounds of the howling winds and the piano music of our neighbor who lives one floor below us. It was simply a meditative mood with only candles burning in our flat while hubby got so upset thinking about his unsaved data when the current was suddenly cut off. No blogging, no phone, mobile low-bat. Really, what could one do without power?

A Filipino in the Supplementary City Council of Rome

2007-01-16T21:36:00.000+01:00

Their official title is Consiglieri Aggiunti, Supplementary City Councillors representing the four major continents of migrants in Rome. Elected to represent Asia is
a Filipino migrant worker, Romulo S. Salvador. Other elected councillors are Victor Emeka Okeadu for Africa, Madisson Godoy Sanchez for Latin America and Tetyana Kuzyk for Eastern Europe.
What are the functions of these added city councillors?
Their role is similar to that of a city councillor but they have only the right to intervene but no right to vote during deliberation. They could submit proposals, participate in interrogations during commission hearings and represent the city of Rome to functions regarding immigration.
We congratulate our dear Romulo S. Salvador and hope that he would take this chance in giving more support to our kababayans in Rome. He assured us that he would try his best in upholding Pinoy leadership. (Soon, meron na tayo siguradong right to vote, Pinoy eto!)

Perché mi piace questo paese Part 2

2007-01-09T18:14:00.000+01:00

TALKING ABOUT PULUTAN SISIG IN ITALIA

2007-01-09T00:08:00.000+01:00

Staying with Filipino friends in Italy requires a firm decision making when it comes to eating: Filipino or Italian? No problem here as I often settle on both options and somehow our kababayans seem to know the taste of visiting fellow migrants that they have reserved Eurofil foodstuffs ready for serving when guests drop in on them to drink or to stay surprisingly for a week.

After each stay, I am even sent off with tips on how to cook a simple PENNE CON TONNO E POMODORI (Penne with Tuna and tomatoes) or a complicated HUMBA for my hubby.

In my recent Italian sojourn, while simultaneously chewing a rice cake especialty from Batanggas and asking if someone knows how to make SISIG, Marcial Hernandez gladly scribbled the necessssary ingredients to make that famous SISIG ala Batanguenyo in Milano which could match the quality of the original SISIG from Pampanga. So here goes the simple recipe in making SISIG. You will need for this salad:

Luya- gayatin ng pino /finely cut ginger
Sibuyas/Onions
Bawang/Garlic
Paminta/Pepper
Toyo/Soya sauce
Bitsin/MSG (optional)
Suka/Vinegar
Calamansi o Lemon
Tenga ng Baboy with Karneng Baboy na inihaw/Roasted Pork with hmmmm pig's ears

As you could very well imagine, it is up to your creativity and taste how to make the most out of these ingredients, quantity and length of time for your roasting. Mix all the ingredients, toss in the shredded, roasted pork and serve. Charmaine added that it is better to serve it on a sizzling plate and break an egg on top of the mixture to cook. One could add crushed tsitsaron or cracklings on top as garnish. Who will need ANTIPASTI?

Padova First Day in 2007

2007-01-08T18:57:00.000+01:00

Perché mi piace questo paese

2007-01-08T03:04:00.000+01:00

2007 May You Be Blessed with Abundance in Life

2007-01-07T20:04:00.000+01:00

MAY YOU BE BLESSED
by Kate Nowak

May you be blessed with all things good
May your joys like the stars to be too numerous to count
May your victories be more abundant than all the grains of sand on
all the beaches, on all the oceans in all the world
May luck and struggle be always absent from your life
And may beauty, order and abundance be your constant companion.

May every pathway you choose lead to that which is pure and good and lovely
May every doubt and fear be replaced by a deep abiding trust as you
behold evidence of a Higher Power above you
And when there is only darkness and the storms of life are closing in
May the light at the core of your being illuminate the world.

May you always be aware that you are loved beyond treasure and
May you be willing to love unconditionally
May you always feel protected and cradled in the arms of God
like the cherished child you are.

And when you are tempted to judge,
May you be reminded that we are all One
and that every thought reverberates across the universe
touching everyone and everything
And when you are tempted to hold back
May you remember that love flows best when it flows freely
And it is in giving that we receive the greatest gift.

May you always have music and laughter
And may a rainbow follow every storm
May gladness wash away every disappointment
May joy dissolve every sorrow
And may love ease every pain.

May every wound bring wisdom
May every trial bring triumph
And with each passing day
May you live more abundantly than the day before
May you be blessed and others be blessed by you.

Thanks to all our wonderful friends who have sent us cards, e-cards, texts, and invitations to celebrate the coming of 2007 and best wishes for this new year. Our heartfelt thanks to our dear treasured friends for sharing with us their time, home, stories, food and laughter. Especial thanks to Zeny, Charmaine, Marcial, Abner and Denia of San Donato, Milan. Maraming Salamat na walang katapusan to the wondeful people of Padova: Cecil Silva, Nads, Alec H., Irene Garcia, Chito, Nene, Sheng and Airish Silva. Dear Anggie, Jimmy and Bryant Barba-Natividad, thanks for your hospitality kahit nasa Pinas pa kayo. And to our dear Cely A., we wish you all the strength and love that will ease your pain. To Mr. Lillium, I hope to taste your wonderful fig and nut cake again soon.

Red Alert

2006-12-26T02:59:00.000+01:00

And the red was on your lip, Mary,
The love-light in your eye.
Helen Blackwood

After Two Bottles of White Wine

2006-12-25T17:44:00.000+01:00

O Holy Night, Guess Who is Coming to Dinner?

2006-12-25T11:04:00.000+01:00

O Holy Night!

2006-12-25T10:53:00.000+01:00

With Much Love, Sarah and John

2006-12-25T10:15:00.000+01:00

Every year, we get a Christmas card from Sarah and John from Bath, UK. Either it comes as
the first christmas card or the second but it is as sure as the coming of December, it is always there before the Eve of Christmas. This time they wrote: We often think of you-would love to
see you sometime. Hope M didn't have any family near the recent disaster in the Philippines.
With much love,
Sarah, John.

These two friends communicate with us per email but they give us that joy of opening a real envelope and reading their handwritten greetings and messages. So with other greeting cards sent by friends and other institutions. Our thanks and appreciation. There are valuable things which can't be simply replaced by the internet.

Advent, Advent

2006-12-23T23:02:00.000+01:00

Tell me, how did you love my picture?
R. Colombo

I'm dreaming of a White Christmas Part II

2006-12-20T21:38:00.000+01:00

Party

At kung nasa ano man party yan, Christmas party, gala for the victims of typhoon A to Z, birthday celebration for Father Parinig, Independence Day, Time for Valentine, at ibapa, heto ang ilang items para sa check list ng kaunting Kapinuhan:

Huwag punuin ang plato na parang eto na ang Last Supper...nakabarong pa naman si Kuya at si Ate ay nakasatin long gown at old rose pink pa.
Huwag masyadong magtomaan, hindi sigurado kung sino ang magbabayad ng mga naorder na drinks at baka mamaya ala Pacquiao kayong lahat. At mga kababaihan, huwag umasa duon sa hindi kilalang ka-table para sa yong coke at ubusin pati yun inaalok na alak sa yo.
Kung Christmas party na pangpamilya, magbobold ka ba? Kung Christmas party na pangbata, ang mga matatanda ay hindi dapat umaarteng parang bata. Mas malakas pa silang sawayin sa kanilang ingay habang tumatakbo ang programa. Hindi katakatakang dala ng mga anak natin ang ganitong asal. Parang nakawala sa kural, sabi ng ni Lola.
Kung kayo naman ang pasimuno ng mga Christmas at ibang parties, kaunting pag-iisip din at mayroon kayong Plan B...ng may kaunting sensitivity.

a) Ayusin ang mga lamesa para hindi naman ang tagal ng pila ng mga nagugutom na bisita. Para tuloy nasa Pinas ka pa, pila sa passport, pila sa clearance at mga visa. Kaunting
ambiente naman, kaunting kandila, roses at cover sa lamesa.
b)At utang na loob, kahit na sabihin ninyo na para walang masyadong trabaho, ipwera
naman ang mga lutuang kaldero sa buffet. Itrato natin ang ating mga sarile na importante
tayo. At pinakagolden rule...huwag magkalat ng basura.
c)Kung may pupunahin kayo sa inyong mga bisita, puede ba huwag gumamit ng
mikropono para ianunsiyo, hoy huwag kayong maingay naman dyan, makinig naman kayo
o padaanin naman ninyo yun hindi pa nakakakain. Kasi nga, hindi naman marunong
makinig ang karamihan sa atin. Sa tutuo lang, dapat siguro sa mga public schools or market idaos ang karamihan sa mga tinatawag na masaya, magulo, maingay na typical party Pilipino.
d)Anong gagawin ninyo sa mga bisitang gustong magpakita at aakyat pa sa stage feeling
niya nasa bar siya at gusto nakavideo pa. Okey lang ba sa atin kasi sumisimba din
siya? Kapatid din natin, bold nga lang o nagrerecruit pa ng mga Pinay para makakuha
ng partner sa Europa?
e)At kung ang sabi ninyo ang kita ay para sa mga proyekto, UNL uli, ipakita ang
ebidensiya (gumamit ng homepage, blogs, emails o circulars) kung talaga saan
napapapunta yun mga kaperahan kahit pa barya barya lang para walang chismissan o
chatting na masama ang mga OFs, Samahan ng mga Spiritista, Hibok Hibok Varsitarian,
Pahulugan Initiatives, NPA sa Europa (No Permanent Address), Knights ni Gabriela,
Tong-its and Bingo Club, Never United Migrantes, mga Kababaihan para sa Panalangin at
Babasahin, Chibog After Prayer Meeting Volunteers, Manangs ni Father Magsisitayo
(let us ask for forgiveness and not let us all stand), etc, etc
f)At kasi kahit na anong magandang balak mo ay marami pa rin dyan maghahanap ng
ibang motibo...siguro nga kasi marami na tayong naririnig at nakikitang umiiral na hindi
ugaling Pilipino o nasanay na lang talaga tayo sa ganitong sistema at sasabihin natin Pinoy
kasi, eh. Suspetsosa, Suspetsoso.

Hanggang sa muli, at kahit ngayon dito sa abroad, kumanta pa rin tayo ng I'm dreamin' of
a White Christmas...kasi mukhang hindi na talaga uso ang snow pag Pasko. Global warming, dumadami ang migrante sa mundo!

Tita Bee

I'm Dreamin'of a White Christmas...

2006-12-19T20:42:00.000+01:00

Parang kailan lang, sa gitna ng kainitan sa Pilipinas, naririnig ko ang kantang ito sa simula pa lang ng Oktubre o sabi nga sa atin, sa sandaling lumamig ang hangin, eh pasko na. I'm dreamin'of a White Christmas, eto na siguro yun pambansang awit ng Pasko sa Pilipinas at kung kinakanta ko siya nuong ako ay musmos pa hanggang naging dalaga pa nga, ang aking naiisip ay yun mga Christmas cards na padala ng aming mga kamag-anak sa Amerika (na minsa may nakadikit na dollar) at siyempre, yun mga Hollywood films na may falling snow palagi pagdating ng Christmas Eve.
Sa tutuo lang, kung tatanungin ninyo ako, ito ang isa sa mga dahilan o sa tinatawag ngayong push factor bakit die-hard akong makapag-abroad...ang makakita at makahawak ng tunay na snow.
At siyempre, yun the first timne ever I saw snow, eto yun binabalikan mo sa yong mga album, sayang nuon wala pang digital camera at mobile video pero puede naman daw ipaconvert ang mga memories sa CD kaya sa susunod ito ang project ko at ang pamagat ay Forever Young. Uunahan ko sa idea yun mga nagpapaface-lift at kung may kaunting naipon din lang ako (hindi naman palaging nakaremittance tayo, di ba?) baka magparetoke na rin ako, kaya lang saan daw sisimulan ang priorities sabi ng mga ka-Bees. Simulan na kaya yun face lifting habang wala pang masyadong kulubot para hindi naman masyadong magastos. Preventive measure di ba?
Hay, siyanga pala, nasa first now pala ang diskarte ko. Di ba talagang makapigil hininga habang minamasdan mo ang mga lumilipad na mabusilak sa kaputiang yelo...eto na siguro ang isang tamang halimbawa sa salitang busilak. Tanong agad sa kasama...puede bang gawin sa halo-halo to?

Pero kung matagal ka na rin sa abroad at nadanasan mong hindi lang isang beses na madulas sa paglalakad at manginig sa lamig at hapdi ng hanging yelo, minsan naiisip mo rin na mas maromantika yun imahination mo nuong hindi ka pa nakakahawak ng pala para alisin yun snow sa harap ng apartment ninyo kasi hindi naman tutuong masaya yun dashin' through the snow...kasi nga kung may madulas tiyak na demanda ang regalo mo.

Apropos demandahan..sana may batas na puedeng idimanda yun mga grupong nag-oorganisado ng mga Christmas party na parang nasa tilapapa o palengke. Okey, hindi na bale kung nanduon tayo sa ating Barangay Sabungan at Palengke at wala naman siguradong ibang ambiyente, mas maingay at may karaoke, mas sikat yun Christmas party.

Pero kapansin-pansin na yata na masayang magulo (understatement to) tayong mga Pinoy at Pinay sa mga sosyalan, galas at piyestahang ginaganap sa mga community centers at kahit pa sabihin nating hotel na maestrella.

Bato bata sa langit, ang tamaan ay huwag magagalit...(pakilinaw duon sa mga third generation). Formal attire daw pero hindi naman sinabing come like a Christmas tree na kompleto pa with unmatching earrings at singsing na kulang yun sampung daliri para maidispley ang mga nagkikislapang bato, ginto at silber, pula, berde at azul, parang walking rainbow. Anong paboritong kantiyaw sa atin. Wow mare, naninilaw ka, mukhang may Hepatitis ka na!

Hindi natin tanggap yun sabi nga daw ng mga Aleman, weniger ist mehr...kakaunti pero mas matindi!

At hola, kaunting PINO NAMAN...kaya nga pangalan natin ay PILIPINO...pino naman ng kaunti at dala nating ang pangalan ng ating lahi at bayang pinagmula. (Hay sos, ilang beses na kayang nilalapastangan ng karamihan sa mga nakapwesto sa gobyerno ang naiwang bayan...bakit mo pupunahin ang mga OFs?).

To be continued...

KAPILING NA LAPTOP PART 2

2006-12-10T18:18:00.000+01:00

Mas Malapit ang Iniwang Bayan

Parang kailan lang sabi nga sa atin...matagal ang magpadala ng airmail sa atin kaya maswerte ka pag may uuwing kaibigan na mabait (at hindi marunong magsalita ng HINDI!) na magdadala ng iyong mga sulat at mga pakiusap na tsokolates. At mas maswerte ka pag ang kaibigan na ito ay maydala pang sagot na sulat ng nanay mo na binalot sa dalawa o tatlong kilong pulboron, pili at dried mangoes.

Parang kailan lang...kung tatawag ka sa Piipinas ay parang kang sport newscaster sa bilis, walang comma, walang period, mas maraming BAKIT?

Parang kailan lang...ang balitang nakukuha mo ay galing sa mga courtesy copies o pinabileng babasahin at peryodikong dala ng mga galing Pinas. Kung minsa pa nga, pati yun pinambalot sa pasalubong ay pagtitripan pa rin, uunatin, babasahin.

Pero sabi nga ngayon, walang nang impossible sa panahon ng Globalization. Hindi kinakainlangan na mayroon kang sarileng laptop kung interesado ka talagang makaalam tungkol sa mga nangyayari sa Pilipinas. Nandiyang pumunta ka sa mga tindahang Pinoy at Pinay at siguradong may mabibile kang babasahin. Kaya nga lang, halos puro buhay ng mga artista ang tindang magazines nila. Nandiyang kumuha ka ng subscription para sa Pinoy/Pinay television. Kaniya-kaniya naman ng hilig ang mga tao; maaliw o maalibadbaran sa mga klase ng programang galing sa atin.

Hindi naman ibig sabihin na kung may sarile kang laptop eh mas marami kang alam sa mundo o mas marami ang mabibile mo sa Ebay. Mas komportable nga lang kasi nga kapiling mo mula sa yong paggising, sa 'yong trabaho, habang nagluluto gawang may mga recipes kang idinadawload, hanggang sa kama at kasi si Irog ay nakatitig pa rin sa monitor niya.

Gusto mo ng balita kay GMA? Ano ba ang Chacha? Sino ba talaga ang mga terrorista?
Igoogle mo.
Gusto mong palitan si Gloria? Naghahanap ka ng asawa? Anong gagawin sa toxic na ba

Another of those Christmas Parties

2006-12-07T23:23:00.000+01:00

Disyembre na naman, excited na naman ba kayo sa mga kakanin at dancing sa mga nakascheduled na parties na halos linggo linggo ay meron yata sa lahat ng sulok ng mundo kung saan naanduon ang mga Noypis at Naypis, OFWs, migrante kasama na pati yun mga ooops ayaw nating gamitin pero hindi naman natin gustong manginsulto...tnts...mukhang natanggap na rin natin ang term na ito kasi nga puro humour naman tayo daw mga Filipina at Filipina.
Pero ano nga bang klaseng katuwaan ang alam natin? Ang akala ko ay bihira lang yung mga Pinoy christmas party na parang nasa palengke...may atungalan pa ng mga bata, may tumatakbo habang may performance sa stage, lagi tayong may stage kahit na isang kahon lang ang lugal ng party. Pero mukhang eto ang standard kahit pa 5star hotel ang venue.
Minsa may nakita pa ako, panay ang saway ng isang moderator habang kumakanta yun isang bisita, sinasaway niya yun mga ibang kababaihan na nanduon sa mga lamesa na parang may sarileng christmas program sila...
Hay Ginoo, eto na yun mga classical natin...modern dance ng mga babae na nakamini at bihis Santa Claus sila...sayaw dito, indak duon sa American jingles at dreaming of a white christmas e miski naman sa Europa wala na rin White Christmas...pati si Santa Claus nagrereklamo na sobra init daw ang kustume niya.
Indak dito, sayaw duon, Hoy please naman huwag kayong maingay dyan...makinig na man kayo
Saan kaya nanggaling itong ugali natin na hindi tayo marunong makinig, walang respeto...
at kahit ano na lang puede yan, Christmas party parang palengke, walang ambiente, walang cozy candles, basta na lang ang mga lamesa ni plastic cover wala pa. Buffet daw, pero bakit kasi gusto natin ng practical setting kaya pati hayun kaldero iba iba ng sizing...plastic glasses and cups, champion tayo sa dumi pagkatapos ng mga party.
Pero it yun isa sa mga shocking Christmas Party na aking natiyempuhan. Nakavideo pa tayo para sa buong kamunduhan ng video viewing. Isang Dancing Filipina...somewhere daw sa isang Community starting with G pero yun stage nila may nakasabit na Congratulations...Father Greg or what...uulitin ko uli yun video nang makita nang husto. Dapat itong Pinay na pinasayaw nila duon ay tanungin kung alam niyang ivinideo siya at ipinosted pa sa internet. Mukhang lasing siya at walang katapusan splits ang ginawa, nakikita yun kaniyang panty, nagtatawanan kahit na ang mga babae...just for fun...Hallo, may natatandaan ba tayong salita...dignidad ng babae?
And this is what we mean by Filipino Christmas Party?.

Ang Kapiling na Laptop

2006-12-07T14:25:00.000+01:00

Buzz! Buzz! Sa mga miyenbro ng mga chatting communities, eto na yun signal na hindi ka nag-iisa sa mundong it. Susundan pa ng tanong, busy ka ba? Puedeng chat tayo?
Sa tutuo lang, maraming pagbabago sa buhay ko mula nang humiwalay ako sa aming Mother Computer at ang bagong notebook ang siyang naging halos kasiping. Wala ng "family feud" sabi nga, kung sino ang mauuna sa computer at wala ng tanungan kung hanggang kailan si Irog nakatitig sa monitor. "Mind your own computer," ang bagong regulasyong marital.

Nang maikabit si Wilan, sa tingin ko, lalo nang naging kulay rosas ang aming pagsasama. Eh bakit hindi naman, non-stop phoning at surfing daw, puede din computer to computer call at kung nakaupo ka na at nakaheadset pa, pakiramdam autonomiya ka miski pa nagdadabog si Irog at hindi makita yung bagong bileng kape na nakatago pa pala sa bag ng nagsusurfing niyang asawa.

Sa mga nakikita kong pagbabago, marami sa ating ang may ganitong nararanasan:

Maagang Magising

Kaunting mumog at hilamos lang at nakapangtulog pa, diretso ka na sa "naghihibernate" na laptop. Gusto mong makita kung sino ang naka-online na mga chatmates. Pero kung si
Ms. U-Buy na pamangkin ang unang naka-online, gusto mong biglang pindutin "not in my
desk." Pero masarap siyang kausap, updated ka sa lahat ng chismis sa kamag-anakan, sa mga buhay artista at inis kay Gloria kaya pagsinabi niya, "Tita you buy me naman please yun kuwan"...bago mo namalayan, nakapayag ka pala. Dyan medyo namahal ang chatting, may biglang pangakong balikbayan box ka at nalalaman mo lahat ang mga birthdays, weddings, sira sa bahay at iba pang SS o sad stories.

Maagang Matulog Din

Depende kung sino at taga saan ang malimit mong ka-chat. Kung taga Pilipinas yung kausap mo, siyempre miski pa yun pinakaaddict na sa chatting, pagdating ng alas-nueve ng gabi sa
Europa, eh dapat may tulog naman sila bago uli gumising ng maaga para huwag abutan ng
traffic sa daan. Sabi naman ng pamangking eskolar na lumuluwas araw- araw mula sa probinsiya, napupuyat din siya sa paggising ng maaga pero matraffic pa din. Kung puede ba daw na ihanap siya ng apartment sa Manila para hindi siya maagang gumigising? Ikaw
naman taga Europa, napupuyat sa kagigising sa madaling araw, katakataka bang ang siesta
moý umaabot hanggang ala-na ng umaga? At hindi pa nating nababangit yun mga chatmates na taga Amerika.

Ooops hanggang sa susunod at may nagbabazz...

Tita Bee

Bulongbulongan in December

2006-12-06T21:52:00.000+01:00

Just in time for Santa Claus' coming to my village

"The sack never empties of love, or of joys
cause inside it are prayers, and hope.
Not just toys.
The more that I give, the fuller it seems,
because giving is my way of fulfilling dreams."