Playing MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game) is fun. You don't just get to hear and see a story, you ARE part of the story. Add to that spells and abilities that your character can possess: like being able to invoke and hurl fireballs, walk on water, shapeshift into a tree that can heal wounds and such, sneak past enemies unseen, or turn an annoying enemy into a harmless sheep - if I could do those things in real life, life could just become a little tad more interesting.
Friends sometimes play online games together for fun. Being able to adventure with someone you know and trust makes the game less of a hassle. And to make things easier the next time they embark on another online adventure, they would naturally want to discuss strategies and such outside the game.
And here's where it gets interesting. Gaming has a vocabulary of its own. There are terms like "DPS" which means "damage dealing" or a "class that excel in doing damage", "tank" which means "a character whose role is to take damage for the rest of the group, or "CC" which means "crowd control" an ability to render an enemy (or enemies) harmless for a set amount of time.
Naturally, for any non-gamer, hearing such terms in a conversation between gamers can really be quite confusing. And it is not seldom that some conversations can lead to uncomfortable situations when such terms and conversation are taken out of context.
Here are just some examples I've picked up from the World of Warcraft forums. If you're a WoW player or just an MMORPG player for that matter, these things mean nothing special. But if you're not familiar with MMORPGs or simply don't have any idea as to what on earth is being talked about here, I'm really sorry but the most respectable thing I could do for you now is to just point at you and laugh.
- - - - - - - - - -
"I just need to enchant my legs and then we can duel."
"We were hosting this huge raid, but couldn't find enough tanks and then people started leaving."
"I've never had much to do with damage specs. But now I'm leveling a kitty and I'm really enjoying the rotation."
"Man, remember last night when we raided Mother Shahraz and her cloth pants dropped? And after that we rolled to see who got the shoulder and I won?"
"I was being ganked by two dwarves in the Wetlands last night."
"I snuck up behind three people last night and stabbed them with my daggers. Killed them in one shot."
"We need to recruit more priests."
"Once I popped all my cooldowns, she started going down fast."
"The boss is just a quick tank and spank. Drops pants that'd be great for me."
"I need a new chest. This one doesn't have gem slots."
"That druid's healing touch was great!"
"Stay back or I'll use my bubbles!"
"Some dude ninja'ed my pants last night."
"I'm down on health! Someone give me a flash of light!"
"Ten of us did Kara last night. Man, it was epic!"
"I was bored last night. So I drank ten jugs of bourbon and puked all over people in the bank."
"I'm a twink."
"I hate grinding. It's so tedious and boring. After a while, it just drones on and on. I tried playing music and even doing it with a friend but it's still boring."
"Wanna hang out?" "Nah, can't. I'm doing Twins."
"I can't duel you yet, lost all my CDs."
"I accidentally minimized, hold up!"
"I was camping at the graveyard until I died."
"She ambushed me while I was eating, before I could blink I was already down."
"I understand how to kill people, I just can't do it fast enough."
and last but not least...
"I can't come to the phone, I'm being killed right now!"
- - - - - - - - - - -
That's all, folks!
Monday, November 8, 2010
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Money -- The Destroyer of Friendships
I've been joking around with a very very close friend that perhaps we should start a business together so we could finally put a dent in our friendship. It's just one of those silly jokes we throw around, of course. And there's no likelihood that anything will follow through with such a proposition. In fact, I could imagine us still being this close seventy years into the future. And there just seems to be nothing that would tear us apart (sniff), hence the joke. But then that's what good friendships are all about -- fun, sharing good things together, comforting each other during sad times, and basically having someone around whom you wouldn't see leaving your side for any goddamn reason humankind has created on the surface of this earth.
Except money.
So the news that a member of this girl clique with whom I'm friends with (*wink* I'm that awesome) decided to call it quits with her girlfriends came as a shock to me. As far as I know they've been friends for over fifteen years, have been through so many and so much as friends, and are my definition of a good, tight friendship. You could say I wasn't just disappointed. I was aghast. It just seems to me that such a thing isn't possible. Relationships come and go, right? But friendship? It's one of those things that to me should have some sort of permanence that shouldn't disappear no matter what.
So I decided to call one of them to find out what really happened. (And I'm a gossip too, what can I say?) And when I uncovered the ugly truth, that's when the shock dissipated and was replaced by disappointment.
So there it is -- money. When you look at things the first time, you would think that money seems to be too trivial a reason for any friendship to crumble. It's not as if money that was lent wouldn't be earned again in the next couple of months, if not weeks, right? That several years of good camaraderie isn't worth losing over a couple of bucks, right? But the sad truth is, people have gone separate ways all too often simply because of money. Money -- a thing which is sadly defined as nothing more than just a means to an end. Money -- a lot of things get thrown out the window because of money. And not just simple things, mind. But really important ones.
An hour of reverie later and I end up thinking that perhaps it isn't really the issue of money that sucks here. I, myself, wouldn't mind lending money to someone who needs it. It's just money, for crying out loud. But what really sucks balls here isn't the issue of money. It's the issue of trust. You lend money. You trust that person to pay the money back. If that person doesn't pay it back on time -- for myriad reasons, some reasonable, some not -- then somehow a level of trust is broken. That's just the thing with money. You need to pay it on time, otherwise things are gonna go sour soon. And then on the other side of the fence, there's the issue of the nagging lender, who just wouldn't stop yapping and who just wouldn't understand that "Dude, I just can't pay you back right now, so will you please shut up already? Ugh..."
The psychology of people when caught in the issue of credit is something that I would rather not discuss extensively as I'm no psychologist or financial adviser myself. There are however several things I will suggest to prevent such ugly things from happening in the first place:
Live within your means. Yes, I know, it's fun when you start earning money to go spend, spend, spend like some bastard son or daughter of Donald Trump. I used to be like that myself until you find your coffers running dry. For the disciplined, it's just a matter of stopping and to start being frugal. But then, there are those who just couldn't resist the temptation of spending. So all I could really say is "Stop!" Spend depending on how much you're earning right now. Everyone's gonna climb up the social ladder anyway sooner or later so save those itchy spending urges several years into the future. But for now, stop and don't go down the path of borrowing money just to satisfy a couple of whims.
Communicate. It's the key, need I say more? If you intend to borrow money, be transparent on your reasons and be ready to accept a refusal! Other people need money to spend their money for themselves, too. And be very clear on your intent to pay and when you're going to pay. On the other hand, if you're the one lending money, don't be afraid to say NO if you need to. You have your needs too! And if you do lend money, be clear as to when you want to be paid. Don't be afraid to ask for your money back, but be nice about it. Don't nag the borrower if he or she can't pay you just yet. Be patient but be smart. And make sure to keep a mental note as to whether a person is trustworthy enough to pay you back on time or not.
Credit is credit. Even if you borrowed money from a friend, it's still credit. Pay on time and don't use friendship as an excuse to delay payment. It's that simple.
The business of money is dirty (eww). And to be quite honest, if there's a way of acquiring one's needs without using money, then I would very much gladly do it. On the condition I wouldn't be using my body, of course! But there you go, money, in a way, is a necessary evil that everyone needs to use in order to go about the business of living. Does it make the world go round? I suppose so. Is it the instrument of the Devil? Well maybe it is! And maybe it is, if it's so powerful enough to destroy good friendships (ooh).
But hey, nobody said that once something is destroyed, it has to remain destroyed, right? I'm really hoping for those girls that once emotions have gone down a notch, maybe they could reconsider and be the friends that they used to be. It's still just - money - after all.
Except money.
So the news that a member of this girl clique with whom I'm friends with (*wink* I'm that awesome) decided to call it quits with her girlfriends came as a shock to me. As far as I know they've been friends for over fifteen years, have been through so many and so much as friends, and are my definition of a good, tight friendship. You could say I wasn't just disappointed. I was aghast. It just seems to me that such a thing isn't possible. Relationships come and go, right? But friendship? It's one of those things that to me should have some sort of permanence that shouldn't disappear no matter what.
So I decided to call one of them to find out what really happened. (And I'm a gossip too, what can I say?) And when I uncovered the ugly truth, that's when the shock dissipated and was replaced by disappointment.
So there it is -- money. When you look at things the first time, you would think that money seems to be too trivial a reason for any friendship to crumble. It's not as if money that was lent wouldn't be earned again in the next couple of months, if not weeks, right? That several years of good camaraderie isn't worth losing over a couple of bucks, right? But the sad truth is, people have gone separate ways all too often simply because of money. Money -- a thing which is sadly defined as nothing more than just a means to an end. Money -- a lot of things get thrown out the window because of money. And not just simple things, mind. But really important ones.
An hour of reverie later and I end up thinking that perhaps it isn't really the issue of money that sucks here. I, myself, wouldn't mind lending money to someone who needs it. It's just money, for crying out loud. But what really sucks balls here isn't the issue of money. It's the issue of trust. You lend money. You trust that person to pay the money back. If that person doesn't pay it back on time -- for myriad reasons, some reasonable, some not -- then somehow a level of trust is broken. That's just the thing with money. You need to pay it on time, otherwise things are gonna go sour soon. And then on the other side of the fence, there's the issue of the nagging lender, who just wouldn't stop yapping and who just wouldn't understand that "Dude, I just can't pay you back right now, so will you please shut up already? Ugh..."
The psychology of people when caught in the issue of credit is something that I would rather not discuss extensively as I'm no psychologist or financial adviser myself. There are however several things I will suggest to prevent such ugly things from happening in the first place:
Live within your means. Yes, I know, it's fun when you start earning money to go spend, spend, spend like some bastard son or daughter of Donald Trump. I used to be like that myself until you find your coffers running dry. For the disciplined, it's just a matter of stopping and to start being frugal. But then, there are those who just couldn't resist the temptation of spending. So all I could really say is "Stop!" Spend depending on how much you're earning right now. Everyone's gonna climb up the social ladder anyway sooner or later so save those itchy spending urges several years into the future. But for now, stop and don't go down the path of borrowing money just to satisfy a couple of whims.
Communicate. It's the key, need I say more? If you intend to borrow money, be transparent on your reasons and be ready to accept a refusal! Other people need money to spend their money for themselves, too. And be very clear on your intent to pay and when you're going to pay. On the other hand, if you're the one lending money, don't be afraid to say NO if you need to. You have your needs too! And if you do lend money, be clear as to when you want to be paid. Don't be afraid to ask for your money back, but be nice about it. Don't nag the borrower if he or she can't pay you just yet. Be patient but be smart. And make sure to keep a mental note as to whether a person is trustworthy enough to pay you back on time or not.
Credit is credit. Even if you borrowed money from a friend, it's still credit. Pay on time and don't use friendship as an excuse to delay payment. It's that simple.
The business of money is dirty (eww). And to be quite honest, if there's a way of acquiring one's needs without using money, then I would very much gladly do it. On the condition I wouldn't be using my body, of course! But there you go, money, in a way, is a necessary evil that everyone needs to use in order to go about the business of living. Does it make the world go round? I suppose so. Is it the instrument of the Devil? Well maybe it is! And maybe it is, if it's so powerful enough to destroy good friendships (ooh).
But hey, nobody said that once something is destroyed, it has to remain destroyed, right? I'm really hoping for those girls that once emotions have gone down a notch, maybe they could reconsider and be the friends that they used to be. It's still just - money - after all.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
More LOLs @ Oatmeal
This new post from The Oatmeal maybe entitled "7 things you really don't need to take a photo of", though I think that "7 photo subjects by trying hard photographers" would be nice too.
Seriously, what's up with all those wannabe photographers lately? =o
Seriously, what's up with all those wannabe photographers lately? =o
Monday, October 11, 2010
RH Bill and Jueteng
Freedom to choose.
Let me just state first that above and beyond everything else, it is my fervent belief that the freedom to make choices for oneself, regardless of anyone else's opinion or influence, and so long as it does not intrude on the rights of another, is one of democracy's greatest inalienable gifts.
We, Filipinos, are such unforgivably weird creatures. For one, we're the type of people who can be extremely conservative over too many things: reluctant to let go of old and outdated traditions; unwilling sometimes (if not oftentimes) to make changes for the better; sticking to old habits and customs without sometimes knowing the reasoning, concrete or otherwise, behind them.
And then, we're also such curiously immoral creatures. Yeah, that's right. For a staunchly (or should I say also proudly?) Christian country, it is not seldom that I regard this place as one hell of a wretched hive of scum and villainy. And quite seriously you'll never find quite a place like this place: promiscuity, gambling, violence, violent politics, lack of discipline, pollution, political incorrectness left and right, the list goes on and on. These things may just be the tip of the iceberg. And yet I still found myself having to quote Obi-Wan Kenobi just to find any appropriate description fitting for the downward spiral that is the Philippines. *sigh*
Despite these two things: ultraconservatism and immorality -- isn't it quite surprising that we Filipinos still manage to find for our country and our people some respect in the global community, or maybe to even just stay intact as a country? But then, I suppose we're so used to living and thinking in such manner, we don't care anymore. Also, combining and managing to live with these two things has been ingrained in our culture for so long, any significant change to the status quo might just result in an altering of reality itself as well as an unexpected polarity shift of the Earth.
...
I'm serious.
*cough*
So now we bring ourselves to the two recent issues that have brought our immoral brand of ultraconservatism to light. The reproductive health bill and the legalization of jueteng.
Alright, let's talk first about the RH bill. The first thing that comes to mind every time I hear it: Why the issue? Okay, so I understand that those ultraconservative Catholics just can't and won't stop yapping about the issue. After all, they see themselves as some kind of moral guardian that need to be telling others what to do. Since their "words" come from God, then their words must be right, right? And that what they say and do should be and is above the law, right? I don't know what kind of books those morons must have in the seminaries but I'm beginning to wonder if their required readings must have been published way back in the Middle Ages. And quite frankly, who are they to lecture others on what to do and not to do? Or to be more to the point, what's the point of lecturing about sex? What would they know about sex? They are not SUPPOSED to be having sex (or are they?) and so how are they supposed to be preaching about anything that they themselves are not (ideally) even knowledgeable of? Besides, the words of those priests would probably have more bearing if they are quite the immaculate angels they think themselves to be. But I'll leave the bastard sons and daughters of the clergy to bring that topic to better light.
Why those church morons put sex in such a negative light is one hell of a mystery to me, as well as a big contradiction. As far as I know, THEY teach that sex came from God, as a means of procreating. So why demonize it? Sure, Filipinos have such a huge problem with regard to premarital sex, fidelity, and excessive procreating. And I'm pretty sure that Filipinos are well aware of that! But if the church wants to remind its followers that they're doing something wrong, then I believe that the proper forum to do this is inside the church or in the privacy of a confessional. Why meddle in the affairs of the state? The state is only doing what it thinks is right to keep things in check. Sure, in the eyes of the church, the use of contraceptives is wrong. But I think they should keep their reprimands inside their own hallowed halls. Yes, while in your churches, tell and teach the people what is right and what is wrong. And please do that as often as possible! We Filipinos are really in dire need of being reminded about the difference, anyway. But please, keep your hands and your mouths off the laws. Just let the law be. And let each and every person have the freedom to choose whether to do what is pragmatically correct or to avoid doing what is morally wrong.
And now, on to the issue about jueteng. Come on, are we really still going to be turning a blind eye on the reality that Filipinos are such unrepentant gamblers? And in a poor country like the Philippines, gambling is the reality of life. When wages and salaries are just too small and the table has too many mouths to feed, would you really blame the Filipino to want to take his chances, no matter how immoral it could be?
But then, the question begs to be asked: In our society today, as well as in the common way of thinking amongst cultured societies, can gambling still be seen as immoral? If you think about it, gambling is not so much a way of life but in fact, a fact of life itself! It has often been said that life is in itself a gamble. Making choices, choosing what would be profitable or not, weighing which decision would yield the better result, isn't that the way life goes? And that being said, how is gambling different from life itself if the only difference that exists is that if you win, you make money, and if you lose, someone else makes money?
Again, the need to give a person the freedom to choose for himself is what's important here. Gambling may be morally incorrect, but if the stomach begins to grumble, will moral correctness still matter? Also, as long as jueteng remains illegal, the more money will be taken out of the common man's pocket to finance the vanities of the corrupt few. How long are we really going to be feeding and supporting the fat asses of those hypocritical imbeciles? If we legalize jueteng, well okay I admit, some of the earnings will still go to the pockets of those parasitic dunderheads, but hey, at least some of the money will make its way to the national coffers! Hmm... a win-win situation?
All in all, what am I saying here? First off, we really need to get off our ultraconservative high horse and accept the fact that a lot of Filipinos ARE immoral. This is a fact we NEED to accept. The sooner we accept it, the faster we are going to realize that hey, preventing people from doing these immoral things won't solve the issue. If not, it will worsen the issue since we know that the more something is made forbidden, the more will people want to do it. And being so, the righteous among us, although they may have the right to preach and to teach, should also learn their place and stop being such bitches in the running of state affairs. Instead, they should just focus on constantly reminding the wayward of their wrongdoings. But in the end, what is important is to let the people have the right to decide what is good for themselves. And in doing so, maybe they would themselves come to the realization of the evils of their own doings and learn to steer away from such things. Experience is the best teacher after all, right?
Second, we also need to remind ourselves that the state should be concerned only on enacting laws that would be beneficial for its citizens. We need to remind ourselves too that not every beneficial thing is moral nor every moral thing is beneficial. If we are to move forward as a people, we need to learn to be more pragmatic and progressive in our way of thinking. The sooner we let go of our outmoded philosophies, the faster we'll progress. Let's keep issues of morality within the teachings of home, school, and (to the non-atheists) church. Let the laws and democracy be!
And third. We need to learn to think before we take any action, and that if we do take any action, we need to be responsible for it. Am I going to use contraceptives for the sake of my family's future? Am I willing to accept the "sin" that comes along with it? If, on the other hand, I choose not to use them and a baby is then born in this world, would I be able to take full responsibility for the child? Or would I just leave the child to die in a dumpster, hoping against hope that a kind soul might find him and take pity?
Must I waste my day's earning on gambling in the hopes of earning more money? If I lose them all, will I accept what my family has to say? Must I always rely on gambling and pray for that day when I'll win big? What about honest living, can I bear earning so few for so many years and hope that all would be enough for my family's future?
The life of a Filipino is full of complex questions and the answers are simply too complex as well. Nevertheless, no one has any excuse to deny him the right to decide for himself, no matter how much more complicated this will make the thinking process for him. Let's not let anyone decide for ourselves what is wrong and what is right, what is moral and just, what is immoral and evil. At the end of the day, against all the noise and bickering, it is we, not some man in a frock, who is the real captain of each of our soul's ship. It is we who will make the final decisions. It is we, who must ultimately decide the direction on which we are going to steer our own ships.
Let me just state first that above and beyond everything else, it is my fervent belief that the freedom to make choices for oneself, regardless of anyone else's opinion or influence, and so long as it does not intrude on the rights of another, is one of democracy's greatest inalienable gifts.
We, Filipinos, are such unforgivably weird creatures. For one, we're the type of people who can be extremely conservative over too many things: reluctant to let go of old and outdated traditions; unwilling sometimes (if not oftentimes) to make changes for the better; sticking to old habits and customs without sometimes knowing the reasoning, concrete or otherwise, behind them.
And then, we're also such curiously immoral creatures. Yeah, that's right. For a staunchly (or should I say also proudly?) Christian country, it is not seldom that I regard this place as one hell of a wretched hive of scum and villainy. And quite seriously you'll never find quite a place like this place: promiscuity, gambling, violence, violent politics, lack of discipline, pollution, political incorrectness left and right, the list goes on and on. These things may just be the tip of the iceberg. And yet I still found myself having to quote Obi-Wan Kenobi just to find any appropriate description fitting for the downward spiral that is the Philippines. *sigh*
Despite these two things: ultraconservatism and immorality -- isn't it quite surprising that we Filipinos still manage to find for our country and our people some respect in the global community, or maybe to even just stay intact as a country? But then, I suppose we're so used to living and thinking in such manner, we don't care anymore. Also, combining and managing to live with these two things has been ingrained in our culture for so long, any significant change to the status quo might just result in an altering of reality itself as well as an unexpected polarity shift of the Earth.
...
I'm serious.
*cough*
So now we bring ourselves to the two recent issues that have brought our immoral brand of ultraconservatism to light. The reproductive health bill and the legalization of jueteng.
Alright, let's talk first about the RH bill. The first thing that comes to mind every time I hear it: Why the issue? Okay, so I understand that those ultraconservative Catholics just can't and won't stop yapping about the issue. After all, they see themselves as some kind of moral guardian that need to be telling others what to do. Since their "words" come from God, then their words must be right, right? And that what they say and do should be and is above the law, right? I don't know what kind of books those morons must have in the seminaries but I'm beginning to wonder if their required readings must have been published way back in the Middle Ages. And quite frankly, who are they to lecture others on what to do and not to do? Or to be more to the point, what's the point of lecturing about sex? What would they know about sex? They are not SUPPOSED to be having sex (or are they?) and so how are they supposed to be preaching about anything that they themselves are not (ideally) even knowledgeable of? Besides, the words of those priests would probably have more bearing if they are quite the immaculate angels they think themselves to be. But I'll leave the bastard sons and daughters of the clergy to bring that topic to better light.
Why those church morons put sex in such a negative light is one hell of a mystery to me, as well as a big contradiction. As far as I know, THEY teach that sex came from God, as a means of procreating. So why demonize it? Sure, Filipinos have such a huge problem with regard to premarital sex, fidelity, and excessive procreating. And I'm pretty sure that Filipinos are well aware of that! But if the church wants to remind its followers that they're doing something wrong, then I believe that the proper forum to do this is inside the church or in the privacy of a confessional. Why meddle in the affairs of the state? The state is only doing what it thinks is right to keep things in check. Sure, in the eyes of the church, the use of contraceptives is wrong. But I think they should keep their reprimands inside their own hallowed halls. Yes, while in your churches, tell and teach the people what is right and what is wrong. And please do that as often as possible! We Filipinos are really in dire need of being reminded about the difference, anyway. But please, keep your hands and your mouths off the laws. Just let the law be. And let each and every person have the freedom to choose whether to do what is pragmatically correct or to avoid doing what is morally wrong.
And now, on to the issue about jueteng. Come on, are we really still going to be turning a blind eye on the reality that Filipinos are such unrepentant gamblers? And in a poor country like the Philippines, gambling is the reality of life. When wages and salaries are just too small and the table has too many mouths to feed, would you really blame the Filipino to want to take his chances, no matter how immoral it could be?
But then, the question begs to be asked: In our society today, as well as in the common way of thinking amongst cultured societies, can gambling still be seen as immoral? If you think about it, gambling is not so much a way of life but in fact, a fact of life itself! It has often been said that life is in itself a gamble. Making choices, choosing what would be profitable or not, weighing which decision would yield the better result, isn't that the way life goes? And that being said, how is gambling different from life itself if the only difference that exists is that if you win, you make money, and if you lose, someone else makes money?
Again, the need to give a person the freedom to choose for himself is what's important here. Gambling may be morally incorrect, but if the stomach begins to grumble, will moral correctness still matter? Also, as long as jueteng remains illegal, the more money will be taken out of the common man's pocket to finance the vanities of the corrupt few. How long are we really going to be feeding and supporting the fat asses of those hypocritical imbeciles? If we legalize jueteng, well okay I admit, some of the earnings will still go to the pockets of those parasitic dunderheads, but hey, at least some of the money will make its way to the national coffers! Hmm... a win-win situation?
All in all, what am I saying here? First off, we really need to get off our ultraconservative high horse and accept the fact that a lot of Filipinos ARE immoral. This is a fact we NEED to accept. The sooner we accept it, the faster we are going to realize that hey, preventing people from doing these immoral things won't solve the issue. If not, it will worsen the issue since we know that the more something is made forbidden, the more will people want to do it. And being so, the righteous among us, although they may have the right to preach and to teach, should also learn their place and stop being such bitches in the running of state affairs. Instead, they should just focus on constantly reminding the wayward of their wrongdoings. But in the end, what is important is to let the people have the right to decide what is good for themselves. And in doing so, maybe they would themselves come to the realization of the evils of their own doings and learn to steer away from such things. Experience is the best teacher after all, right?
Second, we also need to remind ourselves that the state should be concerned only on enacting laws that would be beneficial for its citizens. We need to remind ourselves too that not every beneficial thing is moral nor every moral thing is beneficial. If we are to move forward as a people, we need to learn to be more pragmatic and progressive in our way of thinking. The sooner we let go of our outmoded philosophies, the faster we'll progress. Let's keep issues of morality within the teachings of home, school, and (to the non-atheists) church. Let the laws and democracy be!
And third. We need to learn to think before we take any action, and that if we do take any action, we need to be responsible for it. Am I going to use contraceptives for the sake of my family's future? Am I willing to accept the "sin" that comes along with it? If, on the other hand, I choose not to use them and a baby is then born in this world, would I be able to take full responsibility for the child? Or would I just leave the child to die in a dumpster, hoping against hope that a kind soul might find him and take pity?
Must I waste my day's earning on gambling in the hopes of earning more money? If I lose them all, will I accept what my family has to say? Must I always rely on gambling and pray for that day when I'll win big? What about honest living, can I bear earning so few for so many years and hope that all would be enough for my family's future?
The life of a Filipino is full of complex questions and the answers are simply too complex as well. Nevertheless, no one has any excuse to deny him the right to decide for himself, no matter how much more complicated this will make the thinking process for him. Let's not let anyone decide for ourselves what is wrong and what is right, what is moral and just, what is immoral and evil. At the end of the day, against all the noise and bickering, it is we, not some man in a frock, who is the real captain of each of our soul's ship. It is we who will make the final decisions. It is we, who must ultimately decide the direction on which we are going to steer our own ships.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
A Very Angry Letter
A copy of my letter of complaint versus some hospital employees where my Dad is.
----------
July 24, 2010
Three days ago, Wednesday (July 21, 2010), my father (Mr. ------ -. --------) was given a trans-out order from the ICU to a regular room by order of Dr. ----- ----------. Accordingly, we made a request with the Admitting Section for a reservation for a private room in the 2nd floor of the new wing. Given that the hospital wing at the time was apparently “full”, we were placed fourth on the reservation list, about which we have no complaint whatsoever.
The next day, Thursday (July 22, 2010), we made a follow-up inquiry and were told that we were then second place on the list.
Friday (July 23, 2010), we were told that we were still on second place. This we found irregular given that patients were continually being discharged from the hospital, some of which we clearly noted and heard to have been discharged from the 2nd floor. Making a few inquiries, it came to our attention that apparently, some of the “occupied” rooms were in fact, despite being vacant, “reserved” by a certain doctor of the hospital. It doesn’t take an idiot to notice that at this point, some VIP treatments were being handed out, to the detriment of some of the hospital’s paying guests. But still, we kept our silence and stuck to the hospital’s “policies”.
That selfsame afternoon, I was personally seated near one of the guard posts and specifically heard that there were TWO patients that have been discharged from the 2nd floor. Since we were second on the list, I made it a point to go up to the wing at around 3:10PM and see for myself if indeed there were TWO rooms vacant. There were.
I made my way to the lobby and sat near the Admitting Section from about 3:20 to 4:00PM. To my chagrin, I noticed that after about half an hour of being seated there, the personnel didn’t even pay me any attention to at least even inform me regarding any progress regarding our reservation.
At around 4:00PM, a nurse from the ICU came down and specifically told me that since a room in the 2nd floor wing was now available, I should inform the Admitting Section to make arrangements for the transfer. Coming from a nurse, an employee of the hospital, I supposed that things were in order and that a transfer to a regular room may now, AT LAST, take place.
So I went to the Admitting Section to make arrangements and finalize the transfer ONLY TO FIND OUT that the room (Room 210) has been given to someone else by one of the Admitting Section employees on account of this patient being “related to an employee of the hospital” and therefore must be given priority OVER a paying guest - and mind, a guest who has been paying his dues PROMPTLY and REGULARLY.
This whole incident WAS and IS a big insult. We were expecting fair treatment, instead we were shown a wall of VIP treatments all hidden under the guise of the term: hospital policy. We have already paid the hospital a total of P---,---, all deposits paid on time to ensure prompt and proper care for my father. Instead, I was met by a rebuttal, told to wait on the wings, and indirectly being told by those obviously RUDE and CONDESCENDING employees at the ADMITTING SECTION that in the hierarchy of this hospital, PAYING GUESTS are supposed to be given LAST PRIORITY in this hospital. And all this after a month of having to sleep and wait in the hospital lobby and corridors because the hospital cannot even provide a proper waiting room for ICU patients’ relatives, and being treated like trash and “squatters” by those very same employees.
Which brings me to my second complaint: the attitude of your ADMITTING SECTION personnel. For over a month now, I have seen how incoming guests are being treated, some of which, especially those who seem not to be so well-off, with rudeness and condescension. I’ve also seen how phone calls and inquiring persons, are being outright ignored in lieu of putting on make-up or playing Facebook games. Truly appalling. And totally unbecoming for personnel who are supposed to be welcoming incoming guests.
Being a private hospital, the primary interest of this establishment is to earn money – direct to the point and pleasant words aside. Nevertheless, being a business concerned with the care and the rehabilitation of the sick, common sense dictates that the hospital provide RESPECTFUL, DECENT and PROFESSIONAL services to all its guests - a kind of service that should start at the very doorstep of your hospital: the Admitting Section. It is, after all, important to remember that any type of business is NOTHING without the customers and guests that pay and fund for its day to day expenses.
----------
July 24, 2010
Three days ago, Wednesday (July 21, 2010), my father (Mr. ------ -. --------) was given a trans-out order from the ICU to a regular room by order of Dr. ----- ----------. Accordingly, we made a request with the Admitting Section for a reservation for a private room in the 2nd floor of the new wing. Given that the hospital wing at the time was apparently “full”, we were placed fourth on the reservation list, about which we have no complaint whatsoever.
The next day, Thursday (July 22, 2010), we made a follow-up inquiry and were told that we were then second place on the list.
Friday (July 23, 2010), we were told that we were still on second place. This we found irregular given that patients were continually being discharged from the hospital, some of which we clearly noted and heard to have been discharged from the 2nd floor. Making a few inquiries, it came to our attention that apparently, some of the “occupied” rooms were in fact, despite being vacant, “reserved” by a certain doctor of the hospital. It doesn’t take an idiot to notice that at this point, some VIP treatments were being handed out, to the detriment of some of the hospital’s paying guests. But still, we kept our silence and stuck to the hospital’s “policies”.
That selfsame afternoon, I was personally seated near one of the guard posts and specifically heard that there were TWO patients that have been discharged from the 2nd floor. Since we were second on the list, I made it a point to go up to the wing at around 3:10PM and see for myself if indeed there were TWO rooms vacant. There were.
I made my way to the lobby and sat near the Admitting Section from about 3:20 to 4:00PM. To my chagrin, I noticed that after about half an hour of being seated there, the personnel didn’t even pay me any attention to at least even inform me regarding any progress regarding our reservation.
At around 4:00PM, a nurse from the ICU came down and specifically told me that since a room in the 2nd floor wing was now available, I should inform the Admitting Section to make arrangements for the transfer. Coming from a nurse, an employee of the hospital, I supposed that things were in order and that a transfer to a regular room may now, AT LAST, take place.
So I went to the Admitting Section to make arrangements and finalize the transfer ONLY TO FIND OUT that the room (Room 210) has been given to someone else by one of the Admitting Section employees on account of this patient being “related to an employee of the hospital” and therefore must be given priority OVER a paying guest - and mind, a guest who has been paying his dues PROMPTLY and REGULARLY.
This whole incident WAS and IS a big insult. We were expecting fair treatment, instead we were shown a wall of VIP treatments all hidden under the guise of the term: hospital policy. We have already paid the hospital a total of P---,---, all deposits paid on time to ensure prompt and proper care for my father. Instead, I was met by a rebuttal, told to wait on the wings, and indirectly being told by those obviously RUDE and CONDESCENDING employees at the ADMITTING SECTION that in the hierarchy of this hospital, PAYING GUESTS are supposed to be given LAST PRIORITY in this hospital. And all this after a month of having to sleep and wait in the hospital lobby and corridors because the hospital cannot even provide a proper waiting room for ICU patients’ relatives, and being treated like trash and “squatters” by those very same employees.
Which brings me to my second complaint: the attitude of your ADMITTING SECTION personnel. For over a month now, I have seen how incoming guests are being treated, some of which, especially those who seem not to be so well-off, with rudeness and condescension. I’ve also seen how phone calls and inquiring persons, are being outright ignored in lieu of putting on make-up or playing Facebook games. Truly appalling. And totally unbecoming for personnel who are supposed to be welcoming incoming guests.
Being a private hospital, the primary interest of this establishment is to earn money – direct to the point and pleasant words aside. Nevertheless, being a business concerned with the care and the rehabilitation of the sick, common sense dictates that the hospital provide RESPECTFUL, DECENT and PROFESSIONAL services to all its guests - a kind of service that should start at the very doorstep of your hospital: the Admitting Section. It is, after all, important to remember that any type of business is NOTHING without the customers and guests that pay and fund for its day to day expenses.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Befriending a Cat
I haven't been having the opportunity to stay at home for longish amounts of time nowadays. Between taking care of the family business and having to spend time in the hospital where my Dad has been comatose for two weeks now, I really don't have that much of a choice. In happier days, I would've said that the present situation is nothing short of sucks - but apparently I'm not that selfish of a person after all(!) and that I'm actually willing to make sacrifices such as letting go, for a short while mind, of the comforts of home and willing myself to spend more time outside the house not just for my family's but my own benefit as well.
Before all this drama happened, I have already been noticing a white tomcat who had been lounging in our porch mostly in the afternoons and evenings. I'm not particularly territorial myself and neither do I find the presence of cats as a nuisance so I said to myself: yeah sure, why not. Let him sleep there if that's we wants. He's not leaving "leavings" on our chairs, he's very tame and doesn't hiss at me, and having a cat around is a nice deterrence for rats and other pests. Besides, I love cats! And I probably would've already adopted that cat then and there but my parents (who are the owners of the house after all) do not like animals and so one has to adhere to their rules -- well at least with the matter of cats. =P
But nowadays, with my Dad needing to spend more time in the hospital and my Mom needing to stay there as well to look after him, I am mostly alone in the house at night when I come home. Sure I am a loner and enjoys being one, but sometimes even the most lonesome of loners prefer to have the company of others from time to time.
It was when arriving home one night when on the "Welcome" mat before our front door, there sits he again -- the white cat. With cats being territorial and having a keen sense of their environment, Mr. Cat probably noticed that his territory seems to have become a little quieter than it used to. He might have noticed that the talk and the noise in his territory seem to have died down. And noticing these things, he probably decided to lie down right at the entrance of our home, to stand guard, provide a semblance of protection to a suddenly become empty house.
Probably out of my own loneliness, it was then that I decided to befriend the cat. I was of course very appreciative that while we are away, he has been sitting there, standing guard, keeping the bad things away. I went inside, opened a can of sardines, put the contents on a plate, and took it outside. He wasn't there anymore, of course. He scooted away when I arrived but I was hoping that the smell of sardines would convince him to come back. I left the plate of sardines there, on top of the mat, closed to door so that he wouldn't be spooked to come near and eat the offering, then I myself went up to my bedroom to get some much needed rest.
The next day soon as I woke up, I went outside to see if he ate the food. And much to my delight, he did! But knowing cats, that's just but "hello". One won't endear himself that easily to a cat -- with a single can of sardines. No, sir. It would take more than THAT to become acquainted with a cat, let alone become his friend. Nevertheless, this is something that I wish to pursue. I've promised myself that every time I come home at night, I'll provide him with food. And hopefully with such perseverance, I'll make myself a new and totally awesome friend.
Befriending a cat is only the first step. To name a cat -- that would take a lot of effort on my side before I become even worthy of giving him one. But in the very fortunate event that he decides to befriend me as well, I've already decided on a name. I've decided to call him Schlüssel, that means key, a name which I think is only fitting for a cat who likes to sleep outside our front door and who, himself, has also opened another door that has led me out of the darkness of my current situation and opened up for me an existence that has more hope. =)
Before all this drama happened, I have already been noticing a white tomcat who had been lounging in our porch mostly in the afternoons and evenings. I'm not particularly territorial myself and neither do I find the presence of cats as a nuisance so I said to myself: yeah sure, why not. Let him sleep there if that's we wants. He's not leaving "leavings" on our chairs, he's very tame and doesn't hiss at me, and having a cat around is a nice deterrence for rats and other pests. Besides, I love cats! And I probably would've already adopted that cat then and there but my parents (who are the owners of the house after all) do not like animals and so one has to adhere to their rules -- well at least with the matter of cats. =P
But nowadays, with my Dad needing to spend more time in the hospital and my Mom needing to stay there as well to look after him, I am mostly alone in the house at night when I come home. Sure I am a loner and enjoys being one, but sometimes even the most lonesome of loners prefer to have the company of others from time to time.
It was when arriving home one night when on the "Welcome" mat before our front door, there sits he again -- the white cat. With cats being territorial and having a keen sense of their environment, Mr. Cat probably noticed that his territory seems to have become a little quieter than it used to. He might have noticed that the talk and the noise in his territory seem to have died down. And noticing these things, he probably decided to lie down right at the entrance of our home, to stand guard, provide a semblance of protection to a suddenly become empty house.
Probably out of my own loneliness, it was then that I decided to befriend the cat. I was of course very appreciative that while we are away, he has been sitting there, standing guard, keeping the bad things away. I went inside, opened a can of sardines, put the contents on a plate, and took it outside. He wasn't there anymore, of course. He scooted away when I arrived but I was hoping that the smell of sardines would convince him to come back. I left the plate of sardines there, on top of the mat, closed to door so that he wouldn't be spooked to come near and eat the offering, then I myself went up to my bedroom to get some much needed rest.
The next day soon as I woke up, I went outside to see if he ate the food. And much to my delight, he did! But knowing cats, that's just but "hello". One won't endear himself that easily to a cat -- with a single can of sardines. No, sir. It would take more than THAT to become acquainted with a cat, let alone become his friend. Nevertheless, this is something that I wish to pursue. I've promised myself that every time I come home at night, I'll provide him with food. And hopefully with such perseverance, I'll make myself a new and totally awesome friend.
Befriending a cat is only the first step. To name a cat -- that would take a lot of effort on my side before I become even worthy of giving him one. But in the very fortunate event that he decides to befriend me as well, I've already decided on a name. I've decided to call him Schlüssel, that means key, a name which I think is only fitting for a cat who likes to sleep outside our front door and who, himself, has also opened another door that has led me out of the darkness of my current situation and opened up for me an existence that has more hope. =)
I'm Back
...and with a nice little picture of a pretty evil kitty.
Things have become quite a pretty mess for the past few months and all I could really say is is that I'm just glad that so far I'm weathering them out pretty well. I'll be posting new posts later during the day if I could. But of all the confounded nuisances I could encounter this morning, it would have to be seeing the picture of this cute cat. And as you could imagine, it took away everything off my head. Yep, my cranial cavity is, at the moment, as clean as a saint's soul. =P
Things have become quite a pretty mess for the past few months and all I could really say is is that I'm just glad that so far I'm weathering them out pretty well. I'll be posting new posts later during the day if I could. But of all the confounded nuisances I could encounter this morning, it would have to be seeing the picture of this cute cat. And as you could imagine, it took away everything off my head. Yep, my cranial cavity is, at the moment, as clean as a saint's soul. =P
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