Cannon and the Green Man Diary

The Green Man Diary  posted a soft-enough-that-you-have-to-sigh entry called "Jesus Let Us Come to Know You."

Here is the first part:

"It’s an intoxicating day today at work and all of us here are so harassed by what needs to be finished before the weekend. Importing artworks, talking to National Museum staff, following up with the broker... rushing the framer, etc... sigh...

I took a late lunch break around 3:00PM and sat outside the foyer after. I needed to relax my nerves. I turned on my mobile phone’s music player and listened to an Cannon in D inspired, A Capella, gospel song.

While listening to the music and melody, I got a comforting feeling knowing that, even though things are worrisome at times, there is still a higher, more powerful entity governing us all.

I am not superbly religious, but nature, circumstances and practically everything around me show proof that everything start small and grow wonderfully big… and there is an energy fueling all these… that’s what I am talking about. That “something” unseen yet powerfully present.

So I listened to my mobile phone and sang in my head… sort of a prayer. I felt a little better."

Awwwwwww.

I love this guy, and I will marry him someday. (hehehe, joke dude) So I can forgive him for a very slight grammatical error, which pales in comparison to the beauty of this man.

However, just for the record my beloved E (he is your friend, and you might be confused, as always, with the spelling).

From Wikipedia:

A cannon is any tubular piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellants to launch a projectile over a distance. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees, depending on their intended use on the battlefield. The word cannon is derived from several languages, in which the original definition can usually be translated as tube, cane, or reed. In modern times, cannon has fallen out of common usage, usually replaced by "guns" or "artillery", if not a more specific term, such as "mortar" or "howitzer".

A canon is a contrapuntal composition that employs a melody with one or more imitations of the melody played after a given duration (e.g. quarter rest, one measure, etc.). The initial melody is called the leader (or dux), while the imitative melody, which is played in a different voice, is called the follower (or comes). The follower must imitate the leader, either as an exact replication of its rhythms and intervals or some transformation thereof (see "Types of canon", below). Repeating canons in which all voices are musically identical that repeat are called rounds – "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" and "Frère Jacques" being widely known examples.

And this is my boyfriend; he doesn't know it yet!

The Smiles

Happiness = Victorina Plus GoodTimes Hosts Mo Twister, Grace Lee and Mojo Multiplied by Bandwidth.

I just love that blog. Go check it out. 

Blogger's Entry at the Boracay Blog Contest sponsored by Philips

Paradise Surprise

I have a feeling that the long Labor Day weekend would go down in my book as one of my most interesting summer weekend trips. Everything seems to be going my way, from the time I stepped into the airport to this very moment that I’m enjoying my extra cold watermelon shake under the Boracay summer noon sun. There’s a little extra special about this trip to begin with: it’s my first time to come here on my own. It’s part official business, that’s true, but it’s Boracay, nonetheless.

With my fingers crossed, I went to the airport with the hope of arriving at my destination at the very least on the same day. I was told that a ruckus had erupted the night before at the airport that left all flights delayed amid inclement weather. And after the long series of queues leading to my designated terminal gate, what do you know!-- there were a couple of announcements of flights being cancelled, but with mine only 15 minutes delayed!

One plane ride, a shuttle bus ride and a boat ride later, I was already on the shores of Boracay meeting new friends in the van taking us to a resort. My new friends invited me to a bloggers’ event of some sort. While I told them that I did not blog, they said that it’s going to be interesting anyway for non-bloggers and that I could of through my social networking website. I agreed as official work would begin only the night of the next day.

The event, the Bloggers Summer Encounter, took place in Boracay Mandarin with a cozy set up of short tables and pillows to sit on. The program featured a blogcast with an environmental advocate talking about the need to raise awareness about the current degradation of Boracay’s environment and the ways to solve the problem. I was both surprised and relieved that efforts are being made to call attention to this situation, which I would not have considered otherwise. Anyway, the event was sponsored by Philips, which I was also surprised to learn had an environmental advocacy that they tie in with their products.

I must say that I was quite impressed with what both Philips and the people behind the event did. They had not only sent out their environmental message to us present there, but those other bloggers who participated live online as well. I was told that the event would also soon be posted on youtube for everyone to access.

And now as I take a sip of my chilled shake, I’m gladly surprised the establishment I’m in proudly displays Philips banners in its beachfront with the tag sense and simplicity. My refreshment, I saw from the bar, was specially juiced and blended in Philips appliances. I have to make a mental note that in case I need a juicer or blender at home I should consider buying those from Philips, not only because of its quality, but partly also for the company to continue its noble advocacy. What a way to learn and discover Philips and the environment in Boracay. The weekend has just begun and I can’t wait for my next surprise encounter in paradise!

 

 

For All Bloggers in Boracay

All bloggers who will be in Boracay April 30 - May 1, 

you are invited to join the

Boracay Bloggers Encounter

Boracay Mandarin

Learn. Advocate. Save Boracay.

Eat. Drink. Party

Please contact 332-1031 local 107

BB Gandanghari's Definition of Being a Woman

Once again, Aruba is getting the flak for its no cross-dressing policy.  This time, it has a formidable foe - the beautiful and controversial BB Gandanghari.

Because she has called herself a woman, she will be addressed in this entry as such.

Her rejection story was excellently narrated by BB herself  in her own blog From the Bottom of My Hypothalamus  and it is best to allow her blog community to argue her cause. My concern is just grammar.

A striking proposition is found in these statements: "Certainly, I dressed up as a woman because I am a woman. If I dressed up in a masculine way, that would be the time that I would be crossdressing. But let’s discard all the labels, it’s not the issue."

In the comments section, she followed up this assertion with this:

"First, I'm not crossdressing. I'm not a man wearing women's clothes. I'm a woman wearing women's clothes. What I am right now is not a product of "choice" akin to choosing what food I want to eat. This is a product of self-discovery and whatever I discover is not a choice. You'll know this if you have gone through the wonderful experience of discovering your inner life. What I am right now is a manifestation of what's inside of me."

This confusion is exemplified by this anonymous comment poster:

"- Errr...wherever you got this idea from? Yes you are a man wearing women's clothes! You may have converted yourself to be GAY but you are NOT a woman, as you were born a man and nothing will EVER change that. You may 'want' to be a woman and dress totally like a woman but the sooner you tell yourself and accept that you are only a man converted to gay, the easier it may be for other people to accept what you chose to be."

And these beg the question, "What is the definition of being a woman."

The dictionary of course tells us that a woman is an adult female human. And, from a grammar's point of view, to be a woman should require one to have the female reproductive organs from the birth.

That is the literal definition.

And any commenter or reader who will read the blog entry from a literal and grammatical point of view will be confused and will miss the whole point.

BB Gandanghari is a public persona - a transformed media personality that is a fruit of life decisions. From the moment of her idea conception, she was already a woman. The man named Rustom Padilla exists now as a birth certificate and a historical footnote.

Perhaps such a complex life story is too difficult for security guards to understand. 

To be continued...

The Need for Democratic Grammar

You can fault their grammar, but not their commitment to freedom and democracy.

Castrol and the Fast and the Furious

BURNING UP THE TRACK AT THE CASTROL AUTO SHOW

Well, there were three reasons why I joined Castrol (not counting the fact that Ozmund was there.) The movie, the models and the motors --- well the cars, actually!

Castrol helped get the summer off to a blazing start when the premium engine oil maker put on a special auto show and drive-in screening of car thriller The Fast and the Furious at the MC Home Depot Rooftop at the Fort recently.

The event was part of Castrol’s ongoing promotions for Castrol EDGE as the official oil of Fast and Furious 4, the blockbuster 4^th installment to the immensely popular movie series, which premiered globally last week. Castrol EDGE is a new line of fully synthetic engine oils that guarantees top performance for your car.

Starting off the night was the special auto show which featured 82 souped-up high-performance tuner vehicles from many of the best car clubs and organizations in Metro Manila, including Team Rage, Accord Tunerz, Girl Racer Club, and others.

Partygoers were given the special chance to meet and mingle with celebrity motoring aficionados who joined the celebrations, including actress and former Hot Babe Andrea del Rosario, as well as fitness model and beauty queen Tisha Silang and her model boyfriend Geoff Rodriguez.

Silang and Rodriguez, who were featured prominently as top three finalists in last year’s The Amazing Race Asia, said they were particularly excited about the car show.

“We’re big car fans so it’s a real treat for us to be here,” said Silang. “Some of the rides we saw at the show were just incredible. We’re really hyped to see the movie as well.”

“I definitely picked up some great ideas for my own car,” added Rodriguez.

International rock band The Speaks, who have a song featured on the soundtrack of Fast and Furious 4, were also on hand to sign autographs at the party.

Visitors were also given the chance to get their cars washed by curvy FHM models clad in red hot summer attire.

The partnership between Castrol and the makers of Fast and Furious 4 should come as no surprise. Backed by over 100 years of expertise in premier car lubricant technology, Castrol EDGE is the perfect fit for the movie, which is a street racing junkie’s dream. Castrol EDGE delivers maximum horsepower and lasts 45% longer than standard engine oils. It also provides optimal thermal stability and maximum engine protection.

“The objective of the event was to create camaraderie amongst car clubs”, said Jonathan Chio of Ladder Events Productions who helped put together the event. “I think we’ve managed to achieve that. We had a whole bunch of tuner clubs and groups come and show off their cars, which was pretty amazing.”