BUSINESS PRODUCE PRODUCTION GAMES

There's this virus that I consider annoying before.  This virus is called Recycler.  It pops up when you least expect it. It then will creep and lurk somewhere.  And from the name itself.   Recycler.  To recycle is to cycle anew.  And should we consider to recycle apart from what it represents inside your word processors?  To try and recycle or build anew whatever is around that we can consider still useful.

And we will have to keep watching out or maybe start watching out.  And as we begin or start to do so, you'd hear the cart man on the street.  The Junk shop boy, whatever.  The cartman or the junkshop boy who would invade your streets to ask for scrap metal, bottles, newspapers, cardboard, plastic...trash. And they would offer to buy whatever trash you have piled on the corners.  They won't stop taking interest at whatever they could resell at a higher price.  It looks too tasty to them. You can see it the way they kind of itching for it.  And for the lack of money or simply for cigarettes on days, moods good or bad, you will eventually give it away for free sometimes unaware of how they'd try to cherish and treasure it for you.

Yes, why bother watching out for it yourselves?  They'd somehow, ardently sometimes, will do it for you.  To spare you of  that smell, that sight, that burden.  Now, these garbage pail kids will have to wait if you decided to recycle things of your own.  If you find time to collect the biodegradable and the non-biodegradable. If you can learn to find time once a week for it. But then again if you are too preoccupied to do so, and if you have other things more important to think about, why bother?  I know, right?

Think about all of the clothes that you can recycle.  And all the other things. All the other things that we can use anew for other purposes.  For other venture, another vision.  Maybe for arts & crafts. Yeah!

Production.  Innovation.  Creation.

But it's apparent that we were picking trash all along anyway. And can't we just make the same things of our own?  Yes, we were trying I guess. And then apparently it's proven of lower quality.  It won't last long because your competition apparently will have to make it  better.  Better than how it was primarily made.  So then this has to be what it's like before but better looking, better tasting, better fitting, better sounding, better feel, safe, healthy, better more, more better. You bet.  Better smelling and better to the touch. Of dynamic, ultra, magnificent,  fortified and improved.

We have clothes that were considered trash sent down here.  We also have home appliances as well. We have construction materials considered as substandard.  And of course they were sold on market stands that will have to keep it at amazingly low prices.   

We have construction workers, carpenters, plumbers who could have built better houses for themselves. We have mechanical engineers, electrical, structural, who'd rather just keep it at a low stride. Some of them would rather keep it humble.  Simple safe and kind.  Because it's to much of a burden to them somehow at some point, it has turned out unattractive and boring.  

Oh hey wait.  Look, there they go again. The knife sharpeners and the home appliance fixers. Street visionaries, fish peddlers, food vendors, promo girls, beggars, shoe-shine boys, the friendly vacuum cleaners and what else have we that looks like vanishing spies?  

The unfriendly, or rather the one-man Christmas carolers.  Haha, yeah!

NOTHING

This is about nothing.  Yeah, nothing.  I'm thinking about something nothing like there's nothing new.  It's all about nothing at all.  Yeah, hehe.  Nothing's really going on.  It was really nothing.  Yeah, nothing lasts forever.  Nothing else matters, much ado about nothing.  Absolutely nothing.  You should think more about nothing. 

It's the science of emptiness.  Impossible is nothing.  You can do it because nothing is impossible.  Let's join the Do Nothing club.  You got nothing to lose anyway, right? 

Yeah, relax!  Nothing is under control.  Do nothing if there's nothing to do.  Just do nothing. Put it on one of your to do list.  Check the box that says Do Nothing.  Don't worry, it's nothing.  Nothing is permanent in this world - not even our troubles. Move along there's nothing to worry about.  Doing nothing often leads to the very best of something.  And nothing worth having comes easy.

We really have nothing to prove.  We have nothing to hide.   

Thanks for nothing.      

IT''S REVOLTING

I'm in awe.  It's like we're just a bunch of fools making our way into the scene.  A bunch of useless bastards just off to get a case of beer, or a pack of cigarettes.  And them folks lie in waiting for us to make a mistake, impregnating an unsuspecting unknown mantra, a system fuck up. Thus, therefore creates another problem they can use to get back at us generation yet again.

And we wasted our time doing what we do best which won't really matter and we would just end up laughable to them anyway.  But it's how life is lived, right? And we would or just might end up to be one of those who won't get to see his life prosper or lived like every healthy human being.

Life isn't quite the same anymore.  And you have  to choose how your life should turn out. Or you may not even get to choose now how it would turn out anyway while the world is getting weirder and weirder, more confusing than it has to be.

You'd only find yourself alone again caring lesser and lesser about your loved ones and friends. Just trying to get by caring only about yourself and trying to stay put, never having to cause a problem, a fuss, something that'll cause sighs. 

And they'll just end up the same once again.  Never having to care too much about your dreams, your plans since your plans and visions does not matter to them anymore, since it causes a lot of stress and strain.

STARS, RATS & STRALALAS

At rest I should still be.  One of my ears feels clogged with water or maybe puss.  Yuck.  Haha, I know. I didn't go for a swim.  And it's not jetlag. It hurts if I don't take that pill.  

But there it is again.  I see it from this window.  When before I always see the moon in the early morning sky, now it's a star.  It unusally does look brighter now.  It shouldn't shine that bright, does it?  Should it? Wow, that's brilliant.  Brilliant, shiny, sparkle white. Like twinkle, twinkle little star.  Haha

Oh, it's still there.  Haha.  And its background is getting brighter. It's 5:01 AM now.  Anytime now I might stop gazing at it. I really  don't want to.  And now I hear the bell ringing again.  No, it's not just in my head.  It's from the church.  Yeah, the klang of the bells, people from around here knows quite well how that suonds,  For a minute you'd hear it klang. Hmm.  I might have sat up earlier than the bellringer that it was late for a minute.  Because it's around 5:02 when I started to hear it klang. Haha

Hmm.  The sky now is starting to look bluegrayer now. Yeah, a darker tone of bluegray/  Yeah, and the star is still up there.  It's not moving.  It's still there.  "Hey, move away!"

Now, this is the time where you wish you have your own roof decks at the top of your houses that could be reached through a spiral staircase. And look at the sky, making yourself a cup of warm, freshly brewed coffee, a cigarette, and a periscope?  A telescope maybe.  whatever scope, lens...Haha

Oh, I'm back from outside the gate just a minute ago.  Yeah, I went out. Heard the breadpeddler honking his horn.  And seeing this leaflet that offers pest control services.  Just what we needed.  We need to get  that rat.  God knows how many rats comes in and out this house now.

The star is still there I see,  But it's looking like a very small white dot now. A speck of white dot.  The sky is getting brighter that's why.  The background.  Anytime now the sky would dominate the scene making the star invisible.  At the time you see it gone, you'd expect the sun to rise again. Yeah, I know my heavenly bodies too.  Haha. We don't really see them shine together, do we?  You know, at the same time? The star and the sun in the sky.  Doesn't happen, right?  Why is that? I don't know, ask God.

It's 5:30. Haha.  Now I hear the bells klang again.  Haha.  I'm going back to bed.

HOUSE OF CARDS

It seems that there's no end to this.  It seems that the only phrase you will hear from when you start to frustrate yourself however much you seem to work something out, nothing  fruitful really comes.  However much work, however nuch thinking.  The only phrase you will hear from peers are "better go overseas" or "gamble your money away".  Or something like "come on let's play cards and waste our lives away."  "Drink and be merry, Life is a big joke.  Don't take it too seriously."  There'll be no more of that inspiring entity that would somehow keep you on your feet.  There'll only be post apocalyptic stories, post war, the use and abuse of the past.  Teenage wasteland.

The future becomes bland and tasteless.  

Come on.  Take it easy.  And they'll continue to say it's all about making fun about something, about somebody, and money.  Lots and lots of money.  Everyone in traffic.  Uneventful immobile routines and interruptions.  The survival of the fittest.  You see no more mountains to climb, no more spaces to explore, no more roads to take. 

And then we'll all just read.  Inside our own little caves, lairs, dimensions, dungeons and warps.

SHOTGUN DRIVER JESUS HALF ASSED CLOWNS - YOU BETTER BE WIDE AWAKE

"I've been through this." he said in my head.  He says he's going to fetch me up tomorrow.  That I should prepare.  He apparently will take me out of town.  I understand that he needed someone to accompany him for a task that we can do together.  He says we'll be expecting clients to attend to. Perhaps we needed to see the sites for construction. Somebody must have obliged him for the job.

And so I said "Sure, why not."  It'll be fun.   My Work friend.  He is driving this motorcycle. He also has this fast car.  Or maybe not.  Not sure.  Wow. 

"I've been through this." he said in my head.  He says he's going to fetch me up tomorrow.  That I should prepare.  He apparently will take me wakeboarding.  I understand that he needed someone to accompany him there before the visitors arrive.  He says he'll be expecting delegates some time next week.  Perhaps he needed to see the place first. Somebody must have invited him or asked him if he's been there which he apparently has not been to yet.

And so I said "Sure, why not."  It'll be fun.   My Physician friend.  He is driving this automobile.  A Utility vehicle.  Must be a family vehicle too.  Wow. 

"I am very good at this." he said in my head.  He says he's going to fetch me up tomorrow.  That I should prepare.  He apparently will take me surfing.  I understand that it'll be a far away place, to the ocean somewhere east.  He says we'll be expecting bigger waves.  Better waves, about six feet. Better swell, better good weather means best and excellent for surfing.  

And so I said "Sure, why not."  It'll be fun.  My friend.  He is driving this automobile.  A pick-up truck with big wheels. Must be a utility vehicle or a family vehicle too. Wow.

"I am very good at this." he said in my head.  He says he's going to fetch me up tomorrow.  That I should prepare.  He apparently will take me motordriving.  I understand that it'll not be that far, to a village somewhere downtown.  He says he'll be delivering something.  Sunny weather, cottony clouds, cirrus, nimbus whatever.  Very good weather means happy motordriving, joyride.  

And so I said "Sure, why not."  It'll be fun.  My friend.  He is driving this motorcycle.  A regular sized scooter. Must be a utility scooter.  Wow.

"I am very good at this." he said in my head.  He says he's going to fetch me up tomorrow.  That I should prepare.  He apparently will take `me somewhere, south out of town.  I understand that it'll not be quite far, to another city.  He says we'll be celebrating something.  A Christmas party.  Sunny weather, cottony clouds, cirrus, nimbus whatever. Very good weather means happy motordriving, joyride.  

And so I said "Sure, why not."  It'll be fun.  My friend.  He is driving this vehicle.  A second-hand Volkswagen. Must be a family vehicle too.  Wow.

"I am very good at this." he said in my head.  He says he's going to fetch me up tomorrow.  That I should prepare.  We apparently will be going somewhere, to the ocean, to the sea, to the beach.  I understand that it won't be that far. He says we'll be celebrating something.  A business meeting I suppose.  Sunny weather, cottony clouds, cirrus, nimbus whatever. Very good weather means happy motordriving, joyride.  

And so I said "Sure, why not."  It'll be fun.   My friend.  He is driving this vehicle.  A second-hand blue sedan. Must be a family vehicle too.  Wow.

"I am very good at this." he said in my head.  He says he's going to fetch me up tomorrow.  That we'd be going together. That I should prepare.  He apparently will take me somewhere, west.  I understand that it'll not be quite far, to another city.  He says we'll be celebrating something.  A blessing for a new office.  Sunny weather, cottony clouds, cirrus, nimbus whatever. Very good weather means happy motordriving, joyride.  

And so I said "Sure, why not."  It'll be fun.   My friend.  We were riding the bus.  A very big bus.

Must be a family bus too.  Wow.

"I am very good at this." he said in my head.  He says we'll be going to another city.   That we'd be going together. That we should prepare. We now have tickets. We apparently would be flying in a plane going to another city north.  I understand that it'll not be quite far, around an hour flight.  We will be going to a rock concert.  We will be witnessing the first performance of our favorite New Wave band from England.  Sunny weather, cottony clouds, cirrus, nimbus whatever. Very good weather means happy, safe flight, joyride.  

And so I said "Sure, why not."  It'll be fun.  My friend.  We were riding the plane.  A big plane.

Must be a family plane too.  Wow.

"We've been through this." he said in my head.  He says we'll be going to an island, to the beach far away.  That I should prepare.  He apparently will take me island hopping, to the waterfalls, to the white sand beaches, blue seas.   I understand that he needed someone to accompany him there, like a tourist, like a tour.  He says we'll be expecting cousins, aunts, my mother coming along.  Perhaps he needed to see the place first hand. Somebody must have invited him or asked him if he's been there which he apparently has not been to yet.

And so I said "Sure, why not."  It'll be fun.   My half Filipino, half German cousin.  He also drives this vehicle when he's at home.   A Mercedes Benz, maybe a Volkswagen, am not sure.  Must be a family vehicle too.  Wow. 

"I am very good at this." he said in my head.  He says he's going to fetch me up tomorrow.  That I should prepare.  We apparently will be going somewhere, to another city, to the ocean, to the sea, to the beach.  I understand that it won't be that far. He says we'll be celebrating something.  And a business meeting too I suppose.  Sunny weather, blue skies, cotton clouds, cirrus, nimbus whatever. Very good weather means happy motordriving, joyride.  

And so I said "Sure, why not."  It'll be fun.   My friend.  He is driving this vehicle.  A pick-up truck.

Must be a family vehicle too.  Wow.

"I am very good at this." she said in my head.  She says she'll be going down my place.  That she's been cooking. That she would share it to me.  I understand that she'll be driving. She showed me her driver's license.  It means that she knows how to drive. She'll be coming over to deliver it.  I will be having dinner with a dish she's preparing.  Cool afternoon and nighttime weather, whatever. Very good weather means happy sumptuous meal, yummy.  

And so I said "Sure, why not."  It'll be fun. .   My nurse friend.  I think she has a motorcycle.  She showed me once in a picture.  She also drives this vehicle, a sedan.   A Ford, maybe a Toyota, am not sure.  Must be  a family vehicle too.  Wow. 

"I've been through this." She said in my head.  She says she's coming with me. She'd cry wildly, bawl, wail hard if I won't let her come along. So I should prepare.  She's a little child of three.   She assumed that I would need company for some burgers that we can go and buy together.  She says she'll be expecting  many people around to play with in my head.  Perhaps she needed to see the outside and play.

And so I said "Sure, why not."  It'll be fun.   My child friend.  She has a toy horse and a toy zebra, or maybe it's a cow.     Must be a family play ride too.  Or maybe not.  Not sure.  Wow. 

"I am very good at this." she said in my head.  She says she's going to the market, to the mall for some groceries.  That I should prepare.  She apparently will take me shopping.  I understand that it won't be that far.  She says I'll be expecting  nothing more than a meal and a drink.  

And so I said "Sure, why not."  It'll be fun.   My mother, my friend.  She has everything, budget for groceries and for a taxicab.  But it must be a family vehicle too. Wow.

Too many rides eh? Can I go home now?  Yeah, dude.   Where's my car?  Lol  Do I really need one anyway? 

SK8BORED

Yeah, it was a long time ago.  I see fellow kids running with this four wheeled hard plastic board that's shaped like a popsicle stick. You put one of your foot on the board , and the other foot will have to do the kicking on the ground pushing you along to go forward.  I've seen how these cool kids on skateboards moved along the court, the playground, the alleys, the pathwalks, sidewalks, everywhere.  While I would just be playing basketball, you'd see them around everytime.

Now there's plenty of reason to ride skateboards.  It was fun, cool and good for the body.  Yeah, healthy, and you get to meet new friends.  I was able to see this exclusive sport first hand and more on TV.  On ramps and half pipes, at empty swimming pools and playgrounds.  X games and all, same also goes with rollerblades and bicycles. Yeah, how come I wasn't really able to put my mind and learn this cool sport before?  I don't know.  I guess am not clearly a hipster?  I don't know. 

Yeah yeah yeah, punk rockers and thrashers unite.  Punks not dead.  Peace.   Wow, need I continue?  Rock n roll. Let's go surfing, yeah! 

CARSCARS

There's something wrong.  The roads were paved wider alright, but it felt so bare and empty.  An island on the middle would look fine. And the ride was not really smooth.  There were still some parts undone, some parts with potholes.  There's this street that has around maye eight to ten humps if I'm not mistaken.   Yeah, more or less. And I also heard this one street that had one too many streethumps that they in their own right, wrecked one on their own volition, with maybe a sledgehammer?  I'm not sure. 

There's this one instance that the taxidriver, upon passing, would not even complain about it anymore.  About how many times he had to slow down and hit the under chassis to the streethump.  That  "grrrrg"  sound.  He says "This is not my car anyway.  I'm only sort of renting this from my boss".  Yeah, who cares?  To the shortest ramp that's maybe made out of cement waste from a building construction, not sure. I don't know about you but aren't these shortramps or streethumps being put on the streets for the purpose of caution when signages won't do? A signal to slow down?

Who cares?  Lets burn rubber.  I don't know about you but I don't really have a car.  I'm quite sure I can learn how.  But there's a requirement for a license before driving.  A lie sense, yeah a lie sense.  But so what if I don't have a car?  You won't get too far that's why, idiot.  Yeah, it's kinda weird having no car when you can see that almost every household now has one.  But how did they get their cars?  Did they get it for free?  Give away cars?  Is there somewhere I can sign up to get one?  Lol. 

They drove along God knows where, I don't  really care.  But what good is a car without a decent home to park it? A garage, a nice carport that's attached to your house.  Yeah, that should do it.  You need a space for it.   You don't need to park it outside our house.  The neighbors might get confused.  They would think that its ours which clearly is not.  Perhaps you shouldn't really have to park cars on the driveways unless you're a visitor, or can you?   I don't know.  Read between the lines. Tell me about it.  Are there rules for this practice?  Once there was a car upfront who was not able to park his car safely.  There was a ramp that goes all down to the gate.  so it rolled by itself down as it crossed the street and went directly to our fence.  Poor fence, with mother's shrubs and plants.  It was a wreck. I was able to take pictures of it.  Good thing the car stopped as it hit our fence.   Wow, there was a loud bang.  Yeah, rock n roll.

The new neighbor immediately apologized for it and offered to fix the fence right away.  They also gave us Pancit Malabon, yeah. It also clearly did rose another neighbor's attention, a contractor, offered his services to do the fence renovation for free apparently.  And there right on the same day, our fence was looking good again. And it looks as though like nothing happened.  These things happen and we see the good in everyone.  Yeah, that was fast.  Big deal. Wow, rock and roll.

Why do we see more cars on driveways? They seem to block the right-of-way. You can't fold a car and carry it with you on your room, can you?  It's not like Mr. Hank who somehow can shrink buildings and cars and even people.  You know?  Ant Man?  Lol.

Yeah, I see friends who now even has two of these so called cars.  Yeah, I can also see that they too have motorbikes.  Wow, a motorbike and a car.  Surely, you'd be needing a lot of fuel for it or I don't know.  Weren't they using water to fuel their cars now?  I even heard about this electric car which you can charge on your convenience outlets.  I also heard that you can burn more calories when you drive inside the car.  Sitting all the way to point B and back to point A. Wow, rock and roll.

And they have this races.  Oh dear, how sweet.  I hear they have these exclusive races for this car afficionados.  Wow, great.  Can I join?  Haha,  Where's your car?  You're still really fucked up. Are you?   But wait, do you really need a car? Lol. More coffee?

DEATH TO THE TEAMS AND HARDCORE STATISTS

Isn't the government just an entity that somehow only happened because of two or several ever colliding groups of people? And so you will hear it somewhere again sometime.  That it's all just for entertainment.  Yeah, at some point it really is. A form of entertainment.  Just like any other game where there are teams.  Like a sport of basketball, a tennis match, a game.  A competition of sorts that sometimes gets too useless.  But somehow you'd still hear it being given too much attention on the TV, the radio, the news.

It really is close to what we call that bedwar among newly or old married couples.  The struggle to keep themselves together. Team husband and team wife.

And somehow it becomes too much that it forces you to be  who you don't want to be.  They'll somehow pull or drag you along their conflict unconsciously.  They'll somehow bring you to a point where there's no one else to turn to but them.  Funny thing is would you let it?  And if somehow you don't agree with how it's going, they'd call you a rebel.  Yeah, some sort of rebel. an opposing figurehead.  They'll treat you like you don't belong. A punk?

But there are other worlds.  Your world and mine. Do we have the same radio frequency? What channel are you in? What space are you in?  Do we dissolve? What vibe? 

Yeah, get away.  Snap out of it.  It's not something we really need. It's too worldly if you know what I mean.  It was born out of someone  or somebody else's mistake, or sins and faults piling up, sludge, scum, crap.  It's not really your problem, not your lookout. Get away.  Pray for them instead...

And do we need it for what again?  For the compost.  

And would you rather watch porn?  It's still on.  Have you ever  really wondered why? Team husband, team wife?  Who are these people?

IN TOWNS

There's a roadwork somewhere.  There always is I suppose. A building that needs to keep going while the roadwork is commencing.  It resumes and sometimes it stops. The work sometimes stops.  If you are up to it and expecting it to be done by schedule,  then maybe you're one of those that badly needs it done.  Maybe you need it for your business transport.  Maybe you needed to see it for yourself up close, keeping the motor running so they say. Or maybe you have a car, a motor vehicle, a pedicab or just a bicycle, a skateboard, rollerskates, your shoes, your sandals, your bare feet. Whatever it is that takes you from point A to point B.

And so you needed it paved well.  A walkway, a driveway, an alley, a pathwalk, a sidewalk for the street, the road, the highway, the expressway.  A flyover, rotunda, a cul de sac, a curve, a dead end. A pavement, oh yes... a pavement.  We need a well paved pavement here.  For our avenues, our boulevards, the motorways, the bridges. 

Heavy traffic and overpopulation of vehicles cause mishaps and accidents or is it the other way around?  Do wider roads and smooth roads cause more of this?  Or is it alright to have a certain amount of traffic congestion on our way to work, on our way home.  So we'd never have to keep going somewhere, somewhere, yeah somewhere out. But the schools are located there.  Out there.  Our offices, our work spaces, our gathering places. Yeah, they're out there.  They somehow is located out there. Uptown, downtown...town, town, to the town.  Are you in town?

And then there goes our farms.  Our mountain, our valleys, the hills, plateaus? The unpaved road that will take you there.  Somewhere that may take you to brooks, streams, lakes and maybe a waterfall.  To the ocean, and back again.  

POWER, MADNESS AND DIVINE INTERVENTIONS

So say there's a married couple who bears a child.  The couple planned for this child's future so they put up a trust fund. The trust fund is put up and made for the child's  education.  An amount that would reach maybe around a million currency more or less. 

But then this married couple broke up.  The couple separated leaving the child to the mother.

The father sometimes visit now and then to see the child.

There was an annulment. The father who was alone, found another woman.  This woman

knew about this trust fund. She somehow managed to withdrew some if not most of it without

the father's knowledge.  

Now, the father found out that this woman has another man in her life so the father broke up with this woman.  And soon later found out that he's been had by this woman.  He found out about the lost trust fund.  Now he's running after that woman who was running with another man.

So, what happens?

I don't know yet.  You tell me.

So say there's a college student who went to college to finish  school but then saw his classmates working while doing so, making them look more upbeat, in control of their lives.  So this student  was also led to work while studying when there really was no need other than the reason to sustain and help pay for fees which really is one of the parents'concern. The student felt the need to do so since payment for fees seem not to go as scheduled or none at all.

But then the student was tied up unable to follow through.  The student was not able to finish the final requirement for graduation, his thesis which he supposedly had to present but was oddly unable to.  

By hook or by crook?

Bribe the teachers, the school?

Just one of the stories of a college dropout.

Was it for the best?  Was it a blessing in disguise?

So, what happens?

I don't know yet.  You tell me.

So say there's a high school student who went to school to finish high school but then saw his classmates working while doing so, making them look more upbeat, in control of their lives.  So this student was also led to work while studying when there really was no need other than the reason to sustain and help pay for fees which really is one of the parents' concern.  The student felt the need to

do so since payment for fees seem not to go as scheduled or none at all.

But then the student was tied up unable to follow through.  The student was not able to finish the final requirement for graduation, the exam which the student supposedly had to pass but was oddly unable to.  

Remedial classes?

Summer classes?

By hook or by crook?

Bribe the teachers, the school?

Just one of the stories of a high school dropout.

Was it for the best?  Was it a blessing in disguise?

So, what happens?

I don't know yet.  You tell me.

I heard and read about GED in High School.  Do they also have this in College?  Should we rather make some collages instead?  And what do you think would they call it if there should be any?

Yeah, I've seen how it is.  I've seen how you managed to have achieved this and that.  But I also saw your own houses in disarray. I've seen how you went from here to there and from there to here.  But I've seen how you've left some other things hanging around like garbage.  Your families in debris.  Your children unclothed, dirty, filthy and unattended.  Your huts and shacks left in shambles, your rooms smell. 

I've seen you gone to popular schools alright.  But I've seen how you treat people with disrespect. I have seen how you've grown from dumb to educated to being abusive, rebellious.  Was it because of stress, strain, pain, menopause, insecurity, credit cards?  Was it because of the hunger for prestige, for honor, the hunger for more, greed, for more power?

I don't know.

BREAKING THE CONSTANT READER; EAT MY WORDS

If you've read too many books in English, I'm quite sure that you too have read too many books in Filipino. The conflict of the stories you read on both languages sure does  carry a lot of weight especially when you see newer words.  Newer words that you may not find in the dictionaries and might just have to let go.

And since there will have to come a point in your readings that words won't  really matter when the words won't make sense unless they're put together to form sentences.  Sentences into paragraphs and so on and so forth. 

Another conflict arises as you got too good in doing so.  If you got too good forming words into sentences, and sentences into paragraphs, you got too persuasive, unusually convincing, and even ever hypnotically good.  And your actions do not reflect or describe the words you are trying to express. So speaking it out loud using your mouth might just do the trick.  So apart from thinking, writing and reading silently, we speak our words, our sentences, our paragraphs out loud moderately intelligible, understandable and earnestly, honest, direct, truthful and profound.

So tell me, what do we need?  A speech. Yeah, we need a speech.  But would you rather write a speech or speak it?  I'm afraid it's better and best be both.  And a speech is a speech, is not a sermon.  No one am afraid wants to hear more sermons.   

And now we are down to speaking it more heartily, pure, more from the heart than the head.  More intense, more empowering, more sense. Sense, we need more sense am afraid. Something we can listen to over and over at our own free time, at our own expense, freely in our own capacities.  We can sing it, record it, modify it, make new versions, but the context never change. The essence off of it remains. It's the same. It's what we really need, something that brings peace and harmony in our daily lives, routines. Or what are we here for anyway and would you really even care?  

And my brain , my other brain is here somewhere.  I sure can find them, my other brains somewhere. My heart, head, myself, an alter ego, somewhere. It should be somewhere around.  My backups, for when I stray, for when I get burned out, for when I swerve away, 

When the only thing left to do is...to dance..

THE EDUCATION AND THE UNEDUCATION IN A DIGITAL WORLD

No, somehow you can't stop it.  Anymore than you want or however necessary for you.  It isn't quite the same before. That is why there will always be a little conflict between generations. 

The issue this time would be,"How much computing does someone need to keep everyday?" With all these so called applications, operating systems, programs, software...that someone has digitally shared or sold to you or with you?  Upon deciding which fits your lifestyle, your business, your need.

And there really is something wrong when a person can't seem to find work in his own domicile,area, locality, location, town, city, country. There really is something wrong when a person can't seem to finish  school in his own country. Was there too much distraction everywhere? Was reality too much of a distraction to care that much?  Was the so called real world you see around you too much of a scare to have you thinking "What's the big fuss about school anyway?"

But hey, there really is still that collision between forces that seem  to think that a person does not need it or when  he or she  says that he or she definitely needs it.  It does not really come as something that we really need to keep arguing all the time.  Deducing all about it as if it is unnecessary anymore. Not relevant these days. And there is that differentiation within each other , classified according to their age, levels, and capabilities.  The ability to say *Hey, I can do that..say *Hey, I can do this.*

And there is that awful sense that you have failed or  you have been rejected.  The embarrassment that comes after the expectations.  But when really is it necessary to feel  that way? Does it come without saying that all one has to do is whine about it?  Or that wonderment  inside every household, why aren't we talking about  it anymore?  That endless sense of *Hey, what happened? Do I belong here?  And forget and laugh all about it as if it does not really matter anyway.  Who's to say it really does.  Does it? 

WORRIES

Worries.  Worry.  Don't worry.  It's like having to turn on the computer and learn more about it because everyone else is doing the same.  It's like having to have boyfriends or girlfriends because everyone else is doing the same. That look of envy or disappointment you see on someone else's face. The face they make when you know they came into grips about how things will turn out later on.  A precognition of something that will happen, assuming that it will, eventually. It's like something you had to do or maybe ought to do for your chosen career or whatever.

It's like your friend, a brother or a sister sporting his or her worrisome look on his or her face.  That distrustful look, that look of defiance, distrustful.  And never having to explain a thing about.  And somehow you would leave it that way hanging out unresolved.

It's like you'd rather need to stay away and leave it as it is because anything you can do may or can be used against you.  It's like having watched too many movies, of these films or read too much about this and that.  The negative and  positive traumatic experiences you wished you haven't gone through.

It's like the music, bands you now wished you never have heard about.  It's like those things people should never have talked about on TV, at home, on the telephone, at school, at the office, and at the trip to and fro.  It's like those skills you now wished you never have learned about so someone else wouldn't have to keep bugging or begging you to do tasks for them instead.  It's like the frustration you keep hidden somewhere because somebody else don't have the nerve or the heart to face or confront them themselves.

It's like the lies you keep hearing about and how it keeps you dumb, stupid and insane.  It's like the bird that calls you from a tree every morning since it may have learned that you are planning to build a birdhouse for.  It's like a confession about something you wished you didn't hear from a friend. It's like the drink you never drank, and the bottle you wished you never thrown. It's like a blindspot for a translation.  Worries, worry, don't worry. You can leave me alone.  I wished I never heard that.

It's like that film you wished you haven't watched, pictures you wished you haven't seen, and songs you wished you never heard. books you wished you never read, and people you now wished you never wasted your time about.

It's like the money you now wished you never spent.  And the worry that was useless and should never have happened.

THE BACKHAND, THE FOREHAND, THE SMASH, THE SPIKE, THE KICK, THE SHOT, THE GOAL

There has to be something in the background.  Say, the ground, the horizon, the sky, the trees.  There has to be something in the foreground.  Say, a figure.  Maybe an automobile, a pet, an insect, or maybe another tree.  There just has to be.  It wouldn't look complete, so they say.  There has to be lights and the shades.  And don't forget the colors, the hues,  the tints, the tones...different strokes, different approach, different styles, methods, applications.

And before you really have to make one there has to be a plan, a floor plan...call it a layout whatever but that's how it was.  But before doing so you got to have objectives and space requirements. And before having that you need to have a motivation, an inspiration, an aspiration. Besides the resources, yes, the resources.  You need to have the right resource, the source, the primary, the origin, the start.  So you can start, begin.

And while you're doing so, you need to have the same thing you need while you're doing it.  The way you are, the way it is, the way it was so you'd feel secure.  So you won't stray, so you won't go so far you can't be reached back.  Since it could be something that might or steal your soul away.  Or the task might need more of your time, the task could drain your brain, might need to keep you up so late at night.  You may forget what's real and what's not. You may have to go somewhere, talk to strangers. You may have to keep them informed about what's what, might need to stay away from them too.  You might need to isolate your self.  Yes, indeed.  You may have to find a way to feed yourself without somebody else doing it for you like it used to be.  Hahahahaha.  You need to keep your sanity.  By the way, how far did you go,  father, mother, brother, sister?  How do you brush your teeth?

YOU DIDN'T TELL ME

There are many ways to do these kinds of task.  But somehow, does the line "tricks of the trade' still matter?  Has your virtues evolved?  Even your beliefs about what is and what is not... could change.  And you could or would end up saying to yourself.  "Shit, that was a nightmare."   But is it? Hahahaha.  But there we go, there we are...here we go again.  

Again and a gain.  There we go again.

There are several ways to practice architecture.  Practice, yeah practice.  I'm not really sure why it's called practice.  Professions seem to call what they do everyday at work as a Practice.  Where do we think the practice end?  At the performance?  And isn't a practice a performance itself?  Hahaha

Since I am and have studied several years in this field, it is only fair to keep doing so. Or try at least to keep doing so.  You have to say it to yourself most of the time.  Because that's just how you keep yourself sane after having to keep in tune with whatever is going on that really matters.  Your line of work...your forte.  Whatever it is.  

 I did put some green tea on my coffee.  And Guided By Voices is playing. "How Do You Spell Heaven'

GAWK & CRAWL

There's something puzzling about crawl spaces.  No one pays too much attention to it down here. Who cares?  It isn't that important.  Why do you want to be self righteous? Save it, let it go. What's wrong with you?  Yes, you won't have to pay attention unless you need to at some point. It's like having to prepare for something that would or might happen eventually.  Like losing your teeth and wearing dentures at some point.  Or losing your hair, going bald on some areas of your head.  Or something like losing your own sense of humor, stolen taken by some invisible thief or something like contagious paranoia.  And the society keeps reminding you to just relax.  Don't worry about tomorrow.  Tomorrow will worry about itself.  Yeah right.

I see crawl spaces in between the floor beams and the roof beams, between the ceilings of every floor, or that spaces under roofs above the ceilings.  Places where it gets too hot and very dark for someone to crawl to.  You know, whenever you find yourself in your room alone in the daytime or nightime.  And as you lay on your bed, reading the paper, a book or something, you hear these scuffling noises on your ceilings.  And you keep wondering what could it be.  And you say to yourself, It must be the cat or just some mouse again, chasing each other.  And there are days when you are alone once again.  And the sound gets louder.  And you begin to wonder if that's a rat or a cat or even a dog or some other feline, mongrel, bigger creature.  But it sounds heavier.  Hmmm.  A cat doesn't sound like that. That sounds heavier.   And as you begin to  pound your ceiling with a broom or something.  To knock the ceilings, to tell them.  "Hey, keep it silent up there!", things would mellow down just to find out that it happens all over again.  Scratching the wood out of your closets, drawers, your cabinets, whatever that''s made of wood.  You find them crawling somewhere again. And hide as you begin to go after them. "Hey, where do you think you're going?"

And as the days go by you have forgotten how many times this has happened before.  Watching your brother or your sister pinching his or her nose close, talking like an alien, taking out this dead rat out of the house.  "Oh crap, that smells bad,  really..really...it does."  And there you are, you find each other washing each other's hands, shoes, feet or something with soap...yeah with soap and water of course, and whatever else that smells disinfecting.. like alcohol...Shit! that stinks bad!...Eeeeeew gross!"

But then you try to look forward to change the lights over head.  That ceiling.  That ceiling that's been repainted all over  and over again.  And then that crawl space.  That small space.  Just around a meter or lower.  Come on.  It's more like walking, with knees bent.  No one really crawls up there except the rodents. And as you go through that manhole, that ventilation space, usually through the bathrooms, carrying a flashlight to see what's up there. And there it is.  That world up your ceilings.  Electrical wires, junction boxes, trusses made of wood, flexible hoses...oh dear..  bolts, and what else?  Cobwebs, dirt and the smell of rodent feces.  That time you really wish if you could just wash it all up with a giant soap and a giant water hose.  Or even for just a few minutes, an hour or two, a day or a week, mabe a month.  If only I could remove the whole roof of the house and put it back again..That time you really wished you were a giant...Hahaha.   

TECHNICAL REVOLUTION, TECHNOLOGY, TECHNICALITIES

I tried doing it how it should be done.  But there is technology that may keep you obsessed about something that interest everyone apart from something that interest me alone.  I've seen how one gets too crowded in his own thoughts that nothing seems to matter anymore anyway.  But on some days, where you get to have so much time alone, that it seems that the best thing to do or the excellent thing to do is not get too overwhelmed and just let some things pass you by and catch what you can for the present purpose.  

So say you declared something you love doing and treat it as your own business since it is what you are capable of doing or studied about.  And so as what they said "Hang on to your Ego" is the only thing you needed to keep, to keep the your own balance.  For so long as you know what's right in your own logic, the same as what we are raised to be.  Architecturally speaking, it's in the details.  Oh God! :-) 

NEW ORDERS AND PAPER TRAIL GAMES

There were several times that I was able to successfully ordered food by telephone or the cellphone.  Jollibee was one of those food companies that offer this system.  Around here we also have Garrido's to do the same. There's also Dexter's Pizza if I recall.  These are only just a few of those that we can conveniently call at haste.  These Food Delivery system gives the caller or the customers the convenience of not  having to go out and jut dine at home instead.  This practice has spurred call centers to flourish. Notwithstanding other businesses that happens on the internet superhighway. It's just almost like hailing a taxicab by phone.  

In the past we're not really keen on asking for receipts. For as long as the goods and services rendered were built on mutual trust, who needs a receipt?  But as soon as you become an employee for another commercialized company, a business office, an enterprise, these so called receipts are being asked for by superiors.  Along with cash vouchers and other documents that happens everyday, liquidations, inventories, reimbursements, cash advances, cash payrolls, among others. Some sort of a trace or a proof of purchase of goods or services. More of this process becomes so endearingly annoying at times that even taxicabs these days also give receipts.

By the time you start your own business to pursue, you'd be flooded with all these things you need to satisfy. Up until now, I still wonder how every business owner, a proprietor or worker really take these things seriously.  It all comes down to how one manages his or her own.  And it all starts in the household.  How much at home do we really care about all these things? Won't it be easier to just let go of this corporate practice or  will it bring bankruptcy if the business owners do not follow this practice?

But if you simply go somewhere in the open market to buy  some fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, food for a simple meal, a keen observant would point out that this system is not really practiced. We rode along inside jeepneys and tricycles, bought some goods and services never having to worry about this.  So, what do you think? Will I need receipts for when I buy some flowers, candles and wine for my loved ones to take homeward bound with me?  What for? So some entity could gossip about it?  Hahaha

STREETNAME MISSIONS

And that place were named after trees.  And that place were named after flowers.  And that place were named after planets.  That place were named after zodiac signs.  That place were named after what else?  And the place were named after mountains and volcanoes.  You'd find Sierra Madre, Batulao, Mayon, Kanlaon, Arayat.  Taal, Pinatubo  and should I look for Mt. Everest somewhere?

It was kind of wonderful and confusing at the same time how streets were named after countries in Europe.  There was Greece, Italy among others.  I'm sure you can find France somewhere or maybe Denmark or Finland.  And if some unsuspecting friend would ask you where you've been,

you'd just tell them, "I've been to Greece yesterday.  It was wonderful."  And that friend would or might take you seriously, he or she might walk away puzzled.

And at another place, streets were named after virtues.  You can find Justice, Integrity and Fortitude.  You can also find Wisdom somewhere too.

EXTREME BUSINESS ABSURD PROCEDURE NICETIES

Now we have come to a point where the Business Class will have to fight for its legitimacy.  They will have to prove their expertise on certain tasks.  And so multiple entities will provide certifications just so they could perhaps prove to peers their expertise, their experience and give their clients and customers a feeling of security.  These certifications will have to be legitimate as well signed by whomever authority figure once again and will be shown and framed inside offices.  And before securing these certifications, they'll have to undergo certain seminars or training.  And these training will need and eat more of your time and money.  So much like going to school again.  After school where we somehow reach a point and achieve that paper called a diploma. It's kind of depressing that we are continuously being betrayed by these institutions, their procedures and their requirements.  It's as if we have to keep bowing down to some kind of authority, some kind of superior that does not end.  

It is after that graduaton that one should keep in mind that he or she will or still will have to undergo several examinations, procedures.  Too many things to satisy, too many people to please.  So much bureacratic nonsense happens that almost always every office reflects too much crap.  How often do we see these people around?  And should there be whistles blown? 

How does one simple worker break free from this?  You know these nonsense rule our lives everyday that it almost and will probably continue.   I will try to make a list of this procedures and complain on each and everyone of it besides the schools.

> Social Security System 

> Government Insurance System

> Philippine Health Insurance Systems

> Land Transportation Office

> Department of Public Works & Highways

> Department of Tourism

> Department of Interior and Local Government

> and several more...

And if I am having hard time doing all these bureacratic procedures,  God help those dumber than me.

DIGITAL FOOTPRINT ADVANCES

Before it was just as simple as creating your own email address.  Something you may disregard at some point when things get really silly.  But it really is silly doing so.  It really just doesn't add up when you keep going on line and see all the things that will and has come to your attention.  The only way to keep it in control is set your mind straight and simplify.  

One of several ways to keep your data at bay when you feel unsecured digitally is to just let it all be.  Why bother?  Maybe it's not for you.  If you get too impatient say how your computer is slow, or how your internet connection lags in between tasks.  Don't lose your temper over which you yourself cannot accept that it's not really even or came from you. The wonders of how this internet connectivity has somehow and seems to rule our lives these days.  It just clearly shows how an entity could go berserk.  It really is some sort of an anarchy in the making.  Something that would give you the freedom to search something about on.    Because someone gets too inquisitive, and adventurous to the point of exhaustion.

THE SHITTY HEALTH OFFICES

There is this system in contracting and subcontracting construction projects where the client would demand services from an engineer.  The client's company business say, a factory of toys, a plant of some sort or industrial facilities, sure should have or is composed of different departments. The most common of which are the Administration Department, The Finance, The Maintenance, The Machine Rooms, The Engineering and The Medical Department.  And the obligation of having to ask for services outside of the company say, a subcontract for a particular task may have to be done by the company's in house, resident engineer.  The Engineer can or may have to look for a contractor to engage, say an Architectural output of working drawings.  For it is kind of unusual for a company to have an in-house architect.  It kind of does not fit to have an in-house architect around.  Architects somehow do not belng inside factories, am not sure why.  Or do they?  And so the engineer may have to look for an Architectural Firm, say to renovate or redesign their existing place of work, a building, their factory, their mill, their plant, whatever. 

But somehow these people would require certain expertise and certifications.  They would have to demand the requirements for safety and security of a specific task.  I have read too much of these training and attendance certificates that am not sure if they really are reliable.  One of my friends who is  a subcontractor says that these requirements do not really apply for people who only had to visit.  And these Certifications and even the Identification Cards can be faked anyway.  So, what do you think?

THE EMPTY BUILDING

Indeed there was history.  There was history on their settings too familiar and now too obvious to obscure or even obfuscate. It's like trying to insist that Hotels are better than Homes.  Make it a Condotel, an Econotel, an Apartelle, a Motel, a Hostel, whatever you want to call it, still you better have to be at Home or feel at Home literally and methaporically, or even simile speaking. There's too much shame to keep you from noticing it.  And too filthy not to notice. It's like having to keep looking at the trash that still keeps turning up showing up on your line of sight, persistent and shameless.

And as you keep yourself busy with your own word processors or computers, with a desk...somehow at some point you'd feel like one of those people they call a receptionist. And it gets weird as the days go by. And suddenly everyone else in the family thinks that you have gone crazy as they continued to go on with their own business of having to keep what somebody else or some group has planned to build or continue to build.  What happens if one of them got confused and deduced very reasonably, and asked what's that for really anyway?  Tourists? or Colonizers?  Where the architect would suddenly insist "I'm sorry, we really don't need to do that anymore." or  as the building is done said something like "I'm sorry, stop it.  We shouldn't continue. What was I thinking?"

It's something like "What do I need to build a movie theater for? Don't they have their own flat screen TVs at home? What?  What do you mean they have no homes??

And so the architect was so blinded by his own convictions that all he or she could do was hide and recall his own doing, his past, his memories, his life.  And finally said to himself?  "God, what have I done?"

Let's turn it into a school.  Haha.

VISIONS VALUE

"If you didn't value it, you don't deserve it."

"If you didn't give it value, then it won't matter."

This piece is for those who got obsessed with people on TV screens and books.  This is for the people who got too entertained by public officials, advertisements and network entertainment. For those who got obsessed with waiting for the next thing, for those who got obsessed with the vanity of music, the arts. literature.  This is for those who got too obsessed with learning how to make money, for those who got obsessed with cute children and celebrities.  For those who got obsessed with competition, contests, tournaments, & games.  To figure out who is the best, who is the worst, who is the prettiest, who's the smartest,who's the fastest...

This is for those who got too preoccupied with the past, rendering the present  and the future as moot & nonsense.  This is for the radio stations who keep playing the oldies, the classics, never the new ones.  This is for those who got too preoccupied with serving themselves, they forgot about other people.  This is for those who got too preoccupied with serving the public, they forgot to tend their own.  This is for those who work construction, and build houses for other people, that they forgot about their own. This is for those who work abroad, resident aliens, and for those who had to keep them safe and at bay.  This is for those bosses who got too comfortable to care, for the business owners who won't have to dare to care too much and those who will have to just keep waiting for the next pay. For those who do not want things to end and for those who insist to keep fighting for it not to end. 

This is for friends who complained about this and that.  For friends who complained about being bullied and became bullies themselves.  For friends who can't see it in their souls to forgive themselves. This is for those who got special treatment rendering a rebellious entity exist. 

This is for those who seem to want to see animals, and people killing each other. For those who seem to make it a usual pastime.  This is for those who seem to keep it pointless as much as possible. This is for those who lost control, for drunk and sober people who lost their heads.  This is for those who never seem to  find their own way, who seem to never get a break.  This is for those who  took their grace & blessings for granted that they threw it away, and had the gall to demand for it afterwards.

This is for those who's been deprived from the dream they should be living. For those who keep delaying their progress when they should be growing. For those who keep retarding their growth, kept intoxicated, those who kept laughing poking fun at other people, for those who kept distracting 

others when they should be working.  For those who keep disrupting them from class when they should be studying, when they should be writing, when they should be reading. This is for those who keep making other people doing things for them when they can really do it themselves.  This is for those who keep insisting  their things are better your own, those who keep tempting others to buy this and that, for those who keep confusing them, for those who's preconceiving their own preferences, their own judgment.

This is for those who keep feeding us purported scams, the sham, the hoax. This is for those who's too playful to realize anything, too forgetful to care. This is for the evil that keeps lurking at everyone's doors, shrubs, corners and everywhere.  This is for those who keep insisting to keep their places dirty and uninhabitable, unfriendly, deadly.  This is for those who are obsessed with cleanliness, the speed freaks and the doters. This is for the cheaters, the stealers, those who don't and can't keep an honest living, to save them from themselves, those who keep shameful jobs and those who keep them thriving.

This is for those who are constantly being pressured to do this and that.  For those who were being pushed too far, for those children who are constantly being abused, and for those forgotten by their own peers.  This is for the news on TV that constantly feed you bad reports. This is for those peers, preachers who got too preoccupied with giving people advice and suggestions that they can't even begin to look at their own. This is for those public officials who keep defending their motives, their plans and the children and followers they have to keep.