Nagbabaga ang dapithapon
habang yinayakap ng hangin
ang mukha ng kabundukang
aking kinahihimlayan.
Binulag man ako ng balang
bumaon sa aking kaliwang mata,
malinaw kong natatanaw;
Pinatahimik man ako ng busal sa aking bibig,
ako'y nangingiti;
Wala nang dugong dumadaloy
sa mga ugat ng aking mga kamay,
nakakapa't nararamdaman ko pa rin.
Malapit na ang tagumpay.
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Pinilas ng liwanag ang kalangitan
Binasag ng musika ang katahimikan
Sa dulo ng liwanag ay may bayluhan

Sa awit ng ligaya'y nagyuyugyugan
Mga paa't palad ay nag-iibigan
Pinilas ng liwanag ang kalangitan

Nang-aakit, bahagharing laylayan
Nagpapaakit, kabaro ni Adan
Sa dulo ng liwanag ay may bayluhan

Saksi, mga tala't buwan
Sa paggulong ng mga kapalaran
Pinilas ng liwanag ang kalangitan

Singlalim ng dilim ang kaligayahan
Nagwawala ang buong bayan
Sa dulo ng liwanag ay may bayluhan

Ano 'tong aking nasasaksihan
Paggising ng araw, pag-alis ng buwan?
Pinilas ng liwanag ang kalangitan
Sa dulo ng liwanag ay may bayluhan.
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Kami ang mga tao sa likod ng kunwa-kunwariang prod sa thea107, ang Pygmalion ni Bernard Shaw. Si Jas, Mariel, ako, at si Jave.



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Mas malapit ang buwan
kaysa sa'kin
sa iyong paningin.
Ang malayo
ay 'yong natatanaw,
katabi nama'y
hikahos sa 'yong lambing.
Maaaring buwan ay palayasin,
huwag mo lang hilinging
Ako'y patahimikin.
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"Personal is political", ang sabi ng shirt ni Dumlao. Dito madadama ang tunay na kalayaan mula sa mapanuring mga salita ng mga maninigbak ng aming mga gawa, ng mga gawa ng mga taong pumiling sumamba sa dilim. Sinasabi ng mga maninigbak ng hum na walang relevance sa lipunan ang aming mga akda, pero hindi ba't ang pagiging bokal sa personal na pananalita at katinuan, di-katinuan at pag-iisip ay isang bagay na maituturing na politikal, at anumang bagay na politikal ay may malaking kaugnayan sa lipunang pare-pareho nating ginagalawan.

The Plebeians, a socio-cultural organization formed in order to relieve campus violence then in UP Diliman. The organization was originally known as the Patricians led by the late Senator Rene Cayetano. A year later it was recognized and Known as UP Brotherhood of the Plebeians. (entry mula sa friendster account ng organisasyong ito.)

Ang UP Kapatirang Plebeians ay isang org na sa biglang lingon ay walang dating. Pero astig ang org na ito. Binubuo ito ng mga non-conformists, kabilang ako. Naniniwala ako sa mga ipinaglalaban at hangarin ng samahang ito. Hindi namin kinakailangang sumang-ayon na lamang basta-basta sa sinasabi ng iba o sa desisyon ng mga nagdudunung-dunungan. Hindi kami naniniwala sa karahasan. Matatalino kami at talino ang gamit namin sa pakikipaglaban. Kami ay malaya sa mula sa conformity.
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Hindi lahat nang tao nagustuhan ang Antigone. Maraming tao ang di nagkagusto sa Antigone. Pero ano bang alam nila? Ang nalalaman lamang nila ay ang kung ano'ng napanood nila sa entablado habang sila ay nakaupo sa mga pulang upuan ng D.L. Umali Hall. Wala silang alam sa mga nagaganap sa likod ng telon, sa tuwing bumababa ang telon, o habang hindi pa itinataas ang telon.
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[img:397547]
[img:397548]

Paano isinilang ang LAYB?

Taong 2003...

May ilang mapapalad na kaluluwa ang naimbitahang sumamba sa dilim.
Mga kaluluwang uhaw sa karanasan;
Mga kaluluwang handang tumuklas ng hiwaga ng mundo;
Mga kaluluwang nais magpahayag ng kanilang saloobin;
Mga kaluluwang naniniwala sa kapangyarihan ng pagsusulat;

Sa pamumuno at pagagabay ni Ginoong Emmanuel Dumlao, napalawig ang pananaw at kaalaman ng mga kasapi tungkol sa lakas ng kapangyarihan ng pagsusulat bilang isang mahalagang salik sa pagbuo at paghubog ng lipunan.

Bakit LAYB?

Una sa lahat, maraming kababalaghan sa layb. Maraming kwentong sex, katatakutan, kulto at iba pa, pero di alam ng marami na nagsisilbi rin itong kanlungan ng kalinangan at talino. Dito ginaganap ang lingguhang workshop sa pagsusulat. Saksi ang buwan, pati na rin ang mga halama't damo sa paligid, nagkakaroon ng matapat na pagsusuri at kritikal na pagtanaw (critique) sa mga komposisyon upang lalo pang mahasa ang kalinangan sa pagsulat.


Layunin ng LAYB:
Layunin ng LAYB na ilabas ang maliit na batang manunulat na nakatago sa ating mga pagkatao. Layunin nitong hasain ang ating natural na potensyal bilang isang manunulat. Ang LAYB ay walang pakialam kung sino ka--- mapa-mayaman, mapa-mahirap, ComArts, Agri, Bio o kahit ano pa ang course mo. Layon ng LAYB na palaguin nag ating potensyal na kaalaman sa pagsusulat para makatulong sa pagmumulat ng ating kamalayan.

Sino ang mga mapapalad na kaluluwa?
Kahit sino. Ikaw, ako, sila--- lahat nang mga gustong sumamba sa dilim. ( Hindi kami kulto. Alisin na natin sa ating mga sarili ang bias na dulot ng binary opposition ng dilim at liwanag. Walang masama sa dilim; hindi masama ang dilim.)
Basta hilig mo ang pagsusulat (tula, maikling kwento, bugtong o kahit ano pa), pwedeng-pwede kang sumali at subukan ang iyong kakayahan sa pagsulat.
Halina't sumubok. Sumamba sa dilim.

Umaga na,
Butas na
Ang bumbunan ko,
'Kaw pa rin
Nasa isip ko.
[img:397592]

Mga kuha ko.

Built on the principles of democracy
To create a better society
For future generations to live freely
We are the plebeians, thats our legacy

Brotherly love, that bond between us
Sisterly love , that unite upon us
A family that always grow
A home that we love so much oh oh

We have our highs
We have our lows
Live by the credo
is what we know
Different people
is what we are
But we are one
to reach the star

Based on the libertarian philosophy
Non conformity is our policy
To reason and not to man is our loyalty
We are the plebeians thats our legacy


original words by: jamaal williams
arranged by: dars n kidrock
song performed by: humble sauce

I chose this topic for the following reasons:

1. Why do men think women with long hair are attractive?

2. Is it natural for a man to be attracted to a woman having a long hair?

3. What are the implications of this kind of belief on women?

4. What could be the possible origin of this kind of belief/attitude?

I basically long for answers that would satisfy these questions.

Hypothesis:

Men think women with long hair are more attractive than the ones who have short hairbecause it is what has long been inculcated in their minds or in their predisposed (culture-based) set of beliefs. Culture has a strong influence on how they think and react towards the opposite sex. They have an immense consideration on the opposite sex's physical appearance. They have this notion that long hair is beautiful and women with it are not difficult to sway or to subdue. Historically speaking, women with long hair should be submissive, subservient to men or to their husbands. And it is all due to a very powerful patriarchal system of living. Women with short hair are said to be the women of modern age, women of the 90's, women of the new millennium. They are more knowledgeable, independent, goal-oriented, ambitious, and self-sufficient. In other words, they are the ones who do not easily or will not ever kneel down on men's whims and desires.
[img:398595]

[img:398607]
[img:398608]
[img:398609]

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us.
O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
--Leonardo Da Vinci

Napaka-ironic talaga ng buhay. Nabanggit sa diskusyon a isa sa mga klase ko na ang myth ay bunga ng ignorance, at ito ay nabuo upang ang myth na lumulukob sa paniniwala at pilosopiya ng ating mga ninuno ay maiwasan. Tayo ay pinoprotektahan ng mito mula sa mga bagay na ito at sa mga maaaring maging epekto nito. Napaka-ironic ng buhay dahil ang myth na dapat pumuprotekta sa atin ay siya ring bumubulag sa atin mula sa tunay at dalisay na katotohanan.

Hindi lahat nang tao ay mapalad upang mabigyan ng pagkakataong ibahagi at ikalat ang inimbento niyang kwento o alamat. Oo, alam kong lahat nang nilalang na may kakayahan ay may karapatang sumulat pero hindi lahat ay may kapangyarihang papaniwalain ang sangkatauhan sa isang bagay o pangyayaring maaaring magpaliwanag ng iba't ibang kaganapan sa mundo. Hindi tanga ang tao pero marami siyang hindi nalalaman at ito ang kanyang kahinaan. Ang kahinaang ito at kahinaan ng loob ang pangunahing sandata ng (o ng mga) institusyong nais maghari at maging makapangyarihan sa habang panahon. dahil sa lakas ng kanilang kapangyarihan, nagiging sagrado ang isang myth at ito ay nagiging matibay na haligi ng halu-halo ngunit magkakaugnay na paniniwala ng sansinukob (collective psychology ni Carl Jung). Isang kongkretong halimbawa ay ang relihiyon--ang paglikha, ang Genesis, maging ang buhay at papel ni Kristo bilang isang mortal at imortal-- lahat nang ito ay pawang mga gawa-gawa lamang, gawa lamang ng TAO, mga taong katulad ko, katulad natin, kagagawan ng isang makapangyarihang institusyon sa ibabaw ng mundo--ang Simbahan.

Mula sa isang malayong kontinente, sa wakas, matapos ang ilang milya at ilang buwang paglalakbay sa karagatan, nagawang iangkla ng mga unang dayuhan ang kanilang mga barko sa isang lupain sa bandang silangan ng Pasipiko. Nang mga oras na iyon, hindi lamang ang kanilang mga barko ang iniangkla nila, kundi pati ang isang napakamakapangyarihan at napakamaimpluwensyang ideolohiya--ang Kristiyanismo. Naging malaking bahagi sila ng ating kasaysayan at ng pagkatao na rin, pagkataong nasanay sa kasinungalingang pinaniniwalaang tama at sagrado.

Ganito kalakas ang kapangyarihan nila. May kakayahan silang ilunsad at palaganapin ang sarili nilang paniniwala na lalong magtataguyod at magpapatingkad sa kanilang mga haligi. Ang pagharian ang mundo ang kanilang misyon.

Sa kasalukuyang panahon, bagaman maraming nangangahas lumayo at tumalikdo sa higanteng ideolohiyang ito, ang malaking parte ng kabuuan ng Pilipinas ay may matibay pa ring paniniwala sa mga kwentong napakaloob sa aklat na ang tawag ay Bibliya. HIndi man sila mga panatiko, mayroon pa rin silang sense of faith, pananalig sa isang bagay o nilalang na hindi nakikita, pananalig sa isang kwentong walang sapat na katibayang maaaring magpatunay sa eksistensya nito. Ito ang malinaw na senaryo sa Pilipinas ngayon. Ang hindi madaan sa santong paspasan, maaaring idaan sa paspasang dasalan.

May hangganan ba ang impluwensya ng Simbahan at ng relihiyon? Walang nakakaalam ng sagot.

Dati, halos araw-araw sumasakay ako ng jeep, pero dahil sa taas ng pamasahe, naisip ko tuloy na mas mabuti siguro kung maglalakad na lamang ako, libre ehersisyo pa. Minsan naisip ko tuloy, paano kung lalong lumobo sa laki ang pamasahe sa jeepney, kawawa ang lahat nang tao, kawawa ang lahat ng partido, saang anggulo mo man tingnan. Kawawa ang mga pasahero, kawawa ang mga tsuper, baka mawalan sila ng sasakay sa kanilang jeep, o kahit mag-aabang man lang sa kanilang serbisyo. Kawawa din ang kultura natin, ang folkart sa interior at exterior ng jeepney, unti-unti itong mamamatay. Ganonpaman, nananatiling makulay at matingkad ang ating kultura dahil sa kanyang jeep.

Seventy percent sa temang pag-ibig at sex, bakit kaya? Bakit nga ba?

Karaniwan sa mga tsuper ay lalaki, dati naman kasi, ang ganitong trabaho ay para lamang daw sa mga lalake. Napaka-sexist. At upang lalong payabungin ang ka-macho-hang ito, ginamit ni Juan dela Cruz ang pagiging malikhain sa paggawa at pag-iimbento ng mga parirala, pangungusap, at minsa'y mga berso na naghahayag ng kanyang naghuhumindig na pagkalalaki.

Ang tatay ko, minsan ay naging tsuper din, nung bata pa ako. Pero sa halip na mga bagay na may kaugnayan sa sex, ang naging paksa ng kanyang sasakyan ay ang pagmamahal sa kanyang mga anak na puro babae. Initials naming magkakapatid ang nakalagay sa dashboard. Hindi sexist si tatay.

Hanggat may tumatangkilik sa mga jeepney, mananatiling buhay ang sining ng hari ng kalsada. Mananatili ring buhay ang alab ng Kulturang Pinoy.

Marco Sison, hihiramin ko lang yung kanta mo at iibahin ko nang konti.

O mare ko, o mare ko
Ang kwento ko'y pakinggan mo
Baka sakali ako ay 'yong matulungan
Sa problema ko
Sino sa apat ang iso-syota ko
Parang awa mo na, mare
Si irvin.....o si dumlao.....o si keeno...o si bambam?

Lahat sila'y magaganda
Mayaman na at seksi pa
Barkada ko'y naiinggit na nga sa akin
Ako raw ay pabling
Hindi nila alam
Napakahirap dalhin
Tulungan mo 'ko, pare
Si irvin.....o si dumlao.....o si keeno...o si bambam?

REFRAIN:
Kawawang puso ko
Dumudugo, nalilito kung sino kaya
Sino kaya ang pipiliin
At gagawin kong aking pag-ibig na tunay
O kay gulo, o kay gulo
Naiinis na nga ako
Sa dinami-dami ba naman ng lalake sa
buong mundo
Bakit ba ako nababaliw sa apat
Sabihin mo na, pare
Si irvin.....o si dumlao.....o si keeno...o si bambam?

Maraming sinasabi si nanay sa akin, dalawa sa mga ito ang mga nasa ibaba:

1. Maganda ako, sabi nanay ko!

2. Gilitan mo yang kilay mo tapos maglagay ka ng bao ng niyog sa suso mo para magmukha kang dalaga.

Oops! Teka lang, gilitan ang kilay ko? Ano ako, manok?

Isa lamang ito sa mga exercises sa SAMA SINING, isang grupo sa UP los banos na nagbabalak maging organisasyon.

Dialog na puro tanong lamang, sagutan, palitan. Narito ang ginawa ko:

X: Bakit ang dami mong tigyawat?
Y: Pakialam mo ba?
X: Bakit ang dami mong kuto?
Y: Ano ngayon sa'yo?
X: Bakit ang itim ng batok mo?
Y: Pwede ba?
X: Bakit ang dumi ng kuko mo?
Y: Bakit ba ang dami mong tanong?
X: Bakit di mo sagutin ang mga tinatanong ko?
Y: Bakit di mo itanong sa buwan?

Natutunan ko sa workshop na ito na sa pamamagitan nito ay maaari ka nang gumawa ng isang short story. Ang problema lang sa ginawa ko, mukhang wala gaanong progreso, hindi nagkaroon ng pag-usad.

Kwento ni Dumlao:

Ano ang sinisimbulo ng mansanas sa unang kasalanan (o original sin) ginawa ng tao--nina Adan at Eba?--ano pa, kundi sex. Pinatikim ng sex ni Lucifer si Eba. Nasarapan si Eba kaya inalok at pinatikim niya si Adan. Ibang klaseng ahas si Lucifer (hindi ko kinokondena si lucifer, sa totoo lang iniidolo ko pa nga siya, lucifer actually means "bringer of light").

Ibang kwento naman:

One time, nanood ako ng Extra Challenge sa GMA7 at saka ko lang nalaman na dalawa pala ang titi ng ahas. Astig no? Wala nga itong mga paa pero dalawa naman ang titi niya.

Text message:

Bakit dalawa ang titi ng ahas? Pls pass!

I can feel the fire of
subversion burning in me.

I can feel the warmth
of passion governing my senses.

I can feel the blood
of the revolution on my forehead.

I can feel the sense of
pride only a Brownman could feel.

Heto ang mga senyales o pangitain na nagsasabing mamamatay ka na:

1. biglang magiging sweet ang nanay mo sa text

2. magpapadala ng quote ang isang friend na hindi naman talaga mahilig mag-send ng SMS sa kahit kanino

3. magpapa-missed call ang isang friend na two years mo nang hindi nakikita

4. seseryosohin ka bigla ng mga kaibigan mo

5. halos limang araw mo nang naririnig yung kanta sa lamay ni Rico Yan kahit saan ka man magpunta: "Warrior is a Child", at dahil dito, naririndi ka na.

Paggising mo kinabukasan at buhay ka pa rin, isa lang ang ibig sabihin non: napa-praning ka lang.

Akutagawa’s In A Grove is about seven people giving statements regarding the murdered Japanese warrior and his raped wife. The woodcutter, the traveling Buddhist priest, the policeman, an old woman, Tajomaru (the murderer), the warrior, and his wife all gave testimonies that are not exactly the same, nonetheless, all of them were pointing to one common factor: that the one who was responsible for the crime was Tajomaru. However, the accounts of Tajomaru, the warrior, and his wife, were contradictory. In effect, the reader would not know who among them was really telling the truth. The text did not give an ultimate version of the events.

Each of the last ones who gave an explanation seemed to be taking responsibility of the incident. It was never made clear in the text who did it. So the reader takes more time pondering on what he has read. In A Grove is like a mind-tickling puzzle that challenges the reader to somehow participate.

The text raised a lot of questions: who did it? What is to be gained by taking responsibility of the act? What could have been their motives in giving such confessions? A number of theories regarding this matter could be formed, theories that try to answer the ultimate question: Who among them is telling the truth? This brings us to the idea or concept of truth. Can truth be true for all? Or is it relative and arbitrary?

Truth can be defined as conformity to fact or actuality, therefore, it is something that has to be agreed upon. For example, the members of a group believe that it is true that “a” is good-looking. It is so because they agreed upon it. The concept of truth is actually relative, it varies from person to person. What I consider true may not be true for someone else.

Other definitions I found: TRUTH: a statement proven to be accepted as true; sincerity; integrity; a comprehensive that in all of its nuances implies accuracy and honesty (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=truth). All these meanings imply relativity and subjectivity. Truth is subjective. As I have stated earlier, what’s true for me may not be true for others. For example, for “a”, it is true that “b” is good-looking, but for others who have an entirely different concept of what is good-looking may not have the same belief, and therefore, they do not consider the statement of “a” to be true.
One can never really determine what is true and what is not. It is very similar to faith. One just has to believe in its existence.
The event that took place in Akutagawa’s In A Grove and the testimonies given by each of the characters, especially the last three accounts, are relative concepts rather than absolute concepts.

“ Charity can change lives…including yours.”

Next to a conditioner advertisement using a bandwagon method of proving its quality and effectiveness is a soft and brown thirty-second propaganda encouraging people, especially the Christians to give a little something out of their pockets to the poor, deprived and oppressed. Caritas de Manila once again shows a remarkable
ballyhoo that seems to boggle anyone’s conscience. Their ad is, of course about charity. A typical office worker ( the man seemed to be an office worker to me) walking down a busy and murky street sees a dirty poor-looking fellow sitting on the cold asphalt. The man, out of his compassion, gives the hungry beggar some food to eat. The beggar turns out to be Christ. By helping the beggar, the simple office worker turns out to be Christ too.

The kind of “ Kristo “ presented in that ad is not the typical “Kristo” we seenailed on a wooden plus sign. It is not the “Kristo” having “tisoy” looks: big blue/brown eyes, flirty lashes blonde hair, pointed nose, pinkish lips and a European beard. Caritas showed a “strangely familiar” Christ. The kind of Christ they introduced to boob tube was a brown Christ. Brown. A Filipino. Pinoy na Pinoy! That is what particularly called my snooty attention. That is also what I really like about the ad.

I have to admit that it is ego-inflating. I love to be Pinoy!

Maybe that is the kind of faith I always miss. I think the ad effectively recharged and re-activated the angel part of my subconscious. I do not know if there really is a powerful being governing us all. In this case enters the issue of existentialism. The commercial can be convincing enough to make the viewers realize that there really is a god/God watching their every step, guiding
their every move. It also showed how tight the bond is between the people behind Caritas and God/Faith. They tried to show that with charity, social classification, being rich or poor is nonsense. What I only did not like about it was the type of Christ’s gender they presented ( if not implied). I mean, why does God have to be god
and not goddess? I think the supreme being should be gender-less, sex-less, non-sexist. Other than that, they were also able to present some archetypes. The dirty beggar clearly speaks of poverty and cruelty caused by the society. While “Kristo”depicted some sort of power and omnipresence.

I think this campaign by the Caritas is subversive in the sense that it was able to reverse the physical characteristics of Christ, from being a cold-blooded “tisoy” to a warm and loving Pinoy. Brave and brown.

Onemig Bondoc’s on television, stating that he’s ready to do sexy films. Mura stars in ABS-CBN’s fantaserye, Marina. So what? Why should I care? I have a paper to do and these two obscure and undesirable TV personalities are annoying me. So what do they have to do with the question: Who am I?

Onemig, Mura, and I. What do we have in common? We are the kind of persons who keep on going on with our almost absurd lives even though it seems that the whole world and another planet are rolling over our shoulders. Yes, that is how I feel. Onemig sticks himself to show business even if he knows that that industry has dropped him not long ago. Mura, though short and stout, stands tall on top of the acting world as the newest character on primetime.

Who was I then? Who am I now? I guess I am not the same person people knew. I believe I am a better person now. (Goodness! How can I fully concentrate, the person beside me’s pervert!) I used to question the existence of an omnipotent, supernatural, powerful supreme being. Now, it is clear to me that there isn’t really such a being. My being agnostic has made me become another person. I am a person who knows how to depend on herself and be rational, especially during the hard times. This is how I see myself right now. And you can’t argue with that.

I guess that’s all I can say. It’s somehow against my will to unmask myself. It is not that I am not ready. I am just being me, being reserved. I don’t know why I have to be this way. Maybe it is because there are just some questions that are really difficult to answer. Maybe it is because some answers will forever be vague and incomplete.

Harvard Professor Jerome Bruner says, " To understand anything well is to know wherein it is simple." To understand the meaning and context of " Art of War ", one must know how to strip it down to its simplest form, like a quadratic equation whose integers needs to be substituted and transposed in order to find out their hidden values. Like a complex fraction reduced to its lowest terms. Understanding the " Art of War" like everything else is easy. But " war " itself is not really easy to comprehend. It is as complicated as life. There are many things that are vague, so vague that it leaves us clueless and out of
mind. There are things in war and in life that make most of the people resort to extraordinary and/or supernatural explanation, making war and life more difficult to comprehend.

Life, from the start, has never been simple. A sperm cell meets an egg cell and then they form a zygote. It does not stop there. The combined cell undergoes different stages of cell division: interphase, prophase, prometaphase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase and cytokinesis. The whole nine months of being inside my mother's womb entitles multiple scientists to study for many years and write tons of textbooks for mankind.

War also denotes heterogeneous ideas, ideologies, and impression which are mostly negative. When war is mentioned, what usually comes to our mind? Different images of war that has been stereotyped: death, depression, ruined cities, ruined structures, cruelty, bloodshed, and drought. And then a few bothering questions follow: " Why is there war?", " How did war started?", "Who initiated it?". Aims become blurry. After so many years of killing, dying, shooting, and crying, do the people in war still know what they are fighting for?

Like in life. After eighteen years of living in this damned "sala sa init, sala sa lamig" kind of world, is it still clear to me the purpose of my existence? I know eighteen years is considerably young ( except under the Philippine constitutional laws, of course ), but does it matter? I know a number of nice people who died young. Yes, the good die young and I cannot understand why.

Chapter II of the Art of War says, " ...the arbiter of armies is the arbiter of the people's fate, the man on whom it depends whether the nation shall be in peace or in peril." The arbiter of one's life is one's self. The arbiter of my life is myself. Everything that happens to me depends on myself. Of course, there are other factors which influences my success: my skills and talents, confidence and esteem, powerful connections, support from family and friends, planet Jupiter, fresh air, fresh flowers, fresh fantasies, fresh everything, San Mig Super Dry, Bob Ong books, and a smile from my favorite planet; And downfall: natural catastrophes such as typhoon, earthquake, etc., financial crises, personal adversaries, pollution, headache, toothache, menstruation and PMS, a presidentiable like FPJ, etc. " To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself. " If FPJ becomes the president, if I let myself be defeated by pain caused by the contraction of the muscles of my lower belly, if I do not pop a painkiller into my mouth, if I let myself be badly hit by my adversaries, if I be eaten by an earthquake or a storm, if I would not do anything to sove these, then I will be dead and I will never experience the smile of my favorite planet anymore. If I do not be the leader of my life, my war will only be delayed, it will not come to an end.

Chapters VII and III respectively says, " In war, practice dissimulation and you will succeed. Simulated disorder postulates perfect discipline, simulated fear postulates courage, simulated weakness postulates strength. "

I am not really good at hiding what I really feel. Probably, that is the reason why things go wrong whenever I make "papansin" to my favorite planet.

Chapter X says, " If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt..." In order for a man to defeat his enemy, he must have the knowledge about his enemy. Everything about the enemy: his moves, his techniques, his plans. And how is he going to acquire these kind of information? He must somebody from the enemy's camp who can tell him all the secrets, somebody who is trustworthy. A spy! " Knowledge of the enemy's disposition can only be obtained from other men. Hence the use of spies..."


Strategy and tactics. "... Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting." ( chapter 3 ) My SOSC1 professor is fond of giving surprise quizzes. But I am not surprised every time he does that. I have learned that he only gives quizzes every three days. From chapter 4, " Standing on the defensive indicates insufficient strength; attacking, a superabundance of strength."

To understand the Art of War, one must apply it to his daily life. It talks of common sense anyway. That way, a very complicated matter which was originally written for generals becomes easy to understand. But it still would not mean that life will ever be understood. You'll end up counting the strands of your hair in Mandaluyong if you try.

Life is a never-ending war. The end of war is peace. The end of life is death. We will all rest in peace.

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GANITO KAHIRAP MAG-ARAL DITO:
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