Unang Baboy sa Langit: Play Review

A Musical Play by Christine S. Bellen
Directed by Jerry Respeto
Original Children’s Short Story by Rene O. Villanueva
Staged by Ateneo de Manila University’s ENTABLADO
Play dates: January 19 to 23, 26 to 30 - 7.00pm
January 24 and 31 - 3.00pm and 7.00pm
*The play runs for two hours and thirty minutes, at 200 php per ticket.

Summary:
Unang Baboy sa Langit tells the tale of Butsiki, an extraordinary piglet who veers away from the “messy” tradition of her kind.
Butsiki’s mother and resident of Babuyan Islands, Ponyang, was pregnant with her in a time of turmoil. An angel in the form of a rabbit, appears to her and tells her that instead of the standard twelve piglets, she will have only one—the Takdang Baboy. The angel tells her that she must name the piglet Butsiki. The Takdang Baboy, or TB for short, will save the pig race from certain destruction.
Ponyang and husband Kardo become afraid, for the Punong Baboy who wished to sell all their lands to the mining industry ordered pregnant pigs who exhibited odd behavior to be poisoned. The Punong Baboy had heard of the TB prophecy, and was threatened by it.
Ponyang gave birth in another town, and Butsiki was visited by her very own version of the three kings: a dog, a cat, and a mouse.
Months later, they return to Babuyan Islands, where things are not looking up. The mining industry has destroyed their home, the pigs are in poverty, and the reign of the Punong Baboy was one of corruption and deceit.
Butsiki has grown up, and was easy to distinguish from the other pigs. She was clean, for one. She also had a star on her forehead, and her nails sparkled. She was also the only pig who liked to take baths everyday—in clean water.
Butsiki finds friends in local piglets Becky, Louella and Butsukoy, the son of the Punong Baboy. They are out playing one day when Becky gets sick from the mud contaminated with the waste from the mines. Butsiki bathes her in clean water and she gets well. Soon, all the sick pigs come to her. She then convinces all the other pigs to start cleaning their environment, to prevent the other pigs from getting sick too. This was much to the chagrin of antagonists Ipis, Gagamba, and Lamok. They went to the Punong Baboy and complained, realizing that Butsiki was the Takdang Baboy. The Punong Baboy orders Butsiki to be put on trial.
In the trial, Becky and Butsukoy testify to her good and helpful nature, while Ipis, Gagamba and Lamok incriminate her for the destruction of their homes. The Punong Baboy sentences her to become litson.
The rabbit-angel appears again, and Butsiki is seen ascending to heaven.
Days later, all the pigs become sick from their waste, and they realize the error of their ways. They work together to make Babuyan Islands a safe place to live in, and honor Santa Butsiki as the Unang Baboy sa Langit.

Reaction:
These pigs just grow on you.
ENTABLADO’s retelling of the Rene Villanueva short story is done with finesse and a whole lot of effort. Although at the beginning it is a bit odd to see pigs singing and dancing, audiences soon become accustomed to the musical styles of Babuyan Island.
Notable in the play is the use of technology, both on and off stage. Pigs toting cell phones and a rabbit with a laptop gave the play a contemporary ambience. The lighting and the set itself was beautifully done, echoing simplicity and creativity.
It was also chockfull of humor, in both the songs and dialogues.
Speaking of the songs, there were some brilliant lyrics in there, like Butsiki’s solo about searching for strength, and the very danceable “Welcome to Babuyan Islands.” A soundtrack, perhaps?
The actors and actresses (singers and dancers) deserve a pat on the back for a job well done. So do the costume designers, writers and of course, the director.
The story is patterned after the story of Jesus, and his own call for change.
Butsiki is a simple pig destined for great things and a noble end. She is remembered for her contributions and ends up changing her world even long after her death.
Resonant in the retelling is the emphasis on the values of cleanliness, inner strength and purity of heart. Butsiki shows audiences that even little pigs can make a big difference.
My only criticism of the play is that the development of the events was too slow at the beginning, and too fast towards the end. Other than that, this is a must-see for everyone who wants to sit back and relax and see a Philippine classic brought to life onstage.
I’m not a fan of animal stories, but ENTABLADO convinced me to rethink my opinion. Like I said, these pigs just grow on you.

A Conyo Anecdote

Like, hoe myy gawsh.

I was like, in this jeep kuhnina, and there were like two mega ultra super duper conyo guys talking in front of moi. As in kaloka kasi twenny minute ride yung jeep, riight? So yeah. And they did not mukha like conyo, you know? They were kinda tall and kinda chubby, parang mas mukhang geek than conyo? You know? With the glasses pa? Tapos graabe. As in graabe to the over to the mega yung tono niluh. Fluent ang mga girlsh-- I mean guysh-- sa conyo speech. I can't like make gaya, like copy, yung ginagawa niluh kasi over talaga. Can't ko naman do that noh. I didn't study in Arreneo or Po-vey-duh. So ayun. What naman they were making usap about? Haay naku, like haay naku talaga.

Like this oh:

Conyo guy 1: Did you make nood the Lantern Parade nung Duhcember?

Conyo guy 2: No eh, why ba? Did you?

Conyo guy 1: Yeah naman. It wasn't, like, provocative or anything. Normal normal lang...

Conyo guy 2: Ah, true? Ganun... I was busy kasi that time eh.

Conyo guy 1 (sees Ate beside me, na nagbabasa ng Angels and Demons): Ay, you know ba the first name of Duh Vinchi?

Conyo guy 2: Isn't it Lee-oh-nar-dow?

Conyo guy 1: Ay, tama... Eh you know, may lesson kami about the Buh-rowk pe-ree-ohd, sa...

Conyo guy 2: Ay talaga? Why do you make study naman that?

Conyo guy 1: I donnow nga eh. Basta. And the buh-rowk period wus like, like, focus on the ethereal...

Conyo guy 2: Cool naman that...

So like, like, after twenny minutes of this kabalahuraan, I wanted to make tawa, like laugh, pero I couldn't kasi that's maybe kinda rude naman. So I made kuntento nalang with making ikot ikot my eyes, I theenk matutuwa sa me si Linda Blair kung na-see niya. Pero si Ate Angels and Demons feel ko gusto na rin to make tawa, kasi sobraaa, like sobraaaaa talaga. Si Kuya naman sa tabi nila, naka-ipod. Naka-full volume yun, I'm like, super sure noh. Ang fluent, fluent nila, sooo kainggit! You know how they make pronounce? Expert level talaga eh...

So much so that I wanted to kick them both off the jeep. How satisfying would it have been to see them flying through the air... And hitting the ground with a sickening thud. I know we all have the right to speak the way we want, but I had the feeling they shouldn't take public transportation too often.

Pag may nakasabay silang brutal at prangka talaga ewan ko na.

So like, I have to make alis alis na. Kasi my EIC gave me this question I have to make hanap hanap, like find, the answer to. Buti nga walang article, kasi I have to aral Nut Sci pa eh.

Voting na sa CRSRS next week, so you faaabulous UP people, make boto ha? Don't make limot that. "Yes" tayo, para cute.

...

i know not what
i am willing to take
for fear, for hope
for salvation, for destruction
for heart, for courage
for acceptance, for denial
for death, for life
for irrational desire
for truth, for lies
for pain, for pleasure
for love, for wrath
for failure, for success
for elusive thoughts
hesitation
exultation
trepidation
illusion
an era of inconsistency
and rationality's absence.

Twilight High School Musical (A Parody)

I came across this video and thought it was incredibly funny.
Why not? It bashed both Twilight and HSM. No offense, Disney, but only the first movie was remotely good. And even that lacked an actual story.

LINK http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv4SCfEuYqg

I love these youtube people.

:))

Random Introspection

Noong nakaraang Huwebes, mayroon akong kaklaseng Hapones na nagpatulong sa akin sa kanyang takdang-aralin para sa Ingles.

Kahapon, mayroong Koreanong aking tinulungang maintindihan ang sinasabi ni Ate sa canteen. Nakakabaliw kasi ang kanilang senyasan.

Ngayon naman ay pinipilit kong isalin sa Pranses ang dulang Ingles para sa aming pagtatanghal sa susunod na linggo.

Siguro ay mas hindi kumplikado ang ating mundo kung iisa lamang ang ating lenggwahe.

Videoke Anecdote

We were discussing the videoke culture and its ties to the awiting
bayan tradition of our ancestors in one of my classes this morning.

Which led me to remember a rather amusing (and at the same time,
annoying) experience that happened a few weeks ago.

Our neighbors, the ones in the houses directly in front of ours, like to
keep the videoke culture alive via renting those machines every
chance they get. You know, the ones with the numbered buttons,
accompanied by a large songbook which include your grandfather's
favorites. Not only do they do this regularly, but they also seem to
think that everybody else within a fifty mile radius wants to hear their
voices too. Thus, they hook up speakers to the said machine and turn
it up to full volume.

And the worst thing about it?

They start mid-afternoon and don't stop until the next morning.

It might sound like I'm exaggerating, but I'm seriously not.

And when you get right down to it, butchering "All by Myself" at two
in the morning is nothing but noise pollution.

Slight segue: Why do videoke singers have predilections for the
songs that are way out of their league? Seriously. They end up
screeching and wailing and doing everything but singing. I distinctly
remember one undecipherable song where our neighbor sounded like
a pack of wolves being strangled in mid-howl over a megaphone.

During an extreme case of this noise pollution, which involved
inebriation via San Mig Light, one of our other less liberal neighbors
called the local police-- the baranggay.

They came and told our neighbors, basically, to shut up. Our
neighbors, in retaliation, also said "Shut up." They defended their loud,
nails-on-chalkboard voices by saying that they were only celebrating
a baptism.

Uh-huh. At one A.M.

With a few threats of formal complaint, the baranggay officials left.
Everything was much quieter. Until, a few moments later, we heard a
loud crash. A beer bottle shattered near our gate. There was yelling.
Apparently, our neighbors thought we were the ones who called the
police on them.

You already know we weren't. This is due to the small, insignificant
fact that we don't have a telephone.

Those neighbors still avoid talking to us.

Good riddance.

And yes, they still sing. Loudly, I might add.

Culture is culture but some people just can't help abusing their Right to
Free Expression.

I Pledge Allegiance to... Starbucks?

(This topic deserves much, much more elaboration. But this is it for now. Written last December, thus references to Christmas and all that jazz. Will come up with a better analysis soon.)

“The true Filipino is a decolonized Filipino.” – Prof. Renato Constantino (1919-1999)

As I sit here and write, I see my mom dusting the Christmas tree—straightening its bent leaves and assembling the steel stand rusted with ghosts of Christmas past. Maybe it’s the weather, maybe it’s the things that I’ve been learning lately, but for the first time I gaze upon that replica of pine with hesitance. The Christmas tree, like a myriad of things we see everyday and take for granted, is definitely a symbol of our “imported culture.”

It all started with the Spaniards. Ruy de Villalobos, in 1543, gave the name “Felipinas” to the islands they discovered, in honor of their King Philip II. Technically, they didn’t discover it. Our ancestors, the Malays, did.

Later, the country’s name became “Philippines,” and its citizens, “Filipinos.” From the onset, they are both obviously Spanish names. It’s unsettling that even the name we go by today is not our own. A lot of people would say that there isn’t anything wrong with that—and would quote Shakespeare in the process. But it still stands that most countries freed from colonial rule change their names to achieve their own identity. But not the Philippines… Could it be that we didn’t want to let go of our colonial roots after all?

We learned Spanish, Christianity, distinguished indios from filipinos (the early usage of the term “filipino” was to refer to Spaniards born in the Philippines), adapted the patriarchal type of society, and gained a national inferiority complex. Then the Americans came. We learned about democracy, English, white Christmases, pine trees, blonde hair, blue eyes, and the national inferiority complex became very, very, evident.

Even nowadays, it is quite clear from the number of whitening products in the market that Filipinos have a desire to be “Westernized” in more ways than one. Why stop at the psychological when you can make it physical? I don’t think those who use those products actually stop and think why they perceive white as beauty. They just do. And that’s not to mention the advent of plastic surgery. Years of colonialism seems to have seeped through the surface and into the subconscious. Is there a way to get it out of there?

Ours is a country of all things foreign. Of Filipinos who pledge allegiance to Starbucks, CNN, Hollywood, and Barack Obama. Of people who put foreigners on pedestals and are racists towards their own race. Of Filipinos who would give anything not to be.

There is no going around it: We were colonized, we are colonized, and the future doesn’t look very different from the present. Our problems’ roots are run so much deeper than we like to, or care to, think.

Maybe the first step to decolonization is to change our name. We won’t be Filipinos anymore. No longer subjects of King Philip. But that would be the easy part. How about the Filipinos who cannot live without McDonald’s and HBO? Those who worship at Embassy and are addicted to football on ESPN? Would they ever renounce their Westernized ways in the name of nationalism?

In a world where globalization is already the zeitgeist, are we already a little too late? Nationalism is definitely MIA in this country—just look at the number of people in the POEA and immigration offices, at the popular art forms, and at the dominant language. In this day and age, there is no decolonized Filipino. In one way or another we are all still under foreign rule. There is, if Constantino is to be believed, no true Filipino at all.

More Quizzes

The first two are from Anne Fernando's blog. Click on her name on the left panel to check out her fabulously colorful site.

You Are 3: The Achiever

You're confident and competent - with a lot of energy. Eager to reach your goals, you are ambitious and competitive. You are good at motivating yourself and motivating others. You're also a charmer, with a great sense of humor. At Your Best: You are kind, confident, and completely authentic. You are witty and full of life. At Your Worst: You are insecure, narcissistic, and jealous. Your Fixation: Vanity Your Primary Fear: Being worthless. Your Primary Desire: To be important and valuable. Other Number 3's: Tom Cruise, Sylvester Stallone, Michael Jordan, Madonna, and Shania Twain.

What Number Are You?

Interesting.

You Are the Superego

While some people may think first and act later... you often don't act at all. You rather be safe than sorry, and you take ethics pretty seriously. Like everyone, you have some pretty crazy desires. But unlike everyone, you restrain yourself. You have high standards for your own behavior. And you happily exceed them.

Are You Id, Ego, or Superego?

I actually agree. *Laughs*

You Don't Need a Man ... or Want One!

Generally, you're very happy being a single woman. And anyone who has a problem with that... well, that's there problem. Not that you wouldn't share your life with the almost perfect guy. You simply won't settle though. Your life is too good to share with some substandard man!

Do You Need a Man?

I hear yah. :))

You Are Most Like Samantha!

For you, dating is the ultimate sport. You're into guys with power, looks, or a lot of money. You rather have a great two weeks than a great forever. But even you fall victim to love from time to time. Romantic prediction: You'll find love in the next few months... But you'll be the last one to realize it.

Which Sex and the City Vixen Are You?

I love the show. I don't like that prediction though. Samantha rocks. :D

You Are 100% Feminist

You are a total feminist. This doesn't mean you're a man hater (in fact, you may be a man). You just think that men and women should be treated equally. It's a simple idea but somehow complicated for the world to put into action.

Are You a Feminist?

Okay, we all knew what I'd get on that one.

Your Dominant Intelligence is Linguistic Intelligence

You are excellent with words and language. You explain yourself well. An elegant speaker, you can converse well with anyone on the fly. You are also good at remembering information and convincing someone of your point of view. A master of creative phrasing and unique words, you enjoy expanding your vocabulary. You would make a fantastic poet, journalist, writer, teacher, lawyer, politician, or translator.

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

I'm on the right track, then. :D

You Are 32% Feminine, 68% Masculine

You are in touch with your masculine side. You are not overly sensitive and not easily moved. Occasionally, though, something will get through and touch your heart!

Are You Masculine or Feminine?

That's also what my quiz in Social Science 3 said.

You Are an Academic Geek

Academic Geekiness: Moderate SciFi Geekiness: Moderate Fashion Geekiness: Low Geekiness in Love: Low Internet Geekiness: Low Movie Geekiness: Low Nerdy Geekiness: Low Gamer Geekiness: None Music Geekiness: None

How Geeky Are You?

Ouch.

Your EQ is 120

You usually have it going on emotionally, but roadblocks tend to land you on your butt. On an average day, you're quite happy, together, and content. You live your life well. Your emotions aren't always stable, but you can go along with the ups and downs pretty well. You tend to be motivated, energetic, focused, and level headed. You see the world pretty rationally, and you don't tend to over dramatize things. When things are bad, you know they eventually have to get better.

What's Your EQ (Emotional Intelligence Quotient)?

So far they're pretty accurate.

You Are 68% Evil

You are very evil. And you're too evil to care. Those who love you probably also fear you. A lot.

How Evil Are You?

And that we all know too well.

I like these quizzes.

Renovating?

On second thought, I kind of like this one better. It's more organized. :D

Renovating. :D

Blog under renovation. I'm trying to find another template, so meanwhile... :D

From the Land of the Many Pages, I bid you all a Good Whatever the Time is Wherever You are.

Read, read!!! (Yes, this is another reading list). I promise you won't regret it. These are easy-to-devour texts. :D

"Sa Mga Suso ng Liwanag" by U Eliserio

--- Genre: Akdang Bayan (Nobeleta)
--- Medium: Taglish
--- A story set in the present UP Los Banos. U (yes, the main character has the same name as the author) is a teacher who gets into a lot of trouble for falling for his students. His current girlfriend and ex-student Aiko reveals she is pregnant and wants to get an abortion, to which U alternately agrees and disagrees. The story revolves upon their rather interesting relationship, and may turn erotic/pornographic at times-- depends on what your standards are. Joining the dysfunctional cast are other teachers, a few students, and of course, frat members. Halfway through the story, a murder takes place. Then another, more significant one. Not your normal detective story, U does not reveal who actually committed the murders: mostly because he does not know himself. A few clues here and there, and the story ends with a lot of questions. Sometimes confusing, sometimes shocking, often hilarious, there are a lot of significant points to this story that will leave you wondering for a while.
--- My Favorite Part: The murder mystery, of course! My classmates and I in Pan Pil 12 are still debating about it. The end result was that we all agreed to read it again.

"X: A Fabulous Child's Story" by Lois Gould

--- Genre: Short Story (6 pages)
--- Medium: English
--- Excerpt: "Once upon a time, a baby named X was born. This baby was named X so that nobody could tell whether it was a boy or a girl. Its parents could tell, of course, but they couldn't tell anybody else. They couldn't even tell baby X, at first.
You see, it was all part of a very important Secret Scientific Xperiment, known officially as Project Baby X. The smartest scientists had set up this Xperiment at a cost of Xactly 23 billion and 72 cents, which might seem like a lot for just one baby, even a very important Xperimental baby. But when you remember the prices of things like strained carrots and stuffed bunnies, and popcorn for the movies and booster shots for camp, let alone 28 shiny quarters from the tooth fairy, you begin to see how it adds up."
...
"Is it a boy or a girl?"
"It's an X."
--- Imagine a child with no gender. Imagine going up to a new born and not being able to say, "Look at her cute little dimples!" if it's a girl, or "Look at his husky little biceps!" if it's a boy. Imagine not knowing whether you should give pink mittens or a toy baseball bat. Imagine a child that has absolutely no idea whether it's a boy or a girl, and neither does anyone else for that matter. What would that child be allowed to do? The answer: Everything. X can play with dolls and toy carpenter tools, with tea sets and water guns, climb trees and paint pictures, hug a stuffed bunny and spend hours on a videogame... And nobody would be able to say, "Why are you doing that? Little girls/boys don't do that!" Because little Xes are exempted from the rules. Read this and you will think twice about, well, almost everything.
--- My Favorite Part: When they took X to the psychiatrist, because the other parents think X must be abnormal for not doing what other little girls/boys do (seeing as X's biological gender was a secret). Surely, everyone must be one or the other, right? The other parents thought that X was a disruptive influence... Because the other little boys and little girls started to forget their "places" too. X must be terribly mixed up in the head...

Doctor: X is just about the least mixed-up child I've ever Xamined!"
Parents: "But we still want to know what it is!"
Doctor: "Well, don't worry. You'll all know one of these days. And you won't need me to tell you."

"A History of Geek Civilization" by Jessica Zafra

(Published Aug 23 and Sept 6, 1989 in Women Today, in her book Womenagerie-- page 107, The Likhaan Anthology of Philippine Literature in English and various other books whose titles I don't know.)

--- Genre: Postmodernist Essay! :D (2 pages and then some)
--- Medium: English
--- One woman's journey through life as a geek of the written word. I think I already ran out of words of praise for this essay. Let's just say book geeks from the world over will be able to relate, and will probably applaud. A little Salinger, anyone? A dash of Fitzgerald? Maybe a sprinkle or two of Vonnegut? And a pinch of Irving... That ought to do the trick. (If you've read anything by one or more of those mentioned, it is imperative that you read this.)

"Wanted: A Chaperon" by Carlos Bulosan

--- Genre: Play (12 pages)
--- Medium: English
--- Hilarious. A seriously hilarious family-oriented play. If I ever get to direct a play, it will be this one. Short and simple, with a lot of brilliant well-made points not only on the "chaperon culture," but on gender roles as well. Nowadays it's not that important, and people are starting to forget just how important chaperoning was-- if they know it at all. This play serves to remind us about something that was an important part of our pre-liberal American- inspired "culture."

"Daultraintermegalaktikpinoyhero" by Mes de Guzman

--- Genre: Short Story (Around 10 pages)
--- Medium: Tagalog
--- Ah, Pinoy action movies. Ah, Fernando Poe. Ah, Robin Padilla. Ah, (insert infinity of action stars here). Vargas, the lead in this laughter-inducing somewhat satirical portrayal of Philippine Action Cinema, is the epitomy fo every action hero ever to grace the screen. Complete with sidekicks, insanely impossible stunts, a leading lady from Victoria's Secret, and a villain with the requisite evil laugh. It's a Pinoy action story to remember, and why not? It's the summary of every Pinoy action story ever made, after all. Best read with Bob Ong's "Pinoy Action Hero," published in "Bakit Baliktad Magbasa ng Libro ang mga Pilipino."

"Urbana at Felisa" by Jose Javier Reyes

--- Genre: Er... Letter compilation?
--- Media: Tagalog, Taglish, Bad Taglish, Text Language (if that's even one)
--- Obviously I don't mean that annoyingly difficult-to-read text written centuries ago by that priest whose name I always forget. This is an updated version. It's only four pages long! It chronicles the first six months of Urbana, your quintessential probinsiyana, in Metro Manila. Her letters are addressed to older sister Feliza, who is at home taking care of the farm. (Unfortunately, the compilation did not include her replies.) You will probably laugh your head off about it. Then you'll start wondering... "Is Metro Manila really that bad? And maybe I should start texting in actual words, just in case."

2008: The Year That Was

2008: The Year That Was

A little reminiscence before we completely leave 2008 behind. (Most of what's written here are in the CNN video, so you can look up "CNN's 2008 Moments in History" for the complete version.)

JANUARY
--- The US primaries began, with democratic candidates Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama at the top of headlines.
--- Gaza residents fled to Egypt to avoid the turmoil.
---January 2008 saw a lot of deaths, including those of former Indonesian President Suharto, Mt. Everest climber Sir Hillary and Hollywood star Heath Ledger.

FEBRUARY
--- Parliamentary elections were held in Pakistan.
--- Cuban President Fidel Castro stepped down.
--- Kosovo declared independence from Serbia.
--- UK's Prince Harry was withdrawn from Afghanistan.
--- French President Nicolas Sarkozy married model-turned-popstar Carla Bruni.

MARCH
--- Dmitry Medvedev was elected as Russia's president.
--- John McCain won the Republican nomination for the US presidential race.
--- Barack Obama finally responded to the Reverend Wright controversy.
--- Presidential elections were held in Zimbabwe.
--- China cracked down on Tibetan protesters.
--- The Olympic Torch was lit for its journey around the world.
--- The British Pig Industry slipped into crisis.

APRIL
--- Some countries protested the Olympic Torch relay (they were against China).
--- An Austrian man was accused of imprisoning his daughter for 23 years (I believe someone made a movie out of this). He was sentenced to more than 23 years in prison.
--- Barack Obama cut ties with Reverend Wright.
--- Historic elections were held in Nepal.
--- The Irish Prime Minister (whose name escapes me) announced his resignation.
--- Belusconi became Italy's Prime Minister for the third time.
--- Global riots began because of the rising food prices.

MAY
--- Mogave's election as Zimbabwe's president sparked uncertainty.
--- Russia swore in a new president (I can't remember either) and a new prime minister (Putin).
--- Cyclone Nargis devastated Myanmar.
--- An earthquake that registered 7.9 on the Richter Scale killed thousands in China. (Sharon Stone called it "China's Karma" and sparked a lot of negative criticism.)

JUNE
--- Barack Obama won the democratic nomination for presidency.
--- Zimbabwe's opposition leader dropped out of run-off because of Mogave's threats.
--- Israel and Hamas began the truce in Gaza
--- North Korea destroyed their nuclear cooling tower.
--- Yves St. Laurent (YSL) died at 73.
--- Bill Gates ended his day-to-day work in Microsoft.

JULY
--- Hostages were freed in Colombia.
--- Serbian leader Radovan Karadzic was arrested.
--- The Sudanese president was (finally!) charged with genocide.
--- Iran tested their missiles (presumably bound for Israel).
--- Oil prices peaked at 147 dollars per barrel.
--- Zimbabwe introduced the "One hundred billion dollar" banknote.
--- NELSON MANDELA celebrated his 90th birthday.
--- Angelina Jolie gave birth to twins.
--- Chess-boxing was introduced to the world. (Yes, chess AND boxing. Not while, though. It was simultaneously done, at 3 or 4 minutes each.)

AUGUST
--- Russian author Alexander Solzhenitsyn died at 89.
--- Russia invaded Georgia.
--- (8/8/08) The Olympic Games opened in Beijing. (And Michael Phelps won everything.)
--- Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf resigned.
--- US Democratic National Convention began.

SEPTEMBER
--- US Republican National Convention began. (Sarah Palin was declared McCain's VP candidate, hahaha.)
--- Asif Ali Zardari was elected Pakistani president.
--- Power-sharing deal was reached in Zimbabwe.
--- South African President Thabo Mbeki stepped down.
--- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stepped down.
--- North Korea's Kim Jong Il's health began to be questioned.
--- The Melamine scandal began with the death of several children in China.
--- Actor Paul Newman died at 89.
--- First US presidential debate!!!
--- US economic turmoil began (Lehman Brothers, etc).

OCTOBER
--- Global economic turmoil.
--- Final US presidential debate.
--- Political deadlock in Zimbabwe.
--- Fighting displaced thousands in Congo.
--- Former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari won the Nobel Peace Prize.
--- O.J. Simpson was deemed guilty of kidnapping and robbery (no, not the murder part) and was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
--- Madonna and Guy Ritchie filed for divorce.

NOVEMBER
--- Barack Obama was elected US president.
--- Iraq approved the timeline for US troop withdrawal.
--- Pirates target ships off the Somali coast.
--- Protesters shut down the Bangkok Airport until their Prime Minister stepped down.
--- Terror attacks in Mumbai!
--- MICHAEL CRICHTON died of cancer. (And SciFi fans were devastated, cough cough.)

DECEMBER
--- Oh never mind, it's still fresh in our heads anyway.

WHAT'S UP FOR 2009
--- Cholera crisis in Zimbabwe.
--- Putin's role in a re-emergent Russia.
--- US troop drawdown in Iraq.
--- Transition of power in the US.
--- Continued global economic crisis (and a lot less optimism, it looks like).

Here's to a New Year. Have a good one folks.

Follow-up

Now that we've established which level of hell I'm eligible to enter (click on the link on the previous entry if you want to know yours--better now than later, wink wink) I thought it would be fun to take a few more tests. Just to see if I agreed with those crazy internet geeks who make these things up.

***

Greed:	Medium
Gluttony:	Low
Wrath:	Medium
Sloth:	Medium
Envy:	Medium
Lust:	Very Low
Pride:	High

Take the Seven Deadly Sins Quiz

So. I'm going to hell because of pride? Hmmm. I don't disagree.

***

"What Be Your Nerd Type?"

Does sitting by a nice cozy fire, with a cup of hot tea/chocolate, and a book you can read for hours even when your eyes grow red and dry and you look sort of scary sitting there with your insomniac appearance? Then you fit this category perfectly! You love the power of the written word and it's eloquence; and you may like to read/write poetry or novels. You contribute to the smart people of today's society, however you can probably be overly-critical of works.

Artistic Nerd

Drama Nerd

Social Nerd

Musician

Science/Math Nerd

Anime Nerd

Gamer/Computer Nerd

What Be Your Nerd Type?
Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Oh my goodness. The paragraph is too true. And the part about being overly-critical is the clincher. (Somehow the graphics on this one don't work well. Sorry.)

***

"What is your Personality Disorder?"

Paranoid: Moderate
--- Paranoid? Me? Who said that? Tell me who said that!
Schizoid: Low
--- (Schizoid-- and I put this here because I previously did not know-- means "tending to schizophrenia but usually without delusions.) I'd say that's pretty true.
Schizotypal: Moderate
--- *Laughs*
Antisocial: High
--- Okay, now that's not true... Exactly. So I freak out when I'm stuck in a social gathering with more than ten people. That's not veeery antisocial, is it?
Borderline: Moderate
--- I always thought I was off-the-chart high on being borderline. Hmmm.
Histrionic: High
--- Over-acting??? Moi??? Nom de dieu de bordel de merde!! Really??? How on earth would you think that?!?!? That's insane!!! I AM NOT OVER-ACTING!!!
Narcissistic: High
--- Let's make that clear: Narcissism is not vanity. It's... deeper. *Laughs, again* So I'm a little self-interested.
Avoidant: High
--- Yes that means "stay away from me."
Dependent: Low
--- Thank you, thank you.
Obsessive-Compulsive: High
--- Really? You don't say... :D

URL of the test: http://www.4degreez.com/misc/personality_disorder_test.mv
URL for more info: http://www.4degreez.com/disorder/index.html

These tests can be quite fun. XD

The sweet light no longer strikes against your eyes. Your shade has been banished to... the Fifth Level of Hell!

Fifth Level of Hell
The river Styx runs through this level of Hell, and in it are punished the wrathful and the gloomy. The former are forever lashing out at each other in anger, furious and naked, tearing each other piecemeal with their teeth. The latter are gurgling in the black mud, slothful and sullen, withdrawn from the world. Their lamentations bubble to the surface as they try to repeat a doleful hymn, though with unbroken words they cannot say it. Because you lived a cruel, vindictive and hateful life, you meet your fate in the Styx.

The Dante's Inferno Test has banished you to the Fifth Level of Hell!
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:

Level	Score
Purgatory (Repenting Believers)	Very Low
Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers)	Very Low
Level 2 (Lustful)	High
Level 3 (Gluttonous)	Very High
Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious)	Very High
Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy)	Extreme
Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics)	High
Level 7 (Violent)	High
Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers)	Very High
Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous)	Very High

Take the Dante'>http://www.4degreez.com/misc/dante-inferno-test.mv">Dante Inferno Hell Test

My initial reaction: 5th lang??? Hahaha. I always thought I deserved ninth level or something. Oh well. Kim and Mico thanks for posting that. Kim, see you in the 5th level? Mico's in the first, so... Haha. This is hilarious.

How To Get Out of Your Chores

How To Get Out of Your Chores
Arguments to try out in order to avoid all the pesky cleaning your parents want you to do

Argument 1: "Not cleaning (insert place, i.e. my room) is my own personal protest. It is my stand against conformity in this socially-constructed world. Once upon a time someone said "Every room should be clean," and everybody followed. It's like a religion, really. The Followers of the Clean Rooms. But I refuse to conform to this standard. Just because everyone else is a Follower of the Clean Rooms doesn't mean I should be."

Argument 2: "My (insert something they always make you clean, i.e. closet) may well be a gateway to worlds unknown... Have you never heard of Narnia??? It would be disastrous if I were to upset the natural balance. Accept it, mom/dad/yaya, my closet is meant to be that way."

Argument 3: "Untidy closets/rooms/desks have character. You really don't want me to turn into Martha Stewart, do you?"

Argument 4: (On washing dishes, and if you're a girl) "For years women have been expected to do the dishes. But I refuse to be subject to this atrocity. You see, this is my small contribution to feminists all over the world who slave for gender equality. Let dad do it or something."

Argument 5: "Why should it matter if I clean or don't clean my room/closet/desk/etcetera, etc.??? Let's be real here. If I don't clean my closet, would it add to global warming?
Would it accelerate population growth (like it needs acceleration) ?
Would it speed up the next ice age?
Would it affect the outcome of the 2010 elections?
Would it bring about the second coming?
Would it make demoted Pluto a planet again?
Would it affect my health in any way?
Would it be detrimental to my grades?
Would it change the current political climate?
Would it make me fluent in Portuguese?
Would it accelerate the invention of time travel?
Would it change the status of Third World Countries?
Would it counter the death of Albus Dumbledore, or the crappiness of Deathly Hallows' epilogue?

So why should it matter if my closet is not tidy?
Why should I spend hours of my life cleaning my room/closet/desk/etc.--hours I could be spending on something entirely more productive? Why should I worry about things that, in the long run, wouldn't even matter?"

Argument 6: "There are so many things that people insist are "extremely, vitally important, and should be done with zeal" but most of them are pointless. Take for example those detergent commercials which make it seem like the ultimate goal of people's lives is the "whiteness" of the clothes. Laundromat, anyone?

Or those other commercials which keep on banking upon the pressure that society places upon women to make their cooking tres, tres, tres bien. Newsflash: they already invented take out. Mario Batali and Bobby Flay are not alive in everyone.

And don't let me get started on those lame hair commercials, whose models are a stone throw's away from being completely computer generated.

The world might well end in a giant explosion of social constructs and unfounded priorities, so unless you want it to, stop making me do my chores."

Argument 7: (The best arguments are found in philosophy. If all else fails, prove the non-existence of whatever it is they want to make you do.)
"Wash the dishes.""What dishes?"
(One can only hope that the said dishes will disappear in a puff of logic.)