Saturday, July 28, 2007

HOW TO MAKE YOUR BAD LUCK DISAPPEAR FOR EVER

We all blog with lots of positive energy – these energies; when pulled together, would create a powerful force to diffuse bad luck.

Posting one of these lucky icons on your blog would not only banish bad luck -- but it would also guarantee, beyond reasonable doubt, that all your wildest dreams would come true (and not to mention that your blog design would significantly improve as well). :-)

So, what are you waiting for? Let’s pull our positive energies together by supporting United SEA blog and watch our bad luck disappear!


  • Ten nations. One blog

    If you are a contributor to this blog; copy-paste the codes below to add this picture link to your blog and start changing your fortune.





  • Ten nations. One Blog.

    If you’re not a member but would like to see your dreams come true; copy-paste the codes below to add this picture link to your blog/website.





  • Ten nations. One blog.

    Or if you would like a simpler lucky icon; copy-paste the codes below to get this picture link.





  • On behalf of my co-authors on this blog; we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.



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    Friday, July 27, 2007

    Deciphering the Filipino Gay Lingo

    Gay men in the Philippines, especially those who are out, speak to each other using a colorful language that they invented, mixing English, Tagalog, Visayan, and sometimes even Japanese. Those who would hear (or read) Filipino gay slang for the first time feel like they are deciphering a Da Vinci Code.

    For instance, let me tell you a story about a group of gays going to Starbucks:

    Tom Jones ang mga bekla kaya gora ever sa mall para lumafang. Una nilang jonta ang nyudkort, kaya lang maraming utaw. Go naman sa Nyorbaks, kaya lang can't afford pala ang drama ng iba. Sey nga ni Kimberly, Mahalia Mendez daw ng kape, juwi na lang siya later para mag-Nescafe. Warla ngayon si Georgette, ang Rica Boom Boom ng federasyon. Tom Cruise na talaga siya't wai na patience, kaya shuwag ever siya sa kanyang chimini ah ah. "Yaya, dalhin mo ditech ang anda," sey ng bakla.

    Just like any slang, Filipino gay lingo started out with replacing certain words with another term. For example, we say "award" instead of "embarrassed." We say "bet" instead of "boy crush." Eventually, gays learn to speak with a colorful vocabulary, using certain key rules:

    * The J Law - Replacing the first letter of a word with "J."

    Example:
    Jowa - Asawa (husband, boyfriend)
    Jonta - Punta (to go to a place)
    Jubis - Obese

    * The KY/ NY Law - Replacing the first letter with "Ky" or "Ny."

    Example:
    Kyota - Bata (Children)
    Nyorts - A pair of shorts

    * The Name Game - Replacing a word with a name (usually that of a celebrity) that sounds like it.

    Example:
    Julie Yap-Daza - Huli (to get caught)
    Gelli de Belen - Jealous
    Carmi Martin - Karma

    * Plus - Adding an extra syllable, extra letters, or extra words to create a different word.

    Example:
    Crayola - Cry
    Thunder Cats - Tanda (an old person; the slang is often called to an old gay man)
    Pagoda Cold Wave Lotion - Pagod (tired)

    The use of gay lingo was firstly because to avoid having other people hear what you are talking about, especially when it comes to sex. This is also a means of defying the cultural norms and creating an identity of their own.

    Gay speak evolves really fast, with obsolete words and phrases being rewritten and replaced especially when non-gays learn what it means. Saying "Ano'ng happening" (What are your plans for tonight) would make you associated with the 1980s.

    This language define the Philippine gay culture, and it would probably stay that way for quite a while.

    Baboo!

    Empress Maruja, Philippines

    SOUNDING LIKE A BROKEN RECORD






    We fearlessly praise our own country on the internet. We are proud of ourselves. We show the world how beautiful our country and how rich our culture is. We tell them we are the best; we are achievers, talented, intelligent, beautiful people. We even declare an all out war on the Internet when somebody disagrees.

    All of it, of course, is already known to the world…we just keep repeating ourselves and sound like a broken record.

    Although we are living in the age of information, I'm sure there are still many great things that are untold and you take pride of...


    WHAT IS IT ABOUT YOUR COUNTRY THAT YOU ARE REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF; THAT THE WORLD DOESN’T KNOW YET?




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    Sunday, July 22, 2007

    One Carnival Experience

    the following entry was written and published on April 8, 2007 and came out in the "letters" section of HK Magazine on April 13.

    In terms of Carnival Culture, our generation can well be defined by one of our favorite rides --- the bumper cars.

    I’ve just recently been to the AIA World Carnival and, true enough, the bumper cars were one of the favorites because the attraction catered to almost everybody. It was neither too daring for the frail-hearted who couldn’t do the near-death-experience rides nor too boring for the thrill-seekers.

    After a little over an hour of waiting, I found myself immersed in the chaos, that was one of the bumper cars’ most inviting features. Everyone was just having a blast slamming his car into other people’s and it seemed that the bumping arena was the only place in the carnival where solidarity was present. Strangers just kept screaming and laughing at each other to add fun to what may seem to be a bit of danger. It was amazing how much of a ball people could get from free-for-all chaos.

    Having witnessed and experienced all this, I just couldn’t help but ask myself: “Are we a generation of closet anarchists?”


    Hong Kong

    Saturday, July 21, 2007

    under the weather



    Conformity. A grip that holds many of us here. Follow, tow the line. Listen and shut the fuck up. Conformity. Shaped by traditions, manipulated by the ones in the seats. Justified for keeping the status quo, weak as tea diluted by time. We watch, with envy at the imperfections of our neighbors from around the world and wish we had their problems. We look into their gardens and say, yeah at least they can put up signs that say, “We will walk on the damn grass if we so wish.” Conformity. The death grip that does not allow for any slack. Conformity that promotes fear, be afraid that your choice of walking on the grass could get you into deep shit. Fear that manifests into allegorical tales and ramblings like this one. Sad, but true. Nothing motivates better than the threat of harm and trouble. We list the goodness of our ways and hide the flaws behind gags. Decent is never on the menu. It makes for a really bad side dish. And so we eat up what is served. Choke it down even if it kills you. Indigestion is, after all, not deadly.






    Tuesday, July 17, 2007

    Once there was A Boy


    Once there was a boy
    Who gave his love freely
    Loved everyone equal
    Saw no one different

    He though that the most precious gift
    That he could give another
    Was love and affection
    Man, woman, friend or lover

    So he lived in innocence and bliss
    Happiness and contentment
    Until that one day
    That one fateful day

    As he walked down the street
    On the arm of his lover
    And saw a man leaning up against a wall
    Who looked like he could be having trouble
    And walked over to the man
    And dared to ask if something was wrong

    He began to speak, and then he looked up
    Looked at the boy and the young man with him
    And his eyes grew dark and angry
    Moved too fast for either of them

    There was a flash of bright steel
    A splash of crimson blood
    And a torrent of horrible names
    And the boy fell silently at the foot of his love
    While the man ran, ran quickly away

    And as the world grew soft and fuzzy 'round the edges
    As he felt the shadows creeping in
    He lay his trembling fingers on his lover's cheek
    And said "Tell them you love them again
    And again
    And again
    And again"

    And his love didn't have to ask who he was talking about
    He knew exactly who he meant
    Not one person, but the entire world
    So full of hate and resentment

    And then the darkness closed in on the free spirit
    The shadows bore him off to a place
    Where saying "I love you" is never a fear
    Where there's no pain or hurt or hate

    His lover bore the small form away
    The light of life gone from its eyes
    It was no longer the youth he loved
    But an empty shell his disguise
    But he did as he asked
    He never forgot
    He spread his cheer and joy and frame
    Of mind to others, trying to drive away the hate
    And the whole time he felt the free spirit
    Wrap his arms around him again and again and
    Again and again and...

    Hate brings nothing but pain and remorse
    Bitter, red-stained tears
    Intolerance a rough-edged sword
    Stained with the blood of many years
    And it cleaves through souls that otherwise
    Have naught but love to give
    It turns the world unlivable
    Keeps alive all our fears

    So if we open our eyes to others
    If we see things from their side
    If we can only be what we're meant to be
    And never have to hide
    When we're free to say "I Love You"
    To whoever where we please
    Then we'll know that this is paradise
    Every spirit will be free



    khalel, Philippines

    Thursday, July 12, 2007

    The Rules

    The South East Asian Bloggers Blog is created for a sole purpose: To Unify All SEA Bloggers in one umbrella with a vision of encouraging budding and emerging new bloggers to actually ticking their keyboards to write about something that may prove to be vital for everyone to read and to know.
    Thus with this vision, We are giving freedom to all members of this Bloc to write about anything under the sun as long as it would not go against the principle and vision of this Blog. If a post is deem inappropriate, it shall be deliberated and be acted upon properly. So I hope everyone can follow this simply rule.
    We would like also to encourage, readers who have no personal blogs to join in. After All this is for you guys, we cannot be contented just letting you read our writings, we definitely want to read your ideas.
    So, lets all enjoy this Blog.
    Cheers to the SEA Bloggers!
    ____________
    Note:
    those who have been initially received an invitation and take it in their good heart to accept it. You can now star posting.

    khalel

    “WHY WOULD I EVEN CARE?!!”






    FACT: Our region is too diverse -- But should we let it stop us to unite? Should it stop us exchange ideas for our own good? Should we go far and westward to literally “beg” them to come and help our economies instead of helping each other out? We have a combined GDP of $900 billion and $2.8 trillion purchasing power parity. We are relatively rich!

    FACT: Our region is of world importance – Aside from the points mentioned above, our region is closely monitored and befriended by the world’s “alleged” super countries – there’s ASEAN + 3 which includes Japan, Korea and China, the ASEAN-Russia, the ARF, the East Asia Summit. All of them acknowledges the fact, that we are a region with a future.

    FACT: We are connected with each other – when the Thai economy collapsed in 1997, who fell next? When Vietnam was devastated with SARS and Bird Flu, who fell sick next? When Indonesia shakes an earthquake, where did the tsunami hit? When our ancestors are still trying to figure out how to plant rice, the Philippines came to the rescue. When the Burmese and the Viets fled their country, who welcomed them with open arms? When Laos asked for investment assistance, who came out to help?


    It’s all us. The proud people of Southeast Asia.


    We are 568 million strong. We are China’s “lady in waiting”. We are America’s brain contributors by pirating our professionals. We are the work force of the Middle East. We control the rice production of the world. We clean the world's households by producing coconut oil, we control this industry – what will happen to the world without soap?

    We are a threat to India, Venezuela and Puerto Rico in any beauty pageant! For christssake!

    You don’t have to go very far.

    Everything you could possibly need, are here.



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    Wednesday, July 11, 2007

    Sound the Bells!



    "BLOGGING HAS BECOME A NETWORKING SHIT AS FRIENDSTER AND MYSPACE."

    -River Pisanu, Bisean

    As i was doing my daily [b]reads and tagging fellow bloggers and friends via comment page. I came across the line above from River Pisanu of the Bisean. It is indeed quite alarming for me. As a blogger and as writer it has been my primordial goal to extend to my readers a piece of my mind on various issues and concerns plaguing society as whole through my poems, stories, essays, anecdotes etc. etc. etc.


    And as much as i dont want to, I am nodding my head to what river said: Blogging has indeed is embracing a new shit! Proliferation of scam bloggers has become more and more noticeable and getting less substantial everyday.

    Dont get me wrong, I am all for the freedom of expression but let us all be reminded that with "Freedom comes with great Responsibility."

    Thus, I am dedicating a blog for the South East Asian Nation bloggers where we can join hands into taking blogging into a new level. To inspire new budding and emerging bloggers to actually tick their keyboards into actually writing about something that will actually be useful for the society.

    It will be temporarily called United SEA [until somebody came up with a better name] so here is the link. Dont expect anything grand yet, it will be a blank space. Let us all start from Scratch.

    So if you from the South East Asian Region, Join Us.
    Leave your intention in the comment pagen and Leave a valid email where we can send an invite for you to join Us.