The Magic of "Pang-masa" Humor

Although I get a few 'hahahas' from selected episodes of The Simpsons (and maybe even lesser laughs from Family Guy and random Hollywood sitcoms), for me, nothing beats pang-masa humor.


Okay, so probably you have no idea what I mean or you can't relate at all. I'm talking about one of my guilty pleasures--watching the Willie of Fortune segment of ABS-CBN's Wowowee. I'm telling you, never does a segment end where our neighbors don't hear my loudest and obnoxious laughs.


Call me jologs or baduy, but what do I exactly find funny about the whole thing? Well, everything. I love how these people go about and deal with their lives as if they have lesser problems than us. I love the stories of the common Filipino masses. Sometimes, I do shed a tear or two because of their heart-rending kwentos. I also love how Willie Revillame brings out the funny side of each and every contestant. By being just themselves, audiences are already infected with laughter. It's amazing that these people are completely effortless yet they make me laugh more than Ellen Degeneres' punchlines.



It's my ultimate noontime pick-me-upper. I so love this segment of Wowowee. If you haven't seen Willie of Fortune yet, I'm pretty much guessing you should. If you can relate to me and love pang-masa humor as well, I'm promising you'll get good laughs from it. In many ways apart from its humor, Willie of Fortune is also a humbling and an eye-opener show that changed how I see every totoy, jun-jun, nene, arnel, juancho, geraldyn, and all those names and faces that put a smile to my face every noontime.

Still A Winner!

I just want to give the guy props for singing his heart out last night. The moment I heard him sing "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me", I couldn't help but cry. Yes. I was literally crying. That was the first time I cried over someone singing, let alone singing televised. He sang it with so much conviction, passion, everything. This guy is amazing. He has this ability to touch my heart with his voice, and his genuine humility and character never fails to win me over. He did his best, and the whole world will embrace his talent. He has so many things ahead of him, and I know God has better plans for Him in the future. I wish him success in all things--in his career, personal life, and his walk with the Lord.

This picture is so transparent. It's as if he wore his heart on his sleeve. He was trying not to cry, but you can evidently tell last night that he wanted to win this not just for himself, but to all those people who support him. I remember what Randy said about him during the Rock and Roll night: "You know, there's this one guy, once he hits the stage, he's always trying to win the whole thing." And last night, it was a knockout indeed. David, you are my American Idol!

It's so funny that I've never been much of a fangirl since Pierre Bouvier during my sophomore days. But this dude just blows me away! I never knew such a guy would exist. He is one in a million, and I'm sure American Idol will have a long time, if not, will never find another one like David.

The results have shown and David Cook has bagged the title of this season's most anticipated singing battle--American Idol. And I'm very happy with the outcome, I know he deserves it. In behalf of the Archie fans, congratulations! =)

The Mid-Schoolyear Complacency Syndrome (MSCS)

Though it may sound fancy, complicated and dorky, I know for a fact that most of us might or are already suffering from it. Around August to Novemver, how many times have you picked up your Bible, read a few lines or so, then asked God if "pwedeng bukas nalang ituloy"? Or has it occured to you that schooldays have been so busy that you skipped going to worship just for the sake of relaxing?

And there you are the morning after, feeling all guilty about it and wished that it were summer so that you can go on a retreat and be on fire again. Or even worse--you aren't even minding it at all!

I guess the question for us is, are we going to be dependent on retreats and camps for us to be connected with God again? As I was pondering on these thoughts yesterday, I was reminded once again that what I have with God is a relationship. Relationship involves commitment, and commitment is not solely based on feelings. Let me put it this way. A married couple, for example, will still communicate with each other in spite of busy schedules. The man can't say to the woman, "I'm kind of busy right now with things, maybe I'll meet you next month and I'll be in love with you again". It won't make any sense.

Same thing goes with our relationship with God. We can't have feelings and emotions as our basis for our love. It feels good at one point or another, but for the long run, it won't take us anywhere. And when things get rough, we can't just close Him out when we're dealing with other stuff. In fact, we should always consider Him in every decision we make--whether of mundane or red-letter issues.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
-Romans 8:28

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
-Jeremiah 29:11

Having said that, we can ask for His guidance on everything about school. From "God, should I get fried chicken and chopsuey, or tapsilog nalang?" to "Lord, are you burdening me to join this club?", He is listening. Say whatever. He listens.

This incoming schoolyear, it is a challange for everyone. I hope that we'll be as fervent when it comes to the Lord all throughout the year, and not just during summer. Let's break the vicious cycle of MSCS! Keep the fire burning for Him!

My First Ever American Idol Commentary - Top 3 Night

Okay, since it's my first time to finally have the effort to watch American Idol, I think it's time for me to make a commentary about the performances last night.

(Bear with me as I try to be purely objective here, since I'm a David Archuleta fan. I just love him! Hahaha! But anyways, here it goes)...

David Archuleta
And So It Goes - Paula chose a song for him that is kind of Josh Groban-esque. I love the haunting vibe and the beautiful orchestraic performance, but it saddens me that Paula gave him this very uncontemporary piece. This is limiting him and giving him a stereotype that he can only sing ballads, which I believe is very false.

With You - Vocally it was sung on the note, but what is missing here is attitude

and choreography. At the first part he fumbled on the words and his moves weren't fit for the song. David still doesn't have that level of confidence to sing these types of songs. Maybe if he did a little moonwalk and used the same hand gestures he did in "Stand By Me" then I think he had the potential to steal this round. An alternate RnB that he could've sang are songs by Ne-yo, like "So Sick" or "Because of You". It has no awkward-exclusively-for-black-people lyrics (boo, shawty, hot li'l figure), and the tune is simple, so maybe he can inject his runs.

Longer - I cannot criticize him for song choice, because he did his best with what was given to him. A rehearsal staff said that David wanted to sing the song on a different tempo and melody but the producers prohibited him. It just shows that he is trying his best to make the song his own--but the producers stopped him from doing so. What the heck was that?

Last words: David got the bum

deal with the judges and producer's choice--two sappy ballads? I think it wasn't fair on his part. However, I'm also very disappointed with how he delivered his choice as well. I was expecting to be blown away, but sadly, I wasn't.=(


Syesha Mercado
If I Ain't Got You - She sang it very well, and it was expected of her. I think she looks very gorgeous too. Being nitpicky, I think she didn't hit the note on "and I DON'T, want nothing at all". But overall, she did a really good job. She's my favorite female contestant on Idol, too.

Fever - If she wan't on Idol, I think it was a very, very nic

e performance. But sadly, AI is not a broadway-slash-Pussycat Dolls audition. Vocally, she did well, but the song choice is a mistake.

Hit Me Up - She gave her best of what was given to her. But I think it didn't make her shine--looks like a kiss of death performance for me. It's just one of those performances that you really forget. I wish the producers gave her really something to sing about. This is an awful decision on the producers' part. I feel the same as I did for Archuleta.

Last Words: Syesha did her best and I think she is a great performer. But like David Archuleta, she got a bum dea

l from the song choices.

David Cook

First Time I Ever Saw Your Face - This is my favorite performance from him that night. I think it was very touching and I loved the arrangement. Vocally, he was off-key on some parts and his falsettos were in the wrong places--but it's David Cook! He has the stage presence that will make the audiences

forget those flaws.

Dare You to Move - This should've been a good song for him, but for me, it was okay. The way I see it, this performance was rushed and it seemed to me that he did his best on the other two songs.

I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing - He got the best producer's choice. I wonder if he's the producer's favorite? Hahaha.:) Okay, objective, objective. I think he did equally great as on the First Time I Ever Saw Your Face. He always starts slow, picks up, then hits the glory note on the end, which I think was indeed expected of him. I agree with Simon, he won the night.

Last words: Cook did an awesome job. I think it was partly on the producers' and Simon's choice. Well, good for him. I know that he and Archuleta will be on the finals. May the best David win!

More Questionnaires :)

THE RULE:

People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blogs and replace any question they dislike with a new question formulated by themselves. Tag 8 people. Those who are tagged cannot refuse. You cannot tag the person who tagged you. Continue this game by sending this to 8 other people.


oo1. At what age do/did you wish to marry?
I don't really care as long as God plans it :)


oo2. Pirate, Ninja, Cowboy, or Samurai?
Samurai. Crush ko si Samurai Jack! Pogi!


oo3. Have you ever shoplifted?
Umm..NO! But ever thought of when I was a kid? YES.

oo4. Where would you like to go to the most?
Somewhere where the lights are yellow during the night and plaza is filled with happy people :) And the beach


oo5. What/who makes you happy at this moment?
God! He makes me happy.:)


oo6. When you encounter a sad moment, what do you do?
Write in my blog, and then pray. And sometimes maybe talk/text friends.


oo7. If you win $1 million, what would you do?
Give a portion of it to a charity! I'm so kind! Next thing is I would buy us a car and a new house


oo8. What is your biggest fear?
Not being able to accomplish my goals


oo9. List 3 good points of the person who tagged you.
Jikay - God fearing, friendly, sweet!!


o1O. How do you cope with boredom?
I watch Youtube vids! And play with my dog


o11. What kind of person do you hate the most?
People who take advantage, cocky people, insensitive jerks


o12. What is your ambition?
To travel the world, to be successful in everything that I do, to sponsor a charity, to have a family


o13. If you have one wish, what would you wish for?
Like what Jikay said - for all people of the world to understand how Christ came to love us!


o14. Given a chance to join a reality show, which one would you join?
If I could sing, I want to join American Idol (so that I can meet David Archuleta!!XD) but no. I'll probably join Big Brother or Amazing Race instead.


o15. Who will make your dream come true?
Jesus, my family and friends, and those people who support me along the way.


o16. It is already 2008, do you have any new year's resolution?
To be more productive and less anxious!


o17. What do you look forward in 2008?
Everything!


o18. Do you like someone right now?
Yes. A fangirl crush!>:P


o19. How many meals a day do you eat?
3 times. I try not to eat merienda but I can't help it



o2O. What are your goals in life?
To finish my studies, to have a stable job, to own a house and a car, to sponsor a charity, to have a family, to teach my kids about God's love, to travel the world, to accomplish wutevah God wants me to do!!!

YAHOO!
I'm tagging: Nobody!! Because you might get angry!>:O

My Opinion on New Age Spirituality

Kanina, I was watching one of the videos of my friend in Multiply about Oprah's church and web class about New Age philosophy. I have watched it for sometime, but I haven't given a clear thought about it.

As a Christian, it is heartbreaking to see a fellow believer turn from her ways just because she thought she had seen every part and parcel of society's constructs--its dilemmas and struggles to keep peace and stability--and dismisses that her faith is an aspect of her life that hinders her from empathizing with other people. It's as if she concluded that her relationship with God is one thing that keeps her from reaching out to others. For what? For world peace and love of humankind?

Someone break the news to her: there will be no ultimate, 100% guarantee peace on earth. And I'm not being cynical here. Jesus even said Himself:

"Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it." Matthew 10:34-39

Jesus came to separate those who are for Him and against Him. Peace will never happen on this earth for as long as many have complacent thoughts about life and its real purpose.

One of the most disturbing doctrines of New Age Spirituality is:
1.) Salvation comes from self.

This boils down to the idea that if a person can save himself, he ought to think that he will live forever without the help of some god or supernatural being. This doctrine also implies that as a person lives, he lives for himself and his people around him. He depends on himself.

But you know what? I think I just discovered something.

These virtues of self-reliance are synonymous to what the Theistic Satanists also possess. And it's hurtful to think that many Christians are being deceived, thinking that it is a new form of religion that will unite the earth.

In my opinion, New Age Spirituality is another deception that will entangle people into believing its supposedly 'good intentions'. More and more people will be tricked into thinking that this uprising is the solution to the divide that separates us as humans. But I urge fellow Christians to stand firm on their faith and hold on to what the Scriptures say.

PS: It's hard for me to write these things because I know some people might judge me for being narrow-minded, for being inhumane, for being self-righteous (nagpapakabanal). But tonight I just realized; what reason have I to be disheartened? I know what I believe in, and Christ is very real in my life. There's no reason for me to be ashamed for what I stand for.

Dumbfounded

Hay nako nako nako. I just found out something today. I was browsing through the updated Friendster pages in my account and I was really in shock. Or am I?

I thought I won't see anyone who's in Diliman there in Manila.
A clean slate. New faces. New circumstances.
But I just found out something.

Mister Ex-crush is going to Med school in UP Manila. Yes, the one I talked about in "Just a Boy". What a coincidence.

..And so? Yeah. So what? Is it worth caring about? I don't know. It's not like I'm gonna like him again. But why did I bother making this pointless post? I'm so confused. It's like there's this bit of me that still looks up to him even if he has a girlfriend... and there's also a bit of me that still look up to that other guy whom I admired since I was like, 14. It's like when it comes to these two guys, it never came to a point where there's closure because they are just those guys who are so close to my ideal. I like them, but they don't bother me that much. I look up to them because I like who they are.

But, "looking up to" someone doesn't mean anything diba? It's just plain admiration. Right? Right. Wala lang. Even though he doesn't know me, and he won't care, I just wish him the best.