Gaps, patches and in-betweens

SM Baguio, well, the grocery area, always gets to me. And for me it is always the grocery. The first few times I got pissed, my irritation waned after a couple of weeks without my writing about it. That’s how it is with Aries, easy to anger, and after a while, easy to forget. But today I was with my daughter, and I'm not about to let it pass this time. The first incident was my typical grocery day at SM. Anticipating a change in the weather, I bagged my sweater in my girlie knapsack, which is bigger than the usual handbag. I picked up a couple of things here and there inside the mall, and put it inside the bag. The last stop was the grocery. They already checked my bag when I first entered the mall. Now just a few feet away is the entrance of the grocery store, which you still have to submit your bag for inspection. As I did, and seeing that my bag a bit full after consuming the goods I bought right there at the mall, the guard seemed to be considering an imaginary catalogue of bag...

The Anti GMA Black Prop Movement circulated emails and details of their first activity for those who want to join. But I had to read the instructions twice as I did a double take. The flash protest was to be held at any STARBUCKS outlet. STARBUCKS? Of all the…. Yes it is true that starbucks might get you the attention of the upper middleclass because they are the ones that would be there at around 6-7pm on a Friday. But most of the working class would rather not have coffee on a Friday but, yes, alcohol. And the instructions for the Black Friday protest calls for actually “buying” a drink (Duh!) and suggesting that a boss treating the staff for coffee. This might be a good come-on for some of the staff that couldn’t care less about what is happening albeit the current political turmoil, but spending to bring up the sales of hell, STARBUCKS! I’d rather go to a rally then. It doesn’t cost me anything except my fare going to the place. In rallies, people are there not for free coffee from...

I just love playing the devil’s advocate. No matter if it leaves me with some disgruntled friends, risking the cooling of a warm friendship. It has always been my nature. A bit of a devil, I guess. Not with the role to tempt, but more to advocate. I guess that explains my attraction to cause-oriented and advocacy groups. As proclamation 1017 was dropped and then lifted, media and the noisy people rallying are left in a limbo on the vagueness of the state now. People are getting picked up by going to rallies. As usual, activists sound off their disgust of GMA in the streets where they were most comfortable. This “taking freedom of expression to the streets” has indeed been proven successful in EDSA 1 and 2, and in exercising their right to be heard. But unlike EDSA 1 and 2, the middle class is conspicuously absent in the rallies nowadays. We take middle class here to encompass upper middle class, middle class and lower middle class. These are the working people, claiming to be the silen...

Pain droops my shoulders, tension they said Pushes my back, stress I assume Wraps the hips tight, from the endless travels they surmise A dull heaviness on my chest Not from consumed cigarettes, that much I am sure. I enter the meeting room. Air conditioned cold froze my warmth unwelcome, wary glances collide with my angry stare. Like parrots they squawk and pick at everything. Too complicated Too simple Too loud Too soft Too strict Too lax Too strong Too mild Too caring Didn’t care too much Enough! From the gut It hurls itself In your face The farce explodes. Fuck farce. I am too tired. And I hate parrots. Saturday, February 18, 2006 Artwork by Diru