Signing on
Inside the Bahay ni Kuya each participant knows well what they are getting. Every word, every move, if they did something either good or bad, if they tripped on something, rest assured that Big Brother would know it, and if he says (in a deep bass voice) "Pumasok kayo sa confession room" will surely make their knees shudder. They fear him. They respect him. They hear him. But they can't see him.
Outside there's this fellow much like in the same vein as Kuya. But the difference is that he is a writer; his works are widely read and almost everybody knows about them. All six books under his authorship. We laughed at them. Emphatized at them. Pondered at them. But we never see him.
And he hides under the name Bob Ong.
If you ask me which among his six books I consider my most favorite? A resounding Bakit Baligtad Magbasa ng Libro ang Pilipino? Why? Because it is an uncompromising book containing the foibles and the misbehavior some of us Filipinos often do but often (but sometimes, always) ignore. It is an eye-opener about the other side of the Philippines through his own words, as well as other Filipinos here and abroad who share their thoughts about being Filipinos. In my possession I own Ang Paboritong Libro ni Hudas (a book pondering philosophically about life, existence and spirituality) and Stainless Longganisa (an introspective on BO's life as a writer as well as about his books that he had written), as well as his first, ABNKKBSNPLAko!? (a narrative about the author's experience as a student, as well as his views about education and being educated) although it was borrowed. I have read Alamat ng Gubat (A sidesplitting fable of a parody of Philippine society) and MacArthur ( a novel about friendship amidst the the backdrop of squalor, poverty and drugs) through my cousin, who like me, is a BO fan.
He has become a household name for his books which are mostly social commentaries laced with humor which makes them interesting reads. And the fact that he chose the Filipino language as his medium did they became comprehensible to everybody. Agree with them or disagree with them, laugh at them or barf at them, read from start to finish or read the first few pages then shut it close, the point is that you are affected. The same way that they affected me. If you have managed to read all six, or some of them then congratulations; you have met someone who dared to swim against the current of commercialism in print media. The one who dared to shake us to our senses and think about ourselves as Filipinos and our country the Philippines. Kung may pagkakataon e ipagtatayo ko sya ng rebulto, kung alam ko lang ang itsura niya. But it doesn't matter. The fact that we didn't know what he looks like adds mystery to his works. But rest assured BO exists.
And he will continue to exist.
Signing off
Friday, February 22, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
(Partial) Memories of an 80's Childhood Part 4
Signing on
"Monkey,monkey Annabel. How many monkeys did you see?"
"Tagu-taguan maliwanag ang buwan. Tayo maglaro ng tagu-taguan"
"Doctor Quack Quack!!!"
Ahhh, the joy of being a kid back in those days. I would like to comment that kids back in the day are more creative in terms of entertaining themselves. I mean, internet was still a virtual unknown here, and aside from cartoons that I have mentioned in my previous posts, playing outdoors is our source of amusement, as well as an enjoyable form of exercise (no wonder we are healthier then!). When I was a kid we used to live with our aunt in Parañaque; me, my two sisters, our cousins, and other playmates would meet together every afternooon for some dose of fun and games. Read the intro? Those are some of the games that we enjoyed. Taguan is obviously hide and seek. The "taya" shoulc turn his or her back to the players, and facing the wall with eyes covered the taya must count to ten while the players scamper around for a place to hide. When all had hid the (okay, to avoid redundance I'll substitute taya with "it") it will search those who are hiding and when found the caught player must race with the it to the wall and, upon touching must shout "Save!"; if the player is unsuccesful in getting to the wall first he will be the next it. And the whole thing goes on and on until everyone is exhausted. In Doctor Quack-Quack, the it is the doc. The other players will entangle themselves and shout "Doctor Quack-Quack!" The it wll then try to untangle them. In Monkey Monkey Anabel, well, can somebody describe it to me once again. I still need to refresh my memory about how to play the game. I have also played luksong-tinik, habulan and patintero to name a few.
Being a son of a seaman I have the privilege of having toys that I treasured. I remember owning Matchbox die-casts, a toy laser gun, robots, and a slot car set. When I was seven I received a Transformers Sharkticon as a Christmas present. How I enjoyed it then because I was dying to have one.
Long before Sony Playstation and Nintendo Wii there was the Family Computer. When we lived in Baclaran a neighbor used to run a computer game rental business, and I must admit, it is a profitable one. I remember being one of the uzis who watched the game and wishing that we have one in our house. [Author's note: Hanabishi has produced their own Family Computer.] To play it a cartridge must be inserted in the slot. The selected cartridge contains a specific game. There are also cartridges that has multiple games stored inside. You know, the 5-in-i, 10-in-1 and other -in 1s. That's how it was back then.
Signing off
"Monkey,monkey Annabel. How many monkeys did you see?"
"Tagu-taguan maliwanag ang buwan. Tayo maglaro ng tagu-taguan"
"Doctor Quack Quack!!!"
Ahhh, the joy of being a kid back in those days. I would like to comment that kids back in the day are more creative in terms of entertaining themselves. I mean, internet was still a virtual unknown here, and aside from cartoons that I have mentioned in my previous posts, playing outdoors is our source of amusement, as well as an enjoyable form of exercise (no wonder we are healthier then!). When I was a kid we used to live with our aunt in Parañaque; me, my two sisters, our cousins, and other playmates would meet together every afternooon for some dose of fun and games. Read the intro? Those are some of the games that we enjoyed. Taguan is obviously hide and seek. The "taya" shoulc turn his or her back to the players, and facing the wall with eyes covered the taya must count to ten while the players scamper around for a place to hide. When all had hid the (okay, to avoid redundance I'll substitute taya with "it") it will search those who are hiding and when found the caught player must race with the it to the wall and, upon touching must shout "Save!"; if the player is unsuccesful in getting to the wall first he will be the next it. And the whole thing goes on and on until everyone is exhausted. In Doctor Quack-Quack, the it is the doc. The other players will entangle themselves and shout "Doctor Quack-Quack!" The it wll then try to untangle them. In Monkey Monkey Anabel, well, can somebody describe it to me once again. I still need to refresh my memory about how to play the game. I have also played luksong-tinik, habulan and patintero to name a few.
Being a son of a seaman I have the privilege of having toys that I treasured. I remember owning Matchbox die-casts, a toy laser gun, robots, and a slot car set. When I was seven I received a Transformers Sharkticon as a Christmas present. How I enjoyed it then because I was dying to have one.
Long before Sony Playstation and Nintendo Wii there was the Family Computer. When we lived in Baclaran a neighbor used to run a computer game rental business, and I must admit, it is a profitable one. I remember being one of the uzis who watched the game and wishing that we have one in our house. [Author's note: Hanabishi has produced their own Family Computer.] To play it a cartridge must be inserted in the slot. The selected cartridge contains a specific game. There are also cartridges that has multiple games stored inside. You know, the 5-in-i, 10-in-1 and other -in 1s. That's how it was back then.
Signing off
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