Melancholic August

The eight month of the Gregorian calendar, August, was Sextillus or Sextilis in ancient Rome. By 8 BC it was renamed in honor of Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus whose powerful rule can be viewed propitious to Rome and her allies, but woeful to the vanquished like Alexandria which fell in this month. Beyond antiquity, many people regard August as just any other month with commonplace nuances, pleasant or unpleasant, or both. Personally, the eight month still fills me with foreboding.

Let me share a few aids that created my ominosus for August. While growing up and August nears, my parents usual admonition is to brace for the driest store period of the year. That meant weeks without week-end movies or coca-cola during school recess or new superhero comics, more vegetables in home chow, more recycling of old newspapers into "b&w" bags (as in brown bags), and stricter behavior of “waste not” rules on food to electricity and water. At this early time in my life too there were two episodes on mother which were retold many times later by kith and kin. That one hot afternoon while my ma and sister tend to the store and the sun drying of palay laid out on mats at the patio across the street, they saw a hen pecking the grains. Mama left her post and crossed the street. As she was shooing the poultry away, both hen and mama got hit by a truck. And a few years later on an august night, mama fearlessly fought one of the five armed robbers who stormed the grocery store. My adult encounters started tearfully on August 21 of 1983 when hubby and me heard the radio news about the late senator Benigno Aquino’s assassination. A year after, I discovered on an August afternoon that all photos of my youth and pages of favored books have simply been food to Marikina termites. Then on August 1st of 1997, back in the Bikol region, fire reduced to ashes half of Magsaysay house which includes my MA thesis file and lots of wonderful objects. More recent, mama peacefully passed away on August of 2006. By the end of those dog days of August of that same year, my youngest daughter and me immigrated to North America. And in 2007, I got the final diagnosis of cancer. It's not the "settle your affairs" sort of cancer, but the "treatment is going to change you forever" kind that is like an echoing voice announcing my mortality. Sure, it's coincidence that blue events fell on Augustus. Yet my mind brews premonition whenever I’m aware of the eight month.

I fought thoughts or feelings of bad omen by end-running, whereupon only a cycle of defeat-resist followed. Yes, stupid phase. Then about three years ago, I put to good use what I know decades back—“surrender“. Relearning the route to “surrender” and unlearning non-attachment proved to be difficult at this age. But I didn’t give in to impatience and wanderings. And I was kinder to my self. Before long, I loosened up, allowing whatever thought or emotion at that moment to pervade my being or self or mind. I started to spend time at ease. With slow quietness I noticed my self “within” or “a part of”, and at the same time, "observing" decelerating thoughts and emotions. Though my hypo-hyperthyroid condition and medications limit me, I can say, my awareness is getting keener these days. I am still on the journey. However, the hovering dark clouds have, one by one, drifted away and disappeared.

Indeed doggy days have assets too like imbibed thrift, industry, tolerance, compassion, generosity, and flexibility as well as appreciation for simple life, good health, friendship or healthy relationships, diversity, sensibleness, and pragmatism. Add optimism—for months of plenty ensues August such as the Penafrancia fiesta, All Souls’ Day, Heroes day, Halloween, to the Christmas season. Or after a storm, sunny days follow. August shows that certain people and natural calamities can deprive you of money or things and even hurt you, but never can those steal your courage and compassion. Although money was lost and mama suffered bruises, she and pa pardoned the robbers (who were caught two years after the hit). Mama survived eyes surgery and broken ribs due to the truck accident and she waived the legal case against the snoozy driver who has nine children. Mother lived well until age 97. We saw the positive karmic effects of the death of ex-senator Benigno Aquino -- 1986 People power and the moral leadership of ex-president Corazon Aquino (wife of Benigno) that paved the road back to Philippine democracy. All those stories are, seen with today's sight, reminders of impermanence and interdependence of all that exist so that struggle and renewal make up human life.

Today I’m with my family in North America. The family is coping well in spite of the economic recession and state job furloughs. I’m a cancer survivor. I plan to continue life in the Philippines sometime in the near future. I continue to engage myself with my own mindfulness practice. Yes, I am happy. Yes, August remains to infuse me with foreboding. However, only for a moment, and only if I let it.

ADDENDUM
As I was writing this on the 1st of August 2009, the Filipino tube announced that the first lady president of the Philippines, Corazon C. Aquino had just died. (She had colon cancer.)The late president Corazon C. Aquino is considered as the mother of Philippine democracy for her key role in uniting the Filipinos in1986 that ousted from power former president Ferdinand Marcos. To the Aquino family, my condolences. Salamat, tita Cory! (Thank you, tita Cory!)

Bacteria: Basic Lessons

The video shows how sophisticated bacteria are, and humans can learn a thing or two from the many implications of this latest finding for science, medicine, or industry. Bonnie Bassler and her group at Princeton New Jersey did the study.

"Why is there measurement?"

Why is there measurement? Many people consider that as one of the many self-evident questions and need no explanation but they are often a challenge to answer. I think it is sometimes helpful to ask these plain queries and dig right onto them. Well my “why is there measurement” turned up this morning.

The thought of the upcoming actual driving test woke me up. I noticed annoyance emerging then hanged around, and in less than a minute, passed away. So I asked myself why this irritation for the test? In brief (I’m still in bed), I ended with: (1.) That my annoyance came from pride; I have been driving since the 80s with no moving violation record (I have an expired New Jersey and a valid Philippines DL IDs), but I haven’t driven in the USA for a long while. (2.) A readiness to comply with California DMV’s actual driving test. (3.) Besides social agencies’ demand to gauge or assess and compute roles to ensure security or peace and order of the society, among other things, why do we measure? Or why is there measurement?

Apparent reasons of measurements are furthered by moneytization so that even essentially free resources such as water and air -- because they are flowing, transient, ephemeral, or impermanent -- are accessed, packaged, and commercially sold to those who can afford to buy them. Learning, caring for the young and the elderly, the sick, illness and disease, health, or death are treated as market-profit opportunities. Lovers, couples, families, friends, and neighbors interpret and determine love or respect through convenience, subservience, control, or access to power/resources. One way to deal with problems mentioned or certain issues on what should government or business corporations should do or not do, is to ask “why is there measurement?, “why is there government?” or “what is the fundamental purpose of law?, “why is there air?” or “why is there water?”, “why is there an economy?” or “why is there a nation?” Try it. Discuss it with other people, especially. You’ll find out that what looks self-evident doesn’t stand up to close inspection.

Indeed, without knowledge of dimension, size, quantity, amount, extent, depth, width, breadth, length, weight, volume, area, magnitude, height, and so on of things and phenomena -- we would not be enjoying the comfort brought by the new science and technology as well as some understanding of and that better our selves and relationships, others, and our world.

Indeed, to reflect on “why is there measurement?” questions keep us from getting diverted or lost in details or confused in translations.

WHO's NEWSY?

I just read yahoo’s e-headline today, Wednesday 10th of December.

The World Health Organization (WHO) discloses that cancer would be the world's leading source of death by 2010, Associated Press medical writer Mike Stobbe reports (9 Dec. 2008). The existing staggering diagnosis approximations impacted gravity to readers like myself especially when populations of China, India, and Russia were added. Smoking is pinpointed as main causal of cancer.

While reading that news something rings in my mind, a gut-feel, that's near to “danger”. The cortical feeling arises not only out of my cancer mode or hypothyroid state. Or because I read a well-documented book about an industry’s greed at the expense of human’s well-being, even of life itself. Or due to the economic recession here in USA.

The story sounds newsy, a PR marketing prep to "create disease" in our emotionally driven minds, to quote pharmaceutical products advertising gurus themselves, Robert Chandler and Gianfranco Chicco. They also said that the “ultimate goal” is “to sell the consumer a message or product without the consumer even being aware that a ’sell’ is taking place” (Melody Peterson, Our Daily Meds, 2008; Sarah Crichton Books/Farrar, Straus and Giroux: USA).

Although I take conspiracy theories with the tongue in my cheek, I'm beginning to open my mind to what others are saying (even from Kevin Trudeau) about the pharmaceutical industry's influence on the FDA, politicians, medical institutions and its practitioners, health and medical insurance companies, medical/health educational and research institutions, and other (public/private) organizations that share this industry's profits (directly and indirectly) through bribery, gifts, donations, funding, grants, "extras", "fringes", payroll, exchange deal, samples, aid, sponsorship, advertisement fees, and the likes. For one, pharma products and their ads are all over the place. Two,so many new diseases keep coming out that some of them sound stupid like, restless legs syndrome.

So why wasn’t I impress to know that WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer director Peter Boyle released this not-so-novel-cancer-update at a news conference and appearing together with officials from the American Cancer Society, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Cancer Institute of Mexico? Why am I not move by their statements: “If we take action, we can keep the numbers from going where they would otherwise go," from the cancer society officer John’s Seffrin. Or “Cancer is one of the greatest untold health crises of the developing world," according to president-elect of the American Society of Clinical Oncology Dr. Douglas Blayney, and "Few are aware that cancer already kills more people in poor countries than HIV, malaria and tuberculosis combined. If current smoking trends continue, the problem will get significantly worse” And I didn't wonder on Komen’s chief executive Hala Moddelmog comment, “Where you live shouldn't determine whether you live.”

Why is smoking the lone cause marker for cancer? I think they targeted the cigarette industry because it is a dying industry in well-developed countries. The failure to mention and emphasize other variables that lead to cancer (and other illnesses and diseases)that are more prevalent and more damaging in terms of market duration availability and usage by humans - indeed make WHO story a twitter that plays on people‘s fear primarily. Another is the absence of a “real” view of cancer and prevention tips to organizing steps to stop both global corporations and small local businesses from manufacturing hazardous or harmful products and technologies that create or tweak illnesses in human genes of this generation to future generations.

The following are the most cited factors that cause cancer or chronic illnesses: 1) The accumulation of toxins (types: cellular toxicity, heavy metal and chemical toxicity, and toxic build up in the colon) that creates metabolism imbalance in the human or animal body - making fertile environments for cancer growth; (2) stress; and (3) unhealthy lifestyle. I suggest that when you do your search regarding these matters or any type of perceiving (this blog included) always check the presence of patron(s)and funding agencies or organizations behind faces, names, titles, stories, activities, content, and shadows. A little dose of cynicism would make us healthy and wise.

Oh, cancer is considered a chronic illness (not disease) like diabetes. Meaning, some treatment may always be required. Cancer is considered too, like many other illnesses, by respectable physicians and scientists curable if the body's affected organ(s) or system(s)is not severed and compromised to a point of no return. And yes, there are inclusive cancer cures that work as combination of conventional and alternative(s) do like, healthy nutrition and conventional radiation treatment or alternative therapy and traditional surgery (last resort please).

Boredom & raison d'etre

A text message from an acquaintance reads: I agree with you - truly intelligent persons don’t get bored - since they’re concerned with raison d'etre.

Her sensibleness gladdens me but after a sec, a qualm arises. I’m unsure if her raison d'etre or “reason for being” means the same with or comes close to my understanding of it.

If you like to lessen or get rid of boredom, to expand/deepen experience, or just to know the reason for an emotion or thought, it might help to ask your self why you're having this feeling or notion at this moment. (You’ll be surprise where this leads you.) So that when you say, “I’m so bored” or “that movie is boring,“ be aware to follow that with a question like, why am I feeling bored or why did I think that that object is boring.

I believe that boredom, always through emotive expression, emerges from our view of the world with emphasis on “what is” or “what should be”. When relations or others come up against our own view, one of our reactions is boredom.

Boredom is a reaction to a stimulus, and may very well project our expectations (with oneself and from others - onto living beings, beliefs or definitions, ideas, activities, happenings, objects, environs, etcetera). Expectations can be a baggage full of our sense of self. And where we are is crucial to who we are. So that to question one's boredom (which, if practice constantly, might just end it) is vital to one's happiness.

Oh, I didn’t ask my sensible acquaintance to clarify her raison d’etre.

On High Gas Prices and transport strikes

My email last week contained a sundry on spiking prices of gas and foods especially from KAIBAnews (an ‘Egroup of Bikolanos‘). The site had this 'voting' for or against the May 12 Philippine transport strike. I sent KAIBAnews a brief comment about high gas and food prices since these not only made world news, but these issues concern us all. This is to reiterate my ordinary denizen position.

I agree with KAIBAnews Rey Bilo when he wrote that the issue of gasoline's spiraling prices is everyone's problem. North Americans are greatly affected by the weekly or monthly price hike. (World Bank cited USA as number one oil consumer in the planet.) In various parts of California (the state is as big as the Philippines by land area) the running cost per gallon of gas is $3.85 to 4.28. And like in the Philippines, the minimum wage has not kept pace with the high cost of commodities, not just gasoline. Repercussions of higher gas prices during an economic slow-down had truly impacted North Americans. Directly affected transport cost lifted up prices of food and groceries. There is the on-going mortgage foreclosures to thousands of homeowners that can bring about the collapse of the real estate market. We can also mention the rising rate of unemployment and the weakening of the dollar value.

Of course, we all know why oil prices are hiking up and may continue to for a while, like the cause of supply and demand and commodities traders. News sources cites the surging demands from developing countries, China and India specifically, contribute largely to raise oil prices. Reports point to the reduction of oil supply from Nigeria and Iraq as another cause. The decline of the dollar is a factor too. For oil money is denominated in dollars so that the 40% decline in the dollar has surge pressure upwards for oil prices, according to BBC news (07 May 2008, Oil Price May Hit $200 a Barrel). Oil trading on the commodities futures exchange is said to be the main reason this year. The prices in commodities trading fluctuates every day, depending on how investors play with it or how they see the oil price in the future. Reports say that the increase in investment money are going into commodities markets. Perhaps the real estate investors are heavily investing in oil futures. But shouldn't this heavy investment stabilize oil prices?

Anyway, I voted against the transport strike— as a method to, as Kaiba Rey wrote, "ipamate sa gobyerno an kadipisilan na itatao sa halos semanang pag taas kan presyo nin gasolina" (to let the government know our difficulties brought about by the weekly rise of gasoline prices). Such might be the case since oil prices affect gas prices. (I don't know the numbers in the Philippines, but in North America, news reports disclosed that crude oil accounts for 55% of the price of gasoline and 45% are influences from distribution lines and taxes. The last two are described to be 'usually stable,' and the need for maintenance or when lines are disrupted, which are 'occasionally',increase gas prices even when oil prices are low.) However, can Pinoys tell the government by other ways? Would silent protests be better? Should we silently organize ourselves and think of means to go on with our daily activities with lessened dependency on fossil resources (from personal lifestyle to producing and designing foods, goods, services, and infrastructures for the community)? Can we think of practical creation/"new" ways to generate energy or its substitutes? As said beforehand, gas' rising prices affect all of us; it is interlinked with the human waste or abuse of fossil resources which, at the same time, grossly deplete reserves (so fast as to empty earth of it in less than 40 years from today), ’empower’ only a few humans/structures, and contribute to the planet's pollution and dwellers' ill health. Besides the Pinas government's lack of money, even if Pinoys reduce gas consumption,which sources approximated to 30-35% per barrel, this would not bring prices down.

It is time, as my friend wrote to me, to look for a radical approach to this problem as well as to our social dysfunctional systems. Radical here,my perspective, takes the whole, not partial approach. Long term solutions, with sustainability. This is applicable to the Philippines whose problems are compounded.

And let us not expect leadership from institutions. Let us look for leaders from charismatic groups or individuals that are comparable to Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, or the Dalai Lama. They think global but act local, starting with self by lessening to loosing ego.

share ideas on fed, bioreg, BR, etc.

Thanks Vicky for your kind and generous comments.

Vicky and I have never met in person. It was just yesterday that I learned she is BikolFilipino. Our paths crossed when I responded to my alma mater's call for journal articles (was it in 20005?). Vicky was editor then of that homecoming project. My piece,I was informed, graced the cover page.

In one of our email exchanges, she mentioned her choice for federalism, but didn't include reasons for that partiality. Perhaps it was merely a reflex to Portia's letter that picked against federalism as one of those things the Pilipinas national government is "forcing" on Filipinos.

Anyway, Bikol Republika (BR) site will have brief urulay or conversations on federalism, bioregionalism, or other political systems that you come up with - sometime this end of May. Bikol Republika will be a proper place to deal with this subject. So please don't hesitate to share your thoughts or ideas at URULAY.

Mabalos!

STS (Simple Tips to Save) Food

The usual response of ordinary people to an economic slowdown with spiraling prices in commodities and services is to reorder their buying or consuming priorities. Without any doubt, food takes the right of precedence. Just like STS energy the following suggestions cope to lessen or dispel wastefulness, and in this post,of food.

If there are more than three household members who dine at home everyday, whoever is in charge of marketing may buy foodstuffs that are consumable within three to four days. This way keeps most ‘unprepared’ foods, such as eggs or fruits and vegetables, fresher. This would prevent spoilage because everything will be used. But this requires meal planning, whether one precooks and stores or cooks every fare. Prepare your menu and list down ingredients before going to the market or grocery store. To economise, buy foods in season and try it at your local farm markets, as frugal living advises when buying fruits. This is due to the fact that local time of year produce, besides the freshness, are low-cost than those foods out of season or transported from another country or state.

Utilise serving spoons. Individual serving spoons for each cuisine will keep taste separate and intact which in turn, reduce the deterioration process of food substances. The use of serving spoons is also hygienic. We never know another person’s health status during that shared repast. Prevention keeps everyone‘s well-being and saves money. And since meal leftovers are clean — they can be stored.

Store up leftovers individually wrapped up or in clean dry containers (with covers or lids) inside the fridge or freezer. These can be reheated on another day. Some leftovers can be recycled into another meal. A fried pork can be cubed and cooked stir-fry style with vegetables. Chicken can be diced or shredded and combined to the green salad or sautéed in onions, sweet peas, and tofu. Use imagination and flexibility in the kitchen; perhaps mix two leftover fares such as menudo and meat torta to construct something new. Forget cookbooks’ how to or dos and don’ts. Enjoy creating new cuisines with leftover cookery.

And every time we prepare food, it wouldn't hurt to remember with compassion — the the regions in this planet with food scarcity or the thousands of people who are hungry, and the animal to plant or other nature communities that ceased to be — in order to feed the human need and luxury. Remember then that there is no excuse (especially) for humans to squander even a crumb of cracker to a drop of water.

If you have some tips for saving food please share it. Write them in the comment box and add your name and email address. Or email me at bikolrepublika@gmail.com.

Change A-howlin'

A recent email from a friend expresses frustration with the general situation in the Philippines. Her exasperation did not singled out endemic corruption by people in power or the 'brain-draining' economy, but the whole social system. She also mentioned suggestions (which are not detailed here since available in print). Let me share half of her letter.
How do we change a disintegrating social system? Do we wait for a complete breakdown? It’s only after a breakdown that there can be break through. Einstein said we do not need a new line of thinking; we have to think along new lines -- especially in our political system. A new condition calls for a change in thought and nature.

Our naïve politicians call it autonomy or federation. But it should go beyond this. We need your “Pobolusion” to attain a state of Bioregionalism. Remember my article on Bicol Bioregion. Each bioregion should be self-sufficient, self-sustaining, self-reliant, self-educating, self-propagating, self-healing self-regulating and self-governing.

We are dwellers of our lands. We have to go back to basic human scale; the small is beautiful concept of small nations, small communities and small problems which we humans can solve. A centralized giant political system is top heavy so it topples down.

What we can try is your Bikol Republika or an Ilocandia, or Tagalog Bioregion, Visayan Feudalism, or ARMM. What our political system is doing is to force ourselves to be Filipinos. Harmony does not come through likeness. Harmony comes from a balancing of diversities Discord comes from any effort to make harmony by force.

Within this bioregional concept, we study our own interiority our subjectivity, our language, our culture in our bioregional schools. After knowing who we are after establishing our identity, we can have a moral recovery.

We need a radical solution. One that goes back to the roots of the problem. But this will take time. Maybe a hundred years? Bioregionalism will not be accepted by the present generation. Every radical change is a heresy. We have to wait for the evolution of consciousness to have a change of attitude.

There is a Bikol youth’s clamor for (what he calls) real-change, but without particulars. You can also view similar opinions on change from Filipinos abroad at goBicol.com

So what do you think?

[Pobolusion is changing your belief to change the world. This change goes together with Bikol po or respect. For po is spirit in each of us - the transformative 'essence' - stirring us to alter, amend, to transcend. Approaches then would be inclusive instead of partial. Change, for example, may incorporate Bikol aspects of reality such as ako (I/me) signifies subjective identity, ini (this/these)as behaviour, kita (we/us) for cultural worldview, ito (that/those) for social organizations, to iyan (that/those) that represents nature. pobolusion believes people can change now, from within. Pobolusion ideas are discussed in the book Pobolusion & Bikol Republika (2007).

Unreasonable Fear?

You and me were taught that fear is irrational, not understandable. We believe this so that a fear elapses to a baggage, a psychological or emotional affliction. Airsickness during two or more plane rides might lead a person to think that she’ll get sick, anxious, or stress out every time she's airborne. So she avoids any activity or transport by air. Avoidance leads to fear-habit or phobia and at the same time, limits us to experience many simple pleasures of life as well as the opportunity to face and overcome aerophobia.

The long list of phobias ranged from A to Z like acrophobia,claustrophobia, papaphobia, xanthophobia, xenophobia, zoophobia. Some people even die from their fears, familiar in the Philippines as bangungot (similar to nightmare).

However, there are many people who “overgrew” or “conquered” their fears. Most of them are ordinary people. They have, unintentionally or consciously, endured experiences that led or wherein events moved them to overcome their fear. Their stories or those of contemplative persons and hero tales illustrate fear as not mere impulse. That simple fears, even phobias, follow a logic which stems from a person’s belief.

Take a man who, out of fear of losing the woman he loves and married,lied about his undergraduate education. The wife could never understand why he seems laid back at his job or without ambition in life, don‘t understand her need to build a career, anti-intellectual in his arguments with her, jealous, very tribal, and wondered how come he has no real friends from his university. Because this man failed to live up to the measure of his conventional beliefs on social success and acceptance such as having a Bachelor’s degree to owning a car or a house, even a “brains-&-beauty“ wife -- consequently, distressing emotions and situations follow him and those near him.

Since fear is tied to a belief, it has reasons, and those reasons have logic (of its own). Fear is logical and thus understandable. Let's ask our self, why am I scared? Perhaps we can look for ways to think and organise our self on specific fears to make sense of what is happening around us. The man can start by thinking that his wife loves him for what he is, go over his best qualities and reclaim them by actualisation and immersion. By examining fear, we can change it. By changing the reasons, we can kill fear and develop fearlessness. To remember the point of this topic, here's a helpful saying: Change your beliefs and you change your life.