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.

Life is Parang Buhay! (Life is Like Life!)

When Dr. Won's (not his real name)proverbial smile inversed, my mind yelled, “Ay sus, life is parang buhay! Maluto, gulay!” (Ay sus, life is like life! Rice, veggie!)

[That expression is not original. A friend would usually say, “Life is parang buhay!”(Life is like life!) whenever things go slow or rough unexpectedly. Sometimes it is followed by “Hay buhay! Maluto, gulay!” (Hay life! Rice, veggie!) I never asked for its explanation. I assumed he meant just that, with merit to circumstances.]

My primary physician does not understand Tagalog or Filipino culture. So it's a relief that I shouted silently (understandable; Dr. Won and I are almost strangers. Within two years as an immigrant in America, we only met six times in a 15- or 30-minute duration). Had Dr. Won heard me he might supposed that I insulted or called him names. Worst, uttered a spell to change him into a frog as soon as I left the office.

“It really all boils down to belief,” Won said while he scans my file and jots something down. (How can he read or write and talk - all at he same time?)

(Still looking at my file.) “No amount of good diet or change of lifestyle will lower high cholesterol. You’re gravely risking a heart attack or a stroke five to ten years from now for not taking Vytorin.” More scribbling.

Then he sighs. That, to me, is a dismissal. He stands up and excuses himself out of the room to call the nurse for my flu shot.

I left the building without seeing Dr. Won. I’m going home without a prescription, which makes me very happy. But I feel uncomfortable too.

The uneasiness, from my experience, comes from the awareness that I had cause someone’s ire, from disobeying my doctor's "order", and from anxiety about a heart attack or a stroke.

I read somewhere that one of the top medical practice peeves of physicians is the client’s refusal to follow advise. But hey, clients or patients have the right to refuse advises. It's ironical that Dr. Won wasn’t listening to himself when he said it all boils down to belief? He didn't want to hear what I was telling him -- I want to experiment first with natural to alternative cures. After two surgeries late last year I embarked on a more healthier diet and lifestyle. I'm coping with low metabolism due to the absence of thyroid glands which, I think, also contributed to raise my "bad" cholesterol levels. If a healthy lifestyle doesn’t work in six more months -- then I’ll join daily Vytorin poppers -- who do not only contribute to North America's drugged tap water but add to billion profit earnings of pharmaceutical companies. Perhaps in a year I would pop more pills as side-effect illnesses take toll and, for life! Besides I’ve already compromised my belief for life with the daily intake of a synthetic hormone replacement drug (to prevent recurrence of thyroid cancer and for hypothyroidism). That pill could "kill" my liver or waste muscles 10 to 20 years from now. No choice. As author Moalem wrote, in order to live tomorrow. Who knows, we'll have cures without ill-side effects.

The uncomfortable feeling from being the cause of negative emotion and from disobedience slowly fades after this reflection.

My fear of a stroke is tied with the fear of dying. I’ve accepted death. But dying looks so painful (gasping for air)and gross (rotting dead cells). Nostalgia fills me too every time I imagine leaving my family, friends, garden, this life, this planet, this universe. Yet these notions and feelings, at this moment, are passing away.

I am thinking of my mother who had desired death in old age. I will always remember how mama left -- sleeping with a peaceful smile. Hummm, uneasiness is completely fading. Hay,, life is parang buhay! Maluto, gulay!

PO: A Complete Bikol Word

The 40-something host of a popular Philippine noontime TV show questions a 17-year old studio participant. She ends her answer with a po. The host quickly checks that out by telling her to drop po when talking to him. In another program, a 50-yish host said the same thing, but to a woman about his age. Po, a conversation marker term for respect, is used to address the elderly, people with social position, strangers, holy objects or images.

Although po is a known practice in the Luzon island of the Philippines, this tradition is fading fast in large cities. The erosion of the usage is due to negative ambiguous reactions from people of mature age and influence such as media idols or political leaders. This development stems out of many Filipinos' ignorance or misunderstanding of po and its relevance.

As noted in Taste the Dirt - any one region experience is a "part of" and is always "whole" in Filipino. In 2004 and 2007, I wrote that po is a complete Bikol word. I'm extending that to a complete Pinoy word. Let us now inspect the Bikol interpretation of po.

In Bikol, when your mother, father or someone calls, you automatically­ answer, Po! One does not respond oya, yaon, or digde (various terms for here and present), to ano (what), tano (why), or halat (wait). But po. If ever any one of those words is employed, it is always accompanied by po. It is common knowledge that the pre-Spanish po is widely used in the Bikol region than in any other parts of the Philippines.

Albay and Sorsogon provinces tend to the word tabi for courteousness that means please, excuse, pardon, or to pass. Sometimes po follows tabi as in "tabi po". Definitely, tabi is different from po.

Mintz and Britanico Bikol Dictionary designated po as a "polite marker used when speaking to elders, strangers or people superior in rank or position". ­ However, po is more than politeness. It indicates respect and a fineness of mind evinced in language or behavior. The Bikolian shares or gives concern or reverence, appreciation or deference, even to strangers -- since he or she has self-respect. At the same time, po mirrors the Bikol notions on selfhood, responsibility­, and a sense of community as well as the pleasure derived from these experiences.

In agreement with studies on universal consciousness made by Jean Hixon and Ken Wilber, po as true respect, indirectly honor the inwardly shared deep cross-cultural insights into the nature of spirit or Spirit. That spirit/Spirit is the ultimate development field, a part of the source, essence, and identity of each and every being, seen as shared valuing.

In the Chinese, philosopher Wing-tsit Chan states that the human has two souls, the p’o and the hun. In terms of priority of existence, the p’o comes into being with the beginning of human life, and the hun comes later, according to Tu Wei-Ming.

Lateral-thinking proponent Edward de Bono has assigned po to signal a mind’s provocation for creativity or new designs. Po also means hypothesis­, suppose, possible, and poetry.

Moreover, po is universally known as the chemical symbol for polonium. Encyclopedias consider po the first radioactive element to be isolated in 1898 by Marie and Pierre Curie that marked the beginning of the atomic age. Po isotopes now are utilize as alpha-particle source and as a heat source for generating electricity of space satellites. Scientists note that po’s emitted radiation energy is so great that even minute samples ionize the surrounding air, causing it to glow. We can see that both global and local usage of po, from the metaphysical to physical sciences, spirit is apparent.

Pre-Spanish Bikol has no definitive word for spirit. (Espiritu is Spanish.) Present day Bikol-English dictionaries still delineate spirit with soul, as kalag is soul as well as spirit or ghost. This coincides with Leonardo Mercado’s supposition that spirit is mostly implied in Philippine philosophy. The nearest to modern Bikol concept of spirit remains related to the supernatural beings with supernatural powers— gods/goddesses, the enchanted souls/spirits/creatures like holy persons or saints, engkantos (enchanted souls), taong-lipod or tagolipnan (unseen soul/human), or kapri (giant-like human). Spirit may also refer to unseen elementals or phantasmagorical creatures such as the yasao, or dwende (dwarf) and anananggal (flying witch) who likewise possess magical powers as told in myths. Many modern thinkers and scientists interpret spirit as related to the "divine energy permeating the universe".

Indeed po connotes many Bikol to universal values in myriad interpretations. Today’s use of po acknowledges the revered "essence" within each creature or creation which can lead the Filipino to realize its wholeness' potentialities. One Bikolian thinks po is the only Bikol word composed of two letters with one syllable that is complete on its own. Po is certainly an ordinary and a value-laden Bikol word that cannot be devolved.

STS (Simple Tips to Save) Energy

Saving is a value and a choice practiced by creative mature persons. From observation, conservationists or savers started with practical copes to material or economic hurdles. Some learn to save at a young age based on what their society highly appreciates. There are also Peter Pan characters and ignoramuses (even from the underprivileged to middle class) that waste resources including time.

Recent developments in health related to disease control and rapid growth of human populations as well as the survival of earth and its nature communities— have brought to the fore the relevance of conservation. So I thought of STS.

Simple here connotes low technology, hand-down knowledge, 'from experience' practicality (of a group/groups) or common sense applications. (New and considered high-end technology may be mentioned but just in passing.)

In some parts of the world there is no power to light up homes or to run machines. Brownouts in provincial Philippines are ordinary that people retain appreciation for stars and fireflies. Power then is one of the resources I nag my children about to value and not to waste just because energy flows incessantly in America. Here goes-- the initial STS energy anywhere we are.

Lights, electric fans, televisions, radios, or game consoles must be switched off every time one goes out of a room or the house for more than twenty minutes. Unplug TV or entertainment systems if out of the house for a day or more. (These vampire power appliances are passive energy consumers even when "off" but are plugged in.) Air-conditioners can be timed to shut-off two or three hours before waking time, as the room will still be cold within this duration. If people are still up and about during summer nights, open windows to let in cool night air into the house. And allow early morning air and sunlight into a room to cool and refresh area.

Do not leave refrigerator's door open needlessly as this permits escape of cold air and keeps machine running double-time. When cleaning the fridge, turn it off and unplug. Allocate three to four hours before clearing out things from the fridge, as foods and beverages can remain cold and frozen awhile. With the clean fridge, plug it and turn it on, and do not open fridge for at least two hours. This speeds cold air circulation or even temperature inside the fridge. Then place inside foods, fruits, or vegetables that are already washed and dried out. This is hygienic and saves time and money too.

Ironing everyday increases power cost particularly when there are more than two people in the household. Do ironing in a straight lump like, once a week schedule. This also saves time since needed clothes for the week are prepared already. Besides, there's less worry if anyone overlook to unplug the iron.

Heated water utilizes electricity. Avail of cold water when washing dishes during summertime. Use hot water only when required as in oily dishes or with food color. If hard food sticks to dishes or wares, soak in hot water with a few drops of soap for an hour or more. (Avoid burning foods when cooking. It's unhealthy anyway.) When brushing the teeth, turn off faucet when not directly in use. Likewise, when showering; turn off water when shampooing and soaping.

These tips need some organization and self-discipline. Once adapted, they become habits. Remember that saving energy goes together with savings on money, time, water, and other resources. It helps to maintain the ecological system. It aids to sustain people's general wellness. It practices respect, care, planning, and thriftiness.

NOTE: The original shorter version of this essay got Runner Up award in the Flex Your Power Campaign Essay Contest(21 December 2007/San Francisco California)organised and coordinated by New America Media and the Los Angeles Asian Journal.

Taste the dirt

Welcome.

The Bikolness, if I may call it that, is a big presence in this admixture perspectives.

Somebody asked,Why include Bikol? Why not Filipino alone?

Answers overlap -- with genes, the separate-self (self-identity/person), decisions, of spirit. How do you describe to a vegan foreigner our Pinoy fondness to eat balut (hardboiled half-hatched duck egg). Let me put it this way: a pizza pie is a pizza pie not only of the dough which is a mixture of refined flour, fat, salt, and yeast. It also consists of the topping ingredients like tomato sauce, vegetable or herb to prepared animal meat, fish or sea foods, and cheese. So Bikol, Visaya, Metro-Manila, Ilokandia, and other Philippine regions -- are like pizza toppings and inclusive in Filipino. (I'm not into nationalism here. Nationalism has become chauvinistic and is limiting.)

My Bikol survivalist gradient makes things more interesting, a sensible starting point to continue a conversation or widen to deepen aspiration(s). You would know my bioregion, culture specifically. This would offer both specific snapshots and quiet similarities with the big picture (not just Hubble). Yah -- one more interpretation of reality, fact, truth, Microsoft, imagination, or choices.

It can't be avoided really. Like producing wine or teas, the best ones are those that have "the taste of the dirt." You can taste the interactions of the chemicals in the earth, deep from the roots of the plant where it is planted. There is wholeness of the taste without toxic chemicals and pesticides, the freshness of unpolluted air and water, even smell the flowers that grow near it. You can almost see in your mind the plum vineyards or green shrubs on rolling hills, the sun rising behind a valley with serene mountains and sweet humming winds.

Yes, I am aware of my survivalist bent and mindful of it - that would be beneficial to me and to others. Of course, that took awhile in practice. And along rising thoughts to posting is filtration. (This reflective process is an enjoyable trip as well as one reason why I like writing.) Knowing what I carry is trash or harmful (Bikolnon or whatever), why not throw it in the bin? Knowing what I carry is unnecessary baggage, why not put it down? Past and present are parts of me and the heart will always remember. All these, for me, jibe with "think global, act local" and the Dalai Lama's "the universe in a single atom"