What is Love?

            February. The Love Month. As they say, Love is in the air. With that, I feel like writing anything and everything about Love for this whole month … J

            Love. We all just have a lot of question about love. When and how do we know if we are already in love? Who are we going to love? Or can we even choose who to fall in love with? Where can we find love? Is love really accompanied by pain? Do we really have to make a sacrifice for love? And a ton of other questions about love. But then, probably the first question we would ask is, What is love? Hmm …

            According to Mr. Webster (Webster Dictionary), love is a feeling of strong attachment induced by that which delights or commands admiration; preeminent kindness or devotion to another; affection; tenderness. And then on Wikipedia, it says that, love can refer to an emotion of a strong attraction and personal attachment. It can also be a virtue representing human kindness, compassion, and affection —"the unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another". It may also describe compassionate and affectionate actions towards other humans, one's self or animals. So, it seems that love is a feeling or emotion that make anyone be good person as it may push us to be kind, compassionate and be gentle to a person and/or to everyone.

What is love? A question which I believe had been asked since the ages. That probably is the reason why love has been described in the Bible in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8;

“4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 

6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 

7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.

 8 Love never fails”

            But then if we get to ask a person, what is love, we can surely hear just a lot of definition for love. One may say that love is what we give to a person who could mean so much to him/her. The other would say that love is something felt by the heart and can make us kilig. Another may answer that love is a gift and a blessing we receive for showing goodness and care to a certain person. People might say that love is a wonderful feeling that can turn our world upside down and make us do crazy things.

            What is love? One question, too many possible answers. If I were to be asked about the definition of love, I simply do not have a definite answer … I (or we) would just feel it. For me, love changes its meaning depending on the person’s state of mind… depending on his/her situation. It could be mother/brotherly love or simple affection to a friend and special someone. Love is what we feel to a particular person, we sometimes didn't notice…we are already in love.

            Maybe… I am sure each and every one of us has his or her own definition of love. It may be similar to Mr. Webster… It could be described the same and with accordance to the Bible… It may give us such pain and sacrifice in the end or along the way, but still worth to have experienced to feel what love is. Surely, Love is for everyone to feel and to be given and shared … especially this season of love. J

           

            

Chinese New Year 2014

        In celebration to the Chinese New Year, January 31, 2014 has been declared as a special non-working holiday. Since it is a work-free day, my family and I decided to celebrate new year with the Chinese community in Binondo ... where we ended up in Lucky Chinatown, the newest mall within the vicinity of Divisoria...

        Lucky Chinatown Mall is composed of two buildings. The Main and the Annex. Outside between this two mall buildings is their Lucky Chinatown Walk where we one can find food stalls with good food and affordable price range.

        Another attraction at the Lucky Chinatown Walk is the 10 Lucky Rituals at Lucky Chinatown. Since we went there to celebrate new year the Chinese Way, we followed some of the rituals listed. Hoping we would some luck for this year - 2014. :)

The 10 Lucky Rituals in Lucky Chinatown

       First among the rituals is to light an incense at the Miao De Amituofu Pureland. A Buddha was placed resting on top of a mini stage filled with fruits and flowers. People with lightened incense fell in line and take turns to be able to say their wishes and leave the incense in front of the Buddha. We were also instructed on what to say as we ask for our wishes and with the proper way of holding an incense.

The Golden Buddha

My Mom and Grandmother quietly saying their wishes

        Next is to toss a coin at the Prosperity Tree. It is said the tossing a coin to the tree, will make one prosper and have good fortune.

The Prosperity Tree

The Prosperity Tree being guarded by Golden Horses

        Third is to offer fruits to the Dragon Tortoise at the Prosperity Garden which may bring good fortune for one's career and business. And then, Ring the Good Luck Gong to help calm the mind and relax the soul... to find inner peace and luck.

My Mom with the Gong

        Fifth is to rub the Maneki Neko Cat which often placed in front of a store to bring good luck to the owner. We've been looking for this figure along the Walk but we didn't find any. Until we went in to one of the Feng Shui stores and saw the cat figure and immediately rubbed the Maneki Neko Cat. Next is to write down a wish at the wishing wall. With an ema board, we wrote our wishes for 2014.

The Wishing Wall filled with wishes written on an Ema board

        Seventh is to buy good luck charms. My mom bought me a lucky charm for those who were born on the year of the Dragon. Eight is to Pick a Lucky Ang Pao only if we were able to purchase a 2000php worth of items from the mall. Then treat oneself to lucky foods with lucky plates in Lucky Chinatown of course. Last is to Complete the Year of the Horse Mural in Lucky Chinatown with a chopstick.

The Lucky charm, which also serves as protection, for those born on the year of the Dragon.

        Since it was my first time in Lucky Chinatown, I'm glad I went there during their celebration of the Chinese New Year. I am not a Chinese but I enjoyed following their their rituals. Although we, Filipinos, had adapted the Chinese culture here in the Philippines, it was a good thing that the establishment put up something like that so that Filipinos can somehow understand and relate with the Chinese community even more.

Chinese Lantern above the Lucky Chinatown Walk

The Lucky Chinatown and above The Lucky Chinatown Walk

Gong Xi Fa Cai! Kung Hei Fat Choi! Happy Chinese New Year! :)

The Legal Wife

Many of us may be wondering why after giving all the love that one can give, some relationship still fall apart. Oftentimes, we would hear stories of falling out of love and infidelity... And we would always why...

Why one is being caught cheating his/her partner? Why he/she has fallen out of love? Why someone would settle to being the number 2 and enjoy that ample amount of attention being given to a kabit? Why the one who was left behind would still hold on and try to bring his/her partner back? Who should be blamed?

These are the questions I hope the latest ABS-CBN Teleserye, The Legal Wife, would answer. Opening this January 27, 2014, starring Jericho Rosales, Maja Salvador, JC De Vera and Angel Locsin, after Got To Believe.

Finally, the long wait is over. :)

photo cto

Starting the year right with the Black Nazarene

                The moment 2014 came in, I knew, I already wanted to start the year right. I didn’t know how am I supposed to do it, I don’t even have any plan on what I am going to start with.

photo cto

                 Last January 1st, according to the news report, there had been several people who started their novena to the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila since its feast day will be on January 9. Yearly, I remember reports, images, photos and stories of how miraculous the Black Nazarene is and how devotees show their great devotion to the Nazareno. And so I made up my mind that this year, I want to be part of the said feast.

                Just like in previous years, the Nazareno was brought to the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta and will be returned on the 9th day of January in Quiapo church. Traditionally, people would follow the procession from the Grandstand back to the church. Then the devotees, along the way, would try to touch the image, throw a hanky or a towel and have it wiped through it, or at least hold the rope attached to it. Seeing that huge number of people on the road with the Nazareno, I knew, I can not just jump into that sea composed of people dying to feel or have a glimpse of it. So I decided to go directly to the church and just attend a mass.

                And so I went to Quiapo church. As expected, it wouldn't be so easy for me to be able to get inside the church quickly. It was a struggle. It took me almost an hour just to get inside. When I got in, the mass was just about to start. During the mass, I was asking myself if it was already okay that I wasn't able to touch the image of the Black Nazarene. I was wondering. Then the priest during the homily told us that, the essence of the feast is by listening to the message of the Lord; that attending the mass is much more important than touching the image. I felt glad that I did. And I guess, I started the year just right. :)

                After the mass, it took me another almost an hour to get outside of the church. J

Carrie 2013

            I looked forward in watching Carrie the time I learned it will be having its remake this year. It felt excited because I always knew that the movie is really scary since I was able to watch the previous and original adaptation when I was younger. I could still remember how much I got scared when I watched the movie during the 90s. And so the other day, I watched it on the big screen.

            Originally based on the 1974 novel by Stephen king, this time, Carrie 2013 took us to a modern setting of the story. Starring Chloe Grace Moretz as Carrie White, played the girl in her senior year in high school that possesses telekinetic powers and has a very religious mother (Julianne Moore). She is being bullied in school by some popular girls, Chris (Portia Doubleday) and Sue (Gabriella Wilde). Realizing her fault and to make it up to Carrie, Sue asked her boyfriend, Tommy (Ansel Elgort) to take Carrie to the prom. Highlight of the film was when Tommy attended the prom with Carrie and had a good time. But Chris, her boyfriend and her other friends, made sure to ruin the night for Carrie by pouring a pail of pig’s blood on Carrie and Tommy when they were crowned as the Prom King and Queen and showed a video of Carrie freaking out. She was humiliated and all the people in the event laughed at her. With all the anger she was feeling, Carrie avenged to everyone using her telekinetic powers in killing most of the people there including Chris. Later on the film, she also killed her mother and Carrie died through the falling rocks and stones that crushed their house.

            I always believed that Carrie has been a part of the movie history as one of the scariest film ever but this recent remake of the movie made me feel disappointed. There was no doubt that Julianne Moore delivered well, but the other artists, I am not sure if they were good enough, maybe they do. The storytelling was a little dragging. I don’t know if I am just already mature for this super power kind of movie, but I almost didn’t feel any goose bump. My friends and I went to watch Carrie anticipating for a real horror flick but it turned out we just wasted our money for it didn’t reach our expectation from the movie. I did not feel terrified the way I felt during the first two movie adaptation of the novel. 

            Oh well. Maybe next time, we must read reviews first before finally catching this kind of movie on cinema. Still, Carrie is Carrie.

           

Pinoy Films: OTJ and Lihis

            Just a week ago, I was able to catch two (2) Pinoy Films, OTJ: On The Job and Lihis. Meaning, this post may have come a little too delayed. ;)

            Directed by Erik Matti, starring Piolo Pascual, Gerald Anderson, Joel Torre, Joey Marquez and many more, OTJ which was distributed by star cinema, is a film that tackles high crimes in the country that involves government officials, military men and prisoners.

            The story is about murder cases committed by hired killers from prison, Tatang (Joel Torre) and apprentice Daniel (Gerald Anderson). These cases were first handled by a police officer, Sgt. Acosta (Joey Marquez) which was then transferred to NBI, and was passionately attended by Atty. Francis Coronel (Piolo Pascual). As these two law enforcers tried to search for answers and the murderers, they found out that it was the job and business of a high ranking military man, Gen. Pacheco (Leo Martinez) and with the knowledge of a corrupt government official, Cong. Manrique (Micheal De Mesa).

            I think the actors played well the whole time during the film as they were able to convince me with their characters. There is no doubt that Mr. Torre may receive awards from his portrayal as Tatang. It was unusual, but it was good to see Gerald Anderson played a dark character as a hired killer. Although full of emotions, Joey Marquez as the police officer gave some hilarious scenes which lightens the movie. Piolo Pascual the NBI agent being trained to do dirty jobs by his father-in-law, played by Micheal de Mesa, provided the sex appeal of a man fighting to do what is right. 

            What I dislike about the film are the scenes that don’t seem to be important but were included; like those sex scenes which I thought took so much time as to what it was supposed to be. The texture was already close to or can already be compared to a commercial movie. As a whole, the film deserves all the recognition that it has been getting.

            I find the story relevant as it seems to depict a real life situation in our country that we, Filipinos, may not have knowledge about. It seems that the makers of the film are trying to convey a message about the illegal system of some government officials that are not divulged to us. I hope this serves as an eye opener for everyone to become vigilant in terms of what are happening I our country.

The other movie, Lihis, is an indie film which stars Jake Cuenca, Joem Bascon, Lovi Poe, Isabelle Daza and Gloria Diaz.

            The story is about the struggles and acceptance of a forbidden love – gay relationship in a rebel or communist group during the 1980s. The story of the gay couple was brought up by a history teacher/journalist, Ada (Isabelle Daza), the daughter of Ka Jasmine (Gloria Diaz, Lovi Poe) and Ka Domeng (Joem Bascon) as she searched for the truth about a massacre in an old town during the rebellion in Marcos’ regime. It was later revealed that her father had an affair with his comrade, Ka Jimmy (Jake Cuenca), which he later chose over her mother (Lovi Poe).

            While I thought it was just focusing on the LGBT theme, I believe it also shows the cruelty of the government towards media people and trying to hide the truth among nation’s people nowadays. The movie also illustrates the great effort of those rebels to survive while hiding in the mountains as they show their resistance against the government during the 80s. 

            As gay couple, Jake and Joem played well with their characters and in their intimate scenes. There were no signs of hesitations as they exposed so much flesh. Lovi Poe perfectly fits to play as a strong willed woman and showed her sexiness with her intimate scenes with Joem. Even as a newbie, I think Isabelle Daza’s acting was already satisfactory. What I just didn’t like about the film was some irrelevant scenes, like Isabelle’s sexy scene with Alex Castro, which were included in the movie.

 

            Overall, I think the film was good, it was okay. I like the fact that it imparts the message of acceptance among gays or same-sex affairs even during the time of rebellion and what love can do to protect your people.