As I write this blog entry polar ice caps are melting significantly in the arctic and antarctic regions. Polar bears, penguins and sea lions are palpitating about their changing habitats and basically how to save their lives and their youngs from the consistent thawing of ice where they used to sing and dance their lives out. (Poor Mumble!) Eons ago this melting drama happened at the conclusion of ice age and will make its grand comeback.

And what would humans become of this complete turn around of events. Living things’ capacity to adapt to its environment would be put to test for sure. Charles Darwin left a legacy of trying to explain and stir Christianity by presenting his theory of evolution; just as remarkable as his theory is the fact that he left among us, in our time, a question a few men have tried to explore. Would humans continue to evolve? We will. (Said who?) Me. Hehe (Uh, okay! Curtains down please the show is over!!!) Okay let me try to expound my hypothesis.

The smell of rain constantly effuses a feeling that resembles those days in June. This is not the rainy season maybe but the drizzle for three consecutive days makes us feel that we’re up to days of tripping down damp passages and eternal longing for lukewarm baths. The teacher said it was too early for summer’s ending and that if there are really sunny days to speak of for the past months this should not be the time to end it. He has a scheduled vacation in Palawan after the Holy Week he boasts. And everybody was envious of course.

Back at home, the memory of summer’s ending is quite downbeat. It was like a mourning of the complete departure of solitary walks to feel the coarseness of the warm sand during afternoons and the endless dipping in the brackish waters of the nearby river during high tide. It was also because of the grown fear of tempests that brought long days of heavy rains and the necessary in-door predilections that breathe a momentary discreet attitude among souls. Continuous outpouring would make dams overflowing with rain water and because we’re near the outlet rivers our lives became prone to soak-yourself-in-floodwaters-in-eternity life. Part-smile and part-frown for the devastation and it makes us love the place more. I don’t know why.

I wished I have the fortitude to inquire about the pain. I should have tried to reciprocate and shared in your affliction. You seemed so distant and you’re looming in trickles of despair. I might have conquered the distance albeit immeasurable and an eternal journey. But none of me. None of the begotten temerity that cast awe and splendor among eyes of hallowed. None of the kindness and compassion that made sheaves of comfort among barren spheres. I wished I had you here beside me, in this studio, and feel with me this silence. As I try to hum the melodies of time and space to transport the oblivious and elusive memories of you.

Once in a history class in the university, we had this nun-teacher-activist who posed this question to us: “Is there still hope for the Philippines?” (hope as in what hope?). All was turbid except for one who had the guts to stand up and give what is the what. She stood up and surprisingly answered that there’s none and mentioned about the culture inherent in Filipinos-of our tendency to forget things, to forget our history. The nun-teacher-activist necessarily flared up-as to what degree? I can only retrieve the 100 decibel-high-pitched-tone-which-vibrated-and-echoed-round-the-halls-of-the-building memory of that history teacher. We’re all shocked but Aveline who managed to stay put with all the composure of a courtroom lawyer who had just been reprimanded by a judge. As for the teacher, she never regained her consciousness, I mean her cool, and made a pulsating sermon up in her imagined pulpit for the rest of the period. The gist of it all, is that she was so frustrated and disappointed to hear such answer from young people like us. She told us that it was so unnerving to see such gloomy and negativist thinking in this era where all that we have to do is to sit beside our tables and eat the fruits of democracy. She is so disappointed because it’s as if all the efforts of our heroes who endured and battled wars to defend our sovereignty were just put into waste.

Venal Institutions

People in the Philippines are all the more stupefied by the rise and fall of fundamental institutions. Just lately the definitive factory of these emerging and venal institutions is no less than the political-turned-boxing arena (a clear affirmation of their true being and purpose). These institutions are so outlandish in their form and the dynamism they reveal before Juan dela Cruz is staggering . . . Really, they may be called the “sign of the times.”

Worth mentioning are the following:

1. According to Sen. Santiago: the High Court is but a “Company of Idiots.” Although, one can never tell, if this high-toned language was made in her lucid interval. This may be another chimera, a hallucination brought out by the fact that she’s nominated to be a part of the “company” she’s referring to; she’s nominated to be the head of the Doc30001_1 idiot cluster. However, we can’t discount the fact that she may disguise herself as the foreteller this time as the High Court’s independence is constantly befuddled with the lingering interests of politicians.

It differs across cultures and objects. Our perception, basically, is the filter to what our senses need or need not. Scientifically, threshold would relate to our sensory perceptions: seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling or tasting.

Sociologically speaking, threshold is much related to pain and suffering as an object with the sense of feeling at the foreground. You may hear, see , smell or taste pain and suffering vicariously but to feel it yourself is a totally disparate sphere.

Once in a TV show where contestants are forcibly tormented to soak themselves in a swarm of decomposing coelenterates, the dunce host proudly cheered: “Oh c’mon you can do that, that’s a piece of cake!” (Duh? Why don’t you try it yourself!) The dumb really does a petitio principii; begging off the question while couch potatoes the world over do the most disgruntled of looks.

Note from Prof. delos Reyes:

Thanks Det! Hold on and persevere. I am confident that you will have a bright future. Take care!

Dear Ma'am,

My bowing has yet to improve. The music of my violin doesn't satisfy me. I will yet to settle on playing vicariously on my pc. . .am playing now edelweiss and moon river. . .The music is infectious but comforting. The wind is blowing hardly on the leaves of the tree outside my window. . .the holidays. . .fast approaching. See you soon.

A nightmare in a law student's life (it's supposed to be "student of law" but i'm digressing at the moment. . .)

None, absolutely! (So, why are you in a state of commotion?) They say that lawyers are plain liars. (So, why bother the facts?) Lincoln once said: “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.” (So the logic goes!!!, why the banter?). Lawyers may lie a thousandfold it’s their right.. .(Go lie at the Queen’s taste!!!). . .Never do this to a companero this will appear to be a dim-witted joke. (Go figure!!!)… “Bolsheviks!!!”