When I was an alien

Drowning myself to the addictive music of Nevermind while relaxing after those dreadful hours in class -- that’s how I usually spend my time with the laptop. Days grew by and alienation really is conquering me seriously. Next track: Come As You Are. As the weird guitar sound exhumes my inner thoughts, the deeper I feel the pain that has been there for a long time. 2 years, I think.

Memory, yeah… It echoes in my mind.

Almost 2 years and yet boredom is still there. Excitement is dead, just like punk or grunge. Fads rise in the airwaves and I am sick of it. I am not a hater but it is a vexation in me. And the worst part of that? I always hear it every day- whether in school or inside the mall. And suddenly, all things had gone quiet. Everything is very calm. No sound of distress around calling me for an errand or to do something. I turned off the music. The silence is too loud. Crystal clear. The wind outside the window breezes coolly as ever. Still thinking those stupid thoughts in my head, I comforted myself as I lay in my bed and look at the ceiling, staring as if it were made in a transparent glass, hence, like looking at the stars amidst the obscure skies of Metro Manila.

I suddenly stumbled upon an old suitcase that I always bring during my high school days; the trademark of my rudeness during those days. I tagged it as the keeper of all important things in my life, just like a treasure chest abandoned for years. I opened it up. The scent of old papers and ink oscillated in my nostrils. Dusts covered some of those memories hidden: those sketches I used to draw when I was bored while waiting for the next teacher, the projects where our group got the highest grade in the class, the certificates from the art contests and quiz bees, my high school diploma with my name and rank in our whole batch, included there is the certificate for a prestigious leadership award that I got during my graduation.

All of these are fragments of my past which is unknown to some. I don’t conceal them as secrets but I am not publicizing it to my friends either. As I closed that plastic suitcase, my sadness deepened and pierced me so much. Seems like those people that I have been close for 4 years are now so far away as we lead and direct our own paths to our own goals and dreams.
I just smiled when I saw a post in Facebook that sounds like this:

Di porket di na tayo close, wala na akong pakialam sa iyo.

Seems legitimate, especially to my situation.

It’s like lightyears. The near is still so far and it deceives me so much.

And all of these things still bothers me up to now.

(Infinite silence… Close my eyes… Search beyond my dreams.)
(*The title is taken from a line in the Nevermind album. Guess?)

Why Miriam? Why.

“I commend your ignorance"-MDC

The impeachment trial, admit it or not, would have been a bit boring without this hailed senator who, according to some, spews fire in the August Chambers with mixture of terrifying ire that always hits the instant headline news. Viewers were caught by this unseeming, or should say “unlimited” energetic pundit incomparable to her colleagues at the Senate. Result? Her rising blood pressure. The most notable one is her one-on-one encounter with Atty. Aguirre from the prosecution panel.


Anyway, let’s not count how many incidents Miriam used her fiery tongue to disprove and criticize the doubtful and suspicious acts of the prosecution team nor shall we talk about her life and achievements for it will take us ages before we can finish. Since the impeachment trial has already been put to a close, let us just move on and get going for it will only hamper progress . As we all know, MDS has been recently appointed as a judge of the International Criminal Court, such a distinction to the sublime senator who is also a skilled lawyer by profession. Last December 2011, the Filipino people embraced the good news and congratulated her for it is the first time in history that a Filipino made it to the position as such. And yet, without thinking twice, she made a remarkable decision that she will sit on and finish first the impeachment trial before vacating her position in the Senate and go to the Hague in order to fulfill her duties there. Sacrifice has to be made, I might say.


As we witnessed her stance on the trial for the past few months, we saw a Miriam who is determined to uphold the glory of what is truly on the law and in the Constitution . She made it to point that she even dissented and stood for what she believed is just for the chief magistrate. And guess what? Many people went nuts. Do I need to explain it further?


First, we don’t have to take personally what Miriam have said because she is just doing her part as one of the senator-judges. It is very saddening that many people raged their frustrations and hence wanted her to be out of the ICC. It is as if they try to show to ICC that Santiago is really unfit to uphold such position even though her track records had already disproved that. While the impeachment trial is on-going, petitions online coming from a minority group called U.S. Pinoys for Good Governance cited that the behavior the senator showed is very disturbing and thus she was tagged by them as "psychologically unstable," "lacking in patience and empathy," and "ruthless with the feelings of fellow human beings". For me, being ballistic is not subject to be considered as psychologically unstable. Her words may have hurt others yes, but seriously, would you take it personally? It is a trial in a sui generis court, not showbiz. Kampi-kampihan ba? To those who wanted her to be out of ICC, well, I hope you can do that but hey, you berate the ICC as well as if they did not carefully studied the background of Miriam. They have high standards mind you and an initiative like that will not be successful if your expectations say so.


My friends, lets just support her instead of bringing her down. Mga Pilipino talaga oh. •