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an apology letter to BBC (and to people who "get it")

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it has been over a year since the unnecessary and absurd outrage over teri hatcher’s line on desperate housewives and here we are again, fuming mad over alleged racism remarks and actions done over BBC’s comedy sketch program, harry and paul.  extremely conservative filipinos are up in arms crying for blood after what they claimed “the show did to humiliate, disgrace, demean, and reduce to sex objects those hardworking filipina women in the UK.”  signature campaigns were launched left and right and even called for the network to publicly apologize for their potrayal of our countrymen on that particular program.

 

being one person who gets it, i say to the executives of BBC, the producers, writers, and actors of the show harry and paul, and to everyone else who also understands and gets it, i humbly apologize for the actions of my fellow filipinos–every single one of them–who are giving you unnecessary and negative publicity over such a mundane issue.  apparently, they don’t understand the concept of a comedy sketch show (or, in the case of desperate housewives, a joke made in jest).  those people who are clamoring for an apology from BBC are the same ones who riled up NBC over the desperate housewives issue (which in the end, NBC did apologize which i think was not necessary and is uncalled for).  i apologize for their primitive reasoning, onion-skinned sensitivity, and stone-age naivity.  i know for a fact that you have potrayed different nationalities and races on the harry and paul show in quite the same manner, but the network did not receive the same reaction from their citizens compared to what my fellow countrymen have shown.  apparently, they would laugh at the segment if the person in the scene involved wasn’t a filipino, but they’ll cry foul if it was.  that’s how one-sided minds those people have.  those are the same filipinos who demand for their relatives on death row being found guilty of crimes committed in a foreign country to be sent home and be spared, but when a foreigner was found guilty in the philippines of the same crime and sentenced to the same fate, the families of the victims are moving heaven and earth to prevent the accused from being sent home to their motherland even if their governments are asking us to send them back home.  with this, i implore you, executives of BBC to please not take what NBC did and issue a public apology.  doing so is a step backwards in logical thinking.  i say again, there is nothing wrong with what was potrayed in the show.  it was funny and hysterical.  i’m just saddened by old-school thinking people saying otherwise.

 

i’m very proud to call myself a filipino and be one.  it is just in very petty situations such as this (other than local showbiz, stupid tv network wars, and filipino politics) that i bow my head in shame.  my only wish is that one day, all of us would understand that not everything art imitates is based on real-life situations, and vice-versa so that we may all appreciate a good comedy, a good soap opera, or even a good movie regardless of who or what race is potrayed.

sticking my head out

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it’s been exactly one month since i last posted, and i won’t let september pass by without posting a single entry, so here i am, reminding everyone that i’m still around.  honestly speaking, i’ve been thinking and re-thinking of what to blog about the past couple of weeks, but i guess all bloggers including me experience episodes of creative vacuum so to speak.  i know, i mentioned posting about a list of who for me are the most beautiful and scorching hot women, but i’m thinking of pushing that back to a more appropriate time.  and even when that would be, i’m also not sure of.  now, there were also a lot of things that have happened which centered around current events that i have my own opinion on, and maybe this would be quite the proper time to express my sentiments on.
 
firstly, the outrage over fuel prices not low enough, or that oil companies have not rolled back the pump prices back to where it was back in april this year.  i don’t see why the transport sector is up in arms about this.  it’s basic business philosophy.  c’mon, every businessman in the world you ask would agree that once prices of any basic commodity goes up, even if market forces were the reason behind the rise and decline of it, prices would never, ever go back to where they were before it started to rise.  it’s an unwritten rule.  i mean, kudos goes to independent player unioil for having the guts to implement a three-peso rollback on their prices, but that’s their call.  and why is the big three being pressured to follow suit?  they don’t have to.  holding protest rallies in front of their offices won’t make them budge the slightest.  that’s the power of deregulation.  consumers have the power of choice.  all you transport groups who do nothing but complain can gas up only at unioil for all we care.  when oil companies roll back their prices, what does those transport groups do?  complain that the rollback is not good enough.  SHUT THE F**K UP AND TAKE IT!  better than having a rollback than nothing at all.  as for people like us, we do what we do best and which i think you should follow:  roll with it.
 
secondly, all this brouhaha over the reproductive health bill, and how the catholic church vehemently opposes it.  i being a catholic, support the bill.  i don’t see the church’s point of forcing–and i do mean forcing–everyone to follow suit.  the church’s role is to guide, teach and preach.  i respect their stand against the bill, but they should also show respect the same way to the people who are for it.  they shouldn’t condemn or excommunicate catholics for supporting freedom of choice.  first off, the bill doesn’t mean that there’ll be abortion outright, but it would provide families and couples different options on which family planning method is right for them.  i’m crying foul on allegations that priests or bishops saying that those who support the bill shouldn’t receive holy communion.  having been schooled in catholic institutions, i have also learned to realize that religion is personal.  meaning what matters is one’s own relationship with God.  the church as a whole (which includes priests, holy mass, etc.) are added instruments in enriching your personal relationship with God.  so what i’m saying is that i do hope the church respects the position of those who favor the bill because they respect the position of the church for opposing it.  this is not an issue where holy war needs to be declared.  let what’s the common good for the people prevail.  in the end, we all eventually pay for the sins we commit and reap the harvest of what we have done good, right?
 
that’s about it for now.  nothing new with my personal life, so there’s no surprise there.  i’ve been enjoying the rainy weather lately.  i wish that it would rain everyday, but that’s wishful thinking.  hopefully i’ll be blogging on a regular basis again.  i’d like to end with a funny, but quite truthful quote i received this past week:  “they say practice makes perfect, but nobody’s perfect, so why practice?”
 

a tale of two sms conversations

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you may very well call this entry the sequel to the previous one.  just when things could go normally, those two women would pop up on the same day.  well, it’s not all that bad.  it’s just that i wished the other one came first.  in that way, i’ll end the day feeling better instead of having to carry this negative feeling before i go to sleep tonight.  yup, you guessed it, the conversations were polar opposites of each other.  though i may dwell on the latter too much, i’ll be doing so just to unload my frustrations at what happened.

anyhow, the first sms conversation came right about after lunch time.  i actually never thought donna would be texting me this soon after the friendster message exchange.  it started as a “sup?” message from her that led to conversations about her work and how she wanted to resign and take a break and have a small buy and sell business.  i touched briefly on her husband, as i told her that she can resign if she wants to because hubby can do the providing for both of them.  surprisingly, she didn’t elaborate any further just asked about how my family was doing.  she also mentioned how she missed my family and how she felt welcome everytime she came to visit my place (which was only twice).  in turn, i gave some advice about thinking thoroughly before she resigns from work.  in total, the conversation lasted for about a good 30 minutes because she had to get some sleep in preparation for her work tonight.  i again ended the conversation without any expectations, even though she told me, “text you later.”  i realized how an idiot i was before in wasting my time waiting for her to send me a message.  but to be honest, it felt good to hear from her again.

okay, on to the second one.  the HR girl, candee.  the exchange of messages started at around 5:30 in the afternoon.  i was thinking of not replying to her message again, just like i did in her three or four previous messages.  but i thought, well, if there will be some things that i need to tell her that i didn’t had the chance to do before, this would probably be that chance.  before, i used to save the messages so that i could give an exact running account of what was said.  i forgot to do that today because i didn’t expect that it would turn out this way.  so, using the messages on my “sent” folder, i’ll try to recreate the entire conversation.  for first time readers, i’m afraid you have to go and back read so that you can understand the history between us.  well, here goes:

candee:  you busy?

me:  why?

candee:  was hoping we could meet up in makati today.

me:  why?

candee:  nothing.

me:  nothing?  why, can’t your other “friends” go and meet you after you sent them a message that’s why you ended up texting me?

candee:  haha.  how are you?

me:  why, it’s true, isn’t it?  i’m always your last priority.  i was never high on your list.  but even so, i regarded and treated you more than how i did for my friends.

me (separate message):  i’ll never forget the last thing you asked of me.  you had the nerve to ask me to have your friend get accepted at our company otherwise you would forget me?  wow…

candee:  sorry… you still mad at me?

me:  and you text me like nothing ever happened?  and you know what, good thing there was someone who talked to me and admitted that you and this person were “special friends” during the time i was trying to ask you out and you claimed that you were single.  i guess that person was more honest to me than you were.  i don’t know what i did to you for me to deserve that dishonesty from you.  (take note, in that scenario, it wasn’t the real person who confronted me.  it was a concerned friend.  i was just trying to fish for some answers or whether she’ll admit it or not.)

candee:  i am single, up until now.  if that’s what you want to believe, i can’t do anything.  i never had a special friend except (name withheld for privacy reasons) from (department withheld for security reasons).  if that’s what you chose to believe in, it’s ok.  i’m sorry if you got hurt, or if i offended you in any way.

(finally, she admits it!)

me:  but you never told me about him.  had i known you were seeing him or that you two were “special friends,” i could’ve just walked away.  compared to him, i know i’m not like him. (this guy was tall and drop dead handsome)

candee:  what?  the time you were asking me out, we were not an item anymore.  it was messy.  i know i told you about that situation, but i didn’t give out his name.

me:  but the truth is, you were never even proud for having me even as a friend.  i don’t think you even did something the least bit special even if you saw me as just a mere friend.  and yet you know very damn well that i was head over heels for you, and admit it or not, you used that just to get the things you want from me.  free lunch, coffee, etc.

candee:  for saying that, you’re so thick-skinned (i can’t think of the exact way to translate it from the vernacular).  that’s all.  thanks, a**hole.

candee (separate message):  free coffee and lunch?  i can buy those, why, are they expensive for you?  i’ll pay you back.

i didn’t reply back anymore.  i should know better, the truth has finally hit her, and she just hit back blindly.  the last message just came a few minutes ago.  just then, i received from her all the messages i sent her, meaning exactly all the messages that were in my sent folder were sent back to me.  i suppose she was sending it to her friend(s) telling her what happened, i don’t know.  but, i don’t care and it doesn’t matter.  if history will be used, it’ll show that she was indeed guilty and i suppose the messages i sent her had it coming.  so, in closing, i’ll be posting my message–hopefully my final one–to her.  oh, and don’t get me wrong, anyone can read it.  because IT’S MY BLOG AND I CAN SAY WHATEVER THE HELL I WANT.

to candee:  yes, this is for you.  if you happen to chance upon this blog, then let me say this to you:  thank you.  yes, thank you.  for one, thank you for showing me your dishonesty.  for all those times you told me stories about you and your failed relationships while having one at the same time.  thank you for your honesty in admitting to me finally just now that you and your “special friend” are no longer an item while we were going out.  because let me add that it wasn’t him to confided everything to me, it was a dear concerned friend.  and based on that person’s track record, i would believe that person over what you’re claiming.  also, thank you for trust and confidence in me.  you were so confident in me that you did not want us to be seen in public when i would ask you out.  yet you don’t even want to be seen talking to me in front of my colleagues, or to my friends.  you trusted me by having me to wait for hours and hours until such time that lunch will be taken at three in the afternoon.  and most of all, thank you for being so dependable.  y
ou were so dependable that you would make excuses just so you won’t have to be seen when i would ask you to drop by my station.  remember the chocolates i “gave” you when i got back from the states?  i asked you to come over to my station so that i could give them to you personally, and yet you made excuses that you were busy and that i should be the one to bring them to you instead.  but i learned that you weren’t busy and you just didn’t want to be seen receiving something from me.  thank you.  thank you for being who and what you are.  without you, i wouldn’t be realizing what a big, f**king waste of time i’ve had in falling for you.  and lastly, thank you for doing all those special things for me.  they’re so special that i can’t remember what those are.  because they’re nothing.  because of you, i’m now a wiser, better person.  but i guess you’ve made many men more wiser and better persons after getting to know you.  i guess i should’ve just stuck to my gut feeling in the first place after meeting you.  what is that you ask?  well, to give you a hint, it’s one of the words i used to describe you in my previous entries.  i should’ve just thought about that and nothing else.  that way, i would’ve ended up a happier man, if you know what i mean.  but that’s ok.  so, thank you.  i couldn’t be more grateful to you.

there.  that felt a lot, lot better.  it’s mean, you say?  yes, i’ll admit.  at least i’m honest enough to handle the truth.  question is, does she?  anyway, tomorrow’s a brand new day.  and that’s one thorn off my back.

seriously, i really hope she gets to read this.

 

 

girls, girls, girls

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for some reason, people–women to be exact–who were linked to me in the past, somehow can’t seem to stay there.  i mean, not that i don’t have anything against old “flames” coming back, it’s just that when i finally have moved forward from a painful relationship that never materialized in the first place, these women magically crop up out of nowhere and catch me when i least expect it.
 
first incident:  this past saturday afternoon after logging in to check my friendster account, i was surprised to see “new messages” link on my profile home page.  now, rarely do i communicate through friendster so, i was quite elated and immediately clicked on the link.  it came from someone named “anghelica,” and the subject read, “hi!!!”  the thumbnail image beside the name contained a group picture, so i didn’t get to see who exactly was she.  i barely remember anyone with that name, so i curiously checked what the message was about.  translated, the exact entire message read:
 
“hi mark!! sup??? its been a long time!!! hehehe!! how are you?? how’s your family? i kinda missed them all of a sudden!!! lets keep in touch here is my cel num 09*********”
 
only a few people who are my real friends knew my family.  i then clicked on the name to check out the profile.  the main picture on the profile was still hardly recognizable due to the number of people on it, so i didn’t get to see where she was on that group.  but one photo on the picture gallery caught my eye and i immediately realized who it was.  it was donna, whom i last spoke to–well, through text–around the same time last year.  well, it wasn’t really quite on positive terms as the exchange of messages were kind of in an argumentative format.  she’s the same donna who, weeks after the exchange of those messages, i came to find out (through friendster nonetheless) that she got married.  i guess some of you who regularly follow my blog remember her, or how i put her up in quite a pedestal.  yes, it was her.  i kinda lost track for a couple of seconds after realizing that the message came from her, and then thought whether i should reply or not.  after giving it some thought that it’s been one year since our last “conversation,” and that she’s already married and there’s no way that a relapse of what happened a couple of years ago would happen, i decided to reply back.  it was a short reply, agreeing with her that it has been a long time since we’ve last spoken to each other and jokingly added that she got married and all without her telling me.  i also included my mobile number for good measure, since she first offered hers and ending it by telling her that she can call or text me anytime “as always.”  to tell you the truth, i’m not expecting anything out of that.  i mean, i got used to her “disappearing acts” before, so it’s nothing new.  it’s no big deal if she does or doesn’t contact me.  the only burning question is “why?”  why the sudden re-emergence?  why the sudden contact?  just like with the hundreds of other questions i have had with other women in my past, these would surely end up being unanswered, even in wishful thinking.
 
second incident:  a text message arrived on my mobile phone just before i was about to have lunch.  unlike the first incident, the message was a simple, “how are you?” translated in the vernacular.  and, unlike the first incident, this came from that, uh, how did i describe her in one of my previous postings?  hmmm, let’s see…  a “no-good, stupid, social-climbing, paris hilton-feeling, slutty whore-bitch.”  yep, that’s her.  the HR girl named candee.  there, i finally mentioned the name for the whole wide world to know.  and my reaction to her message?  pressing the delete button and eating my lunch.  good thing i didn’t lose my appetite.  ’nuff said about her.
 
it has been a weird (long) weekend and a weird start of the week so far.  “expect the unexpected,” as they always say.  but speaking of women, i’ve been thinking of having my own list of who in my book are the 10 most beautiful women in the world.  it’s a fantasy list i would aptly name, “markie’s angels.”  sounds corny, but i couldn’t think of any other way to describe the dream women for me.  and to give you a hint, the number one on my list right now is not filipina, though they so far dominate my list.  once i have it all figured out and finalized their rankings, i’ll take time to post them here complete with information, pics, and a short explanation as to why they are on that spot.  i’m single, so i guess it’s time to make this blog a single guy’s blog.
 
i guess my chances of having a relationship will be the same as me getting to have a date with any of the women i have on that list:  none.
 

unfortunate realization

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there’s a saying that goes, “you’ll realize the value of something once it is gone,” or something like that.  in my case, although i’m not in the graveyard shift anymore, i can’t help but compare the kind of customers i’m dealing with now than with my previous companies.  in other words, i miss the american customers.  yeah i know, i used to despise, curse, and call them horrible names before, but now that i’m dealing with my fellow countrymen, i couldn’t have imagined that things would turn out like this.
 
most american customers don’t know that the person they’ll be talking to at the other end of the line will be someone outside their homeland.  naturally–and sometimes–they’ll demand to speak with one of their own.  i mean, if i were in their shoes, i’ll be surprised myself.  even though it doesn’t give them the right to be “racist” sometimes and undermine filipino intellect and filipinos in general, i have come to understand that they are that way because they know little about our culture and vice versa.  but after having come across filipino customers who i consider my “brothers,” it saddens me to realize that we have a long way to go in behaving like civilized people.
 
just where exactly am i coming from?  comparing filipino and american credit card holders (which i’ve had the opportunity of dealing with both), i’m sorry to say that filipinos have a lot to learn in handling and managing their finances.  what i really, really, and i mean really hate the most are those customers who do name-dropping just to get their request processed without going through the proper channels.  one classic example:  “hey, i’m a close personal friend of your CEO, so i don’t care if your card delivery procedures take 10 days, you should honor my request immediately and have my credit card delivered to me today or i’ll personally bring this matter to him!”  another one goes:  “if you don’t waive the membership fee, i’ll talk to my friend who is the VP of your company and have you fired!”  believe me, there are lots and lots of people who claim that they are “friends” or “relatives” with the company’s higher ups and use them to make mundane requests.  and what’s the company’s policy when it comes across customers like those?  drop everything and attend to that complaint.  i mean, it’s absurd enough to even give in to the customer’s oblivious request, but for management to play hostage to the customer just because he or she knows someone from the company?  c’mon!!  imagine the kind of work we get done with that policy.  i mean, i don’t have anything against providing good customer service.  but the bottomline is you can’t please everybody.  if you try to do so, you’ll end up pleasing no one at all.
 
another example, and one i find utterly annoying is the type of filipinos who belong to the upper echelons, wealth-wise.  now tell me, how would you react to something like this:  “i’m a platinum credit card holder.  i have a PHP500,000 credit limit.  you should waive my membership fee because i’m a VIP.”  i mean, my god!  you have money to pay for your purchases amounting to the thousands, and yet you don’t have the nerve to pay your annual membership fee?  i ought to shove that credit card up your ass!
 
in the short time i have worked for the local call center, i have come across the weirdest and most insane requests.  i thought american customers were loonies.  but at least they have an understanding of the system (or at least most of them) and once procedure has been explained to them, they comply.   as a customer myself, i make it a point to follow procedure and not use shortcuts or bully my way into getting what i want.  unfortunately, filipino customers in general aren’t as mature as their american counterparts.  and until i see an improvement in that kind of behavior, i’m wishing that i’m still working for a US based call center.
 
and don’t even get me started on local filipino management…  that’s another mouthful right there.