Two Navels?

The Woman Who Had Two Navels by Nick Joaquin...

Some inspirational, scrupulous and significant lines in the novel:

"Politics in the Philippines, Mr. Monson, is ninety percent scandal mongering" said by Macho Escobar

" She (Concha Vidal) was apparently a good wife and a devoted mother, but people regarded her as a lecherous woman and (since no one could really pin a thing on her) a sly one"

"But I don't dress up for them, I dress up for God. I'm still trying to catch his eye... But I'm a woman Father...and I'm sure God meant us to be beautiful, like roses and peacocks and diamonds. He must love that sort of thing or he wouldn't have troubled to create such a lot of them. I don't understand why you men won't honor the labors of women to make themselves lovely. Beauty is a virtue too-or, anyway, a responsibility. A rose that was ugly had disobeyed God. And I'm sure I'm just as serious in being beautiful as a rose is-or as yourself, Father, in being holy. It would be criminal of a woman, of course, to use her beauty for unholy ends-but even that isn't the great sin. The great sin would be for her to think that God didn't care whether she was beautiful or not. That would be insulting the Holy Ghost, that would be the unforgivable sin. And I have not yet committed it" - Concha Vidal

"I can't see Connie unless she comes to me first...Oh Father, can we really end up hating the people for whom we have made sacrifices?" - Concha Vidal

"There's no peace in a dream-world...because dream-worlds don't last" - Father Tony Monson

"Why should I pity you, Mother?... I'm not the fruit of your pity. I'm your vanity and your malice and your cruelty and your lust. I'm the fruit of all the evil you carry in you. That was what you bore when you bore me. And I am what you'll have to swallow until you die" - Connie Escobar

"We are two women who have only our men in common and you have set yourself up as my judge...Connie; you don't want to be saved. It's you that's the coward and the cheat and the liar and though you go around playing the poor betrayed innocent it is we who are your victims, it is we you have been betraying ever since you found our world too much for you. And you haven't missed a chance, Connie - you've never missed a chance to show us up...because you wanted all the world to know what they were saying" - Concha Vidal

"I want to be standing...I become afraid when I'm sitting down or lying down. Please let me stand here a moment with you, Father. I'm not so afraid when I'm standing up" - Concha Vidal

"Why shouldn't people delude themselves? Why shouldn't they live in dream-worlds? What's so wonderful about reality that people should be obliged to face it?" - Connie Escobar

"Well, I never knew that adultery was just another name for salvation. Remind me to try it sometime. And if adultery, why not murder-why not all the crimes there are?" - Rita Lopez

"The bigger the crime, the deeper the need for salvation, and the more heroic the repentance. Without sin there can be no repentance-and, therefore, no upheaval or transfiguration or growth of the spirit" - Father Tony Monson
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This is a story about a stubborn and relentless rich girl, Connie Escobar...
Actually, she doesn't have two navels (it's really impossible), it only portray her childishness, lies and petty insights about life.
The story's setting was in Hong Kong and the era after war (1940's or 1950's). It has a few characters.
Like Rizal's novels, Joaquin focused on the characters' personalities and stories, that's why the novel has some flashbacks.

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly, and listen to others,
even to the dull and ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be
greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career
however humble;
it is a real possession in the
changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you
to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit
to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore, be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham,
drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

by Max Ehrmann


Desiderata
The Confused History of Desiderata
Desiderata on Wikipedia

This is my favorite inspirational prose poem...


I was in my senior high school when I first encounter this astonishing prose poem. At first, I didn't bother to read it all over again since I precisely got the meaning and message of the poem. My problem in high school was that I didn't appreciate any form of literature, no matter how beautiful it was. But now, I really appreciate the essence of literature in our life. Just like a music, it could catalyse our feelings and possessions. It could also encourage a person to do something, think someone, reminisce, believe a certain principle and... perhaps could change the totality of a person. Back to Desidarata, I frequently read this poem just for a piece of inspiration and advice. So that I could attain happiness... And that's one of the great powers of Literature!!!

E-jeep

New King of the Road : E jeepney

This was powered by Greenpeace-Philippines. I didn't doubt to ride on it when I saw this amazing jeep in front of ust main building. Its appearance was really an eye catching since it was colorful, shorter than a typical jeep, and has a different form and structure. I feel comfortable inside this jeep because it has no clamor sound and it doesn't produce toxic gas... I wish that electric jeeps will dominate the roads here in the Philippines after a few years from now... It's really beneficial not only to our mother earth, but also to our health, transporation and probably to Philippine economy.

Sikat na si Inocencia "Inday" Binayubay, ang sosyal na katulong

Inday on Relativism and Disagreement:

Narinig ni Ederlyn na nagtatawanan si Inday at Dodong habang kinakain nila ang nilutong Paella ni Inday kaya dumaan sya sa harap ng dalawa at nagparinig…

Ederlyn: Hoi Dodong! Ambabaw mo talaga. Nabola ka naman nyang si Inday eh ang korni korni naman nya. At bakit kinakain mo yan? Dog food ba yan?

Haharapin ni Inday si Ederlyn ng nakapameywang…

Inday: It has often been proposed that claims about what is funny, delicious, or likely are “subjective,” in the sense that their truth depends not only on how things are with the objects they explicitly concern, but on how things are with some subject not explicitly mentioned. This thought is supported by the striking degree to which we differ in our judgments about these matters.

Inday: If there are wholly objective properties of funniness, deliciousness, or likelihood, then most of us must be defective in our capacity to detect them. We are humor-blind, or taste-blind, or likelihood-blind, in much the same way that some of us are color-blind. But this diagnosis clashes with the way we think and talk about these domains. In our judgments about what is delicious, we lack the humility color-blind people show in their judgments about what is red or green. We do not seem to regard the fact that many others disagree with us as grounds for caution in calling foods delicious. We readily judge things to be funny in light of our own senses of humor, even though when challenged we can offer no grounds for thinking our senses of humor are the “right” ones. We readily judge things to be likely in light of what we know, even while acknowledging that our knowledge is only partial, and that others may know more than we do.

Ederlyn: Syet… talo na naman ako.

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Inday on Meal Request:

Isang araw ay tinanong ni Inday kung ano ang gustong hapunan nila sir.

Inday: Junior, what do you want for dinner?

Junior: Worms!!! (excited na pagkasabi)

Inday: Ok, how about you madam?

Ma’am: Elephant!! (Hehehe)

Inday: Very well, and you sir?

Sir: Fish lang… na may spiders and worms. (ngumingisi pa)

Inday: Alright!

Pumunta na sa kusina si Inday para ihanda ang kanilang hapunan.

Makalipas ang isang oras, nasa hapagkainan na ang pagkain nila.

Inday: Ok Junior, here’s your meal! Asparagus with Worm Tarragon Vinaigrette.

Hindi makapaniwala si Junior sa kanyang nakita at kakainin.

Inday: And for you madam, here’s your Elephant soup with mirepoix served with Italian bread.

Di maipinta ang mukha ni misis habang tinutusok tusok nya ng tinidor ang elephant meat.

Inday: Lastly, for you sir, I prepared this Soba risotto with Fugu or what is commonly known as pufferfish. (muntik ng malunok ng amo nya ang kanyang dila) Don’t worry sir, I am licensed to prepare that delicacy. Also enjoy this deep fried spider legs with lime yoghurt dip and sauteed mopani worms.

Sir: Ahh… wala ba tayong corned beef na lang?

Inday: Nonsense! Seldom in your life can you eat such exotic dishes so simply enjoy this experience. Bon Apetit!

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Inday's Education:

• De LaSalle University (Business Management, scholar)
• Ateneo de Manila Law School
• University of the Philippines (MS in Civil Engineering, major in Structural Engineering)
• Asian Institute of Management
• Training Center for Culinary Arts (affiliate chef)
• University of Santo Tomas (BS in Nursing)
• Oxford University (BA in English and Literature - 1 year only)

Highschool: P. Gomez Highschool (Valedictorian, Best in English)
Elementary: Sta. Monica Elem. School (Valedictorian, Best in Dancing)

Awards:

• TOYM awardee (2006)
• Nobel Prize winner (2006)
• Pulitzer Award for Literary Arts (2007)

Hahaha! how funny..

Want to read Inday's Blog? Blog ni Inday

Her biodata and resume: Biodata ni Inday

I'm Abyssinian according to go-to-quiz

What Type Of Cat Are You? Your Result: Abyssinian   Lively and intelligent. bysinnians come across quiet at first but are very loyal to friends. They are also very intelligent. They are calm and like to relax with friends. And like o stretch their brains. ( become more intellectual)
Maine Coon
British Short Hair
Ragdoll
Persian
Siamese
What Type Of Cat Are You? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

My Random Image

Which Random Image are you?
Name:
Age:
Favorite Color
You are:
This cool quiz by Reaper - Taken 568097 Times.

New - Kwiz.Biz Astrology and Horoscopes

The Best Color

Best color
Ok..this is a test of the poll majig for this site, so lets try it out, shall we?
	Red	4554
	Orange	2128
	Yellow	1023
	Green	4403
	Blue	7309
	Purple	3259
	Black	5378
	White	446
	Gold	261
	Silver	818
	This Poll by thedemonprinz
Click here to view current results

Mine is Red. What's yours?

Isang Milyong Aklat, Isang Milyong Pangarap

Do you know that...
-More than 2 million Filipino students can't read
-More than 20% of Philippines' public high school students cannot understand what they are reading
-That in High School Readiness Test (HRET) given by Department of Education to 1st year high school students all over the Philippines, less than 2% was able to get a score of 75%or higher
-That many public schools all over the Philippines don't have adequate public school libraries and enough books for students to read

But it is true that we can do something about this Growing Problem...

The Acts of Hope for the Nation (AHON) Foundation (the corporate social arm of Filway Marketing, Inc.) and K.I.D.S Foundation (the foundation established by actor Diether Ocampo) together with Campaigns and Grey and Pizza Hut have joined forces to launch Isang Milyong Aklat, Isang Milyong Pangarap

Isang Milyong Aklat, Isang Milyong Pangarap is a campaign that aims to raise a million books for our public schools all over the country. Through this campaign, the foundation hopes to be able to help put more books into 300 public school libraries that will benefit over 1 million students.

If you would like to donate books (preferably reference materials, dictionaries, storybooks, novels and science books) or volunteer your time and skills to make this happen, please send an email at isangmilyonaklat@gmail.com. You can also help by passing this email on your friends or posting it in your blog! (just like this)

Links: AHON's foundation website, Transit

The term "Nerd"!

What Be Your Nerd Type? Your Result: Science/Math Nerd   (Absolute Insane Laughter as you pour toxic chemicals into a foaming tub of death!) Well, maybe you aren't this extreme, but you're in league with the crazy scientists/mathmeticians of today. Very few people have the talent of math and science is something takes a lot of brains as well. Thank whosever God you worship, or don't worship, so thank no deity whatsoever in your case, for you people! Most of us would have died off without your help.
Literature Nerd
Social Nerd
Musician
Artistic Nerd
Drama Nerd
Gamer/Computer Nerd
Anime Nerd
What Be Your Nerd Type? Quizzes for MySpace