A scourge of illness has come by fate,

A thread of misfortune wrapped in shade,

If truth be told then happiness will lie,

Inside are rumbles of riddles that cry,

Inside my heart are strings of sonata,

With words left dead in a world I rely,

Fragments of gems hidden aside,

With sheets of music dusted in time,

The sun stays lifeless in the middle air,

My body is hungry in the midst of despair,

My soul has escaped from what was alive,

A a ghost of my own haunts me inside.

“Of course, you also do wonder at times how it feels to be a rock star, but I look at fame and success as Frodo’s ring, it’s not for everyone.”

-Bob Ong

After releasing seven books, his identity remains a mystery for most readers. Sino nga ba si Bob Ong, or Roberto Ong? We all know him as an unusual Filipino author who is known for his reflective and humorous depictions of the Filipino life, but nothing goes beyond the pages of his best-selling books. I became a fan of him bago pa siya naging fan ng mga Jejemon, Emos at kung ano-ano pang uri ng nilalang sa mundo. He has a very wide fanbase.

I first read his book ABNKKBSNPLAko?! when I was in High School; it was a gift my sister bought me for my birthday. Since Aba, his books became a favorite among Filipinos of all classes, especially among students, and until know you still find him being quoted in text messages and through other forms of media.

Over the past nine years, his identity remains hidden. In an article published at Inquirer.net, Ong’s editor stated that even those who know him won’t admit that they do. The Visual Print Enterprises, Ong’s publisher, and Ong himself are fiercely protective of his identity.

If you look at it, Bob Ong has never really been a mystery to his readers. The best information about him can be found in the pages of his own books. His earlier works are considered the most personal. We may not know him by his real name, but we surely know him by heart.

As a child, Roberto Ong didn’t enjoy writing or reading as much as would be expected but learning is something he loved. Though not a stereotypical reader, he savored books and TV and found that his daily life gave way to pithy anecdotes brimming with perspective. After a failed attempt at a college degree, he went on to complete a two-year course in a vocational school and another course in writing. Ong worked as a web developer and a teacher and he wrote. Some stories in his books were written as early as 1999. He then began publishing his pieces online at the award-winning Bobong Pinoy website which helped him gather fans quickly. As he began getting serious into writing, his alter-ego was born¬– Bog Ong.

Many theories have been suggested about Ong’s true identity. A story came out that Bob Ong is just a group of writers, and that he’s just a mere product created for the mass-market. Paolo Manalo, a Filipino poet who teaches at the College of Arts and Letters in University of the Philippines, has also been suggested to be the person behind this mystery man, which he later then denied. It has also been theorized that Prof. Eros S. Atalia, graduate of Philippine Normal University and is now a teacher in the University of Santo Tomas, is Bob Ong.

 I chatted with a close friend earlier this morning, and asked if she knew anything about Bob Ong. Like him, she also was a pseudo-writer for a local publication in her province. I was surprised to find out that she actually has seen him in person. The only information I got from her was that he’s fat, well, not exactly how I pictured him. I tried to ask additional info but she failed to answer.

Hearing all these stories, it’s difficult to unravel the mystery behind Roberto Ong. As I was working on this article, I honestly did not expect finishing it with a definite answer to the question: Sino si Bob Ong? Instead, I learned a valuable lesson along the process of finding who he really is.

Bob Ong is a writer. What does a writer do? Writers write. They do not model themselves out like other normal celebrities would do, unless his main objective is to be famous. There’s always that one question a writer should ask himself whenever he has to decide of what he should do as a writer. He must ask himself: Why do I write?

Sources: http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/sim/sim/view/20060716-10060/The_mystery_begins_with_his_name-Bob_Ong_%28not_his_real_name%29

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Ong

For the past weeks, waking up in the morning meant facing another day of loneliness in life. The small crack I used to have bore a huge hole of emptiness inside me. I felt as if I was being eaten by own misery. Then, I began to think of that little crack I used to have, and wondered how I got where I was, of how I got that huge hole in the ceiling of my own house. How could have I not prevented it from getting bigger?

Sometimes we, ourselves, are the creators of our own problems, and that we choose not to fix them while they are still fixable. We wait for things to pile up in order for us to realize that it’s already too big for us to handle.

One of the best ways in improving one’s writing in today’s digital age is to blog. Madami-dami na ding nagblog-blog, kung sino-sino. It’s form of self-expression ika nga. Today, everyone can be a writer. I envy those who get to post at least five to six entries a week. I mean, these people have a lot so say about themselves.

I don’t know. Nahihirapan lang akong magsulat ng bagay na kulang sa research or anything that doesn’t make sense.

Naalala ko yung turo sakin when I took up creative writing– Write before you think.

Tama nga naman, and someone taught me that one has to be swift in thinking whatever he has to write or to say. It’s about being more spontaneous.

Writing is my form of self-expression. Nahihirapan akong i-express ang aking sarili verbally. My speech class was a heck of a struggle. Sana nasasabi ko lahat ng kaya kong isulat. Kung gano ako kalalim magsulat how I wish kayo ko din yun gawin when I open my mouth.

I actually have a speech problem. Ewan ko. Dahil ba yun sa ngipin kong parang yung sa manster sa plants vs. zombie. In the near future maayus din yun. I just save up for it.

Anyway going back to blogging. Wala naman akong gaanung masabi tungkol dito.

Nagbukas ito ng bagong platform for writers to express themselves better. I just wish that everyone could at least be responsible and productive in whatever they write about.

Pic source:

http://blogs.worldbank.org/files/governance/image/blog%20board.jpg

Months before graduation, I began to think of my career as a Journalism graduate and what would it feel like being independent. I finally got my first job a month after I finished college. Finding a job was not as difficult as what I expected it to be.

A good career should always have a good start. So, I listed down some of the things I could actually consider of doing in the future.

Everyone knows that writing for public affairs is not a lucrative job, neither is it one the safest. Practicing my actual profession, like going out of field to cover news reports, wouldn’t be and couldn’t be one of the safest jobs to have. Journalism in the Philippines is the second most dangerous place in the world. 2009 was a record year for journalist killings worldwide; At least 68 journalists were killed for their work, which almost half of it was largely driven by the election-related slaughter in Maguindanao. This actually happened when I took up my internship at The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ). It’s a risky job which I am not yet willing to take.

After taking up a short course in Advertising, I became more passionate about copywriting. I wanted a job where I can pour out my creativity. It’s something I’ve always enjoyed doing ever since I was small. The competition in the marketing industry is stiffer which makes it more challenging and interesting. However, I wasn’t able to break in Advertising world because apparently I still lack experience and I ran out of creativity during some of my interviews.

Others blog as a form of hobby, but today, people actually get paid to blog. The web introduced a new form of advertising which is done through sponsored post. I am not really sure how it works though. The hardest part I guess is to maintain ones readership which is the obvious generator of income for the writer.   

While looking for a job, I discovered a lot of opportunities for Journalism grads. Well, not just for my course, but those who belong to field of Mass Communication. There are actually a lot of opportunities out there. Technical writing jobs and editing jobs are offered by Knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) companies like EMCI, Net Dimensions, Lawson, Deltek and SM Prime Holdings.  

It was last summer when I first learned about KPOs. Wikipedia defines KPO as a form of outsourcing, in which knowledge-related and information-related work is carried out by workers in a different company or by a subsidiary of the same organization, which may be in the same country or in an offshore location to save cost. Basically, it’s BPO only that requires a person to have a specific field of expertise.

I currently work as a Copy Editor (CE) for a KPO company in Makati. My job as a CE is to edit Physics Journals for the American Institute Physics. Copy Editing isn’t something I am looking forward to of doing in the next five years of my career as Journalist. I only consider it as a good start for my career as a venture into other jobs in the future.  

References:

http://www.pinoypress.net/2009/12/18/after-ampatuan-massacre-2009-a-record-year-for-journalist-killings-worldwide/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge_process_outsourcing

http://coursesandcareer.com/CareerAdmin/ArticleImage/Journalism_Courses_In_India,_Journalism_Career,_Colleges,_Salary,_Jobs_In_India_journalism.jpg

After a year of drought, droplets of water have finally reached the dry grounds of the desiccated land. The land once filled with dust has turned into a land of mud where people rejoiced and danced in rhythm with the relentless beat of drums. The place was filled with cheers; painted faces circled a huge fire where they sang songs of worship to the great gods whom they believe is the god of abundance and prosperity. It’s the time of season when everyone has to celebrate the coming of the great blessing.

Life was empty at the midnight hour. Fixated in a world which he began to live, he waited and stared at the world blankly. Thinking about things he had to give up; things which he wished he still had.

He was on top of the hill, looking at the big fire where his fellows were. He spent his night alone in a place that was very reminiscent to him. He closed his eyes lying down in the grassy hill.

He never woke up since then. He lived as a spirit in the hill of the forbidden mount.

Anyone who passed by the mountain at midnight was said to see the young lad lying lonely in tears, in deep grief for the young maiden he loved so deeply. The one he had to offer as a sacrifice to the gods to end drought and the hunger of his people.

The Last Airbender

Contrary to the movie reviews I have so far read, I believe that the creators of The Last Air Bender did a good job with the film considering how simple the structure of the actual plot of the animated series is. The weakest point, however, is on the compression of the storyline which seems as if it has been over narrated throughout the film. This proves that not all animated series are fit to be adapted on the big screen. The acting could have been better. The casting, I guess, was rushed and was given less priority referring to the role of Prince Zuko’s Uncle and of Sokkas’s, Katara’s brother. The series has a lighter aura compared to the film.

The Princess and the Frog

As a kid who grew up watching Classic Disney animated films, particularly those which have been produced in the early 90’s, I can’t help but notice the distinctive form of the Classics versus the animated films of today.

The Princess and the Frog is the 49th animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics line. Based on my own understanding, for a Disney animated or semi-animated film to be classic, one must have a theatrical element on the animation itself. However, one can’t really define what a Disney classic is since its definition has always been very ambiguous.

In connection to the film, I was happy to see Disney go back to its traditional form. The Princess and the Frog is a classic fairytale that has transformed itself into a livelier and captivating production. Musically, this film did not match Disney’s earlier projects. It’s a good film. It was pleasant, but it’s still incomparable to studios earlier projects.

Toy Story 3

It is rare to find a sequel that really works unless the storyline requires it to. The bar was raised higher for the third film which did not fail to deliver what most of us fans had expected of seeing in the big screen. The second installment of Toy Story has a good blend of comedy and adventure which did not fail to convey honest emotion to its audience.

Papa loves his animals; Mama loves her plants.

In Ybanag, Ino means mother, but that’s not what I call her. Hehe…

While I was in front of the computer early that morning, mama unexpectedly asked me out to help her with her plants. I became bored and tired of the computer, so, I did not hesitate to lend her a hand, which I usually do; besides, I also needed some exercise.

The task wasn’t hard at all. I actually enjoyed mixing black soil and horse manure for her plants. I had a shovel, a container, and two old plates with me. That day, I was mama’s official gardener. Yey me, I found a job!!!

Here’s Mama’s  Garden:

These next set of photos were taken by sister car at Oldsite four years ago. You can tell she has an eye for photography, which makes me kinda jealous, hehe…

]]> http://prinsipepoldo.wordpress.com/2010/05/21/garden-ni-ino/feed/ 3 Poldog 1 IMG_4601 IMG_4602 IMG_4603 IMG_4604 IMG_4611 IMG_4613 IMG_4615 IMG_4619 IMG_4620 IMG_4623 IMG_4626 IMG_4630 IMG_4631 IMG_4635 IMG_4642 IMG_4644 IMG_4647 IMG_4648 IMG_4652 IMG_4659 IMG_4662 q1 q2 q3 q6 q7 q8 q11 http://prinsipepoldo.wordpress.com/2010/05/15/once-upon-a-pig/ http://prinsipepoldo.wordpress.com/2010/05/15/once-upon-a-pig/#comments Sat, 15 May 2010 01:04:14 +0000 dirtypoet http://prinsipepoldo.wordpress.com/?p=196 ]]>

I was able to take a photo of a butterfly at Oldsite, our old house. It shows how healthy the environment is. When I was four or five, I used to see fireflies around which I mistakenly identified as little fairies. =)

I witnessed the coming of the early morn- I mean literally. I wasn’t able to fall asleep yesterday night because I have spent the rest of the day snoozing, which I think has caused me a mild headache later that evening. There’s nothing much to do here but to sleep. My eyes were widely open as I witnessed how the midnight sky turned blue. I did everything I could to make myself sleep: I read a book, took a shower, turned my mp3 on, and my last resort was to eat.
Of course I had to lie to my parents as I went down for breakfast; I pretended I woke up early. Though I appeared to be believable, I still didn’t to look good in front of them after they discovered how addicted I am to coke; I was able to consume one litter of Coke in one night.  It’s a secret I had been trying to keep for awhile now.
I know that too much of it has a bad effect to the body- like of course

Coke Addict

diabetes- but who can resist Coke? Like seriously?! Hehehe… The moment you twist the cap, you start hearing small bubbles crackling, its distinctive cola flavor is irresistible, and as it reaches down your throat you could feel the acid burn down, and the best part is when you start to burp.
I certainly wouldn’t risk my health drinking too much soda, and so I have decided to change my diet. For the next days, weeks or months (if possible), I shall concentrate on fruits and veggies, and I started joining my mother in her oat meal diet. I gained a little weight last month which I have to lose again.
The fist oat meal night was good- I actually enjoyed it. I love eating ripe mangos, especially when it’s cold; I also had watermelon after.

Yesterday, I visited our old house. Papa needed some help with the piglets he recently had. I helped him inject some meds, and also to cut off the piglets teeth using a nail cutter. We had to cut them off for the mother’s sake; so she won’t be wounded whenever she nurses her piglets. Their teeth are sharp; once you see them you would totally understand why it had to be done. It was not my first time doing it, the last time we did was

it in 2008. There were ten piglets to inject; their mom was on the other side of the piggery. My heart cried out to the mother who was also crying while seeing her piglets suffering. The Ewwy part was when some of them pooped and urinated while I was holding their feet. Hehe…  I wanted to take one of the piglets home because their so cute. I want to take care of them, and I also think their cuter than dogs.
The really sad part about it is that you are aware of how they’d actually die. In a matter of days their mom is doomed to be slaughtered. These cute little creatures also have feelings- do they? Lol.
I really feel sad for them. After writing this blog post, I am not sure if I can still eat meat for next few days.
Three weeks from now the male piglets will be emasculated. I also have tried doing this with my father, I think way

back in 2008. This process is way more challenging than what we had yesterday; you have to have more strength holding the pigs because they are bigger. Their testicles will be taken out so they won’t be able to reproduce if ever they decide to have sex. The main goal of raising a pig is to make them fat and healthy before you can sell them in the market.

Reminds me of what I was like years ago… Hehe…

Papa has other pets other than pigs. Here are some of them:

After playing my role as lazy bum for past three weeks, I’ve finally decided to come back home to Isabela for a short vacation. It’s something I should have done right after I graduated last month. Back then, I really had no idea how hard it is to land a job. I could just imagine Manny Paquiao standing right here in front of me delivering his famous line “Now you know!”

Yeah, I agree! Now I know!