Farewell

It didn’t come as a surprise but it felt like one: a co-worker friend turning in his two-week notice. I knew it when he came to the workplace on his day off dressed impressively in a black suit and blue undershirt.

Rich man, poor man

Fifteen years ago, everything in Russia was owned by the state, or at least technically because the bureaucrats enjoyed the private usufruct. Then the Union collapsed via perestroika and glasnost and the so-called free world bloc rejoiced over their triumph against their communist rivals.

Retro Night

It was retro night for me last night after two nights of partying and get-together with two sets of friends. My profound appreciation goes to friends who made the small celebration on friday a specially memorable one, the sour aspects included although I would have preferred it without. Annie especially was and is simply great. But that would require a different posting.

When the marginalized becomes mainstream

Let’s face it, the most vocal, consistent and resolute critics of the present Philippine administration are not the conventional, okay traditional, big name politicians who, more often than not, would rather compromise than confront, toe the line rather than lead the struggle or choose to be safe rather than take a risk, but the virtually unknown small players from the periphery of electoral politics. And since their entry to the national legislature, the electoral and political landscape has seen qualitative change.

To marb1n a.k.a. Rico J

I wish I could treat you to dinner tonight but, unfortunately for you, I’m an hour’s drive away and I am about to enter the restaurant with some friends. If you could make it in 20 minutes, you’d get to order what you want, all you want. Promise. Otherwise, we’ll just have to do it sometime later, I guess, time permitting.  And there, maybe you can also belt out a song or two, the Manila Sound variety, for old times’ sake.  Wouldn’t that be fun ?

Bon appetit.

Beginnings and Endings

It is for various significant reasons that I started this personal blog, but they all, in the main, mark beginnings and endings, both by design and by coincidence. I was at first confronted by the issue of style and the editing and all the things that come with writing but decided to cast away those worries and simply write as spontaneous and raw as I could. Never mind the critics. This is my blog.