I've been blogging for the past year or so, starting with Friendster and eventually transferred to Blogspot (or Blogger). Until now I don't have any concrete motive for blogging aside from shameless self promotion and the obligatory camwhoring (of course).
Blogging is such a cliche right now that next to cellphones, it's the next most common thing among people who do not have any qualms about sharing their opinions, no matter how nonsensical their opinions may be.
I'm starting to feel that my blog is a such a mess of various things that really amount to nothing. I'm just this pretentious asshole who thinks that what I say does matter. Worse, I have the audacity to believe that people would read my inanities when other people deserved to be read.
This morning I received an email from LJ the Maton. In Davao last year, he was introduced to me by my close friend and then officemate Thea the Iro. Thea, LJ, and I (among a few other common friends) became such an instant hit. Being in their company was a total blast. I wrote a lot about our escapades in my old friendster blog.
LJ went back to Florida early this year and has since then moved to Vancouver (lucky bitch). We still managed to keep in touch through the months. LJ has been sending updates of his recent life through email to a group of his friends, including moi. Most of the time he simply shares his gay life, his travels, and his passion for volleyball. Up until then I didn't know that LJ can write really, really well.
I thus received his aforementioned email this morning and was very much awed by this post. I asked permission from him that I re-print his email for the two people who read my blog to get a snippet of the talent of LJ.
And to you LJ, it's about time you set up a blog of your own, bitch. A lot of people need to read more about you.
Here is LJ's recent chronicle.
"The past does not define who you are".
I could not forget this very statement that my Korean student once delivered in my Conversation Class. It all started with me asking them to choose a country they fantasize being the leader of. One of my students from Japan was quick to mention The United States. I was thrilled to hear this for I am from Florida but the next words I heard were more heart breaking than I could ever expect.
He continues by saying, "I want to be the leader of the United States because I want to get rid of all the Jews". I was curious why he would say that so I continued to ask why. He then proceeds by telling me that the Jews are to be blamed for all the war that is happening in this world. That the Jews are the origin of everything evil.
I almost fell off my seat. How could somebody say something like that?
My student got all stirred up that he begun to defend Mel Gibson anti-sematic comments. He claims Gibson spoke of reality.
I was angry to hear this but I kept my composure and acted as if everything was cool. I then gave my other Japanese student to a chance to express his opinion. Thinking that he will disagree, this very soft spoken student from Tokyo actually supports what the first student claimed and even added that he has actually read somewhere that the Jewish are indeed to be blamed for everything evil happening in this world. The third Japanese student, whom I always liked for being open-minded and inteligent, raises his hand. I sighed with relief for I knew this nonsense was going to stop. Aisachan will be the third one to speak and I am sure he will give a logical explanation.
I was wrong. Even my favorite student agreed with both students who spoke of this BS.
I was ready to give up but I did not so I asked them to help me understand why the Jews are to blamed of everything.
All three students were getting more and more ecstatic to defend and present their points of view. They added that the Jews were bad in the past and will always remain like that.
As I stood up and took a deep breath, another hand was raised. But it was raised in a shy and calm manner. I failed to recognize that Eun Kyang, my other Korean student was in that same class all along. She was always quiet in class. Never wanted to participate so I never pushed it.
"Hello Eun Kyang, would you like to share your opinion as well?", I asked.
"Yes, I do, teacher. I was born and raised in Korea. In my country, we are educated at an early age about our country's history. How poor our country was, how it became rich, and of course how we survived the painful treatment the Japanese has done to my ancestors. My ancestors died from the cruel hands of the Japanese but I do not hate the Japanese. I do not nurse ill feelings against all of you because I should not. I see the three of you as my classmates not as the same people who killed my people. Besides, your past does not define who you are. So, I request, that before the three of bark at the Jews for their past, be reminded of your country's history as well."
She sat down and the whole classroom was quiet. It was too quiet I could hear everybody's breathing.
The most quiet student in my class suddenly spoke. And boy was she heard!
I could not forget this very statement that my Korean student once delivered in my Conversation Class. It all started with me asking them to choose a country they fantasize being the leader of. One of my students from Japan was quick to mention The United States. I was thrilled to hear this for I am from Florida but the next words I heard were more heart breaking than I could ever expect.
He continues by saying, "I want to be the leader of the United States because I want to get rid of all the Jews". I was curious why he would say that so I continued to ask why. He then proceeds by telling me that the Jews are to be blamed for all the war that is happening in this world. That the Jews are the origin of everything evil.
I almost fell off my seat. How could somebody say something like that?
My student got all stirred up that he begun to defend Mel Gibson anti-sematic comments. He claims Gibson spoke of reality.
I was angry to hear this but I kept my composure and acted as if everything was cool. I then gave my other Japanese student to a chance to express his opinion. Thinking that he will disagree, this very soft spoken student from Tokyo actually supports what the first student claimed and even added that he has actually read somewhere that the Jewish are indeed to be blamed for everything evil happening in this world. The third Japanese student, whom I always liked for being open-minded and inteligent, raises his hand. I sighed with relief for I knew this nonsense was going to stop. Aisachan will be the third one to speak and I am sure he will give a logical explanation.
I was wrong. Even my favorite student agreed with both students who spoke of this BS.
I was ready to give up but I did not so I asked them to help me understand why the Jews are to blamed of everything.
All three students were getting more and more ecstatic to defend and present their points of view. They added that the Jews were bad in the past and will always remain like that.
As I stood up and took a deep breath, another hand was raised. But it was raised in a shy and calm manner. I failed to recognize that Eun Kyang, my other Korean student was in that same class all along. She was always quiet in class. Never wanted to participate so I never pushed it.
"Hello Eun Kyang, would you like to share your opinion as well?", I asked.
"Yes, I do, teacher. I was born and raised in Korea. In my country, we are educated at an early age about our country's history. How poor our country was, how it became rich, and of course how we survived the painful treatment the Japanese has done to my ancestors. My ancestors died from the cruel hands of the Japanese but I do not hate the Japanese. I do not nurse ill feelings against all of you because I should not. I see the three of you as my classmates not as the same people who killed my people. Besides, your past does not define who you are. So, I request, that before the three of bark at the Jews for their past, be reminded of your country's history as well."
She sat down and the whole classroom was quiet. It was too quiet I could hear everybody's breathing.
The most quiet student in my class suddenly spoke. And boy was she heard!
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