anak ng…

Amy Finnegan

Lyeci Aryo Ka Lwenyo Lum Aye Nongo Peko, an Acholi proverb, means "When Two Elephants Fight, it is the Grass that Suffers." In Northern Uganda, the grass is the Acholi people and nothing could be closer to the truth of this proverb. In a rebellion that began in 1986 between an insurgency called the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the Ugandan government, the Acholi people have largely become the targets. Today, over 30,000 people have been abducted in the 18-year war, many of whom have been transformed into child soldiers and sex slaves. Over 25,000 people commute into the relative safety of municipalities to sleep every night and over 1.6 million people live in congested Internally Displaced Peoples (IDP) camps where the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is estimated at double what it is in the rest of the country, sanitation is abominable, infrastructure and supplies for schools is dismal, and people lack basic livelihoods to sustain themselves.

As tragic as the narratives are, the Acholi people are also a powerful voice for forgiveness. Still suffering today from atrocities instigated by both parties to the conflict, many speak insightfully of forgiveness and nonviolent means to end the war…

Wednesday, September 22, 2004

jack black "what’s her name? … anna? anaconda?!" -barry, high fidelity 8:08 AM

Tuesday, September 14, 2004

i’m a sloth [...that's why you love me that's why you hate me too] 10:19 AM

Thursday, August 12, 2004

"it’s about a journey…" -k.roy walang nakakaalam walang nakakarinig siya ang reyna ng kanyang palasyo at dahandahan siyang papasok sa kanyang mundo siya’y magkukulong saradong mga pinto sa’yo 10:32 AM

hi luigi.

mundane pala ha.

i listen to the radio a lot.  well not really a lot as in 24hours a day.  maybe just enough to have my cel registered on rj100. but i’m not the regular ‘i would like to greet/could you please play’ listener.  i just had to text in this correction once about a song they introduced as being on the fifty first dates soundtrack.  my message read:

don’t worry baby is in drew b’s other movie never been kissed.  the beachboys song in 50 first dates is wouldn’t it be nice if we were older and we didn’t have to wait too long…

of course they read my text on air and everything.  which was really cool. 

but nothing beats pala having them play a song you asked for.  one of the things i love about listening to the radio is unexpectedly hearing a song that was once upon a time my favorite but had forgotten all about since i hadn’t heard it in the longest time.  but it’s a different kind of high altogether to be granted a request.  last saturday while waiting for 12mn to open my birthday gift from joelle i was listening to the radio and decided to text the dj to play me a song.  been wanting to hear i can’t make you love me by bonnie raitt since deanna sang it on rockstar inxs.  actually since constantine sang it on american idol pa.  i’ve tried in vain to look for a copy of the cd.  so anyway i figured i’d just disturb the dj one time with it. 

i think the dj wanted to hear that song too coz he played it right away.  first when the dj read my text i went, "teka pangalan ko yun a.  hoy that’s me!  THAT’S MY REQUEST!!!" nakakaawa daw sabi ni joelle, di niya alam kung matatawa siya o ano.  i just couldn’t believe it was all real.  and when my song was played, i was in awe and was so thrilled and ecstatic at the same time.  there’s an ilonggo word for it actually -MANOL. 

corny ni erica when i told her about it all she was concerned about was, "oo basta huwag mo akong i-greet."  hah!!!  when i get the chance i will request this really baduy song and dedicate it to her and give the dj her full name. 

ba’t ang mga barbero matatanda?  naisip ko lang, may bago kasing super authentic barber shop with the blue and red spiral display and all sa building ng studio, tapos nag-che-chess yung mga barbero sa hallway during breaks.  pansinin niyo walang medyo bata-bata na naggugupit sa mga ganun.  is it because the new generation of male haircutters would rather work in a salon, where they would definitely acquire a wider range or skills?  eh what if mamatay at maubos na yung old generation?   

……….already I’m wastin away.
I know I’ll see you again whether far or soon.

ang uod ba pag namatay inuuod din?

kasi diba ang tao pag namamatay inuuod,

kung ganun baka ang uod pag namatay tinatao naman.

-contributor: redg de vera

my students won at the instudi quiz bee last saturday.  coolness.  of course dr. de castro wouldn’t let me enjoy "my" victory even for like two minutes– "dapat lang na studyante mo yung mag-champion eh halos lahat ata ng mga team na yan galing sayo".  hmph kill joy. 

pero nakakatuwa pa rin.  if we didn’t win i still would’ve enjoyed the whole thing.  i swear i felt like a mom attending her kid’s ballet recital. 

to sir dennis, jap studies program coordinator: "sir nakikita mo yang naka-red shirt sa likod?  isj yan.  magaling yan."

to ed gan, european studies coordinator: "yang guy sa team 2 gusto mag-shift to ise.  tanggapin mo yan ha magaling yan." 

to dr. de castro, dep’t chair: "alis na kayo sir?  don’t you wanna see who’s gonna win?"

my kids this term are generally ok.  mababait, nakikinig.  i’ve observed that my classes improve every term that i teach.  so that would only mean better students next term?  hopefully.   

ang ganda pala nung kantang–

if i’m not in love with you what is this i’m going through…

it’s one of those songs which you’ve heard a million times and it’s already registered in your brain as being ultra cheesy so everytime they play it on the radio you automatically tune it out.  up until recently that’s what if i’m not in love was to me.  but i have rediscovered it.  i caught chasing liberty on hbo the other day, they used that song for the part where mandy moore and the agent guy fight and part ways.  so they travel separately from austria to berlin for the love parade, and they’re contemplating their true feelings for each other, while faith hill sings in the background–

…why do i go crazy everytime i think about you baby why else would i want you like i do hoooh… 

wow i was moved pare.  carbo pare.  no seriously that moment i was watching i really felt the song, for the first time.  i think when you put a song, or practically any random thing, into context, it suddenly means something.  i guess what did it for me was that the movie reminded me of this friend whom i haven’t seen in years but still am grateful for having.  was thinking about him throughout the entire movie.  no it’s not our love story, and no he’s not ben and i’m not anna.  anyway you won’t get it unless you’ve seen chasing liberty and unless you know me really really well.  actually i have a feeling nobody will get it except me.  if somebody asks and is willing to listen to me for a few hours then i would be happy to tell my story. 

yes i do have a heart.  i have feelings and i can be sensitive din at times.  at times lang. 

i saw this kid in school today, he was wearing a red assumption hardcourt jacket.  how do i know it was an assumption hardcourt jacket?  it said so in the back: ASSUMPTION HARDCOURT.  wala lang.  ang cute.  sana pala yung jacket na binigay ko kay sidney may nakasulat din na ATENEO HARDCOURT or CHEERDANCER.  eh wala low budget at pahirapan kami nun eh.  the discriminated minority.  haay college. 

patching texted me last ateneo-lasalle.  she was watching at araneta.  i was at home and had the game on but i only watched the first half since lasalle was already ahead by thirty points and was sure to win anyway.  tuloy i missed the halftime cheering exhibition.  according to patching the girls were still using my choreo for fight-A.  astig.  i’m sure nobody in the present team really knows or cares where the steps of that dance came from.  they’re too busy having fun reaping the benefits of all the hard work put in by the first batch.  heck they have absolutely no idea. 

but it’s all good.