Worldly Desires

I want an energy-independent house, complete with solar arrays, a roof garden, and an infinity green pool, on top of a hill, overlooking Davao City.

I want a fuel-efficient car, with variable transmission and a silhouette that looks like a Mclaren MP4-12C's.

I want a waterproof DSLR camera and its color should be neon green.

I want a city road named after me. "PRE Bataller" seems like a good name for a street.

I want  a Palanca award for a New York Times best-selling novel or a Pulitzer prize perhaps for a feel-good memoir.

I want to have bank accounts as large as the Ayala's, the Gokongwei's, the Tan's, and all those families who are filthy rich.

Haaay.

I share the dreams with all the millions around the world.

Hope springs eternal (again), don't you think?

Plankton

Uael was right, after all.

Our guide during the Iwahig river trip did some magic with his paddle. He stuck it into the river, swirled the water with it, and made the river sparkle. 

He explained it was because of bio-luminescence. The plankton in the river had chemicals inside their bodies similar to those of fireflies'. When disturbed, they let out light.

Back to Uael. He said the same thing awhile back during out trip to Anawangin. We were swimming in the night and were amazed at the water glowing every time we splashed around. He explained it was because of plankton. I, on the other hand, was convinced it was simply something to do with the water ripples refracting and magnifying ambient light.

Turned out I was wrong. Hehe.

Fireflies

It's quite funny how one barangay could build a tourism business out of lowly insects such as fireflies. But then again, it only proves that fireflies have become a rarity nowadays.

I was a tourist one night in Iwahig river. My family and I went there during our first night in Palawan. Even now, I'm still happy that the weather cooperated with us; it didn't rain and the river was calm and slow.

At first, I was expecting a lengthy walk to the area where the fireflies dwelt. So I was surprised  when we got into boats and donned life jackets instead. I was then expecting a river journey with fireflies  dancing above our heads but was disappointed to know that fireflies didn't do anything of that sort.

What we were treated instead were a few isolated mangroves sparkling in the night like Christmas trees. Fireflies, our guide said, were quite picky with the kind of trees they call home. The fireflies also weren't what I had in mind; they emitted blue light, not yellow (a fact that's commonly advertised by articles and television alike).

It was my first time to see a lot of fireflies that night. My evening forays in Nabunturan only had me seeing one or two fireflies (with green lights) darting to and fro. To be treated to this scene, a multitude of blue lights twinkling in the distance, left me feeling very grateful and at the same time disturbed that the next generation might never be rewarded such a view.

Star Gazing

From Men In Black:

K: They're beautiful, aren't they?
J: What?
K: The stars.

When was the last time I simply looked at the stars?

That was the lingering thought I had as we softly made our way upstream of the Iwahig river.

The last time I simply looked at the heavens was during our weekend escapade to Anawangin Cove  three years ago. I remember just staring at the sky chock full of stars. There was absolutely no light pollution to dim the spectacle. Suddenly, everything seemed so huge and massive and I was the observer of it all, a tiny speck of dust in the life of this galaxy.

Star gazing does that to you. It makes you watch in awe as you revel in the dark, communing with the greater universe even as you shudder at its immense beauty.

Ikaw? When was the last time you simply looked at the stars?

Letting Go Of TV Debates

This Atlantic article might be on to something.

It proposes that the US shed away these TV political debates in favor of a format that is more realistic. Conor Friedersdorf tells us that, given the nature of presidential decisions, debates favoring candidates who can sling out rapid-fire comments and counterarguments should give way to debates rewarding those who are prudent and meticulous.

Decisions by the president are not necessarily made by one man but are products of deliberations of committees and cabinets. A candidate who shows that he can sift through this mass of information, including his own personal opinion and knowledge, and find a nugget of wisdom is a good candidate. Unfortunately, TV debates often  feature the opposite of this ability, frowning on candidates who can indeed facilitate but have no oratorical acumen in favor of those who can set the stage on fire like a showbiz star.

A format that could replace TV debates, as suggested by the writer, is the text-based chat, with candidates given ample opportunity to check their facts, consult with the appropriate people, while rebutting the other candidate's arguments. 

I don't know if this idea will ever fly but it will revolutionize debates if it ever gains traction.