Prex J.D.V. Ybasco's Blog, page 9

June 2020 Articles

June definitely had so many surprises and I’m not really good with them, admittedly.

Here are the noteworthy articles for this month:

Will the world be quieter after the pandemic?(BBC)

Just a couple of weeks ago, I went out with my husband and my father-in-law for groceries and noticed how quiet the world outside was. That might be an exaggeration but if you lived in a populous city, worked in an even more populous one, you’d know that the absence of noise, albeit a welcome change, could still put you off-balance. For a second, I thought I was wearing my headphones with the volume turned so low. I certainly don’t miss the noise, and I do agree that the world can use some quiet, particularly since we significantly benefit from it.

The learning opportunities hiding in our failures (BBC)

I’m not on board with rigid optimism. Call me old but I know the world is not as simple as a coin with two sides. Screw-up nights with people involved in product development sound like a good idea.

How to cope with a gaslighting or narcissist boss (Forbes)

Though there is an undeniable strength in martyrdom, one must have enough self-respect to walk away. Blind obedience has never achieved great results apart from stable employment and incessant complaints about one’s work, colleagues or boss.

Kierkegaard on Nonconformity, the Individual vs. the Crowd, and the Power of the Minority (Brainpickings.Org)

This hits the mark like no other so I shall leave it here.

How masks have appeared in art (BBC)

The New Normal has become widespread, with it, the habit of using a mask. Masks of different materials, shapes and sizes are available in outlets and online shops. According to this article, they even infiltrated the art. It wouldn’t be surprising that a decade from now, our children could see masked men and women in their history books– when I was a kid, I only saw them in Japanese shows.

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Reaction Journal: RuPaul’s Drag Race S1 Ep 1

For a long time, I kept pushing this series aside thinking I was too busy and I could at least catch up on my reading on those days when I was free. Well, I don’t have that excuse anymore so here we are.

A disclaimer is in order: I don’t have a prior knowledge of the history of ‘drag’ and its culture and I’m only bringing in my limited knowledge of reality TV shows particularly America’s Next Top Model so apologies in advance. I’ll be including timestamps for scenes and snippets of conversations so if you want to read ahead, make sure you are also watching RuPaul’s Drag Race on Netflix.

01:21 “…Lip sync for your life.”

That got me! So they have a challenge like this? hahahaha

03:20 The characters are showing up one by one. So far, I like Nina Flores.

04:12 “My middle name is Ong and God didn’t bless with me with a certain ‘INA.'”

Ongina’s introduction got me ROFL, literally.

As in any reality TV show and in real life, it’s difficult for me to keep up with the contestants’ names and I hope I am not being rude when I say it’s even more challenging considering they have alters as well and look significantly different when they don’t have makeup on–which is the point of drag makeup. I’m rambling I know but I really can’t catch their names. Hopefully by the third episode I’ll know who’s who.

07:08 Where’s RuPaul’s voice coming from? Ah, so there’s the telly. And there’s the real RuPaul! He gives me this vibe of a person you’d love to chat with at a coffee shop and never get tired of as he projects a personality that’s strong but not abrasive. That’s a first impression coming from me and that’s saying something.

It might have just been an editing glitch but the audio changes whenever RuPaul talks about the shows prizes.

Photoshoot

I’m just a Nina-biased individual but among the contestants she has handled the shot professionally as if she has done this numerous times.

Challenge: Drag on a Dime

I can see how uncomfortable the contestants are. Once again, it might have been just the editing.

I’m starting to like Jade, the concept of her dress, the way she twirls on the catwalk.

Nina Flowers has not disappointed me.

I’m not going to lie but I’m not a fan of Ongina’s runway stunt.

Tammie Brown has also been amazing and she reminds me of Betty Boop, seriously.

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Verdict

How I love being right! Nina Flowers has won this episode. I really like how her costume seemed put together and at the same time, edgy. Her sewing skills, the way she projects herself makes her a strong contender for this series. I’ve got my eye on her.

Elimination

So after that lip sync battle, Victoria Porkchop has to go. The episode has not endeared her to me that much so forgive me for not having a crazy reaction over this.

My Reaction

The first episode is ok for me as I remind myself that this series has twelve seasons. The concept looks like a mix between America’s Next Top Model and Project Runway, this may have been said in other blogs already but I’m quite late in the game so, that’s another similar reaction.

Also, I might have shorter entries in my Reaction Journals in the succeeding episodes so be sufficiently warned. I want to watch the season continuously. Let’s see how this goes.

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At “The Convenience Store”

Look at what I finally got my hands on!

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I have been following the story of Eddie at The Convenience Store on Twitter for almost two years now. The story is pretty much straightforward: the protagonist works at The Convenience Store and he shares his interesting and somewhat action-packed everyday / or work-day life with his colleagues and his clients. What I’ve found compelling about the storytelling apart from its unique medium is the fact that the characters have been well thought of and each has a unique ‘voice’ and they still set the atmosphere of the story within the relatable bounds of actual occurrences in any convenience store–with a twist, of course.

First time here?

Get to know me, my neurotic manager, creepy Trev, the night shifty guy, and Amy (

MAY 2020 ARTICLES

Who would have thought I’ d be stuck not reading a number of articles for this month?

With the time I had for myself, I attended online seminars, some with certificates and some without:

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Pro tip: When companies are offering their services for free, take advantage of those offers while they last. Just don’t be rude and feel so entitled when looking for a certificate when it’s for free. But of course, you don’t need me to remind you that, do you?

Now, the articles:

How do you decaffeinate coffee? (BBC)

Coffee keeps my motor running. Without at least two cups of coffee or one huge mug in a day otherwise, I’d be under a thick layer of blanket savoring the comfort of my bed. Reading this article made me think I could probably make better choices when it comes to my caffeine intake. Now that I brew my own coffee, I can probably decaffeinate it by myself! That previous statement is seriously wrong in different levels. Read the article to find out why and this article to find out more.

What we can learn from conspiracy theories? (BBC)

“Successful conspiracies always have the right villain.”

– Zaria Gorvett25th May 2020

Now that time is of abundance for some, they can freely think about their condition and what might have caused it. Overthinking has become a regular activity as people transition to this new normal. With information made available at the tip of our fingers, it is easy to come either to the right or wrong conclusions. Though it is fun watching these theories in Youtube, it is also a bit baffling that anyone can easily fool anybody with the right tool.

The mental hacks that level up your self-control (BBC)

One moment, you get a piece of advice that you have to live your life now and another telling you that you have to have plans for your future. It just really depends on how you put things in perspective and actually live your life.

The benefits isolation can have on your work (BBC)

That meetings are setup to annoy me is the first idea that comes to mind when I have one, particularly if it is with a large group of people, scheduled at 6pm but starting at 6:30pm. I’m not saying that working from home has made it better because Zoom meetings also take about the same amount of time, but it does prevent me from getting into trouble when colleagues don’t see my forehead screaming of boredom – yes, what an imagery.

This article focuses on advantages real people working in isolation have provided in their interviews including a boost in problem solving skills, idea generation, creativity and general productivity. When chitchat is minimized to burst of good communication to resolve issues, then teams can spend their effort and energy on actual work.

Extreme night owls: ‘I can’t tell anyone what time I go to bed.’ (The Guardian)

This perhaps is my favorite article this month as it encapsulates my struggles as a night owl. Though the greatest struggle highlighted in the article is the stigma night owls receive from their colleagues, being identified as ‘lazy for not getting to work on time, or early,’ what I struggle with the most perhaps is the constant reminder that I have to sleep on time because I can’t identify with what’s on time for most people. Sure I get tired and have to sleep at 11pm but if you leave me to my own devices, I’ll sleep at 3 or 5 am because I am too restless or there’s still stuff I want to do that doesn’t involve playing with my PS4 or watching videos in Youtube.

These couple of months working from home have been action-packed for me and I have to say I’m enjoying every bit of it–not including the idea that a pandemic has caused it, mind you. I’d rather work from home without that complication but we make do with what we have.

How are you coping?

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APRIL 2020 ARTICLES

You’d think that telecommuting would give you more time for yourself.

Quick Review: I want to eat your pancreas (Manga)

An unsolicited advice: lock your room when you’re reading this manga. This is the kind that makes you scrunch your face as it tugs your heart and you don’t want to be found by your parent-in-law in that situation. Nope.

A list of things I liked about the manga is probably the more fitting title for this post as it barely counts as a review. But it’s a very short manga and it’ll be weird to have a longer write-up about it. I know I’d rather read the manga than the review so with that out of the way, here’s the said list:

The “Friendly Classmate’s” description of Sakura’s room – That very description has hit home run.



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He who-must-not-be-named. The storyteller, for that’s what I like to call him, remained unnamed the entire story. Sakura gave him several pet names including “Friendly Classmate” which he totally wasn’t, “Terrible Classmate” which he also wasn’t. Reference to The Little Prince. The classic novella played a huge part in the story. Sakura’s relationship with her “Terrible classmate” reminded me of the Prince and the Fox. Mind you, it is challenging to give you the similarities without spoiling things so just appreciate the a priori text.



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Choices. I knew that when Sakura started explaining how small choices affect lives, I’d go down the rabbit hole. Having a short lifespan on earth is definitely not within the bounds of our choices but living in that amount of time certainly is…



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These are but a few things that endeared the manga to me. I’m not ashamed of the tears I shed, just of the fact that I was caught.

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March 2020 Articles

Admittedly, not everyone is enjoying his or her time during the pandemic. But as Gandalf once said:

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So I spent more time binge-watching Netflix TV Series reading new articles and taking new online courses while keeping myself healthy. Here are the articles I enjoyed reading this month:

Anaïs Nin on Embracing the Unfamiliar (BrainPicking)

Amidst the COVID-19 issue, this quote has been soooo relevant:

“It is a sign of great inner insecurity to be hostile to the unfamiliar.”

Anaïs Nin

There are so many things we don’t know and much information available online are either vague or fake. Our future appears bleak. This challenges the way we respond to things as human beings. Although the article does not concern itself with current affairs–far from it actually because it is about appreciating what is mysterious in art forms. Still, I find it comforting.

Could You Pass The Quirky Claustrophobia Test NASA Gives To Astronauts? (Forbes)

I was only but a small percent of those who aspired to be astronauts when they were kids. For as long as I learned to look up at the stars on a clear night or at the dark clouds on stormy ones, I wanted to be an astronaut so it wouldn’t surprise anybody that Armageddon was and still is one of my favorite movies. To make the long story short, apart from the expenses studying the stars entailed, unless I got over my irrational fear of places caving in, this dream would remain a dream.

An Astronaut’s Tips For Living in Space – Or Anywhere (NASA)

In connection with the previous article, I read this one from NASA. Watching a number of videos on how astronauts live in space and keep to their strict hygiene is an eye-opener. It has drastically changed my perspective in using too much water when bathing and keeping the toilet really squeaky clean.

Why your internet habits are not as clean as you think (BBC)

The statistics in the article could make one think he shouldn’t surf the internet anymore. Then again, it would take more than this article from breaking old habits. With my brother’s recommendation, I did try Ecosia, a platform that promises to plant trees, as my search engine but I still reverted to Google. Knowing that Google uses green energy is somehow comforting.

Shrinking Ozone Hole, Climate Change Are Causing Atmospheric “Tug of War” (Scientific American)

View this post on Instagram

Blue skies over the National Capital Region after more than a week of the #MetroManilaLockdown. Inside the mega city, a respite from the noise and the smoke of vehicular traffic. This is day 9 of the #MetroManilaLockdown

A post shared by raffytima (@raffytima) on Mar 23, 2020 at 1:45am PDT

Raffy Tima’s photos in Instagram and Twitter made me search for some articles related to the positive effects of the enhanced community quarantine to the environment and eventually, I found some articles on the shrinking Ozone Hole. I know they are not entirely related but I had a grim thought that as our planet choked on pollution for so long, a virus threatens the health of our respiratory system in a similar manner. Then again, nobody wants to be afflicted with COVID-19, nobody chooses to, particularly those who who sacrificed their own lives saving others. However, I am also fairly certain, Earth’s Mother Nature does not want to be polluted. Doesn’t this make you appreciate every gulp of breath you have and motivate you to pay more attention to your health and hygiene and by extension, the environment, not only during a pandemic but all the effing time?

How are you spending your time these days? What articles have you read and thought worth sharing?

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Reacting to Syme's Playlist: Jaz Love 2020

I’m not a music expert nor a voice coach by any means. I only have my preferences so don’t come for me with your music jargon as I am merely sharing my thoughts on the playlist created for me by Syme this year:

Blow, Beyonce

Let’s start off with this one, shall we? I couldn’t believe he recommended something so explicit! But then, it’s Beyonce and the beat is incredible so I can’t blame him. What I do know is I don’t need to ‘solve the riddle’ to understand what this is about. Obviously, Syme and I, are already in that stage of friendship where we can openly talk about this, aren’t we?

I Think He Knows, Taylor Swift

‘He got my heart beat skipping down 16th Avenue’ is gold. If I were to localize this, I’d probably say, ‘he got my heart beat skipping down Monumento‘ while strutting like this:

Bulalakaw, Jennilyn Mercado

Jennilyn sounded like she was smiling while singing the song. I have to be honest though that it’s not at the top of my favorites.

Small Talk, Katy Perry

The line ‘we went from strangers to lovers to strangers’ resonated so well. What great impact those simple words have. I can’t possible be the only person who suddenly reflected on past relationships. I can only console myself with the idea that Syme received the full impact of the song and is probably nursing a huge crater in his heart at the moment.

Cruel Summer, Taylor Swift

Tay really is a good lyricist. Reminds me of her old tracks. I’m starting to notice a pattern here… Is Syme trying to convince me to listen to Taylor again?

That’s Life, SMASH

Syme already recommended this to me in 2016 or 2017 when USB sharing was our thing so I was a bit surprised to find it in the 2020 playlist. Then again, the song doesn’t get old.

Raising Hell, Kesha ft Big Freedia

“I don’t wanna go to heaven without raising hell,” makes me think Syme immediately thought of me when he heard this lyrics the first time. It’s only an assumption and he can always disprove me lol

Tinatapos ko na, Jona

The arrangement of the song was superb with Jona’s voice gently ushering me to listen to her declaration and the instruments resounding this bit by bit, supporting her, as she becomes firm with her decision, only to end so softly, hinting the presence of her pain that will always remain. See, this is me overreading- or overlistening- overanalyzing things but yes.

The Man, Taylor Swift

“I’d be the alpha type.” An Alpha Female that is.

Never Really Over, Katy Perry

I groove to this song, no doubt about it. It’s one of those songs that you can’t help but love, partly because the lyrics remind you of a certain past that you have learned to accept as a beautiful memory. Wait, what am I saying?

Don’t Start Now, Dua Lipa

Another confession: this is the first Dua Lipa Song I’ve listened to for several times. Apart from it being recognizably a Syme’s song, I love the beat and the way it has been arranged that she cuts one line segment and connects it to the next –I’m running out of words on how to explain this, apologies to the music experts out there.

I Know Him So Well, Elaine Paige, Barbara Dickson (Chess)

Syme recommended the one from the musical Chess. I’m not going to explain any further but I prefer Whitney Houston and Cissy Houston’s take on the song. Perhaps it’s the style or the vocals? Fine. Paige and Dickson’s rendition leaves a heavy feeling on the chest and I’d have to watch a happy Youtube video to get distracted.

I Forgot that You Existed, Taylor Swift

How Tay ended the song provides a very good imagery that the subject of the song did not deserve a good ending.

Love Me Still, Chaka Khan

One of the songs I can listen to in the background.

You Can Cry Tomorrow, Betty Who

I love the beat of this song and I confess it is a big favorite. The cycle of acceptance and starting again is a huge part of empowerment and a song that recognizes that has never failed to capture my attention.

Ironic, Jagged Little Pill album

Their reactions in between verses were adorable. When she sang “It’s like meeting the man of my dreams and his…” and he said,”I am not meeting anyone.”

Cornelia Street, Taylor Swift

A part of this song reminds me of Love Story and Style. I shouldn’t be surprised as they are from the same singer? “I get mystified by how this city screams your name,” is one of those effortlessly beautifully written lines that I wish I had written.

‘Barefoot in the kitchen, sacred new beginnings,’ is one line Syme definitely can relate with.

Man in the Mirror, Keke Palmer

I love Michael Jackson’s Man in the Mirror and this version is growing on me.

comethru, Jeremy Zucker

‘I’m trying to realize, it’s alright to not be fine on your own,’ followed by ‘Now I’m shaking, drinking all this coffee/ These last few weeks have been exhausting/ I’m lost in my imagination‘ sums up my life recently so I have to give it to Syme for being spot on.

Pagtingin, Ben&Ben

Ben&Ben knows how to tell a story or knows how to describe the feelings behind the story. This song has been stuck in my head since Syme made the playlist as the beat is simply irresistible. I have to admit though that all along I thought ‘Pahiwatig‘ was the title– so much for me telling everyone to read when I can’t even read the title right. The juxtaposition of playfulness in the line ‘wag mo akong sisishin’ and seriousness in ‘mahirap ang tumaya‘ is a genius arrangement. Then again it might not have been intentional? ‘Bakit laging ganito?‘ is also delivered in that exasperated manner but goes with the song well — this I believe is intentional.

Araw-Araw, Ben&Ben

‘Mahiwaga, pipiliin ka sa araw araw‘

This line sums up love beautifully. It’s a blessing, a mystery and yet it is a choice. I’m grateful that Syme chose this song for me and my special someone.

I’m starting to think that Syme likes to play with my feelings and the scariest thing is he knows how to play with them. What do you think of these songs? Let’s discuss down below.

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2020 February-March Thoughts: On black holes and how I spend my time while telecommuting

Disclaimer: I’m not a science expert. I am but a noob so if you’re a keyboard warrior, you will not get anything from me but the satisfaction of doing your self-imposed duty. Then again, I welcome discussions. Feel free to interpret that.

I was reading a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy when an idea crossed my mind:

It takes several light years for us the human eyes to receive light coming from the stars and by the time we perceive them, some of them might have aged greatly and others might have become black holes.

Stephen Hawking theorized that black holes could greatly affect space and time and I couldn’t help but wonder that by the time one super massive black hole was ready to gobble the solar system up, would human beings just accept their fate–either with calm credence or hysterical denial? Or could we or at least the future generation create a back up plan for the inevitable? Another idea for a sci-fi movie, I guess. Then again, before that time, either human beings would have destroyed the planet, the sun would have exploded, or human beings would have reached a technological advancement to be able to create something that could protect the planet from being destroyed or a vehicle that could transport a proof of life to a different destination. Wouldn’t that be exciting?

The odds of it being found by an alien life–or in this perspective, the odds of it appearing as an alien matter to other life forms from a different part of the universe is equal if not less to the odds of it not being found at all due to either the non-existence of other life forms or it being destroyed by the harsh environment of space.

It’s not a pressing issue like the climate change nor COVID19. After all, the closest black hole, V616 Monocerotis, is about some 3300 light-years away and the sun still has about 5 to 7 billion years before it explodes. By then, granted that climate change is resolved, human beings will have populated (naturally or otherwise) the planet with the next generation of scientists. A new method of preserving human kind will have been created. A new universal language will have have been developed- I suppose in equations and immense difficulty. Math may be the same in every country but may have some variations in the universe-String Theory, hello!

There was a time in my life when I thought dying in the field of action, fast and quick, was the best way to go and leaving a record of my life and here I am now thinking that having my humble brain implanted to a robot would be the next best thing.

A What If video said Stephen Hawking had believed there was a different dimension, universe, a state of existence on the other side of the black hole. What if it was a total reset? Old accomplishments wouldn’t matter. Would a passive indifference be the best approach? Or an aggressive search for expansion of understanding and uncovering the truth be better?

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Zaphod Beeblebrox is that charismatic character you love to hate.

“If there’s anything more important than my ego around, I want it caught and shot now.”

— Douglas Adams (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy 1)