CHILDHOOD
Innocence lost Amnesiac attack Awkward wallflowers
THROWBACK
FEATURES MAGAZINE OF THE HERALDO FILIPINO
Nostalgic perks Then vs. Now Flashback flicks
REVERIE
Rated fairytales Imaginary friends Lathalain
VOL. 23 NO. 2 | MARCH 2016
LA SALLEÑO
Features magazine of the Heraldo Filipino Volume 23, No. 2
EDITOR Anri Ichimura LAYOUT COORDINATOR Camille Joy Gallardo WRITERS Cerisse Madlangbayan, Bianca Isabelle Lariosa, Kikuno Nakadai, Naomi Lane Tiburcio, and Rochelle Rivera CONTRIBUTORS Rachelle Angela Yap, Jaya Mea Viado, and Moesha De Guia ARTISTS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS Lynoelle Kyle Arayata, Marco Belarmino, Chandler Belaro, Kathelyn Ann Bravo, Lexzene Dela Cruz, Sheka Ignacio, Patricia Loise Lucero, Kogkia Madrid, Jose Mari Martinada, John Chesleigh Nofiel, Brandon Ocenar, Jerome Quinto, Roxanne Valerie Rasco, Wenchie Tacate, James Fidel Tan, and Enrico Paolo Topacio LAYOUT ARTISTS Ricardo Martin Cabale, Christian Mateo, Christian Paul Macapagal, Mikaela Torres, Nicole Lunaria, Melissa Reynoso, James Neilnard Mallari, and Danna Claire Javier
The Official Student Publication of De La Salle University-Dasmariñas Founded: June 1985 Member, College Editors Guild of the Philippines EDITORIAL BOARD AY 2015-2016 Daniella Shaira T. Cortez, Editor in Chief Krizza Mae M. Bautista, Associate Editor Cerisse C. Madlangbayan, Copy Editor Erika B. Uy, Office and Circulations Manager Katherine Anne C. Aboy, News Coordinator Anri Ichimura, Features Editor Danielle Vince D. Capuno, In charge, Literary Fernan Patrick R. Flores, Sports Editor Lynoelle Kyle E. Arayata, Art Director Jerome S. Quinto, Photo Coordinator Ricardo Martin O. Cabale, Graphics and Layout Coordinator Alphonse Leonard G. Topacio, Web Manager SENIOR STAFF Chandler Belaro, Jeff Treat Dimaano, Camille Joy Gallardo, Sheena Faye Lopez, Patricia Loise Lucero, Queenee Manaog, and Enrico Paolo Topacio JUNIOR STAFF Marco Belarmino, Kathelyn Ann Bravo, Lexzene Dela Cruz, Patricia Anne De Leon, John Paul Gonzales, Nishtha Nigam, Roxanne Valerie Rasco, Rochelle Rivera, Wenchie Tacate, and James Fidel Tan Dr. Lakandupil C. Garcia, Adviser The Heraldo Filipino has its editorial office at Room 213, Gregoria Montoya Hall (Administration Building) De La Salle University-Dasmariñas, Cavite, Philippines 4115. Telephone: +63 2 8447832, +63 46 416 4531 local 3063 Email: officialheraldofilipino@gmail.com Website: www.heraldofilipino.com Contributions, comments, suggestions, and signed letters should be addressed to the editor in chief.
ABOUT THE COVER Nostalgia—our bittersweet reminiscence for the buried memories of our younger years that are faded, but not forgotten. COVER ART Photo by Jerome Quinto Design by Camille Joy Gallardo MODEL Carlo Rementilla
Editor's note There are days when I yearn for the time before we shed our childhood naiveté and left our wide-eyed dreams at the door: when we didn’t fret about the future, when our innocence shielded us from the big bad world beyond, and when we believed that “all the world was made of faith, trust, and pixie dust.” A kingdom of idyllic dreams and infinite hope, childhood can only be fully appreciated once we grow up and realize all that we’ve loved and lost. Once we leave Neverland, we can only return to it in the briefest instants through our occasional sentimental musings—nostalgia for the good old days. They always warn us about the consequences of letting ourselves get stuck in the past, but when we learn to remember the past in all its glorious and disappointing clarity, we might just appreciate how there’s never any story better than our own. Trading tomorrow for yesterday, this issue of La Salleño sheds some light on the nature of nostalgia, the oddity of childhood amnesia, the inevitability of losing our innocence, the dark roots of beloved fairytales, and so much more. Now, cozy up in a corner with a hot cup of chocolate and let yourself look back, just for a moment, as we eventually move forward.
Anri Ichimura Features Editor
Nineties Nineties spree spree Kikuno Nakadai
Camille Joy Gallardo
The nostalgic era of modern society
The last decade of the 20th century was a spectacle with series of thrilling discoveries, sensational trends, and tragic disasters. There are no dull moments as this decade was jam-packed with astonishing climaxes, one of which is the novelty and evolution of technology. No wonder 90s kids claim to be part of the grandest generation as they were in the front row of this breathtaking show.
Earth’s eyes in space: After many failed attempts, NASA finally launched their first space telescope into space, the Hubble Space Telescope, on APRIL 24, 1990. Through Hubble, scientists unearthed the mysteries of the outer space such as the age of the universe, black holes, and the evolution of other planets, stars, and galaxies.
Mount Pinatubo erupted on
JULY 15, spewing enough ash to drop the global temperature by an average of -17 degree Celsius for the next two years.
operation desert shield:
the world wide web:
Iraq invaded Kuwait, sparking the Gulf War on AUGUST 2, 1990. Iraqi leader
DECEMBER 1990: DAWN OF THE WORLD WIDE WEB
Saddam Hussein intended to acquire Kuwait’s large oil reserves
and cancel Iraq’s debt with Kuwait. Alarmed, other Arab states such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt sought help from the United Nations and the United States. APRIL 6, 1991: Ceasefire declared.
AUGUST 6, 1991: The first webpage,
the World Wide Web Project,
was introduced to the public, containing information about the basic features of the World Wide Web like searching information and setting up their own servers.
hey macarena, macarena, macarena:
The prominent physician and astrologer
Nostradamus had a prophecy that the great “King of Terror” would come down from the sky on the seventh month of 1999, leading Nostradamus’ believers to conclude that an apocalypse would descend on Earth, which—thankfully—didn’t occur.
162 people, mostly students, died in the
Ozone Disco fire at Quezon City on
MARCH 18, 1996. The party-turnedtragedy is considered as the worst club fire LA SALLEÑO in the Philippines.
BLOODIED RWANDA SOIL: In 1994, Hutu extremists slaughtered 800,000 Tutsi Rwandans in a 100-
day long genocide to eradicate the Tutsi community in their country and gain the political power over Rwanda.
and became a worldwide sensation. Thousands of schools worldwide banned the toy as students were frantic to feed their 8-bit virtual pets in the middle of class.
DOOMS’ DAY FAIL:
FIRE ON THE DANCE FLOOR:
More than 800 people died and over thousands were homeless.
pet in pixels: In 1996, the first virtual pet toy Tamagotchi was released in Japan
This Latin hit song was released in 1992 by the duo Los Del Rio and stayed in the Top 10 charts for 60 weeks. In AUGUST 1996, more than 50,000 people set a world record as they danced the Macarena in the Yankee Stadium.
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Aftermath:
BURIED WRATH: The Philippines became the center of attention in 1991 when the dormant
bomber’s wrath detonated: A bomb exploded in the basement of the World Trade Center on FEBRUARY 26, 1993. An independent group of seven
terrorists led by Ramzi Yousef plotted the bombing.
THE MIGHTY FALL: Soviet Union collapsed on CHRISTMAS DAY OF 1991 under the leadership of Mikhail Gorbachev. The powerful republic dissolved into 15 independent nations. Russia became the successor state of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, taking its place in the United Nations.
heyday of internet 1.
To access the Web, DIAL-UP INTERNET CONNECTION
2. INSTANT MESSAGING became
a hit and caused the emergence of the internet lingo of acronyms and abbreviations, such as the classic “LOL,” to avoid exceeding the character limits.
requires a telephone cable, modem, and a large reserve of patience for the screeching, beeping minutes, and waiting with no assurance of being connected immediately.
PHENOMENAL LIVESTOCK: Dolly the Sheep, the first successfully-
3.
cloned mammal from an adult cell, was born on JULY 5, 1996 in Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, Scotland. Her birth was announced to the public on FEBRUARY 22, 1997.
BUZZING BEEPER: Mostly used by the doctors in the 1950s, pagers became a phenomenon in the
90s when Motorola developed it for the public market. This small device beeps or vibrates to notify an incoming phone call until the birth of hand phones ceased the manufacturing of pagers.
BIG-EYED FUR BALLS: In 1998, the furry, Furbish-speaking animated toy Furby captured the heart of kids and even adults with its ability to say words in a cute way, but with creepy eyes.
A single webpage took about 5 MINUTES to load as the normal internet speed ranged from 28kbs to 33kbps.
MUGGLES’ FIRST LOOK AT HOGWARTS: The first book of the Harry Potter series,
4.
People started having ONLINE BUDDIES as Internet brought global communication to the next level with the help of instant messenger AIM, launched by American Online (AOL) in 1997.
THE so-called golden age of cartoon shows:
The Philosopher’s Stone, was published in JUNE 1997 after being rejected by dozens of publishers. More than 300,000 copies were sold in United Kingdom alone within two years of publication.
RUGRATS
CREATORS: ARLENE KLASKY, GÁBOR CSUPÓ & PAUL GERMAIN
ROCKO’S MODERN LIFE
CREATOR: JOE MURRAY
YOU’VE GOT JAILED:
COW AND CHICKEN
The 17 years of terror by
Unabomber and his anonymous mail bombings finally
ended when he was caught and arrested on APRIL 3, 1996 in his hideout cabin in Lincoln, Montana.
CREATOR: DAVID FEISS
DEXTER’S LABORATORY
Unabomber was identified as Ted Kaczynski, a graduate of Mathematics in Harvard University.
CREATOR: GENNDY TARTAKOVKSY
JOHNNY BRAVO
CREATOR: VAN PARTIBLE
THE throne of game consoles: NINTENDO’S GAMEBOY & SUPER FAMICOM
X-MEN
CREATORS: STAN LEE & JACK KIRBY
iceberg ahead: The award-winning, highest-grossing blockbuster film of 20th century, Titanic, was released in 1997 and was the only movie James Cameron directed that didn’t involve action scenes.
MILLENNIAL GLITCH: As the year 2000 arrived, the Y2K bug, a flaw in the date system of computers, caused worldwide panic as people feared that all computers would shut down and revert society back into the “Stone Age.”
LOONEY TUNES
SEGA’S GAME GEAR & GENESIS
CREATOR: HUGH HARMAN & RUDOLF ISING
ATARI’S JAGUAR & PANTHER
CREATOR: CRAIG BARTLETT
SONY’S PLAYSTATION
SNK’S NEO-GEO
HEY, ARNOLD
SOURCES: www.nytimes.com www.cnn.com www.webfoundation.org www.mashable.com www.time.com www.history.com
www.education.nationalgeographic.com www.bustle.com www.encyclopedia.com www.rappler.com www.imdb.com
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PHOTOS TAKEN FROM THE INTERNET
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Bittersweet disposition Nostalgia's silver lining Anri Ichimura
Patricia Loise Lucero and Moesha De Guia (Contributor)
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FEATURE
S
ubmersing yourself with vintage music on YouTube, scrolling through Facebook albums, and bingewatching old sitcoms: these are symptoms of a bad case of nostalgia. The Swiss once locked up patients they thought were afflicted with this “neurological disease of essentially demonic cause,” and they weren’t too far off with that definition. Nostalgia quite literally translates from Greek as the suffering (“algos”) caused by the yearning to return (“nostos”). Thankfully, we define nostalgia nowadays as the less daunting case of the inescapable, wistful human habit of rehashing the past especially when the present just isn’t cutting it.
Icy blues Everyone dances to their own tune, but we all converge for one song: time. It’s well-known that music’s sensory powers can ignite memories, and similarly, it can induce our nostalgia through hit songs of our time and lyrics of our favorite records. As melodies like The Killers’ Mr. Brightside fill the air, nothing can better complement music than spending the day curled cozily on the couch during a cool, rainy day. This unconscious desire for sweater weather is an effect of listening to music—making people not only feel nostalgic but also warmer physically, as stated in an experiment in the Netherlands by Ad J. J. M. Vingerhoets of Tilburg University and colleagues. Chinese researcher Xinyue Zhou of Sun Yat-Sen University shed light on the matter, observing that nostalgia tended to be more common on cold days, and people in cool rooms were more likely to exhibit signs of nostalgia than people in warmer rooms. Reinforcing the mind-body link, nostalgia’s ability to bring up warm memories that make us literally feel warmer might indicate an evolutionary survival tactic in search of food, shelter, and comfort, says Dr. R Tim Wildschut, a psychology professor at University of
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Southampton. It’s no wonder that when we look back at those idyllic days on the playground or those peaceful memories by the seaside, we feel warmer and safer thanks to the heartening memories brought about by nostalgia. Aside from sensory triggers, other factors that can powerfully spark our nostalgia are rooted not only in our environment, but from the mind and its link to our emotions. Research by North Dakota State University psychology professor Clay Routledge found that depressing stories like tsunami disasters and negative feelings like loneliness were more likely to provoke nostalgic musings. Low self-esteem and existential blues can also ignite our nostalgia. When we’re feeling down, Routledge elaborates that we don’t think of random memories about exams or lectures, but of special times spent with those we love. Our sword in the dark, nostalgia is our go-to remedy to fight off the blues, boredom, loneliness, and mortality— ultimately resulting in our net happiness.
Boulevard to the bright side Unlike certain memories that make us want to hide under a rock, nostalgic memories can often make us feel like we’re flying over cloud nine. A coping mechanism that successfully fights
“psychological threats” like feelings of failure and purposelessness, nostalgia is basically our “psychological resource that people can dip in to conjure the evidence that they need to assure themselves that they’re valued,” according to Routledge. The reaction from a balanced dose of nostalgia is a sense that “life is worth living,” even when our minds are laced with permanent pessimism. In Routledge’s extensive research on the phenomenon of nostalgia, his team found that nostalgic memories typically entail cherished, personal moments. We think of the times that made us feel at home—the places, people, emotions, and instances that inspire positive feelings of joy, high self-regard, belonging, and meaningfulness in life. When life gets hard, it may seem like nothing could make it better, yet nostalgia shows us the silver lining peeking over the black horizon. In the study titled Back to the Future: Nostalgia Increases Optimism published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, researchers found that thinking wistfully of the past inspires increased social connectedness, higher self-esteem, and boosted optimism. Just as “the nostalgic experience is inherently optimistic and paints a subjectively rosier future,” we can project the happiness we had back then to revive our life now. Although some of our memories
border more on bittersweet than bliss, in the end, nostalgia shows us the greener grass to any rotten situation. The inherent optimism of nostalgia is akin to mental armor, reminding us of life’s meaning against dark and degrading thoughts.
Word to the wise Bolstering the belief that no matter the circumstances, life still is—or can be—pretty awesome, nostalgia fortifies us against any onslaught of existential angst in a way that nurtures our budding wisdom and maturity. In Routledge’s further research, he subjected university students to an essay on the meaningless of life and the “paltry, pathetic and pointless” contribution of people to the world. He found out that people were more likely to kindle their nostalgia to keep despairing thoughts at bay. In the same vein, those who had nostalgic sentiments just before reading the essay were less likely to be convinced by the writer’s bleak outlook on life. By reminding us of experiences that reinforce our self-value and sense of purpose, Dr. Routledge says that “Nostalgia serves [as] a crucial existential function” that keeps us moving forward toward the light at the end of the tunnel, even when our own toxic thoughts try to drag us back down into the darkness.
On the other hand, the threat of losing life’s meaning can rear its ugly head when we use nostalgia incorrectly: by comparing the past to the present. Rather than comparing what we have to what we lost, Dr. Constantine Sedikides of University of Southampton suggests connecting our past to our present in an existential perspective that helps us realize what our life has meant since then. So instead of
IF WE FORGET WHO WE WERE BACK THEN, WE LOSE SIGHT OF WHO WE ARE NOW being disenchanted by the differences between your blissful childhood and turbulent adolescence, you could focus on your life’s course from then to now (puberty, hormones, and the works) to appreciate the mistakes and triumphs that have shaped who you are. Dr. Erica Hepper, a psychologist at the University of Surrey in England, states that “nostalgia helps us deal with transitions.” With a healthy connection
to our past, we can fall back on joyful memories during tough times like moving away from home or starting at a new school. In times of transition, we tend to latch on to constants, like childhood memories, to keep us steady in the tempest. Thus, it makes sense that we’re more likely to wax nostalgia in our youth, typically in our formative years of 12 to 20, when we go through tumultuous phases of puberty to adulthood while trying to develop our self-image, as revealed in a study titled Self-centered memories: The reminiscence bump and the self from the University of Leeds. Simply put, nostalgia keeps us grounded—it reminds us of our roots. After all, if we forget who we were back then, we lose sight of who we are now.
*** A curative for homesickness, a flashback that urges us forward, a heartwarming flood of sentimentality, a delightful reminiscence—yearning for the past doesn’t always have to end in regret; if we’re lucky, it might let us learn to be grateful enough to realize life’s bliss. No matter the misfortune that comes our way, nostalgia is our constant reminder that our happy memories can never be taken—it’s our diamond in the rough.
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STANDPOINT
COMING OF AGE Losing childhood innocence Cerisse Madlangbayan
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Jose Mari Martinada
Just another addition to many of my first world problems is the fact that I couldn’t find a good teen movie without mentioning drugs, sex, illegal and possibly criminal activities, or all of the above. But then, I found this foreign children’s film about a made-up world where kids get so out of hand that adults decide to leave them. You see, this plot works for a preteen movie because we see kids as innocent; but if you replace the cast with experimental teenagers, then I’m expecting a combined Game of Thrones and Superbad storyline.
*** Childhood innocence is fairly subjective and doesn’t really have a singular definition. Some call it a myth while the book Cultural Studies Review by Chris Healy and Stephen Muecke says it’s a “moral concept.” Either way, losing it carries a lot of appeal—heck, that’s what the coming of age and young adult (YA) genre is all about. In literature, according to study.com, coming of age is a story of transition from “naïve to wise, from idealist to realist, and from immature to mature.” It is when a hero “loses the childhood innocence that helps steer him towards adulthood.” Innocence is basically something you have to shed like snakeskin to move on to the next step of maturity. And because we see innocence as being free from sin, crime, and guilt, losing innocence in popular media (particularly in coming of age films) almost always involves taking drugs for the first time, learning how to party like there’s no tomorrow, and losing your virginity on your prom night. Doing immoral and less-thaninnocent acts in order to supposedly mature never really did sit well with me— and so is that idea of becoming a realist from an idealist just to shed off innocence, not that there’s anything wrong with being sensible and realistic. The problem lies when we tell children—wide-eyed and naive of the world, or so we say—that they can reach their impossible dreams and be whoever they want to be. But at a certain age, presumably when they become teenagers, we tell them to take a look around and to grow up.
Take for instance Disney’s 2000 film The Kid starring a stern Bruce Willis who encounters a younger optimistic version of himself. Being the happy-golucky kid who wanted to be a pilot to an ill-mannered middle-aged man, cold reality—in the guise of being bullied at school and his mom dying—must have struck him hard. This also must be the sad, nostalgic feeling Peter Pan felt after seeing Wendy again as a housewife, content with her life, having lived through
WE TELL CHILDREN ...THAT THEY CAN REACH THEIR IMPOSSIBLE DREAMS. BUT AT A CERTAIN AGE ... WE TELL THEM TO TAKE A LOOK AROUND AND TO GROW UP. many real-world trials we might never know. Quite possibly, these characters took one hard, long look around the harsh realities of life, forgot about their impossible dreams, and to Pan’s greatest dismay, grew up. Many never fail to label millennials as idealistic dreamers who think they can do whatever they want if we set our hearts on it, even though the very people who told us we can do anything in the first place are the same ones from previous generations who now tell us that we can't. Every metaphorical blow of the birthday cake, our dreams—err, goals—are steered nearer and nearer toward the pragmatic. Maybe it’s life, the wheel of Fortune, or the
will of our parents, but once we step out of the chubby cheek phase, we tend to stop dreaming. We reach for what’s close within our grasp and not what’s close to what we want. Coming of age, losing innocence, or simply growing up doesn’t have to be about how we become gray, stern adults (See: Scrooge and Bruce Willis’s character) who don’t know what fun and curiosity is. It’s about keeping childhood traits that matter and letting go of those that don’t. For one, it’s mentioned in an article on puckermob.com that there are childhood traits like exploration and imagination that we should retain. While sitting in front of the computer for eight hours working for a living really sucks the life and creativity out of an adult, imagination and curiosity are the few things in life that are free. It’s where passions dwell in and where ideas spring from. Moreover, it is stated that although “this world can be a dark and dirty place … That doesn't mean we have to add to the darkness.” I remember a speaker from a seminar I attended who showed us the common traits of a baby. If memory serves, we were all babies once and practically shared the same characteristics (curious, cute, the works). Then, he made us look upon our individual personalities and realize how different we are from each other—how far we’ve come from being those pure, guiltless infants. I can only wonder how much of our innocence was shed since we last wore diapers, and ponder on how many of our childhood dreams were thrown in the dumpster in favor of being strictly pragmatic.
*** Thinking back to my search for PG teenage movies in vain, I’ve come to realize that mentions of drugs, sex, and experimentation may forever be tied to the words “growing up.” And while it’s hard to imagine the said children’s film (Les Enfants de Timpelbach, if you’re asking) replaced with a cast of teenagers, I like to appreciate the fact that even when growing a conscience, some of the kids’ childhood innocence is still intact— before the movie ends, anyway.
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Forgotten fragments The truth behind early forgetting Bianca Isabelle Lariosa LA SALLEĂ‘O
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Chandler Belaro
FEATURE
L
ife was better—or at least easier—when we were kids. That’s why it’s always a treat to look back on our childhood days, from the easy playdates to the even easier academics. Though when we reminisce, there are times we try to dig deep into our childhood memories and come up empty-handed, questioning why our once vivid memories have disappeared. We often dismiss forgetting as something that comes along with age, but there is actually a deeper meaning as to why we lose our memories and where they actually go.
Keep or delete From your nickname to your first childhood pet, it’s easy to remember the good things from our childhood, simply because they are memorable. According to DLSU-D developmental psychology professor Jovito Santos, the memories that we remember most are those that bring pleasant feelings to us, while we neglect bad memories as a defense mechanism. Troubling memories are often those that we can’t handle properly; much like in domestic violence cases in which children cannot properly grasp the idea of the brutality, yet it stays in their psyche and eventually, they continue the chain of violence they’ve witnessed. Starting at the tender age of seven, we start to use repression, a defense mechanism that we use to forget unpleasant experiences. This idea was justified by an experiment conducted by professor Patricia Bauer and her colleagues at Emory University in the United States, as they discovered that by the age of eight, children have already forgotten 35 percent of their experiences from before they were three years old. However, when the same children were three years old, they could remember almost everything that had happened to them. Tracking these kids, the experiment proved that children have a faster rate of forgetting than adults, like a forty year-old remembering how his twenties were. Though it’s peculiar that children actually forget faster than adults, Santos informs that our memories all go to one place, and it can be connected to the study of iconic psychologist Dr. Sigmund Freud—the ego, superego, and id in particular. This study involves the iceberg principle wherein the id and superego are below the surface of the iceberg, with the ego serving as the tip, or the most conscious part of ourselves.
Moreover, our repressed childhood memories don’t really disappear into thin air, but rather stay in the id or the lowermost part of our subconscious as residue and are pushed down by new memories. That means our “lost” memories aren’t really lost, but are just deep in our subconscious, far from our grasp.
those who don’t remember their dreams just don’t pay them enough attention. Keeping a dream journal and disregarding dream counselors may be a good idea, as only the dreamer himself can interpret the true meaning of his dreams.
Hidden in dreamland
There may be some who are eager to retrieve their precious childhood memories and the experiences they had. But they’ll reach a dead end, as Santos explains how it’s very rare to get back the memories that we’ve already forgotten. Fortunately, some methods exist like hypnotherapy—a popular method of memory retrieval. This sort of hypnotherapy is far from the cliché swinging of the pocket watch in your face, but a step-by-step process in which cues or certain phrases that trigger an emotional reaction are used by a licensed hypnotherapist. According to Dr. Brian Thompson in his article on mentalhealth.net, hypnosis can be a useful clinical tool; however, one must be wary of such techniques, as there is no guarantee the memories are real—no matter how real they may seem. Chances are they might just be our feelings manipulating our brain into “remembering” moments that didn’t really happen. Though it’s not advisable to use hypnotherapy, there are other ways where our childhood memories can return to us, like déjà vu. As mentioned by Dr. Art Markman in psychology.net, déjà vu is the feeling of familiarity in a situation where you’re experiencing something totally new. Dejà vu is triggered by unforgettable feelings in certain life events. Imagine someone listening to a throwback playlist, and being brought back to the music their parents used to play to them.
What exactly happens to our repressed memories may be shocking according to Santos, as these repressed childhood memories that lay quietly in our id can actually resurface in the form of dreams. When we fall asleep and our consciousness is no longer in control, our id creeps up on our psyche and makes us confront the memories
OUR “LOST” MEMORIES AREN’T REALLY LOST, BUT ARE JUST DEEP IN OUR SUBCONSCIOUS, FAR FROM OUR GRASP that we try so hard to forget. These memories are also riddled with the emotions we felt at the time. Disney’s Inside Out used the same notion: like Riley, emotions play a huge role in our dreams and often control how we form memories. Sometimes, our dreams may feature seemingly irrelevant and peculiar characters, but Santos states that all the entities in our dreams are actually symbols of our buried personalities. The monster you’re running away from to the nurturing mother in your dreams: all of that may be a part of yourself that you’ve hidden away since your childhood. The only way to stop these recurring figures is to face them consciously, or to understand their meaning, so our subconscious will stop making them reappear in our dreams. Now, one might be thinking that dreams aren’t really consistent, but Santos states that
Salvaging the forgotten
*** We may have thought that our childhood memories have packed their bags and hit the road but we shouldn’t yearn, for our subconscious has a never-ending supply of our much missed, and sometimes despised, childhood memories. Although it’s difficult to retrieve our beloved early experiences, there’s certain warmth in knowing that they remain with us—forgotten but definitely not gone.
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X&Y
SUN-KISSED TO GIZMO-BOUND Childhood then vs. now Kikuno Nakadai and Naomi Lane Tiburcio
Kathelyn Ann Bravo
Camille Joy Gallardo
B
ack then, we used to boast about our teks collection, winning spider matches, and our gymnastic moves in luksong baka. But the battle of bragging rights between playmates changed when technology entered the scene. Today, we hear kids talking about their latest smartphone apps, which fandom they belong to, and how they killed monsters and zombies in their gory video games. As technology takes over today’s childhood, the chronicles of traditional Filipino childhood drifts away yet remains vivid in our memories. The generation gap (no matter how little it may be) makes us feel like we grew up in different worlds. So let’s size up on whose childhood trumps whose.
X: As twilight breaks, 90s kids remember changing from their school uniform quickly to meet their friends outside for an afternoon play. But now, the spot where they used to jump on for langit-lupa is where a recycled garbage container sits and the road is absent of the luster of piko chalk marks. Outside, kids are nowhere to be found. It’s because nowadays, most kids are straining their eyes out on laptops, tablets, or smart phones, occasionally studying but typically binge-watching TV series or responding to their call of gaming duty. This drift came to an extent that even two year-olds know more about playing computer games or using a smartphone application than riding a bike or tying their shoelaces, which is hugely different from the outdoorsy childhood of past generations. It’s a sad truth that some of today’s children no longer appreciate childhood games unlike before, says Dr. Ma. Virginia Aguilar of the Social Sciences Department at DLSU-D. She elaborates that instead of realizing the importance of traditional outdoor games where children learn teamwork and discover their strengths and weaknesses, they are instead glued to the computer gaming trend, opting to stay holed up alone in their rooms. Y: We can’t blame kids if they choose to stay indoors, given our current environment where danger lurks around every corner. Letting kids play freely beyond their backyards is like a gift-wrapped present to kidnappers as every typical Filipina mother would like to point out. With their computers and smartphones, LA SALLEÑO
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children can still have fun inside the safety of their homes. Electronic games not only keep children safe and sane from boredom, but also boost their memory, critical thinking, and problem solving, according to the American Psychological Association (APA). Contrary to the misconception of social isolation, they say kids who play e-games actually do have friends both in the real and virtual world who share the same interests. Electronic games open new worlds for children to explore, which can make their real-life adventures more fun and exciting with their online or offline buddies.
X: Danger doesn’t only occur in the outside world. It’s the children's naive thinking that they are safer in the cyber world that actually leads them to walk on thin ice. Even in a petty squabble with another DOTA player, threats can take on many faces compared to the tumbang preso days where the only trouble we worried about was getting a bad gash or sullying our dirty slippers. This virtual trap poses threats like cyberbullying, depression, and suicide—a probable end to a lack of reallife bonding. Aguilar added that there’s always a possibility of abusing social media and computer gaming which can lead to controlling our social life. Back then, the concept of adding a friend is actually meeting one in a McDonald’s play pen or the local day care and having them for keeps; today, kids could add a friend on Facebook and easily unfriend them in minutes.
Y: Honestly, we’re being pretentious if we say social media doesn't have any benefits, especially in terms of communication. It connects us to people and makes communication more accessible that even children can create their own social media accounts. Social media has improved the social life of today’s generation by expanding their circle online. The new media also created new opportunities for the youth to explore new interests, and know information that is not present in schools or in their community, according to the research Digital Youth Project conducted by the University of California. Social media had already become part of the routine of the present-day generation that let them exist in two worlds—the online and offline world. Whether they are in social media or in real world, children today explore different paths to discover their identity.
may eventually lead to plagiarism or a whole lot of idle youths. Yes, computer-generated data is accessible and beneficial—but shortcut dependency isn’t much of a good thing. Take it from the movie, Wall-E. With the persistence of a computer-reliant generation, we can also eventually evolve into overweight compeers who trust hover boards to walk for us.
Y: Well, the ease of information searching brought by technology certainly helps not only the children but even us college students. There’s nothing wrong in finishing our assignments quickly with the help of search engines if it saves us time to do other tasks. Besides, books and libraries didn’t disappear; they were just modified to fit the new generation, adapting to the high-tech world we live in now. Reliable educational websites give facts that may not be indicated in books and there are many informative journals and articles posted legally online. The Web provides us plenty of credible resources if we just search thoroughly. It is evident that learning has become more interactive because of technology, so there is no point in isolating children today from the technology-driven life we have now. “Learn with technology the way students live with technology,” education consultant Ashley Tan stated in one of her talks. Without taking the infinite wisdom of the World Wide Web for granted, getting information with just the few flicks of our fingertips will make us well-informed in this fast-paced world.
X: Oh please, online friendship sounds as absurd as online dating—desperate, superficial, and hostile. Haven’t you heard how cyberbullying, cyber scams, and the like infiltrate a child’s mind? Ironically, this scary place is also where most modern educational aids are found, as the tools of information are now glossed over in favor for the more attainable ones like PDFs and word files. Books were once the primary source of information back then; the sets of encyclopaedias stacked in almost every house are proof of that. Tracing back our childhood years, we used to look up our homework answers in ancient almanacs or in mildew-stricken library books: a huge indicator of a student’s perseverance in research. But in this digital age, anyone can Google their research reference and find it in seconds, saving them precious time like a miracle. The dependence for shortcuts and fast answers
X: Despite internet’s amazing benefits, it has somehow set an equally huge snare as children today face a critical generational issue: their disregard to the golden rule of moral conduct. In this unconstrained age, po, opo, and pag-mamano are long forsaken along with the Filipino manners. It’s no surprise seeing older people having to beg their kids to remember their manners, only to receive a cruel talk-back instead, says Dr. Aguilar. Manners were once—but hopefully still are—an integral part of the Filipino culture. Perhaps due to the famed Americanization that has greatly influenced Filipinos till now, more children are being seen today with much insensibility to the manners our country has grown with unlike before. Y: Admit it, most of us were also naughty kids that were always being reminded to watch our manners especially when we speak up, which adults considered as talking back to them. But children today are exposed everyday to
the new perspectives established by mass media and the Web, and they have become more conscious about themselves and the environment. Television, radio, and social media have raised the young ones with an understanding about their development, whether it is physiological, psychological, or social, as Ellen Wartella and Nancy Jennings stated in their research Children and Computers: New Technology, Old Concerns. Children can easily access the information in different media usually catered to adults, so it is not surprising if they can catch on to adults’ conversations. They became more aware and knowledgeable, so they learn how to voice out what they believe in. We might find it disrespectful, but the new generation already has their own stand even in their young age—and we should respect that.
X: I doubt the media can be as good a teacher as one’s parent. Media makes children uncontainable. Just think about the corrupt things children see and could be doing in the Web while their parents fail to discipline them. Contrary to the nogadget-for-a-day punishment of modern families today, being butt-spanked or kneeling on a bilao of monggo seeds was a fitting punishment for naughty kids back then. Without abusive intentions, such forms of strict lecturing were then made to bring up children with high respect and praiseful manners. Nowadays, corporal punishment is viewed as too evil and medieval. For the record, this modern non-physical lecturing way of punishment has resulted to another consequence— liberalization overdose. The Washington Post wrote that due to the contemporary unrestricted way of disciplining, children have now become too narcissistic—perhaps expectant that everything will go their way. Y: No parents are alike, especially in their way of disciplining their children. The possible reason why children today seem extraordinary is because some of them are the offspring of millennials—the generation who came of age during the drastic change in technology. Our generations are like night and day, each have incomparable attributes that make it better from the other, and it’s only because the children of today were luckily raised in the modern era where everything is within reach. If throwback photos or reunions are not enough in bringing back our old childhood, wait until this belittled generation invent a time machine to satisfy your nostalgia. LA SALLEÑO
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FEATURE
WO R L D O F MIS F IT S A stride into the awkward trend Naomi Lane Tiburcio
G
Jose Mari Martinada
etting caught laughing alone, sleeping open-mouthed in a jampacked jeepney, and waving back to someone who was waving at someone else: all of these bizarre moments that make you cringe, cover your face, and long to disappear accurately classify as “awkward.” While we try to run away from the embarrassment of these events, that mortifying split second may be enough to ruin your day. Little do we know, these embarrassing tendencies are fostered throughout our awful dental period: Childhood.
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Clumsy causes Nobody is born with an awkward bone, but people can grow up in a family that fosters their unwieldy frame. Although clumsiness isn’t entirely hereditary, being raised in a household that restricts childhood curiosity and orders children to keep their noses out of adult business can cause a person’s social tooth decay. Most of the time, kids under the strict thumb of their parents lack practice in socializing. They do know how to socially behave, but their lack of experience concludes their disposition to have an awkwardly shining moment, according to Australian neuropsychologist Dr. Robin Murray in an interview with News Limited Australia. Aside from social restrictions, negative childhood experiences like freezing in a public speaking class or being scolded in a crowded area can make a person deviate from situations that involve people’s attention toward them. As a consequence, this behavioral avoidance may lead to poor social skills and fear of criticism. These two drawbacks can undeniably result in awkwardness, attests Dr. Maria Lita Arquion of the Counseling and Psychotherapy Services of DLSU-D’s Student Wellness Center. Even in the least expected circumstances, our social awkwardness can still lash out. Whether you’re watching people getting hysterically humiliated or witnessing someone make a public speech with their pants zipper open, sometimes you just can’t help but react as if the embarrassment happened to you instead. This phenomenon of being abashed for other people’s disconcertment is called secondhand awkwardness or vicarious awkwardness. Contrary to popular belief, experiencing this doesn’t make you judgmental, but is actually a way of expressing your sympathy for these people as if you are actually suffering “with them,” according to a study in Philipps University Marburg, Germany. Just as we react the same way with other’s shameful mishaps, we can also catch awkwardness as if it's contagious, according to Mayo Clinic’s website. If your friends are clumsy ninjas who are prone to constantly humiliating themselves, then you’re most likely to receive a similar black belt. Though it seems unfair to accuse your relatives or your clumsy best friend for being socially inept, we can’t rebuff that nurture trumps nature when it comes to our own social graces.
Eclectic sequel Being an awkward wallflower doesn’t seem to have much perks, but being
inelegant can tell further about your veiled personality. Despite the fact that awkwardness is mostly viewed as detrimental, a lack of finesse can also be your blessing in disguise—but not always. On a protective level, awkward people tend to become more watchful not to offend other people with the things they say and do due to their fear of judgment. Dr. Arquion also describes these social habits as a defense mechanism intended to keep you from making more trouble for yourself. It’s the same reason why we perhaps prepared harder for that musical number and ran away from boys and girls with cooties when we were kids to play on the safe side. Meanwhile, in The Big Bang Theory series, the “awkward nerds” stereotype personified through Leonard and Sheldon among others suggest that being socially clumsy can be a
A LACK OF FINESSE CAN ALSO BE YOUR BLESSING IN DISGUISE—BUT NOT ALWAYS sneak peak of your hidden genius. A person is either born with an S brain (Systematizing brain) or E brain (Emphatic brain). People with an S brain are skilled when it comes to applying logic and reason, while people with an E brain are better with socializing and feelings. And people with a dominant smarty S brain most likely have inferior social E brain skills and vice versa, says Cambridge University psychology professor Simon Baron-Cohen. So cheer up; being inept can also be credited to your quick-witted, one-of -a-kind mind. However, on a certain grave level, awkwardness could potentially become an obstruction that can immobilize someone far beyond their social life. Arquion attests that social anxiety overload can pull back a person from excelling and expressing their ideas. She added that students who are socially apprehensive find it harder to produce a good outcome in group projects or class participation as they might be too preoccupied with thinking about how people would react to them. In the same way, people who are able to keep their cool and laugh over an embarrassing event like a head bump on the roof of a tricycle are remarked as more
pro-social and trustworthy than those who simply reacted as if nothing happened. This is because expressions of humiliation serve as a non-verbal apology or a simple acceptance of your embarrassing mistake, according to a University of California study.
The mind trap If you tell someone not to think about something, it’s inevitable that they’ll think about it anyway. Undeniably, our thoughts are uncontrollable and for the socially conscious, it’s a dread. You can try to ask a jeepney driver for the change of your 100 peso bill, but as always, tension and anxiety can push you back into your seat. Before you know it, you once again become a puppet of your own petrified thoughts. These judgments that make you feel like a main character in your own world may be one of the triggers that makes a person anxious, according to science expert and educator Michael Stevens. Although people have a tendency to gossip uncontrollably, Stevens says your life is but a small fraction of the list of topics people can talk about. So more often than not, that group of people isn’t talking about your crazy neondyed hair—they probably haven’t even noticed it yet. Many experts believe that another thing that disrupts our sage thinking is our negativity bias or our frequent inclination to think of humiliation and negative thoughts. Social psychologist and New York University Professor Jonathan Haidt supposed that “the mind reacts to bad things more quickly, strongly, and persistently than to equivalent good things.” Although we sometimes stick to the notion that what we think stays inside our heads, Tony Schwartz of The New York Times verifies that constructing our thoughts positively or negatively can influence not only what we feel, but also how we act. Moreover, Arquion describes the world in the eyes of awkward people as “myopic.” Fretful people see the world as too restricting, excessively judgmental, and rejecting—when it honestly isn’t as bad as it seems.
*** “Awkward”is not just a word fit for a perfectly embarrassing and unforgettable moment. For some, being clumsy brings us back to where we once were as a child: carefree and bold in all the right ways. Awkwardness is simply a reminder that being different doesn’t immediately equate to being wicked. In fact, this pretty dissatisfied world could use some off-base blunders to break from the dull norm.
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Camille Joy Gallardo and Mikaela Torres
S D I K Z s N 0 E G 9 S V
The nineties was a great time to be alive: flannel defined style, no hue was too bright for sweatpants, Nirvana blared from speakers, Leonardo DiCaprio’s face was plastered on bedroom walls, and all we wanted for breakfast were Teletubbies’ burnt pancakes with smiley faces. Modern-day kids may get amusement from the clicks and likes of the virtual world, but some timeworn trinkets prove that gold is better than silver.
Cerisse Madlangbayan and Rachelle Yap (Contributor) Nicole Lunaria and Christian Paul Macapagal Children these days may be rushing to managers and waiters in restaurants for the WiFi password, but way back when, the 90s kids sought more exciting treats
Back then, we relied on more innocent forms of Tinder like FLAMES HOPE (Friends, Lovers, Admirer, Married, Engaged, Sweethearts. Hindi, Oo, Puwede, Ewan), the
like gumball
stations and Happy Meals.
folding paper fortune teller, and MASH (Mansion, Apartment, Street, and House) to discern our fate. Continuously rocking the gaming world, the Classic Super Mario all-brick and pipe background is so famous that modern games like Flappy Bird seemingly adopt its art.
Before Nintendogs and Facebook’s Pet Society, virtual pets were already being pampered in the 1996 Tamagotchi.
While today’s youngsters squeal over continuous deaths in Game of Thrones, most kids from the 90s clamored over Steve’s goodbye in
Blue’s Clues
The currently aggressive pellet guns that almost every boy writes on his wish list has its less-aggressive ancestor called
and Neil Buchanan’s replacement on Art
Attack.
Nerf Guns, with their far friendlier foam “pellets.” Victory out of perspiration:
Unlike the couch potato lifestyle of kids today, the old-school youth won’t mind sweating like pigs playing patintero, tumbang preso, ten twenty, Ice Ice Water, bente uno, Bang-Sak, taguan-tsinelas, and singing the eversinister lyrics of Langit Lupa.
Although Apple’s iPad has almost everything you can ever need in a touch screen device, its dinosaur ancestor
Magna Doodle
boosts creativity like no other by helping us express our artsy side without the help of Photoshop and Illustrator.
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LIST
Not for tender ears THE FOLLOWING FAIRYTALES CONTAIN MATERIAL UNSUITABLE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN Anri Ichimura
O
Marco Belarmino
Christian Paul Macapagal
nce upon a time, those beloved fairytales that brightened our childhood weren’t always intended for children. Centuries ago, fairytales were meant for adults, with all the rated qualities (i.e. blood, gore, and sex) of adult entertainment. As the stories passed on from generation to generation, the murder and mayhem of the real fairytales lost its bitterness and was frosted over with Disney-injected icing.
In a world where we parade in the fantasy of fairy dust, give us the joy of ruining your childhood as we ride a rainbow-colored unicorn into the sunset with these disturbing truths behind our favorite fairytales.
Carnal whispers: Little Red Riding Hood Ironically enough, Little Red Riding Hood’s tale of disguises is a cover in itself with far more tricks up its sleeve than the big bad wolf himself. Unapologetically bursting your bubble, Charles Perrault’s version included in his 1697 collection Fairy Tales from Past Times: Tales of Mother Goose ends with Little Red Riding Hood never getting rescued. Instead of being happily reunited with her dear grandmother, Little Red’s flesh was eaten and devoured by the wolf, with her savior huntsman missing in action. What’s so shocking about Perrault’s version isn’t the gruesome ending but the mischievous symbolic meaning of the story. In an analysis by The Women's College of Denver University, it was proposed that the red cloak of Little Red Riding Hood symbolizes prostitution in 17th century France. That beloved fairytale we all grew up with is essentially a euphemistic parable of burgeoning sexuality. Concealed in a children’s story, Little Red’s crimson cloak actually symbolizes puberty and the menstrual cycle that’s made even more apparent when she enters the “dark forest” of womanhood. Perrault reminds readers that wolves are not always wild and scary beasts; sometimes they seduce us with gentleness and kind words only to devour us in more ways than one. Weaving itself into our culture, the story’s sexual whispers inspired the well-known French idiom for losing your virginity: Elle avoit vû le loup — she has seen the wolf. The wolf thought to himself: ‘What a tender young creature! What a nice plump mouthful - she will be better to eat than the old woman. I must act craftily, so as to catch both.’
Idol parents: Hansel and Gretel There’s no better bedtime story to tell the kids than a fairytale about a cannibalistic hag that eats small children. Always reliable to conjure up nightmares, the 1812 tale Hansel and Gretel by the Brothers Grimm might end happily with the children being reunited with their father, but it’s hard to shake off the fact that their father and now deceased stepmother were the ones who left them to die in the woods in the first place. The origin of the twisted Brothers Grimm tale can be tracked back to two separate tales. During the great famine of 1315-1317 A.D., millions across continental Europe and England suffered from disease and death, with some even going so far as to commit cannibalism just to survive the night. To lessen the burden of having more mouths to feed, some desperate parents committed infanticide and even deserted their children, just as the father of Hansel and Gretel did with them. As for the witch in the house of candy and confectionary, her story can be traced back to baker Katharina Schraderin of the 1600s. An extraordinary baker who baked deliciously enviable ginger bread cookies, she was hunted and burned to death in her own oven by LA SALLEÑO
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an angry village mob headed by a jealous male baker whose envy instigated the tragic ending. Somewhere along the way, the two stories coalesced into a sweet tale of cannibalism and child abandonment—a perfect combination to teach kids a lesson on behaving lest they be abandoned, or worse— eaten. “Now, then, Gretel,” she cried to the girl. “Let Hansel be fat or lean, tomorrow I will kill him, and cook him.”
Led astray: The Pied Piper of Hamelin As kids, we were drawn to heroes, even those dressed in tights; but looks can be deceiving, especially when they account for the strange disappearance of a mass of children. The Pied Piper of Hamelin tells a story of a pied piper known for his multicolored clothes, who gallantly rid the Germanic village of Hamelin (a real town) of a rat infestation by luring them to their watery deaths. Yet when the village elders broke their earlier promise and refused to pay him, the seeming hero of the story played his lire once more, only this time to lure the children away from the village, never to be seen again. Historical accounts support the events of the story, yet we reach a dead end once we try to figure out what happened to the children. Some speculate that the children were victims of the 14th century plague that wiped out a third of the European population: Black Death (personified by the Piper). On the other hand, Elke Liebs, a professor in German literature at Potsdam University, speculated that like Hansel and Gretel, “all these stories hide the real background: that the parents were glad to get rid of the children.” Yet another theory considers that the Piper led the children to join the doomed Children’s Crusade. A black mark in history, the Children’s Crusade converted innocent children from Islam to Christianity, who would then wait for the Mediterranean Sea to close up and create a safe land passage to the Holy Land in Jerusalem— needless to say, the Mediterranean stayed right where it was and the children starved to death waiting for a miracle that never happened. The haunting story of a piper starting as the hero and ending as the villain has lasted for centuries, with historical evidence of the legend existing in many parts of Germany. Up to this day in Hamelin, music is forbidden to be played in the street where the children were last seen in respect to the lost youth of the town. Apart from speculating what happened to these lost children, the tale of The Pied Piper of Hamelin also raises the question: why is it always the children who suffer the worst in these supposed children stories? And on the great church-window painted The same, to make the world acquainted How their children were stolen away, And there it stands to this very day.
Cursed lust: Sleeping Beauty Disney told us that Sleeping Beauty woke up from“true love’s kiss.”They lied. Tracing back to the earliest full version of Sleeping Beauty, Giambattista Basile’s Italian fairytale Sun, Moon, and Talia (Sole, Luna, e Talia) has managed to preserve certain parts of the original tale, like that of the splinter putting the heroine into a deep sleep. But the rest is definitely not Disney-friendly. In the earlier tale, Talia’s sleeping beauty grabbed the attention of a passing king who rapes and impregnates her, all without waking her up. Talia births twins Sun and Moon while in her deep sleep and awakens when her daughter Sun accidentally suckles the splinter out of Talia’s finger. Of course, Talia’s story ends with her being married happily ever after to her rapist—but only after the king’s first wife tries to cook her children and kill her. As though that isn’t enough to blow your mind, the psychological symbolism lurking under the flowery words radiate with sexuality, according to BBC writer Hephzibah Anderson. Just as the spindle and the splinter symbolize penetration, the pinprick of blood suggests menstruation, and the forest of trees, brambles, bushes, and thorns that protect Sleeping Beauty’s castle allude to womanhood, or rather, a vagina—one with thorns, no less. The seeming innocence and purity portrayed by Disney’s Sleeping Beauty is no match for the sexually deviant meaning of the original tale, which is now told in households around the world.
“The person who is favored by fortune has good luck even while sleeping.” Reality’s twisted reflection: Mulan Every little girl raised in Asian households worshipped the story of Disney’s Mulan—a warrior feminist who proved that girls can be the valiant heroes of their own stories. Clear of princes in tights or princesses in distress, the earliest version of the story of Mulan is known as the Ballad of Mulan (木蘭辭) in which our heroine takes her father’s place in the army and within the next 12 years, creates a name for herself as a skilled and fierce warrior in the Chinese army. From there, numerous versions sprung SOURCES: www.stylist.co.uk www.huffingtonpost.com psychcentral.com
up, with Chu Renhuo’s Sui Tang Romance taking home the prize of the most melodramatic retelling. In the Sui Tang Romance, Mulan meets and befriends a fellow female warrior, Xianniang. The two “blood sisters” fight for the opposing side of the Tang Dynasty and Western Turkic Khaganate, but are soon defeated by the enemy forces. After being granted reprieve by the Tang emperor for their bravery and loyalty, Xianniang marries a general while Mulan journeys back to her parents in her homeland. Yet once she arrives, she’s devastated with three huge blows: her father has long since died, her mother has remarried, and the Khan of the Western Turkic Khaganate has beckoned Mulan to his palace to be his concubine (aka bed buddy). Unable to bear such a miserable fate, the brave, fierce warrior Mulan commits suicide. University of California Professor Susan Mann states in the Journal of Asian Studies that “mythical women of great power (like Hua Mulan) are an integral part of Chinese patriarchy,” raising young Chinese (or Asian) girls surrounded with powerful images like Mulan despite Imperial China’s male-dominated society and Western myths of weak Chinese women. Although tales of Mulan’s heroism are known far and wide, it’s ironic— and downright disheartening—that the fierce heroine we grew up idolizing as kids committed suicide to escape the degrading fate as a sex slave. Mulan’s last words before her suicide in Sui Tang Romance: “I'm a girl, I’ve been through war and did enough. I now want to be with my father.”
*** Lurking under the watered-down versions of all-too-terrible origins, the fairytales we fantasized about when we were younger are far less exciting—and far more fatal—than we could have ever imagined. More likely to cause nightmares than pleasant dreams, perhaps Disney was right in omitting these facts that are definitely not suited for kids. Suffice to say, childhood ruined.
www.bbc.com www.jstor.org
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“The feeling I got every Christmas was unforgettable; nothing could compare to the excitement I felt. And even though I knew there was no Santa Claus, I always asked my mom and dad where he was, even if I knew it was just them giving me gifts.“ Chelo Ledesma, JOU22
“Noong [nasa] preschool ako … na-jebs ako sa upuan ko. I remember during class, naka-receive ako ng call kay nature. Sinagot ko naman so hindi siya missed call. Kaya ayon, pagsagot ko, pak!Chak! Bryan Ellis Castillo, JOU21
“Habang nagsu-swing ako, tumalon ako, [at] sumubsob ako ng todong-todo sa ground.” Irene Astillero, OFA11
“Noong nag-public CR ako, ‘di ko pala na-lock, tapos may nagbukas na lalaki. Na-caught in action ako.”
“Kasi kalog akong tao, tapos everytime na nasa gym kami, tawanan kami ng tawanan. Tapos ayon, napa-wee-wee ako sa jogging pants ko.”
Kathy Mendoza, MKA43
Sofia Hannah Azon, COM41
“Nahulog ako sa kanal. Sobrang clumsy ko, hindi ko alam na “'yung dinadaan ko, kanal na pala. 10 years old lang ako no'n.“ Ma. Lealyn Reyes, HUB23
“Living in Mexico when I was around three years old, my brothers and I kept on throwing footballs in our neighbor’s yard. When they caught us, they started screaming and cursing us in Spanish, they were so mad! My father got concerned for our safety and eventually had to install CCTV cameras in our house because of their anger.” LA SALLEÑO
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Paz Alvienne Gambol, BSY11
“Sneaking out … becoming a badass as my cousins taught me how to climb a tree, build tree houses, and dive in rivers. Until now, my mom doesn't know any of these [things] because I was just around seven back then and all of my cousins were boys. I think that made my childhood.” Melissa Sta. Cruz, COM23
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LIST
Imagination avenue Into the world of imaginary companions Kikuno Nakadai
Lynoelle Kyle Arayata and Lexzene Dela Cruz
Kathelyn Ann Bravo
M
ost of our unforgettable childhood memories were probably from the weird and silly escapades we had when we were little kids. We used to make scenarios with our toys, pretend to be superheroes, and even create an entire fantasy world from our limitless well of childlike imagination. Our adventures continue even without the company of our playmates as we can create our own imaginary squad. So start up your creative engines and put on your imaginative hats as we discover some facts about our fantasyfilled imaginary companions.
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Imagination hopscotch
Whimsical creations
Most of us thought that having imaginary companions was a symptom of being a loner, an introvert, or even a hallucinating psycho; but researchers prove that these are merely misconceptions. In actuality, it’s common for children aged three to seven years old to create made-up companions from their clever imagination, according to Illinois State University Child Care Center Director Karen Stephens. An integral part in nurturing our creativity, having make-believe companions is simply part of a child’s imaginative play to develop their intellectual and social skills. Children didn’t create imaginary friends because they can’t have real friends. In fact, most children who have imaginary companions are more outgoing and aware of social relationships than those who don’t have one, Stephens added. Their witty imagination and creativity made them great playmates and amusing friends, whether with imaginary creatures or real people.
A gigantic hamster, a multicolored scaly cat, or just your usual invisible kid—imaginary buddies come in all shapes and sizes. Just as imagination knows no bounds, an imaginary friend can have as many characteristics as the child creator wants, from having extraordinary strength to having spellbinding super powers. Psychologists Marjorie Taylor and Candice Mottweiler stated in their research Imaginary Companions: Pretending They Are Real but Knowing They Are that the child’s mind has the power to create an invisible playmate or give life to inanimate objects, like stuffed animals or action figures. Based on Taylor and Mottweiler’s research, children can clearly illustrate their imaginary companions from its looks, its likes and dislikes, and its super powers, if it has one. These traits not only spice up the playtime, but also fulfill the child’s subconscious desires such as having a superhero friend or a sibling. It also solves problems for some kids, like having a glow-in-the-dark friend for those who are afraid of the dark.
Who run the (imaginary) world
Friends for keeps
There are usually different kinds of toys for girls and boys—most girls prefer cute stuffed toys and pretty dolls while most boys like to play with action figures and toy cars. Even in creating pretend playmates, there were contrasting traits among children’s imaginary friends according to their gender. Girls were found to prefer creating imaginary companions to take care of, while most boys commonly invent strong imaginary superheroes, according to Taylor. She added that girls usually create helpless imaginary friends like a younger imaginary sister or a baby magical creature, while boys’ imaginary friends are mostly inspired from their ideal ego like having super strength or speed to fight monsters and villains.
Like Andy in the movie Toy Story 3, most of us keep a special toy that we treasure the most while other toys end up in storage or get handed down to younger siblings. Just like our toys, imaginary companions can also be neglected, while some let their invisible friend tag along with them to their adulthood. Having make-believe friends flourishes our imagination and helps us to come up with better and creative ideas, according to Claire Golomb in her book The Creation of Imaginary Worlds. This may be the reason why some kept their imaginary companion even in their adulthood, especially individuals who are artistically inclined. Golomb added that being a grown-up is not an excuse to stop using our imagination; it might even help us find color in a bleak reality.
Invisible partner in crime Though they are intangible, the role of imaginary companions is similar to that of our normal living friends, acting as a shoulder to lean on for children going through challenging times. These invisible buddies can be a child’s life saver by keeping them company while they are adjusting to new situations like moving to a new home and leaving behind old friends. Due to their limited vocabulary, it’s hard for a child to confide his feelings to an adult, so they take comfort in their imaginary friends, whom the child can control and say anything to, as Lisa Kadane states in the Today’s Parents website. Since the child is aware that the invisible friend will not protest, he can easily vent emotions like anger and fear to his made-up friends and use them as a scapegoat when he gets in trouble.
*** The glorious days of our childhood were filled with delight and excitement as we explored everything with our endless fantasies and playful curiosity. From fighting off monsters to becoming kings and princesses, we conquered the world with our imagination. Somehow, we left those behind when we hit the road of adulthood and took on real-life adventures in the daunting world of grown-ups. Some of us might be struggling to stay alive, but maybe by stacking up elixirs of imagination and magic spells of creativity, we can triumphantly pass through the dungeons of reality.
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A retro road trip: The Red Bus Mobile Diner Anri Ichimura
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Roxanne Valerie Rasco
WRITER'S TRIP
H
ome to happenstance and secret escapes, The Red Bus Mobile Diner in Tagaytay City, Cavite quietly sits undisturbed along the highway, patiently waiting for an astute passersby to spot this hidden vintage treasure tucked away in some corner of Cavite. Quite frankly, only one word can properly describe sentiments in relation to The Red Bus Mobile Diner: trouvaille. trou·vaille /trüˈvī/ noun (Old French: to compose, to find) something lovely discovered by chance.
Good vibrations The quaint and cozy food truck restaurant is isolated from the rest of the hustle and bustle of Tagaytay, with the cold air blowing away distress and giving customers a long awaited breath of fresh air. Located on the Tagaytay-Nasugbu Highway, the restaurant lies ahead of the traffic of central Tagaytay, giving it the space it needs for some classic peace and quiet—topped with refreshing air and clear skies. Far from the business district, it takes a keen eye to spot the capturing red bus located on the side of the highway that marks the front of this hidden foodie getaway. A complete opposite to the hot and steamy atmosphere of most food truck locales, The Red Bus Mobile Diner uses its location to its advantage, opting for a more relaxed and picnic-like vibe for customers. One step into The Red Bus’ area, and we’re instantly embraced by the chill atmosphere decked with an iconic 70s Volkswagen Kombi, charmingly decorated picnic tables, and an indoor area speckled with vintage décor and memorabilia reminiscent of the 50s, 60s, and 70s.
their best-selling Triple Cheese Burger is a heart attack-inducing assortment of greasy meat patty, mozzarella, cheddar, and liquid cheese that can set taste buds ablaze with guilty pleasure. The equally popular Red Hogg Burger undoubtedly satisfies hunger aches with its mouth-watering juicy bacon. Other burger dishes include Simple Jack, Wasabi, and Mejicombi Burgers, as well as Ground Beef and Chicken Burritos and Chicken Fajita. Their side dishes also add some flavor to the equation, such as the Wiper Wedges with Salsa and the Tater Hubcaps, which are both well worth the additional cost. The simple drink choices of Milkshakes, Blue Lemonade, and Raspberry Iced Tea are a refreshing way to wash down the addictive flavors of the burger meals. A perfect spot to lose yourself in conversation with your tropa, the restaurant is well worth the extra cost of roughly 250 pesos per meal (inclusive of drinks) for its amiable atmosphere in the day and chill vibes at night.
*** Simplicity at its finest with a dash of quirky vintage qualities, The Red Bus is the perfect stopover during a road trip in Tagaytay for those aching for a quaint atmosphere, refreshing food choices, and a nostalgic trip down a boulevard paved by an iconic red bus. Sometimes, you don’t need a fancy dinner with lavish champagne or overpriced dishes to make a food trip memorable. Oftentimes, it’s the small details that stand out in your memory—like how The Red Bus Mobile Diner’s trademark charm ignites nostalgia in the customers lucky enough to discover this treasured nook of Tagaytay.
Tickle your taste buds Just as the nostalgic set-up is small and snug, the menu is likewise short and sweet with choices ranging from its trademark burgers to burritos, fajitas, sides, and drinks. A large serving that’s sure to satisfy anyone,
FAST FACTS: ADDRESS: Tagaytay - Nasugbu Highway, Tagaytay City, Cavite Sitting in between 1 Destination Hotel and Sinangag Express PRICE RANGE: ~250 per head.
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REVIEW
Throwback channel Naomi Lane Tiburcio
J
ust a decade ago, we barricaded our castles with pillows while lounging on our couch-thrones. With our scepter—the remote control—tightly wrapped in our grip, we carried on our royal proceedings with the swift sound of a click.
Practically no amount of exams and projects could separate us from catching Goku’s one-inch-punch in Dragon Ball or Raven Baxter’s day-changing psychic powers in That’s So Raven. Up until now when we are well past our growth spurt, we can attest that our favorite childhood shows aren’t just for children, but also for the kids at heart.
!Oka Tokat (1997-2002)
Sailor Moon (Japan: 1992-1993)
Dragon Ball (Japan: 1984-1995)
Program creator: ABS-CBN Entertainment Department
Creator: Naoko Takeuchi
Creator: Akira Toriyama
Sailor Moon, highlighting the superheroine character Usagi Tsukino, redefined the face of Japanese anime and shattered women’s stereotype with its all-girl’s intergalactic combating fancy without removing the endearing childish mien.
An action-filled, extra-terrestrial based TV show, Dragon Ball was every guy’s love interest before puberty introduced them to girls. It still reigns as the undefeated show warlord that brought about Goku’s well-known one-inch-punch, notable uniforms, and invincible hairstyles.
Before sinister films like The Grudge and The Conjuring, Filipino series !Oka Tokat (reverse of Takot Ako!) never failed to haunt us with its abundance of old-fashioned Filipino aswangs and kulams. TV Trivia !Oka Tokat is the longest paranormal series in Philippine television. It had its sequel "Oka2kat" in 2012 that lasted for only 15 episodes.
TV Trivia Creator Naoko Takeuchi said she wanted Sailor Moon to be the female version of the Power Rangers series.
Johnny Bravo (US: 1997-2004)
Mulawin (2004-2005)
Creator: Van Partible
Creator: Don Michael Perez Back before half-scorpion and half-snake characters took over Filipino TV, Mulawin was the hovering legend. Mulawin’s outstanding story about the heartfelt love between Aguiluz and Alwina, a mythical bird-man and a half human, unwittingly tugged at the heartstrings of young viewers for its notable chronicles of one-of-a-kind Filipino folklore.
A self-proclaimed chick magnet that will teach the guys the right ways to ward off the female population with his huge hair, tight pants, and corny pick-up lines, Johnny Bravo is the classic cartoon icon who is still comical after all these years.
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TV Trivia Goku performed the famous energy wave attack “Kamehameha” a total of 97 times throughout all three seasons and 153 episodes.
TV Trivia In the Bravo doo-bi-doo episode when Johnny Bravo and Scooby-doo’s universes collided, Johnny crashed into Wilma and got his shades switched with her eye glasses, finally exposing his mysterious black eyes.
TV Trivia Mulawin gained so many viewers that GMA made a spin-off with Encantadia, hailed as the most striking and expensive production of Philippine television in 2005.
Totally Spies (US: 2001-2014)
The Simpsons (US: 1989)
That’s So Raven (US: 2003-2007)
Creator: Vincent Chalvon-Demersay and David Michel
Creator: Matt Groening
Creator: Michael Poryes and Susan Sherman
No Simpsons’ fans were too young for the satirical cartoon show driven by rude humor and noteworthy animation. It remains a reigning cartoon legend with a surprisingly clever, honest, and over-exaggerated portrayal of a typical dysfunctional family.
That’s So Raven brings in the classic supernatural show with an enormous amount of humor and gist. Raven Baxter’s daily thrills and mishaps brought by her psychic ability gave a new level of context to the saying “we make our own destiny.”
A timeless Disney pastime, Totally Spies had us pointing our mom’s lipstick “lasers” at bothersome brothers as we fought the bad guys with our jetpack backpacks. Proving that there’s more than meets the eye, Clover, Sam, and Alex perked up our childhood with action and adventure—while wearing heels. TV Trivia Jerry wasn’t the only one annoyed with his robot-slash-assistant G.L.A.D.I.S. or Gadget Lending and Distribution Interactive System. The Totally Spies viewers were bothered as well, leading to her omission from the show.
TV Trivia Expression “d’oh” popularized by Homer Simpson was added to the Oxford Dictionary in 2001 and is defined as: “Expressing frustration at the realization that things have turned out badly or not as planned, or that one has just said or done something foolish.”
TV Trivia That’s So Raven was the first Disney show that broke its own 65 episodes limit due to high audience ratings.
Princess Sarah (Japan: 1985)
The Powerpuff Girls (US: 1998-2005)
Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett
Creator: Craig McCracken
If you’ve repeatedly cracked-up from the Facebook trend of the sarcastic patatas memes featuring Sarah Crewe or the YouTube craze of the comically dubbed Princess Sarah videos, then you can’t deny the profound fondness for this children’s show that almost everyone became a fan of. A 20th century British novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett adopted into the Japanese anime scene, Princess Sarah satisfies the Filipinos’ fondness for a maltreated protagonist’s rise-to-glory storyline.
With sugar, spice, and everything nice (plus some chemical X), these perfect, fingerless girls popularly known as Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup prove to young aspiring superheroes everywhere that even small ones can be badass enough to kick some Mojo Jojo ass.
TV Trivia The original Japanese anime voice actor for Sarah Crewe, Sumi Shimamoto, is a veteran Japanese voice actress who dubbed characters in other famous anime series like Miyako Shibo of Bleach, Westa of Avenger, and Ishizu Ishtar of Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters.
TV Trivia The Powerpuff Girls was originally meant to be called the Whoop-ass Girls after then second year film student McCracken got his first idea that the girls acquired their powers from a can of whoop-ass stew instead of spices, everything nice, and disturbing black goo.
PHOTOS TAKEN FROM THE INTERNET
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FLASHBACK FLICKS T
Bianca Isabelle Lariosa
hrough the transformative power of cinema, we can be transported to seemingly far-off times for a couple of hours. There is always the notion that the past is something to be experienced again so we tend to choose media that transport us to far-off places and eras. These movies might leave us all a little dewy-eyed, but it’s comforting to know that even if some days are behind us, films like these will always be our guiding light back to nostalgia.
Madeline (France, 1998)
Bagets (Philippines, 1984)
13 going on 30 (US, 2004)
Director: Daisy von Scherler Mayer Starring: Hatty Jones, Frances McDormand
Director: Maryo J. Delos Reyes Starring: Aga Muhlach, Herbert Bautista, William Martinez
With the live-action twist on the spunky and smart little heroine that we’ve grown to love, we are able to envision Madeline’s unforgettable world at an old house in Paris covered with vines where twelve little girls lived in two straight lines. The storyline may be simple, but the naivety of the film is a refreshing break for us young adults.
This Pinoy 80s movie paved the way for youthoriented films in the country—not to mention the birth of the era’s heartthrobs, Aga Muhlach and Herbert Bautista. Even though our parents may be more familiar with the film, the portrayal of the high school hijinks of four teenage boys as they jump from mischief to mischief is reminiscent of our own wonder days in the similar Filipino setting.
Director: Gary Winick Starring: Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo With its classic, albeit cliché, rom-com take on the perks of skipping the awkward adolescent stage, this movie doesn’t disappoint with its touching and hilarious view on acting your own age. We follow awkward teenager Jenna Rink, who fast forwards to her thirties and struggles to follow through her wish.
“We love our bread, we love our butter, but most of all we love each other”
“Ang torpe mo naman, Gilbert”
"You can’t just turn back time." "Why not?"
Midnight in Paris (US, 2011) Director: Woody Allen Starring: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard
Addams Family (US, 1991) Director: Barry Sonnenfeld Starring: Raúl Juliá, Anjelica Huston, Christina Ricci The ageless, dysfunctional Addams family is back in this live-action film, with the ever so eccentric family searching for their long-lost Uncle Fester. Packed with epic one-liners and dark humor that we may have not appreciated as kids, we can now be delightfully relished with the wit that can only be described as deliciously sick.
“I'm a homicidal maniac—they look just like everyone else.” LA SALLEÑO
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When it comes to learning about grand art and memorable literature, there’s nothing like taking a visit to the 1920s every midnight in—you guessed it—Paris. Literally travelling back in time is a far-fetched idea, but the film is historically accurate and its dazzling portrayal of the Paris only seen in paintings makes it all the more intriguing because of the never-before-seen side of authentic Paris. Truly, this highly original film blooms with the intoxicating highs and inevitable lows of being too wistful about the past while staying true to the iconic Woody Allen directing style.
“That’s what the present is. It's a little unsatisfying because life is unsatisfying.”
Pleasantville (US, 1998) Director: Gary Ross Starring: Tobey Mcguire, Reese Witherspoon Imagine getting swept away to the 50s where smartphones are nonexistent and the rules are way stricter. This happens for two worlds-apart siblings in this engaging “antinostalgia” flick that is both charming and genuine, showing viewers a lighthearted but profound take on the perils of getting stuck in the past—literally. With the film making some jabs at the prejudices that came along with the 50’s, it may strike a few chords in today’s condemnatory world.
“We're supposed to be at home, David. We're supposed to be in color!”
The Little Prince (France, 2015)
Goosebumps (US, 2015) Director: Rob Letterman Starring: Jack Black, Odeya Rush, Dylan Minnette The film might have taken a while, but the classic spooky children novels have finally come to life in more ways than one. From pages, to the small screen, and now to the silver screen, the familiar faces of Slappy the Dummy and the creepy lawn gnomes are sure to evoke memories of curling up with the timeless series. The film bravely walks on the tightrope between slapstick comedy and genuine scare, while still appealing to the horror-loving kid in us all.
“Every story ever told can be broken down into three parts. The beginning. The middle. And the twist.”
Director: Mark Osborne Starring: Riley Osborne, Jeff Bridges, Mackenzie Foy Known as the anti-growing up novella about a cryptic wise prince and a lost pilot, the digitally-stunning movie adaptation of the classic parable is peppered with warmth and childlike wonder that will surely revive the child in us all. The film gives the novella a depth never before seen, reviving the classic antidote for growing up.
“Growing up isn’t the problem. Forgetting is.”
The Tree of Life (US, 2011) Director: Terrence Malick Starring: Brad Pitt, Jessica Chastain, Sean Penn This emotional movie about spirituality and our existence may leave more questions than answers with its overlapping plots as the film takes us back to the life of a middle-aged man questioning his life choices, while the scenes intersperse with dazzling images of the birth of the universe itself. Not everyone might have the patience to finish this marvel, but the lessons learned will surely pay off.
“The only way to be happy is to love. Unless you love, your life will flash by.”
Back to the Future (US, 1985) Director: Barry Sonnenfeld Starring: Raúl Juliá, Anjelica Huston, Christina Ricci This clever cult classic chock-full of memorable dialogue and well-built characters is sure to be an enjoyable watch, even after 30 years have passed. The tale of teenager Marty Mcfly and kooky scientist Doc Brown travelling through time with the iconic DeLorean is a remarkable adventure as the film brings in a great mix of fantasy, humor, and drama with its light yet unridiculous tone.
“Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.” PHOTOS TAKEN FROM THE INTERNET
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I
NOVEL NOSTALGIA
f only we can defy the rules of time, we would likely go back and visit our golden childhood memories. But as we wait for someone to invent time machines, we can only relive those moments through channels that remind us of our childhood wonders and adventures. In the meantime, one trick is to open a book to travel back to our days of youth.
Falling into Place (2014)
Author: Amy Zhang The heart-wrenching and tear-jerking debut novel by Amy Zhang screams pure desperation and depression, all demanding to be felt. The novel speaks well of the depth and understanding we are in search for in the chaos of life. The story is centered on the life—or rather the supposed death—of Liz Emerson as her closest friends and family gather around her, each a narrator of the lives she’s lived with them. A debut novel that can invite you to dive into the subtle ocean of nostalgia, Falling into Place calls you for a life and death quest to exist, survive, and feel. QUOTABLE: “She wished to be happy, and fell asleep with an entire sky above her.”
Oh! The Places You’ll Go (1990)
Author: Dr. Seuss From pre-school to medical school, this uplifting adventure for all graduates through every walk of life applauds the conquering of our own mountains, without forgetting to mention the speed bumps that we often come across. Children may enjoy this tale, but it’s the older audiences—like us—who will truly relate to the book’s uplifting take on the journey of life. QUOTABLE: “You're off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting so ... get on your way!”
The Giving Tree (1964)
Author: Shel Silverstein This timeless story of the boy and the selfless tree he grew up with may bring back memories of not only our carefree childhood days but also our ascent to reality. On a closer look, the book of few words displays the hidden pains of a mother’s love that we may neglect, especially now that we’re older and may sometimes forget our parents’ sacrifices. QUOTABLE: “And she loved a boy very, very much—even more than she loved herself.” LA SALLEÑO
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Bianca Isabelle Lariosa and Jaya Mea Viado (Contributor)
My Name is Memory (2010)
Author: Ann Brashares The term “the one that got away” may be all too familiar, but it gets real in this exceptional tale of Daniel and his soulmate who he always finds and eventually loses lifetime after lifetime. Both magical and imaginative, readers witness a love that swoops across continents, dynasties and—perhaps—eternity. QUOTABLE: “I did the searching and remembering, she did the disappearing and the forgetting.”
The Giver (2006)
Author: Lois Lowry Considered as one of the first in the now-popular line of young adult dystopian series, the iconic novel takes readers to a world of both conformity and contentment. The readers then meet a young boy named Jonas who is asked to be a Receiver of others’ memories, and only then does his bleak life in an isolated world take color. Though the novel is a classic, there are lapses in the storyline don’t give justice to it’s ingenius plot. QUOTABLE: “The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It's the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared.”
Where the Wild Things Are (1963)
Author: Maurice Sendak A testament to the unbridled powers of a child’s imagination, this book of few words––338, to be exact—is about a young boy finding escape and adventure through his imaginary friends. The tale is simple yet reminiscent of the eccentric universes relatable to children of all ages. QUOTABLE: “And Max, the king of all wild things, was lonely and wanted to be where someone loved him best of all.”
The Lord of the Flies (1954)
Author: William Golding This classic story of adolescent boys stranded in an uknown island starts off innocent enough, but their disastrous adventure of exploration unconvers the haunting side of humanity and reveals their demons
in an environment where civilization no longer has meaning. Though its rating is for young adults, the novel edges on the border of disturbing with just the right amount of suspense and downright horror. QUOTABLE: “Maybe there is a beast … maybe it's only us.”
The Family Fang (2011)
Author: Kevin Wilson When you’ve been living inside the fishbowl that your parents made for you, life may be confusing once you’re out in the real world. This Wes Anderson-like novel explores the peculiar family dynamics of the Fang Family while having that colorful and bemused detachment of every quirky novel. Typical dysfunctional family drama may be what first comes to mind, but the bold and oftentimes embarassing way of writing for each Fang family member speaks true of the personal trials all families go through. QUOTABLE: “He tried to think of all the people in his life as chemicals, the uncertainty of mixing them together, the potential for explosions and scarring.”
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series (2004 - present)
Author: Jeff Kinney We take a familiar ride with egostistical middle schooler Greg Heffley as he shows us his unique perspective on growing up with an equally eccentric family and group of friends in his daily—not diaries, he assures but—journal entries. Though the diary setting has a fresh take on middle school persepctives, it’s best to leave the series to our younger siblings. QUOTABLE: “I'll be famous one day, but for now I'm stuck in middle school with a bunch of morons.”
Harriet the Spy (1964)
Author: Louise Fitzhugh Even with the absence of life-and-death sword fights, this classic novel is sure to capture our childlike imagination. Following aspiring detective Harriet as she spies on—or rather, “investigates”— the everyday people in her life, the novel will definitely unleash the innate childhood curiousity in all of us. QUOTABLE: “Life is a struggle and a good spy goes in there and fights.” PHOTOS TAKEN FROM THE INTERNET
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LS & HF'S INFINITE PLAYLIST
ith ear-splitting drum beats and pulsating guitar rhythms, rock music revives our long buried secrets and desires with its nostalgic role as the soundtrack of our life. To pay the wistful past a quick visit, here are 10 rock albums that are sure to take you back to the golden days of contemporary rock.
Anri Ichimura
The Strokes – Is This It (2001)
they create art out of subtle simplicity and aching flaws in alternative-rock tracks that serenade the soul. MUST-LISTEN-TO TRACKS: Open Your Eyes, Chasing Cars, and You’re All I Have
Oasis – (What’s My Story) Morning Glory? (1995)
The Verve – Urban Hymns (1997) The Strokes’ debut album is a testament to the 70s rock gods, transporting the new millennium listeners to the long past ages of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. MUST-LISTEN-TO TRACKS: Last Nite, Barely Legal, and Someday
Iron & Wine – Our Endless Numbered Days (2004) The Verve’s third studio album transcends into your horizon, welcoming you into the glorious world of homesick mayhem and dreamy longing. Chock full of resounding anthems that grab you hook, line, and sinker, Urban Hymns is exactly as its title suggests: the melodic mantra of 90s kids. MUST-LISTEN-TO TRACKS: Bitter Sweet Symphony, Sonnet, and The Drugs Don’t Work
Despite claims of a new mainstream sound creeping into their third album, Oasis’ Beatles-esque record woven with sage lyrics manages to inspire daydreaming of simpler days as the album is comprised of acoustic compositions free of autotune overload. With (What’s My Story) Morning Glory?, listeners are given a gratifying taste of another addictive British rock import. MUST-LISTEN-TO TRACKS: Wonderwall, Roll With It, and Don’t Look Back in Anger
The Killers – Hot Fuss (2004)
Weezer – The Green Album (2001) A record that croons a profound and intimate melody to lyrics that speak of life’s quintessential serendipity, the sweater weather folk-rock album gives us a cozy, refreshing, and introspective break from the uproar of most rock music in favor of a serene listening session. MUST-LISTEN-TO TRACKS: Fever Dream, Naked As We Came, and On Your Wings
The White Stripes - Elephant (2003) A killer album, Hot Fuss carved a name for The Killers in the rock landscape as dance-rock, rave-ready, new-wave front liners, who have no qualms in stimulating infectious highs with their down-and-dirty tracks. MUST-LISTEN-TO TRACKS: Mr. Brightside, All These Things That I’ve Done, and Somebody Told Me
An underrated successor to The Blue Album and Pinkterton, The Green Album can hold its own despite being under the shadows of its predecessors. In classic Weezer fashion, The Green Album vibrates with a natural, punk-pop, alt-rock edge that isn’t overkill but just enough with its guitarheavy, velvety melodies. MUST-LISTEN-TO TRACKS: Island In The Sun, Hashpipe, and Photograph Someday
Arcade Fire – Funeral (2004) Oozing with rascal sensuality, the Grammy Award winning album Elephant catapulted The White Stripes from an eccentric cult to a cultural phenomenon. Making each spellbinding track feel like a guilty pleasure, the album deserves its praise as one of the best albums of the decade. MUST-LISTEN-TO TRACKS: Seven Nation Army, Ball and Biscuit, and The Hardest Button to Button The hall-of-fame indie-rock collective marked the history of contemporary music when Funeral arrived. With equal parts of enrapturing compositions and poignant lyrics, the debut album of the Canadianbased band Arcade Fire conjures a sense of coming-ofage catharsis that make it an intoxicating masterpiece that speaks to every generation. Although the title connotes death and endings, the album itself is an ode to life and its brevity through poetry-empowered lyrics with epic arrangements that will undoubtedly leave you with goosebumps. MUST-LISTEN-TO TRACKS: Wake Up, Rebellion (Lies), and Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
My Chemical Romance – The Black Parade (2006)
Snow Patrol – Eyes Open (2006)
A classic example of an underrated album in the shadows of mainstream success, Eyes Open embodies the characteristically imperfect finesse of Snow Patrol as
Past its emo façade decked in heavy eyeliner, The Black Parade is an ambitious rock opera tribute to childhood, death, tragedy, and melodrama. Imbibed with lyrical brilliance, the album stirs every adult’s inner angst-filled teenager to burn down the world and simply rise out from its ashes stronger— and fiercer. MUST-LISTEN-TO TRACKS: Welcome to the Black Parade, The End, and Famous Last Words PHOTOS TAKEN FROM THE INTERNET
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STANDPOINT
LET IT BE Parents and other stressful things
Anri Ichimura
T
Wenchie Tacate and Kogkia Madrid (Contributor)
heir hands move against the curves of sculpting clay, pushing and pressing, molding dreams into tangibility. Sometimes they leave their prints on the clay. Sometimes they smudge and crack in all the wrong places. Sometimes they set so much pressure into their hold that the clay becomes disfigured—a twisted creation diverting from their intention. Raising kids basically seems like pottery—only messier, with a far more unexpected outcome. Unlike pottery, the clay has a mind and conscience of its own that tends to disagree with its sculptors over what they want to be versus who they should be. In reality, we ought to accept their tailoring— until it’s time for us to take over and finish the job ourselves. And with that, either the most tragic or poignant story of the universe is set into motion: parenthood.
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Fallen gods From the love and nurture of our parents, we are fostered from the blank slates of infancy to the colored palettes of childhood. Naturally, our childhood curiosity impels us to leave the comfort of our parents’ arms to see the engaging world for ourselves, only to be pulled back for our own safety from the big, bad world we live in. Every parent has a first aid kit within hand’s reach: those little fur balls are walking disaster magnets that only parents can neutralize. That’s the magic of parents: they protect and shelter. They’re our real-life superheroes with their omniscient knowledge and just judgment. Yet somewhere along the way, we realize that our parents don’t always know what’s best, and slowly, we start to see them not as the unshakeable gods of childhood, but as people who make mistakes. The gods fall, crumble, and shatter and we slowly try to pick up the pieces and put them back together, but we can never quite look at them the same away again. As children, we follow the orders and demands of our parents; however their shield sometimes morphs into a cage as we in turn become marionettes that dance to a tune not of our own making. The older we get, the more we try to shake off their control over us in favor of exploring and experiencing the world around us— parental guidance free—undeterred by whatever tries to hold us back.
Rusty armor My childhood was different than most. With an Asian family and a childhood spent halfway across the world, I ended up becoming a mosaic of multi-cultural values with Western beliefs, Japanese standards, and Filipino traditions. Exposed to diversity at a young age, I realized how key culture and environment are in shaping the beliefs of a child. In England and other western cultures, it’s expected for a kid to become independent early on and eventually move out of their house. Meanwhile, in the Philippines, that’s practically unthinkable—children are meant to grow up into adults who will still obey their parents, live under their roof, and repay them in adulthood. These cultural expectations only add more fuel to the fire of the universal struggle between kids who try to be their own person and parents who are only trying to do their job.
To parents, a heavy weight of making sure their children grow up to be decent people rests on their shoulders. In reaction, most children feel the pressure and burden, and develop an armor to guard against the influx of expectations. The crux of this problem is that when children exert all their energy into maintaining their armor, they end up feeling drained and empty from what the psychotherapy world dubs their “false self.” Essentially a child’s coping and defense mechanism, this false self tends to rear its head from too much parental pressure or too little, like in the cases of abandonment. What results is a child that loses touch with who they are on the inside after so much time spent on their armor. Without the carefree spirit that children crave, they come to know only
OUR PARENTS WERE OUR FIRST HEROES. BUT EVENTUALLY, WE NEED TO BECOME OUR OWN. anger, fear, and emptiness, and yearn to be found and fixed. With parents, relatives, and culture determining their identity, they might be deterred from attaining the self-discovery that young people need. From kids who once reached for our parents’ hands, we eventually grow up into adults who want nothing more than to push them away.
Tug-of-war In the next chapter of our lives, the tug-of-war begins: every parent wants to hold on and every child wants to break free. Even if we have the self-proclaimed “hip” parents or the strict traditionalists, we inevitably pull apart in opposite directions and the familial link gets stretched to the point that it ends up snapping apart altogether. Like a more intense and dramatic version of expectations versus reality, parents are given a cold shock when they figure out that maybe what they expect their children to be isn’t something
that their kids agree with. They throw all of their hopes and dreams into our path, hoping that we will pick them up and achieve the things they could not, only to be crushed when their plans are sidestepped in favor of the child’s own choosing. Although they might know the best, that doesn’t mean they know what’s best for us. What they want isn’t always what we want, but conflicts of dreams tend to be swept under the rug and labelled as a “phase.” At the end of the day, they can only give good advice and guide us to the right path, but they can’t walk the road for us. That’s our job—to choose the destination, stumble, fall, and get back up without the helping hands of anyone but our own. We’ll make mistakes, we’ll mess up, and we’ll get into lots of trouble of it. But at least no one else did it but us. Sometimes, the best things aren’t forced—they grow organically, and perhaps this can be applied to parenthood and childhood. Instead of tying weights to their ankles, let them go. Let them do things for themselves, allow them to be strong and to experience life on their own terms. Let them be better people, let them believe more in themselves, let them discover who they are without telling them otherwise. Simply put, let them be. For the kids who are equally responsible for the familial strain, we tend to foolishly assume that we know better than our parents—but they’ve got more years and wisdom to trump ours. We won’t always see eye to eye because of the generation gap between us. Instead, talk and discuss the differences of who we are and who they want us to be, even if tears are inevitable. And if they insist that we’re still children, the only way we’ll prove otherwise is if we act like adults. It’s been a while since we clung to our mother’s skirts—maybe they need a reminder of that too, just as we need to be reminded that no matter how often or how hard they push us, every action, suggestion, or demand is done out of the intention to become the best people we can be.
*** Being a kid is tricky, but being a parent is pretty damn tough, especially when the kids you raise and love are the same ones you have to let go. Our parents were our first heroes. But eventually, we need to become our own.
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LATHALAIN
The Night People Rochelle Rivera
B
aryo Tala, where the night sky can be seen at its fullest, rests on top of an unnamed mountain. Lolo Dan remembered its people having pale white skin, gray eyes like a pale blue sky, and long black hair that freely extends below the waist for the women, while the men keep it just over their shoulders, tied at the back of their heads. But apart from these, they appear no different from an ordinary human. Except for one thing: none of them can go out during the day. In Baryo Tala, there was an old tale passed on from one generation to another about the Sun and the Moon that trails back when civilizations began to emerge. They say that these great celestial beings were once husband and wife. But the Sun had become so proud and he overpowered the Moon with his light that she couldn’t be seen in the sky at all. So the Moon left the Sun and married Darkness instead, who promised to let her beauty shine. And the people in Baryo Tala were their children. The Sun got very mad that they couldn’t go out during the day— its heat can burn them to death. It must be just a story for the rest of the world, but for them, it was their history. By becoming an outcast of the Sun, they were called many names like monsters, the cursed ones, vampires, or aswang—the reason why no one ever visits their place.
LA SALLEÑO
38
John Chesleigh Nofiel and Sheka Ignacio
In Baryo Tala, their houses had very little windows on each side of their walls. But they only open one window that was positioned to where the moonlight can enter. It was February when Lolo Dan’s father died and they left the city to live in that barrio. The moon was at its zenith and he can watch its beauty at the west window of their new house. Baryo Tala is his father’s hometown, and Lolo Dan couldn’t understand then, how they will be closer to him in that place. But there he spent his 9th birthday, and the rest of his childhood—the most unusual part of his lifetime. In Baryo Tala, they didn’t mind if Lolo Dan and his mother aren’t of their kind. In that place, they lived like the children of the Moon. They wake up every night and sleep during the day. Lolo Dan didn’t hesitate to make friends with the kids because they accepted him even when he looked different. It’s because his eyes seemed like an unmatched pair of slippers. His right eye was just like his mom’s—brown in color, while the left resembles his father’s—deep and gray. But Lolo Dan especially remembers a kid named Ron. They played during the night when hide and seek was more challenging with just the moonlight. He remembered the first time he met him—a thin kid with yellow crooked teeth, when they both hid behind the light post for almost half an hour, only to find out their playmates had gone
home. They didn’t know whether to cry or to laugh or which one of the two first. But they neither cried nor laughed. They just went silently home, with the start of a new friendship. Their nights were filled with Patintero, Agawang Base, or Luksong Baka. Other nights were school nights. Nobody gets to play on school nights. In Baryo Tala, they perform a short ceremony for the Moon every summer. As soon as the Sun sets, they form a circle near the lake where the Moon’s reflection glows. They bow their heads upon the grass and ask for the Moon’s blessing and protection from when the days are longest and the Sun’s heat is at its peak. “Let’s fly a kite!” Dan suggested one summer night. “What’s a kite?” Ron asked excitedly. “You don’t know? It’s a colorful paper in beautiful shapes tied with a long string. It flies through the wind, high up in the sky.” “That sounds amazing.” Ron started to jump up and down. “But where do we get a kite?” “I have kept the one my father made me.” “Really? But that’s precious. You’d let me fly that too?” “Well, of course!” Dan showed Ron a diamond-shape kite with a white and blue body, and a set of long colorful tails. The kite had
a birthmark; Dan’s name and his father’s were written on its body. The wind was enough to blow the kite up that night, more than enough that Ron lost control of it. The string slipped off his hands and the kite flew away. But it was already time for them to go home and Dan, seeing Ron’s shocked face and teary eyes, promised it was okay and that he’d just go out in the day to find and get the kite back. “But the elders might get mad if they saw you out in the day,” Ron began hiccupping, a sign Dan know all too well that his best friend was about to burst in tears. “I’m really, really, really so—” “I’ll be careful and everyone’s asleep during the day. Don’t you worry,” Dan encouraged his friend. He didn’t want to show how worried he was that he might not get his kite back. It was the only thing he had kept from his father. Dan dared to go out during the day while Ron watched him on his bedroom window through a hand-held silver telescope. Dan saw that the whole place was even more beautiful with everything so clear and bright. The trees boasted its green leaves as they sway, the nearby lake competed shades of blue with the sky as it glimmered under the sunlight, like a version of the stars at night, and he had to admit that he also missed the sun’s heat. He found the kite at a huge Narra tree and saw its tails dangling too high. He jumped up and down and waved his hands in Ron’s direction. He pointed at the tree and mouthed, “Up here!” With Dan’s bare hands and feet, he tried to climb up the tree, reaching for its strong branches and using his thin arms to lift his weight up. He kept on climbing without looking down, but still the kite seemed too far and high. When sweat started blurring his vision and his hands and feet began to tremble, he stopped and sat on a branch for a while. Then he thought he heard something crackle. Dan closed his eyes, bit his lips, and clung onto the branch.
Many minutes later, when Dan’s face almost lost its color and his hands and feet were as cold as the lake at night, he heard a rustle on the grass below. “Hey!” “What—what,” Dan couldn’t make out the words. Ron was wearing dark summer shades and a big thick jacket that must have been his father’s. But still Dan could see smoke coming out of Ron like a hot coffee in the morning. “You can’t—” Then Dan’s eyes saw the bunch of pillows Ron managed to bring with him. He lay the pillows on the grass, “This is so cool. I feel like a superhero rescuing you,” he giggled, even with the blisters on his skin. Dan wanted to shout how stupid it was of Ron, but he could only cry. “Jump here,” Ron instructed. “It should not hurt if you fall.” Dan swallowed and took a deep breath before jumping onto the pillows. When he got down, he felt an excruciating pain. He thought he broke his left leg but the pain eventually faded away as he took deep breaths. He flattened his back on the pillows and Ron lay beside him like a candle starting to melt. “You scared me.” “You scared me,” Dan said back. “Why did you come out here?” “How can I not? I saw you on that branch clinging for your dear life! But I’m so sorry you didn’t get the kite back.” “I told you it’s okay,” Dan was about to hug him but Ron moved away. “I’m bleeding,” Ron smiled sheepishly. “Take this,” he handed Dan the telescope. “Use it to watch the night sky.” Then he smiled and stared at the leaves above where the sunlight glimmered in between their spaces. “Do you miss the city?” “What’s to miss in the city?” Dan answered and looked at Ron. “I never had a best friend there.” They both got up, and Dan took his shirt off and covered Ron. “Will you manage to run back to our house?” “I’m okay.”
Halfway while they were running, Ron burst into flames. *** In Baryo Tala, they don’t hold a funeral when someone dies. Dan had explained everything to Ron’s family and instead of mourning, they just nodded and even gave him a hug. But that night, the people assembled near the lake, the same place where they held the ceremony at the start of summer. They spread over a mat upon the grass and looked up through their telescopes. This made Dan all the more miserable. Out of all the nights, he couldn’t understand why they would choose the time to do stargazing. A week after, Dan’s mom decided that they should leave the place and be back at the city. “Good evening.” It was Ron’s mother. “I heard you’re leaving Baryo Tala.” “Yes, we are leaving tonight,” Dan’s mother answered. “Can I talk to Dan for a second, then?” “Of course.” Ron’s mom smiled at Dan and he followed her outside. She looked up at the night sky full of stars. “Here in Baryo Tala, no one mourns when one of us dies. We also don’t have a place like a cemetery, but each one of us owns this.” Ron’s mom showed him a telescope similar to the one Ron gave him. She smiled at him and held it to her chest as she looked up. “The night sky is our grave,” she said. “When we die, we become stars. We reside forever with the Moon. So for us here in Baryo Tala, death is something beautiful. I know it’s hard to believe, but we’re in a vast world of mystery.” Dan left Baryo Tala with a peaceful heart that night. And even as the years went by, his mind would always trail back to that place. He promised never to forget, and so every night, with the use of the old telescope Ron gave him, he would watch the night sky. Lolo Dan would reminisce his childhood, his father, his best friend Ron, and the story of the night people.
LA SALLEÑO Volume 23 No. 2