Hard to Say Thanks

a song goes "it's hard for me to say i'm sorry"... but how hard could it be to say thanks if there's really reason to give gratitude?

it's hard to say thanks if there's somebody whose guts you hate and it hurts your pride to acknowledge the help.

on our way home, my co-young-creative (baka magalit eh) and i went to this always-out-of-stock-and-frequently-slow-service fastfood chain. i love their food, but their service frequently sucks. and usually in the evening, they ask you for your order but will tell you they dont have this and that. they will give you a choice to make you feel you have the choice, even if the only choice you have is to leave their store. This happened to me and my cousin weeks back:

Crew: Sir ano po order nyo?
Ako: Isang number 5
Crew: Sir sorry wala na kaming number 5.
Ako: Sige spaghetti na lang.
Crew: Sorry sir ubos na rin...
Ako: Ano pa ba available?
Crew: Meron pong #3 at #4
Ako: Sige number 3 na lang...
Crew: Ok lang po for 10 minutes?
Ako: (Aggst) Sige...
Crew: Ano pong drinks nyo?
Ako: Mountain Dew
Crew: Sir... wala na rin po. Pepsi na lang.
Ako: May magagawa pa ba ako? Dapat magsara na kayo.

Back to me and my co-young-creative after paying for our food: After putting the food on the table, i told my friend that the girl billed us incorrectly. Our bill should be Php115 + 55 = 170. My mental math could not go wrong. She only asked us around 130 bucks. So out of honesty and since i could not accept that my mental computation did not match the bill, we asked for a recomputation. I'm no math major but it's simple arithmetic, even zebras could do that, with blindfolds, no need for Boolean, Tangent and derivatives. After the hassle of going back to the counter despite our hunger.... they asked us 25 bucks more, and they did not even say THANKS for saving their freakin a$. even a smile would be nice, but no, they just told us we were 25 short. Stupid. Even more stupid than Spongebob as a cashier. At least Spongebob smiles. Stupid. And they still miscomputed. 170 PESOS. now we're pissed and so hungry to go back to the cashier.

remember: GRATITUDE IS PRICELESS

I'm Superman

"I'm always around," said Superman before he waved goodnight to Lois, and flew off. On my last entry, it's entitled "I'm no Superman." But now, I've been thinking, I may be acting like one, like the boy scout in red cape in the movie. I have weakness which starts with the letter K. I have my own Fortress of Solitude. I have writing as my day job - in a company related with mass media. I wear glasses. I fly - my ideas make me soar and others around me. I'm a member of some sort of league to fight for justice. I'm faster than the speeding bullet - in my dreams. I wish i have X-ray vision... if i didn't. :) And just like the Man of Steel, i try to save others in my own little way, trying to be there for them when they are in distress. Similar to the latest movie, even if it's hard to let someone i love go, i'll bid goodnight while assuring her that "I'm always around."

“It is forbidden for you to interfere with human history. Rather let your leadership stir others to. Live as one of them, Kal-El, to discover where your strength and power are needed. And always hold in your heart the pride of your special heritage. They can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. ” - Jor-El

I'm superman, but I'm not. I'm not even super, yet i'm trying to be one, but unlike the Man of Steel, I'm not from Krypton, and i'm here for Truth, Justice, and the Filipino Way (whatever that means), in my own little ways.

It's hard to be someone you are not. Something you do which you are not supposed to. And more difficult still, is being yourself, amidst the corrupt and decadent times - in aspects of society, relationships and many others. I try to be Batman and lurk in the dark executing some poetic justice, but my inner Clark Kent manifests and do the Superman thing. The struggle to be good and not exact revenge is hard. For what it's worth... it's the right thing to do.

Which is harder? Trying to love who you do not love? Or trying not to love who you do love? I think it's the latter. Superman needs a savior too.

I'm no Superman...

I've watched Superman Returns twice this week, and the film or rather the character was great - not just Superman, but more on his disguise as Clark Kent, trying to find his place in an alien world named Earth. Superman would always be one of my fave heroes (next to Flash), since he is not just a comic character but an embodiment of virtues and ideals. Reading comicbooks like Superman: Birthright and Batman: Hush, i get to know Superman more. The opposite of the dark Batman, Superman is the boyscout, not only to swoop down to save people, but also to check and try to console and ask them if they're alright. Being super, he tries to control his power not to hurt people. He could kill the enemies if he needs to, but he doesn't. In the movie, there is no moment that he tried to punch or kicked a bad guy.

Back in highschool, i really liked Superman's character, and what he represented. Kal-el, Clark Kent, Superman... I wish i was one. But somehow, while meeting people, i became one without being one...

"Super heroes are fictional characters with a purpose of providing fresh hope for the youngsters. And I believe that super heroes are real. I am proud to say that I know one. He is simple (of course, he has to hide his identity); fairly quiet and seemingly detached from the world. He gets upset with the slightest hint of injustice. A true gentleman, he remains diplomatic at all times. One tends to overlook this guy and he doesn’t have anything against this. He would rather stay true to himself knowing that he has great power within than change and be at the center of attention. He helps people who are in need and never hesitates to tell them (often bluntly) what their mishaps are so that they can learn from them. This guy has never left me even if I have always acted as a damsel who doesn’t need help when in reality I am awfully distressed. But… unfortunately I can’t tell you his “true identity”. It’s a secret worth keeping."

The quote above is not from Lois Lane writing "Why the World Needs a Superman," nor from a comic book writer, nor from a fiction author. It's a testimonial from one of my best gal pals, Karla. Somehow, i've become a member of my own Justice League... near the Superman i want to be, but not quite... i'm still a mortal after all... even someone super can take a fall, what more of a normal being like me... having tasted my own dose of Kryptonite... Kryptonite... Krypton... Kryp... Kr... K...

As Dave Matthews mentioned in his song "Where Are You Going"...

I am no superman I have no reasons for you I am no hero; oh that's for sure But I do know one thing Is where you are, is where I belong I do know where you go is where I wannna be

current music: John Williams - Superman Theme
currently reading: Maus by Art Spiegelman, and Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro