Rise

Are you ready to rise?

Finally, the last of Christopher Nolan's Batman movie franchise is upon us.  Or at least the latest promotional posters are.  Too bad there wasn't a poster of Marion Cotillard.

Will you watch this on opening day, or let it simmer the first few weeks, so there is no crowd?

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Anyone and Anything

When I was younger, I had such a vivid imagination that I was able to create for myself three alter egos.  These alter egos each have slightly different personalities and slightly different powers.  Yes, these other-selves have powers -- magical, mystical and otherworldly powers.  They can summon dragons and other mythical creatures; they have weapons powered by mystic gems and the like; they can fly, teleport, move things with their mind.


They are eager companions during boring classes and long trips.  They are heroes of long unwritten adventures.  Most importantly, they were tools for retaliation against school bullies.  In my mind's eye, I see my alter egos use their powers to torment and torture my foes almost to the brink of death and nurse them back to health to torture them some more.  Many an afternoon were spent imagining new and elaborate tortures to my very real tormentors.  It may sound weak, but it was loads better than following them home and introducing them to the business end of a hammer.  I didn't want to be expelled.


School ended and imaginary friends faded.  And ShatterShards became the amalgamation of those three alter egos.  He lost the powers but gained a voice.  My voice.  The voice I use to bitch and rant about my problems; the voice I employ to ridicule my mundane experiences; the voice I muster to give form to my thoughts.  But no matter what aspect I use, it's still my voice, and a facet of my personality.  


It is still inherently me.


And not some mere fabrication.  It does not, however, compute that I am my blog nor my twitter account.  Though they may be facets of my personality, it can not and will not paint a complete picture of me.  But it is still me.


But the internet is a funny thing.  You can reinvent yourself and no one will be the wiser.  But like many technologies, it is its own boon and bane.  In your quest for reinvention, you may forget your self, and the webs of lies you weave may be the death of you.

But on the telephone line

I am anyone

I am anything I want to be

I can be a super model or

Norman Mailer

And you wouldn't know the difference

Or would you?

Who's to say now if the friends you've amassed are friends with you or with the persona you built around you?  And will they trust you again once the travesty of lies and half-truths have been unearthed?  I do not have the answer to that for I fear to tread it.


When I was little, I used to have such vivid imagination that I was able to conjure up imaginary personas for myself.  But it stayed where it should, which is inside my mind, because life is already too bizarre and grotesque as it is for my mental conjurings to add to the fray.










  

Take Me or Leave Me

Earlier this week, the song I'll Cover You from Rent's soundtrack played in my head for no apparent reason.  Suddenly, I felt depressed.  I don't know why I felt that way considering how lovely the lyrics are, but I did.


When one song depresses me, I counter it with more songs, and one of those is another piece from Rent.




Every single day,
I walk down the street
I hear people say: "Baby's so sweet!"
Ever since puberty
Everybody stares at me,
Boys, girls I can't help it, baby.
So be kind, and don't lose your mind
Just remember, that I'm your baby


Take me for what I am!
Who I was meant to be!
And if you give a damn,
Take me baby,Or leave me!
Take me baby or leave me!


A tiger in a cage
Can never see the sun.
This diva needs her stage, baby,
Let's have fun!
You are the one I choose,
Folks would kill to fill your shoes!
You love the limelight too now, baby!
So be mine, and don't waste my time
Cryin', "Oh honey bear are you still my, my, my baby?"
(Don't you dare!)


Take me for what I am!
Who I was meant to be!
And, if you give a damn,
Take me baby, or leave me!


No way, can I be what I'm not!
But hey, don't you want your girl hot?
Don't fight, don't loose your head,
'Cause every night who's in your bed?
Who? Who's in your bed?
(Kiss Pookie?!)


(It won't work!)
I look before I leap.
I love margins and discipline.
I make lists in my sleep, baby.
What's my sin?
Never quit.
I follow through.
I hate mess but I love you.
What to do with my impromptu baby?
So be wise, 'cause this girl satisfies,
You got a prize, so don't compromise
You're one lucky baby!!!


Take me for what I am!
(A control freak!)
Who I was meant to be!
(A snob yet over attentive!)
And, if you give a damn!
(A lovable droll, geek!)
Take me baby or leave me!
(And anal retentive!)


That's it!
The straw that breaks my back!
I quit!
Unless you take it back!
Women,
What is it about them?
Can't live, with them or without them!


Take me for what I am
Who I was meant to be
Who I was meant to be
And, if you give a damn
and if you give a damn you better
Take me baby or leave me
take me or leave me
Take me baby, or leave me
Guess I'm leaving, I'm gone!

I saw the musical when it was performed here and this song was one of my most anticipated.  I'm having a hard time looking for the local performances though, because they are at par with the Broadway cast, in my opinion.


Somehow, I can relate to both players sentiments in this song, but I identify more with Joanne.  


Who do you identify with?  

Assets (2)

Assets (1)
And so we have statesmen with unbelievable assets and we only get to know about it one scandal at a time.  We lament at how they are becoming rich while the country is poor, and conclude that the people whom we elected are crooks, but we have no way of proving it.


The main problem is that of accountability.  And vigilance.  The impeachment trial, though it has its flaws, is unprecedented in that for the first time, we are demanding an accountability from one of the highest seats of power.  Finally, we are asking not why one is rich, but how one became so.  But the Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) is merely the beginning.


The main flaw of the SALN is that it doesn't paint a whole picture.  Even coupled with the Income Tax Return (ITR), it doesn't say how one has earned, but merely how much one was taxed.  If we want our leaders to give us a full accounting of how and how much they earned, then the way to do it is subject them to the rigors of Accounting.

Any partnership or corporation, for it to be considered a juridical entity, has to be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).  Regardless if its equity is 100K or 100M, if you want your company to be legally recognized, then you have to register.


And once registered, you have to submit annual financial statements, that is: Balance Sheet, which states your assets, liabilities and net worth; Income Statement, which states your income sources and the expenses you've incurred; and Statement of Cash Flows, which states the movement of your cash.  You also have your Notes to the Financial Statements which further clarifies the balances stated in the three reports.


All three reports are interconnected.  The assets you have are used to create income, which in turn you use to pay up your liabilities and other expenses.  These incomes and expenses are commonly in the form of cash, and thus reported as either an inflow or an outflow.


If corporations with net worth as little as a few hundred thousand pesos are required to submit Financial Statements, why not subject our leaders to the same rigor, considering some of them have assets and net worth amounting to hundreds of millions of pesos?  And considering that amount of money they have amassed, it is not quite far-fetched that these people have their personal accountants trailing after them.  


The financial statements, coupled with the ITR, can paint a bigger picture on the earnings and spending of our esteemed leaders.  It will show us how much they are truly earning, and how much of that earnings are taxed.  Furthermore, it will show us how and why their net worth are increasing.  Because honestly, the government pays them measly change, yet they own cash accounts by the millions, which in my mind, truly does not equate.


The question now is how to impose such strict accounting guidelines to these esteemed statesmen when they can't even submit their liquidations on time.  But that is another issue altogether.






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