MJ the Meanie

Me: Let's go jogging after all our exams. I really want to tone my tummy. I hate my flabs.

MJ: Let's go to a cliff, so I can push you.

***

MJ: Your arms are so thin. You need to eat more.

Me: But do you know who's super conscious about her arms? Riza.

MJ: Why?

Me: She says she's fat.

MJ: You know, I'll push Riza down the stairs one of these days.

The Intouchables: A Film About Friendship and Independence

The Intouchables is a 2011 French comedy-drama film that tells the story of the friendship which was born out of a boss-employee relationship. It is the story of Philippe, an extremely wealthy quadriplegic who has hired Driss to take care of him 24/7.

What was notable in the visual aspect of the film was how it contrasted the differing lives of Philippe and Driss. Philippe is serious in his demeanor and lives in a beautiful mansion with rooms adorned with the dominant color of gold symbolizing prosperity. Driss on the other hand does not have his own home and was recently kicked out of the house where he lives because of his irresponsible behavior. He is a light-hearted guy who is physically healthy. The contrast between the two characters contributed to their compatibility as a duo.

The film also touches on the theme of dependence and eventually, independence. Dependence was shown in the daily chores of Driss –bathing Philippe, putting stockings on him, even cleaning Philippe’s bottom and finally tending to Philippe when he would have bouts of difficulty in breathing. Driss was dependent on Philippe financially. Towards the end of the film however, Independence was slowly taking into form when Philippe gave his blessing to Driss that he could go home in order for him to take care of his family. Philippe was also becoming independent by leaving Philippe despite his comfortable lifestyle at Philippe's mansion.

At the last part of the movie, when Driss was requested to visit Philippe once more and they went into a restaurant, Philippe got the surprise of his life when Eleanore, whom he has been sharing an epistolary relationship with for years arrives and Philippe becomes teary-eyed and expresses his thanks to Driss who is seen waving goodbye happily. This scene gives a
conclusion as to what the film is all about – learning to be independent through dependence.
Nothing is permanent in this world -people come and go in our lives but the learning, the joy brought forth by the friendship we build is what’s permanent and is the very thing that helps us be better individuals.

Straight

There was one time my college friends and I went swimming at Nina's cousins's condo and during the time we were eating and drinking we touched the topic on lesbians and surprisingly enough I was one of the persons who was accused by two of my friends who had a high chance of being a lesbian. I was so surprised because it clearly proves that they didn't know me at all.

Thank God Nina went to my rescue and asserted the absurdity of the accusation. She was also being accused of being a lesbian and having a special thing with Letlet which she found repulsive because they were only best friends and because she was truly straight.

 It was such a funny scene but for the record, I am straight.

Guilty of Being Inguilty

I don't get it. It has been four years since high school and he's still acting weird. I'm talking about a person whom I was not attached to in anyway except for the fact that he was a classmate of mine who liked me throughout high school. Creepily for that matter. Let's call him Ethan.

The most absurd thing Ethan did which infuriated me was the summer before senior year when he would call me several times everyday on my cellphone to which I never responded to. He then decided to do the next best thing, he went in front of our house at the time it was raining really hard and demanded that I come out and talk to him or else he will not leave. I didn't and he left. Thankfully.

I don't want to seem overly confident about myself because I'm not. But how do you respond to the type of person who can't seem to take a hint. I tried being nice about it and told him to stop wasting his energy on a girl that wouldn't be able to reciprocate his feelings. But when I was nice, he wouldn't give up. I then became arrogant towards him but I ended up being the bad guy in the eyes of many.

It was a terrible feeling I had that one time I was eating at the cafeteria with friends when I was singled out by the basketball coach of our school and was invited to join his table which he shared with some of the basketball team and asked me to resolve the issue with Ethan. Imagine all the trouble which we seemingly caused.  As if something happened between us but in reality we weren't even friends to begin with. We were just classmates. He confessed he liked me and I turned him down that was it.

Another terrible feeling I experienced was when the guy whom I actually liked, Joseph who liked me back was on Ethan's side.

There wasn't an easy way out at that time and there were a lot tension until the time we graduated but for Ethan's sake, I hope he finds peace. I hope that when he called me up recently on my birthday, he was just being friendly and not expecting anything. I hope that he will not be too hard on himself or me when we recently shared a jeep but I never noticed him and when I got down, only then did he call my attention and accused me of deliberately ignoring him and acted like he was a victim. I asked him if he tried to call me, get my attention perhaps and when he answered no, I hope he realizes that I wasn't being mean but just naturally aloof when I'm in public.

I don't know how he is, if he's attached or not but I do hope he is happy.

Seemingly Selfish

My dad and my Lola was guilt tripping me yesterday about my plans of buying my own condo unit in the near future.

They said I would inevitably be lonely. My dad said that in times when I would be sick I would have to fend for myself and even went into connecting how I was at the time I was hospitalized last semester. I was hospitalized for one week and was subjected to dextrose due to a very low platelet count. I was sad, sensitive and clingy at that time but then again aren't all sick patients that way? My dad even laughed at the time I would ask for acupressure and the time I kept on asking if my sister would be visiting me.

I told my dad and Lola that if that's the only catch, being lonely, then I'd take that risk. My dad went on to say that I shouldn't ask for it because God will test me. I told him that God only tests people who needs to learn a lesson. I asked what lesson do I need to learn. My dad said that I was very selfish.

If I'd lay down the reasons why they are so against my plan, I'd reveal who's really selfish but I wouldn't want to do that because I don't want to be genuinely selfish given that they can't possibly defend themselves in this platform.

Cool It

The trick is to not get cocky if you have won because success isn't permanent. It's a lesson to you so you won't be complacent and lose momentum. It's good for others around you so they don't have to endure a douche walking around in their presence. Be humble.

Consequently, don't be mousy if you have lost because it's not the end of the world. This is a cliche but it can't get any truer than it is. Plenty of other people are in the same situation but they have willed themselves to bounce right back up. Many are in worse situations than yours so don't walk around whining about it like a baby and take it like a man. Life can't possibly be without problems for how would we learn? How would we learn the value of something had we not worked hard to surpass it.

Don't get cocky and don't be mousy.

(Inspired by Leadership Smarts by Ken Blanchard)