Chronicles of the Daily Grind

I’m dying to see this film. If I only had the option and the means I would see this first in an IMAX 3D experience at SM Mall of Asia. Yet, there are factors and forces to consider, virtues and values to sustain. In my eagerness and impatient mode, I browsed through pages of newspapers and magazines and even internet search engines to update myself with reflections, issues and reviews about the film.

I don’t know precisely how the film starts, but from the reviews I’ve read, the film sets off with the world’s disorientation as its crises went unheeded after five long years of Superman’s mysterious disappearance. Crime eventually soared into heights in Metropolis, led by the destructive schemes of Lex Luthor who had sprung from the prison with the specific intent of using Superman’s technological secrets for his own personal gain and glory.

After Kal-El’s (Superman’s real and Kryptonian name) ship crash lands back in Kansas, he finds many thing about this world have changed. The world has moved on without him as evidenced by Lois Lane’s Pulitzer Prize Winning article, “Why the World Doesn’t Need Superman.” Heading back at Metropolis under the guise as Clark Kent, he met his photographer-friend Jimmy Olsen who broke the devastating news about Lois who is engaged and now have a son.

The film indeed presents an existential voyage. Superman projects three identities as Kal-El, Clark Kent and Superman. His long search for his place in the universe ends back on Earth. He was believed to be the only Kryptonian who survives. And so as Kal-El, where is his place?

There are deeper meanings as to why Superman projects himself as Clark Kent. It is not just to keep his true identity to ward away from mass popularity and attention; or a prudent way of protecting those people who are closely connected to him. Clark Kent is his niche in this world by way of “relating” or “connecting.” In a deeper sense, through Clark Kent, he is regarded as “one among us.” Although Jor-El, his father, reminded him, “Even though you’ve been raised as a human being, you are not one of them.” Things are becoming more difficult for him when he learned that Lois Lane, the love of his life and the human connection he most needed, has also moved on from his absence.

“There is nothing stronger or more devastating to Superman than to be told by the woman he loves that he’s no longer relevant in the world and this thing he thought he was destined to be is not really appropriate anymore.” In his winning essay, Lois Lane had written to the people the need to move on, to learn for themselves, and not to rely on having a savior. Therefore, his third identity as “Superman” was put into malarkey.

Superman struggles not only for his identity, but more so for the meaning of his existence. With these three: Kal-El, Superman, Clark Kent in question, what or where is his place?

We have so much to learn from this. Oftentimes we are identified with the things we do. It would really be a devastating experience for one day to wake up to a reality when we can never perform. Can we live with that? Then we begin to ask the meaning of our existence. Existential philosophers would talk about “functionalism.” That is an enslaving concept. We call that inauthentic way of living. The meaning of our existence is not what one can do… but who we are….

In this regard, who is superman? Superman in reality is a myth, a product of one’s imagination, a non-existential being. Yet, we can learn existential things from him.

*****

Superman is different among other superheroes. If Batman’s true identity is Bruce Wayne, Spiderman’s true identity is Peter Parker, and Daredevil’s true identity is Matt Murdock; Superman’s true identity is not Clark Kent. He is Superman. The song by Five for Fighting beautifully captures the inner struggles of superman. And we can relate to this. Human as we are, we can identify with the emotion of superman. In the external toughness and strength, deep within is the vulnerability one’s being (true self). Borrowing from Anotoine de St. Exupery’s line from The Little Prince, “What is essential is invisible in the eye.”

SUPERMAN
Five for Fighting

I can’t stand to fly;
I’m not that naïve;
I’m just out to find
The better part of me.  

I’m more than a bird;
I’m more than a plane,
More than some pretty face beside a train;
It’s not easy to be me. 

Wish that I could cry,
Fall upon my knees,
Find a way to lie
About a home I’ll never see. 

It may sound absurd
but don’t be naïve;
Even Heroes have the right to bleed;
I may be disturbed,but won’t you concede?
Even Heroes have the right to dream;
It’s not easy to be me  

Up, up and away, away from me;
Well, it’s all right.
You can all sleep sound tonight;
I’m not crazy or anything… 

I can’t stand to fly;
I’m not that naïve;
Men weren’t meant to ride
with clouds between their knees.  

I’m only a man in a silly red sheet,
Digging for kryptonite on this one way street,
Only a man in a funny red sheet,
Looking for special things inside of me…

Inside of me… 

I’m only a man in silly red sheet,
Only a man looking for her dreams…
I’m only a man in a funny red sheet…
It’s not easy…
It’s not easy to be me.

Posted by brodiz at 1:11 PM | Permalink | Comments

I was browsing my notes and tests in the Enneagram which we took as a three-day seminar last summer. I still find it obscure as to how my “multifaceted” (a nicer way of saying “complex” or “difficult”) personality could be classified. In both tests I got high on both number 4 (the artist, romantic and individualist) and number 6 (the loyalist, Devil’s advocate, defender and doubter). Although the two types are not connected, I believe that I exhibit both their characteristics. In the end, I settled with number 6 as a personality type I am more comfortable with… but still, mindful of my behavior I drop into considering number 4 as an alternative personality type.

My goodness! Why do I have to be dictated by a number? After the enneagram seminar, we have already been classifying people with numbers.

“He’s a number one.”
“I am not at all surprised. He’s a number eight.”
“That dog is a number nine.”

If Victor Hugo’s Jean Valjean (marked and named as prisoner 24601 in Les Misarables) were real… he could have been killed us.

This is not about the enneagram fever. This is about how we have been fond of “labeling” people. “Labeling” and “Stereotyping” could lead to aggression.

It is amusing to suppose that the whole human population of the world (according to the International Programs Center, U.S. Bureau of the Census, the total population of the World, projected to 06/15/06 at 00:39 GMT (EST+5) is 6,522,229,536) could be classified to 9 personality types. That means there are about 724,692,170 like me under one type. What ever happened to that doctrine where every individual is unique and unrepeatable being? I know, of course, these are just classifications.

Am I raising this point to validate the intricacies of my complex personality? J I should know better.

Posted by brodiz at 9:21 AM | Permalink | Comments

STUDIES….

Life of philosophizing commences today. I have enrolled four Philosophy subjects: (1) Critics and Epistemology, (2) General Ethics, (3) Ancient Philosophy, and (4) Oriental Philosophy.

Something to think about for today’s class:

The fact that the mind can be certain in the knowledge of things, it can also falter. Therefore,

“Is the mind really capable of knowledge?”
“Can it be that the mind deceive us with all the images and judgment it creates?”

ASSISTANCE…

This afternoon while assisting our students, I noticed one male college student passed by wearing a pink T-shirt with a printed image of a leaf of “cannabis sativa” and the label “Marijuana” in front. I think he knows drugs are not only immoral but also illegal. So what is in the mind of that person? What is his motivation of wearing that shirt? I hope that I am just “over-interpreting” and “over-reacting” to things. I don’t know… what has happened to our values system?

ERRANDS…

Immediately after assistance, we hit the road to procure supplies for the community. Heading back home we experienced a little bit of delay. Goodness! I missed game time. We were stuck in a heavy traffic on the south super highway. When the traffic started to loosen we realized that there was an accident… at the other side (the opposite lane). It’s inconceivable for this lane we were trekking to be in serious traffic condition. After passing the area were the accident was which is not really on our lane, traffic flowed smoothly. I don’t know how to describe Filipino drivers…

a.) “concerned citizens”
b.) “sympathetic”
c.) “nosy”

I don’t know, if Filipinos having all these qualities have indeed helped alleviate the situation. Nah… it went worse.

Posted by brodiz at 9:53 PM | Permalink | Comments

Even the FIFA World Cup Fever hits the seminary. Fr. Rector verbally gave “implicit permission” in his goodnight talk tonight to watch certain game highlights since the World Cup happens only every four years. That means there would be early risers (at 1:00 am) starting tomorrow. That’s good! Hehehe…. Go Brazil!

Posted by brodiz at 9:58 PM | Permalink | Comments

This afternoon we continued our basketball clinic. At a late age (the mean age of the brothers is 29), we went on reviewing drills on the basics of basketball: ball handling, dribbling, passing, defense stances. It’s quite uncomfortable for us “elderly” being watched by high school students doing these basic drills. These should have been done when we were much younger. But all is for us a good cause, anyway.

If I haven’t entered the seminary, I wouldn’t have learned to play basketball. I remember I was seven when I first attempted to join my peer group. Ten minutes later, my friends were already bringing me home due to difficulty of breathing. Though active when I was a child, I was fraught with blight of bodily and respiratory weaknesses. I had weaker stamina with periodic asthma attacks. I was discouraged from strenuous activities such as sports for 15 years.

I didn’t know then what I had been missing. I am thankful for the twist in my life. Though it’s a bit late, I have come to embrace an important facet to one’s childhood life --- that is to play, to play strenuously and sometimes rough. I don’t know what sort of miracle that had happened in me, but I could play an hour straight, running here and about without rest. My respiratory problems no longer bother me at all. And what is important is that I get to love sports, especially basketball.

I could not say I’m already good at playing… not yet. I still have dreams of going at par with Michael Jordan or Lebron James or Manu Genobili or Bro. Itchan.… I need to play harder and better. Just like in any talent, skill or anything for that matter, we need at least these three to excel: (1) passion, (2) hardwork, and (3) the right motivation.

Hmmm…. It seems that I’m lost in no. 3… gotta dig deeper…

Posted by brodiz at 6:57 PM | Permalink | Comments

The community woke up today at 3:30 am to finally pursue the overdue plan of hiking Mt. Batulao. I was pre-conditioned with the expectation that it was an easy hike. Besides, viewing the mountain from Don Bosco BAtulao, it really seems that it's an easy hike. Who would believe we have reached the peak for three hours? In fairness, we had a lot of stop-overs to accommodate our elderly companions which includes our rector and a "too-matured" adult companion. Along the way we had breakfast and recreation. We have been fooling aroung while hiking. Anyway it was never really a race to the top, but a matter of enjoying the presence of the communtiy. But I still could not accept that it took us 3 hours to reach that peak.

We are twenty hikers in all. Seventeen brothers and three priests.

I really don't dig hiking mountains before, considering that I used to be a sickly person, having periodic asthma attacks. But now, I really love hiking. We have hiked Maculot and Makiling. It's unfortunate I wasn't there yet when my brothers hiked Pulag. But hiking, tiring though it was, refreshes and recharges me to mvoe on with life.

One of our companions who is a priest and who also happened to be our formator and college professor, told us: "I wouldn't have hiked without the community. I think it is foolishness to hike a mountain and after reaching the top you'll go down."

In his goodnight talk he shared his reflection about the experience. What makes the experience beautiful for him is the fact that it was a community activity where everybody doesn't only share the same experience of pain and hardships, but also encountering and enjoying each others' presence.

I could not also imagine myself hiking a mountain alone.

More than the unitive experience, mountain climbing is about conquering yourself and surpassing your limitations. Yes, the experience of having somebody with you makes that much easier. But it is our personal choice and conviction that will bring us far.

Yesterday when our brother assistant wrote to the board the schedule for today's itinerary, I was surprised to see:

3:30 am Rising
4:00 am Departure for Batulao
5:00 am Assault to Mt. Batulao

I felt uneasy. I am used to the word "ascent" than "assault". It seems the word gives a pejorative description. I even asked this to our rector and he seemed to convince me out of respect for his authority. :)

I guess, the word is right. More than "ascent," what we did was "assault." We went home with cuts and bruises, with killer muscle pains, burned skin, and almost dehydrated. We not only conquered the mountain. We conquered ourselves.

Posted by brodiz at 9:34 PM | Permalink | Comments

My life as a seminarian revolve within the walls of Don Bosco Canlubang. For four years I have been formed in this ideal microcosm where the world starts to shrink, and "I" begins to expand. I am amazed that the idea of my existence is so immense as the concept of the world.

The seminary is not a place where future priests and religious brothers are locked from the clutches of worldliness. Inasmuch as we enrich and grow our relationship with God, we don't just pray all day. What amazes me in this four-year formation is the realization that I get to know myself better and deeper.

I am a reflective person in spite my reputation as a bufoon. Every moment, every experience, every event, there are nuggets of wisdom for me to learn, and at the same time have fun.

My mind doesn't have a pattern. It just thinks and strikes anytime and anywhere. My thoughts vary from one extreme to the other. My range of interest could drive one crazy. Nevertheless, all these are not just the product of my heart and mind… they just comprise ME.

Posted by brodiz at 5:47 PM | Permalink | Comments

"Every human being has an impact on another."

This strengthens my belief on how blogging can be very useful and meaningful. Posting snippets of your thoughts, experiences and reflections allow you not only personal transformation, but also a possibility of contaminating others of your positive views and convictions.

I dare say that whatever we write are reflections of our "selves", our very being. Since we are human beings, it is inevitable for us to connect and resonate. It is our humanity that links us. It is our souls that bridge that connection.

We are a network.

It feels mostly amazing and overwhelming to know how young people writes. They write with passion and authenticity. It is truly inspiring to read and understand their thoughts and views. Young as they are, they are full of insights. In this world where everything offers comfort, artificiality, and superficiality, young people has deep within them a well of wisdom.

For those who are against blogging, they view this scheme as a "self-tripping" venture. For them it is nothing but a hollow of self-conceit. It may happen that way. The motivations may be true. But here we talk about ourselves. Not just for arrogance sake… not just to show how good we are at reflecting.

It is about sharing…

… that we belong to the human race
… that we have a lot to share in humanity and in this world
… that we cannot avoid resonating or connecting
… that we can learn from one another.

Let's go blogging!!!!

Posted by brodiz at 5:30 PM | Permalink | Comments