The Hunger Games of Today

Though Suzanne Collins’ “Hunger Games” takes place in the future, it is evident that there are similarities between the world of today, and the Panem of tomorrow.

We still live in a world where inequality still exists. A world where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. A world where a handful of people hold the power. A world where the wants of the few, outweigh the needs of the many.

Have you ever though of millions of people starving in Africa while you eat your sumptuous meal? Or how about the millions of children uneducated, yet eager to learn, as you waste away in school? Just like in the world of Panem.

The world is imbalanced. It’s amazing how most of the world’s money is in the hands of the 2% of the population. And, this is even worse in the Capitol of Panem.

People blame Capitalism, others the government, and in Panem’s case, an oppressive Capitol.

Whoever or whatever the culprit is, one thing is sure, it is pitting us against each other, much like the Hunger Games. We are forced to battle it out to stay alive, than rather join forces to beat a common enemy.

This is our world, where we try to outsmart each other to gain an edge. All of our efforts are in vain, for in the end, the elite will triumph.

We must work together, all of us. We can get through this, together.

Let us not wait until we are all under one oppressive system where we really do have to kill to survive. Let the human race progress, where equality will finally exist. 

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The Best "Douchebag" I've ever had

taken at Vikings SM The Block, we almost died because we were so FULL! 

“A friend knows all the stupid things you’ve done,

                A true friend is the one that you do stupid things with.”

True friends piss you off. They don’t try to please you or anything. They’re not like your acquaintances, who try all they can to get to your good side. True friends will stop at nothing to make your entire day miserable.

But, when they do go away, you feel sort of empty. It is as if your day isn’t complete. There is that pang in your stomach, searching for something.

This is Rod, and he is a douchebag. He ticks me off. He makes fun of me, in front of a lot of people, even in front of girls I try to hit on. It’s no joke when I say that not a day goes by that he makes a sarcastic comment about you.

We’ve been through a lot. We’ve been friends since grade school, seven years to be exact. In fact we first met, when I came behind him, tapped him on the shoulders and said,

“I hate you,” surprised I was when he replied,

“I hate you too!” And as if by instinct we said in unison,

“What a coincidence!” We’ve been stuck together ever since.

It’s a mystery how we lasted. How such a friendship started out so oddly, perplexes me even today! 

A few weeks ago, Rod left the Philippines to study abroad, did I forget to mention that this guy is a genius? Only that he is too lazy to study.

We spent the entire month before his flight, trying to wrap things up between the two of us, since I won’t be seeing him for a very, very long time.

The night before his flight, we ate a feast, I slept over at his place, well we didn’t actually sleep. But during the wee hours of the morning we said what needed to be said, our last farewells.

The moment came when he, together with his mom and grandmother, drove off. I was content, I didn’t feel sad or anything, actually I feel happy for Rod, and opportunity to study abroad is a rare opportunity indeed. I keep on telling him NOT to SCREW UP.

Then it hit me while I was on my way home, it dawned to me, a sad reality. That there won’t be a person to make fun of you when you do something stupid, a person who text messages you for no apparent reason but to annoy you, a person who makes bad days even worse.

We had our god times, well, mostly because we laugh a lot at my expense. You know, when I trip he laughs, when I stutter in front of a girl I like he laughs even harder, when I’m running across the hallway trying to make to class, he laughs the hardest.

I’m a little sad, sad that we won’t be seeing each other in 8-15 years. But as Richard Bach puts it:

“Never be dismayed at goodbyes,

            A farewell is necessary before you can meet again,

  And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes,

            Are certain,

for those who are friends.”

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I am (finally) a GRADUATE!

I am (finally) a GRADUATE!

Four years of hardwork and perseverance finally pay off as I come up the stage and receive my much coveted diploma.

posing beside me is my mom and my aunt who has helped me a lot to get where I am today. 

A journey four years in the making

Ten, te, te, te, ten, ten, ten, te, te, te, tennnn,nenen, ten ten ten ten ten, ten  tenennen tenenen tenenenennnnnnn!!!

The music is solemn and loud as 870 seniors walk up the aisle not to get married, but to graduate.  

I celebrate graduation with mixed emotions. I am extremely delighted to have graduated as an honor student, yet also saddened by the fact that me and my beloved batchmates, have to part ways. Each and every one of us will pursue our dreams and sadly, we won’t be seeing each other for a long, long time.

Four years seemed to have come so soon. Wasn’t it only yesterday that I entered the doors of F. Torres High School as a freshie? And now, as I bow at the stage, after I have received my diploma, I glance at the oval, staring  at all my classmates, my family, and my teachers, and say to myself:

“This is it.”

That moment when you receive that diploma, is the culmination of all those
sleepless nights, days of empty wallets, and hours of effort. You have to admit, its one helluva feeling.

Four years, so long, yet so short. Up until now, I still wake up early get my towel and my uniform for my shower, and as I go out the shower, I pick up my uniform  then stop short in my tracks, and I do a facepalm:

“Wait a minute, there is no more school.”

I reap the rewards of my effort

My name is spoken, “Adrian James Astorga” I go up the stage once more, not to receive my diploma, but to receive my medals, “First Honorable Mention.” I carry in my left arm, my mom, through hardships and problems have always been there for me. 

the Faculty of FTHS, bestow upon me numerous medals. 

It is a great honor indeed to be an honor student of the 100^th batch of Excellence of Torres High School, yes you read it right, Torres celebrates it’s 100^th commencement exercise.  Also another honor it is, to introduce the guest speaker, none other than, Manila City Mayor Alfredo Lim. 

I introduce the guest speaker, Mayor Alfredo Lim

Hands clap, and my medals are put over my neck. This is a great achievement for me indeed. I am thankful, very very thankful. I would have never gotten this far on my own, there were a lot of people that helped me, my mom, my aunt, teachers, and a lot of friends. 

presenting the honor graduates of the 100th batch of Excellence 

The end of a journey and the beginning of another

my mom and I solemnly sing the Torres March

As we sing the Torres March, together with my mom, who was also a graduate of THS, that feeling of sadness sets in, knowing that this would be the last time you'll sing the Torres March as a student. I try all my might to sing it with fervor, with solemnity, and with dignity.



And now, marching out of the oval, after a few pictures with my friends, I look back. The empty oval, my home for the last 4 years, but, the bird has to leave the nest right?

This journey was an adventure I wished, would've never stop, but it has too. I know the next journey would be even more difficult than the last-- College.

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The love that sacrifices

The love that sacrifices

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Love has many kinds, it grows into a lot of shapes and sizes. Some kinds of love are shy, others bold and still there is that one kind that is hard to find, the love that sacrifices, it is the love that is true, the love that is pure.

Love isn’t all about you, it is about us. You can’t always get what you want, sometimes you have to let go of the things that you want. It’s about letting go of one thing to make somebody else’s life better. You do not do this simply because somebody tells you to, but rather it’s because it’s the right thing to do.

from  http://wejumptogether.tumblr.com/page/169

When two people really care for each other, they always try to meet halfway. However, there are times when no matter how much they want to reach a compromise they simply can’t. He needs sex, she’s not ready. He wants to pursue his dreams, she’ll never see him for a long time. She loves him, he loves another.

These things hurt, but people choose to let go, even how much they would get hurt, they want the person they love to be happy. They are willing to get hurt in order for someone else not to. These are the loves that sacrifice. He needs sex? She’s not ready, so she decides to let go, because she can’t give what he needs. He wants dreams? But he decides to settle down with the girl, saying that the woman he loves is the biggest dream that has ever come true. She loves a guy that already loves another? She learns to be content with just being friends. People care a lot more for others than they do for themselves, it’s true.

There was one girl that I really love. She is great writer just like me, and we fell for each other from being ordinary acquaintances to the best of friends, until such time that we decided to go into a relationship. The prospects were bright. Chemistry was no question because we really complemented each other. She was sweet, I was sweeter. She was caring, nice and smart, my ideal girl. Our break-up was not the result of a mighty row between us two, but because of someone else’s, her parents. We tried all we can to keep our relationship “hush-hush” but sooner or later her mom found out and we were given a choice:

“Keep the relationship going, but she has to move to another school.”

Or

“End it.”

            The choice was hard to make since I would end up losing her either way. Long distance relationships hardly work out. And I know that in the end neither of us would be happy. But then I remember Anne, and her boyfriend John, who was about to have their first anniversary when John’s parents found out, and they found themselves in the same situation I was in.

            She was given the same choice.

            I made the same decision Anne made that day, I let her go. I still remember what she said that really made an impression on me:

“Our relationship will not only affect the both of us, I have to also consider our friends, I don’t want to be selfish to send John off just to keep our relationship afloat, I would rather end this than see all of us, me, John and our friends happy.”

            When I asked if she still loves him after all this time,

“When someone has been part of your life, they stay that way, so yes, I still love him, even if we are just friends, because we once shared something memorable.”

            And from that day on, me and my former girlfriend are still very close friends, though we still love each other, we are content just that way. I’m happy where she is happy. Because I can still see her, talk to her, and laugh with her. And I know that we can’t love each other that way again, but I know that the memories we shared, the good times, the smiles, the laughter, the tears, will never go away, those memories will forever be in both our hearts.

            We are always faced with choices, choices that hurt us. But even if the choice hurts, we have to make it, just keep in mind that it will all get better. It might not lead to that fairytale ending you imagined, but it’s better than nothing.

           

            Though we are sad, we cry and sob. We know that we did the right thing to do. And that is all that matters, that is the love that sacrifices.


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