Fangirl Moment! Tekken 7's "Josie Rizal"

Another video link here

Tekken 7 is drawing near!!! Yes, we're going to have new characters for the next game. And to my surprise, one of the new characters is going to be a Filipino Girl! Am I excited for this? Well, honestly...not so much.

www.avoidingthepuddle.com

I mean, it's great that we are going to have another Tekken game. And believe me when I say this, I love this game to death. From the conceptualization to the game features, I find this video game super awesome! And when I found out they were finally going to insert a Filipina character, I got excited. In spite of her physical appearance, I still got thrilled by the idea that there will be a Philippine representation in a very good fighting game. But when I saw the demo, the first thing I noticed (and what everyone among my Facebook friends immediately pointed out) was her voice. She didn't sound Filipino (then again, her name is not exactly Filipino). I get that we Filipinos have adapted the English language, but I just found it really unfair that a lot of Tekken characters get to speak in their native tongue and Josie does not. As for her fighting style, I am impressed by the fact that her kicks, jabs, and grappling look incredibly strong and effective. But I can't seem to distinguish her fighting skills from Asuka. In other words, their fighting styles are almost similar. According to a lot sources, Josie uses Eskrima and Kickboxing. Now that's really something. Eskrima--also known as Arnis or Kali--is the Philippine martial art. As for the kickboxing...I guess they included it because the Philippines is known for its other sport, which is legit boxing??? I don't know. Nonetheless, I am glad that they decided to incorporated Filipino martial arts, and I happen to find Eskrima really cool. I am not sure if the seventh Tekken game will still allow the weapons just like the previous one, but I hope they will because seeing Josie using the Arnis sticks (or blades or knives) would be totally badass. So yes, I am very happy with her fighting style and I cannot wait to use her character once the game is released! But I hope that the demo only showed a teeny tiny bit of Josie, because I really want to hear her speak in Filipino. It would be such a dream come true.

Till the next post~

Teen Expectations and What They Actually Mean

Time to go off the pill.

Lately, adults think that teenagers or kids think that they know everything, while teenagers or kids think that adults think they know everything. It is pretty confusing, I know. What I'm trying to say is that as teenagers, we never fail to have a conflict with adults, especially with our parents. We fight for what we want and at the same time, our parents fight for what they want for us. In the end, we understand. But sometimes, we do not. Also, the conflict between kids and adults can vary. Not every situation is exactly the same. As for me, I grew up with mostly adults as my company (I have friends who are my age too, just so you know). I guess I would like to talk about the expectations imposed on the younger generation and what they actually mean. They may sound really unfair once you hear it, but once we comprehend a little bit further, they can be almost reasonable. Also these are the  expectations based on my country, so I guess it would be better if I express these so-called expectations in Filipino.

"Wag ka muna makipag-boyfriend/girlfriend." (Don't get a girlfriend/boyfriend yet.)
What it actually means: Enjoy your single life while you still can. Dating may seem like the best thing in the world, when it's not necessarily true. Adults know what its like to date someone and they know what is bad and what is good about it. Basically, they're trying to tell you that there are better things that you can do with your life. But if you firmly believe that love is the most important thing ever, then okay. At least you stand for something. Good luck telling that to your parents, though.
What Parents should say instead: I think discouraging your children not to date only encourages them to date. So if you are a parent of a teenager and you are reading this right now, then I am not surprised if your kid is secretly dating someone behind your back at this very moment (or probably worse than that, may God forbid). Trust me, I know plenty of people my age who are having sexual relations behind their backs, and chances are...your kid could be one of them. So yeah, you cannot force your child not to do something. Because at the end of the day, they will have to do things for themselves. If you really feel strongly against your kid dating, then explain why. Or simply encourage them there is more to life than just dating. That there are so much better things to do than looking for intimacy and the right person.

"Noong panahon ko, di ako masyado lumalabas." (Back in my day, I don't go out that much.)
What it actually means: It's not safe outside, which is very true. The crime rates around my place gets higher and higher as each day passes by, and it is scary. Whenever you go out, you never what could possibly happen to you. If your folks tell you this, then it simply means that they are just very concerned with your security.
What Parents should say instead: There's a difference between not allowing your kid outside and telling them that going out is simply a bad thing. In my country, this is considered as a way to discourage kids from going out and getting into trouble. When you are a person who goes out almost everyday, then the immediate first impressions would somehow involves you with sex, drugs, alcohol, partying, hainging out with bad company, or something that is just not good. I mean, it's okay to tell them that they can't go out because you say so, but implying that it's a bad thing is a different story altogether. Going out is not a bad thing, because as adults, it is something that you do that almost everyday too.

"Mag-aral ka nang mabuti." (Study hard)
What it actually means: Your parents want you to have a great life. They believe that education is the best way to give you that, because a diploma automatically means you have a chance to get a stable job...at least that's how it goes in my country. I don't think that's a bad thing, though. Finishing school may be a drag, but it's not necessarily the worst chapter of your life (unless you decide it is). If you are starting to think for yourself and having an opinion about something, then I guess those endless hours of school was not a complete waste of time for you at all; as long as you learned something because of school--may it be about yourself or about the substance of water--then education is important and you should cherish it. Otherwise, you wouldn't be answering back at your parents when it comes to fighting for something you want.
What Parents should say instead: Tell your kids to simply learn. Studying and learning are two different things. Based on my experience, I believe learning is so much better because I can apply it to my life not like some random complicated math formula. I'm not saying that you should stop bringing your kids to school (but then again, that's always your choice), because like I said earlier, bringing them out is not a bad thing.

"Bawal ka uminom, magparty, maningarilyo, magtalik, o magdroga. Conservative dapat." (Don't drink, party, don't smoke, don't have sex, don't take drugs. Be conservative.)
What it actually means: Don't waste your life on something that seems normal and cool, when in reality it is not worth it. Heck, I don't think you guys will bother to buy this because we live in a world where we are encouraged to do things that we want to do. I don't know what's everyone stand on vices, but it varies. In the perspective of your parents, always remember that they want what's best for you. So if your parents discourage from doing any of these, then don't feel bad only because you have friends with more permissive parents. They don't want you to have any vice, simply because they don't want you to be like other people. They want you to be yourself and you certainly do not need to drink or have sex to define yourself and your life. (I can feel someone disagreeing so strongly with this...)
What Parents should say instead: It's kind of like the whole dating thing; you can't completely deprive someone of doing something. Again, I have friends who do these things behind their parents back. So I guess it is safe to say that many kids are doing things behind their parents' backs. It's a given that you have to explain the extent of these things, but that's the best you can do. Eventually, it is up to your kids if they want to do these things or not. You can never impose that they should be conservative. If you don't want them to do certain things, then never tell them to be themselves. But if you want your kids to learn and be themselves, then don't tell them to be conservative.

Kids...Teens...if you are reading this, I want you to know a few things:
It's ok to make mistakes If you end up disobeying or screwing up (which happens all the time), then don't worry about it too much. You can sulk about it, but don't let it define your life. Learn from them and turn it into something good.
You can talk to your parents Don't be afraid. Why? Because they're the first people to love you. No matter how terrible your fights get, their love for you will never die. Sure, talking to your friends seem easier because they're good listeners, but there's no guarantee if what they're going to tell you is right. Basically, we're all young people trying to be mature and maybe our parents can help you with that.
Adults are not the bad guys, but they are not the alpha or the omega They're just people. They can also make mistakes and they have flaws. Don't expect them to be perfect, because they are not. Don't expect them to be assholes either, because they are not. Everyone is an asshole in their own way, so I don't think putting them down like that would make you a better person.

Parents if you are reading this, I also want you to know a few things:
Don't make your kids feel like the bad guys I remember watching this Youtube video once, and it was about drinking. There was this teenage who got drunk one night, so drunk she could not go home on her car. What made her upset was the fact that she could not call her parents for help, because she was afraid that her parents will judge her badly. Now what if that was your kid? I know many people, who can probably relate to this girl. Let your kids know that their behavior is bad, and not them as a person.
Let them know you can be a best friend too First off, you guys are--no offense--old. You've probably been through a lot of stuff, which makes you more qualified to help your kids with whatever problems they have. When your child screws up, tell them, "It's okay! I've been there, and here's what I did with the situation." Simple as that. It's okay to be authoritative, but it doesn't hurt to loosen the reins on certain areas, especially when your child finally turns into a teenager.
Don't belittle your children's problems Always remember that they don't have the same mind as you, in spite of genetics. You will probably see your kid's problem in a different- way-- don't do that. Try to put yourselves in your kids' shoes. It may not be an issue for you, but it is an issue for them. Understand what they're at, then that's when you starting advising.

For both parties I tell you...

Don't deal with each other. Understand each other. Be with each other. Love each other. You're a family, not random strangers under the same roof.

I feel so strongly about this because, our world has slowly become a place where it is okay to defy anyone; even our own parents. Basically, we're losing the definition of the word respect, even when it is being used all over the place. We demand it from our parents, we demand it from our teachers, we demand it from people we hate, we demand it from everyone. We keep demanding so much of it to the point, we forget that the whole point of respect is to respect someone first. But no, that's not how it is done anymore. It always has to be about us. Regardless of how badly we were treated or how big our problems were, we end up attacking everyone just to prove that we deserve all the goodness and the rights in this world. And this attack is affecting everybody. As in, everybody. I hope that one day, we would just start being nice with each other. Now this is one collective effort, I might say. Call this wishful thinking, but if we just stick to the simple and good stuff, then maybe we can be more satisfied, be more happy, more content, and eventually more merciful to this planet. I think.

5 Problems That Only Filipino Geeks Will Understand

culturejpn.com

yashirokuru.blogspot.ocm

I noticed that I've been into List-related posts lately. However, this is something that I wanted to share for a very long time. If being an obsessed fan of *insert an incredibly long list of fandoms here* is hard, then being a Filipino fan is harder. Believe it or not, Doctor Who and Star Trek fans are also common around the Philippines. Although I haven't met much "Fandom" (I have an explanation as to why I came up with such a label) fans, the struggles we share are similar and very real. And I can assure you that having the "feels" trip is not the only problem we have.

geektyrant.com

1.) The Long-Distance Relationship Problem- I'm sure the Filipino Comic book (particularly Marvel and DC) fans can definitely relate to this post, especially since a great number of us were not able to attend the Comic Con at San Diego this year. To us, attending a Comic Con, witnessing a Q&A Panel, getting an autograph from an awesome author or graphic artist.... that's a dream for us. If not a dream, it is a rare opportunity. Most of the fandoms we love are admittedly from other countries and traveling is a luxury for most of us. I'm sure Filipinos who love One Direction or any band or singer can feel this too. But hey, at least concert tours never forget to pass my country. Yes, we do have conventions, but according to my friend a few months back, the experience is not the same. And its understandable if this is the best we can get since the Philippines is really far from most countries, particularly the countries that have the Harry Potter Universal Studios, the cast of Game of Thrones, J.K. Rowling, and DC/Marvel Stars in them.

airbitz.co

2.) The Accessibility Problem- This is somehow similar to the first problem, but this time I want to talk about the merchandise. Have you ever had this desire to buy something that is related to your fandoms? Like, you wanted your very own Lootcrate or your very own wand (and I am not just talking about any wand, I am talking about a Harry Potter wand)? I don't know how many times I have encountered this feeling and in spite of my parents' advice of being less materialistic, you can't easily shake the feeling of wanting even some Batman Merchandise. I got the same feeling when I realized that Zoella's book might not be sold here in the Philippines (which I would like to read, thank you very much). People buy these stuff to express how much support and love they give to their fandoms. As long as you have the money then you have the right to buy whatever you want. However, getting the right geek stuff is not that easy for us. Based on my experience of buying fandom merch, there are three ways. The first option is for Anime fans. You can buy your cosplay or Anime stuff in Comic Alley, which is a store mainly for Anime or the "kawaii" Stuff. Another way is to go to the conventions where they sell a whole lot of stuff that you can't easily find in stores. The final alternative is to search every inch of every mall in the metropolitan area.  But chances of getting something very authentic is--and I quote Tony Stark on this one-- twelve percent. That's kind of reasonable, simply because Geek things are not that popular in the Filipino Market. And even if they were, they won't come in cheap. Believe me, there are not much nearby Geek stores within my vicinity. The place where they sell actual comic books are miles and miles away from my place and you have to be a dedicated fan with a lot of cash to be able to get through such obstacles. Trust me, I got my Camp Half-Blood Shirt (which is something related to the Percy Jackson fandom) from someplace very far and I was extremely lucky to get my hands on it. 

3.) The Colonial Mentality Problem- I think this is a deep and touchy problem. We Filipinos are highly encouraged to be nationalistic, at least that's one of the many important lessons I had to learn during my elementary days. In other words, having the "Pinoy Pride" is a big deal for us. There are many abstract reasons why and I am sure that this is also the same case for other countries. We always had this issue that if you like something that is not of Filipino origin, then you are officially westernized. The Philippines is doomed in a sense that there are people who do not even notice what our country has to offer because we are so focused on many foreign things, tangible or intangible. As a Filipino, I actually feel bad that I am more knowledgeable about The Mortal Instruments series than Noli Me Tangere (don't get me wrong, though. I actually enjoyed reading the novels of Jose Rizal). And I am sure that I am not the only one who is feeling this way. Although the idea of Colonial Mentality sounds embarrassing and depressing, loving something foreign does not automatically mean that I love my country less. When I read Harry Potter, it does not mean that I abhor anything that is local. When I fangirl about the cast of Arrow, it does not mean that I completely forgot about where I come from. I love the Philippines very much and that is that. I admit, our country has gotten a truckload of foreign influences, but it's not entirely a bad thing. 

www.aniplogs.com

4.) The Anti-"Masa" Problem- Growing up, I encountered two kinds of people in my nation; the first group would be the geeks and fandom peeps that I grew up with, and the second group are people who are not so familiar with the geek interests and are more into the local pop culture, or commonly known as, "pang-masa". In the Philippines, the most common terms for these two respective groups are "Conyo" and "Jologs", however I honestly think these words are sort of vague for me, since I do not really consider myself as a Conyo. Back in high school, my circle of friends and I are not that familiar with the pang-masa culture. We were very content with our interests. Now that I am in college, I slowly became exposed to it, and my friends are very alienated by my interests. My high school friends, on the other hand, find anything in Filipino mass media extremely odd. I know some people who do not really want to dwell in that void because it is filled with romance, Wattpad love stories, and movies of infidelity that are sometimes sickening and honestly overrated. A close friend of mine claimed that she didn't really trust Filipino Media as much, simply because it's cheesy and not so interesting to her. Perhaps this is the reason why I am not so open to our pop culture. I am not really into the whole, "kilig" factor, dramas, and young love teams that they always come up with. Chemical Zeon, a very dear friend of mine and an all-around Geek blogger, shares his testimony about this matter:

"Whenever you talk to your friends, there is nothing you can hear other than the sound of sweet romantic coupley cutesy stuff that just makes you want to barf. Seriously, in all of my years as a student, nothing is more infuriating than having a poster outside a theater relate to you more than your friends ever could. It’s hard to live a geek’s life here in the Philippine’s when the only Batman these people know is Daniel Padilla, that DJ who everyone seems to like because of aesthetic. You can argue that Batman is a universally well known character, and I can argue that the only thing people know about him is he talks like he swallowed a 7-inch vibrator."

You can say that there is slight discrimination between the people who are into and not into the local pop culture. I have a friend who thought that Tumblr was a site for only rich and luxurious lot. Yes, I am serious. The Filipino Geeks are usually perceived as "intellectual aliens" who refuse to open up to something that is of the masses. While these so-called intellectual aliens would sometimes see the people who are into Anne Curtis or Kris Aquino as Jejemons (you may google the terms, if you are not familiar) with lowly tastes. Although it is not a major problem, the blurred lines are still there. 

flickr.com

5.) The Isolated Geek Problem- Again, this is somehow related to the previous problems mentioned. Geeks are also considered freaks or weirdos. Yes, such a problem is quite evident in the Philippines. Aside from appearing ignorant to mass media, Chemical Zeon once again shares:

"You tell your friends you’re a geek. You talk about the things you like. They try to change who you are, because the things you like aren’t normal. I don’t know if I’m the only one who experiences it, but I’ve been panned in-school a lot for opening books and reading them for fun. This is the Filipino Attitude that I would never understand, it’s as if social climbing is ingrained in our social system, that if we don’t climb it their way then we’re losers. What happened to liking something because you find it beautiful? Whatever happened to wearing something comfortable like my Superman Tee or Iron Man Backpack as opposed to wearing stuff that makes you look good according to the people around you?"

I am not so sure a majority of Filipino geeks are experiencing the same issue, but in high school, good friends of mine were bullied for just liking anime. Apparently in our little community, Anime was deemed as something weird (which is true, but who cares right?). But yes, it happens and I am sure anyone can relate to this.

And those are the five struggles we Pinoy Geeks have to face. Just so you know, these struggles are based on my experiences and observations. So I understand if you did not fully agree on this post. I would like to thank Chemical Zeon for sharing his thoughts. You may pay a visit to his website, where he talks about his fandoms and writes reviews for very interesting films. Hopefully this is enlightening and see you till the next post!