Thy Kingdom Now and Thine New Royal Subjects

It has been sometime since I wrote about thine kingdom. It's time to update those who care enough to know the latest in this outlandish and misplaced haven of puppets.

First, there has been a big change from the first post.... some characters have gone to some other kingdoms for very good reasons....

First to fall were a number of fence sitters.... a former harassed subject of RB went to another office known for creativity .... not much was heard from her ever again as if she vanished from the face of the earth.... talk about not wanting to go back to one's past ... I wonder why .... heard that she's even went to some distant land where RB stayed for sometime .....

Two pawns and clappers went on to greener pasteurs.... One pursued higher education in a progressive Asian country and got a job there.... The other one got a job that she is best suited for and now shuttles back and forth between two urban cities ... there is no other way to go but out for them .... because had they stayed, they would remain to be the clowns they were doomed to be ...

Another fence sitter have gone and came back to her chagrin.... she would have loved not to make a MacArthur except that the subjects cannot find a suitable replacement to aggravate and aggravate some more .... she's back, she's back where she once belongs (give the Beatles credit for this).... so far, there appears to be no hope for a quick getaway .... poor her .....

Another fence sitter who at one time went with the scheme of things in thine kingdom; realized she could no longer take the aggravation, and left amidst the hoopla created by RB and her ilk painting her as an incompetent, bumbling, good for nothing and not to be missed scrap... this is what she got after she kowtowed to their whims for a time .... you see one of the lessons is you cannot be unloyal to them or you will suffer the worst fate... a number of former subjects including an ex friend of RB would learn this belatedly ... when suddenly, she realized it's too much for her.... she got this for wanting to get out of their claws....

There is No Balls who on the outside appears to have it all in his new assignment.... quite a huge office requiring not just brawn which he seems to excel in while he was in the kingdom as he was mostly assigned with physical tasks not requiring use of something up there .... not to worry about NB, with his ability to dance with the powers-that-be he went places literally and figuratively. He even mastered how to act like he knows a lot when the depth of what he knows goes only as far as ..... (ooops, my fingers seem not to cooperate in writing this portion).... Did I hear it right that he is unhappy in the new place because it appears he is being ostracized for not being the 'real' thing to be in that office .... I don't think he's missed here for the things he can do either... but he's a dealer and wheeler... that's why he would always have a place in RB's heart, I meant palace .....

The biggest lost is T ...... and the biggest loser is RB and her ilk .... heard that RB was devastated with T's departure .... who would not be when T was her top gun who would die for her. T was the ilk's savior when it comes to things that needed some greyish matter ....Well, to T's credit, she did go to some greener pasteur ...... for a while..... until she also departed (read: booted) after only a few months for reasons unknown.... heard that she's back within the Kingdom's peripherals serving another Royal Subject, an old friend of RB turned nemesis .....

That's about the movement in the old Kingdom ...... but there are interesting additions to the now revitalized Kingdom ....

Laughing Hyena ....can you imagine someone who breaks out in laughter as he consciously keep his ears glued to what's going on in every square meter of the Kingdom just when you thought he is busy working... whether he's involved in the conversation or not, he laughs his a-- like a hyena (This is the description of Tom Hanks's son in Sleepless in Seattle of the way his dad's girlfriend laugh). This fellow is the inspiration behind one of the salitongs. He's supposed to be Boy G ... according to the subjects because he's like a Ernie Baron .... G... , however, can stand for so many things .... tsk, tsk ...

Royal Swiney ... can be a handful, much more than a handful... a jolly good fellow to RB and her ilk... she's such a sucker for flattery that most of the time seems like a farce... so adept at getting RB's nod that she easily blended with the rest of the characters given the short time she's been in the kingdom and her relatively unsecured status.... she has adapted the ways of the subjects and has masterfully maneuvered her ways winning the heart of the Reyna....There is also a salitong for this character. She might be a potential T.... in the making .... she perfectly assimilated T's & RB's posturing when dealing with hapless employees of the Department who might be thinking she's some kind of a bigwig from her actuations as she milks them out for reports .... she has bigness in a much visual way accentuated by her fashion style.... my fave being her blue robe which make her seems like royalty .... hence, the moniker ... she is thinking more and more that she's heaven-sent to the Kingdom.... heard that she is not too happy about not getting a raise that she's soon departing .... so early in the game and greed is showing ... tsk, tsk ....

Outside the Kingdom, there are .....

Boylet 1 who always comes to the rescue everytime RB needs validation for all her dramas.... one guy who loves to hear the sound of voice and takes pride in unoriginal ideas that everyone in a gathering knows about ... has that expression of a permanent smirk used in a variety of situation to appear more knowledgeable than what really is the capability of his gray .... listen to him talk and draw your own conclusions ....

Boylet 2 is a clown who more and more is being sucked up by the power of RB and lately has been acting like a jerk .... he used to be like a breath of fresh air ... and was fascinated by sensible ladies... whatever happened to you?

Boylet 3 & 4 might just materialize soon .... still being molded and manipulated by the combined efforts of RB and Boylet 1 ..... heard that Boylet 3's cloning would soon be a reality ... In fact, Boylet 3 is already making his presence felt with all those mind-boggling orders ... when in fact, we all just want something that works .....duh ....

Dumb O is the accelerated heir of another kingdom who silently and willfully manipulated both upstream and downstream linkages to get to where she is right now .... in front of bigwigs, this being is courteous to a fault (this pretty much describe RB's Subjects because it seems like one).... heard how she showed her true colors in a Department they dealt with as this character lambasted the guards and an employee for turning off the lights during lunch time even as it forced its way inside the building .... going back.... a symbiotic relationship exist where one feeds on the other's ego and takes care of vested interests to their mutual benefit.... it seems that this Dumb O has developed the posture of real boss even if she has not been fully installed as one...

Like the rest, these new characters have been recipients of either or both generous monetary and latent benefits .... It may not be monetary but we know that the benefits of allowing thyself to be sucked by the system has far-reaching consequences specially if you are one so engrossed in the ratrace.... eventually, it all leads to hefty windfall ... Thus, it can concluded that it pays indeed to suck up and be eaten even by a rotten system.

Surprisingly, the subjects managed to find suitable replacements whenever their numbers are down. For those who are interested to be part of thine kingdom, below is the official process of trapping a prey, I meant hiring an applicant:

Briefly, the process of finding suitable replacement are as follows (The official process is followed by what is really going on):

1. Environmental scanning
Look for suckers.
2. Go through the hiring process
First opportunity to suck up and appear like the potential subject will bite into anything through tried and tested 'bait' questions.
3. Evaluation
The wheat is separated from the chaff. in all likelihood, the chaff will get the job of a lifetime. because the unwritten qualification is that the job requires someone who adheres to blind loyalty come what may.
4. Briefing for successful applicant
Start of brainwashing and cloning process.
5. Testing the waters
Check the new batch of suckers for any undesirable traits that may proved to be a problem later. Quash any foreseen problem ASAP. Dangle the carrot and show the stick briefly.
6. Immersion
Loyalty check of the suckers. Test if they are willing to 'die' for RB to be carried out by thy loyal subjects. If the answer is negative, immediately cut-off suckers who did not pass the test at this stage. But only after sweat, blood, and tears have been squeezed out and the unlucky chaff looks so helpless at this point.
7. Challenge to do Bigger and Better tasks
About this time, it is clear who took to the job so well and are ready to do as instructed. This is the time to test if they can be relied on to carry out dastardly acts. Success means being able to partake of the perks much like thine other royal subjects. The successful suckers are then given their place in the kingdom.

Recently, the kingdom has been very busy setting up traps, screening replacements for departed/departing subject/s ......

When these suckers had formed roots in the open ground, or kind of nursery where they were planted, they were looked over and the best taken up for potting.... Robert Fortune

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Incredible January

After the hoopla of the longest Philippine holiday, I was to get the shock of life delivered electronically via SMS by a top official of our department. I was on sick bay and trying to keep my mind off my ailment by staying on the net and talking with a friend on the phone at the same time. My celfone gave out that all too familiar sound of a text message received. I didn't check the message immediately as I was still on the phone, glancing at it only briefly and decided to put down the celfone as I wasn't sure what I read is true. I was probably hallucinating from the meds....

After I was done talking to my friend, I took a deep breath and looked at my phone again... and there it was ... a message that came like lightning in broad daylight... too far-out to believe... it sounded more like a joke... except that it came from a top official. I literally wanted to slap myself except that I was already fighting a bout of migraine... and any more toll could send me back to sick bed..... I had to put down my phone again...

After a few minutes and not wanting to keep our top official wait a minute longer for my reply, I texted back saying I'll see her the following day to talk about what she is asking me to be.... I didn't want to think about it that evening and slept early ....

Coming to work the following day, I was having mixed feeling alternating between excitement and ambivalence not knowing what to expect from my meeting with the top official. I was comforting myself thinking this is all just for exigency as they probably need someone to act as the alternative choice so that the actual choice would not appear too eager. I arrived in the office early and waited for the top official's clearance to go to her office. I cleared my mind as I was treading the familiar path to her office. There wasn't much funfare as she laid out what I knew already. I replied with a question asking who the alternative is. It's another director from another office, a good friend of my boss. Great, I thought for a while.... that means he's a shoo in. Except that the top official continued to talk about what needs to be done.... I had to ask another question... What's the alternative if I decline? There's none, she said.... crap!!! She asked why I would decline. I gave her the look saying you know why... At the back of my mind, it's like she's making me the cannon fodder in a fierce battle .... You know how top official with all their wisdom seems to make you feel like you cannot not accept what they lay on the table and make you feel guilty if you don't do as asked ..... saying she wants to test me given that I have not had that chance to shine in my own office ..... Well, what can I say.... I had to accept the responsibility reluctantly .... The only condition I laid was that it should not affect my request to be transferred... She said yes....

I came out of her office still in disbelief... .... I literally hit the ground running as I assumed leadership of an office because my boss had to go on medical leave with full knowledge that my boss's people hate me to death .... How can this happen to me??!!! As I ponder on this question, I realized that there are things to do and I should do it .... and they have no choice either.... they can hate me all they want but they still have to do the job.... I console my self with the thought that this is just a temporary set-up and I'll be back to my own world in no time .....

And that was how my life was transformed from being a recluse to one of being in the public eye ...and it was too an abrupt a change that it took sometime getting used to ... More top officials were getting in touch with me for so many things. In the first few days, I began feeling the weight of the responsibility... In fairness to the staff of this office, some of them delivered what needed to be done inspite of the animosity .... Over time, this animosity, would translate to poorly executed tasks in some instances with some of the 'mindless' members of the cult. I had to be very, very careful as I tread dangerous grounds .... just as they seem wary of the whole situation.... Even in her sickbed, the boss managed to make her presence felt with some distasteful messages sent to threaten or make life miserable. I cannot succumbed to such threats .... In some instances, I had to flex muscles. Otherwise, I just let it pass ....

The work was not the problem. There were loads but nothing that cannot be done using regular mental and physical exertion.... True that I moved out of my comfort zone but I had far more difficult and challenging tasks in the past ... Without meaning to belittle the assignment, it was no rocket science .... I am now wondering aloud how an office full of supposedly 'professional' staff can make such work appear so complicated requiring long hours at the office with some crankiness to boot on certain times .....

The problem was something else ..... and that was the reason I was hesitant about accepting this assignment ..... and our top official must have seen that in my eyes ....

A friend and former colleague of mine gave me a congratulatory message one day that sounded more like a jest.... After a few more bantering, he posed a challenge for me to prove to all that I have what it takes ..... And that was to be my life in the next 60 days or so ..... one tough balancing act ......

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My Unmerry December

Our 4-year old lab died on Christmas eve, a month after he fell ill due to a nerve problem. I accepted the fate that we would be caring for a disabled dog which may not be the same feeling that members of my household had.... While our boy helper was chiefly in charge of his care, I took a personal approach in overseeing his physical therapy. Aside from his disability, there was incontinence to deal with .....

There was emptiness when he died and I still hurt recalling how he waited to leave us until I saw him losing life that morning. At the same time, there was relief because my beloved lab would not feel pain anymore and will be where all dogs go.

Another unforgettable event was when MIL's disease became apparent after mixed emotions got the better of her as she excitedly prepared for the annual Christmas reunion of their family. She was unable to move her left foot and would drag it when she walks as she felt she made a spectacle of herself to everyone in the gathering. But that time, she completely lost her nerve and zest. She was in tears when she reached the dining hall with the assistance of her helper and her sons who encouraged and assisted her in alternately moving her feet.

When she got home, she was no longer the same jolly hopeful person who tried to make do with what she can. Instead she was falling down and can no longer stand up erect. She had to be assisted in getting to bed. Hubby and MIL went to the hospital the following day where she spent the entire Christmas holiday..... Initial tests showed that she has a tumor in the right side of the brain which explains the paralysis of her left leg. Later tests showed she has the Big C and the prognosis doesn't look good. The doctor was fortright with hubby and his brothers. The suggestion even more straightforward. MIL can no longer withstand surgery or radiation therapy. The best recourse is to keep her healthy enough to manage the disease as it progresses. The condition was not revealed to her knowing how she still want to live a few more years but I don't think she doesn't know what she already feels ....

The rest of the time, I tried to keep up with the usual Christmas gatherings with friends, colleagues, and some relatives. This is one Christmas, however, that drains emotions and made me switch from one extreme to the other ..... If I had a choice, I would just like to skip this month altogether .....

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November in Contrast

Because it was the month we honor our departed loved ones.... The first day of the month set some poignant soul searching for the memories it brings...... It was as we always spend All Saints' Day. We trekked to the cemetery along with the throngs. We visited my mother and father's grave a week earlier than the actual day. There was nothing out of the ordinary. We lit our candles, offered prayers, lingered for awhile. My brother and I left the brood momentarily to visit our half-brother in a nearby grave. Then, we went home shortly.

Quite surprisingly, MIL agreed to not go to FIL's grave on the day itself but settled on the day after, All Soul's Day.... We had the usual thing. MIL and the helpers started the day early cooking a buffet for the family.

The day ended not very well when MIL fell ill and blamed BIL and hubby for her malaise because they teased her about being together with FIL in our next visit. MIL laughed at the joke when it was told but the light mood changed when she felt like coming down with the flu as we prepared to go home. Hubby was in a foul mood driving home as MIL continued to show sensitivity to the joke he and BIL made earlier. Apparently, the joke would be on them as revealed by events later .....

In the middle of this month, our labrador retriever, fell ill.... It just lay on its side after its morning walk, unable to move its hind legs. Hubby wanted whatever ails the dog to just run its course but I prevailed upon him to bring our lab to the vet. Our lab stayed with the vet for about a week. I visited him bringing along some of his dog friends. I would bring him home one day with his hind legs still not able to feel. We had to give him both medication and physical therapy to try to revive the bad legs. There would be days when things seems to look up..... I am keeping my hopes high ..... somehow, Jello seems to respond to me positively and I would form this bond with him as I encourage him to get well and walk like old times. He's always been a sweet dog but being large and untrained, I couldn't contain him when he is walked in the past..... I would handle some of his grooming needs when he is uncooperative with the helpers. In gratitude, he would lay his head on my side .... He gets a daily pat on the head from me whenever I get home ...

After the All Saints' Day spectacle, the rest of the month would actually pave the way for the merriment the following month.....

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Blogging is not for the Faint of Heart

The most earth-shaking news is the discovery of this blog by the appointed henchman of RB .... baby, what a big surprise, right before my very eyes ..... as Peter Cetera, lead singer of Chicago choruses in the band's 70s hit.... big freaking deal ..... before everyone panics, here are a few things about blog and the art of blogging according to wiki .....

The term "weblog" was coined by Jorn Barger on 17 December 1997. The short form, "blog," was coined by Peter Merholz, who jokingly broke the word weblog into the phrase we blog in the sidebar of his blog Peterme.com in April or May 1999. Shortly thereafter, Evan Williams at Pyra Labs used "blog" as both a noun and verb ("to blog," meaning "to edit one's weblog or to post to one's weblog") and devised the term "blogger" in connection with Pyra Labs' Blogger product, leading to the popularization of the terms.


The modern blog evolved from the online diary, where people would keep a running account of their personal lives. Most such writers called themselves diarists, journalists, or journalers. Justin Hall, who began personal blogging in 1994 while a student at Swarthmore College, is generally recognized as one of the earliest bloggers, as is Jerry Pournelle. Dave Winer's Scripting News is also credited with being one of the oldest and longest running weblogs. Another early blog was Wearable Wireless Webcam, an online shared diary of a person's personal life combining text, video, and pictures transmitted live from a wearable computer and EyeTap device to a web site in 1994. This practice of semi-automated blogging with live video together with text was referred to as sousveillance, and such journals were also used as evidence in legal matters.


Early blogs were simply manually updated components of common Web sites. However, the evolution of tools to facilitate the production and maintenance of Web articles posted in reverse chronological order made the publishing process feasible to a much larger, less technical, population. Ultimately, this resulted in the distinct class of online publishing that produces blogs we recognize today. For instance, the use of some sort of browser-based software is now a typical aspect of "blogging". Blogs can be hosted by dedicated blog hosting services, or they can be run using blog software, or on regular web hosting services.


Some early bloggers, such as The Misanthropic Bitch, who began in 1997, actually referred to their online presence as a zine, before the term blog entered common usage.

An emergency meeting ensued after the discovery of this now 'famous' blog, where the subjects were called one by one to digest what must be so unpalatable and incomprehensible to some of them. Like in a cult, a spell must be cast to enrage the already irate subjects.... something must be done....fast .....

Just like old times, these subjects are so into me ..... I noticed though that they have been disturbingly quiet... quite a surprise... still doing under the table tactics and murmuring to each other what they don't want their 'enemies' to hear but any average person knows about already .... At least now, there is a reason for their resentment .... unlike before that they were brainwashed into thinking the same thought as their cult leader .....

The thing is you intruded my blog, like you trespassed my house.... on your own volition. Just

like a surprised visit, I hope you do not expect that the dirty socks are neatly stashed in the
clothes hamper; no dirty plates are piling on the sink and every nook and corner of the house are spotless.... You were not invited to visit, just like you were not asked to set sight on this blog in the first place. Be that as it may, since you have visited my humble blogbode, you are welcome just like any other guests here. You may want to comment if you want to and that would be dealt with accordingly. If you don't like what you see, you are not forced to stay and can leave anytime you don't want new surprises or discoveries... but because you chose to stay and discover more, do so at your risk.... if you feel you're alluded to, what the heck is your problem reading this..... can't handle the truth? well, that's another story .... but if you think what is written does not have a tinge of truth, why bother with this blog .....

Whatever course of action you take, I'd like to thank you for giving me my 3 minutes of fame unwittingly .... The best way to spread something is to tell someone to keep it to yourself ... it's human nature, duh ..... It has been said that you cannot have your cake and eat it too.... but I've had my fix and my hits.... well, this blog has been a source of a cushion for me and has kept me intact all through those years .... but the recent hits have been unprecedented in its history ... the way it overtook my most cherished posts and perhaps my most widely read post and a recent fave .... what more, the icing on the cake is that you lead some of your irate former subjects to this site and now that old wounds are reopened, they have been sharing unabashly what made them decide to leave your kingdom.... again thank you.... keep on visiting...... who knows the next post may be about you .... yes, you!

Related posts:
1. Blog
2. Online Diary
3. Introduction to Blogging

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October Fest

I am not sure whether I had the most celebrations this year but I know I had a lot since I have been meeting friends in restos at least once a week, not counting the weekends. I had my own celebration with my family at a Chinese resto which everyone was craving about. I think I had about six celebrations with friends and family, all in all....

I may not always feel the love that my family and friends have for me or perhaps I've taken such feelings for granted. But birthdays reveal what does not always show....

It was a tiring month depriving me of sleep on a number of days.... making me miss my cues, feel all kinds of aches, and be cranky at times..... yet, the company of my family and the few but true friends I treasure more than make up for whatever ails me on those days....

While most days I feel being dragged by the drudgery of life, each and every birthday reminds me that I am a wonderful creature of God and loved beyond I deserve.... I thank all of you who made me merry on my birthday month and most specially for keeping me company on days when I don't feel so special .....

Related Posts:
1. My Life's Journey So Far
2. Drifting
3. Ika 20 ng Oktubre 2008

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Sassy September

Resigned to being the favorite target of the powers-that-be after that fateful Friday the 13th

incident in August, I looked at my options and decided to coast along taking things in stride. I was expecting that the higher-ups would do something drastic like snatch me out of a very hopeless situation. The rift has dragged on for years with no reprieve in sight. Peace came when we were out of each other's sights. So is a miracle expected to happen? not in a million years ..... for the sake of sanity, I truly hope something is done .....

Undaunted and used to this situation, I have learned to ignore the people using everything that they can to make life unbearable for those like me who can't lick their rotten system and not let it affect me. After all, there is more to life than the life in the concrete jungle I inhabit 9 hours a day, 5 days a week. And I think about my home, my family, my friends, my pets, my hobbies, my cause ..... and actually believe that indeed life is beautiful .... you make life what you want it to be ..... and suddenly things seems light on this wonderful month....

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