Classified

When we say classified, we mean secret, confidential, private. Ad on the other hand is a.k.a advertisement/ public announcement. (thanks Office Word synonyms, bill gates you’re such a genius!)

Well have you heard of classified ads? In new papers most probably right? The first source of general information and news which almost everybody reads from almost cover to cover.  

So if classified is synonymous with secret and ads are public announcements, therefore a classified ad is publicly announcing a secret, correct? Then it might be a good means to go OUT! Divulge your secret! More like LETTER VOMIT! hHAHAHAHAH.

This entry is not a vocabulary lesson..

I have had received textmates (mates who always communicate with you through text messages) saying that they got my number from a classified ad in a website in the internet (which I never did!). It always started with a “Hi” or an “ASL” or a missed call. Whenever I get these messages, I don’t answer right away. I might be busy or I didn’t want to be bothered. But whenever I do answer, (yes, I am not that mean to totally ignore, well almost...hahahahaha),I always get the same questions aside from ASL. “what’s your FB?” or “what do you look like?” or blah blah blah and so on and so forth. I would answer them to the best I can and ask them also, “where did you get my number?”  they would be say they found it online ALWAYS. My next question is always, “what website?” they say “OLX”. Then there would be some exchanges but often I somehow get bored and end up ignoring their text messages (being a meanie is innate in everyone?!?<big smile> )

I was intrigued by the idea that my number was posted in a website on the internet that can be seen by anyone. I was a bit scared but didn’t mind it at all and proceeded on with my life with an occasional text from here and there.

Earlier this August, I had an idea. A EUREKA moment if you may. I looked for olx.com (yes, i didn’t bother at all to check the said site since hearing it). It was a classified ads web site containing thousands, maybe millions or even billions of ads for this and that and anything under the sun. This included people posting ads looking for other people. Not LOST people ha! (this is supposed to be in the lost and found section! Hahahahah kidding!) But people looking for other people (you know what i mean, uhumm<nodding>) Are we on the same page now?

I looked through the site and saw that I can post my own ad for FREE! This is the EUREKA moment. I made a post with me looking for someone <wink wink> with these words “i’m looking for someone, not sure who but it could be you, so if you fit, we might just be a hit“(o db?can this be considered sales talk??) plus a picture of me with my biggest smile (yes, i have a good smile). I was actually pessimistically thinking that there would be no reply to that ad since i know there are a lot of ads and just what are the chances, right?  I was wrong.

I was actually surprised to see posts saying “let’s  be friends. Here’s my number _____” and “check me out on fb <email address>. There was even one like this “professional massage <blah blah blah>”. These were just some about 15 plus replies. It does work amazingly. I was actually thinking that there would be no responses at all but I was wrong.

The next thing that I did was actually to check out the Facebook pages of the people who posted. Some looked nice, others were OK and majority were.. ahm..how would i say this.. MABAIT sila, as in MABAIT., hahahaahahaha (did you get it??, I’m sure you would be still laughing at this point if you got it).

In every experiment, there are supposed to be conclusions to be made. Here are mine on this “classified” experiment:

1.      1. The internet is a good way to meet people

2.      2.  Internet classified ads can have result and responses

3.      3.  The people who responds are not always the people whom you would like to have responded

4.     4.   Some identities  that you meet over the internet might not be what their profile says. So BE CAREFUL at all times

5.     5.  There are a lot of people looking for other people over the internet.

6.      6.  A few chosen words can be more enticing to read than an entire paragraph (marketero!). Add an amazing picture then you have a good ad.

7.       7. Some people are just plain weird. And mean at times.

I’m not sure if the abovementioned conclusions made sense to you but hey, it’s mine.

You might be wondering if there are still people who comment on the ad that I made, I not sure.. I didn't bother to check anymore. Did I found friends through this experiment? Maybe .. Did I find what I was looking for? No, it was just an experiment.. Besides I have high standards. Yes, AKO NA ANG CHOOSY! hahahaha

ANG BABAE SA SEPTIC TANK (The Woman in the Septic Tank)

The indie film industry in the Philippines has been an intriguing subject for me. I have never seen one movie at all well except today.

After burning my fats at the gym, I asked myself if I can afford to watch a movie. Ashamed as I am, but I was already PHP 1000 negative as of Thursday last week. By “negative” I mean, that I owe my parents money since my ATM ran empty for what so ever reason that I don’t know (HMMMM, that would be an interesting topic to write about too..note to self). Going back. I have wanted to watch this indie film from the recently concluded Cinemalaya (Philippines’ only indie film festival) called ANG BABAE SA SEPTIC TANK (The Woman in the Septic Tank). Having hear reviews  from a good friends, I wanted to see it for myself plus ANG SAYAW NG DALAWANG KALIWANG PAA(The Dance with Two Left Feet). The first movie, because of amazing reviews was able to go mainstream primarily because the star of the film is a rising comedienne whom I liked since she was good.

Since it is my first indie movie ever, I did not know what to expect. I know that it would be definitely a different one from the conventional movies since budget is low for production but the story is normally good and it have that “kurot” (pinch) at the heart, I guess.

So there I was sitting in the movie house early for the 5:00pm screening (I was not so sure of the time since I keep time 40 minutes in advance, hahaha) enjoying my regular sized sour cream popcorn and water(yes, DIET??!) while several trailers of movies were being shown. I made a mental note on the movies that I had to watch out for.  And the trailers kept coming, and the trailers kept coming, and the trailers kept coming. (my list of movies to watch out for was growing longer). Then finally the movie started.

It was a bit dragging, the beginning of the movie. The shot was that of the slums, showcasing the normal day to day life that one can expect.  It showed a woman, cooking one pack of instant noodles to be shared by her and her seven children.  The woman bathing her daughter. The woman dressing her daughter. The woman and her daughter, walking out of their neighbourhood, heading towards a condominium. The receptionist looking at the mother and daughter as they walked past the lobby to the elevators. The mother and daughter walking through the hotel corridor the stopping at a door who was opened by an old foreigner. The mother leaving her daughter with the man then rushing to the fire exist to cry her eyes out. There were no dialogues, just a narration that this is a scene, the shot, the time, and what happens in the scene. It was about poverty, human trafficking, and paedophilia. Well, the story of the movie within the movie that is.

The scenes were from the vivid imagination more like dream sequence of the production assistant that was travelling with her producer and director while travelling to a coffee shop, their pitstop before heading out for a meeting with the famous comedienne mentioned earlier.  They ordered coffee with non fat milk(hmmm, health conscious much??). They ran in to an arch-nemesis whom they loathe so much for being a cocky <toot><toot> (it’s censored..sorry). Then they went to meet with the one and only Eugene Domingo. On the way, there was another couple of dream sequences where they are debating if Eugene Domingo is the best actress to play the role of Mila(the woman in the movie) or if two others would fit the role better or a non-actor. They settled for Eugene since they were already meeting her. Then the other one was the movie being a musical! It was amazing! I personally liked that one.

They arrive in Ms. Domingo’s residence, which by the way was finest crib that I have ever seen! Though I am not sure of this is her actual residence but it was so dang FINE in a major major way! Then came my most favorite part of the movie. I will not describe it here. YOU HAVE TO CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELVES! There is a guarantee that you will laugh your heart out. I did thanks to Eugene’s brilliance.

Location scouting was next shown. The director, producer and PA found the perfect location that they wanted to shoot only to find their car being pillaged by the slummers (people from the slums). Imagine the disappointment and helplessness. Well, it happens in life.

You might be asking how the name “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank” came to be?? Well, that was my question also. But then I saw the movie. You’ll get it I promise and it is the biggest surprise ever.