saturday morning with the moonchild

V: My barbie doll is made in China.

Ang sinabi ko: yes, anak. Because it’s cheaper to make them in China.

Gusto kong sabihin: Outsourcing ang tawag diyan. Isang manifestation ng globalization

V: My Barbie doll clothes are fake.

Ang sinabi ko: No they are not. They’re called unbranded. Fake is when you pass off something not true as real.

Gusto ko talagang sabihin: Tawag diyan ay value shopping. We need not always get the branded ones. What’s important is what we do with the toys/things that we have.

V: Why do some people destroy the stuff of the sidewalk vendors?

Ang sinabi ko: It’s quite complicated. There are many reasons: 1) sidewalks are for people, 2) vendors on the sidewalks means people walk on the streets causing traffic and possibly harm to their bodies, 3) there’s a proper place for everything. It doesn’t mean though that what the stompers are doing is correct.

And then I was rambling already as I couldn’t stop myself from going into explanatory mode. I explained to her the quandary of vendors, Pinoys buying habits that makes sidewalk vendors a reality, the mandate of the MMDA. Infodump much? In other words, sinabi ko talaga ang gusto kong sabihin, pero syempre in kids speak. Kaya lang baka na-lost na sha. But at the end of it sabi niya: "Kawawa naman pala ang mga tindera." (cue music here:"Manggagawang impormal, Kabalikat sa buhay.")

Confused

When Knorr came out with its Makulay ang buhay campaign, I was one of those who were swept up in melodic take, if not too subtle strategy to sell vegetables to kids. The TV ads featured healthy-looking children singing the jingle and obviously relishing their souped vegetables (sinabawang gulay). And the copy was really catchy: “Makulay ang buhay sa sinabawang gulay.”

We took our cue from this ad when it came time for me and my groupmates to implement a project for one of our classes. One of the results was a one-minute jingle titled “Bilin ni Bibo Basurahan” You can hear the jingle at our group’s site.

So, it really bothers me now that their new ad somehow overturns whatever leverage the previous campaign gained. In this new radio ad, a teacher is asking her students to classify food into meat and vegetable. The class got the first one correctly, but the following veggies they classified as meat to the consternation of the teacher. And then a voice over comes on to announce that by adding Knorr meat seasoning, vegetable taste like meat.

I know it’s still selling vegetables to kids (via the taste) but it sort of undermines the message of their earlier campaign. Once again, vegetables are treated as substandard fare and needs to be masked as meat for it to become a treat for kids.

The Great Veronica Mars Re-watch

Television Without Pity.com is doing a Veronica Mars Re-watch starting with the Pilot this Saturday, February 9, 2008.

From the TWOP calendar:

The bitch is back, people.

This week we start rewatching Veronica Mars. So either you've seen her kicking asses and taking names for dozens of times already, or you still know nothing about this girl (shame on you), please come and join us in watching and discussing one of the most brilliant series ever.

Here's the schedule

Feb 9: Pilot
Feb 16: Credit Where Credit's Due
Feb 23: Meet John Smith
Mar 1: The Wrath of Con
Mar 8: You Think You Know Somebody
Mar 15: Return of the Kane
Mar 22: The Girl Next Door
Mar 29: Like a Virgin
Apr 5: Drinking the Kool-Aid
Apr 12: An Echolls Family Christmas
Apr 19: Silence of the Lamb
Apr 26: Clash of the Tritons

Tara na. Ulit :)

Made up

And she says no
There’s no one behind the door anymore
She’s packed her clothes and shoes and her dog
She lives in a different room now; facing a different park.

She’s made up her mind
She’s somewhere new where you’re not allowed to go
Eating in a new café, chatting up the cool waiter
She’s on first name basis with people who are strangers to you

And it seems strange
To witness this scenario
When just a few blinks ago
You were not a “her” and a “him” but a you

help is on the way

Say what you will about horoscopes but sometimes they can be so dead on.

My horoscope for today, Tuesday, January 15, 2008:

It may be difficult today to relax with your family or find the solitude you prefer as one little crisis after another finds its way into your space.

Fortunately, no one thing is enough to upset your day, but you may grow weary as you put out each and every fire.

Sometimes you receive support from others, yet now it might seem as if you have to do everything by yourself. Don't panic; help is already on the way.

I really hope so. There's just so much going on nowadays. It's always nice to have a shoulder to lean on even as we share our own. Life, you've become quite complicated.