Sincerity

I get it. Communication--the method of transmitting thoughts and ideas--is organic. Confining it to a set of rules is futile.

That is why languages evolve. Slang, terms, phrases, and abbreviations emerge out of use and familiarity. And the digital age, where messaging has taken on binary codes, usually limited by capacity (and effort), shortening words and phrases, fueled by laziness and convenience, took a truck-load of steroids.

I get it.

But for the most part, I refuse to accept the use of abbreviations if not absolutely necessary. Preferring to use abbreviations when you've got a complete keyboard at your disposal is indefensible.

Here's my personal list of abbreviations and shortened words that I cannot and will not stomach:

1. OMG - short for oh my God. Commonly used to express surprise and shock. Firstly, I am assuming that mankind has, with enviable deliberateness, chosen to shun the 10 Commandments. That argument aside, I am left with no other explanation for the frequent use of the term (mostly online) other than a lack of a good vocabulary to adequately express themselves.

2. GBU - short for God bless you. Come on, people. This must be the lowest and saddest form of wishing someone well. I often wonder if most users have injured or mangled their fingers to the point where they are unable to make good use of them.

3. Congrats - short for congratulations. Oh joy. This has been around for ages. It leads me to think that users believe that this is the true form of the word and that congratulations is some archaic long-forgotten word. I mean, if you're going to say it, might as well use the complete word, right? Not a despicable half-assed excuse for convenience's sake. This laziness breeds illiteracy.

4. Merry Xmas - short for Merry Christmas. It can take many forms, each as damnable as the rest. I know the usual excuse: it's not the form that counts, it's the message. Riiiiight. See, that's why I feel that we're on a down-hill ride to illiteracy: people actually accept that excuse. I know, I'm terribly old-fashioned, and I'll take that as a complement. At least back then, people held each other to a certain standard. Respect and reason were ingrained and used regularly. Maybe this age, which espouses interpersonal communication on a scale never before imagined, delimiting and limiting interaction at the same time, has made it too easy for us to get away with lowering the standards.

5. Tnx - short for thanks, which was shortened from thank you.

Thank. I like that word. It's so beautiful in its own right. It conveys gratitude and recognition. It's something that you'll never hear from a self-entitled ingrate.

6. HBD - this abbreviation is the reason I chose to hide my birthday on Facebook for the longest time. What would be a thoughtful greeting has been turned into something that deeply exasperates me. I've been told to to not sweat the little things. Wrong. It's the little things that enrich our lives. Three letters to take the place of a greeting which is intended to realize and celebrate a person's existence and importance. Three letters. Is using 'Happy Birthday' too much of an effort? How can you willingly reduce a person's birthday to three letters? I'd like to think if the person means anything at all, a little effort won't really hurt your fingers.

If you're going to say something, you might as well mean it. Sincerity matters. Or just don't say it at all. Because this laziness is unacceptable.

Praytell, what other abbreviations piss you off?

MNM

Wednesday night, Marikina.

I rode out to the heart of the city under overcast skies, half-expecting the rain to come crashing down. I guess rain wouldn't have been so bad.

I was looking forward to a nice night out on the streets pedaling with a group of people I've never met before, but bonded by the love for cycling. I remember seeing the group pass by our place one night months ago, wheels quietly rolling by, soft laughter and voices from the virtual swarm of people, punctuated by chimes of numerous bells, weaving a sort of melody that was all too brief. I fought the urge to get on my bike and chase after them then.

Seven o'clock. There were only about half a dozen people at the assembly when I arrived. I parked my ass by the fountain and chatted up a couple of the riders. Wednesday night rides, affectionately called MNM's, were a part of everyone's routine just as much as oiling their chains. Cyclists began to trickle in from every direction, lights blinking and hailing the group as they approached.

I'd like to think that Marikina's 'The Little City That Could'. You know, like that story about the small train? Anyway. You don't need to be here long before you marvel at how well-managed the city is. Of course, we have Bayani Fernando and the council of long-ago to thank for setting the city on the right track. With such narrow streets, making sure that people can get to where they're going was foremost in mind. Gleaning off the more developed European nations, bicycles were (and still are) the answer.

'Build the infrastructure, and they will cycle.'

Bicycle loans are available for government employees, and for the most part, a good lot of bicycle-commuters are from Marikina. It's my personal opinion that for getting to work, cars are for the ego and bicycles are for the heart.

Take a look around the city and you'll see a good number of people on their bicycles. Not just cruising around, but actually using them to get where they need to go. An extensive network of bicycle lanes runs all throughout the city, making cycling safe and enjoyable. Bicycle racks can be seen everywhere, and by the river you'll find a dirt-park trail where mountain-bikers take on spectacular jumps. You'll be amazed at the amazing courses that they cook up themselves, forming dirt into ramps and trails.

No fuel needed, no parking fees, burns fat, and makes you happy. What more can you ask for?

Oh, they build a good deal of camaraderie as well. And tonight was going to be a great show of force.

Back to the gathering. Soon, cyclists from all around, aboard their folding bikes, mountain bikes, fixies, japan bikes, cruisers, and what-have-yous, assembled beneath the city's clock tower. More than 70 bicycles, of various types and colors, parked everywhere. Try doing that with motorcycles or cars. The mood was festive. Everyone seemed to know everyone else and any apprehension the newbies had were quickly dispelled. The best thing was, it wasn't about the bikes, it was about the people.

Eight o'clock. A lady hollered everyone into a loose circle and gave a quick briefing. No helmet, no blinkers, no ride. Seriously, if you need a safe place to practice urban cycling before you take on the life-changing decision of cycling to work, this would be the best opportunity to learn. Newbies on the inside track, marshals on the outer track, everyone's safe and having a good time. Sweet.

We took to the streets like a swarm of fireflies: noiseless, clean, and adorned by mesmerizing lights. The best sound to our ears is when our bicycles make no sound at all. It means that every part is adequately lubricated, tight, and performing at its best.

Marshals went ahead, blocking and directing traffic, and the group pedaled through the cool night air in an eerie one-ness. Printed on the backs of many was the phrase 'Share the road'. The message couldn't have been any clearer.

Cars, trucks, jeeps, motorcycles, and tricycles made way and showed a kindness uncommon in the Metro. Maybe they were too enamored by the spectacular sight of seeing so many cyclists, with our lights and blinkers, illuminating the night, showing that yes, we can do it, and all the excuses about cycling in the city are lame.

From Bayan, to Concepcion Dos, Marikina Heights, Lower Antipolo, Marcos Highway, and finishing with a feast in Calumpang. Pure human power. Getting to your destination on your own power is something to take pride in.

Cyclists show time and time again, that the future can be cleaner and greener, if you're willing to learn.

The United Folding Bikers pedal through the streets of Marikina every Wednesday night. Assembly is 7 pm at the clock tower. Please make sure you've got a helmet and blinkers.

Visit their Facebook page to learn of their other nightly rides all across Metro Manila.

Still The Best Idea

I can count the number of times I've been late for work in the last twelve months with the fingers of a single hand.

All thanks to my ride. it's something straight out of science-fiction: immune to traffic, doesn't cost a single peso to power, can take on the most difficult of situations, can be parked just about anywhere, and makes the user healthy in mind and in body.

Yep, a bicycle.

It's been more than a year since I started riding a bicycle to work, five days a week, through congested roads, heat, rain, and floods. I don't think I'll ever use any other form of transportation. It's reliability is nothing short of remarkable.

I constantly look forward to my morning ride to work. While others suffer the vulgar inefficiency of the public transportation system, the cost of gas, and the worsening congestion of the streets, I blaze through with legs pistoning, and an unbelievable grin on my face.

I'm probably not the best ambassador for biking to work. People give me curious looks on the lobby and avoid contact with my sweaty self in the elevator, looking out-of-place in a corporate environment. It can appear unappealing, but I take a great deal of comfort knowing that my daily habit reduces my chances of hypertension, keeps my mind and body in great shape, my mood brimming with positivity, and my bank account in a healthy state. Life has never been better. More than what I can say for those stuck in traffic, wasting their time, deprived of much-needed exercise, hence the widening waist-lines and deteriorating health. My appearance is easily remedied by a quick stop at the comfort room and a change of clothes. The health of inactive people... that may take some work.

Before cycling, I rode a motorcycle to work. according to my calculations, it amounted to a little over Php 26,000.00 a year. That included gas, parking fees, monthly maintenance, and registration. I didn't factor in the cost of the motorcycle itself and the expenses associated with any other use, for brevity's sake.

Do a little calculating yourself and see how much you could save if you rode a bicycle to work. Sum up all the expenses you incur driving or commuting to work on a daily basis, multiply it by how many days you work in a week, then multiply it by 52, which is the number of weeks in a year.

Amounts to quite a substantial sum, eh? How about including the savings of not being tardy, less gym fees, and less medical expenses? And maybe throw in the added benefit of having a solid piece of mind, if you would.

Financial gains aside, one of the greatest things you save on is time. I struggle to understand why so many willingly suffer the traffic and faulty public transportation system. Everyone knows that there's a better solution, and complaining never did anything to improve the situation, so why haven't more people adapted the bicycle as a means to get to work?

Foremost, people are afraid of getting tired. Naturally, it is assumed that expending that much energy in the morning would leave one tired and flagging all day. Not true. For the first week, while your body makes the necessary adjustments, maybe. Remember, fitness is not something that could be attained in an instant. Gradually, you'll develop the necessary fitness level. Then you'll find that cycling to work gives you even more energy since it improves your metabolism and endurance.

The perceived dangers of cycling to work is another hindrance. Most drivers are courteous and well-meaning, but there are those that seem like they got their licenses at a flea market. Those are the ones that don't use their signal lights, those who pass too close, and my favorite, those who like to abruptly swerve in front of you. The desire to dish out road rage is all too tempting, but patience and temperance are attributes that are essential to a cyclist. Riding a motorcycle is statistically more dangerous than riding a bicycle. and yet the number of motorcycle-users are rocketing, so to say. Cycling is, by and large, safer than most methods of transportation. So get over your apprehensions and get on a bike!

I'm hoping that if more people pedaled to work, like most developed European countries who have eschewed the imagined status of driving a car, our government could invest on better cycling infrastructure and make the metro a better place.

And if you don't think that cycling is the solution to congestion, then you're part of the problem.

[Article was intended to be a continuation of this one that was previously published elsewhere.]

PATW

Top Gear was right, it was graphic.

The photo was of a cyclist, crushed between a tree and one of the symbols of Pinoy-pride: a jeepney. He was still on the saddle of his bicycle, body limp, bent backwards, and hands dangling. It's graphic. And infuriating.

It could have been any one of us. That could have been me.

Seriously infuriating.

In a morbid way, it made sense: a cyclist--the most efficient transport vehicle in the world, logical, reasonable--dead at the hands of a jeepney--undisciplined, wasteful, polluting, arrogant, and inefficient. Sounds like that old adage about arguing with the stupid.

So, is cycling in the metro as dangerous as it appears to be?

Tell me, how many people have died as a result of being hit by a bicycle? And how many people have died as a result of being hit by a motor vehicle?

And have you noticed how wonderfully polluted the air is in the metro? It's amusing to see how people are not alarmed by this health hazard. Ever considered taking account of the ever-rising number of pulmonary-related illnesses afflicting our children? Tell me motor vehicles have no part in this.

Not your problem, you say? How could you know, you ask? You don't give a shit, you reason? Tell me about it.

And still so many people want their own cars.

Tell me, what do you think would happen if every Filipino family had at least a single car which they would use to get around? I bet traffic would be so bad, suicide rates would go up. Portable oxygen tanks would sell very well.

Just visualizing it makes my skin crawl with revulsion.

I can already hear the non-stop complaining about how bad the traffic is. And how it's the government's fault. Sure it is. Everything is the government's fault. Not enough space on the road to accommodate all the four-wheeled beasts? It's the government's fault. Not enough parking space? The government's fault. Pollution? The government's fault, of course. Motorists are innocent and blameless.

But, what if more people rode bicycles to get around? Not in this tropical climate? Too concerned about sweating profusely? Afraid of getting tired? I can hear the lame excuses already.

* * *

On my daily elevator rides, I amuse myself by taking account of the physique of those inside. Usually, eight out of ten are fatter than they need to be. It used to be amusing. Now, seeing it every single day everywhere I look, it's quite horrifying. Don't believe me? Take a quick glance around you. Then at your own belly.

Bicycles are not dangerous, motor vehicles are.
We burn no fuel. Produce no emissions. Take up the least amount of space. We are healthy.
Offer us a brand new car for free on the condition that it's what we'll use to get to work every day, and we'll find a way to stuff that car up your ass.

There is no greater glory, no greater thing to take pride in, than getting where you need to go on your own power.

And we will never stop. Padyak All The Way.

Our Mountains Are In Danger

Maranat. Romelo. Sicapoo. Marami.

I bet you've already noticed how it goes: it all starts with a mountain getting noticed in social media. Thanks to all the photos, the implied sense of awesomeness, and the ensuing hype, the small trickle of visitors increases to a damnable horde. The trail gets pulverized to oblivion and the garbage starts to pile up. Idiots who are used to having someone always clean up after them come in unrelenting droves, dropping wrappers and wastes just about anywhere. And yes, they feel required to etch their names on whatever surface is available to them, along with all the stupidities they can muster.

Maculot. Batulao. Balagbag.

The influx of tourists increases. The campsite, a venerable city of tents, becomes a party. Lavatories are constructed. Locals start putting up stalls selling everything you would ever need. And lots of alcohol. The parties intensify. Posts go up on Facebook declaring how awesome the parties are. People get envious and are drawn to party atop mountains. Obnoxious music is forced into everyone's ears.

Manabu. Gulugod-Baboy.

Tell me, is this what mountaineering is? Contributing to the destruction of what we proclaim to love?

Talamitan. Sicapoo.

Illegal loggers. Kaingin.

Who else do we expect to protect our mountains? The DENR? PAMB? Our efficient government?

Cristobal. Arayat. Kanla-on

When we act as if we are always right, and beyond reproach--unable to accept that we must be marshaled by our fellow mountaineers--on the basis that we must be respected. Go f*ck yourself.

There's nothing I hate more than someone acting like a big-shot mountaineer, thinking he's mightier than every one else. Time for a reality check.

Halcon. Tarak. Makiling.

Respecting those who do not respect the mountain is like assisting murder. Too harsh? You need to open your eyes. Look at the current state of our mountains.

Manalmon. Pico de Loro. Banahaw.

How long do you think our defenseless mountains will last?

Pulag. Apo.

Not long, I assure you.