Marvelous Things @boranzohn-blog - Tumblr Blog

Study me as much as you like, you will never know me, for I differ a hundred ways from what you see me to be. Put yourself behind my eyes, and see me as I see myself, for I have chosen to dwell in a place you cannot see.

Rumi (via bookmania)

Back at tumblr after a long time. This site has been slow af in my laptop (but ok, my laptop is 7 years old haha) and the mobile version still sucks so I got lazy in visiting this site. But I knew that when Real Madrid won the Champions League (again!!) that I’d go back here. :D

madridistaforever

2016/2017 UEFA Champions League winners

boranzohn-blog

The best club in the world!

madridistaforever

Celebrating La Duodécima at Cibeles | June 4, 2017

madridistaforever

El Bernabéu celebration | June 4, 2017

grabemaria-blog

My Current AB Skincare Routine

For me, working on my face is a special ritual. Whether it’s putting on makeup or skincare products, I set my intentions for it. For skincare, it’s reminding my skin that it deserves to heal and rest.

Asian skincare has been my obsession the past year. Thanks to /r/AsianBeauty and fanserviced-b, I hardly waste any money on stuff that won’t work for me.

My skin type is combination, and I’d get zits on my T-Zone a lot. My goal is simple: be comfortable enough to go out with minimal makeup.

The Face Shop Rice Bran All in One Cleanser / Garnier* Micellar Cleansing Water + CosRx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser

Benton Aloe BHA Skin Toner

Melano CC Intensive Anti-Spot Essence

CosRx BHA Blackhead Power Liquid (chemical exfoliation)

CosRx AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid (chemical exfoliation)

Mizon Skin Power Original First Essence

Scinic All in One Honey Ampoule

Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence

Leaders Coconut Gel Sheet Mask in Broccoli and other sheet masks / DIY Miniso compressed sheet mask

Skinfood Brightening Eye Cream

Benton Aloe Propolis Soothing Gel

*Garnier is a French brand.

Not in illustration: Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence Sunscreen, which I love, love, love!

I used to invest my time in doing all the steps every night/every other night. Now I just do the full routine once a week.

On a daily basis, I cleanse, tone, put on essences, and then moisturize. In the morning (or at night, when I’m too goddamn sleepy), I just cleanse and moisturize (steps 1, 10, 11).

When I haven’t had much sleep, that’s when I put on a sheet mask.

For cystic zits, I just go get an acne injection.

My face isn’t flawless, but I’m comfortable enough to go out with just eyebrow makeup, lipstick, and sunscreen. I would probably get one or two zits at the most, and they heal and flatten up within a few days.

Are you into AB Skincare? Why or why not? Message me or reply to this post, I wanna hear from you :-)

——–

Disclaimer: Skincare can change. This routine is not the end-all for skincare woes - I’m simply sharing my routine and what works for me.

boranzohn-blog

I recently got into this too! I was getting tired of having to cover my pores with foundation and spending a ton on oil control films (my skin type is also combination but my nose and chin gets super oily). I started by gradually switching to Korean skincare products and adding new ones in my routine. I still wear makeup but when I’m feeling lazy, at least my skin doesn’t look as bad and I don’t have to blot as much.

My current routine consists of cleansing, exfoliating, toning, and moisturizing (serum, sheet mask, moisturizer). My fave is the Nature Republic Aloe Vera Gel - it worked really well on me and it’s really affordable ^_^

On my no-makeup days I just do the basic steps, but when I do wear makeup, I make sure to double cleanse. It did feel overwhelming at first when I tried all the steps, but the more I got into it, it didn’t feel like a lot of work coz I feel like I’m pampering myself :D

#personal #skincare #korean skin care #skincare routine

bookmania

“I love the solitude of reading. I love the deep dive into someone else’s story, the delicious ache of a last page.” – Naomi Shihab Nye

indiohistorian

It Takes a Village to Raise a Dictator: The Philippines before Martial Law

What’s the big deal about martial law? Why, after more than 44 years it was first declared, does it still polarize many Filipinos today? Is it really a big deal to know what happened during martial law? Was it a paradise then, as claimed by many Marcos loyalists today?

This is the disadvantage of those who were never born during those years. We are pessimistic and impatient of our democratic set up, and we romanticize too much what was in the past. But if we continue with this line of thinking, as all other periods in Philippine history, we would be guilty of ignoring the nuances of the past, its complexity, and deem ourselves as having the higher ground to judge and divide the world in black and white. But the world, the country, the people of the past cannot be divided into heroes and villains, because all have their dark sides, as we all are in the present. But what we have to account for when it comes to seeing through the magnifying glass of historical inquiry is that, beyond our biases, we see people of the past in varying degree depending on the accounts and evidences they leave behind, and as such we can, no matter how imperfect that is, see their actions and judge it as either good or bad as it reverberates into the present. And so, yes we can conclude, and be impartial, but we cannot also deny evidences that is presented to us, even when it is contrary to what we initially perceive them to be.

So before I begin these series of martial law posts, let us be true students of history, with an open mind. Like in a courtroom where we the jury see testimonies and evidences pro or against the defendant, we must impartially see all sides so as to arrive at a sound and just conclusion. Understandably so, what makes the topic very complicated in Philippine historiography is that the Marcos regime is still quite recent, with some of the actors that played their part in that event still alive today. This is also another disadvantage. But I believe we have come to an appropriate distance to see the overall picture. We have been silent long enough that we risk leaving our generation to be swayed to and fro, away from truth. As such, this is my appeal, let us be students of history. That means, not only for you reader to reshare these posts, but to do your own investigation yourself. The evidences abound–on the internet, in libraries, in numerous newspapers, etc.–and you have to be blind not to see them.

What was the Philippines like before martial law? Perhaps that should be our question first, as we cannot see what we have lost in Martial Law if we do not know what we had before.

*A senator delivers a speech in the 60s, at the Senate Session Hall of the Old Legislative Building (now the National Museum of the Philippines). Courtesy of the National Library and the Presidential Museum and Library.

*The Agrifina Circle (Agriculture and Finance Buildings, now the National Museum of the Philippines), Manila in the 60s. Courtesy of University of Wisconsin.

The country before Martial Law had a vibrant, fiery but delicate democracy—one that saw Congress as an endless cycle of fiery debates of ideas, policies, and governance, whose senators and congressmen were of high caliber, and with sitting brainy presidents. Educated and well-qualified to tackle on issues, elected officials were perceived, like today, as corrupt, but they clearly stood up for certain principles if only as pretend, and had brains to back it up. In fact to watch TV or listen to radio for news then were education enough, as the majority were well-informed of the politics of the time thanks to the media whose writers were in the likes of Nick Joaquin, Napoleon Rama, Max Soliven, and Jose “Pete” Lacaba, great Filipino writers who animated that era. Just reading the 60s editorials of the Philippines Free Press, the Manila Times, the Manila Chronicle, gives the reader a pulsating, breathing, and sometimes funny satires of the high and mighty.

*Senator Sergio Osmeña Jr. in one of his campaign sorties in the 1969 Elections. Courtesy of the Presidential Museum and Library.

Of course political parties then, as many social commentaries would agree, were the usual Filipino type, that were bonded not under an ideology or principle, but under alliances, political convenience and family dynasties (thanks to our familial ties that date back to precolonial era, exacerbated by the Spanish Colonial Period). This era, known in Philippine official history as the Third Republic, (the first one being that of Aguinaldo, the second one, that of Laurel, and the third, the one that was inaugurated on July 4, 1946), was a period rightly partitioned by many historians as a period in itself. But with all its great rhetoric, the country then was also on the brink of chaos. The encroachment of Communism in Asia had influenced many Filipino students, as Philippine presidents of the time looked for ways to stop the rising tide, sometimes leaning too much on the United States for assistance. And similar to the country’s counterparts in South America (countries also colonized by Spain in a not so distant past), the Philippines had become a hotbed for leftist movements. But as we would see in history, this insurgency was not the root of the problem but a symptom of a deeper “social cancer” (to borrow Rizal’s words), a reaction to the rampant corruption that has plagued our politics since the nation became independent on July 4, 1946. As such paranoia was rampant, student-led demonstrations became more widespread and more violent, if only in proportion to the corruption of the government bureaucracy.

Under the 1935 Constitution, which according to some historians, was one of the finest Philippine constitutions ever written, our presidents then had four years term with a chance of reelection. This constitution was, while overseen by the Americans during the American Colonial Period, also the brain child of the great Filipino visionaries of the era: Claro M. Recto, Manuel Roxas, Conrado Benitez, etc. As such, each congress lasts for 4 years with the midterm elections serving as referendum for the incumbent administration. This is where Marcos comes in, the first and only Filipino reelectionist president, but won an election that was plagued with electoral cheating. It was no surprising that after Marcos delivered his first State of the Nation Address under his second term, it launched a violent protest known as the First Quarter Storm of 1970.

Before I begin a series on the heroes of martial law (as promised), I think it would be wise to look at the man who set into motion the events that led to Martial Law. TED Education asked, “How did Adolf Hitler… rise to power in a democratic country?”

Of course, this is not to say Marcos was a Hitler. That is anachronism, and Hitler was something else entirely. But if we can learn from the rise of Hitler, it is that it was the people who produced a Hitler.

There is a truth in the saying that “It takes a whole village to raise a child.” I say, it also takes an entire country to raise a dictator. And it is the people who sometimes tolerate or even go so far as to support demagogues out of desperation for positive change, that produces a dictator. Jose Rizal was right when he said, through the mouth of Padre Florentino, “He who submits to tyranny, loves it!”

It is this series of posts on Martial Law, which I will try to lay out the best I can of how Ferdinand Marcos ingeniously planned to extend his rule beyond the two-term limit set by the 1935 Constitution. It took meticulous planning, from the reshuffling of the military chain of command, to pressuring certain opposition in Congress to resign (legislature should and must be independent of the Executive), to creating chaos by implementing selected city bombings and accusing the Communists for it (thus legitimizing the need for martial law), to hijacking the Constitutional Convention tasked to amend the 1935 Constitution, and to even pressure the Judiciary to approve Malacañang’s version of the Constitution. This eventually led to the rounding up of all opposition in the House, the Senate, and the silencing of free media, and insurgents, etc. at midnight. Marcos took great risks to make it work, and worked it did, if only because the country (even up to now) has weak political institutions to safeguard freedom.

If you’re watching the series House of Cards on Netflix, the fictional American President Frank Underwood would shudder at the genius of Marcos. Marcos was our Frank Underwood. Marcos was the real deal. If there is one thing history has taught us, it is to never underestimate or dismiss the threat of a tyrant-to-be.

*President Ferdinand Marcos meets the Military, 1972. Courtesy of the Presidential Museum and Library.

Hence, this series of historical blog posts is scheduled to be posted throughout September, in time for the reopening of wounds (a.k.a. Burying Marcos at Libingan ng mga Bayani, scheduled on September 18) culminating in the anniversary of the proclamation of Martial Law on the 23rd (not on the 21st as perpetuated by the Marcos myth). I’m expecting a barrage of attacks soon on this webspace called tumblr, but as a historian I cannot be silent. It is a disservice to my discipline if a part of Philippine history is attacked by revisionists and yet I keep silent. In this specific series, I will also cite my sources to help open-minded people seek the truth for themselves.

I am confident: That truth doesn’t need defending. That like a lion, it can defend itself. We are after all, all students of history. But while it doesn’t need defending, it should be taught clearly, unapologetically, and bravely, even if it’s unpopular.

As the late Welsh poet Dylan Thomas wrote in a famous poem, “Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” These are haunting wise words that remain relevant to this day, even at this hour, in this beloved but forgetful country called Pilipinas.

Art above: Editorial Cartoon from the Philippines Free Press, 1972. From the Malacañan Museum archives.

madridistaforever

Real Madrid’s 2016/17 home & away kits

madridistaforever

Ramos, James & Ronaldo model the new 16/17 home kit

honestslogans

bookmania

Grrreat news to all of us! We can now download over 300,000 books directly from New York Public library. The NYPL recently released an app called SimplyE for iOS and Android devices, an ebook reader containing tools in order to access wonderful collections from the library.

Some of the digital contents offered are in PDFs and the interface allows us to adjust font sizes. Aside from e-books, audio books and research papers are also in it.

Book lovers will now have a good option to access contents in just one swipe. 😉

bookmania

I love books. I like that the moment you open one and sink into it you can escape from the world, into a story that’s way more interesting that yours will ever be.

Elizabeth Scott, Bloom (via bookmania)