I just learned from Jason that one of my favorite authors, Malcolm Gladwell has released a new book--Outliers.
I wish I didn't learn about it now because it's nearly midnight and it's a long wait til the bookstore opens tomorrow at 10AM.
Agony.
Isn't it enough that my whole day was spent pondering on this thing called transparency and its sister, integrity? Isn't it enough that I had fertilizer (scam) for lunch? My ears were all on the honorable gentleman beside me but my eyes were busy tracing the gentle contours of honey glazed roasted chicken with rosemary in front of me. But when he was dishing out numbers like 1.1 billion pesos released in February of 2004, I just had to tear my eyes away from the mouth watering feast and read his lips as he whispered, "the actual amount is billions, not just 728 million pesos".
I think my eyeballs fell on my lap. Like a seasoned tale-spinner, he paused and in his soft voice warned that unless the former undersecretary is linked to the mayors and congressmen who received huge amounts for "farm equipment and supply"--to determine the REAL STORY, the investigation is just a mere 'going through the motion'.
This is preposterous and totally unacceptable!
Imagine what we could have done with billions of pesos. We could have built and equipped enough day care centers for ALL barangays, from Batanes to Jolo. We could have trained enough pre-school teachers, maybe even hire those who failed to pass the teacher's board exam. We could have started aligning the stars for a Filipino Barack Obama.
Then maybe, we could start to believe that change is indeed inevitable.
UPDATE:
Sunday, 11AM: National Bookstore does not have Outliers!!! (Yes, this is a three-exclamation situation.)
Monday, 12:30PM (while nibbling on a chicken thigh): Received my copy (hurray!), tore open the plastic cover (why all the scotch tape), flipped through the pages, inhaled deeply and started reading . . .
12:45PM: Reading interrupted (class awaits).
Sunday, 8PM: Still reading . . .
I wish I didn't learn about it now because it's nearly midnight and it's a long wait til the bookstore opens tomorrow at 10AM.
Agony.
Isn't it enough that my whole day was spent pondering on this thing called transparency and its sister, integrity? Isn't it enough that I had fertilizer (scam) for lunch? My ears were all on the honorable gentleman beside me but my eyes were busy tracing the gentle contours of honey glazed roasted chicken with rosemary in front of me. But when he was dishing out numbers like 1.1 billion pesos released in February of 2004, I just had to tear my eyes away from the mouth watering feast and read his lips as he whispered, "the actual amount is billions, not just 728 million pesos".
I think my eyeballs fell on my lap. Like a seasoned tale-spinner, he paused and in his soft voice warned that unless the former undersecretary is linked to the mayors and congressmen who received huge amounts for "farm equipment and supply"--to determine the REAL STORY, the investigation is just a mere 'going through the motion'.
This is preposterous and totally unacceptable!
Imagine what we could have done with billions of pesos. We could have built and equipped enough day care centers for ALL barangays, from Batanes to Jolo. We could have trained enough pre-school teachers, maybe even hire those who failed to pass the teacher's board exam. We could have started aligning the stars for a Filipino Barack Obama.
Then maybe, we could start to believe that change is indeed inevitable.
UPDATE:
Sunday, 11AM: National Bookstore does not have Outliers!!! (Yes, this is a three-exclamation situation.)
Monday, 12:30PM (while nibbling on a chicken thigh): Received my copy (hurray!), tore open the plastic cover (why all the scotch tape), flipped through the pages, inhaled deeply and started reading . . .
12:45PM: Reading interrupted (class awaits).
Sunday, 8PM: Still reading . . .
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2 comments:
Well, have you bought a copy yet? Php670+ at Fully Booked, I believe. I’m only 30++ pages into the book, and it’s classic Gladwell: light, smooth-flowing prose, easy-to-follow train of thought. I think you'll enjoy it immensely.
I went to NB and they are "out of stock"! Next stop: FB.
:-)
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