While I Was In China

I tried to take a picture of myself everyday. Ala 360. Some days it didn't happen. Here are the days that it did.

Ultimate Death Race a.k.a. the US Presidential Elections of 2008

Not yet fully sobered up from the feverish events of the Democratic Convention flashing on and off CNN, Hillary’s super wide grin and hashish-happy eyes, Bill’s sagging eye bags, Michelle Obama’s scary ultra-thin arched brows, those crazy Democrat hats, Biden's over-enthusiastic wife, the awkward voice expelled from an equally awkward wiry frame that is Barack Obama (don't they have the same stretched jaws, Michelle and him?), the next president of the United States of America, says the Democrats, overjoyed, welling up, in tears, rolling over a sea of CHANGE, scored by all-American rock anthems, topped with fireworks many times inferior to the Bird’s Nest’s, wherein all the while I was like: you better keep the promise, America, did you not have that same passion with Gore, only to end up with GW Bush, and not once, but twice? it's just too incredible, this possibility of a first black US President, I honestly wouldn’t be too hasty on believing it not until it actually happens and then: why don’t we have that same fervor around here, why can’t our politicians be believable enough? why won’t I ever believe in any of them? my thoughts moving on to how logical the US two-(major)-party political system is, how it made the choosing easier, one is this, the other’s that, stereotypes notwithstanding, the only two groups that have that sort of dynamics here are the National Democrats and the Social Democrats, and yet, their difference is little known, to the Pinoy masa and the rich alike – the wrinkly-white-leathery skinned, cattle-necked McCain came to steal the limelight not a day after the Democratic jubilation, proudly unveiling his running mate: a gorgeous semi-precious all-American, gun-toting white Republican, accomplished politician, the Governor of Alaska, five kids, beautiful blonde family, decent working class roots, and wait – a female? OMG! The Republicans apparently want to make history, too. First black President? Far out! First woman VP? Why the hell not? John McCain must be saying: here’s for disrespecting an old man, Barack. And the Democrats must be going: why, you didn’t even let us wallow in our post-convention euphoria, dang! before scrambling on to dig for the bag of bones of this squeaky clean youngish mother of five, the youngest, born just this April, whose eldest son enlisted for the US Army and will be deployed to Iraq this September, Journalism graduate, daughter to public school teachers – exactly what the aging, pretty well-off traditional politician image of John McCain isn't. The game just got even more exciting.

It is nasty behind and even at the fore, of course. The USA is great but it is greatly hated and with reason. Friends would have this discussion all night, ranting and raging on the US aggression, hypocrisy and what-not.

But it sure is putting on this greatly twisted epic drama for the world to watch in splendor – or horror.