Hang Up on the Hung Parliament

The most exciting thing that's happened to me recently (apart from bagging the latest shoe purchase) is being given the opportunity to vote at the UK general elections on 6 May 2010. Now this isn’t the first time I have voted in the parliamentary elections, but it is the first time where the whole nation was riveted at the goings on in Westminster. The Press were so obviously backing their new golden boy, David Cameron of the Conservative Party, poor Gordon Brown of Labour couldn’t do anything right, and Nick Clegg’s Liberal Democrats, once seen as a non-entity was surging in the surveys due to his performance in the televised Leaders’ Debates (and eventually will have the ‘privilege’ of being the ‘king maker)’.

On 06 May, we all voted – and despite all the television and news coverage we still couldn’t quite decide on one particular party to represent our nation to the world, thus we have a hung parliament.

And while the nation waits in bated breath, I can’t help but be slightly worried at this disconcerting series of affairs. At first, I wanted to vote for the Liberal Democrats because their platform was the one that I thought would benefit hardworking people most – increase the income tax threshold to £10,000, smaller class sizes, the abolition of those stupid ID cards…it sounded really, erm, sound. The TV debates also proved that Mr Clegg can handle difficult questions under pressure, and I was more and more convinced that the Liberal Democrats were the real alternative.

I found the Conservative manifesto shallow – the supposed marriage tax which provides tax relief to married couple will not, in my view place more value in marriages. If it did then it wouldn't give the same rights to the civil partnerships as they do to married couples. Their policy on immigration and the economy are flimsy at best, so they weren’t even on my radar. Normally a Labour voter, my view of them turned sour in recent months – what with the recent expenses scandal of top ministers while the country dipped deeply into recession…I was ready for a change.

But as my husband said, ‘People keep on talking about change – but a change from what?’. It’s true the expenses scandal was unforgivable, but in reality, Mr Brown has gotten us out of the recession and was leading us further away from it. Inflation was low and so were interest rates, and his government has introduced a Australian-style points system to manage immigration. I liked the way he called Mrs Duffy a bigot – because that was what she was! And despite Jeremy Paxman’s annoying interview style and unfair accusations, Gordon Brown actually conducted himself well and articulated clearly his plans to continue the economic recovery of Britain in his one-to-one with him. What Brown lacks in charisma and stage presence he certainly makes up with economic knowledge and experience.

So on polling day, I found myself changing my vote back to Labour. But it looks like it wasn’t going to be enough to make it the leading party. Mr Brown is stepping down as Labour leader, the Conservatives are putting the pressure on the Liberal Democrats to form a coalition with them. Today, after all the negotiations, Mr Clegg will make the all important decision – will it be Lib-Con or Lib-Lab? God help the United Kingdom if it happens to be the former. That is essentially Mr Clegg selling the nation’s soul to the devil.

Fullness of Life

I find that when reading through the Old Testament, there are loads of scriptures that refer to the coming of Jesus, as well as the end times. For example, Isaiah writes:

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

(Isaiah 53:2b-5)

The more I read the Bible, the more I know that it is the true Word of God. Everything that was written in the Old Testament points to Jesus – His birth, His ministry, His life, death and His resurrection. And that He is the Christ, the Messiah.

With Christmas fast approaching, no doubt there will be numerous nativity plays in schools, movies and TV shows on offer. But more than hearing about Jesus, finding out who Jesus really is, and how He is alive today and continues to change lives is what really matters. He certainly changed mine. I don’t know what life would be like if I didn’t know Him, and I wouldn’t even want to find out. All I know is, in Him I have fullness of life.

The Heat Is On

It's funny how I come from the tropics yet can't stand the heat. Britain is currently experiencing a heatwave. A British heatwave I hasten to add - that muggy, humid atmosphere and the distinct abscence of the sun.

After a miserable winter, people should really be happy about that. Normally, it's nothing but rain and cold strong winds.

In the office, there are 3 electric fans blowing hot air in full blast. I feel sticky, tired and lethargic. I want to go home and get under a cold and powerful shower. But alas, there is a lot to do. I'm trying not to think about the heat, but I can't concentrate. I want to take my clothes off and dip myself in a tub full of ice but I can't - not in a room full of geeks, anyhow. Won't be worth the effort! ;)

Thank goodness for Wimbledon. My discomfort pales in comparison when you see the soaking crowd on Centre Court - and that's just the spectators, who are literally melting as Andy Murray gives it his all to the delight of the British contingent.

Speaking of Wimbledon, I could murder some Kent strawberries and Cornish or Devon single cream....

Oh, the drama!

Well, I guess I can't complain. Today wasn't a fantastic day by any stretch of the imagination, but at least it wasn't a gawd-awful one, either. To relax, I'm watching a Filipino telenovella on YouTube while typing this, and despite the ridiculous story line, I feel compelled to watch it. Every night, I would look forward to watching the next far-fetched episode - it's escapism at its best.

The story is the friendship between two men from opposite sides of the social spectrum - one who is dirt poor, and the other - filthy rich. They get along splendidly even if they don't have anything in common, apart from their name. They are both called David Garcia. I guess you know where this is going...

It turns out that they are brothers. They share the same father, but different mothers. The philandering father had a one night stand with a prostitute and produced David the Dirt Poor. I don't know when exactly he met his now wife/partner, but the two of them have also produced a sprog, David, the Filthy Rich. And somehow, their paths cross...and so begins the twists and turns of this very unlikely story.

The scriptwriting is contrived and the situations are hardly believable, and yet, so many people (including myself) watch it every day - at least 3000 of us. 

If there is one thing that I do realise about it is that I'm glad that it's only a fictional dramatisation. How tragic would it be if this situation happened to actual people.I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

Over a year!

I can't believe it's been almost a year since my last post! It's true what they say - it's easy to start a blog, but very hard to maintain. Even my husband's blog only has a single post, which, of course, makes me feel a tad better that I'm not as rubbish as he is when it comes to keeping my blog updated.

The year started out OK - I have been quite busy with work and I suppose I should be grateful, judging by today's economic climate. Lately, however, I seem not to have the same energy and vigour as I used to. Perhaps it's the weather. After all, the snow storms of late have been awful and the cold and gale force winds have been relentless. 

Or maybe it's because I haven't had the chance to sleep very well. I've been catching up on years of not watching any Filipino movies or TV shows and so spend endless hours on YouTube, getting 'kilig' with the assortment of soppy romance-themed shows between John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo (actually, to be honest, anything with John Lloyd in it is a plus in my book!), KC Concepcion and Richard Gutierrez, and the like.

Whatever it is, I just can't seem to get motivated. I need to get my 'oomph' back. There's some very interesting projects in the pipeline which I really want to get my teeth into. All I need now is for this persistent cold to go away, and for me to stop watching Pinoy telenovellas til the we hours of the morning!

And of course, I need to start ranting and raving on my blog again. So to you, my non-existent reader, hang on tight. Mancypino's back - at least for now.