The Emancipation of Eric
I am eagerly anticipating a new chapter of my life. Saying goodbye to something that you have known for such a long time requires guts of steel. I am excited to start a clean slate in my newfound home. I have this strong feeling that I will be happier and more fulfilled here. A place where I can have clout and stability.
Finally, I am about to break free and about to leave behind all these excess baggage that weigh my soul down. No more people who will decide my future without my consent and knowledge. No more people who will demeaningly laugh and insult my work in public fora after telling everyone that I am just trying my best. Being asked to run something for another two years with little or no support is the last straw. I am no machine. I refuse to be the all-around rubber stopper deliberately placed to stop a leak. I refuse to be the doormat and the laughing stock anymore. When you lose respect for people whom you admire and look up to for quite some time, I guess there is no more mending. It is hard to work in place where you are always seen as the "kid" who just joined yesterday. Some people were surprised that I have been around for seven years, even my bosses. After all this time, security guards in campus and even office staff think that I am still a student. I guess to earn the tiniest iota of respect of the community, they expect me to be a relic from the Jurrasic period, some bone or artifact that needs carbon dating. Truth be told, my dad was frustrated when I told him that I wanted a career with what I have been doing for the longest time. Now I know why. There is always wisdom in the words of parents. Maybe he saw me getting hurt in the long run maybe that’s why he expressed his concern and I was just too idealistic and naive to realize it at the age of 22. Heck, if I could go back to 2001, I will beat myself up. I want to prevent myself from doing something that will become a habit and yet, just regret it down the road. Then again, that’s the price of youth and idealism. I just woke up one day and realized that I’m pushing 30 and I am not even in a stable position, that seven years have passed me by…my precious 20s, the most energetic and passionate years of my life. Despite all the hardwork, some people just refuse to treat me right and offer me the stability and security that I deserve. The bright side of it all: It is a wonderful realization that there is a world out there full of opportunities. All you have to do is to take the big leap and the challenge. Sometimes, we are just too myopic to see the bigger picture. God is indeed good. He does save people. Call it chance, destiny or fate but I got a job offer just by running into a friend and his parents in a specialty bookstore in The Fort with me on a whim for buying a CD or two.
The Emancipation of Eric…to be released May 15, 2008.
Time to Shake It Off, Migrate and say Bye Bye. The future begins someplace else.
"Shake It Off" - Mariah Carey from "The Emancipation of Mimi" (2005)
[ JD ]
Everybody just, everybody
just bounce, bounce
Everybody just, everybody
just bounce, bounce
[ Chorus ]
I gotta shake it off
Cause the loving ain’t the same
And you keep on playing games
Like you know I’m here to stay
I gotta shake, shake it off
Just like the Calgon commercial
I really gotta get up outta here
And go somewhere
I gotta shake it off
Gotta make that move
Find somebody who
Appreciates all the love I give
Boy I gotta shake, shake it off
Gotta do what’s best for me
Baby and that means I gotta
Shake it off
[ 1st verse ]
By the time you get this message
It’s gonna be too late
So don’t bother paging me
Cause I’ll be on my way
See I grabbed all my
diamonds and clothes
Just ask your momma she knows
You’re gonna miss me baby
Hate to say I told you so
Well at first I didn’t know
But now it’s clear to me
You would cheat with all your freaks
And lie compulsively
So I packed up my Louis Vuitton
Jumped in your ride and took off
You’ll never ever find a girl
Who loves you more than me
[ Chorus ]
I gotta shake it off
Cause the loving ain’t the same
And you keep on playing games
Like you know I’m here to stay
I gotta shake, shake it off
Just like the Calgon commercial
I really gotta get up outta here
And go somewhere
I gotta, shake it off
Gotta make that move
Find somebody who
Appreciates all the love I give
Boy I gotta shake, shake it off
Gotta do what’s best for me
Baby and that means I gotta
Shake it off
[ bridge ]
(I Gotta)
shake, shake, shake, shake, shake it
Off…
shake, shake, shake, shake, shake it
Off… (i’m gunna shake it off)
shake, shake, shake, shake, shake it
Off… oooo
shake, shake, shake, shake, shake it
Off…
[ 2nd verse ]
I found out about a gang
Of your dirty little deeds
With this one and that one
By the pool, on the
beach, in the streets
Heard y’all was
Hold up my phone’s breakin’ up
I’ma hang up and call the
machine right back
I gotta get this off of my mind
You wasn’t worth my time
So I’m leaving you behind
Cause I need a real love in my life
Save this recording because
I’m never coming back home
Baby I’m gone
Don’t cha know
[ Chorus ]
I gotta shake it off
Cause the loving ain’t the same
And you keep on playing games
Like you know I’m here to stay
I gotta shake, shake it off
Just like the Calgon commercial
I really gotta get up outta here
And go somewhere
I gotta shake it off
(I)Gotta make that move
Find somebody who
Appreciates all the love I give
Boy I gotta shake, shake it off
Gotta do what’s best for me
Baby and that means I gotta
Shake it off
[ bridge ]
(I Gotta)
shake, shake, shake, shake, shake it
Off… ooooo
shake, shake, shake, shake, shake it
Off… shake it off
shake, shake, shake, shake, shake it
Off…oooh
shake, shake, shake, shake, shake it
Off…
[ chorus ] (JD)
I gotta shake it off
Cause the loving ain’t the same
And you keep on playing games
Like you know I’m here to stay
I gotta shake, shake it off
Just like the Calgon commercial
I really gotta get up outta here
And go somewhere
I gotta shake it off
Gotta make that move
Find somebody who
Appreciates all the love
I give (i like that
y’all)
Boy I gotta shake, shake
it off (uh huh)
Gotta do what’s best for me
Baby and that means I gotta
Shake it off
oo ooo oooo
[ JD & Mariah Carey ] (fades)
Everybody just, everybody
just bounce, bounce
Shake it off
Everybody just, everybody
just bounce, bounce
"Migrate" - Mariah Carey featuring T-Pain from "E=MC2" (2008)
Bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce
Keep it movin… Bounce
Keep it movin… Bounce
Keep it movin… Bounce
Keep it movin… Bounce
Once again nothin’ jumpin’ up in your place
Sick of your berry buzzin’ all in my face
Way too much to tolerate
Time to roll, y’all know I gots to migrate.
Speed dial connecting me to Rae Rae "Hey"
Click in Shawnte and Mae Mae "Hey"
"Treat it as a holiday" Cause he’s a wrap
Y’all know I had to migrate
So I’m on my way home
Cause my jeans, yeah they fit
But it might benefit
Me to throw something on
To feature my hips
Accentuate my ****
And steal the show
Soon as we walk through the door
Fellas be grabbin’ at us like "yo"
Tryin’ to get us goin’ off the Patron
We sippin’ Grigio… slow
If your neck and your wrist coordinate
Hair braided or faded okay
We can move this back to my place
It’s time to migrate
From my car into the club we migrate
From the bar to V.I.P. we migrate
From the party to the after party, migrate
After party to hotel, migrate
As we proceed getting buzzed the envious ones
Hatin’ but they can’t take their eyes off us
But we don’t see none of that
They playin’ my jam and the floor is packed
So ya’ll need to migrate up out the door
We’re clickin’ glasses compliments of the club
We raise their status so you know they show us love
Everywhere we go they gon’ flock
Them boys migrate to where it’s hot
(It’s hot, it’s hot)
Soon as we walk through the door
Fellas be grabbin’ at us like "yo"
Tryin’ to get us goin’ off that Patron
We sippin’ Grigio, slow
If you’re inked up thuggin’ that swag I like
Face body and Lamborghini outside
Obviously boy you qualify
Otherwise migrate, Bye
From my car into the club, we migrate
From the bar to V.I.P., we migrate
From the party to the after party, migrate
After party to hotel, migrate
[T-Pain Rap]
This is where it begins
And ends at the very same time,
Teddy-Pain the main man of the hour,
Got a flow that’ll flat yo’ tire,
Got stacks plus I’m back with Mariah.
(Mariah laughs)
We stay down like four flats on the Cadillac
Packed to the back with flow phat, girl
If you feel like doin’ the dance
I’m gon’ pull up my pants
C-C-C-Come on back, girl
But I gotta migrate to bar
From the bar to the flo’
From the flo’ to the car
From the car to the crib
Then back to the club
We can migrate in
And mini coupe sittin on dubs
Whatcha waitin’ on
I can’t stand in one place
I’m on the platinum Patron and I
Hate when I don’t get it my way
So don’t wait for me to buy drinks
Or you gon’ dehydrate
It’s time to migrate
Soon as I walk through the door
They know I’m from the 8-5-0
I need three bottles of that Patron
I can make the Chevrolet grease up slow
If your … and your … coordinate
Shawty, Shawty, look it ain’t OK
We can move this back to my place
Shawty best believe, it’s time to migrate
Soon as we walk through the door
Fellas be grabbin’ at us like "yo"
Tryin’ to get us goin’ off the Patron… slow
We sippin’ Grigio, slow
If you’re inked up thuggin’ that swag I like
Face body and Lamborghini outside
Obviously boy you qualify
Otherwise migrate… bye
Keep it movin’ Bounce
"Bye Bye" - Mariah Carey from "E=MC2" (2008)
This is for my peoples who just lost somebody
Your best friend, your baby, your man, or your lady
Put your hand way up high
We will never say bye (no, no, no)
Mamas, daddies, sisters, brothers, friends and cousins
This is for my peoples who lost their grandmothers
Lift your head to the sky ‘cause we will never say bye
As a child there were them times
I didn’t get it but you kept me in line
I didn’t know why you didn’t show up sometimes
On sunday mornings and I missed you
But when we talked too
All them grown full things
Separation brings
You never let me know it
You never let it show because
You loved me and obviously
There’s so much more left to say
If you were with me today face to face
Chorus
I never knew I could hurt like this
And everyday life goes on like
“I wish I could talk to you for awhile”
“I wish I could find a way try not to cry”
As time goes by
And soon as you reach a better place
Still I’ll give the whole world to see your face
And I’m bragging right next to you
It feels like you gone too soon
The hardest thing to do is say bye bye
(Bye Bye 3x)
Bye bye
And you never got the chance to see how good I’ve done
And you never got to see me back at number one
I wish that you were here to celebrate together
I wish that we could spend the holidays together
I remember when you used to tuck me in at night
With the Teddy Bear you gave to me that I held so tight
I thought you were so strong
That you can make it through whatever
It’s so hard to accept the fact you’re gone forever
Chorus
I never knew I could hurt like this
And everyday life goes on like
“I wish I could talk to you for awhile”
“I wish I could find a way try not to cry”
As time goes by
And soon as you reach a better place
Still I’ll give the world to see your face
And I’m bragging right next to you (?)
It feels like you gone too soon
The hardest thing to do is say bye bye
(bye bye bye bye bye bye 3x)
Bye bye
This is for my peoples who just lost somebody
Your best friend, your baby, your man, or your lady
Put your hand way up high
We will never say bye (no, no, no)
Mamas, daddies, sisters, brothers, friends and cousins
This is for my peoples who lost their grandfather
Lift your head to the sky ‘cause we will never say bye
Chorus
I never knew I could hurt like this
And everyday life goes on like
“I wish I could talk to you for awhile”
“I wish I could find a way try not to cry”
As time goes by
And soon as you reach a better place
Still I’ll give the world to see your face
And I’m bragging right next to you
It feels like you gone too soon
The hardest thing to do is say bye bye 
May 24th, 2008 at 5:19 am
I don’t know why I’m commenting on a subject wherein I supposedly have no say (given my limited knowledge on the subject’s details) but one thing I have to say: You are one of the very few who reinvented the common notion of education. And you are one of those very, very few professors who inspired me to consider teaching one day. It’s ironic since most of the students (and academic administrators) expect such reinvention on some old professors with an extensive teaching experience.
This goes to say that one should not judge a person’s capabilities by his or her age. And you are one of the living testaments of such realization. I am truly honored to be in your class. I’d hate to admit this but I hated math all my life except for those two terms wherein you became my professor. You made things easy, not because you expect less from your students but because you’re just astoundingly great at making complicated things uncomplicated.
Like math.
Professor Halcon, I salute you for making a remarkable step in your career. It only shows that you have an undying passion for learning and teaching. I remember Natalie Portman saying, “I never liked studying. Learning, I love. Learning is beautiful.” And I think I can hear your former and future students uttering the same words, showing the beauty in learning about math (as well as other fields you wish to delve in).
I don’t know if this counts as much but I just wish to express my absolute faith in your competence as a professor. I hope you continue to inspire young minds, like what you did in La Salle.
May 25th, 2008 at 2:09 am
Dear Wence,
You don’t know me but your comment gave me goosebumps.
I wish you would post your comment on the main comment section of Eric’s Profile as well, for everyone to read.
God bless,
Francis