Havent blogged in a (long) time. Been hectic at work. It all started when my project got deployed. Deployed in Manila, Brussels, and Cincy. Sounds fun but it really wasnt. Anyway, coming back from that period of catatonic stupor.
That's my excuse anyway.
The joy of the second visit: you gawk less and experience more.
Meann, Cathy and I had all been to
Cathy and I arrived earlier, and spent Saturday braving the holiday crowds on the ferry to see
Meann flew in Saturday night and joined us Sunday when we explored the street market in
Lunch was uneventful—if you can call getting separated and getting reunited after 2 and a half hours that. It was my fault really: I figured I’d claim our Rent tickets and save us time later that night. I thought
Rent did not disappoint. As a bonus, Tamyra Gray (the American Idol Season I stand-out) was playing Mimi. Not really a fan but heard enough of her to know she was good. She led a cast that was good overall, but not altogether outstanding. Having seen Rent on Broadway, I still think the Manila production (the first one at the
We were flying out on Monday afternoon so we had planned for a lazy day walking around the city. Au, who we knew from
Recharged after lunch, we decided to take the subway to
There wasn’t a lot of time after that so we said our goodbyes to Au, who had been the perfect hostess, and took our last subway ride back to the hotel. We didn’t fully account for the time it took going back and after a great rush, we made it to the airport just in time for our flight.
In all, the trip was satisfying. We got through most of our shortlist albeit not entirely (Cathy got a very SATC-eque picture with sailors, and visited Magnolia Café; and Meann? Well, her feet turned green from all the walking =). – Too bad we weren’t able to meet up with Ben/Clovy and Penpen (who flew to NYC the same weekend). I can’t but look forward to our third trip to NYC.
What can I say: I Heart
Been waiting to catch one of these for a while now. Saw the ad in Citybeat and checked it out. It was cool - the 'battle' wasn't epic in scale but was set in a village cum museum that showcased life during the Civil War era. We even caught Abe Lincoln delivering his Gettysburg address after the battle (no pictures of that- the actor spooked me).
Some pix:
(This was my 4th Toastmasters speech. Couple of things to improve: make sentences shorter; use common words.)
A Fish Out of Water: My
As far as idioms go: one of my favorites is this: “A fish out of water”. This expression is often used to denote the discomfort of being thrown into a new and unfamiliar situation. If you’ve ever seen an actual fish taken out of the water, you’d know why this expression is so appropriate. A fish in such a situation plops around violently, eyes bulging, gasping for breath. It is not a pretty sight.
Fellow toastmasters and guests, I have been—and in some cases, still am— like that fish. You see, I have lived in
I will start with one of my hardest adjustments: Being away from family and friends. I come from a culture that values personal relationships. As such, being thousands of miles away from family and friends was disconcerting, and even painful. Sure, with email, telephones, instant messaging, voice over IP, the world has gotten smaller. However, there will be those moments -- birthday celebrations, baptisms, graduations, and even hospitalizations or funerals—that you cannot personally attend.– This distance from loved ones, truly, has been my hardest challenge.
To cope: I aggressively maintain contact with folks back home. I make it a point to phone home once a week. I blog about my daily life and encourage others to do the same. I maintain regular email communications, and SMS with family and friends. I carry three cellphones all the time: a personal
The second hardest thing to adjust to was the vastly different lifestyle in the
I was similarly ignorant about the most basic tasks around the house. Something as simple as changing a light bulb was cause for consternation. There was also this incident just last winter when the lights suddenly went out. We thought there was a electric blackout—not an uncommon incident back home. My wife and I spent four hours bundled in jackets in the freezing cold waiting for the lights to come back on. When we realized that only our apartment did not have power, we called the apartment manager’s office. They sent a custodian to our apartment and after flipping a couple of switches in the fusebox, we were back in business. Needless to say, I was truly embarrassed.
While on that image: Winter. Back in the
Social norms are also perplexing. You know how in the
These were just some of the anecdotes I have compiled these last three years. For the record, I want to be clear that all these mishaps aside, I have thoroughly enjoyed these experiences. Being in a new and unusual situation has a way of expanding one’s horizons and forcing one to grow. And I do believe that all these experiences have forced me to mature and expand my world view. For this, I am forever grateful.
And so, having shared all this, I also hope that you will walk away today with an appreciation of some of the hardships a non-local might face. So the next time you see someone looking puzzled at the gas pump, why not offer a hand? You might not be able to help the little “fishie” back to water but at least you might make adjusting to land a little bit easier.
(This was my third speech for Toastmasters.)
Ommmmm
I'd like to start by stating for the record that I was lured into meditation class under false pretenses. I signed up for meditation class enticed by the course description that said 'reduce your stress, find inner peace and balance'. It sounded innocuous enough, and exactly what the doctor ordered. So you could imagine my surprise when, on the first day of classes, the instructor started off by asking the participants to sign disclaimers saying she would not be held responsible should any of us were to commit suicide, get depressed, or divorced. Ummmm, at that point, I think my stress level just shot way up.
Ladies and gentlemen, what I'd like to share with you today are my experiences from having started meditation three weeks ago. My objective is to share my personal experiences with meditation: why I took it up in the first place, how I have been faring the last three weeks, and how I see myself growing-- or not-- in this practice.
Let me start from the beginning: why did I take up meditation? Well, meditation has always been an interest area for me. As a child, I used to watch Chinese martial arts shows where the kung fu masters developed extraordinary powers by using meditation to cultivate the power of their minds. Telekenesis, healing the fatally wounded, and flying through time and space were just some of the supernatural acts that they were able to perform. I remember thinking: How cool would it be to be able to do all that and escape from homework, and chores, and all the sordid worries of life as a ten-year-old. And how hard could it be: just find a cave, sit cross-legged for a few hours (or days, or weeks), and emerge a superhero. I could do that.
Fast-forward twenty years: I never did find a cave in which to develop my innate mental powers. Instead: I am now a full-fledged adult deeply immersed in the travails and stresses of daily life. Thus, when I saw the ad for the meditation class: I figured, it is about time I gave meditation a try. I decided that stress reduction was a good objective to start with, and that I can progress to flying, and bending spoons with time.
And so, on to the first class and the infamous incident with the disclaimers. After explaining some basic tenets, the participants—all 20 of us-- were told to sit in a comfortable position, either on the ground, in a lotus position, or on a chair with feet planted solidly on the floor. We were instructed to close our eyes and focus on our breathing. If thoughts of work, or other worries, were to interrupt, we were supposed to acknowledge them, but gently, nudge them aside. Then, ting, she struck the bell and we began.
And so I closed my eyes and focused on my breath. In and out, in and out. In time, my mind started to wander: Argh, I forgot to do this and that. And then an outtake from a favorite movie. Must. Not. Get. Distracted. Breath in and out, in and out. Live in the moment. Be in the now…. Breath in and out.
Did I lock the car? The sound of sirens in the background. Someone coughing to my right.
Breath in. Breath out. In and out.
Ting.
Ten minutes was up. Was it ten minutes, or an eternity? The instructor answered some questions and told us we will meet next week. Till then we were supposed to try doing at least 10 minutes at home each day.
Driving home, my mind felt more alert and focused. Things seemed to come into sharper focus: greens are greener, blues, bluer. Distant sounds seem closer. It was exhilarating.
But it was not always so. There are times when after 10 mins of meditation, the mind seems to fail to clear. I remember washing my face with shampoo and realizing it only when it started to sting. The sensory deprivation of meditation seemed to give way to a sensory overload which the mind was not always equipped to handle it. The calmness of one moment, might give way to the storms of the next.
And so it has been for the last three weeks. I am sticking it out because I do feel it has reduced my stress levels. I seem to be generally calmer and more focused. I also tend to think it has also helped me sleep better since it helps me clear my head before I turn in at night. For now, I am planning to stick it out at least till this Thursday when the four week course ends. After that, I’ll see: If meditation has taught me one thing, it is to live in the present and not fret about the past, or the future.
Having shared all that: I did want to end with a disclaimer of my own. Everything I have shared were based on my personal experience. Results may differ per individual and you might want to seek out expert guidance before trying it out on your own.
However, should you do decide to try it out and pursue it seriously, do let me know. I might need to someone to split the cost of the cave with.
(These "unenlightened" thoughts occurred me during meditation class-- a true testament to the mind's wanderings when you are forcing it to be still.)
A scene from 'The Matrix'. Cypher-- the guy who betrays Morpheus and his crew-- is eating steak with Agent Smith.
Cypher: 'You know, I know this steak doesn't exist. I know that when I put it in my mouth, the Matrix is telling me that it is juicy and delicious. After nine years (of being 'freed' from the illusion/enslavement of the machines), you know what I realize? Ignorance is bliss.'
Meditation is supposed to heighten one's awareness-- of oneself, the suffering the world, and one's part in that suffering. Why, oh why, would I venture down that path? I am relatively happy and content. I am not blind to the suffering around me, and try to help out where I can. What am I doing fooling around with 'enlightenment'? Should I cling instead to the old adage: 'Dont fix what aint broke'?
Ah, but always-- always-- the allure of the unknown behind door number 2. Is it the jackpot-- brand new car, Carribean vacation? Or maybe a DVD player, or can of soda?
Cast your bets!
Post-script: All participants in the meditation class had to sign a waiver that the instructor will not be held liable for depression, divorces, suicides. I kid you not. How's that for a disclaimer?
Mondays: Toastmasters/Yoga. Wednesdays: French for Advanced Beginners. Thursdays: Meditation.
Busy, busy time. For a change, the busyness is from non-work activities.
Why the flurry of activity, and why these? Several reasons: 1) Need to immerse myself in personal development, 2) My cholesterol report came in at 245-- ideal is 200. 3) I need to deal with work stress. (The title means 'to reduce my stress'). 4) [For good measure and to be consistent] I'm turning 3-0 this year.
So far, so good. I'm struggling to attend Toastmasters given it is over lunch and a 10-minute hike away. Yoga is ok but sun salutations, really? French-- who am I kidding by joining an 'advanced' class. Meditation-- omm, mane, padme, hummmmmmmmmm.... Zzzzzzzz....
Next quarter: Guitar, maybe some Spanish, and why not....skydiving!
Entirely uneventful, this trip was. Well that is not really true. It was remarkable-- in its crappiness.
Five hour drive each way. Traffic. Stifling heat. Tacky tacky attractions. Hands down the worst trip we've taken.
Oh, some pictures :)
Post-scripts:
1) The highlight: we happened to see signs to the Colonel Sanders Museum - yes the birthplace of KFC. How's that as the high point of a 10-hour trip?
2) Why the title is 'Iodine'? Supposedly, kids who don't get enough (iodine) in their diet, well, it stunts... (I am not going to finish that sentence lest my karma catch up with me).
Last weekend was a three-day weekend (our company observes President's Day) and we took advantage by checking out some of the goings-on in the tri-state area, specifically the Bodies Exhibit and Babyface's concert.
The Bodies: The Exhibit (http://www.bodiestheexhibition.com) is a travelling exhibition of preserved human bodies (and body parts). It features cadavers in various stages of dissection, each meant to showcase a certain bodily system (e.g. nervous, digestive, reproductive). Cathy and I had our misgivings about catching the exhibit (real disected human bodies??) but in the end figured we'd pick something up from the experience.
We were not disappointed. The exhibit was fascinating. The 'specimens' were not encased in glass so you could really get er, up close and personal. You could touch them if you so wanted (why anyone would want to do so -- that's another matter). I dont think anyone could walk away from the exhibit without feeling a sense of awe at just how complex creation is, and how perfect our design. True, some displays left us feeling queasy (e.g. blackened lung and cystic ovaries, anyone? Anyone?) but overall, it was a great learning experience, and it prompted me to reevaluate my sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits. (The exhibit also 'stayed' with me such that that evening, I was preparing dinner, took one look at the leftover (babyback) ribs, and put them right back.)
BTW, There is apparently some controversy surrounding the way the bodies were procured. A local magazine has noted that the bodies were 'ordered' from China at $300 each. - That would explain the cryptic comment we heard at the ticket queue where one man, trying to convince his wife to see the exhibit with him, had said 'The bodies are mostly Chinamen'. Go figure-- I take it to mean that it is less freaky to watch dissected 'Chinamen'.)
* * *
One other highlight of the weekend was watching Babyface's concert at the Madison Theater. What can I say: I got my money's worth (at $35- it was a bargain). He sang a couple of new songs from his upcoming album, and did his old hits like Change the World, Everytime I Close My Eyes, When Can I See You Again, What If, etc. He also did medleys of songs he's written for other artists (and there were several). Way cool.
I went with Franee, Kate, and Au-- of whom only Au was really into Babyface (Fran and Kate- I had to cajole to join). In any case, I think everyone ended up enjoying the show. In any case, I know I did =) (With reference to my previous post => http://ofwjournal.blogspot.com/2008/02/out-of-tune.html)
(We ended up getting our picture on CinWeekly's (a local lifestyle journal's) website. http://www.cinweekly.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=A1&Dato=20080219&Kategori=LIFE05&Lopenr=802190801&Ref=PH -> it's #19.)
These past days have been specially challenging- weather-wise. Temperatures are hanging around 12 degrees (that's Fahrenheit, mind you) so yes, quite a bit below freezing. I always have four layers of clothing on top (inner shirt, button-down shirt, sweater, jacket) and three below (ok, do we need to get into that?). If it gets any colder, mobility will start becoming an issue.
I take issue with the cold but not the snow. This is our third winter (not counting winters from previous business trips) but I am still caught up in the magic of watching snow fall. I have even learned to distingush the different types. There are the ones that look like minced styropore, there's the cotton ball variety, and the wet 'shaved ice' kind. (I just realized that statement is depressing: I just compared snow-- so pure and natural -- to industrial age by-products). It may be floating, blowing with the wind, or coming down in torrents: Part of me wants to stand in the middle of it, spread my arms and look skyward (cue movie shot). It is always exhilirating and I hope the novelty of it never wears off.
On the other hand, continuous snow fall leads to accumulation. Accumulation that you makes walking a delicate balancing act, that needs to be scrape off the windshield, that wheels get stuck in. And as it melts, the pure white slowly turns gray/ash before becoming an brownish muckish eyesore.
The silver lining? Snow melting signals spring. And grass, flowers, trees. And warm weather...
... and the oppressive heat of the sun beating down. Pollen and allergies. Bugs.
Eternal discontent: It's a wonderful thing.
Not that I was ever in tune with my generation's musical taste but I never thought I was that out of touch.
That was my sense anyway from trying to invite friends to watch Third Eye Blind's and Babyface's shows in Cincinnati. I thought it was a rare treat to have these artists playing, within a week of each other, in a very intimate venue, and at just 25/35USD a pop. However, no one seemed to share my excitement. Each invitation was met by an inquisition on past hits, awards, and trivia. Some (the 'younger' set) have never heard of both artists, while the older group think 3EB too noisy, and Babyface, too mellow. And here I was thinking I had to fend people off to get myself tickets.
In any case, three of us went to watch 3EB last Sunday. (For those who keep tabs, I watched 3EB in the same venue last August -> http://ofwjournal.blogspot.com/2007/08/3eb.html.) Interestingly, the crowd consisted mostly of college and high school kids. From our seats in the balcony, we could see all the drinking, high-fiving, and body surfing going on. One of the kids jumped on the stage and danced around for 5 seconds before security caught him. It was all such good fun-- I felt 25 instead of 30.
And then the discomfort hit. I felt out of place in the midst of all the youthful exuberance. I suddenly became self-conscious of my leather jacket (very... OFW), my head bobbing (awkward, at best), and the fact that I knew the lyrics (who memorizes lyrics?). "Rock concert" just didn't jive with my look/age/personality.
I was starting to plan my escape route when I caught glimpse of this guy just in front of us. He looked to be past fifty- complete with bald spot and beer belly. He had his eyes closed as he head-banged, very er, Mick Jagger-esque but without the Rolling Stones cool. He drummed and banged on the table, and (horrors) swayed to the slow songs. It was all ghastly to behold but he didn't seem to mind. If it occurred to him that he was skewing the crowd's demographics, all by his lonesome, he didn't let on that it bothered him.
The old-timer helped me realize: It wasn't the music that I am not in tune with, but myself and what I gave myself license to do. I am also 30 years old and it still mattered to me what these teenagers perceived me. So what if I head-banged, drummed, and... swayed, ever so stiffly? I was too old to put other people's perception ahead of my own enjoyment.
And so I resolve: when I watch the Babyface concert this Sunday: I will clap, sing along, cheer/jeer, body surf (fat chance) and damn it, sway, if I want to. All I need to do is tune in -- to the concert and to myself-- and tune everyone else out.
* * *
Post-script: I turn 30 October of this year. Ergo, feeling old, past/present/future, milestones, and quite possibly, arthritis-- would be recurring themes. Don't say I didn't warn you. (oh, and by the way, that sets the tone: 'cranky/belligerent').
Just coming off the high of 10 days in (insert adjective: cold, diverse, fun, beautiful) Toronto. The trip was exciting/extraordinary and comfortable/relaxed, in equal measure. Don't bother deciphering the contradiction-- it is one of those things that just IS.
The main purpose of the trip was business - Cathy and I were supposed to appear before the US consulate in Toronto to get our work visas extended. Yes, you actually need to leave the US to get the US work visas reissued/extended. Go figure.
In any case, we took advantage of the situation to experience Toronto. We arrived the Friday before our Monday appointment with the consulate, and extended through the next weekend to sample what the city had to offer.
O-rdinary days
We got in late on Friday and went straight to Charles and Nina's (who graciously agreed to put us up for the weekend). Charles, who immigrated a few years back, had recently moved to the 'burbs. This weekend provided us a good vantage of day-to-day life in Toronto. Over the next two days, we went malling, food tripping, and grocery shopping. It was a good immersion in the northern part of the ever-expanding Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
Apart from an appearance at the lawyer's office and the US consulate on Monday, we spent the rest of the week working from the Toronto General Offices. The GO conveniently sat on top of a subway station so we were able to make our way around our city very easily thanks to the efficient transport system. (The subways also sheltered us from the wicked weather and snow.
O, what fun!
Since Cathy and I have both travelled to Toronto before on separate trips, there was no pressure to visit all the tourist spots. We did get to visit Casa Loma, CN Tower, Chinatown, and Niagara Falls over the two weekends. Most memorable was the glass floor on the CN Tower. The tower, still one of the highest free-standing structure in the world, has an observation deck with a glass floor. It gave the illusion of a straight drop how-many-stories below. The prospect of standing on the glass terrified me. I've been on it on my last trip and, then as now, it took a lot of psyching up before I took my first shaky steps. It was exhilirating though still downright scary. Cathy and I took the requisite photos (she didnt seem to mind it as much) which captured the best specimen of my forced nervous smile to date.
Meanwhile, the trip to Chinatown was a lot more familiar. Much like San Francisco, it was the quintessential Chinatown--- Chinese herb stores, stalls of fake DVD, shops selling feng shui odds and ends, amahs hurrying past. We didnt tarry in this part of town but I marked it down for future exploration.
Speaking of Chinatown, much has been said of Toronto's diversity. I really could not but be amazed by it. As one friend described it, it's like the UN-sponsored city. It wasnt just the obvious diversity of the mix, it was the fact that no one seemed to pay it any mind. I'm sure they deal with some ethnic related issues but if so, these werent immediately obvious to me.
O, glorious food!
In any case, the ethnic mix lent itself to the highlight of our stay: food tripping! In the course of the week, we sampled Japanese, Indian, Mediterranean, Korean, and (authentic) Chinese food. And of course: Filipino food - turo-turo (cafeteria) style. Charles introduced us to Jesse Jr that first weekend and we came back to it two more times in the course of the week. We really took our Filipino food craving to heart (stomach, more like). From our hotel downtown, we needed to change subway trains three times and take the bus for ~5 minutes (total travel time: 1 hour each way) to get to the resto. Still, it was worth it. I used the travel time to rationalize my ordering enough food to feed 4 people. On our trip there the Sunday before we flew back, I ordered kare-kare, laing, pork barbeque, and palabok -- for myself.
Summing Up
Needlessly to say, we thoroughly enjoyed Toronto. The sights, the food, the people-- what a trip! We can't wait to visit again in the summer when the city has thawed out and we can see what excitement-- and what ordinary days -- summer in Toronto has to offer.
Sidenote: 'O, Canada' is the Canadian national anthem. I heard it the first time ~8 years ago while touring Disney's Epcot Center in Orlando with my family. We visited the Canada pavilion and watched the feature on Canada in a 360 degree theater where they showed images of life in Canada with 'O, Canada' as the background music. The melody stuck. What a melodic come-on =).
... so my relationship with blogging goes. My resolution for 2008: blog more often and spend less time on each entry. (This mirrors my 'email' resolution.)
Let's see how long this resolution sticks. =)
