OFWJournal

Day Trip: Air and Space Museum

2008-09-07T00:27:00.000-07:00

Remember the Wright Brothers? Well, they're native sons of (Dayton) Ohio which is 45 minutes away from Cincinnati. Been hearing about the cool (and did I say free) museum showcasing planes and space artifacts so ventured out. Turned out to be a pretty good trip. The Philippines was mentioned a lot (in the context of WWII and war era planes) so was doubly interesting.

Some pictures:

Myrtle Beach / Charleston: Labor Day Interlude

2008-09-07T00:02:00.000-07:00

Hied off to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina over the Labor Day weekend. Been a long time coming so expected a lot.

Notes:
- Beach was not bad. Sand wasn't white but powdery. Lots of seaweed though and water not blue, and tide too strong.... In retrospect, it was not good-- would not hold a candle to Boracay.
- Sidetrip to Charleston. Nice! The city has done a great job preserving and restoring the old Southern houses. We took a ferry out to Fort Sumter and learned about the Civil War.
- Indulged in seafood. Sweet, sweet iced tea (none of that Splenda crap). Yum!
- They were kidding about the bugs in the South. Our 4WD terrain tour through a Civil War era plantation was interrupted by a giant spider crawling on the ceiling of the jeep. We saw lots more in the nature trek that followed. Cathy freaked but I was ready to swat with my stack of brochures but the guide beat me to it.
- Came (close) to an alligator as part of the swamp boat ride. OK that's exaggerating given that gator was at least 20 feet away and hiding, but no gates separated us from the eight-foot critter. I wasn't so confident my brochures would do well against this one.
- Our bedroom had a whirlpool tub inside. As in, steps from the bed itself, and not in the bathroom. An interesting choice, certainly, but kinda bordered on tacky.

All in all, an interesting trip: Very different from our usual big city trips and our first beach outing (not counting Galveston and Fort Lauderdale). The comparisons to Philippine beaches aside, it was good to see sun and surf again. Next year: Hawaii!

(Been) Around the World, Vaguely

2008-09-06T19:59:00.000-07:00

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.

New York City Redux

2008-05-28T16:10:00.000-07:00

The joy of the second visit: you gawk less and experience more.

Meann, Cathy and I had all been to New York City once before and seen most of the tourist traps. Thus, we started the trip with a shortlist of sights/events we wanted to cover. I had two items: watch Rent before it closed on Broadway, and visit Ellis Island (inspired by Hitch). Meanwhile, Cathy wanted to catch the Sex in the City tour and visit the Top of the Rock. Meann wanted to catch Wicked but otherwise was just along for the ride.

Cathy and I arrived earlier, and spent Saturday braving the holiday crowds on the ferry to see Ellis Island. We passed by Liberty Island on the way over and caught the Statue of Liberty up close—a stirring sight. We had lunch at Grand Central and walked down Times Square to the Rockefeller Center. We took the trip to the top of the Rockefeller (Top of the Rock) which has, in my opinion, a better view than the Empire State Building. We were ready to call it a day but got waylaid by subway delays and so decided to stop by Chinatown for a cheap, if boring, dinner (when will we ever learn: Zagat-rated means nothing in the context of Chinese restaurants).

Meann flew in Saturday night and joined us Sunday when we explored the street market in Times Square. Paintings, electronics, garments, and food galore. We got our fill of food (and shopping, in Meann’s case) before we decided to go to the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). OK, I am not a museum fan but I had to tick this off my list. And I figured: if I had to go to a museum, I figure I’d go to one that had paintings of Campbell soup (that famous Andy Warhol painting), than paintings of people cavorting by the sea. Spent ~ 2 hours touring the exhibits before we decided to meet back up with Meann—who had decided to go to Mass instead—on 5^th Avenue. The high tax rate discouraged any attempt at shopping and for that, I was glad. I wanted to find this Korean restaurant I read about but was overruled by my hungry and tired companion. Instead, we walked four blocks to Grand Central for a late lunch.

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 42^nd street was just two blocks away from 44^th street, not accounting for the West side/East side split. Long story short, our small group reunited at Central Park at 4pm. We decided to spend what was left of the afternoon recharging at the Serendipity Café (featured in the movie of the same title). It was not meant to be, as, apparently, you needed reservations to have any chance of eating at that snooty restaurant. We decided to hie off to the theater instead.

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 Music Museum) was better. – “No day but today” was still playing in our heads when we got to our hotel.

We were flying out on Monday afternoon so we had planned for a lazy day walking around the city. Au, who we knew from Manila before she moved to the US for her masters and work, graciously agreed to meet up for lunch at a Filipino restaurant called Krystal Cafe. Filipino buffet pig-out! I had my fill of dinuguan, pancit bam-i, menudo, paksiw na bangus, lechon kawali, fried chicken, and cake at a bargain price of $8 including taxes. (To note: this part of town (Woodside) had a BPI, PNB, NEPA-Q, and several other Filipino restaurants, all under the raised platform of the track 7 subway. Au described it best when she said it was like being under an LRT station in Manila.

Recharged after lunch, we decided to take the subway to Manhattan and spend the rest of the time in NYC getting toured by a local. Au suggested Magnolia Bakery (featured in Sex and the City) and that became the destination. We ended up walking at least ten blocks to get there but no one complained (too much). We cut through SoHo and midtown--- with its designer and eccentric shops, before we got to the bakery. A life snaked out the door and around the corner but I wasn’t about to let that discourage me. We found a spot in a park around the corner from the bakery, and rested our tired feet and sated our craving for sweets.

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 New York

Civil War Reenactment

2008-05-18T04:43:00.000-07:00

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:

A Fish Out of Water: My Cincinnati Interlude

2008-05-18T02:59:00.000-07:00

(This was my 4th Toastmasters speech. Couple of things to improve: make sentences shorter; use common words.)

A Fish Out of Water: My Cincinnati Interlude

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 Manila, Philippines most of my life. In May 2005, work brought me to Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. Boy, was I in for a shock. For this speech, I wanted to share some of my experiences from the roller coaster ride of these past three years. If any of these stories make you laugh, or make you say a-ha, then I would have achieved my objective.

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 US mobile number (this is what TM has on file), a work mobile number, and a personal Philippine mobile number. The Philippine mobile is so that people in Manila can SMS me at a cost of 2 cents, instead of the 40 cents it would cost them to SMS my US mobile. Sure it is a hassle to carry so many phones but every message is precious. Whether it is a forwarded message, a joke, or news of goings-on back home, these messages never fail to make me smile.

The second hardest thing to adjust to was the vastly different lifestyle in the US. Whereas in the US, self-sufficiency and independence are valued traits, I was accustomed to the service culture. Case in point: before coming to the US, I have never pumped gas. Thus, imagine my chagrin when I had to refill my gas tank for the first time. Where does what go? Is the fuel cap screwed on tightly enough? What if I do something that generates a spark and blows up the gas station?

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 Philippines, we have two main seasons: sunny and rainy. Here: I was introduced to the colors of autumn (which I love, by the way), and the bleakness of winter. Ah, winter, glorious and fascinating on one hand, and wretched and frustrating on the other. Driving in snow is a tricky exercise I was hardly prepared for. For that matter, walking in snow was also an interesting proposition. Salting the streets, de-icing the windshield and scraping off snow were also entirely new concepts.

Social norms are also perplexing. You know how in the US you flash your car’s headlights to signify that you are letting the other person go first? In the Philippines, it is the exact opposite. I would flash my lights to indicate I want to go first. Imagine what kind of potentially life-threatening situations that small difference might lead to.

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.

Oooommm

2008-05-18T02:56:00.000-07:00

(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.

Door Number 2

2008-04-25T17:59:00.000-07:00

(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?

'Pour reduire mon stress'

2008-04-25T17:33:00.000-07:00

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!

'Maintenir la vie intéressante' (Keep life interesting-- or so the online translator would have you believe ;P)

Iodine

2008-04-25T17:08:00.000-07:00

(Belated post: Went to Gatlinburg, Tennessee over the Easter holiday.)

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).

'face and Bodies

2008-02-24T14:14:00.000-08:00

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.)

Magic/Tragic

2008-02-21T14:26:00.000-08:00

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.

Out of Tune

2008-02-13T11:47:00.000-08:00

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').

O, Canada!

2008-02-11T11:01:00.000-08:00

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 =).

On Again, Off Again

2008-02-11T10:48:00.000-08:00

... 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. =)

Cross Posting Test

2007-11-28T12:35:00.000-08:00

Oh, San Francisco

2007-11-26T13:11:00.000-08:00

Our trip to San Francisco this last Thanksgiving week felt like a melange of places and times and parallel lives put together.

Nov 17 (Sat): Could have beens

Dex took us to San Jose / Silicon Valley and we visited the Google campus. Man, nice facilities-- quirky buildings, nice cubes, gourmet cafeteria, beach volleyball court, table tennis. And these are just the amenities we could spot from walking the periphery. Our trip was cut short when the guard shooed us (and a couple of other tourists) off. =) Couldn't help but wonder what it's like to work for them, with all those perks-- not to mention the stock options!

Next, we went to Stanford. Campus was well laid out and there were guided tours of the facilities. Cathy and I debated on which campus between Harvard and Stanford we preferred and we ended up split (with me favoring Harvard). - I allowed myself to indulge in thinking: would I make the grade and get into an Ivy League?

We ended the day with a visit to Cathy's aunt in Daly City. It truly felt like entering another country, what with the different styling of the houses and the Filipino faces speaking English with an American twang. - Could this be a view into what Manila would have looked like if the US had annexed the Philippines as a state?

Nov 18 (Sun): Journey to the East

Ah, the quintissential tourist trap - the sightseeing bus tour. We took the hop on, hop off tour around San Francisco. We took the requisite pictures of the hilly streets and the street cars. We also dallied in Fisherman's Wharf where the Christmas tree was being lit for the season. Afterwards, we decided to be adventurous and take the Muni - real public transport. This took us to Chinatown and more points due east than we expected.

From the amahs pushing their ways through, to the high-pitched jibber jabber, to the overpowering smell of Chinese herbs, menthol, and produce, there was no denying it: the moment we stepped off the bus in Chinatown, we were transported to a place more akin to HK than to the US of A. Dont get me wrong: I am used to Chinatown. But this scene, in the US-- the idea did not click. In any case, we regained our bearings and headed for a late lunch. The much-anticipated San Francisco dimsum ended up being a major disappointment. The 'highly recommended' dimsum place was blah by our Filipino-Chinese standards. I blame it on our gullibility and thinking Fodors can actually judge a good Chinese restaurant.

In any case, the Chinatown was not without its highlights. We chanced upon a branch of Quickly - a familiar chain of stores selling milk tea tapioca and pudding drinks. We also perused Chinese DVDs and CDs and even lineups of English movies with Chinese subtitles-- just for the heck of it. All that was missing from the picture was some street urchin hawking live snake and it could have been a stroll down Ongpin.

Nov 19 (Mon): So Close, Yet So Far

Monday was supposedly Alcatraz but in my book, it was Jollibee day. We knew there was a Jollibee outlet in the city but we did not know exactly where and what to expect. I was confident my nose would lead us to it but 30 mins of walking down the busy financial center later, I knew my aural facilities was not up to task. We sought Dex's assistance to get us exact directions and armed with the address, directions from three passersby, and thirty minutes walking in a drizzle later, we caught sight of the overweight bee. The cashier greeted us with a cheery and unmistakeably accented 'Gud morning, maam/sir. Welcome to Jollibee!". I was ready for some 'langhap sarap'.

While Cathy immediately gravitated towards the chickenjoy, I could not decide among the spaghetti, palabok, and burger steak. I 'settled' for both the spaghetti and palabok (pictured). At $14 dollars for the lot, it was the most expensive Jollibee I have ever had. But I have to say: It was worth it. I was prepared to be disappointed too. Whether it was the long trek, the sense of purpose and fulfillment in finding it, or comfort in the familiar: I was sold. This was the very definition of comfort food.

We made our way to the Alcatraz cruise departure point and got on an earlier trip. Alcatraz was interesting but what stuck with me was the prisoner's accounts that the most excrutiating part of being there was seeing/hearing the city's sights and sounds and having it so far out of reach. I could certainly relate to the feeling and pondered the idea all the way back to the 'mainland'. We had a late lunch of clam chowder at Boudin's (yum) and dallied feeding the pigeons- to the busboys chagrin. We finished much earlier than expected so we decided to take the Muni again- this time to the Golden Gate bridge for some up close and personal shots (pictured). Satisfied, we headed back to San Ramon where we had dinner with Dex at Fresh Choice, a salad and soup buffet place. Hmmm, in restropect, food truly was the highlight of this day.

Nov 20 (Tue): "When you're tried, you take a nap-a, you dont move to Napa"

OK, Cathy kept repeating that quote from Sex in the City so it stuck. Anyway, Tuesday had us hieing off to Napa Valley / Sonoma for some serious wine-tasting. Neither Cathy nor I really drank wine so it was an interesting experience overall. We visited three vineyards, each having very different specialties and atmospheres (distinctly French, or Italian, or somewhere in between) and sampled their brews. I can safely say I am now a convert. I henceforth plan to drink more wine, now that I am familiar with the pretension around inspecting, sniffing, sampling, and swirling it.

The scenery and the pace made this the most relaxing day of the entire trip. It prepared us for the long day that was our Yosemite trip.

Nov 21 (Wed): The Great Outdoors

Wednesday had us waking up bright and early to catch the 530 train from San Ramon to our pickup point in San Francisco. We did not know what to expect of this day except the long drive out to the park. We were in for a pleasant surprise. When the scenery started to give way to tall trees and lush verdure, we knew we were in Yosemite. Our senses were engulfed by the fresh scent of trees/pine(?), the cool mountain breeze that steadily grew cooler as the day went by, and the pervasive green as far as we could see. We were also struck by the sight of El Capitan's sheer rock face. Too bad the water had dried up on the falls, else it would surely have been a sight to behold. - None of the parks we have gone to before came close to this as a sampling of the great outdoors.

Summary

Cathy and I inevitably had to decide where San Francisco ranks in our list of fave US cities. While it did not unseat NYC from the top spot, or Boston from #2, it would rank in the top 5. Certainly, this trip offered the most diversity of all Cathy and I have had to date. And it is one that will certainly be worth coming back to.

PS Thanks to Dex for his hospitality during our trip!

Into the Wild

2007-11-13T15:58:00.001-08:00

Sometimes you wonder why you ever put it off.

In this case, it was this trip to Red River Gorge. Otherwise known as Kentucky's Rockies, I've heard about it before and have always wanted to see the fall foliage there. Missed the chance these last two years but was not about to miss it again this year. So on November 13, seven of us plied the 2.5 hours from Cincinnati to Slade, KY.

We started bright and early at 8am, converging at a Mcdonalds somewhere in KY to switch up passengers. Was it our imagination, or were people looking at us weird? Yep, we were definitely not in the city anymore.

Our first stopover was the Kentucky Horse Park. As the name suggests, it was all about our equine friends. Because of an err, navigational error, we ended up in a track meet at the other side of the park. In any case, we FINALLY (! - the park has 1,224 acres in all) found the stables where one could rent horses. We were too early for the next ride so we toured the museum. History of horses, anyone? It was good for whiling away the time till the horses were ready.

We got assigned horses according to 'riding experience' and build - needless to say, I got the largest horse of everyone in our group. It was a guided 45 minute trail ride, which was really a leisurely trot around the general area of the stable. It was good fun, the pain to the backside, aside. (Trivia: because of the recent drought and shortage of hay, one of the horses we were riding would have cost $500. Their monthly upkeep is ~$200 though).

The excitement worked up our appetites and we were ready for the buffet at the mountain lodge. But as fate and our GPS would have it, we ended up in the middle of a sub-urban community. We settled for a Chinese buffet instead.

After a hearty lunch, we proceeded to the Natural Bridge. The Natural Bridge is a 900 ton sandstone arch that does, in fact resemble a bridge. Getting to it was a rough, mostly vertical trek. What was supposedly a leisurely 30-minute hike had us wheezing from the exertion. Our full tummies were partly to blame as were, in Cathy's and my case, our heavy snow shoes (alright, it was my idea). In any case, we were not immediately appreciative of the display of colors and natural splendor (thirst and exhaustion does that to you) but we gradually succumbed to nature's charms. We took pictures knowing the camera would not capture the beauty of the scenery. In the end, everyone hied off home with sore muscles but filled with their memories of the day. All in all, it was a good day with friends, against a backdrop of nature's unabashed display.

Who's to say that all the anticipation from having put it off did not add to the excitement?

Into the Woods

2007-11-13T15:15:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the year again where it's hard to keep track of the days as they whiz by.

Daytime is also getting shorter. It was definitely time time to soak up as much sun as possible, while available.

November 3 (Saturday): Visited Little Miami Park for the first time. Hiked around the park and enjoyed the crunch of dried up leaves as we trudged through the woods. It was a good time to be out: not too cold (though winter was certain hinting at his approach) and not too hot. We soaked up the last bit of sun before heading off to the mall =).

November 4 (Sunday): Watched a production of "Into the Woods" at Xavier University. Not bad at all. The music itself was not that impressive but I liked the storyline. It played with themes like: what happens after we get what we want?

Happily ever afters -- redux.- Too much work if you ask me, especially on these weekends that end too soon.

A Question of Motivation

2007-10-14T19:34:00.000-07:00

This was the essay I submitted for my latest taekwondo promotion. It was a good point for introspection and to review my motivation to keep going. To setup the pix: I had fun collating my old belts, one of the boards I've broken, and my kicking paddle. I'm posting here coz it goes well with the "colors" theme I've got going. - Enjoy!

What A Black Belt Means To Me

It’s hard to attempt to explain it without falling back on clichés.

No pain, no gain;

Borne out of blood, sweat, and tears;

No guts, no glory;

Try and try until you succeed;

On one hand: It is a trophy embodying multiple bodily injuries and hundreds of dollars spent on fees.

On the other hand: It is a piece of cloth signifying the fruition of years of training and perseverance, and the accomplishment what I had set out to do.

That said, I succumb to another cliché to sum up: What you get by achieving your goal is not as important as what you become by achieving your goal.

I believe that knowledge, above all else, keeps me going.

Blue: Moving up a Belt (TKD)

2007-10-14T18:40:00.000-07:00

Moved up a notch: to Taekwondo Blue Belt. Notice how I am no longer in the leftmost part of the room (that side being reserved for newbies)- woohoo!

I actually meant to take the test in August but was initially asked not to. Apparently, I was going too fast and they wanted me to slow down and stay longer at my belt level. I was able to convince them to allow me to test but then my 'busy time' happened and I skipped testing then anyway. Well, as they say: all is well that ends well.

During the test, I felt very comfortable. There were no butterflies as with previous promotions. That's partly because I am in review mode where I dont have a lot of new forms but instead polishing the ones I learned previously.

Here are some pix/videos from the promotions.

Green - Crazy about Juicing

2007-10-14T18:26:00.000-07:00

Blame it on home TV shopping -- again.

Impressionable and gullible me. Saw this infomercial for the Jack Lallane Power Juicer and had to have it. Well, have had it for two weeks now and still juicing. Celery, spinach, oranges, kiwi, apple, cucumber, grapes, honeydew, bitter melon, carrots-- I've juiced them all. Cathy thinks I'm obsessed what with all the time it takes to wash the veg/fruits, cut them up, and juice them. I don't mind coz I believe it's offsets my otherwise unhealthy eating habits. Since starting juicing, I feel more focused and am convinced I have more energy.

Move over, Oscar the Grouch. A new "green" monster is here.

(Picture: I do the washing and chopping during the weekend and put the veg in 'single-use' containers. Yes, this was when Cathy started thinking I was going overboard with this juicing thing)

Red: My 29th Birthday Resolutions

2007-10-14T17:32:00.000-07:00

I turned 29 last October 2, 2007. And so the countdown of my "late 20s" begins. The ominous words of my primary school teacher came rushing back: You have to learn everything you can before you're 30. After you're 30, you're an old dog (you know, can't learn new tricks).

And so it was that in a panic, I checked out the University of Cincinnati's adult learning catalog and started looking at classes. Golf, cooking, tennis, meditation, astronomy, hiking, Spanish, guitar-- I wanted to do everything. But where to draw the line? I finally decided on French. I'm starting with the basic course-- 8 weeks in a class setting, two hours each week. Been to three sessions so far and what can, so far so bien (ugh, my professor will just hate me for that). - Learn another language: in progress.

The other class I meant to attend was beginner acoustic guitar. The schedule didnt work out (conflicted with my taekwondo schedule) but hopefully next semester. My dream has always been to be able to sing and accompany myself either on the piano or guitar. With any luck, by this time next year. - Learn a musical instrument: postponed; revisit: January 2008.

On a related note: I signed up for a local Toastmasters club. For the uninitiated, it is a group that helps members develop their public speaking skills. I dont really mind/fear speaking in public but know I can improve (a lot) on this front. Additional benefit: It will force me to write. I will post my progress (and speeches) here as I get those kicked off.

Funny-- nothing like the imminence of a decade in your life ending to get you moving. - Now if I can only get started on my "Places to Visit Before I Die" list.

Autumn Mornings, Summer Afternoons

2007-09-23T17:44:00.000-07:00

The seasons are a-changing.

How auspicious that--instead of being thrust into autumn after the scorching heat of the last few summer months-- we can have this transition period. Only marginally better would be summer mornings / autumn afternoons.

I can't wait for autumn, winter, and "summer" in Manila in December.

"Hey, hey, hey... The Magic is Here"

2007-09-23T17:28:00.001-07:00

OK, wrong theme song. But it couldnt help it-- It was the Enchanted Kingdom song that kept playing in my head the entire time Cathy and I were in Disney World.

It was Cathy's first time and my nth to visit Orlando. We got to visit all four Disney parks and visited two strip outlets. Whether it was shopping or taking in the sights, it was five days of sensory overload what with the heat, the crush of people, the sights to behold, the relentless upbeat music.

After those five days, the old adage was truer than any other time: after vacationing, you need another vacation to recover.

I was glad that Cathy enjoyed herself so much. I have to admit-- grumpy old man that I am-- that I did too.

Here are some pix:

Coming Up for Air

2007-09-23T17:21:00.000-07:00

Been awhile since my last post. Since then, Cathy and I have gone to Orlando, I missed my Taekwondo promotion, and my project has cut-over.

Hooray!

Mr. Murphy's Been Busy

2007-08-20T17:20:00.000-07:00

My, what a bleak weekend that was.

It's Monday and I feel like it's Friday already. I was working on this task that started Friday noon and did not get done till ~7am on Monday. I kid you not. I got 8 hours of sleep total over the weekend (on the sofa no less-- I deliberate chose not to let myself get too comfortable). I am not one to gripe about work but this was just one of those times when everything that could possibly go wrong, did. The only time we went out was when I had a haircut and when we grabbed Sunday dimsum brunch. Wouldn't you know it, we got a flat tire. Had to wait for the auto repair guy to come along and change it for us (*sheepish* - I don't have the confidence that I can do it right. Best to leave it to the experts).

Countdown to project cutover... Prognosis: Loooong days ahead.

Pinoy Sense of Humor

2007-08-17T19:38:00.000-07:00

You gotta hand it to Pinoys.

I was, in turns--aghast, bewildered, amused, proud (???), ashamed, skeptical, fascinated. And now that I have burned through my week's supply of adjectives, I will let the video (and articles) speak for itself.

Background:
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view_article.php?article_id=80481

PS My two worlds collide:

Reference: http://abcnews.go.com/International/Story?id=3415920&page=2

"Along with the security risk, Edward Latessa, professor and head of division of criminal justice at the University of Cincinnati, told ABCNEWS.com that the prisoners are not being rehabilitated."

Lighten up, dude.

Kitchen Wizardry-- or Not

2007-08-05T18:56:00.000-07:00

Left to my own devices, I vegetate.

Cathy has been on a business trip for a week now. It wasnt so bad during the week (work keeps me busy). But weekends without her are always hard. It just so happened other friends were travelling or indisposed. Bummer.

Anyway, I had big plans: go hiking (something I cant see her doing), lose myself in some random city, or maybe go to a couple of local museums (been putting it off for a while). All plans fell through when I got hold of Harry Potter 6 and 7. Haven't read a book in a while (subscribe to a couple of magazines) TJ got me interested on the twists in the story. So got the books from her on Friday afternoon and started reading. Talk about marathon reading. I felt like I'm back to my old 12 y.o. self reading Dr. Who/Hardy Boys with only a flashlight for lighting. Finished Book 6 by 4am on Saturday and Book 7 by 11:40pm Saturday night. - What can I say, I am a geek. (Also, it doesnt hurt that it made for some very compelling reading. I have to say I felt the ending a bit simplistic.)

All the reading (and the suspense) kept me snacking. I ran through a bag of rice cake snacks, 4 slices of ice cream cake, 3 pizza slices-- on top of regular meals. Yikes, need to control that urge else I'll have a real disincentive to reading.

Nonetheless, was inspired enough to cook for myself (something I havent done in a while). Cooked two variants of fried rice: 1) bacon, ground beef, and peas (it didnt quite turn out as planned) and 2) Chinese sausage, shredded chicken, egg, carrots, and pineapple (pictured).

Can't wait till Cathy gets back!

Postscript: In my player: John Mayer - Heavier Things; Gary V (Greatest Hits), Beethoven.

Semi-Full Circle

2007-08-04T22:24:00.000-07:00

Third Eye Blind (3EB) was my angst band of choice in college. Their songs -- noisy and catchy, dark and suicidal-- appealed to me somehow, though I was certainly none of those.

In any case, I couldn't pass up the chance to see them in person. That was how, on the last day of July, I found myself crammed amidst scores of screaming/sweating teenagers. Right, teenagers. (How they could relate to songs that became popular before they hit their tweens is beyond me.) It was in this cover of raging hormones, youthful exuberance abandon that I found my excuse to do some serious head-bobbing, jumping, and of course screaming along to their songs.

It felt like a part of my "semi-charmed" life (well the last decade anyway) has come full circle.

(Photos courtesy of Penpen Locarinas)

Hooked

2007-07-25T18:48:00.000-07:00

.... to the worst possible addiction: McDonald's 32 oz. Hazelnut Iced Coffee.

Consider this train of thought: Uh-oh we're going over our phone minutes.... yikes, that's 40c per minute, $24 an hour. Whoa.... I could get 12 iced coffees with that... (vision of 12 cups of iced coffee piled side by side swirl in my mind).

D-oh!

Anyway, did some research and think I've found my reason to stop.

Wish me luck trying to break this addiction.

Reference:
http://www.dietfacts.com/html/nutrition-facts/mcdonalds-beverages-iced-hazelnut-cream-coffee-32-oz-48336.htm

Trade In

2007-07-17T19:34:00.000-07:00

There is no lead-on to this post.

It just hit me today that I am turning 30 soon (well I have 16 months yet, but IT's coming). That thought, by itself, wasn't all that bad. What threw me off was when, after one thought led to another, I suddenly realized I don't remember being a teenager. It is quite disorienting to feel old and not remember ever feeling young. (Dang, what a bummer: I would trade-in for the arthritis, given the choice.)

It was in this spirit that I rummaged through my files and found the piece attached below. I wrote this when I was in college. I had not seen the movie (starring Angelina Jolie pre-superstardom) but I connected with the title. My epiphany then: If I had doubts I led a boring life, they were all dispelled when I found myself wishing I had a single i-wouldn't-have-done-that-if-i-sober moment. Just one crazy moment I could regret/romanticize/root my angst in/play out in my daydreams. But no, I had none of those. I was Joe Schmoe, your everyman.

Anyway, knowing I had these existential thoughts at 19, the (so-called) prime of my youth, offers some hope. At least I know it is not the specter of the big 3-0 casting all these shadows in my mind. If nothing else, I can take comfort in the thought that if I ride this 'episode' out, I can go back to living my normal "unexamined" life.

Or, at least, until I'm 39.

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A Life Less Ordinary

I'm typical, yet in a lot of ways, not.

I go to school but resist education. I delight in the inner workings of the mind and study how it crumbles in the confines of the classroom. I allow myself to be fed with crap and plan doling it out as a career option.

I am an intellectual and a bum. I immerse myself in book and feed my intellect. I ponder the significance of life and argue its utter hollowness. I watch the evening news and ponder the destiny of the world before switching the channel to MTV.

I hanker for creature comforts but live in fear of my bones brittling from disuse. I am a masochist, pushing myself beyond the limits of endurance. I lounge on the sofa and transport myself to the place of heroes in movies: riding unbridled horses and roaring down the streets unhelmeted in my Harley.

I am adventurous but I lose my daring the face of creatures that lurk in shadows. I savor my brain pounding in my head 'no' before I jump feet-first into whatever it is that tickles the mortal fear in me.

I am as the universe, ever shifting and recasting itself. I invent personas for myself and build my self-image each time. I am illuminated by life and bored to death by it.

Can I trade-in for a life less ordinary?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unshackled

2007-07-07T08:54:00.000-07:00

"They say when you reach a crossroad or a turning point in life, it really doesn't matter how we got there, but what we do next after we got there. Usually we arrive there by adversity, and then it is then, and only then, that we find out who we truly are and what we're truly made of. It's a process, a gift and a journey."

- Paris Hilton

That I'd ever quote Paris Hilton-- who would have thought?

I am jumping on this bandwagon a tad late so I will simply say I was blown away by her interview with Larry King. My exposure to Paris Hilton had been limited to watching her on The Simple Life. I honestly never truly believed she could form full sentences; let alone use words like "audacity" and "pandemonium". (OK, not really big words but considering this is someone whose fave adjective is "sexy"; these words had two syllables too many.). Was I ever wrong.

And that quote from her prison notes. How cliche but how true it rings. In Paris's case, sheltered heiress was thrown into correctional facility. What a way to shake up someone's world view: yes, Paris, some people never knew Santa Claus (or Dior, or Blahnik). Ka-blam. (Insert dramatic sound of rose-colored glasses breaking into a million pieces).

I had a slightly similar rude awakening recently. In my case, a turn of events have made me realize how complacent I have gotten in just "being". Worked for the same company for eight years now. A couple of hobbies on the side. Contemplating an advanced degree for self-improvement. No real passions/causes I'd die for. It all seemed too easy. But then life dealt me an unexpected hand and I was jarred into a realization that my turn is up in a game I've forgotten I was playing.

And so I am back at a crossroads, awash with trepidation. What's my next move? - Who am I? What am I truly made of?

Ah, that I'd be unshackled from my cushy existence by Miss Hilton's words.

Who would have thought?

(Photo note: http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/South_America/Peru/photo356167.htm)

Media Overload

2007-06-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

Not being able to travel this weekend, I settled for catching up on reading and listening.

Reading Kafka's Soup by Mark Crick. If you've never heard of the book nor the author, neither have I before this. I just happened to be drawn to the book cover so I grabbed it on the way to the library checkout. It is a compilation of stories set/revolving around the kitchen/food preparation and all written "ala" a famous writer (which is appropriate considering the book cover is ala-Warhol). Have started reading and it's good; not something for the permanent collection but not a waste of time either.

Meanwhile, I finished a Dilbert book "Thriving on Vague Objectives". I keep wondering when Scott Adams will run out of material but I guess there is so much absurdity in the workplace, he is probably set for life.

On the side, went of a CD listening binge (less calories than ice cream, if you dont mind the film on top). On the playlist: Third Eye Blind, Manhattan Transfer, Ray Charles (Genius and Friends- gotta have it!), Aaron Neville, Rod Stewart, Johnny Mathis. - Hmmmm, I think that dost reveal my age too much.

Now excuse me while I fan the fumes from the CD player with the Kafka book.

Bean There

2007-06-20T19:08:00.000-07:00

I have to shift my list of favorite US cities around to make room for a new addition: Boston.

Cathy and I spent this past weekend in this East Coast city. What can I say, the city was beautiful, steeped in history and very picturesque. Whole streets showcased architecture that hearkened back to the 1600's. The fact that the city is set beside an ocean (and river) also appealed to me. It also didn't hurt that the city buzzed with young people seeking intellectual enrichment.

We kept to the beaten track: trolley tour, historical sites, stops at Harvard/MIT/Boston University. We even chanced upon a riverside festival near Harvard Square. Another high point was when we met up with Fannie (my mentor from high school) and her hubby Jordan who met us at the sailing pavilion. Cathy and I chickened out of sailing on the river (darn!). We had fun chatting and reconnecting over dinner (in Chinatown) and a post-dinner walk through the North End (Italian section of town) for dessert.

I made a promise to myself to go back. I suspect I might end up readjusting my list yet again to make room at the top.

===============================================================

BTW, the title isn't a typo. Boston calls itself Beantown, apparently alluding to a local specialty: baked beans. Too bad, we weren't able to try it. Otherwise, I could have said: Done that.

P.S. I needed to tie it together, right?

Mixing them up

2007-06-14T20:45:00.000-07:00

Colors, I mean.

It's been two months since my yellow belt. I tested on June 8 for my next belt- orange. It was an accelerated schedule (it takes 4 months to move belts) but was able to swing advanced testing. Below are two videos from the test and another required essay.

Ah, orange - how sweet it is!

What is the Definition of Taekwondo

The literal "the way of the foot and hand" simply did not cut it. True computer geek that I am, I turned to the internet for a definition:

"Taekwondo is one of the most systematic and scientific Korean traditional martial arts, that teaches more than physical fighting skills. It is a discipline that shows ways of enhancing our spirit and life through training our body and mind." - World Taekwondo Federation Website (http://wtf.org/site/about_taekwondo/intro_taekwondo.htm)

I found this particular definition interesting because it deviated from the other definitions presented in other sites largely evolved around "kicking", "combat sports", and “martial arts”, In particular, the word 'systematic' used in this definition resonates with me. It’s been my experience at the Cincinnati Taekwondo Center that forms start from the very basic to the fancy/complex. Starting off with mooshim which involves basic stretching movements, forms like danggun start to get into foot patterns and more involved hand movements (diamond block, anyone?). Still, as one progresses, he keeps coming back to basic elements taught in the earlier forms that reinforce the notion that there progression is based on a foundation and a system is at work here.

The phrase "body and mind" also stands out. In the flurry of arms and legs that comes from practicing taekwondo, it is easy to forget that Taekwondo also promotes tranquility. I initially found it interesting that there is a requirement for upper belts to meditate and that most classes start with a few minutes of just 'clearing the mind'. I have come to understand that one finds harmony in motion. The discipline of standardized forms lends itself to stillness in thought. The mind focuses of each small movement and this engenders a comfort in the familiar.

For one who wishes he never has occasion to use the physical fighting skills component of Taekwondo, there is a lot of comfort to be taken in going beyond viewing Taekwondo as simply being ‘the way of the foot and hand’.

Allowing oneself to dream - priceless.

2007-06-12T01:22:00.000-07:00

Kellogg, Harvard, Stanford...

The iviest of the ivies, the uber-schools.... acedemic (study wall) equivalent of the Pamela Anderson (college dorm) pin-up. The ultimate in bragging rights. ['Ah, so you went to Harvard'; 'Why yes. Didn't you?' (withering stare)]

Another life, another time, what I wouldn't give to be able to add an MBA from one of these schools to my credentials.

(Pix 1: At Northwestern, to celebrate Carmina's graduation from the Kellogg EMBA program-- no.1 in the US. - TJ and Rodel, Carmina, Cathy and Ian)

(Pix 2: Posing with the University of Chicago GSB sign.)

Houston, We Have Takeoff

2007-06-06T15:18:00.000-07:00

We finally did it-- a mini-reunion in this hemisphere!

Last May 25 - 28, John, Meann, and Cathy and I visited with Suzanne and Nenen in Houston. We are all friends from work in Manila and had since moved companies, locations, etc. With Meann in the US for meetings, it was hard to resist the four-day holiday's (Memorial Day) promise of a fun-filled weekend of (mis)adventures, bingeing and a whole lot of ribbing.

Some highlights:

May 25 - Intimate with the airport.

Cathy and I, John, and Meann flew in on separate flights. We tried to synchronize our flights but having used miles (except for Meann), we have limited flexibility. Anyway, Meann was the last to arrive at 10pm and we had our bit of fun with her (e.g. she probably could have changed her flight but didnt, and she had checked in a bag, counter to instructions not to). Meann could have worn a dunce's hat for all we cared-- she would be the butt of our jokes for the next few days, much to Suzanne's relief.

May 26 - Wet and Wild at Kennedy Space Center

No, they havent installed a new ride. As fate would have it, that we were in the trolleys when rain started pouring. We were soaked right down to our 'unmentionables'. We hied off to the souvenir shop and bought KSC shirts. We must have looked like overeager tourists (I would have frowned on me) but appearances were lost on us. We did the rounds of KSC's cool exhibits (i.e. touched a moon rock, toured the actual command center, saw an actual rocket). Suzanne deserves credit for making a command decision to skip the last ride else we would have gotten soaked again in another surprise downpour. - We ended the day by walking on the beach of Galveston and sampling the seafood fare at Gaido's. We got back early and ended the day by playing board games where the "competitive" team-- Ian, Suzanne, and John Q-- lorded it over the "uninvolved" Nenen, Meann, and Cathy in a game of Family Feud and Scene It.

May 27 - Pirated

Bingeing (A dimsum feast-- courtesy of Nenen and Suzanne) and Mass (I am not Catholic but didnt mind going in the spirit of ecumenical exploration), set the stage for Sunday.

Afterwards, we wrestled with two options: shopping or battleship tour. The group was split in the middle with John and I opting for the tour, vs Meann/Cathy pushing for shopping. The weather tipped the balance when it started falling again. John and I finally relented, not knowing whether the battleship was indoors. I refused to budge on driving three hours to the outlet mall three hours away (supposedly voted the 'third best shopping' IN THE WORLD; as you can imagine, it called out to Cathy and Meann like the mothership to ET). Indoor mall it was. Everyone else spent most of the afternoon shopping while I got some shut-eye in one the soft seats in the atrium.

We toasted on a successful reunion at Perry's with a bottle of red wine, which went well with the top-notch food. (great steak, escargot, and dessert). - We hied it out of there in time to catch Pirates of the Caribbean, which was fun overall but left us all tired from tying all the stories together. I was the first to hit the sack that night, while everyone else tied up their loose ends (e.g. trying to change Meann's flight, consolidating pictures, copying music, etc).

May 28 - Milestones / Departures

Meann had to leave first (surprise!) . [To her credit (peace!), she was being charged a few thousand dollars to change her itinerary.] Nenen took Meann to see the site of the house she and Suzanne are buying before heading off to the airport. The rest of us were escorted by Suzanne to view the site and the model, before we met up with Nenen just before a leisurely Texmex lunch at Pappasitos (not before we got rained on again).

John, Cathy, and I (and Meann's luggage-- don't ask) were on the same flight. The rains caused our flight to be delayed so we lounged around the Houston airport. It gave me time to wonder at how much change we (and our group) were going through -- Pau/Gi having their first baby with Raffa/Joh's on the way, Suzanne/Nenen/Meann/Pia buying houses, *people* relocating, etc). This being a time of milestones, it was hard not to feel suddenly old.

On the other hand, we all didnt seem to have changed much - still laughing at the same sophomoric (yes Suzanne, that is not a made-up word: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sophomoric) jokes, babaw as ever, and occasionally mali-mali (ok who's got good translations for these?).

Fun, after all, IS universal, no matter which hemisphere you're in.

PS Thanks to Nenen and Suzanne for being such gracious hosts!

PPS Next trip - hopefully San Fo in November-- John Q, up to you to make this reality

PSS Suzanne's fave anecdote from the trip:

Chef: Are you enjoying your food?

All: Yes, very much, thanks.

Chef: Good (starts to walk away)

Suzanne (trying to be cute): Are you the chef?

Chef: Very good, thank you.

Ouch, talk about being shut down! (ok, he probably just heard wrong).

Bite Me

2007-06-06T14:57:00.000-07:00

I should never be left to roam alone in the grocery.

Roaming around the Bigg's aisles the other day, I came upon my type of sale-- Haagen Dazs selling for USD2.50/pint. That's still not cheap per se but hey, it's haagen dazs and it's usually USD3.50. Not willing to pass it up, I bought three for myself (Cathy can share but she --horrors-- happens not to like ice cream. Her loss, my gain.), choosing the 'stranger' flavors - Mayan Chocolate (the tagline went 'The Original Chocolate'-- how can I resist?); White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle, and Almond Hazelnut Swirl. Yum, yum, and yummmm.

Before anyone berates me, I should say I've counterbalanced the indulgence by EXERCISING my self-control by not eating them all in one go; I WORKED OUT my budget by buying when it was on sale, and I LABORED on this entry to work off my guilt.

Speaking of guilty pleasures, don't get me started on McDonald's Hazelnut Iced Coffee.

Cinco de Mayo (The Fifth Of May)

2007-05-13T18:01:00.000-07:00

Cinco de Mayo - also known as an excuse to drink and party (disclaimer: that is my perception based on what locals have told me) - came and went with me staying sober.

Cinco de Mayo - The Fifth of May - is a holiday that commemorates the victory of the Mexicans over the French army at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862. (reference: http://www.cincy-cinco.com/cincodemayo/Cinco-de-mayo-history.htm). This year, Cathy and I celebrated by going to the Riverbend Music Center to take in the local Latino culture exposition, and of course, the delicious Mexican food.

We were in the merry company of Hubert, Claudia, and Faye. Hubert and I belong to an organization of non-American IT managers in our company. We also used to work in the same group before he moved on to another assignment where we remained in touch. He had moved to the US a while back (he is German but has lived all over) and we have not gotten together since I started this assignment two years ago. Needless to say, it was high time we met each other's families and spent time outside the work setting.

We spent the day checking out the booths and filling our bag with freebies. We also filled up on free food and drink offering, which complemented our lunch of tamales and empanada. All this while enjoying some live Latino music and dance.

Overall, a good way to celebrate a holiday I barely knew about!

(Photo courtesy of Hubert Kirchgaessner)

The Heat was on in Saigon

2007-04-30T16:54:00.000-07:00

Match the pictures to the caption:
1) Traversing the canals under a cover of bamboo
2) Three-wheeled conveyance

3) "I've come to fetch you..."

4) Look left, look right... scooter saturation

5) Interesting choice: Confucius, (Victor) Hugo, and Sun Yat Sen as deity

6) Gracious Vietnamese girls playing traditional instruments

7) Kermit: Being readied for dinner

8) War remembrances

(This is a really late post. Better late than never.)

Went to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh) from March 23 to 26. Overall, enjoyed the trip though have to say there were parts that were dull. It was not as much of a novelty for me because in a lot of ways, HCM is similar to my native Manila.

Anyway, I say the heat is on because after a long winter in the midwest, boy, was I ready for some sun!

Braindump of my HCM trip. I have attached my itinerary at the end of this message.

Quick reviews:
1) An An Hotel - great value (posted a full review but it is not appearing yet-- tripadvisor must be reviewing??)
2) Victoria Can Tho - was nice but felt it was overpriced. The river view was not as spectacular as I expected and I could have saved >USD100 if we had stayed at Saigon Can Tho (3 star vs Victoria's 4 star) but does not have a river view.
3) Tonkin - As noted above, great service and reasonable price. I had concerns that they were not based in HCM but they had local partners who worked well with us. Our tour guide, Mr Long, was accommodating and kind, and had local knowledge which he communicated in fairly good English.
4) Vietnam House (HCM) - major disappointment. Expensive and service and food not good. We saw a rat scampering on the 2nd floor dining area (!) - We expected more from a restaurant that has hosted US President Bush Sr and other dignitaries. - OK, I have to say the girls playing the traditional instruments made for an interesting show.
5) Cafe 333 - nr An An Hotel - so so. Price was ok but again there was a rat! THe rat provided a distraction for a group of girls who kept squealing.
6) Nhu Huong (Lotus?) Restaurant- arnd the corner from An An. Great pho. Food cheap! We ordered a lot of food so we could try them out and all the traditional food was good.
7) Tan Phat (in Can Tho city - took cab from Victoria). You SHOULD have a local with you when you go. You point to the seafood u want to order and they cook it. There is no English menu and 'steamed'/'fried'/grilled' is not in their vocabulary. We spent 30 mins ordering - everything came out grilled but all tasted great! Best meal we had in the whole trip. Price was reasonable. Would have enjoyed more if we had a local to order for us.
Anecdote: the table behind us ordered frogs (not frog legs). When they served it, I wanted to take pix of it and pointed it out to our server. She got excited and I was afraid we'd end up with that on our table so I gave up on the photo op.... Probably just as well, not sure I want to see how they looked opened up =)

Things I regret:
1) I wish I could have seen more of Can Tho. I thought it would be a small town but turned out to be a huge city. MIght have been interesting to explore if only for a half-day.
2) I wish I had extended 1-2 days and gone to Cambodia instead of Mekong (it was interesting but I truth be told, did not feel it was worth the ~3 hrs trip each way from HCM).
3) I have no regrets booking with Tonkin Travel as they were great (Ly was patient, offered great advice, and offered a fair price compared to others I compared with). Still, I probably could have done DIY (bus) tours - which seemed to be popular with the European/Australian tourists and seemed organized / comfortable enough.

Day 1 : ( Fri - March 23 07 ) Arrive to Hochimhin city
Arrive to Tan San nhat airport around 14 : 30 PM. pick up and transfer to the hotel. Afternoon, visit the the Notre Dame cathedral, the Old Central Post Office. Tour of Chinatown and Thien Hau & Quan Am pagodas. Finish the trip at the hotel around 18 : 00 PM.

Day 2: ( Sat - March 24th 07 ) HCMC - Tay Ninh - Cu Chi - HCMC ( Lunch included )
8 : 15 AM Pick up at your hotel in HCMC ( To be advised ) & drive west to Tay Ninh, head quarter of Cao Dai region. on arrival we attend the fantastic mid-day temple service when the followers fill the hall wearing colored robes, a symbol of the curious combination of the Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. on the way back a stop for a visit Cu Chi Tunnels, an underground tunnels network constructed by Vietnamese fighters during the struggle for independence. The tunnels contained hospitals, accommodation, etc. and were used as a military base for the Vietcong in the American war. Driving back to HCMC. Fnish the trip at your hotel around 17 : 30 PM. (Note: came back earlier so we can shop at Ben Thanh- spent 1.5 hrs there. No need for a tour guide here as the speak good English for the most part)
- Includes: A/c private van, English speaking tour guide, entrance fee, 01 lunch.

Day 3: ( Sun - March 25th 07 ) HCMC - My Tho - Ben Tre - Can Tho (L)
8 : 15 AM Pick up at your hotel in HCMC ( To be advised ) Depart for My Tho. Take the boat ride through the Bao Dinh natural canal, view the stilt houses and the fruit plantation along the river sides. Visit the My Tho wholesale fruit market. Proceed to the Tortoise island. Lunch served in the heart of the orchard. Enjoy the nice boat ride through the Tan Thach natural canal in Ben Tre, cruise under the shadow of the water coconut trees. Visit the family where you can experience the agricultural lifestyle. Trekking through the fruit plantation in Thoi Son island, enjoy the rowing boat ride along the creeks before returning to My Tho by motorised boat. Proceed to Can Tho. Dinner on guests' account. Overnight at your proposed hotel in Can Tho.

Day 4: ( Mon - March 26th 07 ) Phong Dien - Cai Rang (B/L)
7:00 After breakfast, take the morning boat trip to visit the Phong Dien floating market with the busy sence right at the time. Keep cruising through the small chanels system, visit the rice noodles making viallge. Experience the " monkey Bridge " in the Delta. Visit the second floating market of Cai Rang. Break time for lunch. Return to Hochiminh city via Vinh Long to visit the local snake market. Free until transfer to the airport for departure. End of services.

-- Includes: A/c private van, English speaking tour guide, entrance fee, 02 lunches, private boat trips in the Mekong delta, 1 Triple room at the Victoria Cantho hotel ( Deluxe/riverview ).

Pain and Gain

2007-04-30T16:04:00.000-07:00

Took three months but I finally moved up the Taekwondo ranks.

Started taking TKD in February. So far, I havent lost any weight (though I've lost two inches off the waist), skinned my knuckles, and most recently, injured my foot from a misstep that landed me on my behind (and immobilised me for two days). So why you might ask? Why put up with the pain? (More than the physical pain, it is the embarrassment of having pre-teen kids as occasional teachers that gets to me.) What do I get out of it?

Well, why not? I needed something to get me off the couch and I've always fancied the martial arts. I will leave it to this "essay" to explain why-- this was the paper I had to submit in conjunction with the belt promotion. (Obviously I had too much fun with it.)

Why I am Taking up Taekwondo

I was raised on a regular regimen of Chinese martial arts movies. Tuesdays, police movies set in modern-day Hong Kong where apparently bare hand still beats gun, were my standard fare. Saturday mornings I sat in thrall watching as Jacky Chan clowned his opponents into submission. Meanwhile, I shifted to the China of yore on Sunday afternoons, as kung fu masters defied gravity by flying through space and time, communicated through psychic channels, and channelled healing through their chi.

As such, I grew up imagining someday I would do all these things. In my teens, I took up wushu and karate on two separate summers and thought I was on my way. However, the pressures of high school, and subsequently university, distracted me from actually pursuing this. Now, eight years in the workforce, it is all I can do to watch the occasional Jet Li movie as I lounge on my comfy couch.

It was in this haze of quarter-life stupor that I decided to enroll in Taekwondo classes. Initially, my intent was to force a regular doze of physical activity into a schedule that rotated around work. Primary goals were to tone up and trim down, while learning to kick butt. I gravitated towards Taekwondo because I enjoyed the emphasis on kicking, which I specially enjoyed.

Since starting, I have sees physical improvements such as greater flexibility and increased stamina. It didn’t hurt that I've lost weight along the way. I also infused by a better sense of well-being (from the all the endorphins I must be generating).

The physical benefits aside, I also appreciate the 'extras'. The chance to release pent-up stress has also helped develop my focus. It has also instilled a discipline in going to class regularly (and waking up early on Saturdays!). I also like the challenge of paying attention to the small details (e.g. slight hand gestures, 5 degree differences in foot placement) that apparently make a world of difference in form and substance.

With these in mind, I have strengthened my resolve to pursue my childhood fascination with martial arts. Now not so whimsical, I combine this juvenile enthrallment with my adult realities by bearing sore muscles and grueling practice as I work towards the more realistic goals of physical and mental conditioning.

And truth be told, the other thing that keeps me going is the thought that hey, Jet Li's gotta retire someday too, you know? =)

Back and breathing

2007-04-30T15:56:00.000-07:00

Nope, I will not tack this one to 'ningas kugon'. *

Since I went to Ho Chi Minh and Manila in March, it's been hard to get back to the groove of blogging. I remember typing up an entry from an internet cafe in Saigon and apart from the minutes ticking away (which was admittedly peanuts -everything there was darn cheap), I was very conscious of the fellow beside me surreptitiously glancing at my monitor. It did not help that I started that entry talking about how hard it was to breathe because of the cigarette smoke emanating from him. - So I blame my hiatus on that dingy cafe, pesky neighbors, and shortness of breath.

OK, now that I've dealt with my ningas kugon, I need to deal with this propensity for excuses =)

* ningas kugon. "something that is not permanent, usually connotes a behavior or action not meant to last" - http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Tagalog/Tagalog_Default_files/tagalog_idioms.htm

Sunday dinner

2007-03-13T20:58:00.000-07:00

Postscript: In all my ranting about losing an hour to DST, I forgot to post the pix of what I made for dinner last Sunday. This is seared herbed tuna, snowpeas, and fried rice (leftover oriental pork chop sauce). Cathy made the soup- chix breast with brocolli, potatoes, carrots, and eggs. Apparently she picked up the recipe in Costa Rica. - I wasnt really in a cooking mood but we've been subsisting on canned food / take-outs of late and this dinner turned out better than expected.

Sometimes you just need to make time. =)

Looking for a lost hour

2007-03-13T20:38:00.000-07:00

On 2am of March 11, 2007, most of the United States switched to Daylight Saving Time (DST). (Now that is one descriptive acronym- I like it very .... visual somehow.)

So I lost another hour. Why another? I seem to be losing a lot lately. Work has been piling up and the hours, days, and weeks have gone whizzing by. I've been having these episodes when I sit back to work after lunch and would be surprised when people start packing to go home.... it's 5pm and I never had a clue. Ah, time flies when you're having fun, fun, fun.

Anyway, I cant believe we're a quarter into 2007 and soon, the seasons will turn. It is still officially winter but spring is making itself felt. Forecast for tomorrow is 70-- yikes, it was in the 40s last weekend. Dang these season transitions. I look forward to spring and some temperate weather.

That said, I look forward to winter's last hurrah. I have yet to make a snow angel and Cathy's went unrecorded. What of sledding, making snowmen, having snowfights....? Lots yet to do and no time to do it.

At least I can look forward to November when I get my hour back. A full 60 minutes, imagine that.

kung hei fat choi - 2007

2007-02-18T12:40:00.000-08:00

It's New Year 2007- the second time round!

Chinese New Year fell on February 18 this year. Cathy and I thought we would celebrate at home by trying to mimic all the traditions we can remember.

Let's start with food. Well what I remember is we need to have fish (nian nian yo yi) so I grilled some Snapper. (I was supposed to cook it with ginger and black bean sauce but ran out of time). I threw some shrimps on the griller too for good measure. I recall shrimp was good to have on the Nea Year's Eve dinner table- either the color or the chinese character for it was lucky-- but in any case, even though I did not season it, it tasted good-- luckily.
=)

I also cooked some ampalaya with corned beef and egg; and beef with basil leaves. I don't know that these symbolized anything- I cooked what we felt like eating. On hindsight, ampalaya (bitter melon) was probably not the best choice for the occasion.- Meanwhile, Cathy cooked some sinigang na hipon. We capped off with some store-bought chocolate cream pie. - Overall dinner was yummy and we were full-- I think we fulfilled the intention of the New Year's Eve tradition, notwithstanding that we did not stick to the menu.

Separately, we made sure to fill our fruit platter. We were confused whether the right number of fruits was 9 or 12 and ended up with 11 (more from my poor counting skills-- I double counted the apple-- than anything else; I had meant to go with a dozen). Still and all, I thought it ended up looking pretty good.

Lastly, we tidied up the house a bit and opened all the lights. Cathy tells me the latter is a Filipino tradition and she is probably right. Still a few watts was not gonna hurt the electric bill we left them on till midnight.

We ended up braving the cold and watching the last full show of "Music and Lyrics" with a couple of friends. Thus did we usher the new year in with light hearts and full stomach. I'd be content if would be so lucky the entire year.

Happy Chinese New Year everyone.

New addition to our family.

2007-02-14T16:21:00.000-08:00

(Photo from http://www.galaofgifts.com/products.asp?product=2447 )

Meet Brad.

He is one of my Valentines gift for Cathy. He does more than turn rosy-cheeked, he shakes, giggles, and chatters. A steal for 9.95.

(By the way, Hallmark christened him 'Louie' but we didnt like the name. I dont like the name Brad either but what can I do?)

Brad marks our 2nd V-day in the US. This year, we are celebrating quietly by having a late dinner at a quiet place. I like how there is less fanfare around V-day here. Sure, there are the commercials for jewelry, flowers, cakes, what-not (heart-shaped pizza anyone?) but somehow there is less pressure to overspend and 'show your love' and reserving months in advance for overpriced dinners, Valentines concerts.

And the traffic. I remember this one year (2003?) when it took me 2 hrs to get from Makati to Sta Cruz to pick Cathy up, and then an hour to get to Intramuros for dinner that cost Php2000 a head. Not. Worth. It.

So, I am thankful this year, there is no 'environmental' pressure to celebrate Valentines a certain way. I hope Cathy agrees.

I'm pretty sure Brad doesn't mind.

* Check out www.Hallmark.com for an interactive version of Brad/Louie*

Perspective...

2007-02-07T09:07:00.000-08:00

Why I shouldn't complain about my job?

1) I have one.

2) It pays me enough.

3) I don't have to be up at 2am to shovel other people's snow.

... this realization after I found out the apartment driveway is in fact manually shovelled (I suppose by a contractor) in the dead of night, not cleared by machines as previously suspected.

Why is it that I know this? I was up working and heard the sound of shovel grating on gravel. Working at 2am doesnt sound all that bad (I was inside where it was toasty and comfortable) when you consider how backbreaking shovelling snow must be. - Perspective is a wonderful thing.

'How's work?' - Can't complain =)

(photo taken right outside our apartment)

Snow Day!

2007-02-06T13:44:00.000-08:00

(Weather conditions snapshot from CNN.com)

Kids can't have all the fun.

Today, heavy snowstorm caused a mild panic as folks tried to get home early to avoid the rush hour traffic. Snow was forecast to fall from 1pm to 1am. People starting leaving the office before lunch to avoid the slippery roads and bad driving that inevitably came with it.

For me , that meant leaving the office shortly after 2pm (third to the last to leave on our floor). The trek to the parking lot was slow going, as the ground was covered with mushy snow. The car was covered with a thin layer of snow. Thankfully, it was powdery variety and shook off easily using the scraper's brush. I remember when we had the icy variety which you really had to scrape off. Not fun.

The drive home that usually takes 10 minutes took us ~35 minutes. There were no accidents in the route we took; just a lot of people driving really slow. I was ready to get cranky but noticed that I was having trouble steering the car (tires seem to skid) so figured it was just as well.

Now a snow day is when school is called off because of inclement weather. In my case though, had to get back online and keep working as soon as I got back to the apartment. Three cheers (?) for telecommuting. Well, at least I can control the climate here (the office thermostat seems to be perenially 'off'- too cold in the summer and too hot in the winter).

All in all, not much of a snow day, unless you take it literally.

Super Bowl weekend-- big whoop.

2007-02-04T13:23:00.000-08:00

The Indy Colts and Chicago Bears battle it out today in Super Bowl XLI. Now if there were were at least three things in that sentence that caused you to scratch your head, you're not alone.

The Superbowl is the championship game of National Football Leagues (NFL). The NFL season is spread over two years so one can look forward to the madness associated with Super Bowl Sunday every other year.

Let's countdown some of the fanfare around Super Bowl Sunday. There are the commercials. The Super Bowl supposedly draws the most television audience every year. You can bet that advertisers want in. Some of the best (and worst) commercials are unveiled during for the game. You can bet that if not the game itself, people will be talking about the commercials, the day after the big game.

Next big ado about Super Bowl are the singers and performers who play during halftime. Such names as U2, Phil Collins, The Rolling Stones, Sir Paul McCartney have played the Super Bowl halfime. This year it is Prince (if that is what he goes by these days- who can keep up?).

Then, there is the food. From my vantage, seems the preferred method for celebrating the Super Bowl is noisily; with a gang of boisterous friends. Surely, such an occasion merits all-out party fare. It is not clear to me though what is the food of choice for the Super Bowl. I am guessing if Thanksgiving has it turkey, the Super Bowl has the party platter. (I am going by the TV ads =) Trivia for you: according to Wikipedia, Super Bowl is supposedly the second largest food consumption day after Thanksgiving.

And then there is the game. Uhmmmmm.... ahrm..... 'Nuff said.

So how am I spending my Super Bowl weekend? I am hoping, at home and sleeping (if I am not working). I am not a big sports spectator and while the commercials interest me, I know the best of them will surface in the next days in youtube or CNN and I can catch them up then. The game-- playing between the commercials-- is too much overhead methinks.

Or maybe I will watch Puppy Bowl III on Animal Planet. (http://animal.discovery.com/convergence/puppybowl/puppybowl.html) Go Porsche! Go Quesadilla!

Whoopee.

Me... blogger?

2007-01-31T16:38:00.000-08:00

My first blog. Sadly, not quite the milestone I expected. All these tools / templates make it so easy. It takes literally all of five minutes to set up. In fact, the hardest part was coming up with a name that wasnt yet taken. - Kinda takes the thrill out of a 'first time'.

Still, here I am- joining the blogging bandwagon a couple of years too late. Funny, I didnt even have blogging in my new year's resolution this year (unlike last year and the year before and the year before that...). No drawn-up plans or complicated roadmap. I'm just jumping in, cold turkey.

Maybe it was a matter of finding a topic to write about. It happened to dawn on me the other day that, in a few months, I'd have been an OFW for two years. Twenty four months of dreadful delights. One million, fifty-one thousand two hundred bitter-sweet minutes of recent history. Too much time that have slipped by without a proper accounting. It's time to amend that.

So I'd better get this blog on the road. To document the joys and travails of being an OFW. To share my experiences as a Pinoy in the US midwest. To mark my passing on this road that many a Pinoy before, and after, me has trudged on. To tick this (blogging) off the list of things to do before I die.

So here's to posterity. And my sanity. Enjoy.