Am I hungry!

If you are what you eat, then I'm fast, cheap and easy. (Anonymous)

Since I'm a big fan of fastfood (currently Taco Bell), this seems to be true in my case. (Although some people would say that while tacos are fast and easy to prepare at Taco Bell, they aren't exactly cheap!). Let's see, here's my five favorite fast food restos at the moment:

1) Taco Bell
2) McDonald's
3) Chow King
4) Burger King
5) KFC

Right now, I'm really craving for a beef taco supreme (actually, two beef taco supremes). And horrors of horrors, I'm almost down to my last cent. It's at least another week before my money comes in, and I am so craving for tacos.

My father has been on my case regarding my penchant for fast food: They're fattening, he says. This from my father who used to get on my nerves about being too thin. Now that I'm much bigger, he is on my case constantly about the amount of food I eat, which he says has nothing but fat, fat, fat.

I've been trying for years now to lose the weight I gained after I gave birth four years ago, without success. Oh for a while, I was able to fit back into my prepregnancy jeans (with much effort, I tell you). I even got myself a treadmill (unused to date).

Starting this morning, I resolved to cut back on my food, and ate very little for breakfast. Sadly, the adobo we had for lunch led to another rice binge. When will I be able to discipline myself when it comes to food?

And now here's by brother asking me to buy merienda. Like I said, I'm pretty much broke (P100 in my wallet), but I am hungry...Hmmmnn, maybe a few pieces of siomai will do. I'm off.

The joke on us

I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts. (Will Rogers)

This quote is so fitting for the Philippines, where I'm sure quite a large number agree with me that the government is a joke. I don't think I need to cite examples to prove it, although several key words come to mind: Supermaid, Jose Pidal, Hello Garci, just to name a few. Besides, where else will you find a country where mediocre (and that's an exaggeration) "actors" like Lito Lapid, Bong Revilla, Jinggoy Estrada sit in the Senate. They're just the tip of the iceberg: There are many other jokes sitting in very powerful government offices. No wonder more and more Filipinos are opting to leave the country for good.

Just this afternoon, an old officemate informed me that he and his family are migrating to New Zealand this December. This evening, another friend of mine is leaving for the US with his girlfriend, likely for good. Another friend is just waiting for Canada to give her the go-ahead to leave. My cousin is also in the process of bringing his entire family to Canada.

Over the past few years, I've watched my brother and his family, some relatives and friends, and a number of acquaintances pack up and go. You ask them why and most will say they no longer see a good future here in the Philippines (no thanks to the government, and not just the present one). I have to say the I've toyed with the idea myself, many times.

I've also seen a number of articles urging our people to remain home rather than relocate. Despite my thoughts about migrating, for the most part, I'm still convinced that I have a good life here. Still, I can't really blame those who leave. How can I? And this is particularly true for families with kids, who despite having both parents working their buns off, still have trouble making ends meet here. Case in point: my brother and his family. When they were still here, both he and his wife were working. Their two kids are school age, one needing special education (regular education is already so expensive in this country, and special ed coupled with regular therapy even more so). Now living in London, my sister-in-law works while my brother stays home to look after the kids (he is looking for a job that will allow him to work around the kids' schedule), my nephews are getting good quality education for free. Sure, there are drawbacks (high taxes and most especially, homesickness), but on the whole, they are doing better there than here; at the very least the future seems to look better for my nephews.

The successive administrations that had been and is running the Philippine government talked incessantly about pulling the country out of poverty, yet education and health care (two of the biggest factors that will help improve the life of Filipinos) continue to be ignored. Oh sure, they get passing mention, but that's it. Why, higher pay is luring our teachers, especially the good ones, to teach children in other countries and at the same time drawing our doctors and nurses to care for people in other countries. Meanwhile, many of our children no longer have the care of both parents since one or both of them are working abroad (where many are subject to abusive employers). Funny thing is, this administration is hell bent on sending more Pinoys out in the world so they can send back dollars, as this will help our economy. Yeah, but at what expense???? What a joke!

I know that the problems of this country has gotten so bad, it's going to take a long, long time before they get fixed. I only wish I'm seeing steps being taken towards that end. As it is, we seem to be stuck in a really bad Pinoy sit-com. When will it end???

I'm alive...I'm happy

Today, I'm a year older. I don't feel a year older, but I am. Do I feel any wiser? Not really. But one thing is sure: I'm alive and I'm happy.

This morning, my son gave me a card he made in class. It's wrinkly and a bit messy, but it's the most beautiful card I've ever received.

Pop and popcorn...and the loo

The length of a film should be directly related to the endurance of the human bladder. (Alfred Hitchcock)

Unlike most of my friends, I'm not really a movie buff. In some instances, years pass between my trips to the movie theater. This year so far, I can recall seeing four movies, The DaVinci Code, X3: The Last Stand, Cars, and POTC: Dead Man's Chest. Wow, now that I've thought of it, that's a bit more than my yearly average which, in the stretch of my nearly four decades, would probably hover around 1-2 movies a year. Anyway, my count this year is more than I recall seeing last year (Mr & Mrs Smith, Pride and Prejudice). I might have seen more, but those are the only two I actually remember watching. I do watch DVDs though, but still not to the extent that Kuya Toti (my eldest brother) and my friends do. In fact, most of the movies I've seen have been viewed in the comforts of my home and my bed.

There are movies that I don't mind seeing over and over though. The satisfaction I've gotten from watching my extended versions of the Lord of the Rings trilogy has more than offset the price I paid for them, and I haven't tired of the movies yet. I also like going over and over the Indiana Jones trilogy and the original Star Wars trilogy. Maybe I have a thing for trilogies (which means I better prepare space for my future Pirates of the Carribean trilogy). There are other movies I like, but I think I'd save that list for a future entry.

Anyway, I digress from my quote of the day. I like Mr Hitchcock's quip because for some reason, I always have trouble finishing a movie in a theater without going to the bathroom at least once. Hmmnn, could that be why I don't like watching movies? My concentration gets foiled by the fact that my bladder needs frequent emptying (oh yeah, that's something the world wants to know, I'm sure). See, I like having drinks and popcorn while watching movies. Somehow, watching movies is just more fun when you can dig your fingers into cheese popcorn that turns your fingertips a yucky orange and drink gallons of ice tea or soft drink. Unfortunately for me, that would mean having to stand up at least once and missing what's likely an essential part of whatever movie it is I happen to be watching. Take the night I watched Dead Man's Chest. I am proud to say I stayed in my seat the whole time...however, I didn't have a drop of anything to drink. (Thanks for the popcorn, XC!) That was done on purpose though, because I knew if I drank anything...well...

Then again, giving way to Mr Hitchcock's suggestion and my body clock would probably mean movies that last only 20 minutes long, which most movie producers will probably balk at, or would they? I wonder if I'd like 20-minute movies? Eh...don't think so.

Maybe I'll have a birthday resolution: From now on, I'll go see more movies, and yes, in the theaters. At the very least, it will give me more chances to be with my friends.

Now, if only Brad Pitt and Dermot Mulroney would release more movies...

Into the future

Future: That period of time in which our affairs prosper, our friends are true and our happiness is assured. At least, that's how Ambrose Bierce apparently described it.

Now that I'm just a couple of days away from turning another year older, I sure wish that's what my future holds. But nothing is certain. I've always wondered if I should be one of those people who take things one day at a time, you know live life on impulse. I used to be like that. It's a lot of fun, although there is a downside. Then again, I can be one of those people who is always preparing for a good future, but that would be boring, not to say too worrying.

When I was younger, and with a lot less responsibilities, I did live life pretty much on impulse. It's easy to be like that when there is no one relying on you for anything. But then, on impulse, I had a strange relationship, which blessed me with a child (that I love so much my heart could burst). Ergo, now I have to think of the future, not so much mine, but my son's. Which is why I wish I could define the future the way Mr Bierce sarcastically did, without the sarcasm. But but but, life is not easy and life is not fair. Along those lines allow me to recall my favorite little kid (next to mine, that is): Calvin, whose immortal words (among many) include "but why isn't it ever unfair in my favor?" (He was talking about the world, but the quote fits.)

I suppose because if it was, I'd hate my life. Or would I? Paris Hilton doesn't seem to hate her life, in fact, she basks in it. Well, need I say more? I certainly wouldn't want her life, even with all the money and conveniences it brings.

Of Mr Bierce's definition, I think I can safely say I'm pretty assured of true friends, and in some degree, happiness. Because despite my complaints about life, I'm pretty much a happy person.

But I would like to have some kind of financial security, which at this point in my life, I don't have. And again, not so much for me, but for my son. Somehow though, I've dug myself into a hole, and I'm having just a wee bit of trouble getting out. BUT, I will!!! I don't exactly know how (I've been reading something from Oprah, he he he), and when yet, but I'm hoping I'll be around long enough to make it happen.

Oh well, whatever's into the future, one thing I can say is that I'm pretty much ready for it. No point avoiding it, is there?

On a lighter note: here's a link to one of my (many) favorite Calvin and Hobbes strips.

Calvin and Hobbes (August 11, 1995)

I've moved (again)

For some reason, I couldn't create a new entry in the new blog I created yesterday, so I deleted that one and created (well, re-created actually) it again. Following is what I posted yesterday (so this should be dated and timed 16 August 2006, 12:17 pm):

I've decided to say goodbye to Isa's Ba-Log, my blog in friendster, and start one up in Blogger, where it is more convenient. For those who just might me interested in what I had to say in my old blog, feel free to visit (Isa's Ba-Log). Took me a while to figure out what to name this blog. I considered 'all and sundry' but someone beat me to it. Anyway, since I'll just be babbling on and on in this blog, what I ended up with seems fitting.

What now? What do I write about? I've already got a couple of other blogs and many days (especially these last few months), I really didn't have much to write about. Well, as the name of this blog says, that's just me talking...about practically everything under the sun. Actually, I thought that I'd check out the quotes on my google home page daily, and then try to take my cue from those.

Starting with this: Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months. (Oscar Wilde)

I don't know that I agree with Mr Wilde, but I do find it weird that fashion changes so fast. But what do I know? I'm not a fashionista. My usual get-up is jeans and whatever shirt I can lay my hands on.

For a while, I was a sucker for designer clothes, or rather, designer labels. I would get a lot of flack from my family about buying expensive jeans and tops just because they come with a certain name. But that was the extent of my love affair with fashion, I guess. I was never really in the know about the stuff that struts the runways in the fashion capitals of the world. (There was also a time when I was small enough to wear most anything, but that time is long gone.)

Still, looking at fashion magazines and watching the "f" channel, I can kind of understand why Mr Wilde may have said what he did. Some of those stuff are really hideous, and it really boggles my mind when I hear people actually saying how great they look. Truly, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. A few weeks ago, I actually sat through an entire episode (re-run) of Project Runway, and while there were some nice pieces, most of the stuff I saw weren't exactly flattering, to say the least.

However, paging through the fashion magazines, I see some really, really nice stuff. So, how come the weird stuff in the runways aren't really the ones I see in the mags? Are the stylists in those magazines ignoring those weird stuff too? Whatever, they do have some very nice layouts in fashion mags and some of those clothes, I wish I could afford.

Thankfully, at this point in my life, I no longer care so much about what I wear, so long as I feel comfortable and I look presentable. (At least, I hope I look presentable.) So fashion may come and go...I'll still be in my usual jeans and tops/shirts.

PS: I figured out why I couldn't create a new post...it was a pretty stupid mistake on my part, but never mind. :-D