that's just me talking...

Giving it another shot...again

2011-03-08T12:29:00.003+08:00

Another four months has passed since my last shot at blogging. Looking back at that last entry I said I was itching to go back to blogging. Some itching that was. Anyway, I was in Ho Chi Minh that day and now I'm in Bangkok. Both occasions are work-related. That time I was in HCMC for the Vietstock and now I'm in Bangkok for the VIV. It's the animals, thank you.

I will write about that Vietnam trip and this trip and I won't take forever to do that either. But as it is, I have to get ready for a market briefing I have to cover this afternoon. So I will post my pics, do whatever later tonight. This is just to psyche myself up and to get myself in the blogging mode again. I don't really think too many people will be reading this blog, and in fact it might just be me, but it's good to get some words out.

Something to write about later...view from my hotel room window, one taken last evening, the other taken this morning:

Hello again hello

2010-11-10T07:03:00.002+08:00

Hello again, dear blog...it's been a while, more than 2 years and 7 months actually. No excuses, but then I'm not really sure if anyone bothers to read this other than me :). Nevertheless, I'm going to try again.

I am, as I type this, sitting inside a nice, cozy botique hotel in Ho Chi Minh. My second trip to Vietnam this year (first one ever was in earlier this year in July). Here to work of course, the first couple days to cover a livestock exhibition and the next several to attend our annual team meeting. It would be good to see everyone again after almost a year.

Since I am in a bit of a rush--got to go to the exhibition hall early--I will wait until later to write more about this trip. Suffice to say, I'm itching to get back to blog writing...I think ;-)

What can I say...

2008-03-23T16:16:00.006+08:00

It's been a long time, more than six months. I've been lazy and have mostly reading other blogs instead of posting on my own. A few things have happened...team meeting and trip to Phuket, moved to new house, Ben's done with Kindergarten, and now waiting for Irip and family to come home for a visit.

First things first. My boss decided to have our 2007 team meeting in Phuket or at least, in Phang Nga which is the province adjacent to Phuket (at least I think it is...obviously I won't do such a hot job in travel writing). We stayed in La Flora resort, which was pretty filled up because I think it was peak season. Was there from Nov 22-26. Most of the time was spent in the meeting room, as we learned some new things from our regular workshop speaker, Harry Dillon, and kept each other up to date with what each one of us is doing in our respective areas. It was nice to see the entire team together (Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Singapore, Philippines). Photo below:

The team at La Flora

One of the Andaman Islands, can't remember anymore which one this is, I thought the rock at the bottom right of the picture looked like a beached whale

This one looked like a low-cut boot

Me before making a decision to plunge in

Conny and me after I decided to test the waters

Anyway, during the 2nd day of the workshop, we took half the day off for a trip to one of the Andaman Islands for snorkeling. It was about an hour by fast boat (I got seasick going in). And since I cannot swim unless my feet can reach the bottom, and the sea was quite deep, I was determined to just stay in the boat and watch everyone else have fun. As it was though, Conny (my boss from Malaysia, convinced me to jump in the water at least once. After all, I would be wearing a life preserver, so I took a deep breathe and did jump in. Water was nice and cool, and with the snorkel took a peek. It was BEAUTIFUL, the fish, the underwater plants, I'm so glad I let her talk me into it. Too bad I didn't have an underwater camera. Would've been nice to take a picture. What photos I have were taken from the boat, and here they are.

Coming back from Thailand, I started working myself up for the move to the new house (well, technically, it's not a new house, since we're the third family to move in, he he he), but it's a bigger house than Mapagbigay and since it is within a small subdivision, a much quieter place. We've got a chapel across the street and the clubhouse just next to it, so Ben has a place to play in. We eventually made the move in mid-December, and rather than spend Christmas home in Baler, I asked Papa to come down to Manila and we celebrated the holidays in the new house. New Year was spent home in Baler though, I just couldn't let the holidays pass without going home.

And so now, we've been here nearly four months. We've settled in (although we still need furniture), and we're pretty much used to the extra distance. One nice thing about the house is that we're closer to Kuya Toti's house again, so it's no longer a hassle going over there.

Meanwhile, we are now waiting for Irip, Girlie, Pau and Enzo to arrive from London (via Singapore) on March 26. It'll be the first time they'll be visiting after leaving nearly four years (almost five for Girlie) ago. I can't wait to see them again.

Well, I gotta get back to work. I just felt I needed to get going with this blog again otherwise, I won't ever come back to it. Next month, I'm heading off to Cebu, and I might be able to visit Bantayan Islands. If I do, I should have photos from that.

Read or Die

2007-09-02T17:26:00.000+08:00

I spent the better part of yesterday afternoon browsing books at various stalls at the 28th Manila International Book Fair at the World Trade Center in Pasay with Terrie and Carrie. Can't say it wasn't productive, but I have to admit, it was depressing. Depressing because I don't have the resources to buy all the books I want to buy. Well, let's face it, I'll never have enough resources to all the books I want. Nevertheless, I did walk away with six books for Ben and one book for myself.

To be honest, I have more books that I can read. In fact, my reading list is way too long now. But I've always been a reader. Not a voracious reader, but I read quite a bit. I remember when I was in elementary school, I would go through several library cards in a year because of all the books I borrowed. When I was in the States, I spent countless hours in the school and public libraries. Over the years, I must have read hundreds and hundreds of books, if I haven't passed the thousand-book barrier yet. I don't know, there's just something about books that draws me in. And it's very rare that I go into a bookstore that I come out without making a purchase.

Last night, my friend Terrie cited a quote that goes something like book collecting is for the gently mad. I guess we are all partly mad, since we all look at ourselves as book collectors of sort. Me, I so love the smell of new books; it's addictive. I hope that Ben will also grow up loving books. I've started him early, buying him books and reading to him at night. I want him to know that books are not only great entertainment, but great learning tools too. These days he loves looking at picture books, and he can read some of his books now, those especially written for his age. I hope he'll grow up to be a book collector too. Oh nothing like the book collectors of first editions and rare stuff, but kind of like me.

I also bought some postcards of old photographs from Bookmark at the book fair. The photo of a Chinese cobbler caught my eye. I thought it a beautiful picture so I bought the set, 12 photos in all, taken from around the turn of the last century (circa 1900s). I'm sharing some of them now (I'll post all of them in my Multiply site):

This picture of a Chinese cobbler caught my eye

A banana vendor

Executioner (well, this picture was kind of unsettling. I don't know
if the guy is really being executed or he just posed for the picture.)

We also bought a shirt that with "Read or Die" printed on it. You sure are missing out on life if you're not reading.

Feeling nostalgic

2007-08-30T18:24:00.000+08:00

I was looking at one of my brother's photo album and found a picture of the old Tan house in Baler. We'd always referred to it as "tindahan" (store) because it used to have a store at the ground floor, first ran by my grandparents, then by Ka Enga (who I think is my grandfather's nephew).

What do I remember about that house? Let's see, let me jot down 25 of them (this is not in any particular order):

1) the wide wooden staircase with the nice balustrades, where I remember running up and down with my brothers and my friends
2) the wall clock (with a silver face and black casing) with a scary (or what I thought then was scary) sound.
3) the old white bookcase with the Charles Atlas body building brochures, and some other books from I think even earlier than WWII, among other things
4) the beautiful floor, made with wide, long planks of narra; no need to polish it, just run the "bunot" or a cloth and it shone
5) there were two water tanks, one was a round, closed tank (part of which is still existing and used today), and the other a concrete rectagular box (my friend Me-Ann and I used to pretend it was our swimming pool
6) two gas pumps at the back of the house
7) the huge generator; i think my grandfather (fondly called Tatay) was among the first to have a generator in Baler, so we had electricity at night, long before electricity became available to everyone there
8) the pugon
9) the capiz windows
10) the big storage space in the second floor, where my friends and I used to hide when we played hide and seek. it was a scary place when i was a kid
11) the bats that hid between the roof and the ceiling and which came flying out at dusk
12) the wooden salt box (i don't know what else to call it) which is in one corner of the store, which we sat on and jumped down from when someone was buying salt so Ka Enga, or whoever was in the store, could get the salt
13) the dark warehouse which we had to pass to get from the store to the back part of the house
14) the big dining table (there were 10 kids in my father's family)
15) the Christ the King statue that was up on one a shelf on one of the posts inside the house
16) a small black/white photo of President Manuel Quezon under the wall clock
17) my father's case of classical music LPs (most of which were Beethoven material)
18) my uncle's collection of 48 rpm vinyl records, which sadly he just left lying around and allowed to get ruined
19) my uncle's bed in the ground floor
20) my uncle's office in the ground floor
21) an old yellowing refrigerator
22) the cabinet that housed everything from plates and "cubiertos" to my father's toiletries to leftover food
23) the nearly floor to ceiling cabinets in the store
24) the makeshift scoop (made from a long wooden stick with half of a plastic oil container) that was used to clean the gutter and also to mark the lines for our "bayato" ("patintero") games
25) my grandfather's b/w portait that was hung on one of the posts in the second floor; i used to always marvel at how much my father look like him

Actually, I remember a lot more about that house. I loved looking out the window to the mountains that looked so close. I loved climbing up those windows too and sitting there with my legs dangling down. The windows were encased with bars, and on there were planks in the bottom so we could sit on those). Sadly, it was torn down to give way to a new, concrete house, which I am sad to say doesn't evoke the same feeling in me as the old house did. When they were planning to build a new house, I keep wishing that they would just renovate the old house. But that wasn't what happened. I wished I had taken more pictures of it, but here's the one I found in my brother's album. This was taken at the initial stages of tearing down, and that's my brother Irip and my nephew Enzo in the pic.

Ah, those were the days...

2007-08-08T19:24:00.000+08:00

I got this link from my friend Carrie, and I just want to share it. You gotta give it to those Japanese, they are very good at stuff like this. Enjoy!

One Click

Cool prisoners

2007-07-25T19:18:00.000+08:00

I was browsing through some of the gossip sites (I'm a sucker for Brad Pitt and anything that has to do with him, making me a brangeloony, as some of their "haters" call people like me). Anyway, that's not what this blog is about. It's about this video of Cebu prisoners that was posted in one of them sites. The following video clip is of them dancing to Michael Jackson's Thriller and it is soooooo funny. Check it out.

Apparently, there are several more clips of them dancing to other songs. If you want to checkt them out, visit http://www.youtube.com/user/byronfgarcia.Say what you want, but you gotta give it to us Pinoys, even our prisoners are cool. He he he.

I never get what I want...or do I?

2007-07-12T18:04:00.000+08:00

I was reading one of my friends' blog in friendster and came across one of her entries. I know I received this in an email sometime ago, and pretty much ignored it. But reading it this time made me stop and think. It goes:

God's Ways

I asked for Strength.........And God gave me Difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for Wisdom..........And God gave me Problems to solve.
I asked for Prosperity.....And God gave me Brain and Brawn to work.
I asked for Courage.........And God gave me Danger to overcome.
I asked for Love...............And God gave me Troubled people to help.
I asked for Favors...........And God gave me Opportunities.
I got nothing I wanted...but I received everything I needed!

I tend to complain, A LOT! Fortunately, I've been lucky enough to have people around me who love me or like me enough to let me rant. I suppose like most people (although most of us wouldn't admit it), I want to have life and things the easy way. Instant gratification, ika nga.

Paying more attention to this little piece this time made stop and think. And then I gave a silent thanks, not just to God, but to everyone who has any connection to me and for everything I have. I know I'm luckier than many people, despite the fact that I may think otherwise at times. This is especially true when I pay so much attention to what I want that I tend to forget what I need. I have asked for strength, for wisdom, for prosperity, for courage, for love, for favors, and many many more for so long, and even got upset that I didn't seem to get them. I guess I've just been looking at things the wrong way.

I don't want to sound like a goody goody person because I'm not, but I should try a bit harder, shouldn't I.

2007-07-05T20:40:00.000+08:00

It is easier to fight for one's principles than to live up to them. - Alfred Adler

I dare say, I agree with Mr Adler. So easy to talk of principles, but living up to them, well that's another story. I've got to admit, I've been quite judgmental about some people, and I know I shouldn't be, but some people here in the Philippines make it so easy.

But as I've written in the past, nothing is absolute, principles included. There are times though, when I do wish things were absolute, but...

Oh well, I don't want to wax philosophical. Suffice to say, I wish life was easier.

So what's fair?

2007-05-28T20:19:00.000+08:00

This is one of my favorite Calvin and Hobbes strip. I think a lot of us wonder just as Calvin does why the world isn't ever unfair in our favor.

I really don't want to get started but it bothers me we hear so much these days about how the economy is improving, and yet prices of everything keeps shooting up. So, who's enjoying the benefits of the supposed improved economy. I know it's not me, and I know a number of ordinary Juan and Juana de la Cruces that would say it's not them.

I guess Calvin's lament is my lament...

A sad day

2007-05-28T07:46:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, while attending mass, someone snatched my aunt's handbag. It had my phone, my wallet, my keys, and worst, my aunt's ring which she got from her aunt, an heirloom. It happened when we stood up as mass was starting. My aunt put the bag on the seat, as was our custom in church, and within seconds, it was gone. We don't know who took it, although one of the ladies sitting behind us said a young man took it. She paid no attention because she thought he was with us. Strange considering he wasn't sitting next to us. I know we're partly to blame for leaving the bag on the pew, but we were in church. That's what has been bothering me up to now.

I've always thought of the church as a safe place. I know I've always felt safe there. But I was shaken by yesterday's event. Oh, I know it's not like I was hurt or anything. Still, it's sad to know that even in Church, people are unscrupulous enough to do things like this. I know it's somewhat naive of me to think that just because it's church, nothing bad can happen, but somehow, I just do. This is my place of worship. I don't want to think bad thoughts about other people when I'm in church, and yesterday it was difficult not to. I don't like the feeling, but I couldn't finish the mass yesterday. I kept thinking about what happened and I couldn't concentrate on the mass.

That said, we sure learned a lesson. From now on, we will be making sure our bags and belongings will be in full view always even when in church. It's hard not to feel paranoid after what happened, but it might take some time before the feeling wears off. I'm still going to go to church, of course, but I only hope I'll be able to feel truly safe there again.

A sort of homecoming

2007-05-02T18:21:00.000+08:00

Last month (more specifically, two Sundays ago), I visited China for the first time. Left Manila on April 22 for Shanghai, then flew from Shanghai to my final destination, Wuhan, in the central China province of Hubei. As usual, it wasn't a leisure trip, as I went there to help cover the 3rd Asian Pig Veterinary Congress. I stayed for two full days, most of which was spent at the Congress. I wish I had time to explore some more, but...

Anyway, it was a sort of homecoming for me (though some may say I'm stretching the point). After all, my paternal grandparents were Chinese (although they were from Amoy (Xiamen), in Fujian province). Call it what you will, but there was a good feeling when I touched down in Shanghai. I've always been proud of the fact that I'm half-Chinese, even though I cannot speak the language (not even the Fookien dialect which many of my Chinese relatives can speak).

Not that my entry into China was without drama. The flight was bumpy, owing to turbulence and perhaps the rain that was pouring during the latter part of the trip. Then, just when we were on our final approach to Pudong Airport, the plane suddenly jerked and flew up again. After some 10-15 minutes hovering over Shanghai, the captain apologized, saying we couldn't touch down earlier because the runway wasn't cleared fast enough for our safe landing. So finally, at nearly 3pm, we touched down at Pudong. It didn't help that my flight to Wuhan was at 4pm, and that we were let off at a gate that was so far from the immigration booths. Suffice to say, I was running from the gate to immigration, which already had a bit of a queue when I got there. I just went ahead and asked the people in front of me if I could move to the head of the line. Fortunately, everyone was kind enough. Still it was a race getting past immigration, picking up my baggage, and then moving over to the domestic side of the airport. By the time we (Zheng, our Chinese correspondent; Mabel, our China Advertising Sales Manager, and me) were checked in for the Wuhan flight, it was boarding time. Which meant running past security checks and the distance to the gate. Just when we got there, we found out that the flight has been delayed. Finally, after half an hour, we were flying to Wuhan.

Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, which Zheng told me is considered central China (see map).

I guess it's a relatively new city. Made up of three districts, it's really spread out over a large area. Had my first view of the mighty Yangtze River on the way to the hotel. Huge river. We stayed at the Wuchang district, in a hotel called White Rose. My room is huge, with a huge king size bed to boot. Comfy enough, but I'd have been more comfortable in a smaller, cozier room. Oh well, the nice thing is that I had a view of half of Hongshan Square (see photo below), which isn't really a square but a big rectangle. There's a statue of a man, who at first I thought was Chairman Mao, but turned out to be some local soldier-hero. Couldn't get the name though.

Hongshan Square from my hotel room (just half of the squre, really)

That's the hero (this picture was taken just before we left for the airport for our trip home)

It was nearly 8pm when we arrived at the hotel, which meant missing the reception for the APVS Congress. Funny thing was, after about half an hour, when we wanted to have dinner, we were told that most of the restaurants (and shops) near the hotel have already closed. So we went out and had dinner at this hotel about a block away from our hotel. It was a cold night, and I wasn't really clothed for such a night, so had to blow into my hands to keep them warm.

The following day (23 April), we spent entirely at the Congress, listening to different seminars, taking pictures, and conducting interviews. In other words, we worked. The only time we were out of the venue was during lunch, which we took at one of the small restaurants just across the street. Food, need I say, was good. Nothing fancy, since I'm not very adventurous when it comes to food. Fortunately, Zheng and Mabel indulged me and kept to the more conventional food.

Monday night we went to Hanyang Road, where the shops closed at around 11pm. It was a long stretch of shops probably two long blocks. As usual, I can't remember the name of the place. We had dinner at one of the restaurants there, then spent some time just browsing in the shops. I had a backache and my feet were aching from the day's work, but I figured I couldn't pass up what little sightseeing/shopping time I had. I ended up buying just a couple of flip-flops that night.

The only time we really had for sightseeing was lunch time on during Day 2 (Tuesday). We decided to visit the Yellow Crane Tower, which is one of the three famous towers south of the Yangtze. It's a five-storey pagoda and is located on top of Sheshan, or Snake Hill, in Wuchang district. It is a symbol of Wuhan.

Legend has it the the Tower was built by a family named Xin who owned a pothouse. One day, a shabbily dressed Taoist priest came to ask for some wine. The Old Xin paid no attention, but his son did and gave the Taoist some wine for free. The Taoist priest visited the pothouse regularly for half a year when one day the Taoist said to the son that in order to repay his kindness, he would like to draw a crane on the wall of the pothouse, which would dance at his request. When people in the city heard of this, they flocked to the pothouse to see the dancing crane. The Xin family soon became rich and they built the Yellow Crane Tower as a symbol of gratitude to the Taoist priest.

Another story says the tower was first built in 223, during the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280), Due to the ideal location, it was built by Sun Quan (182-252, King of Wu) as a watchtower for his army. But what really made the Tower popular are the numerous popular poems that were written about it.

Over the centuries the tower was destroyed and rebuilt many times. The current tower was completed in 1985 and its design was based on the Qing dynasty tower. The tower looks the same from all directions.

There are other things to see at the site besides the Tower. There is another smaller pagoda, a bronze statue of a crane, and also a huge bell. And there is an imposing bronze statue of a soldier-poet named Yue Fei. Anyway, the following pictures were taken the Yellow Crane Tower.

Taken just outside the Yellow Crane Tower compound

That's Yue Fei behind me

One of Yue Fei's poems, I think

A closer shot of Yue Fei

On the path up to the Yellow Crane Tower (we went the long way around)

The big bell (there's really a name for it, I just forgot what it is) with the tower in the back

The Yellow Crane Tower

One of the tiled walls in the Tower's first level

View from the tower (I just have enough strength to make it to the 3rd level)

That's me by the Yellow Crane statue, standing just in front of the Tower

Tuesday night, we had dinner at a restaurant just a few blocks away from the hotel, then Mabel and I went off again to the shopping place we went to the night before. This time, I just bought some chopsticks. Mabel went and bought some duck's neck, which was one of the China's delicacies. I'm not a big fan of duck, so I passed. Besides, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to bring it back without Philippine customs confiscating it, what with avian influenza and all that.

The one thing I made sure I did that last night in Wuhan was to eat at McDonald's. Oh, I know...it's nothing to be proud of. But in all the countries I've been, I've eaten at a McDonald's and I didn't want to break "tradition." Had cheeseburger, which I thought was saltier and had more ketchup than the ones I've had in other countries.

That's Zheng (he's from Beijing) and me in front of Hongshan Square

And Mabel and me also in front of Hongshan Square

A cable bus that runs a route throughout the district (I think). I thought these were cool

Me in front of some bronze statues at one end of Hanyang Road

Pretty ain't it...taken without flash. This is just across the bronze statues in the previous picture

Me and my precious McDonald's

In Hongshan Square just before leaving for the airport

One thing that struck me about Wuhan is how much evidence of Western influence there is, at least materialistically. The cars (there was actually a relatively big traffic jam on our way to the airport), the stores, the bars and coffee shops, the billboards (there were quite a few featuring Caucasians), etc. I keep thinking if Chairman Mao were alive, this just wouldn't be possible. There were times when I thought that had it not been for the Chinese characters I kept seeing all over, it would've seemed like I was just in another Eestern city, albeit smaller than the big metropolises (is that a word?). Still, it was refreshing to see that there are many people still walking, still taking bikes. I think one of the visions I've had in my head about China is the people going around riding bikes.

I was actually kind of sad Wednesday morning just before we left for the airport in Wuhan. I really did wish there was more time to explore because there was so much to see, not only in Wuhan, but in Shanghai as well. I never got to see more than Pudong Airport. Still, I was also looking forward to going back home to Ben. Like I had mentioned in some earlier posts, I still have separation anxiety. But this trip to China made me want to come back some day. I know I'll never be able to see the entire country, but I'm hoping to go back someday in the near future, and bring Ben with me too.

Off to Bangkok...again

2007-03-05T18:38:00.000+08:00

It's off to Bangkok again tomorrow for me. The VIV Asia 2007 will be held from 7-9 April, and it'll be good to see the other members of our team again.

Used to be that I looked forward to all these trips out of the country. After all, I get to travel to countries I would otherwise not be able to see. These days though, I'm not quite as excited about the trips, not because I don't want to go, but it would mean time away from Ben. Earlier today, I was telling one of my bosses that while Ben has been telling me that he doesn't like me leaving to go places, truth is I also suffer separation anxiety, probably more so than Ben. I so wish I could bring him along, but that's not going to be practical. Someday, if I'm still holding this job and Ben is older, I just might be able to bring him along on these trips.

On this trip, I even have an extra day in Bangkok that I didn't wish for. I couldn't get a seat on a flight back home on Saturday. I really want to avoid shopping there because 1) I don't really have money to spare; and 2) if I do find my hands with extra money, I really ought not to spend it because I really ought to save. I wonder if I can discipline myself enough.

Wish me a safe trip to and back...

Mall rats

2007-03-01T18:10:00.000+08:00

We used to build civilizations. Now we build shopping malls. (Bill Bryson)

I just read in the papers (can't remember if it was yesterday or today) that a new SM mall opened in Bacolod City. Wow, that's how many SMs in the country now? At the rate Mr Sy is going, SM will probably beat out the sari-sari store in the near future. Ok, ok, so that's pushing things but still, there seems to be no stopping Mr Sy or Mr Gokongwei, or those other mall taipans in the country. At the rate malls are being built in this country, one would almost think that there is a lot of money to spend. Oh well, maybe later there will be...after all, it is election year.

I'm sure the rise of the shopping malls is not limited to the Philippines, which is why Mr Bryson probably said the quote above. It just seems weird that it comes at a time when there are so many sad and frightening things happening in the world...violence, terrorism, the growing gap between the rich and the poor, world hunger, etc etc.

Of course, malls serve their purpose. In my case, they usually serve as convenient meeting places with my friends. And on hot days, the mall is a good place to be to cool down (except when there's a sale, in which case the mall is the worst place to be, I think). Window shopping is another story...it's fun sometimes, but not always.

What am I trying to say anyway? I'm not really sure. The question that keeps popping in my mind though is how will the future people of this world look back to our time. Will we be thought of a civilization of mall rats on account of all these malls that are going up? Strange thought.

Ben had better not do this in the future...

2007-02-28T19:28:00.000+08:00

Books galore

2007-02-27T17:19:00.000+08:00

Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore? - Henry Ward Beecher

In the last few months, I've tried to avoid bookstores. There are just too many books I want to buy and not enough money to buy them. Mr Beecher is so right. It's pretty difficult for me to go into a bookstore and not be tempted to grab at least one and buy. I've still got quite a bit of unread books in my shelves but I just cannot help buying books.

Which is why I'm thankful for second-hand book shops like Booksale and Books For Less. There are books that I want to have, even if they've passed many hands and burned many eyes already. At least there, I don't have to dig too deep into my pocket, which to be honest has been to shallow of late. These days, I've been trying to find P.D. James books (Thanks for the recommendation, Te!) so friends out there, those few who may actually read all these ramblings I have, if you find one, text and let me know.

Still, there is something about a new book. In the past, I've never had any qualms about shelling out a bit of money for a book. Sadly, circumstances have changed. I take that back. I've got an adorable little kid now and I know I'd rather spend my money on something that will benefit him (come to think of it, books, especially good ones, will come in handy some day). But you know what I mean. Looking around at Powerbooks, Fully Booked, National Bookstore and a A Different Bookstore is bittersweet these days. Still, once in a while, I can't help myself and I take out the wallet and bring out the cash (or the plastic, which I really should stop using). The smell of a new book can be pretty euphoric. It brings some kind of high so I just love smelling new books.

Right now, I'm trying to decide how I can satisfy my book fetish. I was thinking maybe P300-500 bucks a month on books, but nowadays that sounds extravagant. Hmmmmn, this is going to occupy my thoughts for a while.

Off-topic: Watching the Oscars yesterday, I was glad to find out that The Departed won Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. Not that I've seen it (I will just watch the DVD). But I'm a big Brad Pitt fan (that is actually an understatement!), and he was heavily involved in the making of that movie. I believe he owned the rights to the Infernal Affairs for production in the US. Prior to the awards show, I already knew that if the movie wins Best Picture, he would not be named as a producer (as per rules of the PGA and the Academy). But I was disappointed when none of the winners (Graham King, Martin Scorsese, William Monaghan) mentioned him in their acceptance speeches (at least I didn't hear his name mentioned). So it was nice to read that Graham King has expressed his annoyance and said that Brad also deserved credit. Just thought I'd note it.

Also, I thought I'd make this blog a little less text heavy by adding either pictures or something else once in a while. Today, I thought one of my favorite comic strips will do again. Take it away, Calvin and Hobbes:

Somehow, I've always known I'm not too smart

2007-02-23T10:39:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, I was chatting with my nephew Jovin and he happened to lead me to an essay by Isaac Asimov titled What Is Intelligence?. Here it is:

What Is Intelligence, Anyway?
Isaac Asimov

What is intelligence, anyway? When I was in the army, I received the kind of aptitude test that all soldiers took and, against a normal of 100, scored 160. No one at the base had ever seen a figure like that, and for two hours they made a big fuss over me. (It didn't mean anything. The next day I was still a buck private with KP - kitchen police - as my highest duty.)

All my life I've been registering scores like that, so that I have the complacent feeling that I'm highly intelligent, and I expect other people to think so too. Actually, though, don't such scores simply mean that I am very good at answering the type of academic questions that are considered worthy of answers by people who make up the intelligence tests - people with intellectual bents similar to mine?

For instance, I had an auto-repair man once, who, on these intelligence tests, could not possibly have scored more than 80, by my estimate. I always took it for granted that I was far more intelligent than he was. Yet, when anything went wrong with my car I hastened to him with it, watched him anxiously as he explored its vitals, and listened to his pronouncements as though they were divine oracles - and he always fixed my car.

Well, then, suppose my auto-repair man devised questions for an intelligence test. Or suppose a carpenter did, or a farmer, or, indeed, almost anyone but an academician. By every one of those tests, I'd prove myself a moron, and I'd be a moron, too. In a world where I could not use my academic training and my verbal talents but had to do something intricate or hard, working with my hands, I would do poorly. My intelligence, then, is not absolute but is a function of the society I live in and of the fact that a small subsection of that society has managed to foist itself on the rest as an arbiter of such matters.

Consider my auto-repair man, again. He had a habit of telling me jokes whenever he saw me. One time he raised his head from under the automobile hood to say: "Doc, a deaf-and-mute guy went into a hardware store to ask for some nails. He put two fingers together on the counter and made hammering motions with the other hand. The clerk brought him a hammer. He shook his head and pointed to the two fingers he was hammering. The clerk brought him nails. He picked out the sizes he wanted, and left. Well, doc, the next guy who came in was a blind man. He wanted scissors. How do you suppose he asked for them?"

Indulgently, I lifted by right hand and made scissoring motions with my first two fingers. Whereupon my auto-repair man laughed raucously and said, "Why, you dumb jerk, He used his voice and asked for them." Then he said smugly, "I've been trying that on all my customers today." "Did you catch many?" I asked. "Quite a few," he said, "but I knew for sure I'd catch you." "Why is that?" I asked. "Because you're so goddamned educated, doc, I knew you couldn't be very smart."

And I have an uneasy feeling he had something there.

This is a very interesting and very humbling essay. It got me thinking back to those IQ tests that I had to take before. I never really felt confident taking those tests. In the back of my mind, I always thought I'd never do good on them. Well, I guess I passed a number of them since I somehow made it through college. I never really took the time to find out about scores and such though so that I don't know really what my IQ is...I had never been interested to find out, I guess.

I cringe at times when I here some people make fun of others because they are supposed to be dumb or didn't go to school or they're not academically-minded. And to be honest, I too have been guilty of doing that at some point, and regretted it afterwards. These days, I'm careful to make such pronouncements.

Like Asimov said in his essay, in a world where I cannot use what I know, I'd be a complete moron. The farmer who never stepped into a school knows far more than me about soil and what to do to make them productive; the mechanic who fixes my car knows far more about how to make the blasted thing run and what to do when it doesn't (unlike me who I'm sure will raise my hands and kick the wheel if ever I get stuck somewhere with a car who won't move), the dressmaker who never fails to amaze me with what she can do with a piece of cloth will always be more creative than me. There are so many of them out there who are smarter than me.

The joke the mechanic told Asimov is something familiar. I've gotten similar jokes in the past. Perhaps it is a measure of my "intelligence" that like Asimov, I always give the wrong answer. Those trick questions...my answers are always wrong.

Helloooooooooooo....

2007-02-05T10:13:00.002+08:00

Idealism is what precedes experience; cynicism is what follows. - David T. Wolf

More than a month and a half later...here I am again. I hope to be able to post regularly from now on (yeah, right!).

On that note, the quote above does seem to make sense. I mean older people (with potentially more experience) tend to be conservative and cynical. I know I'm not quite as idealistic as I used to be, but I think there's still a streak of idealism left in me. I haven't lost hope that is, although I have to admit, there is also a bit more of cynicism. Still, I want to hold to whatever idealistic thoughts I still hold to, if only to give me hope. No sense going through life being a cynic and a pessimist. Thankfully, I an easy going person so my complaints about life notwithstanding, I'm still a pretty happy person.

So what have I been up to? Up to my neck with work, but as usual, no one to blame but me (see November 27, 2006 and September 8, 2006 posts). Fortunately, I'm just one article down, and I have made up my mind to finish by tomorrow (not least of the reasons being it's my deadline tomorrow). I've been trying to improve my work ethic, but somehow, my brain just works best when I'm pressured, as it is now. I only took a break because I was getting tired of writing about chicken and pigs.

Next month, I'm off to Bangkok for 4 days to help cover the VIV Asia exhibition (a huge livestck and poultry show, but still nothing like its European counterpart, I heard). But what I'm looking forward to (despite my hate for flying) is a trip to China in April. As usual, it's work related (not that I'll be able to afford to travel there on leisure anyway), and I'll be leaving April 21 and coming back to Manila April 26 (or 27 depending on where I will be leaving China from). There is a congress of Asian pig veterinarians in Wuhan, in Hebei province. Quite some way from Beijing and Shanghai, one of which will be my point of entry and exit. I figured I could stay an extra day just to see some sights. China has always been one of my dream destinations, so I'm excited that the dream will be fulfilled this year, even if I have to attend a piggy convention to do it.

Then in June, Ben and I are going to Kuala Lumpur. One of my bosses have very nicely invited us to stay at her house so I took her up on her offer. We'll be joined by Carrie and Terrie, and Karen might fly in too, although she'll be staying at a hotel. Anyway, the four of us (The Coven) have wanted to travel together for a long time now. We've done it before, but just within the Luzon. A couple of years back (or is it more?), we almost got it organised that we'll get together in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, but unfortunately, things fell through for me. So now is our chance. I'm soooo excited!

Home sweet home

2006-12-14T18:17:00.000+08:00

Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam,
Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home. (John Howard Payne)

Back home from Bangkok, and I must say it was really a good feeling when the plane touched down at NAIA (as much as I hate that airport!). The trip back, unlike the trip going to Bangkok was shorter and relatively smooth. No major bumps along the way, just the way I like it.

After our meeting ended Tuesday afternoon, the new member of our team, Nuk, took me to Siam Center for a little bit of shopping. Nuk is very nice, and I'm glad to have her on our team. So many things, so little money to spend. That is the story of my life now. I found some cute t-shirts for a couple of nieces and godchildren. At MBK I also came across some Gameboy Advance, and they were selling relatively cheap. Wanted to buy Ben one but I couldn't tell if they were genuine Game Boys. Oh well, some other time. I'm going back again in March anyway, so if I haven't bought him one yet before that I'll see if I can in my next trip.

We also went to Suan Lum night market. Quite close to the hotel where I was staying. I'm pretty much familiar with that area of Bangkok, since that's where I mostly stay when I go there. I would like to visit for vacation though, without work getting in the way. There are so many things to do and see in Bangkok, a few days stay would be nice. Oh well, with Cebu Pacific offering relatively cheap airfares, maybe me and family and friends can plan a visit. That would be nice.

But now here I am back home, and I'm happy.

Hello from Bangkok

2006-12-11T18:12:00.000+08:00

Hello from Bangkok. I’m here for a one-day meeting with my boss and other colleagues from work. The trip, delayed by more than hour back home, took even longer because we had to skirt our way around the typhoon that is currently brewing on the South China Sea, after a short and relatively calm stint in the Philippines. I guess the trip was relatively calm, although quite a bit bumpy at times. As I said in my previous post, I don’t really like flying (particularly when I’m traveling by myself), and running into bumps along the way can make the experience even more disturbing. And yet, despite that, I continue to want to see other parts of the world (which, because of the Philippines’ archipelagic nature cannot be reached by land travel, in which I’m most comfy) and in fact am planning to visit KL with Ben soon.

So, on the agenda for tonight is dinner at a Lao restaurant. Never had Lao food before, although if it’s kind of like the Vietnamese food I’ve had at home, then I suppose I can deal with that. Unfortunately for me, I’m not at all adventurous when it comes to food. Filipino and Chinese dishes are fine with me, thanks. But I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try. My bosses already know that I have trouble with really spicy food so I think they’ll order something I’m going to be able to consume.

By the way, we touched down at the new Bangkok Airport. I think it’s a bit further out than the old one, and I don’t think it’s really finished already, but what I’ve seen is quite nice. Sure makes me sorry for the sad state of the airport in Manila. Ay naku, I wonder if the Philippines will ever be able to catch up with our neighbors. Of the airports in SE Asia that I’ve been to (Manila, KL, Singapore, HK, and Bangkok), I’m sad to say that the one at home is the worst. And I don’t think the opening of the NAIA -3 terminal is going to help much. I think we need to build an airport away from Manila, like KL and Bangkok’s airports are actually far from the city center. They’ve constructed really nice roads to access them though. Traveling from the airport to the hotel this afternoon, I’m amazed at how much infra work have been done in Bangkok since the first time I came here in 1998. I’m sure when I visit KL I’m going to see improvements too…improvements that we can only dream for in the Philippines.

Still, I look forward to going home on Wednesday. I still have separation anxiety when it comes to Ben. I don’t like traveling and leaving him. At the airport at home, I already miss him, and now I miss him some more. I would love to be able to take him to various places too. Someday…

Here's hoping the trip back home will be much calmer than the trip this afternoon.

Off to Bangkok, dang...

2006-12-10T16:30:00.000+08:00

Well, I'm off to Bangkok tomorrow for a meeting on the 12th. Unfortunately for me, there is a typhoon, and while it doesn't seem as bad as the last few typhoons, well, that really is no comfort to me since: 1) I don't really like flying, and 2) flying in the middle of a typhoon means I will not have a moment's rest while I am in the plane.

Oh well, here's hoping for a safe trip to and back. I am so looking forward to going home to Baler for the holidays.

2006-11-27T17:50:00.000+08:00

There is no pleasure in having nothing to do; the fun is in having lots to do and not doing it. - Mary Wilson Little

A month and half of nothing. Since that time, I've had a major bout with writer's block, which partly explains why I haven't posted anything in a while. But I must admit that part of it is also laziness.

But I agree, there is some fun in having lots of things to do and not doing it...or at least putting it off. Not that I think it's a good thing, procrastination that is, but there is an element of fun in it. Whatever, I know I've been meaning to post something here the past few days, I just kept putting it off. Then, I turned on the computer and decided, if I don't do this now, I probably won't be doing any posting in this blog for a long, long, long time.

So, what did the past month and a half bring me? Well, I went home to Baler for a week (Oct 28-Nov 4), saw Casino Royale a week ago (best Bond movie I've seen in a long, long, long time [yes, I have this thing for long, long, long...]), and my first movie since Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man's Chest. I can't even remember when I saw that movie, but I'm sure it's been months. I'm looking forward to seeing Happy Feet with Ben, and then I think the next movie I'll see will be Babel.

Well, Christmas is less that a month away. Looking at my budget, I see that I'm going to be really short this year for gifts, etc. I've got some stuff already, but still have lots more shopping to do. Ay-yay-yay, with the peso having appreciated against the dollar, I'm now making a bit less that I used to. Unfortunately, prices of goods, although a bit steady these days, are at the same level as when I was making a bit more, thus the crunch. Ugh...and it's gift giving season too. Oh I know, I'm not required to give gifts, but I feel good giving gifts. I mean I like to see the smile on another person's face when I hand over a gift (and not just on Christmas) which is why I've been a bit sad the past couple of years because I haven't done a good job with my gift-giving (always late).

Changing subject (and different date - 29 Nov) ...my friend Carrie sent a link to the Philippine Daily Inquirer's editorial yesterday. Another piece on one of the dumbest morons ever to take a public office in the Philippines. Check this out:

Sabotage
(Editorial, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 28 Nov 2006)

IT IS a rare achievement to alienate local and international opinion in one fell swoop, but Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez has done it. With one snarl, he managed to offend Cebuanos, activists (at home and abroad), Pakistanis, Indians and Hong Kongers, and nearly everyone who is interested in the upcoming Asean Summit. He proclaimed the Mactan Strait to be shark-infested, and with his statement threatening to feed protesters to the sharks swarming in its waters, Gonzalez set the tone not for a time of civic pride for Cebuanos but for a state of siege in the entire country. With a justice secretary like this, what need has the Department of Tourism or even the country's security forces, of enemies?

To be sure, Gonzalez is not alone in his fire-breathing rhetoric; activists have vowed to stage a showdown in Cebu City. But if only Singapore has, thus far, managed to keep protesters at bay during similar events, it seems neither sensible nor practical for Gonzalez to crow that Cebu will be turned into a garrison state for the duration of the summit, as it is on the verge of an insurrection or crawling with foreign suicide bombers. Talking about putting up an "iron curtain" seems unbecoming of an official of what remains officially a liberal democracy. Such language sounds like the ranting of someone afflicted with a severe case of paranoia.

The people of Cebu and the rest of the country expect that security precautions will be tight, and that no effort will be spared to secure both the residents of the city and all those headed to and from the summit. Certainly such a high-profile event will attract its share of organized and spontaneous troublemakers. The political situation and larger regional or even global concerns will find expression in protest actions, and what the Philippines has to prove, because of our own history and national principles, is that we can respect democratic space while ensuring proper security during the summit. All these are par for the course in international events of this sort, and no one needs the secretary of justice to brag about how many soldiers and policemen have been called to duty, or how stringent security will be.

An international gathering meant to create regional and international amity, and which gives the country an opportunity to put its best foot forward, needs dire warnings about foreign agents provocateurs least of all. What good do publicly released instructions about harassing visitors from India or Pakistan accomplish? It will only make international terrorists, if bound for the Philippines, use passports other than the Indian and Pakistani ones Gonzalez has declared to be intrinsically suspicious. After Gonzalez's statements, no Filipino who has ever experienced harassment in a foreign airport would ever have cause to complain. Anyone anywhere can correctly say that it's what Filipinos do to foreign visitors.

As it is, Cebu City will find its resources stretched to the limit during the summit. There has been a remarkable sense of civic pride and cooperation among Cebuanos as they prepare for their city's international coming out party. The least they expect is for the rest of the Philippines to lend them moral support. Riding roughshod over national and international sensibilities doesn't count as moral support. It promotes mental anguish.

An appeal for vigilance and cooperation in security arrangements would have been not only beneficial but also appreciated. If there's one thing all Filipinos agree on, it's that one of our national virtues is the graciousness, openness and liberality of our hospitality. Being a good host means keeping our guests safe, and this the country has pledged to do. Muttering darkly about associates of Osama bin Laden, fake passport-bearing terrorists, tens of thousands of soldiers determined to shuttle delegates from one location to another by force if need be and dropping protesters into the mouths of hungry sharks only makes the government look foolish and a dissident community even more determined to flout local feelings by insisting on confrontation instead of peaceful assembly.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had better rein in Gonzalez before the country starts wondering if his statements are not intended to sabotage the summit.

Let's face it, this government is full of monkeys (I hope I don't offend any), but this guy is up there on top. For the life of me, I cannot understand why Arroyo is keeping him in office. Oh well, maybe I do understand...she's just as bad as he is. Reading stuff like this makes me wonder if there's anything to hope for in the future.

With a father like this...

2006-09-19T20:17:00.000+08:00

(from www.gocomics.com)

I've always thought that Calvin's dad is really cool, his geeky dorky look notwithstanding. The way he explained things to Calvin has always made me laugh, but at the same time also made me think. I wonder what the world would be like if it really was the way Calvin's dad explained it to him?

Oh well, it really is a complicated world, but it's the only one we've got. There are days when I wish things were a bit easier, but I guess the truth is, we all probably wouldn't want a simplistic world, would we? There won't be any excitement, which is really what fuels us all probably.

Anyway, having a dad like Calvin's would sure make for an interesting life, I think. I can only imagine what he must have been like when he was Calvin's age, ha ha ha.

It's panic time

2006-09-08T18:39:00.000+08:00

Calvin: You can't just turn on creativity like a faucet. You have to be in the right mood.
Hobbes: What mood is that?
Calvin: Last-minute panic. (Bill Watterson, Calvin & Hobbes)

I must say, this is true for me. I can get myself all pumped up to write when I'm nearing the deadline (and sometimes, when I've passed the deadline). And right now, I am in the last-minute panic mood. I should be writing about the processing of pig dung at the moment, but I thought I'd take a break and get a blog entry for the day.

I wish I were one of those writers who can just sit in front of the computer and type away something creative within a short period of time, but I'm not. Oh, once in a while, I get inspired, but that's a very infrequent once-in-a-while. I dream and dream of the day when I will be able to do that though. A friend of mine keeps assuring me that very few writers can probably churn out really good articles in a flash, but that's still a very few, which means there are those who can do it. And I do wish I could do that. Still, I should be happy that I do get inspired to write at all.

Let me share with you my ultimate writer's dream: being published in the National Geographic. I don't know why, but I have such respect for that magazine. I love that magazine, and am glad that I've been a member since 2000. If I could afford it, I'd sign up as a lifetime member. Of course, writing for it, well, that's just a dream. I don't think I'll ever get anything published there. I like natural and earth sciences, but, sigh...I don't think I have the guts, let alone the talent, to write for that mag. My friend Ka would pooh pooh me and say I shouldn't say that but...

Speaking of magazines, I wish I could renew my subscription to Discover and Scientific American. Too expensive to do so right now, and I remember being so frustrated with my Discover subscription before because a lot of my copies never made it to me.

Oh well, I better get back to my piggy article. I do love those pigs though, and the fact that they're indirectly my bread and butter makes me love them more.

I did it

2006-09-06T20:35:00.000+08:00

Think P.I.G. - that’s my motto. P stands for Persistence, I stands for Integrity, and G stands for Guts. These are the ingredients for a successful business and a successful life. (Linda Chandler)

Why, that's very good advice. I would like to take on P.I.G. as my motto in life too (very fitting, considering my job), only I've got a big problem particularly with the P part.

As it is, I gave me Guts a bit of an exercise today. Some time back, I wrote in Isa's Balog that I wanted to change my hair color. Well, I finally mustered enough guts to get it done this afternoon. I must say I'm pretty happy with the results, although it still is a bit odd looking at myself in the mirror. I thought I'd be a bit more shocked with the result, but I was kind of cool about it actually.

Anyway, I await the comments of my family and friends. My aunt, who was with me when I got my hair done, said it looked really nice, not too different from my real hair color. My son said "ang ganda ganda mo, nanay." (Perhaps his wanting to play the gameboy had a lot to do with the comment.)

Well, whether I like it or not, I'm stuck with this for a while. (Hey, I'm already thinking the next color, bwa ha ha!)

UPDATE: Thought I'd post a picture of me and Ben (me with my new hair color). Cayie said now I'm like Archie, carrot-topped. He he he.

Ah, laughter...

2006-09-05T12:52:00.000+08:00

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. (ee cummings)

My son has such an infectious laugh. Well, at least his spontaneous laugh is infectious, not his fake laugh (which is irritating). And that was what he was belching out earlier when I was tickling him like crazy. At some point, I stopped tickling and just looked at him and once again it dawned on me that I have this beautiful kid that I love so much, my heart could break.

Anyway, we played around for maybe half an hour, and it was a half hour full of laughter. This day surely isn't wasted.

Book buying moratorium

2006-09-04T09:09:00.000+08:00

The Bookfair has come and gone...and I have nothing to show for it. I didn't even go. I could've joining my friends Cayie and Te on their Bookfair Adventure, but no, I had to do something else.

Oh well, it's probably a good thing I didn't go. I've decided not to buy any books between now and Christmas (at least) to try and cut back on my personal spending (meaning buying stuff for myself...very, very hard to do!). Had I gone, either I would've splurged on books or would've been depressed because I would have forced myself not to buy books. Neither very appealing at this point. I thought I'd be able to get something from Fully Booked in Gateway, but the books there are still expensive, despite the sale.

Thankfully, I got a book from Cayie for my birthday (The Best American Science and Nature Writing - 2003 edition), which I am enjoying to the fullest. Reading popular science and nature articles is interesting so this book is perfect. I like the very first article, which discussed the role of the grandmothers in families. It appears more and more researchers are delving into the issue. Since I hope to be a grandmother someday, the article was good food for thought. Interestingly enough, in some studies, the paternal grandmother (which I may eventually be someday) appears to have no impact, or even negative impact. Hey, I ain't going to be one of those paternal lolas, he he he.

So far, I've read seven articles, and they've all been interesting. One of them takes a look at how the lopsided way the US responded to 9/11 attacks. I think I'll save my comments on that for another entry. I gotta go get ready to pick Ben up from school now.

Whose money is that?

2006-09-01T19:54:00.000+08:00

Tyrants, petty or otherwise, have a way of thinking that money entrusted to them by the people to be used for the people is theirs to dispense with as they like, or keep for themselves. (Conrado de Quiros)

Let me start by saying I'm a big fan of Mr Conrado de Quiros. I don't always agree with everything he says, but at the very least, his columns are always good for thought. Today, he had some great things to say again, and the above quote comes from his piece from the Inquirer (Naked Truth).

This particular quote stuck to my mind because earlier in the day, I was reflecting for the umpteenth time on the various signs on the roads that our dear politicians put out to trumpet their projects. You know, those signs that goes "Road widening projects of blah blah blah...", or others that banners whatever projects they may be supporting, sponsoring, etc. etc. Weird how if you read the signs, it would seem that these politicians are spending their own money for the projects. I mean "from the funds of" blah blah blah certainly sounds like they are dipping into their own pockets, doesn't it? I often wonder if Filipinos take the time out to look at these signs and think about the fact that it is actually them, the tax paying public, that are actually paying for these projects.

(3 Sept 2006)
One of my cousins sort of justified this strategy of politicians to put up posters/signs as a way for constituents to remember them and thus ensure name recall in elections. After all, without these signs, people wouldn't know if they'd done anything while in office, or something like that. Be that as it may, I still think it's wrong.

I've got another pet peeve. The street signs, where not only do you see the street names, but also the name of the barangay captain or the councilor, or whoever gawdfosaken official might have been behind the signs. I don't know if others get as peeved as I do when I see these signs, but they sure bother me to no end.

At the very least, these signs are a waste of money. I'm sure those things cost a bit, especially since costs are likely padded for kickbacks.

Then again, at least these are projects I can actually see. What about those politicians/government officials who have decided to appropriate supposed-to-be project fund into their own pockets. Let's face it, when it comes to corruption, this country is really an expert, or rather, the people running this country are experts. As CDQ notes, these tyrants (and they are!) are very good at keeping money entrusted to them for themselves. What else would explain the sudden wealth of many of the politicians/government officials in this country?

This is one reason why it's such a frustrating thing to pay taxes in this country. I wouldn't mind paying taxes, if only I can see that they are really going towards the improvement of the country and government services. But my eyes are already strained to the max, and still, I hardly see anything. I'm sorry, but painting the posts of doesnt' exactly match my definition of improved services. Those posts may be clean (not really), but the potholes still pains my butt whenever I unfortunately drive over them. And what about those MMDA art is actually eyesores. And these are just mundane things. There are many, many more and this blog already too long for me to enumerate them. Geez, what will these people think of next to waste money on?

The problem with our politicians/government officials is that they've gotten so greedy. Greedy for power, greedy for money. Maybe I shouldn't be angry with them, maybe I should feel sorry for them. But no, I am pissed at them. They waste their time accusing each other of wrongdoing, when they are all guilty of it anyway. At the end of the day, they divert into their pockets what isn't theirs at all. They say they are working for the people and for the country. Well, that's just a bunch a bull now isn't it? I know we're not the only country in the world suffering because of fools in government, but I wish so badly I can see something good in the future. But no, I see the spawns of the people in government now taking over the same positions. Sad, sad, sad. I look at the ordinary Filipino and see no bright future for them. Their situation will just get worse and worse, they'll get poorer and poorer, while those jokes in government will get richer and richer. And when some things get bad for them, they can just pop out of the country and live off happily elsewhere with the money they've taken inappropriately from good ol' Juan. Sigh...

Oh well, I don't want to end this entry on an angry note. So I'd like to make mention of one government worker who extended some help to me last month . I was at the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources sometime in August researching for a report on the tuna industry. I was sent to several offices before I was finally pointed towards Ms Consuelo "Ching" Baltazar (unfortunately, I lost her card, and I can't remember what division it was she heads). Anyway, Ms Baltazar very nicely asked me what I needed and told me where I can get the information. (One of her staff also gave me valuable information, but I don't remember her name.) She also told me to call her up if I needed more information. Since I usually have negative experiences with government workers (especially in the SSS), I thought she deserves mention. I still want to believe that most people working in government are good people—I'm just one of those who seem to have the luck of running into those government workers who don't understand the meaning of the word service—so it's nice to meet one once in a while.

Am I hungry!

2006-08-24T15:33:00.000+08:00

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

2006-08-23T18:05:00.000+08:00

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

2006-08-19T23:09:00.000+08:00

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

2006-08-18T15:49:00.000+08:00

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

2006-08-17T13:42:00.000+08:00

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)

2006-08-17T09:28:00.000+08:00

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