Friday, June 20, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
For the Country....
I found this in my mailbox this morning and I agree with the list...starting from item number 1. Read on.
I found a book worth sharing "12 Little Things every Filipino Can Do To Help our Country" - Alexander L. Lacson
I found a book worth sharing "12 Little Things every Filipino Can Do To Help our Country" - Alexander L. Lacson
1. Follow traffic rules. Follow the law.
2. Whenever you buy or pay for anything, always ASK FOR AN OFFICIAL RECEIPT.
3. Don't buy smuggled goods. BUY LOCAL, buy Filipino.
4. When you talk to others, especially foreigners, speak POSITIVELY about us and our country
5. Respect your traffic enforcer, policeman and soldier
6. DO NOT LITTER. Dispose your garbage properly. Segregate, Recycle, Conserve.
7. Support your Church.
8. During elections, do your solemn duty.
9. Pay your employees well.
10. Pay your Taxes.
11. ADOPT A SCHOLAR or a POOR CHILD.
12. BE A GOOD PARENT. Teach your kids to follow the law and love our country.
I like his number 1. I totally agree that the traffic in the Philippines is setting us back. Traffic decreases productivity, since you come to work late, stressed and have to wake up really early to avoid it, but you keep running to it every friggin' day. I suffered, too, when I was in Manila. I hate it especially when I realize that somebody who get paid the same money in the same workplace woke up 30 minutes ago. My mom would always say, "You'll get used to it, cause I got used to it." As you can imagine, it will be another round of debate with my mom.
Disobeying traffic laws also show that we pinoys don't really care about each other. Its the lack of empathy and compassion for our fellow pinoys that make pinoy drivers crazy. Its always the race to the finish. It's always about claiming my right of way. Dog eats dog even in the street.
Buying smuggled goods is another past time for the Filipinos. I don't know anyone who hasn't been to 168. That's the bastion of smuggled goods in the country and it kills local industries. Greenhills is another smuggled goods heaven. People who buy from the tiangge are just condoning their business plus allow themselves to be fooled by rediculously jacked-up prices for imitation products. I agree, it doesn't help the economy at all.
I particularly hate Filipinos in the US who has nothing but bad comments about our country. Man, if you had a tough life in the Philippines, don't blame the country alone; blame yourself, too. I mean, the Philippines has a bad government, the worst traffic, the most corrupt officials, the dirtiest streets but my family and friends are there and I bet yours, too. Even though it's a shabby place, it is still home to me. I just don't have respect for Filipinos who bash our country without hesitation, nor remorse because I think the Philippines had enough of that. If you are in the States or anywhere abroad, or the Philippines doing good with your life, I guess we're in a better position than 90% of our fellowmen. It's enough reason to shut up.
Please feel free to share.
I like his number 1. I totally agree that the traffic in the Philippines is setting us back. Traffic decreases productivity, since you come to work late, stressed and have to wake up really early to avoid it, but you keep running to it every friggin' day. I suffered, too, when I was in Manila. I hate it especially when I realize that somebody who get paid the same money in the same workplace woke up 30 minutes ago. My mom would always say, "You'll get used to it, cause I got used to it." As you can imagine, it will be another round of debate with my mom.
Disobeying traffic laws also show that we pinoys don't really care about each other. Its the lack of empathy and compassion for our fellow pinoys that make pinoy drivers crazy. Its always the race to the finish. It's always about claiming my right of way. Dog eats dog even in the street.
Buying smuggled goods is another past time for the Filipinos. I don't know anyone who hasn't been to 168. That's the bastion of smuggled goods in the country and it kills local industries. Greenhills is another smuggled goods heaven. People who buy from the tiangge are just condoning their business plus allow themselves to be fooled by rediculously jacked-up prices for imitation products. I agree, it doesn't help the economy at all.
I particularly hate Filipinos in the US who has nothing but bad comments about our country. Man, if you had a tough life in the Philippines, don't blame the country alone; blame yourself, too. I mean, the Philippines has a bad government, the worst traffic, the most corrupt officials, the dirtiest streets but my family and friends are there and I bet yours, too. Even though it's a shabby place, it is still home to me. I just don't have respect for Filipinos who bash our country without hesitation, nor remorse because I think the Philippines had enough of that. If you are in the States or anywhere abroad, or the Philippines doing good with your life, I guess we're in a better position than 90% of our fellowmen. It's enough reason to shut up.
Please feel free to share.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Tony Fever
After getting back from Case's wedding reception, I had a momentary urge to bang my head on the wall for forgetting it was the TONY'S!!! Pakshet. But, thank God for Arvin's HD comcast cable with recording features, alas! nothing is missed. He already recorded it save for the first few minutes of the TONY'S. God, I love technology and my friends who appreciate it. So we sat down and view it before midnight.
I must say that the sound system is terrible. Some songs are distorted because of feedback and loss of fidelity on higher decibels. I wish the sound engineers are now on their knees in St. Patrick's, atoning for last night's folly.
It was an interesting season because there are a lot of unexpected nominees. In the Heights, a Broadway musical about the upper west latino village, obtained 13 nominations, while Cry-Baby had 11. I haven't seen these shows, since the season started after I went back to Manila, save for the revival of Gypsy. The show was initially a 2-week gig at the NYC City Theater, but later on, somebody produced it to go with these season's show in Broadway. I watched it with Arvin, Marialena, Cindy, Jong and of course, Alex. I should be thankful to Alex for dragging me to this show; although, I was interested from the start. Patty Lupone and a classic Broadway show is nothing to be missed.
And I am super surprised that Patti Lupone won Best Actress!! She truly deserved it! She delivered a very heart warming and super funny acceptance speech last night, which really cracked me up that I had to watch it again this morning. I was crying and chuckling at the same time.
Of course, I got emotional with the performance of the original cast of Rent. It was dedicated to Jonathan Larson, the playwright of the play who died suddenly of an aortic aneurysm while they were rehearsing. Rent started my Broadway frenzy long after I was a bit fascinated on Miss Saigon. For me, RENT was the epitome of a cool, hip Broadway play: minimal drama, less boring cadences of the usual Broadway songs and the rich, colorful, unconventional characters. It was my choice of Broadway, so I feel for it.
I had to shed a tear for Sondheim, this years' recepient of the Lifetime Achievement Award. He's terribly brilliant. The Stephen King of the Broadway stage. If I ever chose to get a Ph.D. in Broadway studies, I would be a Sondheim scholar. I could rave for hours of his brilliance. This year's revival of Sunday in The Park With George has a very interesting, technologically advanced, stage production. Gotta see that one.
In The Heights won Best Musical and I must say, I have to take the hat off to Lin-Manuel Miranda, the lyricist, composer AND lead actor of the play. He is one talented dude! Their performace looks fun and I am surely going to see that one.
I'm still burning with Tony fever and it will be tough to cool off in this hot summer day. It's almost 85 degrees here.
I must say that the sound system is terrible. Some songs are distorted because of feedback and loss of fidelity on higher decibels. I wish the sound engineers are now on their knees in St. Patrick's, atoning for last night's folly.
It was an interesting season because there are a lot of unexpected nominees. In the Heights, a Broadway musical about the upper west latino village, obtained 13 nominations, while Cry-Baby had 11. I haven't seen these shows, since the season started after I went back to Manila, save for the revival of Gypsy. The show was initially a 2-week gig at the NYC City Theater, but later on, somebody produced it to go with these season's show in Broadway. I watched it with Arvin, Marialena, Cindy, Jong and of course, Alex. I should be thankful to Alex for dragging me to this show; although, I was interested from the start. Patty Lupone and a classic Broadway show is nothing to be missed.
And I am super surprised that Patti Lupone won Best Actress!! She truly deserved it! She delivered a very heart warming and super funny acceptance speech last night, which really cracked me up that I had to watch it again this morning. I was crying and chuckling at the same time.
Of course, I got emotional with the performance of the original cast of Rent. It was dedicated to Jonathan Larson, the playwright of the play who died suddenly of an aortic aneurysm while they were rehearsing. Rent started my Broadway frenzy long after I was a bit fascinated on Miss Saigon. For me, RENT was the epitome of a cool, hip Broadway play: minimal drama, less boring cadences of the usual Broadway songs and the rich, colorful, unconventional characters. It was my choice of Broadway, so I feel for it.
I had to shed a tear for Sondheim, this years' recepient of the Lifetime Achievement Award. He's terribly brilliant. The Stephen King of the Broadway stage. If I ever chose to get a Ph.D. in Broadway studies, I would be a Sondheim scholar. I could rave for hours of his brilliance. This year's revival of Sunday in The Park With George has a very interesting, technologically advanced, stage production. Gotta see that one.
In The Heights won Best Musical and I must say, I have to take the hat off to Lin-Manuel Miranda, the lyricist, composer AND lead actor of the play. He is one talented dude! Their performace looks fun and I am surely going to see that one.
I'm still burning with Tony fever and it will be tough to cool off in this hot summer day. It's almost 85 degrees here.
Friday, June 13, 2008
To Mac or Not To Mac
Help me decide. I am about to buy a laptop and still torn on the idea of getting a mac vs a pc.
MAC: Primarily because I don't have to worry about viruses. The US is a different environment, there are hackers everywhere and identity theft is something that scares me. The thought that somewhere in Laredo, TX, an exotic stripper crosses to Mexico bearing my name and SSN is a scary thought: leaving the US is, when work supposed to start 10 days from now...being a stripper is big umph to my current social status.
WINDOWS: I've been a windows-user since the forging of the Rings of Power. I can operate it with my eyes closed while I spin two plates on a stick on my toes. I am so at home with windows, but I've tried Vista and it sucks. And there's the virus issue, too.
Other considerations:
1. Hospital system is not Mac-supported, but really, I don't want to take my work home.
2. I like Mac's wireless capability.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
As If I Never Said Goodbye
After several back-to-back-to-back parties, several drunk moments at 3am and after a gamut of stuff to buy, to endorse and to pack, I finally made it to Manhattan. It was a very tiresome 19 hour flight from Hongkong and it was good to be deprived of sleep. I slumped in my cramped Cathay Pacific airline chair, slept for 2 hours at a time and watching on-board movies in between. I finished 3 movies, I think -- the flight was THAT long.
I thought I only have a two-hour lay over in Hongkong, but no!, it was a 4-hour lay. I immediately went to an internet booth to email my family and friends, but gave it up after a Paki started hovering around me. After a few minutes he asked my help and begged to him use my internet. Yup, it was MY internet that he was intending to use. At first, I was reluctant to give in since it cost me an eclair and a milk tea, although I am not planning to spend on food. But after a few minutes, I let him use my remaining time. I need good karma.
The flight from Hongkong was uneventful. The food was horrible, although I wasn't expecting much from Cathay (I like Korean Air food best), but the on-flight entertainment system was great. I never had to talk to my seatmates (a hetero couple). I also finished the book I brought, The Red Tent, which I got from Booksale at P15. It wasn't that good despite the fact that the critics loved it in 2005, good thing I got it on a very cheap, dirt-cheap in fact, price.
INS and luggage claim was a breeze. I head out immediately to get my nicotine fix and started out to the Airtrain. I didn't plan on getting a cab since I have to live in a tight budget 'till I get my first paycheck (wohoo m excited) and I didn't have that much baggage anyway. I left most of my stuff here in NY and PA. It pays when you plan your every move.
So, off I went to the E train and arrived at 86th street station after a grueling hour ride from the airport. I touched down in Joseph's apartment's foyer at around 2:30am. We were excited to see each other again! We had to talk and smoke first before I shower and get to bed, so that's what we did.
It's nice to be back in the city. It will be a nice, warm and sunny day tomorrow...I don't even want to sleep.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Pack List
After a weekend in Coron, Palawan, I find myself reluctant to leave my room for days until I fly out. Here I am in the middle of the morning sitting in front of my computer and wishing the days are longer. I have tons of stuff to do, but I am in my lamest mood and up to my favorite vice: procastinating. Probably everyone has this cacophony of emotions before leaving: excitement and anxiety, mostly, churning like a tide inside the gastric antrum. Strong emotions that comes in currents, upstream and sometimes, downstream, which just leave you wanting to stand perfectly still. Stillness, before the undertow is what I am experiencing right now.
I wanted to bring most of my stuff here in my room but it also makes sense to leave it all behind and start anew. Should I bring my favorite Spanish books? My 30+ novels that I needed to leave? Most probably not. I havet thought about it for days and concluded that there are just some things I should bring with me:
1. Notebooks, journals. Yeah, I keep those. Writers do and it is supposed to be a secret. I dream of becoming one. Just like being a full-pledge doctor -- it started with a dream. It feels like it, though. Because for the past three years of underpaid hospital duties and career uncertainty, it was a nightmare.
2. My WD hard drive: my 80GB song collection is just too precious. Not to mention my 105 Broadway albums ripped and stored in it. Well, the pictures since 2004 are among the pieces of gold in that electronic black box. Without it, I'll probably go into clinical depression. I can see myself staring in space for days, trying to pin every picture to memory and inconsolably weeping for my music.
3. Badminton shoes. I am still thinking if I am going to chug my trusted old badminton racket all the way to Pennsylvania...hmmm. Those shoes are still new; my racket is already five years old. He just had his birthday last week.
4. My pinstripe suit by Julius Tarog. It will suit me until I can afford to get a new one. I support Filipino designers...so probably I'll get a new one when I go back. It also served as a guide of my ideal body weight for my height; if I can't get into it, I should start doing cardio again.
5. A sentimental sweater from this years' birthday.
6. My favorite sportshirt from someone special. People will kill me if I spill the beans on this. So, zip.
That's it. The rest of my luggage will be for pasalubong. I stacked enough clothes in NY and PA to keep my ass covered for the next few weeks, until I have money to get discounted jeans from Old Navy. I don't want to bring that much luggage; it's just a pain in the butt to carry two of them to JFK.
I wanted to bring most of my stuff here in my room but it also makes sense to leave it all behind and start anew. Should I bring my favorite Spanish books? My 30+ novels that I needed to leave? Most probably not. I havet thought about it for days and concluded that there are just some things I should bring with me:
1. Notebooks, journals. Yeah, I keep those. Writers do and it is supposed to be a secret. I dream of becoming one. Just like being a full-pledge doctor -- it started with a dream. It feels like it, though. Because for the past three years of underpaid hospital duties and career uncertainty, it was a nightmare.
2. My WD hard drive: my 80GB song collection is just too precious. Not to mention my 105 Broadway albums ripped and stored in it. Well, the pictures since 2004 are among the pieces of gold in that electronic black box. Without it, I'll probably go into clinical depression. I can see myself staring in space for days, trying to pin every picture to memory and inconsolably weeping for my music.
3. Badminton shoes. I am still thinking if I am going to chug my trusted old badminton racket all the way to Pennsylvania...hmmm. Those shoes are still new; my racket is already five years old. He just had his birthday last week.
4. My pinstripe suit by Julius Tarog. It will suit me until I can afford to get a new one. I support Filipino designers...so probably I'll get a new one when I go back. It also served as a guide of my ideal body weight for my height; if I can't get into it, I should start doing cardio again.
5. A sentimental sweater from this years' birthday.
6. My favorite sportshirt from someone special. People will kill me if I spill the beans on this. So, zip.
That's it. The rest of my luggage will be for pasalubong. I stacked enough clothes in NY and PA to keep my ass covered for the next few weeks, until I have money to get discounted jeans from Old Navy. I don't want to bring that much luggage; it's just a pain in the butt to carry two of them to JFK.
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