It's The Most Stressful Time of the Year

We've done nothing in the past several weekends but work on and spruce up the house - painting, unpacking, shopping, re-arranging furniture, have the pipes worked on, installing garbage disposal, changing lightbulbs, wall sockets, etc. The list is endless. I have never been to Home Depot as much as I have in the past month! Adding to the frantic pace was the knowledge that the holiday season was upon us and we were NOT ready. Moving and settling into a home is already stressful, not to mention having to prepare for Christmas and New Year at the same time.

Somehow, in all the craziness, we drove out early morning last Sunday and got ourselves a fresh tree. We took the time from our home improvement schedule to put it up and hang trimmings. Fortunately, we had stashed safely, our discounted Christmas decors from Crate and Barrel, after we raided the store last year during the day-after-Christmas sale. Little did we know that by the time we used them, it would no longer be in our apartment but our own home.

It was a nice time to slow down and start savoring the holiday season that seemed to pass unnoticed, by us. The smell of pine and the carols playing helped us remember what time of the year it is. For every trimming we hung, our hearts brimmed with thanks at the amazing blessings that God granted us this year.

May we never forget to appreciate the Giver of all the kinds of gifts that we have received.

Have a Joyful and Peaceful Christmas, everyone!

The First Time the Bug Bit

Sound of Music - 6th Grade
Originally uploaded by MadMuse.

My school had a grand reunion several days ago. Needless to say, I wasn't able to attend in person as I am too house-poor to do any traveling for the next ten years. I was, however, able to attend via video-conferencing, which was okay - but, of course, nothing like being there.

Anyway, they had a slideshow which showed all our horrendous sixth grade photos, plus a few of the activities that we had that year. This photo has a special place in my heart because this was my first ever theatrical venture and it was done in school. Oh, I've had a couple of ballet recitals under Shirley Halili-Cruz by then but this was when the bug really bit and I knew I belonged onstage.

My road to getting the role was not easy, but that's for another blog. Can you pick me out? :)

Not Just Yet

Today, I officially got blown off the position I was seeking nearly six months after I put my foot forward for consideration. The consolation is, I was one of the "last men standing". It felt good to be even considered for the job, given the short time that I've been with the company. I was encouraged by the senior execs to gain more experience as they believe that I had the potential to eventually grow into the role in the near future. I just wasn't ready now - not just yet. I was told that they are very supportive of me finding another role that would provide me that experience that I need in order to hone and maximize my potential. So yes there is some disappointment, but there is also promise.

From what I've seen of the disappointments in my life, things always have a way of turning out better than I had originally planned or desired. It just takes a bit of patience and faith to watch it all unfold. So I'll give it my best while I wait and see.

In the meantime, Hubby got his year-end review in. He was rated as "Outstanding, without peer". I really didn't know what that meant until he explained it to me. Apparently, it's a rating rarely given out in their company, and it means that he excelled in every aspect of doing his job - above his colleagues. With all the hard work he's been putting in, I'm glad he finally got some well-deserved recognition. Congratulations, Hunni!

:*

You're Gonna Love Me...

Oh my gosh! GRABE! SOBRA!

No one can ever do this song the way Jennifer Holiday did. My goosebumps give her a standing ovation everytime I replay this clip.

Yup, you gotta love her in that performance!

Back to Reality

Lito&Pia
Originally uploaded by MadMuse.

After a nice break in Florida for Thanksgiving and a niece's wedding, we are now back to reality - back to our hectic work schedule and to living in our house, out of the boxes that we have yet to unpack.

At my request, Lito Villareal obliged and flew to Florida to sing "The Prayer" with me for the wedding. We started singing together when we were in our teens. And now, decades later, it's nice to know that we still share, not only the same musical chemistry, but the same ridiculous sense of humor like before. Yes, many things in life change, but some things remain the same. That's very comforting - kind of like a nice, King-sized pillow - kind of like Lito. :)

Maraming Salamat

It's been a wild couple of months - home-buying, business trip, moving, unpacking and trying to settle in our new home while still trying to live and do the day-to-day stuff. It's been quite a ride! We're not even finished unpacking, and we're off in a couple of days to sunny Florida for Thanksgiving and a family wedding. Truthfully, I would rather stay and finish settling into the house just because I hate leaving things in disarray - but family commitments are a priority. Some of them anyway. :) Besides, I've asked an old friend to sing with me in the wedding. It's been at least seven years since Lito Villareal and I sang and were onstage together in Manila. It will be great to sing again with an old friend, especially one whom I think has one of the best singing voices I've ever heard.

Hubby and I have a lot to be thankful for this coming holiday. Year 6 has been packed with blessings - pressed down, shaken together and running over. That goes, as well, for our gratitude to God, close family and friends who have been and are with us all throughout.

Maraming Salamat talaga! :)

Going Offline

Okay, folks. Since Comcast did not come through with their promise to get us connected with cable and internet yesterday, we're not sure when they are going to get around to it. In the meantime, I am going offline and will try to get settled into our new place as soon as possible. Hopefully, it won't be too long until we're back online.

Hope to catch you all then!

Done Deal

It's a done deal! A few days ago, we closed on our house and got our keys. We are now officially slaves of the Bank for the next 30 years. Never did I think that I would be happy to be enslaved. :)

Yesterday, we went to Home Depot to buy a few appliances that the house was still missing. Today, we lined up at 7:30 am for an hour and a half to get into the Crate and Barrel warehouse sale a few towns away. We managed to snag a nice, big dining table for a quarter of the original price. Yeah, it has a few scratches but it's nothing that a table runner can't hide. We picked out a few more things and tore ourselves away. There were a few other pieces that we would have wanted to get but we decided that we had spent enough. It was totally out of our usual spending pattern that the bank actually called us after we got home to verify our purchases!

And now, to pack. I wish we could fast-forward and skip the entire thing. It's the part of this entire process that I would rather do without!

Grammar gone wrong

Lately, I have noticed that my English grammar has suffered quite a bit. I used to be able to spot errors instantaneously, be it verbal or written. Now, it takes a few seconds before it registers in my brain. Sometimes, I don't even notice it at all.

Living in the US these last seven years has made me relax about grammar. People in the Philippines, who speak the language fluently will consider it funny when they hear grammatical errors. There, Filipino comedians doing a script with pidgin' English always elicit raucous laughter.

Here, one butchers the language and nobody gives a hoot. Besides, I don't think anyone can do worse than all those rap songs that hold the airwaves captive these days. So, I have taken to asking Hubby to proofread whatever I write, in case rap songs have made their permanent mark in the area of my brain where my linguistic capabilities lie, and manifest itself in my business correspondences and work projects.

Er...Hunni, can you proofread my blog too?

On Pins & Needles

In a little more than a week from now, should everything go as smoothly as from when it started two weeks ago, we are scheduled to close on the house that we chose. I can't say that it is our dream house but it's a pretty darn good house to start with - a charming colonial on the side of a hill, in a quaint neighborhood, a few miles from the city. The house is in move-in condition although we have a few updates in mind already for some areas in the future.

Someone told me five years ago that if we didn't buy then, we would never be able to afford anything ever. And she was actually voicing a fear that I had, but somehow my faith kicked in and I responded, "If God wants us to have a house, He will give it to us at the location that we want, and at the price we can afford." True enough, we found this house in the place we've dreamed of living at a price that we would consider miraculous for the area. Who says God doesn't grant us our dreams if we allow Him to work on it?

Please pray for a smooth and speedy closing. :)

One To Call Our Own

We have decided to bite the bullet and find a home of our own. After years of waiting, it's finally a buyer's market and we're jumping into the fray. It will be a tedious and tough month, but totally worth it -- or so I'm told.

Here's to a couple of years of eating only Ramen, wearing old and worn-out clothes, and staying at home during long weekends, holidays and vacations.

To our dear family and friends, we're afraid that you won't get your usual gifts this year and next. Oh, and if you still do think of giving us a gift for our birthdays and Christmas, please consider a Home Depot or Lowe's gift card. :)

We covet your prayers!

Foolish Advice

I know of this young, twenty-something girl who's having an affair with a married man. The man, supposedly going through a rough patch in his marriage and is 'temporarily' separated, has sought solace in the arms of this naive, young virgin. Of course, she only knows what he's told her as they see each other in secret - and since they have no mutual friends to verify anything he's said, she's taken his word as gospel.

She considers herself bound to him just because she lost "it" to him. I basically told her that falling for the wrong guy is not that uncommon because it's something from which we can glean great lessons and move on, and that she deserves a man who can commit himself fully only to her. As expected, it was not received too well. Another person egged her on by saying that we all make mistakes and learn from them - but that she's young only once and should to live it up and enjoy.

The affair itself did not shock me. We are all human and do make mistakes in different ways, but that advice did. How can someone give that kind of counsel? Live it up and enjoy? Enjoy...for how long? What and how much will one do for momentary enjoyment? Broken families, wrecked homes, unplanned pregnancy, hurt children growing up with philandering parents who continue the cycle and do it to their own spouse and children, etc.? Is all that worth someone's temporary pleasure?

It sometimes takes one foolish choice to trigger events and set our lives to a certain path, as well as affect others' irrevocably.

No matter how crazy our lives and choices become, deep down in our guts, we know what's right. I have no problems with foolish acts. After all, we all have our share of them. I do, however, have a problem with foolish advice.

Out of the Mouth of Babes

Dannyboy

While I was talking to my sister-in-law on the phone a few hours ago, Danny, her 3-year-old son (our godson) went to the bathroom by himself to pee. After she hung up with me, she went to the bathroom to check on him.

"Did you do peepee in the toilet?" she asked.

"Yes, Mommy!" He answered.

My sister-in-law responds, "Bravoooooooo, Danny! You are such a good boy!"

He then proudly adds, "Mommy, I did peepee in the toilet, and poopoo on the floor, then I took it from the floor, I put in the toilet and I flushed -- ALL BY MYSELF!"

ROFL!

"This house is clean."

No, we didn't hire an exorcist to get rid of a poltergeist. We hired someone to scrub our place clean, down to the hard-to-reach corners.

Hubby and I have been working late a lot recently, so we haven't had the energy to pick up the broom and scrubbing pad to clean thoroughly during the weekends. But even on a good day with our best efforts, our work cannot compare to that of a professional. To an allergy-sufferer like me, not having to deal with dusting gives me some assurance that I'm going to be holding off those histamine-ridden episodes for a bit.

It is an awesome feeling to see our hardwood floors, fixtures and appliances gleam like new. Others treat themselves to a day in the spa. This is my spa day, seeing my place sparkle without having to be the one to do it.

Where Were You?

I was quietly sitting at my desk trying to start the day when I heard the news. I was working for a design firm west of Boston, and our office was already bustling with activity.

"A second plane had crashed into the World Trade Center," someone exclaimed. That was the point when we knew for sure that the first one was no accident. One or two people had casually mentioned the first plane that plowed into the World Trade Center but everyone thought it was a freak accident and continued working. A big television appeared out of nowhere and was placed in the middle of the office. Everyone left their cubicles and fixed their eyes on the biggest tragedy to unfold on American soil in a long time. After watching replay upon replay of the Twin Towers crumbling, everyone walked back like zombies to their cubicle - but no one could work. Everyone just surfed the internet - hungry for more news.

My phone rang. I answered to the anxious voice of my Mom, calling my office for the very first time. She had heard that the two of the planes used by the terrorists had come from Boston, so she was making sure that I was safely in my office and not traveling somewhere. Her relief was palpable as I assured her that I was okay. She hung up comforted, but still shocked at the enormity of what was happening in the world that day.

That was where I was on this day, five years ago.

Have a good laugh!

I saw this at my friend, Chari's blog. My vanity could not resist it so I decided to try it out. According to the site's face recognition software, these are the celebrities I resemble. Riiiiiight....


I hope they don't use this in crime prevention. They're way off! If I really resembled these people, I would be making the big bucks, too.

Indecent Proposal

The little boy and I waited at the security office of this mall. I didn't want to leave him alone with a couple of security guards, not with the horror stories I have heard of grown men abusing little boys and girls. I tried to comfort him as he whimpered, assuring him that his parents were on their way.

I had found him while shopping at the mall. He was probably about three years old, wandering around by himself, crying. I sat on my haunches to meet his gaze and asked him if he was looking for Mommy and Daddy. He nodded while crying loudly. I gave him my hand and told him that I was going to help him find Mommy and Daddy. So he willingly took it and continued crying as I led him to the security office of the mall.

Finally, the parents arrived. Both Mom and Dad were ecstatic to find their boy and thanked me profusely. I said I was glad to be of help, exchanged business cards and said goodbye.

I didn't give it a second thought until my pager started beeping later that evening. The message was from the father thanking me again for finding his boy earlier, and reminding me that if there was anything they could do for me, to not hesitate to ask.

I get another message even later in the night. This time, the message said that he couldn't stop thinking of me, asking if he could please see me again and to please call him. Here was this man, whose child I found, and wife I had met along with him, asking me to basically start an affair. I ignored the message and the others that followed the next several days after that.

This happened years ago when I was still living in Manila. It came to mind because I had been having a discussion with an old friend about indecent proposals. A young woman had struck up a conversation with him while he was having dinner alone at a restaurant. When he told her he was married, she flippantly said that she didn't care. She did not think twice about flirting with a married man many years older than she was, because she fancied him. My friend, whose wife had an affair not long ago and has been practically ignoring him since, was understandably flattered. He felt the affirmation and appreciation that his wife hasn't given him in a long time. Despite this, he did not pursue it, although it did make him pause and think.

His vulnerability made me think of my own vulnerability when it happened to me years ago. I was going through a very surreal and rough end to my first marriage. The only difference was I was lucky that that flagrant and indecent proposal I got was from a man that was not my type at all. His came from a young, attractive woman at the peak of his marital problems.

From what I have experienced, heard and read, there seems to be a lot more 'indecent proposals' going around these days. I don't think anyone will be completely shielded from temptation, especially since there are people who are only too willing to do the tempting.

However, that doesn't mean we can't fortify our relationships against it. Have you hugged and told your spouse "I love you" today? That's probably the first step.

C A N

"I can't."

I don't think I can ever say this lightly again after seeing this video.




Rick and Dick Hoyt have shown all of us that our physical limitations and setbacks do not have to hold us back. It can, in fact, lead us into things that are much greater than what this superficial world values.

Trying to patiently wait

I think the toughest thing about pursuing something is not the steps that you have to go through in trying to attain it, it is that period of waiting for the result. I am in that very character-forming time right now. :)

I have told myself and countless others during times like these in the past, that God is not so much concerned with the results, as much as He is concerned with how we deal with our process. So day by day, I just try to live and do everything with as much integrity as I can muster and know that whatever happens, it will always work out for the best for me.

Now, the best does not necessarily mean that I get whatever I'm going after. In the past, I have come very close and have had doors close on me at the last possible moment. And for a long time after that, I would be disappointed, questioning why it did not go the way I wanted. That is, until something even better happens which would not have, had I gotten what I originally wanted.

If I don't get this particular pursuit, I know I will be disappointed. But I know that disappointment won't be for very long, because now I am also learning to watch in patient anticipation as to how God will turn things out for even better than what I originally wanted. I have seen Him do it before. I know He will do it again. It's going to be fascinating to watch.

In the meantime, I wait.

Birthweek

It's been a while now since I started celebrating my birth week instead of my birthday. It's because it's just hard to cram all the great things I want to do in one whole day, especially if my birthday lands on a weekday.

Greetings and Lunches
It has been an awesome week, really - more than I had hoped for or expected. Hubby surprised me with a beautiful and humungous arrangement of roses at work that everyone raved about and won him the admiration of my co-workers. He also prepared a wine and lobster dinner for me at home. All throughout that day and the whole week, I received warm greetings from everyone I loved via hugs, kisses, phone calls, emails and cards and got taken out to more birthday lunches than my weight really needed.

Dixied Chick
That Saturday, we were able to get suite tickets to the Dixie Chicks concert at the TD Banknorth Garden. The whole place was packed but we had a suite practically to ourselves. It had its own private bathroom, a living area, a bar and a buffet table. A glass sliding door opened to a small balcony with two rows of seats to view the show. We ordered some food and drinks and our friend, who worked as a restaurant manager in the facility, brought us a bottle of Pinot Grigio. When our original invitees could not make it, we invited a couple of elderly ladies, who were avid Dixie Chicks fans and had nosebleed tickets, to join us in the suite. Their gratitude and enthusiasm really made our night! It was a great show. I have always liked the Dixie Chicks because I love trio harmonies, but this show has made a ‘dixied chick’ out of me. Watching them live was really exhilarating!

Cake Fight
On Sunday, we had a co-celebration barbecue with my SIL whose birthday was a few days after mine. I got to do what I had been itching to do all week – and that is smother and mash the birthday cake on the faces Hubby’s four nephews and nieces right after they sang the birthday song. I had to run after them a little bit, but got them really good. In several minutes, the four of them were laughing through their frosting-covered faces. Of course, they exacted their revenge rather quickly and I found myself with cake on my face and whatever part of my body they could reach.

Let’s Go Red Sox!
On the last day of my week-long celebration, I headed towards Yawkey Way to the historic Fenway Park and watched my first live Major League Baseball game, along with Hubby, BIL and his son. It was a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Cleveland Indians. We had awesome box seats that were as close as we could get to the home plate without being in the field. Needless to say, our seats offered us the best view of the game. It was great to finally experience something that I had only seen on TV and in the movies before – American baseball tradition, complete with the vendors and their overpriced Fenway franks and drinks, the die-hard Red Sox fans cheering and booing, the baseball players spitting, grabbing their crotch and playing great baseball. To top off the experience, the home team won!

It was truly a fun-packed birthday week. We couldn’t have planned it better than how God made it all unfold. I have Him to thank, along with Hubby and my loved ones, for making it extra special.

Showing Gratitude

Whether we admit it or not, the people that we most take for granted are usually the ones who have given to us freely and without measure.

It has weighed on my mind lately because I keep seeing individuals who are in need of help not even ask nicely, but instead expect it - and if they don't receive it, actually demand it. People have extended their hands to them all their lives that they now think of it as a right, and no longer a privilege. They feel a false sense of entitlement, simply because people who love them have met their needs without them having to ask. They even forget to show appreciation after they get what they want.

Consequently, no matter how much they are loved, that kind of behavior never fails to cause that well of love and generosity to start to go dry. There's no faster "drying agent" than ingratitude.

We are all guilty of ingratitude. From the people who try to live solely on welfare or government assistance, to the help given by our extended and immediate family, and finally to the guidance, provision and love of God.

Sadly, for most of us, the only time the cold reality of our callousness and ingratitude will only dawn on us, is when we lose that supply of love and generosity that we have so depended on but sorely taken for granted. That is the only time we realize how much our loved ones and others have enriched our lives.

So before that happens, we should practice some humility and show our appreciation. Try to remember the very basic lesson that hopefully all our parents have taught us. Say "please" when we need or want something that we cannot do for ourselves, and "thank you" when it is given or offered to us. Two simple but powerful phrases. Be reminded that people owe us nothing. Whatever they do for us, they do out of kindness and sometimes just unconditional love. Let us try not to abuse it, but to respect and reciprocate it.

Pissing Matches

I've come across a few people who love to have pissing matches. A fierce need (a.k.a. insecurity) to display their supposed mental prowess probably drives them to always show off their acquired knowledge. They will argue points that you're not arguing with them about, and they will play devil's advocate to any issue discussed disregarding whatever personal experience you have had about the subject matter. They want to convince you that your experience was somehow faulty, or just plain imagined - because really now, they know better.

I get tired listening to such people. That's why when I hear them starting again, I shift my attention to something or someone else and leave them to the other conversation participants (a.k.a victims). I consider them conversation perverts - those who like people to watch or listen to them while they do mental and verbal masturbation as the pleasure in the discourse is theirs alone.

Pissing matches really solve nothing because in the end - no matter who pisses higher, all you have is a whole lot of piss.

Can you tell that I am royally pissed? :)

Waxing Nostalgic

I was in the kitchen cooking when I heard this very familiar song blaring from Hubby's hobby room. Memories came unbidden and brought me back to the younger, crazier, carefree days of my life. He apparently stumbled upon it online while researching on Tagalog. It just so happened that it was a cut from one of Gary Valenciano's concerts of years ago when I toured with him as back up and guest singer. I started singing, dancing - basically going wild. Hubby was quite entertained, but still a bit puzzled. In between verses of singing, I managed to spit out that I was part of that live recording of the concert, that at some points, one of the voices that he was hearing was mine.

Before he could express more of his surprise, I went to look for the CDs of the concert. Now, here I am in my room with that concert blasting along with the recorded screaming of the Araneta Coliseum audience in my ear, recapturing the goosebumps that would envelop us onstage before when 30,000 people started screaming, dancing and stomping their feet during a concert.

It seems like another person's life when I look back. Now I'm here, in a totally different world, working in banking and finance, devoid of anything that colored my life back then. It's during times like this when I get quite homesick and miss everything I had going on back then in Manila.

I'm not ungrateful for what I have right now, not at all. God has given me a chance to explore other worlds and allowed me to flourish in it. Here, I have had the chance to discover and hone talents other than those in the arts. I have found another kind of satisfaction in what I do now, albeit different.

So here I sit, hoping that somewhere in this nostalgic moment, I find some inspiration to write two promised articles. But the way my mind gone off into memory lane, I don't think I'll have much progress tonight.

Boy, Girl, Bakla, Tomboy

Check out Pride & Prejudice, PINOYexpats’ latest edition tackling homosexuality. Tin did an excellent job in leading this issue. Meet our Pinoy brothers and sisters who share their deepest feelings about their orientation and lifestyle. Don’t miss this very poignant issue.

Le Tour Cliché - Conclusion

Chugging through the Rhine Riverbanks

As we were sitting on our last day of train travel in Europe, I was disappointed to learn that the train we were taking back to Cologne en route to Belgium was not the express one. However, the disappointment slowly dissipated as we chugged through small, sleepy towns along the Rhine River. On the opposite bank, we saw different quaint little hamlets with their respective church steeples, and the occasional old castle overlooking it. At one point, a train was going through one on the other side, in the opposite direction we were going. It brought to mind those little play towns sold during Christmas as holiday scenes that come with lights, which are set up as part of the Christmas décor. As I took in the very scenic ride, I couldn’t help but look back at the last two weeks that we had just spent. Traveling may have cost us a fair bundle, but one just can’t put a price on that kind of time spent with a loved one. I know I almost sound like a MasterCard commercial, but there’s really nothing like shared experiences to further build friendships and relationships.

Wanderlust

Our last day was supposed to have been spent resting and recouping from the hectic trip. Our wanderlust though, wouldn’t let us sit still. We found ourselves walking to the station to buy a ticket to the Belgian coast of Ostend. There, we had a relaxing time by the seaside, walking, people-watching, eating and drinking in the sights. We treated ourselves to a mouth-watering lunch by the shore, capped with Kassis and of course, to a last serving of authentic Belgian waffles for dessert. I expected a normal size waffle but I was served one the size of a huge plate. When I expressed surprise at the size, the woman happily chimed, “Big waffle for a big woman!” LOL! She meant well I think, but it made me think even more that my pant-ripping episode was indeed due to the increasing size of my derrière. Then and there, I resolved to go on a diet the minute I set foot in the US. What a highlight that was of my last touring day in Europe!

Au revoir

The next day, we bid Europe goodbye as our Belgian host, Marina dropped us off at the airport. I was relieved that we made it through 15 days of traveling without any incidents. As it happened, not long after we arrived at the airport, Hubby looked at me with his baby browns and nervously whispered, “Er…Hunni, I don’t have my wallet.” Our minds were awhirl with all the phone calls we needed to make and things we needed to do if the wallet was lost or stolen. We simmered for an hour before a call to Marina was made as she was only getting home and could only confirm then that Hubby indeed left his wallet under the bed. It didn’t end there. Our flight to London was delayed so when we arrived in Heathrow, we literally ran from one gate to another to make our connection to Boston. There went my plans to go shopping at Heathrow’s Duty Free shop! And despite reassurances from the ground stewardess that our luggage made the plane as we did, it arrived two nights later after we did.

A less than ideal ending to an almost perfect vacation, but we really couldn't complain. Better that those things happened then than at any other time during our trip. Besides, these little incidents seem to just add character to any event in life when one's looking back. This vacation has given us more beautiful and funny memories to tuck away in our hearts.

Le Tour Cliché - Part 5

PINOYexpats Meet

Early the next day, J dropped us off at the downtown Starbucks for breakfast. I could hardly contain my anticipation in meeting Ruth and Raquel. Meeting two of the brilliant thirteen (naks, syempre kasali kami ni Melissa doon! Hehe!) that make up PINOYexpats was something I was really looking forward to. It was like seeing old friends. These are the people that I probably have emailed to the most in the last couple of years because of all the brainstorming email sessions that we have before each issue. So there we were eating all the fatty Starbucks pastries and chatting on, sometimes reverting to Tagalog, as Hubby patiently listened and looked on. The conversation did not disappoint, and I didn’t really expect it to. After all, how can people who are such fun to read be bad conversationalists? :) Too bad, the other nine members couldn't join us!

Ruth, moi, Melissa and Raquel

After our cups of Joe and sweets my body could have done without, Raquel and Ruth had to run off to their respective commitments. After making reservations for the Thalys for our departure the next day, Melissa took us on a walking day tour of downtown Frankfurt. We stopped for a taste of the local frankfurter and some beer in the square called Römerberg, where Ruth met up with us again after class. It’s a beautiful, historic square that was leveled during bomb raids in 1944, but was reconstructed after the war.

As we tried to figure out the best way to go around the city, Ruth had the great idea of taking the Ebbelwei Express (Apple Wine Express) for a tour. They are these festive and colorful trolleys that serve the city’s famous Apple Wine or cider, the city’s drink of preference and some pretzels while they take you to all the sights in Frankfurt. It was a really fun way of seeing the city without wearing out your feet. We couldn’t have had a more enthusiastic tour guide who, in my book, is the German with the most winning and endearing smile. We asked him to take our photo and he actually asked the driver to stop so that his hands wouldn’t shake. The driver happily obliged. :) In preparation for the World Cup which was to open the next day, there were humongous television screens scattered all over the place, even in the middle of the river. There was just no way anyone in this city could miss the game unless they lived under a rock.

Our feet put on some more mileage after getting off the Ebbelwei Express going around the shopping districts and the Alter Oper, Frankfurt’s beautiful old opera house. I wasn’t surprised when our feet (or was it our stomachs?) led us to the local Häagen-Dazs to cool off kuno with different delectable ice cream concoctions. Our day of sight seeing might have ended there but our day of eating didn’t.

In the evening, Melissa and J took us to the apple wine tavern, Adolf Wagner for a truly German dining experience. Pinoys that we are, Melissa and I ordered their version of the crispy pata to share, the Haxe. When she ordered one for us to share, I gave her this look that clearly said I wanted my own piece. She laughed and assured me it was big enough. I’m glad we shared because I was waddling like my pregnant friend when we left the place. All my misgivings about eating after the *pant-ripping episode I had the previous day, which I conveniently forgot to mention in the previous entry, were tossed aside. Ang sarap sobra! It was a great way to cap our very memorable German experience.

Early the next morning, we tearfully said our goodbyes and told Melissa and J that it shouldn’t be another eight years before we saw each other again, and that it was our turn to host them in Boston. O ano, Melissa, kelan?

*After our day in Heidelberg, I carried JP up the stairs into the flat. As I bent to set him down, we all heard a loud rrrrrrrrIIIIppp! Of course, everyone started laughing as I felt a cool breeze envelop my rump area. My lime green undies showed under the 5-inch rip of one of my favorite casual pants. It's a good thing that it happened when we got home. Obviously, all the romping, tumbling and falling I did in Heidelberg stressed my worn out non-stretch pants. The non-stop eating didn't help either. Or maybe it's the other way around. Whatever it was, my butt was obviously more than my pants could handle at that moment. Melissa and J now have a souvenir of our stay with them.

Le Tour Cliché - Part 4

A Friend in Frankfurt

I squatted down near the phone at the Frankfurt Main train station rummaging through my carry-on to look for her number. I glance up momentarily and right into my sightline waddled this extremely familiar woman with her husband and child in tow.

A very loud “HOY!” escaped from my lips before I could stop it. The only thing that prevented me from running to her were my bags. Melissa and J had not changed one bit. Maganda at guapo pa rin! They were as I remembered them years back, except for the fact that she had a round belly and that they had their little retazo, JP who I was setting eyes on for the first time. He proved to be even cuter than the photos I had seen.

J prepared a delicious welcome dinner for us, as he contributed here and there to the endless chatter and laughter as Melissa and I caught up. Hubby who was busy getting to know JP as they played with his castle and knights, tuned in and out depending on what he understood as Melissa and I switched back and forth from English to Tagalog.

After the sumptuous dinner, we headed off to the World Cup Sky Arena, a light and sound show in downtown Frankfurt that started at 11:00 pm. It was quite an experience as they closed off some roads and shut off all the lights and illuminated all the skyscrapers by projecting on them a 25-minute retrospective of the FIFA World Cup. We were among thousands from all over the world that watched and sometimes cheered as the faces of their favorite players appeared on one skyscraper or another. All in all, it would have been an even greater experience had there been some more audience participation. I could not believe that, with the amount of people there from different countries, there was no wild cheering, jeering, binge drinking or dancing. Amazingly, everyone was just a little too well behaved and polite for an event like that. I almost expected to hear an echo when I let out a little whoop when they showed Pelé, at one point. Just the same, we enjoyed the experience. I guess as fanatic as soccer fans are, they only really let loose during an actual game.

Heidelberg Hike

The next day, J and Melissa took the time off to drive us to the old town of Heidelberg, a charming city that sits along the Neckar River. We decided to sample the local cuisine before walking around. After a nice and hearty meal of sausages and schnitzel, we, along with Melissa, almost 7 months pregnant, gamely hiked the 300 or so steps up to the Heidelberg Castle. The Castle is definitely worth the climb, not to mention the spectacular view it offers of the city. We ended our little tour with a stop at a tearoom where Melissa and I gorged on four different pastries “to refuel.” :)

As Pinoys are wont to be, we discussed dinner as we were stuffing our faces with cakes! We decided we were going to go Pinoy for dinner. So the rest of the early evening was spent getting the ingredients from the Asian store. At dinnertime, two meals were prepared. J and M had chicken teriyaki and Melissa, Rhoda (Melissa’s sister) and I had Sinigang. JP had a sampling of both, a true mix of his Asian mother and his European father.

Ipagpapatuloy...

Le Tour Cliché - Part 3

08 juin 06 - Trip Day 13
(In the ICE back to Cologne, en route to Ghent)

Ghent Bike Tour

Our Ghent host, Marina managed to get some bikes for us so we can do a bike tour of Ghent. I consider myself pretty adept at biking but it’s been many years since I spent a considerable amount of time on a bike, so I had misgivings, especially about biking in city traffic. However, Ghent, as with a huge part of Europe, has bike lanes all over and very strict rules about giving bikers the right of way. So off we went on an early evening tour Ghent seeing the bustling streets that lined the river Leie, beautiful medieval structures like the Belfry Tower, St. Baafs Cathedral, St. Nicholas Church, as well as the Gravensteen Castle which has a dungeon that houses medieval torture instruments. We made the most of the “evening” sunlight from 7 to 10 pm. Biking around this historic Flemish town can’t help but leave one impressed with its rich history. The best part of it is it remains undiscovered to your everyday tourist. The whole time I was pedaling, I was thanking God that it was not a hilly place so I managed to really enjoy the sights without catching my breath. We stopped for a slice of Black Forest cake in the town square before heading back home and resting for the night to recharge for Bruges the next day.

Beautiful Bruges

I got so much flak for missing Bruges during my last visit to Europe that this time, we made sure we included it in our itinerary. The “Venice of the North” is as beautiful and picturesque as we were told although boats are only used for tours and not as a means of transportation. Beguinage (Begijnhof) is an impressive little community that houses Benedictine nuns in the present day. It used to be the home of Beguines who committed to a life of obedience and chastity. They were not a part of any religious order, and there are only 20 remaining Beguines left today. Our Lady’s Church housed the famous Madonna and Child sculpture of Michael Angelo Buonoarotti. It is one of the very few Italian masterpieces that are outside Italy.

Bruges’ little houses, colorful marketplace, stunning town square, the centuries old churches, like the Chapel of the Holy Blood and St. Salvator’s Cathedral are truly enchanting. Its medieval charm is something not easily forgotten. All the fairy tales you have read with kings, princesses and paupers “in a land far, far away” will find a home in your mind once you see it.


Cologne

On the urging of many friends, we decided to skip our intended stop in Luxembourg and opted to visit Cologne instead. It was easier access by train and supposedly had this “dome” that was supposedly very impressive. Ignorant as I was about Cologne, I expected to see a big impressive dome. Upon arriving, we were greeted right away by this monstrosity of a gothic cathedral that was referred to by the locals as the Döm. Oh, and there was no dome. Heheh! I call it monstrous not because it is ugly, but because the way it towered over the Hauptbanhof. Impressive indeed. You would think that everyone had a neck problem as they craned to look up the moment the windows allowed them a view.

After managing to tear ourselves away from the jaw-dropping Döm, we walked around in search of lunch and wanted to sample dishes that we never had before. We settled on a restaurant called Restaurant Slavia that served Croatian food. We figured we would leave it to Melissa and J to educate us on genuine German cuisine. All I can say is, Marina, my dear Croatian friend, I am soooo in Zagreb soon! And that red sauce, oh my gosh! Does that come in bottles? Hint, hint! :)

As with any waterfront, the Alstadt of Cologne was bustling with activity. There was a flea market by the river which sold old records, books, and even a vintage car. Musicians were all over and families were playing in the green spaces you see everywhere. It was a pretty idyllic scene. It was really hard to leave and make our way to Frankfurt, but the thought of seeing Melissa in all her pregnant glory didn’t make it too much of a problem. :)

Abangan ang susunod na kabanata...

So sorry...

I know, I know. This needs updating! It's just been so crazy since we we've been back.

-Our baggages didn't come home with us so we were tracking it and following up with the airline and courier;

-settling in at home, and stocking up;

-unpacking and laundry when our luggage finally came;

-major changes at work, albeit good, it involves me having to change work location the second time in four months! (same building naman);

- and dealing with jetlag.

I used to be quite immune to jetlag. But as I have "advanced" in years, I find myself having to deal with it a lot. :)

We're also choosing which of Hubby's 4,700+ photos are worth keeping, deleting and sharing to people. As you can imagine, that takes some time.

Le Tour Cliché will be back very soon. Pramis!

Le Tour Cliché - Part 2

03 juin 06 - Trip Day 8
(In the TGV to Antwerp)

Mga Kaibigan

All sorts of reunions took place in the Netherlands. In The Hague, I saw friends that I hadn’t seen since my last visit in the fall of 1996. Some of the Miss Saigon cast in the Netherlands have stayed and made the Netherlands their permanent home. One of them graciously hosted us during our visit, Shweng Lancion. We started off our first day in The Hague walking around the Royal Palace, the Binnenhof of the Parliament and the town square taking our usual photo ops. By midday, we had to make our way to Nordwijk to meet Shweng for lunch and have a tour of the European Space Agency where she works. We saw rooms where they manufactured parts for the Hubble Space Telescope, and what looked to me like a huge camera, apparently for deep space viewing. One of the rooms was for the Design Verification of Spacecraft Acceptance Testing of Flight Hardware. We saw men in shower caps and gowns, obviously engineers working on some space hardware few have ever personally set eyes on. Pretty kewl stuff!

We made our way back to The Hague by early evening to meet friends for dinner at the Dim Sum Palace. Three friends, Patty Manahan-Santiago, Raymond Pacis and Risa Gregorio have sprouted extremely cute Mini-Mes Lucien, Kianna and Zoe respectively, and brought them along. Raymond was accompanied by his lovely wife, Cystine who apparently is a contravida in one of the local Dutch soaps. No one really changed much after ten years. I don’t know if it’s the Dutch climate or just great youthful Asian genes. Ours was the noisiest table as we reminisced about the past and also filled each other in on how life has been to us in the last decade and as with any Filipino gathering, there were lots of raucous laughter and great food. It ended all too soon as it was getting late and the kids were getting tired. Lucien was saying, “Let’s go home na…” with the typical Pinoy kolehiyala accent inherited from his Mom. Too cute!

05 juin 06 - Trip Day 10
(In the TGV to Cologne)

Svenska Tjena

After the Hague, Hubby and I made our way to Amsterdam by late morning one day. We intended to leave earlier to make the most of our day but our days of walking around were catching up with us. We found ourselves getting up later and later. And since this is supposedly a vacation, we decided we would cut ourselves a break and let our bodies rest for as long it wanted.

After a tour through the canals of Amsterdam, we disembarked at Anne Frank’s House. It was the one thing we really didn’t want to miss in this city. Unlike all the other great museums that we have seen, there are no beautiful works of art in this one. Yet, there is none more moving and thought-provoking than this little three-storey house beside a canal. It was a sad and poignant hour as we walked through the secret annex that hid Anne Frank’s family and some friends during most of the Nazi persecution. It was quite a testament as to how cruel intolerance can be at its worst form.

The next order of the day was to meet our two Svenska Tjenas, Helen and Helena who at that time were just flying in from Sweden to get together after six years. We met them for lunch at Dam Square and stuffed our faces with pancake pizzas while getting updated on each others’ lives. We continued on as we walked around checking out Amsterdam’s famous red light district where you find prostitutes on window displays similar to retail storefronts. Like retail, there was variety as you can find women of all races. Save for one, all of them were super-sized. That one exception was the one who actually had a client come-a-knocking as we walked past her “office.” I remembered it being a little bit busier than it was but I was told that the “fun” really started toward early evening. Our next stop was the Rijksmuseum where they housed works by Rembrandt and other well-respected Dutch painters. That day was when they premiered a short light and sound show called Night Watch which highlighted one of his paintings and the whole story behind it.

We ended our time together with our Swedish sisters by having drinks at the Guinness Restaurant near the American Hotel. It was a short reunion, but sweet and fun nevertheless.

to be continued...

Le Tour Cliché

28 mai 2006 - Trip Day 2
(Ghent, Belgium)

The Heart of Europe

Our first couple of days in Europe were spent in the heart of it. Belgium is referred to as the Heart of Europe. It may be small but like the heart, it serves as the center of the European Union. We explored the historical streets of and Ghent looked over the archeological diggings where they found three medieval tombs in the process of excavating for a parking lot. The rains made it just a wee bit colder than I had packed for, so we made our way to their smaller version of Fifth Avenue, Veldstraat and bought myself a little cardigan to tide me over for this trip. The afternoon showers prevented us from exploring any further so we opted to stay indoors for the rest of the night for some dinner and drinks.

The next day was spent in and around Grand Place getting to know its history in the Hôtel de Ville, seeing the Manneken Pis and his hundreds of costumes. We had lunch at the famous Rue de Bouchers where we had some mussels, escargot and rabbit among other things. Of course, it would not be complete if we didn’t have the very well-known Belgian waffles to top off our day before we made our way back to Ghent.


31 mai 2006 - Day Trip 5
(In the TGV to the Hague)

Blog du Jour

Our days in Paris went by quickly. The weather forecast was not promising, but the showers were intermittent, short-lived and mostly happened when we were indoors. :) The sun, which the weather forecast said would not make an appearance, managed to show itself for a good part of the time – more than we expected anyway.

As expected, Paris did not disappoint. It is truly a sight to behold no matter the weather. In the short time we had, we managed to cover most of the Musée du Louvre, the Impressionists’ section of La Musée d’Orsay, La Notre Dame, Le Sacré Coeur, L’Arc de Triomphe and La Tour Eiffel. We also took the Bateaux Parisiens to wrap up our cliché little tour. We figured we would hit the sights and return later on for a more meaty stay.

One thing to which we had to adjust here in Europe is smelling like an ashtray after leaving a restaurant. There’s just no escaping the “fragrance” of tobacco in any place. The smoking ban in public places that has swept the US has spoiled us. I guess having L’Air du Tabac mixed with your perfume or cologne du jour is acceptable, so smelling fresh is something we simply gave up on.

Hubby and I decided that given the chance, we would live in Paris for a year or two. Its accessibility to other European countries is one appeal, as well as the way things are run. The US can learn much from the French when it comes to city planning – mixed-use development, transport system, etc. In turn, the French can maybe learn a thing or two about customer service. We had our share of snooty waiters who simply did not attend to us after seating. A couple of times, we left after fifteen minutes of twiddling our thumbs and watching others who came after us get service. Ça m’est égal – we just gave our supposedly generous “American” tip to the waiter in the next restaurant. One happened in Champs Élyseés, and the other near the Eiffel Tower, close to where we were staying so I’m not sure if location had anything to do with it. I find it curious that the ordinary citizens walking by are more helpful than those who are in service-oriented stores or businesses, who give you almost nothing but the basic assistance. However, our impression of French hospitality is not based on these few incidents. Many other occasions in both my first and second visits were très positif and that makes Paris still rank high in my list of favorite cities to visit.

While waiting to leave for the Netherlands at Gare du Nord in Paris, we noticed a lot of security personnel running around, as well as a camera crew clearing the center of the arrival area. When I inquired with one of the crew, he said they were filming a movie although it seemed to us that they were waiting for someone important to arrive because the cameras were pointed toward the platforms and security people were milling about that area. Just as the hum of activities seemed to be getting at a fever pitch, we were called to board the Thalys bound for The Hague. Too bad, I was really curious as to what was about to unfold. Oh well, maybe next time.

more to come...

After Ten Years

Ah...after ten years, I am back on European soil. For years, I have been dreaming of flying back here. On Saturday, that long awaited dream came true. Hubby and I landed in Brussels and we've spent the last two days trotting around Ghent and Brussels. Tomorrow, we're off on an early train to Paris. The weather does not look promising but Paris is enchanting, no matter what season it is.

Hubby and I still need to deal with jetlag to synch our bodies with the local time so we're off to bed now to catch some ZZZs.

Bonne nuit!

And A Child Shall Lead Them

Seldom do we see the act of forgiveness reaping some very tangible results. To me, it is further proof that we shouldn't doubt that forgiveness has a lot of intangible payoffs, sometimes unseen or unfelt, but undeniably real nevertheless. It sends ripples on the surface that turn into waves as it passes from one human being to another. Waves that cause defenses to soften, walls to crumble, takes out the thorns of resentment, inspires kindness, love and a desire to change for the better.

At six years, Kai Leigh Harriott has mastered what I still grapple with.

Deeper Than Skin

The idea of beauty that is always presented by the media is the big-eyed, narrow-nosed, high-cheek boned, light-haired, fair-skinned, long-legged models that you see endorsing every product, from candy to cars. Anyone that came close to that so-called ideal is considered a "looker". It bugs me the way it has shaped and formed young people's minds (and those who just haven't grown up) on what the definition of beauty is.

What's beautiful?

There are those who obviously grew up with such colonial mentality that they opt for drastic changes and go under the knife to "anglo-fy" their ethnic Pinoy nose, or constantly wear colored contact lenses to hide what they think are their ordinary black eyes or dye their hair with a color so drastically different than their original hue that the whole look just doesn't add up. And then there are those who choose to enhance and showcase their best features by sensibly using make-up, clothes and accessories that fit their coloring and body shape to achieve a nice and original look.

I think you can easily tell what people's idea of beauty is in the way we doll ourselves up. The degree in which we undertake to enhance or change the way we look denotes how we see ourselves and how comfortable we are in the body we're born with.

All I know is there are those empty shells who are stunning when you first meet them, but all you hear is one monotonous hum when you get to know them. Their attractiveness seems to wilt and fade under the glare of scrutiny. Then there are those who look okay, but then bloom before your very eyes the longer you spend time with them (Note to the boys - the type that has nothing to do with how much alcohol one has consumed, okay!? Hehe...). Looking good can only bring us so far. Beyond that, there's just gotta be something else.

As it has always been said - beauty is only skin-deep. Sure, there's nothing wrong with making ourselves as pretty as we possibly can, but let's not stop there. Let's invest in our minds and spirits, as well, as they last longer than our finite bodies. True beauty is way deeper than skin. It emanates from within and transcends our physical limitations or attributes.

--oOo--

PINOYexpats' latest issue is now online. Homeward Bound tackles the joys of going back and re-experiencing our beloved Pinas.

Mother Said "Oops!"

I was an accident, the unplanned pregnancy after five kids (his, hers & theirs) - the "Oops!" My Mother said she and my Dad didn't plan on having any more kids after my fifth brother. I don't blame them. If I were in her shoes, I probably would have had my tubes tied by then. If I were conceived by a couple more modern in their thinking, I probably would have ended up in the bin of some abortion clinic somewhere.

Nevertheless, God thought that I should happen and I did. I try to imagine what life would have been had I not been around. Obviously, my parents wouldn't have had a dependable daughter, my brothers - an irrepressible sister, my nephews and nieces - a doting aunt! :) I wonder who would have been in my place doing all the things that I did in my work as a student, an artist, an employee, and finally, as a wife to my Hubby. He claims that he was bent on avoiding the altar until he met me. I have no doubt that he probably would have found someone eventually as I believe no one is indispensable. However, I do think that each one of us is irreplaceable, because we are unique and we leave our inimitable imprint on people and things.

If my Mother had decided to terminate me at pregnancy, life would have gone on for everyone else, but I do think it would have been different - maybe better, maybe worse, but definitely different.

Thanks for allowing me to make that difference, Mom. For that, I promise to strive to only make things better for everyone I come across. Happy Mother's Day!

How Kaavya Viswanathan got happy plagiarizing, got a hefty book deal and got caught

It must have seemed like a simple formula to her. Why not make my own coming-of-age story? With some talent and an aspiration to get published, she probably sat down on her desk, put every book she loved in front of her, lifted the things she thought was great out of all of them, put them into her own little literary cauldron and voila... at seventeen, she had a half-million dollar book deal and was on her way to becoming a best-selling author. In all the back-patting, glory and fortune that followed after, I wonder if it ever crossed her mind that she would get caught one day.

When the story first broke about the similarity of her book, "How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life" to two of Megan McCafferty's, she appeared in the Today show to earnestly apologize for the similarities, claiming that she loved McCafferty's books so much that she had internalized and plagiarized them unintentionally. They have now found a third chic lit book that bears a striking resemblance to hers. So no matter how much she blinks her eyes innocently, which way she cuts and stretches her story, it just does not ring true anymore.

A lot of us do foolish things during our teenage years that we regret, but the repercussions of what Kaavya Viswanathan did may haunt her for the rest of her professional life. This whole thing has brought into question every single article she has done in the past, endangered her status as a sophomore student at Harvard University, and cast a dark shadow on her future.

The saddest thing is, she probably is really promising and brilliant. Hélas, the taint on her credibility has now dulled that brilliance. One thing that she has going for her is that she is young. She can always find outlets for her other talents if no publisher ever signs her again. Another thing going for her is her newly-found notoriety. She can always use this to her advantage in the future. Pop stars, celebrities and disgraced business tycoons in this country have done it. I'm sure she can, too.

--------

Smart-ass question of the day: What career can one have when you have an Ivy League degree but have no credibility? Hehe - I'm sure a lot of you are thinking of pretty juicy answers.

He Chose Us

He will turn five this coming month. I don't exactly know which day. All I know is when we got him in September 1, 2001, he was about three months old. Figaro, my Senegal Parrot, was a surprise from Hubby who knew I missed having feathered friends. I once had Sydney, an African Lovebird; Chippy, a blue English Budgie; and Pepper, an Australian Cockatiel. They were hand-fed and raised from when they were still a bit bald and ugly.

Anyway, that September day, we drove up from Florida to Massachusetts. To my surprise, instead of taking the usual route, Hubby took Interstate 91, claiming it was the faster way to get to Boston. I thought that maybe he just wanted to try the scenic route since we were in no hurry. He continually urged me to get some rest and sleep, and I felt something was up. I was right. After driving around like we were lost, he entered a residential area, parked in front of a house and happily exclaimed, "We're here to pick up your baby!" It was the house of the parrot breeder I had corresponded with a few months before. Hubby and I had disagreed on the timing of getting one so I had shelved my plans to get one indefinitely. Apparently, he had asked the breeder to let him know when the next batch of hatchlings would be weaned. By then, she had three chicks that were just weaned so she showed us the three so we could make a choice.

We handled each of them, one by one, but Figaro stood out. Figaro had been taking a bath, so he was wet and funny-looking. He perched on Hubby's finger and just stared at him. He eyed Hubby quietly, cocking his head in wonder as he was spoken to - instant connection. My turn to hold him came and he perched on my hand contentedly as I stroked his head. He then put his beak on my cheek, went to sleep, purring happily, in complete trust. The choice was taken out of our hands. Figaro had chosen us.

That was five years ago. Almost everyday since then, we wake up in the morning to "Figaro! Figaro! Feed Figaro!", the reminder for his morning feeding. He says bye when we leave, and welcomes us home with a "Hi!" or "Hello!" He loves walking around the place. His ultimate destination though are always our shoulders. That's where he is happiest. He stays there for as long as we allow him, preening himself, and us.

A Late Bloomer

Back in high school, while all my girlfriends' bodies were slowly getting hefty at the right places, I was still a scrawny, little shrimp. I was short, thin and unladylike - Neneng nene! Definitely not ligawin like my friends, I was more of a buddy to the guys and often acted as their go-between to the girls. I was happy to help whenever I could and loved playing Cupid. But like any girl my age, I too had my crushes. Of course, the boys that I liked never gave me a second look. The very few that did like me never made a move because, let's face it - in high school, everything was about appearance and I wasn't really considered a catch. My singing voice was considered pretty, but not me.

By the end of my junior year, I was starting to get a little more attention from some guys. I wasn't used to it though. All those years that boys ogled my pretty friends I had spent daydreaming and creating in my mind my idea of how my knight in shining armor should be. Come the time I had a few of my own suitors, I really didn't know how to handle it and turned finicky. There was always an aspect or another that disappointed me. So as my girlfriends were going through the thrill of courtships and the heartache of breakups, I was the only one whose heart was yet unscathed.

I may have felt left out of the action then but now I am thankful that I was a late bloomer. I saw friends go through stuff that I probably wouldn't have handled well then. Later on in life, when problems did come, I was a little better equipped.

Oh, and of the boys whom I obssessed over but paid me no notice? I bumped into some of them through the years. Let's just say that our tastes do change and I'm glad that mine has done so for the better. I don't know what the heck I was thinking then! lol

Bulag-a Item

It's a good thing I wasn't eating breakfast when I chatted with someone very dear to me online this morning. I probably would have choked on it if I was.

He said he was in love. Now, that fact didn't surprise me as he has always been in love with eros. It was who he was in love with that did. He dropped the name of a famous actress back home known for her beauty, as well as her extremely cantankerous image. When I managed to pick up my jaw from the ground, I joked that he better behave himself as he would not want to be in this lady's warpath, lest he suffer a fate similar to John Wayne Bobbit. He revealed to me that this lady's private persona is the total opposite of her public image. She is apparently very sweet, humble and kind. Either those are words from a man that's very much in love, or she really is the way he claims she is.

By the end of our conversation, he had me pretty convinced what a sweetheart she really is that I was reminding him to make sure he deserves and reciprocates the treatment she gives him. Life...it can get pretty darn funny at times.

*Sigh*

Back from the Offsite

It all paid off - the hard work, the prayers, the endless rehearsals in my mind. The division offsite that I had been preparing for the last couple of months has come and gone. I hardly slept, was on my feet all day to make sure that everything happened seamlessly. Considering all the feedback, everyone thinks it was an unqualified success. It appears that no one noticed that I was running around like a headless chicken, putting out tiny fires. And that's how I would have wanted it anyway.

I've gotten congratulations and back slaps from all over. But there was one compliment that stood out from among the rest. A top executive approached me right after the last meeting, held me by the shoulders and said, "I wish I could clone you and send you off to the different divisions!" Embarrassed, I said my thanks and joked that I would do it for a fee. But I didn't feel the floor as I walked away and for a long time after that.

It's my fourth day at home and I'm still recovering from it. I don't know if it's because I lack exercise or I'm just getting old. It's taking me longer to recover from hectic trips, whether business or pleasure. Thus, it's taken me this long to post something here. I've had a lot of little things flit through my mind to write about, but this is as coherent as I can get right now - especially right after having to tackle something as mind-numbing as our taxes. Ugh...and I don't want to get started on that...

Brown-nosing Implied

"How did you manage to do that?"

A colleague of mine asked me that today when she found out I was going to our division's Leadership Offsite.

She's the third person who's asked me that ever since I was asked to participate and help out. This time, though, I detected a certain tone. See, the offsite is so confidential that some of the reports that are used in it are shredded right after. Therefore, the attendance list is very limited. I'm not exactly sure what the sentiment was behind her query, but I just responded with the truth.

"I did nothing. They asked me to help out, I said yes." I shrugged, smiled and changed the subject.

I haven't been working there long. It'll be a year in a month and a half, so I'm the newbie compared to everyone else. Despite my friendly and professional relationship with everyone I know, I will not be surprised if my attendance in the Offsite has raised a couple of eyebrows. I think that was what prompted that funny-toned question.

I work long and hard, and I always make sure to keep a positive attitude at work. It's not my fault if it's getting noticed. I won't be sorry for it, nor will I say no to opportunities that come my way just because it might ruffle a few feathers.

I enjoy my job, I really do. I'm not about to allow anything or anyone dampen it!

Chatty Saturday

A couple of Saturdays ago, I spent the entire day chatting. Except for a few bathroom breaks and quick trips to the kitchen for some juice or water, I was stuck to my computer chair all day. If Hubby wasn't nice enough to bring me food at timely intervals, I would have starved!!!!

I logged on mid-morning to find my nephew, Mikey, online. For some odd reason, this teenager loves chatting with his aunt, :) so we chat until about 11:30 am, which was 12:30 am his time in Manila. Before he logged off though, another person from Manila came online. I was surprised to find that it was my close friend, Bambi. I hadn't seen her online in years, so I was thrilled when a chat window appeared that said, "Kamusta?"

We caught up on both our lives and she updated me on the latest from back home. We were yakking until 3:00 am her time. She had church and a family lunch the next day so she had to hit the sack. I checked my clock - it was 2:00 pm. As soon as she logged off, my friend Amor who lives in Los Angeles logged on. So we start chatting when my friend Melissa, from Germany, makes an appearance. I was having a ball chatting with them individually that the day literally flew by. Before we knew it, Melissa was waaaay past her bedtime in Germany at 1:00 am (7:00 pm my time), and Amor had to tend to her bulilit, Alizza. This is where Victoria (from SF area) came in to take up the slack and we chatted the night away. I was so caught up in the conversation that when my eyes happened to look at the task bar, it said 11:30 pm.

"HOLY COW!" I told her. "It's already 11:30 pm and I started chatting this morning around 10:00 am!" Victoria was laughing, as she always does at all my antics.

I couldn't believe it. I didn't accomplish one thing that day. Well, except maybe to bond with a few of the special people in my life. Ang daldal ko, SOBRA!!!

Paula's on drugs...

I've been watching my guilty pleasure, American Idol, for the last few weeks now. I must say that this is the best batch of contestants so far. The only downside is having to endure the blather of Paula Abdul. She is getting so annoying! Her eyes are only half open, she almost slurs when she talks with her shaky voice, she claps like a lunkhead and she praises every contestant even when their performance does not warrant it. Her babble has become irritating to say the least. I mean it's nice of her to try to see the positive in every competitor but sometimes it just sounds patronizing already. Her opinion has started to get less and less credible. Even the contestants give her only polite (and hopeful) appreciation when she's heaping praises on them, whereas you can see gratitude in their eyes when Randy Jackson gives them his -- and they just positively glow when Simon Cowell gives them even just a little nod of approval.

Too bad that the audience can't vote on the judges. I would have voted to send her on a little vacation to the Betty Ford Center before she ODs. :)

Stuff for Soap Operas

Once, there was a guy who liked me. Now, I never took this guy's interest seriously because he never really said anything apart from the little hints he dropped. Besides, another girl whom I considered a friend, was in love with him. In my mind, they were meant for each other. I had no doubt that they would, one day, end up together.

In the meantime, this girl and I got very close. I opened up to her about everything that was going on in my life, from family to man trouble - all of it! As the wheels of my life turned, I was ecstatic to know that hers finally turned out exactly as she had wished. After years of waiting, she finally married this guy - the man of her dreams. I won't say how, but I was very proud to have a very small hand in the turn of events in their lives ending up together.

Well, life went on and we all got busy. The calls eased up and we no longer hung out. I charged it to our tight schedules and lives taking on different paths. One day, I accidentally bumped into their little family and I was thrilled to see them! I was puzzled though to receive a warm but uncomfortable greeting from the guy, and truly bewildered to receive a pretty cold acknowledgment from my once close friend. My desire to catch-up waned and I politely made an exit.

The incident bothered me so I voiced my concern to another friend. It was very gently revealed to me that I have become anathema to my formerly close friend, and that I am the one that no one speaks of in her presence. Apparently, the mere mention of my name actually tips the balance of her world. I was aghast at the revelation as I don't think I ever did anything to her that should warrant such a reaction. It hurt me to find out that I was such an object of repulsion to one I really cared about.

I am gullible. I trust people easily and give them my friendship when they offer me theirs. I have no problem reciprocating when someone shows me warmth and honesty. Sadly, Ive learned that not all offers of friendship are sincere. I felt truly close to her, but now I can only surmise that she kept me close - not as her friend, but as her rival.

"Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer."

She is not and never was my enemy, but I guess she considered me hers.

New Beginnings

The latest issue of PINOYexpats is now online. Read about how people coped with moving to a new place or jumpstarting a stalled life -- a compilation of stories of individuals who, despite their trying situations, never gave up their dreams and hopes and chose to rise above the circumstances and overcome them. Visit our site and be inspired!

Who Put the M before "Bye"?

There is no m in bye, and yet half the time I end a phone call, I hear the person on the other side of the line say, "Mmmbye." It's usually women who do it, and from what I can tell, it is those who were born or grew up here. What's with the m? Is it because they press their lips together in a smile before they say bye? Or is it like a regional accent the way Bostonians add Rs where there are none (idea - idears), to taking away Rs (park - pahk, yard - yahd) where there are? Whatever it is, it never fails to make me smile. It makes me wonder who started it and how it spread to a whole segment of the population. Any idears?

Around the World

Regaled with stories of my Mom's world travels when she was young, I had dreamed of traveling to different places ever since. Her tales awakened in me a keen interest in different cultures and in visiting as many countries as I could. The only problem was, I did not have a rich and doting father like my Mom did. My Dad was doting in many ways and he did well for himself, but he was not a rich man like my Grandfather. So it was not like he could send me on a world tour the way Lolo did with Mom. I often asked my Mom how I would be able to travel as she did. She often reminded me that even if my earthly Dad could not give me that, my Heavenly Dad could and that He will surely grant me my heart’s desire. I remember always responding with a sigh, hoping that she was right but nevertheless resigned to the fact that it may never happen. Me of little faith, huh?

Sure enough, I hit my twenties and found myself flying from one place to another for different reasons. Mom was right, God did make a way and my Dad was there to help me with some pocket money. In that decade, aside from traveling to different parts of the Philippines, I went to Hong Kong, China, United States, Singapore, Malaysia, Israel, Belgium, France, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany and Indonesia. After I moved to the US, I’ve been fortunate to be able to visit some of its beautiful sites and cities, as well as see the Bahamas, Mexico and Canada. This summer, Hubby and I plan to hit the road again and head to Europe to see the sights and meet some friends. We are so looking forward to it!

We still have standing invitations to visit friends in Chile, Brazil, Sweden, Israel, New Zealand, Australia, Denmark, Singapore, Croatia and Scotland. I hope that we will have the time and finances to pull off a tour like that in the future. But right now, it remains a wish. This time though, I will neither sigh nor scoff. I have no doubt that if God wants us to do it, then it will definitely happen.

From His Heart

Hubby wrote this as he remembered his Dad's very recent battle with cancer. The battle that he lost just a few months ago.

A son may never say much, but a son never forgets.

Crumbling Fortress

Memories of a past from long, long ago
Start to race through my mind
I remember you bigger than life, towering over me
I could dangle from your arms
Hang on every branch from your tree of wisdom

You wince
A lifetime of visions and expectations fade away
Reverie evaporates with every flinch of pain
The disease has stolen everything
My dreams will never become memories

My heart used to beat with gladness as you reached out for me in a greeting
It now falls deep into my chest as you reach out in pain
Why does my chest feel like a bottomless pit?

My fortress has begun to crumble
My tree of wisdom has suddenly withered away
Has my heart fallen so deep that I no longer feel it?
You reach out for me, and I find my heart again
Has my heart stopped falling?

Snap Assumptions

Once, a friend and I were in a bus with a garbled, malfunctioning electronic signage. A passenger coming into the bus told the bus driver loudly that it all was Chinese to him. Upon seeing me, his face showed alarm and he quickly apologized. “Oh! I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry!”

My friend and I cracked up. He thought I was Chinese. I did not disabuse him of his assumption. We thought it was a hoot. I know to some people, all Asians look alike. I've been Japanese, Thai, but I've also been thought of as Mexican or Native American. Heck, the most farout was when an Italian guy asked me once, "Italiana?!"

When I tell people my name, some smile and quickly ask, “¿Como está?”

When I say I work for a bank, they inquire, “Are you a teller?”

If my past work in Disney comes up, the inevitable question is, “Were you a character?”

When they find out I am from Manila and that I only moved to the US six years ago, I get “Is your husband in the military?”

I think it's cute when people make snap assumptions. It always leads to a great conversation. :)

Tired of Theo

Bostonians need to get a life. That goes for the whole state of Massachusetts, as well. Every time I turn on the television and watch the local news, they’re talking about Theo Epstein and the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox has already broken the curse and won the World Series. Yay! Yes, Theo Epstein is partly responsible for it. Great! But, my gosh, to hear his name every single day speculating whether he’s going to be Red Sox manager again or not, or what his title is going to be, not only during all the newscasts throughout the day but during newsbreaks too – it is getting ridiculous. I’m sure even he is tired of hearing about how he played the guitar, wore a gorilla suit or picked his nose.

Please, there are more important things in this world than baseball, the World Series, and the supposed manager that has the Midas’ touch to win it. There’s a whole world out there full of people in serious situations that need real attention – more than the sports personas, television and movie stars already basking in the sometimes undeserved fame and wealth we obsessed fans have afforded them.

If we devote even one-eighth of the time we spend obsessing over these people to helping out in some worthy cause, the world would be so much better. Heck, If we devote a small fraction of that time in self-evaluation and improvement, then we wouldn’t need these supposed heroes and role models to look up to, because our self-esteem would be healthy enough to only look up to people whose contributions really make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

I mean – how many people really cared if Brad Pitt called Jennifer Aniston to tell her about Angelina Jolie’s pregnancy before the announcement was made? Come on, people. Enough already.

Sure, we need some entertainment in our lives. It shouldn’t take over our whole lives though. There are other, more important things to think about.

--oOo--

Our latest issue of PINOYexpats is now online. Please stop by and check it out!

Girl With A Lost Earring

I was on my hands and knees, looking at every inch of the floor under my desk hoping to see a little sparkle that would catch my eye. "It's time to go! We'll look for it when we get back from work," said Hubby. Reluctantly, I stood up and walked out the door to go to work.

Yesterday morning, I lost one of a pair of diamond stud earrings. The previous night, as is my routine right after I get home, I took all my jewelry off -- rings, necklace and earrings -- and placed them on top of my desk in front of my computer monitor. As I got ready yesterday, I realized that I was missing an earring.

I lost one of a pair of pearl earrings before. I put it on a counter in the kitchen while I cooked. It was gone by the time I was done. I searched high and low, cleaned, dusted but came up empty-handed. I was afraid that the diamond stud will disappear as mysteriously as the pearl one did.

Someone suggested I dry mop, another said I should vacuum and cover the vacuum opening with a nylon stocking. Both were great ideas, but before I did all that, Hubby suggested I go through the trash can under my desk. I was skeptical since my trash has a swivel cover, which makes it almost impossible for anything to go into it unless I opened it. Nevertheless, I did just that.

I took a plastic bag and started transferring each discard, piece by piece, after intense scrutiny. Torn receipts, candy wrappers, tissues, junk mail, plastic wrappers and cases of things we've purchased, pistachio nut shells -- I went through all of it starting with the biggest pieces. I got more and more discouraged as I neared the bottom. I was thinking that if it fell in accidentally, it surely would have been caught by the bigger pieces of trash that were on top. But I carried on, praying quietly that I would find it. I got to the bottom with nothing left but the pistachio nut shells. I almost gave up as I picked up and looked at the shells, one by one. "Surely, I would have seen it by now," I thought. Determined to be thorough and go through the last 15 shells that were there, I picked up a couple more and -- lo and behold -- hidden under was my earring. How the heck it got there, I do not know. I guess at that particular moment, in one of the few times the swivel cover was up for a second, it somehow fell in. What are the chances? It doesn't matter now, I am just happy I found it, happy enough to blog about it.

Today, I got home and took off all my jewelry and, as usual, put them in front of my monitor. This time though, I put them all in a white ceramic pill box. One that's easy to spot in a dark place and is sure to create a ruckus if it falls.

White on White

Like everyone else, we just had a crazy holiday season. That's the reason why this blog's decor has been white on white in the last several days.

In the last three weekends, we went from skiing in New Hampshire, to Christmas eve in Massachussetts, to New Year's eve in Florida, and to an Orthodox Christmas dinner in New York. And we did not fly, we drove. Hubby and I enjoy driving a lot. We have in each other, a captive audience, when we're in the car together for hours talking about anything and everything. We had a lot of fun but my mind and body is still recovering from it all.

I have been slow in responding to emails, text messages, phone calls and I couldn't really blog. A thousand little thoughts are racing through my mind but I just can't seem to focus on any one topic to write about. I think it's my brain's way of relaxing and recharging. It just seems that it really doesn't want to ponder much on anything right now, no matter how strongly I feel about it. It's almost like all the frantic activities kicked up the thoughts in my mind like a huge cloud dust. As soon as it settles, I think I'll be all set to go again.

Until then, I hope everyone's having a good and meaningful start to the New Year.