Search and You Shall Find in My World

28 August 2007

Total eclipse of the heart


It's kind of weird to see the lunar eclipse taking over a few hours back. It reminded me of the crazy things we did when we were still young.

Our lola would tell us to get anything worth banging. The louder the noise the better because the bakunawa would be eating the moon. It was funny I could have banged my lola's head today but due to love and respect we happily obliged. When it started to get dark we furiously bang our things.

When you're young you don't question what the elders told you to do especially when you were born in the 60s. But the best part there was the fun doing all those things. We never asked questions, indeed. We just banged and banged until our hands were sore from the job. And somewhere in the distant sky the moon suddenly came back because the bakunawa was disturbed by our banging. We were glad it did not swallow our moon.

Heroes Season 2

Heroes 1 is a sadistic, manipulative series that left me anemic and insomniac. Others called me drug addict after seeing my person the day after viewing. I was astounded myself. As if I'm into a mortar shelling session with those damn Americans in Iraq. This second season will be a special edition for me. Can't wait to be shelled again and again with or without the Americans.

Sunset Shots






Sunset is my best part of the day. Love the splash of colors over the horizon. Mostly orange tint, my favorite. Here are some shots I took with my SE W810i.


ZAMBOANGA 101

1. Zamboanga evokes a scene of fear and wonder. I always heard it from someone. Why in hell are you going to Zamboanga? Are you dead serious? They were referring to kidnappings and Abu Sayaff and other Muslim groups Muslims themselves are ashamed of. Back in my mind I see barter trade and colorful vintas with a beautiful sunset as background. Pasonanca Park. Chabacano. Beautiful people.
2. Family members always prioritize you because you are special. I arrived there safely courtesy of a free ticket from my sis who works at CebPac and the all expense paid trip courtesy of a very good friend.
3. Zamboanga International Airport is in a way neglected as well as some of the government-owned buildings around the city (Sayang na sayang yung building, convention center ata yun, at Pasonanca Park). The architecture is fantastic but the facilities are pathetic. And it's starting to deteriorate. Perhaps showing us the real face of Philippine government?
4. Hospitality is very Filipino. We were welcomed by friends we knew before who are trying hard to impress us. Not because we wanted to be treated special. It is inherent amongst Filipinos to become showoffs even if we can't afford it so our friends won't regret the visit.
5. Zamboanga is an old town trying hard to become like a city. The place reminds me of Colon Street in Cebu. Decrepit houses. Old streets. Garbage everywhere. Abundant massage parlors attracting also as videoke bars and carenderia (3 in 1?) are everywhere.
6. In fairness, the springs and brooks around the city have clear running waters.
7. Knowing Chabacano is not a necessity when you go around the city.
8. Barter trade center is not actually a barter trade center.
9. Ignorance is bliss. Our visit to some families who do not even have some of our basic necessities showed that they are still happy.
10. What makes a person poor? Is it in the environment where he is living in squalor? Is it in his attitude?
11. Utility vehicle or tricyle? That was the question. We opted for the latter. The utility vehicle offers us airconditioned but cramped view of the city while the tricycle gave us a wider perpective of Zamboanga City.
12. The place is generally cool! Cafes. Nice restos. Excellent food. Among others, I love these hangouts: Mano-Mano, Alejandras, Boracay (a restaurant), Cafe Sacco (a cool place in Pasonanca Park. Nearby Lobregat is making a string of small buildings I believe will make an excellent hangout).
13. Tuba in Bohol and Samar is still the best.
14. Coño bunana is a bad word.
15. Real friends do not leave you. They make you laugh. They feed you. They pay your stay. They pay your tricycle fare. They love you for who you are.

Roots of my name

Melchizedek or Malki-tzédek (מַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק / מַלְכִּי־צָדֶק, Standard Hebrew Malki-ẓédeq / Malki-ẓádeq, Tiberian Hebrew Malkî-ṣéḏeq / Malkî-ṣāḏeq), sometimes written Malchizedek, Melchisedec, Melchisedech, Melchisedek or Melkisedek, is a figure mentioned by various sects of both Christian and Judaic traditions. He is commemorated as one of the Holy Forefathers in the Calendar of Saints of the Armenian Apostolic Church on July 30.

Hehehehe I have to suddenly do a research on my name because people ask why I have a Russian name.

WAKE UP TAGBILARAN CITY

The recent killings of innocent victims because of robbery and holdup in Tagbilaran City is a bit of a concern. I don't know why it has not been solved. Instead, Mayor Dan Lim prioritize boxing in and out of the province. And the city has become dirty literally and figuratively. And the roads around the city are at its worst.

Isn't this enough a wake up call?

Artworks by B. Stewart

This guy is really cool. She is Australian I think. I love her artworks! Especially that last painting where she comically (for me) depicted Australians. Bravo!





Ang Pinoy nga talaga

IM NOT AGAINST OFWs! Infact around me are very close persons who are working abroad. Nangitag kwarta aron lang makapa-eskwela sa mga anak ug mga igsoon apil na mga paryente. No amount of words can describe what Filipino migrant workers have been doing to make their dreams come true.

BUT- the Filipino is a weird race. Once I was returning home from Canada, ang mga Pinoy bastos kaayo sa eroplano. Saba. Samok. Dili patuo sa announcement sa stewardess. Maglain ug buho so to speak. Maski natug ang mga taw sa palibot naay sige'g katawa ug kusog. Hapit na ko mosyagit kay grabe kaayo kasaba. Dili paablihan ang bentana, sus kay naay sigeg abli nuon. Hay ambot. It was worst. Really. Honest.

Ang mga Pinoy kung tua sa laing nasud haskang behave kaayo ilang dating. Most behave kaayo ang ribbon nakataud sa puting sinina. Tagsa ray Pinoy jod imong mahibaw-an nga nakalapas sa balaod in other countries. Pero these same Pinoys are the number one lawbreakers when they are in the Philippines. Ambot na lang.

Pero if ever naay mosulti bahin aning mga butanga (like what Malu Fernandez did) haskang arangkada. Unya tinuod ra ba.

Ay Pinoy.

27 August 2007

MALU FERNANDEZ BRUHA-HA (spelling intended)

part of the article Malu Fernandez wrote that caused Filipinos to over-react:

FROM BORACAY TO GREECE

BY MALU FERNANDEZ - Summer comes and goes. Most of the time I am out if the country for work. But I’m stuck here, I ignore the heat and stay in a temperature- controlled room of 18 degrees – cold enough to make the windows sweat. This year I decided to go off tangent and pick places I have never been to before.

Much to my chagrin, I had never been to the beach. You see, I hate the sand, the bugs and the mosquitoes, but I figured it would be fun with everyone around. As we reached the villa I was spraying Baygon everywhere. I thought I had nearly killed myself with all the insect repellant and Lysol disinfectant I kept on spraying. I am so not into roughing it up. For me, the minimum requirement for traveling is a Holiday Inn.

A couple of days later saw us walking down to Station 2 where D’mall was and I was trying my best not to freak out as the beach was filled with algae, which were collecting on my Adidas all-terrain. (I refuse to wear Havaianas and scratch my pedicure.) Finally as we walked back , I was dazzled by a beautiful white structure, so white it glistened under the sun. This brilliant apparition was Discovery Shores, an oasis in the middle of the island. Not only do the staff headed by Jun Parreno make you feel at home, the food by chef David Pardo de Ayala is fabulous as well. And after seeing the whole poolside and the fabulous rooms done by Budgi Layug, I wanted to move there. But I was too ashamed to ditch my friends and forego the huge amount I already paid for my share of the villa. So I promised to go back another time in order to luxuriate in their fabulous surroundings.

Meanwhile, when all of this was going on, I was on the cell phone with my jet set buddy Ron Sato planning an impromptu trip. You see, Ron is my travel buddy who lives in Los Angeles, so between his schedule and mine, the logistics are a nightmare. The week of Easter, however, was open for both of us so I said: “Pick a country!” We decided on Greece and off we went. But getting there was a bloddy nightmare. To save on my ticket, I bravely took an economy class seat on Emirates as recommended by my travel agent. Ron excitedly told me to go for it – Emirates had won best economy class and some award. However I forgot that the hub was in Dubai and the majority of the OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) were stationed there. The duty-free shop was overrun with Filipino workers selling cell phones and perfume. Meanwhile, I wanted to slash my wrist at the thought of being trapped in a plane with all of them. Of course, everyone in economy class was yelled at for having overweight hand-carries. Mine was 17kg (ssshhhh!). That was all my makeup and accessories I would never risk losing if my luggage ended in the middle of the Sahara desert.

While I was on the plane (where the seats were so small I had bruises on my legs), my only consolation was the entertainment on the small flat screen in front of me. But it was busted, so I heaved a sigh, popped my sleeping pills and dozed off to the sounds of gum chewing and endless yelling of “HOY! Kumusta ka na? At taga sann ka? Domestic helper ka rin ba?” Translation: “Hey there? Where are you from? Are you a domestic helper as well?” I though I had died and God had sent me to my very own private hell.

After a nine-hour flight, I finally landed and made my way around Athens to the Ledra Marriott hotel, washed the plane off me and got a text from my other editor Gianna Maniego. She told me my weekly deadline was moved up due to the holidays. In a state of panic, I was about to have a major meltdown because I hadn’t slept for 48 hours, the Louis Vuittons under my eyes were enormous and all I wanted was a hot shower and a bed. At that point, I didn’t know where to go as there wasn’t enough time to plan a sight-seeing trip and take in the sights in order to meet my deadline so I decided to go off on a train and head to the Athens Mall.

As they say – when the going gets tough, the tough go shopping. My buddy Ron and I were laughing so hard because we flew all the way to Greece to go to a mall and eat in Ruby Tuesdays (an American chain like Chili’s). After covering my deadline, we planned to soak in the sites for the next day and headed off to the Parthenon on top of the Acropolis, climbing every step in my gold, open-toed sandals. You see, I followed the weather report on CNN but apparently the forecast was wrong because it was still winter. So I bravely went about in a lightweight sweater and a throw, climbing the Acropolis and driving to the edge of the Aegean sea by the Temple of Poseidon.

After a whole day of sight seeing I decided I have had enough of the historical sites. I adamantly wanted to go to Santorini to see the Caldero houses but due to time constraints, we were unable to go. I guess God was watching out for us because the ferry we were supposed to take sank in the middle of the Aegean Sea. I could already see myself screaming “SAVE MY ACCESSORIES! !!!” And swimming with head above water so I don’t mess up my makeup… See, I told you I hate the beach! For the rest of the stay we ended up going around the shopping district in Monasteriki and the garment district in Ermou. Old habits indeed never die!

On my way back, I had to bravely take the economy flight once more. This time I had already resigned myself to being trapped like a sardine in a sardine can with all these OFWs smelling of AXE and Charlie cologne while Jo Malone evaporated into thin air. However, for the first time in my natural life I was elated to go back to the Philippines so I could go back to Discovery Shores in Boracay and sip a tropical drink under the fabulous hat I bought in Greece. There I was sending MMS pictures to my buddy Ron trying to entice him to come over, but I didn’t succeed. Instead, I got two other friends join me in sipping cocktails with a fabulous sunset and ocean view while planting my feet firmly on the bug-free cement flooring by the poolside of Discovery Shores.

All in all, it’s been a pretty good summer. Jetting from the Aegean Sea to the Pacific may sound a bit pretentious until you wake up in economy class smelling like air freshener...

26 August 2007

Welcome Back!

What the hell! I no longer can access my blogger. I don't know what happened. My username and password are all wrong! Damn. With no access to blogspot, I was left with www.friendster.com to blog on. Not really bad.

But a friend came to a rescue. He re-opened this account and here I am!

I will be posting some thoughts sooner.

WELCOME BACK MYSELF!