Last Days in Baguio

Today marks the beginning of the dream. It's back to reality, as I quote my own mother.

Back to reality, since I'll be going to med school tomorrow. I'll be probably forgetting a lot of things I used to enjoy back in college. A lot of things, actually, that I can't remember because I forgot. Haha. I digress.

As we pack our bags, check out at the counter, and travel downhill, I look back at the things I missed since going to Baguio ten years ago (it was my Mom who reminded me of that, since my sister and I were kids back then and could not remember), and look forward to what I'll be expecting once I step foot on the school where I will be finishing my medical studies. I'll happen to meet some old classmates, who they say remember me but I don't remember them, some people I attended review classes then, as well as a few familiar faces. After all, I've been living the last twenty years of my life recognizing faces but not names, so I'll be expecting myself surprising to find and meet them, as well as getting to know my future colleagues in medicine and current med school classmates.

Sigh.

Trip to Baguio

Looking outside the window, I saw the people getting smaller, the air getting colder, and the trees getting taller.

I now knew that I was in Baguio.

My family and I, together with some of our relatives, went to Baguio for some rest and relaxation. That's what they knew. For me, this trip was, they say, a time for me to rest. But I can't, for I know that this will be the final days of my summer before immersing into med school next week.

But I digressed.

Anyway, we settled into a "manor-style" hotel and boy can you imagine what I saw when I went into our rooms we were checked in. There was not one, but two king-sized beds, and each one was good for two people. So, all in all, four people could sleep there. Luckily we can be accommodated, since we checked in three of these types of rooms, and we were many. We made ourselves at home, with my older cousins bunking with me, while Mom and her siblings and Mother (that is, my aunts and Lola) were in another room. As for our rambunctious kid cousins, they were in the third room, with the same accommodations as the other two rooms.

We went shopping downhill, after setting in all our things in our respective rooms. They bought some souvenirs here and there, while I settled for a straw hat. I always wanted to buy one back in the States, but they said it was too expensive, so I didn't bought one there. Luckily, they can be found here, and for a cost that was easy on the wallet, both theirs and mine.

We ate at the family-friendly restaurants located nearby, plus an ice cream parlor some meters away from where I bought the hat.

Haha, let me tell you, you could not believe who I met. This is between us, but the person I happened to met there was a professor of the medical school I will be attending next week. Imagine that.

The weather, which was unfairly rainy, didn't permitted us to go sightseeing, but we can save that for tomorrow, now can't we?

Hello, Philippines!

I am back from vacation.

Did some last minute shopping at Macy's. Took in the final sights of the store which is devoid of shopping people due to the so-called "Global Financial Crisis". We felt normal there, with people, mostly women, making my grandma and mom look thin, and even me thinner than a matchstick, haha.

I'll kinda miss the atmosphere, though I hate to admit it. I had the opportunity of snickering at passerbys as they carried on their lives without worry, save for financial issues.

I carried, I sat, I put.

I haven't been able to come up with something to post, for a couple of reasons:

1. family dragging me to go out for a scenic vacation
2. waking up with my brain still sleeping
3. feeling of frustration and other negative emotions before I can think of something to write
4. any of the above

Right now, I have a few, so this entry will be short.

I had to be the carrier as my family went on a shopping spree at the Camarillo (pronounced ka-ma-ri-lo; the last syllable not with -leeyo) Shopping Outlet. They bought a lot of bags, shoes, and more that my two hands can't carry in one trip. I had to sit on safe spots, designated probably for fellow carriers of shopping.

I carried, I sat, I put. They point, they pick, they pass to me.

We had a dinner at Shakey's. I missed going there. It was a long time ago that I went there. I was a little kid, hanging around the bowling alley. Those were the days. Now I'm reliving the experience, as a 23-year-old adult. Haha.

Went home full. That is all.

On The Walk

It is three days before the last day, and coincidentally, my sister's 19th birthday. She had her debut just last year, and she changed a lot. That I have to admit.

In a rush to catch any open stores, we went to the Kodak Theatre. It's a mall. We went to visit the stores, look around, that sort. Again my relatives from Delaware are with us.

Did I forget to mention that I am again the resident photographer? Mom says that it is the only way I'll be useful? I will spite whoever says that to my face.

Oh well, a trip down the Walkway of Fame will suffice. My negative attitude is dissipating. I see the footprints of some of the biggest names in Hollywood on cement. My feeling is mutual with my affection for what Hollywood has wrought upon the entertainment industry, both here & abroad.

Oh look. An Absolut Vodka as the Friend of the Walk of Fame. LOL

Walking through these souvenir shops at night bring up good memories of our first visit here. We came through Seattle, Washington, passing through San Francisco, and that was five years ago. What good memories, haha.

It's annoying. It had to end like that.

Day 3: Shopping Spree

It's now been three days since I flied from Manila. It felt like one day has regressed here, since if my memory serves me right, crossing the International Dateline eastward subtracts a day from where you came from. I came from Manila, and came to Los Angeles, crossing the Dateline and the Pacific Ocean,

One word has been buzzing around the household. Shopping. The whole day was spent going through different brands, different clothing lines, that I had to carry "buttloads" of shopping bags around as they travel from one store to the next. It sucks to be the errand boy during these times. Luckily, there are benches strategically placed throughout the area, so I had the happiness of sitting on one of these wooden furniture as I watch my relatives taking in the sights of a truck full of apparel left untouched, and with the sales going left and right, who couldn't resist? I would, and I am glad I am not a shopaholic.

During the stroll, I experienced bouts of dizziness. Part of the reason is having to carry the bags, and the another part is due to hypoglycemia, since I had to carry these bags... and who else would but me. I happened to be the only able helping hand among us, with Uncle busy handling in the wads of dollar bills for his daughters, who I would confess to being crazy about shopping. I would hazard a guess it runs in the family. It stopped at me, but I digress.

As if the spending spree wasn't enough, we had to enter a store that sells everything at less than a buck. You heard me right, a store that sells everything, from grocery items to toiletries to cleaning utensils for 99 cents. Haha, imagine that. I happen to carry them, again, from the shopping cart to the cashier. Counting the cost of the pile of items my relatives had to stock, the total cost was not surprisingly less than a hundred dollars. Wow, talk about spending to the last buck.

I came back from my relatives home, tired but not sleepy, as I had to help them set up the table. Again, who else but me. Sometimes I wonder if I'm adopted in situations like this.

As I'm writing this, I've finished dinner and is now assisting my grandmother cleaning the table of plates and eating utensils. I will be ending this post with a line.

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There. Lame, I know. Who else but me would be such.

Oh and the time this is posted reflects what time is it here. It's morning in the Philippines. :D

One Day Yum: First Day Shiver

So it's back to readjusting to the American lifestyle for me.

I just came last night from Manila, on a one-way flight to Los Angeles, California. Yeah, that State where Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and all those stuff came. Had to make or break with cooking breakfast, and found out that it's easier to make do with instant noodles. I am better with it, especially if it's Chicken Flavor. Yum.

While cooking, I got reacquainted with garbage segregation, dining table setup, and kitchen cleaning. I found some joy in washing the dishes, drying the washed glasses, and mopping the floor dry. Yeah, it was an experience unlike any other, to say the least. That last line was in comparison to the High Life in Manila.

Will make some more adjustments, aside from the jetlag I am currently still experiencing. I learned a new word today, also, and a new cold.

Flight to America

As I write this, I'll be on my way overseas. For two weeks, I'll be in the USA, residing in one of my uncle's residences. The purpose of the trip will be for VISA renewal, since proof that I am still eligible for travel is if I travel out of the country every once in while. That way, they said, I won't be listed as an illegal immigrant and that I can still travel in future time if I want to.

As I write this, I'll be away from everyone in the Philippines. Also included among those I will leave behind are my "contacts" online, my "friends" on Friendster, on Multiply, on Facebook, and mostly on Plurk and on the AnimeBlogger community. If I happen to be unresponsive to any of your messages, now you know why. It is costly to reply from overseas, so I heard.

As I write this, I may not come back. To be sure, I made this poat to let you guys know, if I have real friends that is, that at least I am able to compose even one post. Do not worry, for I have prayed to Him for safety. I also do not have to, for I prayed and believe.

See you in two weeks!

Conscience vs. Duty

Should you follow orders from you self or the other self?

The premise behind the film "Valkyrie" was the triumph of conscience as a personal choice over authority from the man considered by the world as the most ruthless man on Earth, Adolf Hitler. The film documented one of 15, and unfortunately the last, attempt to assassinate the man and take over the government of Germany and save it from annihilation by the incoming Allied Forces, who are also attempting to save the world by removing Hitler by military force from power.

In Colonel Staffenberg's position, it was a choice of protecting the honor of your family, or being remembered in history as allied with Hitler the evil leader of one of the Axis Powers. He had to something but in his standing, what could he?

And so, he, along with his allies in the military and political fields, staged a pseudo-coup. It was such because the other parties would be tagged as conspirators in an attempt to assassinate their own leader and Commander-in-Chief. All without their knowledge, and with the politico-military allies privy with respect to the details.

As the quote went, "Military operations never go as planned,"

Apparently not all of Hitler's secret infantry, dubbed Valkyrie, were mere pawns in his board. A few elité members were able to, in one way or another, see through the holes in the so-called "coup". From there, they knew who were the true Enemies of the State, and summarily executed them.

Unfortunately, the members -- and allies -- of Staffenberg's group went down in history books as the true Heroes of the State, so to speak, and their memories went into the making of this film.

It goes to show that heroism is not always bred in the battlefield. It is within our ranks that we can perceive them as such - heroes.

Ode to Flight

Bilang panimulang pangungusap sa sulating ito, nais ko munang ipahiwatig sa mga mambabasa na sa talang ito, gagamit ako ng wikang aking kinagisnan. Ito ang Wikang Filipino.

Ang mga susunod na ipapahayag ko sa sulating ito ay ang ang aking kanranasan, mula sa aking alaala, sa naganap na pagtatanghal. Ang pamagat nito ay ang pamagatan din ng sulating ito.

Para sa simula, di ako mahilig manood ng mga pagtatanghal. Nais ko muna itong ilabas sa aking kalooban. Ito ang totoong saloobin ko. Dahil may mas magaganda pa akong naisip na gawin kaysa manood sa isang tabi ng isang malaking tanghalan at panoorin ang mga talento na kasalukuyang ipinapalabas sa tanghalan. Walang bago, at ang mga palabas sa telebisyon, lalo sa mga lokal ng programa, ang aking patunay sa opinyong ito. Ngunit, nang ako'y bigyan ng tiket ng aming guro sa Filipino para sa panonood ng isang tanghalan, sa simula ako'y nagtaka. Bakit ako papapanoorin ng isang bagay na ayaw kong gawin. Nang nalaman ko na para ito sa asignatura, nagbago na ang isip ko, kaya nagbayad ako para sa tiket at hinintay ang araw ng pagtatanghal.

Dumating kanina ang araw ng pagtatanghal na para sa asignatura ko. Alas-sais y'media pa lang ng gabi ay umalis na ako mula sa aking tinitirahan upang manood nito, na nakalagay sa tiket ay sa alas-siyete ng gabi. Umalis ako ng kalahating oras na maaga sa oras ng pagtatanghal at nakarating sa lugar ng kinse minutos na maaga. Sa pagtapak ko sa gusali, may mga napansin akong mga kaklase ko na manonood rin ng tanghal. Di ko malapitan para marinig kahit isang saglit kung anong pinag-uusapan, pero pinawalan-bahala ko na lang at dumiretso sa pasukan ng lugar ng pagtatanghal.

Pagpasok ko, napansin ko na di lang mga mag-aaral ang nais manood. Pati bata, matanda, o kahit isang simpleng taong nakasapin, handa nang makinig at manood. Mukhang interesado na ako sa tanghal sa puntong ito.

Nagsimula na ang pagtatanghal.

Wala akong masabi tungkol sa tanghal pagkatapos ng dalawang oras. Ang talento ng pag-awit ng sabay-sabay, may pagkakaisa at pagkakatugma, and nagdala sa akin sa kaibuturan ng loob ko. Maganda pala ang panonood ng isang teatro. Sayang at walang karugtong ang pagganap, dahil hanggang bukas na lang ito. May lakad kami ng pamilya, yun ang dahilan di ko ito muli makikita at maririnig.

Narito ako ngayon, pag-upo sa silya at may hawak na panulat at kaharan na papel. Dito ko isusulat ang aking Midterm Paper para sa asignaturang ito, at ito ay tungkol sa pagtatanghal na pinuntahan ko gamit ang tiket na binayaran ko.

Dining with Hooters

There's an old sage advice that you can't judge a book just by its cover. Well, maybe they're right, from one experience I had during my sister's birthday, which is today.

May 5, 2008, Monday. I happened to visit the first Hooters restaurant in the Philippines. For those not in the know, Hooters is quite... well-known, for its food, its service, and its girls. Especially the girls.

Why, you wonder? Well, one look at their outfits, eye-catching as they may seem, says it all. What hot-blooded male wound't mind noticing how the waitress are quite blessed, for a lack of a better term? Well, assuming you're a hard-lined feminist, you'd be quite bothered to notice their various forms of dress. Scantily-clad waitresses. Males as cooks. What's not to dislike?

Apparently, the launching of said restaurant along these shores has raised a lot of eyebrows. What's Hooters without their trademark uniforms? I've been to the United States once, and haven't stepped in one of their branches. Now, here they have established one, in the Philippines, a Catholic country (or so I hear), and be amazed at the transformation. From scantily-clad to noticeably dressed to ogle at. I for one am not raising any expectations when I happened to notice these "differences". After all, if it were copied, from one shore to another, you would have seen protests outside, mostly from hard-lined feminists who denounce waitresses dressed scantily.

You get this? Hooters in the Philippines is not the same as Hooters in America. It's so well "tamed" that you notice the difference even if you're myopic. That's a harsh comment to make, don't you think?

Anyway, back to the event. As my family celebrated my sister's birthday, who's a year shy of being considered an adult by local law, I can't help but question the restaurant branch's policies regarding uniforms and services. Hooters in the Philippines is laughable, and I mean that in a bad way.

Now what to make out of all this? I've thought of some suggestions to enhance the image without raising the ire of feminists and those who are close minded to the liberation of women's clothing. Why not ditch the song and number service? Also, why not try to minimize the image of Hooters and adopt the same standards as its American counterpart? Screw the hard-liners. This is Hooters, and it's a brand that's unlike any other restaurant by the bay. Besides, it wouldn't be Hooters without some "hooters", you know.

Bring in the hooters!

Where No Carabao has Gone Before...

Originally this "field trip" was intended to be held last week on the same day that is Friday, but due to scheduling conflicts with other classes of my classmates, it was moved to this day instead.

So yeah, our Laboratory class went on a field trip to two institutions famous for their genetic research found in Nueva Ecija.

• Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice)


• Philippine Carabao Center (PCC)

Both are found here, by the way.

Let me tell you that it was a long stretch from Manila, and we were inadvertently lost on the way. Since it took hours to get there, I fell asleep while the rest of the class performed mundane tasks to pass the time, as well as to keep themselves awake. When I woke up, apparently it somehow worked for them, for they fell asleep as well.

Once we got there, I was the first one eager to set foot outside the bus. The institutions, one of them being PhilRice which we visited first, were huge. Spanning hundreds of hectares of land, PhilRice aims "to sustain rice self-sufficiency and build a competitive rice economy through research, technology promotion, and policy advocacy". In other words, stave off our dependency on imported rice from other countries, and make our country self-sufficient again, just like it did in the 80's. Right now, the institution is undergoing extensive research to achieve just that. I won't go into details, by the way, of how this objective is being accomplished since it's all in their homepage. Same goes for the PCC, which aims "towards better nutrition, higher levels of income and improved general well-being of the overwhelming sector, the rural farming families... through the conservation, propagation and promotion of water buffalo as important source of milk and meat, in addition to draft power and hide".

At the end of the day, I bought some carabao milk (choco flavored) from the souvenir store found inside the PCC vicinity (which has no preservatives and thus wouldn't last for more than 5 hours) and some pastilles made from carabao's milk which can last for days).

Proof in Exploration

Now what if someone presented a proof so authentic it could disprove you widely-held belief that your lineage was not as honorable as you believe it to be?

My family and I watched National Treasure: The Book of Secrets today. While it lacked in the story depth department, its adventure outside the United States, looking for clues to the Great Book of Secrets just make up for its shortcomings.

From Wikipedia:

Five days after the end of the Civil War, John Wilkes Booth and another man, both members of the Knights of the Golden Circle, enter a tavern and approach Thomas Gates (Ben Gates' great-great grandfather). They produce a diary containing an encrypted message, and entice Thomas, a well-known puzzle solver, to decode it. Thomas recognizes the message as using the Playfair cipher and begins to translate it. While he does so, Booth leaves for Ford's Theater to assassinate President Lincoln. Thomas solves the puzzle, a clue to a treasure map, and realizes the men are still loyal to the Confederate cause and have a sinister motive for finding the treasure, unfortunately he realizes this too late. The Confederate man pulls a gun on him, threatening to shoot him if he does not hand over the diary, however he is distracted from Thomas by the chaos erupting in the bar over news of Lincoln's assassination. Thomas rips several pages from the diary and throws them in the fireplace. The second man shoots him and attempts to retrieve the pages, only succeeding in saving a small piece. The dying Thomas gasps, "The war is over," but the man disagrees, stating, "You're wrong about that, the war has only just begun," and rushes from the bar. With his final breath, Thomas tells his young son Charles, "The debt that all men pay."

Years later, Ben Gates is telling his great-great grandfather's story at a conference on Civilian Heroes to great acclaim until black market dealer Mitch Wilkinson shows one of the eighteen missing pages of John Wilkes Booth's diary, with Thomas Gates' name on it, convincing everyone that Thomas was the mastermind behind the Lincoln assassination. Ben sets out to prove the innocence of his great-great grandfather.

Also:

The following sites appear in the film:

• Mount Rushmore
• The Library of Congress
• the Paris replica of the Statue of Liberty near Grenelle Bridge
• White House
• Buckingham Palace
• Mount Vernon
• Ford's Theatre
• University of Maryland, College Park
• Custer State Park, South Dakota

As you can see, the film's popularity was already built up by its predecessor's success. Indeed, if you haven't seen it, do so, so that you can form a clear view of what really happened prior to the start of this film.

I enjoyed it, but to be honest, I'm not much of a history buff. That's my father's forte. I'm still in the period of amassing vast amounts of knowledge.

The Playing Cupid Wildcard

Well, let's just say that this relationship is more on the not-so-close side. Not even more business-like.

So anyway, I got a call from Mom asking me to come and meet the father and son tandem of what was to be a near business relationship. See, one of my cousins is being set to meet up with this bachelor of a son, who happens to be the son of the landowner of the condominium I used to reside in before the transfer. She decided that there would be a fruitful outcome to this relationship.

So we went to the Starbucks Cafe and have a delightful round of coffee, all the while watching the young couple talk, discuss, and interact with each other from the window. I can see, as well, that things could quite turn out for the better.

Then we went to tour around his estate, which was expansive, to say the least. And to think that it all started with shells.

The day ended with a night at a huge restaurant that when seen from outside, would look like some Spanish villa. It's because the building looks to be made of rocks and cement, but we all know that it's just a cover-up. There's steel beams and wooden planks supporting the building from inside.

We were bored the entire night and I couldn't have asked for a better distraction than a walk outside.