After close to two years of inertia, liberation seem to loom & bloom. Covid cases in my people-filled and densely populated country is now starting to drop.
injection gives me the creeps! so obvious is this photo. haha!
Unlike tennis superstar Novak Djokovic, I guess my government should thank me for being so cooperative, participative and supportive. Last month I had my vaccine booster shot which was six months after I had my complete double dose of Covid vaccines. Having my booster shot gave me confidence and a massive sigh of relief that at least I won’t die from this silly epidemic.
Keep your mask on everyone, freedom and deliverance seem imminent and forthcoming! We will all soon take it off. Excited to hug everyone! Woohoo!
This is what happens when a businesswoman, a banker, an IT Manager and a college professor who’s a candidate for PhD do a Christmas dance number.
They call their group, The Wrong Direction (gleaned & predicated from the British group One Direction). And every year, when they are about to end their wacky performance they would shout and ask us, the spectators, “Mabuhay Manila, do you want more!?”. And every year all of us, their dazed & confused audience, in unison would scream the biggest “NOooo!!”.
Gabby, the IT Manager! He was judged the best performer this year. Haha!
Holding a talent contest and performing in front of my family during Christmas Eve has been a tradition. They won the Grand Prize this year amounting to 60 USD. So, can you just imagine how bad the other groups (my other family members) performed?
They claim that they won because they were so in unison and perfectly danced like the Korean pop group BTS. Why did they win? It was because I was the judge. Haha! These businesswoman, banker, college professor and IT manager are my crazy niece & nephews by the way. One good thing though, they are not working for one company. After their crazy performance, I had a headache.
Esquire magazine published an article entitled What If The Philippines Was A British Colony. The write-up relays that between October 1762 and April 1764, the Philippines was actually part of the British empire. Following George Washington’s attacks on French colonies, the French went to war against the Britishers. Spain which rules the Philippines during that era, joined the same war so as to honor its alliance with the French. Because of this, the Brits attacked and was able to capture Spanish-owned Manila in 1762. However, British reign in the Philippines came to a peaceful end when the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1763.
The Esquire article then presented a number of could-have-beens in case there was no Treaty of Paris and the British rule continued in my beloved Philippines. Expecting it to be mind-blowing, the theories presented in the article were somewhat deflated, subdued and ordinarily predictable because the notions discussed were simply aligned and paralleled to what happened with other countries under the British rule like India and majority of Africa.
the closest thing to my being briton now is wearing a union jack shirt. haha!
Let me then dispatch my inane and doofus version of what could have been if the Philippines was part of the British colony. Firstly, I could have had high teas instead of siestas. Eggplants would no longer be eggplants but aubergines and shopping carts would no longer be shopping carts but trolleys. And I’d be drinking more tea and eating more biscuits while saying “God save the Queen” during weekends! I might be speaking like Harry Potter by now and would be rooting for John Whaite and Johannes Radebe to win Strictly Dancing this year on BBC. We will never know, if Brits ruled the Philippines, one of the James Bonds could have been some dishy Pinoy bloke.
talong, the filipino name for aubergine
Hey! Why was I not consulted when that wonky Treaty of Paris was drafted and taken into effect?
My post Covid19 pandemic started yesterday. When me and my sister (being registered under our local government’s waiting list) were told that an available vaccine is available, we immediately drove up to the designated vaccination site.
Though it is sad to note that majority of my country’s populace still doubts the significance and efficacy of the vaccine, such popular yet imprudent viewpoint became advantageous on my part for getting the vaccine.
If you’re reading this article and wonder why such meek and lowly event of getting my first jab seem such a big deal on my part, please understand that my poor unregimented country has very limited supply of the vaccine. It is because my country at this late point in time only depends on the United Nation’s donations as well as the dole-outs sent to us by rich countries because they either have surplus of the vaccines or that their country already achieved the so-called herd immunity.
So how did my first vaccination affair went? Answer: It was hilarious, uneasy and at the same time a little nerve-wracking. It was nerve-wracking because I hate injections! It was uneasy because the vaccination site was at an open-air public place. With no air-conditioning and with the scorching humid heat index of 42 degrees Celsius (no thanks to climate change), me and my sister were soaked wet in our very own sweat!
Good thing there were very few people at the venue, our papers were right away processed. And after we were injected, the hilarious thing that happened is that both me and my sister were told to stay a little longer because both our blood pressures were shooting up! And when asked if I take medicine for high blood pressure, I answered yes. When asked what medicine, instead of telling the name of the drug (Losartan), I uttered the name of a popular French bakeshop here in Manila (Lartizan)! LOL!
took a photo of my covid19 vaccine passport while waiting for my boiling blood pressure to ease down! beside it is my sister’s japanese fan. underneath is a mini-towel to wipe off my super sweat!
With pocket-sized feelings of worry, me and my sister laughed instead after realizing that we were the only two who were asked to stay longer. My sister even verbalized to the medical team present that who on earth would have a normal blood pressure at such a torrid and scorching temperature?! After taking our blood pressure three times at an interval of every 15 minutes, both of us were finally released and discharged by the nurses.
I went home nauseous not because of the vaccine but because of the sizzling weather. I too was craving for Lartizan!
I recently received a wedding invitation from a good friend. While he proudly tells that I am the first one to have received a copy of the actual invitation, we discussed details of what is to happen and where he and his wife-to-be are in their stage of planning and organizing their big event. I particularly was engrossed with his answer when I asked him what songs to be played or songs to be sang during his wedding.
a super cool wedding invite from jb & irene!
It then dawned in me though seem farfetched and unreal circumstance in trying to answer the same question. What would be the songs to be played in my own wedding if in case? To be specific, what specific song would be played during the wedding while I walk down the aisle?
My brain seems to have a ready answer to this silly question. No need for research, no need for review and no need for discussions. My brain’s ready answer to this is Something Good (the Jonathan Groff version). Listen!
got my would-be simple wedding cake too! mwahaha!
One problem though that I need to resolve. I need to find the one whom I should get married to! Haha! And while I await the melodramatic arrival of “the one”, let me continue my doing “something good” on the days and years to come.
It’s not the monarch neither the Spice Girls. It’s not Elton John neither J. R. R. Tolkien. Though I admire the wit of Stephen Hawking and at awe with Margaret Thatcher, it’s not them. The British human being who I envy the most when it comes to world travel is the effervescent Joanna Lumley.
Joanna thru her series of British TV travel shows feature amazing spots on the planet and showcase interesting cultures around the world! What is so enviable about this travel diva is that she got to go around and got a bunch of travel-savvy production team who will do the chronicling for her!
I was at awe with Joanna’s enchanting Trans-Siberian adventures. I enjoyed her splendid exploits of the inestimable Japan from north to south. And how I wish I will be granted with the gift of travel for I was truly envious with her Silk Road adventures!
I have read somewhere that travel envy can happen to anyone. It is caused by emotional discontent, frustration, feeling left out, the tendency for endless comparison and even social media. In my case, it would be a mix of all of these combined with being stuck for a year due to this crazy pandemic.
I too read that one way to cope with travel envy is to turn such envy into inspiration, that is by planning the next adventure. But it looks like planning for an out of the country escapade now seem unrealistic.
I would rather practice gratefulness and reminisce about my past trips. Good thing I have this blog because reading through some of my travel posts decreases the intensity of my feeling jealous.
And while I was busy basking on these feelings of envy towards the British travel muse, I paused for a while not knowing how to end this invaluable writing. I turned to my Facebook for a break and this very fitting photo struck me.
Like Rock Hudson who promised that he would treat himself for an ice cream if he gets the acting-role he first-time auditioned for, I too promised myself in the past that I would treat myself for an ice cream in case I finally found my “significant other”.
smiling today! haha!
I am writing this because it is Valentine’s Day today, the day of hearts, the day of love and the day to celebrate with a “significant other”. Unlike other Valentine Days in the past where I would just stay indoors, be quiet, sometimes be cranky and do nothing, I this year mustered a lot of chutzpah to be seen in public.
With testicles the size of asteroids, I stepped out, I went out and smiled outdoors! I decided to be cheery and light-hearted! A good amount of it was spent in my office so as to beat a deadline, shop at the biggest people-infested mall for larger-sized shirts because I’m getting plumper and do a little grocery at a nearby hypermarket. Included in my grocery haul was a pint of ice cream.
Yup, I decided to treat myself today for a big calorific amount of ice cream. You may be wondering now if I finally find my “significant other”. Let me answer it then…
ice cream!!!
Did you know that Rock Hudson went to his nearby diner and ordered for an ice cream despite knowing that he was not chosen for the acting role that he auditioned for? Though sad and down he was nevertheless was full of hope. Rock Hudson treat himself for a big goblet of an ice cream because he was proud of the courage he showed during the first time he auditioned.
I got the strawberry flavor! Happy Valentines everyone!
What are some of the songs you were exposed to during childhood? Like Zoey Clarke of the musical tv series, I got quite a lot. Try recalling your childhood playlist. It is believed that the songs and music you heard during your early years, in some bizarre way, shapes your personality today. But do you have a song that you regret not singing during your carefree childhood? I got one.
I can lucidly remember during my elementary days every time our teacher is suffering from a terrible migraine, a cruel dysmenorrhea or bouts of laziness to teach, she would robotically call for a “program”. A “program” is a short spontaneous talent presentation inside the classroom in which the teacher would assign the class President to act as the emcee and call out the class Sergeant at Arms to list the names of students on the blackboard who has gone talkatively noisy during the program. These raucous students whose names are listed on the board will later be castigated by the teacher when she’s feeling better.
This brief talent presentation would always comprise of singing, storytelling or rendition of a poem. I don’t know why the patriotic yet very boring song “Ako Ay Pilipino” (translation: I Am Filipino) is always performed by someone. Other Filipino 70’s classics were also commonly sung during a program, the likes of Mamang Sorbetero,Mr. DJ, ABaKaDa and Bato Sa Buhangin. Another habitual and regular number presented is the rendition of the classic poem Trees by Joyce Kilmer.
my love for hugging trees may be attributed to my constant early development hearing of the joyce kilmer poem
Each time I am called to perform, I am prepared to either sing a song or tell a story. I no longer remember the number of times I would tell the tale about the Alamat ng Mangga (translation: The Legend of the Mango Fruit) or the Alamat Ng Pinya (translation: The Legend of the Pineapple).
I seldomly sang. But when I am coerced to croon, the usual song that I would sing is not a Filipino-melody but from Annie’s “Tomorrow”. Yup, bet your bottom dollar, I can hit those high notes when I was a kid! I love the message of hope that Tomorrow conveys, but I have one regret though. Back then, I should have studied and memorized Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now. And added it to my very limited repertoire. Haha!
This song could have been so appropriate because it’s singing and storytelling at the same time! Aside from its fun and exuberance, it also conveys self-worth and self-regard. For sure, singing Don’t Stop Me Now would give further head ache to my teacher and my singing could have been such a show stopper! And since the tune is super bouncy, I am pretty sure at the end of my singing, every body’s name is listed on the blackboard.
My solo dealings literally, figuratively and unromantically about life’s quests and adventures has resulted to considering the love month of February as a season for silly rants, inane bitterness and ridiculous resentments! Hahaha!
While everybody adores the amorously fab month of Feb, for me, it’s a dark and menacing month that I hate to confront and grapple with! I am so prosaic and unromantic, friends and colleagues know that if I could just skip and jump to March after the cool month of January, I would! Hahaha!
But this year, let me go pretty easy towards the unescapable February. Let me be a little different this year. I decided to post no rant, no bitterness and no resentment in this season of love! I will instead try my very best to post thoughts and notions about love may it be towards pets, friends, a movie, a song, a romantic partner or even inanimate objects! Besides who wouldn’t want to be love-filled during these uncertain times of the pandemic?
Watch out Cupid, this blog may eat your heart out this love month of Feb!
In today’s chaotic world, everybody seems to have lost connection to Mother Earth. Everybody seems so preoccupied, so anxious, so tired and so unsteady. Here’s one beautiful tip for you to supercharge and achieve reconnection to the planet.
Nengkoy 