Halloween fan... NOT!

"What you don't know can't hurt you." When it comes to spooky/creepy stuff I abide by this saying. I get so scared easily and my imagination runs wild that it haunts me everywhere I go most especially when I find myself alone. I rarely sleep with the lights out not unless I have company. You can just imagine the ordeal I had to go through and the courage I had to muster while living alone in a 2 bedroom vacation rental in Anna Maria island. Almost all lights were turned on including the LCD tv. It was certainly not an environment/power-friendly way of living but I couldn't bear it otherwise. I have watched none of those scary movies: paranormal activity, the ring, etc. My threshold is that low I guess that innocence is my weapon. That said you could say I am not really a halloween fan. Add the fact that I'm not one of those who goes out to dress up for the halloween parties.

Spending halloween in Austin back in 2009 was different and fun however. While 6th street was normally closed, it was as if almost everyone converged in the streets garbed in/parading their costumes. Of course, there were others like us who just came to see/observe and share in the "festivities". The costume party was not limited in the confines of the clubs/bars. Others were probably content to show off to everyone else their costumes and happily obliged for some photo op. While some were cute (the costumes/the wearer) others were creepy and scary. One was shocking in a perverse way we couldn't post it anywhere. (we took a picture just the same haha).

6th street revelry. good/fun kind of spooky.

We tried to get in one of the bars despite the fact that instead of queues people were funneling into the door. You get squeezed and pushed into the front. A white guy vouched for us at the door and then we were in. Then came halloween's real culture shock. We had fun but I guess we didn't expect that those things you see in tv do actually happen. Given our conservative background, people making out here and there (more than that it seems) was a shock definitely. It was late when we managed to get in, around 1am, but we were in for a treat as just when the bar was supposed to close (they close at 2), it was time for the DST fall back! Everyone was ecstatic of course! One hour extra more to party. Overall we had fun and just enjoyed the night the way we know and do it. Never mind the couple behind us making out by the trash bin. :D

check out the police in horses and the 6th street crowd!

Have some Chicken Rice!

solo order: roasted

I'm not new to SG but it's not uncommon for the family to NOT try the local cuisine when going out. I guess you could say we are not that adventurous. Needless to say, getting a taste of this chicken rice is not exactly down that road but maybe it was just not our priority. Eating was more out of necessity than of getting the whole experience and immersion.
Good thing a friend of mine who happened to be visiting SG the same time I found myself in its soil, paid attention to these kind of things. So there I was one day, in this somewhat out-of-the-way for tourists eatery. Yes, eatery. In SG, wee nam kee is not much of a resto but more of an eatery i think.

wee nam kee SG

The dish was simple but to me it was something new that is a must-try. Actually, scratch that, it was something I found myself craving for weeks/months later. Good thing, they opened two branches here in the Philippines. We got to try the one at Serendra and although it was not quite the same, for me it'll do as I can't afford to just go to SG on a whim based on some craving.

combination: steamed and roasted

So when in SG, have some chicken rice! :)

6 months and counting...

Several days ago marks the 6th month I've been clean. A few days ago, I had this twitter conversation with some of my friends: one who just joined the club and started to come clean and the other who's still hooked. No, I'm not talking about any drugs or such. It's a different kind of addiction, it's one you call social networking: facebook specifically.

Here are some bits and pieces from our twitter conversation:
-"too much trash info, things I don't want to read are popping out of nowhere"
and the rebuttal is simple actually: "declutter"
-"maganda na din na di alam ng maraming tao kung anong nangyayari sa akin... parang talk to me NOT watch my life"
-"I just found myself hooked to watching other people's lives when I should be minding my own, it's liberating db?"
-(my 10 cents) "it's a tool for self-absorption and stalking"
-"Sometimes you just have to be detached and stick to people that matter..."
-"it creates an idea that you need to know other people's lives..."
-"Those who matter knows. Those who don't, don't have to."

I guess we were one of those who misused and abused facebook and became facebook dependents such that the only way to regulate its use is by complete detachment either by deletion or the more subtle one: deactivation. Good thing they have that option. I, however, would like to think that we are not alone in this though. From an april fool's joke, to a form of penance, to abstinence from hearsay and gossip, to avoiding people and therefore from aggravating a bad situation, my reasons have evolved to what it is now. It's all those and then some. My friend was right, it is a liberating experience. Do I feel out of place/outsider? Yes, sometimes but not so much. Do I miss it? Not really. Does it get me when I'm branded as anti-social because of this? Yes a little. It's probably the only reason why I have not deleted it altogether. I am actually contemplating it if only as a read-only account that I can share to anyone especially foreign colleagues/professional contacts who'd like to keep in touch somehow. I am in no hurry though. I'm good.

They say too much of something is bad for your health. Before you fall into the pit of extreme stalking, of extreme showing off and being too self-absorbed to have to share everything whether in words or in pictures, stop. Slow down before you get hooked. It has its pros and cons but for me the cons still outweigh the pros. Thank goodness for twitter - made 'quitting' bearable and easier.

Remembering Ondoy

A lot of Filipinos will never forget Ondoy. It was one of those calamities that placed the Philippines in the global news channels' headlines. Flooding is not uncommon to the Philippines given that typhoons come and go in the country especially during the rainy season. It's not always bright and sunny in the tropics: there's the dry season and the wet season. However, back in 2009 Ondoy dropped a ton of rainwater in the metro than what it's clogged estero's, rivers, drainage systems and shallow lakes could handle. Even those not normally affected by the flooding were taken by surprise. It seemed that everything happened so fast even before people realized what was happening. Our family was one of them.

It, however, was altogether a different story for me. I was on the other side of the globe and though I saw some friends tweets of how heavy the downpour was, it didn't occur to me the damage and the effect it would have to our family. While everyone was struggling to salvage what they can, to stay alive and pray for safety, I was out buying some boots from San Marcos outlets and sight-seeing in San Antonio. It was not until I got back in the apartment later in the day when I was able to hear news of the status of our family/everyone else/Metro. I don't remember being devastated yet at that time although the anxiety and worry was way too high. It was not until the next day after a long drive to Houston that I was able to talk to my mom and hear the sad news/status. Helpless. that's basically my side of the story. You can't help but feel guilty of not sharing the hardship and experience with them. You think about what you can do to help, how they can rely on you as an additional helping hand instead of being out enjoying. Though you try to do your part in whatever way you can, communicating to relatives, providing directions, augmenting financially, you somehow know that you missed out.

There went my car. You can see the roof because it was floating. No one got the chance to drain its battery. (It's been revived and working now though.)

I guess you could also say that we were just not used to these kind of stuff so it was a challenge for us. Filipinos being resilient and all, we managed to pull through. It was a wake up call for everyone I guess - to turn around the bad into something good. It could have been worse, but it wasn't. Bulacan, who's been badly affected by this past weather disturbances will also get up, just you wait. Maybe not as good and quick as how Japan does it but in our way, they, scratch that, we will.

A lot of Filipinos may have been forever marked by the experience, wounded probably but moving forward definitely. I may not be able to lay claim on what happened or relate in its entirety considering that I somehow until now feel an outsider looking in, having second-hand experiences about the whole thing but in my own way as would probably other OFWs out there probably always feel, it was also trying. Try wanting and wishing and wanting to take someone else's place just to save them from the pain, suffering and the hardship and not being able to do anything.

Is the world ending? Maybe, maybe not. Amidst all these calamities and other disturbances I guess we need to be reminded to take every opportunity we can to do and experience what is important, to love, to cherish, to live.