So I was tagged for “25 random things about you” I gave it thought and effort so here it goes:

1. If I were a kitchen utensil I would be a ladle. I like the notion of cradling my family and taking care of those anyone in need.  If I were single, I would probably be a half broken food processor for obvious reason where one good blade only works.
2. I was once a registered “young Democrat” in high school.  My political views have changed over the years and I’m more “independent”. Although, some would argue that I’m  a ‘pansy-liberal’.
3. Even though I have taken swimming lessons many times I still can’t swim.  (more of a matter-of-fact than random)
4. I recently wrote an essay for NPR (National Public Radio) for “This I Believe” program.  I dedicated to my father-in-law.  It is in the NPR’s national archive forever.
5. I like to sing Norah Jones tunes in the shower but I often think I sound more like Karen Carpenter.
6. Biggest imagination I had when I was a kid, I was a black-belt Ninja.  I often would jump off tree branches and throw ‘star-fruit’ at unsuspected passers-by (i.e like the ‘fish-ball’ vendor).
7. Piggy backing on number 6.  I was born in Philippines and immigrated to America when I was 10.  Up to this day, I don’t know how to answer the question “Did you grow up here?”
8. I speak several languages:  English, Tagalog, and Spanish.  I can understand some Portuguese, which I will de-bunk the idea right now that Portuguese is nowhere similar to Spanish.  In addition, I’m also fluent in sarcasm.
9.  My full and real name is French “Mignon” pronounce like that stake filet mignon.  I went by as Meg for several reasons:  in middle-school, most kids did not care to know my name some thought my name was “egg-nogg” As I got older, there wasn’t a place or a person I introduced myself to that I did not have to say my name several times so “Meg” was more for simplicity and convenience.
10. During my hey-days, I was a cocktail waitress at this bar called “Mitty’s”.  I quit and got in a fight with a group of military-guys because they tipped me “. 25cent” I told them, I’m trying to make a living not a phone call.  Thanks to you I can now call my landlord and tell them I can’t pay rent.  By the way, pay phones are now a rare sight.
11. My random act of kindness in more than one occasion:  I helped a lady pushed off her car off the middle of a highway ramp and changed a flat tire for a senior couple.  Yes, I know how to change a tire as well as changed oil but I’d rather pay someone for that
12. I really believe we’re all here to learn some lessons and help each other grow.
13. I don’t believe in love at first sight.  My definition of a soul-mate is not one that you marry because he or she is  your best friend.  It’s the person whom you are with and vice-versa and that while you’re both on this world.  You are both to treat each other with utmost respect and unconditional love so that when one soul passes on to the next world and the other’s soul in time passes, both souls are reunited as one.  No soul is longing for the other to join or wishing eternally that soul should’ve been kinder while on the material world.
14. My major paranoia is loosing my kids.  I constantly worry about them.  When they were babies, I would have vivid dreams that I had hired a crack head baby-sitter and that she would take my kids in her car driving aimlessly looking for crack.
15. I love the smell of a box of crayons.  It brings nostalgia and wonderment when my life was much simpler.
16. I wish I could read people’s aura on demand.
17. I will always cheer for the underdog.
18. I have a temper; I can be a cynic yet my saving grace is my magnanimous heart.
19. Secretly, I am, my husband’s, biggest fan.  His admirer and personal stalker.
20. I like to write things down on a list of what I want to do, to get, to accomplish but I never get to scratch anything off the list.  It’s what I call “the perfectionist-procrastinator syndrome”
21. I never finished my novel on NaNoWriMo in ’08.  Hoping to give it a shot this year. 
22. I’m not afraid to get hurt on a skateboard.
23. I love music and one of my favorite thing to do is going for a lazy drive with the windows down and listening to music.  My title playlist on my ipod:

-   drop to the lbs.  (for running and exercise purpose)

-   not in the airwaves (selection of songs that will never be played on the regular radio)

-   podcast (collection of This American Life, various Moth Stories, books on tape yeah sexy ones too!)

-   iRoad (the kind of music you will recline your chair to and wait for the transcontinental flight to take off)

 24.  I have a hard time saying “I love you”

 25.   I love Italian food though I love Thai food equally.

26.    I once got busy in a Burker King Bathroom.  ooops! 25 random things not 26.

 If I tagged you it’s because I want to know more about you.

 

Skittle commercial

The man in the mirror is actually speaking “Tagalog” however, the tailor,  I couldn’t make what language he’s speaking. 

Victory Wednesday

I don’t know about you bout those hologram image on CNN confused the heck out of me.  I kept thinking R2D2 will come on next to Wolf Blitzer and pop an image of Princess Leah and will say something like “Help me Obi-wan-Obama.  You’re my only hope!”  or did you see the one with a red seat and a blue seat referring to the projection balance?  I thought it was a turkey on top of the White House.  I realize at that point I needed eye-glasses or a flat-screen TV (I resent the fact that I could be aging a lot faster than I thought) but back to the point, I’m not about to pawn my gold in exchange for Sarah P. style.  She looked so sad because she would have to move back to Alaska and be a real parent. On the other hand, if you don’t feel excited today about anything then you might want to check your pulse.  We have a date with Opportunity.

     Being an immigrant I know the meaning of “opportunity”.  My father once said to his children  “None of you will become rice farmers” he achieved his goal by migrating to America.  The rest was up to his children including myself.  Opportunity is for betterment.  You change job/career for better pay and benefits.  Opportunity.  You pass on unhealthy relationship because friends, partners and/or spouses will enhance your life and make you a better individual.  You move to a different place for the merit of the land’s beauty.  You expose your children to culture rather than materialism because it teaches them tolerance and acceptance.  Opportunity leads to possibilities.  You don’t pass the chance for a life of improvement or betterment for you or your family.

  We, the people, clamor for change.  If every one of us truly have any inkling of the deeper realities of what is going on in our world is much bigger than you and I can imagine and what’s being rolled up, theirs is no doubt, we would embrace ‘opportunity’.  Be proud and smell the fragrance of justice.

Confessions of an over caffeinated voter

This morning I had the jitters already and I haven’t had my high-octane coffee yet courtesy of Starbucks.  Between my counter arbitration to my non-believer acquaintances and casting my ballot, I’m definitely blacklisted into any flake-republican sponsored dinner party.  Oh well, they never liked the wine I bring in a sippy carton box anyways.  What a bunch of snobs!  Not to mention the “gizzard” dish I brought in on culture night.  The invitation said “authentic dish from a country of your choice” like the ring leader slaved over  “Coq Au Win” French version of the American drunk-chicken I thought my dish was by far scores high on authenticity but no one liked it. 

    So today I voted “Yeahbama”  as oppose to “Nobama” (I know I’m still going against the grain) I had the urge to raise my fist in the sky and do the “ocho-ocho” dance I once saw on cable – not sure either Wowwoweee or Gigante Sabado channel then I remembered I’m a member of PTA so I must act like a proper citizen and I didn’t want to risk being tased in public.  No part deux of “Don’t Tase me Bro!” with me, as the starring role and I didn’t want to be cited for “electioneering” within certain yards or feet from the voting poll.  The flake-repubs are very careful on how they represent themselves in public.  They’re so eerily put together like Cindy McCain or Dick Cheney he always looks so fresh after a good day of hunting or my acquaintance  (insert his or her name here) I had no idea until this election that he/she is so narrow minded (that’s me saying it mildly).

     So thank you readers.  In which some of you are subjected to look into my cluttered noggin.  Last time I canvassed politically full force, I was in high school.  I was a registered young Democrat and no I didn’t mind licking envelopes for Dukakis.  Our headquarter was located to now replaced by Sam’s Club on a (fill in the name) Blvd.  The over-zealous, narrow-minded Repub-retards conjured up a flame within me.  You should see my e-mail transcript.

     On a serious note I shall leave you with this from 1972 Lyndon B. Johnson addressing Civil Rights.

     Let me remind you that history is cruel to those who wants to leave this world a better place.  Keep inspiring.

Get Out And Vote!!!

I’m really looking forward to tomorrow because I swear if hear the word “maverick” again, it will drive me to drink.  I don’t mean like drink with umbrellas but a drink that can make your nose hair curl.  Even 7-11 is tallying in on the election.  I swear I thought my free-range eggs have been endorsed as well.  I really did try to keep my political view to myself until the jackasses challenged me.  I was recently called by a Pinky and The Brain supporter an O.L.B (Obama Loving Beeyootch) and my e-mail has been on the ‘hot seat’.  I’ve had a busy weekend answering political accusations such as “soon I will be wearing a black veil”…hmmmm come to think of it a long black drape might be a good fashion alternative to our perpetually young hip fashion that resembles a string and a band-aid as a garment.  Yup Obama definitely!  That’s a trip I’m willing to risk to get to the Candy Mountain.  If McCain wins, it’s Sarah P.  that would move into the White House and the White House will need a bigger closet to accommodate her $150,000+ wardrobe (cause she’ll be a VP) and her gun collection.  She’ll replace the décor with Caribou head mounted on the wall and a tacky battery powered singing salmon.  McCain might have to conduct conferences in the comfort of the best senior home his money can buy.  As for Obama having terrorist affiliations and a socialist well Mr. Barrack Obama just happen to be black.  Don’t be in the racist closet that your in Narnia.  When 911 hit, I stood in line for a day trying to donate blood for the Red Cross.  Tomorrow, I’m willing to stand in line again for a day, if I have to, for a lifetime of change and hope. 

 

Thriller!

 

One last Halloween post.

Hope you think it’s funny as much as I do.

My fellow Pinoys

My fellow pinoys…in five days it’s election time.  Please do not forget, as an American citizen or a Naturalized American Citizen, your right to cast your ballot.  Take note I said ballot and not balut!  Big difference. A balut is a food we test the loyalty of our not-pinoy friends.  My fellow white friends, in case you did not know or your pinoy (Filipino) friend(s) has not let you in on this type of food it is because this type of food just ups the ante on culinary nastiness.

Psssst!  Hoy!

Please do not put “Manny Pacquiao” for president.  Even if  he’s been to Vegas and you’ve seen him box and win countless times on pay-per-view.  He is not an American citizen.

Please do not treat this election like “Dancing With The Stars” just because Cheryl ain’t dancing with either candidate, you still have to vote.  Text messaging is not a form of electoral voting.

No you cannot wish for either candidate to go in the octagon with UFC Brandon Vera and see who outlast- to much liability involve.

And no, no, no, Sarah Palin will never be in any of our beauty pageant.  

  Oh,sige! see you at the polls.

Growing Up F.O.B (Fresh Off the Boat)

     This morning I had a feeling of nostalgia perhaps it’s the cool crisp fall air that takes me back to the very first day I set foot on American soil twenty-four years ago.  I remember my first glimpse of the White House from the plane as we descend to Washington Dulles’ airport and it was cold.   It was the first time I caught sight of my breath in smoke and it was also a defining moment that I would grow up F.O.B.

Here are some of my recollections in no particular order:

    - There were no designated spaces for cleaning products and hair products so one day, I accidentally sprayed myself Lysol thinking it was hairspray.  I told my mother what had happen and she said I would be O.K. It will prevent me from getting lice at school.

-         The very first time I heard the phrase “Shot gun!” I actually ducked.

-         I wore Gitanoe corduroy to school purchased from Bradlees.

-         My friends labeled my house “The Embassy”.

-         There was endless supply of Tang and Spam in my house.

-         My mom constantly rubbed baby oil on my hair giving me the perpetual greasy look and kids at school constantly asked me “Why is your hair wet all the time?”

-         In High School, my dad once rigged my Corolla’s tail pipe with aluminum soda cans.

-         We had bathroom rugs as “area rugs”.  Our décor resembled the pre-American crack house motif, which now everyone is copying.

-         We had Christmas decoration on our lawn ALL YEAR LONG.

-         When I spoke English it was all in plural form.

-         The only music genre I know of was Tango.

-         We had condiments from McDonald’s and our napkins were from McDonald’s oh yeah straws too.

-         We had catalogs from Fingerhut.

-         I was constantly accused by my parents of ‘Gallivanting!’  I remember coming home and they said, “ Why you home 12:30 midnight!  Are you gala-ban-ting?!”  then I looked at the faux grandfather clock it was only 7:30pm.

-         I was reprimanded by taking a pen to school because apparently when it turns upside down the innocent nurse turns into a naked nurse.  I used my “No English” to my advantage and got off free.

     In retrospect, these are hilarious moments.  I tell my kids my FOBulous moments and they laugh.  They want to hear more.   I wholeheartedly admit how uncool I was and they love me for that.