Cloud 9

We had one-and-a-half hour to board our charter plane. Accompanied by my own entourage: my husband, my two sons and an arsenal of surfboards and we were ’stoked’! We were in Philippines and we’re heading to Cloud 9. One of the world’s best surf spot. Only one caveat – supposedly it’s not safe for ‘foreigners’ I looked at my American husband and two light-haired son then me ,the only one who fits in, and suddenly I’m not so stoked.

Our plane touched down and I caught a glimpse of my husband’s wonderment of the land. Endless rows of coconut trees, from a distance a man was walking on a rice patty path while his machete swings on his waist. My children laughed at at the sight of the water buffalo chewing on his cud. This was their airport. No concrete runway instead it was green grass, no security just a table, two attendants equipped with rubber stamps, an old fashion baggage scale and roosters running wild. I felt uncertain in a country where I was born. A tricycle driver yells, “Welcome Surfista!” and for a second I anticipated for him to blindfold everyone from the plane and ask for ransom money instead he smiled his toothless smile and says “Over der es where Abu-Walang-Bayag is hiding…” Lucky for me I understood his pun of joke and I laughed along with him but still I couldn’t help but looked at the forest of coconut trees. His joke was a way to reassure us that he’s on my team and not the one who was in hiding.

The next few days, I mastered the art of doing nothing. My husband happily surfed and hung out with ex-pat Aussies and my kids endlessly played on the beach under the hot-hot tropical sun. They found ‘Nemo’ amongst other sea life and they were particularly fond of chasing coconut crabs huge ones especially at night for which they came in drones. My children wore their headlamps and watched them ate and clicked-clacked their claws. We toured the island on a motorcycle with no helmets with my oldest sitting right on the gas tank. Was I worried that we did not meet U.S transportation standard? Perhaps a little thankfully we got back to our cottage safe and sound. The irony of the trip was as travelers we have all kinds of assumptions of people and places out of our comfort zone. We tend to feel worried and think of the negative and even judge. During my stay, I learned the true meaning of a Spanish saying “Via con Dios!” and I left all my worries behind and learned to live in the moment.

FYI on Student Loans

On July 1, 2009 IBR (Income Based Repayment) officially became available. “In addition to lowering monthly student loan payments, Income-Based Repayment forgives any remaining debt — including interest — after 25 years of payments. Most borrowers will pay off their debt before then, but under current law, if there’s anything left after 25 years, the amount forgiven would be taxed as income to the borrower. ” Here’s the link: www.ombudsman.ed.gov.

Can this prisoners get amnesty?

A few years ago, this prisoners did a Michael Jackson rendition of “Thriller” now they’ve done it again with “Dangerous”.  Should American justice system  add it on our agenda ‘Dance Rehabilitation’?  Shouldn’t these guys make shanks out of toothbrushes? ( Shawshank Redemption, remember?) Couldn’t some of them fly here in U.S (just like the 15-year old pirate from Somalia) and have the best day ever?  Someone behind the bars is somebody’s Tito Boy and he’s missing his Ate Baby.  Enjoy this video.  Hope your week is off to a good start.

How many screens do you own?

Whether you own a  52″ inch  flat-screen or an archaic tube TV, count how many screeens do you have at home?    I have five:  2 TV’s, 2 computers and a lap top.  Don’t forget the ones in your car or SUV.  Then get back with me with your response.

Ladies you decide (and men can join in too)

Spring is here and for some of us we love-love that freshly cut grass smell….hmmm, ahhhhh.  Yes the fight against thatch build-up is daunting but with this Schick Quatttro Trim Style for women it will cut grass like a Katana sword.  Good Monday y’all…here’s an outrageously funny commercial to jump start your week.  Well, you decide if you think this is hilarious as much as I do..

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document.write(unescape(“%3Cscript src=’” + gaJsHost + “google-analytics.com/ga.js’ type=’text/javascript’%3E%3C/script%3E”));
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Earth Hour 2009

Mark your calendars!  Switching  off for Earth.  This is an annual international event that asks households and business to turn off non-essential electrical parasites for one hour to raise energy conservation.  March 28, 2009 Stay off the grid!

http://www.earthhourus.org/main.php

Javalujah!

Our nation has been addicted to ‘retail worship’…now the economy HAS TANKED what do we do?  Life is full of paradox and irony.  It doesn’t help that on a national level we are being asked and encourage to spend and borrow our way out of recession by means of stimulus checks and that the person who handles your monies is called a broker.  In any case,  enjoy this parody. 

 

 

What kind of person would buy a Snuggie?

So I couldn’t sleep last night and while I tried to make a sensible decision to either raid the fridge or reach for the remote, I opted for the latter choice and saw this commercial about “The Snuggie”.  What kind of person would buy this crap?  Seriously, if this product is being sewn in China or (insert country name here) what in the world do they really think of Americans?  Honestly, can you REALY see yourself in a Snuggie during your child’s sporting event?!    This product should be banned because it will lead to a Hate Crime!  Enjoy the parody.

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.