The Filipino Discount
I've been searching for a phone cover for my new and free Nokia 6010. Seeing that T-mobile doesn't have any cool covers, I've been forced to check out them lil' kiosks in the mall. So it's off to Serramonte I go! Now it's been a while since I've been there and seeing that it's a Friday, I already should've been forewarned how crowded it would be. I finally find the cell phone accessory kiosk and the homie running the booth asks what I'm looking for. I tell him that I need a cover for my Nokia 6010 and he starts rummaging through his drawer for one...quite unorganized if you ask me. Anyways, he's looking, I'm browsing, and he asks if I'm Filipino. Yes, I tell him. Do I speak Tagalog, he asks...no, but I do understand, I tell him. Then he laughs and says, "Well how am I supposed to give you a good discount if you can't even speak Tagalog?" I respond, "Hey, I will understand everything you say." He finally finds the correct cover, not as cute as I hoped, but as basic as basic phone covers can be. I ask how much and he says, "For you, ten bucks." Seeing that he would need that in cash, I headed to the ATM, pulled out some moolah, and headed back only to find another Pinoy joining him. The dude who was helping me is busy with another customer and tells that guy to get my money. I hand him a twenty and he's like, "Out of $20?" with a confused look on his face. Other homie tells him in Tagalog to ring me up for $10...this guy looks surprised, but does it anyways. Dude comments on the Giants sweatshirt I'm wearing..."So are you a Giants fan or something?" Sarcastically I answer, "No, I just like to wear Giants gear." I don't think he got it. While he's getting my change, I ask him how much is the phone cover originally and he tells me $29.99. Whoo hoo, what a deal, eh? I grab my change and tell the dude "Salamat, huh?" and homie is like, "Oh, I didn't even know she was Filipina!" So there you have it...something I've missed out on since moving out of the Bay...getting THE hookup, not just any ole hookup, but the FILIPINO hookup! LOL!
Floral Arrangement 101
My friend Miss Lily is getting married tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it because it's going to be held at the Wilhelmina Gardens in Golden Gate Park right near Ocean Beach. If you don't know what I'm talking about, it's the garden behind the windmill...you can't miss it. That was actually one of the choices hubby and I were thinking about before we decided on the Palace of Fine Arts and yes, I was the one who suggested it to Lily for her own ceremony. I've never seen it or been there myself, but from the pics on the website, it's quite beautiful.
So Lily had a flower arranging party at her house today...have to make the boutinierres for her relatives, the bridesmaid's bouquets, corsages for the parents and grandparents, etc. When I got there, there was a small group already at it. I introduced myself and asked if they were all part of the bridal entourage. "No, we're not in the party." I ask, are any of the bridesmaids coming? "No." Wow. No worries, there were many people to help, but one of her friends happened to have taken classes in floral arrangement. A couple of them went to the FlowerMart earlier today and bought bunches and bunches of flowers- pink roses, red roses, berries, orchids, hydrangeas, and baby's breath. There were more, but those are the only names I could remember and recognize. Seeing that none of us had any experience making boutinnieres, we got a quick lesson and we were off.
I have to say that arranging flowers takes skill and a good eye...something I don't think I have. But give me a model and I will try my best to duplicate it. I tried to watch the gal in charge as she explained what she was doing and I was in awe at how beautiful her arrangements were. My respect for flower arrangers everywhere has just been upped a notch! We all joked about how at tomorrow's ceremony, we'll all be too busy checking out the boutinnieres and forgetting about the bride! My fear is that someone's flowers will totally just fall apart because of one of our mistakes. Aiya! I'm sure it will come out fine and that tomorrow's ceremony and banquet will go just fine.
Wedding Memories
With every wedding that has come and gone since my own, I can't help but take note of things that I'd want done again or compare it to what I did. Plus, it's only natural to reminisce about your own, right? Well, hubby and I have agreed that when the time is right, we are going to do it all over again...so technically speaking, I am looking for new ideas! Of course there's still my lil' cousin's wedding in January, the Weekender's in April, and who knows who else! I swear, there was just that period when everyone was getting engaged, getting married, having kids, and before you knew it, I was part of that group. Aiya...reminds me of how old I am sometimes. Lol!
There's one wedding that I'm going to try my best to make and it's happening in just a few weeks...and that's VirgoCapri's! Girlfriend has upped and moved to Georgia to be with her fiance and just the other day, she called and asked if I could be her maid of honor! What a surprise! I've never been a maid of honor before and to be asked was such an honor! She was very hesitant to ask me because she admitted that I was the third person she asked...although she says that had I not been in MN, I would've been her first! No worries and it's all good. I'm just trying to figure out finances if I'll be able to make it at all. If not, she says she won't have one at all. Boo. Keep your fingers crossed ya'll and hope that I can make it to her special day!
Week One- done
Tomorrow will mark my first week being back in the Bay. Still surreal to be home and still sad to be away from hubby. It's been a tiring week, both physically and mentally. This is the most activity that I've done in a while and being on my feet fixing up the classroom and/or organizing other stuff has been hell on my back. I swear, my back never rarely ached or pulled when I was in MN...time to call on my friend, Motrin. After an exhausting week, what better way to end the week than to get a pedicure! Ah yes...that always seems to do the trick and hey, a girl needs to be pampered now and then, ya' heard?
Anyways, hope ya'll have a great weekend wherever you are and whatever you do. As always, be safe. As for me, I've got Miss Lily's wedding tomorrow and church on Sunday. It should be a fun weekend overall...pics to come soon!
*To my hubby: thanks for the card! What a nice surprise...and it really brightened up my day. =) Wish I could be there to give you a big hug...love and miss you.
Friday, July 29, 2005
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Back to the Bay
The flight to the Bay last Saturday was nothing spectacular. For the entirety of the flight, I busied myself reading "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" and only took a break when dinner rolled around. Yes, SunCountry Airlines still feeds people...unlike Northwest. NW started with taking out the food service, then took out pillows and blankets, what's next? Hmph. Anyways, touched down in SFO about 10:20pm and luckily my bags were among the first to arrive in baggage claim. With the help of a porter (whom I didn't tip well enough- my bad!), I got my gear and waited for my dad.
I've been home to visit the Bay many times since my move to MN and it always follows the same routine. But this time is different. I'm not scheduled to fly back in a week or two. This isn't just a visit for a special celebration or occasion. I am staying for much longer than that.
Being back at my parents' house has been nothing but surreal. Don't get me wrong, I love them to death and appreciate all that they've done for me. But I've had that taste of independence for quite a while and to be back, however temporary, is hard to swallow. In so many ways, I feel like a visitor...intruding on their space. I'm trying to be as low maintenance as possible, but if there's one thing that I DO have to complain about, it's the fact that they only have dial-up connection to the internet! Argh...I'm back in the stone ages! LOL! I got spoiled with wireless, so sue me!
On top of all that, I'm totally missing hubby. We pretty much talk each night about our days, but it's still not the same. The worst is at night. You get used to certain routines and when you don't do it, you feel out of whack. Plus, it's tough adjusting to sleeping by myself...hearing hubby snore the night away...hogging the blankets...oh wait! I do that! LOL! But yah, I'm in this transitional period right now that doesn't feel like a good transition at all. It sucks, to say the least.
One of the major pluses of being back in CA is being to see friends whom I haven't seen in what it feels like ages. I got to have lunch with Mrs. Voodoo, who btw, celebrated her birthday this past July 27- happy birthday, girl! She took me to this Peruvian restaurant in the Fillmore that was hella yum. I've never had Peruvian food before and I wouldn't mind going again. That same day, Mrs. Gee came by for a visit. The last time I saw her was on her wedding back in November. With this girl, it ain't nothing but jokes- my facial muscles are always sore from too much laughing. Little by little, I've been talking with peoples I've lost touch with and whatnot. One of the major things that I missed after the move to MN was seeing friends...so this was definitely a treat!
The week isn't over yet and I'm totally exhausted. I've been back at school, setting up the classroom, and sorting through what needs to be done. Although I've missed being the classroom like you wouldn't believe, I don't miss all the prep work...like ripping out test papers and sorting. Tedious. School starts on August 24th, but the week before that is a teacher inservice. I might've said this before, but this temporary gig will help me figure out if teaching is what I'm really supposed to doing with my life...if not, oh well, at least it ends in January!
Dad's Stories
Today was such a blah day. It's been hitting me hard that I won't be seeing hubby on a daily basis, that I won't be sleeping in my own bed, that I won't be able to drive my beloved Honda, and so much more. I even went to the beach today and to be quite honest, I was disappointed. Maybe it was the fog. There's usually this feeling I get when I haven't been to the beach in a while, a sort of uplifting feeling that everything will be okay, that the sounds of the crashing waves will lull me into this trance and all my problems would disappear. I did not feel that today. And I kept trying, as if the effort would somehow make that feeling appear, but it never did. So it was a doubly blah day...until I got home.
My parents got home not even a minute after I walked in the door. And when it's dinnertime, they're like the fast and the furious trying to whip something up. There's something that ya'll have to know about my dad. He's a talker. He will talk your ear off. And it's funny because he will recount a story that we've heard hundreds of times, but it's only been within the last few years or so that my ears totally perk up when he starts. Probably has something to do with age creeping up on us and how I'm hungry to remember everything he says. In any case, it started off with commenting about how "dahon ng ampalaya" has cancer curing properties. His exact words were, "This cures cancer, did you know?" I'm curious if this is fact or one of them superstitious filipino thangs, but according to pops, there's a study being done in Hawaii about it. He goes on to explain how the ampalaya leaves grow rampant in PI and it's because of its bitterness that helps with cancer. That gets him talking about his young PI days, how handsome and debonaire he was (and he really was!), how proud his parents were of him because he was being sent to Manila for school, and how many girlfriends he had at the time (such a player!). My mom mentioned how after dinner they had to visit an ill friend, and so from there my dad got into this "game" kids his age played during the last few days of a funeral.
It was called "bulaklakan" or "flower." Boys would be given various fruit names and girls would be given flower names. One designated person would be King of the Butterflies. The object of the game was to figure out where the butterfly had disappeared. According to my dad, this wasn't just any game. It was all about special talents such as singing and poetry. For example, the King of Butterflies would call out a flower name, say "rose." The rose girl would have to invent a story of what happened to the butterfly, if it visited her and whatnot, and "entertain" everyone with a song, dance, or story. Usually the guys would sing, but when they did, they'd dedicate their songs to a "flower", who just so happened to be the gal they were after. From all that my dad was telling me, it just sounded like a lot of hormones were raging...all this talk of "drinking the sweet nectar from my flower"...c'mon! LOL! It was just neat to see my mom and dad reminiscing and remembering the good ole days of their youth. Of course, it seemed so innocent for the time, but hey, that was the late 50s, early 60s for you.
In any case, all the talking that my dad did brought my spirits up. I've actually never heard that story before so I had to get my questions and clarifications in. I always enjoy his stories, too, because there's this certain gleam in eye when he talks about his youth and once he gets started, you don't want him to stop. Then of course, that also got me thinking of hubby because I know that he would've enjoyed listening to my dad's stories as well.
Shout-Outs
Just wanted to send some birthday shout-outs to the following people: Mrs. Voodoo, Tita Carmela, Mr. Calves, Mare DeJesus, a belated wish to my lil' bro Phil, and to my lil' sweetheart Noelle who celebrated her 6th birthday this past Saturday. A shout-out goes to the Mommy Hernandez and hubby who are celebrating their 5th wedding anniversary tomorrow. To my Cornerstone buddy Miss Lily who will become MRS. Lily this Saturday, stop stressing, your wedding will be beautiful! To hubby's compadre, Vegas, for delivering my FedEx packages- domo arigato! To Mommy Low who is about to give birth any day now, good luck! A quick shout-out to J.K. Rowling, author of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." I finished it today, finally, and am in awe of you as a writer. Lastly, to my hubby in MN...I miss you lots.
The flight to the Bay last Saturday was nothing spectacular. For the entirety of the flight, I busied myself reading "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" and only took a break when dinner rolled around. Yes, SunCountry Airlines still feeds people...unlike Northwest. NW started with taking out the food service, then took out pillows and blankets, what's next? Hmph. Anyways, touched down in SFO about 10:20pm and luckily my bags were among the first to arrive in baggage claim. With the help of a porter (whom I didn't tip well enough- my bad!), I got my gear and waited for my dad.
I've been home to visit the Bay many times since my move to MN and it always follows the same routine. But this time is different. I'm not scheduled to fly back in a week or two. This isn't just a visit for a special celebration or occasion. I am staying for much longer than that.
Being back at my parents' house has been nothing but surreal. Don't get me wrong, I love them to death and appreciate all that they've done for me. But I've had that taste of independence for quite a while and to be back, however temporary, is hard to swallow. In so many ways, I feel like a visitor...intruding on their space. I'm trying to be as low maintenance as possible, but if there's one thing that I DO have to complain about, it's the fact that they only have dial-up connection to the internet! Argh...I'm back in the stone ages! LOL! I got spoiled with wireless, so sue me!
On top of all that, I'm totally missing hubby. We pretty much talk each night about our days, but it's still not the same. The worst is at night. You get used to certain routines and when you don't do it, you feel out of whack. Plus, it's tough adjusting to sleeping by myself...hearing hubby snore the night away...hogging the blankets...oh wait! I do that! LOL! But yah, I'm in this transitional period right now that doesn't feel like a good transition at all. It sucks, to say the least.
One of the major pluses of being back in CA is being to see friends whom I haven't seen in what it feels like ages. I got to have lunch with Mrs. Voodoo, who btw, celebrated her birthday this past July 27- happy birthday, girl! She took me to this Peruvian restaurant in the Fillmore that was hella yum. I've never had Peruvian food before and I wouldn't mind going again. That same day, Mrs. Gee came by for a visit. The last time I saw her was on her wedding back in November. With this girl, it ain't nothing but jokes- my facial muscles are always sore from too much laughing. Little by little, I've been talking with peoples I've lost touch with and whatnot. One of the major things that I missed after the move to MN was seeing friends...so this was definitely a treat!
The week isn't over yet and I'm totally exhausted. I've been back at school, setting up the classroom, and sorting through what needs to be done. Although I've missed being the classroom like you wouldn't believe, I don't miss all the prep work...like ripping out test papers and sorting. Tedious. School starts on August 24th, but the week before that is a teacher inservice. I might've said this before, but this temporary gig will help me figure out if teaching is what I'm really supposed to doing with my life...if not, oh well, at least it ends in January!
Dad's Stories
Today was such a blah day. It's been hitting me hard that I won't be seeing hubby on a daily basis, that I won't be sleeping in my own bed, that I won't be able to drive my beloved Honda, and so much more. I even went to the beach today and to be quite honest, I was disappointed. Maybe it was the fog. There's usually this feeling I get when I haven't been to the beach in a while, a sort of uplifting feeling that everything will be okay, that the sounds of the crashing waves will lull me into this trance and all my problems would disappear. I did not feel that today. And I kept trying, as if the effort would somehow make that feeling appear, but it never did. So it was a doubly blah day...until I got home.
My parents got home not even a minute after I walked in the door. And when it's dinnertime, they're like the fast and the furious trying to whip something up. There's something that ya'll have to know about my dad. He's a talker. He will talk your ear off. And it's funny because he will recount a story that we've heard hundreds of times, but it's only been within the last few years or so that my ears totally perk up when he starts. Probably has something to do with age creeping up on us and how I'm hungry to remember everything he says. In any case, it started off with commenting about how "dahon ng ampalaya" has cancer curing properties. His exact words were, "This cures cancer, did you know?" I'm curious if this is fact or one of them superstitious filipino thangs, but according to pops, there's a study being done in Hawaii about it. He goes on to explain how the ampalaya leaves grow rampant in PI and it's because of its bitterness that helps with cancer. That gets him talking about his young PI days, how handsome and debonaire he was (and he really was!), how proud his parents were of him because he was being sent to Manila for school, and how many girlfriends he had at the time (such a player!). My mom mentioned how after dinner they had to visit an ill friend, and so from there my dad got into this "game" kids his age played during the last few days of a funeral.
It was called "bulaklakan" or "flower." Boys would be given various fruit names and girls would be given flower names. One designated person would be King of the Butterflies. The object of the game was to figure out where the butterfly had disappeared. According to my dad, this wasn't just any game. It was all about special talents such as singing and poetry. For example, the King of Butterflies would call out a flower name, say "rose." The rose girl would have to invent a story of what happened to the butterfly, if it visited her and whatnot, and "entertain" everyone with a song, dance, or story. Usually the guys would sing, but when they did, they'd dedicate their songs to a "flower", who just so happened to be the gal they were after. From all that my dad was telling me, it just sounded like a lot of hormones were raging...all this talk of "drinking the sweet nectar from my flower"...c'mon! LOL! It was just neat to see my mom and dad reminiscing and remembering the good ole days of their youth. Of course, it seemed so innocent for the time, but hey, that was the late 50s, early 60s for you.
In any case, all the talking that my dad did brought my spirits up. I've actually never heard that story before so I had to get my questions and clarifications in. I always enjoy his stories, too, because there's this certain gleam in eye when he talks about his youth and once he gets started, you don't want him to stop. Then of course, that also got me thinking of hubby because I know that he would've enjoyed listening to my dad's stories as well.
Shout-Outs
Just wanted to send some birthday shout-outs to the following people: Mrs. Voodoo, Tita Carmela, Mr. Calves, Mare DeJesus, a belated wish to my lil' bro Phil, and to my lil' sweetheart Noelle who celebrated her 6th birthday this past Saturday. A shout-out goes to the Mommy Hernandez and hubby who are celebrating their 5th wedding anniversary tomorrow. To my Cornerstone buddy Miss Lily who will become MRS. Lily this Saturday, stop stressing, your wedding will be beautiful! To hubby's compadre, Vegas, for delivering my FedEx packages- domo arigato! To Mommy Low who is about to give birth any day now, good luck! A quick shout-out to J.K. Rowling, author of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." I finished it today, finally, and am in awe of you as a writer. Lastly, to my hubby in MN...I miss you lots.
Saturday, July 23, 2005
It's a gloomy day in our neck of the woods of the Twin Cities today. Perhaps it's because I'm leaving for the Bay today. The weather conditions are a reflection of how I'm feeling- the wind turbulence swirling outside is a combination of all of the emotions I'm battling, the falling rain are the tears of sadness, the cracking thunder is all the built up tension and stress that is enough to make me buckle, and the quick flashes of lightning are like a camera, desperately capturing everything around me in still photographs and storing them in my mind. The humidity is like frustration- it's there, nagging, making you sweat, making you thirst, and making you feel that there isn't anything you could do to escape it unless you have a/c.
As much of a good opportunity it is for me to accept that temporary teaching job in San Francisco, I'm sad to be leaving MN...sad to be leaving hubby. Maybe I just like to complain a lot. There are so many people who do what I'm doing- go elsewhere for work and be separated from their significant others. Sure it's a sacrifice and well, we all know that sacrifices are never easy to bear. Aside from all of the business trips that he's taken, this separation will be the longest that we've been apart and it will definitely take some getting used to, that's for sure.
The next few days will be busy settling back in with my parents. They've been generous enough to house me for a bit and that in itself will be a major adjustment for me. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love my parents, but I've always dreamed of having that independence that all kids crave when they're stuck at home. And when I finally got it, I felt a major shift in my life...a good shift, a good change.
Anyways, I've still got packing to do...pray that I have a safe flight, ya'll! The next time I'll be posting will be via archaic dial-up from my parents- LOL! Man oh man...I will SO MISS high speed internet! I'm spoiled here. ;-) Peace out!
To my hubby, I miss you already...
As much of a good opportunity it is for me to accept that temporary teaching job in San Francisco, I'm sad to be leaving MN...sad to be leaving hubby. Maybe I just like to complain a lot. There are so many people who do what I'm doing- go elsewhere for work and be separated from their significant others. Sure it's a sacrifice and well, we all know that sacrifices are never easy to bear. Aside from all of the business trips that he's taken, this separation will be the longest that we've been apart and it will definitely take some getting used to, that's for sure.
The next few days will be busy settling back in with my parents. They've been generous enough to house me for a bit and that in itself will be a major adjustment for me. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love my parents, but I've always dreamed of having that independence that all kids crave when they're stuck at home. And when I finally got it, I felt a major shift in my life...a good shift, a good change.
Anyways, I've still got packing to do...pray that I have a safe flight, ya'll! The next time I'll be posting will be via archaic dial-up from my parents- LOL! Man oh man...I will SO MISS high speed internet! I'm spoiled here. ;-) Peace out!
To my hubby, I miss you already...
Friday, July 22, 2005
Friday Tidbits
* Started reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince last night...finally!
* Will definitely call hubby, Ate, and Mommy Hernandez immediately to discuss it.
* Using hella hydrocortisone to battle the itchy bug bites I'm getting...argh.
* Can vaguely still smell the bugspray we used last night as we took a walk around the neighborhood...didn't work (see bullet above).
* Scratching the crap out of said bites above until they're raw.
* It's freakin' HOT outside! It reached 112 degrees in our car yesterday!
* Luggage #1 weighs in about approximately 46 pounds.
* Experiencing hubby, house, and Honda withdrawal symptoms...badly.
* Will actually miss using the washer/dryer, vaccuum, and dishwasher after today.
* Mentally preparing myself for flight back the da Bay tomorrow night.
* Am hoping and praying that there will be no kneecap popping incidents as I board the plane.
* Am in dire need of a hair color, manicure, and pedicure...oh, to be pampered!
* Refuse to let my legs hang over the bed (again!) after watching Shark Week on the Discovery Channel.
Hope ya'll have a great Friday!
* Started reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince last night...finally!
* Will definitely call hubby, Ate, and Mommy Hernandez immediately to discuss it.
* Using hella hydrocortisone to battle the itchy bug bites I'm getting...argh.
* Can vaguely still smell the bugspray we used last night as we took a walk around the neighborhood...didn't work (see bullet above).
* Scratching the crap out of said bites above until they're raw.
* It's freakin' HOT outside! It reached 112 degrees in our car yesterday!
* Luggage #1 weighs in about approximately 46 pounds.
* Experiencing hubby, house, and Honda withdrawal symptoms...badly.
* Will actually miss using the washer/dryer, vaccuum, and dishwasher after today.
* Mentally preparing myself for flight back the da Bay tomorrow night.
* Am hoping and praying that there will be no kneecap popping incidents as I board the plane.
* Am in dire need of a hair color, manicure, and pedicure...oh, to be pampered!
* Refuse to let my legs hang over the bed (again!) after watching Shark Week on the Discovery Channel.
Hope ya'll have a great Friday!
Thursday, July 21, 2005
No Jimminys Allowed!
That's right. Jimminy. As in Cricket. And that goes for all the other big, small, miniscule, nasty bugs that have made their way into our home unwelcome.
It's because I jinxed myself.
Just the other day I was commenting to hubby that with all the heat, humidity, and millions of bugs flying around, we've been lucky that we haven't been "torn up" by them. Sure, one here and one there, but nothing major that would leave me itching uncomfortably into the night. Considering that last year, I always carried our handy dandy bug spray with us whenever we ventured out...this year, I've used it only once.
But I woke up scratching away at bug bites on my calves, thighs, arms, and near my eye. What the hell?!
It has to do with that dream, doesn't it? Shit. And so it begins...
That's right. Jimminy. As in Cricket. And that goes for all the other big, small, miniscule, nasty bugs that have made their way into our home unwelcome.
It's because I jinxed myself.
Just the other day I was commenting to hubby that with all the heat, humidity, and millions of bugs flying around, we've been lucky that we haven't been "torn up" by them. Sure, one here and one there, but nothing major that would leave me itching uncomfortably into the night. Considering that last year, I always carried our handy dandy bug spray with us whenever we ventured out...this year, I've used it only once.
But I woke up scratching away at bug bites on my calves, thighs, arms, and near my eye. What the hell?!
It has to do with that dream, doesn't it? Shit. And so it begins...
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Troubling Dream
I dreamt about bees last night. Lots and lots of bees. Now if you look up any dream dictionary online, it will tell you that dreaming about bees is a good thing that symbolizes good luck, harmony, and bliss. They are also symbolic of work and industry as represented by the phrase "busy as a bee."
But to be STUNG by the bees, stung by lots and lots of bees numerous times, well that's a different story.
Being stung by a bee in a dream signifies unexpected misfortune, bad luck, and poverty.
WTF?!
This week has already been surreal, to say the least...and now I have to get all these weird, indecipherable dreams? Packing up and preparing to head back to da Bay hasn't been an easy task at all. In terms of packing, I'd like to think of myself as a (and say it with me in a filipino accent) "muther packer." The actual packing isn't the problem...deciding WHAT to pack is. But the rollercoaster of emotions have been kicking me. It's definitely going to be difficult leaving hubby and everything else behind, but I'm talking about the transition back to city life.
I have definitely gotten used to living in the 'burbs. Though the constant darkness and silence initially freaked me out, I have embraced it. The bugs are a different story...ya'll know how I feel about that. Living out here, the stars shine out in all of their glory and the peacefulness of being away from big city life is relaxing and soothing. Growing up in da city, there's constant noise...the rumbling of the MUNI passing by, ambulance sirens, fire trucks, cars cranking up music so loud that the bass makes your entire house tremble, the couple across the yard who are constantly yelling at each other and throwing pots, and my personal favorite, car chases. Here, you get none of that. What was once totally eerie has become something that I'm really going to miss.
As if there wasn't enough for me to worry about, now I have to figure out what this dream means. Of course, it could be just that- a dream. But with me, "just a dream" usually isn't the case. It just doesn't sound positive and happy, does it? Hmmm...I shall get back to ya'll on this one.
If ya'll have any thoughts or ideas of what this might mean, feel free to share.
I dreamt about bees last night. Lots and lots of bees. Now if you look up any dream dictionary online, it will tell you that dreaming about bees is a good thing that symbolizes good luck, harmony, and bliss. They are also symbolic of work and industry as represented by the phrase "busy as a bee."
But to be STUNG by the bees, stung by lots and lots of bees numerous times, well that's a different story.
Being stung by a bee in a dream signifies unexpected misfortune, bad luck, and poverty.
WTF?!
This week has already been surreal, to say the least...and now I have to get all these weird, indecipherable dreams? Packing up and preparing to head back to da Bay hasn't been an easy task at all. In terms of packing, I'd like to think of myself as a (and say it with me in a filipino accent) "muther packer." The actual packing isn't the problem...deciding WHAT to pack is. But the rollercoaster of emotions have been kicking me. It's definitely going to be difficult leaving hubby and everything else behind, but I'm talking about the transition back to city life.
I have definitely gotten used to living in the 'burbs. Though the constant darkness and silence initially freaked me out, I have embraced it. The bugs are a different story...ya'll know how I feel about that. Living out here, the stars shine out in all of their glory and the peacefulness of being away from big city life is relaxing and soothing. Growing up in da city, there's constant noise...the rumbling of the MUNI passing by, ambulance sirens, fire trucks, cars cranking up music so loud that the bass makes your entire house tremble, the couple across the yard who are constantly yelling at each other and throwing pots, and my personal favorite, car chases. Here, you get none of that. What was once totally eerie has become something that I'm really going to miss.
As if there wasn't enough for me to worry about, now I have to figure out what this dream means. Of course, it could be just that- a dream. But with me, "just a dream" usually isn't the case. It just doesn't sound positive and happy, does it? Hmmm...I shall get back to ya'll on this one.
If ya'll have any thoughts or ideas of what this might mean, feel free to share.
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Half-Blood Prince Midnight Release
Don't worry...no spoilers follow.
Hubby and I headed to the local Borders at around 10pm-ish last Friday night. I knew that it was going to be a big celebration complete with face painting, arts & crafts, and people dressing up, but as excited as we were to have the book released, we weren't pressed to be there for all of the wizardly activities. By the time we got there, the parking lot was packed! Once inside, a greeter directed us to a "Check In Here" line where pre-ordering customers were given a ticket to get the book.
That big yellow splotch in the bottom right hand corner says RESERVED. We walked around a bit to check out the different activity tables. Although you can't tell in the pic, lots of people were dressed up- a group of teenybopper girls wore decorated matching shirts that read "Half-Blood Princesses," lil' kids were running around with paper "Merlin" hats and wands, and there also a number of adults who wore robes and other Harry Potter clothing.
At around 10:30ish, hubby and I decided to finally get into the growing line. Not only was there was tape on the floor to follow the line, but one lucky Borders employee got the responsibility (aka "shitty job") of holding a huge "Line Start Here" sign. It was funny at first because we kept joking with people around us about how it must've been at the Borders meeting and how each person was assigned a job..."And the lucky sign holder for the night goes to Bob!" But I tell you, Bob was a very busy guy, always on the move, answering questions about how long a wait to the registers from the Local Interests section, and not to mention holding up that sign! Well, as much as we joked about him, he was the one person we kept our eye on as the night wore on. As the lines snaked in and out of the aisles, so did Bob. First he was three aisles away, then he was behind the summer titles "Buy three, get one free" display, then he was at the music/dvd section, and by close to midnight, he was somewhere near the Cafe...which was way across the other end of the store!
There were time checks throughout the time we were there and by the time midnight rolled around, the whole store was buzzing with excitement. I took a video of the final ten second countdown and everyone just went crazy! Kids were yelling, people were jumping up and down, and people who've been waiting hella long were antsy to get moving forward toward the registers. The line didn't start moving until 12:15am and we finally walked out of Borders by 1am. Not too bad.
Sadly, as stoked as I was to get my hands on a copy of the Half-Blood Prince, I haven't cracked it open just yet. Initially, I wanted to reread Book 5 again, but with all the packing to do, I never got around to it. Now, I just figure that I'll start reading it on the plane this weekend.
So if ya'll have read it, DON'T TELL ME A THING!!!
*Sidenote: we met an "interesting" woman in line...just one of those who like to yap and yap about anything and everything. She seemed really cool at first, but then we got into a conversation about technology and how she's so totally against it. She doesn't own a cell phone nor does she have any desire to; she also added her irritated sentiments about those who rely on it too much. Well, this was our cue to whip out our phones and text each other, etc, just to push her buttons. I did tell her that yes, I do remember the time before cell phones and pagers, but man oh man, what a major convenience they are, yes? Well, she didn't agree. Also, she kept complaining that it'd be around 3am until she got home. I assured her that the wait wouldn't be long, but she explained that she lived about 75 miles out toward Wisconsin! Good lord lady, there ain't any Borders, Barnes & Nobles out in yonder parts? Apparently not. Well, all I can say is this...if someone tried to jack her for her Harry Potter book during that 75 mile drive, I sure would love to have had a cell phone on me to call for help. Your bad, lady.
Don't worry...no spoilers follow.
Hubby and I headed to the local Borders at around 10pm-ish last Friday night. I knew that it was going to be a big celebration complete with face painting, arts & crafts, and people dressing up, but as excited as we were to have the book released, we weren't pressed to be there for all of the wizardly activities. By the time we got there, the parking lot was packed! Once inside, a greeter directed us to a "Check In Here" line where pre-ordering customers were given a ticket to get the book.
That big yellow splotch in the bottom right hand corner says RESERVED. We walked around a bit to check out the different activity tables. Although you can't tell in the pic, lots of people were dressed up- a group of teenybopper girls wore decorated matching shirts that read "Half-Blood Princesses," lil' kids were running around with paper "Merlin" hats and wands, and there also a number of adults who wore robes and other Harry Potter clothing.
At around 10:30ish, hubby and I decided to finally get into the growing line. Not only was there was tape on the floor to follow the line, but one lucky Borders employee got the responsibility (aka "shitty job") of holding a huge "Line Start Here" sign. It was funny at first because we kept joking with people around us about how it must've been at the Borders meeting and how each person was assigned a job..."And the lucky sign holder for the night goes to Bob!" But I tell you, Bob was a very busy guy, always on the move, answering questions about how long a wait to the registers from the Local Interests section, and not to mention holding up that sign! Well, as much as we joked about him, he was the one person we kept our eye on as the night wore on. As the lines snaked in and out of the aisles, so did Bob. First he was three aisles away, then he was behind the summer titles "Buy three, get one free" display, then he was at the music/dvd section, and by close to midnight, he was somewhere near the Cafe...which was way across the other end of the store!
There were time checks throughout the time we were there and by the time midnight rolled around, the whole store was buzzing with excitement. I took a video of the final ten second countdown and everyone just went crazy! Kids were yelling, people were jumping up and down, and people who've been waiting hella long were antsy to get moving forward toward the registers. The line didn't start moving until 12:15am and we finally walked out of Borders by 1am. Not too bad.
Sadly, as stoked as I was to get my hands on a copy of the Half-Blood Prince, I haven't cracked it open just yet. Initially, I wanted to reread Book 5 again, but with all the packing to do, I never got around to it. Now, I just figure that I'll start reading it on the plane this weekend.
So if ya'll have read it, DON'T TELL ME A THING!!!
*Sidenote: we met an "interesting" woman in line...just one of those who like to yap and yap about anything and everything. She seemed really cool at first, but then we got into a conversation about technology and how she's so totally against it. She doesn't own a cell phone nor does she have any desire to; she also added her irritated sentiments about those who rely on it too much. Well, this was our cue to whip out our phones and text each other, etc, just to push her buttons. I did tell her that yes, I do remember the time before cell phones and pagers, but man oh man, what a major convenience they are, yes? Well, she didn't agree. Also, she kept complaining that it'd be around 3am until she got home. I assured her that the wait wouldn't be long, but she explained that she lived about 75 miles out toward Wisconsin! Good lord lady, there ain't any Borders, Barnes & Nobles out in yonder parts? Apparently not. Well, all I can say is this...if someone tried to jack her for her Harry Potter book during that 75 mile drive, I sure would love to have had a cell phone on me to call for help. Your bad, lady.
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Harry Potter Countdown
Who IS the half-blood prince? People are speculating that it could be anyone from his cousin Dudley Dursley, Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnegan, Professor Snape, to Albus Dumbledore himself. Who is going to die? Some say the evil DeathEaters or a handful of Gryffindors like Dean Thomas, Prefect Percy Weasley, or even Dumbledore. It can't be Harry, that's for sure...and it better not be Ron or Hermione. It just can't. Will Ron and Hermione finally get together? I'm betting on it and keeping my fingers crossed on that one. How about Harry? I believe there may be romance with Cho, but some say that he'll finally notice lil' Ginny. Will Harry achieve Auror status? How will Harry and He-who-shall-not-be-named face off this time?
So many questions...and just two more days. I can't wait!
Who IS the half-blood prince? People are speculating that it could be anyone from his cousin Dudley Dursley, Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnegan, Professor Snape, to Albus Dumbledore himself. Who is going to die? Some say the evil DeathEaters or a handful of Gryffindors like Dean Thomas, Prefect Percy Weasley, or even Dumbledore. It can't be Harry, that's for sure...and it better not be Ron or Hermione. It just can't. Will Ron and Hermione finally get together? I'm betting on it and keeping my fingers crossed on that one. How about Harry? I believe there may be romance with Cho, but some say that he'll finally notice lil' Ginny. Will Harry achieve Auror status? How will Harry and He-who-shall-not-be-named face off this time?
So many questions...and just two more days. I can't wait!
Bomb Scare
With all the craziness of the recent London blasts, everyone has been on high alert. Anything suspicious, however small or minor, is thoroughly checked out because we simply cannot take any chances. Just yesterday, the airport here in MN was temporarily evacuated. Turns out that trained bomb-sniffing dogs detected two separate scents at the Humphrey Terminal (which, btw, is the terminal where I will be flying out of). As the dogs went on their daily rounds, they are trained to sit if and when they detect bomb-like residue. For some reason, I imagine it like the cartoons when the search dogs find what they're looking for and freeze up their entire body from tip of its nose to the end of its tail to point in the direction, like an arrow, to whatever it is they found. One dog sat in the baggage claim area and another sat in front of a vending machine. The bomb squad was immediately called in and the airport was quickly evacuated. Fortunately nothing was found. Although there are countless possibilities why the dogs stopped (and btw, they are NOT ruling out error on the dogs' part), one theory that may explain the situation is fireworks. Maybe someone who happened to handle fireworks came to the airport with residue still on his/her hands and went to the vending machine.
On the evening news, they interviewed people for their reactions. Rubberneckers never fail to surprise me. I mean, I am guilty of doing it, but if and when there's an evacuation of a possible bomb, I ain't going to stand around to see what's going to happen. That's exactly what this one guy said. I don't know exactly where he was, but when he was interviewed, it seemed like he was quite a ways away from the terminal. He said once he heard "bomb," he started running. When asked what other people around him did, he just answered, "They just stood there."
This is just another example that bomb scares like these are very real. It's not just something we see on the news anymore and the possibilities that it COULD happen to us are just as real.
On a Much Lighter Note...
*email received from The ONE campaign
Dear Friend:
This is a big thank you to all 1.5 million of you who joined together as ONE to do something extraordinary.
From the 500,000 letters you sent to President Bush to Live 8 in Philadelphia to the G8 Summit in Gleneagles, you called on eight men to do more to fight global AIDS and extreme poverty, and they heard your call. In Scotland this past Friday, overcoming the shadow of a tragic day in London, President Bush joined G8 leaders in an unprecedented deal to cancel debts and double aid to Africa.
For African nations fighting poverty and corruption, this means a $25 billion increase in aid and wiping out 100% of their debts. With this funding, Africa can halve deaths from malaria, put millions of children into school, and 10 million people across the world will have access to lifesaving AIDS drugs. Behind each of these numbers is one person, one life that will be changed forever.
For the first time ever, everyday Americans like you joined together to take a seat at the negotiating table, asking the world's most powerful leaders to do more to help the world's poorest people. Because you signed the ONE Declaration, wore the white band and forwarded emails to friends about ONE, you made a huge step toward making poverty history. We've come so far and still have far to go.
This agreement is a real victory for Africa - but promises made of words will only become promises for a generation if we keep watching, asking and acting. Much more needs to be done in Washington DC to turn these commitments into lifesaving programs, and the world must take new steps to make trade fair. More meetings will take place this year in New York and Hong Kong where a comprehensive debt-aid-trade deal can be reached and end global AIDS and extreme poverty in our time.
We can be that great generation. As ONE, let's keep up the positive pressure and make 2005 the year we joined together to make history.
Thank you,
The ONE Team
Read more about the One campaign.
With all the craziness of the recent London blasts, everyone has been on high alert. Anything suspicious, however small or minor, is thoroughly checked out because we simply cannot take any chances. Just yesterday, the airport here in MN was temporarily evacuated. Turns out that trained bomb-sniffing dogs detected two separate scents at the Humphrey Terminal (which, btw, is the terminal where I will be flying out of). As the dogs went on their daily rounds, they are trained to sit if and when they detect bomb-like residue. For some reason, I imagine it like the cartoons when the search dogs find what they're looking for and freeze up their entire body from tip of its nose to the end of its tail to point in the direction, like an arrow, to whatever it is they found. One dog sat in the baggage claim area and another sat in front of a vending machine. The bomb squad was immediately called in and the airport was quickly evacuated. Fortunately nothing was found. Although there are countless possibilities why the dogs stopped (and btw, they are NOT ruling out error on the dogs' part), one theory that may explain the situation is fireworks. Maybe someone who happened to handle fireworks came to the airport with residue still on his/her hands and went to the vending machine.
On the evening news, they interviewed people for their reactions. Rubberneckers never fail to surprise me. I mean, I am guilty of doing it, but if and when there's an evacuation of a possible bomb, I ain't going to stand around to see what's going to happen. That's exactly what this one guy said. I don't know exactly where he was, but when he was interviewed, it seemed like he was quite a ways away from the terminal. He said once he heard "bomb," he started running. When asked what other people around him did, he just answered, "They just stood there."
This is just another example that bomb scares like these are very real. It's not just something we see on the news anymore and the possibilities that it COULD happen to us are just as real.
On a Much Lighter Note...
*email received from The ONE campaign
Dear Friend:
This is a big thank you to all 1.5 million of you who joined together as ONE to do something extraordinary.
From the 500,000 letters you sent to President Bush to Live 8 in Philadelphia to the G8 Summit in Gleneagles, you called on eight men to do more to fight global AIDS and extreme poverty, and they heard your call. In Scotland this past Friday, overcoming the shadow of a tragic day in London, President Bush joined G8 leaders in an unprecedented deal to cancel debts and double aid to Africa.
For African nations fighting poverty and corruption, this means a $25 billion increase in aid and wiping out 100% of their debts. With this funding, Africa can halve deaths from malaria, put millions of children into school, and 10 million people across the world will have access to lifesaving AIDS drugs. Behind each of these numbers is one person, one life that will be changed forever.
For the first time ever, everyday Americans like you joined together to take a seat at the negotiating table, asking the world's most powerful leaders to do more to help the world's poorest people. Because you signed the ONE Declaration, wore the white band and forwarded emails to friends about ONE, you made a huge step toward making poverty history. We've come so far and still have far to go.
This agreement is a real victory for Africa - but promises made of words will only become promises for a generation if we keep watching, asking and acting. Much more needs to be done in Washington DC to turn these commitments into lifesaving programs, and the world must take new steps to make trade fair. More meetings will take place this year in New York and Hong Kong where a comprehensive debt-aid-trade deal can be reached and end global AIDS and extreme poverty in our time.
We can be that great generation. As ONE, let's keep up the positive pressure and make 2005 the year we joined together to make history.
Thank you,
The ONE Team
Read more about the One campaign.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Harry Potter Countdown
Three days and counting...and in the words of today's teenyboppers, I am "OMGSOEXCITED!" I'm somewhat bummed that I haven't reread "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" to refresh my memory- haven't had time with all the packing. But I've been so curious about who the "half blood prince" is! JK Rowling already stated that it HBP is NOT Harry Potter OR Lord Voldemort...so who is??? The question remains...3 more days to go!!! (and believe it or not, hubby and I will be at Borders for the midnight release!) Whoo hoo!
Three days and counting...and in the words of today's teenyboppers, I am "OMGSOEXCITED!" I'm somewhat bummed that I haven't reread "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" to refresh my memory- haven't had time with all the packing. But I've been so curious about who the "half blood prince" is! JK Rowling already stated that it HBP is NOT Harry Potter OR Lord Voldemort...so who is??? The question remains...3 more days to go!!! (and believe it or not, hubby and I will be at Borders for the midnight release!) Whoo hoo!
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
MnM PhotoAlbum
Hubby and I were on a mission yesterday to find Minehaha Falls again. We couldn't quite remember the way and seeing it was a last minute decision, we didn't have time to google directions. Instead, we ended up at the Como Park and Conservatory in St. Paul. The day was a gorgeous sunny 98 degrees. By the time we got to to Como Park, we only an hour to walk around before closing. We spent most of our time in the conservatory and it was absolutely beautiful!
I love this pic! The first time we came here, it was totally packed with visitors, but this time, hubby and I basically had it to ourselves.
I took this pic not knowing that it would look as if the statue is bending down to smell the flowers!
Here's hubby taking a rest on a bench. I love the background. You can't tell, but with the blazing heat and humidity, we were roasting!
It was by chance that we found out there was a Japanese Tea Garden on the premises.
While we were here, it didn't even seem like we were in Minnesota! The serenity of the environment was so peaceful and calm. Not too many people were there either, so it was like a private garden. In fact, there was a path blocked out that visitors can only see with a volunteer guide. We went with one and she took us to an actual operating Tea House. She explained the surrounding architecture, tea ritual, and the whole feng shui of the garden. I wish that I took a pic, but in order to get inside the tea house itself, one has to crawl through the door! It symbolizes that everyone is equal no matter what rank one is in life. There were pictures of the Tea Master...not surprisingly, he didn't look anything Japanese! lol! Interesting fact though, because this is the only operating house in MN, there is a yearlong wait list!
You can't quite tell, but I took this right when a dragonfly landed on the middle flower.
Hubby and me
This was taken a couple of weeks ago. As much as I complain about the craziness of MN weather, I tend to overlook the sunsets and cool looking evening skies.
We've been wanting to take pics at this gazebo for a while now! It's right around the corner from our house. As hubby takes a rest in the shade, check out our neighborhood in the background.
I love gazebos! I think they're just so romantic. It's located on this center island with a large grassy area where some teenyboppers have been known to sunbathe and people let their dogs run wild. I've been wanting to come out here to just read or write, but with the weather, I'm beter off inside with the comfort of a/c.
I might've mentioned before, but Snoopy creator Charles Shultz was born in St. Paul. Snoopy and friends are the craze over here! All around St. Paul and neighboring towns, one can easily spot these huge bronze statues. Here's hubby being hubby! =)
Hubby and I were on a mission yesterday to find Minehaha Falls again. We couldn't quite remember the way and seeing it was a last minute decision, we didn't have time to google directions. Instead, we ended up at the Como Park and Conservatory in St. Paul. The day was a gorgeous sunny 98 degrees. By the time we got to to Como Park, we only an hour to walk around before closing. We spent most of our time in the conservatory and it was absolutely beautiful!
I love this pic! The first time we came here, it was totally packed with visitors, but this time, hubby and I basically had it to ourselves.
I took this pic not knowing that it would look as if the statue is bending down to smell the flowers!
Here's hubby taking a rest on a bench. I love the background. You can't tell, but with the blazing heat and humidity, we were roasting!
It was by chance that we found out there was a Japanese Tea Garden on the premises.
While we were here, it didn't even seem like we were in Minnesota! The serenity of the environment was so peaceful and calm. Not too many people were there either, so it was like a private garden. In fact, there was a path blocked out that visitors can only see with a volunteer guide. We went with one and she took us to an actual operating Tea House. She explained the surrounding architecture, tea ritual, and the whole feng shui of the garden. I wish that I took a pic, but in order to get inside the tea house itself, one has to crawl through the door! It symbolizes that everyone is equal no matter what rank one is in life. There were pictures of the Tea Master...not surprisingly, he didn't look anything Japanese! lol! Interesting fact though, because this is the only operating house in MN, there is a yearlong wait list!
You can't quite tell, but I took this right when a dragonfly landed on the middle flower.
Hubby and me
This was taken a couple of weeks ago. As much as I complain about the craziness of MN weather, I tend to overlook the sunsets and cool looking evening skies.
We've been wanting to take pics at this gazebo for a while now! It's right around the corner from our house. As hubby takes a rest in the shade, check out our neighborhood in the background.
I love gazebos! I think they're just so romantic. It's located on this center island with a large grassy area where some teenyboppers have been known to sunbathe and people let their dogs run wild. I've been wanting to come out here to just read or write, but with the weather, I'm beter off inside with the comfort of a/c.
I might've mentioned before, but Snoopy creator Charles Shultz was born in St. Paul. Snoopy and friends are the craze over here! All around St. Paul and neighboring towns, one can easily spot these huge bronze statues. Here's hubby being hubby! =)
Sunday, July 10, 2005
"Flame On!"
Saw "Fastastic Four" on opening day on Friday- it was cool! Growing up, I was never such a huge comic book fan. The ones that I DID read included DC Comics' Justice League and the ever so silly Betty/Veronica/Jughead series and Ritchie Rich. Oh yah, not to mention the Filipino "komiks" that lay around my relatives' house, too! I swear, I probably knew more Tagalog back then than I do now...sad, I know. But with so many comic book superheroes making their way to the big screen, it's the second chance for me to buy into the hoopla and get revved up. It's almost on par with, but not entirely, the Star Wars episodes. Seeing that the Star Wars phenomenon began when I was a toddler, I simply cannot and truly understand how exciting it must've been when it first came out...unlike hubby who, btw, was H-Y-P-E-D when we first saw a preview for Fantastic Four! I was born just a few years shy of immersing myself into the subculture and unfortunately only became a big fan when they were re-released. The point is, I may have known all about Luke Skywalker, Hans Solo, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, and Darth Vader, but I never really knew-knew them until recently. Know what I'm saying? Sometimes it's better the second time around. So now there's X-Men, Spiderman, Batman, and now, the Fantastic Four!
According to the newspaper reviews, the movie was lacking...but who really cares about what movie critics say? C'mon...this from people who said that Titanic sucked! (shaddup! I know ya'll are haters, but I loved this movie!!!) Movie reviews aside, I totally digged (dug?) the movie. I thought the Human Torch was hot (hot, get it?) and hands down, he had the best lines. Mr. Fantastic was looking really familiar and after we googled him, turns out that he was Lancelot in King Arthur! Jessica Alba's character, Invisible Woman, has neat powers...plus, hubby thinks she's a hottie- lol! You seriously have to feel for The Thing though, but I was totally lovin' the kiddie school banter between him and the Human Torch. Lastly, there was Dr.Doom...if ya'll are "Charmed" fans from the WB, you know that the actor played The Source, yet another evil character. While there are other movies that could easily be deconstructed for its substance, this isn't one of them. "Fantastic Four" is meant for good, nonthinking enjoyment. I liked it and I could give a rat's ass about what some critics say.
Go see it and have fun...and if you leave the theater saying "Flame On!" more than once, let me know so I'm not the only nerd out there. LOL!
Saw "Fastastic Four" on opening day on Friday- it was cool! Growing up, I was never such a huge comic book fan. The ones that I DID read included DC Comics' Justice League and the ever so silly Betty/Veronica/Jughead series and Ritchie Rich. Oh yah, not to mention the Filipino "komiks" that lay around my relatives' house, too! I swear, I probably knew more Tagalog back then than I do now...sad, I know. But with so many comic book superheroes making their way to the big screen, it's the second chance for me to buy into the hoopla and get revved up. It's almost on par with, but not entirely, the Star Wars episodes. Seeing that the Star Wars phenomenon began when I was a toddler, I simply cannot and truly understand how exciting it must've been when it first came out...unlike hubby who, btw, was H-Y-P-E-D when we first saw a preview for Fantastic Four! I was born just a few years shy of immersing myself into the subculture and unfortunately only became a big fan when they were re-released. The point is, I may have known all about Luke Skywalker, Hans Solo, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, and Darth Vader, but I never really knew-knew them until recently. Know what I'm saying? Sometimes it's better the second time around. So now there's X-Men, Spiderman, Batman, and now, the Fantastic Four!
According to the newspaper reviews, the movie was lacking...but who really cares about what movie critics say? C'mon...this from people who said that Titanic sucked! (shaddup! I know ya'll are haters, but I loved this movie!!!) Movie reviews aside, I totally digged (dug?) the movie. I thought the Human Torch was hot (hot, get it?) and hands down, he had the best lines. Mr. Fantastic was looking really familiar and after we googled him, turns out that he was Lancelot in King Arthur! Jessica Alba's character, Invisible Woman, has neat powers...plus, hubby thinks she's a hottie- lol! You seriously have to feel for The Thing though, but I was totally lovin' the kiddie school banter between him and the Human Torch. Lastly, there was Dr.Doom...if ya'll are "Charmed" fans from the WB, you know that the actor played The Source, yet another evil character. While there are other movies that could easily be deconstructed for its substance, this isn't one of them. "Fantastic Four" is meant for good, nonthinking enjoyment. I liked it and I could give a rat's ass about what some critics say.
Go see it and have fun...and if you leave the theater saying "Flame On!" more than once, let me know so I'm not the only nerd out there. LOL!
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Goin' Back to Cali
For the two years that we've been here in Minnesota, teaching jobs have been scarce. In fact, the state has been issuing so many layoffs that new teachers and veterans alike are looking out of state for jobs. Just my freakin' luck. Now while I have been enjoying time off work, it has given me the opportunity to focus on finishing up my Masters. To this date, I have only three units left...T-H-R-E-E...until I can add that M.A. to my resume. Sure, it's taken me forever to complete the program...in essence, I should've been done last Christmas had I not taken any breaks and continued straight through. But hey, it's better late than never, right?
Working with kids and trying to make a difference in their lives became my calling. I can even pinpoint the moment when it happened, the "a-ha" moment, if you will. It was in church. I was sitting in church listening to the yearly plea of the School of Religion director looking for volunteers to teach in the Saturday catechism classes. I have heard that speech through the years, but somehow, in the summer of '97, I heard it with different ears. Something made me sit up and listen...that fall, I had my first class with Mrs. Gee and my interest in teaching grew from there.
From teaching catechism on Saturday mornings to working part-time in an after school program, to volunteering in a Kindergarten class for the SFUSD, to working several maternity leaves and being a sub, to getting hired as a 3rd grade with a class of my own...the journey was awesome.
But because we cannot stop life from happening, so it was that we couldn't do anything about hubby getting laid off from his job soon after we were married. Here we were, newlyweds in a new apartment, with only a teacher's job to support us. Wasn't going to happen. When the job opportunity for hubby came through for Minnesota, we decided that it was the best thing to do for the both of us. Sure it in the middle of the country...sure it was away from family and friends...and my goodness, you say it snows over there?! But seeing that we were young, we believed that this change would be good for us. And so we upped and moved from the Bay to the Midwest. And boy what a change it was!
Like I mentioned before, I haven't had much luck finding any teaching jobs, but at the same time, I used my time to focus on school. But in all honesty, I've missed the classroom like you wouldn't believe. Now, it turns out that one of my former fellow 3rd grade teacher friends is off on maternity leave and the position was open. The school has been having a hard time recruiting anyone for half of the year and when I heard about it, I jumped at the chance. Although I made calls, they remained unanswered. I assumed that the position had been filled and I stopped thinking about it at all until I got an email from stlow19 congratulating me on being her sub. Ha, I didn't even know I got the job!
The position begins in August and ends in January right after the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. While this has been in the works for the past couple weeks already, I've been busy packing up- clothes, essentials, and school stuff. In fact, I'm scheduled to leave for CA in two weeks time.
Sadly, this means being away from hubby. It was a tough decision, but we decided that it would be best for the time being. Goodness knows that having a double income over here could help and this is a good alternative. Though I'm still packing and preparing, I'm already experiencing hubby-withdrawal symptoms. I've gotten used to seeing hubby and spending time with him practically 24/7...and I also have to admit that I've gotten quite used to life in the 'burbs! Now, I'm going from way the f*ck out in the boonies to back to the hood of my parents' house. It's going to take some major getting used to, that's for sure.
But I'm definitely going to miss hubby and I'll always worry how he's doing. I remember how I used to hate it when he'd leave for business trips because I was left all alone in Minnesota...literally! Now just thinking how we are swapping places like that makes me utterly sad. I will also miss our home...I still consider it brand new even though we moved in just this past December. I definitely loved going from apartment living to house living...it's more spacious, more livable, and it's OURS.
But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Of course there are visits to look forward to, no doubt. There is also a very good chance that hubby will be transferred back to California! While I don't want to jinx anything by going into too many details, according to his boss-boss, the chances are more than likely...and it's just a matter of when. Okay, I've said too much!
In the meantime, this time away will serve a lot of purposes for the both of us. It will be difficult, sad, lonely, and painful, but I am a believer that all things work out in the end. Personally, this teaching gig will help me decide whether or not teaching is truly for me...if not, well, it's a good thing that it's only until January. From there, who knows what will happen and where I'll be. As for hubby, I know that it will be just as difficult being here in MN. And boy, he'll have to start doing his own laundry and washing his own dishes now- ha! On the real, it'll be weird to be away from hubby for so long, but again, we know that this is the best thing for us right now. Keep your fingers crossed about the job transfer back to civiliza--, er, I mean, California. Who knows where we'll both be...only God and time know the answer to that.
For the two years that we've been here in Minnesota, teaching jobs have been scarce. In fact, the state has been issuing so many layoffs that new teachers and veterans alike are looking out of state for jobs. Just my freakin' luck. Now while I have been enjoying time off work, it has given me the opportunity to focus on finishing up my Masters. To this date, I have only three units left...T-H-R-E-E...until I can add that M.A. to my resume. Sure, it's taken me forever to complete the program...in essence, I should've been done last Christmas had I not taken any breaks and continued straight through. But hey, it's better late than never, right?
Working with kids and trying to make a difference in their lives became my calling. I can even pinpoint the moment when it happened, the "a-ha" moment, if you will. It was in church. I was sitting in church listening to the yearly plea of the School of Religion director looking for volunteers to teach in the Saturday catechism classes. I have heard that speech through the years, but somehow, in the summer of '97, I heard it with different ears. Something made me sit up and listen...that fall, I had my first class with Mrs. Gee and my interest in teaching grew from there.
From teaching catechism on Saturday mornings to working part-time in an after school program, to volunteering in a Kindergarten class for the SFUSD, to working several maternity leaves and being a sub, to getting hired as a 3rd grade with a class of my own...the journey was awesome.
But because we cannot stop life from happening, so it was that we couldn't do anything about hubby getting laid off from his job soon after we were married. Here we were, newlyweds in a new apartment, with only a teacher's job to support us. Wasn't going to happen. When the job opportunity for hubby came through for Minnesota, we decided that it was the best thing to do for the both of us. Sure it in the middle of the country...sure it was away from family and friends...and my goodness, you say it snows over there?! But seeing that we were young, we believed that this change would be good for us. And so we upped and moved from the Bay to the Midwest. And boy what a change it was!
Like I mentioned before, I haven't had much luck finding any teaching jobs, but at the same time, I used my time to focus on school. But in all honesty, I've missed the classroom like you wouldn't believe. Now, it turns out that one of my former fellow 3rd grade teacher friends is off on maternity leave and the position was open. The school has been having a hard time recruiting anyone for half of the year and when I heard about it, I jumped at the chance. Although I made calls, they remained unanswered. I assumed that the position had been filled and I stopped thinking about it at all until I got an email from stlow19 congratulating me on being her sub. Ha, I didn't even know I got the job!
The position begins in August and ends in January right after the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. While this has been in the works for the past couple weeks already, I've been busy packing up- clothes, essentials, and school stuff. In fact, I'm scheduled to leave for CA in two weeks time.
Sadly, this means being away from hubby. It was a tough decision, but we decided that it would be best for the time being. Goodness knows that having a double income over here could help and this is a good alternative. Though I'm still packing and preparing, I'm already experiencing hubby-withdrawal symptoms. I've gotten used to seeing hubby and spending time with him practically 24/7...and I also have to admit that I've gotten quite used to life in the 'burbs! Now, I'm going from way the f*ck out in the boonies to back to the hood of my parents' house. It's going to take some major getting used to, that's for sure.
But I'm definitely going to miss hubby and I'll always worry how he's doing. I remember how I used to hate it when he'd leave for business trips because I was left all alone in Minnesota...literally! Now just thinking how we are swapping places like that makes me utterly sad. I will also miss our home...I still consider it brand new even though we moved in just this past December. I definitely loved going from apartment living to house living...it's more spacious, more livable, and it's OURS.
But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Of course there are visits to look forward to, no doubt. There is also a very good chance that hubby will be transferred back to California! While I don't want to jinx anything by going into too many details, according to his boss-boss, the chances are more than likely...and it's just a matter of when. Okay, I've said too much!
In the meantime, this time away will serve a lot of purposes for the both of us. It will be difficult, sad, lonely, and painful, but I am a believer that all things work out in the end. Personally, this teaching gig will help me decide whether or not teaching is truly for me...if not, well, it's a good thing that it's only until January. From there, who knows what will happen and where I'll be. As for hubby, I know that it will be just as difficult being here in MN. And boy, he'll have to start doing his own laundry and washing his own dishes now- ha! On the real, it'll be weird to be away from hubby for so long, but again, we know that this is the best thing for us right now. Keep your fingers crossed about the job transfer back to civiliza--, er, I mean, California. Who knows where we'll both be...only God and time know the answer to that.
Terrorist Attacks?
What the hell is our world coming to? If you haven't yet heard, there were six simultaneous bomb explosions in London this morning...all during rush hour. The public transportation is huge in London and the railway systems all over the world are taking action to secure their own. I read witness accounts and the picture they showed of a double decker bus blasted to bits was eerie. Supposedly, a secret organization of Al-Qaida in Europe is taking the blame, but experts are still on the fence about it. From what I read, there was some sort of mistake on the website that released the statement and according to experts, mistakes like that don't happen. Another theory is that the explosions were to coincide with the G8 Summit meetings- where 8 leaders of the most wealthiest countries are meeting to decide certain issues, one being increasing aid to Africa. While the conference will continue, Prime Minister Tony Blair is being excused to handle business. And then there were 7...
Is it just coincidence that the terror alert has been upped recently? Could it be that some government peoples might've known something was going to happen? There's so much shit already happening in our world...and something like this is like putting salt in a wound.
My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in London. When ya'll get a chance today, say a lil' prayer, too...
What the hell is our world coming to? If you haven't yet heard, there were six simultaneous bomb explosions in London this morning...all during rush hour. The public transportation is huge in London and the railway systems all over the world are taking action to secure their own. I read witness accounts and the picture they showed of a double decker bus blasted to bits was eerie. Supposedly, a secret organization of Al-Qaida in Europe is taking the blame, but experts are still on the fence about it. From what I read, there was some sort of mistake on the website that released the statement and according to experts, mistakes like that don't happen. Another theory is that the explosions were to coincide with the G8 Summit meetings- where 8 leaders of the most wealthiest countries are meeting to decide certain issues, one being increasing aid to Africa. While the conference will continue, Prime Minister Tony Blair is being excused to handle business. And then there were 7...
Is it just coincidence that the terror alert has been upped recently? Could it be that some government peoples might've known something was going to happen? There's so much shit already happening in our world...and something like this is like putting salt in a wound.
My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in London. When ya'll get a chance today, say a lil' prayer, too...
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Where You At?
Okay, so I'm a biter. If you notice on the right hand side below the Detours section, there's a button you can click that'll take you to a guestmap. If you haven't checked it out yet, it's a map of the world where loyal MnM readers are able to "pin" their locations. I noticed that J and Rho had this on their blogs and I wanted it, too. Although I know that there isn't a major grip of people reading my ramblings, but hey, it'd be interesting to find out where ya'll are at. So pin me, peoples!
*Addendum:
I figure that since I no longer have a Tag Board, this will be a good alternative. Where you at? Where you at? =)
Okay, so I'm a biter. If you notice on the right hand side below the Detours section, there's a button you can click that'll take you to a guestmap. If you haven't checked it out yet, it's a map of the world where loyal MnM readers are able to "pin" their locations. I noticed that J and Rho had this on their blogs and I wanted it, too. Although I know that there isn't a major grip of people reading my ramblings, but hey, it'd be interesting to find out where ya'll are at. So pin me, peoples!
*Addendum:
I figure that since I no longer have a Tag Board, this will be a good alternative. Where you at? Where you at? =)
July 4th Recap
Hot days here in MN makes for some lazy days. While hubby was busy queing, I decided to keep him company in the garage. We got a couple of chairs, brought out the chips and salsa, and sat in the burning sun drinking some Smirnoffs.
Funny sidenote about that...hubby and I haven't drank up in a long time. We've been down that road of consuming way too much alcohol at the clubs and yes, those nights at Miyakes doing sake bombs were just hilariously fun. After a while, it just got old. After my last major birthday party at,noneother than, Miyakes, I swore off drinking "like that" ever again. And I've stuck to it, too! Since then, we've become social drinkers at best. My tolerance level has decreased dramatically. I used to be proud of the fact that I was able to hold my alcohol down and be able to "one up" even some dudes when it came to how many drinks we could consume. But those days are over. 'Tis one of those "been there, done that" deals...not to say that I won't do a shot here and there! Lol! Anyways, it must've been a combination of the heat, humidity, and lack of food, but after quickly downing one bottle of Smirnoff, hubby disappeared inside. I baked in the sun for a bit until I realized that he'd been gone for a bit. When I checked in on him, he was on the couch and his face was completely red! It was just too funny! And all off one bottle...boy, things sure have changed from back in the day!
Anyways, we ate our barbeque and settled in to watch a rerun of BET's Music Awards. At around 9:30pm, hubby asks if I'm still down to watch the fireworks over in Minneapolis. (note: by this time, hubby was fine...no more red face!) By the time we get to Minneapolis, we find parking, and start heading towards the Stone Arch Bridge. Not surprisingly, it's packed liked sardines! Hordes of people lined the bridge with chairs, coolers, blankets, etc, and by the time we found a decent spot to stand, the show began. Ten minutes later, it was done. Even though it was short, the fact that it was right on the Mississippi River made it beautiful. Plus, the surrounding area full of old warehouse buildings made for some very dramatic echoes of the fireworks. Ten minutes later, the hordes of people were like a mass of cattle inching their way off the bridge. By the time we got to the car, on the freeway, and back home, it wasn't even 11pm. In and out, saw the fireworks, got home. End of story.
Hubby and I did reminisce about our past July 4th though. One of our favorite July 4ths was the time we went to Mountain View's Shoreline Amphitheater two years in a row and listened to the San Francisco Symphony. While I am so in love with listening to the strings section, nothing can quite compare to watching the fireworks with a symphony as its accompaniment. The patriotic music along with the fireworks show directly overhead never fails to make you feel proud. And yes, it's also very romantic, too. I think music would've made this year's show 100x better, but hey, it was still cool.
Now I can say that I've watched the July 4th fireworks on the Stone Arch Bridge above the Mississippi. Supposedly, it's THE thing to do here.
Taste of Minnesota
I completely forgot to mention this festival that hubby and I went to last week. It's probably the second largest festival that Minnesotans look forward to attending each year...the first being the annual Minnesota State Fair. Taste of MN is basically where restaurants come out from all over the Midwest set up booths so people can get their grub on. The specialties usually include turkey drumsticks, ribs galore, and cheese curds. Cheese curds, in my opinion, just doesn't sound appetizing. Of course there's the basic burgers and hot dogs, but not all without having the prices of anything totally jacked up. Then of course you have your basic carnival rides (run by prison convicts), cotton candy, booths selling everything from Pampered Chef products to incense and temporary tattoos.
In all honesty, I don't see what the big deal is. I mean, I can see why everyone flocks to it every year simply because it's an excuse to enjoy the beautiful hot weather. It's the time for the short shorts to come out of the closets and for everyone to show off the bodies they've been hiding since winter. But everything is too pricey, it's too freakin' hot, it's totally crowded, and since it was my first time on Harriet Island, I realized that it was just too damn close to the Mississippi. It may be mighty and great, but the smell is nothing to brag about. After about an hour of walking around, we headed home...but at least we can say that we've been to one! Hahah, if you haven't noticed, we're just trying to make sure that we partake of Minnesotan tradition around here...and so far, most of the things that we've done once, we're pretty sure we probably wouldn't do again. It just takes two words to remind us: Ice Palace. Ugh. Don't ask.
Hot days here in MN makes for some lazy days. While hubby was busy queing, I decided to keep him company in the garage. We got a couple of chairs, brought out the chips and salsa, and sat in the burning sun drinking some Smirnoffs.
Funny sidenote about that...hubby and I haven't drank up in a long time. We've been down that road of consuming way too much alcohol at the clubs and yes, those nights at Miyakes doing sake bombs were just hilariously fun. After a while, it just got old. After my last major birthday party at,noneother than, Miyakes, I swore off drinking "like that" ever again. And I've stuck to it, too! Since then, we've become social drinkers at best. My tolerance level has decreased dramatically. I used to be proud of the fact that I was able to hold my alcohol down and be able to "one up" even some dudes when it came to how many drinks we could consume. But those days are over. 'Tis one of those "been there, done that" deals...not to say that I won't do a shot here and there! Lol! Anyways, it must've been a combination of the heat, humidity, and lack of food, but after quickly downing one bottle of Smirnoff, hubby disappeared inside. I baked in the sun for a bit until I realized that he'd been gone for a bit. When I checked in on him, he was on the couch and his face was completely red! It was just too funny! And all off one bottle...boy, things sure have changed from back in the day!
Anyways, we ate our barbeque and settled in to watch a rerun of BET's Music Awards. At around 9:30pm, hubby asks if I'm still down to watch the fireworks over in Minneapolis. (note: by this time, hubby was fine...no more red face!) By the time we get to Minneapolis, we find parking, and start heading towards the Stone Arch Bridge. Not surprisingly, it's packed liked sardines! Hordes of people lined the bridge with chairs, coolers, blankets, etc, and by the time we found a decent spot to stand, the show began. Ten minutes later, it was done. Even though it was short, the fact that it was right on the Mississippi River made it beautiful. Plus, the surrounding area full of old warehouse buildings made for some very dramatic echoes of the fireworks. Ten minutes later, the hordes of people were like a mass of cattle inching their way off the bridge. By the time we got to the car, on the freeway, and back home, it wasn't even 11pm. In and out, saw the fireworks, got home. End of story.
Hubby and I did reminisce about our past July 4th though. One of our favorite July 4ths was the time we went to Mountain View's Shoreline Amphitheater two years in a row and listened to the San Francisco Symphony. While I am so in love with listening to the strings section, nothing can quite compare to watching the fireworks with a symphony as its accompaniment. The patriotic music along with the fireworks show directly overhead never fails to make you feel proud. And yes, it's also very romantic, too. I think music would've made this year's show 100x better, but hey, it was still cool.
Now I can say that I've watched the July 4th fireworks on the Stone Arch Bridge above the Mississippi. Supposedly, it's THE thing to do here.
Taste of Minnesota
I completely forgot to mention this festival that hubby and I went to last week. It's probably the second largest festival that Minnesotans look forward to attending each year...the first being the annual Minnesota State Fair. Taste of MN is basically where restaurants come out from all over the Midwest set up booths so people can get their grub on. The specialties usually include turkey drumsticks, ribs galore, and cheese curds. Cheese curds, in my opinion, just doesn't sound appetizing. Of course there's the basic burgers and hot dogs, but not all without having the prices of anything totally jacked up. Then of course you have your basic carnival rides (run by prison convicts), cotton candy, booths selling everything from Pampered Chef products to incense and temporary tattoos.
In all honesty, I don't see what the big deal is. I mean, I can see why everyone flocks to it every year simply because it's an excuse to enjoy the beautiful hot weather. It's the time for the short shorts to come out of the closets and for everyone to show off the bodies they've been hiding since winter. But everything is too pricey, it's too freakin' hot, it's totally crowded, and since it was my first time on Harriet Island, I realized that it was just too damn close to the Mississippi. It may be mighty and great, but the smell is nothing to brag about. After about an hour of walking around, we headed home...but at least we can say that we've been to one! Hahah, if you haven't noticed, we're just trying to make sure that we partake of Minnesotan tradition around here...and so far, most of the things that we've done once, we're pretty sure we probably wouldn't do again. It just takes two words to remind us: Ice Palace. Ugh. Don't ask.
Monday, July 04, 2005
Live Aid Revisited
If ya'll can, think back 20 years ago to 1985. For the first time in music history, a concert that spanned the globe was held to raise money for charity- charity for Africa. It was called Live Aid. Founder Bob Geldof had this vision to unite everyone under the umbrella of music, raise funds, and make a dent in eradicating poverty in Africa. 20 years later, despite the historical impact that Live Aid had, Africa has not improved. Rather, the mind-blowing statistic is that half of Africa's population is under the age of 16 years old...and every three seconds...EVERY 3 SECONDS, a person dies of extreme poverty, not only in Africa, but in the poorest countries all around the world. 3 Seconds.
Instead of raising money this time around, the Live 8 concert focused on raising awareness. Awareness that after 20 years, extreme poverty still exists and awareness that if we, the people, make our voices heard, it may be possible to end extreme poverty in our lifetime. When I first heard that, I didn't think it was possible. That was before I knew about the G8 Summit happening this July 6th. Basically, this G8 Summit is a meeting of the eight most wealthiest countries of the world in which they have the power to help fight poverty and AIDS, cancel 100% of the debt owed by these poor countries, and reform trade rules in order that people in these countries can earn a decent income to support themselves that will help them get out of that poverty level.
On VH1's Best Week Ever segment, they were bagging on Live 8 because it was a concert to raise awareness and not money. For these free concerts worldwide, they were commenting that hey, charge each person $1 and there'd be a crapload of money to send to Africa! Yes, yes, BWE is comedy for comedy's sake, but when you really think about it, the whole raising awareness and getting the word out there makes sense. Take the tsunami disaster for example. When that happened, so many people around the world responded by donating money and other essentials to help out in any way they could. It was all over the papers and in the news practically 24/7. But now, you rarely hear anything about it, right? Does it mean that those people affected are doing fine now? Hell no. 20 years ago, aid to Africa was huge...and yet, the focus unfortunately dwindled. Most of the attendees at these Live 8 concerts were probably not even born yet or were too young to remember the outbreak of AIDS. In essence, this is probably one of the first times where this generation has really taken a good look at the world around them. Not to say that this generation is totally ignorant, but damn, look at how society has raised them up- lazy, selfish, self-absorbed, wasteful, and spoiled. And this Live 8 concert was just the thing to open up their eyes and see how much in trouble our world is.
The concert itself was pretty cool, although I have to complain about the coverage that VH1 and MTV did. While they were trying to cover all concerts, it resulted in the viewers not seeing a complete performance. If the artist or band were doing three songs, we'd see one and a half. It'd get cut in the middle where you're just getting into the song and you're like, what the hell?! I was diggin' on Bon Jovi, Madonna, Green Day, Wil Smith, etc, but man, did they have to cut it short? I suppose that we'll just have to wait for the DVD to come out to watch it in its entirety. I didn't stick around the whole day to watch the performances, but supposedly the highlight was when Pink Floyd reunited to play. I'm not a big Pink Floyd fan...in fact, I don't really dig their music at all. But hey, to each his own. I have to say that one of the highlights for me besides doing the whole reminiscing thing and seeing those that performed 20 years ago perform yet again (U2, Madonna), was when they brought up a young African lady to the stage. Recall how they used to show pictures of little kids with enlarged stomachs, enlarged heads, huge eyes, skeletal faces and bodies, and flies crawling all over them? Well, she was one of them. She was one of the success stories. When that picture of her was taken 20 years back, she basically only had approximately 10 more minutes to live. But she received care, medications, and fast forward to today, she just graduated from college! The story touched my heart and I couldn't help but get all teary-eyed. It's an amazing journey because she made it, but also heartbreaking at the same time because of so many others who didn't.
Like I mentioned before, when I first heard about the campaign to end extreme poverty in this lifetime was possible, I didn't believe it. It would take so much and honestly, I didn't think there was anything that I, me, one person, could do.
But there is.
Throughout the concert, celebrities and artists alike spoke out about the importance of making our voices heard. And who is it that we want to be heard by? None other than Mr. President Bush himself. If you go the the One.org website, you can sign a petition that will let Mr. Bush know that the state of these poor countries is purely inacceptable and that there is something that he can do about it. He can make a difference in that G8 meeting, but you can, too. Sign the petition and make your voice heard. I did. Spread the word. Let's make extreme poverty and global AIDS history...in this lifetime.
Happy Bang Bang!
Happy birthday America! Hope ya'll are enjoying this nice three day weekend. Here in MN, it is hot, hot, hot! Hubby is set to barbeque in a bit and then we'll be headed out to Minneapolis to watch the fireworks over the Mississippi. Watch out for them knuckleheads with bottle rockets and cherry bombs. BTW: did I mention that fireworks are LEGAL here? Oh boy...we'll be extra careful tonight. Whatever ya'll do today, have fun, enjoy, but most of all, be safe.
If ya'll can, think back 20 years ago to 1985. For the first time in music history, a concert that spanned the globe was held to raise money for charity- charity for Africa. It was called Live Aid. Founder Bob Geldof had this vision to unite everyone under the umbrella of music, raise funds, and make a dent in eradicating poverty in Africa. 20 years later, despite the historical impact that Live Aid had, Africa has not improved. Rather, the mind-blowing statistic is that half of Africa's population is under the age of 16 years old...and every three seconds...EVERY 3 SECONDS, a person dies of extreme poverty, not only in Africa, but in the poorest countries all around the world. 3 Seconds.
Instead of raising money this time around, the Live 8 concert focused on raising awareness. Awareness that after 20 years, extreme poverty still exists and awareness that if we, the people, make our voices heard, it may be possible to end extreme poverty in our lifetime. When I first heard that, I didn't think it was possible. That was before I knew about the G8 Summit happening this July 6th. Basically, this G8 Summit is a meeting of the eight most wealthiest countries of the world in which they have the power to help fight poverty and AIDS, cancel 100% of the debt owed by these poor countries, and reform trade rules in order that people in these countries can earn a decent income to support themselves that will help them get out of that poverty level.
On VH1's Best Week Ever segment, they were bagging on Live 8 because it was a concert to raise awareness and not money. For these free concerts worldwide, they were commenting that hey, charge each person $1 and there'd be a crapload of money to send to Africa! Yes, yes, BWE is comedy for comedy's sake, but when you really think about it, the whole raising awareness and getting the word out there makes sense. Take the tsunami disaster for example. When that happened, so many people around the world responded by donating money and other essentials to help out in any way they could. It was all over the papers and in the news practically 24/7. But now, you rarely hear anything about it, right? Does it mean that those people affected are doing fine now? Hell no. 20 years ago, aid to Africa was huge...and yet, the focus unfortunately dwindled. Most of the attendees at these Live 8 concerts were probably not even born yet or were too young to remember the outbreak of AIDS. In essence, this is probably one of the first times where this generation has really taken a good look at the world around them. Not to say that this generation is totally ignorant, but damn, look at how society has raised them up- lazy, selfish, self-absorbed, wasteful, and spoiled. And this Live 8 concert was just the thing to open up their eyes and see how much in trouble our world is.
The concert itself was pretty cool, although I have to complain about the coverage that VH1 and MTV did. While they were trying to cover all concerts, it resulted in the viewers not seeing a complete performance. If the artist or band were doing three songs, we'd see one and a half. It'd get cut in the middle where you're just getting into the song and you're like, what the hell?! I was diggin' on Bon Jovi, Madonna, Green Day, Wil Smith, etc, but man, did they have to cut it short? I suppose that we'll just have to wait for the DVD to come out to watch it in its entirety. I didn't stick around the whole day to watch the performances, but supposedly the highlight was when Pink Floyd reunited to play. I'm not a big Pink Floyd fan...in fact, I don't really dig their music at all. But hey, to each his own. I have to say that one of the highlights for me besides doing the whole reminiscing thing and seeing those that performed 20 years ago perform yet again (U2, Madonna), was when they brought up a young African lady to the stage. Recall how they used to show pictures of little kids with enlarged stomachs, enlarged heads, huge eyes, skeletal faces and bodies, and flies crawling all over them? Well, she was one of them. She was one of the success stories. When that picture of her was taken 20 years back, she basically only had approximately 10 more minutes to live. But she received care, medications, and fast forward to today, she just graduated from college! The story touched my heart and I couldn't help but get all teary-eyed. It's an amazing journey because she made it, but also heartbreaking at the same time because of so many others who didn't.
Like I mentioned before, when I first heard about the campaign to end extreme poverty in this lifetime was possible, I didn't believe it. It would take so much and honestly, I didn't think there was anything that I, me, one person, could do.
But there is.
Throughout the concert, celebrities and artists alike spoke out about the importance of making our voices heard. And who is it that we want to be heard by? None other than Mr. President Bush himself. If you go the the One.org website, you can sign a petition that will let Mr. Bush know that the state of these poor countries is purely inacceptable and that there is something that he can do about it. He can make a difference in that G8 meeting, but you can, too. Sign the petition and make your voice heard. I did. Spread the word. Let's make extreme poverty and global AIDS history...in this lifetime.
Happy Bang Bang!
Happy birthday America! Hope ya'll are enjoying this nice three day weekend. Here in MN, it is hot, hot, hot! Hubby is set to barbeque in a bit and then we'll be headed out to Minneapolis to watch the fireworks over the Mississippi. Watch out for them knuckleheads with bottle rockets and cherry bombs. BTW: did I mention that fireworks are LEGAL here? Oh boy...we'll be extra careful tonight. Whatever ya'll do today, have fun, enjoy, but most of all, be safe.
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