Exotic

At a bus stop somewhere in Guangdong, China last year, Frodo asked me to get him some cold fruit juice from the forecourt.

I got myself a refreshing but common grape juice while I got him some longan juice mixed with what appears like coffee and coconut milk.

While I was enjoying my drink, Frodo could barely drink his, giving me a look that says he's going to throw me out the window later.

Thanks but no, Thanks

I don't really know why some Filipinos greet each other Happy Thanksgiving on the same day as the Americans when this tradition is not theirs at all.

Before you accuse me of being a kill-joy again, let me remind you of the significance of the American Thanksgiving. It commemorates the time in the 17th century when the English colonists shared an Autumn feast with the native Indians to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. It also signals the cooperation between the European settlers and the native people.

So tell me, what is its historical significance to Filipinos?

Nada. Exactly.

We already have our own versions of Thanksgiving, we have them all year round, we call them Fiestas. Let's not be ignorant, shall we? This display of colonial mentality is annoying.

UNICEF Run

At breakfast after the UNICEF Run yesterday, I asked Doc why temperate fruits when grown in tropical areas, require a "dormancy" period before they flower or bear fruit. His reply consisted of 'stop and go signals,' and 'protein structures.'

I did not understand a single thing.

Anyway, Jun rightfully noticed that kids who came in superhero costumes were clearly expecting to win in the Best in Costume contest when the 'Star Trek' walkathon participants came-a-walking towards the finish line. Almost in unison, people immediately took out their camera phones to snap pictures.

I did not.

Going Nuts

Yesterday, I was writing about fruits.

Sometimes, I give myself a pat on the back, wondering how I was able to come up with a report based on nothing, really. I'm still writing about fruits, mostly about cherries and strawberries and I believe this time, I hit a brick wall. I'm staring at a blank monitor (er, that's why I'm blogging), yikes! I'm currently flogging myself and basically hitting my head against the wall just to extract the creative juices and get something to write about. Hey I have to write about nuts and vegetables, I don't even know where to begin. Deadliest deadline, next week! Argh!

Vive la Liberté!

C'est mon hymne national préféré! Vive la République et Vive la liberté!!!

The French National Anthem, La Marseillaise, performed impressively by Placido Domingo, a Spaniard. And with good reason.

With all due respect to my own country's anthem, the French national anthem is by far the most beautiful and the most stirring: inspired and shaped by the mother of all revolutions, The French Revolution, the anthem's message of equality, fraternity and above all, liberty, resonates to every freedom-loving citizen from all corners of the world.

A Master at Work

This has got to be a historic performance...

Astor Piazzolla and his ensemble performing his own composition, La Muerte del Angel (Death of an Angel) at the 1984 Montreal International Jazz Festival. As I have repeatedly pointed out before, his music is being performed across three genres-- tango, jazz and classical-- with increasing frequency, from tango clubs and jazz fests to hallowed classical concert halls, firmly putting him in the pantheon of the world's greatest musical giants.

Common Sense

So what's the difference between de la Paz and other government officials spending taxpayers' money when they're abroad?

Nothing really, except that the policeman was an amateur compared to wily Senators and Congressmen. Lawmakers usually travel with their wives and friends on "conferences, speaking engagements, seminars, etc" to represent the country while splurging in shopping sprees at the same time. They probably spend the same amount-- or even more-- as the police officer had intended to, but hey, they use credit cards, traveler's checks, wire transfers! They do not bring cold, hard cash! He probably didn't know that you can't just bring in as much cash-- especially in foreign currencies-- as you want without alerting the airport authorities. Somebody slap him with a travel book, por favor.

Was the PNP planning on buying contraband Soviet-era weapons from Moscow gangs so it had to bring in loads of euro cash into Russia? Hmmm. Hardly, because the police officers were supposed to attend an Interpol conference.

But the most galling explanation came from a friend of the beleaguered police officer who claimed that part of the money was his because he asked dela Paz to buy him a watch in Russia! For crying out loud, for making up such a stupid explanation, no wonder dela Paz got caught!

Owhkay. First, you don't go to Russia to buy Rolex or Patek Phillipe. You go to Switzerland or any of the duty-free shops around the world. Second, mister policeman, your explanation came too late. It seems like you took your sweet time in looking around for someone to support your alibi. Thirdly, by choosing to bypass the banking system in favor of a Malate money changer to exchange the PNP millions for euro cash means the Central Bank can trace your highly suspicious transaction.

You know mister policeman, you could've gotten yourself a Rolex had you tried to use some common sense.

Old Habits Die Hard

As usual, I vowed to wake up at 4 a.m. to write my report.

And as sure as the day is long, I woke up when the alarm rang at 4 a.m., and promptly returned to sleep at 4:01 a.m. Damn.

Pinoy Dining Habits

You know you're a Pinoy...

when you sip the contents of Coke or Sprite from a cellophane plastic with a straw;

you don't mind eating pansit or noodles with rice;

you wonder and complain loudly why the rice comes in last in a Chinese lauriat dinner;

you eat ice cream "sandwiched" in a bun;

you order green mango shake inside an Italian restaurant;

you combine peanut butter with bago-ong or fish paste (kare-kare, yes?)

you don't drink wine to accompany the food, you drink wine to get smashed;

you have sinigang several times a week;

you always have sawsawan (mix of condiments) consisting of soy sauce, vinegar, calamansi and those infernally hot chilis;

you hesitate to eat the last remaining morsel of food on the table;

you look for "toothpick" after the meal even when dining outside;

while dining abroad, you have difficulty explaining you want an extra order of "plain rice";

you go to the restroom when it's time to pay the bill; (OK, hindi lahat)

you feel no remorse whatsoever when you gleefully point out to people that they have gotten fat;

Changing of the Guards

So who do I think is going to be the next US President?

OBAMA.

Coming in the heels of an on-going economic crisis, Obama does seem like more capable of handling the economy than his Republican counterpart whose main strength lies in foreign affairs.

D' Opis

Here's a vid taken inside the office, con mis compañeros de trabajo. As I have mentioned before, the decrepit place resembles a barangay health centre more than an office setting. Courtesy of Marvs and Barnz.

Fish tea

I never realized how fish-crazy the Japanese are until I finally opened Jun's pasalubong from Japan, the powdered Green tea.

For some reason, the taste and the aroma reminded me of, well, fish.

CHOPIN: Ballade No. 4

One of the most beautiful compositions in the piano repertoire, Chopin's 4th Ballade, interpreted splendidly by Stanislav Bunin. The music strikes a balance between a languid nocturne rich in melody and a virtouso display of technical prowess.

Again, Chopin like Rachmaninoff, was an exile, and his music-- especially in the difficult passages-- evokes visions of leaving bodies. His music is a creation of a severed soul, always trying to reconnect with his past through his Mazurkas and Polonaises, as well as his Ballades, like this one.

Tribal Pix

My "tribe" for the past two-and-half-months. Pix courtesy of Barnz.