Category Archives: Me, Myself & I

Visa-Free Quests for Ref Magnets

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gmanetwork.com recently issued a news and clarification that Filipinos can visit 25 countries around the world without the need for a tourist visa.  This is in clarification to the starting-to-get viral Facebook post that Filipinos can go to 60 countries visa-free.  Press Link here for the clarification and list of visa-free countries which if you will actually count is 26.

I have been a believer of my country’s awesomeness but I love being a tourist and I fancy travelling out of the country.  Nengkoy (my mom) in her exasperated demeanor would often tell me that I don’t have kayamanan (investments, wealth and assets) because according to her my kayamanan are the experiences I gained out from my travels out of the country. So when I checked on the list, there have been six countries that I have already personally visited out of the 26 countries listed.

In each of the destinations I go to, may it be out of the country or within, I always make it a point to bring home with me a memento.  A “delicious” budget traveler like me cannot afford to buy exorbitant souvenirs like paintings, crystals or even silver spoons so I would settle for the cheapest.  That would be a ref magnet!  So, without further pomp and circumstance, here’s a look at the treasures of my adventures:

malaysia "truly asia"

morocco "land of the setting sun"

"amazing" thailand

vietnam "timeless charm"

"your" singapore

hongkong "best place, best taste"

Availability of ref magnets in tourist destinations bearing the name of the city or country as a simple memento is an indication that such place or destination is a tourist hub.

Anyway, referring back to the list, I still have a long way to go in covering all these countries.  I still have 20 more countries to go to visa-free.  However, I noticed that Macau is not included in the list.  It’s also visa-free…

macau "a world of difference"

I do not have investments and Nengkoy is correct. I may have zero assets, humongous liabilities and mediocre net worth but the experiences and wisdoms I gained out from these travels are priceless.

Sa Mars at Jupiter kaya may rep-magnet? 

Chinese New Year & The Three Signs I Encountered

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Tonight everyone in this planet will welcome and celebrate the Chinese New Year.  But according to Chinese Feng Sui, glories of the previous year will wane for those who are born in the Year of the Dog.  It is believed that Dogs have a number of afflictions to deal with this year.

I am born in the Year of the Dog and I will not just let and allow this ancient belief to be taken lightly.  So to protect and prevent myself from these upcoming hardships, I have carried out a couple of things that the Feng Sui masters have advised.

my 7-year-old pi yao (left) and my new pi yao (right) bracelets

Though I already have a Jade Pi Yao Bracelet, which I purchased in Hong Kong back in 2005, today I purchased another Pi Yao Bracelet.  This time it’s the Yellow Jasper type which I plan to wear all throughout this Year of the Dragon.  I plan to interchange the new one with my old as days passed by.  According to the ancient Feng Sui, I being a Dog is in direct conflict with Tai Sui, the ruling god of 2012.  Therefore, to appease and prevent me from clashing with the Grand Duke Jupiter (Tai Sui) I need to wear this Pi Yao Bracelet.

Moreover, according to Feng Sui not so inviting winds are headed towards those who were born in the Year of the Dog.  To impede this from happening according to Feng Sui, I need to carry with me at all times a Water Blue Rhinoceros keychain.  Along with the bracelet I bought the said keychain and immediately attached it to my keys!  Also, I purchased a Blue Elephant and Rhinoceros amulet and hanged it at the Northwest section of my unit.  To fully supplement this protection, my cellphone’s wallpaper now is a downloaded Blue Elephant & Rhinoceros keychain photo.

blue elephant & rhinoceros (hanged in the northwest section of my unit)

blue rhinoceros in my key chain

my cellphone's new wallpaper

What seems to be amazing with these trinkets that I just purchased is that it seems to be instantly taking its positive effect.  As soon as the short ceremony was done by the salesperson who sold me these items – placing the items in a brass bowl, hitting the bowl with a wooden pestle, asking me to place my hands to cover the bowl and wish 3 things, salesperson praying over and blowing onto the bowl – and brought these trinkets with me, I instantly seem to encounter positive occurrences.

On my way home, everyone who walks out of the mall where I purchased the trinkets were in a hurry.  There was a massive number of people waiting and hailing for a cab.  But as soon as I crossed the street and hailed one, the cab just stopped in front of me and let me it.  I say to myself that this could be a good sign.

While inside the taxi, the cab driver was suddenly signaled by a traffic enforcer to stop to give way to a long Chinese Street Parade.  I and the driver watched patiently enjoying the vibrant procession of colorful Dragon and Lion dances along with marching majorettes twirling their brightly colored flags.  Ironic as it may seem but I never felt the edginess and irritation of having to wait for the parade to finish.  I just sat inside the cab, watch the parade and thought to myself that the colorful procession may be a sign of good luck and a successful year.

Surprisingly, even though the parade has not fully passed by, the driver was able to maneuver his car and found a narrow alleyway to make a detour without crossing the parade to lead us and drive me back to my place of stay.  While riding the taxi on a detour, I thought to myself that the heavens must have conspired and this could be another good sign of positive things ahead this year.

When the taxi reached the building where I live, I paid him my fee and greet him Kung Hei Fat Choi while I get off his cab.  I entered the building and then rode the elevator to bring me to the floor of my unit.  I rode the elevator with a young girl who noticed my new bracelet and the green shirt I was wearing.  She uttered, “You’re wearing green! That’s a lucky color, the color of money.  I will wear green later tonight for the Chinese New Year.”  Then the elevator stopped and opened its doors for her to get off.  She greeted me Kung Hei Fat Choi with a smile while she gets out of the lift.  I smiled back and thought that this must be the third and last sign that the New Year ahead will be satisfyingly good…

Pero ika ng ng bruhildang Zenaida Seva tuwing umaga… “Hindi hawak ng mga bituin ang ating mga kapalaran.  Gabay lamang sila.  Meron tayong pri wil, gamitin natin ito.” Hmp!

Good Amber Afternoon

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I am not a professional photographer and I may not shoot the best photo in the world but today’s beautiful weather in the Philippines just egged me on to take a shot of today’s magnificent sunset.

manila bay sunset (jan 21, 2012)

manila sunset (a shot from my unit)

The afternoon today is so orange and the rays of light that touched my skin made me look so radiant.  The sun today is superbly amber it made me feel light and happy.  How I wish this beautiful weather is the same weather we have at all times.  I also wish that a magnificent sunset – may it be 50% or 98% amber – can at all times invoke a person’s light and positive feeling.  Too bad a good feeling is just like the colors of the sunset.  It fades in the night.  It is not like a photograph that you can keep in a box.

Maalab na hapon sa inyong lahat.

Anticipating Hollywood Stars Sightings in Malate

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"bourne legacy" teaser poster

Every working day, travelling from my 350 divided by 10 square meters condo unit to my office, I would instruct, demand and insist the taxi driver to traverse the streets of Leveriza, San Andres and J. Bocobo so as to reach my office located just across the Remedios Circle in Malate, Manila.  These highly populated streets are the shortest and speediest way for me to reach my office on a regular basis.

However, according to local news these streets and locations are the very sites where Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton and the other stars of Bourne Legacy will shoot the film on January 18 and 19.  Now this posts a problem because for sure these narrow labyrinthine roads will either be closed for or filled with traffic.

repairing the Remedios Circle lamp posts

Just yesterday, I noticed that the rickety and long-overdue-needing-repair lamp posts around Remedios Circle were being restored and refurbished.  Moreover, the rundown parking slots in the corner of Remedios Circle and J. Bocobo street is being constructed with high-rise scaffolding which I suppose where the high-tech cameras will be installed and operated on the days of the shoot.

Despite all these, I will still pass by these roads on January 18 and 19 but will not take a cab anymore.  Instead, I will ride the ever reliable manually-operated padyak (foot-pedaled tricycle) while sporting my posh designer office clothes.  I also plan to bring along with me my prehistoric digital camera to take photos of these celebrities as remembrance.

However, I am still contemplating whether to bring me a pen and paper where the movie stars can sign their autographs since getting their elusive autographs seemed too farfetched.  Instead, in keeping with the circa 70’s and 80’s tradition of a true Filipino fan (ala Germspecial or GMA Super Show – famous but now defunct Filipino Sunday noontime shows hosted by German Moreno), I will bring lots of Sampaguita leis to hang and drape around their respective necks.  The amount of these flower garlands that I will put around their neck would be so plenty, only the foreheads of these Hollywood stars would be visible.  Here in the Philippines during the 70’s and 80’s the higher the leis that hang on a celebrity’s neck the more sikat (popular and admired) he or she is.

No way will I instruct the padyak driver to take a different route since I expect to experience rare Hollywood star sightings, the Malate version.

Yihee, may rason na akong hwag umabsent sa mga araw nayan…

Fun Philippines

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“More” is defined as being greater in quantity, measure or degree.  This word entails a person to compare, match and equate at least two elements so as to conclude which is of greater quantity, measure or degree.

This is the very word that seems to bother me with the newly launched tourism slogan of the country – It’s more fun in the Philippines.  The word “more” in the slogan would tend to drive the tourist to compare the country with other tourist destinations which for me need not be.  I being a tourist in some points in my life cannot compare the sights and experiences of other destinations for these places and their events possess distinct and unique qualities.

Thus, one should never say that a certain destination like the Philippines is “more” fun than the others.  For me, only immature tourists would compare one destination and his experiences to that of other places and events on the planet.

It is indeed and no doubt fun and interesting to travel, see and experience the Philippines but personally I need not compare or match it to other tourist destinations.  I am proud of the Philippines but comparing and saying there’s more fun here seems a bit juvenile. Sorry but due to the word “more”, it created a speckle of reservations on me concerning the new slogan if I would totally welcome and help justify such pronouncement about my country.

It could have been better if the Tourism Department just simply say “Fun Philippines”.  It’s simple, uncomplicated, non-pretentious and undemanding.  Yet, it’s classy, refined and world-class in thought.

Pwedeng paki rebays ng konti?

A Unique Creation

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This is my first post for the year 2012 and I want my post to convey positive thought.

We are created in this world with a purpose.  Whether we fulfill such purpose or not, let’s all be useful in our own little way and try to see and understand everyone’s own uniqueness.

I know that challenges will be ahead and just like the video I included in this post, I would try my best this year to turn good whatever I would be blessed or cursed with – may it be an angel’s wings or the horrendous horns of the devil.

Wishing all those people who come to have read this specific post a nice and satisfied life…

Sana’y pare-pareho tayong tubuan ng pakpak.

Life Begins at 41

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my "thank you" message I posted on facebook

I woke up sneezing and noticed that my nose hairs have grown faster than the previous years.  This gave me the confirmation about what my good friend said that “Life begins at 41”.

Today is my 41st birthday.  People say that age is just a number but in a world where everything is judged in numbers, birthdays in some ways can be disturbing.  For me, one does not encounter a big deal about age until the age 40 comes to an end.

Life begins at 41.  It is the age when one realizes that youth has totally passed and you are being treated with pronounced respect.  People calling you “sir” to signify your stature can be flattering but this also adds to the pressure of behaving your age and definitely slims down social acceptance for immature stupidity.  Yet it is the age when childish fun is no longer juvenile experimentations but actually just for the sake of pure fun.

Life begins at 41.  You may gain weight by simply smelling the food and bodily defects starts to ensue – receding hairline, bulging tummy, blurred vision, grey hair, etc. But it is the stage when being young at heart can be awesome.  You’re not too old yet not so young…

Life begins at 41.  Crow’s feet showing at the edge of your eyes are inevitable.  But don’t get me wrong because for me crow’s feet are not something to cover up – they’re something to celebrate.  Each crease, fold and wrinkle was slowly built throughout the years by countless joyful smiles.

Life begins at 41 and today my life begins…

Kung baga sa bingo… Sa Ennn! Cuarenta y uno…

Do you have “The One That Got Away”?

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Human beings 40 years old and above at one point in their early lives has encountered a special relationship with another person may it be in the form of unexplainable infatuation, true love or irrational lust.  It is the special feeling that you at such a tender age thought would last forever.  But at some point in time it is destiny who will judge that both your cards just didn’t fall the right way which results to your drifting apart.

Since destiny joked on you by encountering unexplainable and uncontrolled circumstances, feelings of regrets sets in.  Longingness to relive the special feelings and yearning to revive the failed sensation ensues.  This regret, longingness and yearning is like an unresolved bump in the throat, it is like an unsolved crime caused by incomprehensible mystery.

As you age, the only option you will have is to admit, recognize and endure that the person whom you had a failed mystifying affection for is the One That Got Away…

Kung ikaw ay cuarenta pataas at wala ka nito, siguro dahil ikaw ay isang pinagpala o kaya’y di ka lumalabas ng bahay sins bert. : )

If I were Gloria, If I were Noynoy

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If I were Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA), I would not fly and go to another country to be in hiding.  I will face whatever charges will be filed against me.  If I was able to save the whole country from world financial crisis (as recognized by the IMF and World Bank) during my administration, I’m pretty sure I can also handle whatever charges will be filed against me.  This is because if I fly and would not come back, I don’t want history to judge me the cruelest verdict that not only was I corrupt but also gutless and cowardly.  I want history to remember me that during the time when almost all high-profile countries were suffering from economic crises, I was the great power who saved the country from economic collapse.

If I were President Benigno Aquino Jr. (Noynoy), I will not focus too much importance, valuable time and resources on the former president.  I will not make GMA my most convenient excuse for my continuing failure to meet the rising expectations of the masses who swallowed the promises of change.  I will not allow my presidency to create the image of always blaming and accusing the past administration for everything that goes wrong in the present.  So what if GMA leaves and doesn’t come back?  Actually, if she doesn’t come back, it will be the clearest form of guilt and I will have the focus to do what’s supposed to be done.  I will instead work on matters of much importance like improving our economy and uplifting the lives of the poor.

The problem is… I’m not Gloria neither Noynoy!

Itong dalawang ‘to, mga wala sa hulog.

Madonna in Manila! Wehh???

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OMG!!! Madonna the Queen of Pop is on a negotiating table with somebody here in the Philippines!!!  As messaged to me by my good friend Jesse, according to a leaked but unconfirmed itinerary document about the Madgesty’s upcoming world tour next year, Madonna if all things settled will perform here in Manila on May 8, 2012. (press this link to read more about the leak)

To connect an insane dot on this issue, a couple of months back when I along with my co-workers decided to have lunch in SM Mall of Asia we passed by the SM Arena that is presently being built adjacent to SM-MOA.  Dominic (the Operations Manager in the company I’m working for) told me that the arena being built is due to finish early next year and there is a rumor that Madonna is to usher in its grand launch by being the first person to perform in the high-tech structure.  I actually dismissed what Dominic said informing him that I (being a Madonna fan) have yet to hear or read about Madonna planning to have another world tour.

To further connect another freaking dot on this issue, a couple of weeks back my college classmate Karen Batangan posted on my Facebook wall that Madonna is due to hold a concert here in Manila.  When I tried to verify this information, this came from socialite Tim Yap’s tweet.  However, I dismissed this information after knowing that it came from Tim Yap since Tim Yap is not the type of person to be taken seriously.

And to still further connect another bizarre dot in this ever rising rumor or fact is that in recent days, I was able to catch a TV interview of Marvin Agustin who plans and dreams to bring a Madonna-concert here in the Philippines via his Futurement, Inc., the concert-organizing company who produced the recently successful Bruno Mars concert here in Manila.

In case Madonna’s concert will not push through here in the Philippines, this will actually give me a good reason to travel back to Australia to catch one of Madonna’s big nights Down Under.  (Calling on Joesel, paki book mo na ako sa bahay mo on April 2012. LOL!).  This is of course aside from having to catch up again with my dear Aussie friends…

Jusko, jusko, jusko! Eksayting!