340 Glover Road

To promote the home health program to other counties, the home health liason at the office asked a few questions to each therapist, which included, "Why do you enjoy about home health?".  I was in a hurry to get out of the office and proceed to my patient when I was asked to place my answer in the liason's box before I leave.  I gave a quick answer which read: " I enjoy doing home health because it challenges me to work within the environment of the patient".  Sloppy answer.  I will not win in a pageant with that kind of thinking. 

I was filling in for a therapist on leave for this week.  I attended her patients who are mostly in the middle of nowhere, far from the city.  Today, I saw one of her patients one last time.  As we are about through with the session, he asked where I was from.  I told him, just like his regular therapist, I am from the Philippines.

A veteran of WWII, he was in the Philippines and served two years.  He still remembers places he's been, specially at the northern part of Luzon, the Pangasinan area.  He recalls Rosales, Pangasinan very well.  I never asked why but, he told me that he was part of a batallion who took charge in building a road going to the mountains.  I only had one bet.  It must have been the road going to Baguio City.  His faint memory of other names and places did not validate my guess. 

What was definite for him was that from Clark Air Base in Pampanga, they were brought to Lingayen Gulf in Pangasinan to leave for the US as the was was over.  He said he came home on December 27th.  It was two days after Christmas.  Faint recall of events made it hard to patch things together.  But I should remember to thank this soldier of his service to peace and to my future.  An now,  repay him.  After the treatment, I left to head to my next patient.  Something got hold of me and I came back.  I said I forgot the thermometer.  But in reality, I just said my "thank you" and gave him a salute most deserve.

Elegy at the Country Graveyard

It was a rainy morning.  I have made an appointment to Leon’s sister  to come and visit his grave.  I left early to get flowers from a local supermarket.  I thought of red roses, for love. Too bad, there was none at the first store I went to.  I got a black satin ribbon to tie the roses I was supposed to buy. 

Determinted to get roses, I went to Fuquay-Varina to a higher end supermarket.  Thankfully,there were some.  I got home but I did not get the roses out of the car.  I planned on telling no one of my itenerary for the day. 

At 12 noon, I started to get ready.  I was about to get out of the house when I ralized that my housemate is at my neighbor’s house.  I am sure she will be mad if I just leave without notifying.  Nevertheless, I left and just sent a text message that I did leave. 

I went to the office to arrange the flowers I got.  Then, I headed to Clinton.  I want to go to via the route I usually go to.  So I passed my old apartment, got to highway 24, interstate 40 then to exit 380.  The  route was so familiar.  I decided to to ahead and not do the shortcut.  I wanted to go as I would have when I first went to Leon’s house to do the admission sometime in December 2007. 

His sister greeted me.  She was walking with a quad cane.  It was Leon’s.  I was the one who ordered it in 2008.  We talked about Leon’s passing.  She told me about how Leon did not make his family know that he was sick.  My heart broke as I imagined him sitting and waiting at the doctor’s office alone when he has an appointment.  I wish I could have been there for him.  It was last Friday of May 2009 when Leon was very sick and weak.  His sister said that she has to call the rescue squad to transport him to the hospital.  They tried to revive him multiple times and cannot leave his home until he was stable enough for transport.   They never knew what was wrong with him.  He never told anyone.

His sister told me that it was July 4, 2009 when he let his family know of his sickness.  It was a guarded restriction on information.  I came to learn that he had a brother who succumed to cancer years ago and Leon has seen the difficulty he has gone through. 

He had multiple myeloma.  A kind of cancer of the blood.  He received treatments in Greensville where he was subsequently discharged to an ALF in Rose Hill.  His sister said that he stayed there for a month before he passed.  I had a two weeks off on the month of September with nothing to do.  If I could have known, I would have been there for him.  My last day to go to the Burgaw office was October 4, 2009.  That was his last too.

His sister recalls that she was called at the ALF as they said Leon was ill and had EMS to rescue.  His sister said that she was about to go to attend church that day and have turned to the ALF.  At the ambulance, she rode and have checked Leon.  There was no air coming from his nose.  There was no beating on his chest.  She knew he was gone.  Still, the rescue squad have tried to revive him.  He was put on a ventilator, she remembers.  Declared him dead the following day.

We set to go to his grave.  Leon’s close neighbors came with us.  I remember Russ.  He used to come and visit before.  At Leon’s gravesite, I placed the flower I arranged.  I said a prayer and have said my goodbye.  I am somehow at peace.  I have been to his grave.  I held back my emotion.

His neighbors have invited us to go to dinner.  I came along with his sister at a local Mexican restaurant.  I have imagined eating out with Leon.  I could only wish. 

We came back to Leon’s house.  I came to know that his sister will under hip replacement surgery on May 2.   And probably, she will have a knee surgery three months after.  His sister took  care of Leon when he was sick.  Probably, my coming over was his was of making sure his sister is looked out for.  And Leon, I promise you, I will.  I will make up for the time that I should have given you, should I have had the courage to call you. 

Before I left, I requested permission to create an arrangement for Leon’s grave.  His sister said Leon will be pleased.  If only she knew how much relief and pleasure I got when she said yes.  I also asked for a picture of Leon.  I would want a remembrance of him.  I plan to keep it in a capiz frame from the Philippines.  Just a keepsake between us.  I am glad that her sister agreed to send me one.  But I think I will get it when I visit her again after the surgery.  It is something I look forward to. 

Leon, I will see to it that you sister will be taken care of after her surgery.  For your kindness, I thank you for the pleasure of knowing you.  I love you, my friend. I whisper.

Leon

Today, I have just learned the passing of one of my favorite patients.  JLB of Rosehill, NC.  At the age of 60, he passed away last October 5, 2009 at Duplin General Hospital.

I have worked with him after his stroke.  He was one kind of guy who wants to think he was stronger than what he really was.  From using a walker to a cane to being fully independent, I have worked with him on long hours, mostly chatting.  I have enjoyed his company more than he knew.  I have told him stories about me and my country Philippines. I brought him dried mangoes exported from our country.  He really loved them.  Most of all, I enjoyed talking to him.  He was the first black person I have enjoyed time with.

I still remember how he taught me how to put the plowing part of the tractor together.  That was tedious and very heavy too.  I remember the old pick up he was trying to revive, the carpentry he did to do a work station for a computer, the old boat, the watermelons he was supposed to sow when I discharged him.  The last meal we had at Subway, when I drove him to Wallace to grab a bite.
At one time, I lent him my magic sing karaoke mic to have him have a view of what the Philippines looked like.  He was pleased.  I remember his stories about the army when he was stationed in Europe.
JLB, I vividly remember how I first met you.  You opened the door, unstable with your walk, holding on to the wall.  I am glad I admitted you.  I still recall us waiting for the assistive device coming from VA.  And I will not forget how you talked to my Operations Manager when she asked how I was doing with you.  When you complimented my work, she said that I seem to know what I am doing.  You replied, "He knows what he was doing".

JLB, here is what I know:  I know that I felt good when I was with you.  I have deliberately extended our treatment sessions, worked on Saturdays, scheduled you at the end of the day so I would not have to worry staying late at your home and chat long hours.  My heart knows how I have felt towards you.  I wish I could have visited you after I have discharged you.  I surely would have wanted to be with you more and talk with you without thinking about treatment.  I am glad to have been your friend.

JLB, you are loved, more than you knew. My memories of you will not fade.  You are one of a kind.  Rest now my friend.  I love you.

Contradiction

as you found your strength
with my guidance
i found comfort to rest my weakness
in your strong arms
a mild demeanor from a tough mind
a caring hand from an icy heart
complements in contradictions
humor in all the pain
bigot envious of freedom
caged from his feelings
waiting with bated breath
on a dream that will never be
coming home to a vast empty bed
lying thinking
waiting for time
numbing the longing
anticipating the dawn

Happy Easter!

RS have called earlier but I was not able to catch the call.  I was at church in Fuquay-Varina attending the Easter vigil.  I looked at my phone to see the post RS have posted at our high school batch page.  It was a picture of a former classmate whom we have been talking about before when he was here.  That was not what's important.  I sent RS a text message: "Happy easter keka.  Higit kaninu man keng kadahilanang ali mu balu. :-) ".  
He replied: "Hahaha. How sweet! Happy Easter! Ingat."

RS will never know why Easter is an important holiday for me for him.

I look forward to meeting RS again.  This time I hope we can spend time together and I will have the courage to tell him how I feel.  I am very thankful with how everything turned out since our infamous diary discovery encounter in that dreary December 1, 1991.
Again RS, Happy Easter to you....my Easter bunny!!!

Guess who's coming to dinner?!

It has been a while since I have written anything.  It must been that I was busy.  Certainly a lot has changed.  I have already moved in with a friend and were running kinda "Will and Grace" show for more than a year now.

This is something special not to write about.  RS came to NC for business.  And comes with that is the pleasure, certainly on my part as I have played host.  A lousy host perhaps.  Not much to offer in NC during these times.  He came on a Sunday, yesterday afternoon.  I got to pick him up at the airport.  Asked the information area on the recommended restaurant for tourists who would want to sample a great southern style food.  We went to The Pit at downtown Raleigh.  The restaurant had a good ambiance but the food hardly shined.  Nevertheless, it was ok to be sitting across RS finally just the two of us.  Having some laughs, doing some talking about our former classmates and what have you's.  But the best part was just really being there with him.  

This was someone who could have made my high school miserable.  Having found my diary from my locked bag (though, come to think if it, was easy to open), he was supposed to have been my bully.  This conversation has to come up during his visit.  For a while I was really trying to keep composure as he asked me if I was mad at him.  As I have said "no", I was trying to see if it was just an asnwer of being polite since everything was ok now, or it was some answer to keep away from the topic again.  I just think I really did not care about it anymore as I have not really cared about it then.  I am too comfortable with who I was, and did not want to be accepted by anyone.  I think what I wanted to say was that I did not need a validation that who I am is different.  I was a teenage gay guy who has started to have feelings towards some boys.  That's all.  He asked me if I was embarrassed.  I said no.  Perhaps if I were to relive it agan I would have said yes, but it has been too long that I don't really mind.  Bottom line is that I care about what he feels now about me.  

At one point he said he feels I am someone he thinks he can trust.  I was happy about that.  I am glad he sses me that way now.  He has certainly matured and still, I think I was graceful enough through all of it.  

RS will always be a person in my life that has made an impact.  What he did was not something I will forget.  It was not a good experience but I do not feel an inch bad about it.  I guess in time, what matters is the posibility of what the future holds.  I would never think in a million years during that time that I will have an encounter with RS, to be this close to him.  I am thankful that I have stayed and waited for this time to come.  It came as  a surprise, a sweet surprise indeed.

Oprah - Farewell Show

When I was in the Philippines, I was watching re-runs of Oprah. I was fascinated by how she gives away her favorite things and such. A lot of talk shows were developed just like hers. The closest they’ve gotten is Kris Aquino’s show Today with Kris Aquino. Of course, when I said closest, it meant like I’m comparing apples and oranges. The similarity is that they are both fruits but definitely far from each other.

When I transferred here in the US, I should have had the chance to really watch it on time but, I never really gotten the time because of work. Nevertheless, I did catch it sometime at my patient’s house.

Thankfully, DVR has helped in recording shows that I would love to see commercial free. It was the final season of Oprah after 25 years and my housemate thought it will be important to watch them all. So we did – everyday.

With the help Oprah has extended to her viewers, myself included, has changed lives. In my lifetime, she is one hell of a lady to have had that task. A lot of viewers will miss her specially those who do not have cable. A lot of them are my elder patients.

Oprah has started her network called OWN – Oprah Winfrey Network. This has opened up a better medium, wider and much more powerful for her to reach more people with programs that she believes will help a lot more.

Amidst all these sincere cheers to Oprah and for her long time running show, I found this short description of her show on TV funny.  I know Oprah has been an advocate to eliminate racism but….

Scotty McCreery, American Idol

Well, even if I am not a fan, I’ve got to do this for the state that has become my home for almost five years.


Season 10’s American Idol is the high school student from Garner, NC, Scotty Mc Creery.!

American Idol, like any other reality based shows are my pastime to help me kill time. Every Monday would be a bore. I never got to enjoy fully Dancing with the Stars so I have been looking forward to Tuesdays for America’s Next Top Model and Glee. Wednesdays and Thursdays would be my AI days. Then, another boring Friday. Such a snooze.

Since the beginning of idol, news about the Garner native went around like a breath of fresh air for my patients who religiously watch AI. Well, something to look forward to I said. That came to passing until he was voted to be on Top 13.

I thought Paul McDonald had a good chance because I thought that he was veteran and much more seasoned but he was a big disappointment. LOL. He tried to play a lot of rock themed songs though his voice would have sounded better singing slow songs which highlight his low soft tones like James Blunt. Nevertheless, the show was a drag for a few weeks until Hailey’s progression on the show. She has found her niche and stopped second guessing herself on song choices. She became bold and boy, could she sing her heart out. But alas! No following for her.

I am sure this boy’s winning will be the topic for tomorrow’s conversations with patients. I hope they slept well tonight to have some energy to work with me tomorrow.

Garner would never be prouder. He has put this little town in the map. Kudos to him and good luck with his career. I know that at this age of free downloading and piracy, the country fans have some spare change to buy his CD and watch his concert.

Fung Fang Fing!!!

After a long shower, trying to remove the stench of patients I have seen today, I received a text message from my brother. He said that he just wanted to let me know that he will propose to his girlfriend tonight. Fung Fang Fing! I felt a little stunned. Could this be true?! The next thing I saw on my blackberry was an e-mail from my sister asking me to call her. I did. She was happy about the news.


Well, my sister and my brother’s girlfriend have been getting along well lately. More so that they live in the same dormitory, and works at the same hospital. Both families have been attending each other’s gathering. I guess I felt left out. I am the only one who had no connection with this girl whatsoever.

When my brother and mom visited me last Thanksgiving, I was surprised when he handed me an image of the infant Jesus and told me that it was a gift from his girlfriend. OMG! That was nice. Come to think that I have only bought a small perfume at a discount store for her. LOL. I have long used that perfume in my bathroom when I want to have it smelling nice and clean.

People who knows me know that I will not let this thing pass without reciprocating to the gesture with an even grander effect. Thus, I bought her her first Coach bag. Upon receiving it from my brother, she immediately sent a text message thanking me for the best Christmas gift ever! I’m pretty sure she’ll have better presents now from my brother but, for now, I hold the record. LOL.

This intention may, and I know, have been coming along for awhile now. I have just been off the loop to know the details. No idea on the next step or plans for the wedding. But one consolation I have from this is that I know that my brother’s girlfriend is being petitioned to the US. If that happens, my brother has a chance of coming here. But of course, I could always go home to be with them whenever I get the chance and the budget of course.

Looking at this, I don’t know if I am prepared for it. He may be 28 and all grown up but he will always remain to be my baby brother. I miss him already.

The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business

For the past few weeks, I have been hooked with The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business. Like any reality shows I have been following, I was rooting for two teams this season. These were the cowboys Jet and Cord McKoy and best friends Zev Glassenberg and Justin Kanew. I have seen the season the best friends were first on. I felt bad when they got eliminated after coming in 1st on the fourth leg of the race because of the lost passport.

This season, the buddies have done a lot better from being 4th from the bottom to 4th from top. I started to follow Justin at his tweeter account and befriend him on facebook. Just to get some updates on the race and also because I see that he replies to his followers. Reading tweeter has been my pastime to get to sleep. It has been helping a lot lately.

Cowboy brothers Jet and Cord got me hooked because of their accent. Living in the south made me appreciate the art of the long vowels and the mouth that barely opens. LOL. This will get me in trouble. I am amazed on how their accent goes. Don’t get me wrong. Coming from a different country, I have a very thick accent myself. But I guess it’s just the fascination of hearing it and associating it from the western movies I have seen (which were not a lot, I could barely remember one!). Nevertheless, the kind and gentle manner they have has shown that chivalry may not be dead after all.

It may just be me but do I see anything different with Jet? I see that he may be too a goody two shoes kind of guy that anything the bends the rules makes him cringe. Oh well, what have I been imagining?! The fact still remains that the cowboys were too strong of a team that others have ganged up on them during the Liechtenstein bike ride road block. Sisters Jen and Kisha ran a good race and eventually were first to arrive when it most mattered but I still think the cowboys were the biggest contender of all.

To add to the heartbreak of losing the cowboys in the 9th leg of the race, best friends Zev and Justin were eliminated before the last leg. I was sensing a temper building during a task that takes too long to get done; I admired how Justin was very supporting of Zev on the samba task. Zev was not the most coordinated man in the world, and boy, does he have the moves of Godzilla in amok. If I were Justin, I could have laughed all day. But that’s me; I find humor in a lot of ordinary things. Justin was very much refined for that. LOL.

The best scene was definitely the Brazilian wax challenge. It was a torture for the beast friends. LOL. Could they have been any more hairy? Temper, temper. Waxing was not for the faint of hearts. Justin said it right: “I swear to God I will punch you in the face!”

This was one of the best seasons of TAR, at least from the few I have watched fully. Maybe next to TAR 4 where the team I was rooting for, Chip and Reichen, won.

The Amzaing Race 18, Desperate Housewives and The Celebrity Apprentice

Tonight, I was juggling over three shows I was following for this season. They are the finale of The Amazing Race 18: Unfinished business, Desperate Housewives and Celebrity Apprentice. Thank God for DVR.


I started off with The Amazing Race finale as it got me hooked while I was rooting for two teams: the cowboys Jet and Cord, and best friends Zev and Justin. This may get me hanged, but having a friend who has Asperger’s Syndrome made me curious. If I were Justin, I will be having a hard laugh all day. I have previously watched Zev and Justin on The Amazing Race 15. I felt bad when they had to go home after finishing 1st on the fourth leg of the race as the team lost Zev’s passport. With the TAR rules, they were disqualified. I have admired the team’s dynamics to be best friends.

A few years back, my housemate got me hooked on Desperate Housewives. I started watching in season 4 but thanks to re-runs, I think I was able to watch every single episode. This will always be a mainstay on our Sunday nights.

Before I turned off the television and start on my notes that I have not finished since Thursday, I have to have a glimpse of what’s happening to Celebrity Apprentice. I have not watched the whole episode but had the critical time I needed to see - the boardroom scene. The disappointment of Zev and Justin finishing 4th on TAR was replaced by the joy of watching Star Jones being fired. It was all that I needed to have a goodnight sleep.

But of course, I will not sleep until some of my notes are finished. I have to do my job now.

It Gets Better

Growing in an environment of religious family, learning in an all boys Catholic School, I have perceived that being gay was the wrong way to live.  What I have not seen was the love around me.

I never felt the need to come out.  I have always been the same old me.  Straight people do not need to come out and celebrate their being straight.  I am normal, just like anyone.  Just like anyone, I am different.

Everyone surrounding me tried to straighten me up.  I have admired their efforts now though I may not have understood  that time.  But you can't fix what was not broken.  Maybe they have just not read the manual.  I function differently.  What made me strong were the group of friends I have made.  We stuck together and have been strong for each other.  Highschool was complicated enough to have your sexuality be a burden too.  It did get me at times, maybe far more times than I  imagined.  But still, I am thankful for everyone who made me who I am today. 

With recent news about gay teen suicides, it dawned to me that I was lucky enough to have friends who shared my feelings and loved me for who I am without pretensions. They were crazy enough to jive with my craziness too.  And from that, I found my sanity. 

The http://www.thetrevorproject.com/ opens its door to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth who finds it difficult to get through the harsh path at this time.  For those who feel alone and can't find one who would understand them, you'll be surprised on how many people love you and what the future will hold for you... just live long enough to see it.  It will get better.

13

It was thirteen years ago.  It seems like yesterday.


Vivid memories of my dad are an array of good memories. I am not a perfect son but, he was a perfect father.  I miss him a lot.

Big Brother 12

Hayden Moss just won $500,000 from the recent conclusion of Big Brother Season 12. This 24 year old college student from Tempe, Arizona got 4 out of the 7 jury votes.

Hayden is a member of the four man alliance called the Bra-Gade. This alliance was created on day two of the competition in the house. The members are Enzo “Meow-Meow”, Lane “The Beast”, Matt “The Brains” and Hayden “The Animal”. This is the only alliance that survived the competition till the end (at least for the three of them after they turned on their fellow member Matt).

Castings of votes were tight. The last member of the Jury, the recently evicted Enzo, got to cast the deciding vote for the winner.

224 Beaman

Tonight is the last night I will spend here in my apartment.  For more than three years, I have spent some valuable time in this place.  It may be the best apartment as compared with my friends, but it was once a refuge. 

This is where my boys and I hang out during weekends.  I will cook some good homecooked meals or experiment on something new.  This is where I prepard food I have brought on parties.  One New Year's Eve celebration was spent here.  Tonight, I will cook my last meal. 

I once shared the apartment with a friend until he moved to Virginia to be with his family.  His room has long been vacant and so will mine by tomorrow. 

It would be set in history.  Clinton was my home.

Bembol

For my untreatable growing addiction for bags, I gave myself an early birthday gift.  My second LV bag in Damier Graphite Canvas.  A mini model of a name I will never forget.

One morning after working in the graveyard shift from my last job, my car would not start.  My friends helped me fix it, but to no avail, it still would not start.  It was starting to rain.

A guy came up and helped us.  He said it was just dirty terminals of the battery.  He went to his car, got a piece of scouring pad and cleaned the terminals.   Viola!!  My car is fixed!!  I said my thank you and got his name.  That night, I came to the office with a mini chocolate mousse cake that I love.  It was a gesture of gratitude.  I asked the supervisor I know to provide me the screen name of the guy who helped me.  DLM.  I sent him an e-mail.  He replied.  In the following days, I found myself chatting with him.

He was suave.  He got his cool cocky moves.  I was demure.

It was a little payback time.  He asked a favor if I could help him go to his hometown in Laguna to bring his old computer and bike.  Since my vehicle was a pick up truck, I said yes.  It was my first time to go out with him.  He was still practically a stranger.  I was too trusting.  I was firm with my decision.  Nevertheless, I told VG about it.  He was surprised with my stupidity.  VG told me to be careful.  He then succumbed to my delusion and reminded me to send him the address where I will be going.  VG was protective.  Was he thinking that I will get raped?!

I met up with DLM, and we got to his apartment to get his things.  During the conversation, the wife topic suddenly came up.  What?! Again?!

There I was, still with a married man.  I played it cool.  Brushing off the details of his then troubled married life, I still enjoyed his company.  First stop was to get breakfast and drink my favorite green tea frapuccino from the starbucks where AL and I hang out.  Then, off to Laguna.

One of the things I hated about me has surfaced.  We got to the very narrow streets of his place.  We then have to walk a few blocks to reach their home.  It was not a pretty sight.  I am thankful that I was a member of the theater guild club in high school.  I was jolly on the outside.

He brought me around his childhood place.  He showed me his school, the market he used to go to and even bought some grilled bananas.  Fear factor.  I managed to finish it because his mom was watching.  Late afternoon came and I had to leave.  His family tried to talk me out of it but, people who knows me well would bet that I will leave.  And so I left. 

Odd day.  But I gained a friend in the process.  And today... his birthday.

Major Major

For the past eleven years, the delegate from the Philippines for the Miss Universe pageant has never entered the top 15.   The last Philippine beauty to make it to the finals was Miriam Quiambao.  She placed first runner up.  That was in 1999.  I remember that I went to AL's house and watched the pageant.  I skipped my licensure examination review for that day. 

It was not really about the Miss Universe pageant that's why I visited my friend.  It was actually his oath taking day for passing the Philippine Licensure Examination for Nursing.  He did not go.  I know how important this day was for him.  But his family, for unknown reasons til now, have bypassed it.  I don't really know.  It may have been that AL just did not like to go.  At that time, I know it will help to just be there for him.  Bonding time!   It was just very timely that the pageant was being aired live.  Spain, Philippines then, Botswana were called.  Miss Botswana was the first delegate they have sent and she won.

This year,  Maria Venus Raj was sent to represent the Philippines.  Despite the controversies that has come out of the inconsistencies the Binibining Pilipinas Charities have found on her birth certificate that caused her to be dethroned, Raj has fought hard to be reinstated.  She was the first winner who got dethroned and reinstated in the history of Binibining Pilipinas.

I was hoping she would win.  I made a pact with my friend that we will watch the Miss Universe next year live if Raj wins.  I was rooting for the poor girl from Bato, Camarines Sur, who lived in the middle of plain rice fields with no electricity, to win the prestigious event. 

For the pinoy gays, Miss Universe is like the Olympics, the World Cup, or the Superbowl.  They do devote their time and emotions to watch the pageant in the hopes that one day, the Philippines will take home the crown. 

Maria Venus Raj placed fourth runner up.  The judges may have felt her nervousness more than anything during the final interview.  The Filipinos who are very conscious of their grammar have made fond of her answer.  Asked by Stephen Baldwin on what is one big mistake she made in her life, and what did she do to make it better.  Her answer, "In my 22 years of existence, I can say there is nothing major, major, I mean, problem I have done in my life because I am confident with my family, with the love that they are giving to me".

One tough question to answer.  No one would dare expose their wrong doings in international events.

Given the same question, if  were in her shoes, I would have answered, "Recently, I was dethroned from representing my country in this pageant due to some inconsistencies with my birth record.  I have fought hard to clarify the issues and be reinstated to be the delegate of the Philippines.  Looking at my fellow Filipinos in the audience, there is only one thing on my mind right now.  And that is - I hope I can make my country proud.  (cue the tear on my left eye)". 

In Line

Today, I rushed to finish work as I have to get the computer I bought my sister for her birthday. To make my trip worthwhile, I decided to have an oil change until the geek squad finishes to ready the computer.

It was my first time to have the service done at Sear's at Triangle Town Center. Since I am to buy a present for a friend, I decided to do my shopping. Suprisingly, the wait to be attended was long and exceedingly slow. Lo and behold! There came man to fill the void of waiting! He was funny and has a good sense of humor. A good conversation with him will ease the painful waiting game. The convo went well until the wife bomb was let lose. Why do I always end up with the married men?!

Italiana Ristorante

After paying my rent, I saw a new restaurant in downtown Clinton where I live.  Italiana Ristorante.  A beacon of light since I am a pasta lover.   Just perfect.  I am hungry and I haven't been cooking in a while.

In a small town, you cannot avoid the fact that people know each other.  I was welcomed in the restaurant but, I think I was the only one who did not have a small chat with the maitre d’.  Who am I kidding?  He’s just the headwaiter. LOL.  It was also a first for me to eat in a restaurant by myself.

For starters, I asked for the list of reds for drinks.  To my surprise, no alcoholic beverages were sold at the restaurant so, I settled for the ever reliable old fashioned sweet tea of the south.  One of my favorites, Italian wedding soup and lobster ravioli were ordered.  At that time, the headwaiter discussed with me the art of mixing parmesan cheese with ground pepper to olive oil as dip to my bread.  Well, that’s alright.  He may be used to people coming in who do not know what to do.  Though, I still prefer basil and roasted garlic as dip than cheese.

The soup was a little disappointing because it has a lot basil that it already was lump of greens in my soup.  Meatballs were also missed.  Well, anyway, I still have my main course.  So I have let that pass.  Here comes my lobster ravioli.  Disappointingly again, the ravioli was meager with filling.  I barely tasted the lobster.  The sauce was too thin, and the pasta is doughy because it was a tad undercooked.  I was looking around and people who ordered the same stuff as I did were very delighted with what they got.  I bit my tongue for complaints.  I did not want to ruin the happy ambiance of the two month old restaurant.  Maybe I will just give them a heads up when I come back.  Truly, I would like to come back and try their veal. I may be surprised, you know.  In addition to that, I would also like to help my community in little ways I can.

My friends were telling me that I am not Chef Gordon Ramsay to critique the restaurant that is not seeking any Michelin stars.  I guess I was just carried away from watching Hell’s Kitchen.

Pedals

So, the plan I had yesterday didn't happen until today.  At least one of them.  I got my bike exercise machine for a reasonable price.  It would be better if I benefit from it. 

I went to the store and got it a little late at night so there won't be a lot of people in line at the cashier.  One downfall for that is not a lot of help from the store for manpower.  I carried the thing all the way to my car in a little push cart.  Nevertheless. I don't want to get pissed so I just shrugged that off. 

It took me a little over an hour to assemble it.  Barely had time to try it for a couple of minutes.  To my surprise, it was very quiet.  I mean, really quiet.  I could watch television or chat on the phone while I'm on it.  The break in will be tomorrow.  I am already tired now and need the much required sleep for my body.  Let's see how far I could go on that bike.

Here's to a better health for me!!!