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)".