GOOD FOOD & INSTANT PARTIES

************************************************************************************************* PREPARING A MEAL ISN'T AS GREAT as when you have all the necessary ingredients around..... BUT WHAT MAKES ME WORRY MOST is when you have to prepare something for unexpected visitors! No notice at all ...and not all ingredients are available! AND I have done just that! The result?Well, I'd like to think it's great. JUDGING by the way they all lapped it up, I'd rate it a success [ am I just patting my OWN back,here?]. Or is it just the fact that these hungry hordes are lapping it upfor sheer lack of 'other things' on the table? * DIFFERENT PEOPLE offer varying ways of recipes. But I have prepared mine the way I deem good. You see, I follow instincts rather than the cleanly-laid steps often written in great books of sorts. I simply use my taste buds to guide me. PREPARING A MEAL offers me the power to do as I will. I guess it points to the fact that I have complete control of my 'kingdom.'... Not that I am a good cook...no, not that. ** MY DAD was a great Chef. He worked in different Hotels and cooked at home as well. He loved cooking for us meals which are only found in ChinaTown Restos. MY MOM also cooked well. Hers was a continuous learning... assisted by Aling Bening, who, up to now, serves as my cook whenever there are gatherings at Casa Montebello. We always had great meals at home. It was those meals I now sorely miss. How I wish I paid more attention to Nanay's cooking.... Alas, all that is impossible now. *** WHAT PLEASES ME MOST is that all my repertoire have been wiped out in a sec. .Altho none were left for myself... I was sure glad other people,those not of my own, appreciated my efforts and amateur attempts at PORK ROASTS,CHICKEN&PORK ADOBO, &PANCIT BIHON. SINCE NONE was left for me, I had to settle with two pieces of PAN and a glass of milk. **** INSTANT PARTY. GOOD FOOD. HUNGRY STOMACHS.

*****

WHEN YOU FEEL DOWN: SHOP!

I FELT SOMEWHAT UNEASY.. I don't know how to say it... But I just can't stay at home and watch TV. Besides, I can't even say what I feel: somehow, I feel out. I can't even voice an opinion. Goodness !!! I am lonely! * ....So... I decided to go out after my last class. I remember a line in one of the Reads I have encountered a zillion years ago... It says: "When you feel down, wear bright clothes and face the sun. Affirm: I am good, I am loved, I am beautiful! ** "What better way to make oneself beautiful than to start with how I look? So...... I went to the Parlor first and looked inside. I asked if I can be accommodated. I know, I know... I didn't have an appointment. But it's too late for that now. I need to pamper myself and start with my hair. OK? Good. I was lucky to be taken in. After sitting for two and a half hour:being shampooed, rinsed, cut and blowed-dry... I was off to my next destination: THE SHOPPING PLAZA: Step 1: The SUPERMARKET! I SAW ON TV that there is a YUSHO [VICTORY] SALE in almost all Supermarkets, department stores that have connections [that is, partly owned by Hanshin[ with the TIGERS. So there. I went to ITO YOKADO first. Yeah, this one is owned by the 7-11 Group here... THE DISCOUNTS ranged from 10-20% ....It was fun, indeed....especially if one has oodles and oodles of dinero to splurge. After several bags,packages...I stopped and wait for tomorrow....at another one: JUSCO. I heard they, too, are offering 20% off.Cool. *** THE TROUBLE is that it IS Autumn. Most Summer things have been swept out of the counters and locked for next. So I was able to buy only the left-oversummer tees, sizes LL and L for the guys back home. WHEN I passed by the ColdCut section, I saw some BLACK TIGER SHRIMPS which was up for sale at 70 yen each!Down 30. And 'twas from the Philippines! It says so in the tag. At least, kumikita ang 'Pinas if I patronize Philippine products, eh? I did take 10 for future use: EBI TEMPURA. **** HAVING EXERCISED MY LEGS by walking here and there... looking for the best buy,I grew tired and decided to call it a day. ***** IT WAS DARK OUTSIDE as I emerged from the covered roof parking. And the traffic was bumper-to-bumper. Gosh! It was nearly six and most employees and workers are going home. Just like me. ***** SO...SHOPPING BOOSTS ONE'S EGO? NAAAH! IT only lightens your wallet! ******* GOIN' SHOPPING ? COME WITH ME! ********

WINNING & LOSING....

GRRR......IT'S THE TIGERS!!!! LAST NIGHT, the HANSHIN TIGERS won.... They capped the BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP for the Central League this year. Oh yes, we knew that days [weeks?..no; months? oh yeah!] that the win is inevitable. Why,.... the Team has been leading way ahead of their opponents since the start of the season. THE GIANTS which, btw, is the Team I was rooting for since some years back, stays second to the last. Grrr.... * ALTHOUGH I am not a TIGERS fan, it never stop to amaze me whenever the HANSHIN TIGERS win. The same thing happened a couple of years ago. The river which is in the heart of the city makes for the focal point for fans and spectators alike. YOU SEE, these fans go to the streets and celebrate in wild frenzy. To cap the street celebration, they go and jump to the river. This has caused some death in the past as a result of the stampede. One drunk old manalso jumped and died. ** IN an effort to keep some semblance of order, the police imposed measures to keep law and order. They have threatened to arrest people who'll jump to the river. They have made steel contraptions and put up tall fences to ward off those who would try to jump. ALL THESE MEASURES proved inadequate to contain the wild celebration of HANSHIN fans. AGAIN...last night, fans went to the heart of OSAKA and celebrated. Shops closed early in preparation for the hullabaloo. The police came in full force. The color blue dominated the scene as early as 5:00 p.m. Yet when the game was over, the men in blue were helpless .....NUDE young men jumped from the roof of shops, ..men in boxer shorts jumped to the river, ...some men were dragged from the fence as they prepared to climb it; ....and more.... ALMOST ALL WERE FANS: Fans who were willing to shed some 16 lapad[translated to pesos: 80,000 PhP!!!] for one ticket for that one night game!I call that malaking ka-eng-engan! Why, that amount could feed the whole Barangay in some desperate neighborhood somewhere! *** I understand their joy and happiness of the moment. IMAGINE THE TIGERS wresting it all in homeground at the KOSHIEN [the place where all High School BaseballChampionships are played and where they are eyed for recruitment to become PROs; it is the HOME for Hanshin Tigers, too]. ....and from their long-standing rival: the GIANTS! That spelled double victory, eh? That must have sparked more daring frenzy among the fans. **** MY FRIEND NAOKO, who hails from KANSAI [that part where OSAKA, KOBE, KYOTO, HIMEJI-KEN, NARA are...] was naturally overjoyed and lost her voice shouting and cheering as she gulped cans of beer while watching the Games on TV. Since she is employed in Shizuoka, she has just to content herself with the tube. I doubt whether she feels good today as she tackles her job at the local SHIAKUSHO [CITY HALL]. Poor one, she must be reeling from the hangover... ***** AS FOR ME, I have accepted the fact that sometimes... we can't have everything in life served to us in a silver platter. Oftentimes we can have our cake and eat it, too. On lean days, we might as well be contented with what is on hand. GOD IS GREAT. I MAY NOT HAVE WON THIS TIME, BUT THERE IS ALWAYS TOMORROW TO LOOK UP TO. That much I know.... ****** OMEDETO [CONGRATULATIONS] HIROKO! YOUR TEAM WON! I know you are happy... CONGRATULATIONS HANSHIN!

*******

CPR: THE SAVING TYPE or the DEADLY ONE?

I read with disgust the news today.

IT'S ABOUT THE CPR!

OH, NO...not that one; that one one used to save lives.

I know how to do that.

It helps people, rather than kill them.

*

What I am talking about is the CPR

or the CALIBRATED-PREEMPTIVE RESPONSE

which took effect last week in lieu of the "MAXIMUM TOLERANCE"

imposed by the forces loyal to the "illegal occupant/tenant" by the Pasig.

Goodness!

**

ANO ITO?

MARTIAL LAW?

OR

THE BEGINNING OF MARTIAL RULE?

HA-HA!

***

Garci's caller must be soooo DESPERATE,

that the Great Pretender have to impose such measures,

in order to force people to stay away from the streets.

****

THIS MORNING,

I saw a news report that says Lomibao resportedly said in an interview that

even former President Cory and Susan Poe, the widow of FPJ, are not exempted.

"All will be treated equal under the Law."

So he says.....

NOW, "WHO IS THE LAW"?

Yun lang bang nasa poder ang may karapatang lumabag ng Batas?

At yung ibang ordinaryong mamamayan, eh,

..."magdusa kayo!"

Ganun?

MALI BANG MAGTANONG AT MAGHANAP NG KATOTOHANAN?

MALI BANG MAG-USAP, MAGSALITA NG KAMALIAN O KATIWALIAN

NG MGA NAMUMUNO SA GOBYERNO?

MAY DEMOKRASYA PA BA SA BANSA?

O MAY DIKTADURA NA?

SINO ANG DIKTADOR?

SINO ANG TAMA?

SINO ANG MALI?

SO many questions, but the Malacanang 'resident' is evasive.

She prefer to sail in silence as the people wonder whether she truly is truly

the legally elected President of this once-Great Nation.

*****

Whatever happens,

the People will not be complacent anymore....

******

Go on, make heroes of those who dare say the truth...

Arrest them and let us see the reaction of the majority of the people

who view everything from the sidelines.

As they say,

"We will cross the bridge when we get there..."

*****

THIS one doesn't administer the cure to the ailing Republic and its People;

she administers the lethal poison to eliminate her opponents,

especially those who sound the alarm

and those who do not agree with her

dark ways.

ALL I HAVE TO IS WAIT.....

***** THE ROOM temp says 22 degrees C! It is much colder outside.... Naku! PASKO na nga! ***** SEPTEMBER usually sports these sudden change as the mercury dips little by little down and down....until Winter arrives. IT ALLOWS refreshing time in bed, with the temperature just right sans the electric fan or the aircon. IT ALSO MEANS longer time in bed as the weather seems fine to linger and dream of days to come. THE WEATHER reminds us that CHRISTMAS is near and that spending the Holidays in this Buddhist-dominated country is like spending that Great Feast in the middle of nowhere. **** HERE, the locals just eat CAKE for Christmas. They think that singing "Merry Chrismas" and later eating the cut-up cake is enough. They do not know otherwise. Besides, work continues here on Christmas Day. *** I REMEMBER my LOLO whom we called one Christmas Day from Inang Bayan. He said he was out working. As a little child, I wondered then: didn't they celebrate Christmas? When I got here and spent the Holidays a decade ago, I realized they have the loneliest Christmas, ever! NO ONE seems to mind. But of course! Their belief is different. Although there are a handful Catholics here, most are non-believers. They look at Christmas as a commercialized season often utilized by big department stores andsupermarkets. I DECIDED THEN that if ever I decide to live in this Land, I'd have to assert that I be given the chance to go back home for the Holidays. Kahit man lang sa panahon na yun, I can be happy among my relatives and in the homeground. ** THIS YEAR I will put up the PAROL [CHRISTMAS LANTERN] I brought last February from Manila. I will show them what decors we have and arrange the whole house... .just to establish that "MOOD"..... Tignan ko lang kung ano ang reaksyon ni JIJI, ng ibang kamag-anak dito, my friend Naoko, at ng mga super-gulong estudyante groups.... * BUT THAT COULD WAIT.... I have just changed the classroom motif to that of HALLOWEEN. I have placed the KABOCHA [PUMPKIN] I harvested from the Garden as part of the decors. And I have prepared sweets for the 'Trick-0r-Treat' part of it. * OH WELL... all I have to do is WAIT.... and WAIT... go on WAITING.... and WAIT SOME MORE..... *****

MEMORIES

******************************************************************** I ALWAYS remember the days of old, when I was a bit younger in the company of familiar faces, places and voices. AS I REMEMBER the days of my youth, I can't help but be nostalgic about it all. THERE WAS TATAY and his compassionate look. He was always our [my siblings and I] friend. Whenever we found ourselves in trouble with Nanay's strict discipline, he would always be there after Nanay gave us that scolding. Oh, no...he wouldn't meddle in the middle of that rigorous spanking. I guess he has learned his lesson: never, ever, butt in when Nanay s doing her "sermon", which, btw, is numerous. ***** TATAY OFTEN treated us with "pasalubongs" of all sorts:from fruits to Pancit, to Fried Chicken to Castanas. Just anything! He always had something for everyone whenver he comes home after those trips. He was always on a trip. He would only be home for some months then move again. I guess that was part of his job.He used to hold a high position in some Japanese company, a position he held for quite sometime. He played a duistinguished role in some transactions that involved big corporations, both in Inang Bayan and the Land which nurtured him in his youth. HE WAS, what we call in Lingusitic terms, a POLYGLOT. Athough he can not be considered a LINGUIST officially, he can carry himself perfectly well in FOOKIEN, MANDARIN, TAGALOG, VISAYAN, ILOCANO, ENGLISH, and of course, NIPPONGO. ***** PEOPLE IN THE PROVINCE remembers him as one to whom they could go to whenever they needed medicine for their sick relatives. He can be called upon anytime of the day or night whenever the need arose. They even called on him whenever they needed cash. SIYA yung "utangan ng bayan," kasama na kami dun. Whenever we were cash-strapped, we always knew, we'd find relief in Tatay's bulging purse. ***** TATAY was one person who never start any fight. But when dared to his limits, he is one who wouldn't back off in any encounter. I remember Mang Juan, the Ilocano store owner who rented his stall just in front of our house. He was always dumping trash beside our gate. One time, my Nanay went out and asked him why he always do that. Mang Juan replied as if he was the aggrieved party. He even declared he won't answer my Nanay, because he only pick fight with his equal: a man. So he dared my Tatay to come out and finish it off with him=MAN-TO-MAN. TATAY DID NOT WANT to dignify such petty calls for mundane problems. He believed that Mang Juan must listen to reason: Nanay is complaining because of the trash he [Mang Juan] dumped on somebody else's area ACROSS THE STREET from his place! AFTER SEVERAL DAYS, the exchange of words continued between my Nanay [who never allowed wrongdoings to prosper] and Mang Juan who continued to dump his sweepings on our side. Tatay, out of disgust, came out [finally!] and asked him why he keeps on doing the things he does."Aren't you ashamed", he said, "picking some fights with women?" Mang Juan remained defiant. He was restrained by his daughter-nurse who knew that her father was wrong. Tatay has reached his limits and he said in a loud, booming voice: "SIGE, LABAS, AKO LABAN!" ONE HIT AND Mang Juan was knocked to the ground. "KO!" Knock-Out!"TAPOS ANG BOKSING!", boomed Nanay amidst the cheers of neighbors and, of course, us. All were taken aback. We never realized Tatay can be that physical! WE, too, never realized that our soft-spoken Tatay can do that! Cool! TATAY USED to be a MILITARY MAN. He never bragged about his background and training to anyone except us, his immediate family. Outside of that, no one knew who he was, where he came from, or what kind of education he had. He was literally unknown,except for what they always call him:"Mr. D." ...That was that. TATAY assimilated as much as he can during his lifetime. He spoke Tagalog and was able to get by in the community he lived, whether it was in the hinterland of Masbate or in the tight-placed Sta. Mesa, where we lived most of our youth until we transferred to the South of Manila in the early 90's. ***** TATAY always had the opportunity to go back 'home' especially during the time his ulcer got worse. He had the chance to have surgery in the Land of his Youth, but he opted to stay put and die in his adpoted country. He never wanted anyone to touch his body [by opening it up in a surgery], and he opted to stay as he is. He died in his sleep one Tuesday morning in December. He died peacefully. ***** MOST OF US WONDERED....then. Could he have called someone to ask for help? You see, he has lost his voice and could only whisper. He was staying in my younger brother's room at the time of his death. It was a room away from Nanay's. He has lost his voice as a result of his excessive smoking which started in his teens. He stopped immediately when his vocal chord started to become worse and chose to chew gums,instead. BUT THEN, we thought, MAYBE IT WAS HIS TIME. ALTHOUGH WE MISS TATAY, WE KNOW IN OUR HEARTS THAT HE IS NOW WITHOUT PAIN. ***** LET YOUR PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON HIM, O LORD... ETERNAL PEACE REST UPON HIS SOUL. AMEN.

CHARM & SHOWERS

LOOKING AT bentong's avatar,I can't help but write something about modern amenities as far as TOILETS are concerned. AT THE NAGANO WINTER OLYMPICS 7-or-8-years ago, participants were asked their impressions of that gathering. MOST, IF NOT ALL, were one in saying that they liked the TOILETS installed in the Olympic Village best, aside from the usual Japanese Hospitality and accomodations, that is. ...WOW! MOST JAPANESE, and residents of this country were amazed. Didn't they have those in their own country, they asked. One athlete vowed to bring home one such gadget as soon as the Games was over. Whether she did just that, there is no way for me to confirm. But the contraption really, really is great!I GUESS NOT ALL have those amenities. Indeed, Japan has gone a long way in making amenities a way of life. TOILETS, such as those mentioned by Nagano Olympians are really fascinating. These consists of: >>"CHARM" for Ladies, >>"SHOWER" a better version of the old BIDET [a bathroom fixture used especially for bathing the external genitals and the posterior parts of the body ], >> and a "DRY" to dry or minimize whatever water is left before one dries the behind with tissue paper. COOL! THE PATENT OWNER said that he invented that to help his sick and elderly mother clean herself sans helper. His mother was one who never was satisfied with using toilet papers only. This reminds me of Pinays and their penchantfor 'washing.' OWNING THESE contraption is really heaven. They are now one of the symbols of modern living. But since the SHOWER is stronger for me, I like using CHARM most. MODERN BUILDINGS, HOMES, and even supermarkets use these contraptions. Little by little, the usual OVAL ones that is common in public toilets are being replaced by these modern ones. In some HIGHWAY STOPS, though, they have both: they have installed modern ones replacing the old western style. The usual old style where one has to SQUAT has been retained since it is more convenient and 'safe' for most people. ABOUT A YEAR AGO, ....a new one came out. This time, they INSTALLED A SENSOR TO THE TOILET COVER. The cover would AUTOMATICALLY OPEN AS SOON AS SOMEONE STANDS NEAR IT. IT LIKEWISE WOULD CLOSE AS SOON AS THE PERSON WHO USED IT WALKS AWAY. BESIDES, AUTO-FLUSH IS IN. COOL, EH? This sounds great for those who dare not handle covers nor too ready to lift/close them, too. HOW ABOUT YOU? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO YOUR TOILET LATELY?

AICHI EXPO 2005 ENDS TODAY

***** The 2005 AICHI WORLD EXPOSITION ends its 6-months run today. This EXPO has recorded increasing numbers of visitors as the EXPO nears its end. Most visitors wait outside the main entrance the night before!!! Kaya yung dumarating ng alas 4 ng madaling araw, nasa dulo na sila. Grabe talaga! Tapos, pagbukas ng entrance, takbuhan papunta sa gusto nilang Pavilion! Kung pagong ka, wala, iiwanan ka ng lahat. Bukod sa mainit ang panahon, sobrang dami ng tao! Kapag may BAGYO lang yata kakaunti ang tao! The number of visitors was reported to have reached more than 25 % of its initial target. Most are REPEATERS, meaning they have already visited in the past, yet they keep on coming back for more. One old man who was interviewed revealed that today was his 111th time to go. Great! ***** THE SITE can be accessed easily: > By air, the CHUBU International Airport which was made atop the Bay, quite similar to that of KANSAI [OSAKA]. This airport was opened early this year in time for the Expo. Access to NAGOYA used to be the refurbished Domestic Airport. Now, that the new CENTRAIR [ short for CENTRal AIRport, another name for CHUBU] is operating, this means that more carriers can service Nagoya than the limited ones in the old terminal. >BY SHINKANSEN, from Tokyo or Osaka, or from anywhere in Japan. **** MOST FOREIGN TOURS include visits to Factories, Plants or Shrines. Foreigners are given a glimpse of Temples, and other places of interests here. Locals also use the TOUR GROUP system since it allows them the ease and comfort of being led to sites, rather than go through the rigors of choosing the Pavilions. **** PAVILIONS ARE A-PLENTY. The most popular turned out to be that of HITACHI's, and TOYOTA comes next. ROBOTS dominate the scene. **** LONG LINES are everywhere and it takes some five or so hours before one can finally get inside one Pavilion. Mas matagal pa ang 'waiting time' kesa sa DisneyLand. WHILE THE SITES inside are worth the wait, obviously, ONE DAY isn't enough. No wonder there are "REPEATERS' who have to come back to see all the others. **** THE PHILIPPINE Pavilion used COCONUT as its motif. Kahit hindi kasing high-tech ng ibang bansa,maganda rin nmn ang labas ng ating lugar. Libre masahe pa! **** I WISH I DID COME BACK but time and chance is of the essence. Sayang yung 'SALE' ng mga souvenir items. Mas mura daw ngayon...last day kasi. **** THE CLOSING CEREMONY was attended by PM Junischiro Koizumi and graced by the Crown Prince Naruhito sans Princess Masako. IT WAS RATED SUCCESSFUL in its entire 6-months run by visitors and enterpreneurs alike. But of course! Money moved. It benefited a lot of people in the process, both the host[s] and the Participating Countries as well. *****

ENDURING STORMS in our LIVES

HOW MANY STORMS MUST WE ENDURE IN A YEAR?............OR IN OUR LIFETIME? ETO na naman ang BAGYO numero 17. Malakas daw. At lumiko na naman papunta rito. Ang hindi ko maintindihan, bakit trip nitong Bagyo na lumiko, samantalang puwede nmn siyang dumirecho.... Kaya ayan... ANG BAGYO AY DUMARATING NA ANG SKY PUNUNG-PUNO NG ULAP; ANG WEATHER AY NAGSASABI MAY BAGYO NA NGA! Hanggang kailan ba ang Bagyong ito? September na db? Sigurado ganun din sa Pinas.May Bagyo pa rin... ***** I guess IT'S THE SAME WITH LIFE. There are limitless number of storms that beset each person's life. These storms tests our abilities to cope and bear the consequences of problems that come our way. Some problems may be fruits of our own making; Some may come from outside forces.... uncontrolled and unexpected. FOR AS LONG AS WE LIVE, THERE WILL BE STORMS AND PROBLEMS WE WILL ENCOUNTER. "Yung walang problema, nakakahon na yun,"Nanay used to say. WHAT MATTERS MOST is how we deal with our problems. That, will make us distinct from other people. STORMS AND PROBLEMS MAY COME BUT WE WILL OVERCOME. WE WILL BE VICTORIOUS INSHA' 'ALLAH [GOD WILLING]!!!

FEELS GOOD

............TO GO SHOPPING. It always give one that high....that exciting feeling. I opted for ITO-YOKADO today since they have a 25%-off SALE this week. Ten points up pa. So I thought, why not? Besides, I need to replenish the card. I need to talk to Makoy on details about Jay's training this October. I hope the training push through and JAY PASS THE TRAINING IN FLYING COLORS.....PLEASE LORD! SO OFF I went using the Noah. It was the first car up front, SHIKATANGANAI. Ang hirap yatang maglipat-lipat ng mga kotse sa garahe. IT was quite warm outside, but the clouds loom across the sky. Surprisingly, there was no traffic jam along TOKAIDO and along JIDOUSHA-DORI [CAR AVENUE] - dito yung lahat ng klaseng kotse nakahilera -for sale]. It is always difficult to negotiate that part on ordinary days,more so on Fridays... but today, it was quite different. Katakatakatakataka.... CARS are sparse and are far-between, judging by the speed I was able to look for a parking space on its rooftop park. WENT AROUND and bought fruits first and went on to the KESHO-HIN section. I bought some things I need. Really, 25% off is quite big, compared to ordinary prices. ***** NOWADAYS, I do not feel like eating out. Seems to me, these restos serve almost the same thing. Mas healthy pa yata ang concoction na gawa ko, eh..ahem... . So here, I am with my bowl of Greens [again!] and the leftover chicken breast. The only difference is that the TOMATOES I just bought are excellent! SUPER SWEET! A couple of glasses of grapefruit and lo!I feel full. PRAISE GOD!MERCI BEAUCOUP! It always feel good shopping! Sana lang, araw-araw, pedeng mag-shopping!

IT'S OFFICIAL: AUTUMN IS HERE!

Today marks the AUTUMN EQUINOX. That means Autumn has officially entered the Calendar. SO WHAT'S the difference? WELL, for starters, as most Pinoy kids would put it by way of singing........ "ANG GABI AY LUMALAMIG NA,ANG HAMOG KUMIKINANG SA UMAGA,.. ANG HANGIN AY NAGWIWIKA NA PASKO NA NGA!".... YEAH, dusks come early and dawns arrive late... clouds loom across the skies and my coffee must be taken ASAP or else, I'll be left with some tepid brew and it wouldn't be the coffee I so much wanted. Same with my bath. NOTHING HAS made the change in seasons more defined than the change I noticed from the sunshine that creeps through. Now it is by the Living room window. It used to shine first through the kitchen's. THE SUNSHINE is even softer than it was in Summer. I can stay longer outside more in the mornings and not fear about that sunscreens and UV-cut thing. AUTUMN..AUTUMN ... THE LEAVES will soon change colors, and they will turn red, and gold, and orange... and they will FALL...which, btw, is another name for AUTUMN. SOME DO NOT LIKE AUTUMN:they associate it with the near-end of life. Leaves fall and trees seem to reach old age. And they fall...to the grounds.Then they 'die' or 'rest' for the WINTER. To rise again in SPRING. BUT FOR ME, autumn and its wild colors and the crisp air makes it best. It also marks the preparation period for that one-great Holiday we all love:CHRISTMAS! Besides, I was born in Autumn and I had a very moving experience in Autumn when I had my first encounter with it some years back. The BEAUTY and the spirit of Autumn will always remain in the remotest corners of my Heart and in the deepest recesses of my Minds. WELCOME AUTUMN !!!! WELCOME LIFE !!!!

BAGUIO IN MY MIND....

OFTENTIMES, when friends and family ask me which place I want to go to unwind, the City of Pines almost always pop up. I DON'T KNOW but I have this thing about Baguio. It all started when I was young. I always look for articles about exotic placesand tourist destinations. I plan and imagine myself in some exotic cruise and in some faraway country. But the one place that has not lost its magic in me is BAGUIO. ABOUT A couple of years back, a friend and I went to Baguio. We just did it to see some lots for sale in the outskirts of the City. I also called up some old acquaintance who rents rooms for transients. THEN SOME five or so years ago,I rented a taxi and went to Baguio on an impulse. With me came Flor and Millet and Makoy. So there we were....heading for Baguio during the Christmas holidays. We stopped by McDo at Pampanga and ordered "TO-GO". We ate inside the taxi as we sped thru the circuitous route. WE ARRIVED in time for lunch. We went around in a whisk and spent more time shopping for veggies and strawberries, walis and jams. I guess I spent more time buying pasalubongs than enjoying the views. I loved the DEBONED-BANGUS and the VIGAN SAUSAGES I bumped into at the wet market. We didn't stay the night opting to go back to the Metropolis lest we be caught in the New Year rush. I stayed awake while the rest slept. I wanted to be sure Eugene, the driver wouldn't sleep while he's at the wheels. I saw him close his heavy eyes several times. I offered twice to take over the wheels, but he refused. It was indeed, a tiring experience but everyone of us didn't mind,except the driver, I presume; but looking at his face after the generous fee was paid plus some tips and pasalubongs, I'd say he sure was ecstatic, judging by the wide grin he sported. My friends and I had a grand time chatting and exchanging chizmiz about everything since I went away. I MUST agree nothing has changed since the Baguio of my youth. Some say it has seen better days. Maybe. But one thing is sure. I don't smell the PINES anymore as we approached the "WELCOME" sign. It used to be good to be met by fresh, clean air. I USED to attend SUMMER CAMPS in Baguo City and its ourskirts with the BOYSCOUTS. I enjoyed the time being the STAFF MEMEBER and as ALT of the National Training Team of the BSP. God, those were the times! I miss the camaraderie and the training grounds. I miss [Dr.] Edith and others who were really, really good friends and allies from way, way back. I hope in my heart to see them once more. BAGUIO also means being with BOYS from all sectors:both public and private kids. They were a terrible lot.They were funny, and at times troublesome, but with me, they always showed respect and served as my 'aide-de-camp' whenever I need one. To them, I'll always be "Ma'am AKELA"[THE GOOD LEADER]. AHH...BAGUIO! BAGUIO IN MY HEART. THE BAGUIO IN MY MIND! I'LL DEFINITELY go back some other time given the chance and time; I hope to own even a small parcel of land, preferably near or around LOAKAN near the Airport..... INSHA' ALLAH [GOD WILLING].

THE DAY THEY REMEMBER THE ELDERLY

IT USED to be SEPTEMBER 15 but in the past year or so, it was moved to the third Monday of September. Perhaps that day [9/15] used to coincide with Japan's surrender to the Allied Forces. Some legislators here do not want to celebrate being "old" with that day of shame. This year it was yesterday. ***** IN THE PAST DECADE, the greying of Japan has rattled the country. ROJIN [or the aged/old man/ elderly] are everywhere and their presence cannot be denied. The ratio of the elderly far outnumber those of the young ones. MORE AND MORE Japanese opt not to have babies or worse, some have remain unmarried. When asked why, they reasoned out that they wanted less encumbrance,or lesser responsibilities. The younger generations want to enjoy,so they say.... WHILE THE GOVERNMENT supports childbirth and rearing up to seven years of birth, still the birthrate isn't moving up.The fact is more Japanese pose to live longer while their is a distinct lack of younger ones to rally the old. This is evident in the closing of more elementary schools each year because of lesser enrollment. Reason? No enrollees. No kids around. ***** ROJIN HOUSE or their equivalent of the HOME FOR THE AGED is rising. The good news is, at least for Pinoys, is that more CAREGIVERS are needed to take care of them. ***** GIFTS in all forms are displayed in flowershops, supermarkets,or department stores. Cups, shawls, flowers, plants, kimonos, you name it, they have it. BTW, I didn't buy Lolo the canestick [tungkod] I used to joke about. He doesn't need it...not yet, anyway. DRAWINGS of Grandfathers/mothersare prominently displayed in supermarketsor department stores. These were collated from nearby schools [usually kinder classes]. ***** IN MY CLASS, I had this traceable pattern for kids to do. They are advised to present them to their Lolos/Lolas. More likely, all of them still have the extended family living with them. ***** AS FOR JIJI: I OFTEN JOKE Jiji about the ROJIN thing. Whenever he turns into tantrums [usually when he gets drunk; ...and I thought lasenggo ang Pinoy!mas drinker pala ang nasa malamig na bansa!] and gets angry at me, I always remind himnot to be sooo nasty, since I am the only one who volunteered to take care of him in his old age. That, I believe makes him stop and rethink his words. Sometimes, the boorish ways of old people gets into one's nerves, really! I have oftentimes threatened to leave him and go back where I came from if he doesn't behave. Oh yeah, there ARE tantrums still,but not as much as when I first came. I believe he got the message right. After all, no one's gonna put up with his ways? The other realtives are too busy with their own lot that no one bothers to be with him. Nakakaawa lang talaga... I GUESS I'm stuck here... until when, I really have no idea. ***** AS FOR ME, I'd rather spend my ROJIN YEARS in the country of my birth. I believe there is more of Pinoy in me than the Yamato and the Shogun combined. *****

MONDAY, MONDAY

SO GOOD TO ME.... I ALWAYS LIKE MONDAYS even if sometimes it makes me reel from the rigors of the day before. SOME people I know hate Mondays. They call it 'Blue Monday'. Why they color it blue, I really have no idea. BUT for me, I await the Mondays of my life as if that is the only breather I need from the hurdle I have to put up with the past week. MONDAYS have always signified the start of my week. That is the day when I can go back to my world and be with myself. I AWAIT Mondays eagerly because it is the day when my pals call me and me them. I don't know why we have refrained from using the phone on Sundays. Perhaps it's that unwritten rule that Sundays are for other things personal.... but Monday seems to be open lines for all of us. And I find it COOL. AM I ALONE in making Monday my day? WHAT about you?

THE HARVEST IS ABUNDANT!

DESPITE THE RAINS, THE HARVEST IS ABUNDANT. AND THE GOLDEN FIELDS FULL OF NATURE'S BOUNTY IS SEEN NO MORE.... In its stead, white birds flock and ravish what was leftand black hawks scatter their color from one field to the other....filling themselves till before dark. IT IS INDEED HARVEST TIME and the farmers's faces say it all: the harvest is good this year. NOTHING amazes me more than the speed by which each farmer go through harvest in a sec. Oh well, actually not a second but in matters of hours for each farmer. That is, several hectares in a matter of hours. FARMING GADGETS-for-rent centers teem with activities at this time of the year. The schedule is so tight that one has to make reservations way ahead of the season. TIMING is also of the essence. Rainy days are a NO-NO, of course,since harvesting when it pours not only makes a ruined lot but reflects an ignorant agriculturist. SO EXPECT a cancellation when it rains. That means a re-scheduling. THE MOVEMENT is endless.But that spells INCOME to all: the movers, the rental shops, the farmers and of course, the JA-a cooperative of farmers which controls the sale, and limits the planting of rice to meet the local consumption, not to mention the sale of these harvests,including vegetables and the like. HARVEST SEASON HAS COME! REJOICE AND BE GLAD! NEW RICE WILL SURELY GRACE THE TABLEONE OF THESE DAYS......

IT'S THE MOONCAKE FESTIVAL!

THERE MUST be lots and lots of MOONCAKES in Chinatown this time of the year.... MOONCAKES and all its flavor abound in almost all shops in Chinatown and of course, in the Land where it all started. THE SPECIAL ones come in tin boxes packaged beautifully and concocted from an array of ingredients LEE Meng Shu only knows. I hope one day I'd meet Lee SanSan again and ask her what it is all about. It delights the palate if taken in small bites. I MISS THE SMELL, THE TASTE AND THE DIFFERENT CONCOCTIONS CHINATOWN USUALLY OFFERS. AND I MISS MOONCAKES, as well.

SPORTS, ANYONE?

BASKETBALL IN THE PHILIPPINES IS DYING....so goes a column I read somewhere. I ALWAYS WONDER.... why Basketball for Pinoys? SA DINAMI-DAMI ng sports na puwede sa physique ng Pinoy, bakit nga ba Basketball? WHEN I was younger, I used to wonder why my parents never watched Basketball. My Nanay and Tatay both enjoyed Boxing. My young mind cannot fathom that, either. Oh yes, Tatay used to play Basketball with the old men in the community during Fiestas as a special charity treat. And he sure was fast. Although he didn't deliver, his assist was great. After all, he is into martial arts, not so adept at ball games. LOOKING at sports pages in the NW and in this part of the Pacific, BASEBALL ...or SOCCER news eat up the space. SO, back to the question: WHY BASKETBALL? Samantalang ang liliit ng Pinoy compared to their western counterparts? Add to this, our local Teams more often have these imports that spells dollars. Besides, kawawa ang mga local players whose salaries [I believe] do not measure up to those of the imports'. PINOYS need to beef up on sports other than Basketball. We have to. KAYA nmn kung susubukan. TAKE BASEBALL. We have the best Little Leaguers in Asia,if not the world. Why not harness that and start from there? OR SOCCER. Pinoys can outsmart their western foes. Kailangan lang dagdagan ang stamina. This could be done through persistent practice and change of diet. Japan started Soccer les than a decade ago, yet they have made it to the semis for the World Cup in Germany next year. Persistence is the secret. PROPER TRAINING PROGRAM is a must. And QUALIFIED PEOPLE to run the COUNCIL or whatever it is that manages our athletic programs. WALANG HALONG KURAKOT lang and we're off to a good start. PINOYS ARE GOOD. WE EXCEL IN ALMOST ANYTHING F WE PUT OUR HEARTS TO IT. That much I know. SPORTS, ANYONE?

AUTUMN IN MY HEART

**************************** ALTHOUGH AUTUMN is officially days away, the signs of autumn and its accompanying soft cool breeze is being felt right now especially in the early dawn.That makes one stay longer with Morpheus and dream of days to come. This is felt even in the daytime. I do not need the aircon while driving since the cool breeze from the open windows gives one that exhilarating feeling. OH HOW I LOVE AUTUMN! I REMEMBER my first taste of autumn with Hiroko on a trip to AOMORI-KEN. This is in Northern HONSHU, the biggest and main island. We were to deliver that steel framed steps for the RINGO-BATAKE [APPLE ORCHARD]. Although I did not do the actual delivery, I just sat in the front seatof that big truck and savored the great view from where I was. WE STARTED early on. Ther plan was to stay in some RYOKAN [A JAPANESE-STYLE INN/HOTEL] for the night and deliver the next day. THE RYOKAN was magnificent. It boasts of natural spring water with fantastic view of the bay somewherein Route # 4. We were ushered in a Japanese-styled room [but of course!] with TATAMI mats. The wide window overlooked a Japanese garden. Beyond the horizon is the Bay. CHANGING INTO KIMONO [JAPANESE DRESS] was a marvel. Then on to the ONSEN [SPRING] OFURO [JAPANESE BATH TUB]. Usually, there are several BATHS like these.The baths are separate for men and women.Dipping into the bath makes one aware of its natural surroundings. I wonder why we have not transformed our Hot Springs in Laguna and elsewhere into natural settings, instead of that plain swimming pools. That way, it would be more enjoyable.Makes one more aware of nature as well. A FANTASTIC DINNER awaits the dinersafter the bath. The array of colors used both in chinawares and the food itself is beyond description. SLEEP AWAITS those who are tired and the deep slumber called in early as the whole day proved to be a tiring one. BREAKFAST IS served at the Hall where one is left with two choices: Western-style breakfast [which gives you that usual bread and egg-bacon ham, etcetera. 0R...the Japanese style one with Mizo soup and rice and fish. I LOVE AUTUMN! I love the changing colors of autumn. I marvel at the magnificence of its varying colors: the golden, red, and orange leaves among the trees in the once-verdant mountains. I WAS TOUCHED by all these magnificence. I shed tears of happiness and joy everytime I see the great colors of autumn! GOD IS TRULY GREAT. HE MADE ALL THINGS BEAUTIFUL! And now I welcome AUTUMN with open arms......

THE TIMES OF MY LIFE

Jeremy [again! Ewan ko ba dito sa taong ito; trip magbasa pero laging may hila] mentioned he'd pass this on to me, and some others. Mahaba nga lang pero here goes.... *************************************************************************************************************** >>>>20 YEARS AGO I went to school with my Nanay making hatid at sundo. She used to park her jeep near the entrance to the Main door, kaya dyahe; my classmates always made 'kantiyaw' kasi 'Mama's Girl' daw ako. I really wanted to go to school alone, kaya lang ayaw pumayag si Nanay. Ayun. I guess I enjoyed my Grade school with classmates and my neighbors. I was allowed to play with them but I needed to come home before it got dark. My Nanay was the strict type. Considering/despite the fact that we had hordes of Yayas and househelps[marami kasi akong kapatid], she wanted me to learn how to make house: clean, cook, wash the dishes, et cetera. So I was tasked not only to watch but lend a hand to the househelp. I didn't relish the mess then...and I didn't know why she has to make me do what I did. >>>>15 YEARS AGO Ganun hanggang high school. "TA[N]GA-Maynila" daw ako, according to my classmates. Quite true. I happened to be brought up in Manila since I can remember yet I feel I didn't know Manila and its crevices. I never got around even in Quiapo BY MYSELF. I didn't understand then why Nanay was so 'mahigpit'. My father was accomodating. He allowed a lil freedom, especially if Nanay went to her home province to overlook her Copra harvest and visit her relatives. I guess I enjoyed HS best: the camaraderie and the lunch box which my Nanay lovingly prepared for me everyday. I remember a PE teacher who stopped by while my friends and I were eating at the school Cafeteria. She peeked at my lunch box and commented: "Wow! Your Nanay must be good!" Mrs. Tomelden even tasted the green salad. When I replayed the conversation to Nanay, she was amused and smiled like she won a gold medal. Great compliment, huh! >>>>10 YEARS AGO Graduate na ako ng college nito. I started school when I was five. I applied for a job at a local radio station. Katuwaan ba. How surprised we [my barkada at that time]were when I made the 32 out of the 230 or so applicants. That gentleman from Davao conducted the interview. It was a Sunday in July.We were made to read a portion from a newspaper.Then a soft sell and a hard one for commercials. I remember a NESCAFE and a JOHNSON'S BABY POWDER lines. Since I have been doing these thing [that of reading aloud in front of the mirror since HS], I made it. I found it quite easy then. Anyway, I made it and worked for a year or so on a 6 to 9 P.M. slot. I learned a lot from this experience.But Radio isn't for my type, I guess. And the hype in the networks even if it is only the airwaves, are so disturbing for someone who was brought up in a home that is modest and strict. Besides another job, the one for which I was prepared for came along. So I willingly transferred from that job to the next. I guess the latter was my true calling. I embarked on furthering my studies and hurdled the long tripfrom Alabang to Diliman, with classes till late on Monday evenings.Dito yata lumabo ang mata ko, kakabasa ng libro habang umaandar ang sasakyan. >>>>5 YEARS AGO By this time I was already moving. Despite the odds and everything,I learned a lot. I also got my first taste of AUTUMN LEAVES on TREK to Aomori. I shed tears of JOY seeing the glorious colors of gold, red and the magnificent maple leaves. I'd like to remember this as the BEST among my memories. >>>>3 YEARS AGO I spent some time traveling from one place to another. I tried to absorb everything I see, learn, read and most of all I learned the ways of people from opposite sides of the globe. >>>>A YEAR AGO I started to teach young kids abroad. Got involved with a Volunteer Group. Met new acquaintances, but no real friends yet. Most Pinays I met were far from those I'm used to. >>>>THIS YEAR I started my own small school in this part of the Pacific. Not much, though...but I guess I am still lucky. Jay had JA, and Von will soon be a father with Indi heavy with their first child. >>>>YESTERDAY I continued arranging the house. There are a lot of unused boxes here and there. Called Marcia and learned that Aurora has not paid..yet! Grr.... >>>>LAST NIGHT Saw a movie: "Taras Bulba, The Cossack" starring YulBryunner: An old movie via the NHK BS 2. I waited for my fave series till 12 mn here. >>>>TODAY Called Marcia again. Learned that Aurora is making reklamo. Mayabang daw ako kasi may pera na.Sus! Goodness!!! Ako pa ang mayabang.Ibang klase rin nmn ang mga taong yun .Ayaw nang magbayad, tapos, mayabang pa ako. Ano ba yan? Makoy emailed me saying they recieved the box already. >>>>TOMORROW Who knows what tommorow may bring? Let tomorrow come. I have no plans yet. >>>>NEXT YEAR I need to work more perhaps... para mapagawa na yung bakanteng lugar sa likod-bahay for Von & Indi in case they still want to transfer. >>>>5-10 YEARS FROM NOW.... God knows that. I'll let God handle my fate.-------- ************************************************************ AND NOW....I pass this on to: . .donna. ..gilbert. ...madz. .......and ....................."M." [kung trip mo lang naman...]

LIFE IS LIKE A CUP OF COFFEE

I LIKE DRINKING COFFEE. BUT I limit my intake to one [or two at times] cup a day. RESEARCHERS SAY that COFFEE is good to the body, if taken in small quantities. BY ITS AROMA alone, Coffee makes us feel good. BTW,......DID YOU know that the most expensive coffee is one that comes from the feces of a nocturnal animal in the tropics who eat the coffee beans and the excrement are collected and sold as 'exotic' coffee beans? Most big-time hotels order this rare and expensive variety.WELL, I haven't tasted that...not yet [and I don't think I'd like to venture into that....not in the next twenty or so years.But who knows? I might have drank one while staying in some hotels out there. The thought gives me that strange feeling. Goodness! COFFEE comes in different varieties: ESPRESSO, AMERICAN BLEND,CAPUCCHINO, MOCHA, GOLD BLEND, PRESIDENT, BLUE MOUNTAIN BLEND#1, etcetera...balh-blah-blah...The list is endless! HOWEVER, I LIKE the NESCAFE PRESIDENT best. Tama lang ito sa panlasa ko.I just bought that BLUE MOUNTAIN BLEND #1 but I haven't tried that...not yet anyway.I guess I'm keeping that for special occasion,or I'd better include that in the box am gonna send for Inang Bayan. COFFEE VARIETIES have also intrigued most people in the world. Some like to go to STARBUCKS just to try. I guess people go there not because of coffee but that they simply want to be identified with the 'IN" crowd.Some may take umbrance at this but COFFEE is COFFEE wherever you go. Trip lang natin minsan yung lalagyan [o lugar]at hindi yung laman.... I myself have these coffee cup collection:mugs from all over but I like to use the one mug which was given free from the PAN-YA [BAKERY] here. It just seem comfy to sip from. TALKING ABOUT COFFEE reminds me of this story: A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university lecturer. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee, the lecturer went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups: porcelain, plastic, glass, some plain-looking and some expensive and exquisite, telling them to help themselves to hot coffee. When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the lecturer said: "If you noticed, all the nice-looking, expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is but normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the better cups and are eyeing each other's cups." "Now, if Life is coffee, then the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life,but the quality of Life doesn't change." "Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee in it." ENJOY YOUR COFFEE, GUYS...NOT THE CUP! LOVE & LIGHT!

WHAT'S IN A NAME? =Part 2

THE TOPIC is so vast one cannot discuss it in one sitting or one entry. So here goes another one.... THE MOST COMMON NAMES among the Japanese is YAMADA, TANAKA, NAKATA and lots more. But the number one in the list is SUZUKI. People bearing this name are scattered all over the Land of the Rising Sun. But the largest concentration is found in HAMAMATSU in Central Japan, which, btw, is beside the city where I live. This is in SHIZUOKA-KEN, the birthplace of SUZUKI Car Plant. It is also where the main plant of YAMAHA and HONDA are situated. THERE IS this joke among the Japanese that if you happen to stop by Hamamatsu Station, just shout the name "SUZUKI" and almost everyone would respond with "HAI?" [YES?] ...meaning, almost all of the residents bear the name Suzuki. This holds true even in my small class of 6. Two girls who attend the same English Class answer to the name SUZUKI YUKA. The 'strange' thing is that they were both born on the same day, same year. I have resorted to calling them YUKA1 and YUKA2 to separate one from the other. The same is true with other common surnames. FIRST NAMES HERE are often well-thought of. Some even consult experts who determines the right name for the child. They believe that by giving the child a good name it will ensure that person's good fortune and happiness. The names are determined by the number of strokes each name written in KANJI is done. MOST NAMES have meaning, or goes together with the surnames. For example, my father is named YAMAKI TORANOUSKE. TORA being a TIGER, which makes his name mean STRONG, and his surname which I discussed earlier means YAMA=MOUNTAIN, and KI=TREE. So if we decipher his name, he would be A STRONG TIGER IN THE MOUNTAIN AMONG THE TREES. Fantastic, isn't it? He sure is proud of his name. He may be strong, but he isn't as wild as a tiger. He was such a soft-hearted and caring person. IN CASES where the only child is a girl [or several girls], the problem of succession comes into the picture. In this case, the husband is enjoined to "adopt" the name of the wife, thus making him change his name to that of his wife's. In the western world and those of ours, this runs contrary to common practice. But this is allowed here to preserve the name that has long been in the family for generations. One shining example is that of TANAKA MAKIKO, a Niigata-Ken lawmaker whose father, the late Prime Minister TANAKA KAKUEI has brought Japan to its peak in the last vestiges of the past century. She married Naoki who was adopted into Makiko's family. ABE may sound Kapampangan, but this one is a surname here. Unlike it's Pampango meaning which means "KAIBIGAN" here, it's plain apelyido lamang. BOYS HAVE have varied names. Here is a list of first names I have encountered in class, or elsewhere: MITSUHIRO, YUDAI[grandeur, magnificent], TAIKI[genius/air/atmosphere], HIDEO[ intelligent, brainy], KATSUO[ winner], YUTAKA* [ABUNDANT, RICH, AMPLE,PLENTIFUL]. I like the last one best: it's meaning is good. GIRLS however have great names as well..... AIKO[ AI-means LOVE// KO means CHILD], MIDORI [GREEN,VERDANT], MAYUMI, NAOKO, and more. ETSUKO means JOY, DELIGHT... which describes the feeling my parents had when I was born, hence the name. THE LIST IS ENDLESS.... We were given names in Japanese names, too. But we didn't care using them while attending schools in MetroManila. We were happy using our names there. Now it's a bit different here. The old folks want to imbue that YAMATO in me, hence they call me the way they like. COOL, ei? NAMES: FORTUNE ? DESTINY?.............. HAPPINESS? HONESTLY? I don't mind. After all, I have used my Christian name longer than I can remember. And I always respond to that name with gusto.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

WHAT'S IN A NAME? ...SOME PEOPLE OFTEN ASK.... After all......."A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME WOULD SMELL AS SWEET......." OR SO I thought as I watched amused for that two-hour 'Special' program about NAMES last night.THE PROGRAM dealt in-depth research on Japanese surnames: from the unusual to the hilarious to the differing pronunciation, blah-blah-blah! INTERVIEWS were conducted and the program staff went to the pain of going to each site, and some of those involved were even brought right there at the studio. EVEN THE JAPANESE THEMSELVES WERE AMUSED AND SURPRISED THAT SUCH SURNAMES EXISTS! MEZURASHII MYOJI or UNUSUAL SURNAMES ranged from the hilarious to the yucky type [well, that's as far as WE, Pinoys are concerned!]. Let's take a look at a small town in TOYAMA-Ken: >1. SAKANA meaning FISH/ISDA: the couple jokingly said that they have small 'sakana' too. It turned out that they have two small twin-girls. >2. EBI which means SHRIMP/HIPON: and the interviewer had fun calling the old woman "EBI-San [Mrs. Shrimp/Gng. Hipon]". The old Lady apparently didn't mind. After all, she has lived her 80 or-so-years as such. She added she has lived near the fishing port all her life. Talk about fish or is it shrimps... to the sea, huh? >3. USHI which is Japanese for COW/BAKA: A young wife smilingly answered that there are more like hers living in the town. Imagine that! Kung sa 'Pinas ka, tawag sa iyo, Bb. Baka...o kaya nmn, Bb. BABOY.... yayayay! >4. DAIKU is the Japanese word for CARPENTER/KARPINTERO: and he makes a special Japanese delicacy made of fish. He makes decors out of that concoction and for that day, he made a house-shaped delicacy, quite true to his name: that of a carpenter! Sa atin, kung baga, tatawagin mo ang panday ng Mang Karpintero. Sounds good nmn, db? THE SURNAMES were apparently supplied by the DATA CENTER of the country. I am totally amazed at how these were kept and updated. For example, the staff asked for the distribution of a particular surname, the most common, or the most strange. They also have the history of surnames accounted for in their archives. THERE IS one that most cannot pronounce. It was long and none of those in the audience can decipher HOW TO READ it. I agree. Japanese readings have two types. One comes from the Chinese reading and another the Japanese origin. A combination KANJI would turn out a different reading altogether. Mahirap talaga! Mismong mga Hapon, nahihirapan, paano na lang ang mga Banyagang[?] katulad ko? ANOTHER UNUSUAL one came up when a man was called and he showed the KANJI [JAPANESE CHARACTER] on how his name look like. Everyone had fun guessing: IT was written as AUGUST 1 if we are to translate it in English. This left me wondering... meron ba sa atin ng apelyidong AGOSTO UNO? NIPPON is JAPAN in Japanese. The Japanese call their country NIPPON. And it turned out that there is a family in the Japan that answers to that name. NIPPON FAMILY! Great! THEN THERE is this name bearing the PREFECTURES [KEN] or the equivalent of PROVINCES in our country. Most were surprised to know that there were so many Japanese who sport the various Prefectural Names. This includes YAMAGUCHI, KOCHI, TOYAMA, SHIMANE... and so forth. Can't help but be reminded of a Miss MANILA, a security guard at NAIA with whom I left my baggages when I left something at the carousel and had to go back to retrieve it. Hindi ka man beauty-contest potential, puwede na rin, kasi Ms. manila ka agad! Nice one, huh?! THERE'S THIS family in the southermost tip of Japan, far down south of Okinawa's small scattered islands. The patriarch who is in his 80's worry so much about the death of his family's surname. You see, he has five daughters. That means his surname wouldn't survive. He is the 11th in a successive generation of KADENOUUJI [his surname]. His married daughters have thus adopted their respective husbands' names. Having earned the distinction of being THE ONLY ONE sporting that name, which, BTW, dates back to the HEIEAN JIDAI [HEIEAN ERA] posed a big problem. This was solved when two of his grandchildren, a boy and a girl in their teens agreed to be "ADOPTED [YOSHI]" by their grandfather. That would solve the problem of continuity. When asked how they feel, the teens replied that they are truly proud of their granddad's surname inspite of the fact that it will take a long way to say it. I PERSONALLY met a Pinay who was seated beside me on our way to Inang Bayan one December day a few years back. After talking for a while she asked for my name and contact number. I obliged and said: 'YAMAKI' [ YAMA means MOUNTAIN, and KI means TREE]. Then she wrote her name and gave the note to me: FUKIMOTO! I had a hard time restraining myself from giggling.... [sorry po!] ON ONE occasion, I was driving with some Pinays who went with me on a "Sale" in downtown Hamamatsu. One pointed out a billboard with the words FUTABA. She pronounced it in a way as if she is asking...FUTA...BA? The rest of those seated at the back guffawed and can't help feel sorry for Pinays married to someone with this name. ON MY way to work, I was caught in a traffic jam along the National Route #150 [Roads here anre numbered. So if you want to know which one was built first, you got to start with #1:that connects Tokyo with Osaka]. Apparently the flow of traffic stopped when an accident of sort happened atop the bridge. So I was left doing nothing except listen to the CD on my car stereo. Then something caught my eye: KAWAWA. There it was: a billboard advertising a motor shop. I asked a relative later whether it was a family name, and he replied in the affirmative. Kawawa-San! Ms. Kawawa! wiz ko yata type yun... ASO is an ordinary surname in Japan. Sa 'Pinas, ang ASO ay ASO, right? Kapag nasa Japan ka, OKs lang, pero kapag nasa 'Pinas ka, iiwasan ko talaga na matawag ng ganito, noh....kung lang nmn..hehehehe WHEN I was in College, I had a classmate whose surname was BAGONG GAHASA and G. KUTO from the South. He attended our Pilipino class. Goodness! Kahit ano pa, hindi mo ako mapapakasal sa may ganoong pangalan, anoh! Hindi ko siguro masisikmura yun! AHHH...WHAT'S IN A NAME nga ba? EWAN KO... but one thing I know: it's just a name! The person within counts more than any sweet-smelling name in the world. But then...... ENJOY NA LANG KAYO...AND HAVE A VERY GOOD TIME!

ABS-CBN Forums: ALA gov.ph/ style na ba?

NAGTATAKA LANG AKO, may MARTIAL LAW na ba sa 'Pinas? ILANG ULIT na akong dumaan sa ABS-CBN News Forum, pero palaging may DELETED POSTS at may mga SARADONG TOPICS. Yung mga dating registered members ay tinanggal. BAKIT? KONTROLADO ng administrator na si Praetor ang lahat. WALANG MALAYANG TALAKAYAN. Paano malalaman ang isipan at opinyon ng mamamayan kung ang nais ng isang forum ay pulos PRO at bawal ang AGAINST? AKALA KO nga nasa gov.ph/ forums ako, eh. Ang dahilan at OFF-TOPIC. Kung off-topic din lang, eh si lagyan ng mensahe sa ibaba ng post at nang mapaalalahanan ang nagsulat. Ngunit IBA ang nangyayari sa isa sa pinakamalaking nertwork sa Bansa. KARAMIHAN NG NADI-DELETE AY LABAN KAY gloria, samantalang ang mga PRO- ay malayang nakakapag-post. EWAN KO LANG kung ganoon din sa iGMA TV Message Boards. MERON BA?...ng MARTIAL LAW? O sa ABS-SCBN lang merong ganyan? Ano yan? Para saan? Para ano? Bakit? NAGTATANONG LANG NAMAN.... ******************** Am sure glad may malayang talakayan sa blog ni M. at sa iba pang fora. Praise God for that!

BUSY-BUSY DAY

YESTERDAY was a big "clean-up-day" for me and my abode. I started by gathering all the decors for summer and kept them carefully in the box intended for their safekeeping.I then opened another box where atumn things and paraphernalia are kept and just went on with the usual fittings. AH!! THE END product was as good as new! That would be great till after I come back from my Christmas Holidays. THAT DONE, I went on to clean my room and re-aaranged my things. I always wanted to re-arrange the furnitures and fixtures in my room. I enjoy doing these things. Beautiful surroundings always fascinate me. Isn't that part of being a LIBRAN? Although fine fixtures always make beautiful rooms,I utilize old decors and recycle them to come up with new and "reinvented" ones. That would make home decors at minimum cost. Besides, I often go to 100-yen shops[the cheapest!] here. I always look for things that would pass on as something elegant and classy. Neighbors and friends of Jiji often comment that the house looks great. Even the garden has seen some semblance of order since I came. OH...HaH! [yabang ba?...mahilig lang talaga akong mag-arrange ng bagay2]. I must admit I am elated.... Who wouldn't be? After all, I did what I could to transform the once-dull living room here to something liveable....at least. And that includes all the rooms here. ANYWAYZ, I do the same thing whenever I am in Inang Bayan. Masarap maupo sa sofa kapag malinis na at maayos ang lahat, db? 0R PERHAPS, I am already thinking of going home for the Holidays kaya I am already starting to clean? Medyo maaga nmn. I NEED to do the cleaning or else, magagalit ang matanda if I don't. AS THE OLD YEAR near its end, people here clean the entire house in preparation for the coming Year.They want to welcome the New Year with clean surroundings and that includes the whole house, the closets, kitchen, and practically everything! The idea is to get rid of the past year's "malas" [by cleaning]. Having a clean surrounding would be conducive for "good luck to enter the place. AUTUMN IS fast approaching, and the early morning breeze is changing. Dusks come earlier than before and the morning dews are heavier. My special plant has begun to turn whitish from its original green. During cold winter days, it'll turn to red again. MEANTIME, I have embarked on jogging again as part of my slimming program [daw! ]. I hope it works. GREAT DAY. GOOD SWEAT. BEST RESULTS.