latent prints

Mysteries

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:44:50 GMT

I had to give up this project. I was sick with a month-long migraine and I couldn't find the time to record all the chapters. This project is now complete through the collaboration of librivox readers who picked it up after I raised the white flag. It's a great book and i did read the first six chapters.

Check it out! The Woman in the Alcove

On my addiction to Korean Movies

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 20:25:05 GMT

annyong haseyo! I have developed an addiction to watching sub-titled Korean Movies. who knew? I have now watched at least 10 full shows. One of them, "Yi San" (which is a favorite) had 77 episodes. I favor the period dramas where the male characters wear robes and those tall, weird-looking hats that look like they're made out some sort of stiff mesh.

I am now watching Jumong -another historical drama. I've watched a few comedies and they were okay until you got to the very end. I have yet to watch one that has a good ending. Korean movies have very lame endings.

Erik thinks I'm weird for not watching Filipino movies instead. Are you kidding me? Pinoy movies are corny and lack the cinematic quality of their Korean counterparts.

So, check them out - if you can read fast like me, you will probably acquire the addiction. some of the korean actors are actually cute....!

The Long Journey Back Home - Part II

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:45:42 GMT

So to continue...

The night before my departure, I was packing up and getting ready and in the process, I remembered that I haven't checked my passport. It was 12:30 at night. When I opened my passport wallet, I broke into tears. My passport has been expired for 5 days! In my frantic excitement, I forgot the most important document for my journey back home. I was frustrated and cried all night. Erik was sympathetic but what can he do? I called the NWA to cancel my flight. They gave me a credit for a round trip travel. I can reschedule as soon as I get a new passport. I am not a US citizen yet -- which worked in my favor since the Philippine Embassy will issue an emergency passport if I make it to their office in Washington DC by 2:00 pm the next day. It was 1:00 am and I was miserable.

I then called my sister in Minnesota. I was supposed to be on a flight that leaves Raleigh at 8:30 am and arrives at St. Paul, MN around 10:30 am. From there, my sister and I were to be on the same flight to Manila. I told her what happened. She will now have to go by herself and I was to let her know if I am able to get another flight and hopefully make it to Manila by Friday night. There is a 13 hour time difference.

I drove alone to Washington DC the following day. Left at 7:00 am and got there by 2:00 pm, got my passport by 5:00 and broke free from the rush hour traffic around 7:00 pm for my 6 hour trip back to NC. I got home at 1:00 am. My husband booked me on another flight with Cathay Pacfiic that leaves at 8:00 am that day. I told him to set the clock for 4:00 am. Well... we overslept. I was tired. The airport is an hour and a half from our house. I grabbed my luggage and we got out of the house like it was on fire. By the time I arrived at the airport, that flight had already left. What else can possibly happen???

The lady at the check-in counter said she can put me on the next flight leaving for NY but that I will not be able to take my 2 check in luggages since by the time I get there, I will only have a half hour to make it to the gate to catch the flight leaving for Hongkong to Manila, the only flight leaving that day. There will be no time to retrieve them, check them in and go through security.

I got on that flight with just my carry-on. I stuffed what I can carry into it and went.

So I made it to the wedding. Barely, but I made it. And it was worth it. I had a great time with my family. My niece was a vision of beauty and the celebration of her wedding was spectacular. Will I do it again? Heck no. Next time, I'm checking my passport before I even book my flight. Forrest Gump has the last word on me on this one... "stupid is as stupid does."

The Long Journey Back Home - Part 1

Tue, 20 May 2008 19:29:17 GMT

I went home to the Philippines in February to attend my niece's wedding. I have been planning to go for about six months and I was able to convince my sister Carina, who lives in Minnesota to go with me so we can have a family reunion. She planned to go earlier to visit her son who she hasn't seen in seven years while waiting for her immigration status but I told her to wait until February so she can attend the wedding. I thought coming home to a celebration will lift her spirits up since she's been through a lot of difficulties with her health and from being separated from her son. Our parents passed away a few years back. My father in 1983 and my mom just recently. Now there is only me, my brother Ronette, and my sisters Pam and Carina and it has been 15 years, if not more, since we were last together.

I packed two large suitcases with "pasalubong' or gifts for my family. Stuff they want, stuff they need that I didn't and stuff from the massive throve in the garage and in the shed outside that were gathering dust and may be worthless to me but worth a ton to them. I bought 15 tubes of toothpaste from the Dollar Tree, 15 bottles of body wash, 25 bars of soap, 5 packs of dental floss --not saying that my family is a bunch of slobs but that it is a commodity there and I figured if I bought them a few months' supply then they can spend their money on other more important stuff like food.

to be continued....

me and the lilac dress

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 19:47:09 GMT

at the last minute... i found the perfect lilac dress to wear to my niece's wedding. in this photo with my Aunt Cora and my brother Ronette at the entrance to the reception.

uneventful holiday

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 06:16:19 GMT

the holidays are finally over. thank God!

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 00:22:01 GMT

I just finished recording my chapters for Little Women on Librivox.

I have two more collaborative commitments: Japanese Fairy Tales and Arabian Nights Entertainments V.1

and then I'm going solo - The Case of Jennie Brice. This Book is my first solo.

I have other books completed -- follow the links.

eating pinoy

Wed, 05 Sep 2007 14:44:16 GMT

I taught my husband to eat some Filipino food. He'll eat adobo, pancit, lumpia and sinigang but he won't touch the dinuguan nor the balut to save his life.

memories that we keep... the sad ones.

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 17:00:42 GMT

I have many sad memories, some of which I have chosen to obliterate while some, though forgotten, somehow find a way of creeping into my thoughts at certain uninvited moments.

Some of these sad memories were from my days back home in Bauan while growing up. One that I remember most is the memory of my mother huddled on the floor, cradling my brother in her arms that one tragic morning when she found him in his room, dead from a heart attack at 21. It was the very first death in our family.  My brother had asthma and was taking steroids to keep the attacks at bay. The steroids caused a lot of health complications which eventually lead to his demise. I remember the day of his interment as if it was just yesterday. The day dawned gray and a faint drizzle covered the cemetery, as if the heavens felt our loss, as if it shared the pain. I cried until I did not have any tears left to shed. I still do when the memory returns.

My dad had a stroke that resulted in the paralysis of his right side. He was a very intelligent, energetic and sociable man. A self made man who rose out of adversity to fame and fortune.   I and my siblings grew up in a big house atop a hill, overlooking the ocean. My father was a harbor pilot. He provided for his family and while young, I cannot remember ever wanting for anything. After his stroke, my dad went into a deep depression.  Life was never the same. The man who was once a leader of men became nothing but a shell of his old self. I remember watching him drag his paralyzed leg across the floor, trying to make a meal with his one good hand, a memory that brings such pain for what was lost and what was never to be regained. He passed away on Christmas Day in 1983, barely 2 years after we lost my brother.

I have a more recent memory. One that wrenches my heart at each minute of thought -- one of my mom, laying in bed, with her grey hair spread upon the pillow, after a stroke that rendered her paralyzed. She has given her life for her family and bore the burden of our failures with strength and dignity until the very end.  I regret that I could not be with her the last two years of her life.   My sister Pam had that honor and I respect her for her fortitude and her ever-loving spirit. Somehow, towards the end, my mom lost the will to live and gave up.  She was laid to rest in the summer of 2005.

These tragic memories have somehow followed me in my journey through life. They come back now and then to bring me back and remind me, to resurrect the bond that transcends even death.

But life does go on... and not all the memories bring tears, most bring smiles and happiness too. Those laughter-filled ones are the ones that sustain me, they restore my spirit. While the memories I keep, these sad, lingering ones, are the ones that connect me to my past...they are kept inside my heart so I can love, laugh and live each day as if it were my last.

heat wave...

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 17:32:42 GMT

it has been very hot and humid in NC this past week. The temperature highs have not gone below the 100s.
I feel bad for my husband who has to work out in the heat...

weekend warriors part 2

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 17:40:17 GMT

no, we're not done but I took time off from our kitchen renovation to relax for a little bit. I will have to take my paint brush again and finish all the painting I need to do soon though...

and then there's the floor. I can't decide whether to go with laminate or vinyl tile. Lumber Liquidators has the nice 7mm floating bamboo...hmmmm....

http://www.lumberliquidators.com/catalog/thumbnail.jsp?categoryId=15&sectionId=4&subCategoryId=301&ref=By%20Category;274500015,By%20SubCategory;274600096

I may have to drive to raleigh to check them out.

Summer...

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 12:33:24 GMT

Summer has taken a toll on me.

During the summer months, our Filipino Club holds an annual Luau Party to raise funds for our College Education Incentive Program-- guess who does most of the work? Me, with the help of my family.

We were involved in the dances for the entertainment portion which meant practices at least twice a week lasting up to 9:00 PM until the day of the event. We started early this year - as early as April.

I sourced out and bought costume materials and when they came in, I sewed and glued and put them together for 12 female and 5 male dancers. Made tahitian headdresses, tassels, head leis, you name it- I made it.

I decorated. Which meant that I had to go to Party City to select what I am using to decorate the party room. On the day of the event, I loaded my husband's Ford F150 and carted all the stuff to the event (including trees and greenery from my own home), 5 hours before the party. We worked in a frenzy. Setting up tables and chairs and getting the stage dolled up and lights put up. Oh, and I forgot, the Tiki Bar had to be decorated too. This process took up to 3 hours, with lots of help (between dress rehearsals happening concurrently with the decorating). Some of our members came to assist and that made all the difference. We were expecting around 250 guests to show up.

I went home to cook and get ready with 2 hours to spare before I had to go back to the social hall. I am donating a pan of green beans and a huge pan of hawaiian meatballs. I had to be back by 4:00 but the meatballs took some time to cook which left me a mere 10 minutes to get ready and return to the party. We were rushing out of the house like it's on fire.

At the end of the party, we tore down and cleaned up and we were back home, exhausted, by half past midnight. This every exciting day was July 14.

Two days later, I had to fly to DC and back for a conference. The airport is 1 1/2 hours away from where I live. My flight left at 7:00 am which meant that I had to be on the road by 3:45 am to catch my flight. It took everything to keep my eyes open throughout the day. A stretch limo took us to Regan airport for the flight back to NC and I was back in my car on my way home by 7:00 pm.

This past Saturday, I had a birthday party for my stepdaughter Erika. Bunch of kids (I'd say around 30 showed up), some adults. Cooked until 5:00 and entertained until midnight. I was worn out. 4 kids spent the night, cooked breakfast, went to the mall to go school uniform shopping, back home to do my laundry - work next day.

We've been to Myrtle Beach SC once this summer. I plan to go to Wrightsville Beach next. Our pool has been restored to it's sparkling beauty and I am going for a dip every afternoon when I get home from work to ease these weary bones of mine... I am enjoying my summer, one way or another.

off to see the wizard...

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 17:40:48 GMT

today is Erika's 14th birthday... we're off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of hogwarts! Stupefy!

weekend warriors

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 20:27:00 GMT

Finally got our pool liner installed. sigh...

Now we battle the dishwasher. what we thought was a simple pull out and replace project has turned into a nightmare.

We ripped off the old porcelain kitchen sink to accommodate the brand new granite one we bought to match the counter tops. Now our kitchen is in shambles. We found out we need to replace the kitchen floor entirely, the copper tubing for the hot water to the dishwasher got bent while we were pulling the old dishwasher out and we have a hole where the sink used to be.

I need a vacation.

swimming pools and frustrations

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 14:30:16 GMT

I am at the mercy of an unreliable local pool supplier. Our inground pool has been out of commission since last summer. We discovered that the water was leaking somewhere, somehow. Since the liner was a bit old and worn, we thought that a tear may be the cause of the diminishing water level and went to Hallmark Pool and Spa on Fort Bragg Road to request for someone to come out and measure the pool for a new liner. They promised to send someone out immediately.

So we waited...and waited...2 weeks passed, no phone call....and we waited some more. After three weeks, I was ready for a confrontation. That Saturday, I dragged Erik to the pool place but I told him to go and talk to them because they will not like what I have to say. Again, they promised to send someone the following week, which they did and which I was told only took a full 5 minutes, 5 minutes!

That Saturday (this now being a full month and a half since we asked for the pool measurement), we went to order our liner. The "promise" was that the liner will be in in 10 days. I patiently waited out the 10 days. On the 15th day, I called to find out if they had my liner yet. The manager said they were unloading some items but she's not sure if mine was in this shipment and that she will call me as soon as they she finds out. I did not get a phone call. On day 16, I called again. She said, "Oh it came in on Friday (June 22) and I was going to call you. We're extremely busy but I'll schedule for the installation for Monday. Monday came and went, no phone call and the installers did not show up. Tuesday, I called again. I was very nice. She said, "We'll get your installation done tomorrow. That was yesterday. My pool is still a swamp and I have not seen the shadow of the pool installers. It has been 2 months...and I am frustrated, extremely frustrated. This weekend, if I do not hear from them I am going over there and raising hell. I think by this time, I have earned the right to be rude.

reading for Librivox

Tue, 12 Jun 2007 02:48:00 GMT

I read for Librivox.

Please check it out... http://librivox.org/the-circular-staircase-by-mary-roberts-rinehart/

it's my very first book on Librivox!

migraines

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 04:50:23 GMT

having a bout of migraine headache. mine goes on for at least 3 days with no relief. I attempted to do some recording around 12:15 am but my vision is blurred, my tongue felt thick, my accent even thicker. I am taking more Tylenol PMs and hoping I can sleep off this headache and wake up tomorrow to go to work without it.

Decisions, decisions, decisions...

Thu, 07 Jun 2007 17:25:24 GMT

Our Program Office Manager is leaving and with her departure, her position is vacated and is posted on the memo board. Life should usually go on...but not for me this time.

I had an unexpected call from the Program Director, offering the job to me. I am a Contracts Admin. I don't do office admin... totally different and something I would not have even considered. But he said when Maggie told him she was moving, he thought about me immediately. He said I was perfect for the job, etc...etc...

I was flattered, of course, but I declined. And I didn't sleep that night, thinking that perhaps I was too hasty in my rejection of the offer. I am not a secretary and for the life of me, I could not even begin to imagine what it is that goes on in a program office manager's world. If it is what I think it is, I don't want it.

I've been with this company for 5 years and I love my job. I love the people I work with, love my little cluttered office and my little cluttered desk... I never thought that I will have to come to a crossroad and choose to travel a new path or continue on my navigated course.

PROS AND CONS or CONS and PROS: (whichever)
1) long term job for whoever is in the Program office while the construction program (where I am) will be demobilized at the end of our productive period - give or take, 10 years.
2) no additional compensation. lateral move
3) dead end job - for both positions. Although I carry a plethora of talents that may open up another opportunity for me in another realm.
4) I am not secretary material, never claimed to be... but my other qualifications may be sufficient to make anyone consider me anyway which is what I'm sure happened.
5) don't like to be a secretary - which is what this position is - but on a glorified level.

So should I stay or should I go? If I stay, I'm out on the street looking for a job when Construction's uselife expires. If I go, I will feel as if I have been demoted, probably hate my job but I will have a guaranteed paycheck until I retire 25 years from now.

My hubby says to go. He just wants to make sure I help bring the bacon home. My gut feeling says "you've got to be kidding!"
Decisions...decisions....decisions.... and I have until tomorrow to decide.

the end of my carefree moments loom before me.

Location, location, location...

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 03:48:01 GMT

moved to livejournal. so much better than the other spot I had.

my cerebral functions are on hibernation. it is after all almost midnight and my hubby just came out of the shower all fresh, smelling like irish spring.