This is the first blog entry I have written from my hometown in the Philippines since October 2007, when I moved to Oman. As such, this is the first time I have come back to my native land.

On the plane bound for our hometown, 15 February 2010

It has been quite a long time now, more than two eventful years, yet it feels like I first stepped onto the international flight away from home only yesterday. So much has changed yet it all feels strangely the same.

People have aged and grown, come and gone. Places have been built and destroyed, beautified and left to the mercy of time and decay. Money ebbs and flows, most of it moving away from our grasp so quickly as prices have all gone up. There are little victories and small defeats, glorious milestones and ugly consequences.

I am sure the above will still apply when I come back home again in later years.

When I arrived home, one of the first things I noticed was the addition of a small wooden plaque to the wall. These words were inscribed on the plaque:

Winners or Losers

The winner is always a part of the answer
The loser is always a part of the problem

The winner always has a program
The loser always has an excuse

The winner says, “Let me do it for you.”
The loser says, “That’s not my job.”

The winner sees an answer for every problem
The loser sees a problem in every answer

The winner says, “It may be difficult but it’s possible.”
The loser says, “It may be possible but it’s too difficult.”

On a final note: Happy, happy, happy birthday to my grandmother!

A very, very Happy New Year to everyone!

Let us all welcome 2010, the start of the new decade and the year of The Metal Tiger. Rawr!

Finally got off my butt and BlueToothed a couple of photos from my trusty N95 and into my brand-spanking-new black Sony Vaio CW15. Before I start the media sharing blitz, I would like to congratulate Gill, an old Internet friend from so many years back, on the acquisition of her gorgeous new domain, Fascination.nu.

My baby and I spent New Year’s Eve and the wee morning hours of 1st January 2010 at Jetz Grill in Qurum, where we won lots of prizes from various fun games. In fact, I still say that we are the undisputed champions of the Apple Dance Competition, hands down!

Welcoming 2010 in Qurum. Happy New Year – and smile!

Before having our masarap buffet dinner of classic Filipino fiesta treats, we visited Ruwi for a bit of shopping. There were a lot of stores with year-end sales and we got excellent bargains, particularly with (fake) Lacoste sports shirts.

I found this colorful and cute Pokemon Pikachu watch in one of the timepiece shops near Al Fair Ruwi. I got a discounted price for this when I bought a pink Snoopy watch along with it. Of course, I now wear my Pika-watch everywhere. Be very envious!

Pika! Pika! Pika! My first ever Pokemon watch, can you believe it?

I have been a big fan of YouTube of late, largely due to free time during the holidays. I cleaned up and restructured my YouTube page, where I will now post my personal videos as well as bookmark my favorite ones.

Here is the first video I uploaded, starring, of course, my well-loved Japanese Spitz Pikachu. This was shot sometime in 2007, before I went to Oman to seek my fortune.

All together now: Pika! Pika!

It has really been a while, but what the hey! I’m just pleased that I got the time to post here before the end of the year.

I would like to share this amusing, highly entertaining video that I first saw on ABS-CBN’s daily gag show, Banana Split. Nearly half of the music video, which was originally posted on the omnipotent YouTube site, was shared on the aforementioned show’s Balitang Siksik segment.

Without further ado, here are the Transformers XD dancing the Wonder Girls’ worldwide hit, Nobody:

If the above video does not work on your browser, please follow this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jywQLnUnMG0

Enjoy! (I’m sure you all will.)

These past few days, I have been thinking about relationships. Particularly those borne of romantic love.

I realized mainly two things:

1. The true value of a person to you is measured by how much you miss them when they are not with you

Sometimes we get irritated and yell at our loved ones, or perhaps wish they would stop bugging us about trivial things – such as television shows, laundry, food for dinner.

But then we feel empty when they are not around, as if a part of ourselves had wandered off, lost. Only then can we feel the void that only the loved one can actually fill.

2. The true value of a relationship can only be totally appreciated upon looking at the relationships of others

We oftentimes forget to stop for just a minute and thank God that we are still together, that we still love someone very much and that someone loves us the same way, perhaps even more.

We need to look at the people who allow themselves to be hurt and abused inside and out because of love, and be grateful that what we have is good, healthy and honest. That someone sincerely takes care of us and only wants what is best for us.

Love is never perfect. It is always a work in progress.

And we must work hard at it, always.

I have been working as a freelance author and copywriter since I was, literally, a kid.

As a professional in this field, I always keep careful tabs on my published and unpublished works. That is why I have an online portfolio, hard copies of my articles where available, and, naturally, a running list of work to my credit.

It came as a great surprise when, while cleaning up old files off my laptop’s hard drive, I found 22 pages of unpublished poetry. Yes, folks, nearly two dozen poems just waiting to be part of a collection, over and above the ones already compiled.

Now, I can recall very clearly that I actually wrote them way, way back in 2002 at someone’s request, to be the chapter bookends of his autobiography. The manuscript was being edited then and I was given a copy to read and write “hard-hitting” poetry for.

However, the autobiography project was never realized as the author got distracted by other priorities of a highly political nature. In 2003, my working relationship ended with him and off I went to serve in other sectors.

I got to keep all my poems, though, which was fantastic.

A teaser-sample is definitely in order:

I journey on, dauntless
Not heeding
The threats and taunts
Never succumbing to weakness.

This is my destiny
The unyielding road
I traverse with no apologies
Now, then and evermore.

The Holy Month of Ramadan officially began last Saturday, 22nd August. Albeit a little belatedly, allow me to greet all my Muslim friends and readers: Ramadan Kareem!

Being a conservative Islamic country, Oman observes Ramadan pretty strictly. That is, no eating and drinking in public during the daylight hours. All restaurants and coffee shops are closed as well, and will only open during Iftar (the break-fast meal during sundown) and operate until the early morning hours. Even Christians and people of other non-Islam faiths are expected to respect and follow this “fasting” practice, at least publicly.

Dress code is also a bit stricter during the Holy Month. For both genders, the upper arm and the knees must be covered by clothing while in public places. No tank tops, minis and shorts. Of course, no plunging necklines.

Ramadan lasts for around 30 Gregorian calendar days and culminates with a few days of rejoicing, called Eid-al-Fitr. These days are normally declared non-working holidays for both the public and private sectors in Islamic countries.

Have a blessed Holy Month, everyone.

It is official.

At exactly 3.18 A.M., Philippine time (GMT+8), 1st August 2009, former Philippine president Corazon “Cory” Aquino was proclaimed to have passed away from a cardio-respiratory arrest. She was 76.

Cory was hospitalized several weeks ago due to the fast-advancing state of her colon cancer illness. She was first diagnosed of this last year, 24th May.

Her only son, Senator Noynoy Aquino, just made a statement over international television (through The Filipino Channel in this part of the world) that his mother has joined her Creator. The Aquino family asked for some time before they would face the world later today to answer pressing questions from the media at around 11:00 AM Philippine time.

Over the past few days, the only reports that trickled out of the Makati Medical Center was that Cory’s condition was “stable.” Nothing more specific was disclosed until very early this morning.

Rest in peace, Cory. You will finally be able to join Ninoy, our hero and your love, in Paradise.

HEAT

I feel my heart steaming towards you
I am wrought with the flames
     Of passion
     Consuming me
‘Til I am nothing more
     Than smoldering ash

I feel my body steaming towards you
I am drawn without resistance
     To your fiery seduction
     Burning deep into me
‘Til I am nothing more
     Than trembling desire

I feel my mind steaming towards you
I am controlled by this irresistible fascination
     And unrelenting obsession
     Taking over me
‘Til I am nothing more
     Than sheer madness

I feel my soul steaming towards you
I shall sweetly surrender
     All that I have
     And all that make me
‘Til I am nothing more
     Than your wasted possession

Hell’s bells!

I never realized this photo existed but, yes, it does. Gosh, I never expected to see this online, and in FaceBook of all places!

Anywho, my longtime friend, high school classmate and college schoolmate Ramon (now based in Dubai, OFWs r0×0rs!) recently uploaded this picture onto FB and tagged yours truly. Ramon is the one right in front wearing the very Miami Vice white jacket.

No need to point out where I am in the darned photo, naturalmente.

My dress was made from the softest blood-red velvet my seamstress could find in Iloilo City at that time. I designed this gown myself and it remains as one of the finest, well, finery I have ever worn.

At one time or another, I was a member in one of the gyms or fitness centers in my hometown, Iloilo City.

These pictures were taken in July 2007 at Winners Gym Super Studio, the last gym I was a member of before I traveled to seek my fortune in the Sultanate of Oman.

Super Studio was located at the Robinson’s Place Iloilo City building, right down the street from the Super wet market. This is where a lot of bodybuilding champions to train and work out. A couple of their instructors were also acclaimed Philippine bodybuilders. What can I say, this place was hard-core.

All photos were taken (again) with my Nokia 6600. Sorry about the resolution! XD

Shi at the Super Studio gym floor. You can see my photographer in the image as well! XOXO

Shi at the Super Studio Weights Area. This is where I pumped iron like mad, especially for my triceps.

Shi at the Super Studio Cardio Area. I am on the manual cross-trainer. Feel the burn, baby!

Sadly, news has reached us that this gym was closed last year due to the dissolution of the partnership that owned and ran it.

Another fitness center opened earlier this year at the same place, but the owners, the trainers and the crowd are vastly different from those with whom I was familiar.

Yesterday’s rather sentimental post prompted yours truly to go through some more folders of images downloaded off my first-ever camera phone, ye olde Nokia 6600.

I found some very interesting impromptu photos taken sometime in June 2007, featuring a stuffed animal I christened Bogart.

Bogart lives on the desk of my Mommy Lerma, a former colleague, a longtime neighbor, and a very cool mother figure who makes the best pork estapado in the world.

Bogart, full body shot

I am not exactly sure what kind of animal Bogart is supposed to be, but he seems to be a hybrid dog, cat and mouse. Now, that is enough to give any living thing an identity crisis.

Anyhow, he is proudly hand-made, as it is common in the Philippines for people to make stuffed toys at home as some kind of “sideline” business.

As I love all things cute and cuddly, I wholeheartedly support this up-and-coming cottage industry. Of course, I also have my very own collection of these homemade goodies, most of them lovingly created by my Nanay Pagit.

Over morning break one day, I found Bogart on my desk, smack dab at the center, sitting there like he owns not only the whole darned table, but the entire building and the ground it stands upon.

Bogart and Shi face off
“Grrrr…”

Bogart drinks coffee, right out of Shi’s cup. The nerve!

Bogart eats otap, a local delicacy biscuit made in the fair province of Cebu

Bogart chows on durian – the fruit that “smells like hell but tastes like heaven”

Bogart and Shi’s lavender Nokia 3530. Is he planning to send an SMS to someone? Or is he reading my sappy love texts? Ewww.

Really, who can resist Bogart’s hybrid charm?

Not a soul!

Shi and Bogart lurrrvvvvve each other

I last saw Bogart in September 2007 when I went to our office for the last time before my trip to Oman. He was still on my desk then, and I feel that he remains there until now, waiting for me to come back.

For a second face-off.

There are some things that have become a significant witness to one’s life. If these inanimate objects were alive, they could very well be able to tell great anecdotes about you.

Needless to say, there are very few things that have played witness to so many events in my life, none more so than my paternal grandfather’s circa 1970s Toyota Toyopet.

Toyopet, my paternal grandfather’s car, parked in their Iloilo City home

Here are the top dozen milestones that Toyopet has witnessed in our family’s history, in no particular order, though perhaps chronologically:
1. My parents’ wedding
2. My birth at Mission hospital
3. My baptism
4. All my birthdays while I was in the Philippines
5. My First Communion
6. My first day I officially reported to school as a kindergarten kid
7. My elementary and high school graduation ceremonies
8. My high school junior and senior proms
9. The time I served as Iloilo City Girl Mayor
10. My various literary and sports championship events
11. My college theatrical forays
12. The time I had a 40-degree Celsius fever and had to take the Civil Service Professional Exam – in which I got a rocking 95.95% score

Toyopet, front view

All these photos were taken in 2007, several months before I left the Philippines for Oman. Apologies for the not-so-very-high quality of the images – you can only do so much with a Nokia 6600 camera phone.

Toyopet, back view

Toyopet was originally orange, but when my grandpa retired in the early 1990s, he invested a bit of his pension in an engine overhaul and a slick silver-grey paint job.

I also learned to drive in this car – it is manual and very straightforward. I knew how to steer, shift gear, brake and everything else on this vehicle, with the Iloilo City Fishing Port as my practice track.

Toyopet, right side view

The last time I rode Toyopet was in January 2007.

My grandpa, now in his late 70s, no longer drives as much. At one time or another, he mentioned that he wanted to sell this car, mainly because of its value as a “well-maintained vintage.”

I was adamant that he not part with Toyopet. I would buy it from him, if it came to that. I want this car to stay in our family, not for its practical use, but for its sentimental value. I care for this car like a member of our family – we have been through so much together.

Toyopet, left side view

To make the long story short:

I love you, Toyopet. I am never gonna let you go.

And, yes, I miss you.

I made these three quizzes way back in 2002 and 2003, previously hosted in my various other domains and sites. The Lord of the Rings one was particularly popular and was responsible for making one of my former domains gain a lot of hits as well as “blog authority.”

These web tests are now available again at my new domain, QuizPad.org, in the Quiz Directory: Which Lord of the Rings Elf Are You?, Which Fushigi Yuugi Seishi Are You? and Are You A Pervy Obi-Wan Kenobi Fancier?.

Below are my own results and what-not to the aforementioned quizzes:

I am Elrond, Lord of Rivendell. I chose Elvenkind over Humanity and was gifted with great wisdom. During the War of the Ring, I called a Council of the free peoples of Middle Earth and founded the Fellowship of the Ring, all the time wearing a tiara. In the movie, I’m played by Hugo Weaving.
|| Which Lord of the Rings Elf are you? @ The Diva Dragon ||

Which Fushigi Yuugi Seishi are you? @ The Diva Dragon

Hot, wet Jedi Master!
I am a pervy Obi-Wan Kenobi fancier, go me! Are you?
By Aviendah and Shi
Endorsed by Sen. Padme Amidala

I have been busy for the past couple of weeks moving, uploading and editing entries from various servers and hard disk files into these two online watering holes of yours truly: The Diva Dragon, my blog, and Ronin, my LiveJournal.

I completed these tasks about a few days ago and now both sites have been totally updated with all the content I have archived over the years. I am a dork, I know.

I am very pleased to announce that this blog has its own frequently updated Flickr and Twitter accounts. There are badges with my most recently uploaded photo as well as my five newest “tweets” prominently displayed right below the header of this blog.

I was able to configure my lovely pinkish-red Nokia 6210 Navigator and gorgeous silvery-purple Nokia N95 to upload photos by e-mail from my camera phone directly to my Flickr photostream and send Twitter updates through SMS.

Now, I will be able provide updates to my readers and visitors without posting an actual entry on the Web. This will be especially handy if I cannot access the Internet and/or my laptop immediately, but wish to share something nice, juicy and hot pronto.

Just one e-mail or text from my mobile phone – and, voila!, a new photo or Tweet for all to enjoy!

What’s more, the tariffs I am paying are quite affordable and well worth it. For my first SMS Twitter update, I was charged 50 baizas (around USD $0.13). For the first photo I posted by email at Flickr, which was 90 KB in size, I paid 71 baizas (around USD $0.19).

I first encountered a unique shade of faux snakeskin back in April 2008 while I was shopping for clothes for a trip to Bahrain. It was light, brownish peach, with black patterns.

The fake snakeskin pattern was on a handbag, shiny-new back then on the shelves of Muscat City Centre’s Mango shop. I found the color scheme, design and overall look of the bag so gorgeous and unique that I shelled out 15 Omani Riyals (around 40 US Dollars) for the item. Naturally, it was my staple accessory during the said Bahrain trip.

Late last May, more than a year after I made my purchase of love at Mango, I found a wallet on display at Muscat City Centre Centrepoint’s Splash store. It was in exactly the same pattern as my handbag, which surprised and delighted me to no end.

The wallet was not from Mango, but Paprika (a bit lower on the fashionista’s fabulousness scale than the former). However, both the bag and wallet looked so irresistibly coordinated.

Thus, a shopping expedition was in order as soon as I received my paycheck. My acquisition mission was set for Thursday, 4th June 2009.

Shi with Mango snakeskin handbag, posing in Mark’s & Spencer after watching Push at Markaz Al Bahja. The top is a gift from my friend Grace’s UK holiday, while the leggings are Adidas. The princessy golden sandals are from Muscat Fashions in Ruwi!

Mango snakeskin bag, purchased in April 2009

Paprika snakeskin wallet with golden buckle lock, purchased 4th June 2009 for 5 Omani Riyals (around 14 US Dollars)

Exterior of the Paprika snakeskin wallet

Interior of the Paprika snakeskin wallet, a matching peach-toned faux leather

The snakeskin bag and wallet – together at last!

What can I say, even in the ever-changing world of fashion, there are matches made in heaven, by different brands.

I just heard over the news that the Filipino nurse reported to have carried swine flu into Saudi Arabia has fully recovered from the illness and has even gone back to work at the King Faisal hospital in Riyadh.

However, reports on TFC have also confirmed that A (H1N1) has reached my hometown, Iloilo City. The initial case involved only one person verified to be carrying the virus. I hope the spread will not be rapid and rampant.

I am praying it will not infect any of my family or friends. With times being hard economically as it is, getting sick is out of the question, especially with the strain it will put not only on our bodies but also on our meager budgets. Not to mention the social stigma it will carry at work and with other people!

On the Gulf front, swine flu has reached Oman as well. I got this piece of news from two sources – (1) local news and (2) word of mouth (no pun intended).

From the first source, it was reported that there were three Omani students who have been infected by the virus. It is a good thing they were identified and subsequently medicated, but no other details were given as to who and where they were.

These people arrived from the United States, where they caught the illness. In addition to the summer vacation and the corollary influx of students coming home, lots of people have been going out of and coming into Oman for holidays.

The second and more intriguing news source relayed to yours truly that a Philippine national working at a popular American fastfood chain in Al Khuwair caught A (H1N1) while out of the country and only discovered he or she (gender not disclosed) was a carrier while already back at work in Muscat.

What’s more, the fastfood’s aforementioned branch was closed for half a day earlier this week as a precaution, presumably for some quick-fix disinfecting and to make sure all their other staff have not caught the virus.

However, I must emphasize that the second case remains unconfirmed by local authorities and media as of this writing.

Given the pandemic levels that swine flu has already reached, it would be better to err on the side of caution.

On a lighter note, Diana Vilibert shared this swine flu shirt at Nerve Blogs: The Modern Materialist:

And, no, I will not mention anything about its medical and factual veracity.

I never really realized how much I miss my home country until I read this nostalgic entry from my friend Genefel’s blog. I have been away from the Philippines for nearly two years now. Come the first of October 2009, it will be exactly two years to the day.

To be honest, I miss so many things from my hometown, the beautiful coastal Iloilo City, foremost of which are my family, friends, old colleagues, the accessible public transport system, and the delicious, affordable food.

I am dying for a piece of Jolibee Chicken Joy or a slice of Andok’s liempo. Or at least a proper KFC Original Recipe meal, with steaming-hot gravy and a cup of rice.

However, I miss my pet Japanese Spitz doggie, Pikachu (yes, shamelessly named after the perky, literally electrifying Pokemon), much, much more than all the aforementioned Pinoy culinary delights combined.

Pikachu up close

Pikachu from another angle

Pikachu giving me a wet kiss on the cheek!

The above photos were taken back in 2007, give or take few months before I left for Oman. I found all these files from the memory card of my trusty Nokia 6600. Apologies for the not-so-high quality of the images!

Pikachu is not a pure Japanese Spitz. Her mother, Choco, was, but her father was apparently a strapping poodle. Thus, you can see that Pikachu has inherited her sire’s big eyes and floppy ears.

My doggie has been with me since May 2003. She was so tiny when she first arrived at our home, being only a few months old back then. She didn’t know how to eat from her pet bowl, but would guzzle milk like there’s no tomorrow.

Pikachu grew fast and shed and grew back her thick, fluffy, white fur even more quickly. She liked to eat my favorite food as well – chicken liver, baked ziti with mixed tomato and carbonara sauce, roasted and butter-fried chicken, among many others.

I intend to go home early next year, perhaps sometime during the first calendar quarter. I will finally see my pet in person again, not just from a fuzzy webcam feed.

My mother always tells me over the phone that my baby has gained lots of weight because she now has even more food to eat, what with yours truly working abroad and all!

Congratulations to Rubilen Amit for winning the first ever Women’s World 10-Ball Championship.

The pool tournament was held during the first week of June this year at Metro Manila and concluded today. It was broadcast over TFC Pay-Per-View here in the Middle East.

Rubilen, a young Filipina, was a dark horse in the contest, but her keen eye and steady hand even in difficult angles at the table gave her the much-deserved victory.

Before competing in professional billiards leagues, Rubilen was a consistent winner in Pan-Asian events, such as the Southeast Asian Games. She was also a very good basketball player, but she eventually chose billiards as the sport to dedicate her time and effort to.

Mabuhay ka, Rubilen!

A visit to the Al Falaj Hotel in Ruwi was in order today for business reasons. I was there for a few hours in the early afternoon.

I was able to get neither a decent breakfast nor lunch, so I decided to have a late brunch in the hotel’s Coffee Shop, which has a regular breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet.

However, since it was a bit late, the lunch buffet was finished and a la carte was the only option left. I went through the menu and selected an iced fruit juice for my drink.

For my main course, I asked what kinds of spaghetti they had available, because I was actually craving for some Spaghetti Bolognaise. The waiter responded that they only had Spaghetti Napolitaine.

I had spaghetti with plain tomato sauce back in the Philippines from the Sbarro restaurant chain, so I assumed this would be more or less the same thing. Besides, having something vegetarian for a change would be healthful.

The service in Al Falaj’s Coffee Shop was efficient and professional. A short while after I placed my order, I received my drink and this hearty bread basket:

There were various types of bread: sticks, garlic, whole wheat, white, Arabic. A generous amount of butter was also provided. I enjoyed eating these as appetizers along with my cold fruit juice.

After only a short wait, my main dish was served:

It was tasty and different from the usual flavors of spaghetti I am accustomed to. Overall, I had a very nice meal. I definitely plan on coming back another time, for their buffet selections.

Iconic actor David Carradine, 72, best known for his work in the Kung-Fu television series and the Kill Bill movies, was found dead in his Thailand hotel room earlier today.

A maid reportedly discovered the actor’s naked body hanging inside his hotel room closet. He was in the city of Bangkok for the filming of the movie Stretch.

This is an end that I never imagined for one of my favorite actors and martial artists.

David was fairly successful in his acting career – with hundreds of film, television and stage performances to his credit. He is also famous for various Tai Chi instructional videos, enabling the ancient Chinese martial art to reach millions of people, from all walks of life.

I was very young then, but when Kung-Fu: The Legend Continues first aired on television, I followed the series religiously because of him. There was something irresistible about his calm aura and quiet yet compelling voice. He also performed his martial arts sequences with grace, ease, and confidence in his abilities.

When I heard that David was selected to play Bill in lieu of Warren Beatty in Quentin Tarantino’s action-packed, blood-drenched revenge feature Kill Bill, I was so happy that the former was given another shot at mainstream movies in his later life.

David’s mysterious death was most unexpected. Police and investigators believe this to be suicide, but his manager thinks otherwise.

The actor’s personal life was arguably more volatile than one would expect from his serene, charismatic onscreen persona. He had a history of alcohol and drug use, and had time and again entertained thoughts of taking his own life. He was married and divorced multiple times.

Rest in peace, David. You are a legend who will continue to live on the screen and in your fan’s hearts.

The whole world has been running scared of the Novel influenza A (H1N1) virus, more commonly known as “Swine Flu“, for several weeks now. What reportedly started in Mexico has spread all over the globe.

Probably the biggest swine-flu related news in my home country right now is that De La Salle University, based in the Philippine capital Metro Manila, has declared that classes are suspended until June 14th at the Taft campus. One of their students, a 21-year-old Japanese man who came into the country for a foreign exchange program, was found to have been infected by the virus.

The student did not exhibit the symptoms until at least a week after classes began at DLSU. The university’s school year started early, on Monday, 25th May 2009.

This foreign exchange student, apparently, was able to pass through the thermal scanners at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminal during arrival. He had attended four classes during his first week at school, interacting with at least a hundred students, not counting DLSU faculty and staff.

As of this writing, the student’s roommate has already checked into a hospital to self-quarantine, as a precautionary measure. The Department of Health has already begun a trace on all the people the infected girl had somehow been in contact with.

DLSU is currently at Alert Level 3, hence the suspension of classes. All other educational institutions in Metro Manila are at Alert Level 2, with classes still ongoing.

As for the Middle East, I picked up from ABS-CBN’s The Filipino Channel (TFC) news that a Filipino nurse working in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia has been found positive of carrying the A (H1N1) virus. This person has just come back into Saudi after a trip home to the Philippines.

So far, Oman’s Ministry of Health has been reporting through various media (newspapers, SMS, television, etc.) that the Sultanate remains free of Swine Flu.

I hope this will not change until the epidemic scare abates.

I would like to share a picture of what my current mousepad looks like:

Darling, isn’t it?

I actually bought two of this particular design from the Philippines back in 2006, and they have both traveled all the way to Oman with me.

The poem below was written by yours truly for the child of a co-worker back in 2006. I found a copy lying around in my hard drive.

The instruction for the kid’s Math project was to write a five-stanza poem on scientific notation, place value, arithmetic mean and order of operation.

Herculean, but never impossible. Go me, I say!

Math is the Word

Simplification is the word
As scientific notations are used to denote
Those large and small sums
Too many zeroes are reduced
To exponential expressions
Making, for all, easier computations

Uniformity is the word
As place value notations are used to denote
Amounts related to the base
    Or radix, if you will
Symbols are used to identify positions
Each of their values
Multiplied by the power of the base

Averaging is the word
As arithmetic means are used to denote
The quotient of all given values
All amounts are added then divided
    Depending how many addends there are
The result of dividend over divisor
Commonly, “Average” is the name we call it

Universality is the word
As precedence rules are used
For the order in which operations in expressions are evaluated
These notational conventions apply
To many programming languages and calculators
As we keep moving toward technological modernization

These are not mere numerical theories
But are practical ways and means of organizing figures
Giving a semblance of order to the complexity
Of numbers and calculations and results
That define aspects of the world we live in
For all these, Math is the word

I was browsing through random web logs earlier when I read from one of them about a particularly “sassy” 404 error page. Gifted with insatiable curiousity, I, naturalmente, went ahead and had a look at the much-esteemed page myself.

Click the link that follows and find out for yourself: The page cannot be fucking displayed.

Especially recommended for those who are not very fond of the mega-empire Microsoft.

I would like to share a video that was forwarded by my dear friend Genefel.

These are highlights of the legendary participation of father-and-son tandem Dick and Rick Hoyt at the Ironman Triathlon World Championships in Hawaii. Select footage has been edited to the very heartwarming, inspiring tune of My Redeemer Lives.

Team Hoyt, as the pair is more commonly known, is from Massachusetts. They have competed together in marathons, triathlons, and other such sports. Dick is a retired military man. Rick, his son, was born in 1962 with cerebral palsy.

During competitions, Dick pulls Rick in a special boat as they swim, carries him in a special seat up front as they bike, and pushes him in a special wheelchair as they run. The video shows all these in touching detail.

Wikipedia gives us an excellent background on this unconventional sports team. CNN.com also has a story on their incredible journey through life.

When asked what one thing Rick wished he could give his father, his reply was: “The thing I’d most like is that my dad would sit in the chair and I would push him once.”

Pass the tissues, mates.

This is the first post I am making on this blog using my spanking-new E156G USB modem.

Yes, folks, after the long and tedious wait, I was finally able to procure a wireless broadband connection device for my trusty Philippine-made laptop. In true budget-friendly fashion, I am on a prepaid internet package. No eye-watering bills at the end of the month!

An hour or so ago, I spoke with my mother on the phone, so yours truly can do a bit of catching up on the home front. Apparently, she is busy making last-minute preparations for this year’s big Labor Day event.

For the long weekend that kicks off today, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has partnered with hundreds of employers from various industries all over the country to put together JOBapalooza 2009. This is arguably the biggest jobs fair in recent Philippine history, taking place simultaneously in dozens of shopping malls and convention centers nationwide.

From what I gathered on the news, there are more than 200,000 jobs for the taking. There will be work available in call centers, construction sites, factories and mall stores, among many others. Employers will meet potential employees face-to-face through kiosks and desks set up in the jobs fair venues.

I am going to be Little Miss Sunshine this time around and wish all job-seekers in JOBapalooza 2009 the very best of luck!

This is a love letter, the first I have ever actually finished.

I am sharing it with the world, because it is something I will never, ever be ashamed of.

To My Dearest~

You came into my life when I most needed someone like you in it.

Life, as it always is, had been particularly cruel and I was running away and hiding like a wounded animal.

When I saw you on the fateful Thursday evening, I knew that maybe you will be someone to heal me.

You are like an angel rising from the ashes of my razed hopes. You are everything I have ever really wanted – someone simple and true and brave, someone strong and unselfish and so beautiful of soul that sometimes I think I don’t deserve to be next to you.

We have weathered so many storms and grown up so much since the beginning.

I love you. No matter what happens.

~Always, Yours

Salam to all, from the United Arab Emirates!

I am blogging to you live from the gorgeous coruscating urbane landscape that is the emirate of Dubai. Currently, I am billeted at the Sofitel of Deira City Centre.

I flew in from Oman early this morning and have attended to business at the Dubai International Academic City shortly upon my arrival. My visit visa to this emirate is good for 30 days, but I will be flying back late tomorrow evening to Muscat.

Of course, I was able to snap a few images of this energetic, luxurious city, some of them straight from the view of my Executive-class ninth floor single room.

Ma’salama for now. Catch you all again soon!

Time moves ever so swiftly.

Destiny’s garden is full of forking ways. Every so often, a decision has to be made, a path has to be chosen from among many.

However, after some time, when one looks back, there is only path that stretches out from behind, way back to the beginning and before.

Another complete revolution around the sun finds me here in the Sultanate of Oman – a perennial proud working girl, a perpetual wordswoman and digital visionary, indefatigably kicking and punching and splitting my way to enlightenment.

Oh, yeah. Bring it on, I say.

Happy, happy, happy birthday to me!

Thank you to Costa Coffee in the Madinat Qaboos area for the WiFi access, through which I am currently accessing the Internet.

This facility comes free, the number of hours corresponding to the amount of coffee and/or snacks one has purchased. Basically, one Omani Riyal (OMR) is equivalent to an hour of WiFi access. Costa MQ’s connection is, so far, fast and reliable. It does not hurt that their Mocha Frescato is sumptuous, as well.

May I also take this opportunity to greet His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and the people of Oman: Happy, happy, happy Renaissance Day!