Nagbalik-bayan ka, pagkaraan ng ilang taong mag-ipon ng dolyar. Ano ang susunod mong gawin matapos buksan ang Balikbayan Box, ipamudmod ang tsokoleyts at de latang corned beef, mamasyal sa Ayala Alabang at manalangin sa puntod ni Inang sa Manila Memorial Park? Magpatala sa Wowowee, kung TFC subscriber ka at maraming one dollar bills.

Baket? Kasi dun sa Wowowee (na ang host ay sanglibong beses nang nasuspinde dahil sa paggamit ng off-color, double meaning dyoks…kahapon lang: "...ako pupunta ke Doktor Belo para magpahaba...ng paa!") magiging para kang sikat na artista…at tunay na bida. Basta ba tiyakin mo lang na makukunan ka ng kamera habang inaabaniko mo ang ilang dolyar sa isang kamay at hawak naman ng isa ang bond paper na nagsasaad kung saan sa 'merika ka nanggaling. At lalo ka nang sikat pag natapat sa iyo ang mike at hinihingal mong babatiin ang kumare, kumpare, asawa't anak (kahit na ba katabi mo pa sila), at mga kabarangay sa Daly City, Caaaalifooorniaaaa!

Sa tuwina'y nangungulila ako at hinahanap-hanap ang makulay na Wikang Pilipino. Iba ang taginting, iba ang dating at ibang maglaro sa salamisim, balintataw, gunita at kamalayan. (Ha! Laban ka!?!)

Palibhasa'y bihira ko nang marinig dito sa 'merika, lagi ko tuloy naiisip kung saan-saan nanggaling ang "Sariling Wika." Bago ko nakasalumuha ang mga Kastilaloy sa Miami, akala ko ating-atin lang ang "basura." Hindi pala. Pati "syempre" sa kanila rin pala yun (kahit na iba ang baybay at iba ang ibig sabihin). Ang "diko" at "ditse" galing sa Intsik. Ang "babi" at "nasi" hindi lang pala sa tiga-Pampanga kundi sa tiga-Indonesia rin.

E ano na lang ba talaga ang sariling atin? "Tapsilog?" "Nandi2?" "Jologs???":P

Sabi ng Lolo ko, nung araw daw pag dumating ang panahon na nais ng isang lalaki na "lumagay sa tahimik" kakailanganin nyang humingi ng tulong sa isang "makata." Ang makatang ito ang siyang magpapahiwatig ng niloob ng lalaki sa mga magulang ng dalaga -- hindi "pahayag" sa tuwirang salita kungdi "pahiwatig" sa pamamagitan ng talinghaga at tula. At ang pamilya daw ng babae ay mayron ding kakamping makata. Kapag natalo ng makata ng babae ang manok ng lalake, walang kasalang magaganap! (Tanan na lang daw ang solusyon!)

The first Filipino to conquer Mt. Everest? This long overdue bit of Guiness-esque history should be of interest to even the most jaded and media-hype-inured Pinoy.

But I find it sickening to watch two competing Philippine TV channels place ratings and one-upmanship over national recognition. For several months now, one channel has sponsored one Pinoy's attempt to climb to Mt. Everest's peak. This endeavor is getting the media mileage it deserves.

Pero dahil sa ayaw patalo, the other channel is now sponsoring a horde (well, ok, eight or so) of other Pinoy mountain climbers who will try to beat this solitary climber to the top and to the record.

This has resulted in barrage and counter-barrage of news bites and full-blown TV features from the two channels who are intent on outdoing each other. Ano ba yan?

Hanggang dito ba naman, crab mentality pa rin ang umiiral?

I would have wanted to see the two channels pool their resources to ensure that Juan de la Cruz will -- oh, happy day! -- plant the Filipino flag on the world's highest peak, instead of publicly bickering and knocking the other's efforts down.

Nakakaaliw isipin: 'sang damukal ang "Hershey's" at "Nestle' Crunch," "Hawaiian Macadamia Nuts" at even "Sugar-free Turtles" san ka man pumunta dito sa 'merika. Ke dami-daming "blue seal" na meryenda. Me "snack size" at "big value bags" pah! Nasa grocery lanes at Vendo dispensers sa iskwelahan at kahit na bus stations.

Pero sa Pinoy, iba pa rin ang "snacks na sariling atin." Kaya nga si Eyni, nung magbalik-bayan, ang pasalubong sa kaanak at kaibigan dito sa Tate ay "Boy Bawang" (the modern-day, and garlic-laden, version of the old favorite "CornNik." :P

Naiisip ko tuloy: to some Pinoys anywhere, meryenda is an art. Sa pihikang panlasa ng mga kababayan, hindi basta-basta pantawid-gutom lamang ang "kakanin." Otherwise, McDo at Babe Ruth will do na lang sana. Pero hindi. Kung me bago kang hiram na DVD, dapat me isang suport na ChocNut na katabi sabi ni Marc, donna at Lester! O kaya isang slice ng Goldilocks Ube Roll, o tatlong scoops ng Magnolia Mango Royale. Na lahat binili sa dinayo pang five-miles-away na Asian Store if you're in US. Mas abot-kamay syempre kung nasa Pinas ka o Singapore. :)

Romantic Movie Trailer, Announcer Voice-Over:

“They were from two worlds apart. As different as night and day. Forbidden by convention to ever be together. And yet they met and entwined…mocking the barriers of nature and space.�?

Hahahahaha! Nice story of forbidden love, huh!

The balikbayan and the nasa-bayan members of Fil-Am_Fotogs met (some for the first time) at Jay Javier's studio in Quezon City, Philippines (tama ba?).

They sent me the photos para inggitin ako (at yung mga hindi nakauwi nitong Pasko). Hahaha! I don't know if the folks in the photos will like to be identified publicly, so ask me na lang their names in a private email. Hahahaha!

It’s pathetic, and criminal, how some New Year’s Eve revellers think a lake is one big trash bin.

I saw several empty beer bottles floating all over the lake when I took my morning stroll in the park. These two were somehow blown together by the wind.

Backyard Blitz!

For the third year in a row, skyrockets and aerial firework displays
were banned in tinder-dry and grassfire-prone South Florida (not that it stopped some reckless lawbreakers). :(

But for the rest of the populace, it was ground pyrotechnics,
sparklers and noise-makers. Less spectacular, maybe, but just
as colorful -- and legal -- way to greet the New Year. :)

Took the 400 L that I “gave myself for Christmas�? out for test shots, and just a few steps from our driveway was this beautiful bird just waiting to be photographed.

Beautiful But Deadly!

I can’t imagine how a bird so beautiful can be such an awesome predator but Gary M., fellow lister in Digital Rebels egroup (and obviously a very knowledgeable birding photographer) wrote this about the Shrike:

“The Latin species name of the Northern Shrike, Lanius excubitor, means ‘Butcher Watchman.’ Reading this you can see why!:

Generally sits and waits on an exposed perch. Seizes prey near ground with feet or bill. Kills vertebrates by biting through neck. Removes wings, spines, and stingers from insects. Often impales prey, sometimes while prey is still alive, on thorns, spines, or barbed wire. May pull impaled prey and consume it right away, or may leave it for later consumption.�?

I usually avoid going to Miami even though it’s just a short drive from Hollywood (FL) where I am, because of the traffic-jammed and noisy city she has now become. But I had to go last night, for dinner with relatives in a quaint li’l restaurant by the bay. Took a stroll while waiting for food to be served and saw this:

At night and from afar, the bustling city by day seems like a serene oasis.

…until you’ve watched a replay of
“Sleepless In Seattle�? alone on Christmas Eve.

Ok, maybe I was alone, but not lonely, when I caught the tail-end of the classic movie while waiting for Christmas Eve dinner. But I couldn’t help but think that somewhere out in the silent, cold night there are solitary souls with no one to spend Christmas with.

May next Christmas be more joyful for them.

I wanted a beach scene "I could feel." :P

So I converted one of my Daytona Beach photos and got this. :D

Back online after three days without DSL!

Even at the height of the hurricane's onslaught, and for two days after the storm when we only had generator power, we had DSL. BUT we lost the internet connection after we got the power back. Ain’t it just ridiculous?.

Anyway…the one thing I noticed about the unlamented Wilma was that she was ruthless on people, homes and trees. Yes, trees!

See examples of ruthlessness here: PinoyPhotogBlog

I've got some new hurricane aftermath photos in my
photoblog site:

PinoyPhotogBlog

===================

For those interested in another source for photos of the hurricane's aftermath in South Florida, here's an online website for a local TV channel that has photos and news reportage:

So. Florida's Local TV News

Hope this helps. :)

It’s 12:07 pm, EST, Monday the 24th of Oct., as I write this and Wilma’s tail is now lashing us still -- the eye of the storm passed directly over us -- but we are none the worse for wear except for a couple of storm shutters that got torn off and several trees that broke or got uprooted.

Weather forecasters say Wilma will be out of our hair and into the Atlantic in an hour’s time and that couldn’t be soon enough. :)

Full story and photos here:
PinoyPhotogBlog

(It’s 12:37 am EST, Monday the 24th and I’m trying to sneak in a li’l update before the power goes pffft!!!)

Hurricane Wilma has been upgraded to a category 3 hurricane — a few hours before making landfall — and is now packing winds of 115 mph as she heads for southwest Florida. Forecasters say Wilma’s winds might still bump up 10 mph more at landfall.

Several tornado warnings have also been issued all over South Florida until 11 am.

The pre-dawn hours should bring damaging winds and weather conditions will continue to deteriorate as Wilma traverses the peninsula in quick fashion. Massive power outages have also been forecast by the local power company, with as many as five million customers bound to be in the dark for as long as three days. So I may be offline for quite sometime, huh? :)

Tropical Storm “Alpha�? formed Saturday afternoon in the Caribbean, setting the record for the most named storms in an Atlantic hurricane season and marking the first time forecasters had to turn to the Greek alphabet for names.

The previous record of 21 named storms had stood since 1933. Alpha was the 22nd to reach tropical storm strength this year, and the season doesn’t end until Nov. 30.

Read the whole story here: PinoyPhotogBlog