In Animal Kingdom

In Animal Kingdom (Disneyworld, Florida) you can pet some of the animals.

Like these goats.

But do the goats like it? Well, I think, not this one who walked away timidly from the maddening crowd. It was as if he was saying, "Leave me alone you freaks. Leave me aloooone!!!" I should have ccaptured that moment on video because he was so funny.

"I am tired of you people. Leave me alone! Bother Britney or Chris Crocker or Choker or whatever but leave me alooone!!!

But the kids kept on petting him not minding that his fur or fleece or hair has fallen off on the side. Maybe that's why he "hates" having them around. His eyes say it all.

I tried, of course, to cheer him up... to no avail.

This one seems promising.

At least he seems to like it.

This one makes a good impression.

Goat: "C'mon guys, cheer up. Even if they're not paying us to do this we can do nothing. At least we can make the most of it." Or he was just overfed.

Sheep: "I don't care what you say. I had a rough night. I need to energize."

Sheep: "Dream on, baby. I'm going to sleep till they make me a pillow filler."

Only in the USA

A familiar scene at Disneyworld:

Maybe in the future they will have a parking area for other people like "leave your husbands here" section or "leave your grams here (with extra pay for the bingo cards)" etc. You'll never know.

And You Think Snow Is Cute

David and I were woken up by strange howling at 5 a.m. There's a snow storm and most schools are closed for the day. Nevertheless I went to school. Thankfully enough David took me downtown to catch the 7:45 a.m. bus that goes to Brockport instead of taking the 7 a.m. bus that takes me downtown.

There was not much snow, only the icey cold air would prevent you from going out of the building. However, it is not pleasant to transfer from one building to another. Here's one of the scenario:

The haziness you will see here indicate the harshness of the wind. Watch the branches of trees sway.

Brrr!

Disney Videos 2

The following videos were taken during the night show at MGM. It featured Mickey and the other Disney characters. I know it's not a great video but use your imagination to get a clear view of the show.

Your favorite Disney characters!

The production used water as screen to show Mickey battling all the Disney villains. Cool stuff.

Fireworks finale.

Heath Ledger, 28

News came today that Heath Ledger was found dead in his downtown Manhattan apartment. Sleeping pills were found at his bedside. Authorities, however, cannot ascertain the cause of his death. He was 28.

Ledger starred in "Brokeback Mountain" and "The Patriot".

On the other hand, actor Brad Renfro died at age 25 last Jan. 15 allegedly due to drug overdose. He starred in "The Client" and "The Cure".


[I only learned the report later in the evening after my class at MCC]

Disney on Video

Scenes from The Lion King at Animal Kingdom:

It was a grand production number complete with acrobatic stunts and musical extravaganza.

A Glimpse of Our Disney Trip 3

Still in Epcot:

David secures his FastPass ticket for the Fasttrack ride.

[We were unable to take the ride because there was some problem with the machinery, the park personnel said. It was a good thing because I later learned that the ride was scary. I wouldn't want to try it.]

Cars, cars and more cars!

We took the tram from Epcot to Animal Kingdom just to get a glimpse of the huge Disney property. One will get dizzy with the sea of cars parked outside the park.

Mommy, are you there?

Love this picture. It was a hot day when we visited at Epcot. Water mists and these water fountains are provided at the park. This kid, however, cannot help himself but be drenched with water.

Ole!

David outside one of the featured structures at Epcot.

Beary good!

Of course, no Disney trip is complete without the usual picture taking op. with your favorite Disney characters.

A Glimpse of Our Disney Trip 2

Mission: Space!

Yikes! Did I say "space"? Well, yes, we tried almost every ride at Epcot. Okay, only those I could muster to ride.

Systems check 1-2-3. Disney never fails to entertain you while you are waiting for your turn. No matter how long the line is, your stress will fade by watching the set they put up, complete with announcement like you're in a real space launch set up.

Teens await to enter their space ship.

I forgot the name of this actor, but he was giving instructions to the us. Below, they even show you the status of your ship. I was the "navigator" in our first ride, then the "commander" in the second ride. How cool is that?

The facade of the space mission theme ride.

A Glimpse of Our Disney Trip 1

The following pictures are some of the few David and I took during our trip to Disney world.

David outside Epcot park on our first day. There was a marathon so a lot of people were in the park.

We passed the fingerprint scanning at the gate that is why David is beaming. That big orb is one of the added attraction at Epcot.

The park opens at 9 a.m. sharp and you don't want to fall in line when a lot of people are visiting the park, so it is better to come in early. Above, people are waiting to enter the park.

Above and below, just two of the many buildings at Epcot. You'd think they're just close from each other but wait till you walk from one building to another - you'd "die" from the stress.

Blood and Gore

or whatever. But "No Country For Old Men" is a pretty terrifying and disturbing movie. It was based on Cormac McCarthy's 2005 novel of the same title. McCarthy won the Pulitzer Prize last year for his novel "The Road". David came home from MCH today and told me I have to get dressed by a quarter to four because he bought tickets for us to watch the movie at the Pittsford theatre.

No wonder one of its actors won Best Supporting Actor in the Golden Globes this year. Wow! If he doesn't win the Oscar this year there will be blood all over.


Also, Marion Cotillard is on the spread of Men's Vogue this month. I am praying that she be considered for the Best Actress plum for the Oscars this year.

Post-Disney 'Jitters'

I'm back! Like who cares? Well, David and I went to Florida for a week's vacation. It was a hectic and tiring vacation, primarily because we went to Disneyworld(!). It was one of David's quicker-than-lightning decisions. I was telling him that the gray weather of Rochester is depressing. Next thing I know he booked our trips to Florida.


We visited three theme parks - Epcot, MGM and Animal Kingdom. We decided to forego with the plan of visiting Magic Kingdom because the way the guidebook describes makes us cringe. If we have to assess it Magic Kingdom would be "exclusive" for kids. Okay, okay, David and I are both kids at heart but we decided to visit Magic Kingdom next time. Instead, we went to Cocoa Beach after swerving through several good sites to be visited next time, like Nasa Space Center etc. It was nice to see the Atlantic Ocean in all its splendor. However, it was too windy and cold to go in the water. Although the sun was shining the climate felt like mild winter in Florida. Days before our trip to Cocoa Beach we visited David's sister in law in Ocala. David's younger brother, Big Tim, was in Ocala too with his wife for a brief visit. They were going on a cruise the next day we visited them in Ocala. We had a nice lunch at Sylvia's house, David's deceased older brothers wife. There I came to love green olives. It was nice to hear their conversation - like "do you remember this and that" especially that David is fond of "trivializing" with other people's memory. Sometimes David would just ask, "Do you remember this dish that so and so made?" or "Do you remember that she had these set of pots and pans?" etcetera. Well, most of the time he can't remember where he put his things in the house but he remembers what happened in the past (to the finest detail).


Anyway, back to our Disney adventure I must say that was a very tiring and indulging affair. I was amazed with how the Disney bigshots planned the whole structure of the parks - even the entry and exit doors. They made the entry-ways so long and mazelike that you have to walk long ways to get to the main door. It is unlike other parks that by the time to head back for another ride you'd be out of breath. No wonder people say - "we have to visit the park another time." I even heard two young girls say, "This is the biggest park ever!" I can't argue with them. Take note: you have to do cardiac test, a lot of exercise "work-on-those-abs" (and legs) or even do a lot of marathon to survive the stress of going from one ride or show to another.


David and I were also amazed that a lot of elderly people visit the park. I saw one man, probably in his 70s or 80s, pushing his walker, not minding the packed crowd. It was as if he was thinking, "I don't care if you crush me you flukes! I've got to see Mickey in the flesh before I diiieeee!" At Epcot, we saw Snow White signing autographs and posing for pictures with the kids and their families. Only one dwarf was with her. David was wondering where the other dwarves went. I was about to tell him but didn't that as they were next to Germany's building, the other dwarves might have thought of earning extra money by working as beer servers. Octoberfest dahlings!

Well, so much for the fun.

Holiday scenes and thoughts away from home

ROCHESTER, New York -- What is it like during Christmastime in your country? - I was asked a dozen times last year. I cannot help but feel nostalgic as it is my second Christmas away from home. The revelry Filipinos make during Christmas is quite unique that it is something to look forward to every year.

David, my sponsor, and I took time to wander around the village here at nighttime to watch the glitter of Christmas lights people put up on their lawns. The grandest of which, I assume, belonged to a lady who doesn't know what to do with her money that she probably bought all the beautiful lights she could grab on and installed them on her lawn. The effect was spectacular. It has become an annual attraction, probably much to the dismay of her neighbors, particularly that they are situated in an exclusive, though not gated, cul de sac section of the village. On the other hand, to satisfy my friends' curiosity about the traditions we have during Christmas I told them, "Christmas season in my country starts in August and ends in March." My reply generated more questions. To give them a picture of how diverse and creative Filipinos celebrate Christmas I told them that most households or stores put up Christmas trees with snowflakes made of shredded styrofoam or cotton fibers, carolers sing "Let It Snow!", "White Christmas", and "Frosty the Snowman" even when the temperature is like summertime. "But don't you have snow at all?" a friend asked. Before I could even answer a lady said, "That would be the end of the world if that happened." I couldn't agree more. However, whatever the situation, Filipinos still sing "Jingle Bells" with glee - "Dashing through the snow. Hey!"

No other nation in the world can beat the Filipinos in celebrating Christmas. With our Western and Eastern influences, Christmas extends until the Chinese New Year. "You're Chinese then?" one of my friends asked me. Well, that question I never dared answer again. To sum it up I miss the bingka and puto sold outside the churches, the buko salad that my mother makes, and the spaghetti and other native delicacies our neighbors would bring to our house on New Year's eve. But what I miss most is my grandmother's kisses and her warm hands on my cheeks as she greets me, "Happy New Year!" as if it will be our last celebration together.

However, between the gray skies of Upstate New York and its ground filled with snow I busied myself to combat boredom. Somehow it gets into you when you hardly see people on their yard as it is so cold outside. Also, it gets harder every year when you receive gift cards and gift certificates as presents as you get confused which one to use first. Then, there's the marathon splurge on recently released books, DVDs, and CDs borrowed from the public library.

On New Year's Eve we were invited to a dinner. We Filipinos are used to having these festive gatherings that we'd find it odd to find just soup, ham, and two or three more dishes on the table during that moment. The dinner we attended was calm, though not religious. However, it was solemn, maybe because the people I was with were almost twice my age.

On the other hand, it was unlike the usual gatherings I have attended where death seemed to be a sacred word. No, those previous gatherings I attended were not some ritual but gatherings of the elderly. They talk about the past, the same past they have probably discussed before. However, they pretend they haven't discussed it yet and act surprised. Somehow they get into conversations like "my arthritis is worse than your arthritis" as if they are proud to outdo their friends' maladies. Interestingly enough when somebody announces that one of their friends has passed away you can see from the old folks' eyes their sadness, but not from the loss of a dear friend but a sadness that tells, "Why can't it be me?" That is true especially when you are turning 104 years old this year. But I am usually amazed by these people. Lately, I was told that one of those whom I met donated some $7 million to a school while another gifted nine of her grandchildren $10,000 each. Some of those who passed away left their churches thousands of dollars. These gift givers are usually those who dressed modestly and acted simple. I keep on wondering what I could leave to my folks when I pass away. Maybe the dumbbells I received last Christmas. Maybe they will say that what I left carries more weight than anything else they have received.

To return to that night before New Year's Day I was grateful for the attention David's friends gave me. I wasn't lonely after all, but I fancied myself with the cat named Tabatha who kept on hiding under the Christmas tree. Later their conversation led to their friend's woe about her Jewish orthodox neighbors who kept on bugging her every Friday night until the end of the Sabbath. She said her neighbor would knock on her door on Friday afternoon and ask her to turn the lights on or turn it off at 11 p.m. as they are not supposed to do any kind of work on the Sabbath. Sometimes they'd ask her to take some of their meals out of the car and put it in the microwave. It was like she had become their maid, but only because she was doing her Christian task of helping people. One of her friends said, "When they come to knock again say this, 'Sweet Jesus! What is it now?'" We all laughed. Another suggested that she invite one of the ladies at church, who is committed to preaching the gospel, for an overnight stay one Friday. It would be another family added to the church, considering that her neighbor has 11 children.

We all parted close to midnight . However, I held on to my longing - I imagined the noises the firecrackers made and the smoke that enveloped our village in Bacolod . My family surely welcomed the New Year with glee. While we were driving home I turned on the radio and heard "White Christmas" being played. It was as if I never left home.


(Published in Sun.Star Bacolod)


***

Miss Michelle never fails to impress me with her wit and humor. Read her column by clicking this link: I am sexy.

TV Guide

The search is on for the next male and female American supermodel. Tune in to BravoTV's Make Me a Supermodel competition. I thought Josiah and Igor would make it. Darn.

To watch the screening click here


I'm betting on

1. Ronnie from Chicago, Ill. who found out that his partner of three years was working as a porn star and escort on the side without his knowledge.

Watch Ronnie's interview here.

2. Casey from Atlanta, Ga. who is also a singer and songwriter.

Watch Casey's interview by clicking this (@).

(BravoTV.com kind of mess up with Casey's other video. They instead put Ben's video under Casey's file)

3. Perry from Los Angeles, Ca.

To watch Perry's interview click this (&).

In Project Runway, Elisa, 42, from NY was eliminated in the Hershey's challenge. See it here.

Recent Acquisitions

1. Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
2. Always and Forever by Cathy Kelly
3. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
4. The Hotel New Hampshire by John Irving
5. True Evil by Greg Iles
6. Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis
7. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee
8. A Death in the Family by James Agee
9. The Awakening by Kate Chopin
10. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
11. Brave New World Revisited by Aldous Huxley

When David Gets Crazy

This is what happens when David gets crazy... he books a 10-day trip to





We're leaving on the 10th of January.

Our Body Exhibit

Here's a glimpse of "Our Body Exhibit".

Last Minute Pre-New Year Activities

Two weeks before New Year's day, David and I had a marathon activity "splurge". David, primarily, wanted to take advantage of the dinner coupons from his coupon books, so we dined at Baxter's at the Radisson Hotel with his friend, Richard; at the Palladio at the Hyatt Hotel; Divino (formerly The Greenhouse Cafe) at the Holiday Inn Hotel etc.


We also watched concerts and movies, primarily, Tim Schramm's Concert at the New Auditorium Theatre (sponsored by the Rochester Theater Organ Society) which was totally touching and marvelous, Our Body Exhibit at the Rochester Museum which left me in awe as to the method the used in preserving the human body parts (because I just finished a semester of Human Anatomy course). We were supposed to watch the exhibit in Montreal (with Pam) last fall but the tickets cost twice there. In the Rochester exhibit I also asked two brothers if they were actors because the older one looks like Josh Hartnett while the other looks like Channing Tatum. Well, that's another story.


Also, David received tickets from his friend to The Little Theater which we should use before Dec. 31. So, we went to see two different movies. I watched...



which is imperfect storywise but perfectly magnificent in mood that left the audience crying in the end. (My former journalism professor was the former president of "The Little").


David, on the other hand, watched...



Then, Pam, on Dec. 31 called and asked us if we would like to use the tickets given to her son by "The Little". It was too late as we came home late in the afternoon and we had to attend a concert at church (I worked with the media).