Circus Life (Ringling Bros. Main Event) 1

The opening program was a stellar one. The storyline was: A kind of fairy granted a family their wishes. They can be whatever they want to be in the circus. Dan, a little boy, of Asian descent, was apprehensive of it. His family - dad, mom and sis (all are Caucasian) - were thrilled about it and went about to fulfill their dreams. Dan was left with the fairy who tried to convince him over and over again. Through this convincing stuff, the fairy showed Dan the various circus acts that should interest him.

Good thing, David and I brought with us our binoculars. The actor playing Dan looked like Chinese. However, it seemed though that the actor wasn't excited enough playing his part. It was though he was just there to finish his job. It was disappointing as he played the lead. Parents were just thankfuI for the colorful and exciting show.

Look, a dragon!

It was actually an inflatable balloon.

There's Dan to the right in a yellow sweat shirt and blue pants.

A band of elephants wowed the audience.

Circus Life (Ringling Bros. Pre-Show) 4

The first time I saw a real elephant was two years ago when David and I went to Bangkok, Thailand.

Sisipain nga kita liligaya ka d'yan e.

Translation: "Put your left foot in, put your left foot out. Put your left foot in and shake it all about."

Diri, diri, diri ko gani ginbutang o. Kuha mo?

Translation: "If a picture paints a thousand words, then why can't I paint you."

Circus Life (Ringling Bros. Pre-Show) 3

"Wala ba kayong mga kamay?"

Translation: "Are you people?"

And who came to watch the show? It's David Smith!

David with a friend.

Papatalo ba naman ako?

Translation: "I'm too sexy for my shirt."

Family pa-Kodakan moment.

Circus Life (Ringling Bros. Pre-Show) 2

PRESENTING:

THE ZONKEY

This is a cross-bred animal between a donkey and a zebra.

It has the zebra stripes and the size of a donkey.

Aanhin pa ang damo kung may carpet na hihigaan.

Translation: "What's your name? Who's your daddy."

Circus Life (Ringling Bros. Pre-Show) 1

The audience took the chance in meeting some of the stars of the show before the program began.

And you'd think that is the screen. I tell you it is just a "baby screen."

Alpacas take the stage, to the delight of the kids.

No, those aren't bangles.

When we say kids, we mean kids.

Day, halong. Kapyot maayo. Ginapangita ka na ni nanay mo.

Translation: "Go girl!"

Life is Cyclic

David bought bicycles for both of us today. Mountainbikes that is. And you know you must have the complete package, right? So, he also bought us helmets, chain locks and bike bags.

He said, while we were roaming around the store, we need to be out during the summer. Yikes, the temperature today reached 92 degrees Fahrenheit.

He was so excited that when we arrived home he said we should try the bicycles around Nazareth College just in front of his house. And he enjoyed it... a lot! Yes, sirreee bob...


He has not taken a ride on a bike for 50 years.

Dansville Sojourn

Yesterday David and I went to Dansville, New York. It is a cute little town with nice people. Well, David was born and raised there, what can I say?

A little trivia by the way: David's name is embedded in every building of the town. Well, almost all: the churches, and in the museum. He told me later the poem that he wrote while he was in 1st grade is being displayed in the museum.

The poem goes like this:

There was a little toad
Sitting on a lily pad
He was looking at the road.

There were also garage sales. And definitely I shopped for books, books and more books. Some 30 books in all. He he!

They also had a competition of firetrucks from the different towns.

In the middle of the day we went to Hornell (the birthplace of Bill Pullman) to put flowers on the grave of David's parents and grandparents.

Early evening saw us at a carnival, sponsored by the firemen. It was fun to watch the kids play silly games.

Pictures to follow.

Lilac Festival

The annual Lilac Festival in Rochester is an enigmatic event. Especially that you are enveloped with the magnificent scent of lilac flowers.

The parade and opening last May 11 was cool, but the climate was cold that it seemed winter without the snow.

The Rochester City mayor and Maggie Brooks went with the parade.

The famous gecko of Geico also participated but one person from the audience shouted, "We want the caveman (also a Geico model)."

The booths were magnificent.

Pictures to follow.

The Circus Came To Town

That's a big, round screen actually. This is part of the pre-circus show where you can go down the arena and meet the circus actors and animals. Oh, you can also purchase a book to have it signed by the actors.

Mom and baby show they can shake their hips simultaneously.

This is one of the most exciting pre-circus act. Watch...

Look, Ma. No chairs! Magnificent, isn't it? Don't try this at home.

Comedy at its finest. How the children loved it.

The famous Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey was in town last week. David treated me to one of their shows last May 10.

Called "Circus of Dreams" the event was held at the Blue Cross Arena here in Rochester, New York.

The program was magnificent!

Now, I found my name in City Newspaper 's website when I tried to google for my name. Ooops, should I be glad or be cautious?

However, I am writing the draft of my "recap" of my "Porn in the Library" article.

Art Stuff 1

It is a shame that the following works of art were just left to "rot" in a vacant lot. I mean, when David and I visited the place, which is at the back of a museum, the grasses were left unattended. And a kildeer almost sabotaged us!

These are the pieces that should have been showcased all over the world:

An old car with an attitude. Beads, colored stones and crystals adorn the exterior and interior parts of the car.

Oops, the gorilla on top of the giraffes was cut off. Sorry about that.

Now, these are certain pictures that I took while we were at a park. I just thought it is artsy. Don't you think?

Symmetry in nature.

'The web of life.'

Kildeer goes Kill Bill

This blog should have been posted last week, but I didn't have the time. Anyway, this happened after David and I went to a garage sale at Browncroft.

We visited an "old" lot at the back of an art museum just to look at some, well, art works. We have spent a good five minutes in the area when a bird came yakking on the ground. It acted as though it was hurt, as if one of its wings was wounded. I tried to approach it, but it just jumped and ran. Then it came running back and acted as though hurt. We were baffled. Then I saw three eggs on the ground, some five feet from where we were standing. Aha! It's a mother bird trying to swerve our attention and drive us away from her nest.

We left the park, saying our apologies to the bird and hoped that nobody will disturb her.

Here are the photos I took:

That's the bird from afar, acting like a wounded animal.

Lights, camera, action!

"Leave me alone! Leave me alone!"

Help! Help!

Spring Buzz

Highland Park scenes

'I think I shall never see a man as handsome as a cherry tree . . .'

'. . . unless the tree falls, you get bruises and all...'

Visitors follow the trail.

A beautiful day to be with beautiful things.

Making beautiful art out of natural things.

Tulips in Bloom

Highland Park scenes

Imagine God's wonderful hands nurturing these beautiful flowers. I want to be a flower, too. Touch me God, touch me.

What a scene!

Tulips and Cherry Trees

Highland Park scenes

Who says cherry trees only grow in Japan?

They're beautiful . . .

and fragrant, too.

'The tulips are excitable . . . ,' Poet Sylvia Plath once wrote. They are more than that. They burn, burn, burn!

Yellow is David's favorite color, but tulip isn't his favorite flower.

He likes violets better.

After our historic garage sale hopping last Saturday, David and I went to Highland Park to see the tulips and cherry trees. Ooooh, they're so beautiful. And fragrant, too. Too bad we didn't have enough time to walk around the park.

'Conquering' the City

Yesterday, David's friend, Mark, called. David didn't answer the phone. Rather, he just let him leave a message on his answering machine. Mark said my name is on page 7 of City Newspaper. I of course got a little bit shaky as I was thinking I might have done something bad. U-oh, I thought, the FBI must have caught me feeding rice grains to birds in David's backyard. Other than that I cannot think of anything that would get me into trouble with the authorities. Well, then David and I scanned the paper and there was my name! Yikes, the little box mentioned my name and the article I wrote for Sun.Star Bacolod. Oh, yeah baby.

Sometime ago an anonymous person sent me an email telling me that he or she read about my article in the Web. He/She also attached a link to their Web site. Oh my God to the maximum level.

I have to get back to work.

The Great American Heritage

Location: Browncroft, downtown Rochester, NY

One of the many houses we visited. Look at that old furnitue.

Hey, David, you should be looking for pots and pans not hotdogs. Follow that gray road! Hey, Dorothy, you brought a stroller? Where's toto?

Every street was packed with cars, cars and more cars.

David and I spent a great deal of time hopping from one house to another in search for valuable items today. It s a wonderful day. It is hot, but it is cold. Now dig that. The sun is bright, but the breeze is cold. Now, what am I talking about? It's the garage sale at Browncroft, downtown Rochester! Boy, our legs got sore after visiting 10 of the 20 streets of the neighborhood which participated. It is projected that at least 300 houses opened up for the event.

There is no equivalent event or activity in the Philippines for this. "Ukay-ukay" is not a garage sale. Surely, the clothes in the American garage sales were dry cleaned and placed in hangers. I hope our kababayans will learn from this experience - clean and press the clothes you sell at the ukay-ukay.

Goodbye, spring semester !

I will surely miss the agony of beating time between classes and work while opening and taking out my working clothes in my locker. I'll surely miss the noisy commuter lobby, the lounge chairs, the carpet, the microwave oven, the vending machines, the computer lounge, etc. etc.

On Golden Pond

C'mon baby, dig it!

Look closely, it's funny how these birds need to plunge into the water, their butts sticking out.

It was one Saturday morning when David and I went to Tinker Homestead and Farm near Pittsford. It was nice to commune with nature. At last, spring is here. We attended a nice lecture about hawks and owls. David and I toured the vast swamp of the farm after the lecture on the birds of prey.

Then we went to the other side of the farm and watched geese wade in the pond while we had a bit to eat.

Waiting for my Muse

I am now struggling with the first few pages of my adaptation of King Lear for my Introduction to Literary Analysis class.

Haaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!! My muse, where art thou when I need you most!

Trying to connect the Jigsaw puzzle

Some weeks ago I received an e-mail from the Editor in Chief of Jigsaw, Brockport's English Club's sort-of magazine, telling me that my poem/s is included in their magazine's 2007 issue. I inquired what were the poems that are to be published as I submitted five poems under one title "Certain Moments and other poems." The lady chief has attached a list of "stories" that will come out in the new edition. "Certain Moments" is one of them. However, I am not sure whether it is just the only poem that is included. I waited for a note. Up until now I never received a response.

It is sad as I want to read my poem/s in the program sponsored by the English Dept. on May 1st. I cannot say that the editor in chief is incompetent, but a simple "shit-you-just-come-to-the-program-and-read-your-bloody-poem-if-you-want-to... shit" reply is enough. At least there would be some courtesy.

Sigh.

Splash!

David and I can never thank Pam enough. She gives us just what we need: a good splash and bubbles.

Today we went to her apartment to use her pool and jacuzzi! And my my my, the waters' so good. I am totally beaten. I need to take a rest.

O, I need to finish the movie "The Color Purple" being featured on TV. I've watched the movie about 10 times now, but it is still GREAT!

Should I finish the video "Born Into Brothels?" I don't know. Without the subtitles it is very hard to keep track of the story. I need to understand what the children were saying. It won the Academy Awards for Best Documentary.

Waiting for the Bus

It was Friday and the beginning of Spring Break at Brockport. I was the only student left in the campus (so I assume). I was waiting for the bus! It was about 5:30 p.m. The wind was chilly and it was an agony standing at the bus stop, so I toyed with my camera.

Winter season has passed, but Spring brings chill as cold as witches kiss.

Hey, that's a pair of Prada eyeglasses, but I am not the devil.