SlumBookdate of birth – January 8
place of birth – Makati, Metro Manila (it wasn’t Makati City, then)
country – Philippines
hometown – Quezon City
place in the family – 5th & youngest; 3rd girl
who do you look like? – my mother, they say
whose personality do you take after? – my father
hobbies – organizing, writing, watching TV, trying to do scrapbooking, shopping
interests – spies, the mob, chick lits, the Kennedys, Princess Diana
collections – pins, keychains, collectible spoons from travels, Starbucks city mugs, pencils,
stickers, playing cards, paper products (notebooks, stationeries, blank cards, greeting
cards, postcards, even gift wrappers)
fears – ghosts, heights, deep waters, snakes, shotguns
pet peeves – people who don’t park their cars properly
fastfood service crew who put your change on the food tray
waking up all sweaty
sucking noises people make when trying to remove morsels stuck between their teeth
what’s (always) in your bag? – wallet, PDA, Spanish fan, perfume, keys (house, UPS Store
mailbox, car), iPod, papers and small notepad, Kleenex facial
tissue paper, Clean & Clear oil blotter sheets, small mirror, hand
sanitizer, Miracle Hour prayer book, cheque book, sunglasses,
T. LeClerc face powder (which I barely use), eyeliner, Pilot sign
pen (my favorite brand), hairbrush (Denman since I was a little
school girl), headband, lip balm, small lotion tube. In other
words, my whole house. Hahaha. Whenever I use my huge tote
bag, my husband says that I am bringing the sink again.
scents that make me go mmmm – Drakkar Noir by Guy Laroche
Chanel No. 5
what do you find gross? – relentless nose-picking in public (ewww!)
snorting (not sniffing)
picking of teeth (all the way to the molars!) in public using fingers
colored spit on the ground (think Rodriguez Street in Legaspi
Village, Makati City)
eating food that’s fallen on the ground (blow and wipe off)
where do you go to relax and unwind? – Starbucks
what are your ideas of relaxing /unwinding? – reading
watching TV
listening to music
six people you would like to have over for dinner, living or otherwise
– Jesus Christ, John F. Kennedy, Ninoy Aquino,
Jay Leno, Boy Abunda, Emily Post / Kate Spade
(plus Adolf Hitler, if I can get away with it)
age when you discovered boys/had first crush – 4
age when you had first boyfriend – 19
age when you married – 30
sleeping position – fetal
sleepwear - any
LIST OF FAVORITES:
toys as a child – jackstones; my sister’s stuffed toy (lamb)
cartoon character – Scooby Doo
comic book character – Garfield
Archie and friends
Snoopy and the Peanuts gang
colors – red, green
pink, violet, orange
snacks – junk food / chips
chocolates
food – pasta
ice cream
ice cream flavor – vanilla
chocolate
quezo real
animals – dog
bear
flowers – rose
carnation
hydrangea
daypart – late-afternoon
day of week – Friday
month – December
subject in high school - English
expressions – “sapakin ko ‘yan, eh”
“gusto kong sabihin” (according to my husband)
outfit – one-piece dress
clothing pattern/design – stripes
Filipino celebrity – Sharon Cuneta
foreign celebrity – Timothy Hutton, Tom Selleck, and Al Pacino
TV shows – “Logan’s Run” (circa 1970s)
“Dallas” (circa 1980s)
“Falcon Crest” (circa 1980s)
“The Greatest American Hero” (circa 1980s)
“Magnum P.I.” (circa 1980s)
“Vegas” (circa 1980s)
“The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”
“Friends” (I learned to like this quite late, as in, last few months before it ended!)
“Today”
“The Dog Whisperer” on National Geographic Channel
movies – “Star Wars”
“The Godfather”
“The Falcon and the Snowman”
“You’ve Got Mail”
music format – jazz
pop
classical
techno
disco
singer – Barry Manilow, David Pack, Madonna, Michael Jackson (“Thriller” days)
band – Duran Duran, U2
songs – “With or Without You” by U2
“Take this Love” by Sergio Mendes
“You are so Beautiful” – Joe Cocker
… and so much more
books – “Chicken Soup for the Soul”
“The Godfather Legacy” by Harlan Lebo
“Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators” (as a teen)
cars – BMW 760Li
Jaguar XJ
Lexus SUVs
Mercedes Benz S-class
Volvo S60
LIST OF LEAST FAVORITES:
cartoon character – Penelope Pitstop (she and her “heylp!” plea)
Popeye & Olive Oil
comic book character – Tweety bird
Cesar Asar
ice cream flavor – strawberry
animals – cat
monkey (my Mother’s favorite animal!)
pig
flower - calachuchi
subject in high school – Sewing
Filipino celebrity – Gretchen Barretto (the snooty “you are beneath me” feeling nouveau-riche
mistress, who calls her partner “my husband” [get real,
girl! Get a dictionary.)
foreign celebrity – Paris Hilton (oh, so full of herself)
TV shows – “Student Canteen”
“Charlie’s Angels” (they just don’t get hurt or die!)
movies – “Armageddon”
“Jason versus Freddie” (or was it “Freddie versus Jason”? ugh!)
books – “Nancy Drew” (is she too smart or what?!)
“The Bobsey Twins” (the pa-cute pairs make me sick, eww!)
SIDE-BY-SIDE TEST
Coke or Pepsi? – Coke
diamonds or pearls? – either
left-handed or right-handed? – right
automatic or manual transmission? – manual means power!
toilet paper under or over? – under
toothpaste squeezed in the middle or at the end? – the end
black or blue ink? – black
white gold or yellow gold? – either
flats or heels? – heels
pants or skirts? – skirts
milk or dark chocolate? – milk
white meat or dark meat? – dark
Icebergs or Digman? – Icebergs
treadmill or stationary bike? – treadmill
cash or credit card? – cash
Team Aniston or Team Jolie? – I don’t go for “the other woman”, a weirdo who also happens to have a fascination for knives and blood compacts!
Alien InvasionI have always been fascinated by extra-terrestrials. I believe in UFOs and aliens, and am such a huge fan of George Lucas' Star Wars movies.
But this is not about aliens from outer space. This is about aliens from other countries.
One of the biggest and most controversial issues facing the United States right now is about illegal immigrants. It has divided the nation and sparked demonstrations in different parts of the country.
I am an alien in the United States, but a legal one, at that. I was petitioned by my mother in 1987 as an immigrant. I finally received my packet 3 (which contains around 6 pages of the application form) in 2000, 13 years after my petiton. Yes, it took that long for everything to be processed. You would not believe the backlog in the US Embassy in Manila -- there's simply too many applicants from the Philippines. Last I heard, they are now processing applications from the year 1990.
Several years after 2000, I am now a Green Card holder, a legal immigrant living in the USA.
They say that a lot of things have changed since 9/11. It is no longer easy to apply for your Social Security nor for a driver's license. You need documents proving your legal existence in the country. Lucky are those who, even as tourists only, were able to apply for Social Security before 9/11.
Still, there are millions of undocumented migrants staying in the country, even prior to 9/11. And the numbers keep growing every single day.
The issue of illegal immigrants in the US is a tricky and sensitive one, primarily because it is about people's lives and futures.
First Point: They say that these "illegals" contribute to the economy, taking on jobs that Americans reject, and at much-lower wages. Yes. They are our gardeners, our janitors, our carpenters. They are an important part of our lives!
Second Point: They say that there are some who do pay taxes to the government. Sure. I salute those who have taken that road!
Third: They are honest, hardworking people who just want to improve their lives, their families' lives. True. That is a reality, even for most of my fellow Filipinos who move to the US, Canada, other countries in Asia, and even Australia and New Zealand. After all, we come from a third-world nation. Search for greener pastures, and not just poverty, drives even the most patriotic to foreign shores, leaving behind their own beloved country, and sometimes, their families, too.
Everybody deserves a chance at a better life, and I am not just speaking of illegal aliens from Mexico, south of our border -- there are a lot of Filipino illegal aliens living in the US, too (I may even know some of them ... *wink wink*).
I do agree with the three above-mentioned points, and can sympathize with the emotional angle of simply wanting a better life for one's family. However, not all illegal immigrants pay their taxes. Only some are conscientious enough to do that. I am paying taxes to my state. I am paying taxes to the federal government. That's tax times two (x2).
Along with living and working in this country, illegal immigrants can avail of educational and health benefits -- every child has a right to education; no hospital can turn patients away. These benefits make this country great. However, these cover not just the poor but also the undocumented. I am paying for illegal immigrants' health benefits. What's up with that?! I might as well walk up to the hospital cashier and say that I am illegal and jobless, just to avoid paying for my health services.
Speaking of health services, some tourists abuse this right to free health services, too. It is a common practice for pregnant tourists to give birth in the US, just to make their child an American citizen. But for pregnant tourists to give birth in the US, and at the same time, claim health benefits as destitutes? I cannot fathom that -- "destitute tourists", a contradiction of terms. Now that sounds funny. Hahaha. *wink wink* again
The United State of America is a nation with migrant ancestry -- the country was invaded by Europeans. The only original and true Americans are Native Americans or Indians. California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas were originally part of Mexico.
Being a new and legal immigrant to the US, I am not about to become smug and arrogant, thinking that I have the "K" (karapatan, or "right" in English) to rally behind and support anti-immigration moves or policies. But my say is this -- I am happy to support the poor and underprivileged of this country, so long as they are legally eligible. I am not quite pleased paying my taxes for "unauthorized" beneficiaries, and that means illegal aliens. I don't accept their demands (we want our drivers' licenses; we are entitled to education and health care; etc.) -- you have done something illegal, yet you have the gall to make demands? Sounds a bit like ransom to me.
The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!!"
This is not just about money and the taxes I pay which benefit illegals. This is about doing things the legal and even difficult way, like I did. The United States is not my country, the land of my birth. Indeed, I am all for migration, if that's what a person wants to do, regardless of reason or motive. After all, this population is a mixture of all races and nationalities. Lady Liberty will take in all aliens (Maybe even those from outer space? Refer to photo accompanying this blog entry). But before you or even I claim any stake in this country, let us do things the right and legal way. No ifs, no buts.
