Watching Les Miserables

Last Wednesday, December 26, 2012, I got bored for staying at home so I decided to go to Torrance to pick up my pay check from school. It was about 1600H when I left the apartment after I did all my laundry during the morning. I was kind of adamant in going to Torrance because of the long drive plus the traffic on Freeway 110 is killing me softly but I decided to go anyway.

The traffic was not that bad at all because probably of the holiday wherein people were still having some hangover from the Christmas festivities the previous day. It only took me thirty minutes to get there compared to the usual two hours drive when there is a heavy and congested Los Angeles rush hour traffic. It was not so thick and crowded at all during that time compared to the usual rush hour throng.

When I arrived at the school it was kind of odd because it was quiet and peaceful. I was kind of accustomed to the noisy environment there but to my surprise it was the opposite. I was greeted by the polite receptionist and I happily returned the favor at her. I then went in the nursing office and talked a little bit with the secretary who candidly handed me my paycheck. I stayed there for a little bit and mingle with the office staff then I left after thirty minutes thinking where to hang out for a moment just to past the time.

I dreaded the thought of the traffic going back home to Hollywood so I decided to just stay in Torrance for quite sometime. I decided to watch a movie but I had no definite idea what to watch yet. When I got to the Rolling Hills Shopping Center I had a hard time looking for a parking spot because it was packed. Eventually I found a spot but it was quite far from the theater. I walked a little bit towards the theater.

When I arrived at the theater I started to choose what to watch choosing the one that was almost close to start at that time. I decided to chose "Les Miserables" because it will be starting for less than five minutes and besides I've heard the review from Yahoo that it was very good.

I bought one ticket and hurried myself to go inside the amphitheater because it had already started. When I arrived inside the theater I saw that it was quite packed and there were no available seats. I ascended upstairs and spotted a vacant chair near a middle aged woman so I went directly to the chair and sat on it without even asking from the woman if it was taken or not.

After I sat on the chair the woman squirmed and panickly pat me on my side telling me that her son, who was picking up some theater treats, was sitting there. That's what I got for not asking politely. I stood up immediately feeling guilty and embarrassed at the same time and descended in a blushed face downstairs of the amphitheater. On the second level I spotted another vacant seat and then I stopped at the edge and asked kindly if it was taken or not. The lady sitting beside the chair that I've asked took her purse and then said that it was open. I then went inside the row and sat on the available chair.

Five minutes after I sat on the seat, the trailer started and then followed by the movie. The movie started with a prologue wherein thousands of French prisoners where pulling the galleon ship wrecked by the storm in the ocean towards the harbor and a very thin Jan Valjean portrayed by the skinny and bearded Hugh Jackman was been interrogated by Javert and given his parole papers.

Then the story continued on after that. After Jan Valjean got free he went to a very far place and lived as a noble man. I don't have to explain the whole plot here or else it will ruin your purpose of watching it. I love Ann Hathaway though portraying the hapless Fantine. It was a very believale portrayal of the latter's role. I also like the role of Javert portrayed by the Aussie actor Russel Crowe. He sings well too but I like Hugh Jackman singing as Jan Valjean. It was also believable and cut to the heart. No wonder why he and Ann were nominated in the Golden Globe award for a best actor and best supporting actress for the movie respectively.

I was frustrated with Samantha Barks who portrayed the role of rebellious Eponine. Although she had portrayed the role in the 25th year tour of the play still I can't feel her sincerity and gentleness in playing the role. I felt that there was no acting at all. I still like Lea Salonga singing and portraying the role yet to this time she is too old for the role probably but to me she is the best Eponine I have ever heard singing!

The role of Cosette played by the beautiful Amanda Seyfried was not that par also but it was just ok. The role of Marius played by Eddie Redmayne was very good although I don't like his freckles on his face but he has his chops for singing the touching song "Empty Chairs and Empty Tables". The role of Enjolras portrayed by an unknown actor was also believable and I love his curly blonde hair. Sascha Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter had also made a cameo as the usurping bar host and hostess respectively.

The story was very sad and very different from the play that I have seen before. The movie was very believable and had really gave me a full grasp of the realities that really happened circa 1820s on the streets of Paris, France. I cried and sobbed quietly on my seat trying not to get noticed by my seatmates and the audience.

After the movie I reflected a lot about it and gave it a rewarding two thumbs up. People were clapping their hands after the acknowledgements from the screen were posted. It was a very excellent movie and I really really recommend it for every body to see, watch, and have a date with.

After I got out of the theater I decided to eat because I felt so hungry maybe from the crying and the feeling of nostalgia from watching a very good and beautiful movie. I went to Fishbonz, at the main shopping center, and ordered a grilled cajun salmon salad. The salad was very good and exquisitely delicious wherein I cannot resist taking pictures of it and posted as well as shared it on my Facebook wall where I received a lot of positive envious comments.

Well, it was a very productive day I had on Wednesday and watching "Les Miserables" had given me a lot of emotional workout and spiritual insight wherein I vent out all my pent up emotions from crying my heart out of the very very sad and soulful movie plot. Aaaah..... that was really crazy good and satisfying within. Will be glad to do it again if given another chance. Hehehe. Ciao!

My Lonely Grinchmas

I've been off for three days and I've been sulking in my cold lonely pad for two days now ignoring all the invitations of my friends and families for the Christmas Holidays. I don't know what had happened to myself lately but I am just shunning the world totally. I felt that Christmas for me this year was been probably stolen by the Grinch literally, I don't know. I felt it but I didn't do anything to have it back. Maybe I am indeed trying to prove something to myself, who knows.

It's quite a bit hurried lately for me. I've been working for six consecutive days and now that I'm off I've been very lazy. I just wanted to sleep all the way trying to recoup all the energies I've spent for the last six days. It hit me to the brim and all of a sudden I just procrastinated, a bad habit I've always harbor.

I've already done my Christmas shopping and all the presents were been wrapped and delivered properly to the right persons last week. I've already sent the Christmas cards trying to convey the spirit of the holidays to all my families and frineds all over the world. I also did my Christmas visits to the two elderly people I usually visit every year on Christmas and I've already spent time with both of them for a lunch last Friday. I didn't really expect that they still live because they were very old already but I bow for their resilience to live. Now, I have nothing to do.

Yesterday was Christmas Eve and I just stayed at my apartment in total darkness. Not really pitch dark because I lit some candles on a matching red-green-white votives, resembling the Christmas spirit which I placed on the window sill near my bedroom. It was just the only lights that had illuminated all over the place and by mere looking at it I felt so relaxed which even put me to sleep immediately. I just sleep and sleep until I regained my energy the whole night. When I woke up the next morning I was greeted with tons of Christmas wishes on my phone and my Facebook wall. It was overwhelming despite of the fact that I shunned myself for the ornate festivities. Quite ironic but I think it works though.

I have a goal to loss some weight this holiday so I decided not to eat so much and of course refrain from crashing to parties. And by sulking yesterday had totally worked for me because I kind of having an excuse of myself as an alibi from getting invited to someone's party and trying to debauched myself from eating so much with some delicious and good holiday foods. Although I missed the spirit of the holiday at least I stayed true with my goals.

I remember the story of the Grinch instead, trying to ruin someones Christmas but the little girl was very persistent in befriending him and trying to deeply understand him because she felt that there is some goodness in him. Well, the Grinch's story was kind of complicated because he was a loner like me and in order to get back from the people who did him wrong he has to steal their gifts and destroy their Christmas decorations and preparations so that Christmas in his place will not be observed albeit celebrated. In the end he had a change of heart and celebrated it with the people he did wrong for what is Christmas anyway without forgiving someone who owed him.

As for me, I am living alone and for being alone I have the autonomy or independence to decide what I can do. It's good though that my friends and families are inviting me to join them for the festivities but the problem was on me because I have set some plans to trim down and as a part of the plan I have to refrain from eating too much during the holidays. Although it is not the apt time for me to do it I have to stick to my goals or else it won't be very effective.

I did pray and wished something for myself, my families, and friends and hoping that it will come true. I think I'm still in tune with the whole celebration because deep inside I missed all my childhood memories about Christmas. I missed the Christmas caroling from house to house, I missed the "Misa de Aguinaldo", I missed the "puto bombong", I missed the "queso de bola" during "noche buena", I missed the "sopas", I missed the "parol" and "belen". I missed everything that is connected to Christmas in the Philippines.

It's just sad that I am residing now in the USA. I have to do everything on my own. And Christmas here is kind of drab if you're living by yourself alone. Depending on how you'll color Christmas on your own then you can totally feel how it is. For me celebrating simply is cool because I am just by myself and I can't complain anything more. Preparing dinner for myself is just a piece of cake and I am contented of it. Highlighting it by listening to Filipino Christmas carols from YouTube had even added more flare ala Filipino style. Quite resourceful but it works.

No matter how we celebrate Christmas on our own terms still we have the same goal of remembering our Saviour's nativity. Celebrating it by myself is not really that memorable but I have no qualms at all. As long as in my heart I had fulfilled all my goals especially my visits at the nursing home and delivering my gifts to people who needed it is already a joy for me. What is Christmas anyway without giving? If not, then why are we celebrating it in the first place? Just laying out my lonely not-so-festive Grinchmas. Have a nice day to all!

Wrapping Up For 2012

Well, it seems that 2013 is just looming around and 2012 is nearly at its end. There were a lot of things happened this year that highlighted my 43rd year of existence. Things had come and go and so with 2012. We tend to bury everything into oblivion and just handpicked something to be remembered. For me I am just giving my soulful insight about the entire year in retrospection.

January was not a fresh start for me. After having a grand vacation in Europe and Mexico the previous year, on November and December 2011 respectively, I have to face my battle for the unexpected burglary that had happened in November when I was still in Italy. It seems that the court battle against the sole perpetrator who did it was very gruelling but I am not losing my composure and confidence. It's just a slow process but it's moving as it seems as I expected it to happen. Justice is slow but it is apparent. I am glad it's still there.

The one that really worried me was the new problem that was connected with the burglary. Later that month, I just found out that three of my credit cards, two of which I was not using anymore, were stolen from my safe and were used up because of the bills that had arrived that month indicating that all three cards were been maxed up. I panicked initially because apart from the big problem caused by the burglary another enormous problem had cropped up. I have to call all the three credit card companies to explain my side and asked them courteously to forgive the exorbitant amounts that were charged which I did not actually do. Good thing they did forgive me after I submitted some necessary paperworks to dissolve the charges. I was thankful and relieved.

February ushered in gradually in anticipation of my second trip to Mexico on Valentines Day to see and met my close and dear boyfriend who toured me extensively to some key places like Queretaro, Guanajuato, Tlaxco, Tlaxcala, and San Miguel de Allende besides from Mexico City, Puebla, Coyoacan, Xochimilco, and Teotihuacan which I visited before. That was an unforgettable Valentines Day I've had.

The shocker for this month was the sudden death of Whitney Houston at the Beverly Hills Hotel the afternoon before the Golden Globe Awards was been transpired. She's supposed to present an award during that event but she was rushed to the hospital due to an undisclosed diagnosis but later was found out to be drug related. Rest in peace Whitney. Your legacy in music will be remembered forever.

March slowly crawled in and it held a lot of good literal promises. I had my first tympanoplasty of my right ear on March 5 and it totally changed my life in full turn. Previously I have a lot of trouble hearing sounds and right now I can hear better. I thought I will end up permanently deaf but my ear doctor had gave me realistic hopes and that sole hope he had promised me had changed my life big time. It was a relief that the surgery had helped greatly on my part which I benefitted hugely and I am so thankful for God to be there all the time for me, comforting me during those moments of my fears and apprehensions.

April was the slowest month but it seems that the flowers had bloomed well because I started to put perennial plants and flowers in the patio and had carefully planted some herbs also for my cooking sessions sometimes. I moved upstairs after it was vacated by the tenant who actually burglarized my apartment downstairs last year. I like the place because of the wooden floors and the big windows that had ventilated the entire room as well as the big patio that can accommodate my wide array of potted plants and wherein I can do and improve my gardening hobby.

May was a lot enjoyable because of the American Idol contest. I religiously followed the show because of Jessica Sanchez, a young Filipino-American from Chula Vista, California who clinched to the finals with great determination. Each week I tried voting for her and Filipinos all over the world were pinning their eyes on TV every Tuesdays and Wednesdays to just watch her sing beautifully and vote for her as well. She sings magnificently and was a very promising little girl. All of my friends were rooting for her and kept voting for her to win. She won as a runner-up but to our hearts she is the clear winner. Her duet with Jennifer Holliday, of the Dreamgirls, was the most talked and watched in YouTube. It even went viral compared to the winner's videos. My dad's birthday was also been remembered during this month.

June was another enjoyable month. My rotation at Totally Kids had started well and the students had liked it there very much. They say they've learned a lot from the facility especially learning extensively about Pediatrics, which is my specialty. I also remembered my mom's birthday during this month. It was during this month also that Manny Pacquiao had loss to Timothy Bradley at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada via a split judges' decision although Manny has many points ahead of Bradley but the judges awarded the latter the championship belt.This was the first loss of Manny Pacquiao despite years of being an excellent professional boxer and winning a lot of difficult boxing bouts in different weight categories.

July was the month where I remembered my mom's passing. I was at her deathbed on that hapless and sad rainy day of July 10, 2009. Mom was ready to leave us that time and I know she did her best for us. I love you mom. Sadly, our family had lost another patriarch from lung cancer during this month. Rest in peace Tito Nonoy (he's my mom's first cousin). We will remember you as a good father to your family. It was on this month also that I started cooking and posting my finished products online. My cooking prowess was been very good actually and I am proud I get to do it alone with finesse.

August was when Summer actually started and herald the start of the 31st Summer Olympics in London. I religiously followed the events and I've watched all of it because I recorded them everyday on my DVR. I especially watched the exciting Track and Field as well as the breath taking Gymnastics. My fave swimmer from Japan had lost but I am still proud of his legacy in the breast stroke winning two previous olympics in Greece and Beijing in the 100m and 200m breast stroke respectively but he already matured and his energy and stamina had already waned.

There were good stories about some famous and not-so-famous athletes that I highlighted on this month in my blogs and I am very touched about their unexpected victory and their poignant journey to the olympics winning the eluded and most coveted gold medal for themselves and their country.

It was on this month also that I had my second tympanoplasty surgery on my left ear done on August 21st and again it was a grand success. Now that both ears were fixed I can hear better and my hearing was been amplified a hundred fold. Now, I can even do swimming as prescribed by my doctor and will have no worries about wetting the middle ear and most especially worry about the dreaded ear infection. I was so happy about it that I hugged my ear doctor appreciatively and thanked him for his compassion and great help. No words I can describe my gratefulness to him and I always prayed a lot for him in my everyday prayers.

It was on this month also that we started the phone attendance with a GPS for our clinical rotation for my teaching job as a clinical instructor. At first there were a lot of repercussions, retaliations, and negative comments about it from the students but eventually they had adapted to it. It worked actually for me, I don't know about them.

September was a chaotic month. In every thing I do there's always trouble and hardships and it was on this month that a lot of problems, adversities, and trials had came out. This just appeared all of a sudden which I couldn't even control. My financial savings were been on the low at this month because of the conflict in school wherein my scheduler did not gave me a lot of assignments to handle and that I have no enough dollar to set aside for my monthly savings. It was on this month that I was reflecting enormously, deeply asking myself if I still wanted to continue teaching so I prayed a lot for God's answer and response to my personal qualms.

My God didn't fail me because He knows that I loved teaching and He's the one that really provides for me every day. Eventhough I have a lot of problems at this month I still survived all the trials and tribulations and still came out victorious in the end. The scheduler was been kicked out from school and my schedule was been back to normal again and overtime was always not a problem. I gradually regained my financial flow thereby I was able to come back to a normal life again. Whew that was close!

Because of the hot weather, it was on this month that I started to run outdoors and enjoy the scorching heat of the sun on my auburn skin. I tried to lose weight and I regularly went to the gym almost every day doing hard and gruelling cardiovascular exercises on the treadmill, stairs, and bike. I lost an ample amount of weight and I regained my stamina and endurance as well.

October was the busiest month for me. I requested a two weeks off during this month in anticipation of my visitor from the Philippines. When my visitor came we started a road trip going to Northern California using the famous California coastal roads along Highway 1. From Los Angeles to Pescadero, it was a very thrilling and unforgettable ride and we enjoyed a lot of beautiful places and spectacular sceneries along the way plotting and chasing every lighthouses we saw along the way. That was the grandest ride I've ever had in my entire life and I may be doing it again in the near future.

October was my birthday month also and this year marks my 43rd year of borrowed existence. From the tasteful pizza party in Italy last year I decided to regress this time. Me and my friends planned to go and celebrate it at Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure to just simply act silly and be a clueless child again. The trip to the happiest place on earth eventually had given me the best birthday celebration ever. Meeting Mickey and Minnie and their friends had topped it all! It was the happiest birthday I've ever had together with my closest friends.

At the end of October one young Filipino missionary was been elevated into sainthood on October 20th in Rome. So I'd like to commemorate this month as a celebration of blessed Saint Pedro Calungsod's recognition and confirmation as a Christian saint in Vatican City, Rome, Italy. He was an epitome of a piteous and celebate life and his life ended haplessly in the hands of the angry natives of Guam whom he wanted to indoctrinate. Yet the Christian world had remembered what he did to disseminate Christianity thereby Pope Benedict XVI and the millions of faithful Christians had elevated him to sainthood on that glorious day of October 20th along with other saints from other parts of the world anointed that day.

November started the rainy days but the rain just won't stop me doing mission visits. I got this promise to do visits of all the mission churches here in California because I dedicated it for my aunt who suffered from a renascent cancer, invoking his blessed Junipero Serra (the Italian Franciscan missionary who founded the California missions in the 1700s) to do his blessed miracle to my dear aunt.

It was also on this month that I accidentally discovered a Danish settlement north of Santa Barbara on my way to one of the mission church there in Santa Ynez valley. Solvang was a beautiful and captivating place and I took notice and had liked the colorful and huge windmills that were abundant there, reminiscent of a country called Denmark, where the people living there initially came.

November 23rd marked the 100th blog of my official blogsite for this year and I am proud of myself for keeping to blog and record all my feelings and contemplations in life hence the name of the blogsite "Inner Contemplations". I've been blogging every now and then for four years and I am extremely proud that I am still on fire doing it. Writing is my favorite past time and I won't abate myself doing it as long as I am breathing.

November also was the month of the Presidential Elections and I am sad that my favorite candidate, Mitt Romney, did not win. I am not affiliated with any political party and agenda but my ideologies and principles of not voting for Obama was due partly to a very personal reason that I was inadvertently taxed enormously this year. It was really unfair for me and to others because I have worked my ass off to earn money but only taxed exorbitantly for those lazy people who is dependent on the government's welfare. I have a lot of complaints about them because you can see them driving around with nice cars and buying premium foods at the grocery stores as well as living in a plush living communities yet they have the right to dupe the government as well as demand for my tax to spend for them. The society has been gone awry nowadays.

December started to get cold and full of shocking news as well. The sad news about Typhon Pablo who hit the Philippines lately which had killed a hundreds of Filipino people in the south of the country especially in South-Eastern Mindanao had shocked the world. It was very devastating to all the Filipinos and more devastation had came to the country. Added to that the loss of Manny Pacquiao to Juan Manuel Marquez on their fourth rematch via a technical knockout on the third round at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada was even more shocking to the Filipino community.

Another shocker was the sad news about the sudden demise of my beloved Tita Inday whom I was praying and doing the mission churches visit invoking the blessed Junipero Serra for a miracle was even unimaginable. It's God's will to have her leave us and I am glad she was at peace now. That I have to accept with all my heart because it was His will.

Another shocker that had greatly shocked the Filipino community this year was the first runner-up victory of Ms. Janine Mari Togonon, a Filipino representative in the just currently concluded annual Miss Universe contest held at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, Nevada. She was expected to win the title after wittingly answering her Q&A portion but sadly she only bagged the first runner-up position and the title was won by Miss USA represented by Ms. Olivia Culpo of Rhode Island. The Filipino community was really proud of her. Kudos to you Ms. Janine Mari Togonon!

Although the year has not ended officially yet there's still a lot of celebrations coming. One celebration I am really expecting was our 25th Reunion (Silver Anniversary) for our High School class which will be held in our high school grounds on December 29 and 30. Sadly, I could not attend the said occasion because of some schedule conflict at work. I already explained it to my classmates and they understood. I know that the programs were already been perfectly planned-out and the events were been carefully and meticulously prepared and I am very confident that this will be a great success.

I am thankful that my classmates were cooperating fully, participating with full dedication, and were excited about it. Me too was also excited for it to happen. I am just waiting for some good news about it and myriad pictures to be posted in Facebook for the rest of us who could not make it there. Anyway, we will be getting in touch through Skype during that day so it all came out I am also celebrating it with my classmates. See what technology can do to get us more closer?

Well, these were the fleeting highlights of the year 2012 that I can vividly remember and I am extremely happy and thankful that 2012 was quite a very promising and progressive year for me despite of some minor setbacks but I held through with it and still continued to thrive with it. Although the Mayan prophecy that the world will end on December 21, 2012 was not successfully been transpired it seems that it had conveyed a bold and fierce message that life here on earth will still continue and that no prophecy can even stop it to dynamically evolve.

Before 2012 officially ends with a grand exit, I hope everything will be in order and taken cared of and that some but not all of this past events will be buried in the trinket of oblivion especially those that are needed to be forgotten. Hopefully 2013 will be ushering in gradually, and I hope that it will bring me more good tidings, fulfilling progress, and an auspicious year all through out. That will remain to be seen yet and I can't wait to see, feel, and hear it myself.

Message To PNHS Class 1987

This is the message I sent to my high school classmates for our 25th class reunion on December 29, 2012 which I cannot attend because of work reasons. It is our Silver Anniversary and I am not there. It is quite ironic because I wanted to attend but due to some unforseeable reasons from work I cannot attend it. It only happens ones and I will miss it greatly.

Although I am not there I am still thinking that I am there because I partly participated in putting up everything to make it a success and for this I was asked by my classmates to give them an inspiring message which I am including in this blog. And here it goes:

"To all the people gathered here tonight good evening. And to all my classmates of Class 1987 who are here, thank you for coming over and celebrate our 25th year anniversary after we left the portals of PNHS, our Alma Mater.

I felt so bad not being here with you tonight to celebrate this momentous occasion with you, but I know this would be a great success. My presence may not be here with you tonight but my thoughts of you celebrating this occasion gives me a lot of excitement and fulfillment. At least I’ve tried my very best to help you all the way and I hope it helped you all so much to make this night not just a great success but a night of togetherness and camaraderie amongst the Class of 1987.

Success couldn’t be measured alone with what comes out of the situation but it is the product of everyone’s efforts and contributions. I really appreciate your cooperation and participation for helping each committee to make their tasks and responsibilities easy and to at least procure every efforts they have to do their assigned tasks. To the new set of officers of Class 1987 kudos for a job well done. My hat’s off to all of you. To the officers and members of the PNHS Alumni Association I also thank you for trusting us for this night. To Mr. Rey Deatras, my former mentor, I also thank you for your untiring support to our class.

Twenty-five years ago, I still remember our happy faces during graduation. We are so fresh out of our youth not knowing what will happen to us after graduation. And as the years had elapsed we continue to tread our individual paths preparing for our own career choices. Some of us finished a degree and embarked on another journey to foster and nurture what they’ve tackled after college. Some went abroad to look for greener pastures. Some had made their own families and some preferred to stay here and be content with what they have. I am sure right now every one of us has his or her own stories of success to share here.

My own journey to success was also similar with some of you and the one thing that I haven’t forget as I ushered myself to be where I am right now is not forgetting the contributions of my dedicated teachers and playful classmates from high school. High school was the very best years that I’ve got and I cannot forget every experiences I’ve had during those times. I can still remember the inscribed lines at the entrance gate which is apt for us to emulate and thus we are here now to go back and share our experiences and blessings, reminiscing the old times and chuckle a little bit about some funny ones. It is so refreshing to have them recounted but above all I cannot forget God for being there all the time and not leaving me alone in times of my needs to face the realities of life.

I hope in the future that I can celebrate with you all and your families our future alumni homecomings albeit I am very very sorry to have not make it tonight. To each and every one of you my heartfelt apologies. I wish you a grand celebration and again thank you all for coming. Have a wonderful “masquerade” night. Ciao!"

I hope they'll like it. I am rest assured that the celebration will be a success. The theme of the program is "Masquerade Night" and it seems that every thing was been in order because all my classmates were participating and helping each other. I am just standing by here and wait for the pictures they will post on Facebook. Still crossing my fingers that it will be a great success, hopefully. God help us!

When Death Cheats (A Tribute To Tita Inday)

Yesterday, I've heard that my mom's very close friend and first cousin who is my very dear Tita Inday Rose had died of pneumonia as a complication of her long time battle for a stage IV breast cancer. She died in the hospital in our place in the Philippines. I was so depress upon hearing the bad news from my second cousin living in Long Beach, CA which he messaged to me in Facebook.

My aunt was very dear to me because she was my mom's first cousin who is very close to her as a friend. When I was a child I always saw mom and Tita Inday all the time talking about their lives. She is always close to my mom and they were chums with each other. They were such good friends together.

When my mom died in 2009 Tita Inday was her first cousin who went to her side to cheer her up and pray for her. And she was also there during the wake and until we brought my dear mom to her eternal rest at the cemetery. Mom for sure was very thankful for her dedicated compassion, sincere sympathy, and unconditional love and care for her as well as to us her children.

When I heard that Tita Inday was been diagnosed of stage IV breast cancer I was very worried so I started to pray for her everyday. I wish I could be in the Philippines to be at her side to also comfort her, just like she did to my mother, but I am so sad I could not do it because I live farther from her. So I did a novena for her everyday and prayed a lot that may be God will reverse the cancer although it was very impossible but I still believe in the power of intense prayers. That's why I've been doing the mission visits here in California because of her to ask the Blessed Junipero Serra for a miracle.

I couldn't repay her for what she did to my dearest mom, comforting and staying at my mom's side at her deathbed. In that kind of way, I can only help her but it seems that God has the reason why He took her to be at His side eternally yesterday. I know that He doesn't want her to suffer more because she is a very good, benevolent, emulating, simple lady. That's why I am very attached to her.

With her history of being a good daughter to my Lola, a good wife to my uncle, and a good mom to my second cousins God doesn't want to prolong her sufferings and make her feel so much pain and agony as well as lengthen the pains experienced by the people she will left behind. Now I know that she will be in a safe place in the hands of my Almighty God. Now I know that she will be together with my dearest mom and be friends forever in heaven.

I was very depress at first upon knowing about her sudden demise but I was thinking that it was for her own good, too. Kind of sour graping but I have to embrace the fact that she had left us for good and live peacefully and permanently in heaven. She already did all her necessary responsibilities here on earth to her beloved mom, loving husband, obedient children, and understanding friends and I can see in her eyes and that also I can feel a hundred percent sure that she was ready to leave us. I am still in denial about it but who am I to detest what's the Maker's ultimate plans for her?

Yes ..... I'm in a great grief right now, going through the piercing stages of denial and anger because I don't want her to go. I kind of asked why she was taken from us and was also mad and retaliating that my prayers were not sufficiently answered. Yet maybe God has an enormous reason why it happened and that was not really clear to me. If I could only turn back the time I will ask God why she had the cancer but I have to face the reality that she's already left us. Time will come and heal everything and I have to bargain and accept the fact that she was indeed gone or she had indeed left us and live happily ever after.

I know it will take time to sink in and I know I still need more time to accept the turn of circumstances or events. I felt like this when my mom had left us and I felt it again today. It kind of releived me what had happened in 2009 at my mom's bedside although the situations were totally different because my mom at that time was not ready yet but the feelings were almost similar and not strangely quite different.

When death comes we must accept the fact that it is looming around, that it will stay there until it gets what it wants and that it will win over us, and that God has a definitive and exact reason why it was happening. My reaction at first is to blame someone hardly and I can't help it because I am not accustomed to being left at so suddenly and abruptly, but now I know, and I just have to pray more harder and accept the facts wholeheartedly. Oh yeah..... it is!

Losing The Gray Matter

Well, it seems that I'm getting old already. Things were been missed lately which possibly heralds the imminent signs and symptoms of dementia or forgetfulness. I am in a period wherein I am still in denial about the whole situation but it seems that these symptoms were been showing up gradually and made me think that it was really crawling out now.

There's been two occasions lately that I've been forgetting things and this really had scared me a lot. I am always organized in every thing I do. I was known to be meticulous in what I do but now that old age was been looming around the corner I may have been very careless at times and forgetful about certain things that were sometimes very important in a day-to-day basis.

Yesterday, I went to work without unplugging the rice cooker that I turned on during that morning for cooking rice. Actually, I went to sleep with it on, thinking that it will be done by the time I woke up in the afternoon. I probably forgot about it totally after I woke up because when I left for work at 1900H I have not unplugged the rice cooker and had just proceeded to go to work.

I remember it at 0200H yesterday so I asked my charge nurses at work if it is okay for me to leave the facility for quite a while then I told them the reason why. They were so considerate to let me leave for a while so I drove back home and checked if the rice cooker was still on and when I found out is was, I unplugged it from the electrical socket and then went back to work not even checking the condition of the over cooked rice.

Today, I also left the house without even bringing the school phone that I used to login my attendance and the student's attendance for the clinicals. I know I will be teaching in the morning the next day but I still left the red-cased phone on the couch inside my bedroom and just zoomed in to work in a jiffy. I will be working tonight at the facility then will be teaching in the morning for my clinicals.

At 2330H I asked my charge nurse if I can go out and buy something to eat. Good thing she let me. So I took the opportunity to dash quickly at home and get the red-cased phone sitting on the couch so that I can use it for my clinicals tomorrow for the students login attendance.

I am in hot water at school lately because my administrative manager was kind of very demanding to me so I am trying not to give him a reason to counsel or reprimand me because of the missed phone attendance. I am to be cautious now that I am the object of criticism at school. That's why I went home in a flash to get the phone.

After taking the phone at home I drove back to the facility but before that I decided to passed by for some "Pho soup" from a nearby Vietnamese restaurant close to the house and ordered a takeout because I was actually starving during at that moment.

When I got the order I paid for it immediately and I dashed right away to the facility. Good thing there was no untoward event happened when I was gone. I saw the evening nurses leaving after I parked my car then I told them to just drive safe in going to their respective homes.

Well, getting old had gave an enormous toll on me lately. It is a slow process and along with the aging out processes the brain and bodily functions also started to decline and slow down. I am quite fascinated about the turn of events lately but I have to commune with myself and just accept the fact that I am eventually heading there. It's just a matter of time. Life has its end and limitations also and that's the reality that I needed to accept no matter what happen eventually.

Give it or take it, we have to enjoy life to the fullest because we don't know when it will end. We have to prepare for it and get ourselves ready to accept as well as embrace the verdict in the end and be gracious that it will affect to us eventually.

The eventuality of the sequences of life is viably imminent so we must train ourselves to always be thankful about it's existence. Celebrate life and be proud of what simple things it has to offer. And that forgetfulness has its course and we needed to follow it by heart. Cest la vie!

Cold And Sleepy At Work

Yeah, it's 0300H and the cold Autumn December morning was been emanating outside the facility. The heater for the whole building was on but it seems that I am still freezing with cold plus I am really really sleepy but I am holding myself not to succumb to it. I still need to finish some of my psychotropic summaries and other reports.

Sometimes, I may be closing my eyes in seconds unconsciously and unpredictably because I just couldn't hold on to it any longer but as soon as my head started to snappily nod, I am suddenly awakened from an instant debilitating stupor to a full massive awareness of my surroundings. It was really funny to look at!

I don't know why I am feeling so tired lately. Usually, I'm always awake most of the night doing something or writing something little bit of things r pieces to do. Tonight it was just eerily and naggingly boring and it seems that my highly produced internal endorphins were trying to win me over from being so focused to lagging greatly tonight and thus I felt so unwaveringly sleepy and relaxed.

Earlier on my long-dragging twelve hour shift (I worked 7 PM to 7 AM), I wasn't sleepy at all because I have million of things to do and think to accomplish. I was turning like a spinning wooden top because of a pile high endorsements and complaints mostly from my CNAs and other attention seeking residents.

Actually, we send one resident to the hospital earlier because I spotted him having a lot of respiratory congestion and shortness of breath and when I tried suctioning the back of the throat I only got a little bit of thick whitish secretions yet the crackles and the gurgling sound in his thriat was still audibly heard. It seems that he was clamping down on the uppe rairways because he really sound so awfully bad.

I instructed my charge nurse to get the vital signs while I ran to pick up the big oxygen tank and non-rebreathing mask to give him high flow oxygen. When I came back pushing the enormous green tank, my charge nurse told me that the resident's oxygen saturation, when checked using the pulse oximeter, was 85-86% which is understandingly very very low and on a critical or panic range.

I was greatly surprised as well as nervously panicky about the finding so I instructed her to raise the resident's head, stopped the G-tube feeding, and then I attached the non-rebreathing mask and instructed my charge nurse to give a bronchodilator inhalation to help open up the resident's alveoli in the lungs. Shortly after the treatment the oxygen saturation picked up until 90% gradually which is a good sign.

I gathered all the data and went to the nurse's station then dialed the attending physician's number. The phone rang for several rings and then the attending doctor picked up the phone. I said hi and then introduced myself then proceeded nervously to tell and update him about his new patient that just came yesterday. He paused a little bit trying to pick up and understand what I told him then commandingly instructed and ordered me to transfer the hapless and suffering resident back to the hospital where he came from.

After talking to the attending doctor I immediately placed the order on the EMR (electronic medical record) then picked out randomly and immediately called a willing ambulance from our wide array of transportation lists to transport the poor resident to the emergency department. After making a positive confirmation I then went back to the EMR and filled up the Discharge/Transfer Assessment Form and proceeded to make copies of the necessary papers needed to be sent with the resident to the ED. I then called the emergency department of the receiving hospital informing them that a very critical patient is on its way there.

After doing all the preparation I went back to the resident's room to assess his response to nebulization treatment. It seems that he is getting worse. I stayed at the bedside to keep an eye with him until the transport came. When the transportation arrived I turned him over to the team and then they proceeded to assess him and then did their routine assessment then readied the resident for transfer. They left at around 0100H.

After the resident left everything was been relax and drab. I was starting to get sleepy and extremely tired maybe because of the epinephrine rush I've expended earlier from that transferred resident. It was quite a mental and physical workout that's why I got exhausted and felt tired thereby felt so soporific and closing my eyes at times.

Suddenly, I remembered that I left my rice cooker at home still plugged from the wall socket. I was wishing that nothing will not happen but I'm also expecting that the cooked rice was been burnt at the bottom. My mistake but well I hope I'm not having those lapses of forgetfulness. I refused to admit about it but when that time comes I know I will eventually have to deal with the reality. Poor me!

My emotions right now were a pandemonium of mixed feelings which are unpredictable as well as unexplainable. From being boring to getting sleepy, from being tired to getting hungry....... it was very confusing yet undenyingly normal. It was quite a conundrum of mixed feelings and emotions yet quite satisfying and appropriate to happen because it is naturally happening anyway. Can't complain...... At least, all the paperworks were all done and charted and I just have to worry how to compose the morning assignment later.

Well, although I am quite being swinged and lulled to feel sleepy and slumbered I still fought it by listening to Pandora setting to the "Christmas Songs" station and the nagging sound of the call lights, playing like humming bees, just kept me abreast and reminded me that I am at work and needed to be awake all the time so as not to jeopardize resident's safety. You know what I mean!

It's 0300H and the night is still young, long, and deep. Whatever happen still depends on time and I know I have to remain awake and aware of the surroundings. Cold December morning air is cold so I decided to go out of the parking lot and embraced the foggy and cold space outside which also had helped me get awake. The cold misty air enveloping my face was the touch of panacea which send me back to the current reality.

Now I'm quite living to it because I'm totally awakened by the cold and misty fog that blanketed this early morning wee hours. Smart idea though and yet it worked greatly. Oh yeah!

Got Assigned In A Ghetto

Yesterday I have a clinical rotation with Batch 40B at Avalon Villa Care Center in central-east Los Angeles and I was totally shocked about the environment dropping my jaw about the "street culture" that I have apparently seen and observed. It was pretty much different from the norm that I am used to.

Well, if you talk about central-east Los Angeles you can have a connotation that people there are used to a ghetto culture. I mean if you are a very traditional person you'll get offended, terrified, and mesmerized immediately. It's just pretty much ugly to listen to it but these were just normal for them. I got shocked at first but I have to hold on my reins.

People there were very much aggressive verbally and if you're not used with very vulgar street words then you might probably ending up having a huge altercation with a person in the building. It is offensive and disgusting when you listened to it but to them it seems like it was just a day-to-day happening or norm. I got used to it during my eight hour stay at the facility but whoa it was a big auditory workout.

As an instance, I got these two CNAs bickering at the station. One CNA was been dozing off at the station (which she shouldn't be doing because it is not allowed to sleep in the facility at that time of the day, it was 0800H) and the other CNA was talking to her loudly saying; "You bitch just came here and you're already dozing off? Get off your f---ing ass up there on that hapless chair and break some bones."

Whoa, that was unpleasant for my students to hear those gangster street words. I myself was been flabbergasted about what happened I thought they gonna be pulling each other's hair but to my astonishment I was bewildered when the sleepy CNA stands up and talked back to the other CNA saying; "You are tough bitch but watch out. Babalu." Then they ended up laughing at each other and locking fist as a sign of peace.

On the otherhand, there's this resident talking to a nurse saying; "Damn, I missed my cigarette session. That bitch nurse at the station won't allow me to swoop some green smoke. I'll gonna beat her motherf---ing gut for treating me like shit. (Then he snickered.)" Wow, that place was something. Very scary! I am really shocked but to them it's just okay to do it.

There were a lot of circumstances that I've observed and seen about ghetto verbages. It was so sickening to listen but no qualms here. It's just like watching an eerie horror movie and pee on your pants. It was disgusing and offensive but to them it's music to the ears and a very soothing literary piece. Kind of an antonym-synonym comparison or an extreme metaphor. It's just like they call it in rhetorics as an "Apostrophe". Kinda odd but it's just like that literally.

Today, we get back there but apparently they have a Medicare/Medicaid Charting survey so technically they don't want to disturb the surveyors. They instructed us to just leave the facility and just come back when the survey is over. Thank God we're not gonna be there for the whole day. At least I can avoid listening more blunt comments that will not be pleasing to listen at.

I instructed the students to go to school and I will meet them there. I gave them an hour to drive because of the rush-hour traffic on the freeway and will just resume our clinical day there improving their skills and knowledge about Pharmacology and computations and review their pointers for their theory class.

I was driving on the freeway and I sighed a big relief having known that I am not going to listen to those crap conversations in that facility again. I was thankful that the students will be assigned next week at Long Beach Care Center. I am really glad that today will be the last day that I am not gonna be listening to those ghetto terms.

Yes, every day is full of surprises and what will be surprising are the things that are not usual to us. As a human being we have to adapt to our environment and mingle with in the surroundings to protect ourselves and deflect the threat. And that was just the exact thing that I did yesterday. Having not coped up to that stressful environment I don't know what will happen to me yesterday.

In every situation our coping mechanism would be to "fight" or "flee" from the stressful situation but I chose to "fight" and it made me more adaptive to the whole situaton. Thank God I survived and I did good. Yay!

Rain Had Just Passed

Today I am off and finally the rain was gone. I woke up this morning feeling the cold Autumn morning even when I was still on my PJs and the patio was stil been drenched with rain water from last night's heavy rain. The plants at the patio appeared emerald in color because of too much soaking in the water. They were all sustained fully after being thirsty for three months during the past summer days.

Today I have no agenda since I am off. I maybe just be doing some of the household chores and run some common errands but I am not planning on going out and spend some money. With this struggling economic condition I have to stretch my financial budget until I fulfill some of my budgetary constraints. It's difficult but I have to. There's an old adage that says, "Meanwhile when the covers are shrinking endure to curl up to get warm." And that's exactly what I am going to do until everything will be alright financially.

I will opt out staying at home doing laundry and cleaning the house in order to be productive and maybe after that watch my favorite traveling show continuing to watch some of my recorded episodes that I have not watched yet. I might cook a little bit rather than dining out and enjoy my little own company with a glass of wine and sticks of cheese and marinated olives I bought yesterday from the deli. Isn't that a good treat after the rain had passed? Lovely isn't it?

Pondering on these agenda for today made my excitement boil to the brim as well as make my mouth water. I just can't wait doing it and enjoy it momentarily trying to be stingy at the same time. Life couldn't be more promising than this.

I woke up then went ahead brushing my teeth then started to boil water and made some coffee and then fried some eggs and bacon then made a cup of garlic rice trying to consciously skip bagel for this morning. The combination of fried rice and dried fish with sunny side ups coupled with a warm mug of mocca coffee I think is apt for this cold morning.

After eating the palatable breakfast I started collecting all my soiled clothes and scrubs separating them by colors from the hampers and started popping them in at the washer and dryer. While waiting for it to be done I started to mop the wooden floor, vacuum the carpets, and dusts the furnitures. Whew, it was a workout but it was good doing it. I don't have a choice but to do it or else I will have a pileful of work after another week. Well, that's the reality of living alone. Quite preposterous but that's the reality.

I finished all these chores almost lunch and I am hungry again. I decided to eat light during lunch so I made a vegetable green salad topped with fried luncheon meat and a balsamic vinegairette with a garlic toast and a glass of white wine.

After lunch I decided to study one chapter of "Word Power Made Easy" trying to enhance more words to my wide array of vocabulary. After one hour I felt that my brain was drained out after the chapter test and I was happy I did good for the post test. I took one persimmon fruit as my afternoon snack then I sat at the living room watching Rick Steve's travels.

I watched his travels in Portugal, Basque Country, and Croatia which were both informative and enjoyable. Lisbon was very pretty and full of history. I love all the architectures and the arts on all the churches wall. I never know about the Basque Country and now I know that it was a country without a border situated in between France and Spain. The beaches were very blue and the food were very good and delicious. Croatia especially Dubrovnik was very progressive and I love the beautiful people and nature surrounding it.

In the afternoon, I was anticipating my day tomorrow so I decided to ready my scrub for my clinical day tomorrow at Las Flores with Batch 40 in Gardena, CA. All in all, my day is kind of drab and nothing unusual. I like it though because I don't have to shore out anything financially but my time and energy. It was inexpensive yet simple and enjoyable. We can always make it pass with flying colors just like the rain that had passed and sustained the life of the wiltering and thirsty plants. Simple yet meaningful.

What A Cozy Rainy Day

I am at home right now just got out of my graveyard shift work last night. When I came home it was raining hard outside and the road was very sleek and slippery. It seems that California will be raining for several days now because of a major storm up in Northern California.

It was raining the whole day and I cozied up on my bed well today trying to cringed myself like a baby inside the fragrant fluffy white downey comforter. I had just washed it yesterday and the smell of the clothing conditioner was still emanating all over my room. It slightly sedated me and had made me soporific succumbing to a still slumber on this cold rainy December morning.

When I got home from work I opened the TV first and toasted a bagel and pour a MinuteMaid fresh squeeze orange juice in a glass. Then when the bagel was done I dabbed it with a hefty slather of onion flavored Philadelphia cream cheese. I placed the bagel on a plate on my right hand and took the glass of orange with my left hand and sat on the couch at the living room watching my favorite travel show by Rick Steves.

I am watching Rick Steves travel in Europe and today he is featuring travels in Denmark and Sweden. I was just fascinated with the show because it really emphasizes the key areas to travel in one country in Europe and it features a lot of very good and interesting places to go. It seems that I am also traveling with him as a TV audience. I admire Rick a lot because he is very spontaneous and knowledgeable about his travels. And most of his travels were inexpensive which I like the most.

I was watching his show before where he was featuring how he was taping one of his travels and I found out from that show that he was only traveling with his producer and a cameraman. The three of them were doing their script and were also researching a lot where to find the most interesting and beautiful places to feature. I kind of like that too. I wish I could do that in the future. That's informative journalism and also adventure.

After I finished eating my bagel and watching the show, I went to the bathroom and brush my teeth then changed with my PJs since it was cold and rainy outside. I also turned on the heater in the room them cozied up on my soft bed and went to sleep abandoning the busy hustle and bustle of the cars on the street outside my apartment.

I woke up at 1700H in the afternoon feeling so refreshed and recharged. I slept good actually. I don't know if I was snoring or not but I felt really good this afternoon when I woke up. I then got out of bed and brushed my teeth then went to the kitchen to drink two glasses of water which I routinely do to flushed off the concentrated urine I had accumulated the whole time I slept. Boy oh boy, I really felt good.

I felt hungry so I decided to fired some egg and bacon and warmed the rice which I placed in the fridge. I also too some of the dried fish I fried last week in the freezer then heat it up also. Then after that I took all the food at the living room and watch some news for the afternoon.

When I'm done eating I went back to the room and iron my scrubs for I am working tonight. After ironing my scrubs I went back to the living room and watched some more afternoon news. Thirty minutes after I went to take a warm shower and then get ready to leave for work. When I was done I prepared my lunch bag then took my knapsack and left for work. It was still drizzling outside when I left the apartment.

On my way to work while I was driving I started praying thanking God for everything and also asking Him forgiveness for whatever bad things I did and also praising Him
for his goodness and unconditional love. I also prayed for my siblings, friends, and patients and also for the world I live in and for everything in general.

I really felt good today and I am so upbeat about working. When I arrived at work I just can't stop getting so excited because here I am again ready to interact with and take care of my dear patients. Can't beat the excitement because I am really devoted for my patients welfare.

Perusing The Presidio In Santa Barbara

Well, I set out my long trip to Solvang a day before Thanksgiving Day and before heading there I decided to pass by at Santa Barbara since it is in the way to my destination. I planned to see the so called Presidio del Santa Barbara which depicted the life of early Californians during the discovery of the New World by the Spaniards.

The Presidio is a Spanish settlement outpost set during the 1700s era. It's main purpose is to house military personnel during the Spanish period. It's were the Spanish soldiers were living together with their families. It is like a fortress where they do their military drills and kept their fire arms. It is a small community completely equipped with a church, houses, barns, gardens, lecture rooms, offices, etc.

Right now a portion of it was been preserved because the rest of the structures were damaged by many Californian earthquakes and were already abolished and highly occupied by the booming residential and commercial places. The preserved areas were now managed by the California State Parks and is one of the property of the State of California which depicted the state's cultures, ways, customs, diversity, and the various life of old California.

When I arrived to Santa Barbara I have a hard time looking for a legal parking because the Presidio was been located at the crowded heart and busy area of the downtown and the streets there were all one ways. Luckily I spotted a guy getting inside his topped down yellow Mustang so I waited for a little while until he left and then viola I have a decent parking after looking and roaming around the area for ten minutes looking for a parking.

I parked my car legally and got out from it, then I gradually walked for a half block towards the Presidio. I then crossed the street towards the main portion of the Presidio on the other side of the street which consisted of the small church or chapel and the main offices and a museum. I then started to click my camera and took a lot of pictures for my online blog and album.

I also started to peruse and searched the place responsibly following the arrows that gave directions and instructions where to go to the visitors like me. I stopped first at the museum and asked a little bit of the history of the place and the docent who was present there was very helpful. After talking intimately to the docent who helped me for everything that I needed to know about the Presidio I started to roam around and amusingly checked each and every structures which also had some little exhibits inside.

The little church was an adobe structure and the walls was been painted in white. The front clay courtyard had a flagpole and the American flag was been swaying gaily and was being played by the tease of the warm afternoon wind. The adjacent rooms spanned horizontally from both sides of the church forming a wall structure that resembles to a garrison or a fortification to guard the community and I followed the rooms from the church going eastward and made a right turn towards the back lot which was converted into an orange grove courtyard.

I checked also some structures at the back lot which was converted as offices for the volunteers and from there I can see the other toppled walls and rugged fortifications of the entire structure which they still preserved for the visitors and strollers to see how big the area really is. I also saw an outdoor domed oven near the priest's quarters and then I went towards the back of the church which was the old barn now was converted as the administration office of the California State Parks and Services.

At the left side of the church facing north were the soldiers quarters and flanked with it was the mess hall and the commandant's quarters. There were replicas of various items during the Spanish period inside each rooms like the wooden cabinets and slatted bunk beds and also some wooden tables and benches at the mess hall can be found. There were also playgrounds where the soldiers play and a small garden with a minute fountain at the center.

Across the street was another structure which looks like a domesticated housing structures for the soldier's families. There were children's bedroom in there and a family room. At the backyard were grapevines and vegetable gardens and there were also haystacks and a looming machine in one of the rooms. It was fascinating to see how the Spaniards thrive in the Presidio as depicted in what I have seen there.

In that structure there was also a small museum which showcased the firearms as well as different cutting instruments like knives, swords, and bolos as well as spears and spitting tubes with various needles and also an array of bows and arrows depicting primitive military gadgets. There were also gardening tools in that museum like hoes, trowels, spades, wheelbarrows, scythes, hammers, etc. There were also barrels of gunpowders stacked in the armory and many more war related equipments like portable canons circa 1700's.

My visit at the Presidio was very interesting, informative, and educational. Albeit, I can see the religious aspect of it also because of the presence of the very intricate altar of the church. The chapel's ceiling were lined with intricate rows of reed straws and the altar was very very simple yet pretty and meticulous. There were no chairs reminiscent of that era because the chairs that were there at that moment were all leathered chairs. There was a painting of the Guadalupe on one wall and also a painting of the Assumption on the opposite wall.

Roaming around there I can feel the culture and the practices of the Spanish people. It was very nice to have done it and harmonize with the past. I am glad I decided to pass by there while on my way to Solvang. Have I not done it I probably haven't had any idea that this preserved structure was still existing. I am proud that I did it because I get to know the cultures of the Californians living in the 1700s. The collision of the Spanish and Mexican cultures coupled with the culture of the indigenous Californian Indians were been revitalized in that amazing structure and came into terms during that period.

It was nice for the State of California to have took the responsibility of taking care of the old structures and have preserved it for the visitors, tourists, revelers, strollers, and locals to know and educate about the cultures of the different people who had lived there as well as preserved a part of the history of California which depicted a lot of Californian ways and lives.

It was a very fruitful trip and the stroll around the Presidio was enjoyable and luckily I took a lot of pictures of it for my online albums. Every step I made there depicted a lot of California history. I was very keen in reading everything I saw because I am very interested in learning a lot about the Presidio itself as well as the patterns of life that had evolved in that fascinating place. So far, it was very entertaining and informative as well. I did not regret coming there even though I wasted my time there before heading to Solvang but it was worth the stroll.

Yes, I was very happy and ecstatic I did it and I was smiling jovially and extremely joyful when I left there because I knew it had given me another knowledge and perspective about the rich cultural history and intriguing place of Santa Barbara and California in general. My trips had always given me a lot of notable facts and tangible visual artifacts and I love doing it all the time. I never been happier after I did that long stroll around the Presidio, thank God.

Solvang: Wandering In A Fairy Tale

Last Thursday, I went to Solvang, California; one of the beautiful and flourishing Danish village or settlement north of Santa Barbara, which is a four hour drive from Los Angeles. I actually left Los Angeles last Wednesday at noon and stayed at Buellton, California where my hotel was located. Buellton is only like five miles drive to Solvang.

The reason I stayed in Buellton is because the hotel rate was reasonably cheaper compared than staying in Solvang and is only a short drive to Solvang. Buellton is where the split pea soup was originated. It is a tiny town but a little progresing. They have a lot of hotels along the Highway 101 and I stayed at Days Inn Hotel which has also a windmill office. So cute!

I arrived at Buellton on Wednesday afternoon beating the afternoon traffic in Santa Barbara and nearby places. I immediately roamed around a little bit at Solvang when I arrived at 1530H heading especially at the Old Mission Santa Ines. The rectory was open as well as the gift shop but the church was already closed so I didn't have the glimpse of the altar where the beautiful patron Saint Agnes was found. Good thing I went there right away on that day because they told me from the gift shop that they will gonna be close the next day on Thanksgiving Day. Waaah!

The mission was a sprawling cream colored adobe structure which is nicely painted. It never depicted a good old structure hailing from the 1700s but a very powerful and proud edifice. The church was close at that time because when I got there it was almost closing time and close to dusk. I took the time of taking pictures of the facade and the surrounding lush and beautiful rose garden and the "Via Cruces" promenade.

It was already dark when I left the mission church and convent so I decided to go back the next day to explore the whole downtown area of Solvang. I went back to Buellton and passed by the country restaurant called AJ Spurs which is about to open at that time of the afternoon. It was a very sleek country or Cowboy inspired restaurant equipped with a lot of Western decors and stuffed live animals.

The food was very fresh and taste great. I've ordered a 100% USDA approved 14 oz. ribeye steak which was the most tastiest and yummy ribeye steak I have ever tasted. It was a very huge portion smothered with sauteed white onions and accompanied with a delicious scoop of mashed potato and assorted sauteed long beans. The steak was very soft, chewy, and impecably delicious. It just magically melt inside my mouth. I was in limbo when I first took a bite and tasted it. I happily savored every moment of it until I got full. The portion was huge and when I left there I was greatly stuffed.

After the dinner I headed to the hotel and checked in. The lady at the reception was very friendly and extremely loquacious. I chatted with her about Solvang and she gave me some idea where to go and have fun during my stay there. She was very helpful in my search for fun in Solvang. I thanked her for giving me some information on where to explore around the place.

The next day I woke up at 0800H and took a shower then left the room and checked out after partaking the continental breakfast courtesy of the hotel. I left after that because I still have to go find the Nojoqui Falls. The falls is easy to locate because the direction given to me by the receptionist last night was still embedded at the back of my head. Nojoqui Falls is awesome and I have already blogged about it prior to this. Please refer to the blog. Thanks!

After I went to Nojoqui Falls I drove back to Buellton to gas up and then headed to Solvang proper. At the mouth of the city, I stopped by at the Kronberg Hotel because I have to take a picture of the windmill in front of the hotel to document on my online album. In the downtown there were a lot of windmills also and a lot of tourists there also enjoying the whole beautiful village which is famous all over the country.

Roaming around Solvang feels great because I felt like I was strolling in a fairy tale place but literally I am not. I was so excited knowing and exploring the magical place fully well especially the downtown area full of odd houses and business establishments. As I ambled along the cobblestoned streets I just can't help taking pictures of all the nooks and crannies of the entire downtown area. I may have probably circumnavigated it several times as well as took a lot of pictures and I am extremely satisfied with what I saw.

The establishments and edifices around there were like patterned to the houses in Denmark and some business establishments have also Dutch names I couldn't even read and pronounced. The atmosphere in the area were very calm and serene and the people were very very polite and markedly approachable.

I saw a lot of foreigners there mostly consisted of Europeans, Japanese, Chinese, and Koreans. I also ate at a Danish restaurant that served the famous Danish Aebleskiver which is a spherical pancake stuffed with sliced apples inside and drenched with a thick strawberry or cherry syrup. I also tried eating some Danish sausage and Danish meatballs which were very very delicious when coupled with a purple saurkraut.

I strolled around the downtown area alone and had observed various people and places I passed by. I felt like a lunatic wandering and imagining that I'm in a fairy tale land appreciating the wonderful things and beautiful scenic magical spots as well as the uniquely strange shaped and colorful buildings around me especially the odd buildings and houses scattered all over the area. I was in awe of everything that I saw and I forgot my direction already.

I also went in some Danish pastry shops and bought some Danish goodies for myself as well as sipped a hot creamed coffee while I was lonesomely strolling on the busy tiled streets. There were huge windmills I saw everywhere and it had really amazed me how beautiful they were just like the favorite places that I admired which are the lighhouses.

I kept ambling aimlessly around the area like a crazy person greatly and extremely appreciating everything I saw around me. I kind of believing now and is used to an idea that I am in a fairy tale land currently. It was so beautiful and what a unique experience. I really love it there!

There were signs already posted along the streets about the incoming Julefest Festival early next month. And I noticed that each business establishments had already an undecorated Christmas pine trees outside their businesses in preparation for the Julefest Festival wherein they will decorate it during that festival to be held sometime in the first week of December.

There were also a lot of famous and not-so-famous wineries lined up around the downtown area but apparently right at that moment some were closed in celebration of the Thanksgiving Day. Damn.... I am so unlucky whenever I decided to see a special place, to expore and unwind, because of the Thanksgiving Day it was an extremely bad timing to do wine tasting. It was pretty much nice to stroll around there though.

Being there in this fascinating and fabulous community was a huge and lucky opportunity for me. Solvang is a very very progressive place and I was really awestrucked with it's alluring beauty. The buildings were very beautiful, strong, and strangely nice to look at. It seems that I was just in Europe at that moment traveling around Denmark and enjoying the beauty it has to offer, but technically I am not. Actually, I am in Solvang, California and it is no difference than the ones in Denmark because it is an exact replica of it as what people say.

As of now, I can't forget my first trip here in this wonderful place on earth. I actually never regretted coming here either. Hoping to be back again here soon if God is willing. It seems that I never wanted to open my closed eyes and stop dreaming because if I do I will surely lost sight of Solvang which had captured my heart, my soul, and my imagination. It was just like magic to be there. It was just like a greatest dream come true. For sure, I will be back again here and enjoy it the second time around. What a great day indeed in this fairy tale Danish community village called Solvang.

Solvang you have etched something special into my heart and I will never ever forget you as long as I live. Ciao and see you someday again, hopefully.

The Trail To Nojoqui Falls

A day before Thanksgiving Day I set out myself for an out of town adventure. I went to a Dutch settlement called Solvang to see the beautiful place. It's been a long time that I am planning to go there and after several planning and musings I finally decided to drive there by myself.

I've been meaning to plan to go to Solvang for several months but it seems that my very hectic and messed-up schedule could not accommodate my plans and unpredictably this week I finally realized the plan that I was been keeping to myself for several months. Yay!

I've got a five days off this week because of the Thanksgiving Day holiday and plus there were no school because the students were on vacation for four days also for the whole week because of the Thanksgiving Day. I got bored at home so I decided to pursue my half cooked old plans and now I had it realized.

Along this trip I am planning to enjoy the beauty of mother nature so I've included the trip to Nojoqui Falls which I saw in Google from the Tripadvisor site. I don't know if there will be water falling down the deep ravine or the creek has water flowing in it because at the website it did not specify what time of the year the fall is abundant with water but I am trying my luck right.

I woke up in the morning at the Days Inn Hotel in Buellton, CA preparing for the day's activities which include a hike going to Nojoqui Falls. I just can't contain my excitement because I've been planning this for a long long time and now I have to do it. I am very very ecstatic about it already.

From the hotel I merge to Highway 101 going south then drove for six miles and made a left on a farm road going to Nojoqui park where I parked my car. I alighted from the car and tried to look for any signs that will lead me to the falls but apparently there was not.

I saw a lady walking with a camera on hand so I asked her where's the way going to Nojoqui Falls and she pointed me the right way. From the car I ambled towards the depth of the forest then I saw a trail and a sign there going to the trail and I had followed it.

Along the way there were tall lush green trees enveloping the forest looking like rigid soldiers standing and encapsulating the roof of the forest giving way to an ample slither rays of the rising morning sun which is very fascinating to the eyes at that moment. I just can't resist looking at it so I took some pictures of it for my online documentation.

I kept ambling inside the forest going to the northwest portion of the forest as what my compass was pointing while following the signs of the trail. I saw some big boulders which were very huge and also a dry creek which made me deduce that the falls has no water. I crossed the small bridge which connects both banks of the small creek then continued ambling towards the innards of the forest.

The trail was a ten minute walk and climb which is not even very tiring to do. The trail ended towards the wall of a cliff where the falls is being found and there inside the depths of the jungle lies the majestic waterfall which has stood there waterless with only a trickle of water at the base. It was still beautiful even though there was no water and I was thinking how much more when there is water. The moss on the wall of the cliff had grew lushly making it more greenish to look at.

I stayed there for fifteen minutes trying to imbibe myself of the positive energies that the forest has brought on me thereby clearing up some of the things that had bothered me lately. It was very relaxing and a more calm feel was been emanating within the surrounding areas.

I never regretted going there even though it entails a lot of driving, climbing, and walking. Arriving there not seeing a lot of water falling down from the steep ravine was another shocker but at least I've tried my luck. I still took a lot of pictures for my own safekeeping.

After I've enjoyed looking and watching at the falls I decided to leave the vicinity by taking the same trail back to the parking lot. I saw some beautiful colorful dried leaves along the way and I did not hesitate lying on it and playing with them just like a toddler. I also took pictures of it for my memento. I felt like I was regressing that time and I really had a blast. What a cool feeling though.

When I got to the car, I strolled a little bit around the park and enjoyed the scenery of the colorful tree foliage with their leaves falling one by one to the ground making a heap pile of those beautiful colorful leaves making the road more fascinating and beautiful to look at depicting the common neutral hue of fall. I really enjoyed watching it.

I left the park then headed back to Buellton and drove to Solvang for more adventures and fun. This was an unforgettable Thanksgiving Day experinece I've had so far and I never regretted doing it. Oh, I am glad I decided leaving Los Angeles just to set my adventure to this two awesome places on earth.

What A Stage The World Is

I am very frustrated about how things are being handled in school. It was a total chaos and I don't want to be a part of it. I am practically distancing myself from any troubles that had happened in school despite I made some effort to offer my help but I was just ignored by the administration.

I mean my loyalty in school was very apparent. I was teaching there for ten years now since the inception of it. I was considered a pioneer and a senior faculty since it was found. I never been proud to have stayed there but things lately had been changed because of the greediness of the administration to usurp or extort money from the students not giving back to the students what is worth for the exorbitant tuition they were paying. These students should be treated right.

I am a person who anticipates what is coming and lately my staffing coordinator who happens to be the administrative assistant to the administrator had scheduled me in one clinical rotation which I am not qualified. Two weeks prior to the said assignment I've texted the dean that I cannot be able to perform the assignment because of the necessary qualifications that I have not complied. I also emailed the staffing coordinator during that time about the problem and they both responded that they will take care of it.

I don't know but I have a gut feeling that there will be a commotion to happen and I am very apprehensive to just clear up myself in the future. I'm am always wary about this kind of circumstance not until I saw action in black and white. I don't want to irritate people especially the dean and the staffing coordinator but I have to just to free myself from the blame and responsibility in case there will be problems later on.

In my apprehension, I emailed again the staffing coordinator a week before the said assignment was scheduled and he was very condescending about his response telling me that he already knew about the dilemma and told me not to bother him again. I responded back to him that I just wanted to free myself of any blame in case something will happen in the future because I know the group that was supposed to be going in that clinical site. Well, he responded back that everything was been taken cared of so I stopped pestering him after that email which I think is enough proof to clear myself.

I also texted the dean from my phone after one week before the said schedule reminding her of the problem and assuming she got it she should have responded to me that it was been taken cared of. Hopefully, she did.

Now the said date came and I got a call from my best friend Doris whois supposed to cover for that date. She told me that she was also not informed and that they just called her that day but it was late already. I remember telling her that I already called the two bosses and that she also knows about the dilemma but wasn't aware that she was supposed to cover for me.

The students got angry at the dean and when they have spoke to her and the staffing coordinator she told the students that the reason I did not show up is because I have not procured a flu shot which is one of the requirement for the hospital before going there which is not true and an outright lie because I have texted her twice for the past two weeks about the incoming problems but she and the staff coordinator was been ignoring the problem.

And now that the problem had came up as what I have felt two weeks ago when I opened the schedule I was the one to blame. See how unprofessional this people are. They don't take responsibility of the actions they did and blame it on to others because they were the boss. What kind of authority is that? I lost my respect for them already.

It really shows that there are a lot of personalities around us. Some are good, some are passive, and some are bad. It just that if every body have the same attitude and personality maybe the environment will be monotonous and lack life. That's why there should be a catharsis to make the story more convincing and exciting.