What's going on here??

I found this in my email. 

Are we ever in trouble in a few years from now.
The following questions were set in last year's GED examination
These are genuine answers (from 16 year olds)............and they WILL breed.

Q. Name the four seasons?
A. Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.

Q. Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink,
A. Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists.

Q. How is dew formed?
A. The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire.

Q. What causes the tides in the oceans?
A. The tides are a fight between the earth and the moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins the fight.
Q. What guarantees may a mortgage company insist on?
A. If you are buying a house they will insist that you are well endowed.
Q. In a democratic society, how important are elections?
A. Very important. Sex can only happen when a male gets an election

Q. What are steroids?
A. Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs (Shoot yourself now, there is little hope!)

Q.. What happens to your body as you age?
A. When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental.

Q. What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty?
A. He says goodbye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery. (So true!)

Q. Name a major disease associated with cigarettes.
A. Premature death.

Q. What is artificial insemination?
A. When the farmer does it to the bull instead of the cow

Q. How can you delay milk turning sour?
A. Keep it in the cow. (Simple, but brilliant!)

Q. How are the main 20 parts of the body categorised? (e.g. The abdomen)
A. The body is consisted into 3 parts - the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity.
The brainium contains the brain, the borax contains the heart and lungs and
the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels: A, E, I,O,U.. ( WTF!)

Q. What is the fibula?
A. A small lie

Q. What does 'varicose' mean?
A. Nearby

Q. What is the most common form of birth control?
A. Most people prevent contraception by wearing a condominium (That would work!)

Q. Give the meaning of the term 'Caesarean section'.
A. The caesarean section is a district in Rome.

Q. What is a seizure?
A. A Roman Emperor. (Julius Seizure, I came, I saw, I had a fit.)

Q. What is a terminal illness?
A. When you are sick at the airport. (Irrefutable!)

Q. Give an example of a fungus. What is a characteristic feature?
A. Mushrooms. They always grow in damp places and they look like umbrellas.

Q. Use the word 'judicious' in a sentence to show you understand its meaning.
A. Hands that judicious can be soft as your face. (OMG!)

Q. What does the word 'benign' mean?
A. Benign is what you will be after you be eight. (Brilliant!)
Ha ha ha....

Excuse me, just musing...

I'm a Donna Karan fan, and so I couldn't stop dreaming of wearing one of these...

From the Donna Karan 2011 Spring collection:

And maybe this for a wedding dress...

 Or this...

Just wishful thinking...

http://www.vogue.com/collections/fall-2011/donna-karan/review/

My valentine's day

It was a rare valentine's day that greeted me yesterday as I received a letter from world vision in the mail.  First I thought it was just a regular mail update from them.  But when I opened it, it was a sad news about one of my sponsored child.

The letter had a very interesting introduction about my sponsored child, Dember.   There was an initial concern while I was reading the first few lines, and I thought it would end up saying that a tragic event happened - that we lost him.  I almost wanted to stop reading because I was scared to learn of the bad news.

I've been with world vision since 2006, and I have two sponsored boys that I've been supporting and following up through the years. One in the Philippines, and one in Bangladesh.  With so much committment to provide sufficient education to these kids,  I become fond of them, and even grown to love them.  Everytime world vision sends me their  daily development reports,  I've accustomed to that feeling of joy to see how much the boys have improved by looking at their photos and reading their accomplishments.  It's like watching my baby sibling, or a member of my relative grow up.  And just like them, I've considered these two boys as part of my family too, though I haven't met them personally. I've been actually planning to set-up a visit through world vision to see Dember on my forthcoming holidays to the Philippines.

So as I continue reading the letter, world vision says that Dember has left their care to find  a job.  I couldn't help holding back my tears.  The boy is just about 15 years old, if my math is right...When world vision sent me his photo 5 years ago, he was just a little boy. Then the last photo I received, he's like 5'4 or more because he plays basketball...

Not only was I sad that he left the care of world vision, but I was even sadder to the thought that life must be really hard down there for him to make a choice - he chose work over school.  I feel terribly sorry for him.  How could a 15-year boy opted to work and quit school?  But then, there could be more significant reasons why he choose what he chose.

Finally on the letter, world vision says that they've selected another child for me to sponsor. And they've enclosed a photo of him.   It's another good-looking little boy from the Philippines.  They say that if I'd like to change or to cancel, I could always call their office.   But it's never my trait to refuse a blessing - "To whom much is given, much is expected"  I just hope this time, this new sponsored child of mine will persevere, and reap the fruits of my blessings later on in life.  

Superstar

I love the Superstar song by the Carpenters.  Everytime I hear it, I've always drawn to retrospecting. I'm not even an oldie-junkie person, but only this particular old song that always brings me back to some good old memories.

They say, if a song means so much to you, that's because it's associated with something remarkable in your past.   Interesting.  But I couldn't remember an occasion that I could relate to this song.  All I know is, I get flashes of beautiful memories when it plays on the radio - to the point of holding back a teary-eye.

The heart's day is buzzing in the air.   It's that time to get mushy and romantic.  May you get cozy with your Superstar...

Long ago and oh so far away
I fell in love with you before the second show
Your guitar, it sounds so sweet and clear
But you're not really here
It's just the radio

(*) Don't you remember you told me you loved me baby
You said you'd be coming back this way again baby
Baby, baby, baby, baby, oh, baby, I love you I really do

Loneliness is a such a sad affair
And I can hardly wait to be with you again

What to say to make you come again
Come back to me again
And play your sad guitar

Repeat (*) twice

"Thank you", anyone?

I'm back to my normal mode after a hectic last quarter of 2010...There was my mom's visit, and then I juggled between work, school, being with her and shopping for christmas gifts.  I couldn't believe that I spent 2 months preparing gifts for my family and some party of 10 families, uncles and aunts specifically. Because it dawned to me that for 5 years I'd been away from them, this was my chance to make up for all the missed birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and other special occasions. So coinciding  with my mom's homecoming for christmas, I generously sent as much gifts as I could for everyone I know...Surprisingly to this day, I haven't heard from any of them. 

If there's anything I'm grateful about learning here in canada, that's discovering the real use of this universal phrase - 'thank you'.  I've known this expression of gratitude since the age of conciousness, but I've never realized its value to this day. I remember before, I would only say thank you if someone gives me a gift or invites me to a party. Other than that, I'm always reserved to saying thank-you.

But now, I've learned that saying thank-you isn't limited to these occasions I've mentioned. It is also used to express politeness to someone who offers you a seat on the bus; opens the door for you; ask how you're doing; provides you an important information; do you a favor; gives you a hand; and even for just calling you on the phone. 

It's so funny how I find the locals strange during my first encounter with them and their excessive use of this colonial expression. They'll say "thank you" on just anything.  When you hold the door for them; when you let them  pass before you; when you pick-up an item and hand it to them; when you give them directions...Just anything that you'll do in their favor.  They will never miss to say 'thanks', 'thank you' or 'thank you very much.'  Even the reply "you're welcome" and "sorry" are just all over the place.  At first, my  puzzling reaction is,"what's with these people that they keep  repeating "thank you" and "sorry?". Then later I realize that this is a Canadian trait.  The culture that this country has somehow embraced and becomes an emblem of their identity.  And I tell you, it's viral.

Sometimes, I couldn't imagine how many times I say thank-you at work in a day.  Maybe 5 times to someone who ask how I'm doing. 10 times, if I get 10 phone calls a day.  Another 5, if I send 5 emails (that's not including the email I reply to) And maybe, 10 more to every person/co-worker I deal with that day. Come to think of it, that's an enormous 30 thank-yous a day.  And where else in the world could we ever express that much gratitude?

I've never lived anywhere besides Canda and my birthplace, Manila. So I couldn't really gauge the tenacity of politeness they have in the south or the far east. But apparently, during my frequent travels across the border, I've noticed that very few people have this kind of demeanor.  It seems that they are also reserved in using this popular phrase thank-you. I could actually count how many people I've ran into that's gracious enough to express gratitude.  Then later, I perceive that they're actually Canadians.

So, if this holds true of the Canadian culture, how did they become a prodigy of politeness? Is it the global location? Environment? Climate? Or simply, a matter of factness.

I heard from a news about a study of the rudest cities in America.  According to the report, Los Angeles was the rudest, seconded by New York; then followed by Philadelphia, Miami and Washington DC. (http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-rudest-cities/2)  And the reason -- when people cram in a small area they have a tendency to be rude.  I've almost agreed, because I've experienced that in New York.

So if it's not about territorial boundaries, then I believe population contributes to urban behavior.  Then we should be worried that the growing population is endangering the use of thank-you. 

On another note, now I understand why the recipients of my gifts never acknowledge the giver.

I wouldn't be surprised if this universal expression, 'thank you', would one day be extinct, just like the diminishing number of elephants in Thailand.

Gondola Ride: A way to end 2010

I haven't done anything special on New Year's day because I'm still hang-up with my last few weeks experience before the end of 2010.

I dared myself with my friends to a gondola ride in Banff National park.  It was the scariest 8 minutes lift of my life to one of the highest peak in the Rockies --The Sulphur Mountain.  From 698 meters (2,2982 ft) to 2,281 m (7,486 ft) summit terminal.  I thought I conquered my fear of heights, but I underestimated the whole thing. I was frozen and trembling inside when I realized how high we were and how deep the pit of the mountain terrain was. Thankfully my friend was entertaining. He told hilarious stories while we were on the small 4-seater carriage being lifted from and to the main terminal.

I'm glad I did it though, or I'd never capture this spectacular sight.

Then a few days later, I found myself on another thrill ride.  The gondola peak to peak ride from whistler mountain of 1,530 m (5,020 ft) to blackcomb mountains of 1,609 m (5,280 ft).  Not so high though compared to Sulphur mountain in Banff.  But this one was 11 minutes ride, and approximately 45 minutes total cabin trip from peak to peak and back.

This didn't scare me to death because the gondola was huge and had a capacity of 7-20 people depending on the kind of cabin.   And who would be afraid of the ride if you see the skiers below racing through the snowy slopes of the mountain. 

I couldn't believe that I didn't feel the slightest butterfly in my stomach while on board the gondola. Because the whole space was full and dynamic, that I couldn't find time to feel my fear. Specially, when we watched the tiny creatures gliding and sprinting on the ice from above.  They looked like little ants spawling everywhere.

On our way back, our cabin was jammed-pack with skiers with all their heavy gears on.  Probably going back to the station after a ski day. So all my attention was on them that I realized our gondola trip was over.

                                                                         

I'm still awed looking at the photos of our trip to Banff and Whistler.  It's one collective adventure that's worthy of a travelogue kit.

Now, I wonder what  will be my next adventure before this year ends.  Well, it's too early to tell. But I have plans in mind...Nope, not bungee jumping!

Marcus

I met this awesome guy at Banff, Alberta.  He used to work as companion of the blind.  But because he's super friendly,  he's been promoted as the Director of Pet Relations.  And so,  Marcus has his own post at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise...

If he can make a difference, so can we