My Blog

You either get it or you dont, and there is a lot of it here in the Philippines. People just being nice to one another and living their lives no matter what the circumstances. Always big smiles and always the kudos keep coming back to them!

No, i am not looking at life through rose tinted glasses because everything isnt as sweet here as one would think. There is a deeper and certainly more darker side to all this but there is always respect and kindness shining through the dark as a reminder to us all that life is just what you make of it.

last night was graduation night for some of the people I work with. It was a good night with great food, lots of booze but most of all the people that were there were genuine and proud of their moment. So impressed with the Filipino’s in general.

This is a race of people that have not lost the instincts of survival but havent forgotten they are human as well. Always the subtle messages of humanity are present even if they are surrounded by machine guns and poverty!

I was asked last night (in a round about way) what I had learnt from my experience here and after divolging that I could have stayed at home and applied for another senior position with more money, if I had made the right decission to come?

The answer was YES it was the right decission and this opertunity has helped me to grow and learn. It was the best decission I could have made! No regretts!

I wont go into the whole list of discoveries as I feel there is still more to learn and wont be happy if I write like I know it all now! The fact is I dont and have a long way to go…. I guess until I die, I wont put a full stop on a list of accumulated knowledge just yet! lol

Needless to say the converstaion really ggot me thinking about my approach to life and how sometimes I tend to hide behind what is safe and secure. Life is in the details and opertunities are not that easy to find if you keep standing out of the light and shade your life with what if’s. A leap of faith is sometimes the safest move in terms of happiness!

I was in a Taxi last night leaving the graduation party, I shared the taxi with the same person that asked me the before mentioned questions (this is where the whole converstation took place) and after she left the journey at her town house … mine still continued! … The taxi driver started asking questions of me, they usual…. Are you American? …….No, i know I am fat but that doesnt mean I am American! …… Where are you from? …… Australia!……..You like it here? ……. Very much so! Wonderfull place!! ……. Are you married?….. NO……. Do you want to get married?….. No!…….. do you have children?……… No, I dont……… Do you want a Filippino wife, is that why you here? ……. No, to busy for that!…….. Do you think Filipino ladies are beautiful? ……. Certainly do, and in more ways than one but I dont wish to marry one! ( wanting to say “Bakala” too him but the hanging crucifix from the window visor tells me it would be an unwelcome point in the conversation!).

When will you start to get married and have a family?……. Too old and too busy for that right now!…….. You dont look old at all, say 26? 28?…….. You are goint the right way for a huge tip! lol………. How old are you?……. 38!…….. are you serious?…. (now I know he ws after the tip!) Like I said Im too old and busy to even think about this right now!

The converstation eneded there really as he must have sensed I was not interested in persuing such an area in my life let alone talk about it after have 3 Margaritas and 4 Tequila’s and lime, so it was quiet while I pondered the surrounding traffic nd people out in the streets. Light rain clearing the grime of the day away making the neon lights sparkle just a little brighter…. could have also been the booze!

The end of the trip was not what I was expecting! Mr. ever so sinical here gave the taxi driver his fair and over tipped him by about 60 pesos. He then asked me to tell him the truth about my age as I was leaving the cab and why someone with a good heart was not married?

I just smiled and said thank you! … I left the cab and went to my room and fell asleep!

All my blessings and wishes of wealth go out to this stranger who drives a taxi around Manila, but I know he already has them from life itself!

Kudos to you all!

Dan.

No, I don’t have a headache…. you just cant buy it in the drug stores in Manila?!? Paracetamol, yes! Brufen, Yes! Anything else that can cause cancer and brain hemorrhage, yes….. But no Aspirin … maybe under another name?

Anyway …been quite busy since the weekend with work and sleeping during the days …. Have been managing to catch up with episodes of Judge Judy on Youtube when we do have Internet access! I have so missed that show!

Have had a win with some recognition from my managers about the quality of work I have been doing here in Manila so I was really pleased with that as well!

My friend Sue leave this weekend to fly to Fiji for her wedding and I hope it’s every thing she ever wanted for her special day!

I am slowly catching up with friends back home and abroad when I can and yes I do miss them, especially my regular chats with Paul in Canada ….. If you are reading this Paul I am thinking about you and in need of a conversation soon so let me know when you can take a call or Skye call!

Nights are a bit cooler now that the wet season is coming in and it a welcomed relief for the constant heat and humidity.

My boss flew in today from Brisbane and brought one of the agents along as well to support us here in Manila. It sounded quite funny what happened on the trip, as the agent from what I understand hasn’t really traveled before …. He was nervous about the flight asking if there was any turbulence on these flights ….. “Of course not. Never happens!” was the response … as they upgraded her into business class and left the agent in cattle. ……. I was told there was turbulence all the way from Brisbane to Manila!

I gave Darren a call today and spoke for a while which is always nice to have a familiar voice talking too you. If you are reading this Mr. Gill, I miss you too!

Laters!

Dan.

Finished work for the day and I have the whole weekend off! This is the first time in god knows when that I have 2 days off straight……. I wont know what to do with myself! NOT!!

I am going out this morning to do some grocery shopping as I would like to do some cooking tonight, it’s been a long time since I did any cooking and it’s something I enjoy doing.

The guy’s I share the appartment with are all going out which is great because I am wanting some time to myself. I do love my privacy and I hope they dont think i’m being rude in saying so! Sorry guy’s it’s just me. Too old to party all night and really couldnt give a shit if I never did it again!

I don’t mind going to clubs but I like that early time in the morning saying good bye to it as well. dont do drugs to keep me going as I saw a lot of my friends in Sydney slowly croak, one after the other from to many party lollies. and they said the party would never end!

dont have a lot to say, just random thoughts here and there as I slowly realise this is really my night time and should be getting some sleep.

Oh, I mentioned in a previous blog about why I had no patriot ties to my birth country. I guess I can explain this now but there are may reasons why and not one definitive answer.

1) I dont believe that a democratic country should fine a person that chooses not to vote for the idiots who claim to have there best interest at heart. they much rather waste your time going to a polling booth only to have you throw the vote anyway!

2) I have no faith in the political leaders of Australia, although their is one party I vote for only because I have seen how the other parties mismanagement causes total caos with the econemy and there policies are nothing more than socialistic CRAP!

3) I love a sunburnt country only when I am not the sucker being burnt all the time!

4) My moronic parents were born there!

5) Australians have the worst work ethic I have seen, hands out for everything but asked to work for it…. you are told to blow it out your arse!

6) Social security pays thoes who wish to sit on there arses and go surfing or if you are a woman to sit back and let any sperm swimming by to impregnate her! If you are in need of finacial assistance in tough times after paying years of taxes, you are told to wait 2 months until you are bankrupt and then they will consider it…… Oh if you are aboriginal or decent of one you can have it all!

7) I will never have the same recognition with my partner as any other married couple who chooses to breed and over populate the planet.
we cant build dams where it rains, no….. we dont know how to build dams where it rains!

9) Neighbours, John Farnham and Bindi Irwin are treasured national icons.

10) If the Australian music industry had a brain it would reinvent itself instead of trying to emulate and copy other world trends… (it cant even do that right)!

That is 10 reasons just off the top of my head and no I dont take myself seriously to believe all of it. I have just had a yerning for a long time to leave as I never felt at home there even before moving to Brisbane from Sydney, always unsettled. I have my Man and puppy there and I love them dearly and miss them and stay there for that reason only. One day this Canadian Wannabe will be a real Canadian, even if it means my ashes are sent over there to rest after I leave this world. That reminds me, must get my Will done!

At Last! Apple has released it’s coolest internet browser SAFARI as a beta program for Mac and PC!

To all my associates who said it was too late for Apple to make an impact in the computer world ….. Kiss My Dust!

Download this Web Browser from Apple at:

http://www.apple.com/safari/

http://www.apple.com/safari/download/

Enjoy a smoother faster web experience!!!!!

There are one or two people I know that have been feeling a little blue lately and really all I can say is "chin up, it’s going to get better,just ride the waves for a short period and you will see a calmer sea ahead.

There are a few songs that I take comfort from in these times, there words just resonate realistic truths and maybe just a touch of soul food.  Here is one of them, so if you feel a little blue too just read and ponder the meaning!

Stand tall, take the blows, never fall
tomorrow just brings you more
take the bitter with the sweet
I know you too well

Life’s incomplete
Till you’ve been ground into the street
Winners take the heat!

We’re Moonlight Dancing
All Alone In our rooms
We brave the storms
We are special

Your Souls feeling hurt
words playing with your mind

Life’s incomplete
Till you’ve been ground into the street
Winners take the heat

We’re Moonlight Dancing
All Alone In our rooms

We’re Moonlight Dancing

All Alone In our rooms

We brave the storms
We are special
we are some other’s hero’s

I am committed to making Manial a Savoury State while I am here! I dont know how to do it or even if I can but damn it it will try!

I dont really have a sweet tooth and everything here is so sweet to eat, bread, hot dogs, peanut butter, you name it …. it’s all laced with fat and sugar. I had big intentions of loosing weight while I was here but that is not going to happen. Did any one say DIET? … Like shut up already!

Anyway I spoke with my man yesterday morning which in reality was my last night ( see how screwed up I am! ) and that always brings a smile to my face…. he has these eyes that have such expression when he talks … he thinks I am laughing at him but he doesnt understand how it just makes me happy!

Other than that I have not much to say, busy and tired as usual …. Funny how I dont miss Australia at all! I miss Darren and Freya but not Australia. I must explain this more later as it would take too long to say the reasons why now, but it goes back many years as to why I have to patriot feelings toward the country and if I ever got the chance to leave it ( and this diminishes year by year! ) why I would not miss it. Another time another story.

Laters!

Dan.

today was a day to catch up on so much needed sleep as in relaity the night before I had been awake for 26 hours straight.

I got a whole 8 hours of beauty rest …. Now all I need is another 2 years of straight sleep to make me the most gorgeous man alive …… like that will ever happen!

I guess today the most interesting observation was how the people from house keeping like to lean on the door bell at my appartment ….. just like the motorists love using the car horns all the bloody time… is it genetic?

I guess theyare such busy people they need to be doing something all the time! I had walked from the window near the dining room to the front door - a whole 5 meters? and they had pressed that bloody bell at least 4 times then sung the door open in my face almost hitting me only to looked surprised that someone was actually standing there staring straight back at them.

“Good afternoon Sir….. House Keeping!”

“No Shit!”

“Can we come in please?”

“may as well as you seem to have the key anyway!”

See how grumpy you can get because of sleep deprivation! I know they mean well and have a job to do but this insistant pressing of the door bell has to stop. They know there are people sleeping in the room and have been warned about there methods to try and wake us up when we have already worked sometimes 13 hour nights. Little bastards.

There internet is also very bad as there is no stable connection in our rooms. One minute we have it the next we dont. Have to rely on spare time at work to do all this writing.

Til next time.

Dan

Any one who knows me knows that I dont have a lot of hair on the top of my head and most of the growth is around the back and sides. I always keep it short now due to the fact that when it grows longer I start looking more like crusty the clown than a man in his late 30’s…. Not pretty at all. I had already had a shower today and washed my hair prior going to the salon below the hotel where I am staying and thought this would be a very quick appointment due to the fact it would only take 10 minutes to run the clippers over my noggin and that would be that.

NOT SO!

I went into the salon and they looked at my scalp in horror …. this is a pretty up market place in Manila to have a haircut and I think they were expecting me to have something they could really work with.

I was rushed to the basin to have my hair washed yet again (even though I asked that they dont wash it, and was ignored), only to see that the basins were quite low to the ground. People in the Philippines are not the tallest race in the world hence the seats and basins were adjusted for their heights. Me being just under six foot, had to launch myself in a rather undignified manor onto the seat with my legs and arse hanging of the seat blocking the workers from passing me whil some little princess did her make believe washing and scalp massage! It’s hard to believe that some one has less hair on his head than an old man’s scrotum, it still takes 15 minutes to wash it.

after this experience I was glad to be wisked away to the chair where I would eventually get my hair cut ….. yep it was a cut rather than clippers as they didnt have clippers. The lady who cut my hair asked what style I wanted …. Smart arse cow! I gave her the look of “give me a break!” and asked that it be cut very short, clipper short…… she took out her scisors and combe and started to cut around the back and the sides, …. one hair at a time….. I was not impressed with this little ladies attitude at all.

Then it came to the top of my head and she let out a few words in Tagailog and laughed …… I was ready to slap this bitch good and propper by now but bit my tounge and waited until she had finished flicking each strand of hair on the top and cutting one at a time.

I have to admit, though it kills me to say so, she did quite a good job for just using scisors for cutting but the snobbery that came from her and the rest of the crew was a little bit much to take.

This cost all up 600 pesos ( I guess around $25 AUD ) about the same what you would pay anywhere in the world for a haircut and I guess this is expensive in Filippino terms but I am quite sure I can fine somewhere eles a lot cheaper and without the expense of the attitude.

well it’s almost 4:00 pm and I will get a snooze in before going to work tonight.

Dan.

Since Monday night was my off (I have learnt that I cannot say Day Off here in Manila as this is the term used for the Maids or help), I have managed to get some much needed accounting done and catch up on sleep as well.

Not really going to venture out much today as I am a little over going to shopping malls and restaurants so will stay quietly in my appartment until it is time to go to work… Oh, I do have to leave to get my hair cut at 2:00 pm as it is in much need of attention.

I still cant get over how chaotic the road ways are here and how it all just works! If this was appening in Australia there would be accidents galore and roadrage would be a national sport! But people here just accept what it is and go about there merry business (in any lane they want too). I cant believe that in all the weeks I have been here I have not seen one police man pull anyone over for running red lights, u-turns into on coming traffic, taking up multiple lanes just because you can….. not one!…. But my taxi driver, on the way to work decised to run an amber light and he gets pulled over and there I sit for 15 minutes while the diver and the police yell at each other….. Ironic!

A country of many contrasts and all as exciting as each other…. I really do like Manila and it’s people are just the best, so warm and friendly!

enough for now ….. should have something more exciting to write about next entry.

Dan

Well it’s a Monday morning at work iin Manila (5.03am) end of my shif and I have had the 40th person asking me if I have a Friendster account…….. Well now I do!

I have been in Manila a little over 4 weeks now and can only say the experience has been the most enriching and rewarding in my career.

The people in the Philippines are the most hospitable and friendly bunch of humans I have ever met. Not to mention the best cooks in the world.

I will try and update my Blog daily for thes of you out there who are interested in reading it. I cant say that it will be the most interesting read you will have but it may be amusing in a strange way and could offer an insight to what goes on in my head on a daily basis.

If your not scared now with this prospect then you will be!

Dan.