For your Reading Pleasure...

Philippine Folk Tales

Excerpt from The Creation Story:
"Now at this time the land breeze and the sea breeze were married, and they had a child which was a bamboo. One day when this bamboo was floating about on the water, it struck the feet of the kite which was on the beach. The bird, angry that anything should strike it, pecked at the bamboo, and out of one section came a man and from the other a woman."

via caterina.net

posted by gian 7/31/2002 03:59:55 PM

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Still Recovering...
We have to remember that we're not as young as we used to be. Philip and I both agreed that we shouldn't stay out late into the night on a work night(similar to a school night). We had fun and all, but we need our routine back...

We shopped for a belated birthday present for Con yesterday. It seemed like we were shopping around Toys R Us for ourselves. They have Bob the Builder everything! How come Bob the Builder is so popular? We didn't cave into mass marketing sceme though...we got picked out something straight out of our childhood, classic fun. Too bad they use more plastic than metal now...Then we went on a quest to find a METAL lunchbox. 3 stores later and nothing suitable.

We found something special over at lunchboxshop.com. So, over there in Fresno, don't get freaked out if a package arrives at your door addressed to your 5 year old...
Philip went crazy over this one:


Check out the Vintage Gallery - a Knight Rider Lunchbox sold for $175.35!

So my husband and I got all nostalgic and started surfing the web for TV shows we used to watch when we were little. Check out Yesterdayland.com - Saturday Morning
Do you recognize these?


Philip said that he never knew that Banana Splits was called Banana Splits when he was little. So when I asked him if he watched Banana Splits he said they didn't have that in Hawaii. We were also trying to find that Educational show Boomerang. You know the song...
The Boomerang
The Boomerang
What does it do? (What does it do?)
It comes back to you (It comes back to you)

And the blonde lady and the kids are out by a big barn and she lets the kids jump in the hay...Do you remember that one? Darvin?

What was your favorite show from childhood?

posted by gian 7/30/2002 08:49:54 AM

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handwriting repair for my HORRID handwriting...

I wrote a letter to my cousin last week. I started with paper and pen, but eventually gave up and typed it out on the computer and printed it. My handwritting is HORRID!

It didn't help much that I was never gifted with neatness in penmanship. I was always the one that never got "GREAT!" sticker on my coloring sheet when I was little. I went out the lines(...but my work always had a great color scheme). I don't think I was ever taught to print or write cursive correctly. And now my husband makes fun of me. He, on the other hand, has beautiful handwriting. (But ironically can never think of anything to write, AND he takes up precious time to write out a grocery list, which looks beautiful, but took ten minutes to think of and write out!)

Over a long lunch "hour" with some friends at work, we had a discussion about the decaying art of penmanship.
Good points:
-it didn't help that in Engineering school, notes consist of numbers and formulas and not words and sentances to write out
-it didn't help that in Engineering school, the professor's notes were always better than your own, so you could just read along
-it doesn't help that I sit in front of a computer 8 hours a day and type and click
-it doesn't help that I can go home after 8 hours in front of a computer and be on the computer at home for as long as I want.

Other realizations about myself and my HORRID handwriting:
-even when people say their handwriting is bad, compared to mine it's pretty nice
-my handwriting is HORRID, because my brain works faster than my hand writes and I want the thought out of my head and on the paper before I forget it. So looking beautiful is not first priority
-I'm ashamed of my HORRID penmanship
-I need help and practice!

For all of you in the same boat...
Handwriting Repair - Did you know that bad handwriting can be deadly? ie, illegible perscriptions written by MD's with HORRID, HORRID handwriting.

-g

posted by gian 7/26/2002 03:11:00 PM

. . .

my forehead is peeling and now its splotchy...Dead, dark flakes of skin on my keyboard...ewwww....

a cool link for darv. cool flash site: Eric's Scribble Thing via caterina.net

posted by gian 7/24/2002 02:39:50 PM

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Its all about the experience...



Real Orcas in their natural environment. Nothing like Shamu at Sea World. The real deal...
The captain of the vessal played the flute to lure them in, and the captain's dog spirit barked when he spotted them. The alpha male in the Orca family was Ruffles, named for the ruffles on his dorsel fin. Huge and 51 years old. Members of his family were named Oreos and Double Stuff.

As you can see our stay at the Outlook Inn on Orcas Island was wonderful. We also went sea kayaking. Great memories, plus a great sunburn!

-g

posted by gian 7/22/2002 05:05:15 PM

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Speechless...



we also have ?love live and blackthought live

posted by gian 7/18/2002 12:12:45 AM

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Fotos from Disneyland, via Fresno


Wow, I wish their uncle and I could have been there too!
BTW, Connor said he didn't like those guys in the masks at all. "There's a guy in there and I don't like him."
Andrea, on the other hand, said she saw Winnie the Pooh and gave him a hug and a kiss.

posted by gian 7/17/2002 12:26:55 PM

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Last night, I heard an angel sing

The concert was just great.

Special guest The Roots had us up dancing and moving.
then she came out like she's showing up for work and had me captivated. Just her and a guitar and her words. She made us sit still and listen. God has spoken to her and she was speaking to us. I hope all who were there were really, truely listening.

(a picture is coming, cause we were really close and didn't get our camera taken away)

posted by gian 7/17/2002 08:14:29 AM

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Monday morning
Got off to a late start today...Darv was the one who reminded me to get up, instead of me reminding him. He's learning my secrets! Philip leaves so early that he could wake me up and leave for work while I'm in the shower. He just assumes that his wife is up and running. Little does he know that his wife sometimes lays in bed after her shower just to get 10 more minutes of sleep. Little does he know that his wife, sometimes calls into her 7:30 am conference call in her pajamas, lying on the couch, closing her eyes.
I must go to sleep earlier tonight.

At dinner last night, we were talking fighting with our significant others. "Why do you want to fight? I don't want to fight so stop it." The guys reminded me of a time that I was so mad at Philip. I had forgotten. I realize now how much we've grown since then. It sounds kinda sappy, but because our anniversary is coming up it's good to stop and reflect on the past year. Amie was around us everydayand night, whether she liked it or not, before we were married. An eight year relationship before we were married. I think she knows us different than we are now.

People would ask, "So what's it feel like to be married?," when we first came home from our honeymoon. Philip would always answer that its the same except we live together now(I'm there when he wakes up). But stopping to think about it, it is different and for the better. Conflict before we were married, started (for me) from feelings of an unsure future. Not that I thought we wouldn't marry, but WHEN we would marry and actually start our life. I was getting pretty impatient after the 7 year. And now?...

I'm content.(and often more than content. You could call it gushing) It's great knowing he'll be there when I get home. It's great knowing I have someone to help me make decisions. It's great knowing he'll take care of me if I get sick or sad or mad. It's just great...

That's pretty revealing, huh? so I better shut up now. Yeah for a 4 day work week, this week and next. Excited for our 1 year anniversary weekend get away. I want to kayak around Orcas island! we'll see...
-g

posted by gian 7/15/2002 10:45:15 AM

. . .

We drove around town late last night.(me and the guys) It felt a little like highschool...

Couple Mahal came over to share in our leftovers and Philly Cheese steaks. Almost all was eaten, except for the veggies. tsk, tsk, tsk...
It is I,
Captain Vegetable,
With my carrot
and my celery.
Eating crunchy vegetables
Is good for me.
And they're good for you,
So eat them, too.
For teeth so strong,
Your whole life long,
Eat celery
and carrots by the bunch.
Three cheers for me, Captain Vegetable,
Crunch, crunch, crunch!

I have a dentist appointment at an undisclosed time. I wonder if traffic will be bad? With the sun shining, it might be necessary to leave just a little earlier than my scheduled early leave...

;-)

Good weekend to you!!!
-g

posted by gian 7/12/2002 01:31:55 PM

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Day Dreaming of Maui

CHAHOOO!

Listening to KPOA at work!

Makes me happy, but vacation sick. Reminds me of our Kaanapali Honeymoon. Could Maui be calling us to visit again?

I felt like I could live there. We always heard lots of radioadds for jobs on Maui. One of us could've applied to be and ATM Maintentance Person. Maybe I'll get my master's in Physics/Astronomy. Then I could be transferred and be a Mauian! I could work atop Haleakala. Or we could wait 30 years and retire. Island Living...

posted by gian 7/11/2002 10:19:22 AM

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Sometimes I find things that are worth sharing. Via kottke.org

A Near Death Experience Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer meets with two almost suicide bombers.

The subject is something I'm fuzzy on. I just haven't educated myself with the war in the Middle East. I don't ever try to give my own solution for something that is unsolvable. The article is pretty interesting. The two almost shaheed(martyr)'s tell how they got involved in the Jihad. It proves the problem is in not political. Palistinians are fighting for their religion, their people, thier being and at the same time killing themselves along with innocent Israeli's. And I'm sure the Israeli's are doing the same to themselves.
Pretty sad...

posted by gian 7/09/2002 12:44:25 PM

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Grapefruit with salt for breakfast



Billy Blanks says we take good care of our cars, but don't take good care of our bodies. So, I did the 8 minute Taebo workout before bed. I told Darvin not to watch me, but I think tonight Darvin, Philip and I are going to have Taebo class.

...We'll just see how long Billy Blanks can motivate me...

posted by gian 7/09/2002 09:24:19 AM

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It's so hard to be back...4 days in a row away from work, all thanks to using sickleave on the 5th.

Weekend Update...Jammed pack!!!

Welcome home to Darv and visit from Stacey. They wouldn't accompany us to the weekly family dinner. They should know we consider them family. Silly...
After dinner, late night at Jo&Maya's future house. Stories of BTown Boys throwing poop at eachother. I hope Jona was entertained.

Picked up Jayme and Tara midmorning on the 4th. Lunch at Zeek's w/ stories of teenage fun in Europe. Off to the store to get supplies for the day. We found a great spot right by the water, right in front of the fireworks barge @ Gasworks. A seven hour wait! Good thing we found Djan&Gab&Sofia&Daniela. Great to spend the 4th together again @ Gasworks. Last time we did it there was only Sofia, who was then as big as Daniela is now. (Can it really be 8 years ago?!!) I taught Sofia how to play WAR and SPEED, but she wanted to call the later, SLOW instead. When the show finally started, we were huddled together on one blanket with two blankets on top of us. Beautiful show...spine tingling. (photos to come, once philip lets me sit down at our computer at home)

"Hi this is gian...I'm using sickleave today."
"OK."
Back to bed, awaking hours later to try out the new Taebo DVD. I only made it through half of the first workout. Phil woke up and tried the 8 minute workout with his fighting gloves, but refused to stretch with Billy Blanks. Call from jojo to meet for lunch.
Hawaiian BBQ. Spam masubi, Mac salad, 3 bites of lomi salmon, & Kalua pig. I couldn't finish it all...
Dash to the mall and drive to Tacoma for Wedding Rehearsal. Old college FSA crowd. Can't believe these two are doing this after 9 years. just wonderful. After rehearsal, working rehearsal dinner. Last minute projects to help with so the bride and groom could sleep before their big day.

Awoke early for primping and dressing. Drive to church w/ stop at MCDoh for cheeseburger breakfast. The second longest picture session ever(last year at our wedding felt the longest to me)...FINALLY, they wed. Philip thought she would giggle, I thought I would cry...but to our surprise, SHE actually got choked up when she put the ring on his finger and I do believe there were tears of joy. Beautiful, Fun, and a bit crazy. A wonderful day...(pictures to follow when my husband lets me on our computer at home)

Sleep over at Auntie Julie's to avoid a late night drive. Breakfast at noon and PJ's all day. Auntie Lynne came over for a quick visit and said "I love it!" everytime the thunder rumbled. She's funny...We finally left at 5pm, trying to avoid a drive home in thunder& lightning.
Dioji was so excited to see us, but left a muddy paw print on my pants. A hug and screem for him and then a quick tiddying up of the house. Farewell dinner for Jona @ Bahn Thai. She was sad to return to Chicago....Up late again w/ the BTown Boys. Mixture of oootooot made me stop in my tracks. Should've known it was my husband. Visit from the Groom(another BTown Boy) to view wedding photos and visit for awhile. Finally went to sleep.

Wow, I think that's enough...

posted by gian 7/08/2002 09:38:16 AM

. . .

So Jayme's home from Europe!
We waited and waited for her to come out of the teminal past the security gates. Seems like hours. Mom finally spots Jayme's messy pony tail and starts jumping up and down, (real high pitch screem)"THERE'S JAYME! THERE'S JAYME!"
Mom runs into the isle waving and jumping up and down. Here comes Jayme pushing past her friends and running into mom's arms...
I was laughing at them w/ teary eyes. All this for going on just a 2 week high school trip, you'd think she'd been away for years.

I guess we missed her just a bit. WELCOME HOME JaymeJaym!

p.s. Jayme said Florence smells like poo...

posted by gian 7/03/2002 03:04:42 PM

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We'll miss you Fr. Paul!

We had our farewell for Fr. Paul at St. Ben's yesterday. It was amazing. We experienced a completely different way to celebrate mass. African Drummers and Dancers leading the processional. We sent Fr. Paul to Africa with a bang. It was a joyous moment when the BOOK was danced around and presented to Father to read the Gospel. All were teary eyed when Fr. Paul, told the whole congregation that we've fulfilled his ministry.

My faith has grown and florished in the 7 years he's been with us. He's made me see all the Church can give me and all I can give the Church.

I trolled around and found some cool articles:
Seattle Times: More than 1,000 people attend goodbye picnic for Father Waldie Actually, this is article describes the day we paid tribute to the Oblates of Mary Immaculate for serving our parish since the 1800's.

Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Mission in Zambia Even though the African Drummers and dancers who came to our church on Sunday were from Senegal, our celebration tried to capture the same celebration Fr. Paul will be having in Zambia. This website shows some pictures from the mission in Zambia. There's dancing and singing. I wish I could go visit him there someday.

Other stuff I found while trolling the Seattle Times
Seattle Times: Use of word 'Oriental' restricted by law

posted by gian 7/01/2002 09:28:07 AM

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