Bisaya Bloggers

I had talked about a baro at saya day in a previous post. But I'm really most comfortable in a malong. Driving home from Idaho on a hot afternoon was surprisingly nice in the breathable fabric. Here I am at a lookout off westbound I-90 over Columbia River. You can see the Vantage Bridge in the distance.

I remember seeing the bridge for the first time (driving eastward). I literally gasped. It was awesome to see a huge body of water after long stretches of desert-like sights. I <3 bridges.

Tracey over at iPost therefore I am sent me my first 2008 postcard. Yay!

Look at those boats dotting the water in the background!

Left: American Kestrel
Right: Florida Panther

I used to belong to a Philately club when I was in grade school. My collection was kick-ass because I inherited old stamps from my godmother. Stamps from places I've never heard of. When I moved away for high school, my sister inherited my collection.

This newly discovered hobby (future addiction?) makes me happy in two ways: I get to "travel" through my postcards, and I get to meet new stamps. Long live postcards!

Thank you for the treat, Tracey!

It's amazing how much sunshine and some warmth can lift one's spirits. I didn't even realize I do get affected by SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).

In any case, I was able to enjoy the warm sun with my kids this morning. Ahh, everything looked and felt better. I was in a better mood, and was a better teacher because of that little bit of sunshine.

Then, I ran a personal errand during my extended lunch break (which turned into two hours, instead of the expected 1.5-hour affair). I walked around Seattle's International District and in Pioneer Square, just basking in the sun's rays. How I wished for my sunglasses, but even that didn't affect my mood. Only coming back to get cooped up at work made the corners of my mouth turn downwards. *sigh*

As I was waiting for my bus, I was suddenly reminded of the excursions I had taken in the middle of the day when I went on vacation. I remember thinking how wonderful it was to be walking in the sunshine, when I could have been stuck at work.

Toward the end of the day, the warmth of the sun still lingered. As I walked Seattle's streets, I was able to smell food aromas wafting from open restaurants. I stopped walking, and closed my eyes. I remember the wonderful smell of roasted chicken by the side of the roads in Cebu City.

Ahhh... I need to go on vacation once again. I really really really need it.

I have one coming up in October (*sigh* still way too far away). Maybe I should add something to my travel experience. Being a picky eater and possessing of a not-so-adventurous stomach, I don't like to try to eat everything when I travel. But then I realize, I can expand my horizons just a little bit. Perhaps in my future trips, I can try this. Whenever I smell something delicious in the air, I should look for it, ask for it and eat it. Okay, at the very least, I'll try it. If the food smells stinky, that should be for a more adventurous tummy.

Ang malas ko naman! I had just gotten back into the groove of snail mail again, when USPS announces price increases, effective May 12, 2008. Forever Stamps can still be used even after the price change. Five billion of them are ready to meet the increased demand before the price change.

According to the website:

First-Class Mail letter (1 oz.) $0.42 First-Class Mail letter (2 oz.) $0.59 Postcard $0.27 First-Class Mail large envelope (2 oz.) $1.00 Certified Mail $2.70 First-Class Mail International to Canada and Mexico (1 oz.) $0.72 First-Class Mail International to all other countries (1 oz.) $0.94

Argh. And I was going to resume writing to my international buddies once again. Pretty soon, each piece of mail will cost a dollar. This is why I love me the internets.

Are you interested in learning Tagalog? Are you fluent in Tagalog and want to help others practice their Tagalog language skills? Are you semi-fluent in Tagalog and would like to practice your own skills?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, and live in the Seattle area, take a close look at the announcement below.

Conversational Tagalog 1

Free classes start on Feb. 12^th

Tuesdays 7 pm ANSWER Seattle

1423 10^th Avenue (basement between East Pike and East Union beside Moe bar

Tel. no.- 206-568-1661

Contact: Ago Pedalizo, coordinator, Alliance for a Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines (AJLPP), alliance_seattle@yahoo.com

Things to learn:

• Using Common Everyday Greetings and Inquiries

• Extending Greetings, Giving Instructions, and Taking Leave

• Asking for Tagalog Equivalents and Identifying Objects

• Identifying Persons and Occupations

Fluent/semi-fluent Tagalog speakers can come as co-facilitators!

Please RSVP as seats are very limited.

E-Mail: alliance_seattle@yahoo.com

Ano na? Sali ka? So, do you want to join?

Wow, a year has passed, and the second Emerald City Search has ended. While last year's ended after the third clue, we got to the eighth day this year. The winning searcher for the Japanese themed medallion shows it off in this Seattle Times article.

Congrats, Mr. Barnes. I am glad to hear of your search. I love the fact that he actively looked for it. He even beat two ladies who were also heading towards the bench under which the medallion was hidden. It would have been anticlimactic if nobody found the medallion, or worse, someone clueless stumbled upon it.

I was following the newspaper for new clues, but I am too slow to figure it out. My guesses were all over the place. I never guessed "Harbor Island," that's for sure.

Anyway, I know next year's quest is going to come quickly. Wonder what the theme will be.

It's snowing hard in the Puget Sound, again. They say it's going to be icy tomorrow. Here we go again. Sana walang pasok bukas.

Weather has been crazy, but I still remain the same. I have no time for anything else besides my Asian dramas. Basically, all I've been doing is watching My Lovely Sam Soon--again. I know. I. LOVE. IT.

Watching Asian dramas makes me withdraw into myself. I spend a lot of time thinking, and of course, watching several hour-long episodes in one sitting. Also, I get this inexplicable need to write in my secret journals.

But when people ask what I've been up to, I find myself shrugging, "Nothing." As if it's something unimportant.

Yep, and I mean that literally! A few of my family, as in the kanahan ones (sorry to those who cannot understand my Cebuano. This word just do not have an English equivalent), went to Jetty Island. "Hu-where?" you ask.

Jetty Island is a 2-mile long, man-made island, 2-minute ferry ride from Everett, Washington. On its west side, swimming is allowed. So, the cousins minus Faith and Kuya Rodell, went swimming.

I had so much fun, screaming my heart out when I realized the water was a little cold, getting buried in the sand, and playing with the waves. Wow, I was so pooped, that when I got to the Punta headquarters, a.k.a. Lolo's place, I fell asleep after a cup of coffee. I had so much fun. This *might* last me until I get to Cebu and Camiguin next summer. I cannot wait.

P.S. Happy Birthday, Kezia! Sand, anyone? LOL

Pictures, hopefully, to follow