Tragic Comedy

When I tell people I don't watch tv because I don't have one, they don't know how or what to take me for. My reasoning is this, " What do I do with all that information?"
I scour the web for news that interests me, and most of the time I find that there's really nothing that I need to know. But even though 95 percent of the news I read on the paper about Cebu irks me, to say the least, I still try to scan the headlines at least once a week. Just so I know if a typhoon came and flushed my apartment to the river. Today, the above picture and caption below made me chuckle.
"Firefighters, assisted by 10 residents, had to push one of Oslob’s firetrucks to the scene of the fire, 50 meters away, so that it could pump water to put out the blaze."

Oslob is a town south of where my apartment in Cebu is. An old church built in the late 1800 was gutted by a fire that could have been prevented if they had a fire truck. And why don't they have a working fire truck? The mayor said the clutch was needing repair. I could not get mad anymore, and I could not afford a laugh, I can only chuckle. Corruption happens in all levels of life whether it is in Cebu, Sudan or America so I should not waste my breath lambasting the corrupt politicians in the Philippines anymore. Remember, I am tired of politicians.

But Filipinos are different. We are the only culture that takes a lot and forgets too soon. Spanish colonization? That's ok, at least we inherited the "mestizo" look. Japanese bayonet? Ooh, but at least we got Toyota surpluses.

Corrupt politicos? Shhh...they gave us a can of sardines in exchange for our votes-- remember?

Silda Spitzer and Us

For the life of me I could not ride on the bandwagon of "Take the kids and run Silda" as what some of Mrs. Spitzers' friend's are telling her. I read comments like, "she wasted her time on a fraud, why is she standing by his side inspite of what he has done?" Pleeees--I am so sick of this people trying to act sanctimonious. Why is it that people are so quick to pass judgement or give advice? Another comment says- " I can't believe that she gave up her career to support this husband who cheated on her." What an idiotic comment!!! How many of us get married and predict exactly how that husband or wife will turn out? If machineries break down and gives us trouble, so does live human beings! Come on idiots! What could be a better career than to run a household, and manage your husband? Is there anything better than raising children and training them in the way that they should go? (Even though some of them chose to become head gangbangers instead of becoming the PUS) Everything in life is a choice and a gamble. (Except the choice to accept Jesus as your Savior) You work for a company and become a CEO, make millions in salaries and bonuses, make the company grow and make more millions or you could work for a company and get fired before you get to buy the perfect picture frame for your desk. In everything we take a chance, but I think I would rather take a chance on a more meaningful endeavor, like massaging human beings not stocks and figures. But then again, that's just me.

Silda's so-called friends are advising her "to leave the scum." What I have observed about people who are quick to give advice to people who are in a tight situation, is that they are the same people who would not know what to do when put in the same situation. Only Silda knows the real Eliot, only Silda knows what's good for her and her children. Only Silda knows what she is capable of. Silda is a trusted aide of Eliot -and he claims that publicly, reason that he gave her an office next to his. And she was one of the few in his inner circle to advise him not to resign in haste. And I think the same tactic she will use in her marriage--if and when she leaves him, it will NOT be in haste. I don't feel sorry for Silda, I feel sorry for her friends. She hasn't lost her mind yet, her so-called supporters already has. But this I say of a true friend, you stand alongside and shut up. When asked of your advice, you give them your opinion or better yet, give them a parable like Jesus did. But then again, that's just me.

Why are we so interested in the sex lives of our politicians? Why are we awakened, if not catapulted to think everytime we read or hear about someones philanderings? At work, I talk about the rising gas prices and the dollar driving south, and everyone just gives me a courteous but hardly audible " I know." As if saying, aw shut up, what can we do about it? But when I said, "The governor of New York hired a prostitute" everyone's head craned to look at me " Reaally? When?"

Is it the sex or the politicians? I thought we are tired of politicians, reason we don't vote anymore. Bloggers and columnists are busy keeping this Spitzer thing alive. And almost all of them are saying the same thing, Silda, leave the jerk and move on. But there's a hidden or subconscious motive to everyone's writings and opinions on this matter --to find meaning to Silda's predicament in the hope that we too can find meaning in ours.

Why can't we leave Silda Spitzer alone? Meghan Daum in her column with LA Times says it well.
" No wonder we keep searching for meaning in a story whose real meaning is something we don't exactly want to know."

I crossed 50

I don't even remember my password to get in to my blogger account. Yeah, it's been a while. I did not want to write anymore and still don't. But today, I feel that I have to start again. But what do I want to talk about? Let's start with how I feel about turning 50, well, it is not "turning" anymore because it arrived 8 months ago. In my previous blog I talked about turning 50 and how much I looked forward to it. I said that because I had fun in my 40's. Even with my conversations being peppered with words like peri, menopause and hormonal avalanche, I had more highs than lows. It was a mentally and emotionally challenging years but momentous nonetheless. But now everything is taxing - physically, emotionally and mentally. I have slowly accepted the fact that Victoria can no longer hold my Secret. Thongs still fit but only if I wear it in between my toes. Regardless that I adjust the strap all the way to my shoulder to pull them totoys up, they still like to race as to which one would get to the knees first. My friend Lynn used to offer me her daughters used clothes, now she offers me hers.
Four years ago, my doctor told me to start doing exercises that builds muscles to avoid thickening around the waist. I reasoned that I need to sleep more than I need to squat and besides, I need fat for padding for when I round them corners carelessly. I should have listened because now, I can't turn a corner without strategic planning. Not only does my knees crackle, my hip needs 2 weeks advance notice before it will even turn.

So what am I trying to say? Fifty is definitely different. It makes me rethink of my position in life. I no longer think so much of where I should live (Philippines or Texas) but where I should be buried. Only a year ago, I wished for a husband to enjoy the days of travel and food adventures with me. Only a year ago, I imagined a husband to cuddle up with on cold nights but now, I get panic attacks just thinking about sharing my 600 count bedsheets and not being able to sleep diagonally across my king size bed.

But really, being 50 is not all bad. Fifty is the springtime of the second half of our life---euphemism for menopause. At 50, I have become more philosophical to which I can do things I am not supposed to do or skip the things I am expected to do. All can be explained away by saying, "Well, you know, since I turned 50, I don't retain much information; the only thing I retain now is water."
When people say nasty things about me, I have a hard time putting together who said what and when.
And when I am praised or given a compliment, I don't get a big head--I simply grin and silently say "of course, because I'm perfect."
As Dr. Christiane Northrup says : Menopause is the perfect time to download who we are and play it out loud.