11 July 2003

The moon is described as waxing gibbous by the Mac application Moondock. The moon is 97% visible in the sky. It winks at me from the skye. Hiding its left side, the moon is bright tonight. It will be larger and bigger tomorrow.

Perhaps the moon has made me more philosophical tonight. But I find myself blogging after taking a break for about two weeks or so. I went to Sinugba in Daly City and dined on the Pusitsilog breakfast dish. As always, the dish was great comfort food. Grilled squids as large as your fingers, two eggs looking like the sun, rice topped with fried garlic. Only Filipino will eat fried rice and meat for breakfast. I blame the heat of the Philippine day for forcing Pin@ys to develop the breakfast of athletes. One needs the extra carbohydrate load of rice because of the heat in the Philippines. Otherwise, you will pass out in the jeepney ride on the way to work.

If you think about it, there is a constant stream of food being served into the caverns of Pin@y stomachs. Again, it is probably to combat the burning gaze of the sun. Feeling tired? How about some pan de sal? Feeling hot? How about hopia? Feeling hungry? Time for lunch. Lethargy setting in? Have some champurado for merienda. Got home from school or work? Have a snack. The sun just set? It's time for dinner. With enough carbohydrates, you too can become Pin@y. Heart disease and diabetes, anyone? Anyone?

An acquaintance Darlene is going to the Philippines on Sunday. Darlene's extremely excited about the trip. She was vibrating while we ate dinner. I wished her luck on her trip. She asked why I never went back. I replied that it was interesting to me how Pin@y-Americans and even some older Pin@ys always enjoyed going back. I personally felt that a certain part of innocence will die once you see the extreme poverty in the Philippines. I don't think I could face it again. I can't help being a coward. I guess for me, it is better than being someone who ignores it. Of course, as I walk everyday, I see the poverty here too. I don't do anything to ameliorate the situation. Damn, I'm a double coward.

Actually, I do act on poverty. I try not to give money to chronic panhandlers. After all, I figure that decisions led to each person's situation. They got to that point, it is up to them to get out of it. I have to believe in the general abilities of people to get themselves out of the situation that they fall into. I can because my family did it. Of course, it had to be my parents who sacrificed their lives. But in the end, each life must have sacrifices.

I made a deal with Darlene. Videotape your Philippine adventure and give me a copy of the video, and I buy dinner. Not a bad deal for her. Not a bad deal for me. She had the bangus, I get to see the good old motherland with its searing heat.