Chateileen, Real Estate, and Jollibee

At first glance, I thought that the fallen angel's blog was titled Chateileen. I took pause for a few minutes wondering at the thought of the fallen angel going through all manner of dictionaries, encyclopedias and god knows what else just to find a word that contains her name. I mumbled "Boy the angel's wings have really undergone a growth spurt." Or else, Jose Garcia Villa, the anchored angel, has begun visiting and lecturing the fallen angel on building a cult based on one's personality. Amazingly enough, I found "chatelaine" in a book I was reading. Leave it to the fallen angel to be avant and yet hip. I don't know how she does it.

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I took the real estate class final for the class today. I was studying for the whole week. I am planning on taking the test to obtain a real estate license. As the test was beginning, one of the students tried to close the door. The door opens to the outside and it was about 60 degrees inside the classroom. The classroom was a little chilly. The teacher told her not to touch the door and that it was his responsibility.

Throughout the semester, Mr. Scott the teacher has been trying to teach everyone how to give respect. After all, if you are going to serve clients as a real estate agent, are you not supposed to give respect to them? Unfortunately, people are too stubborn to get it. Or, their pride is too high. I don't get it.

Maybe Mr. Scott's reprimand was a little too sharp. I did not think so. However, she gave Mr. Scott attitude. Not just disrespect. It was outright hostility. (Personally, I don't think she will make it as a real estate agent. Can't handle pressure) He calmly told her that she could take the final on Tuesday if she was not feeling well. Well, if you are having a bad day, wouldn't you do the same?

She missed out on the exam which had about 30 repeat questions!!! What that means is that you basically have about 40 to 60 points. At the end of the class, Professor Scott pretty much decided that he will rewrite the exam to make it harder. So, little Ms. Attitude gets the short end of the stick.

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Which brings me to a ride to San Francisco to visit a jewelry store, Arkipelago books and Jollibee. Shreve Jewelers because it's that time of the relationship when you gotta back up your intentions with some hardware. To the credit of the so, she has excellent taste. Is it coincidence or is it providence when the SO has the same exact taste in jewelry as my mother? Frankly, I'm amazed.

The Mikimoto collection of necklaces and jewelry was a great favorite of my mother. Pearls. White. Black. There is something magical about the internal secretions of an oyster that encases a grain of sand in a cage of beauty. The grain of sand is transformed to an object of desire. A bain for the oyster but a delight for man.

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Speaking of delights, have you visited Arkipelago bookstore in the Mission lately? They have books that will satisfy everyone's desires. From anthologies of literature and poetry to historical studies about the Philippines, it's all there.

I happened to meet at Arkipelago the painter Rico Galvez. Hopefully, he'll have a website soon so that you can see his works. We ended up discussing art and its various manifestations and subjects. I specifically mentioned about being colonized in this day and age. I cited as an example this book which shows in photographs the devotion of Pilipinos to the religious statues. the photos were taken during the various processions during the town's fiestas. I pointed out that the majority of the statues resembled and were modeled after Caucasians.

Rico mentioned this "experiment" he wanted to do where he asks Filipino-American actors to select the image of god among the following pictures: an Asian, a black man, a Caucasian and a Filipino. It will be interesting to see who they choose.

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At the end of that conversation, I had to eat. Since I was in the Mission next to the Moscone Center, I figured I should drop by Jollibee. Ah, Jollibee, home away from home of Pinoys. The one place where a Pinoy can visit and instantly, he is back in the crowded streets of the Philippines. I ordered the number 11. Three pieces of chicken joy with rice and sauce. NO vegetables at all. The vegetables are in the burgers made from Angus beef. I have not seen a Pinoy go to Jollibee and order burgers. They always seem to get the chicken joy. I suppose you can always get a burger at McDo. But joy from chicken? Only from Jollibee.