Long Drives and Flags at Half Mast

Whew, today I drove 3 hours straight to Kingston, then back to 'Sauga for almost 5 hours. That's like going to Manhattan from Toronto. Yeesh. Man, I really dislike long drives. What a waste of time. Even if there's no traffic and you have enough open road to go 160 to 170 kph, driving that long just isn't fun. I ain't no Sunday driver ... you know, the ones that take their sweet time on the road. Nah-uh. I don't know why but whenever I take a long drive, the psycho drivers come out and try to kill me. What's that all about? A while ago this elderly dude forgot to check his blindspot and almost rammed me from the side. I didn't even have time to honk at him. Now it wouldn't have bothered me if that happened in the Philippines cuz 1) Looking at one's blindspot isn't a popular thing to do, and 2) Your spider sense is working 100% when driving there. But here in Canada, all the easy driving and the general adherence to the rules of the road dulls one's senses. So reacting to wacko drivers doesn't come as naturally. What makes long drives extra annoying is the fact that you have to be aware of the cops. Halfway to my destination, I spotted a cop car speeding along towards my rear. That almost gave me a heart attack. Thank goodness his lights didn't come on, cuz 4 demerit points and a $395 fine don't sound too pleasant. Coppers are quite unreasonable, and they are freakin huge .. even the estrogen filled ones. Sometimes, I wonder if they have anything better to do ... you know, like catch real criminals? They're really good at eating donuts and handing out speeding tickets though. They don't even give you the chance to make up some semi-believable excuse. No tong accepted either. So thank goodness for the person who got caught speeding on the way back. Your thoughtfulness was greatly appreciated by me and my fellow drivers. Long drives and cops are like water and oil, or vodka and Tylenol. They just don't mix.

On the way I heard on the radio about a controversy in Port Perry about the Canadian flag at half mast. On the weekend, a city councillor lowered the flag to half mast in remembrance of and respect for a Canadian soldier that recently died in Afghanistan. Apparently, this is the responsibility of the municipal workers' union as agreed upon years ago in it's collective bargaining agreement with the city. The councillor's actions caused such an uproar that the union filed a grievance against him. WTF!? Hmm ... let me get this straight. Canadian soldier dies. Nobody's working at city hall on weekend. City councillor decides to lower flag. Therefore, city coucillor is a d*** and must pay for his insolence!

Unbelievable.

Guess unions and flags don't mix either.

Woof!

So I was watching some segment on CNN today and at the end it talked a bit about the Chinese horoscope. Although that stuff isn't really my thing, it sounded quite interesting so I looked it up and found that I was born in the year of the dog. Oddly enough, 2006 is also the year of the dog. A short summary of this sign goes like this:

DOG: The Dog will never let you down. Born under this sign you are honest, and faithful to those you love. You are plagued by constant worry, a sharp tongue, and a tendency to be a fault finder, however. You would make an excellent businessman, activist, teacher, or secret agent.

Hmm ... okay. Some stuff are accurate, others aren't really. Let's see ... businessman? That's not bad. Activist? Nah. Teacher? Maybe. Secret agent? Ooh, I like that. A more lengthy, and detailed description is:

Dog people are loyal and honest and obedient, guardians of the house at night. They can be counted on to keep secrets and for always doing the right thing. They can be emotionally distant and do not mix well in social gatherings where they are often seen as wallflowers. They do better with one-on-one relationships and find happiness in the happiness they bring to others, such as finding the most perfect gifts for their friends. While it is true that they have sharp tongues and are a bit stubborn and eccentric, in a work situation they tend to work very well with other people. What is more, they always seem to have money and make excellent leaders. Because of their high moral stance, they are inspiring beyond measure.

Oookay. Always seem to have money? If only that were true. I guess 'seem' is the operative word here. Now do I have a sharp tongue? As far as I know I don't think so, well at least, not all the time. Hmm ... that line about finding happiness in bringing happiness to others is definitely true, but doesn't everyone? Oh, this line was actually missing from that paragraph:

Sizzling Rice Soup and Chinese Cabbage are among the keys to good health!!

Wonderful! That's always nice to know. Guess I know what I'm having for lunch tomorrow. Now it turns out that there are actually different types of dogs corresponding to the different elements, kinda like Captain Planet. There's a Metal Dog, Water Dog, Wood Dog, Fire Dog, and Earth Dog. What!? No Hot Dog? Ehehehe. Ahem. I happen to be classified as a Water Dog. That's perfectly fine with me even if I can't swim very well. Metal and wood dogs seem like they wouldn't have much personality. A Fire dog reminds me of asocena, and an Earth dog must mean it's dead. Water dog it is. It says that:

Water Dogs are real charmers, easily attracting friends and colleagues into their inner circle. Handling the ins and outs of human relations is so easy for them! They know how to smooth over any personal situation with their kind, honest, easy-going nature. Always empathetic, always rational, their ability to play Devil's Advocate helps open up whole new ways of approaching problems and finding solutions. Their views on life are expansive because of an ingrained wanderlust which has taken and will continue to take them to exotic locales about the globe. They adapt like chameleons to new environments and new people and their lives are all-encompassing, full of rich adventure. Financial and career success comes to the Water Dogs later in life -- just watch these late bloomers burst open! Regarding their love life, when it comes to dating and romance, their temperature ranges from hot to cold, from one extreme to another. Sometimes they want a commitment, other times they run Geronimo. But, when true love finally comes, and it will, they have it made. Their relationships are filled with good honest communication and genuine kindness and total caring for their partner. Marriage will be as firm as the Rock of Gibraltar.

Whoa, that sounds pretty good, almost too good. Funny though how it mentions the Rock of Gibraltar. Isn't this supposed to be a 'Chinese' horoscope? Or did Chinese folks discover that part of the Iberian Peninsula? Looking further, I find that some famous dogs are Benjamin Franklin, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Jacques Cousteau, Bill Clinton, Mother Teresa, Jane Goodall, and Jean Chrétien. Hmm.. that's probably the only time I'll ever see Michael Jackson and Mother Teresa mentioned in the same sentence. Makes me wonder, was Michael a dog before he became white or after? Nevertheless, that's a pretty wicked list. Bill Clinton is DEFINITELY a dog, just ask Hillary.

So what's the moral of all of this? Nothing. Horoscopes are nothing more than bogus, amusing pieces of entertainment. Although I must admit, close to 65% of what was said about my sign is true about me. Quite surprising.

Now if only I wasn't broke, then I'd definitely believe it.

What I'd Do with a Winning Lottery Ticket

The Lotto 6/49 draw was held today and is worth $42 million, the second largest pot ever in Canadian history. To put that into perspective, that's the total payroll of the Toronto Blue Jays. Hmm ... that's a lot of money. I'm almost tempted to buy a lottery ticket. Someone's gonna be very lucky ... and happy today. This got me thinking about what I might do if I won. I guess I'll do a bunch of things:

1. Save $3 million and live off the interest.
- If I put $3 million in an investment savings account which pays 3.35% interest annually, that would give me about $8,375 per month non-compounding. That's good enough for a pretty comfortable but not too extravagant lifestyle I think. There'll still be excess each month after basic expenses so a vacation maybe once or twice a year would be feasible.

2. Invest $7 million in an investment portfolio
- A $7 million portfolio isn't big. That amount is pretty flexible, can take a hit in poor market conditions, and will give quite adequate returns. I'll probably invest about $3 million in a moderate to aggressive hedge fund, and the remaining $4 million in more traditional asset classes.

3. Buy land
- A smart man once said: Don't buy the building, buy the land. That's what RCBC in the Philippines is doing so well. They'll buy a large strip of land, put up a small building in the middle of it, then wait for the land to appreciate in value when everyone starts moving in. So I'll probably buy stretches of land in Mississauga, Milton and Brampton. Toronto's bound to expand in the future, there's just no avoiding it. I'll also buy some land in Alberta together with all that cattle.

4. Donate villages to GK
- Wealth is useless if it's not used to help others. I'll use a large portion of my winnings to build entire GK villages in the Philippines. It's the least I could do for my country and its people.

5. Finance the education of my cousins
- I'd be extremely happy if I had the opportunity and means to finance the education of my younger cousins. That would also excuse me from giving them gifts until after graduation. Knowledge is a gift that lasts a lifetime.

6. Be a freeter
- For 1 year or so I'd love to be a freeter. A freeter is someone who specializes in part time jobs. I'd just go around wherever my bicycle or second hand car takes me, apply for part time jobs and live the freeter lifestyle. Yeah it's sort of cheating cuz I'd already have financial security, but hey, I really don't want to scratch and claw just to survive on Kraft Dinners. Being a freeter would give me a chance to try and learn different things, and perhaps help me to find an undiscovered interest or passion.

7. Open up a restaurant
- I'd love to open a Filipino restaurant in Toronto or New York. Preferably one that's not turo-turo and doesn't involve Christmas lights and karaoke. I think the world is missing out on our food and has yet to really discover it. It'd be nice to open a restaurant or two that really showcases the flavours of our cuisine and the hospitality of our people. It's all in the presentation!

8. Open a TKD gym
- Taekwondo has taught me a lot of things in life, so one way to honour it is to open up a TKD gym. I'd probably have one here in Canada and another in the Philippines. The one in Canada would take in Pinoy instructors looking to establish themselves in their new adopted home, while the one in the Philippines would train and sponsor promising TKD jins who could someday represent the country in competition.

9. Establish a Foundation
- One of the saddest realities in life is the exploitation of young children for prostitution in the Philippines. It's a terrible injustice bred by poverty and hopelessness, which is why I would establish a foundation that offers rehabilitation, training, and support to these abused youths.

Ok, once I've done the above things, I could probably go on and do some of the more unecessary and wanton stuff like travel the whole world, buy an F1 car and yacht, buy a small island and have my face carved on a hillside a la Marcos. I would probably do more stuff but that would just be unrealistic .... much like this post.

Oh well, it doesn't hurt to dream!

Recipe : Chunky Egg Spread

Chunky Egg Spread

Ingredients:
4 extra large eggs
2 heaping tbsp real mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp simulated bacon bits
2 tsp sour cream or creme fraiche
1/2 tsp chopped parsley
*1 tsp paprika or ancho chilli powder (optional)

Procedure: Boil eggs until hard-boiled. Cool eggs to room temperature. Cut into 1/4 inch sized chunks. Place in a bowl and add remaining ingredients. Stir well. Serve with mini french toast biscuits.

Solitudes v2

It seems so long ago, yet only recently
That in a fleeting moment
You came true
Then just as quickly
You vanished like a dream

Your memory hurts me
Your image haunts me
I hear your voice
You ravage my mind

Leave me alone
Please, go away
Let me live my life
Let me forget
What could have been, what might have been
What would never happen
What should have been said

I yearn and I long
But for what?
There is no hope, no chance
I know this ... I know
And I try to move on

I can't concentrate
I can't focus
I keep feeling pain in my chest

I wake up in the middle of the night
I can't sleep, I can't rest
I'm tired
I'm exhausted
I lay writhing in my bed

Lord, give me peace of mind and give me strength
Give me the strength to carry on
To live my life without regrets
And to live it to the fullest

I'd like to look back
But for now I musn't
I must forget
Or at least, set it aside
I must accept my fate
I have no choice
I'll wait for the pain to subside

I'll get back on my feet
And you will torture me no more
I won't let you, I will not concede
My anguish shall sieze
And my resolve will return

In the meantime, life continues
The days are met by the sun, and the nights by the moon
The seasons continue their cycle
And the stars shine as bright

Once again, my days of emptiness begin

Solitudes

I can't concentrate
I can't focus
I keep feeling pain in my chest

I wake up in the middle of the night
I can't sleep, I can't rest
I'm tired
I'm exhausted
I lay writhing in my bed

God, please help me!

It seems so long ago, yet only recently
That in a fleeting moment
You came true
Then vanished like a dream

Your memory hurts me
Your image haunts me
You ravage my mind

Leave me alone
Please, go away
Let me live my life
Let me forget
What could have been, what might have been
What would never happen
What should have been said

I yearn and I long
But for what?
There is no hope, no chance
I know this ... I know
And I try to move on

Lord, give me peace of mind and give me strength
Give me the strength to carry on
To live my life without regrets
And to live it to the fullest

I'd like to look back
But for now I musn't
I must forget
Or at least, set it aside
I must accept my fate
I have no choice

I'll wait for the pain to subside
And I'll get back on my feet
You will torture me no more
I won't let you, I will not concede
My anguish shall sieze
And my resolve will return

In the meantime, life continues
The days are met by the sun, and the nights by the moon
The seasons continue their cycle
And the stars shine as bright

Once again, my days of emptiness begin