AsianGypseh's wanderings!

The End of an Era

2017-04-09T12:24:00.000-07:00

....and the beginning of a new one!
My never used solar panel will finally be opened and used by a fellow van guy.
I bequeathed that, the unused Porta potty and lots of bungee cords.
They will now serve a new owner and will go places.
May they serve his small fam well wherever they go.

It's been a year!!!???

2015-07-20T08:40:00.000-07:00

OMG!
My last post was a year ago!
It's been a very busy year for me. Still living out in Asia although I am stateside for 3 months right now just making new business contacts before I submerge again.

Life hasn't gotten better, financially.
Still struggling.
With my parents to look after in the Philippines, my dream of wandering the US in a campervan has been put on hold.
I can only support one household, at a time, anyway.

So if I am half paying for the expenses of the house in the PHilippines, I might as well live ther and consolidate expenses instead of paying for that and maintaining a household Stateside as well.

It's been quite a year. Full of ups and downs. Still alive and still dreaming of the day...

For now, I must content myself with doing a lot of travel when I can and just return to the house to do more work when I should.

It is my hope that you all are doing well and better. I continue to live vicariously through your wonderful posts.

Take care of each other and yourselves!

Cheers.

Instant sushi

2014-08-22T14:50:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I logged on.
For now... a small post about...
Instant Sushi!

All one needs is the ability to cook rice/boil water.

Everything else is fresh. Can be bought from the store and used right away or stored in a small refrigerator.

I make these small hand sushi on a small table.
I buy the precut snack size seaweed for convenience although I do have the large ones as well. they seaweed snacks also come flavored so that adds extra to it.

Admittedly, adding raw tuna and fish eggs does up the price, but that's just me and my personal tastes.
A simple roll can be made with just plain rice, crab sticks and one ripe avocado. Other veggies can include thinly sliced carrots and cucumbers.

Cooked items, I have used (I think I'll repost this on my original message too)
1) shrimp plain or mixed with mayo, cayenne, a bit of wasabi;

2) boiled egg (chopped fine with mayo, pickle relish, bit of cayenne, finely chopped shallots)

3) crab (seasoned lightly with salt and pepper and a bit of... cayenne --a pattern is emerging! My love of Texmex is becoming obvious)

4) canned tuna or salmon. (with the obvious seasonings of southwest cayenne, salt and pepper...)

5) baked salmon (My favorite is when they lay the salmon raw on the rice and put some thick plum sauce on it with a stripe of mayo and then blowtorch that till the salmon is baked on the outside but still medium rare near the rice... that combo is just to die for! Like eating medium well steak with a bit of pink...)

6) smoked salmon (for those who don't like raw salmon --just as good. Lay in on top of the cooked rice and seaweed and that's it!)

7) scrambled egg (My formula for the Japanese omelet that I love to do is 3 eggs, a tablespoon of milk (powdered works fine), 1 tbsp. of rice wine vinegar, a few grains of dried fish flakes (found in oriental stores), salt, pepper, 1/2 tsp sugar or sugar substitute like honey)

8) Imitation crab sticks (mixed with mayo, bit of wasabi, few drops of chili oil)

9) Cooked scallops. These little babies go on sale often because people don't know what to do with them. When they go on sale, I scoop them up. There's 2 ways you can cook these. a) microwave with butter and a bit of water for 1 minute. b) steam them gently as your rice cooks. Just put them in a small glass container that will float above the rice. You may want to put them into the rice when it is halfway done as it is very easy to overcook the scallops.
Preparation: chop the scallops finely. Mix with chopped green onion leeks, bit of mayo, bit of chili oil, bit of sesame oil.
Mix those all up and put them on the rice and seaweed.

Adventures right here in my square mile

2014-05-24T04:47:00.000-07:00

I have to remind myself to enjoy what the place currently offers.
So with that spirit, I have taken on trying out new restaurants in my little square mile.
Gone to Barney's burgers. Not bad. Excellent taste. The only thing is the meat had a few bits of gristle which is a no no in my book. So reviews went south after that. Such a pity too.

Then, I went back to the old trusted favorites of Souk (all around local cuisine with Vietnamese dishes on the menu as bonus). Good quality chef prepared meals all for less than $8 per dish.

Went back to visiting Ichiban which had new offerings of marinated oysters which I ate by the bowl. ($15 per head, all the sushi and Chinese/Filipino fusion dishes you can eat)

This past weekend, I went out to the city and ate at the local Chili's franchise. It was a tad expensive since the bill for 2 came out to something like $50. But the taste, I have to say, was dead on. I wonder if they import everything. It is exactly like the Chili's in Tejas. Very pleased with that discovery.

And of course, after a week of eating and another week of getting the summer flu... time to visit our favorite massage place.

Time to visit the lady with the iron fingers and the magic touch. Got me a full scrub although the salt isn't as coarse as others. Followed by a full body massage and facial. That took care of the remaining time. Had a good walk home through the neighborhood. All is right in the world.

The people in our lives

2014-04-14T05:49:00.003-07:00

Hello everybody!
It's been a while, I know. Busy times as always.

This week has been a wonderful week so far. Got to spend a lot of time with friends and family. Shared good food and listened to their stories over the weekend. Lots of good food, if we're being honest! OMG... I could never party like this when I was in the States. I love Uncle Sam but being able to throw a banquet for 60 people for $500 cannot be beat!!!

I really enjoyed seeing my loved ones and being able to spend time with them. Lots and lots of quality time.
We always think they'll be there forever. But we won't have them forever. Today, we visited our sick relatives and those who cannot make it to the party yesterday. I feel lucky and blessed to have good health and that it is we who are visiting and not the other way around. Thankful to have a huge and wonderful extended family. We all pulled together for those in need and it seeing the result today is priceless. Instead of gifts, we passed a gift-wrapped basket around for our needy and very sick relative. And everyone answered. It's been a humbling but very happy experience all around.

So now I am home, tired from the long drive to 3 houses with 3 separate patients in various stages of illness. Always make time for those you love. Talk with them and share many memories before it's too late. It's gonna be one of those weeks for me. A week with family and friends. With both ends of the spectrum both sad and happy. Mostly happy. And very thankful to have this time to spend with them. Good Night!

Death is never far

2014-03-03T06:48:00.000-08:00

Last year and this year have been full of funerals.
Mostly older relatives.
But a cousin my age is not doing well. I fear to say, death may be upon him.
Long story short, he misused medications without the guidance of a Doctor. It's just out of ignorance and belief that his dad knows best (his dad is a quack doctor and knows nothing).
The result is a younger man than I whose kidneys have failed and is on dialysis.
To make matters worse, the loss of kidneys has affected other parts of his body. He's bedridden and suffers from poor circulation and he's almost totally blind.
For an artist to be blind is a terrible fate to contemplate. I really felt for him.

I can only look on as he struggled like that. It is hard to watch it.
I have full command of my faculties, strong and capable.
There he is, just struggling to survive. Just lying there. In darkness.
Unable to read his comic book collection.

His mom suggested they sell them to buy medication.
I thought it might kill his will to fight completely if that vanishes --I just said it might help to have them around so he can read them if his eyes get better. But I think we all know they won't.
Very sad. And very tragic.

Tonight, I breathe in air, I drink water.
Taste good food. We are lucky.
Lucky to be alive and to be just looking at the internet reading other people's posts.
We're not hungry, wanting or sick...

We are well. And I hope to be that way for a long time.
Because I love life. I want to live a long time.
Death stared at me today.
I have to tell it. not today. Not tomorrow.

And if I and our generation should be lucky and we push hard enough for medical life extensions, maybe not for a long time.
Maybe not ever.

There's so much to see, enjoy and people to talk with and share love...
Let us tell death...
Not today. Not tonight.
I got miles to go before I sleep.

the Year in Review

2013-12-24T04:16:00.004-08:00

Hello Everyone,

Hope your Christmas holidays have been good so far.
It's been a busy year for our family. Here's a rundown:
In early Feb, I flew out to the Philippines stopping by California on the way to see my sister's family. Ken, Jerry and the kids were all a delight to be with once again. Always treasure these times with them. Definitely the higlight of my stay was going to the Discovery Science Center in Orange with the whole family. That was a rare treat so thanks to Jerry and Ken for that. I got to lie in a bed of nails which was on display there. Got to try most of the science exhibits and it was a good time all around.
So on to the Philippines.
Good to be back with Mom and Dad. This was a year I would spend the majority of the year here in the Philippines with them as you will see.
Wonderful to see family and friends again. By now, it really feels normal to be back every year. I no longer feel like just a returning visitor.
This trip was also different for I flew with David, a good friend of mine from San Antonio who expressed interest in visiting the Philippines. And so, I volunteered to introduce him to the country.

We went to Morong to watch baby turtles being released into the waters (to return after 25 years to the same beach hopefully).

This was also a time of many trips.

This being a year where I promised myself I'd visit an Asian country, I booked a trip to Taipei, Taiwan along with David. We talked about visiting Asia well before this trip even came about. That was a wonderful trip and very educational. It's a rare thing to go and see another first world and an even rarer opportunity to learn so much. That was a good 4 days and I must say, even if the rest of the year turned bad on me, I'd forever have the trip to Taipei as a highlight.

Lots of other trips ensued in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, my buddy David has moved out of the room he was renting with us and into his own place. We took him on a majority of our family gatherings to get him used to life in the Philippines. He's made a good circle of friends around him and was pursuing a Filipina lady or two. This is where we parted ways and from here, he traveled by himself and back to America I heard.

I too, went back to the USA. But not before one last trial.
Mom got sick with what we thought was a stomach flu. It was bad enough for us to bring her to the hospital. And so, a day before I took off for the USA, I kept vigil that night at the hospital. Those who keep tabs on my facebook account will see the picture I took of me and Mom at the hospital.

Of my return to the US, it's been a blur.
My brother fetched me at the airport as always accompanied by his eldest child. He's the one who always fetches me and brings me to the airport. We've switched roles since he first came here.
I was eager to get back to normal now that I have returned (having flown through Los Angeles in a hurry to attend a convention in Texas).
Things were not well at the office, though. And about those times, I felt like an unwelcome tick.
In all my month long stay, it is with my San Antonio friends that I felt the most welcome.

And so, just over a month in the US, I was flying back on a fast flight to the Philippines through Beijing (where I had the worst Chinese food ever at that airport).
(Mom got sick again so I had to fly back fast)

On my home front, the year has been spent working of course. It's not really a vacation when I go to the Philippines or anywhere for that matter. I just change locations but I still work.

It is during this second trip that we now attended several funerals.

Come to think of it, 2013 is a year of charity work for me... and lots of trips to see ailing relatives. I am thankful we spent that time together and enjoyed each other's company while they were alive.

Our last challenge was this past week where Mom was again hospitalized but for different reasons; it was a stomach ailment this time which led to some bleeding. Thankfully, we brought her to the hospital on time.

And so, despite all the hospitalizations and harships our family had, we are thankful that Mom is still with us and is now back to her old self.

This year was capped by a most wonderful trip out to Hong Kong.
I could not imagine I'd be visiting 2 countries in the same year but it happened. My friend who was going away to Australia some months back told me he planned to go and a bunch of them including my cousin. I did not have the cash at the time (expenses with Mom) and even if I did, I held them in reserve just in case. But my friend was very nice and said he'd front the money if I really wanted to go. It's great to know that of all the years I've been lending out and giving money to others, that it got paid forward to me.

This happened not just with Hong Kong, but with another event also having to do with me needing the cash fast.
During those times, I felt like George Bailey of "It's a Wonderful Life". Very blessed and very lucky to know such wonderful people.
And so this Christmas time, I sit here and am very thankful to have known all of you in my life. My career as an author and artist may not be going great and just treading water, but I am thankful I have all of you in my life. Very thankful.
In that respect, I can consider myself someone who is rich in friends and loved ones.

So a Merry Christmas to you all and a Happy New Year!

P.S., Hong Kong was a blast!

A Well Ordered society even under less than ideal circumstances.

2013-12-09T16:55:00.005-08:00

Living out here in the third world... You get exposed to all the facets of life. And you are living in such close proximity to others. Even when I lived in tight quarters in Texas, I barely see anyone outside the apartment complex. This area where I live in is teeming with humanity. You will always see people outside your door. I get to witness more of general life, it's joys and sorrows. Baptisms, funerals and everything in between. Life in all a grand parade just outside your door.

That's a REAL community with real people and relationships. People from all walks of life, vendors and craftsmen always building someone nearby. We even have a couple of nutty people wandering around. In this situation, we have the entire community to deal with them such that they don't turn out to be too much of a nuisance to any one person. I suppose it works because even though the nutty people visit you, you can just say hi and humor them for a bit and then they move on. And when everyone shares in this, somehow, it's not much of a burden. They also obviously go home to someone who cares for them.

And because life is so open, nobody has time to hide away in their own house and occupy themselves with negative activities like hoarding, obsessions or even keeping children prisoners in the basement or some horrible thing like that. Out here, something like that IS unheard of. When people get old or sick, there's always someone to take care of them even with an imperfect social safety net. Even then, the Philippines at least has Phil-health which is really Medicaid for everyone, not just seniors. Anyone who contributes is enrolled into the system. The advantages of living in a real community, indeed. There is plenty to learn from.

The Mortal Coil

2013-11-10T03:28:00.003-08:00

Today was a day spent visiting deceased relatives. One a burial, the other a wake.
Both are aunts. One passed away way too young at 55.
The other was 82.
Reminds one of the brief lives we all have sometimes. Cherish close friends and family. Do not waste the best parts of your life on all the wrong people. Save your best hours for those you love.
Take time to tell them how much you love them. More importantly, show them how you care by spending many happy hours in their company.
Until they make genetic engineering possible for the rest of us, this is the only life we will ever have. My 2 poor aunties will never see the dawn of medical immortality. Perhaps with the right diet and lifestyle and more importantly, our active participation with the sciences, we might just yet see it.

For now, do not waste time and never wait till tomorrow.
Do not wait till you're dying to make peace.
Be happy today and resolve most of your conflicts in life.
Cherish your loved ones. You never know when they'll go away forever.

Good night, and good luck!

Unexpected Adventures

2013-11-01T19:14:00.001-07:00

I attended the Memorial of the Dead here in the PHilippines.

Has it been 9 years since my last one?! This event is huge here. Work and school are both suspended and everyone goes to the cemeteries. It's people, vendors and cars galore and restaurants are packed full.

We parked in an empty soil filled lot where the land sloped downwards the deeper you got into it. Then, while at the cemetery with 10,000 other people, vendors and clergy folk, it rained really hard. The lot turned into a swamp with the water collecting near the back of the lot where the car was. I watched as men pushed on a minibus stuck in the mud. It just sank deeper and deeper with each rev and even planks were useless.

I remember thinking to myself: This is probably how massive ww2 army convoys can spend days navigating only a few miles a day if roads are like this. The car next to me hasn't even left his spot yet and his tires are already spinning uselessly. So when I got to My car, I plotted the route out of the muddy lot to the exit up top. (first I had to shake off 15 pounds of mud from my shoes) With the gear on first engaged, I roared up that muddy slope with mud flying. For about 8 seconds, I was a rally car driver with the vehicle's tires turning sideways and slipping through the muck. But I made it! I even raised a triumphant fist in the air as I whipped by the onlookers watching the other vehicles struggle. Not bad for someone driving a front wheel powered 4 door sedan. :)

Signs and Detours in Life

2013-10-25T20:19:00.002-07:00

The past 3 months have been really instructional for me.
August was full of disappointments and challenges. Now that I have time to look back, I can see that that's a clear sign that I really ought to not live in an apartment anymore.

It's a slight detour that I am glad to be past now.
Upon my return to the US, I will redouble my efforts to look for a good RV home to call my own.

The signs were all there, I just wasn't looking. Now with hindsight, I can now tell the RV gods have given me all the signs that can be given.

First, I have to take care of my folks and be with them for a while. When they are OK again, then it is time to resume the dream. That was the emergency that pulled me out of apartment living. Here, overseas, owning a stick and brick isn't so bad. There's less hassles and less headaches. I get to taste true freedom for once. When I get back to the USA, then I will resume my RV hunt.

To those on the road enjoying their homes, salud!
Take care and may your travels be safe.

The miniature ecosystem of an auto garage

2013-10-14T06:44:00.000-07:00

I just spent a whole day at an auto garage. My transmission failed just as I was paying the toll booth.
So here I am at a little repair shop at the freeway exit servicing vehicles that mostly break down while in transit. Here in the Philippines, every highway exit has one, it seems. The last time I broke down, I spent a long day at another small garage... at another exit along the freeway.
This is not your high end dealership service center.
This is a bunch of guys squatting on the sandy ground using the most basic of tools to get the job done. With just one 2 ton alligator jack and a few metal pipes and a lot of wood blocks, I have seen them drop engines and transmission boxes.
It always is fascinating to see mechanics at work. In the high end garages, they don't allow you to loiter around and watch. Here, you're welcome to chat and hang around and you implicitly agree not to hold them responsible for accidents. In short, you look out for yourself.

This open yard with half finished cars mingling with real shiny lookers can look very pedestrian to some... boring and depressing for others. But for me, every car, had a story. This is a gold mine of information and experiences. So, as soon as me and my Dad pulled up, my ears were open and my eyes were alert; and the learning began!

Each car and every man had a story to tell.
It begins with the usual banter: how dealership hotshots don't know what they're doing and usually overcharge for bad work.
The head guy used to roll in the cash when he worked at the US base. After a stint there, he got pirated by a Saudi man and worked in the Middle East where he made even more cash. So how is he now in this rinky dink place? He was way too generous with his money, he says, but he has put a lot of relatives through school. With the end of his Middle East assignment, and a few more turns of bad luck, he was back to square one. It can really happen to anyone. He's stoic about it. He works hard and you can tell. We even talked about his limp. As usual, we all are experts when we consult Dr. Google MD.
The old Samson. It seems every garage team has a man with exceptional strength. At times, this is obvious as you see a bear of a man lumbering around the yard. Sometimes, it's not. As I watched them strain to put on a really tight belt, I saw a young dude straining with his upper body to wrestle the thing into one of the belt shafts. A pudgy old man got impatient, shooed him away and just used his wrists to turn that shaft and get the belt in. God, the strength in that old fat dude! You would not even expect it but there he was using just his wrists when the younger more fit looking man used his whole body to no avail.
Another mechanic used to be a truck driver. He was hauling 1,400 kilos of fish to the markets of Manila when an even bigger truck slammed his back and sent his mid-sized truck careening on its side. The driver of the 36 wheeled behemoth was partially asleep. So, the fish went flying. As he and his companions struggled out of the smashed cab in a daze, he saw people jumping the freeway fences with pails, buckets and large pans. In a semi-shocked stupor at finding himself still alive, he watched as the scavengers snatched the fish. They all ran when the highway patrol came by and took over. He said only 800 kilos remained. Highway patrol shared with him even more scavenger stories. They would pick up anything --car parts, tires, everything that's easy and fast to get before the patrol comes and puts a stop to it. There are even stories of the scavengers picking at people's jewelry and cel phones as they were stuck in wrecked cars!
The things you hear when people tell you their life stories.

The economies of scale
Just a day here, and I got to experience another miniature economic system at play. Here we were stimulating their local economy because we were there with our car.
Here in this small ecosystem, my cash goes to support the small canteen nearby where we had lunch. The mechanics regularly eat there. Right away, there's another bunch of guys already dependent on the steady stream bought by their neighbors and whatever client chooses to stay and watch their cars being fixed. My short one day also stimulated the economies of other stores nearby where I bought snacks, drinks and ice cream. (It was a hot day.) 7-11 hotdogs taste really awesome when you're hot and tired. Having that outlet there was a life saver.
In the garage is another example of an economic ladder. We were the only car owners there making sure the car got treated well. In this instance, we need not bother. The mechanic was honest with us, it turns out. But as a fan of science, I was also there to learn. Dad was also a fan of watching mechanics at work. Very few people do this, but Dad and I love to share. So we buy snacks and drinks for everyone as they fixed the car.
And when you spend a long time in a garage, you get to eventually know the stories behind all the other cars in the lot; where they came from and what part of the freeway they stalled at and how far they had to be towed to this spot.

It's similar to being in a hospital emergency waiting room: "what happened to you?"
I saw 4 other clients' cars scattered all over the yard. There, on one corner is the mechanic's pet project; an unfinished automobile he hopes to fix up and probably sell one day. But right now, it looks like a piece of junk with no seats, glass or anything else. Then there's another car which looks like it's been there for ages. Dogs live in it and people use it as a storage bin.
The big fish customer just left his vehicle there some days ago. It's a 2010 model and very top of the line. It's a "just get it done- I don't care- send me the bill" kind of job. As guys who can only dream of plunking down the cash for such a model, me and the mechanic agreed that had we the money to own such a beauty, we would not be so reckless as to not give it oil. That was the high end SUV's problem. Engine quit for lack of oil. Isn't that sad? I told the mechanic if he had a car like that, he'd probably make it last 20 years with constant maintenance. (it's a regular thing here--cars lasting a long time)
Another client there was what they called a "cheap overhaul". Meaning, he was stingy with the money needed; but he wants top of the line work.
Now that I know the stories behind every car in their lot... it pays not to be the annoying customer. Yes, they will use your car as a snack table.
Tne fourth client's brother in law came by for his car. All their vehicle needed was a drive belt which they had to go to Manila to get. Apparently, Hyundai parts are so specialized you cannot get them where we were (80 Km outside of Manila).
To get our transmission fixed, the mechanic called yet another member of this small food chain: the parts man. This is a guy who the mechanic sends out on a parts run to locate the components he needs for real cheap. So he hops on his motorcycle and off he goes to find the best and cheapest part. It bears mentioning that since this is a small operation, I did not bother to ask where he'll find a pristine transmission box. We're probably talking about guys who know... guys. That can be anywhere from a junk dealer to someone who just stripped that off of another car... somewhere...

The small world of economics goes on. The car accessory vendor came by and hawked his wares. I bought a shammy and a cel phone charger for $5 for the pair which I thought was ok (he initially wanted $10 for both).
With all the people whose small economies we help stimulate just by being present there waiting for our cars to be fixed, I had a vision of the garage clients being large whales passing by and tons of fish come swimming up and taking advantage of the free food that comes when a huge creature eats its fill.
It was a good day. Eventually, the parts man took too long and we knew this job won't be done till the next day. So, we left our partially dismantled car with the mechanics and went home.

Trust me
So... as we were bidding the car people farewell till the morrow, one of the mechanics asked if we can drop off his kids at an intersection he knew we'd be passing by! I suppose the kids looked street smart and we have built a rapport of some sort already? But geez! To send your kids home with a stranger (well, one of your customers).
We just said "yeah, sure" without a second thought. I suppose our other car is some kind of collateral just in case? I guess... some folks trust you. As we trusted them that first night. I mean, we left our car in their garage... without receipts or any paperwork at all. You just trust they haven't packed it off to be sold somewhere when you come back. And so it was still there the next day when we arrived. The kids have never been in a car with power windows. They seem really taken with them and they did what all kids do: push the buttons to play with them. Puts things in proper perspective once again.
So here I am, tired but learned so much about a part of the province we usually blow by on our way to somewhere else... just a small patch we did not know existed till today.
Since I just got a short story done, I reckon it's a good time to have your car in the shop for repairs. A day well spent, my head sunburned, and a new experience well earned.

Life's ups and downs ... twists and turns

2013-09-10T01:02:00.003-07:00

You never know with life.
Sometimes you are handed a curve ball and a shot from out of nowhere and you have to just go with it and ride it out as best you can.

I am typing this from the Philippines.
How did I end up back here again after having all those apartment travails in Texas?

Well, long story short... After me being approved for an apartment, my Mom suffered a siezure and was diagnosed with a tumor in her brain. It's benign. It may stay there forever doing nothing or it might one day flare up. Nobody knows.
It's hard to operate on and very risky. So she chose to just live with it.
I rushed back here to be with my parents and to assist them during this time of "new normalcy".
I'll be here for a very long time, I suspect. For now, we are putting together a plan for her to beat the thing by eating it to death... that means sensible nutrition.

Well, at least I am off the apartment worries again.
And out of Texas for a while. To be honest, I wasn't really happy most of my stay there. It seemed that I was being bounced from one bad situation to the next. It was a very trying time and I wasn't able to achieve anything of note art-wise. And for the first time, I really felt unwelcome somehow. So good riddance for a bit.

So... here I am... setting up my studio here again at my parents' house. I recently bought a new bed. (delivery today) I also bought a few more things to make my small office fully functional.
Work begins tomorrow, hopefully.

Got an apartment... and guess what happened?

2013-08-21T21:17:00.002-07:00

Latest news: Seems I will stay here in TX after all. Got a paying job that'll keep me funded for a while but also need to find a stable place. And so...

I was recently approved for an apartment with a roommate.
But the process was excruciating. It is as if someone in the matrix knew of my van living times and decided to send a message to its minions to punish this errant rebel and teach him a lesson.
I was subjected to the worst runarounds and requirements. None of my old records of being a good tenant mattered. They really zeroed in on the gaps in my rental record.
Fuck! I was overseas, can't they understand that?
Whenever I produced what they wanted, they needed something else.
One apartment complex wanted me to produce the original blue ss card ... you know, the one which they don't want you to keep in your wallet?

Anyway, long story short, I will never do this ever again.

This has been a very bad homecoming and an excruciating 2 weeks.
The matrix knew I had lived and enjoyed life overseas and while here, rent free in my vanhome. Now, it will punish me for getting away with enjoying life without having to pay through the nose for it.

I know I am being targeted for being my own man. The system is not designed with a struggling entrepreneur in mind. From apartment complexes that demand you show them some kind of employment with a giant corporation to a tax system which nickle and dimes you for all you're worth, the matrix is designed to funnel you into a life of full time employment for some large company. Pursuing a dream has its costs. I found a way around the costs by living partially overseas. And the system is punishing me for not living in one city full time all year round. This is why I was subjected to this rigmarole. Never mind that I've always been a good renter. The gaps in my renting resume are a red flag to them. The only overseas people they respect are soldiers and Doctors. These are the costs of being your own man. This is the cost of pursuing a different path in life. But hey... they can have their laugh. They can only keep me down so long. One day, it will be different.

Fuck this system. Next time, I am getting me my house on wheels and rolling outta here.

A Potential 180!

2013-08-11T04:49:00.003-07:00

Well, just having arrived here in Texas after 4 gruelling flights, one would think that's enough. It seems the plans I have been making and the reality on the ground haven't met nicely. The plans that I thought would come about and their promise of funding are about to go kaput in my face. So... in the interest of saving funds, I have been considering going out to Asia again where I can live cheaply with my folks.
You see, I have been supporting them from afar for the last few years now.
The current economics cannot sustain 2 households. It has to be merged into one.
It's still cheaper to fly myself out there all the way back instead of hacking my own way here in the US of A. So where does that leave my plans of van wandering? In flinders for now.

Time to regroup and rethink.
For now, this might end up being one big round trip "vacation" even though I haven't really been touring but just visiting relatives.

Next few days will be more certain.

A wish to vanish

2013-08-08T20:16:00.000-07:00

There are days when I just feel like I want to go and vanish off the face of the world for a while.
Where I am, I feel very unwelcome at the moment.
I don't know if it's just me, or if my hosts are getting irritated by my presence here at their place (most specifically the in-law).
Tomorrow, I go look at some apartments.
I wonder if this is the right decision or should I just throw caution to the wind and keep looking for a wheeled home. I have one last project to take care of and I feel like I can do a good job if I was somewhere stable and safe and free from distractions and worry about shelter, food and cramped conditions.

After this project, I will be free. So I suppose I am settling down for a while into a 6 month lease. Only until this project is done.

Finally getting ready to Go!

2013-07-15T05:16:00.000-07:00

It's been a remarkable journey visiting my folks in the Philippines.
A happy 5 and 1/2 months later, I am ready to go home now.
I brought some work over here to keep me busy and to keep money rolling in.

A lot of peeps still don't know this kind of life is possible. Whenever I say I am staying 5+ months, it is always assumed to be an extended vacation or I quit my job. Neither. I am still working daily but I just changed locations.

That's what I love about this lifestyle. I hope to continue it as I get back Stateside to gather up the pieces of my life there that I left on hold.
Should I get an apartment now or go ahead and find a rig for myself?
It is such a tough question.
If I am looking for a rig, I will have to go homeless for a while. Nothing new again. But the allure of having a fully functional kitchen is very attractive, I must say...

On the other hand... well... the road does beckon.

We shall see!

No May or June updates!

2013-07-14T21:30:00.000-07:00

I was just looking at my blog just now and realized I have no May or June updates.
I guess I have been very busy with life down here in the tropics.

I spent those months working, attending family gatherings as needed and mostly trying to have a good time.

On thing that hasn't changed is my love of good food. In honor of the land I miss, I had me a good old fashioned American burger complete with hand cut fries. All homemade and very delicious!

Toured the old ruins of Intramuros Fort --the old Spanish colonial seat of power in Manila established in the 1600's.

Shopped for local veggies and fruits with my trusty Woolworth's Green Bag.

Even out here we must use reusable bags... The good news is groceries in the area are beginning programs like "Bagless Wednesdays".

Then eat some more. :) Somewhere in there, I managed to get some work done. Freelancing is tough, but manageable. I just wasn't able to get more progress on my novel as much as I would have liked to.

Well, be back in the US of A in a couple weeks' time!

Not fully living the life I want... but life is still OK

2013-04-28T08:09:00.002-07:00

I am not mobile these days.
I am staying in the home my parents bequeathed to me.
It's funny how these things work out.
Still, it is good to be with them. They took care of me when I was small so I reckon the best thing to do is return the favor ten fold if I can. I am working from online right now, making my cash purely by online sales and projects. I am relying on electronic transfers for payment and the ever trusty Mastercard to keep me funded overseas.

Despite the heat, I am having a good time of it.
I suppose one doesn't need to resort to van living here. Places are so cheap. There are apartments here for rent which only cost $100 a month. To a low income guy like me, that's a bargain. Definitely cheaper than going on the road.

Knowing what I know today, I chafe in this house even though it is good shelter. I know building techniques that'll make a home even more efficient at retaining cold air from the evenings... air flow, insulation... it's all rotting in my head for lack of execution. And of course, I have few resources at the moment to pull it off. I cringe each time it rains and all that water just goes to the drainage canals.
I am burning money away by turning on the airconditioner all the time. A huge pity. Anyway, those are just my thoughts.
That's probably one of the things I miss about being in the US of A. At least we have begun to build sensibly now in some areas. Such smart buildings and green homes are unknown here and it guts me each time I wander around noticing all the wasted potential.

Nothing much to report except working on some side projects to make some cash.
Recently started going to a gym and been walking more to get fit.
Food is good as always. I keep having massages. The little things that make me happy.

I think I'll stay here for a long while.

Self Improvement

2013-04-28T07:51:00.002-07:00

I just recently started going to the gym.
My arms felt like lead the next 3 days. But it is good. I can already feel unused muscles coming to life. Right after that morning, I went and got a Thai massage. That felt really good.

Tomorrow I'll walk the round track and begin again. And back to the gym.
Even when I wasn't exercising, I did look ok.
Always did a bit here and there...
But now I got this opportunity to do really well.
This body wants to be fit. I will finally answer its call.

The truth on the ground

2013-04-15T17:13:00.000-07:00

Tonight was another hot and muggy night so me and my travel buddy David went over to the neighbor's house.
There we met with one of the ladies he is befriending.
An older lady was there with her husband. He worked overseas a lot in the middle east. He is what the country calls an OCW. Overseas Contract Worker.
His stories are something else.
He works in restaurants.
And once he began telling us how his life was in the middle east, it became really fascinating to listen to him.
First off, he says, Arabs are really the worst employers. This seems to tally with my brother in law's stories about Arabs as well looking down on everyone else. It did not matter what other race you were.
But his stories when he was in Kuwait left me enthralled.
While my buddy talked to his lady friend, I sat mesmerized by this guy's tales of his employment when he was caught during the invasion.
Man, it is a ground level look into the 1991 war.
And once again proves that what CNN and most "lamestream" media shows Americans is clearly BS.

First surprise was he says the Iraqi Army are actually good guys. He keeps stressing this. It's when you slice that army up into its components that you see who is the bastards. First off, the Republican Guard. No suprise there. Then the secret police and the "volunteer" army. What is the Iraqi volunteer army?
It's an army made up of --guess what-- "contractors". Mercenaries in short. They come from Palestine, Syria, Egypt... all the small violent countries all around that area and they're there purely for profit.
These 3 groups are the most vicious according to him.

The Iraqi main army... the actual army composed of real Iraqis are mostly nice chaps. They try to uphold justice at all times during the occupation. But they all get hated equally because of the spy police and mercenary abuses. Sound familiar?

He remembers helping a raped woman find justice. There were signs on all the streets posted by the new Iraqi government in Kuwait telling people to report any abuses, rapes and theft to the authorities. So they reported the rape to an army colonel. Luckily, the woman remembered her attacker.
the Colonel lined up his men. She pointed at her attacker. the Colonel shot the guy right there in the head.
He told me tales of looting. Gold, watches and stuff was just there for the taking. When he was tempted to break into a jewelry store, for some reason, maybe his conscience (something telling him "do not do this"), he stopped and did not steal anything. The next guy to come in was shot by security. He was saved by his instinct to do the right thing.

Their Kuwaiti employers during the occupation would offer rewards of $1,000 for every Iraqi they killed. Some Filipinos took them on the offer. Others got caught and executed on the spot.
Incredible stuff.
He told of the flying missiles that would weave around buildings and hit the next one. And told of the power of such weapons. He was nearly always deaf during that time with all the loud booms.
One of the things he said was when 10 Iraqis came to the restaurant they all worked in and tried to separate the women from the men. The employees maybe 50 of them, banded together and said we'll fight you to the death if need be. Scared of their numbers, the 10 soldiers backed off.
He said the Philippine embassy was swollen with refugees. Every room was taken even the toilets.
Since he worked at a restaurant, he remembers taking the supplies of the restaurant and feeding people. Uncooked hams and salamis... they took the coke dispenser and used it there... There was no water so they lived on soft drinks from the dispenser and the soda tanks.

Then, of course, the end came.
He saw Iraqis burying tanks in the sand.
He also remembers hiding a Mexican American soldier whom they found in a canal.
They took him and hid him among themselves. The other Filipinos who fled left their passports behind. One of them was stripped and the Mexican's photo was put in the place of the original photo. That's how they got the guy across the border to Saudi.
He remembers that the warring factions largely ignored the Filipino and worker populations there in Kuwait. You kept quiet and caused no trouble, you lived in peace.

The liberating forces came.
He witnessed the kind treatment of Iraqis by American forces. The other Arab countries in the coalition --Saudis and Kuwaitis, wanted to brutally torture the captured Iraqis but the Americans said no.
The captured Iraqi soldiers were treated humanely with medical care and fed lots of food. The Iraqis actually did not want to leave and go back to Iraq. They were afraid of Saddam.

After the war, he also told tales of people hiding discarded AK-47's. His friend hid 3 of them, later shipping them out to the Philippines and selling them.

It's the first time I have heard of an inside story like this from someone who was actually there. The guy isn't rich and he hasn't really benefitted financially from his work out there. It was just a job. After that, he went home and resumed a normal life raising kids.
It was a fascinating day today.

Spa time... yet again! :)

2013-04-15T17:06:00.000-07:00

I went to a Spa again yesterday this time for a salt scrub.
It marks the end of a major project so I felt like celebrating.

Reconnected with another fellow American expat here yesterday from CA. He mentioned how he enjoyed very much the trip we both took to the spa last year. So today, we went and checked out another favorite spa place I know.

There were three of us. Black, white and brown. Two Texans and one Californian.
I really feel blessed to have such cool friends.
The ladies that scrubbed my back were still there and one of them recognized me from last year. I said to them: give my friends here the best service! :)
And so they did.
We began with a sauna... Me and my big dark friend went in. It was my first time but he went to saunas a lot. Boy, that place was hot! When he sprinkled the water over those hot stones... Man, it felt like my head was on fire! I did not breathe too deeply for I felt it would heat up my body more. I sweated like you would not believe. It felt like my face and scalp were melting and my eyeballs would just drip to the floor.
It was intense. All the while, my friend laughed and laughed. We both did. It was so hot as to be nearly uncomfortable yet I also found it hilarious so we both laughed at me.

The body scrub came next.
I was not ready for this one. I went to other places that did body scrubs. None of them required me to get nearly naked. I was handed a thong so small, not even Britney Spears would have worn that thing. Dayummm... you do feel very, VERY exposed.
But I told myself I am in the hands of a professional so I just laid down and allowed the small masseuse to lather me up and rub the dead sea salts on my back.
I knew her from last year so our banter was light and easy. She knows her stuff.
A shower later and another rub down with honey extract (my friend tasted it and it was real honey), I was feeling sleepy. One can sleep through this and come out truly invigorated.
My other friend chose the shiatsu massage and he loved it.

So, us three happy expats rolled out of the spa ready to face the world.
WE all laughed uproarously when my other friend said he chose just to go au naturel instead of wearing the disposable briefs (the thong I described earlier).
A lot of fun was had by all.
The bath scrub and the salts are now working on me... I will sleep well tonight!

From the Philippine islands...
Good night, America!

Turtle conservation beach

2013-04-12T04:33:00.001-07:00

I recently also went to a turtle conservation center/beach resort.
It's not well known and those are the best ones. :)

That's for real. :) There were barely any people on the beach that day. It does feel isolated.

The baby turtle release. I had to put a circle around one just so you can see how tiny they are in comparison to people. There's a couple more above that little guy.

The other side of the beach. There's lots of boats on dry land in the distance. I am told if you wake up early enough, you will see the fishermen come in with their daily catch.

Thai Massage --again. :)

2013-04-12T03:54:00.002-07:00

Went and had another Thai massage today.
The hour long half body session cost me about $6. (--$8 including an $2 tip to the masseuse)
Then of course, out of habit, I checked their bathroom and sure enough, it's a wet bath. One can easily take a bath in there to freshen up after a massage. Duly noted in my head. :)

Another cute masseuse manhandled my back with her iron fingers. (in a good way)
Boy, I needed that. My back and shoulders have been knotted up since my last visit a week or so ago.
Now, I feel sleepy and content.

from the Philippine Islands,
Good night, America!

Working at home for the meantime

2013-04-09T16:35:00.001-07:00

Yes, I do make a living even out here.
I have to always correct folks when they assume I am on vacation. It certainly feels and looks that way!
But then, that's always been the gypsy/vagabond path, isn't it?

I can spend large swaths of time in one place because I bring my work with me wherever I go.
So this week, I am staying home to work although my buddy from Texas is off doing snorkeling with my uncle. He's the one on leave from work.

It's ok. We do have to make a living to support this good life!
:)