David Sedaris - Part Deux

Now that Christmas is over and Joe's opened his new favorite gift ever... I can now tell the story of how I came to find out the most mind-blowing fact of the year (see previous entry).

I went to another DS reading and I bought the Onion book he recommended (so I could have a book signed for me) and I said that the book was a rip-off bec it didn't' include my country, this was how our exchange went (imagine it with his voice):

DS: What country are you from?

Me: The Philippines

DS: Yeah, it's there... check the index

Me: (Flipping the pages) Oh yeah, it's there!

DS: I like the Philippines.

Me: W-w-what??? You've been there?

DS: Yes, in fact, I even went to Wowowee... it's pretty entertaining.

Me: (mind-blown)


So, I know they say, "if there are no pictures, it didn't happen," but whatever... he also said that he went to Hobbit House in Malate which I do wish I have a picture of... Macy*s Christmas Elf in the Hobbit House = WIN!

Mind-blowing fact of the year (or my lifetime even):

DAVID SEDARIS HAD BEEN TO WOWOWEE.

That.is.all.

The Jim and Pam Wedding: loved it or hated it? I haven't decided yet.

Test 1 2 3... Test 1 2 3...

Not Having the Best Week Ever: Countries on the Pacific

If there's a side of the world one should avoid right now, it is anything that lies on and along the Pacific Ocean. What's going on? Is 2012 coming sooner than expected or is this a marketing ploy from Sony Pictures? Both ideas are stupid and I'm sorry that I even brought them up.

Since last Saturday, three natural disasters have hit several countries in the Asian-Pacific and South Pacific regions and have claimed, about 1,000 lives (with more missing).

September 26 - Typhoon Ketsana/Ondoy which hit the Philippines on September 26, leaving behind the worst flooding in Metro Manila in the last 40 years. It went on to wreak havoc on Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.

Septemeber 29 - An undersea earthquake (8.0 magnitude, approx.) trigerred a powerful tsunami which devasted the islands of Samoa and American Samoa in the South Pacific.

September 30 - A 7.6 magnitude earthquake off Indonesia's Sumatra island in the coastal city of Pandang. Indonesia has been a hit by another quake earlier in the month and several lesser quakes have been reported since the 7.6 hit the island.

To a quick lesson on tectonic plates, click here.

Growing up in the Philippines, I have experienced typhoons, earthquakes and a major volcanic eruption. We were lucky enough to be living in an area that was not devastated by any of these natural disasters. I could hardly imagine living in Cainta or Marikina right now and my thoughts and prayers go out to those affected in the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Samoa, American Samoa and Indonesia.

Thanks AlJazeera!

A lot of fellow Pinoys have been complaining about the lack of coverage (in the US media) on the Manila floodings. Unless you have TFC or have access to the interwebs, you don't really hear much about it. I am always on Google News and the media outlets that have been covering about the unfortunate disaster comprised mostly of non-American news outlets, well except for CNN and AP. Anyway, if Pinoys want to read more about the typhoons and the devastation it left/will leave the Philippines, they should just head over to AlJazeera.

Snarkiness aside, please help out and donate however much you can. Here are just a couple of sites you could go to send in your help:

Ondoy Relief

UNICEF USA

ABS-CBN Foundation

Thank you.

Reminiscing

When I was attending college in Manila, I always stopped by National Bookstore in the famed Harrison Plaza shopping center and browse through rows and rows of magazines (mostly of the teeny-bopper kind, please don't judge). I have always had an insanely huge crush on Elijah Wood since his "The Good Son" days. It was so insane that I sent him two fan mails through his fan club. I never got a reply back, but that didn't make me hate him. Anyway, I remember committing a crime in NBS when one day, in a corner of a page of Big Bop magazine, I eyed the image of Elijah and just tore it off and kept it in my wallet. I don't know what made me do it. Raging hormones, I guess.

That said, I saw this cover of Elijah Wood while passing Barnes & Noble the other day. I was smitten.

But no, I did not tear this cover off. As you can see, the pic is a bit blurry. It's due to the guy who was sitting right next to this shelf who saw me taking this shot. I had to rush out of there before he reports a lurker (me) to store security.

Editor's Note: Harrison Plaza was the first shopping mall in the Philippines? Get out of here!