guilty as hell!

We went to Wendy’s for dinner last night and as we were eating, I noticed an old man who had just bought a coffee.

Faye : Look at the old man… he’s just having coffee. I wonder if he has some money to buy food.
IFC : Some old people are just like that like Tito Bading who enjoys drinking coffee in the afternoon.

Suddenly, the old man approached us…

OM : Do you know the way to Bridgeport?
IFC : Bridgeport, NY?
OM : Bridgeport, Connecticut (CT).

In my mind, I was already thinking of CT before the old man even said it. And since we don't know the way, all we could say was “no”. Then, he started asking other people but no one seems to be of help to him.

Faye : Why don’t we ask him if there’s anyone he’d like to call and we can let him use our phone?
IFC : Do you want to call someone? You can use our phone if you want?
OM : No. I just missed a road that’s why I got here.
IFC : Maybe there’s a map that you can buy at the gasoline station (which happened to be just beside Wendy’s).

And so the old man left and walked towards the gas station. Poor old man! He was walking back and forth asking different people for help but no one did. We decided to talk to him thinking maybe we can help. I was talking to Kuya Chu (on the phone) asking for the directions when we saw the old man walking the other way so we followed him. IFC was yelling at him but he didn’t seem to have heard it. He was also trying to cross but he can’t. That was the time I suspected that maybe he has dementia. I waved at him to come closer when he turned.

Faye : Do you have any children that we can call? Or a relative perhaps?
OM : No. no.
Faye : Where have you been? Where did you come from?
OM : Hungary.
Faye : No. I mean where were you supposed to go?
OM : I’m supposed to go to this garbage place in Hartford but I missed the road.
IFC : But you’re in NY!
Faye : Are you driving?
OM : Yes.
Faye : Are you sure?
OM : Yes. I have the key right here (showing the keys to us). I’ve been here in the United States for 36 years.
Faye : Where did you park your car?
OM : Somewhere here…
Faye : But this is not where we saw you earlier?
OM : Oh I forgot.
Faye : Come on… let us take you to where we saw you.

As we were walking back to Wendy’s,

OM : I just missed the road.
Faye : Do you want us to call the police for you?
OM : No. I’m fine. You’re so kind.

Then, I gave him the directions that Kuya Chu gave earlier and as we reached the parking lot at Wendy’s,

Faye : Is that your car?
OM : Yes that’s my car.

I checked the plate which shows CT. His car didn’t look really old. His windows were down. He also looked neat… with his hair polished and his polo tucked in.

IFC : Are you sure you can still drive? It’s getting dark?
OM : I’m fine. Thank you.
Faye : I don’t want to leave you like this. Are you sure you're going to be ok?
OM : Yes. Thank you. You’re so kind.
Faye : Drive safe ok?
OM : Yes (with a smile on his face).

Then, I saw a police car coming. I tried waving at them but I don't think they saw me until it was too late... the old man started pulling out of the parking. And we just looked at his car until it’s no longer in sight.

Upon reaching home, I felt so disturbed. I felt like crying. I felt like blaming myself for allowing him to do what he wanted to do. I felt so stupid for letting him go. I felt so stupid that I don’t even know how to call a police (I can’t call 911. It’s not an emergency. I just learned later on that the hotline # for the police is 311). I felt so guilty… in fact up to now I feel that way… thinking if he had made it or not. I kept asking myself “what if something happened to him?” I was right there but didn’t do anything. I was just like those people who were not of any help to him.

IFC said “Let’s just hope for the best. He seemed like he knows how to drive because he tried avoiding the car which honked at him.”

All I can do now is to keep on praying for him… wishing that he is safe. I hope he’s alright. I really do.

As for us, this was definitely a lesson learned…

Thank Goodness!

I’m so happy IFC finally found a job. We don’t have the exact details (as to benefits and all) yet other than the “pay” but he is expected to start this coming Monday. Working hours are an hour longer than usual and he might also work some Saturdays. Still, it’s reasonable. And one thing I like the most, the office is located on the east side which means we can go to work together in the AM. :)

Trip to Philadelphia, Delaware (DE), Baltimore, Washington DC and Virginia (VA)

We went to the cities/states mentioned above over the weekend. This was supposed to be a birthday (March 30th) gift for IFC but decided to postpone it for Kuya Lito’s visit to avail of the buy 2 get 1 free promo. I made the reservations online at www.paradiseusa.com where it only includes the bus fare and an overnight stay at a hotel. All entrance tickets and food will have to be extra. My only concern though was that Paradise Vacations is Chinese owned. I was really hoping that there will be some other non-Chinese or at least the tour guide will speak English as well… and we were glad he did. And while this is already the 2nd visit, I was still excited about it knowing IFC was with me. It was my 1st time at DE and Baltimore though.

Anyway, the call time was at 715AM on Saturday. We left Flushing 10-15 minutes late not to mention that we had to transfer to another bus in Chinatown and didn’t leave till 9AM.

1st stop was at Philadelphia where we saw the Independence Hall (previously known as the Pennsylvania State House) and the Liberty Bell. They consider this place as the birthplace of the US… where the Declaration of Independence was adopted and the Constitution of the US was debated, drafted and signed. I also learned that there were only 13 states in the beginning compared to the 50 states and 1 district now. We didn’t get to go in though as the line was very long.

Lunch was at King Buffet’s Chinese Restaurant in Delaware.

Then, we headed off to Baltimore. I was amazed with the many great views at the Harbor area. People were enjoying the nice sunny weather, dining outdoors and taking pictures at every angle of the place.

Next stop was at DC. We went to the American Museum of Natural History… which I think is similar to the one we went to at Central Park NYC. There were so many people. Tourists were everywhere. I’m sure you will also enjoy the old structures of the buildings there. It’s really a nice place to see especially for 1st timers. We also went to the Thomas Jefferson Memorial… who is known for his inspiring words to US citizens and where it signifies liberty; and US Capitol which serves as the “seat of government” for the US Congress. There were many more museums that we just passed by not having a lot of time to go to.

We stayed at the Comfort Inn in Herndon, VA for the night. I didn’t expect the hotel to be that nice. I mean I even brought towels, soap and shampoo just to make sure. If I remember it right, we had to use our own when we stayed at a hotel (which the name I can’t remember) in downtown DC back in 2004. Comfort Inn provided all these including hangers, hair dryer and a vault. The room was so neat and nice. They even had a complimentary breakfast.

Dinner was at McDonald’s. We also stopped by K-Mart and bought some things.

1st stop on Sunday was at the Lincoln Memorial. Abraham Lincoln is the 16th president of the US. This place basically “attracts anyone who seeks inspiration and hope”. Across was the Washington Monument which was built in honor of George Washington being the 1st president of the US and the one who led them to independence. 1/3 of the height of this monument has a different color compared to the other 2/3. The tour guide said something like they couldn’t complete it (for whatever reason I can’t recall) till 20 years later and they can’t anymore find the same kind of material they previously used. We also got to see the Korean War Veterans Memorial and Vietnam War Veterans Memorial. People sometimes think that Korean War was not as significant since it only lasted 3 years compared to the Vietnam War which went on for 16 years. Statistically speaking, 54,246 soldiers died within those 3 years… and 58,226 in 16 years.

We were taking pictures of the White House just outside its gates when a ranger approached us and said tickets are free for the day to enter the garden. It wasn’t part of the day’s activities but the tour guide was nice enough to have squeezed it in. We went back there before 1215PM and there we were… very close to the White House. It was right in front of us. What’s even more exciting were those “secret service agents” (with the “wires” on their ears) that I used to see only on TV. The garden was nice and the flowers were gorgeous. We also took pictures of the Department of Treasury which was in sight.

One thing that the “boys” enjoyed was the National Air and Space Museum. I wouldn’t talk much about it but you can explore their website in the link provided for more.

In between these historic sites hopping, we had lunch at China Garden in Arlington, VA. It was some sort of “ala-carte” where there were 10 of us in a table. We didn’t really enjoy the food. Let’s just say some of those served were “authentic” dishes. We also saw The Pentagon, headquarters for the US Department of Defense, from afar. Pictures were taken only while inside the bus.

We reached home at 8PM.

Overall… the tour was tiring but… fun! We got to see and learn new things. The tour guide was good… very hard working. And if you’re going to ask how the Chinese were in the bus, then that’s another story.

Please click here for the photos...

Days of fun with Kuya Lito & Ate Irmee!

Please click this for the photos.

You can also visit Ate Irmee's blog for the details. Sorry I'm still tired, thus, too lazy to blog! :)

it's bothering me...

I see nothing but about “recession” almost every time I go online. Take for instance this single mom who used to be earning $70k a year but now have to go to a food bank to feed her 2 kids. I’m sure it’s not only in the US that this is happening. Manang Glo told me last night that pork in the Philippines is now P175 per kilo. And I also read online that they are facing rice shortage. Filipinos depend so much on rice. In fact, we eat rice 3x a day. IFC doesn’t have a job yet and as to when he can have one, nobody knows. I don’t know but I think I’m getting paranoid of things that are not even affecting me. Well at least not yet. In reality, the company I work for is very stable. I would say it has the resources it needs. We even have 4 new hires in the last 2 weeks. But you just never know…

some people are just plain RUDE!

Why do people have to be really mean at times?! I am so upset right now and I can't really get over it that I couldn’t help not to let it out. It is a human nature to do # 2… something that you have no control of… even if you’re at work… or wherever you may be. I was exactly in that situation when 3 lady visitors came in the bathroom and one started saying… “OMG this is embarrassing! This is really embarrassing! I think I might stay outside! No! No I’m fine! I’ll stay outside!” And take note... with a whiny voice! How rude! I didn’t know what to do. I felt awkward. I felt angry. I felt ashamed. Grrr!!!

Adoy to tie the knot!

My brother is getting married on September. I think I can now talk about this assuming most of the family has already been told and that it was long before announced in his girlfriend’s friendster page. Mama wants me to be there… not that I don’t want to but I just went home for a visit 3 months ago. Airfare is definitely not cheap aside from the money I would need during my stay there. IFC said he doesn’t need to go (which I am not agreeable to). I haven’t decided yet though. I mean I haven't even applied for a travel parole so... we'll see...

I'm BoReD tO dEaTh!!!

crazy thought!

I phoned Nanay (my grandma) last night and as usual she was crying. She was saying she’s getting older and weaker as days pass by. She said she was scolded by Tita Aba that she only said… “That’s how it is!” when I asked her why. We went on with our conversation and she mentioned that 2 of her cousins died just recently and that they (including her), are going “there” one by one. Then I said… “That’s why you were scolded!” She even told me she had the clothes I bought her washed and ironed and that don’t even bother to buy her anything else… that will already do for her. We went on and on and on till we said our goodbyes.

Then, I decided to call Tita Aba and during the course of our conversation, she also mentioned about the “clothes” that Nanay was talking about. I misunderstood it! Nanay was referring to the dress that I bought her for our wedding. And apparently, that has a connection to her cousins’ passing.

It was a long night for me yesterday. I wasn’t able to sleep right away. I know she is ok and in good health. I know being emotional is just part of getting old. I know I could still be with her the next time I go home. Meantime, I will just call her more often so she won’t feel sad…

keeping my fingers crossed...

I’m planning to take a few days off for Kuya Lito and Ate Irmee’s visit. It didn’t hit me though until yesterday that the other division will have their audit soon. I asked my co-worker this AM and he said he’s not sure when it’s going to be as they keep on changing the dates. I hope it won’t be in time that they are here. I actually have nothing to do with that audit. It’s just that I know my co-worker will be really busy to be doing my work while I’m away. :)

under recession?!

I wonder what’s happening to the economy right now. My sister Aou lost her job 2 weeks ago after the company was sold and the new owner decided to close the branch in the Philippines. It was only announced 5 days before they said they were closing. Worst is… their separation pay hasn’t been given up to now and the company is planning to file for bankruptcy. Aou was able to find another job in just a week but decided to quit after only 3 days. She said she applied for an administrative assistant position but when she actually reported for work, it seemed like she has more responsibilities than expected. It looked like she was also the customer service assistant, accounting assistant and receptionist… all at the same time. I hope she finds a good one soon.

IFC, on the other hand, still hasn’t found a job yet. He’s really bored now. I told him to set up a time table that in the event that he can’t find anything, say in 2 months, just enroll in a healthcare related course. He agreed though he doesn’t know yet which course to take. I think that’s really one issue when migrating abroad. You just can’t expect to stay in your field. Most of the time, you would have to consider shifting to another career just so you can move on.

Tag from Pat!

Rule #1 Copy all the links below and replace a single link under the appropriate alphabet. If your domain name, or even the title of your blog, starts with an ” A,” you’d replace the link under that alphabet and put the replaced link at the bottom. Also, don’t forget to credit the tagger, or where you got the list from, at the end of the list with a full URL of the post so that a pingback gets generated.

alwaysbcmom.com
because life is fun
coffeenchoclate.blogspot.com
dzunejenn.blogspot.com
enjoyingtheride-jenn.blogspot.com
faye070574.blogspot.com
gotic-peach.net
happykeg.com
ipentimento.com
juliesjournal.com
kabalyero.com
leahjoseph.com
michmagbag.com
notjustmama.net
originalmx5.net
patrickdevivo.com
qweddings.com
rantingsofawoman.blogspot.com
shopaholictiestheknot.blogspot.com
the-working-mom.blogspot.com
utada-online.net valmg.com
wickedbabylon.com
xaviermedia.com
yimto.com
zbudapest.com

Replaced Link: forumfinder.net
Previous Tagger: shopaholictiestheknot.blogspot.com

Rule #2 You now have to “tag” at least five people and encourage them to participate so that this thing spreads like a virus. Remember, though, that not everyone’s into these kinds of things, so don’t be upset if they don’t participate. Just simply replace your tag. Remember to tag blogs only and no pornographic ones as we do want to keep the integrity as a blogging community. TIP: Tag your frequent EntreCard droppers via its messaging system.

I am tagging you!

Awards from Issa!

Thanks, Issa for these awards!

Family visit!

Ate Irmee, IFC’s sister-in-law, is scheduled for a business trip in the US (Ate Irms, I already spilled the beans! I hope it's ok! Hehe!). She’ll go directly to Texas and will be arriving on March 13th. Then, she will go to NY on the 31st but we won’t be seeing her till April 5th... the date she expects to finish “work”.

Kuya Lito (IFC’s brother), on the other hand, is migrating to Canada soon… till an idea of visiting us here before flying to Canada came to mind. He was at the US Embassy last night for an interview and luckily, he got approved!

Therefore, we’ll be seeing the couple early April. I’m just so excited! It’s really nice knowing we’ll have some “family” coming. Believe it or not but IFC and I are already planning where to take them as early as now! :)

awards tag!

I got this award from Caryl...




and these too...



Thanks, BFF! :)

I'm now passing it on to Gracita, Abby, Pao, Ate Irmee, Jane, Litzie and Marj.

saturday night!

IFC and I met with a childhood friend of mine for dinner on Saturday. His wife and kids were there too. We went to Udon, a Japanese restaurant, at the corner of Union St. and Northern Blvd. in Flushing. Then, they invited us over to their apartment for dessert. We were literally just talking at the dining table the whole time, enjoying coffee and salad. Suddenly, I asked for the time… not realizing it was already 405am. His wife even cooked breakfast before they took us home 2 hours later.

To Glen and Hazzel, thanks for your hospitality! It was really nice seeing you again and meeting your beautiful children.

V-Day!

While any day can be a celebration of love, I would still say Valentine’s Day is special. This is the day that people express their affection more... they’re sweeter... and even more thoughtful.

I kind of felt bad though when I picked the card for IFC. It was literally like picking the one where my eyes 1st laid on. We always talk on the phone and I just couldn’t go to the store without him knowing it so I got the card when I went to pick up my prescription at CVS on Wednesday. The wordings are really nice but the card’s color is a little “pinkish”. But what the hey… red is the color for Valentine’s! :)

IFC gave me a box of Ferrero Rocher and a card as well. I found them on top of my pocket book when I got out of the shower yesterday. How sweet huh! Well, I’m one lucky woman! I just couldn’t ask for anything more…

Anyway, we went to Todai, a Japanese buffet restaurant, for dinner last night. Both IFC and I don’t eat sushi but we definitely like hibachi, tempura, teriyaki and so many others. They have a wide selection of food… great tasting food! Too bad IFC didn’t like the “miso” soup and the green tea ice cream (which I had 5 scoops). The service was outstanding as well. The staff was courteous and checks on their customers from time to time. It was our 1st time there and we will surely go back.

We forgot to bring a camera so I got these pictures from the web…

get to know me more tag!

Grabbed this from Litzie...

1. Are you in a complicated love situation? NO.
2. Do you hate more than 3 people? I don’t hate anyone right now… sort of.
3. The last thing you drank? Water
4. Favorite chocolate bar? Toblerone
5. How many pairs of shoes do you own? More than 10 I think.
6. Favorite genre of music? RnB
7. Do you like beer? NO.
8. What are your favorite color(s)? White
9. Is anyone in love with you? IFC
10. Pepsi or Sprite? Sprite
11. How many video games do you own? None.
12. Does look matters? I think so… hygiene wise.
13. Are you too forgiving? Not really.
14. Do you own a gun? NO.
15. What did you do last night? I watched American Idol.
16. Nicknames? Pepay, Fayeng, Fayee, Pipay Popam
17. Are you thinking about somebody right now? Yes.
18. Are you happy with your life right now? Yes… can’t complain.
19. Do you like your hair? Yes and No.
20. Does anyone like you? Maybe.
21. Last thing you read? Blogs
22.Are you afraid of the dark? Kind of…
23.Have you ever stripped? Have I?
24. Can you cook? Yes.
25.Money or Love? Both
26. Do you enjoy scary movies? No but I still watch it sometimes.
27.Marriage Or Live In? Marriage
28.When was the last time you said “i love you”? A few minutes ago…

Feel free to snag. :)

The White Rose Award!

Thanks to Pat for this! I appreciate it! :)

What can I say about white roses? I think anything white signifies only one thing… purity. It’s a great indication of one’s sincerity and good intentions.

title change...

I have changed the title of my blog. Thanks to Abby for the idea! This was how she referred to my blog from the start and I just find it more personal so I'm stealing it (if that's alright with Abby?!).