a non-hooters alternative to dining

i love eating out. who doesn’t? when you come to think of it, it’s cheaper and leaves no dirty dishes behind. it also ensures that you’re set for lunch the next day if you’ve got leftovers to take home in a doggie bag.

i’m not so much a fan of the all-you-can-eat variety and big chain restaurants. i prefer small family-owned diners or restaurants who have been in the business for generations. it’s not easy to miss these places as they have become landmarks and part of the local dining tradition in the town or city where you live. a door sign saying something like est. 1958 gives them away.

in our town, dell cafe falls under this category. opened in 1940, it serves traditional american food. it’s a popular place to go for breakfast. on weekends, you have to be early as the waiting gets longer for latecomers. if you’re looking for something hot other than food, however, it’s not the one for you. the waitresses are no hooters material. for one thing, they have lived through the rigors of the korean and vietnam wars.

longevity is a safe bet. if there’s a downside, it’s that a generous tip is always appreciated (hint: obligatory). now, a restaurant won’t be around a long time if it doesn’t have a loyal clientele who comes again and again. having repeat customers could only mean the food is good and the service excellent.

don’t get me wrong, though. i don’t close my eyes on a new restaurant when i see one. i don’t mind giving it a try as long as i don’t see the following signs on the window:

1. we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone – i consider it tacky and discriminatory as if we’re back in the days of martin luther king, jr. all over again. correct me if i’m wrong, but i think a public establishment can’t refuse service to anyone unless it’s closing time or it involves the safety and well-being of its patrons.

2. restrooms are for customers only – i interpret it to mean that there’s something in the food that they serve that may cause diners to visit the restrooms whether they like it or not. it’s therefore necessary to limit the use of the restrooms to their customers as a courtesy and to avoid overcrowding.

aside from the food and the service, long established family-owned diners and restaurants can give you a sense of belonging. they are often patronized by locals who live in your neighborhood. in addition, they usually feature communal tables. since i hate eating by myself, i find long tables where you can sit with the other diners very much welcome. there’s no sadder spectacle than seeing somebody eating alone and has nobody to talk to even if it’s only about the weather. after all, we’re social beings.

i won! i won! i won!

sometimes you feel lucky. for one shining moment, you see the stars converged and the planets aligned. you hit the jackpot without even really trying.

somebody presented me with this cool award, which, i think, i don’t deserve. but i’ll take it for friendship’s sake.

The rules for this award:

1. Choose 5 stand out blogs
no sweat about that. but i’d rather not mention their names. the authors know who they are. they are bloggers with passion. sadly, a couple had left the blogosphere for good. i miss them terribly.

2. Thank the blogger who gave you this award
thank you, ruchi. i want to compliment you for your good taste.

3. Answer the questions below with only one word.
Where is your phone? desk
Your hair? black
Your Mother? caring
Your Father? upright
Favorite food? pasta
Your dream last night? moving
Favorite drinks? water
Your dreams? passionate
What room are you in? family
Your hobby? hiking
Your fear? heights
Where do you want to be in six years? europe
Where were you last night? home
Something you’re not? greedy
Muffins? blueberry
Wish List Item? ps3
Last thing you did? internet
What are you wearing? casual
Your pets? dead
Your friends? easygoing
Your life? happy
Your mood? optimistic
Missing someone? yes
Your vehicle? nissan
Something you’re not wearing? cologne
Your favorite colour? blue
When was the last time you laughed? now
Last time you cried? lately
Your best friend? dead
One place you go over and over? mall
One person that e-mails you? sister
Favorite place to eat? thai

the walls have ears

i don’t know if i can work without an office cubicle and seriously i don’t want to know. i consider it home away from home. a private office is definitely preferable, but unfortunately i don’t belong in that league.

it’s amazing how people can function in an open-bullpen office with no partitions. doesn’t it feel a little weird watching each other all the time? just eating at your desk can be problematic. since everybody can see what you’re having for lunch, it better not be your favorite chicken feet or oxtail stew. otherwise, your fellow co-workers will eat you for lunch at the next water cooler gossip.

an office cubicle should have walls high enough to give you some sense of privacy. it allows you to concentrate on the task at hand by keeping your peripheral vision free from distractions. it doesn’t only make you more productive, but it also saves you from unnecessary flirting.

although an office cubicle can help you work and eat your lunch in peace, it doesn’t completely insulate you from your neighbors. sitting behind the partition walls, they provide constant reminders that you’re not alone. they can hear you loud and clear. they can hear everything. the phone conversations. the sighs. the yawns. the sounds that make you distinctly human.

i used to work behind a woman in a company i’m not allowed to name. she reminded me of hillary clinton. she had the same hairstyle and body size. she was well-dressed. she came to the office in a business suit. she was all business outside of her cubicle. she was mind your own business inside there. the lady didn’t mind farting on a regular basis and she wasn’t squeamish about me hearing the familiar burst. who cares? she must have thought i wasn’t a date material anyway. duh!

i had the experience of working close to a balding engineer with a pencil-thinned goatee who constantly reminded his wife who was the boss. he was more of a drill sergeant than a loving husband. he called her names, insulted her, and belittled her on the phone. one hot summer day i even heard him tell his wife to turn on the air conditioner right that minute because he was going home. looking back, whenever i heard his ranting i felt like it was time for a coffee break or hair-pulling. i just couldn’t take the verbal abuse. i often wondered how his wife could.

somebody has compared working in an office cubicle to living in a goldfish bowl. it’s not some secret hideaway where you can say and do personal stuff as you please. the walls have ears. it pays to be discreet.

halloween memories

halloween is a special holiday in the philippines occurring on the first of november. it’s designated as a day of remembrance. it’s a time when filipinos pay their respects to the dead.

halloween reminds me of the house of my paternal grandparents in the philippines. it was the house along the public highway close to the catholic church and the elementary school in our hometown. being one of the biggest in the town, it wasn’t easy to miss. during the second world war, the japanese took it over and converted it into sleeping quarters for officers.

my cousins and i used to call it “bahay na malaki.” translated into english, it means “the big house.” it had a big yard with fruit trees that we loved to climb. a couple of them were tamarind trees that towered three stories high. darn, it was on those trees that my fear of heights first manifested itself.

i never saw my paternal grandparents. they died before i was born. it must be because from a brood of seven, my father was second to the youngest and the last one to get married. but while i was growing up, they remained alive with stories from family members and people who knew them.

whenever my cousins from manila would come for a visit, they stayed in the big house. they’d usually come during halloween and other holidays. my childhood was filled with happy memories when they were around. they were the best friends i ever had when i was growing up.

as halloween drew near, i’d start looking forward to my cousins’ arrival. typically, they’d come a few days before the holiday. once they arrived, we’d go to the cemetery and look after the graves of our grandparents, uncle, and cousin. we’d wash their graves thoroughly and put a fresh coat of paint on them and clean the surroundings of weeds and debris as well. we’d always try to do a good job as our efforts were usually rewarded with money for ice cream treats.

come halloween morning, the whole family would go to the cemetery to visit their graves to honor and pay them respects. we’d bring along flowers and burn candles on their graves. the day would be spent in praying for their souls, reminiscing the past, and keeping updated of each other’s current activities. we, the kids, would take turns collecting the wax melting away from the burning candles and shape them into a ball. by end of day, we’d be able to make several of these balls of wax which we used for our home-made lanterns.

in the evening, there’d be a huge family dinner at the big house. after dinner, mahjong tables would be set up. while the adults played mahjong, the kids would go from house to house around the neighborhood with their home-made lanterns. they’d sing in front of every house, announce that they were lost souls seeking their way back to purgatory, and then ask for handouts. it was easy money all the way.

the following day, if it fell on a saturday or sunday, the adult males would go to the cockfight with their favorite roosters. it didn’t matter to the women whether they’d win or not. if their roosters won, we’d have lobsters for dinner that night or whatever special fare they could buy outside the cockpit house. if they lost, the roosters would be cooked and served.

it’s been many years since the big house was torn down and replaced with a more modern house by my uncle who had inherited the place. even then, i still dream of that big house. i guess we’ll never outgrow our childhood completely. part of it will never leave and remain with us until we die.

bedtime secrets

i prefer a firm bed. it makes me feel in control. it doesn’t give me the feeling of being swallowed like a water bed does. it’s also suited for me who can’t keep still and who toss and turn around a lot during sleep, according to reliable witnesses.

i start sleeping on my side and usually end up in the missionary position.

i don’t like putting my head on a pillow. i rest my legs on the pillow instead.

i don’t sleep under the covers, either. it’s not that i like to expose myself. i don’t sleep naked. i keep my modesty intact. i have my shirt and pajama bottoms on. yes sir, i don’t like to flaunt my assets especially when unconscious and in a very vulnerable state.

i don’t know if i snore, although second hand reports seem to confirm it. but with lack of hard evidence i give myself the benefit of the doubt.

i have tried at times to be aware of the exact moment i would fall asleep, but i always fail. sleep is like love or death. it always comes at the time when you least expect it.

so that’s it. have a good night and a gentle hug to everyone.