Unschooling

Yo, I'm totally gonna unschool my kids. Holla.

The traditional school system is archaic and built on a foundation of expired principles. in order to give ourselves and our children the education they need, we must circumvent the bureaucracy and create a new normal. 

Daunting? Hell yes! Possible? It's already happening. I am a Rich Grad. http://richgrad.org/the-creed.php



READ ABOUT UNSCHOOLING HERE:

http://zenhabits.net/

I AM A MAGICIAN.

My name is Amelia. I am a powerful, loving, and passionate leader and I am a magician.

I create magic when:

1. I tell stories.
2. I dance.
3. I present to large audiences.
4. I coach.
5. I spend quality time with you.
6. I touch you.
7. I'm behind a microphone or in front of a camera.
8. I create relatable characters and act them out.
9. I make people laugh.
10. I am silly, loud, and outrageous.
11. I laugh.
12. I smile.
13. I perform.
14. I hype.
15. I create energy.
16. I make YouTube videos.
17. I cry.
18. I tell you how I feel.
19. I serve.
20. I love you.
21. I support you in drawing out your vision.
22. I inspire you to dream big.
23. I empower you to take steps towards your dream life.
24. I motivate you to keep moving.
25. I teach.

HOW DO YOU CREATE MAGIC? (List at least 25).

A Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour

http://asliceofbrooklyn.com/

Check out the above link for more details on this tour and others run by the family!

The wingman and I went this past weekend on Saturday Jan 30 to the Pizza tour. The slice of brooklyn tour is a family owned business. The members alternate between giving all these different tours - their most famous being the pizza tour we went on.

We made sure to end our Friday night early (1am - which believe me is super early for the duo LOL) so we could wake up ready, refreshed and still have time for breakfast before our 4.5 hour long slice of Brooklyn. Yes, the tour is named as such purposely to indicate the two VERY SPECIAL stops (and the fatty that I am reluctantly admits maybe the ONLY reason I wanted to go) - world famous pizza places: Grimaldi's and L&B Spumoni Gardens.

Views of the Brooklyn Bridge


The additional bonus (aside from the delicious pizza) was the actual tour itself. They took us around all different parts of Brooklyn (some new spots I've especially noted to revisit when the weather gets better) - and it was cute because they also played clips from all different movies and timed it to play right as we passed that spot on the tour. It was like that Denzel Washington movie Deja Vu (and that's all I'll say in case whoever's reading this didn't see it, I don't want to spoil it)... Since I wasn't documenting everything as we traveled my recollection of the details from a few days ago are fuzzy already so you can read the synopsis from the link at the bottom of the blog for specific places we visited (but really, you'd have to check out the tour or the go to the places yourself to really appreciate anything I'm saying in this blog).

What I do remember most vividly, however, is THE PIZZA!!!!!!

Grimaldi's I've had before - but I was just as excited to go have some again especially since this family had the hook up and we didn't have to wait in line or anything! We even got to cut the line that was already there (a few dozen people freezing outside waiting for the restaurant to open, and we just walked right passed! - they were pissed LOL)




What I never did, however, during the other two times I'd been to Grimaldi's was check out the brick oven. Grimaldi's is famous because it is one of the last brick oven pizza spots that is still allowed to cook the pizza using coal (most places use wood - and it just doesn't taste the same). Keep in mind, they have only ONE oven (one bathroom - womp womp) and yet they service close to a hundred people an hour, I'd say. The oven gets to be as hot as 900 degrees F and the pizzas cook in 3minutes flat (or, according to the boys that work there - 2 minutes and 43 seconds flat lol). I actually watched the process from start to finish for the first time this day - from the flipping of the dough, the sprinkling of the super fresh mozzarella, basil and miscellaneous toppings, to the tossing (literally tossing) into this massive and extremely hot oven. I was so fascinated I forgot I had to pee and even almost missed my turn at the bathroom I was staring so hard.

I'd definitely go there a 4th, 5th and 6th time :)

L&B Spumoni Gardens, on the other hand, I had NEVER been to for a couple of reasons:
1) I'd never heard of it
2) It's wayyy deep in Bensonhurst, and let's be real, I'm only in Brooklyn for my sister, my neph and Wen

But let me tell you.... THIS PIZZA WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE. It is hands down THE BEST sicilian pizza you will ever, ever, EVER taste!!!!!! I will MOST DEFINITELY be going back there. Apparently, in this yearly poll they have of the best pizza spots, this place won SO many years in a row that they're not even included in the poll anymore! There's just an asterisk on the bottom saying "L&B Spumoni Gardens is not included in these results". And according to the tour guide, allegedly a man that just got out of prison made sure he got a sicilian slice before even going to see his mom... I mean, I dunno about all that, I'd definitely go see my mom first, but wingman & I had to RESIST the urge to pick up the pans and plates and lick the sauce right off of them.

Admittedly, I was reluctant at first. I took the first bite, paused and shook my head saying "umm... yea it's pretty good..." - but after taking more and more bites and realizing that I simply could NOT stop and wanted to swipe my hand across everyone's plates and lick my fingers.... I officially announced.... "My life is changed. I will never be able to eat a sicilian slice from anywhere else for as long as I live."

Keep in mind, we had only visited this spot less than 2 hours after stuffing our faces at Grimaldi's so we were all PRETTY full... and even that didn't stop me from having two slices and staring hungrily at the leftover slices on the other trays. We decided we'd ask if we could take the slices home but were devastated when the bus boys took the trays away before we could ask.

We settled for sharing a cup of rainbow spumoni (for those of you that don't know, spumoni is basically a cross between italian ices and ice cream - supposedly the best of both worlds). Rainbow, is not like the rainbow ices they sell on the corner of Roosevelt Ave and Junction Blvd (LOL - my Queens heads!) - but it IS a mixture of the 3 flavors of spumoni they sell: Vanilla (with almond bits), Chocolate and Pistachio (with pistachio bits)..... DELICIOUS! Even though my stomach was officially filled to the brim with cheese, tomato sauce and bread, I still had room for the slurpalicious spumoni!

We get back on the bus and head towards Coney Island - I'd been there a million times and I'm sure you have too so I'll skip all that boringness.... besides by that time, everyone had the itis so bad we were all sitting there with our eyes half closed and consequently half listening to our tour guide, Paula, at this point.

I fell asleep on the way back to Union Square (which is where the tour started - I believe all their tours start at some place in Manhattan) while they were playing a video montage of all the famous actors, actresses, musicians and comedians from Brooklyn.

Anddd... the best part and cherry on top of our very wonderful Saturdae (not Sundae get it har har).... As we were pulling into the city, Paula holds up two plastic bags filled with styrofoam boxes and says "I have tons of leftovers, who wants???"
.002 seconds pass and she barely gets the word "leftovers" out of her mouth and wingman and my hands FLY up and we're like "MEEE!!!"....
How embarrassing because no one remotely showed any interest for those leftovers let alone with the same gusto. We didn't care though - that made our DAY.... Our previous disappointment when the bus boys took away the trays was reversed at the realization that we would, after all, be taking home DELICIOUS LEFTOVERS from that life changing pizza place that is L&B Spumoni Gardens - clearly that's what I had for dinner that night.

Thank you, Ludovico Barbati for your entrepreneurial spirit and bringing to me the BEST pizza I've ever had. :)

Check out this link for more detailed info on the tour -> http://asliceofbrooklyn.com/pizza.html


Stay tuned for the next adventure...
Leonardo Da Vinci's Workshop!

The Fab and the Filipinious: Tokyo Drift [GO]

Day 5: Shinjuku, the Shinkansen, & Kyoto!

Tokyo Departure Day

Monday, July 20, 2009

So, I wasn't planning on doing much of anything today since I have 4 days of jam packed traveling and sight seeing planned for me and my mom but MW insisted we at least get some breakfast and walk around a bit before we have to catch the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Kyoto.

I'm actually glad she insisted on it because it gave me the chance to cover some ground I probably wouldn't have been able to.

SHINJUKU

Being born and raised in NY didn't exactly have me all hype to visit this part of Tokyo known for its government buildings and skyscrapers. What convinced me to go was MW's suggestion to visit the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building - Tokyo's "Twin Towers".

Working in the Financial District (where I take the E train to Chambers St. "WTC" stop every day) is a constant reminder to me that the NY skyline is incomplete. Even when the Freedom tower is built and other buildings take its place, I will never forget my beloved twin towers, its "Windows of the World" and how their destruction affected my life.

Takashimaya "Times Square" - Before visiting the government building, MW took us to Times Square.... LOL not nearly as horrible or touristy as the NY version - it's actually a 15 floor shopping center with lots of shi shi frou frou department stores (I tried on a pair of $800 shoes, not to mention stores like Dior, Chanel & Prada were here) and lovely restaurants.

Our main purpose here was to try the delicious soup dumplings at Din tai Fung - a Chinese restaurant that served food unparallel to anything Chinatown could ever aspire to serve. Needless to say, the food was very good and much tastier than anything Noodle Town, 69 or even HopKee could hope to serve.

Tokyo Hands - I was also able to get a preview of "all the things me and my friends never knew we needed" at this Japanese version of Target/WalMart but eleventy BILLION times better 'cause it had all the cool, ingenious gadgets and trinkets you'd never find in the States. I can't wait to go back there at the end of my trip & spend the rest of my $ on TOYS! - I couldn't spend too much time browsing and shopping though - I still had to see the twin towers & be back at the apt in time to pack up for my mom & my 3 day Kyoto -> Hiroshima -> Miyajima -> Nara -> Hakone adventure!!!!

Takashimaya "Times Square" - The most amusing part about visiting the building (and even walking there) was comparing the huge
difference between the crowd at Takashimaya vs. the govt bldg area. Since we got to Takashimaya early, we just beat the crowd, but as we were leaving I was so grateful to be going in the opposite direction of the hordes of people that begand to flood all entrances at approximately noon!

As we went the other way towards the skyscrapers, it got significantly quieter/emptier. The plaza in front of the towers reminded me of 28 days later when the guy woke up and was walking around these huge open spaces that seemed like they should be filled with a million people.

The line for the observatory deck was practically non existent and we didn't even have to wait to get on the tiny elevator.

Unfortunately, on this cloudy day, the only interesting thing, to me, about the observatory deck was the souvenir shop - good thing it's free to go up there. LOL. Nevertheless, I came, I saw, I relived the glory days of the WTC vicariously through these Japanese twin towers & I was satisfied.... and friggin EXHAUSTED!!!

I mean, I was always expecting to walk a lot - every Japanese guide book and website I read all say the best way to discover Tokyo is to walk through it - but 3 days straight of nothing but walking, inconsistent sleeping patterns and 13 hr jet lag was kicking my @SS!... At least I had the 2.5 hr bullet train ride to look forward to.

THE SHINKANSEN

Fortunately, I lucked out by getting an English speaking person at the ticket booth and was able to successfully obtain all the train tickets my mom and I needed for the next 4 days :)

UNfortunately, I don't remember the train because I slept the whole time.

ARRIVAL IN KYOTO - Super Kyoto Hotel!

This hotel is super cute (har har). It's advertised as a western style hotel but there are many Japanese characteristics - the bathroom, the customer service, the tiny reminders how keen the Japanese are on cleanliness... I spent a good 30 minutes soaking in the bathtub - Japanese style... and a GREAT sleep followed.....

**** COMING SOON ****

Day 6 - HiROSHiMA & MiYAJiMA VOYAGE

The Fab and the Filipinious: Tokyo Drift [SHi]

Day 4: Harajuku, Omote Sando, Shibuya
Sunday, July 19, 2009

Woke up early to go to church this morning at the Franciscan Chapel Center a couple of blocks down from Roppongi Crossing.

What a beautiful, cute & simple little church with people from all over the world coming to worship together! - it truly is inspirational...

The priest was so sweet and reminded me a lot of Fr./Msr. O'Brien during his younger years (the way I remember him when giving me my First Communion at Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Parsons Blvd).

The readings/gospel for today were so fitting! It reminded us that if we truly want unity, it has to start with us realizing that we musn't be prejudiced against anyone.

At the end of mass they recognized all the visitors/newcomers by asking us to stand and say where we're from. I, of course, repped NYC to the fullest! ROFL. =P

I'm always amazed coming abroad and being in a setting mixed with locals, visitors and temporary residents. It always reminds me how ethnocentric Americans can be and it's sad how so many are trapped in the tiny little worlds that are their lives carrying on as if nothing else exists outside of it. I love being reminded of just how big the world really is with so much to see and learn - there are so many different ways that people live and look and it's overwhelming (in a good way) to imagine all the different paths of life that can exist in one room - brought together, by God, for the same reason.... reminds me of one of my favorite quotes..



"Our hearts feel the same pains and joys even though our lives and ways are different."



What a perfect setting for the homily/lesson that so many of us always find too easy to forget! Looking around I could see students from abroad, families made up of different ethnic backgrounds, nuns from convents in other countries, people on vacation, missionary families, permanent residents, temporary residents - but still.. all the same universal smiles and common faith that brings us to the same place at the same time. How wonderful and truly blessed I am to have this day just for me & my momma! <3>
Omote Sando & Takeshita St!


Ok, so, imagine Times Square on New Year's Eve.... this is what Harajuku is like on a regular Sunday. A place where hour long lines to get into a normal lunch/brunch spot at 2pm, or 30 minute lines just to get into H&M and Forever 21 is totally normal and... people DON'T mind!!!

Truly the opposite of NY mentality, the purpose of a line in Tokyo is to get what you want no matter how long you have to wait for it. In NY, the purpose of a line is to not have one at all and minimize, if not eliminate the time requirement to wait on oneIn Tokyo, the length of a line/time it will take to get the service you are waiting for is directly proportional to the popularity of whatever food or service awaits. As a "normal" New Yorker, I absolutely HATE Times Square and avoid it at all costs. As a result, Times Square is usually full with tourists who want to be around the cliched hustle and bustle (or with locals who don't know any better). This time, in Harajuku, I was the worst mixture of the two - a tourist who didn't know any better. Furthermore, the popularity of Harajuku is a tourist trap because of all the "people watching" you can do scoping out Japanese, teeny bop pop culture at its best aka hair dye, bright accessories & thigh high central!!!

Not gonna knock it, cuz granted there were a lot of very cute girls in very cute outfits and some of my clothes WILL be Harajuku inspired BUT

1. I have been to the NYC Pride & Halloween parades 3 years in a row - not sure how much else can shock and awe me
   
2. Omote Sando was cool but its EXACTLY like the Avenue des Champs-Elysees in Paris and
   
3. I could barely enjoy Takeshita Street (which is another famous street known for being pedestrian only and lined with cute fashion boutiques, cafes & restaurants) because it literally saturated with people and Japanese sales girls screaming bargain deals at the top of their lungs in shrilly, high-pitched voices.....
   

Oh gosh, listen to me... When did I become such a snotty world traveler??? LOL... No, I think I'll definitely blame it on the crowds of 500 BAJILLION people that totally discouraged me from exploring a little bit deeper to find & discover some hidden gems....

So yes, whining about crowds aside, and although it wasn't what I expected, I am happy I got to see all the famous places most people only get to Wikipedia about!

• Omote Sando
• Cos Players and Harajuku Girls chillin on Jingu bridge
• the Meiji Shrine
• Rockabillies in Yoyogi Park
• Takeshita St

I just wish it weren't SO crowded so I could've enjoyed the Gothic Lolitas and Ganguros - or even seen one clearly....

Shibuya 109 & the WORLD FAMOUS Shibuya Crossing

Ok, so remember how I said Harajuku was Times Square on New Year's Eve??? Well... Shibuya is 10x WORSE!!!!!!!!!!

Shibuya Crossing is the world-famous intersection (or "scramble crossing") located infront of the Hachiko exit of Shibuya Station. There are 3 large TV screens & a Starbucks overlooking this crossing where traffic is stopped (by red lights obvi) in ALL FOUR directions to allow what looks like a bazillion (yes that's more than 500 bajillion) pedestrians to cross on all sides (including diagonally).

Shibuya 109 is not too far off from th ecrossing & while I loved the tiny girlyness & colorful fabulousness of this shopping center, it was JUST LIKE the old school Queens Center Mall at its crazy holiday season Sunday rush! - You fellow Queens natives who have experienced the old, tiny, cylindrical version of QCM will know what I mean.

Shibuya 109 is the same tall cylindrical sape with a few more floors and maybe at least a MILLION more people! I kid you not. But... I don't want this entry to be totally full of complaining because 1) I would DEFINITELY go back and 2) I scored some really cute shoes and anyone who knows me knows that's enough to shut me up and make me sublimely happy. :-)

Stay tuned!!!

Day 5 - Tokyo Departure DAY, the start of my 4 day JAPAN tour ADVENTURE from Kyoto -> Nara -> Hiroshima -> Miyajima -> Hakone and BACK to Tokyo again!!

The Fab and the Filipinious: Tokyo Drift [SAN]

Day Three: Tsukiji Fish Market & Roppongi Hills
Saturday, July 18, 2009

Prologue

The Tsukiji Fish Market is the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market IN THE WORLD and also one of the largest food markets of any kind (click here for more wikipedia info). The recommendation is to go really early so you can catch the tuna auctions, unloading of shipments and also be first in line for the most popular sushi spots... apparently the most popular places can be as long as a 4 hour wait at 6am on a Sat morning!!! (I'll get more into lines in Japan in another blog - crazy!).

So Mom & I tried to wake up super early to go to the market hopefully to see the unloading of all the shipments. We did wake up on time but ended up yapping too much and at 5:30am we hadn't even left yet!

She was so busy telling me how fat I've gotten and how men love stick figures with no curves and I told her that it took a grueling adolesence and shaky college life but I'm finally happy with how I look and her words of "encouragement" weren't really so encouraging. In her defense, I suppose she wasn't trying to offend me, but I guess she assumed that I wished I was skinnier?? *shrug* What is it with Filipinos and always commenting on weight, ANYway?? Too skinny, Too fat... bah humbug!

Anyway, I had no idea how to get to the fish market so figuring it out was certainly an adventure!


6:15am JST, Sat. Jul 18, 2009
@ the Tsukiji Fish Market


Somehow, I feel like I'm in the wrong place. It's not the GINORMOUS wholesale fish market place I imagined/googled, nor do I see the tuna auction place OR the 4 hour sushi restaurant lines! Or maybe I'm just overreacting...

Well, the sign said Tsukiji Fish Market, and there's mad fish for sale here so I guess I'm overreacting.

Anyway, it is quite adorable though and some Tokyoites are SO fabulous! Even at 6am wearing their fancy, shiny open toes, with their fabulous hairstyles and colorful attire.

There are so many tourists here but I still can't help like I'm missing something. Where are the massive lines for sushi? Where are the tuna auctions?! I'm a little disappointed but Mom and I decide to have our breakfast sushi here anyway.

HOLY COW!!!! Sushi here is SOOOO friggin great and fresh. I dunno if I'll ever enjoy Sushi in NYC again. So here's something that'll make you laugh, I got the 6 specific rolls of sushi I ordered and by the way, the kind of sushi they serve in America is not Japanese sushi. It is AMERICAN sushi. In Japan, they don't do those fancy rolls with cream cheese and crunchies and all of that other fancy "dragon/rainbow/tiger etc roll" things. In fact, Japanese chefs would have to take an AMERICAN SUSHI class if they wanted to serve sushi in the States. But... I digress..

So anyway, I get my 6 rolls of sushi, and there's soy sauce on the table, but I wonder to myself... where is the wasabi?? Fearing that I'll end up ordering something like EEL DUNG, I refrain from asking the non English speaking waitress and decide to make do without the wasabi. And... to my WONDERFUL surprise.. a WHOLE section of wasabi was waiting for me RIGHT in the middle of my sushi!...... those TRICKSTERS!!! *shakes fist*

But, now that I know, I can take out the chunks and spread it evenly throughout the roll. Man, I had tears running down my face.....

After a nice sushi breakfast, by 8am, my mom and I are ready to do some walking around and exploring. It got hot/humid really quickly so we were back at the apt by 11am... SWEATING. The humidity is friggin bananas out here. I came at the end of rainy season so now, instead of raining the humidity just hangs around like some annoying guy who won't stop trying to dub you in the club... no seriously, it's worse than an August day in NY at noon.

1:00pm JST
@ Roppongi Hills, Tokyo / Gonpachi Restaurant / Koots

MW and I met up with P at Gonpachi in Roppongi Hills for lunch! The restaurant is one of many that are part of the company she works for so it was cool cuz we got a discount!

But anyway, Gonpachi is a popular restaurant in Tokyo aka TOURIST TRAP because 1) they speak English; 2) former Pres. Bush ate there when he went to meet Japan's Prime Minister and 3) the best part It's the restaurant that inspired Quentin Tarantino for the set of the famous fight scene in KILL BILL Vol 1!!!!!! - you know, with the wrap-around wooden balcony overlooking the main floor/dining area....

What made the whole first lunch in Tokyo experience even more pleasantly cute and authentic was the group of 6 or 7 old women decked out in really nice Kimonos having lunch at the table next to us! Definitely a rare sight for a boring New Yorker like me =P





After lunch, for dessert, P and MW took me to KOOTS, a Japanese style natural & organic cafe that has a whole bunch of authentic Japanese desserts (basically green tea in every imaginable form possible). I got a green tea float (cold green tea with green tea ice cream on top) and Princess & I also shared a green tea sundae of some sort - which had green tea ice cream, jelly, tapioca balls, straberries, red bean paste and some crusty/graham cracker thing - YuMmMm!






So P, MW and I are sitting outside Koots, enjoying our desserts and chatting. This is the first time P and I are meeting in person - I've only known her vicariously through my best friends' facebook so we're just catching up on commonalities aka making fun of Ir and his crazy antics ;)

I'm enjoying the conversation, but it's about 3pm JST (2am in NY) and jet lag is KICKING MY @SS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I started nodding off while everyone was talking and staring at P and MW through bloodshot eyes and was finally like... dude, I gotta go home and pass out. I thank P for the lovely authentic Japanese experience and we make plans to meet up the next day for Harajuku shopping and more sightseeing.


MW and I decide to WALK back to the apt, and when I said we were in Roppongi HILLS, I wasn't lying!!!!! After the humidity and all the walking up and down the sloping streets, not to mention the satisfying meal/dessert I just had had me KNOCKED OUT as soon as I dropped down on the bed...

I was supposed to try and wake up later to go out with P but.. yeah, that failed miserably.

Either way, definitely not bad for a FULL first day in Japan!!!! =)


************************************************
Day 4 coming soon.... HARAJUKU/SHIBUYA shopping and people watching, Dancing in Yoyogi park, and world famous streets: Shibuya Crossing, Omote-Sando and Takeshita! - yeah google them!!!

The Fab and the Filipinious: Tokyo Drift [Ni]

Day Two: Arrival (approx 3pm JST - Japan Standard Time)
Friday, July 17, 2009
Narita Airport, Japan to Tokyo, Japan

Getting off that flight, going through customs is a breeze because I'm not sick and I'm not trying to smuggle any guns/narcotics, but altogether it does take an hour. We land on time and I'm finally ready to head to Tokyo (about an hr or so from the airport) by 3pm JST. I get my ticket, exchange some USD for Yen and off I go...

So, I'm sitting on the Narita Express (NEX) en route to Tokyo Station to meet MW (my friend who lives in Tokyo) and... maybe it's because I'm still suffering from airplane delirium and haven't seen the Earth for 13 hrs but I can't help but feel as if I'm upside down. I guess my equilibrium is all off because back home is on the other side of the world and it's 2am ET over there - so technically... I am upside down???? LOL. Listen to me, well anyway, I'm just SUPER excited I'm IN JAPAN!!!! and not just the airport anymore either. =)

As the train passes through the underground tunnel and the sun starts to pour into the 7th car of the NEX, my heart starts to race. I recognize the unmistakable sloping rooftops of Japanese architecture (which is, of course, extremely influenced by the Chinese architecture of the Tang Dynasty) and an automatic squeal of glee escapes my lips.... how embarrassing - I might as well get a tattoo of the word "TOURIST" in big bold letters across my forehead. But it doesn't matter, I'm not here to impress anyone but myself... and barely 2 hrs in Japan and I'm already ecstatic.

My Tokyo Dwelling:
MW's apartment is REALLY cute!!!

• It's a one bedroom apartment in the West Tower of the Ark Towers in Roppongi.
• There's a balcony, bathrom and living/dining/kitchen area.
• The bathroom is one of those high-end bathrooms with the heated toilet seats complete with cooch/booty washers & dryers right in the toilet! (yeah that's my terminology for douche LOL).
• The shower/bathtub combo is especially interesting to me. Apparently, the bathing areas are traditionally huge where 1/2 of it is the shower area and 1/2 is the tub - you're supposed to get clean in the shower, and then soak for however long in the tub. MW and I assume it's this way since the traditional Japanese hotels (ryokan) have the bath water coming from natural hot spring sources which are said to have medicinal/healing powers.
  

Japan Facts/Things I Learned so far:

• Japan Rail - JR = Amtrak This is one way that people get around from city to city in Japan. Foreigners can buy 7, 14 or 21 day unlimited tickets which have to be purchased OUTSIDE of Japan for which they can exchange for a real ticket at any exchange counter within Japan
• Suica Card = Metro Card This is cooler than a metro card because you can use it to buy stuff from the vending machines in the stations too (there are other companies that issue this type of card as well... also unlike NY where there is only the MTA issued Metro Card)
• Narita Express = Super Shuttle or any other company that offers shuttle services from the airport to the city I used this to take me straight from Narita airport to Tokyo Station. This is also serviced by JR.
• Tokyo Station reminded me a lot of the train station in Paris - colorful signs everywhere in a language I don't understand. Tons of people cris crossing through the center trying to get to all the different rail lines
• Elevator etiquette is the same i.e. everyone stops talking and faces forward once they step inside
• LEFT = RIGHT - that is drive on the left side of the road, escalator "slow lane" is on the left... it is really weird to get used to and I'm afraid I may lose my life every time I cross the street out here.
• The JPMC Tokyo office is a 2 minute walk from Tokyo station
• People in Tokyo don't walk as fast as people in NY - even with my 40lb luggage rolling behind me, I practically ran over the people walking in front of me
• Some people wear face masks - I guess they're really nervous about spreading germs and/or really sensitive to springtime allergies
• You don't have to tip in Japan =)

Other traditions I've learned:

1. Always take your shoes off when entering someone's home. You're even supposed to have separate slippers for the bathroom and not wear them outside the bathroom! - so better make sure you always have nice socks/tights LOL.
2. People don't shake hands - they bow. Well, most westerners already know this...
3. You have to be 20 yrs old to buy cigarettes and alcohol
4. They never say "No" - it is too assertive so they'll say "um...." instead (chotto) - the long pause is supposed to imply "don't count on it buddy"
5. They're SUPER apologetic. Sumimasen!! means sorry, and even a slight arm graze on the subway will cause someone to bow furiously muttering SUMIMASEN! several times.
6. They are VERY clean and particular about garbage. You must clean up after yourself! - trash cans are catergorized by "burnable" and "non-burnable". I can imagine how horrified a Japanese person is when coming to the US! - esp NYC... gross!!!

The Fab and the Filipinious: Tokyo Drift [iCHi]

Day One: The Plane - Thurs. July 16, 2009
Newark, NJ to Narita Airport, Japan

A mixture of anxiety and excitement waves over me when I wake up at 3am ET this morning realizing that I have not yet packed for my 10 day trip - my flight is at 11am ET and I still haven't figured out how I'm going to get to the airport... originally, I was supposed to wake up early, drop off my car in Brooklyn with my sister and she would take me to her job where I'd catch the Super Shuttle to Newark... that doesn't work out since it's already 3am and the only available super shuttles were 6:30 and 6:45am, and there was no way I'd shower, pack, get to Brooklyn then Chinatown by then.... I'm thinking GREAT, now what - so, I hop up and hurriedly think up a plan - I convince my sister it makes the most sense for me to get to her house by 7am and she take me to the airport from there. Thankfully, she agrees...

So, it takes me about 2 hours total to shower, get ready and pack what I hope will be enough for the trip. I fly to Brooklyn top speed and from there my sister drives me to Newark where I arrive 3 hours before my flight - tons of time to check in, relax and make my goodbye America phone calls. I am at my gate with 2 hours to kill so I relax for a bit, make some calls, send some texts - then board the plane!

The best part of departure day is anticipating my reunion with my mother. I haven't seen her since April when she left to go to the Philippines to tend to her growing business and religious... um... pursuits? - I think that's the word I'm looking for. Well, yeah, I'm really excited about seeing her again!

Anyway... the flight is 13 hours long and I always chuckle at the way people cringe when I tell them that. Long flights don't scare me. I've done it numerous times before and it's easy for me because I can fall asleep for long periods of time, wherever, whenever - so that takes care of at least 6 hrs of the trip. Furthermore, there are always the complimentary movies, TV shows and video games available taking care of at least 3-4 more hours. The remaining 3 hours I can easily fill in with my usual daydreaming, iPod jamming and journal writing. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that a flight this long really isn't that bad. I'm almost never bored and have no trouble entertaining myself... then there's my mantra "when in doubt, SLEEP more!" =P

One first, for this flight, however is the menu - never got a menu for a flight before and like I said, I've done the 13 hour flight thing quite a few times already & chopsticks came with the first meal - that was cool. They also served us a cheeseburger and haagen dazs ice cream as a late night snack so that was a pleasant thing to wake up to at (God knows what time it was).

So basically - on this flight, I'm feeling GREAT but my main concern is finding my mother. We were supposed to arrive at Narita at the same time but that's not going to happen with all the typhoon warnings in Cebu (Visayas), which is where she was originally supposed to fly to Tokyo from. She left me and my sister a text saying that she will not make it on time since all flights out of Cebu were cancelled but she would try everything in her power to make it to Tokyo - i.e. taking a 12 hr bus ride from Cebu to Manila and catching the next flight out of Manila to Tokyo. Which would be quite a crazy ride and who knows if she'd be successful????? She was cute in her email though saying "I will do everything in my power to make it to Tokyo. Only GOF (God our Father) and his elements can stop me from coming to see you" and boy do I pray that GOF and His elements don't keep me from her TOO long.... I really hope she makes it SOON.

more to come...

It's 2009 and ignorance is at an all time high...

So, it's 2009 and America is still a young nation that has supposedly
come a long way from slavery on plantations, lynchings, and
segregation....

MLK had his dream, Abe Lincoln made his abolishment and more and more
people are learning to accept and even take an INTEREST in becoming a
part of and performing the acts of different cultures.

Although, growing up and living in New York would make me much more
adept to the whole "melting pot" concept, it still amazes me how much
IGNORANCE is still prevalent on these streets..... it's thick like a
dense fog and truly sickening.

Now, I know when friends are being facetious with each other we tend to
use the N word, the S word and the C word and most people don't take
offense because 1) it's coming from your friend who you know isn't
racist and 2) the context in which the word is used is usually funny or
something you can all relate to....

Even among friends, however, I don't really agree with perpetuating the
use of such words since the places from which they originated are so
dark and dismal and speak of an earlier time when it was okay to hate
each other for being different. So... don't get me wrong, I don't
promote the use of such offensive racial slurs.

THE LINE IS REALLY CROSSED when someone you barely know or a total
stranger uses the word to purposely offend you. I don't care if you're
trying to joke around, words like these are NOT funny and NO YOU'RE NOT
CUTE when you use them against people.

I was inspired to write this by a recent conversation with one such ignorant individual... see excerpt below

PERSON X: how duz stuff being funny 2 me count as ignorant?
PERSON X: I guess sum1 else is da ignorant 1
ME: you calling me a chink is 1) ignorant and 2) not funny
PERSON X: nope its 1)funyy and 2)funny


The above is only an excerpt and prior to that we were talking about
innocent things and I stated my opinion about something to which PERSON
X said "yeah you would think that you chink" and I said that it wasn't
even funny and that was pretty ignorant to say.

This isnt the first time PERSON X has referred to me as such AND it
isn't the first time that I've said how i felt about being referred to
as such. Nevertheless PERSON X insists on using the word.



WILL THE IGNORANCE AND RACIAL SLURS EVER STOP???? Will people stop
perpetuating the evils made popular by our ancestors who were AFRAID of
anything different? Will people stop spewing things from their mouths
borne out of ignorance and fear of the unknown?

This is America right? Will the people who CLAIM to strive on
individuality, creativity and the fact that we should CELEBRATE our
differences finally step up to the plate and stop the evil talk HERE
AND NOW?????

If not now, then when?????????????????

PS Person X, while I think you are truly crossing the line and ignorant
for thinking that youre being cute or funny, i DO thank you for
inspiring me to write this blog.

Denial.

Never underestimate the power of denial.

Strategy for Survival #1: Always be right.
All too often we fail to appreciate the power of the human mind. So powerful is the human mind that we are able to subconsciously repeat things to ourselves that we end up believing the lies of all lies without even realizing it.....

Beautiful women convince themselves they're not good enough to deserve respect.
Talented people scare themselves from aiming for their dreams.
Children teach themselves that they don't deserve love from their parents (or anyone else).

More often than not we make our goals fit our inhibitions rather than altering our relationship with fear and stretch our inhibitions so we can reach our goals.

How has this applied to me most recently?
For years and years I've built, brick by brick, with bloody hands, sweaty brows and tear stained cheeks a wall around my heart to protect myself from adversity and shield it from the torrential storms of "love".
What we often fail to realize is that, it doesn't matter how thick or high our superficial walls are -- one day, on any random day, a stupid person, no different than any other person will walk into our stupid lives to whom we carelessly HAND OVER the pieces of our heart we worked for so hard and so long to protect.... just like that!
We can lie to ourselves and say "no, not this time... I'm safe behind this iron wall I've built." But then one day, something happens that will reveal just how far beneath your skin this stupid person got.

I shake my head as I look over at the side of the wall, now in shambles, that I've denied for so long... take a deep breath, and begin to rebuild.....

LOVE

The following is the most amazing thing I've ever read. I know it's long but trust me, it's well worth the read and it would be in your best interest to read and learn. : )

Why people fall in love?

It is a mystery why we fall in love. It is a mystery how it
happens. It is a mystery when it comes. It is a mystery why
some love grows and it is a mystery why some love fails.

You can analyze this mystery and look for reasons and
causes, but you will never do anymore than take the life out
of the experience. Just as life itself is more than the sum of
the bones and muscles and electrical impulses in the body,
love is more than the sum of the interests and attractions
and commonalities that two people share. And just as life
itself is a gift that comes and goes in its own time, so too, the
coming of love must be taken as an unfathomable gift that
cannot be questioned in its ways.

Sometimes, hopefully at least once in your life - the gift of
love will come to you in full flower. Take hold of it and
celebrate it in all inexpressible beauty. This is the dream we
all share. More often, it will come and take hold of you,
celebrate you for a brief moment, then move on.

When this happens to young people, they too often try to
grasp the love and hold it to them, refusing to see that it is a
gift that just as freely, moves away. When they fall out of
love, or the person they love feels the spirit of love leaving,
they try desperately to reclaim the love that is lost rather
than accepting the gift for what it was, then moving on.

They want answers where there are no answers. They
want to know what is wrong in them that makes the other
person no longer love them, or try to get their love to change,
thinking that if some small things were different, love would
bloom again. They blame their circumstances and say that if
they go far away and start a new life, their love will grow.

They try anything to give meaning to what has happened. But
there is no meaning beyond the love itself, and until they
accept its own mysterious ways, they live in a sea of misery.

You need to know this about love, and accept it. You need to
treat what it brings you with kindness. If you find yourself in
love with someone who does not love you, be gentle with
yourself. There is nothing wrong with you. Love just didn't
choose to rest in the other person's heart.

If you find yourself someone in love with you but you don't
love him back, feel honored that love came and called at your
door, but gently refuse the gift you cannot return. Do not
take advantage; do not cause pain. How you deal with love
is how you deal with yourself. All our hearts feel the same
pains and joys, even if our lives and ways are different.

If you fall in love with another, and he falls in love with you,
and then love chooses to leave, do not try to reclaim it nor to
assess blame. Let it go. There is a reason and there is a
meaning. You will know in time.

Remember that you don't choose love. Love chooses you. All
you can really do is accept it for all its mystery when it
comes into your life. Feel the way it fills you to overflowing,
then reach out and give it away. Give it back to the person
who brought it alive in you. Give it to others who deem it
poor in spirit. Give it to the world around you in any way you can.

There is where many lovers go wrong. Having been so long
without love, they understand love only as a need. They see
their hearts as empty places that will be filled by love, and
they begin to look at love as something that flows to them
rather than from them.

The first blush of new love is filled to overflowing, but as
their love cools, they revert to seeing their love as a need.
They cease to be someone who generates love and instead
become someone who seeks love. They forget that the
secret of love is that it is a gift, and that it can be made to
grow only by giving it away.

Remember this and keep it to your heart. Love has its time, its
own season, its own reason for coming and going. You
cannot bribe it or coerce it, or reason it into staying. You can
only embrace it when it arrives and give it away when it
comes to you. But if it chooses to leave from your heart or
from the heart of your lover, there is nothing you can do and
there is nothing you should do. Love always has been and
always will be a mystery. BE GLAD THAT IT CAME TO LIVE
FOR A MOMENT IN YOUR LIFE.

If you keep you heart open, it will come again...

5 years later....

I will always remember where I was and how I felt. It will forever be a reminder that life is so precious and we don't need to take anything for granted. I lost a family member. A distant cousin but close enough. I know it hit my sister the hardest. She loved her Arnold. At his memorial ther were so many people that we couldn't make our way all the way into the church. At first we were stuck in the crowded vestibule and it was impossible to see above the wave of people. We continued to push forward and eventually slipped through the cracks amongst the crowd. As we walked closer and his glossy portrait came into view, an inexplicable wave of emotions rushed over me and I found myself lost in the undertow. Still, I was unable to cry. A soft sob awoke me from my trance and I felt my sister put her hands to her face behind me. My brother's rushed response to console her confirmed the worst.... she was crying. Tears I've never seen anyone cry. It wasn't like the time when i was 6 when I saw my beautiful sister's tear stained face which was eroded by the weathers of love. Oh no, this was much different. Pain, agony, longing... acknowledgement. Acknowledgement of death... of the final goodbye that creeps up so quickly that you can't even say the words. Goodbye. I love you. I miss you. I need you. Acknowledgement that all this was REAL and not just a clever special effect. Yes, people felt they had to take matters into their own hands and PUNISH America for what it stands for. America, the beautiful and they dare say that we're not. We can never forget. We should NEVER forget. Each time I write the date... I remember. Each time i see the skyline... I remember. Every fireman's friendly smile... I remember. NewYork Big Apple The city that never sleeps... I will always remember.........

Kill the Negativity

Tons of quality time with my mother this morning. That woman sure is nuts, but she's definitely the best a lil girl like me could ever ask for. So we were just talking about life and such, and here are a couple of highlights:

• Try to let go of any anger or resentment you have for someone because if you hold on to it you will only continue to hurt yourself.
• Instead of wishing the worst upon those who have hurt you, wish for the best. If they can become truly happy people, then they will have no motive or reason to hurt you anymore.
• Pain is temporary. Whatever you're going through and no matter how tough it is... it will pass.

I won't apologize for the way things went down. I refuse to regret all the shit I've been through. And I damn sure ain't sorry for finally being sublimely happy. :)

Each and every person you meet will change your life significantly. It is up to you to make sure that change is for the better. Learn from your mistakes. Nothing bad comes out of being nice and remember to thank those who have come and gone for leaving their imprint on your soul. You would not be who you are today without them.

To my nearest and dearest who keep me sane, I truly love you with everything I've got. Make no mistake about that.

Welcome back little Miss Sunshine. The world sure has missed you.

new blogger.

i've decided to start blogging again. let's see how this works out.