I wonder how many people in the world are feeling as sad, lonely, and empty as I am right now....
I know several people who really feel depressed during the Holidays. Is that what's happening to me too? I'm usually a very happy person, so you can imagine how weird this feeling is for me.
My heart is full of mixed-emotions right now, and my mind is full of so many different thoughts and ideas. New Year's coming... What changes should be made in my life, my career, my character, personality, my goals & plans, my way of life, way of thinking, my personal life, and my whole persona?
And so because of my present state of mind, I've decided to take up meditation and chanting, which supposedly does wonders for one's mental, psychological, and emotional well-being. From now on, I will try to take time-off everyday to soak in my tub with some instrumental mood music playing in the background. I will take time to think of life & what I want to get out of it, to call on God to guide my decisions in life, to align myself with the wonders of the Universe which can be felt but not seen, to achieve inner-peace, to love myself more. I suggest you guys do the same.
Ahhhh... Just thinking about it makes me feel a bit better already.
I hope everyone had a happy Christmas. Mine wasn't quite as happy, though. I mean, of course I was my usual happy self, but I couldn't help but feel a bit melancholic. You see, Christmas has always been about family for me, and this is my third Christmas away from home. I didn't even get to talk to them over the phone, cos they called while I was onstage, and when I sent them a message, mom said that everyone was already asleep. She also said that even their Christmas wasn't quite as happy as before, since a lot of our family members are out of the country right now. Sigh....
Here in Saigon, I didn't cook anymore. Ate Nina said it's more important that we have a lot of food on the table on New Year's Eve, so that's when I'm gonna cook mom's Baked Pork Chops. And so we just had a nice Christmas Dinner and some drinks with a couple of friends at home after the gig.
I think the only fun I had during Christmas Eve was posing for pictures by the Christmas tree at the hotel lobby (you know how much of a camera hog I am! Hehe). So, that's it. That's the highlight of my Christmas. I hope yours was happier than mine.
To my family & friends back home: I miss you guys so very, very, very much!!!
Christmas is coming, and I miss my mom's cooking more than ever! It's just not the same without her home-cooked meals on the table. My favorites amongst mom's specialties are her beef steak, kare-kare, kaldereta, adobo, and her super delicious spaghetti sauce. She also makes the best Baked Macaroni and Tiramisu in the world! They're so good that people force her into making some for them, offering to pay however much she wants.
Damn! I want my mommy! I am in Saigon, and my brother is in Cebu, and so there will be two less people at the Family's Noche Buena this year. But I'm sure they will still be happy as they celebrate Christmas Eve all together back home.
Here in Saigon, my second family will also celebrate Noche Buena after the gig. Each person has to prepare at least one dish, and this year Mom taught me (via YM chat) how to make her yummy Baked Pork Chops. I went out and bought the ingredients today, and so I am very stressed out. Everything had Vietnamese labels, and the grocery's staff hardly spoke any english! But it's all gonna be worth it. I can't wait to sit down and eat something that (hopefully) will taste like my mom's cooking!
I love Oprah's website! It has all sorts of wonderful ideas! Here's one that inspired me & made me smile:
Create a Kindness Journal to document your Kindness chain as it grows! On the inside
cover of a notebook, write your name and address, and ask that the journal be
returned to you when it is full. Write down your first good deed and give the
journal to the person you did something nice for so they can do the same for
someone else! Not only are you spreading kindness, you're creating a book of
inspiring stories.
Start as big or small as you like! Baking cookies for someone, helping with
housecleaning or even babysitting can make a great link in a Kindness Chain.
I'm gonna do this, I swear! And what better time to start a Kindness Journal than during the Holiday Season, when loving and giving is in the air?!? I hope my Journal reaches your hands. Better yet, go ahead and start your own Kindness Journal. Spread the love!!
Today on Oprah's website, I read about the seven most underappreciated table manners, and I want to share them with you guys, as most of us either probably don't know these things, or have forgotten all about them.
This is important! I think everyone should have good manners and proper etiquette. I taught my brother all of these things when he was still very, very young, and I must say he has made me proud! He can be the perfect gentleman! Problem is, the smart-ass has used that to melt many ladies' hearts, and he's now thanking me for it. Geez! Haha!
Anyway, here are Oprah's pointers:
1. Keep your personal doodads off the table. Keys, cell phones, day planners and
purses create an obstacle course your waiter must navigate while carrying
liquids that stain and plates of hot food.
2. Place your napkin (folded in half) in your lap when everyone is seated. If you
leave the table, loosely fold the napkin and lay it to the left of your
plate—not on your chair because the odd crumbs or grease spot could end up on
your rear.
3. Pass hand-to-table. Set salt and pepper shakers (which should always be passed
as a pair), bread baskets, and butter dishes directly on the table, not in
another diner's hands. And never intercept a pass by grabbing a roll or a shake
of salt if the item is en route to someone else.
4. Don't clean up your own mess. As tempting as it is to "help" the staff chase
after the cherry tomato that rolled off your plate, stay in your seat. Crawling
around the floor while trays of food and drinks whiz about could cause a bigger
mishap.
5. Bones and olive pits can stay on your plate, but discreetly spit anything else,
like gristle, into one corner of your napkin and roll it up.
6. Toothpicks, lipstick, contact lens solution and hankies should never appear at
the table, nor should you attempt to remove a stain from your blouse in the
company of others.
7. Tables are not phone booths. If you do have to take or
make a call, step outside. The only person who should be inconvenienced by this
call is you.
There you go! I have so many other things I want to add to this list, but I will save that for another time. For now, let's just keep these things in mind. Bon a petit!
Ray Romano is one of my favorite comedians. His sitcom on Star World is something I look forward to every week. In 2004, he became the highest paid television actor in history, and the show had the highest revenue for that year. Two records in one year!
He also helped launch the career of his friend, and another one of my fave comedians, Kevin James (who also has his own wacky Star World sitcom, "The King of Queens"). It seems these two guys have a movie called "Grilled". I haven't seen it. Gawd! I gotta get a copy of that movie!
Check out Ray's website, which has so many interesting stuff like pictures and videos of his past stand-up stints, his life, his family, and a lot of really funny comments & BLOG-style posts (Click on "Long Story Short"). Good site to visit if you're having a bad day. Haha! It also shows how down-to-earth this guy is. He meets all these popular people (like the President of the U.S.), guests on shows like Saturday Night Live, makes the cover for Newsday... and all the while he's out of his mind wondering how or why he got there. Haha! No wonder everybody loves Raymond!
So today, the 21st of December, I'd like to greet Ray a happy, happy birthday! Thanks for all the laughter! It sure helps keep me sane while I'm away from home. Hehe.
Now this is what I'm talking about! If you're gonna perform, you better PERFORM! Don't just sing and stand there, swaying from side to side. Move your body! Shake your ass! Run around! Maximize that stage! Show your passion and give-in to the music!
Shakira is truly a pro. She's a real performer, an entertainer in every sense of the word. How can you not love watching her onstage?!?
