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Vacationing around the Philippines
Since we were first engaged and then later married, my wife and I have visited many places here in the Philippines with many more that I want to see and in a few that I would like to return and see more. I think that this is driven by my desire for adventure and to see new places and experience new thing. And this desire to travel with my wife at my side has given…
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Journals from an Indigenous Philippine Sorcerer. The Bridge.
We were at Arik’s Cebu City apartment for supper. He often had these dinners to teach and allow questions. Tonight, we had the Bridge exercise. Several students were present, Nyle -a young physician, myself, and another young woman named Zybel, (Zee for short), and Ylime. Arik had his cook and housekeeper Ylime prepare us pork steaks, Panzit, Kalamoongi, tomato and okra soup, and, of course, the buckets of that dam white rice Filipinos require for…
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Random Days in the Philippines for August
This is the next compilation of a few of the assorted days I’ve experienced in the Republic of the Philippines. It’s just happy noise: As a tyke in Boston in the 1950’s my four brothers and I all played in the street we lived on, we were separated by age groups as every other house had large families too. It was also the first time I heard the expression “Happy Noise” by a neighbor talking…
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I’ve fallen in Love again
Yes, it truly happened I have fallen head over heels Feyma left the Philippines in May, she is working in Alaska right now. Well, maybe I should say that she is in Alaska, but leave the working out! She is employed, but they work when there is fish (she is working at a Seafood Processing plant there). This has been the worst year for Alaskan fishing in several decades from what I have been told.…
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Today is a good day
What to do to combat Boredom as a retired guy in Mindanao It is the first Monday of August and I feel good after being ill for many weeks and the morning I received my new ACR card. So I can breathe easy and have a lot less stress in my life. I now understand what Katleen went through during the time of her getting her green card in the US after we were married.…
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Gift of ‘Touched’. Journals from an Indigenous Philippine Sorcerer
While retired, I’ve been talking to and chronicling an indigenous Philippine sorcerer. We had been excellent friends for almost 7 years; now, he has since left Cebu City for Mindanao as of August 2017, and I miss him. But, I’m hopeful he’ll return. I have many notebooks full of his material, a vast teaching, and I’m trying to connect it all accurately in accordance to what he meant to say. He spoke good English but…
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It is not really about the Philippines
But it is about one of the reasons I moved to the Philippines. After Hurricane Hugo requested I leave the Caribbean in 1989 I was living in Treasure Island Florida working as a manager at the ABC Liquor store and bar. As a single man and have been since 1970 when I received my most treasured item of my life, “My Divorce Papers.” While in Florida I was dating an attractive lady who was transplanted…
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Do I like Durian?
Does Bob Martin like Durian? You Better Believe I do! I have kind of let the cat out of the bag already on articles these past days. Mostly due to comments that already said that they know I like Durian. But, just for confirmation, yep! I love Durian! Didn’t like it at first I had never tried Durian back in the 90s when I would travel here to the Philippines every couple of years. When…
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Cold summer so far in Alaska
Alaska is Cold this Year Different from when I was here last year Since arriving here in King Cove, I’ve been trying to walk as much as I can with my boys, Aaron and Jared. I try to do my routine walk here even it’s cold. It’s supposed to be summer weather here but the way the weather is here right now, I don’t see its summer here. The weather changes a lot. As I…
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OK, Jay, Here are my Answers
Jeepney Code of Honor My Experiences A couple of days ago, Jay Stainback had an article here on LiP entitled “Jeepney Code of Honor“. In the article, he spoke of things that he had witnessed on his Jeepney ride, and as he often does, Jay asked some questions at the end of the article. I enjoyed Jay’s article, but I did not leave a comment. I wanted to comment, but I decided to write a…
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Durian Lover: This is the Guy!
A real Durian Lover Few Westerners are Durian Lovers Want to see a real Durian Lover? Watch the video above. I know westerners whom I would consider a durian lover, but this guy takes the cake. Look at the sparkle in his eyes when he eats durian! To me, this is the sign of a real durian lover. Knows his stuff I can also tell that over the years this guy has eaten (more than)…
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Tampo (Oh, Lord! Not Again!!!)
Tampo Again? I am on the receiving end of tampo today. It is not real pleasant around the Miele household this afternoon. What is Tampo? For those who do not know what tampo is, when you marry a Filipina, you will quickly learn the meaning of this word, and it is best not to forget it, for your own sanity and domestic harmony. Tampo is, essentially, sulking or pouting, but with a unique Filipino twist:…
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