It’s been hours past April Fool’s Day so the content of this blog should be taken seriously and an affirmative action in the end is extremely necessitated.

The quest continues for the next American singing sensation. There is certainly a level of enthusiasm from the American Idol fanatics that deserves high opinion. This competition before a live audience that is aired at Fox Channel creates a venue where young songsters showcase their talents and prove to the TV-viewers that they be worthy of superstardom. It is reasonable to say that all the finalists have a gift for singing in their own right as diversely packaged in their own music genre.

Simon Cowell made a fortune out the show. He’s the highest paid non-American in Hollywood for lambasting aspiring talents on the bases of voice quality, song choice and over-all performance. Since I don’t have an insider’s information about the show, this is my personal assumption of the judges’ criteria in giving critique on the singers’ weekly performances. It is a good thing because what Simon says gives the viewers an honest-to-goodness voice of what they hear and see on the TV screen.

Mr. Cowell gets countless jeers from the supporters and fans in the audience (while exacerbated by Ryan Seacrest’s candid wits) for his bite of tough-love treatment and advice but he speaks his apparent truth most of the time as highlighted by his British accent and get-real metaphors. The judges’ table is never complete without the experienced Randy Jackson’s ear for what’s hot in the music industry and Paula Abdul’s litany of conciliatory and morale-booster remarks in prelude for Simon’s belt. Ouch! In fairness to Paula’s indisputable all-sweet talks, I generally believe that what comes out of people’s mouth is the excess of their heart.

Well, the show owes it all to the fans and to the millions and millions of calls and text-messages sent after every show. This is definitely the reason why American Idol remains to be on top of the viewership ratings in its time slot. Yes, it’s the people who care to spare their valuable time and some cents “where standard airtime, roaming, long-distance and text messaging charges apply” for an hour or more of entertainment. Not bad at all for the cost of the amusement value put side by side to a Britney Spears’ “Gimme More” comeback performance at the Grammy’s. Seriously?

Why I am trying to be really really nice here? Well, I am always proud to see aspiring artists that are of Filipino descent emerge in a competition like the American Idol. Opportunities like this gives inspiration to young kids out there in the Philippines to envision the future in a very positive outlook. It’s not all the vanity of fame that binds with stardom. It is the “idols” sincerity and commitment to achieve their goals and strive to be the best in their craft. I see motivation in the youthful eyes of Ramielle Malubay. Ramielle has gone through this far to understate the power of the voice behind the diminutive body. She does not only capture the viewers’ hearts because of her modest claim to her roots and distinct features. She represents the youthful hope of a Filipino family crossing thousand miles to a fresh start and to follow the star in the (American) skies.

So, what now? I hope I’ve convinced you enough to lift your phone and to cast your votes for Ramielle Malubay.

Mr. Cowell: Please take note of my kind words as opposed to the popular notion vis-à-vis public outcry that you’re standoffish. That is highly not true, right? Be nice to Ramielle, ok?

Finally, this is my first account about traveling abroad.

My wife and I recently visited Costa Rica for the first time. Our dear friends, Fruzsina and Aaron, wanted to tie the knot in a setting by the beach and conceived the plan for this getaway.

We begin the trip on an AA flight from JFK Airport in New York departing at 5:30 a.m. and stopping for an hour at Miami, Florida then arriving at about 11:30 a.m. (+2H US/ET) at Aeropuerto Internacional Daniel Oduber Quiros (a.k.a., Liberia International Airport) in Guanacaste. The moment I paced out of the Costa Rican immigration, I looked for moneychanger since I wanted to know how much my one-dollar bill would amount to the country’s currency. After changing 20 US dollars, I became an instant “thousandnaire” (1 US dollar = 493 CR colones). Next mission: How much would a bottle of Coke cost in colones? This query has always been my own international standard for measuring the strength of the country’s currency. The whimsical undertaking had to linger since the hotel car service is already waiting at the airport entrance. By the way, I have to mention that a friend on same flight with us lost his luggage so I had to pass the time familiarizing with colones bills and coins as we all waited for the airline personnel to do the paperwork and launch a (routine) bureaucratic intercontinental luggage-hunting process.

After hitting the smooth then rough, rocky and hilly road for an hour and a half, we arrived at our final destination – the Hotel Sugar Beach. This Pacific shoreline is located in Playa Pan de Azucar in the Guanacaste Province of Costa Rica, also known as the Gold Coast. At the hotel information and check-in desk, I was very glad to find out that a bottle of Coke costs about 600 colones (at hotel/beach price I supposed but least I could put a mission to rest). As a warning, never say “soda” when buying soft drinks if you don’t want strange looks from the waiters, bartenders or storeowners. For the ticos y ticas (the term Costa Ricans call themselves), “soda” means small restaurant.

While waiting for our beachfront room to be ready for use and greeting our friends who came a day or two earlier before us, I had the first taste of the typical Costa Rican dishes in the open-air restaurant overlooking the view of the ocean from the table. The seafood rice and the mango shake was so good and such a perfect combo that it turned out to be my staple indulge for rest of my entire stay at Sugar Beach. In the same restaurant, we got to hangout with herons and iguanas that were trying to join us for a feast. It was fascinating that such wild animals are so comfortable being around hungry and drunk humans. This simply reflects the cordial interaction of the native folks with wildlife and nature.

After lots of sprays of Banana Boat SPF 50, hours of sun exposure, boogie boards and dozens of Imperial (la cervesa de Costa Rica) that were kind of predictable, I have to return to the main event – the wedding. Yes, the wedding was very well coordinated and synchronized in perfect timing with the sunset that the natural “backdrop” of the pacific horizon looked like choreographed. Just like the newlyweds, we were so overwhelmed by the moments… and every moment that followed… every sip of mango colada, vino blanca, mucho mucho cervesa and then the dinner party. It was never a doubt that the food would be delicious. Every single course was yummy. O hell yeah! I was reaching for every single plate that invited opportunity for a taste test. And then the rest of the marriage rituals followed. Wait. The fun continued to the neighboring beach where we went to hit the local hotel bar. To the indignity of myself and of the people who love(d) and raised me, I had my share of “the drunken moves” (I say, this was also very predictable! HA!) on the dance-floor and rest of the night is history.

I wish I could accurately chronicle every single minute of our short yet exhilarating Costa Rican escapade. There was the pre-wedding BBQ party where the scent of grilled tuna and vegetables never felt so jovial as the local (steel-drum?) percussionists serenaded the evening with Spanish melodies and reggae beats. There was also the sunset cruise at Flamingo Beach that included snorkeling and more drinking at the boat where bonding with nature overweighed motion sickness. The locals were generally pleasant especially at the hotels, the restaurants, the bars and the airport. I have to especially mention that cab drivers were so polite and honest, too. My wife and I enjoyed this trip so much and we felt very safe. On our departure from Hotel Sugar Beach, I can’t help but be thankful of this very memorable Central (Latin) American experience.

On a final note, the (lost) luggage was found and was delivered to the rightful owner just in time for the wedding. A happy ending for one and all, indeed.

Pura vida! (Pure life!) Costa Rica. Gracias!

Last week… Iowa. Today… New Hampshire. The battle for the country’s bipartisan presidential nomination continues!

Change1 would probably be the most overused word that deserves a place in Guinness World Records for this year’s campaigns. As we all know, the same word has a number of meanings and is very relative in the English vocabulary. Since the real issues are overshadowed by the popularity of the word, allow me to share my reflections on this very important jargon of the times.

I always associated change with activism. No person can claim as an advocate (at the least) of change, if he or she has never lived a life as an activist. Again, there are a number of synonyms associated with the word “activist” but I will settle from its root word “act” and its qualifier “active”. Change always gains popularity during the campaigns in whatever elections at any levels but very few accept to be an activist… and remain as one. The rest develop selective amnesia right after the election or when enjoying the seat of power and temptation. Being an activist is never popular because people don’t want to accept change. Candidates would always talk about change but they are never activists or plan to be activists. This is not a good brand for a politician because again, it is not popular. Change is a sacred word that should never be shrouded with charisma and popularity. The clamor for change should not be popular. If it becomes popular, this means that change has been achieved.

There are some reformists out there trying to hide themselves under the magical cloak of change but then again they have no track record to show their activism… their actions. More treacherously, there are some opportunists out there who are just trying to gauge what what’s hot before launching a momentous speech and thereafter joining the blabberdom of change. Most gravely, there are also trigger-happy and hero-worshiping extremists out there who desperately need a mother to love them and perhaps make them bacon and eggs for breakfast. There is definitely something wrong with reformists, opportunists or extremists standing as activists while blasphemously claiming and advocating for change if they have no credentials to support it. Deal with the issues and show the voters your records of actions and explain your inactions. The US presidency is the most powerful position in the world. There should be no room for bogus actions and for raw plan of action. Enough of castles in the sky! I suggest that every candidate must take a break (Use your carried over (unused) PTO’s2 from 2007 or lose it!) and reflect about this question – Am I sincerely an authentic activist?

I am neither a political scientist nor a Dr. Phil (It would be nice to stop over at BritBrit’s but let’s leave her alone and enough of exploiting other people’s emotions and misery for the sake glamorized profit while leaving the writers starving in the picket lines. Hello?). I am a citizen of the world. I listen. I think. I feel. And to the last wave of carbon dioxide-oxygen exchange in my lungs, I will try to do my best and change for the better for the sake of my children’s children. But this is not about me. This is about the Hillary’s, the Rudolph’s and the Pedro’s in the course of history. Come election day, I pray that the voters would think about the ailing healthcare system, the displaced families in the war zones and the monkeys learning the laptop while there are children in the far-flung villages who haven’t even seen what book looks like. Forget about the popular jargons! Forget about global warming! Maybe when the emperor penguins rule Japan, countries will be more committed to the Kyoto Protocol.

To my beloved readers, here are some of my pun moments (I tried!) for the frontrunners’ campaign banner:

Hillary Clinton – Why settle for change if she has a Bill.
Barack Obama – The name with a small letter c (for change) and a capital letter O (for O, you know).
John Edwards – Change is sweeter the second time around.
Rudy Giuliani – Changing ring tone to silent mode with speed dial 911.
Mike Huckabee – The 3 G’s – God, Glory and Gold Change
Mitt Romney – Investing some loose change wisely.
John McCain – A choice of change. (No further comments. Smiles!)
Mike Bloomberg – It’s not to late to change mind.

At the end of the day, there’s nothing wrong with a change of mind (a.k.a., “flip-flop”). A change of opinion simply means that the brain is functional (but may not always be sound).

Vote with your conscience my friends! Vote for the genuine activist!

_________________

1 Change - (ch ā nj) pronunciation
2 PTO – paid time-off

I am about to reach the brink of a bottle of aquavit and I cannot help but share a neophyte’s journey to the almost last sip of the said alcoholic liquid. This may not be new to Norwegians and most Scandinavians but the experience is definitely a first for me.

As I cleaned the clutter in my apartment some weekends ago, I was spiritually pulled towards my humble bar and checked the bottles of wine and liquor lined on the floor. I noticed a very interesting bottle with a name that reads LINIE AQUAVIT. As I continued reading the fine prints, it revealed the words DISTILLED AND BOTTLED IN NORWAY. Ah, this must be from the Viking! Vidar was very charitable to share a bottle of aquavit on my birthday last month. I’d like to try it as I was finishing with my weekend servitude but the concoction of herbs seemed very suspiciously dangerous (Yeah, I have trust issues since the “I was poisoned!” incident.) so I called my friend (yes, the same Viking who also happens to be very familiar with the poisoning incident) for some safety advise on how to drink such a persuasive mixture. Of course, the universal precaution “Drink moderately!” is always on top of my head. I was advised to take a shot over dinner or after anticipating a good relaxing time as a reward for my guts. As the next mealtime was a couple of hours away, I admitted defeat to the human in me over spirit (smiles!) and it was a surprise to be on familiar terms with the drink not chilled.

Well, to expand my knowledge on this very timely concern, I had to consult everyone’s source of information and (to others) frustration. Sure, I am just like you who wish I could have been one of the wiz kids who thought earlier in their lifetime to stay away from the notion that “high (and broke) is cool” and started the million-dollar-search-engine called google. Following a link to Brittanica, it reads:

Aquavit

- flavoured, distilled liquor, clear to pale yellow in colour, dry in flavour, and ranging in alcohol content from about 42 to 45 percent by volume. It is distilled from a fermented potato or grain

- the drink takes its name from the Latin “aqua vitae,” meaning “water of life.” It’s a potent drink with an alcohol content around 40 percent.

Method of production

- Swedish and Norwegian aquavits are sweet and spicy and of straw colour. Sweden is the largest producer, manufacturing about 20 brands. Norway’s production, comparatively low, includes Linie Aquavit, so called because it is shipped to Australia and back (across the Equator, or Line) in oak containers to produce mellow flavour. Finnish aquavit has a cinnamon flavour.

Also, clicking a link to an interesting excerpt from a certain Dave Fox’s article, he narrates:

“The concept of linie aquavit happened by accident in the 1800s. Jørgen Lysholm owned a distillery in Trondheim, Norway. His mother and uncle sent a batch of aquavit to Asia on a large sailing ship, hoping to market it there. It didn’t sell, however, and five barrels were shipped back to Trondheim. When the aquavit arrived back in Norway, Lysholm noticed it had a richer flavor. At that time, Norway was shipping dried cod around the world. Lysholm began loading barrels of aquavit onto freighters that carried the cod, and retrieving them at the end of a long round trip.

Most Norwegians store their aquavit in the freezer and drink it ice cold from stemmed cordial glasses. The stem on the glass prevents your hand from warming the liquor. Many people sip it with a pilsner beer chaser, which accentuates the caraway flavor. It’s consumed year-round, particularly on special occasions such as birthdays, Christmas, and Constitution Day.”

Now, can you tell what else is missing from all of this knowledge? If you’re with me on a Friday night drink, you’ll probably enjoy learning the right Norwegian accent. For this purpose, you might be interested to practice “stating” while fronting a mirror the couple of words below:

1. Linie - pronounced “LINN-yuh”
2. Aquavit - pronounced “AH-keh-veet” (and sometimes spelled “akvavit”)

Have a funtacular hangover!

The present clash of the Writers Guild of America with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers for fair compensation has it that the power of ink plays a vital role in the entertainment business and the fast-changing world in general. Here in New York and in Hollywood where the picket lines are concentrated, the film and television writers are protesting over income in the DVD sales and cyber-downloads. The writers are asking a piece of the market profits that I believe to be a very sound argument.

It’s a given reality that most businesses do not recognize the source of their success. In this case, the producers who earn tons of money from the writers’ scripts should in a way balance the books. It takes so much passion and commitment to deliver ones imagination into ink. I am sure that these writers love and enjoy what they are doing. The said love of their trade doesn’t give the producers the excuse to deprive them of fair benefits and so goes with all other professions.

I have very high regard to writers of whatever “language”. I’ve read and worked on a number of scripts at the height of my acting “career”(in high school HA!). I dreamed of writing a book someday and I know it won’t be easy. Yes, it is never easy. I have all my ideas imbedded in my head and I am still not confident with my vocabulary to put them together into ink. The thoughts get itchy most of the time that’s why I scratch my head a lot. I’ve been trying to write. I keep most of my short compositions in my desktop and forget about it. Sometimes, I keep them password protected and forget about it! (Smiles!)

I have so much to share and I still have so much to learn. I will try my best to stay away from the couch and the remote. This is why I’m starting this blog.

I support all the writers in their battles. In solidarity, today I will not watch my favorite late night show, Jimmy Kimmel (Live) but I must say that Mr. Kimmel is funny and he makes really good ad-libs (consequently, he may work on his own script). Tonight, I will sleep earlier than usual. To all writers: may you have peace in your world — good night and good luck on your fight!