Keeping a Proper Perspective When Doing Part-time Caregiving Gigs!

I would do caregiving gigs every now and then, and which is happening right now as I write this. My client (yes, we call them 'clients') lies on his bed now and trying to get a nap while the TV is blasting from its perch. And I was figuring what else to do as I keep my eyes open and ears clear so I'd be there with him the next time he calls.

Fortunately, he still has his marbles on. But he's basically retired from his lawyering work unless he decides again that he could be fit enough to fight against extreme pain the challenges of age and waning health. I won't discuss here his actual medical condition. But he's been complaining so much about pain whenever he's on his feet. Using a walker, he manages to walk somehow here in his 1-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn. People advise him to walk, even if it would mean more pain for him.

I like to agree with those people who have been advising him. It's a pain in the ass just to keep on encouraging him to move around, do exercises and more. I guess he's never been fond of physical activities even when he was younger. But the truth of the matter is that he can only go back to his old physically healthy self if he ignores the pain as he goes about being physically active. "No pain, no gain" as some would say.

I take pains myself while I do my yoga almost daily. I suffer from humiliation everytime I dance with others and they would notice my sweaty hands. At home, I do household works and other errands almost daily and whenever I have the chance. And I make part of my money for my living needs from leveraging these activities to my bank account's advantage. Someone else's loss has been my gain.

As I continue doing these caregiving gigs, I ask myself: "Am I really helping these clients of mine?" I'm beginning to wonder if I'm being smart about these assignments. A lot of other Filipinos all over the USA are into these caregiving gigs, such that some people (who I assume would rather be dead than do these kinds of gigs) would be prejudiced against people who are making their money from doing caregiving gigs. I know so many Filipinos who are doing these jobs such that some of them ask me to cover for them when they want to go on vacation. Many realize that they have to enjoy their days-off to regain their sanity and health from doing these gigs. Some of these gigs are very demeaning, honestly. And many such gigs are perceived to be not the ideal honest way of making money, especially if you're overeducated, a professional back in the Philippines, or simply whiling around your time here in the USA waiting for something better to happen. And in hierarchical societies such as the Philippines, these jobs are not exactly among the most desired jobs that any young person would like to pursue.

In the meantime, I'll keep on encouraging my client. I can only wish he'd help himself, despite extreme pain, to engage more and more often in physical activities. I'm keeping my perspective that I could have been the client if I wasn't doing these part-time gigs. And it's too soon for me to have that now.

On Always Being Mistaken as a Mexican (or Another South American Country) Here in NYC

Once again, someone who's a stranger was chatting with me and she thought I was 'Mexican'. I had to correct her right away, and tell her 'I'm Filipino'. I would usually say 'Yo soy Filipino.' Now, I have experienced being with other Asians and some of them would not correct me right away if I would mistake them for coming from another Asian country other than their true Mother Country. For example, I've met several South Koreans who would not tell me right away if they're  South Koreans even if I guessed wrongly they're Japanese. I don't know exactly why would they do that.

My point in these mistaken identities is that they indicate something about those nations that stick to the mind of the one asking me. I could always assume they're prejudiced, biased of clinging to something relatively untrue. I sense some are actually malicious, especially because I feel they're using as bases their questions on outward looks. It's a perception thing for most people. And I have to learn that most of these questions are heart-felt and authentic, even if they can sound negative to me.

But then again, being thought of as Mexican (by some malicious persons) is not exactly a bad thing. Mexico is among the world's biggest, major economies. And I have a special fondness for Mexicans as they behave strangely very similar to folks I know back in the Philippines. It's not difficult to imagine that, as Mexico and the Philippines were linked culturally at least a 100 years before the Philippines got its own independence from Spain in 1898. Check history books and you'll be amazed at finding about details of these links. And more, a place called 'Mexico, Pampanga' is located in the Philippines. For hundreds of years, Mother Spain administered the Philippines thru Mexico. The word 'palengke', which is Mexican, is used most extensively and understood to refer to a local market. And with that main note here, I like to believe I'm taking lead by claiming these notions to my advantage.

On Janine Tugonon's Becoming Ms Universe 2012's First Runner Up

I'm grateful to have seen the video above being broadcast live on TV with others including good friends last Wednesday December 19th. And we have been doing this group-event for a year or two now. I bravely predicted Janine Tugonon would win the top plum post of this beauty pageant. But I missed it by a point because the judges didn't agree with my prediction.

You could just imagine why viewers were disappointed, including those among friends who were with me viewing the proceedings, and who are among serious enthusiasts of international beauty pageants like this. I'm into it mainly because I like watching it with friends, or else, I won't watch it alone at home (I've got better things to do while at home where I make my business more profitable and make myself happy).

I've come to realized that some, including those among the judges, can't stand the truth when beauty is before them. Janine really performed and brought home the bacon, so to speak.  Proof of the observation that some people can't deal with the truth more honestly is how online viewers would go out of their way to disparage Janine Tugonon. You see the same behavior from people who destroy beautiful objects of art (be of religious topic, something cultural, books, or even cute animals), as they can't stand the sight of beauty before themselves. Have you seen how some people smirk and become nervous at the sight of something impossibly beautiful before them? That's something similar to what happened in the Ms. Universe 2012 pageant.

And I read Facebook remarks that Janine was well deserving of losing as she looks like a typical Filipina maid, and so that she should not be 'Ms. Universe 2012.' And we won't dwell anymore here about post-colonial thoughts that the judges couldn't stand having someone from a former US colony winning over the Mother country itself---silly thoughts to have here, actually. The world, since those years, have moved and continues to circle around the sun.

Look here, now. Standards of beauty and elegance are always changing and evolving. I'm just amazed that a number of those Latina beauties didn't make it to the top 5, considering that they've usually made it to the ranks in the past decades. Also, note that Ms. Angola, who's a stunningly beautiful, smart black lady, was Ms. Universe 2011---an idea that would have been unimaginable many decades ago to happen in beauty pageants like this one ---even one of my good friends that night still can't get over the idea that a black person would win this beauty contest as I heard him made silly remarks again (loud laughter!) about her looks.

My good American friend, who was born and raised here in the East Coast, was with us during the TV viewing event. He won't be watching this show alone by himself, except that he thought it could be fun watching it with others as he had nothing better to do and won't go to bed soon even if he had an early flight the next day. He said 'it's a mixed bag,' as he's biased (just like myself and anyone of us). He thought Janine really did well and she deserved to win as Ms. Universe 2012. And he even made remarks that run along the idea that the men (or straight men) among the judges might had been thinking about who among these women would they want to get to bed with---this is, of course, a tasteless remark. But I can imagine that it can really be among the thoughts of the (straight male) judges while in the process of judging the contestants. What are these beauty pageants all about but mainly to emphasize that physical traits of beauty reign supreme over something more subtle and beneath the skin? And the whole proceedings are mainly done repeatedly annually for marketing purposes with huge budgets---look at how happy Mr. Trump could be as some huge groups of people are talking about his franchise.

And actually, you have to recall that Janine did win. She's among the top 5 finalists, and she landed first runner-up. Not everybody among the rest of the contestants can be in her position, except Ms. USA. With that, it means she's among the most beauteous ladies from her ranks, and nobody can deny her (and her supporters) that, even the meanest critics among us. For that, I have to be grateful and I'm looking forward to more winnings for Philippine contestants (also from those in the USA, where I've been based for sometime now) in the years to come from seemingly petty, silly, stupid international beauty contests like this.

Learning from the ★American idol Jessica Sanchez Experience★ - YouTube

★American idol Jessica Sanchez-Turn the beat around[HD]★ - YouTube:

Well, I'm sad that my prediction became true, with Jessica not winning the 'American Idol' award this season. But I know she'll go farther in the direction of her entertainment career than the other one who won this season. The producers, advertisers, judges, and viewers generally are not convinced yet that an 'American Idol' has to be nothing else but the usual 'white person.' I experience a similar treatment in my writing career (mostly writing in English other than the other languages I know) just because I'm not someone whose English is considered my 1st language (The Bicol language, which most label as a 'dialect', was actually my 1st language, with both English and Tagalog languages I have come to learn and use practically at the same time by aged 7). But I'm happy knowing that people outside of the US read items in my growing portfolio, which I get to know from using certain softwares that help track locations of online viewers and readers. 

What needs to be done? Individuals like us here in the USA, and who look different from the 'average type' being shown in most media outlets have to  make themselves seen, noticed, known, etc by the general public, especially by influential, powerful people. Make ourselves become the opposite of stereotyped roles most would like to assign to us. And let's sustain our efforts in doing all these; in due time we'll become a stronger force that can't be ignored and labeled conveniently by those influential persons who are just so scared now because they're seeing that their presence out there is dimming so quickly than usual.

I'm sure Jessica Sanchez will be among the top 3 finalists of the current season of American Idol. At the same time, I doubt if she will win the coveted award. Most probably, viewers and producers of American Idol will weigh on her being too young and too talented, so she can always get more than enough gigs to sustain her energy and efforts to become a showbiz superstar in her own time. Look at the many others who were eliminated along the way, and yet they're more up there in the much talked about career ladder of entertainment.

But is this reasoning tenable? Yes, but only if viewers will allow this to happen, and also, only when the 3 judges (and those who advise and those who influence them in the background) will make this happen. I can just imagine how much concentrated prayers coming from TV viewers of Philippine-Mexican upbringing are now being said; they're basically all rooting for Ms. Sanchez to finish first in the current season of American Idol.

And why do I believe Ms. Sanchez will have the prospect of an extensive career laid before her? Remember how she rendered a version of Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You'? It's among the first-rate versions I've listened to-date, which are among those versions that don't sound as if the singer's attempting to being an autographed copy of the original (who's always considered the best by most minds on matters like this). Ms. Sanchez can stand on her own, even with worst chosen songs like the song 'Turn The Beat Around.'

Way to go, Ms. Jessica Sanchez! You make all of us who believe in your gift more prouder of ourselves; we see a piece of our dreams in what you're (and members of your ever supportive team) accomplishing nowadays.

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