One Foot Out

21 August 2006(moved from Yahoo!360)-Finally left the US for Canada and wait out this coming conference I have in a couple of weeks in Montreal. Rode with the Villarins who were excited to come and watch the Rogers Cup Womens Tournament(http://www.rogerscup.com/1/en/home/) going on. Intercon has a box with food and service! Thanks to Gilles we can get to watch Martina Navratilova up close while she practices. more photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/legrandbleu/

Why "One Foot Out'? It seems I feel that way now, with new York right below me geographicaly. But as we sent off the Villarins this morning, Emma gives me a long hug and wonders when she will see me again. I wondered too and told her,"Oh, I'll probably be back in New York/New jersey some of the weekends!"

Paris

12 August 2006(moved from Yahoo!360)-Why I never visited continental Europe all this time I can never understand but seeing France with the Hervieuxs was an eye opener. Never mind that the bastards at the French Consulate in New York made me go back 5 fricking times before eventually issuing me a Schengen visa at 12 noon of the day I was leaving(Flight CO 56 to Paris was leaving at 550PM!). But that was all water under the bridge and amidst all the trepidations that arise in my head when I cross borders now was alll worth it! The food, if only for the food! See photos at right. And more at http://www.flickr.com/photos/legrandbleu/show/

London, you're next!

Leaving

Leaving America behind after 6 years was not at all difficult. And taking the train through the northeast into Montreal could not have made it any more painless. What a great ride the Adirondack Line is. It takes you upstate alongside the mighty Hudson River as it meanders upstream towards its source in the Adirondacks. Its as if the river herself takes you by the hand on a historical tour of where and whence it came. As you pass West point and marvel at the old buildings of the oldest military academy in the US, it reminds you of the old depictions of the academy when the first fortifications were constructed on the bluff so that advancing intruders coming up the Hudson would be clearly seen and targeted. Compared to the modern highways system which zips you efficiently through middle America without ever seeing anything, the train takes you through paths only you and the train will ever get to witness. Through old towns, it passes the mains streets and backyards of century old houses. Through the Adirondacks it shows you sweeping and majestic vistas of the rivers and mountains. Wildlife including ducks, deer, herons, (and the occasional guy standing in his boat fishing buck-naked) scatter away as the train rumbles through disrupting their peace. Towards the end of the journey, Lake Champlain shimmers in the afternoon light as the train hugs her alongside and beholds her from above the hills as if to proudly show you the depth and breadth of her beauty from every angle. Locomotives as transportation, I think, is an asset highly under appreciated by a lot of travellers. The Adirondack line of Amtrak certainly is a shining example.

Dia:Beacon

18 July 2006(moved from Yahoo!360)-I could not believe I almost never came to this place before leaving New York. Seeing Richard Serra's monumental steel fabrications was just astounding. I was literally breathless and at a loss for words while walking beside, along, and within these giants. I wasn't speechless, although, the only words coming out of me were either superlatives and expletives. F-ing incredible!

Henry, The Morgue Attendant

4 June 2006(moved form Yahoo!360)-Our morgue attendant who started calling me "Professor" from Day 1 at work had always been effusive with his sycophantic lines. The pessimist in me always found these exchanges suspicious. Either he wanted me to do his work, do him a favor, or remotely, was genuinely a nice guy. But then morgue attendant jobs do not have a track record of attracting the creme de la creme of the work force. Back in my first hospital, we had a morgue attendant who was a young guy who apparently liked to live on the edge. He'd be a truant most of the time and delinquent in his duties of minimally keep the autopsy suite clean. On days he'd come in reeking of alcohol from an all nighter at CBGB. We couldn't complain, there was no one else. One day, he lived to far beyond the edge and was found dead in a roach motel on the Bowery from an overdose. But I digress...

Henry had been generally a nice guy year round; at least to me. On a regular basis he has been driving his boss crazy for the last how many years. Absences, too many sick leaves, dirty morgue, etc. But lately the verbal skirmishes have been escalating to near physical events. There was one night when his Korean boss was so upset he started waving(accd'g to Henry brandishing/hacking) a long knife as he lividly expressed his anger. Henry, feeling threatened. quietly disappears and reports to security the supposed "threat" to his life. Not taking the matter lightly, security came to investigate but without success as Boss went home already. Henry goes to me," Can you sign this incident report as a witness?" Hmmmm.

Yesterday, an unusual specimen necessitating extra attention threw the two into another finger pointing session as to who was supposed to do what. The specimen had to be preserved snap frozen and liquid nitrogen had to be found ASAP. Henry said it wasn;t his job, the Boss orders him to find some, he says no, the Boss ends up doing it himself. End of story? Not quite.

Today I heard this story. As Henry walks into a walk-in freezer in the lab, he notices a small open vial of liquid nitrogen sitting precariously on a ledge along a tight alley in the walk-in freezer. Above on another ledge was a precariously sitting container of acetone. Henry remarks, "These two make an explosive combination.......I think my Boss is secretly trying to kill me. Can you sign this report as a witness?" Hmmm.

Too bad I won't be here long enough to see how this plays out.

Gal Costa at Blue Note

21 May 2006(moved from Yahoo!360)-Geri, Eddie, and I went to Blue Note last night to see one of the last true living legends of bossa nova perform at the legendary jazz club in Greenwich Village. We had a couple of pizzas at the corner of Bleecker where the famous Joe's pizza used to be then headed down to West 4th to line up an hour early. There was already a substantial line outside both for people with and without reservations. Can you believe it? WHile in line we noticed that the people watching were either Brazilians or Japanese. Geri had menti oned that there had been many artists including Jobim and Ella Fitzgerald whose performance she wished she had seen but never got t so now we can only listen to Tom Jobim on cd's. So, on this night that one of the last great ones was performing, I was glad I came.

Montauk Point

21 May 2206(moved from Yahoo!360)-As far as I could remember I had always been exquisitely curious. I incessantly asked the question most of my adult siblings and parents eventually got tired of answering so I decided early on to find out the answers for myself. In our daily childhood routines of the maids giving the kids baths at night, Mely, fondly recalls, that when it was my time for bath I would mysteriously go missing in between undressing and entring the bathroom door. She and my grandmother would find me following ant lines and finding out where they headed to in single file. So perhaps it was this perpetual quest for an answer that made me go into a life of science. I did Zoology, then Medicine, then Pathology. The same curiosity lead me to the UP Mountaineers and my later work in northwestern Palawan. But for some reason, I get waylaid in this thing called life work and forget what it tis that i truly love doing; asking the question and answering why. Bob, a long time mountaineer and medicine colleague, shares the same itch which he channels into biking, climbing, and running. For him, all three were his means of answering basic questions like what lies beyond what one can see.

As I prepare to leave New York, the questions come back and the need to find answers in the remaining legal time that I have comes to fore. Last week a few of us leaving New York after graduation decided to see places we hadn't seen before. I volunteered Montauk Point; the farthest point of Long Island as it juts out into the Atlantic Ocean beyond the impossibly rich communities of the Hamptons into proletariat fishermans territory. As we reached the light house, one of my colleagues wondered, "What's so special about this place?" I couldn't quite answer his question. But as I stood on a rock facing the ocean met by a brewing storm in the horizon, there , as if experiencing a Hiroshi Sugimoto photograph, was the horizon where gray sky and dark ocean met. Nothing but empty space and boundless time. The most beautiful thing.

Coney Island

7 May 2006(moved from Yahoo!360)-The weather yesterday was so spring perfect; 18 degrees, blue skies, sunny, just perfect. Unfortunately us New Yorkers are not the only ones who find it perfect. The entire plant kingdom( specifically angiospermae) think this weather perfect to go into this orgy of flowers and burst all that pollen into the atmosphere wreaking havoc on my immune system. So for two months, the plant kingdom is my enemy. But I digress.

Coney Island has been a quintissential New York institution for over a hundred years as New Yorkers go to the beach in the spring and summer after along dreadful winter. As summer officially begins in three weeks on Memorial Day, the run up to the date creates a growing buzz on the Boardwalk of this famous beach in Brooklyn , a few stops further on the N line. The cast of characters stroll the boardwalk from Brighton Beach, as the Russians emerge from brunch. The Tourists join in as they come in from the N line somewhere midppoint as soom as the first Famous Nathans Hotdog outlet becomes visible. From here on it is a tight warren of arcades, fried seafod kiosks, tarot card readers, freak shows, bumper cars, mini golf, Astroland ferris wheel, and the Famous Cyclone, a turn of the century wooden roller coaster. As you go further to the piers the Hassidims strolling cast long shadows in the afternoon sun. Weekend fishermen, vagrants, lovers, and tango enthusiasts share the part of the boardwalk that juts into the ocean.

Thanksgiving 2005

4 December 2005( moved from Yahoo!360)-It was such a welcome break from work and from The Boss Whose name Must Never Be Mentioned. The weeks had been the most hectic ever and, God bless Americans for their love for so many holidays, this long weekend was the perfect opportunity to pause and breathe a little. Thanksgiving in Chicago has by now become a tradition for me and I look forward to spending the weekend with the Jojoe, Gilles, Anais, Fabien, Mitzi, and Chloe; Good food, nice wine, great fun(and games!), and warm fire. This year, it was even more special as Reggie managed to squeeze another junket this way. The Villarins also came so it was a Quimbo reunion in America, though minus Berto.

Too bad not everyone was there. Oh well, there will always be pictures.

Lucia de Lammermoor

8 November 2005(moved from Yahoo! 360)- My boss sold me discounted tickets to the Met but I had been so busy I almost forgot about them until the night before. With my roommate's impending return to London in a couple of weeks after 3 months of fruitless search for a job here in cruel New York, I decided to offer him one of the tickets. I always thought his CD collection of exclusively classical music bizarre for a guy his age, but then if anyone was going to enjoy the opera, it was going to be Wesley. So with my overbearing boss, her 94 year old godmother, and the godmother's grandaughter, we watched Lucia di Lammermoor. It goes without saying, of course, that I managed to doze off a couple of times. And everytime I awoke, I was zoned out and thought, "Why are there 50 people on a stage outscreaming each other? ...Oh, I'm still at the Opera"

Living in Brooklyn

3 October 2005(moved from Yahoo!360)-Before I came to New York, my idea of dwellings had always been the brownstones of Sesame Street with their stoops where Maria and the others hung out and congregated. At the bottom of that stoop was the garbage can where Oscar the Grouch lived. But when I got here I realized that the image was far from reality. A small one bedroom in a postwar apartment building in the Village costed 2000 dollars(thank God mine was partly subsidized by the hospital) and a brownstone, was like renting in Rockwell. But I discovered recently Manhattan was not the only places with these turn-of-the-century houses. As a matter of fact, Brooklyn was filled with them. The neighborhoods might be very different, but they were certainly here. And for the last year(maybe) I decided I was getting one. It'sactually not a brownstone(brick) but it's made ii the same time and the same attention to details. I only have the outside for now, but in a week the inside will be fixed. My apartment is the top floor with the light on.

Can't get anymore New York than this one! more in the folders.

One Can Never Forget...

11 September 2005(moved from Yah00!360)- I was still in St. Vincents Hospital when the unmentionable happened one fine September morning. My buddy and I were having a cup of coffee looking down on the street looking west onto Greenwich Street from the 4th floor lab windows when Bob Barclay came in with the news. First, disbelief, as coffee time in the morning was ritually precious and was unperturbable. When someone else came with identical news a few minutes apart, we looked at each other and I instantly knew life as I knew it was going to be different from now on.

Everything still seems like a blur when I recall those days but everytime I see the twin towers of light, the image is so powerful it makes things perfectly clear for a few brief moments. Then the blur of life goes on. The twin towers used to be a beacon, of sorts, as they were the landmarks I saw as I walk to work everyday. Now the lights seem like a similar reminder that as I move from Chelsea to the Heights and across the river into Brooklyn I will never be too far from the memory of the day when everything changed .....forever.

The US Open

9 September 2005(moved from Yahoo!360)-It was the last weekend of summer and we got blessed with one of those picture perfect weather days when you could stay out in the sun forever without breaking a drop of sweat. I was planning a Saturday of catching up with work with a few other residents but Yvette called the night before to say that she had an extra ticket for Saturday. It took me 30 secinds to forget about work then say...YES!

They tried to make me go back for anunexpected autopsy but my boss agreed to wait til after the long Labor Day weekend because she was sailing herself while I was in line for the game. Life is sweet.

Check out more photos.

The Last Move I Will Ever Do.....Maybe

5 September 2005(moved from Yahoo!360)- There is a reason why movers thrive in this city and the most important reason is that it is such an aggravating activity that you would rather cough up the atrocious cost than impose the same aggravation on yourself, and in an ideal society, your hapless friends. Since I was in an idealist bent this time, this move being possibly my last, and the first to be done without professional help, I embarked on this poorly planned event. With some coercion(okay, a lot) I was abe to get confirmations for help about four days from the day; Kiat (a cofellow from Malaysia who studied in Manila and married a Filipina), Jerome(a second year resident from Manila), Wesley( a Brit friend whom I offered a couple of months free stay as his lease is about to end and he's in between jobs), and Osama from work(yup, his name is Osama.)

The day started on a bad step as the U-Haul place we were picking the truck up from at 8:30am did not open until 10:30am as the dreadlocked manager partied all night(The night before they called on the cell to tell me a truck wasn't available but with a lot of complaining, they promised a truck at 8:30). Then came the issue of being a foreigner, then Kiat not having an out of state license, it was Murphy's Law in effect. We finally got moving at 11:30am, a full 3 hours behind schedule. We got to the apartment and finally hauled everything into the truck only to find out in the end, not everything was going to fit. I couldn't believe five years of living in this city had turned me into a packrat (Mama, i have become just like you!)

We got to Brooklyn at 6:30 and were joined by Lori and Sonny, friends from EL Nido Resorts who just moved to the US and live some five doors down the street, and Yang, another guy from work. We finished at *:30 and went to dinner. Never again, I swear to god.

Yvette's Birthday at Cendrillion

22 August 2005(moved from Yahoo!360)- Marc hosted(well, semi-host, marc, your evite was truly misleading) a dinner for Yvette's birthday last weekend. The usual suspects were rounded up with Monique, Wesley, Aimee, Richie, Gia, Jose, and Diane(last two names fictitious as I can't recall who they were). As usual Romy Dorotan(chef) and his wife Amy outdid themselves with wonderfully inventive New Filipino food. They had been having a doldrum of a summer until they got a two-star review in the Times by Frank Bruni. Nowadays, no rest for the weary. As each order came to the table it elicited a low "wow!" from everyone. But what drew more ooohs were the sides which Romy just kept on bringing as he thought one side would complement one dish on the table for all to experience. And this did not stop even after dessert with great buko pie, avocado ice cream( what a blast from the past!) and finally champagne. What a guy!

Emma's birthday

22 August 2005(moved from Yahoo!360)- It was Emma's 16th birthday last weekend and i went there with Michelle, Charlie, and Wesley. The food was good as usual, but not as great had Geri or Arsenia prepared it themselves. But with a guestlist running over 50, I can't blame Geri for having catering over. Emma had a a handful of friends over and the rest were Catbaloganons and others. As the night wore on, the piano was non stop and it became a all night karaoke with Adrian singing and Geri doing interpretative dance! Always cracks me up! see for yourself.

check this out as well. http://mynewyorkminute.blogspot.com/2005/08/emmas-16th-birthday.html

i will miss THIS view!

23 August 2005(moved from Yahoo!360)- I've kinda gotten used to the this route when I go home. After I get out of the subway on 177th street I walk directly west towards the river to m street which straddles the edge of the cliff from where Washington Heights gets it's name. And as I get to my street at the end of a long day, towards sunset, THIS is what I see. The building to the left is where I live and the bridge is George Washington Bridge from Manhattan to New Jersey. That's another time zone right there!

Spoiled

17 September 2006(moved from Yahoo!360)- This is how living in a hotel can spoil you. When Jojoe goes to "do" her groceries, she doesn't go to the garage, drive the car 5-10 miles , run up and down aisles, and line up with the rest of humanity, and pay. She goes down to the basement with a list and asks the chef what's the day's catch is. So, whether it's lamb, or skirt steak, or skate, or salmon, that's what she gets. When Emma wanted to get chocolate ice cream, the chef said they had none but they would make it by nightfall!

Today, there were live diver scallops. When Jojoe said,"But chef, I would not know how to open these." Quickly, he shucked each and every scallop for Jojoe to take away. Grilled lightly with butter, garlic, and parsley, it was one of the best TV dinners I've had.

Mitsy, 15 Years Old

From Old Yahoo!350 site published August 22, 2006- I took Mitsy out for a 2 hour walk down by the Lachine Canal and took this photo which i put up as my desktop background. She had an epileptic attack the other day in the veranda and it looked really scary as she was uncontrollably seizing and salivating copiously. I was watching her the whole time but there was nothing to do but comfort her. She's fine now but for a day had no appetite at all. Yesterday she was her usual self and got excited when you mention the word "walk". As a matter of fact, the word gets her so excited and barking that Jojoe and Gilles have to spell out W-A-L-K rather than say it out loud so she won't disturb the neighbors.

Mitsy died last month after a lingering paralysis which left her lower extremities paralyzed and her bowel functions uncontrollable. Anais was heroic in her effort to rehabilitate her but to no avail as her situation worsened. Although, I have been partial to dogs and cats all my life, I never thought the passing of a dog who's not even mine could affect me so. She was my sister's pet in Montreal and Chicago for 15 years after they rescued her from the pound. I would see her everytime I'd spend a holiday or a weekend with them and have grown fond of her as she was the sweetest dog ever. My nephew, Fabien, who was closest to her can attest to this. Over Thanksgiving evenings, Mitsy would quietly sit by the fire d bask in the heat with Chloe, the beagle, and just be around family over laughter and conversations, wine, and games. When asked, she would sidle up to you and cozy up then start licking your hand or your feet endlessly until she got tired then fall off to sleep. In parks she loved playing catch with a tennis ball, chasing squirrels up trees, and just sniffing other dogs for good measure.

Yahoo!360 is Closing

Don't know if I should move my blog here or to livejournal. Will decide soon.

Thinking of Jumpstarting this Again

Sayang naman the title as I still think it's a great title thanks to Wesley. Let's see.

This has got to be one of the most breathtaking places here in the Northeast. Drove 8 hours from new york to the towns of Maine and ended up in an island in Acadia Nationl Park.
maine

Belfast, Maine 

okay,okay here it is,

First of all, the whole concept of a blog is for me totally alien. For one my ignorance of technology only rivals that of my mom's or anyone else's from her generation. Marc and Yvette had begrudgingly given me components to put together a home theater system once and it sat in my apartment for two months before I attempted to out them together. I was somehow afraid that it would just emit a hissing sound followed by some malodorous smoke akin to burning rubber and that would be the end of it. For two months the "audio/video receiver", as it was called, sat in my living room and I just stared at it not quite knowing what to do with it. When it was inevitable that Marc and Yvette , and this Englishman in New York, were coming to my new neighborhood(Washington Heights) , I had no choice but to attempt to put it together and hope somehow that it worked and somehow, it did.

As it was, this same Englishman had his own weblog and his response, one day, to my questions about how one blogs was this weblog. As I have stared at this page not quite knowing what to do with it or how to do it, I realized that attempting to make this work would not be as dismal as I would imagine. Certainly no hissing sounds or malodorous smoke would come out of trying to figure this thing out. So, Wesley, if this first blog goes through successfully, congratulations to me and thanks to you and perhaps, there will be more. If it doesn't, you suck!

Tomorrow

Gonna get a vist from friends who live downtown. I hope they bring me something nice!