News from Toronto

The swine flu scare was very obvious at the Minneapolis International Airport. While looking for a place to eat, I saw several Asian-looking girls wearing face masks.

Then at the gate for the final leg of my trip back to Toronto, there was a group of Chinese tourists all wearing masks. I looked around and the locals (Americans) were only wearing either a smile, because of the warmer weather there, or a frown, because the boarding gates were so far apart which meant longish walking while dragging one's luggage.

Back in Toronto, the first sight that greeted me was the price of gas. It was selling at 95 cents a liter. When I left, I gassed up at 85 cents per liter. So, there was a ten-cent increase. I've been away eleven days, so it means that the gasoline price increased almost 1 cent per day.

Then, instead of taking a cab, I took the TTC bus from Pearson International and the local train all the way home. There were lots of cabs parked outside the airport but more people preferred taking the public transport. I guess the hard economic times have caught everyone by surprise. With public transport, you pay $3 ; by cab, you pay $55 plus tip. Go, figure.

At home, Tommy, the male budgie was already asleep. When I peered into the balcony, I called his name, and he moved and slowly showed his head. Then after my dinner, I peeked again and this time, I saw Ugly Betty on the upper perch, side by side with Tommy Boy. Lucky Boy!

News from Seattle

Microsoft has laid off at least 5,000 people so far. First time home buyers maybe the key to real estate recovery. The Philippine Community Centre is having a fundraising dance on May 30th. It's been raining these past two days in Seattle and weather has been on the cooler side.

For this trip to California and Washington, I packed spring-summery clothes; mostly short-sleeved shirts, and even brought two pairs of shorts. It's good I also brought two long-sleeved thicker shirts, and a spring jacket. When I left Toronto, it was a nice 20 degree Celsius or thereabouts - the reason for my summer-frame of mind.

Good news is, since I arrived here in the west coast, I've been to 5 churches already - St. Justin, St Maria Goretti, St. Francis of Assisi, Holy Family and St. Bernadette; another church I would go to is the St. Philomena.

Bad news is, I've also abandoned my usual diet in favor of high cholesterol cuisine; this always happens when I'm away from home.

Going Away

Getting away from one's home is always exciting. It's a chance to regenerate one's energy and take one's mind off the daily routine or a matter that's been nagging one's mind.

That's why companies send their employees to professional development seminars, workshops and rich organizations send their top honchos to special R & Rs. Such activities not only serve as relaxation but they power up the mind and body and result in more creative problem solvers.

My trip is a private one. I will hook up with relatives and old friends. I hope it will open my mind to new ideas - as a change in scenery can stir sleeping juices and jumpstart one's creative engine.

It will also be a good time to reflect; when people are in the familiar surrounding of their home, they tend to take for granted the order or disorder of their lives, the beauty or dreariness of their relationships. Sometimes it takes a new place to wake up the discontent or to bring one to realize how lucky he is.

Fly me to the moon. And let me play among the stars. Let me see what spring is like in Jupiter or Mars...