788 replies to this topic

[thailover57]

Great read Macman. Wish you the best. Sounds like you're acclimating well - hope it continues.

[dazedandconfused]

Hi Macman, am enjoying the read as ever.

You are kind of right about opportuinities for Transexuals being extremely limited in the PI. This is probably true about life in the smaller cities and provinces but here in Manila (for instance) it's not so much of an issue. Call Centres (and this is just about the biggest growth area in the economy) are chock full of TS and LB's. They are on the same relatively ok wages as everyone else and are fully accepted by employers and colleagues.

I also know of quite a few who work in hotels, catering, travel and mainstream offices. One of the cutest LB's I have ever seen here works - front of house - in the best Dept store in Manila.

You often see a lot of LB's working in the smaller cellphone and dvd shops in the malls. Same applies to Cebu to a lesser extent as well.

Apologies for stepping in and interrupting.

Cheers D&C

[Macman]

Thanks for the encouraging words, Thailover.

D&C, that's no interruption. That's exactly the kind of thing that I need to know. I don't think Angel is aware of those opportunities in larger cities. I'm sure she realizes it to some degree, but not to the extent that you describe. (She's still sleeping, but I want to tell her when she wakes up.) I guess that's pretty much the same all over; the big cities are usually much more liberal in their attitudes. When I was very young, on my first real job, I got to know a guy who had moved to New York from Pittsburgh. While people the world over have heard of Pittsburgh (then because of the steel industry and now because of the Steelers), and assume that it's a big city, it really wasn't such back then. It was quite provincial in its thinking. He confided to me that he was gay (in those days, it really was "confiding" because very few people were openly gay). He told me that he had tried to date girls for appearance's sake, even though he knew he was homosexual. He eventually suffered a nervous breakdown, and decided to move to New York City. While he couldn't be "out" at work, at least he was able to live openly away from the job.

While Angel was attending her friend's pageant last night, I caught up on my favorite TV show on DVD. It's the 5th and final season of a show called Friday Night Lights, and I bought the DVD set before I left the States. Damn, I really will miss some of those shows. I've tried to watch via the internet, but I guess there are licensing problems.

Busy day today. We have to shop for a present for Angel's goddaughter, attend her party (at the beach), get back here and get ready for her gg friend's pageant tonight.

Well, I'm going to squeeze in a walk before Angel gets up. I wonder if it's hot out.

[thailover57]

Macman - here's a link to a VPN to the USA so you can tunnel into HULU or whatever you're looking for in USA. http://127.0.0.1:895...3689EC7486F259C

If it doesn't work let me know and I'll look for the original email my friend sent me.

[Macman]

Thanks, Thailover. I tried it with both Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer, but neither one can open the link. A friend of mine back home also told me there was a link that got around the licensing problems, but he couldn't find it.

Well, yesterday we celebrated the birthday of Angel's goddaughter. She celebrated it with another little girl of the same age (they both were turning 3). My God, they really do a make a big thing of b-days here. There was a whole roast pig, I don't know how many dishes, cases of Coca Cola and Sprite, a big cake and banners with photos of the kids on them. We held it at what they called a beach, but it was actually more like a small picnic area on the bay. When I took my walk this morning, I noticed big banners wishing the mayor of the city happy birthday. Back home, there were many times that I didn't even realize it was my birthday until someone wished me congratulations.

We came back home, took a quick nap, ate dinner, and headed out for the pageant. Angel and some of her friends had told me about "Filipino Time," but I thought they were exaggerating. The night before, when Angel went to the other pageant, it was supposed to start at 7:00 PM. At 9:00, she sent me a text, saying it was just starting. Last night's affair was supposed to start at 7:30, but it was more like 8:45. There wasn't a final judging. There's another stage on the 28th. Afterwards, we went out drinking with a bunch of her friends. I haven't had a drink in longer than a lot of BMs have been alive (the old "One drink is too many and a thousand aren't enough" syndrome), but it was a great time. She really has some nice friends.

I went for my walk this morning, but had to cut it short. I got caught in a downpour. So far it's a lazy day. We were supposed to take Angel's goddaughter for the afternoon, but so far we haven't heard from her mother. She's the cutest kid, and she adores Angel, mimicking her every move. BTW, I love the custom of the kids blessing the older folk by taking the hand and pressing it to their foreheads.

Angel's napping, and I'm going to catch up on some reading.

[Macman]

Sunday. After mass late this afternoon, we're going to Angel's aunt's house to celebrate her sister's birthday. I've been taking a few pictures that I'll post here. The quality isn't so good because it's just a point and shoot. When I go back to the States for a visit next year, I'm going to buy a DSLR camera. I mentioned that our neighbor is very rich. His house is so big, I couldn't photograph the whole thing, so I've included a screen shot of a Google Earth pic. His house is just above ours. That pale green patch is his swimming pool. As I've mentioned, our complex has 5 apartments and plenty of space for cars and motorbikes. You can see how his place dwarfs ours. In the pic of the view from our church, his is way down at the end of the street You can barely see it in the photo); we're down a path right before his property.

Macman

[Macman]

Here are a couple of a more personal nature. I'll post some more of the local area tomorrow.

Macman

[jayarr]

after seeing the rig, I wouldn't have ziplined, either

[Macman]

Yeah, jayarr, that's exactly what did it for me. I thought there was going to be a harness around my chest and legs. That damn thing looked as though it was tilted forward. I knew I'd have a panic attack, thinking I was going to slide right out of that thing.

Macman

[thailover57]

Looks like an Episode of Fear Factor! Or maybe Wiley Coyote. I could see those straps breaking one at a time and falling in a very uncomfortable way. I'd pass too.

[Legend]

i too would have backed out of the zip line.
i would never put my life in the hands of these people,
getting a taxi ride is bad enough.
your death would just be shrugged aside.

nice update macman.

[Macman]

Holy cow, Anthony. That's pretty harsh. That harness really scared me, though. As Thailover said, it was like an episode of Fear Factor.