Leaky Faucets

Last Friday I finally received my long-awaited absentee ballot in the mail. I requested it about six weeks ago, but given that it takes approximately two weeks to get a letter from here to the U.S. and back, and add to that the necessary processing time of a government agency like the Queens Board of Elections, six weeks does not seem so bad.

I didn’t want to delay my vote or take any chances that it might not get there in time, so I filled it out and took it up to the US Consulate office at the Waterfront Hotel yesterday morning. They’ll be sending it to Manila where it will travel to the States via the Embassy mail pouch. Hopefully, it will make it to Queens safely. But even if it doesn’t, current polls show my guy way ahead in New York state.

And by the way, this is the second time in my life I have voted absentee, albeit the first time from overseas. The first was my sophomore year at the University of Maryland in ‘92. I only wish I was still registered in Ohio.

Finding a good place to run in Cebu has been a constant challenge since I got here.  Mostly, I’ve been running at the gym—either on the treadmill or on the covered but outdoor track.  This is okay for short runs, but after a while it is quite redundant.    Aya and I did a 5K race last Sunday sponsored by Holiday Gym.  We talked to a few local avid runners that we know, and they reminded us of a popular running spot which we had heard about, but had not yet tried.

I had been to this place before, but the circumstances were different.  It was the burial of Aya’s grandmother.  The place is the Cebu Memorial Park, colloquially known as CemPark.  Believe it or not, this is where the top runners and tri-athletes in the city train.  There is no Central Park here or even a Flushing Meadows.  So this seems to be the best Cebu has to offer in terms of a place to run where there are few cars and a measured course.  Two kilometers per loop around the mausoleums and tombstones.  Sure, it’s a little spooky, but there are a lot of others there.  Living people, I mean.  The dead don’t bother you too much.  And there are lights when it starts to get dark.  It’s best to start a little earlier and finish before it is too dark, but as long as there are other people there I think it is fine.  We ran there yesterday and plan to go back soon.

Today I tried a different place on the recommendation of my brother-in-law: the golf cart path around the course at Cebu Country Club.  It was quite challenging and I felt really winded at the end.  After 6:00pm it was really dark, and I would have had trouble finishing the front 9 if it were not for Bayani driving a golf cart in front of me.  There was one other runner there today other than Aya and I—he’s training for the Singapore Marathon.  In the dark, this place can be almost as scary as the cemetery because you are all alone.  At least in CemPark, there are always other runners.

So, at least there are a few options other than the boring old gym.  More importantly, it will help if I can run with other people, especially those training for marathons or half-marathons.  Otherwise, it might be difficult for me to reach those distances again.

Sometimes—and this certainly depends on my mood—I think I could live the life of a cloistered nun, if not for the requirements of being Catholic and female.  There is a group of such nuns living in a convent near our house; they are friends of my in-laws and often come to the house.  I saw a few of them the other day at JY Square Supermarket in their red habits.  I know they walked the mile or so to get there, which I would enjoy if I weren’t in a hurry, though I wonder if those habits are comfortable in this heat.    I would certainly enjoy the days spent reading and studying, and most importantly not socializing.  Like I said, it depends on my mood.  If it is sour, I sometimes dream about getting away from everyone.  This would be one way to do it.

“ENJOY IT at the GYM.” This is the sage advice offered by Nestle on the top of their tetra-pak cartons of fresh low-fat milk sold at supermarkets all over the Philippines.

You know, this is something I’ve never actually thought about trying. And come to think of it, no one I have ever known who works out has ever mentioned to me that milk is a beverage of choice at the gym. I’m not an expert, but I really don’t think it is a good idea, particularly for running. I usually stick to the standard water or Gatorade, but I purposely avoid dairy products as I am afraid they will upset my stomach while running. Perhaps milk is consumed by body builders but from what I know they prefer those powdered protein concoctions.

I don’t know if Nestle really believes that drinking milk at the gym is a good idea or if they are just trying anything to get people to drink more milk. I for one won’t fall for this ploy.

A few weeks ago, on a whim, I decided to pay a visit to a practitioner of homeopathic medicine.  Actually, my in-laws went to this doctor earlier that day and recommended that Aya and I give it a try since we both are long-time sufferers of various allergies.  Okay, I thought.  Why not?

When we got to the clinic, near the Capitol in Cebu, we were seen almost immediately by the doctor.  In fact, there were several doctors there in the consultation room including one of Aya’s aunts, a GP visiting from Mindanao.  Tita April and the others were training in homeopathy under this doctor.

When he took out his device with its magic wand and started moving it to different part of my hands, of course I was a little skeptical.  I always am.  He was measuring the toxicity levels in each and every part of the body, all of which have a connection to an exact point in one’s hand.

My levels were genuinely okay except for my liver, which is apparently the usual problem organ.  The liver can be cleaned, though, through some homeopathic remedies and a change in diet including the elimination of synthetics, pork and bottom-feeding shellfish, among other things.   Many of these recommendations I have been following for years; others, like cutting shrimp from my diet, will be more difficult.

But I did get a reprieve of sorts.  The homeopath said that he could not effectively analyze my toxicity levels until I had my dental fillings replaced, something my mother-in-law had already done (although I don’t think it was based on this particular doctor’s recommendation.)  

You see, when I was a kid, I spent a lot of time at the dentist.  My mother made us go for check-ups every six months, and inevitably I would have at least one cavity every time, and sometimes three or four.  This went on until my early teens so I have quite a few “silver fillings in my mouth.   Yeah, I ate a lot of candy and other sweets as a child, but so did my friend Jimmy, and he never had any cavities.  Maybe it is partly genetic.  My mother was a major sweet tooth as well, and it probably didn’t help that she took my to Dairy Queen as a reward after every painful cavity filling appointment.  I’m sure it was my idea, but it was never too difficult to convince her.  I went through three dentists during those years—Dr. Sachs (who I think got in trouble with the law later), Dr. Moyer and Dr. Mark.

Now I’m told that the fillings they used were made of amalgam, which is composed of approximately 50% mercury with the remaining half a combination of other metals including silver.  According to the homeopath, these dental fillings are highly toxic because of the mercury.   Exposure is especially high, he explained, when eating or drinking something really cold or really hot.  I have fillings in 16 teeth and some teeth have multiple fillings.  All of these have been in my mouth for 20 years or more, meaning that—at least according to the doctor—I’ve been poisoning myself for more than half my life on a daily basis.  Part of me wonders if this guy is a quack who is just making money of selling supplements.  Maybe they are herbal or natural, but it still seems like pills so are they really different than pharmaceuticals?

But I believed him.  I mean, it makes sense.  Especially when the majority of the world dental establishment still primarily endorses the use of amalgam.  To me, that is proof that it may be harmful.  It is probably against their collective interest to change the practice they have been utilizing for years and years regardless of whether it is harmful to their patients.  

Of course, the use or non-use of amalgam fillings is still quite controversial.  Scanning the Internet, you can find many articles saying they are extremely harmful and just as many saying not enough is known to make this type of conclusion.  I will continue to do further research on this topic, but it is more of the post-buyer reassurance type of research, like when you buy a certain brand or product and then afterwards conduct thorough research to validate your decision.

I already started the process of having my amalgam removed and replaced with composite resin.  I’m hoping that I won’t find out that this new material is similarly toxic in 20 years time.  On Friday I visited the family dentist, Dr. Rafanan.  She was highly skilled and knowledgeable.  She doesn’t use amalgam anymore, so I tried to get her to weigh in on the controversy.  She just offered both sides, saying that American dentists still mostly use amalgam while the trend in Europe is away from the mercury-laced mixture.  As with many issues, I’m betting with the Europeans.

Four teeth down and 12 more to go.  Incidentally, Dr. Rafanan informed me that I had a new cavity, which she promptly drilled and filled with composite resin, of course.  This was my first cavity in well over a decade.   I brush my teeth and floss regularly, but I haven’t been to the dentist in almost four years.  My last scheduled appointment was the day after the Fourth of July in 2005.  When I got to the office in lower Manhattan near Century 21, after schlepping all the way from Jamaica on the E train, I found the office locked.  They never called to say they were taking an extra day of holiday, and in fact, when I called to complain, my call was never returned.  I was so upset that I never went back, and although I asked around for another dentist, I never made another appointment during my last few years in New York, partly because there were very few dentists who accepted the crappy city employees’ insurance, DC-37.  My first dentist in New York, who I went to for several years, didn’t accept the insurance, which is why I switched when I started working at the library.  

In the Philippines, I don’t think dental insurance is very common, so I have to pay out of pocket, which is expensive but much, much cheaper than U.S. dentists.  And, if turns out that the homeopath is right about the amalgam (he actually said it should make a difference in my allergies), then it will certainly be worth every peso.

To me, electoral politics—especial the Presidential variety—is like the ultimate spectator sport, and I take losing or the fear of losing just as hard as I do when my favorite team is on the ropes. Although in sports, there is always next year. In American politics, its four years, and four years is an awful long time. When my candidate was down in the polls for a brief time recently, the fear seized me just look it would if my team, once favored to win, was suddenly in danger of missing the postseason.

Of course, just like in sports where the season is long, there is a scoreboard where you can monitor how your team or candidate is doing on a daily basis. Just like I obsessively check the box scores and divisional standings during a long baseball or basketball season, so I check the polls and electoral vote projections.

 In this context, today’s debate was like an exhibition match—pre-season football or spring training baseball. It was dull, neither player hit his stride and in the end it won’t mean much in the course of the season.

Often I find myself completely perplexed by the randomness of things in the Philippines.  You see things that you just do not expect to see.  Take, for instance, the way jeepneys (the predominant public transportation vehicles, for those non-Filipino readers) are decorated.  The other day I saw one that was painted with the logo of the Bristol City Football Club from England accompanied by the proclamation “Bristol City FC is the Best.”  Just find it strange that there would be a large fanbase for this particular football club.  Admittedly I am not so knowledgeable about English football but I do know that Bristol City is not as well known as Manchester United and others.  Another jeepney I recently spotted was emblazoned with the names of various canals.  Suez Canal, Panama Canal, etc.  What is that about? 

My understanding is that the jeepney drivers can decorate their vehicles any way they choose—some are beautifully painted, others are hideous.  Some advertise particular products or bands such as Coca-Cola (without compensation I assume.) But, what, this guy is a fan of the Suez Canals?  I’d really like an explanation on this.

The above picture, taken today on Banilad Rd. in Cebu, is an example of a jeepney decked out in corporate logos.  I’m quite sure that Panasonic and Michelin did not pay for the advertising.  (Pictured in the foreground is Ana’s unoccupied carseat.)

Yesterday I was reminiscing with another former New Yorker who has returned to Cebu and her husband—a frequent visitor to New York.  What were both of us missing about New York?  The food, of course.  She misses the burgers.  As do I.  Donovan’s in Woodside.  For her it was Joe’s Pizza.  For me, Lombardi’s.  Her husband mentioned the bagels—something that just can’t be replicated. (I think it has something to do with the water in New York).  This led me to dream about bagels last night—all different varieties of bagels.  Onion, Everything, Sesame Seed, etc.  We also jointly yearn for good Thai and Vietnamese food which is surprisingly inauthentic and bland (the word is fusion) here considering how close we are to Thailand and Vietnam.  Of course, I don’t expect to ever find a real New York-style corned beef on rye here.  Being raised on excellent delicatessen food such as that found at Corky and Lenny’s, I could never bring myself to eat the canned corned beef that people eat here.  Yech.

I have a good memory about certain things. Take music for example. I can remember both where and approximately when I bought most of the 500+ slabs of wax in my record collection.

Last night I was listening to and recording “Cleanse The Bacteria,” one of the all-time best hardcore compilations, which was put together by punk/metal art god and Septic Death front-man (not to mention Thrasher columnist—remember “The Puszone?”) Pushead. This album was one of the reasons Paul and I were so into European (particularly Scandinavian with Sweden’s Mob 47 leading the way for me) thrash hardcore at the time that everyone in Cleveland was getting into NYHC.

I vividly remember buying this album while combing all the record bins at a mall record store in Ft. Myer’s, Florida. This was around ’86 or ’87. In those years, my family—before it would fall apart—would make an annual vacation in Marco Island, Florida each August—not the best time to go to Florida but the only time my dad could go away. We would inevitably make a trip to the mall in Ft. Myer’s (I think it was called Edison Mall because Thomas Edison lived in Ft. Myers at one time), about an hour away, and we would make a beeline for the record store—the only store that mattered to us then. Yes, even the record stores in the mall could have some good vinyl back then. I know I bought the Bad Brains ROIR yellow cassette at that same store, possibly the same trip. It was a chain store like Sam Goody but I don’t remember which. It was all washed down with an Orange Julius before heading back to the quiet island where we stayed the week.