New Blog!!! Important!

Sorry for not updating for the entire months of February, March, and April but since last month until the present, and from now on I’ll be posting entries to my new blog/site:

www.behtoh.info

also, if you tweet…get at me!

www.twitter.com/behtoh

-thanks. beto

恭喜發財!

Wow! A whole week without a single entry, that alone states how busy I’ve been lately.

In between hanging out with friends, to trying to squeeze every last minute with some other friends as possible, church, school, and so on…it’s hard! I mean I’m only seventeen, I shouldn’t be under so much stress. I literally have to schedule things now.

Last week was a drag, the weekend was supposed to be better but sometimes it felt even worse. I was supposed to hang out with my bestfriend Orsy on Saturday, and go to his show that night but I couldn’t find a ride to Palmdale. That same night I was supposed to go to East Palmdale to Andrew’s Fight Night/Birthday party and that didn’t happen. I ended up going to the movies with Eva and Gaby, bleh! Sunday, I woke up and started celebrating the beginning of the Lunar New Year! (or Chinese New Year, since many people seem to believe only the Chinese celebrate it) I began what I called “Beto’s Very Merry Tsinoy Fiesta” lol literally. I ate siapao, a Filipino-Chinese stuffed pastry, (which tastes like a kiss from God) Ube mooncakes, which were heavenly, and of course Tikoy…one of the best examples of Tsinoy cuisine. I had church afterward, and the minister got mad at me for having a little Kwan-Yin amulet in a lucky red pouch, ñeh whatever. I wore a brand new red shirt just for luck, and then tried to enjoy the day…which I somewhat did. I need a love in my life, don’t we all wish we had one in the New Year?

It’s been a few days since then, and all I can say I’ve done is friends, church, schoolwork, and bullshit.

=’[ My best friend Orsy is moving to Virginia…shit! After 4 years of bestfriendship he’s going away.
My best Vietnam buddy Tú is going “offline” for quite a while…tear.
Being faced with goodbyes and all, I get quite sad. Which has been my mood these past days.

As for the title, it is the very popular New Year phrase “Gong hei fat choi” (Congrats! Be prosperous) as pronounced in Hakka, the Chinese of my ancestors. Also, many people mistake this phrase believing it means “Happy New Year” which is actually “Sanin fai lok”. Tee hee…Now I’m giving language lessons? lol.

Obama…We’ve done it!

After so much time, after all the sweat and the tears; Mr. Barack Hussein Obama is the president of the United States of America. It is in this post that I recall my experiences on this historical day which I was fortunate of being a part of.

Back in 2004, I remember doing an assignment for my 8th grade class. It was to take record of the 2004 Elections. It was then when for the first time I heard of Barack Obama, a newly elected senator from Illinois. To me he was just another man, sure…he made some history then, but it didn’t mean much.

As time passed, 2008 came and the elective fever was spreading all over the nation. I as a Democrat, was specifically looking at Hillary R. Clinton and Barack H. Obama. I was a supporter of Mrs. Clinton the entire way, until the day when she conceded the post to Mr. Obama. On that day, I had mixed feelings; My idol had been defeated, and I at once had to support Obama for the good of the nation.

From that day on, I saw how the candidacy of Obama was inspiring the people of the nation everywhere. No matter where you were everyone was speaking of Obama, the man who if elected president would be a living historical figure. There was just one objective…the Republican candidate Mr. John McCain. After 8 years of Mr. Bush I can honestly say, I had enough Republican leadership in power. So that being stated, I supported Obama all the way to Election Day.

November 4th, 2008. Barack Obama is elected as President, Joe Biden is elected Vice President. The days after were full of joy and hope. I myself counted the days until the end of now former President Bush’s term as president.

This weekend the nation had it’s gaze at the many events around the country preparing us for the Inauguration of the President-elect and Vice President-elect. I mean, even Shakira was a part of it. We all awaited Tuesday, and yesterday on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day we all waited for that crowning moment in his now famous dream.

Today, I woke up as any day until I realized that day was here, January 20th, 2009. President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden were to be sworn in. I ran to the television and watch it while getting ready for school. There I saw the masses joined in Washington D.C. specifically the National Mall to catch a glimpse of this event.

I saw the grand entrances of the former presidents and first ladies. First came in Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter, followed by George H. Bush and Barbara Bush, followed by the great power couple Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton. After them entered now former First Lady Laura Bush, and after a few minutes entered Michelle Obama followed shortly by  now former President George W. Bush & now former Vice President Richard “Dick” Cheney, and Bush had the final “Hail to the Chief” played for him.

The grandest entrance was that of Barack Obama, although I chucked at the introduction Barack H. Obama with emphasis on the “H” how I would’ve loved to hear them say Hussein.

Afterward, Sen. Dianne Feinstein gave the welcoming words, followed by a prayer by Pastor Rick Warren, and Aretha Franklin sang “My Country ‘Tis of Thee”.

I only got the see the swearing in of Vice President Biden, and missed that of President Obama because I had to attend class. But nevertheless, at 9a.m. PST (officially at 12p.m. EST) Barack Obama became the President as stated in the Constitution of the United States.

While at school, my friend in the Philippines…oh yes a testament that the entire world was watching, kept me briefed about the events as they unfolded. Finally I received the text that Obama had taken the oath, the dream was a reality.

After school, I went to pay my cell phone bill and when the teller wished me a Good Day I replied, “Oh but Ma’am it IS a good day a VERY good day”.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. your dream has come true, and so has mine.

Partied Out…

These past days have been fun days…yes, indeed.

Jao and James returned from the Philippines and came to visit Lancaster, so they’ve been a large part of these days. Thursday, I hung out with Chezka, Len, Jozam, Eden, Kim, Lenesha, Daniel & then the girls and I went to the mall in Palmdale. On the way back we went to Danny’s Chinese restaurant and I got so much free food! ^.^ Yesterday, Jozam, Jao, and James came to my bahay in the morning. I ran into Jasmine at school and she gave me my belated Christmas giflt. In the afternoon, we hung out at Adrianne’s place and chilled. That’s about all needed in this recap.

As for today, wow! It was a good day, although somehwta slow. I went to Ate Marita’s party (at “Chezka’s House”) and partied with all the friends and family. Some invetees came from the Valley and such. We messed around in an inflatable jumper thing. We went to Jozam’s place, and on the way back picked up Joseph. I met Cleah’s boyfriend Mike, he seemed alright. Nate, Joseph, and I did some not so responsible things, but for some reason I think Joseph and I get closer everytime we hang out…so it was worth it. Rei arrived to the party, and then soon after everyone began leaving there, so we did the same. Ah! My eyes can barely function correctly now, goodnight everyone…I’m partied out.

Pigglypuff.

Ah! These past two days have been quite fun, a very nice way to enter the school year again. Yesterday, I hung out with Nate, Jozam, and Brannen after school. We went to their house and Tita Gina was there, and she fed us turkey burgers. Never had them, sarap! We eventually went to Eden’s neighborhood and there met up with her, Danny, Rei, Lenesha, and Kim. Rei and Kim were having problems, and then Rei and Danny left. In the meantime, we chilled in Jozam’s car. We watched kids in the sandbox ;] lol…their reaction was priceless. We then did the Peter Answers thing on them…nothing better than a car full of scared pinays. Eden and Danny then were having problems, to make it up we went to pick up Danny and he came to Eden with a Teddy Bear and a bouquet of Roses…cuuute lmao ^.^ Then we had major ride issues, I paid Nate’s friend to take Danny home. I went to INC for bible study, and then ended my day at home.

This morning Jozam and Daniel came to my house. We cooked up a storm making a mixture of Filipino, Chinese, and Mexican food. That shih was good!! =D Hopefully, the rest of today is really fun, since it’s been an awesome week.