Mayer Vs. Myer

An observation. I'm not quite sure if this is one of those English-American differences, but how come Mayer is pronounced as Myer and Myer pronounced as Mayer? This is not like a general pronunciation for every word that spelled this way though, but for some, and for this particular observation I am referring to people's names.

I mean, "MAYER" has the root word May, so like you would pronounce the month of May so will you pronounce May-yer as Mayer like John Mayer right? And "MYER" on the other hand that has the root word My should be pronounced as My-yer rather than May-yer, right? Don't you think?

I Don't Know How To Swim!

Yeah right. In fact, this is so right. What? You think I'm kidding? Think again!

Early this morning I called LGSRC to inquire about swimming classes for adults. I've been to these famous health clubs and they told me the season for swimming is over and they are in the last week of their classes so no good for me right? I met somebody who goes to this facility in Los Gatos and she mentioned swimming classes is whole year round, so that lifted my hopes right there. It is really ridiculous for a 29 year old to request a private swimming instruction, in fact, Americans would find it hilarious that this grown up adult woman doesn't know how to swim. Seriously?!

I guess I could blame all of these to my mom! Growing up in the Philippines should have given me an innate skill to swim, what with those 7,000+ islands! My mom as I remember won't even let me go camping with the girl scouts because she's afraid something would happen, she would always think something bad would happen to me and that extent of her protectiveness did not allow me to venture into sports, or in this particular concern, swimming. It is sad. Now I am so tensed to learn how to swim, and I have less than three months!

I see that America is just a different world with the way parents would encourage their child to indulge in activities especially sports. You would see young girls with very beautiful well-toned legs and it really makes me mad why mine have cellulite! I was driving in the super highway and I see a young girl, must be 10 years old, on her bike, crossing the street all alone I wonder where she's headed. See, children here have that particular kind of liberty to explore, maybe because the streets here are safer, and people would really give way to a pedestrian no matter what. You would never find that scenario in the Philippines I guess. Schools have programs for this young kids and they go participate in soccer, football, baseball, and the what not.

Oh well. Youtube is there, I am actually watching beginner swimming lessons for 3-9 year olds! Duh...

The Umbrella Deal

One of the things that I can't help to notice is the use of an umbrella only when it is raining. Oh, by the way, only when its raining but not all of the time. Here in California, we get so little rain in a year that the market for umbrellas is really poor, haha! At least in my opinion...

I was amazed at first when I saw people walking in the rain and they were like so cool. In the Philippines though, that is not the real deal or else you would definitely catch a certain cold or fever. Thing is of course, we have cleaner air in the US compared to the Philippines so that explains why people could walk under the rain unarmed.

In the heat of the summer though, the use of an umbrella is not really called for, at least, speaking for the American people as far as my observation is concerned. If you see somebody walking with an umbrella on a hot summer day, believe me you, it could only be an Asian.

Just saying...

This observation is the only thing that's been holding me back from using an umbrella nowadays. It is funny, but it feels like it is really wrong somehow. Oh well...

Driving in the Freeway

65mph speed limit, plus a 10mph allowable, is a total of 75mph maximum that everybody could do in the freeway. I am talking about California here, particularly in San Jose. I really don't have any idea if other states have different speed limits. I guess what I am trying to say here is I am not generalizing driving in America this time.

Friday, July 13, 2012, I almost got killed in the freeway when somebody cut in front of me out of nowhere and it wasn't even on a merging pavement. Damn. I almost had it there, on Highway 17 on my way to work on a quiet Friday the 13th. There I was cursing and jaw dropped until I pulled in the parking lot at work. It was terrifying, one of those moments when everything slow-mod thinking it was my last.

One thing about driving in America is that, people are really aggressive and they drive unexpectedly, coming from someone who was used to driving in the streets of Davao City, Philippines. Drivers here could really maneuver fast it is crazy! When I saw the half of that car making a left in front of me when I was running 70mph, I didn't have time to react but stepped on my brakes and move left immediately without even looking at the side mirror. I tried to avoid her in front of me and my reaction threw me into a back and forth swerve. I thank heavens so much the road was clear and that saved my life. The vehicles behind me must be thrilled, but not yet, not quite my time I suppose.

Ideally, the driver handbook would tell you that defensive driving means not stepping on your brakes when you are speeding. What I should have done is to ease my foot on the gas and it wouldn't have thrown me in a swerve. You know what they say that there's always a first time? Well I think that was it, I have to disclose that I only started driving in the freeway since we moved to a new place though. Newbie here, a fan of using the back road no matter how long or short the travel is.

The lesson here is clearly to know how to react to certain driving conditions. It is really strictly part of defensive driving. Drive safe everybody!

The Thing About The Weather

There's not a day that I don't hear somebody care about the weather. It is always about the weather. Well, at least in California.

When I was new in America, I didn't think about the changing weather conditions. I didn't think that looking at the temperature or watching the weather channel was relevant. I thought that when its Winter, its winter all the way throughout that season, and so on and so forth. There was one time during spring last year, the weather was already setting at the low 90's, we were bound to attend a car auction at the Alameda and here comes Kara who put on a shorts and a shirt without thinking, I wasn't guilty because the sun has started to show up already, I had no clue. Alameda turned out to be 55 degrees, the cold was biting but I had no choice. I felt so stupid, everybody was staring at me with judgmental look on their faces. Well, what can I do? Weather was the least of my priorities you know! Unfortunately my husband didn't remind me of bringing a jacket, and I didn't think twice to mind why everybody is putting on a sweater. I guess I could just blame it all to stupidity.

One year after, here comes spring again, tricking everybody about its weirdness. I could say that this weird weather condition is brought about by the change of times to be honest. One day it was freaking hot, the next day you would want to put on your puffer vest. One day it is nice and warm, the next day it is windy and rainy.

For a boring person like me who is just work and home most of the time, the weather is the least that I care about. For most Californians however who believes that the cost of living in this golden state includes the price of a better weather, it just makes sense to care about it. It is not fun to have a cold and rainy weather on a weekend, especially when everyone is planning to have a barbeque in the park, play golf, or go surfing in Santa Cruz. Yes, I guess it is always about the weather. It could make or break your day. Errands or play, weather I guess matters.

I am glad that now I know how to check the weather. I would still go for whatever weather though, the cold is not that bad, the heat is not that bad, and the rain here that they term as "STORM" - is a big joke, its nothing like the rain in the Philippines where in minutes you would hear wild thunder and lightning and expect flood at the end of it. I guess that's why they say, BUT THIS IS CALIFORNIA?!!

Convenience: Online Shopping

When I came to America, I started a little business where I'd buy USA products in online sites and then send it to the Philippines to sell. It was actually doing pretty good, until I got a full time job and I couldn't focus on it anymore. It died a natural death because that kind of business really needs time, I have to upload photos so that my resellers could see the product in advance and then on top of that I have to compare prices too. So I stopped.

So it started on a business sense, but then as I was doing online shopping on a day-to-day basis that it made me too comfortable on making online purchases. The convenience of it made me eventually do almost majority of my purchases online, I wouldn't mind doing it that way if I could because that would really save me time and gas, though I am missing a great deal on some walking exercises right there, if you know what I'm saying. Did I tell you that I have an ongoing room makeover project and I have a long list to accomplish in order to make that happen? The first and only thing that I accomplished on the list is the blown-up couple photo on our wall, and that's just about it. I have to move on!

Right now I am actually searching for little furniture to put in the room, as I have a long way to go on this room makeover project. I noticed that I am missing out something in my list because I definitely need night stand lamps. Now that my husband comes around two in the morning from work, I would definitely need one in my room instead of just letting the television on and put it on mute. The night lamp of course would go with a cute night stand. Two additions in my long list, and I am really in doubt as to when I am going to accomplish this! There are just a lot of nice and affordable stuff online and I am itching to buy them all! I couldn't avoid it if I go a little overboard and consider other unnecessary things for the house like a cute kitchen step stool chair and red panel ready refrigerators! I am literally one click away from all of these and I am holding my breath, I need self-control please!

The good thing about online shopping that I like too is that most sites offer free shipping and free returns, and sometimes they don't charge sales tax. It is really that tempting...

Picking Up Some Accent

After 16 months in America, I notice that I have the right to at least agree a little bit to the compliment, "why I can't tell that you are Filipino! You don't have the accent!"... Okay?

Believe me, I still do have this very unique accent, people in America are just being nice, as usual. I was creating my voicemail greeting yesterday so I get to listen to myself carefully, and though I have picked up a little bit of the American accent, I still can tell for myself that I could only be mistaken for a Filipino!

Let's give this a couple more years and let us see where this would take me, accent-wise.

Buffet A.K.A.

Yeah right, at first when I got here I thought somebody just got the reference wrong... but seriously, as opposed to how we call buffet places in the Philippines as "EAT ALL YOU CAN", in here its differently phrased, instead known as:

Sounds weird right?

A Serious Case of Allergy

I mean, just look at these...

They say, old habits die hard. That's absolutely true. "Once a paranoid, always a paranoid" - this is also very true.

I was used to handwashing my undies. When I first came here, my husband told me to just put everything in the washer and it will take care of everything for me. It sure did of course, but until I noticed I was too uncomfortable wearing my undies. I had no idea, was it just me? Or did the machine not clean my stuff very well that I thought I was feeling itchy down there. From then on, I went back to handwashing my undies.

Detergent soap here in America, majority of them that I tried, do not bubble! It is too uncomfortable handwashing your stuff using a liquid detergent that you feel doesn't clean your stuff anyway. For some time I thought I could use a Tide, so my husband bought me a box of Tide (which by the way is expensive here) and I had my last powder last month and it was then that I started using the below liquid detergent:

... and sweet lord, thus this nightmare.

In a place where health insurance is a must, and that which I unfortunately waived from paying out of ignorance, I am suffering right now for the terrible itchiness and I've been shedding for almost three weeks now. Sure I couldn't do anything but use gloves every time I use strong detergents, and just patiently applying my mother in law's prescription ointment.

Grossing out.

I Can't Wait for Winter!

Who would've thought about this sudden change of heart?

First time I was here I kept on telling everybody I couldn't wait for summer to come, here comes summer already and guess what, I am hating it! For one, the heat in here is different, it is humid and it bites! There is no moisture in the air and it is really exhausting! I couldn't handle riding a car mid-morning with the AC on, it just freaking gives me instant headache! One Sunday morning I decided to wash the car, barely 9 a.m., right after 30 minutes I burned! Seriously?

The brighter side though is that I could already use majority of the clothing and accessories that I brought with me all the way from the Philippines, but I could really use a polka dot umbrella!

I couldn't imagine myself going to my room straight from work at the end of the day, when its about 95 degrees and up, I'd rather stay outside because inside my room its just so terrible I couldn't catch my breath.

The good part is, this week the weather is cooling down, at least we could sleep comfortably again during the night. Using the AC is just way too luxurious! I hope the weather continues to cool down, a 100 degrees is really unimaginable right now.

American Food

During my early days in America, I could always find time to cook me a decent meal - by that I meant, a meal with rice.

Recently, for the lack of some diet planning, I came to rely on convenience food, which by the way come very cheap. For instance, I could now use the following for breakfast:

Oatmeal


Or:

Cereal

I am quite surprised how my tummy just accepted the above instant meals. My body isn't actually looking for rice anymore as I am good with just any of the above meals nowadays.

During my early weeks at work, I always see to it that I cook something before my work week so that I could bring it with me for lunch, like pasta or cake. Recently, since after my discovery that I am good with whatever now, I stock up on the following for lunch at work:

Microwaveable Pie

And

Cup Noodles

Added to that, I also bring cookies, skyflakes, or coffee. I could also use this heavenly chocolate for my snack...

Slowly becoming Americanized, don't you think?

Driving in America: Do Not Ride on the Pick-Up Bed

As part of the defensive driving rule, contrary to what we were used to in the Philippines, utilizing the pick-up bed for use of additional passengers is strictly prohibited in California, if not in the whole of America. The pick-up bed is for the use of cargo only.

Customer Service in America

People in America are nice, that's the thing that keeps me wanting to stay here. People who knew I'm a newbie in this place would ask me this question, so how are you liking it here? Nothing beats my genuine answer, I am liking it here a lot! People are just so nice! Topbox answer.

Imagine yourself walking in the street and you meet somebody, most often than not they would greet you and smile at you and ask you how's your day going. Imagine yourself window shopping in the mall and an attendant would come up to you and ask you, are you finding everything alright? Imagine yourself going at any establishment and you will find everybody making sure that you are treated special by engaging you in a conversation in a nice, genuine, and upbeat manner. Looking back the way it was in the Philippines, customer service there is a far cry! People here are very enthusiastic and would just want you to feel good and make your day by saying something nice, and well, it sure is a good thing which makes the world a happier place to live in.

Chips for Lunch

Still on my first week at work, being in an all new location in what seemed to be like a completely different world, I decided to try to bring chips and just bought me a Mocha Freeze at the gelato place nearby and I was off with my lunch.

I had lunch under this beautiful shade...

Trees in America are just so adorable, they are all beautiful and so inviting to the eyes. First few weeks I was here I fell in love with cherry blossoms that I wanted to have one in the garden at home - but then, it was winter. Spring is currently kidding everybody as it still gets cold from time to time, but I bet I could make the cherry blossoms my project at last, if only not for the flowers popping out from everywhere in the garden.

Anyway, here is how my lunch looked like...

Lately, my tummy has been getting used to the idea of just eating chips or a slice of cake for lunch, and surprisingly it doesn't complain! This is a good sign, I could just pack me a sandwich and a little side dish everyday - no sweat - and I'm good to go for my lunch, I'm glad this is working for me because to be honest, bringing lunch to work is way too economical! I just have to make sure that I eat heavy breakfast, preferably with rice so I could avoid passing out!

Mr. Pickle's Sandwich for Lunch

So I was recently accepted in a part-time job in a cozy place, and thinking about lunch is the last thing that I would want to bother myself with. Across where I work, there is a Mr. Pickle's sandwich shop where people in Los Gatos are crazy about. Yesterday I had a slice of cake and a glass of mocha freeze and I paid $10 inclusive of sales tax for lunch, and for a Filipino what I had was not even lunch at all! So today I decided to try to have at least a decent lunch that is worth my every dollar. Sure enough I had it when I bought some unexpectedly huge American tuna sandwich at Mr. Pickle's for almost $7.

Working 24 hours a week and spending an average of $10 for lunch is not good based on my level of lifestyle in terms of what I could afford! Plus I couldn't help myself from converting my expense to Philippine Peso!

I could probably prepare a regular sandwich which I'll bring with me at work for lunch and just buy me a drink in that little cozy gelato place - PLAN. Mr. Pickle's is a good choice but it is way beyond what I should be spending, I have to be practical in here. Again, this is America, I mean, food is affordable at the rate I am earning but I couldn't just afford the luxury to spend that much for lunch!

I am still in the lookout though for a restaurant around Los Gatos that serves rice.

Driving in America

I was driving in the Philippines, and I was kind of confident to drive anywhere as they say: If you could drive in the Philippines, you could drive anywhere.

During my early days in America I was eager to get my driver license immediately so I could learn my way around the new place. Unfortunately, after three failed attempts and until now, I still don't have my driver license. The thing was, I wasn't allowed to get a driver license unless I have legal documents to show, like a green card or a work permit - whichever document comes first, so I waited for months and months until my work permit arrived two weeks ago. Now I am reviewing this California driver handbook and I have been practicing sample tests online. I want to get the permit on the first take, I really wanted to prove something, I WANT TO PROVE THAT I HAVE THE COMMON SENSE to answer a hundred situational driving questions haha!

This afternoon I was facing the handbook, with a flexible goal of finishing my review by 5 pm, but unfortunately I gave in to another book and dozed off. The plan is to take the test on Monday, cramming on play and I couldn't help it. This is how I usually do it to be honest. I don't know, I just feel I needed to take a nap, today is a lazy day for me. I should go on with my review...

There are just a few things that I need to get used to:

* Stop when there is a school bus with flashing red lights on your way. Failure to stop means a fine of $1,000.

* Speed limit of 65 mph (or not more than 70 mph) on freeway, 25 mph on residential areas.

* No parking in commercial areas.

* When changing lanes: check rear then side mirror, count to 5, glance back before changing lanes.

* Definitely no tailgaiting.

* Come to a full stop when there are signs (this is actually on almost every corner) to check for pedestrians.

* No honking unless needed.

In the Philippines, I was used to driving bumper to bumper - that is so far considered tailgaiting. I park in commercial areas, I actually park in NO PARKING areas. There is no speed limit, I can honk at any time I like, and I pass any vehicle not mindful of pavement signs. I did not practice the right of way religiously as it is believed to be the most common cause of collisions in the Philippines.

... and a lot more! I have to write it down on my next post.

Looking for a Job in America

It has been four months and I am still trying to figure out what would my career be like in America. Being a stay at home wife for this short period of time has already enabled me to do business in the side by selling online and exporting a little branded goodies to the Philippines, and by writing web content for advertisers in the internet.

I have submitted my professional resume to over fifty companies that posted a hire online. I've been thinking why after all these months only two of those companies have called me for an interview? Was there something wrong with my resume? Do I need to revise my resume?

Here is the thing though, I am not really used to writing a very impressive resume since I was used to using the basic resume I created after graduating college. I was able to get myself a job in the Philippines using that resume and I stayed there for five years. In America, there is no consideration for a "pleasing personality" at all that a photo in your resume is not even necessary, at first I was confused why the online application prompted me to remove my photo. Here, it is fair and all companies would claim they are "equal opportunity employers" without regard to race, disability, and furthermore to "pleasing personality". So I woke up to the realization that the upfront competition in getting the job is primarily based on a very impressive resume.

I wanted to get noticed by prestigious companies around San Jose that I decided to create a resume that captured all of my acquired skills from my five years professional experience. Being a Sales Executive for two years, and a Marketing Manager for over three years, I covered some administrative jobs from clerical to customer service, accounting jobs from invoicing and generating accounting reports and other data using the accounting software Peach Tree, retail to corporate selling, market research and analysis, creating and closing contracts, heavy marketing presentations, massive advertising, conducting trade launches and events, creating and implementing consumer and dealer-directed promotional activities, to even creating designs for corporate giveaways. Five years of staying in the same company has enabled me to become even almost an expert in logistics and operations. I am confident that I got it, but I am just crossing my fingers that employers here would count the good professional experience I gathered in the Philippines.

I then searched for some free resume templates online and put some of its impressive structure and wordings altogether to create the general professional resume that I wanted. It is so convenient that you could actually find a lot of resume examples over the web with a wide variety of resume formats. There is even an online resume builder that you could conveniently use. I took advantage of these online resources and submitted my revised resume to companies hiring online and thus at last, the very first job interview that I would be attending is only six days away.

Here is another step that I would take, to research on the company and practice some interview Q & A's. I really have to make sure I don't ask the interviewer to repeat the question for me all because I don't get his accent.

Home Favorite: Febreeze Fabric Refresher

Being surrounded by heavy comforters, mattresses, clothes on the rack and in the closet, shoes, carpet, and the what not, having some fabric refresher around the house makes life easy.

Nobody likes odor. Whoever invented the fabric refresher is just brilliant! We don't have this in the Philippines, and I so love it that they have this product in here to help home buddies maintain home freshness and decency. Just perfect!

First Time DST Experience

Daylight Saving Time or DST is the practice of temporarily advancing clocks during the summertime so that afternoons have more daylight and mornings have less. Typically clocks are adjusted forward one hour near the start of spring and are adjusted backward in autumn.

I saw the DST notice pre-marked in the calendar two days ago, but I have completely forgotten about it when I woke up this morning. I set an alarm for 8:30 am, but I noticed the wall clock was still 7:30. I rerun a flashback at the back of my mind to recall if I changed my timezone the night before, but I don't remember changing it so I borrowed my husband's phone and told me that phone clocks automatically adjusts the time during DST. So that was it, I thought I was crazy for a while miscalculating time. DST started 2 a.m. today, March 13 and as I read that means longer spring and summer days until November.

It feels weird to still have a bright clear sky at almost 7:30 pm. Well, we all have our first time! Spring is here!

1st Time Laundry Experience: The Washer and The Dryer

Scenario: Washers and dryers in America, no matter how old, are all heavy duty and they all work on their own, all you have to do is put detergent powder and fabric conditioner and wait until they finish the job. Not one Filipino dreads laundry day in America as it is, to be honest, so close to being convenient. Some washers may have pressing options too.

For a Filipino like me who's used to the regular washer and dryer in the Philippines, having these heavy duty laundry equipment to use is such a major level-up. The process of draining the water and replacing the water for pre-wash and rinsing, plus the on call necessity to combine hand-washing are already eliminated. Also, unlike our regular dryer that just squeezes off the water, the heavy duty dryers here dries the load all the way, like its really dry "DRY" and smoking hot!

I had to be oriented with a lot of household gadgets during my first few days here, because early on, I was seen the potential of breaking things, and that included the washer! I loaded two comforters and put it at extra large, as I saw and assessed it that time, the load was just enough, until approximately fifteen minutes later when my housemate saw water overflowing in the garage, and that was when we noticed the washer has stopped working and water was leaking from it. I had to unload those comforters and had to take it to the laundromat just so I could finish washing it all the way. There are spare washers around the house though but they are not quite as good as compared to the washer that I sabotaged. Fortunately though, after a day, my brother-in-law was able to figure out whats wrong with the washer and was able to restore it to its normal working condition. That washer has already served this family for a couple of years and just last month, the washer finally gave up. We then replaced it with a washer Honey stole from across our neighbor's sidewalk! Well, this is America, and what's good around here is that there are a lot of FREE functioning stuff almost everywhere, and you know its FREE and its yours when the item is sitting in the sidewalk. Technically, Honey did not steal that washer, of course not, because it was on the sidewalk, but he just had the feeling he stole it because it looks like its new and maybe our neighbor was just waiting for somebody to help them take the washer to the garage.

I notice good looking washers and dryers in department stores and I dream of getting us a brand new one when I get rich. I am forever in love with red because it is such a bright color, and thus, my wish is to get us a brand new Maytag Maxima Laundry Pair:


Maybe somebody out there could help me get rich overnight... I want this laundry pair sooo bad!