Today is Sunday, March 14th, 2010 and it is now 1013 AM here in Brooklyn, New York City.
To recap...My Sidekick phone was stolen in the public library, I was punked by a 13 year old, and Jackie's PC and DVD player were stolen by her youngest brother.
I had resigned myself to doing without any kind of "special" phone when a visiting cousin offered to sell me his Sidekick 2008, since he had just bought a G3 (different brand, possibly better phone). 100 US seems fair enough though I do know someone who offered me the same phone for a mere 50 US. However, it is much easier to track down a relative than some acquaintance should the phone go belly up.
The same day, Friday, Jackie had gone to the on-base internet cafe to mess around with Youtube. Her home is about a block from the cafe so it is something she tends to do often.
As we were IMing she suddenly told me, "Baby, my niece is here telling me my bro just broke my sala (living room) window and is in my house again!" I told her to be safe but hurry home. Bidding me a fast goodbye she quickly arrived at the house only to see her eldest sister (who had been babysitting Jackie's kids while she had gone to the cafe) in tears. Seeing her brother she lashed into him only to have him grab her arm and bruise it severely. At that point Jackie's father arrived on the scene and soon he and Jackie were crying along with Jackie's sister.
The brother had been looking for cash and not finding any went ballistic. Storming off to their parents' home, he went into a deep sleep.
Jackie's sister notified the MPs who deployed but said they could not arrest the guy unless he was in the open since warrants do not extend to private dwellings in the Philippines.
Finally, 2 days ago he came to Jackie and apologised. She said she can forgive him but will never feel as close to him as she once did. It seems that he jas a "Shabu" addiction.
Shabu is Japanese slang meaning, "Go Fast." An apt name then for very pure methamphetamine hcl, in smokable form. Apart from Hawaii (and Guam) Americans have very little knowledge of the phenomenon. If any Americans happen to be reading this, imagine Crack (cocaine freebase) to the 10th power. Shabu gives an 8 hour "high" off just a single hit, as opposed to 2 to 3 minutes off of an equivalent dosage of Crack.
The entire Philippines has been effected by what has been a 10 year fascination with the drug though for the last 3 years it seems to be getting progressively better.
So now, with all this maddening drama, Jackie has taken to always dropping major "hints" as to how this shit would not be happening if I had returned (to Mindanao) quickly since when I do she assumes we will be making our "life."
I do intend to find a suitable place for us to live (obviously living in San Franz is not going to be an option due to Rizza's family, nor Mindanao at all given her maniacal "ex"). However I do not plan on returning before June.
May 10th will be a Presidential Election (along with all other elections). The Philipines always has more bloodshed than usual before any election and this, as I said, being a Presidential Election it is especially dangerous.
In addition, for reasons I MAY touch upon in an upcoming "Blood and Guts" entry, I reckon another coup is very likely to happen either in late April or very early May (prior to the May 10th Election).
Furthermore, it is a very dangerous time for me personally to be there (Rido with Uncle Allen-meaning blood feud, Govt investigation into Paramilitaries, State of Calamity just having been declared for all of Mindanao 36 hours ago, another subject I will touch upon, etc).
I explainrd all this to Jackie as much as I can but her concept of the world is much more different than mine. The farthest she has ever been is to Jolo (medium sized Muslim island in the Philippines, due south of Mindanao) and to Manila (Fort Bonifacio, the Military HQ (when her bro was killed on Jolo). She has lived almost her entire life on the same military base she was born on.
I explain about inherent risks, security and economic concerns and while she is certainly intelligent enough to understand, it is really abstract to her.
I know though that as each day pases I myself find it more difficult to stay away. Even without her I love Mindanao, but with her in my life it a deep yearning, something I have never known.
And on a related tact...Rizza has once again stopped communicating with me. I spoke to her mother about a week ago, and she said that whatever I decide to do (as far as ending the marriage), the family will abide by it but I know it is destroying her.
She did ask me to stop talking about Rizza online. Since this is the only place I have ever even mentioned her name, let alone sordid details, it confirmed my feeling that at least she (Mom) reads these entries.
Then, after not hearing from Rizza in close to 2 weeks I found (will not say how) that she began using her BL ID again. I guess she just gets curious about what I am doing, etc.
My 1st inclination was to rush here to my Blog and re-edit all Jackie's identifying info out of the entries. "Jackie" is not her real name but I do post a lot of information so...I decided in the end it does not really matter. Sooner or later they will all be able to find each other anyway unless I simply walk away from all my investments with Rizza's family (and those in proximity to them).
Anyway, life as I know it. Nice thunder storm right now (I love them!), no methadone today. Funny, I begin to hate being opiated. The nodding, the inability to remain coherent, to fully concentrate and yet I still have not reached the point where I can treuly envision myelf living opiate-free.
Music wise listening to Aldo Nova, great 80s rock icon: "Ball and Chain" and "Can't Stop Lovin' You." Great songs!
To recap...My Sidekick phone was stolen in the public library, I was punked by a 13 year old, and Jackie's PC and DVD player were stolen by her youngest brother.
I had resigned myself to doing without any kind of "special" phone when a visiting cousin offered to sell me his Sidekick 2008, since he had just bought a G3 (different brand, possibly better phone). 100 US seems fair enough though I do know someone who offered me the same phone for a mere 50 US. However, it is much easier to track down a relative than some acquaintance should the phone go belly up.
The same day, Friday, Jackie had gone to the on-base internet cafe to mess around with Youtube. Her home is about a block from the cafe so it is something she tends to do often.
As we were IMing she suddenly told me, "Baby, my niece is here telling me my bro just broke my sala (living room) window and is in my house again!" I told her to be safe but hurry home. Bidding me a fast goodbye she quickly arrived at the house only to see her eldest sister (who had been babysitting Jackie's kids while she had gone to the cafe) in tears. Seeing her brother she lashed into him only to have him grab her arm and bruise it severely. At that point Jackie's father arrived on the scene and soon he and Jackie were crying along with Jackie's sister.
The brother had been looking for cash and not finding any went ballistic. Storming off to their parents' home, he went into a deep sleep.
Jackie's sister notified the MPs who deployed but said they could not arrest the guy unless he was in the open since warrants do not extend to private dwellings in the Philippines.
Finally, 2 days ago he came to Jackie and apologised. She said she can forgive him but will never feel as close to him as she once did. It seems that he jas a "Shabu" addiction.
Shabu is Japanese slang meaning, "Go Fast." An apt name then for very pure methamphetamine hcl, in smokable form. Apart from Hawaii (and Guam) Americans have very little knowledge of the phenomenon. If any Americans happen to be reading this, imagine Crack (cocaine freebase) to the 10th power. Shabu gives an 8 hour "high" off just a single hit, as opposed to 2 to 3 minutes off of an equivalent dosage of Crack.
The entire Philippines has been effected by what has been a 10 year fascination with the drug though for the last 3 years it seems to be getting progressively better.
So now, with all this maddening drama, Jackie has taken to always dropping major "hints" as to how this shit would not be happening if I had returned (to Mindanao) quickly since when I do she assumes we will be making our "life."
I do intend to find a suitable place for us to live (obviously living in San Franz is not going to be an option due to Rizza's family, nor Mindanao at all given her maniacal "ex"). However I do not plan on returning before June.
May 10th will be a Presidential Election (along with all other elections). The Philipines always has more bloodshed than usual before any election and this, as I said, being a Presidential Election it is especially dangerous.
In addition, for reasons I MAY touch upon in an upcoming "Blood and Guts" entry, I reckon another coup is very likely to happen either in late April or very early May (prior to the May 10th Election).
Furthermore, it is a very dangerous time for me personally to be there (Rido with Uncle Allen-meaning blood feud, Govt investigation into Paramilitaries, State of Calamity just having been declared for all of Mindanao 36 hours ago, another subject I will touch upon, etc).
I explainrd all this to Jackie as much as I can but her concept of the world is much more different than mine. The farthest she has ever been is to Jolo (medium sized Muslim island in the Philippines, due south of Mindanao) and to Manila (Fort Bonifacio, the Military HQ (when her bro was killed on Jolo). She has lived almost her entire life on the same military base she was born on.
I explain about inherent risks, security and economic concerns and while she is certainly intelligent enough to understand, it is really abstract to her.
I know though that as each day pases I myself find it more difficult to stay away. Even without her I love Mindanao, but with her in my life it a deep yearning, something I have never known.
And on a related tact...Rizza has once again stopped communicating with me. I spoke to her mother about a week ago, and she said that whatever I decide to do (as far as ending the marriage), the family will abide by it but I know it is destroying her.
She did ask me to stop talking about Rizza online. Since this is the only place I have ever even mentioned her name, let alone sordid details, it confirmed my feeling that at least she (Mom) reads these entries.
Then, after not hearing from Rizza in close to 2 weeks I found (will not say how) that she began using her BL ID again. I guess she just gets curious about what I am doing, etc.
My 1st inclination was to rush here to my Blog and re-edit all Jackie's identifying info out of the entries. "Jackie" is not her real name but I do post a lot of information so...I decided in the end it does not really matter. Sooner or later they will all be able to find each other anyway unless I simply walk away from all my investments with Rizza's family (and those in proximity to them).
Anyway, life as I know it. Nice thunder storm right now (I love them!), no methadone today. Funny, I begin to hate being opiated. The nodding, the inability to remain coherent, to fully concentrate and yet I still have not reached the point where I can treuly envision myelf living opiate-free.
Music wise listening to Aldo Nova, great 80s rock icon: "Ball and Chain" and "Can't Stop Lovin' You." Great songs!