It’s been planned for more than two weeks that August 29, Friday night, will be movie night for Kim (my boss) and me. We are going to use the movie coupon’s Kelly (Kim’s friend) gave Kim for the "Dark Knight". The venue will be the same theater where we usually go to, the Mann Theater at the Promenade in Thousand Oaks.

Came Friday morning, the weekend before the Labor Day. To wrap up before getting into the holiday mood, Kim came to my office to discuss some work stuff and last minute information on the movie plan.

Checking the schedule from the net, turned out that the "Dark Knight" was not on the Mann Theater schedule anymore. Kim realized that Friday is actually the day they change pictures. Now, we were looking for options. After several searches for movie schedules and theaters nearby, we opted to go to the Promenade at the Woodland Hills, near Kim’s place. However, the schedule for the Dark Knight will be at 8:10 P.M. This being so late, Kim suggested that we exchange the ticket with "The House Bunny" movie (if they would allow it) and get an earlier schedule or may decide to go malling instead.

At 5:00 P.M. we were already driving through 101 going south. We were slowing down through traffic until three exits from Topanga Canyon. After arriving at the Promenade, we headed to the ticket booth to inquire.

We weren’t lucky. We were not able to use the movie coupon as this theater was not participating to the coupon and it will expire the following day. Instead of spending 10 bucks and watch The House Bunny, our plan B was already unfolding. We transferred to another mall, Westfield, which is huge and yet with things that are affordable.

First off, Kim took me to "Sorabol", her favorite Korean restaurant. I knew I was starving and that Kim said that it was good, i ordered a combination of chap chae and brown rice for the carbs, barbeque chicken and beef short rib for the main course , and kimchi and mushroom on the side. That was a meal good for 4 persons of my size. But no, i was able to finish it all. And still had room for a cup of Stabucks Mint Mocha Chip Frappoccino.

Since we already ate like cows, we have to shed them all out. A good walking around the mall and all of it’s floors was the way to do it. Kim introduced me to her favorite shopping brands and boy oh boy, i did some damage on a sweater, a polo shirt (quite a steal at 2.99 for the original price of 16), a tank top, and a white long sleeved shirt. Kim also bought a cute top and a necklace for herself. These will be our outfit for the Universal Studios on Sunday (August 31).

It was already at the mall’s closing time that we headed home. Kim had to drive me back to my place, took her car and drove herself back to her place.

I am lucky. Who has a boss who sometimes drives for you, waits for you as you finish your meal or bears with you as you try to fit some clothes? And yet never complains? That i could never get from the Dark Knight movie or The House Bunny.

(Kim, sorry for driving me most of the time. You know I am still nervous driving on the freeway. And this Sunday, I am facing it all again. As for waiting for me while i finish dinner… How can i stop? The food was sooo good and i was starving. And for waiting for me while I fit the clothes… we’ll you got me into it. The stores are awesome and have very reasonable prices.)

PANTS…..that’s what it is, right?

Nope….I have my own version….Sisterhood of the Traveling Sweater.

Seriously!…Within my circle are Carol Ireland, Cecille Santos and Tina Lim. (Although they might not now know it.)

It’s been four months already
since I got here . I am much more
comfortable with the weather now because it is already summer season. Unlike
when I arrived here wherein it was still late spring, it was very
cold for me who came from a tropical country. Even then, I didn’t have trouble
warming up immediately because there were a lot of people here who made my stay
warm and welcome. The day after I arrived, I already had lunch with Sunee
Pattharavayo. She
showed me where our office headquarter is and the grocery near to the hotel where I will be temporarily staying until I
will be transferred to an apartment. It is only one block from the Residence
Inn and can be accessible by walking. Another day later, I was already on my
first day in the office and was introduced to people I will be in contract with
during my tenure. Carol Ireland, my officemate from the same department, almost
like a mother to everyone, Cecille Santos and Tina Lim, also from the Philippines who are
now working here permanently, knew my sweater won’t do any good to the kind of
temperature inside and outside the office. That is why they shared a couple until I was able to shop and buy for my own (though i still keep using them!!!).

The special of all was the one forwarded to me by Cecille which, she said, came from Tina. I am the 3rd generation. I may not know what their story with that sweater might have been. But definitely, you will know mine…you’ve already seen it. It’s one of the posted pics. Guess which one?

I don’t know anybody who does not like corn. Pests infest the corn fields even before it is due for harvest. Aliens are also making them a part of their intergalactic mysteries as evidenced by the corn circles. Who knows, this might be the only link that will take us to the universe and beyond.

For some people, this is a staple food. For me, this became an extension of my self.

Silence and oblivion are my temporal relief coming to a place i know i would be having difficulty blending in. Still, I am fortunate that some people just knows what other people feels deep inside and tries to relieve that uneasiness.

Carol Ireland, my office mate, who is almost like a mother to everyone, always holds this Friday night dinner at her house. Everytime, there is a newcomer into the gathering. At my first attendance, I finally met Carol’s next door neighbor whom i always hear stories about. The next, it was Amanda and a whole family. Lately, another officemate from the upstairs building went with her husband.

When I met Linda, Carol’s next door neighbor, it was also then that I was able to savor Carol’s famous corn. That night, trying to evade my bashful instincs, i was ill-fated to be caught in a conversation I cannot vindicate even at the outset. It became a lesson the next time when I met Amanda and this whole family. I only made my way to the kitchen and the food and mumbled incomprehensively as we watched MONK.

Prior to the second gathering, I was quite reluctant to commit because experiencing the same shameful scenario was not a smart thing to do. But, the schedule itself became a mandatory event in everyone’s calendar once you know Carol. I remember confirming my attendance by asking if corn would be served.

Carol’s dinner menus are new every time and tasteful. But the corn itself and the ritual preparing it, is always enticing my taste buds to look forward to the dinner every Friday night. This time the corn won’t be served.

All the more reason to forego and make excuses of conflicting schedules. But she knows what I do so I can’t make one up. Pleading, I asked if corn will be included in the menu. There’s still time to change. Even in this urban jungle, corn is hardly out of stock in the grocery. She finally agreed on conditions that I will bring it and prepare it so it wont be off the menu.

That night, despite Amanda being friendly all the while and this family cordial, i still resorted to my temporal relief. Glad it went well without hitches. Before the night ended, everyone remembered the corn and Carol was already trailing my name and the story behind it.

The next schedule, I didn’t have to ask. I volunteered to bring the corn the second Carol sent the invite. This is confirms that corn will not be out of the menu because I will make a way to make it a part of the meal. My name has been trailing behind the corn as Carol tells the story to the couple on the table. As for me, the temporal relief always comes handy.

Even though these people would not know me very well in those encounters, part of my self in my silence would be shared with them because of the corn story. I know Carol already made this tradition of keeping corn on the menu. Little did she know it was more than food she was serving.