The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Thanks Ged for recommending the book to Lev. It is a brilliant book. I mean, it is my kind of book and I give my highest glorious holy shit ratings, piled higher and deeper. 

The multiple settings of the book is perfect for this inglorious wanderer's random mindfuck blogs: Lahore, Manila, New York, New Jersey and Santorini among others. For me the theme of the story is one/s origin, one's roots. 


I would repeatedly say to anyone who could understand what I am saying that I may be out of my country of origin but the country of my origin could never be taken out of me. I think this is true for most immigrants. There are some who shout it out, some flaunt it because they think they have it and some quietly dwell on it and find strength from it, whatever it is. Americans would always look at my country as an urban poor in the capital and exotic in the islands. And yes, don’t refer to my country of origin as P.I. because P. I . is short for putang ina. Americans would also tend to look at another country as a protectorate. I don’t care if you think I’m an ingrate. I guess, no matter what, I would always be refuting misrepresentations of my country of origin. I know my country of origin better than any foreigner to my country of origin.
Mohsin Hamid is one of those authors I know who writes in English and based their stories with their homelands as main settings. Yiyun Li, author “The Vagrants”; Gita Mehta, author of “River Sutra”; and Khaled Hosseini, author of “A Thousand Splended Suns”, among others. Reading their books is like traveling with them to revisit their country of origins while I revisit my own.

Pride Parade 2016

I was one of the first 100 who replied to Tom's email. Subject: San Diego Pride Parade 2016.

I kept quiet about joining the parade until Juan learned it from Eddie. Eddie got my t-shirt from Tom. Juan thought I was crazy. I looked forward to finally joining a pride parade. Scripps, my  primary employer sounds like a conservative group. They never took part in the socio-political events like the Pride Parade. 

Ahh... the sharp experience for me. And there's Eddie, my boss. I was so surprised he hired me. I thought I was doomed to be with the Vahkkendjaab forever. Eddie used to be a telemetry technician himself until he became a registered nurse. I met his partner at the parade. I think his name was Trevor. 

I have  been a spectator since 2011. It was the time before hash tags #Don'tAskDon'tTell. A rubbernecker more than a supporter, it was all about blogging substance,  if there is such a thing called substance in blogging.

I was wearing the same orange t-shirt. The message is about diversity and inclusion. I am a participant observer, for life.

I am always reminded of the man who came to the parade two years ago. He had a megaphone. He had a message for everyone: being a lesbian, gay or transgendered is a sin. God didn't want his people to be in a place called Sodom and Gomorrah. Everyone must repent. 
https://gloofy.wordpress.com/2014/07/20/san-diego-gay-pride-parade-2014/

The prejudice will always be present.

The Holy Bible bored me early on. If Jesus were alive now, He would have left all these LGBTQ sinners alone. I knew Jesus was too liberal for a conservative.  He could have been more open to accepting people as they are and he loved sinners.

Thank you St. Bartholomew Church for the welcome. The truth is I have been going to their church in Poway. Their thrift shop has a good variety of treasures.

Diversity and inclusion is basic 

The rainbow

 KG's alma mater

They have everything to be proud of.

always around

gender less or gender fair

the community

part of the rainbow

a shot on the sheriff

 spectators

No shame

Coming out too