Alice in So Funnyland

For the uninitiated (like me), here's some info: a sardonyx is not a brand of canned tuna but is a gem stone regarded at one time as more precious than gold, silver, or sapphire. The word is derived from the Greek sard meaning "reddish brown," and onyx meaning "veined gem." In the old days, it is engraved with faces of heroes like Hercules and is used by Romans as talismans. It was once also believed to bring eloquence and valued by public speakers and orators.

Of the factoids I gathered about sardonyx, one that amused me the most is that the gemstone is said to help eliminate apathy, stress and neurological disorders.

I then whisphered to myself: Sardonyx exactly!

Why?

Because Sardonyx (not the gemstone but our PEBA 2009 Top 10 Winner who is in our Spotlight this issue) is all that: an eliminator of apathy, stress and worries. She is one of the funniest Pinoy bloggers I know and her blog Hulascoop one of the coolest. She never runs out of funny, witty posts. She's sometimes irreverent and subliminal but never ceases to bring laughter and happy tears in her every posts.



It is hence with honor that I present to you Alice Fajardo (aka Sardonyx aka Missy), the blogger behind Hulascoop and Travelog.

The following is an excerpt of our recent interview with her.

Why did you choose Hula Scoop as your blog's title?

I chose hulascoop because my blog’s theme is about “kalokohang hula” with “scoop” as the answer to my hula so I can… in some ways, instill Pinoy’s cultures, traits, traditions, literatures, places and other Pinoy’s stuff by bringing humor into it in “Tagalog” or Filipino. It’s supposed to be an everyday blog post about hula…it’s similar to daily horoscope, that’s why the “Hulascoop” title was created.

Actually I don’t believe in hula but I have a lot of relatives who are mostly “manghuhula/mangkukulam” hehehe and so my husband is teasing me that I’m one of them (which is actually not hehehe)….hula ko lang naman hahaha.

Why Sardonyx?

I’m tired of someone’s calling me “Alice” hahaha, ganun lang. Well, Sardonyx, is kind of a unique name for me, it is a gemstone’s name. “Sardonyx” was actually my group’s name during in high school. All our groups are named after gemstones. We picked sardonyx because it's odd, rare and never heard of. Since then, the name never left my mind. I re-used it when I joined a Pinoy forum online (forum that talks more about TFC’s teleseryes and other pinoy stuffs). I thought the only way to get attention from other members was to create a hula-scoop every week. Some members liked the idea and suggested that I write one daily. Whew! I did. Every day I had to come up with my hulascoop which are mostly spontaneous ideas. I derive ideas from various places: while riding a bus going to the office, or through conversations with friends, or via forums.

What is Travelog about?

My travel blog in Misawa, Japan which I've extended to other places since I’m no longer based in Japan now. (She's married to Arman who is a Pinoy senior non-commissioned officer at the US Air Force whose job entailed travelling to various places around the world).

My hubby is working now here in Washington State (not DC). We were first stationed in California, and then moved to Hawaii, then Japan and now here in Washington State. I'm an NPA (she says with a grin)...no permanent address.

How has blogging helped you personally?

It helped me be popular to some, a nobody to few, and a nobody to my friends. Hahaha.

Truthfully? Blogging has become my emotional outlet. It became a venue in expressing myself. I often use my life as the source of my hulascoop. If I’m stressed and alone at home, I blog and surf others’ blogs. Despite the so many household chores I have to do, I still manage to make blogs in between my chores and job.

I also got to know new friends from different parts of the world ;-) and hoping someday could meet in person.



When did you start blogging?

I started Travelog in October 2008 and Hulascoop in December 2008. It all started because of sheer boredom at home. I didn’t have a job for a year and the only way I can overcome boredom was to blog about it, my homesickness, my photos and share my collections of hulascoop. During my first year in the US I was able to create my first homepage because of boredom too and that time I was creating from scratch using basic HTML. With blogging I found it easier so I thought why not trying it. That gives birth to my incessant hulascoops.



In real life, is Alice a comic mom too?

I think so, it depends on my moods hahaha. Most of the time, I joke around and tease my children. The common interest we talk about now is “facebook”. That’s how we start the jokes and sometimes it ends up with the small fight over the little things about tagging photos (with my daughter, coz I keep on tagging her which she doesn’t like. Ang kulit kaya ng nanay niya no!



With my son (his name is Ammil), I get mad at him when he plays my restaurant city (ang babaw ko!). (The uninitiated me had to search what restaurant city is about. It's Facebook's simulation game where you manage your own restaurant -- I guess just like how you manage your own farmville, I suppose). But of course, we all know our boundaries. When it comes to the word “respect,” they really have to do that or else...alam nyo na...

Please tell me something about your family.

I have two children -- a daughter (Lei) who just turned 18 last October. She is starting college this winter at the University of Washington.

(Proudly, Alice narrated that her daughter graduated as salutatorian from high school. May pinagmanahan, I said. She also has a 9-year old son who is also smart, very friendly and talkative. He speaks Tagalog "with American accent", Alice confides).



As a mom, what fears do you have for your children?

My being away from them during their adolescent life especially now that my daughter is going to college. She may encounter a lot of temptations, peer pressure, problems, etc, or may imbibe bad environment/friends and so forth which may affect her relationship with us.

My son is “my boy” (she says this again with grin) and I fear that he may forget eating sinigang and fish and talong with bagoong/suka as sawsawan with his bare hands. Those are his favorite Pinoy food.

Kidding aside, I fear that when he grows up he may forget that he is still Pinoy at heart even though he’s an Amboy now. That’s why we make sure that he still speaks Tagalog even if it's baluktot. And I’m afraid that he may marry at an early age because he’s so friendly and bolero like his dad (rolls her eyes and adlibs that it's just a joke).

Overall, I fear that I may not be responsible enough to take care of them in a Christian way; that they may grow up without giving respect to us, their parents.

How has being abroad helped you personally?

Being abroad helped me become a stronger person. In my being alone with no relatives to turn and run to, I grew braver. Especially emotionally.

While abroad, I managed to transform myself. From “Alice” to “Sardonyx”. From being a serious person to someone who always smiles and always comically writes.

Family-wise, I also became more responsible and mature.

Christmas na. if you are to request santa a gift for yourself, what will it be?

A Santa suit? Hehe.

I wish Santa will buy me a new DSLR camera. Another hehe.

Seriously, I pray to God that I find a job soon. It’s been a year since I ranted in my PEBA 2009 blog entry about my being jobless. And now here I am again.

Then Santa can buy me the camera later.

Wish for your family.

I’m a simple person with a simple hope. Good health for all of us. And may our motto remain as: ” Family first before anything else”.

For the Philippines.

Increase in jobs opportunities for all Pinoys and decrease in graft and corruption (which I think is still impossible -- but doable).

For OFWs and Pinoy expats:

Good health and stronger family ties despite the distance between them. More remittances and balikbayan boxes to their relatives in the Philippines and may more Filipinos make known to the world what a great race we are.

You may leave the Philippines for good but do not leave the Filipino cultures behind you. You’re still Pinoy at heart! I heart you Pinoy Expats!!

For the PEBA 2010 entrants:

Congratulations to all who joined the PEBA 2010. For me, you are all winners. Be yourself, be proud to be you, be proud to your family and most of all be proud to be Pinoy! Keep on blogging!

For all OFW and Pinoy expat bloggers:

Keep on believing and improving yourself for the best and don’t forget to always “bring home the bacon” (with eggs pa ha! Sunny side up! hahaha). Keep on inspiring the Filipino people. Do not lose hope. Be steadfast always. Be proud because I’m proud of you all OFWs hehehe!

Written by Nebz Bandiez

► Read Sardonyx's Hulascoop blog as well as her Travelog blog.

► Interested in who else have we featured in our Spotlight Section before? Click this.