Frost Photos

These photos were taken in the same morning as the videos. I was wearing thick gloves so it was a bit difficult operating the camera. The ground was freezing so I could not really go down and look at the view finder. Most of these shots are just pure luck. It has been a couple of days and it is only this morning (while I was editing) that I discovered that I actually took a photo of a frozen fly. That is the fly in the last photo.

 

Farm, Fog, Frost and a Fluffy Face

(I had to wake up early to film these scenes. Hence, my face was still swollen in the videos--just ignore it!)

Steven drove for three hours to Pinnaroo to attend a good friend's birthday dinner. This town has around 500 inhabitants so everyone know each other and not much really happens there. It is very interesting to be there though--one could hear a pin drop right in the middle of town. Most of the inhabitants are Caucasians with a few Asian and European backpackers.

We had to drive through fog in the night and Steven is not used to it so I had to stay awake during the drive as well. We saw lots of rabbits, mice, foxes and a few kangaroos. We did not run over anything except for the mice--which are considered pests anyway. It was eerie to be in a fast-moving vehicle with limited vision.

The place we stayed in is Steven's grandparent's old farmhouse. It is a place where a TV can barely get any channel and cellphone signals are non-existent. The quilt we brought from Adelaide was barely enough to keep us warm.

I woke up early to behold something magical--frost. My fingers were numb but I could not help myself from taking photos of the ice on plants, rubber hose and wood planks. The poisonous paddy melons look more inviting as they felt deliciously chilled. The sheep were crying in the paddocks and I wanted to run towards them but I am afraid of being approached by the rams.

I am definitely going back there.

Invading Moonta Bay

It is getting colder and colder in Adelaide but this won't stop me from enjoying the outdoors. It was a long weekend and Steven and I went to Moonta Bay.

We walked along the beach all rugged up. I was wearing a beanie that hid most of my face. I wish I could see without covering my eyes as well. I had gloves on and yet the cold permeated through. I also wished I had put on my thermal pants before we left Adelaide.

Instead of looking around, I looked down and photographed these tiny sea snails. I had my elbows down on the sand and volcanic rocks while taking advantage of the low tide.

We tried catching fish and squid for hours. We were very unsuccessful because a dolphin was lurking around the beach. I was not able to see it but I could hear its spout. I wondered how dolphin meat would taste like with hot chips.

Too Cold to Write

I wake up at 6 AM to cook lunch and dinner. My cheeks ache because the touch of frost permeates through our walls. I walk towards the train station and my legs feel like lead as people do not wrap their legs with a jacket.

The sky remains dark the whole day and it gives you the impression that it is always 5 o' clock. I know that we need rain but it feels sadder when it does.

But Steven and I are planning a few exciting trips soon. These are some things to think about when it is so dreary.

Kitchen Organics Bio Basket

The Port Adelaide Enfield Council has a new program to further lessen rubbish going to landfills. They have introduced the Kitchen Organics Bio Basket.

Peels and food scraps are now placed in to this container lined with a biodegradable plastic. Every two or three days, they need to be placed in to the green bin for collection.

I am very impressed with this idea and I hope we will be given some of that compost. I need it for my garden.

Sticky Messages

Anti-Bogan is an Australian blog that takes a very aggressive stance on discriminatory comments published on Facebook. They punch left, right and center to much-deserved members posting sexist, Islamaphobic, racist and homophobic statements.

Sometimes, it is amusing to read how ignorant some people can be but you will realize that this is where some hate-related crimes start from. That is why there has to be someone who should put these people in place.

A few weeks ago, Anti-Bogan gave away some free stickers. I am still trying to figure out where I am going to post these.

We Lost...this time.

I am very sad that both Gordon and Ang Ladlad lost this election. Considering that the party list group had only a month to campaign, the LGBT community has already accomplished a lot.

We have convinced everyone that our community is a powerful group that can change the face of Philippine politics. Major politicians gave importance to our endorsement. Local and international media gave us a lot of airtime.

We also have convinced everyone that the Philippines is moving forward and that equality is fast becoming an issue in the country.

In 2013, we will make history again.

Philippine Elections 2010

I think I am not the only nervous Filipino. The coming Philippine election has the same variables like vote-buying, violence and missing names in the precinct but it also includes one more variable--the PCOS machine.

There are reports that the memory cards of the machines are not working properly and that COMELEC is taking a long time to replace those devices. The government agency has already decided that the election will still be held this Monday, May 10.

I hope that this election will be a peaceful one and those goddamned machines will work.

But of course, I hope Filipinos will vote for Dick Gordon as the president and Ang Ladlad as one of the party-list representatives.

Missing Summer

Winter is coming and I am not really excited. Many of the native plants will flourish but my pot plants will have a very difficult time. It will be a pain to have a shower in the morning and make my way to work.

I miss our visits to the beach. Here are some photos and videos taking during our last trip to Maslins Beach and Aldinga Beach. I could face the wind without any jacket on. If I do this now, my short nose will definitely fall off because of frost bite.

I am waiting for summer.

I am for Dick Gordon

In a few weeks, millions of Filipinos will be in the polls to vote for their president. Unfortunately, I will not be part of it as I am not a registered voter at the Philippine Embassy yet. It does not stop me from campaigning for who I think will be the best person to run the country.

Richard "Dick" Gordon became popular when he became the chair person of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. The US Army had just left the base and the whole country doubted that Olongapo City would survive as they were dependent on the money being spent by the US soldiers.

The whole city did not only survive but also prospered. Because of Gordon's determination and charisma, thousands volunteered and cleaned up the whole city. It became a major tourist destination and was able to open the local airport to local and international flights.

I am quite sure that Gordon can infect many Filipinos with his optimism. We can rise from this very difficult situation.

RAW in the Barossa

It was the ANZAC holiday and it was the long weekend. Apart from working on Steven's family's backyard, I had time working on my photography.

I have not shot in RAW for about a year and this season's landscape begged for it.

Victor Harbor Rumbles

Steven and I have noticed that we have more free time now than last year so we have been visiting more and more interesting places. This past weekend, we bought a new GPS and headed for Victor Harbor.

After a couple of hours, we were greeted by a place that has the ambiance of any small city here in South Australia. Victoria Harbor has pubs, hotels, lawn balls and McDonald's.

We spent most of the afternoon trekking Granite Island. It is a tiny island surrounded with very smooth stones carved by wind and colourful moss. Strong waves also helped create the beautiful coast and one can feel the rumbling under the earth.

We will definitely visit Victor Harbor again in the winter and hopefully, I will be able to take photos of penguins and whales.

Gay, Fun and Sober (re-launch)

Two years ago, I was heart-broken and directed that energy on something productive. I put up the blog Gay, Fun and Sober (http://gayfunandsober.blogspot.com/) to show to gay people, especially the young ones, that they can have a full and fun life without the aid of any substances.

I am sad that so many young gay guys are resorting to drugs and alcohol so that they can have a memorable night with friends. Some also take these substances because they think it is going to improve their sex lives.

Once you go down that path, it will be hard to get out of it. And you will lose some of the best guys/girls in the world in that process.

If you agree on everything that I have said here then please talk to me (dexter.mejia@gmail.com). You can write about your favorite gay hot spots, send photos of you and your friends or even share your love story.

This life is so good!

Vote for Ang Ladlad

I posted before that the Philippines' Commission on Election has removed the gay group Ang Ladlad from the Congressional election campaign. Recently, the Supreme Court intervened and Ang Ladlad now occupies number 89 of the ballot.

Here is an excerpt from a newspaper article:

It stressed that Ang Ladlad has satisfied all legal requirements to qualify as a party-list organization under Republic Act 7941 (Party-list System Act), including “proofs of past subordination or discrimination suffered by the group, immutable or distinguishing characteristic, attribute or experience that define them as a discrete group, and present political or economic powerlessness.”

I urge all of my Filipino friends to vote for this party. It does not matter if you are gay or straight. If you love me then please shade number 89 on the ballot. And yes, I am using emotional blackmail.

Priests Are Glorified Paid Pedophiles

Roseanne Barr wrote recently that children should not be allowed to go to church because they are at risk of being molested by priests. In fact, parents should lose custody of their children if they do so.

It sounds extreme but I believe she has a very strong point. Churches do not have any structure that protects children from molestation. Priests are always entrusted with children and people are not allowed to question their authority. To do so is considered criticizing god himself.

Priests who are accused of molesting children are simply assigned to a different location. Just imagine the embarassment and the shame that the victim's family have to experience for the rest of their lives. Imagine also how broken these children will be because they have been taught by the church that the horrible experiences are their fault.

If you are a parent then please do not take your children to church. If you are a parent then please do not enroll your children to a Christian-based school. Please spare them.

Lady Gaga and Dexter on Chat Roulette

I have been hearing about Chat Roulette for months. I ignored this website at first because I thought I had to install a program on my computer. But I saw this video of a guy impersonating Lady Gaga so Steven and I tried it out. Eventually, I realized that I am the only one who is hooked.

You only have to visit the website and the site will ask you to enable your webcam. Click on a button and voila! You do not need to sign up or set up a profile. You do not have to wait for any applet to load. You do not even have to pay for it.

With Chat Roulette, you get to see different people from all over the world. You have to click on a button if you want to see another person but of course, people can do the same thing and it may take some time for you to find someone who wants to talk to you. These people may be people jerking off, hooking up or simply interested in chatting with someone who is on the other side of the world. It is really up to the user how this fun website will serve him/her.

I wonder how I can pry myself from this website.

Great News

I am really blessed. After being granted the partner visa, I received great news on the job front.

In a few weeks, I will start teaching in a government school. It took some time for me to realize that I will be a government worker and I am really proud of that.

My students will be mostly new migrants to Australia. Some will be refugees from war-torn countries. These are people who want to learn English so that they can have independent and productive lives in their new country--my new country as well.

The Importance of Coming Out

Earlier today, Ricky Martin posted a message on his official website. He writes "I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man".

I know nobody should be surprised or shocked by this coming out. He has been very popular in the Philippines since his Menudo days. His last visit to Manila confirmed my suspicions as I watched his interviews.

His coming out is important because he gives young gay men someone to look up to--he is a very handsome, successful and caring gay father. I grew up with images of weak, insecure and socially irrelevant gay men on TV and it took me a long time to realize otherwise.

I won't be surprised though if he comes out with a new album soon.

Karoonda Farm Fair 2010

It is a family tradition in the Mayr family to attend the annual Karoonda Farm Fair. This year's event was bigger than last year's. There were more tourists and more exhibitions.

Steven had been wanting to buy his own felt hat. I am afraid that he will be seen in public wearing this hat all the time. He looks handsome with it though.

There were a few strange sights like this dog who was very disproportionate. We bet it is a cross between a border collie and a corgi.

This year's biggest event is the pig race and pig diving. It was not really serious but it was fun. I never thought that my favourite food can be so playful and funny.

South Australia Elections 2010

South Australia held its elections last Saturday so Steven and his parents took me to their polling station in Nuriootpa. I cannot help but notice the differences.

They were able to check their names on the list without showing any ID card. That means a person can vote in behalf of his bedridden relative or friend.

The ballot boxes are made of flimsy carton. No locks. No glass windows. Anyone can just put in a counterfeit ballot and nobody will even know the difference.

During the counting, more than one person can touch the ballots. In fact, I saw around six people touching the ballots in a single polling precinct. It is so easy to slip in a few extra ballots if a candidate told me to do so.

I am not sure why the security in Australian elections is so absent. Maybe, they trust each other? I really doubt that especially with the lies that are told during the campaign period. Can someone explain why it is very easy to cheat here?

In the Philippines, we used to have metal ballot boxes with glass windows and pad locks. Only one or two people are allowed to touch the ballots. ID cards are very important--one cannot vote without it.

The upcoming Philippine election will present the first automated system. There won't be metal ballot boxes but an electronic counting machine that will do its job when the voter feeds the ballot in to it. At the end of the day, the results are sent via GSM.

I am not saying that there is no cheating in the Philippines because it still happens despite the security measures. I will not be even surprised loopholes are found in the present automated system. I am actually doubtful if election is truly democratic.