I am a hopeful romantic, having hung onto love for far longer than most would. An ex-girlfriend told me once that they could see themselves marrying me. Even after we parted ways, I hung onto that thought in hopes that we would find one another again. It was not until I found out--years later--that she was engaged that I dismissed the thought of us marrying one another.

In marriage and separation, I would hang on to the hope that my wife and I could reconcile our diferences, until they would indicate to me that we should divorce. I am just that kind of guy. Call it committed or naive, it is what it is.

I was told recently that people do not believe that nice guys exist anymore, and if they are nice, they are gay. There is no way that it is true, but it is an interesting theory. Do we really live in a world where people can not believe that a nice, straight male exists?

One must deliberately make an effort to improve their lot--very rarely are unearned handouts provided. I encounter impressive individual each and every day, and they inspire me to try more, do more, and be more. While I may never be a world renowned leader, if I can positively affect someone's life, then I have done something worthwhile.

If one still does not have dinner plans for Friday night or Valentine's Day, a great option is to attend Carnival de L'Amour, an original cabaret being produced by Interactive Asian Contemporary Theatre (InterACT). It is an interactive dinner theatre production where audience participation is a must! They pull people from the audience and make them the stars of the show. It is a production that appropriately combines tango, singing, dancing, original and popular music, and a four-star, four-course meal.

This is the second time that InterACT is doing the show and it is going to be better than the first time, with some song and dance changes and additions. The shows start at 5:30 p.m. each night at the Sterling Hotel at 1300 H Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Tickets are $75 for Friday and $88 for Saturday, but if anyone wants a friends and family discount, they can contact one of the cast or crew. More information is available on the InterACT Web site at http://www.interact-theatre.org.

As my friends and colleagues reach new milestones in their relationships, I sit back and wonder how they maintain such fruitful relationships. At the heart of one's desire to be loved is the ability to love oneself, to cherish the good, the not-so-good, and everything else in between.

To reflect on this, it is sometimes a good idea to make a list of three physical traits one loves about thesmelves, a list of three personality traits that they love about themselves, and a final list of three ways in which they are good at sharing their love.

Basically, by focusing one's attention on loving themslves, they allow the doors of love to open and caring and kindness to enter their lives.

Cultural identity continues to be important within and among nations. However, I have encountered many Filipinos that question the "authenticity" of their identity. Somtimes they are uneasy about the heavy Spanish influence that came in with colonialism. At other times they wonder if their culture is a mixture of conflicting traditions and beliefs. Moreover, they fear that the Hispanic presence seems an oddity in a Southeast Asia that defines itself as non-Western.

However, there are other ways to look atthe encounter between the Western and the indigenous. Dr. Steffi San Buenaventura introduced to me the concept of sycretism, where encounters of different cultures have generated a broader sense of community, where local culture and Spanish influence are combined, even as it was itself transformed by the latter, resulting in a new culture. Even "Southeast Asia" is a recent construct that should be redefined to reflect the diversity of the cultures present in it.

More often than not, when a leader is asked to stand up and be recognized in front of a large group of people, they quickly stand up and sit down, as if retreating from the attention. In a recent encounter at an Eden Canyon Vineyards wine tasting event, the head chef of Va De Vi, of Filipino descent, first introduced themself as a dishwasher. Another individual, who had recognized the self-proclaimed dishwasher as the head chef, immediately questioned their humble claim. I immediately responded that the chef should stake their claim as the head chef. They earned it and deserve the title and the honor.

I believe that Filipinos and Filipino Americans alike should be proud of their heritage, their contributions to the United States of America, and their accomplishments. It is okay, even encouraged, to take appropriate credit when it is due and to defer credit when it should be deferred.

I was contacted recently by advocates for different families that are seeking assistance in buying eyeglasses and with a cataract surgery. The need for services will continue to rise as more and more people and families have trouble making ends meet. Everyone who can provide some help can make a world of difference for that person that they are helping. As I commit myself to helping who I can, I hope others will do the same.

Kappa Psi Epsilon hosted a successful Veterano Valentine's Celebration today, once again showing some love to Filipino World War II Veterans in the Sacramento area. It is always so rewarding when I am able to share some time with veteranos and express my respect and admiration for them and the example that they have set.

Their challenges are unique, and the injustice against them incomparable. During World War II, hundreds of thousands of Filipinos fought for the United States with the promise that after the war they would have a path to U.S. citizenship and qualify for full veterans’ benefits through their active service with the U.S. armed forces. Thousands of Filipinos died in the infamous Bataan Death March. But soon after the war, Congress reneged, and established that Filipino veterans would not be recognized as “active service” for the purpose of any U.S. law conferring "rights, privileges, or benefits." Filipino veterans activists have been fighting it ever since.

Fast forward to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, otherwise known as the economic stimulus bill. In the 735-page version of the bill now before the Senate, there are a full seven pages dedicated to "Payments to eligible persons who served in the United States armed forces in the Far East during World War II." It details a plan to compensate Filipinos who fought for the U.S. during World War II with lump sum payments of $15,000 for those who are U.S. citizens, and $9,000 for those still living in the Philippines. There are an estimated 18,000 Filipino vets still living who might qualify for payments; about 7,000 of them U.S. citizens. The total cost: up to $198 million.

Oddly enough, the money for the program would not come out of the stimulus package. It was approved in another bill passed last year. This provision may have been cut from the current version of the stimulus bill that will be considered by Congress next week. However, one should note that this does not equate to full equity and does not correct the record of Filipino World War II Veterans.

Having the analytical mindset that I have, I calculated the percentage of the budget saved by furloughing State of California employees. It came out to 3%. That is about the equivalent of having $500 for a $15,000 car. We need to be actualistic about this sitution. A better, more effective plan is needed.

As the furlough of State of California employees takes place, I am one of the fortunate ones that was spared from the scenario. Despite the many opinions surrounding the matter, there is one that I lean upon: the principle of Constitutional officer independence.

I am simply a worker. If my boss was going to furlough me, I would comply, as much as I would dislike it. I work for the public, for public schools, and I work hard. Of course I would use whatever means I would have to protest and rectify the situation.

Since I am not being furloughed, that does not mean that everything is okay. I feel for my colleagues at other agencies that are being furloughed and will encourage Legislators and the Governor to find another way to fix the budget situation--including raising taxes. Hard decisions need to be made and they will most certainly upset one group or another.

I am willing to do my part to aid in the healing and expect the same of others.