This is NOT an entry about Philippine Independence Day

Meet Dingdong Dantes.

One of the Filipino celebrities performing at the Philippine Independence Day Parade in NYC today. Wikipedia tells us that Mr. Dantes is a "television and film actor/director, host and print and commercial model". You may know Mr. Dantes from such films as MULAWIN: THE MOVIE and TWEEN ACADEMY: CLASS OF 2012.

Also, his name is Dingdong. And he enjoys some measure of popularity among the 98 million people who live on a plot of earth on the far side of the world.

I almost met up with some friends at the Philippine Independence Day Parade this afternoon. If I'd gone, I could have seen Dingdong Dantes along with other Filipino celebrities such as Rachelle Ann Go and Aljur Abrenica. But I didn't go because I've got writing to do. And also, I could not feel more alienated from my Filipino heritage.

I'm not trying to make a mockery of Dingdong Dantes here or suggest that he's any more a representative of Filipino culture than Justin Bieber is a representative of Canadian culture. I'm sure people are going to land on this entry while they're doing searches for Dingdong Dantes or the Philippine Independence Day Parade and I'm not trying to ridicule the whole affair. I just honestly feel so incredibly disconnected from all of it.

I grew up in a Filipino household. Visited the Philippines as a child, with my father and sister. I'm sure some of this is connected to the fact that I've slowly drifted away from all my immediate family members in the years since college. (As they've physically drifted away from me, to the far corners of the country.)

But I've got Filipino friends. People who were raised here, have similar backgrounds. And they're all so much more connected to that world.

To me, it's an alien landscape. Yet another place for me to be an outsider. I don't find it particularly romantic being an outsider. After 36 years, it would be nice to be a part of something, somewhere.

The next season of SURVIVOR is taking place in the Philippines. I'm sure the culture will be reduced to an exotic backdrop, with natives wearing banana leaves serving burgers in reward challenges. Can't hardly wait.