AnneThology

I wish I were President...

2011-09-23T09:38:00.001+08:00

... so I can change the Educational System.

We're fresh from monthly exams, where I found myself tutoring Gabriel in Hekasi (Heograpiya, Sibika at Kasaysayan) and teaching for the nth time, the story of the Spanish Conquest of the Philippines. We talked about Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, how the once pagan Filipinos become Christians; of the Encomienda System, the Tributo, Bandala, Polo and the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade.

I have no bones to pick with History, really. I think it is important that we teach our children where our country was and how we got to where we are now. But I think to teach it for 3 years (in the intermediate level -- Grades 4, 5 and 6) is redundant, a waste of time, tuition and money for textbooks. Also, since it is the past, there is very little of it -- other than such abstract things as independence, equality and justice--that can be applied in real life, it becomes a thing to memorize rather than appreciate, a task rather than a tool.

There are so many, other things worth tackling in Social Studies. Things more relevant, applicable and current. Topics that, have they been taught in Grade School, would have built a good foundation for High School and later as helpful guides towards being responsible adult citizens.

Take for example the riotous demolitions that were in the news lately. The squatters hurled glass bottles at the demolition team, while some made teary-eyed statements to the media. Had Social Studies (or Sibika) in school tackled the basics of Human Rights (that while it is alright to fight for your rights, it is not alright to be violent), and Property Laws (that you cannot own anything without having to pay for it or without it being donated to you by the rightful owner), these ADULTS would have acted less like children and more of the responsible citizens they should be by this time.

Maybe it's just me, but I think there pervades a feeling of being the underdog, of being the biktima, of being the oppressed, which I think got drilled into our minds by the repeated exposure to the stories of the abuse we suffered under the hands of our colonizers. It is one thing to fall down, but to stay down is another. I think we need to move on from the feeling of being kawawa and help ourselves, use the lessons of our experiences so that we do not become kawawa anymore. Apart from focusing on our past, I think that it is more important, more crucial for our education to glean from what's happening in the present and use that to educate our students towards being more prepared for the future.

These figures in History, they can be put in bulletin boards and read about; maybe asked in exams in at most five multiple-choice items. These happening to us right now, they ought to be discussed, learned from and applied. Like I said, more tools, less tasks.

A Call to Generous Hearts

2011-09-15T05:31:00.000+08:00

Dear friends, readers:

Follows is a solicitation letter for a girl needing financial help for her liver transplant. Her father and I were former officemates in Amkor and I know him (and his family) to be good people. PLEASE HELP by doing any or all of the following:

1. Make a donation of ANY AMOUNT. (If there are a thousand of us making a P50 donation, that makes P50,000.00.. a higher donation from more people makes a bigger help.)

2. Forward the message to people you think can help or may help-- those who may want to make a donation, doctors and hospitals who can give free services, people who can help the family get some discounts or anything that would make the costs of the operation more within reach (free medicines, etc).

3. Please include the family, especially the little girl Nikka in your prayers.

As a parent myself I feel for both Gil and Dolly. Please, please I ask you to help.

Thank you.

Anne
===================================================================

August 25, 2011

B4 L11 Executive Homes 1,
Cainta Greenpark Village,
Cainta, Rizal

Mga kaibigan,

Kami, si Gil at Dolly Silva, mag-asawa, may tatlong anak, nakatira sa Cainta, Rizal ay humihingi ng inyong tulong para sa aming bunsong anak na si NINA KRISTINA C. SILVA (Nikka), 8.7 taong gulang. Pagkapanganak kay Nikka noong December 2002, nalaman na mayrron siyang “biliary atresia”, isang sakit na kung saan nasira/hindi tumubo/nagbara ang biliary system na daluyan ng bile patungong intestine. Sa ikatlong buwan niya, inoperahan siya (kasai procedure) upang mag-connect ng bahagi ng small intestine sa kanyang liver upang maging daluyan ng bile mula sa liver patungong intestine.

Sa mga nakaraang taon inalagaan naming siya sa tulong ng gastrologist upang maging malusog ang kanyang liver. Unti-unti naging cirrhosis ang liver niya at lumaki ang kanyang spleen. May mga pamamaga na rin ng mga ugat niya sa paligid ng atay. Sa pagtagal ng mga taon, unti-unting nasisira ng bile ang kanyang liver. Sa ngayon po, bumababa na ang mga kakayahan ng kanyang liver. Ang tanging paraan ay ang LIVER TRANSPLANTATION. Ang liver transplantation po ay nagkakahalaga ng Ph 4.5M. Ang liver ay maaring manggaling sa live donor o sa brain dead na pasyente.

Nagkakaroon si Nikka ng mga testing upang sumailalim sa liver transplantation sa Medical City, Ortigas. May mga kaibigan po kaming tagalabas na kasalukuyang tumutulong sa pangangalap ng pondo para sa transplantation. May maliit na halaga na kaming naitabi para kay Nikka ngunit hindi ito sapat. Buong-kababaang loob po kaming humingi ng tulong upang malikom ang pondo para sa kanyang operasyon. Maaari po kayong maghulog ng inyong donasyon sa mga bank account numbers na 'to:

Metrobank (MBTC)
Acct Name: ITF NINA KRISTINA C. SILVA
SA # 290-3-290111448
Branch: MBTC - Felix Ave.

Banco de Oro (BDO)
Acct Name: ANGELO SILVA
SA # 4710-13230-8
Branch: St. James, Paranaque

BPI Savings Acct
Acct Name: ANGELO SILVA
SA # 4173-0453-66
Branch: Sta. Lucia Grand East Mall

Maari rin po niyo kaming tawagan sa number na to: 09173236342 (Dolly Globe); 09325693193 (Gil Sun); 02-5772636. Umaasa po kami sa tulong ninyo at ng mga kaibigan para sa buhay ng aming anak. Pagpalain po ng Diyos ang inyong kagandahang-loob.

The Problem with Signal No. 2

2011-08-03T08:08:00.000+08:00

Unless a Signal no. 2 is declared, classes aren't suspended, even if students have to wade through knee-deep waters brought by rain from an LPA. Under signal no. 2, workers need to come to work, even if they have to face a shortage of transportation and also wade through floodwaters, because, by general belief, under Signal No. 2, it is still safe to be outdoors.

That's because under the current typhoon signals issued by PAGASA, Signal No. 2 means 'winds of greater than 60 kph and up to 100 kph may be expected in at least 24 hours.. and.. in general, the winds may bring light to moderate damage to the exposed communities.' The rest of what the signals mean, here.

See, there, our current typhoon signals only account for wind speed/strength, and how soon (in hours) the typhoon/strong winds will be experienced inland.

For goodness' sake, we're a tropical country, where rain is EXPECTED even if there is no typhoon. By experience, from Ondoy and our dozens of Low Pressure Area occurences, when the packed winds are weak, rains are heavy. Isn't it about time our typhoon signals are changed or adjusted to consider also the amount of rainfall, and how that poses risks to safety and damage to property?

How about a Signal No. 1 to 2 for moderate to heavy rainfall but weak winds (like those brought about by LPAs), and Signal no. 3 to 5 to indicate moderate to strong winds, as those brought by typhoons?

I suppose our weather monitoring and reporting systems are, as all other else in government, patterned after the systems of our former colonizers. But we need to evolve and adapt to the changing times and needs! PAGASA, over everybody else, should know global climate change means typhoons and other general conditions will not be the same as decades ago. Therefore, PAGASA needs to change the way it identifies the damage and safety risks brought about by a storm, by including the hazards of heavy rainfall.

And may I say, this inability to consider the effects of rainfall has greatly jeopardized PAGASA's credibility. The general observation is that PAGASA's forecasts are always 'baliktad,' -- the opposite-- because just when they raise typhoon signals to levels when classes and work do get suspended, there are no rains, and people can actually go outdoors! Albay Governor Joey Salceda has repeatedly lambasted PAGASA for failing to warn the province of the potential damage from incoming typhoons or LPAs; yet in reality, PAGASA has issued typhoon signals or weather reports for the entire archipelago. Again, that's because the forecasts and warnings are primarily based on wind speed.

Systems aren't and shouldn't be 'one-size-fits-all.' They need to be customized and tailored towards the function they are supposed to serve. Otherwise, they are useless.

==========

I wonder, does PAGASA have the necessary equipment to predict the amount of rainfall brought by a typhoon/LPA? Baka dapat yung ipinanambili natin ng warship dito na lang ginastos. I believe we should pick battles that are big enough to matter, small enough to win. Then again, this opinion belongs to a different post altogether. =)

David and Goliath

2011-06-21T08:56:00.001+08:00

Every now and then I get treated to one-of-a-kind entertainment from my kids. Here is an amusing verbal joust between Mika, my 3-year old going 10, and Jam, my 15-year old:

Round 1

June 18, Shakey's Pacita.   Jam has been teasing his sister, his way of making papansin because he finds her irresistibly cute.

JAM: "Siopao!" (He says this to emphasize he finds her cheeks soft and round, like the steamed buns.)
MIKA: "Hindi nga!"
JAM: "Siopao!"
MIKA: "Hindi ako Siopao! Tao ako! Ikaw ang siopao! Kakainin kita! Beh!" (All in one breath, fierce as an agitated kitten.)
JAM: Mommy, o, marunong na lumaban!

Round 2.

June 20, my bedroom. Jam takes another shot.

JAM: "Siopao!"

MIKA: "Hindi nga!"
JAM: "Siopao!"
MIKA: "Hindi nga!"
JAM: "Siopao!"
MIKA: (pause.) "Oo, siopao ako."
JAM: "Siopao ka? Hindi ka tao?"
MIKA: "Oo, siopao ako."

'Tameme si Jam. Hahaha!   2-0, Mika in the advantage!

It is so amusing how Mika is able to stand up for herself at such an early age.   Kinda reminds me of my mom...

Dad

2011-06-19T07:18:00.002+08:00

I used to call him Papa. That went well, until one day, my younger brother Ryan decided he'd call him Daddy, and that created some sort of confusion. After a few days of on-off verbal and physical wrestling, I gave in and Daddy became his official title in our household.

I was 8 when his job took him to Cebu, so I rarely saw him even on Christmas and birthdays. It was only during High School when the job moved him back to Manila, but by then things had deteriorated so much between him and mom. By college, dad had moved out of our household.

But I'm not here to talk about that, really. By convention some would say Dad wasn't a good father, but like I declared during his funeral, Dad was never a bad father. I'd like to say that despite his absence and whatever happened between him and mom, he had a substantial contribution to how we, his kids have turned out. Dad was a man of few words (with us at least), and he was never the type to sit you down and give you a pep talk. So whatever contribution he made to our rearing and growing up, he did so by influence and by example.

Here are a few things about him which I think influenced me one way or the other:

1. His passion/interest in Interior Decoration. Dad was always moving furniture around, decorating and redecorating, wanting to make the house look new and different from how it was. (There had been many occasions in fact when I came home wondering if I went in the right house!) He was also house-proud, always straigthening things, cleaning up, tending to his garden..

2. He cared about his looks. Dad was naturally handsome, but he became even more so because he made sure his clothes are always clean and neatly pressed (sometimes he did the pressing himself to be sure the pressing are to his standards), his shoes shiny and his hair slick (with Brylcreem! hehe). Even after a long and tiring day, dad will not come to bed smelling anything less than heavenly. (Although when Mom was infanticipating with Minx, my youngest bro, she used to shoo him away for smelling just like that -- heavenly. To her he was mabaho!)

3. His mild manners and patience. Never saw him angry, never heard him shout, and never got a spanking from him; even when I was naughty and teased him about his receding hairline and suggested he take other names: Andy (for 'andi-dito lang ang buhok,), Pepito ('pipito lang ang buhok') and Shaggy ('sha-gilid lang ang buhok'.) He would simply purse his lips in a smile.

4. He was as comfortable in the kitchen as he was in the Boardroom. Dad was Vice President for Sales, but even then he spent time in the kitchen when necesssary, cooking his specialty - Adobo. (He had mastered it to an art because that's all he ever cooked. Hehe.)

5. He valued punctuality, organization and self-reliance.

6. He focused on solutions rather than problems, perhaps that is why he never got angry or pissed about most things. Confronted with an issue, he will find the best way to resolve it, rather than amplify the drama or point fingers. Sometimes he would take all the blame or take up all the work, if that was the way to solve the problem and move on.

7. He was kind and generous, always willing to give and share, not just his time or ideas, but even what little he had in his pocket. He is a favorite uncle, a favored neighbor, a good and inspiring boss, and when he died, the entire staff of the company he retired from (which closed down after he retired) came to pay their respects.

Dad had a gift for speech, an ability he built his career in Sales on. He was also exceptionally intelligent -- a consistent Valedictorian from grade school to high school, and a Magna Cum Laude in college. He would have been a lawyer, had not the need to work and earn a living derailed his plans. But on top of all that, what I really care about is how loved I felt even when I scarcely saw him and even how little time we spent together. And for me, that speaks volumes about the kind of father he really was.

On Fathers' Day, Dad, I want to say, thank you for who I am.

Do you really want the world to know?

2011-06-07T10:58:00.004+08:00

Thanks to Facebook, we all virtually live in a glass house. With a few clicks, presto, what we want to share to the world is out there. This is handy for when you want to share good news, or if there's something urgent that you need to relay to a lot of people at such short time. It's also handy for keeping in touch, or for keeping tabs on family and friends.

What I noticed however is that many people do not distinguish anymore between what's public or alright to share, and what's private, or something you have to keep hidden and for only a priviledged few to see or read about. I am suprised to see people posting pictures of themselves in their nightgowns (gasp!), underwear (gasp again!) or of themselves in drinking sessions or eating splurges. Did they really want the world to know? Did they really want to be targets of opinions against which they cannot defend themselves? Did they really want to make that kind of impression, or couldn't care any less of what others think of them? Really? How brave!

Facebook is everywhere, is free and open to anybody. Google a name and if that person has a Facebook account, he or she will turn up in the search results. If you have not made your Facebook account private or limited to your closest friends, there is a big chance just about anybody can see what you've gladly shared in your accounts. That is why I don't think it is wise to post just about anything in your account. You may think it is harmless, but you may just have given people information they can use against you (like where you usually hang out, which school your child goes to, what you usually do at certain days or times), or things from which other people can get wrong impressions of you.

If you cannot and do not go out of the house in just your jammies, why should it make sense posting a picture of you in your sleepwear? If you must cover up when you walk out of the shower, why should it make sense posting a close-up picture of your behind? If you are young and innocent, why post provocative, come-hither pictures?

How do you think prospective employers would think of you when they see picture after picture of you holding a beer bottle or swigging alcohol, or partying wildly? That doesn't really paint a picture of a reliable, hardworking, trustworthy employee, even if in truth you are and that drinking session or party was a once-in-a-blue-moon thing.

And how would the young ones in your family think of you? Do you really want to influence their behavior and beliefs that way? How do your actions reflect the way you were raised by your parents?

It is sad, but true. What you post out there can and may be used against you, or may hurt others, even if the harm is not intentional. So post responsibly. Demonstrate maturity and professionalism by distinguishing what you should share, and what you should keep private. Always ask yourself, do I really want the world to know about this? What good does it do ME for the world to see me this way? If the world doesn't really have to know, and no good is done to you or those around you at all, keep the post private.

Disgrace

2011-03-18T21:45:00.002+08:00

I noticed that one of my mom's former officemates put up a small bakery at her house, and so one time on my way to work I decided to drop by, to buy some bread and sort of help the business with some patronage.

I know it's been more than a decade since she last saw me, so I wasn't surprised that she didn't appear to recognize me at all even after a few exchanges. I volunteered, "Tita Grace, di mo na ako nakikilala? Si Annelyn po, anak ni Tita."

"Ay, si Annelyn pala!" She said. She could have stopped there, but she decided to cross the line, blurt out whatever she was thinking, and cross me. "Ano'ng nangyari sa 'yo, nagpabaya ka? Hindi ka na si Annelyn, si Tita ka na!"

She lambasts me, and goes on as far as lambasting my mom, too. Her insinuation: "Ang taba mo, mataba rin ang mommy mo!"

I had wanted to tell her that mom came home to visit three years in a row, and on each visit she hasn't failed to wow everyone with how slim, youngish and elegant she's remained. I wanted to lecture her on etiquette and decorum, on how she should be an example (being way older than I) on tact and politeness.
It is ironic how her behavior grossly contradicts her Name.

My maldita side was itching to say, "Tita Grace naman, siempre, alangan namang di ako magbago. Siempre lahat tayo magbabago ng itsura sa pagdaan ng panahon. Gaya mo ngayon, mukha ka nang tuyot na ampalaya na naapak-apakan sa palengke!"

But instead I just bit my tongue, paid for my purchase and never ever came back. Malugi sana siya! :)

Letter to My Son's School : On Student Drivers

2011-03-01T08:19:00.005+08:00

Following a minor vehicular accident yesterday, from which, thank God, nobody got hurt, I write a letter to the Vice President for Student Affairs, the Discipline Coordinator's Office and the Parents' Association at my sons' school.

Dear Sir:

Yesterday as my son and I headed for the exit / intersection from the school, my car was bumped from behind by a car driven by a Mr. --- of Fourth Year -- . Fortunately no one from among us drivers and passengers were hurt and there was no significant damage to either car.

What worries me is that Mr.-- , when accosted, was only able to present a Student Driver’s License, and was NOT accompanied by a professional driver who was supposed to be supervising his learning and practice as a driver.

When I reminded him about this requirement Mr.-- said he is on his way to fetch this professional driver. Upon further pressing he went as far as saying he’s due to get his non-professional driver’s license this month. Regardless of whether such assertions are true or not, what is undeniable is that at the precise moment of the accident yesterday Mr.-- DID NOT have the necessary license that authorizes him to drive by himself, unsupervised.

We were on the move; we were driving to the intersection when Mr.-- bumped us from behind. He must have his eyes or mind on something else and failed to see us, slow down or step on the brakes in time. Whatever his reasons, the incident shows Mr.-- is not yet ready to drive unsupervised.

By driving unsupervised Mr.-- puts himself and others in danger. What if he bumped a person or persons instead of my car? The area where this happened, afterall, teems with students. What if the damage to the car, or to another property, was great? What if instead of a light bump the impact was greater, injuring him, me, or any of our passengers? I shudder at the thought.

Would his parents be up to the responsibility? Do they even know or had they consented to his unsupervised driving? Do they know or realize the implications of such actions?

Yesterday I got the impression that Mr.-- drives himself to and from school on a regular basis. I also believe Mr.-- possibly is not the only student driving himself to school, perhaps even giving their classmates and/or friends a ride with them. What happened yesterday therefore could happen again, only involving a different set of people and set of circumstances.

I therefore ask the school to take preventive measures. I write to ask that you call the attention of Mr.--parents to the incident. I also request that you ask them not to allow him to drive unsupervised until he gets his non-professional driver’s license.

Secondly, I ask that a letter be sent to all parents to tell them of the incident, so that they can remind their children to be more careful and wary of cars driven by fellow students. More importantly, I hope you can remind parents of the responsibility behind allowing their minor children to drive, and to warn them against letting their children drive unsupervised.

I would greatly appreciate the favor of a reply. Thank you very much.

Pagbati

2010-12-24T19:34:00.002+08:00

Salamat sa pagbati mga kaibigan
Kaarawan ko'y di nyo nalimutan
Bagama't abala sa inyong mga tahanan
Sa paghahanda ng Noche Buenang
Inyong pagsasaluhan

Hiling ko'y inyong kaligayahan
Ngayong Kapaskuhan at kahit kailanman
Sana ngayon kayo'y napapaligiran
Ng pagmamahal ng pamilya't mga kaibigan

Huwag sana nating malimutan
Ang tunay na dahilan ng ating kasiyahan
Sumilang ang Lumikhang sa ati'y nagligtas
Ang Diyos na sa ati'y nagmamahal ng wagas

Maligayang Pasko at patuloy na biyaya sa darating na Bagong Taon!

Ang Aking Nawawalang Baywang

2010-11-03T12:59:00.001+08:00

Nakita n'yo ba sya, ang aking nawawalang baywang? Matagal na rin siyang nawawala...simula pa noong 2004 nung umabot ang timbang ko sa 140 lbs. Noong 2005, pagkatapos kong magpakamatay sa kaka-diet, nagkita kami sandali. Pero pagkatapos ng ilang buwan, unti-unti siyang nawala hanggang sa tuluyang naglaho.

Baka sakaling matulungan ninyo akong mahanap siya. Sukat n'ya'y 28 inches, di gaanong malaman, di naman kapayatan. Maganda siyang magdala ng damit. Mahilig siyang sumayaw. Sa pagkain, ayaw na ayaw niya ng matatamis, nakakapangit daw kasi.

Nasaan ka na, my waistline? Miss na miss na miss na kita. Sana sa birthday ko, magbalik ka na.

Jollibee Gobbles Up Mang Inasal for P3B

2010-10-29T22:56:00.002+08:00

Jollibee Foods Corp. bought 70% of Mang Inasal Philippines for a whopping P3 Billion. Press say it's because Mang Inasal is an emerging competitor, and Jollibee wants to cement its position as the top and biggest food service provider in the country.

If that's the case, why hasn't Jollibee gobbled up KFC or Kenny Rogers Roasters? Why hasn't it bought out burger chains Burger Machine and Minute Burger? Under the assumption that the owners of these establishments are open to selling out to the food industry's Goliath, why has Jollibee chosen Mang Inasal over everyone else?

My take:

Jollibee does not need KFC because it clearly lords over the latter in the fried chicken category. Jollibee also wins over Burger Machine and Minute Burger pound per pound in terms of advertising, location and branding so it does not make sense to acquire them, at least not at this point. While Kenny Rogers Roasters competes with Jollibee in catering to the chicken-loving market, its segment is different from that of Jollibee; Roasters caters mostly to the B market, while Jollibee gets the C market apart from the B segment. Moreover, Jollibee has recently introduced roast chicken into its menu and may probably introduce more that directly compete with Roasters, if necessary.

So why Mang Inasal? What about it has threatened or attracted Jollibee enough, that prompted Jollibee to make the acquisition?

Threat to Sales

Mang Inasal is an emerging competitor, and its Chicken Inasal is relatively new to the market, as far as the Product Life Cycle is concerned. Jollibee's no. 1 product, Chicken Joy, on the other hand, has been in the market since the 1980s. Chicken Joy may have now reached its retirement in the cycle, and Chicken Inasal's freshness therefore directly threatens Chicken Joy sales. (KFC's fried chicken has been in the market since the late '80s; Kenny Rogers Roasters, the '90s. But neither have solidly threatened Chicken Joy sales ever.)

In addition, Mang Inasal's sulit meals at P50 are more pocket-friendly to the C market, versus Jollibee's 1-piece Chicken Joy meal at P83. (Jollibee's 1-piece Chicken Barbecue is also priced higher at P79.) Competing with Jollibee's 2-piece Chickenjoy (P130) is Mang Inasal's value meals, priced P99. In terms of chicken portions they are equal, but for only P99, Mang Inasal diners get all the rice they want.

Franchise Loss

Jollibee may lose potential franchisees to Mang Inasal because Mang Inasal charges only P800,000.00 in franchise fees, compared to Jollibee's (reported) P30 million. Assuming the same ROI or the same earning potentials, P800,000 is 30 times easier to put up than P30 million. Additionally, exposure from losses is greater in an investment of P30 million and 30 times less in an investment of only P800 thousand.

The ROI and earning potentials of Jollibee and Mang Inasal however, are not equal.

Jollibee has saturated the entire country with corporate stores and franchisees; even if investors are able and willing to buy a Jollibee franchise, they would be hard put to find a location where they will not share the market (ergo, sales) with another Jollibee outlet. That is not the case though with Mang Inasal, which has a lot of room to grow in Northern and Southern Luzon. The first few franchisees scooping good locations will monopolize sales and rake up solid returns on their investment.

If Jollibee were to lose even just three potential franchisees to Mang Inasal, it loses P90 million in earnings from franchise fees, while it takes only ten new Jollibee franchisees to recoup the cost of buying Mang Inasal.

Stock Shocks

Mang Inasal is gearing to go public, targeting for Initial Public Offering (IPO) by the first quarter of 2011, as announced in their September 2010 newsletter. While Jollibee's shares are on a climb, the entry of blue chips has historically affected the performance of stocks of the same industry. It is likely that some investors will trade Jollibee shares in order to buy into Mang Inasal, while new ones could opt to buy Mang Inasal shares over Jollibee shares. Either way, Jollibee shall be directly threatened by Mang Inasal's stock offering.

Can't Beat Them? Buy Them!

What exactly Jollibee plans to do with Mang Inasal is left to be seen, but I believe that in buying Mang Inasal, Jollibee did not intend to squash the competition, but rather to benefit from its potential and growth. Jollibee now owns 70% of Mang Inasal, and so stands to gain 70% of all that Mang Inasal has in store in terms of product sales, franchise sales and stock market profits.

==============

I am 9 units short of obtaining my MBA degree at DLSU. I am AWOL, with the demands of work and family life narrowing chances of ever going back. Sigh. I kinda miss the late nights spent analyzing and writing business recommendations and solutions. So humor me as I indulge in a little MBA exercise, such as this one, from time to time. This will make up the new section of this blog, which I'd call "Business Class." :)

Inaugural Speech

2010-09-28T22:44:00.004+08:00

(Below is the speech I delivered last Sunday as my welcome remarks/inspirational talk during my husband's birthday party doubled with the inauguration of our warehouse and offices. I chose to deliver it in Taglish, because part of the audience were our employees who are not English speakers. I had to use English too, on the other hand because we had Chinese and Taiwanese guests.)

Good afternoon. Magandang hapon po sa lahat. What’s better than a good speech? A short one. So I’d keep this short -- Welcome to Frontier’s double celebration – the blessing of our new offices and warehouse, and the 41st Birthday of our dashing CEO and General Manager, Mike Kaquilala.

Thank you.

(At this point I turned my back and began to leave the stage. The audience, mostly staff and friends were surprised. They were not used to less than a hundred words from me. There were murmurs, "'Yun lang?"

So I went back, said, "Joke lang!" and continued my speech.)

We are very happy to have with us today our friends from China, representing Tianjin Lovol engines, Mr. Liu, and our very good friend, the Overseas Marketing Manager of our principal Camda Generator Work Co., Ltd., Mr. Song Gang Xu. Let’s welcome them with a warm round of applause, please.

We’re also joined today by members of the Kaquilala family who have flown all the way from Mindanao for this occasion. We have Mike’s youngest sister, Harpy, his cousin Robert Palmones, and Ms. Malou Sevilla, a friend of the family. Most importantly, I’d like to acknowledge the presence of the lady without whom Mike will not be with us today – Mike’s dear mother, my lovely mother in law, Mrs. Fulgencia Kaquilala.

And of course, Mike and I are honored to have all of you with us today. You could have spent this time on rest and leisure, with your family and loved ones, but you have chosen to come, some of you braving traffic and a long commute, just to be here and to celebrate with us. We truly appreciate this. Thank you for the gift of your time. Salamat at pinili nyo’ng makasama namin ngayong mga oras na ito.

Today we celebrate the birthday of Mike Kaquilala, whom you know as the Owner and General Manager of Frontier. However, I wish to give you a glimpse of the Mike that I know.

Mike was born in Kawayanon, Makilala, North Cotabato, an area that is up to this very day, still very remote, isang gubat, walang kuryente, walang nakatira. As a child he worked with his brothers in the family land, planting rubber and banana trees – not one, but thousands of them. I still cry whenever he recounts the times when nagkakasugat-sugat ang mga braso at kamay n'ya sa pagtatanim, at sa pagtutumba ng ekta-ektaryang mga talahib na mas matataas ng di hamak sa kanya. There were days when he would climb coconut trees to get the fruits for their water, or to dig the ground for water, in order not to die of dehydration under the extreme heat of the sun, in the middle of nowhere.

When he was sent here for college, he didn’t know anybody, at dahil Bisaya siya, hindi siya marunong mag-Tagalog. Forced by circumstances, sa sementeryo sya tumira, kasama ng mga hoodlum – mga magnanakaw, snatcher, hold-upper, mamatay-tao. But as you can see now, he managed to rise out of those circumstances and prevail.

In the first year of our marriage, Mike was a mobile subscription salesman. He would earn only P300.00 from every approved application, and with a wife and a baby to feed, kulang ‘yon, so he braved every office in Makati, pumapasok kahit wala naman siyang kakilala doon, para lang makakuha ng isa o dalawang applications in order to make a living.

In 1998, he made a leap of faith and began Frontier Technologies. Gaya ng kahit anong pagsisimula, it was not easy for him, at siya lahat -- kolektor, technician, forklift operator, truck driver at janitor kung kailangan. Nagtrabaho siya sa bundok, sa loob ng barko, sa minahan, sa pansitan, sa banko, sa mall, sa sinehan. Kahit ano, ginawa nya, kasi kailangan.

Now, 12 years hence, iyan na siya, heto na tayo. As we celebrate Mike’s 41st birthday, we celebrate 41 colorful, fruitful, productive years. We celebrate his tenacity, his determination to succeed, ‘yung kagustuhan n’yang makatulong sa mga tao at sa bansa by generating jobs. On a personal level, I celebrate on his birthday for the kind of husband and father he is to us. I know that all this hardwork is because he wants to leave a legacy to his children. Labs, thank you so much.

Now Mike begins another year in the wonderful book that is his life, and we are happy to be part of that journey. As we celebrate the accomplishments of Mike and Frontier Power Technologies, we know we’re there – nag-level up na tayo. Sama-sama tayong harapin ang lahat – maganda o hindi masyadong maganda of what’s in store for us. But we know, with Mike leading us, we’re bound to scale new heights. Mas malayo pa ang mararating natin. Naniniwala ba kayo doon?(Thankfully, the crowd replied,"Oo!"and applauded.)

Before I close I want to take this opportunity to thank all those who made this, all this possible.

First, the Lord Almighty, for all the blessings. Salamat sa Panginoon for everything that led us here, to this moment.

I want to thank the people who worked on the building and construction of all you see now:
Mang Homer and his team, for all the masonry, carpentry work. Thanks too to our very own welder, Danny Valencia and his team for all the steel structures involved in making these buildings a reality.

Thanks too for the help of Arch. Bob Buenaobra, for design services sa presyong halos bigay na lang; to the electrician, Mang Ruben and the rest of the construction team.

I want to thank as well the people who worked during the move – 'yung gumawa ng paglilipat ng lahat ng laman ng dati naming office and warehouse, pagi-impake, paglilinis at paghahakot. Salamat kina Rommel, Mafe, Raquel, Jay, Jerry, Novie, Renz, Krizia, Jhen, Michael and at iba pa na tumulong.

Thank you din sa suporta ng iba pang miyembro ng Frontier family – ang lahat ng employees na hindi nga kasama sa paglilipat – but who continued with their work assignments, to ensure no disruption in our operations – ang mga technicians, mekaniko, steel fabricators at welders, mga pintor.

And lest I forget, thanks too, from the bottom of my heart, for the support of friends from the banking industry – Sir Chris Mantillas and his staff at Chinabank SM City Sta. Rosa; the Exportbank San Pedro team headed by the Mr. Tony Manilay. We feel so loved by both banks, sobra kaming spoiled, salamat sa sobra-sobrang accommodation you extend.

Our special thanks go to BPI, represented today by Ms. Nympha Cruz and Ms. Pinky Hernandez, who provided us the loan that allowed us to buy this land and construct these buildings. Salamat sa pagtitiwala ninyo sa aming credit rating. Puede bang umutang uli? (Laughter from the crowd.)

To all of you, major, major salamat for making this (motioning to the buildings and around) possible.

And now, it is time to enjoy ourselves in this celebration. Welcome everyone and we hope you have a lovely evening with us. Thank you.

Wala na si Willie?

2010-09-14T23:39:00.001+08:00

Mika now speaks in complete sentences with practically no baby talk. Had she not been my daughter I'd probably think I was speaking to a 5-year old, not a toddler.

Afternoon last Sunday we took a walk around the village. We chatted about anything and everything we passed.

Midway she began performing the Wowowee routine, complete with the hand sweeping under the chin action.

I said, "Wala nang Wowowee, Pom, Pilipinas Win na Win na."

"Wala na?" She asked.
"Wala na."

"Wala na si Pokwang?"
"Nandu'n pa si Pokwang. Si Willie ang wala na."

"Wala na si Willie?
"Wala na."

"Ubos na siya?"

In between laughing hard and hugging her at the same time I replied, "Hindi, lumipat lang siya!" :) Awww... baby pa talaga siya. :) Then again, she'd always be my baby.

It's Been a While Since I...

2010-04-10T01:24:00.002+08:00

... had a haircut
... have been to any of my alma maters (Sta. Catalina, UP and DLSU-GSB)
... baked
... sang in a public performance
... saw any of my old friends (miss you people!)
... read a good book
... went out of the country
... wrote anything significant
... wrote a letter longhand
... had any picture of me taken
... put on make-up (darned allergic rhinitis...)
... have gone to the beach
... lost a great deal of weight (sigh, sigh, sigh)
... ate anything really decadent
... had restful, 8-hour sleep
... had a day for myself, without having anything to do...

Atlas Shrugged

2010-03-03T14:43:00.001+08:00

“In the name of the best within you, do not sacrifice this world to those who are its worst. In the name of the values that keep you alive, do not let your vision of man be distorted by the ugly, the cowardly, the mindless in those who have never achieved his title. Do not lose your knowledge that man's proper estate is an upright posture, an intransigent mind and a step that travels unlimited roads. Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle. The world you desired can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it's yours.”

Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

Criale

2010-02-09T22:49:00.001+08:00

It started harmlessly at first; what it seemed was a conversation between friends, some catching up, an exchange of lively banter, like they used to. It was harmless, for a while.

Then, probably, as fate would have it, they treaded on dangerous grounds, their conversation brought them to a long buried past, to truths they denied, even to themselves. Yet no amount of such precious truths can deny that they spoke too late. Too late.

An exchange burned in her memory:

"Why didn't you tell me?" she had asked him so many times. "I was afraid," he said. "Fear is a monstrous thing..."

And so, she realized, that whatever he had been to her, and however much he had loved her, he hadn't loved her enough to fight for it. She didn't hate him for it, but she was still very sad, and thought she probably always would be, whenever she thought of him.

Let's Paddle!

2010-01-22T16:11:00.004+08:00

My friend Malou shared this with me today. Written by Bo Sanchez, it's very insightful so I thought I'd share it with you.

==================

Fight The Relationship Drift

Warning: There's a cruel epidemic afflicting our families, our marriages, and our friendships. It's called the Relationship Drift.

It's a very devious disease. It's like some cancers. You really don't know you have it until it's fatal. And then it's too late.

And then Relationship Drift becomes Relationship Dead.

The only solution is to diagnose it early.

But the symptoms of Relationship Drift are almost invisible to the naked eye.

Because you're not really fighting each other.

There are no screaming matches. In fact, your home is quiet. Like a convent.

And there are no pots and pans flying in the air.

And there are no bloody court cases.

But little by little, your hearts move apart.

Intimacy is gone.

Joy is missing.

In marriage, sex only happens every time Haley's comet passes planet earth.

You take each other for granted.

One day, you know the disease had run its full course because you wake up one morning not caring for the other person anymore.

Let me give you examples of the Relationship Drift:

The father who doesn't have heart-to-heart conversations with his kids anymore. Or the wife who doesn't enjoy her husband's company anymore. Or a couple who talk to each other functionally, not deeply. Or siblings who no longer laugh together, play together, and eat together.

Here's why: We live in a busy world.

Where bills need to be paid.

And cars need to be repaired.

And kids need to be fed, vaccinated, and neutered, er, I mean nurtured. (I know of parents who want to administer this little medical procedure to their kids when puberty comes along.)

My point? It's natural that you drift apart.

You don't have to be a bad person. You don't have to be Adolf Hitler or The Joker. You don't have to be obnoxious, selfish, or evil to cause the disease called Relationship Drift.

Let me give you an analogy.

Two people in a relationship are like two little boats floating on the sea.

Problem: There's a current that will slowly pull the two boats apart. Before they know it, the two boats are miles away from each other.

Friend, there's really only one way to fight the drift: Paddle!

If you don't want to drift, you'll have to go against the flow and paddle your way to each other. You'll have to work hard, muscle your way, sweat like crazy and fight to be together.

I believe that the only antidote to Relationship Drift is to bond constantly.

If you don't, the effects can be disastrous...

When We Don't Fight Relationship Drift

David Perdew wrote this about "fatherless kids" in America. According to statistics, children from a fatherless home are:

* Five times more likely to commit suicide

* Thirty-two times more likely to run away

* Twenty times more likely to have behavioral disorders

* Fourteen times more likely to commit rape (this applies to boys)

* Nine times more likely to drop out of high school

* Ten times more likely to abuse chemical substances

* Nine times more likely to end up in a charitable institution

* Twenty times more likely to end up in prison for a long period of time

David Perdew says we either pay now or pay later.

And when you pay later, it always costs more.

My suggestion is to pay now.

Fighting the Relationship Drift is very difficult. But it's easier paying now than paying later.

Here's how to do it.

Time Management Isn't The Answer

Do you want to spend more time with your family?

Time Management is not the solution.

I know a company who charges $759 per person for their Time Management Seminar. Let me save you $759 right now and tell you it doesn't work.

These guys will teach you how to become experts in multi-tasking.

While you shave, mentally plan for your day.

While you drive, record your things-to-do in an MP3 recorder.

While sitting on the throne of life, make your phone calls.

While talking with your boss, floss your teeth.

I don't believe in any of that.

Though I must admit, I'm guilty trying all of them.

Except for the flossing. (I don't have a Boss.)

And believe me, these things don't give you more time.

Worse, they take away your peace.

Here's a principle you can take to the bank: Anything that takes away your peace won't work in the long run.

Instead of Time Management, I teach people Biggies Management.

What Are Your Biggies?

If you really think about it, you can put everything happening in your life into two categories: Biggies and Smallies.

If you manage your Biggies, you manage your life.

It's the secret to great success.

What are your Biggies?

People who don't know their Biggies will be ruled by their Smallies. They'll be lost boats in the sea, being pushed and pulled in various directions.

Your Biggies consists of the 4 most important parts of your life:

1. Your Family

2. Your Health

3. Your Mission

4. Your Spirit

Everything else are Smallies.

If you want to be successful, focus on your Biggies.

When you make your Weekly Schedule, write down the Biggies first.

Each of these Biggies can be broken down. But today, I'd like to share with you the Family Biggies that you need to do. These are the powerful ways to paddle against Relationship Drift.

Are you ready?

Create A List Of Untouchables

My romantic date with my wife is an Untouchable.

I told her that we'd have a romantic date every Tuesday night unless these three things happen:

1) President Obama calls up to consult me on high-level issues such as terrorism, global warming, and nuclear disarmament; or...

2) The Pope calls me to discuss some murky theological question that only I can answer (like "Did Adam have a belly button?"), or...

3) If a comet rams into earth, burning the entire planet's atmosphere, and human life as we know it ceases to exist.

Aside from those three scenarios, nothing can touch my date with her.

Seriously, there are weeks when I'm traveling and we can't date. But I see to it that when I fly back home, the first thing I do is spend a day with my wife and two boys.

Frankly, I love my romantic dates with my wife. She's my emotional home. She relaxes me. (Okay, I confess that one time, I was so relaxed I dozed off when she was still talking.)

My weekly date with my 2 boys is an Untouchable too.

So is my twice-a-month lunch with my mother.

And twice-a month dinners with my extended families.

I also have regular dates with my Friends. (We call them Caring Groups in my spiritual family, Light of Jesus.)

Friend, the only way to paddle against Relationship Drift is to create your list of Untouchables.

But before you invite your kids to a date, let me tell you how not to do it.

How To Have Dates With Your Kids

One day, a teen-age boy approached me and said, "Brother Bo, can you please tell my father to stop having dates with me? I think he got the idea from you."

I later learned what his father did last week.

First, he invited his son to have a burger. But the moment they sat down in the restaurant, the father said, "Son, I want to talk to you about your poor grades."

After a mini-sermon on "study well because I work so hard to pay for your studies," the father jumps to another sensitive topic. "Your music tastes are terrible," he said to the lad, "It's loud, noisy, and disgusting. I think you should listen more to classical music."

The father goes on to other topics, such as the length of his hair, the late night phone calls, and the obscene amount of time he spends playing computer games.

Poor kid. He didn't know what was coming that day. He didn't realize he was attending a multi-track conference.

After their meal, the father told him, "Son, I enjoyed our date. Let's do this weekly!"

His son must have had an epileptic seizure right there. Can you imagine going through this torture for the rest of his teen-age life? That's when the boy asked me to rescue him from a life of purgatory.

So I called the father and said, "Parental sermons, homilies,lectures, and full-scale multi-track conferences are banned from your dates."

"Why?" the father asked.

"Because the date isn't for you," I said. "It's for your son. You don't have to enjoy it as long as he does." I told him, "Play billiards. Play bowling. Go fishing. Ride bikes together. Anything your boy wants to do."

Let me explain why this is essential.

When the relationship is close, kids listen. Their hearts are supple and open.

But when there's already a Relationship Drift between the parents and the kids, their hearts are far apart. So no matter how much the parents shout, their kids don't hear the message.

So the first goal is to bring your hearts close to each other.

How To Bond As A Family

Another Untouchable you need to create is a Weekly Family night.

The goal is to do something fun together.

Rent a movie and cook popcorn for a family movie night at home.

Or take a Family Walk around the village.

Or play a game together. Monopoly. Pictionary. Patintero.

Or read a book out loud.

Or just order pizza and ask everyone to share around the
table.

When you do this each week, you're creating memories that will last a lifetime. Life is about moments. And believe me, your grown-up kids will never forget these special bonding moments as a family. It will be their anchor. It will be their source of emotional stability. That amidst the sea of change around them, they know there are just some things in life that don't change.

Like the memories of being together as family.

Here's one more tip before I end.

Invite Your Kids' Friends To Hang Out At Home

You've got to be the cool Mom and Dad-Even if you're not.

How? Make your home the preferred hang-out place for your kids' friends.

I know it'll cause a little dent on your budget.

Okay, I lied. It will make your life savings disappear.

A group of teens are like a pack of piranha. They will eat anything that looks like food in your kitchen cabinets. And if your kids come home all tired and sweaty from a basketball game, be forewarned. That is a perfect storm. You will become poor overnight. You can buy all the food in your city and it won't be enough. They'll just burp and ask for more.

But the rewards are incredible.

First, you're with your kids more.

Second, you know where your kids are.

Third, you get to know their friends-and counsel the troubled ones. If they lack parenting, you can re-parent them. (I'm sharing you a powerful secret: One of the best ways of influencing your kids is to influence their friends.)

Fourth, because of all racket your guests make, you and your neighbors will not be in speaking terms. So that's one or two people dropped from your Christmas shopping list. Savings!

Two Choices: Drift Or Paddle

I can hear you now.

"Bo, this is a lot of hard work! Weekly dates with my wife and kids? Feeding a pack of piranhas? And re-parenting the friends of my kids? My gosh!"

I warned you. It's going to be rough.

But let me repeat what I said at the start: You really only have two choices in life. You either Drift or you Paddle. You either pay now or pay later.

I've decided to paddle. I've decided to pay now.

Believe me, I'm enjoying the benefits.

My relationships are deeply satisfying.

Friend, it's your turn.

Start paddling.

May your dreams come true.

East West Bank

2009-10-16T13:12:00.004+08:00

Time was when to have a credit card was sort of a status symbol. Now many banks practically give it away and in some cases, shove it to your face.

I understand the card agents who walk up to me with the offer of "free membership on the first year," and "pang-emergency lang, ma'am," or "additional credit when you need it" since they earn from sign-ups. I also understand how my branches of account offer me credit cards because bank employees are required to do their own selling.

I understand getting the offer, and I appreciate being given the right to refuse.

What I hate though is that some banks have resorted to getting contact information unscrupulously and using that information to -- how do I put it -- apply on our behalf. Unknowing consumers have been contacted by agents who were "just verifying" or "confirming" some work information and presto.. five tricky minutes later, they've been duped to getting an additional, unnecessary credit card.

In the last two weeks I received separate calls of that nature from East West Bank.

The first call went this way:

"Good morning, ma'am. This is so and so from East West Bank. Tanong ko lang po kung ano ang position ni (my husband) sa company?"

"Why do you need to know?"

"Employment verification lang po."

"What for?"

"Credit card application nya po sa East West Bank."

"I'm sorry to tell you, but he does not have an application with East West Bank."

"Paano nyo po nalaman?"

"Asawa ko siya."

"Ah, (stammer) sige, thank you po."

And the second attempt went this way. (I dare say they've been getting pretty stupid call agents lately...)

"Ma'am, correct me if I'm wrong, pero si (my husband) is ONE OF THE GENERAL MANAGERS of (our company), tama po ba?"

[Last time I checked, isa lang ang general manager in any company. So I was tempted to say, "No, you're wrong..."]

Instead I asked, "Why do you need to know?"

"Employment verification lang po for his credit card application with East West Bank."

"You know, you're the second person who's called about that. Let me say again, he does not have a credit card application with East West Bank."

"Sino ho ba ito?"

"Asawa niya."

"Baka ni-refer lang ho siya ng ibang friends niya..."

"Wala kaming ganung friends... they make sure to at least tell us na ni-refer nila kami. You must have obtained his personal information somewhere else."

Shoo, fly. Don't bother me.

"Ah, anyway, Mrs., thank you po and have a nice day."

What, after that pesky intrusion of privacy?

Then, to top it off, a credit card statement of Account in my mom's name was delivered to our house from -- you guessed it -- East West Bank. My mother's overseas and has never applied for this credit card. Nor has a card in her name been delivered before this statement.

While wala naman siyang utang, according to the statement, she was still pretty ticked off because it's screaming intrusion of privacy and trickery.

This is NOT what respectable banks do. East West Bank, clean up your act.

Guide to Making Women Happy

2009-10-07T23:37:00.004+08:00

You know what we usually find funny? Things we can relate to. :D Enjoy reading..

=============
How to take care of your Woman:

In the world, one single rule applies to the men: Make the Woman Happy. Do something she likes, and you get points. Do something she dislikes and points are subtracted. You don't get any points for doing something she expects. Sorry, that's the way the game is played.

Here is a guide to the point system:

SIMPLE DUTIES

You make the bed (+1)
You make the bed, but forget the decorative pillow (0)
You throw the bedspread over rumpled sheets (-1)
You go out to buy her what she wants (+5)
In the rain (+8)
But return with Beer (-5)
You check out a suspicious noise at night (0)
You check out a suspicious noise, and it is nothing (0)
You check out a suspicious noise and it is something (+5)
You pummel it with iron rod (+10)
It's her pet (-10)

SOCIAL ENGAGEMENTS

You stay by her side the entire party (0)
You stay by her side for a while, then leave to chat with a college buddy (-2)
Named Tina (-4)
Tina is a dancer (-10)

HER BIRTHDAY

You take her out to dinner (0)
You take her out to dinner and it's not a sports bar (+1)
Okay, it's a sports bar (-2)
And it's all-you-can- eat night (-3)
It's a sports bar, it's all-you-can- eat night, and your face is painted the colours of your favourite team (-10)

A NIGHT OUT

You take her to a movie (+2)
You take her to a movie she likes (+4)
You take her to a movie you hate (+6)
You take her to a movie you like (-2)
It's called 'DeathCop' (-3)
You lied and said it was a foreign film about orphans (-15)

YOUR PHYSIQUE

You develop a noticeable potbelly and exercise to get rid of it (+10)
You develop a noticeable potbelly and resort to baggy jeans and baggy Hawaiian shirts (-30)
You say, "It doesn't matter, you have one too." (-8000)

ENJOY THE 'BIG' QUESTION

She asks, "Do I look fat?" (-5) [Yes, you LOSE points no matter WHAT]
You hesitate in responding (-10)
You reply, "Where?" (-35)
Any other response (-20)

COMMUNICATION

When she wants to talk about a problem , you listen, displaying what looks like a concerned expression (0)
You listen, for over 30 minutes (+50)
You listen for more than 30 minutes without looking at the TV (+500)
She realizes this is because you have fallen asleep (-10000)

The Suncell Con-Art

2009-09-22T21:50:00.005+08:00

Wanting to cut down on telecomm costs, we joined the Sun Cellular Call and Text Unlimited bandwagon. Under the plan, we were supposed to pay only Php 999.00 per month, for which we get 3 mobile phones with unlimited Sun-to-Sun calls and texts, and free 750 text messages to other networks. All other services -- calls to other networks, MMS, downloads, etc. will be charged separately.

The bone I'm picking with it is the supposed 750 FREE text messages to other networks.

The way they advertise it, you'd think that for as long as you stay within the 750 allotted messages, you don't get charged. So I was surprised when, despite staying within this number, we got charges for text messaging, at one point about P600.00 on SMS alone. Saan galing 'ka 'nyo?

Thinking we have it free, we maximized use of this feature, texting away, careful though to stay within the limit.

Yun pala, Sun Cellular was AUTOMATICALLY charging us P1.00 for each text message we send to other networks. It put in the 750 "free" text messages AFTER the automatic charging, in the form of a P277.00 deduction from the total bill (a measly, unrealistic 36-centavo per text message). So that in the end, even if we sent out, say, just the supposedly free 750 text messages, we still owed Sun Cell P500.00 or so.

So, looking at it, wala naman palang kuwenta yung limit, as it doesn't matter how many texts you send. You get charged anyway!

I am just one of subscribers in the hundred thousands. Can you imagine how much money Sun Cell is conning out of unwitting subscribers, subscribers they tied down with 2-year contracts with pre-termination charge clauses?

Devious, sly and unfair marketing is what it is. They said free texts, so they're obligated to give free texts, not a text subsidy rated so much less than prevailing rates. If a text subsidy is all they can give, they shouldn't entice subscribers with the false promise of a free text bonanza.

I've not been on any post-paid mobile plans but this one, and I don't know whether Smart or Globe does its free-text maths the same way. Could you check your mobile bills please and let me know? I plan to complain to the DTI and the NTC about this.

Holidays

2009-09-09T08:22:00.003+08:00

Last Monday, September 7 was hurriedly declared a Special Non-Working Holiday. But as WOO* I was working nonetheless.

Out for lunch I overheard some people in work uniforms debating the pay treatment for their work that day. "Double ba? Di ba dapat double pay?"

I was compelled to intervene** and said, "Hindi, 130% lang. Yung sueldo nyo para sa araw na ito plus 30%. Yung hindi pumasok, no pay."

I think people get confused with the rules on pay treatment because of how the holidays are labeled - Regular and Special. To common thinking, Special should be given HIGHER PAY because it's special. (Just as Special Halo-Halo is more expensive than Regular Halo-Halo.) The common tao will not think Regular means recurring, nor that Special means not usually.

If I were president I'd change the labels to Yearly/Usual Holidays (which would mean we have it every year, same dates) and Occasional Holidays, those declared on occasion, which dates change according to Malacanang Proclamation.

All in favor say Aye! :)

===

* WOO = Wife Of the Owner
** having spent almost six years in Amkor, I found the leaving no-stones-leaving-no-questions unanswered culture hard to shake .

Friday the 15th

2009-05-15T23:07:00.003+08:00

At lunchtime today, while I wasn't looking, a can of coconut cream dropped from my shopping cart onto my poor, unsuspecting left big toe. Right smack on the joint.

I managed a muffled "God damn it!," winced and reached into my bag for some tissue to wipe the blood that was flowing from the gash. I tried applying pressure to stop the bleeding but the area hurt so bad, I had to remind myself I'm 35 years old and in a public place to stop myself from crying.

I stood there for a good two minutes steeling myself. I managed to put back the offending can back into the shopping cart. Limping, and with my sandal straps brushing the injury, I managed to get to the checkout counter and pay.

The area was swollen, black and blue by the time I got back to the car.

Then tonight, as I stood to fetch this laptop to type up this post, I, barefoot, stepped on one of Mika's eensy weensy hair clamps -- the ones with teeth.

I'm just up for grabs today, ain't I?

Drive

2009-04-28T01:06:00.003+08:00

Mike: "Ang bilis mo, ah! Naka-100 ka kanina!"

Me: "Of course not! 60 lang ako! I know kasi tingin nga ako ng tingin sa speedometer dahil inip na inip ako dun sa sinusundan kong van na naka-hazard lights pa!"

Mike: "Oo nga, pero nung nalampasan mo na 'yung van, naka-100 ka na!"

Me: "Di, 'no! 80 lang ako!"

Then mom chirps in, "Eh siguro kasi si Mike 100 na di ka pa ma-overtake-an."

Me: "Di n'ya ako ma-overtake-an dahil ayaw niya akong iwanan! Binuntutan nga ako, naka-high beam pa, silaw na silaw kaya ako tuwing titingin ako sa rear view!"

I've been a licensed driver for almost a year now, the first few months of which were spent driving a manual Suzuki Alto through in-roads on the way to work and back. It was only last December that I was allowed to use the SLEX, after I was given an automatic Ford Focus.

He doesn't trust my reflexes, he said.

But there was really no turning back after my first SLEX drive. I drove myself farther, to test and hone my driving skills. First was Alabang, then to Sucat (twice), then Magallanes, then the International Airport (through a portion of EDSA), and very recently, the Chinese Embassy in Makati.

Save for the fact that I missed to take a left to Pasay/EDSA on my first drive to the airport (which meant I had to drive all the way to the U-turn slot under the Buendia bridge), all of my trips have been uneventful.

Well, that is discounting my labors at parking in SM malls... but that's another story. :)

Monster In Law in the Making

2009-03-14T21:01:00.006+08:00

Mike and I were driving to work, when a bunch of teenagers crossed the street. The one nearest the car had tattoo on his arms, and looked like he bummed all his life. I exclaimed, "Labs, paano kung ganyan ang maging boyfriend ni Mika? Papayag ka bang mga pakalat-kalat lang sa kanto ang maging boyfriend niya? Ako hindi!"

Mike replied with an amused smile, "Ang aga mong kinukunsumi ang sarili mo."

Ha! I'm just dealing with the hypothetical, let's see him deal with the actual eventually. :)

===

On a separate occasion I was with a dear friend/ Frustrated at her zero lovelife, she blurted out:

"Hay naku, antayin ko na lang kayang lumaki si Gambel?! " (She meant she'd wait till he grows up and she'd have him for a boyfriend, or a husband.)

She was joking of course, and I said, "Naku, wag na. Masarap akong kaibigan pero hindi ako magandang biyenan! (You better think again. I may be a good friend, but I make a terrible mother in law!)"

I was kidding too, of course, but I suppose my saying it meant I kinda believed it somehow. While I don't intend to make life a hell for the people my children will eventually marry, I wish I can influence who they'd end up with. As I always want the best for them, I wish they'd up with people who would love and care for them even more than we have. Who'd respect them, support their dreams, stay committed to their marriage and the family... of course it wouldn't hurt if they're well educated, have the same background, and good looking! :)

This, when my kids are all below 12 years old! Tama si Mike, ang aga kong kunsumihin ang sarili ko! :)

The 80%

2009-01-08T18:09:00.005+08:00

(This came in my mail today. Thanks, Beth! I think it's worth sharing. )

Do not look back and ask "Why?" rather look forward and ask, "Why not?"

In most cases, especially in relationships, you will only get 80% of what you NEED and you will hardly get the other 20% that you WANT in your relationship. There is always another person (man or woman) that you will meet and that will offer you the other 20% which is lacking in your relationship that you WANT and believe me, 20% looks really good when you are not getting it at all in your current relationship.

But the problem is that you will always be tempted to leave that good 80% that you know you have, thinking that you will get something better with the other 20% that you WANT. But as reality has proven, in most cases, you will always end up with having the 20% that you WANT and losing the 80% that you really NEED and that you already had. Be careful in deciding between what you WANT and NEED in your life.

Adultery happens when you start looking for what you don't have. "Wow, this girl in my office is a real looker. But it's not her Wynona Rider features that got me. I'm crazy about her because she's also understanding, intelligent, tender - so many things that my spouse is not." Somewhere along the way, you'll find a woman or a man who will be more charming or sensitive. More alluring. More thoughtful. Richer. Have greater sex appeal. And you will find a woman or man who will need you and pursue you and go loco over you more than your spouse ever did. Because no wife or husband is perfect. Because a spouse will only have 80% of what you're looking for. So adultery takes place when a husband or wife looks for the missing 20%.

Let's say your wife is melancholic by nature. You may find yourself drawn to the pretty clerk who has a cherry laugh no matter what she says: "I broke my arm yesterday, Hahahaha . . .."

Or because your wife is a homebody in slippers and pajamas, smelling of garlic and fish oil, you may fall for a fresh-smelling young sales representative that visits your office in a sharp black blazer, high heels, and a red pencil-cut skirt. Or because your husband is the quiet type, your heart may skip a beat when you meet an old college flame who has the makings of a talk show host.

But wait! That's only 20% of what you don't have. Don't throw away the 80% that you already have! That's not all. Add to your spouse's 80% the 100% that represents all the years that you have been with each other. The storms you have weathered together. The unforgettable moments of sadness and joy as a couple. The many adjustments you have made to love the other. The wealth of memories that you've accumulated as lovers.

Adultery happens when you start looking for what you don't have. But faithfulness happens when you start thanking God for what you already have.

But I'm not just talking about marriage. I'm talking about life! About your jobs.
About your friends. About your children. About your lifestyles. Are you like the economy airline passenger that perennially peeks through the door of the first class cabin, obsessed with what he's missing? "They have got more leg room! Oh my, their food is served in porcelain! Wow, their seats recline at an 80% angle and they've got personal videos!" I guarantee you'll be miserable for the entire trip!

Don't live your life like that... Forget about what the world says is first class.. Do you know that there are many first class passengers who are miserable in first class -- because they are not riding in a private Lear Jet?

The main message? If you start appreciating what you have right now, wherever you are, you are first class!

Breastfeeding is Best for Babies...

2008-10-24T04:11:00.001+08:00

Mika's turning 7 months old next week. That means I've breastfed about 1,960 times, produced about 11,520 ounces (about 350 liters) of milk and flashed my breasts in public about 400 times. (See. I know that'd get your attention!)

The upside is Mika's growing to be a very healthy baby. She hasn't been sick a day in the last six months (well, except for the flu she got from me, which by the way was an epidemic at the time). From time to time she shows the beginnings of a cold, but that quickly goes away and she's her normal, bubbly self.

She's not fat but by golly, she's heavy! She weighed a little over 8 kgs last time we checked. Now she HOPS a lot (with support) and moves around in her walker.

For me, breastfeeding meant not having to get up at all to prepare her a bottle, which meant better and longer sleep at night. (Which is VERY IMPORTANT!) There are no bottles to wash and sterilize, which meant less water and electricity costs. I've also become healthier from all Vitamin A, B, C, Calcium and Iron I got from the malunggay I'm ingesting.

But my favorite bit about breastfeeding is the dramatic weight loss!

I'm back to my pre-pregnancy weight, which meant I lost about 20lbs! I now fit into my old pants! Yay! (That even if I do eat a lot!)

Jenn is right. Breastfeeding is best not only for babies but for mommies too! :)

Breaktime

2008-09-23T11:31:00.004+08:00

Kawawa, I haven't been reading books lately. Make that for the longest time lately. Reading was the first to go after I signed up to be Mrs. Vice General Manager simultaneous with being Teacher Mom and now, add to the list, Exclusively Breastfeeding Mom.*

How do I hang on to my sanity?

I cook and blog (when I can), but usually I hie away for a good five minutes and blog hop. I found this blog which is really gooood. Dali, go see what I'm talking about.

Dear You

2008-08-11T21:19:00.004+08:00

Yes, YOU. Kung tinamaan ka, eh di para sa 'yo. :)

=========

The One That Got Away
By Mark J. Macapagal
Taken from The Manila Times, 24 June 2003

In your life, you'll make note of a lot of people. Ones with whom you shared something special, ones who will always mean something. There's the one you first kissed, the one you first loved, the one you lost your virginity to, the one you put on a pedestal, the one you're with... and the one that got away.

Who is the one that got away? I guess it's that person, with who everything was great, everything was perfect, but the timing was just wrong. There was no fault in the person; there was no flaw in the chemistry, but the cards just didn't fall the right way, I suppose.

I believe in the fact that ending up with someone, finding a longtime partner that is, does not lie merely in the other person. I can actually argue that an equal part, or maybe even the greater part, has to do with the matter of timing. It has to do with you being ready to settle down and commit to someone in a way that goes beyond the little niceties of giddy romance.

How often have you gone through it without even realizing it? When you're not ready to commit in that mature manner, it doesn't matter who you're with, it just doesn't work. Small problems become big; inconsequential, become deal breakers simply because you're not ready and it shows. It's not that you and the person you're with are no good; it just that it's not yet right, and little things become the flashpoint of that fact.

Then one day you're ready. You really are. And when this happens you'll be ready to settle down with someone. He or she may not be the most perfect. They might not be the brightest star of romance to ever have burned in your life, but it'll work because you're ready. It will work because it's the right time and you'll make it work. And it'll make sense, it really will.

So that day comes when you're finally making sense of things, and you find yourself to be a different person. Things are different, your approach is different, and you finally understand who you are and what you want. And you've become ready because the time has truly arrived. And mind you, there's no telling when this day will come. Hopefully you're single but you could be in a long-term relationship, you could be married with three kids. It doesn't matter.

All you know is that you've changed, and for some reason, the one that got away is the first person you think about. You'll think about them because you'll wonder, "What if they were here today?" You'll wonder, "What if we were together now, with me as I am and not as I was?" That's what the one that got away is, the biggest "What if?" you'll have in your life.

If you're married, you'll just have to accept the fact that the one that got away, got away. Believe me, no matter how fairy tale you think your marriage is, this can happen to the best of us. But hopefully you're mature enough to realize that you're already with the one you're with and this is just another test of your commitment. One which will just strengthen your marriage when you get past it. Sure, you'll think about him/her every so often, but it's alright. It's never nice to live with a "might have been," but it happens.

Maybe the one that got away is the one who's already married. In which case it's the same thing. You just have to accept and know that your memories of that person will probably bring a nice little smile to your lips in the future when you're old and gray and reminiscing.

But if neither of that is the case, then it's different. What do you do if it's not yet too late? Simple...find him, find her. Because the very existence of a "one that got away" means that you'll always wonder what if you got that one. Ask him out to coffee; ask her out to a movie, it doesn't matter if you've dropped in from out of nowhere. You'd be surprised, you just might be "the one that got away" as well for the person who is your "the one that got away." You might drop in from out of nowhere and it won't make a difference.

If the timing is finally right, it'll all just fall into place somehow and you know. I'm thinking, it would be a great feeling in the end, to be able to say to someone, "Hey you, you're the one that almost got away."

Oh, the things we do...

2008-08-01T03:49:00.007+08:00

Mike is currently in Datong City in the northernmost part of China's Shanxi province, bordered by Inner Mongolia in the north and Hebei province (where Beijing is) at the east.

How far is that from here?

Well, we Filipinos do not express 'far' in terms of distance but by hours. Last Wednesday Mike travelled 2 hours by air to Hong Kong, then took a 45-minute ferry ride to Humen port in Guangzhou in Guangdong province to meet with some suppliers. From there, he flew for almost 4 hours yesterday to Datong.

Clocked 6 hours air travel, 45 minutes by sea, a few hours on land.

He's there to inspect some items and visit factories for our business, while I'm left here with the house to keep, kids to watch, a baby to care for and a business to run. Good thing I'm no longer in grad school, or my sanity would be hanging by a thread. (It's currently hanging by a ribbon. Haha.)

Oh, the things we do for a living.

Triste

2008-06-01T22:15:00.003+08:00

Last Friday we said goodbye to the house we grew up in. With the three of us having our own lives (and homes), Mom decided to rent out her empty nest as she ponders on the eventuality of selling it. I get sad thinking that while it is still our house, it's now somebody else's home, and all of the memories of our childhood, teenage years, even the memories of my first years of marriage in that house are -- how do I put it? -- tainted, struck over by the presence of complete strangers...

This morning we took Mom to the airport for her flight back to Brisbane. Her one-month stay was just too short, most of it spent on clearing out the house. How do you clear out 20 years of stuff in four weeks, anyway? We didn't even have the chance to do the stuff we used to do together.

Then tonight, we said goodbye to Everest, the first ever brand new car we owned. Selling her felt like losing a member of the family. The five of us stood a long time watching her until she disappeared from view. (The last time I felt like this was when we sold our Nissan California, our first car.) I know I would wax sentimental seeing her on the road driven by somebody else...

Three goodbyes in just three days? My heart can only take so much heartbreak.

Funky

2008-04-29T20:40:00.007+08:00

I miss being in a choir. With due respect to pop singing, I think nothing tops the discipline of having to sing in harmony (and beauty) with other voices.

Mom got me to audition for the parish choir when I was 9 in a bid to make me discover my talents. That worked, because as I learned to sing in public, speaking in public became piece of cake. So did dancing and acting and... showbusiness! :P

I was pregnant with Gambel when we were in the heat of rehearsals for a choral competition AND performing for then Pres. Estrada and other bigwigs. Gambel came out with an excellent ear, learning a song from one go.

I haven't been to the movies as frequently as I used to. I watched Alvin and the Chipmunks only recently (and accidentally ... the boys screened the DVD out of having nothing else to do) and was floored by this number:

Funky amazing! I especially like how the song tapers off to a wang-wang-wang... I've played the clip a dozen times (and counting). :P I hope I could get together with friends soon, study this arrangement, whiff some helium and get funky like the chipmunks. (LOL. The helium part is a joke.)

Memorializing

2008-03-27T06:20:00.004+08:00

I know one day I'm apt to forget, so I'm memorializing the bits and pieces of my adventure as a third-time mom:

1. It was in the early morning of August 24, 2007 when I learned through a pregnancy test taken in the car (can't wait till I got home, brought the sample with me pa... hehehe) that yup, I was going to be mom once more. I went, "Oh no, what have I done?" out of sheer surprise. I thought my repro system's a basket case.

2. This baby was brought to you by -- Chinese green tea. I got hooked by the taste, gave up coffee, drank it in the morning, after lunch, in the afternoon and after dinner, and the next thing I knew, my cycles sort of regularized. (Although now we know it was beyond the sort of level.)

3. We had decided to put off telling the boys about the pregnancy till the baby bump showed to a) shorten the anticipation/waiting time and b) make the news more effective with a visual aid. We told a friend however and she let it slip, over dinner at The Bellevue. Gambel stopped eating right away and Jam went, "Buntis ka, mommy? Hala! Buntis ka? Buntis ka, mommy? Buntis ka?...." until I threatened to stab him with my butter knife. :)

4. While I ate bangus at every possible opportunity during my first trime, it was Mike who had the cravings for Chicago White Pizza at Sbarro (and so we were there at every possible excuse). He was wiping out bags of Mrs. Fields' cookies. This is news because Mike was never a sweet tooth before this pregnancy, and was avoiding pizza because of his cholesterol count.

5. Were it not for the ultrasound results that said I'm having a girl, I would have sworn this is a boy. She kicks and moves and jabs more and stronger than the kuyas before her!

6. And now, it's official. Annamika is Miss Banana-Q. She demands it and kicks like there's no tomorrow if she doesn't get her fill at the usual time. :) And she likes Amazing Race, prepping up and moving about when she hears the Amazing Race segue. :)

7. Insomnia, or waking at 2 am. Estrogen induced itching and pantal showing up at no particular time or place, sometimes looking like continents on my back, redness between my fingers, swelling of my fingertips like I was bee-stung. Bummer is when the itch occurs at hard to reach areas at a time when everybody else is asleep. Alangan namang manggising ako.

8. No hunger pangs or cravings as was with my two boys. Just #7.

9. There's a 5-week difference between the baby's age as of my LMP and the first ultrasound scan results. Doc's basing the count on the ultrasonologic age.

10. As I sat at the lounge by the lab waiting for my blood tests the lady beside me asked, "Buntis din kayo?" and I nodded. She asked, "Ilang months?" and I replied, "six weeks." She looked at my belly and exclaimed, "Ang laki!"

Fighting the urge to strangle her for her indiscretion and utter lack of tact (not to mention I was really feeling crabby), I said, pinching my mid-section "Bilbil lang 'yan!"

Breather

2008-03-27T05:48:00.003+08:00

Yesterday the doc said I am still at 2 cms but the cervix's more effaced than last week's. I have been advised to lie low some more to make it to my 37th week (which is this Saturday), and then after that, puede na (magpaka-ngarag.. hahahaha) :)

Thanks, Jenn A for this tag.

1. What is your occupation? Wife of the Owner
2.What color are your socks right now? Socks? In this heat? Kung puede nga lang maghubad e!
3. What are you listening to right now? Eggs getting fried in the kitchen
4. What was the last thing you ate? Wala pa, it's 5:53 am.
5. Can you drive a stick shift? Yes
6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Red
7. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Mike, yesterday
8. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Yes
9. Favorite Drink? Pineapple juice
10. Favorite Sport to watch? figure skating, tennis
11. Have you ever dyed your hair? Yes. Been raring to again but di pa puede...
12. Pets? 1 dog (used to be 4)
13. Favorite Food? Oh! Too many! Prawns Thermidor, Blueberry Cheesecake, Apple Pie...
14. Last movie you watched? Ocean's 13 (DVD)
15. Favorite Day of the year? Christmas
16. What do you do to vent anger? Clean
17. What was your favorite toy as a child? not toys actually -- scissors and papers. I liked doing crafts
18. What is your favorite, fall or spring? Spring, for the promise of new things
19. Hugs or kisses? The chocolate ba? Hugs
20. What kind of pie? Apple Cinnamon (same here, Jenn!)
21. Do you want your friends to email you back? oo naman
22. Who is most likely to respond? Hmm... Olive
23. Who is least likely to respond? I don't really know
24. Living arrangements? House in a quiet subdivision with hubby and sons
25. Last time you cried? Just the other night for no apparent reason. Blame it on hormones!
26. What is on the floor of your closet? drawers :)
27. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to? Marsha/Cheche
28. The friend you have known the shortest amount of time that you are sending this to? Olive
29. Favorite smell? freshly-baked bread
30. What inspires you? World peace! Hehehe
31. What are you afraid of? Losing my loved ones
32. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? Spicy
33. Favorite car? I'm not really particular with those things
34. Favorite cat breed? Any
35. Number of keys on your key ring? 9! We won pa nga sa Bring Me for biggest key bunch! Haha!
36. How many years at your current job? 5 as WOO
37. Favorite day of the week? Saturday-stay-at-home-clean-the-house-day
38. How many provinces have you lived in? 2
39. How many countries have you been to? 2

I'm tagging: Cheche, Marsha, Claire, Olive, Emo, Jason, Jen R, Jeng G. and whoever else is interested. :)

Heto Na Naman...

2008-03-18T19:00:00.002+08:00

Dear Principal,

Last night my son grappled with the exercises in his CAL book. Apparently, their teacher instructed them to answer ALL unanswered exercises in the book as part of his requirement for their clearance.

The problem is, most of the exercises cover topics not yet discussed or taught in class. (For an example, please see page 215.) I tried to help him but the exercise was too technical even for me. The discussion in the book was of no help.

I think it is unfair, if not wrong, to force the students to finish the exercises merely for compliance, when the teacher wasn’t able to discuss the lessons at all. The children are completing the exercises by guesswork and copying from each other, motivated not by an interest to learn but by the desire to get it done and over with, and get their clearance.

I advised my son not to answer the exercises as I will refer the matter to you. Can you kindly mediate with the teacher? Surely there are other better requirements than this for the clearance. Besides, why make the clearance process hard, when the students have actually completed all academic requirements?

Thank you. I look forward to your intervention on this matter, and would appreciate a reply.

Annamika

2008-03-08T02:53:00.002+08:00

Dearest Mikapot,

I'm so excited to see you, we're all excited to see you. If I could, I would've leaped to the middle of April so I can confidently and duly give birth to you. We're all waiting to see how you look like, how you'd be making your little yawns or flinging your mitten-covered little hands at us.

Pero anak, not yet, wag muna ngayon. Last Wednesday doc said you're poised for delivery and I'm already 2 cms open preparing for your coming out. Not yet. As excited as we all are I'd like to carry you to full term. Hang on, baby. I know it's three weeks more of sikip, getting up at dawn and sleeplessness and waiting, but now isn't the best time. Your lungs are still developing and God is still working on you.

And do you know, Dra is leaving for a convention in China next Wednesday? If you come out next week we'd be handled by a different doctor. Ayaw natin yun, di ba? Forget tradition. I know I came out early, your titos came out early, Kuya Jam and Bubun both came out early... but gayahin mo na lang si Dada.

Just 3 weeks more, baby.

Mommy

33 weeks

2008-03-01T03:13:00.002+08:00

Last week after an appointment at the Chinese embassy I went shopping for baby things in preparation for my impending delivery. If history repeats, I would be delivering in 4 weeks. I thought it's about time I have the baby's things ready and my maternity bag packed.

It's helping that school's almost out. The boys have less or no homework at all, and only Jam has to prepare for coming exams. But it's quite an effort lugging around. I have the biggest belly of my 3 pregnancies, still up and working and yep, getting stressed.

Anyway, back to the bit about my shopping.

It was funny because I didn't have an idea what to buy anymore -- it's been almost 8 years since Gabriel, and I didn't even have to shop so much that time, save for feeding bottles and then some. And so there I was at SM, overwhelmed by a huge selection and assortment, walking about aimlessly not knowing where to start.

I stopped at one shelf and had the sales assistant take control. (Mind you, for an OC that is a big leap.) She showed, I bought. She was the power of suggestion.

"Cloth diapers, ma'am?
"I don't think I'd need them; I'd be using disposables."
"You can use them as wash cloths, or burping pads."
"Oh, okay."
"How many?"
"How many do you think I'd need?"
"About six. And oh, you'd need some bigkis, too."
"Oh yeah, that too. Thanks."
"Is this your first baby?"
"Third. But it's been a long time (then I pointed to Gambel)."

And so about half an hour later we walked away with:

Bird's eye cloth diapers, half a dozen
Bibs, 3
Wash cloths, 3
Receiving blankets, 3
Blanket (without hood)
Mittens, 2 pairs
Side-tie shirts with short sleeves, small size, 3
Side-tie shirts with short sleeves, medium size, 3
Side-tie shirts with short sleeves, large size, 6
Booties, 2 pairs
Baby pillow

I know I missed many things, the following included:

feeding bottles, 4 oz.
nipples
breast pump
breast pads
disposable diapers
baby bonnet (will the baby need this at all?)

What else, what else? Help!

Names

2008-01-18T12:37:00.001+08:00

I finally had time for an ultrasound scan before New Year's Day and received the good news -- I'm having a girl. Yay!

We're naming her Annamika. While it's an amalgam of our names, it also means 'grace' and 'who is like God' . I haven't decided on additional names.

Now, since I'm at it, let me talk about names.

Parents usually want to give unique names to their kids. Apart from the desire to distinguish their kids from the millions of Juans and Juanas in the NBI files, there is the desire to be called creative. This has brought about foreign (even weird-sounding) names, names that are too long, too hard to spell or pronounce, and names that may not even have any meaning at all.

As for me, I choose names based on three criteria: first, it should go well with our family name (which sounds very Filipino). English names sound good by themselves, but paired with Filipino last names they're a different story altogether. Try "Lisa Marie Dimaguiba" or "Richmond Albert Thaddeus Palakpakan." Di bagay, di ba?

Second, dapat hindi mahirap i-spell or i-pronounce. Life is already complicated as it is, I don't want to complicate it further by spending time correcting people on how to say my kid's name. Lalo namang ayokong pahirapan ang batang i-memorize ang spelling ng sarili niyang pangalan!
Then of course, the meaning. Some people name their kids Tallulah, Sushmita, Akihito, etc, in the interest of being unique. But what does the name actually mean, and does it even go anywhere close the personality or appearance of the person named? Might be that the name means white and pure, and the person isn't.

And I won't even go into nicknames.

That said, to each his own. :)

========

I noticed more and more parents are giving their kids foreign sounding names, usually French. I noticed though that since it's adapted, there are mistakes in spelling or assignment, and I've met boys named Dominique and Gabrielle. The feeling is very akin to being introduced to a man named Baby or Fely.

In the interest of correct spelling and pronounciation, here's a little guide (masculine form followed by the female counterpart):

1. Louis (pronounced Louie and not Luis) - Louise
2. Jean (pron. zhe-an) - Jeanette or Jeanine
3. Dominic - Dominique
4. Andre - Andree (pron. An-drey)
5. Daniel - Danielle
6. Gabriel - Gabrielle
7. Emmanuel - Emmanuelle
8. Michel (pron. Mi-shel) - Michelle
9. Rene - Renee
10. Christian - Christiane

Slumbook Mode

2008-01-17T19:19:00.001+08:00

I'm feeling slumbookish right now, but in a somewhat more profound way (palusot pa eh!). Some questions in my mind:

1. What was the one toy or thing you didn't have in childhood that you promised yourself you'd get for yourself or get lots of when you grow up (and have money)?

Sanrio stuff. But I didn't really promise myself I'd go get them later. I just found myself at Gift Gate buying a Sanrio pencil, notebook or pad paper every so often back in college. :)

2. If you get offered half a million pesos to NOT take a bath, brush your teeth or wash your self for 3 straight months (while still going through your normal life), will you do it?

What will you do with 500grand if your friends and family stay away from stinky you?

3. Why do you think the taba (pork fat) is always put at the end of the barbecue stick?

So you can have your fill before you get to the part that you have to throw away. (I don't eat it eh!)

4. What do you usually order when you come to eat at these joints -- McDonalds, Jollibee, Wendy's, Shakey's/Pizza Hut?

Nuggets at McDo, Spaghetti at Jollibee, Baked Potato and/or Frosty at Wendy's, Bunch of Lunch at Shakey's, any pan pizza at Pizza Hut

5. How many rounds do you go before you wave the white flag at buffets/eat all you cans?

One of the aperitifs, one of the main course and two of the desserts. Then coffee!

6. What item from your childhood do you still have and keep?

Wala na, waahhhh! We've moved house several times na.

7. What's a non-negotiable trait for a life partner?

Responsibility.

8. What one thing did you do on a dare?

Ask a teacher out. :) (As naughty as naughty gets.)

9. Where do you go when your soul needs soothing?

A walk. In the 90s, my dorm room. I turn off the lights, crank up the volume of my player and wax sentimental to One Last Cry.

10. What one question remains unanswered in your mind?

That was it?

Tag! -- Olive, Jeng G, Jen GA, Jen PR, Anne L., Claire, Donnel, Emo, Donna M, Donna G., Jason.

Tagged

2008-01-17T18:53:00.001+08:00

Olive said she thought these questions were too mundane for a married person, but guess what, mundane is what I need right now. :) So nagmakaawa akong ma-tag, hahaha.

========

1. Can you name one person who made you laugh last night? Mike
2. What were you doing at 0800? Getting ready for work
3. (Wha? No question no. 3?)
4. What happened to you in 2006? Learned important lessons
5. What was the last thing you said out loud? "What kind of stupid reasoning is that?"
-- Trivia -- when I speak in English while angry that means I am very incensed.
6. How many beverages did you have today? Two. Water. ... and Slurpee. (Guilty.)
7. What color is your hairbrush? Black and red.
8. What was the last thing you paid for? Rubber stamps. Hehehe.
9. Where were you last night? Home.
10. What color is your front door? White.
11. Where do you keep your change? Coin purse bought for P10.00 in Baguio
12. What’s the weather like today? A li'l warm for comfort for preggers like me.
13. What’s the best ice-cream flavor? Chunky Strawberry!
14. What excites you? Right now, interior redecorating.
15. Do you want to cut your hair? Yes, add a few layers.
16. Are you over the age of 25? Almost 10 years above the mark...
17. Do you talk a lot? Parang...
18. Do you watch the O.C.? No, I don't get to watch TV anymore. (Hikbi!)
19. Do you know anyone named Steven? No, but my son has a classmate named Ziven.
20. Do you make up your own words? Too much an OC to do that, hehehe.
21. Are you a jealous person? A bit.
22. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘A’. Au
23. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter K. Karen
25. What does the last text message you received say? Haba e. Something about the maids I'm trying to get from Bicol.
26. Do you chew on your straw? Nope.
27. Do you have curly hair? No din.
28. Where’s the next place you’re going to? Wala.
29. Who’s the rudest person in your life? Fortunately, wala naman. Takot sila sa akin. Hahaha.
30. What was the last thing you ate? Meiji Macadamia Chocolates
31. Will you get married in the future? Ask Mike if he's willing to marry me again. :)
32. What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the past 2 weeks? Di na rin ako nakakapanood ng movies e. Waaaaaahhhhh!!!!
33. Is there anyone you like right now? Madami.
34. When was the last time you did the dishes? New Year's Day.
35. Are you currently depressed? No, just very tired...
36. Did you cry today? No.
37. Why did you answer and post this? Wala lang. Just want to. (Eh nagmakaawa pa nga akong sagutin e! As in parang slumboook na you secretly wish ipasagot sa yo! Hahaha!)
38. 5 people you tag next? All of you reading this!

34, Bum

2008-01-12T20:56:00.000+08:00

They say you're lucky to have a Christmas Eve birthday. Siguradong laging may handa at regalo.

I don't know, I really must be getting old. The handa and the regalo on my birthday suddenly didn't matter. I resisted all plans of having a party. For a gift, all I wanted was a day of peace and quiet, a day when I can sit idly or lie in bed without guilt. I wanted to be a lady of leisure for just a day.

(That isn't to say my husband is a slave-driver though. The decision to be a multi-tasker, OC worker is mine entirely.)

The days before my birthday have been pretty hectic. Lugging around a 24-week baby while preparing for a 120-head Christmas party, on top of everything else (minding the boys' school work, doing household chores, shopping for gifts and Christmas give aways and raffle prizes, attending parties, etc etc) was just draining, I suppose. The idea of cooking, entertaining, and going out was suddenly so unappealing.

So on my birthday, I just rested. I spent the day in raggedy clothes, mostly in bed, staring at the ceiling. Normally I would have gone crazy within hours of doing that, but by golly, did I ENJOY it. I did have a Happy Birthday. :)

Me Too! I Love Yellow!

2008-01-08T16:30:00.000+08:00

This should have been posted on October 15, 2007, but life got in the way. :)

*****************

-- I actually love violet. But the title of this post takes off from my friend Elmer Ato's own Family Day blog post, titled "I Love Yellow," here.

Last Saturday, Gabriel's school had its Family Day. While we were a dad short as Mike was in China, we decided we won't let that stop us from having family fun. We were in the Yellow team, and clad in our yellow shirts, we trooped to the auditorium that was a sea of colors, red, blue, orange, green and brown.

Within seconds of sitting, I got approached by a team mate and asked to come with her for practice. "Practice what, mommy?" Jam was asking, but I was already being led away, silently praying it wasn't practice for volleyball or women's basketball. (Earlier I already told the class adviser I wasn't participating in the games because I am 8 weeks along.)

Buti na lang, it was for Sayawit, the Song and Dance Competition. We were supposed to practice the contest piece "Top of the World," and a choice piece, "Quando, Quando." (Side kuwento: They chose Quando because they thought it was a fairly popular piece and therefore easy to learn. I eyed the rest of my teammates and noticed they were mostly my age. We would have been babies the time Quando was in the airwaves.) We were half an hour away to the start of the program, had 30 minutes to learn the song and make up choreography. Tout le monde, impromptu.

And so, deciding it was no time to be shy, I took the ball and gave my all to the practice. The leader noted that I was the most animated and so decided to make me lead singer. The other moms suggested I be placed at the center front so they can see what I'm doing and just follow.
Sige na nga.

Back to my seat moments after the practice, I was again Mrs. Pakialamera, coaching the rest of the parents for the cheering competition. When our team was called, we chanted with everything we've got, "Boom tarat! Boom Tarat Tarat, Go Yellow, Go Yellow, Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Minutes later, we performed next to the Orange Team. They were 25-members strong, had props, great choreography. Like they had been preparing and practicing forever. Scared, we 12 ladies took our positions backstage, some mommies jittery at being in the spotlight again after so many years. I told them, "We're not here to win, we're here to enjoy ourselves. Let's go out there and give our all for our kids, and have kick-ass fun!"

And so we went out and faced the music, so to speak. As was in the practice, I oido-ed most of the actions for Top of the World, acting out what came to my mind as regards the lyrics. Then, for Quando Quando Quando, with the team leader's nod I took the mic and sang away. And danced like no one was watching.

Fortunately the rest of the team caught on with the spirit and gave their hearts out to the performance, so hindi naman ako nagmukhang tanga, hahaha. (Un)fortunately I do not have a videoclip to show for my bravado.

Sinong kukuha ng video, yung videographer nasa stage nagsasayaw? :)

We finished to cheers from the crowd, and a feeling that we passed some sort of test with flying colors. I was met by the class adviser who thanked me profusely. She said she appreciated the help I gave. But what was priceless was Gambel running up to meet me as I stepped down from the stage, saying "Thank you mommy, I love you!"

Later we won for Most Spirited Cheer, and placed 2nd among 5 teams in Sayawit. I'd say, not bad, not bad at all. :)

Duh!

2007-12-27T16:53:00.000+08:00

One of my creditors attempted delivery of my credit card today. Attempted, because as I was away at work, they refused to leave the card with the maid.

Partly, that's a good thing. I'm all for security against fraud and identity theft.

What I don't get is--
they issued me a credit line because I can PAY.
I can pay because I have WORK.
They attempt delivery of my credit card on a WORK DAY and expect ME to be HOME.
What gives?!

Wala kasing binebentang common sense eh!

This isn't the first time it happened. And the phenomenon isn't unique to one bank.

Since they send out credit statements anyway, why not include a notice as to when you can expect the card-bearing courier? This way you can prepare and leave an authorization and copies of your valid IDs to your representative, and you make sure your rep has a valid ID. No time and resources wasted; the courier comes when you are ready. You have your card when you need it.

No rocket science, di ba?

Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean!

2007-12-17T21:56:00.001+08:00

Christmas is my favorite time of the year, and this is my favorite Mr. Bean sketch. Up in the middle are two versions of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. I love the jazzed-up version. Drag the button to the middle of the progress bar to hear it right away or watch the sketch from the start. It's fun both ways. :)

Nangangaroling Po!

2007-12-15T13:46:00.000+08:00

They rapped at my car window and sang away:

"Sa paskong darating, Santa Claus ko'y AKO din...
...may kendi at tsokolate, perlas -LAStanyas na madami..."

Yep, it's caroling season.

Sadly though, since December 1, we've heard nothing more than the cursory "Sa maybahay ang aming bati," where the carolers fumble through the lyrics of the first stanza, then end it with a chorus of "Nangangaroling po!"

Sigh. Commercial Christmas all around.

I remember many, many Christmasses ago, my brother and I used to make the rounds of the village, caroling. We each carried a fork and a spoon to bang together in lieu of the flattened softdrink caps (tansans), and got quips like "Sa'n kayo kakain?" from fellow carolers.

But what we lacked in instruments, we more than made up for in gusto and presentation.
We danced while we sang. We had a varied repertoire, sang O Holy Night, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, among many others. We studied the songs to be sure we got the lyrics right and practiced 30 minutes before going out para hindi nakakahiya. OC na, noon pa. :)

We never earned a lot from our efforts; mom never allowed us to go beyond 3 blocks away. But much of the caroling was for enjoyment and education. The caroling at the corner bakery usually earned us a pack of freshly baked Pan de Limon, while caroling at Aling Edith's store meant we had to sing 10 songs before getting 50 centavos. (Imagine!) We later learned to avoid Aling Edith's store, and come back to the corner bakery when possible. Hehehe.

I wish I could let my kids go caroling for the experience, but times have changed...Sigh.

Teacher Mom

2007-11-30T20:29:00.000+08:00

Friends advised time and again for me to get a tutor for my kids. "Maawa ka sa sarili mo," they say. They're concerned about how little rest I'm getting, considering I'm now 5 months heavy, work full time, take care of the house then sit down with my kids for homeworks and reviews after dinner.

But to be honest, apart from the problem of having little time and sometimes, too little energy, tutoring my kids is never tiresome. I wouldn't pass it up, it's one of the rare chances I get to sit down and see their academic progress firsthand, and address any learning problems they have.

Being teacher-mom is very educational. Just last week, I got a refresher on Philippine revolutions. To demonstrate the value of Kumon, I learned to do away with calculators, practicing to do my maths mentally. And for Gambel, I had to read through the life stories of five saints.

Being teacher-mom can be trying at times too, but without its share of laughs.

Gambel has difficulty with Filipino. While we speak Filipino at home, our conversations are limited to everyday, common words. At school they are required to converse in English. Then as he is surrounded with the Internet and cable TV, his limited Filipino vocabulary isn't helped.

One time, we were studying Pandiwa (Filipino verbs), and I was drilling him on the past, present and future tenses. It has been a long day for both of us, and had it not been for a quiz in the morning, we would have gone to bed already. After 5 or so verbs, Gambel was yawning. I kept on.

Me: Gambel, o gamitin mo yung pandiwa na Inom, ha.
Gambel : Opo.
M: Kanina, ang juice ay --?
G: ININOM. (Eyeblink, eyeblink, eyeblink.)
M: Very good. O, ngayon, ang juice ay---?
G: INIINOM. (Yawn.)
M: Mamaya, ang juice ay---?
G: Ubos na!

Oo nga naman! :) That was my cue -- time to let the kid rest!

Amazing Race

2007-10-23T15:36:00.000+08:00

I am at my wit's end making Mike's itinerary in China. He's visiting 4 cities in 3 days, have to make room for meetings and factory inspections in all of them, and allot time for catching the flights to the next or back to, the previous city.

It so feels like the Amazing Race to me. Only there's no million dollar prize, and a mistake I make may cost him a night in a strange city.

Talk about pressure!

January 9, 2003

2007-10-19T14:10:00.000+08:00

I was sorting through my mails and found this letter I wrote a former boss, in response to a job offer. This was 4 years ago, but much of the feelings I shared in the letter remain unchanged.

=================

Dear Ma'am Odess,

I am sorry if it seems I am changing my mind at the last minute. I just want you to know that I gave the decision deep thought at the longest possible time. I decided not to go with you to Cavite for the interview anymore because, in the light of my soul-searching I realized that I do not desire to go back to the corporate world yet, and in going with you tomorrow I will be wasting my time and yours, and that of your boss. I hope you understand.

Please allow me to share the rest of what came out of my soul-searching.

I realized that, when I left Amkor I also gave up a career, but with no regrets. At this point, I do not miss the work I left behind, and I am very content at what I do for my husband and our family. I am very happy about the daily joys from time spent with my kids and I am not prepared to give that up yet. My availability and presence also allows me to help Mike with the family business, and I am proud that I am able to help it grow, as this is something for our sons' future, something we will pass on to them in due time.

What I am doing now are the things my heart has always desired. I realized that even if I convince myself that financially we will be better off, that my employment will give the family further security, and a salary will win me financial independence, in my heart these do not matter, and I will not be happy. Mike and I discussed this and he supports my decision. He said that he just wants me to be happy.

Ma'am, I am very glad that God has given you the desires of your heart, and under different circumstances I would have been as excited to be working with you again. I am thankful that you have ever considered me to be with your team and have offered this opportunity without me asking for it.

But as a prayerful person I know you will realize that God has answered my prayers, too, and I am thankful that He makes you see the reason why I am turning down a wonderful opportunity. I pray that you will find the right people for your team, people who will be ready to support you as you help this organization grow, in the way you did when we worked together.

Salamat po ulit and I hope I am still welcome to text and call you from time to time.
God bless.

Anne

====

And her response:

Dear Anne,

I understand fully well and am happy about your being honest about it. Don't worry, nothing will change, I will still look forward to your text messages and calls kahit everyday. Sana lang, I can request you to do me favors once in a while.

You have chosen a better road - that is for your family!

Am sure, you won't mind working with me on a another capacity in the months to come.

God bless and regards to Mike, Jam and Gabriel.

Odess

The Ride to Baby No. 3

2007-09-13T11:13:00.000+08:00

They say no pregnancy is the same as no woman and no child is the same as another. My previous pregnancy happened almost 8 years ago, and I don't remember much of the experience anymore, but I don't remember being the way I am now back then. So how am I?

1. Ang pangit ko na!

"Sino'ng maysabing pangit ka? Sino? Buburahin natin sa face of the earth!" --Claire

Ako, ako ang maysabing pangit ako. Not that I was a real knockout, but I certainly looked better before being pregnant, and during my two previous pregnancies. I even had people saying, "Babae siguro ang baby mo (your baby must be a girl)!" because I was blooming.

Now I don't have an iota of motivation to put on make-up or dress up. Sigh. Long cry from when I was designing my maternity dresses!

2. All-day, sporadic sickness.

When I had Gambel, I used to get sick after lunch. With Jam, it was immediately after eating, any meal. Now it's an even-no-meal sickness, sometimes when I'm in the bank, in the mall, in a meeting. I suddenly get nauseatic, feel clammy and have the urge to throw up. It gets so bad it's debilitating.

3. Growing big laterally, so early on.
At 8 weeks and 4 days, I can't believe that I can't fit in my pants anymore. (It took the 5th month for Jam/Gambel to show.) And I look like I'm 12 weeks along. Waaahhh!!!

4. Lazy, lazy, lazy.

Ok, so perhaps it's the hormones. I have ZERO motivation for anything. I hardly get any cravings. I don't want to cook. I don't want to go out. I don't wanna work (maturity is just taking over laziness). I don't even want to clean! (My desk in the office is an unbelievable pile of mess.) I just want to sit all day, which is so not like me at all!

The good thing is that I got my blood tests back and the results were normal. I am not anemic nor diabetic so despite all of the above, I suppose I am alright afterall.

Anamorphosis

2007-09-10T16:54:00.000+08:00

Sometimes reality gets so bad that you wish you have the power of anamorphosis. That you can simply move into another position, change angles a bit, look at what you're seeing and see a totally differently image.

I've been shocked today by the discovery that someone in our employ, a blood relative, has AGAIN attempted to steal from us. Note the word again. Repeated. Despite warnings and chances at a fresh start.

I've tried to look at it from a different position, a different angle but the image gets uglier and more contorted. The more I analyze, the less reasons I find for compassion or understanding. In their stead, intolerance for lack of integrity, disdain for the abuse of trust.

I've often believed people are innately good. Today, I met an exception-- someone who would, given a chance, lie and steal, and lie some more to steal some more.

Surely he must have a reason, a pressing need?

He gets sick or falls asleep on duty due to the long hours he keeps in beerhouses. He has a long list of unpaid debts, he barely supports his family, yet he's an expert about every GRO and every nook and cranny of the nightlife in San Pedro.

Do the math, then tell me if any amount of anamorphosis can make me see this in a different light.

Wanders 2007

2007-09-06T14:32:00.000+08:00

Last night we were treated to Wanders 2007, an acrobatic show over at the Grand Theatre of Pagcor Airport Casino in Paranaque. It was a full-house, despite the tickets being pricey (cheapest was P1,236.00/pax). Minutes into the show however, the reason is plain to see:

Running for almost 2-hours, every minute of Wanders is packed with enthralling action. The complex, breath-taking stunts were aptly complemented by the drama, romance and suspense provided by theatre music and lights. I personally liked the acrobatic duets - the part where a couple does acrobatic stunts ballet-ish style while suspended mid-air from a strip of cloth. Such artistry! Such strong yet flexible muscles! Such courage! (There is no way you can make me do that!)

The cast is mostly made up of Chinese nationals, while some Filipino talents, including Philippine Idol winner Mau Marcelo, have singing and acting parts. (Sorry to say but the Filipino parts seemed a little off for me. They looked like borloloys, and that the numbers they were in could have gone on fine without them. Then again, that could probably just me.)

Overall the show is a visual treat and well worth the the money. My little boy was actually doing semi-cartwheels, attempting to ape what he had seen in the show. (That's a sign he liked it.) My nephew, only a year and a half old, gasped "grabe!" during one of the numbers/ :)

After the show we lined up to have our photo taken with the cast. I wanted to shake hands with the chinese acrobats and tell them how much I enjoyed the show but since I didn't know Chinese and they knew little English... I got shy and just posed. :)

The show will run until December 29. There's an 80% chance we're coming back for seconds. :)

Malu Fernandez

2007-08-28T23:44:00.000+08:00

As of this writing, Malu Fernandez has already resigned from her writing posts, supposedly after getting hate mail and death threats from people angered by her article in People Asia. In that article she talks about a trip to Greece where, according to her, she had the misfortune of taking an airline teeming with OFWs. She said "I had wanted to slash my wrists, " "thought I had died and was sent to my own private hell," for being in the plane with the gum-chewing OFWs whose Axe Deocolognes and Charlies overpowered her Jo Malone. (emphasis mine, paraphrased).

Thanks to work-induced hibernation, I have not been watching television nor have been bloghopping lately. I just received copies of her article by email a while ago. What and how she wrote got me going, "Who the hell is this woman anyway?"

I googled her name and, guess what --the search turned up nothing about her. Nothing about her so-called glamorous lifestyles, no mention about her being friends with the who's who of Manila. Weird. If she were really who and what she purports herself to be, the internet must be full of her exploits, in the Tessa Prieto kind of way.

I came across quite a number of items about her, mostly hate propaganda in response to what she wrote. Most came in defense of OFWs, some name-calling and personal jabs at her weight. One blogger asks a semi-legitimate question, "....if she's really rich, why doesn't she get a freakin' liposuction?

My mom always says, "The empty kettle makes the most noise." The way she talked about what she supposedly has at the backdrop of what others, in this case the OFWs (do not) have, only speaks of how empty she/her life really is. No self-respecting, genuinely rich person takes a job talking about their lifestyles. Much of what they have are second nature to them, they won't gloat about trips or Jo Malones or Adidas Terrains or the money they fork out the way Malu did! Mas acciones, sin palabras.

After reading her other article (published in the Manila Standard in response to tirades received from the People Asia article), I realized, Malu isn't worth the trouble. If she needs to put other people down in order to extol herself, or worse, just to get attention, then unapologetically defends her tirades behind the excuse of just being "true to herself," well, kawawa naman. She is so much beneath the people she maligned.

OFWs get paid for an honest day's work. Malu Fernandez on the other hand needs to degrade people on the basis of what haves and what have nots, defend her actions by claiming she makes the world better by being a"bitch with an acerbic wit," -- all for a column's pay that might hardly hold a candle to an OFW's wage. How ironic. Kawawa, di ba?

The Explanation

2007-08-24T13:30:00.000+08:00

That sure explained it all --

the terrible headaches, weight gain, dizzy spells, bedtime hyperacidity, sore, tender breasts, irritability, repeated waking up in the middle of the night and being unable to go back to sleep, and yesterday's voracious craving for spaghetti AND halo-halo:

My hormones are raging.

And I am pregnant.

You'd think being mom twice over I'd recognize the signs. But my cycles are really erratic, and I have polycystic ovaries. After getting negative results in quite a number of pregnancy tests despite having no real protection in the last 4 years or so, I have sort of given up hope for baby no. 3. I just thought it was Aunt Flow coming. :)

Yet now the test has confirmed, it's a baby coming, sometime April or May next year. I am really, really, really hoping it's a girl this time. :)

The Role of Teachers

2007-08-12T22:34:00.001+08:00

Dear Tchr. V,

Last night I helped my son review for his test in PE, and noted his struggle with computing for Body Mass Index (BMI). The difficulty lay not in the formula per se, but in the actual computation, because it involved decimal numbers which they have not yet covered in class. He also told me that they're not allowed to use calculators for the computation.

Please enlighten me:

1) Why are they not allowed to use calculators in PE? Why, is the stress on the ability to compute, rather than on the understanding of physical fitness concepts? If it is equally important that they know how to compute long hand even in PE, is it not unfair to expect the children to do something they have not yet been taught to do?

2) I noted that while the BMI and the BMI formula were in his notes, there was NO discussion of what BMI means or how it relates to physical fitness. More importantly, there was no discussion on how one can improve his BMI, or achieve better physical fitness. Is there any particular reason for this?

My son also showed me drill sheets he accomplished in Arts, on Calligraphy, which the teacher asked him to redo because they were not up to standard. I learned however that they were not shown how to use the calligraphy pen, or how to execute the calligraphy strokes using the pen. When he was told to redo his drill sheets, he was not told where he went wrong or what he was supposed to improve.

I am sorry, but I am confused -- is it not that the role of the teacher is to impart knowledge and understanding, by explanation, demonstration, and then encouraging exploration and curiosity? Is it not that the teacher is supposed to encourage improvement in the child by giving meaningful feedback? All these were absent in the two areas I raised here (PE and Arts). Am I wrong, or has education changed?

I had wanted to discuss this in person but the reality of work and other responsibilities prevent me from coming to see you. Nevertheless I hope you could please 1) remedy the situation and 2) send me a reply. Thank you and God bless.

--o00--

My Work

2007-07-24T14:33:00.000+08:00

I used to be an HR Officer for a leading semiconductor manufacturing company. Pay was good, career was great, I had friends in all levels, and the company was really a good training ground for if you want to be a corporate somebody.

Problem was, one day I woke up and realized I didn't want to be a corporate somebody. Well, not in someone else's company that is. So I left my job in 2002 to help my husband run the family business.

There'd been lowlights -- like the major adjustment from being semi-boss, to being the all-around girl. There's also the adjustment from earning my own money, to being generally financially dependent on my husband. But on the whole, I've been having a good time.

One time I met up with some friends and former co-workers who asked whether I was ever coming back to employment or ever join another company. My answer:

"You see, in (name of our company), I get:
- 100% MBA scholarship
- books and transportation allowance
- unlimited shopping allowance
- free room and board, usually in luxurious accommodations
- regular travel

among other things. Plus, I get to sleep with the boss and no one complains!"

Can any other company top that? :)

Five Rules for the Thirty-Something

2007-07-11T22:43:00.002+08:00

Rule #1: If you have to live with the guilt of doing something totally radical and paying for it big time, there better be a good reason...

I knew the ice cream'd go straight to my cheeks (I always get fat in the face first) but what the heck -- enjoying Pistachio ice cream with mom is always worth the hassle. :)

Rule #2: Never forget how a snuggle with mom spells a world of difference.

Rule #3: Love and cherish all the women in your life, for they are mirrors of who you are, who you can be and who you ought to be.

Mom, me and Mommy Ninang. Shopaholics Anonymous. :)

Rule #4: Act your age, but relive the joys of childhood all the time.

Remember your first watch? Your first bike? Getting to keep stray cats? Riding up and down the escalator over and over?

Rule #5: Wherever you are, whoever you are, no matter what you're doing, there's always the chance to slow down, sit a while, watch the world... and take pictures!

Coat and Tie for Rent

2007-07-11T11:55:00.000+08:00

A girl and her Adobe Photoshop = ?

= Vicki Belo crossed with Eloy's. :)

Prizes

2007-06-27T00:46:00.001+08:00

"Gambel, what's this, bakit hindi tapos ito?"

His notes ate only half of the first page, the last line hanging in a midsentence: 'Mga batang Pilipino...'

"Because I'm in a hurry to get home."

"And why is that?"

"So I can rest."

Mom's ESP came through: "Uh-huh. You're not in a hurry to get home to rest. You're hurrying so you can play GameBoy."

The words 'Pag nainis ako itatago ko yang GameBoy' hung in the air.

But she bit her lip and asked instead, "Why aren't you copying teacher's notes?"

Silence. Then a shrug.

"How can mommy help you? Why are you having trouble copying from the board? Di mo ba makita?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"'Cause I'm at the BACKEST." He quickly brushed off the tear that fell as he said this.

"Oh, you're at the backest? Do you want me to write teacher a note? Do you want me to ask her to move you closer to the board?" She asked, looking him in the eye.

"Yes," he said, his eyes more hopeful now.

She smiled a half-smile as she drew him close into a hug, overwhelmed by the delight of his innocent attempt at grammar, and the sadness over his powerlessness over a seating arrangement. She had wanted to tell him about the real world and how things could be worse than being at the backest; that someday even if she wanted to, a million notes to teacher couldn't help him with his battles.

Instead she stroked his hair and prayed, that the quiet reassurance she was giving him that moment would sow strength and confidence for when the world becomes his to face and conquer.

Relativity

2007-05-22T10:22:00.001+08:00

How do you move four years worth of stuff? How do you make sense of the heaps of clothes, books, toys, files, houseware, hardware at your feet? How do you stop time, so that you can focus on making sense of a snowballing mess, without the rest of your worries gnawing at you, and your greater world falling apart?

How do you make others see things from your eyes? How do you explain why you like things a certain way, and why you want them done now, here, at once? How can you be several things, at several places at one time?

How do you answer "How are you?" apart from "Busy," when all you can think of are synonyms and derivatives -- in a hurry, distressed, harassed, overwhelmed?

Big Girls Don't Cry

2007-04-19T21:19:00.001+08:00

The smell of your skin lingers on me now
You're probably on your flight back to your home town
I need some shelter of my own protection baby
To be with myself instead of calamity
Peace, Serenity

I hope you know, I hope you know
That this has nothing to do with you
It's personal, Myself and I
We've got some straightenin' out to do
And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses her blanket
But I've got to get a move on with my life
It's time to be a big girl now
And big girls don't cry
Don't cry
Don't cry
Don't cry

The path that I'm walking
I must go alone
I must take the baby steps until I'm full grown
Fairytales don't always have a happy ending, do they
And I foresee the dark ahead if I stay

I hope you know, I hope you know
That this has nothing to with you
It's personal, Myself and I
We've got some straightenin' out to do
And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses her blanket
But I've got to get a move on with my life
It's time to be a big girl now
And big girls don't cry

Like the little school mate in the school yard
We'll play jacks and uno cards
I'll be your best friend and you'll be mine
Valentine
Yes, you can hold my hand if you want to
Cause I want to hold yours, too
We'll be playmates and lovers and share our secret worlds
But it's time for me to go home
It's getting late, dark outside
I need to be with myself instead of calamity
Peace, Serenity

I hope you know, I hope you know
That this has nothing to do with you
It's personal, Myself and I
We've got some straightenin' out to do
And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses her blanket
But I've got to get a move on with my life
It's time to be a big girl now
And big girls don't cry
Don't cry
Don't cry
Don't cry

-Fergie, The Dutchess

No Longer

2007-04-12T14:26:00.000+08:00

Finally, she realized, it was time to call a spade, a spade. No more excuses, no more dashed hopes, no more infatuated dreaming. Just reality, cold as iced water, hard as the realization of the foolishness that dragged on for years.

It surprised her that she wasn't angry, just sad, and regretful that it took her so long to realize, that this wasn't a game she could win.

"Hay, Anne..." she had said, her voice trailing off, a quiver betraying the emotions she tried to keep hidden. She had wanted to cry, but must have realized it wasn't worth it. He wasn't worth it.

His inaction then and now, spoke nothing but the painful truth: the not-quites, the could have beens, the what-ifs -- were nothing more than not-at-alls.

Non era neppure un amico.

Easter

2007-04-11T22:44:00.000+08:00

Two Easter egg hunts stand out in my memory --

My first egg hunt, at home back in 1977, where I found a painted egg in an empty ice cream pint wedged between two branches of our langka tree;

And that one egg hunt in Baguio City, which took place during Tito Boy's gig in 168, where I won a flat iron for finding one of the eggs.

The easter egg hunts I've been in after that were far less colorful -- literally and figuratively. Some of the hunts had plain eggs. Some had chocolate eggs that were handed out instead of hidden for a hunt. I kinda like the adventure, the fun of getting your hands dirty painting the eggs or looking for them. I like the story as much as the ending.

Anyhow, I've determined to have my kids experience the joys of my and their dad's brand of childhood. (More about this, later.) So I had an impromptu egg painting session with them last Saturday. My niece Robyn and Gabriel's classmate Naomi joined us.

I sat my fellow make-up artists for a quick run-through and then went right to work. We had 16 eggs to work on initially, but the kids were bitin and so we added 4 more. (They were boiled eggs, by the way. ) Sorry there aren't any pictures of us at work. The designated photographer got busy watching National Geographic.

More pics and a "recipe" of the egg paint in Kitchen Conjugations.

No Brainer

2007-04-11T21:59:00.001+08:00

Apart from working out possibilities for a new home, I am stretched out in all directions with a) work and b) keeping the kids busy and preoccupied. I haven't been cooking for a looong while (which is sad) and I miss going out. But responsibility and maturity beckons....

For now may I please have a no-brainer post? Something from my Friendster blog, super-ancient.

----------

1.What does the name of your blog mean?
The word 'anthology' actually means a collection of poems, stories, literature, usually by the same author. This blog is a collection of my thoughts, the stories of my life, some poems (far in between) and my name is Anne, and hence the name. I think it's cool that it's a homonym for the real thing. Don't you think so?
2. Elaborate on your profile photo:
Taken at the reception during Eman and Mitzi's wedding. It's self shot using my (then phone) Sony Ericsson S700i. It's been photoshopped (by me of course) -- but only to take out the shadow of the S700i on my face. :)
3. What's your middle name?
Pancho, when I was still Miss Nepomuceno.

4. What is your current relationship status?
Happily married to a wonderful man, blessed with two wonderful sons. In other words, I'm a very lucky girl!

5. Honestly, does your crush like you back?
You'd have to check with Pierce Brosnan and Owen Wilson for that.

6. What is your current mood?
In one word: Tired.
Through a metaphor, hoping to be profound: Like a freshwater fish thrown into seawater. Alive but overwhelmed by the challenges of thriving in a new world.
Straight, UP terms: Eh kung alam ko lang na ito ang magiging trabaho ko, sana nag-Engineering na lang ako!!

7. What do you love most?
The freedom to be the person I am, and want to be
8. What makes you most happy?
Being with my family
9. Are you musically inclined?
Yes, I think. :)

10. If you could go back in time, and change something, what would it be?
Follow my bed time and take vitamins!

11. If you MUST be an animal for ONE day- what would you be?
A cat. So I can sleep and be stroked and taken cared of...

12. Ever have a near death experience?
If passing out from ischemia is (a near death experience), then, yes.

13. Name one thing you do a lot.
These days? Work. (Don't get me started.)

14. What's the name of the song that's stuck in your head right now?
Wala. Just the hum of the airconditioner.

15. Who did you copy and paste this from?
Jenn originally, but this round came from an ancient post in my Friendster blog.
16. Name someone with the same b-day as you.
Ricky Martin!

18. Have you ever sang in front of a large audience?
Yes, many, many times. Solo and in a chorus.

20. What's the first thing you notice about the OPPOSITE sex?
Hands.
21. What do you usually order from Starbucks?
Cafe Mocha and Banana Bread

23. Ever experiened being dead-drunk?
Not yet (and I don't plan to)
25. Do you still watch kiddy movies or TV shows?
Yep, by default. Got two kids!

26. Do you have braces?
No

27. Are you comfortable with your height?
No :(

28. Name something funny that happened to you?
We were on our way to the bank but traffic was slow, so I got out to walk and told my husband to wait for me outside the bank in our then brand new car.
After the transaction I got out of the bank and headed straight to the Everest and opened the door, where to my surprise a woman in her 40s was occupying the front seat! I glared at her and was about to demand what she was doing in my seat when I heard my husband honk for me from across the road. Turned out I was barking up the wrong tree. Hehehe.
29. Do you speak any other language?
French and Spanish.
30. What's your favorite smell?
freshly-baked bread

Loss

2007-03-29T21:42:00.001+08:00

At around 4pm today while my husband and I were away at work, a man (40ish, clad in a white shirt and blue pants) arrived by the gate of our house, pretending to be talking to my husband on his mobile phone. He asked one of the maids to let him in, saying he was a relative of ours, and that my husband asked him to wait in our house. While the maid hesitated, he insinuated his "authority" by asking her to buy him some cigarettes. As she went, he let himself in the gate and ordered the other maid to hold the guard dog down so he can get in properly.

Inside the house, he called my sons and asked them to make mano to him. The boys, confused as they were as to who the man was, obeyed. Feeling that he has further established his "identity" as a relative, the man then egged the maid for some merienda. When she said there was none in the house, he berated her, saying, "Ano ba naman 'yan, ako pa ang magpapa-merienda sa inyo imbes na kayo ang magpa-merienda sa akin."

He then took out P500 from his pocket and ordered the maid to go to Jollibee (in Pacita Complex, a good 30-minute tricycle ride away) to buy burgers. When the maid refused, saying it was too far and that we weren't home and that no one would be left to look after my kids, the man told her to just go and bring my younger son with her.

And so the other maid left with my boy in tow, leaving my older son alone in the house with the stranger. The stranger then went upstairs into the masters' bedroom. When he saw that my son had followed and watched as he forced the drawers open, he said my husband had asked him to get something.

My son went back to watching TV downstairs.

Minutes later the man came downstairs and without a word, left the house carrying a blue, fat, bursting clutchbag.

It was then that my son called me at the office to tell me about the man. I FLEW and got home just a few moments after the two maids and my young boy.

My heart sank when I entered our bedroom and saw the opened drawers. The man had helped himself to ALL of my jewelry, and a substantial amount of cash. He also took my foreign currency collection.

I wobbled down the stairs with jelly knees and let out a torrent of strong, very angry words at the maids. How could they let him in, despite my instructions about not TALKING to strangers? Why did they not call me at the office to report the man's presence? Why did they follow his instructions blindly, even taking my boy out on a trike ride, without my consent nor clearance? How could leave my 10-year old alone with the man?

Our first and perhaps only line of defense was the gate -- and the maids were under instruction to keep away from the gate as much as possible. When the maid came near the gate and talked to the man, she gave him a host of possibilities for breaking in. If he had not talked her into going out to buy him cigarettes, he could have taken her at knifepoint and demanded entry, could have kidnapped my boys, raped the maids, killed them all...

I thank God that my boys are safe, but with the bounty he got I fear the man (or his friends) will be back for more. My older son was traumatized by what had happened. Being older, he understood the extent of our loss and perhaps felt some blame for not being able to stop what he had seen. While I assured him that he did the right thing (of keeping away from the man and then calling me), and that he wasn't to blame for what had happened, he had repeatedly asked, "Mommy, paano kung bumalik siya?" He had insisted on coming with us to the office beginning tomorrow.

****

My mind refuses to quiet down so I can sleep, and my heart chokes with grief. I grieve over the things we have lost; I grieve over the things we have given up to earn that money. I grieve over the memories and the sentimental value taken away with my jewelry.

More importantly, I grieve over our loss of safety, the sense of normalcy thrown askance by the turn of events. I realized how unprepared the maids are for emergencies. What happened has shown how instructions, admonitions and training dissolve in the fear and panic of real-life crises. Gone is the confidence of leaving my home and my sons in competent hands; in its place, fear, worry and frustration, as I cannot be at two places at one time.

Nothing is the same.

dress distress, dress success

2007-01-26T01:37:00.000+08:00

My first time to be ninang sa kasal. In a cousin-in-law's wedding in faraway Rosales, Pangasinan. The confirmation came a week before the wedding. Great. Seven days for a dress.

If I had been male, things would be simpler. All I'd need is a clean barong, pressed slacks and a pair of shiny shoes.

It would be simpler too had I been fifty-ish, five inches taller, and 10 pounds lighter.

As I am none of the above, finding the dress was complicated.

I didn't want to be overdressed. I didn't want to look matronly. (With a ninang dress, I'd look like the little girl who played dress up and put on mom's makeup.) I also wanted something re-wearable... sometime, when I become ninang again, perhaps?

In my mind I pictured wearing a dress like these --
But found no such luck after hours of searching in Glorietta, Landmark, Sari-Sari, X and Cinderella in Makati one hassled Sunday. There had been dresses -- great looking ones, but they were too long, not of the right color, didn't fit or were simply too expensive and hence, impractical.

I tried again the next day, in Megamall. The first two rounds with Mike were as unlucky as my foray in Makati. I found something similar to my dream dress but the store didn't have my size. Boo-hu-hu! Mike didn't have the stamina nor the taste for shopping, so while he wasn't actually complaining I felt like I had to make a decision and was getting tempted to buy a dress that looked okay, but one I didn't really like. (It was beige, empire-cut, where I looked dawdy and pregnant.)

We took a break, had dinner, and I sent Mike away to rest his legs while I tried a second time.

And then that's when I found this dress in the SM department store. Just the right color, re-wearable. The length was alright too. (I could pull the skirt up or have it shortened anyways.) And guess what! It cost less than P2,000!

For P140 more I bought a yard of dope-dyed fabric (same material and color --gold-- as the dress) which I had made out into a shawl.

See? There's value in never giving up. :)

======

BTW, I turned out to be the youngest and sassiest looking ninang at the wedding. :)

Cosmos

2007-01-23T12:13:00.000+08:00

Now, THIS is a performance. Ten stars and an ovation.

Makes me long for the time when we spent lunch breaks and after office hours in the heat of rehearsals for competitions. I totally MISS choral singing.

Brood Goes to Baguio

2007-01-09T07:39:00.001+08:00

We went for one last road trip before the year ended and drove up to Baguio on Dec. 30. It's been almost 10 years since I've been to Baguio; it is the second time for JAM, and the first for Gabriel and my nieces.

The rest of the story's here.

Memo from the Almighty

2007-01-03T11:19:00.001+08:00

Effective immediately, please be aware that there are changes YOU need to make in YOUR life. These changes need to be completed in order that I may fulfill My promises to you to grant you peace, joy and happiness in this life. I apologize for any inconvenience, but after all that I am doing, this seems very little to ask of you. Please, follow these 10 guidelines.

1. QUIT WORRYING. Life has dealt you a blow and all you do is sit and worry. Have you forgotten that I am hereto take all your burdens and carry them for you? Or do you just enjoy fretting over every little thing that comes your way?

2. PUT IT ON THE LIST. Something needs done or taken care of. Put it on the list. No, not YOUR list. Put it on MY to-do-list. Let ME be the one to take care of the problem. I can't help you until you turn it over to Me. And although My to-do-list is long, I am after all... God. I can take careof anything you put into My hands. In fact, if the truth were ever really known, I take care of a lot of things for you that you never even realize.

3. TRUST ME. Once you've given your burdens to Me, quit trying to take them back. Trust in Me.. Have the faith that I will take care ofall your needs, your problems and your trials. Problems with the kids? Put them on My list. Problem with finances? Put it on My list. Problems with your emotional roller coaster? For My sake, put it on My list. I want to help you. All you have to do is ask.

4. LEAVE IT ALONE. Don't wake up one morning and say, "Well, I'm feeling much stronger now, I thinkI can handle it from here." Why do you think you are feeling stronger now? It's simple. You gave Me your burdens and I'm taking care of them. I also renew your strength and cover you in my peace. Don't you know that if I give you these problems back, you will be right back where you started? Leave them with Me and forget about them. Just let Me do my job.

5. TALK TO ME. I want you to forget a lot of things. Forget what was making you crazy. Forget the worry and the fretting because you know I'm in control. But there's onething I pray you never forget. Please, don't forget to talk to Me - OFTEN! I love YOU! I want to hear your voice. I want you to include Me in on the things going on in your life. I want to hear you talk about your friends and family. Prayer is simply you having a conversation with Me. I want to be your dearest friend.

6. HAVE FAITH. I see a lot of things from up here that you can't see from where you are. Have faith in Me that I know what I'm doing. Trust Me--you wouldn't want the view from My eyes. I will continue to care for you, watch over you, and meet your needs. You only have to trust Me. Although I have a much bigger task than you, it seems as if you have so much trouble justdoing your simple part. How hard can trust be?

7. SHARE. You were taught to share when you were only two years old. When did you forget?That rule still applies. Share with those who are less fortunate than you. Share your joy withthose who need encouragement. Share your laughter with those who haven't heard any in such a long time. Share your tears with those who have forgotten how to cry. Share your faith with those who have none.

8. BE PATIENT. I managed to fix it so in just one lifetime you could have so many diverse experiences. You grow from a child to an adult, have children, change jobs many times, learn many trades, travel to so many places, meet thousandsof people, and experience so much. How can you be so impatient then when it takes Me a little longer than you expect to handle something on My to-do-list? Trust in My timing, for My timing is perfect. Just because I created the entire universe in only six days, everyone thinks I should always rush, rush, rush.

9.BE KIND. Be kind to others, for I love them justas much as I love you. They may not dresslike you, or talk like you, or live the same way you do, but I still love you all. Please try to get along, for My sake. I created each of you different in some way. It would be too boring if you were all identical. Please, know I love each of your differences.

10. LOVE YOURSELF. As much as I love you, how can you not love yourself? You were created by me for one reason only -- to be loved, and to love in return. I am a God of Love. Love Me. Love your neighbors. But also love yourself. It makes My heart ache when I see you so angry with yourself when things go wrong. You are very precious to me. Don't ever forget.
Touch someone with your love.

Rather than focus upon the thorns of life, smell the roses and count your blessings.

--------------
(thanks to Beth for emailing this to me.)

My Christmas Eve Birthday

2006-12-25T00:54:00.000+08:00

It was my busiest and craziest and most disorganized birthday celebration to date. At 11:30 am when Uncle Afin and Auntie Bridget arrived, I was still in jogging pants and tees, haven't showered, was yet to make the sauce for the fish and toss the spaghetti!

So after making quick delegations to Mike to make the sauce I hurriedly showered and dressed, came down the stairs with my hair still damp, welcomed Claire and her bro Cuth, went straight to my messed up kitchen, tossed the spaghetti and laid it on the table.

I was about to lay down the lunchware on the sidetable when I had another surprise: the maid had not prepared the disposable plates and cutlery (she was busy with the barbecue) and said we didn't have any plastic cups. (I was sure I had a lot left over from our Christmas party at the office, but I didn't have the nerve to make halungkat in front of the guests!) Settling that detail sidetracked me for a few minutes or so.

A little while later another dear friend Malou and her brood came in. By 12:30 pm we said grace and attacked the lunch fare produced from my tiny, busy kitchen: Lengua Con Salsa Blanca (Ox Tongue with White Sauce), Callos ala Madrilena, Red Snapper* in Sweet-Sour Sauce, Spaghetti Bolognese, Fried Chicken*, Shanghai Spring Rolls* and Pork Barbecue. (Recipes to be posted in Kitchen Conjugations as soon as I am able to type them up.) For dessert we had the super-moist Ms. Polly's Chocolate Cake that Claire brought in. Over lunch, aside from the Red Iced Tea I made we also had a bottle of white (Bin 444) and a red (which was unremarkable, so I forgot the name).

It was super hectic and busy that I didn't have time nor the chance to take pictures of the food, the table, nor of us. (Huhuhu. All that effort and no picture? Sometimes you wish you had octopus hands.) I meant to exchange gifts with Malou and Claire but failed because I have not yet wrapped my gifts!

Anne, Is That You?

The craziness has been due to the fact that... well, I am human and normal and can only do so much. :)

It used to be that I have my presents ready by end of November, but I've been tied up in the last two weeks. I was a one-woman production crew in staging a Christmas party for 80 people at our office (December 16) and assembling a plethora of Christmas gifts and baskets of goodies.
(Back in Amkor there were 70 of us who got busy over these things. This time I was solely responsible for the stage, the prizes, the games and entertainment, the food, the 13th month pay, the guests, even the speeches! (I even sang Through the Fire impromptu, no warm up nor vocalization, kulang pa sa tulog, ha!)

In the interim I emceed and facilitated games at my son's Christmas party (be glad to know I didn't volunteer, just didn't have the heart to refuse the request), woke up early to make Baked Macaroni for my other son's party, attended other Christmas parties and send-offs, tutored and reviewed my son for his exams, while running the usual operations at the office.

That went on while I sort of recuperated from a D&C procedure I had on the 7th.

And yesterday I woke up with a stiff neck and a frozen shoulder, and my reflexologist, a Seventh -Day Adventist wouldn't do a treatment on a Saturday! Waah!

Mike had suggested we celebrate my birthday somewhere in Alabang but it was I who insisted we stay home and cook. I was anticipating the heavy traffic and the hassle of finding parking spots not just for us but for our guests. I also wanted the luxury of staying for as long as we want. Besides, I wanted to serve the work of my hands. However, while I had that, I had to contend with 1) being shorthanded (one of my two maids left early this month) 2) the space limitations of my kitchen / little house; 3) walking like a stiff robot, saying aray every now and then when i turn or move the wrong way and 4) greeting my guests smelling of Salonpas!

Nonetheless...

That was by far my busiest, craziest, most disorganized birthday celebration in the last 33 years. That's not to say I didn't have fun though. Thanks to a loving and very supportive husband (who was my kitchen assistant and masseuse, two wonderful sons, friends who drove in all the way from Cavite and Manila, and those who took time out from their busy schedules just to give me the gift of time and attention (yes, I appreciate that), I had a memorable birthday despite the hustle and bustle.

----------
*Mike took care of the frying, because I am a putok ng mantika magnet, remember, and I've been banned from frying for the rest of my life?

33, soon

2006-12-19T13:41:00.001+08:00

This Sunday, I will turn 33. What do I have to show for it? If before or after this birthday I pass on to the afterlife, will people remember me for something worthwhile?

***

An "anonymous" reader left a comment in one of my other blogs, and here's a portion of it: " ...I remember the book I read, written by Mitch Albom, it said, 'So many people walk around with meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things...'

...The way you get meaning into life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning." I entirely agree with the author. Do you?..."

***
Oh yes I do. For six years of my life I chased the wrong things. For six years I thought my purpose in life was to prove myself to others -- to show how good and talented I was, especially to my bosses. So I worked hard, spent long hours at work. And even when I was home, my mind was still preoccupied with work.

But the more I gave, the more work demanded. When I was supposed to be resting in bed because of a threatened abortion, I let my boss talk me into being fetched for work.

Then one day, I realized (albeit too late), LIFE has passed me by. Because I was "needed," I passed up rest and recreation when work beckoned. I neglected my health, getting little exercise and missing medical checkups. I rarely saw my friends, and had been half-absent through my son's formative years.

So one day, I took a leap of faith and resigned. And so at least, in the last 4 years, I have been chasing what I believe are the right things -- time with my family; financial independence that I could leave as a legacy; health and friendships. And while my responsibilities have increased five-fold, what I do now are far more rewarding and enriching.

Gifts for Your Man

2006-12-12T23:24:00.001+08:00

Those of you who are here in the Philippines must have seen the latest mayonnaise commercial, which was about a wife trying to help her husband find a gift for the boss. In the course of their shopping, she suggests a bottle of wine, a neck tie and a swiss knife, all of which the husband turned down, saying "Meron na siya niyan, (He has that.)"

That commercial played again one time while my husband/boss and I were having breakfast, and I seized the opportunity.

"Ano kaya'ng ireregalo ko sa boss ko? (What do you think should I give my boss?)" I asked out loud.

Playing along, my husband-boss replied, "Meron na siya niyan."

I persisted, "Ano nga kayang gusto niyang iregalo ko sa kanya? (What does he want to get for a gift from me?)"

"Huwag mo nang pagkaabalahan yung boss mo, (Don't bother with him)," was the reply between bites of pandesal.

He definitely wasn't making it easy.

----------

Well, getting him a gift has never been easy.

For one, our interests are very different. He doesn't like reading, and is not into arts or photography. And I'm more techie than he is, so IT gadgetry are out.

The areas that interest him -- electronics, hydraulics, electricity -- are simply not within my circle of competence. I dare not buy him electronic gadgets, tools or equipment for his line of work because I just might end up buying something he cannot or will not use.

For most of the occasions that I did have an idea of a gift he'd love, he beat me to buying them. Once in passing he mentioned he needed a plastic watch for when he jogs, so I planned to get one for him for Fathers' Day. We were out in Southmall, and while he was somewhere having his metal watch checked, I was eyeing a Casio G-Shock and planned to return and buy it the following day. When we met up a few minutes later, he was already wearing a Casio G-Shock, even more expensive than the one I was out to buy. On separate occasions I meant to get him a hunting knife, a fishing rod, a billiard stick. He beat me to buying them. Sheesh.

I've already given him his very own movie poster -- his face instead of Tom Cruise's, in Top Gun -- which I did with Photoshop. If I give him another one it's not going to be anything new...

I can't be generic with him. Can't buy him a shirt, shoes, perfume -- meron na siya niyan. And besides, kahiya, he's been very generous, so I want to give back something of that generosity and give him something special, which says I put in some thought into the gift.

I want to make bawi too because I wasn't able to give him a decent gift during his last birthday, as we were in Mindanao, mourning.

So what's it gonna be? Any suggestions? What are you giving the Significant Man in your life?
Here's some of what I have in mind (don't worry, unless I make him, hubby doesn't read my blogs):

1) An acoustic guitar. He can play a few tunes, more with the guide of a chordbook. We can use this to unwind. The hitch: when do I get out to buy this before Christmas? Where do I hide it? And I don't know a lot about guitars to buy him a decent one... That in the picture is an Ovation Standard Balladeer, by the way. Photo for reference purposes only. Cost way beyond means. :)

2) A formal-looking leather-strap watch. For his barong days, which have become frequent recently. But since he's not had the chance to buy a leather watch, he's been wearing his jogging watch (the Casio G-Shock) with his barong. Hehehe. I hope he doesn't beat me to this one... a Pierre Cardin.

3) Rockport leather sandals. For when he travels. He actually brings his rubber house slippers. Time to leave them home and bring something more, er, presentable. :) I hope I get the size right...

4) A baby girl. Now this one will take me nine months plus an indefinite production time, and the 50% chance of producing one that's not according to specifications (read: a boy). Definitely not available by Christmas, but in all likelihood something he will like, something he can't beat me to buying. Besides, wala pa siya niyan. :)

Plain Jane I Am

2006-12-01T23:48:00.001+08:00

Work. Stress. Depression. Weight gain. It does get to a girl. And that is why I haven't been writing anything decent or profound. Not that I haven't had any thoughts. It's just that I don't think they're anything that would interest you. I haven't really been myself. Not the writer nor the artist. Just the worker. The mother. The wife. But not the blogger.

So along the lines of consistency, here's another post that's not exactly profound; may not even interest you, but what the heck. Found this while bloghopping. See if you find anything surprising about me:

Level 1
[x] smoked a cigarette *for a role in a school play; puked backstage afterwards
[ ] done weed
[ ] kissed a member of the same sex
[x] drank alcohol * 2 shots of Tequila and I conked out
SO FAR: 2

Level 2
[x] been in love
[ ] shoplifted
[ ] been fired
[ ] been in a fist fight
SO FAR: 3

Level 3
[x] snuck out of a parent's house
[x] had feelings for someone who didn't have them back
[ ] been arrested
[ ] made out with a stranger
[ ] gone out on a blind date
SO FAR: 5

Level 4
[x] had a crush on an older person *a seminarian at that!!
[x] skipped school/class
[ ] slept with a co-worker
[x] seen someone/something die
SO FAR: 8

Level 5
[ ] had/have a crush on one of your FRIENDSTER friends
[ ] been to Paris
[ ] been to Spain
[x] been on a plane
[ ] thrown up from drinking
SO FAR: 9

Level 6
[x] eaten Sushi
[ ] been snowboarding
[ ] met someone BECAUSE of friendster
[ ] been mosh pitting
SO FAR: 10

Level 7
[ ] been in an abusive relationship
[x] taken pain killers
[x] love/like someone right now
[x] laid on your back and watched cloud shapes go by
[ ] made a snow angel/ man
SO FAR: 13

Level 8
[ ] had a tea party
[x] flown a kite
[x] built a sand castle
[x] gone puddle jumping
[x] played dress up
SO FAR: 17

Level 9
[x] jumped into a pile of leaves
[ ] gone sledding
[x] cheated while playing a game
[x] been lonely
[x] fallen asleep at work/school
SO FAR: 21

Level 10
[ ] used a fake/someone else's ID
[x] watched the sun set
[x] felt an earthquake
[ ] killed a snake
SO FAR: 23

Level 11
[x] been tickled
[x] been robbed/vandalized
[ ] robbed someone
[x] been misunderstood
[ ] pet a reindeer
SO FAR: 26

Level 12
[x] won a contest
[ ] been suspended from school
[ ] had detention
[ ] been in a car/motorcycle accident
SO FAR: 27

Level 13
[ ] had/have braces
[ ] eaten a whole pint of ice cream in one night
[x] had deja vu
[x] danced in the moonlight
SO FAR: 29

Level 14
[x] hated the way you look
[ ] witnessed a crime
[ ] pole danced
[x] questioned your heart
[x] been obsessed with post-it notes
SO FAR: 32

Level 15
[ ] squished barefoot through the mud
[x] been lost *in Macau!
[ ] been to the opposite side of the world
[ ] swam in the ocean
[x] felt like you were dying
SO FAR: 37

Level 16
[x] cried yourself to sleep
[x] played cops and robbers
[x] recently coloured with crayons/colored pencils/markers
[x] sang karaoke *videoke
[x] paid for a meal with only coins
SO FAR: 42

Level 17
[x] done something you told yourself you wouldn't
[x] made prank phone calls
[x] laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
[x] kissed in the rain
SO FAR: 46

Level 18
[x] written a letter to Santa Clause
[ ] been kissed under a mistletoe
[x] watched the sun set with someone you care/cared about
[x] blown bubbles
[x] made a bonfire on the beach
SO FAR: 50

Level 19
[ ] crashed a party
[ ] have traveled more than 5 days with a car full of people
[ ] gone roller skating/ blading
[x] had a wish come true
[ ] humped a monkey
SO FAR: 51

Level 20
[x] worn pearls
[ ] jumped off a bridge
[ ] screamed "penis" at a football game.
[ ] swimming with dolphins
SO FAR: 52

Level 21
[ ] got your tongue stuck to a pole/freezer/ice cube
[ ] kissed a fish
[x] worn the opposite sex's clothes
[x] Sat on a roof top
SO FAR: 54

Level 22
[x] screamed at the top of your lungs
[ ] can do a one-handed cartwheel
[x] talked on the phone for more than 6 hours
[x] stayed up all night
SO FAR: 57

Level 23
[ ] picked and ate an apple right off the tree
[x] climbed a tree
[x] had/been in a tree house
[x] are scared to watch scary movies alone
SO FAR: 60

Level 24
[x] believed in ghosts
[x] have/had more than 30 pairs of shoes
[ ] gone streaking
[ ] been in jail
SO FAR: 62

57% Crazy. Just your regular, plain Jane.

what i said

2006-11-24T22:05:00.001+08:00

"What price do I pay for transferring Jam to a new, hopefully better school? Having Jam give up friendships he has made. The sacrifice of longer commutes to school, unless we relocate. Taking the risk of finding out that I'm in a worse school. Adjusting all over again, etcetera." --to Mike, on my exasperation over Jam's school

" 'Hoy bakla, mag-drama ka. Kunwari trainer ka, at estudyante mo ako. Turuan mo ako, wag mo akong chismisan.'" -- to a friend, on what to say to another friend

"Brochure, brochure. Mukha na akong brochure." --after a long day of writing and designing product literature.

"I don't get internet subscriptions for the heck of it. I applied for DSL because I need one and I need it to work. I don't need it tomorrow or next week. I need it now. You have until 12 nn to restore my DSL connection, or else I will have this (connection) disconnected. I won't pay pre-termination charges because I terminated the service because you weren't able to satisfy my needs." -- to a customer care person named Felwin, who (unluckily) received my nth report call to PLDT

"Tengo hambre. J'ai faime. In other words, makakakain na ako ng tao sa gutom!" --to Mike, past lunchtime

"Na-shock ang mga tao namin pagkakita sa akin. (Naka-rollers pa din ako, may takip na bandana.) Sabi ni Mike, mukha daw akong spokesperson ng MILF. Sabi naman nung mga tao, mukha akong Muslim na taga-Baguio. Hahaha!" --SMS to a friend

Mandarin Ducks

2006-11-14T22:59:00.003+08:00

Took these shots on our way to breakfast at the 85/15 (of The Farm at San Benito):

Mike takes a swim in the pond by the Reception Hall. :P

Here's me and Mike basking in the morning sun by the pond. :P

And there's Mike looking at the camera while I go peck myself clean. :P

Seriously now:

The pics above are of a pair of Mandarin Ducks we found in the pond as we walked to the restaurant. Like other fowls, the Mandarin drakes are more colorfully plummaged than the females; this is because the color is a way to attract the females for breeding. And actually it was their colorful plummage that got me attracted to take their pictures in the first place, kahit muntik-muntikan na akong mahulog sa pond! Twas hard getting a good shot too, especially since they were playing hard to get..

Mandarin Ducks (Aix galericulata) grow to around 40cms and usually live by ponds, lakes and rivers with wooded banks. Mandarin Ducks, as their names suggest, come originally from eastern Asia, where they are becoming quite rare.

Mandarin ducks are relatives of, and therefore look very similar to Wood Ducks (Aix sponsa), native to North America. For more info on their differences/similarities, click here.

On Education

2006-11-13T20:08:00.001+08:00

Dear Mom,

Sayang di (na naman) pumasok ang apo mo sa DL. Nung 1st quarter all his grades were 88 and above, pero di umabot sa 90 ang average. Ngayon bukod sa di umabot sa 90, meron din siyang grade na 85, sa Science. I said sayang not because I will die kung di siya ma-honor -- you know I know better than that. Nanghihinayang ako kasi naramdaman ko yung drive nung bata, pero eto nga, na-frustrate.

Yung Science/Science teacher ang ipinunta ko na naman sa school nila few weeks back, kasi nagbigay daw ng quiz, tapos halos lahat sila mababa ang score. Yung iba, bagsak. Nagalit pa daw yung teacher sa kanila, saying talo pa sila ng second section (I don't know how true). When I told the principal about it, she committed a re-test.

Tapos nung kinuha ko nga yung card last Sunday, I learned na lahat ng bata, including those in the Top 10, bumaba ang grades. I asked the adviser kung saan ang tingin nilang problema -- di pa daw nila alam, they will analyze pa daw. Pero siguro daw ito lang yung time na ang mga utak ng mga bata, naglaro. I nearly laughed out loud at the idea. What a flimsy excuse! That's a given -- children will always like playing over studying! Ang gusto kong itanong, so now that you think that's what happened, what do you intend to do about it? Hindi ko tinanong kasi magmumukha akong intrimitida. Actually, tingin ko may ganoon na nga akong image, lalo lang maco-confirm...

Once I went to the school to pay tuition. That was a rare event, kasi usually pinapakisabay ko na lang sa friend ko 'yung bayad. So nagulat ako nung pagkalapit ko dun sa Cashier's Window, nai-type na nung clerk yung last name ko sa computer at nailabas na niya yung record ng apo mo. She knows me! Weird.

So pagbalik ko sa sasakyan, kinuwento ko yun sa asawa ko. Sabi ko ang galing naman nung memory nung clerk, kasi last time na nakita niya ako was last June pa. Sabi sa akin, hindi daw, meron na daw naka-paskil na picture ko sa offices nung school, may warning: "Beware of this woman. Mataray. Mabangis. Mahilig sumulat sa school." Nakalagay daw ang pangalan ko sa ilalim nung picture, kaya daw alam na nung clerk yung last name ko. Eh?

One of my friends confirmed this -- well, hindi naman yung may picture nga ako or something. She's a teacher too (in another school) and meron na silang "roster" ng mga dreaded parents. Kapag may dumating from among those dreaded parents, news travel fast at nalalaman nila. So malamang nga daw ganun ang sa akin. Nge!

So whatever happened to "the school and the parents must work hand in hand to give children the best education possible"? How can I expect them to give my son a good education kung sila mismo ayaw matuto from feedback and criticism? Aaarrrggh.

Ngayon kasi, hindi na ministerial ang education, but income-generation. Negosyo. Maraming teachers naging teachers for the job, not because they want to teach, much less, love to teach. The whole sector is a problem -- DepEd developed a curriculum that's supposed to mold students into citizens who can help the Philippines go global; pero hindi naman ready ang infrastructure -- kulang ang classrooms, kulang or di competent ang teachers, ang textbooks kung pano-pano lang. (In fact some of them read like mere compilations.)

Then, maraming teachers, as I said, incidental. This is not to generalize, but some teachers end up as teachers kasi they took up Educ kasi yun na lang ang course na naiwang available sa kanila. (Sige, go ahead, ask why.) Yung iba namang magagaling, nag-Educ so they can teach abroad, stepping stone lang yung dito. In general, overwhelming o disinteresting na nga yung subject, di pa ginagawan na maibaba sa level ng students or make it interesting. I find myself re-teaching, correcting (!) yung mga mali o incomplete na turo, or supplementing kasi nga superficial ang treatment.

All these considered, totoo nga, intrimitida nga ako. Hay. :P

--Len

Anne to Mom, and Vice Versa

2006-11-07T22:41:00.001+08:00

November 1, 2006

Dear Mommy,

We went Trick O' Treatin' yesterday at Ayala Alabang. Jam dressed as Count Dracula while Gambel was the fattest and cutest Berdugo you'd ever see. I bought both costumes at SM. I initially planned on making them myself, kaya lang di na kinaya ng powers ko. Besides, P250.00 lang naman each. Nilagyan ko na lang ng make-up si Jam.

(Funny thing was, when we bought their costumes, nagpunta kami sa fitting room so I can see kung kasya kay Gambel. Nung naisuot na, I asked him to check himself in the mirror which was outside the fitting room. Pagbukas ng pinto at pagkakita niya sa reflection niya napaatras siya... siya mismo nagulat at natakot sa itsura niya. Hahaha.)

Biglang di na kasya ang halloween costume ni Robyn from last year. Buti na lang may shirt siyang black so I took off from there. I initially wanted to make her up as Rogue (ng X-Men) kaya lang red ang hairspray ko. Crunch time na din kasi we got to AAV about 3pm and by then ang dami nang umiikot, takot yung mga batang maubusan so they were raring to go. So mabilisan na ang make-up session. Good thing I bought claws as an extra for Jam, and she was able to use it. Then I thickened her eyebrows and reddened her face. Andre wore her fairy costume from last year, so there was no need to make her ugly or scary. Buti din Gambel didn't need any face make-up...

Mom Writes Back:

Pinag-costume din kami ng halloween sa pinagtatrabahohan ko. Ayokong gumasta kaya bumili lang ako ng sombrero ng witch. May nakakabit sa sombrero na green na buhok, mahaba. Nagsuot ako ng long skirt na black at saka sweat shirt na black. Mukha rin akong witch--good witch nga lang daw sabi nila. One remarked, "Isn't she gorgeous?" Pati iyong mga matatandang residente tuwang tuwa sa amin. (Taray ng nanay ko, no? Beauteous pa din. Sayang walang pic.)

Si Erin pala dinala rin nila dun lola sa kabila kasi may trick o treat din doon para daw makita ng mga naka costume. Di ko alam kung natuwa rin si Erin.

Ang ganda nung pictures. I will see kung may mabibili pa akong costumes at masks dito, in preparation for next year. Marami din ba silang napag trick or treat-an?

Mom

My reply:

Yes, madami din silang napag-trick o' treat-an. Ang sisipag ngang maglakad bigla, ang laki ng Ayala Alabang pero halos nagalugad namin ON FOOT. (Eh kasi ba naman, di na kami nasundan ni Bitoy. Buti sila, naka-flats. Eh akong naka-heels? Di naman ako makapag-flats kasi di na malalaman kung sino ang mommy.... Although on second thought, sana nga pala nag-flats na lang ako.... hehehehe)

Enjoy din kasi marami ding nag-take ng effort na mag-participate, they decorated their homes at yung iba, mismong yung mga may-ari (na naka-costume din) ang nagbibigay ng goodies. (This is noteworthy kasi sa ibang bahay, mga dh na lang ang naga-abot.)

Meron pa nga kaming napuntahan na complete with a pirate ship, treasure at pirates pa. That's them (top, left) with one of the 'pirates'.

Meron din na naka-suot pang-belly dancing yung mga LALAKI. Natatawa tuloy yung apat, si Gambel paglapit sa akin pagkakuha ng goodies, sabi, "Mommy, bading yung nagbigay sa akin!" Natawa ako, sabi ko, "Hindi, costume nila 'yun!"

Karamihan, candy ang ibinigay, although there were standouts -- those who gave ice cream, cotton candy, plastic fangs and juice or flavored milk to the trick-o-treaters. The chip of the day was Oishi. Si Gambel nga, pagkakitang Oishi uli, sinabihan yung dh: "Thank you, may Oishi na ako e!" Sabay ipinakita yung Oishi niyang malinggit, samantalang XL yung Oishi na iniaabot sa kanya! Doink!

My Reply, Continued

We decided not to go to the cemetery nung Nov. 1, kasi nga wala si Mike at 'yung ibang puedeng mag-drive magsisiuwi din para dumalaw sa kanilang dearly departed. Nagpunta na rin kami nung 22 (anniversary ni dad) so sa Sunday (Nov. 5) na lang uli.

Supposedly ngayong gabi pa lang ang balik ni Mike from China pero pina-rebook nya at nag-chance passenger siya last night, dun sa last flight from HK (9 pm). Supposedly 11 pm ang dating. Around 10:30 pa lang, nandoon na kami. Eh kaso, PAL ang sinakyan (sayang kasi ang miles...) so late na dumating. 12:07am lumapag, ala-una na nakalabas ng airport...

Nag-worry ako for a while about his flight kasi nga nung dumating kami, 10:30 na nga pero ang flight status na naka-display, TENTATIVE. Yung isang flight galing Korea na mas late umalis, naka-DEFINITE na ang status.

Natakot ako kasi naman si Andre nung in-announce ko na matutuloy na si Mike umuwi, sabi, "Magdasal tayo para kay daddy Mike," so 'kako, sige, tapos magkaharap kaming umupo sa kama tapos nagdasal na siya --

"Lord, sana po bantayan mo si Daddy Mike, sana po wag siyang masaktan pag NAG-CRASH ang airplane niya, sana po wala siyang sugat pag NAG-CRASH ang airplane niya, sana po di siya matakot pag---"

Nakialam na ako: "Sana po WAG MAG-CRASH ang airplane niya!!"

Ayun. Salamat at dininig ni Lord ang panalangin ko!

--Len :)

A Hundred Words or Less

2006-11-01T15:52:00.000+08:00

I haven't written fiction for a while. The last time was published in the Women's Journal, in 1989. I've always wanted to revive my writing *career* and once in a while I get sparks of inspiration for short stories, but sadly the noise of reality and the demands of responsibility keep me away from imagining and storylines.

However, today I decided to start something, for which I would need the help of some friends. I'm starting a story and would be tagging friends to write the continuation. They say more heads are better than one. Well, the other heads I have in mind are really BETTER heads so I believe this story's going to be a real adventure! Plus they'd be posting the continuation in their own blogs, so we would be off bloghopping every week! (Don't worry, they're smart enough to remember to put a link back to the previous installment...)

And so because I'm too excited for words, here's the start of this story-writing adventure:
-------------

She doesn’t like goodbyes. Never did. And she’s a fool, a sentimental one. The kind that keeps diaries and writes poems, and likes songs that say what she keeps inside.

That when she wrote him goodbye, she found herself bereft of words. Not because she didn’t have anything to say to him, but because she didn’t know where to start.

Like, how does she say it pains her to say goodbye to him after knowing that he’s loved her too, all these years? How does she tell him how much he’s meant to her, that he could have had her if he asked, if he only asked?

She began scrawling—

“My dear Shaun,” but her tears fell on the words and smeared them.

--------

TAG, Olive! Can you continue this for me?

Ten Random Things You Probably Didn't Know About Me

2006-10-27T23:10:00.001+08:00

Lists. We all love lists. Here's mine, which idea I got from Stef's blog. A glimpse in to the real me:
1. I don't like repeating myself, especially if I spoke to answer a question. Logic dictates that you will listen for the answer when you ask, right?

2. I can drive, but do not have a driver's license. I haven't got one because there's no motivation -- I don't have my own car yet-- and because my husband believes that on the road I am "a threat to myself and others." Maybe one day I will prove him wrong. :)

3. I have 12 foreign language units. I took 6 units of Spanish right after the requirement was abolished, because I wanted to be different. I took 6 units of French later, because I planned to apply for a scholarship for graduate studies in Switzerland.

4. I was asked to do a mini-TV commercial for Ivory shampoo, but declined because the shoot coincided with a school activity. Tsk, tsk.

5. I am allergic to cigarette smoke. A whiff gives me migraine.

6. I am a multi-tasker, but I can't study nor concentrate when there's music in the background.

7. Some things I'd probably NEVER do, even if my life depended on it: bungee-jumping, rappeling, tight-rope walking, sky-diving. I have altophobia. And I can't swim too -- at least not in open waters. So that also leaves out snorkeling, much more scuba diving.

8. I am a stickler for organization. I want everything in order, in their proper places, filed and labeled. I married a man who's my exact opposite and have since learned, in the pursuit of sanity preservation, to relax my standards.

9. Three things I'd most probably come home with when I'm left to my devices in a mall: a pair of shoes; dinnerware or bakeware and a book. I love shopping, and as the write-up in my college yearbook said, I "..can go for miles without food and water in Greenhills or Divisoria."

10. My fondest wish is to one day open a cozy, old-world charm coffee shop in a quaint corner, where I'd serve pasta dishes, cakes and pastries I made myself. If I can't have that, then I'd like to run at least a bakery or pastry shop.

Tag! You're It! Your turn --

1) Anne of Anne's Thoughts
2) Jenn of Getting Domesticated
3) Olive of West of the Moon, East of the Sun
4) Marlon of Pitstops

Bad DREAM

2006-10-21T00:00:00.000+08:00

MONTHS ago I was surfing for information about how I could have Dream Satellite TV installed at home and found their website. Looking around for a directory of dealers near our area I entered the "Dealer's Lounge" and I was prompted to sign up with my name and contact information. I did, thinking it would speed up getting the information I needed.

After signing up I got a prompt from the website saying that my "Dealership Application" would be submitted, then reviewed, and that I will receive an email notifying me when my application (for dealership) is accepted.

While I was surprised at this turn of events I thought less of it. While I wasn't really interested in becoming a dealer, I assumed that I will be contacted if I were to be made dealer -- afterall, they would need me to make an investment, undergo training, etc. and I would have the chance to say all I wanted was a list of dealers. Days, weeks, months passed and I did not hear from Dream. No call nor email. And so I forgot all about the supposed dealership application.

And then, yesterday, I got a call from a complete stranger on my mobile phone asking about Dream. I was told she got my number from the Dream website. What the...?

And so I checked, and yes, there it was, my name and number, for all the world to see!

Not getting back to their "dealer applicants" is bad (that speaks so poorly about marketing strategy), but publishing personal information, just like that, without any authorization from the information owner was VERY IRRESPONSIBLE.

I have already fired off a letter to Customer Care, Sales and Marketing, and Admin, demanding they rectify the error in 48 hours, along with a threat to sue them for intrusion of privacy if they fail to do so. Would you know a graver case? Suggestions are welcome...

THIRD PARTY INFORMATION

Of course, there are lessons from the experience. In the pursuit of convenience and speed, I've sacrificed the integrity of my personal information, assuming people would be responsible and discreet. Two big mistakes. It's easy to say I'll never give my personal information to complete strangers again. And never online.

But then again, who's to say the information we give or have given to bigger, reputable and presumably more responsible companies -- banks and insurance companies-- are safe from disclosure to third parties? I've received so many third party offers -- from Citibank accredited service providers, SM Advantage Card referrals, etc., for more/other credit cards, health care, insurance among a host of others. All said I've been pre-qualified. They are authorities on my financial qualifications-- my possessions and income -- things I've disclosed to people I assumed would safeguard them.

How ironic since Citibank even mails reminders telling its members to avoid disclosing personal information and PINs over the phone. Parang, huwag n'yo nang ibigay... kami nang bahala!

One Year

2006-10-18T21:57:00.001+08:00

Amoy pomada.
I turned to glance casually at the direction where the overpowering smell of hair pomade was coming from. I expected to see a male senior citizen dressed to the nines, with an attache case, his hair looking like it was licked by a cow-- stereotyped users of the green, greasy gel of a bygone age.

I didn't see that. Instead it was a man in his 50s, in jeans, a tee and sneakers, hair slick with pomade.

And that smell. Unmistakable grease on hair.

Anyhow, interestingly, that made me remember Dad. Aboard the jeep cruising along Ayala Avenue, I took a trip back in time and once again I was a little girl watching him get ready for work. I saw him putting on after-shave cologne and then, styling his then thinning hair; not with pomade, but with Brylcreem. He used to scoop a little of the hairdressing cream with his fingers, spread some on his hair and comb and style his locks meticulously with his favorite brown and beige comb (the kind that sells for about 5 pesos in Baclaran). That, every single morning. Despite earning monickers from me -- Shaggy (for sha-gilid lang ang buhok); Pepito (Pipito lang ang buhok) and Andy (Andidito lang ang buhok). Dad was never pikon. He would just press his lips together in a suppressed smile, his eyes twinkling with the pride of having passed on mischief and sense of humor to his daughter. :)

Dad was a dapper dresser. While his clothes weren't designer labels or expensive, they were always neat and clean. When he had the time dad used to iron his clothes himself, being very particular about the lines on his pants and the arch of his collars. And he wasn't one who would leave the house with less than gleaming shoes.

Dad always smelled good. He religiously took a shower before bed, each time powdering himself and spraying on some after shave. He smelled so good that one time, when my mom was infanticipating, he got kicked out of bed and was sent out of the room because he was mabaho. :)

There was one time dad was really mabaho-- also the one time he got home so drunk and barely made it through the door. When mom found him slumped and snoring by the sofa, she sent out for a dozen bottles of beer, opened them up and drizzled dad with the contents. Dad was a stinky, icky Pete the morning after and promised HIMSELF never to drink so much ever again.

There's just so much I remember about dad, and it's sad that he's no longer around to laugh with me over these silly memories. On Sunday it's been a year since he's passed, yet I still wish it had just been a bad dream and one day I'd hear him calling my name again.

Bye, Papa

2006-09-20T15:25:00.001+08:00

In less than a year, I lost two fathers; my children, both their grandfathers. Dad said goodbye abruptly, just a few minutes after having lunch together and our usual chat in my office, Oct. 22 of last year. He suffered a heart attack while traveling to see my brother.

Then, last Sunday, I lost my father-in-law.

Last Friday, September 15, at just about the same time I was preparing for Gabriel's mini-party in school, my father in law was riding his motorcycle on his way home from his farm in Makilala, North Cotabato when he was hit by another motorcyclist, who was also fatally injured. My father in law suffered a skull fracture, broken ribs, punctured lungs and spent two days in the ICU bravely fighting for his life. When he flat-lined and while the doctors fought to revive him, and in response to pleas ("Pa, wag muna, dadating sina Manong Miguel, hintayin mo (Pa, don't leave us yet, big brother Miguel and his family are on their way, please wait for them)..." he responded by tightening his grasp on my sister-in-law's hand. But his injuries and the infection took the best of him.

I must admit that this is especially hard for us as Papa was still strong as an ox despite his age, daily overseeing production in his farms, that the idea of him passing seemed farfetched for all of us. The idea of him going that way has left all of us shaken.

We never really stop needing our parents. And while we know that death isn't a question of if, but when, and we know the ones we love will one day pass on, when they do go it's always painful, always just too soon.

On Being "Jobless"

2006-08-31T15:01:00.001+08:00

A phone call awoke me from a deep afternoon nap. The caller: a Human Capital manager referred by a former boss -- a great boss, but an even greater friend -- who was seeking my services as Trainer. They want me to conduct a series of Basic English refresher courses, to teach their 3,000 or so employees.

Wow.

I've been essentially jobless for almost 4 years now, but I haven't really been on a jobhunt, essentially because I've had my hands full helping my husband run the family business. My tasks run the gamut of the mediocre (answering phone calls or typing up price quotes) to the strategic (managing cash flow; or studying diversification). It's been exciting, but it's been a far cry from the corporate world I grew accustomed to, a long shot from what I really excelled at.

And then this.

It's not everyday (and perhaps, unheard of), that it happens that you sit (or even sleep) at home and somebody knocks at your door and offers you a job. Nor in my wildest dreams do I have someone beat my doors down, asking me to do something I really enjoy and get paid an insane amount for it.

But I was wide awake and on the phone for several minutes. The offer is very real, and I have to make up my mind and reach a decision by weekend. If I say yes, I would start running the sessions by the second Saturday of September, coincidentally, my son Gabriel's birthday.

Folding A Shirt

2006-08-26T17:28:00.001+08:00

With time on my hands and yahoo on my PC, I got a kick out of watching this video and practicing till I got it right.

Don't blink else you'd miss this super-speedy folding technique. :)

The Ballistic Wife

2006-08-15T17:49:00.000+08:00

I went to my son's school this morning to hand-deliver my letter to the principal. The problem with letters is that they have no voice; readers don't read them the way the writer intones them. So I decided to hand-in the letter with a voice over. Hahaha.

So I started the meeting with "Ma'am, my letter is a little emotional because it was written in frustration, but all I want to say is..." and went on to discuss what I wanted and needed as calmly as I can. I walked out of the office a good 30 minutes later with the assurance that they would discuss my findings with CAL. (I really liked it when I read out the technical thingamajigs I lifted from the book and her mouth dropped open. Hahaha.) I also had a short chat with the computer subject teacher, who assured me that he would issue a supplementary, more specific list of pointers to review to help parents focus on important items to review. Small battle, small win. Good enough.

=============

Then I went to the Kumon Center to pay our tuition dues and had a small chat with the center director. I told her about last night's misadventure and the morning's foray into the principal's office. I told her I'm a little bothered by the notoriety I'm getting.

"Oh, but it's good you're doing that. What you did helps not only your son but the other students whose parents are not as involved or as available as you are," she said. "The school should appreciate that."

"It's my husband," I said. "He's a little uncomfortable about my being outspoken and gung-ho. You know, I actually stayed up until 1 am writing and rewriting my letter because I wanted it not to sound reproachful but nice; then this morning when I let him he read it, he goes, 'Di kaya kayo lang ang may problemang ganyan? Tawagan mo kaya si Malou? (Don't you think yours is an isolated case? Why not check if Malou's having the same problems?)'

So while I was pretty sure about my assessment, I went and called Malou, who more than validated my sentiments. She was pretty pissed off and frustrated with the book, too. So lucky me, I had enough reason to go and bring the matter to their attention."

"Your husband must be saying, 'Ano ba itong napangasawa ko (pala-away yata),"

"Ten years of marriage and here's what I've become. Hahaha. He's probably wondering into what I'd mutate to in the coming years. Hahaha!"

Then I told her the side-story of our little trip at NBS last Saturday. I was picking out a book, but the title I wanted was plastic wrapped. I poised to cut the sides of the wrapping open with my fingernails.

"Don't open that!" my husband said.

"And why not?"

"Baka pagalitan ka nila."

"Pag pinagalitan nila ako, aawayin ko sila! How do I know what's inside? How do I know if I like it enough to buy it?"

He didn't answer, but pointed instead to the other titles in the stack. "Yung iba bukas na. Yan hindi talaga."

"Kaya nga kailangan kong buksan eh. Funny naman, it's like buying a blouse I'm not allowed to try on..."

But I sensed his discomfort and so I knew it was time to give in.

"O, sige na nga, hindi na muna." And I put the book back, unwrapped.

If I did tear the wrappings open and got into an argument for what I did my husband would have died of embarrassment.

"Saka ko na titignan ito 'pag ako na lang mag-isa. Para kahit makipag-away ako, di ka mapapahiya kasi wala ka dito!"

(Was it something that I ate? Hahahaha.)

Mother Guerrera

2006-08-14T23:23:00.000+08:00

Sigh. I'm gaining notoriety (I think) for my propensity to write letters to my son's school, in an effort to make things better, or demand correction where they are due. I've just written another letter, which is about their textbook in Computer-Aided Learning. Read and react here.

Costume Change

2006-08-10T23:17:00.001+08:00

Some asked who made Gambel's costume for the Nutrition Day program.

I did. :)

More pictures and the rest of the story in my parenting blog, StageMother. :)

The Gift of Time

2006-08-03T22:57:00.001+08:00

Somebody's been reading my thoughts. This came in my mail today, My Daily Indulgence from iVillage:

The Gift of Time

Your days are packed with activity, from the banal (emptying the dishwasher) to the ridiculous (making a Thomas the Tank Engine train out of an old refrigerator box). Yet, if you're anything like us, before bed you make long lists of all the other things you must do by the end of the week. And somehow they never get done. Sure, the kids are fed, the bedsheets are reasonably clean and the dog has been walked (hasn't she?), but some things just seem to stay on the list forever.

Get ready to knock one thing off. Our Daily Indulgence today is not of the pampering, spa type, but more practical instead: Pick one thing you've wanted to complete in your house and do it. Whether it's getting a photo album filled (yes, those really are the Thanksgiving photos from 2003), organizing your sock drawer by color and design, or calling all those people you've been meaning to, give yourself the gift of time to do it.

The reward will be a sense of accomplishment that -- if you're anything like us -- you probably haven't felt in a while. Congratulations! You finally did it.

Pump Up The Jam!

2006-08-01T22:54:00.001+08:00

Now it's Jam's turn to show off. :) It isn't always that he agrees to be part of a school production, so this is really big deal for me. :) I took the morning off and postponed my usual Monday Tour of the Banks just so I can be at stage left taking footage. :) Come watch the video.

Batang Bright :)

2006-07-30T22:18:00.001+08:00

I shed a few tears of joy today, after being mightily proud of my boy, Gabriel, who was a trouper in a song number he performed with his classmates.

They performed the same number last Friday for the school program on Nutrition Month, but as always, since he's the biggest boy in class, Gabriel was put in the back row and I didn't get a clear video shot.

Thankfully, this morning they had a repeat at the JCRBCF worship service.* Watch the video and read the rest of the story in StageMother.

Which Shoe Fits?

2006-07-26T20:22:00.001+08:00

I got this in the mail from my friend Marsha. (Thanks, Bru!) Some lessons for you and me here, spot-on admonitions from an anonymous author. :)

I thought of translating the entire text into English (for wider viewership) but I realized the Taglish version is beautiful because the nuances of the vernacular language tugs at the heart, and I didn't want to lose that. However, I also wanted to share the lessons to even those who cannot understand Filipino and so I went on with translating it.

So, here for your enjoyment are two versions-- the original, Pinoy version that was in my mail, and below it, (in colored text) the English version I made.

============

Which Shoe Fits?

1. The Overused Shoes

When I went to Davao for Christmas vacation in 2001, I found what I think was the best shoes I've ever had. It was a blue and white slip-ons with a flower on its strap. Margay ang tatak niya. Ang tagal ko na naghanap ng blue na kikay slip-ons at doon ko lang sa Gaisano Davao nahanap iyun. And I bought the shoes for 500 lang! Feeling ko pa, suwerte ako dahil last pair na iyun. And it was my size!Sobrang natuwa ako sa kikay kong sapatos. At napakalambot niya! I wore the shoes everyday because they would match anything... denim, slacks, capri pants, skirt, dress. Gamit ko siya in the office, at the mall, in church, even at the beach!

Dahil araw-araw ko siyang nagamit, at nasuot ko na siya sa kung saan,it was expected na wala pang isang taon ay sira na siya. Sabi ko, okay lang. May Margay naman sa Robinsons saka sa Landmark, siguro naman may ganoong style pa sila. Ngunit napuntahan ko na lahat ng display ng Margay pero wala akong nakitang katulad nang nabili ko sa Davao.Nakadalawang uwi na ako sa Davao at pumupunta ako sa Gaisano, umaasang may makikita akong ganoon klaseng sapatos. Hindi na nga ako naghahangad ng eksaktong ganoon eh. Kahit na kamukha lang o kasing-lambot lang, okay na. Kaso wala.

Iyong kikay blue Margay na slip-ons ko -- na malambot at may naka-angat na bulaklak sa strap, na bagay sa kahit anong damit ko -- ay sira na ngayon. Hindi lang siya sira, nangingitim na sa dumi, at hindi na kayang i-glue ang punit na talampakan. Pero hindi ko pa siya maitapon-tapon. Hindi ko alam kung bakit. Alam ko hindi ko na siya maisusuot uli, pero may reminder naman ako na once upon a time, I had a perfect pair ofshoes. Hindi ko nga lang inalagaan.

Lesson learned: Kapag nahanap mo na ang bagay o tao na sa tingin mo ay perfect na para sa iyo, ingatan at alagaan mo. Huwag mong abusuhin. Kapag nawala sila,baka wala ka nang mahahanap na kapalit. At habambuhay mo na lang iisipin na "sana, inalaagaan ko siya."

2. The "Maganda Siya Pero Masakit" shoes

May fini-fit ako noon na sapatos sa Celine. Okay lang ang presyo. Maganda ang material. Kikay ang hitsura. At kapag suot ko, nakaka-sexy ng paa. May isang problema nga lang... masakit sa paa. Pero cutie kasi siya eh. Saka on sale. At sadyang matigas ang ulo ko. Kaya ayun, binili ko.

Sa umpisa, okay lang naman. Keri ko. Saka masakit naman talaga sa paa ang bagong sapatos. Pero habang lumilipas ang oras, lalong sumasakit. Hindi siya meant sa pangmatagalang suot. Habang suot ko siya, parang gusto kong umiyak sa tuwing humahakbang ako. Pagdating ko ng bahay, puro sugat at galos ang paa ko. At ilang linggo din akong may peklat sa paa dahil sa diyaskeng sapatos na iyun.

Lesson learned: Kapag sa umpisa pa lang, alam mo na masakit na sa paa at hindi mo puwedeng suotin ng matagalan, huwag mo nang bilhin. Bakit mo pa itutuloy kung alam mong masasaktan ka lamang kapag sinuot mo? Parang pakikipag-relasyon din iyan eh. May mga lalake na good on paper, bagay sa iyo, tipo mo nga eh. Ang kaso, panandalian lang siya. "Boylet" lang kasi unavailable siya. Bakit mo pa itutuloy kong alam mong eventually ay masasaktan ka lang? Sana, habang maaga pa, iwasan mo na.

Kung sa umpisa pa lang, alam mo na masasaktan ka lamang sa bandang huli, huwag mo nang ituloy. Baka mag-iwan pa iyan ng scar na hindi mo na maaaalis kailan man.

3. The shoes that got away

May nakita akong magandang sandals sa Landmark. Mura lang, less than 500 lang siguro.

Kakaiba din siya kasi hindi siya iyong style na makikita mo sa babaeng katabi mo sa MRT. Black and white siya. Polkadots ang strap niya pero hindi cheap ang dating. Ang kikay nga eh. tapos, two inches iyong heels niya. Sinukat ko minsan, ang ganda sa paa!Kaya lang, hindi ko siya binili.

Kasi, kakaiba siya eh. Mahirap hanapan ng ka-match na damit at bag. Saka kakabili ko lang kasi ng isang sandals kaya sabi ko, next pay day ko na lang bibilhin ang polka dots na sapatos na yun.

Madalas akong dumaan sa Landmark at nakikita ko ang sapatos na gusto ko bilhin pero hindi ko mabili-bili. Ilang pay day na ang dumaan pero hindi ko pa rin siya kinukuha para iuwi.

Hanggang sa dumating ang oras na kailangan ko ng isang kikay na sandals na may print. Naisip ko agad ang polka-dots na matagal ko na gusto bilihin. Pero pag-punta ko sa Landmark, wala na siya doon. Naubos na. Ang ending, napabili ako ng ibang printed na sapatos na hindi ko naman talaga gusto pero wala akong choice kasi kailangan ko na nga.

Lesson learned: Kung magpapaligaya sa atin ang isang bagay, seize the day! Sa kaka-delay, baka mawala lang sa atin ito at mauuwi tayong nagse-settle sa hindi naman talaga natin gusto. Mas mahirap pagsisihan ang mga bagay na hindi mo ginawa. Wala na yatang mas masakit pa sa thought na abot-kamay mo na lang, pero pinalampas mo pa.

Sino ba naman mag-aakalang may mapupulot pala akong leksyon sa mga sapatos? Kaya nga panay bili ko eh, para mas marami pa akong matutunan. Sa susunod, I will find lessons from bags naman para ma-justify din kung bakit sandamakmak ang bags ko.

=========

1. The Overused Shoes

When I went to Davao for Christmas vacation in 2001, I found what I think was the best pair of shoes I've ever had: blue and white slip-ons with a perky flower on the straps, by Margay.

I've long been on the lookout for blue, cute slip-ons and was surprised to find one, in Gaisano Davao even! And for only 500 pesos at that! It must be my lucky day, I thought to myself, because it was the last pair, and it was in my size!

I flipped over my cutesy slip-ons. They were unbelievably soft and comfy and they matched every clothing I had. I wore them everyday -- with denim, slacks, capri pants, skirt, dresses. I wore them to work, to the mall, to church -- even to the beach!

And so, expectedly, since I wore my slip-ons everywhere and on every occasion imaginable, I wore them down eventually, in less than a year. I didn't mind, anyhow there are Margay outlets at Robinsons and Landmark, and they'd probably have new pairs of my favorite style on stock.

But I scanned every shelf and rack at Margay but didn't find my favorite slip-ons. I've come home twice to Davao since then and tried my luck at Gaisano, hoping to find another pair of my slip-ons, or at least something similar. Something as cute, or something as comfy. None.

My pair -- once ultra-soft and comfy -- with a perky flower on its strap -- that which goes well with every item in my closet -- is a goner. Shabby and dirty, worn beyond recognition, virtually unsalvageable. But for some reason I haven't had the heart to throw them away. I guess there's no way I can ever wear them again, but when I see them I remember that once upon a time, I had a perfect pair of shoes. It's just that I didn't take care of them.

Lesson learned: When you find the one that's right for you -- the right person or the best thing -- care for it and cherish it, never abuse nor take it for granted. You might never find anything like it ever again and you will forever regret losing the one you neglected.

2. Fabulous-But-Hurts-Like-Hell Shoes
I once tried on a pair at Celine. The price was okay. The material was nice. I loved the style best; my feet looked really sexy in those shoes. There was a glitch however -- they're not as comfy as I would like them to be. But I really liked the style. And it was on sale even. And I've pretty much made up my mind. So I bought them.

They were relatively okay at the start. New shoes are supposed to hurt a little anyway, right? Yet later, they've really started to hurt like hell, and it seemed they weren't meant to be worn for anything longer than a minute. I was on the verge of a breakdown, each step I took in them was sheer torture. My poor feet had blisters and cuts all over by the time I got home. Those darned shoes scarred my feet!

Lesson learned: Don't buy something that's doomed from the start -- that which hurts or doesn't fit or something which won't really serve it's purpose. Why waste on something that will hurt you eventually?

The same is true for relationships -- some men are good "on paper;" you like him, he seems perfect and getting involved with him is the only imaginable next step. But there's a glitch -- he's taken and therefore unavailable, and you really can't have him, not on your terms, not for as long as you want. The relationship is destined for failure, and you're bound for a broken heart. Why get involved in something that will hurt eventually? Stay away, right away.

Because your battlewounds might scar you for life.

3. The Shoes That Got Away
I saw a pair of sandals I liked at Landmark. They were a steal, cost about 500 bucks.

They're uncommon, not the type you'd see on your seatmate's feet on a ride at the MRT. They're in black and white, with polka-dots on the strap, but not in the tacky-kind of way. They were rather dainty. And what's more, the heels were a comfortable two inches. I tried them on once-and wow! They were really cool. My feet looked cute in them.

But I didn't take them home just yet.

I thought that since they were so upbeat and different, I'd probably have a hard time finding clothes and bags to match. I've also bought another pair a few days before. They would have to wait till my next paycheck.

I've passed by Landmark a number of times after that and saw those sandals each time. Several paychecks after I still didn't get them, my mind still undecided and hesitant.

Then came an event that called for dainty, printed sandals and right away I remembered the polka-dot sandals I had wanted for the longest time. I rushed to Landmark, only to find them out of stock. Left with no choice, I ended up buying another pair of printed sandals I didn't really like.

Lesson learned: By waiting and hesitating we might lose the one we want the most and we end up settling for the next best thing, or worse, whatever is available. Why settle, when the one you want is at your grasp? You will experience more regret in the things you did NOT do, than in the things you did do. So if something makes you happy, tarry not, go for it! Seize the day!

On Friendships

2006-07-25T08:07:00.001+08:00

They say friends are God's way of apologizing for the family you end up with. I don't think there's any reason to apologize for mine, but I've really ended up with terrific friends, God must really love me! :)

I have girl friends, male friends, gay friends. I have academic, social, political even cultural friends. Some I have been with for almost two decades, some I am just starting to get to know. Some I share emotional, heavily-laden moments with. With some, light, fun-filled, even comic episodes. Some live nearby, and we see and talk with each other almost everyday. Some are away, and we reconnect and re-start where we left off, online.

All are my staunch supporters -- some more vocal, some with quiet assurance. All are inspirations -- to be kinder, wiser, funnier, sexier, more patient, more creative, sportier, calmer, healthier, better. All touched me with the gift of their time and understanding, at one time or the other giving themselves. All have contributed to who I am now. All have enriched this life I so gratefully enjoy.

And so today, as I look out the window and see the pouring rain, I thank God for the pouring of friends into my life:

Claire, Haidz, Cheche, Marsha, Bryant, Donski, Marlon, Chelle, Beng, Au, Joyce, Odess, Joey, Cesar, TJ, May M, May P, May C, Malou, Lito, Jeng, Rel, Cherry, Olive, Sharon, Chad, Sylvia, Ryann, Jenn, Marko, Jeffrey, Carol, Patrick, Helen, Cel, Ate Mafe, Rain, Chie, Jen, Jason, Ariel, Dang... and more whose names escape my mind at the moment but whose memory will never escape my heart! :)

I Would Have Asked

2006-07-22T20:09:00.000+08:00

Ten things I would have asked if I were another person reading my "48 Hours of Curiosity" Post:

1) Where do you eat, when you're dining out alone?
2) Do you think Angel Locsin is overrated?
3) Why do you have so many bags?
4) If by doing so you would help find a cure for AIDS, would you consider doing a porn movie?
5) Where would you bring a friend who's nursing a broken heart?
6) What do you do when YOU are nursing a broken heart?
7) If you had the money, would you have a tummy tuck or a liposuction?
8) Do you sing in the shower?
9) Ballroom dancing or Streetjazz?
10) Did you ever cheat in an exam?

Growing Old... Too Soon

2006-07-22T19:57:00.000+08:00

I watched Nacho Libre (with my sons) today and discovered that, alas, I have lost my child-like sense of wonder. Sigh.

While I did not hate the movie, I didn't like it either. Or at least I didn't enjoy it the way the boys did.

Perhaps it's the simplistic story (a friar who has since childhood wanted to be a luchador -- a wrestler-- beating the odds and eventually becoming #1, with a crush on a nun and some comedy with a sidekick thrown in between) that turned me off. Or maybe it's the overall theme -- wrestling; a man's arena, with which I can't relate. Maybe it's that I was frustrated by the questions (or the lack of it) turning up in my previous post. Or maybe I no longer know how to enjoy myself -- a case of growing old, too soon.

Sigh. I hope not.

48 Hours of Curiosity

2006-07-20T21:51:00.000+08:00

I'm a blogger, and I publish my thoughts, feelings and experiences for the world to see. However, due to economics (competing wants for limited resources, the greatest of which is time; second to that is creativity), I am not able to share all that I want to tell.

Yet, I'm curious. What's on your mind? What do you want to know (about me, or everything else)? Are you curious about what else is on my mind?

So, here goes: for the next 48 hours, let's have a roundtable discussion of sorts. Ask me questions and I'd answer to the best of my ability. Which kind? Up to you! Leave them in the comments section.

(I'm also curious about where this'll go. 48 questions? No questions at all? Oh com'on, I know you're an interesting lot.)

De-caffeinating my life

2006-07-18T14:35:00.000+08:00

"Darn. I'd really love to have a cup of coffee with this."

That as I flashed my husband a pout over the chicken salad sandwich I was having for lunch.

"Be my guest, sweetheart. Have all the coffee you want."

"But I can't! Caffeine stores fats!"

"So?"

"So I'm giving it up. No coffee. Forever!"

"Kaya mo?"

He has a point there.

I tried giving up coffee before, only to realize that I am a real sucker for coffee, or more specifically the coffee experience. The aroma from the brewpot, a whiff of freshly-ground beans... dissolves any resolve from staying away.

It's been four days, and I've suffered through withdrawal symptoms, including unshakable migraine. And it's not been without temptations -- for what are biscotti, pandesal, banana cue, argellanas without coffee? What is a cold, rainy day without a hot demitasse in my hands, but a major depression?

But then, some glimmers of hope:

Four pounds lost, a better fitting blouse, and a less stimulated appetite. Without coffee, I had been able to skip dinner for four days in a row. Yey!

Well, as it goes, you give up a few things chasing a dream.

Subic 'Scapade - Getting There

2006-07-15T22:23:00.001+08:00

April 29, 2006

We're off! The whole family, including my nieces Robyn and Andre, hied off for an escapade in Subic. We left San Pedro at 2pm. Jeng and her family were in another car, behind us by an hour, and we were supposed to meet up at the Petron service station in NLEX. We got to NLEX at past 3 o'clock and stayed for a while for refreshments. Later we opted to move on with the drive, so we can secure a cottage for the night.

The trip was pretty uneventful until we got to Bacolor-Lubao stretch in Pampanga, where we got ourselves into unmoving traffic. Apparently it was the town fiesta and the streets were pretty busy. We spent over an hour navigating through these towns, most of the time driving off-road.
We finally got to Dinalupihan, and then Olongapo by 7 pm. The kids have by then tired of asking, "Are we there yet?" and we were all hungry for dinner. But we decided to drive on, again in the interest of securing a cottage, and starting the bonfire we had looked forward to.
Finally, we got to Baloy Beach in Bo. Barreto, 133 kms from Manila.
There we got the shock of our lives -- the cottages were full. The parking spaces were brimming. We were offered a seedy cottage for the night for P7,000. I wanted to kick myself for taking the risk of a long travel without guaranteed accommodations. There, I kicked myself.
The second option, which was the next best thing, was to get a picnic hut. We needed a roof over our heads for the night, and at least a place to sit and stretch our legs... as we wait for Jeng and her family to arrive and compound our accommodation problem. :(
We were shown the picnic hut area and I almost fainted.
There, every nook and cranny was taken, and everywhere were bare-chested, drunken men. Certainly interesting view for children, eh?
And where will we sleep? (On the bamboo table, the keeper said.) Can I really sleep with all these people and all this racket around? Where are the restrooms? And do I really need to compete with all these people for shower tomorrow?
And what do I tell Jeng?
A long day, a growling stomach, FOUR restless kids, the embarassment of dragging a friend into incovenience, the prospect of sleeping in full view of at least a hundred people -- it was impossible to think straight.
Yet somehow I found the energy to ask the keeper to find us a less populated area, and there haggled for a "short-time" stay. I asked him to take our P500 (give him P700, Mike said), allow us to have dinner at the hut then keep it for us for a few hours while we look for a place for the night. He was to keep the P700 if we were not back by 10pm. If we didn't find a place to stay, we'd pay for the rest of the rent for the hut.
By then Mike was relentlessly attacking the Pinakbet I packed for dinner. The kids were left to their devices with the munchies.
We left the maids to cook rice, packed the kids and drove off to nearby hotels. We went to White Rock, which we assumed to be less populated because it was more costly, and to Ocean View, (at opposite ends of Barrio Barretto) but both were full. The whole country must have decided to go to Subic for Labor Day weekend!
I called Jeng, who was in Olongapo by then, summarized the circumstances we found ourselves in at Baloy, and asked her to please find for themselves a place for the night. We've decided to head back to Olongapo to find a hotel there, and we drove back to Baloy to collect the maids.
Luckily, Mike suggested we drive past the crowded huts and scout for a vacant cottage along the stretch of the beach. And hallelujah, we found not one, but two! Only they were on limited lease; the house, where the airconditioned rooms were, has been reserved for use 10 am the following day; the beachfront cottage was reserved for 1pm. More haggling and more pleading, but I got it for us. They were miles better from the first house I was offered, and we got the two houses for P7,000. I called Jeng and told her the relief.
Mike (aka resident Boy Scout) started the bonfire in no time. (We bought the firewood along the highway in Lubao, Pampanga and stacked them under my legs in the front seat. You could imagine how it added to the day's exhaustion.)

(Continued)

Lost in Translation

2006-07-11T20:23:00.001+08:00

I bought a toothpaste-squeezer today. OC-me, I like having the toothpaste squeezed from the bottom up, using every drop there is in the tube.

The item was imported from China, the package said, and curiously I went to check out the company website. Below's what's written in the About Us page.

Enjoy.

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"Apple Poingpoing Wangshung plastic mold factory is located domestically known far and wide "township of the Chinese mold" --- the Taizhou Hwangyen, approaches the Hwangyen airport, 104 countries route and the Haimen port, the geographical position is superior, the transportation extremely facilitates. My factory specialized production daily expense lives at home the thing, the product type maintains freshness the series including the microwave, the health bath series, and so on other series products. Moreover, my factory may produce the special product according to the customer request.

This factory had been established since 1998, receives by "the quality first, the customer is supreme, take honestly as this" for serves the objective, "is in the lead by the science and technology, the development innovation, shares double wins" is the management idea, unceasingly strengthens the product quality the surveillance and the management, while guarantees the product quality, my factory provides the highest quality service by might and main for the customer."

Ano daw?!

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If you ever figure out what the author's trying to say, let me know. (Wink! Wink!)
BTW, to protect the well-meaning businessman, the name of the factory has been changed. :)

Subic 'Scapade - Getting It Right

2006-07-05T22:50:00.002+08:00

We were roasting hotdogs and marshmallows when Jeng and her family arrived.

Later we settled in the other house, which we found to be roach-infested, and where only one room had A/C. So we -- six kids, four adults -- slept in one room, using Jeng's sleeping bag and and cushions we had dragged from the living room sofa.

There's Got to be a Morning After

Mike and I got up early (4 am) and decided to take a stroll by the beach. I wanted to take pictures of the sunrise.

To our surprise, a sea of humanity was (already) in the water. People from the overly crowded picnic hut area we spurned the night before must have skipped sleep and spent the night swimming! (Wow!)

We walked away from the people power crowd, enjoying the sweet morning air. Then we met a boy of about 9 years carrying a plastic basin of squid. How Mike is about squid, and how I am about child vendors -- we ended up buying the whole lot of squid that was in the basin!
No ref -- so we ended up cleaning the squid -- and missing shots of the sunrise. Geez.

Rise and Shine!

The deal with the house keeper was that I'd get everyone out of the house and into the beachfront hut by 7am, so Mike and I went back to the house and kicked everyone out of bed. :)

The kids happily got up and rushed to the beach and spent hours kayaking, scuba diving, jet skiing, windsurfing -- oh wait, that's not us! -- I mean, swimming, building sandcastles and playing tag. :)

Joy Ride
After lunch of grilled squid, chicken and pork barbecue, grilled fish and adobo, we set out for a boat ride.

Our boat headed east, past the White Castle (yup, in the middle of the bay; rumored to be the backdrop of the then whisky commercial) and on to the islet where a defunct lighthouse was.
The islet had an artificial beach, which opens to swimmers for a P10.00 entrance fee. We droppped in, Jeng and the kids searching for pebbles for her collection, moi taking pictures as usual.
And where was Mike? Him who has called it a day for swimming and has showered and dressed, stayed on the rocky breakwater ledges, happily protected by my buri hat and Rel's shades.
Then we packed up and headed north, past Snake Island /Pamana Island.
The return to the Baloy beach was tricky. The current had changed and we had to drive counterstream, crashing oncoming waves. Mike, who has seen larger waves and worse sea conditions in Davao assured me there was nothing to it. I still made a silent prayer, then called my Mom out loud when a rather big wave splashed onto us.
When we got back to the beach the changing current had colored the water brown, and had brought in considerable flotsam. All four parents warned the kids in unison --"Wala nang magsi-swimming!!"
So we herded the flock back to the cottage and eating re-ensued, this time a happy snacking on fish balls and kikiam. And part 4 of my adobo. :)
We left the beach at 2pm, bracing ourselves for another 133-kilometer drive back to Manila. (Plus a few more to San Pedro.)
The kids had their zzzzs.
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PS - There would have been more pictures here -- shots taken at the Parola; view shots; the kids during the ride back to Manila-- but for some strange, unexplainable reason, the pictures I post did not and do not appear after uploading. I've tried many times and during many sessions, the reason why this continuation has been delayed. :(

Bags Life

2006-06-26T07:25:00.000+08:00

The night Mike and I admitted our feelings for each other, I got so excited I left my wallet by my PC and had to pa-cute my way home. I had nothing else (that I can easily part with) but the LRT token I found in my filofax, so I sheepishly explained to the bus conductor that I have, um, left my wallet at the office, and asked him to please accept the LRT token* as temporary payment for my ride from Megamall to San Pedro. I told him that I will track him down at the terminal and pay my dues the following day. Luckily, he didn't give me the heave-ho and said paying wasn't necessary under the circumstances.

I thanked him, and thanked God, because if he had been any less gallant (or generous) I would have needed to get off somewhere in treacherous EDSA, beg for change so I can call my mother and ask her to come get me home. The alternative would have been to beg for change, wait for an hour for Mike to get home to Caloocan, then ask him to come get me in treacherous EDSA and get me home. Either way, I would need to approach perfect strangers and ask for change. (Urrhhh.. I shudder at the thought.) And if I did choose plan A and called my mom, I would have earned the ire equal to 3 hydrogen bombs. She would have soooooo hated to be dragged out of bed just to head off in the dark night to collect a daughter who was so euphoric to remember her own wallet. (Urrrhhh... more shudder. )

Anyway, the experience (and the would have beens) embarrased and fazed me enough to learn important lessons: 1) Thou shall not, for any reason, be so stupid as to leave your wallet ever again. And 2) Thou shall not put all your eggs in one basket -- stash some cash in other compartments besides your wallet!

And so from then on I leave/keep lose change (enough for at least a phone call so I won't need to beg from complete strangers) in my checkbook, my cosmetic kit, my pen case, my card case, and in the inside pockets of ALL of my bags...

I realized today though, as I cleaned out my closet, that the bags in which I stashed my emergency cash have grown to a considerable collection:

Native bags. At the foreground, center is Claire's Christmas/birthday gift to me. The rest I bought from the glamorous, ultra-chic place that is Divisoria.

Louis who? Yes, I went through the name-dropping phase too. And yes, dear, they are fakes. (If I can afford the real thing, would I be riding a bus?) And yes, dear, I don't use them anymore. The beige and violet Louis (out back) has never been used, been at the bottom of my bag stack for er, seven years.

Patchwork. These are the more current ones and are my favorites, along with the native bags. The multi-colors allow me to match them with several outfits and allow me to use the same bag for several days in a row. :)

Florals and Stripes, Denim and other Fabrics. The Marilyn Monroe and the brown flowery print bag belong to my grandmother. :) When I like a style I buy it in different colors, as the canvass bags above, left, show. :) The denim mailman bag I bought from a former Home Economics teacher in St. Scholastica's College, who sold the bag (which she used as a project sample) in a garage sale, for only P100!

Les Petits. And then of course, my shopping staples. Light and petite to allow for better and faster movement when shopping, but spacious enough to contain my wallet and mobile phone. The elephant-themed bag at the foreground is a pasalubong from Claire, from Bangkok. The lilac evening purse would have been used during Eman's wedding, but I wound up buying a blue evening dress after a disastrous experience with my modiste.

All together now. Here they all are, including ones that weren't in the previous pictures. A veritable ukay-ukay bag mountain. Time to purge and hold a garage sale, don't you think?

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The LRT token was worth P6.00 back then; a one-way fare from Megamall to San Pedro cost P28.00.

After All

2006-06-22T08:07:00.000+08:00

Switched my media player on and the auto playlist turned up a whole CD-R worth of music. This song's first up, the beautiful lyrics waxing me sentimental:

AFTER ALL

Well, here we are again
I guess it must be fate.
We've tried it on our own,
But deep inside we've known
We'd be back to set things straight.

I still remember when
Your kiss was so brand new
Every memory repeats,
Every step I take retreats,
Every journey always brings me back to you.

Chorus:
After all the stops and starts,
We keep coming back to these two hearts,
Two angels who've been rescued from the fall.

After all that we've been through,
It all comes down to me and you.
I guess it's meant to be,
Forever you and me,
After all...

When love is truly right
(This time it's truly right.)
It lives from year to year.
It changes as it goes,
Oh, and on the way it grows,
But it never disappears!

(Chorus)

Always just beyond my touch,
You know I needed you so much
After all, what else is livin' for?

(Chorus)

Paglisan

2006-06-11T17:56:00.000+08:00

(Today I'm writing in the vernacular. Sorry, I just feel like it.)

Umalis ka na naman. Parang noong bata pa ako, aalis ka na naman at di mapigilan kahit ayaw ko. Kasi kailangan. Pupunta ka sa malayo, di kita makikita ng matagal, kasi may mabigat na dahilan. Noon, kasi may tatlo kang anak na pakakainin, pag-aaralin, dadamitan... may mga bayarin na dapat mabayaran, mga kailangang dapat mapunan. Kaya kahit mahirap para sa ating lahat, pikit-mata mong iniwan kaming tatlo at nakipagsapalaran ka.

Ngayon, di ko alam kung bakit kailangan mo pa ring umalis. Parang mas mabigat at mas masakit ang pag-alis mo ngayon, kasi akala ko kaya na kitang pigilan, dahil mas malaki na ako ngayon, may sarili na akong kita, puede ko nang sabihin na, 'ako na ang bahala, ano ba ang kailangan mo?' Akala ko mas simple na ang sitwasyon kasi malalaki na kami, kung tutuusin, tapos na ang responsibilidad mo. Wala nang dahilan para lumayo ka pa. Pero meron pa rin siguro. May dahilan ka na hindi ko nai-intindihan, pero kailangan kong igalang at tanggapin.

Parang kararating mo lang kahapon, pagkatapos, inihatid ka na namin kanina sa airport. Ang bilis naman ng mga araw, kulang na kulang ang isang buwan nating ipinagsama... puede ko kayang hilahin na ang susunod na taon, para nandito ka na uli?

Mahina talaga ako sa mga hiwalayan, sa mga paalamanan, sa mga paglisan. Wala akong binatbat sa mga iyan.