Mermaids

I support my children’s interest and fascination with sea creatures. They visited the MOP twice last year and it influenced them positively on how they look at the ocean and its wonderful marine life. When they learned about the Mermaid Show at the MOP through a front page photo in the Inquirer, they would not stop asking me to bring them again in the oceanarium.








When their Grandpa R paid us a visit last holiday (Independence Day), he was apparently charmed by my little cherubs and brought them to the MOP one morning. The Mermaid Show was only scheduled in the afternoon until the evening and my children felt disappointed. I promised to bring them back on a Wednesday afternoon before the 7-day expiration of our entrance tickets. So it was done on a Wednesday, I got off early from the office to beat the traffic, my brother was kind enough to pick me up and my kids with their nannies since Braveheart was on a client call. Was it worth all the trouble for a 15 minute show? Yes of course, I could not buy my children’s smiles and squeals of delight, including their Yayas’ as they watch in awe the beautiful and graceful mermaids of MOP.

MOP Mermaid Show runs from June 5 to July 15, 2009. Regular schedule: Tuesdays to Sundays; starting 4 pm onwards. For more details please visit the MOP website.

Photos: MOP, Reuters

What does it mean to be Filipino?

I came across this question while visiting Inquirer.net and got pique as usual. Now I can’t resist to giving my answer though Gigo Alampay encourages its readers to analyze more the above question rather than provide a response to it.

Being Filipino is relative to each person, we are all entitled to our own definition based on unique circumstance, orientation and upbringing but one thing stands similar for all of us, we give premium to values that relate to family and hardwork.

I define being Filipino as a way of life, a daily conscious decision each one of us makes. I see it as more than a mindset and a culture, as well as the feelings of pride we derive from it. It is the everyday struggle we put up to keep our spirit and integrity as a Filipino in this global community.

So what sets us apart from the others, it’s our simple attribute which is our "love of family". Our family orientation goes beyond kin and friends, it may even extend to complete strangers. I observed in everyday hubbub, we still take time to pause and look for ways to help other people.

I remember an incident in SM Makati’s foodcourt when a group of old ladies occupied a table nearby our table during lunch. As the women were busy taking their places, one of them carrying a tray of beverages accidentally spilled all of it on their table. They were unsettled and embarrassed of such clumsiness that resulted to a dining disaster but the crowd around them reacted differently. My friends and I gave them our tissue papers to wipe off the dripping mess while people in the other table called for the roving utility to clean it up. A nearby customer even took the extra mile to request a replacement of the spilled drinks. This is what I love about being Pinoy, we love to dip our fingers on other people’s problems. I mean I’m saying this in a good light, the presence of interest is a lot better than indifference in this case. Further, I would like to answer the question, “Why did we help them?” Well most of us (me and friends) remarked that these women reminded us of our beloved “lolas” (grannies).

We Filipinos are known to be self-giving. We believe in hard toil and its rewards. We work in foreign shores to give our families financial security. We take care of our aging parents and grandparents. We look after our siblings. We treat our friends like family. We approach other people in a more personal way. We are into each other’s dealings. Who doesn’t have an officemate who inquires about how your kids are doing and discusses “have you got a replacement to your delinquent yaya” topic? We ask personal questions that foreigners often find intrusive though the intention was to get to know them more. We build rapport through knowing one’s family. In our village, isn’t it that we will always be the daughter or son of their “kumpare” or “kumare”. So how about you, what makes you Filipino?

“Hoy Pinoy ako, Buo aking loob
May agimat ang dugo ko!” -Bamboo

Bitchology

I got this "bitchology" from my friend and mentor Amherstia. While the use of the term "bitch" may seem extreme for others, the situations described below are real. They happen in everyday life.

People may call you names when they can't get you to agree with them but when one calls you a bitch out of frustration, they become the best sore loser in the world, Haha!

BITCHOLOGY

When I stand up for myself and my beliefs,

they call me a bitch.

When I stand up for those I love,

they call me a bitch.

When I speak my mind, think my own thoughts or

do things my own way, they call me a bitch.

Being a bitch means I won't compromise what's in my heart. It means I live my life MY way.

It means I won't allow anyone to step on me.
When I refuse to tolerate injustice and speak against it,

I am defined as a bitch.

The same thing happens when I take time for myself
instead of being everyone's maid,or

when I act a little selfish.

It means I have the courage and strength to allow myself to be who I truly am and won't become anyone else's idea of what they think I "should” be.

I am outspoken, opinionated and determined. I want what I want and there is nothing wrong with that! So try to stomp on me, just try to douse my inner flame, try to squash every ounce of beauty I hold within me. You won't succeed.

And if that makes me a bitch, so be it.

I embrace the title and am proud to bear it.

This post is empty.

What a terrible day! I can’t just put it into words. I have been reduced once again to someone who lost a friend - another comrade-in-arms. I can’t do a thing to stop “it”. It’s so frustrating. I could feel the edge slipping through my fingers. How many more should I count or should I even dare count?

Murmurs (s2.)

Been doing a lot of murmurings lately, I call the 1st one “the bite” and the 2nd one “the 2 evils”, here goes:

I have fangs. I grew them while dealing with wicked people. I sharpened it through a number of scrapes and bruises against malign motives thrown by the stuck-up lot.

This is my best feature. I bite. I chew. I live. (Can also be read as: I live, I bite, I chew.) Provocation is not good for me because I don’t have the patience for people with bloated egos. I refer to patience as a single horse-hair strand to which the sword of Damocles is fastened, dangling from the ceiling above his head, threadlike yet sturdy, tough yet fragile. It’s amazing when you think about how two opposing characteristics could appear at the same time on a particular circumstance, though this is not always the case as one would supersede the other anytime soon.

*****

So what holds you back from expressing yourself?

I did an informal survey among friends and here are 3 general responses:

1. I might not say the right thing.
2. What will ______ think of me?
3. I might be misinterpreted.

While you may have a different answer from the ones cited above, it all boils down to fear of judgment. So the culprits are fear and judgment, these 2 evils are unnecessary and are of our own making. To have a healthy outlook in life, we must decide to face our fears since it is the only way for us to go. Oh well, I intend to keep my voice steady and heard in a sea of boisterous laughter and howls of despair.

“Fearlessness is facing what you fear with power.”

Image: Flash-screen.com

A Dream

Susan Boyle is making waves in the web and I am going to have a share in spreading the word about her incredible talent as shown in Britain's Got Talent. She is more than the female version of Paul Potts to me. Go Susan Boyle! Go get' em girl!

The audience were laughing at her first but not until they heard her sing (click on photo to see video). Lesson: Dreams are for free, who can stop you from having one?

Video Link: Dwarthy of Daily Motion

Maternal Pride

I got 2 wonderful children and I am very proud of them. They are the sunshine of my life to put it succinctly.

One child is a painter who loves to tinker with crayons and watercolors since he was 2 years old. His earliest work included the walls of our bedroom where he used a mixed medium of crayola and a green stabilo. My little artist is now 4 years old and apparently influenced by the art on-line of Playhouse Disney requested me to buy him a painting set which I did this weekend. It was perfect timing my brothers D and FA paid us a visit on Sunday. FA is the one endowed with aesthetic sense and talent. He gave Speed Racer a blast with their instant painting lessons. My son’s masterpiece is now posted in my brother’s blog “Arnoland” and it really made my day.

One child is a lover of words. I am thinking and praying that she grows up embracing the gift of gab. The first thing I observed about my little girl is her preference for books over toys. She owns a considerable number of new and old books, some inherited from her brother, some sent by our Tita Mari, and mostly we bought for her during our visit to the mall. Her books occupy a good portion of space in the 3rd level of my bookshelf for her easy access and storage. She initiates our reading time before we go to bed as she pulls 2 to 3 storybooks from the bookshelf and requests me to read to her. She listens intently at every word I utter. She also knows when I skip a word or re-word a phrase for she insists that I read that same phrase again. I observed that this practice is doing her well for she did not only talk early, just last night while playing with Speed Racer, she said, “Kuya please turn off the lights.” Hubby and I exchanged looks and we started laughing, YB’s voice might be tiny but she expressed her thought in a sentence. Moreover, she’s only 2 and yet she knows how to get her kuya to follow her.


*Image by Little Ms. Nana

A Simple Lesson

I was moved by Pulitzer Prize winner Doris Kearns Goodwin, acclaimed presidential historian, winning writer, political analyst, Harvard professor and most of all, Mom to 3 sons. A bit of her 1998 commencement address at the Dartmouth College was featured by Queena Lee-Chua along with the memorable speeches of Kofi Annan and Nobel-prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman in her column Eureka. I love Kofi (who doesn't?) but right now I wish to know more about Goodwin, an extraordinary woman and her choice.

Upon withnessing the mighty life of success of Pres. Lyndon Johnson, Goodwin said: "On the surface, he should have everything....and yet the man I saw in his retirement has spend many years in pursuit of work, power and individual success that he had absolutely no psychic or emotional resources left to commit himself to anything once the presidency was gone."

She also noted in her speech a sad conversation she had with Pres. Johnson before he died when he said that he was watching the American people forget him as they were absorbed with the new president...forgetting even the great civil laws he passed. He began to think that his quest for immortality had been in vain, that perhaps he would have been better off focusing his time and attention on his wife and children. Goodwin continued in her speech that, "Despite all the money and power he was alone when he died, his ultimate terror realized."

Having witnessed Pres. Johnson's late realization in life, Goodwin gave up her teaching career in Harvard and pursued motherhood fulltime. She reoreinted her life, weighing less on work and ambition but more on raising a family. Moreover, it took her 10 years to come up with her 2nd book and this is what she got to say: I'd like to think it made no difference to the world how long it took, but it mattered to my kids when they are young. It all goes so quickly....But the point is, even if some opportunities were lost by the choices made when the children were little, there's plenty of time now to move in new directions. It was just a matter of trusting in the choices that were made."

I found Goodwin's words enlightening and her life a living example of her wisdom and the things she believes in, it seem to shed light to a "situation" that I have been contemplating for a long time already. I have always known the answers to my questions but I simply lack the courage to take the reins and move towards the direction of my liberation, from a life of mediocrity and a life filled with giving in to the expectations of others. I feel blessed for there is still time to live my life the way I see fit living it.

Want to learn more about Doris Kearns Goodwin?

More Facts on Women

Fact # 1: As we grow older, women gain weight. This happens because we accumulate a lot of information in our heads. Then, of course, we get to a point in which so much information doesn’t fit in our heads and it starts to distribute itself throughout our entire body. Now I understand it all, I’m not overweight! I’m not fat! I’m smart!! Very smart!!



Comment: I totally agree.


Fact # 2: Life should not be a trip to the tomb with the intention of reaching it with good health and an attractive and well cared for body; it should be more like a ride on a great water slide, with a big piece of chocolate in one hand and a glass of good wine in the other, with a body totally worn out from good living, and yelling...


Comment: Amen. I believe in eating to my heart’s content. I consider food as more than a required substance for energy and sustenance. It is an expression for me to enjoy the good things in life and honor the blessing of having enough food to enjoy and share with dear family and friends.


More facts:
· We don’t go bald.
· We have an international day, and a national day too.
· We can use pink as well as blue. (and purple)
· We always know our kids are ours. (this is not to say that we are not faithful wives/lovers)
· We have priority in a shipwreck.
· We don’t pay the bill. (we live in the 21st century, this is not an issue)
· We’re the first hostages to go free. (the IHL states so)
· If we are cheated on, we’re the victims .
· If we cheat, the men are the ones with the horns. (and get branded as lousy lovers)
· We can sleep with a girlfriend and not be labeled as homosexuals. (how about bi-sexual?)
· We can pay attention to several things at a time. (ask a working Mom)
· The wife of a President is the First Lady, What is the husband of a female President? (first Hubby?)
· If we decide to do a man’s job, we’re pioneers;
· If a man decides to do a woman’s job, he’s a fag. (heard about house-husbands)
· And last but not the least, we can do everything a man does, and (while) wearing heels too! (take note, women can even dash to the finish line wearing 3-inch stilletos and still manage to remain charming at the same time)

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY!

Sources: Facts from Bumble-bee's e-mail; Images from News.com.au; and Intl Women's Day website.

Encounters with the 3rd Kind

Move over dark cloud, I am turning the wheels of my blog from its gloomy direction as I write about something hilarious for a change like my brief and surprise encounters with former chums, classmates and friends. I observed that you can read people during their unguarded moments, from congeniality to nonchalance, I’ve witnessed a lot and waiting for more.

One day a beautiful lady came near me while I stood in a queue with my friend Violet in a convenience store. I felt the girl’s eyes burning on the side of my face when she couldn’t resist the chance and blurted out, “Excuse me miss, are you from UPLB?“ I looked at her while scanning my memory banks fast, I honestly did not recognize her and worse, I couldn’t get the name. I worked my mind out until I managed while nodding, “Uy sis ka ni Earl (Earl was my high school classmate). The girl was my classmate in a number of electives (crop science, agronomy) back in college. She leaned forward to give me a peck on the cheek and a brief hug. Of course I did not resist this act of warmth from a pretty lady like her, I could only smile while I faltered again in my mind for her name. I guess she was fumbling too on the name game. “Where do you work now?” was her second question and I gave her my answer and tossed the same query. After her response, she pursued for the work location and I said, “I work at the Petri Dish Building along Almonds Avenue.” She exclaimed, “Hey I just work at the Flasks Building along Almonds too!” I then added, “Your building is just across our museum err… office.” I was affable with this girl, we were having a conversation and I really like her now.

Winking at my tummy, she followed a question, “Uy buntis ka?” I was smiling when I said, “No, I’m just chubby.” She was very brave and continued, “Uy… buntis ka no?” Usually when people become privy at the wrong time and place, I easily ignite into a fiery version of myself. However I wondered why I only answered back, “No I am not. I just have exercise-challenged abs here, FYI, I already have 2 kids.” My friend Violet at this point was already throwing glances at my long-lost girlfriend, the look seem to say “one more word on the pregnancy thing and you’ll get kicked on the butt.” I am really a sucker for pleasantries especially the ones seasoned with hugs and kisses for I did not get irritated with this lovely but lost girl. At least I did not carry the burden of embarrassment as she appeared to be frozen on the spot and about to put her fist inside her mouth. She doesn’t deserve to be punished for an honest mistake, doesn’t she? I care less for we even exchanged mobile numbers and yes we’re texting.

Another unforgettable encounter was with a cold-blooded classmate working in a hospital. When I gave birth to my first born at the MMC in 2004, hubby was scared out of his wits with my labor show running for 3 days. During the registration, he got some of my personal information mixed up so we were required by the admitting office to get the information fixed prior to the birth registration of our baby. So we went to the admitting section of the hospital and I found myself face to face with a former classmate in high school. She attended to our requirements like she was dealing with a stranger. There was no trace of friendly connection which caused my graciousness to be superseded with frankness and I said, “Ano ka ba Nigella, hindi mo ba talaga ako nakikilala eh magkaklase tayo nung h-school saka andyan naman sa record mo yung pangalan ko.” Translate: Get a grip girl! Stop this play-pretend that we don’t know each other, it’s so pathetic and by the way, hi!

Then there was also this another tricky one, we almost bumped into each other at the Galleria, she was wearing eyeglasses that didn’t work I suspect as I found my smile fading when she gave a sharp stare in exchange. She used to be a fair and sweet young girl in high school, a former classmate who happens to sit behind my seat in 4th year high. She’s changed with that pompous air she wore like an elephant pretending to be a bird. The surprise did not end there because after a few months, I got an invitation from her in my social networking account. What?!?

Not all my brief encounters were hostile though, I have a bunch of former classmates and friends reconnected with again like the one I bumped into while shopping for shoes when I heard her voice out of the blue. Daffodil was as glad as I was for the unexpected meeting that she treated me to dinner. There was also one friend in college, a classmate in my tennis class, who was as jovial and as gracious. Like they say, it is not how you make friends but how you stay friends, time and attitude spells the difference. It’s not difficult to spot which one is a keeper or a loser. Another one important lesson is to keep a Samurai handy in case someone suspects me again for being more than chubby err … (take note, the politically correct term is) “weight-challenged”.

Source: www.istockphoto.com

The Love Trio of Sir Webber

Love is indeed in the air though there’s a commercial whiff into it. With the amount of branding Valentines have been receiving from the market, it beats every celebration we Filipinos look forward to except Christmas of course.

For my share, I am featuring a powerful trio by Audra Ann McDonald, Marin Mazzie and Judy Kuhn which I luckily found from YouTube posted by Nibelungenstar, a fellow Andrew Lloyd Webber fan. The ladies beautiful rendition of Love Changes Everything, Unexpected Song and I Don’t Know How to Love Him is definitely moving.

Click here: Andrew Lloyd Webber Love Trio

As I have been touched, I will cherish more my old cassette tape of Andrew Lloyd Webber songs from his famous musicals (Cats, Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar and The Phantom of the Opera). Love this performance and hope you’ll fall in love with it too!

XYZ

There are some things that you can’t really write about or in my case, blog about.

I’ve drafted several paragraphs only to highlight and hit the delete button afterwards. I’ve done it four times in a row that even Neo Gray here seems to protest with her keys ticking loudly as I begin anew. I had 4 unsuccessful attempts at boxing an array of conflicting emotions which has enveloped me for the past few days, and the failure to get the whole thinking process done only adds up to the looming devastation. I wanted to post it as a remembrance of the cruel times but my inability to put it into readable form betrays me.

Once I begin to re-process the words and phrases in my mind, the words begin to lose its luster and conveying power. It’s just not fair when words fall short, especially when you are caught in the middle of a dividing storm and dealing with “collateral damage” that are dear faces, friends actually.

Just the other day, I felt numb. At least today, I’m better. I now feel pain but my appetite to keep up the fight has not wavered. Any day is good and I will always remember that winning will not always be the end goal. Keeping one’s integrity is the wining theme.

Hello Ms. Grumpy!

I am angry, very angry. This emotion which I have successfully kept under control for the last 3 months has finally caught up with me, bursting at the seams, ignoring pleas to calm down by my reasonable conscience. It was triggered this morning when SRacer’s yaya neglected a regular duty which I have firmly reprimanded her for more than 10 times already. My anger exploded into tremendous proportions that after a slew of words between gritted teeth, my temper was still running high, I could feel my blood curl with the amount of chemical imbalance taking toll inside my body.

My fury even translated into crashing open our garage gate that irked Hubby, this gave me the sign to stop for I’m up to no good. As I plop down in the front seat beside him, I sighed deeply, trying hard to ease down my volatile temper into normal levels. I know this is not healthy, I read somewhere that when you’re terribly angry, your body reacts to the sudden surge of emotions and produces toxins which is flushed into the bloodstream affecting the whole bodily functions. This awareness did not even stop me from becoming upset again.

I have always been an angry person, I get easily irritated and patience has never been my strength. However after an hour of reflection, I took this weakness to heart and look for ways on how to deal with it squarely. More than the Yaya issue, I have a lot of dealings with in my surroundings – workplace, household, family,and friends’arena. I recognize that the more I try to control the variables of my primary and secondary circle, the more I cultivate grounds for frustration. I can only do much but I do not have the power to control anything that is fixed nor given (e.g. other’s attitudes, beliefs, etc). I resolve to be good to myself and not to punish myself with the shortcomings and inefficiency of others.

Like them, I am also a work in progress. I pray to the Lord for serenity, courage and wisdom. And yes for more courage to douse the raging bull that I am.

Photo: Angry Little Asian Girl by Lela Lee

The Gift

She’s a beauty. I’m referring to my brand new NEO notebook, a Christmas present from hubby who knows exactly the most practical gift I’ve secretly fancied. When he called Friday afternoon, the boom in his voice was a give-away like Eureka, I found it! Having been led on to this surprise, I could barely wait to see him in the evening and when I prodded further, he simply said, something for your writing gig.”

The moment I opened the box and freed the item of its strapping, I knew that this is going to be with me for a long time like the first Olympia typewriter I got from my father a long time ago in 5th grade. I could only utter: OMG! I felt like a kid who got her favorite toy from Santa as I held the Neo with a confident grip that seem like instinct, imprinting my jovial spirit into this tiny machine. Braveheart was smiling too, pleased with my reaction, which I guess he has predicted accurately. At least now when the moment strikes me…I can pound the keys with style Haha!

I listed mentally the number of ideas that needs body and a shot at posting. There are lots of things swirling inside my head; I have no more excuse but to put them all into writing through this little gray notebook. For now, let me savor this moment with my portable writing companion whom shall be named Neo Gray.

Wishful Thinking

So I am 10 minutes in the waiting - my eyes begun to wander away from the distance where I suppose the object of my waiting would appear. With much conscious effort, I surveyed my surroundings upon discarding my indifferent self, I felt a sense of connection with the people passing by in that street corner in Sta Ana where I planted myself like a shrub.

The sunglasses came in handy, they gave me free room and ample angle to discreetly observe people, take note, not ogle them. I see an old man carrying 3 bags of clothing (I assume) while holding a brown paper envelop which from the way he held it must have taken great effort from his gnarled hands not to have it creased. Meanwhile a woman, who just stood nearby huffed and puffed her cigar like there was no tomorrow, she must have a pair of mighty and happy lungs.

Still the happiest sight of the moment goes to a number of Mommy-baby pairs who come passing by. I counted several pairs of them: taking a stroll, stopping at the fruit cart, crossing the street and emerging from the Jollibee store with a Kiddie meal take out. One common denominator was the cheery aura, as if both were caught in their own little bubble and the rest of the world do not exist. I felt envious.

I wish I have the same privilege of staying home with my kids. I could just do blogging for a living like Anton of AOP and I would be available to my kids anytime. I would fix my schedule around them so I could be the one preparing their breakfast, giving baths as often as they want in a day, driving them to school and putting them to sleep in the afternoon. We could watch their favorite movies a hundred times over and eat their favorite cookies and chocolates until our tummies ache and read and re-read their favorite stories and talk and talk without the worry that it’s past their bedtime because you can do it during the day. Sounds perfectly simple, but it is not simple.

How I wish it would be easy for me to shift into the low gear. I remembered seeking Hubby’s opinion on home-schooling our kids; he said he’ll give it a careful thought. But then again, am I prepared to once again fold the career plan and store it behind the kitchen counter until both my children are independent enough to go to school?

I am also thinking it over.

Acknowledgements to the following image sources:

www.site.blissliving.com

www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/4991399

Our Church and Baby Project

Today is Dec 3, 2008, a Wednesday. That same day, also a Wednesday, 5 years ago at exactly 3PM, Braveheart and I took the promise to have and to hold at the Shrine of Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life in Pasay City.

Our church, the Shrine, used to be a solitary and majestic structure set in the reclamation area in 2003 with the beautiful Manila Bay sunset for added drama. Now the Shrine is teeming with faithful patrons and guests from the bustling central business park particularly visitors from MOA (Mall of Asia). Well it’s been 5 years and urban develop in the area is unstoppable. I just miss the serenity of the Shrine during its early years. Nevertheless it will remain a significant landmark in my life.

It’s been the 5 best years of my life with Braveheart. It’s not an everyday rosy affair but the bumpy rides were worth it for we learn to love and appreciate each other in a more profound way, idiosyncrasies included.

And yes, we are having a new baby. Our baby project will soon be unveiled by January 2009 and I wish my readers (yes I have a handful) to continue their hits in my blogs. Braveheart already secured a space in the web for this new baby. Details will follow after hard work and I am keeping my fingers crossed, may our interest and diligence put us through. This is more than a product of our hubby-wifey partnership; it is a culmination of our talents and ideas.

I’m so excited.

Catching up on the Renegade

I have a good friend who is a die-hard fan and advocate of recently elected US President Barack Obama. I realized my friend’s affinity towards Mr. Obama may be due to a common trait they share like eloquence and boldness. I find this connection a great concoction for inspiration for someone starting with his legal career; I always believe that my dear friend W have in him what it takes to be a remarkable lawyer.

I never missed out on the US Presidential elections, thanks to all the media attention. Aside from the constant midnight CNN feed that serves as Hubby’s entertainment, all visible reading materials have Mr.Obama on it, from the daily office subscriptions to personal reading purchases.

I think that the victory of Pres. Obama, the election of a black man into the highest seat of power in the United States, is a good sign for the world to see. Pres. Obama has a mix of American-African blood and has an Asian background (and relatives) that lends enigma and value to the 3rd world. His symbolic win represents the actuality of equal opportunity for all races and ethnicities given various cultural and economic backgrounds.

I remember picking this up from the CNN, it said that Mr. Obama did not only create a leader out of himself with a strong base of followers worldwide, he created a movement which he termed people who believe in change. I wish him God’s blessings for he is a man worthy of praise and support, having rose from humble origins with his intellect, strategic vision and good intentions. How I wish that someone like Obama would be in our midst as our country badly needs one.

On the lighter side, I found this bit of information on providing secret service code names for the US First Families interesting. The following code names were provided to Pres. Obama and his family: President-elect Barack Obama: Renegade; Michelle Obama: Renaissance; Malia Obama: Radiance; and Sasha Obama: Rosebud.

Want to have one for yourself? Visit the Code Generator.

For amusement purposes, I also got one for myself and the pack. As I've always referred to hubby as Braveheart, I patterned our codes with his: Hubby: Braveheart; I am: Blaze; my Son: Bearhug; and my Baby Girl: Brilliance.

So what’s yours?

Acknowledgements to the following sites:

DemConWatchBlog.com

ChannelOne.com

Photos of Pres. Obama from the Time.com website

Indicators - Part 2

This is a continuation of Indicators which I have posted last July 2008 in the hope that these practical hints on parenting will be put into good use and further improvement.

4. Take every opportunity for bonding and exploration

I’m lucky to have a hubby who exactly thinks like I do when it comes to parenting. We both believe that every moment with your child, no matter if you’re home with them or outside its confines; the possibilities for bonding and learning will always be available.

I refer to one stormy morning, when power lines were off and as usual, Manila perennially flooded, hubby and I were lazing around the house with the children after breakfast. Speed Racer (S Racer) and little Ysa Banana (YB), bored with their toys and baby trinkets respectively, begged to play outside in the garage area with their Dad. For amusement purposes, hubby asked me to make paper boats for the children. Under a big umbrella, my 2 boys, one a child at heart and the other truly a child, sent off their paper boats in a flowing puddle adjacent to the front gate while little YB and I cheered our hearts out.

Another favorite game of hubby with the kids is “connect my story”, an alternative to my traditional read a bedtime story. The game begins with Daddy, who introduces the basic elements of the story: setting; characters and plot. My little son is the eager one who provides a twist to the evolving plot with an additional character or by extremely varying the mood from happy to gloomy to scary and back. Often, the protagonist of these exchanges between Dad and S Racer feature Dory, Nemo, Bruce, Mr. Ray and an unnamed fisherman.

5. Believing in your child’s choices

As a parent, our child’s wellbeing is our primary interest. Both my children are still in the formative years and hubby and I are trying to be the best responsible adults in their eyes. Having impressed on our kids that not everything they want are obtainable, we encouraged them to make choices, starting with simple matters that affect them; i.e. choice of food; flavor of ice cream; piece of toy to play with or book to read; including their Halloween costume. This is not to spoil them but to teach them the power of choice. This practice, simple as it seem, is a good way for them to build their confidence as they are encouraged to express their preferences and see that adults respect it.

For Speed Racer’s b-day, we gave him two options on how to celebrate it: 1) have a school party or 2) have a birthday trip. He chose the latter and had a great time. Ever since we took S Racer and little YB to Manila Ocean Park (MOP), my children became fond of the creatures of the deep. Finding Nemo has been recovered from the shelves and once again highly patronized while Discovery Channel and Animal Planet gained 2 more avid viewers for its documentaries on the colorful marine life.

It was also reported by S Racer’s Teacher A that my son has become a walking endorser of the MOP as he often mentions in his nursery 1 class the fishes, corals and sharks at the MOP. Currently S Racer and little YB are sleeping with us on the same bed, along with their 3 fishes named (angelfish) Dory, (clownfish) Nemo and a blue dolphin named Kit which S Racer bought from a recent trip with his GrandMa at Subic’s Ocean Adventure.

6. Relax a bit as a parent

Little YB, though only 1 and a half year old, has two favorite words: “ayaw” and “again”. My little girl uses the word “ayaw’, with the proper firmness in her voice, every time she feels she is forced into something she is not comfortable with. The work “again” is often heard when she is amused with a song or an antic to make her laugh or a second helping of her favorite food or a re-reading of a section/page of her favorite story book. Aside from being outspoken, little YB is a daring child. I observed this the first time she dipped her hand in the containment to touch a spiky starfish. Obviously, she is not revolted with the features of this sea creature. I also sense her independence and creativity as she improvises toys out of used carton boxes that she rides on and takes the canned goods out of the kitchen cabinet one by one patiently to her play area, and once a heavy luncheon meat can fell on her toes and hurt her. Though this incident caused her tears and her Nanny to panic, I did not prevent her from pursuing her toy improvisation with the canned goods.

I realized that little YB and S. Racer are just having a ball as children. They tear papers, sometimes even pages of my favorite magazines, they stain their shirts with watercolors, they scribble their colored pens and crayons on the walls; they hide toys under the pillows and under the sheets and even inside the underwear drawer; they play with old carton boxes and canned goods and whatever object that caught their fancy; they dip their hands on your drinking water; they drink your soda or juice; they mess up their new shirts; and they rescue a dirty but favorite toy under a dusty cabinet. They have a robust imagination and a yearning to explore and learn and have fun. My role is also to be flexible; I am Mommie for a minute and a playmate in the next. Let’s allow our kids to get dirty and let’s not forget to play with them and be kids again.

Begone!

Some people really think they own the world and all its contents. They act like some kind of a demigod who has the knack for making the lives of others miserable like their own. I see them in everyday life like in the following situations:

• a person, believing that her life is much more important and valuable, laughed at her friend who nearly drowned in a swimming pool
• a person, thinking he owns the monopoly of knowledge, made fun of a dear friend who took the extra mile to explore her creativity through blogging
• a person, confirming he is indeed superior, ridiculed others who found difficulty in organizing their thoughts and expressing themselves in large assemblies
• a person, assuming her significance among the herd, took the feelings of others for granted by issuing empty words
• a person, wise only with his conceit, uses his race and color to justify an offense against a co-worker

In pausing, we are all a speck in this infinite universe and that no one has the right to undermine others, regardless of color, education, age, wealth and beliefs. To this arrogant lot - I say begone!

I Stand on my Desk

I just can't let this pass. I agree that we as Filipinos must set the record straight. We must not tolerate others, particularly other racial groups to commit disgraceful actions that demean us as a people.

The BBC and Tiger Aspect Production (TAP) clearly have a role in perpetuating blatant inaccuracies on the Filipino. As media players, BBC as a global network and TAP as a producer of the Harry and Paul show, are duty-bound in the promotion of truthful information, in this case, the projection of proper image and impression on the Filipino migrant worker.

It is very clear that the Harry and Paul Show, episode 4 (aired on the 26th and 29th of September 2008) showing a gyrating Filipina maid in front of a demented Briton is a deliberate example of prejudice at two levels. First it discriminated the Filipinos through stereotyping; the use of a Filipina maid, and the producer's justification by saying it was an absurd show. Second it dicriminated the Filipina "women" by potraying her as a sex toy; the Filipina maid is commanded during the scene to present her rear for mounting.

Despite growing protest, both remained indifferent while the British government reasoned with our Philippine embassy in London that it did not share the same views with the network and producer.

While others think that we are just being onion-skinned, I think the opposite. As Filipinos, we are responsible in upholding and preserving our dignity as a people. We must be vigilant to reject discrimination and violence in any form. The economies of power-countries are crumbling down, an example that there is no immunity to imperfection and that there is no reigning superiority, only passing dominance.

Let our petitions be heard to correct this ignorance against us: http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/dignity-and-respect-for-the-filipino-worker.html