Love, light, and blessing....

Hospital Trips

2012-12-10T05:34:00.000-08:00

The last quarter of the year was not a good time for three of mom's grandchildren.

In October, newly born Hannah Corinne, daughter of my sister Charisse, was left at the hospital for medication. She reportedly had low oxygen and was hooked to the tube. Her food was intubated as well.

She is shown here with my sister more than a month after. She looks healthy now and has gained some weight.

The following month, it was my son Anand's turn to get hospitalized. He underwent an emergency surgery for his appendicitis.

Despite that, I still had a lot to thank God for.

First, it happened during the day and I was able to take a boat to Zamboanga at noontime. My dilemma would have been if it happened at night and there was no way I could be with him right away.

Second, the appendix did not rupture, or else he would have stayed longer at the hospital for treatment.

Third, the love and support (moral and financial) of friends and family held us through and I was at peace during those times.

I was so moved by this sight. I went home to pick up some stuff since my niece, Sheila, was around to escort Anand to the operating room. When I got back to the hospital, I learned he was already wheeled in there. I saw his friends and classmates from the college of engineering waiting outside the operating room as he went under the knife.

This is my Doy the morning after, still groggy from the operation and unable to move because he was scared his wound might hurt. Friends would later tease him that he already has a built-in ATM slot on his belly.

The mother hen that I am, always making sure my son is comfortable and well taken cared of.

On the third day, he was already up and about and making up for lost time by texting friends and playing his favorite RAN online.

In December, it was Ivan's turn to get hospitalized when he contracted dengue fever. I was so much worried about it, thinking about Marichu, Anand's laundrywoman who succumbed to it.

Here he was shown going for a complete blood count laboratory exam during an out-patient medical consultation. Result suggested that he was likely to get it so another CBC exam was recommended every 12 hours.

Later that evening, the second CBC result had his platelet dropping to the borderline. So he was admitted to the hospital. He is shown here regaining his appetite and wanting so much to go home.

The doctor gave him the go signal to go home after over 24 hours of hospitalization. He is shown here goofing around his hospital room.

Thank you God for Your kindness and healing hands. Truly, You are one amazing God who worked in Your own mysterious way in bringing about healing and comfort to all of us.

Women's Day

2012-09-17T03:25:00.001-07:00

What was co-incidental about this picture was that, I took it on women's day, March 8, 2007. As women were heralded around the world for their remarkable achievements and domestic agility, these women were unaware what was going on around the world on the day intended for them.

(Reposted: June 10, 2007)

Things I Did Last Summer

2012-09-17T03:04:00.001-07:00

I sort of had a hectic schedule last summer. I took two weeks off from work to be with my family.

I attended the wedding of my cousin Edmy to Mayumi in Cagayan de Oro (April 9). Making the trip with me were mama, Anand, and Boyboy.

In the picture with me were mom, Auntie Corazon, the groom's mother and dad's youngest sister, cousin Frances Aparte and her brother, Dante, and of course, Boyboy,who made the secondary male entourage's outfits. Frances was bride's maid while Dante substituted his dad as principal sponsor. Uncle Junior was not fit to travel from Camiguin to Cagayan de Oro because of high sugar level.

The family also spent an excursion to the high land in Tangub City which is home to Asia's longest zipline at over two kilometers. Edison and Cherry had just arrived from Saudia Arabia while Harold planed in from Singapore. He did not want to be outdone. LOL..

Since our vacation also fell on the date of dad's (seventh) death anniversary, we remembered and honored him at his grave site.

We haven't had a complete picture. One or two siblings would always be absent. At least we are 75% complete here. We missed Irma who is still in Montreal, Canada, and of course, Papa Bear.

I also stood as principal sponsor to the wedding of Exie Manuel to Nicole Strong Tayag. In the picture with me is former city dad, Mr. Richard Brown, the bride's uncle.

I also managed to enroll for a national certificate in Hotel Housekeeping. That should come handy for overseas employment when civil service looks dim.

Here we were demonstrated with how to make a five-layer bedding. That's the butterfly style in spreading the sheet. You don't need to go from one corner to another, thus time-saving.

We were taught how to insert the extra or dangling portions.

Excuse the crumpled sheets, we were asked to demonstrate one by one. Too much handling, stripping, folding, and spreading...

This is how to make a bed ready for a guest..

What If I Had Seven Kids?

2012-09-11T07:44:00.001-07:00

I only have one kid.

So, the room should be as orderly as this...

... and this.

But what if I had six kids? With two wrestling on the bed, one busy with PSP, two on portable computers, and one hooked to TV.

Or seven kids?

Looks like a typhoon has just passed through.

The room would be a total mess. Homaygad!

Now, I should snap me back to reality that I only have one kid. Look, how neat the room is and so in order..

Letting Go, Letting Grow

2012-09-11T07:21:00.005-07:00

(Son is pictured with his sophomore high school buddy, Justino Daniel, who went through Geodetic Engineering school with him.)

The morning was freshly breaking when I sent off my son down to the wharf. Dressed up like a young man with hair gelled hard into spikes that looked like a nail bed, he was the first one to come to the assembly area. He was going to Zamboanga City in Mindanao mainland, an hour's travel across the sea, for the first time in all of his 13-year old life without a parent towing him.

A song intruded into my head, "Is this the little boy at play? I don't remember growing older.." I found myself humming absent-mindedly to it.

Four weeks before that, my son fidgeted and followed me around the house and calmly told me, "Mom, my Journalism class in school is going on a fieldtrip to a printing press in Zamboanga to see how a paper churns out."

It was like a doctor's gentle announcement of a breaking news.

"When's that?" I sounded like an investigator.

"February ninth," he answered imposingly.

"And how much would you be pitching in for the expenses?" My elbows were bent out in akimbo.

"I don't know. We are staying overnight in a hotel, but I am staying at a friend's house there," he rambled.

"What hotel is that?" I sounded more irritated than investigative this time.

He mentioned a name.

"What?!" I screamed. "That is a dollar hotel!"

I could hear currency signs clanging in my mind. I just spent a five-figured sum for my computer's upgrade and here was another expense looming like a tornado although not damaging enough to rip off my pockets or deplete my bank account.

"No," I said calmly. "You cannot go, sonny. Don't you know that the weather is bad lately? The waves are so huge out in the open sea and a boat went down the other week?" I tried to scare him, but he was unmoved.

It was my turn to ramble, "And based on intelligence report I gathered from a friend in the Southern Command military base, Zamboanga is on a heightened alert following the death of those two world-known terrorists in the nearby province. You know that bombings are everywhere. So, I simply cannot let you go, and.."

"But Mom, everyone's going and I don't want to miss this out," he started to protest, his voice louder than mine.

"Can the teacher take care of all eighteen of you? I'm going to see her and lay down my conditions before you may go."

"Awww, Mom! Stop it." He hated me when I plan to launch an appointment with any of his teachers.

"No!" I firmly declared. "You are definitely not going."

I wondered if he heard a judge's gavel hitting my mind.

I saw him reduced into a boneless heap as if it was the end of the world for him.

"Enough of the discussion," I glared my eyes with finality.

Call it over-protection. He lived a sheltered life. He was already in the fourth grade when he was allowed to cross the street solo. For me it was a great achievement already and I took great pride in it. Much later then, he would start walking home from school, taking the 500-meter stretch with a friend who lived nearby. It was a welcome development for me. He started going on errands in town or I would leave him at the barber shop and he just found his own way home. Our city was a small place where everyone knew everyone, but my fears were undoubtedly big and unfounded. He was my baby, the only one I have in this world. It was a difficult moment to let go of his hand - alone.

Now he has grown up. He would wolf down on any food in sight as if he went through a period of famine in the Biblical times. And he could sleep like lard, refused to kiss me goodbye in the presence of his classmates, and did not want to be hugged in public anymore but loved to cuddle with me in private.

There was no way holding him now. He has literally grown up and I could no longer pin him down. I have to let go of his hand so he could explore more into the outside world without me constantly by his side. After all, at the age of nine, I was already traveling solo from one province to another. I also made my first lone overnight boat trip from Cebu to Mindanao, stopping by my grandparents' house along the way. At his age, I was already doing inter-island trips. I was tough, independent, and not afraid of strangers. And now this trip to Zamboanga that my son would take seemed like he was sent on a military duty overseas. Crazy feeling.

Days later, I heard feedback that the planned excursion would not push through. There were important visitors coming to school and preparations had to be undertaken. A parent already complained of the trip. The principal was sure not to approve of the plan. Good! I heaved out a sigh of relief. My soul was at peace. I felt victorious.

We have not talked of the trip anymore in the next days. Not until four days before the ninth of February.

"Mom, we are definitely going on Saturday, the tenth, but we would come back and take the last trip on the boat on the same day."

Oh, no, not again! My eyes rolled. "Wait, I am going to see your teacher and make her sign something that she will take care of you," I announced like a warrior waging war.

"Ewww! You are going to reprimand her, aren't you? I am big! I can take care of myself," he reasoned out.

I am big! I can take care of myself. I am big! I am big! I am big! These words rang endlessly in my ears like emergency church bells warning the townsfolk of pirates stirring the sea and making way to dry land. The words brought me to my senses. He was there, towering over me. Tall for his 13-year old frame. He was bent over me like a giant eaglet with awkward limbs ready to take the unfriendly skies with confidence and certainty.

So on the day before the departure, I went to see the teacher to talk about my concerns. We talked lengthily until I signed a paper allowing my son to go.

Shoving the waiver to the teacher, I reminded her again, "Please take good care of my son and everyone else." I was short of saying, "He is all I have in this world."

She laughed nervously, "Yes, of course, ma'am, I will. I understand how you feel. I also have an only child like you."

I made my way out of the library where the teacher held office. My son met me at the foot of the stairs, eager to know what transpired from the encounter. He was playing a guitar with his friend, Justino, while waiting for me to come down. His eyes were big like of a tarsier's, the world's smallest monkey no taller than three inches long, but with eyes like saucers.

"Were you done talking with her?" He asked without batting an eyelash.

"Yes," I replied. "I'm going to the office now. I'm kind of late already."

I turned towards the pathway leading to the school gate. With my 180 degrees eyesight, I knew his eyes were following me. I returned his gaze and called out to him, "Hey, you can go to Zamboanga tomorrow."

"Yes!" he flipped in delight as if he won the millennium lottery. His joys were immeasurable as he flashed his trademark Cheshire cat's grin. He was victorious.

(Reposted: March 2, 2007)

Filipino Signs of Wit

2012-09-11T06:54:00.000-07:00

The Philippines is full of word play. The local accent among many Filipinos, in which English words with "F" are spelled and pronounced with the sound of "P" and V is pronounced as "B" (because the Philippine alphabet has no letters F or V), is often used very cleverly, such as, the sign in a flower shop in Diliman called Petal Attraction.

Much of the word play in the Philippines is deliberate with retailers and various businesses favoring a play on names of Western establishments and celebrities (Americans, in particular---movie stars and entertainment personalities, especially). For example, there is a bread shop in Manila called Anita Bakery, a 24-hour restaurant called Doris Day and Night, a garment shop called Elizabeth Tailoring, and a barber shop called Felix The Cut.

A bakery was spotted which was named Bread Pitt, and a Makati fast-food place selling "maruya" (banana fritters) called Maruya Carey. Then, there are Christopher Plumbing, and a boutique called The Way We Wear; a video rental shop called Leon King Video Rental; a restaurant in the Cainta district of Rizal called Caintacky Fried Chicken, a local burger restaurant called Mang Donald's, a doughnut shop called MacDonuts , a shop selling "lumpia" (egg roll) in Makati called Wrap and Roll, and two butcher shops called Meating Place and Meatropolis.

Smart travelers can decipher what may look like baffling signs to unaccustomed foreigners by simply sounding out the "Taglish" (the Philippine version of English words spelled and pronounced with a heavy Filipino accent), such as, at a restaurant menu in Cebu : "We hab sopdrink in can an in batol" [translation: We have soft drinks in can and in bottle]. Then, there is a sewing accessories shop called Bids And Pises [translation: Beads and Pieces --or-- Bits and Pieces].

There are also many signs with either badly chosen or misspelled words, but they are usually so entertaining that it would be a mistake to "correct" them.

The following are interesting Philippine signs and advertisements:

In a restaurant in Baguio City (the "summer capital" of the Philippines): "Wanted: Boy Waitress;" on a highway in Pampanga: "We Make Modern Antique Furniture;" on the window of a photography shop in Cabanatuan: "We Shoot You While You Wait;" and on the glass front of a cafe in Panay Avenue in Manila: "Wanted: Waiter, Cashier, Washier."

Some of the notices can even give a wrong impression, such as, a shoe store in Pangasinan which has a sign saying: "We Sell Imported Robber Shoes" (these could be the "sneakiest" sneakers); and a rental property sign in Jaro, Iloilo reads: "House For Rent, Fully Furnaced" (Whew! it must really be hot inside.)

Occasionally, one could come across signs that are truly unique--if not altogether odd. A sign at the ticket booth in the ferry pier in Davao City in southern Philippines says: "Adults: 1 peso; Child: 50 centavos; Cadavers: fare subject to negotiation." (Hahaha!)

European tourists may also be intrigued to discover two competing shops selling hopia (a Chinese pastry) called Holland Hopia and Poland Hopia, which are owned and operated by two local Chinese entrepreneurs, Mr. Ho and Mr. Po respectively--(believe it or not)!

According to a Manila businessman, there is so much wit in the Philippines because ". . .we are a country where a good sense of humor is needed to survive. We have a 24-hour comedy show here called the government and a huge reserve of comedians made up mostly of politicians and retiring actors.

(Reposted: March 27, 2007)

Second of April

2012-09-11T06:48:00.000-07:00

It is the 88th birthday of our dear Lola (grandma), the family's grand matriarch. It is also the birthday of cousin Aileen. Occasions to celebrate life. And also an occasion to celebrate eternal life. Another cousin, Josue Jr. (Filipino term for Joshua), died on Lola's birthday. And while the family was observing Josue's first death anniversary, Dad also died. On Lola's birthday.

Dad died from internal hemorrhage caused by a motorcycle accident. As I stood family spokesperson regarding dad's medical bulletin which turned for the worse (I sort of acted as phone operator for mom's three cellular phones -apart from two of my own- for friends and family who phoned from time to time for development), the news on tv was also blaring that Pope John Paul II has died.

Papa, it has been two years since you were gone. And you gave me the most wonderful dream of you. It was a gift of assurance that you are on the way to heaven. In my dream I saw you about to enter the pearly gates while heaven was gleaming in a kaleidoscope of bright colors in the distance, awaiting of your entry. My heart is at peace. My heart is at rest.

And while I am preparing this blog, my heart is crying as Eric Clapton wails over my headset with his song Tears in Heaven..

"Would you know my name if I saw you in heaven? Would it be the same if I saw you in heaven? Would you hold my hand if I saw you in heaven? Would you help me stand, if I saw you in heaven?"

Today I am longing for you. And today I am still mourning deep inside. I miss you, Papa. I wish you were still around to see your grandchildren increasing and filling the house with laughter, just like the way we filled our grandparents' house with laughter.

Dear Lord our God..

______/)______./¯"""/')
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯\)¯¯¯¯¯'\_„„„„\)

If roses grow in heaven, please pick a bunch for me. Place them in my Papa's arms and tell him they're from me. Tell him that I LOVE and MISS him, and when he turns to smile and glorify You, please place a kiss upon his cheek and hold him in Your loving embrace.

(Reposted: March 31, 2007)

Looking Up To Grandfather: From A Viewpoint of A Then Six-Year Old Granddaughter

2012-09-11T06:39:00.001-07:00

My childhood pictures flashed tonight
Of you sitting on your favorite log
Under a rainbow of granny's bougainvilleas
Across the ancestral house
Every afternoon without fail
Except when you were away on a travel.

Evening found us in unalloyed laughter
Under vintage gas-lit lamps standing proudly
And a bedtime story of drunken monkeys.
You tickled us until we felt like dying
From happiness and fell tired
Sound asleep on the mat-laden floor
Between you and granny
Under a mosquito net that stood
As silent witness to years and years
Of domestic memories and bliss.

Fireflies watched us sleeping
As the lamps burnt all through the night,
Casting soft shadows of our dreams
On the old stereo.

Early morning found us peeping
At you and granny from a crevice upstairs
Where you strummed your banjo
While sliding an empty medicine bottle
On the strings
To give a bent effect on the melody
As granny grounded cocoa beans into little cakes
For our breakfast porridge.

On several occasions, we trooped
To a Chinese bakery for an early morning salt bread
As glasses of milk waited for us
On top of your sewing machines.
Our feet pedaled absent-mindedly
As we spooned out the drink
And collected back the dreams
We dreamt the night before.

How we frolicked in abundance of love
In your arms and how we looked forward
To each reunion with you and granny,
I thought those moments would last foreve
Priceless fractions of our tender years.

Several years came and slowly dragged by
Thirty of them all.
Though fireflies are rare to find now
And seem to be forgotten,
Good times are part of family heritage
Preserved in peals of laughter.
The hums of your banjo will never stop
Playing in my mind
When I get reminded of you.

(Reposted: March 11, 2007)

Maharanya

2012-09-10T16:10:00.002-07:00

Meet Maharanya, whose name means great queen (great "maha", queen "ranya," a diminutive or corrupted word of rani). She prefers being called by her pet name, Ranya.

When I am not blogging or checking mails, I am with Maharanya. I breathe life into her. Thus, I become her. And she becomes me. I doll her up with a wide range of wardrobe - gowns, swim wear, sexy outfits, and elegant hairstyles. She acts, laughs, and talks like me.

Ranya exists in a virtual world with a population of more than a million avatars. She has 147 friends all over the world, but maintained 43 buddies.

She owns the following property:

Blue dome club

Bachelorette's pad

Hot pink Maharanya yacht

Eight coffee shops

Tropical island

A part of an Indonesian highway

Luxurious villa with pool

Paradise beach front

Twilight beach

Hollywood house with pool

Villa del sol with pool by the beach

Secluded country cabin

Polished porcelain villa with pool

Miami penthouse

Four loft houses

Attic apartment

Green land

Elegant apartment

(Ranya abandoned two units of three-bedroom villa, a mini-resort, and a farm house due to poor construction.)

Though not a pet lover, she delights in her five butterflies which glow in the dark.

IMVUworld serves as a therapy for me when reality is too mess up. Here I found refuge as I am transported into a world of make-believe.

In IMVUworld, avatars meet and become friends. Others level up by meeting on Yahoo!Messenger and MSN. Others fall in love with each other and eventually marry in an avatar wedding, complete with an entourage and an officiating priest. A cathedral completes the set up. This world is open practically to everyone.

IMVU is a consumer internet startup in downtown Palo Alto, California. Its mission is to fulfill the promise of online socializing and creativity. IMVU makes the world's best 3D instant messenger, which is now in beta testing with more than one million customers around the world.

The service lets users express themselves by creating and customizing a 3D avatar with a wide variety of clothes, accessories, pets, and scenes. IMVU has been live for several years, and it is generating a rapidly growing revenue stream from the sale of virtual currency. IMVU's culture is maniacally focused on rapidly developing and testing features and business ideas to learn from our customers what will make a great business. IMVU has top tier venture investors and an extraordinarily talented team with deep experience in games and virtual worlds.

To know more of Ranya, please meet her at http://avatars.imvu.com/maharanya and get to know her world. Better still, if you wish to sign up, please message your e-mail address to me so that I could make the necessary invitation.

(Reposted: April 5, 2007)

Health Concerns

2012-09-10T16:08:00.001-07:00

One of my regular blog readers posted a comment on my page asking how have I been.

Well folks, I was off line in the last few days because of some health concerns. I have been feeling numbness and tingling sensation on my left toes up to the calf and left fingers up to the elbow. Two doctors' initial diagnosis: hypertensive cardiovascular disease.

Right away I went to see an internist who subjected me into a battery of medical exams. The first day was devoted to chest x-ray and electrocardiogram. The blood chemistry and hematology laboratory tests had to be taken on the second day because I need to fast for eight hours. The vial of blood extracted from my arm was too horrid for me that I had to close my eyes until it was over. The finger prick could have been worse where a slightly bleeding finger was swiped on a slide to get a stain. But given the choice, I liked the big volume extraction rather than the finger prick. (Ouch!)

Four hours after, I was sitting in the doctor's clinic for the final verdict. I heaved out a sigh of relief when he gave me a clean bill of health. I tested negative of the initial diagnosis as well as for diabetes. My ECG and x-ray exams fell within normal limits and so were the other laboratory exams (normal liver, heart, and kidneys). I just needed a generous amount of vitamin B complex for a couple of weeks, but he warned me that he is going to refer me to a neurologist if numbness would still persist.

I did enjoy reading all of my friends' blog while I killed time at an internet cafe in the hospital premises, but was too hypochondriac to leave a comment.. But anyway, I'm back in circulation now!

(Reposted: April 18, 2007)

Computer Jukebox

2012-09-10T16:07:00.001-07:00

Indeed,it is a nice feeling to have chanced upon a song that we really liked in the past. I am sharing to you an online jukebox; but it is no ordinary jukebox. It will play all of your favorite songs from 1952 through 1982. Each year has a scroll or drop down box that shows all the great songs for that year. Most years have over 40 songs.

Once you click on a song it will play and when it finishes it automatically plays the next song in the list and continues until it has played all the songs.

This is really cool. Have fun with it.....!!

It has a volume control which you should use in conjunction with your computers volume control.

One of the best features is that it will play in the background. That means you can be doing other computer work on a different screen. For those are not too familiar just open this Jukebox, start a song list playing THEN open another window in your Browser and use that window to surf the net or whatever, while the music plays. I set it up on my desktop as a favorite so all I have to do is click on it and it opens automatically.

This is the great music from the past. No Gangster Rap or other unintelligible garbage that has been foisted on the public with an attempt to pass it off as music. There is also Christmas Music, Movie Themes, Show Tunes and lots of other categories.

Hundreds, if not thousands of hours, went into creating this Juke Box by a fellow in Puerto Rico.

Pick and play any popular song from 1952 through 1982. So hit the link now..

http://www.tropicalglen.com/

(Reposted: April 19, 2007)

My Friends

2012-09-10T16:04:00.000-07:00

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.

(Reposted: May 1, 2007)

Mama

2012-09-10T16:01:00.002-07:00

On the second Sunday of May, the world will honor all the mothers. I do not wish to wait for the 13th of May to honor this special woman in my life. I am doing it now and not waste time..

Mother. Mommy. Mum. Mama. We call her in many ways. In the Philippines, we call her Nanay. Nanang. Inang. Inay. Mama. Mamay. Mamang. Inah.

In our family, we call our very own mother in more colorful ways. Mother Goose (I thought she invented the once-upon-a-time thing). Mother Hen or Mama Bear (She is over-protective.) Mother Nature (She has a green thumb and the schoolteacher that she was, encouraged her pupils to go into vegetable garden in little plots behind the school house). Mudra (our playful endearment to her). But she is officially Mama to us.

Her name is Corazon, meaning heart in Spanish. And her heart is bigger than her name. And when I was born, I was named after her. I am Corazon Junior. But my heart is not as big as hers.

Mama was an indispensable figure in my tender life. I could not imagine life without her. And when I offended her a great deal, I would be reduced to a nervous being when she declared, "You are going to kill me with your attitude. Wait if I died, your father would re-marry a wicked woman." I was so scared of losing her. So I was careful not to displease her.

I remember that during a clan gathering when I was much younger, the cousins had a family game where we were drawing cards with a question. And we were to answer on what comes first into our mind. Mine was: If there was a person in your life who would not die, who would it be? And I answered without batting an eyelash: "Mama!"

I saw Dad from the corner of my eyes withdrawing to the background wanting to shrink into forever. He did not speak to me for a couple of days and I realized that I committed a mortal sin.

Dad was the undemonstrative one or should I say, he loved us from a distance without us knowing it. He raised us with the proverbial rod. Offending him meant whipping. Where Dad lacked in affection, Mama fully compensated it without condition. And we grew up believing that only Mama Bear loved the children bear, and Papa Bear was out of the picture when it came to hugging and loving. She was there when I was sick. Graduation. Birthdays. And other important milestones of my life. When I went to high school and university, I studied so far away from home. I wrote her a lot of letters and she wrote back, longer and more frequent ones. I loved getting her letters, which I now stored in one huge box, and I could write a book on them.

I admire her from a distance and she did not know it. I wrote a lot of poetry about her and she got little surprises in her life when she rummaged through my things and found published poems of her. (Now I know I got this affection-from-a-distance from Papa Bear as well as the passion for writing although he wrote mainly in the Spanish language.)

Mama Bear was a former school teacher. And she was my first teacher. She taught me how to read and write before I entered formal school. She taught me how to be independent. At a tender age of eight, she sent me alone to another province to see her parents. I never saw her worried. In my time, it was still perfectly safe to talk to strangers. At the age of 15, I already considered myself a seasoned local traveler, embarking on inter-island travels, even reaching to far regions of the country. (The Philippines has 7,101 islands.)

When children left home to marry, she is the cohesive instrument that kept us together. "Come home for Papa's birthday." "Let my grandson spend his birthday with us, we are going to throw a big party for him." "Everyone's coming home for Christmas and you should not miss that." "On New Year's Day will be our 38th wedding anniversary, please make it a point to be here." And when the children were home with her, we all followed her around the house, whether she was cooking, cleaning, or relaxing. We never run of out of stories and laughter.

Two years ago while I was on a sea travel, the waves were so huge that the sea craft almost went down. And I absent-mindedly screamed for mama. Later, I would realize how in my sub-conscious mind, I am still dependent on her for strength. I still call on her..

She displayed tremendous strength when Papa Bear died. She never showed us that she was as broken as the children. She was a strong pillar for us to lean on and we found an unbreakable refuge in the fold of her arms. She continued being Mother Hen. During the wake, her humor was never lost. At a family conference of who takes care of what task (church service program, food, cortege flow, police force leading the flow, transportation, hotel accommodations for the sympathizers, etc.), she absent-mindedly said: "Where is Papa? He has not yet come to the conference table." Forgetting that he was laying in the casket in the family room.

She still continues to be the unifying factor of the family. "Please come home for Christmas so that your brothers could see you. You have been missing for eons." "Be sure to be around for Papa's death anniversary. Everyone is coming." "Your sibling will come home from the Middle East on Lola's birthday, please mark the date for a family lunch."

Now in her twilight years, we never knew how many more years we will have of Mama Bear. In these remaining years, she has put everything in order: her life insurance, the properties already partitioned (I got a farm land and a residential lot), settling a sibling in peaceful married life, and the family business to be taken cared of by the oldest child. But I still could not imagine life without her.

And I guess, when Mama Bear will finally go to join Papa Bear in heaven, I would read a big part of this blog in her honor before the church congregation.

Until now, the childhood question that cost me Papa's hurt still rings in my ear. If there was a person in your life who would not die, who would it be? My answer would still be the same...

(Reposted: May 2, 2007)

Rubella Baby

2012-09-10T15:53:00.001-07:00

It is said that you could never repay your mother if you did not become a mother yourself. Childbirth makes one a complete woman.

I went beyond childbirth. My pregnancy was a gamble and I made a pact with God.

In the middle of 1992, the rains were coming as it was the onset of the wet season. Epidemics that the rain would bring were rampant. I remember being downed with a severe cold and a cough with a convulsive fever. Then one day, I woke up with red dots all over my body. Itsy bitsy, teeny weeny, red polka dots.. Dengue! Uh-oh.. A chill swept over my spine. I was supposed to stand as a baptismal sponsor that day, but went to the doctor instead of going to church where the rites were performed.

The doctor flashed a concerned look upon seeing me.

"This is rubella, Coy," he bared.

"German measles?" I asked in confirmation.

He nodded.

"So what medication should I get?" I asked, wanting to get over the red spots immediately.

"Depends. Get yourself a pregnancy test first."

"But doc, I had my period three weeks ago," I protested.

"Never mind, you still have to undergo the pregnancy test to be safe."

So I went to the medical laboratory where my sibling had an internship as a medical technologist. The rest of the interns gathered upon recognizing me and playfully asked what kind of test I would prefer: the kit or the frog test. Ugh! I was more concerned of the measles.

The kit yielded a positive result. An ultrasound suggested I was gestating at six weeks.

The doctor was concerned as ever. "This is a risky pregnancy," he announced. "Your baby could be born blind, deaf-mute, or without extremities. Worse, he could get a heart disease."

He referred me to his good friend, an obstetrician, who further said that she had a patient with the same case as mine. The baby developed cataract right on the delivery table.

"We should terminate your pregnancy," she informed me. She set the date, the hospital, and all the stuffs that should be taken care of. My mind was somewhere else. My baby born blind? I went home warbling a song in my head.. Three blind mice, three blind mice, see how they run.. No! I do not want a blind baby for a child.

On the arranged date, I did not show up at the hospital. I went to church instead and asked that God would at least show me His mercy and give me a healthy baby, far than what has been described of a rubella baby. I offered my baby to Him long before he was born, leaving God to do what He wants my child to be.

"Just give me a complete baby and He is all yours," I was ready to enter into a memorandum of agreement with Him.

It was a difficult pregnancy during the first trimester: dizzy spells, nausea, vomiting, weird food preference. The rest of the months came easy. I was strong, active, and workaholic.

When the baby was born on May 31, 1993, I opted not to sleep through the normal delivery process. And when he was placed on my bosom for his first suckle, I inspected his tiny frame right away. I heaved a sigh of relief. My baby was complete (thanks heavens!) with both lower and upper limbs. A thought came. Had I expelled him, I would have not seen him in that form. I must have made the right decision of going on with my pregnancy despite the doctor's stern warning. I was so proud thinking I was going to have a baby.

(The boy is turning 14 years old by the end of the month. At ten days old, he was discovered to have a ventricular septal defect (heart has three holes) and he was classified as special and hyper-active. Ultrasound revealed that when I contracted rubella, his heart was developing at that time. He was on steroids at age ten days until two years. He is growing up pretty well, tall, still hyper-active, and will be in junior high school next month. He attends a special education class for the gifted. Photo above showed his early attempt at arts.)

(Reposted: May 10, 2007)

Acupressure (Identifying Pressure Points)

2012-09-10T08:09:00.003-07:00

Just look at this nice picture of your feet.

The organs of your body have their sensory touches at the bottom of your feet If you massaged these points, you will find relief from aches and pains. As you can see, the heart is on the left foot.

If you are feeling unwell in a certain part of your body, apply pressure for three seconds on the affected point. Release. Repeat for a period of 15 minutes a day. You can always do this while you are watching TV or just plain relaxing.

Typically, they are shown as pressure points and arrows to show which each organ connects to each other.

It is indeed correct since the nerves connected to these organs terminate here.

This is covered in great details in acupressure studies or textbooks.

God created our body so well that He thought of even this. He made us walk so that we will always be pressing these pressure points and thus keeping these organs activated at all times.

Hope you would be an expert at least for your own family.

(Reposted: June 3, 2007)

Foot Massage

2012-09-10T08:06:00.003-07:00

I have been complaining of a numb toe in the last two months. Despite medication and a triple dose of Vitamin B, the discomfort is still there.

As an alternative, I also went to a reflexologist to get a foot massage. Reflexology is the most known term for acupressure in my country. It is said that whatever disturbance you have inside your body is reflected on the reflex points of your feet. But we were warned. It could be extra painful when those points were pressed or rubbed!

Two office mates went with me to the reflexologist, all for curiosity's sake. We were jerking and excruciating in pain when our feet were massaged for one hour. (Not to mention laughing at each other's grimacing forms.) I was in deep pain and kept pulling my foot away. I was told that I have disturbances in my ovaries, uterus, spinal cord, lumbar nerve, and kidneys. Sheez! And a little toe was in so much pain. I was told I have migraines. True..

The three of us made it a point to get thrice-a-week sessions. After a while, the pain has become tolerable unlike the first session. And we can already ignore some pain. I hope to get a painless rub a few weeks from now.

(Reposted: June 5, 2007)

Life In the Mountains

2012-09-10T08:04:00.001-07:00

Did it ever dawn on you that amidst a world of technology and latest home gadgets, somewhere in the world women wash their clothes in the river and dry them out in the sun?

An official field trip took me to a very remote area on the island I live on. Here, I walked through virgin forests and heard bird sounds that I never heard of before.

I followed a trail leading to a river where screams of happy children blended with the happy song of the gushing water. The womenfolk busied themselves with the day's laundry.

The river was overflowing as it had been raining much the night before. Instead of taking the hanging bridge, I opted to wade. Gathering my shoes and the pack on my back, I walked clumsily trying to maintain balance. The children stared at me and began to huddle around me, their gaze fixed on my hand.

I laughed in amusement waving a gadget, "This is a camera and I would like to get your picture."

So off they jumped into the water and swam in glee. What a wonderful sight. What a wonderful gift of pure laughter. I felt like a child again. Seeing them deprived of the basic necessities of life, I felt so blessed having to live in a very large home secured from the rain and the howling winds. Despite of that deprivation in life, the happiness reflected on the innocent faces of these youngsters was something that money cannot buy.

This was a place where medical doctors and hospitals were unheard of. Sick people would see a quack doctor who "healed" them with Latin chants and rubbing mysterious oils he himself concocted. Serious patients were taken to the city which was three hours travel on road filled with large boulders. Sadly, most of them died along the way.

And this place was not energized and people lit gas lamps at night. In a hut where I spent nights, I slept under a warm mosquito net as there was no electric fan. I appreciated fireflies dancing in the dark, a privilege that has long been deprived of city folks like me.

As I approached the opposite side of the river bank, a child called out to me, "Auntie, are you returning here soon?" (A stranger is referred to as an aunt or uncle as calling an older person on a first-name basis is considered very rude.)

"Yes, I am." And I was lost in thoughts of what to bring them on my next return. Children's books, old encyclopaedias, some school supplies, old clothes and toys I gathered from friends and relatives.. Hmm, maybe I could also throw in some chocolate bars, too, which were not familiar in that mountain region.

(Reposted: June 10, 2007)

No Show

2012-09-10T08:00:00.002-07:00

i expect this moment to be bright

but we have a feminine rain since midnight

the blue moon is nowhere in sight.

have told family and friends to keep watch

this is once-in-a-blue-moon catch.

but everything around is dull and damp

the sky failed to show the blue lamp.

blue moon, are you hiding behind the rain?

this long wait is all in vain

will i ever see you again?

blue moon, blue moon, nowhere in sight

maybe the rain washed you away last night.

and with this little prose running in my head

i am laying this to sleep with me in bed.

(Reposted: June 30, 2007)

Free At Last

2012-09-10T07:57:00.002-07:00

Fourteen marine soldiers gave their young lives in a gruesome death for a false report that Italian priest, Giancarlo Bossi, was kept on the island of Basilan where I live.

Fr. Bossi walked to freedom late Thursday night, July 19, after 40 days of captivity. His freedom was also a great gift to his ailing mother back in Italy, who is celebrating her birthday July 20.

Bossi also condoled with the families of 14 Marines, who died in an encounter with Muslim rebels while looking for him in Albarka town in Basilan.

Bossi was released by his abductors in Karomatan town, Lanao del Norte province in Mindanao maindland, more or less than 400 kilometers from Basilan.

He was found along the highway appearing very haggard. He was clad in blue checkered polo shirt and slacks and was barefoot when government security forces found him. He was suffering from LBM and that he drank water from the river.

"My plan is to go back to Payao (in the neighboring province of Zamboanga Sibugay where he served as a parish priest) to tell people I'm still alive! My heart is still in Payao. As a father, I think I have to go back to my children," he said in a news conference in Zamboanga City.

Asked if he feared for his safety in Payao, Bossi said: "No. Up to now if my superiors [ask me to], I go back anytime."

He became teary-eyed when asked about the 14 Marines.

"I feel like I'm responsible for their death," he said.

Addressing the Marines' families, Bossi said: "My condolences. I hope to meet them."

(Reposted: July 20, 2007)

Miming

2012-09-10T07:54:00.001-07:00

There is a stray cat in the office that we feed with leftovers from our packed lunches. The security guards feed him on weekends and holidays.

We do not know where he came from. We drove him away a number of times, afraid he would poop and pee on our desks. Fortunately, he does not. He made our office his home and for a couple of months, he is with us with a nameless presence. We refer to him as Miming, a generic name for a cat, instead of the usual pusakal (slang term for stray cat). And now he is part of the office family, pampered with whatever food we have.

Notice the different colors of his eyes. Emerald and sky-blue. This is the first time I saw a cat like this.

And by the way, we are thinking of giving him a real name but could not come up with anything sweet. Any suggestion?

(Reposted: July 24, 2007)

Rain

2012-09-10T07:50:00.002-07:00

We have been getting a lot of rain in the last several weeks while parts of the country, especially in the North, are experiencing the dry spell. A state of calamity has been declared in some provinces. Potable water has been rationed already in the metropolis.

I love the rains, but they came in unpredictable patterns. It would be sunny when I leave the house for work. And it would turn dark within a few minutes. Sometimes, it would rain a little after. At times, the skies would clear up. The weather reports were sometimes inaccurate. Do you have unpredictable weather in your place of the world, too?

Hey, a friend of mine shares his practical and simplified weather forecaster and I am passing it on to all of you. Maybe this will be of great help. This is 100% reliable.

Laugh away, folks!

(Reposted: July 31, 2007)

Our Maid Imelda

2012-09-10T07:48:00.002-07:00

She is known for her 2,700 pairs of shoes...

...thousands of gowns,

...her jewelry collection where below shows her diamond choker with 15.5 carats each of Colombian emeralds, 75 total carats emeralds, and 50 carats total diamond set in platinum...

and of course her penchance for singing..

Ok, my dear folks. Here is another light moment for all of you. Enjoy watching!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuiVglF7Dww

(Reposted: August 2, 2007)

Eating Fruits the Right Way

2012-09-10T07:46:00.004-07:00

I have been eating fruits the wrong way for several years, until I stumbled on these facts a few years ago. Since there are so many fruits in season right now (durian, rambutan or lychee, mangoes, lanzones, mangosteen, and marang) on top of year-round fruits (papaya, banana, avocado) I remember this healthy way to eating fresh fruits..

Please read on for a healthier life...

(Reposted: August 3, 2007)

Showcasing Our Island's Dances

2012-09-10T07:44:00.002-07:00

The Royal Government of Belgium played a very vital role in uplifting the lives of the farmers in selected regions of the Philippines. The government agency where I belong to was the lead implementor of the projects assisted by other government and non-government organizations.

And after nine years of implementation, the Belgian projects will end this month. As a way of gathering the stakeholders, a legacy summit is scheduled in a tourist destination in Panglao Island, Bohol together with the Belgian envoy to the Philippines and other diplomats.

I shall be transported here to dance.. (Yipeee!!)

Our province will be presenting the various ethnic heritage before an audience of 200 people. We had a record-breaking two weeks of practicing the ethnic dances which normally takes months to hone the craft on footwork and elaborate hand movements.

Here I am shown wearing silver steel-plate nails called janggay (pronounced jang- gai .. jang where the vowel is like the "a" in car, gai as in guy).

We dance chin up but with eyes on the floor because a tribe girl is said to be shy and timid, except when we raise our hand where we follow our fingers with our eyes and then back to the floor when our hands are down.. And we are not allowed to smile.

Look! Even Miming's girlfriend and kittens were with us during the dance practice!

And even Miming's friend witnessed us from the balcony... Hahaha!

We have genuine ethnic clothes handwoven by tribeswomen in the mountains..

And this is how I look like when I am wearing the authentic costume (geez!!):

We ended the two-week practice with a dressed rehearsal.. Oops! I smiled here.. Hahaha..

So my dear 360 family, I shall be off from blogging for about a couple of weeks. I shall catch up with your blogs with my comments upon my return. I am gonna miss all of you.

See yah later!

(Reposted: August 11, 2007)

I'm Back

2012-09-10T07:42:00.001-07:00

Hi, everyone! I just arrived from a ten-day trip. I haven't settled back into the old grind yet. Lots of blogs to catch up later. Thank you for keeping in touch. I shall drop by your page soon and show it some love.

Hugs!
Coy

Very big hugs to the following for their quick comments while I was away:

Miss Hong Kong, Fefe
Across the Universe (Chris)
Angelgreeneyes (Leah)
Sweety
Nona
Zena
Chana aka Nancy S.

Equally big hugs too for their blog comments:

Sweety
Tian (Have you been good, Tian?)
Crowley Slug (my first commenter on 360)
Janice P.

Bear hugs, too for their messages:

NanaBoss
Adeline
J Scott
Crowley Slug
Mama Pajama
Karolo
Jaime A.
Rick Killam
Chana aka Nancy S.
Snapper
Cherrybomb (Lonie)

Did I miss anyone?

(Reposted: August 21, 2007)