House on a hill

Emergency

Connie Veneracion — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:35:07 +0000

At 10.30 a.m. today, one of the house helpers came up to my study to tell me that we had no more rice to cook for lunch. Wow, and I was hoping for a leisurely day. We had a huge bowl of leftover stir fried beef and vegetables that I cooked for the kids’ packed [...]

The Cinderella mentality in a democracy

Connie Veneracion — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:30:19 +0000

My current desk editor (she’s my third) in Manila Standard Today also writes an op-ed column. In her column published a month ago, she wrote her thoughts after seeing The Other Boleyn Girl. As to what led me to that particular column, well, I was digging through the archives looking for Emil Jurado’s column lambasting [...]

Making Meralco unhappy

Connie Veneracion — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 04:55:22 +0000

Today’s column. If you have been following the developments on the Manila Electric Co. saga, three very substantial questions are worth pondering over. First, what really is the agenda of Government Service Insurance System in its seeming attempt to wrestle control of Meralco? Second, is Meralco trying to evade answering the “syndicated estafa” charges by resorting [...]

The bath tub in the garden and some related stories

Connie Veneracion — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 01:59:46 +0000

A couple of days ago, I mentioned the plumbing problems we were having including the bath tub that wouldn’t fill with water. While repairs are on-going, Speedy and I had been taking showers in either of the girls’ bathrooms. Yesterday, while dinner was on the stove (magnificent dinner — you really ought to see it), [...]

Photography without formula

Connie Veneracion — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:02:01 +0000

I got an e-mail from a reader asking me to share some tips about photo-taking. The way I get it, what she really wants are tutorials. It’s flattering. I don’t even consider myself a great photographer. I’m competent, yes, but hardly skilled and talented enough to actually think I can make a living out of [...]