SURF'S UP FOR HER

On the 29th December issue of Today newspaper (a Singapore newspaper)which was yesterday actually, I took noticed of a photo of a lady surfing. As I looked closer, I then recognised that she was the highest official of my born country, the Philippines. And I read:

"SURF'S UP FOR ARROYO: Philippine President Gloria Arroyo riding a surfboard at a surfing camp in San juan, La Union province, on Tuesday, Ms Arroyo is on holiday and taking a break from the political fighting in Manila."

Wahhh! What does this photo meant? My husband just said, "Mom she's just showing to the whole world that she has a well- balanced personality and like the rest of the people around, she has her hobbies and sports too." Really? But she happens to be a public official, mind you. "Public officials have their own lives too and they have the rights to enjoy what life can give," my husband added.

Whether my husband meant to say it in a sarcastic way or in defense of the lady, I really don't care. What I care about is that I see more people roaming the streets, more people with no jobs and food to eat as shown in many TV programmes, and many people expressed their desires to get out of the country . And here she was, escaping the fighting in Manila by surfing.

Ahh! She's the president and who am I to say something about her private activity? But she could opt not to be photographed that way. If only our country is a first country, seeing a highest official doing a private activity would be cool. With the economic status of our country being so low, seeing the president that way, projected once again, a negative Philippines.

I don't know. Maybe I am negative too.

A Different Christmas

I could not explain my feeling when I went to work today. I felt so stressed these past few days. Imagine, we had our Graduation Concert on the 10th. For sure you know how much effort I exerted in the preparation for my children’s performance. Then, we had our Christmas party gathering with the elderly in the elderly home nearby. Combined with all the preparation for the coming academic year like the new classroom decors and learning corners, and the Parent Teacher Conference scheduled today, how you could blame me if I felt so lazy to go to work. I even wanted to complain and say, “hey its Christmas Eve today.”

When the first set of parents arrived, my energy was boosted. Discussing about the child’s progress and development in all aspects made me feel so energized. Isn’t it a nice feeling to discuss a child’s creativity and interests to their own parents?

But this father and his child made me value my work the more and Christmas at the same time. My opening salvo made him really cry. Yes Virginia! The father did really cry for he was so touched by my words of appreciation for him and his wife in coming to the PTC which meant they really cared for their child. The father being overseas felt guilty that he’s not much of a good father. I assured him that quality time with his child is more important than quantity time. And with this episode, I realized the true value of my job, and that there is love among people made stronger by the Christmas moods.

So, I went home at twelve noon, satisfied that I went to work, what with the Christmas presents and greetings from colleagues. With a happy disposition, though tired, I prepared food for our Noche Buena.

While doing preparation and cooking, I managed to watch TFC cable programmes. I was able to watch Wowowee and Magandang Gabi Bayan. The families living in the streets and the prisoners who have been away from their families were shown on the shows respectively. Though I was so touched and in the verge of shedding tears for those people, I felt joy, for they were given help by the people behind the 2 shows.

It seems that this Christmas Eve is really a Christmas full of angels. From the father of my student who saw an angel in his child and an angel on me so to speak and me on his child for making me realized the goodness of my work and to those people of the shows who helped our poor countrymen in prison and those living in the streets ,who are also angels on my eyes and on the eyes of the children and adults they made happy, I encouraged one and all to be angels too in their own simple way. Let us be angels not only on the birthday of Jesus, but also in all the days to come.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Christmas in Orchard Road

It is Christmas time in Orchard Road. It is a nice feeling walking the stretch of Orchard Road with your family at your side. You really feel that this season is a special occasion with all the lights and beautiful things to see and sounds to hear. Though, it is really commercialized, I am thinking positive of all the glitters I see and hear around. For in all the golden colours, the happy faces and wonderful sounds, you'll feel the presence of someone GREAT.

Truly, a photo speaks a thousand words. For in these photos, I can see a lot of meaning on what Christmas is all about.

Comfortably Buckled- Up

On my pinay expat site, I wrote before that my twin granddaughters were very uncomfortable wearing their seatbelts. Most of the time they would scream when it was time for us to buckle them up.

And now as you can see, they are very comfortable with their seatbelts. At their age of 2 years and 1 month 19 days, they already found the naturalness of buckling up once they enter the car.

And that is what is so wonderful with children, they learn easily. At first they will try to defy adults rules but then as days passed by, they will follow the routine naturally.

You may wonder why I revived this blog site of mine too. I feel I owe it to AnP to state here why I am with Blogger again. I feel that I have to protect her and me as well from negative perceptions.

Well, when I got so affected of an entry I wrote that sparked misconception, I told her that I wanted to be on temporary hiatus which she did for me. After a few weeks, I wrote her that I was ready to post entry again. After 2 or 3 posts in a span of 1 week, I could not access the site anymore. As AnP explained something got wrong and she wrote: "Sorry! Mea culpa, mea culpa... when I transferred the database of Ruth's blog to her new domain, I made a mistake and somehow changed the name and code for yours, as well." She asked me how she could be of help. And since my youngest daughter initiated my return to Blogger, I decided and informed her that I'll just continue with Blogger. And this is the reason why I am with Blogger again.

I am proud that AnP invited me to join her pinayexpat. Now, I understand the situation . Anyhow, I am contented and comfortable with Blogger. Since AnP wrote that our relationship remain the same and wish to meet me once she visits Justice here makes me glad.

And that's it. AnP and me are in good terms. And I respect her as one of the first I met in blogosphere.

So like my twin grand daughters, I also learnt how to be comfortable and be natural of my present situation and make the most of it. This is applicable to all adults too. May we adults, learn from children how to be contented on following present routines and or rules with a happy heart.

Thank You!

I would like to say thank you to all who greeted me on my birthday. You know who you are.

I also would like to say thank you for the mention about my entry on Professional Storytellers. Though she mentioned me days ago, I still feel I have to thank her for taking notice of my entry.

Many thanks Millicent Frastley of http://tonsil.blogspot.com

Special Day

When I was a child,
I used to believe on the negativity
And the bad things
Of what Friday the 13th brings
To people in general.

Then I discovered that
I was born on Friday the 13th.
It made me cry.
It made me terribly sad.

After many years ,
I then learnt to realise
The beauty and specialness
Of Friday the 13th.

And though it is not Friday today,
For today is Tuesday the 13th,
I consider 13th a lucky number.
For I was born today.

Happy birthday to me!!
(My age is a number I don't bother!)

It turned out Okay

It just turned out okay. Nothing more to say.....

My Daughter's Best Friend With the Girls

Chei Wee with my daughter and the girls


My eldest daughter Krizelle, visited her best friend, Chei Wee in South Carolina last October. They have never seen each other for years. Their friendship developed in Insead where Chei Wee worked in Reseach while my daughter was a marketing executive in the same building.

Chei Wee is a Singaporean who holds her Masters from a Sweden University. After her stint in Insead, she went to USA to pursue her doctorate in South Carolina University.

And so on Thanksgiving Day she flew to Williamsburg to be with Krizelle and spent Thanksgiving with the girls.

On Focus

KLM: Mom, focus on us, okay....

L: okay, smile! 123 click!

KLM: wahh! Mom naman, we said focus on us, not the ship.

L: okay girls, take a shot of me naman.

P: smile Mom!

L: why is M with me, daya mo P!

P: mana ako sa 'yo Mom eh.

Of Love and Abuse

Finally I finished reading the books I bought at Borders bookshop in Berjaya Times Square.

I finished the first book titled, Call Me Elizabeth days ago. It tells how a mother decided on a career for the love of her children.

Last night, I finished reading this book, A Brother's Journey. I was shaken. It was difficult to accept the abuses one child can get from his own mother.

Life is really full of conflicts, mysteries and unexplained emotions. How can one mother sells her own body for the love of her children and how can one mother abuses her own child for the heck of it?

For me, I will still try my best to point to one and all that children are the best gifts of God. I may also be guilty in one way or another of not giving much love to children, but then, what's more important for me is the thinking that we, adults, need to try our best to understand why children behave in such a way. By that understanding, we can interact with them in a more positive way.

But for child abuse, whether done because of emotional instability or for disciplinary purposes, is still the most unforgiveable act an adult can do to a child.

Therefore let us act now. Stop the cycle of abuses. Let us be aware of how an adult's words and actions could affect a child in his development and lately in adulthood. Let us put LOVE in our words and actions to children so that they will grow to be confident and loving adults in the future.