Pregnant Pauses

The Kiss

2011-06-08T13:55:00.004+08:00

My six-year old approaches me looking uncharacteristically shy and a tad embarrassed: "Mom, I watched kissing. But it's in the cartoons... so that's okay, right?"

Bwahahahaha!

Celebration

2010-12-30T15:38:00.003+08:00

As G.K. Chesterton said: "The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul."

Let's celebrate all the good things that happened in 2010 and look forward to even better things to come in 2011!

Twitter Bug

2010-05-28T14:05:00.003+08:00

Follow me at http://twitter.com/LoonymuseIrene so we can be tweet buddies!

Woot! Woot!

The Best Gift

2010-02-27T00:59:00.004+08:00

All the expensive presents in the world will never compare to the value of the hand-made card my son gave to me on the eve of my birthday.

It was all I needed to feel such overwhelming love, happiness and gratitude.

Everything else that followed was just icing on the cake.

Staying Alive

2010-02-16T18:36:00.006+08:00

Unbeing dead isn't being alive.

- ee cummings

Love Blossoms

2010-02-15T00:53:00.008+08:00

Thank you for the beautiful bouquet of red roses, my honey! I feel like the luckiest woman in the world for having you in my life.

From that fateful moment we met many moons ago, I have amassed wonderful memories of Valentine's Day celebrations happily spent together. Whenever I think it can't get any better, you always do something to surprise me and prove me wrong.

You have an endearing way of keeping the romance burning.

My heart feels so ever content.

My gratitude is boundless.

You are my saving grace and I love you endlessly.

New Label

2010-01-03T00:24:00.004+08:00

Upon spotting one of my bras lying on the bed, my impish toddler suddenly exclaimed:

"Mommy, you forgot to wear your booby belt!"

BWAHAHA!

Resolution

2009-12-31T18:01:00.005+08:00

"Resolve to make at least one person happy every day, and then in ten years you may have made three thousand, six hundred and fifty persons happy, or brightened a small town by your contribution to the fund of general enjoyment."

- Sydney Smith

Movie Magic

2009-12-28T03:37:00.005+08:00

"Sometimes your life boils down to one insane move."

-Jake Sully, Avatar

Farewell to Cuteness

2009-12-27T00:14:00.004+08:00

My 4-year old's teacher told him he was so cute and pinched his cheeks.

His indignant reply: "I'm not cute... I'm not a baby! I'm a big boy... I'm handsome!"

BWAHAHAHA!

People Power Lives On

2009-08-07T14:16:00.035+08:00

There it was, weaving its way through the crowded city, a startingly simple truck carrying the simple coffin of a simple woman who in her own simple way succeeded in summoning the people's power to unite and fight to regain our country's freedom from dictatorship through peace and prayer.

Even the heavens seemed to be in mourning as the wet drizzles from the sky mingled with the yellow confetti showers falling from the skyscrapers of Makati. Everyone left their office buildings and sacrificed their lunch hour to wait outside for a glimpse of President Cory Aquino's casket.

She always had the gift of bringing together Filipinos from all walks of life, and there they all were... reuniting of their own free will, paying their respects, shedding tears for her, flashing the famous L sign for LABAN and reliving the moments of the 1986 EDSA revolution when we rallied to her cause and stopped soldiers and tanks with nothing but rosaries to shield us.

She strove so long and so hard for peace. Though the entire nation is saddened by her loss, our hearts are also rejoicing with the certainty that Tita Cory is now finally permanently at peace in the arms of the Lord together with her husband Ninoy.

Thank you. We will never forget you.

A National Treasure

2009-08-01T11:14:00.011+08:00

“I don't have any formula for ousting a dictator or building democracy. All I can suggest is to forget about yourself and just think of your people. It's always the people who make things happen.” - President Corazon Aquino

Rest in peace, President Cory. You will always be a cherished part of our country's history.

Burn

2009-07-27T15:51:00.015+08:00

"The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live mad to talk mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing but burn burn burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes 'awww!' "

- Jack Kerouac (On the Road)

So be mad. Be passionate. Be extraordinary. Be the shameless star of your own life.

Promise.... I'll be right there burning with you.

Aisles of Paradise

2009-07-07T17:58:00.019+08:00

"I have always imagined that Paradise will be some kind of library." - Jorge Luis Borges

I usually try to avoid entering bookstores because once I'm in I have a bitch of a time finding my way out.

I love bookstores. I love scouring the aisles in search of a good find. I love the feel and smell of a new page turned. I love unearthing a new title that I just know my son, my husband or I will enjoy devouring.

If I had tons of money, I would certainly put up my very own bookstore.

And I would make sure I visit this one located in Maastricht, Holland for inspiration. The store is called Selexyz and it is installed in an old Dominican church, with the coffee shop nestled right at the altar.

Hallelujah!

Gone Too Soon

2009-06-27T00:52:00.006+08:00

"If you enter this world knowing you are loved and you leave this world knowing the same, then everything that happens in between can be dealt with." - Michael Jackson

Thank you for rocking our world.

Rest in peace.

Falling

2009-06-24T19:39:00.005+08:00

"Forget love - I'd rather fall in chocolate!"

- Sandra J. Dykes

Metamorphosis

2009-06-06T18:59:00.010+08:00

It was early morning in our hotel room in Beijing and it was freezing cold.

I was preparing a warm bath for our four year-old son, so I proceeded to remove his pajamas and underwear.

After a few seconds, my son gives a squeal and his already very round eyes got even rounder.

Worried, I asked him what the matter was.

He immediately pointed to his protruding little penis and bluted out: "Look, Mommy! My turtle turned into a giraffe!"

I tried valiantly to keep a straight face, but it was impossible. I almost fell to the floor laughing.

I have never looked at a turtle or giraffe the same way since.

The Perfect All-Occasion Cards

2009-06-04T19:20:00.014+08:00

BWAHAHAHA!

Turtle Family

2008-11-27T09:49:00.011+08:00

My son has never before exhibited a great fondness for stuffed toys. Gifts of the fluffy kind simply serve as displays on exhibit at his bedroom, to be glanced over from time to time, maybe even patted or held briefly on a few occasions, but never really seriously considered as major objects of affection.

I was thus more than mildly surprised when, on a recent trip to the department store, my toddler gravitated towards the toy section and excitedly grabbed a stuffed turtle from one of the shelves.

It was Crush (...or was it his son Squirt? I honestly can't tell the difference...) from "Finding Nemo." His big eyes lit up with pleasure as he held the toy next to him. He even brought the cute and cuddly green thing next to his face and gave it a kiss on the cheek.

From that moment on, he absolutely refused to let go of Crush/Squirt. The cashier had to resort to cutting the price tag off for scanning because my son adamantly refused to hand over his precious find lest it disappear from him forever.

I was hugely amused to see how much he loved his new toy.

As soon as we arrived back at our condo, my litte boy suddenly looked for his real pet turtle, which he received a few months back as a present from his Uncle. He asked his Daddy to take it out of the aquarium and set it down on the floor. When the live turtle was on the floor, our three year-old got his stuffed pet Crush/Squirt and put him down beside it. A few seconds later, my husband and I were flabbergasted to see our son plop down on the floor as well.

Before we could say anything, our wonder kid looked up at us with a big grin on his impish face and said: "Look, we're the same! All turtles....we're family!"

And so that is how we found ourselves with a happy family of turtles living at our home.

i carry your heart

2008-11-13T23:09:00.010+08:00

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

my heart) i am never without it(anywhere

i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done

by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear

no fate(for you are my fate, my sweet)i want

no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)

and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows

higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

- ee cummings

Who do you carry in your heart? =)

Retrospective

2008-11-10T00:21:00.009+08:00

Tried uploading my photos at yearbookyourself.com.

And TAH-DAH....these were the results generated....

Don't think I can't hear you laughing your ass off!

BWAHAHAHA!

Okay, now YOU do it! Then share the outcome...so it can be my turn to laugh.

BWAHAHAHA!

Fabulous Photo Fun

2008-09-03T03:19:00.015+08:00

Fooling around with photos has never been this entertaining!

You can try applying the special effects on your pictures at photofunia.com. Enjoy!!!

Checking In

2008-08-19T00:19:00.005+08:00

Just when I am feeling a tad uninspired to blog more often, this surprise suddenly arrives for me by mail....

Thank you, Google Adsense! Nothing beats your form of motivation. Haha!

Now, excuse me while I go shopping!

McDreamy's Bride

2008-07-09T21:38:00.002+08:00

Finally. The seemingly improbable happened.

I got hitched to McDreamy.

Woohoo!

A Farewell to Summer

2008-05-27T16:52:00.042+08:00

"Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language."

- Henry James

"In summer, the song sings itself."

- William Carlos Williams

"The summer night is like a perfection of thought."

- Wallace Stevens

"Then followed that beautiful season...Summer...

Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light;

And the landscape lay as if new

Created in all the freshness of childhood."

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"Most persons do not see the sun. At least they have a very superficial seeing. The sun illuminates only the eye of the man, but shines into the eye and heart of the child. The lover of nature is he whose inward and outward senses are still truly adjusted to each other; who has retained the spirit of infancy even into the era of manhood."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life - to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories."

- George Eliot

"There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart."

- Celia Thaxter

"A life without love is like a year without summer."

- Swedish Proverb

"When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses."

- Joyce Brothers

"Enjoy yourself. It's later than you think."

- Chinese Proverb

"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time."

- John Lubbock

"I question not if thrushes sing,

If roses load the air;

Beyond my heart I need not reach

When all is summer there."

-John Vance Cheney

"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer."

- Albert Camus

"To see the Summer Sky

Is Poetry, though never in a Book it lie -

True Poems flee."

- Emily Dickinson

"Summer is the time when one sheds one's tensions with one's clothes, and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit. A few of those days and you can become drunk with the belief that all's right with the world."

- Ada Louise Huxtable

"Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it."

-Russel Baker

Birthday Tribute

2008-04-18T10:52:00.017+08:00

A mushy missive to the man of the hour...

Dearest Allan,

Despite my occasional loud bursts of protests, whiny complaints and demanding questions of why, how and what now, please know that, in the deepest recesses of my heart and soul, I am always on your side -- rooting for you, believing in you, praying for you, trusting you, loving you every step of the way.

My darling, you simply cannot imagine how proud I am of you.

At 38, you have achieved what many only dream of. Slowly but surely, you grew to become the great man I always knew you would be from the moment I met you.

You have managed to conquer the odds and build a successful, rewarding career that has gifted our family with stability, comfort and freedom. You have proven that life is what you make of it -- that hard work, perseverance, patience, focus, optimism, faith and kindness can transform obstacles into victories, change daunting improbabilities into endless possiblity, and create stunning miracles out of ordinary happenings.

You have truly inspired and moved me to think differently, to focus on the good, to give in order to get back. And for this, I am extremely grateful. Now, I am joyfully convinced that all setbacks are temporary; they happen for a reason, and even help sweeten the feeling of fulfillment in the end.

So THANK YOU - for all that you do and all that you are.

You are an amazing husband, a devoted father, and the perfect best friend.

Happy Birthday, my honey!!!

I love you and I always will.

Your loony muse,

Irene

Reminiscing Rio

2008-04-11T21:22:00.014+08:00

"Her name is Rio and she dances on the sand
Just like that river twisting through a dustly land
And when she shines she really shows you all she can
Oh Rio, Rio dance across the Rio Grande..."

Duran Duran played this song as their final encore in their concert Thursday night.

Consequently, it has permeated the inner recesses of my brain so that I continue to sing it over and over again like a broken record. Which is quite a feat, really, given that I have practically lost all command of my vocal chords since yelling myself silly throughout their entire two-hour show.

Duran Duran is one of my all-time favorite eighties' bands.

I loved them before....

And, after finally seeing them peform live, I love them even more now....

Nostalgia overwhelmed me as the amazingly talented English musicians played their fabulously familiar tunes, and the huge Araneta Coliseum crowd collectively shrieked and danced along.

After the twenty or so years that have passed, the group undeniably sounded better than ever.

I saw many familiar faces in the excited audience - some I knew from way back in high school and college.

Flashbacks of prom nights, awkward dates, die-hard crushes, puppy loves, crazy parties, spasmodic bursts of teenage rebellion and sentimental friendships enveloped my being and spurred me to scream my lungs out even harder to the soundtracks that were my life.

I was lost, then found, in the contagious mood of frenetic reminiscence.

I felt old.

And I felt young.

Generally, I felt greater than I had in quite a while.

"Her name is Rio she don't need to understand
And I might find her if I'm looking like I can
Rio, Rio hear them shout across the land
From mountains in the north down to the Rio Grande..."

Beanie Baby

2008-04-08T14:38:00.015+08:00

My son loves to dress up, but in his own way.

At three, he seems to have already developed his own sense of fashion. Depending on his mood, he carefully chooses his own outfit from his hat down to his shoes. And, more often than not, his sartorial flair involves dramatic costuming.

Each day our toddler traipses off to school, his teachers are always in for a surprise. They never know when to expect a firefighter, gladiator, cowboy, pirate, or even Bob the Builder to stride proudly into the classroom.

The problem arises when our picky dresser has to wear something that does not catch his fancy. He throws a tantrum and unceremoniously yanks on his undesired piece of clothing until we, the tired, hapless parents, eventually give in and remove the offending piece.

A few weeks back, we were faced with a dilemma when our family had to attend a formal wedding. How in the world were we going to make our headstrong son last more than five minutes in a long-sleeved collared shirt and tie???

I could not help but worry during the entire ride to the venue. I kept trying to sweet-talk him by telling him how handsome he would look wearing the ensemble hanging by our car window, but he would merely shake his head vigorously at me in response.

When we finally arrived at the event, I valiantly attempted to get our boy into the shirt and tie. Just as I predicted and dreaded, he immediately started wailing and pulling hard at his necktie and shirt buttons.

My husband quickly advised me to stop creating a scene and simply let our son go in casually attired. I knew I was losing the accoutrement battle. In the distance, I could see all the little children prancing around in their formalwear.

Out of desperation, I cried out: "MR. BEAN!"

Suddenly, our young bugger completely ceased fidgeting and stood perfectly still. He looked at me, albeit suspiciously, and said, "Mr. Bean?"

And I, latching on at the burst of hope, reiterated, "Yes! Mr. Bean! You're Mr. Bean!"

Lo and behold, a miracle occured. Our hyper nipper slowly took in his garb. Soon after, his previously distressed face broke into a pleased smile. He grabbed my hand and practically pulled me to the gathering.

He ended up contentedly wearing his Mr. Bean "costume" the whole evening. As an added bonus, all the guests we came across enthused that our lad looked so handsome in his get-up.

Whew!

Thank you for saving the day, Mr. Bean!

Welcoming Summer

2008-04-05T18:01:00.007+08:00

You know it's really summer when you wake up in a resort one sunny morning to the sight of your smiling toddler suited in a snug silly outfit, slathered in sunblock lotion, shod in rubber thong slippers, singing his merry way to the pool.

The heat is definitely on and this loony mommy is finding herself enjoying every bit of it with her playful child.

Woohoo!

Model Child

2007-11-29T11:00:00.000+08:00

After his not so short-lived fame as the taxi cab and billboard baby of Kimberly Clark's Joy Tissue, our little man Niccolo is at it again.

This time, he strikes poses for Avon.

Thankfully, the photographer in charge of the shoot was his own father. The voluntary talent motivator, on the other hand, was his loony stage mother who became even loonier while trying to squeeze an acceptable expression out of the extraordinarily mischievous and hyper subject.

The results are the spreads below which came out in the two November Avon catalogs....

Woohoo!

First Lesson

2007-10-26T15:58:00.000+08:00

I never tire of reading this piece, which a good friend shared with me way back in high school.

I thought you might like it, too.

FIRST LESSON

Lie back, daughter, let your head

be tipped back in the cup of my hand.

Gently, and I will hold you.

Spread your arms wide, lie out on a stream

and look high at the gulls.

A dead man's float is face down.

You will dive and swim soon enough

where this tide water ebbs to sea.

Daughter, believe me,

when you tire on the long trash

to your island, lie up and survive.

As you float now, where I held you

and let go, remember when fear

cramps your heart what I told you:

Lie gently wide to the light year stars,

lie back, and the sea will hold you.

Charlie & Lucy

2007-08-13T18:07:00.000+08:00

Peanuts was a syndicated daily comic strip written and drawn by American cartoonist Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950 to the day after Schulz's death on February 13, 2000. The strip was one of the most popular and influential in the history of the medium.

Charlie Brown, the principal character of Peanuts, wins our heart with his losing ways. It always rains on his parade, his baseball game, and his life. He's an inveterate worrier who frets over trifles (but who's to say they're trifles?). He can be spotted a mile away in his sweater with the zig-zag trim, head down, hands in pocket, headed for Lucy's psychiatric booth. He is considerate, friendly and polite and we love him knowing that he'll never win a baseball game or the heart of the little red-haired girl, kick the football Lucy is holding or fly a kite successfully. His friends call him "wishy-washy," but his spirit will never give up in his quest to triumph over adversity.

Here are my all-time favorite Charlie Brown quotes:

In the book of life, the answers aren't in the back.

I've developed a new philosophy... I only dread one day at a time.

Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter like unrequited love!

My anxieties have anxieties.

Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, "Where have I gone wrong?" Then a voice says to me, "This is going to take more than one night."

I got a "C" in everything. I'm a straight "blah" student!

Years are like candy bars. We're paying more, but they're getting shorter.

There must be millions of people all over the world who never get any love letters . . . I could be their leader.

Sometimes you lie in bed at night, and you don't have a single thing to worry about...That always worries me!

It always looks darkest just before it gets totally black.

I'm not a poor loser, I'm a good loser. I'm so good at it I lose all the time!

That's the secret to life... replace one worry with another.

How can we lose when we're so sincere?

Happiness is anyone and anything that's loved by you.

Life is like an ice cream cone...you have to learn to lick it.

Good grief, indeed!

Making her debut in 1952, just two short years after the Peanuts comic strip first ran, Lucy Van Pelt burst into the popular daily, becoming the high-voltage catalyst to ignite the comedic fire under the lovable members of the original Peanuts gang. Lucy's take-charge attitude and annoying self-confidence immediately cast her as one of the favorite characters of the strip as well as an unlikely, but powerful, role model for men and women alike. To ardent fans of the strip, she is best loved for being bossy and for her charmingly crabby disposition that is solely her own.

Of all the Peanuts characters, I admit to identifying with Lucy the most. Here are some of the most memorable words the famous fussbudget has boldly uttered:

This is a hard world to get along in. I feel sorry for all the new little babies.

It's hard for a critical person to go to sleep if she isn't allowed a brief word of criticism!

By the time I've grown up, we'll probably have a woman president. You know what that means, don't you? It means I won't get to be the first one. BOY, THAT MAKES ME MAD!!

I never made a mistake in my life. I thought I did once, but I was wrong.

I'm worried about a little boy who sits in front of me at school. He cries every day. This afternoon I tried to help him. I whacked him one on the arm... There's nothing like a little physical pain to take your mind off emotional problems.

Can I help it if I have crabby genes?

I think you should work hard to improve your character, Charlie Brown. Once a child gets to be five years old, his character is pretty well established.

It's a scientific fact that girls are smarter than boys! And do you know who discovered it? WOMEN SCIENTISTS!

Each generation must be able to blame the previous generation for its problems. It doesn't solve anything, but it makes us all feel better.

Try not to have a good time . . . This is supposed to be educational.

I'm intrigued by this view you have on the purpose of life, Charlie Brown. You say we're put on this earth to make others happy? ... What are the others put here for?

I'm frustrated and inhibited, and no one understands me.

You can't drift along forever... you have to direct your thinking. For instance you have to decide whether you're going to be a liberal or a conservative. You have to take some sort of stand. You have to associate with some sort of cause.

Big sisters are the crab grass in the lawn of life.

Have you ever seen an X-ray of a hiccup?

You think being average is enough, don't you? Well it isn't! What shape would the world be in today if everyone settled for being average?

People who prefer sunsets are dreamers! They always give up! They always look back instead of forward! I just might have known you weren't a sunrise person! Sunrisers are go-getters! They have ambition and drive! Give me a person who likes a sunrise every time! Yes, sir! I'm sorry Charlie Brown. If you prefer sunsets to sunrises, I can't take your case. You're hopeless!

We critical people are always being criticized!

I hate playing with a poor loser, but I can't stand playing with a good loser!

No one wants to turn my jump rope for me. They all say I'm too crabby. They say I complain too much. They say I complain when they turn it too fast and they say I complain when they turn it too slow. No one understands us crabby people!

Life is too short to waste it listening to some person who doesn't know when to shut up! Time is too valuable!

Gee. Do they still make wooden Christmas Trees?

What do you mean nobody's fault! It has to be somebody's fault! Somebody's got to take the blame! Find a scapegoat!

No matter how hard you try, you can't build a rainman.

Just remember, I can take anything that life throws at me! (A ball lands on her head.) That was a hit, not a throw!

You DO think I'm beautiful, don't you, Charlie Brown? [pause] You didn't answer me right away. You had to think about it first, didn't you? If you really had thought I was beautiful, you would've spoken right up. I know when I've been insulted. I KNOW WHEN I'VE BEEN INSULTED.

Happiness is a warm puppy.

Being crabby all day makes you hungry.

All you really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.

Relax and Let Go

2007-08-05T20:13:00.000+08:00

"You can either relax and let go of your life, in which case you will know peace. Or you can try to control your life, in which case you will know war. Try to make simple enjoyment of your life your goal. For example, if you want to be a good parent, just make the goal to enjoy your children, and you'll do everything right. The simpler you can keep your goal, the more successful you're going to be. There's nothing complicated about all this. Just relax, be happy, and treat the people around you gently. It really is that simple. The struggle is in getting to a place where you sincerely want to do that."

-Hugh Prather

Those Happy Creatures Called Men

2007-07-27T20:57:00.000+08:00

Men are just happier people.

Really, what do you expect from such simple creatures?

Your last name stays put. The garage is all yours. Wedding plans take care of themselves. Chocolate is just another snack. You can be President. You can never be pregnant. You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park. You can wear NO shirt to a water park. Car mechanics tell you the truth. The world is your urinal. You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky. You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt. Same work, more pay. Wrinkles add character. Wedding dress -- $5000. Tux rental -- $100. People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them. The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected. New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet. One mood all the time. Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. You know stuff about tanks. A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase. You can open all your own jars. You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend. Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack. Three pairs of shoes are more than enough. You almost never have strap problems in public. You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes. Everything on your face stays its original color. The same hair style lasts for years, maybe decades. You only have to shave your face and neck. You can play with toys all your life. Your belly usually hides your big hips. One wallet and one pair of shoes, one color for all seasons. You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look. You can "do" your nails with a pocket knife. You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache. You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.

No wonder men are happier.

Bwahahaha!

Toy Cemetery

2007-07-24T12:11:00.000+08:00

Answer me this.

How can a huggable little creature with such a heartachingly sweet and innocent face....

.... be capable of wreaking such physical devastation and mass destruction?

Alas, poor plastic figures!

Kindly join me in a moment of blog silence as we fervently wish these hapless playthings eternal peace and wholeness of being in the afterlife.

Amen.

Now that that's over with, I'm off to the mall to shop anew for my toddler.

So to the brand new toys out there: Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Making a Statement

2007-07-19T12:11:00.000+08:00

My cowboy's shirt says it all.

Doesn't it?

Bwahahaha!

Starting Early

2007-07-13T11:56:00.000+08:00

Little girls (come to think of it, so do big ones) love my boy.

They really do.

Whenever we go out, sweet young things suddenly materialize around my young soldier, desperately seeking his attention. They smile at him, pinch his soft cheeks, giggle at his perpetually furrowed brows, ruffle his soft thick hair. Some try to grab his hand or sneak in a hug or, for the truly daring, attempt to plant him a kiss.

Naturally, my flabbergasted son flees, as if his life depended on it, in the opposite direction from the gaggling, ga-ga gals.

And funnily enough, the more my baby runs, the more the fascinated moppets become set on chasing him.

Once, when were in the mall, a daddy turned beet red with embarrassment and actually apologized to me as he helplessly watched his toddler daughter incessantly pursue my panicked munchkin round and round endless racks of children's clothing.

It is the kind of amusing situation I've become quite used to.

However, as accepting as I think I have become of the fact that my miniature man has an undeniable charisma that lures diminutive dames like moth to a flame, I was still caught unprepared for this series of paparazzi-style photos that were snapped at his playschool . . .

Now, I am certain that the above pictures of Niccolo and his adorable classmate Andie were creatively orchestrated by their overzealous matchmaking nannies so that their resulting poses are more than a tad contrived.

Yet, my heart skipped a beat and I found myself getting ridiculously sentimental at the thought of my darling tot growing up and - it truly pains me to say it - getting a girlfriend.

When I showed the images to my husband, all he said was: "Wait til he's a teen-ager!"

Heavens!

I sure can wait.

Childproof!

2007-07-09T00:30:00.000+08:00

Try clicking on the word “childproofing” on your search engine and you will receive a kilometric list of links teeming with all sorts of precautionary measures you should take to ensure that your toddler is safe in your home.

Secure your stairs with baby gates to avoid nasty falls! Buy adhesive mount cabinet latches to block access to harmful objects! Use toilet locks to keep your child from touching the germ-filled toilet water! Unplug electrical appliances when not in use!

Indeed, the security recommendations for keeping your place safe for baby are endless and more than sufficient to drive the meek of heart to the brink of parental paranoia.

However, I noticed that what the purported safety experts fail to offer is much-needed advice regarding the opposite side of the coin.

Specifically: what must be done to proof the house from baby?

For, as most desperate folk with a mischievous imp in their midst know only too well, a tiny toddler can wreak huge havoc in any peaceful dwelling. I thus took it upon myself to draw up a list of things that could help protect the familial abode from infant destruction.

Daddies and mommies, follow these practical tips at your own discretion:

o Remove all objects within reach of your octopus baby, the operative word here being all. Keep in mind that anything that can be grabbed will be grabbed and dropped to the ground to test the forces of gravity. (Important note: The higher the cost price of the item on display, the more chances of being singled out for grabbing.)

o Buy a bed with a warranty so you can replace it when your junior acrobat has worn it down it by jumping on it way too many times. Better yet, save yourself the trouble and buy your family a sleeping bag.

o Do not bother with wallpaper. Instead, have a fresh bucket of paint on hand so you can readily repaint the walls every time your young Picasso doodles wildly on them.

o Wrap your cellular phone in thick foam. Your mobile may not look as chic, but at least you can rest assured it will not crash into smithereens after being hurled across the room by your little Hercules.

o The above also applies to the remote control.

o Stack up on empty boxes and old wrapping paper. Bring them out whenever you need to keep your toddler preoccupied for a few minutes. Forget toys – they don’t work.

o Speaking of toys, save your money and refrain from buying toy tv sets, toy stereos, toy tool kits, toy telephones and the like. They don’t fool anyone. Your wise offspring will still prefer to play with the real things.

o Tape your favorite novels shut. Either that or be prepared to watch your baby Einstein open your precious books and gleefully rip the pages one by one.

o You can now sell your lawnmower. All you need to do is set your kid loose in the garden and you will have patches of grass (and flowers) plucked out by eager diminutive fingers in no time.

o Buy hundreds of rubber placemats and stick them together until they make up one big piece that can cover your entire kitchen. This is the only way to ensure that your kitchen remains immaculately clean after feeding your rowdy baby.

o The above also applies to your bathroom. Simply substitute placemats with towels.

o Stash all medicines in a locked cabinet – except your baby’s medicines. Those you can leave within easy reach because no matter what you do, children just hate, hate, hate taking their medicine.

o Experts warn that we must unplug electrical appliances when not in use. In truth, kids actually unplug all electrical appliances that are in use. So really, you can just leave everything on. Your troublesome tot will automatically switch everything off by eagerly pulling the plugs.

o Never shut the door. There is nothing like a closed door to turn your small angel into a wailing, shrieking, kicking, pounding banshee.

o Learn to stop saying no. The more you say no, the more stubbornness will ensue. For unruly rugrats, “no” easily translates to “Do it some more…fast…before I get caught!” Be smart and improvise accordingly. Try holding your tongue and letting them do whatever they want to do until they get tired of it.

If you have similar tips in mind, do share them. We the hapless have no option but to stick together and learn from each other in order to survive the topsy-turvy planet of parenthood.

Now, please excuse me while I pad our kitchen with placemats. Our two year-old bundle of crazy energy is getting ready for lunch.

Potty Head

2007-07-04T10:49:00.001+08:00

Keen Parental Insight of the Day:

Successful potty training is rendered nearly improbable when the potential recipient of desirable behavioral conditioning is of the staunch mindset that the crucial item ingeniously designed for use at his bottom.....

.....is much better suited for proud display right smack atop his head like a sleek fireman's helmet.

Maybe the impish trainee's poor chargrined mother should have just purchased the sky blue potty instead of the red.

Oh pooey!

Transformed

2007-07-02T02:00:00.000+08:00

It is two in the morning and the elusive peace and quiet I pine for during a busy day is at last thankfully at hand.

I am shrouded in dimness, with only the soft light of my computer screen emanating a warm whitish glow.

I glimpse my husband and little boy splayed beside each other on the bed. Their arms touch slightly, and I hear them both snore gently in a strangely comforting dissonance.

It's been a long while since I have been gifted with a moment like this, when the world suddenly gives pause and a reverent hush satiates the air. All at once, the possiblities for inspiration seem endless.

I cannot help but tense a little, as I sense the opportunity to write about something great passing me by.

I know it would be incredibly foolish not to seize the singular moment.

I should let the muses run amok in my being until I am driven into creating something memorable, something moving, something grand.

I could pen a heart-wrenching poem about eternal love, or craft a profound piece about the indefatigability of the human spirit, or come up with a dramatic story on the life-shaping events of my childhood.

Yes, I really should.

But I won't.

Because right here, right now, there is only one great huge overpowering thought in my head that is fiercely and shamelessly pushing out everything else and impatiently wanting to be let out and shared with all of you....

And it is this....

Watch Transformers!

Watch Transformers!

Watch Transformers!

Watch Transformers! (Yes...this photo has been added to better persuade the women!)

So seriously - just for now - drop the serious. Forget the overly profound. Cease the esoteric philosophical waxings. Halt the emotional psychobabbling.

Just lose yourself for a little over two hours and have some fabulous, fabulous movie fun.

Watch Transformers!

And with that, my poor stifled literary muses have no choice but to come back and try again another day.

The Longest Poem in the World

2007-06-27T19:08:00.000+08:00

I love collecting words. I have a pile of old browned notebooks, dating from way back when I was a teen-ager, filled with a hodgepodge of hastily jotted-down verses, lyrics, sentences, phrases that have caught my attention over the years and kept for posterity.

This piece I am sharing with you is a great favorite. I really don't recall who penned it. But I sure wish that it was I who had written it....

The Longest Poem in the World

I am going to write, someday, the longest poem in the world.

Intricate, wonderful, precise
Flowing as a river flows
Flying as a bird
Singing, singing, and so entirely true
It will melt the heart
And make us all love one another,
Sit in the sun,
Laugh and watch the babies crawl through the soft grass
Making a happy noise.

It will be the longest poem in the world
And for days now I have been hearing it all at once
From beginning to end, all at once.
The words shining and flashing,
The furred words and the quiet mouselike words
The round words and the square words
Orange and green and pale yellow,
Sliding over each other
Kisssing each other on the forehead
Rubbing under the hand like a puppy.

In my head a storehouse of words
And all of them nice.
All of them about love
And buttered rolls
And my girl.

It must be a nice world
For those who can, period.
Who can do it
Have it
Know it without asking why
Or how to hold it.

But I could never be it
Or do it
Or have it
I can only say it.

And I will keep on saying it
And, someday,
That will be the longest poem in the world.

Patience

2007-06-18T16:42:00.000+08:00

A Site to Behold

2007-06-10T15:15:00.000+08:00

At last.

I proudly present our studio's newly made over website.

Visit www.subjectmatters.com.ph and experience the difference.

Woohoo!

The Return

2007-06-06T14:02:00.000+08:00

"Thank God every morning when you get up, that you have something to do that day which must be done, whether you like it or not. Being forced to work and forced to do your best will breed in you temperance and self-control, diligence and strength of will, cheerfulness and content, and a hundred virtues which the idle never know."

~Charles Kingsley

If it seems the loony muse has suddenly evaporated from the face of blogearth, it is because she was unceremoniously yanked by the conspiratorial forces of day-to-day living and dropped right smack in the heart of a thousand and one pressing responsibilities shrieking for immediate attention.

In other words, I had work to do.

Suddenly, everything was happening all at once and I found myself swept in a persistent maelstrom of deadlines.

Seemingly out of nowhere, our studio just boomed.

My husband and I were rendered a tad blindsided by the huge onslaught of projects, and we valiantly fought to face the challenges brought by our clients. For weeks on end, our calendar was blackened out by pencil-marked shoot dates and pre-production appointments. Our phone rang off the hook. Our crew heroically worked overtime after overtime with us.

And there, right smack in the center of the chaos, stood our super-hyper-energetic-strong-michievous toddler son determinedly out to prove to his bewildered parents what "terrible" in age terrible two really means.

Ah! It is no wonder we forgot what a lengthy sleep felt like.

ow, we still are very busy. Our schedule (and son) remains insane. But we have gotten more used to the pace and have made the necessary adjustments to allow us to work more efficiently.... and happily.

Yes, happily.

Never have we felt more fulfilled and blessed. Our venture is prospering, our studio is gaining recognition, our fervent prayers are being answered, our big dream is coming true. All the blood, sweat and tears that we have put into our business is at last paying off.

We are on our way.

Oh, and one more thing.....

I'm back.

Aren't You Glad Your Name Isn't Dweezil? (Updated)

2007-03-22T13:04:00.000+08:00

Famous celebrities sure know how to concoct the most bizarre names for their offspring. I thought it would be quite entertaining to compile a list of outlandish monikers for you to gasp over.

Are you ready for this:

Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily – daughter of Michael Hutchence (INXS) & Paula Yates
Dandelion – daughter of Keith Richards (Rolling Stones)
Phinnaeus Walter – son of Julia Roberts & Daniel Moder
Tu – daughter of Rob Morrow (yes, she’s called Tu Morrow!)
Sage Moonblood – daughter of Sylvester Stallone & Sasha Czach
Seargeoh – son of Sylvester Stallone & Sasha Czach
Moon Unit – daughter of Frank & Gail Zappa
Dweezil – son of Frank & Gail Zappa
Ahmed Emuukha Rodan – son of Frank & Gail Zappa
Diva Muffin - daughter of Frank & Gail Zappa
Pilot Inspektor – son of Jason Lee & Beth Riesgraf
Jermajesty – son of Jermaine Jackson
Doremi – daughter of Justin Hayward (The Moody Blues)
Duncan Zowie Heywood Jones – son of David Bowie
Elijah Bob Patricius Guggi Q – son of Bono (U2)
Memphis Eve – daughter of Bono (U2)
Fire – son of rock guitarist Steve Vai
Chastity Sun – daughter of Sonny & Cher
Chorde – child of Snoop Doggy Dog
Rumer Glenn – daughter of Demi Moore & Bruce Willis
True Harlow – daughter of Joely Fisher & Christopher Duddy
Geronimo – son of Alex James (Blur)
Rufus Tiger – son of Roger Taylor (Queen)
Fifi Trixabelle – daughter of Bob Geldof & Paula Yates
Peaches Honeyblossom Michelle Charlotte Angel Vanessa – daughter of Bob Geldof & Paula Yates
Kal-el – son of Nicolas Cage
Fuschia – daughter of Sting
Speck Wildhorse – son of John Cougar Mellencamp
Denim – son of Toni Braxton & Keri Lewis
Deizel Ky – son of Toni Braxton & Keri Lewis
Audio Science – son of Shannyn Sossamon & Dallas Clayton
Pirate – son of Jonathan Davis (Korn)
Sailor Lee – daughter of Christie Brinkley & Peter Cook
Satchel – daughter of Mia Farrow & Woody Allen
Camera – daughter of Arthur & Jeanne Ashe
Hopper Jack – son of Sean Penn & Robin Wright
Moxie Crimefighter – daughter of Penn Jilette & Emily Zolten
Giovanno Blondie – son of Vanna White
God'iss Love Stone – daughter of rapper Li'l Mo
Bow-Ty – son of rapper 50 Cent
Homer Jigme – son of Richard Gere & Carey Lowell
La Princia – daughter of Bobby Brown
I. P. Freely – son of David Carradine
Poppy Honey – son of Chef Jamie Oliver & Julie Oliver
Puma – daughter of Erykah Badu & Tracy Lynn Curry
Seven Sirius – son of Erykah Badu & Andre Benjamin
Cash – son of Slash (Guns N' Roses)
Reign Beau – daughter of Ving Rhames

And you thought it would be cool to have Bono for a daddy!

Marching Mad Hatter

2007-03-16T16:03:00.000+08:00

"At the age of four with paper hats and wooden swords we're all Generals. Only some of us never grow out of it."

- Peter Ustinov

These days, our mischievous toddler is utterly fascinated with marching toy soldiers.

In order to seriously look the part of a marching band member, he has taken to wearing anything he sees remotely resembling a tall hat on his head. This includes...

....a Pancake House standing menu which he suddenly pulled from the restaurant table, proudly placed on his head as if it were a king's crown and kept on for three days straight....

....a rolled-up 2006 wall calendar that we had to give him as a peace offering when he totally flipped upon finding out that we threw away the Pancake House menu because it got too tattered and torn....

....and his daddy's camera light cover which he sneakily swipes everytime there is a shoot in our studio.

Sigh!

Really now. What is a concerned mother to do?

Nothing much....except to tell you that if perchance you spot a little boy confidently strutting around town with something strange on top of his head, please try not to laugh.

Instead, salute him. You will surely make his day.

Celebration

2007-02-27T12:13:00.000+08:00

To celebrate my 25th (Fine, fine! Just add 10 if you want to get really anal about the details..... Sheez!) birthday, I treated some of my most cherished family and friends to partake of the fabulously vast and famously delicious buffet at Hotel Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila's Spiral.

Amidst all the endless chatter and laughter over lunch, the restaurant staff suprised me by suddenly gathering at our table to sing me a Happy Birthday song...

...and present me with a scrumptious dark chocolate cake.

After extinguishing the candles with the more than enthusiastic help of my toddler...

....my ever-curious friends Pam and Jenni momentarily paused from their impromptu dessert critiquing session to ask what my birthday wish was.

I was suddenly stunned to realize I actually failed to make a wish before blowing out my candles!

Year and after year ever since I could remember, I had always made it a point to make a silent wish during my birthday. I could not believe I did not do it this time.

I found myself immediately mulling it over in my mind, until it dawned on me.

I did not make a wish because I did not have one. Right at that singular instance in time, I was simply and extraordinarily content with how my life was. I was surrounded by people I loved dearly and who loved me in return, sharing great food and basking in each other's presence.

My ultra-cool parents who are always, always there for their kids, no matter what or how or why...

My little big brothers who crack me up without even trying...

My beautiful grandmother whom nobody believes is 88....

My one and only lovely aunt Laly....

My sweet, sweet cousins Carmela and Camille (Margarita, we miss you!)....

And my super laugh-til-our-tummies-burst partners Jennigirl and Pammy.

My marvelous husband, who thoughtfully made all the preparations, kept checking on all our guests to ensure everybody was having fun. From time to time, he would also check on me....as well as check me out. Bwahaha! He is really the best man ever.

My hyperactive son, who was very busy running around the hotel and saying hi to every stranger he saw, kept passing by my seat to flash his huge heart-melting impish smile and slap me a high-five.

The glorious day filled me with such an overwhelming sense of joy and fulfillment that rendered the need to wish for more unnecessary.

All I felt was grateful.

So to each and everyone of you who have made my life better and happier by being a part of it....

Thank you.

I love you all very much.

MwaaaaaaaH!!!

Birthday Wish List

2007-02-23T17:23:00.000+08:00

I turn 35 in less than 12 hours.

To save you the trouble of fretting over what birthday gift to get me, simply take your pick from any of the following items:

Thank you in advance for your thoughtfulness and generosity. I truly appreciate it.

BWAHAHAHA!

SSSSssssmile, Don't Hissssss!

2007-02-18T16:07:00.000+08:00

"The snake is an animal..... It has a backbone and heart. It has red blood and drinks water and eats food. It breathes air and feels fear, just like every other animal in the world.... And it's in a body that is the hardest thing for the average person to understand."

—Dave Barker, herpetologist

Oh! The ssssssily things a mother is sssssssucked into doing for the ssssssake of her reptile-loving sssssson....

SSSSSSSsssssssigh.

Thank goodnessssss, the ssssslimy ssssssnake ssssssuppresssssed a hisssssssss asssss I ssssstrove to sssssseem ssssssserene by ssssssstaunchly ssssssssmiling through sssssssuch a sssssssscary sssssssituation!

Movie Mush

2007-02-14T06:30:00.000+08:00

I’ll let you in on a dirty little secret. At times, I can be pathetically, embarrassingly schmaltzy. This ignominious trait manifests itself by the fact that I love watching sappy romantic movies over and over again (to my husband’s consternation). Mostly, it is the lines that get me. Ingeniously written and marvelously uttered prose teeming with unadulterated feeling that grab me in the gut and silently simmer within, only to pop up unexpectedly every now and then when I encounter a life situation in which their truth brilliantly applies (see previous blog entry entitled Friendship on Fire for proof of this).

To the mush-averse, be forewarned! This is not for the weak of heart. Literally.

Here are some of my all-time favorite cinematic dialogues that speak – nay, shriek – of love, so much so that we might all feel a sliver of sentimentality this Valentine's Day:

The Accidental Tourist

I'm beginning to think that maybe it's not just how much you love someone. Maybe what matters is who you are when you're with them.

Fools Rush In

You are what I never knew I always wanted.

Captain Corelli's Mandolin

When you fall in love, it is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake, and then it subsides. And when it subsides, you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots are become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are.

Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two.

Crazy/Beautiful

You can be anywhere when your life begins. You meet the right person and anything is possible.

Good Will Hunting

Sometimes I wish I had never met you. Because then I could go to sleep at night not knowing there was someone like you out there.

Hope Floats

Dancing is just a conversation between two people. Talk to me.

Beginnings are scary. Endings are usually sad, but it's what's in the middle that counts. So, when you find yourself at the beginning, just give hope a chance to float up. And it will.

Shakespeare In Love

I will have poetry in my life. And adventure. And love. Love above all. No...not the artful postures of love, not playful and poetical games of love for the amusement of an evening. but love that...overthrows life. Unbiddable, ungovernable, like a riot in the heart, and nothing to be done, come ruin or rapture.

A Walk In The Clouds

Newlyweds. What else do they do but make love and war?

Sixteen Candles

That's why they call them crushes. If they were easy, they'd call them something else.

When Harry Met Sally

I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.

Alex & Emma

Some things are not meant to last, they just take a place in your heart and make you smarter the next time.

A Beautiful Mind

Perhaps it is good to have a beautiful mind, but an even greater gift is to discover a beautiful heart.

The Perfect Man

I read somewhere that love is friendship on fire. That's what I feel about you.

The Notebook

I am nothing special; just a common man with common thoughts, and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me, and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect I have succeeded as gloriously as anyone who's ever lived: I've loved another with all my heart and soul and to me, this has always been enough.

The Wedding Date

I think I'd miss you even if I never met you.

I would rather fight with you than make love to anyone else.

Say Anything

I gave her my heart. She gave me a pen.

Forces of Nature

Marriage has less beauty but more safety than a single life; it’s full of sorrows and full of joys. It lies under more burdens, but it is supported by all the strengths of love, and those burdens are delightful.

I always thought that there was this one perfect person for everybody in the world, you know, and when you found that person the rest of the world kind of magically faded away, and, you know, the two of you would just be inside this kind of protective bubble, but there is no bubble, I mean if there is you have to make it, I just think life is more than a series of moments, you know, we can make choices, and we can choose to protect the people we love, and that's what makes us who we are and those are the real memories.

Paycheck

Some of the best things in life are total mistakes.

Someone Like You

There is nothing sadder in this life than to watch someone you love walk away after they have left you. To watch the distance between your two bodies expand until there is nothing left but empty space... and silence.

The Cooler

You look in the mirror and you don't like what you see? Don't believe it. Look into my eyes; I'm the only mirror you'll ever need.

Shall We Dance?

We need a witness to our lives. There's a billion people on the planet..... I mean, what does any one life mean? But in a marriage, you're promising to care about everything. The good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things..... all of it, all the time, every day. You're saying “Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go unwitnessed because I will be your witness.”

The English Patient

Swoon. I'll catch you.

Beautiful Girls

A beautiful girl can make you dizzy, like you've been drinking Jack and Coke all morning. She can make you feel high full of the single greatest commodity known to man--promise. Promise of a better day. Promise of a greater hope. Promise of a new tomorrow. This particular aura can be found in the gait of a beautiful girl. In her smile, in her soul, the way she makes every rotten little thing about life seem like it's going to be okay...

A Walk To Remember

What is a friend? A friend is two people sharing one soul.

Indecent Proposal

The things that people in love do to each other they remember, and if they stay together it's not because they forget, it's because they forgive.

Steel Magnolias

I would rather have three minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special.

Before Sunrise

If there's any kind of magic in this world, it must be in the attempt of understanding someone, sharing something. I know, it's almost impossible to succeed, but...who cares, really? The answer must be in the attempt.

Isn't everything we do in life a way to be loved a little more?

Love Actually

Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around.

And with that, let me just greet you all...

MWAAAAAAAAAAAH!

See you at the movies!

Pick Up & Go - A Valentine Special

2007-02-10T10:32:00.000+08:00

In dire need of a date this fast approaching Valentine's Day?

I'm reprinting my previous posts on pick-up lines to get you in the right direction....

Good luck....NOT!

Bwahahaha!

To this day, I truly cannot recall the incident without cringing. I was a freshman at college and school had just started. I was in the library frenetically cramming a paper due in the next hour when a guy I recognized from my Philosophy class casually slipped into the cubicle next to mine. We were never formally introduced before then, so I did not say anything. He threw me a friendly smile and so I simply smiled back. Just as I was about to resume work on my essay, he confidently proclaimed: “Your father must be a thief.” Taken aback, I muttered: "Huh?” He gazed straight at me and declared in all seriousness: “He stole the stars from the sky and put them in your eyes.” I almost choked. Before I could run for cover, he brazenly continued: “And you must be a thief too….because you stole my heart.” Holy jeepers! I actually felt my insides squirm. Was he for real??? I hurriedly stuffed my unfinished paper in my bag and hightailed it out of there.

Eventually, the guy became a friend. But, of course, he still has not heard the end of it from me regarding that singularly unforgettable library encounter. In fact, in honor of and inspired by such awesome boldness, I have compiled a list of the cheesiest, most groan-inducing pick-up lines I have ever come across.

Men, use at your own risk. Women, do not bother to take the risk….RUN!

Here it goes:

Can I borrow fifty cents? I told my mother I would call her when I fell in love with the girl of my dreams.

Do you have a map? I just keep getting lost in your eyes.

Excuse me, but I think I dropped something…MY JAW!

Someone call the police because it’s gotta be illegal to look that good!

Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I walk by again?

Hershey’s makes millions of kisses a day.... all I'm asking for is one.

How was heaven when you left it?

I didn’t know that angels could fly so low.

What time do you have to be back in heaven?

Can I see the tag on your shirt? I want to see if it says made in heaven.

Would you touch me please so I can tell my friends that I've been touched by an angel?

Remind me to tell God congratulations. He finally got it right.

I play the field, and it looks like I just hit a home run with you.

Do you need a light? Because I think I’ve found the perfect match.

If I could rearrange the alphabet, I'd put U and I together.

If you were a tear in my eye, I would not cry for fear of losing you.

Is there an airport nearby or is that just my heart taking off?

You know, you might be asked to leave this place soon. You’re making the other women look really bad.

Your name must be Mickey because you’re so fine.

You’re pretty good-looking. Any chance you have a personality?

Is your father an alien? Because there's nothing else like you on earth.

Is your dad a baker? Because you've got a nice set of buns!

Is your father a farmer? Because you sure have great melons!

Your parents must be beavers…because DAM!

Your legs must be tired…because you've been running through my mind all night.

I lost my phone number. Could I borrow yours?

Excuse me, could you give me directions to your heart?

Is your dad a terrorist? Because you're the bomb!

You must be a broom...because you just swept me off my feet.

You must be a ticket...because you have fine written all over you.

You're like a dictionary...you add meaning to my life.

Are you religious? Because you are the answer to all my prayers.

Do you have a band-aid? Because I just scraped my knee falling for you.

Well, here I am. What were your other two wishes?

Mind if I call you Destiny?

I may not be Fred Flintstone, but I bet I can make your bed rock.

I like that shirt. Is it felt? No. Would you like it to be?

Do you work for UPS? I could have sworn I saw you checking out my package.

If I told you that you had a beautiful body, would you hold it against me?

You have really beautiful legs. What time do they open?

That dress looks really nice on you. But how can I talk you out of it?

You’ve been a bad girl.…go to my room!

I’ve heard that sex is a killer. Do you want to die happy?

Stand still so I can pick you up.

Pardon me, but what pick up line works best with you?

Do you mind if I end this sentence in a proposition?

Hi! Can I buy you a car?

Have you always been this cute, or did you have to work at it?

I’m in the process of writing a phone book. May I have your number?

There must be something wrong with my eyes. I can’t take them off you.

I’m feeling a little off today. Would you like to turn me on?

You are the reason why I came here alone.

Hello! Can I see your tan lines?

Inheriting eighty million bucks doesn’t mean much when you have a weak heart.

Excuse me, may I take your picture? I want Santa Claus to know exactly what I want for Christmas.

Apart from being sexy, what do you do for a living?

Here’s a quarter. Call your roommate and tell her you won’t be coming home tonight.

Hey, I’m searching for treasure. Can I search around your chest?

Your daddy must be a drug dealer…because you’re dope!

Are you an interior decorator? When you came in, the room became beautiful.

You must be going straight to hell, because it is a sin to look that good!

Are you accepting applications to your fan club?

If it weren’t for that darn sun, you’d be the hottest thing ever created.

So, you have a man? How long have you had that problem?

I know milk does a body good, but DAMN! How much have you been drinking?

Hi! I’m writing a term paper on the finer things in life, and I was wondering if I could interview you.

Come live in my heart…and pay no rent.

Do you want to see something swell?

I’m not drunk. I’m just intoxicated by the breathtaking sight of you.

Do you know karate? Because your body is really kickin’!

If your left leg was Easter and your right leg was Christmas, could I please come and spend time between the holidays?

You have nice jewelry. They would look great on my nightstand.

Hi! I’m new to this country and you are the prettiest sight I’ve seen so far. Can you give me a tour of your body?

I’ve lost my teddy bear. Can I sleep with you?

I’m not looking for a relationship. I’m looking for an experience.

I envy your lipstick.

Was it difficult getting into those jeans? Can I try?

You’ll do.

What do you like for breakfast?

Damn, Sugar, settle down! I’m diabetic.

Do you sleep on your stomach? Can I? Please?

Your name must be Summer…because you are hot as hell!

I’m a criminal. Hurry! Put me in handcuffs.

You know what? Your eyes have the exact same color as my brand new Porsche.

Hey, what’s that on your face? Here…let me check. Oh, it’s just beauty!

I have only three months to live.

Pardon me, but you stink. Let’s take a shower together.

If I said you were an angel, would you treat me like the devil tonight?

When does your centerfold come out?

When God made you, He was showing off.

Excuse me, I’d like to have kids someday and I wanted to find out how your parents created such a beautiful creature.

I want you almost as much as I want world peace.

I’d marry your dog just to get in the family.

You look like the type of girl who has heard every line in the book…so what’s one more?

Talk Baby Talk

2007-02-06T11:15:00.000+08:00

When my brother Don was a toddler, he used to refer to candies as "COOEY-COOEY" and Pepsi as "PSSSSSS-PSSSSSS." Apparently, I'm not the only who remembers this amusing phase in his learning-to-talk life as our older relations mercilessly never fail to remind my poor sibling of this whenever there's a family reunion: "Please pass the Pssssss-pssss!"....

.....and "Don, hand me the bowl of cooey-cooey!"

It's no wonder my brother now opts for Coke and chocolates anytime.

I am not exactly ridicule-free when it comes to kidspeak. I used to exclaim "BOXIBLE!" every time I saw a basketball. To this day, when I bump into old friends of my grandparents and parents, I am greeted with the inevitable: "Hi, Miss Boxible!"

Presently, our own child has begun to babytalk a mile a minute. Admittedly, we cannot fully decipher what he is saying half the time. However, he does have favorite words which he utters over and over again and which we are able to successfully translate into adultspeak.

PEESH

EPHESANT

YAYON*

*May only be said when accompanied with a ferocious growl.

CYCA*

*May be used interchangeably for tricycle, bicycle and unicycle.

DISOR

MOO*

*May also be used when spotting a cow.

TOE-TOE

ORS

But for us parents, the best, most fabulously heartwarming baby words to ever come out of his lips so far are "WUV YOU!" which he accompanies by a big "MWAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Awwwwwwwwwwww.

How about you? What were your unforgettable baby words?

What is a Friend?

2007-01-31T19:06:00.000+08:00

I would like to share with you, my cherished blog buddies, one of my all-time favorite passages about friendship:

"What is a friend?

I will tell you.

It is a person with whom you dare to be yourself. Your soul can be naked with him. He seems to ask of you to put on nothing, only to be what you are. He does not want you to be better or worse. When you are with him, you feel as a prisoner feels who has been declared innocent. You do not have to be on your guard. You can say what you think, so long as it is genuinely you. He understands those contradictions in your nature that lead others to misjudge you. With him you breathe freely. You can avow your little vanities and envies and hates and vicious sparks, your meannesses and absurdities and, in opening them up to him, they are lost, dissolved on the white ocean of his loyality. He understands. You do not have to be careful. You can abuse him, neglect him, tolerate him. Best of all, you can keep still with him. It makes no matter. He likes you. He is like fire that purges to the bone. He understands. You can weep with him, sin with him, laugh with him, pray with him. Through it all - and underneath - he sees, knows and loves you.

A friend? What is a friend?

Just one, I repeat, with whom you dare to be yourself."

- C. Raymond Beran

I love reading this because it never fails to remind me of how blessed I am to be married to my best friend.

You can have many friends, but the truly great ones are rare.

If you have found one with whom you dare to be completely yourself, treasure your friendship. Your life will be all the more better for it .

Fabulous Fireworks

2007-01-18T03:35:00.000+08:00

"In the right light,

at the right time,

everything is extraordinary."

- Aaron Rose

The World Pyro Olympics is an annual competition amongst the most prestigious fireworks companies in the world. The event is said to be the largest and most intense international fireworks competition. It runs through a period of five consecutive days allowing locals and tourists alike to behold the greatest fireworks display in the world.

The Second Annual World Pyro Olympics, like the first, was hosted right here in the Philippines. My family had a truly unforgettable experience watching the incredibly dazzling display last week at The Esplanade in the newly-built SM Mall of Asia.

Of course, my darling photographer husband had the time of his life shooting away at the spectacular sights with his camera.

Here are some of his personal favorites, which our studio is now making available for sale as stock photos:

Amazing, don't you think?

The participants this year included Australia, Poland, USA, Spain, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada and China. The Philippines, as host country, did not compete but put on an exhibition on the final night. The UK beat last year's winner Australia as 2007 World Pyro Olympics Champion while China received a special award for People's Choice.

Can't wait for next year's big blast!

Kissed By A Dolphin

2007-01-14T04:12:00.000+08:00

"It is an important and popular fact that things are not always what they seem. For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much....the wheel, New York, wars and so on....whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man....for precisely the same reasons."

- from "The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams

We recently brought our little boy to watch "The Wonderful World of Dolphins" show. He was completely fascinated and besotted by the sight of the darling creatures performing their amazing stunts. At the end of the program, our son was stunned to get the surprise kiss of his life.

Behold the photos:

MWAAAAAAAAAH!

Gratitude

2007-01-11T18:10:00.000+08:00

This last holiday season, I felt incredibly happy as I savored the priceless treasures in my life.

My miracle of a son...

My fabulously devoted husband...

My awesome parents and super brothers...

And my husband's surprise Christmas gift to me - a brand new Canon IXUS 900Ti...

Woohoo!!!

And how were your holidays?

The Good Life

2006-12-27T14:15:00.000+08:00

Something wonderful to ponder as we enter the new year...

WHAT CONSTITUTES A GOOD LIFE?
by Jim Rohn

The ultimate expression of life is not a paycheck. Neither is it a Mercedes. Nor a million dollars in a bank account. Here's the ultimate expression of life in my opinion, and that is living a good life.

Here's what we must ask constantly, "What for me would be a good life?" And you have to keep going over and over the list. A list including areas such as spirituality, economics, health, relationships and recreation.

What would constitute a good life? I've got a short list.

1. Number one, PRODUCTIVITY. You won't be happy if you don't produce. The game of life is not rest. We must rest, but only long enough to gather strength to get back to productivity. What's the reason for the seasons and the seeds, the soil and the sunshine, the rain and the miracle of life? It's to see what you can do with it. To try your hand. Other people have tried their hand; here's what they did. You try your hand to see what you can do. So part of life is productivity.

2) Next are GOOD FRIENDS. Friendship is probably the greatest support system in the world. Don't deny yourself the time to develop this support system. Nothing can match it. It's extraordinary in its benefit. Friends are those wonderful people who know all about you and still like you.

I just lost one of my dearest friends. He died at age 53 - heart attack. David is gone, but he was one of my very special friends. I used to say of David that if I was stuck in a foreign jail somewhere accused unduly and if they would allow me one phone call, I would call David. Why? He would come and get me. That's a friend. Somebody who would come and get you.

3) Next on the list of a good life is your CULTURE. Your language, your music, the ceremonies, the traditions, the dress. All of that is so vitally important that you must keep it alive. In fact it is the uniqueness of all of us that when blended together brings vitality, energy, power, influence, uniqueness and rightness to the world.

4) Next is your religion, your SPIRITUALITY. It helps to form the foundation of the family that builds the nation. And make sure you study, practice and teach. Don't be careless about the spiritual art of your nature, it's what makes us who we are, different from dogs, cats, birds and mice. Spirituality.

5) Next, here's what my parents taught me. DON'T MISS ANYTHING. Don't miss the game. Don't miss the performance, don't miss the movie, don't miss the show, don't miss the dance. Go to everything you possibly can. Buy a ticket to everything you possibly can. Go see everything and experience all you possible can. That's what my parents taught me and it's served me so well to this day.

Just before my father died at age 93 if you were to call him at 10:30 or 11:00 at night, he wouldn't be home. He was at the rodeo, he was watching the kids play softball, he was listening to the concert, he was at church, he was somewhere every night. Live a vital life.

Here's one of the reasons why: If you live well, you will earn well. If you live well, it will show in your face, it will show in the texture of your voice. There will be something unique and magical about you if you live well. It will infuse not only your personal life but also your business life. And it will give you a vitality nothing else can give.

6) Next are your FAMILY and the INNER CIRCLE. Invest in them and they'll invest in you. Inspire them and they'll inspire you. With your inner circle take care of the details.

When my father was still alive, I used to call him when I traveled. He'd have breakfast most every morning with the farmers. Little place called The Decoy Inn out in the country where we lived in Southwest Idaho. So Papa would go there and have breakfast and I'd call him just to give him a special day.

Now if I was in Israel, I'd have to get up in the middle of the night, but it only took five minutes, ten minutes. So I'd call Papa and they'd bring him the phone. I'd say, "Papa, I'm in Israel." He'd say, "Israel! Son, how are things in Israel?" He'd talk real loud so everybody could hear - my son's calling me from Israel. I'd say, "Papa last night they gave me a reception on the rooftop underneath the stars overlooking the Mediterranean." He'd say, "Son, a reception on the rooftop underneath the stars overlooking the Mediterranean." Now everybody knows the story. It only took 5-10 minutes, but what a special day for my father, age 93.

If a father walks out of the house and he can still feel his daughter's kiss on his face all day, he's a powerful man. If a husband walks out of the house and he can still feel the imprint of his wife's arms around his body, he's invincible all day. It's the special stuff with the INNER CIRCLE that makes you strong and powerful and influential. So don't miss that opportunity.

There is no greater value than LOVE. Better to live in a tent on the beach with someone you love than to live in a mansion by yourself.

One person caring for another, that's one of life's greatest expressions.

So make sure in your busy day to remember the true purpose and the reasons you do what you do.

May you truly live the kind of life that will bring the fruit and rewards that you desire.

HAVE A FABULOUS NEW YEAR TEEMING WITH ALL THE GOOD THINGS IN LIFE!!!

Season's Greetings

2006-12-24T19:01:00.000+08:00

May your home be filled with happiness, your heart with love, and your days with joy and laughter this holiday season and always!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

PEACE TO ONE AND ALL!!!

Milk and Honey

2006-12-20T14:04:00.000+08:00

I just received an e-mail from a very good friend of mine who migrated a few months ago with her husband and son to the United States. After sharing with me some of her enjoyable experiences living in the land of supposedly greener pastures, she ended her missive with the inadvertent question: SO WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU STILL DOING THERE IN MANILA?

Given the alarmingly increasing number of people I know who have chosen to leave the Philippines in search of a better life abroad, I am understandably confronted by this same query more and more often these days. And with the disheartening onslaught of negative news and events that our poor nation has constantly been battered with, I find myself having to probe deeper and harder within myself for an honest, plausible answer.

There were many instances in my life when I could have packed up and gone – easily. In fact, if I wanted to right at this moment, I would have no problem stuffing my belongings in a suitcase and leaving tomorrow. I am one of those fortunate to have never had much trouble getting a U.S. visa and having it renewed as needed, to the consternation of the hundreds, nay thousands, of desperate souls out there who have tried to move heaven and earth to overcome their literal state of constant denial.

I am sure I can easily find a good company to work in overseas, armed as I am with a resume’ boasting of a Master’s Degree in business management, a lengthy list of academic achievements that would seem almost made up, varied work experiences and awards in top multinationals and glowing referrals from my very well-connected former superiors. Heck! I know I could have my folks gleefully rolling in remittance dollars by now if I really wanted to actualize my potentials in a more industrialized foreign country.

Ah, and there lies the rub: If I really wanted to. As hard as it is to believe, I have never found myself ever really wanting to.

I admit that I love to travel. I fall in love with each new country I visit. I love to experience the magnificent thrill of new places – the sound, the smell, the sight, the taste and the feel of them. I love uncovering their startling nuances, admiring their novel beauty and marveling at their outstanding uniqueness. I love going abroad and staying….but only for a while.

Always, for just a while.

It is not long before my heart and soul yearn once again for home –the Philippines. For despite the chaos and madness, the cruel injustices, and the hurtful betrayals that this country spuriously inflicts, I realize that I am helplessly in love with her. Tell me, how can one not be drawn?

I close my eyes and sigh as memories of life in these islands warmly embrace me and engulf my senses.

I inhale the romantic scent of gorgeous pine trees and savor the cool mountain air in Baguio.

I feel the soothing comfort of fine powdery white sand underneath my feet as I walk the shoreline of Boracay while taking in the breathtaking sunset that emblazons the horizon with a bursting prism of pink and orange.

I taste with unbridled relish the large juicy pineapples, luscious bananas and sinfully sweet avocados that can be bought for a song from the smiling market vendors in Tagaytay.

I hear the familiar multitudinous noises upon entering yet another new mall in the metro – the musical ringing tones spewing from the celfones of teen-agers hanging out after school; the delightful giggles of children as their parents bring them to their favorite toy stores and game amusement centers; the excited chatter of women ready to unleash their spending power as a Midnight Madness Sale hits the area on payday (usually accompanied by the disgruntled muttering of their unfortunate male companions); the cooing of oblivious lovers strolling while holding hands as if they were in a middle of a park instead of a shopping center; the clinking of beer bottles as tired office workers roll up their sleeves and relax with their buddies in a bar; the inevitable audible mixed commentaries of a procession of moviegoers coming out of a theater after watching the latest touted blockbuster – all these and more make up a mixture of sounds that may be considered odd, almost cacophonous even, but still are able to come together to provide a scintillating, one-of-a-kind experience.

And then, I gaze up carefully from where I stand and take in the sight of the Filipino people. I see the public school teachers patiently engaging in light banter with their enthusiastic pupils who are carrying schoolbags bigger than them. I see the kids helping their grandparents cross the street towards church. I see the vendors perseveringly peddling their assorted wares to earn a decent living.

I see the excited townfolk preparing sumptuous roasted pigs and other mouthwatering delicacies while hanging colorful banderitas for their upcoming town fiesta where all and sundry are invited to join in their celebration. I see the young and old together fervently reliving the passion of Christ during the Lenten season and then sharing in the joy of the Resurrection during Easter Sunday. I see the throngs of families braving the worst of traffic jams just to be able to return to their hometowns and pay homage to their dearly departed during All Souls’ Day. I see the housewives putting up Christmas trees while humming carols as early as October, eager to usher into their homes the joyous spirit of the yuletide season which lasts a record duration of three months in this country. I see the dazzling display of fireworks light up the sky during New Year’s Eve.

I see that Filipinos who are among the kindest, most hospitable, most helpful, most talented and most caring human beings on the planet surround me. I am amongst people who wear their heart on their sleeve, who toil hard daily not for themselves but for their families, who are generous despite their poverty, who have hope when all seems lost, who hang on to their faith despite the worst of trials, who laugh amidst their tears, who treat friends as bloodkin, who love without condition.

Suddenly, I am filled with a deep sense of awe.

Simply, I am enthralled.

So again, as the question arises…why the hell am I still here? I look you straight in the eye and answer: WHY THE HELL NOT??? You can have your milk and honey. I’m happy with mine, thank you.

As Easy as 123

2006-12-14T21:25:00.000+08:00

I've been twin-tagged by The Handsome Houseband and Terra Shield with a meme that is way too simple and fun to resist.

All you have to do is:

1. Grab the book closest to you.
2. Open to page 123 and go down to the fifth sentence.
3. Post the text of next 3 sentences on your blog.
4. Name the book and the author.
5. Tag three people.

"Not on purpose, it seemed, just by chance. The look in his eyes was not grateful, or forgiving -- it was not really personal, it was just the raw look of an astounded animal, hanging on to whatever it could find.

And within a few seconds the eyes, the face, became the face of the man, the minister, who set down his glass and without another word fled out of the house."

- "Soon" from Alice Munro's "Runaway"

It's your turn:

1. Belle
2. Keshi
3. Mika

Ready? Set? 123....go!

Don't Grow Old

2006-12-12T18:08:00.000+08:00

A friend forwarded this beautiful piece by email. I just had to share it with you:

Don't grow old, grow up.

Many people are afraid of growing old. I'm afraid of growing old and boring. Many people are afraid of growing old, alone. I'm afraid of growing old, insane. Many people are afraid of losing their looks. I'm afraid of losing my dreams. Many people are afraid of losing their youth. I'm afraid of losing my soul.

When you're 15, 35 seems ancient. When you're 35, 15 seems juvenile. A turnaround in a split second - two decades zoom past and before you know it, it`s only a mile to the next millenium. Don't fear age - it's a right of personhood. Don't fear it, it's God's greatest jest. Don't grow old - you don't have to.

Don't date because you`re desperate. Don't marry because you're miserable. Don't have kids because you think your genes are superior. Don't separate because you think it's fashionable. Don't drink because you have troubles. Don't gamble because you think winning is inevitable. Don't philander because you think you're irrestible. Most likely, you're not. Don't associate with people you can't trust. Don't cheat. Don't lie. Don't pretend. Don't try to buy your way into the kingdom of God. Don't dictate because you're smarter. Don't demand because you're stronger. Don't sleep around because you think you're old enough and know better. Don't hurt your kids because loving them is harder. Don't sell your self, your family or your ideals.

Don't stagnate. Don't regress. Learn a new skill. Find a new friend. Start a new career. Don't live in the past. Time can't bring anything or anyone back. Don't put your life on hold for possibly Mr. Right. Don't throw you life away on absolutely Mr. Wrong because your biological clock is ticking and you can't afford to have your eggs harvested before the new millenium.

There's always a mad rush to something, somewhere but victory does not always belong to those who finish first. Sometimes, there is no race to be won only a price to be paid for some of life`s more hasty decisions. You can't always go with the throng who would be wrong. Sometimes, you have to be alone to be enlightened.

To terminate your loneliness, reach out to the homeless. To feed your nurturing instincts, care for the needy. To fulfill your parenting fantasies, get a puppy. Don't bring another life into this world for all the wrong reasons. To keep yourself warm, buy a jacket. In the long-run, it will be less complicated and less costly. To make yourself happy, pursue your passions and be the best of what you can be.

Simplify your life. Take away the clutter. Get rid of destructive elements - abusive friends, nasty habits and dangerous liaisons. Don't abandon your responsibilities but don't overdose on duty. Don't live life recklessly without thought and feeling for your family. Be true to yourself. Don`t commit when you're not ready. Don`t keep others waiting needlessly. Fall in love - it`s the greatest thing on earth. But take care and remember, after the fall must come the rise.

Go on that trip. Don't postpone it. Say those words. Don't let the moment pass. Do what you must even at society`s scorn. Write poetry. Love deeply. Walk barefoot. Hold hands. Dance with wild abandon. Cry at the movies. Take care of yourself. Don't wait for someone to take care of you. You light up your life. You drive yourself to your destination. No one completes you - except you.

It is true that life doesn't get easier with age. It only gets more challenging. Don't be afraid. Don't lose your capacity to love. Pursue your passions. Live your dreams. Don't lose faith in God. Don't grow old. Just grow up.

Threesomes

2006-12-04T07:59:00.001+08:00

Don't get too excited by the title of this post.

There's nothing kinky in it, really.

It's just that I've been tagged with another meme by The Brilliant Thinker and this time, everything comes in threes.

Here we go...

3 Things that scare me:

Birds.

I suffer inexplicably from ornithophobia. I simply cannot bear to be near any kind of feathered creature.

Marilyn Manson.

Shudders!

Killer heels.

Being the terrible clutz that I am, super high heels really could kill me!

3 People who make me laugh:

My husband, my baby and myself.

We are a hopelessly loony laughing family!

3 Things I love:

Romantic rainy afternoons.

Riveting books.

Relaxing foot massages.

3 Things I hate:

Being late.

Pre-Menstrual Syndrome.

You can bet my husband definitely hates it, too!

Unhappy endings.

3 Things I don’t understand:

Maps.

See Lost.

Complex mathematical equations.

War.

Why can't the world just once and for all give peace a chance???

3 Things on my desk:

A half-done crossword puzzle.

My cellular phone.

Mounds of studio paperwork waiting to be accomplished.

Arrrrrrrgh!

3 Things I’m doing right now:

Appreciating the silence while blogging.

Trying to resist the fierce temptation to indulge in another Grey’s Anatomy DVD-viewing marathon.

How addictive can this show get? Behold the dark circles beneath my eyes and you'll get your answer!

Staring at my things-to-do-before-Christmas board and trying not to panic.

Aaaarrrrgh!

3 Things I want to do before I die:

Travel the world with my family.

Have another baby.

Meet Reynaldo Gianecchini.

But you knew that already, didn't you?

BWaHaHaHa!

3 Things I can do:

Read a great bedtime story to my child.

Smile even when I don’t feel like it.

Drive my husband completely insane.

BWaHaHaHa!

3 Things I can’t do:

Solve a Rubik's cube.

Arrrrrgh!

Watch a scary movie by myself.

Stop asking why.

3 Things I think you should listen to:

The laughter of children.

Your conscience.

Your wife.

We're always right, you know.

BwaHaHaHa!

3 Things you should never listen to:

Pessimists.

People who always say you can't.

Destructive criticism.

3 Things I’d like to learn:

How to scuba dive.

How to read lips.

How to make my own jewelry and accessories.

3 Favorite foods:

Seafood Jambalaya

Fried Dory Fish with Cream Sauce

Mocha Mud Pie

3 Beverages I drink regularly:

Lots of water.

Coke Light.

Tea.

3 Shows I watched as a kid:

Sesame Street

Check out Who Are The People In Your Neighborhood?

The Electric Company

The Muppet Show

3 People I’m tagging:

1. Bearette
2. Maria
3. Wolfbaby

It's your turn to indulge us with your threesomes. May you have triple the fun!

The First Man I Ever Loved

2006-12-01T09:13:00.001+08:00

Becoming a father isn't difficult, but it's very difficult to be a father.
- Wilhelm Busch

He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.
- Clarence B. Kelland

There's something like a line of gold thread running through a man's words when he talks to his daughter, and gradually over the years it gets to be long enough for you to pick up in your hands and weave into a cloth that feels like love itself.
- John Gregory Brown

It is a wise father that knows his own child.
- William Shakespeare

Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away.
- Dinah Craik

I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection.
- Sigmund Freud

A father is always making his baby into a little woman. And when she is a woman he turns her back again.
- Enid Bagnold

The father of a daughter is nothing but a high-class hostage. A father turns a stony face to his sons, berates them, shakes his antlers, paws the ground, snorts, runs them off into the underbrush, but when his daughter puts her arm over his shoulder and says, "Daddy, I need to ask you something," he is a pat of butter in a hot frying pan.
- Garrison Keillor

I talk and talk and talk, and I haven't taught people in 50 years what my father taught by example in one week.
- Mario Cuomo

There's no pillow quite so soft as a father's strong shoulder.
- Richard L. Evans

You know, fathers just have a way of putting everything together.
- Erika Cosby

I love my father as the stars - he's a a bright shining example and a happy twinkling in my heart.
- Adabella Radici

One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters.
- George Herbert

Be kind to thy father, for when thou were young, who loved thee so fondly as he? He caught the first accents that fell from thy tongue, and joined in thy innocent glee.
- Margaret Courtney

Those who trust us educate us.
- T. S. Eliot

My father was often angry when I was most like him.
- Lillian Hellman

I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us at odd moments, when they aren't trying to teach us.
- Umberto Eco

To her the name of father was another name for love.
- Fanny Fern

The meaningful role of the father of the bride was played out long before the church music began. It stretched across those years of infancy and puberty, adolescence and young adulthood. That’s when she needs you at her side.
- Tom Brokaw

It is much easier to become a father than to be one.
- Kent Nerburn

It's only when you grow up, and step back from him, or leave him for your own career and your own home—it's only then that you can measure his greatness and fully appreciate it. Pride reinforces love.
-Margaret Truman

My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.
- Jim Valvano

Happy 65th Birthday to the best father anyone could ever ask for.

I may be all grown-up but I'll always be Daddy's Girl at heart.

I love you, Dad!!!

A Portrait

2006-11-28T17:04:00.000+08:00

"Though we travel the world over

to find the beautiful,

we must carry it with us

or we find it not."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thank you to the superbly talented Tom Atkins of The Creativity Blog for gifting me with the above portrait. Tom is a wonderful artist who uncovers awesome inspiration in simple everyday things, thus carrying beauty in his heart and mind wherever he goes.

Why not try sending Tom your favorite colored picture? Who knows....he just might decide to surprise you with your own painting!

Woohoo!

Click

2006-11-27T01:52:00.000+08:00

Are you still fretting over the perfect gift to present to the special man in your life this holiday season?

Look no further.

The ideal solution is now at hand....

TAH-DAH!

Satistfaction guaranteed.

BwaHaHa!

Screw The Lightbulb!

2006-11-24T19:26:00.000+08:00

Who hasn’t heard of a lightbulb joke? There are endless variations of it covering every imaginable culture, belief, occupation and special-interest group.

For your sheer enjoyment, I compiled some of the most amusing lightbulb jokes I’ve ever come across:

Q: How many Divas does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: One. The Diva holds it and the whole world turns around her.

Q: How many divorced men does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: None, because they never get the house.

Q: How many actors does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A: One, but they have to do it again and again, because they always forget what they should say when they're on the ladder.

Q: How many Blues musicians does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: Two. One to change the lightbulb, and another to look at him and say, "Oh yeah".

Q: How many CNN reporters it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A: Any one of them, but they'll keep repeating the story about what happened until something else breaks.

Q: How many conspiracy theorists does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: We will never find out, but Lee Harvey Oswald didn't do it.

Q: How many Christians does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: 1, but it's really 3, but it's really 1, but it's really 3....

Q: How many Church of England members does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: 4. 1 to change the bulb and 3 to set up a society to preserve the old one.

Q: How many detectives does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: None. "Who changed it, and why?"

Q: How many hardware engineers does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: None. "We'll fix it in software."

Q: How many software engineers does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: None. It's a hardware problem.

Q: How many jazz musicians does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A: Five. One screws in the lightbulb, and four discuss how Miles Davis would have done it.

Q: How many Journalists does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: None. They would write about how it should be changed, write about how it is being changed, and then write about how it was not changed properly.

Q: How many mathematicians does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: 0.9, or possibly 2.53.

Q: How many perfectionists does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: None. They changed it before it broke.

Q: How many plumbers does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: One, but that's just the estimate.

Q: How many politicians does it take to change a light bulb?
A: It doesn't matter how many you have, none of them will ever trust any of the others to hold the ladder steady.

Q: How many search engines does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: This page is unavailable.

Q: How many statisticians does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: 1.0±0.3, 19 times out of 20.

Q: How many student activists does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: We have 800 signatures and the rally starts tomorrow.

Q: How many Teachers does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: Ten. One to change the lightbulb and nine to have a staff meeting about it!

Q: How many ugly people does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: None. We look better when the lights are out.

Q: How many guitarists does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: Five. One to change the light bulb and four more to say they could do it better solo.

Q: How many green technology experts does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: Lightbulbs? Use sunlight!

Q: How many blondes does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: What's a lightbulb?

Q: How many psychologists does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: Just one, but the lightbulb has to be willing to change.

Q: How many evolutionists does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Only 1, but it takes 726 million years to do it.

Q: How many inhabitants of Florida does it take to change a light bulb?
A: I don't know. They are still counting.

Q: How many Americans does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: None. "We can out-source the job to someone cheaper".

Q: How many Argentinians does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: One footballer, but he'll deny it and say it was the hand of God that did it.

Q: How many Australians does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: One, but only if five girls are watching as they flex their biceps.

Q: How many British holiday-makers does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: None, because they smashed it when they were drunk, and they're waiting for the hotel to replace it.

Q: How many Chinese does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: Problem: One single bulb that needs replacing, and millions of people to do it.

Q: How many Dutch people does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: Three. One to change the bulb, and two to hold the bicycle steady.

Q: How many Egyptians does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: No problem at all. It's easier than building a pyramid.

Q: How many Eskimos does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: None. Seal-fat candles are more romantic.

Q: How many French people does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: One, but only if everyone says that they do it the best.

Q: How many Germans does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: One, but he'll complain that he was only taking orders from his superiors.

Q: How many Irish does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: Three. One to hold the bulb, and two to drink till the room spins.

Q: How many Italians does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: One, but he was paid by a politician to do it.

Q: How many Japanese people does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: Two. One to do it, and one with a camera to photograph the first one doing it.

Q: How many Mexicans does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: One, but he has to find a hill of beans first.

Q: How many Scottish people does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: Two, but they're still arguing about who should buy the bulb.

Q: How many Sicilians does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: One. "If you don't change that bulb, your brains will be all over the ceiling."

Q: How many Spanish people does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: One, but only after a good long sleep in the afternoon.

Q: How many Third World people does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: None. No electricity.

Q: How many Welsh people does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: One, and 40 Welsh miners to sing about how it lights up the valley.

Q: How many Zen gurus does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: None; only the inner light matters.

Q: How many Formula 1 drivers does it take to change a light bulb?
A: All of them - if only to make sure that Michael Schumacher doesn't do it first.

Q: How many senior Microsoft engineers does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None. Bill Gates will just redefine Darkness™ as the standard.

Q: How many mothers does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None. "Wait until your father gets home, and stop playing with electricity."

Q: How many Presidents and Prime Ministers does it take to change a light bulb?
A: One of each. They'll invade the factory, free the workers, say that lightbulbs are weapons of mass destruction, and then deny they sold them to the factory in the first place.

Q: How many Californians does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A: Californians don't screw in light bulbs, they screw in hot tubs.

Q: How many frat boys does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A: None. They only screw in a puddle of vomit.

Q: How many boxers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Have you ever tried to change a lightbulb with boxing gloves on?

Q: How many bureaucrats does it take to change a light bulb?
A: I don't think our department handles that - can you hold?

Q: How many Cluedo players does it change to change a lightbulb?
A: Colonel Mustard. In the dining room. With the ladder.

Q: How many dyslexics does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: One to bulb light the change.

Q: How many stylish Gay men does it take to change a light bulb?
A: (Sing songy) The whole Gang! Room Makeover!

Q: How many Marxists does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None. The light bulb contains the seeds of its own revolution.

Q: How many mathematicians does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: One, who gives it to six Californians, thereby reducing it to a previous joke.

Q: How many modern artists does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: None. A lightbulb is square, and if it's not, it should be.

Q: How many New Yorkers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: None of your damn business!

Q: How many poets does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: One, but only if you can find a word to rhyme with lightbulb...

Q: How many kids with ADD does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Let's go ride our bikes!

Q: One.
A: How many time-travelers does it take to change a light bulb?

Q: How many Vietnam veterans did it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: You'll never understand, because you weren't there.

Q: How many comedians does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: None. It's not funny.

May you have a laughter-filled weekend, my fabulous bloggerfriends!

Mumbo Jumbo

2006-11-22T20:25:00.000+08:00

Don't ingroe tihs bascuee it lkoos wried.

Beveile it or not you can raed it.

It deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Anzmiag, isn't it? Seimtemos, the wkroings of the illneetct is spmily so ponhmeeanl taht it teaks my brtaeh aawy.

You can try it yroesulf hree and hvae fun snrahig yuor saelcmbrd mgseases wtih yuor fdierns.

Hpapy jnulibmg!!!

Miracle

2006-11-20T01:34:00.000+08:00

A friend emailed me a poem that tugged ferociously at my parental heartstrings and all of a sudden made me feel enormously grateful for the wondrous gift that is my son.

I thought you might like it, too.

The Miracle of Motherhood

Dear God, what a treasure
You've placed here with me.
You've opened my heart
To what loving can be.

A love so intense,
Yet so gentle and caring;
A feeling of awe
At the beauty of sharing.

This sweet child of mine
Has enriched my life so,
And in just a few moments
Has helped me to grow.

From woman to Mother-
It's swept me away;
And I'm thankful, dear Lord,
This child's with me today.

Please grant me the patience
For endless demands,
And help me give comfort
To small, pleading hands.

The love that created
This precious, dear child
Was our gift from Heaven;
God looked down and smiled.

Stand Up and Be Collected!

2006-11-15T19:12:00.000+08:00

I am being collected.

Really, I am.

It isn’t as frightful as it sounds.

Fellow Filipina blogger Maria tagged me to be part of The People Collection Meme. And to tell the truth, I am quite enticed by the novelty of it all.

The brilliant Sharon Jacobsen initiated this tag with the aim to help writers discover fresh inspiration for new stories, develop uniquely interesting characters, and discover possible resources for research.

Sharon put up Five Things, which contains links to all the people in the blogosphere who generously offered to share five profane or mundane things about themselves for the cause of literary greatness.

So, for art’s noble sake, I hereby present my five:

1. Tattooed on My Mind

I want to get a tattoo but I just don't have the guts.

I dream of having one imprinted to the side of my nape, slightly below my right shoulder, sexily revealing itself when my long hair is accidentally brushed to the side.

My desired inked image changes with my mood. Maybe I could get a tiny butterfly with exquisite wings, or a grinning angel of mischief, or a simple yet ravishing red-black rose....

Then I think how bizarre it will look when I get old and wrinkly, and I am back once again to settling for wimpy stick-ons and henna dyed tattoos. Sigh!

2. Curiosity killed the cat...

....and satisfaction brought it back.

I ask WHY? all the time.

I grew up very curious and stayed that way.

My Dad unknowingly abetted in the formation of my inquisitive nature by having a ready answer to all my puzzled queries. It inevitably followed that I expected the men I dated to live up to my father's example and have the intellectual capacity and forebearance to deal with my relentless probing.

My husband will never forget the first time he told me he was in love with me. My instantaneous response was borne out of reflex: WHY?

It threw him completely off guard and caused him to launch into a panicked monologue of incoherent mumblings I still do not get to this day.

Actually, at that time, I did not care what he said. I just watched his piercing eyes as he spoke and they were answer enough.

3. Secret Spellbinder

I am a bit of a witch.

I have a strong sense of intuition. There are times when I know something will happen before it happens. And more disconcertingly, there are moments when I can actually will something to happen.

You would thus do well not to cross me.

Mwahahaha!

4. Suspect the Unsuspecting

I am a sucker for surprises. I love giving them and I love receiving them.

5. Silent Observer

I have a knack for reading people well. I'm quick to discover what makes people tick by observing them closely - the way they move, speak, look, dress, act and yes, blog.

I find human beings to be the most fascinating creatures on the planet and I thoroghly enjoy learning more about each new character I come across.

On that note, I now excitedly summon five bloggerfriends to make known five never yet publicly aired things about themselves.

1. Handsome Houseband
2. Poet Tom
3. WonderMom Janet
4. Claudia
5. Kris

When you are done with your meme, you can visit Sharon's Five Things so she can link up your list to her blog.

If there are more of you who want to share something personal that may inspire writers to write better, don't hesitate to join in.

Stand up and be collected!