To My Teenage Drama Queen (Lessons from Mom)

Cae goes to Tagaytay this afternoon with her classmates for their annual retreat.

Same as last year, we were asked by the Campus Ministry to write a letter for the "retreater". I gladly obliged, along with Alex, Azalea and Meghann. It was supposed to be a secret but Cae already knows the content of the envelope addressed to her adviser.

Allow me to share my letter for her that is actually more of a “sermon on the mount”. The lessons I am imparting to her here are lessons I myself learned from my own mother. Kaya nga Good Girl ako eh.

____________________________________

 

Hi Cae!

 

Recollection mo na naman, ilang araw ka lang mabait tapos matigas na naman ulo mo and lagi kayong nag-aaway ni Dada. Basta, lagi mo lang tandaan ang mga sumusunod na LESSONS FROM MOMMY:

 

1. Mag-aral ng mabuti. Magfocus ka sa studies mo. Be serious at wag puro distraction. Seryosohin mo ang pag-aaral para naman may eagle ka. Pagbutihin mo until college.
2. Be a good daughter. Ikaw ang panganay kaya dapat magse-set ka ng good example. Wag mong isipin that just because we can’t give you what you want sometimes, eh deprived ka na. Always remember that parents know best and we always want the best for you. But it doesn’t follow that whatever you want will be given to you always. Hindi lahat ng gusto ay importante at kailangan. Sometimes also, you have to work hard for what you want, you have to earn or deserve it. I am not a perfect daughter myself and when I grew older, I realized that parents are always right. Wag kang mainis pag pinapagalitan or pinagsasabihan ka. Gusto ka lang i-correct at palakihing tama. And always remember also that hanggang kaya namin ng Dada mo, at makakabuti sa yo, wala namang problema yung mga hinihingi mo eh.
3. Be a good sister. Alalahanin mo, pag wala na kami ni Dada, ikaw ang bahala kay Caehl. Kaya magmahalan kayo mabuti, dadalawang piraso lang kayo.
4. Be polite to elders, be courteous and show that you are educated and that you are raised well by your parents. Pag may ipinakita kang hindi maganda, tatanungin ng mga tao kung paano ka ba pinalaki ng magulang mo. Hindi ka namin tinuturuan ng bad manners and ill conduct di ba?
5. Be a good friend, but choose your friends. Choose only those who are good and kind, those who can bring out the best in you, and those who will not lead you to bad ways.
6. Be punctual and respect other people’s time. Bilisan ang kilos, wag babagal-bagal. Time waits for no one and lost time can never be regained.
7. Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. Namana mo ang pagiging late-sleeper at late-riser ni Dada, daig nyo pa ang security guard na 24 hours gising at nagbabantay.
8. Close the doors silently. Wag ibabagsak ang pinto. Kumatok muna pag sarado.
9. Close what you opened, returned what you borrowed/got. Isara ung mga bukas na cabinet. Isoli yung kinuha kung saan kinuha.
10. Put your dirty clothes in the hamper. Wag sa kama or sa floor. Baka maglakad yan mag-isa. Kaya yata nawawala isa-isa ang mga medyas mo eh.
11. Keep your room clean. I never had my own bedroom, lagi kaming share ni Pia, hanggang college and even after college. Ikaw, 7 years old ka pa lang, may sarili ka nang room. So sana wag makalat.
12. Wag puro boys and crushes. Or kung di maiwasan, don’t make it your world. Ok lang naman magkacrush basta mag-aaral pa ding mabuti at huwag madistract.
13. Iwasan muna magboyfriend. Wag magmadali, your time will come. Dapat matured na muna ang pag-iisip. Hayaan mo lang silang manligaw. You’re not obliged to like them back or maging girlfriend ka nila. As mentioned above, piliin mo yung mga kaibigan mo, wag yung tuturuan ka ng masama. 
14. Take care of yourself. Marami ka nang nababasa sa internet about relationships, sex and romance. Stay pure and wait for the right time to handle these things. Para di ka magsisi sa huli.
15. Speaking of internet, be careful. Don’t post too many pictures or give away too much information.
16. Never hurt yourself physically. Your body is the temple of the Lord. Stay clean, healthy and take care of your body, dahil iisa lang yan. Wag abusuhin ang katawan, pag nagkasakit ka, mahal ang bayad sa ospital, sige ka. Maligo araw-araw J
17. Know the value of money. Wag mag-aaksaya ng pera, food, kuryente, tubig, etc etc. We work hard to earn money, kaya sana pag-ingatan ang gamit. Mahirap bumili uli kasi di naman tayo mayaman.
18. Make use of your God-given talents. Hanggang ngayon, di ko pa alam kung anong gusto mong maging or kung saan ka nag-e-excel. We’ve tried piano, badminton. I asked you if you want voice or dance lessons pero ayaw mo. Whatever it is, it is not too late to discover your talents and develop them. Ituloy mo lang ang pagsusulat mo, yung galing mo sa computer. Saka yung love for reading and music. Okay lang yan, sinusuportahan ka naman namin ni Dada di ba? “Like a shooting star, to where you are…’ “Trip mo, trip ko…"  Ako nga nun, sinasamahan ni Papa sa Rizal Memorial or ULTRA pag may laro sina Alvin Patrimonio and Barangay Ginebra. Hinanap pa nya ang bahay ni Francis Magalona para lang sa akin.
19. Use your mind, listen to your heart. In making decisions, gamitin mo ang utak mo. God gave us the facility to discern what is wrong and what is right. Listen to your heart pero wag puro emotions ang gagamitin. Kailangan balance lang – mind and heart. If all else fails…go to#20.
20. God is watching us. Pray everyday, ask for wisdom and always ask for His guidance. Always have faith in Him and as long as you have fear in God, you will not go wrong. Wag na wag kang mawawalan ng takot sa Diyos. Lagi kong nireremind si Dada that we only live once in this world. Let’s live it well – and right.

 

I hope you will live by these simple lessons in life. Take care, I love you and you will always be my naknik. 

Birthday ng Matibay

Start:

Sep 17, '07

It's my 36th birthday, yahoo!

Gains and Losses

A week ago, we were set to watch 6CycleMind at 19 East (Sucat). It was in Caitlin's calendar for, I think, more than a month, ever since she got the band's gig calendar. It was a Thursday and we agreed on meeting at Festival Mall around 8 (the gig starts at 10pm, we were told) instead of Alex having to come home to pick us up.

7pm-ish, mother and daughter are already seated at McDonald's waiting for him. Alex said he had to go to the wash room first. I asked Cae to text her dad back to say that there's a washroom at the Greens & Grills so he doesn't have to walk too far. He said he'll just pass by Caltex along Alabang-Zapote road and to wait for him in front of Seatlle's Best. It was raining hard by that time. Cae and I were standing outside expecting Alex to show up any time when we got his call that he was bumped by a passenger jeepney on his way to Festi. I rushed towards the office (thank God it was just near) to call for help.

On our way there, Cae was starting to cry. She knew we weren't going to make it to the gig. While we were at the police station, I thought she was going to murder the jeepney driver (who kept on insisting Alex was the one who bumped him). If looks could kill , the driver would have died on the spot.

The next day, off we went to file an insurance claim. Luckily, I was on leave that day that I didn't have work-related baggages to bring along. To cut the story short, Kikay's left fender and bumper were severely damaged. She's at the Honda Alabang Service now for repairs, which will cost us around P25K. Again, thank God for insurance, we only have to shell out 7K. Well, it's not exactly cheap but at least... I hope we'll be able to get her out before my birthday .

Weekend, Papa and Mama treated us out. It was after all Alex's 36th birthday. We went to Macapagal Avenue for a lunch of grilled seafood and pork (for Alex) at Claire dela Fuente's restaurant. The family was complete, including Tito Boy and JC. Then we went to MOA where we spent the afternoon just walking, shopping and eating. The babies even slept for a while. Ang layo ng dinayo namin para lang kumain ng chicharon at matulog ang mga makukulit.

Suddenly, we were startled by Meg's cry, "Si Ate MJ!" She saw our long-lost cousin MJ walking and she and Ate had to run after her. MJ was crying when she approached us. It has been three or four years since she left us to live on her own, after her mom (my aunt) died. She used to live with us and she's been afraid to show up ever since. I wasn't really absorbing everything because I didn't want to cry. MJ promised to keep in touch. I hope Diche is smiling down on us from heaven.

I am taking this opportunity to greet Alex online. What can I say, but people come, people go. At the end of the day, tayo pa din ang magkasama.

 

Project DEAN

A baby boy is brewing!

Last August 18 (Saturday), we gave Ba a surprise baby shower at my house. Surprise because she didn't know all about it until she arrived and we unveiled the streamer (which took almost a week to be delivered, but that's another story). It was a stormy week after all and nobody would dare hold a party with that kind of weather.

For a month or so, Kuya and I have been busily and silently preparing for this event. We have been texting and emailing each other almost everyday, updating my other sisters every now and then. We texted and emailed Ba's sisters, high school friends, badminton mates and kumares. Personally, I appreciated the confirmations and enthusiasm from these people whom I don't know.

For the theme, I had two options: a coffee-inspired party (owing to their addiction to Starbucks) and a rubber duckie one (it was easy to think of give-aways, rubber duckies tied with blue ribbon). I asked Azalea to choose and she went for the Starbucks theme. “Mahilig naman sila sa kape, eh,” she reasoned out. Cae also liked the idea of giving away small mugs with my makeshift Dean’s Coffee logo. I hope Starbucks won’t mind. I wanted the small transparent mug-lets, which restaurants use to contain syrup for pancakes. But I couldn’t find any. I settled for the white espresso cups in Robinson’s. I pasted the Dean’s Coffee stickers I printed out in the office on the cups and on the 3-in-1 coffee sachets, put a plastic stirrer in each cup and wrapped them in clear cellophane, tied with a metallic silver wire.

I also ordered blue balloons, and asked for blue cloths for the tables we rented (along with the videoke and chairs). We ordered bulk from Jollibee – palabok with chicken, spaghetti with chicken, and regular Yum with cheese. I texted Ba weeks before and told her I needed her inputs for a survey. She chose Jollibee among the other fast food options.

Our press release was it was a surprise advance birthday party for Alex. Kuya suggested a Tupperware party so Ba would come but I said, maybe she could not say no to Alex. Later on, she told us she braved the rains to buy a gift for him.

The morning was spent buying tube ice (which I almost forgot to buy, ang galing, even if it was written on top of my list), chips, drinks and other party stuff. All the other materials arrived on time, thank God, including the food.

 

Initially, I thought only a handful of guests would make it. It was already past 4pm (party time). Kuya and Ba arrived around 430pm. At 5pm, we started the Program with a prayer led by Cae. Then some Welcome Remarks and Acknowledgment of Guests. There’s the walang kamatayang Guess the Waistline. Ate and Azalea came close, with 38 and 40 as their guesses. Ba’s waistline was 39. We also had “By the Book” where the guests gave books for Dean’s Library. Cae and Caehl gave “The Shoemaker & The Elves” and “The Gingerbread Man”, books I love when we were children that I wish to pass on to my nephew. Two weeks before the party, I lost my phone and if my hunch is correct, it must have been lost when I was browsing through the books on sale at Festival Mall. Anyways… Next was Messages in a Bottle where guests were provided with a piece of blue paper so they could write a note for Dean. The notes were rolled into a scroll and placed inside a baby bottle.

Then we asked everyone to say a message for Darlie. Even Papa and Mama said some inspiring words. Kuya made us laugh by saying he’ll be the first one to faint come delivery time. We ended the Program with a Birthday Song for Alex, as requested by Cae, since it was “supposed” to be her Dad’s birthday party.

Funny but the guests arrived just after the Program. I wasn’t able to attend to all of them but I hope they had fun. It was almost 10pm when we called it a day, but before that, all four of us had to render a song. Kuya sang One in A Million (Score 100). Azalea took the challenge with Don’t Cha (100). I wasn’t able to resist it, either with Don’t Cry Out Loud (yes, 100 too). Last to sing was Ate with Next in Line (99). She tried again with Till They Take My Heart Away, and got 100 finally.

Again, thanks to all our guests, to my siblings and parents for a successful baby shower (ehem ehem). We’re all excited with Dean’s arrival. We’ve waited long enough.

One Saturday at the Mall of Asia

With a writing assignment hanging like a sword over his head, Daddy had no choice but to take us out to MOA last Saturday, Aug.11.

Cae wanted the world at the palm of her hand while Caehl wanted to walk around that world. Meg was at her usual silent but humorous self.

Music and Lyrics

Blue Sky

When do stars fade their light?
Does the moon and the sun make it right
For you the world maybe
Like an endless storm chasing a mystery

Is there hate in your heart?
Does your body drop and tell you to stop
Loving you or loving me
When it all falls down you just sing with me

Coz there's a blue sky waiting tomorrow
Waiting tomorrow shining and shimmering
A blue sky waiting tomorrow
Waiting tomorrow
Maybe it's all we need

Oh don't you wash away that smile
You just look out the window and see the light
It's beautiful to be alive
It's wonderful to live a life

The sun is sure to shine
For you and me for everyone
So don't be sad it's just the start
Of a new beginning in your life

Rain will keep on pouring
Some things you can't control
And while the sun seems far and hard to hold
It will unfold

There will always be a blue sky
A blue sky waiting tomorrow
Full of hope

 

Shooting Star

Many times you've hurt me
So many times you've fooled me
But you'll be doing it again

So many times we've spent in
Too many lives we've been in
But you're doing it again

To me the nights have fallen
The lights are on and off again
Is there a chance that you won't die
Won't die, with me tonight?

Like a shooting star to where you are
Are we too late am I too soon?
You'll make it through you've gone too far
Will you ever be my star?

I'm holding on to nothing
No reason worth for living
I'm calling out to you

If it's the only way to keep you
Then I dont want to break you
I'm losing grip again

With you the nights have fallen
The lights are on and off again
Is there a chance that you wont die
Won't die, with me tonight?

Like a shooting star to where you are
Are we too late am I too soon
You'll make it through you've gone too far
Will you ever be my star?

You're a shooting star to where you are
Are we too late am I too soon
You'll make it through you've gone too far
Will you ever be my star?
Will you ever be my star?

You're walking away
I'll be seeing you through a satellite

If you go
Then I'm walking away

 

The Ballad Of

There are 8 billion people in this world
8 billion lives are changing
Never felt so alone

Would you consider me inspite of this?
I'm always the one who loses
Would you make me better?

How, how, how will we make this work?
Why do you have to be so far?
It's all clear now I'm gonna keep you
Like flowing water into forever

That look is all I need to get by
Like living in some illusion
I never felt so alive

I know that there will be flaws around us
The silly wars that we'll be fighting
Yes, I'll be fighting

How, how, how will we make this work?
Why do you have to be so far?
It's all clear now I'm gonna keep you
Like flowing water into forever

It's all clear now I'm gonna keep you
Like flowing water into forever
Into forever now
I'll be the one who holds you dear

There are 8 billion people in this world
8 billions live are changing and you're the one I need.

 

The Day You Said Goodnight

Take me as you are,
Push me off the road the sadness,
I need this time to be with you
I'm freezing in the sun;
I'm burning in the rain
The silence;
I'm screaming,
Calling out your name.
And i do reside in your light
Put out the fire with me and find
Yeah you'll lose the side of your circles
That's what i'll do if we say goodbye.

To be is all i gotta be
And all that i see
And all that i need is time
To me, the life you gave me
The day you said goodnight.

The calmness in your face
That i see through the night
The warmth of your light is pressing unto us
You didn't ask me why
I never would have known oblivion is falling down.
And i do reside in your light
Put out the fire with me and find
Yeah you'll lose the side of your circles
That's what i'll do if we say goodbye.

To be is all i gotta be
And all that i see
And all that i need is time
To me the life you gave me
The day you said goodnight.

If you could only know me like your prayers at night
Then everything between you and me will be all
Right.

To be is all i gotta be
And all that i see
And all that i need is time
To me the life you gave me
The day you said goodnight.

She's already taken,
She's already taken
She's already taken me
She's already taken,
She's already taken me.
The day you said goodnight

 

The Bourne Ultimatum

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Action & Adventure

Amnesiac assassin Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is back and he wants answers in The Bourne Ultimatum.

Following the success of blockbusters The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum takes us back into the life of trained killer Jason Bourne. Bourne has lost the love of his life and is back for vengeance and answers as he is trailed by the very people who made him the killing machine that he is.

Bourne dodges police, escapes Interpol and evades trackers as he searches for answers to his true identity. With his renewed focus and determination, nothing can stop Bourne – not bullets, explosions or the new generation of highly trained assassins sent to kill him.

The Bourne Ultimatum is directed by acclaimed British director Paul Greengrass and written by Tony Gilroy. It stars Golden Globe winner Matt Damon, Julia Stiles and Academy Award nominee Joan Allen.

***Go see this movie and come out of the theater breathless. Matt Damon is truly a brilliant actor. Paul Greengrass is tops!