Happy Mother's Day!

(For Sunday, May 14, 2006)

I know that it's late but hey it was a hectic day. Not a lot of Filipino families observe this day, but I guess that my family is different.

It was a happy celebration, with complete attendance by the clan. Food lined up was:

5 kinds of chips
2 kinds of dips
baked chicken with cheese and parsley
pork barbecue
noodles from Sun Moon Garden
4 kinds of cake
2 kinds of ice cream
ginataang mais (sweet corn cooked with sticky rice)

I guess that my family's BIG on dessert. Good thing that somebody brought me oranges; that means I still stick to my "diet" :)

13/100

Short but not so sweet

I have this little lump on my left wrist. It's the size of a...hmmm...kernel of corn. It's under the skin and fleshy (like a kernel actually). I think I noticed it first about a week ago while helping Miguel wash his hands.

I remember telling myself then that my wrist bone was protruding unusually. It looked strange but I brushed it off because I was always busy. Now I realize that it looked strange because it seems like I have an extra wrist bone!

Well tonight it looks like it got bigger, so i paid attention to it and realized that it's not a bone but a fleshy lump. I'll show it to my bro tomorrow. No need to panic; just need to pray.

12/100

I hereby resolve

When you're in an Agency and it's time to produce a commercial, you know that you're gonna be well-fed. That's because prouction houses want to make sure that your tummy is kept in a constant state of contentment - or even ecstasy - so that you're not irritable during a shoot and will hopefully approve all the director's takes.

Anyway.

We've been working with a production house whose executive producer is legendary for serving the best desserts in Manila. You never know what he'll offer next: Strawberry Shortcake, Mango Torte, Marshmallow Cake, Turtle Pie. Of course me and my colleagues protest that he's giving us too much, but we always head to the buffet table to pick up a slice - or two. I feel like a calf being fattened for the slaughter.

Well, just yesterday I had way too much to eat at merienda time (afternoon snack). It was so heavy I decided to skip dinner. I went out with Mike in the evening and was amazed that at 10 pm I was still full.

So today we continued the shoot, and at lunch time Gigi comes in. She's our caster who was recently confined in the ICU because she had suffered a mild heart attack. She's probably only in her late thirties. Needless to say, she has a lot of restrictions when it comes to food.

I had already eaten my leche flan (a sugar-laden egg custard) by the time she came in, but then we predictable started talking about her doctor-imposed diet. It turns out that she has diabetes too, and since I saw firsthand how it ruined my dad's health, I gave her an account of the progression of the disease.

I know it was so hard for her to hold back and stick to her diet in the presence of such delicious fare. She started her lunch and the leche flan was right in front of her, waiting to be devoured.

Then I remembered how disgustingly full I felt last night. And how I need to cut down on sugar so I can avoid diabetes.

Then I just said it. "Gigi, why don't you stop eating sweets. I'll even join you. I'll stop eating cake, ice cream, and chocolates." Of course I made Gigi an excuse, but I know that I can do it. Not just for myself but to set an example for Miguel. Diabetes runs in only one side of my family, both sides on his.

Wish me luck :)

11/100

Two hams on a tube

Although I have hundreds of photos of Miguel, I don't have too many with him. That's because I'm always the one behind the camera, right?

Anyway I asked yaya to snap this picture last week while Miguel and I were swimming. I was lounging in the inflatable while we were shooting at each each other with water pistols, then he got the bright idea of joining in. Well, I'm glad he thought of it...because I don't think I'd allow him to do that at age 8 :)

10/100

Can somebody please tell me what's going on?

Here's another "strange" photo for our archives. Sort of in the spirit of Hit the monkey.

By the way, this picture was taken around early April, before we started cleaning up his room.

9/100

Stonehenge addendum

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention Miguel's theory on how the monument was built:

"Stonehenge is a giant's building blocks that he forgot to pack away."

We must alert the archeologists and anthropologists at once :D

Hocus focus

So here's the lowdown on Miguel's eye check-up.

After spending close to 4 hours at the American Eye Center, the verdict is this: my little boy has astigmatism, with a grade of -2.50 for both eyes. I was shocked to find out the numbers - turns out his grade is higher than mine. Without my contacts I'd consider myself severely visually impaired; what more him!

The good news is that it might be corrected, since his eyes are still being developed. I just hope that it turns out that way.

The reason the session took so long was because we were checked up by 2 optometrists and 1 opthalmologist. They made us sit on several machines, plus we got a manual refraction. I told Miguel that he still looked cute even with the funny-looking glasses. He was extremely well-behaved in the opthalmologist's examination room, very polite and proper. A proud moment for the mommy.

In between sessions with the optometrist and opthalmologist we looked at a few optical shops to pick out some frames for him. I used to be afraid that he might not want to wear glasses, but I think that wearing those funny glasses made him realize that he really needs his own pair. He quickly grew attached to a blue pair (again, I told him that he cannot have a red one) and I'll be picking it up after 3 days.

So hopefully, now he won't have to go near the TV, or hold a book so close to his face, or lean directly over his workbook when he does an assignment. For him, the world will suddenly be bigger and brighter. Or should I say clearer.

I should know.

8/100

Tom Yum

Today I finally opened one of my "goodies" from Bangkok - a cup of ready-to-eat Tom Yum Goong. When I arrived there, one of the first things I did was head for the grocery. I wanted to buy food that I can find only in Thailand, like Frito Lay potato chips in exotic flavors such as Nori Seaweed and Grilled Lobster. Another item was a pack of Tom Yum Goong since I like that dish so much.

Well, sad to say that the cup of instant soup was a disappointment. It was Tom Yum, but as with anything ready-to-eat, the quality suffers considerably. It was nothing compared to the one I had in Siam Paragon.

It was past lunch time on our second day and I was exploring some malls on my own. Being so late, I really wanted to get a bite, and the Siam Paragon food court got good reviews since the mall was only 5 months old.

Turns out the place is a bit high-end, but since I was so hungry (deja vu?) I didn't care about the price. The outlet I went to is like the former Streetlife in Glorietta. Enter, get a card, have it swiped as you order food, and pay as you leave.

Seeing a mouth-watering picture of Tom Yum, I ordered it right away. Only when the dish was served at my table did I realize: Oh, shucks, I'm not in Manila! I saw all the crushed chilis swimming on the surface and realized that I should have asked them to hold back on the spice.

Anyway, since I was in a nice place and they were charging me 3 times what I'd normally pay for a meal, I decided to eat Tom Yum just the way the Thais do: in all it's hot, spicy, mouth-burning, inflaming glory.

I could swear that my mouth was on fire. And now I also know why animators show how spicy a food is by making smoke come out of your ears: while I was eating it I could feel my ear wax melting!

I must say though that it was delicious. At least now I can say that I've had authentic Thai Tom Yum Goong.

7/100

Neuro

Yes, I think I'm getting neurotic. Less than a month to go before Migueli enters big school. I've already arranged for a school bus service. I've bought the uniforms and am having the pants altered. I've wrapped the textbooks in plastic cover.

I even scheduled a visit to the opthalmologist 'cause I suspect he might need glasses. I just need to label a few things, buy undershirts, socks, P.E. shoes, and a school bag.

Good grief! I even read through the student handbook (certified nerd here) and found out that a "jug" is not necessarily a container for liquid.

I tell you I'm really getting neurotic right now.

And I still have to finalize the plans for his birthday next month.

6/100

Stonehenge

Last night Miguel and I had a conversation about Stonehenge, again. He wants to go there. He wants to go to Stonehenge at 1 am during the summer solstice so he can wait for the sun to go up and see it "go on top of his head."

Turns out my mom's been reading those coffee-table books to him at bedtime while I was out of town. God bless her, she's such high-brow grandma :)

Now as a goal, that isn't such a bad thing. I haven't been to Stonehenge myself, but now that he mentions it, I'd like to go too. I told him that we'd have to find a way to go.

Weird thing is, I just had lunch with my colleague Jayel last Thursday. Though he sits only 10 feet away from me, we haven't had lunch together for several months. I asked him where he and Michal were going for their honeymoon after the May 20 wedding. He said that they're going to Rome, London, then Paris. I asked him what he planned to see in London, and he mentioned that he wanted to see Stonehenge - an hour's ride away, he says.

This synchronicity thing is just too uncanny. I really think we've got to find a way to get there.

5/100

Favorite foods

I think that I know my son so well. We had this conversation yesterday at the breakfast table, about what his perfect meal is:

Me: I know what your perfect meal is.
Miguel: What?
Me, grinning: Tilapia with rice, churros con chocolate, and strawberry shake.
Miguel: Wrong! My perfect meal is spider, and cockroach, and dirt, and french fries, and grapes with ketchup!

Yuck! Now who would eat grapes with ketchup?

Right now my favorite food is tom yum goong (a longtime favorite), iced lemonade and mangoes for dessert. Mmmmm!

Oh and for the record, Miguel corrected me and said that his favorite meal is chicken and rice, french fries with ketchup, iced tea, and strawberry shake. And which toy would you like with that?

4/100

Makeover

Gueli's room is now taking form! It's not going to be an expensive project, but my mom already had the paint job started.

It was such a pleasant surprise to come home from Bangkok and see the walls in transition. The ceiling's almost done, and this morning mom and I finalized the color for the walls. Miguel's favorite color is red, but I told him that red walls are out of the question. He didn't seem to mind.

We'll have the bathroom ceiling and walls repainted too to match his room. Good thing because it's overdue for a facelift.

The anticipation is still there but at this point I'm just glad that it's getting done. Since I don't have much to spend I'll just be doing little changes as the weeks go along. Maybe it'll be like my uncle's house that took 10 years to complete :) I guess that we'll just improve as we go along.

3/100

Morning pages

There's this book called "The Artist's Way," by Julia Cameron. I came across it in 2001 when I took a workshop under Jim Paredes about "releasing the artist within" or "unblocking your writer's block." Something like that. It was one of those groundbreaking workshops, the kind that you never forget. He pours himself into the sessions, and the if you give as well, the more you get back. Lots of memorable stuff happens there, if you allow it. I'd recommend it to anyone even if they're not artists.

Anyway, Jim's modules were based on the Cameron book, and the exercises were very good, challenging you to try something new. The most basic exercise is the morning pages. With apologies to Julia Cameron, it goes something like this: every morning, the moment you wake up and when your mind is still foggy, you grab a pen and a notebook and write. Doesn't matter if garbage comes out; all that matters is that you're producing creative output. The theory, I think, is that quantity is better than quality.

There might be an argument for that, because at least if you push yourself to write everyday, you're bound to come up with a gem sooner or later. And then, you know what they say: practice makes perfect. Same thing holds true for painting. Well, like I say, you really aren't a painter unless you're painting. So I guess you really aren't a writer unless....

Anyway, Pinoy Big Cousin's one-hundred day challenge is something that I could simply consider as morning pages. I think that the longest period that I wrote my morning pages was for 3 months. But I know a director who's been doing it for about 2 years. He even showed me his notebook; he brings it around all the time.

Funny, we're working on a project right now and just yesterday he asked me what my blog address is.

Another thing about doing Jim's workshop back then: when you're in touch with your inner artist, the universe seems to align and a lot of synchronicity happens. Maybe that's why I'm writing now. Maybe that's why he asked. :)

2/100

Shopping and suds

Just got back from the company outing last Sunday. It was a fun, tiring 4-day, 3-night shopping spree. Now this is my kind of clothing allowance: pack up all the employees to Bangkok and give them money to burn. On our first evening, right after our dinner-cruise, people were already itching to hit the Suan Lum night market. Others went to Patphong for the "educational show." I, however, and a few others opted to go back to the hotel. My roommate was out shopping so I had the room to myself for a few hours.

Nice bubble bath waited for me there. Tie up the hair, run the faucet with almost scalding water, pour in the bubble juice, then lie down and soak. Could've used some candles and mood music, but I make do with what I have - selective lighting and the television tuned to the movie channel. That's what I call the art of doing nothing.

When I laid back in the tub and stretched my hands over my head, I heard the strange but familiar sound of bubbles popping around my ears. That's when it hit me: it's been years since I've heard that sound. Then I recalled that the last time I had a proper bubble bath was seven years ago, in Bangkok too.


My memories of that first trip aren't so good. I was travelling with a group of artists called the "Saturday Group" and on our last evening my colleagues had a falling out. What started out as cordial drinking in one of the hotel rooms turned into a public display of dirty laundry. Sigh.

Also, the last time I was in Bangkok I had just discovered I was pregnant, and nobody but my (then) boyfriend knew at the time. It was difficult walking the unfamiliar streets looking for a good place to eat (I was so hungry!) when all the signs and menus were written in Sanskrit.

Well, glad to say that this time out I had a fabulous time. For starters, our hotel (Arnoma on Rajdamri Road) was located right in the heart of the city. Right beside it were a money changer, a mall with a big grocery (Big C) that closed at 11pm, and a really cheap but delicious food court. And all around were middle- and high-end malls.

It was also my first visit to Chatuchak weekend market. As my friend said, "hindi susuko ang Chatuchak - ikaw ang susuko!" (In English, you're going to surrender - due to the sheer size of it.) I was told that it was over one hectare in size, and honey I believe it!

Prices are absurdly cheap when you compare them to Manila's, but then you have to be good at haggling while overcoming the language barrier. By 2pm I decided that I was done with shopping. But since I agreed to meet up with my friend at 3, I ended up spending all my cash by 2:30. I just had enough for the taxi ride back to the hotel in case she didn't show up (to split the cost).

Good thing I left the rest of my moolah in the hotel ;)

So now my attitude towards Manila's tiangges (bazaars) have changed. Just yesterday I was in Greenhills with Miguel trying to pick out a red backpack. When the salesgirl told me the price of the bag that he wanted, I had to qualms about insisting on a really low price. In the end we settled at less than 2/3 the cost.

So you see, travelling really is a learning experience.

1/100

Starstruck

I couldn't help it. I'm not a fan, but when the opportunity presented itself, I just had to get a solo photo with him.
Reminds me of that Sprite campaign magpatotoo ka! (get real) Yep, that was me :)

It was his idea

Thank God my son loves taking baths. Although he sometimes protests when I announce that it's time for him to hit the shower, 99% of the time he takes his sweet time because he's too busy playing.

One of his favorite "games" is making funny hairstyles, and yesterday he coudn't wait to show me how high his hair can go. Hmm, looks like he's overdue for a haircut.

Now tell me, didn't you use to do that when you were a kid?

I really hope that he doesn't mind that I posted this, when he's all grown up.

And by the way, I really feel so much pressure to post regularly, now that I know that mama aly is checking out my blog every day. Sort of like a Pinoy Big Cousin :)

Oh yeah. Notice the sliver of soap meticulously attached to the bigger bar of soap ;D

Doodlisquat

Another quickie post.

After 18 years, Doodle is back in Manila! With hubby and 2 kids in tow no less. After the hellos, the realizations set in:


Doodle, to me: When did Gai get so wild?
Gai, to me: When did Doodle get so mature?

Well, wild or mature, they're my 2 best-est friends. I had no qualms about spending last Sunday with Doodle's entire family. Actually, I've considered myself a part of her family ever since I visited them in Orlando in '91. The picture shows her with her 3-year-old Colin and Miguel during a quick lunch out.

Tinkle winkle

So here's Miguel after his piano recital last week with Teacher Ems. Notice the nice trophy and the big smile.

All the recitalists received simple, card-sized, glass-etched trophies. Except for my son and 3 others whose glass trophies broke. ERGO, teacher had to replace theirs with bigger ones. Compared to the other trophies, it looks as if my son won the Metropop.


He was so excited about it, he said, "I want to keep playing piano until I have 10 trophies!"

We're definitely signing up for this summer.

Hair-raising

As requested by mama_aly, here is a new, albeit quickie post. Miguel's hair has a way of standing up every morning. Our private joke is that his hair stands up long before he does. I hope that years from now he won't mind that I posted this.

Yes, yes...I feel bad too about not posting since February; I haven't missed a month since I started this blog almost 2 years ago. And I have so many anecdotes saved up, big and small. I guess the trick is to post right away so you don't forget or get lazy. More to come, even if they're antedated.

By the way, I'm now using a MacMini so some blogger features - such as font color - are not available. Nevertheless, I love my Mac! :)

May 3, 2006: Font color solved

And the winner is...

Didn't I say that Miguel needed a new playmate?

Saturday night he had the bright idea of including Nightcrawler in a pre-bedtime game of Yu-Gi-Oh. This he said while holding a deck of cards that was 3 inches thick. He really is a master of delaying tactics. I agreed to play one game on the condition that each of us have 20 cards each in our decks - a sure way to end the game in time for bed.

It was kinda funny playing against a plastic toy. Since he was handicapped (read: inanimate) I offered to "hold" his cards for him. Miguel played as if Nightcrawler were a real opponent, reacting jubilantly every time he sent the X-man's monster to the graveyard. But then....

Nightcrawler had a Card Destruction spell up his sleeve. He threw it in towards the end of the game, when Miguel and I had already run out of monsters. So yes, dear readers, we lost. In Miguel's words "I can't believe we lost to an action figure!" And a novice action figure at that.

Must be his mutant powers at work.

So guess who was a sore loser. Tsk tsk tsk.