My #19th of my 101: Take Daddy to Bicol

This is among the first few goals I wanted to do when I listed my 101 in 1001! It is my most ardent want to have a trip with Daddy back to his beloved hometown, Bicol…  I have been contemplating this trip since year 1 of my 101 project. The original plan was to have a long-drive going there, but then came the announcement of newly-renovated-re-operated train to Bicol last July that I announced to Daddy that we will take that. For some reason, the excitement faded since there were news of unstable tracks… that’s why I decided for a plane booking.

Funny thing, when Cebu Pacific offered a promo trip lastAug 8, 2011 (heroes day?), for P8 fare, I grabbed first 3 plane tickets for Daddy, Mama and Lean (one-ride P8, going back at reg fare) but when I tried another booking few minutes later for me and Aliya, there’s no available seats in promo… that’s why I have to book in reg. fare. (Ninang and Nunu’s tickets were bought in later date at much higher cost).

(my 82-year-old groovy dad, at Cagsawa Ruin, Mayon Volacano, Leagspi)

(the gang, at Daraga Church, Legaspi)

Anyways, i will save the rest of the stories of adventures and misadventures later (blog), but for now I want to share that I have done it, and I’m happy that Dad’s happy! We have seen his brothers and sisters again (the last time he was there I think was 6 years ago, and he had just visited the place at least 7 times since my lifetime).  Btw, he’s now 82 yo. What’s fun about this trip is that it triggered Dad’s memory from his childhood, and he made kwento about it.  The story became vivid, now that we were in Bicol. Here’s the 15 things I knew more about Daddy (although some of it I heard before, but not as detailed):

1. That he was a kutsero in his teens (driver of kalesa or horse-carriage)
2. That his Papa owned a fleet of kalesa,
3. That he hated to become kutsero in his lifetime,
4. that’s why he escaped (naglayas) in a barge going to Manila
5. That he was helped by an American who operated a barge transporting goods back and forth Manila and Bicol. He was a helper in a barge.
6. That he was compelled to go back, otherwise, the family will not allow Manay Mimay (his sister) be married, unless he’s there.
7. That a kin saw him in the fort of Pasacao accidentally and told him to go back home because of his sister’s predicament
8. That his Mama (died in his early age) left them a large parcel of land, but his share was on the hillside.
9. That he dreamed of building a dream rest house there (I remember his house layout on this when I was a kid and he even asked us to contribute an idea of the design), but allegedly the place was inhabited by “unwanted” people that he lost interest on it.
10. That even he’s a Bicolano, he haven’t seen some parts of Legaspi, that’s why the Lignon Hill and Mayon Resthouse are new to him.
11. That he frequented solera (?) a province-style night club, wherein girls will dance with boys for every ticket bought. (he bragged this story to our van driver).
12. That almost all of the stretch of Pasacao Beach was used to be owned by his uncle. (Only a part now is left to his cousin).
13. The reason why he hates suka (vinegar)… and most of his brothers and sisters hate it too… (his stepmom used to bathe them with it as cure to their flu)
14. That he loves and misses “tinumtungan” dish (a coconut-based bamboo shoot dish).  He got his wish on our 2nd day lunch.
15. That (I’m amazed) that he can still speak fluent Bicol language.

Well, I could have heard more of the stories if I paid more attention (they were speaking their language that I cannot fully understand). But anyway i still have time to find out more, i will just have to find time chatting with dad, even in our favorite chairs by the window (Bulacan). Have to visit them more….

(travelling feet, with dad’s, at Penafrancia Church, Naga)

more stories later….

Another visit to Hospicio de San Jose

December 10, 2011 – it’s a date!
We’ll visit the orphanage, Hospicio de San Jose at Manila, for a short time playing with the toddlers. We’ve been there before, around christmas time last year and valentines day this year… I’m excited and yet I’m a bit anxious about too to see who will still be there… Sure I missed Liezl, Hannah and Kaye and Edward and others, but as much as I want to see them again, I really hope that they are no longer there anymore… that somebody have lovingly took them home and adopted them… that they finally found a family…
Nevertheless, surely we will finds toddlers there who are longing to be hugged and pampered and played with… even for just a little while… hope we could give more than that…

see link:
xmas 2010
valentines 2011

TSP: Missing Our Old Habit: Hilot-Paa for Jolo

He is now 13! He is now taller than me… he is so awkwardly odd and handsome… he talks slangishly weird… he laughs like his father… he is now into piano, guitar, rubix cubes and skateboard… he is into Harry Potter books doing marathon reading… he worries about his pimples…he just had his hair “relaxed”… he shuns me from his room…. he “forbids” me to look at his cellphone… but last night, he asked me to “hilot-paa”*; awesome !

*hilot-paa used to be our bedtime ritual since he was two, for him to sleep (plus his tini-smelly pillow)… massaging, (tickling actually) his foot one at a time till he gets asleep…. until we “agreed” (or rather “fought”) to halt it by his 10th birthday. it was getting difficult for me to reach his foot, and for him to do some body contortion…

Last night, I willingly (and longingly) obliged! It doesn’t matter now even I have a long queue of things to do with my tax clients, it doesn’t matter even if it will mean I will fall asleep too, it doesn’t matter even if we do major body contortion! i love it, I missed it! We both missed it!

Happy birthday! Love you, Jolo… anytime, anak…

Oh, by the way, he is still playing with his Lego… :>

TSP: Awesome to Read about this Awesome Blog

Having Found this “Awesome” Article at RD Just at the Same Time I Was Thinking of Updating My Blog about “Simple Pleasures”

“In Search of Awesome,” an article in Reader’s Digest that made me smile. The “awesome” sayings are really witty and nice and simple. These are actually “ignorable” acts, things, circumstances in everyday life, but really awesome when you realize the awesome feelings it gives you. This can be found in Neil Pasricha’s blog “1000 Awesome Things” (now a book)…. See it and I’m 100% sure you’ll find something that will make you smile (then count that as your own “Awesome” moment)

I been thinking about updating my blog (this blogsite) for quite sometime, I’ve been “inactive” since September when we ventured to our new business. I’ve droped few entries and pics every now and then (mostly about my Project K), but not about more serious thoughts. I noticed also that I neglected my “regular” entries like the “Pic Note”, “Tips and Insights” and “Today’s Simple Pleasures”…. Anyway, as I was thinking reviving these projects, I came across this article of “Awesome.” It’s almost the same thing about my “Today’s Simple Pleasures” which I started last year – not yet aware of the other blogsite ha… – (so nobody can “sue” me for plagiarism )…
Anyways, I will again pursue this… basically for myself… because I want to be grateful about everyday’s blessings and simple acts or things that make us realize that “everyday” is a miracle… and a magic… and most definitely a “choice”!
Well, good luck sa akin….

Been Awhile….

It’s been awhile since I made a very personal entry in my blog… maybe because it’s been awhile since that I’m in a roller-coaster of happenings and feelings. And I really don’t know my “mood” whenever I face my blogsite, so I just refrain from it…

Well, anyway, NOW I am good! not great but good!… OR I mean I decided to be just that (anyway it’s always a decision to make)….

So, I need to be inspired and get excited and I need to count my blessings again NOW!
1. I got friends who unfailingly support and cheer me!
2. My kids are as bubbly and rewarding as ever (thanks for amusing mornings)
3. The chance to “touch” my staff’s life whom I know I can still inspire (pinaghuhugutan ko din sla ng lakas)
4. A chance to create arts and hatch ideas (gumagana pa)
5. Ice-Scramble while walking with a friend in an amusement park.
6. Fancy pizza with the same friend, talking about life, age and aging.
7. Chicharon once in a while.
8. Thriving business….
9. Bonding moment with parents and kuya
10. Good books (“uhh-ohh” by Robert Fulghum).

So… I have no reason to be forlorn or grumpy… Hello LIFE! I’m BACK!

Everyday’s Simple Pleasure

I will be doing again this blog (part 2), for “today’s simple pleasure in six words”….
just really want to appreciate life EVERYDAY, no matter how simple, no matter how corny, no matter how trivial… Life is too short to be mindful of anything other the positive! So….

Sept 21 – Bonding with Aliya while downloading videos
Sept 22 – A good morning laugh with Papi! (RX Top 10)
Sept 23 – Good sales at starcity. Besteller pillows!
Sept 24 – Bedtime readings with Aliya and Pinggz
Sept 25 – Chicken Calzone bonding with Sis Kerol
Sept 26 – Surprise lunch-pot-luck for Pentz
Sept 27 – Sarap chicharon moment with Atty.
Sept 28 – Interacted and played with audit staff
…….

Photos of the Week: Rain

image source: we heart it

101 Inventory-taking

It’s been awhile since I have made updates on my 101… The last time I took inventory, I had only 18 “minus”… but amazingly as i took the count now, I had already 26 “minus” (see here)… well that’s 25% complete with still 665 days to go… fairly good…. But I have to keep up with the stories behind these accomplishments… so need to blog-blog more…

But later on that. For now, I will also have to take a look on my tasks that are in-progress and needs further effort to accomplish… or better, i have to revisit some of them that seems “no-ending” tasks and rather change/enhance them with attainable-time-bound ones.

Some of the progress that worth noting are:

I am more into reading and been around with lots of books
I am keeping up with my “motivation-project” with my staff
I am keeping the contacts with family more often
Being happy and contended with simple hits and pleasures for each day
Got my true-to-life digital camera (my wish)… but need to be serious in photography
Having done the surprise birthday treat for my Mama and Dad
Done lots of movie-music clips and digital scrapbooks lately
I am planning for a travel holiday in Bangkok in August
The teachings and the learnings with kids are still the priority

What else… well, just want to say, I’m still on my 101 in 1001 days…

Pasta Party! Success!

Great! it’s a success! can’t describe in words the overwhelming mixed feelings of what happened in the party…there are bloopers, there are tensed moments… but that’s just menial compared to the great moments that will stick in our being…. the memory will live on for everybody….

Happy Birthday MAMA!

So, here’s the pictures na lang….

See also: Pasta Party for Mader
Birthday Countdown
Pasta Panic

Gung-Ho “Post in Your Heart” message…

A message to me from one of my Supervisors who attended Gung-Ho… I know they were asked to write on a post-it for messages they want to say but can’t get around to say it…. (I was touched) Ma’am, Thank you for giving me a chance to join at Gung Ho! Seminar
I’ve learned a lot from Sir Jojo… regarding inspirations, thoughts and lessons
on how to become a better person….
Thank you for being the best manager/mentor with us…..
We are lucky for having you compared to others…..
Thank you that your are not selfish because of the knowledge you’ve shared with us…..
Thank you for the leadership you’ve shown to us…..
Thank you for being part of my life because of so many things
I’ve learned from you…..

from XXXX

I want to share also another one I receive today… (well I’m glad that in this time of my rather “depressed” moments, God is sending me “something” to remind me to smile and be thankful!)… Here’s another message from a departing staff….

Ma’am, Thank you po sa mga opportunities na binigay nyo po saken throughout my stay dito po sa company. Salamat po sa warm welcome at sa mga trainings/workshops facilitated by HO. Thank you din po sa inspiring messages, thoughts, trivias na send nyo po sa min na mga store auditors, malaking tulong po tlga sa min un.

Proud po ako na nging part po ako ng Audit family. Ung mga experience po at mga taong na-meet ko po as days passed, nagpapasalamat po ako dahil naging makulay at masaya po ung pgstay ko sa store..

Thank you very much po..

Prayer of the Heart

Lord, I surrender to You my worries and anxieties. I surrender to you my need, my problems, my trials. I place them all in Your big hands! And I open myself to all that You want to give to me! On this day, I say yes to Your love, to Your blessings, to Your healing, to Your miracles! And Lord, specifically, I ask You for the following miracles in my life….
I believe that You answer my prayer in the best way possible! And I thank You in advance for the perfect answers to my prayers. I also ask for the special intercession of Mama Mary. I pray all this in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Photos of the Week: Cute!

Just want to share some nice photos picked from the net, courtesy of We Heart It site.

Pic Note: Happy Life

Aliya’s antics

Today, I am amazed how Aliya have grown! She can now totally comprehend and can understand simple instructions and can now command attention!

Her few gimik and antics are:
she picks up bag and says bye-bye and go to the door…
then come back to have everyone kiss her
she doesn’t know (or don’ want) to kiss, but she want to be kissed a lot
she loves to play mommy to her doll
she loves water and swimming
she loves microphone… she sings (or hum, actually) and pretend to sing
she keeps on saying,….love… love… while hugging
she calls on us to sit when she’s now on her high chair to eat
she can now eat by herself
she dance when she see somebody dance on the TV (we danced a lot yesterday)
she wants to pick-up the phone and “calls” Mama and Daddy
she once asked to be seated on the “throne” when she said wii-wii.
she can count, her favorite number is seven
she do “abs-rocket” hahaha

A free slideshow by Smilebox

Great Time During “Bad” Time!

How can one act if one is having a hard time at work but need to have to spend great time with family?! In the end, it is just a MATTER OF CHOICE! and a better choice is always the better (who in good mind choose the worst over better, anyway?)…. well, it’s elementary, feeling great is it!

It is my Aliya’s birthday and we had a family getaway in the afternoon (because I need to go to work in the morning, but it should not get in the way about my plan for this day)… We went to Quezon City’s Ace Water Spa and had a great, great time! Aliya enjoyed it a lot (ang mommy too!) We tried everything and had a great fun! It does’t matter if she had drunk a lot of chlorine (but I mind). Later on, Aliya could say, “iming” (swimming), “awer” (shower), “eyning” (raining), boat (right, boat), slide & bubbles! We had our lunch at Greenwich (Marilao) and had our photos taken! Wheee…Saya! what a great day!

Who said about having a bad time at work? Well, it even doesn’t worth mentioning here and gaining space in my valuable blog! So that’s it!

Happy Birthday Aliya!

Another Blessed Year for Dad!

It’s birthday once again of Daddy… his 81st! and he is still blessed with agility and coolness and zest for life! I remember that my first blog entry here was about 80th bday of Dad… and now a year had passed and we are still blessed with another opportunity to make our Dad’s bday (and his everyday) worthwhile! Thank you Lord!

For the “birthday mission,” which I organized in a flash, with the help of the “graces” of my brothers, we have “treated” Dad and Mama for a birthday-honeymoon at the newly-opened, fabulous, fluid (and pricey) H2O Hotel at the Ocean Park at Manila.

They stayed at a room overlooking the bay, with a very good view of the famous sunset. Free breakfast (including Jolo and Lean), at bayview deck and 2 tickets at the Oceanarium… Plus, it’s good that they have just opened their swimming pool, and they have given us swimming pass (for 10!)… The foodcourt called “Makansutra” served nice Asian food (at least for us grown-ups).

All in all, we had a great fun experiencing, savoring every moments of peace, relaxation and bit-”luxury”…. I believe Daddy and Mama deserve more than that!

see this site for the photos, while here’s the samplers:

“Lived Fully, Died Empty”

This is “patented” to be used by Bro Jojo Baldo– a favorite speaker– on his tombstone: “HERE LIES A DISCIPLE OF JESUS…. HE LIVED FULLY; HE DIED EMPTY!”. On my day of death, I will have given away all!

Since I’d heard it, I’ve been contemplating on these words. I’ve started to see life and what it offers everyday as my another chance to be a “better me” than I was yesterday….. that I have to give and show what I have to offer back to life…. that eventually, on my last day, I could proudly say, “I have given away all!”

It’s now becoming my everyday goal to do something that gears towards the accomplishments of my goals… I am consciously doing things to make my day worthwhile, and so does the day of people I love around me.

When I was asked during a seminar by (another) speaker, “how long it would take you to make your dreams come true?” I instantly said, “having given my almost 10 hrs of my day to work, well, I still have 3 hours left for me EVERYDAY to make my dreams come true….” Well, I knew (by the look of his face) that I have given him an incorrect answer, the one he is not expecting (his answer was, “I don’t know” because he said we don’t know if we’ll ever achieve our dreams because we don’t know if we’ll ever live tomorrow!)… Well, he is right, I agree. But it’s either I got his question wrong… or I have different perspective than what he had in mind…

He is right, but I still stand to my answer, because I know I take each moment of my life EVERYDAY towards my dreams, may it be grand or simple, or just sheer pleasures of doing things that matters, or tiny steps to reach certain dreams. Having considered also the “dooms-day theory,” I know I am WORKING on my dreams EVERYDAY.

I am now in the wake of a wonderful Tita (who may not have “given all and everything” in the perspective of people around her, but who knows, she might be probably felt satisfied all her life just happy seeing us all succeed and grow, and have contributed on it in the process— but that’s different story…), that’s why probably I been in this contemplating mood…

Now it made me think again…. I have to formulate my own epitaph for my own tombstone…. (since, I cannot borrow anymore from Bro. Jojo’s)…. and I want to imagine that everyone (my mourners, i mean) will “agree” on it…

…and I realized that I don’t have to stray away from the theme of this blogsite, or rather from the theme of my life…. because I been living on this creed (or trying to)….

So, I want my epitaph be read as:
“She Took Each Moment as it Comes For All That It Is Worth… She Lived Her “Dash” Fully”

(this may not be quite original as this is inspired also by Og Mandino’s Seed of Success and poem “How Do You Live Your Dash” by an anonymous author)

image source

If I Had My Life to Live Over

by: Erma Bombeck

I would have talked less and listened more.
I would have invited friends over dinner even if the carpet was stained and sofa faded.
I would have eaten popcorn in the ‘good’ living room and worried much less about the dirt.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair would ‘fly’
I would have burned the pink sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about the grass stains.
I would have cried and laughed less while watching tV — and more while watching life.
I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the eart would go into a holding pattern if I weren’t there for a day.
I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.
I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn’t show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I’d have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.
When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, “later, now go get washed up for dinner”
There would have been more “I love yous’…more “I’m sorrys”… but mostly given another shot at life, I would sieze every minute… look at it and really see it… live it… and never give it back….

(Erma Bombeck, lost her fight with cancer in 1996)

also from her:
“when i stand before God at the end of my life,
i would hope that i could not have a single bit of talent left
and could say, “i used everything you gave me”.”

Today’s Simple Pleasure: Windy Day

“Soft morning wind, great day ahead!”

- Filed also under the page “My Simple Pleasures in Six Words”

image source

About 28th of my 101 – Adventure with Kids

I have made this “resolution” to have quality time with kids by making slight changes in our weekends by having little adventures. We can visit museums, zoos, new places, see movies or just have simple picnics. (This is aside from my plan to hear a mass in different churches every Sunday–see my list so far)….

I am more aware and conscious of my time NOW and I even somewhat regretted the lost times in past years having only few significant memories of our time together. Ohh there are memorable ones, but they are not as often as should be. So I challenge myself in 2010 to have at least two simple and yet memorable gimick with kids every month…. Well, so far so good…

January:
(1) Cool Waves night swimming;
(2) hiking at Mount Samat and dolphin show at Ocean “Adventure (see entry)
February:
(3) Seen the 15th Hot Air Baloon Show and picnic at Nayong Filipino (Clarkfield);
(4) Seen the movie “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief”
March:
(5) Visited Manila Zoo and Kinder Zoo and then went Sunset Watching;
(6) Beach swimming at Subic (with Mama and Daddy)
(7) Tree Top Adventure at Subic (see this site), Jolo and I took Superman Ride, Jolo and Papi took Tree Top Fall and Surfing; Lean and I rode the Canopy Ride. Great!

SO there will be more…. and I am beginning to plan ahead!