Trick or treat (give me something good to eat, if you don’t, I don’t care, I’ll put down your underwear!)!!!

Gone are the days when Halloween was all about ghost stories as well as TVs and bar faucets turning on by themselves, when lightbulbs flickered and turned off while scary music lingered on in the background (imagine “Are You Afraid of the Dark” setting). Gone are the days when we would look forward to watching Noli de Castro’s Magandang Gabi Bayan for that scary November 1 episode on spooky stories. Nowadays, when November 1 comes up, the first thing that comes to mind is either trick or treat or costumes. [Haay….where did the old traditions go?] Well, our village has been holding a trick or treat every year for the past 7 or more years. But I am not to complain, though, because children [and adults] look forward to this activity with much excitement. Kids decide carefully and meticulously on what costume they will be wearing this year. Some creative parents even take the time to create costumes for their kids (I think this is more because we were deprived of such activities when we were young). And watching the kids in their costumes go around the streets and saying “TRICK or TREAT!” in their loudest voices is actually fun!

Assembly at the clubhouse…children of all ages (even those who are 40 years old) come for their treats.

Save the cheerleader, save the world: Princess Wendy tries a few cheers

Pumpkin girl with a pumpkin bucket (and would you like some pumpkin soup with that?)

A happy princess and an unhappy pirate…

 Lance enjoys his second treat or treat.

 Everyone brought their own bags for the goodies (from experience, you must bring a BIG bag).

 Eat the candies in moderation guys, unless you want toothache or toncilitis!

HAVE HAPPY [AND SPOOKY] HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

(PS, These are my first shots with my new camera…I’m still getting the hang of it.)

Shoot me if you can

One thing I love, along with traveling, is taking pictures. Not only that, I love looking at pictures, even pictures of people I don’t even know! Ha! That’s how I love pictures! I come from a family with a whole cabinet dedicated to albums!

My Canon Ixus 750 has been my (and my family’s) companion for almost 3 years. It has lived a full life, and as my mother says, “sulit na sulit.” It has traveled along with me, my family, and my friends (it has been to Eruope THREE times already, more than I had!). It has been there with me during special occassions and has seen a lot of action in my life! Even with the simple everyday things, it has been with me. Really, I love my camera. It has become a companion for me.

My latest trip to Europe must have taken it’s toll on my beloved Ixus 750. Smoke sometimes comes out of the flash bulb when I take pictures using the flash. And it now takes a second or two for it to take a picture when using the flash. So, I decided to buy another camera…well, not to replace my existing one, but to have a back-up.

It took me weeks to decide about what I would be getting. I asked so many friends what and where to buy. My first and foremost consideration is price. Hello! Cameras are so expensive! So I wanted the cheapest quality camera. Second, I had to decide whether I’ll get a digital point-and-shoot camera or a digital SLR camera. Decisions! Decisions! What should I buy? Well, technical advice aside, for a picture-loving person like me, the best advice I got from a friend was, “Bibili ka rin lang naman ng camera, bilhin mo na yung maganda. Dadagdagan mo lang naman ng konti. And for someone like you who loves to travel, it will be worth it.” Okay, okay! So, here’s my new companion…an addition to our photography family.

Yes, I bought the cheapest quality digital SLR: The Canon EOS 1000d. They say this is a good camera for beginners like me, and Canon is certainly a good brand. And I’m happy with my decision. I’m still in the process of transitioning to digital SLR, and I must say I’m having fun. The first pictures I took were amazing… I can really see the difference in quality. I can now feel the thrill that professional photographers feel when they hold there camera. Masaya pala talaga! [Does that mean I’m now in the photography circle? Hmmm…] And one freebie for this camera is actually photography classes…and that’s great for people like me who do not even know what spot metering and aperture are! [I knew I looked stupid when the Canon lady was explaining some of the features to me. I tried nodding to look like I knew what she was talking about. But I bet I wasn’t able to fool her.]

As for my old camera, we will still be together [it’s actually good because now I have both a digital point-and-shoot and a digital SLR]. I know I will still be using it…it has sentimental value (we’ve been through a lot!), and I am not going to get rid of it that easily (well, if it conks out…that’s it).

Expect more pics in the future!

Seven random things about KG

I got tagged by Rico and Kayni on the same topic, so I guess I better do it before they throw their Wine Racks at me. I actually love posts like these because we get to know more about each other.

I’ve already done a similar tag (”Six quirky things about me“), but I guess I’ll never run out of things to share about myself.

1.  If I could change one thing in my body, it would have to be my hair. I want it to be thick, straight, and soft. I’ve been trying for years, really, but to no avail.

2. My dream role in a movie: the role of Trinity in The Matrix (a close second would be a role in a movie like Step it Up, a movie where dancing is involved.)

3. I love ketchup…and when I say love, I mean LOVE (ask my friends)! I gobble almost everything with ketchup, even adobo. I can use up half a bottle with one large fries. Also, I use tomato ketchup and banana ketchup for separate types of food, for example, tomato ketchup for chicken, barbeque, pork chop, etc., and banana ketchup for hot dog, fish, tapa.

4. When I was young, I dreamed of becoming a saleslady and toll attendant. Noble huh? Well, at least, when I lose my job now, I have fallbacks.

5. I fell down the stairs when I was a little girl (around 4 years old) and hit my head on the edge of a metal chair. I now have a “Harry Potter-like” scar on my forehead.

6. I used to experience bangungot regularly when I was in college. I don’t know if it was the place (I studied in UPLB), but no matter what apartment we were in, I would regularly have nightmares where you feel your soul is leaving your body and you can’t really get up, as if you were awake and conscious but your body is still asleep. This scared me. I’d just pray the Our Father whenever this happens to me.

7. I’ve had the same New Year’s resolution for the past 10 (or 11-12, I'’ve stopped counting) years: to drive like a lady does, not like some race car driver. And I can say that I have seen major improvements now (must come with the age)! Yehey, maybe I can have a “new” New Year’s resolution for next year!

There, more reasons to laugh at me…but more reasons that you should know me better now.

Anyone who’d like to do the tag, please do so. (Hmmm…but I wonder what sheng, rhea, and glenn would write.)

Miss independent

One thing Princess Wendy got from me is a certain level of independence. From such a young age, she has made the initiative to do things on her own. She wraps her gifts At age 3 years, she was already eating on her own (well, I think the primary reason was that I was too slow in putting the food into her mouth and so she decided to take matter into her own hands), and yes, with proper use of spoon and fork. At age 4, she was already taking a bath on her own, shampoo and everything! At 6, thank God, she can clean up after herself after making poo-poo. And now, at 7, I can only marvel at the things she wants to do herself…from the small things like wrapping her gifts to her friends and going to the store alone to preparing and dressing for school by herself (everyday! AMAZING!) and religiously adhering to the medication regimen consisting of four medicines (I repeat, regimen) for her skin twice a day. She does these all by herself! I can only smile when she tells me, “Mama, I can do [this]. I’m a big girl already!” [How fast time flies.] I guess she is eager to learn and eager to grow up!

These are some of my proud moments. Yes, I am happy that she’s growing to be independent. But I wonder, WILL I BE HAPPY ABOUT IT, SAY, 5 OR 6 YEARS FROM NOW? Will I be happy when, at 13 or 14, she would shrug me off because she won’t be needing my help anymore…or, worse [it hurts to even think of it], she doesn’t need me anymore? Will I be happy when I offer help and she tells me, “I can do this on my own?” Will I be happy when she decided on her own without asking for my advice? Soon enough, she would be trekking Mt. Everest and riding a JFK Shuttle…without me.  [Sigh!] Will I be happy? Proud, yes, but happy?

You see, independent as PW may seem to be at 7, she is still dependent on and attached to me. She wants to be with me most of the time, she still asks for my opinion when I ask her to make a decision, she wants to accompany me to the mall or when I go out, she asks me to go home early from work sao we can spend time together, she wants us to do activities together, she stills sees me as an important and necessary figure in her life. In short, I am a god to her. And I drown in this fact. I bet most parents will agree that this is one source of happiness: that our children need and worship us.

But how long this “worship” would last…I’m not so sure. Oooh…how I dread the time that she sees me as her god would end, when I would be then demoted to the ranks of those-i-see-only-when-i-need-them people. I hope that time would not come.

Well, the least I can wish for is that I’d be forever her mother and friend.

Kaya mo bang mabuhay ng walang cell phone?

Naalaa mo pa ba ang mga panahon na wala kang cell phone? Pano ka nabuhay? Sa panahon ngayon, parang parte na ng buhay natin ang text at tawag. Parang naging automatic na ang pagpindot sa key pad ng cell phone. Matagal tagal na ng huli kong na-appreciate ang cell phone. Paminsan-minsan talaga, biinibigyan tayo ng pagkakataon na mabigyan natin  ng halaga ang “maliliit” na bagay sa buhay natin.

Sabi ni TPS, posibleng mabuhay na walang cell phone. Pag true love daw, hindi mo na kailangan ng cell phone…makakakita kayo ng paraan para mag-communicate. E pano kung di mo naman true love ang taong kailangn mo itext na walang cell phone?

Walang cell phone ang aming bagong driver. Kaya nung nag-ikot kami para sa ibang errands, medyo panic time kung pano nya kami masusundo.Ako: Mang Jun, sandali lang kami dito. Dadaan ka pa ng Mother Ignacia diba? Mga ganu ka katagl dun?

Ang kinalabasan : 1:15 na kami nadaanan! Aaarrrghhhh! Wala ksai siyang cell phone para masabihan kami na natagalan siya! Naku, nag-init tala ang ulo ko!!! Ok lang naman sa akin na mag antay, pwede pa naman akong mag-ikot…pero yung di ka maka-alis sa isang lugar dahil inaabangan mo na baka andyan na sya! LINTIK LANG ANG WALANG CELL PHONE!

Kaya naman naisip ko na buti na lang at may cell phone na tayo. Oo, kaya nating mabuhay na wala ito (si TPS nga, halos isang taon walang cell phone), pero mas madali ang buhay pag may cell phone. Hindi ba?

Ikaw, kaya mo ba na walang cell phone?

High school life

Being a parent comes with so much responsibility…and one of them is going with your child to watch movies. And that is why I came to watch “High School Musical 3″ in the cinemas. Princess Wendy did not even consider that we NOT watch and just wait for it to be shown o TV or for it to be available on DVD. (I got to watch the first two High School Musicals only because it was on Disney Channel. Read: It was free.)

The movie was light, of course, since it was a teen movie. And there were LOTS of songs! LOTS! Anyway, I’ve never been a movie critic; I just enjoy a movie as it is (I juts have to ask though, why did Vanessa Ann Hudgens look so old in the movie?). The movie was aptly titled “High School Musical 3: Senior Year”…it was all about being a senior and all the thrills and “problems” that came with it. Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) was torn between choosing the school that he wants and the school that everybody else want for him. Gabriella Montez was torn between choosing a school thousand of miles away from Troy and her friends and staying. Everyone else is busy with choosing and planning their future. After all, the senior year is a defining part of everyone’s life. Apart from all the proms, yearbooks, and graduations, it means moving on to a higher level.

I remember my senior year. I remember feeling proud because we were the ates and kuyas of three other year level…we had the bragging rights so to speak. Before, we walked the halls looking at the floor; now, we can look anyone in the eye. I remember the rush  of creating a caption for our yearbook and asking my friends to create one for me. Picture taking was a big event…so I had to be made up, after all, my grad pic had tp be perfect! I remember that problems included only late projects, cramming for exams, and class meetings (life insurance and slim 10 were virtually unheard of duting those days). I remember filling up application forms for college, taking the entrance exams, and shouting in excitement when I got accepted in UP. So many fond memories.

But most importantly, I remember the people…my friends, my classmates, my teachers. I remember all the fun we had during classes, breaks, field trips, gimiks, etc. I remember all the kalokohans… all the practical jokes on our teachers).  I remember all the hardships we went though together just to make it through the year and finish high school. I remember the bitterweet feeling during our graduation because I was happy that I have finally finished high school and yet I was sad because after almost 11 years, I would be leaving CSA and my friends (of course, it wasn’t the end of the friendship…but it’s different when you go to different schools). I remember sadly (and tearfully) singing our school anthem for the last time. [ahh…cry, cry]

It’s nice to reminisce isn’t it? How about you, do you remember you senior year?

Let’s laugh

They say laughter is the best medicine (or the best diet pill, if you want). So let’s have some laugh and exercise our facial muscles.

When you buy cheap songhits, these are what you get (try singing along!): 

The Greatest Love of All: “I decided long ago, never to walk in edu manzano… ” (I decided long ago, never to walk in anyone’s shadow)

Cry by Mandy Moore: “A walk to remember… it was late afternoon!” (I’ll always remember, it was late afternoon)

All My Life by K-ci and Jojo: “Supposed to be you’re like my mother, supposed to be you’re like my sister” (close to me you’re like my other…close! to me you’re like my sister)

Where Is the Love: “People killing, people flying, children hurt an living, crying…” (People killing, people dying; children hurt and you hear them crying)

Leaving on a Jet Plane: “so kiss me and SMAFFLE me…” (so kiss me and smile for me…)

If I Ain’t Got You by Alicia Keys - “some people want TAMBOURINES..” (diamond rings)

Baby One More Time by Britney Spears: “My ONLY NEST is killing me… and I……..” (My loneliness….)

Thumbthu! mping (Chumbawumba): “I get knocked down by an elephant, my mommas’s gonna bring me down…” (I get knocked down, but I get up again…)
Crush by Jennifer Paige: “i-splash, a little crush..” (it’s just.. a little crush..)

 Californication by Red Hot Chili Peppers: “Viva Californication….” (Dream of Californication…)

No Scrubs by TLC:  “A scrub is a guy who thinks he’s fine but is also known as a BUS STOP” (buster)

Waterfalls by TLC: “Don’t go JASON waterfalls…” (Chasin’)

Your Body is a Wonderland by John Mayer:  “You’re ALICE IN WONDERLAND…  You’re ALICE IN WONDERLAND I’ll use my hands” (Body is a wonderland)

Baa Baa Black Sheep: “Baa baa black sheep, HEAVY ON THE ROAD…”

Wag Na Wag Mong Sasabihin by Kitchie Nadal: “maaaaaaaaaag… , magdamag mong sasabihin……..” (oooooohhh…wag na wag mong sasabihin…)

On Bended Knees by Boyz II Men: “Oh God give me the reason, I’M DOWN… ABANDON ME…” (I’m down on bended knee)

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper: “Medyas ni juana, Medyas in Juanaaa…” (They just wanna, they just wannaaaa..)

Anima Christi: Soul of Christ… sat beside me… (sanctify me! )

Nothing’s gonna change my love for you… you know NAMAN MY LOVE how much I love you.. (you gotta know by know…)

GUILTY ka sa iba no?  Let’s admit that, once in our life, we twisted the lyrics of a song as we heard it. Funny how some turn out to be!

HAVE A HAPPY WEEKEND EVERYONE!!!

:)

Au naturale

I must be a bad mother.

I am the person who does not take medicine for the slightest discomfort or sickness. I try to tolerate sickness and pain as much as possible, resorting to natural remedies as much as I can: just calamansi or dalandan juice or water for colds, soup for headaches, or just plain “hilot” or sleep for pain (and colds)! I guess I’m not a “medicine” person. My battle cry is “As long as you can tolerate it, don’t take any medicine.” And I usually win (I can count with my fingers on one hand how many times I drank medicine in the past year…well, not counting the weight loss pills though.)

I carry on this habit to Princess Wendy, and I guess I might get (and did get) a lot of flak for it. While most parents insert a spoonful of medicine at the first sign of cold or bring their child to the doctor at the first cough, I don’t. Wendy has had tonsillitis for a couple of times already but would you believe that I’ve given her antibiotics just once? I just tell her to avoid sweets and to not drink cold water, and the bacteria just goes away. When she has fever, I wait hours before giving her medicine. There…I am a bad mom!

(photo from Herbal Remedies)

But let me stress first that this does not mean I don’t take my and Wendy’s health seriously, especially hers. Because I DO! When I have no choice, I let her take medicine; when it is obviously something serious, I take her to the doctor. I guess I’m just lucky that Wendy and I are not that “sakitin” (Wendy has gone to a dermatologist more than she has gone to any other kind of doctor) [knock-on-wood].

My point of view is this: Medicine is to be taken only when needed. There will come a time that, after long-term ingestion, they will no longer work, and I need my body to be prepared for more serious battles, hoping that medications will work.

More importantly, natural is better right?

(PS, I do not challenge the effectiveness of medicines, nor do I question people who depend on medicine. I think I just have a very different mindset from that of most  people.)

Oh, Brother!

My latest splurge (besides the Europe trip of course) is what I have been wanting to have for a long time: a sewing machine! I haven’t really gotten to buy because it’s expensive. For the past years, I’ve been at the mercy of my aunt’s best friend (who happens to be a nun), from whom I borrow a sewing machine. So, my past projects had been made using her sewing machine, which was inconvenient because she lives in Quezon City and I have to go there everytime I want to borrow it. Also, there are those spur-of-the moments where you just think of something and want to spin that thread right there and then. But alas, no sewing machine! So the excitement wears off and I forget all about it.

I am no expert at sewing. Although we took that up in high school, it took years for me to lay my hands again on a sewing machine. and when I did, I was happy that I still know haven’t forgotten our lessons (no need for a memory stick).  I cannot say though that I am an expert. But I certainly enjoy stepping on the foot pedal and hearing that “machine gun” sound, and have made a few creations. Most of all, I enjoy looking at the finished products, something I could say I made with my own hands.

 A simple bag…which I made also for my laptop.

The lootbags I made (with love) for Princess Wendy ’s 7th birthday.

Thank God, my mother agreed to shoulder part of the cost of buying a sewing machine (I can’t bear to make the hole in my bank account larger!).  So I wasted no time looking for one. I nitially wanted a Singer sewing machine but had a hard time looking for one, so I settled for Brother. I know it is also a good brand (from Japan), and besides, it was the brand of my tita’s sewing machine. So there, after leaving SM Makati with a new sewing machine, I was like a child during Christmas who got his/her wish!

TADAAA!!!! My new Brother!

 So many kinds of stitches! I hope I learn to use them all!

I can’t wait to start on some projects. Maybe I’ll start with a dress for Princess Wendy (I think I’ll need the help of The Pseudoshrink here) or curtains for my room. It’s also great that Christmas is around the corner. I hope I can whip up something to give away to my friends.

Let the sewing begin!

Even if I were reborn, I wouldn’t trade them

Just got back from Batangas, where my sisters (and Princess Wendy) almost had to literally drag me. My sisters planned a weekend getaway there, just us three sisters  (and Princess Wendy, of course, since she is more like a sister to them than a niece). I love going away…but this was an exception: I did not want to go. Huh? ME? One thing, I had already gone to the resort we were going to a couple of times (nothing new), and second, surprising as it may sound for those who know me…tinatamad ako! They cheesiily gave me so may benefits: “makakarelax ka dun!” “maganda dun diba?” “snorkeling tayo!” “Ate, bonding time natin to!” (Ok, that one got me…having a kuya is great, but bonds among sisters are different). I tried to get out of it at the latter days last week:

Me: Wala akong pera!

Sister 1: Libre ka namin…Wala ka na gagastusin.

Me: Tinatamad ako.

Sister 2: Wala ka naman gagawin…di ka naman magdri-drive, dika magpre-prepare. Uupo ka lang dun!

Me [to Sister 2]: Kunin mo book 4 ng vampires para sumama ako [I actually gave this reason because I knew this would entail much effort on her part, and I was almost sure she would crack on this one. And,  because we would be leaving Friday,  I gave this condition on Thursday night, leaving her with no time!]

The next day, Friday, right on the nick of time, the book was there!

Aahhh….Thank God for sisters!