Clearing the Cobwebs!

Can’t believe how long I’ve been away from the blogging world! In fact, I could almost see the cobwebs in this cyber corner.. I’m really touched by the concern of TNP- so now, I’m back!

There were at least four people close to me who celebrated their birthdays last month and last monday.

My brother Rey celebrated his birthday last September 25… He has three kids with his little girl an exact replica of my little old self! I think it has something to do with her inheriting my genes (laughs) that she became my favorite niece. I miss spending time with her and her older brother ( this was before the youngest child in the family came and before my own Danielle) watching Walt Disney movies and eating out and playing in the children’s playground. This just made me realize how time flies by so quickly! And back to Rey- I miss our long talks.

Chem, an old college friend also celebrated her day last month and last monday- Leila, one of my oldest bestfriends and Cathy, a college close friend also celebrated their birthdays. In one of my musings, I realized how precious time is. If you have the time to be physically together with your family and closest friends, spend it like there’s no tomorrow because when the time comes when you have to leave each other and live miles apart- all that you will be left with are memories… While technology keeps us connected- there’s still a difference between the real and cyber world.

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Danielle’s update at 1 year and 2 months:

My hubby has been continually telling me to document Danielle’s new developments. While I’ve been keeping track in my journal, here are the latest:

*   When she wakes up after her afternoon naps, she goes down the bed by herself- really quietly- and just surprises me by grabbing my shirt- and then looking up and flashing her sweetest smile! ( I was so startled when she first did this because I was so engrossed in typing something in the computer). The second time she did this was after flashing that smile, she then waved when I said ‘hi.’

*   Knows how to use the keys in the house. She inserts them to door knobs as if she can turn the keys and open the doors!

*   can articulate some words like “dadi, mom, or ma-ma, dog, cat, ta- if she wants to go out- na-na if she means no, hi, elow”

* walks and walks some more around the house

*   points to the dog in her alphabet book when asked to

*   winks at cute guys (didn’t teach her this) and waves at beautiful saleslady whenever we are in the mall

*   knows how to open and close color pens (water-soluble) and writes them in the floor, on the walls and on papers

Do You Love Music?

My piano teacher is now more than 80 years old and yet she is the same person I first saw when I was 8 years old… I thought she never grew old. The last time I saw her was during the holiday season in 2005. It’s amazing how a lady who devoted her entire life to music could still reflect the same grace and serenity she exudes when she was younger. After exchanging pleasantries, she asked me if I still play the piano. I answered I do. She then replied, “Never leave your music.” Reflecting on what she said, I think music is one thing in my life that would never take a backseat. And this is because of teachers like Mrs. Valdehueza who has touched and inspired not only me but others to pursue their passion… It might not be my bread and butter- but it is the substance that feeds the heart. If there is one person in this world that I should be thankful to (aside from my parents)- It’s my piano teacher (and 3 others who taught me for some period) who passed on the love of music.

By the way, my favorite Philippine choir (The Philippine Madrigal Singers) scored a victory by winning this year’s European Grand Prix for choral competition held in Italy. Listening to them is akin to listening to choir of angels! They are renowned in the world with a number of International grand prizes in their wing. Their voices are simply amazing…The first time I heard them perform was when I was in Manila earning a graduate degree… To my surprise, one of the members (Aino Sanchez- a great tenor) was a co-alumni in High school. I thought he can’t remember me- and since I was seated in the front, he saw me during the rehearsal and greeted me. It was a pleasant surprise that after almost 10 years, he can still remember somebody he went to high school with. He has no airs- very down to earth and kind.

Before ending this entry- I’ll paste the url of some of my favorite pieces sang by the madrigal singers including the pieces that won them the international grand prix:

The madz singing What a Wonderful World

Circle of Life (from The Lion King)

Wind Beneath My Wings (please disregard the movie clip in the background- can’t connect why “that” video was chosen as a background)

The Madz singing We beheld Once Again the Stars (during the European competition), Revoici venir du printemps

Staying in Bacolod

We almost got transferred! Almost- but not quite… The nature of my hubby’s work requires him to be transferred at least every five years- or in some special cases- as soon as the need arises. We were about to go down south- in Davao city and have the time of our lives eating Durian! (the despicable foul smelling fruit that tastes like heaven)… I was a bit apprehensive in leaving Bacolod City because I just gained new friends and had adjusted to the city’s simple living style. Plus, I have some volunteer work (aside from the part-time teaching job) that needs some more time. And I thought ending it abruptly would make my efforts meaningless.

Yesterday, the almost two weeks of waiting game ended. Another will be transferred in his stead. So, it’s going to be Bacolod for now… In retrospect, what is living in Bacolod like?

For neophytes, living in this city could be relaxing. With a number of access roads, there isn’t a lot of traffic in the major thoroughfare (except at 7:15 in the morning where all roads lead to the schools). On weekends, resorts are just a good 30 minute drive from the city. On the North, you could go to Mambukal- a mountain resort at the foot of Mount Canlaon. You could bath leisurely in their warm pool supplied by a hot spring or dive in to their cold pools directly supplied by very cold springwater. Or, you could hike up and follow the trek to their seven falls. If you’ve been to Mambukal a number of times, you can head south and enjoy another spring resort. If you want to hit the beach- you can take a ferry and go to the neighboring island- Iloilo City, take another short boat ride and viola!- you are in Boracay Island. Pristine white beach,  good food and ofcourse expensive hotel rooms (the best time to go there is off-season where all fees are down by 50%).

Bacolod is also accessible by land and air. Just recently, the International Airport in Silay-Bacolod City was inaugurated but won’t be used until November because the access road is still under construction. One of these days, Danielle and I will tag along on my hubby’s travel so we could see the International airport.

And oh, if you love food- Bacolod is the place to beat. You can enjoy a mouth-watering buffet at Imays, Tingtings, Bigbys, the Pala-Palas or Bacolod Inasal. Great food at affordable prices.

And the people- warm and friendly. Hiligaynon is the major dialect in this island. Because a number of their words sprang from Tagalog or Cebuano, a few weeks of stay could make you understand Hiligaynon a bit. Their sing-song accent makes you think that they never raise their voices, get angry at each other until after almost a year of stay- and armed with a number of Hiligaynon vocabulary- I understand that their sweet lullaby-like accent does not necessarily translate that they are in a good mood. But the good thing is, you’ll never hear anybody raising their voices…I wonder how Danielle will adapt to the environment in my hometown where Cebuano speaking people talk fast, raise their voices when excited, and doesn’t have any trace of a lullaby accent…Will she be in for a culture shock?

And for my students- I think there is little difference between students across the archipelago. Same good experiences and the not so good ones- some students coming up at you trying to ask if their grades could go a notch higher as if I’m some magician who could make a D grade turn into an A! “Would love to do that- if you’ll buy me a brand new mercedes benz”… And the begging ends..  

So- that’s it! Another year in Bacolod…

The Best Things In Life… (Part III)

1.   Breakfast in Bed! (Only experienced this during sick days)

2.   Home-baked mom’s marble cake

3.   Hair pampering after chronic bad hair days

4.   Scalp massage during ‘hair pampering’

5.   Zero fat dark chocolates! (should I include ‘only in my dreams’ items?)

6.   Hubby taking care of Danielle when I’m tired

7.   Uninterrupted sleep after a long tiring day

8.   Old pictures of our thinner, younger selves

9.   Having a hard copy of accidentally wiped out data

10.   Laughing until your stomach aches when watching a funny movie

11.   A child’s unconditional love

12.   A child’s trust

13.   A smile

14.   Chirping of birds in a quiet afternoon

15.   The realization that there is at least one person on earth who needs you more than anyone else

16.   The realization that there is at least one person on earth you would “live for”

17.   Hot pancit molo soup  or La Paz Batchoy (soup) during a heavy night rain

18.   Meeting teachers from grade school/high school/University who still remembers you

19.   Catching up on your readings

20.   Motherhood

21.   Hearing your daughter’s first cry

22.   Seeing your daughter for the first time

23.   Holding your daughter for the first time

24.   Quiet walks

25.   Following your heart/Living your dreams

The Best Things In Life… (Part 2)

I like things in installments (just because I don’t have a lot of free time these days!)

1.   Clean scent after the rain in rural areas

2.   An unexpected letter

3.   Realizing that your childhood neighborhood remains the same

4.   Stumbling upon old Hardy Boys books

5.   Listening to classical music

6.   Vintage stamps

7.   Long trip in rural areas with endless vista of rolling mountains and seashore on one side

8.   Children playing

9.   Newborn baby

10.  highschool memories

11.  Enjoying an extra cold avocado or mango shake at high noon day during summer time

12.  Fresh, clean bed sheet with good-smelling fabric softener

13.  Finding yourself at the middle of a huge blooming flower garden!

14.  Getting lost in a maze of books

15.   Eating your favorite meal leisurely

16.   Long talks at the middle of the night

17.   Long chats with old friends

18.   Hearing your favorite tune over the radio

19.   Listening to the Beegees

20.   Listening to music from the 80s

21.   Watching great Dance Films

22.   Watching musicals made for movies

23.   Having a clean bill of health

24.   Overhearing a nice comment for you

25.   Children’s choir!

The Best Things In Life…

The last two words of the title should read ‘are free,’ but I’m taking the liberty of making my own list:

1.   A good book in a cold, rainy afternoon with hot choco (make that my grandmother’s tsokalate made of tablea- homemade cocoa drink).

2.   Driving to school with no traffic!

3.   Or, commuting to school with virtually zero traffic

4.   Danielle’s sweet smile

5.   Danielle napping beside me while holding my arms

6.   My husband giving me chocolates

7.   A porky’s best chicharon treat from my hubby

8.   Listening to the best choirs

9.   A movie treat!

10.   Scent of new gift books

11.   Looking out the window at the heavy downpour of rain while comfortably holding danielle at the confines of our living room.

12.   chocolate cakes (cookie monster, blackforest)

13.   Victoria’s secret Pear Glace

14.   Parker ballpens

15.   children’s laughter

16.   My daughter’s laughter

17.   My hubby’s laughter

18.   calls from home

19.   My nieces and nephews

20.   Leaves (plenty of them!) lining up a desserted road

21.   Hanging branches of flowering trees partly covering a long stretch of road!

22.   Sunrise

23.   Sunset

24.   Baby’s smile

25.   A call/letter/email from good old friends

Stamp Collection II

My first stamp was a bright green Philippine KKK stamp. KKK (Kilusang Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran) means Movement for Livelihood and Progress, different from the same acronym secret organization in the Philippines founded in the 1890s whose aim was to oust the Spaniards from the archipelago. Twenty three years ago, the stamp, freshly peeled from a letter, looks so new. I’d look at it for a number of times along with its replica. Today, I only have one yellowed copy of the stamp.

                                    

From this one stamp, my collection grew to more Philippine stamps. Below is a few of my favorite stamps from my home country.

                                   

From upper left, the stamp commemorates the 400th year anniversary of the christianization of the Island. Someone gave it to me and the stamp was created circa 1965. Middle upper is the swearing-in to office of Philippine’s dictator of all times- Ferdinand Marcos circa 1965 while the third stamp, first row shows the first Filipino-Spanish treaty with the stamp created on 1965. Middle row (from left to right) shows the Battle of Bessang Pass on June 14, 1945; the fruits Philippines is known for (our mango is exported world-wide- the flesh is juicy, sweet and mouth-watering!) and the Light Railway Transit which came into being on early 80s. The last row exhibits the 15th anniversary of the Universal Children’s Day by UNICEF. The stamp was produced in 1969.

From Philippine stamps, I began collecting stamps from other countries. I have a lone stamp of Zambia. I can’t remember how it came into my hands but I’m sure one well-meaning friend gave it to me:

                                     

Beginning from the letter A, I’ll slowly post representative stamps belonging to countries starting with A and so on. First on the list will be Australia:

                                   

And as a post script:

 Courtesty of G of Sandier Pastures, I will be joining Michelle of Scribbit’s Write-Away August competition. Her weblink is: http://scribbit.blogspot.com/2007/08/augusts-write-away-contest.html

It’s a good coincidence that I’ve been writing about my stamp collection. Michelle is hosting a contest about anything that relates to ‘collections.’ This is my first time to join the contest bandwagon, so I will be doing this for fun.

Of Colds and Loving Care

Last thursday, Danielle and I went along with J. to Canlaon city (yes, the city at the foot of Mount Canlaon- the highest peak in Negros Island, and an active volcano too). I love travelling, and the view was relaxing with endless plains punctuated by coastal areas. While enjoying the countryside, I was also suffering from a stuffy and runny nose while Danielle too had mild allergic colds. I was continually pulling tissues and wiping mine and Danielle’s nose. Because Danielle loves to mimick, I can ask her to release mucus from her nose by simply snorting my own nose and telling her “Danielle, you follow mommy and blow your nose.” 

When we stopped over a roadside in Canlaon City to enjoy the views, I saw Danielle reaching for the tissues. I was about to put it away because she loves to literally eat anything within her reach, but stopped to see if she would really place the tissue on her mouth. And I was in for a surprise. After pulling out one sheet, she placed the tissue on my nose while simultaneously wrinkling and snorting her own nose. She never pulled the tissue away until I ‘blew’ my nose on it! She pulled another tissue and ‘commanded’ me to blow on it again. This time, I was able to quickly ask J. to take a picture of the whole thing….

     

I was so touched by the concern of my little daughter…Aren’t little kids little angels?

My Stamp Collection I

Gone are the days of letter-writing. With the internet, it is so easy to get connected to friends that a few resort to snail mail these days. I, for one, communicate with my friends through the world-wode web. But I still long for the days when you wait for the postman to deliver letters for you from pen friends or friends across the sea. Electronic mail cannot fully capture the feel of getting the good old handwritten notes painstakingly created by one’s friends. And ofcourse- the bonus that comes with the letters- the stamps!

I’ve been an avid collector of stamps since I was eight years old. I sorted through mails of my cousins just to remove their stamps, begged from friends or even friends of friends and other relatives to give me their stamps. And luckily, half of my collection was collected this way. Unfortunately, my collection came in trickles when I went to college. I began to be quite busy and just depended on the treasured gift stamps from friends. But, I kept all those.

I love stamps. They are historical and priceless. In my younger days, I had no idea that you have to cut the stamps still stuck to the envelope and soak them in lukewarm water to remove them nice and clean. In effect, I have stamps in my collection that are partly torn. I don’t throw them away because they are still precious to me.

So- to give you a view of my collection, I’ll be posting a few of them from time to time.

Enjoy!           

                                                                                                                                                                                                

  

(Part I collection: Upper left is a set of some stamps showing the flags of different nations across the world, while the upper right set is a small collection of olympic games’ stamps. Lower left is a set of Japanese stamps while the lower right is a ‘love stamps’ set)

Love Affair with Chocolates

I’ve always loved chocolates. If you’ll ask me to rank my favorite chocolates, I can’t come up with a graded list because all are equally tempting, mouth-watering and satisfying for my sweet tooth! To mention my favorites: one would be a slice of dark blackforest, a cup or two of extra cold rocky road ice cream and ofcourse- the perennial women favorite (most women I mean) candy chocolates- M & M, Hersheys and Cadbury to name a few . Believe it or not, dark chocolates were discovered to have anti-oxidant properties! The mantra ‘Anything in Excess’ will still hold true for chocolates. Laden with calories with every bite, you wouldn’t want to gobble down bar after bar in a day. Even with its anti-oxidant properties, consuming them in bulk do increase the circumference of our waist and increase our bathroom scale weight.

                                     

But despite all these information… I’d still grab my comforting cadbury anytime! And a word of caution- just one little bite at a time- I don’t want to exercise like crazy shedding off all those excess pounds.