rainy summer

my cousin Cassey said to me, "I can so totally see you as a lawyer, coz you're a bitch!"

That made me laugh so hard.  Good thing I wasn't eating or else... 

I looked at her wide-eyed and wanted to throw the chopsticks at her.  I wasn't offended and I am not taking it against my cousin.  Like Cassey's sister, Kat said, "that's Ate Cassey, she tells it like it is!" hahaha Oh boy. Either my cousins know me so well or it is a case of "it takes one to know one."

There's that law school reference again.

Cassey said she can see me in a suit () and it matches my personality (double ).  She said it yesterday (Sunday) and after a day I still cant help but laugh when I remember what she said.  My cousins are really something. 

Taking a cue from Daphe Osena and Chuvaness. I am making a list of things that I learned from Papa.  This post may be a day late but I think Father's day and Mother's day should be celebrated everyday.  Fr. Truc asked in his homily yesterday "how do you see your dad?"  Is he the dad that taught you to ride the bike, to do sports, etc?  or he was something else.  Fr. Truc also mentioned that sure, some people may not have a positive vision of their dad but it cannot be denied that without him, none of us will be here in this planet as well.

Ever since I can remember, Papa has treated me like an adult.  For our grade four class field trip to our airport, I asked his permission and he asked me if I wanted to go.  I said yes and he said okay.  When I was in college, every new appliance he bought and every new renovations he planned on doing to our house, he asked for my opinion.  When I asked for a walk-in closet for the girls bedroom at our house, he obliged.  It surprised me why he would do that since after all he is my dad and I am his daughter.  I will follow and respect every decision he makes because I put my trust in him that he is making the decision with us in mind.  He doesn't have to ask for my opinion or permission. 

I was 10 when he asked if I would be okay with him running for politics.  I asked him why was he running and he said, "because I want to be of service to people".  I said "you can still be of service without having to run for office."  I thought that was the end of it but years later he indeed ran for office and was in politics for 12 years.  I still don't understand why he is involved in politics the way that he is but I respect it and accept it because it is the road that he has chosen.  I saw on Oprah once that "fathers have dreams too which they put to the side for their children to achieve their dreams."  Since then I just keep on telling myself that this is Papa's dream.  Its his time to follow his dream when he has allowed us to follow ours.  Papa and Mama sacrificed their dreams so my siblings and I can follow and achieve ours.  It wouldn't hurt to be supportive in the same way that they have been for our dreams.

I learned from Papa..

* Social awareness and service.  Every since I was young he was involved in socio-civic organizations and he brought us along.  May it have been Rotary or Pintados Foundation and now politics, he made us see how fortunate we are for having the life that we have and we should share it with those who are not as fortunate.  Yes, we are thankful for the life that we live and still live but my parents made sure that we see it not as an entitlement but a privilege and gift.  Something that we should never ever abuse or take advantage of.

* To be thankful that we grew up in the countryside.  I still remember so vividly the day he told me this.  We were driving along Kankabato Bay and the sun was up, the water was still and he said that statement.  Tacloban may be small.  It may lack the amenities that big cities offer but it will always be home.  Life in Tacloban may move in a slower pace but it doesn't have the complexities that bigger cities bring.  Its as simple as simple can be.   

* To be a voracious reader.  Papa would go early in the morning to the airport to get his daily fix of 5 newspapers.  Newspapers would arrive in Tacloban in the earliest flight in so before it lands, he is already there to get his 5 newspapers.  He reads each and every newspaper from cover to cover.  He told us to read the newspaper every day so we know whats going on outside our "bubble".  He also said that it pays to know something so that we wont get lost in any conversation or so that we can start one.  He also told us to read aloud so that we will know how to speak better.  If we encounter a word we didn't know the meaning of, go to a dictionary to check it out.  Up to this day, he still reads the newspaper and has to have his weekly dose of TIME and Newsweek.  People think I know so much when I can be part of any conversation.  Truth is, I just read a lot.

* That if we wanted to maintain the same lifestyle that we have been accustomed to that we should prioritize our education.  Ever since I can remember, my parents never failed to remind us that education is the only inheritance they can leave us.  My parents made sure that we will be able to get the best possible education we can get.  Its not easy sending 3 kids to college at the same time.  Sure, our college education was already covered by our educational plans but living expenses was all entirely on their shoulders.  I know it hasn't been easy but they carried us through and now all four of us siblings have college degrees and even post college degrees that my parents can be proud of.

* To enjoy and find happiness in the simpleness of life.  We find joy in going around our city late at night when we would crave for fruits or chicken barbeque.  We would sit in our porch sharing stories when there would be a blackout which happened a lot.  We played the memory card game or Word Factory even when Papa would cheat, in his defense he wasn't too aware of the rules.  Growing up, we would eat dinner outside.  Literally.  We would have dinners in our garage or in our porch or other places in the house other than the dining room.  Its almost like dining out when in reality we are dining in.  Growing up we only had one television set and we had to learn to share and take turns and respect that when someone is already watching we either watch along or do something else.  We also only had one telephone line.  Long phone conversations were not allowed because for one it is the only line the entire family uses.  This was before the days of cellphones and pagers.  I think that's why I am still not too much of a fan of talking too long on the phone and I only maintain one cellphone.

* Value friendships.  Papa and Mama have had the same friends since high school.  They have maintained long and enduring friendships with people who have been a big part of our lives.  We see that and they foster that which is why I too have kept friendships dating back to first grade.  We also value the new friendships that we have created and nurtured as we journey through life.

* Generosity.  Our house was the "tambayan" of all our friends.  Our friends are always welcome.  If we needed a place for our parties, our parents would gladly offer our house and would fix every thing.  They would be in the house but would keep a safe enough distance so that my friends wont feel shy or limited in their actions.  Be generous even if you have little because the rewards far outweigh the "loss".  Papa is so proud that my siblings and I are generous with each other.  It may seem like its all material things but little as it is, the thought really do counts more.   

*  I personally learned from Papa that a slap is a bigger insult than a punch.  I was really very young then and I lightly slapped my brother after he said something which Papa reprimanded me about.  Since then it has stuck in my mind to never slap another person ever.

I have more lessons from my father but I consider these the best ones.  These are the ones that I learned through life and I carry along wherever I go.  Papa and I may not always agree on everything but bottom line is I am who I am today because of the lessons that Papa and Mama have imparted to me and my siblings.  For that I will be eternally grateful.

So Tacloban's Mall aspiration is coming to a fruition.  Robinson's is either set to open or already had their soft opening in my little city of Tacloban.  You can see photos here -> Calle Zaragoza.com.  Its really close to our house.  Thanks to the construction of this mall, our property value I think went up. .  Its been a long dream of so many in Tacloban to have a mall in our city.  I think talks of it started way back when I was still really, really young.  Just when it seemed like a dream, here is it.  My siblings and I tease our mom that her walk to the mall is her warm-up.  Yes, its fairly close to our house.  Walkable in some sense.  Then her workout will be around the mall.  I am excited.  Mano Gerry Ruiz posted in his blog the list of stores in the mall and I am glad to see that there's a good mix of local businesses (Charito's Delights) and those coming from Manila.  There's going to be movie theaters too.  But what got a gasp from me was seeing there will be a National Book Store. I can do away with others but having National Book Store there spells heaven for me.  Yay!

Oh in line with this, my sister's boyfriend opened his food store near the mall at MS Compound.  Its called "Pata Republic".  Take out Crispy Pata, Crispy Liempo/Lechon Kawali, Crispy Manok and Crispy Ulo.  Soft opening is this Sunday, June 14, 2009.

My horoscope is on a roll.

Daily Extended Forecast for May 24, 2009 (Aries)

Someone who is far away is going to be on your mind today -- and you are on their mind as well. In fact, they've been thinking about you for a while now and are eager to get back in contact -- perhaps they've even started a game of phone tag with you. If so, today you need to make an extra effort to reconnect with them. Send an email or reserve time for a long phone call. Not all of the people from your past are meant to be left there.

After everything that I am going through, going on with my life, it was so nice to wake up today to read this.

Aries (May 23)
Your life is fluid and always changing -- now more so than ever before. Things keep shifting, and these alterations might require some painful or at least slightly uncomfortable adjustments on your part. You might even have to postpone some big travel plans you were looking forward to. The good news is that any changes you make don't have to be permanent, so don't worry about it. You're flexible and smart enough to know how to do what it takes.

That's my horoscope for today from YahooShine.

I was sluggish earlier.  For some strange reason I woke up earlier than usual on a Saturday morning.  On top of that I hit the sack almost 2 or 3 AM already but I still woke up at half past 7.  On a whim, I went to read my horoscope for today and this is what met me.  I don't think I would need coffee anymore to wake up my senses.  This has rejuvenated me big time.

My everyday life is not ruled or mandated by what my horoscope is.  I read it for the sheer fun of it.  Some have been so way off but a majority of it have been pretty much dead on.  I am not a fanatic of horoscopes but it doesn't hurt to read it and see if it is indeed reflective of what is going on in your life - whether good or bad.  If its not the most satisfying one then shrug it off and if it matches your day so far- then now you know why.  But if its something like this and it comes in the most perfect time in your life, it gives you reason to hope that yes things indeed will be better or has the potential to be better.  Just believe!

Witching hour is here again!

I know I should be sensitive since he just figured in an accident where his PA died but really...

I wasnt happy that after being paired with Sam, Jericho, Aga and other good actors, Anne Curtis was going to do a movie with RG?? Baket??  Di ba dapat upgrade and not downgrade??

Natuwa ako to learn that it wont push through anymore because "the high and mighty according to him RG" didnt want to do a romantic movie anymore kahit pa it will be directed by Maryo delos Reyes.  He wants to do a horror type flick but the director didnt want to do a horror film so right now its up in the air. 

Then I read this -> Richard to do Robert Pattison's role in Twilight-style movie What??? Naman Horror movie na pang Valentines.  Okay!  But this made me laugh from the article "A wag blurts, “He must learn to act first!”" Bwahaha! Tumpak!

Then I read that GMA is remaking "Full House" and who is playing the character that Rain portrayed?  I am guessing RG since he was coming from filming the teaser of Full House when he figured in an accident.  NAMAN!!

Full House was one of my favorite Korean Dramas.  It was the first original dvd boxset that I bought.  Why oh why is he the one remaking it?? WHY??? He cant act even if his life depended on it.  Rain may not be the best Korean actor there is but at least he showed a wider range of emotion that RG will ever will.  There was a scene in Episode 17 that is a big favorite of mine.  RG better not ruin it.  Ang tanong, who will be playing the character that SongHyeGyo played??  But then would it still even matter who will play Han Ji-Eun since they already screwed it up by who's playing Lee Young-Jae?

Here is your horoscope for
Friday, May 8:

Life is pretty crazy just now (tell me about it) -- but you can get even crazier! (naman!!) If you're uncomfortable, you're in the right place, (huh?!) so keep pushing until you come out on the other side and feel a lot better. (Let's see!)

title credit: Adele

What is so hard about a QUESTION?

The ANSWER!

Facebook.

Wait! Isn't it a blasphemy to mention another social networking site on Multiply or Vox?  But whatever, I like the privacy setting of Multiply so I will continue to share my thoughts here.

Why do I love it?  Well, it has allowed me to find people that I have long lost contact with.  One is a blockmate from college and the other one was a classmate from Kindergarten until grade three or four until she moved away. 

The one from college I found on FB through another blockmate of ours.  Its been close to 14 years since I met him and almost 12 I guess since I last spoke with him so it was such a trip to see that he was on FB.  Though he doesn't update often still now I know there's a way to get in touch with him.  I remember that I still owe him a script, that is if he still plans of doing a film like we talked about in college.

Now, this other one was the greatest surprise of all.  I have known MelindaVillegas since probably kindergarten or first grade until third or fourth grade before her entire family moved to Manila from Tacloban.  Because of our last names, needless to say we have always been together.  In fact, in grade one I think we had this triumvirate consisting of Verian, Villasin and Villegas.  We were always together and like the arrangement of our names I remember being always in the middle between these two.  When they would have misunderstandings I would be caught in the middle and I remember staying neutral.  I never sided with either one of them.  Melinda and her family also lived near me.  They lived in the street before ours and on weekends we would visit each other's houses as well.  Alas, that all changed when they moved I don't know when exactly it was but we lost touch when they did.  I think we exchanged a few letters at the start but as years went by, they became fewer in between until nothing. 

But all these years, I always wondered how she is, where she is.  When I started signing up on social networking sites, I would search for her but yielding no results.  That is until this weekend when I received a message from her on FB asking if I was her classmate from grade school (DWU).  I couldn't believe it.  She found me on FB and wondered if the person she found was me and yes it was.  Since then we have been exchanging messages, catching up on each other's lives. 

What makes this even more trippy is that I found out she went to Benilde for college.  It is trippy because I went to DLSU which belongs in the same system as Benilde.  So we went to sister (or brother) school and this, our campuses are right across each other.  I was in DLSU for good 4 years and her in Benilde as well and our paths never crossed.  Or did it?  Now I wonder if we would have recognized each other if our paths had crossed.  Part of me says yes but majority is a no.  I am sure she has changed a lot from grade school until college and so have I.  Plus, there were just too many students from both schools that the probability of that happening is really small.  But thanks to FB, we have found each other again 23 years later.  That is just amazing.

I was told it seemed like I was going through second childhood.  People have this confused-slash-weirded out look when they find out what I have been doing on whatever spare time that I have.  Who knew that an activity of my childhood would resurface when I saw my niece, Ali and my cousin, Chantal doing it one day.  I am talking about coloring books.  Ali and Chantal were doing coloring books - Ali's.  She had this giant coloring book of Hello Kitty and she so eagerly allowed Chantal and I to get a page each and start coloring.  It was actually an enjoyable experience, a very relaxing one.  Both Chantal and I really had fun.  It seemed Ali did too when she so eloquently said in her 4 year old body, "I'm glad I have company!"  That blew me away. 

We finished coloring our page that night and Ali let us bring our finished work home.  But that didn't seem to sate the renewed feeling about it.  The first opportunity I had to go get it, I did so.  I got Chantal and I the same Hello Kitty coloring books and I have been coloring since.  I didn't realize how much I would enjoy coloring books, Hello Kitty at that.  I grew up around Hello Kitty, even now I still own and use a few Sanrio stuffs here and there but really a coloring book.  It may seem like a bit of a stretch but what Chantal and I like about it is its size.  Its really big, almost like poster size.  The pictures are pretty simple and uncomplicated.  The outlines are thick so there's no "coloring beyond the lines" stuff.  Oh okay, Hello Kitty is cute.

I don't do coloring book everyday.  In fact ever since getting it, I have only done it once.  I do it when I feel I need to settle, to relax, to slow down especially on a day when I feel like my whole day passed me by.  Last Friday was like that.  I had a lot things to do at work that when I got home, I felt the need to slow down.  I got it, got my box of crayons and colored away.  I didn't get to finish it since I had to go to practice.  But as soon as I got home, no matter how late it was, I finished coloring the page before going to sleep.  I don't know if it was a mere coincidence or because doing the coloring book relaxed me but when I woke up Saturday morning, I felt pretty good.  I didn't let the day pass by lying in my bed or watching tv.  I actually jumped up and started doing the things I needed to do.  Even those that I didn't plan on doing that day, I did them or at least started on it.  I think I was able to accomplish quite a lot in that day before heading out.  

Its such a relaxing feeling.  The only decisions we have to make is to decide on what hue to use and color away.  Actually even that isn't really much.  I don't agonize on which color for what.  Its a page from a coloring book.  I have no intentions of channeling Monet or Van Gogh. I pick the colors that jump to me.  As we color the whole picture, there's no need to rush.  Coloring allows us to take our time.  To be patient as we painstakingly color each aspect of the whole picture.  We just let the whole picture unravel right before our eyes.  I don't make initial notes on which color go to which one.  I just let it be and I don't remember the last time we just let things be especially in this world we live in now. 

I have been looking for ways to de-stress at the end of the day but I couldn't seem to find one that filled that longing.  That is until that fateful night, big thanks to Ali.  Yes, it may seem weird for a woman my age to still be coloring books, Hello Kitty at that but I really don't care.  It relaxes me and makes me take stock of my day.  It allows me to let go of things that happened that day rather than musing and making myself worry even more.  For that brief moment in my day, its all about the picture and me.  I empty my mind and just let the picture do the talking and probably even the thinking.  I didn't realize that such a childlike activity would have such an effect on me, but it did, it does.