The Journey. It’s Mine. [Raine’s Mom, Problogger, Techie-wannabe, Wheelchair-Traveler]

In the Philippines, August is Buwan ng Wika or the National Language Month. In celebration of such an event, most (if not all) schools in the Philippines held at one time this month a program honoring the Filipino language, through songs, dances, plays and of course food. More like the entire Filipino culture.

In Raine’s school, the celebration was earlier today, where all the children came in Filipino traditional outfits. I wasn’t sure if Raine will not get irritated by the Barong Tagalog so i dressed him up like a little katipunero.

that ended up looking like a little rice farmer.

Don’t be fooled by that sweet smile for he didn’t get into that costume willingly. ;-P

The program lasted almost two hours. Raine who cannot last five minutes sitting down, was lookign like this after less than an hour:

But i guess he enjoyed it, dancing magtanim ay di biro and singing the lupang hinirang (the philippine national anthem)

Raine’s version:

… sa magiling…mamatay…mamahal…bubuhay.

He’s barely four…so!

Click here for more photos.

Anywhere I go, I guess there is something that I love that I will never be able to let go, whatever happens.

Something that makes me pinoy, and a true-blue bicolana.

Having said that, now I cannot imagine how i was able to survive being away from bicolandia too long when even the most authentic bicolano version there is coudn’t come close to the original home-cooked version.

NO offense to the best cooks of LB.

But there is nothing like ginataang gabi (laing in southern tagalog, or taro leaves cooked in coconut milk) cooked  the bicolano way: a bit dry on firewood. ( and please, no taba ng baboy like the tagalogs normally do!)

And of course, that would be perfect with dried fish ( uga in bicol, tuyo in tagalog) and rice. Lots and LOTS of cooked rice.

You may pick up a spoon and fork if you like, but with the said combo, eating with your bare hands would even be more pleasureable.

Karaon na!!!

He he. I know how that title sounds…but I indeed LOVE reading, not anywhere else but in bed.

Courtesy of my last month’s “bonus” from Know More Media.

These arrived the other day, 11 days after i ordered them from Amazon.com.

(Isn’t that quick?! considering that I am located in the boondocks).

(more…)

What happens when a little boy has no father’s shoes to wear?

This is what happens…

He he. Literally at least. I definitely wouldn’t want Raine to follow in his father’s footsteps. Not a chance!

Speaking of Raine’s (absentee) father…

(more…)

It was all over the Philippine local news: KC-Concepcion is reunited with her father, former Philippine Showbiz heartthrob, Gabby Concepcion.

And where did they find the scoop? in KC’s blog. Yes she has a blog, like you and me.

Sharon Cuneta has a website, although it is probably managed by her staff.

In the news, Sharon’s comment on KC’s particular post was shown on TV.

Well, she is Sharon Cuneta after all.

He he, mega-relate daw ba ako?

Sure Sharon did a very good job at raising KC, good enough that KC herself has to go see her estranged father.

I wish I could raise Raine like that, I wish I could still tell good stories to him about his father, when the time comes.

Anyway, obvious ba na sharonian ako?

Before I get sidetracked:

This blog was featured this weekend at GMA-7’s Mel and Joey.

Dubbed as the “internet superstar”. Cool eh?

Scribbling down quotes of note that I hear from lines of a song or movie dialogues is one of those mushy habits that I possess. I write them everywhere: at the back sheets of a notebook, post-it notes or even pieces of any blank paper I can get hold of, only to get lost somewhere in my abubots and find each one at the most inopportune times.

At a time when I am so pissed off with my brother for making me feel that my efforts aren’t good enough (yesterday), I got this in my socks drawer:

It is not our abilities that show what we truly are, it is our choices.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the above line was from the movie Harry Potter 4 (Goblet of Fire): wisdom from the mighty Albus Dumbledore (rather, J.K. Rowling)

Speaking of wisdom, here’s some more wisdom from the “not-so-very-wisdom-full” me:

Our choices not only show what we truly are, our choices make us what we are:

The risks we took at life-defining moments.

The crazy things we did and the bets we threw each time we gambled at love.

The paths we chose to take at each cross-road we stumbled upon.

Life taught me to:

Take risks, enjoy its blessings and suffer its curse. Be it for the love of your love, friends or family.

Love without abandon, selflessly, with your whole heart and soul. After all it is not love if you only love with half a heart. Is there half a soul?

Give without asking anything in return and to share a portion of even the last thing that you have, if it will make a difference in the life of others.

These after all are what God wants us to do, even if they are easier said than done.

Those risks and the loves I gave (or threw away) made me stood on their consequence, be it a blessing or a curse.

Friends separate and depart, love abandons (and hurts deeply!), and family is not always as appreciative like you want them to be (either that or they have a very good job at pretending).

At the time being, Raine, though appreciative and loving in his own little ways, is too young to fully understand my seasonal sentimientos de asukal.

Gone is the only person in my family who was openly proud and truly appreciative of the littlest of me and my efforts and accomplishments: my father. He was the only one in my family who thinks, dreams and gets pissed-off like I do.

Well one cannot choose one’s family or the person one is going to love.

BUT after all those, you’ll love again and you’ll give even more, whole-heartedly and selflessly, with a hope and a prayer that next time it’ll be sweeter and true, while family remains family and you will continue to love them, despite their shortcomings and insensitivities.

I’ve laughed, cried and I will cry and laugh again.

You win some, you lose some. Like in a song…

that’s the story of…

that’s the glory of love…

Pardon my blabber, I just need a hug. But a slight pat on the shoulder will do.

I miss you ‘Pa…terribly so. ;-(

Sometimes, moving forward means trashing the past.

Yes, indeed. For some people that’s just the way to go.

Well I guess some people in the past are just worth the trashing.

When at one point in time some of us were just too vulnerable for the taking, some people just took advantage of that sweet vulnerability.

Later when they see that you were able to stand up and move on with your life, they just can’t believe and take it. Because they expected you to be down in the dumps forever like they want you to.

So I am not what you predicted me to be. Then I guess that’s too much for your ego…and you do not know me at all.

You never did.

Hah!!

Sabi nga ni Raine, nyeh-nyeh-nyeh-nyeh-nyeh!!

Couple of months ago, it was the Bulusan Volcano. Now it is the world’s most perfect cone and the Philippines’ most active volcano: Mayon Volcano’s turn to erupt.

(photo credit: INQ7.net) 

YES ladies and gentlemen, the original Daragang Magayon is just warming up. The world hasn’t yet seen her current fury. Because for the first time in its eruption history, the danger zone went up to the 8 kilometer-radius.

She is still atrracting visitors and tourists and so people are advised to get out of her danger zone.

We haven’t seen the worst yet, BUT the world remains in awe of her majesty inspite of the lava she is spewing at the moment.

She sure is destructive and so safety measures are being implemented. Lucky for me (and my family), we are situated some 75 kilometers south of Legazpi City. We can’t even hear her rumble.

She must be a sight to look at but I’m to scared to see in person. Thanks to the regular live update on TV.

She sure is a beauty at night time. (photo credit: Tribune India)

Accidentally, I bumped into an anonymous plea from another single mom. Of course, I couldn’t help a lenghty comment and remember those nights I was doing laundry and the dishes way into midnight, clearing the mess (that the day-help missed); the moment Raine is asleep in bed.

There were instances I was too tired to eat dinner and even too tired to go to sleep. So I wrote, watch TV and videos into the wee hours of the morning.

Those were tough times. I thought I’d never see better days. And then I found a very dependable day-help, bumped into problogging…went home.

Better days. It was like the dream I was longing for. Days when I didn’t have to worry where (and to whom) should I leave Raine while I am at work…among other things.

I guess all single moms have to be buried in “darker” days of juggling tasks for herself and her kid(s). It is a difficult phase that has to be experienced. An experience that strenghtens us for the the better person that we will become.

Those days were there to make you appreciate the little good things that life has brought you. To make you realize the difference and treasure the present.

Better days are yet to come, if we have faith and we work to realizing that dream.

Before we know it, the kid(s) is(are) grown up and we find ourselves having more hours to kill.

By then, you’ve mastered the art of one-hand juggling…you are not afraid at whatever else that life fancies to throw at you.

Because you can handle it, with grace and with poise.

I did it. You can do better. I promise you, better days will get to you. You just have to hang in there and do the things that you have to do. Those too, like anything else, shall come to pass.

Yesterday, I was composing a lengthy, rather emotional post that didn’t even make it as saved draft when the power went off.

But then i guess some of my most honest personal posts are not meant to be published. He he.

Anyway, I am happy now and living a separate life, so let’s just keep it that way. I am a different person now, what I’ve become is a product of a difficult process. I made it here so I am not going to look back and ponder on the what-might-have-beens department. Am not very good at it anyway.

But it’s not a disease one gets fully recovered from. I was six feet under, and then I crawled up and stood still…pushed the bad and sad at the cornestmost of my heart (and mind)  and then I moved forward in the hope of forgetting and who knows, maybe forgiving. It takes time, it is a process.

So please, just leave me alone and let me live my life. After all it is great, just great.