My son's 18th birthday is fast approaching. His sisters have been pulling his leg by telling him that they're preparing a dance number for his party. Not! I'm not seriously considering giving him a party because no.1: there are no maids. No.2: I've no extra cash because it's tuition fee time and I've just spent a good deal of money on his Dumaguete trip. Just now, he has been pestering me to buy him an external hard drive for his laptop. When will my son learn that money does not grow on trees? He reasons that he needs the external hard drive because his mega files slow down his laptop. Guess what the files are? Anime downloads! Boys!
Showing posts with label son. Show all posts
Showing posts with label son. Show all posts
Friday, November 7, 2008
Sunday, November 2, 2008
My son arrived home from Dumaguete last night. His plane was due to leave at 4:20 p.m and at 3:00 p.m. sent me a text message that read: " emergency. call." I broke the record in speed dialing.
"What? Why? What?" I said, trying very hard not to scream.
"Mom, can I use the credit card? We have to pay extra for we missed our flight. We were booked for 8:55 a.m, not 4:20 p.m."
"Who the heck made the mistake in your booking?" I fumed. No answer. So I asked how much. My son said 22,500 Php for the six of them. I am not a stingy or bad person but I asked my son, "Why, don't they have parents? I think it's not my responsibility nor my problem to pay for their tickets even on credit."
I told my son to tell his mates to call up their parents and send money through Western Union as money can be remitted in a matter of minutes. Thirty minutes later I checked on my son and asked if his mates have tickets now. He said yes so I asked if the parents sent money.
"No mom. I think they used their ATMs."
"What? Why? What?" I said, trying very hard not to scream.
"Mom, can I use the credit card? We have to pay extra for we missed our flight. We were booked for 8:55 a.m, not 4:20 p.m."
"Who the heck made the mistake in your booking?" I fumed. No answer. So I asked how much. My son said 22,500 Php for the six of them. I am not a stingy or bad person but I asked my son, "Why, don't they have parents? I think it's not my responsibility nor my problem to pay for their tickets even on credit."
I told my son to tell his mates to call up their parents and send money through Western Union as money can be remitted in a matter of minutes. Thirty minutes later I checked on my son and asked if his mates have tickets now. He said yes so I asked if the parents sent money.
"No mom. I think they used their ATMs."
Thursday, October 23, 2008
My son never liked doing coloring books. His preschool teacher, when he was three years old, had a hard time convincing him to color his work. Homework? I saw him then commanding his nanny to please hold his had and move it back and forth so as to color his assignment. I took it to "boys are different", or "boys mature later than girls". My one and only son was late in speech. too. He was able to talk haltingly in complete sentences at 2.5 years old which was kinda late compared to his sisters - the sisters were all speaking in complete sentences before the age 2. My son had this dynamic energy that refuses to be spent. He was constantly on the move, never paying much attention. ADHD ? Not quite - but somewhat.
By age 4-5, my son was still quite a "baby". He never seemed to understand what we're telling him. He never appreciated the beauty of nature: green trees, beautiful flowers, colorful rainbow. He sometimes had headaches too. He was just not "there" . All he cared about were his cars and other toys. Is something wrong with my son? I was so busy and involved with my four daughters' swimming careers that I have totally given my son's care to his nanny. One time I was brushing his teeth when it suddenly hit me: I did not even know if my son could read! I asked him to read the label or recite the letters of the toothpaste, 18 inches away from him. He said he cannot read the word. What? My son cannot read the letters much more the word Colgate. "You mean you don't know the letters?" I asked. "No, I cannot see the letters" , he answered.
It turned out that my son was highly astigmatic and myopic with a grade of 250+. Off we went to an ophthalmologist - refracted his eyes then fitted with eyeglasses. Aha! Now my son can see! He was very happy that finally his surroundings are not blurred anymore. He even helped me paint the baseboard of our living and dining rooms. "Wow mom, I love this color, it's so red, just like Christmas". Oh Oh... something is definitely wrong with my son. The paint I was using then was mahogany brown. I got my book. Had him look at some pictures and asked him what he could see. Okay now. My myopic-astigmatic son was/is also green-red color blind.... color confused is the right term though.
By age 4-5, my son was still quite a "baby". He never seemed to understand what we're telling him. He never appreciated the beauty of nature: green trees, beautiful flowers, colorful rainbow. He sometimes had headaches too. He was just not "there" . All he cared about were his cars and other toys. Is something wrong with my son? I was so busy and involved with my four daughters' swimming careers that I have totally given my son's care to his nanny. One time I was brushing his teeth when it suddenly hit me: I did not even know if my son could read! I asked him to read the label or recite the letters of the toothpaste, 18 inches away from him. He said he cannot read the word. What? My son cannot read the letters much more the word Colgate. "You mean you don't know the letters?" I asked. "No, I cannot see the letters" , he answered.
It turned out that my son was highly astigmatic and myopic with a grade of 250+. Off we went to an ophthalmologist - refracted his eyes then fitted with eyeglasses. Aha! Now my son can see! He was very happy that finally his surroundings are not blurred anymore. He even helped me paint the baseboard of our living and dining rooms. "Wow mom, I love this color, it's so red, just like Christmas". Oh Oh... something is definitely wrong with my son. The paint I was using then was mahogany brown. I got my book. Had him look at some pictures and asked him what he could see. Okay now. My myopic-astigmatic son was/is also green-red color blind.... color confused is the right term though.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
I was offline yesterday. I was and still is helping my son move in to his apartment. There will be three of them to share the apartment and I just can't help wonder how they will be able to cope up with the housework and cooking, not to mention the laundry. I presented these queries to my son and he said that I should not worry because "he'll be fine".
I did not readily realize that I had to buy so much things for my son. For starters, I had to buy him a new bed. He said he'll be fine sleeping on a mattress sans the frame. Well, the mommy in me can't permit that. I bought him a new bed. I still need to buy him a chest of drawers. Aside from that, the three tenants have to pitch in with a cooking stove, refrigerator, microwave, dining table and chairs and other kitchen utensils. Gosh! I need money!
I did not readily realize that I had to buy so much things for my son. For starters, I had to buy him a new bed. He said he'll be fine sleeping on a mattress sans the frame. Well, the mommy in me can't permit that. I bought him a new bed. I still need to buy him a chest of drawers. Aside from that, the three tenants have to pitch in with a cooking stove, refrigerator, microwave, dining table and chairs and other kitchen utensils. Gosh! I need money!
Friday, April 11, 2008
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With my picture file still missing, I thought of using my son's laptop to scour for pictures. At this very moment 5:20 pm, my son is not home.Look what I found. This is Zoro. He is often seen traipsing about UP Diliman in his cape and mask. He is harmless. He just wants to be IN the middle of every activity in the campus. Some say Zoro was a Math major who went berserk. Umm.. due to the perplexing nature of Math?
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WADDAA??? What the heck? Who is the girl? I recognize the dorm's reception hall though.
Figure this out. I think they are lying on the floor, wearing costumes. My son is the one in the green "thing". Oh I get it! He and his friend ( in the blue "thing" ) are tetris blocks.
Ethan? Isdachu?
Oh well. That's it. Enough intruding.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
I have a been in a state of agitation and stress for the past four weeks. Before Holy Week came, my son had informed me that he was failing in Math 17. Why? You were fine the first two months of the second semester. Well, things happen, he said. Yes. More like, I haven't been studying?
Before the finals, I was constantly breathing down his neck for him to study. His teacher said he needs to perfect the take-home exams ( which I swear, is highly impossible for mere mortals like us to do) and get at least 66% in his finals. My son did not reach the limits but got a 4 instead. A grade of 4 entitles a student for removal exams. A student has a year to take his removals.
Oh no! You will not dilly-dally with your removal exams. Ask your teacher when and where is the removals: April 9, 3:00 pm-5:00 pm. On April 4, I had my son tutored in Advance Algebra and Trigonometry. On April 8, I took him to UP to have his papers in order for the exams. On April 9 1:00 pm, we left the house and drove him to the Math building, bid him goodluck and prayed real hard for him to pass the exams.
I went home and left him at the school for he still has varsity practice after the exams. At 10:00 pm, he was home. I asked him how his exams went. Fine. Whatever does fine means? At 11:30 pm my son came into my bedroom grinning broadly and jumping happily. What? Mom! I passed Math 17!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
My cpu is still broken, I think it will have to be reformatted. Shucks! My files are all gone. I will not be able to go blog hopping. Fellow bloggers, pardon my not visiting your sites. My kids are all hugging their laptops to death.
It is now 6:20 pm. I'm in my son's bedroom tweaking his laptop while he is outside doing his thing with his skateboard. He thinks I'm cooking dinner. To heck with dinner. I am just itching to check my emails and blogs.
It is not the same though. I miss my blogging spot at the basement. I miss the quiet and solitude of the space. I cleaned my computer spot a while back. Gosh, the dust is almost a millimeter thick in the hard to reach places under my cpu. Bloggers, better check under your tables and chairs. Ickabod Crane might be asleep there!
Blogging really takes your mind off everything. You just don't know what you're missing. While I was cleaning the basement, I saw the long lost book I was looking for the longest time. It was wedged between the foot of my drafting table and the bookshelf. I found the roll of red ribbon I needed last February. Oh, I also found the oshkosh summer shorts of 3 years ago.
I saw some real funny-gross-yucky pictures of some 12 years ago. I so wanted to publish them here but the scanner is connected to my computer and it's so tedious to set it up in this laptop. Oh Oh... I can hear the owner's footsteps.
Better log off now.
It is now 6:20 pm. I'm in my son's bedroom tweaking his laptop while he is outside doing his thing with his skateboard. He thinks I'm cooking dinner. To heck with dinner. I am just itching to check my emails and blogs.
It is not the same though. I miss my blogging spot at the basement. I miss the quiet and solitude of the space. I cleaned my computer spot a while back. Gosh, the dust is almost a millimeter thick in the hard to reach places under my cpu. Bloggers, better check under your tables and chairs. Ickabod Crane might be asleep there!
Blogging really takes your mind off everything. You just don't know what you're missing. While I was cleaning the basement, I saw the long lost book I was looking for the longest time. It was wedged between the foot of my drafting table and the bookshelf. I found the roll of red ribbon I needed last February. Oh, I also found the oshkosh summer shorts of 3 years ago.
I saw some real funny-gross-yucky pictures of some 12 years ago. I so wanted to publish them here but the scanner is connected to my computer and it's so tedious to set it up in this laptop. Oh Oh... I can hear the owner's footsteps.
Better log off now.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Just a few minutes ago my son said that his dorm mate texted him and said she (the dorm mate) is presently in a hospital in Davao. Why? I asked. The dorm mate said she is confined because a tumor has been found in her lungs. The first thing I asked was, does she smoke? Yes. I felt devastated as the girl is only 17-18 years old. I could feel that my son was rattled too.
I said, go and pray for her. I will do likewise later. I feel so sad because at this very moment, a dear cousin is confined in a hospital awaiting her breast cancer removal surgery. This cousin is a very active church choir conductress and pianist. She spent half of her life in the US but opted to stay here in the Philippines after her retirement. I have been praying for her and I do wish my readers will do the same. Her scheduled operation is for tomorrow, April 2.
My son sent me a message. Mom, my dorm mate said, April Fool's Day. Well the crap with her!! Doesn't she know better?
There are so many things to joke about: not about health and death!!
But mom, she's wacky too! She's taking architecture.
Whatever.
I said, go and pray for her. I will do likewise later. I feel so sad because at this very moment, a dear cousin is confined in a hospital awaiting her breast cancer removal surgery. This cousin is a very active church choir conductress and pianist. She spent half of her life in the US but opted to stay here in the Philippines after her retirement. I have been praying for her and I do wish my readers will do the same. Her scheduled operation is for tomorrow, April 2.
My son sent me a message. Mom, my dorm mate said, April Fool's Day. Well the crap with her!! Doesn't she know better?
There are so many things to joke about: not about health and death!!
But mom, she's wacky too! She's taking architecture.
Whatever.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Was it only last year that I stood in front of my son's high school graduating batch? SIS High School Batch 2007. I was the guest speaker ( more likely jammer) in the batch's Testimonial Dinner. I was to pay a tribute to the graduating batch. No, not the toll or tax tribute but the complimentary and honor one. Here is an excerpt from my speech.
At this point, I would like to ask you two questions. My first question is, have you set your priorities?
At this point, I would like to ask you two questions. My first question is, have you set your priorities?
Education should or must be your priority now. It is now your responsibility to pursue further education to help you in the future. As I always tell my children, “ang pera nauubos, ang pinag-aralan, hindi”. (You can lose money, but you cannot lose what you have learned). Last week, I was in UP. My son is being drafted to the volleyball varsity team and I had a talk with the head coach. The coach said UP cannot offer my son any monetary compensation. He said that all UP can offer are free tuition, a complete set of uniform and a superior education. He got me at “superior education”. The coach then pointed out to me 2 boys and a girl who are also varsitarians. Player #16 has to work from 9 pm to 3 am hauling vegetables, sometimes hollow blocks, to earn money for his "baon." Player # 12 buys food once a day, eating half of it at lunch, the next half after practice. Player #5 never goes to team building or team outings that falls on a weekend. She has to take in laundry during weekends for her to have "baon" for the week. Many a times, the coach has to shell out money for these kids’ transportation and food.
I felt humbled and ashamed of myself after hearing these stories. You see, for the past weeks I’ve been feeling sorry for myself because I do not have enough funds to buy my son a car when he goes to college. I guess most of you are now thinking what kind of cell phone, laptop or even car, to buy in readiness for college life. Let us all set our priorities. We can do without the extravagant extras. Let us think of those 3 students who have put so much value in their education. I believe that for these 3, half the battle has been won.
My second question is, what is your goal? Do you want to be a doctor, a teacher, a computer engineer, a prima ballerina, a fashion model? What ever your dream is, be it your goal. What ever your goal is, aim high. My eldest daughter took the medical board exams last February. She said she was aiming to place in the top ten. I said, it is okay not to place in the top ten. Passing the board exams is enough. She said, “No mom, I aim high so in case I fall short of my goal, I still pass the boards”. She passed the boards and is in the top 10 of her batch if not of the whole lot of examinees.
For last, I have one advice. Think you can, and you can. I have instilled in my five children the importance of positive thinking. If you think you cannot, then you’re halfway in failing in whatever you want to achieve. In the ladder of life’s experience, you are in the bottom rung. There will always be failures and problems be it in the form of failed relationships, failed grades, failed expectations, failed aspirations, and others. I do not believe that failure is the opposite of success. I consider failure an integral ingredient to success. It is in failing and surmounting seemingly impossible problems that you grow strong, wiser and experienced.
Success is not measured by financial achievement alone. I suppose success can be measured also by how much you’ve gained in terms of experience; how much you’ve given to others and your impact to the society you move in. I have a daughter who has been offered jobs abroad. The compensation is quadruple the amount she receives at her current work. With much thought and deliberation, she rejected the offers. I asked her why she declined the offers. She said that “mom, I did not become a teacher to go abroad for the money. I want to teach here where I can be of service to my country. I was about to say “ok ka lang?” for I thought she was only patronizing. I saw she was serious and I respected her decision. My 2nd daughter values her current work because of the professional growth and the feeling of fulfillment she gets in teaching. This is success in its purest form.
My dear graduates, you have a long and winding road ahead of you. Waste no time. Remember to always ask for guidance from the Lord. Bear in mind that we, your parents, are not the enemies. We are your allies and in full support of you and your aspirations. Keep in mind to give back to the less fortunate. Do all these, and you are on your way to becoming fine citizens of the world.
I felt humbled and ashamed of myself after hearing these stories. You see, for the past weeks I’ve been feeling sorry for myself because I do not have enough funds to buy my son a car when he goes to college. I guess most of you are now thinking what kind of cell phone, laptop or even car, to buy in readiness for college life. Let us all set our priorities. We can do without the extravagant extras. Let us think of those 3 students who have put so much value in their education. I believe that for these 3, half the battle has been won.
My second question is, what is your goal? Do you want to be a doctor, a teacher, a computer engineer, a prima ballerina, a fashion model? What ever your dream is, be it your goal. What ever your goal is, aim high. My eldest daughter took the medical board exams last February. She said she was aiming to place in the top ten. I said, it is okay not to place in the top ten. Passing the board exams is enough. She said, “No mom, I aim high so in case I fall short of my goal, I still pass the boards”. She passed the boards and is in the top 10 of her batch if not of the whole lot of examinees.
For last, I have one advice. Think you can, and you can. I have instilled in my five children the importance of positive thinking. If you think you cannot, then you’re halfway in failing in whatever you want to achieve. In the ladder of life’s experience, you are in the bottom rung. There will always be failures and problems be it in the form of failed relationships, failed grades, failed expectations, failed aspirations, and others. I do not believe that failure is the opposite of success. I consider failure an integral ingredient to success. It is in failing and surmounting seemingly impossible problems that you grow strong, wiser and experienced.
Success is not measured by financial achievement alone. I suppose success can be measured also by how much you’ve gained in terms of experience; how much you’ve given to others and your impact to the society you move in. I have a daughter who has been offered jobs abroad. The compensation is quadruple the amount she receives at her current work. With much thought and deliberation, she rejected the offers. I asked her why she declined the offers. She said that “mom, I did not become a teacher to go abroad for the money. I want to teach here where I can be of service to my country. I was about to say “ok ka lang?” for I thought she was only patronizing. I saw she was serious and I respected her decision. My 2nd daughter values her current work because of the professional growth and the feeling of fulfillment she gets in teaching. This is success in its purest form.
My dear graduates, you have a long and winding road ahead of you. Waste no time. Remember to always ask for guidance from the Lord. Bear in mind that we, your parents, are not the enemies. We are your allies and in full support of you and your aspirations. Keep in mind to give back to the less fortunate. Do all these, and you are on your way to becoming fine citizens of the world.
Monday, March 24, 2008
So how was your Easter? I and my family had a lazy day. W e did not go to sunrise service since it was set at 4:30 am in Taytay and Ethan was racked with cough. I was very disapppointed with myself. Easter Sunday and no church!I called my mother at 9:00 am and explained why we were absent at the sunrise service. After which I sms my sis-in-law and told her we'll be eating lunch at her house whether she likes it or not.
We arrived at my sis-in-law's house and ate lunch... for 4 hours. We started eating at 1:oo pm. By the hour, different food were presented: lunch, then dessert,then fruits, then chips, then sandwiches. We were stuffed but kept on eating and talking anyway.
I have prepared about 40 plastic eggs with candies and money inside for Ethan's annual Easter egg hunt. Since we were at my in-laws' house I have incuded all the kids there to join in the hunt. So at 4:40 pm I finally hid the eggs. In our excitement no one tool pictures. My hubby played a joke on the egg hunters but the joke backfired.
He included and hid a red salted egg and a fresh egg. Guess who got the real eggs? Yeah. My son got the salted egg and Ethan got the fresh egg which he readily threw and broke.
I was suddenly reminded of the Golden Rule.
Do not do to others what you do not want others to do to you.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
my son doing his thingAs my son, 3rd daughter and husband were on their way home last night, my son told his dad that he needs to buy something at MOA ( that's Mall of Asia ). So a quick detour was made. Dad and 3rd daughter went trailing after son. What the heck is he looking for? Finally.
Dad, said the son, can I have 1 K? I only have 1 K and this thing that I have to buy is worth 2K.
What are you going to buy anyway? the dad asked.
This really cool skateboard that operates like a twist car. answered son.
The 3rd daughter reacted: What? mom said no unless you buy it with your own money.Son looked at dad with imploring eyes. Okay here's 1K go buy your board said the spoiler dad.
the 2,800 Php skateboard
Sunday, March 2, 2008
"r u coming home tonight?" That was the messave I sent my son at 10:00am, Friday.
Strange, he should have answered right away.
" oi! is your dad going to fetch you later?" 2:30 pm, and still no answer. I decided to call him. Umm... "cannot be reached".
At 4:00 pm I decided to text his friend instead.
"Can you please tell my son to text me back? I tried to call him but I think his phone is off"
After 10 minutes, a text message!
Strange, he should have answered right away.
" oi! is your dad going to fetch you later?" 2:30 pm, and still no answer. I decided to call him. Umm... "cannot be reached".
At 4:00 pm I decided to text his friend instead.
"Can you please tell my son to text me back? I tried to call him but I think his phone is off"
After 10 minutes, a text message!
"Yeah mom, I'm going home later."
"Where the heck is your phone? Has it been stolen again?"
"Can you call me now?"
So I did and the story goes something like this. I was almost 2:00 am when my son went to bed that Thursday night or rather Friday morning. He said he stayed up late to finish his assignment since his class on Fridays start at 11:30 am. At 5:30 am he was awakened by a commotion outside his bedroom. He sleepily pulled himself up to see what the heck was going on at the hallway at the time.
"I saw someone by your door!"
"Huh? What?"
" A hooded-bulky-man (maybe ugly and smelly too) was outside your door!"
By this time, half of the third floor "tenants" were awake. As my son's dorm mate continues he said that he was on his way to the bathroom when he saw this man lurking about my son's door. He (dorm mate) went back to his room and woke up his room mate. They then took a peek on the hallway and saw that the hooded figure has a knapsack. "A thief!" the two thought. So off they went to wake up more dorm mates and by the time they gathered enough people to set up another EDSA, the thief was gone.
Since my son has no room mate, he does not lock his bedroom door, "just in case" of fire or earthquake or in case he does not wake up in time fo class. He went back to his room and checked on his laptop.Still there. His wallet. Check. HIs mobile phone. Mobile phone? Missing. One by one, plaintive wails of "nawawala cell phone ko"(my cell phone is missing) reverberated in the third floor corridor.
The hooded-bulky-ugly-smelly (i'm positive of that now) man stole four mobile phones. How did the man enter the dormitory? Where is the guard? What if in the middle of the thieving my son woke up? Would the thief just ran away or was he ready to use force?
I am really mad because this is the second time that my son's phone has been stolen. The first time, the thief perched at the third floor ledge and fished-out my son's cell phone. At that time, a series of related events has been happening at the dorm. Take note that all the snitching was contained in the third floor of the boys' wing.
Is it an inside job? What the heck is the dorm manager doing about it? How come nothing has been done about it? I told my son that this time I will storm into the dorm manager's office and give him a piece of my mind. My son said, "later mom, we already reported the incident to the university's admin". Ok later.
What has been bothering me is the seeming complacency of the dorm manager. Is he not concern with his wards' safety? The dorm guard is so strict with the ins and outs of the students but does not wonder when some entity passes him by the lobby at 5:00 am? UuuMmmm.......Are you thinking what I am thinking? Right!
Maybe the dorm manager is the hooded-bulky-ugly-smelly man?
So I did and the story goes something like this. I was almost 2:00 am when my son went to bed that Thursday night or rather Friday morning. He said he stayed up late to finish his assignment since his class on Fridays start at 11:30 am. At 5:30 am he was awakened by a commotion outside his bedroom. He sleepily pulled himself up to see what the heck was going on at the hallway at the time.
"I saw someone by your door!"
"Huh? What?"
" A hooded-bulky-man (maybe ugly and smelly too) was outside your door!"
By this time, half of the third floor "tenants" were awake. As my son's dorm mate continues he said that he was on his way to the bathroom when he saw this man lurking about my son's door. He (dorm mate) went back to his room and woke up his room mate. They then took a peek on the hallway and saw that the hooded figure has a knapsack. "A thief!" the two thought. So off they went to wake up more dorm mates and by the time they gathered enough people to set up another EDSA, the thief was gone.
Since my son has no room mate, he does not lock his bedroom door, "just in case" of fire or earthquake or in case he does not wake up in time fo class. He went back to his room and checked on his laptop.Still there. His wallet. Check. HIs mobile phone. Mobile phone? Missing. One by one, plaintive wails of "nawawala cell phone ko"(my cell phone is missing) reverberated in the third floor corridor.
The hooded-bulky-ugly-smelly (i'm positive of that now) man stole four mobile phones. How did the man enter the dormitory? Where is the guard? What if in the middle of the thieving my son woke up? Would the thief just ran away or was he ready to use force?
I am really mad because this is the second time that my son's phone has been stolen. The first time, the thief perched at the third floor ledge and fished-out my son's cell phone. At that time, a series of related events has been happening at the dorm. Take note that all the snitching was contained in the third floor of the boys' wing.
Is it an inside job? What the heck is the dorm manager doing about it? How come nothing has been done about it? I told my son that this time I will storm into the dorm manager's office and give him a piece of my mind. My son said, "later mom, we already reported the incident to the university's admin". Ok later.
What has been bothering me is the seeming complacency of the dorm manager. Is he not concern with his wards' safety? The dorm guard is so strict with the ins and outs of the students but does not wonder when some entity passes him by the lobby at 5:00 am? UuuMmmm.......Are you thinking what I am thinking? Right!
Maybe the dorm manager is the hooded-bulky-ugly-smelly man?
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
It was in 1973 when I entered the University of the Philippines. It was Martial Law. Makibaka, huwag matakot was the chant of many students, UP included. Me? Oh, I was happy enough playing billiards and duckpins at the then new Alumni Center. In my first year, I lived at Ilang-Ilang Hall. All freshmen girls were jailed, i mean, put up there.
In 1974, a new dorm was constructed. This dorm was supposed to have two wings: boys' wing and girls' wing with a common reception hall and mess hall. I never got to live in that dorm for it was and still is reserved for freshmen. Yes. It is the Kalayaan Hall. For those who were once installed there, hey! it has been renovated in time for the UP Centennial Celebration.
I was invited by my son to visit Kalay's (that's the way they call it now) open house. Oh I was pleasantly surprised: gone are the dark, gloomy, narra panels. I think even the Kalay resident white lady is gone.The reception hall now has a wide flat TV and linear sofas for comfort. The Hall has now a happy, bright, clean, modern, and upbeat impression.
I was invited by my son to visit Kalay's (that's the way they call it now) open house. Oh I was pleasantly surprised: gone are the dark, gloomy, narra panels. I think even the Kalay resident white lady is gone.The reception hall now has a wide flat TV and linear sofas for comfort. The Hall has now a happy, bright, clean, modern, and upbeat impression.Left side lobby going to girls' dorm
The Mural was done by nobody famous. hahaha. I saw it being done by a "manong" and I even commented that his perspective was grossly distorted. Little did I know that "distortion" was the "essence".
Right side lobby going to the boys' dorm
UP Site Map Mural
The revamp reception hall. Note the new sofas and window shades.
After 35 years upon completion, Kalayaan Hall's lobby, reception area and offices were renovated. It is so sad that the bedrooms were not. My son's room is so small, airless, dark and gloomy. It terribly depressed me that I wanted to cry out of pity for my son. But hey! He is enjoying his new found freedom and responsibility. Every night, I pray real hard for my baby boy who is a baby no more. Note Ethan, checking out uncle's bed.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
courtesy of : http://tricolin.com/Last weekend, my son told me that he needs a turumpo (top) for his PE class.
What kind of PE is that?
Oh, it's Filipino games.
Filipino games as in patintero,luksong-tinik,and the likes? (Filipino-childhood-street-games)
Yep!
What will you do with the turumpo?
Duh?! Of course I have to spin it.
But you don't know how.
Yep! Teach me.
Off we went to the palengke (public market) and bought 3 wooden tops, strings included. After getting three softdrink (soda pop) crown caps, then putting a hole in the middle of each crown with a 3"CW nail as the wedge, then threading the string through the cap, and finally doing the mandatory knots, we were ready for the turumpo lesson.
Dang! I can't make the top spin! Oh, the nail bit is off-center. (Poor quality. What do you expect? The turumpo is cheap at 20 Pesos, about $0.50 each). I got the other turumpo and walla! it spins... beautifully
As my grandson watched, my son practiced on his turumpo. After 15 minutes, he was able to do it. Next, I taught him how to catch and retrieve a spinning top off the ground. Okay. Done. Now, color the turumpo with different colored crayons. Why? To make it look colorful while it spins. Nice!
I just wonder: What made my son's school offer Filipino games as PE? Does it mean that fewer and fewer Pinoy kids are aware of the know-of and the know-how of Pinoy games? What happerned? My generation were the queens and kings of street games. We played patintero, taguan, luksong-tinik, biola, estatwa, and piko after school. The games went on for hours. As we did not have watches nor mobile phones back then, we knew it was time for dinner if one of our mothers calls out: Ano ba?! Uwi na. Kakain na. (Hey! Come home. It's time to eat.)
I was not the top queen of our street games. The queen of queens was either Solit or Pepot. They are sisters and they were so good I used to wish that I was their sister too so that I may have their super genes in playing street games.
What kind of PE is that?
Oh, it's Filipino games.
Filipino games as in patintero,luksong-tinik,and the likes? (Filipino-childhood-street-games)
Yep!
What will you do with the turumpo?
Duh?! Of course I have to spin it.
But you don't know how.
Yep! Teach me.
Off we went to the palengke (public market) and bought 3 wooden tops, strings included. After getting three softdrink (soda pop) crown caps, then putting a hole in the middle of each crown with a 3"CW nail as the wedge, then threading the string through the cap, and finally doing the mandatory knots, we were ready for the turumpo lesson.
Dang! I can't make the top spin! Oh, the nail bit is off-center. (Poor quality. What do you expect? The turumpo is cheap at 20 Pesos, about $0.50 each). I got the other turumpo and walla! it spins... beautifully
As my grandson watched, my son practiced on his turumpo. After 15 minutes, he was able to do it. Next, I taught him how to catch and retrieve a spinning top off the ground. Okay. Done. Now, color the turumpo with different colored crayons. Why? To make it look colorful while it spins. Nice!
I just wonder: What made my son's school offer Filipino games as PE? Does it mean that fewer and fewer Pinoy kids are aware of the know-of and the know-how of Pinoy games? What happerned? My generation were the queens and kings of street games. We played patintero, taguan, luksong-tinik, biola, estatwa, and piko after school. The games went on for hours. As we did not have watches nor mobile phones back then, we knew it was time for dinner if one of our mothers calls out: Ano ba?! Uwi na. Kakain na. (Hey! Come home. It's time to eat.)
I was not the top queen of our street games. The queen of queens was either Solit or Pepot. They are sisters and they were so good I used to wish that I was their sister too so that I may have their super genes in playing street games.
My generation got their good share of excersise by playing physical games.
Nowadays, kids prefer to stay glued to their computers playing online games or mesmerized by their X-boxes, PS(3, is it?), Gameboy, etc. No physical activity at all!: unless they are enrolled in worthy-weekend-programs-like soccer-taekwondo-ballet-hiphopdance-basketball- and the likes. Some kids are missing a lot by not knowing and playing Pinoy games.
Great! I think I'll get 1.00 for my top spinning test.
You'll actually have a test for that?
Yep! Don't you know that this PE class is an in-demand class? The school offers about 5 classes of Filipino Games every semester and it's always filled to capacity.
You mean there are actually university-age kids interested in Pinoy street games?
Yep! It's a common sight to see students taking this subject to leave their class with torn shirts, torn knees and torn pride. Hahaha. They love the games!
Ummm... it's never too late to learn, I suppose.
Great! I think I'll get 1.00 for my top spinning test.
You'll actually have a test for that?
Yep! Don't you know that this PE class is an in-demand class? The school offers about 5 classes of Filipino Games every semester and it's always filled to capacity.
You mean there are actually university-age kids interested in Pinoy street games?
Yep! It's a common sight to see students taking this subject to leave their class with torn shirts, torn knees and torn pride. Hahaha. They love the games!
Ummm... it's never too late to learn, I suppose.
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