Quick Reflections

Most people don’t want to ‘blog’ because they don’t know what to talk about. I, on the other hand, can talk. About almost anything.

Really, I can talk. Any topic, any time. Face to face, by phone, thru chat. You don’t even have to buy me beer. I don’t charge for counseling and by the way, I am a licensed shrink. When I am hit by severe sore throat, no worries, I can also communicate thru the American Sign Language. I talk till most people drop, including my husband who requests that I shut up past 1 am. My mouth cant keep up with the speed of my brain. That’s why I talk fast. Bad, bad, bad.

While I am a talker, unfortunately, I am not a writer. I don’t know how I got selected for our high school paper. I had nightmares in Comm II Expressive Writing: I got a very red 4.0, a ‘D’ equivalent in the U.S. That grade got me on probation back in UP. I still avoid creative writing like the plague.

But hey, for the love of technology, let’s do the blog.

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind." ~ Dr. Seuss

Today, I got the 8^th invitation to be a Friendster friend of someone I don’t know. These are the people who upload cartoon characters as their picture. And for their profile, say that they are 17 years old with 0, 0 and 0 for hobbies, hometown and school. Thus, when asked “Add As Friend”, I slowly move the cursor and double-click ‘no’. Hell, no.

I am extremely good at remembering names, a skill that I have honed as a counselor. I also have a talent to (mentally) re-image a current picture to visualize a grade school classmate. I get excited when someone invites me to be their friend, or if I see a friend of a friend is also my long-lost friend. I add all Akeanon invites I could get, without hesitation, since I know most of them anyway. But getting an invitation from a 17-year old out of nowhere is freaky. Last time I checked, my profile says I’m 33, Married, from Kalibo. My picture is current, and the baby I’m holding is a toddler!

If you ask me, Friendster is the best thing that ever happened since the International Pen Pal System of the 80s (whew, those were the days, I got 8 penpals). I think I convinced at least 10 people to be on Friendster. And I keep inviting! I strongly, strongly believe in social networking and Friendster is a 21^st century medium. I extremely enjoy browsing all of my friend’s profiles. It is fascinating to see who they got married to, how they look now, pictures of their spouse and kids, their wedding pictures, info on where they are now, what they do, what’s up with them.

Going back to those weirdos who asked to be my friend, really I don’t mind being invited. If he/she indicated she’s from Aklan, automatically you’re a friend, of course. If he/she is from Iloilo, I have to read the name or look at the picture, usually either one does suffice. They’re friends, UPV is such a small community. If he/she is Ilonggo and I don’t recognize, I immediately summon my husband. Maybe they’re Celso’s friend or relative, then of course I click add.

If these weirdos wrote to me first, saying “I’m Juan. I got no friends. Can u be my friend?”, I will click ‘add’, and even ask my friends to help you become their friend.

Hey, I can sympathize. It sucks if you’re 17 and got no friend.

Today, I got the 8^th invitation to be a Friendster friend of someone I don’t know. These are the people who upload cartoon characters as their picture. And for their profile, say that they are 17 years old with 0, 0 and 0 for hobbies, hometown and school. Thus, when asked “Add As Friend”, I slowly move the cursor and double-click ‘no’. Hell, no.

I am extremely good at remembering names, a skill that I have honed as a counselor. I also have a talent to (mentally) re-image a current picture to visualize a grade school classmate. I get excited when someone invites me to be their friend, or if I see a friend of a friend is also my long-lost friend. I add all Akeanon invites I could get, without hesitation, since I know most of them anyway. But getting an invitation from a 17-year old out of nowhere is freaky. Last time I checked, my profile says I’m 33, Married, from Kalibo. My picture is current, and the baby I’m holding is a toddler!

If you ask me, Friendster is the best thing that ever happened since the International Pen Pal System of the 80s (whew, those were the days, I got 8 penpals). I think I convinced at least 10 people to be on Friendster. And I keep inviting! I strongly, strongly believe in social networking and Friendster is a 21^st century medium. I extremely enjoy browsing all of my friend’s profiles. It is fascinating to see who they got married to, how they look now, pictures of their spouse and kids, their wedding pictures, info on where they are now, what they do, what’s up with them.

Going back to those weirdos who asked to be my friend, really I don’t mind being invited. If he/she indicated she’s from Aklan, automatically you’re a friend, of course. If he/she is from Iloilo, I have to read the name or look at the picture, usually either one does suffice. They’re friends, UPV is such a small community. If he/she is Ilonggo and I don’t recognize, I immediately summon my husband. Maybe they’re Celso’s friend or relative, then of course I click add.

If these weirdos wrote to me first, saying “I’m Juan. I got no friends. Can u be my friend?”, I will click ‘add’, and even ask my friends to help you become their friend.

Hey, I can sympathize. It sucks if you’re 17 and got no friend.

He got the letter. My father, enjoying his post in Preventative Medicine at Fort Bragg, left for Baghdad last Wednesday. The weird thing is, he was excited with this deployment. Why?

I can only guess. Maybe because it has been a while since he did clinical, hand-on trauma patient care. Or, he wants to see the that part of the world. Maybe because he just got his 82nd Airborne badge, want to jump off a plane to "practice"?

But I know one thing for sure, and he told me this: "I want Kenneth to live in a free world". Freedom, after all, is not free.

My family has always been supportive of the men and women who give their lives for the country.  Five years ago, I remembered my Dad on the computer one night at 11pm, surfing the net. Suddenly, he started typing like a madman. I asked, what are you doing? He said, "I am writing to the editor in chief of the Philippine Inquirer. The media should support our troops in Mindanao." He wrote a five-page essay. Took him at least 3 hours (Dad was typing with 2 fingers at that time). I had no idea if that letter was published.

So now, here I am. At 2:15 in the morning. Cant sleep. Cant get my thoughts straight.

I dare hope my Dad and the rest of the U.S. troops keep their butt safe.

1. Iisa ang channel sa TV: Channel 8. Tapos yng cartoons, the ‘Superfriends’, 2x a week lang: Sabado alas-dyes (miss ko dahil me piano lessons ke Acaling), o Linggo alas-kwatro y media, pero cut-off ni Monico Grrrr. Dahil walang TV nun, natuto akong magbasa. Renta ng pocketbook kahit Mills and Boon eh 8 years old pa lang me. I still carry that ‘no TV attitude‘. Walang TV sa kwarto naming mag-asawa o sa kwarto ng mga bata. TO YOU ALL… Turn off the TV: read or exercise!

2. One event, catch all. For summer days in Kalibo, either you: a) go to Diangson’s ballet class, where the graceful and poised girls go, and it aint me, or b) enroll in Arch Bishop Memorial … something i forgot, mahaba. If you go by ‘b’, you can choose banduria or guitar; or go painting… real talent! Every Sunday, you go to church… one church lang naman so you see your friend with his entire family. Nakikilala mo ang parents ng classmate mo ha. Growing up, you go either to: Science High School, Aklan College High School or Seminary, that’s it. And this is a good thing. You actually know the people in your town! Bihira na ngayon yan ha.

3. I had a great time in Pilot. Teachers were mean but good! Ma’am Formaran’s flash card (psychology term: rapid autonomic naming), Maam Nabor’s star system (psychology term: positive reinforcement with contingency dahil me falling star), Ma’am Beluso’s requirement na important words sa ginupit na cartolina (psychology term: visual retention). Si Ma’am Maribojo naman, na-improve auditory processing mo, e kaharap mo ba naman violin. Hay the NAMCYA competition. The ‘plot’ and ‘utak’ for gardening. The flag ceremony and exercises, courtesy of Ma’am Luces’ drum. The numbered cups for Wednesday feeding.  Such old school teaching!

4. You walk around town. At least I did. When I was in Grade 2, I walked from Toting Reyes (we lived there at that time) to Pilot. 20 freakin minutes, clear skies. More time kung umuulan at baha^. Anyways, to save time, I used the ‘short cut’ para di na dadaan ng public market. But at that time, uso pa yung ‘gagawin kang vetsin ng instik’ rumor. Not to be outsmarted, I carried a stone, and just in case somebody kidnaps me, I can smash his head and run for dear life. Yung bato din ang pangtakot ko sa mga aso dun sa ‘short cut‘. I learned to take care of myself, even at age 7. Totally independent. That’s why I don’t understand why people didn’t believe I drove myself, all alone, from Georgia to California, in 5 days. Not scared at all!

5. Talk therapy. Charlotte, Lory, Dioselle among a few in elementary. Peter, Rommel, Ariel, Chrency, among a few in high school. Nothing happens on a Saturday afternoon or boring summers. And Kalibo is dead by 5:00pm. So, all you can do is talk. Hindi telepono ha, hindi cell mas lalong hindi text. We went to our friend’s house to visit. "Good morning, Maam Martinez, una si Che?" Such courtesy, impressed si moms kaya bili agad ng coke at skyflakes, minsan ga-tapas pa it saging ag i-eaga. Then my friends and I will go to our balcony, and since our house was near the main highway after the bridge, i.e., tabok-tulay, we watch people pass by while talking about life, till sundown. Sharing-sharing.

A humble past. Someday, I want Kenneth to experience Kalibo, too.

Clothes are expensive. Especially kids sizes! A Baby Gap shirt costs at least $12.00, pants is freakin $30.00 Aba mas mahal pa kesa sa maong ng asawa ko!  So last year, aware of our financial difficulties, a growing family, a new home, I brought (gasp) second hand clothes for Kenneth & Khayla. Wow, $1 disney shirt, barely worn! So-last-season Osh Kosh pants for $1.50! A Levis baby jacket for $2.00! One grocery bag of kids clothes for $14 including tax. I became a regular of Goodwill Thrift Store. In fact, you saw me every Tuesday… sinasama ko ang isang 50+ years old para maka-10% discount.

I didnt realize this madness until I rummaged Kenneth’s closet and realized, at his innocent 20 months, he only has 8 shorts, 1 pants, 10 decent shirts, 2 shoes (60% hand-me-downs, 30% gifts, 10% binili ko). I mean come on! I should have spoiled my little boy with $45.00 Stride Rite shoes. I am not that broke, right?

Today I am going shopping for the kids. But I’ll keep my senses intact. Not Pottery Barn Kids… just Old Navy - clearance section. Hahaha!