My green eyed wife

I met her about less than seven years ago. What caught my attention is her smile and simple tastes. She has a jolly predisposition and there is an aura of childishness in her. That's why she never looks her age.

As soft-spoken and as simple as she is, she carries within herself a jealous bull. Even more fierce than the Incredible Hulk!

Maybe it's our age gap? Or probably my ethnicity -- Ilonggos are inherently sweet, loving, and caring. Or is it my presumed "good looks" that makes her think that I am a lady's man? Or maybe my way with girls (huh!? do I even have one?).

One time I had my hair cut too close we refer to it as semi-kalbo (semi bald). I told her that that cut seem to attract attention from girls. I said that they either think I look good or I look hideous. Our son told us that the almost-bald-cut releases my animalistic side that girls seem to like. He added a roar with matching clawing gesture. I never got to have that haircut again.

She get's conscious when I receive messages from female friends or co-workers late in the evening. She even reprimands by usual sweet "hellow" when I pick up the phone. She didn't even like my "halu."

Once she told me that if she can have me miniaturized, she'll keep me in her pocket. I felt like living in a traditional society where men, instead of women, are hidden from the public once they are attached! Now I know how it is like for the women in that kind society. I have nothing against it, of course (the traditions, I mean). Here is a photo shoot we had showing just that!



We discuss these issues and have settled some concerns. There may be more. Some even got out of hand. And I do not want a repeat of any of those.

The Crow

Early Tuesday morning at the Baguio Teachers' Camp while doing some "breathing exercises" in the balcony of the cottage we are using, I heard bird noises. The bird noises did not bother me at all.

After a while, I came to realize that the bird noises sounded familiar. As familiar as the common bird sounds in my favorite animes: Naruto Shippuuden and Bleach. The sound of crows.

I found the crows in some trees on the slope below the balcony. There were about seven of them.

When I was about to get a picture of the crows perched on the trees, they seem to have sensed my phone camera that they all flew away.



The next thought that came to mind is the movie "The Crow" where presence of crows signal a nearing death. The movie suggests that crows come to accompany souls to their destinations.

Could it be a bad omen? Hmmm... I just don't know.

Girls love basketball?

This afternoon, we visited the Sisters of Mary Girlstown in Silang, Cavite where my boss was guest to the mass birthday celebration for "Fr. Al's children."

One thing my colleagues noticed was the presence of numerous basketball courts in an all girls school.





There are about 16 courts in all. Eight are on the open area and another eight in the covered gym (where the photo was taken from).

The school is managed by the order of the Sisters of Mary. The girls who study here are in their high school and they stay within the large compound.

Funding come from donations all over the globe. There are several branches of the school around the country one of which is in Sta. Mesa, Manila and another in Cebu.

The event that day is a celebration funded by the alumni for their schoolmates. Many of those who finished in this school are successful professionals here and abroad. Most, if not all (I am not sure), of the faculty are graduates of the Sisters of Mary System.

The 19th batch of the Silang campus graduated in December last year. That's right, their classes end in December

I met one of our former UPROTC Ranger Company cadets there. He is an alumnus of the all male branch a few kilometers away. He is now based in Laguna

It's a two way street

You walk along the curb wide enough for two people. You meet chance upon two people going the opposite direction. Do they give way or do they assume you will step aside?

Only a handful will be courteous enough to walk behind his/her companion so you will not bump into each other.

Most of them will squeeze in with their companions and give you half of "your share of the path."

Some will totally ignore you hoping you will step aside. And if you do bump into them, a few others will get upset as if they own the streets.

If you are someone popular, these "most, some and few" will gladly step aside with a smile hoping to be recognised and earn the bragging rights of meeting somebody important.

This is the reality in my country. Almost everybody only care about those who they can benefit from.

They care for those who are famous. They care for those who can contribute to their recognition. They care for those who can give them back something bigger than their own.

So what do I do? I bump on to those inconsiderate (beep!). Pain is such a good teacher. More pain leads to a clearer perception on things.

Paalam Tita Cory

It's been a long journey for a symbol of democracy, service, and unselfishness.

Paalam Tita Cory.

May you rest in peace.

Tight security at Makati malls

Just this morning I went with my family to hear mass at the Greenbelt chapel. On entering Greenbelt 3, our bags and waists were checked by security guards. Maybe not my wife's waist because there was only one male guard at the entrance.

After that, we went to eat at the National Sports Grill. After lunch, we parted ways - me doing some office work at Seattle's Best Cafe in Glorietta and my wife and son window shopping for a new ballcap and belt at Landmark. I caught up with them at Landmark a couple of hours later.

Before entering Landmark, I was checked by a male guard running his handheld metal detector over my bag and feeling the small of my back. One could actually conceal a weapon tucked in the pants waist covered by a back held close to your belly.

After buying a pail and a belt, we went looking for light colored trousers for my Monday uniform. Having found none in Landmark, we crossed the enclosed bridge to Glorietta then to SM Makati. We were checked before entering Glorietta and then again at the doors of SM Makati by different sets of guard.

All in all, from entering Greenbelt 3 to crossing to Landmark to transferring to SM Makati, we were checked frice (as one funny email went when referring to a fourth instance)!

I can understand the transition from Greenbelt to Landmark since the overhead walkway traversing Greenbelt and Landmark is also used by people coming from the heart of Makati.

But the transfer from Landmark to Glorietta to SM Makati via elevated enclosed bridges is much different. There is no way I can see someone using that bridge without being checked at the ground floor entances. So why the multiple inspections?

One reason might be that they want to visually assure each shopper or passerby that they are safe.

Or the managers of one mall do not trust the security arrangements of the other that they want to make sure that people from adjoining malls are not carrying any deadly weapon.

Whichever of the two reasons they may have is beyond my knowledge. What do you think?

Remembering Tita Cory

I was born at the height of the Martial Law in the Philippines. During the snap elections held in the early 80's, I was rooting for the then President Ferdinand Marcos. Being young that I was, I always took the side of the incumbent. I never knew about the martial law atrocities then. My consciousness revolved within my town and school.

During the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution, I stayed at home not know what is happening around the country. I did not even notice that there already was a change in leadership.

My television viewing was limited to cartoons, the occasional television series showing women in bikinis, and good old Filipino movies. I got to read about Tita Cory's presidency in my grandfather's (God, rest his soul) monthly supply of Free Press.

I got to know more about Marcos in one edition of Playboy I stole from a hidden bookshelf.

Tita Cory's term faced many coup attempts mostly led by a former ally, the aide of then Minister of Defense Juan Ponce Enrile, Col. Gringo Honasan. I even saw a picture of Noynoy brandishing a submachine gun while escorting his mother. Kris was far from my recognition that time until she came out in one of the Hong Kong action films I watched when I was in high school.

In one occasion, I heard about rumors that during one coup d'etat, President Aquino hid underneath her bed. This was denied by the President. She even showed her presidential bed to the media. She raised the bed sheet showing the solid block of wood underneath as opposed to the usual construct of beds raised from the floor by four legs.

I think I heard or read her say "how can I get under the bed?"

After her term ended, Tita Cory quietly turned over the position to her successor Fidel V. Ramos.

In my memory, she remained unattached from the government until Erap was elected president and controversies about the new head of state came out.

In all those years, Tita Cory remained as a beacon for democracy among Filipinos.

Yellow has remained a color associated with the people's will.

With her joining our Maker, she will be able to watch over here beloved countrymen beside God.

Our condolences to her family and our prayers that she receive everlasting peace.

She did her part.

We still have to do ours.

For dreams stronger than death.