My Life in These Islands: A Creative Outlet

Hey Dude

2006-08-15T01:03:00.000+08:00

I’m sure he got it from his Dad because I never was that curly.

My son’s hair has been bothering me for some time. It seems like his hair gets to be an inch high after just a week from his visit to the barbershop. I don’t really want to heavily weigh down his hair with gel every time he goes to school but yes, I’ve tried this trick too.

It was a good thing then that while I was flipping through the TV channels one night, and chanced upon some ‘dudes’ as my daughter would call them, wearing what she called beanies, that I had a spark of an idea. What if I let my son wear a bonnet (wasn’t that what we called them before? Okay, Pia says ‘No’.), err, beanie for several minutes to flatten his hair??? Well, there was only one way to find out.

And by golly, it worked!

Nowadays, my son sports a much trimmed-down-looking hairstyle even after almost 3 weeks after his haircut. Naturally, when I visited my favorite hairdresser, I told her about my interesting discovery. She told me then that she made her now 25-year old son wear beanies ever since he was 5 precisely because she had the same dilemma.

My advice to those in need of help for even the seemingly mundane things…go ask a professional…right away.

Of course Gabby is not the only curly one in the house. I have two dudes…1:alpha by Meredith Fenwick; background paper and small “g” tag by Kim Christensen; circle paper, newspaper printed paper, masking tape and arrow by Michelle Underwood; black snap frame, yellow floss thread and date brush by Katie Pertiet

2:file frame by Mary Ann Wise

A serious wish for a happy birthday...

2006-04-03T22:43:00.000+08:00

To my dear friend of so many million seconds, or so it seems,
...dear companion in growing-up and soul-searching years,
....dear girlfriend of unquestionable wisdom and counsel,
.....dear partner-in-crime in retail therapy,
......dearest ‘commenter’ of my oftentimes, neglected blog…

Happy, happy birthday!
…And many, many more dancing years to come!

:all papers and elements from various ali folendore kits at scrapbook-bytes.com, except clock hands which I made from clipart.

What's in a uniform?

2006-04-01T00:49:00.000+08:00

The first time, she tried it on, I cried. It wasn’t the best-fitting uniform, but it will be her high-school uniform.

I remembered how it was in movies when a character would get a flashback, bits and pieces of remembered moments culminating in the present. That is what I had. I was suddenly reminded of how she used to like fancy multi-tierred pencil boxes, Bensia multi-colored pencils, sweet-smelling erasers in various shapes and sizes, colorfully-covered locked diaries with heart-shaped keys, Disney princesses’ backpacks, her sweet precious hand-written notes for her Dad and I with artwork that commemorated every special moment in our lives….. My Pia has grown since then.

Last Saturday, March 25, my daughter graduated from grade school. And as an eloquent symbol of the educational leap, she and her batchmates wore their school’s high school uniform.

I don’t think I will ever look at my uniform-clad daughter in quite the same way again. For me, it wasn't just a change in uniform.

:background paper from a crop by iron orchid designs at SBB; additional papers and frame from the Boho funk page pak at cottagearts.net

Rainy Days

2006-02-13T00:36:00.000+08:00

It’s been drizzling a lot lately, the days almost always marred by overcast skies. We may not have winter here, but the rainy days, as The Carpenters sang, can get me down.

Since I surmised that the Net must have the answer to rainy-day blues, I searched. Actually, I did think of looking for the answer in ‘The Godfather’. However, I highly doubt if even Tom Hanks’ character in ‘You’ve Got Mail’ will find the answer to what I seek from the Mafia movie.

There were many sites which gave varied opinions on how to beat the blues, and it was quite entertaining to read them. One site which I felt offered sound advice (only because I already do this when I get the dreaded blues), stated among other things, that I should “Sit by the window look out and gaze”. And I did. It was quite soothing, especially when Gabby joined me and asked questions like, why the sky was orange, and how the rain can come out of the clouds, and other stuff that I’m sure I knew at one time in my life, but have unfortunately forgotten now…

Well, the article also said that I should “connect with sunny people” and “look at the cheery color orange”. So I guess being with Gabby, on a rainy afternoon, looking at the orange sky, should cheer me up. And it did. It still does.

:paper by Jen Wilson of scrapbook-bytes.com; stitched x by Kristie of shabbyprincess.com; Photoshop brushes, mine

Simple Joys

2006-01-04T17:27:00.000+08:00

As I was gathering the pictures to create a photo montage of the Holidays just passed, I recalled the laughter brought about by the simple joys that we had this past year, and which we, more often that not, take for granted. I read this Prayer by Robert Louis Stevenson which to my mind, sums up what we hope and should always be thankful for.

“Lord, behold our family here assembled. We thank Thee for this place in which we dwell; for the love that unites us; for the peace accorded us this day; for the hope with which we expect the morrow; for the health, the work, the food, and the bright skies that make our lives delightful; for our friends in all parts of the earth, and our friendly helpers ... Give us courage, gaiety, and the quiet mind. Spare to us our friends, soften to us our enemies. Bless us, if it may be, in all our innocent endeavors. If it may not be, give us the strength to encounter that which is to come, that we be brave in peril, constant in tribulation, temperate in wrath, and in all changes of fortune and down to the gates of death, loyal and loving to one another.”

Here is my layout for the Holidays 2005.

:paper from the Downtime paper pack by Trish Jones at scrapbook-bytes.com; "Joy" overlay from "A Child is Born" kit by Denise Docherty at scrapbook-elements.com; family Christmas stamp from the Eclectic Christmas kit by Ronnie McCray of scrapbook-elements.com; date stamp and wavy lines by Katie Pertiet of designerdigitals.com; LO inspired by an ad challenge at designerdigitals.com

Is it Christmas yet?

2005-12-19T19:07:00.000+08:00

Is it Christmas day, Mom? Gabby has been asking me this question first thing in the morning when he wakes up. And when I answer, "not yet", he pouts.

The concept of gift-receiving caught on early with Gabby this year—ever since we started watching Christmas-themed movies and he rediscovered the rewards that a nice, good boy can get come Christmas eve. “Naughty’ has become a bad word in the house and cannot be said in polite company as he immediately perceives it as referring to him and bawls. At 4, he can still be such a baby sometimes…

Now that gifts are starting to pile up under the Christmas tree, he’s been eyeing the ones with his name on it. It’s amazing how he suddenly (and timely!) sharpened his reading skills just so he’d know to whom the gifts are meant for.

In just a few more days, he’d get an affirmative answer from us. So for this entry, I’ve made a layout of my son’s pouting face, with the hope that the red-capped jolly one does not always put all those who pout in the “naughty” list.

:paper and border frame by Anna Aspnes from the Visual Emotion cd at scrapbook-bytes.com; wordart and date stamp mine; holly is colored clipart

A Friend's Visit

2005-12-06T10:50:00.000+08:00

My best friend of 35 years took a 2½-week-vacation with her family here in the Philippines. Although I just saw her 3 girls about 2 years ago, I was taken aback by how her girls have grown and how they have come to look so much like their Mom so many moons ago when we were still in grade school.

As in most vacations, their schedule was hectic, their breathing spells brought only by much-needed sleep. It is no wonder then that my friend and I rarely had to time to talk when she or I visit, since our every day is tasked with things to do precisely to make most of the “vacation”. The electronic age has brought her much closer to home, and it is ironic that we get to chat more often when she’s far rather than near.

Our eldest daughters born just a year apart, have inherited our youthful quest for thrill and water rides, such that they seek each other out when we vacation together in Orlando. They are our bravehearts, taking on any roller coaster speed and height with relish.

It naturally follows then that Cheska, who is also my goddaughter, requested that she spend her 12th birthday with Pia at Enchanted Kingdom when they visited. For this entry, I’ve included some pictures we’ve taken of the precious and few moments we spent with Teng and her family.

:papers by Jen Wilson of scrapbook-bytes; flower elements and brads by Ali Folendore of scrapbook-bytes
:papers by Dawn Stocstill of scrapbook-bytes; scraplifted from an L/O by Kellie Mize of designer digitals

A Meeting of Old Friends

2005-11-16T22:56:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, I accompanied my Mom to attend a reunion with some of her high school classmates. A few of them drove all the way from Albay, and stayed at the same hotel in Makati to spend more time together. My Mom was not able to attend their 50th high school reunion in 2003, so she really looked forward to seeing her former classmates and put faces to the ladies she has been in touch with only by telephone.

Since I grew up in a household of mostly Bicolanos, I can fairly understand their dialect although my Tagalog roots would show the moment I attempt to speak Bicolano. I was pleasantly surprised therefore when I could actually eavesdrop…make that “hear” and understand what my Mom and her classmates talked about. Like any other reunion, they recounted shared memories, hugged, laughed, and in a span of 5 hours, tried their best to catch up on each others’ lives.

Perhaps what struck me most was that, unlike my own 25th high school reunion which was also held this year, they spoke of body aches, illnesses, fear of being alone, and loneliness… But more importantly, I also saw compassion, triumphs and invisible bonds that only common, and shared joyful memories can foster.

I am glad to have met the gracious ladies and gentlemen of the Albay High School Batch 53. And so when they planned their next reunion in April next year in Legazpi City, Albay, I too thought that maybe, just maybe, my family can also take our next vacation in my Mom’s hometown.

:paper (recolored) by Anna Aspnes from the Autumnal kit at scrapbook-elements.com; photo corners from the Fireside kit by Kim Christensen of scrapbook-bytes.com

Life in a Small Town

2005-11-03T10:50:00.000+08:00

Pililla is a quaint little town in Rizal wedged between the more known Tanay and Bugarin, the last town of Rizal bordering Laguna. It is the town where my father grew up.

Every All Saints’ Day, the whole family composed of my parents, my family and my sister’s family, drive to Pililla and spend a few days of rest and recreation. We now stay at the site where, as a young boy, my father would pick up wild growing sampaguita flowers and sell them.

He still regales his grandchildren with tales of his growing-up years, of how he would pick up firewood or climb sampaloc trees to be used for their dinner. Time has a way of remembering hard years with fondness.

Of course, nothing fascinates his grandchildren more than hearing their Lolo narrate the yarn of how one can become invincible by swallowing the precious stone that the “puso ng saging” drops at the precise hour of midnight, and only after battling the dark and evil elemental spirits.

Aside from revisiting old haunts, going fishing, and a good, but exhausting trek in the “woods”, we would spend time marveling at the greens and the trees which have become far and fewer in the city. It is definitely one of the best times to expand the children’s knowledge of the names of flowers, fruits and recognize various plant leaves.

For me, Pililla is a respite from the city life, a haven of rest where one marvels at the beauty of God’s creation at the break of dawn and at the setting of the sun. And most importantly, a time well-spent in the company of loved ones and at least for a few days, with nary a care in the world.

Here is my pictorial remembrance of this particular trip:

: background paper from the Grateful kit at scrapartist.com; block paper by Sara Carling of thedigichick.com
:background paper by Sara Carling of thedigichick.com; "the good life" quote by Nancie Rowe Janitz of scrapartist.com; fonts used: CK Maternal and Arial

While We Wait

2005-10-20T23:05:00.000+08:00

One of the things I asked from God for my birthday last week was to let my son pass his kindergarten admissions exams. For unlike his older sister, Pia, who willingly sat with me through pre-exam cramming sessions, Gabby would quickly extricate himself from my grasp after stating flippantly that he already knows what I am going to teach him. Very smug for someone who is just starting to read 3-letter words. I was especially worried that since he will take the test at 1:00 in the afternoon which was his usual nap time, he might not be able to answer well or just hurry through the whole test so that he can get out of it soonest.

But while we waited for his turn to take the test, I had a feeling that Gabby will prove me wrong. He made us proud by going in to the testing room confidently and after the test, went out with a wave at the lady-teacher. In his own playful way, he must have done his best.

And indeed, he passed the tests. So for this entry, I’ve included a 2-page layout to remember that fateful day when Gabby helped make one of my birthday wishes come true.

:ecstatic extension frame by Jacqui Wilsher from a crop at scrapbook-bytes.com; brushes, papers and transfers from the Youth kit by Denise Docherty of scrapbook-elements.com

:"go" arrow brush by Emma Wilsher from the Visual Emotion cd collection at scrapbook-byes.com: other brushes and papers from the Youth kit by Denise Docherty of scrapbook-elements.com

The Last of Kin

2005-10-14T02:25:00.000+08:00

On the 26th of February this year, my batchmates and I, Batch ‘80 of St. Theresa’s College, Manila, celebrated our 25th highschool reunion. After more than 2 months of weekly song and dance practices, and the final week of nightly jazz exercises, we celebrated the big event at the Makati Shangrila.

We all looked forward to this reunion. Many classmates who now reside in the U.S. braved the rising airfares, not to mention the grueling 16 to 24-hour flight home to Manila for a mere one-week stay. Truly, they graced us with their presence.

Countless stories were told, and we laughed at the silliest of remembrances that only giggly grade school girls will find funny. For that was what we were to each other. Yes, most are successful career women, possibly known in their own fields – but to us, they remain classmates, just a girl who slept in class or whose hieroglyphic writing begged decoding.

It is poignant to remember that after our batch, no Theresian will ever walk the hallowed hallways of our school. We are the last batch to graduate before the Carmelite nuns decided to close STC Manila permanently. I write this now because on Saturday, Oct. 15, I will be given the opportunity to go to where I spent half of my girlhood, the former STCM grounds. And before nostalgia hits me like a ton of bricks all over again, I would like to recall through pictures, the happy times I spent with my batchmates one fine day in February in a small town in Batangas.

:paper by Rebecca diGrazio of scrapbook-bytes.com; stitches by Gina Cabrera of digital design essentials; paper flower and brads by Trish Jones of scrapbook-bytes.com; lace corners by Rina Kroes of scrapbook-bytes.com

:papers, tab, and brads by Rebecca diGrazio of scrapbook-bytes.com

RPGs

2005-10-05T18:03:00.000+08:00

Most of us would like to believe that there is someone strong and brave enough to release us from the invisible ropes of bondage whether in the form of poverty, oppression, or plain old bad guys. Perhaps this is why people, young and old alike, enjoy computer RPGs while children (and even adults?) imagine themselves as rich, royal, or superheroes.

As a parent, I was not exempted from the demands by Gabby for superhero videos and costumes. I have done 2 layouts to immortalize these instances to show how ‘a kiss and a hug’ can actually lead to ‘let’s go and buy’.

1. Ever since he saw the preview to the sequel of Zorro, he has renewed his acquaintance with this horse-riding, whip-lashing hero. Since he already has a Zorro costume and consequently, a layout last year, I hope that this entry will remind him that he no longer needs a new costume especially now that his old one no longer fits him.

2. Before Gabby leaves for pre-school everyday, he would go over his masks and choose which one he will wear for play with his friends while in the playground. I often wondered why he wanted to stay an extra 15 to 30 minutes after school until I came to know that he and his classmates would take turns playing Batman, Spiderman or whichever superhero would strike their fancy. Being my only son, he doesn’t compete with anyone for his toys so I was pleasantly surprised when I learned that he was voluntarily lending his masks to his classmates. Considering that his superhero masks and costumes are precious to him, his gracious acquiescence to his classmates’ overtures for his masks makes me proud of the unselfish little guy he’s turning out to be.

I am sure that like my nephews before him, Gabby will soon outgrow his liking for super hero costumes and role-playing. But before that, and lest I forget, I would like to remember one of the questions he almost always asks himself before leaving for school, “Who will I be today?”

:paper and transfers by Denise Docherty of Scrapbook-Elements

20/20

2005-09-27T23:00:00.000+08:00

We take it for granted that we age with every second of every day. Sometimes though, it manifests itself in ways we cannot ignore. The following is an account of one such encounter.

For several weeks now, I’ve been experiencing headaches and finding it increasingly difficult to read. Having been myopic since 7, I thought that I needed a higher grade for my contact lenses. So after a few more days of denial, I jumped to acceptance and decided to have my eyes checked. After I was assured that my contact lenses were fine, the good doctor made me try the big chunky glasses for near vision screening. And Whoa! I could see those letters without having to stretch my arms. Then, she said, “you have to wear reading glasses…it is part of the natural aging process. How old are you?” Ouch!

Yes, it finally dawned on me. Age is taking its toll. I couldn’t fully understand before why some of my high school and law school classmates had to take out their small square glasses when confronted with some form of reading material. Now I know, and I join them in the group action of having to grope for the dreaded reading glasses. What is my sole comfort in all these thoughts of ‘advancing maturity’? With my eyeglasses, I again have a vision of modified 20/20.

:border strip at the bottom from the Summer Dew crop kit of Scrapartist

Question Me An Answer

2005-09-23T08:35:00.000+08:00

Since Gabby’s budding inquisitiveness from the time he spoke, I have been looking for the books that I used to read just so I can answer all of my daughter’s questions when she was Gabby’s age. Of course, Edwin says I don’t really need those now with the advent of wikipedia. But there’s something about the feel of the written word that makes books handy companions when being questioned incessantly by a 4-year old.

And so I’ve done a couple of layouts which show how we answered just 2 of the questions Gabby asked us.

1. Why does the fish open and close its mouth? Since I’m not overly fond of fishes and know very little about them, it was a good thing that Edwin was there to answer Gab’s question.

:paper from the Visual Emotion Collection cd At Scrapbook-bytes; recolored wordart by AnnaAspnes of fotoscrapix

2. Where does the sun go when it sets? He asked me this question while we were looking out our window one dusk in October last year. Naturally, I evaded the question by telling him that we’ll just show him. What better place in the world can we go to show Gabby where the sun sets than our very own Manila Bay? As we strolled on the cemented walk at Luneta, I myself was awed by nature’s own rendition of the changing hues of reds and yellows that swathed the sky that late afternoon. I was thankful too for my son’s query for I had forgotten just how breath-taking our sunsets can be in this little piece of paradise we call home.

:papers by Denise Docherty from scrapbook-elements.com; wordart from scrapbook-bytes

At 13

2005-09-08T03:56:00.000+08:00

Here we are on my daughter’s 13th birthday. Time flew swiftly for although my eyes see the young lady that she has become, my heart remembers cradling a small baby girl who just opened her big round eyes for the first time.

I find it difficult to write down my feelings for my daughter on this birthday. Perhaps because I always thought that this age puts a marker on one’s life…a marker which stands for change in attitude, plans, and dreams. And so, I decided to make a simple card to greet her and let her know that we will always be here for her, at any age.

:papers by Mindy Terasawa of Thedigichick; frame charm from SMDesigns; flower element made from a flower brush at SMDesigns; sheer numbers and letters by Lyndsay Riches of Scrapbook-bytes

My Nephews

2005-08-29T23:29:00.000+08:00

My son has taken to drawing and coloring lately that he’s been spending most of his time sitting quietly just scribbling on various papers on his table. In one of his attempts to draw a man on a horse, one of my nephews, Pepe, drew it for him. I marveled at the way Pepe drew people and I learned later that this was how the anime characters looked like. I asked Pepe to show me some of his work and came to know that he’s been drawing and keeping a file of his artwork too. Somehow all the drawing and painting classes that he took when he was younger paid off.

I then asked my other nephew, Joaquin, what he likes doing now. He readily answered aikido, soccer and wanting to play in the Alaska Cup. Not really a tall dream for a boy of 6 who has seemingly boundless energy. I cannot even take a picture with him staying still for more than five seconds.

Although we live in a compound with my sister’s family and I have seen my nephews grow, it seems that like my children, these boys have grown in the blink of an eye. For this entry I would like to feature my 2 nephews and their present interests. Here you go, Joaquin and Pepe.

:"you make life fun" element by Jen Wilson of Scrapbook-bytes

:papers by Jen Wilson of Scrapbook-bytes; red wavy element by Carrie Stephens of Fishscraps

In My Father's Arms

2005-08-17T09:01:00.000+08:00

Edwin and I watched "The Great Raid", a film based on the actual story of the successful rescue of more than 500 American POWs from a Japanese prison camp in Cabanatuan. Set in 1945, I was reminded how Filipinos lived during the war -- of how they were in constant fear of the Japanese soldiers who seemed to give no value to human life. Even now, my father who was then in his pre-teens, would recall the inhumane treatment the Filipinos suffered daily from the Japanese.

He often wondered how he and his sisters survived the war with little or no sustenance, severely impoverished as they were then. God, in His infinite love and generosity, allowed my father to live despite all the hardships he suffered during and after the war.

As we gathered for Dad’s 72nd birthday, I thank God that my parents are with us, and their grandchildren continue to enjoy the special kind of love only doting grandparents can give. For this entry, I have chosen to post a layout of a tender moment I captured on my father's birthday.

:papers by Denise Docherty

Just for a Week

2005-08-16T01:16:00.000+08:00

:Kraft paper by Katie Pertiet @ Designer Digitals

Paper mats by Dianne Rigdon @ SBB

silver paper clip by the digichick

When I was in grade school and high school, I remember dreading the quarterly exam week because it would mean being cooped up in the study room from one weekend to the next for intensive review of all class subjects. But one thing I looked forward to during the exam week (which my daughter apparently shares), was the half-day classes. This would mean lunch at home, a short nap perhaps, and a wee bit of phone chatting with some classmates, before taking on the daunting task of actually studying.

When my daughter stepped into grade 5, my husband and I gave her free reign on her studies. By then, we believed she had developed good study habits. Although she still asks occasional help on certain subjects, she has pretty much done well on her own, and still does us proud with her grades.

This last week saw her go through quarterly exams. No matter what the results are, and though we always hope for the best, we know that it is the heart and the discipline that she pours into her education which matter most in the end.

Have a Happy Birthday

2005-08-05T22:09:00.000+08:00

It’s funny how birthdays bring out the best in us. I notice that “birthday celebrants” are generally happy and won’t let anything ruin their day. So what is so special about birthdays?

Well, history says that the tradition of celebrating birthdays started in Europe. At that time, evil spirits were said to be attracted to people on their birthdays. To ward them off, friends and family gather round and bear good wishes and thoughts to the birthday celebrant. Later, gifts were brought to make for a merrier occasion.

It was also said that at that time, only kings were worthy of celebrating their birthdays. This is probably why we have birthday crowns or hats worn during these parties. Eventually, even ordinary people including children who enjoyed them the most, celebrated their birthdays. Thus, the advent of birthday parties.

My son celebrated his 4th birthday last month, and like any other child his age, he looked forward to it even a month before. I chose to include in this entry not the usual birthday layout, but my memory of his joyful anticipation for this event. Here’s to you, son.

A Continuing Saga

2005-08-05T07:23:00.000+08:00

:digital transfers by Denise Docherty; misprinted type brushes; wordart mine

I have heard almost unbelievable stories of women who can give birth in a matter of hours, even minutes, from start of labor. I envy these ladies, for I was not blessed with this gift. I was one of of those who had to stay in the labor room for 18 hours and experience the pains of pre-childbirth, before I can lay eyes on to my mind, two of the most magnificent of God's creatures...my two children.

And so our adventure began: sleepless nights, visits to the pediatrician, baptism, first smile, change in formula, first tooth, strollers, first step, birthday parties, out-of-town trips, pre-school, countless good-byes before leaving for pre-school, and the list still goes on as I write this.

We all have our own lists, our own unique joys, our own adventures that unfold each day. We all keep them and ponder them in our hearts. But stories were made to be written and told. One day perhaps, in the not-so-distant future, I too will tell stories to faces who I hope will look like mine, about a baby girl and a baby boy who hold my heart in their hands.

Origins

2005-08-04T02:28:00.000+08:00

:digital papers and lace ribbon by Doris Castle

My life in these islands began in an obscure apartment building in Sta. Cruz, Manila. I grew up in what may be literally called an urban jungle. While I lived in the residential part of the building, the offices were just a few paces away and I remember being unable to indulge in the usual childhood play outside our apartment until after 5 pm. As with anything forbidden, these offices were curious places for me, and just nagged on me to explore them. One of these offices was a photography studio.

If I had enjoyed taking and looking at photographs then as I do now, I would have hang out in that studio more often. I don't remember much about that small photo studio except that it was run by a guy named "Taba", well, because he was healthy in a big way. I do remember though that my mother brought me to that place to document my birthdays and other special ocassions. Did these early photo sessions awaken my creative spirit? Nobody will know for sure...but I am so glad my Mother took the time to have my photos taken. Thank you, Mom. I will always cherish them.

"There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in."
-- Graham Greene