Boracay

I sit here, crouching over the laptop on top of the bed slaving over a report that is due a few hours from now. The clock in the lower, right-hand corner of my screen reads 1:27 AM. My back aches and is screaming for me to take a rest and just lie down for a minute just to allow my spine to realign once again. Thoughts and words crowd over my head as I try to accomplish the report as briefly but at the same time, “exacting” as best as I could. And yet, dreams of Boracay – its white, powdery sand bathe in its unforgettable golden sunsets – creep into my mind, teasing me into nostalgic train of thought.

Ah, who would have thought that I’d eventually fall inlove with Boracay? I’ve seen her twice before but was never smitten. To me, she’s far too overcrowded, far too commercialized to merit being included in my “best-loved-vacation-spot” list. But in my recent visit, she managed to creep right into that list and into my heart. Boracay just grew on me and here I am thinking -- amidst scattered papers and reports -- of the time I’d be through with all of these so I would just find myself in her midst again.

Nope, I don’t fancy another island touring, I’ve done that twice and I guess I’ve seen enough. What I really look forward to doing is just spending lazy walks at white beach, covering the wide expanse from station 1 to station 3 and then back. I don’t care about the shops or the night life. I’ve never been much of a party person. What I truly long for was just to spend a lazy afternoon at the beach, lost in thought with probably a pen in hand as I get lost in my own thoughts and introspection. It would really be lovely to spend an entire week there, doing nothing but sit back and relax with no thoughts whatsoever other than enjoying the time at hand. A week! That would be heavenly. I can’t wait to have the chance to do just that. Soon!

Actually Boracay came to mind in the first place since I've been wanting to blog about our recent visit there. But with all the reports that I needed to do, it simply is just impossible... But ah...soon :)

Afternoon Delight

One thing I’m enjoying about being on leave these past weeks is the time I spent with Baby in the afternoons. As is usually the case, I had to do a lot of “encouragement” before he agrees to take an afternoon nap. More often than not he would tell me in his trilingual tongue, “Play lang ako, Nanay. Dili ako sleep,” with matching flick of the eyelash and the pouting of lips. This would put me in a dilemma. Why? Because, I remember not so long ago how I also used to “despise” my Mom or whoever would “command” my cousins and I to take a nap in the afternoon.

I remember feeling rebellious at that time, thinking how I’d rather just play than sleep. In hindsight, I think it’s really a way for the kids to dispense with all that energy. Playing meant some kind of outlet. The funny thing is, I also remember telling myself then that when I would be grown up, and it’s my turn to become a parent, I would not force my kids to take an afternoon nap. Instead, I will allow them to play all afternoon because I know how it feels. Wahehehe I was that “forward looking” even then.

So one afternoon, I found Bee and Baby locked in an argument about taking a nap. I could see that Bee wants to take a nap himself and would want to feel secure about Baby by making sure he’s asleep as well. Isn’t this the real reason really? Hehe. And so I asked him if he had the same experience as I did -- despising naps in the afternoons and vowing not to subject my would-be kids to the same treatment. He looked sheepish for a while, smiled and changed his approach. Without changing a beat, he immediately told Baby that he could play all he want! Hehehe. Of course I admonished Bee for it. Baby would only be confused by the sudden change but I also appreciated the fact that Bee got the value of what I was telling him. What I appreciated more, however, was his readiness and willingness to “change tapes” at a drop of a hat.

Bee and I are serious about not making the same mistakes that our parents did. Of course we’re not saying that our parents are bad. Now that we’re parents ourselves, we recognize how hard it is to become one and be responsible for everything that concerns our child. We know that parents have unconditional love for their children and that at any given time was really only being the best that they could be. At the same time, we recognize that there are certain patterns – not exactly good – that are passed on from generation to generation that we would not want our child to inherent. Thus the “changing of tapes.”

Bee and I are really dead serious about changing our tapes. We would want to “break” the patterns and provide Baby with a relatively “clean” slate. We are not perfect. Bee and I recognize that he and I are also the product of years and years of conditioning – by our parents and by our own experiences while growing up. And so, we try our best to do two things: first, to always better ourselves in order to be able to give baby a good example and second, to constantly be in search of ways with which we could raise baby in a good way.


Hmm… but that’s not what I intended to write about in the first place. What I want to share really is this funny incident I had with baby very recently. As I said, urging him to take afternoon naps is really such a challenge. I had to be really creative about it, resorting to ways that would eventually induce him to sleep without my having to force him to.

Usually, I would insist he would have to take his “dede” first and play afterwards if he wants. The good thing is, there is a direct correlation between the decrease of the level of milk in Baby’s feeding bottle to that of the degree of the opening of his eyes hehehe. If that does not work, I would read to him or engage him in an “I-Ask-You-Answer” exercise. Well, my years of experience in training sure do come in handy on time like this : )

Anyway, here’s a transcript of one of those “afternoon sessions:”

Me: Baby, what do you call a baby seal?
Baby: Pup!
Me: What do you call a baby panda?
Baby: Cub!
Me: What do you call a baby pig?
Baby: piglet!
Me: What do you call a baby dog?
Baby: (It’s been a while since I last asked him this and he probably forgot already) Ah…dog, Nanay?
Me: Yes, dog. What do you call a baby dog?
Baby: Ah… puppy! Puppy!
Me: Very good! Puppy! How about the baby cat?
Baby: Cat? Meow, Nanay?
Me: No, that’s the sound a cat makes, Baby. I meant the name of the baby cat. What do you call a baby cat?
Baby: Call Nanay?
Me: Yes, call.
Baby: (putting a fist on his right ear) Hello! Hello! Nanay?

Waaaahhhhh! Hehehe

Here’s another:

Me: What do you call a baby elephant?
Baby: Haaachooo! (pretending to sneeze)
Me: What?
Baby: Calf, Nanay! (He meant cough!)

Waaaah! Matalinong bata hehehe. Able to make associations of words already. Calf (cough) indeed! Hehehe

Another one:

Me: What do you call a baby gorilla?
Baby: Di ko ‘lam, Nanay.
Me: It’s infant, Baby. Infant.
Baby: Infant Jesus, Nanay?


Hahahahaha!!!! Afternoon delight indeed!

Thank you, Father God for every moment of it and for giving me such a smart Baby. May you constantly sustain Loreto and I as we fumble and grope our way to being the best parents for our son. We make humungous mistakes every now and then, being a work in progress ourselves. For that I am constantly ashamed of and am sorry. Please help us train up Rod Lauren in the way that he should go. Amen.

Pasalubong

Bee just came in from an overnight activity in Samal and we were both surprised when Baby -- after squealing in delight and running straight to his Tatay's arms the instant he saw him, squirmed free and headed straight to his Tatay's backpack. He then turned to his Tatay and said, "Pasalubong Tatay?" Haha! Bee turned to him and said his presence is the pasalubong. Bee turned to me however and said he'd make a quick visit to a nearby store but I admonished him. While it is nice to have some pasalubongs for Baby when we've been away, I would rather have it that Baby is pleased to see us because he missed us and not because he's looking forward to the treat we're giving him.

Baby certainly is growing up so fast. He never fails to amaze us everyday with his new learning and antics. Last Thursday night (August 14) he insisted to put on his socks himself. We were getting ready for bed then. Bee was handing Baby and I socks for the night. He turned towards Baby, intending to put it on him. Baby however insisted about doing it himself. And so I praised him and told his Tatay, "Look, Tay, mark this date -- August 14 -- this is the day that Baby put on socks for himself for the first time!" Baby then said, "Picture please Tatay." Haha! So he now have associated his "first's" with taking pictures of the event! hehehe Smart Baby :)

1984

It’s been a long time since I had a time to really sit down and finish reading an entire book. Lately, all I’ve ever managed doing is start a self-help book and then abandon it. There’s just too much to do and too little time to do it with. Oh, on second thought, I still do have the time for reading. And sometimes I would even finish as much as three books a night. And they’re mostly by Dr. Seuss. =D

Reading for my own pleasure doesn’t come that often these days though. More often than not, my free time are usually spent on the internet. As it is, I sometimes feel I do not have enough time for blogging. So definitely, reading takes second priority these days.

Every time we would be staying at our Empress home I would look longingly at my bookshelf there. It houses my complete collection. Well, whatever is left of it. Some really good ones like some of Ayn Rand’s and Coelho’s and some Anne Rice’s must have remained stuck in somebody else’s book shelf. I even miss my copy of the Celestine Prophecy and it’s sequel. That and some of those that would have completed my Tolkien and Harry Potter series.

It never really was my intention but over the years I’ve managed to get hold of books that have sequels and prequels or that which could comprise a complete series. Until now I have an old copy of Love Story and it’s sequel – “Oliver Story.” I think I love the idea of “continuity” that these books imply. And one of my prized possessions really is the Bourne Series I have. I even have them in hardbound. I started reading them in high school but only managed to get copies of them when I was in college. Well, I had a bigger allowance at that time. :) That collection nearly cost me an arm and a leg. I think I missed a few meals just to be able to afford to buy them at that time.

Ah, all these talks about books are reminding me about all the other books I’ve lost over the years… My favorite classic – “Crime and Punishment.” Then there’s my bibliography of Hitler’s latter part of his life… But I don’t hold any grudges really. While I value my books more than I value anything else I own, I don’t have that much attachment where they are concerned however. They’re just things after all.

Anyway, I’ve had had in my possession a copy of Orwell’s 1984 since college. I’ve read its reviews. Every now and then I’d read a feature story or an article making a reference to it so I kind of have an idea what the book was all about. But as for really picking it up and devouring its pages, I never really had the time to do that in the past. Not until today. And finally, after more than ten years, I was finally able to read it from cover to cover in just one day.

I find it ironic since in my current state I was strictly advised about taking on any reading. And 1984 is not just “any reading.” It’s highly intellectual reading. I think it is safe to say it is not “for-just- anyone” type of reading. From page 1 I know it’s going to be “heavy” reading from then on. For a moment, the word “relapse” came to my head but try as I might, I know I could not just turn away from the book. I had to finish it. It was that interesting to me. It was that appealing.

It was indeed interesting. It reminded me so much of “Crime and Punishment” but its plot is much, much more complex and thought-provoking. 1984 is pretty much like Ayn Rand’s “Anthem” but only much more voluminous and therefore much more detailed and complicated in plot. Nonetheless, I loved it.

I loved its concept of “double speak.” I loved how the book touched on the complexity of the human brain. Of how it could be influenced to think contrary to what it really feels. I loved its concept of “obliterating the past” in order to control the future.

The book was written in the 60’s and is about a perceived society 20 years down the line. It was written with everything that has been going on at that time as its background – the Super Power Countries phenomenon, the rise of Communism, etc. And I’m thinking, amidst what background are we writing our books of today? What is the stream of consciousness that propels every writer’s mind nowadays?

1984 was a popular book in its time, so was Ayn Rand’s and many others. What are today’s popular books? What kind of books makes it to today’s “Best Seller’s List?” And what is the stream of consciousness that drove it to be on that list? What are today’s readers’ needs? To me, books are what feed the mind and the soul and so I make my choices accordingly. I just wonder what books are to today’s generation of internet-driven and internet-obsessed blokes?

Baby's First Levi's

Baby donned on his first Levi’s today. Funny but I certainly got emotional over it. Hehehe. Since he was just a few month’s old, Baby had already been wearing denim pants. To digress a little, it’s really amazing how babies’ clothes have changed over time. There are simply a lot of things available in the market today. One can even find miniskirts for newborn baby girls these days. Amazing.

Anyway, Baby had his first Guess jeans when he was two years old. It was a gift from Candy. But Levi’s is something different I guess. It represents a lot of things to me. For one, I grew up knowing it was Papa’s preferred brand of pants. In college, there was a time when it had also become a fashion statement. And I got into this stage wherein I wouldn’t wear any other pants but Levi’s. I remember owning up to 6 pairs at one time. And it did not come easy because even then a pair was already pretty much expensive. Good thing there are times when Mama would be pretty generous and would buy me a pair.

Seeing Baby donning on his first pair evoked in me mixed emotions. It’s as if it drove home to me the point that pretty soon Baby would be all grown up he’d have his own say where his clothes is concerned. Next year he’ll be entering play school and maybe before I knew it he’ll be entering college. By then it’ll be his turn to “urge” his Nanay to buy him a pair of Levi’s. :)

Roxas City Trip

For the longest time I’ve been wanting to take Mama on a trip somewhere. It’s high time that she starts enjoying the fine things in life. She’s always been hardworking, always bent on providing for and serving the people in her lives. It’s high time that someone starts thinking about giving her what is due her. Oh, I’ve always been mindful of her and all the sacrifices she did and is still doing for the family. But I never really had the chance to treat her big time. For one thing, I did not have the resources before. And when there were instances that I did have the resources, she would always decline the offer, saying it would just be a waste of money.

So this time, not to give her the time to refuse, I booked her plane ticket in advance. So I just broke it to her gently that she had to take a leave from work for two days as her ticket is non-refundable. I had booked her ticket two months in advance so she would have the time to have the whole idea sink in and well, to prepare for the trip.

For two months, there were times I would sense her excitement for the trip. But there were also times when she would express her misgivings for the whole thing, for the expense and for the time it would take her away from work. She bemoaned the fact that she would be away from her work and how the money that I would spend for her and Janin be used for a more worthwhile project. When she would get into this mood, I would immediately turn away lest we would again get into one of our arguments. In the end she lightened up especially when it was settled that Mama Fely will be joining us as well. It was one of her worries – who would be left with Mama Fely when we were away. I worried about that as well. Good thing Ate made arrangements for her to join us.

Choosing the Place. Baguio and Ilocos was one of the trip options. Actually I had a hard time deciding where to take her. But since Bolo and I had recently been to Baguio, I had certain misgivings about going there again. Ilocos is another thing though. The last time I’ve been there was some four or five years ago. So I was kind of toying with the idea. I could no longer remember how it came to be that I finally decided on Boracay. I think it had something to do with the available flights and the promo.

Boracay. I’ve never been fond of the place before. I’ve been there twice and I used to think being there once is enough. I’m fond of Panay as a whole though. I love visiting Iloilo and all its churches (especially those I have not been to yet). And I’m particularly fond of Kalibo or to be more apt, New Washington because of Sampaguita Gardens. And I had yet to visit Antique, Guimarras and Roxas City.

I’ve always been wanting to visit Roxas City. The last time I had a chance to visit Panay, I’ve been able to go to Miag-ao (one of my must-see places) despite the tight schedule I had. At that time, we were actually staying at Sampaguita Gardens for several days. Since we were real close to Boracay already, we decided to go there. But I would have rather visited Roxas City since I’ve never been there yet. Aside from the fact that I’ve always wanted to visit Pan-ay Church and its historic Bell (Biggest in Asia and third in the world). So when we finally decided on Boracay at this time, I fully intended to go Roxas City.

It was a little difficult deciding on the itinerary given the limited time we had. We only had 5 full days and I had intended we cover Roxas, Miag-ao, some other churches in Iloilo, New Washington and well, Boracay. Guimarras and nearby Bacolod sounded appealing and I know I would have squeezed them in if I only had enough time.

The trip. Landing in Iloilo on our first day, we immediately made a segue to the terminal for the bus that would take us to Roxas City. We passed by a portion of Jaro District on our way there and we saw the devastation left by Typhoon Frank. Yes, our trip was scheduled right around that time. Fortunately for us, our schedule was not on the week when the typhoon hit but around two weeks after its onslaught. Frank left such a big damage though so there were talks that Panay and Boracay would not recover in a month. Imagine that! Everything was plastered in the news and what was shown was not exactly a pretty picture. The olds were starting to voice out their concerns and so did our close friends who knew of the trip. But the owner of the resort we booked in Boracay was reassuring and so we went ahead with the trip.

It took some time before the bus left for Roxas and the ride was not exactly smooth. We arrived at Roxas at around 1 pm and we were actually starving having no decent breakfast but some packed cheese sandwiches. So we immediately hailed a cab. In Roxas, translate that to – tricycle. We headed straight to Gaisano Metro and into Mang Inasal. Ah, Mang Inasal is another story altogether. I intend to devote a separate entry just for it.

Anyway, since we intended to go around Roxas very quickly, given the limited time we had, we decided to hire the tricycle we hailed for the entire afternoon. So we practically went around Roxas city in our “tri-wheeled limousine” :)

Pan-ay Church was our objective in Roxas but since we were already close to the “Roxas Mansion” – Sen. Mar Roxas’ residence – we decided to visit is as well and take a few pictures. After which, we went straight to Pan-ay Church.

The church was located at some distance from the city proper. It took a while before we got there. I was happy to find out that the church was open. The olds and I immediately knelt down to pray. The kids however have different ideas. They were running about and shouting, much to my consternation.

I almost moaned out loud when I found out the belfry was locked. I was there for the Bell and it would certainly be a shame to miss it this time. Who knows when I’d have the time and the resources to visit again. I urged Bee to inquire at the cumvento whether we could have the belfry opened. We both did but we were informed that the caretaker left and would not be returning for some time. My heart sank but still I did not lose hope. And true enough, soon after the caretaker arrived and we were allowed entry.

The climb. It was quite a climb to the top. I got pleased and at the same time fearful when Mama displayed her enthusiasm to go up the belfry. Pleased because I was really happy for her. It also made me realize she is really hungry for such adventures and I’m glad to have been given the opportunity to give that to her. Fearful because not only was the climb long, the stairs were real steep as well. Even I had a hard time maneuvering the stairs (especially in going down!) And of course there was her hypertension to consider.

On the way up, I kept reminding her to take her time and not to rush to the top. I assured her we had all day to conquer the bell and that she should not worry about her slow ascent. Of course we did not have all day but I can’t have her sick just because I was very much a stickler for time.

And then before I knew it, we were all on the top of the belfry. The bell was huge alright and the 360 angle view of Roxas was heavenly as well. I just got a bit concerned with Baby. The place wasn’t exactly “fall-proof” and it was quite a drop from there to the ground – a no-no place for a toddler who has boundless energy. So we made sure we always had a hand on him.

On our way down, I urged Bolo to make a donation. I urged him to make a bigger donation when I saw him take a bill of low denomination. I pointed out to him that we do not know when we will be able to come and visit the church again. That could very well be the only chance we get to make a donation.

We took a few more pictures of the church when we got down. Afterwards we headed back to downtown so we could catch our ride for Caticlan. Next stop – Boracay!

Some trivia: There are several bells at the belfry aside from the big bell. If I’m not mistaken, there were 9 bells in all. The caretaker told us that during special occasions such as weddings, all 9 bells will be rang and that the sound would be heard far and wide. Hmm… talk about declaring to the world that you’ve finally tied the knot : )