They are really a different kind of generation

Way back the time when you can move anywhere safe and sound. The time that you will not be afraid not to lock your doors at night before going to sleep. When you're free traveling from one place to another. But today it's to risky. Our society today is very different from yesterday. Our young generation is very different from our time. And take note on how kids discipline applied today! Yesteryear's kids were easy to handle. You just wink your eyes what you mean for them to do and they got it. But today most parents experienced a lot of hardship dealing with their children. May be it is the kind of generation they're in. Just like my kids, I used to make excuses of their behavior towards me not to get angry at them at all times. And I know that I'm not alone of this crusade, because this is a common topic of my friends, who also had kids like me whenever we have a gathering. And even my neighbors they were also complaining about this kind of problem. As I have observed there's no perfect theory regarding application of perfect parenting in today's generation because of the big influence our kids got from the their friends and the people outside our home. And the gadgets their using now for fun and leisure. But, as parents we had to assist ourselves, too. Do we attend to their needs? Are we around when they want to talk to us about their troubles? Do we give them advice when they need it? Did we give them the courage to be strong or telling them that we're very proud of them? I think it's a two way thing around to consider. And often it's always a case to case basis and because people are tends to be very judgmental. That's why there's a lot of young unwed mothers, drug users, rape victims, abused children and out of school youth. And at this point, they become to be not only our family problem, but also our society's problem. In my case I'm not a perfect mother and we are not a perfect family, either. But some situations in my life made me change my strategy in handling my kids. I prefer to give up some of my priorities even some source of income. I now stayed at home almost the whole day, even though I don't like the routine since I'm not used to it. I just go out of the house if it is necessary. A few years ago, I am always cramming doing the task that is not mine to do, just to please others. I was over loaded. I was out of my focus to my children. I was very busy and happy earning money. And this made my children felt that earning money is easy. They are very careless. So may be this is one thing that affected their feeling towards me. I gave them what they want; effortless on their part. My eldest child reached the age of twenty three, without forcing himself to find a good job. He was hooked of playing games at the Internet 'Cafe. My second child who always went home late at night after her night class, surprise me always of coming home earlier than I expected. The youngest that used to bang the door when she's angry, is not doing the same thing now. A small thing that I noticed being with them every day. Even my financial status is suffering; I felt the change of their attitude because I started changing myself towards them. This coming September 1st, my son will attend his two day training to start his job. He's now hired and he promised to give me some of his income. I hope that I'm at the right track dealing with them now. Some more patience on my part. But sometimes it's better to give a try than never. Especially when it's for the benefit of our children. And who knows, it's ours too as parents!

Workshop

The Singers of GMA ARTIST Workshop Batch IV with their coach, Sir Jeffrey Hidalgo on their wacky pose.Say cheese! My gifted daughter, Kathy and her friend Chie. Chie is one of my favorite on Kathy's circle of friends.
The coaches and some of the facilitators that makes the workshop possible and successful. Posing with them are the two talented kids of Coach Sherwin Ordonez. Thank you!

Coincidence and a Mother's Dream

Kath, keep on singing and enjoy your single lady days. Treasure every moment of it because you will never, never pass that way again as you go along......

I'm a music lover by nature. One of my ambitions is to be a singer, but it didn't happen to me that way. When I was pregnant of my second child as I lay down in bed before sleeping in the afternoon, it is my habit to turn on the battery operated transistor radio on my favorite music station and put it on my stomach. I can't recall my purpose but it was the habit that I keep doing until I give birth to my second child. She was a very shy girl when she was a little girl. Very seldom that I heard her talking. But when she reached the age of twelve, I was surprised to hear her sing "Anak ng Pasig" a song popularized by Miss Geneva Cruz. A cool and beautiful voice in a high pitch tone. By that time then I keep dreaming to enroll her to a singing workshop to enhance her talent. Even though the workshop is just a walking distance away from our house, I know at that time I still can't afford the cost in sending her in one of the workshops. Until the right time came that my dream to enroll her to a workshop came true. I had enrolled her to four workshops. One after the other. Just not to stop her from singing because she's not fond of practicing singing at home. The latest is the GMA ARTIST WORKSHOP of Channel 7. Before joining her latest workshop, she had joined different bands already. She also wins trophies and cash in singing contests that she had joined. She's our family singer. Her friends and classmates used to invite her to sing for their birthdays and other social gatherings.
I love music so much. I want my daughter to be a professional singer someday. Honestly, I was the one pushing her to sing when she was a little younger. But today I see the determination in her now. So I hope and pray that her booking in Japan will materialize.
Kathy with Pooh singing together at the comedy bar a year ago.

My youngest daughter, Korina on her best performance during her School singing workshop's recital. She sang " A HOUSE IS NOT A HOME. She's also into music.

Recycle

Different looks of recycled bottle.

Ready for painting.

A trial and error over a set of used bread spread bottles, beautify of limited colors that I bought from a well known bookstore in town. I'll keep trying it, 'til it's perfect.
An air balloon in my mind. It makes me aim higher.
Inspired me of the strength and endurance of the ethnic groups still living in the jungle.
The kind of a flower that makes me reminisced my elementary days. There's a yellow and orange variety of each kind. Together with my classmates, we used to plant this near the school's concrete fence. But sad to say, I still see this flower often around; but my classmates are seldom to be found. Wishing to see you guys! To be rich. To uplift my lifestyle to the next level, higher....

It's nice to see our waste at home in their beautiful looks. It's fulfilling! See more recycled thing in my next blog.

Our visitors in rainy days

Keep holding on to be safe!
The red millipede in it's crawling position.
I don't know what creature is this until my daughter told me that it's a millipede and it crawls anywhere, feeling free.
It stretched out to crawl faster. As if it senses danger.

And this is what they look like whenever there's danger around and touch by an enemy. Observant as I am, makes me notice that millipede are always around during rainy season and they hibernate in a cool places. I've seen two of each kind, black and red in our premises. But I can't see the purpose of them, being here.

Rags for sale!!!

My 21 year old sewing machine. It's still helping me save time making my recycled scrap fabric into a pieces of rags. Making rags has been my past time and my husband, too.
Rags in different colors.
Ready for trimming.
Rags ready for sale.

It's Sunday!

Seldom you see them all in the house on a Sunday. But today their bonded, viewing their favorite TV show while waiting for lunch.

Just like our beautiful Philippines

The Baguio's Botanical Garden in Baguio City.
The Picnic Groove in Tagaytay City
Taal Volcano in Batangas
A Glamorous Beaches of Puerto Gallera in Occidental Mindoro
Masskara Festival in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental

The Magellan Cross in Cebu City
Luneta Park in the City of Manila
Corregidor in the Province of Bataan
The Amazing Chocolate Hills in the Province of Bohol
The Unbelievable Attraction of the Cathedral Cave in Palawan
The Beautiful Beaches of Boracay in the Province of Antique
The Famous Banaue Rice Terraces in Mountain Province
The Well Known Bamboo Organ in Las Piñas City
Ati-atihan in Iloilo City

The Manila Memorial Park Cemetery


The pictures above are just some of so many tourist spots and traditions practiced here in the Philippines. We need to maintain their beauty and such practice of our native land,so we can pass it on from generation to generation with pride, to let them see how beautiful his or her country is. We need to take good care of these beautiful spots being a Filipino. May be as you read my blog you will be confused why did I include the Manila Memorial Park Cemetery? Just like those beautiful scenery in our country that we have to take good care of, I can't exactly use the words to appreciate how lovely and generous the hearts of two political icons lying in this cemetery. Yes, I am referring to the late Ninoy and Cory Aquino. The father and the mother of the Philippine Democracy.They really have a heart of a true Filipino; brave,loving and sympathetic. We have to take good care of the legacy they give and was left to us. Just like the beautiful Philippines, I pray that the freedom they died for the Filipino people will stay and be forever. Thanks to you Ninoy and Cory Aquino! Filipinos will really miss you.

It runs in the Blood.

My son, Michael applied for a job. He was very confident that he will pass all the requirements including his personal documents. He went through several interviews and physical examinations.The last day he went to the company to have his last physical examination,he went home frustrated because he failed the eyesight test. And there, he discovered that he is suffering of color blindness.
Actually, I wasn't surprise to know about the news. His case reminds me of my father who is also a colorblind, himself. So, to understand a bit more about the kind of his eye defect, I told my son to open the computer to make a research. And we came to know the following facts. That color blindness or color vision deficiency, as it is called, is the inability to distinguish colors or shades. It is a defect, in the retina or the nerves of the eyes. It's a non curable eye defect. Males are always the victim and their mother is always the carrier of the defective gene. Some types of color blindness is hereditary and some are not. In my son's case, I think that this is a hereditary type,since; my sister's son is also a color blind. So it is in my understanding that me and my younger sister are both carriers. After we finished researching, the next day I brought him to an ophthalmologist as advised by the company. The doctor gave him a certificate that says, he is physically fit to work but of the job that would not require color discrimination. And after that visit,we both confirmed that he is indeed a color blind. He went back again to the company to submit the certification and sorry to say, he was not hired because of his eye defect. So as not to discourage him, I explained to him that being color blind should not stop him of what he wants to be. Just be patient to apply for the jobs that doesn't required the use of colors so much. And I also told him that there's a lot more to thank for, on your life. Always count the blessings not the problems. And while I am typing this blog, Michael left this afternoon to get the schedule of his orientation for the new job he is applying for.

For Life

This is a story of my neighbor, both husband and wife. They really know how to invest their income. The husband, who is 72 years of age is a retired bank appraiser; the wife is 66 years old, is a retired dentist. I like the way they brought up their three kids. All of them are degree holders and graduates of decent school here in Metro Manila. The only girl and the oldest boy are now in the United States. The second child is now in Australia. I admire their thriftiness. They lived a simple life just to invest for the education of their children.
Besides giving good education to their siblings, it made me surprise to know that they still have a lot of investments. One thing more I know about this spouses is that they manage each others money. They have each others own investment. The husband owns hectares of land both rice and sugarcane fields. He also owns commercial and residential buildings. The wife owns a lot of accounts in different local banks.
As of now the wife is here in Manila, living alone in their old house; waiting until the old house will be sold so she can choose whether she will go to the United States to visit her daughter and grandchildren or go home to the province. At the same time the husband is now in the province, attending the rentals of his investments. But the thing I discover about the spouses is that they don’t have so much time spent for each other since their younger years until now. Because they both had their own concerns to do. But in spite of the fact they do care for each other.
May be you might ask, Why and how did I know these facts about the spouses, I happened to be one of their agents of their old house. And the wife being the landlady of my mother for five years, trustfully told me this story. After talking to the wife that time , I conclude that both of them know how to invest wisely for life.

Menopause

Menopause, the most uncomfortable period, I feel today. And my family never knows this. Do I need to explain to them how difficult is it? And why do I feel this way? Why am I experiencing a lot of discomforts because of this?
Hot flashes, head aches, a bloody menstruation, boredom, nervousness are such of so many disturbances I felt and I tried to overcome the feeling and I hope that I can surpass this without other side effects. Menopause at the age of 47, somehow familiar to me and I know that it’s a part of a woman’s life.
Why do I need to feel this way? Why do some of my friends, pass this feeling without experiencing the way I feel? Is it my resistance or the people that I go with that affected me so much of my menopausal? I admit, I’d been hospitalized twice of this and as always I was almost near death. Thank God I’m still alive! And I thank God that, I’ve seen some other woman who had experienced menopause when I was still a little girl. I even know a mother of my classmate during my elementary days that she really lost her mind because of her menopause. May be it happened to her because she don’t know the signs and there’s no one to talk to. I have to be strong. I need to control my feeling to overcome this stage. I hope someday, that everything I feel today will just be a very interesting story for my two daughters. But I pray that they will pass through this lighter than mine. I pray that this feeling will not last long. I want to visit my obstetrician, because I know she will help me a lot. But on the other side, I still need to learn how to cope myself to conquer this stage.

Parish of the Five Wounds of our Lord Jesus Christ

My friends, two dedicated workers of the church.
A huge Statue of Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary Immaculate at the main entrance of Parish Of The Five Wounds of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Streamer showing that our parochial church is now one of a pilgrimage churches.

The Confessional- it is a place where people go for confession. It's either face-to-face with the priest or through a grate.

The Holy Water Stoup it is the container of the Holy Water used by the faithful in making the sign of the cross upon entering the church.

Temporary sight of the statues and the candle stands, where believers use to light candles for the soul of their deceased and may be some of their unanswered prayers.

This Crucifix is very special to me. He really did, miracles! And it is the symbol of the passion of Our Lord.

The Inner most part of our church. Take note the crucifix hanged at the center at the front of the altar.

The new priest of our church, Father Sajan Parackal posing with my daughter, Korina.

The security guard of the church at the entrance upstairs.

The unfinished stairs going to the second floor.Proof that our church is still under construction.

Church worker. Painting a cabinet.

My daughter Korina, having a pose at our favorite site in the church.This is the place where I run to when I am badly depressed and I fell that no one cares. When I get mad of the people around me because they don't understand my feelings and my being me. When I feel that my bills are banging and I can't hardly paid it all, on their due dates. When I made a terrible fight with somebody. When I fell guilty of what I did is wrong, because I don't listen to others advice to me. When something wrong with my health, that I sometimes disregarded just to attend to my family and to others. When I need to pray the future of my family and my kids. When I know, that I hurt someone because of the unpleasant words I uttered to them. When I feel, I am tired of my life....
This is the place that push me to go on. To understand all the situations, I'm getting into. I don't stop praying. This is my bullet for my daily lives. It strengthen me when I'm wake and it made me strong to continue because GOD never failed to answer prayers. He knows what's in our heart.

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