I downloaded Leap Frog movies to give to my student who needs help in reading. I also tutor him privately. Arolf wanted to watch them coz two of the movies were new and Papa has not given them those yet.

While he was watching it, Anton watched with him.

When they were done, Anton went down and said (pronouncing the letter sounds):

C – R – AP! (k – er – ap)
C – R- AP! (k – er – ap)
CRAP!

salbahe talaga. at mas salbahe ako kasi hindi ko magawang magalit. tawa ako ng tawa. bad!

=========================================================

Aileen was helping him with his project… eh they were going to construct a bridge… so Aileen wanted to buy popsicle sticks for it. I said tomorrow na lang.

Kanina…

Anton: Ma! Yung popstickle sticks ah!

hehe.

Woke up today at 4 AM coz I am having difficulty breathing… I’ve been sick since Friday. It became worse when I went to school (PNU) on Saturday. I was really going to attend my Philo class coz I have a report to submit and present.

When I got there, the rain wasn’t really that hard, but 15 minutes into my report, all hell broke loose. PNU was submerged in an inch of water already. Our professor wasn’t aware of the situation, and my classmates and I were chicken to tell him so.

When class was over, I decided to act fast and start to walk home so I won’t get stranded. When I saw the scene outside, I was shocked. There was water everywhere. I didn’t hesitate, I waded through the knee-deep murky waters. All the time I was thinking and praying that I don’t get sicker and get diseases that are far worse than cough and colds. Being a transplant patient, I can’t get sick, coz it might cause a rejection.

When big trucks drove by, waves just hit us and there was this one time that I hit the wall coz of the strong wave. I was worried about manholes, so I just follow the people before me.

I walked from PNU to SM Manila, I bought a muffin from French Baker, ate it while walking towards the exit, and then I saw that the water outside SM was deeper. People began riding pedicabs, so I took one. Bad move! It made no difference coz the water was so deep. I also got my clothes wet, unlike when I was walking with my umbrella, only my pants got wet. And I had to pay 40 bucks for the short ride.

Anyway, when I got to the LRT, I was relieved to see that it was not full. When I alighted and saw Libertad, I was dumbfounded. I have never seen our place like this. The water was not that deep like in Manila, but it was flowing! It was going to the Baclaran side. I walked home, and was sickened of the things I saw floating on the water. I hate to say this but PNU area flood water, I just saw bottles and leaves. Here in Libertad…. grabe! Major clean-up, Mayor Peewee!

Our street, which have never experienced flood, is ankle deep in water. As soon as I got inside the house, I took off my clothes and bathe. Of course, cough and colds got worse, but as of now, I don’t feel anything that will indicate a far worse disease. Thank Heavens for that.

It’s good that we don’t have classes until tomorrow, coz I have a lot of things to do and I haven’t had the energy to do it since the flood. I made an attempt to do it (computing grades) but cough and colds (and the lack of electricity) won, and I jumped back on my bed to rest.

Today, I will be cleaning the house of all the things that we don’t need so we can donate them to the flood victims. I have finished with shoes and slippers, and I think I’ve gathered about 20 pairs in all. As soon as my Mom and the kids wake up, we will gather clothes and stuff.

I am also going to text my donations to the Red Cross today as soon as I get myself off this chair. Here are helpful information on how to help:

Things you may want to donate:

1) Bottled Water
2) Instant Noodles (preferably in bowl packaging like Nissin or Lucky Me)
3) Canned Goods w/ pull tab cover (no can opener available in relief centers)
4) Bread or Biscuits
5) Coffee or Juice
6) Multivitamins (preferably Vitamin C)
7) Medicines (Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Loperamide, Betadine)
Blankets
9) Old but wearable clothes
10) Slippers/ Flip flops
11) Alcohol
12) Some organizations will accept cash donations.
13) Anti-mosquito Lotion

For babies/toddlers:
14) Diapers
15) Milk/ Infant Formula

For USA Residents:
1) Help in the typhoon relief effort by calling ABS-CBN Foundation USA toll-free 1-800-527-2820

2) American Red Cross call 1-800-435-7669

For those near ABS-CBN:
Help pack relief goods at Sagip Kapamilya at #13 Examiner St. They are also looking for people willing to go to provinces and distribute the goods.

For those near The Philippine Daily Inquirer Office or a McDonald’s Branch:
Go to: 1098 Chino Roces Ave. cor. Mascardo and Yague Streets, Makati City or to any of its classified ads branches and to any Mcdonald’s Branch within Metro Manila
Hotline: 8978808 loc.260 and look for Megi Garcia

For the Cebuanos who want to help:
Please click on the link>> Living For A Cause

For those near a La Salle School:
(OPLAN: Sagip Metro) DLSZ (Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa) and LSGH (Greenhills) are now accepting relief goods and looking for volunteers from 8am to 6pm. DLSU- Manila (Taft Avenue) will accept relief goods as early as 8:00 A.M. at South Gate

For those near Ateneo De Manila:
Go To: Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights , Quezon City
Manuel V. Pangilinan Building Center for Student Leadership Lobby
University Dorm Cervini Hall

Hotlines: 09089977166, 09178952792, 4266001 local 5050

Operations: 24-hours operations for the entire week.

For those near a Petron Station or 2Go Branches:
Visit any Petron or 2GO Branches to drop off your donations.

Other Ways You Can Help:
1) Visit a branch of the Philippine National Red Cross and volunteer. You can also send donations using your mobile phone: text RED <space> AMOUNT and send to 2899 (GLOBE/TM) and 4483 (SMART/ TNT). Globe is accepting P300 txt donation.

2) Visit Citizens Disaster Response Center (CDRC)
Go To: 72-A Times St., West Triangle Homes , QC
Hotlines: 9299820, 9299822
Operations: 8 a.m. onwards.

3)Radio Veritas
Go To: Veritas Tower , West Ave. cor EDSA
Look For: Karla Turingan
Hotlines: 9257931 to 39, 0918VERITAS
Operations: 24-hours, tentatively until Tuesday.

4) Victory Fellowship- Fort Bonifacio
Go to: Victory Fellowship, Every Nation Building , across from Market-Market, Fort Bonifacio
Look for: Pastor Bernard Marquez
Hotlines: 813-FORT, 8171212
Operations: Tentatively until 5pm may may extend hours. Entire week until Friday.
Website: www.twitter.com/VictoryFort

5) Tulong Bayan
Go to: Balay Expo Center, EDSA (northbound) cor. Gen McArthur, Araneta Center (right across Samson College) or visit WhiteSpace 2314 Pasong Tamo Ext. beside Faith Christian School
Hotline: 09175273906/ 09086579998/ 9137122/ 9136254/ 9133306
Operations: Come as early as 8:00 a.m.
Open to volunteers/ cash and goods donation

6) World Vision Philippines
Go to: Quezon Avenue (near Delta Theatre)
Open to volunteers/ cash and goods donation

7) Corporate Network for Disaster Response
How to: Donate cash through BPI Ayala-Paseo Branch with account number 0031 0654 02

Luzon Relief
Go to: Renaissance Fitness Center, 2F, Bramante Bldg., Renaissance Towers, Ortigas, Meralco Ave., Pasig City
Hotline: 0929-8713488
Operations: 9am to 7pm Daily
Open to volunteers/goods donation

9) Brainbeam Events
Go to: 2F MB Aguirre Cornerhouse Bldg 15, President Ave. cor Elizalde St. BF Pque. Across old Caltex
Goods donation

Let’s hope and pray that this crisis will soon be over and that we Filipinos get over this. Let’s not dwell on irrational and heartless people (posters and account hackers, alike) who can make a joke out of people’s sufferings and instead, focus all our rage in helping our countrymen.

Let’s say a prayer for strength, unity, and blessings above.

Let’s thank all Filipinos and Foreigners who helped us in this time of need. Kudos to Kris Aquino coz I really admired her yesterday because her being outspoken have gathered more than 20M in relief as I watched the marathon. To foreign artists on my Twitter account, I saw them making pledges and asking for more help for us…. Demi Moore and husband Ashton was among the first to do so.

To end this post, I would like to share what our Italian priest said during yesterday’s Mass… when asked how to translate “Come to my house” in Filipino…. we Filipinos always say “Punta ka sa AMIN.” showing our brotherhood and bayanihan spirit.

United we stand.

Sibling Rivalry, according to the net, is some sort of a competition or animosity between brothers and/or sisters.

Having three children, I have witnessed different kinds of SR within my kids. With Tony, it always streams from jealousy, especially with Dale. My kids fight, they talk back, they say nasty things. Slight physical attacks are also involved.

Being a working mother, it’s very difficult to handle SR. I have tried different kinds of discipline, and most of them only works for a short while.

One thing that I am sure of is, they only show their “true colors” at home and within familial presence. If you talk to their teachers, they say that my kids are very behaved in school. Anea and Tony both got Best in Conduct awards from their old school.

Even if they fight, I am sure that they love each other. It shows when one is down or have encountered difficulties especially in school. They try to encourage one another, especially when it involves Dale.

Tony is a menace to Dale, but if Dale is not at home, he misses him and asks for him. That goes the same for Dale.

Anyway, here is one example of how my children “hate” one another:

While we were going out of the house to go to Pasay Mall (to eat at Mang Inasal–a treat), we peeked in at Tito Erick’s abode and saw Mika (Erika’s dog) and she began barking at us.


I said “Bakit ganyan si Mika, nagbago na… dati naman hindi ganyan yan.”

Tony: Oo nga. Sa kin din ganyan yan eh.

Anea: Sa kin hindi. Mabait yan sa kin.

Tony (matter-of-factly): Evil dog–Evil Sister…. makes perfect sense.


and the four of us laughed all the way to the mall.

It has been known that Dale has been afraid of a handful of things. The rain was the first which surfaced. Until now, when it rains, I always think if Dale is doing okay in school. I have been worried for almost seven years now. I cannot help worrying over him, especially when I am not with him.

That is, until today.

When we were about to watch the Dolphin show at Ocean Adventure (Subic), one of the coordinators approached us and asked if we were willing to let Dale be a volunteer for the Dolphin Encounter portion. Of course, I have to ask Dale first. He thought for a moment and said yes. I told the coordinator that we’ll give it a try.

I was worried about the ramp where he is going to walk on because it’s just some sort of a float. But he walked slowly but bravely, and told us he can do it. I caught him on video practicing the moves he would have to make. Still, I cannot help worrying. You can hear me saying his name on video, worried that he might go over the fence, spinning like he was. I went back to my seat, because I’m not allowed to be with him, and then waited, wishing that everything will be fine.

Then, as if God was making fun of me…. it rained.

I ran back to the holding deck and told the coordinator that Dale was scared of the rain, so if she can please let me in, and that if she can find someone else.

And then I thought, maybe this is not God making fun of me, but God pushing Dale to go further showing him that there is nothing to be afraid of.

I then told her to talk to Dale first if he’s willing to get wet in the rain. She came back with a smile and said that Dale thought for a moment and said yes.

With more than a hundred people about to watch my son… they started watching me as I prayed. I said, please do not make it harder for him than it already is…. watching the other side of the sky… seeing the rain falling harder there… about to come to us still…

He came on the ramp without a care.

He went almost on the edge possibly without fear.

He touched the dolphin with careful hands.

He snapped his hand back when they said he could touch the dolphin’s tongue.

He made them dance. He made them dive.

All of these he did without me by his side.

At that moment, it felt like God was laughing in the heavens and telling me… “See? There really was nothing to be afraid of.”

Because at that moment, I realized, I was the one who was scared.

Dale was there to make me brave, because he already is.

Laugh trip! Babaw ko talaga….

========================================================

Inday is Inday, what can we done!

It was jazz an ordinary day.

The skies were clear, the birds were chipping. Ang ganda-ganda ng araw!

Nasa SM ako noon at katatapos ko lang mamili ng groceries. Timing naman
nasa foodcore si Angel Locsin, nagpro-provoke ng movie nya. Grabe, andaming
fans, pull-packed talaga! Dahil fans nya rin ako, nakipila rin ako.

Then suddenly, out of the loo, may bumulong sa akin ng:
“Indaaaayyyy. ……”

Huh? It sounded like a familiar sound. Who can it be now?

“Dodong!” sigaw ko.

Napalakas yata voice ko. Kasi the other fans turned their backs to their
behind at napatingin sa amin. Sabi ko “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be loud and proud.”
Hinawakan na lang ni Dodong ang kamay ko at lumayo kami from the crowd.

“Kamusta na Inday? Do you come here open? tanong nya.

“Bihira lang, Dodong. I’m just droppings by. Ethnic and schedule ko eh” sabi ko.

Memories came flushing in my mind. How can I forget to remember Dodong?
Siya na may mata ni Piolo, dimple ni Aga, at bigote ni Rex Cortez. he’s every
woman’s dreamboat. I was just starting my tour of duty kay ate noon nang unang
makilala ko si Dodong. Contraction worker siya sa ginagawang bahay sa tapat
namin. Naging kami for a while then after that were not an item anymore.

“Tanghali na Inday. What did you say we have lunch together?” tanong ni
Dodong. “I don’t mine” sagot ko.

Sa restaurant, nilapitan kaagad kami ng waiter. “What’s your odor sir?”
sabi nung waiter kay Dodong.

“Do you have porkshop?” tanong ni Dodong.

“Yes sir” sabi nito. “Our porkshop with a resistance to the teeth of
boast of our chef. Domestic careful selection of pork with little fat of female
liking is used. The exquisite cooking which repeated trial and error and was
completed. it also has healthy vegetables with salad feeling fully”
dagdag niya.

“And you mam?” sabay tingin naman sa akin.

Hmmm… mukhang masarap yung porkshop. Pero I’m cutting down on my
carbon kaya pinigilan ko.

“I’ll just have water, thanks. Liquidate diet ako eh.” sagot ko.

Pagkatapos kumain, nagyaya si Dodong manood ng sine. Teka teka, this is
going too far. Besides, it’s a long, long way to run.

“Reality chess, Dodong. May asawa na ako, si Jay. As a mother of fact,
I’m happily married” pagmamalaki ko.

“Di na pwede yung tulad ng dati. Sorry pero I didn’t expect you still
have more feelings than I expected. i don’t want you getting the way.

Past is fast. Therefore, cause and defect.” dagdag ko pa.

Tumahimik sya. Parang may language barrel na namagitan sa amin. The seconds
that passed seemed like fraternity. Di nagla-on, nagsalita na rin sya.
“I don’t care less!” sigaw ni Dodong.

Shocks, give me a brake! The nerd ng taong ito para sigawan ako!
To think it’s his oth er woman that caused our separation to part.

Kinabahan na ako. I felt speedbumps all over my body and was having
panic attach. Tinalikuran ko siya at nagmadali akong lumakad palayo.

Pero sumunod pa rin siya like a monkey on my butt.. Hanggang sa makakita
ako ng security guard. Biglang nawala si Dodong.

“Excuse me kuya, pwedeng magtanong?” sabi ko sa mamang guard.

“Of course miss, I can help you with my pleasure.” sagot niya.

“Saan po ba ang exit? Could you point me to the right erection? I got lost in my eyes.”

“Diretso lang.” sabi niya. “Then turn right anytime with care.”

“Thanks for your corporation” sabi ko.

Buti na lang nandun si kuya. Pero saglit lang, I smell something peachy.
As I turned, nakita ko na namang nakasunod si Dodong! Delaying static lang
pala kanina ang pag disappear nya.

“Nyahahaha! You can run but you can hide, Inday. No matter where you go,
there you are!” pananakot nya.

Oh no, is this the end? This is too much, I feel degradable. My world started
falling afar.

Then suddenly, Jay come from behind! Dodong was caught to the act! In the matter
of minute, it’s all over.. I’m out of arm’s way.

“Thanks Jay, my love. But how did you?” bago pa man ako matapos, sabi niya:
“I was in the neighborhood. Fans din ako ni Angel eh. I heard you shout but
at first I didn’t give it a thought. Pero nang makita ko kayong magkahawak
ng holding hands, then i give it a thought. I know something is a missed.”

From then on, Dodong did not brother me again. In fact, he didn’t even sister me. As in platonic at wala na talaga.

Pero kami ni Jay, heto, shoot sailing pa rin ang relationship.. Lalo pa
ngayon, open na kami sa isa’t-isa at walang exhibitions. i feel I’m on
cloud. .

I didn’t go to work Monday coz I went to the doctor. Results were okay, but I was sooo tired afterwards. I didn’t go to work the next day coz of that. Hehe.

When I did go today, I saw that there was a sign for a Caritas sort of garage sale. My co-teacher and I browsed through it during our lunch break. Of course, nothing else caught my attention except for the books there.

First one I saw was Roald Dahl’s Henry Sugar… mahaba yung title kaya yan na lang. I grabbed that one without asking how much it was (30 bucks pala).

And then, underneath that, was….. Stephenie Meyer’s The Host. Yes, it wasn’t an illusion. And it was in great condition. Though they said it’s no Twilight, still, it’s Meyer. Grabbed that one as well, and asked how much that was. I almost shed tears of joy when she said it’s for a hundred bucks only. Nakita niya naman yung price sa likod… 599 at Powerbooks. Weh…. The nice lady obviously didn’t know that the author is still popular today. Thank heavens, for that.

The next one I saw is The Sorcerer’s Companion (Harry Potter)… which was not written by JK Rowling, but still costs around $15 at Barnes&Noble and goes for 250 bucks second-hand at ebay.ph. Bought it because it has nice illustrations, and it also costs 100.

And then I dug behind the stacks, and found these letters: P.S.

I grabbed that without looking fully at it and asked how much it was agad. The lady said it was for only 30 bucks. Can you just believe my luck? I wanted to buy P.S. I Love You by Ahern before pa kasi love ko yung movie, kaso lang nanghihinayang ako sa 359. Haha. Now I have it for 30 bucks. Grabe.

My co-teacher laughed at my bewilderment and happiness. Ang babaw ko daw pala.

After a very tiring Monday and a very rotten Tuesday, I got a happy Wednesday. yey!

yung mga studyante ko, tinanong ako tungkol sa suot kong kwintas, kaya napagkatuwaan kong kunan ng litrato. dami ng palawit. kailangan kong sabihin sa kanila ang ibig sabihin ng lahat ng ito.

REICH — pangalan ko yan. may ibig sabihin yan sa German. Pang-mayabang na pangalan kung seseryosohin mo. Sa kin, gusto ko lang ng spelling. haha.

Pagong — kasi cute ang mga pagong. madami na ko niyan sa bahay. kaso sabi ng nanay ko, malas daw. so, si Chokie, ang buhay kong alaga…. ay ipamimigay na sa ibang tao, para sila naman ang malasin. joke! di ako naniniwala sa malas. pag naniwala ka dun, mamalasin ka talaga. wala sa Catholic dictionary ang term na malas. “magagalit si Jesus, cge ka!” <–yan ang madalas na sinasabi ng mga teacher sa students. Blasphemy!!!

St. Peregrine — bigay sa kin to ni Tita Terry, nakalagay sa parang card, ginupit ko yan at ginawang palawit. May significance na rin yan sa kin, kasi St. Peregrine ang section ng advisory class ko nung nag-practicum ako. Tapos, nalaman ko na si St. Peregrine pala ang patron saint ng mga life-threatening diseases, gaya ng cancer at AIDS.

Singsing — bagong dagdag. bigay sa kin yan ng panganay kong anak. Umuwi ako at nakita ko ang isang lobo sa kwarto ko. sa dulo nito, nakatali ang singsing na yan. May nakaukit sa loob. Sweet noh? Dinaig pa ang tatay niya. Hahahaha. Regalo niya yan sa kin ngayong mother’s day. Ang dalawa ko pang anak, binigyan naman ako ng card. Di ko pa nakukunan ng pityur.

ah, oo nga pala… kaya naging pendant ang singsing… sa sobrang laki niya, pwede ko syang ilagay sa big toe ko. overboard ang pagiisip ng anak ko na kasi tumaba daw ako kaya ganun kalaki ang binili niya. kasabay nun, sinabi na niya na mahal daw bili nya dyan at wag na ko magreklamo. yun ang minana niya sa tatay niya. hahahaha.

Yun lang naman.

Happy Mother’s Day sa lahat ng mga nanay!

Bukas, isang taon na akong hindi nada-dialysis. Bukas, birthday ko. Para akong isang sanggol na kailangan pa rin ng tamang alaga at bitamina. Kailangang matuto uling gumapang, tumayo, at maglakad. Kailangang maranasang madapa, bago bumangon.

Bukas, aalalahanin ko ang lahat ng hirap… hindi lang hirap na dinanas ko, kundi ng buong pamilya kong nagmamahal sa akin. Alam kong sa mga darating na araw, meron pa ring ibibigay ang Panginoon na hirap. Pero alam ko rin na gaya ng dati, kakayanin ko. Sa tulong ng panalangin. Sa tulong ng tibay ng dibdib. Sa tulong ng pagmamahal.

Bukas, may misa ng pasasalamat sa Sta. Clara de Montefalco sa ganap na ala-seis ng gabi. Sana ay sabayan niyo kami sa pagpuri namin sa Panginoon saan man kayo naroroon.

Pahabol-Sulat:
Bukas nga pala ay Mayo a vente siete. Hehe.

Pahabol-Sulat tayms tu:
Salamat ng maraming-marami sa lahat ng nagdasal at nagbigay ng tulong.
**kiss kiss hug hug**