Me? An inspirational speaker? Oh come on?!?!

OK not a joke. This really happened. Imagine an organisation had actually invited me to speak in front of a group of people (about 150+) and give a serious, inspirational speech?!!! Kakaloka!

So I don't know who's sicker, me or them, still probably me! hehehe Because I'm posting here a copy of my speech. Read it but you have been forewarned....I wrote it!

Isa pong karangalan ang maanyayahang maging panauhing tagapagsalita dito sa inyong pagtatapos sa ilalim ng mga kursong handog ng FACE Al Ain ngayong taon. I thank you for giving me this honor and I am humbled by your invitation that I speak to you tonight. Sa totoo lang po medyo di ako sure kung bakit sa dinamirami naman ng mga Pilipinong kagalang-galang dito sa Al Ain eh ako pa ang inyong naanyayahan? Pero naisip kong marahil, meron naman akong maibabahagi sa inyo ngayong araw kaya’t ipagpaumanhin ninyo pero ako po’y magsasalita ng sampung oras! (thankfully the laughed here) Biro lang po, maikli lang po ito. Nais ko lang pong sabihin ay ganito: K Y P M M. Ayun, tapos na. Salamat po. Babay...(acted like I was leaving glad someone asked what it meant)


Ano yon? Ano daw po ba ang KYPMM? Kayo po alam ninyo? Ang KYPMM po ay motto ko simula pa noong ako’y nasa kolehiyo. This has been my college mantra and has proven to be quite helpful to me and to many of my friends who know what it is. Ngayon po ise-share ko sa inyo ang mottong ito. Ang ibig po sabihin ng KYPMM, ay Konting Yabang Para May Marating! Ayos ba? KYPMM!

Kadalasan po kasi sa ating mga Pilipino, napakamahiyain. Punung-puno tayo ng tinatawag na false modesty. Binati ka na ngang maganda, hinampas mo pa yung bumati sa iyo. Nasabihan ka na nga na magaling ka, sagot kaagad, “Naku hindi naman”. Sabay inirapan mo pa yung bumati sa iyo. Pag sinabihan kang, “Wow ang yaman mo!” Sagot agad ng marami, “Naku wala akong pera!“ Hindi ka naman inuutangan, na-impress lang siguro yung nagsabi sa damit mo, o sa bago mong kotse....

Madalas hindi na tayo nakakasabay sa yabang ng ibang lahing nag-aaply kung kaya sila ang napipili sa mga interbyu at hindi tayo. Pansinin nyo ang ibang lahi, makahawak lang ng computer, sasabihin na sa iyo, expert na sila sa bagay na iyan. Hindi ba tayo madalas sasabihin natin sa ating mga CV, “Experienced in handling office machines like computer, etc.” Pero kapag CV ng ibang lahi, Computer expert user. Wow! Pero idaan sa actual, mas madami pa ring alam ang mga Pinoy.

Pagdating naman sa postura, pansinin ninyo ang mga kasabayan nating Asyano. Kahit ba high waisted and mga sinturon ng mga yan, mukhang kagalang-galang....may kurbata pa at naka long sleeves pag mag-aaply. Eh maraming Pinoy, maging mga Pinay – naka-maong, t-shirt, meron nga naka-sandals pa, ni hindi man lang nag-make-up (ang mga girls ha!). Remember that first impressions last. It is also true that first impressions usually get you the job! Kaya po isaisip KYPMM. Konting Yabang Para May Marating. Lakas lang ng loob para malakas din ang dating!

22 years old po ako nang mapapadpad sa Gitnang Silangan. Kasali sa mga unang batch ng mga Filipinos na nakuha ng Beach Rotana sa Abu Dhabi. Ako po ang nakuhang kalihim sa Departamento ng Sales at PR ng nasabing hotel. Although I had been working for a PR agency in Manila, my youth gave the impression that I wouldn’t be able to handle tough decisions. So I used my motto KYPMM to prove to my bosses then that I can indeed step up to the plate. I'd like to think i did a good job there, leaving my former boss to write in my recommendation letter that he will definitely hire me for a much higher position should I want to work for him again. Yabang no?

A client of the hotel offered na pirate-in ako sa kanyang kumpanya na maging Sales Executive sa kanyang shop dealing with Telecommunications equipment. Mas malaki ang sahod ko. Aba go na ako at shempre yes ang sagot ko! Kesahodang wala akong alam sa paglalako ng mga mobile phones, fax machines, satellite telephone pati na rin walkie talkies, fishfinders at global positioning systems? Sabi ko sa sarili ko, mapag-aaralan ko rin ito. Natuwa naman ang bagong boss ko dahil pati pag-install ng fish finder sa mga barko, napag-aralan ko. I joined his company in March, he promoted me as Sales Supervisor in October – in seven months – pinanindigan ko ang yabang ko. I cherish the letter he gave me telling me of my promotion, to this day. Pati ako di ko akalain. It made me realise na lahat ng bagay, napag-aaralan. Basta’t may User’s Manual, kayang basahin at alamin kahit ano pa yan.

At eto po ang pangalawang mensaheng nais ko ibahagi sa inyo. Ang patuloy na pag-aaral. Learning is for life, araw-araw po may natutunan tayong bago. May nakikilala tayong bago at may nadidiskubre sa ating mga sarili, kaibigan, mahal sa buhay at kapaligiran na bago. Kaya patuloy na pag-aralan ang sarili, lipunan, at kakayahan. Katulad po ninyong mga kumuha at nagtapos ng matagumpay sa skills upgrade ng FACE, hanga po ako sa inyo dahil ginusto ninyong madagdagan at ma-improve and inyong mga sarili. Hindi porke’t nagtatrabaho na ay “graduate” na sa pag-aaral. Ipagpatuloy po at ugaliin ang pagbabasa, pagsiyasat sa Internet, pagsanay ng mga iba pang sangay maging sa edukasyon, sining o mga kinahihiligang mga hobbies tulad ng pagluluto, pag-aaral ng bagong linguahe or di kaya pagtugtog ng isang musical instrument, maging ballroom dancing at public speaking. Tayo po ay walang katapusang mag-aaral ng buhay. We are students of life, for life.

Nang tawagan po ako ng Higher Colleges of Technology para tanungin kung iteresado pa raw ba ako sa inaplayan kong position isang taong makalipas na ako’y tindera na ng mga telecommunication gadgets, agad naman akong umoo dahil again, mas malaki ang offer. Shempre marami sa atin mas pipiliin ang mataas na sahod kesa sa position. From Sales Supervisor nga naman, bumalik ako sa pwesto bilang Administrative Assistant sa tanggapan ng Human Resources at Finance. But I did not stop there.

Sa hilig ko mag-aral, kumuha ako ng mga karagdagang kurso – karamihan libre lang sa Internet, para sanayin ang aking sarili sa lumalakas na trend ng Web at Internet. KYPMM at biyaya ng Diyos nang tinaggap ako bilang Independent Learning Technician sa HCT. Wala po kasing promo-promotion sa amin. Kung may bakante, aaplayan mo. Ngayon po nagtuturo ako ng information at learning skills sa mga first year Emirati students, ICDL sa mga empleado ng gobyerno tulad ng ADWEA at Military sa ilalim ng aming Continuing Education Department, at last year, nagturo din po ako ng ICDL sa FACE. Ako rin po ang master trainer ng Online Instructor’s Training para sa mga guro ng HCT Men’s at Women’s Colleges dito sa Al Ain. Estudyante ko ang mga guro namin – mga halu-halong nationalities, field of discipline pati na rin experiences. Wala pong dagdag na bayad, under po ito sa Professional Development activities ng college.

Pero Okay lang....kasi this brings me to the third point na nais kong iabahagi sa inyo. Wag maging madamot sa kaalaman. Ang liwanag ng isang kandila at hindi nababawasan sa pagsindi ng isa pang kandila, bagkus kapag nailawan ang marami pang kandila ay lubos na nagliliwanag at natatalo ang kadiliman. Information changes rapidly that failing to divulge or share it, makes it obsolete. But taking an active role in information and knowledge building, your knowledge and your learning becomes even more powerful.

Kayong mga nagtagumpay na sa inyong mga kinuhang skills upgrade sa FACE, hikayatin ang mga kaibigan sa pagsali rito. Ipagpatuloy pa ninyo ang inyong pag-aaral at pagsasanay na kahit minsan nakakapagod, nakakatamad, ang daming assignment at test, may project pa, pero tingnan nyo naman sa huli, wagi kayo!

Share what you’ve learned and be that candle that lights up the darkness of ignorance by being active members of FACE Al Ain, bilang pa-thank you na rin sa mga nagturo sa atin at tulong na rin sa kapwa nating mga Pilipino. Besides, the more you share what you know, the more you learn from your students. The more you learn, the better you become thru your knowledge and skills. It is a chain reaction that you have begun in your life. It is exciting to know where it will lead you to as well as to what it will bring in your life. Tulad na lang ng mga nakapag-asawa ng mga kaklase sa mga FACE courses! O di ba truly rewarding! Natuto na, nagka-love life pa! Pero walang sisihan at walang soli-an kung matinik si kumander....idaan mo na lang sa KYPMM!

My final message is this: There is indeed strength in numbers but there is power in organised numbers. Tulad ng walis tingting, Oo madami ang kailangan mo, pero hangga’t di mo yan pagbubuklodin, hanggat di mo yan itatali ng sama-sama, hinding hindi mo magagamit bilang walis. Kung tayo ay nagkakaisa sa ating layunin na makatulong sa pag-angat ng kaalaman at kamalayan ng mga manggagawang Pilipino dito sa Al Ain, sa pamamagitan halimbawa ng pag-aaral ng computer at mga makabuluhang software, siguradong lubos pa nating mapagbubuklod ang ating community dito sa Al Ain at higit pa tayong makakatulong sa mas nakararami kung tayo ay regular na miyembro o kasapi ng FACE. Tutal madalas din namang sabihin na meron daw Filipino Mafia….eh di tuluyan na nating buuin itong sinasabing mafia-mafia na ito. Let us be the example to others – let our organised numbers be a force that promotes the Filipino community in the global environment.

Sa pagtatapos po, tandaan lang KYPMM, patuloy na mag-aral, ibahagi ang napag-aralan at mas matibay po tayo kung tayo ay nagkakaisa at sama-sama. These are the traits that I want all Filipinos to be known for. This is what every Filipino working abroad should strive to attain: Self Confidence, Knowledge and skills that is constantly shared and upgraded and the determination to build and be part of a community that brings us all Filipinos united, giving us a sense of belonging, a pedestal of pride, and a piece of home...away from home.

Nagpalakpakan naman sila, siguro para matapos na lang ang mga blah-blahs ko. But I was scared shit! When I got down from the podioum and the stage, my hands were cold, I couldn't breathe and although I was smiling and shaking people's hands, I couldn't remember who they were or what they said. Surreal. It was a different "trip" but one that I'd like to avoid from EVER recurring in the future.

So Long Mr. XO

Many times we say goodbye to people: whether they be family members or mates we will get to see the next day, or many highschool and college classmates we know we'd see only after a few years down the line. Then there is the goodbye forever. The kind of goodbye we say to sworn enemies whom we'd rather die than be friends again with. Or the kind of sad goodbye to a soon-to-be-EX whom we wouldn't want to cross paths with again because the person brings back too much memories and mixed emotions. Finally there is the kind of goodbye we seal a coffin or a grave with. The one that no matter how painful, is eventually said to all of us.

Today, I'm sad as I say goodbye to a colleague of mine, Mr. Edmund Hennessey who everyone in our school calls Ted. I've decided to call him Mr. XO because of his last name which he would jokingly say, "Yes, I'm such a Very Special Old Prat!" V. S. O. P. or "Of course, I'm Mr. Extra-Ordinary!...Extra-Old, but Extra-Odrinary!"

Our last encounter was a happy one, throwing jokes and banters with fellow library regulars and staff. I never thought that THAT would be our last chance to laugh.

Mrs. XO, Marilyn, has been the model of strength, courage and bravery - she was caring for Ted and still coming in to work, teaching classes like nothing grave is happening. A truly strong and admirable woman!

Ted was diagnosed with cancer a few years back. When I first joined Al Ain Men's College, he was just leaving - going back to Australia because he wanted to be close with his family while battling the big, bad C. Last year, he came back to the Emirates to teach on a part-time basis until he went onboard full-time. He was a very good teacher, well loved by students and admired by colleagues.

Yes, permanent, sad, goodbyes are truly the worst kind of farewell. I just console myself in the knowledge that wherever he is right now, he's dishing out jokes and quick witted snipes and truly having a great time.

Catching Up

Ok, back in business. So many things to post, catch up on my stuff to put online...I just didn't have much time as I've been addicted to two PC games lately, Neverwinter and The Bard's Tale.

Yeah so what if they're not entirely new games! I enjoy the fact that you can cheat in Neverwinter and change your strength and almost everyhting else so that you don't get to die every few encounters with the baddies. I love doing all the side quests too and hate it when I get stuck with a task I cannot seem to find the right thing(item or person to speak with) to do.

The Bard's Tale is a notch lower than many RPGs but the conversations are good as well as the songs! Charlie Mops, the man who invented beer is not my, my husband's and my 4-year old daughter's favorite song! hahaha!

The lyrics go like this:

A long time ago, way back in history
When all people where just drinking cups of tea
Along came a man, whose name is Charlie Mops
And he invented a wonderful drink
and he made it out of hops

Beer, beer, beer tiddly beer, beer, beer hey!

He must have been an admiral, a sultan or a king
And to his praises we shall always sing
Look what he has done for us
He's filled us up with cheer
The lord bless Charlie Mops
the man who invented beer....


So nice, but on the downside my daughter kindergarten teacher asked me whether she heard correctly that indeed Amber's been singing a song about beer? Apparently she's been teaching the song to her friends!

Oh dear.

Well back to my games now that I've posted a bit of stuff here. Ta!

Speaking of Birds

Read a subject on a message posted as: The Bird on the UP Seal....
made me think about avian creatures and how, well sad mostly, seeing Jackie Chan's info-spot in Star World about how children are not supposed to play with birds...instead play with the paper (origami) version.

I flashback to my childhood when I remember stealing my elder brother's "tirador" and helping myself to a few shots at resting, even nesting, birds on the many trees that grew on my greatgrandmother's farm. Shameful to admit, but I did some terrible damage to God's smaller creatures back then; removing wings off a beetle, drowning a few ducklings, stepping on a couple of chicks, and yes, hitting several birds. If I only knew then that my own daughter would be deprived of the joy of being able to play with a live creature, I'd have stopped before foolishly plunging into the whiles of my childhood.

Remember when we used to go home from school and just outside the school gates, there would be some vendors squatting in front of some boxes selling real live chicks or small birds painted in bright colours? It cost like P5.00 back then and many of us would save our baons so we could take home a few. My brother and I even managed to care for a couple of chicks that grew to young adulthood! We kept them in a similar box (as the vendors), with the bottom fortified by pages of newspaper. A study lamp served as their "heater" for cold nights and on regular nights, they were just kept near the back of the fridge.

Now, all I can do is tell my little girl stories of how I romped around my Lola Peling's land and played with all sorts of animals. I can show her pictures of it, I can even download films and buy videos about them; but the first hand experience of being able to hold, feed, be biten by, or even inadvertently or purposely stiffling the life off one will just be left to her imagination.

On a lighter (and 'greener') note, if she were a boy, I could perhaps say, "play with your own bird na lang, anak," but imagine how many child abuse agencies would take me away?! When she'll be older (dating age and all) I could say, "play with youf BF's bird na lang, anak" but then VD and HIV are also things to consider. I guess I could say, "dress up your BF's bird na lang, anak" and hand her a pack of colorful Trojans.

Woe to the birds of our time - those which take flight and those which stand upright :-)

Pluto-cracy

I was sad when Pluto was demoted from its "planet status" about a month ago, given that its size wasn't up to par.

Who decides these things? (Who even bothers about them?)

All my life I've believed on Pluto being a planet. In fact I've memorised the names of all the planets in grade school and even the correct order of distance from the sun. Pluto was kind of cool (literally and figuratively) in many ways - being the last it appeared to be the most polite, gentlemanly and well, considerate of all the planets. Para bang, "sige, mauna na kayo...lahat. Dito na lang ako sa hulihan." [imagine gray-ish pluto smiling timidly here]

Twenty years down the line, it was discovered that Pluto actually exchanges the title of being the last with Neptune, at certain points of their revolution around their respective orbit. I had my doubts then as to the veracity of this finding (baka naman lasing lang yung nag-oobserve nung day na yun) and as a result my indomitable belief in the science that is astronomy has begun to unravel.

Finally, the nail that completed its coffin is the demotion of dear old Pluto.

Since we are - and by 'we' I mean the men and women (and the gay and lesbians and the still undefined/undecided) who study these celestial bodies - making statements based on observations from a distance, isn't there quite a distinct amount of fallibility about them? Observing someone of something at an arms length still brings shortcomings, how much more so if it was a case of being light years away.

So what if it isn't big enough. It still does revolve around the sun like all the other planets do. Even it Jupiter or Saturn may have moons way bigger than Pluto, those bodies do not revolve around our sun.

Clyde Tombaugh must be stomping his feet in indignation and rage somewhere in the great beyond as he was the man who discovered the small planet in 1930. They have reclassified Pluto as a 'dwarf planet' and have even assigned to it an asteroid number, 134340.

How quickly we do away with old views. How easily we discard several generation's belief system despite still being unable to truly confirm the current standard. So like mankind to kick a planet when it's down. Maliit na nga inapi pa!

I'd like to think in a way, Filipinos in general is like the planet Pluto. Kulelat, mabagal ang usad, mapag-kumbaba sa ibang lahi, may kaliitan...yet we plod on, in our purpose - which is generally to have a better life and help loved ones attain that as well - defiant whether we be labelled as anything derogatory like the Oxford's Filipina = domestic helper. We may not be a big a population as China or India, or have a richness in tangible forms of culture like that of Egypt or Greece, yet we have conquered the four corners of our world and continue to carve a little plot of our own self no matter where we may be. We assimilate, absorb, embrace, blend into other cultures, other groups whilst keeping the best (and perhaps even the worst) of being Pinoy close by.

I do believe, we Filipinos are not just a number. I refuse to be just a statistic! So have faith and hang on to dear old Pluto who may yet to come out having the last laugh in the end.

Things I miss in college

I miss the tapsilog in Rodics. Minsan kumain kami ng bespren ko, nakalimutan naming magbayad. Hinabol kami ng tindera at sa sobrang hiya namin, sobra ang naibayad namin.

I miss the isaw sa may shed lagpas lang ng unti sa Shopping Center sa may likod/gilid(?) ng Kalayaan; yung squid balls sa may cafeteria sa Vinzon's; ang lasagna sa Gloria's sa CASAA at ang sinigang na baboy sa cafeteria ng ISSI kung saan nagbabayad ng tuition fees; pati na rin ang arroz ala Cubana sa...ano nga ba yung pangalan ng isa pang cafeteria sa likod ng CASAA, malapit na sa Educ?

Miss ko na din ang KNL (Krus na Ligas) kung saan madaming beer at inihaw na tengang baboy; ang BBQ at laing sa Beach House - na walang beach - sa likod ng Main Lib; ang piniritong pork chop ni Manang Eds sa shed sa gilid ng Educ, halos tapat ng Narra; o ang fried chiken at ginisang Baguio beans ni Manang Let sa shed sa pagitan ng Kamia at Sampa; miss ko na ang kape at pandesal sa Balara, pati na rin ang nilagang baka na regular na handa sa mga maliliit na karenderia sa kahabaan ng daan, lagpas lang sa mini-palengke, na laging may libreng senorita na saging sa sampung pisong tanghalian.

Miss ko nang magmuni-muni sa paanan ni Andres Bonifacio sa Vinzon's Hall o ang matulog na dyaryo lang ang kumot sa kalawakan ng Sunken Garden, matapos ang isang gabing kantahan cum bonfire/inuman kasama ang mga kaibigan.

Buo at buhay pa kaya ang LBH? Ang Lorena Barros Hall na pugad nga aming mga overnight meetings, pabrika ng nga silk-screen posters/banners.

Miss ko na ang makipag-meeting sa mga kapwa dormers sa tapat ni Oble. Ang matulog sa OSR (Office of the Student regent) sa pinagtabi-tabing silya.

Miss ko na ang tumambay habang nagyoyosi ng walang humpay kausap, kabiruan, ka-chorus ang mga tropang hindi malilimutan. Ang sumulat sa logbook ng Soro o org at makipagkulitan sa bulletin board.

Kahit ang Stacks room ng Main Lib kung saan masarap matulog, at ang Guerrero Theater kung saan madalas manood ng mga plays at ang Film Center na may palabas na pelikula mula sa iba't-ibang bansa, miss ko din sila.

Miss ko na ang tinapay na ang tawag ay "putok" na bandang alas diyes ng gabi isinisigaw sa intercom ng Kamia...."putok, nandito na" at dagli namang tatangkilikin ng mga nag-aaral or gising pang mga dormers. Maging ang yosing benta ni Manang Salve, guard ng Kamia at ang mga kwento sa buhay na kasama sa pagbili nito ay miss ko na rin.

Sa dami ng nami-miss ko siguro kelangan ko pa ng mas maraming kape. Eh kung mag-tsa-a kaya ako?

Philippine National Anthem...handa...awit!

Here's the orginal Spanish lyrics by Jose Palma, written a year after Julian Felipe's melody had been played to commemorate the Philippines' Declaration of Independence from Spain in 1898.


Tierra adorada
hija de sol Oriente
su fuego ardiente
en ti latiendo esta.
Tierre de amores
del heroismo cuna,
los invasores
no te hollaran jamas.
En tu azul cielo, en tus auras,
en tus motes y en tu mar
esplende y late el poema
de tu amada libertad.
Tu pallebon que en las lides
la victoria ilumino
no veranunca apagados
sus estrellas ni su sol.
Tierra de dickas, de sol y amores,
en tu regazo dulce es vivir;
es una gloria para tus hijos,
cuando te ofenden por ti motir.

Here's the translation by Felipe de Leon, still played to Julian Felipe's melody which is the anthem we know of today:

Bayang magiliw
Perlas ng Silanganan
Alab ng puso
Sa dibdib mo'y buhay.
Lupang hinirang,
Duyan ka ng magiting,
Sa manlulupig
Di ka pasisiil.
Sa dagat at bundok
Sa simoy at sa langit mong bughaw;
May dilag and tula
At awit sa paglayang minamahal.
Ang kislap ng watawat mo'y
Tagumpay na nagniningning,
Ang bituin at araw niya
Kailan pa ma'y di magdidilim.
Lupa ng araw, ng luwalhati't pagsinta,
Buhay at langit sa piling mo;
Aming ligaya na pag may mang-aapi
Ang mamatay ng dahil sa iyo.

And here's the English version that our grandparents sang in school

Land of the morning
Child of the sun returning
With fervor burning
Thee do our souls adore.
Land dear and holy,
Cradle of noble heroes,
Ne'er shall invaders
Trample thy sacred shores.
Ever within thy skies and through thy clouds
And o'er thy hills and seas;
Do we behold thy radiance, feel the throb
Of glorious liberty.
Thy banner dear to all hearts
Its dun and stars alright,
Oh, never shall its shining fields
Be dimmed by tyrants might.
Beautiful land of love, oh land of light,
In thine embrace 'tis rapture to lie;
But it is glory ever when thou art wronged
For us thy sons to suffer and die.

Finally for the "reds" as labeled by the "non-reds", here's one I learned in my college days as an alternative song:


Bayang mahiwaga
Sa malayong Silangan
Alab ng lahi
Di ka pasisiil

Lupang sinira
Bayan ng magigiting
Sa manlulupig
Ikaw ay lalaban

Sa nayon at bundok
Itinatag makabayang pamahalaan
May tilamsik ng dugo
Ang awit sa paglayang inaasam

Ang kisplap ng watawat mo'y
Tagumpay na magniningning
Ang karit at kamao'y
Sagisag na kailan pa ma'y di na magdidilim

Lupa ng araw ng luwalhati't pagsinta
Buhay ay langit sa piling mo
Aming ligaya ng pag may mang-aapi
Ang pumatay ng dahil sa yo

---
Apologies, not 100% sure I've got the correct lyrics to this one; my memory fails me.

OK so now my question is: Which one would you prefer singing? ;-)

Survey said...

1. Nervous Habits: eyes darting left and right, sweaty forehead, fast breathing suceeds a long gasp for air...


2. Are you double jointed: I am a double agent: I work for my husband on one side and my daughter on the other.


3. Can you roll your tongue: Roll where? I play tongue gymnastics in my mouth, quite necessary, to hone my French kissing skills.


4. Can you raise one eyebrow: Yes! Yet another must-be-able-to-do to keep life interesting and communications developing.


5. Can you blow spit bubbles: I try. My toddler can!


6. Can you cross your eyes: Yes, made my toddler cry the first time.


7. Do you make your bed daily: I have reached a point in my life where I can afford to have someone make my bed everyday.

CLOTHES


8. Which shoe goes on first: Always put your right foot forward because it is smaller than your left. You need the bigger one for balance.


9. Speaking of shoes, have you ever thrown one at anyone? I’ve kicked the back of chair once; also ran so fast one shoe got left behind, and imitated a Karate stance whereby one show flew away.


10. On the average, how much money do you carry: As many as I can get my hands on them seeds!


11. What jewelry do you wear 24/7: earrings, necklace, bracelet that my husband gave me


12. Favorite piece of clothing: Anything comfy and not to fussy.

FOOD


13. Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it? twirl on a spoon, not on the plate


14. Have you ever eaten Spam: Yes, used to be a good commercial on about it in late 70’s in the Philippines. Ate Spam and get spam daily on my email too!


15. Favorite ice cream flavor: queso real and macapuno


16. How many cereals in your cabinet: fruit loops and corn flakes


17. What's your favorite beverage: san miguel beer, diet coke


18. What's your favorite restaurant: Trader Vic’s, Zen


19. You cook: Can I cook or which dishes can I cook? Yes I try, my husband does if better. I like cooking Filipino food, dinugguan, kare-kare, pancit, adobo, sinigang. I first learned to cook spaghetti in highschool with the Babebies.

GROOMING


20. How often do you brush your teeth: twice, morning and before bed. Studies say that it's healthier than 3 times.


21. Hair drying method: if just at home, I let it hang and dry; if I’m going out, I tie it in a neat bun and let it dry as long as it takes that way, I don’t have time to dry my hair.


22. Have you ever colored /highlighted your hair: It is one of the most abused parts of my body: colored, curled, straightened, cut, highlights.

MANNERS


23. Do you swear: I try not to in front of my pre-schooler.


24. Do you ever spit: rarely, and only to make a statement

FAVORITE


25. Animal: toss between a bunny or a puppy


26. Food: Filipino and Chinese food, I also like pasta and makis, and an occasional curry, tikka or shawarma. Eating, that's my disorder!


27. Month: toss between October and December, Halloween and Christmas!


28. Day: thank God for Fridays!


29. Cartoon: The Justice League and Voltes V!


30. Shoe Brand: I’d like to own a Jimmy Choo and a Monolo Blahnik just to see what the fuss is about; I love Kevin Keys, sometimes Nine West and Milano. I’m not very brand-ish, so long as it’s comfy and looks good on my feet. I always love shoe-hunting in Shoemart and of course, Marikina! Does it show that I’m a shoe addict?


31. Subject in school: Elementary: English; Highschool: Myhtology and Biology; College: Linguistics and History


32. Color: red, blue and the one you get when you mix the two: purple.


33. Sport: I enjoy watching figure skating and gymnastics, I like to be in bowling or mahjong (is that a sport?), I think I will do well, with practice, in bowling or darts.


34. TV show: Seinfeld, Friends, Alias, lately I got sucked into reality TVs, The Apprentice, The Scholar, For Better or For Worse, Beauty and the Geek, American Idol, Rockstar INXS (Super Nova soon), I also like quirky comedies like Scrubs, Ally McBeal, Boston Legal, Arrested Development. Is it obvious that I’m such a couch potato?


35. Things to do in the spring: this would be around March-April in Manila weather when things are just starting to heat up, so head for the resorts or the beach or high up Baguio or Tagaytay to cool off. Also there are no classes to hang out with friends but if you’re an adult and working, hit the shops, sale from last winter’s collection should be half the price.


36. Things to do in the summer: April-May just before the June showers arrive, so head to cooler climes or if you can’t get away, best time to eat halo-halo and ice candies.


37. Things to do in the fall? June to September are the rainy months and fall would be something like huge, wet, nasty rainFALL! So umbrella, coats, boots, anything to keep you protected and a boat – expect the floods to arrive in waves!


38. Things to do in the winter?: December – January would be the cooler weather in Manila so best to go shopping for Christmas gifts and be with family and friends.

IN AND AROUND


39. In the CD player: My car’s CD player has a compilation of love songs I’m getting organised for my sister-in-laws December wedding.


40. Person you talk most on the phone with: Irog, K


41. Do you regularly check yourself out in store windows with mirrors? Yes. I like to see if I look fat, and of course, I do!


42. What color is your bedroom: off white, nearly beige


43. Window seat or aisle: aisle

LA LA LAND


44. What's your sleeping position: I begin with sleeping on my right side, I’ve read somewhere that you should squish your heart. But I always wake up sprawled all over the place! Must be my dreams...


45. Even in hot weather do you use a blanket: yes, but the airconditioner is turned on high!


46. Do you sleepwalk: only when I can’t sleep dance or sleep strut :)


47. Do you talk in your sleep: no but my husband and daughter does, so funny!


48. Do you sleep with stuffed animals: my husband is chunky, looks like a stuffed animal who snores!


49. How about with the light on: I sleep when and where I sleep, not very fussy.


50. Do you fall asleep with the TV or radio on: radio or tv, I even fall asleep in front of my computer or in the middle of a mass!


51. Last interesting person you met: the fishmonger in Carrefour who told me only lactating women buy their clams. I told him I have a husband to breastfeed too! ;-)

Watched the film 'Munich' a while ago and the odd feeling has been
lingering in my mind and heart. Parang a dose of indigestion, it
worries me...

The movie doesn't really show preference for a side, despite it
being about a particular group's revenge on a particular group's
attacks. But what happens is it implodes - inside you, in your gut
feel - a primal fear or anxiety or imbalance at what our world
really is or what it has been for ages...a battlefield.

Such a scary reality to raise a child and yet we do, with the hope
that eventually things will get better, that people will start being
cordial, civil, forgiving towards one another; that those fighting
for so long against one another would just, in the blink of an eye,
put down their weapons (of mass destruction, pun intended!) and
embrace one another as brothers. After all, aren't we people of one
earth? We bleed just like the rest of humanity, love our family
despite our faults as human beings, cherish what we love in the
midst of all this chaos, just looking for a peace of earth where,
ika nga sa friendster note ni Tacing (hi Tacing!), we can be at
peace?

The image of the woman/assasin they killed left me with sorrow.
There are killers who fight for a cause yet you must wear decent
underwear for unexpected moments like being killed in your bathrobe!

Stop! You f%$#@&*! moron!

OK. That wasn't really my reaction; more like dumb silence. I went to the bank last week to get some cash and when I was just backing out of my parking, this jerk at the opposite side was backing out too! He just got on his car and backed out, not even caring to look if someone is doing the same or other cars are passing behind...so I honked, and yelled, and both...to no avail.

The silver aquamarine greenish car hit my poor Pegasus (a Honda City) on the driver's side, near the rear door. Arrgh! It was my first accident and naturally I was afraid. The other driver (whom I secretly called "moron") promptly came up to me and apologised. It diffused my anger and, so did, the fear that I am part of a road accident I only witness in these parts.

He tried to convince me that we'll just take my car to the garage and have it fixed and he'll pay for the damages. He too was afraid of getting a record or, worse, have his driving license confiscated. I was adamant that we call the police and I did. I dialled 999, the number to call for emergencies in these parts, and the line was immediately answered by a policeman who assured me he was on his way. Thirty minutes later, my dent-giver was getting impatient and so, he convinced me again to just forget the police and settle it between us. He offered me Dhs 100/- (Php 1,500/-) for my troubles. I declined; dialling 999 once more, where the same policeman assured me he is on his way.

A few minutes more a policeman in bike came by, youngish looking and not a word of English, signalling that he's been around the block looking for the "accident". He wasn't impressed: expecting some blood and gore and major traffic jam, I guess.

Panic and fear set in when they, the moron and Mr. Policeman started talking in Arabic. I couldn't catch a word I could understand, only, "Filipini" - meaning Filipina - and "mushkela", problem. So I called our PRO (public relations officer) who speaks Arabic but he didn't answer. I called our company driver, Vijay to verify our PRO's, Saber, number who offered to meet up with me at the Honda garage. I called Saber again, thime time, successfully. He talked with the police as well as the other driver and the thing was settled.

I needed a report that I must give to my car's insurance company so that they can fix the car. It must be done from within one week of the accident. A few minutes more and I was clutching this pink paper of a report, shaking the hand of the moron and thanking politely Mr. Policeman for his help. See picture below - drawn on the report by Mr. Policeman himself. I am car number 2.



I got into my car and drove off to Honda, my car's dealer as Pegasus was up for her 15,000 kilometre check up the next day. The guy at Honda assured me not to worry and that the insurance will pay for the damages.

What I must do, immediately, is to go to the insurance and hand them the pink report. They will then take pictures of the damage and assess the costs and they will contact Honda for the body works.

And so my weekend passed by going to the car insurance, to Honda and now I am car-less for a week as it will take that long to fix poor Pegasus.

And now the funny part: Vijay who said he will meet up with me was missing when I was at the Honda office. I was looking around for him whilst reporting my woeful experience to the service guy. Honda is part of a huge company called Al Futtaim Motors which also handles Toyota. In fact their showrooms are next to each other. Vijay was at the Toyota office, also looking around and wondering where I was, waiting for me to show up. Thankfully, there are now what we call mobile phones in these parts.

Vijay: "MaryAnn, I'm here. Where are you now?"
Me: "I'm here inside, talking to the service people."
Vijay: "Yeah, I'm inside too, where are you?"
Me: "Here in the service area, come this side."
Vijay: "But I am here in there service area!"
Me: "Toyoto or Honda?"

And so the mystery was solved as the missing Vijay was in Toyota and I was at the Honda service office.

Whew...enough events for one day!

A mother's concern

I'm half-baked on coming up with a decision: whether to be proud or terrified (for) of my daughter, Amber.

At three years old, she is quite forward in her ways. She knows what she likes and goes for it, and yet, she knows and accepts the consequences that result from her actions. I'm baffled and somewhat in awe that someone so young should be strong-willed and egoistic! She even has the audacity (not the sound software) to tell the father of a boy she likes at school that she, Amber Declan, likes Derek...dear God.

Last night we were at a party my school set up to celebrate the end of the school year. She saw a teenage boy who was Caucasian and she immediately smiled with twinkling eyes. I knew, she liked the boy! What a flirt. She took all of her three year old form to the said boy and asked for his name! I was appalled. My mouth still ache from being held open for the longest time. There I stood, frozen, as my daughter came up to a boy and asked his name...wearing, to what it may seem to her, the most beautiful smile she could ever conjure. See picture below!



At three years old, this all looks cute and endearing. I could even be a tiny bit proud, I suppose. What I'm undecided about it the future. What about when she is 13 and she comes up to a college kid asking his name? What would that say about her then? Worse, how would that reflect on my parenting? Do I stop her gall and ooomph now whilst she's at a tender age or do I let it blossom then snip it when she is older?

Do mommy birds teach their younglings to fly then snip their feathers when they've grown? Can you even unlearn what you've already learned? Is it possible to delete a part of you like how you do in a computer document and save it as a new one?

I watch my daughter grow into the woman that she is going to be and yet a part of me wonders, where do I draw the line? How free would I allow her to be? How much self expression does society accept as normal or tolerable? I grapple these concepts in my butter-finger hands and dread as well as impatiently await the future.

Cuaresma in the Philippines

A local newspaper recently publish a picture of a Filipino mother and child bathing in, and this is how they wrote the caption: "the polluted waters of Manila Bay." Sure we have pollution and overpopulation and many other problems in our country but for an Easter themed news, but, was this ALL the was to the Holy Week and Easter celebrations in my country? Certainly not. I have since then sent an article to the said newspapers about how Filipinos celebrate the Semana Santa as well as include some pictures I've found online thanks to www.hagonoy.com, clickthecity.com and the Don Bosco websites.

I'd like to share the same content here in my blog, so here it goes...

Easter Sunday is only one day compared to the "Semana Santa" (or Holy Week) or “Cuaresma” which is what we call The Week being the significant culmination of our faith as Catholic Filipinos during the Lenten Season.

All over the Philippines, we begin our celebrations with Palm Sunday, which we call “Palaspas”. People bring coconut palm leaves to church – usually converted into very creative designs – to re-enact Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. These are then blessed by the priest and kept in everyone’s homes and acts as protection for those homes as well as an object that wards off evil spirits.

Onwards from this day, people begin to be more somber in mood and deeds, recollecting Christ’s passion and reflecting on how their lives have been for the past year, similar to what some would do during the New Year’s Eve but with more focus on being a person of faith.

Many would practice fasting or giving up of daily indulgences locally called “indolehencia” where for example, if normally you would ride to work in your car; for this week you may consider taking the public transport, at the least, or; if you normally indulge in eating chocolates, you may want to refrain from the habit this week. Other “more difficult” forms are fasting for the entire week, taking only water; refraining from “acts of the flesh”; keeping a vow of silence; and many more. The bottom line is, you make a sacrifice or you give up a worldly pleasure as a way of internalizing your faith and walking in Jesus’ footsteps.

The week also begins the daily “pabasa” or reading of the “Pasyon”. This is based on a book of text originally attributed to Gaspar Aguinaldo de Belen who wrote “Ang Mahal na Passion ni Jesu Christong Panginoon Natin sa Tola” (The Holy Passion of Jesus Christ our Lord in Poetry) published in the early 1700s.

The “Pasyon” is read the whole day from as early as 6:00 am until about 10:00 pm. Most communities would have professional “Pasyon” readers who have made it their life’s pledge to read the “Pasyon” during Holy Week and pass on the responsibility and the privilege to the next generation. It begins with readings from the Old Testament and focuses on Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection in the New Testament. Huge crowds usually gather round the reader to listen and reflect on the words.

The narrative poem is read in a distinct way as each paragraph is 5 lines long and one line has 8 syllables each, giving it a chant-like tune that only seasoned readers know how to articulate. Often the reader, feeling the gravity of Christ’s suffering, would himself or herself be affected to tears. Sometimes, readers would be given access to microphones or megaphones that would project their voices loud enough to be heard through several homes in a neighborhood. Since people are encouraged to be solemn and practice silence, the “pabasa” would float over the community not unlike the call of prayers from the mosque.

As the Pasyon’s “kubol” (tent) us being built so too is a stage for the week’s “Senakulo.” This religious play is spoken in verse giving the lines of each actor a poetic sing-song lilt that is amusing to the audience. The senakulo runs for each night of the Holy Week from Palm Sunday through to Easter Sunday. The theme is always about the life and suffering of Jesus Christ focusing on his final days as a mortal but several senakulo’s by tradition also reflect Philippine socio-political events and may have an underlying political message throughout the plays. Children and adults alike enjoy the senakulo where actors where colorful costumes and add their own personal interpretation to the characters.


Serious fasting and self denial intensifies on Maundy Thursday. Here people take time to be with their families and go to church to remember “The Way of the Cross” – Jesus capture, condemnation, suffering and crucifixion. Eating meat is avoided and people stick to traditional fares of bico (rice cakes), guinatan (sweet yam, glutinuous rice, ube and banana cooked in coconut milk), puto (another version of rice cakes) or just plain bread.

On Good Friday, many would either be in church or stay at home with their families and watch religious programs like “The Ten Commandments” or “Jesus of Nazareth” and continue to be penitent. Several towns gather to witness men and a few women who voluntarily whip themselves while in procession in the streets to the town center where some of them would be nailed and crucified like Jesus. This is the consummate penitentia, being able to walk the path of sorrow and suffering like Jesus did. This has received mixed reviews from many tourists who come to the Philippines to witness this but for the people who actually do the Penitentia, they are more concerned with their internal struggle to be like Christ even to be crucified like Him. Some have even done the Penitentia more than once and has become an annual ritual of self-denial, sacrifice and spiritual rebirth. Many Filipinos opt not to bathe on Good Friday given that Christ died on this day. Also on this day, the parish priest of each community would select several community members to act as the apostles. He would then proceed to wash these men’s feet and anoint them with oil as Christ did to his own twelve apostles.



Black Saturday is marked by the Visita Iglesia. Families would visit the “holy bier” of Jesus in as many churches as they can afford to visit. In our family, we try to visit thirteen churches on this day within Metro Manila. Famous stops are the Baclaran, Quiapo and Intramuros churches in the Manila area, others would be churches meaningful to our family like our parish church, the parish church where we went to school, St. Anthony in Singalong; the church where my parents got married, Pope Pious near Luneta, added to the rest that are accessible or en route to family and friends homes because visiting relatives and friends is one of the do-ables in Filipino Holy Week. A recent addition to our “to be visited” list is my husband’s parish church, Holy Family in Roxas District, Quezon City and the church where we got married, Our Lady of the Airways in Paranaque, near the International Airport.

It is actually on Black Saturday that people, who did not bathe on Good Friday, take a communal bath either in the rivers and seas all over the Philippines or in their homes. Many believe that if you jumped up and down on Black Saturday, you would likely grow taller in the year. From 10:00 pm, people may take meat especially young children and not doing so may cause you to suffer from an illness within the year.

In the evening, many people would be in their parish church to pray and hold a vigil. The Rosary would be prayed continuously as people remember Mary, Christ’s mother in her most trying times. The mass at midnight begins with all the lights turned off and a candle held by each attendee is lighted until the whole congregation is bright from all the burning candles.

At dawn, we have the Salubong where a procession carrying the image of Mary meets a separate procession carrying the image of the Risen Lord Jesus. This is followed by mass where people renew their faith as was recited to them during their Baptism. At home, families gather together in what would be similar to a Christmas feast and would indulge children to Easter egg hunts as well as sweets and even presents.

Concurrently in Marinduque, one of the cities in the Philippines (located in a separate island), celebrates the Moriones Festival on Easter Sunday. This is a colorful mardi gras that follows the life of a Roman Legionnaire, Longinus, who became a Christian convert during Christ’s “way of the cross” and crucifixion. Performers dance and act in the streets and are dressed as Romans wearing toga and the legionnaire’s outfits all wearing colorful masks. It ends when Longinus is captured and beheaded for his faith.

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As you can see, Filipinos do not just bathe in the polluted waters of Manila Bay. They relive the joys and sufferings of the Christ Jesus through a whole week of reflection, worship and self denial culminating in a meaningful reaffirmation of faith and joyful celebrations.

Belated Happy Easter to all.

Amber's First Day at School

Woke up at 7:00 am sharp. Amber was excited she couldn’t eat! Wow even her milk, she declined. Grabe na ito! Papayat na ata sa wakas ang biik ko! hehehe

A quick morning wash she dressed up in a new dress with red vertical stripes quite similar in look to the school’s uniform. Her uniforms were not ready yet. Wearing her school shoes, new socks and a new frock she posed with her bag for some snapshots as we prepared her school snack box. I packed biscuits, cupcakes, a strawberry jam sandwich she particularly requested the night before and some strawberry milkshake and water.

Kate and I took her to school and we were early. She sat on her desk, painted pink, and patiently waited for the other students to come and excited for her class to begin. We loitered around the playground for a while, taking glimpses of how she is behaving. One time I peeked, she had one leg up on her desk, examining her shoe. She put it back down quickly. Second time I looked; she moved to the farthest (in the back) desk in the room and was looking at the pictures on the walls. She moved to probably get a bigger view, or to give the front seats to the other arriving students, how thoughtful!

By this time, we’ve been in school for about 30 minutes when the Supervisor told us that if they are settled and in the class, better go and let them be. Seeing parents lurking around may incite children to feel more anxious. So we left, taking our last glimpse of Amber Declan. She was looking like Gromit but without her arms folded together. (The Gromit look is one she made up after seeing the animated Wallace and Gromit movie. Since the dog does not talk, he has many facial expressions, one of them Amber had perfected to a tee.) Her look may be because she’s eager for something to happen, or she’s still a bit sleepy from the early wake up call. Whatever it was I will never know as Kate and I drove home.

At 12:00 noon I rushed back to school to pick her up. Now she was seated at the front right side of the room and immediately stood up and grabbed her bag saying, “My mommy is here, bye teacher Sabina!” and went out the room without a second look.

I told her we have to go pick up her uniform because it is now ready and on the way she said, “Mom I enjoyed school today. Look I have a star and a smiley face”, showing both backs of her hands to me proudly.

In the car, she said they were made to color a flag and a kite. They also made a circle and played some games.

When we got home, she was pretty hungry. Checking her snack box, she only drank her strawberry milk and ate the small cake but barely took a bite off her sandwich. We tried on her new uniform and she posed for more pictures.

She said, “Mom a boy teased me today.” Alarm bells went ringing in my head and asked her, “So what did he say and what did you do?” My daughter laughed and said, “I couldn’t understand what he said but he looked really funny!”

Asked whether she wants to go back again tomorrow, she simply affirmed, “Yes.”

Awww, my baby is growing up into a school girl. I’m so proud and happy.

First time in school

My daughter starts school on Saturday. I don't know who is more excited, her or me. We've gone to get her books, went for uniform fittings - which she will hopefully get before school starts - and bought school bag, lunch box, pencil case, the works. She chose her own things and being three and highly influenced by Barbie and Walt Disney, you can see the stuff she's got: Carebears back pack that matches her pencils (given by her Auntie K), Fairy tale princesses lunch box that matches her pencil case...everything in pink! OK so it's not my favorite color, but then again, it's not for me :-)

My little girl is fast growing up. She's making her own choices. She's starting off into the world making her own discoveries and relationships that may not necessarily include me. I'm scared for her but I'm proud too. At three she has decided that she wants to go to school. She's been good at waking up at 7 am each day for a month now. She may have slipped a few times and called for an extension but overall, she has accepted the new routine because she wants to be in school.

Today, we went for an Orientation at her new school and parents get orientated separately from their children. When we got there, we were the first to arrive for the 11 o'clock session so she bravely entered her classroom where she met her teacher and sat like a proper, well-behaved student. I can see a bit of apprehension on her face especially when I waved and told her that I will be in another room for the parents' orientation. Her wave was unsure but held all the bravery a three year old could muster.

After the 45-minute presentation and a bit of Q & A from parents, we all went back to collect our kids who've had an orientation of their own. My daughter being the first to arrive is not seated at the back. Still well-behaved, still dry-eyed. Approaching the room, you can hear squeals of other children - frightened and looking for their mother or father. I stepped back a bit, expecting one of them to be my own, but she's strong. I can't deny her relief and happiness when she saw me. She stood up and ran to me shouting, "Mommy!" Outside her classroom she looked intense when she asked me, "Mom, why were my classmates crying?" How do I answer that?

As I slowly let her go to be the person that she wants to be, a part of me wants to hold back just for a little while longer. Soon I will no longer be the source of all knowledge and wisdom for my growing toddler. Soon, I will hear her say, "But mom, my teacher said...." or "Yes, but my friend said....." Yes, how time truly flies. My little girl is slowly coming into her own - starting at school.

So this coming Saturday, I'm not really sure who will be more teary-eyed at the school drop...me or Amber.

Drinking session humour or not

This really happened.

One time Oliver and I were out drinking...and this happened when we were already parents, he mentioned about what he'd do if he was a part of the landed elite (panginoong may lupa). After his plans of you know, giving acres and acres to his family and the poor, I told him this option:

What if you were super duper rich and you had this vast tracks of land to do away with? I'd suggested he get himself some Aetas who are really pint-sized (pygmy) and plant them on his soil. Use every technology and science that his money and power could afford and make them tall.

A bit racist or at least anti-sector-ist?! But at that time it was sooo funny. Maybe it was the two parts vodka one part lime that did it.

But just imagine. You get rows and rows of Aetas and feed them, care for them, make sure they don't budge until they grow an inch. And send them off....Then again, you'd need individual green-house types to protect each one from the elements. They can poop standing or sitting, good fertiliser!

OK, I'm a bit on the far side but like I said it has its humorous side. Or maybe it is in the delivery?

O heck, you decide...or not.

Tee hee!

Slow Motion Suits the Desert Best

In my previous blog I had a theory about how locals drive the way they do. I also stated that the speed they drive in inversely proportional to the speed they walk or move. This had some direct relations to the size of their feet.

Further thought and several real-life brushes with "evidence" have shown that there is also the memory of it all engraved in one's genetic memory and passed on from generation to generation.

Because desert weather can be terribly hot and dry, desert dwellers of long ago have perfected the technique of moving that results in the least amount of persipiration and therefore preserving water within the body and avoiding dehydration. This trait or habit has been passed on to desert dwellers of today who now have air conditioning and yet the memory of that particular basic survival technique still lingers. In fact it still is of some use come scorching summer time - in the months of June till September. Slower movements ensure that perspiration is kept at minimal levels and moisture within the body lasts longer. In days prior to plumbing, being able to move like a sloth means you will live longer!

So the next time you see the locals walking in slow motion, just remember Darwin's theory of survival by natural selection and evolution.

And don't think it's the heat wave giving you visions of really slow moving people or the stick of dope you had at hit at in college (no high lasts THAT long!) it's just...well...people doing what nature MUST make them do: move slow to survive.

Still despite really slow movements, they come much earlier than most brisk-walking Pinoys who have concocted the infamous "Filipino Time" which is two hours later than the set time. But then, that's another blog I have to do in the future :-)