Sometimes I think I'm not in my thirties

"Mom, are you watching?" my son asked me again last night as I drifted off to sleep while watching Gundam Seed Destiny with him. "You have to watch!" Ok, I mumbled. Bleary-eyed, I tried my best to follow along.

As I watched the cartoon on Cartoon Network, I couldn't help thinking I'm getting too old for this. To me, everyone looks the same. I could not tell if that was Kira or Athrun, or Mir or Lacus. They all have the same big wide eyes typical of Japanese anime. Their hairstyles are all the same, all layered and cut blunt. Even the gundam suits look all the same to me. It's a far cry from the days when I could tell Voltes V from Mazinger Z and Daimos.

Ever since he learned I watched Voltes V as a kid back in the 70s, my son made it his project to get me in on his favorite anime. He excitedly lent me his Gundam Seed manga comicbooks and checked on me if I'm moving along in my reading. I'm now in the last book, number 5. Eight thirty p.m. is also a big event five days a week as it is time for Gundam Seed Destiny. Many times, I referred to it only as Gundam Seed, and he would always correct me, saying, "It's Gundam Seed Destiny!"

Obviously, my fascination with anime ended with Voltes V. But I couldn't pass up on the chance to connect with my son, who will be entering his teenage years in two years. Nowadays I have the answers when he asks, "Who would you want to be: a Natural or a Coordinator?" or, "What is your favorite gundam?" Sometimes I think I'm not in my thirties.

Sometimes I also catch myself singing "Soaring, flying..." or "We're all in this together..." Yes, I confess, I watched High School Musical three times this month on Disney Channel. My son hates it, and there I found my weapon. Whenever he has to do homework and refuses to do it, I sing the first few bars of either song and he does his homework pronto just so I'll stop. Sometimes it's good not to act like I'm in my thirties. :-)

BOOK OF THE WEEK: These days, I'm reading Healthy Aging by Dr. Andrew Weil. It's a book on wellness and aging gracefully. I'm particularly interested on healthy eating and stress management. I've been told that stress had a lot to do with my bad back. I'd like to look young as the years go by, without resorting to face lifts, Botox and liposuction.

VERSE OF THE WEEK: My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. Proverbs 3:1-2

Oprah, this is how 30-something women live in Manila

This morning, I caught a rerun of Oprah at 9 a.m. on Star World. Featured were 30-something women in different parts of the globe: Kuwait, Iraq, Rwanda, Mexico, France, London, Malaysia, etc.

Did you know that in Kuwait, everybody is rich? With no taxes, free education up to college, and even a wedding cash gift from the government, women can shop all they want--well almost. :) In Iraq, although Saddam Hussein's regime is no more, women are not that free. In fact, they spend most of their time indoors to protect themselves from crime on the streets. In Mexico, women dress nicely and in high heels since they don't have to work that hard. They still have siesta on top of their two-hour lunches, like the Kuwaitis. The French may not eat that much calorie-rich food, but they do drink wine every day.

Anyway, that got me wondering why Filipinas weren't mentioned. Well Oprah, if you want to know how 30-something women live in this part of the globe, let me introduce you to some of my friends.

There's J, a single mom with four kids who commutes daily from Las Pinas to Ortigas to make sure the mag she edits gets to readers on the first of every month. She can work until the wee hours of the morning and still bond with her kids over popcorn and movies.

N is married with four kids, who has given up a promising production career in a TV network to be part of the academe (and spend more time with her kids). After years of having yayas and helpers leave after a short time, she and her husband have decided to go maidless and raise the kids on their own while pursuing their careers. When you see her, you won't even think she's worrying about the labada; she's so put together.

R is the big boss of her company. Almost every week, she travels to the provinces or abroad for meetings and client calls. In spite of her busy schedule, she makes time to bring her daughter to school, attend PTA meetings, go to church, and have coffee with me (sometimes). :)

C is happily single, also the boss of her own company. She squeezes in spa appointments in the middle of a busy week chasing printing deadlines.

E is also happily single, and is my foodie partner. We'd meet for lunch or coffee often and just talk about life when we're not talking about teaching writing to college students and checking papers.

M is a dear friend since my grad school days. She's married, with two kids and manages to bake wonderfully great breads while meeting insurance sales quotas, reviewing the kids for their exams, and praying for me. :)

In a nutshell, 30-something women in Manila do a great job balancing work, family, friends, and other stuff, and have fun in the process. Superwomen! :)

BOOK OF THE WEEK: Tikim: Essays on Philippine Food and Culture by Doreen Fernandez is a wonderful read. Through her writing, you can almost taste every morsel of a dish she describes, whether it's adobo, kinilaw or balut. Like food? Read this.

VERSE OF THE WEEK: A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17

Four dogs and a mynah

Every morning, the minute my mom stands by her bedroom window, four dogs run as fast as they can to the patch of grass right below the window. There’s Jaya, formerly known as Jada (my mom kept calling her Jaya, and the name stuck), Pretty, her three-legged daughter, and Brownie, Jaya’s months-old son. Jaya, Pretty and Brownie are brown mini-pinschers. The fourth dog jostling for space is Joker, a six-month-old yellow Labrador retriever. All four of them wait expectantly for whatever my mom would throw out the window at them: morsels of bread, chips, popcorn, doughnuts, peanuts. My mom once said, “These dogs eat anything. Even stale popcorn.”

It’s not like they’re not being fed well. Just this morning, my dad asked me for P200 (he didn’t have smaller change) for the dogs’ supply of dog food. Aside from their dog food, they also are given leftovers from the dinner table: chicken, beef, whatever. Joker even has an egg included in his daily diet. Good for the hair, my dad said.

Last week, my dad got so mad at the helpers for putting the bird food on a low shelf where Joker could get them. And yes, he finished a whole bag. That’s P300+ worth of bird food for Garci, our mynah, finished off in a day. Told you our dogs eat anything. Well, Joker’s still alive and is still his usual happy perky self, so I guess bird food is good for dogs too.

Let’s talk about Garci. My dad got him at the height of the Gloriagate Senate investigation last year. He’s been hoping Garci (the mynah) would one day say, “Hello, Garci!” while my son has been trying to talk Garci (the mynah) into saying, “So will I still win by one million?” But so far, all Garci wants to say are: Jaya, Joker, Rose, Roy, Alec, hahaha, buzzer sounds, and the sound of the car horn. But his favorite word is Jaya. Garci can say it in many ways: “Ja-ya…” in a soft singsong like way, “Jaya?” in an inquiring tone,” and “JAYA!” in an angry manner.

Jaya’s “husband” is Oakwood, who was born during the Oakwood mutiny. My dad bought him for P7,000 from someone in Taguig. Oakwood is a black mini-pinscher, and bullied everyone he can. He got Jaya pregnant twice, with five puppies born the first time, and two puppies born the second time. Since there are just a few of us living in this home, the dogs outnumbered us, and it didn’t make sense. Soon the dogs were sold one by one, save for Jaya, Pretty and Brownie now. Joker was a gift to my dad.

Sometimes when my son is bored, he would go play fetch with Joker. Once in a while I try to pet Jaya. But when Joker sees it, he gets so jealous, he’d come bounding wanting to be cuddled too. So I would run back to the house and just watch him through the window. I don’t know, I just can’t cuddle a dog heavier than me.

But the dogs are nice to have around. Whenever anyone of us comes home and gets down from the car, all the dogs are right outside the car door, forming a welcoming committee. They wag their tails, and sniff and sniff, as if saying, “Welcome home.” Then as we enter the house, Garci would let out a shrill voice. Wonder when he’ll get to say, “Hello!”

BOOK OF THE WEEK: At Books for Less, I saw Love, Desire, Children, Etc.: Reflections of a young wife by Rica Bolipata-Santos. I know Rica. She wrote for Smart Parenting magazine a few years ago and I bumped into her once in my son’s school. This book she wrote is a collection of personal essays delving on motherhood, marriage, childhood crushes, sexuality, and more. Her writing is honest and engaging. Read it on a quiet afternoon while sipping a hot cup of coffee.

VERSE OF THE WEEK: When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? Psalm 8:3-4

My gifted child

Last week, we found out that we have a wonder child in our midst. My son, who's 10 turning 11 next month, was diagnosed as gifted with a mental age of 15 years on the average, and 17 years in the language/verbal area. Of course the little girl inside me did cartwheels and shouted a cheer. It was nice to hear this good news while living with my back pains.

I've always had a gut feeling that he was different. When he was four months old, while he was in his playpen, he blurted out, "Yaya! Dede!" His dad, our yaya, and I laughed. He was always curious, and before he was two, he knew the alphabet and all the animal sounds. He talked early. At three, he began reading words. And at four, I remember he almost cried tears of joy at realizing he can read the sentences in the story book we had in our hands by himself. At five, he would take his favorite Lego story book and read the story to people around him.

When he was six, he had to wipe away tears of happiness when he got as a birthday gift from his lolo and lola a hardbound book on the presidents of the US. He was into almanacs and atlases thereafter. At seven, when 9-11 happened, he would read the tickler fast when we tuned in to CNN. At eight, we read together In the Presence of My Enemies, the book written by Gracia Burnham, who was kidnapped with her husband by the Abu Sayaf.

He's into politics, history, and military stuff. When the Gloriagate Senate hearings were being shown on TV last year, he would watch it on ANC and write down notes to create a timeline of the whole event. Oh yes, he had an opinion on everything that was happening in current events. When my dad's Time subscription copy would be delivered, he'd shout a "Yay!" then read it first in our room. Last year, we had to buy teach-yourself German and Japanese books because he wanted to learn those languages.

Sometimes he would ask me things I do not know the answer to, or do not know how to answer. How many square miles is Texas? What are the top ten military airplanes? What is oral sex? Can I have a brother?

He would beg to be allowed to stay up late to watch Jeopardy. Today, his last day in school, he went home early and was able to watch Game K N B and had so much fun answering his questions. He told his lolo to enter him as a contestant if they come up with a kiddie version.

His dad said he's smarter than either of us. I agree. I wonder what God has in plan for Him. I pray that He will use his mind for His purpose and to help other people.

In the meantime, I'll try to answer his questions as best I could. If I can't, we'll Ask Jeeves.

BOOK OF THE WEEK: Night by Elie Wiesel is a sad thin book about his heart-wrenching experience in concentration camps during the Holocaust. Wiesel won a Nobel Peace Prize. His writing is clear and touching. Read it at least once, like you'd watch Schindler's List the movie at least once. It will keep you grateful for the life we have now.

VERSE OF THE WEEK: Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. Psalm 127:3

Mom

While cleaning out my files recently, I came across this old essay I wrote about my mom. It was written on October 23, 1998, almost eight years ago, but it still made me smile. At 74, my mom is still a mall rat to this day.

My mother

Every day at the stroke of nine in the morning, she pretties herself up, putting on lipstick and touching up her hair, before carefully choosing her wardrobe for the day. It's time for her daily exercise, and my mother's going to the mall.

Since she experienced all those pains due to a slipped disk years ago requiring her to see a physical therapist, my mother has made it a point to walk the whole length of SM City North EDSA every day. She'd start from where the supermarket is, pause and sip coffee at Dunkin' Donuts, walk again, go up the second level and have a slice of pizza at Greenwich or munch on a burger at Burger King, then go down and end up at the other end, where Goldilocks is.

The daily walks have made her a perfect walking SM Info Center. Ask her where the nearest restroom is and she'll tell you where in an instant. She knows which store is located where, and what they offer. She knows where the ATMs are. She's up to date with what's on sale at SM Department Store, and until when that sale will be. And for me, best of all, she gives the best food reviews in town.

She told me once, for instance, that she had soy chicken with rice at Chopstix Express on the second floor, and found it too salty [Note: this resto is now closed.]. She told me, too, that Racks, also on the second level, had budget-sized pork ribs value meal, and at P45 with rice and softdrinks, was the best deal they ever had [Note: This Racks is now gone too.]. She advised me to be at Kenny Rogers no later than 11 am if I wanted to have a seat for lunch. The best coffee in the mall is served by Dunkin' Donuts and St. Cinnamon [St. Cinnamon vanished already.]. The best ensaimadas are sold by Red Ribbon. Sarciadong isda (sweet and sour fish) is tops at Goldilocks. And forget the Food Court at the basement, she said, since most of the time they only serve reheated food.

Coming from the mall, she'd go home and tell Alec what toys are on sale. Her eyes would light up, as Alec's would, too, as she would recount the latest Mega Bloks and Lego exhibits on display. She would also buy Alec a Happy Meal or a Jollibee Kiddie Meal, for the free toy. Then she would rave about the rest of the free toys in the meal series for the month, with a promise to buy another Happy/Kiddie Meal for Alec.

It was my mother who warned me against parking in the carpark building, for several kidnappings and robberies happened there. The best place to park, she said, would be in the wide open area fronting Goldilocks, where everyone can see you and you can see everyone [This parking lot is no more, and a Hypermart is being built on it.].

My mother is 67, and still as strong as can be. When I was hospitalized a month ago and had surgery to remove an inflammed appendix, she sat up by my bed at the ward waiting for me until midnight when I was wheeled in from the recovery room. The next day, she assisted me as I took one painful step after another for my required exercise. To this day she would go out every day, and feel invigorated each time she came back.

Sometime in the future, I'd probably find myself doing the same things she is doing now. I would pretty myself up at 10 am each day, saunter off to the mall, and come back with tales of new toys for my little grandchild. She hasn't said it, but I've learned from her that life is worth living each day.

BOOK OF THE WEEK: I've had Confessions of a Q.C. House-husband and Other Privacies by Alfed "Krip" Yuson for so many years now, but it's only this week that I found time to read it. His writing is brilliant, but he shines more when he writes about his "privacies." Telephone cords, doorknobs, palengkes -- these may seem like ordinary stuff, but stuff that good writing can be made of, in Yuson's hands.

VERSE OF THE WEEK: For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless. Psalm 84:11

A year before life begins

So this is how it feels to be 39. Eeeks, just saying 39 gives me the goosebumps. 39 seems so ... ancient, not like 38, which sounds a bit younger. But if Demi Moore and Madonna can still look gorgeous beyond the big Four Oh, then, 39 may not be so bad after all.

The early days of January are usually hectic for me, and this year was not exception. After the New Year festivities, my birthday celebrations start. That's celebrations with an "s" since I have lots of mini-parties, from coffee with friends to dinner with family. I like it better that way. I'm not much of a big party person.

So there I was pigging out with Erli at Old Spaghetti House on the 2nd, eating Cello's Donuts with the faculty on the 4th (my birthday), feasting on take-out chicken honey from Serye for dinner that night, taking a break from work with Mel at Figaro on the 5th (with my fave kapeng barako), digging into a KFC bucket on the night of the 7th with the family, and watching Narnia with Alec on the 8th. Tomorrow, Friday, I'll be meeting up with some members of the Smart Parenting e-group (our loyal readers) for coffee at Bo's. They're calling it a Karen Birthday EB, isn't that sweet? Now if only I have enough cash to treat them all. :)

They say life begins at 40. So what does that make of the earlier years? But life for me has begun a long time ago, and I can say I'm rich with family, friends, love, joy, and peace -- the things that matter. It's been a good 39 years. Can't wait to see what's in store for me in the next 39 years or more.

BOOK OF THE WEEK: Of course, after following Professor Murphy's pursuits in Babylon Rising, I just had to buy the next one in the series, The Secret of Ararat. This time, he's looking for Noah's Ark up in the mountains of Turkey.

VERSE OF THE WEEK: Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Philippians 4:8

Christmas musings

"What is the best Christmas gift you received this year?" posted one member in a parenting e-group I belong to.

Hmmm... Well last Christmas I got cutie pajamas, John and Stasi Eldredge's Captivating, a Kenneth Cole keychain, a tie-dyed top and shorts set, and food items--all welcome gifts. :) I could have wished for a kiss and a hug from my big 10-year-old son but he has declared that he is already "almost a teenager" and therefore is way past the kiss-and-hug-parents stage. Poor me.

So, what are the best Christmas gifts of all? For me, they're the ones that last: my intact family, my supportive friends, my loving son (in spite of the No Kiss, No Hug rule now), the privilege to write, and an awesome God who loved me so much He sent His only son so I can know Him.

BOOK OF THE WEEK: After reading all the books in the Left Behind series, I knew I had to read Babylon Rising, the first in the new fiction series written by Left Behind author Tim LaHaye. Greg Dinallo is his co-author here. This is not really a Christmas read, but it's quite a pageturner, perfect for whiling the time away during the Christmas break. Follow Biblical archaeologist Professor Michael Murphy's exploits as he goes from an abandoned warehouse in North Carolina to the deserts of Samaria in search of centuries old artifacts.

VERSE OF THE WEEK: Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

Christmas wish list

It's two Saturdays before Christmas and I'm not done yet with my Christmas shopping! That's why I'll be braving the human megatraffic at SM City North EDSA today at 10 a.m., about an hour away from now. It's also a three-day sale weekend. But our trusted driver Jamin is here, which means I don't have to drive and line up forever for parking space, and that makes shopping more exciting today.

While in front of my dresser mirror the other day, I glanced at the various bottles on my table. As of last count, I have six perfumes/colognes, of which three are still unopened for more than a year now. One is still wrapped in a fancy giftwrapper. I do appreciate these gifts and the people who gave them, but I'm not really a perfume person. I like light colognes better.

And that got me thinking, if I were to choose my own Christmas gifts, what would they be? And so here's my list.

MY TOP 5 MOST UNWANTED
1. Perfumes: They make me dizzy.
2. Stuffed toys: They just gather dust.
3. Horror/sci-fi books: I'm just not into them.
4. Jewelry: Nice to have, but for years now, I rarely wear anything beyond my stud earrings and watch. Rampant crime made me paranoid, I think. So, it's something I can live without.
5. Brand name wallets: I still have some unused brand name wallets, simply because I can't use them all at the same time. So I wait for the current one I'm using to get old or to get ripped, so I can use the next new one. I don't want to add a new one to the queue.

MY TOP 6 MOST WANTED
1. Clear books: Not something you'd expect, huh. But just recently, I had to go over my portfolio of published works (1989 to 2005) and there are so many articles not in clear books yet. I think I need at least 10 new ones to accommodate all.
2. Books, books, books: I again spotted Gifts from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, which I've been wanting to read for a long time now. I'd also welcome books on art, Christian living, writing, personal finance, classic novels, fiction, etc. Oh that reminds me! I have to get The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis for Alec.
3. Food: Always welcome, whether home-baked or store-bought.
4. A spa gift certificate: I'd love a massage, a foot spa, a facial, etc.
5. Photo albums: In 2006, I hope to be able to put every photo in an album for easy viewing. Right now, all our photos for the past 2-3 years are in two boxes. I'm being realistic, so I've set a doable deadline for that project: Dec. 31, 2006.
6. A knockout sturdy chair: Away with these computer ergonomic chairs! I need a chair with a full backrest for my back problem.

WHAT I REALLY WISH FOR (I can dream, can't I?)
1. Free unleaded gas for life
2. A bedroom makeover
3. Jobs for the jobless
4. Help for all the sick who can't get treatment due to poverty
5. for people to realize that at the end of their lives, it's not fame, riches or good works that matter. It's all about your personal relationship with God.

BOOK OF THE WEEK: A little book with the title What to Do When You Don't Know What to Do by Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend caught my eye at National Bookstore a few days ago. What do you really do in such cases? "Draw closer [to God]! Love God in that situation," write the authors. Makes sense.

VERSE OF THE WEEK: Last Friday, I was asked to fill out a survey, slumbook-style, at school (more on that in another post one of these days). I was asked what my principle in life is. This came to mind: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." Colossians 3:23

My Tiya Pacita

"Alec! Alec!" My Tiya Pacita would call on my son as soon as she would step in our home. She would usually come once a week or once in two weeks to go to the mall with my mom, her younger sister. Always, she would bring little treats for my son, like chips or chocolates or candies.

Sometimes when we had some clothes that needed alteration, she would use my mom's sewing machine and cut the hem of pants, and sew on zippers that work to replace those that don't. She loved to sew, and we have curtains, pillowcases, and pajamas that show off her handiwork. Just last night, I complimented my mom on the new orange plaid duster she wore. She said my Tiya Pacita made it and gave it to her a couple of weeks ago.

Among all my maternal aunts, I was closest to Tiya Pacita. And more so when she became a born-again Christian. We would lend each other Christian books, talk about my mom and how we pray for her, and talk about her daughter Tess, my cousin. She is my Tiya Pacita's only daughter, and Tiya Pacita stood by her during those difficult times when her marriage crumbled.

Tiya Pacita was a loving, generous woman. She lived a simple life. She was not rich, yet she lived a rich and fulfilling life. I can see her smiling now, thanking God for a wonderful life. She went to heaven last week at the age of 79. And though she had to share a tomb with my lola at the cramped North Cemetery, I know she has a better home up there, where there is no more crying, no more sickness, no more pain. To God be the glory!

P.S. In this photo, that's Tiya Pacita, my cousin Imelda, and me

BOOK OF THE WEEK: Anyone who wants to be a good writer has to read On Writing Well by William Zinsser. First written in 1976, the book recently had its 25th anniversary edition. Although it tackles principles of writing creative non-fiction, it does so in a non-textbook-like way. Worth reading and rereading.

VERSE OF THE WEEK: "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10

State of our economy

Please forgive me for not posting so often. I guess that's what happens when you're busy living life; you can't sit down to write about your life. :) Well I hope to turn a new leaf now and write more often here.

Just yesterday, we went to Crustasia Restaurant at The Power Plant Mall for a 3 p.m. lunch/snack--it was lunch for my sister and her family, and snacks for my mom, my son and me. Now crabs, fried rice, shrimps, and spring rolls don't exactly qualify as snack menu, but it was my sister's birthday after all. Food's great, but service was not so great, as they forgot my son's tofu. But that's ok, since we were so full anyway that there wasn't room anymore in our tummies. In fact, we skipped dinner last night.

Last Monday, I got to interview one of our country's bright economists, Dr. Cielito Habito of the Ateneo, for a story in a mag I write for. He was also former NEDA director-general and former socio-economic planning secretary during Ramos's time. And he explained in simple terms what we will more or less face next year: higher prices, not enough jobs, no wage increases--basically what we're experiencing now. And that calls for more belt tightening, he says.

Well yesterday was sale day at The Power Plant and the place was swarming with people, although, not quite Megamall on a 3-day sale. Still, there were so many people. And they were buying and buying at Fully Booked (20% off on cash purchases, 15% off on credit card buys), Bayo, Marks and Spencer, and even Lacoste was full! And that got me thinking: Are we really getting poorer as our economists say? Looks like life's a blast at The Power Plant yesterday. I bumped into whole families eating Coldstone ice cream (P150 per cup; buy one take one yesterday), saw men ogling the new Benzes on display and even taking them out for a test drive, women with shopping bags in tow.

Hard times? Maybe not here. But it's out there, on Agham Road in QC where we saw a little boy pulling his toy car (two wooden blocks placed on top of each other with four bottlecaps as wheels), on Mindanao Avenue where streetkids show you their dirty palms as they ask for change so they can eat...I could go on and on.

BOOK OF THE WEEK: My friend Cielo let me borrow her book Wild At Heart by John Eldredge. It's about "discovering the secret of a man's soul." There are three things a man needs: a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue. Too often, we women (moms/wives/friends) curtail that wild side in a man and so men turn out to be wimps. A great read! I'm just halfway through it but it's so amazing.

VERSE OF THE WEEK: Luke 12:22b-23;25-26: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?"

Oh my aching back!

I've been quiet these past weeks--for almost two months now. I hurt my back. A week before Holy Week, the pain started on my lower back. I didn't mind it then. But when two weeks passed by and the pain was still there, and worse, it was getting hard for me to sit and stand (I was like an old lady holding my hip), I knew it was something different.

I went to see my sister's best friend, a physiatrist at St. Luke's. I was diagnosed to have sciatica. A disc on my back is pressing on the sciatic nerve, causing pain and tingling and numbness. I was put on meds and had to undergo 18 sessions of physical therapy. I praise God that He heard our prayers and surgery is no longer an option. I'm still on meds (and dazed!) but am hoping to be fully well soon.

One thing I learned: We should take care of our bodies. Go ahead, take a break. Rest and be quiet.

BOOK OF THE WEEK: This week I'm reading Rich Kid Smart Kid by Robert Kiyosaki. Basically he's just repeating what he has said in his previous books like Rich Dad Poor Dad, that working hard as an employee won't make anyone rich. It's quite practical though as he gives parents tips on how to teach their children these financial lessons from age nine onwards.

VERSE OF THE WEEK: Blessed is the man [whose]...delight is in the law of the Lord...He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. (Psalm 1:1-3)

Notes on a Quiet Holy Thursday

Ok, I know, I know. It's been quite a while since I last made a post. February came in a blur as deadlines overwhelmed me. One thing I learned that time was not to take in more work than I should so I can keep the evenings and weekends to myself. :) That was also the time my son and I had a food poisoning incident from eating a slice of egg pie. That was tough. Ewww.

So I'm back and I hope to post something new here at least once a month, whether or not I have readers. hehe

In case you're wondering, this blog is called Quiet Stream because I imagine it to be a place where I can think my thoughts aloud. Sort of like Steve's Thinking Chair in Blue's Clues. It's also inspired by a verse from my favorite Psalm, Psalm 23:2-3: "He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul."

Today is Holy Thursday. I'm glad we'll just stay home this Holy Week and just...be quiet. My mom and sister are going to Tokyo tomorrow to be with my brother and my sister (going there from L.A. on the first week of April) so the rest of the family is staying put in Manila. Last year, Good Friday fell on my dad's birthday. We were in Tagaytay when my dad announced we'll be going to Matabungkay Beach and have lunch on a raft on his birthday. That was a different experience--having inihaw na bangus and manggang hilaw with bagoong on the raft with a table and roof while all around us the rest of Batangas--so it seems--swam.

BOOK OF THE WEEK: Voracious reader that I am, I always have a book with me. Right now I'm reading The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck. Quite interesting, as it gives one a peek into prerevolutionary China. I am struck by how industrious the farmer Wang Lung is, and his fortune is so Gulong Ng Palad-like: from poverty to riches, from hunger to excess. This novel won for Buck the Pulitzer Prize back in the '30s, and it made it into Oprah's list. Oprah seems to have a thing for depressing books, no?

VERSE OF THE WEEK: In this blog, I'll share Bible verses that became meaningful to me lately. This week, it's Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Food for thought.

Quiet Day At Home

It's a hot afternoon as I write this. My nine-year-old son is working on his military base made of Lego blocks and toy soldiers on my dad's table just a few feet away from me. He's supposed to be in school, but he's down with colds and a nasty cough again. I am beginning to wonder why he has this colds-and-cough bit every month since November. I hope it is as he says--it's because he doesn't wash his hands every day in school, thus bringing all the germs home with him. Hope it's not because of anything worse than that.

Although I would like him to be in school now so I can work in peace on my writing, it feels good that he's home the whole day. When I came back from doing errands this morning (go to the bank, pay bills, etc.), he said, "Mom, I made you iced tea!" Aw, that's so sweet. Never mind if he poured the whole pouch of Lipton Iced Tea Mix in the pitcher when the package said only half a cup to a pitcher of water. :)

Earlier I extracted from him a promise that this will be his last absence for the school year. And he also promised to work on two pages in his cursive writing exercise book. Now he's beside me as I write, reading what I'm writing!

Ok, gotta go. He wants to make his own blog.

This is me