Midlife Mysteries | Musings and Ramblings at 40something

Farewell, Tara Santelices, 23

2009-07-27T06:50:00.002+08:00

Her heart finally gave up at 4AM today.After being rushed to the ICU two days ago, Tara Santelices, 23 passed away at The Medical City due to cardiac arrest.It has been almost a year-long struggle for Tara and her family - parents, Larry and Anne; her sisters Iya and Gita and all her friends who loved her dearly. Through this tragic event she had inspired so many people - both young and old - to

Tara Santelices, One Year After The Accident

2009-07-26T00:31:00.002+08:00

Hope and love were so thick the afternoon I entered Tara Santelices bright green bedroom.“It is the one thing we hold on to, and so we cannot let it go,” Larry Santelices, Tara’s father, tells me that rainy day I came to visit. Outside, the small, simply furnished townhouse where Tara lay, attended to by her midwife, Babes, rain was pouring hard. It’s almost been a year now, August 9, 2008 -- the

My Father's Love

2009-06-21T09:28:00.003+08:00

A wonderful gift was given to me this year and I have my Heavenly Father to thank for it.For many years I was searching for my father whom I lost when I was 16. This year, that search has been put to rest. And on this day, I remember him with fondness and honor his memory with this song that is so beautiful. Thank you dad, and Abba Father for your gifts of comfort and grace...

Back To The Seventies

2009-06-05T00:50:00.002+08:00

I entered my teen years in the late seventies. A period which one could probably qualify as the golden age of OPM (Original Pilipino Music). It's been raining giant cats and dogs in Manila and I found myself searching for the songs that I used to love as a teener. Here are just a couple of songs that I love to this day...I love the lyrics of this song and the melody is just as beautiful :)This

Are You Raising A Pervert?

2009-06-03T19:27:00.003+08:00

All this talk about sex, lies and videotapes hogging the news on a daily basis was enough to get parents like myself paranoid about the values or attitudes we teach our children regarding healthy sexuality. But how do you protect one's child from being victimized by perverts?Although there is no fool-proof way I guess it all begins with education, at the right time and the right place, and

Dinosaurs and Monarch Butterflies - Remembering You, 11 Years Later

2009-06-02T21:24:00.006+08:00

I still find myself smiling wistfully everytime I see a new dinosaur book on display at the bookstore. Part of me wants to grab the book, purchase it and bring it home to include it among your things that are kept in a cabinet close to my work desk at home.Eleven years later, I don't cry as much and I can talk about you now without having to shed a tear, remembering you with smiles more than with

Puerto Galera Tragedy Shows Crack in MARINA Policies

2009-05-27T18:01:00.003+08:00

I've just returned from the funeral of three family friends. It's an experience I don't ever want to have to repeat in this lifetime. Every loss has a reason, and one of the things that helps loved ones move on is to be able to find meaning to the loss that has taken place. After my column in PDI came today, I got a deluge of emails regarding the sorry state of the ferry system in Puerto Galera

For Everyone Who Loved Franco and Anton

2009-05-25T12:04:00.002+08:00

Faith has always carried me through.Though there are never enough words to describe the pain of losing a child, sometimes we find comfort in poetry and in messages sent from above. While thinking about the boys and their parents today in the middle of writing a blog post, I found this. For all of us who grieve with Mon, Monique, Rina and Louie and the rest of the Eugenio family, may this give us

Three Losses, Multiple Griefs - Lessons and Questions from the Puerto Galera Ferry Tragedy

2009-05-25T10:55:00.007+08:00

Franco Eugenio,3 and Anton Eugenio Cruz, 2 slept soundly, cradled in their yayas arms as the Commando 6 ploughed its way through choppy waters under a blue sky. It seemed like a perfect day for everyone on board the vessel. Many of the passengers were families, like the Eugenio's who were looking forward to spending time together as they ventured on their first outing as a clan. Ramon, Franco's

Twelve Killed in Puerto Galera Ferry Accident

2009-05-23T21:56:00.006+08:00

Three of the twelve who perished today were known to me. One of them, was a wonderful lady whose son is a very dear friend of mine who I grew up with. My friend's 3 year old son passed away too. And so did the little boy's cousin, who is an only child. I have been re-reading the news reports for the last few hours, trying to make sense of what has just taken place. I have no answers. I cannot

The Noticer by Andy Andrews - It's All About Perspective and Gratitude

2009-05-16T23:31:00.004+08:00

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” -- Marcel Proust I’m an optimist by nature.No matter how difficult a situation may be, I always try to find the ray of light that breaks through the cracks, follow it, and whistle my way through the darkness until I get to the other side. This resiliency, I’d like to believe, is part of

Terra Spa : Sanctuary In the City

2009-05-14T20:17:00.004+08:00

There are places from where I seek comfort from time to time when I want to shut out the rest of the world and just be with myself.One of these little hideaways is a lovely spa tucked away on the fourth floor of Discovery Suites in Ortigas. Terra Spa - the name means "earth" in Latin, and true to its name, everything in this place is natural and organic. From the interiors which is predominantly

Do Children Grieve?

2009-05-14T16:28:00.002+08:00

He seems okay on the surface. He or she has high grades, continues to play, and does not exhibit any outward manifestations of sadness. Children grieve differently than adults and so we often mistakenly assume that everything is okay and they aren't grieving at all.A child's grief is masked because it looks differently than what we are used to seeing in adults and older kids. Kids grieve in small

Likable in person = Likable on Facebook

2009-05-13T20:13:00.001+08:00

BPS RESEARCH DIGEST: People judged as likable in the flesh also make good first impressions onlineAccording to this study..participants with more expressive Facebook pages - for example having more photos available to view - tended to be judged as more likeable. Finally, participants who were expressive in the flesh also tended to be expressive on their Facebook page.

Five Lessons My Mother Taught Me

2009-05-10T07:01:00.003+08:00

We learn best by watching, listening and observing. The first role models we have in life are our parents. Daughters watch their mothers closely, and so the best life lessons are taught, more by example, rather than by lecture. Here are some of the more important ones I learned from my own mother…1. Family comes first.Mom had a full-time career when she met my dad and she did not stop working

Heaven's Butterfly on The 700 Club

2009-05-07T20:21:00.003+08:00

It's more nerve-wracking to do a television appearance when your daughter is with you.That's exactly how I felt the other day when P and I were interviewed by Coney Reyes on the set of The 700 Club. We were asked to talk about our experience in writing "Heaven's Butterfly" together and it was quite an interesting conversation that we had.Towards the latter part of the interview, we were asked

Finally, Full Circle in San Francisco_Roots & Wings in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 3, 2009

2009-05-03T09:07:00.005+08:00

“There are two ways to live; one is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is.” - Albert EinsteinSan Francisco, California --- Sometimes you never know where the road leads.I’ve been in the U.S. for the last two weeks, primarily, to attend a conference on death and bereavement and take grief therapy classes in Dallas, Texas and now, I have found my way to San

Worried about the recession? Watch Chicken ala Carte

2009-05-02T11:04:00.002+08:00

Have you seen this? It surely puts everything in perspective in times such as these. BIGG's is a restaurant chain in Naga and Legaspi. My son, L, who is ten, was tearing when we were watching it a while ago. He immediately looked at his bowl to see if he had left anything in it. That's how powerful the film is.How they maintain an attitude of gratefulness and a deep spirituality is truly humbling

Falling In Love With San Francisco

2009-05-01T07:20:00.004+08:00

Above the blue and windy seaWhen I come home to you, San FranciscoYour golden sun will shine for me What is there not to love about this most beautiful of cities by the bay?A few years before my dad died, he would often wax poetic about this city which he loved very much. "If there is one place you must see before you die. it has to be San Francisco." Eerie when I think about it now.I've been

Lost and Found on Facebook

2009-04-29T06:08:00.002+08:00

"When you function with an open heart, the world and everything in it, belong to you." It took my friend J, 23 years to find her, and in a sense, find redemption for a silly, immature thing that had transpired between them in college. "We have to look for her," he told me when I stayed at his home this week-end in Dublin, California. J said that he had spotted her at the public library close to

2009-04-25T07:09:00.008+08:00

"The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention...a loving silence often has more power to heal and to connect than the most well-intentioned words." -- Rachel Naomi RemenSometimes words are not enough to describe the grandeur and majesty of a place.In Yosemite, you realize and

The Easter Sundays of Our Lives

2009-04-13T11:08:00.006+08:00

When I look back on the road that lead me to Dallas, I can't help but think of the many Good Fridays I had to live through and the Easter Sundays that God always provided me with afterwards.I spent a quiet Easter week-end in Mt. Pleasant, Texas - a small, simple community, two and a half hours away from Dallas by car. In the company of good friends, M and P, a young couple building a life

I left my heart...

2009-04-10T14:30:00.003+08:00

Arrived here this evening, in this most beautiful of cities by the bay.I shall spend the night here before flying off to Dallas in the morning which marks the beginning of my big adventure. I'm still up, at close to midnight, but I need to get my shut-eye very soon.My father always loved to talk about how beautiful San Francisco is, and rightly so.Everytime I am here, I am blown away by its

2009-04-01T08:34:00.002+08:00

Panglao, Bohol -- It took seven newly-minted high school graduates to help me find my muse. They say that the best way to discover a person’s true character is to take a trip with him or her. I say, that one of the best ways to navigate the tail-end of a midlife journey is to travel with a group of young 17 and 18 year old women to remind you of who you are truly meant to be.I came here two years

Graduation Season

2009-03-25T21:31:00.003+08:00

The movie in my mind began to play again the other day as my daughter graduated high school. After 14 years we finally bid good-bye to familiar roads and corridoors, and faces. Notice that I said we. Because after more than a decade of shuttling her to and from school in her yellow, checkered uniform, it felt like I had graduated too.Watching her walk up the stage to receive her diploma I thought

Room With A View

2009-03-24T18:50:00.003+08:00

"I believe the nicest, sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens, but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string." - Anne Shirley in Lucy Maud Montgomery's "Anne of Green Gables"This was the breathtaking view from where I sat this morning. A quiet, perfect and uneventful morning

"Mga Gerilya Sa Powell Street" : Revisiting The Beteranos

2009-03-23T07:07:00.009+08:00

Growing up, I was very close to an elderly uncle, my mother's eldest brother, who was a WW II veteran. He liked to regale us with stories of his exploits as a guerilla in Cebu as a 20something young man. He had quite the love story too.On the other side of the family tree, I never got to meet my grandfather on my father's side. What I knew of him, I heard from stories passed down from generation

To My Daughter As She Graduates...

2009-03-20T19:27:00.003+08:00

Is this the little girl I carried?Is this the little boy at play?I don't remember growing olderWhen did they?When did she get to be a beauty?When did he grow to be so tall?Wasn't it yesterdayWhen they were small?Sunrise, sunsetSunrise, sunsetSwiftly flow the daysSeedlings turn overnight to sunflowersBlossoming even as we gaze- From "Fiddler on the Roof"Time has flown so quickly but we are happy

Are You A Facebook Parent?

2009-03-18T13:03:00.003+08:00

My classes at the Ateneo officially ended yesterday. Saying good-bye to students, especially if it’s a small class, isn’t always easy. Thanks to Facebook, the parting becomes easier.I know this may sound funny but I built a Facebook account ahead of my 18-year old daughter. Now considered to be the most popular social networking site in many countries, Facebook has become the largest player on

Beth Israel workers agree to go without to save jobs - The Boston Globe

2009-03-13T10:33:00.001+08:00

Beth Israel workers agree to go without to save jobs - The Boston GlobePosted using ShareThis

Francis M's Music Filled Wake

2009-03-09T09:29:00.006+08:00

It was what you might call a "happy wake." I didn't really know Francis M but based on what I saw and heard last night, I guess he would not have wanted the gathering to take place any other way.I've been to several wakes in my lifetime. In fact, Over the last two days, I've been to one every night. Both were filled with people who had happy, wonderful memories of the loved on who had gone ahead.

Are You A Rihanna?

2009-03-09T00:17:00.001+08:00

Reading about the Rihanna-Chris Brown domestic violence stories worried me a lot. More so when I saw the singer’s photograph showing her face swollen and beaten. Yet, a few weeks later, she was supposedly back in her abuser’s arms. And then I was reminded of my good friend Nina.Nina (not her real name), whom I grew up with, and is one of my dearest friends came home hastily from New York where

Francis Magalona and the Brevity of Life

2009-03-06T18:46:00.006+08:00

I was driving in Ortigas traffic, stuck almost in front of The Medical City (TMC) when the text message came from Rowena -- "Francis M passed away at 12 noon today." P and I looked at each other and then we looked in the direction of the hospital where I once worked.I had just begun my stint at TMC as Corporate Communications Consultant when Francis was first admitted last year for Acute

The Real Jericho Rosales

2009-03-04T08:48:00.003+08:00

Meeting Echo was a nice way to begin the month.It was a welcome respite from a busy, emotion wracked but neverthless blessed February. We were at the Discovery Suites yesterday afternoon on assignment from the paper. What can I tell you -- he's real, he's nice, very well-grounded and such a simple and sensible young man.P was with me, she took these pictures and she was quite impressed with him

One Loss, Many Griefs - The Aftermath of Losing Amiel Alcantara

2009-03-01T10:39:00.005+08:00

A pall of gloom hovers heavily over the Ateneo de Manila Grade School. The sound of young boys running and playing is not as loud as it is from a week ago. In the middle of the parking lot close to the pick-up point, a silent, poignant monument stands.Amiel Alcantara, all of ten years old was run over by a reckless driver last Tuesday afternoon, on his first day back at school after a successful

Fly High, We Bid Amiel Alcantara Good-bye

2009-02-28T18:54:00.014+08:00

Even grown men cry.At 11:30 AM today, the Chapel of the Holy Angels at the Ateneo de Manila University Grade School was filled to the rafters as members of his family, friends and the school community bid Amiel Alcantara good-bye in a mass that was concelebrated by university president, Fr. Ben Nebres, and Fr. Kit Bautista, grade school headmaster.In a tribute to his youngest brother, Avie

Official Statement of Amiel Alcantara's Family

2009-02-28T14:08:00.005+08:00

There was not a dry eye this morning at the funeral mass for Amiel Alcantara.I have to rush off now but will be beack with the details of his beautiful and poignant send-off when I return home this evening. For now, I leave you with the Alcantara family's official statement as of 12 Noon today. The statement was handed to me by Amiel's uncle, Dr. Martin Moreno ---"We note the expressions of

GMA 7 Special Report On Amiel Alcantara

2009-02-28T09:20:00.004+08:00

GMA-7 News came over yesterday to get my thoughts on Amiel's passing. In this video also is my friend, Noemi Dado who founded The Compassionate Friends where we are co-founders as well. Amiel's story is one that has riveted every parent because his death shakes every parent's heart to the core. Later today he will finally be laid to rest. The saddest part of the grief journey is when everyone has

Update on Losing Amiel Alcantara

2009-02-26T00:29:00.002+08:00

My heart is heavier now than it was earlier today when I started to piece together what had happenned to Amiel Alcantara, the Ateneo fourth grader who was hit by a CRV at the Ateneo de Manila grade school parking lot yesterday afternoon.My husband and I have just returned from his wake and I am shocked, stunned and restless over the circumstances surrounding his death. The Alcantara's actually

Debrief Me

2009-02-25T12:13:00.005+08:00

So much sadness over the last couple of days...I need to, want to... have to...do this today...Then head out and catch this...And sometime this evening, get myself a full glass of this...

Losing Amiel Alcantara - Ateneo Grade School Parking Lot Accident

2009-02-25T09:21:00.005+08:00

I couldn't sleep last night.At around 10:30 PM, P came rushing into the room and asked me if I had received a text about a young boy who had died at the Ateneo Grade School earlier that day. I immediately got up and we both looked at L, all of ten, who was fast asleep on the bed. "He was L's age..." she said.The details I have are still sketchy but my heart is so heavy and it goes out to everyone

Finding Faith and Hope at the 81st Oscar Awards

2009-02-23T13:07:00.004+08:00

I dreaded watching the Oscars this year.For weeks I had been pushing the event at the back of my head. Everyone at home knew it was a sensitive topic and avoided discussing it with me. But after church last night, the Oscar fever had gripped everyone at home and this morning my son woke me by yelling "Mom! It's 30 minutes to the Oscars!" Bless his heart.I grew up with the Oscars. The annual

Coming Full Circle With Migi's Corner

2009-02-20T10:54:00.007+08:00

It's been quite a busy and blessed week for me. God always likes to keep me busy in the days leading to Migi's birthday.Tomorrow he will be 15 in heaven. I like to think of him now as a young man, in a pin-striped, collared shirt (his favorite)probably surrounded by books and paintings of his beloved dinosaurs. It is a beautiful and peaceful image to hold on to.On Tuesday this week, we launched "

Book launch of "Heaven's Butterfly", a book on how to help children cope with grief

2009-02-17T21:31:00.005+08:00

Today marked a milestone in our family's history as we launched "Heaven's Butterfly" which was published by Anvil and written by my daughter P and yours truly. The book talks about the story of our life in the first year after Migi died. It specifically describes P's journey from a place of sadness to a place of hope.P was only seven when he died in 1998. Loss is a reality for children even at a

Guam's Puntan Dos Amantes - Two Lover's Point

2009-02-14T09:55:00.006+08:00

An undying love. Guam's most picturesque point on the island also tells one of its most tragic love stories. Overlooking the Philippine sea, Two Lovers Point is located on a startling cliffline with breathtaking views of the island. The landmark tells the story of an ancient Chamorro legend -- of two lovers who, forbidden from being together in life, leaped to their death from the hillside to

Guam's 24/7 K-Mart

2009-02-13T09:32:00.005+08:00

Our joys are simple.On our last trip to Guam. We did as the locals did and shopped at our favorite place on the island - K Mart. Guam plays host to the largest K-Mart in the world, and even better, it's open 24 hours!For shopaholic Pinoys, this is good news because if you fly from Manila to Guam, you usually arrive at the ungodly hour of 4AM either via Philippine Airlines or Continental Air. If

Never Spank In Anger

2009-02-11T08:04:00.003+08:00

In the United States of America, the jury is still out on whether or not spanking should form a part of the disciplinary process. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in its policy statement is not so much for it, but the American College of Pediatricians, a newly-formed (2002) more conservative break-away group from the AAP is in favor of it under certain parameters. Admittedly, this is a

Helpful Philippine College Entrance Exam Tips

2009-02-08T09:25:00.006+08:00

January was particularly hectic, stressed and blessed for parents who have children in their Senior year in high school. College entrace exam results were released last month, so you can imagine how nerve wracking that was for most parents and their children. A parent can really only do so much to guide and support the child in choosing the course that best suits her skillset, temperament and

Back to Blogging

2009-02-06T20:17:00.004+08:00

After the 18th birthday dinner came the trip to our favorite get-away. It was wonderful to be in a laid-back country where your stress levels drop the moment you step into the airport. Magical and totally restful.Returned home a few days ago but came down with a nasty cough and cold. I'm much better now after a couple of good nights of sleep and megadoses of Vitamin C and drowning myself in

Homework Help From Expert Moms

2009-01-30T14:42:00.004+08:00

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it…” The biblical proverb on childhood discipline applies not only to the manner by which we raise and discipline our children but also in the way that we inculcate in them life-long study habits.Larcy Morales de Castro is a hands-on, full-time, mother of nine children. Yes, you read that right – nine. Her

For My Daughter On Her 18th Birthday

2009-01-25T17:28:00.005+08:00

Dearest Pea,I write this in the quiet of an early Tuesday morning while the house is still rest of you lie in deep slumber. All around me as I tap away on the laptop, are various photographs of you through the years. I cannot believe how time has flown so quickly! It’s as if I had just turned around and the 18 years have gone by. I can fully relate to that scene in ”Father of the Bride” where

Meeting Hannah!

2009-01-25T14:34:00.003+08:00

It has been a most blessed week-end! The ventilator and other essential supplies that Hannah badly needed finally arrived in Manila early last week. Yesterday, January 24, 2009 - Rapa Lopa, Menchu Sarmiento and myself, trooped to Las Pinas to deliver two balikbayan boxes containing the ventilator and other essential supplies, to Hannah, Carlo and Joan Cordoviz.To say that the moment was golden

Michelle Obama, Real Woman with Real Style

2009-01-21T17:46:00.000+08:00

Cathy Horyn of the New York Times talks about Michelle Obama's practical but vigorously stylish selection of clothes on the biggest day of her life. Great pictures accompany this brief narrative.What I'd like to know is what kind of work-out she indulges in to get such toned arms!

Barack and Michelle Obama, At Last

2009-01-21T16:37:00.005+08:00

At each of the ten inaugural balls, the first couple danced to this beautiful song by Etta Jones. Oh how they look at each other... And when you listen to the lyrics...awwwww.At Last Lyrics by Etta JamesAt last, my love has come alongMy lonely days are overAnd life is like a songOh, yeah, at lastThe skies above are blueMy heart was wrapped up in cloversThe night I looked at youI found a dream

Study: 1 in 5 teens send nude pics - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

2009-01-18T18:11:00.000+08:00

Link

Meliton Garcia, Unsung U.P. Hero

2009-01-18T11:01:00.004+08:00

It's stories like those of Meliton Garcia, the retired University of the Philippines janitor who received only 92 centavos for his retirement pay after 40 years of service that makes my day. Nikko Dizon's front-page story in today's issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer was based on an email account of Mike Rivera, a UP graduate whose future was made possible by the heroism of men like Mang

First Love, The McDonald's Philippines 2009 TV Ad

2009-01-13T21:38:00.002+08:00

Next to Karen and her lolo, this Mc Donald's Philippines ad is such a heartbreaker.The lead actor is actually the nephew of a very good friend of mine. I had spotted him at a party last November and immediately saw the star material. Little was I to know that two months later he would be in a major ad on Philippine television. Here's to greater blessings in 2009, G!

Am I A Fireman Yet?

2009-01-13T20:53:00.004+08:00

I received this from my good friend Alya who knows that once in a while I like emptying out my tearducts because it's good for the heart and soul. Before you begin to read this, make sure you have tissues on hand...In Phoenix , Arizona , a 26-year-old mother stared down at her 6 year old son,who was dying of terminal leukemia.Although her heart was filled with sadness,she also had a strong

We Are So BLUE!!! :)

2009-01-10T13:02:00.003+08:00

Praise God!Yes, we made it! P is now officially an incoming Freshman to the Ateneo de Manila University! I cannot begin to tell you what a relief it was for me, for her dad and of course for P, to see her name up there on the board. And she got into her first choice -- B.S. Health Sciences. It looks like we are going to have a doctor in our future.Thank God for HIS faithfulness, his love,

2009 ACET Results Out at 8AM Tomorrow!!

2009-01-09T23:14:00.004+08:00

Are we going to be BLUE? The Ateneo College Entrance Test Results will be posted tomorrow, January 10, 2009 at 8AM at the Blue Eagle gym in Loyola Heights. The online version can be checked a few hours later, around 10AM through this link. Right now the site is still down and I suspect that the Office of Admissions and Aid is busy uploading the list of the new Freshmen for 2009-2010. Last

Breakfast

2009-01-08T12:20:00.003+08:00

Once in a while, usually at the beginning of a new week, I like to hie off by myself, early in the morning, after I've brought the kids to school, to a quiet place where I can be alone with my thoughts.I love finding these coffee places, especially the ones where there aren't too many people, where I can be with my books and my papers and watch the world quietly go by. Funny but at midlife I find

Review: Benjamin Button - Love Unbound By Time And Space

2009-01-07T09:59:00.006+08:00

Brad Pitt (left) stars as Benjamin Button and Cate Blanchett (right) stars as Daisy in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." Warner Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures Present A Kennedy/Marshall Production A David Fincher Film "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" starring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson, Julia Ormond, Jason Flemyng, Elias Koteas and Tilda Swinton. The film was

Twelve Midlife Books For 2009 - Part Two

2009-01-04T20:32:00.005+08:00

The Possession by Annie Ernaux Bestselling French author Ernaux has built her career on rendering almost every aspect of a woman's experience, from the hidden contours of her marriage to the indelible loss of her mother, with unsparing honesty and insight. Her latest novella is an excruciatingly frank -- and spot-on -- portrait of romantic jealousy in midlife. Ernaux's take on obsession will stay

A Father's Loss - John Travolta's Grief

2009-01-04T11:42:00.003+08:00

Irregardless of whether his son Jett had autism or not is no longer the question.A son is dead, and John and Kelly Travolta's life will forever be changed by it. How devastating and sad to start the year on a very sad note. It will be a long process for them. I do not know how Scientology deals with matters of loss or if they believe in eternal life at all.My heart grieves for the loss of their

Moving Forward

2009-01-04T09:46:00.007+08:00

I was up early today. The lovely Manila weather entices one to curl up in bed with a good book or sneak in another few hours of precious shut-eye. Not me. After some quiet time, I headed straight for my laptop to check on the latest in the world.Suddenly I found myself momentarily melancholic. A new year can sometimes do that to you. And then I stumbled upon some things online that made me

Twelve Books For Midlife Reading In 2009

2009-01-03T17:04:00.010+08:00

Books are a huge part of my life and my "clutter".When I saw Virginia Woolf's home in "The Hours" filled with books all over the place, I could so relate to that. Thus, To put some semblance of order into my cluttered reading list (I like going through three-four books at a time, taking forever to finish! Right now it's an Obama biography, a book on running and a memoir...) I've decided to pledge

Prayer for the New Year

2008-12-31T09:38:00.002+08:00

As a new year dawns upon us, my prayer for each and everyone of you is this..May There Be Peace WithinMay you trust your highest power that you are exactly where you are meant to be...May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you...May you be content knowing you are a child of

Benjamin Button On Life

2008-12-29T13:42:00.004+08:00

"Life can only be understood backwards , it needs to be lived forward."I'm counting the days 'til "Benjamin Button" starts screening here in Manila (January 8, 2009)... I was even more enticed to watch this promising film after reading an article about it today in PDI. Brad Pitt who plays the lead said many things in the interview that really resonated with me. Here are some soundbites from that

"Obama" for Motilium

2008-12-28T10:39:00.002+08:00

When I first saw the print ad for this campaign I was sort of incensed. How could they do that to President-elect Obama?! BUT...after seeing it in the full context of this TV ad, I was rolling stitches! Congratulations to the ad agency who thought of this really funny and effective campaign :) I love Motilium :)

"Baler" Best MMFF Movie for 2008

2008-12-27T16:44:00.003+08:00

Love. Longing. Loss.Mark Meily's "Baler" captures these three emotions superbly in a movie that is ironically set during the war. If there is one film that you need to see during this year's film festival, let this be it.Jericho Rosales has always been one of my favorite actors and after seeing him inhabit the character of Celso Resurreccion, I've just been made a fan for life. Rosales inhabits

When Christmas Comes

2008-12-24T07:22:00.002+08:00

The past week has been a time of re-connecting, of spending time with friends tried and tested by time. To be honest, over the last few weeks I had not really been feeling the Christmas spirit. It came as a pleasant surprise that when I had lunch with two of my closest girlfriends, dear friends whom I had known for more than 30 years, we all felt the same way.Was it the age factor? Of the three,

Dancing In The Belly of Miss Saigon, er Hanoi

2008-12-23T05:45:00.005+08:00

Dance has a way of unleashing latent passions and emotions. In a land rich in culture, filled with history, but still shrouded with a great deal of censorship, I was amused by this AFP report. I could not help but think to myself how women are once again leading the way out of "opression". Good for them! In the next edition of Miss Saigon, Kim will be doing a belly dance :)Read the full report

Honey, I need to go online...

2008-12-17T09:12:00.003+08:00

Feigning headaches appear to be a thing of the past.As more women have become tech savvy, an interesting AFP news report on Yahoo News caught my eye this morning while checking email and doing Facebook...The report says that in the United States, nearly one out of two women would rather give up sex for two weeks than go without the Internet, according to a survey released Monday."Forty-six

Thankful Tuesday

2008-12-16T21:55:00.004+08:00

There is so much to be thankful for...1. Our home is now, finally our own.2. P was accepted into a university yesterday. One down, by God's grace, four to go...3. The wonderful news that someone has offered to shoulder the expenses and cost of bringing Hannah's ventilator to the Philippines!4. The wonders of acupuncture and good health.5. The love of family and friends.In a world fraught with so

Pang Pinoy Lang Po Dito...

2008-12-12T19:59:00.003+08:00

Found this interesting sign on my friend's FB site...Nora lives in Canada so I'm guessing she found this there. Could this be for real. I wonder what's the story behind it? Sign kaya ito sa Pinoy supermarket doon -- we get priority parking ha!Where do you think they would install a sign like this?

Ricky Martin's Twins!

2008-12-11T11:17:00.003+08:00

Aren't they just the cutest?!?! Papa Ricky included. Hahaha :)He raises Mateo and Valentin by himself with no yaya!Suerte naman ng surrogate nito!Read the full story in PEOPLE magazine.

Film Review: "100" Things To Do Before You Die

2008-12-10T16:47:00.005+08:00

I know it's strange...to talk about death during the holiday season. But loss, is an essential part of life and the holidays are often a difficult time for anyone who has ever lost a loved one.I watched "100" the other evening with H and was very much impressed with the way that Director Chris Martinez handled the subject of death and dying. And contrary to popular belief, it's the type of movie

Bereaved Families to Remember Children on December 14 at the UP Diliman

2008-12-10T16:42:00.002+08:00

When a child has died, the holidays are an extremely difficult time for the family. While others are enjoying celebrations and holiday good cheer, bereaved families find themselves simply trying to figure out how they can survive what used to be, for many, such a special time of the year. Bereaved families now have one special day when they can join together to remember all children around the

The Democracy Video Challenge

2008-12-05T10:15:00.003+08:00

Have you heard about the International Information Program's "Democracy Video Challenge?"If not, this is:The Challenge -- Create a video short that completes the phrase "Democracy is…"ANDThe Prize -- An all-expense-paid trip to Washington, New York and Hollywood to attend gala screenings of the winning videos, gain exposure to the U.S. film and television industry and meet with creative talent,

A Christmas Story To Warm Your Heart

2008-12-05T09:13:00.002+08:00

This wonderful story was shared to us in an email by Dr. Toby Dayrit. It was also sent to him perhaps by a Cebuano. We'd like to believe that the story is true. I pray that someone can find these three children and help alleviate the difficulty of their young lives...Ever since I was diagnosed with having a possible heart enlargement, I havefollowed a strict regimen of physical exercises. I jog

Thanksgiving for P

2008-11-27T22:10:00.006+08:00

I have a race to blog about and more than a hundred people to thank, but right now family duties have put that on hold.God is good. Hannah's Hundred was a success and I ran the race last Sunday morning at McKinley Hill. I shall discuss that more in detail when we get home after a five-day stay here at The Medical City.I'm blogging at the end of a tiring day. It's been quite the eventful week

Running The Race

2008-11-22T20:54:00.003+08:00

On the eve of my run for Hannah, I have visions of ..."My momma always said, "Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." -- Forrest GumpIf you had told me six months ago that I would be doing a 5K tomorrow, I would have rolled my eyes in disbelief. I've never been the athletic type of person but now I believe that when God wants you to do something for HIM, in HIS

Katinas In Manila

2008-11-20T11:23:00.003+08:00

Music has always been an integral part of my life, more so my faith life.Music has a way of lifting one's spirits, no matter how blue you may be. Whenever I feel a little low, I always make sure that I start my day by listening to something that will lift me up. Christian music has never failed to do that for me. What better way than to hear the Lord's words set to to music, or to listen to a

Wolverine is Sexiest Man for 2008!!

2008-11-20T11:07:00.005+08:00

He's always been my favorite character in "X-Men", and this year he's just been declared by PEOPLE Magazine as 2008's Sexiest Man Alive. Woohoo..."Jackman's wife of 12 years, Deborra-Lee Furness, calls his perfect form "the Body of Doom – but I like what's inside": a romantic who sings ballads at home and makes pancakes for kids Oscar, 8, and Ava, 3" Awwwwww. He's a hot daddy too!Find out who

Last Hurrah for Hannah's Hundred !

2008-11-14T23:43:00.003+08:00

It's approximately a week before I run the race for Hannah. I was looking at the map this evening. It's a pretty tough course and I must admit that I momentarily got the jitters. But running is a mind game too, and so I know that I just need to focus and pray. 5K may be a small feat to many, but for me, it's the start of a new journey. Hannah's been such a blessing and I thank the Lord for

Poignant Obama in the NY Times

2008-11-12T23:04:00.002+08:00

President-elect Barack Obama, right, hugged Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth after a wreath laying ceremony at the Bronze Soldiers Memorial in Chicago in honor of Veteran's Day. Ms. Duckworth is the director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs.Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press

Raising Obama, Be The Change...

2008-11-09T09:21:00.006+08:00

Hope is a truly powerful thing.So powerful that it helped propel Barack Obama into the White House. He’s been on my mind this last week for pretty obvious reasons. On Wednesday, around noon, as I listened to him deliver his acceptance speech at Grant Park, I was teary-eyed. And then the rest of the day I thought – what was it about him that has attracted, moved and inspired many other

For Good from WICKED

2008-11-05T18:41:00.000+08:00

Friends lost, friends found...When a friend sang this to me (yes, you read that right...) over salad and pizza in an empty cafe, I was struck by the lyrics. Like a scene straight out of a Star Cinema movie, I sat there, listening in awe with my mouth half-open. When I think about it now, I wonder -- "What must have the food servers been thinking?"I had heard it sung before but I guess you must go

Barack Obama's Journey

2008-11-05T10:24:00.003+08:00

"I am not in this race to fulfill some long-held ambitions of because I believe it's somehow owed to me. I never expected to be here. I always knew this journey was improbable. I've never been on a journey that wasn't." - Barack Obama, Illinois, November 2007 Photo from the Associated Press

Hannah's Hundred Update

2008-11-04T16:11:00.002+08:00

We're almost there!Thanks to everyone who has thrown in their generous support for Hannah's Hundred :) It's not too late to help us out. I continue to be amazed at God's provisions and we are now only about 25% away from our target with two weeks to go. I know and trust that God will continue to provide for Hannah's needs.Hebrews 12 v 1 says --

How Sarah Palin Got Pranked

2008-11-02T06:23:00.000+08:00

Gullible would probably be an understatement...Listen well and see how she got taken for a ride by two Canadian comedians.

Finding Lala

2008-11-02T05:12:00.000+08:00

Serendipity has always been of my favorite words and it came alive for me in time for All Soul’s Day. It is the story of “finding” someone I had lost 33 years ago and putting closure to a childhood grief experience I thought I had long buried and forgotten. In Kindergarten in the early 70s, I had a best friend at Maryknoll (now Miriam College) named Lala de las Alas. We hit it off

Finding Joy

2008-11-01T18:05:00.002+08:00

"One of the conclusions I've reached as I've grown older and, I hope, wiser is that...less is usually more. In other words, when given the opportunity to simplify your life...take it. I compare it to pruning a tree. By removing the excess branches the tree has more energy to bear beautiful blossoms and healthy fruit. Your life is no different. When you continually prune the areas not bearing

Would you buy a Thudguard?

2008-11-01T12:00:00.003+08:00

I remember a time as a young parent when P would reward us with an "egg" on her forehead almost every week. The "eggs" would come in various shapes, sizes and locations on her forehead. All part of growing up, right? Would I have bought this product had it been available 16 years ago? I don't think so...Welcome the Thudguard. It's a special hat for new crawlers and new walkers -- infants to

Writing For God

2008-11-01T02:06:00.004+08:00

God comes with a nugget just when you need it.I read this quote on my friend, Victoria Gaines' blog ---“When this little life is over, nearly all that makes the headlines in the newspapers or fills the bulletins on the radio will seem to be of purely temporary significance. But the work of those who have cooperated with God will remain, for it is part of his everlasting purpose.” ~ J.B.

Who Will America Vote For?

2008-11-01T01:42:00.004+08:00

In 72 hours, America casts its vote. I had breakfast with the boys today -- former classmates of mine who all went to the same Jesuit university for college -- and all 40something of us were unanimous in our choice for Obama as President. Not that we are able to vote but we were just wishing out loud. I don't know if our sentiments are reflective of how America will vote on Tuesday, November 4

Foods To Keep You Energized

2008-10-29T18:05:00.005+08:00

Found this message from TOWNS e-groupsand its arival is so timely. Going through it, I realize I've got quite a few habits that I needto work on -- like staying hydrated throughout the day. My personal tip for staying energized? A 20 minute power nap whenever and wherever :) TOP TEN EATING TIPS TO STAY ENERGIZEDby Monique Ryan, MS, RD 1. Start the day right. Yes, that means breakfast. Combine a

When October Goes

2008-10-28T22:43:00.005+08:00

Life got in the way of blogging this past week.I would've wanted to post more often but the realities of work and domestic responsibilities prevented me from doing so. The weeks after my birthday have been so hectic. Stressed but very blessed is more how I would describe itMovies - "Nights In Rodanthe" and "High School Musical 3" were my only respite from the busy-ness of the last two weeks. Last

Memorable Nights In Rodanthe

2008-10-23T08:02:00.002+08:00

I had an epiphany of sorts the other night.H and I were blessed with tickets to the advance screening of "Nights In Rodanthe" at the Powerplant in Rockwell. It was one movie that I had been looking out for over the last few weeks. It did not fail my expectations. Usually, I find the Nicholas Sparks stories to be a bit too sappy for my taste but this one certainly did not disappoint. By the end

Hannah's Hundred

2008-10-15T14:01:00.000+08:00

The gift of life is the most precious gift of all. If you would like to pay it forward by giving a little girl a shot at life, please read on... A few weeks ago, I wrote about my three birthday wishes. Today, I write about the fourth one. About a month ago, I came across the story of Hannah Ysabelle Cordoviz through my friend Rapa Lopa's Facebook site. Hannah is a one year old girl afflicted