Wise A**

My son arrived home from Dumaguete last night. His plane was due to leave at 4:20 p.m and at 3:00 p.m. sent me a text message that read: " emergency. call." I broke the record in speed dialing.

"What? Why? What?" I said, trying very hard not to scream.

"Mom, can I use the credit card? We have to pay extra for we missed our flight. We were booked for 8:55 a.m, not 4:20 p.m."

"Who the heck made the mistake in your booking?" I fumed. No answer. So I asked how much. My son said 22,500 Php for the six of them. I am not a stingy or bad person but I asked my son, "Why, don't they have parents? I think it's not my responsibility nor my problem to pay for their tickets even on credit."

I told my son to tell his mates to call up their parents and send money through Western Union as money can be remitted in a matter of minutes. Thirty minutes later I checked on my son and asked if his mates have tickets now. He said yes so I asked if the parents sent money.

"No mom. I think they used their ATMs."

Gravity Off

Gravity Defying Act
No tweaking done on the picture

"Stolen" Pictures

With my picture file still missing, I thought of using my son's laptop to scour for pictures. At this very moment 5:20 pm, my son is not home.

Look what I found. This is Zoro. He is often seen traipsing about UP Diliman in his cape and mask. He is harmless. He just wants to be IN the middle of every activity in the campus. Some say Zoro was a Math major who went berserk. Umm.. due to the perplexing nature of Math?



WADDAA??? What the heck? Who is the girl? I recognize the dorm's reception hall though.

Figure this out. I think they are lying on the floor, wearing costumes. My son is the one in the green "thing". Oh I get it! He and his friend ( in the blue "thing" ) are tetris blocks.




Ethan? Isdachu?

Oh well. That's it. Enough intruding.

Math Agony

I have a been in a state of agitation and stress for the past four weeks. Before Holy Week came, my son had informed me that he was failing in Math 17. Why? You were fine the first two months of the second semester. Well, things happen, he said. Yes. More like, I haven't been studying?

Before the finals, I was constantly breathing down his neck for him to study. His teacher said he needs to perfect the take-home exams ( which I swear, is highly impossible for mere mortals like us to do) and get at least 66% in his finals. My son did not reach the limits but got a 4 instead. A grade of 4 entitles a student for removal exams. A student has a year to take his removals.

Oh no! You will not dilly-dally with your removal exams. Ask your teacher when and where is the removals: April 9, 3:00 pm-5:00 pm. On April 4, I had my son tutored in Advance Algebra and Trigonometry. On April 8, I took him to UP to have his papers in order for the exams. On April 9 1:00 pm, we left the house and drove him to the Math building, bid him goodluck and prayed real hard for him to pass the exams.

I went home and left him at the school for he still has varsity practice after the exams. At 10:00 pm, he was home. I asked him how his exams went. Fine. Whatever does fine means? At 11:30 pm my son came into my bedroom grinning broadly and jumping happily. What? Mom! I passed Math 17!

Great! I slept, peacefully.

Duckpins Anyone?

The pins perfectly lined up

The mechanical area back of the alleys

The Alumni Center was the newest edifice at UP back in the 70's. The venue has a duckpin bowling alley and billiard tables for the use of fun-seekers like me. I became quite adept at playing duckpins and billiards back then. My best buddy Helen also became a billiard queen much to the consternation of her brother who was also a fixture at the Alumni Center.

A few days ago, I went to the Alumni Center to check the place out. The Alumni Center is not to be confused with the Bahay ng Alumni. The center has a full-pledged restaurant now available for functions and catering.

The alley was a sorry state though. The alley is still manual; meaning the pins and balls are taken care of by a person located at the back of the pin area. The pictures are taken by my son using his cell phone . (His third cell phone this semester. Remember the snitching events at Kalayaan Hall?)

I was kinda hoping to see the same manong of my time manning the pins and balls.

Jogging Revelry 2

Daughter #3 (the dentist) and I joined the crowd of joggers and bikers yesterday at the UP academic oval. She went ahead of me as we do not jog at the same pace. She was faster as I was more relaxed.

As I started my route right in front of the oblation statue, I noticed that a bonfire was lit up front. Ummm...all part of the 100 years celebration. So I continued. There were less joggers yesterday as compared to last Wednesday. I wonder why. Oooppsss... I almost hit the male jogger running counter as I kept on looking around me while I jog.

As I near Palma Hall, rush of memories flash back. I remembered my freshman year where I used to get off from my father's car on this very same spot. I remembered taking the stairs at the entrance at the Faculty Center side carrying my incredibly thick (5-6 inches, no kidding) Freshman English book. I remembered going to Palma Hall at the ungodly hour of 6:30 am to snitch the posters off the bulletin boards. Yes manong janitor of some 30 years ago:That was me!

My gosh! The sunken garden is brimming with soccer wannabes. I never set foot on the sunken garden when I was in UP. There was no point. Back then, people were not as health conscious as people now. True, there were a few joggers during my time: athletes or runners. Back in the 70's the farthest that I walked around the campus was between Palma Hall and Malcolm Hall. I need you to understand that walking (especially for girls) was not popular then because of the shoe fashion. Why? Try walking around in 3 to 4 inches wedges or clogs.

Ahhh... I'm nearing starting ground. Oh my, I really have to go! It's 6:30 pm, school's out, college building entrances manned and locked. The gym! But that's about another 700 meters off! I really have to go. Okay. I'll just try my luck at the College of Music.

Excuse me manong guard, can I go in to use the restroom? Sorry ma'm, the building is closed for outsiders. Crap! Think!

I am not an outsider. I was a student here at UP with student ID # 73-01983! Huh? The manong guard was taken aback. I bet he was not even born when UP issued out my ID.

Sorry ma'm, go right in, straight then right to the restroom.

Jogging Revelry

On March 26, 2008, the academic oval (Osmena and Roxas Aves.) of the University of the Philippines became a one-way street going counter clockwise. The oval streets are now divided into two lanes. The inner lane, about 1/3 of the whole width of the road, is off-limits to vehicles. For the past months, on Sundays and Saturdays, the oval is closed to vehicular traffic. Such hassle, I said to myself. Why the scheme?

Well, at 4:30 pm the oval's inner lane starts to fill up with joggers, runners, bikers, walkers, and lovers. You can see people running clockwise on the oval, others, counter clockwise. Some are serious runners. They even wear their running clubs' uniforms. Others are jogging as warm-up for their varsity training. Most are combining jogging-walking to lose weight. How did I know? They're overweight! There are some who jog to let off steam and toxins.

There are those who choose to go biking using either mountain bikes or racers. There are small groups gathered by the food kiosks infront of the College of Arts and Letters and Palma Hall, drinking juice or pop. I saw a couple spread out a mat in the grass. I saw an old lady grab the low gate near the theater while she executes some foot and ankle stretching. I am overwhelmed by the fiesta like atmosphere. People are just having fun traipsing around the oval.

My daughter and I looked at each other. An unspoken understanding passed between us.

Tomorrow, we join the revelry.

A Tribute

Was it only last year that I stood in front of my son's high school graduating batch? SIS High School Batch 2007. I was the guest speaker ( more likely jammer) in the batch's Testimonial Dinner. I was to pay a tribute to the graduating batch. No, not the toll or tax tribute but the complimentary and honor one. Here is an excerpt from my speech.

At this point, I would like to ask you two questions. My first question is, have you set your priorities?

Education should or must be your priority now. It is now your responsibility to pursue further education to help you in the future. As I always tell my children, “ang pera nauubos, ang pinag-aralan, hindi”. (You can lose money, but you cannot lose what you have learned). Last week, I was in UP. My son is being drafted to the volleyball varsity team and I had a talk with the head coach. The coach said UP cannot offer my son any monetary compensation. He said that all UP can offer are free tuition, a complete set of uniform and a superior education. He got me at “superior education”. The coach then pointed out to me 2 boys and a girl who are also varsitarians. Player #16 has to work from 9 pm to 3 am hauling vegetables, sometimes hollow blocks, to earn money for his "baon." Player # 12 buys food once a day, eating half of it at lunch, the next half after practice. Player #5 never goes to team building or team outings that falls on a weekend. She has to take in laundry during weekends for her to have "baon" for the week. Many a times, the coach has to shell out money for these kids’ transportation and food.

I felt humbled and ashamed of myself after hearing these stories. You see, for the past weeks I’ve been feeling sorry for myself because I do not have enough funds to buy my son a car when he goes to college. I guess most of you are now thinking what kind of cell phone, laptop or even car, to buy in readiness for college life. Let us all set our priorities. We can do without the extravagant extras. Let us think of those 3 students who have put so much value in their education. I believe that for these 3, half the battle has been won.

My second question is, what is your goal? Do you want to be a doctor, a teacher, a computer engineer, a prima ballerina, a fashion model? What ever your dream is, be it your goal. What ever your goal is, aim high. My eldest daughter took the medical board exams last February. She said she was aiming to place in the top ten. I said, it is okay not to place in the top ten. Passing the board exams is enough. She said, “No mom, I aim high so in case I fall short of my goal, I still pass the boards”. She passed the boards and is in the top 10 of her batch if not of the whole lot of examinees.

For last, I have one advice. Think you can, and you can. I have instilled in my five children the importance of positive thinking. If you think you cannot, then you’re halfway in failing in whatever you want to achieve. In the ladder of life’s experience, you are in the bottom rung. There will always be failures and problems be it in the form of failed relationships, failed grades, failed expectations, failed aspirations, and others. I do not believe that failure is the opposite of success. I consider failure an integral ingredient to success. It is in failing and surmounting seemingly impossible problems that you grow strong, wiser and experienced.

Success is not measured by financial achievement alone. I suppose success can be measured also by how much you’ve gained in terms of experience; how much you’ve given to others and your impact to the society you move in. I have a daughter who has been offered jobs abroad. The compensation is quadruple the amount she receives at her current work. With much thought and deliberation, she rejected the offers. I asked her why she declined the offers. She said that “mom, I did not become a teacher to go abroad for the money. I want to teach here where I can be of service to my country. I was about to say “ok ka lang?” for I thought she was only patronizing. I saw she was serious and I respected her decision. My 2nd daughter values her current work because of the professional growth and the feeling of fulfillment she gets in teaching. This is success in its purest form.

My dear graduates, you have a long and winding road ahead of you. Waste no time. Remember to always ask for guidance from the Lord. Bear in mind that we, your parents, are not the enemies. We are your allies and in full support of you and your aspirations. Keep in mind to give back to the less fortunate. Do all these, and you are on your way to becoming fine citizens of the world.

University of the Philippines' EXes

Attention: All ex-University of the Philippines students

I received an e-mail and an sms with pratically the same message.

To all UP Graduates,

If you would like to be included in the UP Centennial Book, go to any KAMERAWORLD outlet and have your picture taken. Your must wear a collared dress/shirt, pay P140 and fill out a form. Ben just told me the information. It is supposed to be announced by class reps. Deadline is March 15. So go now!!! Please tell others this announcement.

The question is: What about current students of UP, the undergraduates, are they included?

So, ex-UP students, go powder your noses and have your photo taken at Kamerawold (free commercial !)

Remember, no plunging necklines for girls and no muscle shirts for guys.

Snitching Events

"r u coming home tonight?" That was the messave I sent my son at 10:00am, Friday.
Strange, he should have answered right away.

" oi! is your dad going to fetch you later?" 2:30 pm, and still no answer. I decided to call him. Umm... "cannot be reached".

At 4:00 pm I decided to text his friend instead.
"Can you please tell my son to text me back? I tried to call him but I think his phone is off"

After 10 minutes, a text message!

"Yeah mom, I'm going home later."

"Where the heck is your phone? Has it been stolen again?"

"Can you call me now?"

So I did and the story goes something like this. I was almost 2:00 am when my son went to bed that Thursday night or rather Friday morning. He said he stayed up late to finish his assignment since his class on Fridays start at 11:30 am. At 5:30 am he was awakened by a commotion outside his bedroom. He sleepily pulled himself up to see what the heck was going on at the hallway at the time.

"I saw someone by your door!"

"Huh? What?"

" A hooded-bulky-man (maybe ugly and smelly too) was outside your door!"

By this time, half of the third floor "tenants" were awake. As my son's dorm mate continues he said that he was on his way to the bathroom when he saw this man lurking about my son's door. He (dorm mate) went back to his room and woke up his room mate. They then took a peek on the hallway and saw that the hooded figure has a knapsack. "A thief!" the two thought. So off they went to wake up more dorm mates and by the time they gathered enough people to set up another EDSA, the thief was gone.

Since my son has no room mate, he does not lock his bedroom door, "just in case" of fire or earthquake or in case he does not wake up in time fo class. He went back to his room and checked on his laptop.Still there. His wallet. Check. HIs mobile phone. Mobile phone? Missing. One by one, plaintive wails of "nawawala cell phone ko"(my cell phone is missing) reverberated in the third floor corridor.

The hooded-bulky-ugly-smelly (i'm positive of that now) man stole four mobile phones. How did the man enter the dormitory? Where is the guard? What if in the middle of the thieving my son woke up? Would the thief just ran away or was he ready to use force?

I am really mad because this is the second time that my son's phone has been stolen. The first time, the thief perched at the third floor ledge and fished-out my son's cell phone. At that time, a series of related events has been happening at the dorm. Take note that all the snitching was contained in the third floor of the boys' wing.

Is it an inside job? What the heck is the dorm manager doing about it? How come nothing has been done about it? I told my son that this time I will storm into the dorm manager's office and give him a piece of my mind. My son said, "later mom, we already reported the incident to the university's admin". Ok later.

What has been bothering me is the seeming complacency of the dorm manager. Is he not concern with his wards' safety? The dorm guard is so strict with the ins and outs of the students but does not wonder when some entity passes him by the lobby at 5:00 am? UuuMmmm.......Are you thinking what I am thinking? Right!

Maybe the dorm manager is the hooded-bulky-ugly-smelly man?

UP's Kalayaan Hall

It was in 1973 when I entered the University of the Philippines. It was Martial Law. Makibaka, huwag matakot was the chant of many students, UP included. Me? Oh, I was happy enough playing billiards and duckpins at the then new Alumni Center. In my first year, I lived at Ilang-Ilang Hall. All freshmen girls were jailed, i mean, put up there.

In 1974, a new dorm was constructed. This dorm was supposed to have two wings: boys' wing and girls' wing with a common reception hall and mess hall. I never got to live in that dorm for it was and still is reserved for freshmen. Yes. It is the Kalayaan Hall. For those who were once installed there, hey! it has been renovated in time for the UP Centennial Celebration.

I was invited by my son to visit Kalay's (that's the way they call it now) open house. Oh I was pleasantly surprised: gone are the dark, gloomy, narra panels. I think even the Kalay resident white lady is gone.The reception hall now has a wide flat TV and linear sofas for comfort. The Hall has now a happy, bright, clean, modern, and upbeat impression.

Left side lobby going to girls' dorm

The Mural was done by nobody famous. hahaha. I saw it being done by a "manong" and I even commented that his perspective was grossly distorted. Little did I know that "distortion" was the "essence".

Right side lobby going to the boys' dorm

UP Site Map Mural

The revamp reception hall. Note the new sofas and window shades.

After 35 years upon completion, Kalayaan Hall's lobby, reception area and offices were renovated. It is so sad that the bedrooms were not. My son's room is so small, airless, dark and gloomy. It terribly depressed me that I wanted to cry out of pity for my son. But hey! He is enjoying his new found freedom and responsibility. Every night, I pray real hard for my baby boy who is a baby no more. Note Ethan, checking out uncle's bed.

Pinoy Games 101

courtesy of : http://tricolin.com/

Last weekend, my son told me that he needs a turumpo (top) for his PE class.

What kind of PE is that?
Oh, it's Filipino games.
Filipino games as in patintero,luksong-tinik,and the likes? (Filipino-childhood-street-games)
Yep!
What will you do with the turumpo?
Duh?! Of course I have to spin it.
But you don't know how.
Yep! Teach me.

Off we went to the palengke (public market) and bought 3 wooden tops, strings included. After getting three softdrink (soda pop) crown caps, then putting a hole in the middle of each crown with a 3"CW nail as the wedge, then threading the string through the cap, and finally doing the mandatory knots, we were ready for the turumpo lesson.

Dang! I can't make the top spin! Oh, the nail bit is off-center. (Poor quality. What do you expect? The turumpo is cheap at 20 Pesos, about $0.50 each). I got the other turumpo and walla! it spins... beautifully

As my grandson watched, my son practiced on his turumpo. After 15 minutes, he was able to do it. Next, I taught him how to catch and retrieve a spinning top off the ground. Okay. Done. Now, color the turumpo with different colored crayons. Why? To make it look colorful while it spins. Nice!

I just wonder: What made my son's school offer Filipino games as PE? Does it mean that fewer and fewer Pinoy kids are aware of the know-of and the know-how of Pinoy games? What happerned? My generation were the queens and kings of street games. We played patintero, taguan, luksong-tinik, biola, estatwa, and piko after school. The games went on for hours. As we did not have watches nor mobile phones back then, we knew it was time for dinner if one of our mothers calls out: Ano ba?! Uwi na. Kakain na. (Hey! Come home. It's time to eat.)

I was not the top queen of our street games. The queen of queens was either Solit or Pepot. They are sisters and they were so good I used to wish that I was their sister too so that I may have their super genes in playing street games.

My generation got their good share of excersise by playing physical games.

Nowadays, kids prefer to stay glued to their computers playing online games or mesmerized by their X-boxes, PS(3, is it?), Gameboy, etc. No physical activity at all!: unless they are enrolled in worthy-weekend-programs-like soccer-taekwondo-ballet-hiphopdance-basketball- and the likes. Some kids are missing a lot by not knowing and playing Pinoy games.

Great! I think I'll get 1.00 for my top spinning test.
You'll actually have a test for that?
Yep! Don't you know that this PE class is an in-demand class? The school offers about 5 classes of Filipino Games every semester and it's always filled to capacity.
You mean there are actually university-age kids interested in Pinoy street games?
Yep! It's a common sight to see students taking this subject to leave their class with torn shirts, torn knees and torn pride. Hahaha. They love the games!

Ummm... it's never too late to learn, I suppose.