Happy Birthday, Joy!

Happy Birthday to my best shipmate in this life's journey. Here's to wishing that God will grant you your heart's deepest desires on this special day of yours. 

I love You, Joy. Mwah! 

Meeting Dr.J

After getting my x-ray results, and figuring out the most likely causes of my muscle spasms on my neck and upper back, I’ve been getting physical therapy sessions with Dr. J in this friendly hospital near our place where, incidentally, my eldest child Belle was born in 2000. Joy and I had been searching for a good therapist and went to this big hospital (not the one I previously mentioned) where we missed the cut-off list by just a few minutes after failing to register earlier in their rehab department. We were advised to just come back next time and avail of the pre-registration at the counter to make sure we would be included in the day’s session. Other than the professional massages I’ve been getting periodically, this is the first time that I was advised by any doctor to undergo physical therapy, and I really don’t know any physical therapist except for my cousin Joy who’s based in Colorado, USA. I was also not aware that there are dozens of patients in big hospitals patiently awaiting their turns for a single session. Suffice it to say that Joy and I were disappointed because our commuting to and from our home took us almost two hours and we blame it on the attendant at the counter who told us to just come back at 4 p. m. without telling us that we need to pre-register even before that time. It was a Friday. On our way home though, we were fortunate because after getting stuck in traffic (we were riding a tricycle), we saw this big sign outside the hospital with the words PHYSICAL THERAPY. We immediately alighted from the tricycle, crossed the road, entered the little hospital and asked the friendly attendant for a physical therapist. The physical therapist was not available at the time, but she advised us to come back on Monday.

They gave us a call morning of Monday and reminded us that the physical therapist would be coming at around 6 in the evening. To my surprise, that physical therapist was a doctor – Dr. J. Again, I never thought one could be a Doctor of Physical Therapy. I just thought that, well, physical therapists are physical therapists. And not only that, Dr. J practiced his profession both here in the Philippines and in the USA. He is a dual citizen of both countries.

Meeting Dr. J was a delight. He not only exudes an aura of confidence, his jolly countenance is contagious, making you feel good and thankful that there are doctors like him in this little corner of Las Piñas. Merely talking with him, while he’s doing his massages on my spine, adds a dose of healing to our session – making me feel a little better than the last time. Is his persona like a placebo effect that helps me think I’m being cured? I’m not sure. So far, he hasn’t prescribed anything for me to take orally. His therapy was all non-invasive. He even told me one time, what am I doing in that small clinic of his? I should be out in the sun like any other regular guy, enjoying the prime of their lives.

It’s been three weeks now of undergoing this physical therapy (thrice a week). And there are days when I feel good and some days when I feel like a mess. I’m not sure if it’s the hot weather that’s causing me the blues. Or the major, major change in my daily routine (I’ve just resigned from my daily day job of thirteen years) to do, I believe, more important and fulfilling things. But, at least on my level, seeing and feeling me getting better is one for the books. I can now say, honestly, that that decision about my resigning is one momentous occasion that I will never ever regret. It was not a pivotal point in my former employer’s history, of course, as we all know no one is indispensible in the workforce – and even my salary is just a drop in their buckets. It’s just that I feel I have given whatever else was there that needed to be given, and it’s high time I really do something about my needs and wants, and really pursue my passions. As they say, follow your bliss.

This physical therapy thing is just a little bump along the way, I believe; the little dose of salt in my quest for yet again reinventing my self. Things are like that, I guess – the natural order of things. One thing ends and another begins. Or one thing never really ends, it’s just that you see other things in a brand new perspective. Talk about paradigm shifts.

Dr. J tells me the pains that I’ve been feeling are directly proportional to whatever wrong and improper postures I have been consciously or unconsciously burdening my back in the past. And for me to get rid of those, I need to do some stretching exercises, to alleviate at least, if not totally erase, the spasms that have seemed to have implanted themselves on my poor neck and back. I also need to watch my diet. Can’t believe I’m overweight by more or less 20 pounds! Can this old dog of me still adapt and be teachable for new tricks? I hope so.

After three weeks, I can very thankfully say that even my blood pressure readings are now in the normal range. I’m not totally pain-free, however, but the good news is, even if the massages, ultrasounds and FENS have not totally cured all my upper back aches like magic, there is definitely a lot of improvement compared to when I first entered Dr. J’s clinic door.

I can still remember his parting words when I visited him last week, “Don’t lose hope Don. We can beat this.”

With a doctor like that, half of the battle is won.

"A cheerful heart is a good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones."

-Proverbs 17: 22

Valentines Checkup

It's Happy Hearts' Day. And instead of enjoying it with a special sumptuous dinner date with Joy or just an extra special bonding time with the kids, I found myself heading to a doctor in St. Luke's, The Fort for a medical check-up. It was my first medical checkup in almost two years. If I remember it right, it was June of 2010 when I got a clean bill of health from my internist (She's now based in Mindanao). So what made me decide to finally have this checkup? I haven't been feeling very well the past days. Lugo-lugo, in lay terms, and back pains mostly. I also need to have my b.p. checked, it is acting strange lately. There are days when I just want to rest and do nothing. But of course, I have work to do - and deadlines to meet.


My brother accompanied me and halfway through while we were waiting on the cozy doctor's lounge, M joined us. M just happened to teach nearby and she bought this box of Banapple cake (with a quarter from the round cake with a big chunk of Reese's peanut butter on it still left). It was a gift from her co-teachers, and they had just belatedly celebrated her birthday which was last week. We got to taste it later after a relaxing dinner at nearby Chowking. Delicious! We were craving for Chinese food - so it was the perfect fastfood choice.  


After the checkup I have now with me 3 Rx prescriptions and 1 referral. 


It was a tiring day but nevertheless, I really liked and appreciated how his doctor (now my doctor too) went through the whole process of making me feel like a patient with valid needs and concerns and not just a remunerator for his paycheck.


Thanks Ix for the referral (and for accompanying me through the interviews and histories, etc...etc...- it's one thing I'm not good at, so I always bring Joy around; forgive my fumbles) and thanks M for the cake and the jokes and for simply being there earlier. And for praying...Now it's on with the tests.


Thank You Lord for compassionate and caring doctors. And thank You for the medicines. And thank You for giving us signs that we are not okay so we can seek help from others who, one way or the other, can help us feel better and cope with what we are currently going through.


“I am the Lord who heals you.”  
                             - Exodus 15:26

Ivan's V.I.P. Day@LPMS

It was Ivan's V.I.P Day at the Las Piñas Montessori School earlier. When he showed me his diary one night about two weeks ago, the tone in his voice was firm, although alam mong naglalambing: "Papa, punta ka sa V.I.P day namin sa school ha. A-absent ka po ha..." In reality, I really welcome breathers like this from work. Since my last quarter vacation from abroad last year, and after missing two of their special school events (the always anticipated Book fair included), I decided not to miss any more of their remaining activities for the remaining quarter of the school year. So even if I still don't have an inkling at all as to what the special "V.I.P. Day" means, I told him I would go. It was a no-brainer. When I said my yes, you just cannot express the happiness on Ivan's face. You know, V.I.P. - meaning you are one very important person to him. :-)

The picture above is a screencap. I wanted to capture Ivan's introduction of us, his parents, in video so I asked Miss Donna to take our video. Ivan was shy in introducing us, but it felt great.  

Ms. Athens looking at the children while doing their choice of activity. Her explanation to us, parents about the philosophy and principles behind the Montessori method is very informative and thought-provoking. Not that I did not do my personal research about the method, but the insights that she shared, together with Ms. Ria, was very enlightening, especially when they asked us about our personal experiences as beginning students when we ourselves went to school as little children. (Carlyne Magpayo, the class Smart Cookie is the student near Ms. Athens).  

Ivan stacking these cylinder blocks. The top part was a challenge as the little parts kept going down.  

Ms. Ria checking Ivan's mastery of placing numbers in order. 

Slow but sure.

Ivan got it right!

Classrooms are arranged in such a way that kids will experience different approaches to learning. Ivan here is feeling a board that tells him how to distinguish between a rough texture and a smooth texture.

Ivan's teachers Ms. Anna and Ms. Donna.

(L-R.: Joshua, Justine, Metriel, Isabelle, Alyzza, Lindsay, Tristan, Ivan and Vince) NOTE: I'm not sure about the spelling, I just asked Ivan the names of some of his classmates in this picture. 

Their finale: It's Family Time! Lift up your hearts with a smile! Lift up your feet with a dance! Lift up your spirits with a song! It's FAMILY TIME!

Ivan gave us a special token in the form of a Butterfly artwork. Before we dropped by at KFC (his favorite hangout place next to McDonald's), he asked us to buy him an Angry Bird sticker set.

I wasn't feeling super well for most of the the day, but I resolved to be deserving of that honor (as V.I.P) with Joy on this special occasion. Arming myself with double dosages of multi-vitamins and plenty of water to drink, I felt great because Ivan was so happy - just by seeing me being there for him.           

   

Belle's Dance Group Placed 6th@LAPPRISA

Tiara Ysabelle's dance group in LPMS, composed of 7 members who passed the dance audition held first week of January, placed 6th among 24 groups in the recently concluded 17th Academic, Literary and Musical Contest of the Las Piñas Private Schools Association (LAPPRISA). Not bad, considering that their group has the smallest number of participants (7) among the competitors. Personally, after seeing all the contestants perform, I felt that given the tight field and the excellent performances especially by the team from the University of Perpetual Help, the LPMS team could place in the TOP 8. My prediction was right. The UPH gang placed 2nd and LPMS managed to place 6th!


What did them in I guess was the small number of dancers in the team (with only two boys, for example). In a small stage, big numbers normally are good to look at especially when their dance moves are huge and synchronized. You also cannot underestimate the importance of audience impact brought about by screaming fans to large groups. In fairness to Belle's group, even if they were small in number, their routine was neat and their dynamic moves were well-executed - with nary a step out of place. Even the frequent blocking changes for me were difficult to choreograph and I could imagine the sweat and efforts each member contributed to make the performance a success.


Joy and I were there during the dress rehearsal the week before and we each contributed our suggestions on how to improve the performance.

This was the second take, after getting pointers from the parents present. The School Directress, Ms. Rowie and School Administrator Ms. Ria were also present to encourage and support the students during the rehearsal. Belle's group practiced for four Saturdays (excluding the weekday schedules) and I believe that after viewing them last January 27 at SM Center Las Piñas, these kids deserve to be commended for giving their all. For one, to be able to execute an intricate number, these kids sacrificed a lot to be able to achieve their goal of making an excellent performance (and that included eating the right meals and avoiding junk foods!). 

   
On Competition Day, it was time to shine! Belle's group performed second to the last, and I can just imagine the restlessness (or excitement) among the group while awaiting their turn. 

 Ang daming tao! 

We were buying fries at Potato Corner when Ivan heard the intro music of the Pre-School group. Impronto, he wanted us to proceed on the second level to watch from afar, near the steel railings.

Kudos to Sir Lester for the wonderful and hip choreography! 

The first-place winning team. I know they would place. It makes you smile when you see the hard efforts of these kids getting rewarded. 

Belle's group about to dance "Turn Around"by Flo Rida. So proud of you, honey! You were all awesome and great! (From L-R: Martina, Andrea, isabella, Pawpaw, Tiara Ysabelle, Sir Lester, Jade and Oyo).

The proud mom and daughter. Special thanks to Tita Rackee for the hairstyle.


To the organizers from LAPPRISA and to all the participants, congratulations! It was a great and fun day for all of us!  

Routine of the Everyday

You may only be a person in this world, but for someone, you are the world.

My mind is occupied with office work lately. So I guess it’s but normal that I distract myself from thinking about it whenever I trod along the stretch of Ayala Avenue on my way to the shuttle terminal. Walking for me is one of the best times to contemplate, think about things and stuff, and pray.  There are times when I would just try my best to resist the urge to be pensive when I walk and just let my feet do the thinking, but no go. Walking, plainly, just makes me think, especially when I walk for home after a long day’s work.

Makati’s Ayala stretch I believe could make you think about things. As you walk on the cold pavements surrounded by those high-rise buildings adorned with hip and spunky company signs, you will be forced to think what really could be going up there. And when you gaze up, it’s like there is some voice from those buildings that beckons you to think: I am here, just a walking distance away from the high and the mighty, and you are fortunate and blessed, Makati Boy, to be here.

Seeing the rush and bravado of commuters, each on their way to their respective homes, I couldn’t help but think about my fate as a regular office worker – the me who is a part of the workforce, punching clocks day after day and hopefully the me who contributes to the advancement of this country’s economy. One time, I even posed myself a set of questions that craved for some answers: After all these years, did I really make the right choice? Translated: Am I really pursuing my passion in this line of work I’ve taken for the last decade or so? Is this the work that I really, really love to do and at the same time is this really the work that would bring me the seemingly elusive combination of not just prestige, but fortune? Am I in these throes for just emotional satisfaction or am I just currently riding in the waves and passively letting those waves bring me to where it wished to go? I am sometimes tempted to think: At this point in my life, is it too late to shift gears, take on a leap of faith and jump on the other fence where, as they say, the grass is always greener?

From my first professional job as a music instructor to my current day job as a multi-media creative, I have lately realized that I have been a salary earner now for more than two decades, 21 years to be exact. And still, I couldn’t bring myself to just stop and stare at the moon and count the stars for making that leap I just mentioned above because sometimes, you just don’t count your singleness but the people who are with you, who depend on you (my family), for the present moment.  Lately though, as I prep myself for work, my mind has been busy thinking of other ways to get out of this what some people call, job rut. It’s not that I don’t love my job (or according to some proverb, it’s the work of that job that I hate). In reality, I’m thankful and blessed for being counted in the workforce – in this day and age of recession and endos – it’s just that, I feel, I really should be doing what I need to be doing. And that, I believe, is to create more stories, more books, because I believe it is my calling. But even publishers here say that you can’t live as a full-time writer in the Philippines based solely on your story or book sales – you need to arm yourself with a day job.

There are days, I admit, that I live on dreams.  

The morning person that I am, there are days when I just wish to have woken up in a different place. A place that is the perfect picture of what you have envisioned in the little corners of your mind. There are days when you must have wished to have taken that pill, that elixir of hope, existing where only peace and happiness are displayed, and contentment an expected virtue.

But in reality, you wake up – either from the right or wrong side of the bed – and you see yourself following the same patterns day after day.

Just like in Jim Carrey’s movie, The Truman Show, as you go to your place of work, you will only be greeted by familiar patterns: even the dogs as they unload their excrements on the catwalk, the way they gaze at the ground and sniff – are the same.

Can’t help but compare this with my walk-a-doodle-do along Ayala Avenue: I have trodden this path before – for how many times? I've lost count. (I know, I shouldn't even be counting by the steps!). It’s just that, like the dreaded cliché, everything is familiar and routine. We all are existing and moving under the same sun, like the proverbial creature of habit.

This sentiment was challenged one night, when, as I was engrossed typing away at the computers to meet my deadlines, my five-year old son Ivan complained straight to my face: “Papa, bakit ba computer ka ng computer?”

He was right there behind me, carrying all those toys in his little hands, carrying as much as he could. Momentum is very important to a writer, and I was a bit annoyed by his intended interruption that without missing a beat, asked him to just go somewhere and play his toys by himself. But Ivan wouldn’t budge and took my right hand and pulled me out of my chair.

You can’t win. How will you explain that what you are doing is work? And that what you are doing is for him?

I took this welcome break and just dropped everything – deadlines be darned.

When he showed me his improvised toys, and viewed his carefree and unique approach to a game, I find myself slowly getting amused. One thing I noticed, Ivan doesn’t like conventions. When you teach him a song, he would sing it the way it was supposed to be sung on his first attempt. After that, he would change the tempo, the lyrics, and even the phrasing. When he plays a simple game of ‘catch ball,’ he will enumerate more than ten levels, each with its own sets of rules and locations. In playing chess, he plays it differently – making the game a target game – he even assigns characters of conflicting armies – and the upside-down part of the board their literal battleground where Queens are dumped and pawns are thrown at each other. You know how he calls his chess game? Angry Chess.  

Simply put, Ivan doesn’t only break rules. He invents rules.

Just days ago, as I was leaving for work, Ivan ran after me still in his pajamas. I thought he would just remind me not to forget his ‘pasalubong’ for the day. I was very surprised when he suddenly jumped, hugged and kissed me – saying specifically that I forgot to kiss him that day.

It suddenly hit me. My kissing him is a part of his ordinary everyday. Just as preparing in going to work is part of my every waking hour. What makes my boredom from work different from his day to day going-through- the-motions activity is the way he relishes kissing me before I leave for work. For him, his ordinary day wouldn’t be complete without it. With this practice, he prefers not to break our rules.    

As I go to my workplace again, I am off again to join the workforce – a part of the statistics. But to my son, I am the special father – the part of his regular day that is too important for him not to notice, the part of him that he couldn’t do without.

Lord, forgive this lowly thinking that we are but nothing. It is true Lord that without You, we are nothing. And it is only by Your grace Lord that is why we are here. We may just be a tiny speck in the vastness of the universe, but we know that in its immenseness, You see us  - our frustrations,  our complaints, and even our weaknesses. Teach us Lord to be grateful and to thank You for all the opportunities – big and small - that come our way.    

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, 
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 
what is mankind that you are mindful of them, 
human beings that you care for them?

^-          Psalms 8:3-4

It's 2012, and I'm back!

It has been a while since my last post (if you even consider my last entry, posted on June 2011, a decent post) on this site. Like most netizens on the planet, I find it more relevant to blurt my shout outs on FB. It was, I felt, more connecting to write my views and thoughts on the world and its nuances right on the doorstep where many people can see it. It still is, I think, the perfect venue to record what I suppose were highlights or just the mundane latest news from me and my family and whatnot…

Not that FB is not the platform to be ‘in’ now. FB, in fact, has its lists of upsides, and one of them, I believe, is its real time connection to make your presence felt not just in your little (or huge) circle of FB friends. An event from an hour ago (say, a reunion among batch mates) can be instantly posted using the ‘status updates’. You can even make everyone count just by tagging them on your posts and earn the likes or the belated comments of those who were not able to make it on the said event. FB also makes you feel like the ever reliable beat reporter, and you will do everything in your power to get and publish the first scoop (also, may I add, posting the first pictures!), or your late-day post would be easily relegated to yesterday’s news. Akin to the theater, FB rewards more instantaneous feedback, earning the oohs and ahhs and thunderous claps from fans or ardent admirers the moment you showcased your pivotal moment in a scene, or the jeers and boos of the unbelieving and unforgiving audience once you miscued or blew your lines.   

If posting on FB is like the theater, can I say that posting on a blogsite like this one, away from the prying eyes of most of your FB friends, is like watching your favorite movie, a movie not really wanted by many, but still gets your attention? Talk about guilty pleasures.  There is something more distinct, more personal, and maybe more fulfilling when you see your fumbling words (warts and all) ascend the online page.

With this post, I welcome 2012 with open arms. 2011 has been very good to me, and that’s not to say I owe myself and this blog a lot of recollections and reflections from that year that deserves an entry or two here. And as I welcome this year, I hope to be able to write regularly and flex my writing muscles (even if that ‘regularly’ means I have to post something at least ‘once a week’). Can I do it?

Let me end this post with a prayer:

Lord, as this new year unfolds, let me make you be known in everything that I say and everything that I do. You are the Giver of Gifts, the Granter of Dreams, and the Giver of Hopes. In anything and in everything, may Your Name be glorified.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive and inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

-Colossians 3:23-24