Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Christmas Village
But time and again, due to procrastination and other imaginary and non-imaginary reasons, we never get to purchase one after endless canvassing and checking on different plastic Christmas tree models.
Christmas 2009 was a bit different as Thelma bought a pair of Christmas-looking decorative houses to set up our own version of Christmas village with the dangerous Christmas lights that did not pass government inspection and approval. Andres, Ponso, and Paco really enjoyed looking at the set-up that added relish to their Christmas joy of waiting for their gifts drinking hot chocolate while the fucked up fake Christmas lights smelled of burnt electrical device ready to burn down our house if left unattended.
A calm and meditative holidays to all of you.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Year End Rites of Passage
Andres Gabriel's 1st Holy Communion
Andres had his first holy communion last December 6, 2009. A very important ritual for Catholics, it is one of the seven sacraments every Catholic can avail for joining the faith. Andres said he felt holy after receiving his God through communion.
Alfonso Pablo is diaper-free
Ponso can now sleep without wearing a diaper. Though he wet the bed again last night (maybe due to the cold temperature), we will give him more chances. Its a big savings, not to buy diapers anymore.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Drama-rama
The speaker showed a film about some father and son and it really made my heart cry. Very apt for someone separated for almost a full one and a half day from his wonderful cute children. I terribly missed the three boys and vowed that I will be very very patient and tolerable to their actions as they were still children wanting to know a lot in this world.
So I was there sitting, smiling, remembering their faces after that tearjerker of a short clip. I really missed them and was excited to see them all on Sunday. Oh how I missed them!
Sunday arrived and was told by Thelma to wait at a cute restaurant near my school to get a quick early afternoon brunch and tell stories with the kids. Wearily tired, I saw them and carried Paco smiling as I listened to Andres' story over lasagna and hamburger bites. Ponso just woke up and was quiet, looking far. They all look like angels I thought. When we arrived home, they are in their "Lord help me make it through the evening" best trying to do whatever they want to do, again. Wearily tired from the seminar and still nursing a little hangover from last night's end of the seminar partying, I never made it through the night peacefully. I got freaking mad at Ponso for opening the fridge and asking to open everything inside. I got pissed with Andres asking thousands and thousands of questions. Paco was like a top covering our small living space endlessly running around balancing and disarranging the clothes in the closet. Fucking anarchy ruling the house again with these individual little shits, I said.
So I lie down to rest trying to escape the riot.Then I felt a sharp pain that made me cry again, as I got hit, with a hard object. Thelma hit me in the head making me take the shit again for being stupid and downright insensitive towards the children, again.
So much for the fucking dramatic film. Reality bites.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Mescalito
Mescalito's eternal smile gave Andres and Ponso, and now Paco, that laid-back energy that connects them to different world dimensions (no wonder they see monsters, and dragons, and ghosts) releasing their endorphines making them enjoy their happy stupor.
Mescalito lives in their hearts and minds as it continues to help make their little corner in the world a happy place.
Check out Mescalito smiling and its ethereal effect on Ponso and Andres.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
reposts?
I copied and pasted almost everything i have typed in my old blogsite to this site to give me my peace knowing that it is already in this one site and I have no need to put on a link from this relative newsite to my old site to access my old blogposts. Fucking merry go round thoughts giving me a vertigo this early in the morning. What am I trying to say?
The blogs with dates at the end means that it was written or posted on the said dates , in the old punk rock tatay site, er, to give me my peace, that it was not wasted time writing them and not being accessed because it is in the old site. Er, never mind. It was tiring doing it though and I am at peace after doing it.
I've been out for only two days and I am already like this, or is this my usual self? fuck, I miss the boys.
Feeding the Tsunami Waves
I sleep beside Paco’s territory and is the nearest to react to his immediate demands that borders from a milk bottle to attempted escapes from his pen. While his escape attempts seem futile at the moment, Paco would resort to bawling bouts that threatens the peaceful slumber of his brothers. If my tactic of stuffing Paco’s mouth with a milk bottle fails, I would get some books and throw it inside his mosh pit so he can maximize the quiet solitude 3:00 am mornings can give to budding booklovers.
Last time I did that move, a tsunami hit the Indian Ocean separating the fish from the sea.
August 18, 2009
Affirming Nietzche
But as he continue to wreck everything that comes his way, as he covers his impish plans with his cute smile, I begin to cast doubts whether Ponso’s God can actually hear him. Nietzsche could be right all along.
August 14, 2009
Monster Rock
Well, I fucking love REM on the other hand and can just discuss the greatness of their music and imitate Michael Stipe’s dance step in their “Losing my Religion” music video.
This music video bridged the gap between the boys’ monster attachment and my REM hangover.
August 4, 2009
Chinatown Manila
Without any photo devices to document our trip (which is now more of an exception than the rule) Thelma, Andres, Ponso, and I rode jeepneys that kept Ponso and Andres transfixed to the going-ons of the outside world while counting the passengers inside the jeepney and checking out the magical gadgets installed in the driver’s dashboard.
At the Arranque Market, we rode a Kalesa in a horse named Richard that carefully traversed the busy streets to Binondo Church manned by its owner, Mang Boy. It is not easy to decorate a kalesa with its aluminum sidings that can run up to P80,000 with its intricate designs. For our kalesa, Mang Boy, the driver, said that he had his designs made in Malabon. Richard the horse, he said, is up for sale for P30,000.
After saying our long goodbyes to Richard the horse, we stepped inside the Minor Basilica of St. Lorenzo Ruiz and was impressed with the new paintings adorning the church’s ceiling. One of the caretaker offered us a quick background of the painting and told us that a man named Joe (described as a ngo-ngo, a person with a speaking defect due to a cleft palate) from Balintawak, Quezon City was commissioned to paint the ceilings. The caretaker’s story about Joe was longer than the actual explanation on the drawings.
We then checked Carvajal St., the small interesting sidestreet, and entered Ho-land Bakery. Hearing my query on what the best hopia is, an old tsinoy offered his story on the history of the hopia wars. He said that Ho-land Hopia and P0-land Hopia came from the same family but was separated by family rifts. While Eng-Bee Tin Hopia made it big due to its Ube hopia. He ended by saying, “Hopia liked my story.”
We ate lunch at a full-packed hole in the wall chinese restaurant then bought Korean ice cream in a chinese store. The melon flavored ice cream was creamily good!
Walking back to Binondo Church, we again spotted Mang Boy and Richard the horse and offered us a ride to Intramuros. We were lucky enough to check out the North Mindanao exhibit at the Clamshell Hall and watched the show showcasing talents from that region. the singers from Cagayan de Oro belted out songs really good and the Oroquieta City dance troupe made Thelma teary-eyed with their dance rendition of “Pinoy Ako” (of the Pinoy Big Brother Fame). “
Ponso woke up as we prepared to ride the taxi home while Andres drowsily sat dreamily in the backseat.
July 8, 2009
Ponso is 3 years old!
We just ordered some food from a catering service to minimize the tiring effort of preparing and cooking the food before the party but it was good and delicious! We purchased 7 balloons colored blue and yellow and just decorated it with some cars stickers and bought notebooks with environment friendly messages to feed the minds of Ponso’s visitors. the cake was provided by Tita Lorie and Tito Gillette with a Winnie the Pooh statue from cousin Hallel’s past birthday as a decoration. His simple invitation had an Animal Mechanicals picture on it.
Then they played a body placement game using a world map where they step on whatever continent was called by game master Andres.
Even Paco enjoyed his nap while Ponso’s event was unfolding.
June 3, 2009
Andres' Bridge
Andres, who is so into bridges (he wants to visit all the bridges in the Philippines), went to that same bridge and posed for posterity not minding the wobbly feel the bridge gives because of the passing vehicles. It is Andres’ favorite bridge, so far (while Ponso likes Ayala Bridge).
Walking towards the center of Quezon Bridge requires a steady nose as the smell reeks of an undefinable smell as you enter the portal leading to the bridge. But Andres braved it and got to pose on top of his Bridge.
May 29, 2009
afternoons at the museum
mid summer vacation
This summer break, I would normally wake up around 6 a.m. to chat with Thelma and prepare breakfast while the boys are still asleep. Paco is normally awake already when Thelma leaves for school so I have to lull him back to sleep, then prepare Ponso’s milk bottle to extend his sleep time till around 9:00 a.m. Andres would wake around 8:30 a.m and take his breakfast after an hour of forcing him to eat. 10:30 a.m. is the time when all hell normally breaks loose. They are all awake and demanding different stuff that requires patience to address their needs. Fights between Andres and Ponso breaks up around 11:00 a.m due to TV programming issues while Paco takes his pre-lunch milk dosage.
By lunch time, Paco and one of the two boys would proceed to their grandparents’ house while I bring either Andres or Ponso to wherever I am scheduled to go in the afternoon.
Andres has yet to do any formal summer enrolled class but is enjoying his summer so far just bumming around while Ponso has his regular Gymboree classes. Paco enjoys his sleep and his milk. As I sit here typing, Ponso watches Animal Mechanicals and Paco just woke up so and I have to sign out again, for now.
April 22, 2009
Tricycle Dharmas
Creeping Digicam Addiction
There was however one recent incident that makes me think of my creeping digital camera addiction and my felt insecurity when I do not have it with me.
Two weekends ago, I accidentally left the digicam at home and felt naked facing the activity filled day that I believed would spring in a couple of good photo opportunities for the boys especially with activities like bowling and wall climbing. Just the same, we continued the scheduled activity and it was the first time for some time that I did not feel burdened waiting for that split moment where I can capture that perfect shot. It was just me being with the boys and enjoying the present moment playing and playing. I can still remember how Andres would run towards and foul line and throw the six pound ball. I can still remember the feeling running after Ponso when he carried the ball by himself in his attempt to throw the ball.
The digicam for some time imprisoned me with its power to capture and preserve the moments. I was trapped with the thought of getting good pictures for posting in the internet and forgetting the actual enjoyment of the moment. There are times when I get angry because the boys do not pose well, or are not in the mood to smile. That really defeats the purpose of having a good time with them. Even Paco, the innocent looking 3 month old baby gets into my nerves when he continues to bubbly up his saliva while I intend to take some cute snapshots of him!
Yes, it’s about time to lay-off and relax with the digicam for a while. Time to regroup my sensibility and put into perspective my creeping digicam addiction.
March 17, 2009
milk balls and bottles
The policy limits Ponso’s milk intake to one bottle while lulling him self to sleep to ensure space in his tummy to avoid vomiting when he coughs. His newly constructed sentence as an aftermath of the implementation of policy before sleeping is “One only, dede” (Dede refers to a milk bottle while ‘milk’ connotes milk drink in a
glass).
While Ponso tries his very best to limit his “dede” at night, he redirected his palate to a new passion that he aptly dubbed as “milk ball.” It is a delicacy discovered as we scoured the candy stalls of Galas Wet Market for the delicious pianono sweet bread. The “milk ball” is a dessert made of what else, but milk, shaped into a ball. He would raid the refrigerator in the guise of getting a Yakult drink but his eyes intently searching for that sweet milky ball hidden in the cold jungle storage.
March 10, 2009
Sport Weekend
Sunday early evening was spent running across the UST football field in the guise of hearing Mass from the outside. The summer breeze made the early evening more cozier.
Next week, our football and baseball should be packed alongside the milk bottles.
March 10, 2009
The Jerks and the Boys
Ponso in the meantime would force himself out from the seat belt to act as an inspector as the gasoline boy fills up the gastank with 100 pesos worth of unleaded gasoline. Paco is in his slumber best wearing a new pajama as he cuddles up with his nanay in the back seat.
Only Ponso and me went down to meet up with Chickoy, and Ponso, ever observant, immediately pointed at the stage and the TV blaring and started shouting, “Music! Music!” It reminded me when we brought Andres to Mayrics one time and he went straight to the drumset and hit it with whatever stick looking gadget he found lying near the stage.
My Brother’s Moustache looked cozy enough to expose the boys to good folk and rock and roll music and its no smoking spot I think will make it bearable for the boys to enjoy the folksy ambiance and their french fries as I gargle my beer.
March 6, 2009
it's about time
I normally have little problem with 7 year old Andres when he tells his stories, unless I am chatting with someone and Andres forgets the rule of manners (which he usually does because of his natural talkativeness and excitement) and gets into his act of butting in and telling his own stories and questions for the day that would waylay whatever topic I am discussing with someone. Andres is very inquisitive and people say that he thinks advance for his age. He gets interested with the high tech gadgetry and toys but it does not diminish his passion for history and the humanities, of stories about great civilization and the development of nations. He can gaze and look at the world atlas for hours and ask about countries and their peoples.
Ponso, the two year old monster, is a major struggle due to his age (I hope), so they say. The terrible two and, will it be a monstrous three? People get attracted to him for reason I cannot comprehend. They really thinks he is cute, especially when he starts off with his singing then it progresses to the more naughty tricks like throwing things, do whatever I think is dangerous, and shout his lungs out when in a happy mood. And he usually gets away with that just because he started out cute! He can sing the ABC over and over again but speaks cryptic most of the time.
Paco, at three months old, is a bundle of joy. He thinks his mother is a walking milk dispenser.
I hope to get the parenting groove real soon. After 9 years of marriage and three punk rock boys, it’s about time.
March 2, 2009
Welcome to Punk Rock Tatay
I am a husband to a wife who normally gets crazy due to my slacker moments (she calls it straightforward laziness) creating a monstrous pile of everyday things in the corners of our home and my love for meditation which she attributes as lethargy bordering on a stroke case due to my strict meat diet backed by mind bicycling and running.
Welcome to the Pleasuredome.
February 27, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
learnings from my student
I cannot keep up with their energies specially in the early evenings when I come home from school. I think they still act normal for their respective ages with Andres and Ponso relating by ganging up on each other for television control or who gets to transform the fucking Optimus Prime into a truck or a robot. Its a mystery how they always, I mean always, want to transform the fucking Optimus Prime at the same time and space. Why most of the time, I see the robot just lying down on a pile of toys while the two of them just sit down and drink their Yakults. Why can't they want to transform the Autobot at different times? I get ill-tempered with that situation and gets to release negative energies that I am sure affects the boys in a definitely negative way. I also feel bad on how I handle such situations and how I react to their antics.
Man, I was looking for some answers to this situation, meditating, and contemplating over bottles of beer while checking my students' reflection papers on their experiences being with less privileged children. One said: "At first, I got tired trying to control these children telling them the do's and dont's while they continue to disobey me. Then, I learned that what is important is to really just be with them and play with them. After that, it all became easy."
I have to read more reflection papers.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Breastfeeding Philippines
I have read the positive effects of natural way of nurturing children, of the natural way of feeding.
But we had limitations at home that made us succumb to the devil's food, the milk formula. After three months of maternity leave (because of the C-section operation that allow mothers a 75 day rest), its back to work and back to the chain gang.
This situation gives the impetus to resort to milk bottle formula to continue the baby's sustenance, in spite of the negative effect of cow's milk. The magic of breastfeeding cannot be matched by the formula but we did not prepare ourselves to adjust to the requirements of feeding the babies with mother's milk. We did bought two breast pump but it was sparsely used because of the stress that came with the change of schedules. No milk would come out!
Breastfeeding requires preparation, practice, and rhythm to ensure that it is incorporated with the mother's lifestyle. We tried it but we were not very successful in that field.
To learn more about breastfeeding, visit this link
http://breastfeedingphilippines.com/
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Andres and Mr. James Brown
Michael Jackson died. And our Vigan tiled floor was never the same again. Andres wants to learn how to do the moonwalk ala-Michael
I thought he just let the spirits control his body for his funky steps in an oido manner but he actually named his dance steps and even had a video clip to save it for future James Brown wannabes. I’m glad and it is not only for Andres but for me as well. I feel good!
Friday, August 28, 2009
Punk Rock Tatay's new home
I am thinking of pasting all the articles from the old punk rock tatay site but its tedious. So I'll just attach it as a link in this new site. I am excited.