Andres' Bridge

I saw an MTV of the song “Manila” by Sandwich showing different parts of Manila which I think is one of the most interesting city in the world. From the famous landmarks to the descrepit slums, the video showed Manila’s vitality and movement. One spot in the MTV that interest me was a shot taken on Quezon Bridge in Quiapo that crosses the Pasig River. It is a busy bridge built by the builders of the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.

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

Art in Progress

first posted at www.punkrocktatay.wordpress.com

on May 22, 2009

The Band

first posted at www.punkrocktatay.wordpress.com

on May 14, 2009

Francisco Alberto S. Marana Baptism Invitation

originally posted on May 11, 2009

afternoons at the museum

I brought my eldest son Andres for his Junior Museum Guide Workshop that will run for two weeks at the UP Diliman yesterday. Excitedly, he got his workshop kit and waited impatiently for the activity to start. I was hesitant because he is the youngest at eight years old among the participants whose age ranges from 14-16 (the advertisement said that the workshop is for 10-14 years old that’s why we had to bring him before the start for an interview). We were however assured by the organizer that they will tackle and do presentations in a light way.

So i went out of the museum leaving him and enjoyed the long walk the UP campus offers to people who wants to, well, walk. Eating my late lunch at the UP Workers’ Cooperative Canteen, i cannot help but think if Andres might get hungry earlier than the pegged snacktime at 3:00 pm. The time frame (1:00-5:00 pm) of the workshop is a bit long for an incoming second grader who is used to a 3 to 4 hour schooling with playtimes inserted in between (i sit in a four hour class and i really get irritable sitting for that long a time).

After checking out some new book titles in a bookstore mall (i am a fledgling bookmonger), I rushed back to the museum and asked if i can observe Andres during the sessions. So I went down to the museum basement where they hold their discussion and sat at the far back end where Andres cannot see me. True enough, while I find the discussion conducted by a Ph.D lecturer very interesting, the form was very academic in the brink of becoming a scholarly discourse on what a museum is all about.

Then the lecturer asked,”what is an artifact?”, then i saw a small hand shot up the air and recited “it is historical.” It was Andres! And i cannot hide my pride seeing my son in the company of much older children (on the way home, he said that his co-participants all had “teen” attached to their ages except him) expressing himself confidently and articulating what is on his mind. He shared his knowledge and understanding connected with the topics being discussed and i can see the organizers looking at each other with amazement on their faces. I was proudly smiling inside my self.

I cannot wait for his next story on his afternoons at the museum.

May 6, 2009

mid summer vacation

And I thought summer vacation would give me more blogging time to share stories and practice my writing skills. More than a month had passed and with thousands of vignettes and situations with the boys, I have yet to blog anything because of constraints in relation to even checking the computer for the latest news. The whole day is occupied being with the boys in different situations.

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

Excited with my new found zeal of actually trying to be a conscious and conscientious father to my three boys, I went to a Booksale outlet to check out back issues of parenting magazines advertised at P65.00 each. It was quite frustrating because after sorting over stacks of local FHMs and Maxim magazines (I was told the parenting magazine is mixed alongside this stuff), I did not find one. So I let go of the excitement and browsed through the imported magazines looking for my basic magazine staple of UTNE Reader, Mother Jones, High Times, The Progressive, and Heeb. I did not find any but I did stumble to an old favorite of mine, Tricycle. It is a Buddhist magazine with articles that apply Buddhist tenets and practices in daily life. I did not even scan the copy but just scooped it and ran towards the counter. I also got the book “Snowboarding to Nirvana” for a good karmic price of P35.00. The Dharma is at work, so I thought.

Then as I stared at Tricycle’s cover, it read, “Bringing Up Buddhists,” it was a parenting issue of sort for the Buddhist magazine. Stories on raising children the Buddhist way, teaching kids Buddhist values of compassion and loving kindness, and other concepts that I still do not understand in spite of the countless Buddhist and zen books I have accumulated since the mid 1990s.

Focusing on my in and out breath while Ponso intently watches Ernie and Bert close to the telly, I hope that the Dharma is still at work.

Buddha bless you.

March 21, 2009