Paco's Birthday Trip

Paco twirled around Manila on his 2nd Birthday last November 29, 2010. The night before Paco's big day, Andres and Ponso already decided for Paco that they will have a big Jollibee meal for breakfast. So be it so early morning, we went to the Philippines' number one fastfood chain and ate burgers and pancakes and rice and hot chocolate and eggs and styrofoam cups and plates and plastic utensils. We prayed for our health and the ozone layer before the repast. Then they played and played and even Paco was running inside some big colorful pipes while we waited for him to poop as a signal to go home.





We then left Andres and Ponso at their grandparent's house and went to Trinoma to check on nothing in particular but just to go around with Paco. We just walked and looked at the people while Paco slept missing his chance to look at, well, ah, people. Thelma tried Cinnabon's cinnamon and it was good relative to its fucking expensive price. Paco also tried it when he woke up and ate heartily.



Then we went back to Lolo and Lola's house and had a simple party with a really good cake and vanilla ice cream to cap off Paco's 2nd birthday.

uncool

I am not a cool father to Andres, Ponso, and Paco lately. I shout and easily gets irritated even from their small whims that does not deserve a big time heart breaking negative reaction. I am sad. I do not know what to do. Even Thelma hate my guts lately, and for the past 10 years, everytime I come home late after some philosophical and political discussions,normally over bottles of beers, or Gin Premium, (where one time with Adrian Donald, I learned the meaning of phenomenology and shit but began to forget after two tall bottles of pure, unadulterated crazy freakout Ginebra gin), without informing her.

Sigh. I am broken. She shouted at me one time for going home early...in the morning and telling me to shape up and telling me that I do stupid things by writing stupid things in my stupid fucked up blog and that it is not the real thing and that it is all for show and that the real thing is what is happening in the fucking house in the fucking real time and that I am immature. I told her: "Then write your own fucking blog!"

Hohum.

talking heads

ang mga bata

tula ni Jose F. Lacaba

Sa daigdig ng hari at higante,
Ang mga bata
Ay hindi nakikita.
Maliit pa sila sa duwende.
Wala silang mukha.
Nagkakataon na nakatingin ka sa malayo,
Walang kakurap-kurap,
Kapag sila ang iyong kaharap.

Paminsan-minsan
Pahintulutan mong mabulabog ang iyong ulirat.
Sa labas ng madilim na salamin ng malamig mong kotse,
Kumakatok ang mga musmos na kamao
Ibaling paminsan-minsan ang iyong mga mata
Sa hawak nilang kuwintas ng sampagita
O bungkos ng swipsteyks.
Pansinin paminsan-minsan ang mga nakalahad na palad.

Sa kanayunan, sa gitna ng hindi matapos-tapos na pakikidigma
Ng hari sa pulubi,
Ang mga bata
Ay nakikipagtaguan sa tingga,
Nakikipagpatintero sa punglo,
Nakikipaghabulan sa anino ng higanteng tutubi
Na bumubuga ng apoy.

Sa siyudad ay umiiling ang iyong diwa.
Maraming mandurugas sa siyudad:
Kinakasangkapan nila
ang mga bata,
sinasamantala nila ang iyong awa.
Lumang tugtugin na iyan, totoy.
Bumenta na iyan, ineng.

Pero hindi ka nakakasiguro.
Maaaring may ginaw sa loob ng butuhing dibdib.
Maaaring may hapdi sa nangangasim na sikmura.
Maaari. Maaaring wala.
Maaaring ipinahid lang ang dungis sa mukha.
Maaaring arte lang ang hapis sa mata.
Maaari. Maaaring hindi.
Pahintulutan mong mabulabog ang iyong ulirat
Paminsan-minsan. Paminsan-minsa’y tumingin
Sa labas na madilim na salamin ng malamig mong kotse.
Hindi ka bulag, at walang tagabulag
ang mga bata.

Sungka

Andres is one of the official Sungka player of his class for the intramural games. He tediously practice his strategy and tactics with his Tita Hana to hone skills and mettle in facing his opponents. First game was played against a non-threat with his opponent's freaking stage mother on the sides. Andres handily won the first game but the stupid stage mother rearranged the shells for the sungka which should not be the case. There is certain leverage when a player wins the first game that I cannot explain properly. Anyway, that loss of advantage rattled Andres and affected his focus thus losing his first game due to some stupid stage mother. But in the spirit of camaraderie, his Tita Hana did not pursue a protest. He went home feeling good though knowing that there are indeed stupid adults in this world who wants to mess a pure, honest, scientific game of Sungka.


Andres’ second game was a breeze as he even instructed his opponent the basics of the game. He actually instructed his opponent to have a chance of beating him. But he said it is all for fair play. I agreed with him and am waiting for his third game pitting him against a veteran Sungka player who competed in some national competition or shit. I am a bit nervous but excited at the same time.

feed(s)hit

I tried installing a feedjit in this blog but it was pathetic seeing a lot of traffic going on in its livefeed then finding out that it was actually just me all along.

Andres the Revolutionary

Andres loves to read and discuss history. He always watch History channel and ask questions about Hitler, Stalin, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic, WWII, EDSA and the US-MArcos Dictatorship. Everytime he ask questions on these topics, especially during dinner, the table becomes my stage and the stories, my heartfelt lines like what I did during the 1980s discussion groups (dgs)on the fundamental problems plaguing the country with coed students in my best effort straight Filipino makata but consciously pa-cute style trying to sound and look intellectual like the late Lean Alejandro or Nat Santiago of the League of Filipino Students (LFS)(Is Nat still with the LFS?).

One time, Andres started rattling about the injustice why only rich people can enjoy the vista of San Mateo, Rizal when I told him about Timberland Countryclub. His heart fell when he saw the badjao children begging beside the Manila Bay seawall then he angrily pointed at the Manila Yacht Club with its high railings and wave breakers and asked why not everyone can use the space while it occupies some part of the bay. I felt proud hearing him speak that way and at the back of my mind, wonder if he can be someone who can be part of the growing movement of people who wants to change Philippine society for the better. One time, he asked for the symbol of the former USSR and I excitedly explained to him the hammer and the sickle representing the workers and the peasants united to establish a more humane society. Then we focused on why the Philippine society is such that the rich gets richer and the poor getting poorer.

We then discussed the different classes in Philippine society, who the enemies of the people are, and how the proletariat, the peasants, and other progressive classes and sectors can free the country from foreign domination, Landlordism and backward agricultural system and relations, and the systemic graft and corruption in the government. Andres at 9 years old understand that it is US policies that keeps our country abnormal and our people poor and not his American cousins who sends him Hotwheels and toys and most of his branded clothing apparel.

With his wild imagination, it is interesting that he always include the marginalized in his plans, in his dreams, and storylines. He even wrote a comic strip reminding me of class struggle, between the rich and the poor, which, the rich eventually won due to their high powered weapons. I think we should next discuss the idea of Sama-samang pagkilos, mass base building, and the protracted peoples war.

But in the meantime, his favorite song right now is Travis McCoy's "Billionaire" featuring Bruno Mars.