Threesome at Gymboree!

After the uber-fun evening at the Astoria on Friday night, it was mommy-bonding time for me, Jet and Susan on Saturday at Gymboree Trinoma. Of course, with our hyperactive little tots!

Jet, myself and Susan went to the same school (SMA batch 94, 92 and 93)

thumsuck break for my Abram

while adorable Alex and cutee Ara played indepedently

We chatted for only an hour (bakasyonista Susan and Alex had a hectic sched!), comparing notes and sharing stories about who else but the kiddos!

Tita Jet cuddling with 29-mo-old Abram

Tita Susan beaming with teeny-weeny Ara, who is 27 months old

Tita Jane starstrucked with Alex, who's turning 3 this month

Ara's the most sensible. Abram's like a gradeschooler reciting the countries of the world. Alex's the elusive, shy-type who's drawing a lot of attention ala-celebrity!

We couldn't get the kids to stick together for a picture

It's so fulfilling to be moms. While we touched a bit on past love affairs, kakikayan and other girly stuff, there's nothing really more interesting than our being doting mommies to our midgets. Time's too short but we enjoyed every bit of it!

Abram gave Barbie dolls to his two girlfriends

With Jet and Ara and the Brigola siblings and Alex

The brief date with ended with hugs and lots of kisses!

Alex and Abram finally met in person!

Jet and Ara and dad Melvin drove us home and we enjoyed an extra hour together.

Life is so beautiful when you have nice friends and yes, makulit kids like our Abram, Alex and Ara!

Cory

Let us honor honest governance. Let us celebrate democracy.

Let us join together in prayer for the healing of the person who has ruled honestly, and restored democracy in our country.

Check out http://www.coryaquino.ph to learn more about Cory.

Photo credits: PCIJ

Baao's Most Beautiful People

There are many things I am not. And with my limited capacity as a person I might not have achieved as much as other people have accomplished in their lives.

But what I like about my not being a been-there-done-that-kind-of person is that, I never languish over the fact there are many people out there possessing the wealth, passion, looks, talent, skills, and power that I certainly do not have. I look up to them like a guileless little child admiring superstars!

I am happy to say that my small and humble town Baao has brought up quite a number of exceptional young people knocking off in their respective fields and interests:

There's my favorite Broadway star Emily Britanico-Morales, who's wowing the world with her outstanding musical talent...

And her brother Evan Britanico, who plays and promotes world music and shares with little children his knowledge of melody and harmony...

There's Jonas Palencia making my jaw drop for graduating with distinction from no less than the Harvard...

There's businesswoman-housewife Mia Barandon-Bulalacao who's paying back a hundredfold to our Alma Mater by giving our ole childhood school that renewed, august look....

Oh, and there's goodlooking Dino Badilla, the young commissioner and assistant secretary uniting, inspiring and empowering the youth, and serving Baao in little ways without fail...

There's the dignified auditing-firm partner Francis Albalate who serves as the best example for budding young professionals and humbly making ways to help the disadvantaged...

And not being biased, my friend Cherry Pinoy who remains low-key despite her professional achievements, and who discreetly sends little children to school...

There's Francis Jonathan Sumayao spreading the Word of God around the globe through his songs...

And there's the very young and promising Sandra Sanchez, beautiful, modest, unassuming... an epitome of good character and generosity...

There's my brilliant cousin Dr. Rey Oronan, caring for animals and protecting their rights...

There's Atty. Tomas Ballesteros, planting trees, walking miles to green the world...

And of course, there's Bernadette de los Santos, promoting organic farming, living the art of artful recycling, my inspiration, my motivator, my friend...

I am not like any of them. So what I do is to make use of the simple English writing skill Ms. Melinda Besinio taught me in high school. To talk positive about people. To motivate and inspire friends. To honor the education my parents gave and I strived to finish. To promote a cause.

I may be limited, like you are. We may not be excellent artists, good providers to our families, we may not have passion for anything. We may not be as bright and wealthy as the lucky ones. But I bet there is something good inside of us, no matter how small that something is, that we can share. That we can nurture. That we can pay forward.

If Baao is inhabited by people like those I think are the most beautiful, maybe I will start packing my house, leave my job and stay there for the rest of my life.

On a less serious note, maybe it was coincidence that I chose all good-looking people, beautiful inside and out! I love beautiful. Like you and me.

Naga City: a shining light of good governance in the Philippines

I am posting World Bank's full article on Naga City:

June 26, 2009 — It only takes a spark, the old saying goes, to get a fire going. And World Bank Country Director Bert Hofman hopes that the establishment of the Naga City Governance Institute (NCGI) could inspire and trigger a bigger "fire" that would bring about improved governance in other cities and local government units in the country.

WB Country Director Bert Hofman signs a commitment of support and solidarity for the Naga City Governance Institute

Speaking before officials, civil society organizations, civic leaders, and citizens of Naga during the launching of NCGI, Mr. Hofman said that the city “is one of the shining lights of good governance in the country today.”

Naga is the country’s most awarded city, having won around 150 international awards and more than 50 individual awards on effective urban management and good governance. It has received distinction from various government and non-government organizations for providing decent shelter for its urban poor; for developing effective and efficient use of information and communications technology; for promoting good governance; for public service; for being the most business-friendly city; for participatory planning; for good practices and innovations in government procurement; for being clean and green; for being women-friendly; and for being a hall-of-fame awardee on innovation and excellence in local governance.

Only recently, Naga has also been considered one of “the most child-friendly cities” in the country.

Name any award and Naga City has gotten it.

But the challenging question, according to Mr. Hofman, is “How do we scale up the success of Naga and spread it across the country?”

One of the answers, he says, is NCGI. “I think NCGI is the first step in scaling up the success of Naga to other cities, to other municipalities in the Philippines, and to other regions and the rest of the world,” said Mr. Hofman. “It is going to serve as a catalyst and inspiration from which other cities around the country could learn from.”

Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo said that NGCI is the city’s response to the challenge of growing, promoting, and sustaining local governance innovations in the city and the rest of the Bicol Region. LGUs from outside the Bicol Region are expected to benefit, as many LGU officials and decision-makers are coming to Naga to learn from its experiences. Specifically, the institute will engage in research, training, networking, and advocacy programs to help local government units (LGUs) deal effectively with day-to-day government issues.

Mayor Robredo said that both the Bicol region and the country will be better served if the quality of governance improves at the local level, as it is the key in reducing disparities and inequities among groups and sectors of society. “Good governance is important because it brings communities together in mobilizing resources that promote economic growth and equitable social development that directly benefits the people,” he stressed.

Mr. Hofman said the World Bank Group is willing to work closely with NGCI in terms of exchanging information and views on governance. He also signed a “commitment of support and solidarity” to help NGCI document home-grown best practices, increase best practices, establishing partnerships and advocating for policies that will improve local governance.

“The WB thinks that governance is important in alleviating poverty. The link between good governance, service delivery, and better outcomes for the poor is very strong. That is why the WB is interested in making governance work both at the local and the national level,” Mr. Hofman stressed.

Other personalities who signed the commitment of support and solidarity for NGCI are Blandino Maceda, Regional Director of the Department of Department of Interior and Local Government; Leonor Briones, professor of the National College of Public Administration and Governance; Guillermo Luz of the Ayala Foundation; Harvey Keh, of the Ateneo School of Government; Jaime Jacob, commissioner of the Presidential Ant-Graft Commission; and UP professors Ernesto Serote and Ricardo Nolasco.

They were joined by representatives of Romeo Escandor, Regional Director of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)-Region V and Fr. Joel Tabora, President of Ateneo de Naga University.

On Making Choices

Today I am both happy and pissed. So I chose to write a bit about what I feel.

I am happy because I finally found what I love to do. My happiness is defined by ME alone. I chose who to marry. I chose my friends. I even chose to burn bridges with those who tried to mess up with my freedom to choose.

And I will continue to do anything based on my own judgment. And I will choose who to listen to.

My new-found sisters I choose to love and support

I choose who to love, who to befriend, who to support. I choose who to help. God knows the reasons behind my choices. Why he allows me to continue? Because He knows those reasons are good, beyond human understanding.

I am pissed. Because with happiness and success come bitter people. Or rather, crabs.

But then again I think it's part of it. So I just choose to wallow in pride and happiness for the people and events that are happening to me right now. These people and events are the choices that I make. And they make me happy.

Speaking of crabs, I can't eat them. They give me allergies.

Pepper Rice, Banoffee and 2 Guys for Dinner

My very good friend Jed and I met on Monday night for dinner. We were supposed to hit Pepper Lunch at Shang but I didn't want to walk that far so I suggested we eat at Sizzlin Pepper Steak at the Megamall Atrium.

Jed had the signature beef pepper rice (my fave):

And I had chicken pepper rice (beef is better, now I know):

It was fun being with an ultra-kind and positive person.

Jed told me Aga felt bad that I didn't greet him on his birthday two weeks earlier. So I sent a belated text greeting. We didn't know he was eating at a nearby resto, alone! Nice coincidence!

We met up and had coffee and banoffee pie! Found a new favorite (I ate another half the day after).

We spent the rest of the evening talking about Aga's new house in QC (which is so nice! job well done, jo!), Jed's upcoming posting abroad (my future ambassador friend, go go go!) and my new ventures - F.A.R.M. and Buttons to Hope. I told them how I really love what I'm doing right now compared to my past business ventures. The difference, Aga said, is that there's CSR in what I do this time. And that's what's giving me the sense of fulfilment.

Corporate social responsibility, hmmm. I want to blog about it! Thank you Bro for these really amazing guys. When I'm with them, I'm usually overjoyed. And I get fatter.

Abandoned (2)

All my life I tried damn hard to be good so he would be proud of me. But I guess I wasn't that good enough.

Papa God, thank you for your overflowing love and understanding. With you, I'd never feel abandoned.

Why Do People Lie?

Came across this interesting article:

Why Do People Lie?

There are various reasons why people lie. Here are some of those...

• When they were young, they try to make up things just to get themselves out of trouble or run away from the punishment of their parents. They escape the fear of being reprimanded because of the mess they got themselves into. That is why they structure stories just to cover it up.


• At some stage in their teenage years, they want to be acknowledged and accepted by their chosen peer. That is the reason why they tend to formulate stuff about themselves just to make them acceptable and presentable to others. They do this because they think this is one way of blending in or making themselves popular.


• As they grow older, their knack in saying false statements becomes more developed. In the workplace when they do not meet their deadlines, their initial action is to tell their superior that they got sick or they had an emergency to attend to at home.


• The dangerous thing about it is that if this becomes a habit, people would not trust them anymore. If lying becomes habitual, they tend to lie about everything - and even lie to cover up an existing lie. They become what you call as compulsive liars. They are the ones who can't resist the lure of lying. They feel they are compelled to lie at any given circumstance.

Mythomania: A Terrible Addiction Of Lying

• Now you know the answer to "why do people lie?" To these people, lying has become an integral part of their life and has become an obsession. They would essentially lie about anything and everything. This addiction really is scary. If truth be told, we call it mythomania.


• Mythomaniacs lie for no explicit reasons. They make up stories to make themselves acceptable and meet other people's standards, and feel good when doing so. Getting informed about the ways to tell if someone is lying can help greatly in warding off mythomaniacs.


• They lie to feed their appetite of lying about almost anything, be it big or small. This is so because the joy of getting away with a lie often propels them to continue their deceptive activities. Mythomaniacs can be very persuasive and convincing, and they have already mastered the art of deceit.


• Grave dishonesty often makes it impossible for us to put our faith on another person who lied. Because the problem of faith is on the line, coming clean about the lie as soon as possible is the best way to fix fences. Know the ways to tell if someone is lying so you don't only know why do people lie, but also know how to avoid being lied to.

I know of some people who I think are mythomaniacs (or close to being one). When I do encounter them, I only do two things:

1) Pretend that I'm listening. and 2) Puke in the ladies room right after.

I'm CRaZY B_TCH today!

Homebody

I am advised by my boss to not come to the office nor work from home because I have a common cold. If I do not work I don't get paid. If I don' get paid for too long we'd go begging in the streets.

Look what this insane AH1N1 publicity is doing to people.

The good thing is, I'm enjoying the 5th day of my forced vacation with my one and only. And that is beyond compensation.

Long, Lazy Weekend

Wala lang, I suddenly felt I ran out of blog ideas for CRaZYB.

Anyways, I have four days off this weekend. On Thursday, I was down and felt flu was starting to get me. I chose to stay at home to give consideration to my colleagues who are leaving for mission next week. I couldn't afford spreading the virus especially now that everyone's uber-paranoid with the confirmed case of AH1N1 in the office. But good thing mine's the nasty, regular flu I get many times in a year. I asked my titas who are leaving for the States Sunday if they were willing to have lunch with me despite my sneezing and occassional coughing. They didn't mind so we went out for lunch at my fave Italian resto, Amici.

Went back home early afternoon and had leisurely walk around the village with my hyperactive Abram. No matter how I wanted to isolate myself from him, I just couldn't evade the joy of being close to him.

I rested on Friday but had to bring Abram to the barber by late afternoon. It was his fifth haircut. Unlike the first time, when he was really at ease, the succeeding visits were difficult. The sight of Cuts for Tots alone was already pain for him. The toys hardly helped. Torture it is for him everytime, but what can we do? Good thing there were Josie and Yaya Rose to assist. I was hiding the whole time.

An hour at Gymboree and half an hour at Timezone made him forget the challenging experience.

Josie suggested I buy Abram a pair of flip-flops (without the back straps) so he could get used to it. He is in Crocs all the time. You see, sometimes I forget buying the essential stuff. I was amazed Abram's feet have grown really big. This one's his third pair of Havaianas. Parang pang first grader na. Lookee:

Today's my time to be lazy. But I've been sitting in front of the computer for hours already. I hope the sneezing goes away soon. Btw, I didn't have fever, just sinat on the first day. Tomorrow's another day with relatives. Monday, hopefully, is back to work for me.

Crazy Busy Me

I miss writing in Crazy Beautiful. The past weeks have been hectic. Hmmm, I have to admit I kinda neglected CB because I had to update the FARM blog everyday - and that is either during lunch break or Abram's daddy-time in the evening. Anyways, I had highs and lows as usual.

• My cousin Alfred returned to Alberta the other week after a month vacation in Manila, Bicol and Bohol. I was so impressed by his perseverance at work - from being a crew, he was promoted to manager (surpassing two levels) in less than a year of working in McDonalds Edmonton. And he's bringing his family to Canda next year! Im so proud of you, Pid. And by the way, he had real quality time with his wife that another baby is on the way!

• I was in crying mode the past week as my favorite nephew Justin and his mom and lola moved to Bicol after daddy Alfred left for Canada. I'm missing my first son Chum-Chum a lot! Can't imagine how it would be like when he leaves for Canada for good.

  

• Then it was Abby's time to go. Abby's been my reliable yaya and (personal assistant, hehe) for almost two years. Although she had shortcomings, I could stay cool and less worried with her around the house. She practically knows everything, especially my needs and wants and do's and dont's. So it was hard letting her go. Abby will continue college this semester and I am proud and supportive of her. Haaay, goodbyes.

• New yaya came two weeks before Abby left - I imposed a transition phase. After three weeks she needed to leave and I let her. The poor lady was beset by marital and financial problems back home and we realized it was difficult for us to keep her. We were scared she might snap. She took nothing from us but my sis-in-law's Victoria's Secret bra!

• For a few days we had to be home early as our other kasama Josie is on day shift only. Another yaya came late last night so I haven't had the chance to interview her. I hope she is the one na.

• I got a really nice-special-expensive-shocking-unexpected gift from a friend which I'm loving a lot! Thanks thanks thanks my fairy godsister!

• My honey wore his chef hat on Saturday for his simple birthday dinner at home with close friends. Have to go back to the gym this week after eating these:

• We attended, for the first time, the annual family day of KAIBA (an organization of Baaoenos based in Manila) on Sunday to promote F.A.R.M. bracelets.
  

  

Crazy Busy, that's me.

Sister's Day Out

Spent Wednesday last week with our dear ole Lola Madre.

Buying Spanish books with favorite apo - she'll teach school kids the language

Well-deserved lunch of caesar's salad, pasta and pizza at Amicci

Non-stop chika time

and some exercise, too!

Visit us again grandma!

Life Changes

Little pains i have to live with...

Plain but extremely necessary.

I need a fortune teller

I want to hug my pillow and sink in my warm bed. I want the tears to stop flowing. I need a crystal ball to tell me what future will be like. I'm thinking of spending life in the province. I regret being complacent about my health. I want to raise my son and see him when he's 30 at least. I want to stop asking.

I'm in my lowest point. This is what uncertainty is all about. In the meantime I have to work while I still can. Life.

Abandoned

On Saturday midnight, I was literally shaking. I couldn't stand normal room temperature. Two blankets and a comforter and my husband watching thankfully put me to sleep. While I froze I was crying and calling a person I wished was there that very moment.

God's moving reminder it was mothers' day.

Peaks and Valleys

Last week didn't start right. My health has become a big issue, which scares me up to now. Discipline is the key and I think I really have to work double time.

Fearing that I'd die young and wanting to live my life to the fullest, I thought of a really cool charity project that would benefit little children in my hometown. With little effort and a few emails I was able to get the reinforcement needed to sustain my enthusiasm. It's awesome to learn that there are many warm-hearted people out there just waiting to be tapped to do something worthwhile. I'll come knocking on your doors pretty soon.

On Friday night I saw my good friends Chay and Cyd after quite a while. We talked ceaselessly until the sun was up already. I love being with friends - made me forget my crunches at least for a while.

Having barely slept, I cried over the loss of an angel. It was another notch down for us. Diek's 5-month old cousin, baby Micah, passed away in her sleep. Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). She might be too good to stay. We don't know, only He knows.

I launched the official blog for F.A.R.M. on the same day. It was well received and gaining a good following. Thank you.

Sunday was a peak. Pacquiao ruled our day. Unimaginable being, he is indeed.

Ups and downs alright. But thank you God for this wonderful wonderful gift who is growing so fast and smart. With him, I don't care about hills and valleys. Just give me and Diek a good long time to see him through.

For the first time I changed CrazyB's color layout. I suddenly felt it was boring.

Labor for F.A.R.M.

Spent Labor Day working on a project. Now it's successfully launched on FB!

Check out F.A.R.M.'s Official Blogspot by CRaZY BeauTiFuL.

Three years and forever

It wasn't perfect at all. There were times it got a bit bumpy. There were tears shed. And days of indifference. It was no walk in the park. Not at all.

But you know what? It was worth it. I bet I could never find another match.

He's the stalker in my dreams. My letter sender, flower giver, faithful lover. My husband of three years. My companion forever. I love you honey. Happy anniversary.

A Reluctant Hello

Welcome my new friends! I know you're boring and tasteless but please, please stay with me longer than my old friends did.

This one's worse than sticking with an ugly guy you'd never wish to be with. Hmp!

Wish me goodluck.

A Sad Goodbye

I wanna say thank you for being part of my life...

You don't know how you made me so happy.

You were always there when I needed you.

You never left my side.

You pampered me.

You've been there in the happiest moments of my life.

But I guess this is goodbye.

Until we meet again.

Abram's Art 2

My life's art. In water color.

Magnifico!

See Abram's Art in crayon.

Of gold and shit

My friend, believe me on what I've always been saying. Life is either a hit or a miss. When you fight, there'll always be two things: you win and get away with the gold mine or you lose and you lick those asses until you drown in shit. So be always wary.

• Say yes to a friendly battle.

• But be well-equipped. Use your head, prepare, and level the playing field.

• Calculate the opponent's mind. Anticipate his actions. Get ready to attack anytime.

• Gather your guts and bullets. Come up with a scheme and bigger than grander than the bandit's.

• But beware, because he could be a clever fox...

• ...and a greedy, greasy one.

And you might lose.

In most cases, you wonder why you're such a turkey no matter how much you try. My friend, you just have to believe in yourself. Try to be the best that you can be. But don't wallow in the thought that you're always the best. Because more often than not...

No matter how good you think yourself is,

There will always be someone better...

And somebody much, much, much better.

So don't fret. Continue fighting. Accept defeat. Strive more. Be the best even when others think you're not good enough. Condemn complacency...

...for there are those who stab in the back!

Turn around. Tag and tussle. Someday might be your turn to win. And you get away with the gold mine. And you let the loser lick your ass!

My Bests

I'm feeling kinda weird today. While in the shower I remembered my old friends and realized how I wanted to pull them all together in a room that very instance like it was possible. People come and go, but there are those who leave a mark or stay forever.

Still being eccentric, I thought of honoring a few friends through my "CrazyB's 5 personal bests"

1) My Fashion Icons -

Gary Reyes - He taught me the meaning of "class" during my promdi days in college. Several years back he got me a purple Franco Sarto purse which I keep to this day. We love each other's tastes.

Miramar Uy-Baretta Ventajar - I'm still not over the fact that she spent a fortune to be able to guest in my wedding - the airfare, hotel, shimmering red gown all summed up even exceeded what we spent for the wedding. She gifted me with my first few Chanels and taught me to never compromise beauty and self-esteem.

2) Mr. and Ms. Perfect Friend (or close to perfect)

Jed Llona - He's got everything but the ego of an Atenean. He's rich, smart, good-looking, generous, kind to the point I keep telling him, "Jed, mag-ingat ka lagi baka kunin ka na ni Lord."

Cherry Pinoy - She's got everything. She's rich, smart, good-looking, generous, and kind to the point of me not being able to keep up sometimes.

3) Coolest Mom and Dad

Cheryl de Leon - I love the way she raises her two boys - with passion, wit, practicality and style. She's a very pretty mom - may bonus pa.

Jojo Halili - Great provider, very ideal dad to Gaby. Jo, pautang!

4) Best Mentors

Tom Crouch - Who says there's no such thing as a perfect boss? I bet there's nobody else out there who's as cool and competent as Tom.

Mila Navoa - She's my second mom - she embraced me for who I was and I just love her.

5) Best Friend Foreva

Doy Aguilar - She's beyond words. After not seeing each other for weeks, she texted me the other day to tell me we should meet. We met briefly - all she wanted to do was give me three Hershey's chocolate bars. She is sweeter than chocolate.

You may claim your prize - a kiss and a hug!

It's Me-Day!

I declared a personal holiday today. Nothing else would help me get well but a full day rest. Abram's a bit sick, too. Poor us are sticking together - reading books, watching videos, eating and playing. I didn't sleep beside him though - I couldn't stand the aircon as it's already fairly cold with lots of rain pouring down since the morning.

While resting alone, I thought of several things:

• Sending my son to formal pre-school at 2.5 years old. Is he ready? Are we ready?
  
  
  

• Spending post-New Year in Boracay with family. Excited. I love the island when the crowd is not there.

• Planning for a family member's wedding. I love I love.
  
  
  

• Contemplating on whether or not it's time for a baby girl. Will I ever lose weight? Are we financially ready?
  







• Replaying the dream I had last night about my favorite ex. Ang cute cute niya talaga.

Wake up CB! You are today's queen. It's merienda time!

The Never Bag

Like the Hermes birkin, CB will never ever get hold of this Neverfull Exotic, crafted from Mississippiensis Alligator (American Alligator) skin that is known for its suppleness and softness. Its interior is made from soft Lambskin lining with striped monogram detailing. It's sold for nothing less than $32,300 - didn't dare convert it to pesosesoses. Foolish. Shameless. Boooo!

Snob that crocodile-cruel bag!

But not my dream Neverfull Damier Canvas Ebony. Yes it's everywhere, orig and faux but the thing is, I still don't have it. It's beautiful and practical.

Somebody's going to buy me that on my 34th birthday - 8 months to go!!!! Thanks sweet benefactor. You're the best. Shhhh...

Amihan features Baao Talent

While we were thinking of what to today, my friend Evan texted to invite us to a musical where he'd play one of the lead roles. I was excited because it was Abram's first time to watch a play. I invited Adie to join and bring the kids.

Evan played the second lead role Lumbo, a tikbalang, in Amihan - a play by Joel Toledo and Liza Magtoto, which was staged at the Marian Auditorium in Miriam College (MC). It's a story of a barrio lass Amihan, who to journeys to the world of engkanto in Kakahuyan to look for the magical water of the Bukal - the only cure to her ailing brother and the answer that will affect the fate of their barrio and the magical world within the Kakahuyan.

Evan is an amazing actor and magnificent singer. He teaches music at the MC grade school. I was so proud that he got the biggest applause from the audience.



By the way, we were in the second row while Diek, Abram and yaya took the last row. You know why? When the show was just starting, the projector flashed the english translation of the play and Abram thought it was credits already so he started shouting, "no more, finished!". Everybody was looking and we were so embarassed. So the poor boy had to watch from afar. Yaya said he was laughing at the Tikbalang - clueless it was his Tito Evan.



Here are the off-stage photos of us, thanks to Adie's cam. We had to rush home so we didn't see Evan after the play.

Congratulations and thank you Evan, we had a blast!

My earlier features of the Britanicos -

• Pinoy-flavored Music
• Emily Morales on FARM
• Emily, you rock!

My Biggest Fan

Who doesn't like being complimented? I bet no one. Everybody needs and deserves affirmation to live a happy life. My lips overflow with good things to say about people (not at all times, though). I let any person know how I like her shoes, the way she smiles, how gorgeous her new hairstyle is, and so on.

I have a colleague who I find so pretty. I find her prettiest without makeup. So I compliment her everyday, without fail. I also admire brilliant people but some of them have egos soaring high, which I hate.

I love being admired, too. Nice words do not only flatter, they inspire me to be good. I'm bad half of the time and when people thinks I'm good, I feel guilty.

Anyways, the past several evenings that I arrived late from work, my son Abram has patiently waited and tried to not sleep without mom. He'd peek in the front door and would greet me -

"Hi Momma!" And he'd stare at me, smiling, saying the words, "Wow! Beauti-ful!"

Exhaustion gone, I'd retire with a happy heart.

Shet up!

Ted Failon is my favorite TV news anchor and radio commentator. Second to him is the cutie Alex Santos. Diek and I enjoy DZMM more when Korina is not on air. Anyways, I feel for Ted and his family. I'd never wish to be in the same situation as theirs, like nobody else would. Sa totoo lang, I'm deeply affected and I cry while I watch the news.

I better shut up or the police arrests me next. Anong kaso? For being a fan of Ted? Well, any case is possible these days.

It's unsafe to travel to Thailand with the riots and all. Being stranded in the airport for days is something I'd rather not experience. I'm not into unglamorous adventures. Eto kasing mga ito, gusto ng demokrosya! They needs it siguro talaga.

I better shut up or my amo na kababayan nila asks me to pack up and leave. CB, you're fireds! Jok lang, labs ko sya in fairness.

I learned something about diplomacy from an Ambassador today: Wine and dine with the rich and the learned, and treat your helpers like shit!

I really better shut up, andyan na sila, tawban ang mga orong. Lang babata!

FRC, anyone?

In the midst of my busiest week and busiet day at work, I succumbed to my addiction.

So I'm thinking of putting up the very first FB Rehabilitation Center (FRC). Lectures and sharing sessions with support groups will be done online via where else? FB!

Ideas and tips are welcome here in CrazyB as well.

Meanwhile, I found these interesting merchandise from Google. Nice uniform for FRC, huh?

Enroll now! Wait, I think I'm being fired! GTG!

Holy Week in Baao

After ten years or so of not spending Holy Week in Baao, my heart brought me home, again. Going home is not easy for me anymore. But God took away the apprehension, so we hit home.

I thank God for the experience....

For the perfect weather, the uneventful journey, the smooth and bumpy road, and the smiles that greeted us...

Photos of the 12-hour trip to Bicol - traffic at SLEX and Laguna caused the 3 extra hours

For old acquaintances turned new friends, for the coffee, the stories, the reason to bond...

FB friends and FARMERs had a sip n talk at Cafe des Artes, Villa Esperanza

For the chance to try new things...

At 5 a.m. on Friday I took a bus ride from San Nicolas to Agdangan, visited the church, prayed alone, and took photos (they were not good enough as it was still dark) - it was a solemn me- time.

Abram took his first jeepney ride.

For Baao's rich Holy Week tradition - the Biernes Santo procession and the Soledad...

Santa Martha, the family's "poon" - it's her second year to join the procession.

The prusisyon entails a lot of walking - I was sorry for not being able to walk carrying a heavy toddler (he's as heavy as the wooden cross) so I had to hire a padyak, and even buy balloons to appease the difficult rascal.

Photos of the Estudiantinas de la Soledad de Baao, Michael Gaite who sang in two houses, the Dolorosa, and and the tired legs and feet. We invited ourselves in the Badilla house (we needed midnight snack) and I met my favorite HS teachers - Sister Melong and Ms. Ibyang Gaite.

For family, home, and food dearly missed....

We had Sabado de Gloria lunch at home. I loved the sinanglay, gulay katnga, santol, langka. And of course the chicaron, suman (especially the itip part) and abundant ripe mangoes from the Baao market.

For the time to ponder, pray, and ask for forgiveness. And thank you for the small things that reminded us of where home is....

"In the Easter garden the leaves are turning green; in the Easter garden the risen Lord is seen. In the Easter garden we know that God above brings us all to heaven through Jesus and his love."

Happy Easter everyone!