Life, Day by Day

I used to think that bringing up kids wasn't all that hard. My parents raised us their 3 children (1 girl and 2 boys), fairly and without biases. We all had the same privileges and got the same kind of punishment when we did wrong. I never felt any more special than my 2 brothers. But when I became a mother to a 3 month old baby boy in 1991, I realized that it was not easy at all and that parenting is the hardest job in the world where there is no retirement ever. And so when I took home a 5 month old baby girl (who was born severely premature) for Christmas in 2008, it was an act of faith and trust that this too is God's will for me and my family. You see, raising my son was a relatively fun task for me, maybe because as the eldest in my family and the oldest grandchild, I grew up looking out for my brothers and playing with my cousins, majority of whom were male. I have always been partial to boys, even as a child. I remember each time my mom became pregnant, I would al

I remember that night as clearly as if it happened yesterday. It was about 7 PM and we were all gathered at the table after dinner listening to what was happening in Manila on the radio. Then, we heard it..."wala na si Marcos" (Marcos is gone)...we all looked at each other as if to check if we all heard it right. Then I saw my dad for the first time ever in my life, with tears in his eyes and in a quivering voice saying, we are free .  My mom started crying and suddenly everyone was laughing (and crying all at the same time), cheering, jumping and hugging each other.  We all climbed into our car and drove to the town center, where the church bells were ringing , people streaming into the street in their night clothes (just like us), some did not even bother to put their dentures on!  There was a lot of clapping, cheering, hugging and pure joy in everybody's face.  The police kept a respectful distance but some were also waving and clapping.  That was our shin

My life was basically stress-free when I was a kid. I can't explain it but nothing much bothered me. Perhaps it's because I am open and accepting and pragmatic, up till now. It was during my late 20's that I  had to face and deal with major life changing events and crisis that would come one after the other. Burn-outs started in my 30's brought about by pressures and challenges at work. But even then, difficult and stressful though it was, I would come out still smiling.  Someone told me once that it is hard to feel sorry for me since I always look happy.  How do I do it?

I have been so busy the last 5 days that I have not been online much, except to check my mail.  As I opened my Facebook, I saw a lot of posts about Jeremy Lin but I did not think much of it, although I did see from the pictures posted that he was a basketball player.  Tonight however, I read a blogger friend's update about being in love with this guy and I got curious.  How good is his game?  So I googled his name and I find that Jeremy Lin is a New York Knicks player !  Now THAT got my attention.  I was a kid when I fell in love with the New York Knickerbockers (now just NY Knicks ) and idolized their stars Walt Frazier , Willis Reed , the late Dave Debusschere .  This was in the late 60's and my dad (who was a Celtics fan) and I would watch the NBA on TV. I can't remember exactly if it was a live telecast (no cable TV yet) but thinking back, I think it was because I remember we would put bets on our favorite teams and tease each other on who would win. I was over the

Let me just say it outright... Pinterest is addicting. I was introduced to it a few months ago when the "it's more fun in the Philippines" was first introduced and a link was sent to me.  I thought...not another social media!  But then someone sent me another link and this time, I paid attention. It is actually very useful...like having a big organizer/planner in pictures.  Plus, if you really get into it, you can actually make a visual summary of your life, so that it becomes some sort of resume because it gives people an idea of who you are, your likes and dislikes, your dreams and aspirations. And it works because memory retention is better when people visualize something.   For someone like me who likes to make lists...what more can I say? I am hooked.  Please visit me at  http://pinterest.com/merlmd/ note to readers: This post is written purely on my initiative for totally selfish reasons...I want to share my page (big grin)

Coastal road of Guihulngan City before the earthquake After the Earthquake (photo by Bongbong Woo Tadifa /FB) Lalimar Resort, La Libertad photo retrieved from skyscrapercity The Guihulngan City coastal road is one of the more beautiful coastlines in Negros Island.  Look at it now...and this is just a portion of the whole road that was destroyed. I tried to contact Lalimar Resort , but they were not answering.  We enjoyed our overnight stay there in 2010 that my family and I were planning to go back this summer, this time with the parish pre-school teachers whom my mom supervises. I hope we still can. But it is not the destruction of the infrastructures that is heartbreaking, but the lost of so many lives. With the many disasters affecting the country, one would think that we should have learned our lessons well by now. Apparently, we haven't.

I opened this blog today and look what I saw!  I finally got a Page Rank!  I am so happy that I just have to write about it. I don't know how I did it but I guess I must have been doing something right. A Big Thanks to my Negros Blogger group for all the pointers and blogging tips and also to all my blogger friends and visitors for posting your comments. I love getting them. In my language, Madamo nga salamat .  

Okay, this is not exciting anymore. PHILVOCS has recorded 43 aftershocks as of 6 PM today.  I have felt at least 3, the last one just a minute ago.  It is dark now and I am very worried that this will continue into the night.  I am just grateful that we have a sturdy house and hardwood dining tables that we can all hide under.  Since the signs all point out to a stay alert, sleepless night...I am sharing our household's emergency/disaster preparations. A.  Before first aid kit one emergency light/flashlight per room water bottle for each person mobile phone charged/ extra batteries radio whistle check all gas outlets, secure all breakable fixtures/decors secure cabinets and place all breakables inside put heavy items on lower shelves identify your safe spots (no it is not under the door) like the inside corners of your walls During get out of the house once an earthquake happens but if there is not enough time get under the dining room table first. DROP, COVER &

It happened suddenly.  I just parked the Hi-Lander and suddenly just as I was about to get out of the vehicle, it started to rock side by side.  I thought it was my daughter and her nanny horsing around at the back and I turned to scold them when suddenly our cook rushed out of the kitchen door shouting, LINOG (earthquake)!!! Everyone stood still and our other house help entered the house to get my wheelchair bound aunt. It lasted for about a minute or so...I was so surprised at the intensity that I forgot to time it. After it was over, we went in the house talking excitedly, when my brother who also has vision and motor disabilities came out of his room and we all looked at each other...omigawd, we forgot about him!  Anyway, he said that he was finishing his prayers, that's why he did not get out...hahaha, talk about full confidence in God.  I felt 2 small aftershocks while we were having lunch.  Checking the US Geological Survey website, I learned that in my area, it was intensi

Last January 23 to 25, I joined a medical-surgical mission organized by classmates based in Indiana, USA.  The last time I actively participated as a volunteer in the medical part of a mission was probably more than 20 years ago. And frankly, this time was an eye-opener for a hospital based health professional like me. Not that missions are rare experiences for me, on the contrary, the hospital I was connected with is a regular venue for surgical missions , in fact it has a waiting list of groups wanting to hold one there and reservations are made as early as 2-3 years before the actual date. But I have never been an advocate of medical missions since I believed that people came not because they are really sick but to get the free medicines.  However, seeing the thousands of men, women and children who came to Dumangas, Zarraga and Janiuay, waiting for hours to be seen by a doctor, I had this nagging question.  Is it really just for the medicines or was there a real need by these pe

credit In the not so distant past, wedding planners were unheard of. When people get married, it was usually just their immediate families who help out with the arrangements and actual event. But now-a-days probably because of the busyness of life, wedding coordinators or event planners as some would like to be called are the norm rather than the exception. It has become big business and some become very successful ones. But what is a good wedding planner? For the last 2 consecutive years I have attended at least 7 weddings either as principal sponsor or guest and most of which had wedding coordinators taking charge of the whole event. Two of those weddings had Clay Tan , one each for Dennis Ochoa , Vivienne Villanueva and Carmela Arlocas-Gamboa. Carmela (I was principal sponsor too in her wedding years ago) is more of an event organizer/producer but this is one wedding she could not refuse as it was of her husband's first cousin (thus, family) and for an initial foray into w