Life, Day by Day

Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off to Great Places! You're off and away! You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go. You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care. About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there." With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street. And you may not find any you'll want to go down. In that case, of course, you'll head straight out of town. It's opener there in the wide open air. Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you. And when things start to happen, don't worry. Don't stew. Just go right along. You'll start happening too. OH! THE PLACES YOU'LL GO! You'll be

I got caught in the middle of Typhoon Frank (international codename: Fengshen)...something that I never expected when I left for Bohol via Cebu on a sunny warm Sunday last June 15. I've been caught in storms before but those were the days when I was much younger and energetic, so it was more like an adventure then. This time, I'm older, well rooted in my comfort zones, predictable...and so, it wasn't exactly the kind of adventure one middle age lady would like to find her lonesome self in.

I don't remember doing anything in my entire life just because ...from the time I could remember, everything I did (or at least 99%) had a purpose and a reason. Spontaneity was or is not one of my strong points. I always looked before I leaped...I was the type who would analyze things...in other words, I thought too much. But the funny thing is, I also have an impulsive nature...that's why I don't go shopping in the mall unless I really have to, if you know what I mean. So, does that mean that I'm impulsive but not spontaneous? Is there a difference? Definitions I've come across say they're the same but I don't think so...I know that I am impulsive in many ways (like shopping when there's a sale) but it's not easy to get me to do things on a whim. I found these definitions on the internet which I feel are more correct... SPONTANEOUS implies lack of prompting and connotes naturalness while IMPULSIVE implies acting under stress of emotion or sp

Last Saturday, May 31, 2008 was a momentous day in my son Ramie's life. After 7 years of training in Taekwondo, he has finally earned his Black Belt, 1st Dan. He had trained hard the whole summer and with some help from me completed his thesis requirement on time(earning for me about 5% of his black belt). The anticipation was high during the past week but he never showed that he was nervous even during the promotion date (although, afterwards he said he was actually very nervous). We left the house at about 1:30 PM and I dropped him off at the La Salle covered court where the promotion tests will be held. The whole process for the black belt involves demonstrations of all forms learned from yellow to high brown belt, a sparring session with 2 black belts and the braking of boards and blocks. There was also a welcoming ceremony which I had no idea about. I was the nervous one and was not really keen to watch the sparring because Ramie warned me that it could be scary. But even

Last May 7, my mom, brother, son and I boarded a plane to Manila for a brief "vacation", if you could call going to the big city that. It was my mom who needed to be there for an annual CWL convention while the rest of us were there only for the ride. The last time my mom traveled to Manila was about 3 years ago and it's been about 4 years ago for my brother and son. At that time, my mom although already suffering from hip osteoarthritis was still quite mobile but lately, it has really been getting more difficult for her to get around and this has become more evident during this latest trip to Manila. Although I see her as growing old, this reality did not seem to be very apparent to me maybe because life in the province is more laid-back, or maybe because I refuse to dwell on the fact that my mom was indeed aging and sooner than later, so will I.

Yesterday, March 7, the pilgrim relic of St Therese of the Child Jesus was schedule to pass by our small city on it's way to the airport going to Manila. The last time the relic came to the Philippines was in 2000 and I remember lining up with my Mom, brother, son, our house helpers in the Carmelite Monastery Chapel in Bacolod City where it was placed for public veneration. We were among the thousands who lined up then. This time, when the relic arrived we did not have a chance to visit because we had so many appointments and in fact, my mom said that everyone in Bacolod was in the Carmelite's except us. So the next best thing was just to line up in church to watch it pass by in motorcade on it's way to the airport. I woke up early and drove my Mom to the church, and on our way we saw children lining the streets carrying the diocesan flags and flowers also waiting for the motorcade. Upon reaching the church, I wondered aloud...why are the people inside, will the relic

A few days ago, I was talking to some people I just met at a dinner party about my career and how I got to be where I am now. I said something about not really wanting to be a doctor but somehow as I plodded on in my studies, it was too late to change my mind. And then I talked about getting my MBA and being in my present job and so, one of them asked me if I was happy now...and I laughed and said, not really and that was when someone said...so what do you want to be when you grow up. That comment although jokingly said, hit close to home...the realization that I am still a work in progress...that inspite of being middle-aged, it is still not very clear to me what I really want in my life. I have said this years ago and until now I keep on repeating myself... that I know what I don't want...what I still don't know is what I do want . I envy people who dare take risks to go after what they want in life. I continue to see my life as one that is so predictable, so conscientiou