a perfect day it was ...

Yesterday, FM and I met up. As mentioned in my previous post, FM and I had a number of fights and we were able to resolve this. Yesterday, we didn't argue. We had instances but we were able to nip it in the bud and be calm about everything that it ended being a perfect day.

To give you a background, FM thought that a perfect day for me would be if he were able to give me a mug every hour for 12 hours. Of course, the citymug collector in me was in heaven. However, this did not happen yesterday but I still considered it a perfect day.

We met at Pioneer and had lunch at Tokyo Tokyo. Okay, I had a huge meal that was good enough for 2 people all by myself while he had a small bowl of dessert. What I liked about it was that he did not make fun of me for wolfing down such a huge meal and we just talked and talked.

It was perfect. I did not obsess about my food nor the taste. I just ate. I did not obsess about the perfect shot but of course, I took some shots of us. We talked and discussed about our plans for the day. I found it relaxing because we weren't rushing. It was just very chill.

Afterwards, we went to pick up the kittens I got for my Mom. We took a few wrong turns on the way because we were both busy talking. He did not hear the GPS which I found endearing because I knew that he was just focused on talking to me.

When we got the kittens, we took another wrong turn and ended up at Cubao Expo which was a place we were going to anyway. It was like a miracle that we just took that one wrong turn and there we were. We walked around the place with one kitten each. I appreciated this because FM is not really fond of kittens and yet, he held one and walked around with me for almost an hour. He said that it was his favorite part of our day.

After, we went to his place and watched Pitch Perfect with V. It was the first time I've watched it while it was FM's second time. He said it was a total chick flick but he was going to see it again because of me. Awwww.

Before we left his place, he showed me the 10 dancer mugs he got me from Indonesia. I was extremely happy and very appreciative. He must have had a hard time hand carrying those mugs and yet, he didn't mind it. All of this simply because he wants me to be happy.

I am such a lucky gal.

To end the night, we had dinner with my family. He also semi bonded with my Dad by finding a football website where my Dad can watch games live. Afterwards, he took us home.

To me, this was a perfect day. Yes, it was ordinary and nothing grandiose happened but there was a lot of laughter, moments, and love. To me, that's a perfect day.

talkin' talkin' is not just talk ...

FM and I had several bad arguments the past week. When I say bad, it was really bad. It was hurtful and painful. What made it worse is that it was actually all a case of misunderstanding.

After the storm passed, we talked. We realized that if only one of us would pause and let the other talk and ensure that interruptions are cut to a minimum, we could actually sort everything out. We don't need to inflict pain on each other or be hurting. We could resolve almost anything, no matter how bad we perceived it to be, if only we would talk.

It took us 2 severe fights and an almost 2 hour conversation but we finally understood what the other wants. He now knows that if I say this, I really meant this. I now know that if he's acting like this, it actually means that.

You see, my quirk is hearing certain words being said. However, when FM gets frazzled. all is lost. I need to learn to control my outburst so that FM won't get frazzled and FM needs to take what I say as is. This way, we'd be fine.

I'm thankful that we talked and sorted everything. I'm thankful that finally, we were able to identify issues and put a resolution to them. It allowed us to know what to do the next time that we would have another misunderstanding.

Sidenote: Here's a photo collage of what happened over the weekend. We attended the lanching of Asahi Beer where I got a tiny bit wasted and FM had to play the knight in shining armor. With this recent event, I thereby conclude that I am officially a lightweight.

We also had lunch at Tokyo Tokyo where I proceeded to eat a Sumo Meal meant for two all by myself and demolished 3 cups of rice along with it. It seems that the beer from the night before had that effect on me. GAH!

Boeing Boeing

I was invited to attend the media night for Boeing Boeing which is the opening salvo of Repertory Philippines for this years season. I honestly did not know what to expect since I didn't have a clear picture of what the story was about. Upon getting inside the theater, I saw a stage set up like a living room and my interest was peaked. When I saw the 3 air hostesses, 2 male characters, and the maid, I knew that I was in for a treat.

with 2 of the leading ladies ... aren't they gorgeous?

You see, you could easily feel the banter between the actors and how they were very much in character. You could also feel the energy flying around the theater and that has always been a good sign that it was gonna be a fabulous show.

I was not mistaken.

The audience laughed the night away and we're not talking about small snickers or giggles. This was a slap your thigh, bellow, laugh out loud moments. It was the kind of laughter that was contagious and all over the theater, you could just hear people howling in laughter and panicking along with Bernard as he tries his best to ensure that all 3 of his fiancees would not see each other inside the apartment. You could also hear people sympathizing with Robert as he tries not to sound frazzled and dazzled when faced with Bernard's gorgeous fiancees as he tries to cover up his friends while stopping himself from falling madly in love with them.

the energetic Gretchen (Germany)

the passionate Gabriella (Italy)

Bertha, the over exhausted maid

Robert (the friend) Gloria, the American fiancee, and Bernard

the cast in their wackiest pose

Boeing Boeing is a play that men could relate to and women would love to watch as it tackles love, deceit, manipulation, lust, and everything in between. You will have moments where you'd say, "Hey! I've been in that situation." and moments where you'd say, "Oh God, I hope I'd never be in that situation!"

Boeing Boeing is one of the funniest and sexiest evenings you will ever spend in a theatre. For further inquiries regarding the details of show, please call 5716926 or 5714941 or email info@repertory.ph or log on to www.repertory.ph. Tickets are also available through Ticketworld at 8919999 or visit www.ticketworld.com.ph.

Visit www.repertory.ph, subscribe to youtube.com/repertoryphils, and “like” Repertory Philippines on Facebook.

Support Philippine Theater!  

10 Tips for an easy breezy first date ...

So, he finally asked you. Now, what to do? Here are some tips to help you survive the first date and get that 2nd date invitation.

1. Choose brunch, coffee, or lunch. Never go on a first date at night.

2. Wear a decent top, slacks, and low heels. Wear something nice so that regardless of where he brings you, you'd look presentable.

3. If possible, ask where you will be going so you can prepare in advance what you should wear and what to expect. Surprises are only good when you've been dating some time.

4. Ask basic questions. Do not ask personal questions.

5. Laugh. There is nothing more attractive than a sense of humor.

6. Be gracious. Say thank you and please when appropriate. Manners say a lot about you.

7. Focus on the person and not the end goal. You are on a date to get to know each other. Nothing more, nothing less.

8. Do not choose a very expensive place if given the chance. This is a first date. Go somewhere in the middle.

9. Bring money. Yes, the guy should pay since he did the asking but there are losers in the world.

10. Thank the guy. No matter how awful, unless he tried to molest or rape you, thank the guy for the food/coffee and for taking you home.

chocolate = love

Last night, FM and I went to the wake of a colleague. On our way back home, I felt very sluggish all of a sudden. I guess the death of someone I cared for took a toll on me after trying to be all composed and strong while at the wake. I just really found myself chilly, very sad, and just sluggish.

FM, being FM, took us to a gasoline station and got me this.

FM knew that if I ingest chocolates, I instantly become happier. I love that FM knows me so well that he already knows what to do when I feel down.

Project 365 (Week 3)

 

Week 3 was all about celebrations. I celebrated the week by starting to wear accessories to work. I couldn't be bothered before and sometimes, I still couldn't be bothered but from time to time, I managed to dress up and be pretty.

It was a celebration of Philippine Theater and theater in general with the year being kick started with Ibalong which is an epic. I loved the costume and I loved the songs. I was also invited to watch a private screening of Les Mis which I totally fell in love with.

It was also a celebration of local products with me buying local chocolates and supporting the local market. It was reliving my childhood memories and being able to create one with B.

This week also marked my 10th month with FM so hurray.

Sadly, week 3 ended with a friend who was gone too soon .Wherever you are Mic, I know you are happy for there is no more pain but only happiness. I hope you are at peace.

Rest in peace mah friend. Rest in peace.

B's 1st Love Letter

B forgot that I was supposed to bathe him ... when he realized this, he wrote this for me. What a sweetheart! 

When I read this, I felt warm all over. It was such a sweet thing for him to do and this counts as his first official love letter to me. Awww. 

*translation: 

Dear Mommy, 

Sorry that I forgot that you were supposed to bathe me. Next  time, you will be the one to bathe me every Saturday and Sunday. I love you. 

Love, Brent   

quality time vs quantity time

Which one is better? More time spent with the people you love even if you may not be doing anything of importance like simply hanging out or less time but spent in a really good way? This is something that a lot of kids and their parents disagree on. Some would go for quality while others go for quantity.

I personally feel that it should be quality but sometimes, you just also want to be with the other person even if you're just gonna hang out and do nothing. Sometimes, B and I would just sit side by side and he'd do his thing and I'd do mine. I could be listening to music and he'd be doodling or reading. Sometimes, FM and I would be together and we'd be on a date but he'd be too tired. I'd asked him why he pushed through and he said he just wants to spend time with me.

However, the quality time that we spent together; taking B to National Museum or Enchanted Kingdom and the Corregidor Tour with FM are times definitely treasured. These are special times that I'm definitely documenting to the point of a photo book but the quantity time are also treasured and important.

So, what do you think? Should we go for quality time with the people we love or is it the number of hours spent that should count?

dinner date at Mr. Rockefeller

When FM picked me up for our usual Fridate, I did not know what to expect. He didn't tell me what plans we had for the night so I played it safe by wearing a nice top, jeans, and heels. I thought I looked pretty safe regardless of where we will go except if it was to a pig chasing event which I doubted we'd go to.

So there we were walking around Greenbelt and he couldn't seem to decide where we would eat. We went up all three levels until he finally stood in front of The Red Crab and Mr. Rockefeller. There, he asked me to choose. Since I've already eaten at The Red Crab, I chose Mr. Rockefeller. Inside my head I was wondering why it seems we were having dinner at a fancier place than normal.

Apparently, FM wanted to treat me to a really nice dinner. I was smitten. 10 months and I feel like he's still courting me at times. We sat, ordered, and talked through dinner. We spoke about work and other things about our daily lives. We commented on what other people at the restaurant wore and how inappropriate some were (a woman came in wearing short shorts [jeans type] with a man wearing a coat.) Talk about a mismatch in dress codes.

What I liked about our dinners now is that I get to enjoy the moments wore. I was in the moment. I was not obsessing over the taste of the food, the description of the place, or what I was going to write in my food review. I was just with him, with FM.

I was in the moment.

Here's to many more moments with you FM. Thank you for a wonderful meal. I felt like we were out on our first date minus me falling flat on my face.

Happy 10th!

Yesterday was our 10th month together. Luckily, we were able to see each other because they had a meeting in our Makati office and so after work, FM decided to take me on a date. Now, this date was unlike any other because instead of taking his car, we walked.

Yes, we walked. You see, he had to park his car somewhere else because it was coding and Makati is never lenient about its color coding scheme. We could have taken a cab but since it was rush hour, we decided to walk. He was actually very surprised.

You see, I hate walking. Scratch that! I LOATHE walking. I really, really despise walking. With the polluted air around the metro, I do not see why people would prefer to walk. I'd rather be inside a van, car, or bus. At least it's airconditioned.

So it came as a huge surprise to FM that I agreed. There we were, walking for about 25 minutes and I actually didn't mind it. Though I was huffing and puffing a bit (fine, a lot!) I had fun because FM and I were playing catch up. Apparently, it's fun to walk when you're with someone you love. Naks.

We finally got to Cash and Carry and after walking around, we ended up having dinner at Binalot. It was a mini celebration of sorts because it was our 10th month together. It was a first for me to eat at Binalot and it was quite an experience. FM had fun showing to me how to eat it and it felt good just to be with him. As for Binalot, the food was pretty okay but the company was great!

Ibalong: The Press Conference

I was invited to the press conference for Ibalong yesterday. This was a first for me so I made sure that I did not have any expectations. It was a good thing that I did for everything that happened simply blew my mind away.

Ibalong the Musical is being held as a collaboration between Tanghalang Pilipino and the LGU of Legazpi. Capping the 26^th season of TP, Ibalong is a dance-theatre musical interpretation of the Bicolano epic which is also entitled after Legazpi’s week-long festivity, “Ibalong.” Nanding Josef, Artistic Director of TP, cited that this being done as a special offering to the Bicolanos and the rest of the Filipino people who are committed to protecting our natural resources and cultural heritage from the onslaught of irresponsible commercialism, modernization, frenetic world trade and homeginizing globalization. 

Adapted for stage by the prolific playwritght Rody Vera, choreographed by Alden Lugnasin and directed by Tuxqs Rutaquio with Carol Bello’s musical direction, Ibalong is set to conquer the stage and put the audience under its magic. 

Ibalong is a love story between a warrior and a monster. It will define the greatness of Bicol as it explores an individual’s capacity for good and evil as well as progress and destruction. 

Ibalong’s Performances will be as follows:

Friday – February 8, 15, 22; March 1 – 8PM

Saturday – February 9, 16, 23; March 2 – 3PM and 8PM

Sunday – February 10, 17, 24; March 3 – 3PM 

Ticket prices are: Php800 (regular); Php400 (students) and Php640 (for senior citizens).

For the gala premiere which will be on the 8^th of February, tickets are at Php1000, Php500, and Php800 respectively. Tickets are already available at all Ticketworld Outlets. Call 891-9999 and CCP Box Office at 832-3704. 

For group sales, sponsorships, special performances, or ticket reservations, call TP at 832-1125 local 1620/1621 or contact Juan Lorenzo Marco at 09353784781. 

You can also visit www.tanghalangpilipino.org or email them at ccptanghalan@yahoo.com

 

With elaborate costumes, energetic fight choreography, and haunting music, IBALONG guarantees audiences of all ages an enthralling experience rarely seen in original Filipino theatre. 

Please do watch it. Let us support Philippine Theater. 

paid for or paid by?

When it comes to college tuition fees, do you think you should be the one to pay for it in full or do you feel that having your child pay for a part of it will be better? This was the topic being discussed on a radio show I listened to this morning. The male DJ felt that kids would appreciate their education more and study harder if they pay 1/4 of their tuition. Some listeners on the other hand thought that if kids earned money, they might lose interest in getting a degree.

As a mother, this got me thinking. How do I want to raise B? What would happen when he goes to college? Will he appreciate and study hard even if I pay for everything? Will it be better if he pays for a part of it?

I thought it over and came to the conclusion that I would go for half and half. When I say half and half, I mean that I'd pay for everything as long as he gets good grades (not just barely passing) and he stays away from drugs, liquor, and getting someone pregnant. If he doesn't get decent grades, then he would have to pay for half. If he doesn't want to and refuses to study, I'll make him work in our factory so he can learn to appreciate the good life he has.

Sometimes, tough love is necessary to instill values in a child. I truly believe that and I will practice it should time come. I hope it doesn't but if it does, I would have to. This is what being a Mom is all about.

1st Grade Math Worksheets

Raising a 1st grader while having a full time job and part time hobby can be quite grueling. Sometimes, I go home and I already feel so tired. B, on the other hand, is almost always excited to see me and do homework. Sometimes, deep inside my head, I yell and say, "Can I just not have a break?" In reality though, I tell him to give me 5 minutes and I sit back and relax.

Having printable worksheets has helped me extend that 5 minutes to 10-15 minutes. I look at the chapters on their book and make a note of what things they're studying. I then look things up on the net and print worksheets. It helps me because I don't need to create a questionnaire. I explain the lesson then I can easily test him to see if he understood.

I make sure I have at least 4 different worksheets on the same topic to ensure that he really knows the lessons. Having 4 also ensures that if he made a mistake on the first 2, I still have extras that he can practice on.

Here are some sites where I get my Math Worksheets.

Math Blaster
Kidzone 

I just wanted to share so that other Moms won't have a hard time. These links are for 1st graders but they also have worksheets for other grades. 

love from Indonesia

FM recently went to Indonesia and of course, I asked him to bring me some things. Being the supportive and loving boyfriend that he is, he got me these.

I love the Bali magnets since they are a pair. As FM said, it represents the two of us. Sweet no?

As for the bag, I love that it is big and colorful. It can easily fit all my notebooks and what have you. I carry it with me when I am feeling artistic or just want to read.

For my Mom, he got these.

Thank you FM for these wonderful souvenirs from Indonesia.

B asked ...

FM and I went to ACE Water Spa last Saturday with the kids. FM wanted B and I to experience having a water massage since we've never tried it before.

Upon entering the place, I was in awe because it seems that the entire ground floor was just one big swimming pool. It was bubbling because of the jet bubbles from the hydrotherapy massage.

The locker room had some pretty strict rules. Little boys under the age of 6 is allowed in the women's locker room. 7 and above, they need to go to the little men's room. As for single Mom's who bring their little guys and no one else, I have no idea how ACE would handle the situation. Personally, I think its a stupid rule. It's not like a boy of 7 would be a peeping tom.

Getting over that peeve, I had to admire the tenacity of the lifeguards. No one was allowed in the pool if they were not wearing a swimming cap or spandex. If your swimming cap falls off, you'd immediately hear a whistle. The lifeguards whistle to call your attention.

B went off to play in the kiddie pool. I let him be because it was waist high for his age and they had lifeguards all over the place. Now, while FM and I were lounging at the whole body massage area, we heard a whistle. Initially, I did not pay attention to it. However, gut feel told me to look and there, I saw B standing beside a lifeguard. The lifeguard was waving and pointing to B. It seems that B couldn't find FM or I and he went to a lifeguard to ask for us.

It was such a proud Mommy moment for me. B actually listened to what I told him to do if he finds himself lost. He went to the person of authority and asked for help. By doing this, B ensured that he was safe and that he would find us.

To parents, I encourage you to teach your children (even one as young as 4) what to do should they get lost in a place like ACE. Yes, it is technically safe but with times now, it's always better to be safe than sorry.