The Drawings Mean a Lot

From left: Mommy Lola, Papa, Mama, Zakei, & Cousin Clark

Zakeisha Kathley drew this a couple of days ago. When I ask her what the huge letters on the upper right corner mean, she says, "family." Now, who am I to burst her bubble over something too trifling for a four-year-old, like spelling? I already taught her how to spell it right, though. She must really like symbols and hidden meanings.

My mischievous princess has been doodling quite a number of this sort since the day she found out how a pencil works. There are at least 20 more of her family drawings which I've kept in a safe place. I stuck most of her posters near Nelson's and my work station. So, on days when we're inclined to spend hours beating deadlines and thinking of extra ways to make ends meet, when supposedly free time is consumed by nerve-wracking overtime work and there's hardly a chance to play, all mama and papa should do is glance at those works of art, and remember that what matters most to their precious Zakei is her 'family.'

The First Filipina President Who Ever Earned Respect

Aside from the Liberal Party and its staunch supporters, the rest of the country languidly celebrated the 24th anniversary of the EDSA Revolution a week ago. I can't really blame the weary public for exhibiting an obvious lack of enthusiasm when we were supposed to commemorate the day the Philippines gained back its so-called dignity with vigor like we used to. The sense of hope the Filipinos thought they had eventually proved to be some sort of lame joke in the face of blatant corruption. This awful truth makes stomachs churn.

Now, I'm not pro-Noynoy Aquino, but I revere his mother for the courage she exemplified when we madly hankered for a figure who would boldly defy a tyrant in dire need of some uprooting. We may not have found what we were looking for after we successfully jettisoned martial law, nonetheless, I believe the lady lived her life free of debauchery, and inspired men and women across the world to stand up in a time of intimidation.

Here's my own little tribute to Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino, a woman who once became a mother to an ailing state:

MOD Magazine, October 2009 (Click on the images to enlarge)

What Does Your Website Sound Like?

If you're looking for something uniquely brilliant that could bust boredom, then go to http://codeorgan.com. CodeOrgan is a spankin' new web craze that translates web page codes into music. A brainchild of Andy Morris and Andy Goodridge of DLKW, a London-based marketing and advertising firm, this fantastic on-line musical contraption reads your blog's and just about any website's body content via a complex alogorithm that defines key, synth style and drum pattern. Cool, huh?

Well, I had a ball listening to my URL's melodious cosmos, and it sounded out-and-out techno on the first try. Just the way I like it. After a few minutes, I changed my background color, played it again, and the notes aren't as groovy anymore. Still, sound tripping on CodeOrgan is one nifty way to kill time.

Andy Morris, DLKW Head of Technology, and Andy Goodridge, DLKW Head of Digital Design, on CNN

My Top 5 Favorite Unusual Delights

Some folks eat bugs, some drink snake blood. The things I gorge on every once in a while aren’t actually the kind that will gross you out, only a tad odd, I guess (or maybe it's just the way I opt to have these staples).

5.) Powdered Chocolate & Milk Products - Milo Energy Drink, Birch Tree & Anchor Milk, and at times, Coffee-mate. You ask, ‘What’s so weird about that?’ Well, I don’t really drink ‘em, I EAT ‘em. I’m hooked on consuming these powdered stuff without water. I still enjoy a cup of hot cocoa most of the time, but you can’t imagine the satisfaction that comes with eating it like it’s never meant to be mixed with aqua.

4.) Kentucky Fried Chicken With Gravy & Catsup - Don’t forget the coleslaw. The combination might look horrid to the finicky, but the hodgepodge of scrumptious world-famous chicken, light brown gravy, tangy catsup and coleslaw juice on a single plate always looks appetizing to me.

3.) Coffee With Heaps of Sugar - 3 tablespoons of sugar does the trick. I can’t help it. Diabetes fails to scare me.

2.) Lucky Me Sweet ‘N Spicy Pancit Canton - One pack ain’t enough . It always has to be a bit overcooked and served sitting on at least ¼ cup of water in a bowl. I never drain the noodles completely.

1.) Koko Kruch!!! - I could live on this for a whole day. Heck, I could live on it my whole life. I won’t ever complain if all I could have for breakfast, lunch, & dinner is this fab tasting cereal. It wouldn’t hurt to have it at midnight as well. I’ve been addicted to Koko ever since he hit the shelves.

Which reminds me, it's almost time to grab a snack. :-)

Pacquiao Is Bigger Than He Seems

There is a reason why they call him Pacman. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Never again will I judge a boxer by his size...

The fist-fight of the year kicked off like a box-office thriller, the kind that misleads audiences to believe that the hero in the movie is faced with a taller, all-powerful force that just might win, whether the Filipinos can take it or not. But lo and behold, Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, with hardly a scratch on his million dollar mug, has brought his opponent, Miguel Angel Cotto, and everyone else who gives a damn to his knees.

Pugilism reminds us of a thing or two. Enormity does not matter, and perfect practice does make perfect -- spanking new Welterweight Champion Pacquiao is legendary living proof.

She Let Me Break the Rules

The Simpsons overdo it, though.

When I was growing up, my parents prohibited us from talking back when an adult, or anybody who's at least 10 years older reprimanded us each time they saw fit. Filipinos see it as an act of respect when a kid shuts his mouth in the face of intolerable criticism by an elder.

Five days ago, I can't believe my mother gave me permission to brazenly retort to a self-righteous, haughty, and pretentious family member who's 20 years my senior. Not that my mom has lost her cultural morals and decided to promote abdication of sense of respect. It was simply the right thing to do.

Sometimes, you can't just sit still in a corner with your lips zipped when your relatives are trampling on you and your dignity, especially when they're trying to haul your dead father into the picture. It's sad that it reached this point, since I thought family will always be family, but I guess there comes a time when you need to defend yourself and immediate kin to folks you learned to venerate most of your life.

Painful words had to be said out of necessity, because it would be downright wrong to opt for silence in a situation that requires you to fight back.

The details, I'll spare you. If you belong to a decent family that values confidentiality, I'm sure you'd comprehend.

The Art of Losing Weight

Before

...and after

I've shed scads of pounds over the last few weeks, but if this is how Kate Cancio spends her time brooding in solitary, I honestly don't know how I did it.

When people ask me how I got the slightly flatter tummy, the answer they get is "No rice nor any form of carbs for lunch." Albeit the occassional pizza and pasta affair, frequent heavy snacks in the afternoon and the full meal at dinner come creeping into the back of my mind every time I give that advice, it's the best that I could do, since the "No Rice Policy" has worked impeccably for me. :-)

To the Shores

To the Shores

In the scorching season,
the ardent sun beckoned
with a spell too fiery to resist.

The heat renders the city mad,
bland;
Stranded in the dessert of insanity and soiled democracy.
Bored,
floored;
One-time nomads itching to run their fingers through the sand.

We are called to succumb to the solace of the waves,
and live with sang-froid.

-- Kate Cancio

L' Caraz Beach Front & Kawayan Cove...
Three placid days and two unperturbed nights in Nasugbu, Batangas. All the stress we accrued over the past few months has been duly squelched. :-)