About Last Night

I told my daughter E that I was going to be home late last night; around midnight, I guess, or 1 A.M. "It's our karaoke group," I told her. "Eh, di masaya ka na naman, ma, pag-uwi mo," she said. I ended up going home at 3:30 in the morning.

You see, it was our despedida party for W, who will be flying off to the land of sheeps and hobbits on Thursday. It was going to be the last time that we were all going to be together: singing, dancing, drinking, laughing, screaming, laughing, shrieking, laughing.

I chanced upon this group last year. The stress from everyday work was taking its toll on me and when I heard that there was a group at the office who went to a karaoke bar every Thursday night, I quickly joined in, and I was super happy that they all just welcomed me. I'm not the sociable type who's friends with everybody at the office because frankly, there is just a small amount of time for me to socialize. And for me, it was a blessing to have this little group, this escape valve of sorts where I can just put my hair down and sing my heart out.

We are a haphazard bunch, strewn from different departments, and I don't know who was friends with whom initially but I just jumped right in; they are all good people; a hard working bunch who throw themselves at work every day, and who, when deadlines call for it, would go back to work after our warbling sessions.

Last night, we were going to say goodbye to our dear friend W. She is flying off Thursday to join her husband in NZ. And while I am sad to see her go (You see, W is that kind of a person who would help you in any way she can. Helping other people is something she takes seriously), I am also excited that she can imagine a new life for her, out in the mountains of a place I've only seen in the movies.

W, take care! We love you!

Scenes from last night (as promised, I am only uploading the wholesome pictures mwahahaha)




Karaoke!!



The Wea Twins and girlfriend!



Dance number ba ito?



We love you, W!

The Return of Purple Frocks

Last weekend, I discovered a new ukay place, and that's when it hit me, we have to get Purple Frocks up and running again. There are just too many ukay finds out there just waiting to be discovered. And so, the other night, my daughter taught me how to upload photos and insert captions on Multiply. The student has become the teacher; the teacher, the student. My life has really gone full circle.

Here's a piece from Episode 7; just the top, the tutu is actually Baby S's.




And now, here is Baby S wearing her tutu.



Yes, the proud lola cannot help but include her lovely apo in there. I've actually been thinking of including her in our Purple Frocks shoot, like maybe she can crawl out of the frame, or into it? What do you think? It might make for a great shot (or not! Mwahahahahaha)!

Nurse Jackie

One of the better things that came out from my having had no Internet connection was getting into new stuff; and this particular discovery landed on my lap courtesy of my sister B (Thanks B!). I am talking about Nurse Jackie.

Most hospital dramas tell their stories from the doctor's point of view like House or Grey's Anatomy. This one shines the spotlight on nurses, one nurse in particular, who's played by Edie Falco. I love her; she plays Jackie Peyton with a kind of wary sincerity. Because you see, the thing about Nurse Jackie is that apart from being a health care professional, she is also a wife and mother of two kids, who's best friends with a doctor and who's having an affair with the resident pharmacist, maybe because she is a junkie. Her days are full, and as she puts it, she meets people on the worst day of their lives, so suffice it to say that there is always pressure of the life or death kind.

On the outside, Nurse Jackie is confident and commanding but inside, she is just hanging by a thread, barely keeping it together. And I'm pretty sure that most moms can relate to that. Sometimes shit happens, but you just shoulder on. You put on a happy face and make like nothing's wrong because your kids can't very well see you breaking down to pieces.

But Nurse Jackie isn't the only character you'll like here; there are her fellow nurses Momo (who sang this sweet hymn to a comatose boy) and Zoey (who is so hilariously clueless you'll love her), there are the doctors (one of whom is played by Peter Facinelli: yes, the same guy who plays Dr. Cullen in the Twilight movies), and then of course, there are the assortment of patients who bring in their bittersweet stories.

Missing You!

I've missed the Internet! Our broadband connection conked out last Tuesday, which turned out to be a big bummer. The fact that I was sick most of the week compounded my alone-in-a-deserted-island feeling. It was very frustrating; the customer service people at Globe got a mouthful from yours truly but that's another story. Let's just say that 24-hour cable TV just doesn't cut it anymore.

And so, I was excited no end when we finally got our broadband back this morning. But before I could catch up on things, I faced a full day; talking with mommies and doing some grocery shopping. Happily, my weekend outing ended with popcorn and 500 Days of Summer.

Having been in the land of the lost for the past few days, I have absolutely no idea whether the whole world has already seen this movie. But I just have to tell you that I fell in love with Joseph Gordon Levitt's Tom almost immediately. He's the kind of hopelessly far-gone character that you pray will get the girl in the end. But because this is not a love story, he does not get the girl. And that scene on the bench where he turns sideways and cries silently is absolutely heartbreaking!

And so, here I am surfing again, and in remembrance of all those crazy summers, when love was lost and found, I am playing The Smiths all night long. Here's a favorite :)

Yaya Stories

About three years ago, we decided to lead a yaya-less life. The kids were all grown up; they can wash the dishes. There were laundry services everywhere; I can iron their uniforms on weekends. I can cook huge batches of stuff on weekends, which we can just reheat throughout the week. Things became even better when my son F, who wants to be a chef, really got into cooking. This meant I didn't have to slave at the kitchen on Sundays.

When Baby S came into our lives, I knew that inevitably we would have to get a yaya. And that's when I started having nightmares. You see, like most mommies, I've had my fair share of yaya horror stories like the one whose father (or was it mother?) got sick every two months or so, and who had to advance money just as often. Or the one who just vanished into thin air, taking with her the money being saved up by my boys for a Playstation (I cried on that one because the boys have been quite diligent with their savings). Or the one who pinched my son S because, as it turned out, she was pregnant and naglilihi.

I thought I had said goodbye to all that, but then here we go again. Just yesterday, at the time when we needed help most, Yaya T texted her goodbyes; she was going to apply for a job at a factory or something, she said. My daughter is still sick, the baby is coughing, and I am not feeling any better. I am not so worried though, I've seen worse. Tomorrow is another day!

Recycling Hollywood

Almost everybody in the house is sick. First, it was Yaya T who got downed with fever. Then K got a bad case of cough, which would not go away. Next came E, who complained of coughs and colds, quickly followed by Baby S who is now coughing. And now it is I who's feeling bad all over.

But guess what? I've missed blogging. When I started this a few months ago, I thought how could I ever write something every single day? But now, seven days without blogging, and I've missed it like crazy! And there's been one thought that's been nagging me like crazy. Is it me or are Hollywood movies going green, recycling story ideas over and over again?

NOW
In The Ugly Truth, Katherine Heigl is a TV producer who thought she was in love with this clean-cut doctor guy but eventually fell for the hunky, no-bullshitter guy she works with, Gerard Butler.






A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO
In Someone Like You, Ashley Judd is a TV talent booker who thought she was in love with this clean-cut TV producer but eventually fell for the hunky, no-bullshitter guy she works with, Hugh Jackman.





WINNER: The Ugly Truth
Let's just be honest, Katherine and Gerard as a couple is just way hotter than Ashley and Hugh. Hugh is hot but Ashley looked like a walking stick in that movie.





NOW
In The Proposal, Sandra Bullock is an orphaned high-strung executive who proposes to Ryan Reynolds to avoid being deported to Canada. At the big wedding scene in the end, she confesses everything and tells everybody how she misses belonging to a real family.





A LOT OF YEARS AGO
In While You Were Sleeping, Sandra Bullock is an orphaned timid MRT employee who gets proposed to by a temporarily amnesiac guy, whom she's had a crush on for years but who has a brother whom she eventually falls for. At the big wedding scene in the end, she confesses everything and tells everybody how she misses belonging to a real family.





WINNER: While You Were Sleeping
Sandra and Ryan have absolutely no chemistry. And while Ryan was just as bland as Bill Pullman (the guy who she eventually falls for in Sleeping), the family ensemble at Sleeping was great: cute and competent.




Now, excuse me while I take a nap :)

Granny at 41

And so at 41, I became a grandmother. It was a tough concept to wrap my mind around. Things have just started to calm down at home. The boys were fighting less, and making less of a mess. And we were all slowly starting to have little lives outside the home. You see when you're a mom, your life tends to be consumed by your children: taking care of them, picking after them, making sure everything's OK. My kids had grown up enough for me to relax a little. And then, baby... back to Level 1.

Right from the start, I told my daughter E that I couldn't handle a baby anymore. I couldn't bear not sleeping straight through anymore. But my biggest worry was how my boys would react to everything. I knew of course, in my heart of hearts, that I was going to love this baby forever. But then, I asked myself, what if my boys didn't? What if I show the baby affection and my boys resent it?

Well, I needn't have worried. THE BOYS LOVE HER! F likes carrying her and giving her warm kisses. K can always be counted on to help E with changing the diapers and putting her to sleep. And S, he smiles at her and gives her warm hugs.

As for me, I couldn't help myself. She is adorable.

Here is Baby S at three months.

Juno Not

That little bit of information rocked our world. The next few months were plagued with enough heart-wrenching twists and turns to fill up a full-length movie, maybe even a sequel or two. And though I'd rather prefer the dry, sardonic wit of Juno, ours was more like the telenovela that all Filipinos know and love. There were uneasy silences, dramatic confrontations, and even, yes, occasional attacks of chest pain.

I barely survived this whole episode. It was as if something inside me had died. Did I blame myself? No. Did I think myself stupid? Yes. Could I have prevented it? I really do not know.

But after death, there is life. And after many months of waiting, we have our own little angel...








Sophie :)

Yari Ka!

Around this time last year, our lives took a turn for the dramatic. It all started innocently enough. My daughter E felt a lump in her tummy. And immediately, I started having fears about myomas and fibroids and all those other conditions associated with a woman's reproductive system. I remember my dear friend A having just such an operation a few weeks or so before she had to leave for Canada. I've also had several colleagues who have had to be treated for one condition or another. As is natural for mothers, I started worrying. I started imagining all sorts of things.

I scheduled an appointment with my Ob-Gyne, Dr. S. This is the woman who has seen me through three pregnancies, she knows me well. On the way to the doctor, I asked my daughter, "Are you scared?" She said no. I told her, "Whatever it is, we'll deal with it together."

And so, we saw Dr. S.

Dr. S: So, what's our problem today?
Me: It's not me. It's my daughter. She has a lump on her tummy.
Dr. S: Any other symptoms?
Me: Her period has been light for the past two months.
Dr. S: Okay, let's have a look.

And so, E lied down. When Dr. S touched her tummy, she immediately said, "Meron nga!" From there, she went for the Doppler. My jaw dropped. I've been pregnant four times before and I knew all too well what that's instrument for. In my head, there was this giant thought bubble wanting to just burst out, "WHY IS SHE GETTING THE DOPPLER? WHY IS SHE GETTING THE DOPPLER?"

Dr. S placed the Doppler on E's tummy and immediately we heard the unmistakable thumpity thump thump sound of a raging, beating heart. Dr. S nonchalantly said, "Baby!"

E said, "Serious?"

And I, for the life of me, could not say a word. I could not speak. In my twisted mind, I was half-expecting Michael V to jump from behind me and say, "Yari ka!" just so I know that this was all just a joke. Just a prank. Unfortunately, Michael V was nowhere in sight. There was no going around the thumpity thump of that little heart.

Baby!

A Family Affair

More often than not, Good Housekeeping's cover shoots turn into family events as celebrity moms bring their kids, sometimes even their hubbies. Our shoot with Lea Salonga wasn't any different with her daughter Nicole tagging along. And since we were shooting at my friend Dr. A's house, her children were there as well. Here's what happened that day:





We finally got a schedule for Lea but were having a hard time looking for a location. Out of luck and out of time, I texted my dear friend Dr. A, asking if we could have the shoot at their house in Alabang. She agreed right away. Yipee! Dr. A's house is very photogenic and has been the scene for a number of shootings; including those for Carmina and Zoren's ice cream commercial and Yaya and Angelina's movie.





Okay, there's a reason why I put this photo. We wanted to serve something nice for Lea and so decided on Conti's. Our managing editor Kv said she'll take care of it and drove all the way to traffic-prone Sucat. When she got back, Dr. A goes, "Conti's? They deliver." You should have seen the look on Kv's face!! Mwahahaha





That's the happy crew, giving me all a closeup smile while we wait for Lea to change.






Dr. A's hubby Dr. M, sharing a light moment with their son A. Lea is actually a patient of Dr. M. He's an EENT and a good one at that.





I love this photograph! I love those shoes! Though you won't see those mean heels on the cover, they contribute to the whole look.





Lea S and her daughter Nicole with Dr. A's family. I can't get over how big her son M is! I had these art classes at home one summer, and he was so small then. And now, there he is!



It was E's birthday so it was his turn to blow the candles. After the shoot, we ended up eating and talking and laughing, just like a family!

Don't Forget!

We have more to give. Go, go, go! :)

Belated Birthday

All typhoon-ed out!

For the past few days, I have been so preoccupied with Ondoy that we were not able to celebrate S's birthday properly. S is my second son; a sweet, sweet boy who just turned 15 two days ago. Although he is now taller than me, I can still remember him as a baby; his face all pudgy, his eyes bright and smiling. His was the pregnancy that did not give me any troubles. No puking all over the bathroom as I had to deal with E. No bed rest as I had to do with F. No dramatic hospital scene as I had to experience with K.

S looks so much younger for his age that I sometimes forget that he's already a teenager. I suppose that's how it is with most parents, we find it hard to let go of our little angels. And so today, after days of grieving and worrying, the kids and I went out for a quiet dinner to celebrate my sweet Sam.




The boys went for the eat-all-you-can pasta. The last time we did this, they finished at least three and a half platefuls each, am not so sure. This time, they were less hungry. Or maybe because we all had a late lunch of pinaksiw na pata.





A week or so before his birthday, S sat beside and whispered that he'd really like a phone for his birthday. And I said OK. He had a hard time picking one; he didn't want Mom to spend too much. Finally, we came to a compromise; he'll get the phone he wanted but he wouldn't get a Christmas present. Deal!

When we got home, my daughter E told him, "Don't worry. Mom will forget that she's not supposed to give you a Christmas present, and you'll still get one." Mwahahaha Am posting this so I do remember! Mwahahaha





They are all so big now! Time flies! :)

It's Gonna Be Alright

It was 'panic at the disco' at the hardware this afternoon. I just wanted to buy some batteries but was met with a deluge of people getting ropes, candles, mops, rechargeable lanterns with fans (Yes, can you believe it?), and whathaveyous. The scene sort of reminded me of our trip to the supermarket a few days ago. I brought my three sons to the grocery to get some relief goods and was happy to see a score of shoppers thinking of the same thing. The mood was jovial and light. Today, however, the mood was one of panic, with people elbowing each other for the last piece of flashlight on the shelf.

I understand, perfectly. Last night, I had a panic attack myself. I was imagining all sorts of things, so immediately, I called my sister B. After letting me blow off steam for the better part of the hour, she knocked some sense into me. We can only prepare up to a point but after that, nobody knows; after that, it's in God's hands. With that knowledge, I went happily to sleep.

Tonight, the kids and I are just hanging out, ready for anything. And because "I Am Legend" is one of our favorite movies (and it's running on cable as I write this) and I love Bob Marley's songs, I leave you with this: