...15 years old

Alyssa goes gaga over her. Disney, for some reason has moved the schedule from 5pm to 9pm everyday. We know she's now in high school and got herself a boyfriend inthe show. She's the biggest in Disney right now. Lately she had been dressing up looking more than 15 years old. Like naughty. Why, only she could say. And her stylist. Something wrong with her stylist. There are a lot of 15 year old actresses in Hollywood who dresses appropriately. Maybe she's so rich that she just couldnt care how things could work against her Hannah Montana image. And then she does this:
It doesnt matter who the photographer was. Or that it came out in Vanity Fair. what were her parents thinking? Artistic? Not. she's 15. There are more appropriate yet sexy poses, if she really must insist on sexy. Maybe its the teenage hormones. But no matter, there's the parents. They have a say. Especially her dad. billy ray cyrus. What were they thinking. Now she's remorseful. Aggghhh. Another one of those Hollywood gimmicks. Alyssa has just announced that she wants to be Hannah Montana this halloween.
I should have a shot looking like this.

...bank telemarketer

She: Ms Astrid Concepcion you have just been selected as one of our lucky card holders for this wonderful opportunity...blah blah blah.
Me: Bankard? Could I know which bank would this be?
She: *bleep**bleep**
Me: But I dont have a card with your bank.
She: Oh, you dont mam? May I know what credit cards you have?
Me: Im sorry but Im not telling you, you understand.
She: Oh, how about your husband mam. Maybe this is actually his card.
Me: Im sorry but I wouldnt know.
She: Does he have a card mam?
Me: I dont know
She: You dont know if your husband has a card or not mam?
Me: Even if I do, I wouldnt tell you.

...conversations

It's been awhile. Been so very busy lately with the online stuff and part time jobs etc etc. Takes up about 6 hours of my day. Im a morning person so I like to do work in the morning to ease up in the afternoon. All these were new to the kids, especially Alyssa. Although Im just a meter away from her, she wants me to be playing and talking with her still. 2 weeks ago this was how it went:

She: Mommy why do you have to work on the computer?
Me: It's my chance to have money to buy you extra stuff honey...
She: Awwwww...but you always take so long. I want you to sit beside me.
Me:...I could buy you more toys...food, cloths. Stuff like that.
She: Ohhhhhhhhhh...
Me: Besides it's in dollars honey (laughs)
She: Okay...you can go on working. (giggles) I like toys, Powerbooks mommy?
Me: sure honey. See, mommy's been able to give you extra stuff lately, right?
She: Ah-a (nods) I like toys mommy.
Me: I know honey.

(I work for 3 hours more before lunch)

And this was yesterday:

She: Mommy, I think you have to stop working.
Me: but why? I wont have money anymore...
(silence)
She: Why?
Me: (i give the same explanation as 2 weeks ago)
She: But I dont need more toys, dresses Powerbooks
(I stop working and face her)
(she sobs)
She: I dont need more toys. I have enough toys already. I want you to stop working and be with me mommy (hugs me).

I stopped working and played with the kids the rest of the day. although I injected the importance of me doing a bit a part time stuff in our conversations. I worked that night when both kids were asleep already.

...HOrtaleza Salon

I had tons to do that day. But pareng Nonoy Jopson told me he'll give me a Biolage hair treatment at his newly opened salon for free. Keyword, Free. He and his wife, Amale, did mention about the salon about once a long time ago but nobody expected they were actually working on it already. One day they just text to tell us they were already having their soft opening. too bad my hair couldnt go thru yet another chemical treatment till June. They were looking for models for the demonstrations for the staff. Manila experts were coming over and we were invited. So I had to settle for the Biolage treatment. Me, no ego issues. No no no I dont. The salon is at Elizabelth Mall, almost downtown. big place. In my opionion, it's better than Robinson's. bigger and cleaner.

Met Marmie there in the morning. She was getting a hair rebonding treatment. Free. Do you see her hair? One could just imagine how much it would cost her if she were to pay. I got my biolage and I was happy. Their services are very affordable. Big space. Nice chairs. I didnt get a neck cramp when I had my hair shampooed. The Manila expert was yakking away about their products and such and I couldnt help but listen. So now I know why one must not put conditioner on before you plan to have your hair treated. I shall be going back there soon. Katie Holmes hasnt let her hair grow longer than her chin yet and so will I not.

thanks NOy!!!

...Al Gore

I had been waiting for this show on HBO. Finally it came on last night at 9pm. Quite late for me already actually but I just had to watch it. The rest of the family were fast asleep already. 1hour into the show I started drifting in and out of sleep. I know it was a good show. Everyone should watch it. I like Al Gore. American Im not, but Ive always liked him. I am so into saving our earth for the future generation. Today, I got stainless steel thermos so I wouldnt have to buy plastic bottled water anymore. Eco bags, they are everywhere in the house and in the car. I got eco bags from all the malls and stores. The one I dont have is that one from Powerbooks, a great big black one. But I think they're not for sale. Too bad. They oughto be though. I didnt finish the show last night. I fell asleep. Let's face it, it's not the most entertaining movie of the decade although it should be. It won awards. It won Al Gore awards. Incovenient his facts, but they're the truth. And we ought to do our part starting now. We should have started decades ago actually. HOpe its not too late for us and our kids.

...shiny butt.

It was a particularly hot day at the beach, Alyssa was just enjoying the sand, water and the breeze. Joel stayed under the tree behind us. I was clicking away with the camera as usual, aimed at my little waterbabe. I was putting my sunglasses back on as I noticed Alyssa stand. She whispered, "Mommy, his butt is shiny." Me: "His what is what?". That instant I noticed the guy sleeping on the bench just a few meters behind Alyssa. Oooooohhhhhhhh, St. Tropez!
Few minutes after I took this paparrazzi shot, he started flexing his toes, then knees. He also did some push ups and stretching, all during spread out like that on the bench. He also did jump in the water and did some butterflies.

ASPARTAME
as if this wasNOT enough...

THANK YOUFOR SERIOUSLY KILLING US.

...a new dress

According to Alyssa, Barbie needs to go to the party with her this Friday. "Does she have nice dress in the closet mommy?"
Like I said yesterday, I was planning to go full skirt, glitz, beads and the glam. So Barbie. As I watched my two girls sleep last night, I was searching each and every nook of my brain for some inspiration. I wanted to go plain. No I wanted to go glam. Aha! Will do a Victoria Beckham. Snob, unsmilling and all. Marc Jacobs? My mind was made up. Sew the dress I did. Watching Ava making a mess of all their toys, I was deep in thought of how the beads were going to look like. I thought, so Versace with the glitters. I dont wanna look 1990ish. I thought Victoria Beckham again. Then I came up with this dress. All hems sewn clean this time. Im got serious. It was too plain for me. I toyed with the beads again and the picture of 1990s fashion aka Gianni Versace flashed before my eyes. Saw the left over ribbon I used for the girls' birthday and had an inspiration. A ribbon on the chest. Still looked like someone's design but what the heck, I could never come up with a fresh new one of my own, Ive had decades of reading fashion magazine, no way my mind is virgin. I came up with this instead. I think it's clean. Still Victoria Beckham.
I made the bag out of a Smart phone flyer. It was the same shade as the ribbon. The bag actually opens but it's fragile, being so small and all. Those are real beads. It's inspired by the Bijou One handbag creations.

As seen here carried by the actress/singer Hilary Duff. There were other celebs on the page but I cropped Hilary coz I like her. When I heard Alyssa say,"You did a great job mommy. Im so proud. " I knew the glue on my shirt and beads cluttered on the floor which I myself will be picking up, were all worth it.

...dressmaking

For my family I could be anything, from Superman, WonderWoman to a doctor. Yesterday, I was a dressmaker. Trying so hard to make Barbie a dress. It was an inspired project when Alyssa saw at someone's Flickr what she did for her kids' Barbie. "MOmmy, mommy, make a dress for Barbie coz she wants to go out and she has nothing to wear."

NOthing to wear...hmmm...even at 4 years old, Alyssa has it in her already. HAHAHAHAHA and boy will she be repeating those lines a million times during her lifetime. Sew I did. Found some extra fabrics and work I did. Did some simple stuff. I havent even put some hooks at the back yet till now. and lookey lookey!!! Matching!!! The pic above is of Alyssa during a school event. The pic below is of me, last night, holding Barbie with matching dresses!
Alyssa was so ecstatic at our accomplishments she wants me to make more! I only slept last night after I finalized plans and patterms for today's project. I was thinking... something glittery. I was thinking white. And I realized we dont have white fabric. But I have an old pair of denim pants in the closet. Its gonna be denim, beads, full skirt, pizzazz and all that jazz! HHAHAHAHAHAHA! Inspired..!

I havent yet found out the correct term but for now, lets call it "the Pied Piper effect". Remember the story? It's quite grimm. With the man with the flute leading the children from the town and hiding them in a cave. One version even says he led him to drown in the river, just coz the townsfolks didnt pay him what was promised after he got all the rats out, and he wanted revenge, thus the "kidnapping" of the town children.

But what I want to talk about is retail pied piper effect. Has it even happened to you? Joel was the one who talked about it first altho Ive noticed it about me since high school. I just didnt have anyone to talk about it and Ive gotten used to it happening. Happens all the time, but is limited only to retail. Happens in malls, stores, boutiques and such. Several times Joel and I put the whole thing to a test. We went inside a store well-known for it being empty, snob and having not much costumers. Aside from the attendants being snobs, the store carries weird stuff. Not something you'd check out often. We went in. Viola, just as expected, around 9-12 individuals followed into the store and browsed. Test checked. We went out and came back 2 hours later, saw no people in the store. We went in again, just for the heck of it, once again about 7 came in right after. People tend to crowd in on me. If I go to a remotely far corner of a shop to look at something, chances are 5 other people would be looking over my shoulder in 2 minutes flat, looking at the same item that I am. What is it? We find it amusing. We play with the whole thing, just for the fun of it. I go into an empty store, give it 2-5 minutes, there would be a big crowd behind me now in the store. This doesnt happen only once or twice or thrice. It happens all the time. But this only happens in retail. Not in theaters or school or anywhere else. Only at boutiques, shops, malls.

...schedules

This month of April was particularly interesting. Note my notes in black pentel pen above APRIL. We were scheduled to go somewhere with Marie, our neice. We had to postpone the trip for some reason. But we're pretty excited about it. It sorta forced me to renew my passport asap. hehehehe. We were off to somewhere, because at a party, Joel won this:
Hehehehe. Isnt that sweet? he is so lucky when it comes to raffles and contests. Sweet!

...a backhoe

It's 9.30 in the evening. I took this pic of this big noisy construction thingy just outside our bedroom window. The bedroom where 1-year-old Ava is uncomfortably squirming in her crib. Her face grimacing from all that thudding sound from this construction thingy. Am I even spelling the word correctly? I dont know. All I know is that it's making so much noise. Wait, that's an understatement. Banging noise. Namannnn...it's 9.30 in the evening. We dont mind it buzzing and banging and making our ground shake the whole morning and afternoon. But 9.30 in the evening?! who do I tell? Damn politics....Is it election year ba? Alyssa is covering her ears coz it's just too noisy outside! Woe is us. Poor babes.

...love

We were having the laziest of all laziest afternoon in a resort in Dalaguete, Cebu. Joel put Ava on his lap while eating crackers. I sat in front of them with my camera and caught this.
Love.
More love.
And her tiger sound. hahahahaha

...sleeping awake

Imagine looking at your own headlights and the butt of the car in front of you for more than one hour. On a SUPER STRAIGHT stretch of a road. When I say super straight, I mean as straight as straight could get. I mean it couldnt have gotten straighter than that road we were running on. 9 in the evening, we were a bit tired, the kids have had their shower in Tita Cecile's house already and have even started to relax on the beds with the tv. But we just had to get to Prudencia. It would be more relaxing for everyone to be in Prudencia. By then we'd be travelling for almost 24 hours already. I joked to my sis-in-law that I just might try to stay awake till 3am to make it a 24-hour-day for me, just for the heck of it. Hehehehe. So not! I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow in Prudencia.
Probably due to my subtle insistence, my bro-in-law, Nong Oca, offered to bring us to Prudencia at 8pm. He took his family there earlier that day and wasnt actually planning to go back til the next day because he had been 'assigned' to pick other relatives arriving from Iloilo the next day. But he took us to Prudencia anyway. An hour drive from the city. So off we went, excited and all. the kids have fallen asleep in the car already so it was just Joel and me. It was dark. No lamp posts along the way as we went beyond Bago City. Like, really, no lights. Nada. There werent any stars either. It was dark. All we could see was our own headlights shining on Nong Oca's car in front of us. We counted the minutes. It was an hour drive. I have started to complain that the road was too straight. Are we ever going to make a turn or something? No luck. The road went on and on and on and on. Nong Oca said that he took us to another route coz the road was bad in the usual. i mean, the road was too straight. It was like torture. For one hour, in the dark, no lights on the road side, straight straight straight straight. Joel kept telling me to talk to him. I think I talked to him, in a drunken tortured kind of talk, I guess. At one point I just laughed. I was dreaming gali! Our watches said 10pm, we should have been there. but we were taking the longer way, altho, a better route. I was dreaming already. There was a fax machine by the stick shift. It was ringing so I turned my head. A fax message coming out so I reached out to catch it. The fax machine went POOF! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH I WAS DREAMING!!! Joel was laughing coz he saw me reach out. I told him I did not coz I was just dreaming. But he said my eyes were open. DAAANNNNNNGGGGG!!! hehehehehehe. finally we did a right turn. we were there.

...a blog

L I B E L WE AFRAID

I used to have an entry with a link to someone else's blog but then politics kicked in and talks about libel libel libel here and there. One of the dangerous things was publishing a link to that blog. Oh well, afraid is me. I wouldnt want my IP address to get in trouble or end up in jail. hehehehe.

blah blah blah blah.

So now it has gotten bg. The first week it came out I got to know about it from another blog. This Im not afraid to post:

http://www.bryanboy.com/

It's all over the news. No, actually it's not. But the network I watched most has started to catch on to the fever. Im sure they were pretty reluctant at first. Rules how to avoid being unnecessarily caught in a libel suit: dont mention names of the people involved, dont publish the link to the blog, dont re-publish any entry from the blog, etc etc etc. Coz it's pretty heavy stuff. If you're familiar with the local fashion world, your jaw will drop at the revelations. True or not, blog's pretty damaging. Best way to tell you is google it. Australian gay blogger. I think Im safe. hahahahahaha. It's a good read. This blog of his is just actually a reaffirmation of what this book has already revealed. And the lady author (now in Hong Kong) has spoken again. I have heard of the book but just wasnt in the mood to be reading. Published around 2005? Good golly gosh 2005? What was I doing 2005? Oh! Alyssa turned a year old. hehehehe. So off to Powerbooks to buy the book. I read. heard it only costs P270. Not bad.

...a what?

a numbers game. These are my nephews and neices. They know about this stuff. Numbers. I hate numbers. Except when I get the #3 at least in the priority list in the pediatricians clinic or the number 10, at least, at the pharmacy. hahahahahaha. Although the term sounded so familiar but I never thought of it as something to do. I thought it was a popular anime show on tv or something. Suduko. A what? I thought it was the ghost who came out from the tv set in the movie, The Ring. the Asian actress. It was a game gali. I could never do that. Wont do it, actually. It scares me. It's like a reminder of all my insecurities. At first I got curious. And when the nephew explained it, I got scared. I walked away. Harharharhar, poor me. And worse yet, in the end, he came up with a phrase! How he did it, Ill never know. Ill never want to know. Then I found my sister-in-law doing it the next day. Like, she had one whole book with pages and pages of squares, numbers, grid and stuff. I stopped thinking about math and numbers at the 6th grade. Long story. Short actually. hehehe. Another blog

...a little glitch

We had been preparing for this trip for months! Roadtrip to Bacolod! This was Ava's first trip to Bacolod. We were all excited. Slept early the night before. The kids were already in travel cloths when I put them to sleep. (Sudden flashback to movie Sound of Music when they went away to the mountains) hehehehe. by 3am I have begun waking the household to prepare. Engine starts at 4am. We had to be tight about the schedule so as to reach Toledo early for the barge to San Carlos at 7.30am. And this Wednesday of the holy week, all of Cebu would be driving to Toledo to catch the same trip. Everyone would be quietly and secretly racing to Toledo. It was 4am and all you could see are the headlights of them cars going to Toledo. We got there by 5.45am. a good time. NOT!!!
jWe were the 2nd car in line to get a ticket. And guess what? We DID NOT GET a ticket! Why? Because for some freaky reason, some VIPs were allowed to cut ahead of us. Friends, relatives of the ship owner, I just couldnt care less. There was no justice in that! Things used to be smooth (and fair) in that terminal. It was like, if you wake up early, drive up early and get there early, then you get on the ship. But not this year. PALAKASAN I guess. A car, 7th in line AFTER us was allowed to get on. Poor us. Poor our kids! It meant another FOUR hours in Toledo. The next trip was still at 1pm. The car ahead of us got there at 4am and he didnt get a ticket either. What did we do? Raise hell actually. It was one of the very rare moments that I saw Joel get mad. What's hell? Raising our voices in the ticket counter of course. Hehehehe I could just laugh about it now but boy, were we boiling mad!!!
Anyway anyway highway...4 hours. 4 freaking hours. What to do? Good thing Joel remembered he has a friend who owns a resort in Toledo. Off to Binghay Marine Resort we went and found this:

Me. Recomposing. We had lunch at Jollibee in the terminal.

...vacation

Finally time for another Concepcion reunion. It happens every 2 years although some have been wanting it to happen every year. We went on a road trip 4am Wednesday. Left Cebu and reached Bacolod by afternoon (there was a 4-hour delay, long story, another blog )
Dinner and chika with Bacolod relatives, another hour and we were in Prudencia, the getaway. Thursday morning it was just still us and my sis in law's family. It was very quiet.
This was Friday morning. My familia waking up at 6am.

...a comeback

Yesterday would have been the 3rd month that Ive not seen any gossip talk show, local or foreign. I have completely sworn them off. I mean...if Sam Milby, the hunk that he is, wants to be gay, then let him be gay...why make a fuss? If Audrey Miles wants to hide her kid, let her! What right do we have to force them to speak? Public figures...Bah! The truth is, we are tsismosa! and these gossip shows think they have the right judge these people. But but but...yesterday was different. My ultimate crush was going to be interviewed. Gabby Concepcion. (my married name being the same is totally coincidental)

He has come back from America. The ultimate 80's icon. I even kept a picture of him in my wallet during high school! harharhar! I asked my mommy to take me to cebu when he and Sharon had a theater tour (it was the first ever tour). They were one of the first to travel around the country to promote their movie. I remember that. My papa would never let me watch a Tagalog movie. Something about it being corny and all. But I had to watch Dear Heart. Sharon and Gabby film. I cried while asking my papa for permission. And so history found it to be my first ever tagalog movie! haharharharhar. Yesterday, I watched the Buzz just to catch Gabby's interview. It was the first time Ive seen Boy Abunda going very gay around a guy.

Although my classmates werent all for the Gabby-Sharon tandem, some were for Gabby-Snooky. Nopes, I didnt want that. Hehehehehe

...musicals

And since we are on the subject of movies and musicals and cute actors...

The whole household has lately been breaking out into the song, "HOw does she know you love her..." spontaneously and without warning I might add. Spontaneous, without warning, means the same thing siguro. Even my sweet 1-year-old puchicoo babe, Ava, raises up her hand and head whenever she hears that song, just like Giselle in the movie. JOel surprised the kids one night with the dvd but they didnt get to watch it till the next morning. I was still in deep slumber when from a distance I could hear a girl singing "...how does she know she's yours..." plus there was something raggae about it. It was like I floated toward the voice like a dream. I was dreaming. Then I hear Alyssa's laughter and Ava's giggle. Hmmm, I think, both girls in the room. Must be past 9am. You see, Joel had been letting me oversleep past 8am, taking care of the kids when he wakes up at 7. By then Ava would be awake, he'd be playing with her for awhile before he gets his breakfast or jogs. By 8, Alyssa would be waking up too. By some luck, both girls would not disturb me. Before Joel leaves for work, he'd have Ava playing already and have set up everything for Alyssa's morning activities. Since it's summer vacation, this would be doses of morning Dora the explorer show on tv. but the past days I have been waking up to The Enchanted. Forget that McDreamy's there. And James Marsden. No no no no cant forget mcDreamy. Cant escape his face. Giselle is such a lovely girl played by Amy Adams. Who has mastered the art of keeping her arms afloat just like in animated films. She moves soooo "cartonish" and I love it! It's amazing! Susan Sarandon much!!! "Hello, worthless" dont you just love the sound of her voice when she said that? Love her voice. Period. Loved her since Bull Durham.

The little girl. I have actually started buying the girls more skirt and simple shirts to match. The only time I was sad was when I saw Giselle's gown at the ball. I know it was supposed to make her stand out. But I just thought with all those bags and the amount of shopping they did, I just thought the outfit would have more omph. Why did they straighten her hair? Im sure they wanted to have contrast with her looks but a little curly curly would have been nice. The Oscars. 4 songs from the soundtrack were nominated. 4? or 3? I forgot. Freakily, hahahahaha, ...freakily... the song NOT from the movie, won. Im a sucker for musicals. I love this film. Alyssa seems to have an inkling for musicals Ive noticed.

Love the Beatles. Love each and every one of their songs. Love musicals. What's not to love with this movie? Directed by Julie Taymor. Same who brought you Frida and The Lion King (Musical).

...beby treetop

In a mind of a 4-year-old, it is one horrific thought. Last night, as Alyssa was putting her new fave toy Frog to sleep (on her Lightning Mcqueen pillow), she sang Road a bye Baby song. Ava have long since been sleeping since 8pm and we had the night light on already. In the midst of singing the song for the second time..."when the bough breaks..." Alyssa GASPS loudly...

SHE: It breaks? Mommmmyyy! It breaks???

(I keep quiet)

But she goes on anyway, "...and the cradle will fall..." Abruptly stops and GASPS even louder.

SHE: It falls? Mommyyyyyy it falls? The cradle and baby will fall? (Tsk tsk tsk)

ME: It's just a song Alyssa dont worry (I say it softly and soothingly coz by now she looks crestfallen and confused)

SHE: Why would you put a baby on a treetop?

My sis-in-law, Nang Cynch, have actually pointed this out to me sometime January this year and we just shook our heads at the thought. It was just a matter of time. And so it happened last night.

So much for the all-time favorite nursery rhyme.

...hypnosis scary

This is a true story. You should at least warn your friends and relatives, particularly in Ormoc. They call it 'Budol-budol' for reasons I dont know.

This is my mother's story. 3 weeks ago. 8am. Outiside Gainsano Ormoc. She was standing just outside by the fruit stands and was about to go across the street where Tio Tony and Aileen were waiting for her inthe jeep. When suddenly a Turk looking guy smiled at her and said,"wow, lucky you auntie, you're just shopping, just like my mother." Mommy: "(chuckles) Where is your mother at, by the way?" Guy: "California". My mother, being the ever and over cautious type looked the other way to cut any communication with the guy. Suddenly a Turk looking woman stood very close to mommy and put her arm on her shoulders, said,"Hey auntie, so you know my cousin?" Mommy:"which one?" Girl, "The guy you were just talking about." Mommy, "Okay." Girl, "Why dont you come with us to Zenaida's Inn, we parked our car there and we have something for you from California."

Mommy's built-in alarm goes off. She was thinking, how could they have any gift for her when she hasnt even seen them before and they didnt know they'd be meeting one another that day. But, mommy didnt resist. According to Tio Tony and Aileen who saw the whole thing, mommy and the girl (still with her arm on mom's shoulders) crossed the street towards them. But mommy didnt even look at Tio Tony or Aileen, she just passed them by and kept walking with the girl. Minutes later while walking, according to mommy, she saw a friend of hers waving at her from her car. It was a colleague from the city court. The friend was waving at her inviting her to take a ride to work with her. But she was distracted again by the Turk looking woman whose body was still sticking to hers. Girl "Let's go now to Zenaida for the gift (slippers)". Mommy thought, Havaianas. Heheheh even under hypnosis, she knows her fashion. Once again, mommy saw her friend waving from across the street, calling her name. Mom looked at her gold watch and said, "it's almost 9am, I have to get to the office." She then saw the Turk looking guy signal the Turk looking girl with his head to go. The girl took her arm off mom's shoulders and suddenly mommy felt different. She went to Tio Tony, who said, "What happened to you Inday? Why didnt you look at us? Who were they?" All mommy could say was, "I dont know. I didnt see you." That was so not like my mommy, talking and walking and going with strangers. She is always on alert mode. Not the vibrating mode, but the maximum volume!!! Obviously, something weird did happen to her.

This is the scary modus operandi now in Ormoc. They work in couples. They befriend you, hold you somehow, like a friend would. And that's when you go down. You lose concept of yourself. You do whatever they tell you. You go into a spell they say. 2 other family friends were victims of this scam. An auntie almost withdrew all her time deposit to give to the girl who went in with her at the bank. Good thing the tellers and manager played delaying tactics (they are trained to do that with withdrawals). The Turk girl got apprehensive and left. Auntie didnt know what the tellers were talking about her wanting to withdraw all her money. Another one actually brought the Turk girl inside her bedroom and handed her P30,000!!! Another auntie gave her jewelries, inside her own house, with a neice looking on!!! Apparently, you go under her spell when she's holding you. When she lets go, you're out of it. It's scary.

...friends

College. 1980s. Honestly Ive forgotten the specifics. hehehehe. I believe the story can be told now. harharhar. The girls on this photo were my dormmates. In that big concrete dorm in Ramos St., Cebu. Catholic girls. We came from all over the country. We had our days. And nights. And dawns. hahahahahahahahaha. The guys are our trusted buddies. 711 mhz. over over roger. The guys are all respected professionals now. Have you spotted me yet? Second from the right, standing, light purple shirt. Men's shirt were so in. Tretorns!!! We used to sneak out from our dorm just before curfew and would be in our house cloths and flipflops. But we already took our bags with extra clothings that morning and stashed them somewhere near. And off to Moalboal we went. Like it was far far far! We spent the weekend there. Swimming and chika chika, bonding. We had fun. We were the best of friends. We helped one another grow and go for our dreams. No black sheep. No queen or king. No underdog. We were all equals and friends. We got home Monday early morning. Us girls have already changed into our Sunday best while in Moalboal. We went straight to the chapel for the sunday mass. Looking pretty like we were just there the whole weekend. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

...beautiful

These are the photos Ive always been dreaming of taking. Beautiful photos of my dearest beautiful daughters. Both girls have finally come to terms of me always following with the black thing on my face. Yesterday, I captured their personalities on digital. Ava, with her round cheeks and almond-shaped eyes is one year old. Nowadays, she loves to ham it up for the cam and is obssessed with blowing on stuff, in this case, big sis' toy fire extinguisher.
Alyssa, 4, now poses. Sits down, smiles and poses. Those round big eyes and pointy chin facing me.

...summer

HOrding much? Here comes the smell of sunblock! The smell of summer! I just cant decide! Sometimes I go for the color. But I try to look for the non-sting, especially for the kids. The dark tanning is obviously mine...the non tanning is joel's. Im always hording. Every summer. Believe it or not, we consume them all every year. When it's February, the stores begin displaying sunblock and that's when I start to go toink!