Jakie and the Beadstalk

Have you ever caught yourself with a "nakatulala look"? Me, countless times already. It's my relaxation technique. All of us are so pressed for time, pressured with deadlines, stuck with commitments, that our minds go on overdrive. When that happens, our body feels the stress, and that's when we start feeling sick, and really getting sick. When I look at my kids eyes, all I see is innocence and contentment. No pressures, no problems, no stress. Childhood is a bliss.  And you know, letting go of everything that's bugging my mind really helps, and I do that with my "tulala" look (sometimes with mouth hanging wide).  Oh, sleep is a better alternative. But when you are in the office, and you're swamped with work, a few minutes of being "tulala" can help. A few minutes or so of that, and my mind feels refreshed.  Don't ask me the scientific reason behind it, because I don't know. I'm just saying it works for me. Try it and...

This is a short one. My Mama assisted our Parish yesterday for the Baptism of many, many babies (since it was the Feast Day of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception).  She went home with this funny (funny weird, not funny ha-ha) anecdote.  A child was going to be baptized with the name of Cellphone.  According to the mother, it's a combination of the kid's parents' names. The mom is Cel, and the dad is Ponciano; hence the name Cellphone. Another child was baptized Charger. Again, another combination of the names of the kid's parents.  This time, it's the dad's name first: Charlie, and the mom: Gertrude. The priest wanted to get angry, but in order to preserve the solemnity of the Sacrament of Baptism, he just shook his head and moved on with the rites. I get the name combination thing, but can't they think of  a better name than that? Surely, there are a gazillion names out there. These names could have been used as pet names/ nicknames, but not the ...

Photo credit: www. tupperware brands.ph Dear Tupperware Brands Philippines, I would like to thank you for the rare opportunity for being chosen as one of this year's Tupperware Women of Confidence. This is not only a great privilege, but the status is a humbling experience for me - humbling in the sense that I have neglected to appreciate how people have looked up to me because of my confidence story. Thank you for making sure that Nanay Remie, Dollu and I were well-fed all the time. Thank you for the beautiful flowers. It was my first time to receive flowers like those (Swear!).  Thank you for the nice hotel accommodation. Thank you for making sure that we got home safely by ensuring that we have transportation fare. Thank you for the massage.  It was my first time to have a massage in a hotel since it's more expensive that the usual spas or salons. Thank you for the plaque, it's so beautiful. Thank you for the bag. This may seem over-reacting to you, but honest...

Without batting an eyelash, I will give this to my Mama. That's my Mama and her signature "tawa". My Mama grew up in the province with very little in life - she didn't even know who her real mother was, until she was a teenager. She has no dad.  Life for her was working for other people (some were relatives) in their homes, washing clothes, cleaning houses, and scrubbing away pots and pans until kingdom come. She is naturally beautiful and sexy, but having very little in life meant that she had to forego all those beauty regimen to maintain her beauty.   While I was growing up, she would always tell me to take care of my skin, which I stubbornly neglected until recently. I remember, when I was still a kid, I shameless asked my Mama this question, "Ma, bakit puro butas-butas and mukha niyo?" Imagine, such a tactless question from a child! I am so ashamed to recall this, yet I have to share this. (Well, I actually thought they were scars. It turne...