Shopping at SM Davao

We went to SM Davao today and I am supposed to buy some clothes fit-for-a-teacher in preparation for the coming semester, but while shopping around I ended up buying nothing for myself, my eldest son did all the buying instead. Lesson learned – shop alone! But this is how mothers really are. Took some pictures around and sharing it with you guys!

SM City Davao East Entrance

SM City Davao East Entrance

SM City Davao East Entrance Afternoon Side Road

Bizarre Halloween Store Display with curious onlooker

Leandro got a new Chicco

Leandro got a new pair of school shoe

"Bagobo Dance" in Ateneo

After weeks of practice finally the ‘Bagobo Dance’ as part of the culmination of the ‘Makabayan Week’ of the Ateneo de Davao University-Grade School was staged. This year's theme 'Mindanao Palamboon Ta!'

On Oct. 27, we attended the event and when I saw the Grade IV boys in their colorful costumes, in which my son is, I cannot help but grin to the ears, they don’t look like Bagobo but they all look-like Mang Kepweng instead. I'm sharing some pictures of the event.

Leandro in Bagobo attire, but he looks like Mang Kepweng

'This year’s theme, ‘Mindanao Palamboon Ta!’

'The future of the Philippines and no plans of stopping it’

'Liea, ang cute na atenista’ taken at Ateneo de Davao-Grade School Walkway

CYBORGS BEWARE!

I stumble on these signs while blogwalking around. It hit you where?

HOW WEATHER AFFECTS OUR EMOTIONS AND ACTIONS

It is a practice in the Philippines to devote Sundays for family activity. So, as a Christian family we started the day attending mass at the Shrine of Infant Jesus of Prague in Shrine Hills here in the city, until the end of the mass the weather was obliging. At about 11 in the morning we went downtown for some grilled chicken for lunch, as always children really go nuts with this birdie.

It was a windless, cloudless, blue sky, the humidity was relatively zero and a 37*C in temperature is already a little hell come to life at least to us.

We were supposed to go to the mall after the mass, but on our way the car’s air conditioner broke down. Three adults and three children, gone cranky because of sweltering atmosphere, Angelo the youngest at 1 year and 10 months began crying that add up the five frenzied heads. Leandro, the oldest muttering about, I want to live in Alaska right now, it’s so hot here! So instead of malling, we headed home.

When the heat receded, thanks to the artificially cooled environ, I began to realize suppose we live in Alaska, would a family day like ours can still be spoiled by weather?

Then I thought about a book I read sometime ago by Winifred Gallagher, ‘THE POWER OF PLACE’ How our surroundings shape our thoughts, emotions, and actions. Here, she elucidated that environment influences our behavior. That environment is not just backdrops to our lives – they affect how we think, feel, and act! She furthered that for thousands of years, physicians considered the power of place to be common sense. Then, in the 20th century, people began to turn away from the world to focus inside themselves, whether on their experience of brain chemistry, to gain insight into their behavior.

While this book focused much on SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder, a type of disorder that is triggered by seasons and most of the time associated with winter depression, I think what we have undergone was also another type of SAD associated with scorching season.

Symptoms of SAD include; A change in appetite, especially a craving for sweet or starchy foods; Weight gain; A drop in energy level; Fatigue; A tendency to oversleep; Difficulty concentrating; Irritability and anxiety; Increased sensitivity to social rejection; Avoidance of social situations and a loss of interest in the activities you used to enjoy.

And then my reckless thoughts began rolling about some symptoms we experience of hot-onset SAD which include; Increase in appetite, especially cold stuff, e.g. sundaes, shakes or a Philippine hot season delicacy “halo-halo”; loss of weight due to excessive sweating that will result also to fatigue, tendency to stay awake and fan yourself; difficulty in concentrating; Irritability and anxiety due to restlessness; increased sensitivity to social rejection also applies due to awful body smell brought about by excessive sweating; Avoidance of social situations and a loss of interest in the activities you used to enjoy because on a hot, sizzling day you tend to just stay and avoid the harsh, roasted feeling.

Is there a treatment for SAD?

Experts say yes, treatment is available for Seasonal Affective Disorder. Winter-onset SAD is most likely caused by your body's reaction to the lack of sunlight therefore; light therapy is one option for treating this type of SAD because increased sunlight can improve symptoms. Treatment is also available to hot-onset SAD and this is most likely caused by your body’s reaction to too much sunlight. Regulated, cool environment is an option for treatment. I guess our choice to go malling was likely to be the treatment, but we were carried away by our raging emotions brought about by burning surroundings, indeed weather influences behavior. (Photo Credits: www.flickr.com/photo/mongol/)

LITTLE MERMAID in DAVAO CITY

KASABAY NG KANYANG PAG-UNLAD AY ANG PAGLAGO DIN NG KANYANG SINING.

I’m suppose to write this early on but my physical world really requires me to drop some activities due to the inavailability of homo sapiens’ extra hands and feet.

My daughter Liea has been asking me to watch with her this ballet presentation of their school. So, on Oct. 17 at the CAP auditorium here in Davao City we watched ‘THE LITTLE MERMAID’, it’s a ballet presentation staged by Girlie S. Royeca School of Ballet in cooperation with Ateneo de Davao Ballet.

The 2 acts (Ariel underwater and Ariel on ground) run more than an hour and it made a pre-school pupil bored and restless but we manage to finish the show. It was a splendid performance, what was more grand was their inclusion of little girls and a boy in the play which made it hilarious, imagine a cutie little girl in tutu with bulging tummy that really was an added enchantment of the show. It was directed and choreographed by Gregory Aaron and Nicolas Pacana of Atlanta Festival Ballet, of the USA.

I wasn’t really amazed when I saw the dancers performing well on stage, they must really have worked hard for it, but I was fascinated more than amazed that Davao City already can offer this kind of fine performing art.

Here’s some pictures and a video clip of the show, Ariel and her prince. Enjoy!

TIRED OF BLOGWALKING? TAKE A REST HERE!

THE SINGER I ADORE: MICHAEL BUBLE

I’M SHARING WITH YOU THE MUSIC AND THE SINGER I ADORE!
JUST 3 MINUTES OF YOUR BLOGGING TIME.
Honestly, I can’t find some focus on my writing, but new article is coming up, promise!)

We support Fish Conservation Week of BFAR-Southern Mindanao

Through the ages, fishing has been one of the earliest occupations know to humans. It has grown from crude ‘sibat’ into complex industry with modern equipment and installations.

The food resources of the sea are being extracted more and more and are likely to be utilized, as food from the land becomes less and less sufficient to meet the needs of 89 million Filipinos and still no plans of stopping.

We face various issues concerning this resource  corporate extraction, oil spill, dynamite fishing, red tide, mercury levels rising near river deltas etc, etc, yet, this is one of the most poorly managed rich natural resources of ours. We might presume that humans can never exhaust the resources of the sea, and we earthlings have placed upon nature the entire responsibility for renewing and replenishing.

And as part of this whole equation, knowing and putting into effect our moral obligations to future generations with respect to the resources of the sea, another batch of well-informed young people of the Assumption College of Davao had in their own little way been campaigning about the importance of conserving this resource. This is our way of supporting the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-Southern Mindanao in celebrating their 44th Fish Conservation Week that kicked off last Monday.

This is what these students have to say;

The Art, Science and Pain of Pedicure

I visited my ‘suking pedicurista’ yesterday and I had another excruciating session after my last visit two weeks ago. If men would say it ‘kwentong barbero’ for fictitious stories fabricated out of the barbershop, women also have ‘kwentong parlor’ shared amongst women who frequent beauty salons for ‘beauty maintenance’ if it’s the right term.

Early Sunday mornings of this salon is jam packed by mostly working moms who would want another round of toe cleaning. Since I have missed a week, Nelly, my ‘pedicurista’ already had a longer time digging in my ingrown nails.

I haven’t finished reading yet the life story of Manny Villar and his ‘nakakalulang paintings’ courtesy of Yes Magazine, a woman who looks younger than I do came in and ask also for a nail service. She sat beside me and waited for a while, soon another ‘pedicurista’ approached her and started rubbing out her old polish, while she often pull up her feet and mutter … Aray! Ang Sakit!

That started the story running, she had a toe infection, she had been taking antibacterial for a misculled ingrown nail done by an inexperienced ‘pedicurista’ and had to file a leave of absence from her office for she cannot walk straight because of pain and that ‘pedicurista’ is nowhere to be found.

Nelly, my pedicurista said that she even attended a short course on the proper procedure and techniques in culling and digging out these excesses in our toes, and not to mention her awesome styles in creating lovely art in your toenails, that for goodness sake, truly a painful sensation and loving the soothing feeling after all is done.

I always remind my ‘pedicurista’ to be careful not to slit my skin, that’s why sometimes I pay double for the slow procedure (Oh, by the way, I bring my own nipper and pusher). What alarmed me is not the pain I had experienced, I must just be lucky for having an experienced ‘pedicurista’, but this chilling evidence of health violations among nail salons, and too often had disastrous consequences. What is more dangerous is that some of these fly by night ‘pedicuristas’ are not skilled the moment you complain, you cannot find them anymore and the host salon will not hold responsible: Salon’s reason, they are not our employee, they just come here render service and take in their commission from the number of foot they have serviced.

So what prodded me to write this is that, there are a lot of questions that came to my mind; example;

1. Do we have a law in the Philippines that protects us from unsanitary nail salons or nail technicians?
2. Who and where to call or to file complain against if there is a violation?
3. But what is the health violation in the first place? I guess we need to define it first.
4. How at risk is the public from unsanitized pushers, nippers etc.?
5. Who controls this industry?
6. When to visit the doctor in case you have infection, and how do you know that your toe is already infected?

Some people out there might know the answer, drop me a line. Because that woman is not the only woman who had experience such, there are plenty of them, and why they don’t complain? – They’re afraid of this – ‘YAN KASI, MAARTE KA!’

WILLIE REVILLAME: AN OPEN LETTER

Dear Willy,

Am writing from Davao City, and I am an avid fan of yours, my 1yr and 9 months old son even recognize you courtesy of your big billboards here in the city.

You have aired your interest in running for public office that you said you can do more than just being a host and that you will not be a host forever. I have the same opinion as yours … but you know some things are pretty well good left untouched.

What I wanted to say is that you still can reach, help millions of people worldwide even without entering the dirty world of politics. You may say that ‘wala nang mawawala sa akin dahil nawala na lahat, wala nang masisira pa sa akin dahil sira na lahat, so there’s no reason why I shouldn’t get involved with politics.

But did you know that you are already a help to countless of people around the world through your show, promoting solidarity, unity and easing homesickness of those OFWs who work tirelessly to help our country’s economy afloat, and a dose of medicine specially for those who have lost faith in life back here in our country. ALL THESE YOU HAVE DONE WITHOUT POLITICAL COLOR JUST PURE HELP AND WHOLESOME ENTERTAINMENT.

But this situation will truly change if you run for public office, help is not a help out of pure heart, and entertainment is not pure entertainment if you will be a political figure or if you do this clear political purpose and you know how this works in our country.

If you really have learned your life lesson well, you listen to the King of Philippine Comedy –DOLPHY he has given you priceless words of advice regarding this, and that to LEAVE POLITICS TO THOSE WHO WANT TO PLAY DIRTY.

Your show will lose authority once you enter politics unless you turn Wowowee and change its name to something else, but we don’t want that to happen, for a home-based mother like me, your show really entertains.

I think we are not talking about money here anymore, we are talking about your commitment to give pure, wholesome entertainment to all the Pinoys around the world and that commitment is what I am claiming now as a follower of your show.

YOU ARE FAR MORE CAPABLE OF HELPING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD than just being a politician. You don’t need to be a politician to help.

Indorse Manny Villar, it is a right of every citizen of this country, in fact I am considering Manny Villar, but I will not vote for you if you run for public office but I can be more than just an avid supporter of your show, I religiously watch your show, I haven’t cried for my country yet but I have cried and laughed with your show many times over.

I may not represent all those who oppose you running, but I hope you find it in your heart to listen to this small voice from this part of the country – Davao City.

Sincerely,

Vernz

DAVAO CITY SHOULD TRACK I T PROFESSIONALS!

Indeed, there are a number of ICT professionals here in Davao City, they maybe difficult to track down since some of them are freelancer and homebased or some are employed and do some moonlighting on the side. I can attest that we have competent IT professionals here in Davao City, when in fact I am living with one.

This software-skilled has already served many SME’s here in Davao City via developing ‘custom made’ software and helping their business grow, and since negotiations are done on a personal level it is far down cheaper than the boxed ones, and it is far more reliable and dependable than those companies offering branded, boxed ones. I am saying this because of so many unpleasant experiences of known establishments here in Davao City transacting software business with these Manila-based companies, not to mention millions in pesos in terms of packages other than the per day payment of its programmers that will come to train the users, which until today it’s still not running.

What this home-grown software developers of ours need is exposure, assistance in terms of licensing, and a platform for recognition. ICT Davao should present programs that will encourage these professionals to come out and be counted, be rated by their professional accomplishments, a venue where you can create a Davao IT directory of professionals, offer incentives, scholarships, advance trainings etc. There are a lot of corporations that are more than willing to sponsors events like this.

Professionalizing our ICT industry here in Davao City is a ‘must-do’ endeavor, so these potential professionals of ours can compete, be recognized and can play in a much more authoritative and professional manner in the ICT market.

THINK POSITIVE

I have been thinking lately about things that I feel ‘I cannot do it anymore’ …. Master’s thesis … long been stalled, ballet class for my daughter, which I can’t find time to walk her to, my syllabus, having no help, and got only two hands, (but why do homo sapiens got only two hands?) and only one tired body…. huh!

Brooding over these happenings in my little bubble, while picking up mess my herd left, I got hold of this crumpled paper and read;

If you have been long defeated by a difficulty,
it is probably because you have told yourself for weeks, months,
and even for years that there is nothing you can do about it.
But when you emphasize and reemphasize a positive attitude,
You will finally convince your own consciousness
that you can do something about difficulties. – Norman Vincent Peale

Ok, ok, back on track again…. Robin Padilla, di ka nag-iisa, me too! Tink pasitib wag kang aayaw! I CAN DO THIS!

DAVAO MIGHT NEED ‘EVAN ALMIGHTY'

When I turned on the television this morning, an official of San Roque dam in Luzon was being interviewed in “Umagang Kay Ganda” and along the course of the interview, he blamed “Pepeng” for bringing in too much rain that compelled administrators of the dam to release a month’s equivalent of water rushing to the plains of Pampanga and nearby provinces leaving thousands of people weeping, homeless, hungry, cold, dead and billions of agricultural and infrastructure left worthless.

It came to my mind, some years ago I have seem a movie which resembles this type of event. I’m talking about a 2007 American comedy movie Evan Almighty, starred Steve Carell. Though this is another modern-day retelling of the Biblical story The Noah’s Ark with a witty twist, explicit messages of the story cannot be ignored.

The story follows Evan Baxter (Steve Carrel) a television anchorman-turned congressman where throughout his congressional campaign declares he will change the world without explaining how he will do so. And then soon after he was elected relocates his family to the outskirts of the city and God (played by Morgan Freeman) reveals to him that a devastating flood is coming and the Earth will be cleansed again. Through series of resistance and struggles Evan Baxter finally gave in and accepts the responsibility to build a big ark and through the course of his building the ark his rapid physical change caught the attention of the townfolks, and his skeptic family has been trying to figure out whether his actions are driven by delusion or divine intervention. To make the long story short, the deluge came after an ill-designed dam of another congressman burst and floodwaters came down rushing, and all of those who deride him were saved in the ark.

Although if you analyze the depth of story well enough it is not really about the flood waters but about a man discovering faith and figuring out his priorities. But then, noting our situation today we can take its blatant meaning that we should not wait for another rushing water to leave us helpless and vulnerable. I’m not telling we should build a big ark for us to be saved, (pero, baka pwede rin) but then we should be zealous about what is happening around us, Davao City is chewing over building a dam somewhere in Tamugan. I wonder if there will be one more ‘Evan Almighty’ that will change the way we see things and will be instrumental to save us.

And So the latent and greatest lesson of this story? The way to change the world is not really building a big ark but by doing one Act of Random Kindness ("ARK") at a time. (Poster from www.wikipedia.org)

ah..... this feeling

KILLS .....

TIPS ON HOW TO APPRECIATE YOUR CHILD’S DRAWINGS!

My son Leandro, recently brought all his art works from school and as a mother I just can’t help but amaze myself how imagination of children can really be a repository of brilliant ideas. Sometimes as a parent you get disappointed by unimaginable, pointless scribbles they made but to them they are already their best made masterpieces, and to help us appreciate more their drawings and paintings here’s some TIPS ON HOW TO APPRECIATE YOUR CHILD’S DRAWINGS!



1. One must keep in mind this fundamental principle in appreciating drawings – that pictorial representation of a figure, object or person need not be the only criteria for a beautiful work of art. In other words, the exact replications of the subject need not to be the essential proof for a perfect masterpiece.

2. Parents should remember that your child has no intention of creating a picture in the same sense as you – an adult. So keep in mind that s/he is drawing or painting as a natural self-expression because to a child it is primarily FUN.



3. Another tip to remember is that a child maintains a particular technique or style throughout his/her works. You may notice prominent patterns of circles, lines etc. not only in his/her work but probably throughout his/her artworks, and you call this development of style. So just let it be. It is important to save your child’s drawings and review them from time to time.

4. If you have time, or find sometime to draw or paint with your child. You need not to be expert. It needs not to be expensive also. A pencil, a paper, crayons, markers will really do.

5. Learn to cultivate the ability to see with the eyes of a child, and then you will learn from your child. Let your child express his/her creative and spontaneous ideas from his/her own world of imagination and fantasy.



6. Let your child talk about his work. A treasury of wisdom, feelings, ideas will emerge that will help you as a parent understand more your child’s art and will help you know your child better.

7. Lastly, encourage your child.

Davao’s Sunset in this side of town

I’ve always been fascinated with how nature organized itself to look it so aesthetically picture perfect, these are not professional shots though, but my fascination always brought me to frequent this place in Assumption College of Davao where the panorama of cloud patterns embellish the twilight sky set behind the majestic of all mountains, Mt. Apo. …. with a handful of ‘Boy Bawang’ doing catch-with-your-mouth game … alone…

Tonight's dinner

....... fettucine ala carbonara ... in this fave cozy, handy resto (if I may call it that) of mine .... Euro Baker at gmall... sarap!

Only in Davao

Yes, I know it's not Persian ... it's yours Bob!



And this is probably the safest and the most trusted wheel in town ...

Feeding Imeldific tendency -- The ukay-ukay way

“Filipinos don’t wallow in what is miserable and ugly. They recycle the bad into things of beauty.” – Imelda Marcos

Yeah right! I’m talking about the world’s best known shoe collector – Imelda Marcos, the world was stunned when hundreds of pairs of shoes were finally shown to the public during their fateful days in power, some were amazed, some wowed, some hated her that for a first lady representing an impoverished country still has that daring spirit to hoard mostly expensive shoes that can already fed hundreds of hungry children with its amount.

This brought me to reflect on these things, that on a self-declared day-off, If I may call it that …. My eyes just amazed me with the proliferation of ukay-ukay shoes (second hand shoes) along the side streets of Davao City. From famous brands - Chanel, Ferragamo, Courreges, YSL etc… name it and you’ll have a variety of choice from slightly used, used, to badly used and cannot be used ones. For those who are on a tight budget, this is the best fashion to serve those Imeldific tendencies. Imagine acquiring a Chanel for just P150 that’s quite a jackpot!

My amazement did not end on wowing at the wall stacked-full of shoes it goes beyond -- what will happen to these tons of shoes that cannot be used anymore? One thing is sure the burden of disposing lies in the country or the city that imports (be it legal or illegal), or allows this enterprise to come about.

According to a source, this ukay-ukay (literally means mishmash) not only shoes but also tons of ukay-ukay clothes and also tons of used appliances are imported from Japan. These things leave me thinking that what has been feared as the dark side of the flawed, controversial Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement or JPEPA has finally touched down. Note that these are clearly tons of garbage disguised as legitimate front of free trade and economic partnership with Japan. The after effect of JPEPA has finally taken effect …. Feeding ‘pinoys’ Imeldific tendency and bearing the burden of disposing tons of wastes.

Imelda Marcos was wrong …. Filipinos wallow in what is miserable and ugly. Although Filipinos recycle the bad into things of beauty, we did it the hard way.