My little monkey, Mino, turned 6 last month. I tried to convince him that picking up all the dog poop from the backyard is a family tradition and would give him luck. But my plan did not work. We began the celebration with a birthday cake for breakfast and presents that were wrapped a couple of dozen times.
This year, he wanted to spend his birthday at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo. The wet weather was not ideal, but we enjoyed it nonetheless. The highlight of the trip was seeing a couple of self-concious gorillas demonstrate their “bulimic” tendencies.
Lastly, we took him to a Chinese buffet for a never-ending supply of seafood, his favorite. And of course, what’s more fitting to read on your birthday, but your own fortune?—right off a cookie!
Welcome back to my humble home. I know it’s been a while since I kept in touch. I have been busy these last two weeks with personal matters and housekeeping.
It seems as though as winter here in Tacoma hasn’t even started and now it already feels like it’s over. The weather has been warmer, smell of spring flowers fill the air, and people are starting their spring cleaning. My wife and I decided to get in the spring fever by cleaning and preparing our yard this weekend. It seems like it was only weeks ago when my family and I were putting up Christmas decorations…
Ok, enough with the b.s. here. I know that Christmas was soooooo last year ago. I just need an excuse to post my videos from last year. My computer broke at the time and I was not able to edit my footages. So now if you would excuse me. Let me bore you with some of our home movies from the week leading up to last Christmas. Help yourself with the snacks. The porkrinds are the best…they lubricate the blood vessels.
Christmas Village. On the weekend before Christmas, we decided to make a 4-hour trip to this much-hyped Bavarian mountainous village of Leavenworth. Originally a logging town, it was transformed into, in a sense, a German-themed park to boost the economy. But eventhough the architectural scenes are fake, the spirit is still magical and the landscape is breathtaking. The Lighting of the village was cool and people got excited when it started to snow as if on cue. But I, only got worried. I have heard of how deadly driving in the snow in the mountains can be…not to mention avalance. We had to stop and put cables on our tires for better traction, only to stop four more times on the side of the road each time we hear a link snap and eventually coming apart all together.
Although it took us two additional hours to get home, I was just thankful to get home safely.
Christmas with the Nonsense. Just some excerpts from Christmas Eve and Christmas day. We had ham then and everyday for two weeks after that.
Related Blogs: Deck the Barn, Simbang Gabi 2009
I hope to celebrate this year’s Christmas again with my family, in Manila.
Last week, during an interview after a physical game with the Boston Celtics, Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls sent his thoughts and prayers to the people of Haiti. Along with other NBA players, like Alonzo Mourning and Samuel Dalembert, and other sports, hollywood, and political celebrities have joined hands in helping the victims of this recent tragedy to the already suffering nation, and helped us all realize what life truly is about. Unfortunately, fanatical comments, like such those made by Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh, have made more headlines than the good-doers. The media is also filled with images of the distruction, the dead, and the dying leaving us with nothing to the imagination and the victims with no sense of respect or privacy.
But amidst all of this catastrophe, there many acts of humanity that were left unnoticed by the press. Everywere in the country, Haitians and other volunteers have come together to help fellow victims and pick up whatever there is left. And many of those who perished were volunteers who had done heroic acts of kindness with hopes to change the impoverished country for the better.
I pray for both victims and heroes, that they may be provided with the basic needs, manpower, comfort, and hope. God bless Haiti.
I found and learned this song today from Sally DeFord’s website. I was so touched that I decided to dedicate it to Haiti. I apologize for poor video, the sound system, and annoying shaky voice. The segment in the very end looks like something out of an old Japanese movie dubbed with English :P. But, whatever!
On January 8, 1974, hoping for a fresh start, the King of Rock and Roll finalized his divorce papers with Pricilla Presley on his 39th birthday. At the same moment (but in a different time-zone) on the other side of the planet, tens (or maybe hundreds) of thousands of Filipinos gathered to commemorate another type of King, the Christ. And as the crowd marched around the streets of Quiapo in praise of the town’s patron saint, Jesus of Nazareth, a new hope was born. A humble and loving mother from Tondo gave birth to her 8th child. The family says that this baby boy was so beautiful and refreshing that groups of children would gather around him and say that he looked like the Santo Nino (Infant Jesus). And with renewed faith, hope, and love, his mother named him JESUS….yupp! ME!
This year, my wife and children reminded me that I turned 36 (gee, thanks). But this day will always be more than about me getting old. It is never about the presents or the special events or places. January 9 will forever be about my relationship with my mother.
As far as my memory can take me, I remember braving the mob-filled Quiapo church and the streets around it to celebrate my birthday and the Divinity that I was named after. I remember getting woken up at dawn then rushing to beat the crowd. We’d arrive early enough that we would have enough time to pay pilgrimage to the different stages of the Black Nazareth and rub our handkerchief on the “miraculous” statues. As my mother listened to Mass, she would always say the rosary at the same time, while I struggled to stay awake. Afterwards, she would take me to the safest location away from all the insanity and close to a Chinese restaurant. And once we saw Big Bird at the parade, I knew it was time to go indoors and eat. She would always order siopao (steamed bun with meat and sweet sauce) and some type of noodle dish like palabok (rice noodles with variety of meat and vegetable garnish and shrimp sauce) or mami (similar to the Vietnamese pho using mikki noodles). The noodle dish is a must for “long life.” After that, she would take me shopping for a new pair of shoes as we mostly walk our way back home because the traffic was impossible.
This Mother-Son tradition continued until my teen years—a period when we all attempted to rebel and fight for our own identity. And once, she told me that she dreamed of me one day becoming a priest, but puberty ruined that, too. Then we migrated to the states and away from Quiapo. She would still ask me to go to church on my birthday. And most of the time, I went with her. But it wasn’t quite the same as our experiences back home. Then I moved out, got married, and now have children of my own. My aging mother went back to the Philippines, in Bulacan. Quiapo is now just a memory for both of us.
This year, my 5-year old told my wife that a good surprise for me would be taking me to a Filipino store (my sons are so “cultured”). So with his suggestion, we decided to eat at a Filipino restaurant, Cebu. This restaurant is ”fancier” than most Filipino turo-turos in the area. This one actually has a menu and cooks only what you order so it’s fresh. It doesn’t double as a retail store also, so the place has a relaxing atmosphere. And most of all, this restaurant is much more expensive. Anyway, I had pancit noodles for long life. And the host gave me a free scoop of mango ice cream with a trick candle on it.
I spent the rest of the day just having fun with my family. They began it by bringing me a waffle topped with whip cream, chocolate syrup and sprinkles, with a singing candle on it for breakfast in bed. After lunch, we went to Olympia to enjoy the weather (reminicent of my memories of Luneta Park). We went window shopping, kind of hoping to find an old statue of the Nazarene. Then, I went to church with my unwilling children (reminded me of when I was their age). Later, we planned on seeing the musical “Tom Sawyer”, but it was sold out. My 7-year old rubbed my back and said, “Daddy I’m sorry we couldn’t go to the play,” as if consoling me for my unsuccessful idea. We ended up playing laser tag that night instead, and it sure gave us the adrenaline rush we wanted. At the end of the night, we stopped for fastfood and ice cream cake. Again, I had to blow a candle and make one more wish. The next day, we went sledding in Snoqualmie. The whole birthday weekend was about having fun and time with my family… just like how my mother and I used to do it.
And as I tearfully try to write about all the nostalgia that she and I shared, I wonder about her health or if one day she and I can go to Quiapo together again. And most of all, I wonder, after thirty-six years, if I still make her proud.
2010 is here! The past few days, I have been writing 2009, 2001, or 20010. It’s going to be awhile before I master this. And to think that I’m still getting used to 2000’s. Y2k is gone and now 2012. Oh gosh, I hope the prediction is just as bad as the movie. Along with the Maguindanao massacre, the 2012 discussions gave me the creeps last year.
2009 was also my debut in the blogworld. Thank Winkie for introducing me, DeeJay for helping with some of the technical difficulties, and the rest of you (especially weirdos like Ax, Hammy, Fadz, Jkul loves VaJJ, Sisaw, Sosows, Keekee, Dence, and Smasher) for encouraging all these nonsensesesss. And to all the other more polite regulars, wheteher they are on my blogroll or not, thank you for all the insults! See you all in hell in 2012…from my view in heaven.
Right now I am working on Darb’s request and finishing up on two Christmas homevideos. Neither one have nothing to do with the beginning of 2010. And the only prediction I can make is what my kids have already told me, “Daddy doesn’t like his birthday because he only gets older.” So instead, I’m just going to make a quick promo and list my favorite Mr. Nonsense blogs of 2009.
Special Mention: Personally, Soldiers are mothers, too has got to be the most special of all my videos. Although I posted blog about it last year, the actual video was made many years ago so I decided to disqualify it.
10. IOWAna have fun. I spent 14 years of my growing life in Iowa. Seeing my family and all the familiar places was very special to me. And being able to make a video with my nieces and nephews is priceless. (Related video: Mino vs. Rico)
9. School is not for the weak. Mino’s first day of school was full of excitement. But I became a nervous wreck when Elijah did not show up at the bus stop. I felt helpless and homicidal for more than two hours. This was one experience I will never want to repeat.
2 buses came by since. both had no passengers. continued to call elijah’s cell. still no answer.
458: pacing. shaking. about to scream. sitting on the ground. praying. calling elijah’s cell. no answer.
7. Making sense of point defiance zoo. One of my more factful videos, it proves that family bonding can be both educational and fun. It also introduces my nature-loving wife to the blogworld. But my favorite, most of all, is the cute soundtrack and the ape in the end. (Related videos Giant trees and slugs, Cows, pigs, and brains)
6. Starbucks coffee break. My first attempt in serious poetry…NOT! It illustrates my life as a family man and a staff at a mental facility. At times, they are kind of the same entity… (Related blogs Rice, God lives in us)
It’s ten past nine. Pajama time!It’s time for them to go to bed.
Five books later, I still hear a yeller.
Mino just bumped his big old head.
More screaming. More arguing.
This is worse than Ricky Lake.
I had enough I have to say. So close my eyes and pray.
I need my Starbucks coffee break.
5. Mino vs. H1N1. Another one of my educational videos. It was fun teaching my children about diseases and public service. I hope we helped prevent the spread of a few germs this year.
4. Maguindanao. Eeek. This incident was really traumatic to a lot of people, including me, and made me stop surfing the net for awhile. The lack of respect and sense of privacy for the victims offended me as much as the massacre itself. And after several requests from my fellow bloggers, I found the courage to face this demon and speak out about it through my cartoon. This was different from the others that I have made. For this one was nothing to laugh about. This was a bit more personal.
The news and the images circulating around the press and the internet not only presents our country to more embarassment and prejudice, but also neglects the need for privacy and comfort of the families of those who perished. Furthermore, it can further traumatize the already bruised and beaten sense of safety and innocence.
3. Mino vs. pumpkin. I so love the music in this one. So much that I dared not add any scripts on the screen. The music perfectly explained the emotions in the video. A fellow blogger provided me with the song….very fresh.
2. Mino vs. bedtime. One day after watching some of our old videos from the army years, my sons asked me if we could make a video again. So the same day after waking up from their nap, Elijah, a big iCarly fan, and I decided to make our version of the book, “Dinosaur vs. Bedtime.” This was our first video in years. And the bloopers was even more fun than the movie itself. (Related video: The duel, Outtakes)
1. Our first date. My most visited blog in 2009, it was the first time my wife ever agreed to do anything unlady-like with me (of course anything I do has to be unlady). She was a good sport tolerating all my nonsense and the photography during our first big date ALONE since our kids were born. I really corrupted my innocent wife…and I love it! Next up: the world! (Related blogs: September 22nd, At-home on valentines, Risky business)
Wow, our family did a lot in 2009! I hope 2010 brings us more money to support our newly found habit. Happy 2010 ya’ll!
And now I leave you with another “Post Your Own Caption.”
