Milestone Memoir 2009

December 12, 2009

Dear Baby Kitten,

I was on my way to bed, in fact, I've lain beside you and Ninang when suddenly, I remembered that not only do I need to "lose some weight" but also needed to write you to avoid unnecessary backlogs and hiatus. Although I'm more compelled to write since last night (or more like really early in the morning) I reviewed my old journal, which I called THE EXILE JOURNALS; one which I wrote when I was still in Manila...exiled. I realized that it helps if I wrote down my memories because it's both entertaining and useful if I ever needed to remind myself about my feelings. I was amused when I read it, simply because I sounded different.

Just like that woman who sang with Ninong Poloy in the video - the old me. The Queen_B and it's funny how I sound (and sound when I write it) so differently from now. Transition! :D

Today, I went out to pay my dues in AVON and at the same time, picked some gift items for everyone. Then I went to scavenge busy Taiwanese shops to scout for probable giveaways for your first birthday. I ended up buying because they came cheap; some Hellow Kitty buttons, which will be worn by the guests upon entrance to the party and PENFUMES (perfumed pens), which they could take home with them.

Love, Mamimeow

Strawberry-No-Jam 017

December 12, 2010
Ebanit & Ramos Residence
Villanueva, Misamis Oriental

Dear Jam,

So after I dropped you off at Carmen, I proceeded to join Mamilou and Nahnang in SM to watch the latest installment of THE CHRONICLES of NARNIA in 3D. So nowadays we have the clear glasses in the stead of the blue-and-red classic 3D glasses. I didn't feel the effect immediately as I wore it against my graded lenses. The first film preview that came on was that of the Filipino made animation. I have nothing against it or our industry but perhaps in that department, we need a little more improvement. It wasn't until the preview for YOGI BEAR 3D with slugs and water thrown up the screen like they were falling right on our faces did I feel the excitement. The movie didn't disappoint. In fact, I was more disappointed that it had gotten better since its first two prequels as Harry Potter's first part of the last movie failed to fill in what anticipation I had for it.
The movie is beautiful and so are the characters. Thankfully, it was a little closer to capture the idea of C.S. Lewis, an admired and beloved author. I have a complete volume of the Chronicles, I'd love for you to read them when you grow up.

When I got out of the theater, I got a message from your Tito Dixie, his stringent searching. He was asking me where I was and whether I was to honor our agreement of gracing their house for the feast or not. And though his place was far, which I initially thought was just around the city, I braved to go on a long distance ride alone.

On my way to the Villanueva terminal, a family of three; a mother with two boys about your age, stepped into the jeep a little later after me. See, they weren't rich, they weren't even as fortunate as we are though we have seemingly eternal daily struggles. They collectively looked like they came up from bedding the streets and look as if they could hardly afford a bath. But what made me really appreciate their bunch albeit the boys were causing a ruckus with their sibling rivalry, is the realization that patience favored no status. Their mother, in the middle of her sons' racket, in the middle of critical eyes looking at them pointedly, only smilingly told off her children. She didn't want to bow down to other people's meddling just to compromise her sons' time together. She even turned to everyone with an apologetic smile and when she turned to me, I didn't hesitate to return it. It was a beautiful scene to look at, to capture in video. Until here came two Koreans, I bet boyfriend and girlfriend who totally changed the whole mood.

I felt like in my whole trip to Villanueva, I was sitting at the edge of my seat, constantly craning my neck to check if I was going to get lost. I've been to Villanueva before but I had taken the easy ride at the back of the Ramos' family van. They, other than your Tito Dixie, gave me more reasons to pay Villanueva a visit.

I had a great time. They were constantly teasing me about my life in the business before but for the most part, I think what I really enjoyed was their company.Tito Dixie's family is rather colorful and loud, it reminded me of the good old days with our own family where we had the gatherings, there was singing, talking and a smorgasbord of fun. So yes, I enjoyed being with Tito Dixie and his family. While I was a little bit more sane as well as sober, I gave the Ramoses a surprise visit. They barely even recognized me with my eye glasses on, I don't know if I should take that as a compliment. Haha! Anyway. So where I once came from a banquet, to a banquet I was again invited. I had dinner and exchanged a lot of thoughts with the trio of old acquaintance. I missed the folks, your Tita Jorren, who I have forgiven now for mistaking be to be whoever else she had thought me to be other than myself, Tita Joan, and Mommy. But I missed your Tito Jovan most of all; my director, mentor and even more than that, my friend. He was a little preoccupied with the angst-ridden atmosphere of a show he was directing. We never got to talk even as I left.

Oh well, that was, in a nutshell, some adventure. I got home around 9PM and that's to see your diaper eagerly jump off before you could do so to greet me.

Love,
Mommy

DAY 208: December 12, 2010; SUNDAY

219 (and then some)
Days of "Strawberry Jam" without "J"

Dear Jam,

These are early morning tears. This is so because you saw Nahnang and Mamilou get dressed to attend the mass at the atrium, whereas you and I were barely ready. You must have thought that they left us behind without a care. I hadn't thought it would flare up to this because you seemed casual when they left, saying "Lala Buh-bye?". But add that to lack of sleep, perhaps thus the crying game. As soon as you saw that I was ready to leave, bags and all, you were becalmed, spotting my sunglasses for me as you wore yours. You said "Tatap, Mommy, eyes" to mean that you and I had to wear sunglasses.

It was a (darned) hot day. We had to constantly stay under the shade of our umbrella when we proceeded to Carmen where I was to leave you for a couple of hours because I wanted to take on the invite from Mamilou and Nahnang to watch the latest installment of THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA in 3D. And I have to admit to being such a loser as I have never, since the blue-and-red 3D glasses, tried the latest in theaters. Being with you almost 24/7 hasn't allowed me the luxury to do so, not that I am blaming you but this was something offhand that I really wanted to do with Mamilou and Nahnang. It's also been a long time since we had a bonding quite like it. I also went to see some good friends of ours in Villanueva.

As planned, when I got back in Kauswagan, you were already there. As the night drew in, Nonong Poloy delivered you to Mamilou after they had her own little trip to SM with Nahnang to scout for their Christmas Party giveaways. You were so excited to see me arrive that in your effort to jump down from Nahnang's lap, your diaper seal took off before you could.

ACCORDING TO NAHNANG:
You and she had a little "Twinkle Twinkle"concert with the "monde" lyrics. I think you prompt her with the word "monde" to mean "diamond" as cue to sing the song. Or I think you had an interpretative dance with it, I am unsure. I better get back on Nahnang about this to be sure if I got that correctly. I wasn't around when this happened, you know.

When I was there though, we; Mamilou, Nahnang, I, and sometimes you, sang some Christmas carols. Nahnang was on the keyboards with Mamilou beside her singing the harmony, I was in bed singing the second voice soprano and you were...at the foot of the bed, amusing yourself with a pen in your hand. I also witnessed how you have taken a liking to "Wets" aka "Rex" our Rottweiler and his likenesses of Nahnang's stuffed Rots. As soon as the word touched your lips, you just kept saying it as if you were calling Rex himself. Poor boy with his sensitive hearing, he could sense you were calling him from the bedroom and he could only moan to your calling. It's cute coz you rarely take a liking on dogs. To see you so excited about it is a sign that you have begun to broaden your selection of preference. At one point, you have abandoned Bucky the stuffed Meemeen to play with Rex the hot dog pillow; wrapping it with a cardboard paper like it was a gift.

JAMantic of the Day:
Well, one is for the balloon from Tita Vanessa, which you have assumed to be what we call nowadays as "medicine ball". You ride on it and bounce with it on the floor. Two is for "Babash teeth si Tatap?" as a reference to yourself brushing your teeth when we took a shower at the pad before proceeding to Carmen. Three is for how you have been recently bugging Mamilou while she is meditating for her evening prayer. Whenever you see her open her prayer book, you made it a point to make your voice larger than the deafening silence in the room by calling her "LALA!". Haha! But between you and her God, this is the only time she can say no to you!

Your Mommy,

Strawberry-No-Jam 016

December 11, 2010
XU Little Theater
Xavier University

Dear Jam,

Well, it was better than I expected. Even better than my performance at HOLCIM where I had to grope for words every time I had to transition from one character, or from one idea to another. I think I felt at home this time, not only because I was performing "at home" but because I used the vernacular for the most part and people found it easier to connect with that laid-back ambiance I was bringing. The laughter and the applause was something more than I could ever want for than the actual number of attendees. To be honest, it made me even more nervous to see that the Xavier Little Theater was barely half full. It was raining hard and any other possible spectators found it difficult to brave wind and rain. Mamala couldn't make it, herself. But there was Nahnang with D'Crammerz Tita Sheila. There was the tandem of Teachers Jenifer and Mhardy, not to forget Nohnong and Tita Vanessa. When I thought she would not attend, I found your Tita Jet with her cousin after I finished my performance.

What made me nervous is the fact that I may not be able to please a meager number of audience. As in a bigger audience, at least I can rely on its half who could get the groove of it all, the piece that celebrated the craziness in Call Center life. But you know what, God gave the 100% participation and reaction I didn't expect. To think, after the performance, as I sat down to watch the other numbers and pieces going on, I found that the room was merely filled with less than a hundred people, excluding the lot of other performers. But then there was the cheers of a thousand applause, the voices of a thousand appreciation and the "I love you"s I found to be so sweetly amusing and heart-warming. At one point, I recognized Tita Vanessa's voice or Teacher Jenifer and...as Nahnang admits, it was the reserved-looking Tita Sheila who did one of the cat calls. That was so cool! The sweetest sort of self-redemption, I have thankfully achieved through wonderful and supportive friends.

It was an enjoyable night of a talent variety. Tita Agnes closed the evening's event with her rendition of the Broadway songs and themes from Little Mermaid, which I so immensely enjoyed, being a fan of the them all. There was ballet, which I am sure you would have enjoyed had you seen it. There was a band, a group of energetic kids who danced a medley of popular songs, then a boy with a beat in his box! Beat Box champion, right from CDeO, proud to say. At first, I wasn't given the reception I got right after I took the stage. I kept them guessing what I was about to do there, shrugging my shoulder with "Maybe" whenever they asked me if I were to sing or do cartwheels. When I said I would do a monologue, it was merely shunned to the likes of dramatic pieces ala "Alms, alms, spare me a piece of bread." Well, to say I surprised, amazed and amused them, is an understatement - and that's saying something, if I may speak of myself.

Thank God for the talent and the apparent of which it may just be passed on to you! Are you ready to take the responsibility? :D

Love, Mommy

DAY 209: December 11, 2010; SATURDAY

220 (and then some)
Days of "Strawberry Jam" without "J"


Dear Jam,

Nahnang visited us in the pad early, to do their satellite laundry with our washing machine. We're like a laundromat now, you know. Haha! You were so cute when I woke up, you and she were whispering. I caught her prodding you to wake me up and she had thought I was only pretending to sleep coz I was smiling as this was going on. To be clear, I wasn't. Maybe I was just having some smile-worthy dream! Haha! As soon as I was awake though, you pleasantry towards her wore off, pushing her away whenever she moved closer to me. She said you were sweeter when I was asleep, saying "Hi Baby!" to her when she opened the door, upon arriving. I don't know if you perceive it as play, separately from sibling rivalry-like defenses because you were amiable to her when she was eating, crawling to her like the Kitten that you are, asking to be fed from her ricebowl.

A little later, Mamilou arrived. That wasn't something planned and I had thought that she would attend my show. Neither had she planned to visit nor planned to watch my show, she had a lot of errands to run for their Christmas party and she wasn't feeling well at the same time. After using our water closet, she had found a quiet spot on the bunk bed and fell asleep with her oppressing headache. And with you at her back saying "Lala? Lala? Yayay?". She was in too deep slumber to notice. You would turn to me and Nahnang once in a while to throw us a question of "Lala?" perhaps to ask what was going on with Mamilou.

When you were ready, I took you and a bagful of provisions and clothes for your stay in Carmen and for an overnight stay in Kauswagan. We took a quick trip, the first one in fact, to the new Kathryn's branch in our neighborhood. I was a little disappointed that though their spot looked cozy and nicer than the others, there wasn't much of the delicious breads and pastries that you liked. Gladly, that was put to ease when I saw that the Selecta Gold Series came in 100 mL cutesie sizes. After you nodded vigorously to the Berry Strawberry, I checked it out with a smallish Ube Ensymada. You ate it in the jeep on our way to Carmen, relishing the real chunks of Strawberry, once in a while, pushing the spoon to me so I can have a bite. Thank you, Keen! ;)

After the show, we dropped by Carmen before proceeding to Kauswagan. Thanks to Tita Vanessa, the balloon I had thought she was bringing for herself was actually for you. You were so excited to play with it, kept calling it with that curious pronunciation of yours for "ball". I can't spell it as you speak it but it has that similarity to how the Korean word for water is pronounced; something like "mul" with the tongue folded inwards. You had to fight Mamilou or Lolo for it, just so you could throw it up and down. You were excited about it even as we rode from Carmen to Kauswagan that you were tossing it to the driver's seat, covering Nohnong's driving view. I had to hide it from you to stop you doing it, lest (God forbid) Nohnong's loses vision of the road.

JAMantic of the Day:
For you, it is never too late to soak in a tub of "booboosh". This is what you asked for as soon as we arrived in Kauswagan. To make the late night bath fun and to keep you put, I threw in an old acquaintance. Poloy the Penguin. Hehe! It came with the other two, Wally the Walrus and Daddy the Turtle, who are unlike Poloy the Penguin, gone. However, as it bears some similarities with a duck, you would insist to call it "Tatee" or ducky even as I kept teaching you with the word 'penguin'.

Your Mommy,

DAY 210: December 10, 2010; FRIDAY

221 (and then some)
Days of "Strawberry Jam" without "J"

Dear Jam,

Somebody is drawing attention to her cute aviator hat! That would be Mommy's adorable Kitten :D This happened when we went to Limketkai to buy you some fries and burger from "Ja-yee-bee". Like yesterday, OR since yesterday, we didn't have anything in the stores to cook so I decided I might as well indulge your prodding of "Ja-yee-bee". People must have thought you to be an Eskimo who got lost from the Polar caps. Haha! Nah! You look cute when you put that on. You even hold the fluffy balls by the ears, tilt your head and say "Meemeen".

Thank God that it was only after we have settled ourselves in the cafe and FoodHauz that the rain started. It was a heavy rain too, in lieu of the heat that was bearing down on us earlier. It rained so hard the water outside the cafe was just about half a centimeter near from getting in the door. It rained so loud that I can hear it through the glass.

I was a little sad when I saw Daddy's e-mail where he said that it was okay for him that I performed for as long as it didn't involve a band. I mean, I am not complaining. In fact, I appreciate that he cares in such a way. I had been expecting this kind of thing actually but I didn't know the actual blow would hurt me a bit. To be told not to do one of the things I am passionate about is like having an ingrown nail in the foot. But later on as I inspected it, my feelings and Daddy's intentions, I realized that he was showing that he cared after all when I thought he was merely shrugging everything else that mattered to me. This is a partnership and for it to work, the other has to acquiesce with the other or else draw an agreement after talking about it. Besides, I haven't told him what my performance was. Hee hee. Mommy and mischief!

Gladly, I was cheered to become friends with Tita Glenda's friend, who happens to be a very delightful blogger, Tita Ton. Like us, she also has her fan page, Kero's Celebration where she not only posts links to her recent blogs but a spot where she hosts online contests and where she gives away freebies. I was lucky enough to take advantage of one freebie in the form of an e-book from "Story Time for Me". There is one thing that really caught me about it and that is the part where you, my dear, get to be the character of an e-story. Isn't that great? I think I have all of it set, I just need you on my lap to read it with me. Like her and Tita Glenda who both washed out the gloom of the rainy day, I am also thankful to your Tita Mia and Ninang Hazel who upon seeing the post of your picture from yesterday's shoot, immediately hit the LIKE button. Then there was Tito Rhee who was sweet enough to endorse the benefit concert tomorrow to his batchmates in Liceo University. Yes, it's going to be tomorrow. I will be standing in front of a crowd again and make a fool out of myself just to make people laugh. The reality hit me finally when I met with your Tita Agnes who gave me the tickets to the show. Appearing to me the night before the show was encouragement enough, thanks to her, too. Thank God for friends!

ACCORDING TO MAMALA:
You confused her when you said "abay" or "lie beside" when you would actually push her away after you would gesture the pillow. She didn't mind that for what mattered to her was your appetite. She said it was getting better after you ate a lot of rice with fresh fish soup for dinner. I say, you were quite heavy when I picked you up on our way home.

JAMantic of the Day:
Aside from eating off your measured milk provisions with your bare hands, you argued about TV with me tonight when we got home. I asked if "You wanna watch TV?", you nodded your head to that and said
"Meow meow Meemeen?".
"NO" I said, "GLEE lang so we can sing."
"Nono sising. Nonono. Meow meow Meemeen. No sising."
I fell quiet to your insistence for awhile but put Glee on anyway, which you made no further protestation when you heard the "sising". Later on, as the show ran out of the enjoyable singing and dancing parts, you pointed the TV and said "Opf!" Hahah! You wanted me to switch it off, which I did as I sensed it was about time you went to sleep. You're ordering me around, huh? Like earlier with the candy wrapper or that scratch paper, you said "Tapon!" It's okay, we'll get to the part where you'll understand why it isn't good to talk to Mommy or Daddy that way, as soon as you're big enough! ;)

Your Mommy,





P.S. Here's how our Christmas tree looks like after we added the lights we bought yesterday. It's rather a bit too red, isn't it? Well, at least it won't be a blue Christmas for you and me but one which is Strawberry Red with love!

Before Being: December 9, 2008 (1905Hrs)

Dear Jam, Baby Jam,

It's been a long time since I wrote because I've honestly been postponing. I've been postponing until I have pooled enough significant things I've done with you and myself and/or for you and myself because there simply are days when I'd do nothing. Well, I've done a tad lot more since.

First, your Ninang Charissa and I went out of our (unemployed) ways to sell our handicrafts and old clothes in a Portia Sorority tent during the Xavier Days. I didn't go to (study) XU, neither did your Ninang Jai for we both felt that it was too...(not us) well, don't take our word for it because that's where Mamilou graduated from. Thanks to her Student Assistant Scholarship.

I wasn't as lucky as your Ninang Charissa, though. I felt she was luckier because she was "with" a pregnant woman. He He he! I was her lucky charm in a way. We sold nothing, you and I. But I did name the handicraft batch after you and me - Strawberry Jam*.

Second, I bought your hygiene kit, bought your bottle sterilizer pot and embroidered your cap-mitten-booties set, which leaves me with one more set to embroider.

Third, your Didi called earlier today and he said he has a gift for you - and it's our little secret that we have something for him, too. ;)

Well, I'm going to roceed without numbering the sequence - Mamilou came from Bohol and Manila...what a jet-setter life! From vacation to a career in Manila and she's just so happy - she deserves it, you know. Your Ninang Majal thought you were out into the world already and she was blabbing the nonsense of why I din't tell her. She got the scolding! Haha!

Ooh! It's hot Baby Jam! Ibought a new stand fan from our savings because it will be much needed when you and your Didi arrives. But then again, it's still so warm. Isn't it December? What's wrong with the climate these days? I'm gonna stop here. My beads of sweat have managed to make a jewelry piece around my neck. Oh! I almost forgot! After our America's Next Top Model Mania, we have Project Runway fever! It's nice but I didn't get to buy the two newer seasons. I'm planning to review some old favorites like the Harry Potter series and then some... :D

From your Mimi