Songs I Grew Up With

The recent demise of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, made me nostalgic about the songs from my past. From my childhood years up until today, that I'm a mother of 2 kids, songs have always been at the background.

While i was growing up, around 5-8years old, i was still with my parents in the province of Masbate. I remember listening to the long playing albums (the vinyl-kinds) of Nora Aunor (tiny bubbles... in hawaii..), Victor Wood, Sylvia La Torre (balot, penoy)and Celeste Legaspi (Mamang sorbero, saranggola ni pepe). But that is not to say, we're that parochial. On the international front, I knew Patty Page (tennesee waltz... was a favorite!), Nat King Cole (I can't remember the exact titles of his songs, but let me hear the intro, and I will surely remember the rest of the lyrics), a slew of Elvis Prestley's, Beatles... Ooh, not to forget, I also love to sing-along to the catchy songs of Cascades (Rhythm of the Rain, Last Leaf..) Beach Boys (Surfin' USA, Califoria Girls), Four Aces, Platters and Neil Sedaka (Put your head on my shoulder, diana, Happy birthday sweet sixteen...)


When i went to Manila to study, since elementary days up to grade 5, i stayed with my grandmother in Ongpin, Manila. My mother's cousin, Ate Adela, served as my yaya, fetching me to and from school. Since she was only about 4 years older than I am,
we had the same taste in music. Our lives revolved around Menudo! Menudo was a group composed of 5 extremely cute young men from Puerto Rico. Whenever they turn 16, they graduate from the group, and is replaced with a new one. We used to buy tons of songhits, and if the cover was Menudo, we will lovingly cover it with plastic covers. Looking back, when i had more matured appreciate for music, i recall that the voices of menudo members are actually "duh?!" They're horrible. I wonder how i could have squealed over them!

When i was about 12 or 13 years old, my older brothers came to Manila, from their boarding school in Iloilo, to continue their high school education. Despite a one-year gap between their ages, they have different tastes in music.


Our eldest brother Ricky was a rocker. From him, i learned the songs of Scorpio, Nazareth, Eagles, Queen, Kiss, and Journey. My elder brother Ed was a fun of 80s, he's the nerdy-type who excels in school at matipid sa allowance. You can always count on him for extra dough. From Ed, i learned New Wave music like OMD, Duran Duran, Tears for Fears, Spandau Ballet, Fra Lippo Lippi, the Crew, Depeche Mode and a number of other unforgetable band names but who have one-time hits.

I have my own personal favorites, too, which my two brothers consider tacky. What the heck, I'm thirteen! I loved Michael Jackson (Beat It, Bad, Billy Jean), Madonna (Papa Don't Preach & Crazy for You), Cindy Lauper (Girls just wanna have fun, time after time), Laura Branigan (self-control,Power of Love) Gloria Estefan (conga!), Bryan Adams (summer of '69), Culture Club (karma chameleon, miss me mild), Huey Lewis & the News (hip to be square), and who was that who sang Tarzan Boy?

Those were the days of casette tapes and walkmans. We usually "record" our favorite songs from the radio to our portable casette tapes. Or, alternately, you can give a list of your favorite songs to any store along Raon, Manila. They'll record the selections for you.

I went back to Masbate during my 6th grade to 4th grade. We didn't have FM signal in our place. Can you just imagine, a city-bred like me adjusting to it? That's why i went back to the old vinyl records of my parents and really mastered the 70s hit songs, in those vinyl records! It doesn't help that even AM stations, also seemed to be stuck in 70s various artists selections turned into modern tunes (Pretty little baby..)


Whenever my father would go back to Manila, I would ask him to buy my the latest casette tapes. At that time, I was already a teenager, i was into love duets...James Ingram, Patti Austin, George Benson, Billy Joel, Lionel Richie.... Hay... kilig!!

When i was in college at UP, it was back to Manila life for me. I quite unfamiliar with the 90s songs, it was my roommate Kaye Madrid who introduced me to acoustics rock. She plays a mean guitar. I became acquainted with Jon Bon Jovi, U2, nirvana, radiohead, pearl jam, stone temple pilot...

Working at ABS-CBN, my colleague Myra and I love Regine Velasquez! But we weren't into music much then, we were into self-help books like jack canfield's chicken soup for the soul, paul coelho, john grisham...

During my pregnancy with the kids, I'm into classical music almost every morning and night. I had my brother, who now shuttles between Hongkong and China, to buy me the compilations of tchaikovsky, mozart and beethoven. I have about 5 CDs from each Master. I don't bother with the titles, i just pop one into the CD player or my laptop, like what's playing now, whenever I'm alone.

The kids now, all growing-up, while I'm playing those classical music for the one in the tummy now, thinks that classical is soooo noisy. What happens to the babies whom i raised in mozart while they were being conceived? Well, they're now into Black Eyed Peas, Pussy Cat Dolls, even Elton John, and willie revillame!

Off to Big School for Hans!

Remember 6 months ago, Hans did series of entrance exams to enroll for the coming school year? It was a whirlwind, trying to meet requirements and worrying if Hans can hurdle the big schools' standards (Ateneo, La Salle and Lourdes). We didn't had him take Xavier's, I have trauma against Chinese Schools. (He can learn another language as an extra-curricular activity, some other time.)

Anyway, he passed all the 3 big schools alright, but eventually the main consideration why we chose to enroll him at Lourdes School are the following:

1.)COST - Prep school in Ateneo costs more or less 83K per year. La Salle's rate is about 95K per year. Those doesn't include miscellanous and books. Both offer only
2-installments payment schemes which has interest. Lourdes' rate is only 50K. We have the option to pay quarterly, per semester or one-time. No matter what scheme, they do not add-on any interest.

2.) PROXIMITY TO THE HOUSE - a child is in his growing up years, it's cruel to have him wake up 430am or 500am to travel to school. I also don't want him to be lantang gulay at the end of the day, travelling to and fro, with all the traffic around the metro. Secondly, I also want the school to be near where i work, so I can also be present in emergencies, meetings or school programs.

3.) CATHOLIC EDUCATION - Having schooled in catholic school ourselves, and turning out just fine.. We want all the works for Hans -- first communion, rosaries, mass, daily prayers, service, etc. Is it asking too much, if i hope to see him, an acolyte someday ?

4.) NOT TOO BAD REPUTATION - the only not so favorable comment i hear about Lourdes, is that, there are a number of kids that end up being gays. But we believe that, if one is destined to be gay, he will be, no matter what. Besides, both of us are full-time hands-on parents. I think the kids are aware of gender differences and roles, early on in their lives. The other thing favorable thing I hear about Lourdes, they turn-out kids who are street-smart. Who would not be? the school is just a block away from EDSA! Hahahaha. Kidding aside, I do not want to cuddle my son, and to live constantly fearful of what's happening to him. I want my son to grow up, ready for the challenges of life. He must be able to take care of himself, with or without mommy & daddy around.

So, yesterday, Hans rode his school bus, and was on his own, for the first time, without any mommy/ daddy or yaya. I was not apprehensive at all, I was confident for Hans.

Well, I was suppose to meet him, at the gate, because the school bus' staff are not allowed inside the school. I was suppose to bring him to his classroom. He has not been to his classroom yet, the only place he's been to in Lourdes was the guidance office during the exam.

When ted and i arrived in school, Hans was already inside the classroom, sitting there, waiting for classes to start with his huge bag. Galing! I wonder how he found his classroom? When i asked him at the end of the day, apparently, he went with a parent, who had a kid, wearing similar prep-uniform like he was wearing, and she helped him find his way inside the big school. Bravo!




We stayed for about 30minutes observing the class, until all the parents were turned-away, since most the the kids are settled already. Three of his classmates were crying having separation anxieties. Hans, covered his ears, with all the crying. :) Until we waved him good-bye, as we went off to our respective days ahead.

In retrospect, I tell my friends and my husband, seeing my eldest starting in big school is a bit overwhelming. "Imagine, nagsisimula pa lang kami. Andaming pa niyang pagdadaanan... school projects, book reports, field trips, relationship problems... I recall my own childhoold challenges, yung maliit na mundo ko noon, na buong akala ko ay this is the world, yun pala, mas malawak pa ang mararating ko." My son has to undergo these things, overcome small challenges to grow up to be somebody someday.

My husband confidently assures me, "Kaya natin yan! We just have to take it a step at a time." Hahaha! Do i hear Jordin Sparks? Pero totoo nga, "We live and we learn...A step at a time, there's no need to rush. It's like learning to fly, or falling in love. It's gonna happen, baby, what's suppose to happen. When we find the reasons why, one step at a time."

Liveable -- at last!

Finally! After a literally gruelling 2-3 months of renovation, we have moved-in to our own new home! I can't describe the feeling, but my husband succintly described it, after waking up in our own bedroom, "Iba talaga, pag sarili mong bahay. Parang wala kang ini-intindi na. Relax!"

Renovation was no-joke! I can't describe everything in detail. I guess some of these before and after photos will tell the story. It's actually a complete renovation of the house. As my husband say, "Parang lot and framework lang binili natin."


This is the old living room. The former owner had enormous sofas, wall cabinets and consoles that are all over the place. Notice that there's a dog near my feet. She actuallys allows her dirty askal to roam around the whole house! On a positive note, we both like warm lights instead of stark flourescents.


Here's our version of the same space. We made drop ceilings to hide the lights installation, and create depth, installed ceilings fans, for some breeze. In the windows, we made built-in seating, which has storage underneath. This became the favorite nooks of the kids and the helpers watching the goings-on in the street below

I wanted a cheery, happy living room, so we painted one of the walls - bright sunny yellow. We installed our home theater in the living room, because there's nowhere else to place it. I would have wanted a home theater, but it's kinda impossible on this townhouse!

We have some paintings, which we bought from Bali, waiting to be installed on the walls. Ted volountered to do them, but he hasn't find the time yet. I'm not so keen on curtains. It's homey, cute but too traditional and commonplace for my taste. Ted and I are still debating whether curtains or blinds. Besides, we're still saving up to settle some obligations!! So, Those little things have to wait awhile.

This is what the old dining area looks like.

As you can see, she has a passion for pink. Pink Curtains, pink walls and that garish bluegreen "roller-painted" images of leaves running all over the ceilings. Clutter all-over. eeww!

Here's our version of the dining area.




We didn't buy new tables, because a 4seater is still enough for our small family. Though a 6seater is also perfect for this space. Besides, I wanted more space... plenty of space to move around. Thank God, my husband was tolerant of me, wanting a redish-orangish color because I read somewhere that it stimulates appetite. The embossed wall, as my friend Rommel, who helped make sense of my style puts it, is a Statement. The oomph that this little unit needs. On top of the wall, there are installed warm lights, which creates a glow while we're dining. We haven't got around to buying lights on the ceiling. I wanted a something that will really go with the wall. For now, the soft glow from the wall is enough to guide our dining pursuits.

This is the old kitchen.
What can i say? She has too much going on! The cabinets, for sure, have termites. They really had to go. The pics will speak for itself

The new kitchen for the lady of the house! I would have done something on the marble countertop, but taking them off will be too much trouble. Non-fire stove, conductor microwave ovens, high-tech rice cooker that can cook bulalo as well, all electricity-powered, and, in modern black and silver color! My dearest husband thinks of everything! I better produce some culinary creations to make all these modernity worth it.



I'd rather not post my complete side by side of my documentation process of the whole renovation. Suffice to say that some of the "before" photos might disturb some of your sensibilities.

So, here are photos of the newly renovated unit. We havent' gotten around to buying a lot of furnishings. For now, we're making do of what we have accumulated from the past years.

I'm especially proud of this window treatment at the master's bedroom because I was the one who designed it. We don't have a home office, so I had a built-in desk made overlooking the window. Underneath are open shelves for my little brick-a-bracks and a drawer and cabinet to put in all our paper clutter. I love that i can look over the window, and get a view over the treetops.



Some of the other parts of the house:

The dirty kitchen, at the end of the garage, on the 1st floor


Our Lanai at the roofdeck, which is temporarily being used as drying area.

Our Latest Offering

All pregnancies are blessings from God. What you make of your children's lives are your offerings to Him. I'm calling our latest pregnancy as our 3rd Offering.
Certainly, bringing another child in this world is something that a couple can offer to God. It's no joke to raise a child, providing all the material comforts and the emotional investments. Hindi ka lang naman magluluwal ng sanggol. You are committing yourself to a lifetime of responsibility and accountability to another person's life. It's tiring, challenging, sometimes frustrating but all in all, it's worthwhile and rewarding.

Having kids gives direction to a marriage. A person, more so a couple, has so much capacity to love and nurture. Kung wala kang aalagaan at mamahalin, sayang yan!


Everyone knows that my hubby and i are hoping for a baby girl. With the two handful boys that we have, we are looking forward to a more serene and less racuous little girl.

Now, this pregnancy is little bit different than my earlier two.
Whereas before, I look gorgeous and have no problems at all despite my slowly burgeoning tummy, now, I have a tons of pimples! I'm the type who will not take this sitting down, especially since I'm working for a premium personal care company.
At the first sight of a zit, I'm ready with my anti-pimple cream.

Unfortunately, my pregnancy hormones seems to be working overtime. My pimples keep sprouting, and their favorite spots are my left face. My right face is still manageable. My colleagues and my hubby say there's really no fighting hormones at this time!

I try not to be too conscious about it. It could also be the effect of the on-going renovation around the house. A bit dusty environment.

Another concern is my gray hair! Eversince I joined the bandwagon of changing my hair color, I've started developing gray hair strands after a few months. That's why I need to re-touch my hair color every now and then. I research extensively about hair coloring during pregnancy. There are 2 school of thoughts. Some advize zero major hair treatments altogether. While some literature says that hair dyes are too superficial to go thru the bloodstream and affect the baby. So,it's ok to color the hair.

Well, lest I be depressed with all my gray hair showing. I took the chance of having my hair colored. Perfeect timing because Bench Fix had a 30% mark down of its hair coloring services!

Aahh.. to feel gorgeous again!! Heaven! I always take pride in looking my best even if I'm pregnant. some say that if one looks extra lovely during pregnancy, with that glow, likely the child will turn-out to be a boy. In my past two pregnancies, with less efforts, I can look pretty with aplomb. Now, I have to double my efforts!

Well, Is this a sign that it will be a girl?

Let's see!

Red Apple goes Latino

The Moving Up Day of our eldest Hans, was extra special. Red Apple playschool themed it as Latino. The teachers and the kids were in Mexican costumes and Spanish words were carelessly thrownabout.


The event was held at the penthouse of the Children's Library near Pasig City Hall. It was a good 5 floors walk-up. I heard that the kids were already practicing there for about a week. Unfortunately, Ted had an overnight team-building at Punta Fuego. He's new at coke, so he cannot beg-off. I went with ate carol, lenlen, kuya johnrick and Ivan.

The cutest thing about Red Apple, they usually prepare surprises for the parents. They swore kids to the secrecy about the happenings on the event. Even the yayas are not aware.

There was the usual group prayer, recognition of top students and speeches of the 1st honor. Amazing how some kids are advanced for their age. The Top 1 can already read his prepared speech.

Hans, introduced himself and what he wants to be when he grows up, A soccer player. This ambition is two years in the running already.




He also got the most participative award:



The cutest part was during the group dance. Hans was the star of the show! The song was Volare, and there was a spanish narration at the beginning of the song. He was the one who lipsych it. He was the one who opened the number! So cute, how he was acting it all out, feel na feel. It was a fun number. Marunong ng magpatawa ang anak ko. I was so proud!






The second most touching number was the final song. They say Thank You, I think by Sarah Brightman. They had their hands at their back, and at the end of the song, they went to their mommies, and gave a white rose, and said Thank You Mommy! I was so touched, and my tears flowed! Then he embraced me..






Parallel Universe. During my grade school days, we used to do this to our teachers during Teachers' Day. Now, it's being done to me as a parent. It's a lovely feeling. Hay, to have kids! Some days, they make you feel frustated, you feel you're robbed of our personal time. But days like this, it makes you feel, rewarded, fulfilled and ever thankful that God has given you the opportunity to be a parent.

The Art of Renovation

So, you think renovation is just choosing new paints and changing the set-up of living room? Think again!

When we bought this run-down townhouse a month ago, my thoughts were just running along that lines... change wall paint, bring in new sofas, tell maids to brush the toilets' floor, extend cabinets, put a bar, and then move-in!

Well, I was very, very wrong. With the state of "dilapidation" the townhouse was in, it will be months, before I can even venture to think of buying a new sofa.

Here are the challenges:

1. LEAKING WATER PIPES - the old owner has a contested water bill amounting to 10K. She said she's not paying it because it's impossible to incure such bill, she doesn't have a swimming pool! But when our carpenters analyzed the water pipes, there are so many leaks running all over the house. It justified that excessive bill. We had to unearth and re-do some pipes on the toilets and under the sinks.

2. CEILINGS - due to the leaks, some ceilings have nasty watermarks. We replaced the ceilings with more modern Hardiflex material, and styled it as Drop Ceilings, where the lights are hidden, they're the rage these days.

3. ELECTRIC LINES / LIGHTS - eletrical connections were not much of a problem. We replaced traditional light bulbs, flourescent tubes with CFLs and we added more pin lights. We also liked the new modern switches with tiny lights that turn-on when the main lights are off.

4. BATHROOM TILES - augh! no further explanation necessary. They're old and dirty.

5. CABINETRY / CLOSETS - the kitchen cabinets and closets of the kids' & master's bedrooms have anay. So, definitely, they had to be rebuilt. We took advantage of the need to change the cabinets, by looking at nice styles of interiors of closets.

6. PAINTS - the former owner had this thing about ferns. She had them stamped all over the house using paint rollers. I think, she also painted the house by herself using dark pink colors. Yaiks! The kids' room have peeling wall papers. All of these had to be erased!

They're just 6 on the list, but the work involved will take about 2-3months of non-stop work. We used to have workers, working even on Sunday. Until we realized that the Sunday rate is just not worth it.

Let's see how it turns out!

housing investments : how we decide

If you are like-most regular couples, owning a house is THE MAJOR INVESTMENT that you'll undergo. Paying-off mortgage is something that will be normal as breathing, for more than 5, 10, or worse, 30years of your lives. That's why, we spend countless times seeking for THAT home... Not perfect per se, but perfect for our need and budget.

So, What do first time home buyers look into? When we decided to acquire the property I mentioned, these are the considerations that we really spent time weighing the pros and cons.

1. LOCATION. we really wanted a place near my son's prospective school. I pity those kids who have to wake up so early everyday because of school buses schedules. Then, pag-uwi, latang-lata na sa stress ng traffic. I also wanted a place near where I work. It pays to be able to go home fast, esp. during emergencies. Sometimes, I check on them during lunchtimes, especially when a child is sick.

2. COST. we are never attracted to home loans, even pag-ibig. my husband would deftly compute the interest rates, and we end up deciding to borrow from friends and relatives. Besides, we still want to enjoy life's little luxuries. We don't want to have a nice home but make dildil sa asin, for the next 10 years. Kumuha lang ng kaya ng bulsa.

3. ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC TRANSPO & MARKETS. Granted that you pick an area whwere there FX passing through, but have you consider, how they are during rush hours. Baka dadaan dun, punung-puno na ng pasahero! you will also end up running after them or getting a cab almost everyday. If you have a need for public transpo daily, make sure that the house is near the FX terminal or areas where FX / jeepneys routes converges, so you can have options in case you're running late. I also appreciate little talipapa, where my maids can easily get a condiment or two, in cases, when we ran out of them.

4. SAFE NEIGBORHOOD. we cannot avoid getting home late once in awhile, or kids going outside the house to play. Even if we didn't choose an exclusive, ultra-secured neighborhood, I wanted an area, where kids can go out to make a few friends, without the fear of being run over by vehicles; or getting acosted by bad people.

There really no perfect home. Most of the times, we need to compromise our wants versus our needs. But whatever it is you've decided, you really have to stick to it, and make the most out of it.

One of my favorite quotes, says, "Happiness is not getting what you want. It's wanting what you have."