Diary

Dear Sage, For the first time you showed me your own diary tonight. You turned your li'l bratz notebook into one. Well it's a combination of diary and slum book because you let your classmates and cousin write notes for you there. Tonight you let me read your entry about your wish to sleep at the new apartment. You just have to wait one more night anaki. We'll be moving in bukas. Anyway, I never thought of keeping a Diary when I was your age. 6 years old? during my time that was unheard of anyway. Well Sage, this blog is your diary too. I just chatted with one of our few blogmates, CL, and I found out her traffic to her site is really impressive. I said that deep inside I too am craving for that kind of traffic. But right now, I'm happy that there are some bloggers who drop by here. The reason why I put this blog up in the first place is for you to remember how magical your childhood has been. In the unlikely event that something catastrophic should happen to the internet itself, atleast when those people who drop by your blog get to see and meet you and your sisters someday, I wish they'd remember some of the entries here about how beautiful, brave, strong, gutsy and kind hearted you three are. You can say that our friends like Snglguy, XT, CL, Cat, Ronallan, Bing are your own Hard Copy of this digital receptacle of childhood memories.

Kindergarten Star Stamps

Dear Sage, I always tell you that when YOU KNOW you've done something beautiful, something you can be proud of, you don't need your teacher's star of approval stampped on your hand as proof.

You know what anaki? Today, I said those same lines to myself. When you grow up, there will be days when you'll need to say it to yourself too. Because even though life is not fair, it doesn't mean it can't be fun (especially when you are in the company of colleagues like Annie and Harold)

Noble House Rising

Dear Sage and Sabine, Today you attended the wedding of one of our old friends, Dr. Jayson Sagum to Dr. Anna York Bondoc. You guys had a really great time. We all did. We were all there with Dy (Grand Dad) to greet the newlyweds with a rousing "Mabuhay ang Bagong Kasal!"

One of the speakers from the side of the bride's family said that no one really knows how to make a good marriage. Just like a cook who can only say how to create a culinary masterpiece only after cooking the meal, so only two married individuals who have shared a lifetime of happiness together could say how a marriage could work. Without missing a beat, your Tito Jayson immediately invited all his guests to their golden anniversary 50 years from now. He said that when that time comes he will tell them the secret to a happy marriage.

Sagey, you've always loved weddings. In fact you started the flower girl gig when you were still 2 years old.

Sage, Flower girl material even before 1 year old. Seen here at the wedding of Ninong Noel and Jenn (January 2001)

So far, you've attended 7 weddings as part of the entourage. This means you have already amassed a formidable collection of what you call "Princess Dress."

Sabine already has two weddings under her belt.


Sabine earned her first "wings" in Ninang Raia's wedding

Those "Princess Dresses" are quite handy during this time of the Year when you and your cousins get invited to the Santacruzan in our village.

Anyway, going back to weddings, I hope you guys would play this music on your wedding day...

There's two things I know for sure:
She was sent here from heaven and she's
daddy's little girl.
As I drop to my knees by her bed at night
She talks to Jesus and I close my eyes and
I thank God for all the joy in my life
Oh, but most of all
For butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer;
sticking little white flowers all up in her
hair; "Walk beside the pony, Daddy, it's my first ride."
"I know the cake looks funny, Daddy, but I sure tried."
In all that I've done wrong I know I must
have done something right to deserve a hug
every morning and butterfly kisses at night.

Sweet 16 today
She's looking like her mama a little more everyday
One part woman, the other part girl.
To perfume and make-up from ribbons and curls
Trying her wings out in a great big world.

But I remember
Butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer; sticking
little white flowers all up in her hair.
"You know how much I love you, Daddy, But if you
don't mind I'm only gonna kiss you on the cheek this time."
With all that I've done wrong I must have done
something right to deserve her love every morning
and butterfly kisses at night.

All the precious time
Like the wind, the years go by.
Precious butterfly.
Spread your wings and fly.

She'll change her name today.
She'll make a promise and I'll give her away.
Standing in the bride-room just staring at her.
She asked me what I'm thinking and I said "I'm not
sure-I just feel like I'm losing my baby girl."
She leaned over...gave me butterfly kisses with her mama there,
Sticking little white flowers all up in her hair
"Walk me down the aisle, Daddy-it's just about time."
"Does my wedding gown look pretty, Daddy? Daddy, don't cry!"

Oh, with all that I've done wrong I must have
done something right.
To deserve your love every morning and butterfly
kisses-I couldn't ask God for more, man this is what love is.

I know I gotta let her go, but I'll always remember
every hug in the morning and butterfly kisses.
-From Bob Carlisle's Butterfly Kisses Lyrics

Ayheen's Day

Dear Ayheen, my wife, my mistress and my children's mother.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

I mean ALL MOTHERS

Dear Mothers... and I mean ALL MOTHERS,

"This is for the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in
their arms, wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry
Kool-Aid saying, "It's okay honey, Mommy's here."

Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing crying babies
who can't be comforted.

This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their
hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse.

For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween
costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.

This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. And
the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.

This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections are hanging on
their refrigerator doors.

And for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers at
football or soccer games instead of watching from the warmth of their
cars, so that when their kids asked, "Did you see me, Mom?" they could
say, "Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world," and mean it.

This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery store
and swat them in despair when they stomp their feet and scream for ice
cream before dinner. And for all the mothers who count to ten instead,
but realize how child abuse happens.

This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and
explained all about making babies.

And for all the (grand) mothers who wanted to,
but just couldn't find the words.

This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their children can eat.

For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year.

And then read it again. "Just one more time."

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their
shoelaces before they started school.

And for all the mothers who opted
for Velcro instead.

This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their
daughters to sink a jump shot.

This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little
voice calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own
offspring are at home -- or even away at college.

This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with stomach
aches assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to
get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick
them up. Right away.

This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the
words to reach them.

This is for all the step-mothers who raised another woman's child or
children, and gave their time, attention, and love... sometimes totally
unappreciated!

For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed when their
14-year-olds dye their hair green.

For all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings, and the
mothers of those who did the shooting.

For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of
their TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from
school, safely.

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful,
and now pray they come home safely from a war.

What makes a good Mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broad
hips? The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt,
all at the same time? Or is it in her heart? Is it the ache you feel when
you watch your son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school
alone for the very first time? The jolt that takes you from sleep to
dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. to put your hand on the back of a
sleeping baby? The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M. when
you just want to hear their key in the door and know they are safe again in
your home? Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child
when you hear news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?
The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for
young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation...
And mature mothers learning to let go.

For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.
Single mothers and married mothers.
Mothers with money, mothers without.
This is for you all.
For all of us.
Hang in there.
In the end we can only do the best we can.
Tell them every day that we love them.
And pray.
Please pass along to all the Moms in your life.
"Home is what catches you when you fall - and we all fall."
Please pass this to a wonderful mother you know."

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Justifying Sin

Dear Sage, People in Jesus' time used the scriptures to justify why they do not believe he is the Messiah. They are experts of Biblical law called Scribes, members of the Sanhedrin, Pharisees etc. Just like the expert who wrote this junk mail. He wants to justify the Death of innocent lives in Iraq claiming it is part of Prophecy.

”1. The Garden of Eden was in Iraq.

2. Mesopotamia, which is now Iraq , was the cradle of civilization!

3. Noah built the ark in Iraq.
4. The Tower of Babel was in Iraq

5. Abraham was from Ur, which is in Southern Iraq!

6. Isaac's wife Rebekah is from Nahor, which is in Iraq!

7. Jacob met Rachel in Iraq.

8. Jonah preached in Nineveh - which is in Iraq.

9. Assyria, which is in Iraq, conquered the ten tribes of Israel.

10. Amos cried out in Iraq!

11. Babylon, which is in Iraq, destroyed Jerusalem.

12. Daniel was! in the lion's den in Iraq!

13. The three Hebrew children were in the fire in Iraq (Jesus had been in Iraq also as the fourth person in the Fiery furnace!)

14. Belshazzar, the King of Babylon saw the "writing on the wall" in Iraq.

15. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, carried the Jews captive into Iraq.

16. Ezekiel preached in Iraq.

17. The wise men were from Iraq

18. Peter preached in Iraq.
19. The "Empire of Man" described in Revelation is called Babylon , which was a city in Iraq!

And you have probably seen this one. Israel is the nation most often mentioned in the Bible. But do you know which nation is second? It is Iraq! However, that is not the name that is used in the Bible The names used in the Bible are Babylon, Land of Shinar, and Mesopotamia . The word Mesopotamia means between the two rivers, more exactly between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The name Iraq, means country with deep roots.

Indeed Iraq is a country with deep roots and is a very significant country in the Bible.

No other nation, except Israel, has more history and prophecy associated it than Iraq.

And also, This is something to think about! Since America is typically represented by an eagle. Saddam should have read up on his Muslim passages ...

The following verse is from the Koran, (the Islamic Bible)

Koran (9:11 ) - For it is written that a son of Arabia would awaken a fearsome Eagle. The wrath of the Eagle would be felt throughout the lands of Allah and lo, while some of the people trembled in despair still more rejoiced; for the wrath of the Eagle cleansed the lands of Allah; and there was peace.

(Note the verse number!) Hmmmmmmm?! “

This is my response…

Funny.

But let us not forget that…

FACT 1. IRAQ was created in the 20th century. It did not exist in the time of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob or when the Bible was being written.

FACT 2. Babylon does not exist anymore. It is a political entity that can cease to exist without divine intervention. Just Like USSR, Prussia, Holy Roman Empire, British Empire and Kingdom of Navarre

FACT 3. IRAQ and Babylon are two different political entities that have DIFFERENT histories, DIFFERENT territories, DIFFERENT borders, and composed of DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

BABYLON IS AN EMPIRE. ONE OF THE BIGGEST IN ALL HISTORY.

IRAQ is a poor, third world country left destitute by a decade of US led economic sanctions. When it was at its WEAKEST, when it cannot even defend itself against almost monthly bombings of its defense installations since the 1990’s, it was INVADED by the most POWERFUL POLITICAL POWER on earth.

IRAQ IS NOT BABYLON. It is too weak. It was not even able to convincingly win the war against its other THIRD WORLD neighbor IRAN- EVEN WITH THE HELP OF A SUPER POWER (AMERICA)

BUT

AMERICA is JUST LIKE BABYLON IN ITS DOMINATION OF THE WORLD TODAY
Just like BABYLON, the US is becoming hated by poorer countries because it dominates world economy by force of arms. Its purported principles could not reach beyond what its filthy hands could grasp.

HENCE, any prophecy against BABYLON could not be against a weak, third world country like IRAQ. Biblical Prophecy against Babylon could only be a prophecy against the MOST BABYLON-LIKE COUNTRY we have today in the world

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Biblical Proof 1.

The dominating power mentioned in Revelations was set on top of Seven Hills. It was an obvious reference to the “Capitoline Hills” of Rome. The US congress sits on real estate called “CAPITOL.” The US congress harks back to the age of ancient Rome where leaders responsible for forming the foreign policy of the empire were also called “Senators”

Biblical Proof 2.

The Whore of Babylon was drunk with the blood of saints and innocents. I remember a picture in Time Magazine where an Iraqi boy was crying. He was soaked in blood. HIS Blood and the blood of his parents killed by US soldiers in a checkpoint.

Biblical Proof 3

The Whore of Babylon is the number one source of immorality. Have you been to Las Vegas lately? How about a crack house in LA? Ever wondered how many percent of American websites are dedicated to pornography?

Biblical Proof 4

The Whore of Bablyon IS THE MOST POWEFUL ECONOMIC AND MILITARY ENTITY IN THE WORLD. How many superpowers do we have today?

One last thing, if the verse from the Quran 9:11 is really an accurate interpretation, then it is proof that the Bible is not the sole revelation from God that can reveal the future. Maybe Christians should start reading it everyday too.

As for the phrase “and there was peace…” I am reminded by this line attributed to critics of that other great empire- The Roman Empire. Just like Babylon and America, it was also the most powerful entity of its day. It was said that...

“They created a desolation and called it peace.”

PS. What I just wrote was crap.
Of course I DON’T BELIEVE THAT AMERICA IS THE WHORE OF BABYLON

JUST LIKE I DON’T BELIEVE THAT IRAQ WAS EVER MENTIONED IN BIBLE PROPHECY.

Different Strokes

Dear Sage,

You and Sabine spent the whole of sunday mid-morning, noon and evening swimming in all the 5 pools there. By evening, while wearing a pair of inflatable floaters in her arms, Sabine has learned to navigate herself, on her own using her legs to propel her forward, sideways and if necessary, to make a 180 degree turn when she reached the end of the pool. No mean feat considering she's just 2 years old.

You were able to swim across the pool (5 feet deep) by alternately dog paddling and diving forward when your arms become weary. Whenever anybody asked you who taught you how to swim, your standard answer was "NOBODY." You are right. I did not teach you how, you just saw me do it once or twice. And your Mom, to her shame, doesn't even know how to swim even though she grew up a mere 3 blocks away from the sea.

Later on you told me that you know how to "duck paddle." I was puzzled. Then you showed me. You were dog paddling then made the sound "quack quack!, quack quack!" then after that you added to your repertoire half a dozen other strokes: frog paddle, cat paddle, cow paddle, horse paddle, frog paddle even dinosaur paddle.



Bunkmates: Sage, Cousin Andre, and Sabine.

You are so gutsy. When most adults in the pool did not even want to slide down the pool, you walked up the stairs nonchalantly and made a splash as you slide down the slippery ride. You made the trip to the top of the slide about a hundred times. I lost count. But please remember: you should not only be brave but careful too.

UNjollybee

Dear Sage, Last night while you were watching TV I took a nap. It did not last. Few minutes later I heard you cry out in pain. That was unusual. You cry when you have tantrums but when you are in pain you hardly do so because I noticed that your tolerance is quite high. (Your Mom and I realized that when we give you your vaccination shots. You actually look forward to them. When you had an infection instead of giving you medicines to drink, you preferred that they be given as injections into your thighs)

Anyway, at first your Lola and I were confused. You held up your hand and on the lateral aspect of your Left middle finger we thought there was a small, linear laceration. Although it was not bleeding the line had a dark color. We thought it was caused by a rodent but you insisted that it was an insect. We put ice on your hand. That calmed you down a bit when you felt its coolness. I looked for the insect under the bed. At first I couldn't figure out what it was because it was about a yard away from the edge. All I could see was that it had moving legs. When I used the broom to push it from the dark belly of the bed into the light, I saw that it was just a small bee with vestiges of wings sprouting out of it's back. No wonder it caused you so much pain. And the linear bite mark? it turned out to be the sting. I had to remove it with a pair of tweezers.

I crushed the bee underneath the rug. Well, it was dying anyway.

Explaining judas

Dear Sage, I saw the Nat Geo special on this subject last night. It was obviously a spoof written by wisecracks more than a millenia ago. I think it proves one thing: There are people back in the 2nd century who could've been great scriptwriters of "South Park" and "Saturday Night Live" had they lived in the 20th and 21st centuries.

I can imagine second century christians shaking their heads and smiling as they read those manuscripts the way we laugh at Michael V.'s corniness.

It actually reminded me of this medical advice spoof. Just like the judas "Gospel" no one would take this one seriously too. But I couldn't stop laughing when I first read it.

Medical advice
>>
>> Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is
this
>>true?
>>
>>A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it... don't
>>waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up
>>your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can
>>extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live
longer?
>>Take a nap.
>>
>>Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
>>
>> A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay
>>and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more
>>than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system.
>>Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass
>>(green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your
>>recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.
>>
>>Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
>>
>> A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled
wine,
>>that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even
>>more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain.
Bottoms
>>up!
>>
>>Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
>>
>> A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to
>>one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.
>>
>>Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular
>>exercise program?
>>
>> A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No
>>Pain...Good!
>>
>>Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
>>
>> A: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!!!... Foods are fried these days in
vegetable
>>oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more
vegetables
>>be bad for you?
>>
>>Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the
>>middle?
>>
>> A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You
>>should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.
>>
>>Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
>>
>>A: Are you crazy? HELLO . Cocoa beans! Another vegetable!!! It's the
>>best feel-good food around!
>>
>>Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
>>
>> A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.
>>
>>Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?
>>
>> A: Hey! 'Round' is a shape!
>>
>>Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had
>>about food and diets.

LET'S WATCH DA VINCI MOVIE

Dear Kids, I wish I could watch the TOM HANKS movie with you someday. I heard the adaptation was faithful to the book. I read the book last year and wasn't able to put it down (practically) until I've read through it. Just remember this...

It's just fiction.

He IS Risen!

Dear Kids, Happy Easter! Ate Sage just finished with the Easter Egg hunt. She woke up at 4:30 and didn't want to sleep anymore. When we got back you guys played with the Rabbits. You let them loose in the living room downstairs. But we had to put them right back their cages because Sabine keeps on picking them up by their necks, we're worried she might drop them. Sabine cried but not a lot. Fortunately a Taho vendor passed by just in time to pacify her with a cup. Right now you are enjoying a sing-a-long of disney tunes with your friends, JM and Bianca. You guys don't seem to mind that the microphone isn't working. Sadie was downstairs with baby Brian (Bianca's brother). Your Mommy just brought her upstairs and put her in her crib. I think she loves seeing your faces around her. But the day isn't over yet! Ate Sage is looking forward to the Egg Painting contest this afternoon at 2:00 PM with JM.

Years from now, with the advent of gnostic thoughts and secular snobbery of Easter, philosophers (also called "stand up comics") might ask you guys what proof you have that Christ rose from the dead. Just smile at them. People only ask those weird questions because they have forgotten the lovely time they spent with their friends and loved ones so many Easters ago. But if they insist, tell them the answer lies within. And remind them that FAITH, unlike Science, requires NO PROOF. Because if you do have physical proof, it's no longer faith.

Christ IS Risen! Thank you Dear God for your Love and Mercy.

Metaphor

Dear Sage, The following prose is a metaphor, no doubt an imperfect one, of the first Good Friday...

"There is a legend about a bird which sings just once in its life, more sweetly than any other creature on the face of the earth. Upon leaving its nest, it searches for a thorn tree and does not rest until it has found one. Then, singing among the savage branches, it impales itself upon the longest, sharpest spine. And dying it rises above its own agony to out carol the lark and the nightingale. One superaltive song- existence the price. But the whole world stills to listen. And God in his heaven smiles. For the best is bought only at the cost of great pain... or so, says the legend." -- The Thorn Birds

It was the first page of the book you guys almost ripped apart.

Gospel According to John (McCain)

Dear Sage, I was supposed to make a blog entry against those who are lambasting the National Geographic's decision to broadcast its episode on the "judas gospel." But I decided to be a little charitable. It must be the season.

Through the years, I've learned that the best way to defend your faith is through ACTION- not words of Fear and Hate. Those people who are speaking against National Geographic and Harry Potter in that kind of framework are doing a big disservice to the Lord's Gospel.

There will always be someone whose interpretation of the bible and the events of 2000 years ago will be different from what your pastor or priest is teaching you. But if you want to defend your faith against them, the best course of action you can take is the way of humility and friendship. The best example I can give is the Vietcong mentioned by John McCain in his speech in Virginia Beach back in 2000...

"Many years ago, a scared American prisoner of war in Vietnam was tied in torture robes by his tormenters and left alone in an empty room to suffer through the night. Later in the evening, a guard he had never spoken to entered the room and silently loosened the ropes to relieve his suffering. Just before morning, that same guard came back and re-tightened the ropes before his less humanitarian comrades returned.

He never said a word to the grateful prisoner, but some months later on a Christmas morning as the prisoner stood alone in the prison courtyard, the same Good Samaritan walked up to him and stood next to him for a few moments. Then with his sandal, the guard drew a cross in the dirt. Both prisoner and guard stood wordlessly there for a minute or two venerating the cross until the guard rubbed it out and walked away.

This is my faith, the faith that unites and never divides, the faith that bridges unbridgeable gaps in humanity. That is my religious faith ... It is the faith that we are all equal and endowed by our creator with unalienable rights to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is the faith I would die to defend..."

To be continued...

Yummy

Dear Sadie, You and all your sisters were purely breast fed for atleast 6 months. Even when your Mom is away, what you drink from your bottle is breast milk (thawed from its temporary storage from the freezer.) Wherever your Mom goes, she brings with her that ever reliable breast pump so she can pump out the milk which she stores in a plastic bottle liner inside her coleman. Tonight while she's feeding you she sang barney's song

I love you, you love me
where a happy family
with a great big hug
and a kiss from me to you
won't you say you love me too

When your Ate Sage heard her, she joined your mom in serenading you. I followed their lead. I think you enjoyed it since you were smiling and you looked very alert. I think you were trying to figure out through the haze of your 2 month old eyes who we were. Anyway, Ate Sabine was also drinking her milk formula while we were singing (for some reason she has lost the taste for breast milk. Every time we tease her by offering mommy's milk to her she just shakes her head and smiles naughtily)

Your Ate Sabine loves to drink her milk while lying down beside your Mom. She cries "Mimi" when she wants Milk. I can't explain why, but she likes to slip her free hand into your Mom's shirt while holding her milk bottle with the other.

When your Ate Sage was Ate Sabine's age (2 Years old), I remember she was also no longer breast fed. But whenever she likes to drink she doesn't say "Mimi" but the more conventional "Didi". Then she adds the unconventional demand "HOLD IT." meaning she wants to hold your Mom's bossom while she's drinking from a milk bottle. I guess even though they no longer drink breast milk, those are their unique ways of trying to sublimate their need to cling to Mommy Ayheen's milk...

.TK

www.thekidney.tk

Torn Birds

Dear Sage and Sabine, First and last time I went to visit our Lola Rosa in SF was 21 years ago (1985) While Dy and I were in her apartment she noticed that I was rifling through one of her favorite books- Colleen McCullough’s “The Thorn Birds.” Right there and then she gave the pocket book to me as a gift. About a week ago, right after I got back, I started flipping through it again. It’s already old and weathered. Each page is the color of dark parchment stained by twenty years or so of exposure to the elements. The book is really endearing because of all the Non-Medical books I’ve read, it is the only one I underlined words that were not yet part of my vocabulary. I’m dazzled by my discovery of the book that introduced me to an encyclopedia of words; from something as simple as “ilk” to a “maelstrom” of polysyllabic ones. It is the only Non-Medical book where I made notes along the margins and in some empty spaces between chapters. While reading them I remember that the reason why I have strong ANTI-MALE CHAUVINIST views now is because the author was so good she actually made me sympathize not just with Meggie’s character but with all women. She is one author YOU THREE GIRLS (and your mom Ayheen) have to thank for your Dad’s right attitude.

Tonight, when I came home, I noticed that you guys may have been playing with it the whole day. One of you ripped the last two pages off the book. I’m sure it’s just an accident. But I almost went ballistic. Almost.

So when you guys grow up please remember that even though I sometimes act like a tyrant, I am, at heart, a benevolent dictator who knows how to forgive his kids even when they do the darndest things. Sometimes.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Dear Sage, Today, 6 years ago, you came into our lives.

You have only very simple requests for your birthday: a pet and a movie. Last Sunday we already gave you a pair of rabbits. We are lucky you understand that we have yet to put in our budget your first wish (very expensive puppies like what your cousin Kay owns. Pomereinian and shih-tzu.)

I guess we partially made it up to you by taking you to a movie about a dog (Tim Allen's "The Shaggy Dog") It was the first time Sabine watched a movie with us. Both of you enjoyed it. We all did. Including your Lola Letty. Only Sadie was not with us in the movie house. Then afterwards we ate pizza. NY style.

Go Veggie!

Dear Sabine, I remember crying my eye sockets out when I was a kid because your Lola Helen wanted me to eat bean sprouts (TOGUE.) I'm not much of a vegetarian but I did learn to love TOGUE, but then again that happened only after I became a teenager. Atleast I can say I'm much better than George Bush, Sr. who never learned to eat brocolli. He even tried to ban it once in the white house during his SINGLE TERM.

Anyway, I'm so proud when I saw you choose veggies over meat. You eat vegetables and pick them off your plate like hor's d'ouevre. I know your Lola Helen is very proud of you.

Why Gambling Sucks

Dear Sage, Once in a while you'd probably see LOTTO tickets in my personal effects when you grow up. I do bet on LOTTO sometimes but no matter how Large the potential winnings are (which could be as high as $5 Million) I make sure that I bet only 20 cents. I figured that I can afford to lose 20 cents a month on lottery. Years ago, my high school teacher computed the odds for me. Whether I bet 200 dollars or 20 cents on lottery does not really matter. The Chances of LOSING your 20 cents is as high as losing your 200 dollars. That's why, in the lingo of 21st century, "hindi ko kina career" ang LOTTO. The risk of losing money is TOO HIGH. Since I can afford to lose 20 cents, I have as much fun in checking if it wins anything but IF I bet too much (more than 20 cents) I don't think it will still be fun if I lose.

There are some risks in life that you should take. And there are some risks that are not worth taking. Examples of the former are legitimate Biz enterprizes, Bungee Jumping (Just make sure it's in Six Flags), and falling in love. Examples of the latter are ALL LEGAL AND ILLEGAL FORMS OF GAMBLING.

The more money you pour into these quagmires, the more money you will lose in the long run. There is a reason why big, money hungry corporations are not betting huge amounts of their revenues into Jueteng, Lotto, and Cock fighting even though the promise of ROI is theoretically 100 million times the original amount- It's because they are sure to lose HUGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY if they gamble it away.

A lot of gamblers have been seduced by the Catholic school dogma saying that "you should not gamble because it is... IMMORAL" which is like equating gambling to sex, drums and rock n roll. HOGWASH!

LOSING MONEY IS IMMORAL! That's why gambling really, really sucks.

I read a quote once that says "to equalize the money rich and poor people have, the poor should not be permitted to gamble away their monies while the rich should be permitted to do nothing except gamble in the casinos"

The current political leaders are copping out of their duty to protect the people from gambling by legalizing its most virulent form in the Philippines: Jueteng. By doing this they let people believe what the jueteng lords want the people to believe: that it is a "VICTIMLESS" crime.

IT ISN'T.

The victims of Jueteng are not the stockholders of SMART and GLOBE who can afford to lose spare change. The victims are those who subsist on less than 2 dollars a day. The victims are those who can't afford to lose money.

That's why the Poor should HATE THE JUETENG LORDS more than they HATE trapos. The Jueteng Lords take away MOST of their money but to bait them on these criminals give them back SOME of their money as "jueteng winnings" If you bet and lose 1,000 pesos of your hard earned money every month and you win ONLY an average of 500 pesos, you still lose. Unfortunately our people forget that when they add up the loose change (25 centavo coins) they and their community give to the JUETENG LORDS, they forget that it is much BIGGER than the JUETENG WINNINGS that the greedy jueteng lords permit them to win once in a while.

I'm sure that jueteng will still be a problem in your generation. But I hope that this blog entry will make you and your sisters realize why you should be as smart as PLDT, ABS CBN, and San Miguel Corp. when it comes to investing your money.

St. Patrick's

Dear Sage, Sabine and Sadie, may your hearts be warmed by this collection of Irish Blessings:

May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light,

may good luck pursue you each morning and night.

May the roof above us never fall in, and may we friends gathered below never fall out.

As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point in
the wrong direction.

May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.
May the Lord keep you in His hand and never close His fist too tight.

May your neighbors respect you, trouble neglect you, the angels protect you, and heaven accept you.

May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night,and the road downhill all the way to your door.

May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light, and may good luck pursue you each morning and night.
May your blessings outnumber the Shamrocks that grow, and may trouble avoid you wherever you go.

May you live a long life, full of gladness and health. With a pocket full of gold, as the least of your wealth.

May the dreams you hold dearest, be those which come true. The kindness you spread, keep returning to you.

May the friendships you make, be those which endure; and all of your grey clouds, be small ones for sure.

And trusting in Him, to Whom we all pray; May a song fill your heart, every step of the way.

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S (March 17, Friday)

Belated BDays.

Dear Sage, a couple of days ago I chatted with a friendly Pinoy expat who is visiting the Philippines after so many years. I guess she was glad to find a sympathetic ear because she was very frustrated for missing her Birthday (it was on March 14, when she left LA airport on March 13, she crossed the International Dateline from east to west hence when she arrived in Manila it was already March 15). Years ago, those who cross the imaginary line get a certificate like the one above.

Well, if it's any consolation, atleast she shares the same birthdate with Albert Einstein. And he knows a lot about the concept of TIME.

I think I was a small kid of 11 when in 1979 I read an article marking the centennial birth of Herr Einstein. The words were profound. It went on to say that Albert was one of the very few men who "with sheer force of intellect, rolled back the darkness of the surrounding universe."

His most famous Theories described Time, Space and Gravity the way classical physicists could barely understand. How could you possibly make Newton himself believe that Gravity is just a function of geometry, a curvature of space distorted by a great mass. Something I have given up trying to understand after 38 years of existence. It was at first thought to be heretical in the intellectual circles of the post victorian era. There was a poem that illustrates how his theories brought more chaos than understanding of the universe. It goes something like this...

"Nature and natures laws lay hid in night
God said, 'Let NEWTON Be!'
and all was Light

It did not last.

The Devil howling
'HO! Let EINSTEIN Be!'
restored the status quo."

Some ideas are so revolutionary that we should check in our prejudices at the entrance before entering the door of science. Einstein also was compromised by his prejudice. He was the last classical (deterministic) physicist of his generation. It was a bad thing. He opposed the idea of quantum mechanics. Today it is an established theory and a bedrock of modern science. I often wonder how far we would have advanced in the 1930's had Einstein embraced Quantum theory instead of being its Number One critic.

He is not as smart as I once thought. But that too is not a bad thought. It makes him as human as you and me when we think that he is prone to foibles you and I make.

The advice below, though it came from a flawed and very human poet, should be heeded by all including Herr Albert.

"Free your mind, and your ass will follow" -Bono


PS. belated happy bday to Jen of NY also celebrating on March 14, Moi of Manille also March 14, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Maida of Manhattan (March 16) Reymond of CICG and my GrandFather, Pitong, who would've been 102 summers young today had he not passed away

DJ

Dear Kids, There's always a first time for everything. This afternoon I just helped DJ ryan here set up his own Blog

www.ryanorlanda.blogspot.com

So remember when the blog becomes famous, and Ryan becomes filthy rich, your old man helped introduce him to the world of blogging.

Sadie's First Month

Dear Sadie, You just turned one month today.

And what a day it's been. The current government got a very, very close call. Events of twenty years ago almost repeated itself before our very eyes. I guess there is no guarantee that what happened today will not happen again, twenty years into the future. The political Heroes of today could be the villains of tomorrow. And Vice versa. So in the future, when Trillanes is already a senator, when Ronald Lumbao finally becomes partylist representative of the Masa, and Allan Paguia assumes the seat of supreme court chief justice, remember this...

when forced to choose sides between two EVILS who are lunging at each other's throat with machetes, the only moral choice is: NONE OF THE ABOVE.

Juan Luna's Blood Compact

Dear Kids, Tonight while gazing at this original painting, something really fantastic happened. I saw somebody walk up the stairs towards where the Juan Luna was hanging. It took me a few seconds to realize it but it hit me- Tonight I get to meet one of my "idols". Ok, he's not exactly american idol material but heck, who cares. I finally met Larry Henares.

In my own pantheon of "greats" he ranks second only to the late Ka Louie Beltran. I may not always agree with him with his stand against Liberal trade, his tirades against Bernie Villegas, The Opus Dei, and how he drools about TinTin DeLosReyes-Cojuangco (he said he slept with her...because when they were infants, their parents used to lay them side by side on the same bed) but he surely made my day so many many times.

Hey Larry, just in case you are reading this, I've always wanted to ask you one thing. Back in the 60's when you ran for the senate, when the liberals where meeting with party leaders in the barrios, you related once that when you felt the urge to smoke you asked a lanky party leader to buy you a cigarette. Ninoy was stunned by this. He said you just turned Bernabe Buscayno into your own personal assistant. Is this story true or is it one of your magnificent bovine eschatologies?

The Good EDSA

Dear Sage, The Americans refer to the second world war as the Last GOOD WAR. They believe that US and its allies (including the Philippines) fought on the side of absolute GOOD. The battle lines were very clear. Good and Evil are distinguishable. It is something that can't be said about the Korean, Vietnam, Afghan, and Both Gulf Wars.

For us Filipinos, The first EDSA that happened almost 20 years ago, was the GOOD EDSA. Before historians make the mistake of rewriting the events of two decades ago to please the (military) party in power I would like to tell you guys now what really happened in very simple terms:

The Filipino People rose as one to shield its own soldiers from annihilation. With our own warm bodies we PROTECTED the armed soldiers who lauched a failed coup attempt against its own commander in chief. By law they should all have been court martialled and summarily executed. BUT MY GENERATION DID NOT LET THAT HAPPEN.

The Filipino People were the Knights in shining armor who protected the not-so-virtuous Damsel called the ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES.

It was NEVER the other way around.