Twelve- year old Lauren and a couple of her keypal friends started an advice column for their club members (Keypals Club) in 1997. I was looking at the now defunct site because Lauren told me to plug her new blog. I am sure that gives a clue to her new site. Before I plug it , let me show you that advice page which was started in 1997. Aww, her advice to this I have never had a boyfriend made me smile.

The age when you should start worrying about not having a boyfriend is when you’re 20. Now there’s a problem. Don’t mind those peeps that are shocked because you don’t have a boyfriend! Besides, if you have a boyfriend this young, chances are, you will have a million more boyfriends and getting married would be difficult because boys don’t like “playgirls” or a girl who has a billion boyfriends. Enjoy your youth.

That’s Lauren as a 12 year old. Almost ten years later, she worries that she will never find The One. Despite her fears, and a broken heart, she is using this humbling experience to help others in her new blog which she co-writes with her best friend, Kristel.

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If you’re a Filipino, you might have watched in amusement , This Youtube video of 1,500+ Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) inmates dancing to Thriller . When I asked my daughter if she’d seen it , her reply was “It’s so Pinoy”. Lorna, my sister thinks “Only in the Philippines” (read her entry “Thriller!” - How Cebu’s CPDRC Inmates Rocked the World With An Awesome Rehabilitation Activity ). I am not surprised at this Thriller dance routine. Maybe it’s Cebuano thing but I remember my parents always danced after dinner and we would dance along with them as well. Singing , Music and dance formed a huge part of my upbringing. I miss it so bad. Anyway, I digress.

The video reached more than a 2,300,000 views since uploaded by Byron Garcia ( Consultant on Security of the Cebu Provincial Government) on July 17, 2007 (originally uploaded last April) It’s so popular that ABC News picked up the story called Filipino Inmates do Thriller, Radio Gaga. The news covered reactions from Filipino-Americans as well as American counterparts in the criminal justice. One comment caught my eye:

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Technorati Tags: Thriller dance routine

I am not Plastic.

How dare I make such a bold statement when I just wrote about dedmahan in my last entry!

It’s true though, I am not plastic. My two daughters taught me about biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste segregation when they were about 4 years old. Remember how Marielle cried when her ball rolled to the sewer? Thanks to Miriam’s College’ educational thrust on proper disposal of waste. So when Cathy invited me to her new business venture, I was excited for her and the business itself.

1. I am proud that she is a risk taker , venturing on a business that revolves around her bag passion. I am a believer of income diversification within limits. I mean one can’t just go to every single profitable venture. Financial independence is a long range goal to strive for. Go Cathy!

2. I love the catchy concept of “I am not Plastic”. Together with her two partners, their goal is to get Filipino shoppers into the habit of refusing plastic bags when they shop.

3. Lastly, this bag was sewn by marginalized women from Tandang Sora, Quezon City. By purchasing this bag for only 350 pesos ($8.00), one contributes to their livelihood.

I choose to make Make Mother Earth as part of my personal style . If you’re like me, you might want to know more about these bags at Cathy’s I am Not Plastic Bag entry .

The last few days has been one big adventure . I am lazy to write (but plan to write soon) some of these events so here are photos.

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I had a falling out with two friends a year ago. It doesn’t matter who they are. It started because I felt the need to confront them about their accusations on the death of my son. But no, they refused confrontation and eventually distanced themselves from me.

I grew up in an environment where direct communication is important. I feel safe around direct, honest people. They speak their minds, and we know where we stand with them. The problem with non-confrontational people are they want us to speak in circles before getting to the point. Perhaps, I am not an acrobat of words but going straight to the point comes out rude and disrespectful to them.

Just recently, I met up with these friends. Funny how time heal wounds. Perhaps because I busied myself with pertinent matters instead of delving in those issues. Perhaps because I stopped gossip from entering my life. We talked animatedly as if nothing happened. Dedma? I think so.

Dedma is the attenuated form of the English words dead malice. Dead malice, in turn, is the literal translation of the Tagalog expression, patay malisya. It is conjugated thus: dedma, dinedma, dededmahin.

Source: Dedma 101

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“Do you have rose petals?” The florist sounded a bit too excited when he asked “For your bed?”. I could have smacked the nosy florist but I took everything in stride. “No, it’s for my daughter’s hoity-toity grown-up party”. The nosy florist continued ” Oh she is scattering petals on the stairs”. Maybe this florist asks every customer what they do with their rose petals. He proceeded to narrate how a wife preferred rose petals strewn all over her house, over the thorny rose flower. Enough , enough. I need the petals now. The rose petals will serve as as floral decoration for the party tables. I patiently explained to the florist. For 100 pesos ($2.00) I got a sizeable amount of rose petals.

As usual, the stage mother in me was tasked to procure those rose petals while the daughter basked in the soothing wonders of the beauty salon. Not only is my daughter a creative writer, she is also a creative party events person. I bet she can make a career out of it.

I remember how Lauren planned her 18th Debut party that was centered around a medieval theme. Even her 18th birthday invitation card exuded words that could make you chuckle. Most of all her debut didn’t cost us an arm and a leg . You will be surprised at the savings as compared to most debutante parties. What is most amazing is that the keyword “18th birthday party“, “18th birthday cake “, “18th debut” is sought most often from Google searches. It is no wonder the Google Adsense income has more than paid us back for the expenses. Isn’t that cool?

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I have not read Harry Potter Book 7 ( Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ).

There are rumors suggesting that one or more main characters will die. A grief counsellor claims that these deaths could cause a serious impact on children.

a “certified grief counselor” is using the release of Harry Potter’s final book to pimp herself to the media, under the guise of helping parents and children deal with grief over the death of fictional characters. Because deaths are rumored to happen in Book 7, the press release states “This could have a serious impact on children, millions of whom have grown up reading, watching and profoundly enjoying the characters and storylines of the Harry Potter series.”

Source: via Harry Potter Grief Counseling?

and this bit of news from the UK

Meanwhile, parents in Britain have been told to prepare for grief counselling. The media is warning that for many young readers, Harry’s death could be as devastating as the death of a best friend, pet or even a relative. The Daily Telegraph reported last week that even child psychologists are getting into the act. It cited American child psychologist Michael Brody who has come up with a three-point bereavement plan to help parents comfort their mourning children.

Source: Will Harry Potter live or die?

Really now? I read the news out loud to Marielle and she just laughed. “Mom, I cried when the mommy dinosaur died in The Land Before Time movie. I was way younger . I turned out fine.”

I can only roll my eyes at the obvious marketing ploy of some enterprising grief counsellors. Children are very resilient. Children who have gone as far as Book 7 know the characters are just make-believe. They can re-read the book over and over again to digest the loss of their favorite character .

The question is when does a child need a grief counsellor or any kind of professional help? or what are the signs that a parent need to watch over their child when they are faced with a loss of a favorite story character, a pet or a friend or family member?

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Technorati Tags: Harry Potter Book 7, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows