Edit – April 26– I am not happy that the segment producer did not ask permission for a reenactment of Luijoe’s death in a swimming pool. They even got a kid that had a similar face to Luijoe. Dramatic effect pa kasi…eh blogging in a cemetery was enough for me to satisfy their production values. Other than that, the episode was good.
Here I am in a cemetery, with a TV crew. A GMA 7 show wants to feature bloggers for this Saturday (Thanks to Brian Gorrell for the hype on blogs these days). Why should I do this? I asked the producer. It’s not normal routine to blog in a cemetery. Yeah sure, it’s better than a reenactment which is a definite no-no for me. Sure, I bring flowers, candles and my small chair but blogging? Never tried it but yes, I do bring my macbook everywhere with me. But the producer is persuasive, “Maybe you might consider blogging here”.
Ugh, it’s 2:00 PM and the blazing heat of the sun is scorching my head and neck. Slowly, I can feel the initial symptons of prickly heat tingling beneath my collar. How does one blog under the insufferable heat of the sun and yet see the monitor? The camerman and producer are intent to shoot that scene. If there is a will, there is a way. Out from nowhere, the caretaker of my son’s grave produced a large tent enough to cover 30 square meters. The smart 3g connection is blazingly fast. Perfect.
I am supposed to look like I am blogging but what can I write now? Looking at my son’s grave I whisper, “Luijoe, they are filming us for a TV segment”.
Tell me you are with me
Whisper gently in my ear,
“You will always be my mommy”
In the quiet I will hear,
Call it divine providence! Suddenly, a gentle breeze softly caressed my cheeks as if the heavens cooperated with me and the TV crew. Luijoe’s resting place felt calm, peaceful and suddenly an ideal time for me to reflect and celebrate the love that never dies.
I kid you not.
Like any blogger, I won’t let them get away with it so I grabbed a photo of the crew as they shot this beautiful scene.
Just find out where Brian will be interviewed. He is part of the segment through a phone patch.
—–
Asides
1. Who won? Win Two round Trip SeAir Tickets to Batanes
I witnessed the raffle draw.
Our Batanes ticket raffle got 396 comments posted before the 8 p.m. deadline last Sunday, April 20, 2008. Members of the SEAIR Adventure Club met Tuesday to draw the winning comment. To do this, each comment was numbered 001 to 396. The draw was done lotto style. Three piles of numbers were made, the first pile had the numbers 0 to 3, while the second and third pile had the numbers 0 to 9. And the winning number is 190 which is the comment of William Gilbert Agravante. Congratulations, you just won two round-trip SEAIR tickets to Batanes!
But since we enjoyed reading your comments, we’ve decided to give one round-trip ticket to the best comment with the word “SEAIR” in it. And that comment belongs to Dorcas Juliette Ramos. Congratulations on your graduation! You win one round-trip ticket to Batanes! To both our winners, please wait for the notification e-mail on how to claim your tickets. And to all those who joined, don’t fret since you can still win a free SeAir plane trip for two to Baler, Quezon.
2. FilipinaImages.com featured in the Modernong Maria Clara episode that will be aired on Thursday, April 24, 2008. It talks about the image and the evolution of Filipino women. It’ll be shown right after Saksi on GMA 7
Just when you think the blogging in a cemetery is over, another TV show visits me at home.
3. Proudly Filipina to be shown on May 2, Friday night, 7:00 PM, QTV Channel 24 in Skycable (?).
The focus is on the 5 deaths in my immediate family and moving on to my “new normal”.
I am not fond of celebrities but I just had to have a photo op with the host, Charlene Gonzales.
4. My dream car, the 2008 Chrysler Town Country Touring Edition
New Chrysler Town Country Touring Edition Stow and Go.
You are so busy. It’s amazing how you manage your time. 😀
Fitz’s last blog post..Checkmate
Our angels live on. See, they’re starting to catch media attention. Your child lives on in your heart why you’re too eager to share your grief and recovery to help other people deal with theirs too. I know he’s equally happy about where you’ve already gone in the world of blogging with your little angel’s little help asking visitors to subscribe for your blog feeds :-).
More power Noemi!
kudos to you! i’m just wondering why tv networks are choosing you over countless of other bloggers out there (ahem)..
Get It From Boy!’s last blog post..Sarah Geronimo in HerBench
@fitz- well i enjoy going out working on my offline advocacy
@2bout- You have to remember that I went into blogging to promote the grief support group called The Compassionate Friends. I evolved as a blogger since then.
@getitfromboy- only the “Blogging in a Cemetery” was about blogs. The producer was looking for blogs that are blogging for therapy.
100% pinoy was on filipinaimages.com of which I am a co-founder. Being the technical person, I was the best resource person to talk on this among the co-founders.
The Proudly Filipina was about deaths in my family and moving on. and the grief support group I co-founded which is The Compassionate Friends.
Not only am I a blogger but I have passion for offline advocacies.
I remember when I was featured in a Newsbreak segment about blogging. It was shot in an office building in Makati and I was given a laptop to work on.
They told me to blog but I couldn’t think of anything to blog about at the time! 😛
jhay’s last blog post..Panganay ng Umaga – Joey Ayala and Noe Tio
hah, that’s too funny of a predicament! Honestly Noemi, you are too kind sometimes.. If that were me, I would have done a celebrity-hits-paparazzi kind of kung fu routine with the crew..
But hey, as I have always thought, that’s why you are one of the best ambassadors of blogging that we have in The Philippines.
Thank you for always being kind, and true to yourself..
Hope you can upload the segment to Youtube.
Nick’s last blog post..From Ass To Youtube
@Jhay- you could have been like me “Now what do I blog about?” I was glad that I had the inspiration that day.
@nick- Thanks for the kind words. I just thought I needed to blog something original. Now that’s an experience worth blogging about.
congratulations! more and more bloggers are taking the center stage. sadly i’m always out on Fridays, i hope i can catch the other one.
donG hO’s last blog post..chico’s fight
@donG hO- this blogger feature is on saturday, April 26 but not sure of the time. Maybe 9 PM?
It is so great that you are so vibrant. 🙂 Angels do exist 🙂
Tahn’s last blog post..Make way for the “squash” pandesal
I’ll wait for your ep with Charlene on Qtv! Congratz! 🙂
dyanie’s last blog post..Earth Day
That’s the one thing I forgot to do — take a picture of Cedric and the camera guys. Record nyo po Miss Noemi ha. I’ll try to record too.. but just in case my mac fails… u know. 🙂
Riz’s last blog post..I Heart Brooke Even More Now
I saw your segment in GMA-7 a few minutes ago. You are a strong woman i must say… and im pretty sure a lot of people out there who saw it, especially mothers, are really proud of you – for not forgetting your precious angel and for what you have become, despite the loss and pain.
Good luck on your endeavors and blogging (you have inspired me Ü) and i hope you will inspire more people. I am touched by an angel!
XoXo,
tEtEt
Tetet’s last blog post..oDesk and Patience
@dyani- I hope Proudly Filipina will feature a better episode.
@riz- I failed to record it as if it was not meant to be. I tried the camera and my macbook
@Tetet- thanks for the kind words.
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hi noemi. i saw the Jessica Soho segment. Ok naman ang feature sayo actually. You even looked elegant to be the face of the Filipino blogger. It gave a “blogger’ a respectable stance.
on a personal level, yes, it could give you a dissatisfaction dun sa son mo esp. the reenactment scene siguro.but overall, thank you for giving Pinoy blogging a respectable face..
Get It From Boy!’s last blog post..Wentworth Miller Photo Gallery
hi tita noems, for me ur such an inspiration and will always be
cielo’s last blog post..Is Chivalry Dead?
@Get it From Boy- Thank you for the kind words. It just shows there is diversity in blogging.
@cielo- I hope I was an inspiration to others,
i thought with permnission mo LAHAt ng pinalabas(suppose to be) hope nag pa alam muna ang producer bilang respect nadin kc its not easy to watch d re enactment scene-but Onthe otherhand,IT brought ALL of our sympathy here to let u know that UR not ALONE we LOVE U as A fellow FILIPINA,mother and human..we may not know each other BUT fr.now on i include u to our prayers..
God Bless
hi naomi !!
good day-
i thought with permnission mo LAHAt ng pinalabas(suppose to be) hope nag pa alam muna ang producer bilang respect nadin kc its not easy to watch d re enactment scene-but Onthe otherhand,IT brought ALL of our sympathy here to let u know that UR not ALONE we LOVE U as A fellow FILIPINA,mother and human..we may not know each other BUT fr.now on i include u to our prayers..
God Bless
hi naomi !!
good day–may God continue to bless and give u more courage to face life once again after all,u still have 2 wonderful daughters..
hope u cont to inspire more
god bless i really ADMIRE YOU !!
Hi ma’am Noemi, awhile ago you message me about uploading the Jessica Soho episode. I already uploaded it and emailed you the link at Youtube. your postings are very enjoyable specially about the producer who insisted on blogging while you visit your son . the snapshot of a crew filming you is very informative itself giving a broad idea on the behind-the-scenes look of a jessica soho episode. I’ll be visiting your website very often. God Bless po at maraming salamat po.
@Iya- thanks for the email. I like how you expressed your feelings about the episode.
@DCRJ- thanks so much. You are such a fan of Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho. Good thing you are around. I blogged already about it
https://aboutmyrecovery.com/2008/04/27/kapuso-mo-jessica-soho-features-blogging/
I also wathced this segment last night. I was already about to sleep when the next episode after some commercials showed. It was about blogging. So I patiently waited on my bed till the next episode came on screen. Then it featured this site with this gorgoeus looking girl like my mother. It was too weird, I believe to blog under the heat of the sun. But it was terrific after I get to read this post. I can’t believe that it came you that blogging could actually be everywhere especially when you’re close to your loved ones.
http://www.punkies07.blogspot.com
Lance’s last blog post..SouLsEarcHing (CTRL+F)
I watch the show last night and your story is very touching. Hope you continue to inspire more, GOD Bless. Thank You!
eligio’s last blog post..Tumbang Preso
@Lance- I actually liked the blogging in the cemetery. Maybe i will do it often as long as a tent is protecting me. I felt my son’s love during that day.
@eligio- thanks for watching. I am happy that viewers of Jessica Soho actually emailed me to thank me for the inspiration.
I saw the episode last night too. I already have read some entries of your blog before and so it feels like I already know you. The first time I read about Luijoe, I even was teary eyed because I was touched. I am a mother too.
It was nice that they featured you on TV. You’re a celebrity!
hi ms naomi,
ive watched the segment in jessica soho which features your blog, your struggle and your journey in life particularly about your son.
i just dropped by to say that youre such a wonderful woman..i really
admire you, and i will include you in my prayers…
take care
cat
cathy’s last blog post..The Pride of Leyte
hi ate noemi.. napanuod ko yung segment mo dun… artistahin ka pla.. hehehe.. sobrang natouched ako dun.. kc nadivert mo sa pagbloblog yung pagkawala ni louiejoe… dahil don pwedeng magpadopt.. ako.. hehehe.. para wag ka na lungkot.. may clown ka pag inadopt mo ako.. hehehe.. joke lang.. di bale lagi mo nman sya ksama… at binabantayan… sya ang iyong anghel at kami dito ang mga virtual angel mo sa blogosphere…. hehehe.. tc!
@cathy- thanks for dropping by. Somehow, we can get inner strength in our most difficult time
@repah- I didn’t have to act. All I did was just type and the camera man tried to grab shots. It’s in the editing that they chose the best clips of me. Thanks for the joke lol. I am not sad. The way they portrayed it showed I was sad but that’s not accurate. There are good and bad days.
It’s such a good feeling to know that your personal experience touches the minds and hearts of people everywhere. Sad that the personal experience is a tragedy.
I don’t have the Filipino channel but from reading the post and comments, I think it’s a good segment.
GreyMom’s last blog post..The Continuing Saga of the Insensitive Friend
i have forgotten what I was looking for. I just came across your blog, and I ended up crying and crying. I, too, am a mother and I cannot imagine how painful it is to lose your child. I just know that it’s like dying too.
I’m sorry for your loss.
You had a beautiful baby.
You now have a beautiful angel.
piebuko’s last blog post..stupid me