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Having the Time of My Life at 52

Two days ago, I turned 52 years old and the first thing I received at the stroke of midnight was a wet kiss on the cheeks from my husband. Wiping the wet imprint from my face, I could only smile and hug my husband back. Turning 52 means that I need to encode 52 under age settings during a treadmill workout at the gym but other than that, I feel great. I’ve never felt so wonderfully blessed. If you know the “Dancing Queen”, I live by the motto

You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life
See that girl, watch that scene, dig in the dancing queen

I have been having the time of my life since I turned 50 and will continue to have the time of my life even beyond 52 years old.


Anyway, I could not blog the past two days because of technical issues.

My birthday started off with a brunch with my family before I headed off to Singapore for the Nokia Connection 2009 upon the invitation of Nokia Philippines. My dear husband was supposed to go along with me so we could meet up with his sister there after the Nokia event only to find out that they were coming over to the Philippines for a vacation. So it was just me who left for Singapore.

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Top 10 Influential Emerging Blogs for 2009 Writing Project

You don`t have to be a “person of influence” to be influential. In fact, the most influential people in my life are probably not even aware of the things they’ve taught me. Scott Adams

In 2007, I drew up my top 10 list of Influential Emerging blogs. Today, 8 out of 10 continue to be influential bloggers except for two blogs that are now gone. Not a bad forecast, right? This year, I continue to support the Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs for 2009 Writing Project. Let me just tell you that my choice of the top 10 is based on blog-hopping from fellow bloggers’ suggestion in social media, friendships and my belief that these blogs will emerge as Influential blogs not just for 2009 but in the years to come.

1. Ukay Manila

I know I am biased because the blog owner is my daughter. Disclosure now in the open, let me move on. See, in the light of the current economic situation, one should find means to diversify income and become prudent in consumer spending. Lauren hits both objectives when she launched this blog on December 2008.

I believe ukay shopping is a way of resisting the consumerist logic of today. People don’t really need a top that costs P800 or a pair of jeans that cost P3,000, but we buy them anyway. Why? Because we are all advertising targets who are led to think that filling up our wardrobes with overpriced (but mass-produced!) clothes is the only way we can feel good and go about ““expressing our individuality and style”.

2. New Media Philippines

Carlo Ople struck a nerve when he classified bloggers for PR practitioners. I believe he became influential because, his name crops up when mentioned in blog conferences or round table discussions. It spurred discussion on encouraging bloggers to create quality content. Other blog topics bore fruit that contradict Carlo’s classification of bloggers.

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Mother’s Day with Mommy Bloggers

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. Tenneva Jordan

Mother’s day spent with the kids has been a long-time tradition. At first I felt bad that I’d be spending it with mommy bloggers because it meant breaking tradition. Then I realized, Mother’s Day is my day and I can choose how to spend my day. And yes, I chose to spend it at the Expo Mom 2009 from 10:00 AM till 6:00 PM. Mommy Matters Janice Villanueva gave us a free booth which we used to promote mommy blogging. How time flies when you’re with mommies.

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Celebrating Our 24th Wedding Anniversary

“An anniversary is a time to celebrate the joys of today, the memories of yesterday, and the hopes of tomorrow. ”

If blogs were around in 1985, then I’d have a photo for every year of our wedding anniversary. Since the start of my blog in 2006, I’ve only written four times, counting this entry. Why is it so important for me to share this day with you? It is not that I want to brag that “hey, we lasted this long” but it is more of “Wow, we have reached this far. Let’s celebrate the joys and the sorrows. You may pick up a lesson or two”.

As Mignon McLaughlin would say, ” A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.” Falling in love is not easy especially when that person can get annoying. But at the same time, it is so gratifying to find that one special person I want to annoy for the rest of my life.

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Message to the Graduating UP Students of Kamia Residence Hall

I didn’t plan to write this entry just yet as I am saddled with a backlog of other blog posts that I thought were more relevant. In fact, this event I am about to elaborate transpired a week ago. Old news, I pondered. But something happened just now as I poured over the photos I took last week and I am so touched.

See, a week ago, Kenny Tabayocyoc, a council member of Kamia Residence Hall at the UP Diliman Campus invited me to be their guest speaker for (Thank God It’s Summer), A Tropical Confluence Dinner. Part of the program is an inspirational message to be given by an alumnae of the dorm. Of course, I wanted to help them out. After all, Kamia was my first home away from home. I felt like traversing on a trip down memory lane. It wasn’t a convenient date though. I had to leave by 7:00 PM because it was Lauren’s 23rd birthday celebration. Things don’t always happen as planned. Rains delayed the program that was slated at the Kamia parking lot and the organizers were busy setting up the tables and chairs.

While waiting for the program to start, Kenny brought me inside Kamia Residence Hall for the first time in many years. The tile floors by the door looked worn from the passage of time as thousands of footwear scrubbed the tile color down to a grayish slab of cement. Wasn’t it 33 years ago since I last stepped foot at the door? I saw that a phone booth still hangs by the wall and today there are two. I clearly remember those days when a queue formed as residents tried to make a call. I remember the dagger looks aimed at this one resident who kept yakking away ignoring the queue of girls awaiting their turn to whisper sweet nothings to their steadies.

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Happy 23rd Birthday to My Dear Lauren

My beautiful daughter, L is 23 years old today.

I used to tell my children that I built a house when I was 23 years old, thanks to the funds from my dear daddy old boy. M said she’d do the same when she turns 23. L didn’t say anything and then surprise, surprise, a month ago, she announced to us that she found her condo. She invested in a condominium (rather a shoe box) at the age of 22 years old, with her own savings, nary a single centavo from us.

This girl of mine is very frugal. She doesn’t like eating out much. Eating out in restaurants like Pepper Lunch where she thinks there is little value for the food is beyond her means. As a college student, she never complained about her allowance. Buying unnecessary gadgets seemed sinful to her. Whenever I give her money to buy brand new outfits, she turned to ukay-ukay clothing much to my chagrin. Lauren indirectly helped me pay for her college tuition. Whatever material gifts we shower upon her is all a bonus for being a frugal daughter.

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Parenting, Blogging and Our Love Story in Net 25 MOMents

I groaned. Not another show. I felt there are many wonderful moms out there who are so much better than me but Net 25 MOMents was persistent. They said the show is for mothers and kids that feature the different bonding moments, child-rearing styles and the many facets of motherhood. I felt like it has been ages since I have actually been a hands-on mom. I have long since enjoyed my independence from child-rearing since the girls turned 20. What could I possibly offer to the MOMents feature?

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Winner of Love Struck Writing Contest Marries His True Love


A year ago, I held a Love Struck Writing Contest for my blog anniversary . One of the contestants, Mr Z got a place in the runner-up division. I first became aware of Mr. Z when Annalyn was unable to join us for a Boracay tour. Annalyn got stranded in Batanes for 8 days. Asian Spirit refused to fly over with the slightest hint of weather disturbance. I thought it was a perfect opportunity for them to discover more of each other as they wrap themselves in the beauty of Batanes.

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31 Years Ago and Year of the Earth Ox

January 26 for the past 30 years always called for some sort of celebration. It is the day that I met my ex-boyfriend at the Shopping Center in UP Diliman. Yes, my college sweetheart and now my partner for life. I can’t believe we have been together for so long. My daughters cannot imagine that we were steadies at an age much younger than they are now. He was 18 and I was only 20. Was it just yesterday that I fell in love with his “bad-boy looks”?

I rumple my husband’s gray hair and tease him that he hasn’t really gained that much weight. I have gained 40 more pounds yet Butch manages to lift my spirits up even at my most “ugly moments”. I cannot tell if he is just flattering me or he means it. I have gotten used to his flowery words for the past 31 years.

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Peace, Love and Prosperity for 2009


Photo Credit to my daughter Lauren.
Taken at Fisherman’s Wharf, October 2008

I find the photo of the cat, dog and white rat (tucked closely beside the dog’s belly) really cute and inspiring. All three of them sleeping in peace. It reminds me that maybe people of various race, religion and opinions can co-exist in harmony. The stereotype that of a cat-dog fight comes to mind. Wouldn’t it be great if we all can respect each other and try to live in peace? And that good things will be coming forth in 2009? I know peace, love and harmony may not be possible around the world but it starts with me.

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a mom blogger who advocates constructive engagement in issues on family & society.
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