It's been two weeks since Super Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda crashed through our country and that's been two weeks of me just glued to the news and on Facebook checking for updates, reading stories of survival and loss, forming half-baked opinions on shoulda coulda woulda's. I've been pretty useless as a result. My blogging duties forgotten (sorry, sponsors!) and it's only now that I'm working again.
These two weeks, the word "resilient" is being used a lot. Some hate it, some love it. However we feel about it, it's just a word that really does describe us Filipinos. I'd like to think, faced with the same circumstances, I'd be resilient, too. But the thought of losing my kids... Oh, I can't even face it. I don't know what I'd do should that happen as it happened to thousands of our kababayans. I'd like to think I'd be strong enough to move on but we'll never know until it happens and I pray to God that it never happens because I don't think I can take it.
There's been lots of "the survivors should do this" and "they should at least do that" or "I would never do that." I also thought that. "At least clear the roads! I'd never ever steal!" But quick on the heels of those thoughts are the whispers, "What if your kids are hungry? What if they are cold and sick? What if they had died?"
I like to think I'd be the type of person who rises up to the occasion. I've always been the person who stepped in when someone needed help, needed to be defended, needed money. I'm very calm and sensible. That's why I think that in the face of calamity, I'm not going to lose my head. But when my mother died suddenly five years ago, I was too much in shock to function. I was in shock for three whole days. My younger brother and sister were the ones who thought of entertaining the visitors at the wake, it was my husband and sister-in-law who fixed the financial matters with the funeral home, my aunts and cousins who fed everybody. I didn't do anything except cry.
So I pass no judgment on anyone. No one knows how they'll react to any situation until they're in that situation. No judgment! Well, except maybe on the government. But that's a whole new issue and I really don't want to go there.
And that's it! We all know how to help. There are dozens of fundraisers, charities, NGOs, volunteer work happening everywhere right now. How generous the Filipino spirit! God bless us all!
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Friday, November 22, 2013
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Random thoughts that my pink tree pulled out of my head today
If you're a regular reader or if you follow me on Instagram, you'd know the color of my Christmas tree is a relentless and unapologetic pink.
It's just decorated with silver balls at this point. It needs something else. Maybe turquoise or gold or emerald. Maybe ribbon? What do you think?
Now, whenever some people see my pink Christmas tree, they ask, "Do your boys mind?" This strikes me as an incredibly silly question because...
1. It's MY tree. It's not like I bought it for them and insisted on a color they didn't want.
2. A person's gender is not defined by colors. It's just pink. It doesn't threaten their boy-ness.
3. Vito's favorite color is pink so he loves the tree.
Speaking of gender, I had a random thought this afternoon while I was sitting beside my pink Christmas tree freaking out at Iñigo who was plucking silver balls and throwing them with good aim at Vito. I was wondering if I wanted a daughter.
Another random thought followed that first random thought: At my mother's wake five years ago, a relative I've never met went up to me and said right out of the blue: "You will never ever be as beautiful as your mother. Never. My condolences." Then he walked away.
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| Iñigo dazzled. |
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| This is a cute video of the kids pretending drinking straws were swords. |
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| Another cute video of the boys dancing. |
It's just decorated with silver balls at this point. It needs something else. Maybe turquoise or gold or emerald. Maybe ribbon? What do you think?
Now, whenever some people see my pink Christmas tree, they ask, "Do your boys mind?" This strikes me as an incredibly silly question because...
1. It's MY tree. It's not like I bought it for them and insisted on a color they didn't want.
2. A person's gender is not defined by colors. It's just pink. It doesn't threaten their boy-ness.
3. Vito's favorite color is pink so he loves the tree.
Speaking of gender, I had a random thought this afternoon while I was sitting beside my pink Christmas tree freaking out at Iñigo who was plucking silver balls and throwing them with good aim at Vito. I was wondering if I wanted a daughter.
Another random thought followed that first random thought: At my mother's wake five years ago, a relative I've never met went up to me and said right out of the blue: "You will never ever be as beautiful as your mother. Never. My condolences." Then he walked away.
I can't decide if his condolences were because my mother was dead or because I was ugly.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
How to open a can without a can opener
You know how in times of disaster, all the relief agencies say do NOT donate cans of food because there are no can openers and then you're at the supermarket so gung-ho to buy goods to donate and pretty much all the useful-will-not-spoil food are all in cans???
Well. Watch this. This is so awesome!!!
Now you know. And now you're ready for anything.
UPDATE: OMG my friend said he just tried it out right now and ang hirap-hirap daw gawin! Yikes! Sobrang mega kiskis daw sa concrete! Baka practice lang kailangan, mga friends! At any rate, good to know!
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| Sardines are a favorite food to donate. |
Well. Watch this. This is so awesome!!!
Now you know. And now you're ready for anything.
UPDATE: OMG my friend said he just tried it out right now and ang hirap-hirap daw gawin! Yikes! Sobrang mega kiskis daw sa concrete! Baka practice lang kailangan, mga friends! At any rate, good to know!
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