Happy birthday!

You deserve this space. But before you occupy it without my annoyance, I want to thank you for being human with me. And for being non-expressive of how bad I make you feel.

When we lose our cultural site

I'm pretty sure that if Ka Pepe (Mercado Rizal) is alive today, the least that he would want is a statue to honor his deeds for the country he passionately loved.

Perhaps he would prefer that we spend money to build libraries or invest in conducting researches for eye diseases.

But he is dead. And I believe we just commemorated something centennial about his life.

Anyway, our ancestors built his statue in the same park where he was executed simply because he is the elected national hero. And that statue has been the landmark of many visiting selfie-taking tourists and of foreign leaders who pay respect.

Maybe we should all just move the Rizal Park somewhere else. How about in Calamba where he was born? Perhaps Ka Pepe's townmates will take better care of the cultural aspect his statue stands for.

Or maybe let's have the cultural community hold a survey among local governments, excluding The city of Manila, and ask who wants to adopt the Rizal Park.

We should move the park somewhere outside of Manila. Obviously, the local government of Manila when it allowed the Torre de Manila be constructed right behind Rizal's statue, demonstrated signs of oblivion. We somehow forgot that the park symbolizes injustice done to a hero. If you ask me, Germany has a better understanding of taking care of the friendship that Ka Pepe left as a legacy with them.

I mean, unless someone in business negotiates to convert the facade of Torre de Manila into something Filipiniana (or like the Taj in India), then it wouldn't be an eyesore when we have people take pictures.

We just lost our own Tiannanmen Square.  How sad for the community.

Black or white

When we do more tasks than expected of our JD, and we don't get to be recognized or promoted in the office, a lot of times we just make jokes about it. 

We tell ourselves, "Oh that's because I have a hidden talent. It's so hidden that it takes a long while before folks recognize it." 

And then we become serious and say a prayer quietly every time we sigh, "God sees this. This will count someday."

That is easy to do. But this one is different. It becomes challenging when you apply the same thing in situations when there are people that you know who "like away" statements that actually strike you down as a human being. Although they don't directly dislike you, their act is an outward showmanship that there is a large part of you that they will never accept.

And you feel that they put a condition to liking you because of what they do. 

And it makes me regret being your friend. I am ashamed that you put people like me behind some hidden line and like us only when you choose to. I wish you can be more like me - brave to accept you for what you are and ready to fight for your right to be recognized because we are the same after all. I wish you can be more loving the way we do. Because right now, I really feel that your actuation was very hurtful. You don't even really know me or where I come from, or why I don't show up in your socials because people will look at you as if you're a weirdo. Sometimes people are even kinder to drug addicts than to us.

So yea, Someone can see all these sorts of degree of hatred and conditional liking. I just know that between you and me, I am stronger and vey much likeable than you.

Hallmark card

Paano kung hindi mo na masabi ang I love you with the same ... to the same ...? Kailangan bang sabihin pa rin?

Sudden stop

.

I do not know how it is to be celebrated

Mabuti pa ang mga namatay. They are remembered and celebrated on All Souls Day.

No one celeberates me. Or my contributions at work. No thank yous in the house for the things I do. I do not know what the people around me think. When it's my birthday, I only get a handful of birthday greetings. Very, very few people wish me a happy day. And then to actually celebrate my birthday, well, goodluck to that.

I am not celebrated. This means I am not special.

And that is why I spontaneously celebrate other people's birthdays. I buy cake and prepare food, even when my money is just enough. Because I like them to feel special, to celebrate them.

Because I don't have those and I know the feeling of being neglected. And the feeling of accepting the fact that I am not special enough to be celebrated. That a greeting is all that I need.

No dates, unless I initiate it. No occassions. No candles to blow.

N.

What a day

No one is going to invite me out to celebrate Father's Day.  It has never happened. Maybe it won't in this lifetime. I have to understand that.

In the same way, no one asked me to celebrate Mother's Day. Simply because there's no one around who will ask.

Someone who will just ask me, even if the celebration doesn't take place, is a lonely thought.

I am lonely. A person who does both roles of parenting to a growing son is a lonely life. No one to share on-the-dot struggles, right when it happens. No one to share sudden spontaneous reactions.

Simple invitations can make you less lonely.

As wise as me

I am hardly quiet with you. I am direct, too much that I come out tactless. Sometimes it works in my favor and you laugh at me. (If only you know that your reaction reminds me of the Master who laughs at me, too.)

I care about what I say and how I say it. I know that I have a problem being straight forward. I can make very small rounds around the bushes. Not for long, though, because I am cocky. I am smart enough to use the exact words that will make myself understood. Ahh. But I fail. I am so different that way. People think more than what I have come to say to them. And that makes them afraid to answer my question. 

Using the exact words with you may get me into trouble. I open your eyes sharply and then I do not know anymore where my words go in you. You must believe that there is no intention to destroy you or to ruin your day. You must forgive but I will not let you tell me off easily.

Because that's what you said I shouldn't do. You said never to give up on you because you will never give up on me. But, of course, you don't remember that. You warned me about this.

I do not like to be misunderstood. No one does, I suppose. You don't, that's for sure.

I like talking, may it be out loud or using social behaviors. I need to risk a lot of things to understand people, most of all you because you chose to be a vehicle. 

Because you said this will make me understand the lessons better. Of course you don't remember that. But, I do. 

And so I do not like to assume that you remember the words you said when I asked you why we do it this way. Or even why I remember a lot of things about us, before us, as clear as day.

What is honest is that I cannot function well when I try to keep inside what I already know. I already know. Yet, I still need to ask why.

I assumed to know why - once, a long time ago - why people are. I failed in that. And so I ran away until I met you. 

And so I like talking because I need to understand what I already know. Why more people are no longer babies.

Just so you know that my son and I are still babies. I am not like them - they are not as wise as me. As you.

I have more than a dozen eyes that look at all the stars in the sky and I know that each one has a name. My job at best is to see their beauty and wonder how can one light be the same as the others. And why the stars still light the evenings of people even if they are taken for granted plenty of times. 

U-Haul Express

My concept of moving on involves ellipses, pauses, silences and shushes.

You distant yourself for as long as you're processing. You stop talking about it, although over and over, you have sadness whirling inside your head. The head, not the heart. Because in me, it is the heart that does a lot of talking. And my mind has finally commanded my heart to shut up.

The process ends - it should - without bearing grudges. There is no self-respect in that. There are far more things in this life that will earn that now-vacant space in your heart.

I will always remember that every big thing that makes me proud is not seen in the same happy meal by other people. People will miss the point because they have other things that they think mean more. In the same way, whatever that means more to them may not necessarily be true for me. So kids like me learn to let go.

It is not because we think they are right. Not necessarily. But there is something that they should understand. There is a timeline in our head when we want to pursue something. We let the heart raise the topic, on and on for a certain period. And then when that timeline happens, we just tell ourselves to quit. The mind reprimands and says, "You are becoming foolish. This conversation is now stale."

Kids like me become bigger people when we put their ideas, feelings and wants before ourselves. Our love becomes a tool for sacrificing. Once we let them know that it is okay, and that we will forget about it, we begin the process of moving on - without their company.

There is resilience in understanding what we cannot understand.

Some of us write posts like this to cope. It helps us not to mention it anymore in any conversation at any time.

Added Collection for the Tooth Fairy

I cannot imagine without smiling the scene of a first grader whose tooth untimely falls off while reciting in class.

That was the experience described by my chrononaut earlier today. In one of her classes, her student was performing a self-introduction when the kid paused. A tooth fell and he proudly showed it to her. Not to willfully distract the class, the conversation was diverted momentarily by the now-toothless pupil. My chrononaut was laughing out of a jolly surprise. I would, too.

Being a grade school teacher for a long time, my chrononaut knows that first graders pass through this baptism of fire of losing their baby teeth. It is a milestone for parents. And she is fortunate to be a part of it when this occurs under her watch.

The first time our son's baby front tooth fell, both of us were in Tokyo. Only Ate Gingging was with him. We missed that milestone. But, hey, there are still opportunities to come for us to experience his other milestones. Say, his circumcision. Now that's going to be another (hopefully bloodless) story.

Last Wish

When I pass away, and you choose to come to my funeral, do so not to say goodbye. But be there to comfort my family. That will be lending greater respect to what and who I was on earth.

Laglag-upuan Hirit

Don't Say It is So Without Explaining Expectations

I might as well do something else.

There is nothing absolute in this planet only because we put our own limits and restrictions. 

I Thought I've Heard Everything Until This

My chrononaut has an interesting fact to share. Something that crosses her mind as she sniffs her Vicks Inhaler this morning.

"Do you know that the tip of our nose is as sensitive as our clit?"

I stare and it's like all the wheels carrying words in my brain just stop spinning.

"I don't know how to react to that. That takes the cake," suddenly I am able to describe my yanked attention on what she said.

She goes on and lets me know how sensual the center of our face can be. And the punchline includes mucous as a sign of a successful "O."

"I'm not going to particpate in this. I'm just letting you finish," I say in a very flat tone.

My chrononaut laughs so hard; if it's the end of the world, it'd be a happy demise for both of us because I'm glad that I make her laugh.

"I love you so much!" she submits.

"You're so weird," I tell her with a smile.

We are perfect for each other this way. 

Why is the Top Card the Joker?

I bet if we are paid each time we make a person laugh, we'd crash the stock market by now because of so much money floating around.

And then the world will be a better place because there will be no wars for the human race.

Unless some despot will announce that anyone who says a corny joke will be shot immediately. And the judge of what is corny will be the entire hardcore team of Kim Jong Un.

Dragon Eggs Tracker

How to breed your dragons.

Alpine

Coolfire [10] + Colossal [8] = Alpine (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Guardangel [4] + Edeluxe [2] = Alpine (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Apocalypse

Burning [10] + Bastark [10] = Apocalypse (72 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 62 hrs}

Archangel

Archangel [8] + Ninja [8] = Archangel (7 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 5 hrs}

Archangel [10] + Electric [10] = Archangel (7 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 5 hrs}

Archangel [10] + Pure [10] = Archangel (7 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 5 hrs}

Ice [10] + Archangel [8] = Archangel (7 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 5 hrs}

Metal [10] + Juggernaut [9] = Archangel (7 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 5 hrs}

Pure Flame [10] + Cold Star [11] = Archangel (7 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 5 hrs}

Toxic [8] + Archangel [9] = Archangel (7 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 5 hrs}

Armadillo

Fulltune [2] + Obserno [2] = Armadillo (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Pearl [8] + Flaming Rock [8] = Armadillo (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Aurora

Electric [15] + Flame [15] = Aurora (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Aztec

Glowpy [2] + Fulltune [2] = Aztec (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Guardangel [4] + Rebird [2] = Aztec (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Battery

Electric [10] + Platinum [10] = Battery (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Swin-jin [3] + Obserno [2] = Battery (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Blizzard

Gorgonia [3] + Rebird [2] = Blizzard (2 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 2 hrs}

Sea [10] + Cloud [8] = Blizzard (2 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 2 hrs}

Bride

Edeluxe [3] + Glowpy [2] = Bride (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Fulltune [2] + Edeluxe [2] = Bride (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Fulltune [2] + Rebird [2] = Bride (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Glowpy [2] + Guardian [4] = Bride (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Burning

Elements [10] + Hades [10] = Burning (17 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 11 hrs}

Vampire [10] + Metal [10] = Burning (17 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 11 hrs}

Cactus

Wizard [10] + Ninja [10] = Cactus (9 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 7 hrs}

Carnivore

Nenufar [10] + Dark [8] = Carnivore Plant (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Squidus [2] + Piercing [3] = Carnivore (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs

Centipede

Guardangel [3] + Piercing [2] = Centipede (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Star [10] + Nature [10] = Centipede (26 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Chameleon

Electric [10] + Terra [10] = Chameleon (9 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Hot Metal [10] + Hedgehog [10] = Chameleon (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Neon [10] + Armadillo [8] = Chameleon (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Terra [10] + Electric [9] = Chameleon (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Terra [15] + Electric [15] = Chameleon (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Cloud

Hades [10] + Dark Fire [8] = Cloud (7 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 7 hrs}

Glowpy [2] + Gorgoneia [5] = Cloud (7 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 5 hrs}

Colossal

Tesla [11] + Wizard [10] = Colossal (40 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 32 hrs}

War [6] + Terra [10] = Colossal (40 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 32 hrs}

Cool Fire

Coolfire [15] + Coolfire [15] = Coolfire (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Coral [10] + Medieval [10] = Cool Fire (15 hrs to hatch {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Laser [10] + Flourescent [8] = Cool Fire  (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Cold Star

Ice [10] + Archangel [10] = Cold Star (28 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 20 hrs}

Dandelion

Gaia [7] + Ice [10] = Dandelion (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Piercing [3] + Edeluxe [2] = Dandelion (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Dark Fire

Steampunk [8] + Zombie [8] = Dark Fire  (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Dark Stone

Dark [10] + War [10] = Dark Stone (40 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 32 hrs}

Deep Forest

Piercing [2] + Guardangel [4] = Deep Forest (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Dragonfly

Firebird [8] + Metal [10] = Dragonfly (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Metal [10] + Nature [10] = Dragonfly (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Ninja [10] + Metal [10] = Dragonfly (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Elfic

War [9] + Archangel [10] = Elfic (40 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 32 hrs}

Fallen Angel

Poseadus [2] + Squidus [2] = Fallen Angel (28 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 20 hrs}

Flame

Cool Fire [8] + Cool Fire [8] = Flame (24 secs to hatch) {breeding time: 24 secs}

Flaming Rock

Firebird [10] + Alpine [10] = Flaming Rock (24 secs to hatch) {breeding time: 30 secs}

Pure Terra [10] + Pure Flame [10] = Flaming Rock (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 30 secs}

Tropical [10] + Blizzard [10] = Flaming Rock (24 secs to hatch) {breeding time: 30 secs}

Vampire [10] + Terra [15] = Flaming Rock (24 secs to hatch) {breeding time: 30 secs}

Flourescent

Gummy [10] + Cool Fire [9] = Flourescent (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Hot Metal [10] + Ice Cube [8] = Flourescent (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Ice [15] + Aurora [13] = Flourescent  (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Ice [15] + Electric [15] = Flourescent (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Fossil

Ice [15] + Dark [15] = Fossil (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Gaia

Nature [10] + Sun [8] = Gaia (28 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 20 hrs}

Gold

Battery [7] + Zombie [8] = Gold (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Battery [10] + Zombie [10] = Gold (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Neon [10] + Battery [8] = Gold (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Gummy

Nenufar [10] + Neon [10] = Gummy (13 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 7 hrs}

Swin-jin [3] + Piercing [3] = Gummy (13 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 7 hrs}

Gurgle

Gorgoneia [3] + Fulltune [2] = Gurgle (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 5 hrs}

Gorgoneia [5] + Fulltune [2] = Gurgle (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 5 hrs}

Hammer

Gorgoneia [5] + Obserno [3] = Hammer (17 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 11hrs}

Hedgehog

Dark [15] + Terra [15] = Hedgehog (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Fossil [10] + Terra [15] = Hedgehog (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Hot Metal

Metal [15] + Flame [15] = Hot Metal (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Neon [8] + Steam Punk [8] = Hot Metal (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Howl

Toxic [11] + Gaia [9] = Howl (47 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 39 hrs}

Ice

Cool Fire [11] + Cool Fire [11] = Ice (17 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 8 hrs}

Ice and Fire

Edeluxe [2] + Rebird [2] = Ice and Fire (36 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 28 hrs}

Ice Cream

Hades [10] + Platinum [10] = Ice Cream (18 hrs to hatch) {breeding time:13 hrs}

Sea [10] + Ice [10] = Ice Cream (13 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Ice Cube

Blizzard [8] + Ice Cube [8] = Ice Cube (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Jade

Obserno [3] + Piercing [3] = Jade (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Joker

Elements [20] + Hades [20] = Joker (17 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 11 hrs}

Juggernaut

War [15] + Blizzard [16] = Juggernaut (40 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 32 hrs}

War [6] + Flame [10] = Juggernaut (40 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 32 hrs}

Justice

Archangel [10] + Terra [10] = Justice (28 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 20 hrs}

Fulltune [2] + Poseadus [3] = Justice (28 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 20 hrs}

Poseadus [3] + Fulltune [2] = Justice (28 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 20 hrs}

Poseadus [2] + Guardangel [4] = Justice (28 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 20 hrs}

Kratus

Dark [15] + Terra [15] = Kratus (40 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 32 hrs}

Pure Sea [9] + War [10] = Kratus (40 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 32 hrs}

Lantern Fish

Electric [15] + Sea [15] = Lantern Fish (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 7 hrs}

Luminiscent

Bastark [16] + Blizzard [15] = Lumiscent (28 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 20 hrs}

Gaia [8] + Gold [8] = Lumiscent (28 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 20 hrs}

Plankton [8] + Sun [7] = Luminiscent (28 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 20 hrs}

Poseadus [2] + Gorgonia [3] = Luminiscent (28 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 20 hrs}

Medieval

Battery [10] + Burning [10] = Medieval (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Blizzard [11] + Metal [15] = Medieval (14 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Burning [10] + Battery [10] = Medieval (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Glowpy [2] + Obserno [3] = Medieval (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Zombie [10] + Flame [15] = Medieval (14 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Mercury

Gorgonia [3] + Obserno [2] = Mercury (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Metal [15] + Sea [15] = Mercury (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Sea [10] + Metal [10] = Mercury (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Sea [15] + Steampunk [8] = Mercury (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Mermaid

Gorgonia [2] + Guardangel [3] = Mermaid (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Guardangel [4] + Swin-jin [2] = Mermaid (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Poseadus [2] + Rebird [3] = Mermaid (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Rebird [3] + Gorgoneia [5] = Mermaid (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Swin-jin [2] + Guardangel [4] = Mermaid (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Meteor

Vampire [10] + Terra [15] = Meteor (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 11 hrs}

Mojito

Piercing [3] + Edeluxe [2] = Mojito (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Red Woods [11] + Bastark [16] = Mojito (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Moose

Ice [15] + Gummy [10] = Moose (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Ice [15] + Aurora [13] = Moose (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Mud

Armadillo [10] + Petroleum [11] = Mud  (7 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 5 hrs}

Gorgonia [3] + Guardangel [4] = Mud (7 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 5 hrs}

Sky [9] + Sea [10] = Mud (7 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 5 hrs}

Terra [10] + Sea [10] = Mud (7 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 5 hrs}

Music

Swin-jin [2] + Rebird [2] = Music (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Nature
Coral [9] + Butterfly [9] = Nature (18 mins to hatch) {breeding time: 19 mins}

Naughty

Glowpy [2] + Piercing [5] = Naughty (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Neon

Gaia [7] + Ice [10] = Neon (6 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Sky [9] + Dark [10] = Neon (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Swin-jin [3] + Obserno [2] = Neon (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Nightwind

Ice [10] + War [8] = Nightwind (40 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 32 hrs}

Ninja

Armadillo [10] + Gummy [10] = Ninja (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Panzer

Metal [10] + War [10] = Panzer (40 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 32 hrs}

Pearl

Pure Metal [10] + Ice Cream [10] = Pearl (18 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Petroleum

Edeluxe [2] + Squidus [2] = Petroleum (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Hades [10] + Sea [10] = Petroleum (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Mud [9] + Dark [15] = Petroleum (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Plankton [9] + Rattlesnake [8] = Petroleum (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Sea [15] + Dark [15] = Petroluem (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Squidus [2] + Edeluxe [2] = Petroleum (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Squidus [2] + Gorgoneia [3] = Petroleum (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Storm [8] + Dark [10] = Petroleum (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Photon

Archangel [10] + Electric [10] = Photon (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 20 hrs}

Pirate

Mercury [10] + Burning [10] = Pirate (18 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 12 hrs}

Neon [10] + Coral [9] = Pirate (18 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 12 hrs}

Sea [15] + Dark [15] = Pirate (18 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 12 hrs}

Plankton

Guardangel [3] + Gorgonia [2] = Plankton (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Platinum

Cool Fire [15] + Bastark [10] = Platinum (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Edeluxe [2] + Obserno [2] = Platinum (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Metal [8] + Penguin [8] = Platinum (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Pure

Pure [15] + Archangel [15] = Pure (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Pure Flame [10] + Pure Terra [10] = Pure (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Pure Dark

Dark [15] + Pure [10] = Pure Dark (52 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 44 hrs}

Pure Electric

Electric [15] + Pure [10] = Pure Electric (52 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 44 hrs}

Pure Flame

Flame [15] + Pure [10] = Pure Flame (52 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 44 hrs}

Pure Flame [10] + Pure Flame [15] = Pure Flame (52 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 44 hrs}

Pure Ice

Ice [15] + Pure [10] = Pure Ice (52 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 44 hrs}

Pure Metal

Metal [15] + Pure [10] = Pure Metal (52 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 44 hrs}

Pure Nature

Nature [15] + Pure [10] = Pure Nature (52 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 44 hrs}

Pure Nature [10] + Pure Electric [10] = Pure Nature (52 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 44 hrs}

Pure Sea

Sea [15] + Pure [10] = Pure Sea (52 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 44 hrs}

Pure Terra

Pure Electric [10] + Terra [15] = Pure Flame (52 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 44 hrs}

Terra [15] + Pure [10] = Pure Terra (52 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 44 hrs}

Rainbow

Poseadus [2] + Obserno [2] = Rainbow (28 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 20 hrs}

Rattlesnake

Nature [15] + Dark [15] = Rattlesnake (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Red Rose

Guardangel [4] + Squidus [2] = Red Rose (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Piercing [2] + Rebird [2] = Red Rose (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Rebird [3] + Obserno [2] = Red Rose (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Red Woods

Nature [10] + War [8] = Red Woods (40 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 32 hrs}

War [15] + Jade [10] = Red Woods ( 40 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 32 hrs}

Secret Fire

Obserno [2] + Swin-jin [3] = Secret Fire (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Piercing [2] + Gorgonia [2] = Secret Fire (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Piercing [3] + Gorgonia [3] = Secret Fire (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Swin-jin [3] + Obserno [3] = Secret Fire (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Sky

Electric [10] + Terra [10] = Sky (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Swin-jin [3] + Fulltune [2] = Sky (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

Star

Fulltune [2] + Swin-jin [3] = Star (9 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 7 hrs}

Steampunk

Dark Fire [8] + Metal [10] =  Steampunk (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Flame [10] + Metal [10] = Steampunk (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Metal [10] + Flame [10] = Steampunk (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Steampunk [8] + Metal [10] = Steampunk (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Sun

Cool Fire [10] + Archangel [8] = Sun (28 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 20 hrs}

Flame [10] + Archangel [8] = Sun (28 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 20 hrs}

Glowpy [2] + Poseadus [4] = Sun (28 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 20 hrs}

Terra

Alpine [10] + Flaming Rock [10] = Terra (30 secs to hatch) {breeding time: 8 seconds}

Guardangel [3] + Fulltune [2] = Terra (30 secs to hatch) {breeding time: 8 secs}

Volcano [8] + Alpine [10] = Terra (30 secs to hatch) {breeding time: 8 secs}

Tesla

Electric [10] + War [8] = Tesla (40 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 32 hrs}

Panzer [11] + Electric [15] = Tesla (40 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 32 hrs}

Tiny

Poseadus [2] + Piercing [2] = Tiny (17 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 11 hrs}

Treasure

Guardangel [4] + Obserno [2] = Treasure (17 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 11 hrs}

Tropical

Fulltune [2] + Piercing [2] = Tropical (13 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 7 hrs}

Star [10] + Nature [15] = Tropical (13 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 7 hrs}

Two-headed

Nature [15] + Dark [15] = Two-Headed (36 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 28 hrs}

Piercing [2] + Squidus [2] = Two-headed (56 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 28 hrs}

Vampire

Dark [15] + Medieval [10] = Vampire (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Flame [15] + Dark [15] = Vampire (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Glowpy [2] + Squidus [3] = Vampire (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Squidus [2] + Rebird [3] = Vampire (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 13 hrs}

Venom

Terra [15] + Dark [15] = Venom (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Viking

Edeluxe [2] + Gorgonia [3] = Viking (24 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 16 hrs}

War

War [15] + Fossil [10] = War (hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 5 hrs}

Waterfall

Sea [15] + Terra [15] = Waterfall (4 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 4 hrs}

Wizard

Elements [14] + Archangel [11] = Wizard (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 32 hrs}

Elements [14] + Wizard [10] = Wizard (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 32 hrs}

Hedgehog [10] + Gummy [8] = Wizard (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 32 hrs}

Pure Sea [10] + War [15] = Wizard (19 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 32 hrs}

Wyvern

Meteor [13] + Tesla [10] = Wyvern (17 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 11 hrs}

Zen

Pure [15] + Archangel [15] = Zen (39 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 32 hrs}

Zombie

Bastark [13] + Burning [10] = Zombie (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Squidus [2] + Obserno [2] = Zombie (15 hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

?

Sea [15] + Dark [15] =  ( hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 12 hrs}

Metal [15] + Flame [15] = M ( hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 9 hrs}

Glowpy [2] + Delirium [2] =  ( hrs to hatch) {breeding time: 7 hrs}

Non-stick?

There is a relationship that is tested by a single teflon pan.

And sadly he flunks it.

Small Joys

Three pieces of hopiang munggo from Ate Gingging. She bought these for me from the local sari sari store because she said they ran out of pandesal. 

She did that voluntarily. I didn't ask. 

I'm taken care of. 

Thank you.

Why Not

I choose not to go. There is no reason to celebrate. 

Bogart's Tummy Glitch

Bogart, our 9-year old (in human years) dog, has a tummy ache. He vomits but it's all acid.

I pat him and say to him, "Oh pity! Your tummy is aching?"

Ximo interrupts, "Is he sick? Maybe we should take him to the doctor."

"Yea," I reply.

"We should take him to the pet shop. There's a doctor in the pet shop. Yea, he's a people," he suggests.

He cares for the dog and I'm not surprised. They grew up together. Bogey is two years older than him. When both were younger, the dog used to rock Ximo's playpen when he started to whimper. That worked each time and kept Ximo fine.

I look at Bogart and I see that he is okay now. Glad that there is no need to see the vet then.

Pam Sue Anderson on Ellen's

Five seconds on the clock. Name three things that you do on a date.

Pam answers, "Ahhh...kiss....oh have sex... Smile!"

Now those are expectations.

(Love that buzzer-beater answer, smile. Makes you wonder how Pam came up with this ending in her head.)

Loving a Chrononaut

I married a chrononaut and yet she doesn't know that she is one. She traveled back in time and found me - twice actually.

She is sexy. Very. Gawd, she makes me laugh; my heart and soul laugh with her. She is smarter than me because she lets out the humorous side of me. I am tickled by her snappy jokes. She knows how.

And she can call me as I am - an arrogant human being. I do not get offended because it is true from her perspective.

And i love Her.

Boundless by time and distance, i love Her.

Name on the Board

I saw it in a vision early this week. Aleixandre. It was a name spelled out on a white board. The male voice said that I can put the other name after it. And then I woke up and saw the time. It was barely past 2 am.

Last night there was a cute puppy in my dream. A small pup. I was touching the cute pup with both hands as it lay on the floor, belly up, all fours in the air.

The week before I found myself curious about Child 44, a movie. Today I read the synopsis of the movie and the setting is in Stalinist Russia. It reads that two brothers, Leo and Andrei, make up the conflict. Story begins when these men were little boys in the forest.

What can it mean, dear Saint?

Tic-tac-toe

You know what can get you somewhere else while surfing? Hashtags.

It's originally known as the number sign but this generation is changing it.

People, we revolutionize a lot of things like this number sign. We didn't leave it alone and simply have folks use it as the button that will connect their call to a local number. Or move on to other options in the menu.

Nowadays it's a powerful symbol to get information that may or may not be related to the topic. It's called a metadata tag.

Maybe blogger should include the hashtag symbol in their edit list. 

You Didn't Ask But Will Tell

Other than anything that plays music, my next favorite item in my room is the back scratcher.

I would always put indoor plumbing on the short list of man's greatest inventions.

There is no such thing as a favorite word. Or least favorite. Because expressions change all the time.

I drink two pots of hot green tea each morning regularly. And then I turn on the television and watch news after news for, oh, about three hours. 

I cannot be without my family. So I would rather stay home with them or we will go out together. It's like I am the koala and they are the branches of a eucalyptus tree.

Laughter is synonymous to attraction to me. You are sexy because you make me laugh. And it's easy to make me laugh. You just have to be  smarter than me. And when you can't be, you will start calling me arrogant. So be it.

Viral Photo Captures Me

I am in complete custody by the viral picture of mountain goats and a sneaky wild cat.

No. I cannot find it. For the love of tomorrow, where is it?

Where is the snow leopard? They said start in the center and move to the right. I did that, zoomed in and out, and just saw gravel - rocks and dried grass

Maybe I should familiarize myself with a snow leopard first. I don't know what it looks like. Or maybe I already do.

I can't find it. And neither can I find an excuse for losing this game. Help.

Shunned Politics in Thought Clouds

Hey, we are building a community over there in the disputed reefs where the chinese navy bully us.

Hey, we are not turning away refugees from another SEA country (just when the rest of our neighbors are responding to them differently).

Hey, we can transplant the refugees in the...

Not funny. Might work. Think win-win. Better them than us.

Benevolent macchiavelli.

[Migrants are towed out to sea by a Thai naval vessel near the island of Koh Lipe because the Thai government, along with others in the region, refuses to let them land. Photograph: Aubrey Belford/Reuters]

Talking Irony

I am watching CNN when I inform her that the news says there were base jumpers killed in the Yosemite Park in the US.

M: Ay, namatay. Sayang. Gwapo pa naman ang isa.

L: Bakit? Kung pangit, pwede na mamatay?

M: Oo.

L: (Laughs) Ganun? Ang sama mo naman.

M: Wag mo kong i-judge.

She laughs harder,

M: Nakuha mo ung joke ko?

L: Oo.

Good. It's a milestone each time she laughs at my jokes. 

Seriously, to die because of BASE jumping is a horrible death. It's a dreadful thought should our son be part of the statistics hooking up to this sport. It is not safe and it concerns me that these jumpers seize the moment as if IT has to be made. 

No, I will not understand this sport.

Test Pilot

Test pilots are often the quiet ones; known for taking role after role; experience not strictly required - but there's the major requirement that you know what and to whom you are going to be accountable for.

The work is actually opportunities that take shape in a nook, before mobilization, or the ecard and the buzz are released. You go through self-doubts, of course, and wonder when you can master the project. 

But you still manage to pull it off. Thanks to the adventurous leads who are confident to entrust you the job.

And today's morning a first.

Just when I think nothing surprises me anymore, there's an OOO thrown at me that makes me  read it twice.

Suddenly I am one of the coverages of a global lead in their OOO, and I only learned about it on the very same day that it happens; I cannot panic; it doesn't work that way and, besides, it's too late for that.

You know why it's read twice? I just want to know how long is the coverage. Or how long I have to be calm about it.

***

Can I have more coffee please?

On second thought, no more coffee. Coolers, I need those.

Formula Of Space

It's like a shop that opens and closes at a certain hour.

Others call it personal space.

I have little of that, voluntarily and heartily gave it up because I have a much better way of spending so much personal space for other means. Like how? Like showing you how I feel. Like loving you.

I have committed and dedicated that big portion of personal space and time to you. And it starts when I wake up or anytime I am interrupted from my sleep.
 

I have come to learn that my definition of personal space is not necessarily the same as yours. I have to wait. 

Wait for you to warm up. Otherwise, I will be treated differently. Or worse, be scolded because of my approach when I don't mean any harm at all. 

I realize that I do not want to redefine my meaning of personal space. I want to keep you here with me. Sharing my time - all of the seconds that run a minute and the hours that complete a day. Because without you, my space is not unique; it becomes lonely.

So I will wait until you see that my space is also yours, on top of what you already have. I will be quiet when you tick like a bomb that is about to explode and remain the same childlike partner, friend, lover and spouse that you already know.

I will wait outside as patiently as I can until you open your shop and let me in with a smile.

I was fishing

I don't respond well when you show me how irritated you are of me when all I want is to celebrate a loving morning with you.

In the first hour of the morning. On a weekend.

So I shut down. And will refuse to call you to let you be.

Naiirita ka when I just want you to like a poster that I shared, tagged you and put three hearts after your name. There, on my wall.

You say, ang aga-aga. And your tone is, well, unexpectedly not nice. We are miscommunicating.

When I saw that poster on the wall of a friend and I read it, it reminded me of you. Yes, ang aga-aga. I think of you ganyan ka aga pa lang.

Wala na. I already deleted it para di na lang pag-usapan pa.

I am processing your reaction and how irritated you feel. You didn't realize that I was referring to this. And I already backed off before I could explain what I meant.

Miscommunication sucks. 

A Perfect Pebble

I want to post this because it is important that I let you know that you inspire me to make my life better. 

So I will start it with this line.  When she left us, I was devastated. 

I am still in the devastation that she left. And I am glad that you are actually not beside me while I rebuild a part of my life. I am happy that I find you somewhere else - in the finish line. My finish line that tells me I'm over the devastation.

Seeing you there inspires me to continue my walk in a more strategic way so I can reach the end a little bit quicker. I want to start my life with you the way we should. The way we want it.

Thank you for just staying. For being there. And also here.

When this is done, I will find that perfect pebble to surprise you and place it in your palm. That is neither a promise nor a vow. 

That is my today and within all of my now is you.

Feelings In A Box

What happens when homemade ice cream is sold in a store? One, it goes commercial. Two, if it's really good, it might earn airtime spot in KrisTv. Three, it may become the next buzz.

Carmen's is the newest homemade ice cream that goes commercial. It is local and caters to the high-end market. Someone in their branding team definitely knows what to do. Because one of their variants is called He is not worth it.

That brand gets the attention - mostly of women who are known to be the shoppers that try-and-buy. Or women na may pinagdadaanan.

Branding should be candid, and sometimes you won't need a tagline anymore if it is THAT good. And if you want to boost your brand, the winning formula is to advertise capitalizing on women's feelings. Kailangan merong pinaghuhugutan.

Women love to think. They think about what happened, and the best way to remember life is through feelings. If you can create this in your storyboard and box it, you just might sell it once you get a very good voice that will stimulate the emotions of decision makers.

Mahirap talaga magpapansin. That's why the creative team is paid highly. From one who used to make money by creating tagline after tagline, I know so.

***

Ramon, one of my best men, actually told me about Carmen's a couple of years back. He's got integrity; he won't advertise if he thinks it's not worth trying. 

Do they have anything that's sugarfree?

Doodles

It was teacher's day in puerto rico on May 8th. This is for my gorgeous chrononaut who is smarter than me (she just doesn't recognize it and rather tells me that I'm a rockstar all the time).

This is a doodle made by Takashi Murakami and his Kai Kai Kiki team. It is called a kawaii doodle. Entitled First Day of Summer, it was posted on 6/21/11.

Doodle below is about the end of the mayan calendar. Posted on 12/21/12. The mayans predicted the very end of one of their technology's existence - their calendar. Apparently many people in the modern world interpreted it as the end of human existence. 

When artists commemorated the birthday of the father of origami, Akira Yoshizawa, he could have been 101 years old on 3/14/12.

In some countries, Mom's day is celebrated in March. This was posted in 2012.

I like google doodles. 

It reminds me a lot of drawings that my brother, Hoot, introduced me to when we were little.  My favorite memory is when he wrote the word 'boy' on a piece of paper and then drew a face of a boy wearing glasses by connecting the letters. I thought it was ingenious. You can find the word boy in that face.

I thought it required skills and a lot if imagination. So, yes, I practiced using other words like home, car and horn, the musical instrument. But my brother had this whole spiral notebook filled with his doodles. I constantly looked at it and was always wowed.

..which reminds me that I should doodle with my son one of these summer days.

Better Half

Minsan kase masarap ang may kahati...

Break Time

Minsan kase meron tayong pinagdaraanan...

A Little Boy That Cried

Here is a poem that our son read in his tutorial class today:

Once a little boy, Jack, was, oh! ever so good, 
Till he took a strange notion to cry all he could. 

So he cried all the day, and he cried all the night, 
He cried in the morning and in the twilight; 

He cried till his voice was as hoarse as a crow, 
And his mouth grew so large it looked like a great O. 

It grew at the bottom, and grew at the top; 
It grew till they thought that it never would stop. 

Each day his great mouth grew taller and taller, 
And his dear little self grew smaller and smaller. 

At last, that same mouth grew so big that—alack!— 
It was only a mouth with a border of Jack.

My 7-year old son is no Jack Crier, although he cried yesterday when he felt defeated by his lack of self confidence. We have a competitive son. He will not tell you the answer to your question right away unless he feels that he is confident. He will rather be quiet and let others answer.

Here is the thing. He actually knows the answer. 

How I wish that we will be able to let him know that there is joy in not knowing everything. That we are not expected to be all-knowing. A good leader knows who to call or to approach to answer questions that don't fall under their scope. 

So I'm taking it upon myself to make sure that we read short short stories that he can be able to narrate all over by himself. And that's when he cried yesterday because he said telling the story of The Hare and The Tortoise was difficult. But when it was only us two, he was able to tell the story.

I think he finds it a big challenge to please his mom. I cannot imagine the pressure he puts on himself just to make a perfect story.

I would rather raise a practical and smart son rather than one who is a perfectionist who tends to stand still in the face of difficulty. 

Laying Low Is Attractive

This is my first pinup.

I am disappearing from facebook this morning. I am going back to blogging, which is my first social outlet.

Why am I doing this?

At the end of the day, I want to feel freer in my posts. It's hard when you share your life experiences with the number of friends in your facebook, and most of them are people I don't even meet in real time anymore. It's hard because you have to consider their current mental state before posting.

And then there is that health brought back into my writings when I just let go.  There's going to be more vigor, maybe less the likes and comments.

Less the bother.

More of how I feel, of things that I wish I didn't know.

A whole lot of me.