Good Morning

Mornings have never been the same since the earthlings invaded my world.  Sleeping in now means sleeping till 8, sleeping late is now sleeping past midnight and my alarm clocks are now human.  Mornings definitely do not agree with me, ask Paco who was victim to my monster mornings for years.  Now I have Gael who makes me hug him in the mornings until I manage to smile.  And turn on the cartoons.

Class Act

The earthlings are back at Explorations and we couldn't be happier.  Well, I am relieved glad and Gael is thrilled.  But Aiden is Aiden so he is making things more difficult for everyone else.  This guy couldn't care less about school or his classmates.  Last year I asked him how school went every day and every single day he replied "I don't know."  Then I switched to asking what he did at school and he'd shut me up by saying "Nothing."

This year Aiden is in nursery and Gael is in senior kinder.  As I've mention way too many times I've probably bored you to tears, Aiden LOVES giraffes and penguins.  Now the class names or sections at Explorations are animals.  Perfect, you say?  Not quite.  As karma would have it, Gael is a Giraffe and Aiden is a Seal.  A Seal?  Yes, God help me, a friggin seal that in his penguin book is the enemy that preys on these flightless Arctic birds.

I tried to break it to him gently but he was in total denial.  "No Mama, I'm a Giraffe."  Alriiiiiight, what ever you say.  Whateeeeeever makes you happy, buddy.  And that was exactly what he had in mind.  After class he runs to his old classroom, bangs on the door, looks for his teachers last year and demands "I'm a Toddler Bunny!  I'm a Toddler Bunny!"   

I always look at the brighter side of things so I am grateful that Explorations is a cool school.  Not one of those rigid, Catholic schools that would be whacking him with a ruler or making him kneel on 25 centavo coins by now.

P.S.  If your child is a Toddler Bunny this year and is freaked out by some kid banging on the door, don't scoff.  Aiden knows where your kids' classrooms are.  We don't call him the little devil for nothing.

Is Homework Brain Gain Or A Total Pain?

Tomatis and Smart Parenting are giving away one Brain Gain Listening Program. This program is for kids who could improve in certain areas and consequently be better learners. It can increase capacity for absorbing and processing information, enhance focus and concentration when doing tasks as well as increase attention span in the classroom. After the program kids will also have better organization and ability to follow directions/instructions, decreased restlessness and hyperactivity and increased self-confidence and sense of well-being.



If your kids have a hard time focusing at school or keeping up with their class, this is the perfect program for you. It is non-invasive, holistic and stress free program. Promo runs till June 30, 2010. Go to the Smart Parenting online magazine and don’t miss it!

Father's Day F@c# Up

Two Sundays ago Gael had a birthday party to go to.  Aiden wasn't invited so after dropping off Gael and yaya at the party, I took him to Marta's Cakes for some chocolate cupcakes and a trip to the bookstore.  At Marta's there was a whole lot of Happy Father's day cookies and goodies.  Oh no!  It's Father's Day and I had no idea.  I personally hate all these Hallmark made occasions and don't care if my there is no Mother's Day at my house, but Paco is into them.  He's cheesy like that.  Thank goodness he is on a long working trip so not greeting him all morning won't look that bad.  We have the perfect excuse of time zones.  When we get home we Skype video chat, yell Happy Father's Day and everyone was happy.  Phew!  That was a close one. 

Yesterday, the boys come home from school with hand made Father's Day gifts.  Fathers Day again? WTH!  I check online and realize that Father's Day is THIS Sunday.  Great.  Who's going to look stupid now when the boys greet Paco for the second time on Sunday?

Oh well, its the thought that counts.  At least we greeted him.  Right?

Back To School Back Pack

I already mentioned how crazy Aiden is about penguins here and here.  So when I saw the penguin Skip Hop bag pictured below in magazines and on Topaz Mommy I had visions of the happiest Aiden in the world.  A happiness that would make me favorite parent for at least 6 months.  There aren't many penguin anything for kids out there, oh believe me me I know, and when I see a penguin I get a rush and grab it.  A penguin backpack would be the perfect back to school motivation this earthling needs and boy does he need some motivating to get his ass to school.

Off I go to Rustan's where the bags were available.  I don't find them anywhere in the store, just the usual diaper bags and character bags.  I ask a sales attendant where the Skip Hop toddler backpacks are and she doesn't seem to know what Skip Hop is even if their diaper bags are literally in front of her nose.  So she asks someone else and that someone else shows me the diaper bags.  When I tell her that I am looking for the kids penguin backpack she informs me that they only carry Skip Hop diaper bags.  Grrrrrr!  Rustan's and this woman are seriously getting me in a foul mood.  I politely (yes, I swear politely) tell her that I had seen it in magazines and it specifically said available at Rustan's.  "Ay ma'm, out of stock na." WHAT!!!!!  Didn't she just tell me they never had it.  What a lying, lazy ass bitch.  I really feel like yelling at her but think ommmmmmm thoughts and instead sarcastically say thank you.

There is nothing more agitating than bad service.  Especially at a store like Rustan's where they pride themselves with good and personalized service.  A couple of months ago I was seeing the Skip Hop in all media including Chuvaness and Heart 2 Heart.  Whats the point of doing a press release when there is no product or service to back it up?

Aiden got another school bag and doesn't seem to mind that it isn't a penguin.  He would have been kissing and hugging that Skip Hop one though.  And I would have gotten a gazillion mommy points.

Leftover Seconds ... Or Thirds

Do you eat your kids' leftovers or do you just chuck it down the garbage?  I almost always eat.  Come on admit it, I know I'm not the only one.  Especially when the food is really good.  What's that, can't finish your spaghetti?  Its OK you've eaten enough.  Mama will take care of it.  Woohoo!  Spaghetti!

Some days we have special wallet emptying meals like halibut or sea bass or scallops.  You bet I'm going to eat every last flake of fish that is left of their plates.  I might as well give Gael and Aiden the money to make paper airplanes with if I don't.

To boot, we live in a third world country.  Throwing away food when majority of the population can't have 3 full meals a day should be a bigger sin than gluttony.  I'm no expert when it comes to the religion, but sins would definitely be my forte.

There is no way about it, its a lose-lose situation.   You eat it and you're a gorging pig.  You throw it and you're unscrupulous.  So which will it be?  Tough choice.  Let me think that over with some left over chicken adobo rice.

WARNING: The Summer Hangover Is Here

Photography by:  Francisco Guerrero

Electric Robbery (Up Yours Meralco) Part 2

Meralco is hateful.  I got the most expensive electric bill ever.  Like everyone else I already ranted about them when I wrote about their electric robbery.  I took a long, good look at the bills this time and nothing makes any sense to me.  It may as well have been written is Russian.  Other than the distribution rate, everything else fluctuates from month to month.  And I am talking about the rate/kWh so it has nothing to do with the consumption.  Isn't there any government regulation?  How do they decide how much to increase?

Here is how the fuckers have been robbing me:

• GENERATION CHARGE (PhP/kWh):  It increased 21% in January 2010, 16% more in February 2010 and as that wasn't enough it was then increased 14% in March 2010.  In April 2010 in was decreased (yes you read that right, DECREASED) 23%.   Then up again 2% in May 2010.  As of this last bill it is 26% higher that the 2009 average cost.
• How can they increase the rate 21% in January 2010 then drop it 23% in April?  They lowered the rate after they received a lot of complaints and bad press.
• DISTRIBUTION CHARGE (Php/kWh):  It increased 10% in December 2009 but decreased 11% in January 2010.  Then it increased 19% in April 2010 and has remained the same every since.  It is 19% more than 2009.

Told you I took a long, good look at the bills!  So maybe you aren't into such nerdy percentages.  Here is another way of looking at this Meralco scam:

• August 09 and March 2010 consumption is almost the same but in March 2010 I paid 4,396.40 more.
• June 09 and April 2010 consumption is practically the same but in April 2010 I paid 2,498.05 more.

Consumption for this last bill was at its highest, so naturally I expected the bill to be higher.  But an increase relative to consumption, not an increase in the rate.  There is no justification for the ridiculous increment we've had in our electric bills.  The current generation charge is 26% higher than it was in 2009.  The current distribution charge is 19% higher that it was in 2009.  Meralco, are you are out of your mind!!!  Did salaries increase?  How many people got a salary increase of 26% or 19% this year?

Last I checked we were a third world country.  A year and a half ago I lived in Spain, I lived there for 11 years.  The electricity there has always been cheaper than here.  I didn't do any nerdy spread sheet comparison to dazzle you but I am almost certain that every single electric bill I had was less than any of the Meralco bills I have had since I moved back.  And there I had heating I used 24/7 around 5 months of the year plus a dishwasher I used everyday.

What is going on?  The only answer I can think of is that they are a bunch of assholes.  Every single one of us should write them a serious letter of complaint because they are absolutely in the wrong.  The last explanatory letter they sent us in the mail read *Dear Stupid, I'm going to rob more of your money.  Sincerely, The Meralco Assholes*.  And if you haven't yet join the Facebook Protest Against Meralco Electricity Price Hike.

Leap of Faith

Photography By Francisco Guerrero

Just For The Record

Today I wore another romper and we left the house happily.  No fashion fit from Gael like my last entry.  Just saying, it wasn't me.  It's not my legs.  He HAD to be having an off day.

The Obsessed Earthling

Aiden is the strangest sort of earthling, he is delightfully weird.   One of the more peculiar things about him is that he gets overly obsessed and fixated with specific things.  When he is into something, nothing else exists in his universe.  Everything else recedes  into the background then slowly vaporizes into thin air.  When he likes a book or an author he refuses to read anything else.  Just the same books over and over again for months, until I feel like plucking my eyeballs out so I can't possibly read them one more time.

About a year ago he never went anywhere without his yellow digger.  His life had no meaning beyond that miniature earth moving machine.  When he had the yellow digger in his hand he was in a happy place.  In retrospect I realize that it was merely a mild obsession, we had no idea what we were in for.

Soon after Paco bought Aiden the Surf's Up DVD and that was the beginning of a fatal attraction.  Penguins ruled his world and soon he worshiped the ice they waddled on.  Caught up in the frenzy I fed his obsession by getting my hands on anything penguin I see - which is not much!  He loved the documentary March of the Penguins.  He lived, breathed and dreamed penguins.  He memorized his penguin books and was appointed Youth Ambassador of the Emperor Penguins by the WWF.

His third birthday was a surfin' penguin party.  I would have totally broken his heart if it weren't a penguin theme.  When I asked him what he wanted to do for his birthday he said he wanted to go to Antarctica and surf with the penguins.  So bringing the surfing and the penguins to him was the least and the only thing I could do.  I made penguin streamers, origami penguins for the tables and downloaded a penguin font for this banner.  (And yes, I did notice the off spelling.)  If you weren't at the party you probably won't believe that I did all this.  Me doing anything crafty is big joke, trust me if there was penguin party gear anywhere it would have made my life easier.   In the invite I asked everyone to get penguin presents and Aiden got duplicates of every penguin toy in Metro Manila.  But its didn't matter, he was consumed by his large penguin family.

Everyone may have gone out of their way to search for that penguin present but Aiden decides that it may all be a bit much.  Perhaps he's had enough.  Come on, how many penguins figurines does anyone need? 

Time to move on, penguins were last season.  Its summer after all and in Aiden's universe giraffes are in.  The penguins have been demoted from the bedroom to the playroom now.  If he leaves home without a giraffe, the earth will split open, the oceans will spill over and it will be Aiden's giraffepocalypse.  (Sorry, I couldn't help it!)

Here we go all over again.

Little Fashion Police

Last Saturday I took the boys to get haircuts.  Gael picks out his new Googoo & Gaga shirt while I get Aiden dressed.  Before leaving we do the drill.  Have you both brushed your teeth?  Everybody pee now, mall bathrooms are dirty.  Gael brush your hair.  Aiden get that penguin out of your mouth.  Want to wear Crocs or sneakers?  We're leaving in 2 minutes.  Good to go?

"But Mama, YOU haven't gotten dressed." pipes Gael as he halts our exit march.

"What do you mean?  I am dressed."  I had a safari inspired romper that is pretty chic or at least I think so.

"No, you aren't.  Those aren't outside clothes, those are house clothes. You need to wear long pants."  He has always been a vain one, carefully picking his shirts since he learned to walk to the closet.    Maybe I do look like I just stepped out of bed from a long afternoon siesta.  I am standing beside the kid wearing the coolest shirt ever.

"Gael, we live in a tropical country and we are in a heat wave.  These are summer going out clothes."  I try to convince us both.

Tears. Tears.  Tears. 

You'd think I told him that superheroes suck or that Ben10 is a loser.  Or something as life shattering as that.  I try real hard not to laugh.  Hey, I didn't look THAT bad and my legs aren't THAT bad.  But it would be a good excuse to go shopping, wouldn't it.  When Paco sees the bills I can just say, but Gael said I need a new wardrobe.