Waiting, after school

"Waiting for Wednesday..."

My imaginary friend asks me, why wait for Zoe after her preschool class? You could always delegate this, ask the yaya to go to her preschool and do the waiting and the fetching, just like the other mommies out there.

I wait. Because I still could. I still have the flexible hours to back this up. And I wait. Because I like the way she smiles when she comes out of the class room. I like the way her face quietly lights up, knowing that mommy was out there with her, just as she needed her. I like her quiet calmness at school, amidst the chaos of all those crying children longing for something they can't express. At this moment, she has this quiet calmness, that quiet confidence that she will get what she wants, that confident patience that she doesn't need to cry to express herself. I am amazed. And proud.

I hope...that she will retain this sense of calmness, this sense of awe, this sense of quiet excitement regarding schooling. Some say schooling can destroy creativity. I am hoping nothing can destroy her sense of self.

The Comfy Cab and the Power Lightning

It was a cloudy afternoon when I rode the taxi cab from McKinley Hills to Ortigas. First of all, I was lucky, I got to ride a cab at once. Secondly, the cab was really nice, not dilapidated, and looked really new. Thirdly, the taxi driver took a shortcut, so we got to circumvent C5 and Edsa traffic. It started to rain really hard when we were near Sheridan, normally just around 5 minutes from my actual destination. From the cab, I could see the lightning bolts touch the different skyrises around the area. Lightning bolts are scary when you're in the receiving end of it (and here I remember the story of the girl who was struck by lightning while hiking), but from my vantage point inside my cushy, comfy taxi cab, it was awesome. God displaying His artistry and magic, His Power and His Might.

Amazing that a thing of beauty has more than enough power to kill you off.

Because of the rains and resulting traffic, I was 15 minutes late for my scheduled appointment. Everything happens for a reason though, and the lightning show reminded me that there is a more powerful force than ourselves at work here. It's all good.

Redux Baguio

Nippy weather, a warm fireplace, and SMART GPRS connectivity FTW!

Thank you for a safe trip.

Bon Appetit!

Today, it is food.

A good lunch with DH at the McKinley Hill Piazza.

And a great buffet dinner at Makati Shangrila's Circles Buffet, for free!

Thank you for food.

And thank you, to the persons who treat us to good food, and for the opportunities that enable us to have this little luxury.

Bon Appetit!

Happiness Whirls

DD and DH at SM Mall of Asia's Merry-Go-Round.

Happiness whirls.

DD had to pay full price though, because she was more than 3 feet already. She's less than 3 years old though, so of course we wouldn't be comfortable having just her sitting on the horse (plus she wouldn't be able to get on top of the horse on her own). So it's weird that the adult has to pay also to just stand beside her. Hehe, I guess I just got so used to DD always getting in for free. Soon, may bayad na din sya sa Disneyland or Universal Studios!

Dumaguete and Siquijor 2010

A dive trip with Jao and Michelle, and a quick side trip to Siquijor.

We've been to Dumaguete and Siquijor before, but this time, chill lang!

Dumaguete: Diving was great. Even if I haven't dived in a long time, parang kailan lang. Our first day took us to the Masaplod Sanctuary in Dauin. Nice dive site, and our last dive for that day saw us being chased by 3 giant triggerfish. Who knew it was possible to shout underwater!? Jao can! Actually, she said she also sings underwater. I should try that sometime. Hehe.

Our second day saw us dive some sites in Apo Island. Still cool, saw schools of jackfish (mamsa), but not as plentiful as what we saw last time we were there.

We stayed at Harold's Inn (sulit). Free wifi, free continental breakfast (toasted bread, tea and coffee).

Siquijor: Sarap! We stayed at Coral Cay resort, and just basically chilled! Had drinks and sumptuous dinner at night, then kayaked and just bummed around the next day. Free kayak! And a beachfront cottage! We splurged, yes, but it was still PHP 1600/cottage! Pwede na!

Thank You Bro

While urging DD to take her afternoon nap, she, out of her own volition and with no prompting from me, started praying:

in the name of the father

and of the son

and of the holy spirit

thank you bro

punta kami school (we did go to her preschool earlier in the day)

punta kami mcdo (and we ate chicken nuggets at mcdo, as she requested)

punta kami...ay wala na. (natawa ako dito, umuwi nga naman kami after those activities)

thank you bro! (akala ko tapos na, di pa pala)

tulog kami, punta na kami mall. (I did promise her she'd go to the mall after her nap)

uwi din kami bahay (don't forget the final step, have a safe trip home!)

thank you bro!

From me: Thank you Bro, for such a thankful child.

Sushi Katsu

My dad wanted us to have Sunday night dinner, and he mentioned a resto he read somewhere in the Inquirer. "Sushi Katsu" he said, somewhere in Tomas Morato. Since it was Father's Day weekend, I decided to google the resto and try to reserve a table for us.

Sushi Katsu opens during lunch and dinner only. Dinner hours start at 6pm. At 6pm, I decide to call their listed number.

The line rings. The other line answers: "Sushi Katsu"
Me: "Hi, I'd like to reserve a table for later"
Sushi Katsu: "We don't accept reservations. Punta na lang kayo mamaya."
Me: "Ahh. So punta na lang kami mamaya?"
Sushi Katsu: "Yes"

One of the online reviews mentions that Sushi Katsu isn't usually full. The resto serves Japanese food prepared by a Japanese chef, and the food is supposedly good, so why not try it? We arrive at the resto around 7pm-ish. The resto is full. We request for a table for 5.

Sushi Katsu: "May reservations kayo?"
Me: "Wala."
SK: "Kailangan may reservations po."
Me: slightly irritated already. "Tumawag ako kanina, sabi nyo di na kailangan ng reservations eh"
SK: "Kailan kayo tumawag?"
Me: "Kanina lang."
SK: "Wala pong table eh, kailangan may reservations."
Me: Angry, and breaking the cardinal rule in eating out -- don't express anger before being served the food! "Eh tumawag ako kanina sabi nyo pumunta lang, di na kailangan ng reservations. Sana sinabi nyo na lang na kailangan ng reservations."

I didn't want to disappoint the dad though, so I stepped out first to cool off. DD was a bit noisy at this point, you know, just shouting a bit having fun, playing hide and seek while screaming a bit. Normally I'd shush her, but this time I just let her shout as loud as she wanted. I was irritated, and so what if the restaurant patrons were irritated. Haha.

To their credit, Sushi Katsu offered to find us a table -- "gagawan na lang po ng paraan". After some time (medyo matagal, I wanted to step out already), they did prepare a table for us.

Food
Food was ok and my expectations were met. We had sashimi, sushi, sukiyaki, teppanyaki, ebi tempura, ebi fry (magkaiba nga sila!), agedashi tofu. My dad says the agedashi tofu was good. DH felt it was just so-so. Rumor has it, the Japanese chef also prepares okonomiyaki, although we didn't try to order it anymore that time. There were a lot of customers streaming in, so people obviously think the food is good.

Service and Ambience
There were only 2 waitresses to service the whole place that night (plus, I assume, the owner's wife), so service was understandably not that fast. But you can see they try, and even in the hectic-ness of it all, they were still courteous and smiling. [Nag-tip kami! And when we got a table, mabait na ako.]

Interiors were simple. They had nice wooden tables and chairs, and I liked the solidness and simplicity of the furniture. The restroom was clean.

Verdict

Overall, this is one place I wouldn't mind returning to (when it's not so busy). I'm not an expert in Japanese food, but I do like to eat, and yes, it was delicious. Do try it.

The Hunt for Z's Preschool

Ok, maybe writing it down can clarify things.

Choices narrowed down to 3 (or maybe 4. Ok, 3).

Preschool 1: Preschool/playschool walking distance from our home. But DH doesn't like it because he once saw a cockroach zoom past in the playroom, indicating that it's not that clean. The yaya also mentioned that sometimes the teacher is a bit lazy in teaching, especially if there aren't that many students. And my initial impression was the teacher wasn't that capable. But maybe I was wrong.

Plus points: near the home, and relatively affordable.

Preschool 2: Affordable, but DH is hesitant since it might incur some lifestyle changes on our part. ("Got to be conventional, you can't be so radical" comes to mind) Reading and writing won't be taught early. And we know how we want our kids to follow convention and at least appear smart and capable right?

Plus point: affordable. And I like that they'll eat healthy food during class. And that they'll have this opportunity to see the world in a different way.

Preschool 3: Ok, this one's colorful. DH likes this one better. At first I did like this better, since it was also accessible by public transpo, had a big field, and big large slides that DD liked. But compared to Preschool 1 & 2, it's more expensive, although it was the least expensive of my initial shortlist. Nagbago na kasi yung shortlist, nadagdagan bigla ng Preschool 1 & 2. I liked the lifestyle choices espoused by Preschool 2. But here she will learn to read and write. It's supposed to be progressive, so hopefully, no pressures. DH likes this better. And...I guess I can just learn to make healthy snacks then. And...bawas bawasan ang luho para ma-afford.

So...I need to pay later. Ayush.

WOW (Words of Wisdom): Make sure you have enough savings before getting married. Because once you get married, hindi ito nadadagdagan. Been married four years already, everytime I add to my personal savings, something eventually comes up to make me subtract from it. So actually, quits lang. I guess kung ano yung na-save ko 4 years ago, yun pa rin ngayon. Pero no regrets. I have great experiences and great memories. Nasulit din naman yung gastos. =) It's not always about the money.

More WOW: it's just preschool. chill. next year, major decision on schooling.

License to Drive

Though I'm a generally happy person, I'm also cynical by nature, and putting up a Thankful 365 entry that's entirely cheerful is kinda difficult. I doubt anyone is really interested in all of these Thankful 365 entries anyway, so I interrupt regular programming to give you a feature on some useful stuff that you'll hopefully need.

Today's topic: How to renew your Philippine Driver's license.

Why am I writing this? Because when I was trying to renew my license, I didn't find enough information to adequately prepare me. I mean, my knowledge was all based on previous experiences, and some areas even caught me by surprise. So, hopefully, this entry lessens the surprise for you and prepares you for what to expect.

1. Verify if your license is expired or not. Preferably renew your license before it expires, because renewal after expiry entails a fine (from PHP 75 to PHP 225).


2. Check the LTO website on where the most convenient renewal center is.


3. Go to that center and renew


• Aside from the renewal fees specified in the LTO website (PHP 417.63 in total), you also have to shell out almost PHP 500 for the medical exam (urine lab test, etc). So make sure you have enough cash.


• This step assumes you're just renewing your license and not changing anything else (ex. change of name, address, etc). If you have the need to change anything, or you're replacing a lost license, better renew your license in one of the LTO offices instead. You can check the LTO site for an office near you.


• There is usually no line an hour before closing time (for the renewal centers)


4. After you go through the hassle of the urine exam, having your picture taken, having your fingerprint taken, and affixing your imaginary signature on your pretty mugshot, the LTO personnel will then check your records with the main LTO database to check if you have outstanding tickets or unpaid traffic fines. If you do have outstanding tickets, you're screwed! No, really, you are. But don't sweat. You just have to go to MMDA's main office in Guadalupe to contest/clear your name/pay your fine. If you feel you've paid for the said offence already, you better have proof of payment, otherwise, you'd have to line up and pay all over again. Then line up again to have a "certificate of clearance", then go back again to the LTO office to proceed with your driver's license renewal.
   
   Don't worry, they won't be taking your picture again. So make sure your first mugshot is perfect.

It's that easy. On a good day it can take 2 hours, if you're unlucky it can take you 2 days. Whatever you do, keep your cool, smile (because people help other people who smile, really), and always keep your traffic fine receipts.

Let Me Dream

My body clock is broken/misaligned/confused.

I'm still awake at 4AM! It's been this way for weeks already. I am thankful though, that DD has not inherited this craziness. Yet.

I find it funny that when she tries to sleep, she closes her eyes tightly, kitang kita mo yung effort to close her eyes. When her face is all relaxed, ayun tulog na.

Coffee Dreams

Today, B. said, let's claim our free Starbuck's drink from HSBC. Then, I can stay awake tonight so we can watch a DVD movie.

Okay, I said. And we walked and walked to the mall to claim our free drinks. Then we walked back home, and put the daughter to bed.

Immediately after lying down, B fell asleep. Even before the kid. Oh well. At least the intention was there, right?

Thanking:

• free Starbuck's drink from HSBC's promo (every single receipt purchase worth at least 2K using your HSBC card gets you a tall Starbucks drink for free)
• B. for reading DD a story before conking out
• Microsoft Excel, because I've been budgeting like crazy
• coasting by. For now.

Bringing on the Revolution

Here's Sir Ken Robinson's follow-up to his 2006 talk "Schools kill Creativity". Uploaded in TED just a few weeks ago, this is "Bring on the Learning Revolution"

Since I was contemplating preschool for my preschooler, I kinda really took what he said to heart.

Some highlights for me:

• Education needs to be transformed into something else.
• Challenge what we take for granted
• The tyranny of common sense - a roadblock to change
• "Education, in a way, dislocates very many people from their natural talents."
• College begins in kindergarten...not! Words of wisdom: "Kindergarten begins in kindergarten."

To end his talk, Robinson quoted from W.B. Yates -- "I have spread my dreams under your feet; tread softly because you tread on my dreams."

"And every day, everywhere, our children spread their dreams beneath our feet. And we should tread softly." - Sir Ken Robinson

Listen on, so you can find your own nuggets of wisdom, and hopefully, bring about our own revolution.

You say you want a revolution

Well, you know

We all want to change the world

- The Beatles, Revolution

God Knows Hudas Not Pay

Look what I found while taking a walk down a QC street. A poster for Termicon! The termite specialist that did not honor their commitment to us.

"Free inspection" my ass. It's not our (the customer's) fault that one of their employees became "rogue" and allegedly sprayed our house on his own, pocketed the money, and refused to do the follow-up services. We (the customer) contacted them through their legitimate numbers, and thus were expecting that it was the legitimate company who we were transacting with.

I hope people google them and find this! How did they fool us? Read this! Hmph! Government could not help us, but at least there's the internet where we can spread the word. Don't be fooled, don't transact with shady termite exterminators like Termicon!

Kids and Schools

Zoe's last day at the playschool near our house.

"All kids have tremendous talent, and we squander them. Ruthlessly."

- Sir Ken Robinson, in a TED talk given in 2006 wherein he says "schools kill creativity".

Next parental dilemma: to enroll or not to enroll for this school year. If yes, where to enroll? Funds are tight, so I don't really want to be too OA regarding the preschool. After all, the goal is for the kid to have fun while learning. I don't want her to be traumatized or pressured, but I don't want her to learn bad habits either.

Next year's dilemma: deciding on an actual big school for the kid. Huhu. We've sort of shortlisted some schools, and I have accepted already that my goal of having the kid enroll in a progressive international school that teaches Chinese is impossible -- I can't afford it! Sh*t. =D

Oh yeah. This blog is supposed to be about being thankful. So, I'm thankful I still have a choice, even if those choices are limited. I am thankful that we were able to enroll the kid in playschools, that she enjoys it, and that she's always excited to go to school. Her favorite period in playschool though is recess. "Kain na tayo?" Hehehe. Kahit bata, merienda time ang favorite!

Princess Fiona

A kind security guard gave us a Princess Fiona head cap while Zoe and I were eating ice cream at a fastfood place in Cubao. Super happy ang bata, Shrek is her current favorite!

Kiddie Bravery

A great swimming lesson for the kid today! It's her last day of swimming lessons. She was able to do bubbles, hold her breath under water for 10 seconds, swim underwater towards me, and she wasn't afraid or crying before she did it! Yehey!