Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Seeing double

A friend emailed me this photo.

Cats, like people, have their own unique faces, personalities and what not. But as I saw this photo, I really had to do a double-take because this cute feline does look very much like Tygra! Well, disregard the similarities in coat pattern, the way this cat concentrates on getting to the shower reminds me on how Tygra looked while he was curious about a hanging leaf in one of our garden plants. The way this cat flexes its body for balance reminds me of how Tygra manages to do the same when he almost fell from our majhong table. And, the facial features of this cat IS unmistakably Tygra's!

There were instances when I would meet people or acquaintances who would look like people I know. There would be similarities in facial features, habits, etc. Funny now when you think about it, do felines mistake other cats too, to those they know? Hmmm......

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Lost

There are times when I wish to disappear to a place where there is peace, understanding and hope. But then again, it'll only turn out that I am running away....... and the place I've dreamt of is not where it seem it would be... because that place is just here after all... and it is I who has lost faith in Him.

Saturday, November 26, 2005

Splat on Black

Cafepress has introduced (at last!) black shirts! There had been tremendous requests and inquiries for designs on black shirts. As far as my stores are concerned, the only designs that are 'black-shirt-ready' are the warhol cats and a few of the cats-up-close collection.

I tried making designs for the other store, Kulay, but only managed to come up with these simple ones: Shapes and Splats! which will be housed, for the meantime, at JustCats.

If you know of a cat-person who would appreciate these as gifts, got more cat designs by the way, by all means...purchase! or ask them to visit the store. :-) While I'm still searching the job market, I'd appreciate a little boost in sales for Christmas!

Friday, November 25, 2005

LSS


"Ang matandaaaaaa...kahit kubaaaa......sapilitang tumindig-tindig upang kumendeeeeeeng!"

OMG!!!! This has been playing over and over my head for the past 2 days! I've got the LSS.."Last Song Syndrome"! My mom has been playing this tape over and over and over. Singing this song over and over and over! Choreographing it over and over and over, much to my kid's amusement.

This is an original song made by my mom's friend's friend, and they're gonna present it (dance it!) for their Lions Club's Induction on January next year. I could just imagine a dozen Lady Lions, aged around 40-70 years, dancing to this beat.

Would I dare watch it? I really don't know...for after this piece, the beat livens up and they put their hair down! "Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma ma yo quiero, ma ma yo quiero, ma ma yo quiero mama!..."

Thursday, November 24, 2005

Carrots are good for you!

"...A marriage is a friendship...a partnership...a promise. It takes A LOT of work to keep a marriage going. There's always A LOT of maintenance work. Humour needs to be there, too."

A good friend taught me that. And she sent this too.....

"...Here's something from Eleanor Roosevelt which I hope will lift your spirits anytime and anywhere: ..."

"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.'"


Thanks, Carrotte!

Sunday, November 20, 2005

Diego says....

Today Sunday, is another weekend when the house gets filled up with kids (my brothers, and mine) we usually show-off our kids' latest "talents" much to my mom's and everyone's delight! Here was what my 3 year-old has to offer....

"Diego, can you say stegasaurus? "
"TEGA-YOYOT!"

"Can you say brontosaurus?"
"BOINTO-YOYOT!"

"rhinosaurus?"
"WHAYN-YOYOT!"

"How about thesaurus?"
"TE-YOYOT!!!"

Friday, November 18, 2005

Firefox horror

Geeeez! I've been trying to fix this one for the longest time! Guess I should put a "Best viewed with Internet Explorer" tag. Mozilla Firefox users would get an unpleasant experience when My Scratch Pad gets viewed in their browsers. My blog's completely blown off in Firefox!!!! I tried tweaking things up but as things begin to look good in Firefox, IE gets 'jealous'! I can't seem to fix one without the other one getting blown out!

Mayday?!?!

Thursday, November 17, 2005

Subject: ZSAZSA ZATURNNAH: Ang Kagila-gilalas na Auditions-Ever!!


As I am subscribed to Tanghalang Pilipino's mailing list, receiving this particular email brings an overwhelming joy because of three things: One -- I love Zsazsa Zaturnnah. Two,-- the musical's really, really gonna push through (Feb 2006) , and three -- I get excited with anything that concerns any of my family. In this case, Cak, my brother.

From Tanghalang Pilipino:

*********************
IKAW NA KAYA SI ZSAZSA?

TANGHALANG PILIPINO ZSAZSA ZATURNNAH (ZE MUZIKAL)AUDITIONS - EVER!
When : November 29, 2005 2PM-8PM and December 6, 2005 2PM-8PM
Where : Bulwagang Amado Hernandez (Conference Room) Ground Floor, CCP MAIN BLDG.

REQUIREMENTS:
1. MUST BE AT LEAST 18 YRS. OLD
2. PREFERABLY WITH THEATER EXPERIENCE
3. CAN SING VERY WELL (We mean it!)
4. RESUME WITH 2X2 HEADSHOT (or bigger)

Auditionees must BELT OUT A COMIC RENDITION OF A SERIOUS SONG (a capella or accompanied by minus-one/music piece), complete with DANCE STEPS OR MOVEMENT (Yes, solo production number ito.)
NOTE: Wearing of costume is strongly encouraged.

Please register by phone beginning November 22, 2005. For more details, call the TP office at 832-3661 or832-1125 locals 1620/1621. (pero utang na loob, walang mga nakapagngingitngit na tanong para hindi ma-IM angmga dakilang taga-TP at mabagsakan kayo ng phone, ok?) =)
*********************
Hmmm... they didn't mention if they were looking for a girl or boy?!? What amuses me too is that it sort of gets to me like it was ZsaZsa Zaturnnah her/himself who's calling for auditions!

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Accio, Harry!


Today, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire will hit the movie theaters. Can't wait! Can't wait! Can't wait! In anticipation of the hoards of Happy Potter fans coming to watch the movie, most shopping malls will have HP4 showing in majority of their theaters. Partly of course for the fans, and also, to probably make up or offset revenues due to the almost 3 hours playing time.

This is the only movie that I make sure I watch on its' opening day. I really don't know why. It's the magic perhaps, or maybe I just wanted to be among the firsts!

Now..... who's gonna sit and watch with me through almost 6 hours of Harry and Goblet? Someone who has a good control of his/her bladder.. for 3 hours max! Wait, you might ask... "Did Reia say almost 6 hours?!?"


Oh, did you know that I ALWAYS watch a movie twice in a row? Wicked!

Sunday, November 13, 2005

Unframed Peacock.. pressed botanical art

This botanical art piece has been laying on a table in our home library, covered by a thick table cloth, along with 4 other pressed flower/weed art on recycled paper with fiber, roughly the size of one whole sheet of cartolina, that I've made almost 3 years ago to date... for the mere reason that I don't have the time to have it framed (aside from framing being sooo expensive here).

The tail consists of dried narra tree pods, and the weeds you see there serving as the tail is actually one whole thing... it takes the length of 1 1/2 newspaper spreads for pressing! The crown is pressed Bleeding Heart, this plant actually grew on the spot in our garden where two of my cats are ummm... resting, and now at the 'rainbow bridge' (kinda weird and spooky at the same time) . The pressed flowers that make up the body are red and yellow santan, malaysian mums, bougainvilla, caballero, and a yellow flower which name escapes me. The peacock's legs are pressed kamias flowers and the feet are a kind of weed found on vacant lots here.

Though the colors now are not that bright and intense anymore, this is still one of my pieces that I am extremely proud of. Framed or not.

Saturday, November 12, 2005

Awww, shucks!

I just wanted to thank Homer Jay for his description of My Scratch Pad in his Eccentric Father blogroll! He quotes:



My Scratch Pad - Reia is a Fabulous Filipina, an artist, a mom and she has cats. How can you resist?

I frequent his blog. I learned, I laughed and I loved it! He has an equally talented wife and adorable kids! How can I resist?!? Pay him a visit!

Endangered Species

I lost my mobile phone in a tricycle.

You could imagine how I must have felt! Only seconds when I alighted the tricycle and entered our house did I realize that my mobile isn't in my pocket anymore. The first thing that came to my mind was to call my number, hoping that the driver would hear/see it. My phone kept on ringing (I borrowed my mom's phone) as I kept on calling, while I 'jogged' back to the tricycle terminal only around a minute walk where I live. When I arrived at the terminal, it happened. Something that I dreaded to hear -- "..the telephone number you
dialled is out of coverage area or is turned off"
OH NO!!!!!!!

I couldn't remember the tricycle's serial number, let alone the driver's looks! There were 3 other drivers at the terminal who were reassuring me that my phone will be returned IF it were the driver who found it (though in the back of my mind, I really doubt it). I was almost losing hope because of the fact that my phone was turned off when I tried calling again. After several questions and answers, they came to a conclusion that it was a driver named 'Lakay' and was also confirmed by a little boy who saw me (and Diego) ride his
tricycle. One of the drivers, named Batang offered his ride to look for Lakay. We went around other terminals, in Marquinton, Midtown, and Marcos Hiway, but no Lakay. Until finally, he suggested that we head back to check. Sure enough, nearing their terminal, a driver of a passing tricycle called out to say that Lakay has returned. Sure enough, he was there.

These tricycle drivers, whose names are as unique as themselves-- Batang, Ikot, Luter, and Elmer, are endangered species alright! As for Lakay, well, I never did ask him why my phone was turned off, or why he didn't pass by my house to return it (I could just imagine how his fellow drivers 'gang-up' on him when he returned). But the joy of knowing that there are still people like the other drivers warms the heart! Hearing stories about lost mobile phones and not getting them back, where are the 'real' heroes? ... I thought they were extinct! That's what I thought...

I lost my mobile phone in a tricycle. And got it back after 20 minutes.

Friday, November 11, 2005

Back Home

Home at last! after 3 sleepless nights and 4 days at the hospital. Andee seems better now. She made friends with the interns and nurses, and 'enjoyed' her stay at the hospital. Except for, well,

  • the number of times (4!!) she had to endure the pain of the intravenous needle (three nurses had to hold her down!) because it comes off, due to her jerking, kicking, howling and all;
  • the times (2!) when she had to undergo a skintest to determine if she has allergic reactions to the medication; and
  • the number of times times (9!!) when antibiotic had to be injected via the intravenous tube (yes it hurts, while the medicine itself thick in consistency, one could feel it, like a burning sensation once it enters your veins).

It pains to see her in this situation. But I hope she learns from all this. She never really listened to us... rest, rest, and rest when you are sick. But no!! And this is what she got.

The first night she was asking for her dad, and was asking why the other kids have their dads with them. Nikki never really called the house-- after that fit with my mom (long bad story). When we were transferred to a private room on the second day, she again hoped that her dad was there (she just mentions this to me, not to her grandma-- (guess she knows of the situation). Last night, our last night there, at 8 pm after her grandma left, her dad came (got info from Diego's nanny). You could see Andee's face.. wide-eyed, brightened-up, smiling. Almost brought tears to my eyes. Nikki stayed by her side and Andee began talking, as if updating him on what had happened since her birthday (the last time they saw each other). She asked him to stay with
her till she slept. And he did. Then he left, but not without arguing again and digging up pasts.

I can't hide the fact on how bad I really felt because of the reason he visited. It was not because of Andee, though he says it is... but it was for his own self-reasons.

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Ooops! forgot...

I got this PM from a friend who was sort of wondering why I still hadn't posted the pictures of the pressed weeds I did for Siglo:Freedom, as stated in one of my blog entries. Sorry po! Tumatanda na kasi! (Getting older!) I've posted a few here.. installment muna ha?!? So it'll give me an excuse to post another entry! LOL

The colors are still there but not as intense as when I first made it (2 years ago!!!!) Again, they are mostly weeds. First one is pressed cosmos and santan. Second is pressed bachelor's button. The third, weeds from our garden, and forth, bougainvillas (which I learned that their colors lasts just one week!) Actual size is 5x7 More to come!

*** I'll be on 'blog-leave' for a few days, since I'm taking my daughter, Andee, to St. Victoria's Hospital here in Marikina (bronchopneumonia with asthmas accdg. to her pedia). I'm not sure how long but I just hope everything will be fine. She is scheduled also for chest xray and CBC. Till then!!

Monday, November 07, 2005

Stress-free cat


Tygra is finally getting his weight back! He still lounges in his favorite spot in our mahjong table in the terrace (or lays down in the middle of the garden-- my mom swears that she always mistaken Tygra as a big snake!!) and we noticed that his coat color and pattern seems to be getting more and more intense (maybe that's why).

He is finally stress-free! That big bully of a stray cat who always pester him is now nowhere to be seen and it also seems that Whiskas is doing wonders for him (used to be Friskies)!

Hmmm... stress-free..? big bullygone....alternative choice of food, or habit perhaps....

........wonder if it would work for me....hmmm...

Sunday, November 06, 2005

7-Week Countdown


I was visiting a friend's blog this afternoon and was "oh my!" surprised to realize when I read:

"...reminded me thru her blog, it's only 7 weeks till Xmas. ..."

I suddenly remembered Andee and my nephew, Jaki, doing one of their 'things to do' list when their semestral break from school started last week of October, which included, among others,..... paint a dinosaur, dance every morning, watch Barney and Mr. Bean, and PUT UP CHRISTMAS TREE BEFORE OCT. 7 ! They wanted to have the tree up before school starts. Sure enough, Andee remembered it but brushed it aside when my brother Earl, his wife and their 1 year old son, Hugo came over for lunch. Department stores, radio stations, tv, and papers are now doing their countdown! Maybe I should too....

  • 6 weeks before we stack up on menu ingredients for Christmas Eve's "Noche Buena" and Christmas Day lunch
  • 5 weeks before last minute Christmas shopping
  • 4 weeks before we finally see who would be the big winner of Pinoy Big Brother
  • 3 weeks before I officially put up Christmas decorations, lights, and of course, our 8-foot Looney Toon inspired Christmas tree
  • 2 weeks before I officially put up Christmas decorations, lights, and of course, our 8-foot Looney Toon inspired Christmas tree to surrender to the kid's constant reminders..read: "can we put up the tree NOW? " , and
  • 1 week before I could finish my Christmas naughty and nice list, and put up Christmas icons in my stores and blog!
    • 7 weeks. Hmm, sounds a long way till Christmas, but then again, it'll suddenly be just "around the corner!"

      Thursday, November 03, 2005

      Warhol-styled Cats

      My head ached the whole weekend. I was really trying to squeeze out every creative juice my brain could come up with!

      I've finally managed to finish my latest collection for my Cafepress store, JustCats. The designs are Andy Warhol-style inspired. He was well known for creating ink images with slight color changes. Warhol's signature style used commercial silkscreening techniques to create identical, mass produced images on canvas, then variations in color to give each print of an edition a different look. Imagine photocopying in black and white a favorite photograph, then coloring it!

      I concentrated with dark outlines and solid colors, well, not exactly 'warhol', but I liked his effect. This cat-lover of an artist is much identified with Pop Art. Eye-catching, yes?

      Below is a set of framed tiles from JustCats in my new collection.

      Wednesday, November 02, 2005

      Of ghosts, spirits and dwarves

      Halloween, All Saint's Day, All Soul's Day.

      All that was shown on television were documentaries and news about ghosts, spirits, and the unknown. My kids would watch these shows too, but not without the preliminary pleading and tanrums, AND the expected 'stay with me while I sleep' post-tv horror/ghost show rants. Shows like these interest them, probably because they had first-hand experience with the 'supernatural'.

      Andee and Diego had been seeing some 'things'. Andee, most especially... dwendes (dwarves) , white ladies, and a kapre here in the house. A white lady looking at her from the window, or from our gate. Dwarves (3) who would tickle her feet in the morning, or invite her to visit their home near our kamias tree, or who just watch her from our garden. The kapre whom she saw, once, inside our house (minus the cigar).

      I've had my share too. Something that would merit a story for Nginig! Aside from seeing (mostly) spirits here at home and office, I've seen dwarves and well, was courted by one, or rather, was 'mated' by one. Well, yes, I was shocked too, when my kids and nephew got sick for no reason and no medicine could heal, and had them visit an 'albularyo' or 'manggagamot' only to find out that it was me she wanted to 'treat'. Which exlains why my monthly period lasted more than 5 days (and heavy flow at that!) instead of the usual 3; why I have 'small, collective' bruises in my inner thigh, why I feel that I've been 'used', and mostly, why I've got blisters, wounds and scabs on both my legs which never seem to heal.

      I apparently 'lost' his baby, according to the albularyo. There were lots of thing that happened that time (Dec. 2003-Jan 2004) But to make the story short, I had to do a food offering in our garden. I was treated with coconut oil mixed with various leaves, barks, stones and chants-- the wounds were gone in about 3 days. Since then, I've been seeing spirits that are more 'solid', so to speak-- a kid in our room, a tall man in my brother's room, my uncle, a woman-- not the usual peripheral vision sightings. And yes, the dwarves too.. they are still here, the 3 of them.

      Hard to believe? Spirits, no, but dwarves? Yeah, at first. Well, I never saw any connection until my brother mentioned a picture of me long ago as a child, which, when our nanny saw it, was torn to pieces and thrown away. The picture? It was me in the garden. And in the background, a dwarf standing by a flower pot.

      Tuesday, November 01, 2005

      My dad and All Saint's Day

      It's All Saints' Day today and we've just got back from the cemetery. It has been a tradition for us to visit my dad's and grandfather's grave, though this year, we didn't spend the night there, like we always do.

      My dad died in 1989, 2 weeks after my college graduation. I always had that feeling that he just waited for me, his only daughter, to graduate. Papa had two other sons by his first wife who neither graduated from college (they got married early). Aside from that, based on a story my mom told us, there was a time (I was in high school then) when the doctors found a mass of some sort in my dad's liver, I think, and it was not really good news. My dad, the nervous-wreck that he is, which is ironic since he's a lawyer, decided to seek a second opinion. Before another series of tests, he visited the hospital chapel and did what he had never done in his life-- read the bible and feverishly prayed. He asked for strength and another chance at life. Apparently, my dad said.. (from my mom's exact words) "gusto ko lang na may magtapos na anak ko"..("I just wanted to see one of my children graduate"). A few days later, the test results showed no mass whatsoever. Nilch. None. Zero.

      My dad died in 1989, 2 weeks after my college graduation. He died of aneurism of the aorta.