Make Your Mark

'MAKE YOUR MARK’ is an art competition open to anyone worldwide. The competition has been organised by Daler-Rowney as part of their 225th year celebration. They are asking artists of all ages and skill levels to come together to celebrate art, by encouraging more people to paint and make their mark. This competition is about personal inspiration, so those interested can paint whatever you like. There are 4 categories: below 12 years old, under 16, full-time art student, and leisure painter.

I am encouraging everyone to be a part of this. With the ongoing preparation of Art In Site magazine's Covers Project, this can get the (dormant) artist in you going! I've shown this to Andee and boy, it's so good to see her intrerested. She just submitted an entry for a Christmas card cover sponsored by Scholastic Books with the theme, "Give the Gift of Reading". I sort of got her started when she was in Kindergarten when there was a parent-child competition sponsored by Phoenix Publishing, the 1st Golden Crayon Awards. It was a Draw-A-Book contest, with the theme "Spending Quality Time with a Parent". After an on-the-spot elimination process, her entry Tiny Turtle Tanya was to represent Miriam College Child Study Center to the contest finals at the World Trade Center in Pasay. ..and WON!!!

5th Commandment

"Prostitution is when a man or a woman lets someone else touch them so that they will get money".

This was how mama answered Andee's question about what prostitution is. Andee's lessons in school in their CLE class (Christian Living Education) now evolves under sensitive topics like this-- euthanasia, genocide, abortion, mutilation, subhuman living conditions, drug abuse, to name a few. All these are discussed under the 5th commandment, 'Thou shall not kill', which in context would really mean caring for human life and the human body. Which in turn, points to all the hullaballo thingi on the Reproductive Bill issue recently. My two cents worth: I'm for it. The bill doesn't go beyond or against what the Catholic Church teaches or believes. It mainly serves as a support or guide to educate those who 'might' end up going against the 5th commandment. It's more of a respect for oneself, their loved ones and their future. Sobrang babaw kasi ang nakikita ng iba. They tend to take the consequences literally and not the whole picture.

7 years sex education in school is not bad. I do think it is appropriate. In Andee's PE class they are now being taught about the female reproductive system..which again in my opinion is perfect timing because it is at that age where some girls begin to menstrate. I also believe that the modules being prepared for sex education will aptly be relevant information depending on the age of the student. In college during one of our psychology classes, we learned a very interesting topic about erogenous zones. But that's beyond my point hehe..got sidetracked! Anyway.. it makes sense. We definitely can't decide for others as 'life is what they make it'. And we can't make bantay to our children forever. Give them space to grow and learn and make mistakes, and learn again, then grow again to a better person. Proper education will make them curious I agree, but then as being more educated now, they can decide for their own and not end up "killing themselves or their future." Come on now... don't tell me all those who opposed to this bill is as clean as a whistle?

So going back to what Andee's reaction to mama's definition of prostituion?
"YUUUCHHHH!!! I don't like that!"
So study hard. Enough said.

Andee's turn

Andee showed me a certificate she received at school for placing first at their Grade 4 level Science Quiz Bee at school. Naks naman! With this I can proudly say na mana sa akin hehe! Science was a favorite subject for me in grade and high school. I remember sometime this month when she got home really upset because she was not able to answer problem solving Math questions. She cried. I think she got embarassed because her classmates were counting on her. Not to hard to appease her though as I recalled a stint when I was at 5th grade where I represented our class for a Math quiz-- and this was on stage with the whole student body present! (that time I was thinking, why the hell was I chosen for this?!?!) "Wow!" Andee was smiling. I only answered 2 out of 5 difficult Math questions! I didn't win, obviously. And I didn't cry. Andee was now laughing. Told her it doesn't make her a lesser person if she was not able to answer a question or two, as long as she was able to do her best (I don't think I did that time..eheh). And the best thing here is, she still has friends and they are still there for her! I did ok, right?

Beginnings

Received an email from Scott, my barkada Gel's hubby, bringing good news that Gel gave birth to Theresa Elizabeth last September 21st. Actually, it's more than great news. I remember Gel and I talking between raising a family or spending quality, bonding time first with Scott before she got married and left for Michigan. Descisions, descisions. Well, it's one that's worth it-- mainly based on fate, in my opinion. Kahit ano or papano i-plano, if it's meant to, it is and it will! Guess in his case, Gel got both-- now raising a family, and now even more bonding and quality time with Scott because of the baby!

In my other friend's case, Nannette, it is a combination of perhaps 'fate' and 'life is what you make it' drama. We (sort of) envy Nannette as she, for whatever reason, seemed to ba a 'boylet magnet'! Younger men fall for her-- and I really mean younger. But unfortunately, no real relationship ever blossomed. Mainly perhaps of the age difference-- we are looking at literally half her (our) age. And Nannette may be somehow skeptical with the thought as well. But...

Finally, she has now decided to really go out again, this time with someone older. Actually still younger, but definitely older that those early 20's boylet suitors she had. Count 7 years her junior. Not bad huh? Kilig nga eh. So there you go. Beginnings for them. As for me, I think I did na rin. Almost 3 years ago. Chika! :-)

Perfect and not-so-perfect.

PERFECT. Received Diego's 1st trimestral exam results and it did me proud. Gone were the days where I'd be so stressed to the bone, worrying whether or not he'd be doing well with his exams because he complains when we sit down to review or study.

All 5 subjects have 60 items, combined oral and written tests, He got 56/60 for Math and IQ, 59/60 for both Reading, and Language; and a perfect 60/60 for Science. Hurray!

NOT-SO-PERFECT.
Diego: (while eating merienda) "Si Fonzo (his classmate), nagweewee sa mat namin sa classroom!"
Baby, how did you know?

Diego: "Wet kasi yung mat namin eh".
Eh, bakit mo naman nasabi na weewee siya?

Diego: "Hinawakan ko kasi. Eh mainit eh! Di ba yung weewee mainit?!?!"