a raconteur’s attempt

I haven’t done much of book reading lately. With the computer and the new baby, what a pity for my ‘Book Talk’ section.

The sneak peek of The Devil Wears Prada http://imdb.com/name/nm1916979/bio prompted me to backtrack on my have reads. I was not that awed with Lauren Weisberger’s writing genre. She’s good no doubt about that. But, if you have tasted Sophie Kinsella’s  works first, the prior author mentioned would be a second fiddle.

Sophie’s Shopaholic series novels made it bigger than  her two books I’ve read, The Undomestic Goddess and Can You Keep A Secret.  Made me laugh and recommended it to all my reading mates. Then I got the same feedbacks-hilarious.

Both  ladies are basically same in style, easy reads, light and comedy though Sophie is vividly funnier and inventive. They love the ‘Ally McBeal ‘ type of character. Again Kinsella is faster in flow, one of my musts to like a book.

Just me talking: maybe the title, ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ made Lauren more catchy to the movie makers. Besides, in today’s signatured  conscious world and women as the dominating viewers, indeed merely PRADA is a driving force.

Know what, Boogie(my husband) read this Prada book before I did. Who said its just for girls!

I’ve been going over to some blog links and it froze me a bit. When they describe themselves in ‘ABOUT’,  they tell how many vintage cars they own. Some, they traveled almost all parts of this earth. Others, they are IT executives narrating what their fat bank accounts could do and the list goes on.

A blogmate told me to create an account on other sites where bigger opportunities on collecting ads and be paid for are possible. Another reason she said, is expanding if you want a more aggressive reading public.

Wheeww! Made me think on where to categorize my writing. Going all over, I blog mostly on my children or my family in general. I’ve got no wealth to brag about and almost 7 years here, I only went as far as Milan.

<span lang=”EN-US” style=”FONT-SIZE: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-ansi-language:

After feeling a bit frail, guilt sank in. Why should I grip on insecurity when I’m writing on what I love to talk about? It may be the only thing I know but they are real and tangible beings who could hug me back. A phone call from my dad, a kiss from my husband, a car drawn by my son and a smile from my sleeping baby, these are my reminders that life’s simple pleasures demand simple needs. And in these pleasures, the comfort of fulfillment defines my true happiness.

Ooooppps! Was that me?  I guess I’m still dizzy with my blog peeping. Its just a dreamy thought of a struggling blogger perhaps.

<

HERE’S AN ARTICLE FROM ‘THE GUARDIAN’, A FOLLOW UP POST TO MY ASSYLUM OF PRE MADONNAS. A REMINDER THAT I’M STILL ALIVE!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/italy/story/0,,2017609,00.html#article_continue

On our way home from the park, my son Lukie spoke out of the blues and said, “sono contento!”(I’m contented).

It was my husband’s day off  and we decided to go out for a walk and buy pizza then we’ll eat  it at the park. I think I had more fun than my boys.

Hearing my son express his joy reminded me the feeling of  once being a kid so happy after a one fine day with my family.

Our parents used to take us out on weekends or holidays. Burnham Park, Asin Hot Spring or at the beach on birthdays, Christmas or New Year.

Other times we go for a swim at Labey, a river connected to Ambuklao Dam or the river in Babatan( our farm).

Sometimes we go pick guavas at Nalseb, Babatan or Ba-ayan(connecting sitios of our place).

Other times my dad would just take us to the mountain near our house and  we eat what he packed for lunch with Coke as a treat.

Some week ends, my dad who’s always invited to ‘canaos’ or chosen as ‘ninong’ during weddings.  One big family will tag along packed in our blue Ford Fiera . Our help would come including the boys who are working for my dad. Its like a ‘buong barangay’(whole town) when we go out.

Quality time with your love ones! Its what I’m yappin’ here. It’s a foreign phrase to us sometimes when we try to cope with the piling bills and other responsibilities or simply, when we’re too busy. Its also a time to consider when the computer is getting much of our attention. And I’m sure of this, its also one of the things that keeps and makes a family.

“Sono contento”! I hope to hear this often from my children. A reminder for me to - “yaw, take it easy out there”!

Its Carnevale CARNEVALE mania again . My son, Lukie,  came home from school yesterday with his ‘pimpa’ long ears and his face painted with white and red. He was in a bad mood. Mad  and silly faces were what I took with my husband’s camera.   Looks like he need not to wear a mask. Then I gave him his lunch. Half through with his meal, smiles started to come out. He was hungry all the while and there I was, pictorials first. Bad Mama!

Trivia unprinted: Most of them in costumes and masked are gay and wealthy. They are tourists and mostly French.  

Seldom do Venetians wear one. If yes, its old and filthy. Besides, only business establishments are happy with this event. Ah eerrr the kids too.

A lot of notorious. With their hidden identity, they make it an excuse to be violent. Most of them are Italian’s from the south just here for this feast. They only wear masks and no costumes.

Best time to take pictures: early morning. Only those dressed up are there. Made me wonder if they were awake all night putting those on.

Another is, them with mask go back to their hotels at around 12 noon. Duhhh, they get hungry too, you know.

Long vacation for schools. 

Pigeons are fed up with corn.

Main land nearby like our place Punta Sabioni and Piazza le Roma are full of double deck tourist buses.

Imagine all of the passengers flocking in this floating city.

Best part for us, residents: Only time of the year they sell ‘frittelli’, a deep fried sweet dough full of cream, nuts, raisins and confectionery sugar. Yummyyy and fattening(big time)! 

Lastly, these pictures were taken by my dearest husband.

There she is looking funny with her  red curlers. Her  hair must look pretty for tonight. She’s now starting to cook the ‘pancit’, the last to prepare on her menu. Her macaroni salad for dessert, was the first one she did, is now chilling in the fridge . That’s how I remember my Mama during birthdays. Normie she was called. She died when I was 12  and our youngest, Ikah, among six girls, was only 2 years old.

That’s my Mama, making birthdays really  special, a day standing out among all the days in a year.

Now that its my turn to be "mothering around", its backbreaking to do that. Plus you’ll do a lot of tasting ending up with no desire to eat what you’ve cooked. You thought everything was done and you are to put the candles on the cake buuuttt wait! I forgot to buy the candles and its Sunday, all shops are closed. That happened to me on my son’s 5th birthday. Its good my neighbor had a used number ‘5′ candle. I was saved!

My Dad phoned me up too greet me this afternoon and asked me how old I am. I bet he knows but asked anyway. I told him neighbors came yesterday for a simple dinner and my two sisters with their families came for lunch last Sunday. I said to him, you don’t feel like celebrating when you reach 3′iesh and he told me, "Apil importante e tawen basta kaurnungan  ni love ones adi lalu pay ket naiadawi kayun sig-ami."(The age is not that significant, what matters is - its an occasion to gather your love ones specially so that you’re far from us).

OOhh no, Dad’s voice is trembling, he is getting nostalgic again. I just keep on making him laugh. Its good he can’t see me, I’m like crazy with tears rolling down my cheecks. Its good the line was cut cause I can’t hold my joy anymore. It burst into sobs and it was so relieving.

Boogie told me, "You are special to them(My Dad and Mama) ‘enya’? And I told him, "No, I’m not special, its just that, THEY ONLY MADE ME FEEL I’M SPECIAL."….

Haven’t been writing lately. I’ve been into doing slides(pictures) going from slide.com to rock you to one true media. I even registered to my space and other sites for music, videos, you tube etc, etc… How this computer eats your time really.

Checking my e-mail, logging in and out as if I someone sends a mail every second. Then there’s the forum I’m a member, I keep on clicking again and again, as if someone post replies every second. Then CNN, Sun Star or just googling. Hhmmnnn, click, scroll, click scroll, type e-mail add type,type.

Makes me wonder if there are some who does the same!

Care to share your ‘bonding’ with your computer. Just for sanity check, might be loosing mine.hehehe