When it comes to birthday, we do not wait for anyone to remember our birthdays. We make sure that everyone knows it. This is a Filipino tradition. Traditionally speaking, we throw our own party, invite as many people as we … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Birthday
All We Ever Wanted
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As adults, all we ever wanted to see for the younger generation is to be happy. We try. Hard. We provide them with plenty of love, faith, hope, affection, play, safety nets, education, good manners, teach them how to say … Continue reading
Unbearable Lightness of Good Witches
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We are out for good reasons. My friend wants to make memories. My sister is out on a day pass. I am up to no good and want to give these two a fright. My birthday is coming. This is … Continue reading
On Gratitude
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Happy Birthday, Mother. Thank you for having us. From all of your 14 children And all the people that You loved and helped Unconditionally. Focus for Today April 22, 2018 Give without conditions. Donner sans réclamer de retour. Dare senza richiedere. … Continue reading
Just Because ….
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Let the children play
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Children nowadays play with technology. It’s quiet this way. Only the adults are noisy from telling stories, asking too many questions, laughing and plenty of dark jokes targeted at you. One has to have broad shoulders to deflect shady puns … Continue reading
The …t9ers Celebration
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It started with an invitation for dinner at a Chinese restaurant, then another invitation for breakfast the following day. And then… At my age, my diet is becoming simpler, mostly boiled, broiled or baked. Also late night dinners are iffy … Continue reading
The only way to celebrate.
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When it comes to birthday, we do not wait for anyone to remember our birthdays. We make sure that everyone knows it. This is a Filipino tradition. Traditionally speaking, we throw our own party, invite as many people as we … Continue reading
Any readers who’s celebrating a birthday today?
Happy Birthday to you.
Happy Birthday to me.
Happy Birthday to us.
We are gonna have a good time!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Draw me something
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“I want to be a paleontologist.” “A paleonto what?” “I love dinosaurs and I want to take care of them.” “Well, you love Barney, Bamm-Bamm and Dino in Flintstones. That’s only cartoons; besides dinosaurs are extinct. There are no more … Continue reading
Octoberian Costume Birthday Party
Fearing that I will miss the birthday party for the month of October while I was walking the Camino, they waited until most of us are present. We celebrated it in style: costume birthday party just in time for Halloween.
It was all start cast: Mini Mouse, Ginger of Gillian’s Island, Captain James of Star Trek, Ghost Buster, The Venetians, Race Car Driver, Pirate, Nemo, Nurse (a real one), Lulu the gypsy fortune-teller, M&M, Pikachu, Priest (a real one) and much more.
The leading person who turned 60 years old is my brother who looks like David Suzuki.
Lulu, the gypsy fortune-teller is a very memorable character in our family life. She was my mother’s friend. How she suddenly appeared in our life remains a mystery.
Mother has a way of helping out people.
I remember how Mother helped Lulu take a bath. Lulu was apparently so dirty that the water turned brown. She doesn’t speak our language and we only spoke English to her. She came in and out of our apartment, bee-lined to the kitchen, helped herself out on any food to eat and made herself at home even Mother was not around. Lulu called my mom Mother as well. Mother is Mother to everybody and everyone.
Having had her fill, she takes out her Tarot card and starts reading them. Talking to herself mostly and suddenly, she will say, Mother is here. Huh? No she’s not, I said. Next thing, Mother walks in the door. How did she do that is beyond me.
Lulu gives Mother a reading whether she likes it or not. Mother doesn’t mind. I don’t know if Mother believes in fortune-telling or palm reading because it is quite contrary to our belief system.
One day, Lulu read in the card that we are going far away to another land. Mother did not believe on that either. And it did happen. How did she do that?
Back to the party. The Filipino tradition, if it’s our birthday, we are responsible for throwing in the party, bring our cake and eat it, too. We do not wait for anybody to throw us a surprise party. We do not wait for anybody. We let the whole world knows that it’s our birthday and we invite as many people as we can to help us celebrate. Celebrate we did.
As for my costume, I wore my hiking gear; boots, poles, backpack, hat, waterproof jacket and pants, iPad in a red leader pouch, a camera, gloves, sunglasses, water bottle, etc. Gosh, cannot believe I carried these for 15 days. Eventually, I had to divest myself since it was boiling inside the house with all these characters and cooking going at the same time.
The cake is always gigantic. There was no blowing of the candles because most of us are sick of colds and we definitely want to keep the germs to ourselves.
Good times, good times. Happy Birthday to us.
Related link: Tenth month of the year
Home of the Topnotchers
I was searching for the University of East where I studied back in the Philippines. Finally, they are now on line however the history is still yet to be updated. I have so much fond memories studying.
This University is really top-rated. No such thing as being humble based on its logo.
That is tall order and I cannot reach that for I am only five foot and two inches tall. As a freshman, I prefer to have good times and date the men in the Engineering Department. I was a flower amongst the thorns.
There is one person, though, who jumps so high that she became a topnotcher. She must be about four feet and eight inches tall. They say dynamite comes in small packages. And that she is. With that small head, she is all brains.
Was my Mother very proud of her dreams to educate her children?
She was more than shock to find out about this. Her perseverance and dedication to raise her children with good education no matter how poor we were was a great sacrifice for her. Mother, we are proud and love you for providing us the life you didn’t have. Thank you, Mother.
I know I will be in deep doo-doo for flaunting this. Here’s to hoping that she hasn’t been reading my blogs.
Thelma was the top-notch. We are siblings and she is the second Octoberian who celebrates her birthday.
Happy Birthday, Sister!
God Bless.
Financial Advice
Lost
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What do you mean lost? I asked my baby brother. I was asking for one of his photographs so I can zero on him. He studied photography and entered some of his pictures and won an award. In 1987, he … Continue reading
A Celebration In The Park
Today is your birthday
O is for ornate, nothing plain here!
T is for thoughtful, the caring you.
E is for enchant, for enchant you will.
E is for expressive, not one to hold within.
T is for thoughtful, the caring you. Who is Poteet? Mother nicknamed sibling #9, Poteet. We all have nicknames from: Ate, Kuya, Detse, Nilds, Beng, Tel, Jun-Jun, Danny, Poteet, Tyrone, Dondi, Angel and Lady, yours truly. I try to remember her birthday to figure out how out I am. This year, I thought I am older until I asked Poteet how old she will be. Much to my chagrin, I am actually a couple of years younger than I thought. So why do I want to get older? Thinking older, age wise, makes me dream of retirement age. Knowing my real age, that means I have to work two more years. There goes my dream. Back to reality. Okay, this is not about me. It’s about Poteet’s birthday, Happy Birthday, Poteet and here is a blessing song: May the blessings of the Lord be upon you… And you know the rest. As for the customary song:
On This Day, Dalai Lama’s Birthday, he turns 78.
- CBC World News: Dalai Lama Celebrates his birthday in India
- Prayers, celebrations as Dalai Lama turns 78 (vancouverdesi.com)
- Day 30 The 14th Dalai Lama – Happy Birthday (6 July 1935) (civildisobedience100.wordpress.com)
Our Company is Required
Buddha’s saying

Buddha says: Life is suffering
I say: Get on with the program Happy Birthday to you, Buddha.Related articles
- The 2,556th Birth Anniversary of Buddha Shakyamuni (theepochtimes.com)
Older and Wiser
