ZuperZky

Zuper's imperative

2009-08-11T19:36:00.000-07:00

It was 7 pm. Time for the boys to sleep. Zuper and Zky are lying on the bed, a bottle of milk in each hand. Lactose, as you know, is an incentive for sleeping. Anyway, as is customary, I always go out of the room whenever the boys are readying to bed. My wife said my presence is like testosterone. I can’t help it. I spend most of the day at work and the only time I have left to play with the boys are at night, but not that night, they better be in bed as the nannies reported that the boys refused to take their nap.

Without anything to do, of course, I lighted up a Marlboro at the garage. Each puff is a convenient transport of nicotine to my brain. My brain reads this chemical dose as heavenly. I am feeling light, happy. Wow, what a stick of cigarette can do a tired plebeian.

After a few moments, I went back to the boy’s room to check on them. Lo and behold, Zuper was still awake. And he has this to say: “Daddy stop smoking!”

His mom must have whispered this nonsense into him. But is it?

Happy Birthday Zky

2009-08-05T20:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Zky, my little boy. I thank God for having a wonderful boy like you. You give your mommy and I so much joy. What could a parent ask more? You are healthy, wise, pretty, loving, malambing.

My prayer for you is that may God bless you with strong faith, love, courage, wisdom, purity and sense of service to mankind. May you grow happy, eager to work hard and faith that can move mountains.

Let me just tell you this early that the world is such a wonderful place to make a mark but it could also be exacting, tedious, uncaring, hard place. Nobody will tell you that your life ahead will be golden-paved roads and rosy lawns. Though I wont discourage you from making it for others to walk by.

You are now two years old, still too young to understand the mysteries of the world, of living, but not too early to tell you that when everything gets tough, or when life seems impossible or hopeless, you have parents who have walked there ahead of you, who have experienced the same hardships and triumphs, who will gladly guide you, walk by you and rejoice in your victories as well as share in your hardships.

But if you will love God above all else and seek him always, you will do us the honor of not having to share your passion, as God will be first to carry you, yes, when the going gets really tough. For now, enjoy your toddler years. You are two. But the love and joy you us give are infinite.

Zky Dominic, 2, wonderful wonder kid. We love you.

Zky has no limits

2009-06-17T03:46:00.000-07:00

Zky Dominic.

That 8.5 lbs infant will be 2 years in August 1st. Now, this boy is really a dynamo loaded with self-charging battery. He never tires in play nor in his favorite past time -- which is to pest his brother. He's he's such a source of constant joy for both me and Wendy, but Zuper's nightmare and anti-thesis.

Recently, I was able to crack his mumbles, but only after months of rigorous baby-talk decoding. So between us there are no secrets.

And he tells me: He's also a ranger!

Zuper at 3

2009-06-17T03:19:00.000-07:00

How long has it been? Almost two years since I made the last entry. So here's Zuper now at 3 years and 2 months.

How I wish I could freeze time. This is a wonderful age to play with a child. I would say Zuper is normal in about everything except for three things: a rather large vocabulary for his age (he calls himself ranger and his dad selfish, ouch!); his first appeal is to reason when making a point: "see its still day, no sleep for boy (he calls himself boy); if reason fails him to convince us that its time for sleep, he reverts to whinning; and he talks to himself!

That last one is scary stuff.

Thoughts: Zuper Savio

2007-11-15T23:02:00.000-08:00

My cousin who was staying with my family as he waits for the result of the BAR examinations he took six months earlier got the terrible news.

He didn't made it.

Even as he was putting on a brave face, knowing him to be a tough nut to crack, sadness was visible in his visage.

It was on this occasion - while having a somber talk in the living room trying to encourage and console him - that a rather remarkable thing happened.

He was sitting on the couch across me, almost motionless and visibly down, when my son, Zuper who was maybe a year or a year and a month old, who was also already walking on his own, was mumbling some words to get our attention.

Zuper, at that age, was very clingy. Seeing that we just came home, naturally he would run towards me to be cuddled and lifted. Which he did, after which he tried to show me new tricks like mumbling a few syllables that he learned during the day.

Noticing that we were not making any remarks, he stood up and looked at both my cousin and I while we sat almost despondently on the couch. Then my son, studying our faces, went to my cousin, which he hasn’t done yet in the months that he was with us, approached him, laid his head on his lap, embraced his legs and looked straight into his eyes as though trying to reassure him that everything is going to be fine.

It was remarkable because Zuper stayed with him for a couple of minutes, not moving an inch or making noises, just resting his head on his lap and then after a while placidly sat beside him. My cousins’ face lit up and remarked that Zuper was trying to console him. I let my son on his lap until finally both are having a good time. Both their faces now seemed more peaceful rather than dreary.

It amazes me still even today remembering such a sight with Zuper at a tender age, barely able to speak, who only three months earlier made his first unaided step could have such insight on men.

Zuper has a tender soul and I am glad he is with us.

Such a boy!

Uvegotitright!

2007-11-06T01:16:00.000-08:00

What'a'boy!

Zky in pensive mood

2007-11-06T01:13:00.000-08:00

2007-10-14T20:13:00.000-07:00

My little Zky has grown much during the last 2 months.

More pics to follow.

NO LONGER TIGASIN

2007-10-11T23:28:00.000-07:00

When a pic speaks, many listen

How far would you go to cut on your expenses?

I just traded my electric iron for the cumbersome "DE ULING" but I am not complaining.

It would have been a lot easier to go by modern means but honestly, it entails a lot of money, which I severely lack.

So to make things a lot easier and take away the strains associated with over expense, I have boldly declared war on MERALCO by using the ever reliable DE ULING plantsa.

And the result?

From a monthly P6,200 elec. bill it's now down to P2,600. Whew! Now, I won't be surprised if the LOPESES hire a thug to get my head. Of course, I cut on my aircon consumption too. The lesson really is conserving more energy means less profit to big, tax-sheltered business and more cash to our family.

Now I am no longer TIGASIN; but I became a lot tougher, and wiser!!!

Wonderful Wonderland with Zky

2007-10-11T23:17:00.000-07:00

As promised, I am posting Zky's photo for the world to see. Well, basically I am posting this for
friends and relatives who have yet to see our chubby little angel.

I wonder what is going on inside the brain of Zky in this photo, but we sure hope he's having a good dream. The best thing about Zky is that he's totally very distinct from Zuper. And a lot of friends are actually telling us that he's gwapo and manly! Wow!

But honestly, we just pray that he will grow up strong and healthy who would honor and love GOD above all things -- the same prayer we have for Zuper.

It wouldn't hurt if he'll grow to become a celebrated surgeon too, or the next POPE?

Now, that would really be something, don't you all think?

Zky with a Z ..double the Z, twice the joy!

2007-08-21T23:53:00.000-07:00

Fatherhood struck once again and what a delight it brings! My wife couldn't have been much prouder of her latest contribution to the human race.

Zky Dominic born August 1, 2007, indeed, is the newest member of the specie that came out of Philippine-born Galfords.

Zky, 8.5 lbs, and hugely gaining weight due to a regular doze of breast milk and formula -- on a two hour interval, day and night.

Watch out for upcoming events in our family.....next year, again? why not!

ITS A BOY...again!!!

2007-05-17T19:58:00.000-07:00

The phallic symbol has again invaded our household, and I couldn't hide my glee.

Next to the Zuper kid is Sky or Zky, our second son to come either late July or early August.

My wife Wendy, whose 7 months pregnant, said S/Zky is alot heavier than Zuper. She suspects him to be quite opposite of our eldest kid. "They're too different, Zuper is tamer inside my tummy."

Anyways, I expect a bouncing boy with all the flare of his mom and the charm of his ...ehem...grandma!

I'm excited but also praying wife is safe in time for the delivery.

When Math Comes in Handy

2007-02-19T09:44:00.000-08:00

I have never been fond of Math.

It's true for me, and I guess, it's true to most of human beings. Part of the problem of embracing math is that its concepts are either too vaguely taught by teachers or we simply lack the natural abilities to relate to abstract concepts. But politics is just as abstract as math, and religion even more esoteric as a field of study and yet a variegated number of people bask at its abstruseness at times even with displaced fecundity.

So why do we hate Math, if by going with the same principle that people are capable and even willingly able to imbue themselves in complications. It beats me really, until now. I guess, my answer to my question is simple and that is: Because we have no use for it, or found no practical use for it.

Thus, with this thought in sight, I guess we simply don't bother so much about numbers until we finally sensed a practical need for it. In my case, I finally found a way to love this, even for such a mundane task as to compute my expenses, either real or imagined -- no wonder we have a concept called budgeting.

Anyways, in a few months from now or on April, my family will be moving out of our rented flat here in Makati. Again, the decision to move to another site is spurred by my sudden fondness with numbers and its real influence on me and my family's well being, pecuniary wise.

In trying to resolve this particular conundrum I have to keep in mind that I am a salaried man and so does my wife. With a son and another one coming in a few months, I must confess I am really broke. And all these problems because I have tried so hard as to shun numbers in my life.

If I have a peso, does it make a wise decision to spend ninety cents? It's still within the means, we might argue, but does not really satisfy the adjective, wise, for I would be left with nothing but a dime. It's clear some fondness with numbers is a good company to keep by if only to ensure that tomorrow's lunch is served.

Then again the problem at hand is how much I should spend for my new apartment if I intend to keep a hot lunch coming at a regular interval. A perspective should give us a clue on how to proceed. My current rental plus utilities is exactly my entire salary plus a tenth of my wife. My wife's boss, a sage by the way, once advised me not to cut on expenses. The right way to do, he said, in addressing money problems, is not cutting on expenses but by increasing one's take home pay. Easy for him to say; he has a graduate degree from Harvard and has never started from the bottom. So, while I proffered to listen intently on its merits, I knew it wouldn't work for me. The answer, on this instant case is not about natural abilities, but politics--OHHH, politics again...we shall not dwell too much on this except to assert that in this part of the world, political patronage is KING!

Since I cannot trust this advise anymore than I trust my numerical abilities, I opted to stay closer to numbers as its more color-free and relatively objective.

Hence, when faced with a myriad of mind-boggling problems related to life's incremental expenses, I shall put my trust on what the numbers say. How it says it is immaterial. It's good only to know that at least, its impartial.

After coming into terms that I am neither rich nor connected, I have finally decided to listen to what my payslip has been shouting for a long time. GETHEHELLOUTOFTHERE!

Ok, where do I transfer? And even before I even think of that, how much should I allot for transportation expenses? How about snacks....my problems keep on doubling a mathematical concept generously articulated by compounding. And hell, its all because of numbers. People are right in disdaining it. Who can blame us, ninety percent of the Filipino population, for hating math, the number one enemy of the poor!

Promises of P1.126 trillion budget

2007-01-29T21:10:00.000-08:00

P1.126 trillion!

This is the amount of money legislators have agreed to lend the national government to fund its expenditure programs for this year. But however the amount of money the GRP coughs up for its so called social and economic projects, it would never be enough.

While I'm not sure how much other countries are allotting for their yearly expenses -- either to spur infrastructure or to simply spend for its fancy -- I have all the reasons to suspect that most of it will be put to waste.

This is not a simple computation of monies lost to corruption, which, if the experts were to be believed is around 50 percent of the national budget. Thus, going with this rate alone, the Filipino people, once again has proven themselves extra generous to thieves. The Americans have a euphemism for these 'knock offs': Kleptocrats, officials either elected or appointed or by virtue of their eligibility, career officers, who made a career in the government purloining its coffer until its last drop of blood is shed.

In short, in the natural scheme of the things, these people are the modern versions of the feared Romanian blood thirsty despot, Draco. It wouldn't be far-fetched then to call them blood suckers -- an animal trait that is best reserved for beasts in the wild or parasites that boors host or tolerate.

Again, with a trillion peso budget for this year, senators are singing hymns of praises, reciting odes and tributes to their collective victory. One very senior legislator claimed the budget will eradicate shortages in classrooms, hire as many teachers as could be hired and ease out persisting problems of illiteracy even among the schooled. How nice to hear these things spoken with self-assured sincerity. But things aren't as they appear in this land.

In 2008, I will stake a bold claim: Classrooms will still be lacking, those constructed poorly built and before school kids use them, it will be in a state of decay and decrepitude. Teachers will be hired, alright, 10,000 of them? of the highest quality? How many times has it been proved that winning the lotto is one many billions, and yet these claims are lotto claims many times exaggerated.

I'm not a skeptic, neither do I sport cynicism. It would have been easier for me because by this, I wouldn't be so bothered. So aside from politicians pocketing hundreds of billions in kickbacks out this trillion peso budget at a time of nearing elections, the best prognosis is that next year, as Congress resumes to talk fast on the people about the budget, the government's proffered accomplishments in infrastructure and other sorts of achievements, schools will remain inadequate, poorly built and without well-trained teachers.

How I wish I could write more on this topic. The truth is, my mind is so boggled up that I rather come out stupid with these assertions rambling about the budget, the crooks who will pocket them soon (saliva now drooling) and my own inadequacy to state these claims with accepted basis. But if your a Filipino, all the basis that you need is in front of you everyday. Pot holes in the streets, cracked pavements, salamander cops in the shades waiting for their next victims. The same faces of hopelessness continue to haunt our dreams -- not theirs btw coz their cars are so heavily tinted to hide them from the reality of doom. In short, look around, there you'll find plenty of evidence to support this assertion.

P1.126 trillion! That's a lot of money to waste.

Career Change?

2007-01-29T19:37:00.000-08:00

In a few days from now, I would be packing my things here at the Philippine Senate to settle at a different address. When once I was a political journalist, the time has come for me to try others things too.

Maybe to preserve what's left of the trust I have with my government or maybe because I was too tired to pretend of doing something good for my country when the truth and the fact clearly points at the opposite direction. What's so bad with my work right now that after four years of steady, dedicated service, I have come to the boiling point -- I am a steam and when the pot is boiling, naturally the steam escapes from the kettle!

What do people say about us, journalists?

That we are a paragon of all that is true
A model of virtue
Lovers of freedom
Defenders of the weak
A mouthpiece, a stethoscope to detect irregular heart beats?

What do the books tell us, journalists?

That the press and its instrumentality comprise the fourth state!
A watch dog of the society
A natural adversary of the political, corporate powers that muscle their will upon the people?

So much talk, so much journalism for so much of the century. In the end, the good men will have to suffer the indifference of their neighbors, labor to love their odious nature and retire to bed, at night hopefully, only to return to reality in the morning, fully convinced that without Divine Justice, Shoepenhauer could have been the greatest oracle of all history -- DEATH IS DESIRABLE.

Without Divine Justice, Sarte should be a saintly wisdom -- HELL IS OTHER PEOPLE.

Yes, I'm moving on. Hopefully, this is one locomotion that would somehow assuage me of the pain of lies and deception. Four years in the media should be enough time to halt the constant bombardment of my conscience of cyclical prevarications. Is there hope in all of these?

I'm moving on...towards a different building address. The same things for the same lame reasons will persist. This time, there's no pretending. I Should be a happy man and the Divine--I shall await till the KINGDOM COME!

Wendy and Zuper with Fr. Faroni

2007-01-20T02:16:00.000-08:00

Father Faroni of the Society of Don Bosco and Wendy a month after giving birth to our first born, Zuper.

BTW, pips, it was Fr. Faroni who solemnised our wedding on May 6, 2005. It was the feast day of St. Dominic Savio.

This is why we named our son, Zuper Savio.

Introduction

2007-01-18T22:27:00.000-08:00

Greetings! Although this is not my first attempt at blogging, this is the first set-up that I successfully completed. I guess the next big step from here is the actual insertion of texture to a structure and in this case, letters forming into sentences...paragraphs. It's easy, I reckon this part of the project, it is making sense out of this space which is more of a challenge. So to help guide me here, I'd say, this blog would follow no strict structure like a house made of crystal glass without the irritating blinds that block lights from penetrating in.

Right now, I am preoccupied with two main responsibilities -- fatherhood and work. Work is a necessary evil that enables me to feed my family and although I hate to admit that I love my work, I cant say the same is true with everything that comes with it. I shall try to post on another occassion those things that made me love my profession in the media (I'm a journalist btw) and those that I wish were not part of the trade.

Unlike work, fatherhood is a necessary good. In my book, fatherhood is the source of ultimate joy and pride. Perhaps this is also the reason why the Holy Book describes God as a good Father. Assuredly, He must enjoy being not just a mere master to inconsequential mortals, but a Father. So my son, Zuper, is such source of joy in my household of three -- daddy, wife and zuper. He's heavy and big for his age. This tells you that he may not be a joy to carry for hours on end, but the joy of fatherhood transcends everything that I thought happy in life.
This is all for now except to announce to the whole world that we are expecting to double our family's joy in June or July...will it be a girl this time?