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Hi Sweetie,
I know that I am supposed to be the adult raising you but you have been my rock all throughout these years. You have taught me to be a mom and to become a better person. You have taught me not to give up, to be strong, to forgive and to love unconditionally. You taught me not to forget to lock the doors or not to forget my car keys and to always make sure my computer virus protection is up-to-date. You taught me a lot.
There is so much I want to say to you, especially now that you are almost entering the teen years. Always know that I will always be here to listen to you. Remember, I was a teenager once myself not too long ago, so I will understand. I am not perfect but know I will always try my best for you.
Here are just some things I have come up. These are the things that I believe in and am in the continuous process of incorporating in my life. It will mean much to me if you learn it too. So here goes.
1. Always be curious. Read. Explore. Ask questions.
2. Be nice. But when the occasion calls for it, be tough and strong.
3. Treasure your friends and family. Be there for them.
4. Work and study hard.
5. Don’t be afraid to follow your dream.
6. Remember – moderation is key (in whatever you do).
7. Enjoy.
8. Know what you want and get it!
9. Keep your feet on the ground. Remember where you came from and the people who helped you along the way.
10. Laugh, cry, live!
11. Don’t deliberately hurt girls.
12. A hangover is just a state of mind.
13. Be careful. The real world can be tough. Look out for yourself.
14. Save. Invest. Be smart and careful about money.
15. Don’t give up. There is always a solution to a problem.
16. Avoid temptations.
17. Be humble enough to ask for help.
18. Apologize when you are wrong.
19. Call your mom.
20. Keep the faith.
You are a strong, smart and wonderful boy. I am so excited to see you become the happy, wonderful person that I know in my heart you will be.
Always know that I love you and will always be here for you.
Mom
Trip 5: January 2009
I just spent Christmas in the Philippines then a few weeks after, I flew back. Yes, I did.
I am now subletting in Park Slope. This is a lovely neighborhood in Brooklyn. I chose this because my son will visit me this April and this area is very conducive for kids.
I have had a handful of adventures so far. Super. But I feel I am not ready to share these yet. This I can say, NYC is an exciting but tough city. Maybe in time, I’ll share some of the adventures and misadventures. 
Trip 4: November 2008
I did not have a specific reason why I went to NYC that time. I just missed it so much. Everytime I watch CSI NY or any TV show or movie shot in NYC, I felt a tugging in my heart.
Also I felt really lethargic in Manila. To tell you the truth, it is only my son that gave me energy. I didn’t even go out or see much of my friends.
So I went back.
1. I subletted in Williamsburg. It is a cool place in Brooklyn, very near Manhattan. There are lots of restaurants, artsy places and people. I’m off the Bedford L Stop.
This is Parallel Parking, NYC style. Bumper to Bumper. Pic taken in Williamsburg
2. My two roommates were guys. This was a first for me. But it was cool. They are cool people.
3. I met other interesting people as well – an engineer, a start-up founder and a guy who loves salsa.
4. I had another salsa class conducted by a Google engineer. He loves salsa and teaches it for free in his free time. He’s a good teacher too. I met very interesting people in that class from all continents of the world. I love the diversity of NYC!
5. I became more familiar with the East and West Village, and the Upper East side.
6. Oh and since Trip 3, I don’t bring a subway map with me anymore. I just hop on a train and look at the maps in the station in case I get lost. Important things to remember are in which avenues the subway lines are, where you can get from the east side to the west side, and what stations have the most transfers.
9. I saw my first Broadway show, Chicago with my HS friend and her friends. It was good!
10. My City Moment:
As I was walking from the east side to the west side and I stopped in the middle of Columbus circle, looked up and just marveled at the skyscapers, then looked around and marveled at all the cars and people. Inside the Circle, the sounds of the city toned down a bit. They say it is because of the way Columbus Circle is designed. Nonetheless, you just can feel the hectic pace of the city.
Trip 3: June-July 2008
It was after a conference in Michigan that I dropped by NYC again and not only that, extended my trip for a month! I didn’t stay with my mom’s friend in Brooklyn because they had a falling out.
1. I discovered SUBLETTING! And I discovered truly how expensive space is in NYC. I and my friend Alyssa, who flew in for LA and stayed in NYC for a week subletted a place in the Upper West Side. She stayed for a week. I stayed in the UWS for a month.
2. I had American girls as roommates. The first one was a native New Yorker. She teaches in a Bronx Elementary school. The other one is a law school student from Indiana. We hung out and went to a wine place, a dive bar and some restaurants.
3. I played tourist guide to Alyssa, although I am a tourist myself. We went to the basics- 42nd, Central Park, Rockefeller,Statue of Liberty. And we watched Sex and the City when it was showing .. in New York City!!!
4. Again, of course, we went clubbing. I met some few interesting people. I am slowly getting to learn the rules here when it comes to dating in NYC — there are NO RULES. You make your own!
5. I supposed to go skydiving but the weather conditions prevented it. Twas a shame.
6. I subletted another place in Fort Greene in Brooklyn after my sublet in the UWS expired. I discovered good good varied restaurants in Brooklyn.
7. We went to Hershey Farm in Pensylvannia with my HS friends.
8. I celebrated my birthday with the guy from Trip 2. It was very nice. 
9. For some reason, I felt I had money during the trip. I grew tired of the subway and took cabs. NYC cabs have a small TV and can accept credit card payments. Isn’t that cool?? Then after I tallied all the cab receipts, I vowed to take the subway if possible. NYC is an expensive city, that’s all that I can say.
The TV with the info channel and a credit card swiper. Love it!
10. My City Moment:
Walking in Battery Park after our Statue of Liberty Trip and then going past by City Hall and heading to Wall St.
TRIP 2: (November 2005)
This is when starts to get interesting. That year was full of drama for me relationship wise. So I decided to go back to my favorite place to “unwind and find myself”.
1. I still stayed with my mom’s friend in Brooklyn. They moved further up to Avenue U. They are a nice Filipino family and they cook good Filipino food.
2. I tried the NJ Transit. I spent Thanksgiving with my HS friends in Jersey. One flew from Seattle. The other drove from Virginia.
3. I explored Central Park with my HS friends. It was fun!
4. I geared up for autumn with the signature “all-black” New York look.
5. I went clubbing with my HS friends 3 nights in a row during Thanksgiving weekend. We entered into one club that was “exclusive” for a group of people. We didn’t know it. People there stared at us until we felt uncomfortable and left. We went to another one with so many, many handsome guys but very few girls. We said, “Yay!!”. But then when we saw the guys holding each others’ hands we realized that this won’t be our scene. We had so much fun. We laughed and laughed until we decided to drink beer and watch TV in a sports bar. When it closed we waited for an hour in a cafe so we can get the first morning bus to New Jersey where our HS friend lives.
6. I dated my first native New Yorker. I liked him. I really did.
7. I went to MoMa with my college friend. I also went inside the American Museum of Natural History and the Wax Museum alone.
9. I got to know the subway a bit better although I still need to bring my map.
No shortage of Underground Talent in NYC
10. My City Moment:
When I was riding the Q train going back to Brooklyn at 7AM , a group of Mexican singers with a violin, caracas and guitar jumped on board. They sang a Spanish love song as the Q train gave a wonderful view of the Manhattan skyline. That was my last day in the City.
I am still in NYC now. Yep. Still in the Big Apple. Come to think of it, this is my 5th trip here in the last 4 years and I have spent almost 6 months here if you put all the trips together.
I have different adventures each trip and I would like to share them with you in this 5-series list of the stuff, events, people I found memorable each trip.
HERE GOES: TRIP 1
This was my first trip to the US and for some reason, I chose New York City to be the first city to visit. I arrived alone in JFK. My dad’s friend picked me up and took me to their house in Long Island. I stayed there for awhile then stayed with my mom’s friend in Brooklyn.
In NYC, for my first trip, I was on the Brighton Beach Stop.
1. The Subway. My mom’s friend in Brooklyn just gave me a map and a few instructions on how to get around.
2. I got familiar with the Q train. I got off Avenue U.
3. I went to Statue of Liberty, Museum of Natural History(without going in), Moma(without going in), Wall St. , Empire State Building alone.
4. I didn’t take a SINGLE PICTURE during that trip.
5. Always brought the subway map with me and I counted the number of stops to know where I am.
6. Went out with 3 high school friends for dinner on the night before Halloween. Saw costumes galore. I didn’t even know where we went. All I know was it was in Manhattan.
7. I ABSOLUTELY got lost when I took the train to Long Island by myself. I got off on the other side of the tracks at 10PM. With my luggage, no cellphone and a thin jacket in a cold autumn night, I walked along a deserted road looking for a payphone. No working payphones. I had no way of contacting my dad’s friend. It was dark, cold and scary. I felt that it was a setting of an Alfred Hitchcock movie. After walking for almost an hour, I decided to go back to the train station. Fortunately, I walked on the other side of the track until I finally found their house.
8. First taste of Dean and Delucca coffee.
9. There was this guy in a subway (probably late teens early twenties) with his gang (with the gold chains and all) trying to talk to me at 11pm. I was scared. Good thing there was this middle-age guy in the same car as we are. I breathed a huge sigh of relief when they got off their stop.
10. My City Moment: Walking along 1st Ave, passing through United Nations holding my Dean and Delucca coffee. I just felt comfortable.
I didn’t really know about the city and didn’t take the time to know the ins and outs. I just reveled in being in the city.
Advance Kung Hei Fat Choi !!!!!
The Year of the Rat (this year until January 25) has been a tough year for me. 2008, Chinese astrologers say is not a good year for us born under the Year of the Monkey. Here are their 2008 Predictions.
1. A mixed year for the Monkey in a Rat year, on first glance many will predict a bad year but if you look deep the year can be good for the Monkey and even exceptional if you are aware of potential problems as you can avoid them and this lets you move on.
–> In other words, they predict a bad year. Yup, it was a bad year.
2. Be careful of people who you thought of as friends stabbing you in the back and also be aware that the clash of elements can also cause family disharmony.
–> I was so disappointed in two people who I thought were good friends. I did not expect it. Yeah, and there were family issues also.
3. This is a good year to keep low and ensure your tactful nature is on full alert.
–> I exercised extreme tact in some iffy situations this year. I think it paid off.
4. This is a good year to learn new skills or hobby and perfect for study and taking exams.
–> I was supposed to take the Series 65 exam this year. Because of the financial crisis, I decided to do otherwise.
The year of the OX is fast approaching. I wish for love, peace, success and happiness this coming year for all of us.
The exact time of the Chinese New Year, when I will don a polka-dot outfit and jump up and down will be: U.S.A. – New York January 26, Mon 02:55
The only thing nice about this I get to appeciate every day I spend with my son. I enjoy having breakfast with him and driving him tol school. I enjoy helping him with his homework then watching TV with him after. Aside from that, I feel that days seems to drag on and on and on. I have no desire nor energy to go out of the house. Stress is draining.
I cannot wait to board an airplane again. I wanted to take Lorenz to Tokyo but I gotta tighten my belt now so Vietnam and Cambodia are the other alternatives. I want to do that trip before I go back to NYC next month. But with the workload the the VIP visitors I’ll be having this month, it will be a squeeze. Hopefully Lorenz and I can do these trips before the year ends.
It is just my son and the prospect of travel that is keeping me sane these times. Workload is tough and don’t get me wrong, at this time I am glad to have a workload. And Manila is Manila. Oh, I am rambling. I need to get on that plane!
Oh gosh.. it’s still Wednesday morning. I wish days would move faster.
1. A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own, even if she never wants to or needs to…
-> Yes. It is all about independence, freedom and empowerment.
2. A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …. something perfect to wear if the employer,
or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour…
-> I have nothing perfect to wear. It takes me more than an hour to find an “acceptable” piece.
3. A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..a youth she’s content to leave behind….
-> I don’t know. I wish my youth involved more travelling.
4. A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE … a past juicy enough that she’s looking forward to
retelling it in her old age….
-> Most definitely. My grandkids will not accuse me of being a boring grandma! 
5. A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …..a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra…
-> Yep yep.
6. A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ….one friend who always makes her laugh… and one who lets her cry…
-> I am lucky to have intelligent, funny and dependable friends.
7. A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ….a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family…
-> Yep. Art and some pieces from China.
8. A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems,
and a recipe for a meal, that will make her guests feel honored…
-> yes to the 1st and 2nd. My recipes aren’t that great.. but hey, you gotta give me A for effort.
9. A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..a feeling of control over her destiny…
-> I try to but sometimes there are either life and death circumstances and historic events that happen in our lifetime that shake us to our core and make us feel lost and vulnerable.
10. EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW….how to fall in love without losing herself..
-> That is difficult. That is why i’m scared of falling in love.
11. EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…how to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend without; ruining the friendship…
-> Still learning. It takes a great deal of finesse and class.
12. EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW …when to try harder …and WHEN TO WALK AWAY.
-> Sometimes walking away takes more guts.
13. EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…how to deal with the fact that she can’t change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..
-> I’m struggling with this. Insecurities surface and there are still unresolved issues with my family. but i have ope ned a channel of communication with them and that was a big step for me.
14. EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW… that her childhood may not have been perfect…but it’s over…
-> It takes a conscious effort of letting go. I’m almost there.
15. EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW… what she would and wouldn’t do for love or more…
-> I guess I know now what is worth fighting for ,and how much I am worth and how much I am willing to give. Took great many tears, goodbyes and mistakes to finally realize that.
16. EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW..how to live alone, even if she doesn’t like it…
-> Yep. The first and most important relationship you build is a relationship with yourself.
17. EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW.. .whom she can trust, whom she can’t,
and why she shouldn’t take it personally…
-> Ah, yes.
18. EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW… where to go… be it to her best friend’s kitchen table.. or a charming Inn in the woods… when her soul needs soothing…
-> yeah… i have 3 places in my list.
19. EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…What she can and can’t accomplish in a day… a month…and a year…
-> Nobody is a superwoman. I have to set my priorities. As of now, it is: motherhood and career.
Relaxing at home is difficult for me because I work at home. I associate home with work. Although I have the office in a separate room, but I bring work with me in the bedroom, kitchen and living room.
So I said to myself, I must make an effort to do things other than working when I am at home. So here are my other-then-work relaxing home activities:
1. Home Service Massage and other Spa Services
With so many massage parlors sprouting all over the metro I ddn’t know who to call. I want a massage service that is “stricly massage” only. I don’t want to have pretty girls and boys giving me a “pleasurable time” as one massage ad phrased it.
So I went to the Internet and found Asian Massage. Their service is good. I especially love their Reflexology. It relaxes and energizes you at the same ime (if that makes sense). And the nice thing is, they are open 24 hours!
2. A glass of wine or a can of beer
Yep. They say that a glass of red everyday is good for you. So as I am writing this post, I am enjoying my glass of fave red for the moment, a Shiraz Cabernet. I love its fruity taste when it first touches your mouth, then that spicy taste when the wine goes down.
My beers, for the moment are Thai (Singha) and Japanese (Asahi) Beers.
3. Magic Sing
I have to borrow Magic Sing from my friend. Singing relaxes me – need I say more?
4. Cooking
I love to cook for other people. I am especially encouraging my son to try different kinds of food. I like entertaining at home. Eating with friends makes for a relaxing evening of good conversation and laughter.
5. TV and Books
I have to make an effort to stay away from my laptop during my off hours. It is so easy to get sucked in the Internet even after work. There are news, blogs, games, online books and magazines and movies
But when I stayed away from my laptop, and went to my living room and watch TV from a television and read a a real paperback book, I felt more relaxed.
I am reading Thomas Friedman’s “The World is Flat” and I am addicted to CSI (Vegas, NY, Miami). Oh, and there is the pleasure of reading coffee table travel and art books as well.
As they say, all work and no play makes you irritable and less productive. So make the effort of putting a little play in your schedule - AND especially for us home-workers.. let’s try not to feel too guilty about indulging ourselves and nah-uh.. let us NOT open that inbox!
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