Family Conversations: Loving Like Christ

Pat: It is said that we, men, need to love women like Christ loved the church. You were never asked to love us, but we need to love you. Like Christ loved the church.
Me: To the extent that you'd die for us?
Pat: Dying is easy. We have to live for you. We're all not perfect when it comes to this. But we try. You know, present yourselves as living sacrifices and all that. The only problem with living sacrifices is they tend to wriggle off the sacrificial table every now and then. But we try.

Family Conversations: Dreams

Me: Pat, why do a lot of young people not have dreams anymore?
Pat: Because the young people don't sleep anymore.

Family Conversations: RH and Teen Pregnancies

My mother, my sisters and I talking about the RH Bill, and teen and unwanted pregnancies.

Maita: Telling the people they shouldn't do it doesn't make them not do it.
Marie: Masarap ang bawal.
Maita: Yeah, the more you tell them no, the more they'd want to do it.
Marie: They should be like the Dutch. They made prostitution legal and so it's not a big deal anymore.
Mom: I'm against that, Mar.
Marie: Just saying.
Maita: Anyway, just setting rules won't fix anything.
Me: You need to get to the root of the problem.
Marie: Penises.

Family Conversations: The Hunchback of Notre Dame

We were in the car, on the way to High Street for my sister's Fashion Show. Mom and Dad were in front talking about government, roads and construction. The sibs and I were at the back talking about the original versions of fairy tales and other stories.

Marie: Frollo was the Archbishop in the original story. He died. Quasimodo killed him.
Pat: And Esmeralda?
Me: She died, too. With Quasimodo.
Pat: How did they die?
Marie: I'm not sure. Quasimodo fell off the tower, I think.
Dad: The stone railing gave way and he fell. The contractors were cutting cost and so they saved up on the cement.

Family Conversations: Last Will

My brother is dyslexic. He doesn't like documenting things. He's also ComSci. He's a little weird. All in all, he's a funny and adorable brother.

Pat (joking. Pretending to be an old man): Aki, listen, I will give you my last will. If I--
Me: No. Your plans will die with you.
Pat: Aki!!! You're a meanie. (Then he sulks, sounding hurt) Naka-label naman lahat ng plans ko sa notebook ko e.

Family Conversations: Veggies

Mom: You didn't eat the vegetables?
Pat: Not the boiled ones. I just don't like boiled veggies.
Mom: Why not?
Pat: It just looks so... unhappy.

Family Conversations: Friends

Maita: So what do you guys want for dinner? Fried rice?
Marie: Yeah, fried rice is good.
Me: Wait, but I won't be home for dinner.
Maita: Why not?
Me: I'm going to a friend's birthday concert.
Maita: Well, that's your fault for having friends.
Me: What?! (turns to Marie)
Marie: I was going to say the same thing.

Conversations in my Family

Dad was outside washing the car while the rest of the family was having merienda in the dining room.

Dad (calling out from the garage): Maits?
Maita (my sister): Dad?
Dad (malambing voice): Coffee.
Maita: Instant or brewed? Brewed is ready, though.
Dad: Okay.

Maita goes and prepares brewed coffee for Dad.

Dad: Maits?
Maita: Dad?
Dad: Hamburger.
Maita: Daaa~ad. Where am I supposed to go get hamburger on a Good Friday?
Dad: Ri?
Me: Dad?
Dad: Apo.
Me: DAAA~AD!

Tickets and Travel

I seem to be traveling a whole lot this year. I was in Davao when I started the year. But then I didn't really count that as traveling since Davao is my hometown. Then again, I've just arrived from a trip to Baguio, and tomorrow, I'm off to Puerto Galera! Baguio was business. I was introducing Talecraft to the University of Baguio. Puerto is pleasure, a weekend trip with the whole family.

Then next Thursday, April 10, I'm going to Vietnam with my two sisters. Jade has classes. Pat has other plans. Mom wanted to go, actually. Well, not with us but all of her sisters are going to Hanoi on the 17th, and she wanted to go, too. But dear Daddy, ever so practical and forever wanting Mom by his side, said she had already been there last year and there was no need for her to go there again this year.

I also have a free round-trip ticket to anywhere in the Philippines from Cebu Pacific. Speaking of which, I have to book before the end of the month, and I still don't know where I want to go. Hmm... Maybe Cebu. I do need to check how my decks are doing there.

Anyway, so that's my past and planned travels so far, and I'll most likely be in Davao again this December for a family reunion.


Speaking of trips and tickets, my Dad, my brother and I just arrived last night from our overnight Baguio trip, when my Mom met us complaining her back hurt. For the details on why her back hurt, check out my sister, Maita's Blog.
"Dad, my back hurts," Mom says.
"Ah, come here," Dad replies. "I know how to make the pain go away."
And he hands Mom a sheet of paper.
Mom takes it and reads it, still pouting a little. Then my Mom's face lights up. "It's an e-ticket to Hanoi!"
Turns out, Dad had already bought a ticket last month for Mom so she could join her sisters in Hanoi. All the talk about her not needing to go there again was just a front so that when he gave her the ticket, it would be a surprise.