hosting as a skill

Successful hosting does not just happen. It's a combination of talent polished into a skill. Yes, effective hosting can be learned through constant good practice. The earlier a person starts, the better. I remember my own children being assigned to host when they were in kindergarten. Of course at first they had to rely on scripts but later on as they progressed to higher levels, I have noticed marked flexibility in their hosting styles. Scripts became merely a guide and not the exact determiner of their spiels. This happened only after many years of practice.

The rule of thumb to follow if you want to improve your skill in hosting is to always accept assignments or invitations to host certain events. This will broaden your opportunities for growth in this area.

When invited to host, the first question to ask will be "Where will it be held"? The venue gives the emcee a clue into the degree of formality of the program. For instance, a show maybe held at the Luce Auditorium in which case the audience will be expected to wear something formal or decent. If the show is going to be staged at the pubic market, then you can come in more comfy attire. If the event will be held at the SU gym, then casual attire would be acceptable. Likewise the formality of the language varies according to the nature of the show.

we are all into it

My family and I are now actively engaged in online activities which we would like to share with you. With only two computers and three active users in the house, taking turns, which means one will have to wait when two are busy doing updates, is the best set-up. People have to rest from online activity so I find much time left for me to get updated on my three online involvements which are www.Mylot.com/?ref=funny52f , http://www.blogchex.com/everydaywear/ and of course, this blog. My son's http://markxander.blogspot.com is a very informative blog about pets, veganism, beauty, film reviews, and the likes while my daughter's www.cute-spot.com still continues to occupy the top three rank in the world's top doll sites. We are getting some earnings on these sites and if you want to know more about them, just give them a visit by clicking to the links above.

By the way, above photo shows my son (in dark blue barong) winning the highest title in the province as "Hari Ng Negros 2006" (King of Negros 2006) with other contestants. Photo on top of it is my daughter, owner of cute-spot.

Bonsai, the sweetest dog on earth

Bonsai was literally delivered to us by a friend because of Pongping who was only around 8 months old at that time while Bonsai must be about 6 to 7 months. Both are of Japanese Spitz lineage-- white, hairy, and noisy. But they had a difference. Pongping was and still is the big type while Bonsai was like the size of a poodle but everything else about her was a J. Spitz. When this friend of ours saw Pongping, she knew that her own cute puppy had her perfect match. When she mentioned her desire to breed Bonsai with Pongping, of course, I wholeheartedly accepted the offer for one more pet won't hurt. Since then, no breeding happened because everytime sweet little Bonsai had her period, Pongping became fierce with everyone, for he did not want us to go near Bonsai. Because of this I had decided to have him castrated. And it seemed like my friend, Bonsai's real owner, had forgetten all about her so she became another pet dog with no regrets on our part because she was the sweetest dog we've ever had. She was very meek and loving and she was a great source of joy to our family. However, things have changed when a baby came into our family. We had to separate them from us because of the baby. But of course, they had their own place close to our house but it was a big difference. One day, I just found Bonsai lying motionless on the floor. I ran up to her and cradled her in my arms but she was limp and lifeless. I knew that it was the helper's careless use of gas while trying to prepare to heat the native iron because in the past I had seen how Bonsai would cough out because of the smoke this activity created. I had instructed the helper never, never to do it anywhere near their place, but while I was not in the house at that time, this househelper just did it and I am sure that caused the death of our dear Bonsai. We cried for days as a result of that loss. The virtual pet I have here is in memory of Bonsai. Had that incident not happened, Bonsai would have been with us until now like Pongping. I just miss Bonsai.

6-year-old girl arrested?

I got this interesting piece of news from Mylot forum about a 6-year-old girl who was arrested by the police at her school after hitting and biting her teacher. The girl had been yelling and screaming so when the teacher tried to calm her, she had, instead of obeying her teacher, started to hit and bite her. The others who were around tried to extract the little girl from the scene but when it was impossible to do so, they called the police who instantly arrested the wild misbehaving kid. The girl had been processed in jail like an adult.

This news story stirred various reactions from the community but on general concensus, members believe that violent behavior among children is a reflection of their home environment. There was a strong request for the girl's parents to take drastic measures to shape up the child

Scenarios like the one narrated above is not an isolated case. We hear of many cases of violence committed by children aged 5 to 10 and teen-agers aged 13-15 killing homeless people for fun. Now this is not fun anymore involving kids' stuff. This is about the future and what these kids who are exhibiting early signs of violence will do with their lives if adults do not intervene at the first instance early signs of violence are shown by these kids.

According to developmental psychiatrists, adult intervention is crucial from ages 1 to 6. After these ages, it will be hard to control our kids.

the untold umbrella story

This is one episiode of my life which I find amusing when I remember it now. I was never a big fan of umbrellas when I was young.Until now I just do not know why I did not like carrying umbrellas whether it rained or shined. To my young mind at that time carrying one was not in harmony with my personality. Weird, right? My late mother who always carried one along was always mad at me for this weird attitude I had against this multi-purpose gadget called the umbrella. One day it was raining real hard and my mother insisted that I went to school with an umbrella. It was difficult to argue with her at that moment because I saw that she was boiling mad! That settled it. I brought an umbrella to school but under one condition----that I did not have to carry it inside the campus. My younger sister had to carry two umbrellas in school and when her classmates asked her why, she told them the truth and they all found it not normal. Today, I have gotten over that crazy feeling. I can now carry any umbrella whenever it rains.

never too late

Driving had always fascinated me in the past. Everytime I took the passenger's seat and watch someone maneuver and ply the roads with not a tinge of fear, I would imagine how it would be like to be the one in control, to be at the wheel and go where I wanna go. That opportunity came, at last, at an age when most of my contemporaries would say "We're too old for that, Glen". Well, I have proven to them that the skill is not that hard to learn when you're "old". I am now driving while they, who've had their vehicles many years ago, still have to depend on their husbands or children driving for them. The good thing about being able to drive is that you become mobile, you can go places and accomplish many things even with little time. With a one-hour vacant period, I can finish 5 tasks without arriving late for my next class. I am doing this almost everyday shooting one task after the other----buying e-load, bondpaper, going to the local post office, to the bank, then to studio to pick up some pictures---did it in a breeze! All because I can drive myself to places. There is nothing more energy sapping than to wait for a pedicab or someone to drive for you each time you go from one place to another.

when dogs are in heat

My post on this subject at www.blogchex.com/everydaywear/ deals with truths and facts about this cycle that occurs in female dogs at least twice a year. My blog here is more of a rant about having a female dog in heat around the house.

This early morning I had to jump out of bed upon hearing the sounds of angry dogs fighting and one dog crying like it was being butchered just outside the house. I was thinking of Lara, our female dog who is having her first cycle and who has attracted all the male dogs in the neighborhood, and who could be hurt by those dogs fighting. Barely awake from my short sleep, I ran outside without slippers to make sure it wasn't Lara. Our other dog Pingping is on a leash inside the house so he's out of danger. Thank God, she's just fine inside the closed gates of the house while the male dogs hanging around outside glare and fight each other. This seems to be a long month for us with all the dogs hanging around and fighting day and night because our dog Lara is in heat and this is going to be the case for 3 weeks. Oh boy, I'm thinking of having her spayed after this. Any comments or suggestions on how to cope with a dog in heat?

shopping more with your money

Studies show that there is a great change in the shopping habits of people during the past several years. Earlier generations went to a supermarket at least once a week while the present generation shops on average twice a week and visit at least 7 food distributors in a month. Today, with the economic crunch affecting the daily food budget, it is wise that shoppers use utmost discretion when it comes to buying groceries. According to Gary Foreman, publisher of "The Dollar Stretch" it is important that people are careful about where they buy and the size they buy. One of the tips he gave in order for shoppers to get more for what the shoppers pay is on buying the correct size of products to avoid wasting or throwing away food. Foreman further stated that 20% to 25% of food bought aren't used and are thrown away. "Bigger isn't necessarily better," Foreman said. It is better to buy 100-calorie pack than larger sizes. Another way of shopping wisely is to change brands based on price. In the past, most shoppers stick only to one brand and thus spent more money than necessary. Today, shoppers have more options as newer brands that are cheaper have hit supermarkets making possible the changing of brands in favor of products of lesser cost. Another advise is to visit or shop in as many food distributors over the week and visit those that sell at lower prices. Supermarkets vary greatly in their prices, some sell certain goods quite higher than the others so shoppers are advised to choose where they buy their food products in order to get the most out of their money. Lastly, invest time to plan your menu. Surveys show that a lot of women don't know at 4 0'clock p.m. what they are making for dinner. When you plan your menu, say, for a week before you shop, you will most likely buy only what you will need and thus make big savings for you. If you have more tips on the subject, feel free to leave them under comment.

"I think it will be me, mommy"....

My four-year-old granddaughter Dewey calls me mommy while she calls her real mom "Mom"--just a difference of one syllable really. So when she calls for her "Mom" she is actually calling for my daughter and when she is looking for "mommy" she is looking for me. The other day while Dewey and I were at the hospital for a cough she was having, we saw this very old woman who had difficulty walking. In fact, she was assisted on both sides by what appear to be her relatives. The old woman, with great difficulty of movement, was ushered into a seat to wait for her turn to see the doctor and Dewey, ever the curious and inquisitive asked, "Mommy, why is she moving very slowly?" So I told her it is because the woman is already very old. I pursued her line of thinking and I asked, "Dewey, if mommy is going to be very old like that woman, who is going to help me when I walk?" And she gave me the sweetest answer, "I think it's going to be me, Mommy". Do you ever wonder why grandchildren are closer to grandparents than their real parents? You have the answer in that little story.

who's that girl?

Our featured photo of the week is that of my four-year-old granddaughter Dew or Dewey who enjoys playing around and making faces whenever she is asked to pose for pictures. She is one baby girl who still carries a lot of her baby fats although she had, by choice, months ago decided to stop drinking milk from the bottle. Dewey's first language is English but I am now trying to teach her Visayan words little by little. She could be very "makulit" at times and does not give up until you stop to listen to what she has to say.

sister act

My younger sister who has a doctoral's degree in Psychology and is the current head of the Student Affairs Office in our school had her piece said during the disciplinary board conference having to do with a few student leaders who had been incriminated in burglary and malversation of funds. She, being the head of the said office, felt that so far, this is the greatest blow to her headship, since the most trusted students in the council, holding high positions, are the very persons who betrayed her trust and confidence involving thousands of pesos lost and allegedly stolen. The whole thing fumed her and raised her BP to a dangerous level when she started her rant in front of the disciplinary board. Someone who was there to witness her wrath said that she was literally "spitting fire" to the bewilderment of those around. Now this is the thing. This sister of mine had been always known to be kind, soft-spoken, and mild---according to them, she is my exact opposite but after witnessing her fiery speech they all made a singular conclusion: We are indeed sisters. I do not know whether to be happy about that or not.

when work interferes with family and vice versa

Much as we all would like to be good in all aspects of our life-work, family, and community involvement-sometimes we cannot help it but neglect one or two of them. We just can't be in two places at the same time. For example, you are in the middle of your work at your office. All of a sudden you get a call telling you to be at a certain hospital because someone in the family is sick. What do you do ? Of course, you drop everything you're doing and rush to the hospital. It's a natural reaction which I believe is very much related to our instinct for survival. During moments like these, we come to grips with our values and priorities in life. In extreme cases when we are made to choose between two loves, we always hang on to our family. I've done this several times in the past when my two grown children were still kids. I'd skip work just to bring a sick child to a doctor. I've never left this task with anyone else. When it comes to hospital appointments, it was and is always me and this morning I have proven it again with my granddaughter Dewey. I had to miss three classes just to bring her to Dr. Leo Bollos, her pediatrician and a resident physician at the Silliman University Medical Center.

sunny Saturday morning

I woke up to see the sun up and hear the cheery chirpings of birds either flying or perched on trees nearby. It is a sunny Saturday morning and in the neighborhood where I live with my family, there are many trees that become homebase to many birds. We have our own bird at home and two chickens which my children keep as pets. We have a lot of other pets like two dogs, hamsters, some fish and some white mice, most of them fed and maintained by my son Mark who has taken to a new hobby of collecting these small animals. Well, what's new today? Nothing much, except for the fact that Saturdays always give me an extra lift, a feeling of being "high" simply because on these days I am free to do as I please----no schedules to catch, no classes to meet. It is only during Saturdays and Sundays that I get to really be free.

got myself a new look

Look at this! It's an entirely new look I have now featuring not only myself but my entire family---there's Mark( my son), my daughter Love and the much-talked about baby in the family Dew or Dewey. The over-all lay-out was done by my son and Love helped me put up some ads. I am proud and happy. Of course, this is not going to be it. There will be some changes and surprises in the future especially in the area of looks. This is just a bit like scratching the surface of the real work that is to come. Keep yourself posted!

shopping delight

Shopping is a great source of delight. Yesterday afternoon after we had encashed the Google check with Optimum Traders Love, Dewey and myself drove to Cang's Inc. to buy some curtains but ended up forgetting to buy them. We were so engrossed in choosing and fitting clothes that we forgot what we came there for. We only remembered it on the way back home. It sounds funny but this is the second time that this happened. The last time was about a year ago when we decided to buy some plastic flower pots. So we went to Super Lee for that purpose but wound up buying a lot of other stuff except flower pots. We remembered them only when we reached home. Shopping is fun but when we are immersed in it, oftentimes we miss the most important things to buy. As a result of that impulsive shopping expedition, here's what we got for ourselves: Dewey got a pair of pink step-ins, a cool blue dress, a toy, and some knickers. Love got herself some new set of panties, four maternity dresses, and a pair of white flat shoes. For myself, I got a light brown Secosana bag , a pair of sandals to match it, and a couple of undies. No curtains. While driving home, Love asked me if I was able to get some curtains. I said no, was she? No, she hadn't either.

Sunday a.m., Feb.18

The morning after Love's b'day came like a lazy cat still stretching from the previous day's work. I did not go to the market because left-over food from yesterday's little celebration will sufficiently feed us the whole day today. We still have some ice cream, spaghetti, pork, and chicken. I'll probably go marketing in the afternoon for tomorrow's consumption.

Naughty

Naughty was the name we gave to the first pet my two kids had. I had always been a dog-lover since I was a kid myself but when I had my own children I knew that having a pet dog would have several complications. So we did not have any pets at all until one day we heard the cries of a puppy somewhere near the house. The househelp said it came from the vacant area nearby and it was from a cute white puppy which was obviously abandoned by whoever it was that owned it. My two children and I went to the place where we saw a white and very cute puppy which seemed very lost. The abandoned puppy wagged its tail when I tried to whistle for it. However, thoughts of the complications of having one dog in the house made me decide against it but my kids wouldn't hear of it most especially when the puppy followed us. That was when I consented and adopted the puppy which was female, probably the reason why it was thrown away by its owner. We named her Naughty because she had been quite playful who destroyed many of our things. Naughty soon gave us more puppies than we could handle. Her first batch of litters consisted of nine healthy puppie of different colors: black, brown, white, spotted, striped. She delivered them inside the house and we even assisted her for she wanted us to be there when she delivered them one by one. That experience was followed by many more deliveries for even when she was already old, Naughty continued to bring forth more and more puppies.

Jesus

That's the name of my father---Jesus. But my father wasn't the son of God. In fact, he was one of the most unique fathers I've ever known. For one, he was the homemaker, the one who did the marketing and cooking for the family while my mother pedalled the sewing machine to support the family's needs. Indeed, ours was truly a unique family for it was my mother who earned the daily bread and it was my father who prepared our food. When my father was young, he used to be a drunkard and a chain smoker. He had gotten out of the first bad habit late in life but the smoking continued until he died at 72. But we all loved him although he had his bad side like his habit of picking fights with some neighbors. He was not afraid of anything. He was fierce and was always ready to start a fight with anyone who'd hurt or harm us. Ironically, he never hurt any member of the family. In fact he was always my mother's "errand man", never complaining, always aiming to please her. My friends and classmates would always compliment my father's good looks. He was a very handsome man who could sing like a pro while my mother was just a simple woman who could only carry a simple tune. They were an "odd" couple that was why nanay's sisters never approved of their relationship for they knew that my mother was just swept off by his good looks. He must have seen my mother's inner beauty for him to leave his first wife with whom he had eight children in order to be with my mother until he died.

second delivery

My second child was delivered in a local government hospital because the cost of giving birth in a private hospital was just too much. Anyway, babies just get delivered whether you have the money or not. What is important is that you know how to hold your breath and push properly. This I learned from my mother who only finished Grade 6. When I noticed blood spots on the ninth month, I wasted no time and went to the hospital, this time expecting to have my second child. Without much ceremony I was instructed to proceed to the delivery room where I once again revealed my "soul" to those around. In public hospitals patients do not have much choice. Hospital people just walk in and out of its swinging door and even the maintenance crew can get as much glimpse of what they are not supposed to see----your very soul. I was doing my labor in a most laborious fashion because the delivery table did not have any handles or clutches for me to hold on to as the pain progressed. My two arms were dangling from the sides of the bed and at that moment I only had the face of my mother as she demonstrated how a real "utong" can lead to a faster delivery. Yes! I made it after two "utongs". But the pains of giving birth does not stop there. The following morning when you're still bleeding and your wound is still fresh, a sweet young nurse who never had any child, comes in to tell you to stand up and wash. This is supposed to be "early ambulation" when mothers are encouraged to move around after delivery. But what the heck! This was my body and I knew when it was capable of moving and being washed. Likethe first time I followed my body. No. I did not stand up to wash myself for I felt like my body would split if I did. It was an aide who did that---that's their job.

Antonina

Many times in the faculty room I would overhear my co-teachers talk about how "bitchy" their mothers are or were, how their constant naggings destroyed their everydays. During those spontaneous exchanges or comparisons, I am proud to say that I have nothing of similar content to contribute for I had the most docile, kind, and peace-loving mother in the world. I did not or do not want to insult those who only have negative things to say about their mothers just because I only have good memories of "nanay". She had always been a dressmaker since time immemorial. She had sent all three of us to school through her earnings or income as an honest and good dressmaker. She'd skip meals, sleep late, wake up early just to finish work as promised to customers. We never heard her grumble nor complain about anything. And she did her best to feed, clothe and send us to school. There were times though that she had to say no to certain things we wanted for she just didn't have any extra cash for those. Like when I begged her that I wanted to enrol in ballet school. She never said that she could not afford it. She'd give reasons like it is not good for our fragile bodies and that it is just a waste of time. Secretly, I knew that it was the absence of extra money. Nevertheless, I still consider her as the best mother in the world. She gave us everything that she could afford without a grumble. She never uttered anything bad about anyone. In fact she had helped several neighbors who sought for her help. Nanay died at 82 spending much of her remaining years in darkness for my mother became blind due to catarract. If I only had the means at that time for a laser operation I would have made her few remaining years happier.