If I Won the Lottery

I would...

Hmm... This was a question I loved using when I was still actively conducting language training (Conditionals, anyone?). It's a question that I still love asking myself.

When the 6/55 Lotto prize went as high as P700+ million (do the dollar conversion: x 44) and when I learned it's tax-free, my daydreaming level surged to as high up as 300% of my average (don't ask me about the scientific basis behind this). While taking a shower, walking to the gym, running on the treadmill, if one were to open my skull and analyze my brain, what would be seen are images after images of numbers and expenses. I'd even daydream of such instead of counting sheep to sleep.

So what about now, really. Let's go for the ultimate dream, anyway, it's free. If I were the New York-based balikbayan retiree who won that P700 million prize from the 6/55 lottery a few months back (lucky bastard.. damn he just left the loot in his hometown in Isabela as he clearly doesn't need it!), I would have this expenses calculation/breakdown:

• P15 million  -  for dad's kidney transplant and full recovery (medicine included) in the next two years post-transplant
• P2,250,000  -  2-year expenses of dad in the Philippines that should make him comfortable (check-ups included)
• P2,250,000  -  2-year expenses of mom in the Philippines that should make her comfortable (check-ups included)
• P6,750,000  -  2-year expenses for Sergs and me in the US (multiplied dad's by 3, inflation & cost of living quick computation... hehe)
• P16,875,000  -  2-year expenses if we already have kids
• P25 million  -  for a 3-bedroom regular unit + parking space, miscellaneous fees, taxes, trucking and renovation included, at the Gramercy Condominiums in Makati. See PRICE LIST and OFFICIAL WEBSITE
• P14 million  -  to partially pay our house in CA plus other expenses
• P17 million  -  to partially pay our condo unit in CA plus other expenses
• P1.2 million  -  a Toyota Innova G (2.0 gas A/T), taxes, 2-year insurance, etc. included. See PRICE LIST
• P1.1 million  -  a Siomai House franchise (our favorite  -  dad, Sergs, me, Tito Jovy, Belen) with 2-year rent, taxes, etc.
• P4.1 million  -  to start a small business in the US (my fancy jewelry business... maybe someday, Accessories by Precious in Facebook will expand to its own accessoriesbyprecious.com website :)
• P100 million  -  to help Japan :)
• P76,300,000  -  savings to be distributed in two Philippine banks (BPI and PNB) and two US banks
• P11.2 million  -  time deposit
• P12.5 million  -  education, medical, life insurance and other expenses (including birth) for kid #1
• P12.5 million  -  education, medical, life insurance and other expenses (including birth) for kid #2
• P12.5 million  -  education, medical, life insurance and other expenses (including birth) for kid #3 (haha... 3 kids! my quota..lol)
• P31 million  -  contribution to our retirement savings and medical-life insurance
• P11 million  -  shopping spree for our kids, for us as a couple and for the house
• P8 million  -  for travel expenses
• P8 million  -  for Sergs (extra cash)
• P8 million  -  for me (extra cash)
• P3.6 million  -  for our kids (extra cash)
• P13.6 million  -  taxes in the PH
• P39,775,000  -  US taxes
• P10 million  -  miscellaneous expenses to make some things here work (legalities, etc.)
• P4.5 million  -  pay off any debt our family has in the Philippines
• P8.2 million  -  immigration fees, travel expenses for our family 
• P2 million  -  help the Philippines prepare for earthquakes and tsunamis, etc.
• P2 million  -  help New Zealand
• P2 million  -  help Haiti (rebuilding)
• P2 million  -  help China (oh yes, I think they still need help no matter how rich the country is)
• P2 million  -  help OFWs in Libya
• P2 million  -  help OFWs in Egypt
• P2 million  -  help OFWs in Saudi Arabi
• P2 million  -  help OFWs in Bahrain
• P2 million  -  standby help for those in the Philippines
• P6 million  -  standby help for those in the US
• P9 million  -  standby help for the world
• P1 million  -  help the Catholic Churches' projects in the Philippines
• P3 million  -  help the Catholic Churches' projects in the US (at least in San Francisco... or at least help our church there)
• P6 million  -  help other Catholic Churches worldwide
• P1 million  -  for the environment (Philippines)
• P3 million  -  for the environment (US)
• P6 million  -  for the environment (world)
• P2 million  -  help kidney patients in the Philippines (tribute to my dad)
• P2 million  -  help liver cirrhosis patients in the Philippines (tribute to Sergs's dad)
• P2 million  -  help breast cancer patients in the Philippines (tribute to Sergs's mom)
• P2 million  -  help dementia/Alzheimer's patients in the Philippines (tribute to my mom)
• P2 million  -  scholarship to kids in the Philippines
• P3 million  -  scholarship to kids in the US
• P7 million  -  scholarship to kids in other countries
• P12 million  -  help my relatives on the mother side
• P12 million  -  help my relatives on the father side
• P12 million  -  help Sergs's relatives on the mother side
• P12 million  -  help Sergs's relatives on the father side
• P3 million  -  help my friends
• P3 million  -  help Sergs's friends
• P3 million  -  help our mutual friends
• P8.7 million  -  help those closest to our family who have been helping us ever since (those part of our household)
• P7.5 million  -  security in the Philippines (hehe)
• P22 million -  security in the US (hehe)
• P6.3 million  -  for dad 
• P7.5 million  -  for Sergs's mom
• P6.35 million  -  for Mon
• P6.35 million  -  for Mayette and family
• P6.35 million  -  for Tom and family
• P10.25 million  -  for my half sisters and dad's grandchildren (yes, I still think of them in spite of the things they said against me)

Whew! I gave up on the computation after P500 million and I don't even know if this has already reached the exact amount of P700 million. I could think of a million other ways to spend said amount but truth be told? Unless I were as lucky as that balikbayan who won with just one ticket (damn...), I'd rather spend my P20 for a lottery ticket on the most urgent things my family needs.

Japan 2011: Where to Start, How to Begin

Amid my recent rift with someone over an alleged Korean blogger's hate comment towards Pinoys (see picture to the right), my thoughts somehow can't escape very graphic images of how a significant part of Japan was destroyed by an 8.9 magnitude earthquake and the 13-foot (or was it 33?) tsunami that followed.

As if not enough and barely able to digest the enormity of the catastrophe, the Japanese are now scrambling to avoid one nuclear meltdown after another.

Now we see, hear and read how the Japanese acted during and after the earthquake and the tsunami. Sure there is the presence of fear and sorrow that is only to be naturally expected in a country damaged of such huge proportions. Then again, regardless of the proper (if ever there should be one) decorum in the middle of calamities, the guy interviewed in CNN was right  -  it's something you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy.

With all these I can't help but ask the inevitable question: "If such had happened to us Filipinos (or to any other race less noble, less magnanimous, less dedicated, less courageous, less efficient and less resourceful than the Japanese), would we have acted right away in the same calm and collected manner that the Japanese showed? Or would we have reduced ourselves to pity and disorganization, taking time to digest everything first? Truly better to digest these questions now than later when we're already in the same situation (hopefully not anytime soon, dear God), right?

Let me end this blog by posting two striking images from Reuters and Associated Press (AP) via Yahoo Photos:

The picture c/o AP to the left reminds me of a story from Japan that I read and studied in high school. I can't remember the title of the story, however, I can say that this picture of a guy carrying an elderly is practically the same as what's narrated in the story  -  that of a son refusing to leave his elderly mother to die in the hands of incoming invaders even if it means having to carry her on his back while climbing a hill (or was it a mountain?).

The picture c/o Reuters to the right, in the meantime, presents itself as a fitting tribute to this true-to-life tale. See Japan is exactly like the young man in the picture above and the story I narrated  -  courageous, efficient, noble. He is a forward thinker, never to leave himself, or anyone else that matters, even his own enemies, sulking and in despair, in spite of the undesirability of his state. He helps himself, he helps others. He rose before, he rises now. It therefore can be easily expected that he will continuously rise above and beyond atomic bombs, nuclear meltdowns, earthquakes and tsunamis.

As a final note, even if we have so much to learn from and admire about Japan, it surely wouldn't hurt to think that its people, however courageous, efficient or proud they are in helping themselves rise again, can only do so much. The country has been helping others in need since its rise from the ashes after World War II. This time, for the sake of compassion and even gratitude, let's do whatever we can to help this country, this race, that's now in need. My own contribution? I will start with prayers.

How Babies Come To Be

I wrote this two years ago while on a business trip in Nicaragua. Just thought of retrieving it from my Facebook notes and reposting it since I'm now on Blogger. I was still engaged then and it was funny how I got an email from my former training manager, Osa, asking if I were already so homesick I had decided to write something like this. Now I'm married and in a few months, I'd rejoin my husband in South San Francisco and that's going to be, wait for it, permanent. Finally! Haha. Just a disclaimer & a spoiler, though the baby turns out to be a girl in this story, this repost is also to celebrate my continuing joyful hope of becoming a mom soon whether it's a Mini-Precious or a Mini-Sergs that He gives us. Again, Heavenly Father, thank you for inspiring me to write something like this.

____________________________________________________

Somewhere in heaven, where the physical fate of babies are decided upon, a little angel carefully kneels down on a special and divine "looks" processing area...

Father God, thank you for giving me this opportunity to experience life on earth. Please always take care of my wonderful mommy and caring daddy. Guide them so they may always be loving and happy...

The little angel pauses and looks at a very white but comforting light as though listening for instructions...

MY DEAR CHILD, FIRST, DO YOU WANT TO BE A BOY OR A GIRL?

I want to be a girl, Father God. From what I saw in the magic well that zooms in on every movement of mommy, I saw how very fond she is of little girls. She's good to little boys, too. But I know that deep in her heart, she wants her little bestfriend - someone who will cook with her and who will play dress up with her. I can do that! I really want to do that!

BUT HOW ABOUT YOUR HUMAN FATHER, HAVE YOU CONSIDERED WHAT HE DESIRES?

Oh yes! Yes! I have. Daddy courted mommy with such a wonderful patience and up to now, even though they're about to get married and soon to have me, he acts as if he's still courting her! Daddy, too, has a sister and his mother is still alive. My soon-to-be auntie and grandmother are very pleased of daddy and how he treats women. Plus, it doesn't hurt, and I'm excited, that he, himself, wants to have a baby girl as his first child!!!

VERY WELL, MY DEAR. MY HEART IS VERY HAPPY. SO YOU SHALL BE A GIRL.

The little angel, still faceless, begins to be surrounded by a creamy texture of pink as the Blessed Mother showers "her" with white and pink rose petals.

Thank you, my Lord God! But... but... I am still faceless. I look at this mirror, given to me by those cherubims who assisted me at the lobby, and I still don't have features...

God smiles and chuckles softly at the never-annoying impatience that comes with a child's curiosity.

ON EARTH, MY SWEET ANGEL, YOUR MOTHER, WHO HAS A VERY CALM NATURE, AND YOUR FATHER, WHO IS VERY DISCIPLINED, WILL TEACH YOU THE VALUE AND VIRTUE THAT COMES WITH PATIENCE. FOR THIS I WILL GIVE YOU THIN, HEART-SHAPED LIPS, PATTERNED AFTER YOUR MOTHER'S, THAT SYMBOLIZE THE VERY THING THAT UNITES YOUR PARENTS - FAITH. FAITH IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP, FAITH IN GOD.

Hmm... patience. Patience... patience... I like that word!

The little angel proceeds again to utter "patience" for half a minute, feeling and indulging in the way her thin and small, heart-shaped lips easily touch to start forming the first sound of the word.

AND HOW ABOUT YOUR EYES, MY DEAR CHILD? I WILL LEAVE THAT TO YOU AS A CHOICE. THE EYES OF YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER DIFFER GREATLY IN SHAPE.

That's tough! Oh I so much love it when my dad smiles and laughs! His chinky eyes disappear and become arched lines whenever that happens! But since he, himself, likes mom's almond-shaped eyes, and wishes for me to have the same, I'd say, why not? Mommy's eyes are very pretty. They're like the well to her soul... like the well I love coming to every now and then to watch and laugh and weep at their every action.

YOU'RE VERY RIGHT. THE EYES ARE THE WELL TO ONE'S SOUL. AND SO YOU SHALL HAVE YOUR MOTHER'S EYES...

For the first time, the little angel slowly opens her eyes... at first peeking as though afraid of what she's going to see. Taking a long time in doing it, the smallest of cherubims, fairy-like in appearance, flies to either side of her head to gently lift her thick eyelashes as she gasps upon seeing how she now looks like.

ALMOND-SHAPED EYES LIKE YOUR MOMMY, WITH THICK EYELASHES COURTESY OF YOUR DADDY. NOW, HOW ABOUT THE NOSE?

The little angel crinkles her still invisible nose as though to express a fit of resignation. Again, God chuckles softly.

I KNOW, I KNOW. YOU DON'T WANT TO CHOOSE AS YOU LIKE NEITHER IN FULL. HOW ABOUT I TAKE YOUR DAD'S NOSE BRIDGE AND PUT IT THERE AND THE TIP OF YOUR MOM'S NOSE HERE... HMM... LET ME JUST ADJUST... AND THERE YOU GO!

Wow! It's perfect! It's not too high, or too low. Just enough for the sometimes cold environment where I'll be growing up!

REMEMBER IT'S UP TO YOU AND TO YOUR PARENTS TO MAKE SURE AND TAKE CARE THAT YOU DON'T CATCH COLDS WITH THAT CUTE LITTLE NOSE OF YOURS, MY ANGEL!

The little angel giggles as she observes how her button-like nose follows her thoughts. Thinking of crinkling her nose, her nose shrinks. Thinking of yawning, her small lips part as her nostrils enlarge.

Father God, how about my hair? I'm still bald! Mommy and daddy both have straight hair but dad's is thick. Then again... I don't want it too thick so mommy won't have a hard time combing my hair as I sleep in her arms. I don't want it too thin either so I can wear the type of hairstyle that mommy can only dream about when she was younger.

ALL RIGHT THEN, I SEE NO PROBLEM IN THAT. LET'S PUT A NICE SET OF ROOTS THAT'S NOT TOO THICK AND NOT TOO THIN UNDER THE SKIN OF YOUR HEAD.

I won't see them yet? But... I look like an alien!

BUT A CUTE ALIEN MY DEAR CHILD. REMEMBER... PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE... BUT SEE THAT SOFT PATCH ON TOP OF YOUR HEAD? CONSIDER THAT MY PROMISE THAT THEY'LL GROW SOON JUST AS I PROMISE YOU THAT LIFE WILL ALWAYS BE WONDERFUL FOR YOU.

With that said, the divine light disappears and the little angel, now a soon-to-be baby girl, gets a warm shower of liquified will, choice, joy, strength, intelligence and love. All the other details concerning her physical features are decided upon by her as she presses buttons that indicate her choice.

The light then disappears and all that can be seen are pairs of surgical gloves and hospital equipment.

CONGRATULATIONS, IT'S A GIRL.

A Sad Man's Haiku

He is a sad man

He thinks of nothing but wealth

Love, family, health.

A Not So Mundane Day

Thought of writing about my day just to see if it's indeed a bore. Here it goes:

6 am

No. I did not wake up at this hour. I was just about to sleep. Yes. You read it right. And I repeat: I was just about to sleep. The night before, I slept at 7 pm. I woke up at 11 pm to see if dad was already asleep and as expected, not yet. Belen, our help, and Vincent, my cousin, were already very exhausted so I had them go to sleep while I took over in monitoring dad.

10:45 am

Hubby's call woke me up. Or was it his call? Whatever caused me to jump out of bed had nothing to do with the  Oscars being aired "live" (duh... "live" in the Philippines's local channels means delays of an hour or more unless it's a "pay per view" thing that one's subscribed to).

11 am

Channel surfed before going down. Got to see the last few minutes of "Father of the Bride" on FOX Family Movies.

11:30 am

Finally went down. Switched on the laptop. Browsed my online source of everyday gossip (Facebook). Was told by Tito Jovy that Kuya Jun Jun, my second oldest cousin, suffered from stroke. Half of his body's now paralyzed.

12 pm

Had my brunch. Been doing this for the last month and a half. My body clock's completely screwed up. I've been out of the call center industry for more than a year already and yet I feel as though I'm still on a graveyard shift each time dad's restless.

1 pm

Took a shower. Broke my loofah handle. It's still new! Argh.

3 pm

Learned that the Tiendesitas bazaar application of Joy (not my sister... lol) was approved! Good for her! She's truly come a long way ever since the night I hauled my fancy jewelry-making tools with me and met up with her at Vinzon's Hall in UP Diliman :)

5 pm

Tita Tessie's arrival temporarily ended my Cityville addiction for the day. She arrived to pick up the photocopy of my dad's birth certificate. The certificate had arrived earlier via mail. Ah... The benefits of modern technology. No more having to go all the way to the National Statistics Office on East Avenue to line up for a copy of one's birth or marriage certificate. I just need to order online, pay at the bank and wait for two working days.

5:30 pm

Went to church. Walked with my phone's app "Step Counter", well, counting every step I took. Modern technology had enabled me to do away with a costly pedometer purchase. It was more or less 700 steps from our condominium unit to the Our Lady of Fatima Church on Kanlaon Street.

6 pm

Mass started. Celebrant was this Indian priest.

6:30 pm

Went to confession after mass. I was guilty of going to Monday masses instead of the Sunday ones, among other sins. At the end of the confession, I was asked if I knew the Act of Contrition. I said "yes" without thinking what the question meant until it dawned on me: Dang! Another sin. Liar. Liar. Good thing I knew right away (and was able to say to the priest) that what I honestly meant was that I know the prayer but I haven't mastered it. Yet. And to think this was after 15 years of being made to memorize such at the Catholic school I attended in third grade. Father was forgiving. Note that I'm referring here to both the Ultimate Priest up there and his human representative. I was told to pray the Act of Contrition once I'm home as part of my penance. I did not wait, however, for said time to pray it. I knew there's a prayer book inside the adoration chapel so off I went for my penance, my repentance for everything.

6:54 pm

Clocked in at the gym. Spent the next two hours there. Covered 3+ miles in 50 minutes.

9:30 pm

The pizza delivery guy arrived. We were expecting visitors. What I was not expecting was how the calories I burned went back. Rrrrrrrr..............

9:45 pm

Dad's cousins arrived. These were cousins of his that I had not seen in over five years. With them were my second cousins, Kuya Jerry and Ate Shiela. The last time I remember seeing Kuya Jerry was during his wedding in 1988! I was a flower girl at his wedding. Now he's looking at a framed picture of my own wedding.

10:15 pm

I have this secret skill of smiling and conversing at people I'm supposed to know (but just can't place the name and sometimes the face that goes with the name). Said skill failed me, BIG time, when Tita Susan dictated to me her address in Los Angeles. Take note: I asked for her address without knowing she's Tita Susan so when she began dictating with "24 Susan Romero 2410 South Pepperdale.........", I had to clarify if "Susan Romero" were a street with "24" as her house number. The rest of the humiliation followed....... Ugh.

10:45 pm

Sergs called to inform me that he's already about to go to the office. Uh-oh. Good thing hubby can wake up on time. I completely lost track of time, yet again, and never got to wake him up.

11 pm

Their visit ended with litanies of how and why I should lose weight, etc. That I was beautiful BUT THAT I still needed to lose weight. The sting wasn't so bad because they said I looked like my mom on my wedding day and only because I've learned to accept my fate of having to go to the gym to look better (as of this writing, I've already lost 16 lbs).

11:15 pm

Dad wanted to eat. Again. Only to fall asleep while eating.

12:07 am

I am about to end this blog.

_________

Most of the stuff here involves what I usually do while waiting for the approval of my spouse petition. The only difference is that this day's somehow peppered with curios enough for me to say it's at least not so mundane. God truly has His own unique humor. How we react to it remains the basis of the level of boredom or creativity in our lives.

On this day...

... I learned from my husband that his petition application for me was finally approved!

... we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the EDSA People Power.

... 25 years ago, I was in EDSA, a toddler on my dad's shoulders.

... I pledge that even if I am to leave for the US in a few months to finally be with my husband, I will never ever forget that I AM A FILIPINO.

With these statements I leave not the original music video of APO's "Hando ng Pilipino sa Mundo" but a music-picture compilation with the same song featuring the Philippines, 25 years after EDSA 1 (kudos to washingtonjaro's efforts).

How screwed up is this situation?!

One of the highlights of my altercation with my eldest half sister is when she told me to be humble.

Eh?

As far as I'm concerned (and everyone else I know), being humble means recognizing you need help and asking for it.

Humility Check List #1: Asking For Help  -  CHECK

I have. I did.

But it (once a week visits to dad to help me help him) is something they can't give or more appropriately, REFUSE to give.

And now I'm the one who is NOT humble?!