all 'bout the bots

Happy 6th!

Happy Birthday Ella

(tawa naman d'yan)

Unang Tatlumpung Araw sa Aotearoa

::6IX::

To the one person who truly knows me: Happy Anniversary!

Reflections

TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS
by Janine Ghannam (Dec. ’01)

Why do people get to open presents on Jesus’ birthday? Why don’t we give Him presents? And why is it that some people don’t even believe in God or go to church, but they celebrate Christmas? All these questions can be summed up in one answer; many people do not know what the true meaning of Christmas is anymore.

Christmas, in society’s eyes, has turned into a commercial holiday. It’s merely another Valentine’s Day, which was a day created by the card companies. Christmas gives shopping malls great business. Stores that sell decorations also benefit. But why are these people going to shopping malls and decorating their houses? For them, Christmas is just about giving and receiving presents, winning the neighborhood’s decoration contest, and getting a few days off work and school.

“Christ is born, big whoop. I need a new bike.” Some would conclude from this comment that material things have taken over this holiest of days. People have become selfish and greedy on Christmas and that is terrible. Christmas is a time when we must give to those who are less fortunate than we are and stop thinking about ourselves for once in our life. Almsgiving is a very important thing to do at this time. We should all give God a present on his birthday, and I’m sure He would love the gift of almsgiving.

Snow, caroling, chestnuts roasting on an open fire — all those things are great, but those things aren’t what make Christmas meaningful. The birth of Christ is such a great day. We can’t mix with the material world because it makes that holy day corrupt with greed. We are not seeing what this day actually means. Christ is born… our salvation has begun. That’s why we should give gifts, to celebrate the birth of our Savior, not because we need new clothes or a Playstation. We should decorate our houses, not to make them prettier or win the neighborhood contest, but to celebrate the birth of our Savior. We should take time off work and school, not to do our last-minute shopping or sit around and do nothing, but to go out and give to those less fortunate and to go to church, to celebrate the birth of our Savior.
Christmas isn’t just a time to give gifts, decorate your home, or watch the parade on television. It is a time to spend with our families, to love one another, and to celebrate the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. People need to realize that. They need to ask themselves, if they didn’t exchange gifts or decorate this year, would Christmas be the same or mean the same to them? If the answer is no, then the true meaning of Christmas is indeed lost.

One Sunday in Tagaytay Zoo

No Sigfried & Roy

King Kong sighting in Tagaytay

Ella & Pa-Francis

Crocodile damsel

Double trouble

Mga babae sa bintana

Bisita sa Nanay at Tatay

October 30, 2005 - Matapos ang ilang attempt na umuwi sa Calamba, sa wakas natuloy din kami. Sa pagkakatanda ko, mahigit nang 3 buwan nang huli kaming makabisita sa mga Nanay. Sa ilang ulit na di kami natuloy, naipon na yata ang lahat ng okasyon: birthday ng kapatid kong si Mike - Oct 2, birthday ni Ate Odit - Oct 4, birthday ni Ella Bot - Oct 12, at birthday ng pinsan n'yang si Annika - Oct 17.

Pasado ala-una na kaming nakarating sa bahay kaya pagbabang-pagbaba namin sa sasakyan ay pagkain muna ang inatupag namin nina Daks at Ella. Pagkatapos kumain, naglaro sina Ella at Annika habang nagkukuwentuhan naman kami. Marami-rami bagong kwento sa kanila at sa amin:

Sa amin ni Daks:

1. Lalo raw akong lumalaki.

2. Malaki na raw si Ella at mukhang namayat.

3. 'Di pa pala alam ng Nanay na pareho na kaming nag-resign sa trabaho.

Kay Mike:

1. Sa Crossing na ulit siya naka-assign, matapos sandaling mapalipat sa Los Baños.

2. Ganun pa rin, laging palaban sa mga katrabahong may attitude problem at maging sa mga pasaway na customer.

Nanay:

1. Ang bagong official yaya (tumakas kasi ang yaya ni Annika matapos makuha ang sweldo).

Ate Odit:

1. Malaki na ang tiyan n'ya, sa December yata ang labas ng bagong baby.

2. Pananahi naman ang bagong pinag-eexperimentan.

Annika:

1. Mataba ngayon ang pinsan ni Ella. Sabi ni ate Odit, nakaka-12 na boteng gatas araw-araw (kaya pala!).

2. Papasok na pala siya ulit sa school sa Nov 7.

3. 'Di pa rin kumakain ng kanin, puro ulam lang. 'Di pa rin nakakatikim ng softdrinks (kawawa naman!).

4. Ayaw kumain ng "Quake" choco bars kasi daw may letter "A." Ayaw n'ya ng "A" kasi 'di n'ya raw type ang pangalan n'ya na nag-uumpisa din sa "A" (Annika Paige), kaya imbes na Annika, "Nikka" na lang daw o "Ms. Paige."

5. Camera shy daw s'ya (hindi halata sa pictures).

Pagkatapos ng kwentuhan, nagpunta kami sa panchong (?) para bisitahin ang Tatay. Medyo umuulan noon kaya k'wentuhan ulit habang panay ang kain ni Ella at pangungulit naman ni Annika. Nagtirik ang Nanay ng ilang kandila at pagkatapos ay umuwi na rin kami. Ganito lang kasimple kung idaos namin ang todos los santos. Nitong mga huling taon, hindi na rin kami tumatapat ng bisita ng 'saktong Nov 1 para iwas traffic at siksikan.

5:00pm- Uwi na ang mga Bot. Tapos na ang pagbisita sa mga buhay at patay...

Annika at "Cousin Ella"