Pwede bang mag-Return To Sender ng Asawa?

This morning, after having a fight/argument/heated discussion with my husband, I posted this question on my FB wall: "Pwede bang mag-Return To Sender ng Asawa?" After several long minutes, nobody commented on my status and I thought nobody noticed it. Then one by one, I started getting notifications that a friend liked my post or commented on it. It's actually funny and heart-warming, at the same time, to know their varied reactions.

I know that despite their funny reactions (there are some who want to know too if it's possible), deep inside, they are also concerned about my marriage and the reason for my posting of such message. Of course I could not tell them the reason. I would not want to tarnish my husband's name before them. So it is enough that I vent out my irritation and let people know that I am currently contemplating what to do just to ease my anger at my husband.

But it's true! I really wonder, what if, like mail, spouses can just be returned to their senders (aka parents, guardians or whatever)? This morning I wanted to jinx him, shout "Expelliarmus!" and enjoy looking at him being thrown against the wall. That's how mad I was at him. Yup, mad enough to put him inside an envelope and send him back to the sender.

Too bad, I have no wand, no magical abilities that with a flick of my wrist or a glance from my eyes, I could have sent him flying through the air. I only had words. So I said a few, and left. I wanted to say a lot, nag, and nag a bit more! But i held my tongue. I think it was for the better because he said a few words too, but boy, it's just so frustrating.

I wish The Boy Who Lived would lend me his invisibility cloak for just a few precious minutes so I could don it and smack the man's head really hard and make him wonder who or what hit him (and perhaps put him in a big balikbayan box and return him to sender even for just a day).

Hmmm, that would be extremely satisfying...

ERASERS

When I was a kid, I loved collecting erasers- big ones, colorful ones, the white ordinary ones with the green color on one end, the bi-colored ones (white and gray on each end), and erasers in all shapes and sizes (strawberry, pineapples, monkeys, animals, etc.). I also had in my collection scented erasers that smells really yummy. I tried to to eat one but was faced with the reality that the cute, fruit-flavored eraser tastes like slippers (I don't want to discussed how I know how a brand new pair of slippers tastes like).

Looking back, I could not recall how many of them were lost, given away or traded with another. Come to think of it, I also cannot remember how many erasers from my collection were actually used. They seem so trivial now, but when I was at that age, my erasers were one of my prized possessions, aside from my treasured stationeries and stickers. Each day, I would look at my collection and admire them, looked at them one by one and enjoy its different features and designs.

I also remember how sad the feeling of losing one piece is.

Growing up and getting older, I get this notice the simple joys that life brings to me and my family. Now that I am much older, I ask for a lot a of things to be happy. I have a lot of needs to meet like new clothes, new shoes, better gadgets, more money -- most of them material things. And I realize that most of them do not really matter. Like my erasers, the things I want are not really the things that I need to live or survive. Most of the things I want may be useful, but not necessary. They are just, well, collections, for bragging, displaying and for popularity.

I seem to forget that the most important things in life really are family, friends, spreading love, receiving love and having faith.

Writing this, I realize that I don't even know where my erasers are now. Were they thrown away? Disintegrated for non-use for many years? Maybe, my siblings used it for its real purpose of erasing pencil marks and not just stored them away in those colorful tin pencil cases.

That would be nice- using the erasers for the reason they were created in the first place.

Why I'm Irritated by that Foreign Actress who Tried but Failed to Mimic How Filipinos Speak in English

You have probably watched her poor imitation of how we Filipinos speak in English. For the uninformed, in a tv show, she mimicked how an American, an Englishman and a Filipino would ask for a glass of water using the English language. She dwelt on the pronunciation, and the mispronunciation of the Filipinos and the two hosts laughed their hearts out, thinking it was the best comedy act ever.

I won't even mention her name, and I won't even mention where she hails from. Her name's not even worth mentioning. All I know is that I don't watch telenovelas made from her place. I don't really hate her, I am just plain irritated. Let me tick off my reasons:

First, it was a pathetic imitation. It was not even close to how a lot of us speak in English. If she was really a good actress, she would have done better. But no, it was a poor act. She should get lessons from our talented actors/actresses in comedy bars.

Second, she couldn't even do the American accent perfectly! It was not even amazing and she mixed up her British and American pronunciation. And she thinks she's so good?

Third, she didn't sound like a Filipino at all. It was more like from another Asian country, and I won't say which one or why.

Fourth, if she thinks that we sound funny, didn't she realize that quite a number of her fellowmen do not even know how to speak in English or even understand it. We don't really need tutors for us to understand and speak simple English. If she was laughing at us, she was laughing more at her fellowmen!

This is what irritates me most - I am not sure if it was the host who told her mimic how the Filipino teacher speaks in English. For someone who believes that the noblest profession of all is teaching, an attack or even an attempt to make fun of a teacher is really an attack below the belt. And to think that a lot of Filipino teachers go out of their way to impart to them our English skills which, compared with other non-native English speaking countries, is quite commendable! Her laugh after her "smart" joke really grates on my nerves!

A lot of Filipinos who saw the clip would probably be up over the wall fuming over her mimicry of us. But in introspection, we even do that kind of insulting imitation to out fellow Cebuanos, Ilonggos, Ilocanos and all those non-native speakers of Tagalog/Filipino. We laugh at their mispronunciation of the "e" sound which sounds like an "ee" and of the "i" sound which becomes "e" and so on. We outcast those who are promdi-sounding (sounding from the provinces) and who have a distinct punto (accent). But we are much affected if someone from another country tries to copy how we talk.

Not all of us do speak impeccable English, whether in an American or English accent. Not all of us could even speak it, hell, there still are Filipinos who could not even speak in Filipino! So why are we really affected as if our reputation was besmirched?

Maybe it's because we have this notion that it is better to be insulted by one of your own, than be insulted by another who is not really from your place. There really is a different tie that binds us Filipinos from the rest of the Filipinos all over the world. In other words, "maigi nang mapula ng kapwa Pilipino, kesa ng taga-ibang lahi."

For some of us, this may probably be the reason for the negative reaction. As we often say,

"blad is tiker dan water."

My Top Five Reasons For Loving Facebook

For a few years, Facebook (FB) has changed the way we view social networking. It has become a potent tool for communicating with long lost friends and family. It has also changed the lifestyles of a lot of its users because of its unique and sometimes addicting features. Here's why I love Facebook.

1. WHERE ART THOU, MY FRIEND?

I am in my early thirties and the last time I heard about my elementary and high school friends was during our high school graduation day. Since I rarely attend reunions, I had no idea where my other friends have been especially when, during our teenage years, the internet was still an unknown frontier. Imagine my surprise and joy when I saw them on FB!

2. GAMES! GAMES! GAMES!

Mafia Wars, Restaurant City, Cafe Life, Cafe World, Market Street, Bejeweled Blitz. These are but a few of the games I play here. I would have played more but I just don't have enough time in my hands to play and level up each game I play! The games are a good reason to meet new friends who play the same games as you. Caveat: ADDICTING!!!

3. BIRTHDAYS AND EVENTS REMINDERS

I am terrible with dates. I don't even keep track of events! With FB, I get a daily reminder of who's celebrating his/her birthday. My friend even used the events application of FB to confirm the attendance of her family and friends to her son's baptism and birthday party.

4. PHOTO/VIDEO SHARING

Need I say more? It's nice to share photos and videos with friends. What's even nicer is that you can share the links of photos and videos to your status. No need to upload if you're just getting it from a different website. With this, you get updated with the events of your friend's life. Some are even enterprising enough to use this application to display their goods and offer the same for sale to their FB friends.

5. THE ADS

Let's admit it: Ads really help a website survive and become better. But A LOT of the FB ads are really helpful ads. I especially like those ads for contests (since I have won twice already in two different contests).

What are YOUR reasons for loving FB?

The Top Five Things to Buy With 20 Pesos If You Are In the Philippines

1. a Big Glass of Taho from the Magtataho.

Cost: about 20 pesos ( US$0.25) Taho is a mix of soft tofu, brown sugar syrup (arnibal) and small sago (the local pearl tapioca. Every morning, the local magtataho (vendor of Taho) walks around in the neighborhood to sell this nice comfort food by the cup.

2. a Pack of Suman.

Suman is a rice cake made from glutinous rice, sugar and coconut milk, wrapped in a banana leaf and steamed for less than an hour. A pack of 4 plain suman usually costs 20 pesos.

3. a Newspaper

It helps to know about the goings-on in the country. Some news on politics are not only entertaining but can be humorous too - if you are sarcastic like me.

4. Cellphone Load

Connect with everybody with a click from your cellphone. With the arrival of unlimited text promos from cellphone networks, with just 20 pesos, you can text your heart away to your family and loved ones located anywhere in the country.

5. Fishball, Squidball and Kikiam

- the best street foods ever! Fishball is a ball of flour, fish flavor and other favorings, deep fried and put on sticks. Squidball is the same but the main ingredient is squid. Kikiam is made with ground pork and veggies and flour. These are cooked in the streets (but some malls offer them nowadays) You have usually three sauce options- vinegar with soy sauce and chili, sweet chili sauce, or the sweet sauce. With 20 pesos, you wold get your heart's delight! Yum!

Posted also in:

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The Top Five Things I Want to Do before the Year Ends

With just 57 days before 2010 ends, I thought of the things I would really like to accomplish before 2011 steps in.

1. Get a really nice job.

I want something that pays well in an organization that truly appreciates the importance of its employees.

2. Buy really nice Christmas gifts for my loved ones.

Take note: nice is not equal to expensive

Oh the list is long! So before I can do this, I have to get a job first.

3. Have a nice dinner date with my husband.

The last time the two of us had a date was in September and I am looking forward to having a nice date with him soon.

4. Get a dog.

My two pet dogs died last September because of a virus. They're old, alright, about 6 and 7 years old in human age. But I still cried. They are not even pets; they're family! To lessen the grief, I bought a more affordable pet - a rabbit- which died a week later. Arggh!!!

5. Watch Harry Potter the 7th installment!

I've read the Deathly Hallows many times and I can't wait to see how Fleur's wedding will go. hahahaa (after all the action in that book, this is what I am waiting to see!)

What about your list?