WEEKLY QUESTION 12

The 12th Weekly Question from Teacher Julie's GreenBucks :

If you were an Olympian, what sport would you be participating?

Volleyball. It had been my event since my Elementary days. My first time to be away from home was when I joined the girl's team. For the District Meet, we have to camp at Tublay Central Elementary School (almost an hour away from our place) for 4 days.

I can't remember if my family said they missed me but for sure I missed all of them. I can't sleep and was thinking, I'll change, be good and won't fight with my sisters when I get back home. That was only true for half a day. Then during the Provincial Meet at La Trinidad Benguet, my second time to be away from my family for a week, I was more into anticipating what's the food for the next meal tham missing every one hehehe...

Out of the topic: Since we're into sports, I just want to share this from Bill's blog: Franklin Kawaen is Karate World Champ . Click also on the links at the end of the article for more Igorot achievers of combative sports. I'm so proud of these 'Kailyans', their achievements is calling our government's attention on what sports we should support. Quoting my husband, "its good our Igorot champions didn't play basketball"!

Here's what's "buzzing" Italy lately when we speak of the "olympics".

BTW, Federica Pellegrini took home the 'oro' (gold) for the 200 meters (women) event the next day.

VENICE CLICKS

For the many photos piling up, might as well post 'em here. A weekly entry of pictures taken here in Venice by BOOGIE(of course).

Here's for the start:

BLUE CLOUDS

HANNAH B

Grazie Hannah B. for showing us your "water world". Looking forward for the next postcard and your entry for that California spree!

Which reminds me, I need to upgrade my Blogroll links - New sites to add and old blogfriends I missed to put.

Bouna Domenica Tutti (Have a nice Sunday everyone)!

GOOGLE GADGETS

Saw this on Blogger's new dashboard and tried it yesterday:

Google Gadgets in your Layouts blog can now set their height automatically (if the gadget author supports it). Read more about adding Google Gadgets to your blog.

Notice the side bars and the new "gadgets". USELESS KNOWLEDGE had been making me click back and forth to refresh my home page. I love reading them. I find it entertaining(lol). Here are some I had cut and pasted after 7 clicks. Really cool!

1. It would pay to be prudent in the vicinity of the honeybee as it flits from flower to flower not only because of its painful sting, but because each year the honeybee kills more people worldwide than venomous snakes.

2. During the Renaissance, blondes definitely had more fun. Blond hair for women became so much de rigueur in Venice that a brunette was not to be seen except among the working classes. Venetian women spent hours dyeing and burnishing their hair until they achieved the harsh metallic glitter that was considered a necessity.

3. It takes an average of 18 hummingbirds to weigh in at 1 ounce.

4. The first graves in Arlington National Cemetery were dug by James Parks, a former Arlington Estate slave. Buried in Section 15, James Parks is the only person buried in Arlington National Cemetery who was also born on the property.

5. Before she was cast as the sultry Uhura on the 1960s Star Trek, Nichelle Nichols performed as a singer with Duke Ellington.

6. Captain Kangaroo, starring Bob Keeshan, was the first TV network kids’ show in the United States. CBS launched it in 1954.

7. During World War II, in May 1942, U.S. ice cream manufacturers were restricted by law to produce only 20 different flavors of ice cream. But to this date, no explanation for the law has ever been offered.

These Gadgets means more sponsors for Google. Hayyy. much money foy them who have much money already... its okey, its educational even if they tagged it as Useless Knowledge, at least 'man lang' there's something learned even just by clicking this site hehehe...

MORE BLESSED YEARS TO THEM ALL!

If last weeks "blog drought" was because of minor depression, this week would point the "blame" on birthdays. I wonder what would it be for next week?

I don't know if its also true with other 'Kababayans nga taga' abroad that Pinoys are fond of celebrations. Even for First Communion, a party is held. 'Ci sempre festa' (there's always a party) would irritate SOME old, bitter and racist Italian neighbors when Pinoys start to get the festivity going (lol).

For me, nothing wrong with parties except for the "diet ruined". Hu, hu, hu... the 6.6 lbs I lost from not eating rice for a month and a half came back just for the 4 birthdays we graced this week. I can't resist all these Filipino foods specially when it was prepared by others and I am just there to eat hehehe....

'Nakakahiya' if you'll not go when they'll personally ring you. Then they'll call you again making sure you are near their door. I always tell my self, "Okey, for my kids". Its one of the least I can do to show them "Filipinism"... through birthdays hehehe...

First it was Dan-Dan's birthday. He used to baby sit Lukie when I was still working and my... he would make a great father someday. My son is very good in judging characters and very selective on whom to trust. When Lukie is sleepy, bored and scared, he holds my and Boogie's neck. Well, our eldest will hold Dan-Dan's neck when we're all in the same room.

Next day was Tita Fe's turn. She jokingly said her age stopped at 47 ten years ago. Do the math, how old is she now? Her older 'apos', Feona, Lance and Gelo didn't join her blow the cake. Only Yahra, Eisha and Francine did.


The next day was Jerome's 13th big day. He is Gerson's brother. I have no picture of him. I don't know if he has a 'friendster' account. its where I got Tita Fe's and Dan-Dan's photos.

Little James had his Christianing yesterday and because it was raining, we did not go. Her mom Billy is where most of us Filipinos in Venice send our remittance. She works for BPI and Equittable Bank.


And, today was Murielle's(at the middle, an old photo with Dylan and Lukie), 6th candle blowing. She is Boogie's 'inaanak'(goddaughter). Seems all Filipinos came out. Some I saw when Lukie was just a baby. "Ayyy, yan na ang pangalawa mo?"(your second? - reffering to our babies), was our line after years of meeting again.

WEEKLY QUESTION 11

Many thanks to Teacher Julie of GreenBucks for linking us for last week's question HERE.

The WQ#11 was inspired by the answer of Lovelyn to WQ#10 regarding the Little Girl and I want to know your opinion on this very important and controversial topic of Family Planning Issues and the ballooning population of the country:

Should people heed the call of the Catholic Church to not use artificial means of contraception/reproductive health products and services OR should they go ahead, talk to their doctors and plan for how they want to practice family planning?

I'm two weeks behind my postings with Julie's Weekly Questions and almost everyone wrote their piece which boiled down to "couples should do what is comfortable with them". If I also did my counting right, everyone agreed to birth control and population growing out of hand MUST be addressed to by the church, the people and the government regardless of methods used EXCEPT abortion.

I won't answer this question with statistics or what must be done. I will not focus on the stand of the Catholic Church, my religion, though I totally disagree with them about contraceptives. I think God had a keen mind as well as reasoning when he gave us free will. Hence, when the church says go forth and multiply, it doesn't mean we should readily comply. Our Creator is smarter to demand us that!

I will not also point my finger to the government or even suggest that the boat sinks when its fully loaded and exceeding it's capacity - That's how I see the Philippines right now in many aspects I don't want to elaborate. As they say, "its hard to know what you already know when you choose not to know it". Priests aren't dumb neither the President nor our politicians. They know what's the problem but REASONS, what ever they have, is their right... no matter how irrational it is!

I'd rather tell you that I came from a family of 8 girls and 3 boys. Obviously my father wasn't listening when he was lectured about family planning. Just to make a comparison, his brother who has 3 children had been long done in worrying for the next tuition fee while my Dad will still see his 2 youngest to graduate elementary, one is in college and 2 more boys yet to finish high school.

You see, its as simple as bigger family = bigger spending, lesser kids = less expenditure. And, to consider today's cost of living allowance, who doesn't want to have an early retirement from financial responsibilities as he sips his pineapple juice lying on a sunbed while watching the sunset at Boracay?

MTV FLASH

Every summer, 'nostro commune' (our community) Cavallino - Treporti, is "wide awake" at night. We have the Carnival, video arcade and concerts, dance and children's (magic) show at the 'piazza'(square). We also have the inflated bouncers and slides near the mini golf which is Lukie's choice when he is to decide where will we go.

Its not ideal but these recreations or amusements send my little boys to bed as late as midnight. I let them enjoy it, that's only for 3 months anyway. For winter and succeeding months, our place would be like a ghost town so why spoil the fun.

Lukie asked me onetime:

Lukie: "Mama, when will we go to the balloon-balloon?". (Its how he calls the inflated bouncers and slides).

Mama: When Papa's flash will come. ( A brand new flash he bought from eBay).

Lukie: What's a flash? Flash like the MTV FLASH (or the MTV NEWS)?

Mama: No! You know that thing that lights up when you take pictures.... blah,blah, blah...

Lukie: How about to the mini golf?

Mama: When you really-really know how to swim already.

Lukie: Oh, that would be MTV SPLASH!