The Year That Was

It's the last day of the year 2009 and I have a lot of catching up to do. Time really flies so fast and tomorrow is already another year.

Looking back, 2009 was a good year for me and my family. I continued to enjoy many writing jobs and I finally started work as a virtual assistant or VA. I've always been curious about the job of a VA and now that I'm one, I enjoy the variety in the work that I do. Also, it's nice to be able to help someone accomplish her tasks while at the same time fulfilling my own goals.

Healthwise, I'm thankful that not one in my family got sick. My mother has fully recovered from her illness and our kids are eating well. I gained a little weight myself which is another plus. My only wish is all of us continue to enjoy good health in the coming year.

The year 2009 also fulfilled my husband's wish of working on a cruise ship for the first time as a cook. He got on board M/S Salamis Glory for seven months and although his job was quite grueling having to cook for hundreds of people including crew and passengers, that gave him a lot of training and experience. The biggest fulfillment for him was having to visit several countries including the birthplace of Jesus, Bethlehem in Israel during their cruises.

And not to forget, my dear sister Tina finally tied the knot with Boboy on September 12. It was a much awaited marriage and we're all happy for them that they found each other.

Looking forward, we pray for more blessings in the coming new year. The best way to start it is with a positive attitude coupled with hard work and for sure, everything will fall into place. So I wish everyone a fruitful 2010. Cheers!!

Writing for the Internet

Writing for the internet is fun whether it's just a hobby or you're earning from pursuing such passion. Fun and very informative it is. Not to mention very convenient as well especially if you are able to find regular writing work that makes you stay at home.

This is what I do now and I can't be happier. As a former journalist, choosing to be a home-based web writer is what you will call an early retirement job.

What I love about writing for the web is its being more personalized. I've been exposed to different types of work in the broadcast industry in the past spanning more than five years. From there, I then moved on to the print media for several years. As a big part of my job then focused on writing, I was able to hone my skills in both formal and informal writing.

In writing straight news, you need to be formal in your style to be credible to people. If it's a feature story whether for broadcast or print, the style can be less formal but engaging. On the internet today, though, the conversational writing style is the trend. The news, of course, has to be straightforward still but when it comes to blogs and websites as well as articles, the more casual and interesting the style the better is the chance of your content to be read by more web users.

By casual, it means writing in such a way as if you're just talking to a friend. The simpler the English language you use, the better you will be understood. Just make sure that you avoid typo and grammatical errors so people will get the message you want to convey in just one read.

If your passion is writing, why not start doing it on the internet. There are even lots of jobs that you can apply to if you really want to earn serious money. And I'm not kidding :)

After the Storm

Several super typhoons have hit the Philippines in recent years causing so much devastation in properties and agricultural land. The latest Typhoon Ondoy that hit Metro Manila and nearby provinces caused the same flashfloods that hit Panay in Western Visayas in 2008 due to Typhoon Frank. People were caught offguard due to the rapid rise of floodwaters that resulted from overflowing rivers.

My heart went out to the victims and at the time I was monitoring the news as it happened on TV, I also got worried about friends and relatives in the affected areas in Luzon. I have my own experience with floods when I was younger and I must admit it can really bring trauma to affected people especially those who have lost family members and relatives as well as their homes.

Natural calamities like these make many of us sad but life has to go on. Filipinos are a unique lot and they know how to stand up after a fall. I salute those who helped other people during the flashfloods whether they know each other or not, to those who gave their time to help pack relief goods, to private companies that donated hundreds of thousands or even millions of pesos worth of their products and to private citizens who donated cash and used clothings for the victims. This bayanihan spirit of cooperation is so alive in most Filipinos during tragic situations and this is what makes me proud to be a Filipino.

I'm a Proud Mom

I feel so proud today for the recent achievements of my two kids. First, my eldest James or JP as what we call him at home who is now in Grade 6 was a Champion in their school's Spelling Bee as part of their Communications Month culmination program last September. He bested the topnotcher of their class but my son was so humble about everything. He didn't even brag about it at home. I only discovered it when I saw a pin bearing "Certified Speller" on his backpack and a certificate inside his notebook later when I checked his belongings. James has been a good speller and he also got a citation from their Language teacher last year.

My younger child, Charlotte, on the other hand is the top 3 in her Kinder-I class. She shows much interest in her studies and according to her teacher, she works independently in class. She also learns fast and does not hesitate to recite when she feels like it.

My two kids are exact opposites just like me and my husband. James is the silent type while my little girl is a vocal type of individual. But despite their differences, they both do well in school and I feel so blessed that they are.

These are the rewards a mother can be proud of. These achievements of James and Charlotte are what inspire me to do my best as a mother. It does not matter whether I raise our children singlehandedly while my husband works overseas because what counts most is a mother's constant support and love to her children. The hardships and pains that we go through are not that important because they are part of our journey through life. As long we continuously gain the strength and we keep the faith in God, there will always be blessings coming our way.

My Sister's Wedding

I went home to my place in Iloilo City last September 12 to 14 to attend my younger sister's wedding. I had to be there as I was the matron of honor and I didn't want to miss a very important occasion for our family. I brought along my two kids who were just as excited as I am to see their Tita and Lola Beck once again. A big part of my baggage were the giveaways which I was assigned to buy in Davao City. Unfortunately, my husband could not make it as he is working overseas.

The wedding was a much-awaited one as my sister, Tina, is already in her late 30's. It was really meant to be. Tina and her husband, Boboy, are both mature people who have found love, I must say, at just about the right time. Both have enjoyed their singlehood to the fullest and are now prepared to settle down as a couple.

My Nanay had been praying for a partner for Tina. I guess all mothers want their children to settle down and have kids of their own. And God has blessed my sister because of all the good deeds she has done all these years. She has been well rewarded both in her professional career as a banker and now, in her personal life. And we are all so happy that she has found a man to call her own.

The ceremony was on a Saturday afternoon and we flew from Davao early that morning. It felt great to be home again after more than a year. I think I haven't mentioned before that I'm a true blue Ilongga who grew up in the City of Iloilo so I always look forward to every chance that I can go home and visit my mother, relatives and friends.

Weddings are always an opportunity to get together with family and friends. And what made the event special was three close relatives -- one from Manila and two from the U.S. came just to be with us. Our second cousin Fr. Nestie Gungon (from Manila) officiated the wedding ceremony while Tita Tess and Kuya Romy (from California) were the primary sponsors.

Our three days flew so fast but it was worth the trip. What matters is my kids and I were able to share my sister's very special moment. Congratulations and best wishes again, Tina and Boboy and may God bless you with a happy life and kids of your own.

Encourage Musically-inclined Children

Music will always be part of life. Without it, life just isn't complete. As babies, we've been exposed to music when our mothers would sing to us lullabies or play music to put us to sleep. However, not every child develops an ear for music when they grow old.

As a mother, one would know whether her child is musically-inclined. A child normally shows signs that he or she is really into music. You would know by the way she hums or sings some lines of songs she's heard of or would nod her head when she hears music.

One sign that showed me my four-year-old daughter, Charlotte, appreciates music because of the serious attention she gives me whenever I sing some lines from my favorite songs in front of her. She would observe closely my mouth and then would imitate how I sing afterwards. In fact, she can memorize the lively tunes she hears from TV commercials as well as the theme songs of the teleseryes on primetime TV.

I'm amazed that my child appreciates not just slow music but even the upbeat tunes. The truth is, she's good at dancing, too. Sometimes I would catch her pretending to sing and dance while playing alone and I would just silently admire her because once she catches me looking at her, she'd stop.

As parents, we need to encourage our children to develop their musical talents. It's God-given and they should learn to develop it when they can. Parental support plays a vital role here. I love singing and dancing, too, and when I have the time to do that, I encourage my daughter to do it with me. In this way, you're not only bonding with your child but teaching her to continue her love for music.

Juggling Parental Responsibilities

Being a wife of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) is no big joke. As the hubby is working in another country, this means I'm left on my own to raise the children, keep the house and earn a living at the same time. Tough job it sure is but when you have adjusted to life like this, you'll learn to manage everything with ease. Attitude counts a lot.

It's a good thing that I have a home-based job (actually two jobs) which allows me to attend to the children's needs and keep the house neat and clean without the time constraints. I also credit my parents for raising me to be a responsible and independent person because if not, I would have depended on them all the time especially as I live far away from them. I thank my young and trusted helper or I'd rather call her my personal assistant for assisting me in watching over the kids and helping in the household chores.

Literally, I'm a single parent in this situation. But I can't complain because I know that God has reasons for everything. I'm grateful for what I have right now, for making me a mother and wife, for giving me a good job and a good assistant in the house. Sometimes, my patience may be short when it comes to instilling discipline among my two kids but always, I try to remind myself to keep my cool. And above all, I never lose my faith in God because it is with His grace that I am able to fulfill my parental responsibilities every day to the best that I can even in the absence of my partner.