Wish Fulfilled

Oh my golly wow!

Sorry for that lame 80's expression, but you know when Facebook reminds you of the past things you posted? I usually ignore them because that's just the way I am nowadays with FB. But this time, it gave me the creeps when I saw my old blog post dated November 26, 2011, exactly five years ago, about my dream house. http://mariamarauder.blogspot.com/2011/11/my-secret-dream-house.html

I was stunned when I realized that I almost got all my wishes to a T! Amazing how the Universe has really given me what I wished for.  I hope my friends who are reading this post wouldn't think I'm bragging or anything. I just want to show how grateful I am and to share that if you wished for something to happen really hard, it could come true. In fact, my home at present is far from the perfect pictures I presented in that post. It may be a miniature scale of that Dream House, but hey,  I can't ask for more. I'm just a simple girl with simple dreams. 

Let me share with you my Dream vs my Reality.

1.      Dream: The Façade: Modernist. Squarish. No balcony, please. Unless the house would sit at the top of a mountain, a balcony would be a waste for me. I’m not hoping for a Romeo and Juliet Drama, so scratch that overhang.

Reality: It's squarish, all right. Modern-looking, although the façade in my Reality House is just barely a quarter in size compared to the Dream version. Haha! Oh, look, there is that pitiful balcony thing-y which no member of my family ever stands on, lest we be accused of being peeping toms by our neighbor less than 10 meters across from us. (I tried asking the developer to scrap the balcony from the design, but they said it would ruin the uniformity of the row houses. Well, at least I tried...)

2.      Dream: The living room must have a high ceiling—high enough to put a cool light fixture.

Reality: I got a high ceiling, not in the living room, but above the stairs leading to the family room/boys' room. Hey, a gigantic light bulb counts as a cool light fixture, right?

3.      Dream: Open Kitchen and Dining. The Fam should enjoy cooking and eating together. The colors should be vivid, like saffron orange, or sunny yellow.

Reality: Orange color achieved! I don't know who else wants this kind of color scheme combo of orange/black for their kitchen. I'm weird that way. Walang basagan ng trip, 'ika nga!

I didn't get the open  kitchen and dining layout though. In retrospect, now I think it's better that the kitchen is separated from the dining room, since the latter's dirt, oil, scent, and all, would permeate the whole house. 

4.      Dream: The master’s bedroom should have a zen feel to it. And please, please provide for a walk-in wardrobe leading to the bathroom.

Reality: Master's bedroom, zen enough. I feel it's my personal cocoon when I'm in there. The walk-in closet was (hurray!) forcedly genie-given. I had to sacrifice the size of the master's bath to give way to this. Not exactly the kind Barbie would agree to, but I have less clothes than she does, so I am okay with it. 

5. Dream: The Master's bathroom should be themed in black and white.

     Reality: LBT. Little Black (and White) Toilet. The floor is black, by the way. (Which according to my husband, so it would be okay not to clean it too often. May point siya! 😉)

6. Dream: One room for the Daughter and a shared room for the Boys.

Reality: Daughter's bedroom. Check. Shared room for the boys. Check.

7.      Dream: A Family/Study/Guest room. Somewhere the Fam could all hang out together.

Reality: Well, the hubby calls this space their Man Cave, thus the air soft guns and the war posters. So basically, the big boys occupy the whole space when they are here. Once in a while though, the whole Family squeezes in to grudgingly watch a movie together.  Reality check: Er, this Man Cave really lives up to its name because it smells musky and looks messy when they are around. Oh well, you can't have it all.

I had wished that my Dream House would be granted by 2012, but my Fairy Godmother missed by two years. (I am not complaining, dearie!) We moved in to our house on December 8, 2014. 

And yes, I lived happily ever after.

The Les Miz Fatigue

Let me put this on record that for me, Les Miserables will always be my most favorite musical play of all time.

I was lucky to have watched this spectacular play in 1990 at Broadway in New York when I was with the University of the Philippines Concert Chorus World Tour. I had all the lyrics memorized in my head since the Les Miserables Medley was part of the repertoire we had to sing all over Europe and the United States. So for me to be able to marvel at the original Broadway cast singing right before my untrained eyes, together with my musical friends, was the most surreal feeling.

Hahahaha! 1990 vs. 2016. Spot the differences.

Twenty six years later, I watched Les Miserables again last April 16 at the Solaire Resort and Casino in Manila to celebrate the 22nd wedding anniversary with the Hubby. I even cajoled him into checking in at the Sky Room of Solaire to keep us less focused on the Metro traffic, and more mentally prepared to watch the show.

However, I felt...let's see, how do I put it without being sacrilegious? Unsated? Unmoved? Short-changed? Horror of horrors, I think I even spaced out three times during the show!

I wanted it to work for me, of course, since I had hoped to rub my excitement to the Hubby whom I had to literally beg to come with me (and pay the tickets and the hotel accommodation too! hahaha! ) because he's not into this musical thing-a-ma-jigs. It would be the first musical play for the Hubby ever, and I had wanted him to feel the same near orgasmic explosive experience when I watched it for the first time in 1990.

I felt giddy taking pictures with young Cosette.

But I didn't feel the intensity myself. It fell flat even for me.

Now I wanted to rationalize this. There was something lacking. My heart didn't soar high. My eyes didn't shed a tear. Why? Oh, why?

It wasn't because the cast was bad. Overall, the cast did their parts well, technically.  Jean Valjean and Javert dueled. Marius and Cosette sang and kissed. Enjolras was fiery (although I must say his hips swayed a tad bit higher while marching, which distracted me).

Is it too late for me to audition? 

In fact, Rachel Ann Go as Fantine was a revelation for me. Her English diction was clear and her pitch was perfect. She has really come a long way in the international musical theater scene.

The Hubby was awed at the set. Being an engineer, he sees those things more than the music. The 1990 version I saw had a revolving barricade. Now, we can only see the barricaders' perspective. The other side was just a mix of voice over and lighting effects to show that there were enemies on the opposite side.

So what was it? Was it because I thought that Solaire's stage was smaller? Was it because Eponine seemed to be rushing through her death scene? Was it because Jean Valjean's red tattoo cross on his chest was bigger than his Prisoner No. 24601?

After much thought, I think that what ruined everything for me was the lack of surprise and novelty. In this day and age of the internet, when we can see a gazillion versions of Les Miserables (or any other play for that matter) on YouTube, On My Own and I Dream a Dream are now ordinary pop songs in the mainstream. At least one Lez Miz song get sung as an audition piece on Britain's Got Talent or the Voice Kids. The songs have been watered down as too trite and common.

But what really, really sealed the coffin, I think, was THE movie Les Miserables. Don't get me wrong. I loved what director Tom Hooper did to translate the play to the big screen. I have watched it four times, and it never failed to make me cry. Except for Rusell Crowe who was a miscast as Javert (note: I'll let go of Amanda Siegfied, Cosette was not my favorite character anyway), I thought the cast gave justice to make Les Miz appeal to the masses.

And so maybe this overfamiliarity has made it less special and less thought-provoking. Now, I don't listen to the lyrics, but listen to how this actor compares to that actor when Jean Valjean sings Bring Him Home. I nitpick how all the other Eponines pale in comparison to Lea Salonga's interpretation of On My Own and A Little Fall of Rain at its 10th Anniversary Concert. I don't laugh anymore at the supposedly hilarious antics of the Thenardiers when they sing Master of the House. I was a step ahead while watching the play this time. If I could call it something, I'd probable term it as the Les Miz Fatigue.

One of my UPCC friends gave me a piece of advice on how to enjoy a play---he said to never compare. He said I should free my mind from any expectations, that I shouldn't sing the songs in my head, but listen to them like I am hearing them for the first time. It makes sense, I guess. Yes, Wizard Lionel, I shall do that next time. I promise.

'Wicked' next, anyone?

Not-so-sweet Sixteen

I'm feeling older and older as I celebrate my kids' birthdays each year.

Today is Carly's sweet sixteenth. Ooops, I swear not to call him 'Carly' here on my blog starting today. Ever. Some of his classmates at Philippine Science somehow excavated my musings, and they have been teasing him ever since. Okay, Carly, babes, Luis. I don't want you to be embarrassed by your old mom anymore. Now, that you've turned that age when you are legally allowed to drive in the U.S. but not in the Philippines, I would be respecting you as an adult--that is, when you are in front of your friends. But please don't bank on this promise when you are home. Old habits die hard with me and your Manang Issa.

Yesterday, when I went to PhilSci for card-giving, I got the chance to meet three of Luis' girl friends, er, friends who are girls (how does one call a girl/boy friend who is not a real girl friend and boy friend?). I had been pestering Luis to invite them for lunch or snacks, but he had always strongly opposed to the idea. Today though, he couldn't say no to me because his grades were not good enough for his mom to brag on FB (haha). I was glad to have chatted with these nice, smart, and pretty young girls over some Frappuccinos. (Shhh. It's also a mother's secret way of finding out what her son is really doing miles away behind her back!) 

Carmela, Kay, Julia, and their newly adopted Tita Bing

Parenting Luis has been a roller coaster ride ever since he became a semi-indie in Iloilo. I don't want to spill all the details here. TMI, I guess. Let me just say that in every lowest point in his struggle as a teenager that he experiences, he would always vow to himself not to make the same mistakes again. And that is, I think, what matters the most. So that's why his Dad and I are still here to push him up whenever he falls down. 

Happy birthday, Luis, my youngest.

I wonder when I will ever realize you are not THAT young anymore.

Hello, 2013!

I borrowed my title from my daughter's most recent FB album. Sorry for stealing your words, Iss. I just couldn't find a title more appropriate to welcome 2013. After all the unfounded fear of the superstitious on the Mayan calendar end of the world phenom, I'm just happy to have spent New Year's Eve with my family.

When I was younger, I learned one superstitious belief that one has to be at their house once New Year's midnight strikes; else, you would be restless or unsettled all throughout the year. Our family has not been observing this tradition for as long as I remember. We have always spent New Year in hotel rooms. It started with the Millenium scare, where doomsayers warned that all the computers would malfunction. So we checked in at the Marco Polo Hotel, Davao, and welcomed the year 2000 in silence. I think it was also the year when the mayor of Davao banned fireworks in the city. Since then, we have been used to not celebrating without the usual big bang to scare away the evil spirits. What do you know, nothing unlucky has ever befallen on us. (Knock on wood!! Hahaha!)

This year, we said hello to 2013 at the Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort and Spa in Mactan, Cebu. This is the second time we've been to the place, because we have fallen in love with it.

We checked in at 10:00 a.m., but we still couldn't go to the Cebu Suite Room, which we have reserved and paid for, because the official check-in time was still at 2:00 p.m. However, we were allowed to avail of the facilities--which means we could already dip in the pool!

You need to have a band to be able to swim and go around the facilities. 

While waiting for our room to be available, we decided to rent out one of their cabanas beside the pool. We were afraid that Nanay (my mother-in-law) might suffer from heat stroke if we just let her sit on one of the pool benches.

The cabana was nice and cozy, with a flat screen TV, and all that, but what I didn't like about it was they only allowed 2 people to stay inside it--and that's for Php2,700 for three hours of use. ONLY 3 friggin' hours! Any excess person to use the cabana meant an additional Php1,000 per head. (Sorry, but I thought it was highway robbery!)

Off to swim!

The wave.

Manang Issa is the princess and the boss of the boys.

We exhausted ourselves until the kiddos were too tired to even wade.

Time to eat lunch. We ordered some pizza and fried sumthin's from the poolside bar. Remembering that only two people were allowed to go inside the cabana, we thought of closing its doors so we wouldn't be seen from the outside. Shh! 

Finally, we could already check in at 1:00 p.m.

Off to the 8th Floor!

We swam again in the afternoon. This time, we attempted to act like mermaids and shokoys.

There were some magic tricks and treat for the kids at the poolside.

And it's Media Noche for us. We brought a small lechon with us, because nothing beats a roasted piggy to toast the incoming New Year with. (Of course, we were charged with a corkage fee of Php2,500--hayy!!!)

Nanay's sister, Tita Julie, and Tata's cousin Grant, came to celebrate with us.

I think the two sisters had a really nice time together.

There was a party at the poolside, and the kids decided to take a peek. I wanted to go with them, but they refused to be seen with an oldie. Hahaha!

Isn't it much better to watch the fireworks from above? Just a thought from a pyrophobic mom.

The next day, we had our complimentary breakfast at the Familia Restaurant, where buffet abounded like there was no tomorrow. I was too busy eating to take a picture of the frenzy inside the resto. Baka maubusan? Heehehe!

Time to leave the place.

Welcome-converted-to-Goodbye drinks before we turned our backs to paradise.

I wish for more blessings this coming 2013!