Sunday, January 29th, 2012
Many years ago, we were in the middle of a Tai Suey blessing conducted by geomancer Master Joseph Chau when my then six-year-old asked, “Are we Chinese?”
Good question.
No, we’re not. But just as we received blessings from monks by going through the rituals in a Buddhist Temple, we opened our arms to receive all the Dragon Year blessings by celebrating Chinese New Year in the grandest of ways with the Chinese community.
Our culture is a vibrant mix of the different cultures and there is no better gift I can give my sons than an enthusiasm to embrace each one and find beauty in our diversity. In fact, it’s my dream for them to explore all the nuances of each culture so that they’ll find out that different beliefs are different doors that lead to the same God.
But, truth to be told, I just want all the luck this new year will bring.
So, we packed our bags and booked ourselves in Mandarin Oriental for what they said was “the biggest Chinese New Year celebration outside of Binondo.”
The kids loved the Club Room and even more loved the Club Floor Lounge’s free food that went with the free cocktails.
Two Pinoys. One Japanese. Chinese New Year Celebration!
Celebration Preparations
Makati Avenue was closed off for the grand celebration. Though Mandarin Oriental reserved the front of the stage for hotel guests, it welcomed the Makati residents to join in the celebration.
The New Year Revelers
The ritual was presided by no less than Feng Shui Master Joseph Chau and he went around sprinkling everyone with blessed water.
Master Joseph Chau
Tessa Prieto Valdez and Tim Yap hosted the event. The countdown hit a snag when, just as we were about to count 3-2-1, Tim Yap decided that we should count in Chinese. The momentum was lost and we decided to simply follow Master Chau and the Dragon Dancers instead of finishing the countdown.
The woman who personally introduced me to Master Chau and Princess, Mother Riza G., was seated in front of us. I guess, luck brings friends together.
The tiger’s and lion’s eyes were dotted by no other than Vice President Jejomar Binay with Mandarin Oriental Manila GM Mark Bradforda and Master Joseph Chau.
The dotting of the lion’s eyes by Vice President Jejomar Binay.
The fireworks worked up the crowd!
Fireworks!
It was my first time to watch a dragon dance up close. Awesomeness!!!
Dragon Dance
Dragon Fire!
Kung Hei Fat Choi! Let this be the year we live the life of our dreams!
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Wednesday, January 4th, 2012
The New Year sparkles with happy surprises! I can feel it! And the first order of the year is to allow the universe to make them happen. And, I’m all set for all of them! I have three toiletry bags packed for the most exciting destinations. Which ones? I will go where 2012 will take us.
But for now, let me remember the best vacation my family ever had. We did our own laundry, cooked our meals, went out of the house in a chilly night because we ran out of milk but we had the time of our lives!
We brought home bags and bags of freebies from the Tribeca Family Day!
We skipped museum payments by going there at 5PM.
We explored every nook and alley of Manhattan ’till our feet gave up and our body fats melted.
2012, Happy NY!!!
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Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012
What if it’s really our last year on earth?
The Filipino sense of humor will get us through it, believe me.
Thank you, Direk Mike Alcazaren, for the survival planner.
Happy New Year!!!
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Monday, January 2nd, 2012
If the world will end in December 21, 2012, then let’s live the life of our dreams now!
Scholarly debates aside, why not live 2012 as if it’s your last?
Why not do the one thing you thought you never had time for?
I’ve always wanted to attend a proper creative writing course, a beginner’s course, and meet a teacher who’d tell me how to do it right like I’m writing for the first time. Then I’d like to attend a formal course on literature and get to know our great writers from a teacher’s perspective. I know I can read about them but I’d like the point-of-view of someone who has read them all.
Why not do the one thing that scares you?
I’ve always been afraid of the water but I’ve always wanted to see a whale shark. There. One for the bucket list.
Why not do a repeat performance of the best time in your life?
My family always goes back to the memory of us in New York City. Love doesn’t do justice to how we feel about the city that never sleeps. Boys, I’m working on it!
Why not build something?
If the world is ending in 2012, it won’t matter if it becomes big or not. The only thing that will matter is that you built it. I will be CEO of my own company, WriteFromTheBeach, and I will buy shares in my son’s own business.
See, it changes everything, right? It changes how you think. Suddenly, you’re reminded of the things that matter to you.
And if, for a second, you thought my mind hovers up there with the clouds, I’d like to cut that thought short and tell you that my feet are firmly planted on the ground. I will still keep on working, yes, even on weekends. But, instead of hunching over my computer during my lunch break, mindlessly wolfing anything that passes off as lunch, I vow to get up and make wise use of that time. Because that’s my own time.
And, instead of thinking that working weekends are such a sacrifice, I will consider them weekend deposits for when I get off for a vacation of a lifetime. And when I withdraw those weekend deposits, the idea is to withdraw completely. There is a time for work. There is a time for play. Enough said.
We all work and that’s our reality. But it doesn’t have to be our entire life. In fact, it really isn’t. And the life that we live outside of work is the very thing that sustains it. Don’t ever forget that.
See, it is possible.
There is a new beginning just as the world is ending.
xoxo
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Sunday, January 1st, 2012
Here’s to an amazing 2012!!!
The year that was turned out to be a dizzying drive, taking us to a lot of crossroads and detours. At a certain point, it seemed like we were on the edge of the precipice. But there were no dead ends. My sons summed it up nicely around midnight of 2011- everything had a happy ending.
And so we give thanks to a blessed 2011 where the human spirit triumphed over trials and God’s hand was in every single little detail.
And after welcoming 2012 with fireworks and firecrackers that the boys already claimed to be their “own” tradition, each of us sat down to talk about our New Year resolutions.
We each gave one resolution. Then we gave one resolution FOR each other that we entered 2012 with 5 resolutions each.
It was a beautiful way of telling each other how each of us can better ourselves. And it occurred to me that that’s the thing only your family can do for you- be utterly honest about you. Only they can brutally tell you what you need to improve on, what you need to work on in the same manner that only they can tell you with full honesty the one beautiful thing about you. And you can count on the fact that everything they tell you is borne out of love.
So, cheers to family! Cheers to love! Cheers to 2012 that’s going to be full of everything that matters in life.
And here’s introducing to you my comrades-in-arms, my shopping entourage, my midnight snack partners, my Oprah, my Joan Rivers, my DVD sources, my cheerleaders, my holding-hand partners in Our Father and in every hospital shot, and the ones who will go with me to the Avril Lavigne concert out of the goodness of their own hearts.
From our family to yours, Happy New Year!!!!!
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