The World of Second Chances

Desperate Housewife

October 13, 2009

Life & Love, That’s Entertainment

You may find this kinda late but since my maternity leave
started last September 8, I’m hooked in watching Desperate Housewives.
Oh yeah, the transition from being a Sex and the City fanatic to being
a Desperate Housewives fanatic. Does it have something to do with my
change of civil status? Perhaps! But since I’m watching it on DVD and I
started on the 3rd Season episodes, I’m not sure if the housewives had
budgeting problems like me.

I used to argue with my late mother on budgeting. It was not budgeting per se
but it was the way she used to mention how tough a job budgeting is.And since I was
living alone with lots of comfort on my apartment which is a two-hour drive from
my parents’ home, I didn’t know that budgeting for a large family is really a tough job!

When I got married and my husband moved in with me, he nearly freaked me out for
touching on stuff that were supposed to be out in my perceived time.Then came his
sister a month after we got married. Budgeting was becoming more challenging!
When my daughter from my first love joined us after my mother passed away, I don’t know
if my pregnancy had something to do with my mood swings whenever I see the cupboard
empty ahead of my scheduled grocery day. It was not only the groceries that I was concerned
about. It was the electricity bill and water bill that shoot up! When the baby and the helper
came, grocery cost increased by 40%, electricity by 120% and water by 100%. Oh, don’t count the
baby; I didn’t include him in the computation.

My husband noticed how irritated I was yesterday. He knew it was the budgeting issue.
“Why can’t some people be just as disciplined as me? And for everyone’s info, when
I used to live with my relatives, I never touched their stuffs!”

Yes, it’s not just the money issues that I’m irritated about; it is also the consumption issue.
When I was living alone, everything was scheduled and budgeted. Electricity and water cost
were lower because I knew how to conserve. It is easier to impart that to my sister-in-law
and daughter because they are family. I have a big job to educate my helper on CONSERVATION.

Back to Desperate Housewives, in running a family with extension (sister-in-law) and a helper,
maybe I could associate myself with Lynette Scavo. I admire the way she handles her family.
She’s tough yet cool about her children especially when the twins are already on their
teens. She knows her insecurities and is not afraid to tell others about it. (The episode
when she told the successful Bree Hodge that she’s jealous of her career)

Susan Mayers and Gabrielle Solis are my most favorite character. Susan resembles me
in the way that we’re both hopeless romantics. (But I’m not a drama queen like her!)
She’s the most natural character aside from Lynette’s. Susan’s imperfections like
her carelessness make her more adorable. Ordinary housewives would say that yeah,
life is fair; because a beauty like Susan could be so vulnerable and careless, too!
I love Gabrielle Solis because she reminds me of my youth; the time when I thought
it was easy to change boyfriends because a better one would surely come my way.(It didn’t
happen, though. I only had three boyfriends before I got married, the last one became my
husband) Gabrielle’s character is just as fiery as mine. I love her sense of humor and style, too.
I love Season 5 because it showed the down to earth side of Gabriel Solis when she and Carlos
nearly hit bankcrupcy.

Bree Hodge, though the most charming character is the most superficial, too. Her being so
reserved and acting with much finesse is just too unnatural for me. Oh, maybe it’s the reason
why her children turn out to be that way?

Edie Britt reminds me of Samantha in “Sex and the City.” Both are blonde, pretty and
free-spirited. Between the two, I prefer Edie’s character and her reputation as the
neighborhood “slut.” I don’t remember Samantha being condemned by her friends; in fact
she is well-loved by her friends! What I like in Edie’s character is this: it’s natural
for women to feel threatened to the presence of a hot woman in the neighborhood. Edie’s character
wants to tell us that not all pretty and sought-after women are happy. (Season 3 shows a vulnerable
Edie pleading for love and commitment to Carlos)
The Most Wonderful Thing In This World

October 6, 2009

Life & Love

The most wonderful thing in this world for me is

to experience motherhood. Not even a good career

could match to a baby’s warm smiles; it takes away my

exhaustion and hunger. I could have experienced the

joy that I’m feeling right now 12 years ago had I faced

motherhood with great courage then. Instead, I passed

the responsibility to my more than willing parents; now

that my daughter is with me, I find it hard to connect with her

sometimes. Good thing, my newborn bridges that gap between me

and my eldest.

It aint easy to be a mother especially if you were single and

independent most of your life. My newborn wakes up every two hours

for feeding and diaper change. Since I am on maternity leave, I

take charge of the baby. We got our baby a nanny but I realize that

before her, I should be the one to familiarize my baby’s moods,

activities and attitude. I tried breastfeeding my baby but my mammary

is not producing enough milk for him. A friend suggested Prolacta but

even that didn’t help.

I look at myself at the mirror and there I found an unfamiliar face:

a sweaty and tired face. But my eyes are kinder, my smile is sweeter

and my aura is more peaceful. Motherhood changes my perspective in life;

from a career woman, I am now a family woman.
Darna Episode 3: August 12

August 13, 2009

That’s Entertainment

Ni hindi nga matitikman ng batang may ahas sa ulo ang kalinga at pagmamahal ng isang ina. Sa isang pagkakataong umiiyak dahil sa sama ng loob, nasambit nya sa may kweba na sa sobrang pagkamuhi ng ina sa kanya, ni pangalan ay hindi siya binigyan.

“Valentina, yan ang pangalang ipinagkakaloob ko sa iyo,” ang sabi ni Cobra. Natakot ang bata at nagtatakbo.

Madalas siyang magmamatyag sa may bahay-ampunan ngunit takot makipagkaibigan sa mga bata. Naisipan niyang takutin sila Eduardo at Narda sa pamamagitan ni Vibora; kunwari’y aatakihin ang dalawang bata ng ahas at ililigtas niya ito. Nagtagumpay nga siya at naging bukas ang pinto ng bahay-ampunan para sa kanya.

Naging matalik silang magkaibigan ni Narda at siya rin ang kasa-kasama nito noong ampunin ni Dr. Morgan (Ricky Davao) si Eduardo.

Lumipas pa ang panahon at nagdalaga na ang dalawa. Habang suot ang pelukang bigay ni Narda, napagdiskitahan ng mga tambay si Valentina at tinangkang pagsamantalahan. Iniligtas siya ng mga ahas sa ulo na pinatay ang mga lalaking nagtanggka sa kanya.

Sa sobrang takot at pagsisisi, umiyak at nagsumbong si Valentina sa ina ngunit sa halip ay nilibak pa sya. Sa sobrang sama ng loob, di sinasadyang napatay nya rin ang ina.
Darna Episode 2: August 11

August 13, 2009

That’s Entertainment

Halos wala sa sarili dahil sa pag-iwan ng asawa, naisipan ni Consuelo na bumalik sa kweba at hilingin ang pagbalik ng asawa. Pumayag si Cobra (Paolo Contis) kung may maibibigay siyang alay. Dala ng inggit at pagkawala sa sarili, pinuntahan niya ang kaibigang si *Rita at nagsinungaling na magpapasama sa asawa. Iniaalay niya si *Rita kay Cobra at inihulog ang sanggol sa bangin.

Napulot ng mga masasamang tao ang sanggol pa lang na si Narda at ibinenta sa sindikato. Ipinaalaga sya sa isang matandang miyembro din ng sindikato na ginampanan ni Ms. Odette Khan. Sa sindikato na rin lumaki at nagkakilala ang batang Narda at batang Eduardo (na magiging si Mark Anthony Fernandez paglaki).

Malupit ang sindikato. Minsang balakin ng lider na ibenta si Narda sa mga pedophile, nakaisip ng paraan ang lola (Odette Khan) na patakasin ang mga bata.Nabaril ang lola habang hinaharang ang mga sindikatong umaabot sa mga bata. Binaril din ng lider ng sindikato si Eduardo ngunit humarang si Narda. Tamang pagdating naman ng mga pulis na magdadala kila Narda at Eduardo sa bahay ampunan.

Lumaki na rin ang batang may ahas sa ulo na salat sa pagmamahal ng ina. Sa sobrang pagkamuhi ni Consuelo, ni hindi nya ito pinagkalooban ng pangalan. Tanging ang ahas na si Vibora lang ang kasa-kasama ng bata.
Darna Episode 1

August 13, 2009

That’s Entertainment

Episode 1: August 10

Pinakita ang magkaibigang hirap magkaroon ng anak; sila Consuelo na ginampanan ni Janice De Belen at ang karakter ni Rita Avila. Habang tapat at mahal na mahal ng karakter ni Jestoni Alarcon ang asawa (Rita Avila), si Hector (John Apacible) naman ay nalululong sa pambabae kung kaya’t madalas malungkot si Consuelo.

Pinakita din ang pinagmulan ng batong balang araw ay magpapa-“Darna” kay Narda (Marian Rivera). Ito pala ay pag-aari ng naunang Darna na ginampanan ni Angel Aquino. Siya din ang magbibigay ng bato kay Rita Avila kasabay ng prediksyong di magtatagal ay magkakaroon siya ng anak. Bagama’t baog, nagluwal nga ng sanggol na babae si Rita. Kasabay ito ng pagluluwal ng sanggol na babae ni Consuelo na walang malay sa tunay na katauhan ng iluluwal.

Ang batang niluwal ni Rita ay siyang magiging Darna sa pagdaan ng panahon habang ang batang iluluwal ni Consuelo ang magiging matalik na kaibigan at malupit na kaaway ni Darna.

Gimbal ang mag-asawang Hector at Consuelo sa hitsura ng sanggol. May mga ahas sa ulo nito. Hindi matandaan ni Consuelo na siya ay pinagsamantalahan ni Cobra, ang hari ng mga ahas, noong siya’y nagpunta sa kweba upang humiling. Dala ng pagkabigla, naisipan ni Hector na sunugin ang kubo at magpakalayo-layo kapiling ang mag-ina. Ngunit di rin magtatagal at di nya matatanggap ang pagkatao ng inakalang anak kaya babalik sya sa masamang bisyo. Dahil dito, lalong kamumuhian ni Consuelo ang bata.
Lady in Yellow

August 3, 2009

Life & Love

I was in grade school when democracy was brought back through EDSA 1. At that time, I didn’t have the slightest hint of what was going through to my country. All I knew was that, there was this lady in yellow, said to be a widow of a slain senator, who championed the restoration of democracy in the Philippines.

While Marcos’s symbols were the colour red and the victory sign, Cory C. Aquino’s symbol’s were the colour yellow and the L-sign. (some would say it meant “laban” or fight while some would say that it meant “love”)

The lady in yellow or President Cory faced a lot of issues during her presidency. It was during her time when her administration was rocked with seven coup d’etats, natural and man-made calamities, power shortage and price increase of basic commodities like rice and sugar. The people who supported her asked, “Is she worth the presidency? Is she capable of handling a third-world country?”

It was sometime in the late 80’s when her youngest daughter Kris decided to join show business. Kris was then a bubbly teenager who was more popularly known as the daughter of Ninoy and President Cory. (Years later, Cory would be popularly known as the mother of Kris Aquino)

Being a showbiz person that I am, I’ve witnessed how Kris metamorphosized into a ham actress to a competitive television host. To some, she’s a stubborn spoiled-brat who would steal someone’s boyfriend (Hi there, Cindy Conwi!), run away with cinema’s bad boy (Robin Padilla) and eventually, being the mistress of a top action star (Philip Salvador). But to those who’ve seen Kris’s growing up years without a father, she’s just a little girl who was looking for love, even if Cory gave her all the love she could give to her children. In yesterday’s interview with Kris at her program “The Buzz,” she admitted that she was a prodigal daughter but that stubborness resulted to her being a more loving daughter.

After Cory’s term, she went back to being a private citizen. However, she didn’t really get out of the political limelight. It was a proof that as far as her political charisma was concerned, the lady in yellow’s opinion was still valued.

Her fight with colon cancer seemed like a long journey. I bet that her last 17 months on earth were her happiest albeit the cancer pains. Farewell to the lady in yellow. Farewell to you, Cory.
Yellow Ribbon for Cory

July 31, 2009

Life & Love

It seems like ex-President Corazon Aquino’s health
is continuously deteriorating. According to her
nephew, Rafael Lopa, the cancer cell has spread
and affected some of her organs like the liver.
Cory is now undergoing pain management that is
why she’s sleeping most of the time.

My heart goes out to Cory’s children. It’s
hard to see a loved one slowly suffering, much more,
a mother. My mother died of breast cancer
two months ago. Until now, I haven’t totally
moved on. Hearing Cory’s pain management
brought me back to the times when my own
mother was suffering from cancer pains.

The yellow ribbons for Cory must have brought
more emotional and spiritual strength to the Aquino and Cojuangco family.
And oh, even Imelda Marcos prayed for her during her
recent birthday celebration!

Truly, sickness is not exclusive to people
with unhealthy lifestyle. Those with
vices die old and those without, die early.
Only a miracle would take her cancer away.
If I would have one single prayer for her,
I would want her to leave this world peacefully.
Maybe it isn’t too late to resolve old issues
like forgiving those who killed her husband Ninoy.