...with FREEDOM comes MATURITY...

Do not get to talk with Ameera as much now that she is all grown up and making her own life in the US....  I figured, she and her brother, Ace, need their own space - to grow...  to make their own decisions...  to struggle and stand on their own two feet....   to feel what it's like to be independent....  to make their mistakes and learn from them....  and to be PROUD of their own accomplishments in life....   so as much them, I just let them be....  now and again, of course, I go through the moments where I feel forgotten and such... but never lasts long...  and when we do talk, no matter how too far in between and how short - everything becomes forgotten and am happy...  and I know that once I see them again -- in the US or here in ASIA -- it will be like we were never even apart.... :)

the last few days, I have been talking with Ameera via Facebook PM...   and it blew me away how much maturity comes from this girl's mind....  not surprising but I still get blown away... :)  When  I asked if there was anything I could do, or anything she needed  - she simply replied:

"... i need a lot of things, i know you can give some of the things i need,

but i chose not to ask,

you already gave me so much when i was younger,

its time for me to handle things on my own till i can..."

This is just another reason why I know this girl will make it in life....  just hope that it will be less struggles and more happiness....

They are all ADULTS NOW!!!

This year marks my two nieces', Ameera & Nicole, adulthood - as this month, both of them turns 18!!! and at the same time my nephew Ace turns 23.... Really how time flies.... (PHOTO TAKEN FEB 2010 DURING AMEERA'S BDAY DINNER.)

Sadly, this year I also missed out on their BDAY celebrations... with everything else going on: scheduling, family dramas, etc - it was just not for me to attend and join in their festivities... but I might not have been there physically - I hope they know that I am there mentally and emotionally....(photo taken DEC 2007 - one of my most FAVE memories with you guys!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you three!!! Always, Your Tito

"the family that EaTs together..."

"...LaUgHs Together"

a visit in Manila is never complete unless I can take my family out for at least one meal... since my Mom is feeling better, I decided to get her out to the city for a bit of shopping and then dinner at SAISAKI, an BUFFET TYPE resto that serves Chinese, Japanese and Filipino food.... always a good choice with so many to please... we were joined by my nieces, Ameera & Nicole, my cousin Nanay, my half brother Cholo, and Kuya Ric... sadly, my nephew ace is missing as he is in the US at the moment...

As always, Ameera never fails to crack us all up with her stories and jokes... Nicole is always lost between texting and her iPod... and my half brother forever interrupted by his work, calling.... this time around though the thing that really cracked us all up is seeing my Mom come back to the table with a plate full of Japanese food and to my surprise, a BIIIIG BLOG of WASABI!!! Forgetting that it is her first time with Sushis, I asked my Mom, if she really liked Wasabi that much... to which she replied: "what wasabi? isn't this Green Ube (a Filipino dessert made out of TARO)?" Lols.... my nieces and I were rolling on the floor with uncontrollable laughter....
Rest of the Photos Here!

"Tito, you're fat!" - Ameera Speaks!

"SAY WHAT!!!" exactly my reaction when my niece, Ameera, uttered those words to me one afternoon, as we stroll Shangrila Mall last week... I actually turned red of embarrassment as she tells me this loudly - with people around us. She went on to explain: "I do not mean FAT - I mean PHAT!". and again I say, "what the hell is that?" To which she explains:
"you are Pretty Hot And Tempting..." LOLs!!! (I laughed soooo hard!!!)
What A Line! Anyway, Ameera has always been a source of information for me... teaching me the art of texting in short cut, Pinoy forms.... or basically doing the texting for me - she, as according to her: "if there was an emergency and people depended on you texting for help...everyone would already be dead before I can even hit the SEND BUTTON"... to which I AGREE completely... hahahaha... Incidentally, Ameera turned 17 Feb 9th - Party Photos Click Here!

She has also translated or explained, I should say, numerous emails, letters, Tagalog movie dialog's, and yes, even BADING slang... haaays where does she learn these stuff... don't matter... am just THANKFUL as a day with her is never boring....
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Sharing a few pick up lines, learned from Ameera, that I found really funny... and maybe, just maybe, will get me slapped -- if I ever use them, that is:

-Would you mind taking off your shirt -- so I could see how Angels cover up their wings."

-Can you give me your number, Or should I just call you mine? (Are you not tired? Because you keep running circles in my mind!)

-Hindi Ka ba napapagod? Dahil takbo ka ng takbo sa isip ko...

Birthday, Bithday, Birthday -- Oh My!!!

okay, while most will in a frenzy over what kinds of chocolates and flowers to give their special someone -- I will be scratching my head once again, as February means too many BDay's to worry about(August, as well!)-- my nephew Ace and nieces, Ameera & Nicole's BDay is here again!!! It just gets harder and harder each year as they get older and older... that is why BDay's should be outlawed once someone turns 21!!!Photo was taken during their combined BDAY party last year... the girls both turned 16, while Ace turned 21 -- which in my book, am FREE of my BDAY obligations with him.... (Do you hear that, Ace?)HAHAHAHAHAHA.....

So Long 2008 -- Hello 2009

So the first three days of 2009 also marks our last few days on Vacation in Manila... so glad it was spent just with the young ones - still on vacation... we just basically hung around, watching vids, swimming, walking about and discovering new places and eating places....

On the 1st, since we are not allowed to spend (some kind of tradition I am always told) - we cooked at home and then walked about the quaint little neighborhood of Tomas Morato district in Quezon City... it was truly my first time walking around the neighborhood... and boy am I glad we did!!! this has got to be my NEW/OLD FAVE area... lots of cute and nice little restos, cafes, boutiques to visit... can't wait to go back...

On the 2nd we shopped (as we are now allowed to) for presents (STILL) at various malls - and Manila never runs out of them!!! Then we went to see a really corny Horror flick @ Rockwell and did some cam whoring about afterwards....

Our last day on the 3rd, we drove to Quezon City again to check out a culinary school.... and then went to The Fort/Serendra area to walk around the shops... check out what's new with ALESSI... and then we were treated by AMEERA for coffee and desserts at Conti's...

Over all, 2009 has been good so far...
More Photos Here

we gave a "DAMN"!!!

Dec 30th, Give A Damn,a BENEFIT CONCERT was held at A.VENUE, one of the newest and hippest places in the Makati area -- boasting lots of different local band, both famous and infamous... two of them are my FAVES: CAPO & Sundown Caffeine.... David and I got to attend along with Ace, Ameera, Nicole, Gretchen & Kristopher...

The night was topped off by hanging and eating at the closest McDonalds...

Was a FUN NITE for me to be with the kiddies... hamming it up for photos, etc -- see more here....

Forever???

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I ask about your STANCE on FOREVER.... Do you believe there is such a thing??? and why??? what is your DEFINITION of FOREVER???
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NOTE: this is brought on by my 16 year old niece, Ameera (and her recent BLOG entry), who is now in college - following the footsteps of her Kuya Ace... taking up HRM @ MAPUA..... she has been going out with the same boy from her Montessori HS days for about two years now... and recently, been going though rough times, as they are both in collecge and going to different schools.... she has taken up BLOGGING, as like me, she basically wears her heart on her sleeves....

anyway, I find it interesting that at the tender age of 16, she talks so much about FOREVER.... professing Forever Love.... promising Forever Devotion.... etc..... so it got me to think about MY STANCE on the subject:

I DO believe in FOREVER.... but for me FOREVER is however long one has/had with the other person... be it a lifetime or just a month... that is our Forever...

When I love someone, I love fully... so Togetherness Forever automatically comes into the picture... but circumstances are never the way we Imagined or wished them to be - most of the time... and more so than never, we part ways... but the person touched my heart, became a part of my life already... and FOREVER will be in your Thoughts and Heart... even if not in my Life!

"forever may not be long,
but if you take the chance,
to experience some form of romance,
thats long enough to know..."

She Blogs, She Blogs....

there is truth to the old adage: "the apple never falls far from the tree..." though I do not have kids of my own, I feel that my nephews and nieces are quite an extension of me.... you have already seen and met my nephew Ace from my previous blog.... now pls meet my niece, Ameera Roxanne Breiz, my sister Rowena's youngest child -- she just turned SWEET SIXTEEN and already starting her college years this month... following her brother Ace's footsteps, she will be attending MAPUA University and taking up HRM, as well....

Ameera, for the most part, is another kooky person... she is a talker - much like her MOM... and a prankster, like her Dad... she is loving, very kind to animals, and the girl can sing -- wish she would sing more often!!! she is also one of the most down to Earth people you will ever meet.... not at all snotty and THANK GOD, have outgrown her brattiness.... I always feel that she is wise beyond her years... if I have to compare her and her brother Ace - I would say that she is much more mature, though Ace is 5 years her senior.... she is fun loving and a really friendly kind of girl... due to personal reasons, we do not get to see each other as much lately - which I miss as she has a way of making me laugh all the time... she is tireless in entertaining me - no matter how sleepy I may already be.... LOLs....

Possibly though, the biggest thing I love about her is the way she wears her heart on her sleeves, much like me.... i have always thought so and reading entries in her newly started personal BLOG, Ameera's Modern Life, I am even more positive that she is this way - just as I am.... she is not shy to put her feelings down in words... for herself and for anyone else to read... I know that she has been told by a couple of people close to her that they do not agree with what she is writing as they are too personal....but she does not care.... For Ameera, she will write down how she feels... it is her way of expressing herself.... and isn't that what personal blogging is all about...Besides, what do most 16 year old girl's talk or write about anyway but boys, loves, and everyday life.....