There was news recently of the Philippine run of “Les Miserables” beginning this March and of a Filipino-Australian girl who is cast as Cosette. My girls know many of the songs in “Les Miserables,” especially Cosette’s solo, “Castle on a Cloud.” Shobe immediately asked, “If she’s here, how will she go to school? Maybe she […]
Some time in late July, my friends and I discussed which classes we planned to take for the incoming school year. Our department was rather small, so there usually weren’t a lot of classes offered (there was only one class per course number). This upped our chances of being in the same class with our […]
Although fruits are very healthy and rich in vitamins and fiber, too much of a good thing can also pack added inches to your waistline. As always, moderation is the key word. Don’t eat too much of any one thing. Not too much wine, too much fats or too much eggs. In fact, some of […]
There’s a wise saying, “Everyone should have three kinds of friends – those younger than you whom you can teach, those of your same age to hang out with, and those older from whom you can learn.” As teaching is my vocation, I am always around the younger crowd. Most of my peers are married, […]
One day, flowers will arrive at the house and they will be for my daughter.I was once on the other side of that doorbell – the teenager carrying a nondescript box of chocolates waiting for the door to open. Flowers tend to elicit a few too many stares. At least that’s how I saw it […]
First published in Tulay Fortnightly, Chinese-Filipino Digestvol. 29 | no. 14 | December 20, 2016-January 16, 2017 A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones. – Nelson Mandela There are numerous things that Meah and I want our children to learn. Foremost among them is love […]
Hoaxes related to the COVID-19 health crisis are turning people against each other, causing panic when calm is needed. As such, the current COVID-19 crisis is not just a global pandemic, it is also now a global infodemic. Some of the results have been unfortunate: China and Chinese bashing; people being beaten up because they […]
The world’s attention is riveted on the latest health epidemic: the spread of a new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that has killed three percent of those afflicted. While its fatality rate pales in comparison to the common flu, its newness has raised the deepest dread among humans: fear of the unknown. The disease knows no borders, […]
Most preteens feel insecure about their looks. I was no exception. However, besides the crushing weight of normal insecurities brought on during that stage, I had to deal with much more. When the thought of self-appearance came to mind, I had to deal with mixed feelings of shame, anger and self-rejection – all of which […]
In January, Celine Medina and I planned a shoot around the female gaze. Celine is a photographer who I met on Twitter. She had placed an open call for collaborations, so I responded. We then followed each other on Twitter and expressed our mutual desire to work together. We finally met on Feb. 17 to […]