I Confess: That's My Photo, In Lieu of Other Things

I've been volunteering as a photographer at my church. [In lieu of other obligations... Ahem... I don'twannatalkaboutit.]

How it goes is, I get an email with a request for me to take photos. I either accept or decline, depending on my schedule and mood. Yes, mood is very important! Because if I feel just a tad ornery, and I decide during a shoot that I don't appreciate the lip I'm getting from church members offended by my presence - yes, I've gotten a few words, but mostly stink-eyes from folks who don't like a big camera lens in their direction - pictures turn out bland. For instance, this one says I'm just going to snap a few shots so I can get outta here already!

Man, did I get some glares that evening!

Next time, I asked to be given a name tag that identifies me, and associates me with the church. Man, that sure made a difference! Pretty soon, I'm a regular presence with the camera, and the parishioners begin to conscientiously put on their best smiles, even suggesting how to pose, and camera angles, etc., etc., etc. The latter is a matter that peeves me! (Well, why don't YOU take the pictures then?!) But I will opine to that no further, in lieu of other things. I'mnottalkingaboutit.

Until last Sunday, I had no idea what the church did with my photos. So when I saw this, it warmed my heart, knowing that my volunteering actually counts for something, in lieu of other obligations.

Which, Istilldon'twannatalkaboutit.

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I Confess: It's Only a Number

The day started a day early. Phone calls started coming in the day before.

On the day, the phone calls started coming at five o'clock in the morning, two hours long before the crack of dawn.Twenty-some smiling faces singing at me on Skype.

As the day progressed, I had a facial and make-over, got my license renewed, and went to yoga with a girl friend.

The night finally closed with fifteen sunny faces raising their glasses umpteen times over dinner. Salud! Dinero! Y amor!

So what that my warrior pose was more like a feeble balancing attempt, or that my driver's license photo couldn't look more like this.

At the end of the day, it's only a number.

Thank you, my dear, close people, for being exactly you on this special day. My friends.


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Un Cumpleaños de Invierno

Winter birthdays are important for four reasons:

1. They either close the year, or...
2. Start the year. 

And because it's cold out, if you live in the Pacific Northwest,
   
     3. You tend to huddle for warmth.
     4. The ambience is cozy and intimate.

Happy Birthday Raquelita!

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A Family Christmas

It's been going on four years now that the family would get together at Tita V's house on Christmas Eve. This time, it was different. Special. It was a first Christmas for...

1. Tita V as a cancer survivor. 
2. Mayet and her family as visiting Californians. 
3. Jamesie Cat as a school boy.

Ain dressed us all up in Traditional Filipino wear, and the food and annual elephant gift exchange went as before.

What a creative and fun opportunity for photos! 'Cept the kids...

Are you kidding [no pun intended], I want to open presents!

Waaaaah! Someone pushed me!

Are we done yet?

I get anything I want if I sit still and smile? Cheeeeeeeeeeese!

This year's elephant theme was Bed Bath & Beyond.

And of course, there's always toys.

What thrilled me the most was to see Jamesie Cat use my present "correctly". Remember when he was just learning to spell his name?

Merry Christmas indeed!

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A Day With Jaida

Jaida is now walking.

Let me start again.

Jaida is now running, climbing, leaping, and just short of flying (a momentary action when she leaps into your arms off of tall platforms). She's also starting to talk. In fact, compared to her big brother, her vocabulary at a year and a half years old is more advanced than Sheazie Bear's at that age. So a day with her now is a whole world different from a day with her a year ago.

9AM: 

Huskies Football forum with Uncle 5-Star. 

11AM: 

Getting Jaida's left ear re-pierced. She lost an earring. I wonder why? Hah!

She was more afraid of being pinned down than by the prick of the earring.

11:30AM: 

Pay a visit to Tia Alfonsina at her work. If only Alfonsina wasn't on the clock, Jaida would have more time to warm up to her. 

12PM:

Lunch at Sushiland.

1:30PM:

Shopping.

That's a Princess Something-or-other basket. Apparently, Jaida doesn't see it that way. She doesn't play with princess things.

7PM

Come home to overly excited dogs who hadn't had their walks since Jaida came to town.

9:30PM

Stuff ourselves with Christmas cookies, and Skype with Grandma R.

Good night!


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A Child's Mind

It is a wonder what goes through the mind of a one and a half year old. Because they can't speak yet, I can only guess by her facial expressions what she might be thinking...

She looks serious. She must have found a button that makes something fascinating appear on the phone. It captures her attention. But mind you, the series of photos to follow take place within a span of no more than forty-five seconds.

She found some pictures. It must have been of Preacher and Sonya because she started woofing. Does she wonder why their ears stand up like football goal posts? Does she wonder why their tongues are soft and slimy? Is she afraid when they bark? (Probably not, because she likes to mimic them.) Does she want to ride them?

This one must have been of herself, because she lit up with recognition before bursting out in giggles. When she was littler, before she turned one, she found her reflection in the mirror to be quite interesting. At first she stared at herself. Soon, she kissed her reflection and made coddling sounds at it. So, what does she see in herself? That she has two eyes, a nose, and a mouth? So what? Or, does she think Aw, wittle babee so cute! not knowing she's looking at herself. Does she know who she's looking at?

Suddenly, her smile disappears, and she looks up from the phone.

Uh oh, what happened? Did she see something she didn't like? What picture could she possibly not like?

Oh no! Now she complained outright. Was the phone not doing what she wanted? Did she move away from the pleasant pictures, and didn't know how to get back to them?

Bam! She slaps the phone onto the counter with such finality. Yeah, something definitely offended her.

If she could talk, her exact words at this point would have been I'm outta here!
 

I picked up the phone to see what offended the unspeaking toddler. Hah! It was the Contacts page.

So what makes her enjoy Dawgman when she's looking at it with Uncle 5-Star?

An American Boy

Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America

I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the armed forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.

 

The Pledge of Allegiance

 

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." 

The American dream: to be an American!

The fun of being an American:

Fourth of July, Independence Day.

Thanksgiving, turkey and pumpkin pie.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, equality.

Memorial Day, heroes who fought for our freedom.

Labor Day, the force that built this nation. 

Halloween... Just kidding! But by the props we wore to celebrate this day with Undercover Brother (Alfonsina's little brother), you'd think it was.

When Undercover Brother arrived from Argentina, the only English words he knew were "Customer Service", which he actually thought was a name, Castro Mercedes. 

On this day, he became an American Boy, as fluent in English as his own American born son and wife. 

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