Tornado Watch
June 13th, 2007 by sangandaan
It’s scary when you realize there’s a Tornado Watch and you have no idea there was one. There was one last night too.
Luxton School 100th Anniversary
May 17th, 2007 by sangandaanCummings to help Luxton celebrate its 100th year By Nick Martin
LUXTON School grad Burton Cummings is coming home to perform Friday evening at the school’s 100th anniversary celebrations. "Burton’s a go, for sure," Luxton School principal Tom Rossi said Tuesday. "Burton’s actually performing at our wine and cheese Friday evening. He’s performing solo on the keyboard. "He’s going to do five to seven songs," Rossi said. "He wants to do it in the old gym — it’s now a multipurpose room and day care, our lunch room." Cummings’ agent said from Los Angeles Tuesday that Cummings has not yet decided what songs to perform. "I have no idea, and I don’t think he does either," said Lorne Saifer. "He went to school there and his mother went there — he wants to give back to the community." Rossi said that the old gym can handle at most 400 people, but, "we’re looking at the possibility of having a screen in our new gym. "If people come late, they might only hear him from the hallway," Rossi said. Luxton School has brought in a professional sound system, he said. "The acoustics will be fine," with hardwood floors and a high ceiling, Rossi said. "It’ll be all standing. He’ll be on a stage — it’ll be like when (The Guess Who) did that performance at Crescentwood." Luxton’s liquor permit allows about 700 people to buy tickets for the wine and cheese, he said. Cummings is expected to take the stage around 7:30 p.m. "We’re playing it low-key," said Rossi, because the evening is intended for former Luxton students and teachers to celebrate the school’s 100th anniversary. The school has tickets for the wine and cheese at 589-4368. So far, Rossi said, grad Monty Hall has not confirmed whether he’s coming. Luxton School already unveiled its mural Monday and had walking tours of the neighbourhood Tuesday. The school is on Polson Avenue, east of Main Street and just west of the Red River. * * * Schedule for the 100th anniversary celebration: Wednesday: Tree planting ceremony, 1 p.m. Thursday: Tours led by middle years students dressed in period costume, 9 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. Friday: Soda shop, 1 to 4 p.m.; adult-only wine and cheese, 7 p.m. to midnight (tickets required for both). Saturday: Social, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Prosvita Hall, tickets required Sunday: Community barbecue and games, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. © 2007 Winnipeg Free Press. All Rights Reserved. Picture: Joe Bryksa/ Winnipeg Free Press archives
Wednesday, May 16th, 2007
Acebits: The Adventures of Legoman
April 14th, 2007 by sangandaan
Filming for "The Adventures of Legoman" started April 7th. Using Ate Apple’s and mommy’s camera, Ace started to work on his Lego movie.
The other day, he asked: "Mommy… Do you think I’m artistic?" And of course I said yes… As I was transferring the pictures from the digital cameras… I noticed these two shots.
I wonder what he’s thinking when he took these two pictures, while he’s forming them.
Yes, Ace. Mommy knows you are very, very artistic. And I look forward to watching your lego movies… well, once I figure out how to do this stop motion movie thing. The videos I’ve made of the pictures aren’t fast enough for your movie, … yet.
So, coming soon… The Adventures of Legoman. He’s the guy in the black shirt. He’s been lost a few times but Ace found him today in his pocket.
Spring na?
April 14th, 2007 by sangandaan
This is so promising… bike is out again. Ace is tall enough now to ride it without help getting on it. Not even one whole year…
Acebits: Manga - Memories
April 3rd, 2007 by sangandaan
Main Entry: man·ga
Pronunciation: ‘mä[ng]-g&
Function: noun
Etymology: Japanese, comic, cartoon, from man- involuntary, aimless + -ga picture
: a Japanese comic book or graphic novel
I didn’t even know what ‘manga’ meant… I thought it’s just the fruit 
For the last month, these two Kingdom Hearts books are the favorite bedtime reading companions of the big boy. I was a bit worried, it’s not really good cause it’s cartoon. I know I shouldn’t be really worried cause so far his reading level is higher than most in his class but I thought reading something like Hardy Boys (which we started reading last week) would be more ideal.
Well, I had an awakening. I had a dream about our Tatay about two weeks before his birthday. Every year, I usually have a dream where he comes back, wearing the same white barong-like polo shirt and he gives me a kiss at the end. This year, I was in a bath tub like pool and I was sleeping. I awoke to the sound of people arriving and I knew that my parents were home. Nanay went in first but said to someone with her not to wake me up. When they went out, Tatay walked in. But he reached down to me, and kissed me on the forehead. These dreams early in March always remind me of his birthday, March 24th. It’s nice to have these visits, even just w/in dreams.
When I woke up, I realized that I have a collection of my own version of manga. I never even thought about it before. They are just these three Dennis the Menace books that traveled with me when I came here to Canada, and have moved trough all our 10 address changes. Out from the box, into a bookcase, in a box, out again, back to the bookcase. I must treasure it much to have it with me all these years. For how long? About 30 years now…
When I was small… well, when I was in grade school, probably like Ace, Grade 2 or 3, there were Sundays when we would go to Chinatown and along the way, on the sidewalk, not at National Bookstore, someone sold comic books. That’s where I found these three books that I loved. The other comic books I found after these were not as treasured because they are the ones with just one panel per page, these three have real stories in them.
I immediately took these books out of the bookcase and showed Ace. I told him how when I was his age, I started reading these comic books. I shared with him why I love these books now, not because of the content but because they now represent a time in my life when I was with my Tatay. He asked me just a few days before, "Who’s my grandfather?" How I wish I don’t have to just tell him about him but I wish he was here to see and love Ace. These books represent the memories I have of him.
He would have been 80 years old this year. He was not a perfect man, far from it. But one thing I know was that he loved each and everyone of us, his family. We probably didn’t really know the real him until after his death. But I am thankful for his legacy. Not him being a lawyer, politician, writer, actor… I am so thankful to him for all my brothers and sisters.
Today is my Kuya Arnel’s birthday. He looks just like Tatay. He was 18 when he took on a lot of responsibilities for the family. He added me to that load and I know it’s because of him that I did not harbor any hurt against Tatay, because he did not take care of himself, that he died young and left "me" all "alone". Kuya Arnel was there, through all our young years and even as young adults. He was there when I was hurt the most, miles apart, he helped me through that phase, made me realize that I have him to go to when I need him most.
I have one wish… that one day, we, all of us in Manila, Davao, Los Angeles and here in Winnipeg, will have a chance to get together again. It’s been too long. Our reunion is here in Friendster and it somehow makes me long more to see them. I saw the pictures of my nephew in Davao with his cousins… it made me realize Daniel and Ace won’t have that kind of relationship, and the same with the whole basketball troop and muses.
Acebits: Playing Cards
March 21st, 2007 by sangandaanWhile learning how to play solitaire … "Cool! They named a card after me!"
Acebits: Ace Burpee
March 10th, 2007 by sangandaan
Ace loves music. I’ve calmed him with classical music since he was in the womb by blasting in full volume Vivaldi’s "Four Seasons" via walkman, speaker side against my tummy, covered with a pillow. That usually gets him to stop moving and rest :)
Recently, he started to listen to Hot 103 while in the washroom, reading the daily cartoon. Today, there’s something new. He started to bring with him the shower radio anywhere he goes around the house. Whether he is using the computer or playing with his cars or lego, singing along with the songs of Nickleback, Eva Avila…
His favorite is Ace Burpee, though he doesn’t really listen in the morning, he is always excited about anything "Ace Burpee".
April 12 Update: I saw the link to Hot 103 from Ace’s YouTube video… it’s in Ace Burpee’s blog! AWESOME!!!! Thanks, Ace Burpee!
Acebits: Tagalog
March 2nd, 2007 by sangandaanI was watching "Maging Sino Ka Man" - yeah, I’m addicted, but not too much… ah, I just want to know what’s happening … and since I can’t watch it on YouTube I’ve subscribed online to ABS-CBN and it’s worth the $7 a month fee, satisfies the craving for Filipino TV without paying too much! Anyways…
Earlier in the afternoon, Ace said something about "it’s so hard to learn another language". I never really thought much about it.
So tonight, as MSKM was playing on the computer, Ace said… "They speak english?" I said yes… he asked if Filipinos in the Philippines know how to speak english. I said of course… and he said "So they will understand me when I go there?" I said yes, most of them would. He had this "very happy" look on his face, his smile made his eyes smile.
That must be on his mind… going to Mommy and Daddy’s home someday.
Acebits: The Archives
February 27th, 2007 by sangandaan
I just realized I haven’t really worked on the archives of the Blogger blog. I started to change it to pictures and since I went back to work, it stayed that way. So for the record, and for memories, I’ll just post the links here before I forget. By the time I’ve been back to the workforce, the entries aren’t as much. Some are codes I put in with the intention of updating it when I get a chance. But I can’t even remember what they mean now :(
That’s why I now would like to start this again… I’ve missed so much.
I just glanced at August 2001, Ate Apple you might want to look at August 16th. I stopped looking at them when I got to September 11th, 2001. The memories start to flood back in and the pain of that day, I will never forget.
But some are just funny ones, some would remind me how he never really talked until he was in Kindergarten. If only … oh well, I can’t really complain if he talks non-stop now
2001: July | August | September | October | November | December
2002: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec
2003: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec
2004: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec
Acebits: DNA
February 24th, 2007 by sangandaanOk, so I guess I’m going to use this blog to update the Acebits. It’s been a long time since I’ve used blogger and just didn’t want to go back into it for now (http://sangandaan.net/ace). I’ve used that blog to help me remember… well, I found my memory is not as good since I’ve had the drugs when I was in labor for Ace :)
Memories… Just like today, Dan and I watched Swithfoot’s sold-out concert … (it was a great concert! I decided not to bring the digital camera [I somehow have this thing these days of not bringing my camera, but that's for another blog entry] so I used the phonecam so I didn’t really get nice pictures/video). It was at the old Garrick theater (if my memory is right?) and I was shocked that I couldn’t remember that you have to go down some steps to go to the washrooms. We’ve been to that theater a lot of times around the early 1990’s and it’s one of those memories that somehow got erased 
So, today’s Acebit. On the way home from Ate Apple’s place, Ace saw the empty water bottle I bought during the concert, it has a cap w/ a I don’t know what you call it, helps you drink the water like a baby bottle… he took it out and put in on another bottle that still has some water in it. I immediately told him not to drink it cause I have a cold.
Ace: "It’s ok, Mom. I have your DNA, remember? I have you two’s DNA."
