236: Women know what men want

Got a chance to watch the Padre's game tonight but instead gave away all my tickets. I'm not a baseball fan but it would have been nice to go out on a friday night, a fitting end of a crazy week.

But it was just one of those days when you just want to go home and lay on the couch. After all, I got to catch up on my DVR viewing. I have not finished watching the Tour De France (even though it was over a week ago and am still in the Pyrenees), 10 episodes of Sienfeld, Curly, Larry and Moe, King of Queens, Big Bang and yes Gilmore Girls.

Of course, I caught a glimpse of my mom on Facebook and a blow by blow stories from my sister on her trip back home.  No thanks to the government (for shifting to the so called e-passport which ironically takes ages to process), I would have been suffering (happily) with the humid weather back home.

Instead I'm laughing silently with Jerry saying"Women know what men want and men know what men want...We want want women. How do we get them? We don't have any idea. Men gets frustrated when they see women reading articles like Where to Meet Men. We are here...we are everywhere".

235: Am back home...sort of

It's happening I thought. After quite an eternity of waiting, the intercom suddenly crackled. "Ladies and Gentlemen we are now approaching Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Today's temperature is 32 degrees celcius. The local time is 6PM. Welcome to Manila and thank you for flying Hawaiian Airlines". I jumped out of my chair startled. I feel the cold in my room and it was all dark. It took me a while to regain consciousness. My phone vibrated and I sleepy checked an in coming text message. It was my sister. "Leaving in a few hours, will call you with mama when we get there". She's leaving for the Philippines and I am not.

234: Instinct

There are things about your self that you think you are good at. For me I know have great instinct. I can easily read through the way someone dress, body language, tone of voice or facial expressions. I often use such ability when dealing with people or situations. Sometimes my instinct is either a gift or a curse.

233: College

Spent the whole day last Saturday attending Josh's orientation. College makes or breaks dreams and aspirations. I expect the former for him. Although it cost me a parking ticket for parking at the wrong spot, it was a great day otherwise.

232: Fast Times

 Deirdre passed her driving test after her second try. Her first try I wasn't there. But this time, there's no way I could miss this one. Not even pressing problems at the office can stop me from being there for her. Just seeing her big smile and a sign of thumbs up to me as she alight after a brief run around the block made me feel contented.

Yesterday, I asked Josh how's school (he started his college life this week). I was expecting the usual "fine", or "it's ok" or "I don't know". But to my surprise he said "Amazing, I love College". The sweetest words a parent can hear.

Nadire called me as I was about to munch a big salad bowl at subway (surprisingly I was the only customer) asking how to use the washing machine. She wanted to wash her school bag, all clean and dandy. "Turn to the normal mode, add detergent, set it and forget it", I said.

I hang up the phone, turn to my lunch, I can hear Bob Seger (We've got tonight who needs tomorrow) over the piped-in music. Fast times are here, I thought...and I'm in peace.

#231: More Name Game

Today is my youngest daughter's birthday. It's the second birthday celebration within three days. After a whirlwind trip to Vegas over the weekend, we decided to take it easy and had a simple dinner at our favorite Chinese Restaurant (by the way, I can say this is the best place to have Chinese.For those who will visit me soon in San Diego, remind me to take you there) .

Nadire (Nadirey) is now 13. As her sister Deirdre, Her name Nadire Irelan has a little bit of story behind it. I got her name when I was attending a U.N. conference in Istanbul in 1996. Nadire was a reporter, she was Turkish and quite a feisty lady. Her second name Irelan was actually the country Ireland (same as Deirdre's Erin) or the famous actress Jill Ireland without the d.

It's not clear what she wants to be at this time. But I always tell her not to worry about it. She's young and should enjoy being just that.One thing's for sure though, she said she'll hire a butler for me before she leaves. :-)

230: Name Game

I was thinking of naming her Eric Jr. if she was a boy. But she turned out to be a girl. So I was thinking of Erica. In the end I settled for "Deirdre". I first heard the name "Deirdre" from a character (a stunning Russian Model) in one of the TV episodes of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer in 1986. The name got embedded in my mind as I finally had the chance to use seven years later.

Of course the first name wasn't enough. I needed a second name. Not having second name or even third for a child is considered blasphemy, at least in the Philippines(I myself officially has three names). 

So, for her second name, I picked "Erin" which is the the romantic name of country Ireland. Erin was a favorite word in the crossword puzzle section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer paper, a favorite morning paper in our household during my college days. 

Combining the two names "Deirdre Erin" turned out to be a perfect match. Everyone I meet says that her name is quite rare or unique which definitely fits her character. Although her name has different spin-offs depending who's saying it. Her friends sometimes calls her "Didra", "Derdra" or "Dirdra". Of course our family would go for a more Filipino sounding name like "Debrang", "Dengdang" or "didi". I myself call her Deirds or sometimes "pong" (which is nadire's) by mistake.

And so goes the name game, as I (for the nth time) narrated to my kids while enjoying a pig-out dinner at Todai on Deirdre Erin's 17 years of existence. 

As we got out (after an hour mind you) bloated, I told them to stand in front the restaurant. "Why?", they asked. "Let's take pictures", I jokingly suggested. "Yeah right", they said as they turned away. "Hey come on it's bad not taking pictures on the places you go to!, you're Tita Chiquit will be mad!", I pleaded. "Fine more stories coming tomorrow during our long drive to Vegas", I said. "Good I will make you crazy with my Korean music for 4 hours", Deirdre fired back.