A few years back, I bought the book The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. This came on the heels of a workshop that we attended on this topic where we learned that all of us have one primary love language which is not always the same as that of our loved ones and could be a major cause of conflict or resentment.
According to Dr. Gary Chapman, unhappiness in relationships is often due to the fact that we speak different love languages. Sometimes we don’t understand our partner’s requirements, or even our own. We all have a “love tank” that needs to be filled in order for us to express love to others, but there are different means by which our tank can be filled, and there are different ways that we can express love to others. Dr. Chapman’s book divides love languages into five categories: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch.
This got me thinking of my 4 kids and found that they had different love languages.
C1’s is Quality Time. She loves time for us to talk (about anything that concerns her). Sometimes she wants to talk at the wrong time (like midnight sometimes???). Other times, I may not be ready to listen or have something to work on. But knowing this is her love language, I try to spend time talking or our next favorite bonding activity — shopping.
C2’s love language is also Quality Time though to a lesser degree than C1’s. She complains at times that I do not have time to go shopping with her (I work, you see) so I hope to be able to make up for it on some weekends. We have watched movies together already so that’s a good start. She also loves talking with me about things important to her and like C1, I try to relate to what she says.
M1’s is Receiving Gifts. For some reason, he relishes it when we come home from somewhere with something for him. When he was younger, he would always ask when I come home, “What did you get for me?” Now that he is older, his tastes get more expensive (read my lips: gadgets & tech stuff). So it gets challenging to fill this need without me emptying my pockets completely.
M2’s is Physical Touch. This is the kid I can hug and hug and who won’t squirm away from me. And he is the only one who asks (no, demands) that I give him a foot massage to get him to sleep. One day, I think I will bring him along when I have a massage and treat him to a really professional one.
I found this site on the blog of C1’s friend and was curious to find out which was my primary love language. GUESS!
It finally happened. An event unlike any other that bloggers have ever done.
Bloggers came together at the Vinyasa Yoga Center (where I practice) and did yoga for an hour and a half, followed by a vegetarian dinner cooked by my own yoga teacher, Pio Baquiran, who is not only a great yogi teacher but a fantastic chef as well.
PREPARATIONS IN FULL SWING
Chona and I were there early. Actually, Chona did yoga at noontime while I had to bring over to the center all the donated items from the sponsors. We ate a leisurely lunch at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, then went back to the center where we packed the media kits and the other donations together with 3 lovely ladies from the ad agency, Aspac/Law (Ria, Kathy and Mia).
(Mia, Kathy and Ria of Aspac/Law)
Some bloggers came in early so we had a chance to chat and get to know those whose names were familiar to me but who I had never met yet, like Francis, Melanie, Janine, and Carl. I was particularly interested in chatting with Francis, who, it turns out, already practises yoga at Fitness First (my thought bubble: this is the perfect endorser for yoga for men!!!). Melanie, too, it turns out, has been doing yoga for some time now and in fact, took yoga lessons that same morning with Chona’s and my good yogi friend fresh from Riyadh, Jon Cagas! What a small world indeed!
Juned of Blog and Soul came by a little later from another “shoot” and became the event’s volunteer photographer.
Yogini mates Minna (also the VYC directress), her sister Therese and Trin Custodio dropped by to support the event and practice together with Chona and I. All in all, the shala was filled and energies were strong!
THE CLASS — ENERGY TO THE MAX
Pio informed us that he had designed a special sequence just for bloggers. Now that caught everyone’s interest. He began with a short meditation, taught the bloggers the proper way to breathe, then followed it up with eye exercises, rotation of the hands, fingers and shoulders, and shorter variations of the sun salutations.
Pio also made us go through simple forward bends, side bends and wide angle bends to stretch the spine (good for sedentary bloggers, right?). We also did leg raises for the abs as well as the Bridge and Fish poses.
Class ended with everyone sweaty but feeling good. We had a class picture and naturally with everyone being bloggers, we had a whole slew of cameras and smiling to get through before we could call it a night!
THE HEALTHY DINNER!
Pio’s dinner consisted of pasta, burgers (using vegetarian patties) and his eggless leche flan. Arpee had the time of his life trying to guess the ingredients of this one!
(vegetarian pasta)
(burger with vegepatties)
***realization*** – I just realized I forgot to take a pic of the eggless leche flan! Chona, help!
Each blogger came away from the event fully worked out, fed with healthy vegetarian food, armed with a bag of items from sponsors like Coke, RFM, Nestle and VYC. And also special thanks to a yogini mate, Lomen, for the iced tea donations (yes, we chilled them and drank them during dinner!!!).
NEXT: THE CONTEST!
Blog and Soul has also announced a contest where bloggers who did yoga could compose a blog, photo gallery, vlog or any other form of post about the event. Prizes up for grabs consist of a 1 liter aluminum bottle from Swiss company, SIGG. In addition, there are 3 yoga outfits (jacket and pants) for girls from Aura Athletica Rockwell. Judging will be done by Blog and Soul together with VYC and the winners will be announced soon. For mechanics of the contest, go to Blog and Soul’s website.
I did a random, ambush interview of some bloggers (including Francis who did a fantastic spiel on yoga for men — yey!).
And as I find blog entries on the event, I will post these below.
Last night, I was at an honoring at the wake of Dr. Benigno M. Sulit, Jr. (Tito Benny to me) — dad of one of my good friends, Aly.
(Tito Benny in his trademark suspenders)
Tito Benny is a doctor (specifically, he is an anesthesiologisit). But more than being a doctor, he loved to teach. He was an academician at heart. He had a great future in the U.S. but chose to return to the Philippines to share his passion with his students who are now doctors in their own right.
I remember many times when Tito Benny and Tita Perla opened up their homes to us and many others. Many prayer meetings were done at their beautiful home which I always loved so much because in the center of it was a Japanese-inspired garden with a koi pond and bamboo trees. We used to love to feed the fish bits of bread. Their home was filled with beautiful paintings by Filipino artists (including a humongous Manuel Baldemor). Bedrooms were named after provinces and aptly decorated as such. Wooden furniture and images of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Last Supper, etc. all done in Paete, Laguna (their hometown), filled their home.
In one area of the house, just beside the living room, was a very long wooden table that was the gathering place for many family moments. We ourselves gathered often there with Tito Benny at the kabisera (head of the table), regaling us with his stories. He always had a LOT of stories and was widely read. He loved National Geographic and Discovery Channel and as Mara, his apo (grandchild) and our inaanak (godchild), related last night, their Sundays with him were never wasted. He always asked them what their “word of the day” was and if they did not know its etymology, their assignment was to look it up when they got home. So typically Tito Benny!
When my Dad was struggling for life at the ICU of Cardinal Santos hospital many years ago, Tito Benny was there during Dad’s last moments. He was a pillar of strength for our family. When one of our yayas had to undergo emergency surgery, her anesthesiologist was Tito Benny who insisted that he be there throughout the operation instead of relegating this task to a more junior doctor. Such was his dedication to his patients who came from all walks of life.
As we listened to so many doctors (colleagues and former students) speak of their moments with him last night, I was amazed at the life of this wonderful man. Everyone spoke of him with humor, with tenderness, and with so much respect.
But what struck me most was when Mara showed us a book she had picked up from her lolo’s library. It must have held a lot of meaning for Tito Benny because he lived his life according to that book. Mara had brought with her the book Tuesdays with Morriewhich happens to be one of my favorite LIFE books.
Tuesdays with Morrie, a true-to-life story by Mitch Albom, tells of Mitch and his last days with his former college teacher, Morrie Schwartz, who was dying of Lou Gehrig’s Disease. During the Tuesday visits of Mitch, Morrie managed to share his views about life and how to live it to the fullest so that Mitch, who was all wrapped up in work and who sort of neglected his girl friend, would come to realize what was truly important in life. Tuesdays is a special book for me because I came across it at a time when I was wondering how I could live my life better. Between its pages, filled with nuggets of wisdom, Morrie himself became my mentor on life.
Mara had chosen a verse from the book — one of my favorite phrases from Morrie:
So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half asleep, even when they are busy doing things they think are important. This is because they’re chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.
Tito Benny led the meaningful life Morrie was talking about. Despite being a busy doctor who spent late hours of the night discussing medical issues with students and colleagues, Tito Benny never failed his responsibilities to his family. He was a “hugger”, insisted on being kissed on both cheeks, ever present to Tita Perla and their 2 kids (Aly & Beau) and was a lolo clearly adored by his grandchildren.
His family and friends all wished he had written his life story. Tito Benny never got around to it but he lives on in everyone he has touched by his generosity, love and nurturing spirit.
We are blessed to have been touched by his presence (even just a tiny bit). I wish you Godspeed, Tito Benny. May you be carried up on angels’ wings to your true place in Heaven. Do not worry about Tita Perla. So many of us will take care of her. See you again someday!
I just realized that it was May 26, 2007 (just over a year ago) when a group of mommy bloggers came together and met for the FIRST TIME over lunch organized by the Pinoy Moms Network which included Connie.
Wow, has it been one year already???
Most of these mommy bloggers are still active bloggers who I bump into every so often. Of course, the likes of Noemi and Dine are already steep into blogging and you can be sure that at almost every major event, they would be in the crowd and never without their laptops. However, every so often, I would also bump into the others like Chats who joined a recent dinner/reunion with Raquel at Dine’s bday celebration. Or twit with her, Feng, Cess, Julie and Kongkong.
Since I met this group of bloggers, life has not been the same, at least for me. My blogging has escalated several notches and my network of bloggers has expanded. We greet each other on birthdays and anniversaries and exchange tips of all kinds. Isn’t that just wonderful?
Lately, there have been a handful of DADDY bloggers already in some events and I hazard a guess there would be more. Husband-wife tandem bloggers are starting to crop up and recently, even brother-sister combinations. Family blogs are sprouting with each member of the family contributing articles to a blog. Wow, family blogging is born!
I can see so much potential in family blogs and who knows, this could very well be a topic in the next iblog5 summit! If technology is one bonding tool with this multimedia generation, why not in the form of blogging? Family events can be blogged about with each member contributing his/her own view and having all these combined into one post. Family memoirs preserved through blogs.
Just a few days after iblog4, the blogosphere is a-buzzing with post after post from people who were there. I went on Google and blogs in search of people who posted.
WHY???
Well, I want to make a list of blogs down here and continue touching base with bloggers (way, way ahead of iblog5!, hehehe).
To the iblog 4 bloggers >>> There were just so many of you to meet (I hope we can linger longer next time) but I sure will try to include as many of you here so I can at least drop by your blogs and say hi there. If you posted and I somehow missed you in this blogroll, pls leave me a comment with your URL so I can update the list.
For the second time in a row, I was able to attend a blogger summit. Called iblog4 (its their 4th year), the summit (held at UP’s Malcolm Hall auditorium) brought together bloggers from everywhere and from all walks of life. It was a full day covering a wide spectrum of topics.
Last year, I attended alone, driven only by my growing passion for blogging, and met the bloggers who would change my blogging life. This year, I had the wonderful chance to have Chona, my yoga mate and co-blogger, with me.
The summit was of interest to media. In the morning, it was ABC5. And in the afternoon, the folks from GMA7 (Inquirer.net) came over. The whole place was WIFI-ed so bloggers with laptops were able to blog live. There was also a hook-up on the web that allowed people who were unable to make it to the venue to follow the sessions AND post their questions to the speakers! Woohoo, high tech!
Charo Nuguid covered Blogging 101 (tips for newbie bloggers and maybe a tip or two for more seasoned ones).
Brian Gorrell (yes, the same Aussie blogger who is pursuing the return of his life’s savings from his former Pinoy lover) sent in a vlog with tips on how to maintain one’s blog. Below is the video clip, courtesy of Brian’s YouTube channel.
Juan Carlo Licudine talked about his move from student to problogger as well as the pros and cons of problogging. Hmmm, after he revealed the monetary potentials for problogging, I think it got a lot of the student audience VERRRRYYYY interested!
Juned Sonido covered the world of photoblogs (what it is, what you need, how different is it from photo galleries/albums posted online, etc). Juned amused everyone as he literally unloaded his equipment onto a long table onstage (most of his smaller cams were taken out of several pockets of his cargo pants!).
Jonas Diego updated us on the world of blog comics (or is it comic blogs???). Apparently, it is not always printed comics that get on to the world wide web. In his case, an interested investor saw his blog comics and asked that these be published in print.
Lunch break was a time to fellowship with other bloggers. I found myself having discussions over packed lunches with Noemi, JJ Disini (a leading internet lawyer) and Chona. We got into a discussion about the prospects of libel vs bloggers (with Brian Gorrell’s blog being one of our subjects). Much later, we were joined by Mike Abundo (whom I first met at the Happy Slip Meet-and-Greet) and Azrael Coladilla.
The afternoon sessions were just as interesting as the morning:
Aileen Apolo and Coy Caballes did their presentation on Vlogging (video blogging) and podcasting via what else? A vlog!!!! That was cool! I think this has given me a lot of tips and ideas are now swimming around my brain!
They were followed by several speakers who talked about blogging during the 2010 elections and how we as bloggers can possibly be part of that coverage. They emphasized the importance of bloggers getting involved way ahead of 2010 in preparing different courses of action to get ready to cover the elections. A mini blogging summit covering elections was done last November and Janette said that another one may happen end of 2008.
In the order of their talks on Blogging for 2010 Elections were:
JJ Disini then covered the legal issues surrounding blogging such as copyright infringements, libel, and other such areas. An active open forum ensued as bloggers fielded questions to him and which JJ answered with huge doses of humor.
My dear friend Noemi covered the next topic on Blogging for Advocacy where she spoke about one of her and Dine’s latest advocacies, The Filipina Images: Reshaping the Filipina Image Online, which seeks to improve the Filipina’s image globally by influencing the SEO ranking when people use search engines to find terms such as “Filipina” and direct them to wholesome sites on the Filipina.
Last but definitely not the least was Ria Jose, from Davao City, who was one of a group of bloggers who are taking Mindanao blogging to a different level. I had the chance to chat with them afterwards and exchange contact numbers. You see, Davao City was the city of my childhood. Lots of wonderful memories of that place. Just learning that young bloggers are now talking of one of my favorite cities just brought back waves of memories. I just might hang around their blogs more often…..
There were light moments as well during the entire summit:
Marcelle, upon insistent public demand, performed a magic trick with the help of Sir Martin, his contemporary from that BLUE school where my girls study.
The hilarious guys from Chickenmafia.com had one of them come dressed as a chicken! Hey, heard they won best “Come As Your Blog” entry at the blog parteeh afterwards — which I obviously missed!!! Congrats, chickens! You deserve the award! After all the pains you went to making your props (yup, I read in your blog how you prepared this sans any craftmaking background!)
And of course, nothing was complete without photo ops at the end of it all. If anyone has a picture of the entire group, please please send me one!
The event was not just a chance to know more about blogging trends and tips. It was a great way to see old friends and meet new bloggers as well.
Here’s a shout out to the familiar blogger faces (definition: friends & people I met at iblog3):
I also got a chance to win a free FilipinaImages.com shirt during Noemi’s trivia portion! Thanks for egging me on, Dine! I’ll be SO PROUD to wear this around! I also want a pink shirt! 🙂
Great job to the entire iblog4 team (you know who you are)!!! And see you next year for iblog5.
(Mia, Kathy and Ria of Aspac/Law)
(vegetarian pasta)
(burger with vegepatties)
