I once asked someone what it’s like to grow up with a twin. He paused for a second, then answered point-blank, “Constant competition.”
And boy! Is he right! You almost always find the twins bickering over something, usually involving ownership or the right to use something first. The fight can be over the smallest thing — it can be food, a toy, or a book. As a matter of fact, they even argue about who owns me!
Twin1: “Mama ‘bang.” (Mama Abang - Big Brother’s Mama)
Twin2: “Mama ‘dik.” (Mama Adik - Little Brother’s Mama)
Twin1: “Mama ‘bang!”
Twin2: “Mama ‘dik!”
Twin1: “Mama ‘baang!”
Twin2: “Mama ‘diiiiiiiiiiik”!
Twin1: “Mama ‘BAAANNGG”!
Twin2: “Mama ‘DIIIIIIKKKKKKKK”!
Twin1 cries at this point, so Mama has to intervene!
And the strange thing is, whenever I buy two of the exact same thing, like a toy car of the same type, colour and design, they get bored very easily. But when I buy Twin1 a toy helicopter and Twin2 a toy dump truck, that’s when things get a little…erm… ‘exciting’.
But the competition works to my advantage sometimes, especially when it comes to giving them medication. When Twin2’s ear swelled to gargantuan proportions due to an insect bite the other day, I showed Twin1 the antihistamine syrup and said:
Mama: “Ini untuk Adik je.” (This is only for Little Brother.)
Twin2: “Abang tak payah.” (Big Brother doesn’t need to.)
Twin1 (pretending not to care): “Abang tengok je…” (Big Brother just wants to look…)
And Twin2 quickly downed his medicine while Twin1 could only look on longingly. No hassle, no struggle! ;)
It’s true that it’s very convenient to see the major sights of Paris via tour bus. However, in order to know Paris more intimately, you simply must explore it on foot. It’s the only way for you to truly experience this enchanting, historic city, with buildings that date back to the 19th century, massive monuments that bear witness to the grandeur of its past, charming little shops that are tucked away in the most surprising of places, cozy cafés that proudly highlight their ‘terrasse chauffée‘ (heated terrace) whose tiny chairs are crowded behind equally tiny round tables so that people can sit side by side each together in order to face the street and get a good view of passers-by!
But before you set off, bear in mind that three things are absolutely essential for this endeavour — time, stamina, and a good map of Paris.
The best things in life are free. And that includes free Wi-Fi internet access at KL International Airport (KLIA).
The free service is also available at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT), where one boards AirAsia and Cebu Pacific flights.
Jakarta’s Cengkareng Airport doesn’t offer this facility to the public but I know Singapore Changi Airport does. In the arrival hall of Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, there is a strong wi-fi signal but you have to pay to access it.
Do share with me if you know of any other airports that offer free Wi-Fi internet access!
When I got home from work yesterday, it was Twin2 who opened the door for me. Immediately, I noticed something strange with his right ear. It was huge and it protruded outwards. Kinda like Mickey Mouse’s ear. I don’t recall either one of his ears ever looking like that.
I asked the maid about it and she told me that Twin2’s ear was like that ever since he and Twin1 got back from play school at midday. Midday! That meant his ear’s been swollen for, like, 8 hours already!
Overcome by maternal panic, I quickly herded the twins into the car to see the nearby GP. The doctor told me Twin2’s ear got bitten by some insect (she even pointed out the exact area of the bite) and that his ear swelled as an allergic reaction. She gave some antihistamine syrup for the itch and a steroid cream to help bring down the swelling.
Twin2’s ear is still a bit red and slightly swollen this morning but it’s almost back to normal. Click here to see how his ear looks like in its normal state.
What I find funny about the whole thing is what Dr B told me. She said that it’s very minor and probably doesn’t bother Twin2 because he’s going about his usual routine without even scratching his ear… and it’s more like the medicine is for me to feel better rather than him! :D
I’ve always known I could write. Maybe not Pulitzer Prize-winning, but I was good enough to be in school editorial boards in my student years. I was good enough to qualify for the National Secondary Schools Press Conference (NSSPC) Editorial Writing and Feature Writing competitions and even though I didn’t win, at least, I got to go to Pampanga where the NSSPC was held, join a quick tour to Baguio, and even stop over Manila to take my specially-scheduled Ateneo College Entrance Test (ACET).
I was, however, good enough to win a few inter-school essay-writing and slogan-writing contests in the city where I grew up in. With cash prizes, mind you! They were small amounts but they meant a lot to me and my family. One time, I entered a national essay-writing contest because Lola asked me to, in return for her buying me this blouse that I had my eye on at the local mall. I won third prize, got free tickets for Lola and me to Manila for the prize-giving ceremony, and went home with 2 huge hampers of the sponsors’ products.
When I was in Ateneo, the only writing I did was for English and Filipino class and the occasional love-lorn poem. After that, I haven’t been doing any writing at all, other than the compulsory case studies and feasibility studies, which don’t really count as ‘writing’ for me ;)
Then suddenly, I felt the urge to start writing again. And a self-hosted blog seemed the most logical thing.
I started off on the 1st of February feeling a wee bit rusty. After all, I haven’t written in years. But, like cycling, I suppose it’s something that, once you learn it, you never really forget it. It didn’t take long for the words and ideas to just flow out naturally. And I’m so thankful I can touch-type, otherwise, my fingers would never be able to catch up with my brain now if I were to search-and-peck-type ;) At any given time, I have 20 or so drafts that I can choose to publish during those days when I’m not feeling particularly inspired and can’t come up with any ideas on what to write on.
Then recently, Lola started bugging me to try to find out if I can get paid to blog. She even did the research for me and got me connected with Munchkin Mommy, who introduced me to PayPerPost. I thought to myself, if I can do something that I love and earn money while doing it, why not? So I signed up.
Here’s how it works:
Stumble it!