I'm a late bloomer in social networking. I wasn't active on Friendster (I think I only visited my account 3 times) and I didn't have MySpace. I don't have plans on going into Twitter and LinkedIn. But as for now, I am a certified Facebook junkie. On average, I post once a day. I can be reached faster via my Facebook inbox rather than my regular email. It's been a while since I took a peek into my groupmails.

My Facebook profile photo shows me holding our cat Wapshot and Tom talking to my mom via Magic Jack and webcam

I got into Facebook a few days after I lost my job. It was my former officemate Peter who convinced me to get an FB account. I wanted to keep in touch with them so I did. But the most fun part for me was to reconnect with many people from the Philippines: my classmates in college, high school, elementary, my teachers, my ballet teacher, my friend's mom, my officemates from Manila, my piano teacher's daughter, cousins, neighbors in Albay, former art workshop students etc. Seeing their photos and their families. A lot of them I haven't seen for over 20 years!

Even with friends who live "nearby", you are updated with the latest scoop on what's happening in their lives on that very day compared to taking the intitiative of staying in touch via email. Like how a friend was robbed on his way out of the gym the other day or how many miles Rhebs ran today or how a cousin in Maryland got 24" of snow yesterday. I think it's the way how Facebook make it easier for you to visit just one page (home page) where you can both write in your new status and read the new going ons, links, photos and videos from those in your friends list as well and "liking" (pressing the like button) or making a comment on them all in one spot. I hated the numerous clicking I had to do in the groupmail website just to read the complete message or view each photos.

Other features that I like in Facebook is the "hide" button, either hide friends (for those who have the tendency to constantly make nonsense posts) or apps (those games like I Started A Pillow Fight, Farmville etc) from other friends which I have no interest in. I also like that you can "customize" a friends list whom you choose to read your status or view your photo albums. My favorite is the "block" user list. You know, very helpful for those people who happens to be a friend from someone on your friends list. It's nice to read a wall without having to be reminded of their existence.

But I still have complaints. I like the Facebook when I first joined last year. It was simpler then. I didn't have to be constantly bombarded with who-is-newly-friends-with-who or what apps they are using.  They used to be found unobtrusively in the sidebar. I also don't like it that friends-of-friends can have access to the "friend request" button even if my account is private. Or that friends-of-friends have access to my friends list. When the privacy settings was changed it bothered me so much that I contemplated on closing my Facebook account, even if I was that big a Facebook junkie. But they modified it which appeased me a little, still I prefered the older version. At the end of the day I do realize that this website has to make profit somewhere and their business are the apps/games and getting as many users as possible, that is why privacy is sacrificed.

For me Facebook is a fun outlet, something I can unwind with. In the beginning I joined a political page of my local hometown. It was a novelty for me to read about "inside stories" of the political going ons from that city in the Philippines. But just as quickly I removed myself from it's friends list when talks got dirty and the loudest, most offensive hecklers are the ones who go by fake names, surprise! Yesterday, I read on my wall (since a few friends are still members) talks about suing already. I don't need that kind of aggravation.

I have noticed though that people who were addicted as I was when I first started have began to slow down on their posts, so I can see myself not be as enthusiastic with Facebook when the trend continues. Which is fine by me, I do look forward to the time when 1 visit to this website for maybe like 20 minutes a day or less would be enough. Even healthier. I don't think Facebook will ever replace what blogging is to me.

It has been an interesting 2 weeks for me in terms of the movies and shows I have watched on tv and computer. If I were to choose only 2 movies for last year I would say I would have been happy with just Sherlock Holmes and Precious (The Princess and the Frog would be a worthy runner up). However I was suprised how funny the movie Hangover was. I thought it would be another "stupid" themed movie like Borat or I Love You Man but wasn't. Well, technically it was but it had none of the crassness of the former and the OAness of the latter.

Another surprise for me was the Razzie (bad movie) nominated All About Steve. I actually liked it and laughed out loud (something I seldom do for movies, just like crying) in a few scenes. Sandra Bullock has always been a favorite and Thomas Haden Church (Sideways) is a favorite of Tom's. I liked how Sandra Bullock's nerdy character gives out a lot of information on the littlest things in the movie.

I also made a discovery that Netflix offers a lot of Tagalog movies, even newer ones. It's under Foreign > Foreign Language > Tagalog Language section. It had a few on Instant Play and the critically acclaimed  Ang Pagdadalaga Ni Maximo Oliveros (The Blossoming Of Maximo Oliveros, yes, it has subtitles) was one of them. It is about an openly gay young boy who takes care of his father and 2 brothers, all of whom are thugs. Having lived in the U.S. for 6 years it just a contrast to me how more tolerant and accepting filipinos are to gay people. Sure they get teased a lot and yes, there are filipino fathers who disown their gay sons but in general we have very little of the homophobic undercurrents I have witnessed here, especially if they dress in girl's clothes.

I also watched Food Inc. a documentary which has me seriously considering of going organic (maybe buying organic produce with skins we eat) and vegetarian. There were things that were said and images shown that was very disturbing to me. Like how ethylene gas is used to artificially ripen green tomatoes, how cows stand kneedeep in their feces most of the time and how these can get into ground beef which in turn are washed in ammonia, how this chicken farmer developed all sorts of allergies and how she's immune to all antibiotics because of the many antibiotics being fed to chickens, the big possibility that we are now eating cloned meat (with those impossibly huuuuge chicken breasts I've been seeing lately I won't be surprised)... The only meat I probably won't and can't give up are fish and crustaceans (mmmm.... crabs and shrimps!) The movie has a website that I plan to explore more.

Our city has recently banned celphone use in cars (no, unfortunately I didn't have anything to do with it), they are still working in banning hands free use as well. I rejoiced when I heard that but watching this No Phone Zone episode in Oprah was sobering. Some quotes:

"a recent survey finds that 71 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 49 admit they text or talk on the phone while they drive...

0.08 blood alcohol level has a four-time crash increase. ... talking on a cell phone is about the same as driving drunk,... When you're text messaging, the crash risk goes up to eight times.

Nearly 500,000 people are injured and 6,000 are killed each year because drivers are talking, texting and e-mailing behind the wheel."

Doesn't just make you think twice of bringing your child with you when we venture into the streets? What's baffling to me was that one young man Oprah interviewed who killed 2 other men because he was texting behind wheels said that people his age are not aware how dangerous it is like how drivers ed would emphasize the dangers of drunken driving. These kids even text while driving at 50mph, how crazy stupid is that? People, hands free or not, THE BRAIN JUST DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY!!!

Okay, I know a lot of people will love me for posting this but I was really entertained by Obama's Q & A with the GOP House Issues Conference. I didn't watch the State of the Union Address but I was transfixed with this. I was most surprised by the persistence of the congressmen of giving their too obvious talking points and asking the same question over and over even when Obama called them out to it, they came off as not very bright. Those people are making decisions for this country? Yikes. I don't know how the Q & A with the Dems would fare, a lot better I hope. It would be interesting how Obama's critics who are in denial of Obama's smarts and constantly attribute his riveting speeches to the teleprompter react to the presidents off the cuff schooling of their bumbling representatives.

Okay, I am calling it a night. Btw, I won't be entertaining anonymous comments from people who can't control themselves. Nor their husbands. 

And we do it by doing... almost nothing. Let me explain, to me at this stage of a young child's life nurturing his creativity is the most important thing parents can do, more than ABCs, Numbers etc. And I try to do that with my son through creative play. So as much as possible I try to let Evan do his own thing with his toys or his books. I don't hover. I let him find ways to entertain himself. The most I do is turn on music. We still keep a strict no tv rule, unless on special cases. And most of the time he does that.

A sample of Evan's imagination. Before bedtime, after I read Evan books, it his father's turn. Instead of just saying goodnight to him, a few days ago Tom has begun telling Evan stories that Tom made up. Evan absolutely loves it. What's more, Evan contributes to it too - to the point he now dominates the storytelling. The video clip only has one story since Dad and Son 4-story session could last more than 30 minutes.

On a side note, I don't know why some of the letters got cut off on the video - my theory is that the overlapping titles don't save well on lower resolution.

Even if he already goes to pre-school we don't have reading, writing or math drills at home. Nor art sessions either. But I do let him watch me draw for his homework (instead of cutting out pictures that starts with the assigned-letter-of-the-week). If he asks for paper and crayons I give it to him. If he wants scissors and glue and paints, I give it to him with supervision. From time to time I ask him to count objects. I try to get him to count past 20 but I stop when I see he's not interested. The same with reading too.

That was why I was a little nervous for his pre-school's parent-teacher conference. I didn't know what to expect. Based on many of the literatures I've read - for kids Evan's age, play is emphasized when it comes to learning. I believe in it but I wasn't sure if Evan's schoolteacher does. Especially since Evan only attends pre-school half days 2x a week

So I was pleasantly surprised to come home with a glowing report card. For Language Development, Reading Readiness, Arithmetic Readiness and Religion he got "Outstanding Work" marks. His Social Development he got "Satisfactory Progress" marks. No "Need Improvement" marks - which I was half expecting to get a few.

His teacher's comment was: "Evan's love of books and creative play are exciting to observe. His language skills are well developed. He has made good progress in following directions."

Talking to his teacher I asked him about what things I should do at home and there was only one thing she said: "Just read to him. Which you obviously have been doing."

I am so happy that Evan's teacher and I are on the same wavelength.

p.s. this is a wonderful site that advices on what pre-schoolers should know.

Jan 2 when told that his son is having egg and Victoria sardines for dinner, my husband shuddered and opined, "that's child abuse."

As you can see this boy can and will read anywhere. Evan at 3 years and 8 months.

Jan 12 at dinnertime I was giving Evan a rundown of our itinerary tomorrow: gym, library, asian store... Then I told him I was going to leave him at Charlene's house because mommy had to go see a doctor. "And you'll come bac?" he asked. Of course.

Jan 16 Evan to Tom: "Dad, do you need a son?"

Jan 19 last night I was making drawings for Evan's homework. Evan: "Is this a tennis ball?" Me: ""No, that's a marble." Evan: "Is this a bear?" Me: "Noooo, that's a monkey." Okay that's enough, you are now giving mommy a complex.

Jan 19 we had the perfect weather (mid 30s and sunny) for running outdoors today. So happy I did it while my son napped in the stroller. I missed it so.

Jan 19 Evan: "I am a super hero and my wife is Charlene."

Jan 21 Evan looking at a framed church wedding photo of Tom and I. "You know," I told him, "when that picture was taken, you weren't even here yet." "Yeah," he answered, "I was in the house playing with my toys."

Jan 26 before bedtime father and son took turns telling each other stories they made up. Tom, impressed by our 3 year old's imagination asked, "how do you know that?" Evan replied with, "because I thinked."

Today At father and son playtime last night. Tom (the monster): "I'm going to eat you up!" Evan (the victim): "Noooo, I am not tasty!!!"

Last Tuesday I woke up past 9:00 and this is what I found on our table.

Maybe when I remember to put a glass of milk on the fridge's lower shelf I will get to sleep until lunch time.

Not that I didn't saw this coming, the other week when I didn't get up early I found him like this:

Still eating cereal he prepared himself for breakfast (we normally have oatmeal) on the yellow table and chairs he carried from his bedroom just for this occasion.

That Tuesday, I saw Evan reading with books scattered all over his room. Then the next time I visited his room I saw the books like this:

And this is without any prompting from me.

I guess this is the advantage of having no yaya or nanny to wait hand and foot for your child as it teaches them early to be self-reliant. And I don't even "formally" train my son to do this. During the day I don't stop him from creating as much mess as he wants, as what Phyllis Diller quoted "Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing up is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing." But I do encourage him to help me clean them up at night time, help me do chores around the house heaping on him praises of how he is almost a big boy. And to him that is the ultimate compliment.