June in bloom

When I was younger, weddings always fascinated me-- the colorful extravaganza, the parade of not-for-everyday-use refined set of garb, the unfolding of tales of love, the happy-ever-after illusion, the dashing bride; they all seemed like magic to me until I became aware that there is such thing as annulment of marriage; that's when the chariot taking prince and princess to a sunset of endless orgasm suddenly breaks down in the middle of nowhere. Hah! Nevertheless, my fascination with the on-the-day magical scene never goes away.

Filipino weddings are usually a big event. There is a Pinoy saying that kapag ikaw ay magpapakasal sa isang tao, buong pamilya niya ay pakakasalan mo rin ( When you marry someone, you marry the entire family as well). Besides funerals, it serves as a form of reunion for family and friends. True. Only when one dies and one ties the knot that family and friends working or residing outside the family domicile come home to take part of the ceremony. What do these two have in common? Rebirth. I hear someone said agony. Or was it me? Hah! Kidding aside, the association of weddings with family-ness is part of the culture of the Filipino collective society. We have this constant longing for togetherness. We like tapok-tapok (gatherings). Human connection and interaction are two of the elements that make up the core of Filipino culture and tradition.

Now that I am, well, nearing thirty and I am assuming secondary sponsorships, not to mention emceeing and welcoming stints, in weddings, I see it as a stressful event. Hah! I am joking again. But seriously, who wouldn't get stressed out in a six-inch heels and eye shadows and red lipstick and and a floor-length apparel and intricately styled hair? On the other hand, the bride's rapturous delight in the preparation for the big event is contagious. I can't help but smile. Since ours is a conservative society, weddings are to be taken by heart; it's more than just a piece of paper for the contracting parties and their families, or so I hope. I expect with confidence that it stays the same in the coming years albeit the introduction of absolute divorce in the legislative body. Or, whatever!

The thing I love the most about weddings is the return of the balikbayans (literally to come back home, though referring to people). It is a known fact that, due to massive unemployment[sic], Filipinos look for better opportunities abroad. The pre- and post-gatherings of the wedding season draw on togetherness to make up for those days of distant longing. It's when the real party begins.

Thoughts to ponder: In order not to shift mood from June in bloom to June in fume on my part, below is the list I have for my own wedding:

Venue- La Provence. Macau. Jeju. Bohol. Any of the four venues, subject to monetary consideration.

Number of Guests- 50.

Particulars- Destination wedding. No bulky, expensive wedding gown. No onsite video. No pore clogging make-up. Unkempt hair down. Good food, Filipino cuisine is a must. Flamenco guitar or string quartet must play in the background. No funfair.

In my thoughts, the real magic is in your heart and the real marriage starts after the bill is handed to you. My twisted thoughts again. What do you say, punk? :p

It's more than the usual

At the end of the rainbow lies summer's tail

Summer officially ended last May 27 per Kuya Kim's report, but I can still feel the intense sun in June mornings in my area. I am not complaining as I am a worshiper of the sun, sea, and sand. Of course, the sun is the best thing there is! Lately, the weather has been erratic-- we get a lot of sunshine in mornings and grey skies and heavy rains in afternoons. Baha (flooding due to low pressure are resulting to typhoon) season is here once again. Hence, I don't advise vacationers to come close to the shore in June. The sea isn't too quiet, the wind isn't too friendly, and the sun can be extremely shy.

As I have sworn to myself that "malditapinayblogger" is in her subtlest self (at the moment), I decided to write something good about Mother Filipinas in lieu of my previous blog which is currently resting in the backyard-- it can come to life anytime, so, don't provoke me! :p Anyway, as a starter, I welcome everyone to this beautiful country of mine-- Mother Filipinas, whose official name is the Republic of the Philippines. It is a country situated in Southeast Asia and is divided into three major islands: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Mindanao is where I live. Though it is known for the Muslim separatists in the southernmost part of the island, our area has immersing culture, good food, pristine beaches, and golden smiles to offer. There's more to it than just an "island in the south". In fact, the picture posted in this write-up was taken almost three years ago in a sand bar in Camiguin Province. It's the easiest and quickest getaway for city slickers in my area due to its accessibility and charm. This sand bar faces the Northwestern Pacific Ocean and the waters are usually quiet and calm in the morning; like the sound you hear when you put a conch close to your ear. That's what it's like to live in the Philippines-- the ebbs keep playing a melancholic sound in your mind. There is more of Camiguin Island and the rest of the 7,107 islands (and beyond) I have to write about in my coming posts.

Summer is gone and its tail rests in rainbow's end where smiles of gold abound.

So, for now, I would like to welcome you to Mother Filipinas-- a beauty that is more than the usual!