Reministream: The Swing

My crude drawing of the swing.

One of the most dangerous contraption in a playground is the swing. This is really too sad because it is also one of the most enjoyable...for me, at least.

As a child, I had a couple of harrowing experiences that involved swings. You see, when I was young, our "yaya" or nanny, would take me and my sister to the village's playground which used to be three houses away from our home ( a big three-story house now stands in it's place...pity). There, we would go on the swing and play in the sand with some of the children from the neighborhood. 

I remember the first time I got into a swing accident. I was just walking along behind the set of swings, minding my own business, and then suddenly --- boom --- a swing hit me on the back of my head. Some kid had been swinging really high with such energy and gusto and I failed to see the swing crashing down over me. I went home that day with a bleeding head. I don't remember how my mom reacted when she heard the news, though. 

A few years later, the swing caught me off guard once again. This time, I got hit on the top of my head. I remember volunteering to push my sister while she was on the swing. As she gained height and momentum, I didn't realize that the swing had swung too high that when I moved closer to push the swing once again, it came crashing down on top of me. Again, I went home with blood gushing in torrents out of my head. I remember how my sister cried her heart out that day because she thought she'd killed me. Even though I had blood squirting out of my head and it looked like it needed plumbing to get the blood to stop, I was laughing it off. It didn't hurt at all. I was telling my sister that I would be okay, that it was just a wound. I remember it so vividly until now (proof that my skull might have been bashed open but at least I still had my brain intact)! What I still don't remember was how my mom reacted to the news once again, but I do remember that she had to cut and shave off the hair surrounding the gash, put some white cream on it (Zinc Oxide, I believe...it wasn't the first or last time I got that cream on my head) and a bandage. I don't remember ever being brought to the hospital...I think I was more afraid of the doctor than of dying...yes, I was the one who did not want to go and get my head checked. If I turn out to be crazy because of all those head injuries I have had throughout the years...well, all I can say is that in this case, ignorance is bliss!

I can't imagine now how my mom must have felt whenever she'd come home from work only to hear about my swing incidents...more proof that we weren't the boring part of her life, hehe.

Now that I think about it, those swing incident didn't really traumatize me because even now, as an adult, whenever I'd see a swing I would still happily get on it...consequences be damned. ;-p

Reministream: Jumping for the New Year

http://acclaimclipart.com

When I was a child, the whole family would go to the province every year for Christmas and New Year. We would usually leave the house during the early morning hours when the sun hasn't risen yet and travel by car to Ilocos. It was an exciting time for us --- being awake when the rest of the world was asleep. We would still be in our pajamas, with a sweater or jacket thrown over it. We would have our pillows and blankets with us and we would all be cuddled comfortably on the back seats.

Once in Ilocos, the fun would start: going to the nearby beach everyday...visiting with relatives who would offer gastronomical wonders in the form of bibingka and kalamay...roaming around the town fair (or "perya") at night.

On Christmas eve, there would be a midnight mass. The church would be full of people, young and old. We would feel like celebrities because people stared at us, obvious outsiders --- with our pale skin and chinky eyes. After the mass, there were treats to look forward to: sweet coconut balls and fruit salad...and gift! Loads and loads of gifts!


On New Year's eve, when fireworks were still the "in" thing, uncles and neighbors would set fireworks off in an array of lights and loud bangs! My sisters and I would sit on the window sills and and look outside in wonder. We were small and light enough for the sills to hold all of us! Also, when the church bells would ring at midnight, we would all jump as high as we could to welcome the new year! We were told that if we jump on the eve of the new year, that we would grow tall! And so we jumped...from the top of the stair steps, the chairs, the tables and the window sills!


Now that I look back, those were pretty happy times. Nowadays, it's so difficult to get everyone together, even for just one night. What with different jobs and other responsibilities. We don't get to jump for the new year anymore, since I guess the jumping has done its part...


...we're all taller than we used to be when we were young! ;-)

Reministream: A Visit from St. Nicholas

In the spirit of Christmas, I am sharing my favorite Christmas poem, titled "A Visit from St. Nicholas." This was the poem that, as a child, I was asked to memorize to recite in front of my family and relatives. I don't remember if I was ever able to recite it in its completion, but whenever Christmas comes, the first lines always, always come to mind.

...of course when it came to the lines "not a creature was stirring , not even a mouse," I just always had to replace the generic "mouse" with Mickey Mouse. "Not a creature was stirring, not even Mickey Mouse!"


I hope you enjoy the poem! It's one childhood memory that will always bring a smile to my face!

http://altogetherchristmas.com/poems/AVisitFromStNicholas.html

’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her ’kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.

His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle,
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.”

Reministream: How I Named My Sister After Me

My sister's nickname is "Tet." 

Yes, I'm "Jet" and she's "Tet."

Some people, when they find out what her real name is, would ask why in the world she was given such a nickname which had nothing to do whatsoever with her real name. With that question, people in my family would turn to me with an accusing look on their faces, as if to say: blame it on her.

Yep. Blame it on me. It was my fault.

You see, even as a baby, I was already known by the nickname "Jet." I was told that I thought the word Jet was the word for "baby" and so I thought that all babies were called "Jet."

When my sister came into the family, I saw that she was also a baby just like me. And so I kept calling her Jet. Unfortunately, I couldn't pronounce the word "Jet" properly and ended up saying "Tet." Tet for Jet because I couldn't pronounce the letter "J" well. 

Well, what did you expect from a two year old (I was told that I was two years old at that time)?

Jet and Tet

...I personally think Tet wouldn't want to have her nickname any other way! ;-)

Reministream: Childhood Cartoons and Capers

Reministream. This is a blog entry that has anything and everything to do with my childhood: memories, experiences, likes and dislikes. 

***
Very recently in Facebook, someone started the movement to change profile pictures to cartoon characters for the victims of child abuse. Now, I'm not sure if all those cartoon characters were able to help an abused child but what I was sure about was that those profile pictures made me reminisce about my favorite cartoon characters when I was a child. 

The Flying House

I grew up watching cartoons like Flying House and Superbook, Voltes V, Daimos and Voltron (they were all in English then! I attribute my English grammar know-how to those shows...but I digress).

Voltes V Team

I watched a whole lot of other cartoons that I now cannot name. I remember that cartoon time was as important as play time because cartoons helped foster my vivid imagination. After watching Voltron, I wanted to be Princess Allura (but I ended up being Lance, I think) and Jamie for Voltes V (but I ended up being Steve) whenever I'd do playacting with my sister and cousins. Those were the days of jumping from high sofas and beds and sliding down long banisters. Those were the days of running around till you smell of sun and sweat. 

Rainbow Brite with Twink and Sprite

Another childhood favorite of mine, which I eventually chose as my profile picture, was Rainbow Brite. I wanted to be her when I grew up. I wanted to own a creture like Twink and a horse like Sprite. I would always ask my mom to buy me those small jelly cups with the Rainbow Brite characters on the top cover. Even when I was already working, whenever I'd see those jellies with the Rainbow Brite characters on them, I'd buy just because. I remember when I was young, I would get a box of crayons and a sharpener and collect the shavings. I would crumble them all up to mix the colors and come up with my version of the star sprinkles. I also remember asking my mom to go all the way to this area where there was a meet-and-greet with Rainbow Brite herself and I pestered her to get me those sticker books. 


I loved those days.


I hope children of this new generation would get the chance to experience all that did when I was growing up: to run around the house and street and yard...to jump off high beds and sofas and slide down banisters (give their folks a decent heart attack at the same time). Believe me when I say that I did get hurt from all those fiasco, even getting my head injured (as in an open, blood-gushing-out kinda wound) twice but I kid you not when I tell you (as my parents were probably wondering where they went wrong with me) that it was ALL GOOD.  

Those were what good memories were made of.