Generation-We

5 minutes to watch this video. I love the message.

What's the largest demographic group in the Phils? Youth din diba?



Millennials are the largest generation in American history. Born between 1978 and 2000, they are 95 million strong, compared to 78 million Baby Boomers. They are independent—politically, socially, and philosophically—and they are spearheading a period of sweeping change in America and around the world. No one knows the Millennials like Eric Greenberg. In Generation We, Greenberg explains the emerging power of the Millennial Generation, shows how they (and their supporters from other generations) are poised to change our nation and our world for the better, and lays out a powerful plan for progressive change that today's youth is ready to implement.

My Brother Alex

I'm an only child, but I have had over 14 brothers and sisters. For those of you who've been following me online for a long time, and for those who know our family - you are aware of our commitment as a licensed foster family by the DSWD. We started taking care of abandoned kids (one at a time, no, we don't manage a home for kids) in 1994. Foster families give kids without parents the family care that they need that is so different from center/ orphanage care. We are on a break from foster care right now because we have our hands full with baby Tonyo.

Some of our kids returned to their biological families, while some got adopted abroad. One of our babies, got adopted by an American family, the Rahns. They changed his name to Alexander and they have kept in touch throughout the years. Yes, we got to see him grow.

My mom probably wondered why the correspondence stopped in 2008. Now we know. Alex got hit by a car while riding his bicycle in September 2008. His parents only had the courage to tell us this year through a Christmas card without the usual family photo . But I am so deeply saddened by the news. I surfed the web and found some news articles on his death. He was 13 years old.. so young, so tragic!

I also found this poem by him on the web. Good job, Alex.

WE LIVE IN UNITY

We live in unity
Every single race
Is the human community
No matter what color face
We can all live as one and still have fun.
If we do not, How would our lives run?
This is the plot
We stick together
Forever.
And ever.
And we can never
Think we are better than others
We are equal brothers and sisters
What matters is the inside
Not the color of then outside.
People have died
Because of race hate,
We can't change that because it's to late.
But how can we make a difference now?
By loving everyone on earth
Because we have been given love since birth.
Love is worth much more
Than winning a war.
Because of race or similar cases,
We could have been nothing
But God made us something.
He made us all equal in his eyes.
If people tell you otherwise, then those are lies .
He made us all equal and the same size
To God, our Father, our Creator.
We can't wait until later to make a change
Because peace is within our range

Alex Rahn
December 29 1994 - September 5th 2008

"Is this Me?"

To celebrate LTJG's "new toy" (more about that later) , we watched the movie, "The Blind Side" on DVD. I've seen it before but he hasn't. The first time I watched it I was really crying every 15 minutes or so (I was pregnant + it was a really senti movie). Good thing I was so over it when I watched it again. It was still a good movie, though.

There was a scene in the movie where Leanne (played by Sandra Bullock) was giving Big Mike some shopping tips: "Before you buy anything, you have to ask yourself, 'Is this Me?' , if you don't absolutely love it in the store, don't get it." Or something like that. LTJG looked at me and told me, "Ganun nga Momi, ask yourself, 'Is this Me?'"

LTJG is a better shopper than I am. He knows what he wants and when he buys something, you can see that when he gets home he doesn't have regrets and he will really, really treasure what he bought. Nakakainggit. He always buys the right stuff. Me? It takes me ages to shop and to finally make a decision, and when I get home - I almost always say, "Ay, I should've just bought the other one." Even before Leanne's wisdom, LTJG has always reminded me to always just buy something that I am sure that I really, really love.

So the other day, armed with some gift certificates (served as honoraria for one workshop that my team hosted) , I went on a quest for a black leather bag. I wanted one that would say, "professional" , "corporate" , with some personality. I came home empty-handed. No black bag on the racks ever appealed to me - they all just looked the same! I was always drawn to the brighter, bigger, bolder ones. Therefore, I am probably not a black bag person. Hehe. I didn't want to get a black bag just to conform because it might just end up at the bottom of my closet.

No "me" , no bag. Will think of another way to spend my GCs.

2010: Challenges < Blessings

We started 2010 by saying goodbye to a dear, dear friend Posbi Chris Pantaleon. He was the one who also paved the way for LTJG to be assigned closer to home... mid-year, he "starred" in one of my dreams telling me to "wait for something great in September" (his birthday month, incidentally, LTJG's birthday month as well..). I gave birth earlier than expected in on September 15th but was worrying because Tonyo went to the NICU after an hour or so of being "healthy". We do consider our Tonyo as Chris' gift to us because he was released and declared well baby on Sept 21st, Chris' birthday. Cheers, cheers Posbi. We will continue to pray for you and pray for Peng and Nico.

Anyway, like last year's practice -- here are what clicked and what failed during the past year !


(High) LTJG getting assigned in Elyu instead of Mindanao , and then LTJG being pulled out and being assigned to do office work in Cavite! (Woohoo, maybe not such a bright idea for him, but super great for me..)


(High) Finding out that we're pregnant!


(Low) Financial challenges for the whole family...



(High) Being converted to a 'regular' employee last July 2010, right on time at the brink of financial breakdown and debt. Came on time for the pending birth of Baby Tonyo



(Low) Bad year for my health. Got sick a lot of times - including one non-pregnancy related confinement and a late night trip to the ER. Then there was the emergency CS, Tonyo's NICU and Mom's hospitalization all at the same time!


(High) Surviving it all!


(Low) DMCI is not heeding our complaint against them re: transfer to Pag-ibig financing. We filed a complaint to HLURB and now waiting for hearing schedules. Bring it on.

(Low) Work has been really demanding.

(High) I am still challenged and excited with what I am doing at work. I was given an opporutunity to "shine" last December 2010 and I guess I delivered.


(High) TONYO. TONYO. TONYO.


(High) LTJG's (now Daddy) acquisition of "Bulok" , our blue Honda Civic which started serving us so well just this November. I'm not driver anymore :-)

(Low) The Tagaytay Break in

(High) My first ever tiangge. Hehe. Lugi but it was worth the experience.

(High) Celebrating the New Year with the our small extended Family and feeling so blessed. Happy to know that again, there are more Blessings than Challenges!

The Binan Household: Tito Boyit, Mia, Pepi, Memi, Tonyo (super tulog), Hanna, LTJG

From our extended family to yours, HAPPY HAPPY 2011! I wish for better health for all of us, a good year for business and financial opportunities, and for Tonyo (and us included) to enjoy every second of his life.