Adjusting to Chores

Each week, I devote one day to cleaning our small studio apartment in Cubao.

Major tasks include scrubbing the bathroom, washing the delicates (sometimes including Momon's sweaty gym clothes), cleaning the stove and dining table, fixing the laundry, ironing Momon's office clothes, and mopping the floor. Of course tasks like cooking, sweeping the floor and washing the dishes are done daily.

Just to clarify, I am not complaining, I'm just enumerating all my new chores--chores I've acquired since becoming a married woman.

See, I lived in a house where there was always a helper. When I wake up in the morning, rice is always ready. If you need something cooked, it will be ready in a moment. When you're done eating, you just put your plate on the sink. My only participation in this whole process is the actual eating.

Now, just having lunch takes a bit of effort.
On days I don't go to the office, I am alone in the house. When I cook rice in the morning, some of it is bound to be left over. Problem is, I hate cold rice (bahaw). So I have to get a pan to reheat it and clean the pan along with the other things I used for my meal.

For the first time I was able to identify with a commercial so precisely directed towards housewives/married ladies. It's a commercial for Joy liquid dishwashing soap promising less damage to your hands, giving you a chance to call yourself "Kamay-Dalaga". After seeing that commercial, I asked Momon to buy me a pair of gloves.

Please don't get me wrong, I have been trained by my parents to do all these tasks. I know how to go to the market, cook, clean, iron, etc. I actually really do, I just don't do them often. So, I guess I'm still adjusting.

But I don't feel sad or abused, instead I feel challenged. Each time I feel tired, I'd just go back to how good it feels when the house is clean, to how everything makes Momon comfortable. My goal is for Momon to come home to a restful and relaxing place, without need to worry what's for dinner or if his clothes for the next day are ready--the same way I felt when I was in my old house.

So, anyway... this is getting lengthy. I almost forgot that today is actually my cleaning day. Off to mop the floor and iron the clothes!

In return, he brings me ice cream. Hahaha!

Joe San Antonio, Review

Having your wedding gown designed by Joe San Antonio, is like having it done by a long-time friend. Aside from her beautiful designs, what really stood out is her genuine care and concern for you and all the rest of your entourage.

I came to Joe six months before my wedding. I was confused and uninterested with this part of wedding preps. See, fashion is really my Waterloo. For some people, this may be the first thing on their list, but for a t-shirt and pants girl like me, it isn't. But with Joe, I never felt that she's taking advantage of my lack of knowledge or interest. Instead, she comforted me and patiently explained what would look good, what would not. I learned to trust and give her the upper hand in our quest to glam me up on the big day.

1st ASEAN Children's Forum

Last October 19-22, 2010, KNN was very lucky to be picked as the documenters of the 1st ASEAN Children's Forum. I headed the team to produce several media outputs -- 4 videos presented onsite, newsletter, photo album and a full conference report. It was four days of hardwork and sleepless nights, and a celebration made perfect by cultural solidarity and upholding of genuine child participation.

Below are the four videos produced, featuring my voice as the narrator. Hehehe.

Wedding Videos

To kick me out of the non-posting rut, let me present the two videos from our wedding. Medyo magyayabang lang ako sa mga videos na ito.

PHOTO MONTAGE
Here is the photo montage of childhood and BF-GF photos. Hanna and I spent a few hours writing the script for this and debating which photos to include among the hundreds I have gathered. Ang motto: "Hindi porke maganda lahat, kailangan ilagay lahat."

I'm also pleased how we were able to show the parallels, and make a sort of story out of the photos. Inis na inis ako sa mg photo montage na puro mga mukha lang ng couple ang nakikita. Shucks. What about activities, what about backgrounds? Mas inis ako sa mga taong nagka-caption ng "Lakeshore 2009, Palawan 2008, etc" tapos mga mukha lang naman nila makikita mo sa photo. So, kahit saan pala ko magpa-picture pwede, i-caption ko na lang. Ay sorry, I'm getting carried away. Back to the video.

I also edited the music to cut it down from 5:40 to 3:50. Para hindi boring. Kahit kaya ng materyal na umabot sa 5:40, magiging boring na. Medyo dineliberate din yung music. Tama na sa mga mushy mushy love songs, dapat fun fun fun!

John (Cinemaworks) did a great job moving the photos around and bringing them to life. He was also very patient with me sa mga pinapa-revise ko here and there.

In short, I love our photo montage cause it shows the things Momon and experienced for the past 9 years together and the other 18 years when we were younger. We were also able include our dearest friends in the mix. So, here it is:

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WEDDING ONSITE VIDEO
My favorite song. My favorite man. A most precious event.
Lagi akong tinatanong, pano n'yo ginawa yun? Sagot: Pinag-isipan namin.
Hanna and I (again) conceptualized on the different scenes. I edited the music so it can have more parts without lyrics, and to extend the length of the song. Thanks to Joseph too for thinking of the other scenes, and thanks to everyone else who were very cooperative.

Super thanks to John for doing a great job of piecing it together with his superb shot selection and editing. Though meron pa rin akong mga papabago, minor lang.

The response to the video is overwhelming. Merong nagsabi, "it's the perfect blend of sweetness and fun". Ang iba naman, "Uy, alam mo dinowload namin yun tapos lagi namin pinapanood sa iPhone." At eto pa, "Ngayon ko lang nalaman na pwede mo pala gawin yun, pwede mo pala babuyin ang kasal, pero sobra-sobrang ganda pa rin." And many more...

Wedding Banns

The three weeks for posting our wedding banns are done.
Mabuti naman at walang tumutol. Hahaha! Subukan lang nila.

Sa church nila Momon, maganda ang banns, sa church namin, hindi man lang pinost.

Our Wedding Invitation

Momon and I love our invitations!
We can't wait to give it to our guests. Sana magustuhan din nila. :-)

The Surefire Way to Convert Money Into Happiness

This is article is such an eye opener. Although I consider myself a good financial manager, I still learned loads from this piece.

Momon says this is just the same-old wants vs needs concept, but I beg to disagree. I think what Martha Beck shows here is that wants and needs do not need to compete, and that there are ways we can still get want we want even if we do not need them. I also like how it helps us determine how much part of our income can we allot for each quadrant in the matrix.

Now, let me see how I applied the matrix into my wedding stuff, and how Momon and I can apply this to our finances as a couple. Please do read on.

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The Surefire Way to Convert Money Into Happiness
By Martha Beck
O, The Oprah Magazine | July 15, 2010

Long ago, so long ago that I was practically still a gill-breather, I noticed a magazine ad that claimed the average person earns $700,000 over an entire lifetime. I have no idea how they came to that number, but I never forgot the words splashed in big, bold letters across the page:

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH YOUR $700,000?

I was lucky to encounter this question so early on, because it's lurked in my mind ever since, reminding me that I want to spend my life's earnings creating the most satisfying experiences I can. That might mean buying and using certain objects, paying someone for life-enhancing services, or donating to good causes.

This is a type of wealth management, but the wealth isn't money; it's happiness. And to reap as much of it as possible, I've come up with a little system to maximize the joy dividend in all my money decisions. This strategy may sound odd to actual financial advisers, but when I've ignored it—even to make what appear to be fiscally sound choices—my joie de vivre has declined. I've learned that sticking to my rules makes things turn out far better, and I'm hoping that if you adopt this system, it will work for you, too.

Discovery Weekend (Ros' Account)

Momon and I attended the Discovery Weekend last July 2-4. It is a marriage preparation workshop conducted by the aptly named Marriage Preparation Foundation, Inc.

Much of what Momon and I experienced during the weekend cannot be put into words. So I acknowledge that this account is completely inadequate in sharing what we have gained in the workshop. Still, I will try my best to write down some thoughts with hopes that you will also decide to invest in your marriage and partnership, the way we did, with Discovery Weekend.

Discovery Weekend (Momon's Account)

I have to admit that I had my doubts with DW. I felt that it was going to be a waste of time and money. There are many successful marriages that did not go through DW. I felt that we could use the money elsewhere since there are cheaper and less time consuming alternatives.

Also, guys have a hard time sharing their feelings, even to their partners. I’m not exactly the expressive type. So why pay for something that I don’t even like doing?

Another thing, Ros and I have been together for almost 9 years. What else is there to know about her? What else is there to talk about and share? I thought that this was going to be a useless exercise.

After the DW experience, I admit that I was wrong with my initial impressions. First, regarding the fee, the organization is nonstock and nonprofit. The money will be used for future DW and other outreach programs. For two night’s stay and plenty of food and snacks, the fee is reasonable. The experience is also, as cheesy as this may sound, priceless.

Regarding the sharing of feelings, you won’t actually share with the other couples. You will only share your thoughts and feelings with your partner. There is no other venue or opportunity to share your innermost thoughts like DW.

I found out that length of time as a couple is relevant with DW. Ros and I are together for almost nine years. During the weekend, we affirmed our past experiences. We revisited special moments and determined what made it special for us. We also shared with each other our expectations for our future as couple.

I would recommend DW to all couples getting married or having plans of getting married. This experience won’t change your life, but it’s a start.


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For more information, please visit: http://www.discoveryweekend.org/

Monthly Amortizations, Done!

Finally, napuno na ang chart! Imagine, a chart that was started in December 2007--that's almost 3 years ago; a chart that we go to every month logging on payments and always making sure it balances with the bank records and keeps with the prescribed wedding budget.

Puno na! Dati we got excited that it's at 50% or 60%, now it reads 100%!

We have 3 months to go. We have also each made 50% payments to our deficit (discussed in previous entry). Pag nakabayad na kami sa deficit, all the rest we'll be earning will go straight to savings or as addition to the start up money we need. Hay, this is a nice feeling. Nung una akala namin we're in trouble, ngayon... it's looking positive naman. I am so proud of myself and Momon.

We will keep this system of making monthly amortizations. It's a great way to discipline ourselves with money, learning to prioritize savings, and living within our means. Perhaps the first months/year will be difficult since it's both our first time to live completely, as in 100%, apart from our parents and not relying on them for dinner, water, electricity, etc. But we are together, and that's what matters. :-)