About a month ago, my 15-year old cousin asked me about sex.
Inwardly, this was what I was feeling: 'What??????!!!!!?????!!!!!!'
How do you respond to that? When she asked me that, I felt like a parent who was dreading telling their kid about the 'birds and the bees' (why do they call it that anyway? do birds and bees mate with each other?). But outwardly I had to keep a cool face.
But it struck me how fast kids grow up nowadays. I still remember when I first went into college, I saw a group of young girls (they couldn't be more than 15), and they were lepaking at the old wing of 1U, smoking away!! Now I'm hearing from my own cousin's mouth that one of her classmate (also 15) got pregnant and most of her classmates are no longer virgins!! They're not even 16 yet (legal age in US)!! And here's my cousin asking me about sex. (>o<) NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What was even scary was when she asked 'What if you find out one of your cousins is not a virgin anymore?' What does that mean???!!! Is that a hint?? Is she trying to say something?? What, what, WHAT??!! NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Hehehehe!!! Actually I'm just exaggerating. Yes, she did ask me about sex and while I was surprised, I decided that she's old enough to know.... a few (tiny, miniscule) things, not in details though. No way, no how.
The older generation believes that our youngsters are out of control. They blame it on everyone, from parents to teachers to society and to the children's peers. I believe that the people around our youngs are actively involved in their upbringing and development but I also believe that the children themselves play a part in the choices they make. They are curious, of course, about how the world is, about every new thing they come across. But the difference lies in them weighing the pros and cons, and knowing what they are getting themselves into.
I'm just thankful that my cousin questions things before she does anything, and I'm especially thankful that she chose to ask me instead of her young friends. This way I can keep an eye on her and her activities.
Ugh, now I'm wondering what other questions I have to face as she goes through her high school.. not to mention college. Groan!!
Friday 4 January 2008
Wednesday 2 January 2008
Sayonara, 2007. Konnichi wa, 2008.
As my cousin said the day before the New Year, "It's the end of the beginning". Or was it "the beginning of the end"? Or maybe it was "the beginning of the end of the beginning". We-ll, whatever. What he meant was, we have reached the end and are now starting a new beginning.
I hope you celebrated the end of 2007 with a joyous and safe BANG!! As usual, whenever the country comes alive and spreads itself to every available space, I stay indoors, ahahha!! It was a quiet night with family and later, with a few good friends, just the way I like it.
2007 was interesting for me. It consisted of alot of 'firsts'. I opened my first business. It also saw the first time I let my dad know how I really feel about our 'family', which was also the first time I scolded him...hmmm, and also the first time I made him totally speechless with my outburst, ahahah.
There was also the first time I told my step-mother off for her put-downs and 'kutuk-ing' of my mother, and the first time I introduced my cousins to my dad's house and his second wife.
However, there was one 'first' that I wished didn't happen because it changed my feelings and ignited distrust towards a particular person, which until this day, I cannot fully let go. In April 2007, I experienced my first punch in the face by a man, and no, it was not accidental. Though he has apologized and though it has been many months since the incident, my family's opinion is very clear and strict on matters of physical abuse, no matter how small. We believe that no man should ever strike a woman and if he did it once, he is capable of doing it again. At this point in time, I am still unsure of how to settle it.
But some bad events actually had silver linings behind them. I lost two 'friends', who turned out not to be true friends so that wasn't bad. I discovered my gardener's adopted son was stealing from us, which was the final push to the family to talk to him about his many problems. There are a few more but I can't pull them off the top of my head right now.
The best highlights for 2007, in my opinion, were the births of my friends' children (three of them and they are all baby girls) and my distant cousin's and my friends' marriage (Jason and Rocky; I feel like I miss someone), and my friends' (Mas and Fir) and neighbour's engagement. I wish them all the best with much happiness. Another highlight is Sean's major, major, MAJOR breakthrough into the acting world. I can see he's having LOADS of fun and I'm very happy for him.
So, like any other year, it was filled with ups and downs; mistakes made, lessons learnt; life lost, new life born. One thing I noticed is that every year, we start out with a fresh new outlook but as the days, weeks and months go by, we start to forget the hope we had at the beginning, and the resolutions too, of course.
I, for one, do not think I will forget my resolution (yes, I did finally make one). My resolution for 2008 is very simple; to take as many pictures as I can. Why? 'Coz time moves on, sometimes without me even noticing it. Thus, I aim to capture the moments, the memories, the people, that fill my life with equal joy, pain, experience, sorrow and happiness. For one cannot possibly say that they enjoyed life to the fullest without taking note of the things, animals and people that accompanied them until the end. Friendster has limited space so for those interested to view whatever pictures I take, please visit my facebook account.
Have a Happy 2008, everyone!!!
P.S: Please don't mind my grammar or seemingly topsy-turvy story-telling in my blog. Right at this moment, I'm having a very bad headache and a cold at the same time. But I didn't want to put off writing this entry a day longer.
I hope you celebrated the end of 2007 with a joyous and safe BANG!! As usual, whenever the country comes alive and spreads itself to every available space, I stay indoors, ahahha!! It was a quiet night with family and later, with a few good friends, just the way I like it.
2007 was interesting for me. It consisted of alot of 'firsts'. I opened my first business. It also saw the first time I let my dad know how I really feel about our 'family', which was also the first time I scolded him...hmmm, and also the first time I made him totally speechless with my outburst, ahahah.
There was also the first time I told my step-mother off for her put-downs and 'kutuk-ing' of my mother, and the first time I introduced my cousins to my dad's house and his second wife.
However, there was one 'first' that I wished didn't happen because it changed my feelings and ignited distrust towards a particular person, which until this day, I cannot fully let go. In April 2007, I experienced my first punch in the face by a man, and no, it was not accidental. Though he has apologized and though it has been many months since the incident, my family's opinion is very clear and strict on matters of physical abuse, no matter how small. We believe that no man should ever strike a woman and if he did it once, he is capable of doing it again. At this point in time, I am still unsure of how to settle it.
But some bad events actually had silver linings behind them. I lost two 'friends', who turned out not to be true friends so that wasn't bad. I discovered my gardener's adopted son was stealing from us, which was the final push to the family to talk to him about his many problems. There are a few more but I can't pull them off the top of my head right now.
The best highlights for 2007, in my opinion, were the births of my friends' children (three of them and they are all baby girls) and my distant cousin's and my friends' marriage (Jason and Rocky; I feel like I miss someone), and my friends' (Mas and Fir) and neighbour's engagement. I wish them all the best with much happiness. Another highlight is Sean's major, major, MAJOR breakthrough into the acting world. I can see he's having LOADS of fun and I'm very happy for him.
So, like any other year, it was filled with ups and downs; mistakes made, lessons learnt; life lost, new life born. One thing I noticed is that every year, we start out with a fresh new outlook but as the days, weeks and months go by, we start to forget the hope we had at the beginning, and the resolutions too, of course.
I, for one, do not think I will forget my resolution (yes, I did finally make one). My resolution for 2008 is very simple; to take as many pictures as I can. Why? 'Coz time moves on, sometimes without me even noticing it. Thus, I aim to capture the moments, the memories, the people, that fill my life with equal joy, pain, experience, sorrow and happiness. For one cannot possibly say that they enjoyed life to the fullest without taking note of the things, animals and people that accompanied them until the end. Friendster has limited space so for those interested to view whatever pictures I take, please visit my facebook account.
Have a Happy 2008, everyone!!!
P.S: Please don't mind my grammar or seemingly topsy-turvy story-telling in my blog. Right at this moment, I'm having a very bad headache and a cold at the same time. But I didn't want to put off writing this entry a day longer.
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