Category: Homeschooling

The Bubuts’ Day Out in Makati

Last July 12, the Bubuts and I went to UCPB Makati. I decided to bring all of them with me so that they will get to experience how to commute going to Makati. We came from Carmona so my first instinct was to ride the bus going to Cubao outside Starmall Alabang because it will pass by Ayala MRT station. So that was just what we did.

Here’s a photo of us in a jeepney going to Alabang. The fare now is PhP26.00.

Here’s another photo of us inside the Cubao bus. The younger bubuts sat at the last row of seats, the older bubuts sat on the third-to-the-last row, and I sat on the metal floor of second-to-the-last row. Good thing, we were able to find seats. I thought we’ll be standing up for the rest of the trip because we were the last ones to enter, and we were a bit in a hurry. I was planning to arrive there right after lunchtime. Also, in my experience, most of the people riding these buses are willing to stand up to leave right away because they know there’s heavy traffic along the way.

After thirty minutes, we arrived at the Ayala MRT station, and we started going up the stairs. This MRT station is connected to SM Makati, and from there you can go to The Landmark, Glorietta, and Greenbelt.

As we enter the SM mall, my youngest said he’s hungry when he saw Chowking. So we had our lunch first before we head out to look for the UCPB office.

After lunch, we started our walking journey by the help of Google Maps. Thank you, technology 🙂 As we were walking, I was telling the bubuts that before when Daddy and I were looking for a certain place in Makati, our only means was to ask the people around for directions. But now, we have Google Maps! 🙂

As we were walking, there was a girl who suddenly pull down her shorts and undergarment. She bent down and started peeing, while there were several people walking and motorists passing by. I was shocked! It was so open. She could have found a place quite hidden instead of peeing in a place that’s so open for everybody to see what she was doing. She looked okay (I mean without mental illness), and that place was very close to Greenbelt so she could have looked for a restroom. That’s why I can’t understand why she did that. I’d like to think she cannot hold it anymore.

After fifteen minutes of walking, we finally reached our destination. Then we looked for our contact person, and after a few minutes, we were able to get the documents we needed. Thank you, UCPB, for a smooth transaction. 🙂

On our way back to SM, we took some more photos of Makati to fully experience this part of the city.

The Bubuts at the Ayala Triangle Gardens 🙂
The Bubuts with the Gabriela Silang statue in Makati Ave. 🙂

I decided to bring them to Ayala Museum since it was along the way. I’ve looked it up, and I know that what they offer now is the Ayala Museum on the go because they’re undergoing a renovation of the site. By the way, the Ayala Museum entrance is free! 🙂

On this date, they have the “Contemporary Wood-carved Netsuke” display in Greenbelt 4 (July 1-21, 2019). The Bubuts enjoyed what they’ve seen there. They saw 65 works made by contemporary netsuke carvers and artists. According to the free booklet which we obtained there, a netsuke is a non-slip toggle that has been used since the Edo period (1603-1868) to secure the small personal items such as money pouches, medicine container, or tobacco containers worn suspended on cords from the obi (a sash worn with kimono). The crafts were so artistically done, and they were so charming. I was personally super amazed with their work that I want to buy one, but of course they’re not for sale.

The Bubuts in front of PLDT Makati and its shiny statues in front of their building 🙂

After visiting the Ayala Museum on the go, we crossed over to The Landmark, and they visited Toy Kingdom. Here’s a picture of the Bubuts with Iron Man.

After so much walking, they again asked for food and drinks….so McDonald’s to the rescue! 🙂

Finally, it was time to go home. We rode a bus to Alabang to meet my husband and mother-in-law there (who stayed with my sis-in-law and was about to go home, too). My youngest bubut was so tired that he fell asleep shortly after sitting down.

The Bubuts while walking to Festival Mall Alabang 🙂

It was a tiring but very fun day with the bubuts. When I asked them how was their experience, the younger ones agreed that it was very tiring. I pointed out that at least now they get to appreciate going there riding in our car and that the moral lesson here is to be more grateful everyday. I’m glad I brought them with me.

Thank you, Lord, for this trip and for a safe trip home. 🙂

Experiences in an ORCHESTRA

I have been in an orchestra for 5 years. The first two years, I was a clarinetist. Afterwards, I moved to the Soprano Saxophone section. But after five years, the orchestra was disbanded.

During my first few days in the orchestra, I knew no one―except my mentor. I was absolutely silent, and I was afraid that I was going to make a mistake and get called out by the maestro. Our maestro was Jave Willard Quezon. He was my music teacher throughout my elementary years, and he had a “good ear.” So if you made a mistake in the orchestra, he would definitely hear it, and I was absolutely terrified of his “good ear.”

Making a mistake while playing is definitely a “no-no” for me. I was scared that my maestro would call me out if I made a mistake. Once, I made a very noticeable mistake and after the piece, he said, “The clarinet section, let’s practice your line.” I was the only clarinettist present on that day so it was kinda similar to a solo. While I was practicing it with Teacher Jave, I made tons of mistakes. I was only a new member. I was called out a lot. But you know, those “solo sessions” helped me improve a lot. So even though I hated getting called out, it helped me improve, and I am thankful that I was able to learn from my mistakes.

You know, in those five years in LELAC, I learned that you really do learn from your mistakes. Failure is not the opposite of success― it is a step towards it.

Being a part of the orchestra has taken me to lots of places and has given me a lot of opportunities, and I am very thankful for that. I’ve been on many concerts with the orchestra on different places and have met many wonderful people.

Thank you, LELAC orchestra, for helping me hone my music skills.

Thank you for those five years.

(Written by: Ate Bubut)

A Guide to NEW MUSIC ARTISTS

Want to listen to new artists but don’t know who to listen to? Well here is a guide that I hope will prove helpful to you. Recommendations straight out of my playlist

Number 1: Wallows

If you want to listen to an artist that gives of a 80s kind of vibe, then Wallows is the band for you! Wallows is a band consisting of three members- Braeden Lemasters on guitar and vocals, Dylan Minnette on guitar and vocals, and Cole Preston on drums.

The first song that I suggest you listen to is “Are you bored yet?” which feature Clairo, a fellow indie artist.

Number 2: Clairo

Similar to the band Wallows, Clairo is an artist that gives of that 80s vibe. So far she has collaborated with Wallows, Cuco, and a few more indie artists.

The first song that you should listen too? I bet on “Pretty Girl”.

Number 3: Conan Gray

This artist’s music is under the genre of pop. If you liked Lorde’s music then I believe you’ll like Conan Gray’s music! Go on, give him a try!

I recommend that you listen to “Generation Why” first.

Number 4: Rex Orange County

If you’re not yet listening to him then I suggest you do! His music is just art! His music is a mixture of jazz, rock, and pop. And his lyrics are bold and witty while his voice does his lyrics justice. He sings with so much emotion that whoever listens to his music tends to get emotional too.

“Sunflower” and “Loving is Easy” are favourites of mine.

Number 5: Reality Club

Reality Club is an indie band from Indonesia which consists of Fathia Izzati (vocal), Nugi Wicaksono (bass), Iqbal Anggakusumah (guitar), Era Patigo (drum), and Faiz Novascotia Saripudin (vocal and guitar). Their music is under the genre of rock. Their music consists of amazing guitar riffs and intros with amazing harmonization which can usually be found in the chorus and bridge.

I suggest that you listen first to “Is it the answer?”

Number 6: Phum Viphurit

Phum is an singer from Thailand who releases music that can be classified under the genre of alternative R&B- although Phum prefers to call his musical style “Sunshine Music”.

 If you love music with a funky bass line and guitar riff, well I think you’ll love his song “Lover Boy”. He also has acoustic versions of his songs, so go ahead and check it out!

Number 7: Joji

His music has been described as a mix of R&B, Lo-fi, and trip hop. His songs are emotional and the lyrics are well-written. If you love 88rising or Shiloh Dynasty, I suggest you try out his songs.

I recommend his song “Slow dancing in the dark”.

There you go! Those were 7 artists that I recommend. Those artists made music under different genres but their music are all beautifully done and the lyrics were all well-written.

I hope you enjoy listening to their music! I hope this guide has been able to help you!

(Written by: Ate Bubut)

How to start doing MODERN CALLIGRAPHY

Calligraphy, one of the things that people want to try but don’t know where to start. I know that feeling, I’ve been in that position before I started doing calligraphy. Well, thanks to the advices of a friend who knew how to do calligraphy, I was able to start doing it. And just like my friend, I have written this article in hopes that you will be able to start doing calligraphy too.

Step 1: Choosing a good brush pen (Or if you want, you can start with a nib.)

Yep, choosing a brush pen is step one. I mean, you can’t do calligraphy without a brush pen. First decide if you want a brush pen with natural hair, synthetic hair, or a felt brush pen. I would advice you to start with a felt brush pen, since it is easier to use than the other two options. Next, choose if you want a brush pen that is firm, medium, or soft. Again, I would advice you to start with a firm brush pen since it produces predictable strokes. But if you want to start with a more flexible brush pen, then a medium brush pen would be fine.

Step 2: Practice your Stroke

Upward stroke = thin lines, downward strokes = thick lines. Modern calligraphy is just applying a differentiation of line thickness on cursive writing. Before moving on to the alphabet, you must first practice your thin and thick strokes, along with your curved lines

Step 3: Practice calligraphy with the alphabet

Okay, we’re finally on this step. It’s kinda simple, but tricky. But I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it. Practice the cursive alphabet, but apply the differentiation of the line thickness. I suggest you use a 1st grader writing pad.  Keep on practicing until you get it right. Practice both the capital and lower case letters. Don’t stop practicing until you’re satisfied with your work. You can do it!

Step 4: Practice writing words

Yep, you’ve done it. You’ve learned how apply calligraphy on the alphabet. Now, you have to practice with words.

First, practice with short words like “fun”. Keep on practicing until you get the hang of it.

Then, practice with longer words similar to “create”. Keep on practicing, practice and practice. Your hardwork will pay off, trust me.

Well, that’s it!

You can probably take over from here. Experiment! Try using nibs or markers! You could also try out faux (fake) calligraphy, where you can do calligraphy with a normal pen.

No matter how good you think you are, keep on improving your techniques and try out new things! You can apply shading or blending of colors. There are unlimited possibilities, so go on—-explore!

I hope this article was able to help you throughout your experimentation with calligraphy. And remember, don’t be afraid to try out new things, you might find happiness in new things.

(Written by: Ate Bubut)