"Everbody's Working For the Weekend!"

You know it's been a particularly busy weekend when you arrive in your office on a Monday morning and sink into your ergonomic office chair with a sigh of relief.

Yep, it was THAT kind of weekend for my family. Let's see...what are some of the miscellaneous and sundry things that happened? In chronological order, we partook in:

• FRIDAY: The very first sock hop at my kids' school. I was in the organizing committee (decorations) so it was doubly hectic. Right before that, Science Boy had to go to a first communion rehearsal so he had to miss part of the dance.
• SATURDAY: Two soccer games, one gymnastics class, and a culture show. Said culture show entailed loads of prep work for me -- ironing costumes, doing hair, fixing wardrobe malfunctions, all in high heels. I was at the show from 2 in the afternoon until about 11 pm. Yaaawwnnn...
• SUNDAY: Mass, CCD, grocery shopping, finish the mulching, taking SB to another communion practice, band practice and playdate. Thankfully managed to squeeze in a yoga class.
• And MIL was also here for a visit.

Okay, I'm going to quit writing now. I'm getting exhausted just reliving the weekend. I shall concentrate now on something less stressful and infinitely more relaxing. Like work.

Praying the Rosary

Tonight, for the first time in decades, I said the rosary. Ironic that I said it tonight, Oct. 1, the month of the Holy Mother. I must admit, I was a bit rusty. I had to dig around for a crucifix, a candle, and an actual rosary. My altar is pretty pathetic. After I started, I had to stop, go to Google, and print out the words to the Apostles' Creed. I'd completely forgotten them. Then I went back to my makeshift altar with my printout and had to start over. Embarrassing, no? This from the girl who'd consistently received a 95 in religion class back in St. Scholastica's Academy.

After the Apostle's Creed, I tripped again, this time over the Glory Be. But not as bad. And I'm happy to report that the Hail Mary flowed from my lips like buttah. I did, before I started, look up the Sorrowful Mysteries (and since when did we have the "Light" Mysteries, now said on Thursdays?), and referred again to my cheat sheet at the start of my first set of ten beads.

So far so good. I was kneeling and the words were flowing. It actually felt good to say the prayers. Comforting. It took me back to grade school, when my entire class would say a set of ten beads between each period, and sometimes I'd lead the prayers. I had quick flashbacks when the statue of the Holy Mother would visit my house in Marikina for an entire week, making its rounds in the neighborhood, and my mom and I would say the rosary for every night that the statue was visiting our home. Saying the rosary was such a part of my childhood I'd taken it for granted. I'd even resented it. I wanted to play, to get a snack, to watch TV. Anything but say the rosary!

After I finished my first set of ten, the Glory Be came more smoothly. But then I tripped over the "Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins..." prayer. I don't even know what the official title of that prayer is. Anyone know? Anyway, onto my next set of ten.

I couldn't help but think of my own mother. I felt like she was saying the prayers with me. She was a devout worshipper of the Holy Mother, back in the Philippines and after we moved to the U.S. After saying the rosary at school, my biggest association with those set of beads is my mother.

After my second set of ten, and saying the Glory Be, the "Oh my Jesus" prayer surprisingly got easier. Maybe saying the rosary is like riding a bike. The next set of ten came even more smoothly, and the one after that even more so. Unfortunately all the words to Hail, Holy Queen didn't instantly come back. I had to improvise a bit. I hope the Holy Mother didn't mind. But my mom would've looked at me with disbelief.

I read somewhere that saying the rosary was meant to transport you to a different plane of existence. The prayers, chants really, are meant to be soothing and otherworldly. There is some truth to that. On the eve of the next big typhoon about to hit the Philippines, sometimes the only defense against 230 kph winds is a set of beads, especially when you have nothing else to fight with. Tonight, I felt some of the helplessness at not being able to help my friends and family, of being away from them, ebb somewhat. Not totally; I'm still keeping vigil over weather.com tonight. But as I said the familiar words, a sense of comfort wrapped around me, like a long-lost yet much loved childhood blanket.

Filipino Parents: Dream Killers?

My post for today is located here. Let me know what you think.

Happy Birthday, Mom

Today is my late mommy's birthday. She would have been 64 years old. If she were alive today, we'd be having pancit to celebrate and I'd be ribbing her about how she's just one year away from mandatory retirement and Medicare. The older I get the more I'm realizing that I'm turning into her. And I'm actually pretty proud of that. My mama was a brave lady, the bravest I've ever known. Sometimes I still can't believe she's gone.

Happy birthday, mom. I miss you so much.

The Mom Song

Have we all seen this?

Wednesday Morning Fun

How to Give a Cat a Pill

1. Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.


2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.


3. Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.


4. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm, holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.


5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.


6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.


7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.


8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.


9. Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink 1 beer to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.


10. Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat in cupboard, and close door onto neck, to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.


11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Drink beer. Fetch bottle of scotch. Pour shot, drink. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss back another shot. Throw Tee shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.


12. Call fire department to retrieve the damn cat from across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.


13. Tie the little bastard's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy-duty pruning gloves from shed. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of filet steak. Be rough about it. Hold head vertically and pour 2 pints of water down throat to wash pill down.


14. Consume remainder of scotch. Get spouse to drive you to emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table.


15. Arrange for SPCA to collect mutant cat from hell and call local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.

How To Give A Dog A Pill

1. Wrap pill in bacon.


2. Toss it in the air.

Darling Daughter's Buddies

What happens when your little girl is friends with another little girl you don't like?

Yep, my little ballerina goes to school with, hmmm...let's nickname this other child Betty. Betty is, on the surface, absolutely adorable. Blonde curls, pink cheeks, angelic face. But the more time my little ballerina (MLB) spent with Betty, the more I came to discover that Betty is nothing but a spoiled brat.

For starters, this kid has no manners. Not a 'please' or 'thank you' in sight. I wouldn't mind the absence of the 'please' and 'thank you' if her tone were a bit more polite. But no. When she asks for something, it's always, "I want some water." Or "I'm hungry. I want something to eat." I can even forgive this diva behavior if she didn't thumb her nose at, let's say, Dora the Explorer on TV and declare, "I hate Dora!" and then expect me to change the channel instantly.

But the biggest thing that drives me crazy about this kid is her picky eating habits. This kid only eats from one of four food groups: the Cheerios group, the Chicken Nuggets group, the String Cheese Group and the White Rice group. Nothing else. The first and only time she slept over my house, she rejected all the food I offered her, got down from the table, walked over to my pantry, opened the door and started rummaging through! At bedtime, when Betty declared that she wanted to go home, I called Betty's mom (let's called her "Alice") and you know what she said? To feed the kid some string cheese! It was already 10 pm at this point. I was like, "Are you sure?" She was positive that Betty was just hungry. So I did, and the kid gobbled it up, then went to bed. No wonder the kid is so picky.

When I'm with Betty and her mother, I can totally see why Betty is this way. It's because Alice lets her get away with absolutely everything—the rudeness, the talking back, the picky eating. This kid is going to be a terror when she grows up. Don't get me wrong; I don't really give a flying crap how this child is being raised. If her mother wants to grow a spoiled brat, she is perfectly entitled to do so. What I do care about is when said spoiled brat starts affecting the way MLB behaves. Then, we have a problem.

I can always tell when MLB and Betty have spent a significant time together during the day. MLB gets louder, ruder and more obnoxious. She starts screaming "No!" She is mean to her brother.

The simple solution is for me to separate MLB from Betty, right? But as I said before, the two little girls go to school. Also, Alice and Betty love me and MLB. They are constantly calling for playdates. After one sleepover where Betty's terror-like behavior was displayed in all its full glory, I stopped returning Alice's phone calls and pretty much ignored all her requests for get-togethers.

Passive aggressive behavior? Definitely. But how else can I handle this? I do NOT want to parent this kid and start correcting her behavior while she's at my house. It's not my job. Besides, what I really want to do is smack her little behind when she starts with the namecalling and the diva behavior. I know, I can't do it. Doesn't mean she doesn't deserve it though.

I'm hoping that Alice will just take the hint and stop calling already. I don't wanna have to tell her that I think her darling daughter is the devil's spawn. Very, very mean, I know. But seriously, this kid deserves to be locked in a room filled with nothing but fresh fruits and vegetables for an entire day. I know, some punishment, huh?

Boys In Ballet?

Wanna know all about my quest to get Science Boy to dance? Read about it here.

PalinGate

Thought I'd weigh in on the Palin candidacy but I did it here cause...well, you'll see. Wanna come look?

First Day of School

So today is Science Boy's first day of school. First grade. Brand new school, brand new teacher, brand new everything. I think-- no, I *know* -- I was more nervous than him when I dropped him off this morning with his load of school supplies. (I shall blog about school supply shopping at another date.) When did they start making seven-year olds with such a sense of poise and fearlessness? He marched right up to his classroom, shook his teacher's hand and went in without a backward glance.

Meanwhile I'm a wreck about everything. I have nightmares about him missing his bus. I have nightmares about him missing his bus STOP. I have nightmares about me driving the bus route in search of my kid wandering the streets of our neighborhood lost and alone. Maybe I should have written all this down on a little card. It *is* a lot to remember.

Bus number: 4
Classroom number: 106
Lunch selection: Chicken nuggets, potato wedges, peaches, chocolate milk
Lunch number code: ? (He's supposed to find that out today.)

I'm looking at the clock and looking at his daily schedule. It's Language Arts right now, followed by recess at 10:50. Then Lunch from 11:00 - 11:50, followed by recess again.

Motherly mutterings for today:
- I hope he doesn't get lost inside the school
- I hope he makes new friends fast
- I hope he has fun

Forgive the stream of consciousness from one crazy-assed neurotic mother. I know things will get better. Until then, can't help the worry. (Where's that Xanax?)

Skating, Gymnastics and Soccer, Oh My!

I spent some time this morning putting all the kids' various and sundry activities in my Outlook. Cause you know what they say, if it ain't in Outlook, it ain't happening. The whole thing took more than an hour. There was soccer, which included all the games and practices. Then there was ballet for DS and CCD for DD who is an incoming first grader. Doesn't sound like much, but when you factor in all the permutations of the holidays and the fact that we have two soccer games every Saturday with different times per game, plus they're either Home or Away (Home wears blue; Away wears gray), it was enough to almost drive me to drink.

There are tons of activities I want my kids to do. I want them to do the stuff that will make them, like, totally cool, like hip hop classes and skateboarding and gymnastics. I want them to learn sports that will help them in their future careers, like tennis and golf. I want them to learn how to swim really well. Waterproofing them, as they say. I want them to be able to defend themselves with some killer judo or tae kwon do moves. And I want them to dance. I will *not* have children who CANNOT dance. I just won't. And I want them to do well in school too, of course.

So now the question becomes, how do you fit it all in? Of course you can't. I don't want my kids to become one of those overscheduled children of overachieving yuppie parents. I want them to have playtime and downtime and be able to figure out what to do with themselves without other kids or adults having to entertain them.

So the next question then becomes, how do you pick and choose activities?

DH says we should pick activities based on whether there are plenty of college scholarship money available. Well, basketball has plenty of scholarship money available but I don't think my kids will be qualified for that. If you've met me and DH, you will totally agree. So then it has to be activities with plenty of scholarship money AND where our kids can excel in. Gymnastics, dance, soccer are in. Tae kwon do, out. Skateboarding, out.

Man. This is giving me a headache. Can you imagine if I had a third kid? That child would never have any activities. He'll just be a saling pusa to whatever his older siblings are doing.

Transportation Blues

How many folks here went to grade school in the Philippines? **raises hand** Remember all the private bus services that crisscrossed the neighborhoods before and after school in your community? Jeepneys and Hi-Aces driven by guys named Mang Abring, Mang Nilo, and Mang Toper with assistants to handle all the bookbags hanging from the windows. The kids were all crammed inside shoulder to shoulder with no safety belts or safety contraptions of any kind, no air conditioning, and no cushions on the seats even.

Ah, good times. When I think back at all the safety violations, it kind of makes me shudder. But I also remember what fun it was to ride the bus with my friends. Now, for my rant: why can't we have something like this here in the U.S.?????? Not the no-safety-devices and the guys-hanging-from-the-windows thing, but private transportation service provided by some enterprising young person who sees the need for such a thing?

I have such a need. This fall, my oldest is going to a public school out of our school boundary. Why, you ask? Fairfax County in Virginia has a wonderful language immersion program for grade school kids in select elementary schools. The program provides immersion instruction in four different languages -- Spanish, French, German and Japanese. Depending on the school, they teach three subjects in the immersion language (Health, Science and Math) and the rest of the classes are in English (Social Studies, English and something else, I forget which one). There happens to be a Spanish immersion school 1.9 miles from our house and so I put my son's name in the lottery figuring he'd never get in since the program is hugely popular and we live out of boundary.

Well wouldn't you know it, he got in. It's such a great opportunity for him to learn a language the natural way -- through osmosis -- that DH and I couldn't say no. So we signed him up. But the transportation! We have no idea how to work out the logistics! DH and I both work full-time at least 35 minutes away from our house. We could drop him off in the morning, but there's no way he or I could do pickup on a daily basis. The school says there's a PTA-sponsored carpool organizing committee, but school starts in four weeks and as of yet I have no firm clue how my son will get home from school. How do moms with full-time work outside the house work this out??? Neighbors? Word of mouth? Cries of help over mom support groups? I don't want him to enroll in the afterschool program because the day would just be too long for him, and we do have a babysitter at home. I want him to come home after school so he can snack, rest and do his homework peacefully.

Again, transpo issues. Aaaagh! Why isn't private bus service a viable business here in the U.S.? Is it the insurance? The requisite background checking? The high cost of gas? See, for families like mine who have an acute need, we're willing to pay, however much it costs. We already do it for my youngest (her preschool provides one-way bus service going home) and believe me, it ain't cheap.

It's times like these when I really miss some of the things I used to have in the Philippines. Like private bus service. I'm crossing my fingers and placing my faith in the Almighty in the hopes that somehow, things will work out and some kind soul will offer to give DS a ride home. Otherwise, it's off to our neighborhood school for him.

Help!

Yo FilipinaMommas! I need your help. Wanna mosey on over to my blog and tell me what you think? If I pick your suggestion and this book gets published, I'm totally naming you in the credits!

Bringing Folk Dance to the Young Uns

In my recent work with the Fil-Am group at my alma mater, I got acquainted with a really talented young guy, just a few years younger than me, who choreographed the "Kini-Kini" and the "Asik" for the show last Saturday. In speaking with him, he told me that while he was in college down in Florida, he became a member of his school's Fil-Am club and performed in their own culture show. After graduation, he joined a professional Filipino folk dance troupe down there where he perfected his craft as a dancer and a choreographer, learning not just the more famous dances but some pretty obscure ones as well, dances I'd never even heard of. And then he moved to Virginia where he became heavily involved in helping local colleges choreograph for their various and sundry shows.

Been talking to him this week about possibly starting up some kind of annual boot camp or workshop for area Fil-Am high school and college students, a weekend thing where he could not only teach different, more obscure dances, but refine form and technique for some of the more popular dances. I can't tell you all how excited I am about this. Anyone who reads this blog knows of my deep love for the art of dance, and Filipino folk dancing holds a special place in my heart because it's the first type of dancing I learned.

All the big schools in my area (GW, American, George Mason, Georgetown) have their own Fil-Am group and they all put together an annual culture show of some kind. I can't wait to get more involved, not just for my own enjoyment but also so that my kids can see how much fun I'm having, which would (hopefully) make them want to join in. Already, I told my 6-year old son that when he goes to college, he has to join the Fil-Am group so he could do some of the dances too. His response? A dismayed, "Do I have to, mommy?" To which I replied, "Yes." Like he has a choice in the matter? Hey, I didn't have a choice, why should he, right? It's for his own good and that's that. I already know my 4-year old daughter won't have a problem joining in. She's already eager to learn how to dance the Tinikling.

For your enjoyment, I bring you esteemed dancer and choreographer Don Verde's "Kini-Kini," as presented this past Saturday at GW. This beautiful and regal dance was part of the Muslim Suite. Enjoy.

Culture Show

Last night was an exceptional evening of food, fun and Filipino culture. There was yummy Pinoy cuisine, both catered and homemade by the students (I know! Can you imagine rolling lumpia when you were in college? No way!), funny short movies, hilarious skits, live music, lovely singing, colorful native costumes and athletic, explosive dancing.

The dancing just took my breath away. As a dancer myself, I know what it takes to learn choreography of one five-minute piece. Last night's show had ten dances. TEN. Ten very intricate and highly stylized dances. In bare feet. On wood floor. Plus there were props, complicated audiovisual presentations, food, food and more food, and skits. The student who played Juan Tamad was exceptional. Very natural. The two ladies who sang the national anthems of both the U.S. and the Philippines could be on American Idol, they were both that good. And the guys who probably did not grow up dancing were good enough sports to (a) strip down to loincloth in one dance number, (b) were willing to dance on benches, and (c) allowed fellow students to whack them in the ankles with bamboo poles. The ladies, who looked like they did have dance experience, showed plenty of grace and style.

As promised, here are dance highlights from "Tandaan VIII: Who Is Juan Tamad?" as staged by the George Washington University's Philippine Cultural Society.



For more footage of each of the individual dances, come see my page on YouTube. I managed to record the entire "Sayaw Sa Bangko," "Singkil" (my piece), the "Kini-Kini" (beautiful, regal dance) and a very athletic, very explosive "Tinikling."

Hope you enjoy and have a great week!

Balance Beam, Anyone?

Last week, my kids' school had its first International Day. People who know me know I'm a big bit of a ham and so not only did I declare to DH that we simply must participate, but I also insisted that we do something splashy and dazzling, something that would (a) make the kids' jaws drop, and (b) be something interactive, where we could invite the kids to participate.

What better activity to do this than a folk dance? So I gathered up the bamboo, did some simple choreography, and insisted to DH that we perform the TInikling. As I expected, despite the very short routine and the simplicity of the choreography, the kids were suitably impressed. Okay, so they're in preschool and would be impressed by a lightning bug. But it was great fun and livened up the otherwise boring Asia Room. All eyes were glued to my feet, and when it was time for them to take a turn with the bamboo, we had a nice crowd going.

You can see a short clip of my performance here. After the show, one of the teachers came up to me and asked if DH and I were going to do it again next year. I scratched my head and thought, nah. That would be boring for the kids who already saw it. I thought to myself, what else would be fun and death-defying to watch?

Then I thought of this:



The famous "Sayaw sa Bangko" or Bench Dance. Fun! Just like dancing on a balance beam. This is also one of the dances that will be performed by the George Washington University's Philippine Cultural Society this weekend. Anyone of you ever dance this one?

To Remember...

It's almost here! The George Washington University's annual Filipino culture show entitled "Tandaan ("To Remember") VIII" will be held this Saturday, April 19! If you're anywhere even remotely driving distance, you have to come! This show promises to be a feast for the eyes (costumes! skits! dancing!) and tummy (food, food and more food!). I myself performed for three out of my four years of college at the culture show in my day but back then was nothing like what they're going to stage this Saturday. I can't even begin to describe the hard work and coordination it takes to put on something like this, from the choreography to the staging to the managing of the whole event.

For the rest of the week, I will be highlighting the different dances that will be featured at the show. There will be the more famous ones (Singkil) and some obscure ones (Kini-Kini), and one of the most complicated and athletic Tiniklings this side of the Mississippi. It's a dance only 19-year olds with strong ankles and fit lungs can perform. I got a preview last night during rehearsal (which lasted until midnight!) and it exhausted me just watching it. If they let me, I promise to post parts of the show next week.

Tickets are available in advance ($10 at pcsculturalshow@gmail.com) or at the door ($12). Hope you local folks can make it!

For your viewing pleasure...

...I've uploaded the practice session of the Singkil I choreo'd for PCS. It's rough but you get the idea. Enjoy!

PCS in the Library of Congress

Back in my college days (1989-1993), I was an active member of my school's Philippine Cultural Society. We staged dance concerts, for-profit parties, sociopolitical conferences and basically just hung out and had fun.

We didn't know it at the time but it seemed, at least according to the Library of Congress, that all our partying was historic, worthy of documentation. Yep, that's right. The Library of Congress is getting ready to do an exhibit on Fil-Am organizations in colleges and universities, and my school's club, The George Washington University's PCS, will be the debut exhibit. Exciting!

The current PCS vice-president sent out an APB to us oldies asking for pictures, flyers, posters, and any and all types of memorabilia from back in the day. Because PCS's office underwent a renovation back in '96 and a lot of stuff got thrown out (who would have thought our badly-photocopied flyers announcing our parties would be museum-worthy?), we're really going to have to scrape the bottom of the barrel to come up with something. But I think I have a photo or two of me in full Singkil regalia plus another one or two partying with my peeps. Yippee! My photo might be gracing the LOC!

Just goes to show you never know what your partying might lead you. Hope no one comes out with anything too embarassing. Hehe...

Back To School

Last night, I spent four hours teaching dancers of the Philippine Cultural Society at my alma mater, The George Washington University, a singkil routine I'd choreographed for their annual culture show to be held in April. This event is a Big Deal -- held at GWU's fancy auditorium complete with dinner beforehand (of course! What Pinoy event is sans food?) followed by a two-hour song-dance-dramatic show afterwards.

It felt great to be back. It's been exactly fifteen(!!!) years since I graduated from college and so much has changed, both on campus (fancy new buildings) and life in general. For example, there was a mixup with the room that had been originally reserved for our use. Back in my day, that would have necessitated taking one person, stationing him in the old room and having him direct people to the new room. Today? All it took was a flurry of text messages and phone calls from the students' cell phones to inform people of the new arrangement. I was talking to some of the students about the lack of email, cell phone and websites back in my day. God, I can't believe I actually existed as an adult in a world without email.

But back to the dancing. As I've blogged before, when PCS asked me to choreograph the singkil for them, my initial thought was, sure! How hard could it be? The basic step -- step in, step out, step on through -- was pretty easy, and it was just a matter of putting it together with patterns to make a finished piece. But as the weeks progressed and as I mined YouTube for choreo to steal, I found that my idea of singkil has, as is my ideas about college living, vastly outdated. So I designed this razzle-dazzle choreo for them and hoped they wouldn't get too mad at me for putting them through all the complex stuff.

I'm here to report that they did me proud. Last night, amid a lot of sweat and near-misses with the bamboo, they nailed the choreo. And something else. As I looked at them practicing the dance, I was gripped with a sense of such intense pride at the living proof of the next generation of Filipino-Americans continuing the traditions that I'd taken part of back in my college days. They were all amazing with their dedication and skill. Not one person complained about not wanting to do it, not one of them gave up, and I could see the determination to master the moves even from the non-dancers. My prince, the earnest Francis, and my princess, the adorable Donna, were both wonderful, hard-working and amazing. ::sniff:: Thinking about their dedication and determination brings a little tear to my eye.

With their permission, I'm going to take some photos of rehearsal and post them here so you all can see some of my kids in action. "My kids." Yeah, I already feel such a sense of proprietary kinship over them and I've only just met them! A truly wonderful bunch, and I'm glad to have contributed my bit part in their coming show. When performance day arrives, if they let me, I'm going to post a clip of the singkil on this here blog.

Go Gee Dub!