I picked up my son Mio from the domestic airport a while ago. He had just come from his 1st unaccompanied trip to Boracay and he was buzzing with stories and that irrepressible energy of a young man who has discovered his own power to move in the world. He planned this whole 4day thing with his classmates and even saved up and paid for his room and board. I pitched in with plane tickets. He expressed how much he enjoyed traveling alone, from checking into the airport, riding the plane, taking an hour’s bus ride to Boracay and just doing stuff without having to rely on us. He has clearly discovered the path to greater independence and autonomy., and I generally like that. As a parent, I do worry a little about a few things which may get kids in trouble, like bad company, alcohol and drugs. But I know I should take risks in trusting young people to do the right thing. In two months, he will go on an even bigger journey to Oxford in England, and a stint in Paris to take a college preparatory course. He will be gone for 40 days alone in the Europe part of this big, wide world. Ala and Erica took the same thing years ago before college and it opened their eyes to the bigger picture. Besides, it helped them get into the school that they wanted. Mio can’t wait!
But before that, he has a few gigs lined up with his band called Bandido. I am amazed at how quickly he has learned the guitar. Lately, he seems to have discovered some of APO’s earlier music, and guess what? He likes them! Ha ha! Yes, enough to want to play some of them in their gigs. They also write their own stuff and that’s something I give them credit for. I am quite excited to see him spread his wings and make a mark in his milieu. And you should see him before and after a gig! Parang di mapakali, just like his dad, or at least that’s what his mom says.
I talked to him recently about college and he has expressed great interest in taking up music. I never even gave the remotest consideration to going for music in college because I was on scholarship at the Ateneo and it didn’t (and still doesn’t) have a music course. And to have had to go to any other school then, and in the process incur expenses for my hard working mom and step dad was just out of the question. As a parent now with a little more means, I will support as much as I can the directions where my kids wish to find their passion.
If Mio does go into music, he will outdo his father in at least one thing: he will be able to read and write music—something I never learned to do. I tried learning it before but it slowed me down considerably. I guess I just got too used to making music intuitively. Maybe someday I will take it up again. But if by next year Mio decides to take up something else, it will be no big deal to me. The time to indulge in a little confusion is during youth when it is expected and one has the luxury of time to do so.
***
I leave on Wednesday for APO’s second leg of its US tour. This blog may be quiet for sometime since I do not always have internet access when we tour. But APO’s page will be full of updates so watch out for that. And if you are one of those who will want to buy souvenirs, we have something even better this time around: DVDs of past milestone concerts, buttons, and more CDs.
I must admit I will be happy to escape the summer heat, the discomfort and the palpable discontent that’s evident everywhere due to the high cost of gas, electricity and all the other irritations that plague life in the Philippines. Add scandals like Pacific Education Plans and CAP not living up to their end of the contract. I pity the parents who unexpectedly have to scrounge for more money now to keep their kids in school. On top of that, the idiocy and the sleaze of ABS-CBN and GMA TV shows and the passionate efforts of our political leaders in insuring that meaningful changes do not happen in our lifetime make it so pleasant to leave even for awhile. I was so sorry and angry to see Haydee Yorac leave PCGG, and Victor Corpus retire from government. Man, I could go on and on. OK, I know I am betraying my calm and my attempts at maintaining a non-judgmental stance in most things. Don’t worry. I am not about to turn this blog into a political forum. We all just need to vent from time to time, don’t we?
Heard a quip from Jon Santos: He says that in the US, Michael Moore made an anti-Bush film called Fahrenheit 9-11, Sometime soon, someone in the Philippines will make an anti-Gloria docu called… are you ready?… Fahrenheit 4-11!
what a doting dad – always anticipating the children’s needs,giving them enough space to develop as a wholesome individual & be creative on their own.
other dads or would-be-dads should look up to you as their ideal.
break a leg on your coming u.s. tour. i’ll pray for you & the whole team’s safe travels.
it’s wonderful to hear just how supportive you are of your kids. i’ve been a reader of your blog for sometime now. (i used to be a student of nonoy ozaeta, met you once at chakra several years back)
goodluck with APO’s tour. and, in my opinion, you’re one cool dad…my prayers to you and your family.
having a really supportive dad is great! mine’s so supportive that it surprises some people in our place. your children are really lucky.:)
oh, and it was really a surprise to know that you actually don’t read music! grabeh!
are you going to have any concert here in the philippnes anytime soon?:) sana i get to watch you po. kaya lang baka umiyak lang po ako nang umiyak. so, if you ever saw a veiled girl just crying and crying in one of your concerts, alam ‘nyo na pokung sino ‘yun. hehehe:)
goodluck on your tour, sir jim.
and congratulations, you have brought up 3 kids who can find their way around because they have you and your wife as their guiding stars.
jey
you are such a kind and very supportive dad. Very concern to your children. I’ve been reading your blog entries ever since i discovered it and its very cool.
good luck on your U.S. tour hope it would be another successful concert like the others that you have.
Peace!
girlie, hanne, jey and ian–I am so lucky to enjoy the kids given me by God. What can I say. They are worth paying all the time and attention to. I am not a perfect father, far from it, but I think am a pretty good one. Some parents may find me too liberal, but then, that’s me! heh heh!
Baby Pink–After all these tours, we should have some in Manila. You will be the first to know. Thanks for being so supportive, as always. I hope you smile too and not just cry when you see us!!
To everyone, thanks for the good wishes for this tour.I will relay them to Danny, Boboy and the whole entourage. I pray it will be a great one. Life is good! I wish everyone happiness and goodwill too.
Jim
wow! Europe. ako rin balak kong pumunta someday para lumawak yung pananaw ko 🙂 good luck to Mio. traveling broadens the one’s perspectives. so wala pa ring Seattle tour? enjoy the gigs and take care. 4-11?! hahaha! hataw talaga yang si Jon 🙂
wow! Apo DVD for the U.S market! sana magkaron din sa Pinas.
baka meron na naman for bangkober?
Love to see you again here!
Happy Touring and God bless!
lolz…. 4-11, hehehe.
not meaning to sound rude, but did i read that right? you can’t read and write music? like writing the notes? i’m sorry that doesn’t sound right, it’s just for someone with your achievements in the music industry, that sounds surprising. peace! ^_^
am saving up for music school next year. mio’s blessed to know what he wants this early on and to have a support network to back him up.
i’ve known for some time now that ateneo has been meeting with some music “heavyweights” and looking into setting up a music course. too bad i can’t wait around for it though 😛
best of luck with your concert tour 🙂
Your children, Mio and Erica, look more like Lydia than you. You are a wonderful and kind-hearted father. Yet, you manage to find balance as to care for yourself and keep intact your devotion to family. That’s really commendable.
Wow, you cannot read and write notes but composed hundreds of songs! You are truly gifted– what you do with God’s gift to you are your gifts back to God. You certainly have a lot to offer Him.
I wish you great success in your upcoming tour — and always.
Continue being happy and at peace. Life is really too short and fleeting.
Godspeed and Peace. Thanks for everything…
This is great, I remember when I first left home to be an independent soul, I was 19 years of age, it was scary and it was exciting, my parents supported me by way of encouraging words.
Now I am on my own, I am very grateful that there are people who help others get on their own feet.
oh yeah… yorac leaving pcgg… that’s sad..
and that CAP issue! goodness… i saw my parents sweat blood and tears to pay for that CAP for my sister… and now they’re telling us they can’t pay?
pano na lang ang pangarap ng mga mahihirap?
jim! pwede bang magpa-adopt?!!! i always enjoy reading your blog… as a sort of escape from the office (im doing internship now at a law firm).. with a bunch of people who think im XXTREMELY weird.
coolmel–Yes, traveling can be a big eye-opener. My daughters Erica and Ala bloomed after they did their own solo travels.
adz–will let you know when it’s out there. we just had to rush this for the tour.
Balikbayan–vancouver may be later this year. Let’s hope. Love that place. So pretty. Canada is cool!
kat, deepa–yes, I wish I had gone through a music course. I can probably express more of the music I sense in me if I did. I would love to teach at admu. I hope the music thing course or even a college gets set up soon.
jowch–independence is a great gift we can give our children.
slitherdude–Yes, pati kami tinamaan sa Pacific Plans. Man, I worked really hard to make sure education was taken cared of. Now this.
Doranne–Ha ha!! Always nice to hear from you. If you weren’t weird, something would be wrong in the world. How’s my ‘favorite’ student?
anonymous–salamat.
darkblak–funny, no?
“The time to indulge in a little confusion is during youth when it is expected and one has the luxury of time to do so.” so true… i wish ive learned that in college. =)
yeah, it’s true. sometimes, well most of the time, people can’t help but get the urge to leave and escape the goings on in the PI.
enjoy your tour!
thanks for all the stuff here in your blog.
Jim:
Baby Pink–After all these tours, we should have some in Manila. You will be the first to know. Thanks for being so supportive, as always. I hope you smile too and not just cry when you see us!!
—
thanks po, mr. jim.
just thinking of APO makes me smile. seeing you, guys, in person pa kaya. big smile amid the tears. hehehe:)
hi sir jim… I am still sad na hindi ko kayo makikita… huhuhh…
about your kids… dapat may medal na kayo ng wife mo for a job well done. Naisip ko, if I were to have kids, I can always pattern my parenting skills to somebody else (like you) but the turnout will still be a mixture of your parenting, their peers and more.
I’m glad my parents were supportive of me kahit na alam kong at the back of their head eh alam nilang wala gaanung pera pag nag journalism ako but still they let me take that course. I Love them!!!!
Best of Luck sa tour!! Kahit na anung gawin ng APO, we all know that it will be a SUCCESS!!! APO RULEZ!!
props to you for being a cool dad that you are!
i wish i can have that experience too –the europe thing– your son is going to…
Hello mr.Jim!
I’ve always enjoyed reading mio’s blog..was heartbroken when he lost his ipod.
btw,I moved to a new home! Kindly take a peek and update your links pls..
salamat po..
http://sachiko.thess.nl/
Hi Jim! I chanced upon your blog I think some time last year. I was trying to get details on how to join Himig Handog (or that other similar contest in GMA) and tried googling may way through it. One of the links had your name on it so I checked it out. Your blog entry that time was about how Arnel Ignacio, dressed in drag, approached you for an audition. Anyway, I write songs too and I was hoping you could give me your two-cents worth on my stuff. Would it be too much to ask for I could send some your way? Brutally frank would work for me =) Take care!
Eager for your comments,
Isco
It would be peachy keen if you could post this in your blog! Thanks.
http://img14.imgspot.com/?u=05/131/01/YEarth2005.jpg
This is the link pala!
http://img14.imgspot.com/?u=05/131/01/YEarth2005.jpg
http://img14.imgspot.com/u/05/131/01/YEarth2005.jpg
I mean this is it. Totoo na to. Thanks
good luck on your trip 🙂 am sure you’d melt new hearts and rekindle missing home (philippines) in others…
oh boracay…i am currently depressed because my parents didnt allow me to go to bora with my bf and his family..it sucks…i cant believe im passing up an all expense trip..airfare, station 1 accomodations, etc…im 21 and working already…its so unfair…considering we’re family friends…aaargh!
i really loved this post–it’s so honest about how you feel about your kids growing up. i wish Mio all the best, as well as yourself and the rest of APO on your tour. God bless! Ü.
hi sir jim! im so happy i found your site! i miss your class! if i may, i would like to link you to my blog…
Hey everyone, thanks for the visits and the comments.
Wenk, thanks. Halata ba how much I love Mio? I guess I gush when I talk about my kuds. They are such wonderful people.
clatot, please do link me. No need to ask. I will be teaching again this coming sem. I need it for my sanity. heh heh!
Bea, nice site.
Isco, give me your email so I can write you. But remember that I am on the road and I do not always have internet access. I will be frank, don’t worry.
Jove, babypink, rach, kay—thanks
jim
Hi Jim!
No problem. Whenever you have time. My e-mail ad’s iscodomingo@gmail.com
Thanks a bunch!
Doranne–Ha ha!! Always nice to hear from you. If you weren’t weird, something would be wrong in the world. How’s my ‘favorite’ student?
im fine, thank you! been interning at a law firm for the summer, to experience what is supposed to be the real practice of law.Hectic… But there are some lulls in the office.. So I finally had time to start blogging! Incoming 3rd year na ako!!! Time flies so fast!