I did okay

Dear Mama,

    We had our Songwriter's Night yesterday and it was a longer set than what we used to have. We sang 5 songs instead of the usual 3 songs, Mama.

    I think I did okay, Mama. I had some bloopers on my chords but they weren't that much obvious, Mama. I was still nervous but my voice did not crack. I was able to sing with my full voice. I hope you are proud of me, Mama.

    I know I don't have a really beautiful voice, but at least the lyrics of my songs were meaningful. And I think my voice was at least tolerable. I still don't know if anything will come out of what I'm doing right now, but I did enjoy myself last night, Mama.

    Ralph is on his flight to Cebu right now. Edgar is cooking in the kitchen for our lunch. Angel is still sleeping.

    That's all I really wanted to say, Mama. That I did okay last night at the Songwriter's Night. I hope I made you proud.

    I miss you, Mama.

    I love you.

                                                                                                                Daddy

 

Saturday

Dear Mama,

    It's Saturday, 10 a.m. Edgar is having a webinar in his room right now. It's a CPD accredited webinar that he needs for his professional license renewal. Ralph is out now to meet his friends. He hasn't slept yet because he works on graveyard shift. After his work, he immediately prepared to go out. Angel is still sleeping now, she slept at around 5 a.m.

    I'm looking out the window and it's a bit gloomy. I don't know whether I should get the laundry I washed this morning, Mama. Earlier, there was a heavy rain but it has stopped at around 7 a.m. so I hanged my laundry outside. There's still sun but it's a bit cloudy, Mama. I guess I'll check and maybe get them and just hang them inside after I write my letter.

    I'll be having another gig tonight, Mama. I'll be singing 5 original songs. I hope my voice won't crack. I still don't know where I am getting this guts to allow myself to to perform in front of the crowd. Is there even a sense in what I'm doing? If you were with us now, do you think you'd be proud of what I'm doing, Mama?

    Anyway, I'll be preparing for our lunch in a while, Mama. Because Edgar is having a webinar, he won't be able to cook for our lunch. I was about to go out and buy some lutong ulam, but Edgar said we'll just open a canned tuna and have hard boiled eggs.

    That will be for now, Mama. Until my next letter. 

    I miss you, Mama.

    I love you.

                                                                                                Daddy

 

Father's Day and my visit to my doctor

Dear Mama,

    Yesterday was Father's Day. Ralph and Edgar rented a house for staycation. It was in Cuayan, Mama, and it had a pool. We went yesterday, spent the night, and came back home this afternoon.

    It was a great break, Mama. The pool was small, just enough for us to dip, but it was okay. We enjoyed our stay. We also had a beer each last night. Had a quick dip again this morning before we had our brunch, and then we prepared to go home. I enjoyed the gestures of our kids, Mama.

    This afternoon, I went to my doctor for my quarterly check up. I brought the results of my blood chem test last week. My cholesterol spiked, so he brought back my maintenance medicine which he took last quarter. He changed the brand because the last brand he gave was causing my SGPT to go up, whatever that is. This quarter, without that medicine, my SGPT  went down, but my cholesterol went up.

    The other medicines also continue - for uric acid and BP.

    Anyway, Edgar said we're going to have our dinner now. Until my next letter, Mama.

    I miss you.

    I love you, Mama.

                                                                                                        Daddy

Update on Angel

Dear Mama,

    It's 7:57 p.m., and Angel is on her way home now. She's applying for jobs, Mama. I think she went to at least 3 companies today, all BPOs. 

    She and Edgar decided to stop their fishball and streetfood cart business. They realized the work and time they put to it are not worth the sales they are getting. And I agree with them, Mama. And it also affected all our schedules. At least Angel has tried her hands on business. She was good at it actually, Mama. She has management skills. She just need to discipline herself regarding her time management.

    We have already taken our dinner. We just saved some food for Angel so she can eat once she got home.

    I had my blood extraction again earlier, Mama for my quarterly laboratory test and consultation. I will get the results on Saturday. I hope they are favorable. Next week, I'll schedule my visit to my doctor.

    A bit of good news, Area G3, the Area I am handling as an Area Director is a President Distinguished Area for this year, Mama. It is the highest rate they can give to a club, area, or division. I am happy that we got this rating in my term, although I am not necessarily proud because the catalyst was the new club, of which I had no involvement on.

    Anyway, we got and I am happy for my clubs. Because they share this prestige with me. It is actually because of their hard work why we got the rating. It was all on them, all I did was to remind of what to do.

    I hope you're still proud of me, Mama.

    Angel is already home. She's now feeding the cats.

    Until my next letter, Mama. I miss you.

    I love you.

                                                                                            Daddy  

Sometimes I don't know

Dear Mama,

    It's Saturday, I been sitting here for almost an hour trying to think of what to write. It's 2:20 p.m., Edgar left to attend a birthday party with his officemates earlier, after we had a lunch. Ralph is sleeping now, as you know he's working night shift. Although he had lunch with us earlier. Angel is just resting right now, she won't be selling fishball and other streetfoods today. They took Saturday and Sunday as their rest day.

    I went to Bataan yesterday after work, Mama. I was with my fellow Toastmasters from Area G3. We attended the open house meeting our club there, the Bataan Toastmasters Club. I gave a talk about impromptu speaking, Mama. It was okay, not as excellent as I expected it to be. But it was okay. Next week I'll be giving another talk in my club, Cabalen San Fernandino Toastmasters Club, and this time it will be about being funny. I still have not prepared yet. I have a rough draft, and it's not organized. I hope I can do it this weekend.

    My fellow Toastmasters are egging me to go with them to Cebu next month, Mama. The kids say I should. But while I admit I wanted to, I am not sure if I can afford it. You know I am depleted financially, Mama and I am barely making ends meet. I could ask from our children, but I don't want to do that, Mama. 

    I don't know anymore, Mama. I hope things get better so petty things like this won't be too hard to decide.

    I wish you were here. I miss you, Mama.

    I love you.

                                                                                            Daddy 

June 1st

Dear Mama,

    It's the first day of June. We're almost done with the second half of the year. We did not sell fishball today, Mama. Saturday and Sunday is the day off of Angel (and I) in selling fish ball and other street foods. 

    Edgar's not here tonight, Mama. He is with his officemates for their summer outing. He'll be back tomorrow. Tomorrow, it will be Ralph who will going to his company outing and team building. He'll be back on Tuesday. 

    I feel sleepy right now, Mama. But I still need to do a lot of things. I need to prepare for my talk on Friday in Bataan. I need to prepare my slides. I also need to prepare for my talk in Cabalen on the 15th of June, and then for my gig on the 22nd for the Songwriters' Night.

    I'll probably do it tomorrow, Mama. I am tired right now.

    Until my next letter, Mama.

    I miss you.

    I love you, Mama.

                                                                                            Daddy