The day I have been praying  for is finally here! My lovely daughter Diandra makes her TV drama debut today on the Knowledge Channel. She plays the role of Wilma, a ‘babaeng bakla,’ with dreams of becoming a successful businesswoman in the fashion or beauty world.

The mini-teleserye is called “Ibang Klase”. New episodes are aired every Sunday at 3pm & 6:40pm. Then replays happen every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6:40pm.

Thanks so much to my dear friend Glenda Resurrection, one of the top dubbers in Philippines for encouraging Diandra to audition for this project. Glenda is also in “Ibang Klase” playing the role of Ditas, a single Mom.

Congratulations Diandra, we are so proud of you!!!

Thanks so much to Diandra’s new manager Anna Bautista for making it happen!!! Praying now for Diandra’s first project under Viva; meantime, she’s in the cast of a soap opera being shot for the Knowledge Channel. Click here to read more about her first shooting day…

Mom and Daughter waiting in the lobby of Viva!

Diandra with Boss Vic del Rosario signing the contract! Congratulations baby girl!

Anna Bautista, Diandra Zach and Vic del Rosario! Thanks Anna for making this dream come true!

Diandra Zach in wardrobe...

I’m sure you Moms out there know all about those baby books that list down stuff like baby’s first step, baby’s first word, and baby’s first laugh.

Well, here comes a BIG first in the Baby Book of my daughter Diandra:

Her first shooting day for a TV soap!

Alright, alright, Diandra’s not a baby anymore (obvious ba?) but neither am I a Mom in denial, LOLOLOL! I’m just an overly proud Nanay who still sees a little baby girl whenever her daughter is in sight.

Letting my Diandra fly off and do this acting thing is both exciting and fearsome to me. Exciting because she is starting to live out her dream of becoming an actress; fearsome because fame is like a golden cage that you can never really escape from. The philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti once said, “We all want to be famous people, and the moment we want to be something, we are no longer free.”  As someone who values freedom, I shudder at the thought. What makes it bizarre is I work on TV as a newscaster.

Diandra Zach with her make-up artist...

Anyway, just last night, I was telling Diandra about the troubles of being famous – like not being able to walk around in a mall without people staring or having to fly to Europe just to feel normal. I know this kind of talk is premature since Diandra is not yet “there”.  But it’s good discuss these things in case it happens. For now, it will take lots of hard work for her to reach the point where she has to see hand doctor because of signing all those autographs.

The TV show that picked her up, by the way, is an educational soap opera that will air next year on the Knowledge Channel. “Educational Soap Opera,” you say? Even I was surprised. Basically, the soap opera is part of a project to fight illiteracy in the Philippines. Mobile teachers across the nation will be using the soap as part of their teaching. I also heard that the project is also being endorsed by our beloved President PNoy.

This is what bored actors look like...

The terms Educational and Soap Opera might sound corny to some of you (it did to me) but going by my daughter’s character in the story, it’s FAAAAR from corny. Diandra plays the role of a young lady who dreams making a mark in the fashion world. So she hangs out with gay people since they are the leaders in that industry. Her family does not know this and she hides her fashionista self by being prim and proper at home.

Diandra with one of her friends in the soap...

See? Complicated character. I like!

So to my darling baby girl – always cherish the world where you are just our little girl. Remember that it’s a world you can return to when things become too overwhelming and when people start to worship you or abuse you. In your little-girl-world are the people who love you for who you really are AND for who you aren’t. It’s a place where love is unconditionally yours and you can let your guts hang out and still be accepted.

In the meantime, Mom will continue to wait for more firsts – like that Famas award I’ve been praying for for you and the first time we have to rescue you from a horde of rabid fans. THAT should be FUN!

PS. Thanks to my dear friend Glenda for telling us about the auditions! You are a blessing to me and my family!

Welcome to Manila WOLF! Here's a big hug from Daddy...

I sit here in my office right now, typing this piece and thinking of my son Wolf. In about 45 minutes an EVA airplane at NAIA will be taking him back to America. What can I say? Having my son home for 12 days was a joy for me, but getting prepared for his first homecoming was pure ecstasy!!!

This is how the traditional Pinoy sniff-kiss looks like!

Here’s a note of warning to all of you who like to surprise your loved ones by showing up at their doorstep unannounced: please, don’t do it! You will rob your loved ones of the happiness involved in getting ready for your visit. Assuming that they love your company of course, LOL!

My son Wolf was plotting something like that to shock me – but my Nanay-senses were too sharp and I got wind of it really fast from a little bird whose name I will withhold in the name of personal safety.

So I called Wolf up and asked him straight if was coming home. It was easy to get him to tell the truth – I just said: “Sweetie, the aircon is busted so if you want it fixed, you better tell me or else you’ll be sleeping in a hot room!”

Our first lunch together in a year and a half!

He spilled the beans REALLY quickly after that and I got what I wanted: a month to prepare for his first visit home after he left the nest a year and a half ago.

I don’t know about other Moms but I find so much happiness in preparing for my kids – even if they are now bigger than me.

First thing I worked on – the aforementioned aircon. When it comes to comfort THAT is the MOST important thing in my book – I can sleep on a banig on the floor in a cold room but the plushest bed is nothing without AC!

Then I got him some new curtains, a new mattress, had the Ondoy-ravaged bed repaired by a carpenter, shampooed the rug, cleaned up the room, made space for his luggage and clothes and put out his Pokemon pin and card collection.

Found his pa-cool-na-pa-cute photo taken when he graduated from college (UST) and put it in a Hollywood-themed frame for his desk. Then I bought him one of his favorite goodies: Oreos from Japan which I put on his bed. Had an emo-looking balloon bouquet created for him; they are better than flowers – they last beyond a month! But then again when the balloons are dead they become an environmental hazard. Ugh, you just can’t have it all, can you…?

The day before Wolf arrived, Ron, Diandra and I toiled away for half a day in the dining room designing, with pentel pens and cartolina, a Welcome Home Sign – this is a tradition for the Titular Family to ALWAYS put up an intricately-designed welcome sign whenever someone comes back from a trip abroad. Because it’s tradition, it’ s really never a surprise but I raised my family well and they all know how to ‘act surprised’ when they see their welcome signs after a long trip home.

The intricately designed Welcome Home sign on the left... Wolf in the middle... and the emo-balloon bouquet on the right!

As Gandalf said, “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.” And with that in mind, I decided that the ONE THING I HAD TO DO while Wolf was in town was set up the Christmas tree and take family pictures! October is actually an okay time to put up a Christmas tree in the Philippines since Christmas here starts in September when the SM chain of malls begins to play Christmas carols. I kid you not!

Putting up our special ornaments!!!

Another Titular tradition we have is assigning special Christmas ornaments each year to every member of the family. So you can imagine just how eclectic our tree looks like with all these different ornaments we’ve amassed over the years!

Sad to say, Wolf won’t be in Manila on December 25 this year – it will mark his 2nd time to spend Christmas away from us – but thanks to the wonder known as Skype, he will be able to join in the fun and watch us tear open our gifts!

And thanks to the other wonder known as Amazon dot com, he won’t be left out in the gift-recieving department! He’ll get all his goodies wrapped and delivered to his doorstep, without me breaking a sweat!

Sending Wolf off at NAIA!

Well, I am going to miss my baby…   but not for long – he’s promising to come back home next year, perhaps in January 2011. That means December 2010 will be extra special with preparations for the RETURN OF THE WOLF!

Pure ecstasy for this MOM!!!

Saying goodbye to my baby...

Me and Dad. I think was just a few months old here...

When I received the invitation from Luz de Jesus (President of the Philippine Association of Secretaries) to speak during Father’s Day at her church Amazing Grace and Love Missions Fellowship in Marikina, I jumped at it. This was my opportunity to tell people just how great my Dad was.  Here goes….

LESSONS FROM DAD

I was blessed to have one of the best Dads a girl could ask for. He was in his mid 50s when I was born – kind of old, but because he was a discliplined American military man, he was strong and fit.

Because Dad was 2 generations older than me and had served in World War 2, we did have a gap between us, but he tried to bridge that gap by passing on his wisdom and life’s lessons to me.

And now, I pass them on to you.

Dad and Me (learning how to swim) in the pool at Army Navy Club.

Lesson #1 Dad taught me how to pray.

I remember when I was 4 or 5 Dad taught me this prayer – Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. But if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.

We would say this prayer every night together before bedtime and I don’t know about you but that’s deep prayer for a 5 year old – I mean, it talks about DEATH!

But my Father knew a thing or two about death after surviving WW2 and becoming a decorated hero for America.

I remember asking my Dad if that would ever happen to me – that I might die before I wake and he said, no darling, God put me here on earth to keep you safe.

Dad protecting me and Abby from a wild animal!

Lesson #2 Dad was my protector on earth.

There was one time we were in Cartimar. I don’t remember how old I was but I was very little – not yet in school. We were shopping for something – in those days Cartimar was like Megamall.

As we were approaching our dark blue Volkswagen some crazy snatcher grabbed my Dad’s watch and ran off. Dad picke me up, threw me in the car and told me DON’T MOVE. Then he ran off to chase down the perpetrator. I had never seen him move so fast. It was then that I realized how scary my Dad was – he was not a man to mess around with.

So there I was sitting quietly trying to be brave but feeling scared because I was alone. Thankfully, Dad did not catch the thief because I know he would have beaten up the guy to a pulp.

Dad and Mom at my Girl Scout Investiture at St. Scho

Lesson #3 Books are Your Best Friends.

Dad instilled a love for books and knowledge in me. We would spend afternoons hanging out in the Library of the Army Navy Club in Luneta. I would be in the children’s books section and would lose myself in the beautifully illustrated pages of a book.

Dad always said that the Bible was the number one book in the world. After that were the writings of Shakespeare. I remember, when I was about 7 or 8, we would read scenes out of Shakespeare after dinner. I didn’t quite understand the English of Shakespeare, I was ONLY 8 years old! So Dad would explain the scene to me and my sister who was 3 years younger. It was FUN because Dad had a such a big voice and was a good actor. By the age of 9 I could boast that my favorite Shakespearean was the Tempest.

Dad was also big on maps (see behind him) and taught me geography so my internal GPRS system is tops!

Dad taught me how to love books and for that I am thankful. Although I did not graduate from college, my voracious reading combined with God’s favor have brought me to jobs where a college education is a requirement.  Today, I am a writer, a news presenter, an English conversation teacher and a public speaker. God is good!

Lesson #4 – Dad taught me that Love and Truth can break bondages.

My Dad started taking good care of himself after I was born. Although he was physically tough, thanks to the military, he had some bad habits – he was a 3 pack a day smoker and an alcoholic. His drinking was such a serious issue – he would get drunk everyday and his personality would change. He would be violent and hurt Mom. The next morning – he would not remember a thing but the bruises on Mom told a different story.

Dad loved me and Mom (and Abby too when she was subsequently born) SO much that he changed his ways...

But it was a TRUTHFUL word from a doctor that changed his life. After going through a check up, the doctor warned him that if he kept up his drinking and smoking, he would not live to see my 10^th birthday.

That shocked him badly. And because of his deep and amazing LOVE FOR ME and MOM he went COLD TURKEY. He completely stopped. I was only 6 months old at the time. So to this day I have NO memory of ever seeing my Dad drunk or with a cigarette.

CLICK HERE TO READ PART 2…

Dad's Christmas Card. This was taken during his first visit to Korea

Lesson #5 – Dad taught me to NEVER open gifts before Christmas!

Dad knew the meaning of timing. He also knew that the suspense of waiting for Christmas day increased the value of the gifts he gave us. He said waiting was a good thing. He did allow us to touch, sniff and shake the boxes though. But we were not allowed to open them until the morning of December 25.

Dad made Christmas so magical for me and my sister – gifts would suddenly appear under the tree. And we always had hot chocolate with marshmallows, a turkey dinner and a silver Christmas tree full of shiny ornaments.

To this day, I wait for Christmas day, December 25, to open all gifts given to me. Including the raffle gifts I win

The Burton Family Christmas Card - Me, Mom, Dad and my sister Abby

at parties. I’m serious. It’s a family rule, in fact, so my children AND husband all have to wait for December 25. It’s how I honor my Dad.

Waiting for the right time to do the right thing is indeed a great lesson Dad tried to teach me.

The Titular Family having Christmas FUN! Me and Ron with Wolf and Diandra!

Lesson #6 – Dad taught me How to be Brave.

Do you remember the terrible Baguio Quake that shook Manila? Well, I remember that day CLEARLY.

I just arrived at home and was solving a crossword puzzle and eating a bowl of noodles for merienda when some of the noodles jumped onto my puzzle. I was disoriented for a moment then realized IT WAS AN EARTHQUAKE. Not just any earthquake but an EARTH SHATTERING EARTHQUAKE.

I freaked out like there was no tomorrow, grabbed my helper who fainted and dragged her to the door jamb – I heard somewhere that door jambs are safe daw – then with my other hand I grabbed the telephone and right there at the door jamb, fell to my knees and started praying like a lunatic. I really thought we were going to die.

Dad had just woken up from a nap and stepped out of his room. And saw me with a phone in my left hand, my helper in my right arm, down on my knees asking God for forgiveness.

He started to laugh and laugh and laugh. As if there was no earthquake going on. I remember how cool he looked and how pink his cheeks were from the laughing at me. He was like Jesus in the middle of a storm wondering why I was so afraid.

Dad really was such a brave man – and an American hero for his selfless service during WW2. At his funeral, the US Army gave him a 21 gun salute.

CLICK HERE TO READ PART 3…

Dad in front of his coool Jeep!

Dad as Postmaster!

My Dad was GI Joe

Dad, still buff in his 60s as he hangs out on Waikiki beach...

LESSONS FROM DAD… part 3…

Lesson #7 – Dad showed me How to Take Care of One’s Temple.

My Dad was amazingly fit. Let me share with you his almost daily exercise routine for about 20 years – wake up at 4am, drive to Luneta and jog around the big park across Manila Hotel four times.

Dad, in his 60s, strutting his stuff on the Army Navy Club tennis court!

Then he would go to Army Navy Club for breakfast and then play a few sets of tennis with his buddies. After lunch, he would swim 50 laps in the half Olympic pool andthen be home at around 5pm for dinner.

Dad in his 80s running around the US in a trailer...

Abby, Me and Dad at the Amtrak station in Tucson, Arizona. He was in his 80s in this pic.

But at age 91 he was diagnosed with stage 3 throat cancer. I spent a month with him in Honolulu where he was living with Mom and it was one of the best times we had together. We would spend the mornings and afternoons walking together and the rest of the day at the hospital for check ups and other things. Believe it or not, he was still running in the mornings at that age.

Dad in a bright Hawaiian lei celebrating his 91st Birthday at Fischer House, Tripler Medical Hospital in Honolulu. Mom is in yellow next to him.

And because he was such a sturdy 91 year old, Doctors said they would attempt radiation therapy and surgery. It was risky but they went ahead and guess what, Dad survived and was later cleared of throat cancer.  He had a scar from ear to ear and he was SO proud of it.

At age 93 he had another health emergency – a blocked intestine. It caused him to vomit and collapse in the bathroom. Mom called 9-11 and believe it or not, they got there in 5 minutes and rushed him, in another 5 minutes to Tripler Medical Hospital in Honolulu where he went straight into emergency surgery. It was very serious – so serious that the doctors asked the chaplain to call me.

I was here in Manila when I got the call. I just finished teaching an English class and remember how numb I felt. The chaplain said that there was a big chance that Dad wouldn’t survive. So we prayed.

But miracle of miracles, Dad survived once again. And after he recuperated from surgery, he returned to his running but he could only manage a 10 minute run in the mornings.

When he turned 94, he faced one last challenge – lung cancer. 15 days after that diagnosis, the angels took him to God. Although I was devastated, it was comforting to find out that two hours before his death, he was at a church service and that he passed on during his afternoon nap.

The prayer he taught me when I was little was answered.

Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, but if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul take.

Those are just 7 lessons from my Dad – there are so much more but we’d be here the whole day.

So let me ask the Fathers here this morning – what lessons do you want your children to remember when you are long gone? What stories would you want them to tell about you? It’s your choice and that choice starts today. Get to know your children NOW.

CLICK HERE TO READ PART 4…

This photo is my all-time favorite one of my Dad... he looks like Errol Flynn here!!!

I think I don’t think my message is complete without speaking to the children and the wives in this room.

Children, if there is ONE thing you can change about your attitude toward your Dad, today is good day to change it. Here is an example…  from this day on I will be more respectful to Dad. From this day on I will do homework first before gaming. From this day on I will not sulk if Dad says no. From this day on I will keep my room neat.

God will show you what you need to change and all I ask is that you try to change just one thing starting today.

Wives and Moms… Dad cannot rule his kingdom if you are being bossy. You are not the King. He is. You are the Queen. Know your place. You were built by God to help him. Your are under your husband’s authority.

I struggled with this too – I am a very fiery woman I think you can see. But I obeyed God and now I share my happy castle with such a wonderful King who is gentle and wise.

Let your husbands make the final decision. Give him advice but don’t force him to follow you. He must be secure that you will support him 100% even when he is wrong.

For example – You are both driving to a party. He thinks the house is after the next left turn. But you know it’s after the next right turn. You tell him so, but he insists on the left turn. It’s OKAY. Let him turn left. When he discovers that the party is not there, turn to him and say, it’s okay darling, we all make mistakes, I love you.

Of course if a man’s decision involves something immoral, then you need to seek counseling. Talk to your pastor. But if we’re talking about everyday decisions about money, schooling, house rules etc.  then give your husband the reins. God will honor you mightily and your home will be ruled a wonderful King who is gentle and wise and you will be his help.

Me and Ron in Chiang Rai, Thailand

Let me end with a story of how my husband showed me the meaning of grace:

We were organizing an event one day and my husband had to be there early. So he left the house in the morning with the kids and helpers. I stayed behind to do a few things. At noon, I took a shower – biglang nag-brown out. Eh, our water was electricity driven so the water stopped. Buti nalang I was almost finished – konti nalang the soap on my body. I dried up, dressed up, left the house and went to our event.

It was a whole day affair which ended at 11pm. By the time we got home it was midnight and we were all exhausted. But when we opened the door to our apartment, water rushed out!

I forgot pala to turn off the shower. Eh the electricity went back on around 2pm. So the water was running from 2pm to 12mn… 10 hours straight! Since our bathroom was on the second floor, we had a waterfall going down our stairs. Baha ng mga 2 inches ang first and second floors namin.

I felt like the biggest fool on earth. But you know what? My husband did not say one bad word to me. He didn’t even give me an evil look. He just quickly mobilized the helpers and the kids and said, okay guys, our day is not over yet, let’s clear up this house. It took us 5 hours to dry the house and throughout that 5 hours my hubby kept comforting me and saying, It’s okay honey, we all make mistakes, I love you.

Me and Ron at our wedding

THAT IS GRACE!

Let’s practice grace right now. Wives, turn to your husbands and say – It’s okay honey, we all make mistakes.  I love you!

Now, it’s the turn of the husbands – turn to your wives and say – It’s okay honey, we all make mistakes. I love you.

Remember to practice grace not just today but every day.

Happy Father’s Day!

pan-seared tuna

My very first car, Toyota Corolla SR, drowned by the flood last year

That’s given my blogging beauty queen wife, Joyce Burton-Titular, and myself the time for one of our favorite things… cooking! (check out this simple, healthy, and really great tasting dish we made; it’s on my food blog, Buff Food for Food Buffs .  Try making yourself some pan-seared tuna sashimi!)

It’s also given us time to do one of the things we dread doing… cleaning up!  hahaha!  Believe it or not, we’re still working out some issues from last year’s Ondoy flood! … Getting my old red Toyota ready for junking… dealing with parquet pieces still popping out, targeting painting needs… and lots of sorting through papers and stuff!

Michael Jackson in Davao

Superman in Davao

The Titulars and Morenos at Sea World circa 1998. left-right: Ron Titular, Jazmine Titular, Rhea Moreno, Rachel Moreno, Margie Titular, Josh Titular, Bob Titular, Ryan Moreno, Ricky Moreno. middle: the killer whale. below: Joyce Burton-Titular

Nothing like Sea World in the Philippines… well, not back in the day… but we did have Enchanted Kingdom to go to!  Here’s a pic with us and Ric’s family… well almost… this was before sweetie Robin was born

The Titulars at Enchanted Kingdom circa early 2000. left-right: ron titular, joyce burton-titular, diandra zach, wolf, arlene belan-titular, rikki titular, ric titular, mikko titular

Diandra Zach with the evil slave mistress Madame Dama of Amnexia played by Maries Rebucas

When Diandra got chosen to play the lead role in “Amnexia” one of the showcases of her PETA Summer Theatre workshop, I was thrilled!  It was something I was praying for; I told her that if she, number one – built good relationships with the people in the workshop, number two – got really active in the exercises and number three – used criticim to improve herself, she might just nab the lead role. AND SHE DID!

Scroll down to watch “Amnexia”.

IMHO, my daughter Diandra Zach ALREADY has the pretty face and the raw talent for acting but that’s just not good enough. You need good relationships with the people in the industry and you have to be constantly improving your craft through workshops, auditions and acting jobs.

Zen (Diandra Zach) gets her heart broken by Johnny Barako played by Christopher Abaya

A heart-broken Zen (Diandra Zach) contemplates on suicide...

Now in this particular acting job, Diandra plays the role of Zen – a rich girl from the planet Sulata who was dumped by her hunk of a boyfriend. After contemplating suicide, Zen makes a rebound when she meets Rusty online through interplanetary internet. Rusty is a call center agent on the slave planet of Amnexia.

Scroll down to watch Amnexia.

On a lark, Zen flies off to Amnexia to see him in person only to find out that love life is banned on Amnexia by the slave mistress of the planet who controls all Amnexian call center agents with her whip and screeching voice. The god of the planet, Lord Gaia shows up to punish the lovers and he turns out to be Zen’s father.

Lord Gaia (who manifests himself as a shiny topless guy in rollerblades) lets Zen go but locks up Rusty. Zen figures out a way to break Rusty out of jail and together they take control of the planet and to save not just their love life but also the lives of all the enslaved call center agents on Amnexia.

Amnexia's God, Lord Gaia (John Hoffman, left) faces off with Zen (Diandra Zach, middle) and Rusty (Aaron)

Congratulations to my beautiful Diandra Zach and her workshop classmates for a successful presentation.

Amnexia is the brianchild of Aaron (if you know his last name please drop a comment) who wrote the play with the help of his batchmates in the PETA Theatre I Batch 2010.  The complete mini-play “Amnexia” is available on this post, just scroll down…

Cast of "Amnexia"

Diandra with boyfriend and BFFs - L-R Migo, Diandra Zach, Jeng and Ia

Diandra makes her entrance in the video below: