Pre-Birthday Reflections....

It’s my baby’s first birthday! Yes, Bato Bato Pik will be one year on the 20th of September. It was exactly 8:01 pm when I posted my first entry entitled “Sino Ito” (Who is this?). It was the day I finally had the courage to share to the world wide web my piece of mind.

Why Bato Bato Pik? What’s behind the name? Bato Bato Pik is the Filipino equivalent of the “Rock, Paper, Scissor” game. Since this blog was made and dedicated to my two children, I thought I should get their attention through the game they are very familiar with. And with that, impart to them the lesson about choices. I made a poem, entitled "I Chose” to highlight this message. My objective is to let my children see and appreciate the beauty of free expression of thoughts through creative writing. To be able to articulate their emotions through pictures, poetry, places, music, food, occasions, books, movies... everything under the sun in a positive way. Not just being able to communicate but at the same time share the celebration of expression to others.

My Bato Bato Pik has acquired 3 faces. It's fortunate that a friend was able to save a screen shot of the original skin. It was born late summer of last year with a lighthouse skin. Slowly grew though winter. Slowly and surely. Threading the ebbs and tides of the world wide web.

Spring came and it shed it's birth skin, aquired this springy green color. Became more bold, acquired friends, acquired confidence and felt accepted.

Just recently, it changed to this color in time for the fall season.


After One year... after 143 posts.... where did it take me? Surprisingly, this blog has been my refuge, a sweet escape. It just takes me away, a secret place, to better days, a hiding place. It is a place I go, where nobody knows, where the rivers flows, no one cries and I call it home. The previous sentences are from a song which I associate so closely to my blog at the moment. I found relief from everyday drab, found respite from pent up sentiments, and most of all... found great friends from across the miles.

Bato Bato Pik is my pocketful of sunshine (as Natasha Bedingfield's song has aptly put it)!