Month: December 2011

Intensity Ten!

You wouldn't want to miss this concert for sure. Click here for details.

 

…And that, my friends, is how I think December 17 and 18 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Main Theater will be!

Ten years ago, I was a freshie at the UP College of Music. Back then, I just hear the Philippine Madrigal Singers on CD, their 1997 European Grand Prix tour recording. No clue at all that I’ll be participating in the same competition ten years after.

I didn’t even know that Ma’am OA, or Prof. Andrea Veneracion, passed her baton already to Mark Anthony Carpio in 2001. And who would have thought he will become my choirmaster, my ever-reliable and super great assisting artist during my recitals, and fast forward to today, a good friend and one of our Principal Sponsors for our wedding!

I definitely owe a lot to this group. The long hours of rehearsals and countless performances made me a better and more sensitive musician. The long trips abroad gave me a new cultural perspective of both our country and of other countries. Plus we gained a lot of pounds, er, I mean, friends! We were taught how to live in a suitcase at very young ages. We missed our families but we come home to them with a sense of accomplishment. The preparations for concerts and competitions gave us loads of patience, strength, perseverance, and trust. Add to that, Filipino pride — something I will always be proud to proclaim. We became friends, sometimes enemies, then friends again.

I know I grew better as a person and as a musician after joining the Madz. And I never regretted the eight years I spent in college — well-spent eight years, I know.

And I am really grateful to Sir Mark. He entrusted me the most nerve-wracking position in the Madz (in my opinion, next to the Assistant Choirmaster) — the pitchgiver.

(Should I be explaining what is a pitchgiver any further? I don’t even know if it’s supposed to be a Madz secret! Sorry, guys!)

Beyond Madz duties, he even accompanied me in the piano for all my four recitals in school (in school, it really pays to have a GOOD pianist, and Sir Mark is absolutely GREAT!). I know it was too much to ask from him but still he gladly did, for most of us singers who were also students in the College of Music. We’d always find time to rehearse despite our busy schedules, and he would always be ready to accompany. He’s such a gifted, kind-hearted, generous man.

Enough of the reminiscing now. May I now invite you to take part in this wonderful night of singing? Make that two nights, this weekend, December 17, 8PM and December 18, 5PM, at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Main Theater.

I take pride in being a part of Batch Carpio! As our way of thanking the Lord for the gift of music, and thanking Him for the past ten years Sir Mark has successfully took over the helm of the Madz, we will reunite with the current batch and shall sing a few songs on the second part of the concert!

Thank you, Sir Mark, for being a mentor, inspiration, and friend. I’ll never forget what you told me before, that our mission as Madz and even beyond Madz is “to spread the Madz way,” and to create a Singing Philippines, as what Ma’am OA envisioned. It’s now evident in the many choirs and conductors who follow our lead.

Once a Madz, always a Madz!

 

~ Touringkitty (now back in action!)

 

Note: I will sing on the 17th so see you on that day!

 

The “Breast” Gift

The Blog Carnival's Logo by Mec (www.mecasmom.blogspot.com

“Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (December). For this month, we want to honor breastfeeding for having enriched our lives and blessed us, maybe even empowered us, in a way that only breastfeeding can. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants.”

Being able to sustain breastfeeding for almost sixteen months is the greatest gift I have ever received and given. I credit my success to the Lord Almighty, my newfound devotion to Our Lady of La Leche, my family and friends who supported me from day one up until now. And with the looks of it, both my daughter and I are not ready to stop anytime soon. Not just yet.

Along with the gift of breastfeeding, I have also received other “gifts” that naturally came with it, which I now have realized. Allow me to share some with you:

1. The Gift of Commitment

I chose to breastfeed. And I prepared myself for it. I did my homework — research, attend La Leche League meets, talk with moms who had similar experience or at least can share some of their knowledge. Commitment is also a choice. I know I was willing to commit to be with my daughter especially in the first few months, when no one else at home knew what breastfeeding was all about. The same commitment I have used even when I have to work. Thankfully, I can work part-time so I pump occasionally. Never had and never will result to formula.

2. The Gift of Confidence

I and my daughter are notorious public breastfeeders. I stopped using breastfeeding stations after a snooty nurse from the mall clinic didn’t allow me to get in because I had a stroller. So we nurse anytime, anywhere. I am confident to breastfeed in public also because I’ve learned the tricks of it (though at times it’s a challenge with my cute squirmy daughter!). So far, no nasty or malicious looks, no guards preventing us to do so, thankfully. My husband is ready to protect me and fight for me if anyone does so.

3. The Gift of Communication

Breastfeeding is my advocacy. God allowed me to use social media, such as this blog, joining blog carnivals, posting tweets, status messages, to encourage more moms and families to breastfeed. Though I didn’t push through with my LATCH training as lactation counselor, God still allowed me to sort of act like one by visiting a new mom in a nearby hospital and giving tips to her new breastfeeding experience. Likewise, my husband supports and promotes breastfeeding through his blog and joining blog carnivals — so far he’s joined two Milk Mama Diaries carnivals and he doesn’t mind if he’s the only dad who joins! I’m one proud wife and mom here!

4. The Gift of Camaraderie

Breastfeeding gave me even more new friends! The La Leche League meets, Babywearing meets (another advocacy as well), blog carnival, tweeting, fb-ing, the devotion to Our Lady of La Leche, opened doors and windows to more like-minded moms. Camaraderie even if some of them I haven’t met in person, but the empowerment, inspiration, and prayers they’ve given is more than enough.

On top of all these, what’s the best gift?

Courage.

Not to confuse it with confidence, Merriam-Webster defines courage as a mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. Let me share a passage from this web article: http://ezinearticles.com/?Is-Courage-the-Same-As-Self-Confidence?&id=4216525

“Most of our choices require confidence and courage. It takes a lot of courage to choose to speak up and to let someone know how you feel, especially if that person has authority over you. It takes confidence, on the other hand, to try new things. It takes confidence and courage to put yourself first.”

I conquered breastfeeding problems in the early days like sore nipples, almost no sleep because baby feeds sometimes every 30 minutes, oversupply, reflux. I didn’t follow our pediatrician’s and other people’s recommendation to give formula because they say I have a small baby. I know they may mean well, but I didn’t give up on breastfeeding, simply because I want to tell them that breastfeeding is normal. I resist, but I persist.

It will surely take some more time to make people realize that the female breasts really are meant for feeding the baby. It’s the “breast” gift we can give to our children.

And before I forget, Merry Christmas from our breastfeeding family!

During our recent Iloilo trip. We breastfed in the plane, at church, at any empty chair when our baby wants it!

~ Touringkitty

Do take the time to check out all the posts in this month’s carnival:
Shaps http://bouncingbear.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/beyond-being-thin/
Gretchen http://www.eleora113.com/2011/12/12-useful-breastfeeding-gifts-for.html#!/2011/12/12-useful-breastfeeding-gifts-for.html
Carol http://thelazymama.net/2011/12/13/the-gift-of-miracle/
Jenny O. http://www.chroniclesofanursingmom.com/2011/12/gifts-of-breastfeeding.html
Anne http://diapersandstethoscope.blogspot.com/2011/12/gift-of-breastfeeding.html
Nats http://mymommykuwentos.blogspot.com/2011/12/we-wish-you-merry-nursing.html
Jenny R. http://mymommyology.com/2011/12/12/if-the-magi-were-queens/
Em http://www.touringkitty.com/2011/12/13/the-breast-gift/
Isis http://thenewadventuresofanoldmommy.blogspot.com/2011/12/got-milk.html
Armi http://thenewadventuresofanoldmommy.blogspot.com/2011/12/got-milk.html
Liv http://tinkerputt.lcoreph.com/2011/12/my-breastfeeding-journey.html
Laya http://www.mommyluscious.com/2011/12/time-in-a-drop-of-milk.html
Mec http://www.mecasmom.com/2011/12/gift-of-changed-man.html

Tis the season!

I began December on a happy (and literally high!) note!

Lemme say this first (on an E above high C): TOURINGKITTY IS BACK! Yipeeee!

Our family of three plus our new helper/yaya (finally, after months of being helper-less! We had her for a month already) flew to Iloilo, my husband’s homeland (for five years!) for a concert with Koro Madrigal, the Alumni of the UP Madrigal Singers. Well attended, well applauded concert!

It was Aria’s first ever plane ride! So was our helper’s, so we were all excited and nervous! But thankfully, with God’s grace, He gave us safe travels, yummy food, a nice hotel room, good health throughout the trip. You see, my mom was supposed to join to take care of baby while the parents are singing, but unfortunately, she got sore eyes, which my baby also got two days after we arrived in Manila.

Anywho, it was a fuss-free, complaint-free trip with our toddler, who really enjoyed the experience, not to mention, the food. She eats a lot and likes to taste whatever’s in my hands, or my plate. Likewise, being the first-time mom, I was super happy and proud to just breastfeed her while on the plane–she slept through the whole flight! While other babies cried themselves to sleep (yeah I think I’m being gung-ho already about breastfeeding that I do it anytime, anywhere! So breastfeed, mommies!).

This month also is the time for choir performances. I don’t know why but when you think of Christmas, you think Christmas Carols in SATB. And choirs in morning shows, malls, everywhere! Tell me, which choir doesn’t have even one gig outside their usual church service?

So tis the season to promote concerts as well!

First up, the Philippine Madrigal Singers Christmas concert. It’s their Christmas concert/culmination of Madz et al festival/tenth year of Mark Carpio as choirmaster of the Madz. This will happen on December 17, 8pm and 18, 5pm. As an alumna of Batch Carpio 2003-2008, I was invited to sing! So please do watch on the 17th!

I can’t make it on the 18th because of this: the Shrine of Jesus Children’s Choir will sing Christmas songs at Alphaland Southgate Mall at 5pm.

Hope to see you on both events! Touringkitty is really back!

~ Touringkitty