On aging gracefully

Taken from youbeauty.com

by Susan Palmes-Dennis 

SO many times we've come across the question “what is the secret of aging gracefully?” I joined those who gave their answers at my Facebook page. 

It received quite of a response from all over Planet Earth. The only thing common is all responses came from my friends. It received 27 likes and more than 50 comments. 

Responses came from friends all over the world. Most are personally known to me in the course of my work, in my inner social circle and through social networks. 

Never mind their ages, education, sexual preference, jobs, passion, political affiliation and religion, they're people I met in my journey through life. Like me, they're in love with life and they want to make their voices heard.

Just for the record, those who generously gave their time to make the response were two doctors, one nurse, three lawyers, two judges, teachers, retirees, office workers, programmer, journalist, government employee, business people, a writer/blogger, housewives and three former beauty queens from my home city of Cagayan de Oro and hometown of Tagoloan, both in Misamis Oriental, northern Mindanao, Philippines.

Safe to say that the responders cut across all sectors of society. Those that earned the most likes said that attitude and acceptance were keys to aging gracefully. 

Other comments include exercise and diet, having close community and family ties, singing, dancing, skin care and good sleep. Family bonding earned quite a number of likes as well as staying focused in life and using dependable beauty products

In rough order of importance, here are the secrets to aging gracefully from my friends. 

Taken from drstandley.com

Acceptance:  As you get older, it’s important to accept the fact that you’re no longer capable of certain tasks and instead find replacement activities.

Ronnie Dennis, my husband, was the first to respond with ‘acceptance” Ronnie is 67 years old who loves life. He retired but he never tired of life. 

Though he is restricted in doing certain things because of pain and his myriad medical issues which have kept him low to the ground, but he's still happy.  

Zaida Eduave--An epitome of what beauty is all about I remember her as a beautiful woman every time I saw her at their house in Tagoloan town, Misamis  Oriental. She is the daughter of my teacher and sister of my classmate Nonalyn Eduave Zamudio. “Accepting changes and indulge in meaningful and positive activities like family bonding and uplifting oneself spiritually,” she said.

Urcel C Mulvey--Acceptance of the reality that we will all grow old. Life cycles or cycle of life, characterizing the course of one's existence of a person. Urcel Mulvey is a town mate who got crowned Miss Tagoloan several years ago and now resides in New York. 

She said acceptance is easier said than done but there are tools to make it easier. How to accept the ways things now requires laughter and smiles, Urcel said.

Anette Tooby, Cristina Pinon, Yeng Adis and Adelle Flores—while these four women live very far from each other, they are of the same certain age and I assume they talk in unison about having fun, smiling and laughing in order to age gracefully. 

Ma Theresa Camannong summarized it all by saying ‘I always find the funny side of everything.” As a judge, Camannong may be enjoying herself in the courtroom no matter how serious the proceedings could be. 

From promotehealthwellness.com

Attitude. It was Adelia Fallar who posted that attitude in life helps people age gracefully. Attitude is a settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is reflected in a person's behavior. 

I love what Peter Mojica mentioned about keeping stress at bay by having a positive attitude in life. I agree with Adelle Flores though it's hard to do it. “Go with the flow of the river of life.” 

It's hard for some people because they never know if the river is deep or shallow. I guess it has more to do with sometimes going with the current. Some may see it as conformity but for others it is an affirmative posture. 

This positive outlook should not be a one shot deal. It should be everything you do as in “be positive in everything”, Cristina Pinon said. But it's easier when people surround themselves with other people who share their outlook. 

How? Kathryna Ronquillo Antone nailed it by saying that people “surround themselves with positive people......then people have less reason to soak in worries.”

Another friend, Tonette Batoon Asay said ‘if there is a joke laugh it loud. Humor starts the day right!.” Olive Pacuribot said happiness should only be on the  outside but inside too. 

My long time loyal friend Dadie Maribelle Magallanes suggested thinking positive always while Maria Wilma Jalalon Acenas also said aging gracefully means being happy inside. 

Superkeng Quoi said a good perspective and outlook in one's life keeps people young while former Miss Cagayan de Oro Happy Ballesteros Raagas said aging gracefully means “taking responsibility for one's happiness and consciously doing good by avoiding body toxins like cigarettes and alcohol.” 

“Also, always smile,” she said. My godson, lawyer James Judith said aging gracefully is like maintaining a car. “Always change the oil,” he said. Don't know what he meant by that but it may mean changing gears every once in a while.

I think that's also what government information officer Amy Ubalde Baino meant when she also mentioned about “changing oil” to keep young.

Jonathan Robosa said one should eat oatmeal and exercise regularly while former Miss Cagayan de Oro titlist Lerma Only mentioned about walking daily and using sea salt as body scrub.

Another friend, Glenda Mori Blair, mentioned skin care and good sleep while another judge, Cris Lyn, said one should keep a healthy mind, body and spirit and lots of creams in order to age gracefully.

Dr. Stella Lawsin posted "good aesthetician". Melody Imbing @ Ming Koh Ming, who distributes beauty and health products, added that people should use Royale Products to keep young. Right Ms. Melody?

Taken from nestle.org

Dorena Buten Reynolds (Doreen Buten Bordious Reynolds), said singing and dancing are essential while writer Ricardo Maullion said aging gracefully means spending time in study, sports, creative writing, God and community. 

Close family ties was mentioned by Zaida Eduave while my cousin Mavieh Adis Collins emphasized faith in God as an ingredient to aging gracefully. Health and beauty experts I searched online also suggested this.Dolly Wheeler shared this view about spiritual growth.

My friends in England Ruth Chamen on being happy and David Breden mentioned about eating spaghetti bolognese topless. He added 'and alone."  My favorite obstetrician and gynecologist Caroline Orimaco said peace of mind as important. Mavieh also said being happy means ignoring negative criticism to keep a stress-free life.

To end this thread, I quote Lynn Lorenzo-Polk who said people should stay positive and make lemonade out of lemons. To be oneself and not let anyone change you and to look forward when things don't turn out good.

Lynn also said people should always be nice to others and not think of themselves as better than anyone else. Criticism should be held off unless absolutely needed.

“Life is better than you think because in the end, you should always know that God loves you and that should make one smile and stay young,” she said.

In the words of my favorite hairstylist Carla Salvana, one should live life fabulously.
People should stop comparing themselves to others and learn to be content with what one has rather than being jealous of others. 

Another useful attitude is to choose to believe the better option. For example, if your partner often works late, accept that he is overwhelmed with deadlines instead of telling yourself that he just doesn’t care enough to spend time with you. 

Or as another friend in the Cagayan de Oro media, Mike Banos, would say “you talkin to me?.” To paraphrase a line by the great comedienne Phyllis Dillier “So what if your back goes out more than you do?

With these suggestions from friends, all wise beyond years, you can be full of punch and strength no matter how old you are. Thank you to all my friends. Hope I didn't miss any of your comments.
PS:thanks to Irma Libo-on for the video. Dont forget to click and read words in color you may find the secret of aging.
Well I almost forgot read a book. 

Taken from healthnews.com

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who worked as a nanny and is now employed as a sub-teacher and a part-time teacher assistant in one of the school systems in the Carolinas.

Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com and at http://www.blogher.com/myprofile/spdennis54. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063) 

Giving room for the vaginas to breathe

Taken from medicaldaily.com

by Susan Palmes-Dennis 

IF mothers know better, then grandmothers know best.

I'm reminded of my mother (Nanay) and grandmother (Lola) after reading online about feminine hygiene. It was just a line about “let the vagina breathe” that I was reminded of the two important women of my life. 

Why? These two women in my life said something about letting the vagina or in the Visayan dialect ”bisong” breathe a little. 

It was not explained to me nor did I ask them what they meant. In my mind, I had to ask why should we girls and women allow the “bisong” to breathe when it is part of our bodies already and it doesn't have a nose. 

I forgot about it until yesterday when I read online about certain underwear that are good for the vagina. Let the vagina breath, I can hear my mother and grandma tell me. To which I responded are you kidding me?

Flowers
A little throwback: back in the days after the end of the school year I would be spending a month with my Lola Mimay nee Geronima Ejem Espellarga. She lived that time in Diclum, Manolo Fortich in Bukidnon province.

Those were the times when days are longer and nights are shorter which gives children enough time to play. I can still recall the fresh air and the humming of the birds. 

My lola would always remind me before retiring for the night to wash my “flower” so that it can breathe. Sure enough she had a ready “gallon of water for me.” 

But what I considered most memorable would be attending the Mass every Wednesday at the Chapel of Mrs. Dolying Tugot because it would mean a lot of “suman” (plain sticky rice) or “biko” (sticky rice sweetened with brown sugar) afterwards.

It was one of those times when we chanced upon a group of young women aged between 18 to 22 years old who wore fitting clothes. It was only later when I realized that these women may have come from a golf course in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon province near Mrs. Tugot's place.

But that's not the story, the story is all about my lola's comment when she saw those young ladies. She commented that their “flowers couldn't breathe.” 

No answers
That was the second time she mentioned about a feminine private part and the importance of breathing.

Without me asking or my lola talking to me, she said something like “ka pioot ba pahangini sad na ninyu inyu flower (That's so tight, please give some air to your flower).” I don’t know if they heard my lola say it as she was actually talking to herself. But I heard her say it and I can still recall it to this day. 

Then as I grew older my Nanay would remind me about the same thing, saying a female's privates should always be cleaned to allow it to breathe.

In fact if you can remember I wrote once about the “underappreciated napkin” and that I used layers of petticoats during my regular periods instead of using tight shorts in order to allow the vagina to breathe. 

Now I read that part and I was reminded about what my Nanay and Lola said and it could be true right? Because they are not around anymore and my little Susie and Arianne might ask me one of these days about it and I have no answers for them.

Feminine hygiene
Back in those days I have no idea whether it was true or funny at all. Right now I thought that was funny. 

Naturally the vagina should stay clean and dry enough to breathe. If not, women should wash it because of the pH content and the risk of infection. What a woman wears can affect the health of their vaginas. 

My Nanay also commented about those mother-daughter moments especially when talking about the a vagina or ”bisong” and how it should be given time to breathe. 

I'm only amazed I didn't laugh out loud so many times when talking about it with my mom. And now many years later, here I am having read about an online post which I could not find now (thanks senior moments) on feminine hygiene and I am reminded about the topic.

Anyway the obvious first tip for women in allowing the vaginas to breathe is not to wear tight underwear or pants. A little online research and I found that certain types of fabrics and styles worn close to the genitals can raise heat and moisture. 

Comfortable
This can lead to bacteria overgrowth and infections. So women, please avoid wearing tight clothes to prevent this problem from happening. I Googled and saw that ancient women had no universal rule in undergarments.

People wore what was comfortable, available, or necessary for modesty -- or nothing at all. So wearing nothing is not only a fad of the present, it had been done before.

Since the vagina is producing acid by itself and acid produces heat I think then it should be given a little space to make it comfortable. Yep, if only the vaginas can talk it would really complain that we use tight jeans too much.

Well I have to analyze the comments of my Nanay and Lola in light of the present environment. I think what they meant then has something to do with wearing cotton underwear. 

Synthetic fabrics can exacerbate the acid. There are women who don't wear underwear just like their ancient counterparts. How I wish I can do that but my age requires me to wear one because I leak most of the time. 

Air out
I could not hold my urine anymore. It comes with age I guess.  I am "leaky" pretty frequently. Still, I just need to be free and let my vagina "breathe." I don't know, it's just a feeling I get where I feel like I need to air-out.

There would nothing wrong if you wear cotton underwear. What about a thong? Would wearing that help because it occupies only a part of the butt? I have no idea as I don’t use one. 

It is strange that I am reminded of my Lola and Nanay in the ways of the present. But I know now what they meant by it.  There would nothing wrong if women wear cotton underwear and avoid thongs. 

Try not to wear tight-fitting clothing and change sweaty workout and wet clothing. So to the women reading this post, let the vaginas breathe and they may have less than one thing to worry about.

Taken from healthcareasia.org

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who worked as a nanny and is now employed as a sub-teacher and a part-time teacher assistant in one of the school systems in the Carolinas.

Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com and at http://www.blogher.com/myprofile/spdennis54. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063) 

Pampanga fish vendor now sells in the Carolinas

Taken from seaeaglemarket.com

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

If I said it once, I'll say it a thousand times. I love to tell the stories of Filipinos who are proud of their upbringing.

One such story is a fish vendor in my birth country the Philippines who is now a proud fish vendor here in the Carolinas. 

Marilyn Leiter nee Marilyn Santillan Regala Leiter of Spartanburg, South Carolina is a former native of Betes, Guagua in Pampanga province, Philippines. I met Marlyn at Facebook and she tells me that she is proud of her trade.

With her husband Brian, Marilyn sells fresh fish and shrimp at their house every Friday and at the Spartanburg flea market on Asheville Highway every Saturdays and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

Like most Pinoys, Marilyn is proud of her heritage. She finished college by selling fish and helping her mother tend a sari-sari store. 

“Until now we still have the sari sari store in the Philippines but they are not selling fish anymore because I am not there anymore,” Marilyn chuckled.

The couple is licensed to sell fish in the Carolinas. Every weekend they have different fishes to sell like snapper, white bass, white perch, flounder, shrimp, gray snapper, salmon fillet and catfish.

“We always have tilapia and shrimp. We get our fish from the commercial fishermen. We are licensed to sell fish in our state. Prices aren't the same all the time because it's hard to catch fish. It depends on the season I guess,” Marilyn said.

She said tilapia, shrimp, snapper, white bass and catfish are best sellers and they have a lot of Hispanic and Asian American customers. Marilyn also met a lot of friends in her three-month old business and looks forward to more success in the future.

If you're in the Spartanburg area in South Carolina, please do buy from them. I'm already introducing all my friends to Marilyn. Be sure to look them up at this website. 

More on other Filipinos in the Carolinas soon.

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who worked as a nanny and is now employed as a sub-teacher and a part-time teacher assistant in one of the school systems in the Carolinas.

Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com and at http://www.blogher.com/myprofile/spdennis54. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.

You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)

Saving the coconut trees on Palm Sunday

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

Sorry for this late post on Earth Day that was celebrated last April 22.

But I sense that the Holy Spirit is working in me so I continued working on it.  I told myself to share this article about Earth Day and how it dovetails into my religious practices here at North Carolina and in the Philippines. 

Last Palm Sunday at the St. Mark Catholic Church I noticed, just like in the past five years that I've been attending Mass, that church goers don't bring palm fronds.  

It is the” church people” who would be giving each churchgoer who attends Mass in Church. It was a discernment moment and I find it awesome because there is no wasted palm fronds to be blessed. 

I recalled spending Holy Week (semana santa in Filipino) in my hometown of Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental in northern Mindanao, Philippines. Holy Week in my town and in other parts of the country were usually hot and humid and the roads are bare.

As kids then, we didn't mind the heat as we gathered coconut leaves. I was with my brothers and sisters as we were given marching orders by my mother to bring “lukay” or coconut palm.

I remember that we got the “lukay” there at the Natumolan area close to the house of Tia (auntie) Belen Neri. I remember she is the daughter of Iyo Dodo Neri ”the hilot (healer).”

We usually ripped the coconut tree of its branches and leaves and carry it all to the house and along the way many would ask from us. I recall Iya Meldad Tadeo would ask for leaves and she won't bother asking where we got it. 

I also recalled that we made the tree “opaw (bald)” by plucking its branches and leaves and wondering if it would ever grow again. We never bothered asking for permission from the owners and just hacked away on the leaves and branches with our bolos.

It was still an innocent time and neighbors were friendly and don't know anything about trespassing. If we harvested on a Friday then we worked on the “lukay” on Saturday with the radio turned on and listening to a Diego Salvador drama.

Over the years people have became too zealous and they would bring the whole branch or tree for the priest's blessing. I know that blessing the palm would bring blessings and I don't blame the overly religious for doing this because they believe it would also help them ward off evil.

To many the palm fronds would occupy a space in the altar or in a prominent space in the house that can be seen by family members who would be blessed and reminded of the importance of Palm Sunday.

Thus over the years, I came to imagine that the coconut trees would hide for fear of being bald as they are stripped of their branches and leaves for the Palm Sunday observance. 

Everything is forgotten after the celebration of Easter Sunday when we resume our mundane practices. 

We observe Palm Sunday to remember who Jesus was and what He did for us. Palm Sunday reminds us of the price He paid for us.  He could have stuck around in Jerusalem and let everybody continue to cheer for Him or traded His donkey for a thoroughbred but He did not.  

He got busy doing the work He was called to do despite knowing what it would cost Him. Excuse me- this is not all about our religiosity as it is more about preserving the coconut tree. 

Coconut trees are diminishing in the Philippines and it is best for Filipinos not to uproot the coconut tree just to keep with practices on observing Palm Sunday. 

What if it is the church that would  distribute the palm fronds to each family? 
It is good to limit the distribution of palm fronds in order for each family to appreciate its value.

After all when the Lord created the world, He intended for us to take care of it. 

#palmsunday#religiouspractices#dominggosasalukay#earthday#savethetree#cocunuttree   

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who worked as a nanny and is now employed as a sub-teacher and a part-time teacher assistant in one of the school systems in the Carolinas.

Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com and at http://www.blogher.com/myprofile/spdennis54. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)

A woman's thoughts on mortality

Antonette Rubiato with her son Aiden

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

March is Women’s Month. It is that time of year when the world celebrates small and big victories achieved by women and I can't help but express my gratitude to these women in the frontlines who made these significant strides to progress.

The strength of these courageous women who achieved these milestones for themselves, their families and society as a whole should be shared and retold so others may know what they did.

For this year’s celebration I would like to honor two women who made significant contributions to their communities. They died one day apart from each other. One died in Vancouver, Canada and the other one in Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental in northern Mindanao, Philippines.

Both of them though came from my city of Cagayan de Oro. The two didn't meet personally in their lifetime but I knew them both and thus I am dedicating this little piece to them.

The first lady was my student in college who later became my friend. Whenever we chanced on each other online we talked for hours like long lost friends--me here at North Carolina and she at British Columbia.

Mortality
We shared stories about the culture of the two countries that we live in and how we have assimilated into our adoptive countries. Since I am older in experience and wisdom in life I shared so many things to Antonette Rubiato.

Antonette or ”Guava” to her BFF (best friends forever) Lyzle Munalem was on her 37th week of pregnancy when the Grim Reaper claimed her life and the baby she was carrying three days ago. 

She succumbed to pre-eclampsia in a hospital and the doctors with all their advanced medical technology were unable to save her. When I saw her at Facebook I didn't pay attention at first since the thread didn't come from one of my friends. 

I continued scrolling down when something struck me and I read the post. My being shocked is an understatement; I was jolted to reality and reminded of my own mortality.

Women who bear children are in danger of dying due to many causes like loss of blood, low blood pressure, infection, too much anesthesia and so on. Like Antonette, there's always the risk of death even with advancements in medical technology. 

Continuity
The danger to a mother's life still hangs on the balance. There's a Filipino saying that goes that a woman's foot is in the grave whenever she gives birth.

And too many people take for granted the bravery of women in giving birth and ensuring the continuity of the human race.

I would always recall Antonette Rubiato as one of my beautiful students in the College of Mass Communication at Liceo de Cagayan University. I called her “Angelina Jolie” since then until two weeks ago. 

Like Angelina, she has pouting, rich lips, long straight black hair and long legs that would make anyone take a second and third look. 

According to Lyzle Munalim, her best friend who by the way maintained their friendship despite the distance and the years that separated them after graduation that Antonette was a dreamer and a strong woman.


From Lyzele I learned that despite the Mass Communication diploma she already got from Liceo, Antonette went further by taking a caregiver course while she was working in Hong Kong before she went to British Columbia.

She dreams big not for herself but also for the family she left behind. Antonette dreamed of having her own child and her first child was Aiden, her son with clear blue eyes.

Lyzele said “Aiden” was everything to Antonette. She and her child whom she named Emerald Rubiato Pride died and she could have so many years of fruitful living in this earth. But only God holds the answer to so many questions.

The second woman in my story is Nene Abonitalla of barangay (village) Kauswagan in Cagayan de Oro. I also learned about Nene's death in Facebook two days ago. 

Nene retired a year ago after so many years of working in City Hall delivering services to the residents. A few months back I heard from friends that Nene has terminal cancer. 

Journey
But during our talk she was brave enough to admit to me her condition and she accepted it.  Despite the prognosis she continued her way of life and served the church in Kauswagan based on photos I saw at her Facebook account. 

I kept her in my prayers since then. We went a long way back. Unlike Antonette, Nene didn't have children of her own but she has adopted in her own way the children of the residents of barangays Pigsag-an, Lumbia and other sitios of Cagayan de Oro.

Nene was a lecturer of the PDP-Laban party before she joined the city government. She was aware of the social issues and how these are intertwined to development.

Nene and I were together in a project of CREDEGROW funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in the early 90s that took us to nearly every city and province in Mindanao. We worked together with the Lumads, Muslims and Christians. 

It was in this journey that I learned more about the real issues on empowerment, development, peace and co-existence among the Muslims and Christians and how these are linked with the issues of peace, population and development.  

I won't bore you with all the details of our work in Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and how we walked by foot in Pikit, North Cotabato for hours. There is more to that but what mattered is how that journey together forged our friendship.

These two women are my heroines this year as we celebrate Women’s Month. Both ladies contributed in their own small ways to helping their families and society even if not many knew about it. 

Whatever hardships, regrets, losses and heartaches they may have experienced along the way doesn't matter now for both have earned their long deserved rest from their worldly toil. 

My hats off to Antonette Rubiato and Nene Abonitalla-Padla, two beautiful women of Cagayan de Oro.

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who worked as a nanny and is now employed  teacher assistant in one of the school systems in the Carolinas.
Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com and at http://www.blogher.com/myprofile/spdennis54. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)

Wonderful Wu Man performance

Taken from www.pri.org

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

When she plays the pipa—a Chinese musical string instrument belonging to the same family of plucked instruments like the guitar, banjo, ukelele and harp—Chinese musical artist Wu Man said she sees the landscape of China right before her eyes.

Wu Man played before an enthusiastic audience that included yours truly with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra at the Belk Theater in Charlotte, North Carolina last Friday and Saturday, Oct. 10-11.

Born in Hangzhou, China in 1963, Wu Man studied in with Lin Shicheng, Kuan Yuzhong, Chen Zemin and Liu Dehai at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and became the first recipient of a master’s degree in pipa.  

Known for playing a broad range of musical styles from East to West, Wu Man showed off her mastery of the pipa to audiences worldwide. At the fully packed Belk Theater, she was introduced to the audience by the assistant conductor of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra along with guest Chinese conductor Mei Ann Chen.

In a question-and-answer segment, Wu Man informed the crowd that the pipa was pushed to her by her parents in China when she was little.  “This is your instrument,” she recalled her parents telling her and since then she started learning how to play it.

She was asked to describe her pipa which bore some markings on the back. Wu Man said the markings are artwork that tells a story of her culture. She said the pipa she's using is heavier than a guitar.

During the concert, Wu Man's pipa sounded like pebbles falling from heaven and splashing on a quiet pond. She played it beautifully with the orchestra.

“It is strange how these different instruments can play beautiful music together,” said one person I heard at the back. I saw that Wu Man closed her eyes when she played. 

One of my close acquaintances, Shirley Larson, said one can see the passion in Wu Man's playing even when she closed her eyes. 

When she finished and exited the applause was deafening that she returned, bowed, exited and then came back again. There were no shouts for an encore, only a standing ovation that made Wu Man perform an encore. 

When she finished her encore there were several minutes of applause. There was another Q and A with the assistant conductor asking Wu Man about the special plastic that covers her fingernails.

“It is a pick but not fake fingernails. It is transparent but cannot be seen by the naked eye,” Wu Man said. When asked if it is easy to play the pipa she replied “it's a damn hard instrument to play.” 

To 83-year-old Shirley Larson, an avid fan of operas and plays, the Wu Man performance was a qualified success. Larson watched the show with her daughter Sherry Rumbough. 

According to Wikipedia, “Wu Man is recognized as the world’s premier pipa virtuoso and leading ambassador of Chinese music. 

She performed and recorded extensively with Kronos Quartet and Silk Road Ensemble and premiered works by Philip Glass, Lou Harrison, Terry Riley,Bright Sheng, Tan Dun, Zhao Jiping, and Zhou Long, among many others. 

She also recorded and appeared on over 40 albums, four of which have been nominated for the Grammy Awards. In 2013, she was named Instrumentalist of the Year by Musical America, becoming the first performer of a non-Western instrument to receive this award.”

Program info on Wu Man show

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who worked as a nanny and is now employed as a sub-teacher and a part-time teacher assistant in one of the school systems in the Carolinas.
Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com and at http://www.blogher.com/myprofile/spdennis54. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)

ICare: Sharing their blessings to others

The ICare staff

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

God has already given many blessings to a young couple and they want to make it grow by sharing their blessings to others.

This in essence is why Renato Tangonan and his wife, lawyer Isah Echem –Tangonan opened iCare (an intervention center for autism and related exceptionalities) in Cagayan de Oro a year ago. 

In one year much had happened and much help was extended. In line with their one-year-anniversary, over 100 special kids and visitors watched the movie “Adventures of Zambezia” recently at the SM Cinema in SM City Cagayan de Oro. 

The sensory friendly movie was organized by iCARE in partnership with SM City Cagayan de Oro and is the first of its kind in Cagayan de Oro, intended for children with special needs.

Isah Echem Tangonan said the movie was a story of Kai, a naïve, but high-spirited young falcon who travels to the bird city of "Zambezia" where he discovers the truth about his origins and, in defending the city, learns how to be part of a community.

Aside from the special kids of iCare, other attendees were students of the City Central School and West City Central School Special Education Class and other kids from different therapy centers in the city. 

“I was delighted to see kids accompanied by family members and caregivers lined up and watched the movie,” Tangonan added as she thanked SM City Cagayan de Oro for being a partner in this worthy endeavor.

“A chance to experience seeing a film on the big screen in a safe and accepting environment” was a treat to many, she said.

Official invitation

Before the movie started iCARE’s program director Renato Tangonan gave a certificate of appreciation to SM City Cinema and SM City Cagayan de Oro for being iCARE’s partner in the program.

The certificate was received by SM City Cagayan de Oro’s Mall Manager Clara Elizaga, Asst. Mall Manager Constantine Arce and their public relations manager Ivy Guantero.

The activity was a success as the special kids were allowed to talk, walk around, dance, sing, or shout, as they please without being judged. Congratulations.

iCare is the first therapy center for special children in Cagayan de Oro that uses scientific procedures based on the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) method as the foundation of intervention.

The ABA method of therapy uses operant and classical conditioning that modifies human behaviors, especially as part of a learning or treatment process. Today, the ABA is widely recognized as a safe and effective treatment for autism.

It has been endorsed by a number of developmental pediatricians and childcare practitioners in the US, Europe, Middle East and in the Philippines. 

Renato Tangonan is  an ABA specialist for over a decade now and trained in ABA at the Florida Institute of Technology, saw the need for ABA to be introduced in Cagayan de Oro City.

I recall having written about this center a year ago as an answer to a need that special kids need most. Every now and then I can post about the center's success at a Facebook thread and honestly I am happy about it. 

Now that I am working in one of the biggest school systems here at the Carolinas and there are times that I am assigned to a class of kids with learning deficiencies.

I always look forward to being assigned to these students especially in high school because a part of me is fulfilled doing something to help them. 

It is just rewarding. I see how the teacher and the assistants take care of the students not only in their academics requirements but also their needs as children. 

In fact at the end of the class I joined the staff in bringing them to the bus and wave my hands and I am just sentimental because a tear or two would fall from my eyes. 

That is why I followed this story about the iCare of Renato and Isah and I hoped that they continue to bring blessings to the students and parents as well. 

That the end goal would be towards making these kids productive and be responsible citizens in the future. Cheers to them for their one-year-anniversary and may they continue to care and be a blessing to others.

Saying it with food

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who worked as a nanny and is now employed as a sub-teacher and a part-time teacher assistant in one of the school systems in the Carolinas.
Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com and at http://www.blogher.com/myprofile/spdennis54. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)