In preparation for my General Information discussion, I started making a research of all things relevant(?).  Still affected by Amy Winehouse’s death, I decided to get a list of celebrities or politicians who died this year and last year. Along with that, I plan to discuss their most important works. Of course, through ‘copy and paste’ I started making a document for my discussion. I already have 6 when one name from my source caught my eye: JD Salinger.

My thoughts became unclear. All I remember is carelessly throwing things off my desk, I felt possessed by an emotion that I can’t understand. How could I have missed this? January of last year, what was I doing? I was enraged. And right now, I think you already know it… I am just exaggerating… Just trying to tell you what I imagined but didn’t do. Why do this thing work in movies?

JD Salinger is one of my favorite authors. I love “The Catcher in the Rye”. That’s not the only reason why I am so affected by his death. See, when I was in college, our World Literature teacher asked us to write messages to five dead people. It was just a quiz, the result, I can’t remember anymore. Anyways, I chose to write something to my grandma. The second one is to JDS. The other three, I’ve forgotten. Hehe. In my message for JDS, I tried to thank him for his great novel, and that even kids today still read it. Okay, there goes the inconsistency. Months later, I read something about reclusive people. JDS was mentioned. I was amused to know that he was still alive. I was wrong. I assumed he was dead because his novel is considered a classic. Tsk, that’s just wrong! My bad!

And then how many years later, still thinking that he’s probably chilling somewhere, I’d find out that he’s already dead… for more than a year.

And then Alanis starts to sing: “Isn’t it ironic … don’t you think?”

Rest in peace, guys.

This license is annoying, but I still love it. I can’t put it to good use as of now and a lot has to be done in this life. I have to take advantage of this time by writing and teaching some young minds. I can’t tell if I’m too busy or not. I just know that I need coffee especially when I sleep past 10:30PM. With that said, two weeks ago, I realized that I had to buy coffee from the grocery so I went there right after work. I had just entered the place when I saw that it was full of people. I never got discouraged. I walked fast. I got coffee and some other food. I wasn’t surprised when I saw the long lines to the counter. I just never thought that it would be that long. I was ready to abandon my loot and just head to the exit when I heard a voice: “Do not give up. That’s just a line with like 20+ people. Screw the fact that the cashier seems slow.” No, I don’t have schizophrenia. I am still very much in touch with reality. And I can’t simply be discouraged because I badly need the coffee. I had not choice but to fall… not in a rabbit hole but in line.  I have Folgers at home and I’m not used to its taste so there’s just one thing to do: soldier the hell on!

It was traumatic. I spent twenty minutes waiting in line. In my head, I’m never repeating that move. For what is experience if I won’t ever learn? But just yesterday, my sisters wanted me to buy some things from the grocery so I just bought the stuff in the morning so I can avoid the rush hour later in the afternoon. And I thought I’m so wise, learning from experience and all but no. Because by the time I was going home, people flocked in to see Coco Martin. I discovered then that he has a mall show. Wow, he’s just so popular. A lot of people really wanted to see him. I would have wanted to see him as well. After all, I am already there. [The learning center where I work is in the mall] But there were just too many people and trying to get near the stage where he was supposed to perform would just get me injured by fans who got there earlier. The way out of the mall was a struggle. There were flocks of people like there was a SALE and all.

You should have seen my face when I got out. Sure, I was unscathed and all but I was scarred. I would never fall… in LINE again. Haha.

I’m trying to know more Jon Brion music. The dude is amazing!

Earlier would have been a typical day, save for the power interruption that was like two or three hours long. You, my dear ol’ reader should be used to power interruption (and corruption) in this tropical country. If you are lucky like me, you’re from the province where the rain almost always equates to power outage. Geez. Power interruption (take note: INTERRUPTION) is easy to hate. Without electricity, the only thing I am left with is my cellphone which I hardly ever use. So yeah, I remembered that my sister just bought magazines the other day. And this is where I talk about the title.

I’ve heard of the Tiger Mother before but  I wasn’t interested enough to click links that would bring me to articles about it. It’s only today that I’ve learned some things about her and the way she raises/raised her children. I realized that I got to relate to what she was saying because I have a Tiger Mom. Aside from the fact that her birth year is the year of the Tiger, what makes her a Tiger Mom?

1. She is strict – Rules. Rules. Rules. (I remember that when I was young, she won’t allow me to go to school until I finish my breakfast. She’d watch me finish my food plus milk. painfully. She also gave me a schedule or list of what I should do from 5am-8pm during the time when I was left under the care of my grandparents.)

2. She is a pusher – Study, study, study, and while you’re at it, study some more! (Card giving day – I slipped from 2nd place to 5th place. yep, I ended up being scolded)

3. She spies. What more can I say?

4. Hmn, what else??? She used to tell me that I’d end up selling vegetables in baskets if I won’t finish my studies… pressure… that being the eldest, I should take care of my younger sisters… When I was way younger, she used to punish me by making me kneel on the floor or by spanking me on my butt. If the offense is minimal, she would “talk” to me which means that I’ll get some scolding.

Actually, I used to hate her for that. I did not understand why she expects a lot from me or why she gets angry at my slightest mistake when everyday, I listen to her and I work hard at school to make her proud.

My mom went abroad years later. During that time, I was able to apply what she has taught me: to be resilient. Along the way, we faced different kinds of problems. My sisters and I had to wait for 10 years just to see her again. But she has taught me a lot of valuable lessons in life that I got to share with my sisters. It wasn’t easy, but we all turned out fine.

Yep, I realized that she was no Nazi, she just wanted to guide me.

I am convinced that I will buy “The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother”  by Amy Chua this weekend.

With a creepy smile, I have two words for you: TOUGH LOVE