Family Ties

My mom used to tell me stories when I was younger about her experiences growing up with 6 sisters and 1 brother in the Philippines. She used to describe their simple living conditions and sacrifices needed to make ends meet. Despite having tremendous financial challenges, their parents always instilled a sense of unity throughout their lives, a truly "All for one. One for all" philosophy. Although they were not wealthy in materialistic gains, she never failed to mention the constant stream of warmth, laughter, and love that filled their home. 

It wasn't until this past month, when her sisters had the opportunity to visit, did I truly get a taste of the craziness it must've been to live like them. With 15 people living in one house, I would come always come home to never ending stories, full of laughs that permeated through the walls, and everyone's silly antics. However, it wasn't until this month that I understood my mom's  

I am unbelievably lucky to have opportunities and material possessions that my mom didn't have at my age. But what I've come to learn is that nothing could ever surmount to the warmth, the joy, and the happiness that a close family bond can truly bring. You'd think 15 people living under one roof for a month would be crazy, crowded, and intense. It definitely was at times. 

But I would not trade those precious moments in for the world. 

Come back already. I miss you guys!

Zen, Nature, and Northern Channel Islands

Bucket List #153: Get my Scuba Diving License
Location: Anacapa Island, Northern Channel Islands

Lights, Camera, Action

Bucket List: Join a Beauty Pageant

(Added Bonus: Piano Exhibition for the TFC Channel and won Best in Talent)

Star Treatment

Rolling up in a Porsche, red carpet treatment, paparazzi surrounding me. I honestly did not believe my life would've turned in this direction. Overwhelmed, anxious, excited. All thoughts continue to run through my head... suck in, pose, smile, think happy thoughts. What has my life seriously become?

 



Red Carpet Event
Location: Porsche at Downtown LA

TA Interview

After a 2.5 hour interview today, I was offered a position on the spot to TA an intense neurolab program for 9 hand selected intellectually gifted HS seniors, all expenses paid. The best part: I will be a certified scuba diver and will be exploring the depths of the Northern Channel Islands (one of the top diving destinations in the world)! Thank you so much Dr. Wu for thinking of me.

Pageant Lesson #6: Photo Shoot Madness

Not counting the school yearbook photographs and high school/college graduation pictures, this was my first official photo shoot for the pageant. After a long day of fashion runways and early morning hair/makeup routines, I struggled to find the perfect dress I could wear and ended up settling for a ruffled, fitted tube dress. I wanted Shef to come with me just so she can be a part of the experience with me. Attempting to relax and loosen up is always my main issue. However, after getting the hang of it and receiving a lot of guidance from my photographer, Phillip Ner, we were able to capture a lot of shots within that 30 minute time frame. I definitely have to work on my facial expressions and hand placements. However, I can't deny that it was a great learning experience and I had a fun time doing it.

 












Bucket List #92: Participate in a Photoshoot




(Add On to my Bucket List: Photoshoot with my future MD White Long Coat)

Pageant Lesson #5: Learning How to Walk

Anxiety and nervousness consumed me the night before this event. Not only was I attending the launching of ABS-CBN’s new Lifestyle Channel at the Park Plaza Hotel, but I was participating in the fashion show conducted by three designers. I was not fit to model, have never modelled, and don’t have training to walk on a runway. A nervous wreck was definitely an understatement. 

Two days prior, I had to get fitted. Initially, I was supposed to wear a beautiful pant suit with an oversized jacket. But at 3pm when I had arrived at the Park Hotel in Los Angeles, Jay Sario, the designer, pulled me aside and wanted to attempt to fit me in the most gorgeous leather/maroon dress that he had. Thankfully I had been dieting prior and I was able to fit it perfectly… except he had to see me walk. & I was in trouble. I had a lot of work to do.

Eventually, it got to a point where I was practicing and I had to definitely practice doing it. Makeup and hair was prepped. I struggled to slip into the gorgeous gown. What had once fit almost easily that morning, was more difficult to put on that night (perhaps it was because of all the gelato and bread I had eaten throughout the cocktail hour.. oopps)! After some major adjustments, it fit, I went in the hallway and started to walk. 

Just like an on/off switch it all started to come together. My tense body turned fragile, fierce, and eloquent. I wanted to make Jay proud. I wanted to make Mildred proud. I wanted to be proud of myself. I wanted to have fun with it and fun was exactly what happened. I did it!

Thanks to the help of our mentor/coach Anjanette Abayari, I pulled it off. I was ecstatic. Practicing relentlessly 30 minutes prior to walking on that stage, I turned into model mode for 2 minutes. It was soo much fun! I was so happy when after our walk, Anjanette specifically came up to me and told me her friend thought I was the best one. Practice does make perfect. Although I still have a lot of work to do on this journey, I’m learning to add AND cross off things on my bucket list one at a time. 


BucketList #283: Being part of a Fashion Show

(bonus: Televised. Photographers. Red Carpet, Goody Bags - the whole deal)

Jessica and Howard's "Great Gatsby Wedding"

Location: Belvedere Manor | Bel Air Mansion 

I remember when I was younger, there were so many things I wanted to be. My #1 has always remained to be a doctor. But on the side, I had other hobbies that I was interested in and knew I wanted to explore: to be a teacher, forensic scientist, interior designer (etc). For a short amount of time, I thought it would've been cool to be an event planner since I loved organizing and enjoyed the creative aspect of the job... especially after watching the Wedding Planner with JLo. I mean, seriously. Who could resist Matthew McConaughey in that movie? Major panty dropper!

Besides the point, as I was working for my cousin at the RDS study one day, I was interviewing a woman named Darian. She happened to be the co-founder and CEO of the Location Connection where they specifically plan events on different estates in the LA county. She had offered me the opportunity to work with her for a Great Gatsby inspired wedding in Bel Air. I figured this would be a wonderful chance to network and see what the industry was all about. 

I was her assistant the day before at the rehearsal and was her right hand woman during the whole event that day. It was such a beautiful event and loved all of the little/minute details that encompassed the wedding. It gave me a lot of hope that I'd hopefully find someone who can tolerate my nuances/neuroses/flaws for life. Haha, I was lucky enough to have conversed with the owners of the house, who were absolutely genuine and lovely people. I felt so blessed to have been given an opportunity to do this. I had such a wonderful time!

                                      

                                          

 

Bucket List #58: Work/Plan A Wedding  

"If I Could Change Anything in the World, What Would It Be?"

My 5th grade teacher asked us all to write about the one thing I could change if I could. We would say our speech in front of the class, then the top 2 would say the speech in front of the whole school. The top 2 from that would compete in the District Wide Bank of America Speech Contest. This was my first year (of 4) competing in the Speech Contest. I was 10 years old and this was the first time I ever spoke about my sister after her death, 3 years prior. Miraculously, this speech helped me deal with grief and heartache. As I cried all 3 times I said this speech in front of my class, my school, and the district, my classmates, my teachers, and the judges did too. This was the moment I realized that my voice, regardless of my youth, could influence and impact a crowd... as they hung on to my every word and delivery. As a 10 year old little girl, it was the first time I felt my potential to be powerful and influential. Here it goes:

Judges, teachers, parents, fellow students, friends, Good Evening

            

My name is Patricia Rodriguez.  I am here to talk about "The thing I want to change if I could!"  At first, I was thinking of changing people who do drugs, steal, kill, kidnap, and all those crimes our society is having problems with, right now. Also, I was thinking of changing the lives and help the homeless and the less privileged people.  However, I thought that people make these problems and they were the only ones who could help or change themselves.

       

   So, I thought of something else.  Something that is impossible to happen.  First, I would like to make a background of my family.  I belong to a simple yet a wonderful and happy family.  Not everybody is blessed with this and I am so proud and thankful for that.  My parents are gifted with four children. They are Erene or Cookie as we called her, my brother Mervene, my baby sister Renee, and of course me, as the eldest.  We were very close especially Cookie and I.  We did all things together as our ages were pretty close.  We played, ate, slept, and went to school together.  Ours was a very special bonding that up to now I always cherish.  Everything went on perfectly in our own little world.

     

Suddenly, she was diagnosed with cancer.  She was barely four when she got sick.  Everyone in the family was devastated, including me.  When I saw the kids in the hospital were bald, I feared that my dear sister would be like them too.  But, the most fearful thing that I was thinking was, how can she ever get through with it?

       My sister asked my mom, "Mom, was there anything that I did that made me sick?" My mom, almost in tears, assured her that there was nothing that she did and nothing that she did not do that made her sick.  She added that sometimes in life, things happen without us knowing why it happened.  The important thing is that we learn to accept and deal with them.

      She had her daily shots, treatments, chemotherapy, bone marrow transplant and more.  She had been poked, punctured, and irradiated without complains.  These were part of her battle plans, which she had learned to deal with.

       With all these, I saw her pains but behind those pains I saw her strength.  She experienced fears but behind those fears I could see her courage.  She went through disappointments yet I see hope.  I saw her cries but behind those cries, I saw her joys.  My brother and I also needed my parents' precious time but my sister wasn't selfish to share my parents' time with us.

       Since I was the eldest, I thought that I was the one teaching her the facts of life…but then I realized that I was  wrong. It was the other way around.

       I was just so proud of her for what she had gone through.  She was young and yet old enough beyond her years.  She has taught us and other people the value of LIFE as well as unselfishness, courage, understanding, and maturity…Most of all, she taught me to LOVE and to LOVE dearly!

     My mom told us that this was the time for us not just to hold hands but to hug each other because these times we needed each other more.  If one would let go, we would all fall.  We prayed day and night asking that the doctors would help my sister be healed but the doctors tried everything they could do for her.

     I always heard my mom say “Let’s hope for the best but also let’s prepare for the worst.”  On August 23, 1997, our greatest fear came.  Just right after we prayed the rosary, she died in my mother’s arms.  My mom said to her “Cookie, we will always love you and will always be proud of you!” We hugged and kissed her goodbye…Then, she closed her eyes. 

      She passed away when she was six and just finished her kindergarten…her only wish and my mother’s last hope! She loved going to school very much.

      With these experiences, no matter how painful and tragic, have taught me and my family, life-long lessons to treasure. Cookie brought out the best in us and we could only hope the same for her during her short years with us. 

       With these trials my family had gone through, I became more matured and strong…We have fought the trials and we fought it too well.  I miss my sister so much but she left behind good memories of our friendship…Now the question…”If I could change anything, what would it be?”  I wish I could bring back the LIFE of my sister…

      Kids, always remember to give love to our dear ones and when we do, let’s love them dearly for you don’t know how long you could be together…Thank you!