I was talking on the phone with a friend and playing with the setting on my lighter. And I almost took out my eyebrows. Flame thrower is alive! Wow. Anyhow. Once again in the late evening wrapped up in a blanket still sick and eating Casaba cake with some raspberry tea. Beautiful leftoevers from a flip weekend. I cannot stress enough how much I love night time in autumn. Smells like fireplaces, leaves, pumpkins and great conversations. Back in Niagara I was in the front of the house with a million little ones raking leaves. Imagine a bunch of little ones all throwing leaves at me and finally tackling me to the ground. As I'm sitting there defeated and being wrestled I hear my name being yelled out from the street. I look up to see a my childhood best friend jumping out of the car. Just recently we were reunited after years and years of losing contact. He was also another person who "googled" and found me with the station. I tell you of good things or bad, more awesome things have happened since the show has taken off. Anyway I visited him up in Toronto where he is now a while back but haven't seen him for a while. But it has been years since we both stood in our old neighbourhood together. We decided it was probably since grade eight. And the next generation of kids all around us. Throwing leaves at me. I've taught them well. Pick up the leaves and throw them on the neighbour's lawn. Also nothing has changed when it comes to Thanksgiving at my house. The driveway packed with cars, even more lining the streets. The fucking karoke machine on high, multiple rounds at the buffet table, people drinking inside and out and me...with all the kids. Someone else could be in charge of all the little devils and they still follow me. Sigh. More or less hanging off my legs. I could be telling them they were all adopted, it doesn't matter. So my lovely friend and I  were out there taking our heads back to when our hair was different, when bikes were our "cars" and raising hell meant breaking curfew. When I think about it, it had been more than thirteen years since we were standing infront of my parents house talking shit. Where would we be in the next thirteen years?

Crazy mind trip. He left to continue on to his family dinner as I returned back to the mess of leaves all over the lawn. There's no official dinner time at our house. It's dinner...all day. With siestas and going to the casino as a break. So I'm sitting there as about four or five children of the corn were playing with the dreads and inserting flowers in them. Sounds cool? Yea...it's awesome to put near dead flowers in medusa's mane. I knew it was getting late when the karoke machine started the beginning of Stairway to Heaven. Puta Madre. This is my family. Then the teenagers of our family come over and its time to put the little ones to bed. I'm the only existing family member in their twenties still coming home to the family. And I always will. Being in the generation limbo is nuts.

There is one tradition in the family and culture that still puts me in my place as not an adult. The Blessings. When you enter or when you are in the presence of elders you ask for Blessings. We do this by bowing our heads and taking the dominant hand of the elder and bringing it to your forehead. You simply say "Bless" and wait for their nod. What you are really saying is, " Give me the wisdom."  Pure humbling of where you are in life. Again sounds cool. Imagine a room of about forty elders. Sore neck man. Sore. The younger ones got it down. They don't even raise their heads anymore, they just reach for hands. Until the little ones get to me is hilarious. They're not sure whether to ask for Blessings or bite my kneecaps. Thanksgiving- throw leaves at her. Christmas. Throw snowballs. Easter-Where the hell are the chocolate bunnies A'te Kristylee?

At some point in the evening, mama starts bragging about how her baby girl leads two lives. One in Human Services, the other as a " Rad-jo hostess."  A million questions and all I can say is, " It's jus fun." I usually bow out and grab some wine and head to the garage. Turn on the CBC and read. This time I pulled out a beautiful book I've been reading called "Babyan" an anthology of Filipina authors. Babyan translates from the Bisayan dialect meaning " Poet-Priestess". I'm in a relaxed bliss, realizing that my family is actually awesome despite the regular dramas that unfold like in any other family. As I'm reading this book I started to think about how I come from a long generation of Babayan women in our family. They are all survivors of amazing lives. Someday I will write about all of them. It's an odd relationship. Often I am limitted to just watching in awe instead of conversing, asking questions. I was raised in the generation of "only speak when you are spoken to". It doesn't occur like this anymore, obviously since the boldness of the little ones have them feeling confidence to take me down. The oldest in the house at that time is my A'te Lucing. She is the only link I have to my mother's elders. I watched my mother ask for Blessings from this woman. I've never been able to witness such a spiritual affirmation before. Imagine the women who has kicked your ass all these years ask for humbling from her elder. Serious guys.

Well, the karoke and drinking continued. Except the teenagers took it over. So from my darlings all I would hear is " Dude what is that 'the used" song again?" or " They got Blink 182!"  I think I lost my gut laughing as my baby girls started doing their own rendition of  :" Hey Ya!" by Outkast.  No, as much as I wanted to, I didn't take part too much. Again, just soaking it all in. Mama and my dad have been so sick these days. Most of the older family took off to the casino for the night, the younger ones all now tucked away on any availble bed, couch or floor. As it being only midnight, the teenagers continued their evenings elsewhere. I helped to tidy up and prepare the house for Round two. Filipino parties don't end, they just take some reprieve. Eventually near dawn most would come back from the casino and pass out whereever.  Then do it all over again on Sunday.

Well now its Monday evening. I'm back in KW chilling, still aiding to my cold, talking on the phone, sending emails, confirming link ups for the week and getting back to reality. I just wanted to share with y'all what I am thankful for. I hope you all had a good weekend. Back on track for preparing for the Sonic Booms and even more frivolity.

Peace and :"Blessings"

Mahal.

KLP