next in line

Karl will be in highschool a couple of months from now. His father is now shopping for schools. When Hoot found out that Karl might be sent by his father to Don Bosco Makati, he showed disapproval.

My brothers had a taste of Don Bosco learning in Makati. Our folks sent them there for their primary education. But they left Don Bosco and continued secondary in UPIS in Diliman.

Karl was at my brothers' alma mater all day. He took the written entrance exam for high school. Moral support was extended to him by my mom.

Mang Leo, our driver, was on hand to drive him to Don Bosco in an MB. A little pampering on the side to keep his composure.

Karl is currently finishing his elementary in Elizabeth Seton. When he was given a tour by the guidance counsellor of Don Bosco, he wasn't that impressed, according to his father.

HOOT: (To Buddy) Bakit doon? It's a technical school. Baka maputulan yan ng kamay sa makina. (To Karl) Anong matututunan mo dun? Magiging mekaniko ka ng kotse?

You must understand that we are clannish. In a clan, the eldest son stands as the head. In our generation, Hoot is the eldest son, although the eldest child really is a female cousin. Hoot may be the son of the second cuya of the clan but because he's the first-born male in our generation, then he will one day be king.

As prince, Hoot is expected to be the most successful. There's no problem in this aspect because he is now a millionaire, a rich doctor earning dollars in the US. He is also expected to bring everyone in our generation together and stand as the father one day.

Karl will be following his footsteps, being the first-born male in their generation.

But Karl is still too young to be pressured by this role. All he worries now is leaving behind his friends and classmates in Seton.

BUDDY: (To Karl) Wow! Ang laki ng soccer field nila.
KARL: (dedma) Hm.
BUDDY: Meron din swimming pool.
KARL: (dryly) Yea.
BUDDY: Ang laki ng canteen!
KARL: (Perks up) Dito na lang ako, dad!

And this early, the saying already applies to him: The way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

* * *

Last Saturday I went to the PC Unlimited shop in Sucat to buy an an AOC 17" silver-black flat monitor.

I just want to include this activity in my entry today to remind me that I couldn't afford the LG monitor I wanted.

Maybe next time.

* * *

kids should know that...

Some clans are patrilineal, meaning its members are related through the male line; for example, the clans of Armenia. Others are matrilineal; its members are related through the female line. Still other clans are bilateral, consisting of all the descendants of the apical ancestor through both the male and female lines; the clans of Scotland are one example. Polish clans differ from most others in being a collection of families bearing the same coat of arms, as opposed to actually claiming a common descent. (wikipedia)