Second Child

Second child is something.

I looked up to my aunts from mom and dad. Both are the second child of their own sibling lines. Aunt from mom, she's a fighter. From what I see now, and from what mom told me about her, she is, was, and I'm pretty sure she'll always be damn tough. Then my aunt from dad, she's the central of my big family's attention. A determined lady I've ever known in my life.

But they're just a glimpse of what I know about second child. My complete belief, of course, comes from my own little brother. A nerve-wrecking guy. Independent as fvck. A kind of guy we can rely on.

Now what is this second child thingy all about?

Well, it's because I want those qualities from my closest second-child relatives, to be inside my very own second child:

"Cheating Hong Kong and Macau"

Don't ask me how,

I could barely believe myself.

Right after my trip to Hong Kong and Macau, I didn't waste even one second and started working on this book right away. Then I sent it to the same publisher I did my first book with, and the next thing I knew, we were doing the book process all over again.

By that time I got a job already. Several jobs, actually. So the editing process was somehow pretty packed. But still, I enjoyed it like, hey, I'm doing this again, which means that I will have another book displayed on the book store!

So I made it through everything, and did the same scheme I conducted last year. Bringing my family to lunch, forced them to the bookstore, and entered the book right before their faces. It took us another 30 minutes photo session just by the bookshelf, but hey, who cares.

What I cared is to see this spark of pride on their eyes.

This sense of trust about my bright bright future.

Oh this is a good sign.

My second child will be the point where my family begins to let me go. To let me do whatever I want to do. To let me off to the world. Which I actually am doing now, as this second I'm currently in Japan for the pursuit of my travel writing career.

Japan? But how--when--why--

Soon, okay, soon I'll tell you all.

Right now is about my book

And how to wish him the best

For what he's doing in Jakarta.

While I'm doing my best here

In Tokyo

Story of the Ordinary, Gone Overwhelming

This is a tale of a big family with their clothing business empire.

Meet Victor. A youngest child of three. He and his two older sisters, Lorraine and Renee, works for a clothing company their parents had given legacy to, from their grand parents. Katrina, the mom with all her strict rules, and Criss, the dad that loves creativity and creativity only, are the ones behind the company's main desk. All five of them had been living a normal life as the company runners, and everything would seem to be okay.

Until one day, Lorraine got a job abroad. And Renee decided to start her own design business. It struck Victor in his heart, knowing that he'd be all alone dealing with their company. The girls left, and Victor got overran with the leftovers.

But then God heard his prayers. A scholarship application he sent long ago, accepted him in a year-long writing program. Victor was more than ready to leave, but the whole family wasn't. Everybody trembled in shock that the company's sole successor was about to leave.

It was hard at first for Uncle Boyd, Mom's step brother, who was personally (and of course, professionally) so close to Victor. Also for Randall, Uncle Boyd's eldest son. But the younger siblings Stanley and Jaclyn made it easy for them to give approval.

Things got a little bit easier as Mom's step sister Nina, encouraged Victor to leave. She had always been Victor's favorite aunty and he knew she would support him. Her husband Razaq made it easy too, as his witty-wicked personality distracted Victor from all his doubts. But the best support came from his closest cousin Franchesca. His partner in crime, his other half in the family.

Soon after that, supports kept coming. From his other cousins: Simon the international minded guy, twins Chandler and Chantall, brothers Rickard and Patricia (yes, Patricia is a name of a boy here). Also from his other uncles and aunties: Frida, Gina, Yvette, Wagner, Undine, Yvonne, Horrace, Maria, Amish, Barry, Poppy, Ilda, Igor, Damian, Kiki, and everybody else, yes, they got Victor's back.

Everything had been really smooth, until suddenly, two weeks before Victor's departure, Mom left to check on the girls. And Dad knew he'd be doing everything alone, running the company alone, managing all the necessities alone, if Victor really meant to leave.

So the days of new great offers and promises started. Dad kept coming over and over again to Victor, promising him with this and that, higher positions and money beyond compare -- all made Victor turned unsure with his decisions.

But passion won.

Victor eventually left.

With the sisters, during their alay days.

With the whole family, before Mom left.

Victor's favorite cousin, Franchesca.

With Aunties Nina, Maria, Frida, Yvette, and Gina, Franchesca, Chandler, and Victor's new friend Kirby.
This was taken on Victor's last day before he left the company.

Today,

Is three days before Victor's departure to his dream. He's now sitting in front of his laptop, writing, stop writing, and thinking about many things. About his comfort zone in the family's company. About whether he's making the right decision or not. And about how he's grown from an ordinary little kid, to be a man overwhelmed with values, after all the lessons he learned from the company.

But he knew he's grown well, yet still got to grow.

And so, gone is he to battle