On being an ate

Here's my reply to R's interesting email....

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Hi R,

This is so funny!

I grew up "OC" so I can't relate to the fishballs, dirty ice cream and
water from the poso bit hahaha... But I did build a tiny playhouse,
ride the bike, play patintero and piko, make mudpies...

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? My family is much bigger
than H's... Anyway, he noticed that it was too quiet in one family
gathering... We decided to check out the kids... Guess what we saw
--> all the kids quietly playing with their PSPs... They were playing
together but using their PSPs... It kinda looked like a parent's dream
come true --- all the parents were busy chit chatting and they didn't
have to worry about their kids running around... Sadly, it seemed like
the most normal thing in the world... Sadly, because it has been said
that the kids of today have poor social skills... Plus, the cousins didn't
get to interact with each other...

But of course, I was ever the "ATE"... Last Christmas, I had some
games for the kids... I couldn't be a proper emcee as I was supposed
to be on bed rest... And my brothers were not exactly the best emcees
hahaha... Plus, we lacked prizes... I forgot that you need a lot --- even
if it's just a token, so long as the kids get a consolation prize... It was
short but fun while it lasted... My aunt was thrilled because they were
balikbayans and they were able to get a nice video of the kids at play...

It ended when the kids had to do their "program" ---> with a cash prize
for singing to the granddads and grandmoms... Eh pera yon di ba hahaha...

And so, it seems that's how it's going to be... If you think it's important,
you will have to do something... Otherwise, the adults will just chitchat
and the kids will just play their PSPs... As for me, I hope to pull off
something better this Christmas... I can't help it, I'll always be ATE
hahaha...

* Ate - the Filipino word for eldest or older sister