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Superman is my all-time super hero. When I was a kid I visualized myself possessing his super powers, during playtime, me and my cousins act out as superheroes, even if I am a girl, I would always play the Superman, The Man of Steel, I dramatized as Superman flying to outer space and defeating plentiful villains, ha ha.

Now that I am grown up, and a mom too, I am still a Superman fan. I still visualize myself possessing his super powers. Oh, I can’t act out as what I had done when I was a kid. Seriously, if I had the power of MAN OF STEEL, for one week I will use up all my power to do the following:

1. Clean and prettify my house
2. Do the laundry
3. Do marketing, cooking and whip up new recipe
4. Generate 365 blog posts (for the whole year!)
5. Get rid of kidnappers, child-molesters, rapists and women-beaters. 

Astonished?
Well, you can also visualize yourself as the MAN OF STEEL by joining Schick’s Superman promo contest and be able to win 2 tickets to watch MAN OF STEEL special screening on June 14 at the Shangri-La Cineplex.

Per DTI-NCR Permit No.1843 Series of 2013.

Bravo, Angelina Jolie!

I was not contented watching from the news last week that Angelino Jolie had removed her breast, I went online to know what more in that news, ha ha! Until I read Angelina Jolie’s article, My Medical Choice, in The New York Times.  Have you already read it?

After reading the article, what I said was...Bravo, Angelina Jolie!

I see Angelina Jolie  as a clever, courageous and practical woman. What she shared was very educational. And I think she accomplished her purpose that of going public her double  mastectomy, her experience will educate women, and that women still have options.

So, Angelina Jolie did a Preventive Mastectomy. What kind of medical procedure is this? It is the surgical removal of one or both breast. Having this kind of surgery may significantly reduce by about 90% the chance of developing breast cancer in moderate and high risk women.

The downside? It is irreversible. It can have psychological effects on a woman undergone a procedure because of changes of body image and loss of normal breast functions. This is the reason why I praise Angelina Jolie, I am sure she did have a very tough decision in her life.

Here’s a line that I love from her article:

“I do not feel any less of a woman. I feel empowered that I made a strong choice.”

Yellow Rice, Anyone?

The other day, my sister did a surprise visit!  She didn’t even text or call me that she will be dropping by. I just heard someone calling my name at the gate and I went out and was really surprised to see her.

When my siblings or other relatives come to visit us without notice I really freak out because I am not prepared to entertain a visitor. I don’t want them to see my home disordered and the most important is the food that I had to serve for them. My mom admonishes me of this attitude, she said whatever the state of my home is and the food that is available is okay, it’s no big deal. What is important is I welcome my visitors with all my heart.

So here goes my attitude again, the instant I see my sister, of course I first hug her and then reprove her that she didn’t even texted or called me. She didn’t answer; she went straight inside our house. Maybe she knows my ritual ha, ha.

I love my sister, we chatted the whole day. We had a great bonding moment.

So, what I cooked for my sister for lunch?
Your guess is right, this gorgeous Yellow Rice!

How did I cook it?
I have left over rice in the fridge, some shrimps and left over mussels (already boiled). I have red and green peppers, scallions/green onions and turmeric powder, all stuff are great for my Yellow Rice!

Clean and wash the shrimps. Prepare the veggies – grate the garlic, diced a medium sized yellow onion, dice small sized green and red pepper, and chop the scallions.

Sauté  half of the onions  and garlic, add the shrimps  and cook one minute in each side, add mussels and dust with salt and pepper. Take out the seafood from the pan.

Add olive oil to the pan, sauté half of the onions and garlic, add half a teaspoon of turmeric powder, add the bell peppers, and stir. Add the rice, and toss and toss. Add salt and
pepper, and toss. Correct the taste by adding more salt if needed. Add the seafood, and toss. Lastly, sprinkle chopped scallions on top.

My sister super like my Yellow Rice, it’s so tasty.
Try it.

Would you take your spouse’s surname?

I’ve learned that if a woman got married, that woman assumed the surname of her spouse, or omit her maiden name, or add her husband’s surname. In my case, I do that. I write my first name, maiden name, a hyphen and my hubby’s surname.  Of course, I know that you do the same.

But do you know of married women that keep their maiden names, they don’t use or omit the surnames of their husbands? I’m raising my hand because I did know a couple of friends that do this.  Is it new to you? Is it ridiculous? Is it permitted under the law?  Well, in most countries in Europe women keep their names. While in highly traditional Asian countries,  like the Philippines  we follow the patriarchal name system.

I read a Female Network.com article, written by Atty. Maria Dee A. Seares that discussed the surname  legalities  for married women. She mention the following sections from the Civil Code of the Philippines:

1. What is the law governing a married woman’s use of surnames?
Article 370 of the Civil Code of the Philippines provides that a married woman may use the following:

a)    Her maiden first name and surname and add her husband’s surname (ex. Anna Santos-Cruz), or
b)    Her maiden first name and her husband’s surname (ex. Anna Cruz), or
c)    Her husband’s full name, but prefixing a word indicating that she is his wife, such as “Mrs.” (ex. Mrs. Mark Cruz)

2. Does the woman need to apply or obtain permission before she can use the husband’s surname? 

No, the woman does not need to apply or obtain permission. The law, Article 370 of the Civil Code, grants the woman the right to use the surname of the husband upon marriage. The law provides the married woman 3 options as to what form of surname she prefers to use. 

3. Does the law prohibit the married woman from continuing to use her maiden name?  

No, there is no legal prohibition. Article 370 gave the married woman 3 options as to what name she will use upon marriage. However, there is nothing in the same law prohibiting a married woman from continuing to use her maiden name after marriage because, as the Supreme Court declared, “x x x when a woman marries, she does not change her name but only her civil status.” (Remo vs. The Honorable Secretary of Foreign Affairs, G.R. No. 169202 [2010]) 

4. Is it obligatory under the law for the married woman to use the surname of the husband? 

No, it is not obligatory at all for the married woman to use the surname of her husband. The Supreme Court had the opportunity to explain and rule on this issue. It clarified that the use of the word “may” in Article 370 of the Civil Code means that the wife may or may not use the husband’s surname. The Supreme Court clarified that a woman does not have a duty to use the surname of the husband. (Remo vs. The Honorable Secretary of Foreign Affairs, G.R. No. 169202 [2010])

Atty. Seares said further, “there are women that don't use their husband's surname and these changes may be signs of the times that women empowerment is rising. There is now an assertion by women to have an identity separate, distinct, and independent from that of their husbands”.

What I'm musing?
Well, given this legalities, patriarchal system and women empowerment concept, I think at the end it’s the women that should decide what she desire – take or not to take her spouse surname.

In arriving a decision, it should make us happy.  I mean, we should be in a relationship, in a marriage wherein we can do and think freely, no restrictions. We should not be treated as slaves by our spouses. We should not suffer abuses from our husbands. And lastly, we are loved and respected by our spouses.

In my case, I am married for 17 years and  I am using my husband’s surname. It’s no big deal if I am an appendage of my husband,  it’s no biggie  either if I am addressed as Mrs. (my husband’s surname).  It did not lose my identity.  I can act independently from my husband.

What is important is that I am happy with my spouse. We discussed what I want, what he want, and all the things affecting our relationship, our family. We have equal rights. We are a united front. We decide together. We are a team working towards the betterment of our relationship, for our kids,  and the  whole family.

Would you take your spouse's surname or not? What are your thoughts?