Remember THIS POST I wrote years and years ago? Well, I’ve made my peace with that—I’m now OK being called Mrs. Ladaga (but NOT plain Misis. It should be Mrs. Ladaga) More than OK, actually, for it means I belong to Randy and he belongs to me. 🙂
Yesterday, Raviv and I were set to attend Asher’s (son of my friend Say) 3rd birthday party. Although I had a class in the morning in Taguig, the plan was Raviv will follow with Dodong, then when my class ends at 2 p.m., we’ll proceed to Asher’s party in Pasig. But on Saturday, Raviv said that his coach required him to have a goalkeeper training on Sunday afternoon because he arrived late. I had doubts, but Raviv was adamant that he really had a keeper training on Sunday and he had to attend because there were upcoming tournaments. I embarrassingly sent Say my regrets that Raviv and I couldn’t come anymore. So Dodong left with me to Taguig, leaving Raviv behind.
After messaging Say, I still had a nagging thought that Raviv could be wrong about having keeper training. I messaged the team’s managing director to confirm with the goalkeeping coach (I didn’t have his number) whether what Raviv said was accurate. Then, the goalkeeping coach texted me. Here’s our exchange:
More than the panghihinayang that I felt that Raviv and I will no longer be able to attend Asher’s party, one word repeated 5 times struck me most: TITA, TITA, TITA, TITAAAA!
It was truly a #MyGahdIHateDrugs moment for me. Hindi na kailangan ng imagination ko na mag-echo ‘yung “TITA”, bilang inulit-ulit-ulit-ulit-ulit na ni Coach! Waaaah!!!
It’s not that it was my first time to be called Tita: my brother’s, cousins’, and friends’ children call me Tita. And I’m OK with that. My shala students from Luh Salle, Areneyow and Puh-vey-duh? (hehehe) call me Ms. Dewmaine; our employees/subordinate colleagues call me Ma’am, and Raviv’s teachers call me Mommy. And they are all OK, because those terms are not based on age. Or frumpiness. In fact, I wear those titles like a badge of honor. The “Ms. Dewmaine” and “Ma’am” titles make me feel respected, while the “Mommy” title makes me feel proud.
But the title Tita just means…Tita levels ka na. Gurango Honasan, Tanderkats…you name it! Raviv’s football coach is probably in his early 20s, so I’m sure his mom is still at least a decade older than I am. However, he probably thinks magka-level na kami ng mommy n’ya. Deadmadela na s’ya that I’m not part of Generation X (I’m a Xennial!—parang, “Hindi ka po millennial Tita, kaya Tita ka na po.” Kumbaga sa telenovela, hindi ka na pwedeng leading lady—ikaw na ‘yung nanay ng leading lady.
Pero kunsabagay, si Angel Locsin nga, nanay ni Kathryn Bernardo, ‘di ba?
PERO BAKIT SI MARIAN RIVERA LEADING LADY PA RIN?!?!?
Hahahay. You know, I’ve never been conscious of my age. I used to secretly roll my eyes whenever someone would make a joke about their age…’yung ‘pag tinanong mo kung lang tan na sasagutin ka ng “Secret!” o kaya basta ayaw niling i-reveal ‘yung age nila. Well, I still don’t plan to keep my age a secret but now I know how it feels to be old. I thought I could mask my being “past my spring chicken years” by still being…stylish. By wearing tassel earrings, midi skirts, fringe espadrilles…but then my friend Eliza Santiago pointed out:
OK. So all along, I’ve just been sporting a “I’m not yet a Titaaaaa!!!” starter pack. HAHAHAHA!
(Sing with me ala-britney Spears: 🎶I’m not a girl…but not yet a Titaaaaa…🎵)
Through Eliza, I realized din naman that I should be thankful I’m a ‘Tita’ and not an ‘Auntie’.
Yes guys, magkaiba pala ‘yun! And as Eli said, if you didn’t know that there’s a difference, then you’re an Auntie. And that’s worse. HAHAHA! 🤣😂😅
So Coach, accept the humble apologies of Tita Dewmaine. At least, you didn’t call me Auntie Dewmaine pala. Hahaha!!! 😆
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Anyway, until now I haven’t blogged about Brain Train’s ah-mazing season ender at Casa Amara in San Juan, Batangas. For the meantime, lemme show you what this Tita-in-denial wore. Photos taken by CJ Raagas (who was very patient in making sure I would look my possible thinnest in the photos he took of me…thank you CJ, mwaaaah!) and Randy.
Ganyan ba ang motto ng Tita?!?
Nagti-tiptoe ba ang mga Tita kalit nakaupo para magmukhang payat ang legs?!?!
Hahahaha!
These are the outfit details of Tita Dewmaine:
- halter top: BCBG Max Azria
- black lace shorts: Bobae Market, Bangkok, Thailand
- blue jelly sandals: Melissa
- orange bag: PS1 Proenza Schouler
Baboosh from Tita Dewmaine, everyone! 🙂
PS: To the Agila Coaches and other Agila officers, please don’t take me seriously. Kalokohan lang po ito. Baka mamaya part na ng General Assembly kung ano’ng dapat itawag sa parents. 😂 Love you all!
Funny post! Actually, before ayaw ko rin tawagin ako ng tita or ate kais feeling ko ang tanda ko na. Pero anak pa lang naman ng friends ko tumatawag sa akin ng tita. Ewan ko na lang kung ano mafeel ko kung teacher or ano pa man tumawag sa akin ng tita. hehehe!
Let’s begin: Tita Michi! Hahaha!
hahahhaa. I really like the way you make kwento. Surely reading your post, di ako matatapos na di ako tatawa. But seriously, Ive realize na rin na tita na rin ako when my son’s classmates would address me as tita. And they would even PM me coz the little girl has a crush sa anak ko. And she keeps on calling me tita. she must be real magalang lang talaga siguro. but anyway, magalang lang talaga si coach. 🙂
I always smile every time I read your post! haha. At binasa ko din and Misis vs Wife post mo. When hubby introduced me to his workmates as his “misis” back in 2013, Idk pero kinilig ako! haha. About this tita naman, ako, at 28, tinatawag ding “tita” ng kapitbahay naming 5 above older than me and shookt ako moment! haha. Now, I learned to just laugh, or jokingly answer back, “opo tito”, lol!
You look young to pass as a millennial naman, Dew. Kaso, hindi siguro malaman ni coach kung anong itatawag sa mga mommies ng students nya.
PS: thanks to this post, narealize ko na meron ngang difference ang tita and auntie. hahaha 😀
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