Today was a little different from my usual weekends.
I was invited by Ms. Sheryl Diaz, president of the Gwangju Jeonnam Philippine Community (GJPC), to be one of the judges for the Best Muse competition during the GJPC Basketball League in Naju, Gwangju’s neighboring city.
The basketball league was supposed to start at 8:30 in the morning, but because of some last-minute miscommunication and misunderstanding with the town officials about which venue to use, the original location had to be changed. Everyone had to move, and the games finally started at almost 10:00.
And honestly, that little delay gave me something I probably shouldn’t have had as a judge…
TIME. 😆
I got to see the Muses even before their actual competition.
So I had to make a conscious effort to forget my first impressions and concentrate only on their presentations when it was time to judge them.
It wasn’t easy. 😆
They were all wonderful, and each one brought something different to the stage. But of course, when you’re judging a competition, there can only be one Best Muse.
Once the Muse competition was over, I left the venue with my son.
Actually, I brought my son with me because I needed someone to drive me. He also volunteered – very confidently – to be my photographer and videographer for the day.
And apparently, I trusted him. 😆
On our way home, he suddenly told me,
“Mom, you have a very nice voice on the microphone. You sounded like an announcer.”
I pretended to be normal about it.
But inside?
🥹❤️
My children and I don’t really have a habit of complimenting each other. We’re much more comfortable teasing, joking, and picking on one another. That’s basically our love language.
So hearing that from my son made me secretly happy.
I told him it was probably because I was speaking English, so he could understand me better while the others were speaking Tagalog.
And yes, the MC actually did hand us the microphone and let us speak. 😆
Good thing I had a feeling that was coming, so I wasn’t completely caught off guard.
Everything went well.
I did my job, the Muses did theirs, and I left feeling happy that I had been part of the event.
Then we went home.
And that’s when the real judging began.
I asked my photographer – my own son – for the photos and videos he had taken.
He confidently sent them to me.
Photos of me talking to people who stopped by to greet me.
Photos of my back.
Photos of the back of my head.
A video of the back of me speaking into the microphone.
And, of course, everything else that I absolutely cannot post. 😂
So after all that…
I think my photographer has been officially fired.
Thank you for the compliment, son.
But next time, I’m bringing a professional photographer. 😆📸
Or maybe I’ll just bring a mirror and take my own pictures.
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