Trompilyo in Tagalog is a spinning firework used during New Years Eve. It spins so fast that when it emits sparks, it creates a dazzling show of lights. Trompo or “top” is a traditional toy played by Filipino kids in school fields and backyards. The objective of the trompo game is to toss it over to other trompos to knock them right off the circle. It twirls so fast that sometimes it leaves burrows on the ground. While ‘Pilyoâ€? is the Tagalog for mischievous and naughty.

So what’s my point? Children are synonymous to trompilyo, trompo and pilyo. They make us laugh, do crazy things, generates problems, tosses everything, knock every fragile figurines and vases from their paths and twirls and spins as if they never run out of energy. And yet, in every mischief they done, they never fail to make us smile, brighten our day and make us laugh. They let us forget our problems even for a minute or two.

Here in “Trom-Pilyo�, is a collection of photos of that naughty side of life, that inner child within the author and the people around him. Everyone has his inner child within him, no matter his age and status in life. It does not really hurt to get in touch with your inner child once in a while.

Photo Shoot

Most of the subheaders here in OTWOMD are done in Photoshop CS3. When I was looking for an appropriate picture in my files to be inserted in my subheader, I found the photos that I and my nephews and niece shot last year. It was suppose to be used in my overlay profile in friendster but unfortunately it was not pushed thru. So I decided to use the photos here in OTWOMD. My nephews and my niece are my playmates when the inner child in me shows up unexpectedly. The photos below were originally shot at my room. Sorry for the mess, when kids are around they toss everything in sight. It took 50 shots before we finally perfected it. All the laughter and clumsiness of my nephews and niece prolonged the shoot. Well it was worth it. We all had fun.

It was supposed to be a “see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil� kind of thing, but it seems that the result was far from the intended theme. Its like a porn advert for kids and an exorcist scene rolled into one.

Ayiw (he’s 10 years old now) was having a hard time posing here because the chemistry book he was holding was pressing against his nose, and he complained he can’t breathe.

Bay (7) is a natural photogenic. She doesn’t have apprehensions when she’s in front of the camera. The only thing is, she has the tendency to over-do everything just to look good in the picture. I tried so hard to make the shot as kid friendly as possible intead as an FHM centerfold for kids

Kim (9) did his posing all by himself. A photo fanatic like me.

This was so funny. When we were trying to shoot this. we were laughing so hard because what I really wanted him to portray is a blank face calling in a telephone for my “contact me” link in my friendster overlay profile. But as it turns out, it is as if he’s a terrorist trying to demand a ransom money. After the shoot he breathe so deeply because he complained that he can’t stand the smell of the bonet.

The “tirong” among my nephews, Kenan (6) is a natural actor and model. he can do any pose that you ask of him. This was the longest shot we made because his teeth can’t seem to bite the highlights and the fact that he can’t stop laughing from his pose. after 36 repeated shots, I finally got the perfect angle before he dropped the two highlighters from his mouth.

Can’t get enough

After our dinner, my two nephews and my niece begged me to shot some more pictures of them. I think they had so much fun of our photo shoot. So I told them to dress up anything they want. 5 minutes passed, they came back to me donned in these outrageous costumes and having props in their hands portraying characters from the Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. I was laughing so hard that I can’t take a decent shot. I tell you, with my nephews and niece around, we can produce an Indie film or a community theatre.

Bay is portraying Queen Amidala minus the hair strands. She used the travel pillow that I lent to my dad as a head-dress. She wasn’t satisfied with her portrayal of Amidala so she simply covered herself with a blanket. Now I am very confused. I really have no Idea if she was portraying Mary magdalene or Lazarus, just after Jesus resurrected him from the tomb.

Kim as Aragorn. But the gauntlet is more likely that of Lion-O.

Now this was fun. He showed up in my room dressed up as (according to his claim) Legolas. But it really seems like Robin Hood to me. He was not satisfied of just standing there for a shot. He told me to take the picture of him with different emotions. So I told him “okay, pose as if you were in a movie poster”. “Now act as if you were sad and looking at the ground”. “Then pose in your most fighting form”. “okay that was good, now act like your favorite toy was taken from you and you are angry and want revenge”. The last shot was outrageous. It doesn’t seem like he’s angry at all. It seems to me that he’s having constipation.

The Morning After

The morning after, my nephew woke me up for another camera trip. This time he wanted me to take a shot of him as if he was flying. It was 9:00 am that saturday morning and I was so sleepy. But because it was my nephew’s crazy idea, granted his request, knowing that this would be another classic childish humor.

on the count of 3…

1… 2… 3…

Fly!…

Blag….!

Icarus fell….

and wrestled by Mysterio…

Tito Jones one more please…. please….

Huh! How high did you flew?

Teatro Kwarto

These photos were given to me 7 months ago by my cousin, when my nephews and niece slept over their house. My cousin Jemae (extreme left) shot these using her cell phone. The kids got bored playing outside so they disturbed Jemae who was taking a nap at that time. Another playful cousin of mine, Jemae instructed the kids portray different emotions.

Laughing… (It seems like they’re ready to bite anyone who gets near the cage)

Flordeluha… Donya Agida, Rene Boy and Flordeluha who was neglected in the kitchen.

Our lips are sealed!

While You Were Sleeping

It is a tradition in our family to let the children sleep in the afternoon (afternoon nap, siesta). So while they were sleeping, my sister (their mom) dragged me into the room and asked me to take some shots of the kids as they sleep. Don’t you think that kids are more adorable when they are asleep?

Gotcha!

A month after my mom and dad went to the US, our family planned a pilgrimage to pray for the safety of our parents abroad. The pictures below are taken during our pilgrimage and a lunch out in a native restaurant.

Kim, bugging his cousin Ayiw while the latter prays for the former’s conversion.

Kenan fervently praying during our pilgrimage.

Acting out one of Shakespeare’s plays.

To be or not to be…

While we were waiting for the food to be served, I follow the kids running around the restaurant. I caught them fmaking fun of the statues in one of the gardens. And caught everything on cam. Kenan was literaly kissing the statues’ butt.

Practicing for the real thing in the future. Naughty, Naughty, Naughty kids.

If only statues could talk: “hey, let go of my birdie!”

This was a classic mischief. After the shot we headed for our tablebecause the foodwas already served. When I turned around, I saw my 6 year old nephew trying to sip the water coming out of the fountain. I took this shot as quickly as I can, and then told him immediately that the water is not potable for human consumption. He then replied “I just fooling around Tito Jones, I won’t drink it, it may taste like pee”. We left the garden laughing at his wit.

In All His Glory

Mr. Pogi!

Move over BJ Forbes.

Little Red Riding Hood: “Grandma, what sharp teeth you have!”

And then he got tired of himself…!

Snooping Around

Kenan, Kim and Jovel with our beagle, Mielle

You can understand and relate to most people better if you look at them — no matter how old or impressive they may be — as if they are children. For most of us never really grow up or mature all that much — we simply grow taller. O, to be sure, we laugh less and play less and wear uncomfortable disguises like adults, but beneath the costume is the child we always are, whose needs are simple, whose daily life is still best described by fairy tales.

- Leo Rosten

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