14 Years After..

This is the speech I delivered during my high school reunion..


To our batchmates, guests, members of the organizing committee, good evening to all of you.

Tonight marks the culmination of a month-long preparation to bring together the men and women of CCS Batch 95. You must be wondering how this affair was conceived. The truth of the matter is, no one ever thought that a reunion slated in the last quarter of the year is possible. To most of us, it is absurd and outrageous to even attempt such an endeavor, given the circumstances and work availability of our peers. But surprisingly, WE MADE IT HAPPEN.

It was during a Halloween party, hosted by Jessie Roy Basilio and his wife Jen, that this reunion was envisioned. What was meant to be a “barkada Halloween party” became even more fun when Exodus batchmates Shigashir Clemente, Lex Alegado and Pinky Borromeo Alegado showed up for the night. We all had a blast reminiscing the good old days ---from teachers who spoiled us to teachers who sold overpriced school supplies, classmates who had secret affairs, girls running after boys who constantly rejected them, and even the creative tactics we have utilized to snatch the paper of a seatmate during exams.

Shortly after that Halloween party, I toyed with the idea of a possible high school reunion but immediately dismissed it because I knew the task ahead was no joke. However, I couldn’t just ignore the clamor of the majority who, like me, wanted to reconnect with old friends we all practically grew up with.

When my Genesis friends signed up for this little project, I knew right away that this was something worth it. We moved heaven and earth to convince people to join our cause--- we searched people online thru Facebook and Friendster. Good thing, we received positive replies to our messages. But there are still batchmates who are not connected online so we had to resort to the traditional way of knocking from one door to another. For this, I commend the effort of Shigashir, Lex and Michael Gonzales.

Our main concern though was how to raise funds that will cover all the expenses. The reunion fee that we have set for each attendee might not be adequate for the numerous details, but we all remained positive and believed that God will provide… And sure, He did. A week after the reunion details were posted on Facebook, pledges from our batchmates living overseas started coming in. Words won’t be enough to show our deepest appreciation and gratitude for their generosity. Make no mistake about it, each one in this room really did his share in making this a reality. For that alone, I think we all deserve a warm round of applause.

On behalf of the hardworking people who made this all happen, I would like to welcome you all to our first-ever reunion-Christmas party dubbed as “CCS Batch 95 Returns, Wiser and Better.” It’s great to see all of you here. There are some I have not seen for the past 14 years. Thank you for sharing your time with us especially to those who traveled far and wide.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the party! Sabi nga ni Pink, let’s get this party started..

Boo-boos

Classroom interactions are always unpredictable and amusing. Each meeting is never the same as the previous one. A teacher may plan the lesson quite well from the motivation until the enrichment activity but if a student suddenly comes up with a hilarious remark, it simply changes the course of the discussion.

I have often been caught off guard by the remarks of my witty and silly students. There was even a time I couldn't stop myself from laughing so hard that I just excused myself so as not to appear like I was losing my head. Let me share a few of these classroom boo-boos:
(students' names have been changed to protect their identities)

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It was the first day of classes. Students were asked to write their complete name on a sheet of paper. After retrieving all the papers, I noticed that one student missed his middle name.

SHARON: Jacob? You didn't write your middle name.
JACOB: Ma'am I don't have a middle name.
SHARON: Ohh..
(moving on..)

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SHARON (uttered in jest to an unruly student): You should have not enrolled here. A special school is better for you.
GEOFF: Ma'am if it's a special school, does that mean that the teacher is also special?


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SHARON: We will have a spelling exercise today. Bring out a 1/2 lengthwise.
JM: Ma'am is wrong spelling wrong?


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SHARON: Name the 8 parts of speech.
SHAIRA: noun, pronoun, verb, adverb, adjective, preposition, conjunction and injection!


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While writing an essay..

KRISTINE: Ma'am what is the English term for "uso?"
SHAIRA(overheard her classmate's question): Ano ka ba, e di BEAR!


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SHARON: What is HOMICIDE?
STUDENT: Ma'am that means someone was killed in his home.
(point taken)


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SHARON: If you could convince someone to run for president of the country, who would it be?
PATRICK: Ma'am, Zorro!


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The lesson for the day was a fable about the mouse Amos who set out to sea using a makeshift boat. He filled it with all his necessities such as cheese, telescope, compass, etc.

SHARON: If you were Amos, what will you bring?
ADAM: A woman.


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SHARON: What swimming strokes do you know?
AIRA: Ma'am backstroke.
DANICA: Ma'am breaststroke.
ARVIN: Butterfly Ma'am.
CARL: Freestyle Ma'am.
IAN: Ma'am dogstyle!


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This one did not take place inside the classroom.

A female student was reported to have suffered a temporary amnesia after hitting her head in a freak bicycle accident.

While being treated in the school clinic, she uttered, "Oh no, hindi ko maalala si Sir Avila, yung principal natin."

Ooops, yun na! Hindi nga maalala.

The Subscriber Cannot Be Reached

After nearly 6 years, I finally had the courage to dump my old sim. It's one of the many things I should have done a long time ago but never found the courage to do so. You see, I have this uncanny attachment to my personal things, my old sim included. To me, it wasn't just a tiny chip that held all my contacts, it represented an era.

As Charles Dickens put it, "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times." My old sim is a symbol of the best and worst choices I have made in my life. If it could only talk, all hell will break loose. Well, that is an exaggeration but you get what I mean.

There are things that we simply can't let go of: a love letter from a lover, a poem somebody wrote, a souvenir shirt, an autographed book, what have you. We hold on to these things because of what they represent. I read somewhere that if you let go of something dear to your heart, you eventually help yourself grow.

After receiving my new number via text, some of my contacts asked what had gotten into me. I just said I needed to change my number to regain my sanity. And the best way to achieve it is to delete some contacts from my old sim -- people I don't want to be associated with, or those I simply want to dispose of.

I want a clutter-free life so let me be.

Deluge

Over the past week, images of the aftermath of Ondoy have circulated in the net. The effects of the tropical depression were unprecedented and needless to say, it has caught everyone by surprise. My heart goes out to those who have lost their homes and loved ones. The material belongings are something we can all do away with since they can be replaced but lives that have been lost are gone forever.

I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and love from the private sector who has taken the initiative to reach out to those who have been badly hit by Ondoy. In this age of apathy and indifference, the Filipino Bayanihan spirit has risen from its ashes. Volunteers trooped to warehouses to sort out and pack relief goods, all in the spirit of genuine brotherhood. However I cannot, for the life of me, fathom why the national government is taking such a long time to reach out and give immediate assistance to flood victims. Briefings won’t make a difference, the nation needs concrete solution to a calamity of this scale.

It is during times like this that we get a full grasp of the abuse we have done to Mother Nature. Harsh as it may sound, it’s payback time.

Let’s all hope for the best. We are a resilient people. We can rise above any situation. And we can still make a difference.

Three Decades

I just celebrated my 30th birthday three days ago. It was an intimate dinner with a few friends. I was supposed to celebrate it on a weekend to accommodate more friends who are working in Manila but I finally decided to throw the party on the day itself. More than the food on the table, it's the conversation that really keeps a celebration going.

Turning 30 was quite surreal. It was something that I looked forward to but not this soon. Has it really been 30 years? Why do I feel that I'm still stuck in my 19-year old self? Much is expected of me now that I'm 30. There's no room for silly mistakes and foolish games that have "marked" my twenties. Darn!

80's Nostalgia

The death of Michael Jackson somehow stirred the 80's child in me. I grew up listening to his music and at one point, I was convinced that he was a zombie in real life. To me, he represented an era that made me who I am now. My childhood, which I spent practically in the 80s, was the best years of my life to date. Looking back to it always reminds me of how life was back then, simple and uncomplicated. (Just like my tagline). LOL!

1. BATIBOT, my all-time favorite TV show. Who would ever forget Manang Bola, Kuya Bodjie, Ate Shena, Kiko Matsing and Pong Pagong? Isama na rin sina Sitsiritsit at Alibangbang. I have never missed a single episode.It was damn so addicting!

2. SUPERBOOK and FLYING HOUSE are two cartoon series that I got hooked on. It made Bible stories more appealing and exciting. I remember joining Super Kids' Club just to get freebies such as bookmarks, pens, mini calendar, etc.

3. BIOMAN and SHAIDER caught my fancy mainly because of the colored suits that the characters had to put on. It actually "humanized" Voltes 5. LOL! I was going gaga over Red 1, who I think was the most good looking. Pink 5 was the prettiest Asian I have ever seen in grade school.

4. CHOCOLAIT/ HI-C. A staple in my lunchbox. Iba na tawag sa Chocolait ngayon, Chuckie na. They may taste the same but Chocolait will always be an icon of the 80s.

5. PANTRANCO was our only means of transportation in my part of the world. Di pa uso non ang aircon bus! Yikes! We had to endure at least 5 hours travel time from Tarlac to Manila. There was no NLEX back then. I remember vividly that I used to have motion sickness when I was younger. Naka-ilang suka rin ako sa Pantranco!Haha!

6. PIKO (hopscotch), PATINTERO, BAHAY-BAHAYAN, LUTU-LUTUAN, CHINESE GARTER, etc. These are the games that I enjoyed playing. I had wonderful neighborhood kids who trooped to the house especially during weekends. It is just so unfortunate that kids today no longer have an idea how these games are played.

7. PARTY LINE. This is so 80s! A true blue promdi at heart, I always marveled at the telephone in my aunt's place in Quezon City. When no one was around, I had a habit of picking it up and to my surprise, without me dialing any number, there were people speaking on the line. Confession time, yes, I eavesdropped! So what, they didn't notice anyway.

8. GAME AND WATCH. My generation's version of PSP. Yun nga lang, isang game lang pwede. Back in Grade 5, my friend Cristina was the only one in the class who had one. Oh boy, you could just imagine how the rest of the class envied her. We started nagging her to share her toy. What she did was, she let us borrow it provided that we would take turns and follow the schedule list. Silly, silly, silly.

9. AQUANET. Another must-have! Pataasan kasi ng bangs dati! The higher, the more hip you are!

10. MACGYVER -- my personal 80s hero! Pag Sabado, 7pm sa RPN 9, nktutok na ako sa MacGyver. I even wished he was a phone a call away everytime our faucet leaked. He knew what to do in any given circumstance. Amazing!

Can anyone bring back the 80s???

He likes me.... NOT!

One Saturday morning, I received a call from a friend asking me about a rather easy question. Easy, in a sense that it doesn't take a genius to give a logical answer. But since our reason is often clouded by what we see on the outside, we get disoriented. Hence, the meaning gets lost in the process. Ironically, I believe that the most simple questions are in fact, the most complicated...

I just couldn't believe that the question I have asked an "experienced" friend for ages was thrown back at me. I had been in a similar situation a couple of moons ago. And there was no one there to enlighten me. So when this weekend caller woke me up from my self-induced slumber, I immediately accepted the challenge since I want to save one female specie from falling prey to unscrupulous men who don't seem to know the difference between black and white.

This caller is categorized under the NBSB type. ( No Boyfriend Since Birth, dummy!) Her curious question was: HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN A GUY LIKES YOU? I wanted to tell her that she dialed the wrong number but since the tone of her voice was verging on suicidal, I gave her my objective take on the matter.

1. FREQUENT CALLS DON'T MEAN A THING. I will swear by this. A long time ago, I thought phone calls counted. My argument was, why would a guy waste his precious time talking to a girl if there was no attraction at all? Oh please, after burning the phone lines with a few men, I made a conclusion that it simply meant, they had no one else to talk to so they opted for the person who was always available, and sadly, it was me. There's nothing special about phone calls. And sometimes, it is such a waste of time..

2. SWEET-NOTHING TEXTS DON'T COUNT EITHER. I have fallen victim to this a number of times. It never fails to bring shivers though. There is always that kilig factor, as we love to call it. The funny thing is, a guy who texts "I MISS YOU" but can't say it up front is a coward! There's no other word to put it. These things should be verbalized, not typed. There is no sincerity in the written word, unless it's a letter written straight from the heart.

3. GOING OUT ON "PLATONIC" DATES DOES NOT COUNT EVEN. You may have gone out three times, watched movies, dined out, all that very usual stuff, but if the guy continues to keep you in the dark as to what you are to each other, it is nothing. I don't believe that going out has a romantic side to it, unless the man tells you that he likes you and he wants to take the "platonic" friendship to another level. Otherwise, don't assume. Just take advantage of the free food and free movie tickets. Magsasawa din yan. LOL!

There are a whole lot more signs that I would include in this list but I'd rather not in the meantime. When I have so much to say, I'd rather keep my mouth shut. There may just be a few who will stumble into this note and feel alluded to. The bottomline is, if there's nothing there to begin with, why take the first step? Drop it before it gets too late..

One Photo Started It All

Fate really has a strange way of bringing people together.

Two years ago, my mother gave me a unique Christmas present. It may not have been bought in some fancy gift store but its value is much more than any item I could think of. She casually handed me this tiny plastic bag, in which she kept my childhood pictures. I have been searching for them for years, but I eventually gave up because my efforts of recovering my "captured memories" have all been in vain. It was just amazing that she gave it to me at exactly the right time.

One month prior to this incident, I met somebody interesting. He's not entirely new to me. Having lived in a relatively small town all my life, I know him well enough based on friends' and acquaintances' stories. However, unknown to many, I have had a secret crush on him for ages. It started in grade school, and went on until my college years. He is somebody I admired from afar, to say the least. If there is such a term as "closet stalker," that was me! I knew who he was dating. I knew his former girlfriends.. He was so near, yet so far.

I have gotten over that feeling (or so I thought) when I saw him in church with a former girlfriend. To me, that was the validation I was waiting for. I could not for the life of me waste my time on a guy who can never be mine. And so, I have forgotten about him, and along with it the stupid feelings I have nurtured through the years.

Everything went wayward when he rose from his ashes (like the proverbial phoenix), one fateful afternoon, November 1, 2007. We were formally introduced to each other as I was inching my way out of the memorial park. Yes, it was Undas! The feelings that I have long buried quickly stirred up once again. All the while I thought it would just be a one-time thing ---- a random meeting meant to be forgotten. Well, it wasn't.

The childhood pictures that my mother gave me proved more meaningful after I met him. One photo taken during my first birthday party (1980) shows a tiny me in the arms of my mother who was blowing my candle.Looking on were 7 kids. As I zoomed into the faces of my guests, I noticed a very familiar face. Yes, it was his 5-year old self in a striped polo shirt, and beside him was his lovely sister....

This story is in dire need of an ending....