Saturday, August 7, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
THE SONG OF CLAUDIA
She came to her island by the sea,
This time to be a lovely bride,
She is back to fill a long lost dream,
That failed to grow during her early teen.
It was many, many years ago on the bay,
When she met her groom that day,
She was then fifteen barely a lady,
Growing on this island by the sea....
But aspirations flew her over oceans away,
Long, long ago from her island by the sea,
She moved to the west leaving the east,
To achieve what she wanted to be.
Years after the year she became a young lady,
She found a love from a man who is free, ,
They toiled their life and built a family,
Away from home on the island on the bay....
As their love grew people would envy,
How barriers were crossed along the way,
Feelings and sweet words that they convey,
Nourished their mornings and the rest of the day.
Then it happened many, many years ago,
In her world that was lovely place she knew,
When she laid still one quiet night,
He dashed away from the very bright light....
She traveled back to her island by the sea,
To lift her sadness and to refresh her memory,
When a chance encounter one bright sunny day,
She met the boy who was on the bay.
Ever since then he extended his hands,
He liked her back to her little island,
To be with her became his life’s yearning.
Ignited by the spark of the second beginning....
Ever since that encounter, she felt so well,
That she decided to make a lifetime farewell,
To leave the country she spent many years,
To come and live on her island that is dear.
One day in April with the tingling of a bell,
Walks the bride sheathed by a flimsy white veil,
Her man by her side and at last it will be,
Their celebration on her island by the sea....
I met Claudia, not her real name, through the Pang.org and she became my friend. She was born on an island by the China Sea, on the western tip of Pangasinan but moved to Europe after graduation from high school. This is her story--A.G.
The SAMPAGUITA music soundtrack was provided by this talented young man. This is his video from Youtube...
This time to be a lovely bride,
She is back to fill a long lost dream,
That failed to grow during her early teen.
It was many, many years ago on the bay,
When she met her groom that day,
She was then fifteen barely a lady,
Growing on this island by the sea....
But aspirations flew her over oceans away,
Long, long ago from her island by the sea,
She moved to the west leaving the east,
To achieve what she wanted to be.
Years after the year she became a young lady,
She found a love from a man who is free, ,
They toiled their life and built a family,
Away from home on the island on the bay....
As their love grew people would envy,
How barriers were crossed along the way,
Feelings and sweet words that they convey,
Nourished their mornings and the rest of the day.
Then it happened many, many years ago,
In her world that was lovely place she knew,
When she laid still one quiet night,
He dashed away from the very bright light....
She traveled back to her island by the sea,
To lift her sadness and to refresh her memory,
When a chance encounter one bright sunny day,
She met the boy who was on the bay.
Ever since then he extended his hands,
He liked her back to her little island,
To be with her became his life’s yearning.
Ignited by the spark of the second beginning....
Ever since that encounter, she felt so well,
That she decided to make a lifetime farewell,
To leave the country she spent many years,
To come and live on her island that is dear.
One day in April with the tingling of a bell,
Walks the bride sheathed by a flimsy white veil,
Her man by her side and at last it will be,
Their celebration on her island by the sea....
I met Claudia, not her real name, through the Pang.org and she became my friend. She was born on an island by the China Sea, on the western tip of Pangasinan but moved to Europe after graduation from high school. This is her story--A.G.
The SAMPAGUITA music soundtrack was provided by this talented young man. This is his video from Youtube...
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
MANILA THE UNFORGETTABLE
I found another oldie in Youtube and this one was sung by VICTOR WOOD ( hey tukayo! ). I bought many of his audio tapes when I went home in 1988 ( first time after 12 years ) from Alemar's along Avenida..The sky train was not still constructed then so Avenida has still the ambience I enjoyed when I was a College student.
I love browsing over its books. That's all I can do because then, I was still in college. My pockets were still very deep. And some pockets have holes in them. In short, I was always short of moolah!
But I did spend most of free time in Avenida and its surrounding networks of streets..Raon, Ronquillo, Carriedo, etc. Either street you go, you can always find interesting shops or eateries that would really make your salivary glands swell like crazy..Very nice aroma of Comida Chinas or all kinds of meat in their barbeque spits..AND all I can afford then was a siopao and a coke..Rest of money was for jeep or bus fare going to school.
Avenida Rizal is now a grimy street out of a Bladerunner movie set. Dirt, black mud and piss are splattered all over..The surviving book store is now National Book store with its numerous franchises in various swanky malls all over the metropolis..
Manila is still the place for me to wander if I only have the freedom to pull up my stakes and leave Canada.
But then, you need a good place to stay in Manila too so hustlers won't deprive you of your wallet ( or maybe even your life ) while you are doing some serious window shopping..:)
Monday, August 2, 2010
gaano kita kamahal
Ikaw lamang ang aking iibigin
Magpakailanman
Ang pag-ibig ko sa 'yo ay tunay
Nais ko sanang patunayan
Huwag ka nang mag-alinlangan
Ang pag-ibig ko'y hindi kukupas
Tulad din ng umaga
May pag-asang sumisikat
Chorus:
Ang ating buhay
Maikli aking hirang
Kung kaya't kailangan ng pagsuyong wagas
Kailanman
Ang sumpa ko sa iyo'y asahan
Ikaw lamang ang aking iibigin mapakailanman
Chorus:
Ang ating buhay
Maikli aking hirang
Kung kaya't kailangan ng pagsuyong wagas
Kailanman
Ang sumpa ko sa iyo'y asahan
Ikaw lamang ang aking iibigin
Magpakailanman
attaching the video I deleted accidentally...
Thursday, July 29, 2010
FIRE AND ICE by Robert Frost
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice. --Robert Frost
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
HAPPY ANNIVERSAY!!!!!! TO BOTH OF YOU. THAT HAS BEEN QUITE A WHILE BUT YOU KNOW, SOME OF IT STAYS AS FRESH AS MARUNGGAY JUST PLUCKED FROM ITS LIMB. I HAD THE GREATEST TIME IN MY LIFE PLAYING A BIT ROLE IN YOUR GRAND LOVE AFFAIR. I LOVE TO REMINISCE THE NIGHT SWIMMING WE DID IN LINGAYEN BEACH. ONCE IN A WHILE, I THINK OF THAT NIGHT AND THE NAUGHTINESS OF MY YOUTHFUL DAYS ONCE AGAIN BRINGS BACK MEMORIES WRITTEN IN THE DARK AND HAD STAYED INTACT IN THE AGING PAGES OF MY BOOK OF LIFE. YEAH, IT WAS DARK AND THE MOSQUITOES WERE FEASTING ON US BUT NEVERTHELESS, IT WAS A NIGHT TO REMEMBER. YOU AND NITZ WENT THE OPPOSITE WAY TO EXPLORE THE WONDERS OF THE DARK IN A BEACH WHOSE STILLNESS DEFIED RELENTLESS WAVES AND DROWNED THE THUNDER OF POUNDING HEARTS. I TOOK HER HAND AND LED HER TO WHERE THE WAVES KISSED THE SANDY BEACH AND IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT, (AND AWAY FROM BOTH OF YOU) WE WROTE A BRIEF STORY (WITHOUT A HAPPY ENDING LIKE YOURS), BUT ONE THAT I WON'T GET BORED READING UNTIL MY MEMORY FADES. SHE IS NAMELESS HERE BUT I'M SURE YOU REMEMBER HER. PLEASE SAY HI TO HER FOR ME, IN CASE YOU GET IN TOUCH WITH HER. WELL, BUDDY, JUST THOUGHT TO SAY HI. IT HAS BEEN A REALLY LONG TIME. I WISH YOU COULD COME BY AGAIN. THE HOUSE THAT I DID NOT GET TO SHOW YOU BECAUSE IT WAS ALL TORN UP, IS NOW PUT TOGETHER. WE ADDED A NEW WING WHICH IS NOW OUR MASTER BEDROOM, A LARGE DECK, A NEW GARAGE WITH A LARGE ROOM ABOVE IT, AND A GAZEBO OVERLOOKING THE DECK. IT IS ACTUALLY OUR DINING ROOM. THE OLD TOOL SHED IS GONE AND WE HAVE A NEW ONE THAT I DESIGNED MYSELF AND IT STANDS OUT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE IT IS UNCONVENTIONAL IN TERMS OF TOOL-SHED DESIGN. WE CONVERTED THE OLD GARAGE INTO A CULINARY LABORATORY WHERE I PERFORM SOME CULINARY EXPERIMENTS EVERY FULL MOON. I CALL IT THAY WAY INSTEAD OF "DIRTY KITCHEN' BECAUSE IT IS NOT DIRTY AT ALL. WHOEVER COINED THAT TERM MUST NOT KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BROOM HANDLE AND A SPATULA. WE HAVE THREE GUESTS THIS WEEKEND. THEY WERE FORMER DORM MATES OF DAUGHTER KARLA WHEN SHE WAS IN UNDERGRAD SCHOOL AT N Y U. THE LADIES LOVED HAVING BREAKFAST AT THE GAZEBO THIS MORNING. THE COLORFUL SIGHT IN THE BACKYARD MAKES UP FOR WHAT IS MISSING ON THE BREAKFAST TABLE. I TRY TO KEEP THE DECK AND THE YARD ALIVE WITH COLORS DURING THE SUMMER. I GET UP AS EARLY AS 3:00 AM TO TAKE CARE OF THE PLANTS BEFORE I GET READY FOR WORK. SO LONG. HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN SOMEDAY, SOON. BEN
___________
Thanks for the encouragement, Sonny. Bay-am ta no manayon ti biag ko ket agbalinak to piman nga mannurat. That will be in my next life. Then my English instructor's wish for me to be published, will indeed come true. I had to take a class in English Composition as a pre-requisite to my BSN. I must have impressed her a lot with the papers I wrote. One day she took her daughter to the Navy Tricare clinic where your Auntie used to work at. She got curious, apparently, when she noticed your Auntie's name tag which of course, is my last name. To make the story short, she found out that your Auntie is my wife. When your Auntie came home that night, she related to me how this Mrs. Cooper went on singing praises for me in the presence of your Auntie's co-workers. "She calls you the "last sensitive man of the 20th century." I was tickled to death to hear that. Anyway, with time, maybe I could develop half of your writing prowess and style. Some old fellow predicted that you will grow up to be a sharp man. You must have been three years old at the time. You developed some indurated lesions on your scalp. They were rather large, almost egg size. If you were in America then, I'm sure that the clinician would have ordered a whole bunch of diagnostic tests to find out the etiology of your condition. But back there in the country where we all grew up, that didn't seem to be of much concern for anyone. Of course we were all worried but it was compensated by the prophetic diagnosis that kids who develop those kinds of scalp lesions grow up smart. (They must have been extra brain cells.) But anyway, the funny thing about that was, the old folks' way of getting rid of the "bukols" from your head Guess what? Now that I have some medical orientation, I can laugh about it. The folks' recommended treatment was for you to plant spider lilies. So your Inang dug up some spider lily bulbs from your Auntie Rosing's garden and had you plant them in your front yard. That was real weird, but it seemed to have worked because your lesions disappeared not long after you planted the lilies. And did you know who picked your name, by the way. I'll tell you next time I visit the board. Vic is right. Not that I have 2 paying jobs but it seems that way with me. My weekends are busier than normal work days. I used to be able to access the website from my office computer but the government had started cracking down on computer abuse and misuse at work, so now, they have installed mechanisms to keep people from visiting unauthorized web sites. And when I get home from work, the last thing I want to touch is another computer. Oops, it's past midnight. Got to be up at 4:30 this morning. I'll catch up with you and the board. Good night. Uncle Ben
----
I have but just a hazy recollection of that boyish episode. But yes, I know I had those “dugol” but I can’t recall now how they went off. Those spider lilies are called “bakong” in Ilocano and they are still a common fixture in most local gardens. I didn’t know they have this mystical power… >>>> After you left DWA, I appropriated for myself a literature textbook of yours and another one called Philippine Reader by Camilo Osias from your old bookshelf. I actually borrowed it from Auntie Lita but I never returned them after you all went to Guam. These were my informal reading materials which I voraciously read and re-read many, many times from cover to cover. It is from these books that I learned to appreciate good literature and we were probably nurtured from the same books. I did not find such good quality materials from the NCS or RA Textbooks during my time. Reading materials then were somewhat difficult to come by. Every Wednesday, my cousin Ambong and myself will be eagerly awaiting Apong Abe’s Bannawag. While he reads on his rocking chair, we will be pestering him from behind until he is finished with it - prematurely surrendering the magazine to us, most of the time, because of our boyish meddling and mono-syllabic reading aloud of the adventures of Captain Barbell, etc. Sometimes, I would go under Apong Pe’s “parsa” and remove the magazine pages wrapped around the dangling ampalayas just to read their contents. I was such a sponge then but there is not enough to be absorbed. What I lacked in books is filled in by komiks. Auntie Mila has a big collection and she has a network of komiks addicts in the neighborhood. I used to run errands for her, returning and retrieving komiks from “neighbor’s” houses which could be half a kilometer away. I didnt mind the distance, its the chasing dogs that I detest. >>>> I don’t know how I was given my name nor was I aware that there is a story behind it. But I am happy with it. Its quite rare and unique. And in all the literature that I read and movies that I watched, my name is always associated to a good guy - which I am. But in Rizal’s El Fili, Isagani is a hopeless romantic (which I am, also) who chose to save her ex-GF from the explosive filled lamp aimed at decimating the top civil and religious leaders who were in attendance at her wedding party. Thus, he unwittingly exposed and untracked the revolution which is to start that night. Now, would have I done the same given the situation… most probably yes. So to prevent such a treason on my part, I married ahead of my ex… .
_______________
Pity I didn't get to closely watch you grow up. You were not of school age yet when I left town for college. But let me tell you, besides Marlene, you and Ambong never ran out of eager arms to hold you. Marlene was the first one to enjoy that much attention, then you and Ambong came along. Every chance we had, we took turns carrying you. We were that hungry to play with little kids like you. Ambong was more emotionally sensitive than you were. We had to be careful not to make him cry because if he did, he would turn blue from losing his breath. The most difficult thing to watch about you was your habit of keeping your food in your mouth for the longest time. By the time you finished breakfast, it's lunch time. Your favorite among us was your Uncle Arthur. You used to cry everytime you saw him leave for school. Then he left for the seminary hoping to become a priest someday but, we all know what happened with that. Then it was my turn to go. I don't remember seeing you on the day I left. It was the morning after my high school graduation. I stopped in Manaoag for a brief pilrimage at the shrine of the miraculous Lady of Manaoag, then caught a Pantranco bus for Baguio. I made a promise to myself to come home to Asingan only after I earned my college degree. Of course that didn't happen because I came home for Cielo's baptism. I was her godfather. (May she rest in peace.) I was in my junior year at the time. I heard of you early academic successes. For instance, your participation in a provincewide competition. Not too sure if it was math or spelling but you did an outstanding job in that event. I'm sure you had a lot of those academic conquests which slipped by me because I was too absorbed trying to make it through college while working at the same time. I wrote briefly about my life of deprivation as a working college student in my autobiography that was required by the diocese of Virginia for my petition for annulment of my first marriage in the Catholic Church. The diocese official who interviewed me prior to granting my request was quite moved by that part of my sad story. She was misty-eyed, her chin was down on her chest. Anyway, back to you. Yes your name came from that classic Philippine novel. I volunteered the name "Elmer" for you but your Auntie Rosing prevailed. It was a good choice, indeed. Nobody in town (that we knew of) was named Sonny or Isagani at that time. You would have been the second "Elmer" known to us because there was a guy in poblacion who went to school in Dupac with your Auntie Mila whose name was Elmer (Agsalud). And yes, you did have one heroic act that I can remember. It was on your Auntie Laling's wedding to Uncle Sally. Alex, who was going to be the ring bearer could not be awakened from deep sleep. Your Apong Misiong cautioned everybody not to push him because he would surely throw a fit if he woke up. Who would know him better than his own father? So the one and only choice was you. The houses being so close, I heard your Auntie Rosing yell out a command through the window for your Mama to get you ready. Everybody was kind of stressed out because it was time to hit the road for the church and no ring bearer, yet. I was in your house that morning. You were doing the usual thing, playing with your food in your mouth early in the morning. Your Mama picked you up, your mouth full of food and got you dressed for the occasion. You saved the day for the happy couple. I'm sure you did other feats of heroism. I know you can write about them and let us enjoy your stories. So long. --uNCLE bEN
-------
___________
Thanks for the encouragement, Sonny. Bay-am ta no manayon ti biag ko ket agbalinak to piman nga mannurat. That will be in my next life. Then my English instructor's wish for me to be published, will indeed come true. I had to take a class in English Composition as a pre-requisite to my BSN. I must have impressed her a lot with the papers I wrote. One day she took her daughter to the Navy Tricare clinic where your Auntie used to work at. She got curious, apparently, when she noticed your Auntie's name tag which of course, is my last name. To make the story short, she found out that your Auntie is my wife. When your Auntie came home that night, she related to me how this Mrs. Cooper went on singing praises for me in the presence of your Auntie's co-workers. "She calls you the "last sensitive man of the 20th century." I was tickled to death to hear that. Anyway, with time, maybe I could develop half of your writing prowess and style. Some old fellow predicted that you will grow up to be a sharp man. You must have been three years old at the time. You developed some indurated lesions on your scalp. They were rather large, almost egg size. If you were in America then, I'm sure that the clinician would have ordered a whole bunch of diagnostic tests to find out the etiology of your condition. But back there in the country where we all grew up, that didn't seem to be of much concern for anyone. Of course we were all worried but it was compensated by the prophetic diagnosis that kids who develop those kinds of scalp lesions grow up smart. (They must have been extra brain cells.) But anyway, the funny thing about that was, the old folks' way of getting rid of the "bukols" from your head Guess what? Now that I have some medical orientation, I can laugh about it. The folks' recommended treatment was for you to plant spider lilies. So your Inang dug up some spider lily bulbs from your Auntie Rosing's garden and had you plant them in your front yard. That was real weird, but it seemed to have worked because your lesions disappeared not long after you planted the lilies. And did you know who picked your name, by the way. I'll tell you next time I visit the board. Vic is right. Not that I have 2 paying jobs but it seems that way with me. My weekends are busier than normal work days. I used to be able to access the website from my office computer but the government had started cracking down on computer abuse and misuse at work, so now, they have installed mechanisms to keep people from visiting unauthorized web sites. And when I get home from work, the last thing I want to touch is another computer. Oops, it's past midnight. Got to be up at 4:30 this morning. I'll catch up with you and the board. Good night. Uncle Ben
----
I have but just a hazy recollection of that boyish episode. But yes, I know I had those “dugol” but I can’t recall now how they went off. Those spider lilies are called “bakong” in Ilocano and they are still a common fixture in most local gardens. I didn’t know they have this mystical power… >>>> After you left DWA, I appropriated for myself a literature textbook of yours and another one called Philippine Reader by Camilo Osias from your old bookshelf. I actually borrowed it from Auntie Lita but I never returned them after you all went to Guam. These were my informal reading materials which I voraciously read and re-read many, many times from cover to cover. It is from these books that I learned to appreciate good literature and we were probably nurtured from the same books. I did not find such good quality materials from the NCS or RA Textbooks during my time. Reading materials then were somewhat difficult to come by. Every Wednesday, my cousin Ambong and myself will be eagerly awaiting Apong Abe’s Bannawag. While he reads on his rocking chair, we will be pestering him from behind until he is finished with it - prematurely surrendering the magazine to us, most of the time, because of our boyish meddling and mono-syllabic reading aloud of the adventures of Captain Barbell, etc. Sometimes, I would go under Apong Pe’s “parsa” and remove the magazine pages wrapped around the dangling ampalayas just to read their contents. I was such a sponge then but there is not enough to be absorbed. What I lacked in books is filled in by komiks. Auntie Mila has a big collection and she has a network of komiks addicts in the neighborhood. I used to run errands for her, returning and retrieving komiks from “neighbor’s” houses which could be half a kilometer away. I didnt mind the distance, its the chasing dogs that I detest. >>>> I don’t know how I was given my name nor was I aware that there is a story behind it. But I am happy with it. Its quite rare and unique. And in all the literature that I read and movies that I watched, my name is always associated to a good guy - which I am. But in Rizal’s El Fili, Isagani is a hopeless romantic (which I am, also) who chose to save her ex-GF from the explosive filled lamp aimed at decimating the top civil and religious leaders who were in attendance at her wedding party. Thus, he unwittingly exposed and untracked the revolution which is to start that night. Now, would have I done the same given the situation… most probably yes. So to prevent such a treason on my part, I married ahead of my ex… .
_______________
Pity I didn't get to closely watch you grow up. You were not of school age yet when I left town for college. But let me tell you, besides Marlene, you and Ambong never ran out of eager arms to hold you. Marlene was the first one to enjoy that much attention, then you and Ambong came along. Every chance we had, we took turns carrying you. We were that hungry to play with little kids like you. Ambong was more emotionally sensitive than you were. We had to be careful not to make him cry because if he did, he would turn blue from losing his breath. The most difficult thing to watch about you was your habit of keeping your food in your mouth for the longest time. By the time you finished breakfast, it's lunch time. Your favorite among us was your Uncle Arthur. You used to cry everytime you saw him leave for school. Then he left for the seminary hoping to become a priest someday but, we all know what happened with that. Then it was my turn to go. I don't remember seeing you on the day I left. It was the morning after my high school graduation. I stopped in Manaoag for a brief pilrimage at the shrine of the miraculous Lady of Manaoag, then caught a Pantranco bus for Baguio. I made a promise to myself to come home to Asingan only after I earned my college degree. Of course that didn't happen because I came home for Cielo's baptism. I was her godfather. (May she rest in peace.) I was in my junior year at the time. I heard of you early academic successes. For instance, your participation in a provincewide competition. Not too sure if it was math or spelling but you did an outstanding job in that event. I'm sure you had a lot of those academic conquests which slipped by me because I was too absorbed trying to make it through college while working at the same time. I wrote briefly about my life of deprivation as a working college student in my autobiography that was required by the diocese of Virginia for my petition for annulment of my first marriage in the Catholic Church. The diocese official who interviewed me prior to granting my request was quite moved by that part of my sad story. She was misty-eyed, her chin was down on her chest. Anyway, back to you. Yes your name came from that classic Philippine novel. I volunteered the name "Elmer" for you but your Auntie Rosing prevailed. It was a good choice, indeed. Nobody in town (that we knew of) was named Sonny or Isagani at that time. You would have been the second "Elmer" known to us because there was a guy in poblacion who went to school in Dupac with your Auntie Mila whose name was Elmer (Agsalud). And yes, you did have one heroic act that I can remember. It was on your Auntie Laling's wedding to Uncle Sally. Alex, who was going to be the ring bearer could not be awakened from deep sleep. Your Apong Misiong cautioned everybody not to push him because he would surely throw a fit if he woke up. Who would know him better than his own father? So the one and only choice was you. The houses being so close, I heard your Auntie Rosing yell out a command through the window for your Mama to get you ready. Everybody was kind of stressed out because it was time to hit the road for the church and no ring bearer, yet. I was in your house that morning. You were doing the usual thing, playing with your food in your mouth early in the morning. Your Mama picked you up, your mouth full of food and got you dressed for the occasion. You saved the day for the happy couple. I'm sure you did other feats of heroism. I know you can write about them and let us enjoy your stories. So long. --uNCLE bEN
-------
Numerology is sometimes accepted as a "psuedo" science just like reading Tarot cards..:D..There is an upcoming movie which will star Shirley Mclaine as the psychic Sandra Browne,I think..Ms. Browne is a GENUINE PSYCHIC. That means she can read the future of other people, but NOT HER OWN FUTURE..Just like a doctor can treat others, but he can not treat himself..I believe in ESP, I believe in GENUINE PSYCHICS..These people are gifted by God with these powers...The image of Genuine Psychics are being screwed by Fake ones..:D..I will tell you a story, and this might change a line in my previous posting..When I quit UPCF, I did not receive my Visa approval yet but I did already my medical exam done by a Canadian Consulate doctor..But life in UPCF has grown so hectic due to internal politics that I decided to quit...So I packed all my things and went back to Asingan...Went back to the old hometown on March '75..stayed in our old house. My brod had already gone ahead to Canada, a month before(February )..I took the silong of our house where they stayed for several years while I stayed in Laguna...Our maid was an old woman from laoac. She said she knew some psychics in this barrio. I believe her because I think my grandma is one of them..But she is already dead when I came back to Asingan.. I had 2 kids already ( Miggie is expecting our 3rd ). Passing a medical exam by the consulate does not guarantee you a visa yet..I wanted to know if I will get one. ..Our maid said I will ask my psychic friends, they are good!She called them mammuyon.. ..I did not even tell her the actual question..Just ask the pyschics, I said:"Will my present plan be realized?" My maid went to Laoac in the am and in the pm, she came back.."My friends said YES..You just wait for 4 months.!" Here is the number 4 again..I felt slightly relieved and I tried to while away the days of terrible days of waiting and waiting by visiting friends in Asingan...After 4 months, came July 4, I received the letter from the Canadian Consulate saying our Visa was approved..This is not a cock and bull story. It really happened to me. 1 month later, August 30, we left the Philippines..Ergo, I believe that there are real psychics amongst us, it is just a matter of finding them..The psychics who predicted it did not even ask for any money in return...!
----
Suddenly i started to count and tried to match numbers with my past. Just for fun i tried counting how many GFs i had. This time my magic number 10 fall short he he he. I am short by a point. Still lucky number though. So you were in Asingan sometime in the early 70's. Nagpang-abot pala tayo. I was first year high school when martial law was declared in 1972. You probably had seen me walking under the sun on my way to Asingan Community High School. We always passed by the front of your Hispanic inspired ancestral house. Most of the time we slowed down and take refuge under the shady acacia trees just accross your house.If you happened to notice a "lovely" couple under one umbrella, that's me and the number 1 in my list. She's long-haired with an angelic face. Don't know how such duo match, me being in the opposite category. We had this (mag-kapayong) going until she graduated and went to college in Manila. She's ahead of me by one year. I was in my senior year then when you left and migrated to Canada in 1975. Will try to recollect if such first love of mine is worth another posting, uhmm.--aLAKDAN
___________
Do post your stories, Alakdan because I am sure love stories are quite popular to readers or fans tele-novela series..And the most interesting ones are those that got away ( or we the male sex were the ones who run away..?..just kidding )..I could not get too close with the my first crush. I loved her to a passion, but she was 15 years older than me, ha-ha! They say first love never dies. This one died maybe after 10 years..Funny how we teenagers loved then in a setting that is Asingan..If they see you walking side by side, they would say you are already sleeping together ..I was in Asingan ( working for RA ) from 1966-68.. Just graduated from College and Mr. Amado Esteban offered me a teaching job. I accepted the job because number 2 was still in town ( I was starting to forget no. 1 )..THis time no. 2 is very much younger than me, I went to the opposite direction..:)..Geez, either too young or too old, hah!!..And there were still a few, the short lived ones, who happened to be there when I was in a rebound..:D...I do not feel embarrassed anymore first, I do not live in Asingan anymore, second, most of those who knew re: my early loves are either dead or have the Alzeimer's or are already abroad and they are not fond of opening computers, muche less going to AMB..Go ahead, write down a cursory account of your puppy loves..Hopefully, Icarus will follow suit..ha-ha-ha!!!
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( This is quite a long story to read but I just like to share it with all of you, young lovers of yesteryears, hehehe) **First Love*** I was then a 15-year-old, unassuming, and an easy going teenager. My social life was with my high school classmates and with my neighborhood friends. Girls were not in my mind and nothing excited me more than goofing at the beach of Lingayen Gulf or watching movies in the cinemas of Dagupan City. My high school was a rural, non-academic in curriculum and homework was minimal so I had a lot of free time... Going to church on Sundays was an obligation which was a habit that I acquired from my parents. It was on one of those Sundays in church when I first noticed a young girl in blue gingham dress walking towards the front of the church with her mother. For the first time in my life, I thought I saw a very beautiful girl. Although I’ve known her since she was seven and I was eight, she somehow looked like somebody new in my hometown... Ever since that Sunday, I started grooming myself so she’d take notice of me. I thought of her often during the day and she sometimes enlivened my dreams at night. Like most teenagers, I was inpatient and to satisfy my longing, I passed by her house every evening just in case I’d have a chance to talk to her. Occasionally, I would catch a glimpse of her inside her house, but nothing could satisfy me until she’d know that I existed... After a month of desperately wanting to be noticed to no avail, I gained enough courage to pay her a visit. One Saturday evening, I put on my best outfit and proceeded to her house but my attempt fizzled out when I saw their family car in the carport. Her parents were prominent citizens of the town because they were well schooled. Her mom was a school superintendent and her dad had a high government position as shown by the car plate license number... My family was modestly middle class and as a young boy I looked up at her parents as above my social level. Two weeks later, I noticed the carport empty so I hurried back home to groom myself, then plucked some roses from my mother’s potted plants and hurriedly went to her house that evening. Thinking that her parents were away, I knocked at her house door. With the porch light shinning bright on my face, the door opened with a big surprise. Her mother was smiling and greeted me as she was amused at the sight of a dashing young Romeo holding some roses. I stood frozen as my whole body temperature shot up and my fair skin could not mask the blushing of my face. I could feel beads of perspiration rolling down my forehead but her mother was very nice and quick to calm down my anxiety by inviting me to come inside. Without hesitation, she announced my very presence to her daughter. She conveniently left the living room and her daughter sheepishly came out and noticed my flushed complexion. I handed her the roses and all I could say was “how are you?” because my sight was fixated on her without saying any word.. She did the talking, trying to calm me down from my embarrassment. Fifteen minutes was all I could bear. The heat all over my body and my unease made me suffocate so I decided to bid her goodnight. I went home extremely happy for feeling like a winner, having hurdled the first inning... The second and succeeding visits got me accustomed to her very nice mother who was understanding and very entertaining. For my part, I planned the topics on what to talk about so I could impress her and also make an indelible mark to her mother who was a smart. Valentine’s Day, February 14 came and during the dance at her school she gave me her valentine heart pin, a pin that I kept like a million dollar souvenir. At the end of the school year, I graduated from high school and was accepted at a University in Quezon City. I impressed her mother and she told me that she attended the same school and wished me good luck. Before I left for college I told my friend that I liked her and I’ll miss her dearly and I‘ll always think of her. She replied with a smile and said that she’ll also miss me... College was tough for me, the experience was a payback for not being trained in high school. I managed to write her once but the pressure I encountered with the likes of College Algebra, Chemistry, College English were so overwhelming that I had to work double time in order to catch up with my classmates and avoid being kicked out of the school. I stopped my correspondence with her with the thought that I would see her when I’d go home during the semester and Christmas breaks. To my surprise, I was disappointed to find out that her parents had moved to central Philippines because her mother was transferred to a new office... In the meantime, I met other girls whom I developed some fancy and after graduating from college, I ended up working for a company in Pasig. I occasionally visited my hometown but she was nowhere around during my visits and our path didn’t cross again until I was about to leave the country to immigrate. It was during the town fiesta dance at the auditorium when I saw her as a full bloomed lady, lovely and beautiful as ever. She was surprised as I was to see her and I invited her to dance. I complemented her that she was pretty and she smiled and whispered “bolero”. I didn’t pickup what she meant, whether it was about what I said or what I did, but after the music as I was walking her to her seat, I asked how life was treating her for which she replied that she was getting married the following month. I was dumbfounded but I managed to congratulate her. She introduced me to her fiancé and that was the last time I saw her because I left the Philippines soon after. Twenty years later during my visit to my hometown to celebrate the golden wedding anniversary of my parents, I met her mother again and we became good friends, corresponding regularly until she passed away. I found out that her daughter had moved to America where she raised her family.---a rEADER
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When I was in high school, my friends and I would have a beat on who can collect the most numbers of Valentine pins during the Valentine dance. It was our simple way of knowing who among us was the most likable boy. We did it in other high schools in town where we were not familiar with the girls. In this way, the power of persuasion was based only on the way we presented ourselves. --a rEADER
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Suddenly i started to count and tried to match numbers with my past. Just for fun i tried counting how many GFs i had. This time my magic number 10 fall short he he he. I am short by a point. Still lucky number though. So you were in Asingan sometime in the early 70's. Nagpang-abot pala tayo. I was first year high school when martial law was declared in 1972. You probably had seen me walking under the sun on my way to Asingan Community High School. We always passed by the front of your Hispanic inspired ancestral house. Most of the time we slowed down and take refuge under the shady acacia trees just accross your house.If you happened to notice a "lovely" couple under one umbrella, that's me and the number 1 in my list. She's long-haired with an angelic face. Don't know how such duo match, me being in the opposite category. We had this (mag-kapayong) going until she graduated and went to college in Manila. She's ahead of me by one year. I was in my senior year then when you left and migrated to Canada in 1975. Will try to recollect if such first love of mine is worth another posting, uhmm.--aLAKDAN
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Do post your stories, Alakdan because I am sure love stories are quite popular to readers or fans tele-novela series..And the most interesting ones are those that got away ( or we the male sex were the ones who run away..?..just kidding )..I could not get too close with the my first crush. I loved her to a passion, but she was 15 years older than me, ha-ha! They say first love never dies. This one died maybe after 10 years..Funny how we teenagers loved then in a setting that is Asingan..If they see you walking side by side, they would say you are already sleeping together ..I was in Asingan ( working for RA ) from 1966-68.. Just graduated from College and Mr. Amado Esteban offered me a teaching job. I accepted the job because number 2 was still in town ( I was starting to forget no. 1 )..THis time no. 2 is very much younger than me, I went to the opposite direction..:)..Geez, either too young or too old, hah!!..And there were still a few, the short lived ones, who happened to be there when I was in a rebound..:D...I do not feel embarrassed anymore first, I do not live in Asingan anymore, second, most of those who knew re: my early loves are either dead or have the Alzeimer's or are already abroad and they are not fond of opening computers, muche less going to AMB..Go ahead, write down a cursory account of your puppy loves..Hopefully, Icarus will follow suit..ha-ha-ha!!!
______________
( This is quite a long story to read but I just like to share it with all of you, young lovers of yesteryears, hehehe) **First Love*** I was then a 15-year-old, unassuming, and an easy going teenager. My social life was with my high school classmates and with my neighborhood friends. Girls were not in my mind and nothing excited me more than goofing at the beach of Lingayen Gulf or watching movies in the cinemas of Dagupan City. My high school was a rural, non-academic in curriculum and homework was minimal so I had a lot of free time... Going to church on Sundays was an obligation which was a habit that I acquired from my parents. It was on one of those Sundays in church when I first noticed a young girl in blue gingham dress walking towards the front of the church with her mother. For the first time in my life, I thought I saw a very beautiful girl. Although I’ve known her since she was seven and I was eight, she somehow looked like somebody new in my hometown... Ever since that Sunday, I started grooming myself so she’d take notice of me. I thought of her often during the day and she sometimes enlivened my dreams at night. Like most teenagers, I was inpatient and to satisfy my longing, I passed by her house every evening just in case I’d have a chance to talk to her. Occasionally, I would catch a glimpse of her inside her house, but nothing could satisfy me until she’d know that I existed... After a month of desperately wanting to be noticed to no avail, I gained enough courage to pay her a visit. One Saturday evening, I put on my best outfit and proceeded to her house but my attempt fizzled out when I saw their family car in the carport. Her parents were prominent citizens of the town because they were well schooled. Her mom was a school superintendent and her dad had a high government position as shown by the car plate license number... My family was modestly middle class and as a young boy I looked up at her parents as above my social level. Two weeks later, I noticed the carport empty so I hurried back home to groom myself, then plucked some roses from my mother’s potted plants and hurriedly went to her house that evening. Thinking that her parents were away, I knocked at her house door. With the porch light shinning bright on my face, the door opened with a big surprise. Her mother was smiling and greeted me as she was amused at the sight of a dashing young Romeo holding some roses. I stood frozen as my whole body temperature shot up and my fair skin could not mask the blushing of my face. I could feel beads of perspiration rolling down my forehead but her mother was very nice and quick to calm down my anxiety by inviting me to come inside. Without hesitation, she announced my very presence to her daughter. She conveniently left the living room and her daughter sheepishly came out and noticed my flushed complexion. I handed her the roses and all I could say was “how are you?” because my sight was fixated on her without saying any word.. She did the talking, trying to calm me down from my embarrassment. Fifteen minutes was all I could bear. The heat all over my body and my unease made me suffocate so I decided to bid her goodnight. I went home extremely happy for feeling like a winner, having hurdled the first inning... The second and succeeding visits got me accustomed to her very nice mother who was understanding and very entertaining. For my part, I planned the topics on what to talk about so I could impress her and also make an indelible mark to her mother who was a smart. Valentine’s Day, February 14 came and during the dance at her school she gave me her valentine heart pin, a pin that I kept like a million dollar souvenir. At the end of the school year, I graduated from high school and was accepted at a University in Quezon City. I impressed her mother and she told me that she attended the same school and wished me good luck. Before I left for college I told my friend that I liked her and I’ll miss her dearly and I‘ll always think of her. She replied with a smile and said that she’ll also miss me... College was tough for me, the experience was a payback for not being trained in high school. I managed to write her once but the pressure I encountered with the likes of College Algebra, Chemistry, College English were so overwhelming that I had to work double time in order to catch up with my classmates and avoid being kicked out of the school. I stopped my correspondence with her with the thought that I would see her when I’d go home during the semester and Christmas breaks. To my surprise, I was disappointed to find out that her parents had moved to central Philippines because her mother was transferred to a new office... In the meantime, I met other girls whom I developed some fancy and after graduating from college, I ended up working for a company in Pasig. I occasionally visited my hometown but she was nowhere around during my visits and our path didn’t cross again until I was about to leave the country to immigrate. It was during the town fiesta dance at the auditorium when I saw her as a full bloomed lady, lovely and beautiful as ever. She was surprised as I was to see her and I invited her to dance. I complemented her that she was pretty and she smiled and whispered “bolero”. I didn’t pickup what she meant, whether it was about what I said or what I did, but after the music as I was walking her to her seat, I asked how life was treating her for which she replied that she was getting married the following month. I was dumbfounded but I managed to congratulate her. She introduced me to her fiancé and that was the last time I saw her because I left the Philippines soon after. Twenty years later during my visit to my hometown to celebrate the golden wedding anniversary of my parents, I met her mother again and we became good friends, corresponding regularly until she passed away. I found out that her daughter had moved to America where she raised her family.---a rEADER
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When I was in high school, my friends and I would have a beat on who can collect the most numbers of Valentine pins during the Valentine dance. It was our simple way of knowing who among us was the most likable boy. We did it in other high schools in town where we were not familiar with the girls. In this way, the power of persuasion was based only on the way we presented ourselves. --a rEADER
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