COMRADE COMEBACK

DISCLAIMER:

I was not gone for naught, for in my absence, life happened in its own scheme. Yet again. AND, I am not good at starting from where I left off, but I will have to try. So excuse me while I give you short highlights:

JULY


19

CINEMALAYA 2011: "Bahay Bata" and "Ang Babae sa Septic Tank" In photo set (Clockwise)  Ang Babae sa Septic Tank herself, Ms. Eugene Domingo; Me and Frau; ambush interviewee: JM De Guzman; Me and Glen

23

FAMILY REUNION IN TAGS: In photo set (Clockwise): Last day with Kuya Chris before he goes back to Germany; With Tita Suzzette, Mom, and Kuya Chris; With my niece, Marian; With Ate Gaye

26-27...

Going in and out of De La Salle Hospital with grammy till the first week of August.

AUGUST


02

HP 7.2 with Dad and Pao: Better late than never

08-13

CEBU DAYS/GRAMMY'S BIRTHDAY CELEB: In photo set (Clockwise): Tix for 5 pax; Takeoff sight; PAL; Touchdown Cebu!

CEBU DAYS/GRAMMY'S BIRTHDAY CELEB:
In photo set (Clockwise): Magellan's Cross; Fave Cebu resto: Casa Verde; Happy Ninja loves to eat!;
The best Fully Booked branch is in Ayala Ctr. Cebu!

CEBU DAYS/GRAMMY'S BIRTHDAY CELEB:
In photo set (Clockwise):  Danggit, Bay!; Lola's Raisin Cake. Thanks, Days Hotel!; Casa Verde's 9-inch Big Bang Burger! Watsuuuup?!; CnT Lechon!  

CEBU DAYS/GRAMMY'S BIRTHDAY CELEB:
In photo set (Clockwise): Last few hours in Cebu, off to Mactan Airport; "I'll see you soon!"; Taoist Temple (Sorry for this left-out photo); with the golden ladies (me, Tita Allane, Ate Nat; Grammy) 

CEBU DAYS/GRAMMY'S BIRTHDAY CELEB:
And of course, it is my pleasure to be my grammy's personal nurse all along!
I hope you enjoyed your 80th birthday! Love youuuu!

17

AN ANSWERED PRAYER! :-) I am officially employed.
For more details, you may ask me personally or wait for my separate blog post for this. Haha!
P.S. Somebody so dear to me gave me this book last Sunday.
I know right, it does fit. Thanks, Tita Cris! :-)

So fellas, that was indeed one thrill of a roller coaster ride! *catches breath*

And I bring all my thanks to the Lord. :-) 

This is Comrade Comeback, signing off. See you around. ;-)

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE ONCE MISUNDERSTOOD MAN

"It's not Aria that I don't trust. It's the rest of the world. You know what I mean." 

-Byron Montgomery, PLL

Probably, for the countless fights and the sleepless nights full of desolation that we had, I have gathered up the sum of the things that I wanted to understand but couldn't. Questions that I've been longing to ask you, but wouldn't.


Maybe the truth is, I've been stubborn enough to dig in deeper and find out what's enclosed to your iron fists. You know why? Because, I was thinking that you can't understand me; that we took two extreme routes while growing up; that you were not as hurt as I was. That it was way TOO MUCH.


How foolish. How selfish.


For such a long time, I've been trying to put your guidance through the wringer because I wanted to fathom every single thing while I was growing up. BUT yes, I can always find you winning. I will always be tossed to the right lane and be forced to yield, simply because. What is the sense of calling you my father then, right?
At the end of each painful day of chastening, I will always find myself confessing my faults; humbled and exposed to my wrongdoings.


I CAN SEE IT FROM YOUR END. By and by.
I am sorry that you have been misunderstood. For the times when all I cared about is to push my selfish ways.


This part right here, I will have to thank you.
The truth is, you were the first one to see me cry over a heartbreak. You have felt the need of guidance under the pouring of my emotions. You were the one who offered me help in times that I'm losing my sanity. You, together with mom, took me by the hand when I was hanging by a cliff. You did it because of one thing I'm certain of: LOVE.
EVERYTHING WITH PRAYER AND BY THE GRACE OF GOD.


Thank you for everything and I thank the good Lord for having you as my father.


Please know this:
For a lot of people, you might have left the impression of being the Modern Hitler or the greatest villain in my life during my college years, but for me, you're my father. The one who only wants the best for me.


A father who fears that her daughter would be eaten up by the world that surrounds her. 


Probably you can say this to me:

"It's not you that I don't trust, darling. It's the rest of the world. You know what I mean." 

Yes, I do. And I love you.


Written in delay. Because it can be father's day everyday. :-) 

APRIL'S READ: NICK HORNBY'S JULIET, NAKED

A graduation gift from a v. good friend,  Frauleine. :-)

What do you do if you think you've wasted fifteen years of your life? 

This is a story of two people who have reached the end of the road after quite realising that they have spent more than a decade of their lives by the wasteland instead of wonderland and being brought together by an album of crappy songs.

Simply trying to account someone's days, wondering where they had all gone and what have been missed.

Well, for Tucker Crowe and Annie Platt, that's the rub. 

This book's one that will fit under the Pop Culture shelf. An iPod Lit to be exact. If you happen to know the background of the author, Nick Hornby, you'll probably know the themes of his works: Music. Pop Culture. Messy relationships. So this book goes with all of the contents above. 

Here are some of the notes that I've written as I was reading:

• The mystery of Tucker, his MIA years and Annie's sense of reality.
• Tucker Crowe is a monumental figure of speech till he was resurrected on Chapter 4
• The redeeming and mending power of music.
• The growing catch of how Tucker would prove his identity to someone while for how many years he's been physically detached to his fans and all that. Sadly, he had let other people speak in his behalf without him attesting or denying a single statement-- these things put him in danger.
• Funny logical conversations about someone's death with a kid.
• Annie's question of Tucker's experience sparked or challenged him to prove his existence is the same as telling your boyrfriend, "You don't love me, do you?" Just to let him prove that he loves you. A typical reverse psych. 
• Internet myths and crepes courtesy of WIKIPEDIA. Haha! This, I find funny. 
• Ways on how to get your partner out of your life and many other questionable love disasters

There's actually another main character here, Duncan (Annie's long-time partner and an obsessed Tucker Crowe freak) but I'm such a prejudice that I don't want to focus on him cos he's boring. 

Anyway, the whole plot is about the reality of things that we never want to be or happen. This is life at its complexed measure that we try to untangle. Oh yes, this is the naked truth. 

Score:    

P.S.

One of the sweetest dedications ever:

Erika,
May this book enlighten you as you have enlightened me.
May this book teach you as you have taught me.
May you love this book as you have loved me.

This may not be one of the books that I would like to give you but at least I know you want it.
And that's the point, right?
Let me give you your first Hornby book. Enjoy!

Congratulations and thank you.
Let's not end everything at PICC.
I love you!
-Frau Villanueva"

#and there goes the BIG smile on my siopao face. :-)

WILL THERE BE ANY STARS IN MY CROWN?

Last Monday (21March), we had this culminating activity in school sponsored by our very own AB Guidance Counselor Ma'am Gina. It's a little send-off som'n for the Seniors. She's given each of us an envelope with 10 colorful stars and 10 different words of affirmation in it. You hafto stick out those happy stars to your friends' uniform if you think they deserve the specific label the most.

Sidetrack: Are you familiar about The 5 Love Languages? Do you know what's your primary language? If yes, then that's cool of you, if not, then you must take the test ASAP here. I got a confirmation on my primary language (though I'm a little bit of everything) not so long ago after a friend so dear introduced this thing to me. :-)

Anyroad, one of em 5 Love Languages is "Words of Affirmation." And who doesn't want to hear wonderful words of appreciation from our loved ones, right? And what more if these words are written on stars? Put in a nutshell, it feels so good that it lifts your spirit skyward. :-)

See what I got:

1. Red star says, "You are a family to me." - I got two from sister Frauee and my daughter Chebak. :-)

2. Orange (wutt's vvong w/ the orange here??) star says, "You are amazing just the way you are."- I got three from Ivanhoe, Jedork and Daniboy. You think I'm amazing, huh?? Thanks heaps, guys!

3. Yellow star says, "You bring out the best in me."- I got one from Tini. That's so sweet!

4. Lt. yellow star says, "You always brighten up my day."- I got one star from Cy. Hehe. She mebbe thinks my jokes are funny. At least I know I have one person who buys my jokes. :-p

5. Green star says, "I know I can trust you."- I got two stars. One from Tini and another one from Jedork. This is the most heartfelt star methinks just because it talks about TRUST. So, I was so touched when these two friends gave the green one out to me. :-)

6. Blue star says, "I can depend on you."- I could never go blue as I got one from Jillyjeans! Aw, quickmelt. :-)

7. Pink star says, "I'm lucky I met a friend like you."- Got one from Glennybum. She's my first close friend in town, yknow. :-) I remember freshman year.

8. Lt. pink star says, "I appreciate your small gestures of kindness."- One from Jedork. Wee, that's the third star from the kid. So nice! :-)

So there, I am blessed to have 12 assorted stars stuck on my uniform. I thank God for giving me friends!

The other two stars to complete the 10 are: "You have a great insight" and "I admire your sense of responsibility." :-)

So when it was my turn to hand out em stars to my mates, I was panic-stricken in a good way, if there's any. Just because 10 stars ain't enough for all of my friends I could even generously give out two or three stars for one friend!! I wished to have more but it seems that it's too limited that I must really have to pick one star for who deserves it the most.

Here I go,

1. I gave the red "You are a family to me" star to Frauee just because she is the closest sister to me and that's beyond proven. No questions asked.

2. The orange "You are amazing just the way you are" star to Ivanhoe because e looks like Bruno Mars. Haaaa, JK. Seriously, he's one of the most amazing kid that I met because he's got his own way to make you feel so special, you'll cry in joy. LOL. Seriously man, you're amazing. Thanks for that.

3. The yellow "You bring out the best in me" star is for Chebak. Try talking to her and she'll make you feel that you are her best friend. I will miss this kid, f'sho.

4. I gave the lt. yellow "You always brighten up my day" star to Dae and Tini (I'm blessed to have two of this star cos Jillyjeans shared some. Thanks, tita!). These are the kids who call my name out loud when once I get inside the classroom! When they shout "KAKIIII!!!," I can't help but bounce back a bright smile. :-)  

5. The green "I know I can trust you" star is for Frauee. She earned it, so why think twice? :-)

6. I gave the blue "I can depend on you" star to Jedork because through it all, he's been there to give his hand, shoulder and time without a shade of hesitation in all aspects. I'm so sure I've got a friend in him. I felt that, bro. Thank you so much! :-)

7. The pink "I'm lucky I met a friend like you" star is for Glennybum. Nah, not lucky, but SO BLESSED to have this itsy-bitsy friend from the very start. I'm gonna miss you, woman!! :-)

8. I gave the lt. pink "I appreciate your small gestures of kindness" star to my chirpy friend JC! She's not that showy, touchy and what-have-you type but once she's given you comfort in any way, she makes sure you'll feel it. Oh, she's my jam-along buddy, too! Have you heard our song covers?? :-p

9. The lt. green "You have a great insight" star is for Audrey. Yes, for that man. The fact that he is a sage can tell all. Haha! But, no kidding, he's the type that will drag (not in a violent way,k..) you to the corridors when he feels that somn's wrong with you. And he can easily tell if there is. He'll ask you what's the problem and give out the most diplomatic advice you'll ever want to hear. No exaggerations here. Thank you, Auds! P.S. When almost everyone in class calls me 'Kaki,' he calls me 'Kika.' Woot. ;-)

10. And last but not the least, the i-forgot-what-color "I admire your sense of responsibility" star is for Jillyjeans. No need to argue in here, guys. She will indeed impress you. When most of the kids are still starting to get their acts together for a school requirement, she's already done doing it. Wow lang. :-)

I know I could never go wrong with stars as they bring out the natural bliss.

Oh what a day that was. :-)

ADIDAS GIRLS ARE UNFORGETTABLE

fotos from October 5, 2010

with JC and Bia

Last Tuesday, I decided to go to school to spend some quality time with my Sports Journ mates. Funny that before the day ended, Bia and I were asked to host the show (which wasn't in the original plan). Anyways, it was super fun as we were all genki and kickin'!

SPORTS JOURNALISM PRODUCTION

Title of the program: Fastbreak

Location: Varsitarian office

These photos were taken from the Fastbreak set. As a final requirement for our Sports Journalism class, Ma'am Cielo asked us to produce a sports program. It was a fun-filled experience as we all enjoyed through the process. I was part of the production team (in-charged with the music and news feed and became a host too! Haha!) and it was indeed a pleasure to work with these bunch of crazy people. All of them are my closest friends so I didn't get a hard time working and cramming with them. LOL!

We would like to thank our sponsors: Adidas and Puma (Char!!) :-))

Fastbreak was viewed during our Broadcast Journalism class yesterday.