BENJICATED

Hey-yo! It's been a while since i've entered my last blog. Man oh man did I have a blast this holy week. But before that, I have to tell you guys about my graduation. Yup, i'm officially one of the unemployed citizens of the Philippines. Itch all good though. I was able to introduce 'principesa' to the family after the long and arduous process. She was a bit scared at first...well I couldn't blame; I kept scaring her that she was going to get "grilled" that night. Well she didn't, thank God! It was really a very special night.

Earlier that day I watched La Vita E Bella (hence, the moniker "principesa"), and I must say it really hit the spot. Principesa, for weeks and weeks, has been egging me to watch this movie, and so at last I did. Now it's officially one of my all-time fave movies. It really is THE shitznits! Damn, I have to edit my faves page again!

Now for my Holy week story. Initially I was assigned with Benjoe's group in a barangay called "Makawayan" in Tingloy Island in Batangas. With me and Benjoe were five other missionaries, including my symposium buddies Ryan and Tiops. The first couple of days were wicked awesome! We played sikyo and had catechesis for the children in the afternoon. Man, it threw me back to when I was still in Mindoro playing sikyo with my HIA buddies. At nights we would just hang out on the beach, which is just a couple of walks away from where we resided (our 'pad' was really on the beach side). Not in a queer way, we look at the stars, contemplate on some things, and talk about our future plans and all that. On Wednesday I was assigned to accompany Fr. Dan, our companion priest on the island, to Maricaban, the neighboring barangay which was two mountains and a a long stretch of beach away from where we were staying. We went by boat, and when we got there, we met up with the other missionaries assigned there. Personally, Maricaban is my favorite barangay in the island. White sand beach, houses build just right beside the seaside - it was like a village in an PS2 RPG game. Right across the beach, maybe just a mile away, is another island encapsulated by more white sand beaches. The island was so close to the village that the kids there can swim from one island to the next... heck, maybe even I can pull it off. At 2pm, Fr. Dan celebrated mass at the chapel there overlooking the nearby island (great view!), and at about 4pm we made our way back to Makawayan for a 5pm mass. Before leaving, Jay, the team leader of the group assigned there, asked me if i could stay there until the missions were over because they were clearly in lack of missionaries. Of course I couldn't stay because I did not have my things with me.

Anyway, heading back to Makawayan we encountered some pretty heavy waves. I was seated just in the very front of the boat, and behind me sat Fr. Dan. Needless to say when the waves came I was the first one to greet them. I was soaking wet after the ride, but Fr. Dan wasn't. He even teased me, saying he was glad I was in front! In a way, it was kind of a privilege - protecting a holy man from getting wet; I was his 'shield' from the waves! Asteeeg parrrreeeh!

That night, Benjoe decided to reassign me to Maricaban because of there situation there. The next day, I woke up very early and prepared my things for the long journey ahead of me. This time, I was going by foot to Maricaban, and as I've said earlier, it's two mountains and a long stretch of beach away from where we were staying. Good thing Mon, or missions coordinator, came along with me on that trek! It was really a spiritual experience for me, not only because I was carrying two heavy bags while climbing steep terrains, or because I saw such beautiful sights from the trip, but because of a little boy we saw on our way. See, Mon and I were getting kind of lost, so when we saw a dainty hut atop hill we quickly looked for someone we could ask directions from. All we found was a little boy, about four or five years old, and her little sister. After telling us the way, he unexpectedly asked us, "Dala niyo ang Diyos?" At first, Mon though he was asking for some juice, but when he said it again, his message became clear. Seeing a boy that age, in such a remote location at that, know God and ask about him really lit me up. As cheesy as it sounds, it really motivated me to continue on that journey - two mountains, one long stretch of beach.

In Maricaban I saw how warmly the people there welcomed the missionaries. They gave us food, accepted us in their homes, and participated in all our activities. The best part about it was the kids. They always made our day! There was this five year old girl who would always sit on my lap and sing songs like "You'll Be Safe Here" and "Wag na Wag Mong Sasabihin." She's no singer, but she had a very cute voice. There was also this boy of about the same age who never seemed to run out of energy. Named after a popular TV icon, John Lloyd was the boy who always accompanied us in our house to house visits. He was our mascot, so to speak. One time we gave him a bottle of coke, and the whole day he was so restless - he never stopped talking, he was always fooling around, he was succeedingly asking all kinds of questions, etc. He was so hyped up and we were so damn drained that at one point we locked ourselves in our room just to get away from him! It was comical though, the way he still persisted - knocking continuously at our door and shouting and all. Lesson learned: never give John Lloyd caffeinated or sugared drinks! We still love the kid though...we wouldn't have him any other way!

On Saturday morning- the day of our departure- the kids woke up very early just to see us off. We woke up about 5am for a 6:30 trip. It was a heavy 'waking up' process 'cos we all knew it was the end of the missions. And at this point I was really missing 'principesa' a whole lot! Anyway, the people there greeted us while we were walking towards our boat, reminding us never to forget them and that we are always welcome there. It was a pretty emotional sight, and I almost felt like crying. I have to say we really became close with the people there, and it was hard for us to leave.

So that's my Holy Week story. There are still a lot of stories to be told, but it would be too long to be placed here in my blogspot. All in all, it was one helluvan experience, and I can't wait for the next missions!

15/03/05

BOX YOUR FINAL ANSWER

Yesterday I finally decided what the next 12 months of my life would be. With a lot of contemplation and discernment, finally I said 'yes' to the JVP. I've toiled with this decision over and over; I've spent countless sleepless nights thinking about the pros and cons - the risk I'm willing to take, the job opportunities that I might miss, and most importantly, the people I'm going to leave behind. As I go about these things, I realized that joining the JVP really is a sacrifice of humungous proportions. I totally ate my words when I said "Why leave when you've something great going on here." But now I've realized, at times people do need to leave their treasures behind. I came across Antoine de Saint Exupery's 'The Little Prince' when I got to Lipa a few days back. I've read it a couple of times before, but something urged me to read it again. All I can tell you is that I can relate as hell to that little prince - his struggles in leaving his planet behind (specifically his 'flower') and all that. I know it's somewhat unfair to ask 'the flower of my planet' to wait for me for ten more months, 'cos God knows she's waited for a lot of years now. But the JVP, I believe, is really calling me to kick some ass! It's not that I want to be noble or anything, is just that here -now!- I'm given a chance to really do something about the problems of our country, even if it is just a small way of doing so. A lot of people -including myself sometimes- keep whining about how the country is continually deteriorating and all that, but when do we really do something about it? Protests rallies can't do shit no mo'; they're unproductive as hell. Why don't we just act instead of complain? I know it's not going to come as a one-time-big-time thing where you do something good and then afterwards the country will be as rich as the Western superpowers. It's not at all like that. It's like drops of water shaping a stone. Little by little, in every small thing we do, we can shape our country for the better (shiznits... patriotic mode!). And she understands...damn, she understands. A part of me actually feels stupid about it, leaving her for ten months and all. Come to think about it, I've been stupid for the past 14 years now.

I still have 2 months before I leave; 2 months to let her know how crazy I am for her. If and when the time comes that I'll leave for the JVP, I will always have this song to remember her by (I always have songs for everything)...heck, I've always had this song for her from the get go.

WHEN I LOOK TO THE SKY -Train

When it rains it pours and opens doors
And floods the floors we thought would always keep us safe and dry
And in the midst of sailing ships we sink our lips into the ones we love
That have to say goodbye

And as I float along this ocean
I can feel you like a notion that won't seem to let me go

Cause when I look to the sky something tells me you're here with me
And you make everything alright
And when I feel like I'm lost something tells me you're here with me
And I can always find my way when you are here

And every word I didn't say that caught up in some busy day
And every dance on the kitchen floor we didn't have before
And every sunset that we'll miss I'll wrap them all up in a kiss
And pick you up in all of this when I sail away

And as I float along this ocean
I can feel you like a notion that I hope will never leave

Whether I am up or down or in or out or just plane overhead
Instead it just feels like it is impossible to fly
But with you I can spread my wings
to see me over everything that life may send me
When I am hoping it won't pass me by

And when I feel like there is no one that will ever know me
there you are to show me

Cause when I look to the sky something tells me you're here with me
And you make everything alright
And when I feel like I'm lost something tells me you're here with me
And I can always find my way when you are here

08/03/05

THE ORGY HITS THE SWEET SPOT

Life has been kind so far. I got my grades and t'was pretty good, I can still play basketball 'with dignity', I'm sure to graduate this march, and most damn-nickety-hey of 'em all, I am so...how would you describe it... "inspired." Love my life. Never been this high since...well I can't even recall the last time I was this high. As Jaime Kennedy would put it, "I'm high on life." OK, 'nough of the mushy bull already.

We got a-boozing last night - me, ma main daime prettyboy ryan, and the munggus from KNL. The ORGY we had was pretty wild. Before you guys get any wrong ideas, ORGY is the name of the bubblegum-flavored lambanog we drank last night, aight? You bad people you! Tsk tsk! Repent and thou shall be saved!

Digressions. Anyway, we got to some pretty serious, at times "below-wholesome", conversations. For my part, I just want to say that I was young and naive when the "Back-of-the-Adventure incident" happened. Man, I'm still smiling about last night. T'was really wicked awesome. Graxy was kinda' lonely, and ryan noticed it too. We tried hooking the two up, but I don't think we made any progress. Maybe next time... And I don't know what Kharlhah and Bhhuuh said to ma' boy, but now the guy is comically frightened about something. He still does not want to tell me about it, though.

At last I've introduced one of my friends to the KNL posse. It's dream come true (teary eyes). The feedback was positive; they even got ma' boy a moniker - Big Bird. You've got to live up to your name, boy! Don't let me down now. Hehe! Anyway, thanks for your vote, dewd!

So that's about it. Maybe I'll go to Lipa tomorrow, maybe not. As I've said to Tiops earlier today, "Why go somewhere else when you've got something great going on here." Yup, t'was me, the serious side of me. Well, I still have a reputation to keep- the procrastinator is on the prowl. Sleep all day to paaaarreh! Ahh, well maybe not all day. I always have time for fishballs.

Peace and more! Later days!

03/03/05

THE MONTH OF "MARCH"

There were only two points in my life when I really felt the meaning of "March." One was in '97 and the other was in '01. Now I'm marching again on March 19. Shiznits! I've yet to finish my clearance shitzoids, all because of the pathetic Ateneo clearance system. I still have to do 2 hours of mandatory work 'cos I was caught under the so-called "influence" at school...

Just kidding! Last year I was caught not wearing my ID twice, so here I am being reprimanded for my terrorist-like actions. I need to pass an apology letter (oh-I'm-so-sorry-please-forgive-me crapzoid) and work for two hours of mandatory labor for the school. Hey, it's not like I'm going to bomb the place if I don't have my freakin' ID with me. Anyway, can't blame the guards who caught me, though. They were just doing their job. You got me, Guard-o! Good one! Keep it up (thumbs up)! (make that two thumbs up)

I played basket with Jek and Tiops yesterday. Man, the two of them are just not in the right condition to play the game. Jek can run and jump no mo'. Tiops, on the other hand, can't throw a decent shot; even a girl who doesn't know how to play the game can shoot better than him. I'm not mocking my hommies, it's just that the game ain't fun to play anymore 'cos, as it seems, were really getting to old for it (even though were still on our very early 20's). Heck, I was no 'wowowie' yesterday either! What happened to the love for the game, paaaarre (tears start falling slowly)?

Anyway, I got my dividends of P4,400 from our shirt business the other day. Less than 12 hours later, I spent more than half of it. I paid my 2K accounts payable to my beloved sister, and I gave the rest to charity...if you believe that then yu' a foo'! I paid 1k for the missions, and I bought 2 CDs which cost me about P430. Needless to say I have less than a thousand bucks left in my pocket. Itch all good though, the CDs were worth it.

I bought MYMP's new album and Jam's Live CD that features unsigned pinoy acoustics artists. 'Pag sariling atin, buy orig! Suleet paaaarre! Man, the song there could really stir the psyche; some deep shiznits going on there. Anyway, what's so cool about MYMP's CD -aside from the fact that Juris is the hottest babe in town- is that there were two old school songs on the list. For years I've look for copies of these songs, and as it turns out, Juris and the gang made their own renditions of it. S.K.P. paaarre! San ka pa! One is Kailan by...I don't really remember. But d'you guys remember Kailan? ...Kailan/ kailan kaya mapapansin ang aking lihim/ kahit anong gawing lambing di mo pa rin pansin. Panalo paaaarre! The other one is Sa Kanya. 'Eto talaga yung panalo na talagang hinahanap-hanap ko dati pa! Hey cohorts, remember this : Sa Kanya pa rin babalik, sigaw ng damdamin... yeah, this is the shiznits!

Sa Kanya (Chorus)

Sa kanya pa rin Babalik sigaw ng damdamin

Sa kanya pa rin Sasaya bulong ng puso ko

Kung buhay pa Ang alaala ng ating nakaraan

Ang pagmamahal at panahon alay pa rin

Sa kanya

By special request by a 'special someone', here's the lyrics of La Vie En Rose:

La Vie En Rose

Hold me close and hold me fast
The magic spell you cast
This is la vie en rose

When you kiss me heaven sighs
And tho I close my eyes
I see la vie en rose

When you press me to your heart
I’m in a world apart
A world where roses bloom

And when you speak...angels sing from above
Everyday words seem...to turn into love songs

Give your heart and soul to me
And life will always be
La vie en rose