Untimely Reunion-Of-A-Sort

(I was mulling over if that is-pertaining to the title- going to be ‘untimely’ or ‘unlikely’. If I am still to battle what’s more appropriate, this will be delayed forever. )

Reunion connotes something festive because it is the time when you get to see those people you haven’t seen for ages. It might also suggest gathering of a lot of people.

Hours ago, we had this reunion-of-a-sort. So is the name because it was only Irene, Alo and I (Alexei appeared but it wasn’t long). Moreover, it is untimely because we gathered for someone’s death (still in relation to Elen’s).

Well, this isn’t supposed to be a sad essay. It was fun to see Irene and Alo again. I mean, despite the years of having not seen each other, it didn’t make us aloof or somehow conscious. We talked and talked about the present happenings in our life as if no parting ever happened. We recalled and talked about some of our high school mates, not just in Simon, and how they are doing today. If our time was not constrained, we could have gone on talking about the future or reminisce the old days. Sadly, our time was limited and we understand that not all can come. Holiday related stuff perhaps. Again, as I have said, this isn’t supposed to be a sad essay although I think I sound one.

Putting the context in Elen’s light and washing clean our names, we did not talk that much merrily in the wake of course. Well, I am glad that a lot have been showing help and concern for her.

She is strong. I can’t help but admire her for that. If I was in her foot, I might not have done the same. I might be crying all day long. But Elen, no, she was there all along looking fine and entertaining guests. I hope that goes on forever. I hope she’s not keeping it inside at the same time.

Jing Won in The SK Elections

Yeah. She won as SK Kagawad in the yesterday’s election unexpectedly!

It was the first week of semestral break when papa announced that she likes to run for the elections. I did not take it too seriously although she was a former secretary of SJA’s Student Council last year- so that gives me the idea that she’s into the muddy game . Days passed and I just found myself writing on behalf of her Certificate of Candidacy-although I don’t know if this is a ground for disqualification though- and people from our barangay began swarming here too often.

Tito Nomie Singson, the incumbent Barangay Captian and Captain-elect I guess, is a member of our charismatic community, FRM, and his appointees are almost from ours. Maybe they are looking for someone willing to run from our community and it happened to be my sister. Great. Well that is how I’d like to explain it because apparently, I don’t know the real reason. Or the least, if there is a reason.

The campaign period came but it was only on the last two days that she was able to join her mates. She still has school that is why and it was my parents who did the door-to-door campaign for her. Luckily, her name is included in all the flyers, posters, and tarpaulins of their party. Lots of stories still embedded here and I can’t just recall and tell them all. I am a slob, really.

Well, it will just boil down to this: that she won with the majority of her party mates.

Yeah, congratulations to her and to everyone. May pa- liga sa basketbol will not only be their program for the next years. And may they prove that the framers of the Constitution right in seeing the role of youth in nation building. Goodluck!

Reunited With Him

8:30 am of Wednesday, October 24, 2007. I woke up at the sound of my phone’s alarm. My eyes were still hurting when I clicked ‘stop’. There were several text messages and I was somehow surprised to see that Elen’s was one of those. This was her first text ever since I changed my number.

I read her text twice. I thought I was dreaming but of course, I know exactly that I am not. I don’t know if I was to laugh or be extremely surprised. Nevertheless, I continued my “feigning of sleep”.

In between 8:30 to 10:30, I contemplated whether to read it again. I was afraid that the message might be true. And, sadly, it is.

Elen’s mom passed away. More than a year ago, her father also died.

She works like a horse more than ever since her husband died. She understands the complexity of teenage life but does not permit her child to go astray. Honestly, I have a certain liking for her. She opens herself a lot and maybe that is the reason why my mother also likes her.

I was thinking what might be the reason of her death. It took me a long while to remember that during fourth year, Elen was able to tell me something about her illness that though she takes medication, she resists it to be treated by a doctor. Or so that’s how it was to me. I attempted to ask her what happened along with where her mother’s body now lays. But I was only able to receive the latter’s answer. I thought I might just be asking her this when the time is ripe.

It was such a terrible event. I cannot imagine why and why them. Two of the greatest people in the world one could ever have is now gone, dead. And will by no chance can ever come back for one to hug again. No “you can surpass this”, “things will be okay,” “it’s alright”, “move on”, “be strong” or whatever words of encouragement will do to somehow extinguish her anguish for sure. The pain, the wound that it has caused her will always stay there, fresh.

However, through prayers, through Him, everything will fall in its proper place. Rick Warren had once wrote, “When you fully comprehend that there is more to life than just here and now, and you realize that life is just a preparation of eternity, you will begin to live differently.”

How many of us can truly comprehend even though there she is already, reunited with her creator?

I'm Going to Miss Performing Arts

October 3, 2007

Performing Arts is finally over and Im going to miss it.

The Tanghalan is no longer ours anymore. For how many months, 'he' was the witness of our forgotten lines, of our wrong blockings, of our cold feet and of our severe chastising from Sir Ignacio. Now, the Tanghalan will no longer see this. Yes, he will still but it will be the other batch to come.

I'm going to miss the stage.

I'm going to miss the techbooth although Im not there most of the time.

I'm going to miss the orchestra chairs in which I only knew the name yesterday.

I'm going to miss the stage plant- our ever constant props.

I'm going to miss the freaky curtain that eats the actors up.

Yes, the whole of the Tanghalan and most especially, the much closer company that the class have made. Imaginge, different groupmates every presentation and it paid-off.

Congratulations to us yesterday for a very nice A Portrait of Filipino as an Artist play although I was hit by an iron curler!

Oral Defense…Done! Plus Got Fever.

September 28, 2007

I am sick and it has been years since I had one. Running under the rain and too much tasks are usually not enough to drag me into fever- although I am prone to colds. Now, yes, I have a slight fever. I feel like puking and weak but god thing my taste buds are still fine and I still have that urge to writeJ.

Definitely, the Oral Defense did not cause my fever although I thought we‘d flunk it.

Jeanne did very well, Kenneth was fine, and Fred was more than fine. When it was my turn to discuss the last chapter, I got disoriented. I have practiced to discuss the summary, conclusions and recommendations (I have not memorized it that well because I was busy days before because of our forum) but she told me not to state the first one. It was where my introduction was so I crammed how to start the conclusion. Luckily and maybe, they were formulating questions on their minds so they did not notice me peeking on my guideJ.

When it was time for the question and answer portion, boom! Our title had a problem with its generality. Then we were asked about the validity of our paper, we answered it but I don’t know how. The panelist shook her head and I very much know, we are dead.

I was in the state of slight trance during that time. The other half of my brain is listening and the other, thinking and anticipating the worst. I was almost ready, honestly, to repeat the course and I seem to have no objection about it.

However, after a few questions, she said that our last chapter was very well made because it was interrelated. And, she told the panelist that we were one of those groups who really wants to make the paper well. I just smiled.

We were supposed to go home when ma’am asked us to buy food for the panelist. We did and we did not think of poisoning her- the panelist-, just so you know. When she reached the food, she told us hat we did well and our paper was good. It was repeated when we delivered her own food after all the defense. She even told us to seek her help if ever we need it in the future. She also explained that when she gets mad, it will just remain inside the room.

Now, I am guilty for making her a shouting menace in our Art Appreciation script.

I think my medicine already took effect. I am now much better. Writing will always be my opium-but that is another storyJ.

N.B. Good luck to the next groups to defend! And I hope the problem about the rejected paper awhile ago is now okay.

Date Rape Forum…Done! Photo Shoot for Art App Finals…Finished!

September 26, 2007

Here is the list again!

• Retorika: Forum: September 26
• Communication Arts: Oral Defense: September 28
• Art Appreciation: Fairy Tale Distortion plus Photo Shoot for Documentation: October 2 and September 26, respectively.
• Performing Arts: One- Hour Play: October 3
• Introduction to Journalism: Formal Interview of a Journalist: October 4

I am tired as much as I am very happy. See? I now have 2 ½ slashes! Hurrah!

Our forum about Date Rape was held in the morning inside the room. What we had was like an experimental forum because we were the first, but at least, we can now proceed to some remaining, still time-consuming projects in lieu of our Finals. Although we rather crammed for the forum, I am happy about its result.

The group did not know about the Certificate of Recognition for the Speaker nor the Letter Invitation although we have a Programme Invitation and we started 15 minutes late, still our forum was a job well done. Cheers! Good luck to the succeeding groups and hope you learned from our mistakesJ.

After the rehearsals of the casts for Performing Arts’s The Portrait of an Artist as Filipino, we had our Photo Shoot for Art App.

I thought they are to make an AVP but it is for our documentation pala. We really had nice pictures and Spice Girls rocks! Hahaha!

So in totality, I changed clothes four times and it was funJ

I do hope I made this article clear enough for those who will read since I don’t know to what extent my continued sleep deprivation (for the sole reason of schoolwork) affected my brain, Angus.

But it is my rest night tonight! Wooh! And oh, pictures are to follow!

Interview for Introduction to Journalism...Done!

September 22, 2007

The non- test form Final Exams and their scheduled date of submission or presentation:

• Retorika: Forum: September 26 (is it good or bad that we are the first?)
• Communication Arts: Oral Defense: September 28 (pretty near. lucky or not?)
• Art Appreciation: Fairy Tale Distortion: October 2
• Performing Arts: One- Hour Play: October 3
• Introduction to Journalism: Formal Interview of a Journalist: October 4

See that strike? We are done with one!

September 22, 2007, 10:35am. At Makati-I-forgot-where.

Obviously, we chose to have a group interview and our interviewee was RTV29 broadcaster and DZRH commentator, Mr. Gerry Cornejo.

He was very warm and very generous in answering. He even gave us an off-the-record information (although he just gave us short notice that we had it still recorded. Anyways, if we write it somewhere else for the public to know, we won't be subjected to libel because that is a common fact among our journalists.) that is so disappointing. My subconscious mind created he as a man of mid-30s or 40s. I have never watched or heard his shows and never see his name in any Anti- Smoking advocacy. So, yes, I an wrong. Imagine, he is already 30 years in the business.

I enjoyed the interview although I think I won't be able to express how much now because of my present state. Not that I'm sick or what. It is just that I am now drowsy and still I have to think and make a lecture for our Forum. Sabi nga ni Sir Dr. Verocel, di lang ito purong- porungan lang. Kung purong- purungan lang sana to o... Ours will be about Date Rape.

I hope that we'll ace the interview so that we'll be exempted in taking the written Final Exams. So now, no matter how heavy the load is, we'll have to be in career-mode!

Bravo Broad Journ! ---huwaat?

I Was Supposed to be Her Super Hero

September 22, 2007

I always hate it when she plays in the middle of the street. And, I am always afraid that she might get hit...

I was the one who closed the gate one Sunday night. I saw her playing again in the middle of the street. I tried to call her attention because adjacent from our car was a silver Vios in a halt. I know, any moment it will again proceed. And who knows? The driver might not see her.

I tried to call her attention again. I was having a dilemma. Will I go out to get her or just cross my fingers and hope that she will be spared? Besides, the street is quite wide.

I did the latter. I heard the horn of the car as I turned away from the gate. I heard a scream and I was frightened.

I saw her limping in the dark. I was imagining her to be gory and all, but no, there wasn't any blood. However, she was injured. She continued to cry in pain. I, who was stupid, tried to comfort her.

It was already bedtime. I went out to see her again. She was crying in the garden. I don't know what to do and I can't reach her. I tried to look at her not knowing that it was the last...

I was awakened by the news that she was already dead. She is just a kitten and maybe for some, not worth to mourn for. It maybe good that she died, to end all the pain she might be enduring the whole night. But, if I only tried to save her in the first place, she might not have to endure all those and she might still be alive...