THANK YOU, TEACHERS!

Early this evening I was able to view a video posted in my friend’s FB wall and it read “The Teacher.” The video spoke about the gravity of the teacher’s influence over its students. I realized, that sometimes, we can never tell what type of impact we may make on another’s life by our actions or lack of action. While I was watching the video, I could not help but smile as I reminisce the great days when I was entering from classroom to classroom to deliver my lessons. It was great alright and I could not trade the experience for the world.

Let me use this chance to give my full salute, gratitude, and most of all admiration to all the teachers I have worked with. I have spent nearly six years with you and those moments have been the best.

Teacher Janith, you are the most talented, creative, diverse, and daring PE teacher I have ever encountered. I will be forever in awe with your talent. Your patience, personality, and understanding lights up the room and motivates the people around you to do the same. You played a huge role in the lives of your students. They are what they are now because you left an impact to them. I personally thanked you for the friendship. Thank you for accepting me despite my imperfections. I am forever grateful to you.

Teacher Piolen, there was a time in our lives that we clashed but, look at us now. We have never been this close. I miss your enthusiasm with life. I miss your note worthy fashion sense, your laugh, your obsession with high heels just to gain a few inches, your burluloys like your earrings, necklace, and bracelets, and most of all the way you wear your hair...from black to burgundy...from short to very short. I also miss the way you dance. Nobody has ever beaten you when it comes to dancing. You just rock on stage. Not to mention, your singing prowess. When all is said and done, I just want to tell you Tser Pio that I extremely miss you. You take care always.

Teacher Odessa, more than being my friend, you are like a sister to me (older sister). You have been so honest with your opinions most especially in the things that I do. You complement the good things I’ve achieved without sounding like you are patronizing. Most of all, there was never a time that I felt like an outsider every time we see each other. You remained to be the same Ulay I know – the Ulay who is sweet, thoughtful, lighthearted and full of fun. I’m beginning to believe that you are my female version. Don’t worry, when you grow old and still without a partner, I will find time to date you. That’s a promise!

Teacher Leticia, I learned a lot from you. You're an example of a teacher who knows what she is doing. Your knowledge in your subject matter is admirable and it shows with how you live your life. Your students look up to you and I believe they want to be like you...bubbly, talented, straight forward, intelligent and most of all generous, loving, and understanding. You don't judge people. You know yourself very well which is why you are confident but still humble. I truly admire you Tser L.

Teacher Flor, you have been my second mother. You protected me and took me under your wings. I never had the opportunity to thank you. You have been teaching for so many years already and I can’t just imagine the number of lives you touched. Those lives, I believe, were changed because of your love and commitment. Tser, I miss you and the times we eat lunch together; those times that we eat barbeque with halo-halo. I miss how you tease me when I start to sing in my office adjacent to yours. I miss the times when you give me one peso because I don't have any fare for the sikad driver. With that, I am so thankful. Words are not enough.

And to the mentor who changed me inside out. The mentor who took me in Angelicum and believed that I can be a teacher. The mentor who, despite of my being amateur was so patient and taught me what she knows in all aspects. Teacher Genie, you are the best. With all honesty, I am who I am now because you inspired me to be the best of what I can be. It was you who gambled and took chances for me. When I was just starting, it was you who placed a path for me. When I need consoling you were there to keep me company. Tser Gen, please continue to be a light and salt. I am so thankful of what you’ve done to all of us and I will be forever proud that once in my life it was you who taught me the joys of teaching.

To Teacher Cecille – my beloved Ginang, Sir Ryan, Tser Annie, Tser Jasmine, Tser Janjelene, Tser Merelle, Ma’am Arlina and to all the teachers I failed to mention - THANK YOU!

DOUBLE TREAT

This is a very late post for my two friends who celebrated their birthdays. I opted to write this entry anyway because I felt that I owe this to them considering the impact they brought to my life. This is my way of thanking them and letting them know that their birth is a blessing to me, their family and friends whom they touched – one way or another.

IT’S OUR MIKAY’S BIRTHDAY

We had a deal some 14 years ago that if we reached 30 and we’re still single, we’ll pull the strings and marry each other. Fast forward to today, I am currently in a relationship and very happy for that matter while Mikay is single and is having the time of her life travelling the world. I guess the deal is off (thank God!) which means that she will not be able to enjoy my delicious and to die for appeal hahaha

But seriously, I guess, we are still marrying each other – as friends. For me, marriage is not just a legal contract that creates kinship. It is more of an intimate relationship and a commitment to someone that you will be there for each other, for better or worse. So Mikay, am giving you my commitment of friendship, loyalty, generosity and honesty. I commit that I will make you smile when you feel alone; I commit to stand beside you and comfort you when needed; I commit to say the most honest things like you look awful in the camera crying when you and your ex-boyfriend broke up (but the hair and the outfit was smashin’ hot that time)

And lastly, I commit to be the same person you loved 14 years ago and I will love you just the same.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKAY!

Mikay 

Mikay and Migraine Boy

IT’S OUR QUOKAI’S BIRTHDAY

There are a lot of qualities that I admire about this person but the best of them all is her humility and her modesty to say thank you. I’ve noticed that with fake friends, their gratitude level is a complete disappointment. They would either use you or take advantage of what you got. Quokai never fails to make me feel that am doing something good, relevant and special because she never fails to show her gratitude. During my last birthday, she called and candidly thanked me for the “things” I’ve done for her. ‘Twas unexpected and I was truly appreciative of her gesture.

Quokai, it’s my turn now to say thank you for all the things you’ve done for me. Thank you for not doubting my character most especially during the time when people questioned it. Thank you for making the rest of our friends smile…no..laugh most especially during those times when laughter and joy is our only refuge. Thank you for letting me watch Ally Mcbeal every Tuesday back in your house at Nazareth. Thank you for giving me a reason to believe that indeed life is no joke but you have to take time as well to smile and laugh.

Words may fail me but you didn’t. Thank you for the love.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY QUOKAI!

Quokai

Quokai and Migraine Boy

SAYING GOODBYE

You know what, just when we are getting relaxed, life will throw something at us which challenges that comfort. I guess that is the irony of life. And, I guess this is one of life’s greatest mysteries that we can’t fathom. Cliché as it may sound, I guess what we can only do is embrace whatever life will throw at us and hope, pray… and pray harder that in every heartbreak, we will end up a better person or else, we will end up more confused and missing the whole point.

Last Valentine’s Day, I was heartbroken upon knowing that my closest friend ended her relationship with her partner. I got so sad that I was not able to hold my tears just listening to her recount how the break-up happened. I suppose ending a relationship is never easy. It’s not like a walk in the park. Some five months ago, my friend took the huge leap of faith and decided to give love a chance and now, it was over. Breaking up with someone you dear most, I guess, can be one of the most daunting emotional struggles we can go through. That is why, we have to work very hard to understand ourselves better why such things happen or else, (yes you got it right)…we will end up more confused and missing the whole point. I guess my friend just clearly understood her needs in the relationship that is why she ended it. I guess she better understood that we can’t make people change instead, we can only change ourselves.

Sometimes, we equate the ending of a relationship with failure. Well, I guess it depends. Personally, I believe that our standpoints vary depending on our experiences and our “life episodes.” Bottom line is, life continues. Like what my favorite author clearly puts, “every inhale we take is a birth and each exhale is the death of that breath; and life continues.”

Yes…life definitely continues.

P.S.

Teacher, I guess you still remember that I dedicated my first entry to you in time of your monthsary. I said something in that article which I would like to share again: "If there is a lesson I learned from this, it is that sometimes you just have to take the risk and enjoy every moment of happiness. Yeah sure, you might say that it's reckless to get into something that you are not assured of but, I guess you will not be able to taste happiness unless you jump in the bandwagon."

Teacher, I can't say that I agree or not with your decision. It's a decision you have to make and I respect that. I just would like to let you know that when and if the road gets bumpy, you have a friend in me.

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE...AND SOME GREAT MUSIC

February 14, Valentine’s Day, was a busy day for me. Aside from the fact that ‘twas a Monday and that I need to report to work, we have an activity in the office dubbed as “It’s Definitely a February-fic February” where the main feature of the evening was an acoustic mini-concert with Aegis PeopleSupport’s talents and ADLIB - a local band in Cebu . I hosted the event from 7pm until 12midnight and ‘twas fun talking to the singers on stage as well as to the gutsy employees who took the challenge of “impromptu” singing like my team mate Aldz. As expected, love songs wrapped the venue while the audience sang with the band when old familiar songs were played.

With Misty on stage

A trainee from Aspire who braved the stage and sang "You are my song"

My team mate Aldz who ate a lot of air time selecting his song. He ended up singing "It might be you."

ADLIB. My favorite song of the night was "Paano"

The event also became a venue for us to promote our Happy World initiative for the month of February called as “Love Notes.” Love Notes is a special edition Happy World V-Day Stationery sold at Php 5.00 per piece. The proceeds of the activity will be donated to the Cancer Institute Foundation, Inc. Also, what’s superb about the activity is that the company will match whatever amount is raised through the sale of the stationeries. Personally, I was very involved in the promotion of this activity because of the intention of it.  For those who have been following my entries, you guys are aware that my father died due to colon cancer. I know very well how difficult the experience is for the person suffering the ailment and the family supporting the patient. So, kudos to us for this worthwhile initiative.

MAKE YOU FEEL MY LOVE

I am in a relationship for nearly four years now and I have been blessed with a loving, generous, patient, candid and honest partner. But just like any other relationship, ours is not perfect. Sometimes we disagree and fight but we endeavor to solve our differences in a manner that is responsive, with the end view of reconciling without hurting each other’s feelings. When we talk, we don’t shout at each other nor call each other names. We don’t drag in the history of our families nor our pasts. We don’t blame each other for the ill-situations we are in instead, both of us tries to find a more helpful course of action in order to resolve it. In situations where we need to come up with a decision, we do it together and in the process, respect each other’s views and judgments. Most of all, we are conscientious and we despise the thought of taking advantage of our family and friend’s generosity.

If there is one thing that I appreciate about my partner it’s the fact that my partner motivates me to become a better person. There are moments when I doubt myself and the things that I’m capable of doing but my partner reassures that am more than smart and talented to be worrying over the things that I should not even be worrying about in the first place. I appreciate the fact that we inspire each other to excel in the fields that we are in.

You see, we don’t tolerate each other’s vices. We understand that if we indulge in each other’s nasty habits, we will end up destroying ourselves. We abhor activities such as parasitism, drugs, deception and/or pretense and the like.

In hindsight, I am happy, proud and blessed to be with this person whose mere presence makes me feel comforted. I want to tell you again and again that you are my rock; that you are my happy thought.

*Thank you for the wonderful partnership; for the times that you made me smile and for the laughter you caused with your hilarious dance moves. Thank you for putting me to sleep when my migraine attacks. Thank you for constantly reminding me that I am special and loved.

As the song goes, “When God made you, He must have been thinking of me.”

Happy Valentine’s Day!

*Taken from my previous post. Click here to read "I HAVE REASONS TO CELEBRATE"

FEBRUARY 6: MY SUNDAY MORNING

2:00am             
Woke up. Got hungry. Went to Siomayan sa Tisa. Ordered five siomais, three puso :-) noodles without egg and Mountain Dew

3:00am             

Went back to the apartment. Ironed clothes and took a bath for the 5am mass.

4:00am             

Dressed up and tried to look good for the Lord :-)

4:45am             

Took a jeepney heading to Cebu Cathedral. On my way to the church, I took the opportunity to enjoy the early morning fresh air. ‘Twas definitely a delight!

5:15am             

Arrived at Cebu Cathedral. Late for the 5am mass. However, I really wanted to hear Sunday’s message so my partner and I stayed outside the church and took the time to take photographs and captured the beauty of the church at early morning.

                       

6:30am             

Went inside the cathedral and settled in a very good spot

6:50am             

The priest shared Sunday’s message and in a nutshell, ‘twas all about our mission to be the light and salt of the world. My partner got a little emotional. Shed a tear or two. Me too. The message was so wonderful and I got blessed by it. It motivated me. Prayed. Prayed for myself. Prayed for my partner. My family. Friends – especially those who forgot what it really meant to be a friend. Thanked the Lord for all the blessings.

7:30am             

The mass ended and we headed to Jollibee for some hot choco. Went to the counter and ordered. Found a good spot to enjoy our hot choco and iced tea.

8:00am             

My partner and I decided to explore Parian – one of Cebu’s oldest barangay and considered as one of Cebu’s Heritage Site. Took some photographs. Got fascinated with Yap- Sandiego’s old house. Was wondering how it feels like to be living during the Spanish era.

9:30am             
Went to Chowking Colon. Ordered Halo2x early in the morning. My friend, Kate, texted that she’s fetching us at 12noon for our lunch date in her house with our friends – Ogie Velez, Shanin and Dustin  Jose. Replied to Kate telling her that my partner and I were heading to Ayala for some grocery chores and to pick us up there instead.

 Ogie

 Shanin

Dustin

10:00am            

Arrived at Ayala. Went to the mall’s grocery to buy some stuff.

11:00am            

Decided to grab some food. Kate texted that she’s on her way. Replied saying that we’ll wait for her at Breadtalk.

12:30noon         

Kate arrived with a big smile on her face. Was glad to see her. Missed her.

MUSE

"Memory is a fool’s game. Had I known it before, none of this would have happened. Did I really love her once? And did she ever love me? The uncertainty of it is what tantalizes my mind; and the elusiveness of such happiness is what haunts me. I realize now that happiness, like a woman, is elusive. She of unspeakable beauty and, alas, of unspoken avowals. And yet, to be honest, I have never known such happiness with another”

This is the opening statement of the short film that is circulating in youtube which is gaining rave reviews. “Muse,” directed by Albert Martinez and stars Heart Evangelista was created for Inno Sotto’s 30^th anniversary gala.

Personally, I feel that Albert redeemed himself through this short film after his attempt with Rosario. The film captured the ethereal emotions and immaculate beauty of the muse while showcasing Inno's timeless fashion.

The musical scoring is divine. While listening to the orchestration from start to finish, I can’t help but pause and breathe in the poetic melody which brings me to a place where both joy and melancholy collide. Louie Ocampo successfully crafted an exquisitely haunting masterpiece that tells the story of the muse sans the dialogues. Just divine! And, please, don’t get me started with the narration. I can’t find the exact words to describe the beauty of it. Read this:

"Memories of her all arouse in me a fleeting intensity. Time compressed as it were…then released in a thunderclap. Perhaps, had I not written her so earnestly of my feelings, I would not be dispossessed of them now. Men are so careless that way. They live for the moment. But a woman nurtures the possibilities residing in a moment, the promises latent in a day, the measure of life always in her grasp."

Definitely, “Muse” is a cinematic expression of beauty, class and style.

Post script:

While for Heart? Heart is The Muse. Period.