Tuesday, December 30, 2008

On 2008

JANUARY- Mom celebrated her 70th birthday. Bunso and me bought mom what she was dreaming for her whole life. An oven. She was very happy. She kept on talking to her friends about it. This year, mom's not home. We miss her. We love her. When she gets home by March, the gas tank is next. Right Bunso? hehehe. Also, Daye's 26th Birthday. I love her too. Tried to make a career move too by enrolling for IELTS review class.

FEBRUARY- Became a Godfather to the son of my very best bud, Sachiyo Ivan Soyao a.k.a Nino. A very cute kid. Nice work kuya. Hope I do good someday too hehehehe.

MARCH- Celebrated my 30th birthday at seaside with friends. Eating galore. Everybody was filled to the brim. Then, had a singing session at Music Match. One of my best birthdays ever. Dad also bought a laptop for me. Thanks dad. I hope I have the best 31st birthday ever again this year.

APRIL- My sister passed the bar exams. Am proud of her. Faith and determination carried her to success. I love her. Joined two basketball leagues. I really love the game. Although I am not the player I was when I was younger, I proved to myself I still have game. Got nine three-pointers in 1 game to prove it. hehehehe. I hope I get to play some more. I just love basketball.

MAY- Tita Sonia went home after a long long time. She went home to be with lola. Got new shirts. I was happy hahahaha.

JUNE- Tita's husband followed tita home. Went to Baguio City to take my IELTS cum vacation. I had fun. It had been a while since I had been to Baguio and the change in scenery was very good for me. I felt refreshed when I came back.

JULY- Got an 8.0 in my IELTS. Was happy. Now, what should I do with it? That is the question. Lola got hospitalized again. But she recovered real good. Tension in the house was brewing. Bummer. Bunso and me are caught in the middle. Was sad.

AUGUST- Mom left for the states amidst the tension. Daye and me tried to fix things. Somehow, everything was pacified for the meantime. Played ball again against the nurses at work. Of course the doctor's won, I am on that team. :)

SEPTEMBER- Dad's 60th. Gave him shorts hahaha..shorts with few pockets...just like what he ordered. Welcome to the senior citizens club dad hehehe

OCTOBER- Traditionally, this month has not been good to me and this year was no exception. October 2008 has got to be ranked as 1 of the worst months I ever had my entire life. It rocked me to the core.

NOVEMBER- Smarting from October, buried myself with work. Got to start posting again on my blog and for the first time in 5 years, I think I missed our alumni homecoming in high school. I also got rear-ended by a jeepney. Was not hurt but my car was. November was a pretty bad month, but relatively better than October.

DECEMBER- The year is ending. Wallet is drained. It has been peaceful at home and somehow, I am happier. I think finally things are looking up. I hope this carries over to the new year.

You see, 2008 has been an up and down year for me. It was filled with joy and pains alike. But I am thankful I am alive. And to those people who made 2008 the way it was for me, thank you very much. I came out of it, a better man.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

On Surnames

Again, feeling bummed to the core here at home, I was left with no option but to check what's new in my own little blog world and voila!!! inspiration struck.

As I was reading the blog of my sister's ever loyal friend, Nysa and seeing how proud she was of her brother, also a good friend, Jan Argy, I can't help but be proud of them both, my sisters and me. Why? You see, besides the fact that we share a friendship, albeit mine not that close with these two (Jan and Nysa), we share a lot more. We share the same surname.

TOLENTINO.

Yes, every letter of it. And I am proud of this fact. The five of us are all college graduates who have found some measure of success despite the odds we were up against. We persevered and toiled during our college years to achieve what we have now. We are not rich people but it did not hinder us from dreaming and reaching for whatever we could grab. Because of this, we are able to hold our head up high, proud of the fact that we somehow, did all right.

We are not perfect. I am yet to fulfill my plans of going into residency. Kaye has yet to still find her niche abroad. Bunso although happily in love ( awooo! awoo! awoo!) has yet to find her happiness career-wise. Jan, well, I don't know what he lacks (is there anything?) and Nysa, still searching for the love of her life ( I sincerely do hope I am wrong for your sake heheheh).We are not perfect, yes, I am quick to point that out. But, somehow, I feel we did our part to make this world a better place and we would continue to do so for as long as we can. And we will forever make the people who love us goddamn proud...

For Santa....

Since I just stayed at home today and ran out of programs to watch on TV, I decided maybe it's time I add on my very limited collection of blog posts. Besides, it has been a while since I posted something. Inspiration just did not strike me again...well, at least not until today.

You see, I just opened up my sister's blog page (anneclaudette.blogspot.com) and after reading her love story posted on-line (kudos to you sister!!!) filled with every bit of melodrama that can be found from here to Timbuktu, I noticed that she already had her Christmas wish list and I thought, what a good idea.

So I decided to do my own little wish list. I know I would be lucky to get just even 1 of the items on my list but, what the heck, it's Christmas and wishing (and believing) that somehow, Santa would find a way to put these gifts under my Christmas Tree is not only for the kids but also, for the kids-at-heart.

So here it goes...

1. A new Ipod (mine"s busted... sigh).
2. An original Lacoste shirt, size 6.
3. An adidas jacket.
4. A magic potion that can rid of my illness...sigh....
5. A round trip ticket to the US for me, little babs and my dad... we miss mom terribly.
6. A nice smelling perfume.
7. A Vista premium software.
8. A nice long-sleeved polo shirt.
9. A new basketball.
10. Some peace around the house.
11. A paper currency of another country.
12. 13th month pay!!!!
13. A nice cabinet for my room.
14. A nice computer rack.
15. A nice swivel chair.
16. Original Copies of House MD and Grey's Anatomy.
17. An all access pass to ASAP hahahaha...
18. The recipe of tuttu de mare pasta from Don Henricos.
19. A nice theme for my cellphone as I can't install the themes I download...bummer.
20. And...the winning combination to a P200M lotto draw...hay... hay...

There you go...Santa's got his work cut out for him hehehehe.

Merry Christmas!!!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

On Sudden Bursts Of Literary Inspiration

I Am Broken
by: christian tolentino
I am broken... like an arrow split in two.
My heart I laid in the open
Only to be broken anew...
I am broken... like shattered glass on the floor.
Every piece, every fragment,
Hurts me to the core
I am broken... my wings have been clipped.
The wind beneath it taken.
Nothing left to keep.
I am broken... I feel incomplete.
Like the stars without their glitter,
Like the sun without its heat
I am broken... I have left my guard down.
To love I have fallen.
My soul left to drown.
I am broken, I will not be the same.
I fell in love again.
I have me to blame.
I am broken... my love went away.
Her love for some one's greater.
Said she could not stay.
I am broken... What will I do?
My heart is bleeding,
My soul black and blue.
Will I love again? Someday, I hope.
But not 'till the time,
The time I have coped.
And as of the moment,my heart is torn.
Broken am I,
bleeding,hurting and scorned.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

On Heartbreaks...

A BROKENHEART
jenna

How do I mend a broken heart?
My entire world has fallen apart.
How do I find hope in a brand new day,
when the one I love has gone away?
My mind overflows with memories of you,
of all that we've shared, all that we knew.
I long for your touch and your warm embrace,
the look in your eyes, the smile on your face.
My dreams are filled with your soft gentle kiss,
I wake and cry for all that I miss.
How do I mend a broken heart,
when my one true love and I are apart?
My heart knows to love only you,
it won't let go, what do I do?
Our moments together were precious and few,
but I cherished them all more than you knew.
I love you my angel and always will,
I loved you then and I love you still.

DREAMING WITH A BROKEN HEART
john mayer

When you're dreaming with a broken heart
The waking up is the hardest part
You roll outta bed and down on your knees
And for the moment you can hardly breathe
Wondering was she really here?
Is she standing in my room?
No she's not, 'cause she's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone....

When you're dreaming with a broken heart
The giving up is the hardest part
She takes you in with her crying eyes
Then all at once you have to say goodbye
Wondering could you stay my love?
Will you wake up by my side?
No she can't, 'cause she's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone....

Now do i have to fall asleep with roses in my hands
Do i have to fall asleep with roses in my hands?
Do i have to fall asleep with roses in my hands?
Do i have to fall asleep with roses in my , roses in my hands?

Would you get them if i did?
No you won't, 'cause you're gone, gone, gone, gone, gone....

When you're dreaming with a broken heart The waking up is the hardest part...

Sunday, October 12, 2008

On Love and Luck

Last night, as me, my sister and dad were travelling to a family dinner when my sister mentioned the jackpot for this weeks lottery was P130M plus. Of course, me and my dad exclaimed that we would place our bets the next day and hope that maybe we would get lucky. And then,my sister said she would place her bets first thing the next morning although she knows she would not win. I asked her how she can be sure she would not win 'cause, for all we know, she could be very lucky. Her answer was quite amusing, albeit funny.

"Kasi swerte na ko sa love..." followed by that ever so boisterous giggle that she does everytime she states a fact that she passes on as a joke. Of course, the scientific man in me would disagree. Even Einstein would find it impossible to interpolate the direct relationship between luck and love. But then again, my sister's name is not Einstein and she may be right..

You see, she has been in love with the same guy for a good 7 or 8 years. How lucky can you get. In this day and age, that is quite a feat. But, she is not lucky because of this reason. My sister is not lucky for having a handsome, hardworking and loyal boyfriend. She's not lucky that her boyfriend is understanding about her jobs and quirks. And she is not lucky because her boyfriend is a good person. She is lucky, in fact, very very lucky because she has found love.

She has found what most people only dream about. She has found and embraced a life of love. Love for her family, friends and that very special guy in her life. Because of this, she is happy. Very very happy.

So does luck and love really stand on opposite poles that no matter how we look at it, they are impossible to be connected with each other? Well, I don't know but one things for sure, at this point in my life, I'd gladly prefer the P130M plus lottery price.

But then again, that is just now...hehehe....'cause I'm feeling really lucky....

Monday, September 29, 2008

To My Little Sisters

Ten Things I Miss About Kaye...
1. Eating green mangoes with bagoong sprinkled with sugar while sitting on the couch watching television.
2. The quaint naivety uncommon to her age.
3. Her murderous versions of the songs in our videoke sessions.
4. Her leg on my leg whenever we would watch t.v. together.
5. The way she would respond every time our dad would call her "princess".
6. The way she would curl up in bed like a baby next to my mom and daye.
7. The way she eats "krispy pata". The way she munches on the ligaments with gusto. As if she has not eaten for a few weeks.
8. Her deformed finger... it's ugly but it gives her personality.
9. Buying our dinner when we were in med-school together. Of course, she would do the dishes.
10. Her sweetness when she is in the mood, I DON"T MISS, however, the "toyo". It's really annoying hehehe.
Ten Things I Miss About Daye...
1. She's my eating buddy....'nuff said.
2. Kissing her. rarely can I do that now. Dalaga na raw siya e.
3. The way she sleeps. Very similar to the way dad sleeps. Right hand overhead with the right leg elevated hehehe.
4. The way she argues about political issues with dad's friends.
5. Her company here at home. Rarely does she go home now because of work.
6. Watching ASAP with her. Mahal nya si jericho, mahal ko si maja hahahaha
7. How her tears easily fall when she is touched by a movie or even just a scene.
8. Her cooking... she's a very good cook...
9. Her hand massages. Hay hay... she no longer does this to me...
10. Her sweetness and thoughtfulness..."pasalubongs" when she does come home.
I never realized it would be this hard trying to list 10 Things you miss about a person even though you have lived with that person your whole life. I thought it would be very easy and I never was so wrong. But the bottomline is this... I love my sisters and I will forever be a Big Brother to them. I miss and I love you both.

SELF MOTIVATION... I hope this works...

Lately, I find myself uninspired...

Don't get me wrong. I am not lazy. It's just that lately I have been content on going with the flow of day to day life. My life has been a routine. Everyday is becoming a drag. Things have been the same and I am getting bored to the brink of unhappiness.

I need an inspiration... a little push that will help me appreciate life more.

I was never like this before. I was easy for me to find inspiration before. Just the sight of my childhood crush or the sight of a basketball court was enough to make me pen a poem or dream of becoming a great basketball player. It was that easy to be happy. It was that joyful to live.

But lately, I think maturity has crept up to me. Unwillingly and unwantedly. With age, life has become a little more complicated. Finding happiness has become so difficult. Being happy has been a chase.

Gone are the days when I could just stay at home, watch television the whole day and sleep smiling with contentment all over my face. Gone are the days when I would just play my heart out in basketball and go home sweaty, bruised and battered to the scolding words of grandpa and his unyielding stick and yet, still sleep with the vivid memories of the things I've done in the basketball court. Gone are the days of simple pleasures and childhood happiness that is brought about by being innocent than by being naive.

Maturity is overrated. Growing old is not what it's hyped to be. With age comes heartaches, pains and troubles that will forever scar one's heart. It brings about wrinkles and age-spots and gray hairs. It brings about loss of stamina and a whole myriad of diseases that comes with being old. And as in my case, I has brought about a sense of boredom that I have never felt for long time.

Am I hitting midlife crisis??? Oh my God!!! I hope not. I am just thirty years young and I know I have a long long way to go and have so much to offer. I am not yet done. I have a lot of things to accomplish still.

Right now, maybe I should disturb the status quo. I will try to live. I need not look for my inspiration. It would come. Eventually. and when it does, I will make the best of it and something good will come out of it. I may not be that naive no more but I definitely can be a child at heart. And I can be happy.

Maybe it's time I bring out my basketball shoes again? What do you think?