Spring

I t was a long drawn out winter- malamig, malungkot at ma-yelo. The signs of Spring are starting to sprout. We are beginning a new cycle. Easter will soon be here.
There is so much to look forward to. At the same time, there are tragedies and wars that are in our midst. We hope these all will just go away. Pero mukhang hindi mangyayari pansamantala.
Marami tayong dapat linisin - from our own backyard to a bigger perimeter called world. I don't doubt Japan will rise again. Maybe sooner than we expect. The factories will soon operate again and Apple will get its spare parts soon.
Pero ang Libya? Si Khadafi - kelan siya aalis? Soon - sana nga.
These countries have their own winters - maybe too drawn out and too long. Pero meron at meron din silang Spring katulad natin. Sana kasing aga rin natin.

The Beatles have the best version of this song. Let me give you an alternative - Nina Simone, a favorite of mine.

Pa-Contest ng St. Patrick's

A group of UP alums dared to join the trivia contest at St. Patrick's. It was a fund raising program of the Catholic School. Para sa Catholic School, sige na nga...
We decorated our table with Boy Bawang(s), quiche, bar B que, lumpia Shanghai, and the stars of our table - Stella Artois and her escort, Mr. Heineken.
We were up in arms against the oldies - no wonder we never scored on those Elvis Presley questions. We did good with the questions regarding Company logos - Microsoft and the likes. You know, our time.
Next year, we promise. We will not hug the bottom half. We will try for the upper half. It was fun though. The parish priest spent more time near our table quizzing us on the food we were taking - ito ba raw ang tinatawag na brain food?
I bet he was there more to partake our food for the soul.

Manila.. As Time Goes By

The two week trip to my native land was tiring. I tried to squeeze in and maximize activities in such a short span of time. Good thing - I was able to accomodate the main "reasons" for going home.
The FLP reunion was done and over with. I kept repeating the same old stories to Jim. My enthusiasm never waned. He was a patient listener. I am so sure he was just being polite at times. Ilang beses mo bang i-ku-kwento na napakasaya ng reunion mo?
I was able to touch base with old friends. Tereret Angala represented my Maryknoll buddies. Much as I would like to be with Lulu and the rest of the blue and goldies, the time was just not there. Tereret and I infact just met up at Shang-ri-la for a good 30 minutes of catching up. May susunod na kabanata I am sure.
Dinner with my Civil Service Commission friends over at our favorite rendezvous - I can not reveal. Napag-usapan uli ang gobyerno at ang gobyerno pa rin.
A trip to the UP is always in my itinerary - Diliman and Manila. Binaybay ko na rin ang Katipunan Ave all the way to Aurora Blvd. Shoppersville in front of Maryknoll is not there anymore. Masikip na masyado ang Katipunan. Andoon pa rin ang La Vista at Esteban Abada. Magkapitbahay pa rin ang Maryknoll at Arrneo.
Home with my family is always filled with food and kwento. My appetite is curtailed this time because of that amoebiasis - syet. Now I know how it feels to be a patient - the receiving end.
To say na may traffic sa Manila is an understatement. MERONG CHAOS sa kalye is a better description. The driving habits of my kababayan is again - syetty. There is just so much wasted time waiting. Kaya siguro napaka-lackadaisical natin. Alas dose na ng tanghali ay nagkakape pa rin tayo.
The amenities that I enjoy here stateside is still not there in Manila. Pero bakit uwi pa rin ako ng uwi? Why do I keep planning on going home once I reach 60? Why am I planning on spending my growing old years in my home country?
The simple answer is - ako ay isang Pinoy. Ang Pinoy ay linikha para sa kanyang sariling bayan. The Pinoy is very adaptable and full of initiatives. Give or take - ma-traffic pa rin at lubhang mainit, Manila will remain as she is. Mamahalin ko pa rin at siyang aking uuwian to spend my growing old years.