Earth Hour

As I write, I'm getting closer to witnessing Earth Hour here in Makati. The fact that I'm going to witness the city with all its lights turned off (except maybe for the streetlights and the fast food chains. I've never witnessed Earth Hour before, you know) is nothing short of exciting.

In Davao, never did I take note of this kind of event. Life went on as usual. It's only here in Manila where I got to see posters and posters of the number "60"on almost every corner of EDSA that I felt real anticipation of Earth Hour.

Right now, I'm still not a believer but neither am I a cynic too. It's true that a lot of criticism has been thrown at the organizers of this event (one only has to surf the Internet to read all the dirt that has been thrown) but there are also a lot of people who are convinced that Earth Hour works.

As for me, I'm withholding judgment for the moment. Obviously, thinking about the implications of Earth Hour does nothing to increase my appreciation of the now star-filled sky.

Gosh. How better off will the world be if humanity was taken out of the picture?

Text Messages 2

Here are a couple more text messages from, you guess it, my arnis ninong, Edwin Gutierrez, and from my high school friend, Rogelyn Donor (registered nurse ka na ba, Roj?):

Bus
Juan: Konsyensya gyud kaayo ko mag-tanaw sa babae magtindog unya ako galingkod.
Pedro: Unya, unsa man imong himuon?
Juan: No choice. Mopiyong nalang ko.
(During high school, a teacher of mine, Sir Jumawan, said roughly the same thing. Serious-faced, he solemnly addressed our class that he doesn't want to see any cheating in the exams. After this, he promptly covered his eyes with his hands, as we all erupted in suprised laughter)
Rogelyn Donor

Filipino class
Guro: Juan, magbigay ng pangungusap na may tayutay.
Juan: Ahem. Ang tatay ay nadapa. Tayu tay! Tayu tay!
Edwin Gutierrez

Ang kangit-ngit nitiklop na. Kikik ug sigbin nagpanikad na! Tikbalang, zombie, og drakula, nag-una na. Ikaw, ngano nagbasa pa man ka?
Edwin Gutierrez, March 26, 2009

It's a story about a man browsing in a store who was shocked to see God selling.
Man: Lord, what are you selling?
God: Whatever your heart desires!
Man: I want peace of mind, happiness, and freedom from fear for me and the world.
God (smiling): I don't sell fruits here, only seeds.
Galatians 6:7 "A man reaps what he sows."
Lesson: "The seeds we sow today determine the kind of fruit we'll reap tomorrow. Hope you'll plant good seeds everyday of your life!"
Edwin Gutierrez, March 25, 2009

A mom called her son, "Pauwi ka na ba? Asan kana?"
Son: Andito po ako sa ospital.
His mom cried: "Anong nangyari sa iyo?!"
Son: Ma, nurse kaya ako, sabog ka ba?
Rogelyn Donor, March 25, 2009

You maybe sitting all alone, but believe in the magic that someone is meant to sit beside you soon...


...dayon kung puno na, maglakaw na ang jeep eh!
Edwin Gutierrez, March 24, 2009

Dear anak,

Salamt sa tanan nimong gipadala diri namu. Usa lang di namu gusto. Kadtong NIVEA MOISTURIZING MILK. Nagkalibanga jud tawon mi. Unta sa sunod, kape na lang.
Edwin Gutierrez, March 24, 2009

When a person tells you, "Hoy, kagwapa/kagwapo jud nimo bah!", it's good to answer with, "Thank you. Kaw pud unta."
Edwin Gutierrez, March 24, 2009

Sa ngitngit nga dalan...
Ungo: Awoooh!
Bata: Ayaw ngo! Ayaw ngo!
Ungo: Ok. Sorry.
Rogelyn Donor, March 23, 2009

Ang tawag sa gumagawa ng tubo, tubero; kumukuha ng basura, basurero; ang mahilig sa gimik, gimikero; mahilig sa babae, babaero.
Eh, ano ang tawag sa lagi nasa kanto?



Tambay, tol. Tambay. Huwag kang mag-imbento. Hehe
Edwin Gutierrez, March 23, 2009

A policeman saw a litte boy crying.
He approached him and asked: What's the matter boy?
Boy: Huhuhu! Matter is anything that occupies space and has mass..huhuhuh.
Edwin Gutierrez, March 23, 2009

Tulo ka buang nagguot sa usa ka katre:
Buang 1: Guota oi. Naugi beh..
Buang 2: Sige, munaog ko. (Ninaog ang usa ka buang.)
Buang 3: O luag na! Balik na diri!
Mary Anne Andicoy, March 14, 2009

Example sa mga dili sakto na tubag sa sakto na pangutana:
1.) Nagkaon naka? - Busog pa man ko.
2.) Naa imo nanay dira? - Ngano man diay?
3.) Unsa oras imong klase? - Unya pa.
4.) Asa man mu gikan? - Ganina ra mi kaabot oi.
5.) Gi-unsa na pagbuhat? - Dali ra man ni.
6.) Ngano wala ka gahapon? - Nag-absent ko.
7.) Unsa nay oras? - Sayo pa man.
...ug ang paborito sa tanan:
8.) Asa naka dapit? - Padulong nako.
Edwin Gutierrez, March 7, 2009

Fred: Pare, what's your biggest fantasy?
Marvin: To be kissed by someone in the rain, pare. How about you?
Fred: To be...that someone, pare.
Edwin Gutierrez, March 7, 2009

Jr: Bag-o lagi'g pintal inyong atop?
Manny: Advice man gud ni Fr. Mike.
Jr: Unsay iyang sulti?
Manny: Ingon siya, "Sa miaging adlaw" sa pamadlis: REPENT YOUR SIN!
Edwin Gutierrez, March 7, 2009

Sabi nila: "Love is blind."
Sagot ko naman: "Ok."
Edwin Gutierrez, March 2, 2009

(Eksena sa jeep. Estudyante galugit-lugit sa ilong. Pakialamero nga tigulang.)
Lolo: Unsa imo ginakuha day?
Student: Nursing, Lo.
Lolo: Ah...abi nako kugmu.
Edwin Gutierrez, March 2, 2009

"Ang pinakamahirap sa paglayo sa taong hindi ka kayang mahalin...ay ang bonggang-bonggang katotohanang hindi ka niya hahabulin."
Edwin Gutierrez, February 28, 2009

Ang lahat ng itoy

ay anak ng iro.
Edwin Gutierrez, February 28, 2009

Sabi nila nasa akin na daw lahat!
Sabi ko naman, "Yehey!"
Edwin Gutierrez, February 27, 2009

(Sa isang waiting shed)
Lalaki: Miss, wag kang kikilos ng masama.
Miss: B..Ba..Bakit ho?!
Lalaki: Bad yun.
Edwin Gutierrez, February 27, 2009

Why waste the precious petal of the flower when you know from the start that SHE LOVES YOU


NOT. Asa pa kasi.
Edwin Gutierrez, February 24, 2009

"Mukha lang akong mabait"
In English, "I'm just good-looking."
Edwin Gutierrez, February 17, 2009

Text Messages

When I was in college, I encoded text messages/quotes for posterity. I got the habit from one of my mentors, Sir Dennis "Dens" Rivamonte. So what better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than to do this activity again? Not in a Word document, but in a blog? Here goes:

bata: pabili nga po ng ubas.
tindero: wala kami ubas.
-kinabukasan..
bata: pabili nga po ng ubas
tindero: wala kami ubas.
-kinabukasan ulit..
bata: mama, pabili nga po ng ubas.
tindero: wala nga kameng ubas! isa pang tanong, babarilin ko yang bibig mo!
-kinabukasan..
bata: may baril kayo?
tindero: wala.
bata: pabili nga po ng ubas..
Edwin Gutierrez, 6 February 2009

Be with someone who knows what they have when they have you. You don't need too many people to be happy, just a few real ones who appreciate you for who you are
Rogelyn Donor, March 20, 2009

<On the deck of a ship>
An American threw his cellphone to the sea.
Pinoy: Oh, sayang!
American: There are lots of cellphones in America.
Japanese also threw his laptop to the sea!
Pinoy: Oh?! What the?!
Japanese: There are lots of computers in Japan.
(Pinoy is silent because ha has nothing to brag about)
Then a Korean came to join them.
Pinoy pushed the Korean to the sea.
Everybody: Oh My God! Why did you push him?
Pinoy: It's ok! There are lots of Koreans in the Philippines!
Edwin Gutierrez, March 20, 2009

Bakit mahirap ngumiti nang nakakunot ang noo?









Unya, e-try jud diay? Usab daw!! Nyahahaha!
Edwin Gutierrez, March 17, 2009

Nganong mahadlok man ang bitin sa amigas? Ngano?
Kay kung paakon siya sa amigas, wala siyay pangkalot.
Edwin Gutierrez, March 17, 2009

Nanay: Ayusin mo kama mo!
Badong: Nay, magugulo lang yan ulit , bakit ko pa aayusin? Para lang akong nagmahal tapos masasaktan lang muli.
Rogelyn Donor, March 16, 2009

Great things about friends: They will give you a loan at a much better rate than the banks. Shares your drink without fear of germs. They are better at cheering you up than parents do. Just hearing their voice makes you feel better. Someone with whom you can trust your online password. Without them, you never dare attend school reunions. Waits with you until your jeepney comes. And lastly, friendship is less likely to break up than a romantic relationship.
Rogelyn Donor, March 16, 2009

If we cannot be grateful for what we have received, then let us be thankful for what we have been spared. Life is short, live it. Love is rare, grab it. Anger is bad, dump it. Fear is awful, face it. Memories are sweet, cherish it.
Manman, March 15, 2009


Duha ka amang nag-away.
Amang 1:
Amang 2:
Amang 1:
Amang 2:
Amang 1:
Amang 2:
Amang 1:
Luoy noh? Grabe jud ila away. Sayang ilahang friendship.
Edwin Gutierrez, March 14, 2009

Teacher: Unsang past tense sa laba?
Encio: Naglaba, Ma'am!
Teacher: ang present tense?
Encio: Naglalaba!
Teacher: Correct! Ang future tense?
Encio: Manghalay.
Edwin Gutierrez, March 12, 2009

Tarzan interviewed by the radio reporter:
reporter: gi-unsa nimo paghimo ug balay diha sa ibabaw sa kahoy?
Tarzan: ambot lang sir kay nag-board ra man ko diha.
Edwin Gutierrez, March 11, 2009

Mom: Kamaayo nimog Match 'nak oi. Mangutana daw ko beh.
Anak: Sige ma.
Mom: kung tagaan ka sa imo Papa ug four apples unya tagaan tikag tulo. Unsay tubag?
Anak: Salamat!
Edwin Gutierrez, March 11, 2009

Twilight: At the forest, Bella saw Edward's body shimmer as it has been hit by the sun.
Bella: I know what you are.
Edward: Say it! Say it out loud, say it!
Bella: BAYOT! Baga kaayo ug foundation nang imong nawong! Pula kaayo kag ngabil! Unya karon, glitter-glitter pa imong lawas?!
Edwin Gutierrez, March 11, 2009

Address To The Graduating Batch of 2009

Good day all ye Graduates! Hi, I'm Paolo Bataller and right now, I am compelled to relinquish the title of "Fresh Graduate" since you're already around.

Oh, you seem so happy, so full of life! Did the toga fit you right? How long did the ceremony take (Ours took roughly 6 hours from our lives)?

Anyway, I want to congratulate you all for making it this far. I know how much it takes to get at this point of your lives and I salute you for the effort. Remember that you are now a valued commodity from hereon, free to appreciate or depreciate depending on what choices you make in the future. Also remember that for the hundreds who graduate, there are thousands, or even millions more who do not, could not, or will not graduate this year. Feel free to speculate on what will happen to these people but always remember that you are fortunate. So do try to do something about the others who are less fortunate than you.

Most importantly, I also would like to welcome you all to The Real World. Yep, you read it right: The Real World. If you think you have already experienced Hell in your years of "education" (e.g. making your thesis, doing killer projects, racing against deadlines, spiting your teachers etc.), be assured that those years were but the first or second circle of Inferno (you have yet to feel your body being munched upon by the Devil, if you know what I'm saying). But at least you know this and I believe you are well-prepared for the challenges ahead.

One good thing about The Real World is that from now on, you are on your own and you can pretty much do anything about your life. Your achievements or successes are no longer measured by grades (which exist to motivate students out of mediocrity) or phony awards (which only exist to further raise the self-esteem of those who already have too much). Granted, you will still be working to achieve something, may it be Key Performance Indicators, Quotas, or something more metaphysical, but at least you get to decide what you want to work for and why.

For some, this poses a nightmare: gone is the false security of the classroom, where goals are definable in terms of numerical (or alphabetical) measurements, where your life can be measured by how well you do in school or how successful you flatter your teachers. But for the many (most especially the so-called "bugo", the seemingly inept students who are reviled by their teachers), this thought is liberating since now, they can shed off the tyranny that the academia has imposed on them since they were caught napping in kindergarten.

Graduates, you now have a fresh start at life. And so I invite you to create a vision of You when you are already 75 years old or so and dying from some painful disease. Sounds too severe? Not really. If you can picture yourself in your deathbed, you are already ahead of the pack. Because the moment you fully realize that you are bound to leave this place, the more intense the feeling that you must do something about your life. For most, that's what we call legacy and so you have to ask yourself, "What legacy do I want to leave behind?"

That my friends, Your Legacy, is The Real World's equivalent for a grade. I don't know what legacy you want to leave behind but, for your sake, I suggest you have one. There are countless people in this world who have lived their lives aiming at nothing, achieving nothing and dying for nothing. They float, lifeless, in the vast depths of the Netherworld, shriveled, with neither glow in their eyes nor words from their lips to remind us of who they are and what their existence meant.

So ponder upon this for awhile. For a few moments, forget about the anxiety of looking for a job or the question of where you should party the night away. Remember that we like to say "We all live for a Reason". The next question for you is: What Reason is that?

God bless you all.

Dressing Up

One of the problems with being Paolo Bataller is that the guy doesn't know how to dress up.

I admit it. For me, life was simpler back then when I had no "income" to speak of, when I was simply feeding off my parents' goodwill. Whenever I needed new apparel, I simply had to ask, make "padungog", or otherwise look grief-stricken (to digress, I remember this one time when I was in Grade 1 and my siblings had new, cool rubber shoes with lights flashing out of the soles. Envious, I ended up stroking their shoes in mournful worship whenever Mama was around to see me. And voila! Several days later, Papa had a gift for me: new rubber shoes. That was when I learned the fine art of acting).

In buying my new clothes, the script would go as follows: I would go to the deparment store with Papa, Mama and my sister in tow (my pro bono fashion consultants, so to speak), armed with a weapon of choice: an ATM or a credit card.

Then I let them take the lead. I would wander off somewhere, keeping up the facade that I'm intently looking for that fortunate piece of cloth that will grace my awesome physique (this is my blog. I can write anything I want).

But the truth of the matter is: I'm simply waiting for my consultants to make their recommendations and advise me on what I should wear. Besides, why should I labor with the existential dilemma of choosing what clothes are right for me when I can have dependable people to do it with gusto? So that's how it goes. My consultants recommend something. I wear it. I give a few opinions every now and then but I usually end up wearing what they suggest. Life is good. Until now.

Nowadays, I do my shopping alone and it bothers me how so mundane an activity can be so nerve-wracking. Is this right for me? What if this is too big? Do the colors make me darker or lighter? What am I doing here by the way? Is this the women's department? What if I do this later? I really need to eat...

Truth be told, I still don't like buying my own apparel. But thankfully, after several months of wearing the same clothes over and over again, I now have an idea about what I should wear:

Polos/Shirts- Large/Medium. Preferably no print, just plain. In blue, yellow, red, green, earth colors whatever. Just stay away from orange or neon green. Would like a rainbow of polos and shirts in the closet.

Shorts/Slacks/Pants- Waistline: 29 to 31 inches. No skinny jeans (Why wear something uncomfortable?). Plain style= no patterns, checkers, or stripes. For jeans, plain blue. For slacks, plain black.

Shoes- White rubber shoes and black leather shoes. Pointed shoes are a no-no.

Last but not the least, I don't go for accessories. I am not fond of wearing ornamental belts or anything resembling a welding shop. I also don't like arm/wrist bands for the irrational reason that they block off my circulation. I also don't go for shades, or scarves or what not.

To sum it up, if there is one fact that I want my clothes to say, it would be this: I am Paolo Bataller and I AM A SIMPLE GUY.

Comfort-less Room

Last night, I got stuck. Literally.

I was taking a leak in the comfort room of our office and I accidentally closed the door. It turned out the knob was faulty and I could not open it from the inside.

I tried calling out loudly to anyone, anyone at all. Unfortunately, our office was composed of two big rooms separated by a wall. The first room is where the office really is and the second room is a desolate space where the comfort rooms are. Even if I did scream my lungs out, nobody would have heard me from the other room.

Then I heard voices from beyond, voices from the construction men working on the office beside ours. I tried calling them to no avail (They probably heard me but were probably too apathetic to act upon my calls).

So I decided to be creative. What would McGyver do? I scoured the comfort room for something. The trick, I thought, was to remove the knob. So I got out my room key and tried using it as a driver to un-screw the knob (didn't work). I found some wiring and tried that as well (didn't work). I spotted the mop and just decided to break it (but I figured in the last second that the mop's wooden handle cannot possibly destroy the knob). The last thing I did was climb up the ceiling, hoping to get across so I could climb down to the ladies' room and go home.

Then I heard voices; the construction workers again. I called them up and this time, I made sure they wouldn't ignore me. I told them to get the guard and open the freakin' door.

It did work and my vigil was over after 30 minutes. So what then is the moral of the story? That one I have to figure out. Hmmm...

Of Politicians And Billboards

Am I the only one who gets the irony?

Here in Manila, I live near the Taguig Pateros District Hospital which was newly renovated last year. Beside the hospital, a construction crew from Manila Water and the city government is busy demolishing Champaca street for so-called "drainage" purposes. Beside Champaca street, we also have a newly constructed bus/jeep "terminal", which is simply a concrete pavement where jeeps and buses park.

So, in one area of our neighborhood, you can gaze at all these immediately: a new hospital, a road being destroyed, and a terminal of sorts. A pretty rosy picture of progress and intense government action, you might say. So what's my point? And why these facts?

Well, that's because there's something quite not right in the picture. You see, stuck in the hospital's facade is a large billboard. Along Champaca street, you see another billboard and the terminal also has its own billboard. Finally, there's another billboard standing on the other side of the terminal. It's crazy.

This leads me to the next question: what's with the billboards? The billboards are there simply because every government project must have a billboard. And the billboard must advertise what the project is, who the proponents are, and who are the politicians you should thank.

I guess for many of us, this is normal already. All our politicians do the same thing. They initiate projects using taxpayers' money and they merchandise themselves through billboards by also using taxpayers' money (Nograles, anyone?).

But that's not my point. My point is that the message conveyed in these billboards is so absurd, I wonder why nobody is talking about it yet.

For all four billboards, you see the same thing. You see the slightly malicious smiles of the following politicos: Mayor Freddie R. Tinga, Vice Mayor George A. Elias, and Congressman Jun Duenas. And then you see their tag line, their slogan, their battle cry, posted above their heads:

"We build projects, not billboards."

Pretty ironic huh?

Profile Of A College Friend

I will always have a bias towards writing in general. It's just that it’s so easy to pour yourself in writing than to speak your mind out.

I know someone in college who, I believe, also shares this sentiment. She's one of those people who loves to stay in the dark corners of the background.

I can't blame her though; she's just shy. But, goodness, when it comes to writing anything, anything at all, she's like a goddess. I guess being introvert can really help (which is why I'm also applying it to myself, exercising my mouth only when necessary. Plus, canker sores really hurt, you know?)

She's one of those people you just can't wait to hear talking about themselves. And as luck would have it, she did reveal something about herself one time ago.

That would be when we were already graduating students. It was the first semester of our last year. I had an elective in Psychology, Guidance and Counseling, and I had to look for a "problematic individual" to undergo a counseling session with me. By mere coincidence (and totally contrary to her character), she responded with a yes to my invitation. We had a videotaped session and she also wrote her answers on my notebook. As for what she wrote, read on:

Doubts and Insecurities
1.) Yes, Pao, I’m insecure over my height, so you don’t have to rub it in. This wasn’t really a problem for me, until my father told me I can never ride a Vespa because my legs are too short. Tear.

2.) I’m also a bit insecure about my writing abilities. I just don’t think I’m that good; more often than not, my written outputs are just hit-or-miss affairs.

3.) I’m also insecure about my body image. See, I have scoliosis, and it’s just BAD! I now hate my body because of it – unless I get surgery which I’m thinking of saving up for. And if you raise the subject of scoliosis (and why I’m insecure about it) with me, I will not talk about this with you, so don’t even try.

4.) I’m insecure about my parents. Actually, it’s just my father. I hate to be mean, but I think he’s “uncivilized”. He embarrasses me a lot because he blows his nose really loudly in public. And he gets drunk a lot. And he’s really loud and obnoxious; he has no control over his temper. Ah enough. And he has no taste whatsoever. Both my parents actually.

Most Favorite Quote
“Be kind; the person you meet may be fighting a harder battle.” – or something to that effect. Not that it’s really my favorite; it’s just the only one that came to mind. Again, “korni” kaayo ka Pao.

Reason for Being…
a.) an Atenean – I actually decided to become an Atenean when I was in my second year (going on third) in High School. Back then, I just suddenly decided that I want to transfer. I chose Ateneo because it’s an “elitist” school, and I wanted to challenge myself by being a “jologs” in an “elitist” school. Kidding, but that’s the idea more or less.

b.) an English Major – Because I’m good in English.

Favorite Food
I don’t see how this can be of any use in your subject. Anyway, I like fish. Fish fillet. Fried Fish. Sweet and sour fish fillet. I like anything fried, actually. Now that I think about it, I really don’t have a “favorite” food. So there.

Academic Problems
1.) Tardiness. Laziness. – I’m only tardy during my first classes. Reason: I sleep really late, so I find it really hard to wake up early. Plus, I only get up an hour before my class. Add to that the traffic at Bankerohan bridge. My tardiness is really my only academic problem. I would have gotten an FD in one class, if it hadn’t been for my high marks. Haha! And sometimes, when I’m really, really late, or when I feel so tired to come to class, I just skip class altogether. So that’s my second problem.

Family Problems
1.) My father – We don’t get along too well. No, we don’t really fight; we’re just not that close. His constant drinking and temper irritates me. I guess you can also say we have a generation gap. I find it impossible to talk to him about my personal life.

2.) Absentee siblings – My sister’s been away from home for more than ten years. Not really a problem.

3.) Age gap between my siblings and I – I think my other three siblings get along much better because their gaps only range 1 to 2 years. I’m much younger, so very often I feel left-out/ OP/ ”saling-pusa” when we’re together.

Favorite Music and Why
1.) Rock/ Alternative – No reason. I just grew up listening to it a lot because of my brothers.
2.) Oldies Music – Because my father listens to RJ 100.3 a lot, so I think I’ve developed a liking for it. Plus, I think I’m an “old soul” type.

Favorite Books and Why
1.) Coming-of-age books: I dunno. I can relate to them, I guess
2.) The Perks of Being a Wallflower by S. Chbosky: Easy to read.
3.) A Separate Peace by J. Knowles: Eloquent lang. Funny at times.
4.) Beasts by J.C. Oates: Short but packed. Easy to read. Haunting and disturbing.
5.) The Portrait of Dorian Gray by O. Wilde: Still haunting.
6.) N.P. by Banana Yoshimoto: Simple.
7.) The Wind-up Bird Chronicle by H. Murakami: Simple yet thought-provoking.

Opinions on Politics, Issues
Kapoy lagi answer ani. I have too many opinions on politics and issues, so sorry ka na lang.

Talk about siblings and parents
I love my parents. I love my mama so much it makes me cry when I’m such a brat. I can’t imagine my mama dying.

Papa. I love him but there are moments when I think my life would be so much better without him.

My brother Lou. He’s a bum. He’s such a lazy person. And he’s such a slob, I’m always cleaning up after him. He’s wasted a lot of my mama’s money because he’s so lazy and complacent. I hope he gets married to a slave driver and becomes a hen-pecked husband so that he can be motivated to work harder.

My other brother Chino. We used to hate each other so much, but I’m glad we’ve outgrown that phase. We actually share the same temperament – we’re both moody. Anyway, he’s now working in Cebu. I like him because he is more sensible, and he’s a bit of a perfectionist, so I think his career will get along just fine. I also suspect he’s a closet homo. If he is, I hope he “comes out” so that he can stop being so stiff.

My ate. She’s the only sibling I address as “Ate” – the other two I don’t bother to call Kuya. Maybe it’s because I respect her too much. She left home when I was in Grade 1, and still continues to live life away from home. I don’t know her that well, really. But I think I’ve patterned my life after her, so she must be great.

Recent Deaths
Just my grandma and grand-uncle.

Regrets
High School – That I didn’t make enough friends.

Should I be grateful for what you just shared?
You should be. I just wasted two hours on this. I’m expecting a token of gratitude for this.

Current Projects
1.) Taking a writing project in Sarangani – I didn’t want to back down from the challenge (one of the very rare moments); I felt I needed the exposure… and the money.
2.) Rock Ed – I just wanted to be a part of something. And I want to make a small difference in my community. I just hope I push through with this one.
3.) Blogging.

If you may ask, “Was my counseling session with her successful?” Well…she was late for our graduation ceremonies. That’s all I can say. As for the token of gratitude, I never did give her any. I was poor then (and even now, I still am. Jeesh). But this also explains my motivation for putting this in my blog. You see, she said awhile back that nobody really knows her and a lot of people have these misguided notions about her. Hope this helps in setting things straight (if you could guess who she is, first). And I hope she’ll take this as my token of gratitude for saving my butt back then.

Note: Lest you say that I’m breaching client confidentiality, I asked her first if I could blog this. She said yes but only if her name is never mentioned (but we all know anonymity is so fleeting nowadays).