Kwentong Baboy! (the Pig’s “Tale”)

Our office had our Christmas Party last December 13, 2010.  Auditors and their staff were all on their festive mood upon the start of the parlor games.  One of my favorite is the “IPOS ti BABOY” (pig’s tail) game.  The mechanics are simple.  One, the contestants have to answer all the questions with a phrase “IPOS ti BABOY”, and  two, to remain passive or unsmiling.  So, simple, right? Yeah, right!  But how could anyone refrain from smiling or laughing if the interrogation goes like this…

1.       Anya sidam tattay bigat?             Ans: IPOS ti BABOY

2.       Anya ti iggamam nu umisbo ka? Ans: IPOS ti BABOY

3.       Anya karkarupam?         Ans: IPOS ti BABOY

4.       Anya karkarupa ni inang/tatang mo? Ans: IPOS ti BABOY

5.       Anya ti ap-aprosam tapnu makaturog ka?  Ans: IPOS ti BABOY

6.       Sino kaiddam nga maturog?  Ans: IPOS ti BABOY

7.       Anya ti mangparpargsak kanyam nu naliday ka? Ans: IPOS ti BABOY

8.       Anya nga parte ti kaykayat mo kenni lakay/baket mo? Ans: IPOS ti BABOY

9.       Anya ti umuna nga i-kiss mo nu makitam ni baket/lakay mo? Ans: IPOS ti BABOY

10.   Anya ti kawkawilam iti rabii? Ans: IPOS ti BABOY

HAHAHA!  Easier said than done huh…

CHRISTMAS NOSTALGIA

As Christmas is fast approaching, so is my mind from wandering to one past Christmas to another.  And I can’t help being nostalgic about it.  Here are what I miss most…

1.       Going out from house to house with my friends after 12 o’clock…

Drawn to different career paths and different priorities now, my friends have stopped going to our house.  We seldom see each other now (Mylyn, Ruvelma, Mng. Lino and other elementary friends) much more to meet after 12 a.m. on Christmas day to do some house hopping to savor each delicious food prepared in each others house. :c

2.       Buying some gifts with my friends in COA-Bagabag

Though being contractual in COA-Bagabag equates to meager bonus, we still so look forward to it.  Just upon receiving it, we would immediately go to Caringal Store or in  Solano to buy some groceries and gifts for the Christmas as if we have lots of money to spend with.(“,)  I miss the company of Ate Julie, Gem and Kuya Gerald (though he’s not with us when we are on our buying spree).  They are the few people I have really bonded in the real-est and truest sense.  The memories we had are priceless and “the best joke of the century”, ‘coz we really had funny moments together!  Love you guys and I miss spending Christmas with you!  

3.      Spending Christmas as one WHOLE family

This one is what I miss the most.  Since I could remember, until my sister went to Florida to work, we spend Christmas all together - my Dad, my Mom, my Ate, my Kuya, me and on the later years my Ading.  We were not allowed to go out on Christmas eve so we were together when 12 o’clock strikes.  We don’t do anything special or partying, we would just hug one another, kiss and say “Merry Christmas!” just as the clock had turned 12 o’clock.   Then we eat…Just like that.  But I sooo miss having this moment.  Just knowing they are there and seeing them so near are so comforting and so meaningful for me.  And I don’t know when will this moment happen again… sigh! :’c

The SUNSET

THE SUNSET…

Most of us love sunsets… and I’m one of them…

But I’ve known few who don’t enjoy so much.  Maybe because sunset  brings a somber mood and has a way of making you lonelier three times over.  Sunset effectively magnifies your current emotions, usually or specially when you are sad, guilty of something, problematic, or even when in-love.   With all the shades of yellow, orange and red changing overhead and with the warm air submitting to the windy and colder breeze of a nearing nightfall, it is inevitable to feel that way.  Sigh!

But for me, I’m always awed by how glorious it looked.  At times, as I look at the setting sun, my thoughts race to where my life had been and where I am.  As much as it gives me shame, guilt and regret for the mistakes I’ve done, I become hopeful, renewed, and mostly appreciative life has offered me.  As the rays of the sun stretch through the clouds, and as shade of crimson red (or yellow and orange sometimes) diffused over the expanse of the sky, I have this funny imagination that God is literally behind the clouds, looking over the world.   It is in this moment that I never doubted the existence of God.  I’m always thinking He’s closest to the world during this glorious phenomenon, the setting of the sun.

This is maybe the reason why I always wanted to capture each sunset everywhere I travel, a subconscious personal attestation that God is everywhere I am. 

So, wherever you are, look over the horizon, you might catch a glimpse of the gloriousness of the setting sun!

 Claveria, Cagayan

 Boracay sunset - 2

 PAgudpud, Ilocos Norte

 Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte

Bintawan, Solano, Nueva Vizcaya

Sta. Lucia, Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya

CROSSROAD!

(This was written two years ago.)

With so much laid down before me

Where to go

Where not to go

I can’t seem to know

With so much options

With so much choices

Should I chase my dreams?

Should I be a maverick of change?

Or should just I succumb to my uncomplicated world?

I have what I want

Yet, i don’t have what I really want

But I could be someone they would want

So, what would I be?

This is a crossroad

Am i blessed?

Or is this a curse?

Which way to go

I don’t seem to know!

THE RUINS

When we went to Bacolod, we were clueless to where should we visit.  Luckily, two auditors from region went with us and suggested that we should visit the "the RUINS".  So, they told our driver to go there.  The driver repeatedly asked to them what place are we going. and the two auditors alternately asnwered him, "The Ruins, Kuya."  But it seems the driver is not familiar with the site we wanted to go.  So, we drove by, halting at some point as the driver asked for direction.  Since nobody knew how to speak their language, we let the driver do the inquiry.  We were beginning to get uneasy to our seats as the driver were still clueless to our destination.  After at least 2 stops and one u-turn, finally the driver made a stop at the middle of nowhere.  We just waited as he set off in the highway by foot to ask somebody. 

When he finally came back, we knew from the look in his face that he finally know where he is going.  He said something to Ate Floreen who sat beside him which made her laugh.  surprise to her reaction, we all were curious to what the driver said.  So, ATe floreen copying the Visayan accent told us what he said, "RUINS pala ang pangalan, hindi DARWIN's!!!" 

 Hehehehe!

The RUINS

The Taj Mahal of Negros

One of the 12 most fascinating ruins in the world

And as we pass along the streets of Iloilo city, we saw this structure.... 

THE RUINED

(Har har har!)