Word of the Day

ENTHUSIASM

American Heritage Dictionary:
en·thu·si·asm

(ĕn-thū’zē-ăz’əm) pronunciation
n.

1. Great excitement for or interest in a subject or cause.
2. A source or cause of great excitement or interest.
3. Archaic.
1. Ecstasy arising from supposed possession by a god.
2. Religious fanaticism.

WORD HISTORY “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm,” said the very quotable Ralph Waldo Emerson, who also said, “Everywhere the history of religion betrays a tendency to enthusiasm.” These two uses of the word enthusiasm-one positive and one negative-both derive from its source in Greek. Enthusiasm first appeared in English in 1603 with the meaning “possession by a god.” The source of the word is the Greek enthousiasmos, which ultimately comes from the adjective entheos, “having the god within,” formed from en, “in, within,” and theos, “god.” Over time the meaning of enthusiasm became extended to “rapturous inspiration like that caused by a god” to “an overly confident or delusory belief that one is inspired by God,” to “ill-regulated religious fervor, religious extremism,” and eventually to the familiar sense “craze, excitement, strong liking for something.” Now one can have an enthusiasm for almost anything, from water skiing to fast food, without religion entering into it at all

To AT&T U-verse Wave 8a

From a long list of applicants for the call center representative position, a set of names made it to the door of Sutherland Global Services. They knocked, the door opened, and the SGS grounds felt each determined step they took. They made noise – a lot of NOISE!!! They became known as AT&T U-verse Wave 8a – a group
of high-spirited individuals, all dreamers and hopefuls.

This new wave of trainees bravely accepted a challenging technical account. Despite the perceived level of difficulty that faced them, their drive to make it till the end was strong. The journey to the top may not be a breeze but it was fun and definitely,
memorable. Before they knew it, they had already passed the Center of Learning and the Technical Foundation Training.

If life is all-smiles, then, I guess, there would be no more room for tears. Of course, tears of joy are an exception. However, life is like an old cliche, “Kung
minsan nasa taas, kung minsan nasa baba.” (Wow! I felt better the mere fact that I chose to write it in my language.) All the while, Wave 8a thought that they were doing just fine. They did until half of the wave failed Berlitz. You see, one of the prerequisites to be able to join the New Hire Orientation (NHO) is to pass the Berlitz test, an oral English exam via internet phone that tests one’s level of knowledge
and communication skills in the language. Sad to say, those who failed this test are out of the AT&T U-verse account. Cheers to the passers, by the way.

When a group becomes friends and family, whoever succeeds becomes a pride of the group. In the same way, when one fails, a true family feels for that
person. A family stands up for each other. That’s how AT&T U-verse Wave 8a is like. At least, it’s how they were like before they went their separate ways. After all the good times they’ve shared during the trainings, there were the bad. They weren’t fights or anything like that, but sentiments that needed attention,
issues that needed to be resolved and circumstances that are out of hand. I would have loved to elaborate more, but I thought it’s best to let the situation succumb and get over on its own.

To AT&T U-verse Wave 8A, as we go our separate ways and embark on another journey, I’d like you all to know that you have given
me a “makulit” and fun-filled memory. Salamat!

For all those who failed the Berlitz, surely, there is more in store for you. You just gotta have to try if you have to. You gotta have hope – a great expectation of something good. No matter what you choose to do next, always give it your best shot! Greater things are yet to come!!! I’m gonna miss you all!

Now, as the product training is taking its toll on me, I pray that I may be able to withstand the destruction of a few brain cells. Hehe! Aside from four sachets of instant coffee, positive reinforcement (sweldo) is keeping my eyes awake. I hope I wouldn’t have info traffic in my head. There is too many information being studied everyday. How I wish I could scream a warning sound with a popo-up dialog box saying MEMORY FULL in bold letters! “Right?” “Seriously.” (may ginagaya lang ako..hehe) In times like these, it’s always nice to have some good company. To Wave 8a Berlitz passers, we’ve already made it this far. Sabi nga ni Nezha, “Aja! Aja! Fighting!” Btw, am I the only one who feels the same way about product training? Haha!

Let’s all enjoy the sunshine while it last (literally). Dahil pagpatak ng alas nuebe ng gabi, training na naman!!! Yeheeeeey??? =)

Wall of Fame

• “Say what you mean and mean what you say.”

It’s the “Japanese and English code of management.”-VC

• “Integrity!!!”

“Do not judge and you will not be judged. only HE will judge us all.” -RC

“Practice what you preach…God’s gonna be the one to judge us in the end…while we’re still alive, we should try to live righteously. Live a life with integrity. I’m not pointing my finger at anybody. It’s just that I find it hard to accept that the hands of the body can’t do anything to change the mind of the head – the head who speaks of integrity but doesn’t listen to its own heart. Lapses happen,so they say…a fact of life.”

“Nobody is perfect. Life is unfair and it never will be. It’s how you handle it. It’s easy to tell someone that they did something wrong but are you sure that you haven’t done anything wrong. I’m sure I’ve done my share of wrong doings and I’m not proud of it but i try to learn and accept the facts. Before you think ill of someone hesitate; think before you do.” -RC

“Lapses happen..it happens to me,too, coz i am not perfect. I’m not so good at handling life like others are. I have the tendency to think ill of others when they don’t do what they say. A stimulus would always trigger a positive or a negati…ve response. It’s but a natural reaction, I believe. I speak my mind for my sanity’s sake. My ideas may not be ideal but they’re my heart’s honest confessions. I do try to understand why things happen. Whether I find my answers or not, I end up lifting my burden to God coz I’m not in control of anything. I believe that God has great plans for all of us.”

“Nothing absolute nothing is sure nothing is permanent nothing is pure all that i know is that we exist for a purpose we do not know and yet we have faith in something we are not sure but then again faith is all we have left.” -RC

“I beg to disagree with the proposition nothing is absolute. my God is absolutely good, he’s pure, he’s everything! We don’t try to be righteous because Jesus paid it on the cross and made me and you righteous in God’s eyes.” -VC

• “A few minutes ago, I was about to blog about UNMET EXPECTATIONS. I stopped myself coz I’m afraid to speak my mind too much… I was thinking of the CALL FLOW and how the OPENING of the CALL could affect the rest of it. It’s always best to SET EXPECTATIONS RIGHT from the very start. If not, you might STIR up ANGER relat…ed to DISAPPOINTMENTS as evidenced by IRATE customers… get what I mean?”

• “♫♪ On a Monday, I am waiting / Tuesday, I am fading / And by Wednesday, I can’t sleep…♫♪“

• “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” (Jer.2:13 NIV)

Technology, relationships, and work hinder us from making JC our NUMBER ONE. Watch out! Our MAJOR MAJOR distractions are drawing us away from Him.

• “♫♪ There’s a fruitcake for everybody / There’s a fruitcake for everyone / There ar B-SIDES in every story / If you decide to have some fun / Take a bite / It’s alright . . . LIFE is a PIECE of CAKE! ♫♪“

• “I am hurt. I wanted to react like the strongheaded girl I know I am, but I didn’t. Instead, I just made my point discretely. I am not a fan of foul mouths or take-revenge-dramas, but I do believe that what we sow is what we reap. God bless u! (I hope u’r clever enough to know who u are.) Just a bit of advice. WHAT YOU …SEE isn’t always WHAT IT SEEMS. I feel sorry for u. Ur investigative effort is such as waste. =(“

“To accept criticism with poise, to receive honors with humility, and 2 bear defeat with dignity, these are marks of maturity and graciousness, and always remember good temper is an estate for life.” -MD

• “♫♪ What a journey it has been (COL & TFT) And the end is not in sight (Berlitz??? NHO???)…I won’t let the darkness in (Be optimistic! God has a plan for all of us!)..WHAT A JOURNEY IT HAS BEEN!♫♪“

• “It’s all about You…..=)”

• ” I need power cycling. Nag-hang ang utak ko.”

• “♫♪ Everything rides on HOPE now / Everything rides on FAITH somehow / So when the world has BROKEN me DOWN / YOUR LOVE sets me FREE (Addison Road) ♫♪“

• “♫♪ Tayo ng magpunta Tuklasin sa Batibot Ang tuwa, Ang saya!!! ♫♪“

*All those in ITALICS are my posts and comments from the famous facebook wall. I felt like keeping them as one blog post, together with a few other friend posts, to remind me of my experiences, what I’ve felt towards them and the lessons I’ve learned from August 22 to September 1, 2010. I’ve realized I really love to sing when I’m happy. I sing when I’m down, too. I’ve learned that I am an expressive person – always finding a way to voice out through singing or writing. I’ve also realized that no matter what I do to remain sane amidst all positive and negative forces, I always find myself safe in His arms. =)

All About Connections

No man is an island. How “gasgas’ is this cliche? I’ve never thought it could mean more than what it had already meant to me. Man can’t live alone. That’s what it means, right? But after all that training I’ve been having for three weeks now, it’s meaning seems to have evolved to something else.

Whether a customer is apprehensive, neutral, demanding or irate, I’ve learned that my role as an agent/consultant, no matter what the complaint is about,  is to build a connection. There is more to simply providing assistance and resolving issues. There are certain things that needs more attention whether or not they have a resolution. There is more than meets the eye. In the case of telephone conversations where the barrier is distance and time, all other factors and stimuli weighs more than what is actually being said. The average talk time may have an influence in the average handling time, but not directly to the quality of service delivered.

Humans are not robots; they are humans. There is no better way to explain it. It’s just the way they are. The mind always work together with the heart and body. When you address  a practical need, it’s only the work of the mind. It’s not being human at all. It’s a robotic attitude – no feelings, emotions or whatsoever. It is like going to work, doing the same thing everyday, and going home very unhappy. How depressing is that!? However, if you address a personal need, it certainly means that you’re also using your heart. That’s what being human is all about – having a heart for someone. Having a heart or simply being a friend is being a real human being. A man does not need the mere existence of somebody else so not to be quoted “alone.” What he needs is a friend, somebody he could connect with and share his personal life with.

Just like an internet connection, a Pro subscription wouldn’t work if the modem is unplugged, the cable is unattached or the computer isn’t on. Moreso, it is useless if nobody is going to use it. Life is also a matter of cable connections. God turned our lights on by giving us the breath of life. We weren’t made to detach ourselves from this world but to interact with it. If we won’t make ourselves useful to our creator, we’re good as dead. Only when we allow God to work in us could we really find true satisfaction. If like an internet, you have a poor connection with Him, then, I guess you need to do some troubleshooting. Reestablishing our connections with Him will definitely make us extremely satisfied. People were just so used asking for their practical needs. What they don’t know is that before other things could be met, we should recognize our personal needs first – the need to belong to a family, the need to belong to Him. =)

Please Don’t Stop

Buong tapang na binaybay ni Nene ang madilim na daan patungo sa kanyang paroroonan (kung saan man iyon) habang umaawit ng Please Don’t Stop. Subalit bigla na lamang may sumulpot sa kanyang harapan – dalawang nag-aastig-astigang lalaki. “Please don’t stop!” sabi ng lalaking may puting balbas at bigote. “Please don’t stop!” inulit ito ng kanyang kasama na wari’y nagbabanta. Pansamantalang natigilan si Nene. Mabilis na nag-isip kung ano ang dapat gawin. “Please don’t stop!” nasambit ni Nene sa sarili sabay tumalikod at tumakbo papalayo. Ang kabog ng kanyang dibdib ay dinig na dinig niya kasabay ng paglakas ng mga yabag sa kanyang likuran. “Please don’t stop. Please don’t stop,” paulit-ulit niyang sinasabi sa bawat hiningang kanyang pinapakawalan. “Please don’t stooop!” utos ng mga hangos na hangos na lalaki. Kahit na mabilis ang pagtakbo ni Nene, naabutan pa rin siya. Hinablot ang kanyang buhok ng unang lalaki at sinabing, “Please don’t stop.” Panganib. Nasa gitna ng panganib si Nene. Ano ang magagawa ng isang babaeng tulad niya sa mga kamay ng mga kalalakihang ito? “Please don’t stop. Please don’t stop,” sabi ni Nene sa gitna ng mga hikbi. Hinablot ng pangalawang lalaki ang kanyang bag at ibinuhos ang laman nito sa kanyang harapan. “Please don’t stop?” dismayado itong nagtanong. “Please don’t stop,” sagot ni Nene. “Please don’t stop? Please don’t stop!” pasigaw na sinabi ng lalaking may balbas. Binitawan nito ang pagkakasabunot  kay Nene at pinagtuunan ng pansin ang bag na ngayo’y wala ng laman. “Please don’t stop,” aniya na wari’y kausap ang bag. Kumaripas muli ng takbo si Nene papalayo sa kanyang bag na walang lamang pera. Tama. Wala siyang pera. Malinaw na hold-up ang sadya ng dalawa ngunit nabigo sila. Walang pamasahe si Nene kaya siya napilitan maglakad sa madilim na lugar na iyon. “Please don’t stop! Please don’t stooop!” malakas na sigaw ni Nene.  Narinig ito ng isang tricycle driver na nakaparada sa malapit. “Please don’t stop,” sabi ng Mamang Driver kay Nene sabay senyas na sumakay siya sa kanyang tricycle. “Please don’t stop,” ang dasal ni Nene sa loob ng sasakyan na animo’y hulog ito ng langit. At sa huling pagkakataon, lumingon ito sa madilim na daan na kanyang pinanggalingan. Di na niya tanaw ang dalawang nag-aastig-astigang lalaki. “Please don’t stop,” aniya. Pagkatapos, itinuon na ang kanyang atensyon sa mga nanginginig na kamay at paa. “Please don’t stop. Please don’t stop,” paulit-ulit pa rin nitong dasal. Hanggang sa makarating sila sa pinakamalapit na istasyon ng pulis. Isinalaysay ni Nene ang kagimbalgimbal na pangyayari. At pagkatapos nagpasalamat at nagpaalam sa kanyang bayani, humanap siya ng madilim na lugar sa labas ng police headquarters. Ngumiti ito. “Please don’t stop. Please don’t stop,” masaya ang kanyang tinig na animo’y walang nangyari habang paluksu-luksong naglakad patungo sa dilim. “Please don’t stop. Please don’t stop,” ang bulong ng mga taong nakapaligid at kakilala si Neneng Baliw.

Last Song Syndrome

I asked her for the third time tonight. She denied it again. I don’t know what approach to take anymore. She’s really pushing me away. That is as clear as water!!! Whatever her old friends told her surely made impact. I wanted to scream at her. No, not her..her friends! Yes..No, not her friends. I wanted to scream at the world. Ooops! Not again! I guess all I wanted is to scream at myself. I am the Lady Gaga. I have to wake up. Things just really do change. I’ve no control. If she’s back in her old ways with her old friends, maybe because that’s where she finds comfort. Not with me. Definitely NOT with me. But no matter how many times she tries to shut me out of her life, she never can do that fully. Tonight might be our last conversation for years to come. But just like a song, I’m sure my last few words to her will linger for a long long time.

PS: I told her, “I don’t hate you. If that’s what you want, then, go. If something comes up, I’ll always be here. I love you, friend.”

Resolution: PUSH (Pray Until Something Happens)

She’s a Four-Letter-Word

I knew there’s something going on but she didn’t wanna admit it. So much for caring, hmmp! If her own mother finds it hard to trust her, how could someone like me trust everything she says. She lied – that’s a proven fact now…for how many times she did it to me? I don’t wanna know… Am I mad? Nope. Just disappointed. Coz if she could lie to me about simple things, I don’t see what’s the point of being friends.. still staying as friends..or even being called as such. What difference does that make from being mere acquaintances? You don’t just say sweet hellos and see-you-agains to a friend…unless you wanna shut him/her out of your life! Oh no! She did want that before. Not exactly, but it could mean the same thing. Okay. Enough of assuming..For now, I just pray that whatever-she-keeps-to-herself  brings her good! May whatever-little-she-tells-me be always true! Also, may she not go back to being Lady Gaga! (Lady Gaga? haha! Where did that came from? What I mean is her old self – the more worldly one.) Oh, Jesus, I pray she’s gonna be just fine with her old friends and restored ties.

<Instead of not blogging at all when I feel I should because of my laziness or inability to stand my own flight of ideas, I decided to turn my blog into a diary of some sort. I mean I’ll just post real feelings/thoughts on real life situations whatever whenever I feel like it. It’ll be more like a regular thing for me to do. This is why this blog was created in the first place – self-expression. I think it’ll be therapeutic for me to simply write down what comes along whenever I want to. I will try not to mention names to protect people’s privacy. I may or may not also tell the entire story behind every post. I told you I’m lazy. Hehe..! However, you can always expect honesty and truthfulness. >

Sunday Sickness

“I would rather sing my God a song which I truly mean than waste my voice on an old masterpiece that I couldn’t understand.” - Facebook Wall Post, July 10, 2010 at 10:10pm

It’s been a while since my last blog because I haven’t felt like writing down my thoughts until tonight. Before I posted the above statement on my facebook wall, I had been researching for ways to get rid of my pimples/acne the fastest way. Time frame is overnight!!! Haha!(I’m not kidding!) Afterwhich, my mind began to wander about the next day. Brushing off my pimple problems aside, I became so expectant and excited of the gift of having to face and live another day tomorrow. I think it’s gonna be a blissful and blessed Sunday.

In the music scene, various artists usually gather to pay tribute to great artists. In the real world, various people, artists included, also gather, usually on Sundays, to do the same to the greatest artist ever known – God. While some people try to dismiss His existence, many different denominations continue to lift up His name to all nations so that He may be known in the four corners of the earth. Of all ways and means to reach out, music has always been a powerful vector to spread the Word and, I believe, is the most influential.

In the ancient times, a collection of compositions were created and used as a tool for praising and worshipping God. These old masterpieces are known today as hymns. They were the uttered expressions of faith and love that was shared between God and man at that time when they were composed. They were filled with symbolism, similes and metaphors, adjectives, and words and phrases especially made to connote a deeper meaning. The sincerity and purity of these hymns made their mark not only in history, but also as a tradition. When they became popular, the denominations who carry out the tradition of singing hymns also rose in popularity with them.

However, as time went by, new compositions were also carved out from the hearts of worshippers. This lead me to the understanding that God just really keeps on blessing His children from generation to generation. People couldn’t help but express their hearts through music. This lead to the birth of a new genre, contemporary praise and worship. But as these songs slowly try to make it inside the church, the old pleasant hymns were slowly losing touch on the modern generation.

Churches today face the issue of whether to choose traditional or contemporary. Sad to say, most of the leaders don’t really know how to address this problem. They simply implement what they think is right and is in the context of their faith and tradition. This has created a Sunday sickness for me. I will tell you more later, but first, I want my readers to know one thing. I am not here to judge, but to be heard. I can’t brag about any degree in divinity, but I do have my own understanding of the issue whether to go traditional or contemporary in these present times.

This is what I believe in. I believe that the songs we sing to God should be those which we truly mean and understand. “For God is spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24, NLT).“  The categories of traditional, semi-traditional and contemporary are types of services that a church could offer so that it could fit the needs of its congregation. People differ in age, level of comprehension and experience. The middle and old-aged might prefer to sing hymns not only because they grew up listening to it, but because their words and melodies are somewhat intertwined with their hearts and minds. They clearly understand the language of the songs which cause their weary souls to be filled with the joy that comes from God. In the same way, the youth and young adults might prefer to sing songs that boldly expresses what is their hearts and minds, too. I suppose, this is a big factor why contemporary praise and worship songs were able to rise in the music scene and made it inside our churches halls. The young and old have their differences and could argue about things like music preference. However, as God’s instruction, one must be “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19, NIV).” I, therefore, conclude that tradition doesn’t matter. The song or the type of music also doesn’t matter. In the eyes of God, what only matters is our hearts.

My personal preference is the contemporary type of worship. However, that doesn’t mean that I hate the traditional way. The traditional way is just fine, but it is in the contemporary type that I am able to express my heart more. It’s language is my language because it’s my time. I understand it better and the intensity of each song plays in rhythm with my heart. Freedom of expression, that’s the best way to describe this type. It is the only type where I can praise and worship God as the Bible tells me so – tehillah, zamar, shabach, halal, machowl, towdah, yadah, sachaq, guwl, and alats. I don’t want the rocks to cry out of praise to my God. I wanna be the one to do the praise.

I have nothing against hymns. Besides, the word “hymn” is from  (humnos) meaning “a song of praise to God.” Spiritual songs, (pneumatikos ode) are songs that praise, exhort, challenge warn, in the context of the ministry of the Holy Spirit along with the spirit of the Christian believer. Contemporary Christian Music are also songs of praise and have the impact as spiritual songs. If learning hymns is imposed only as a part of tradition, it won’t do any good for me. There is more to learning the melody – it is understanding the lyrics. “What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also (1Corinthians 14:15, KJV).”

“Sing to the Lord a new song,” Psalm 96:1. Taking these words as it is, I take that the traditional hymns weren’t traditional during the time they were composed. Back then, they were also contemporary. I won’t be surprised if people who sang hymns during those times were also criticized or even condemned for introducing a new way to praise and worship. The same scenario happens today. People criticize the youth’s singing of contemporary Christian songs because they do not conform to the tradition. In my opinion, I don’t see why we have to be confined in a box. If tradition will just hinder us from expressing our faith freely, then, I’m breaking out of it.  Let us not set aside the true meaning of praise and worship, which is to worship God in Spirit and in truth, only to carry out our most loved traditions. Again, I wanna emphasize on the kind of worship that God demands of us. It isn’t in the type of music, the greatness of the composition and the composer, or the implementation of tradition. It is our hearts that matters. For when we truly sing a new song to God, it doesn’t actually refer to a newly-released single/song, but it is an unheard melody that only our hearts can cry out.

Sundays are made for the Lord just like all the other days we have. It isn’t a day for criticizing the type of worship we do or implementing the tradition we were taught to live out. Traditional or contemporary – either of the two or in-between is pleasing to God. Let us end the sickening argument and just let our hearts sing praises. I really hope and pray that those in position would take action. Everybody, young or old, has needs to be addressed. We have three types of worship – traditional, semi and contemporary – but one God to praise and worship. So whatever means we use, let us make it pleasing to God. Let us not be hypocrites, singing songs we don’t really understand, clapping, raising our hands and dancing just to conform. Let us all worship in spirit and in truth for God is spirit. =)

Guilty Confessions

Magpapakabaduy ako ngayon. Pero binabalaan ko kayo…walang kokontra! May gusto lang kasi talaga akong i-share.  See the pic below.

Ayan….hihi! (kilig, tawa)..yan yung first page ng filler notebook ko nung second year college, second sem. Doodles, doodles…kalarit neh? It’s so high school, I know. Natatawa nga ako pag tinitingnan ko yan. At the same time, may mga naaalala ako. (wink)

“‘Coz what I’m feeling is simply
That I’m falling slowly
and it’s growing to be like everything to me
Are you thinking about me
Do you mean it when you say you love me
Coz I’m guilty everytime you’re near
I think I’m falling for you.”

That is Guilty. The chorus of the song I composed for somebody special. That someone kasi used to tease me. He would call my name from afar, tapos pag tiningnan ko siya sasabihin niya wala lang daw. Minsan naman “I miss you,” o kaya “I love you.” Pati sa text ina-i-love-you ako. At tinawag pa kong honey ah! Naki-ride naman ako! Kaso, lam mo na, di dapat tayo nagpapadala sa mga ganyang biro. Lalo na kung yung tinutukoy ko ang gagawa sa’yo nun. Kasi naman, likas siyang pilyo at mapang-asar. Nakakatawa siya at nakakatuwa rin. And for me, he’s goodlooking. Di ko lang alam sa inyo! Hehe! Pero kung tatanungin niyo ko, di ko naman talaga alam kung bakit ko nagustuhan yun. Ah, basta. All I know is that this guy attracted me with a personality like that of a rare specie with some form of magnetic energy. Naks!!!

So, yun nga. One day, I just felt like I was really already falling for the guy. Tapos, I was able to put some words and melody together while taking the shower. Nagha-hum-hum lang ako nung una hanggang nakabuo ng chorus. Tapos masyado ako nag-enjoy sa chorus kaya hindi na natapos yung kanta. Hanggang ngayon, kung ano nakasulat sa papel, yun na yun!

Sa totoo lang, walang may alam niyan noon. Ako lang. Sa pagkakaalam ko ha? Kaso, masipag kasi ako maglecture kaya itong kaibigan kong isa, hiniram ang notes ko. Nilipat ko naman agad dun sa kokopyahin niya. Ang di ko alam, mga notebook raiders pala itong mga classmates/friends kong mga to!! Hayun! Nabuking po ang lola niyo! Bagtit, murit, sira ulo ako…kasi naman, bakit ko pa nilagyan ng clues?! Siguro, subconsciously, gusto ko ring mabasa niya. Tapos hulaan niya. Tapos tanungin niya ako. Tapos…Hahaha! Malandi ang bruha! Ano ba?! Bata pa ko nun. Pagbigyan, ok? ..bueno, nangyari nga. Hinulaan nila kung sino. Ang clue nila sa lyrics, nagkri-create ng music. Eh dalawa lang kaya silang marunong maggitara dun. Pinagdebatihan pa ata nila kung sino sa kanila eh. Kafi-feeling noh? Basta ako, walang inamin! Di ba nila nabasa? “Don’t ask.” “Guess who?” “Identify yourself.” “Use your logic.” “Take note.” “Yeah, right.”

What happened next? Haaaay nako. Maraming nangyari. Most of them, mga parinig, mga half-meant jokes na hindi ko pinatulan. May extra closeness, extra lambing at maraming extra-extrang asar!! Kaso meron kasing mga pangyayari na hindi ko na lang sana nakita para di ako nagselos. In other words, para di ako mabisto, wala akong pinagsabihan ni isa sa mga kaibigan ko…si kuya ko lang. Pero alam niyo, maparaan ang Diyos. Nagkaroon ng dahilan para magkita ang kuya ko at ang crush ko na dati niyang classmate. Yun ay nung kumopya si crush-crush (kras-kras) ng assignment sakin sa apartment namin ni kuya. And voila! Binuko ako ng sarili kong kadugo!!! Waaaah! Awkward moment yon no! Kahiraaaap…

Pagkatapos non, maraming nangyari….hanggang naging kami…akalain mo?! Ilang beses na rin kaming muntik maghiwalay. Pero, sa awa at sa tulong ng Diyos, kami pa rin hanggang ngayon. Six years & 4 months and still counting…

Yan ang kwento sa likod ng isang kapirasong papel. It’s a guilty confession of lab lab lab.

PS: Nagets pala niya yung clues ko. Haha! Di ba sabi ko, ‘Take note?” Nakita niya may nakadrawing na nota sa unang box. It’s a sixteenth note. Ano nga ba ang relevance ng isang sixteenth note? Gusto niyo ba malaman? Hahaha! Wag naaaaaa…..

Syempre kung kilala niyo ko, kilala niyo rin kung sino ang kras-turned-boypren na tinutukoy ko. Initials niya DF…df..Pagdikitin mo yung small letters na df, makakapagform ka ng????? Tama! Sixteenth note! Beyri gowd! Ang cute noh? Actually, ganun ang pirma niya noon. Pinapalitan ko sa kanya kasi ang daling gayahin. Hehe!

Before Ever After

This is a story of a girl and a boy. And yes, it is a love story. But I warn you, this is not a fairy tale. So, don’t expect for a happy ending.

Once upon a time, there was a girl whose only goal in life was to finish college. Her only troubles included deadlines of projects, long quizzes and major exams. She didn’t smoke or drink or party till midnight. Her sense of pleasure revolved around writing, singing and watching movies. She seemed to be a serious type but not nerdy. Just average, she claimed. Because even though her studies came first, she still knew how to have fun. Her personality attracted some men. However, she never wanted to entertain suitors believing that a man in her life wasn’t a need at all.

One day, she met a boy, a classmate. She found him funny and easygoing. He was one of the icebreakers of the class. Aside from a nice pair of China eyes, he had a great smile, too. However, he was almost regularly late for the first class. His troubles included getting up early, deadlines and Chemistry. Putting that aside, the girl thought he was unexpectedly a good and a very sensible person. And for the record, he never failed to tease everybody and she wasn’t an exception.

For the first time in her life, the girl was able to put up with someone like him. Her older brother was the boy’s ex-classmate in Zoology. So, she was briefed about the boy in her class as someone being funny and offensive at times, but very kind. Her patience grew longer because of his teasing. Her lashes became longer, too. Although jokes were thrown her way, there were some which were obviously half-meant. The boy felt something for the girl. The girl, living by her standards, hated to admit but she secretly had something for the boy, too.

Over chocolate chips and canned sodas, the boy came over the apartment of the girl and his ex-classmate to copy homework. The conversation was light and fun-filled because everyone knew each other. Since it was already late when he finished, he was invited to stay for the night. He could have refused the offer since his place was nearby but he didn’t. Only two single beds were available and the girl’s older brother didn’t offer his. So, the boy and the girl slept on one bed. Ooops! Let’s rewind. I mean, after a short conversation, a revealing Q&A portion and little confessions, the girl finally slept beside the boy while the boy stayed wide awake all night.

From then on, he just felt like waking up early to be able to pick her up so that they went to school together. This happened on a regular basis because the boy felt obliged to do so without anyone asking. The whole class noticed the closeness that developed between them and wondered if they were a couple. They were not a couple, then, so they really had nothing to deny. No formal exchange of I love you’s ever happened. If texting and picking her up was a courting thing, then, maybe it was courting unconsciously. Until one day, they just sat and talked about the status of their relationship. Both just agreed that, maybe, they were already a couple. They picked the date of the night when they first slept beside each other as their special day and celebrated many monthsaries and several anniversaries thereafter.

Although common denominators were shared between the boy and the girl, they also had their differences. They had petty fights, big fights, petty to big fights and all those fights that normal couples have. This continued for a while until they sat down and talked again. Together, they simply decided to end them and start over. Then, the next months passed smoothly, a few bumps on the road, but with God’s help, they got over it sooner or later.

Their relationship was envied by many. Others disapproved but they can’t do anything about it. Many predicted that they were meant to be husband and wife because they look like either twins or siblings. However, first things should always come first. So, they finished college together, climbed up to the stage late together and passed the local nursing board exams one after the other. More experiences were shared, heartaches were caused along the way and another set of problems challenged their relationship. It was a hard thing to accept but it’s a fact that the relationship had been stained by unfaithfulness, dishonesty and a lack of trust. It left a scar that was forgiven but was never really forgotten.

The boy and the girl’s relationship went on. It was blissful at times and rough or tough sometimes. Their love for each other was what kept them on moving onwards together. However, objectively speaking, insecurities were nurtured, doubts were welcomed, and reasoning became habitual. No matter how much love they claimed they had for each other, there was no point in denying that their relationship was slowly crashing. Instead of focusing on being the strength of each other, they accused themselves as the cause of the downfall of the other.

All of a sudden, they were not how they used to be – a fun, lovely, perfect couple. They knew each other too well, from their strengths to their weaknesses, that somehow, this made them realize how incompatible they were in so many things. Old resolutions weren’t kept and so, new solutions to their problem were assumed to have the same outcome. Both were confused, weak and undecided on what to do – whether to stay together or apart.

I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but this love story has no ending yet. As much as I want to write down they-lived- happily-ever-after in my last sentence, the boy and the girl themselves have no clue if that will be their real life story. Anyway, I do wanna share one thing that is for sure. Despite all their negative feelings and anticipation of a break-up, hope keeps them hanging on. They knew in their hearts that God has a great plan for both of them. Through Him, their relationship could still be saved…if they will only sit down, talk, and pray for each other again. They’ll work something out with God’s help.

To be continued…

It isn’t about quantity but quality. This is a statement applicable not only in Economics, but also in relationships.