"Ang tanso o copper kapag hinalo sa ibang metal ay maaaring maging bronze o brass."
"Ahhh... tama. Yan nga ang sabi ng guro natin kanina sa eskwela."

Mga kapwa ko litratista sa LP, isang maayos na linggo sa ating lahat.

Ang Buhay ay parang bato, it's hard!

Better late than pregnant.

Behind the clouds are the other clouds.

It's better to cheat than to repeat.

Do unto others... then run!!!

Magbiro ka na sa lasing, magbiro ka na sa bagong gising, 'wag lang sa lasing na bagong gising.

When all else fails, follow instructions.

Ang hindi marunong magmahal sa sariling wika, lumaki sa ibang bansa.

To err is human, to errs is humans.

Ang taong nagigipit... sa bumbay kumakapit.

Pag may usok... may nag-iihaw.

Ang taong naglalakad ng matulin, may utang.

No guts, no glory... No ID, no entry.

Birds of the same feather that prays together... Stays together.

Kapag may sinuksok at walang madukot, may nandukot.

Walang matigas na tinapay sa gutom na tao.

Ang taong di marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan... ay may stiff neck.

Birds of the same feather make a good feather duster.

Kapag may tiyaga, may nilaga. Kapag may taga, may tahi.

Huli man daw at magaling, undertime pa rin.

Ang naglalakad ng matulin, late na sa appointment.

Matalino man ang matsing, matsing pa rin.

Better late than later.

Aanhin ang palasyo kung ang nakatira ay kuwago, mabuti pa ang bahay kubo, sa paligid puno ng linga.

Kapag maikli ang kumot, tumangkad ka na!

No man is an island because time is gold.

Hindi lahat ng kumikinang ay ginto... muta lang yan!

Kapag ang puno mabunga... mataba ang lupa.

When it rains... it floods.

Pagkahaba-haba man ng prusisyon... mauubusan din ng kandila.

Ang buhay ay parang gulong, minsan nasa ibaba, minsan nasa vulcanizing shop.

Batu-bato sa langit, ang tamaan... sapul!

Try and try until you succeed... or else try another.

Ako ang nagsaing... iba ang kumain. Diet ako eh!

Huwag magbilang ng manok kung alaga mo ay itik.

Kapag maiksi na ang kumot, bumili ka na ng bago.

If you can't beat them, shoot them!

An apple a day is too expensive.

An apple a day makes seven apples a week. (too expensive nga!)


Okay... payn! 

I am writing not just because I like to write but because I know someday we are going to read this-- something that will remind us of how wonderful our love was, of how intense our feelings were or of how magical every moment was.

Keep the letters. It doesn't matter if you've read them all now or not. But when the time comes that you're in doubt and that your faith is shaken or your love is slipping away-- take out the letters from the box and take time to read a line or two. Maybe... just maybe it could revive something.

Sometimes people do crazy things when in love. If this is craziness, just let me. Let me do what I can while I have the luxury of time. Let me take every opportunity to let you know me, how I live and how I love. For one day when I am back on the racing track, I might have not a choice but to step on the gas and the sudden breaks would be crucial.

Life will shake us, life will shock us. But as long as you have the letters to look back and read back, you will be reminded of how good love was and how good it is to love... still.

I was so right. Every single disc of SATC was in an organizer. I must have brought it with me somewhere for a DVD-marathon and have forgotten to put them back to their original case. I didn't actually need eyeglasses to find them.

They're all meant for you, DM. Yey!

With the discs, I found my collection of Christmas carols, too, which is playing in my background right at this moment. They are the classic ones! From Ray Conniff to Nat King Cole, Neil Diamond, et al; Jose Mari Chan, APO Hiking Society, some instrumentals and a lot more! Truly, it's Christmas!

Uhh... at least for me.

I have the complete set of Sex and the City series in DVD and I wanted to give them to DM. So I opened my box and took from it the DVDs to find out that yes, I still have the complete DVD case but the discs, they were all gone. Missing. All that's left to me were empty cases and I can't seem to remember what exactly happened to the discs. Could be that I have put them in one album/case and have lent it to someone two or three years ago. Then again, the next question would be, "to whom did I give the discs?"

Gotta move on but the empty cases will be waiting...

... And I have to hit the sack early tonight.
I will be fetched at exactly 4:30am tomorrow.
Bound to NAIA (Terminal 1). Again.

Connecting the dots now, there's a reason why the OFW lounge was made known to me over a year ago. Aside from their free coffee, I have loved observing the people who'd come and go there. I have been a frequent observer since then. Never thought I would be one of them soon. And tomorrow, I may go farther than the usual waiting area. Yey!

I was awakened by the loud Christmas carols coming from our neighbor's stereo this morning that I couldn't help but send everyone a reminder that it's already Christmas! The spirit makes me high that every year, every first of September, I think I am one of those who'd text my dear friends, "Ey! Merry Christmas na!"

But first, we have to celebrate some birthdays, as one of them have reminded me (sensya na, masyado ako na-excite sa Christmas eh! hehe). Right. And it dawned on me that some of them I will miss na celebrating with them their birthdays.

I realized the changes that I will soon be facing, then the things and the people that I will miss in 'Pinas (or let's just say, being a Pinoy in 'Pinas)-- the celebration of birthdays; and of course, the celebration of Christmas.

Knowing me, I could bring with me anywhere, the spirit that makes me high. But I doubt it if it would be the same nor it would feel the same.

Then again-- Merry Christmas na!

Well, my feelings for the season is never fluctuating. It remains high. So high that you'd see me grinning just by the mention of it. And yup! Even if it's only September.

At the age of eleven, I started writing.
Skits, poems, stories, essays, and letters of all kinds.
Launched a book once and self-published some more.
But these... these are priceless.
For they were not my writings
but of my lovers and of my friends;

...And they were written just for me.

It is a blessing that I have been a part of the lives of some people and have watched what they have become now. Some were crying, some were laughing. Some have poured out the very pain inside them. And some were rejoicing. Through these letters I have seen life.

I laughed. I cried. Even felt some "kilig" inside.

And through the years, I am grateful that I have kept them.

There will be another box to fill soon. I am excited!

Madalas mo siyang makita.
Matatagpuan sa napakaraming lugar sa bayan mo.
Matagal ko na din siyang kilala.
Maraming beses nakausap at napagtuunan ng pansin.
Ngunit di ko maitatanggi, madaming beses ko na din siyang binale-wala
at paminsan-minsang naitaboy.

Mahilig siyang magsuot ng maskara
Iba't-ibang itsura.
Iba't ibang mukha.
Iba't ibang anyong maaring ikalito ninuman.
Ngunit isang kapa sa dibdib mo lamang
Nariyan ang katotohanan-- kilala mo siya mula ulo hanggang talampakan.

Si Charity.

Oo, sa kanya ko ipamamana ang isang kahong damit,
sapatos, at bag na pinaglumaan.
Kaunting bagay lamang
Di ko pa kayang damihan.

Si Charity.

Wala kaming pinagsamahan
Ngunit ayaw ko siyang bitawan.

Si Charity.

Isang anyo niya ay nag-aabang
sa barangay Pamarawan.

Oo nga pala,
Maluwag pa ang kahong sisidlan,
Maaaring may sobreng walang laman.
Baka nais niyong patulan.

Si Charity.
Sa isang bayan ng Malolos, Bulacan.

This is a confession:

Bravely I went to visit Him;
His house is my favorite place
But I have been ignoring one room there,
That one small room where He'd close the door every time I enter.

He's been calling me, trying to get hold of me the past few days
I know He's been waiting for me for a long time
but I was too weak, too shy,
too afraid to face Him again-- not in that one small room.

I was afraid to fall again;
Again-- even after He's said His last Words.
Then again I was too shy not to see Him;
Talk to Him. Reconcile with Him.

I owe Him a lot.
I owe Him my survival.

So bravely, I knocked at His door
And there He was, more than happy to see me again.
He hugged me, gave me a kiss;
And then we talked.

It has been two years since I last felt the security that only He could give me
The security that I will be saved; that I am saved
But I was too human that I chose to ignore His calls
But today, I took courage and I am glad I did.

His words... ahhh... if only I could hug Him back
If only I could ask Him to talk some more
If only I could stay there in His small room never to be seen outside again;
Beside His seat, I bowed my head and knelt.

I felt light, I felt loved.
I wished I could stay longer
I wished we could talk some more
I knew I was hungry for His words; but never realized I was famished.

But He had to let go of my hand
He knew I was ready to walk to the light again
And I believe so;
He's right-- I have to go and live my life

He did not have to say it, and His face I don't have to see
I know He will be looking after me
And every time I fall
I know He will be there, waiting for my call.

"Try to look for Me in every person that you see,
Believe Me, you will live a happier life..."

With that He asked me to hand Him the Book;
The Book that He has given me a few years back
He flipped the pages and marked the verses
Then He made me promise one thing before I left: READ.

I can only wish we'd never be separated again.

Sinong may sabing ang mga ayaw na nating parte ng ating lumang bahay,
ang mga "reject" na ating matatawag, ay di na mapapakinabangan pa ng iba?
Ang isang pinaglumaan nang bubong,
ang mga reject na gulong ng sasakyan,
ang mga kahoy mula sa lumang dingding,
magugulat ka, maaari pa ring makapagbigay lilim sa isang pamilya.

Tahanan.
Makabubuo ito ng isang tahanan.

Isa lamang ang larawang ito sa napakaraming squatters sa Maynila. Mga taong piniling iwan ang maayos na buhay sa kani-kanilang mga probinsiya. Nagbakasakaling mas maayos ang magiging buhay sa ciudad. Survivors-- hindi natin sila maaaring itatwa at tanggalin sa ating lipunan.

Maaaring isipin natin na sila'y nakakaawa, ngunit taglay nila ang ilang katangiang Pinoy lamang ang mayroon-- tapang ng sikmura, tibay ng dibdib, at tibay ng pananampalataya. Kaya nila!

At sa pagiging maabilidad at sa pagiging malikhain ng Pinoy, walang reject na bagay ang nawawalan ng saysay.

Sang-ayon ba kayo sa akin mga magigiliw kong taga-LP?