Sunday, January 24, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Freddie's 100th (?)
Nobody for sure knew whether it was Wilfrido Maria Guerrero's 99th or 100th birthday we were celebrating (more research needs to be done). Even up to now, Freddie keeps us guessing his real age! But as always, the alumni of the UP Mobile Theater and UP Dramatic Club (represented by Behn Cervantes) had fun celebrating their love for him.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Danielle visits 101
Dani's mom, Rowie Bailon, was in town on a break from her PhD studies. AS101 staff tendered a lunch for the college's favorite Asst. College Secretary.
YouTube - Tomaso Albinoni - Adagio - String Quartet
Music to accompany the inner scenes in my life right now
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
All I wanted was a friend. Period.
Reading the blog entry of a former student, Pau Z., I was reminded of a time I longed for a friend. Her criteria detailed what she needed and why she needed them. On top of her list was her need for human warmth. The reason? "Ang lamig kasi eh...Wahahahaha." Then there was my favorite - "Kelangan ko din ng kakampi! Lalo na pag tama ako. Pero gusto ko din nang babatukan ako pag mali ako, pero kakampihan pa rin ako. Haha!"
I have had friends from all ages, beliefs, and walks of life. Some of my friendships had been formed only because I chose to ignore some unwritten societal rules. I am grateful for friends who have been in my life since forever. I have grieved over but have recovered from some who have chosen to leave without a word. At my age, I thought having a constant, ever-by-my-side friend shouldn't matter anymore because one learns to be self-sufficient for most needs, even emotional ones.
But then I realized that I missed having someone listen to my insane ideas and not think of them as potential material for the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of DIsorders (DSM). When I felt all ugly inside and wanted to draw blood, I realized how hard it was to to thrash the enemy all by myself. But mostly, I just wanted someone to hang out with so we could banter over "wala lang" matters.
With that aura encircling me, someone from long ago resurfaced in my life. Way back when I was young and innocent, he thought there could be a romantic possibility between the two us. As far as I was concerned, that possibility could only be described as remote. He had made his presence felt a few times in the last few years and it was always in the guise of renewing friendships. Although reminiscing about his feelings in the past occupied much of what he talked about on occasions that we met, my need for someone to fulfill the criteria above seemed louder than the ringing of warning bells. I quelled my reluctance by constantly reminding him about the grounds on which this relationship stood.
Assured that the terms of our friendship were well understood, I lost all qualms about hanging out with him a couple of times. But this proved to be one more life-changing mistake for me. What for me was just an innocent (see, there's still that word!) coffee chit-chat after a stressful day looked like a signal for him to venture once again beyond friendship. This I realized after getting into a heated discussion with him over his frank declarations of affection and attempts to display this. He was upset that I would not respect his feelings for me and could not understand why I thought they had no place in our so-called friendship .
It was hard to accept that I had been naive to believe that the rules I lived by could not be appreciated by all. Close, heterosexual friendships, while a significant part of me since my youth, were not default mode for most people. So it seems that my agreeing to hang out with him had been misunderstood as whatever he thought it was (but was not)!
I have not spoken with him since he hurled insulting remarks at me. Attempts from him to reconnect have been foiled by this now wiser woman. I'm guessing he will never change, anyway.
Have I found the friend I was seeking? Wala pa rin. But looking at my list once again, I thought to myself, "Kaya namang gawin lahat ito ng asawa ko ah. Ba't ba ako naghahanap pa ng ibang kaibigan? But then again, after sharing this realization with some people, we came to the conclusion that ... Iba pa rin ang asawa sa kaibigan!
And so the search continues ...
I have had friends from all ages, beliefs, and walks of life. Some of my friendships had been formed only because I chose to ignore some unwritten societal rules. I am grateful for friends who have been in my life since forever. I have grieved over but have recovered from some who have chosen to leave without a word. At my age, I thought having a constant, ever-by-my-side friend shouldn't matter anymore because one learns to be self-sufficient for most needs, even emotional ones.
But then I realized that I missed having someone listen to my insane ideas and not think of them as potential material for the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of DIsorders (DSM). When I felt all ugly inside and wanted to draw blood, I realized how hard it was to to thrash the enemy all by myself. But mostly, I just wanted someone to hang out with so we could banter over "wala lang" matters.
With that aura encircling me, someone from long ago resurfaced in my life. Way back when I was young and innocent, he thought there could be a romantic possibility between the two us. As far as I was concerned, that possibility could only be described as remote. He had made his presence felt a few times in the last few years and it was always in the guise of renewing friendships. Although reminiscing about his feelings in the past occupied much of what he talked about on occasions that we met, my need for someone to fulfill the criteria above seemed louder than the ringing of warning bells. I quelled my reluctance by constantly reminding him about the grounds on which this relationship stood.
Assured that the terms of our friendship were well understood, I lost all qualms about hanging out with him a couple of times. But this proved to be one more life-changing mistake for me. What for me was just an innocent (see, there's still that word!) coffee chit-chat after a stressful day looked like a signal for him to venture once again beyond friendship. This I realized after getting into a heated discussion with him over his frank declarations of affection and attempts to display this. He was upset that I would not respect his feelings for me and could not understand why I thought they had no place in our so-called friendship .
It was hard to accept that I had been naive to believe that the rules I lived by could not be appreciated by all. Close, heterosexual friendships, while a significant part of me since my youth, were not default mode for most people. So it seems that my agreeing to hang out with him had been misunderstood as whatever he thought it was (but was not)!
I have not spoken with him since he hurled insulting remarks at me. Attempts from him to reconnect have been foiled by this now wiser woman. I'm guessing he will never change, anyway.
Have I found the friend I was seeking? Wala pa rin. But looking at my list once again, I thought to myself, "Kaya namang gawin lahat ito ng asawa ko ah. Ba't ba ako naghahanap pa ng ibang kaibigan? But then again, after sharing this realization with some people, we came to the conclusion that ... Iba pa rin ang asawa sa kaibigan!
And so the search continues ...
Sunday, January 17, 2010
San Pablo City Fiesta 2010
We hied off to San Pablo, Laguna to join in the celebration of the town fiesta and visit relatives and friends. Translation: Nakikain kami sa mga bahay ng mga kamag-anak namin! Sarap!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Saturday, January 9, 2010
A case for formal education
The other day, as I am wont to do as a psychologist, I wondered about Andal Ampatuan Jr. - what kind of person he was, on what values he was raised on, and how much education he got. Answers to these questions might put to rest two other questions which kept on being replayed in mind: "How could he do the things eyewitnesses said he did to other people?" and "How did he and his collaborators think they could get away with it?"
As if in response to my curiousity, a day or two later, the newspaper had an article which described the kind of education he got. He was a freshman high school drop-out from a Catholic school. Even more revealing to me that his own father only got to Grade 4. Maybe
Is man really born evil? Like a being not created in the likeness of a God. Do we need to be molded into beings who can live harmoniously with his or her fellow human being? Do we need need to master rules to foster order. Education to my biased teacher's mind humanizes you. Or reminds you what it means to be human.
As if in response to my curiousity, a day or two later, the newspaper had an article which described the kind of education he got. He was a freshman high school drop-out from a Catholic school. Even more revealing to me that his own father only got to Grade 4. Maybe
Is man really born evil? Like a being not created in the likeness of a God. Do we need to be molded into beings who can live harmoniously with his or her fellow human being? Do we need need to master rules to foster order. Education to my biased teacher's mind humanizes you. Or reminds you what it means to be human.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Sambang Umaga at CRL
Tito was coordinator for Dec. 22's Sambang Umaga at the UP Church of the Risen Lord. It was a family affair with him as liturgist, Miriam as pianist, and Powie as flutist for the 5:30 AM service.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Sitio Bukal & Katipunan Bayani
Almost 100 families are still in an evacuation center in a barangay in Tanay, Rizal 3 months after Typhoon Ondoy flooded their homes. On December 26, 2009 we gave new year gift packs in the name of our relatives and friends.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)