“LOOKING FORWARD”

             After graduation I went to Canada and work as a manager of a Filipino restaurant own by the boss of my Uncle. Through the years of experience in managing a restaurant, I decided to put up my own Filipino restaurant. 

              Being busy, I still get in touch with my college professor, friends and classmates via email. As a matter of fact, we created a web site for us where we can chat or email each other. Aside from being the manager of a restaurant, I study photography while working. I also belong to the car racer society in Canada, where I experienced to compete and won a gold medal and also a novel writer but it is not yet the time to recognize my work as the bestseller. After nine years of stay in Canada, I am already a Canadian citizen. 

          It is March 2018, summer, I am planning to go back to Philippines and have a long vacation. I am checking the web site of the airline where I will book for my flight and call my friend Emelyn Castalla who owns the “Interact Call Center” servicing a transaction locally and internationally for schedule of flights. When I was checking my email I had received an email coming from our very own professor Alex Maaliw, who is currently having vacation in France at the same time to visit his son and daughter. Sir Alex is the owner of the “Hacienda el Manuel” in the Philippines known for a big exporter of mango. He sent an email regarding our reunion on March 16 and it’s also my birthday. I am so excited because I will be having vacation and at the same time I will be seeing them after how many years. So, March 03, 2018 it is the schedule of my flight to Philippines and thanks to Ate Em for making it easy to book for the schedule of flights.  

           I am at the airport in Canada when a man suddenly passes by, who is familiar to me. I am into deep thinking, remembering who the man is when suddenly someone hardly taps my shoulder. I suppose to kick him when his face registers in my mind, its Lemuel “ Lem” Angeles. I know that he is a well-known sports writer and editor and at the same time a sports commentator. He is also a computer expert, wherein he actually owns a big company supplying computers in government and private company. During that time, when we see each other in the airport, he was just finished to cover the international league together with her wife and a 5-year-old baby boy name “ Emmanuel”. We have just talk for a while and say goodbye to each other. “See you around in the Philippines!” I said. “See you then, goodbye!” he replied. 

          After a long hour of travel, I am now at the Philippine airport, and “oh my god”! I miss this place, I uttered. Suddenly my phone ring. It was Khem-ann Ycong who knows that I will be arriving. She is one of the popular impersonators of known personality. She also owned a workout gym at the same time a part time writer in a health magazine. She is now into coffee business together with his best friend Joba Botana. Khem has an adopted child name “Ma. Khemeryl”. She is inviting me to their coffee shop because Joba will be going too, to check the financial statement of their shop.

           I am waiting for the taxi, I remember that Joba is working as a part time writer for fashion magazine. Aside form the coffee shop, she’s also into wine business and put a tutorial center for Korean students with Nicko as her business partner.           

            While I am still waiting for a taxi, I saw Kathleen Velasco just also arrive at the NAIA terminal. We seldom see each other in Canada because of hectic schedule that we have. She owns a travel agency recruiting Filipino to work in Canada. She also writes love story novel. She was married to “ Frank Cziere” who helps her to put her travel agency business. They were blessed with very cute and beautiful children.             “ Kath how are you, I thought you will not take a vacation!” I asked her.“No, I had to fixed some problem regarding the transactions of my agency. I will be seeing Eleazar Ultado later for the legal counsel about the case of my agency”. Kath said.  Then, the taxi arrives to fix me going to the coffee shop. “ Ok. Bye, see you around….          

        Then, I remember that Elly continue to study Law after he graduated in college. Now, he is one of the lawyer and also the legal assistance whenever the business of our former classmate had encounter problem. He also writing column in a daily newspaper for legal assistance.     

             As the taxi pass by the street going to the coffee shop, I saw the billboard of an advocate group for women founded by Babylene Sulam. She introduces this project to us through email last 2014 and all of us contributed financially and morally to help her put this organization.  She also manages her own band that successfully doing their tour in different places inside and outside the country.         

     In the same street I saw the boutique own by Malaya Gavanzo, who is known for her specialty in creating clothes with new designs. Actually, she produced a fashion shows to launch her new designs of clothes last 2017.           

          At last I arrive at the coffee shop. I am so excited to see Khem and Joba, but I am surprise that Farrah Miranda is also at the coffee shop that time. She is with her twins Alexa and Dhaniel. She got married last 2015.  Before she got married, she work in advertising company but now she is a full time mom for her twin. She is now living at her dream house having dollar signs all over the house. She is a picture of happy married woman.            

 “Hi Brooke! How’s the life of a married woman.” I said.  “ You can see it, I am happy with what I have now”. Farrah answered.“ Good for you. How is Jocel? She did not reply the last time I email her!“ Jocel?. 

       Jocel now is busy with her business. She is now one of the dealers of Avon product. She is now busy because she is now looking forward in franchising Avon located in Makati. She busy with the legal papers for the permit of her business. Then I see Khem – ann that day as well as Joba. We had a lot of things to talk about but then I was too tried because of a long trip. So I decided to go to my place in Makati and take a rest. Because for sure tomorrow will be a great day. Till we see each other again.

 See you in our reunion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!                                                       

“A TIME FOR REALIZATION”

It was my class in National Training Service Program (NSTP) when I admire one of my classmates that somehow close tome because we are in the same group. One Saturday, I prepared to be in a good aura and smile at him when I enter the room. I immediately regretted the decision as I slid discretely into my desk. His eyes did not even lean at my entrance. Clearing my throat in an effort to be acknowledged seemed hopeless. As I pulled out my notebook, I stole to a glance at him as he sat at the desk beside me. He appeared just like the world stops.

Everything about him seems to be perfect, his smile, the way a strand of hair always fall in his eyes and “oh” those eyes. He must have felt me staring at him because all of a sudden he turned and look at me. I quickly dropped my gaze back to my notebook and pretend to be intently interested to read the book that I’m holding. I didn’t dare to see if he was still studying me. Instead, I shifted my eyes towards the window and just look up at the sky.

Then suddenly I caught his hand ready to tap my shoulder. Every muscles and nerves in my body tensed. His touched was so light that I barely felt his fingers at my shoulder. I faced him with my eyes on the floor for that instant because I don’t want to lean my eyes on his face. That time I feel worthy.

 During that moment, I thought that he will tell something. But I was disappointed when he just asks about the questions about our assignment. I didn’t have choice whether I like it or not, I need to enumerate to him the given questions.

Then he just utters a word for me.            “Thanks”, he said, taking the pencil behind his ears. I watched him as he jotted the questions down as he turns to the girl behind him. He tried to impress her by using his humor. She barely chuckled to his joke. I would have laugh deep in my heart but I remember that the joke was not intended for me. I studied the girl body motions as she leaned towards him, twirling her hair around her fingers just like “flirting “the guy that I like. They were too closed to each other so I just pushed my pencil off my desk to fail on the floor. Distracted with what I did, he shifted his attention from her eyes on the floor. He bent down and picked up the pencil that made me smile because it was successful that for a minute I distracted the moment that he had with that girl.

After he got back my pencil, he turns back to his beauty queen. Disappointed, I just leaned my hand on my lap, watching her beauty queen as she brought out her lip balm. So that’s it. The magic was within that curl her and lip balm.

Then it was break time, when I and my classmate decided to buy some snacks. There, I got a chance to tell them about the girl and my feelings toward the guy. I told how the girl flirts with the guy and about the magic spell that she uses to get the attention of the guy. So my classmates came out with the plan. We will put chewing gum where the girl seat. In that way, I could embarrass the girl.

Then I decided not to continue the plan because that day, I realized that maybe it’s not yet the right time for me and I realized that love hurts especially a one sided love. But it’s really part of our life. Just learn to accept whatever the outcome because love is what we already have.

MY LIFE JOURNEY

                My life journey in the University of the East (UE) was like someone planted a seed to become tree. That seed turned into plant with the aid of water, air and care. Then it developed strong stems and became a fully grown tree that can stand independently.

            I remember my first day when I entered the University. The time I woke up in the morning to prepare for the first day of class until when I riding the jeepney and LRT, I really felt nervous because I thought that it was again a new environment for me and I would encounter different characteristics of people but at the same time excited because it was a challenged for me on how I could cope up with the new place where I would stay for about four years.

            I had a hard time to cope up with the new environment because I am a quite type of person and I am afraid to socialize with other people because I thought that they would not accept me. During that time, I was alone. My classmates were chatting, knowing each other and of course all of them have friends except for me. It took me for about one week to realize that I had to do something to find friends and not just stay in my place.

            So as time goes by, I learn gradually that there are things that I cannot do if I want others to accept me. Little by little I get to learn to get along with other people. I developed my confidence because of the encouragement of my friends and those people around who were concerned about how I feel.

            Now, almost four years in counting that I enjoyed my life of being a college student from all the easiest to the most difficult quizzes, assignments, projects and exams. With all these, I never thought that slowly I’ll be starting to miss both things that I had hated and had loved because both of these things gave me the fulfillments, achievements and growth as an individual.

            A few days from now, all these will come to an end as I enter the gate of my new life. A life that I have never imagined to encountered. Experiences that I have never expected to come this soon. It’s as if, at this point, everything has been moving fast. So fast that I’m surprised to see myself getting matured and independent as I face the new chapter and adventure of my life.

            Before I was in a hurry to do these and those things wanting to finish it as soon as I could but now that I am about to finish my college, I wish I could slow things down. Nevertheless, I’ve enjoyed every details of my life journey in UE. There may be headaches and heartaches in the process but through it all it was very memorable experiences.

            Let me share to you some of those experiences that thought me as I take another step of my life journey.

            When I decided to socialize with my classmate, there I met my stable friends for almost two years namely Joyce, Juda, Carla, Ann, Quennie, Jay and me. We call our group as J3QCARL. With them, little by little I discovered to be funny sometimes and a good adviser whenever we had a problem.

            We’ve done a lot of things that we will never forget. When enrollment came we have to take the same time so that we could spent our time eating, doing our assignments, review for our subjects and others things. That time we were like sisters and brother s to each. The most unforgettable things that we did before was when we spent time going to Intramurous, watched movie together at Robinson Sta. Lucia after  class and having overnight at Joyce place or Juda’s house. Then when we take volleyball as our P.E we had quarrel with our other classmate not physically but just verbally.

            Then I felt sad when suddenly our friendship broke up when Juda, Carla and Joyce stopped because of some circumstances. Then the other three had different schedule and we seldom see each other. I treasured that kind of friendship I had with them because it changed me for good.

            Even if that was the ending of our friendship, it gave me chanced to know my other classmates. Now, we enjoyed each other company and continue to help each other. I never forget all the happiness that I shared to them as well as the happiness they gave to me.

            Another memorable experienced this college was when I’m had my on-the-job like what I did when my mentor asked me to go the hotel and asked the advertising manager for the correction of their advertisement and what were the things to be change with the layout. After that meeting, I went out to that hotel happy and glad because I’m able to do that job and my mentor gave me a chanced to prove to myself that I could do things more that I expected.

            The most important things that I learned from all these experiences were to accept the real side of me. Don’t be afraid to face my failure because it has something to do with my success. Don’t get mad if I receive criticisms from other people because it will help me to become a good person and most of all learn to love what I am doing and love those people who help and guide me to fulfill my dreams.

            LEARN FROM YOUR EXPERIENCES.

Article # 1

    www.onlinedating.com

       “Can I know your ASL (Age, Sex, Location)?”. “Add me to your friends list”. C2C (Care to Chat or Cam to Cam chatting).”

      These are the words we can probably see on chatting. Well, we can barely deny the fact that now a days many are having online dating. That even teenagers or older ones try it. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a man, woman, gay or even lesbian becuase they often say that online dating is fun.

     Online dating is seductive becuase it takes a lot of awkwardness of dating especially for a woman who are busy trying to get back in the dating stage after ending a relationship. Teenagers do also try online dating even for those who have children because they feel that their is someone who can understand their situation.

     People in online dating, will make you feel fresh, young and innocent again as they say because you feel that someone is interested in you and want to talk about even without seeing the person. You wonder who you got lucky, finding a person who understand your thoughts, who can read your mind and who share your values in life.

     It’s so perfect!. In fact, you think your absolutely perfect for each other except for one thing, you have never met. Take note that sometimes the appeal of online dating lies in the relationship few have to risk going on it.

      To avoid any circumstances that might occur, here are some of the advice in going online.

1)Do not give your trust easily.

     Take things slowly and be careful not to give intimate details about yourself or your life. Just in a real dating, remember that you have to get to know the other person better first.

2) Evaluate his profile.

     Note how he deals with you online and what his background indicates. If he shows sign of verbal indecency and makes disrespecful comments, be alert.

3)Meet in safe place.

      Now if both of you are truly ready to meet,  and then do it in a safe place. Before finally going out with your online date, always tell a friend or a relative who you’re meeting, where you are likely to be home.

4) Consult your friend.

      No man is an island an no woman either is. Your friends are those person who know you in times of your happiness as well as hardship in a relationship. Then ask them whether they feel that they can trust him or her.

       Online dating is going to be fun especially when you met someone that will really make your day full of life. A person who will understand you and give advice whenever you had problem but remember that until you have not met that person do not trust everything in him for it might be dangerous.

-#30-

” WAY BACK INTO LOVE”

Ive been living with a shadow over head
Ive been sleepin with a cloud above my bed
Ive been lonely for so long
Trapped in the past, I just cant seem to move on

I’ve been hiding all my hopes and dreams away
Just incase I ever need them again someday
Ive been setting aside time,to clear a little space in the cornners of my mind

All I want to do is find a way back into love
I cant make it through without a way back into love
ohh

I’ve been watching but the stars refuse to shine
Ive been searching but I just dont see the signs
I know that its out there
Theres got to be something for my soul somewhere

I’ve been looking for someone to shed some light
Not just somebody to get me through the night
I could use some direction, and I’m open to your suggestions

All I want to do is find a way back into love
I cant make it through without a way back into love
and If I open my heart again
I guess Im hopin you’ll be there for me in the end

There are moments when I dont know if its real
or if anybody feels the way I feel
I need inspiration, not just another negotiation

All I want to do is find a way back into love
I cant make it through without a way back into love
and If I open my heart to you
Im hopin you’ll show me what to do
and if you help me to start again
you know that I’ll be there for u in the end

By: Hugh Grant & Drew Barrymore