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| PExers turned real-life friends: mauve_2002, mckoolit, HeartBreaker200, BabyFATS, and BadAssGoddess |
The following entry has been posted
in my PexPlus Private Thread entitled
Jons' ^ HoLY SaNCTuaRY ^
date: May 21, 2002
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This morning, after i was "convinced" (more appropriate term--- forced) by my parents to get a US VISA, I found myself waiting for my number to be called for interview at the US Embassy. While waiting, I eavesdropped on the on-going interviews on the near windows, to find out what basic questions these US Officers ask the applicants. One poor girl (a Filipina with crutches on her sides) was denied a visitors VISA after telling the officer that she would be having a vacation in the US. The officer told her "well you can have your vacation here. I'm sorry lady but..."
Two families on the same window were also denied their VISA, and the face of the father whose family was with him reflected real sad.
The other one, a Filipino applicant in his early 30's (my close estimate) just made a boo-boo with his interview with the same "denial king" US officer. He was in a state of panic in front of the window and he caught all our attention. Well, at least we, the ones eavesdropping on the interviews. howell.. the officer asked "What do you do for a living?" "Well, ahmm... I-I'm a s-s-supplier, sir!" "Supplier of what? (the officers eyes grew big and round as a marble)" "supplier of p-pregnancy test, s-sir!" "Supplier of PREGNANCY TEST?!??!! (this time the officers eyebrows met in the middle of his forehead)" "W-well, actually, the th-things used for h-having pregnancy tests... like...." bottomline is, the denial officer wasn't convinced that much or he just didn't like the poor guy's looks. DENIED!
My number was called... on the same window where I eavesdropped on the interviews... where mr. denial officer conducts the questioning. While on line waiting for my turn, I met my UST college seatmate Erwin Lim (woah, what a place to get to see each other again). Then as I looked at my fellow countrymen who were patiently waiting for their turn to be interviewed, my mind asked: "ganito na ba kasabik makapunta ng abroad ang mga Pinoy? Ilan kaya dito ang naghahangad na mag-TNT at tumira doon? Ganito ba kapangit at kawalang-pag-asa na sa Pilipinas at gusto nang mag-alisan ng mga tao? Ganito ba kapera ang mga Pilipino at pa-tour-tour na lang sa abroad? Akala ko ba mahirap ang mga PIlipino? Ano ba layunin talaga ng pagpunta sa abroad? Natural, dahil non-immigrant VISA ang nilalakad dito, mag tour lang, di ba?"
As these thoughts came circling my mind its my turn to be interviewed. nambabara pa 'tong sungit officer na 'to! buti na lang, bolero ako at convincing. i told him i really don't have plans in going to the US but since it's my parents birthday gift for me, he should not disappoint them. well, he said happy birthday! MULTIPLE ENTRY VISITORS VISA APPROVED.
The following entry has been posted
in my PexPlus Private Thread entitled
Jons' ^ HoLY SaNCTuaRY ^
date: October 30, 2002
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I give gifts though there is no certain occasion. basta gusto kong magbigay sa isang tao, bibigyan ko. pero kung ayaw ko, ayaw ko talaga. kahit anong suhol ang gawin sa akin, kung ayoko, ayoko.
nanlilibre ako bigla-bigla. madalas may magbiro "manlibre ka naman..." pero kapit ako sa pera. sabi nga ng mga kaibigan ko, kuripot ako pero galante. ha??? meron bang ganun? 
basta pag naisipan ko... gusto kong makausap, makakwentuhan at makasama ang isang tao, magyayaya akong kumain. heavy meal or light snack. kahit ano, treat ko. yun ay pag gusto ko. at walang tiyak na panahon kung kailan. bigla na lang dumarating.
sagot ko na pamasahe mo. eto, usually pag ako ang nagyaya at meron akong dudukutin sa bulsa. pero pag ako ang isinama mo, hindi ko naman ine-expect na ibayad mo ako ng pamasahe. pwede na kkb, basta sagot mo ang pagkain. 
sampung taon hindi ako nagparamdam sayo tapos, isang madaling araw, bigla kitang ite-text. wala lang. naalala lang kita. yun lang. ganun lang kasimple. marami rin akong nilalagpasan sa phone book ko pag nagti-text ng mga group messages or important messages. naalala ko tuloy...
kagabi (madaling araw na pala kanina), nagtext ako sa walong babae na nasa phone book ko. naalala ko silang bigla. alam ko, ang alas-dos ng madaling araw ay oras na ng mahimbing na pagtulog pero wala akong pakialam. kailangan kong maidaos ang text message ko sa walong babae na ito na nasa listahan ng phone book ko, para sabihing naalala ko sila sa mga sandaling iyon, bago ako matulog.
My text message reads: "hi. gud am. naalala lang kita. yun lang." 
(kundi man exactly ganun yung message ko, yan ang context nya)
6 out of 8 ang nagreply sa kanila. syempre nagulat ako, although may konting expectation na may sasagotsa kanila kahit isa man lang. yung isa ang nakatext ko nang matagal. aliw syang ka text. kwela. alam ko matalino sya pero ang pagra-rant nya sa hindi pagkakapasa ng thesis nya ay lalong nakapagpaaliw sa akin. hindi sa ayaw ko syang pumasa. gusto ko lang ang attitude nya pagdating sa mga ganung sitwasyon. at nakuha pang makipagbiruan sa kalagitnaan ng madaling araw. yung isang yun ay minsan ko nang nakita at nakapagkape na kami sa Figaro sa Brick Road. Siya rin ang nag-introduce sa akin sa masarap na pasta parlor--- ang A Veneto.
Anong nangyari sa limang nagreply sa text ko? Sinabihan ko silang matulog na kase madaling araw na. At di ko kayang makipag-text sa 6 nang sabay-sabay. kawawa naman ang load ko, kaya, yung isang yun ang tinira kong kausap. besides, mas marami kaming mapag-uusapan. 
Isa sa mga dalawang hindi nagreply ang hinihintay kong magreply. buong araw ko yata syang di nakausap kahapon. antagal na rin naming di nagkita. oh well... siguro tulog na sya. kase naman ako eh. madaling araw kung mang-istorbo. eh bakit ba? sa naalala ko siya eh! may pinipili bang oras at pagkakataon kung kelan mo dapat maalala ang isang tao na gusto mong maalala? 
The following entry has been posted
in my PexPlus Private Thread entitled
Jons' ^ HoLY SaNCTuaRY ^
date: May 17, 2002
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The place where i grew up. We were living as an extended family--- 3 families in one roof. Best cousin-kababata ko yang si Adette. Isang taon ang tanda niya sa akin. Nang ako magkamalay sa mundo, naglalaro kami sa ilalim ng mesa at nang ako ay mauntog, yun! yun ang una kong pagkamulat sa mundo. ilang taon ba ako noon? Di ko na matandaan.
Basta. Partners in crime kami niyang si Adette. Sinisilipan namin ng panty si Lola Naty sa ilalim ng lamesa habang naggagayat siya ng gulay at naghahanda ng pananghalian. Binabato namin ang bubong ng kapitbahay sabay takbo papasok sa amin... 
Aba! kami ring dalawa ang nagpapaligsahan sa Summer Day Care noong inenroll kami bilang mga saling-pusa sa program na yun. At dahil tamad akong mag-aral, 2nd honor nya lang ako. 
Kamuning... dumating din doon ang peborit cousin ko: si Bernie. Mas bata naman siya sa akin ng isang taon. Mga laro namin? Pahabaan ng kuwan... 
habulan sa park... at magkakuntsaba sa mga panliligaw at pagpapa-cute sa mga chicks. di kami magkapareho. Maputi ako, maitim siya. pero pareho kaming habulin... hehehe... mas lamang nga lang ako dahil bukod sa chicks, habulin din ako ng bading! 
Sa kamuning din ako nahilig sa basketbol. Magkakampi kami lagi ni Bernie. Kalaban namin yung nakatatandang kapatid ni Adette na si Leo. Medyo di gaanong pinalad, madalas mauntog ang ulo ni Leo nung bata pa sya kaya medyo late ang development nya mentally. Pero di sya sira-ulo! Magulang sya sa basketbol. Pag naglalaro kami ng two-on-two, parang wala syang kakampi. Puro sya ang humahawak ng bola. Natural, di na namin binabantayan ni Bernie yung kakampi nya. Lagi kaming naka-dobol team kay Leo. Siyet! Feeling ko noon, ako si Samboy Lim. Ngayon, ako pa rin si Samboy Lim... yun nga lang nasa kalagayang vacation due to injury. 
Yan lang ang ilan sa mga ala-ala ng Kamuning... marami pang susunod.
- fin -
The following entry has been posted
in my PexPlus Private Thread entitled
Jons' ^ HoLY SaNCTuaRY ^
date: December 24, 2002
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It would only be my third time in Baguio upon waiting for that date, December 20, 2002---the night my PEx friends & I are scheduled to take a 2-night trip to the City of Pines.
December 20, 2002 was also our company's xmas party. i skipped the occasion to give way for this much-awaited and much-needed break. After my official business at work, i immediately went home to prepare my things. That was about 2 in the afternoon.
HeartBreaker200 sent text messages informing that he still has to go home too before proceeding to our meeting place in Cubao. BabyFATS sent a text message too informing that she would be out from her office at around 8PM and would just meet us wherever we might be after the said time. Never heard from mauve_2002 until 7PM, when i met her at Cubao-MRT Station.
mauve_2002 & i had our dinner at Goldilock's Cubao, afterwich, HeartBreaker200 followed. We met BabyFATS at Victory Liner Cubao Station at around 9PM and thereafter, the bus left at the scheduled time, 10PM.
December 21, 2002 dawn, we checked-in at King's Court Hotel located at Remando St. We slept in a few minutes but BabyFATS & mauve_2002 still have to watch a film shown in cable TV that hour. Around 9AM, we prepared for our itinerary. First thing i noticed, Baguio is now a poor victim of air pollution. 
And so we went to Burnham Park, had some pictures taken with Flames the dog, (St. Bernard ba ang lahi nun, Mariel?) basta kasing laki ni L-ey 
We went boat riding for 30 mins., (memorable ito kay LA kase nag-abono sya 
) then we took a walk and took some souvenir pictures at Wright Park.
We ate lunch in a local restaurant there, we strolled around Session Road, had some kofi break at Cafe Veniz, went to Mine's View Park and believe it--- we craved for PEx!
By night, yceee has been getting in touch with us as we planned to stay in their home after they arrive in Baguio. BabyFATS had to meet a high school
friend at dinner time, so mauve_2002 decided to get in touch with Baguio PExers to meet with us for dinner. Among the many she text(ed), only zen_g made it with us at KFC, downtown (syempre tipid kami). After dinner, chat accompanied us a stroll back to Burnham Park and we had a little zen_g (chat po... hehe... corny) *bop* until around 9pm. yceee didn't make it at the ETA of 9 pm so we decided to go back to our hotel. After an hour of waiting for a taxi, mauve_2002,
HeartBreaker200 & i arrived in ourhotel at 10pm, then BabyFATS arrived shortly, too.
We just decided to just spend the night in our hotel and inform yceee that we should just be going to their place the next day before we leave.
December 22, 2002 is my mom's birthday. i greeted her thru SMS and a call.
Early at foggy-dawn, mauve_2002 & i excitedly went to church for the sunday worship service, as HeartBreaker200 & BabyFATS continue their needed rest in bed. After the service, mauve_2002 and i had some pictures taken, together with a few acquaintances in the church. Then we both returned to the hotel.
The four of us checked-out of the hotel and proceeded to yceee's place. We were greeted and accommodated well in yceee's house. (btw, yceee is kerwin's sibling) After a heavy breakfast, we had some pictures taken with yceee's family. Then we proceeded to The Market to buy some stuffs. Actually, i just bought a gift for my mom, nephew & niece. Not too much money with me so i didn't spend much. Our plan of proceeding to
PMA was cancelled due to time limitation. mauve_2002 & i just have to go home by lunch time... 
We were booked at the 3:10pm trip to Cubao and we had a loooong journey back to Manila. Traffic sa Pangasinan, traffic sa Tarlac. oh well, i arrived home at 11:45pm, 15 minutes shy away from tomorrow to greet my mom personally a happy birthday. i text(ed) mauve_2002 a few minutes just to confirm she already reached home safely too. :)
kung may kasunod pa ang kwentong ito, it would be BabyFATS & HeartBreaker200's turn to share, since both of them extended their stay up there for another day.
- fin -
