Badminton/Seafood Sunday Escapade/Kite Flying!

Talaba-arusip-lato salad

Interestingly, I find badminton a great exercise and a great reason to spend time with during weekends. I just played yesterday with my housemates outside the apartment. Since we got nothing to do upon waking up at 10 am, we decided to play badminton as our plan of  jogging did not happen on Saturday. It's good I have my own pair of Yonex badminton rackets and a shuttlecock. We thought of playing in a court to fully enjoy the "tournament" yet due to our laziness, we just played by the road. Stop whenever there are incoming vehicles and then resume as the road goes clear.  There are times the shuttlecock got stuck in between the crossroads of the electric wires and the mango tree beside that we need to use our slippers to get it. But even our slippers sometimes are stucked! Speaking of slippers, Pat's penshoppe slippers got broke!

Tahong shells (ubos n bago pa napicturan)

After having spent two hours of the tournament, we decided to proceed to Farmer's Market in Cubao to buy something for lunch as we are already starving (just to exaggerate)! It was decided to have a seafood escapade. The recipe will be Filipino Mussel Soup and Oyster and Seagrass Ensalada. We bought two kilos of "tahong"(mussels) and a kilo of "talaba"(oyster), together with "lato" and "arusip", which are seagrass species. To spice up the seafood we also bought pepper tops, spring onions, citrus, and tomatoes. As we head our way home, we dropped by the bazaar and bought a set of Christmas lights to lighten up the unit once it gets dark and for decoration purposes(as our unit is the only one with no Christmas lights) too. It was a steady lighting set but was made to flicker by the two other small bulbs called the "flicker"! We forgot to buy "Sprite" to make a tasteful "tahong" so we just bought one from the store at the apartment's entrance.

The blinking lights at the background!

Since I am the designated "Resident Chef" of the house, I do all the cooking except when I am not available and some other housemates request that they cook which is good for I can take a break. One more thing is that I am exempted from washing the dishes! Some sort of a privelege being the head of the gang, oops I mean of the household ;). And so the cooking started at around 1pm.

Our very unique superkalan has ups and downs. Sometimes it flames profiously and sometimes it just got abnormal as the flames flicker that heating a cup of water takes an hour! We always experience this one that we think there are no more gas particles inside it so we call for a delivery for refill. But to our surprise, the gas tank is still half full. What a foolish burner! We just have to clean the burner to have a great time cooking!  Ryan, one of our housemates were able to cook rice while the three of us, Pat, Errol and me are away in the market. But the abnormality of the burner struck again!  I was in the middle of cooking when the flame flickered which interrupted the show. Sherwin, the great burner fixer to the rescue! At last cooking resumed at 2.30. Since the fire burns profiously, the cooking show ended at 3pm which signaled the noise of the plates, spoons and forks and the silence of our stomach. What a nice epic!

And so everyones hunger was satisfied! I remember a blooper told by Allan, a call center agent housemate that goes this way: "Did we satisfy your satisfaction?" :D

Kite flying 

Kite launch

Some of the people went up the rooftop and enjoyed the cool wind. Some slept while I took my time washing a pair of clothes and bedsheets as well as took a bath later on. All chores done at around 4.30pm while most of the housemates are in the rooftop making kites! Pat, the leader of the commotion made a kite out of a plastic bag but to no avail it was a total failure! It did not fly! Errol soon destroyed the failed kite. Since, I have nothing else to do, I also made one. We had a kite flying contest therefore. Due to the failure for the first kite, Pat made another one made of newspaper. They say, practice makes perfect! I had a little trouble at flying my kite due to imbalance and so on and so forth. But the more I try, the more I learn of the possible adjustments to make. I was grateful as the kite I made finally took off to greater heights after a series of bumps.

The plastic (away) and paper (near) kite

Then soon followed the newspaper kite. Both flew while the sky gets dim. We enjoyed the kite flying that it was surprisingly the first time of Renz, a city brat with less expereinces on early childhood to hold and fly a real kite! It was a sort of fulfillment for him as he shouts and screams while flying the kite. We are like children once more as we are teasing other's ability to fly kite. Of course during the initial launch we fail as the kite twirls. Sometimes we wait for a strong wind blow. There are irregularities in the kite itself that we need to fix such as the weight balance. The tail should be this and that and so on. Everything that we encountered proved that learning is made through the mistakes we did. The deeper we drop, the  higher we soar.

The night eventually crept as we can no longer see the image of our kites distant from us. That made us decide to cook again for dinner! We have to continue the seafood sunday escapade so we shopped for maya-maya slices at the famous Molave Garden in Anonas. We searched for firecrackers but there are none as of the moment. The pyrotechnique plan was posponed until further notice.haha I mean until firecrackers are seen in the market! Since there are no firecrackers bought, we dropped by the Ice cream House to have some pizza! haha We had ice cream too of course!

Ice cream and pizza time!

It was a fun-filled and exciting sunday for the people of Unit 24, ES IV Apartments at Illinois, Cubao. Things really come random. Things might be the first time to undertake. The next gameplan...a Christmas party this coming wekend! Keep posted! :D

Bannawag hits 4!

This is my original article in a publication of the UP Isabela Society in 2007. Since it is our batch' fourth year anniversary today, i would like to repost this and have some additional insights.

"Unity in diversity, that best describes the amazing batch: BANNAWAG."          

  

2006: The making of Bannawag

"Pursuits in academics have been the number one priority of each Isko and Iska thus entering the premier academe in the country. Extra ingredient is added as each one get to be affiliated in other matters, which include joining organizations in the university. It is not a necessity yet we feel some need of a second family. This has been provided for the thirteen young ones of batch Bannawag!

2007: First Batch Anniversary

Bannawag meaning sunrise is a new hope; a new beginning. As we, the thirteen explicitly witty, undeniably active and absolutely good looking young minds continue to fulfill their dreams and aspirations; it is remarkable how we come to prove our worth as outstanding members of the organization. A weeklong process seems not enough to test how determined are we; how much can we give and long can we endure. It seems so short to inculcate the organizational matters effectively. It seems to be a rush! However this does not reflect our behavior now that we are part of the organization. There is an adage that is put as: “the longer you endure, the harder you give up”. But this is not true at all times. It depends on the person to choose whether to give up as he gets tired or not. It is a matter of discernment  and assertion. We need to be sure whether we really like something or not. Once we have established our self-determination, however tiring it is or not, surely we do not surrender. In the first place, we are responsible of things we do as we get to suffer the consequences of our actions later on.

2007: Exploring elbi.

Achievements being members of the organization are quite fulfilling. “Yes! I have done my best and I got rewarded!”. This is a feeling of contentment and honor as we get to be recognized of our effortful acts. Roland, Mirriam, and I, has successfully done this, as we became members of the month for August. It just proves that the batch performs well not only in academics wherein Patrick and Nover lead an exemplary performance being university and college scholars. It was just a few months and yet we come to purposefully develop our skills and talents. Claudine excels well in singing, as Ali is very much at ease with playing the violin. Mark has a quite good speaking habit as he leads us in ceremonies. Thea is quite good in oral arguments/debates. Kath is gifted with dancing prowess as well as Bryce and Ryan. Jayson is a leader type, which is inherent in him since he is a corps commander way back in high school. This has been helpful for us as well as for the organization for we are able to share our talents. There is diversity!  We become better than the usual.

2008: Second Year Anniversary

Never in our vocabulary to let anyone down especially we are brothers and sisters. Unity is hardly worked out by most of us but we easily manage it with ourselves. Being siblings, we treat each other with equality. No one is better than the other. We work together as one as we aim together and fulfill those dreams we want to reach.

Natives of Isabela; sons and daughters of the hardworking individuals who sought into hardships just to give all we need. We are thankful that we have our immediate families to lean on especially in times of problems and laughter to share. Because of them, we are here in the organization and perform well in as much as we want to be the best. They provided us with the best that they could give; the support we need financially, emotionally and physically. We are not let down by them as we do our best to give back the favor they give us. They do not let us wander in the dark as they provide us the light to lead us in the right way we must take.

2010: Orientation 

Amidst the differences we have, we are working as one and never do anything to hurt each one. We are bound to mistakes yet we make it to a point to have in us the essence of companionship every time to avoid gaps. We are not perfect individuals yet we are able to fix what we should arrange without inflicting pain or wrecking lives.

What are several years of existence compare to months of excellence? Being effective members is not measured by how long is our stay. We have noticed things such as inactivity as others choose to be so cant help to be so. It is not merely being part of an institution that we are known. It should be coming from within us the courage to outshine. Our existence is useless if we choose to be just “members in thought” and not in deed.

As time goes by, we are all molded into something better of us. Our leadership skills are tested as members come and go. We have not yet celebrated an anniversary yet we feel like we have been so long in the organization. We have learned so much from the older members as they lead us by example. As this happen, they impart in us the subtle techniques of holding or leading people in the most efficient and convenient for both leaders and followers. Today we follow and soon we will lead. This is the natural process. Succession in part is quite a mater of following and leading and soon fading yet we are still remembered for we become outstanding members as well as people of our own. 

God is good. We are surviving against all odds. Changes are but permanent things on earth yet these humble us. Humility is never been an act of inferiority but is a strength that must learned by all. All things happen for a reason. The existence of Bannawag is destined to be so. Our batch has proved a lot yet we have a long way more to go. Being a member is a lifetime commitment. Once an ISian forever an ISian. Bannawag rocks! "

Reality is that it has been four years since then and the original thirteen members of the batch have been reduced to ten due to some reasons which are out of our control. But still, the same strong and united individuals continue to strive for the best. Most of us have also graduated and are now facing the real world. But still, we gather once in a while to rekindle our great memories and even the odd ones.

On our way towards the attainment of our dreams, we are sure to beat the odds. Brought up and equipped with the necessary values in life, Bannawag will shine above the horizon. In support to our great adviser, Mitch if I may quote her: "Only those who dare to lift themselves rise above horizon".

Cheers towards a great and longer voyage in life. Happy fourth year anniversary Bannies! May all our dreams and aspirations come true. 

Yuletide Insights

It's literally cold in here. I'm, as always, sitting comfortably in my office chair with the two split type air conditioning units continuously providing some cold air in the office which are just behind me. It is the usual work of those AC units from 7 in the morning until 6 in the evening which most of the time makes us wear our jackets. And since, I have no much work to do yet as my boss is out for some field verification in Bohol, let me share some insights for the season.

There are only 14 days more to count before finally celebrating Christmas! This will be my second yuletide celebration in the company as a contractual employee. I just hope that my wish be granted before the year ends---and that is to be officially part of the state weather bureau as a permanent employee! I just hope so!

The giant Christmas tree beside Araneta Coliseum

When we talk of the yuletide season, we often see a lot of decorations, festivities and other activities that super-impose the coming of Christmas! Anywhere I go, there are signs and symbols of Christmas! First and foremost are the towering christmas trees in malls or any establishment as well as of course here in the office and nearby. Celebrating the spirit of the season with all the well-lighted bulbs ranging from different colors of the RAINBOW to gleaming combinations of those colors. Santa Claus is once again expected by children as well as adults of gifts! 

CAROLING

Christmas carols are also heard every night. One particular instance is in my apartment unit, children aged 3 to 12 are always in front of the door singing songs of joy and merriment. They do this in a daily habit which sometimes irritate me and my housemates. So when they are there ready to sing songs on top of their varied voices, my housemates shouts "patawad" for the children are already making noise. We tell them to just come back on Christmas day! So harsh of us but we believe that they will just keep coming back and depend on the little amount we might give. Not to mention, most of these kids are street children who sniff rugby or other drug. The money they incur from caroling are used to buy these vices instead of buying food.

SANTA CLAUS and JESUS

Going back to Santa Claus. I have receive a text message that reads this way:

Jesus: You know Santa, I envy you.

Santa: Oh, but why Lord Jesus?

Jesus: Because during my birthday, the people remembers you not me.

Sad but true. Most if not all of us often associate christmas with Santa Claus undermining the true reason for the celebration--the birth of Jesus Christ. The kids especially are brought up to the idea that they must behave well so that Santa will give them presents during Christmas eve. As years pass by, the spirit of the season becomes different from what it should be.

SIMBANG GABI

On the other hand, we are always reminded of the real reason for the celebrating the season through our religious traditions in the Roman Catholic church. The unique "dawn mass' or simbang gabi from 16-25 of December is quite a pilgrimage. I remember waking up at around 3am and prepare for the dawn mass which starts at 4am. My siblings, cousins and I walk from our house to the church for around 30 minutes just to complete the nine dawn masses. It was fun while walking as we tease each other reminding of our attendance. This is especially true when the priest mentions the names of those departed who are offered prayers during the mass and we have "tukayos" or same name being mentioned.  Once the mass is through, people flock at the bakery shops to buy "hot pandesal" for breakfast. It was hard to get through the thick line towards the front but patience is a virtue! I hope I can complete the dawn mass once again after 7 years since the last time I made it!

MANO PO NINONG, MANO PO NINANG

Friends, ladies and gentlemen who are godmothers and godfathers, it's your time to show off! Kids it's time to raid your ninong's and ninang's houses. By the way its December and they already have a lot of bonus. I remember my godfather told me before, "don't worry if I don't give you gifts every christmas, just come to me when you are about to go to college and I will support your tuition". But when I got to college, I'm already ashamed to ask my godfather for that.hehe As of the moment, my three nephews and a niece are my godchildren. Most of their wishes come true everytime I go home.

FAMILY REUNION

Of course celebrating the season by yourself is quite melancholic. It was also a tradition to be always complete in a family during the Christmas Eve's Noche Buena. And our family is always observing this custom. Some sort of a family reunion always happen! 

Days come closer and I am excited to coming home for the season! Have a merry christmas and a fruitful new year ahead everyone!