My Christmas Wishlist

1. Gadgets:
a.) Personal Computer or Laptop
b.) Cellphone - Sony Ericsson K850i or Samsung D880 or N82

2. Something to Wear:
a.) Dress – Bayo or Kamiseta, any color except pink, no spaghetti strap or low neckline.
b.) Blouse – any color except pink, formal or casual, no spaghetti strap or low neckline.
c.) Pants – jeans (maong or khaki), black, grey, brown or white, no skinny please
d.) Footwear – sandals, rubber shoes, flats or stilettos, any color except pink and neon colors, size 8

3. Accessories:
a.) Earrings – any color except pink, better if chandelier type
b.) Bracelets – any color except pink
c.) No ring or necklace please

4. Personal things:
a.) Bags – traveler’s bag, any color except neon colors and pink
b.) Pony bag – black, white, grey, or green
c.) Perfume or cologne – raspberry scent
d.) Book – Bob Ong’s or Marie Antoinette: The Journey by Antonia Fraser or Ambeth Ocampo’s History Book
e.) Photo Album – big

5. For my family:
a.) Nanay – Gas range with oven; Wrist watch; DVD Component or Magic Sing; Blouse, pants, slippers; Kitchen wares
b.) Kuya – medicine for his never ending cough and flu, shoes for his never ending travel, and extra time for his never ending busy schedule
c.) A – clear eyesight to look for his mr. right (haha!); traveler’s bag, violet sandals
d.) Angel – clothes; shoes, undies, barney CD, money for his christening

6. Miscellaneous – belt, bed sheet (single), bean pillow, bean bag, malong (double), planner, shoe rack, folding bed, bigger cabinet

Have a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!
Thank you in advance..

Proud Sis

I always remember my elementary and high schools days especially when we have to write something about a certain person. They call it “theme paper”. In this activity, they test the ability of the students in writing, how they arrange their words and stories.

But during those activities, when my teachers wanted us to write about our idol(s), my classmates always chose their favorite artist, politician, rocker, band, etc. But in my case, it is always about my “kuya” that I write.

My Kuya is my idol, because he is smart, bright, achiever and successful. During his high schools days, he always get the medal during competitions especially in history. He has numerous awards recognizing his brilliance in different fields. He graduated No.2 of over 1000 graduates.

When he went to Manila to take his bachelors' degree, I remember him going to school with no baon, with his clothes unironed, with no new shoes and clothes during enrolment. Yet he still managed to graduate with awards. He was a working student, a political leader, a student activist, an organization head all wrapped into one.

He was also elected SK Chairman of Catmon in 1996 beating his opponent who is the Barangay Captain’s grandson. A student party founder and leader. Because of his active participation in many organizations, he has gone to many places not only in the Philippines but also to other parts of the world. Yesterday, he's back from his meeting with colleagues in IFLRY where he is the Vice President. He attended their meeting for 10 days in Kiev, Ukraine.

What made me write this blog about my brother? It is because last November 2, he was elected by his colleagues in Young Liberals and Democrats in Asia to lead the organization. And now, he's the third President of YLDA after serving as Secretary General for two terms.

I am not proud..
because i'm already a fan..

you can't push it..

It's a great feeling when you're in love.
Just a glimpse of him, your day is complete..
Just a thought of him, life is not dim..
With just a smile, and you’re ready to die..

But you can’t really push someone to feel the same..
You can change his mind, maybe, but not his heart..

This is my realization after I had a chat with my friend, James. He thought I called him because I wanted him to come with me to watch Jonas. He said, he saw Jonas and told him to forget being gay and be a real man, for me… But Jonas said, “Ayoko nga!” He doesn’t want to be a real man… or what strike me is that he doesn’t want to be a man for me..

You know, I can make him change, make him a real man, make him forget his past. But after that, if ever I will be successful making him a true man, will he love me the way I do, or even a quarter of what I feel for him. Maybe he doesn’t like me.. Maybe he will never like me..

So might as well stop this foolishness (like what other people say..), and find a real man who will love me the way I love him or even more.

Haohao--ouch!

Last Saturday, I accompanied Ate Daye to KALIPI Headquarters to help her with her assignment—updating Justice Nachura’s book. So I was the one encoding the case digests. My sister, Aei came with her friend, Bandam, and Haohao, my Kuya Jan’s pet, a dog (chaochao, how do you spell this?). I got very excited to see Haohao so I played with her.

Haohao is also happy playing (I guess) with me so she keeps on barking and opening her mouth with those sharp teeth, when she bites me on my legs. I am not hurt thinking that her teeth didn’t reached my skin. So we still played. When I got tired, I looked at my pants and it’s butas (it has a hole). OMG! So I raised my pants and checked my legs, and I saw a 1-in. wound with blood slowly flowing out.

I wanted to cry because I thought I’m dying, in 10-15 days. I didn’t know what to do. I don’t have any knowledge about first aid for dog bites. I just washed it with water and put so much alcohol. I don’t know if that helped me lessen my worries, but I continued playing with Haohao. In fact, I bought her 2 cups of ice cream. I couldn’t be mad at her coz I simply love her. She’s so cute, jolly and sweet. And of course, I have to take care of her in case she has rabies. She has to live for 15 days and more. But my Kuya assured me that Haohao has completed his shots last Thursday so she is safe.

But I was still worried. I kept on talking on what I should do. I kept asking Ate Daye to ask her brother, who is a doctor, on what I am going to do. I told my close friends about what happened and that I’m going to die after 15 days. Some called me insane. Some told me to have it checked just to be sure. Some frightened me with stories of the victims of rabid animals.

Sunday, I am not worried anymore. But I still asked Doc Extee, Ate Daye’s brother, about my dog bite. As doctors usually do, he scared me about the possibilities of having rabies. He suggested having it checked immediately and that I should get shots of anti rabies.

After lunch, I went home and told my mother about my dog bite. She got nervous and almost teary-eyed telling me to go to the hospital and get anti rabies. To calm her and to prevent incurring more expenses (because her blood pressure might rise), I went to the doctor and had my first ever injection ever since I knew that it hurts.

tour guide

Last weekend, I was tasked by my very generous Kuya Eric to assist his friends from US in going to a comedy bar and to a spa.

So I prepared the itinerary, Saturday night for the comedy bar and Sunday afternoon for the Spa. I get the numbers of all the comedy bars i know, and 3 spas recommended by friends. In the end, they chose Punchline Comedy Bar and Blue Water Day Spa.

Saturday night, Punchline. They arrived ahead of time. I was with Juley. The performers are best of the bests in the comedy industry, led by Vice Ganda and Anton Diva. There are new jokes that really made us laugh out loud. Even our visitors, Kuya Ely, Kuya Mike and Ate Van enjoyed the show. (Don’t deny..) Before we parted ways, Kuya Eric called and talked to each one of us with so many habilin. It was past 2 in the morning when we left the place.

I woke up at 8am, because I have to text my college friends about the updates of our reunion. While our visitors from the US were busy conquering SM Mall of Asia.

Sunday afternoon, Blue Water Day Spa. Ate Dulce (Kuya Eric’s sister) arrived first while lovers Ate Mileth and Kuya Joel get there 10minutes ahead of us (Juley and I). The visitors came 10 minutes before 4pm (late! Hehe! Ok lang.. We’re late last night}. So we got our massage. Juley had to go earlier because of his prior commitment with college friends. Ate Dulce had to go home before our visitors finished their treatment. So I was the one left waiting for them to finish their treatment.

After our massage, we had our dinner at Gerry’s Grill, Tomas Morato, QC. We had delicious Filipino food like sisig, bulalo, ampalaya con carne (sounds Spanish) and tinomok, one of my favorites. After dinner, they dropped me off at V. Mapa in Sta. Mesa. And I carried Kuya Eric’s pasalubong for his friends and siblings.

To sum it up, I had a very busy weekend, but I’m not so tired because I had my massage and of course, laughter is the best medicine, so Vice Ganda really helped a lot. So it’s a busy fun-filled weekend. Thanks Kuya Eric! Mission accomplished…?... (sana…)

just before i fall in love

I told my friends, officemates and my mom about my kagagahan over Jonas, the vocalist. Happy sila para sa'kin kasi alam nilang matagal na akong walang boyfriend, and I know some of them are praying for me, na magkaboyfriend na ako.. Pero nung malaman nila na Jonas is gay, negative vibration strikes..

They said, mahirap ang magkaroon ng relasyon na ang isa ay kalahi ang gusto. Ang defense ko naman, kapag nagmahal ang tao, hindi nya sasaktan ang taong mahal nya. kaya kung sakaling mahalin ako ni Jonas, alam ko na hindi na sya maghahanap pa ng adan.

But then, they all continued to give me negative hopes.. it is impossible to love someone like him.. it is impossible that someone like him could love someone like me..

bakit ganun? hindi pa man nagsisimula ang love story namin, e ayaw na nilang magkatotoo pa un.. hayy..

and i am hurt, just before I fall in love..

Kabataang Liberal ng Pilipinas (Young Liberals of the Philippines)

On August 21, 1989, with the aim of providing increased youth involvement in various parliamentary issues, serving as training ground for young leaders, inculcating and deepening the understanding of liberalism among young people and building a strong youth movement that will transform the nature of Philippine politics, the Kabataang Liberal ng Pilipinas was born.

KALIPI is composed of young patriotic leaders aged 15-35 years – –fully representing a dynamic community youth leaders, elected local officials, respected student leaders, and successful young professionals.

It played and continues to play a crucial role in Philippine politics, such as its patriotic stance for the removal of foreign military bases, condemnation of the coup d’ etat, lobbying for the creation of the National Youth Commission, fight for the Magna Carta for Students, the Kabataang Kontra Cha-cha and the Anti-VFA campaigns and participation in the 2nd people power revolution.

From then on, the KALIPI has remained and is acknowledged as one of the largest and most dynamic youth wings of an institutional political party in the country today. KALIPI continues to be relevant to constituents of its various chapters by providing them exposure and training.

As part of the organization’s expansion project, Ms. Nysa Tolentino, then Vice President of the BSU-Supreme Student Council, founded KALIPI in Bulacan State University on August 21, 2003. Mr. Nelson Robles, founding President, spearheaded different programs and projects to promote and invigorate the organization’s program of action. The two conducted seminars and forums informing the youth on important issues. KALIPI-BSU likewise started the Voter’s Education Seminar by conducting a mock election entitled “Who Would You Vote For in the 2004 Election?”, the first mock election in BSU. This was undertaken in cooperation with the BSU Student Government.

KALIPI has also been a partner of Bulacan State University - Alliance of Students for Action and Progress from its inception up to the present. KALIPI provides training, lectures and workshops to the leaders of ASAP to equip them for the BSU Student Elections. Indeed, KALIPI’s assistance to ASAP help the alliance overcome five-struggling years to remain the true party for BSU students.

KALIPI – BSU has also taken part in different activities of the national leadership. The group participated in the Stop Impeachment Movement in 2003. The group likewise joined the Student Leaders’ Forum, a sister organization of the KALIPI, a network of student organizations all over the country. Along these lines, the founder of KALIPI has also played a part in the formation of the National Students League and the Council of Ladies. Several leaders of KALIPI - BSU represented BSU in the 5th and 6th National Congress held in cities of Roxas and Quezon respectively.

For five years now, KALIPI –BSU continues to be in the forefront of building the structures and systems that will allow today’s youth to effectively and pro-actively meet the challenges they face and prepare aspiring leaders for responsibilities they will eventually face.

KALIPI hopes to provide the Filipino youth with a venue for responsible expression and effective action relating to the issues facing the nation and the youth today.

In this regard, KALIPI – BSU is determined to be a trailblazer chapter promoting KALIPI’s mission and vision.

Spain

Hmm.. You want update about my lovelife.. eto na po..

Last Thursday night, my friend, James, txted me.
"Gusto kong mag-emo. Pwede ba?"
Sabi ko, "Anong problema?
Sabi nya, "Wala lang. Inom tayo? Kahit konti lang.."

Of course, pag ganun, tyak may problema un, kaya pinagbigyan ko na.

We went to a restobar called Bistro Uno. It’s a walking distance from our house. Before we entered the bar, James introduced me and Wowly to his friends who will be performing that night. The band is called Synfonia.

So ayun, chika chika kami.. kwentuhan ng problema.. kwentuhan din with the members of the band.. tatlo lang natatandaan ko. Kuya Jimmy on keyboard, Kuya Darwin on drums, and Jonas, the lead vocalist.

Then the band started performing. And to our amaze, Jonas is really great up stage. Well, he’s not cute, but OMG, he’s so damn GWAPO and so manly up there. (Waaahh.. kinikilig ako..)

One of the customers requested for Spain by Al Jarreau. It is an old song, and a very hard one. But my friend James told me, “Kaya nya un. Tingnan mo, kakantahin nya..” And well, I’m so gaga over him while he’s there, singing Spain with a superb performance. James solicited my opinion about Jonas and I said, "Mahal ko na sya.."

After their first set, Jonas joined us and chatted with us. We told him that he’s so good in singing. Then I joked, “Mahal na kita, pwede bang magpakalalaki ka na?..” And he replied, "Ano ka ba? Di tayo talo.."

Yes, he’s gay..

sign of aging

Last Sunday night, my friend, James invited me to have dinner with him and his friend. So i suggested a place called "E-haws", 'coz it has delicious grilled food. As in yumyum.. It has no spoon and fork, you have to eat with your hands, the Filipino way..

While we are waiting for our order, I saw an old friend, my high school classmate, Grechel (I hope i'm right). We smiled at each other with something on our mind, *wink*. Then, her first words are, "May asawa ka na?" I answered, "Wala pa. Ikaw?" She ended it with, "Wala pa rin."

Hmm.. I don't know if it's in the appearance that we ask people if they are married or if they have children. Sakit naman kung ganun, di ba? But I think, it's a sign of aging.. At our age right now, and with the kind of society we have at this time, people expect you to be married or have your own family. (And look losyang..)

hmm.. Not now. Not ever (as for the losyang).

Ten times

Follow up lang ito sa post ko na "not now".

last friday night kasi, i txted my college classmates para magkaroon ng reunion before the year ends. So itxted them the plan, pili sila ng dates na binigay ko, pinagsuggest na din ng gimik, and isang himala, marami pong nagreply.

Kaya lang kasabay ng pagreply nila ay ang follow up question na, kumusta naman ang lovelife mo? oh, c'mon, mamon, turon, nasagot ko na po yan..

Alam nyo bang ten (10) times akong nakareceive ng txt na yan, at syempre, 10x ko din silang sinagot ng iisang kasagutan:

"whaa! again?! wel, again ang again, please visit my blog site, para maging updated kayo sa lovelife ko: www.nysatolentino.blogspot.com"

Well, promote, promote..