Our Yearly Christmas Party Gigs: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

It has been a yearly tradition that Marge (a.k.a. Majo Jojo) and I "gig" for class Christmas parties. We'd say "yes" to your invitation and perform at your Christmas party right away. You don't have to pay us. Yes for free! What an amazing offa! :) You just have to feed us. We performed Have Your Self A Merry Little Christmas. We wanted to play more Christmas songs like: Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer, All I Want for Christmas is You, and Jingle Bell Rock, but there's just not enough time. 

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,

Let your heart be light,

From now on our troubles will be

out of sight...

Good friend Francis helping with the microphone

Guitar. My ever so trusty Yamaha FX guitar named Mango. When I bought this guitar after graduating from college, I just know I had to name her Mango. It's her rich yellow color that resembles a ripe mango where she got her name. I use Mango mostly indoors because it has a sound pre-amp output that can connected to an amplifier.



Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the yule-tide gay
From now on
our troubles will be miles away...

Here we are as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who were near to us
gather near to us once more...

This is the part where we sing "Hang your shining star upon the highest... BOW. :P

Through the years we all will be together

If the Fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

It was fun! This year was a little bit different, because while practicing, Majojo and I were able to tweak a poem she wrote into a song. We hope one day that original song will debut itself on a gig somewhere. 

Can't wait for the next Christmas for another yuletide gig. There's really something about Christmas gigs that's so sublime, so merry, and bright. I hope we'll be able to do this for a lot of more years to come - even if we're not law students anymore.

Our Family Zoo Adventure 3 (Tiger Safari and Crocodiles)

Now, to conclude the last part of our family zoo adventure... our encounter with the tigers! Man these cats are big and majestic. You don't want to upset them.

The tiger jumped over our jeep looking for food. It scared me, I tell you.

Can't underestimate tigers, they are very ferocious.

Tigers are highly ferocious, and unlike the laid back male lion, it's never wise to turn your back to a tiger even in captivity. Even seasoned zoo keepers report tigers assume a stalking position and prepare to strike when they turn their back to them in the cage -Source

Honestly there's a part of me that feels sorry for these tigers.
 They have to work for their food by entertaining guests. 

Poor ostrich losing some  feathers. 

There! The crocodiles, a lot of them! They are as crooked as our politicians. :)

Conclusion: Zoobic Zoo adventure was fun and refreshing. It's a bit pricey, and you have to charter transportation to go there, but it's really worth it. It's a great place to date with your significant other or bond with the family. I'll definitely go back if given a chance to. My favorite part of the tour was, of course, the Tiger Safari. I just pray Zoobic can maintain the facility and remain as an animal sanctuary for more years to come.

Our Family Zoo Adventure 2 (Camels and Reptiles)

We don't get to see these camels and reptiles everyday, so we were very excited. The regular admission of 449 ++ for the whole Zoobic tour was, I guess, worth it. We really enjoyed feeding and interacting with the camels, reptiles, and a lot of other animals I never knew existed.

At first I thought camels were hostile, but they are friendly pala. As for the snakes, hehe goodluck...

Friendly camels! Too bad wasn't able to see camel toes. :p

.

They are just interested on our food. 

I forgot that camels are not dogs. Hehe I'm so used to our dog.

Animal show where they force the animals to work for food. :) Just kidding. The animal show is really to increase people's awareness on animal protection and nature conservation ;p

There are a lot more features in Zoobic. These caves are old war bunkers converted to mini museums and attractions. There's our safari jeep. It is reinforced with grills to protect passengers from possible tiger attacks!

Ophidiophobia is the fear of snakes. Herpetophobia is the  fear of reptiles. Hssss...  Zuma will love it here.

Admission:
Adult P449
Children 4 feet below P349
++
Souvenir picture at the tiger safari =P295 each
Feeding the bearcat (stick of bananas) = 10 pesos each
Feeding the Birds (you just have to hold the bird seeds in your hands and the birds will come to you.  = 10 pesos per cup of feeds
Feeding the Goat/sheep (milk) = P25
Dressed chicken for the tiger (this is what they use to lure the tiger to hitch on top of the modified jeepney. = P200
Safari Train ride = P50 per pax

Our Family Zoo Adventure 1 (Birds, Chimps, Reindeer)

Days before Christmas, the family went to Subic to visit their zoo dubbed as Zoobic. We really had great time :) Here are some photos to share. Enjoy.

Cute white parrot. I wish I could bring this home.

I know what's on her mind. FREEEEDOM! Chimps unite, we have nothing to lose but our chains, we have the world to gain!

Rodolfo, the other reindeer. Not included in reindeer games.

Bang gang. Once you go black, you won't go back.

Hedwig. Shhhh, owls are nocturnal, she's probably sleeping now ...

Colorful coat for a bird.

Can't take my eyes off you, I love ya baby.. and if it's quite alright, I need you baybeh... Ack! those
cheezzi love birds.

"Gasolina"

Gasolina
by Rah

"The vanity of existence is revealed in the whole form existence assumes: in the infiniteness of time and space contrasted with the finiteness of the individual in both; in the fleeting present as the sole form in which actuality exists; in the contingency and relativity of all things; in continual becoming without being; in continual desire without satisfaction; in the continual frustration of striving of which life consists."

-- Arthur Schopenhauer

Chapter I 

“Kung wala ng gasolina ang kotse, hindi na ito aandar.”

Ito ang text sa akin ni Joey noong gabi ng September 24. Busy ako noon sa aking term paper sa school kaya hindi ko na binigyan ng pansin ang text niya. Binura ko lang ang text niya ng ganun-ganun lang, wala na kasing space sa cellphone ko. Kung maibabalik ko lang ang panahon, sana'y nireplyan ko siya.

Kababata ko si Joey. Magkaklase kami mula ng grade one hanggang high school sa Baguio Central School. Naaalala ko pa ang unang araw na nagkakilala kami, sinamahan niya ako sa clinic noong minsang masugatan ang tuhod ko dahil sa pagkakadapa sa P.E. Ang tagal na nun, dalawampung taon narin ang nakakaraaan. Masayahing kaibigan si Joey, mahilig mang-trip at mang-good time, pero pag oras na seryoso, seryoso din siya. Totoo siyang kaibigan at handa ka niyang protektahan sa oras ng pangangailangan.

Noong third year high school naging officer siya sa C.A.T. Pangarap na talaga niyang maging sundalo sa simula palang. Sabi ko sa kanya, wala siyang mapapala sa pagiging sundalo, walang pera doon, atsaka, wala namang giyera sa Pilipinas. Pero desidido siya. Sabi niya, "Ang pagiging sundalo ang solusyon..." Hindi ko maintindihan kung anong ibig niyang sabihin. Ganun talaga si Joey -- pilosopikal, madalas malabo, pero sanay na ako. 

Nakahiligan ko naman ang pagsusulat para sa aming school paper, na para kay Joey ay mas-lalong kasayangan ng oras. Mas mabuti pa daw magtanim nalang ng kamote kaysa magsulat ng mga walang kakwenta-kuwentang kung anu-ano. Hindi ko alam kung paano kami naging magkaibigan ni Joey gayong ang layo ng aming kinahiligan. Isang bagay lang siguro kami talagang nagkakasundo - sa musika.

Naaalala ko pa ang mga panahong gumawa kami ng banda, ako ang gitarista at siya naman ang bokalista. Simple lang naman ang pangarap namin - ang magkaroon ng album at ma-feature sa magazine, isang pangarap na alam naming malabong matupad. Yano, Eheads, Parokya, Siakol, Razorback, Wolfgang, lahat na ata ng banda noon memorize namin. Sa dami at tagal ng aming pinagsamahan, higit pa sa magkapatid ang turing namin sa isa't isa.

Fourth year na kami noong nakilalala ni Joey ang girlfriend niyang si Senya. Lagi ko silang kasama sa recess at uwian. Saksi ako sa pagmamahalan nilang dalawa. Ang sobrang pagmamahal narin siguro sa isat-isa ang dahilan kung bakit binigyan sila ng Diyos kaagad ng anak. Walang nag-akalang si Joey pala ang unang magiging tatay sa aming mga magkakaibigan.

Nung ipinanganak ang baby niya, sinamahan ko pa nga siya sa ospital. Nasaksihan ko kung gaano siya kasayang makita ang anak niya. Ako pa nga ang nag-suggest na "Bianca" ang ipangalan sa anak niya. Ang ibig sabihin kasi ng Bianca ay maputi. "Wow improvement ng lahi!" - 'yon pa nga ang joke ng mga kaklase namin, gayong pareho kasing kayumanggi si Senya at si Joey.

Pagkagraduate namin sa high school, nagkolehiyo ako sa Maynila, si Joey naman, pinagpatuloy niya ang kanyang pagiging sundalo sa Philippine Military Academy sa Baguio. Alam kong mahirap maging isang PMAer, ngunit wala akong duda na makakayanan niya iyon. Kahit anong hirap ay malalampasan niya, lalo pa't inspirasyon niya ang kanyang girlfriend at anak. Isang taon narin ang nakakaraan mula noong pumasok siya doon.

Chapter II

1:00 a.m. ng madaling araw October 3. Tinawagan ako ng tatay ni Joey. Nasa ICU ng   Baguio General Hospital raw si Joey. Nagmadali akong pumunta sa Baguio. Pinara ko ang unang taxi na dumaan sa Katipunan kung saan malapit ang dorm ko. Sinabi ko sa taxi driver na dalhin ako sa istasyon ng Victory Liner sa Cubao at lumuwas sa unang bus na papuntang Baguio.

8:30 a.m., pagdating sa Baguio, sumakay ako ng taxi papuntang Baguio General Hospital. Dumiretso ako sa Intensive Care Unit kung saan naka-confine si Joey. Nalaman ko na nagtangkang magpakamatay si Joey sa paginom ng isang bote ng Muriatic Acid.

Tunaw at sunog sa asido ang kanyang bibig at lalamunan, tuklap at sunog ang kanyang balat sa leeg, hirap siyang magsalita at naghihingalo sa paghinga. Maya't maya ay umuubo siya ng dugo. Maya't maya sumisigaw at namimilipit sa sakit.

"Bakit 'tol?"  

Hinawakan ko ang kamay ng akin kaibigan. Hindi ko napigilang tumulo ang aking luha noong sabihin niyang:

"Patawad 'tol... 'Di ko na... kaya." 

Dinala si Joey sa operating room. Gulat pa rin ako sa mga pangyayari. Sinamahan ko siya habang tinutulak ng mga nurse at doktor ang kanyang kama sa operating room, ngunit  pinigilan ako ng nurse pagdating sa pinto.

Chapter III

Nalaman ko sa kanyang nanay hindi na pala makakabalik si Joey sa PMA. Officially dismissed na ang status niya kasabay ng lima pang estudyante dahil daw sa academic deficiency, deficiency in conduct, at failure in aptitude. Hindi ako lubos na makapaniwala. Imposibleng maging dahilan ito nang pagka kick-out niya sa akademiya.  Alam kong wala ng ibang pinangarap ang kaibigan ko kundi ang maging sundalo.

Nalaman ko din sa kanyang nanay na si Senya raw ay lumipad na papuntang Singapore kasama ng totoong tatay ni baby Bianca. Hindi pala talaga tunay na anak ni Joey si baby Bianca kay Senya. Di umano, matagal na palang nakikipaghiwalay si Senya kay Joey, at nagkaroon lamang siya ng lakas ng loob at rason na iwan si Joey noong ipinakita niya ang medical documents na nagpapatunay na hindi si Joey ang totoong tatay ni baby Bianca. 

Isang gabi bago ang paginom ni Joey ng muriatic acid nagkaroon ng matinding pagtatalo si Joey at Senya at nagbanta si Joey na magpapakamatay kung itutuloy ni Senya ang paglipad sa Singapore kasama ang kanilang anak. Walang nag-akala na tototohanin pala ni Joey ang kanyang banta. Hindi ko maintindihan kung paano nagawa ni Senya iyon. Ang bilis ng mga pangyayari. Hindi ko pa rin lubusang maunawaan kung paano humantong sa ganito.

Chapter IV

Sinabi ng doktor na talagang malubha ang pinsala ng muriatic acid sa lalamunan, baga, sikmura, at bituka ni Joey. Hindi naa-absorb ng kanyang sikmura ang nutrisyon at gamot na kanyang kailangan. Hindi daw nila magagarantiya na bubuti ang kalagayan ni Joey.  Isang linggo na lamang daw ang taning ng buhay ni Joey. Kailangan daw naming ihanda ang aming sarili. 

Chapter V

Binawian ng buhay si Joey 9:30 ng umaga, Lunes, October 7. 

Chapter VI

Hindi ko marinig ang musika na pinapatugtog ng caro ng patay dahil sa lakas ng ulan, pero naririnig ko pa rin sa isip ko kung paano noon tinugtog ni Joey ang mga paborito naming mga kanta, naaalala ko parin ang mga pangarap naming maging sikat na banda, ang pag bili namin ng una niyang gitara, ang kantang una naming tinugtog. Parang pinagsakluban ng langit ang araw na iyon, napaka-dilim ng kalangitan at napaka-putik ng paligid ng libingan. Sariwa pa sa isip ko kung gaano siya kasaya noong makita niyang ipinanganak si baby Bianca. Alam kong nakita niya ang kinabukasan sa mata ng batang iyon.

Hindi pa rin ako lubos makapaniwala kung paano nagawa ni Joey na magpakamatay. Malayo sa aking hinuha na magagawa niya iyon.  Araw-araw tinatanong ko ang sarili ko kung saan magsisimula at kung saan magtatapos ang aking pang-unawa. Humihingi siya ng tawad, pero hindi ko maintindihan kung anong klaseng tawad ang nais niya.

Sana'y naroon ako sa tabi niya sa mga pinaka-madilim na oras ng kanyang buhay. Sana'y naroon ako para makinig sa kanyang problema. Sana'y naroon ako para pawiin ang lungkot, galit, at pangungulila niya. Sana'y naroon ako para sa kanya -- katulad ng mga panahong naroon din siya para sa akin sa tuwing ako naman ang nangangailangan. Ganoon ang tunay na magkaibigan -- laging nandyan hindi lang sa oras ng saya, ngunit mas lalo na sa oras ng lungkot.  Sa totoo lang, walang araw ang lumipas mula noon na hindi ko sinisisi ang sarili ko. Wala man lamang ako nagawa para matulungan ang kaibigan ko sa oras ng kanyang kalungkutan.

Naalala ko ang huling text niya sakin. Ang text niya na sana ay hindi ko binura at binale-wala:

"Kung wala ng gasolina ang kotse, hindi na ito aandar."

Mali ka Joey... Aandar pa rin ang kotse kahit wala ng gasolina. Kailangan lang ay payagan mo ang mga taong nagmamalasakit at nagamamahal sayo na itulak ang kotse sa pinaka-malapit na gasolinahan. 

Ito sana ang irereply ko sayo. 

Pero huli na ang lahat.

End Notes:

1. Eto po ang entry ko sa pacontest ni sir GasolineDude BLOGVERSARY WRITING CONTEST. Sali rin po kayo para sa chance na manalo ng mga limpak limpak at umaatikabong mga papremyo! But wait, there's more! Why wait! What a great offfa! :p

2. DISCLAIMER po: All characters appearing in this work are PURELY FICTITIOUS and IMAGINARY. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is PURELY COINCIDENTAL .

3. Thanks so much for reading. Kung nakarating po kayo sa part na ito, ibig sabihin, binasa niyo at tinapos talaga kahit mahaba. Maraming maraming salamuch!

4. 2x na salamuch sa mga regular readers at comments. Always appreciated. 3x na salamuch sa mga suggestions at corrections ng mga friendly friends habang sinusulat ito.

5. Ang moral lesson po ng story ay ito: "Huwag snubbish. Magreply. Magtext. Makialam." hehe oktnxbye! :D

2011 University of the Philippines Lantern Parade

Crowd of people at the AS steps, Belly Dancing Org "Indak Oryantal" and Darna!

Big robot floats and Lola Basyang with her E Book.

Manny Pacquiao Lantern Float

Zombies on the lose! UP Film Institute 

Jump shots

Hot air balloon lanterns.

Pop culture mascots.

We'll surely go back next year. :) Dinner at Chocolate Kiss Cafe, Bahay ng Alumni,
unfortunately my camera  ran out of battery, hehe :)

Running the 35th Milo Marathon 2011 5k

My sister and my brother

Sea of 5k Runners 5:30 a.m. waiting for the gun start.

My finish time: 1 hour 7 minutes and six seconds, and proud of it. :) (I'll post the story behind it in my next post) 

Next year, level up na :)

Angelica, Avril, Raaaaahhh, Ryan

With Bong.

"Direction"

The Runner's High

Breakfast at Pancake House Harbor Square

Omelets and pancakes for breakfast

Afternoon Urban Running Katipunan-Marikina-Katipunan

Three o'clock in the afternoon, no classes today. Hello running shoes. Feeling lucky, I just run out of our gate bahala na kung saan makarating.

Urban running is dangerous. Delikado ang mga  motorcycles. Pati side
walk na dapat sa tao, ginigitgit. Ang hirap tumakbo ng ang daming
iniisip, e.g. SAFETY MO! hehe

Running Katipunan, I didn't know where my feet will take me.

Hidden LRT 2 tracks, few people have seen this view of the LRT2

Before I knew it, Marikina na.

SM Marikina

Bonny Serrano Avenue, I found my way back where I started.

It's hard to compete with vehicles.

Facade, it's just a face, behind the walls are eye sores. Indurstrial
Valley, Marikina.

At siympre, naki-party muna ako sa mga bata  :D

Conclusion: Urban running Katipunan-Marikina-Katipunan in the afternoon is difficult and dangerous. Other than running, you still have to think of your safety. The motorcycles, they get into my nerves. They think they own the pedestrian side walks. I think urban running is really more like urban hiking, you have to put it in its proper perspective. Appreciating the city, meeting people, reflecting, being grateful - I think that's what it was about.

Feature: Chevrolet - New Balance Power Run 2011

Tatay's First Race

Tatay's sporty "get up."

"Here's your running shorts, running shoes, and socks." My tatay (a senior citizen) requested my help in preparing the running gears he could use for their office sponsored fun run, and I gladly did.

The time was four a.m., the race starts in two hours at the UP oval. Cash prizes await those who finish the race. This race was different, employees were "paid" to run. How I wish all races were like this.

Under the pretext that I would be somewhere around UP to jog on my own, we drove to UP. But the truth was, I was gonna cheer for him! I can't help but smile as he lined up at the starting line. I guess I was more excited than he was.

Six thirty a.m., at the sound of the whistle, their office was running - lawyers, clerks, janitors, staff, everyone.

I jogged the opposite way to meet him halfway. When I saw him, I gave him a high five, "You can do it 'tay!"

He finished setting a personal record. It's his faster ever! You should have seen the very proud son that I was. I wish it's enough to get him to be inspired to run regularly. Yes, he sure did enjoy his first ever fun run. Mission accomplished. Next up, I hope I can get my incorrigible mom (a chain smoker) to run too.