RANDOM MEMOIRS
January 23rd, 2009 by xtiancarlSome say that when one writes a memoir, they are about to die. But for me, it is a proud exaltation of how God works in my life and guided me through the long and winding road. These experiences, sad or happy, helped me manage the life I am enjoying now. Whatever that happen or failed to happen in my life all has its end results and I am very thankful to God for allowing me to experience all of these for it made me a stronger person: physically, emotionally and spiritually. The events are summarized in random order…..
-I escorted the Crown Prince and Princess of Japan during their visit to Manila. The 1st line that I uttered whilst inside the elevator was, “Have you already watched Titanic?”
-Hours of bicycle ride at PICC with my family. Long walks at Manila Bay when it was still clean. Picnic or watching a movie at Avenida or Cubao with my parents and siblings.
-I was chosen as 1 of the 3 guys to give flowers in the Premiere/ Gala Night of Miss Saigon in CCP
-LOL with Cathy and Lino (ex-SBC colleagues) during pangmayaman kuno forced b-day dinner treats, comedy bar and Starbucks coffee raids.
- Each time my besty has to stand up for me, because she is my shock and tantrums absorber. I will never forget the endless exploration of new restos in tinseltown, clumsiness, picture taking, posing, favors and the last time she went with me to the airport while sobbing at the gate =(
-Outreach and Bible giving at slumdog provincial areas. Natives seem to welcome us like celebrities or dignataries but we condone such treatment since we went there to serve them and let them know more about God.
-I received several Good to Great awards in HSBC while I was still a Credit Analyst. It was given by Warner Manning (CEO) to staffs who contributed ideas feasible to the Bank’s growth. I was brimming with pride in front of my envious detractors.
- Showdown with my buddies Ej, Cris, Romy, Than, Nad, Jaz, Betong, Larry, Den, etc. at the Music Lounge in Jupiter St. as part of my despidida. Ukay-ukay of my earthly belongings was held afterwards, haha!
-First LRT ride with my family. It was new and Mom can still see every destination where it stops. We went to Luneta after a memorable joyride.
-Amidst the hot rays of the sun, a dark cloud envelopes the sky and heavy rain pours dripping down on our fatigue while we are waiting for our CAT graduation march. Last man standing!
- No classes after every UAAP season when UST was the champion for 4 straight years! Endless tiangges and non-stop celebration filled the campus from South Border, Regine and Lani M. concerts to Eat Bulaga Live in UST!
-I won the top prize twice in HSBC-CSV Department because I was one of its Top 10 CSO’s.
-I was voted as Chairman for the CCP Summer Campout 2004 with 100+ members. It was controversial at that time for we were intrigued to be spearheading a “rebellion” against the Management. The camp-out was an ultimate success because of several sponsorships that we were able to gather and it is the only outing in CCP history without any manager in tow.
-My longest People Power 2 march from Edsa Shrine to Plaza Miranda which ousted then Pres. Estrada. I don’t have any political inclination at that time. I just went with my friends on a dare to walk the line!
-Laughing with my all-time fave boss, Ma’am Hilda of Security Bank Avenida. She is so down to earth and a real teaser. I visited her after so many years, a few weeks before I left for UAE. She is just overjoyed to see me reaping success after some hardships.
- Endless Laguna weekend swimming night-outs with my Tanging Yaman gang because we were so filthy rich due to Miss Saigon’s 6 months run at CCP. Charades, taya-tayaan, laughing out loud, etc. made the bonding so tight until now. It has also produced 6 marriages. By the way, I have 2 jobs at that time so I’m always the Master Showman on all these escapades!
-My 1st qualification in the annual songfest in high school, it was really unexpected!
-When I handled the post Christmas party for HSBC CSO. It was the 1st time that the Managers, Seniors and Newbies ever mingled which turned out to be a fun filled night. Thanks to my partygoing days!
-Back-to-back win as Male Star of the Night for CCP and NAIA for year 2000!
-My first and last foam party at my fave bar in Eastwood Libis, BASEMENT, with Than.
-When I escorted Miriam Quiambao and a hot Brazilian Miss Universe runner-up on their way up the stage for an evening event. It was televised on Channel 9, ever heard of it?!?
-When I rubbed elbows and take pictures with my tennis idols: Nadal, Federer, Murray, Roddick, etc. It was not planned since we were held at the entrance by a horrible Indian guard coz my roomate has no ticket yet. Then here comes the tennis stars one by one entering the VIP gate. We immediately run up to them since we’re the only peeps in the vicinity and the rest is history. We were screaming and jumping like nutheads to our heart’s delight. (It would have been complete if Novak was also there). Too much adrenaline shoots up in my head that it made me feel like I’m about to throw up. I just couldn’t believe what happened, it was like a figment of my hallucinations or daydreaming!
-Dancing for the Christmas presentation at church when I was just 9 years old. I was wearing my already skimpy school uniform and it was freezing cold at that time!
-Another Christmas event at our fellowship where I was chosen to play the lead role of Joseph.
-Back in college, in one of our Sociology activities, we were asked to go to a rehabilitation center at the South wherein we interacted with recovering drug addicts. We were also allowed to test marijuana by our professor inside a rehab room as part of our simulation so we could discover its bad effects. Lucky for me, I hated it immediately the moment it touched my lips.
- I saw my body below me while I was (asleep) levitating to my room’s ceiling. It happened more than once and I was unconscious whenever I experienced astral projection. And when I woke up, I felt so tired.
-When Mom used to treat me to Jollibee after we visit my Dad at work. God knows how I miss those times when she still has her 20/20 vision.
-I almost puked during a banana eating contest (Christmas party) in Grade 5.
-When I have to go down a steep hill because of a dare from my cousins.
-Mom used to sell RTW, jewelries, cold cuts, beauty products, etc. when we were still in college just so we will have our allowances. God knows how I pity her condition but despite her being handicapped, she was able to send us to school and finish college. Now it’s payback time for me!
-My best Christmas family reunion (2003 & 2004) in Baguio and Subic, everybody was there!
-When I went to Singapore, my 1st travel abroad with my then besty. It was a wacky combination in an exhilarating experience. I was shouting at her all the time for being so Pasaway! We found a hotel in the red district area of the city, we commute without any idea where are we going, we shop till we drop, and we never tasted pepper crab. One night, I left her in the street because she have no idea what time it is that she have kept me waiting for hours, so when she arrived at our hotel, she was so furious that I just laughed at her clumsiness. Our local classmates are so corny and we cannot find any reason why they laugh at such silly jokes. Lastly, before we entered the airplane for departure, she dropped the hot tea at the gate connecting to the plane’s door, what a funny sight!
-When I left for work abroad, I cried a river because I have to leave my Mom.
-Tagaytay trip with my ex-girlfriend and gang in tow, it was a total riot!
-Dancing to Bob Sinclair’s “Love Generation” in Puerto Galera with my close buddies. We were so drunk that time and we hardly know what we were doing at the dance floor. I held a guy by his collar for kissing my gf in the face and when I was about to punch him, someone stopped me. Sayang!
- When I shot the wire holding all the bottles during a target shooting exercise at Taytay.
- As a CSO for HSBC, I invented some “sales” line/scripts that were immediately copied by my colleagues even if it sounds unprofessional because it consistently puts me ahead of the pack.
-When Dad used to send us new toys from KSA, making us the envy of our playmates in the hood.
-Front row VIP pass in Mariah Carey, Boyz 2 Men, F4, Janet Jackson, Boyzone, 98 Degrees, Jordan Knight, Alanis Morissette, and Christina Aguilera concerts. I could almost kiss their ass! Hahaha!
-Without my formal acknowledgment, I was appointed as a Union Officer of HSBC- the World’s Local Bank, after the successful campaign of my party in 2007! It was really great to savor the taste of success after a hard day’s night of intrigues and endless backstabbing over the campaign period.
-The 1st time I joined a charity event for Asilo. Sponsored by HBILU, it was really great to mingle and share blessings with less fortunate kids. It was something that I thank God up to now for giving me a normal life after all the trials I have been to.
-Dad died last 1993 when I was about to graduate from high school. I can’t imagine what the future has in store for my family especially that I’m the eldest and my Mom is blind. Fortunately, it was not hard for me to find jobs after I graduated from college. Everything seems to be easy for me during exams and interviews. Maybe, Papa was guiding me while I’m answering the test papers. I’m now the breadwinner and thank God for blessing me with better paying jobs.
- When “So Sick” (Ne-yo) becomes “So Bad” because our stupid secretary printed the wrong lyrics and I was so ashamed because Radha ( of Kulay rap trio) is backing me up. Grrrrrrrr!
-I took the stage with revenge the following night when I sung “The Last Time” by Eric Benet, accompanied by the band called Raintree. It became Felix fave after hearing my version.
-My first hair raising Space Shuttle and Anchor’s Away ride in Enchanted Kingdom. I was screaming my lungs out like a banshee, a rare feat for an acrophobic like me!
-Graduation in high school, all my relatives were there to support and cheer me up because Dad was already in heaven.
-I just have my molar teeth extracted, but after only a few hours I’m riding the motorbike like a Ghost Rider!
- Baguio outing with my new acquaintances. We hardly know each other but the vacation was a blast especially when we have our dinner by the fireplace and after my first gimmick in Nevada.
- Bivouac in high school. After the officers let us sleep on the top of the hill, they woke us, ordered us to line-up and march down to our camp with nothing but our undies on!
-My last ROTC training in Taytay Rizal wherein I was able to hike towards our campsite carrying my heavy backpack, wearing my fatigue and combat shoes for a couple of hours. We went up the hill until there is zero visibility due to heavy fog. It was like I’m in heaven!
-Rappel down the mountain for my CAT training. War games at night. Ghost stories at midnight.
-I have a crush on Shannen Daugherty and Jennie Garth of Beverly Hills 90210. When they sang “Breaking up is hard to do” on one of the show’s episode, they were so wickedly sleek!
-Wall climbing in an HSBC event. I have to help Giete because she is so scared to rappel down!
- Singing for my Department Head at HSBC on his farewell party. Almost everyone was singing with me as I belted out a Take That original “Back for Good”. It became a song of the month for some CCR peeps.
-When I auditioned over the phone for CSO Idol. Everyone in the department heard my voice and I qualified. Unfortunately, I was about to leave for abroad therefore I can’t join the Grand Finals.
-Landing in UAE for my new job, I was culture shocked and cannot fathom how long I am going to stay in this country. But now, here I am enjoying every single minute of it!
……. And it doesn’t end there, it just keeps getting better!