CONVENTIONS AND INNOVATIONS

Technologies seldom change culture by themselves; they might enable change in significant ways, yet without new ideas that question our sense of right and wrong they matter less. ...The very act of creating a market [...] of these products that go against conventions and norms of what we value, and of what we think is appropriate, means that you have to change what we think is appropriate.

ISINUKO KO SI BOB ONG

Too late na marahil ang post kong ito.  Isang buwang mahigit na kasi matapos ang pasko.

Pero dahil dapat araw-araw ang diwa ng pasko, pasok pa rin sa tingin ko ang post na ito.

December 10, 2012 nang mag-Christmas party sa bandang CCP Complex ang hinahawakan kong cellgroup.  After naming magdinner sa Mang Inasal, nagdesert kami sa Krispy Kreme Donuts.  Doon na rin namin ginawa ang aming exchange gifts.

Isa sa mga natutunan kong paraan ng exchange gifts ay yung hindi na kailangang bumili.  Anything that one can find inside his or her closet or in the home that is no longer of use to him or her e maaari niyang maipang-exchange gift dahil baka kailangan nama iyon ng iba.

Magpapalabunuta ang lahat ng kasali sa exchange gifts at ang makabunot ng number one ang siyang may chance to do the picking first.

Si Arthur ang nakabunot ng number one kaya siya ang
unang pumili ng gift and according to him,
tamang-tama sa kanya ang towel na iyon

Alden  was number two and he picked this orange tumbler.
Hindi namanobvious that he really loves the gift. Hahahahaha!

Ako ang pangatlong pipili at may nakursunadahan na ako ang booklet na "Alamat ng Gubat" ni Bob Ong.  But Arvin liked it too.  Pero dahil ako ang number three at siya ay number four, ako ang mauuna sa kanyang pumili

Nagkunwa akong kukunin ang akda ni Bob Ong
pero pinili ko na lang  ang mugs na ito
na galing kay Arvin.  Isinuko ko na sa kanya si Bob Ong

Kaya nakuha ni Arvin ang ibig niya na makuha.
His favorite author and collections

Michael picked the Malong for himself

Being the last number to pick a gift appropriate para sa isang
lalake, Amos had no choice to pick the devotional guide.

After Amos, ang mga girls na ang pumili ng kanilang  gifts.

Majay got the shawl na bagay na bagay naman
sa kulay ng blouse niya at sa malaming na
lugar kung saan kami naroon.  Hehehehe!

Teacher Irene got this pocket book

And the person who was not given the chance
to pick her gift is Aileen being the last number

We enjoyed how the exchange gifts was done.  Almost everybody was happy for the gifts they received.  I could be happier if I got the book of Bob Ong.  Pero I was the happiest dahil may napasaya akong tao sa pagsuko ko ng gustong kong regalo.


The exchange gift did not end here.  A few days after, nagtext sa akin si Arvin.  He was asking kung may iba pa akong Bob Ong books na puwede kong ipampalit sa natanggap niyang Bob Ong books na meron na siya.  Ang sabi ko ay wala.  Sa exchange gift nila sa opisina, he expressed to his officemate na Bob Ong books ang gusto niyang matanggap.  Yun nama ang natanggap niya.  Kaya lang, dumoble ang mga kopya niya.  He decided to give his two other Bob Ong's books to me.

Hindi lang isa kundi dalawang Bob Ong books ang
natanggap ko ng libre.  Bumalik uli sa akin ang
bagay na isinuko ko na.

At may dagdag pang regalo na mula naman sa isang miyembro.

Merry Bob Ong Christmas ang nangyari sa akin.  Hehehehehe!

Sa karanasan kong ito ko muling natutunan na ang pagsusuko ng isang bagay na gusto mo para mapaligaya ang isang tao ay isang dakilang gawain.  Hindi ba ganon naman talaga ang diwa ng pasko?
At minsan, kung ano ang willing mong ibigay ang siya ring babalik sa iyo nang higit pa sa inaasahan mo.

COMMON GROUND

Who would expect me and some of the members of my church  seated on a pew before an altar that looks like this?

Altar of the Sto. Nino Parish Church
Tanza, Navotas

The said church is the host church to A Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Liturgical Worship last January 21, 2013 were my church is one of the participating churches.

Christian Unity? One might ask that question.  How can different churches be united when they differ in so many ways?

Indeed, there are so many differences that we can point out among the churches.  But unity does not mean the absence of differences.  It is not unity but conformity.  Unity among the churches means you agree in spite of the differences and  seek a common ground were people can work for a common goal. 

If you think that graven images is the one that divides us from our Roman Catholic brothers?  We accused them of idolatry.  I want us to realize that we are as guilty as them in the issue of idolatry.  We, non-Roman Catholics have our imaginary idols.  It can be money, relationships and other matters that we put more important to us than God.  As for me, I have long realized that idolatry is no longer the practice of a particular church but also of all people.

Besides, why emphasize the differences when we can appreciate our similarities.  Actually, there is a lot  of things to appreciate in the event.

The Homily of the Bishop

The Song of the Choir

The Participation of  Other Non-Catholic Churches.
This is Lina Manuel from our church

Amy Betiong

And the rest of the delegates coming from our church

Other pastors and Me

Priest from Episcospal Church in the Philippines
and the General Secretary of the
 National Council of Churches in the Philippines
giving his message

The host priest and the speaker Bishop

People got used to seeing the difference among people more than their similarities.  More so when the differences is in the area of religious practices.  But if we will only shift our vision onto what holds us together, we will realize that there are more significant things that bind us than separates us.

The Liturgical Worship was followed by a simple meal of bread and water for the lay people and a heavy meal for the clergy. What a divine display of unity, that is, sharing a meal with people other than your own!

So do not be surprised if you will see me next time inside a Roman Catholic Church.  I am still not into graven images.  But I am now for the people who would like to practice the essence of the faith that they embrace.

NANG BULUTUNGIN SI TISOY

My son, Aiehn Deosjua has chicken pox.  Nahawa siya sa kanyang mommy.  When I went to Cavite City to see him and attend to him, he asked me to bring him along when I go back here in Caloocan.  I have second thoughts of bringing him along because chicken pox is highly contagious.  He has his brothers to whom he can pass his disease.  But how can I refuse a request from a son ... from a sick son?

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Besides, I think that it is better to have chicken pox when one is younger.  I observe that the disease is kinder to children.  Kaya ok na rin na mahawa ang mga kapatid niya habang bata pa.  Yung kasi sa aking asawa, mata lang yata ang walang latay, este, bulutong pala.  Para siyang bulutong na tinubuan ng mukha.  Hahahahahahahaha!

Good thing, Aiehn only has a few blisters on his face and body.  But there is one part that was not spared from blisters.  His penis.  Hahahahaha!

Awhile ago, he complaint of pain there on his "tisoy".  Yap he calls his penis tisoy  Kung bakit ganon ang tawag niya, tanging ang mga kuya niya sa mommy niya ang nakakaalam.  Sa totoo lang, madalang lang sa mga Filipino ang may tisoy na "tisoy."  Kadalasan ang kulay ay "egoy" o black.   Hahahahaha!

Kung bakit kasi sa lahat ng tutubuan doon pa, nahihirapan tuloy siyang tukuyin ang bahaging iyon ng kanyang katawan.  Hehehehehe!

"Papa, bakit masakit ang "tisoy" ko? tanong na naman niya sa akin.  Sagot ko naman, "E, di ba nga may bulutong kasi ang tisoy mo?"

"E bakit si mommy naman hindi sumasakit ang tisoy niya."  hirit niya.

"Wala namang bulutong doon ang mommy mo."  ang sagot ko.  "Isa pa, walang tisoy ang mommy mo." bigkas ko na tumatawa nang malakas.  Dinig niyo ba?  Dinig ko na rin ang tawa niyo.  Hahahahahaha!

"Meron kaya si mommy.  Umiihi rin siya e," tutol niya.

"Hindi naman tisoy ang tawag doon," ang tugon ko.

"E, ano tawag doon?" tanong niya.

SORRY PO HANGGANG DITO NA LANG ANG POST KO.  WHOLESOME KASI ANG MGA TOPIC KO DITO.

Alangan naman kasi ang isagot ko kay Aiehn ay "tisay." Hahahahahahahahahahaha!

READ ME MAYBE

You might be wondering where  my other readers are coming from.  These readers fall in the following catergories:

• those who saw my post by chance.  They might be searching a topic and they landed on my blog.  It happens to all of us when we are searching for a certain topic on the internet.   And upon seeing my blog, scan the entry in passing and leave the blog.
• those who saw it by chance but read my post and some other post as well.
• those who saw my post on facebook.
• those who regularly reads my blog but are not registered as my followers.
• those who follow my blog.

This Statistics covers the beginning of the
blog up to the present.  From the thousands
of readers from the the Philippines
down to the 57 from United Kingdom.
Not included are the countries below 57.

This is the monthly statistics

I am happy having readers.  I am more happy having followers.  I am excited receiving comments from my readers.  Many of the comments are posted on facebook.

My number of readers and followers are just a dot compared to the gigantic figures of other bloggers.  But I don't feel bad for myself because statistics is not my utmost concern for now.  It is just enough to learn that I am being read somehow.  So READ ME MAYBE to the tune of Call Me Maybe.  Hehehe!

That is why whenever the number of readers concerns me, I always go back to the words of wisdom in writing, "Write to express, not to impress."

RIGHT NOW

"God understand tears, when the pain is too much for words."

Have you ever felt angry?  I do.

Have you ever felt lonely?  I do.

Have you ever felt low? I do.

Have you ever felt ignored? I do.

Have you ever felt unappreciated?  I do.

Have you ever felt misundertood?  I do.

Have you ever felt confused?  I do.

Have you ever felt neglected?  I do.

Have you ever felt hopeless? I do.

Have you ever felt powerless? I do.

Have you ever felt discouraged? I do.

Have you ever felt burdened?  I do.

Have you ever felt frustrated? I do.

Have you ever felt lost?  I do.

Have you ever felt unloved?  I do.

Have you ever felt helpless?  I do.

Have you ever felt tired?  I do.

Have you ever felt crying?  I do.

Have you ever felt all the feelings above at the same time?  I do.  RIGHT NOW!

NECK TO NECK WITH THE TURTLE NECK

It was three minutes before 5 pm when I arrived at Araneta Center.  I was on my way to finding Cibo Restaurant when I thought of waiting for Haidee Afable, my high school classmate, so that I would be in the company of "promdi" in Cubao area.

About 15 minutes later, Haidee came with her husband Rucus.  When we found out the place, there we saw Leonilda Concepcion (now called, Ohnee) waiting inside.  Ohnee recognized me at once.  She looked thinner now than we were in high school.  It's been 27 years since we last saw each other.

Me and Haidee

Haidee works as a Senior Graphic Designer in Moms Today and Health Today Magazines.  Ohnee counts money as she said in BDO SM Baliuag, Bulacan.

The fourth batchmate to arrive was Vilma Santos.  Nope, Vilmas Santos is not that young and we, that old to be classmates.  She is just a named after  the Star for All Seasons.  Ate Vi, as we call her spent many working as a volunteer community organizers in various areas in the Philippines, particularly, the North.  Ate Vi considers herself as an activist but now no longer as active because of health reasons.

Vilma and Ohnee

Ate Vi  was followed by Ate Guy. No, we do not have a classmate by the name of Nora Aunor.  Perhaps the same height with the Superstar.  Hahahahaha! (Joke only).  Jocelyn Joson is an employee of the company that makes "Cotton Club" underwear.  Nope, she did not come in underwear.  She just came wearing a smile.  Hahahahahaha!(Another joke)  Jocelyn by the way has a smiling face.

Jocelyn

At the center is Rucus, Haidee's hubby who
took some of our pictures.

We finally ordered our food.  We settled for pasta and pizza.  My favorite.  But the serving size and the price  is not that friendly.  Hehehe!  Good thing, two of the girls I was with are health concious and so, I got the biggest share from our order.  Plus, they had water for a drink while I enjoyed my mango shake.

The second to the last to arrive were two professor, Ramil Correa of Dela Salle University  and Ebinezer Florano of UP Diliman.  Both of them were looking for the place until they found each other.  The food was no longer enough for them so they had individual orders.

Ramil and Ebi

How would I describe that night beside being fun filled, revelation time and chatting  about the classmates we were missing?  It is the night of the NECK TO NECK WITH THE TURTLE NECK.  Hahahahahahaha!

Why?  Read further.

I was neck to neck on how I can fully blend with them.  They are not actually my  batchmates because I transferred to San Sebastian College when we were third year high school.

Ramil was neck to neck on finding the venue of our get together. While we were chatting, Ohnee inquired of Ramil's whereabouts and we were told that he will arrived in 15 minutes.  But it was the longest 15 minutes we had in our life.  It lasted for an hour I guess.

Haidee was neck to neck on how she will be able to leave early from our get together.

Vilma was neck to neck with her present illness.

Ohnee and Jocelyn?  Better ask them.  Hehehehehe!

Ebi was neck to neck with his turtle neck shirt because the weather is not as cold as yesterday.  I got the title of this post from him.  Hehehe!

Joan was neck to neck to neck with the heavy traffic on our way to the venue.

And speaking of Joan Dy, who is an IT in Makati, she was the last one to arrive.  Since we had already spent a long time in CIBO, Joan suggested if we can find a place near to ABS CBN Compound so that Paul Alfonso, could at least goof out from his meeting and meet with us.

Boarded in Ramil's vehicle, we went to Kapamilya Network to meet our Kaklase who is working with the Lopez family.  Paul didn't make it with us.  By the time we were in ABS, he was already walking his way home.  Hahahahahaha!

There in ABS CBN we could not find a place where we could have a coffee  and t locate where Paul is. Our craving for coffee led us here:

Ebi could not brushed away his craving so he bought a coffee for himself and drank it inside a teahouse.  Hahahahaha!  Ate Vi only had water and the rest, milktea.  Joan paid the bills and combined milk tea with junk food.

Joan is at the extreme right

I guess, we were enjoying our night together because they would like to make the get together every month.  We all agreed that we would all be wearing turtle necks shirts next time. Thanks Prof. Ebi for the inspiration.   Hahahahahahaha!

PREPARE THE CATWAK please!