more pics...

Confirmation Rites of the Plebos to full-fledged Kaduwas of Libertas et Iusticia 01.27.2k7

more pics to come...

LAW is...

1. a rule of conduct
2. just and obligatory
3. laid down by legitimate authority
4. and of common benefit and observance.

- Sanchez Roman

c'est moi au jodi

Destination: Manila International to L.A.X.

In the movie LOVE ACTUALLY, the narrator speaks of the Airport as a place full of love. Of Families, lovers, friends. It’s a place where people cry at departures. They cry at arrivals. It’s one of the best places to observe humans at their finest emotional state.

For me, it was an exciting moment, of being so close to a total stranger, whom I haven’t meet my whole life, and whom I haven’t heard of recently. Yet, there was the feeling of complete happiness.

My cousin’s wife, Jodi, came to the Philippines more than a week ago. Immediately from the airport, she and her companions went to Batangas to take the boat ride to Galera and Dumaguete. She’s some sort of a dive connoisseur and photography aficionado.

Just this afternoon, she called my dad from the airport on her way back to the US, and told him that my Tita Dora sent in some cash for my Lola. Dad called home and Lola spoke to him. And I was tasked to go to the airport and meet up with her. Now, the problem is, I don’t have a fucking idea how to call her cellphone. I haven’t made long distance calls in such a long time, and she didn’t get any local sim cards. So, I had to call her from the landline, after haggling some instructions on International Direct Distance calls from my Ate Dolay. I agreed to meet her up after an hour or so.

Because I am an avid Unlimitxt user, I was then obliged by the circumstances to buy 300 prepaid card in order to call her up.

It was her first time here in the Philippines, so naturally, as I went to the airport, and being a foreigner, I assumed that she’s taking Northwest or American Airlines. I went to the Old Naia airport. Calling her again (after so many failed attempts to connect) I asked her what was her airline. She said Air Philippines.

Now, at this point, I began to doubt… using some logic and circumstantial evidence, and plenty of asking around with the guards at NAIA, I finally concluded that I was at the wrong terminal.

First of all, Air Philippines is a domestic carrier, at most, it only travels to Hongkong. Secondly, Philippine Airlines has international flights… and is the only airline using the Centennial Terminal. Thirdly, I asked the guard whether there is a snack exchange at the old Naia. None. Only the Centennial Airport has one which is specifically named ‘Snack Exchange.’

So off I go again, rapidamente, to the Centennial Airport, and with several attempts to call her again, I thought I was too late, because she might have already boarded. Then, while walking around, looking for a tall blonde girl. (She would have been easily spotted had she been in a place wreaking with Filipinos like the mall or some restaurant… but Hello! It’s the airport! All kinds of blondes are there!) So, almost in despair, I walk away from the snack exchange, desperately calling her, and when I reached the terminal entrance, she called me. There she was in my plainsight. Holding the phone and talking to me. I waived at her and ran (nay, brisk walked) toward her. We hugged and said our greetings, then we decided to go to the lounge area where her other companions are at. She introduced me to her one by one. At this point, I thought my English would falter, but hey, strange as it may seem, though at times, I ran out of words, or rather had a hard time choosing the proper words, my old slang came back as if it was a forgotten tongue.

We talked for over an hour, while she shared to me some pictures that she took underwater.

Her name is Jodi. She’s an all American white girl. Really beautiful. 33 years old and a nature lover. She loves going around beaches and jungles and loves Asian stuff. She loves San Miguel Beer Pale Pilsen. I told her that it’s quite usual for foreigners to drink that. (they have that there) but here, the young ones’ preference is San Mig light. She even likes to celebrate Chinese New Year. Whoah! She’s soooo nice. My family is so lucky to have her.

We talked naturally, without hesitation, as if, we’ve bonded a lot in that short hour or so that we spent together.

I haven’t seen my eldest cousin, as in never, but it feels good to see his wife, the least to say.

I promised her that the next time she would come back, (that is, if she has the leisure of time to spent in Manila, and not in the provinces), I’d tour her to where else… the various malls, diners, restaurants, gimikans and hotspots in the Metropolis. She’ll love those native and oriental products abounding in Tiendesitas or in Rockwell, or wherever.

So, after seeing her nice photos in her nice Macintosh notebook, and all her gadgetry which I can no longer understand… we took souvenir pictures, through the help of Ernie, her half-filipino half Mexican companion. First he took shots of us with Jodi’s profession camera, for her own memorabilia, and then with my trusty Motorola V3X for my own (to Ernie’s amazement… I told him that’s Japanese technology at it’s finest)

After an hour at the lounge area, and plenty of getting to know each other, and getting to know how my cousins are doing… she had to board the plane, so I escorted her back to the terminal entrance, where we gave each other the warmest hug. A hug given to a complete stranger, who otherwise is also family. It was such a nice experience.

Truly, the airport is indeed a place of love, even for two strangers related only by marriage, and hence, family.

(Nota Bene: Since I'm having a shitty time with uploading the pictures with blogger, you hafta check out my friendster instead... or i'll probably post it here at a later time)

tah tah!

sabado nights with the girls of 4A.

That's hot...

This past Monday, our Preliminary Exams began, I just got a single day to rest and study Criminal Law and to perform all my hedonistic pleasures. We’ve been counting days as if they’ve been abbreviated. Plenty to study, yet so little time. Last week, stress began to take it’s toll on me, as pimples started bursting out of my face. Good thing it was easily resolved by some apricot scrub and a lot of sweating. I don’t care whether I win or lose in my games, I just want some stress busting action. Further, aside from the usual holidays, Exams and the Revalida makes law students crave for food, and most of it junk food. I myself admits to this. We have to compensate, and satiate ourselves by devouring all sorts of sugar filled goodies hanging around our friendly neighborhood copier station-cum-sari-sari store. Our eyebags are as deep as ravines, and we smoke like we’re in an opium den. Alcohol is an absolutely no-no (in public gatherings, of course, but not for private consumption)

Just barely two months to go… and plenty of suffering… before we could march (hopefully, if we get through the deliberations) down the isle to the tune of Aida and Pomp and Circumstance No. 5. It would be an awesome feeling…

A few weeks rest… then Bar Review.

Can’t believe I’m almost there…
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Just saw Avic Tañedo this evening at Sprout. She is currently teaching at Perpetual Help College. She’s my former English teacher, Friend, and School Paper Moderator for The Guide. Come to think of it, I almost forgot I was Editor-in-chief three times during my stint in ICPS, first, in Grade School, for The Crown, second, during my interregnum in third year, whence I held the Editor-in-chief position in an ad interim capacity (I think I was Associate Editor-in-chief afterwards) Then Finally, and by reason of security of tenure and seniority, as Editor-in-chief during my Fourth Year. Ahhh… those were my minor glory days…

Now why in hell didn’t I pursue my blossoming journalism career, despite having garnered numerous awards in both Regional and Division levels?

Beats me. Hell, I’m happy being a lawyer.

Another funny anecdote that I would like to share, during my stint as Editor-in-chief, the EIC of St. James, our rival school is also a Bernardo. During one of our competitions, I was joking that he probably was my cousin. Turns out I was correct, to my surprise.

-----------------------------------
January 23 is nearing. It’s my first year anniversary of being ‘detached’ from Carol. At that time, it was the right thing to do for me. But it seems like the feeling would never end… after all that we’ve been through for the past six years. Who would have thought…? And after learning last December during some drunken moments of sharing with common confidants, that she loved me already, and so much for that matter… God… what’s next?
I haven’t been in the dating scene for more than six months I guess, after Diana and I fell apart again. (Pareho kasi kameng gago.) Probably because we were never meant to be together. We could probably be soulmates, as what we confessed to each other, but we could probably be never together. To define us would be peccable… almost forbidden… pawing puro ‘nakaw na sandali’ moments. In the first place, we started with the wrong premise and the wrong circumstances.

But Carol, we started in the wrong premise, got along well as friends, we’ve dated different people, but we ended up doing well… nay, we’ve ended up perfectly. We were inseparable. I guess CJ was right all these times, you should never define your relationships… res ipsa loquitor.

Well, so much for my still unfolding story. I can’t write finis on this one just yet… nay, I’ll never do.

Ajay, my classmate and friend in law school for the past four years, is in deep sorrow today, as tragedy struck her.

Her father died in a car accident, while her brother, Mark, whom I’ve met several times, I believe, is in the hospital.

It is such a bad time… since the midterms are up next week. Plus, in less than three months, graduation comes.

My deepest condolences to her, though I opt not to contact her any time soon, for I believe that she must grieve her lost with all solemnity.

I have already offered my prayers, together with candles and incense sticks for the repose of her father’s soul.

We may not be able, under the circumstances, to travel to the wake in Tarlac, but in spirit, we are present.

“Eternal rest grant unto him Oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him…”

disturbance

dogs whining and barking in the morning...

feral cats having noisy sex in the earlier part of the morning...

jeepneys 'vrooming', tricycles likewise...

noisy parrots and other avian species...

the ice grinder gnarling...

the tv in the other room...

I NEED TO HAVE MY OWN APARTMENT IN MANILA!!!

Just a little peace and quiet... until the end of September...

Please...

Hearty Laugh...

The President and his men...

Mr. Bernardo, Chief Executive of 4B, Remedial Law Chairperson
Mr. Manalabe, Former Chief Executive of 3B, Remedial Law Vice Chairperson
Mr. Almeda, My Law School Bestfriend, Former Central Student Council President, and many more to mention...
Mr. Fama, Libertas et Iusticia 'Lakan', Mercantile Law Chairman
Mr. Puzon, kaduwa and Member, Mercantile Law and Remedial Law Committees
Captain Richielieu Francis Logroño, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Presidential Security Group...

had a hearty laugh for two hours... thinking of what would happen to dean aligada if he lost it ala 'Sisa', with the Dominican Fathers trying to contain him... and reminiscing our good old days with judge Aguinaldo.

Plus, after seven weeks, we were allowed to retire from recitation in civil law...

Mababaw lang kaligayahan namin kanina. Pero it was worth the waste of time.

Mr. President

back to school...

4B is now in session, en banc

must assume once more the role of Chief Executive... hay.

super inggo

my grandpa is an avid van of this 'kapamilya' fantaserye. nota bene: i haven't seen him watch tv (except for martial law announcements and fight nights in vegas) so vigilantly. he's been watching 'super inggo' on two tv sets... one on the 'business office', and at times, at the sala.

what's with boy bawang, kumander bawang etcetera (like those kids who look like 'naruto')

my grandpa ain't going senile really... he's just mentally challenged at times... but the point is... probably, and maybe, he's being sentimental... 'coz my eldest Italian cousin is "inggo" (As legend says, most Italian families name their eldest son DOMINGO... which means 'Lord') 'Inggo' is his eldest grandson within our line, and my eldest cousin for that matter. Point is... my grandad should enjoy the rest of his retirement days as much as he can.

I just would love to pamper my old soldier for once...

Starting it with a blast...

Call this entry a confession of some sort… but somehow, in my somewhat drunken state, I still have clarity of mind. I want to start the year right… cycles must close and new ones must begin. Somehow, this is a revelation of a darker side of me.

There are reasons why I cannot act in a certain way, and must practice restraint at all times. For one, I came from a known family. I carry a noble surname which I dare not tarnish. Secondly, my personality, no matter how much desirous I maybe of mundane things, I have a deep inculcation of dignity, integrity and honor.

Besides, I do not want to have a public record with the caption People of the Philippines versus ME and my Cousin for two counts of rape or acts of lasciviousness. I haven’t yet passed the bar, and I don’t intend to be disqualified.

This is the dark side of me. And my once estranged cousin is the one who let me broke loose. We share common lewd designs… and ipsa loquitor… it is lewd.

For you who will read this… please, put a brace around your head so that your jaws wouldn’t drop to the floor.

I do not blame my cousin, his nature is like so. He would hump anything that comes his way. (figuratively speaking) But when things get out of hand, I simply cannot rescue myself, or him. Lawyers save other people’s lives. But we cannot, and should not save ourselves, because emotions blur our judgment. So, if you heard Ferdinand Marcos defended himself during a murder trial against him, every lawyer will say that it is plainly stupid and imprudent. Now, why did Marcos got away? Simple. Evidence is weak. That is his circumstance. Circumstances are always different.

I have high dreams for myself. And between basic instinct and rationality, I would choose the latter.

Point is… our place is hovering with ‘japaks’ once in a while. (FYI… it is a college lingo which I learned ages ago for babaeng pakawala. Pokpok in short.) My ‘tauhan’ in my tiny fiefdom knows a plenty. It just so happened that it is the new year and one of them got drunk. I was ‘instigated’ my cousin and my bodyguard/driver to chat with her, whom I imbibed to drink further. Cousin, Japaks, and I went to my cousin’s place for more drinking. Just the three of us. Me, my cousin, and a drunken japaks. (Insert: LEWD DESIGN). I will not claim of having clean hands. (Or a clean tongue for that matter.) But the point is… what if everything goes wrong? (Mind you, we both are into three-ways and multiple entries. That is why my cousin is so special to me because he is as perverted as I am.) In legal sex, the most important element is CONSENT. Without consent, there is a crime committed. Since there was no consent for a ‘party’, I must give way for my horny cousin. Let him have it.

And what do I end up as for this night?

A celfone cinematographer.

With a 128 memory card, I could have managed an hour’s worth of movie-making. Had not the japaks noticed me, I would end up with a full length film.

But she did.

So, Plan B too was frustrated.

On the other hand, I’m glad it stopped, because I believe in karma.

I ain’t proud of what I did, but on the other hand, I now know how to plan a ‘scandal’ and film it for that matter.

And now, I must behave and refrain from any upcoming invitations for perversity. We had our moments of fun in the past, but it won’t happen again any time soon. Perhaps, when time, place, persons and circumstance are provident… I can’t simply say.


Happy New Year.