PG11: When Antipatika meets Antipatiko

“Hello!” I said smiling and walked away.

That was my mere response when she was first introduced as the newest member of our team.

Months passed and we started to become close. We would hang out with our office friends in Paseo de Sta. Rosa on salary days and special occasions. On one time, a day before my birthday, our company went on a hike to Mt. Maculot in Batangas. I noticed she’s particularly close with one of our male friends and as if by coincidence, I was particularly jealous so I acted like I’m particularly close with one of our female buddies. Later that day, after the hike, I invited all of them to the apartment I was renting alone then for a snack and a few drinks to celebrate my coming birthday. They all came but had to leave early because they’re tired from the hike and her college friends were still waiting for her at home.

Dismayed, I slammed the door and switched off all lights as soon as they all were outside.

In the last quarter of that year, we planned to go to Baguio after our company’s Christmas party and stay there for the rest of the weekend. She was so excited that he had to ask her boyfriend’s permission earlier. Yes, she had a boyfriend then. I don’t know what was happening but as the date comes closer, my mood was swinging until finally, I announced that I would not join the trip. She was particularly dismayed, demanding for some good reasons. My resident cry baby was sobbing in the office. I got mad. I said she could cry all she wants but that would not change my decision.

Later I made her a deal. That if she could complete the task before the date, it may change my mind and decide to go to Baguio with them. She agreed so I gave her copies of “All In,” a Korean drama I was watching then. I told her she had to finish all episodes before our Christmas party otherwise I would not join the trip. While I’m at home and she’s on theirs, we we’re watching the episodes together and exchanging comments through text messages.

Finally, she has completed the task and we went to Baguio as planned. But that wasn’t the start of it. She still had a boyfriend then so that trip was nothing but a vacation with friends.

Time came and she finally ended her relationship with her then boyfriend. I’m not sure if I should be delighted by that news because I knew that for the longest time, there was another man waiting for that relationship to fall off. And like a synchronized watch, the other man began his moves to court her. I was exasperated.

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Advertlets, I hate you na!

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Dear Ate Helen,

Isa po akong OFW sa bansang Tsina. Hindi ko pa napapanood ang “Alyas Baby Tsina” ni Vilma Santos pero alam kong nagkaroon sya ng ganoong pelikula. Mas fan po kase ako ni Sharon Cuneta kaya kung tatanungin mo po ako tungkol sa mga pelikula nya e mas masasagot kita ng walang kakurap-kurap.

Nangyari po ang aking malungkot na karanasan nang mahigit dalawampung taon na ang nakakalipas. Tandang-tanda ko pa ang mga pangyayaring ‘yon, Ate Helen. Nung maliit pa ko, mga less than 5 years old siguro, nang nakatira pa kaming mag-anak sa Nueva Ecija. Malaki ang Nueva Ecija pero hindi ang Aliaga. At kung titingnan mo sa Google Earth, dun kami nakatira sa Rizal Street na mas kilala bilang Poblacion Centro. Mga kalahating oras siguro ang layo nito mula sa Barangay Bibiclat kung sasakay ka ng Teyms sa kanto ng Bocot.

Noong araw, nakikipanood ako ng TV sa bahay ng Ninang ko na kapit-bahay namin. Wala kaming TV noon kaya masaya na akong nakikipanood lang. Kahit nga minsan ay pinagsasarahan na nila ako ng pinto ay nakakalusot parin ako sa pamamagitan ng paggapang sa siwang sa ilalim ng kanila pinto. Doon po madalas na dumadaan si Jack, ang kanilang aso, pero kasya rin po ako. May commercial noon ang Birch Tree kung saan lumalabas ‘yung baka mula sa 1kg powdered milk can na pinaglalagyan nya. Doon nagsimula ang aking pantasya na magkaron ng alagang baka. Opo Ate Helen, bata palang ako ay nagkakaroon na ako ng mga kakaibang pantasya. Nagsabi ako sa Nanay ko na ibili nya ko ng Birch Tree dahil gusto ko ‘yung lumalabas na baka mula sa lata. Tanong naman ng Nanay ko kung saan ko naman daw isusuga ‘yung baka e ang liit-liit lang naman ng bakuran namin. Dahil bata palang e kinakikitaan na nila ako ng pagka-henyo, sumagot ako na sa loob ko ng kulambo ilalagay ‘yung baka. Hindi ko na matandaan kung naibili nga ba ako ni Nanay ng Birch Tree noon pero wala akong natatandaang nagkaroon kami ng alagang baka. Malamang nga ay hindi.

Dahil sa sobrang pagka-obsessed ko na magkaron ng bakang galing sa lata, isang gabi ay bigla akong nagkaroon ng kakaibang panaginip. Bumili daw ng Birch Tree ang isa sa mga ate ko. Pero masamang-masama ang loob ko dahil ayaw naman lumabas nung baka kaya sinabi ko sa kanilang kailangan kaskasin ng piso yung drawing na baka dun sa gilid ng lata. Kinaskas naman namin ito hanggang sa halos mabura na ‘yung drawing na baka pero walang nangyari, hindi parin lumabas ang baka mula sa lata. Luhaan akong nagising dahil sa masaklap na pangyayari sa panaginip kong ‘yon. Nagising ako nang may isang lata ng Ovaltine sa lamesa. Hindi ko alam kung sinong bumili.

[ Insert Un Jour, Un Enfant here, theme song from Lovingly yours, Helen ]

Hayup ka!

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Sheep simply want a bit of peace. They enjoy carrying on with life in their own quiet, individual way, content to be in the middle of it all rather than to be leading it. Sheep are quiet and calm people. They enjoy cultural things and focus much of their energy on artistic hobbies. Sheep are easygoing and relaxed, happy to be going with the flow.

Kung walang sadistang atheist o mga sarcastic na kokontra, pwede kong sabihin na totoo ang mga sinasabi ng Chinese Zodiac tungkol sa mga characteristic ng isang taong ipinanganak sa taon ng mga tupa (o kambing, o anumang may tunog na baa-baa-black-sheep have you any woods).

Unang-una, kayang-kaya kong gayahin ang ingay ng kambing (pero mas napeperpek ko ata ang tunog ng pusa). Kung nasa likod mo ko at makarinig ka ng palahaw ng kambing, malamang hindi kambing ang naririnig mo. Ako lang siguro yon.

Tulad nga ng mga tinuran sa taas, kung ako ang pamimiliin, mas gusto ko ang simple at tahimik na buhay. Hindi ko kailangan ng masyadong marangyang buhay, pero ayoko din naman ng sobrang hirap. Mas tipo kong lumukso-lukso na parang psychotic na kambing sa taas ng burol na mayaman sa green green grass o home.

Hindi rin sa pagyayabang, may talent ako kahit papaano sa larangan ng sining. Mula Elementary hanggang college, mas napupuri ako ng aking mga guro kapag art projects ang pag-uusapan. Una ako nagkaron ng line of 9 sa card nung Elementary sa asignaturang Music, Arts and P.E. Manghang-mangha kase ang mga naging guro ko sa mga art projects ko nun. Maarte ako at perfectionist pagdating sa mga ganyang bagay. Nung fouth year ko sa high-school (sa Tukmo), panahon kung saan namimili na kami ng gusto naming kuning karera pagdating ng college. Sabi nung class adviser namin, “Why don’t you pursue a career in Fine Arts?” Sa isip ko nalang habang naka-ngisi, “Haller!? Magaling din naman ako sa English at Math ah.”

Right-brainer ako kung tutuusin. Sa bawat bagay, mas napapagtuunan ko ang aethetics kaysa substance. Noong mga panahong gumagawa ako ng website, napakahalaga sakin ng proportion at positioning ng bawat elemento. Dapat may balance, dapat may color harmony, dapat pupuruhin ng kapya ko right-brainers. Pero sa kabila ng pagiging right-brainer ko, mayron akong isang kakulangan. Hindi ako marunong mag-drawing. Bigyan mo lang ako ng tamang materyales at magagawan kita ng isang magandang layout na hindi mo iisiping pinagtagpi-tagpi ko lang. Pero wag mo kong utusang magsimula sa wala dahil wala karing aasahang matatapos mula sakin. Yon na siguro yung sinasabi nilang, hindi lahat binibigay ni Lord.

THE SIGN OF THE SHEEP

Sheep are nurturers. They enjoy taking care of other people. Like their animal counterpart, Sheep people are pretty calm individuals. Their personalities are quiet, reserved and soothing. They like to be in the company of others but do not wish to be in the middle of everything. They like standing in the back, watching contently from the sidelines, as others dazzle the company. Sheep will generally do better than they are aware because they are so good at keeping the peace and accomplishing the tasks at hand.

CHARACTERISTICS

Smart. Artistic, Kind, Happy, Reserved, Insecure, Dependent

IN YOUR ELEMENT

The characteristics of the Sheep are tempered by one of the five Chinese elements of Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth overlaying a 5-year cycle of characteristics on the original 12-year cycle.

THE EARTH SHEEP 1919 AND 1979

The Earth element gives the Sheep a grounded effect. Although he struggles with a lack of self-confidence, this Sheep is a very stable person. They are independent and practical, leaning more towards conservancy than liberality. An Earth Sheep’s family is his most important asset and he spends his life working hard to provide for his loved ones. Earth Sheep are born with a joy for life that generally becomes infectious as you get to know him.

Naalala ko tuloy nung college, isinabak namin ang isa naming kaklase sa Mr (& Ms) Engineering. Nung Question & Answer porion na (ang pinaka-paborito kong portion sa lahat ng pageants) eto ang katanungan para sa lahat ng kandidato:

“Among the Four Elements, what describes you as an Engineering Student and why?”

May mga sumagot na Water, because of it’s fluid nature. Yung iba Fire daw, dahil sa warmth (konektado!). Pero nung ‘yung pambato na ng Electrical Engineering ang tinanong, eto ang kanyang sagot:

“…Earth. Because I’m a very down to Earth person.”

Nagtawanan sa buong auditorium pero ang hamak naming kamag-aral ay tila nalilito kung anong nakakatawa sa kanyang sinabi.

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