Pagbabago

Last August 28, after 17 years, I was reunited with my high school classmates in a get-together that was made possible through Facebook's friend finder.

Our class muse and escort where both present and gamely answered questions about their failed romance.

Our president was too busy taking photos with her DSLR and let our resident jester to preside, surprisingly, not with the usual antics and jokes he was known for but with ala-Bro. Mike Velarde monologue.

After the expected “kumusta na? sa’n ka na?” greetings, we spend the whole evening talking about family matters, our kids and future plans. Our last conversation before this, happened in our campus when we are all 16 and was about our high school crushes, the latest Anime series, and who among us has the clearest VHS copy of Sharon Stone’s Basic Instinct.

Truly, every one of us has changed in our looks, lifestyle and how we see the world. One of my classmates who was obviously drunk that night offered me a toast, “Para sa magagandang pagbabago.”

I don’t know what he meant with that but it did sound good so I also raised my bottle.

Then it hit me. I found myself talking to a bottle of beer. Well, actually it’s my reflection on the bottle who I’m talking to (silently, of course)

“What has become of me since high school,” I asked myself.

I was an honor student--- 3rd honor in my freshman year and improved to 2nd honor as a sophomore. I was a happy and fun-loving kid until things got a little complicated when I reached third year high school. I lost my scholarship after a skid of my grades due to some big "changes" in my life. It all started when my father lost his high-paying job in the same year we found out that he has a mistress. It was the first major major (just to lighten up things) blow in my young adult life.

It took me a while to get used to the sudden changes in my life. In a blink of an eye, all the great things in life I enjoy were gone. I even considered it as a miracle how I was able to finished high school from a private school.

In college, I availed the working scholar program offered by the University of the East - Manila for four years and eventually graduated with a degree in Communication Arts. Luckily, I got a job a month after graduation and was never unemployed ever since. I would like to believe that that critical change in my life served as my motivation to be independent and to persevere in life.

Today, I manage a monthly business magazine and contribute to two of the top 3 local broadsheets while working for an NGO. Mine is not a perfect life since I just went through a series of unfortunate events in recent years.

But I have something now that was missing before when a big changed happened in my teenage life. Something that can make me smile even after a great storm. Life will forever be a road worth traveling as long as I have the love and warm hugs of my wife Leah and son Charles.

Changes will happen. And I will rise and shine along with it.

I’m sure my reflection on the bottle of beer agrees.

In every success or moment that changes our lives, there are things that have become a part of celebrations just like Goldilocks, a "friend" to many Filipino families in the past 44 years. From birthdays to graduation or even on ordinary days we feel like celebrating, getting a cake at Goldilocks is one of the first thing we would think of. Our favorite bakeshop may have undergone some"Pagbabago" recently with a fresh and modern look but it still retains the unique Pinoy flavor that we all grew to love.


And so I say, when you are faced with inevitable changes in life, just remember GOLDILOCKS…

Computergirl's Musing Giveaway

Do you carry a bag everyday?

Me, I've been a fan of backpacks ever since. Sometimes when I go out without a bag, I feel like there is something missing or I left an important back home. That's why, you'll more likely see me carrying a bag while watching a movie (if you can see me) or shopping in a mall.

Computergirl's Musing asks, "What would I find in your daily handbag/backpack/hand luggage? It can be a health or beauty item for daily use, or just a good space saver/multi-purpose product."

Just leave a comment on HERE and get a chance to win everything you can see in the photo in this post.

For a better chance of winning, you can also blog about the contest that will run until September 5, 2010. Ohhh... that's my birthday, too! I want to try my luck for my wife who'll definitely have a blast with the beauty giveaways.

My Birthday Wish (ko lang)

Saturdays should be relaxing, right?

Every working individual deserves a break after five days of wrestling with Mr. Job. But weekends nowadays can be a little depressing.

Well, partly I can blame myself since I usually spend my Saturdays in front of the TV. I turned on the TV and have a sad breakfast while watching people asking for help via Kapwa ko, Mahal ko.

Lunch time. Watch Eat Bulaga (Something I've done in more than 20 years now) since I wanna watch fun fun fun. But again, got a little upset because I did not won the DSLR camera that they gave away last Saturday via a text promo :-(

Noon time. I had meryenda with Ms. Vicky Morales and a woman who takes care of her son with a incurable illness. Being a father, I felt the agony that the woman is going through.

At the end of Wish Ko Lang, the host invites everyone to send in their wishes, "Baka sa susunod, ang hiling mo na ang matupad namin"

Then, Jolina Magdangal's last line... "Wish koooo laaaaaaannnngggg!"

Hmmm, I was thinking if Ms. Vicky can grant me this wish for my upcoming birthday:

Well, this nice looking gadget is an Eee Pad (OS: Android 2.2). Of course, this suits best for bloggers like me (Internet Access, Social Networking Access, E-mail, Webcam, Wifi and 3G Support). Eee Pad other sleek features includes Interface : 1 x USB OTG 2.0 (Mini port), 1 x Card Reader MMC/SD, Camera : 1.3M, and 8.9’’ LED Backlight WSVGA Screen.

For those who also want to have an Eee Pad. You can either start saving money for this or sing along with me... "Wish koooo laaaaaaannnngggg!"

Media grants for citizen journalists and bloggers

I got this invitation from Mulat Pinoy, a group that gives fellowship grants to individuals and group with a maximum of Php 25,000 for works that deals on Philippine Population in Focus.

I am posting the actual invitation for the benefit of interested parties:

"Social media and accessible digital technology have brought about the rise of citizen journalism in the Philippines. In the past year, the local cyber-communities were all abuzz with disaster response, advocacy awareness, and political debate. Mulat Pinoy, a social media initiative on population and development, recognizes the medium's pervasive nature and potential for engaging new audiences by providing bloggers and other netizens with the Mulat Pinoy Media Fellowship: Philippine Population in Focus.

Traditionally offered to print and broadcast journalists, a media fellowship provides individuals with the technical and financial resources needed to develop and create media output -- such as a news feature or documentary -- based on an approved proposal. Mulat Pinoy's media fellowship offers grants for the new forms of reportage available online, such as blog features, podcasts, viral videos, even infographics. Creative treatments are encouraged -- as long as there is an identified audience for the intended work, new media formats have an equal chance of receiving grants as its more traditional counterparts. A maximum of P25,000 will be awarded to each selected Fellow.

Entries must present a balanced view of population and development issues. Since population growth (or decline) can be felt over a variety of areas -- from healthcare, to education, or gender issues -- and can have a lasting impact over generations, the field is open to a wide range of topics. To help identify innovative story angles and streamline their fellowship proposals, interested applicants are encouraged to a media forum, Philippine Population in Focus: Myths and Challenges on August 28, 2010, 4:00 to 7:00 PM, at Annabel's Restaurant, Tomas Morato, Quezon City.

To download registration forms for both the Forum and Fellowship, kindly visit www.mulatpinoy.ph or www.probefound.com. The deadline for forum registration is on August 20, while grant proposals will be accepted until September 6."