Lost in Uncertainties

Sobrang high-tech na talaga ng panahon. Pagkatapos kong malaman na puede palang makita ‘yung aerial shot ng bahay ko thru Google Earth, napaisip tuloy ako ng "what’s next?". Lahat kasi posible ngayon, bilis ng rebolusyon ng mundo. Kisapmata lang bago na ulit uso.

Kaya halos mahulog ako sa aking upuan ng lumapit sa akin ang isang bagong kakilala. medyo shy-type pero nagawa nyang iabot sa akin ang isang notebook, ibalik ko na lang raw agad pagkatapos. Putiks, halimuyak pa lang ng scented paper at sa hulma, hugis at texture ng cover halos hindi ko makapaniwala na nasa aking kamay ang isang relic ng lumang panahon. Halos maluha ako sa galak at biglang naging senti ulit dahil hawak ko ngayon ang "tradisyon" na pinagdaanan ng samu-saring emosyon, relasyon, definisyon, at mga dedication.

Ito po ang slumbook. Ten years ago, ito ang bibliya ng mga kabataan, ang tanging daan upang makilala mo ng lubusan ang crush mo at ang crush rin nya. Isa syang notebook, iba’t ibang hugis, kulay, amoy at itsura na punong puno ng tanong upang mas makilala ang isang tao.Kung may available ka na whole body picture puede mo i-paste, kaya optional na lang ‘yung "describe yourself". malaki ang naiambag ng slumbook sa bagets ng dekada 90.  dito sila nagkaroon ng idea sa pagkakaiba ng love at crush, sa pakiramdam ng first kiss, sa pagkakaroon ng unforgettable place & date, sa pag-identify sa kanilang hobbies, bestfriends, favorite, likes/dislikes, sa pagkakaroon ng motto at ambition, sa pag-unawa sa symbology, numerology at encryption upang maitago mo ang iyong crush through numbers ng hindi made-decipher ninoman, atbpa.

dito ko nalaman ang meaning ng JAPAN (Just always pray at night), HOLLAND  (Hope our love lasts and never dies), ITALY (I trust and love you), LIBYA (Love is beautiful, you also), HOPE (hostess open panty everynight), MARLBORO  (Men always remember love because of romance only) ISTAMBAY (ikaw, sila, tayo ang mga taong ayaw yumaman) at marami pang iba.

Masarap basahin ang slumbook lalo na kung may mga dedications. Dito hindi mahalaga kung wrong grammar o spelling at mas cute pag super korni. ang mahalaga eh ang effort na maipakilala mo ang iyong identity at maiparamdam mo sa iba ang pagiging tunay na kaibigan.

Sobrang bilis talaga ng panahon. lahat puedeng magbago. ang spelling ng love ay luv ngaun, ang 143 ay luv u, ang ha-ha-ha eh simple smiley na lang. wala na rin masyadong nakakaalala sa tradisyon ng slumbook, at kahit minsan walang gustong umamin na my slumbook entry rin sila. ganunpaman, korni pa rin ang buhay, nakakakilig pa rin pag may crush, at masarap pa rin ang magmahal.

At 20+, I have 67 friends in friendster (only half of which I knew personally), 238 entries in my phonebook, have 12 separate email accounts, a member of 16 mailing lists, and still felt emptiness from time to time. I really need friends, I’m helpless.

You could cheer me up with a testimonials or a friend-referrals. please help me beam up my friendster account.

Birthday in the bario is synonymous with spaghetti. It is the only day of the year when every mom poured out tons of catsup over pasta and let kids’ white shirt be bloodied by their masterpiece without worrying on dirty laundry. Spag gave the "Happy Bday" song more melodies as usual, and defined one bday from the other. Obviously, pansit & other delicacies are nothing when spag is around.

I’m proud I have my own spag day too. Every year my mom would cook the sweetest, meatiest & bloodiest spag sauce ever and I would be very grateful I’m alive on that day and have mom as generous as mine. Years afterwards I learned that city kids ate spag almost every day and I envied them. I also found out that theirs can be bought with a pair of fries, drinks or burger, and lot of freebies. To top it all, they can even have Jollibee or McDonalds sung a happy bday for them.

Btw, five days ago was my bday. My present&future wife for years now visited me in Legazpi City, my first and best present. At 5am, still sleepless, my sister Q from Kuwait texted her greetings. It was followed by text/email messages from my friends Lala, Yayang & Joan, Ms. Gwen & Armie, Mommy Linda, Toni, Bong, Lloyd. My sister Joyce called me & I extend my usual kumusta to my fave pamangkin, her son Kokoy. I also got messages from GSIS, Lina of Jobstreet, Yahoo! Bday reminder, and to some of my mailing-list such as Men’s Health, Ariraru, 360, to name a few.

France left at 6pm to Manila, I’m still thankful she went here though it means being absent for two days. I really love this girl. Before I go to bed, I received two last text/s, perhaps the most important & I can’t help I cried. It’s from my brother Jeff and cousin Jayrome who extend the bday greeting of the person who cooked me the best-tasting spag — my mom.   

Yes, it’s my bday. But how could I forgot it’s my spag day too?