LOVE OF MY LIFE

TO THE
   LOVE OF                                      MY LIFE

How many ways

Can I say I love you

And still make you smile?

                                                                     

I’ll cross my fingers that whether or not my words measure up, you’ll at least know that you and you alone hold the key to my heart.

I love you for your thoughtfulness and tenderness, for always being so good to me, for your easy attitude, your faithfulness and loyalty and your commitment to us. I love you because you let me be who I am, because you love me, too.

I want to be the happy in your birthday, the merry in your Christmas, the light in your darkness. I want to be everything to you that you are to me.

Does this sound like I love you, that I’m smitten to the core, and that no one could ever take your place?

I just know this… as long as my heart beats, I will love you ~ my partner, my funny valentine, the love of my life, and my best friend. No matter what happens, I’ll be just fine as long as you are my roommate in this place called life.

                                                                 

                                                ~mattrickysm                     

LIFE AND DEATH

LIFE AND DEATH

It's another morning......... I got up and was reading my daily newspaper. Ohh!! this is me... I shouted, having a glance at my ‘photo’ in the news paper.

But what the HELL is it doing in the death column??

Strange...

One second.......Let me think, last night when I
was going to bed I had a severe pain in my chest,
but I don't remember anything after that, I think
I had a sound sleep.

It's morning now, ohh....... It's already 10:00 AM,
where is my coffee?

I will be late for office and my boss will get a
chance to irritate me..

Where is everyone...??? I screamed.

"I think there is a crowd outside my room, let me
check." I said to myself.

So many people..... Not all of them crying......

But why are some of them crying....

WHAT IS THIS??? I’m lying there on the floor...

"I AM HERE" ....... I shouted!!! No one is
listening.

"LOOK I AM NOT DEAD" .... I screamed once again!!
No one is interested in me.

They all were looking at me on the bed.

I went back to my bed room.
"Am I dead??" I asked myself...

Where is my wife, my children, my Mom, my Dad, my
friends?

I found them in the next room, all of them were
crying...still trying to console each other.

My wife was crying... she was really looking sad.

My little kid was not sure what happened, but he
was crying just because his Mom was sad..

How can I go without saying to my kid that I
really love him,

I really do care for him. ??

How can I go without saying to my wife that she is
really the most beautiful and most caring wife in
this world..??

How can I go without saying to my parents that I’m
what I am ... just because of you??

How can I go without telling my friends that
without them perhaps I would have done most of the
wrong things in my life... thanks for being there
always when I need them...and sorry for not being
there when they really need me..

I can see a person standing in the corner and
trying to hide his tears....

Oh.... he was once my best friend, but a small
misunderstanding made us part, and we both have a
strong enough ego to keep us disconnected.

I went there..... And offered him my hand, "Dear
friend.... I just want to say sorry for
everything, we are still best friends, please
forgive me."

No response from other side, what the hell?? He is
still preserving his ego, I am saying sorry... even
then!!!

I really don't care for such people.

But one second...... It seems he is not able to see
me!!!! He did not see my extended hand.

My goodness...... AM I REALLY DEAD???

I just sat down near ME; I was also feeling like
crying...

"OH ALMIGHTY!!!! PLEASE JUST GIVE ME FEW MORE
DAYS..."

I just want to make my wife, my parents; my
friends realize how much I love them.....

My wife entered the room, she looks beautiful.

"YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL" I shouted.

She didn't hear my words, in fact she never heard
these words because I never said this to her.

"GOD!!!!" I screamed... a little more timeplzzzzz...

I cried...

One more chance please... to hug my child, to make
my mom smile just once, to feel my dad proud of me
at least for a moment, to say sorry to my friends
for everything I have not given to them, and
thanks for still being in my life....

Then I looked up and cried!!

I shouted.......

"GOD!!!! ONE MORE CHANCE PLEASE!!!!"

"You shouted in your sleep," said my wife as she
gently woke me up. "Did you have a nightmare?"

I was sleeping....

Ohh that was just a dream....

My wife was there... she can hear me...
This is the happiest moment of my life...

I hugged her and whispered....

"YOU ARE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND CARING WIFE
IN THIS UNIVERSE..... I REALLY LOVE YOU, DEAR"

I can't understand the reason of the smile on her
face with some tears in her eyes, still I’m
happy....

"THANK YOU GOD FOR THIS SECOND CHANCE."

So, now it's not late... Forget the egos, the
Past... and express your love to others.......

Be friendly...Keep smiling...... forever....It is another chance
For you...Please let us do things more sincerely...

HeHeHe,,,,first time pajud nakabuhat ani!!!!!!!!

BY RICKY BILAGANTOL

PAMUKONG: student's small-time corruption

              It was drizzling and I got half soaked. I then road a public utility  jeepney (PUJ) heading to our school and was welcome by passengers who looked so cool and calm. even though the jeepney was jump-packed, everybody was sitting comfortably except I who was situated at back of the driver and with mt butt    half-seated.                 

              I then noticed a familiar face the moment I checked  all the passengers and realized  that he was the same  guy who did not pay for his fare the other week. he was once my classmate in high school class and his dimples were to die for. but before I was totally hypnotized, I got P6.00 from my pouch and gave my fare directly to the driver.

             We got off from the jeepney and proceed to our individual classrooms. later did I realize that the cute chicks inside the jeepney never moved a muscle, worse, she did not pay for her fare-again.

              The reality here is that one does not pay for his/her fare - a rather common strategy of some students which they call pamukong.

                            Pamukong  defined
              pamukong is a Cebuano term coming from the root word bukong or commonly known in English as coconut shell.
              Though I cannot categorically trace or associate bukong to pamukong, but I hear some people say that a person is commonly called a mamukungay if he/she rides a PUJ and does not pay for the fare. even professionals and well-educated people are not an exemption to this act of trickery but emphasized that the most number of pamukong cases involves high school and college students alike.


                         Pamukong as a last resort

              Take it from Rina, a high school who confessed that she is into pamukong. according to her, pamukong is her last resort everytime she falls short with her daily allowance.
              She admitted that only has P50.00 as her allowance (that includes budget for food) and could not help but do pamukong just to save money for school projects.
              Rina said that there was never a instance that she felt guilty.
              "Dili man siguro makabantay ang driver nga mamukong ko kay babaye baya ko unya mag uniform pajud. Buotan siguro ko ug face," she said.
              Through pamukong, she has learned that in life, it is either you take advantage or you'll end up penniless. 

                        
                      Pamukong as revenge
           On the other hand, Mark, a first year student shared that he only commits pamukong everytime he finds the driver abusive. 
               According to him, a lot of drivers take advantage by remaining in a number of passengers which already exceeds the PUJ's passenger capacity. he finds it unfair to pay the right fare when he is not seated comfortably. as a payback, he just gets off from the jeepney minus his fare.
               Mark feels comfortable being a mamukungay because he believes that justice is achieved when you don't pay for what you should have enjoyed.
               "Ganahan diay ka moplite kung halos dili naka makalikok sa tungod sa kahuot sa jeep? Lisod sad pud baya ang pag kuot sa imong bulsa," he lamented.

                           
                            Other side of the coin 
            William Absin, a jeepney konduktor, revealed that pamukong is just an ordinary activity practiced by students.
                "Permamente na man na nga naay mamukong. dili man na kalikayan. wala naman mi mabuhat kay ang uban diretso raman ug naog. nakasakop naman mi ug mamukungay pero ok raman," he revealed.
                According to him, there are really students who actually ask permission for a free ride. he said that this more favorable to them (with the driver) because the students chooses to say honestly that he/she has no fare rather than be a mamukungay.      
           "Usahay palingkuron paman gani namo katong mga mamukungay kung walay daghang pasahero. pero ang uban kay mokapyot raman jud," he revealed.             

                                                        by: Ricky Bilagantol

the limelight of J3J3^^Ons

             Before your eyes swell and burst, you might first want to symbolically interpret your new text message which says "3oWh pfOuh..!! w4ts eUr n3m pfOuh?" coming from your sophisticated "cL4sm8Z!"
             Indeed, the popularity of these lines originated from the roots of the so called JEJEMONS.


                                  THE ORIGIN
             The word "jejemon is said to have originated from online game users who type "jejemon" instead of "hehehe". "Jeje" is a spanish expression which denotes laughter, and "-mon" is derived from the Japanese anime Pokemon with "-mon" as an abbrievation for monsters.
             Moreover, some of the Thai online game users also type "5555" which translates into "haha".
             This phenomenon has given rise to the birth of the new world of individuals who have already captivated students, youngsters and even workers at large--the "Jejemons".
             For me, being a jejemon is one of the factors that make someone unique.



                                                     " Mao man ni 
                          amo'ng style para  
                     malahi pud ko sa uban."

                
    
                     
                                                                                     by: Ricky P. Bilagantol 

Unfading Hope

      

             In nava, mambaling, the once basic lifestyle of theBadjaos  has now seemed to have improved a great deal. Some of them are no longer diving for coins in sea ports nor begging in the streets to earn a living. Their ways of living now appear to have almost no difference at all to that of a typical urban family.

        There are, in fact, some who are already working as a teachers, and health workers. The others are making their way out by becoming vendors either  in markets or along hte streets. Many of them are also engaged in some vocational activities like sewing and making handicrafts.

        Linda (real name withheld), who is recently working as a dressmaker in a tailoring shop in Mambaling, shared her working experience as a Badjao.     

        "Usahay kay makalitan nalang ako'ng mga katrabaho kay badjao lagi ko unya kama-o ko ug ingon ani nga trabaho,"

        According to her, many would still underestimate their capabilities because of their appearance and reputation as beggars.

        "kahibalo man sad mi'ng mga Badjao manrabaho parehas sa uban nga mga tawo. Usahay lang kay lain kaayo ila'ng pagtan-aw namo, nga mura mi ug mga hugaw nga trapo. Pero maningkamot lang gihapon mi," 

        Life indeed for these people is not just about plaing with the waves and diving for coins, nor is it about becoming a subject for ridicule for having lived a life so different from that of the others. Through the years, these Badjaos have than remarkable just to prove their worth.

        And that even as we see that same old scenario over and over again, when well dressed passengers of that ship begin throwing coins out unto the sea, know that the people drifting out and about to catch those little fortunes are capable of doing more than just that.

                                        "Usahay luwaan mi.
                   dili gani labayan mi nila  
                 ug basura.Unya musyagit 
                   dayon ang uban ug  
                   'Badjao!'."
                                             
                                                                 

                                       by: Ricky P. Bilagantol