Nengkoy Hates Delicious Pizza

I don’t want to expound but let me describe Nengkoy as a mother in one sentence.

 Nengkoy is the type of mother who would say she hates pizza if there are three people and only two mouthwatering palatable slices are available on the table.

I have been happily suffering from grandeur delusion believing that I have legions of devoted fans.  Getting nutty or not, one thing is for real, my biggest fan will always be my mother.  There are no ifs or buts about it.  And because of what I quoted above, the feeling of course is mutual.

Happy Mother’s Day Nengkoy!!!

Dahil maders dey, di kita aasarin ngayong araw…

Snippets about a Diamond Girl’s Professional Life

When I was still new to my chosen profession, I am often asked by my Tatay Joe and Nengkoy (my insanely beloved parents) on what are the usual questions I ask a job applicant.  They would often ask if I’m a strict or a lenient interviewer.  With full enthusiasm, I would of course answer to a slant that they would be so proud of me.

But my answers never seem to amaze Nengkoy.  She told me that I am just giving a hard time for another person to land a good job.  When I asked her why, she told me that when she applied for a job more than fifty years ago in PEMCO she was never asked a single question.  The Catholic priest who was supposed to be the interviewer simply instructed her to loudly pray the Hail Mary and the Our Father.  And when she did, she was automatically offered the job.

PEMCO, the leading manufacturing company of incandescent and fluorescent lights decades ago, is the only organization that Nengkoy worked with because she did not resigned to transfer to another company and instead rendered more than forty years of loyal service to that organization.  This makes Nengkoy never to have been subjected to any professional job interview yet worked for a company for more than half of her life.

That’s how rare the snippets in Nengkoy’s professional life who is by the way celebrating her 75th birthday today.  Happy Birthday to the Diamond Girl…

happy birthday nanay...

Hapi Bertday Nengkoy!

Joy is an Apple

me & bautina in kuala lumpur

Here is a cool quote I borrowed from Pete Wentz. Let this be my birthday message to my dear sister Jocelyn who is celebrating her birthday today…

“Girls are like apples…

the best ones are at the top of the trees.

The boys don’t want to reach for the good ones

because they are afraid of falling and getting hurt.

Instead, they just get the rotten apples

that are on the ground that aren’t as good, but easy.

So the apples at the top think 
there is something wrong with them,

when, in reality, they are amazing.

They just have to wait for the right boy to come along,

the one who’s brave enough to climb all the way

to the top of the tree…”

Hapi bertdey Bautina!

Chinese New Year & The Three Signs I Encountered

Tonight everyone in this planet will welcome and celebrate the Chinese New Year.  But according to Chinese Feng Sui, glories of the previous year will wane for those who are born in the Year of the Dog.  It is believed that Dogs have a number of afflictions to deal with this year.

I am born in the Year of the Dog and I will not just let and allow this ancient belief to be taken lightly.  So to protect and prevent myself from these upcoming hardships, I have carried out a couple of things that the Feng Sui masters have advised.

my 7-year-old pi yao (left) and my new pi yao (right) bracelets

Though I already have a Jade Pi Yao Bracelet, which I purchased in Hong Kong back in 2005, today I purchased another Pi Yao Bracelet.  This time it’s the Yellow Jasper type which I plan to wear all throughout this Year of the Dragon.  I plan to interchange the new one with my old as days passed by.  According to the ancient Feng Sui, I being a Dog is in direct conflict with Tai Sui, the ruling god of 2012.  Therefore, to appease and prevent me from clashing with the Grand Duke Jupiter (Tai Sui) I need to wear this Pi Yao Bracelet.

Moreover, according to Feng Sui not so inviting winds are headed towards those who were born in the Year of the Dog.  To impede this from happening according to Feng Sui, I need to carry with me at all times a Water Blue Rhinoceros keychain.  Along with the bracelet I bought the said keychain and immediately attached it to my keys!  Also, I purchased a Blue Elephant and Rhinoceros amulet and hanged it at the Northwest section of my unit.  To fully supplement this protection, my cellphone’s wallpaper now is a downloaded Blue Elephant & Rhinoceros keychain photo.

blue elephant & rhinoceros (hanged in the northwest section of my unit)

blue rhinoceros in my key chain

my cellphone's new wallpaper

What seems to be amazing with these trinkets that I just purchased is that it seems to be instantly taking its positive effect.  As soon as the short ceremony was done by the salesperson who sold me these items – placing the items in a brass bowl, hitting the bowl with a wooden pestle, asking me to place my hands to cover the bowl and wish 3 things, salesperson praying over and blowing onto the bowl – and brought these trinkets with me, I instantly seem to encounter positive occurrences.

On my way home, everyone who walks out of the mall where I purchased the trinkets were in a hurry.  There was a massive number of people waiting and hailing for a cab.  But as soon as I crossed the street and hailed one, the cab just stopped in front of me and let me it.  I say to myself that this could be a good sign.

While inside the taxi, the cab driver was suddenly signaled by a traffic enforcer to stop to give way to a long Chinese Street Parade.  I and the driver watched patiently enjoying the vibrant procession of colorful Dragon and Lion dances along with marching majorettes twirling their brightly colored flags.  Ironic as it may seem but I never felt the edginess and irritation of having to wait for the parade to finish.  I just sat inside the cab, watch the parade and thought to myself that the colorful procession may be a sign of good luck and a successful year.

Surprisingly, even though the parade has not fully passed by, the driver was able to maneuver his car and found a narrow alleyway to make a detour without crossing the parade to lead us and drive me back to my place of stay.  While riding the taxi on a detour, I thought to myself that the heavens must have conspired and this could be another good sign of positive things ahead this year.

When the taxi reached the building where I live, I paid him my fee and greet him Kung Hei Fat Choi while I get off his cab.  I entered the building and then rode the elevator to bring me to the floor of my unit.  I rode the elevator with a young girl who noticed my new bracelet and the green shirt I was wearing.  She uttered, “You’re wearing green! That’s a lucky color, the color of money.  I will wear green later tonight for the Chinese New Year.”  Then the elevator stopped and opened its doors for her to get off.  She greeted me Kung Hei Fat Choi with a smile while she gets out of the lift.  I smiled back and thought that this must be the third and last sign that the New Year ahead will be satisfyingly good…

Pero ika ng ng bruhildang Zenaida Seva tuwing umaga… “Hindi hawak ng mga bituin ang ating mga kapalaran.  Gabay lamang sila.  Meron tayong pri wil, gamitin natin ito.” Hmp!

Happy Fruity New Year!

Nothing will be missed, nothing will be gone.  So in keeping with the Pinoy tradition of hoping and wishing for good luck and prosperous New Year, I have filled two humungous containers with varieties of sweet round fruits.

Let me also take this great opportunity to thank all the sweet-fruity-like people who provided me joy in the year 2011 may it be like a tiny cherry in shape or the titanic watermelon in structure.  A heartfelt thanks to all people who kept me company in chasing butterflies and harvesting the crops of my existence, you made me further appreciate the rainbows of life.  You have been the fresh grapes, apples and mangoes of my being.

And for those who’ve been like rotten fruits who gave me a sting in the neck this year, let me pronounce that I forgive you and I’m wishing you not to carry out the most evil thing that you would do on the coming fresh year that would result to a karmic debt that you will be repaying and re-harvesting for the rest of your life.

In 2012 we for sure will encounter noble failures – that’s the bitter part of life – but let’s turn and plant these mishaps to bear creative golden orange-like opportunities.  Let’s all keep dreaming and try to achieve it with a smile.  Happy New Year everyone!!!

Hwag kayong mag-alala, tulad ng prut salad, masarap pa rin ako neks yir!

Tengoku

nengkoy in her tengoku shirt

A couple of years back my younger sister Joy initiated a family tradition.  Every December 24 the whole Langit clan is distributed with shirts of the same design.  This is the shirt that every member of the family would wear to welcome the birth of Jesus Christ.  Everyone would wear it otherwise you would be considered an outcast.

Each year, the family’s surname is printed on the shirt.  This year was something different, in which collaboration and consensus of everyone was carried out.  As early as October this year suggestions and wild ideas are aired out and would crop out among family members on what shall be this year’s color and shirt design during simple family gatherings at Nengkoy’s house.

This is our 2011 Christmas shirt…

*

A Japanese kanji read as Tengoku meaning Heaven in English or Langit if translated to Filipino.

Nays nays… : )

Karen & Denton: Engaged!

Karen & Denton's "Mini Me"

Joesel Javier, my Pinoy-Aussie friend who exclusively flew from Sydney to Manila to attend our dear friends Karen & Denton’s Engagement Party was a little ill passed up the task to say few words during the program.  Karen then passed on the mission to me which I deemed as an honored privilege.  Here’s the full text of what I said last night…  

Royal Palm Hotel was the site where the beautiful bond between Karen & Denton started.  Karen as the Account Executive and Denton as one of the trainee-participants in one of the functions held in the hotel.  That was is the mid-90’s.

I remember Karen telling me when she finally answered yes to Denton.  A task was given to Denton before she finally said YES.  That is, she asked Denton, the quiet and reserved type, to sing few lines of a song over their phone conversation.  Eh in-love ang mokong, ayun! Kumanta ang Denton!

In the previous decade, their relationship no doubt flourished.  I can proudly say that I have been a good witness in the dynamics of these royalties’ relationship.  I said royalties because I personally tagged them as the crowned prince and princess of Armidale.

I am one of their usual companions when they would spend their holidays out of town or out of the country.  I have been with them in Macau, Hongkong, Singapore, twice in Sydney, in Melbourne, in Bohol, in Boracay and just a week ago in Bellarocca in Marinduque.  I’ve seen them dance, I’ve seen them kissed,  I’ve seen them laugh, I’ve seen them fight and recently in our Marinduque adventure I’ve seen them sang a song together!

When I would brag and present my travel photos to my mom, she once commented that I always travel with Karen & Denton.  She even asked if I was the “dakilang alalay” of these two.  I just answered her, “No Nanay, they are my alalays  na-in love lang sa isa’t isa”.

Anyway, to you Karen & Denton, a successful relationship is tested and requires falling in love many times always with the same person. A successful relationship is like a dance of two people, moving gracefully and intimately.  And I have been your “delicious” witness.

The dance of life with a Facebook status of “In A Relationship”, the boyfriend and girlfriend take turns in leading the dance.  My wish for you Karen & Denton is that you never stop dancing ‘till beyond.  Cheers to the both of them!!!

Mwah! Mwah! Tsup! Tsup!

Life Begins at 41

my "thank you" message I posted on facebook

I woke up sneezing and noticed that my nose hairs have grown faster than the previous years.  This gave me the confirmation about what my good friend said that “Life begins at 41”.

Today is my 41st birthday.  People say that age is just a number but in a world where everything is judged in numbers, birthdays in some ways can be disturbing.  For me, one does not encounter a big deal about age until the age 40 comes to an end.

Life begins at 41.  It is the age when one realizes that youth has totally passed and you are being treated with pronounced respect.  People calling you “sir” to signify your stature can be flattering but this also adds to the pressure of behaving your age and definitely slims down social acceptance for immature stupidity.  Yet it is the age when childish fun is no longer juvenile experimentations but actually just for the sake of pure fun.

Life begins at 41.  You may gain weight by simply smelling the food and bodily defects starts to ensue – receding hairline, bulging tummy, blurred vision, grey hair, etc. But it is the stage when being young at heart can be awesome.  You’re not too old yet not so young…

Life begins at 41.  Crow’s feet showing at the edge of your eyes are inevitable.  But don’t get me wrong because for me crow’s feet are not something to cover up – they’re something to celebrate.  Each crease, fold and wrinkle was slowly built throughout the years by countless joyful smiles.

Life begins at 41 and today my life begins…

Kung baga sa bingo… Sa Ennn! Cuarenta y uno…

Happy Birthday Gabriel Pedro!

Today is a non-working holiday because today is the Holy Feast of Sacrifice of our Muslim brothers.  But according to one of my monster pamangkins (nephew) today is a holiday because it’s his birthday.  This kahanginan and supercilious claim only proves that Gabriel Pedro Langit is an archetypal Langit progeny.

Being bright, sharp and fine-looking teenager, I personally dubbed Gabriel as the future’s kilabot ng mga colegiala (college girls’ infatuation).  The last time I talked at length with Gabriel, I was not surprised to learn that he has become one of the heartthrobs in his high school.  No he was not boasting about it but was merely telling me a factual turn of events. Yet, I actually hate to consider Gabriel to be a heartthrob because heartthrobs are a dime a dozen.

Gabriel has his own unique style and character.  He is the enigmatic spark of the Devine.  So be careful ladies because this young man’s mere smile can turn you swooning over him.

Happy birthday Gabriel… : )

Kuya, paki handa ang pang-piyansa!

Happy Halloween 7 Billion Earthlings!

For me the scariest thought in this year’s Halloween is not about the ghosts and spirits that thrive this time of the year.  It is the news that the earth today has 7 billion human beings on it.  That’s how much people messing up Mother Earth.

So for those kids who would knock on my door tonight, I won’t give away any candies for your Trick or Treat tradition.  I would rather give away condoms which you can pass on to your elders later when you get home.

Happy Halloween to all the 7,000,000,000 earthlings!

Karimarimarim!!!