Category Archives: Me, Myself & I

One Two Three

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loved the shirt!!!

Last Saturday, I and Karen (one of my best friends and remarkable travel buddy) went on a special journey.  It is an unusual adventure compared to the more than 123 kilometers of travel we usually do.   We decided to go and donate to The Love Yourself Project which aims to provide free counseling and education to the people affected by HIV/AIDS in the country.  No we did not do any counseling but joined and donated in their worthy Charity Photo Shoot.

Upon arrival in the venue, we registered our name, profession and respective e-mail addresses on their log sheet then gave our humble cash donation (which is more than 123 pesos).  The receptionist handed me my complimentary shirt and a slip of paper indicating that I am donor number 123.  They then led us to the next room where we change our top to the one that they gave and were subjected to grooming service prior to the photo shoot.

During the fun posing and light flashing, the assigned photographer after taking few shots told me to keep a serious face, but being a normally cheery person that I am, it took me some time to form a serious facial guise.  I took a deep breath and counted “1-2-3” before showing off an unsmiling expression on my face.  I particularly dig the “picture taking” moment.  I felt like a rock star!  How I wish the sweet-tempered photographer took 123 shots.

Ayaw ko ma-1-2-3! (A Pinoy expression meaning, “I don’t wanna be duped!”), so while waiting for the beauty expert to finish Karen’s hair and make-up prior to her turn for the photo shoot, I graciously asked one of the volunteers if their company is already registered under the Securities & Exchange Commission.   And indeed they were which signifies that their advocacy is actually legit.

Our participation for The Love Yourself Project – Charity Photo Shoot went well.  It took us less than 123 minutes to finish what we have to do so as to help in our own little way.  The donation we gave may not be enough to rally round all the people suffering from HIV/AIDS.  But if it can be of assistance to at least 1 or 2 or 3 people, we would surely be glad to be of help.  And besides, we loved the shirt, fancied the grooming service and of course enjoyed the photo shoot!

Isa, Dalawa, Tatlo! Klik, klik, klik!

My CityVille

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The once popular city-building simulation game developed by Zynga called CityVille has been eating and consuming a considerable amount of my delicious time.  As of this writing I already reached level 79.  I actually do not know what is its peak or its highest level.  While a lot of people have moved on with other games like using bird’s anger in killing pigs or busy changing their cyberspace Sims lifestyle, I still have no plans of stopping the development of my city just yet. (I guess I need to ‘get a life’).

CityVille has given me the opportunity to at least know how it feels to own, run and develop a city which may never transpire during the course of my precious life.  Or if in case I am actually destined to develop and operate a city similar to Ayala Land or Palafox Associates, I then have at least basic background and little knowledge on urban planning.

At present this bewildering chunk of a game has no apparent connection to my personal life.  It is actually a plain and simple way of wasting time in which I should have diverted to doing more worthy activities like cleaning my house or reading a book. Maybe in the near future, it would be my virtual reminder on how stupid I used to be.

Its artificial, its time consuming yet fun and exciting.  You may wonder how I would look like in my internet-simulated empire.  This is how I depict myself in that city…

Pengeng Zoning Permit!!!

Ang ngalan ng CityVille ko ay Baranggay Malinamnam. Parang ako lang.

Quezon, Tagalog & Panggala-talk: A Linggo ng Wika Special

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Today is the birthday of the guy whose face is on the twenty peso bill.  He is the same dude who is responsible why the female populace of this country can exercise their right to suffrage.  But his most popular feat and contribution in this country is his decision and declaration of making Filipino language the official and national language of the Philippines during the time when the two official languages of the country were English and Spanish.  He is Manuel L. Quezon, the father of this country’s national language.

This week, the country commemorates Linggo ng Wika (Filipino Language Week) which ends and culminates on Quezon’s birthday.  My earliest memory of me commemorating Linggo Ng Wika was during my grade school days.  I along with a bunch of classmates was summoned by our teacher to present a poem in an acrostic form during the Linggo Ng Wika program in our school.  If my memory serves me right, I was assigned to flash and state the verse that starts with letter N which was cut out from a red colored art-paper glued on a cardboard.

There are 175 dialects in the Philippines but the official Filipino language is based from the Tagalog language.  I being born and raised in the political and economic center of the country can speak, write and understand Tagalog.  In spite of this, Filipino is the school subject that caused me not to be included in the honor roll during high school because I garnered a grade of 79% during the third grading period in my 3rd year in high school. I must admit, Filipino is such a tricky thorny language.

Yet still, there is one dialect that I regret to have not learned.  It is the native tongue of my father – Panggalatok, the spoken dialect in the beautiful province of Pangasinan.    The only phrase I know in Panggalatok is “mangan tila!” which means “let’s eat!”  This is the common call I usually hear from my Panggalatok aunts and uncles every time they get to spend a day in our house in Pasay.

So today being the of peak of Linggo ng Wika, let me digress from Tagalog but instead give homage to the equally unique and exquisite Panggalatok dialect through this video which features one of the most admired classic songs in Pangasinan (which for sure my late father knows so well)…

Ang Tagalog ng “Noted By” ay “Nota Ni”

Alumnus of the Month

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I am so glad and honored that I could no longer contain my dignified silence.  Manila Tytana Colleges (formerly known as Manila Doctors College), my alma mater, has chosen me to be this month’s alumnus.  I am clueless about the college’s External Affairs’ criteria for choosing me but let me extend my deepest gratitude.

According to the e-mail notifying me about this recognition, a short narrative and a short-bond-paper sized photo of my delicious and drop dead body will be posted in one of the college’s bulletin board.

I don’t have the time to check out what the college has written, but I presume it would be something positive.  I just hope that they gave me the opportunity to write the short narrative about myself because this is what I want them to post on that bulletin board…

Our alumnus for the month of July is suffering from grandeur delusion.  He is living a life believing that he is delicious.  He supposes that he is so sumptuous that people wants to eat him.  Though his secret ambition in life is to become a sensational porn star, he climbed the ladder of success through power-mongering and was labeled the vice president from hell.

During his BS Psychology student days in the college, he was tagged as the scholar-zilla who constantly exhibits tantrums and emotional meltdowns.  He was the most annoying student during his time.  Irritating enough that he won’t answer any question during class but instead snivels, fells ill, bleats for mercy and acts like the victim.

His sense of humor sucks and has a dreadful taste in fashion.  His favorite movie actress is Bella Flores.

But seriously, let me extend my overwhelming gratitude to MTC or MDC or whatever future name you would be…

Sigurado ko,  kapag nabasa nila ‘to, tanggal sa bulletin bord ang pangalan ko…

Greet Me

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To all the highly astute readers of this blog, I am here to shamelessly demand for the single and most precious thing you can ever give me other than you first-born child, your PIN code to your ATM savings account card, or your virginity.

Nengkoy – The Blog recently celebrated its 5th year anniversary! It only means that I have been sharing and writing a little piece of my soul for five long years already and I don’t intend to stop this madness yet.  So to all breathing people who reads this blog: Greet me!

Tenk Yu! Ang kumontra… chaka!

Cuaderno

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Regular schooling will re-open and start in less than a month.  In the 80’s it is the time of the year when me and my siblings are busy collating all unused pages of our previous school year’s notebooks and stitch it together to create a new but recycled cuadernos (notebooks).  Thanks to my Lola Teray who provided us with colorful strings which we used in binding.  This yearly recycling practice enables Nengkoy to purchase only few additional notebooks which we would use for the fresh school year.

During those days, what was so chic to have as cuadernos were those with covers of popular Pinoy celebrities – Maricel Soriano with William Martinez; Sharon Cuneta with Gabby Concepcion; Snooky Serna with Albert Martinez; and (of course the ever popular) Leni Santos and PJ Abellana!  I was one of those deprived with these modish cuadernos because Nengkoy always settle for the cheap notebooks with low-grade paper quality.

True enough, I never really envied those kids and classmates who had those notebooks with celebrities in the cover.  If I would be given a chance again to relive my life’s schooldays I would still stick on choosing those recycled left-over papers bunched together and transform it into useful storage of written knowledge and information. It’s personalized; its earth friendly, and, it’s a product of precious family bonding.

my present journal

Now that I am bigger, I no longer call cuadernos as notebooks but instead dub it as journals.  Para sosyal! And now that I am older and have an extra money to spend, I would gladly and instantaneously purchase a journal whose fine print cover would be the photos of two of the greatest antagonist legends in Philippine cinema – Paquito Diaz and Bella Flores.

Cuaderno sa Ispanish, nowtbuk sa Ingles, eh ano sa Tagalog?

(Sagot: Aklat ng Nota)

Preserving My Friendster Testimonials

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Now that the previously web darling and popular social networking site has announced that it will have a reformat, I’m sure almost all previous Friendster fanatics are now distressed with time.  Every account holders are freaking out on how they would be able to retrieve and save in another file all their momentous photos they have kept intact throughout the years from their respective account.  I admit I am one of them…

While trying to find out how the Friendster exporter app works, I had time to revisit my profile, review all my photos and inspect my (remaining) active friends in the site.

One unique feature of Friendster is the testimonial section.  It allows you to chronicle, memorialize and reveal fascinating character descriptions of connected friends.  If utilized properly based on its intended purpose, it is one stunning feature that could tickle a person’s affection.

Hence, before the original Friendster wraps up and reconfigures into a different format, let me preserve those heartwarming testimonials that were posted and written about me by incredible friends.  These are truly the type of precious gifts from friends that I would like to receive other than their ATM cards with pin codes…

suzette cuerpo (the empress of the sea)

Posted by Suzette Cuerpo last October 16, 2005

Neil…ummmm…what can i say?…his profile says it all…MASARAP, indeed.
The coolest person I have ever known…never siyang nagalit (namumula lang ang tenga)…fun to be with…a great listener…advisor…a perfect people person…sa taong ito, vow ako! kasi, exactly my exact opposite…i just hope he will not implode (ehehehehe)…   Take care Neil…see you around.

mimi quibedo (the arab heartthrob)

Posted by Mimi Quibedo last November 8, 2005

Si Neil????? ay sobrang bait, masayahin, open minded and higit sa lahat super dooper

mike navor (the dandy daddy)

Posted by Mike Navor last May 11, 2006

Neil is a friend who knows all about you, and still likes you.
A real friend who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.
He hears the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails.
I keep my friends as treasures because of all the things granted to us, none is greater or better than friendship…To you my best friend more success and happiness in life. Keep the smile in your heart. coz it shows the radiant spirit you have.

karen teotico (the crowned princess of armidale)

Posted by Karen Teotico last June 2, 2006

I am sorry guys but Neil is not as delicious as you think he is. BUTTTT!!! This guy is SOOOPERRR sa lahat ng bagay. Neil (or HR to me), is super sarap ksama, super friend, super bait, super thoughtful, super cool, super sipag, super generous, super professional, super kulit, super gumimik,super magyosi at kung anik anik pa. There is never a dull moment w/him for you can talk to him about any topic u can think of. He can be super formal one minute and mega crazy the other minute. He can be ultra mega formal pero jologs din at the same time. Weird ba? Di rin coz thats what makes him special. Mere words could not express how much i love this guy. I am truly blessed to have met Neil in this lifetime….O cya cya tama na ang bola at baka maiyak ka na jan sa kinalalagyan mo) 😉

joy reyes (the duchess of gaiety)

Posted by Joy Reyes last June 29, 2006

NEIL LANGIT… the HRD Manager but most of the time a Psychiatrist!!! He brought back my sanity after so many years (chef onil knows why, too. Hahaha). He’s my idol. He’s a good teacher, adviser, writer (especially the “however / on the other hand / moreover in his memos :p), and dancer (he’s always I think of when I hear this song “Time goes by so slowly… Every little thing that you say or do I’m hung up. I’m hung up on you. Waiting for your call, Baby, night and day. I’m fed up. I’m tired of waiting on you. Yea, the famous 2005 Madonna song. Take note: he danced this twice). He is very intelligent combined with perfect light and flawless skin that make him oh so DELICIOUS!!! La la la la!  By the way, I enjoyed reading your “pechay blog. Anak ng pechay! Ang galing mo talaga!!!

nene tizon (the baroness of chastity)

Posted by Nene Tizon last December 11, 2006

Aaayyy!! okey my delicious Sir Neil kakaiba very SMART talaga! Though sumpungin but super bait yan very broad, understanding and i like when he laughs todo bigay. Siya ang una kung nilapitan to ask for advice when i applied to where i am now.Thanks for that Sir! Di ko makakalimutan ang isang tulad ni MR. NEIL LANGIT.I love this guy. Updated ako sa blogs nito kasi i always enjoyd reading it. What more can i say tulad ng dati kung Testimonial sa kanya na nadelete cute na suplado but basically mabait talaga!!!!!

rosemary ferriol (the bollywood maharani)

Posted by Rosemary Ferriol lasy January 26, 2007

si sir neil sya ang tipo n nag papa seminar n hid ka aantukin dahil ang galing nya at laging my patawa effect p..sya rn ung sir n hnd mo kakatkutang kausapn kc kalog sya at marunong mksima at nkkpg join sa amng mga staff.

O sige! Geym! Prendster mag-sara ka na!

Glittering Gold Coast

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A person’s social standing and size of wallet can easily be categorized based on the location of his room accommodation along the four-kilometer stretch of White Beach in Boracay Island, the foremost tourist destination in the Philippines.  It is an open secret that people staying at opulent Station 1 of the island belongs to the well-heeled spectrum of society.  Those staying at intermediary Station 2 are classified as people with middle-of-the-road riches while at Station 3 are those with slender means who went to the island bringing loads of cheap instant noodles.

This is totally different from what I’ve seen and observed during my stay in Gold Coast, Queensland. Australia’s one of the foremost tourist destinations.  Upon my arrival in the area, the first thing that entered my mind was that I was like in Station 1 of Boracay in a gargantuan metropolitan proportion.  The picturesque backdrops were spectacular, the high rise buildings and infrastructures were stunning and the greens were meticulously trimmed.

The more-than-thirty kilometers of holiday resorts and white sand surfing beaches are all Station 1 if to match it with Boracay.  This is not because all its inhabitants are filthy rich but because the place with like-minded people will truly impress any tourist may he be camping in a hinterland park caravan or staying in a beachfront luxury hotel.

 

 

Iwas lucky enough to stay in a service apartment in Surfers Paradise, the center of tourist activities in Gold Coast.  The city is so beautiful I was not able to take a short break from drooling.

The level of my amazement on Gold Coast even went colossal when Jesse, one of my Pinoy-Aussie friends, joined me later in the week to show me magnificent places that I never knew existed in this planet – the Main Beach area, the cosmopolitan streets of Broadbeach, the grandiose Palazzo Versace, the Pacific Fair and Oasis commercial centers, the Mariner’s Cove Marina and the long manicured stretch of esplanade from Manly Beach to Surfers Paradise to name a few.

Ibang lebel ang Gold Kowst! Maka-ipon nga ng limpak-limpak ng maka-balik.

Slick and Slippery Versions

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Last weekend, my whole family invaded one of the private resorts in Laguna for the extended birthday celebration of Nengkoy.  This was the day I ventured in conquering one of my fears, that is, gliding through a wet slide and dropping to a deep water pool at the end.  Here are two versions of my story.  It would be up to you which one of these stories actually transpired.

Version 1

While stepping up the ladder leading to the top of the slide, I was full of nothing but confidence.  I told myself that I need to make a good impression making sure that all my nephews and nieces would ask how I did my fantastic slide acrobat.  Reverse three and a half somersaults with two and a half twists.  This is the degree of difficulty that I executed when I glided through the 15 feet water slide.  While flexing and twisting my body, conscious of what I was doing, I entered smoothly and effortlessly into the water without a single splash of water.  When I emerged from the water I was throwing punches in the air knowing I executed a perfect slide.  I smiled upon seeing all spectators showing off 10 as a score on their flashcards.  The applause reverberates and reached the outer space even the creatures from Mars were alerted and applauded upon knowing that I just executed a flawless slide.  The spectators asked me how I felt.  I told them that it was just one of those ordinary routines.

Version 2

My knees were shaking when I was ascending the stairs leading to the top of the 15 feet slide.  Upon reaching the top I felt nauseated and realized that this may be the end of a magnificently delicious life.  I did not know how to sit still and how to settle my legs on top of the slide.  It was too slick and slippery.  While trying to carefully rest my butt on top of the slide, I suddenly lose my grip and slid without a warning.  While sliding through the curved channel I lost my balance, control and concentration.  Even my teeth that does not have a single muscle fiber was tightly flexing.  Out of fear, I shut my eyes and suddenly lost all hopes of living.  The next thing I knew, I plunged into the body of water.  I surfaced out of the water while coughing my throat out.  Upon gaining consciousness, I noticed that my relatives who witnessed my ridiculous fall were convulsed with laughter and the water in the pool suddenly got half-filled.  It is because I drank most of it and some splattered out of its rim during my awful entry into the water.  They asked me if I’m okay.  I told them I’m fine and laughed so hard after realizing what had just happened.

Basta nadulas este nagpadulas ako. Tapos!

Made on Valentine’s Day

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According to US study the average length of pregnancy for primigravidae is 288 days and for multigravidae is 283 days.  Also, based on a robust study undertaken in Sweden, based on over 400,000 births, the average length of pregnancy is 283 days.

However, in mid-19th century according to Naegele’s Rule the gestational length of a woman’s pregnancy would only be 280.  However, with the more modern time and the advent of Utrasound Scanners, it was found out that the more accurate gestational length is by adding 3 days to the Naegele’s formula, thus a sum of 283 days.

I’m not a medical doctor nor a midwife but utilizing my knowledge on the most primitive mathematical technique called ‘counting’, I found out that the days from February 14 until my birthday (November 24) is equal to 283 days.  This only goes to show that the mitotic chromosomal genes of Nengkoy and Joe once again united for me to be conceived on the most romantic day on earth known as Valentine’s Day.

Ikaw kelan ka ginawa?