Since the Catholic world will be observing Ash Wednesday on February 6, let me be a little religious this time.  I got this cross in my wallet since the time I could no longer recollect.  I did not purchase it for myself and I could no longer remember who gave it to me.

It’s been a small religious security blanket of some sort, which I could not explain in words why I have it and still chose to have it.  Last January 28 while counting my money inside my wallet I noticed that the cross is broken so I hurriedly have it fixed with glue.  The tiny cross is attached to a small card in which I never thought a note was written at the back.  While fixing the cross, I read what was written which precisely rendered the reason why I have it in my wallet.  Hook line and sinker, it states…

“I carry a cross in my pocket, a simple reminder to me of the fact that I am a Christian, no matter where I may be.  This little cross is not magic.  Nor is it a good luck charm.  It isn’t meant to protect me, from every physical harm.  It’s not for identification for all the world to see.  It’s simply an understanding between my Savior and me.  When I put my hand in my pocket to bring out a coin or key, the cross is there to remind me of the price He paid for me.  It reminds me, too, to be thankful for my blessings day by day and to strive to serve Him better in all that I do and say.  It’s also a daily reminder of the peace and comfort I share with all who know my Master and give themselves to His care.  So, I carry a cross in my pocket reminding no one but me that Jesus Christ is Lord of my life if only I’ll let Him be.”

God Bless everyone!

“Una, magdasal ka para mabuhay ka,

pangalawa, mag-toothbrush ka para mabuhay naman ang iba!”

“Take care ’cause I care

‘Cause wherever you are, there you are

If there you are, here we are!”

Okay, call me jologs if you want.  But I must admit I laugh and laugh hard every time I have the chance to listen to this particular radio show “Tambalang Balasubas at Balahura” by Chris Tsuper and Nicole Hyala on 90.7 Love Radio.

I always look forward to riding a cab going to the office on weekdays because for sure the taxi driver is tuned-in to this hilarious radio show.  With their spontaneous laugh-inviting jokes, contagious glee and smart impromptu on-air chat, the chemistry is so evident between the two DJs.  While inside the cab, listening, I would sometimes try to control myself and would just pass a smile on my face feeling embarrassed with the driver.  But a lot of times, I would burst into laughter.

Chris and Nicole usually receive and pick foolish questions from listeners like “Bakit ang lamok merong pakpak ang elepante wala?”  They would talk about hadhad, buhok sa lalamunan, sumpa, korona ng patay, androids, merthiolate, baku-bakong legs, etc.

On time, the DJs gave advise to a letter sender relaying that the girl he is pursuing has body odor.  Here’s what they advised… “Alam mo kabisyo ang anghit, madali lang yan solusyonan.  Kalamansi lang ang katapat nyan sabi ng mga lola namin.  Lagyan mo ng dinikdik na bato at saka katas ng malunggay.  Tapos imumog mo!” – followed by a stupefying laughter by both DJs.

One question went, “Magkapatid ba si Robinhood at Little Red Riding Hood?”  Their answer: “No, mag-neighborhood lang sila”, followed by a their riotous laughter.

These DJs are never pretentious and are very natural.  I consider it an effective morning rush-hour antidote.  Their laughter is so infectious.  They laugh at their own jokes and sometimes they would laugh at their own laughter.

Uhmm, aminin nakikinig ka din…

I never leave my house without a spray or two of perfume.  Spraying perfume is my last agenda after fixing myself and before leaving my house may I be going to the office, going to a party, going to the mall or even going out for my grocery.

However, it has been three years since the last time I bought a perfume (Silver by Ralph Lauren).  This is because I have been receiving perfume as gifts from good friends or relatives.  Ever wonder why I always smell delicious?  This is because of the perfumes I received…

1. Just last January of this year I received a very good scent, that is, Dolce & Gabbana for Men, given to me by my former student now a very good friend Avi.
2. Doña Avi who is now based in Italy is the same person who gave me a couple of years ago, a big bottle of BLV by Bulgari.
3. Late last year when Erick Angeles a good wacky friend since my Glicos Great Adventure stint came back to the Philippines for a vacation from his job in Dubai, gave me a long bottle of HOT by United Colors of Benetton.
4. While early last year, Berna Asunto, my casino-mate and awesome colleague from City Garden Hotel-Makati gave me a small yet powerful Bulgari perfume when she went back from Palau.
5. Robert Megino, a very close friend since the mid-90’s, now based in New Zealand gave not one but three bottles of perfume when he went for a vacation in the Philippines from his job in Saudi Arabia.  One was Obsession for Men by Calvin Klein the other was COLD by United Colors of Benetton and Escape also by Calvin Klein that mixes very well with my sweat.
6. My aunt Lita from Chicago Illinois gave me a sporty bottle by Michael Jordan and Lauder for Men the last time she and her whole family visited us here in the Philippines.

Thanks for making me smelling good! Dahil sa inyo hindi lang ako mukhang delicious amoy delicious din ako… Makapag-kape nga ng nerbyosin naman ako!

I have been living alone in an apartment for more than 5 years now.  In my unit, I usually sleep only in my underwear.  One night while I was in this periodic state of rest, I dreamt and felt that a man seem to be waking me up saying, “huy, huy gising!” (hey, hey wake-up!).  I could still remember responding by mumbling “huh, huh” in my still sleepy tone. 

Still groggy from a deep sleep, I was a bit confused how come this man was able to enter my unit in the middle of the night when I always make sure that the door is locked before I snooze.  The feeling was so real that I tried opening my eyes to check who he was.  But when I opened my muzzy faculty of vision, I was totally shocked that there was actually no one there. 

That night a big earthquake hit the metropolis.  The rumbling of the earth happened right after I opened my eyes to check on who was waking me up. The rocking of the whole building prompted me to stand up quickly and head out of the building.

I can still recall that I had trouble going down the stairs since it was dark.  I was not wearing my contact lenses and was not able to pickup my eyeglasses.  Moreover, I forgot to put on some clothing.  Yes, I made it out to the street in my underwear while the earth was rocking!

The building did not crumble.  Nevertheless, this miracle confirms that an angel actually woke me up from my sleep to protect me from an apparent danger. 

  Now I always sleep with my eyeglasses at my bedside.  However, I have not changed my habit of sleeping in my underwear.  Mas presko kasi!

A hugely successful TV program ‘Ally McBeal’ was shown on RPN 9 channel in year 2000. I can still remember rushing out from the office to go home for me to catch the show.

Ally McBeal (played by Calista Flockhart) is a lawyer blessed and cursed with friends and officemates that works in a law firm with unisex comfort room.  She is a woman with overly active imagination, an extreme emotional instability and a seemingly perpetual unmarried life. 

My most memorable episode on this TV show was when her childhood sweetheart (but already married and never got over with), also-a-lawyer-colleague and officemate Billy Thomas died.  He passed away while being with Ally litigating a case inside a courtroom.  I still remember when Ally cried, I cried along with her (commercial break na umiiyak pa rin ako!)

What I love most about the program are its bittersweet endings on each episode.  It’s usually, Ally or the other characters wandering on the street on his or her way home after learning a little piece of wisdom from the failures and disappointments of an adult life.  It confirms and conveys that living a life does not always mean that things or events will happen the way we want it.

I miss the show because I can actually relate easily well with Ally and the other characters.  Not because I’m close to being loony but because of the pursuits a single person is faced with in life.  This fantabulous TV program may have ended a long time ago but one thing is quite sure… on this earth, Ally never stopped searching for her soul.  I miss it, I miss it, I miss it!  It was a damn good show!

I wanna be your hot tub when you’re dippin’;
I wanna be your bathrobe when you’re drippin’;
I wanna be your cocktail baby when you’re sippin’;
I just wanna be right there more than anything;

I swear I wanna be your UNDERWEAR!

                                                Bryan Adams (from the song ‘Underwear’)

For me, it is the most important piece of article…  It is the first thing that you put on and the last thing you take off!

Underwear has gone a long way from simply the ‘necessary undergarment’ to a brazen fashion statement.  I credit Calvin Klein and Victoria’s Secret for spearheading the unveiling of this culture by having their delicious models strut the runway or featuring them in giant billboards clad only in their CK or VS undergarments.

Gone are the days when people would ridicule a soul whose underwear is showing (Aaaay! Kita Panty!).  Today, showing off the waistband of your branded brief or an evident thong underneath a body hugging slacks is actually considered a gesture of style and freedom.  Walking inside the mall carrying a paper bag from a lingerie or underwear boutique is now voguish and tasteful.

Due to this revolution, infinite number of colors and styles of underwear has come out – classic cut, bikini cut, French cut, boxers, boxer brief, hip brief, thong, etc. There are even underwears with iPod pockets!  Also, various fabrics have been utilized – pure cotton, silk, satin, velvet and even leather.  I wonder when the Pinoys will start using our indigenous fabrics like piña, sinamay, abaca and jusi!

There has been a new name for television.  It is now called the modern day nanny.  Busy working parents nowadays would have no choice but to leave their children in front of a television.

  A lot of people would say that TV will not give any benefit to a growing child.  Some even calls TV as an ‘idiot-box’.  I beg to disagree on this concept.

In my trainings and lectures, everytime I would talk about the boundless importance and advantages of speaking the English language. I never fail to discuss that practicing it (reading, listening, writing and speaking) is the best way to learn and improve the skill.  Also, I never miss telling my listeners that my foundation in learning English came not from school but from watching TV during my childhood days.

Yeah, I learned English by watching Jim Henson’s ‘Sesame Street’; the locally produced yet with an American host ‘Uncle Bob’s Lucky 7 Club’; and, Lea Salonga’s mini-variety kiddy show with her younger brother Gerard ‘Love Lea’.  I can proudly say that I am a living testament of a person who benefited from watching TV.  All these boob-tube shows were in English.

Unfortunately, younger mortals than I am seem to have difficulty speaking the English language.  Maybe it is because they grew up watching ‘Batibot’ the Filipino version of Sesame Street.  Batibot utilizes the Tagalog/Filipino vernacular as its mode of communicating to the young viewers.

I am glad to know that my 10-year old nephew Luis is on top of his English class in school.  It is partly because he prefers to watch ‘Nickelodeon’ and ‘Cartoon Network’ than those Tagalized and more violent anime shows on TV.

Thanks to all the Muppets especially to Bert, Ernie, Cookie Monster, The Count, Grover, Kermit, Ms.Piggy, Oscar the Grouch and the gentle Mr. Snuffleupagus.

Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive.  Praying may be a profound ritual, a grand ceremony or a simple wish.  It is totally without a cost but has lots of rewards. It is a communication that brings us closer to the Higher Being.  It can be an effective escape and a way to solving pressing problems. It is also a mode to thank, praise and show gratitude to God on issues we thought would never be disentangled.

I admit that I am not a prayerful person.  But when I pray, I do it with sincerest heart and intention.  The five people that I never miss praying for are:

First, I pray for my parents and relatives.  These are the sets of people that can never be chosen.  These precious people are sent from heaven via fate.  These are the folks that molded me and built my life’s foundation.  They are the rays of sunshine for what could have been a dark and dreary life.

Second, I pray for my friends.  This is the set of individuals that I have chosen.  God, with his grace empowered me this time to choose them.  They enabled me to create further my social nature.  I consider them the breezes in my life.

Third, I pray for my co-workers, officemates and employers.  They may be or not be friends or relatives but a big chunk of my life’s time is spent with them.  They keep me sane, worthy and economically sound.

Fourth, I pray for my loved one.  This person may have already passed through my lifetime or may have yet to arrive.  I always pray that this person’s heart and intentions be pure at all times.  This individual makes life more colorful and exciting.

Lastly, I pray for myself.  It’s either asking or thanking for a little peace of mind.  I could never pray for the sets of people I have mentioned if my being will never be guided and rewarded.

Pray! It’s free.

Neil is my first name.  Neil is an Irish name which means champion.  This name was given to me by my parents as based on the name of the first man to walk on the moon, Neil Armstrong.  Though almost a year has passed he was a big hit around the world during that time.

Romasanta is my middle name.  This name means a saint from Rome or of Rome.  Romasantas in the Philippines came from Nasugbu, Batangas.

Langit is my surname.  This is a Malay term meaning door of heaven but the Tagalog/Filipino meaning is heaven or the House of God.

When my father was still alive, I got the chance to talk to him and Nengkoy on what could have been my name if I was born a girl.  They told me that my name could have been Gloria.  They told me that it coulde have been based on the name of Gloria Diaz who won the Ms. Universe pageant a year before I was born.

It has been a tradition that if you want to know your porn star name, you need to put together the name of your first pet plus the name of the street where you lived during childhood.  When I was around 9 or 10 years old, I had a pure white dog and our family named her Farrah (after Farrah Fawcet, the sexy bombshell in Charlie’s Angels TV show).  I grew up at J. Fernando Street in Pasay City.  Therefore, my pornstar name if ever, will be Farrah Fernando – it sounds like a true-blue boldstar!

I had a teacher in high school who called me Niel (pronounced: Niyel).  She was my teacher in Filipino who gave me 79 as a grade during the first grading period of my 3rd year in high school.  I still remember her (but not her name though) because that grade caused me not be included in the honor roll during my high school graduation.  I don’t know for what reason why she had difficulty pronouncing my name properly.  Maybe it’s because she is a Filipino subject teacher and my name is so English.

At present, there are some friends of mine who would call me HR.  These dear friends are former co-employees in the hotel industry.  They call me HR because I was the head of the human resources department of the hotel we were working at.  Also at present, there are some friends and officemates who would call me Delicious.  The reason is because everytime they would ask if how I am, I would always respond with great pleasure and pride saying, "Eto, delicious pa rin…" (Here okay, still delicious…)

What about Nengkoy? How does she call me during my childhood days?  I guess every mother has their own name-call or exclusive way of calling their child.  I have a friend whose name is Robert who told me that his mother calls him Bambino.  I have another friend whose name is PJ but his mother calls him Pidyong.  Like me, they claim that only their mothers call them that way.  What about Nengkoy? Well… she calls me ‘Baduday‘.

To end this not so sensible writing, let me put some meaning and feeling to it then.  Names are tags that people assigns to another individual that will forever be associated to his/her totality of personality.  Furthermore, names may it be holy-based, stinky-sounding, too common or too rare can actually be a general suggestive way to live a life since you are identified with such appelation every single time people calls you. 

Lucky me my name is Neil meaning champion… with a heavenly surname!