Nengkoy, The Kengkengs & The Boy With Dirty Knees

Posted on December 25, 2013 by heavenliner

While our family waits to celebrate the Christmas Eve of 2013, me and my monster “pamangkins” (nieces and nephews) along with Nengkoy, of course, did a little photoshoot.

We tried remaking the photo of a happy, naïve and innocent picture shot at the exact spot MORE THAN TWENTY years ago. My “kerengkeng” nieces and a nephew in this photo were the first batch of grandchildren of Nengkoy.

Then & Now: thatch, kim, erika, kate and denden with nengkoy

Complete with white ribbons, red shirt, white blouses, and green shorts the exact pose was recreated. What made me laugh hard about doing this photo is when my nephew Denden was dirtying his knees for the shoot since it’s so apparent in the original photo that his knees were super “dungis” (soiled).

These photo made me realize that when we were innocent children, we seldom think of the future. This innocence lets us free to enjoy ourselves. It also made me think that growing up is actually not a bad thing at all. Because it allows us to make a difference in the world, to find out who we are and to live the life we imagined as children…

Grabeng tuhod ‘yan! Ang dungis!!!

Merry Christmas 2014

Posted on December 25, 2013 by heavenliner

photo taken during our Christmas dinner at Makati Shangri-La…

Nengkoy and I would like to greet everyone a very Merry Christmas!!!

Toot toot! Happy New Year!!!

Posted on January 1, 2013 by heavenliner

Happy New Year!!!

Cheers to another year of awesomeness!

me blowing a 5-year old trumpet

One interesting anecdote that can be derived from the photo above is the torotot (party horn). It’s a five-year-old bugle which Nengkoy brings out annually from her precious storage chest. It’s the same bunch of paper trumpets that me and my relatives would use to welcome the New Year. These hooters are only replaced when it is deemed damaged, pauperized or no longer toots and tootles when blown.

As I’ve observed from the malls recently, today’s party horns are modernized. It’s made of hard colorful plastic and need not be blown using the strength of your breath. It is simply pumped by both hands to produce a honking sound. Also, modern horns seem to have a different sound. It sounds more like the vuvuzela of South Africa used during the 2010 World Cup.

But Nengkoy’s horns still sounds the classic New Year paper-made trumpets. Because the mouthpiece that produce the tooting sound (attached inside the nozzle) when I checked is still made of a piece of small hallow bamboo. Last night, when I sampled the horns, the first thing I uttered was, “Tunog sinauna” (It sounds old and ancient).

Me and my family do not light up fire crackers (like what others would habitually do) to drive away the bad chi of the coming year. Maybe my family is too clever to play with the dangers of lighting fire crackers and rather smartly chose to be in the safe zone. Instead, we would usher the welcoming of the New Year by blasting confetti cannons and of course by blowing Nengkoy’s carton-made party horns.

After the New Year revelry, Nengkoy would simply collect all these trumpets, test each if it is still working and store it again in her storage box for next year’s celebration. Next year for sure I will be blowing the same old yet reliable party horns.

Tut tut! Hapi Nyu Yir!!!

Fa lala lala lalalala!

Posted on December 23, 2012 by heavenliner

me seated on santa’s chair

Fa lala lala lalala!

or is it

Fail lala lala lalalala!

You need not worry that on the night before Christmas there will be no big bearded fat man who will jump in at your window, grab you and puts you in a red sack. Though I told Santa I wanted you for Christmas… He refused! He told me I have been so naughty this year. Nevertheless…

Joyful holiday wishes and warm greetings to all of you!

Here’s a Christmas song/video of my favorite band this year… I hope you rock the Christmas night away…

Maligayang Pasko…

Handwritten Notes In My Treasure Box

Posted on December 14, 2012 by heavenliner

I don’t know but there must be something in my hypothalamus that bursts with uplifting joy every time I would receive a handwritten heartwarming note or letter from a friend or a relative. The value of handwritten poignant thoughts directly conveyed to my inner being cheers me up in high spirits.

Maybe this is the reason why I have the compulsion to keep, store and squirrel away these letters and notes no matter how short the messages are and regardless of what sort of paper these are written on.

To hint on some examples, herewith are a few of the letters/notes that I have been keeping in my treasure box in which some heedless souls may already consider as trash…

few of the notes from my treasure box

this kid will be turning 12 early next year

this kid is turning 12 early next year

Of course two of my personal favorites…

thatcher, my niece's christmas letter last year. i can hardly remember what she gave me but this letter will forever be remembered

my niece thatcher’s christmas letter last year. i can hardly recall what she gave me but this letter will forever be kept and remembered

luis' note when he was just starting to learn how to write (left was the front page, to the right is the meat of his "very precise" message)

my nephew luis’ letter written on a tiny sheet of paper when he was just starting to learn how to write. (left was the front page, to the right is the content of his “very precise” message). luis is entering college next year…

Or maybe I got this penchant attribute from my mother. I can clearly recall when I was still a skinny kid when Nengkoy would make a décor-less scrapbook of all the Christmas Holiday and Birthday greeting cards she would receive through the years. These colorful greetings card she received were usually from my father who was then working in the Middle East, from my dear relatives based in USA and Canada (the Romasanta-s and the Pineda-s) as well as from her close friends working in various parts of the world.

Kapag ako sumikat, pwedeng ipang-myusiyum ang mga ‘yan.

A Grand Gourmet Experience

Posted on December 9, 2012 by heavenliner

spirals, sofitel manila

It was one unforgettable pre-Christmas dinner as well as post-birthday celebration of my nephew Denden. I and my family were in Spirals, Sofitel Manila last night. Spirals is the country’s biggest and widest array of culinary delights with 21 interactive Ateliers.

For me the best features in the buffet were the mouthwatering Chinese Dimsum; a raw bar of sushi and sashimi; the wide array of artisanal cheeses (inside the much raved about cheese room); the juicy steaks at Churrasco; the paneers and tandoori; and, of course the unlimited Foie Gras.

Though this was not my first time to dine at Spirals I still get so overwhelmed, I failed to take photos of the buffet.

the staff probably knew that i have a crazy noisy family we were billeted inside a vip room

sofitel staff probably knew that i have a crazy noisy family, we were billeted inside a vip room

me and nengkoy loved this bread…

a view from the hotel lobby

No wonder Spirals at Sofitel this year was chosen as the Best International Buffet by the prestigious Manila’s Best Kept Restaurant Secrets (MBKRS Awards).

Burp…

Arabic Calligraphy Names: A Bright Idea

Posted on September 28, 2012 by heavenliner

While I was searching and relying on the powers of internet for an idea on what would be my suggestion to my family’s uniform t-shirt design for Christmas (which by the way has been part of my family’s tradition to wear on Christmas Eve), I stumbled upon an awesome Facebook page.

I wanted our t-shirt design this year to bear our beautiful family’s surname in Arabic calligraphy. I surfed on through the internet but there seem to be very limited source where I could adopt my surname written in classic Arabic calligraphy.

Thanks to Arabic Calligraphy Names, a Facebook Community Page, developed by an artist and graphic designer named Nihad Nadam. By “liking” this amazing community page through your own Facebook, you can actually have the chance that your name be chosen and written in Arabic calligraphy form. What is more remarkable is that Nadam’s work is FREE of charge.

My surname was luckily picked (since I accumulated significant numbers of “likes” on my request/comment) to be written in calligraphic form. And in just a couple of hours Nadam, the Genius, had it published on the community page for me to see, download and adopt.

Here is how it looked like…

Through the help of my officemate Frankie (who is an equally awesome graphic artist), this is how my first t-shirt design suggestion looked like which I presented to my crazy relatives…

Thanks Mr. Nihad Nadam! I tremendously adore your work…

Galing ‘di ba?!

Tengoku

Posted on December 25, 2011 by heavenliner

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… : )

Cancelled Christmas Party to Help the Needy

Posted on December 20, 2011 by heavenliner

“Very good!”, this was the exact reaction that my older sister uttered when I told her this afternoon that the Christmas Party of the Support Service Staff of the company that I am working for decided to cancel. The party is supposed to be slated on Friday, December 23 but was cancelled because the budget supposed to cover all expenses will instead be donated to GMA Kapuso Foundation, Inc. to help in the relief and rehabilitation efforts of our brothers and sisters that were affected by tropical storm Sendong that badly hit Cagayan De Oro (CDO) and Iligan City in monstrous proportions.

The company I’m presently working with will instead hold a simple “merienda” snack to be served to all support service personnel and will nevertheless carry out raffle prizes in which items to be raffled off can’t be sent or are not needed in the above stated devastated cities.

Every year, Christmas Party of the Support Service Staff in our company is one of the most fun social activities that all employees of the company are excited about and would look forward to. It is the time to bond with colleagues and share the spirit of fun this season. But this year, the event even got more meaningful since the true spirit of giving and unselfishness during genuine crisis was truly exhibited.

For those who wish to help our brothers & sisters in CDO and Iligan City, you may deposit your donations to:

METROPOLITAN BANK & TRUST COMPANY (METROBANK)
Peso Savings
Account Name: GMA Kapuso Foundation, Inc.
Account Number: 3-098-51034-7
Dollar Savings
Account Name: GMA Kapuso Foundation, Inc.
Account Number: 2-098-00244-2
Code: MBTC PH MM

Aprub na walang alinlangan!