My Life in the 60's - Part 2

The years I spent as a factotum of a Catholic priest in his various parochial assignments were a defining period of my life.  One, I was able to complete my secondary education despite the inconvenience of transferring to another school in the middle of the school year on account of the sudden transfer of my priest-guardian to another parish.  Another aspect was the fact that I made lots of friends and acquaintances which made my life very exciting and full of unforgettable episodes in a real-life situation. 

In a parish situated at the foot of the imposing Sierra Madre mountain ranges, I accompanied my priest-guardian to travel on horse-back to a far-flung barrio where he was requested to say Mass

My Life in the 60's - Part 1

With the death of my "Lolo Pari", the future looked bleak as our family's meager income was barely enough to support a large brood.  Such harsh reality forced my older sister to escape poverty by marrying at a very young age.  When school opened, I watched enviously students going to the high school nearby.  Oftentimes, I loitered around the school grounds wishing forlornly I was a student also. Yet, poverty made me accept the fact that my life would be working in my grandfather's twice a year "copra" making or helping my mother's "pandan" weaving business.

The Filipinos' Character in the Face of Disaster

The world has seen the admirable traits of the Japanese in the aftermath of the recent 9.0 magnitude earthquake which generated a tsunami that left widespread destruction to certain areas of Japan.  Images from live feeds in CNN, Fox News, Aljazeera, BBC and NHK showed faces of the Japanese gripped with varied emotions, viz; horror, anguish and anxiety, as the raging ten meters high floodwaters wrought enormous damage to everything along its path.

Life in the 50's - Concluding Part

I took and completed my elementary studies in my hometown.  My memories of those school remained indelible in my mind for it started on a high note and deteriorated to the lowest during my sixth grade. My Grade 1 was the most memorable as I was appointed Teacher's assistant who made sure that the class followed the rule Speak English Only.  Of course, I got the First Honors at the end of the school year.  Grade 2 was likewise very memorable when I got assigned to Section 1 composed of  First Honors pupils from all Grade 1 classes of the previous year. When I became the First Honors awardee, there was immense pride since I was considered the Best among the Best of Grade 2.

Reminiscing on Life in the 50's

As I was born in 1945, the events prior to the 50's are few to remember except those my close relatives would recall which oftentimes sticked to my mind and that I can replay like scenes in a movie.  I can vividly remember my early walking days as a young boy of three or four years old.  I lived in our town's Catholic convent as the parish priest then was my father and uncles' guardian since their elementary years. As the convent was made the army's headquarters due to the prevailing Huk insurgency, soldiers naturally were my playmates who gave me the nickname "Boy".  The Catholic priest pampered me like a grandson for which I fondly called him "Lolo Pari"

Getting Started

Getting started is the hardest to do.  So many topics are flooding my mind which eventually lead me confused and bewildered.  However, one topic which I feel highly interesting will be titled as "Life in the Fifties", then the Sixties, and so forth. It will be a journey to the past, a trip to memory lane.  Of course, before I write it, I have to make some research for purpose of accuracy lest I could be accused of historical distortion or outright fabrication.

Still, I want to include also a few vignettes of my life prior to the Fifties which keep popping in my mind whenever reminiscing on the past suddenly invades my consciousness.  Nevertheless, it will be a fruitful mind-exercise which will enable me avoid the debilitating effects of the aging process.

Why I want to be a Blogger?

Since 2004, I've been sending my entries to the INBOX section of the Philippine STAR after I was given a Nokia 3310 by my eldest son which took me sometime to familiarize its use.  As a daily reader of the STAR which I avidly peruse from cover to cover, finding my entries to INBOX published gives me exhilarating pleasure and pride.  Failure to see my entries published will sadden my day but hoping my future entries will eventually see  print.  I can't help reminisce when my letters to the Editor of the defunct Philippine Daily Express during the '70s were published.  I preserve my clipping which was mercifully untouched by "Ondoy" which destroyed my other INBOX clippings.

Of course, my interest to be a Blogger can be credited to Ed Zafra, a long time Blogger, with whom I got acquainted with when I filed accreditation papers for my Internet Cafe.  Ed, as a past President of the Internet Cafe Association of Marikina (ICAM), processed my papers then as required in applying for a business license. Though my I-Cafe had to close due to financial difficulties, I maintain my close ties with some ICAM colleagues and remain an active member of I-Cafe Pilipinas, an advocacy group organized by Ed and his friends in the I-Cafe industry.

Accordingly, as a Blogger, my frustrated dream to be a journalist will somewhat find a sense of realization even at the twilight of my aging years.