#ALDUBandPROUD

I am an AlDub fan.

I am one of those whose life was changed by Kalye Serye and the accidental love team of Alden and Maine.

I have learned to find delight in, a complicated cellphone passcode, a lola dancing to Mambo No. 5, a shrill scream from “Regine”, and more importantly, a split-screen romance.

As a working professional, I carry on with my day to day responsibilities with greater passion and happier thoughts knowing that I will get to replay the day’s episode before I go to sleep at night.  Doing so makes me sleep more soundly and wake up with a clearer sense of purpose.

I used to spend Saturdays in the office, doing overtime work, since there is not much to do at home anyway.  But now my Saturdays are spent at home, eagerly anticipating the airing of Eat Bulaga, knowing that I will not regret having to stay in the office up to 11PM on a Friday just so I wouldn’t have to go back the following day. 

I was never a fan of any love team even in my younger years, and now at 41, I am surprised at the effect of AlDub on me.  I re-discovered Twitter as a medium to express my fondness for AlDub, my great respect for the EB team and my appreciation of the positivity that they bring to the AlDubNation.  I am one of the 25.5M (and counting) tweets that made history on September 26.

I am a member of the AlDubNation that comes from all corners of the globe:

We are the single moms/dads who have become jaded with romance, but are now optimistic that “forever” can still happen “sa tamang panahon.”  

We are the teenagers who thought that true love can be had with a text mate or chat mate, but now understand that real love happens through time, and that hard work and commitment makes the relationship sweeter and lasting.

We are the single guys and girls who constantly looked for love in the wrong places, but now have realized that the best partner would be someone to whom we can sing “GGMY”.

We are the OFWs who have drowned ourselves with work just to battle homesickness, but are now happily facing our workdays with a daily dose of happiness culled from watching Eat Bulaga.

We are the Parents who are exhausted from work, keeping house and taking care of kids, but are now looking at our partners differently, with a sparkle in our eyes because of a rekindled love.

We are the Lolos and Lolas who are saddened that the youth have no regard for tradition and deep-rooted values, but are now appreciative of the efforts of Eat Bulaga’s Kalye Serye to re-educate the next generation.

We come from different circumstances in life: we are rich, we are middle class, we are underprivileged, we are young, we are middle aged, we are in our twilight years, we are male, we are female, we are gay, we are of different religions and beliefs. 

But our love for AlDub has crossed over these boundaries and differences because we found a common purpose: to spread love, happiness and good vibes as a means to combat life’s daily challenges.

We are the AlDubNation.

To my sparring partner and good friend...

I believe this is the first time I will write you a letter, and hopefully it will not be the last. I promise to keep in touch, however busy my life can get, or how tiring my days will be. 

There are so many things I wanted to tell you but I know I would break down in tears if I say it face to face. So I just thought of writing this blog and dedicating it to you.

GOOD LUCK. You've probably heard this many times especially when you've told people you were leaving, as it is the most common thing to say to somebody who will start a new life. I will also say good luck because I sincerely wish you will have that, when you start this new chapter in your life. May you have the best of luck in starting a new career in NZ, because It will make me really happy to know that you've found a job that you will love, and is working with people who can be your good friends. I sincerely wish your friendship with them will be like ours, unpretentious, undemanding but genuine and loyal.

THANK YOU, for being part of my life because even if you are much younger than me, there are so many things I have learned from you. Thank you for being genuinely concerned about me, my friends and my family and for not getting tired of listening to my stories about them. Thank you for teaching me how to be a bit more practical (I'm still struggling with this - haha!), a lot more patient and forgiving. Thank you for understanding my quirks and weirdness and for not fighting back when i snap. Thank you for your words of praises and pats on the back when I do a good job and for scolding me when I am not being good to myself. Thank you for always being behind me as a cheerleader and a friend.

I WILL MISS YOU. There are so many things I will miss about you Bert, and the thoughts would constantly bring a tear to my eyes. I will miss our conversations about each other's daily experiences (what we saw on TV, read on the internet, what Sasha said, what you discovered in the supermarket, etc.). I will miss the times when we laugh at the simplest of situations or the silliest of ideas. I will also miss our serious conversations about our lives, our plans, hopes and dreams. I will miss my trail mix buyer, my gadget adviser, my Raon and Divisoria runner,  my fashion police, my little brother. 

My little brother. Yes that has been your biggest role in my life Bert and i thank God everyday for bringing you to my life. From a neophyte in the corporate world, you've fought your way through and has transformed into a no nonesense HR guy. For that, I am very proud of you. Promise me you will continue to learn and strive to fulfill your dreams because nothing can make me happier than knowing that you have reached your goals.

Hey, studies say that friendships that lasted more than 7 years will continue for a lifetime. We've been friends for exactly 7 years, so let's see if this theory will hold true. 

Take care of Kat and Sasha and yourself. Be the best husband and dad you can be while I will continue to cheer you on from thousands of miles away. I hope to visit you one day but in the meantime, i will pray for you everyday.  

God bless you my friend.

73

Seventy-three.

One wife who is still as lovely as the day you first met.

Two granddaughters who are growing up as beautiful as their lola.

Three grandsons who are delightfully charming in differing ways.

Four grown up kids who strive their best to make their parents proud

Five months and four years since you said goodbye. 

But I'm still counting. At times, I still tear up in sadness. 

I still speak of you so people will remember, because I will never forget.

And I can never stop missing you. 

Have a blast in heaven Daddy. 

Today you would have been seventy-three.

치료 여동생을 chilyo yeodongsaeng-eul

In just a few days, my youngest sister will be leaving to study in South Korea. She will be away for a year and a half, to finish her Masters Degree. This entails a lot of sacrifice especially since this is the first time she will be away from our family this long, and especially since she will have to be away from her husband and daughter for more than a year.

The decision was probably the hardest to make but she keeps focusing on her family's future. She firmly believes that doing this will provide her family the financial security and the means to fulfill their dreams.

Now this brings me back to the sacrifices of the greatest man in my liife. He worked abroad to provide a better future for his children. He missed out on a lot of family celebrations; birthdays, Christmas, graduations, etc.  For 24 years, he lived mostly on his own, but bridging the gap with his family with phone calls and letters. His children are all professionals now, well-educated and independent, and forever thankful for their parents' sacrifices. 

The ending to this story was not a happy one, as the great man never got to experience the rewards of his sacrifices. He passed on, so suddenly, a few months from his homecoming.

Now my question is, "was all the sacrifice really woth it?" Do the college degrees, the dollar remittance, the balikbayan boxes, worth every minute spent away from the family?  I can never know how sad life must have been for the great man, as he never showed any regrets for his decision to stay abroad. Instead, he would dwell on the achievement of his children and delight them constantly with gifts.

These thoughts still cross mind, and each time, a pang of sadness and a prick in my heart will follow.

And that is why I have mixed feelings about my sister's leaving. A part of me is proud of her and excited for her new undertaking, but a huge part of me is sad that she has to go. A year and a half is not a long time, and there are different modes of communication to keep in touch. But nothing compares to presence. To being a first hand witness to family affairs, to being able to put your kid to bed, to hugging her just because you want to, to making a special meal for your husband or watching a Korean movie with him.

Dionne, I have tears in my eyes now, as I am writing this. Because I know I will miss you. Because despite our age and our personal circumstances, you still are my little sister. I promise to be there for Mommie more often and visit her weekly. I also promise to take Issie on special dates so she will have more stories to tell you. I promise to take the family out for dinner to places I know Joven will enjoy. But most of all I promise to be here for you anytime you need me.

Take care bunso.  Dangsin-eul salanghabnida.

To the Man I Love

I do not remember the first time we met, and I am quite sure I did not love you at first sight.
But over the years I learned to love you, and the feeling just grew and grew, and since then each day wasn't complete without seeing you.

I made you gifts, little tokens that were intended to make your realize, I was thinking of you all day, and that I was waiting excitedly until you come home.  And when you arrived, we would chat a little while you got dressed, and you would always ask me how my day was.  I would then tell you how my day had been, as if the course of my day was really worth telling.

After dinner weeknights were spent mostly in front of the TV, you would watch basketball or whatever series you followed, while I asked  little questions here and there, begging for attention. And when I got sleepy, you would always follow me to the bedroom and tuck me in.  Like in any movie cliche, you would cover me with a blanket and sing me to sleep.

At that early age, I knew and felt for sure, that you were the only man who would love me unconditionally.  I've made a lot of mistakes and disappointed you many times but your love never waned.  I was saddest when I felt I have wronged you and I was happiest when you felt proud of me.

Our last conversation was about the future.  I was talking about my career plans and how my decision to move would be good for me.  As usual, you were very supportive and told me to follow my heart. We also talked about your homecoming and how excited I was to spend more time with you.

Less than a week after that, you left for good, without saying goodbye.  And that moment, had been the greatest heartache for me.  I did not know how to pick my self up, because you were the only person who always did that for me.  But I had to deal with what was before me, and gathered all my strength to face that tragedy.

It's been four years Dad.  There has been a lot of difficult times but your love for me has kept me strong.  I do not brush away the tears when they well up; I do not hide the fact that I still cry when I think of you.  And I am not ashamed to admit that our love story did not end happily, because I know that you went off to a better journey.   And more importantly, no matter how abrupt our separation was, you left me with enough love in my heart to sustain me, all the years of my life.    

Happy Fathers' Day Daddy.  

An Open Letter to a Dear Friend

And so the saying goes, "when life gives you lemons, make some lemonade"...

Today you find yourself in a situation you did not choose, brought about by circumstances that you simply couldn't control. You feel bad, cheated and robbed of something you hold dear. 

Maybe it is difficult to understand things right now, but i believe that things will slowly turn out for the better from this point on. 

Maybe the anger comes from not being able to steer the course the way you want it, like what you have been used to for a long time. 

Maybe the sadness comes from realizing that no one was willing to fight for you, as the one person who did, has left so suddenly.

Maybe the fear comes from not knowing what lies ahead, or from realizing that change is inevitable. 

There is not much that we can do for you now. Neither your family nor your friends can put a stop to this nightmare. All we can do is cheer you up and cheer you on, because we know that you can arise victorious in the end. 

You are a fighter my friend, but most importantly you have a good heart. Use these traits to carry on, and you'll surprise yourself when you realize that the battle has been won. 

My only prayer is that you will continue to feel the love of those who matter, as this will be your best armor, your best defense.

In the meantime, lets put a jigger of vodka in your lemonade, and party on! 

Why do I blog?

I wrote this piece, years back when I started blogging.  Thought I'd repost here...

Why do I blog?

Is it to virtually immortalize my existence? Is it to make my humdrum life appear somewhat interesting? Is it to clamor for attention or aspire for literary acclaim? 

I write in my blog because I want to be a first-row spectator to my own life. I don’t care if people do not read my blog, or care if my entries are worth commenting on. 

I write in my blog because there are moments, which a few years from now will not feel as intense or as important. There are days, which I just need and want to remember. 

I write in my blog because there are life lessons I thought I learned but eventually forget. I need to review these learnings, for fear of failing again. 

I write in my blog because I want to dedicate some entries to people who have inspired, touched, amused, hurt, moved, taught, angered or cheered me; people who make me experience what being human is all about. 

I write in my blog because after days of tackling responsibilities, making decisions, making mistakes, winning arguments and everything else, I want to contemplate how I survived the battle. 

Yeah, that’s it. That is why.