Goodbye Madam!

The other day, a batchmate announced in our Facebook group page that one of our high school teachers died. She was 83 years old.

Scores of messages filled our group's wall. "She was my favorite English teacher" says one. Another mentioned the teacher's unusual habit of eating menthol candy during class and sticking the wrapper in the blackboard. "She was my favorite Math teacher" says another.

I don't know if it often happens but I find it unusual for someone to be an English and Math teacher at the same time. And she's excellent at both, inspiring students to do better and excel. I remember a time when half of her literature class had to take removal exams.

Also, I love how she pronounced the word "POEM". She even corrected us from our wrong pronunciation. Imagine, no one among us got it right the first time!

She's a motivator. Every week she gives us an assignment - a quotable quote, plus an explanation why it catches one's attention. Even the funniest quotes gathered by some of my comical classmates turn into something that gives us serious moral lessons.

She's compassionate. She gave some of my naughty classmates second chance when what they did could have cost them dismissal, or even some time in jail. They were forever grateful to her.

And so, what are my memories of her?
1. A principal at that time, she signed my suspension letter - due to habitual tardiness. Up to now, I haven't overcome it.
2. She gave me 3.0 in all grading period. I could not believe my consistency.
3. She scares me when she raises an eyebrow and throws a question. It will surely throw you off your seat.
4. Her pronunciation and the way she reads poems is quite intimidating. It has some chilling effect on me which I cannot explain at that time.

But hey, it was because of her that I began to appreciate poetry and literature. My early poems were done because it was for a class assignment. But a few of my friends continued writing poems and short stories even after we're through with lit class. And even until now, I collect quotable quotes.

What can I say but goodbye, Madam! You are surely the best!

Tired

I'm tired of blogging. There are so many things I wanted to do with my blogs but can't seem to pull it off.


What were my goals? Before I even achieve them, I changed them. Here now this blog is going nowhere. Blogging anonymously is a thing of the past. To my blogging friends, I'll one day reappear in your blogs, with my real name. And I hope you are still as welcoming as before and not have become snobs or too engrossed with traffic, adsense and blog community.

Ania Na Pud Ko Sa Sugbu

Ania na pud ko sa Sugbu! (I'm back in Cebu again).

Pero mubalik ra ko sa Manila unyang kadlawon. Kadali ra ba! Mura man lang ko ug nisimhot sa kwarto, midulog sa akong kapikas, unya biya na sad. Hahay, kapait ining kinabuhia! Taud-taod na man diay akong wala makabalik diri. Enero pa kadto ug karon Hunyo na.

Sa eroplano kagabii, sa iyang pag take-off, gisud-ong nako ang kalapdon sa Metro Manila. Nindot tan-awon ang kahayag sa syudad. Nakita ko sad ang mga highway diin naglinya ang mga suga, ug murag tadlis kun tan-awon sa itaas. Gipiyong na lang nako ang ako mga mata,ug nahimuklod. Nganong napadpad man ko aning dapita nga ang akong kasing-kasing tua man sa sugbo?

Tuig 2008 kadto nga gibalhin ko sa akog kumpanya diri sa Manila. Taas nga posisyon, ug dako sad nga responsibilidad. Kini laging duna pud tay ambisyon mao nga gikab-ot nako ang oportunidad. Niuban pirmiro akong asawa apan nibalik dayun kini tungod sa kalaay ug sa mga oportunidad sa negosyo balik sa Sugbu. Lahi man diay ning mag-inusara ta. Walay mosugat nato inig-uli kundi ang iro sa silingan. Walay panihapon nga naghulat, kundi mga plato nga wala mahugasi sa pipila na ka adlaw. Wala sad kay magakos sa tugnaw nga kagabhion ug mahagkan nga mga tam-is nga ngabil.

Mao sab ang gibati nga kamingaw sa akong asawa. Maayo gani nga naay Sun Cellular kay pwede ra mi mag-istorya sa celphne bisag duha ug tulo ka oras kada adlaw. Kun wala pay Sun, linibo gyud among gasto. Maayo ra pud naa promo ang mga airlines para kun mibisita sya nako, dili na pud dako ang gasto.

Nasayod ko nga dili ra ako ang naa niining sitwasyon. Ang uban, wala gyud sila makaantos ug natintal gyud tungod sa lawasnong panginahanglan. Mao nga mag-ampo gyd mi pirmi sa Kahitas-an nga iya kaming buligan ug tagaan ug kusog sa pagbarog sa husto ug matarong.

Ang akong mga ginikanan, ug bisan akong ugangan, wala gyud makasulay ug panaglagyo sa ilang isig kapikas. Karong mga panahuna, uso na kaayo ni.

Karon, ania na pud ko sa Sugbu mao nga pahimuslan nako ang gamay nga panahon kay unyang kadlawon mubalik na ko sa Manila. Mubalik na sad ko sa mamingaw nga lugar, apan nasayod ko nga sa pipila ka mga bulan, mag-uban na gyud mi sa akong pinanggang asawa ug dili na kami magkalagyo pa.