37 Years of Existence

Recalling 37 persons, things, events, or occasions that are very important, funny and worth remembering. I am grateful to have them in my life and happy that I have experienced them in my 37 years of existence:

My little Angel

With my husband.

1. My precious Angel Athina, she makes my life worth living.
2. My husband, Dodong Brazil, he made my life complete.
3. Mama Laida, for the discipline she had given me and for molding me into who and what I am right now despite of poverty. Fifteen years had passed since she passed away. I so dearly missed her.
4. My family- my papa, my dear sister, my two brothers, for their undying support and love, who are always my turning point when the world seemed so wrong. 

   

   My family. I hate myself here :-(

5. JCCS (Jesus Cabarrus Catholic School) the only school that I have ever been to for my elementary and high school education. It was where I met my so close friends who remained my true friends until this moment.

   

   Third yr high school with Ms. Ibarra

6. Philnico crisis (the company where my father have worked almost half of his married life), it was the time when my baon was decreasing, envious with my well-off classmate's baon during recess time, and I didn’t have new shoes and bag at the start of the school year. Mama had even recycled some school materials just so we won’t spend too much.
7. Spaghetti, because of poverty (but we have lived a good life though), this food became one of my favorites after one of my elementary classmates shared this during our Christmas party. (I still have a very sharp memory, really!) Until now this food is never absent from the menu whenever there's a special occasion in our family.
8. My first time to ride a ship at the age of 8 or 9, my first trip to Cebu City. I can only recall Marco Polo hotel was Cebu Plaza hotel that time.
9. Chelo Bolambao, my first childhood friend who taught me how to put powder on my face and legs to make my legs look shiny and smooth. We were fond of making paper dolls which made my mother very angry because i've been using her tailor's scissor to cut the paper dolls. (Mama used to be a dressmaker) Remember Che?

   

   With Marysan.

10. Marysan Noguerra, my very first close friend who knew all of my puppy loves and some secrets in high school. We both wanted to try having a boyfriend before high school graduation. And we did. She knew some of the craziest things I did for love.
11. JR, my youngest brother who was born when our family was in deep crisis and I was already mature at that time and can be trusted to take care of an infant.
12. Claudette Morales, our consistent elementary and high school first honor student. It was at their home in Townsite area in Nonoc where I was able to first see an impressive home, feel and touch comfortable house furnishings, and eat a sumptuous dinner during their fiesta. Hehehe!

    

    At Claudette's house at Townsite area.

    That's how poor we are during those times. We may have huge differences with our personalities and intellects, but we still managed to become good friends until now because of being true to each other and transparency of characters. 
13. Melot, my ultimate crush in high school. Hahaha! He made me nervous whenever he was near and made my feet seemed to fly just to be away from him and my naughty classmates who were teasing us. High school days!!!
14. Miss Israel, geee!!! The first time I was chosen as a muse to represent Miss United Nations during my second year in high school. I wish I had declined that event. tsk tsk tsk!

    

    Miss Israel, 2nd yr high school.

15. GE, my first boyfriend, he made me define the true meaning of love at a very young age (can’t name for security purposes hahaha!)
16. Kuya Jethro Ibarra- I'm a few months older literally but he was like my kuya during high school days. When assignments went wrong, consult kuya Jethro. hehehe! He was the smartest leader in our batch.
17. Jacqueline Salas, my now-we're friends-now-we're enemies buddy during elementary and high school days. She never ran out of jokes and has a contagious laugh that would always make our group jolly. When we went to college in distant places, our friendship became stronger by writing each other a

    

    Meeting Jacqueline after 19 yrs.

    letter every month, until suddenly she was gone and never heard of her for I think more than 15 years. Despite the emergence of high-tech communication, we weren't able to locate her and know her status. Until last year, thanks to Dexter Japay, we finally met and we had a very long day spent talking about our lives in the past years that we have lost our communications. In her I've found a strong friendship that has a strong foundation and was molded through good and bad times.
18. Nazarene Luayon- we used to be best buddies in high school especially when talking about boys. We went to college separately but our communications continued until when she got married, it was stopped. We saw each other after 10 years during our first high school reunion in Surigao city. We had teary eyes when we saw each other and hugged together with our other close friends. I hope she's now wiser after what she had been through in her life.
19. Rosalina Martinez- also one of my best buddies in high school, the smartest in our group, and I think

    

    With Rosalina, on Rozelle's wedding

    the prettiest hehehe! She has her own world during that time (maybe because she was the only honor student in our group) but she managed to get along with us in different situations. I had the privilege to be the emcee with my partner Sir Ricky Pedralba on her beautiful church wedding.
20. Gang-gang Mahinay- she used to braid my hair neatly in high school. We were not super close way

    

    With Gang2x and Aaron on Ryan's wedding.

    back in high school but when we became more responsible and mature adult, she was my best of friends, my confidante, and she always has a shoulder to lean on whenever I have problems. We've also been through a lot and we never leave in each other's side when we were at the saddest moments of our lives. I was the one who named her only son, Genesis Aaron.
21. Sharon Cabanilla - she had only spent 1 year in JCCS but she and Marysan were my two close 

    

    With Sharon & her kids, & my Athina.

    friends when we were in our 2nd year high school. There was some point when the two of them had a silent war with me which I didn't know why, but it ended when Marysan's father died. When she left the school we haven't communicated for so many years until we met again in Manila when I had the chance to work there few years ago. Until this time she was also one of my close friends who would always be there especially when time goes wrong.
22. Sir Ricky Pedralba- my greatest influence in my married life. Without him, I wouldn't have been married right now. Hahaha!

    

    Sir Ricky with Athina at 4 months old

23. Sir Felix P. Ga, a very influential person in our JCCS life. He was a kind-hearted neighbor, a very

    

    Mr. Ga during our 1st HS reunion.

    good individual, but a very strict school director. I salute to his way of running the school for many, many years. He had produced many talented students who excelled in academics and sports. But he made me cry because of jealousy. OOOPPPSSS alam nyo na! Please don't mention, the wife is here hehehe!
24. Isang Linggong Pag-ibig, a short film titled by our school director because of his extreme jealousy with the boys as we were having a picnic on a slightly bad weather at the clubhouse beach before high school graduation day. He maliciously thought we intentionally have that picnic for dating purposes but it was purely friendship and camaraderie before we separate our ways after graduation day. He really humiliated us and threatened we can not attend our graduation day, but many thanks to Mothers Susana Noguerra and Jovencia Luayon for saving our dignities and pride. (oopsss, I think my parents didn't know all about this hehehe!) 
25. Auntie Vilma Pressler, million thanks for sponsoring my Architecture course. She paid my tuition fees the entire semester for I think 3 years.

    

    With Auntie Vilma and her husband.

26. Nang Ludy Seraspe, for being my second mother during good times and bad times when I didn’t have one to share those times with after Mama passed away.
27. Lorelie Seraspe, she wasn't really a very close friend of mine way back in high school because she

    

    With Lorelie and Rosalina.

    had her own circle of friends, but when we went to college in Cebu, we became close friends especially when she had me stayed in her room temporarily when I didn't have a place to rent. We've been through a lot of things in life, from lovelife to our family life, and most specially when a common close friend of ours was dishonest with her intentions. Never mind! Let bygones be bygones!
28. Madam Agnes Amores, she became my partner in crime after knowing each other during our 3rd year in college. We both have strong personalities that's why we easily get along with. She helped us hastened our civil wedding. Hehehe! Thanks madam! 
29. Lenore Capacio- my best buddy in college especially in my last year and during our review class until our board examination days. I always have a good laugh whenever I am with her, she never ran out of jokes and side comments, just like me.
30. Old Motorola with antenna, my very first cellphone when mobile phones became somewhat affordable to average individuals last 2001. It looked like a smaller version of 2 way radio or what we call, walkie-talkie hehehe! 
31. Taking the Architecture board exam for the Nth time. Sigh!!! The hassle of filing at the PRC, the expenses in travelling and accommodation (exam is always held in Manila), and the stressful exam itself for 3 days. Now it's 2 days.

    

    Architecture Class 2001 Ringhop Ceremony held at Shangri La, Mactan

32. Boracay vacation with relatives- my first Bora experience after being brokenhearted with the man who

    

    With my cousins, their mom & Greg.

    made me crazy, whom I was head over heels, and forgot to love myself more than anybody else. hehehe! Thanks to my cousins Ate Helen and Ate Heide for sharing that vacation with me.
33. Auntie Thelma, for giving me an ear when I need someone to listen to with my marital problems, and somehow supported me during my financial crisis. 
34. Mommy Shirley Luyong, for being my second mother as well during my Western Wats days, when I was happily in love and tremendously brokenhearted after.
35. Panglao, Bohol- first ever family vacation after Mama passed away for a decade together with Manang Aileen's new family, Manoy Jeff and baby Nate . I can't remember when was the last time our whole family went out together when Mama was still alive. Hmmm never mind!

    

    At Chocolate Hills, Bohol.

36. Hille, we fondly call him Imoy, my cousin, whom I can always run to whenever I have a serious financial situation.
37. Atty. Clairon Bunag- a very accommodating lawyer in spite of her success, remained her feet on the ground and is very much willing to help on legal matters without asking for remuneration. But i'm not abusing such privilege. hehehe! Thanks atty! 

The long list is actually more than 37, but this is what I have for now just to recall those important people, things, and events in my life. I may have forgotten some at this moment, but they are always in my treasure box of memories that can be recalled anytime whether I have to write them or not.