“Mga binibini, ginang at ginoo ….kalalapag lang po natin sa paliparang pandaigdig ng Ninoy Aquino sa Manila …mangyari po lamang na manatiling naka-upo at ang sinturong pangkaligtasan ay manatiling nakasukbit hanggang ang babala ay hindi pa ibinababa ng ating kapitan …. huwag po tayong magsitayo o kuhanin ang mga bagahe hanggat ang sasakyang panghimpapawid ay di pa tuluyang nahihinto sa himpilan…. at ang mga lagusan ay di tuluyang nabubuksan …. ang kasalukuyang panlabas na temperatura ay tatlumpo’t dalawang sintegrado…. at ang oras sa kasalukuyan ay ika-apat at anim na minuto ng hapon … maligayang pagdating at kami ay umaasa sa ating muling pagkikita sa mga susunod na paglipad ng Saudia…. maraming salamat po!”

This was the announcement as our airline was taxiing at the tarmac of NAIA when suddenly sound of snapping and releasing of seat belts could be heard around and in sequence. Followed by this were some kababayans who are already standing up reaching for the overhead compartments to pull their carry-on baggages. Others followed in accord and you perhaps think this might be caused by their eagerness and excitement to be with their love ones and families after a long year or maybe a two-year contract or more; but they are ignoring safety precautions while the aircraft was still in motion. Airline attendants persuaded in TAGALOG our kababayans to remain seated but they ignored as they continue to grab their belongings and others tend to fall in line at the isles moving towards the front, leading to the exit doors. I’m surprised that seems our kababayans had already forgotten to understand Tagalog and they ignored the repeated instructions given.

Seeing the commotion, and in a low and loud voice I shouted “ESH HADA YA SADIK? LEISH QUEDA QUEDA? ESTANNA HENNAK MAFI ROUH!.” (What is that friend? What are you doing? Stay put don’t go!) Those standing slowly returned to their seats, their carry-on baggages on their laps and waited till the aircraft was at still.

With a smile, I realized that our kababayans could understand and obey foreign instructions better than our own language. Si KABAYAN nga naman!

Tradition dictates that for the New Year to come and wishing for the best for every 365 days to come, we plan that we need to make our new year’s resolution and we should try to kick bad habits and start our life anew. What kinds of New Year’s Resolutions we will make for ourselves this January 1st? Do you already have one? Or, do you plan to have at least one. Once I said to myself when I was not able to accomplish even one resolution from the previous year, “maybe my next new year’s resolution is not to have one anymore”. I promised not to be too promising.

So sit down with a cup of coffee or a glass of juice, grab a paper and a pen, and reflect. Some say, we need to have a form to fill up what are our goals and the things we need to add, change, remove, or improve.

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                                                                                                                                                         I wish everyone a Merry Christmas. May this season fills our hearts with the spirit of joy, love and happiness all throughout the year to come. God bless everyone!

May this spirit begins with our own families; being the basic unit of our society, and will radiate to all members of the entire community. May this spirit do not dwell only in us during this season but for the entire coming new year. Just like a song says; “araw araw ay magiging pasko lagi”.

Bee Gees song titled First of May which says…”When I was small, and christmas trees were tall……. Now we are tall, and christmas trees are small,” I remember my three kids when they are small, and being with them now, they had grown up to be young adults and babies no more. (more…)

Kuya Karlo a.k.a. as PinoyBlogero helped me establish my new site while he and Ate Kukay were having their vacation here in Riyadh during the Christmas season. Not only that I have a new look of my site but also at a new server environment. I hope that this will encourage me to work again on my site after my long idleness for the past month. I hope that I could add more post during the holiday season.

Nearly half of my life I’ve been into smoking, from my early college years until the day when I decided to have the last puff and finally say success. I have attempted to quit many times over the years, but never to be successful at it. Maybe I am not too determined at all, or just plainly saying and trying to stop it, and also relapsed and going at it again. Not until in year 2000 that I said to myself, “this is it, this will have to end”. I abruptly stopped smoking and never lighted a cigarette the next day until today. I am an ex-smoker! (more…)

My son, Juan Karlo, the man behind PinoyBlogero was interviewed on ABS-CBN on October 9, 2008 with his other fellow bloggers. Him being the winner for Best Blog in the Technology Category in the recently concluded 2008 Philippine Blog Awards was part of the interview. Aired on Mornings@ANC which was anchored by Ron Cruz, Marieton Pacheco, TJ Manotoc and Ginger Conejero.

Click here to follow Link.

This write-up was published in the November 2008 Issue of Starstudio Magazine Middle East Edition: Many thanks to Tita Rachel Salinel, ABS-CBN The Filipino Channel (TFC) News Correspondent, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Admittedly, dancing is not their forte but the Cluster 1 group from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia proved that they can still jive to the beat of the 70’s. The group was conceived to represent Cluster 1 in the Group Dance Competition Category for their 10th Year Anniversary held in Bahrain last October 1, 2008. (more…)

Remembering Circa 70s with our dance group from Cluster 1. Taken during our dress rehearsal before travelling to Bahrain. From left to right were Lito and Zita Opena, Tim and Sandy Dy, me and Mamskie, Ben and Malu Dizon, Ricky and Me-anne with our ‘The Hustle’ costume.

Me and Mamskie dancing the Grease during the 10th CFC Anniversary at the Bahrain International Exhibition Center in Manama, Bahrain last September 30, 2008. We represented Cluster 1 in the Dance Presentation.