The MRT Moment

I was running late this morning for work. Our boarder for four years dropped me off at the Guadalupe MRT Station. I actually anticipated that I’ll be late for work so I planned to apply the “art of pushing” when riding the train in rush hour.

When I was already inside the train, a special child in his teens rode together with his grandmother. He was wearing a pink shirt with collar and he hurriedly grabbed one of the straps in the train and he made it sure that his lola is at his back.

MRT rides with Carlo is rather funny than exhausting even in rush hours. Why? Hmmmm… Lemme share to you some of his MRT experiences:

1. When he is in Manila, Carlo, Ate Virgie and I usually ride the MRT train from the Santolan-Annapolis station to the Taft Station and go back again to Santolan-Annapolis after walking for a few minutes

2. There was a time wherein he wanted to sit, but a lady in his early 40’s occupied the vacant seat. You know what he did? he kissed the lady on the cheeks and said “Sit… please?”. The lady obliged

3. He mastered the “Art of Pushing”. No need to elaborate LOL

4. He is really amazed everytime he sees big billboards along edsa. Just imagining his killer smile while looking at them makes me smile.

I recalled all of the funny moments when I looked at the special child in the plane this morning. I looked at his patient lola and she smiled at me. When I got of the train, tears were falling down. When I rode the jeep, a chubby guy smiled at me and he looked like a 25 year old version of my Carlo.

How am I feeling right now? Hmmmm… I’m happy because of his improvements in school. The school gave him a special award last week (will blog about it soon) and we had a short conversation last Saturday night. I am also a bit sad because I can’t hug him today. Oh well.. I guess life is really like that and we have to deal with it. I am hoping for nothing but the best for Carlo..

… even if it means I have to spend the long night alone in my room.

Ten Influential Blogs of 2008 (Part 2 of 2)

Two months ago, I posted casted my vote for my first five picks for the the Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs of 2008 By Digital Filipino. The deadline is fast approaching and the good news here is that we get to see a lot of new blogs made by Filipinos that has various themes and interest.

Here’s another batch of new blogs that somewhat caught my attention. I do believe that they deserve to be in the final tally:

Lakwatsero By Angel Juarez

Angel Juares a.k.a. Bleue is also one of the writers of Visit Sagada. He is also blogging about his personal travel experiences in lakwatsero.com. What I love about his blog is that he exerts an effort in posting quality pictures and he is sharing his experiences without any qualms. My personal favorite is his entry about Culion, Palawan. You will know why soon. Bleue really loves to travel. Isa siyang tunay na lakwatsero. Another thing that I like about him is that he is a good man indeed.

Sam Juan by Someone

Nabigla na lang ako ng isang araw ay meron nag-comment dito sa blog na ito na ang avatar ay ang larawan ni Sam Milby na may bandila ng Pilipinas. Aking pinuntahan ang kanyang blog at natuwa dahil muli, ako’y nakakita ng blog ng isang OFW na gumagamit ng wikang pambansa sa pagbblog. Karamihan ng entries niya ay may humor touch, pero may sense. Dito ko napagtanto na ang mga OFW ay hindi nagrerelax sa ibang bansa. Kumakayod sila para sa kanilang pamilya dito sa Pilipinas kaya dapat tayo’y magpasalamat at huwag gumawa ng mga bagay na ikakalungkot nila. Sino kaya si Sam Juan? Hmmm… may hinala na ako kung sino siya

Hayden’s Haven by Hayden Kho Jr.

Maybe you ask “Why him? he is not an active blogger!” Well, this celebrity doctor is more than just every girl’s dream boy. He may not update his Multiply blog often, but he makes it a point to inspire his fans by posting some of his realizations and the lessons he learned during the day. Some people might be intimidated with his presence, but the guy is actually a good man in real life. I know a number of his Multiply friends who asks for advice from him and one of them even named her baby after him. I am hoping that he blogs on a regular basis though.

Shoot Me by Maki Eduardo

My dear friend and co-powerpuff girl Maki Eduardo might have closed her personal blog due to some problems, but she’s not quitting in blogging at all. She recently launched her own photoblog where she’s posting some of her shots on a regular basis. She is really into photography and she takes this craft seriously by attending workshops and by taking lotsa lotsa pics. I do believe in her talent and nominating her in this project can help her gain some exposure as a serious photoblogger.

Bloggers Da Who by AJ Matela

Due to the guessing game about bloggers on Twitter last April, AJ of BaklaAko.com launched a new blog called “Bloggers Da Who”, the one and only blind item stop for bloggers. The good thing about the blog is that AJ is not really giving direct clues and the guests are not allowed to comment. The purpose of the blog is not really to insult or embarrass the blogger concerned in the BI. Instead, the blog reminds everyone to be careful with our actions and just in case you feel guilty about the latest entry, just learn from it and do not repeat that wrong action ever again.

So that’s it! Have you voted already? Habol pa kayo

I Remember You

I am here in Dagupan right now. I went back here yesterday morning because I had a number of papers to fix since I will be working in Makati starting on Monday.

When I arrived, the house was too quiet. I am not really used with the silence. I used to catch my brother either watching tv, playing with his yaya or simply listening to the radio everytime I arrive home from school or other activities.

Sleeping alone in my bed was also a big adjustment. Carlo has his own routines that I embraced for the past few years. He is simply a part of me. He was my stress boy as I would hug him soooo tight whenever I am lonely and I kiss him when I feel unloved. I spoil him like a brat when I have money because he really loves to eat. Sulit na sulit ang pera ko sa kanya.

Ate Virgie called lola up this afternoon and she informed her about Carlo’s developments. I am happy for my brother but I do really miss him. Oo, alam ko gasgas na yung katagang “I Miss You Carlo” dito sa blog na ito, pero totoo.. I really miss you, Carlo.

The Best I Ever Had

We have no internet connection at home because there’s no dial tone. Since I really need to check my email and plurk, I decided to go to Gateway by myself.

While I was busy plurking, the electric power of Gateway went on and off for more than five times. A lot of kids panicked but I managed to keep my cool. I was joking around with the other “plurkaholics” when a young family entered the coffee shop - The father, the mother and their five year old son. It was a perfect family moment and because of that, I felt empty.

I suddenly left the urge to blog about my family but I opted to control myself.

When I got back home, I made a slideshow out of the pictures i took at the coke event. I browsed through my music files and found one song that Carlo used to sing. It is Vertical Horizon’s “The Best I Ever Had”.. It is basically a break-up song, but I still used it in the video

I cried after publishing the video. No, I am not sad. It’s just that I am longing for my brother’s hugs and kisses… But its not so bad, it’s just that hee is the best I ever had.

Balikbayan Box

My mom arrived here in the Philippines last October 29 after 1 year and 9 months of working in England. She went back home to fix Carlo and Ate Virgie’s documents and to attend my graduation. Two huge balikbayan boxes arrived in Manila two weeks before her arrival. We controlled ourselves not to open the balikbayan box because we want her to hand her pasalubongs to us.

I can still remember Carlo’s reaction when he saw the big box full of chocolates, candies, canned goods and pastas (he ignored the other stuff).

My mom and Ate Virgie is doing the usual thing again - Filling out the balikbayans with a lot of gifts for us.

Did you know that my brother has a separate balikbayan box for me? The box is full of chocolates and he even did his own gift wrapping with matching cards!

TRIVIA: Carlo has a talent in gift wrapping and he really enjoys the task. Unlike most kids in christmas, Carlo carefully opens his gifts and he is fond of recycling the used gift wrapper to wrap some of his new stuff or in some cases, my things.

“Ate Mica.. chocolate..” Carlo said while showing his newly-wrapped gift for me. He then placed it in his own balikbayan box.

I am really happy right now because he really cares for me.

Should I send him some Goya Dark Mint Chocolates?

He wants Boy Bawang daw