Counting and remembering...

12Noon now. Nicole is sleeping. I woke up at 5am to "release-all-negative-emotions" (wink). Since then, I travelled back-and-forth the toilet 4 times to do the same. It's unfortunate that I am one of the people in Xlibris who suffered LBM or diarrhea from still unknown source. Water, Food?? Hope the City Health Office will release their findings soon.

Today is the 23th of June and in 3 days, I will have my 28th birthday. Still single and not even dating. What have I done on the last 28 years??? just let me run down unforgettable moments while I can still remember them...

1-4 - Mom??? remind me please!!! I guess people who remember will only tell me that I was this cute baby with severe skin allergies. Forget it!

5 - started school. Kindergarten. I still remember I danced and declaimed on the culmination. Mommy Nila bribed me with candies just so I memorize the poem "The Wind" and "Ako si Palaka". See I was talented even then!

6 - didn't go to school with reasons I don't believe till now. Mother told me I didn't want to. Saying I was too scared coz she will send me to a school far from the house, in the city, where a 'bus would fetch us from home'. But very active in "performing arts" (kuno). I was one of the children they organized to perform during fiesta. I still remember singing "ako si francisco dagohoy" on top of my lungs in our plaza. I went to Marawi City with my Tatang Abe, was left there for weeks. I can still remember very clearly how I missed home with tears-falling-down-cheeks non-stop on our way home.

7 - 1st grade. Martial Law. I remember crying out loud in the classroom one day. We heard successive loud bangs and overheard my teacher talking there was chaos in the municipal hall. My father was a policeman so I got scared. I went to school where you can just wear slippers and netbag to hold your school stuffs. I had a crush on someone for the first time. I liked it when they teased us on our way home but appeared to dislike it and cry.

8 - Parents send me to that school where a school bus pick you up from home and with a 2-peso allowance a day. It's fun coz my brother Rimar went to school with me. Every morning my teacher would check each pupil if we were bringing a hankerchief. If we don't, we'll be punished with 5 whips of a teacher's stick on each of our tiny hands.

9 - I went back to my old school where you can wear slippers and netbag. Allowance was back to 1peso a day. I still remember the day when all my classmates were being punished because of playing jackstone the whole afternoon and not reading as instructed by the teacher while she was away... of course except me - coz I was the "reporter" (Trust me, I really read and didnt play jackstone that afternoon) . I still remember the looks my classmates gave that day.

10 - I had this experience of a classmate waiting for you somewhere on your way home just so he could punch you in the face because I reported him cutting class.

11 - I remember Leopolda, Claridelle, Florenda (I forgot the rest), made our own version of
mardi gras by dancing on the street on our way home in one line holding anahaw leaves. And oh! First time, I had a long travel. I went to Camiguin Island with my Tatay Dodo and cousin Juliet. Grandpa was born and raised there. What makes it unforgettable was the embarrassing experience on our way back home and I chose not to write it. (Sorry)

12 - I graduated grade school na "May Karangalan" (with honors). It was sad though because my brother Rimar was in the hospital still scheduled for surgery so only my mother got to put the medal on me then we headed straight to Oroquieta City after the ceremony to look for money for my brother's hospitalization.

13 - Had a crush big time with Rafael Manlegro (Jomari Yllana slash young Antonio Banderas look-alike). I don't know where he is now. I am still hoping we will meet again soon. (But I think I just heard from someone that he is soon to be married. Sad!)

14 - Live with my aunt to accompany them in their new home. First time I dated and I didn't know it was already what you call dating. My friends told me the guy was already my boyfriend coz he held my hand. I didn't even know I already have. Would I then consider him a my first boyfriend?? I don't think so.

15 - Ahh.. Had chickenpox and pimples started to pop-up already. Self-esteem was so down. First time I got a taste of a father's leather belt. Ouch! -and that's just because I don't want to buy instant coffee (lazy sylvette). It was embarrassing coz the bruises can't be covered and classmates would ask. Had an amazing island tour in Camiguin with family.

16 - Very active with school's extra-cur activities. Usually went home late. One night, mama scolded me real hard. Father was asleep and drunk and awaken by the noise. He approached us with a gun pointing me. I still remember how I ended up under my mother's skirt... literally. That was really frightening. The thought still sends shivers down my spine. He didn't even remember what he did the next morning. So we forget it too.

17-18 - College. Boring years. Home-school-home routine. No boyfriend..still. Hahaha.

19- Best time in college. Active with school organizations. Graduated and had a short stint as college instructor in my Alma Mater - yeah first job.

20- Mmmm.. I did have a taste of being a bank teller. I had always dreamed of having that job. But one day, I no longer found love on counting bills and coins that you don't own.

21- Went to Manila up to La Union... and had smell the air of Baguio City. Found love in the internet. Hahaha.

22- Left home to find work in Cebu City armed with a Resume and a Thousand Peso allowance...
23- Had boyfriend but not so into it. Always thinking ahead, I think he will not be a good husband material - he's gambler and a womanizer. You know, typical salesman.

24 - 25 -Boring years. But yeah! I became part of an print-on-demand book publishing business and have a big shift of career... from working as process analyst/technical support, I become a part of office administration and I still am.

26 - Went to India to find out how it feels like to be with the person you want to meet.

27- 5 years ago I thought I will be married at this age. Mother married when she was 27 yrs old, so that gives me only 3 days left... Any guy who wants to dare???

28-?????? I thought I will be celebrating my 28th birthday with a child and a husband around me. But yes, I have Nicole with me but they said loving dogs will lead you to spinsterhood. Are they right? Still hopeful though...