Remember the kilig moments?

This morning, while Wendy was taking a bath for school:

Wendy: Alam mo Mama, kahapon, excited ako pumasok sa school kasi gusto ko makita kuya ni Francine*. [FYI: the kuya is her crush]

KG: Talaga?

Wendy: Opo. Ganun ka din ba?

KG: Oh yes! Ok yan para excited ka pumasok.

[Insert nostalgic music here.]

Haha!

This brought me back to my grade school and high school days, when, at many instances, I was excited to go to school because of my crushes [oo, minsan more than one ang crush ko]. I must admit that crushes were a big, big part of my school life.

In my first year of high school, I didn’t want the school year to end and I didn’t want to go to vacation because I wouldn’t be seeing my crush, which, at that time, eh feeling ko patay na patay ako!

The first crush I remember was when I was in Grade 1. His name was Raymond. He was so cute! Through my younger school life, my crushes were always based on looks. Minsan, ang mga crush ko, hindi ko kilala personally. These ones were mostly from the older batches! When I got older, looks plus character na ang criteria ko. So this means that some of my friends became my crushes.

I remember my friend and I making tambay in our canteen, which is elevated, to search our crushes sa covered court below. Makita lang namin sila, ang saya saya na namin. Oh, and we even had “nicknames” for our crushes so that when we talked about them, only we would know who they were, like toothpick (payat kasi), kilay (makapal kasi ang kilay), drumstick (drummer kasi)…oh, you get the point.

And more than puberty, it was because of my crushes that I learned to use a mirror, dress myself up, make porma, and act properly [whatever that meant for me at that time]. Siempre, we need to impress our crushes diba? Kailangan mapansin nila tayo! Remember the kilig moments? Haay…ang dami diba? Kausapin ka lang, or magkadikit lang kayo, or tingnan ka lang, kilig na kilig na! There are also times na medyo assuming ako. Tingnan lang ako ng crush ko, feeling ko crush na din nya ako. He he!

If there were the kilig moments, there were also the heartbreaking moments. I remember that devastating time when I saw my crush suddenly holding hands with someone else [and I thought crush nya ako!], or when I suddenly learned that my crush has a crush on someone…at hindi ako yun! What would one do but go home and cry your heart out, telling your mom that you won’t have a crush ever again! But the next week, may iba ka nang crush! Ganun lang naman yun diba?

Of course, as I grew older, the crushes turned to puppy love, then to first love, then to true love, and kung anu-anu pang love meron. But sometimes, it’s nice to have crushes, just to have those fleeting kilig moments.

******

*Name changed to protect me. Secret namin yan ni Wendy eh! Baka sabihin nya pinagkakalat ko secrets namin! Haha!

Thoughts of a not-so-wimpy kid

 

Wimp:

A weak, cowardly, or ineffectual person (Merriam Webster)

Wendy has been into the whole Diary of a Wimpy Kid thing and asked for the entire set last Christmas. I don’t know how she came to know about it…she doesn’t even know what wimpy means!

Anyway, recently, she asked me to buy this for her, to complete her set daw:

 

I asked Wendy, “Ano ba yang do-it-yourself book na yan? What does it exactly mean?” She said, “basahin mo na lang itong first page.”

Aba, may disclaimer agad! This is NOT a diary.

Down memory lane

With UST’s amazing 400th year celebration, and after reading the hilarious flashback of TPS when she was still in UST, I couldn’t help but be brought to my own memory lane.

No, I am not a Thomasian. I graduated from UP Los Banos. And although a lot of people would smirk at this fact [hmp, UPLB lang naman pala], I am certainly proud of it. Why wouldn’t I? I chose this particular campus, perhaps because of my inclination toward nature and the rural way of living. And true enough, I’ve come to love the green campus of UPLB!

In contrast to TPS, though, I do not recall my first day of class. What I do remember is the day my whole family trooped to Los Banos and dropped me off at my first dorm, leaving me to live on my own for the first time in my life. I didn’t sleep the first night.

The first few weeks, as I remember them, were full of loneliness and homesickness. I guess this is the adverse effect of living in a happy home. Mawalay ka lang, sobrang lungkot na. On Fridays, I would bring my bag to class, no matter how heavy it is, so I can go home right away. I thought I wouldn’t be able to make it the whole 4 years of my Economic course.

But in the next months, as I met new people and made friends, learned a lot in classes, experienced a lot of things, and yes, fell in love [ahem], I then found myself calling [collect] home to say, “Di muna ako uuwi ngayong weekend…may “project” kaming gagawin.”

And then started a chapter in my life that has had a great impact on what I am today.

My college life has been a melting pot of experiences.

I’ve learned to cook, clean the toilet, budget my money. My housemates and I have moved four apartments in 4 years [that is not easy, I tell you]. I’ve met [and become friends with] people from all walks of life: probinsyanos, sons of congressmen, drug and alcohol addicts, suicidal persons, hardcore lesbians and gays, and a lot, lot more. I’ve witnessed frat riots firsthand. I’ve learned to eat pancit canton, orlian [small kikiam], and maling on a regular basis; not to mention I’ve realized how valuable McDo, Jollibee, and KFC are! I’ve vomited in front of a crowd because of drunkenness [oh how embarrassing!]. I’ve gone to class without taking a bath [believe me, this is big deal for me]. I’ve had my heart broken [hu! hu!]. My housemates and I have sold some of our stuff because we couldn’t pay our electric bill [my parents will kill me for this…they give me money for this. Where did you use the money?]. I’ve gone to so many wonderful places because of the many people I’ve met. I’ve learned the art of begging professors to accept me in their class. I’ve experienced flunking two subjects: math [my fault] and social sciences [the professor’s fault…really]. I’ve experienced falling in line to use the shower room in the dorm [most of the time letting my toiletry kit fall in line for me]. I’ve experienced na mapag-initan ng bading na professor just because he likes my seatmate. I’ve witnessed [and even joined] some ridiculous contests like padamihan ng makakain na pancit canton, padamihan ng maiinom na beer, o padamihan ng alam kay Harry Potter. Oh, and so many other more memories!

And the most significant thing that happened to me while in college? I had Wendy. [Sana lang po wag nya ito mabasa! Nadulas ako once and she hollered, “Pinanganak mo ako nung asa school ka pa?” Another ackward moment!]

When I look back at my college days, I see so many contrasting things. I’ve had some devastating experiences, but I’ve also had a lot of amazing experiences. I’ve met a lot of wonderful people, some who are friends for life, and made wonderful relationships. And most importantly, I firmly believe that my life today is a reflection of mostly what I was in college. What I will always remember in those times, more than what I learned in the classrooms, were the lessons in life that I experienced for myself.

And for that alone, college is certainly a period of my life that I will cherish forever.

Barbie's day out

Setting: A seemingly deserted pool…

Looks like only two girls were swimming…

But the truth is, there were four girls swimming that day.

Bianca: Wow, it’s such a nice day today, isn’t it?

Kelly: Yes, good thing our swimming day pushed through today.

Bianca: I know what you mean. It’s boring being stuck all day, all summer in the house!

Kelly: Talk about the summer just going by without us going swimming, not even once! Bummer! Now we can wear our bikinis and swim all we want!

Bianca: Look, I can now ride my surfboard! Wendy made this for me.

Bianca: Look Kelly, I can now stand on  my surfboard!

Kelly: That’s great Bianca! Now let’s swim!

Kelly: Ooooh, the water’s so cool! I love to swim!

Kelly: Look at me Bianca, the swimming lessons must have worked! I can now float on my back!

Bianca: That’s great! Now just practice!

Kelly: Let’s do it together!

Kelly: Oh what a fun, fun day! I hope we can go swimming again soon! I need to practice my floating!

Bianca: Then let’s tell Wendy’s mom to that we want to swim again next week!

Kelly: Don’t worry, I have a feeling we will be!

*****

[Bianca’s and Kelly’s bikinis were designed and made by Wendy and Juday. Photos taken by Mommy Grace, through her cell phone.]

[Un]Forgotten childhood treat: jackstones

Around a month ago, Wendy asked me to buy her a trumpo [top]. Last week, it was this:

I was instantly brought back to my “jackstone days”! Oooohh, how I love jackstones: it’s a cheap toy [kahit ata sa palengke meron nito], it has many “variations,” it is fun to play!

I tried playing again after so many years, just to show off in front of Wendy. Sabi ko kasi expert ako sa jackstones! He! He! In the round of 1 to 10, I went “dead” only once! Yay! Yun nga lang, pagdating sa exhibition, medyo hirap na sa “around the world,” “cave,” and others.

Remember the “exhibition” part? There are so many choices; minsan pwede pa mag-imbento! As long as you do something not normal [ie, not just picking up the stars], lusot na! 🙂

Oh, how I love it when kids nowadays play what we were playing before! At least it’s not all computers and PSPs! Enjoy naman diba?