while cyber games were still on the drawing board

masarap yong mga karanasan natin ng bata pa tayo. pero mas masarap at mas masaya yata kung ipinanganak tayo ng dekada otsenta o bago pa umabot ang dekadang iyon kasi wala pa uso noon ng celfon, mp3s, mp4s, cyber games at kung anu-ano pa. hindi natin kailangan ng pera para tayo ay sasaya at mag-enjoy ng barkada. dagdag mo pa doon yong mas personal na paraan ng pakikipagkaibigan o panliligaw. pwede pa natin isali doon yong mga panahon na gusto natin maglaro na hindi mo kailangan humingi ng pera sa ating magulang. isang magandang paalam lang sa parents ay swak na swak na. bonus na kung bigyan ka nila ng pang-merienda.

iba kasi ang mga laro noon. mas nahahasa yong mga kabataan sa pakikipagsalamuha sa iba’t-ibang klase na kalaro. indi kasi virtual kundi personal na nakakalamuha mo yong mga kalaro mo. maganda at masaya rin siya sapagkat sa mga larong iyon nahuhubog yong magagandang katawan ng mga bata. hindi kasi sa lahat ng oras ay nakaupo lang yong mga bata sa isang tabi habang naglalaro. so libre ehersisyo na yon sa mga bata. kaya nga wala kang maririnig dati na batang high blood.

ang sumusunod ay yong mga nakahiligan kung laro ng kabataan ko pa.. whehehe…

syato, syatom in our dialect. ito yong gumagamit ng dalawang piraso ng kahoy na magka-iba yong sukat - may maliit at mahaba. ang maliit ay isang dangkay lang yong sukat at yong mahaba naman ay aabot ng dalawang talampakan o depende na sa gusto ninyong haba. ang mahabang patpat ng kahoy ay siyang ginagamit para panghampas ng maliit. it’s a physical game kasi kailangan dito ng mahaba-habang lakaran habang sinusukat ang layo ng maliit na patpat, pagkatapos ito ay hambalusin, papunta ng base.

 tumbang preso, tumba lata sa mga tagon-ons. ito yong laro na gumagamit ng maliit na lata ng sardines o gatas. mas maganda pagniyuyupi mo muna yong lata kasi hindi ito madaling matutumba. mas masaya kasi yong tinatamaan yong lata ngunit mahirap itumba. kapag binato mo yong lata, tinaman mo ito at hindi natumba ay kinakailangan mong kunin ang tsinelas mo pabalik sa base na hindi nadadakip ng isang taya. if natumba naman yong lata ay pwede mong lapitan agad yong tsinelas. at kung sino man ang hahawak sa pinambato na tsinelas habang nakatayo yong lata ay pwedeng dakpin ng taya at siya na ang magiging taya.

meron kaming variation din sa larong ito, tinawag naming taksi. dalawang uri yong taksi; depende yon sa kung ano yong binabato namin. pwede kasing tansa na kung minsan ay nilalagyan namin ng bakal yong ginagamit na pambato. tansan din yong binabato rito. pwede rin yong wrapper ng sigarilyo ang binabato o taya namin at malapad na bato o tsinelas naman yong pambato. kailangan lang na mapalabas sa parisukat na guhit yong tansan o wrapper ng sigarilyo sa pamamgitan ng pagbato dito sa di kalayuan. yong wrapper ng sigarilyo pala ay may katumbas na halaga tulad ng pera. halimbawa, ang wrapper ng winston at malboro na pula ay 50, yong philip morris ay 100, yong hope at mark naman ay 20, etc. etc. etc.

 trumpo, turumpo sa mga surigaonons. ang masaya dito ay yong sabong ng trumpo. kung kaninong trumpo ang hindi makakaalis sa loob ng bilog na guhit ay siyang magiging taya. yong trumpong taya ay siyang susubuking biakin ng ibang manlalaro sa pamamagitan ng kanilang trumpo. habang binibiak yong pain na trumpo at hindi makalabas sa guhit yong trumpo ng ibang manlalaro ay magiging pain na rin ito hanggang maubos na yong manlalaro. (more…)

this month i opt to punish myself

isa na ka-semana kahapon an pagpuspos ko an ako lawas sa isa ka training na ako tagsudlan. yakahuna-huna ako na haguon an ako lawas kay bagan wara na kabag-ohan na yahitabo sa iya.

nan min-agi na tuig min-asksyon na taraw pagsulig an ako lawas pero isa da kaigo nan sakit, ubo o sip-on, papas nasab an iya insuligan. balik na sab sa iya daan porma. kon madakuay sab taraw, isa da kapao, impas nasab an iya indako. 

laong sila sa ako na mag-vitamins kuno ako ug kaon nan damo. kon vitamins dakan lamang an istoryahan nato, bagan puno na inin lawas ko nan tambal. basin gani inin ako huwas pwede na tipunon tapos ipainom sa iban na tao kay an duga nan ini daan kibale daog pa an multi-vitamins.

kon kaon sab an ato hisgutan, lumbaanay pa kita nan kaon or padamuay pa kita. wara sa gihapon ako moburot na amo da nan balon. kuan sa gihapon ako itsura kibale tikling na langgam. pwede sab tawagon na kuhit kay hataasay sa lagi kita na tao pero kulaigers. daog pa nako an kuhit sa kaymeto.

galaong agaw ako tatay na magpalit dakan kuno ako nan sustagen na gatas kay hamay da modakoay ako. unhon ko sa iton sustagen na kamahal raba iton na gatas. bagan wara sa gayod ako salig na modako ako kon mag-inom ako nan gatas. malamiers da sa gayod ilala nan red horse, abo na kon frozen na haod nan sa BAKBAK sa davao.

may galaong sab sa ako na madayaw kuno kon mag-exercise ako. tubag ko sab sa ila na permi sa ako ga-exercise kay sige sa ako panaw kada adlaw. dili sa gayud mahimo na dili ako makabaktas adlaw-adlaw. laong nila sab na pwede kuno ako mosud nan iton weight training para dili lang kuno siki an modako sa ako. medyo yaisip ko sab agaw na madayaw na suggestion. kay bisan agaw sige ako baktas wara sa modako ako lawas,an bagtak sa hinuon. tapos ako sab yabantayan na an ako mga cousins na mintaba, gamay iya bukton. kalainers bagan sab na taba kita pero kulaigers ato bukton. dapat kon modako kita, tanan dako pati na siguro an otin.. hehehe..

naman yadton isa na semana yakahuna-huna ako na mosud dakan gayod sa training. yanganduyay sab kita na modakoay. laong pa nila na mamachohay sab. sa tinuoday bitaw gusto ko sab modako kay ako tag-compute yaon taglaong nila na height and body mass ratio, an resulta grabe ka-revealing kon sa english pa. yadayang ako sa ako inkahibaw-an kay pagtoo ko na normal da ako, pagsuta pa “thin” ako. isipa taraw yaon, sin-o ganahan tawagon na payatot kaw.

yadton levis ko na karsones sa una na dili ko na maigo kuman grabe ka saktohers sukbuton. imbes dili na ako ganahan yadto magsukbot, masukbot ko na lamang. an ako mga long sleeves dili ko na masukbot kuman kay bagan amo da ako nan gasukbot nan burdin na sako kay grabe na kahawag. malisuders sab kuman maghanap nan bado na sukbuton kay kadamuan na baligya sa mall kundili semi-fit, body fit sab an available. alangan lugar mag-body fit ako na kagamayayers ko. amo da kita ini nan budbod na lukay na pagahiguters pagbugkot ni nanay gonding.

laong nan ako instructor, abtan kuno nan  tulo ka-buwan makita na kuno nako an resulta na modako na ako. tanan modako dili an bagtak da. masukbot ko na dayon an ako mga long sleeves. imbes na sustagen ako tagpalit, whey protien dakan kay makatabang sa kuno sa ako pagpa-muscle para medyo macho-nurin na dayon ako. tana tinuod an iya taglaong kay kakapoy raba inin lima kaadlaw kada semana sige kita exercise. ok da kon sexercise, bahala 3x a day, everyday of the week hehehehe….

unexpected delay

it took many investigations to ferret the truth behind the sinking of the sulpicio line’s mv princess of the stars. it’s so sad sad na kailangan pa ilihis ‘yong katotohanan para maiwasan ‘yong pananagutan sa naganap na sakuna. there’s the blaming of PAG-ASA, Del Monte, etc.. ano ba ang responsibility ng PAG-ASA sa nalunod na bapor? you can’t blame them for weather forecasting is not an exact science.

ano ba talaga ang cause ng sinking of the sulpicio lines? simple lang ang sagot doon. nilunod ni bagyong frank kasi gahaman sa pera yong may-ari ng sulpicio. it was a business decision to set sail amidst the mighty tropical storm unminding collateral damages. 

sapagkat hindi pinapayagan ngayon ang sulpicio lines na makapaglayag ulit, (medyo) marami ring  mga kargamento na hindi na madi-deliver on on a shorter lead time. kailangan na ng additional days para madeliver yong mga produkto sa kinauukulan. 

kung dati ay isang araw lang yong aabutin ng parcel na ipapadala ko sa cebu ngayon ay aabutin na ng dalawa o tatlong araw dahil wala daw yong sulpicio lines. naiintindihan ko naman kasi if they are going to send it through air cargo, aakyat naman yong bayad ng courier services. medyo mabigat naman yon sa bulsa ng isang blue collar worker. 

fiery birth (camiguin)

allegedly this island province holds the world’s title for most volcanoes to towns ratio. i don’t know if this fact has been authenticated by the guinness world record.

this island is home to seven active volcanoes and is composed of only five municipalities. it is believed that the island paradise, Camiguin, was born out of fire - a ravaging fire of molten rocks/lava spawned from the mouth of volcanoes. a very unique reminder of how this island was created is the big cross erected on the sea atop the cemetery of the old capital, Catarman. today,  this site is known to the world as the Sunken Cemetery of Camiguin, a unique diving site. it may sounds crippy but the old cemetery is buried 15 feet below the seafloor and is replaced with beautiful corals.

i’ve been in the island but have not yet explored everything it has to offer. i dont really fancy on finding white beaches or white islands or sand bars for there are many in my province, surigao del  sur. you can’t find any white beach in the main island of camiguin but two kilometers away is the famous white island. it is a sandbar whose sand can be at par with that of boracay. it has no trees or vegetations. it’s purely white powdery sand. the sandbar actually sinks during high tide. the best time to visit the island is during early morning or late afternoon.

but i am not a beach buddy since i grew facing the mighty pacific ocean. what i like to explore in camiguin are it’s unique water springs. the province is host to three types of water springs - cold, hot and soda springs. we have water springs in my province but we don’t have soda spring. i surmise it’s only in camiguin that we can find soda spring in the philippines. you know what soda drink is? or how it taste? the people of this island told me that it taste like soda and it has properties of a soda drink. you can actually see the bubbles once you put it in the glass.

i told them that i should, perhaps, bring with me a zaki wine when i visit the place so i could make a zaki mojito. but aside from getting a refreshing soda drink, you could treat yourself with a revitalizing dip into the pool of soda water. there is actually a local joke about this, “sa camiguin, ang soda di lang pang-inom kundi tubig pampaligo pa!”

aside from the soda spring, i drool over on swimming in a hot water pool courtesy, of course, by mother nature not by some modern technologies. though we have hot springs in our province, they are not that accessible. unlike in camiguin that you could have a good hot bath at Ardent Hot Spring’s pool. it is actually located three kilometers away from the province’s capital of mambajao.

annually, the islanders celebrate two festivitals - the Panaad during Holy Week and the Lanzones Festival on october.

with regards to accomodations, there are lot of hotels you can choose from. to name a few - paras beach resort, ardent hot spring resort, villa paraiso apartelle, gv pension house, secret cove resort, etc… 

you could also treat yourselves with a sumptuous seafoods at vandjeep restaurant nestled in front of the old parola in mambajao. i was once invited for dinner by the owner of vandjeep. vandjeep actually is the infamous maker of pastel of camiguin.

to measure the ‘enough’

the following texts was sent to me via sms:

10 Things to Avoid When in a Relationship

1. Never flirt when you know your taken.

2. Never fall in love with others; stay in love with your partner.

3. Never lie.

4. Never go out without your partner’s permission.

5. Never  go out on a date with other person.

6.  Never do things that will hurt your partner.

7. Never stay quiet, say your feelings when you’re hurting.

8. Never call or text nor entertain a person when you know your partner would be jealous.

9. Never kiss and hug an opposite sex other than your partner.

10. Never say promises if you can’t keep it.

which of the ten are you guilty of? 

which of the ten i am guilty of? i will tell you later.. bwahahaha…

those mentioned aboved where “peanuts”.. those are easy to follow than the ten commandments which was handed down to old moses in mount sanai during the liberation of the israelites from egypt. but many, in one way or another, have fallen to these relationship traps.

we could not blame one or the other if one of the partners has not avoided those mentioned above. a relationship is a work of two people working as one. if we become too focus about ourselves or too focus about our partner then relationship fails. there is no “i” or a “you” in a relationship. it must always be a “we”.

there is always two sides in every coin as there would be two sides in the cheating thing in relationship. if our partner cheats, we oftentimes put the blame on the cheater. we forget to ponder what have we done as a partner that made them cheat. you know what i like to emphasize here. but i don’t mean i tolerate cheating nor advocate cheating. i hated it the most for i was a victim of it many times.

going back to the question, “which of the ten i am guilty of?” 

the first two things mentioned above, i am definitely clear of it.

the third one? you know what “white lies” mean? i bet you know.. it’s a lie with good intention. for instance, somebody looking for pedro to kill him asked you where he is. you knew where pedro is but you don’t want him killed. so instead directing him to pedro, you tell that person a lie. i had once committed a white lie.

and the rest of the ten? i would say i have done something on the 8th thing.. never call or text nor entertain..  it was not on the call or on the text thing for obviously that means initiating those.. maybe it would be on the entertain thing for there is an instance that i have responded to a query of a person whom my partner was jealous about. i didn’t knew then that my friendly response to that querry and subsequent communications which i did not bother to answer was interpreted the other way. 

well, that already happened. no room for blaming her. the lesson is to go on with our lives and never repeat the mistakes of our past. those who learn to forgive, who stay and help improve the life of his beloved become happy in the end with the caring and loving embrace of the one that is trusted and loved.