ONAT LOPERA

I’ve been trying to avoid this entry from some days now. Maybe it’s the sheer numbers how many posts I didn’t put here on the site. I’ve been saying to myself that I had to sit on this write the damn post.

So, here it goes. About my family, my school and myself, of course, and everything in between.

My family first. On the 3rd of this month, my grandmother, my dad’ mom, passed away. Nanay, as we all call her, had her fourth stroke attack that week. She had been through a lot and seems that where she is today is far better than before. She was buried just last Sunday, the 15th on the Subic cemetery, among with our other relatives.

With that, my dad came home. He was working abroad when my mom told him what happened. His company was kind enough to fly him home at no charge. After some delayed flights, he was able to made it 2 days before Nanay’s burial, explains why the wake was a week longer than the usual. We were all waiting for Nanay’s first born, my dad.

Nanay used to have a small stall on the market (lumang palengke) selling coffee and sandwiches to almost all the stalls near her place. I remember when I was a kid, we always swung by Nanay’s place to say hi. I always go for her sandwich tray on the table and peek on each of the sandwiches to see what filling it had. I always go for the sunny-side egg filled ones.

I will always remember Nanay and I appreciate all that sent their regards.

On another note, we had our final outdoor graduation practice and the completion of my school clearance last Tuesday. We already had a couple of practice days and seemed that new schedules would not stop showing up. I myself never missed a single meeting for one reason, to have my original diploma to be given on the graduation day. The admin kept on saying that we should not be surprised if we received only the photo copy of our diploma on the graduation day if we were not attending (and participating) on those said practices. With catchy phrases such as “on a case to case basis”, they kept telling that being always there was not enough. That we should cooperate and behave like small kids afraid to get scolded and mad at them. Heck, we were definitely not like those stupid kids. Alright, some did everything they were told like their life was depended on it but with the unorganized and not well-thought plans of theirs, who could tolerate that? And add to that we were under the sun at Makirit Park.

I’m not bitter. It was all done. Moving on. And in a week (the 24th), a “general rehearsal” will be held on ‘the’ graduation site, Olongapo City Convention Center; indoors and frigid cold, my kind of practice venue. Our Dean will be the one facilitating the whole joint. With remarks like “the Dean will now know if we did go to the practice and such” and “it will be our fault if the graduation day would suck”.

I won’t even “ponder” on that. I’ll stop here. It’s better that way.

AND after the rehearsal will be the distribution of our graduation gowns (togas) with sash, graduation pictures (I think in all picture sizes known to man, based from my other pic portfolio), invitations and ribbons that says “Graduate” that I’ve been looking forward for the longest time. Looking forward on that orchestraic graduation march which is Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 I am still not familiar with its title and though I am already sick and tired of our graduation song, The Journey by Lea Salonga, (also my elementary, high school and associate degree graduation song) one last “performance” wouldn’t hurt. The baccalaureate mass will be an experience. It will be a first, being a “universal mass” as what they call it, different from what I was used to on a Catholic mass. There will be a lot of singing and reading from what I head. I know all the songs now, “know” and not “memorized” and I am curious how it will be.

With my father here, he now could join me on my graduation along with every one.

The other day, we were at Pampanga, with my dad and my sister. My dad took us along so for company and for some shopping at SM Pampanga later that day. While walking around, I noticed there were no pedestrian crossing lanes and signs on their roads. How come? We have a shitload of that here in Olongapo, and sometimes it’s confusing what lane to take. Is “jaywalking” “in” on Pampanga? And it really felt like a desert there. It was so hot, the air is so thick and even the wind coming in on the jeepney we rode was hot. It was hot under the sun and under our shoes. The concrete road was radiating heat upwards.

And now on the website. I am the worst blogger I know. A website milestone unacknowledged. Last March 8, my website turned two years old. I told you I am the worst. After crunching a few numbers, the lucky number is 138. One hundred and thirty eight entries and a hundred thirty eight comments also. Nice coinkidink. A little low compared from last year because of school pre-occupation. As a minor update, a change of headers and let me welcome you, though oh so late, to Year Three. And for some future plans: once I have the money, I think will be moving to a different host and upgrading.

Closing this lengthy entry, yesterday, my thesis mate and I met at school to get the invitation letter for our thesis clients to invite them on the graduation ceremony for the “thesis turnover” where we, together with the school, will be handing our executable thesis program and/or (maybe) their new kick-ass inventory and online ordering software. Our client asked us what to wear and joked if there will be food. Such nice folks, we’re very lucky to have them as our client.

Can’t wait ’til next week! Can’t wait ’til the 25th!

OK, I think this is good enough for another week. Now go and look for anything green in color, it had been proven to relax tired eyes.