The Insanity that Gives Sanity

Took me more than a month to get back here. Haha What happened? A LOT. It was a crazy month. Lots of first times. Lots of fun. Lots of mood swings. And I must admit, lots of mistakes. There were also down moments, for no apparent reason. But to sum it all up, one word: INSANE.

 

Insane Adventure: EKstreme

Got the chance to explore Enchanted Kingdom for the first time (I KNOW!).  Bonus: With my best friends: Nikko and Jickey. Natuloy din sa wakas! Hahahaha That day was really tiring but totally well spent. And I know, the magic stayed with us. Well, our friendship is our true magic, anyway.

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Photos by: Jickey Ella Mendoza

Insane Encounter (with Angel of Death huhuhaha)

That Insane Adventure became memorable not just because of our BFF day. I will never forget April 8, 2017 because it was the day I refused to die. Yup, I just fought for my life. Woooh strong! So here’s what happened. Before going to EK, we decided to have lunch first at Nuvali. I was doing fine until we got there around 12NN. I thought it’s just because of dysmenorrhea as I was starting to feel pain on my lower abdomen. So, the first thing I did was to go to the restroom. But, when I sat on the toilet bowl, I suddenly felt dizzy. I felt like melting as I started sweating excessively. I felt nauseous. Thinking it’s because of hunger, I immediately got food and water from my bag. But it did not help. So I stood up. That’s when I felt collapsing. I sat on the floor and tried with all my might to get my phone and text Jickey. I managed to send two messages: “Ike help” and “CR.” Fortunately, that time, they were taking selfies (MAUUTAS NA LANG AKO PICTORIAL PA YUNG DALAWANG BUANG) and so she immediately saw my text. She thought I was just gonna ask for napkin but she was shookt to see me on the floor. And according to her, as she describes it to Nikko,  (NV) “Alam mo yung para tayong nagroroadtrip tapos tumigil tayo sa isang gasolinahan para mag-CR si Angge. Tapos dun sya nagbreakdown. Mukha syang broken!!!” Wow, thanks Ike. Anyway, the bottomline is… SHET, THIS IS MY SECOND LIFE! (baka nga hindi lang second eh) HUHU THANK YOU LORD. AND THANK YOU JICKEY FOR SAVING ME. Grabe talaga. I remember myself saying in the middle of my ~battle~, “No. Hindi ako pwedeng mamatay today. Ayoko. Mag-e-EK pa kami. Ako na naman ang jinx.” Yup, my ~fighting thoughts~. And I succeeded. Oh di ba, insane?

Insane Bath (Hahaha BUHUSAYA sa Lucban!!!)

It was my first time to celebrate BUHUSAN, an Easter Sunday celebration in Lucban, ofcourse, with my dearest orgmates. Oh di ba, kung kailan nakagraduate na ako. Hahaha And, it was really fun to the point na understatement na ang salitang fun. Ganern. Highlight of party is when we’re all jumping and screaming together habang nakaikot sa aming mga sisses ang brods. Nagkakabungguan and medyo pisikalan kasi sa crowd. And the sweetest brods suddenly formed a circle where kapit-kapit sila to protect us habang nagwawalwal. Sobrang solid nung feeling. And another solid feeling, I was able to catch up with my friends. Not to mention my heart to heart session with Kathkath and with Chelsie (who gave us warm accommodation, yey thanks Nak!). Ang sarap lang sa feeling to be able to feel alive again because of my orgmates’ hugs and stories. That’s why I’m really hoping for a next getaway with them. Asap!

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Photos by: Ericson Andaya, Cedric Abuso, and Chelsie Calubayan

 

 Insane Move (That Changed My Life CHAROT)

Okay. Honestly, I don’t feel comfortable sharing this here. And man, sobrang haba ikwento. Hahaha So, I’ll just give the gist. In the simplest and most direct way I can. Lol So. Napatunayan kong late bloomer ako. HAHA There’s this guy (eeeew, not so Anngie HAHAHA). Okay “simplest and most direct way” nga pala. I met a guy. In a not-so-Anngie way. HE HE. And then we started having communication. Then I came back to my senses. I told him that I don’t want play time. So I just asked him to be my friend. Pero ang labo nya. Until we lost the “PBB teens” / “sparks” we had at first. Then I got sad. I realized how messed up I am especially when it comes to this thing. I’m so complicated. Combination ni Robin and Ted, that’s how I feel. So I started sharing it to some of my closest friends. Sobrang hesitant ko to share it coz I really find it difficult to talk about it. Ewan ko ba. Di talaga ako sanay. So yun. I got pieces of advice. And, I got the chance to really talk to my heart. Until narealize ko na lang na I’m tired of mind games. My own mind games. And ayaw ko na syang problemahin. So I started getting detached. KAYA BA NG ISANG ANNGIE YON? HAHAHA PERO, YES, KINAKAYA. Coz it’s not just about knowing what you deserve. It’s also believing that you deserve it. So yun, but I did not block him. Tuloy lang, casual na lang ako. And the insane part, until now open pa rin communication namin. Although I thought tapos na when we did not talk for several days. But he still came back. But we’re not like we used to be. In fairness naman, I did not want to push him away and be this “detached.” Sometimes, it’s tempting to show him the real me – clingy, talkative, and medyo thoughtful (hehe claim ko po muna lol). But I can’t. Especially when he can’t give me a reason to do so. Pero teka ano ito. Breaking news! This just in! Yup as in as I’m writing this! Mukhang we’re starting to be real friends na. Half of my heart is saying, “Meh. Okay lang naman.” The other half naman is shouting “Medyo tangaaaa!” Pero wala. Game na. Sabi nga ng post ko sa Instagram kanina, “Do whatever the hell it takes to make you feel real again.” So I guess, tingnan na lang natin kung saan ito hahantong. Abangan ang susunod na kabanata. (SANA NAMAN WAG AKONG LUHAAN BAKLAAAA HUHUHAHAHA) Okay. Simplest. Most direct. Galeng.

 

Insane Life (In a Good Way)

These are just some of the insane moments I got lately. Marami pang iba. Minsan nakakatempt pagsisihan, lalo na pag di mo masyado nagustuhan ang outcome. But that’s life. Being wrong, being right. Being happy, being sad. And everything in between. So just enjoy the insanity, dear self. Magmemake sense din in the end. And if it didn’t, it’s okay, that’s still life.

Panda’s Home

Finally, nakauwi na ako sa Elbi. Wala na talaga ito sa plano because of financial constraints. Pero last Monday night, noong nafeel ko bigla yung bigat ng lahat lahat ng nasa loob ko, walang budget budget, nagdecide akong umuwi rito.

Ang plano, one night lang. Pero nagawaan ng paraan. It’s my second night here. (Thank you so much Apt 3 babies!) At so far? ANG SAYA. SYET.

Foodtrip. Chika marathon. Laughtrip. Yakap. Handshake. Volleyball. Videoke. Inom nang pavery light. Kape. Yakap. Late night to madaling-araw kwentuhan. At yakap ulit.

Sobra ko itong namiss eh. Itong buhay na ito. Itong lugar na ito. Sobra kong namiss itong mga taong ito. Sobra kong namiss ang feeling na ito with them.

At kanina, habang nagkakape, umupo ako sa may pinto ng apartment 3 kung saan dati rin akong umuupo pag nagkakape at nagmumuni-muni. Humigop ako ng kape, tumingin sa “hallway” ng Ilag’s, napatingin sa mga karatig na apartments. Tumingala sa langit at nakitang nandun pa rin yung bituing lagi kong tinitingnan noon mula sa apartment. Higop ulit ng kape. Naiiyak na ako.

Nagflashback lahat. Moments. People. Feelings.

Dati, nakaupo ako roon, umiiyak dahil nakagat ako ng aso. O kaya dahil nangangambang walang mapapasali sa org. O kaya dahil sa acads. O dahil mismo sa thesis na di matapos. O dahil sa problema sa pamilya. O di kaya naman ay dahil sa kaibigan.

At ngayon, muli akong nakaupo roon, umiiyak pa rin. Sa ibang dahilan na.

Tinabihan ako ni Chelsie. Di ko kinaya, nagpaalam na ako na iiyak na talaga ako sa tabi nya. And she let me. Then she hugged me.

At wala akong nasabi kundi “Oh my gaaahd. Ang bilis. Ang daming nangyari. My gaaahd.” Punas luha, tawa, iyak pa, tawa, punas luha.

No regrets naman din talaga.

Pero shet.

What would I give to be that girl (panda) again? To be here again? To be “okay” again?

Missing You in a Good Way

Remember when you tried to delete me from your memory and it failed when it reached 99%? Idiot. Hahaha

I miss you, Pren.

Not the i-want-you-back kind of “I miss you”. Nor the what-if-nandito-ka kind. Nor even the i’m-still-hurting-i-miss-you kind. Just…I miss you. Not because I’m sad. But because I just really do miss you.

I’m fine, Pren. Char minsan hindi. Nitong nakaraan, I’m not. But you, for some reasons, always remind me how beautiful life is — how precious our time in this world is. You remind me that life is a big adventure and we are great explorers. That in this battle, we are victors no matter what.

And yeah, I guess I know what this is. This is you-still-inspire-me kind of “I miss you”.

So from my healing soul, thank you. And for the nth time, I miss you. ⭐

Tales of An Intern: Anngie’s MBFI Adventure

On my first day in Metrobank Foundation Inc, the president asked us why we chose this organization for our internship. Honestly, the top reason was because it’s in Makati and my eldest sister lives there. But ofcourse, I was also interested in the programs of the foundation especially when I read that they conduct Search for Outstanding Teachers because I really have a soft spot for teachers. Little did I know, God has led me there for deeper reasons.

Metrobank Foundation gave me an awesome learning experience. Here, I have applied my knowledge about writing scripts and reports, writing RTOs for developmental projects, creating visual aids, and applying communication strategies. Moreover, MBFI helped me to achieve new skills such as creating networks and linkages for potential partnerships and program expansion, conceptualizing strategies for launching events, and writing scripts faster. The Foundation exposed me as well to different activities such as Graduates’ Forum (a program for its scholars), LCF CSR Expo (an exhibit for CSR programs in the Philippines), National Teachers’ Month Coordinating Council Meeting (a collaborative meeting with the organizations and companies in the Philippines in preparation for the National Teachers’ Month celebration), and Search for Outstanding Teachers Final Judging (the final level of choosing the top 10 outstanding teachers in the Philippines).

One of the memorable things I have experienced in my internship is when I got the chance to finally meet my favorite DepEd Secretary, Brother Armin Luistro, during the NTMCC meeting. It was really overwhelming especially when he wished me luck in my studies and he shook my hands. It was priceless!

In Metrobank Foundation, I also experienced attending activities that develop camaraderie and team spirit among the staff. They involved us in their 12:30 Fellowship every Monday and in their Staff Development where they honored their employees whose birthdays are June or July. It was fun seeing them enjoying and mingling with each other. Indeed, MBFI gave me the opportunity not only to excel in my field but also the opportunity to grow as a person, to meet new friends and to be closer to God.

I will never forget how the people in the foundation touched my life in different ways, especially those in my unit, the Education unit. They made my internship journey fun, exciting, challenging, and awesome. They are very supportive and appreciative. I am really happy to have met people like them who taught me lessons and insights not just about work but also about life. Special thanks to my mentor, Ms. Krista, for her guidance and support throughout my internship program. I also appreciate the President of the foundation, Mr. Chito, because he is really hands-on when it comes to our internship program and because he made us feel that we, their interns, are important by always asking for our comments and suggestions and for always listening to our insights. I will never forget that time when we had a post-facto evaluation about the Graduates’ Forum where the staffers commended our service and where President Chito told us that we are the best interns they have ever had. It really warms my heart whenever they express their appreciation for our service.

I didn’t expect that internship could be this fun and fulfilling. In the end, I believe MBFI was able to inculcate in me the advocacy of NTM (i.e. to appreciate teachers and to honor the teaching profession), the essence of practicing the culture of excellence, and the passion to give back to the community by serving our countrymen. They taught me that excellence is not only about competence, skills and intelligence. It is about showing respect to your job, your respect for your beneficiaries, and respect for your purpose. They taught me not just to strive for excellence but also to strive for meaning. ❤

 

*** Found this in my drafts. I wrote this two years ago and I don’t know why I did not publish this one. Ang sincere ko pa naman dito, kahit ako na-touch — nagflashback OJT experience ko which is one of the best parts of my college life. ❤

 

Ang Alamat ng Burger (according to my 2014 self)

I checked out my old Tumblr posts and I stumbled upon this entry of mine. Hugot queen na pala ako, second year college pa lang. Hahahaha

Aw self. Aw.

Ang Burger (circa 2014)

Huma-happy Thanksgiving Kahit January 😁

Watched HIMYM 01×09 (yup marathon ulit kasi miss ko na ‘to hahaha) where Ted dropped this line: “But life has plenty of good parts. It’s the rough parts that make you thankful you have people to share it with.” Tapos ‘matic, itong picture na ito at ang moment na ito ang nagflashback sa utak ko.

Not sure of the exact date when this photo was taken but I remember (ofcourse! how can i forget this huhuhaha) this was during the time when I thought hindi ako makakapagmartsa last June 2016, as in goodbye Sablay2016. It was a difficult time for me kasi syempre pangarap ko yun e, makagraduate na to make my family and my self proud at para makatulong na rin sa pamilya.

Actually naniniwala naman ako na di paunahan makatapos at magtagumpay at walang masamang madelay. Blessing in disguise pa nga yon minsan. Pero that moment, kahit alam ko na hindi failure ang pagiging delayed, I was really breaking. And by breaking I mean devastated talaga ako lalo na’t wala na rin akong matinong tulog nang mga panahong ito. Kakaunti na rin ang tao sa Elbi kasi tapos na talaga ang klase. Depressing besh.

Pero swerte ko, andyan yang dalawang brods ko. From kopisoc to empisoc real quick 😂 Sila lang naman ang nasa tabi ko noong walang anu-ano, habang kumakain ako nung hawak kong footlong (see picture 😂), e bigla na lang akong iiyak. Tapos tatawa kasi may sasabihin silang dalawa na nakakatawa. Tapos iiyak na ulit ako. And they just stayed there. Beside me. Hanggang unti-unti na rin akong ngumiti. ☺

And I’m sharing this because

1. Namiss ko bigla sina Kuya Eric at Kuya Jireh. Pati si Kuya Jhomar na bigla ring dumating haha.
2. Baka nakalimutan ko noon so I’m telling you guys now, SALAMAT BRODS. MAHAL KO KAYO.
3. I miss Elbi. And Ilag’s. Uuwi ako soon. Hihi
4. Just in case may makakabasang graduating ngayon nitong post ko, Aja sa #RoadToG #Sablay2017 niyo! Push lang hanggang dulo. Just give it your all kahit mukhang imposible na. Or malayo pa. Habol lang!; and
5. I agree with Ted. Mapapa-SALAMAT ka na lang talaga dahil during the “rough parts”, ayan, at di ka rin naman talaga mag-isa. 😊

Of Ball Games, Fatherhood, and Heaven †

During my senior year in high school, I had to live in my Lolo’s house because my Mom undergone an operation. Mom and I lived with my Lolo, two Titas, my uncle, my cousins and my nephews. 
It was kind of difficult to adjust, at first. However, the care and love that I and Mom got from the people there were enough to make us feel alright. 

And one happy thing about having that experience is getting the opportunity to interact with them, closer than ever.

And I remember, whenever I watch basketball games (PBA) to support my team, Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters (Go #TnTNation), I was always being teased by my Tito (San Miguel/Petron fan) and my Lolo (fan of any teams playing against my team). They always tell me that we’re gonna lose, my team is weak, and other stuff just to make fun of me. And that became our bonding. 

And now, they are both gone. On October 28, my Lolo passed away. Last December 16, mom called me and told me about my uncle dying. 

It feels horrible to lose them both this year, this Christmas. 

And how I wish we could still do our bonding. 

Tay,  Papa Tony, wherever you are, thanks for being my fathers. You are both great dads. By the way, from heaven, watch TnT Tropang Texters get the championship this cup. 😜 I miss you both. I love you both.