i do

Finding someone to love till death do you part is not an easy feat. Sometimes, even finding someone to love for a few months is already difficult, what more a lifetime. But sometimes, one cannot help but plunge into it and try it. Otherwise, one would be left with the thought of “what ifs?”

Jo and Shiella finally said yes and erased all the “what ifs” of their single life. They’ve been together for a long time, had some rough times too and had to separate at one point, but it seems like their road of partnership was well defined even then and they could not help but be together.

The turning point was when Shiella left for

vacation for almost a month and Jo thinking he would have a great time reliving the life of a single person. But he found out otherwise. On every person’s face, he could not see anyone but her. In every place he went to, he kept thinking there was something missing and he realized it was her. He could not let a day or a moment pass without talking to her and missing her voice and her presence. Then it finally dawned on him that he needs her in his life. And finally he knew, he’s ready to love her forever.

To our dear friend, Jo and Shiella, we wish you all the best on your married life. May it be filled with love, wisdom and understanding, with God’s grace and abundant with His peace.

See the photos: Medina-Castillo Nuptials

a mom's chronicle - the art of imitation

At 20 months, you have started becoming more assertive and even more aggressive... nagsisimula nang magka-sungay, sabi nga nila, and what can I say, you're approaching your "terrible-two" stage but babycenter assures me its normal so I take things in stride... you do so many amazing things that we never even teach you and we just find out you saw it on TV, which you love to watch.

It's amazing how you love The Incredibles as you try to imitate Dash and run from one corner of the house to the next banging yourself on the walls and not feel anything and laughing to your hearts content while my heart flutters and says "MY GOODNESS!!!" in silent scream.

Your daddy and I were laughing so hard when one time we were watching the movie Saturday Night Live with you and all of a sudden you started swaying and moving like John Travolta in his jazz-dance moves as if you yourself were a great dancer... and I wonder and ask myself, will you when you grow up?

How you made your Lolo chuckle with pleasure when you took your uncles boxing gloves and started boxing your hands together and boxing the person beside you playfully... and then we realized that you saw it from the endless viewing of your uncle of boxing matches in Eurosport...

You never cease to amaze us and then of course annoy us and then amaze us again with your antics... Making us aware that the little you is becoming a bigger person who needs space in our little world.

dapit-hapon na sa Bonn

(Naisulat ko ito bilang kontribusyon ko sa aming newsletter "Tinig ng Tropa" na naitaguyod ng Tropa ng Kabataang Pinoy sa Deutschland bilang paghahanda sa nalalapit na World Youth Day sa Cologne ngayong Agosto. Ito ay pamamaalam sa isa sa aming pinakamamahal at masipag na ka-miyembro

Masarap isipin na minsan sa buhay ko may nakilala akong tao na sobrang palangiti at napaka-positibo ng tingin sa buhay maski na sangkaterba na problema ang bumabagabag sa kanya o kaya naman ay santambak ang kanyang trabaho at pagod. Yun bang ngiti na parang sikat ng araw sa makulimlim na panahon. Ray of light, ika nga.

Simula ng dumating sya sa Bonn, nagkaroon ng malaking asset ang komunidad dahil nagkaroon sila ng kasama na lubos ang paniniwala sa Diyos at taos-pusong naglilingkod sa Kanya. Sa iniikutan niyang mundo sa simbahan, alam ng lahat ang kanyang talento sa pagtugtog ng piano o organ. Paminsan-minsan ay pumipitik din siya sa gitara kung kinakailangan. At higit sa lahat ay ang pagtuturo niya sa choir na puno ng pagpapakumbaba at pagkahaba-habang pasensiya na di pangkaraniwan. Sa sobrang sipag ng taong ito, maski na pagod sa trabaho, pilit pa rin niyang ginagampanan ang kanyang mga responsibilidad sa community niya at ganoon na rin sa grupo namin ng mga kabataan ngayon.

Dahil na rin siguro sa kanyang paglilingkod, binigyan siya ni Lord ng isang magandang blessing. Siya ay pinadala kasama ng ibang representantive ng Alemanya sa Roma noong 2003 para salubungin at tanggapin mula sa kabataan ng Canada ang World Youth Day Cross na 20 taon nang lumilibot sa buong mundo, simbolo ng paniniwala ng kabataan sa Panginoong Hesu-Kristo. Alam niyo ba na nasa opisyal na dokumento ng World Youth Day ang taong ito?!? Ang galing diba!

At dahil na rin sa World Youth Day ay nagkaroon ako ng pagkakataong makatrabaho siya ng puspusan. Doon ko lalong na-appreciate ang kagandahan ng kanyang loob . Sa mahahabang pag-uusap ng grupo na labu-labong trabaho, kwentuhan, biruan, asaran, seryosong usapan sa buhay at kainan, sobrang napamahal sa akin ang taong ito.

Hindi lang musika ang talento niya kundi marunong rin siyang mag-edit ng video dahil na rin sa kanyang trabaho noon sa atin sa ABS-CBN, lalong-lalo na sa show na Cyberkada. Bukambibig niya minsan ang magkapatid na di Rossi, si Alessandra at Assunta, na parang kabarkada niya pati na rin mga kuwento tungkol kay Sharon Cuneta at Regine Velasquez na nakikita ko lang sa Yes! Magazine. Minsan naiisip ko, ang layo na rin talaga ng kanyang narating.

Ang sumunod na magandang break na nakuha niya ay ang pagtatrabaho sa UNV o United Nations Volunteers. Sila ang nagpapadala ng mga tao sa iba’t-ibang panig ng mundo kung saan may Peace-keeping Mission ang UN. Sa kanyang trabaho ay lubos ang pagtulong niya sa mga taong lumalapit sa kanya para maging volunteer. At ngayon ay isa na rin siya sa mga volunteer na ito dahil natanggap siya sa UN Mission sa Liberia. Aalis na siya sa Bonn at makikipagsapalaran sa ibang lugar upang hanapin ang kanyang kapalaran.

Naniniwala ako na lahat ng nangyayari sa buhay ng tao ay dahil may plano sa atin ang Diyos at ang pagkapili sa kanya para sa trabaho na ito ay mayroong dahilan. Pero di ko mapigilan ang malungkot dahil mawawalan kami ng mabait at masipag na kasama sa trabaho pero higit sa lahat, mawawalan ako ng kaibigan. Mawawalan na ako ng isang kaibigan na may isang ngiting di pangkaraniwan dahil nagdudulot ito ng kagalakan ng loob at puno ng init ng pagmamahal, tulad na rin ng sikat ng araw. Dapit-hapon na nga sa Bonn.

Para sa’yo Nowy.

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
Wonder if she's gone to stay
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And this house just ain't no home
Anytime she goes away

rollin' on the river

Proud Mary
Originally uploaded by karampot.

Everyone knows Tina Turner and her style and music is a classic. One way of enjoying the music is imitating it and creating a great show. And we did! On a sunny Saturday morning, I was in Bruckenforum again this time to practice for our number. Funny enough, the stage still has one of my markers for our Miss Gay contest... But now, I'm obsessed by Tina Turner's music and rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river...

Rollin' on the river...
Originally uploaded by karampot.

The group is headed of course by our local DIVA Ronald dela Cruz, portraying Tina Turner joined by Tracy Johns as Cher and the important spice in the show, the back-up dancers: Paul, Faran, Diana and myself. To come up with the choreography, we watched the different videos of Tina Turner including her live concerts and putting all the dance steps together, the rest is history... and rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river...

The fans...
Originally uploaded by karampot.

At the beginning, we were pretty nervous and were worrying if we would be able to do it right but the moment we were on stage with the great crowd cheering, we were basking in our hot shower of fame as hot as the stage lights hitting us and making our heads turn... and rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river...

Tina, Cher and the dancers
Originally uploaded by karampot.

Proud Mary became such a hit, we're being asked to do encores. So folks watch out as we may be coming to your side of town soon... and rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river...