Dear Poy

I can’t exactly remember the last time we saw each other in person. Was that the time before you and your family moved to Montalban? I think we were incoming fourth graders then. Ah, such fond memories. We were friends, neighbors, and classmates. We almost grew up together. All of us.

Unfortunately, SMCS closed down so we were forced to go to other schools and make new friends. I remember how the “gang” held a little going away “party” for you guys at my best friend’s house. It was one of the most memorable events during my childhood; we bought packs of Pritos Rings, Tomy, and Moby at Manang Daleng’s and then washed it down with melon juice in plastic cups.

“Pol Pikunin! Pol Sipunin!”

You’re such a pikon kid then, you know that? I recall how we used to endlessly tease you because you easily get pissed off. Sometimes, you run back home, crying. Sorry ‘bout that. Tee-hee.

I didn’t hear from you much since then… until the recent years. Thank God for Facebook because it helped us catch up on each other’s lives. I don’t usually go online on chat. But when I do, you’d always chat me up. We usually talk about music, guitars, and you being a kickass web designer. You constantly reminded me to send you a high-res photo of me so you’d be able to make it look as kickass as you are. You’re a good man, Poy. I know it. Sorry I forgot to send the photo. Now, I’m too late.

We were planning a get-together sometime next weekend. I’m as excited as you are but time is an enemy. We’re all too busy with our corporate lives that we forgot to set a concrete date for the reunion. Personally, I figured that we’ll eventually see each other so I didn’t felt the need to rush.

And then this happened.

I cried, Poy. I didn’t cry because you left us. I cried because I wasted precious time. We should’ve had that guitar jam session we’ve been planning for ages. You should’ve taught me how to vector in Photoshop. We should’ve filled the gaps. We should’ve laughed and drank beer or something. Something—anything—before you left.

I know you’re okay now. And I’m hoping and praying that we—especially your family and girlfriend— will, too. We miss you already.

Your friend,

R

PS.

Yeng Constantino, a good friend of yours, wrote a song especially for you. Have you heard it? It’s badass, man. Bad. Ass.

PPS.

She blogged about you, too. It’s so touching. You should read it!

My kind of weekend!

Hey, fellas! How were you gorgeous lads the past weekend? Mine was blissful—well, not totally but I won’t have it any other way (if it could get better, why not?). I spent the weekend with my family, along with my boyfriend, at my Lola’s home at Quezon City. Man, I used to avoid the place when I was a kid. But now that I’m an old, corporate-working slave, I’m seriously thinking of spending my weekends there. And absolutely no Internet!

Sunday’s lunch was beyond amazing. I decided to try my budding cooking skills into (not-so) use by whipping up a big kaldero of creamy carbonara; a recipe I learned from Lola. Well, my Pops did most of the work but I think I could handle it alone next time.

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How’s my new blog template treating you? I’m not so blessed with CSS know-hows so I just used Blogger’s default templates, a little tweaking, voila! You have a very teeny-bopper blog. Thank goodness they’ve update their template selections, though. When I started blogging here, I had to endure the most boring template choices in the planet.

I know, I know.. My blog header’s empty. To the guys behind HelpDeskExecutives.com, I borrowed your header’s image. It’s kind of the best I could find on the Internet.

It’s kinda frustrating for a photo hobbyist like me, though. I could just take a photo of a notebook myself but my camera is in the camera hospital. Damn autofocus feature gave up on me. But hey, as soon as I get an original and decent picture, I’ll immediately take the photo off my site. Cool?