Poem

Here's another poem Jobert and I wrote via text, entitled "Life With You":

I am so happy to have met you
A friendship that’s so new
Yet it seems we have known each other for years
A comfort found amidst our worries and fears

You have brought me such joy and happiness
And I am thankful with much gratefulness
You are a jewel of a friend
God’s gift who is Heaven-sent

Thank you for all the laughter
More happy moments together
May we be the best of friends forever
Like a brother or sister

*poetry by Nimia Gamo (purple lines) and Jobert Abiva (blue lines)

Jobert thought of picking me up today to go to his place. But his car is coding so he couldn't. Maybe this Thursday or Friday I will see him.

I look forward to seeing him and his sister, Lovely, this week!

Of Old Friends and New

Today, I chatted with two friends.

One was over Skype. She is Malou, a friend (former officemate) during my Magnolia days. We talked about a lot of things. She was worried that I was "in absentia" for a long period of time. I told her what happened to me. Malou told me how her life in Cebu is. She has two maids, able to go to the gym but still does most of the cooking. She teaches catechism on Saturdays and hears mass four times a week. Ever-religious and a Marian devotee, she reminded me to say the rosary daily.

My other friend is Lydia, a "sister" in Tabitha (a group of separated, widowed, single for life, etc. women). We talked over the phone. Aside from counseling, she acts as "lupon" or arbiter of barangay disputes. Like me, Lydia loves to play scrabble so we agreed to play scrabble over the phone some time. Ha ha. Sounds like fun!

Then, I met for the first time, Jobert. My new friend. I was excited to meet him because I asked him to buy me coloring books. He brought me two coloring books plus two boxes of crayons! I had great fun as I colored right away, while he made two drawings out of his poems. I "conceptualized" another drawing. We listened to music, mostly my cheesy kind. He kept taking pictures of our work, me, my mom, and himself, and views outside the window. Jobert is real cute and very nice, and sweet. (Too bad he's 12 years younger.)

Thank you, Lord, for friends - old and new. They make life so interesting. They make me feel so loved.

A Super Time with Super Friends

Yesterday was a fun day...because I spent it with old friends. "Old" in more ways than one. We go back 1997 when all of us attended a scriptwriting workshop under Mr. Nestor Torre.

We first went to Shangrila Restaurant in Times Street corner West Avenue. The whole thing was the treat of "NL" who got guilty for not showing up in many of our get-togethers. (Thank God for guilty friends). He ordered a set meal for 10 people but there were only 5 of us so I ended up bringing home food to my mom and my other friend, "KN" gave the rest to streetchildren.

Speaking of food, here's the list (I'm not sure how they're called but this is how I would name them): corn and crab soup, yang chow rice, squid with beans, lumpiang shanghai, sweet & sour meat balls, breaded fried chicken, wet noodles, buchi and Coke Zero. Delicious!

Later, KN treated us to a coffee shop so she can get the free notebook on promo.

So, the food and coffee was great, but the company was even better. Let me see...

"KN" - is an experienced scriptwriter for television and the movies. She is also active in serving at the Correctional Institute for Women. KN is spearheading the gift-giving activity to be held at the CIW this January 30. (Donations, anyone?) That's KN for you - big talent, big heart. And by the way, she's going to introduce me to speed-dating at Facebook (Exciting!)

"RC" - is a private person. She is the _________ of ________, an award-winning _________, an accomplished _________, and a teacher of _________. She was the one who encouraged me to blog, and to translate all my Tagalog words into English for the benefit of English-speaking readers. So, without RC, you wouldn't be reading this blog. RC also encourages me to join the Palanca awards with the screenplay I am working on as entry. There you have it - RC, the tip-giver and encourager.

"RN" - is a writer-editor who also sings so well, he sings at weddings. He's very kind and nice - in other words, kinda nice. He was the culprit who brought red wine recently (see previous post entitled "Guilty of Alcoholo Abuse"). Even if RN lives a good distance away, he finds time to join our get-togethers. RN - maaasahan kahit saan (reliable anywhere).

And last but certainly not the least, "NL" - he is the only non-writer in the group. But he is accomplished in his own right (and left). He is the HR manager of a very large company yet is very humble. He has a great sense of humor. And as mentioned, when guilty, he can be very galante (generous). He's cute in his own right and opinion (he-he). The others kept teasing us to each other so I rode along and told NL - "I'm giving you only two years to court me. Otherwise, times up!" Why two years? Because by then, I will be 50 and he'll be 42! Ha ha, cradle snatcher!

Oh well, times like these should be treasured. There will be many more get-togethers but I doubt very much if NL will be willing to pay for a set meal for 10 persons again.

Twinkle, Twinkle

Once in a while, I shall use this site to pay tribute to my friends and people I care for. There are soooh many - if I concentrated on this alone, I would have material to write till Kingdom come! So, I'm really here for the long haul.

Today, let me talk about "Twinkle" (not her real name because she's too shy to let the world know how great she is). Last night, I wrote a thank-you letter in powerpoint presentation to her. But first as a backgrounder, just who is "Twinkle"?

1) She is a sister in community (we belong to the same Catholic Charismatic Community)
2) She was my prayer group leader
3) She is mestiza and prettier than me by "isang paligo" (one bath)
4) She loves to dance like me (she used to be a ballerina)
5) She is petite (we now have the same height since I lost 3 inches because of my osteoporosis)
6) She has the same birthmonth as me
7) She has treated me out and given me gifts many times

So here is the letter I wrote to her yesterday:

My dearest ______:

I want to thank you from the bottom of my bottomless heart for:

T - ruly caring for me through thick and thin (I was really fat when we first met, remember?)

W - ishing always the best for me (even during times when I least deserve it)

I - including me always in your prayers (because of them, I have come to believe in the power of prayer)

N - ot rejecting me when I am at my worst (to borrow words from that swing song - Last Dance - "...and when I'm bad, I'm so so bad!")

K - eeping in touch through the years (with you, I feel touched by an angel)

L - oving me more than just as a friend (more as a sister)

E - ver being there when I needed someone to talk to (countless of times in the past)

For all these and more, thank you! I love you, sister _____!

I keep saying that I count as among my greatest treasures, all the people who care for me - including friends like "Twinkle". (They more than make up for the fact that I still haven't found that special someone. But then again...)