My Memory Box

Out of nothing to do on the last day of my vacation in my hometown, I thought of searching of my memory box, where I kept the letters, cards and other stuff from Elementary to College. They are no longer complete, though. Sometime ago, I was forced to destroy many letters. Forget it. I still have some stuff which I mean to keep for life. =)

Here's my memory box and the stuff therein.

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This is the greeting poster from my SCA Family on my 13th birthday.

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This one is from my PMT co-officers, on my 16th birthday. I saw this posted on the wall behind my table at the PMT office when I went back to school after taking the UPCAT.

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I kept a few gift cards. I wonder how many of them I would have now if I kept everything.

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If you haven't experienced filling up a slum note/autograph notebook, you were never a young girl.

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These are from my friends. Do I have anything here that came from you? Some are missing and I have to find them. Hay.. =(

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These are from my friends in Elementary School. Our group's name was LEA M KIM, which name came from the first letters of our names: Leyden, Eden, Arra, Minerva, Kaye, Irish and Maylene. The oldest of these is the brown card at the center. They gave it to me on my 11th birthday.

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I was a delegate during the 2nd SCA Diocesan Conference. The other delegates wrote their messages for me  in this notebook. I'm still connected with some of them.

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These are love letters. Haha! They were from people who did not become my boyfriends. The letters from those who did are already gone. Those are the ones I was forced to destroy. That's why I don't mind. =p The large photo on the left is, I think, the first love letter I received. Hahaha!

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Almost half of my memory box are occupied by letters from my friends in SCA Gumaca: Joenabie, Joenathan, Mitch and Grace. Most of them are from Joenabie. We shared stories about school, crushes, troubles, etc. Joe, I have your entire high school life recorded. =p

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I was also kept informed about what's happening with SCA Guinayangan through Jessica.

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The 10 CGs (now Mongoloids) of St. Peter School of Calauag were in constant communication with us, the girls of PUP Lopez, for reasons known to many people. Hehe... These are their letters to us. Cheesy, huh?

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These are also from 10CG, addressed only to me. I keep their secrets untold... but documented. Woot woot!

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These are from my High School classmates (except for one, that's from Ate Joya of Bicol, whom I met during the GSP Southern Tagalog Junior Journalists Guild Workshop in 1998).

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Budz (Zaira) told me to keep this. I did. =)

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When I went to Manila for College, I exchanged a few letters from my friends who stayed in Quezon. That was until telecom companies put up cell sites in Lopez.

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Even when there's internet all around, I still received a few traditional cards and notes from my college classmates. That's a whole lot sweeter than a thousand e-mails.

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These are from Jologz. When there were only 3 of us in Manila (me, Louie and Mitch) and one of us goes home, those who were in Lopez would send notes. I love my BFFs!

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During the send-off program of SCA for us, I was awarded Miss Pakipot and Miss Photogenic. I didn't know I was "pakipot" then... but the other award needs no further questioning. =p

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I also found these materials from QueMarLaBaRo (Quezon, Marinduque, Laguna, Batangas, Mindoro) Jubilee Youth Camp.

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I have lots of other old stuff here, but I still have to find my second memory box.

Balik-Tanaw

This is the material for the Balik-Tanaw portion of our program during our high school reunion. I couldn't come up with anything when I tried to write it a week ago. I started writing the midnight before the big day. It's really true that the stream of ideas flow smoothly when you cram. =p

I.    School Activities

      June 1996, the students that would be one of the best batches of PUP LHS met in one class for the first time. Most of us had academic honors in Grade School to be proud about. Some were loud, some were quiet… Some were serious, some were playing it cool… But one thing is common in everyone… one undeniable thing… we are all good-looking.

      As days, weeks, months and years passed by, we developed a strong friendship, both in our respective groups such as Amigas, MC, Tropang T, SAPPI, Unicorn, etc., or in our class as a whole. There were conflicts and misunderstandings, but those things amount to nothing compared to the countless happy memories we have shared. We are strongly bonded, and staying in one section helped a lot. Some were bullies, some seemed passive, but this, guys have to admit… you were in love with Unicorn.

      Let me walk you back to the not-so-distant past… when we were in high school. I shall go through the most memorable school activities we had in PUP.

      a. Mousike Festival

      Naaalala nyo ba ung unang Music Fest natin? Nahihiya pa tayo magpresenta nung nagpipilian ng mga sasali. Pero nung nagsimula na ang mga rehearsals kina Ma’am Del, F na F naman pala. In fairness, maraming pwedeng singers! Nakabuo tayo ng choir. Me interpretative dance na, me ballroom dance pa. At syempre, ang grupo namin na nagwagi ng major major at di na mapigil ang kasikatan simula noon… ang Quartet!

      Music fest naman ng 2^nd year… Naaalala nyo pa ba ung pinagtulong-tulungan nating i-compose na kanta? Ako, Ikaw, Tayo. Kaya siguro di tayo nanalo, kasi Ako, Ikaw, Tayo lang… di kasama ung judges. Me Mambo #5 pa! At sino ang makakalimot sa entry natin sa Tunog-Tao?

      The following year… salamat sa winning duet na “Christmas in our Hearts”, kahit paano me 1^st place tayo. Kaloka lang.

      b. COED Camp

      Dito nauso ung skit sa campfire na me nagna-narrate tapos inaarte ng actors ung mga sinasabi nya. Tapos ang ginagawa ng mga narrators, ginagago nila. Dito rin natin ini-imagine na nasusunog ang buong campus habang kumakanta ng “Campus burning, campus burning… no classes, no classes…” Gaano katagal kayong nagtaka kung paano nagagawa ng apoy na mag-travel mula sa 3^rd floor papunta sa bonfire? Akalain nyong nalalakad natin ang buong zigzag road tapos deretso tayo sa Tumagay? Wala namang nadedo sa ‘tin dahil jan. Buti naman.

      c. English class activities

      Unang beses tayo nagpakitang-gilas sa pag-recite ng “I am a Filipino”, pero hindi ko ma-gets kung bakit me narinig akong “I am a Felefeno, born of the distant fast, hostess to an uncertain future”. Dahu ito?

      Is there a fire? Lahat tayo nagkatawang-squatter for Oli Impan. Natatandaan nyo pa ba kung sino ang partner nyo dun?

      Me declamation contest din, at natatandaan nyo pa ba ung dinivide tayo into groups tapos inact-out natin ung short stories sa book natin? Sa amin noon ung The Lottery Ticket, pero di ko na maalala kung sino groupmates ko.

      d. Foundation Week

      Maraming gimik kapag foundation week, pero the best ang dedication booth. Dahil sa dedication booth na yan nagkaroon ako ng boyfriend 2 days pagkatapos ko marinig ung song ng 911.  Sino pa ba ang me love story kung saan naging instrument ang booth na ito?

      e. Intrams

      Wala ako masyadong maalala sa intrams kasi hindi ako active dito. Ang naaalala ko lang, dito na-showcase ang talent ni Rodjerry sa pagde-design ng t-shirts. Naging champion ba tayo? Me nag-MVP ba? Basta kami ay fans ni “Papa-pa-shoot-shoot-shoot!”

      f. Sabayang Pagbigkas

      And God said, “Let there be light”. Galing ba sa class natin ang winner dito?

      Sa “Kaninong Anak Ito” naman, alam ko kung sino ang winner dun… KAMI! Sa rehearsal naming kina Balls, nag-walk out pa si Kuya Lala kasi tinago naming ung tsinelas nya. And I wonder… kaya pa kayang i-recite ni Sherwin ung sariling version nya ng “di ka salat, ngunit ako’y nagpalaboy, nagpalimos”? I’d like to know the stories of other groups.

      At syempre ang paborito ng lahat… Setyembre 14, 1900… Alam nyo pa ba ang pangalan ng parents ni Don Gregorio C. Yumul? Florentino Yumul at Lorenza Ano daw ang ibig sabihin ng Gregorio? Matalino, maginoo at maprinsipyo.

      g. SAVER/PMT

      Iba-iba ang trip natin dito. Me nag-PMT officer, me nag-SAVER, me kadete… Maraming nakakabaliw na pangyayari sa PMT. Ayoko lang ikwento kasi ayoko ng gulo. Sa SAVER siguro marami din.

      With that, I can reaffirm to myself, and I’m sure kayo din, that our years in PUP LHS had been a perfect mix of ups and downs, serious and crazy moments, and the clever and dumb asses that we were.

III. Spoofs, Bloopers and other Funny Moments (Guess what?)

1.   Nangyari ito nung 1^st year under Sir Beng. Ang me kagagawan nito ay nabinyagan ng pangalan hango sa bagay na ginamit nya para i-bully ang isa pa nating classmate. Anong bagay ito?

      BATO

2.   Tungkol saan ang choice piece natin sa Tunog-Tao nung Music Fest 1997?

      SINGSING

3.   Ano ang tawag sa cheating tool kung saan bago pa man magtanong ay may nakahanda ng sagot?

      READY-MADE EXAM

4.   Sino ang kawawang napagbuntunan ng galit ni Weng noong president natin sya at maingay ang buong klase?

      JONEL

5.   Ano ang tawag sa mala-BINGO na laro natin sa Chemistry class?

      SYMBO

6.   Ginagamitan ito ng bills o perang papel. Importante dito ang serial number.

      DIGIT

7.   Ipinagbawal ito noong 4^th year kasi nakukulele ang mga teachers kapag pinuputok natin ito ng paloob sa bibig.

      BUBBLE GUM

8.   Sa subject na ito, isang sheet of paper lang ang ginagamit natin sa lahat ng quizzes natin sa isang buong grading period.

      ENGLISH

9.   Ang pangalan ng isang grupo sa klase natin ay galing sa sayaw na ito.

      MAGIC CARPET

10. Ang larong ito ay ginagamitan ng 2 pinggan. Importante ang lookout para hindi mahuli ng teachers.

      DICE

II.  Love Tales (Matching Game)

Mechanics:

1.   2 groups with 5 members each

2.   Names are arranged alphabetically. Rearrange them according to love teams

3.   Time limit: 2 minutes

4.   The group with more correct matches wins

5.   Criteria for the correct loveteam: truth and time, as determined by the organizing team; determining point is high school years

Disclaimer:

      Kung di nyo yan nakwento sa mga asawa/jowa nyo, di na namin kasalanan yun. Hehe…

Correct matches:

- Sherwin-Adora

- Daniel-Vivian

- Rodjerry-Zaira

- Vacio-Sharon

- Leo-Eden

- Louie-Rexie

- Gerry-Anna

- Augen-Cath

- Lala-Adette

- Meyrick-Julie Ann

Nuisances (mga ka-love triangle):

- Jaja

- Adonn

- Mac Lester

- Uno

- Tonie Cris

- Weng

IV. Milestones

1.   Mr. PUP LHS 1997 – Leo

2.   SSC Auditor 1997-1998 – Weng

3.   Music Fest Champions for  Duet Category (3^rd year) – Karen B. and Melvin

4.   Ms. PUP Coed 2000 – Karen P.

5.   Music Fest Champions for Quartet Category (1^st year) - Karen B., Eden, Weng & Rexie

6.   Outstanding CCA Member 2000 – Weng

7.   Math Olympiad Achievers – Eden, Lala & Karen

8.   Inter-Level Spelling Quiz Champion (1^st year) – Adonn

9.   SSC Auditor 1998-1999 – Lala

10.Declamation Class Representatives 1997 – Weng, Adonn, Rhodora

11. Outstanding LHS Student 2000 – Karen P.

12. GSP Provincial Senior Planning Board Co-Chairman – Weng

13. SSC VP 1999-2000 – Karen P.

14. GSP Southern Tagalog Junior Journalist Guild Editor - Eden

15. Mr. Foundation 2000 – Augen