Garrido-Zerna Nuptials Feb. 14, 2009

There is always something glorious about a wedding. And the wedding that day on February 14, 2009 was no exception. The bride walked down the aisle, her eyes glinting with happiness and excitement, with her father on her side while the groom waited patiently in the altar. Finally, after years of waiting, he will become one with his Lady Love this very day of St. Valentine.

Although the weather that day is slightly unfriendly (a storm was raging somewhere in Western Visayas), it did not dampen a bit the festive mood within that small chapel of Archbishop Palace. The motif was colourful enough and made more so by the ones wearing it. I can tell that yellow and green is favoured by the bride and true enough, it speaks of her fun-loving, open personality. This fantastic personality can be seen in the celebration, and I can feel the giddiness reaching into the family, guests and friends of the couple, too.

Having known the couple back when they were still starting to date, I can understand how excited they both are during this very special day. Of course, the decision didn't come out of the blue. Being two mature individuals, much have been prepared: their psychological, mental, spiritual and of course financial capabilities have been weighed back and forth, back and forth, before finally coming to the decision of tying the knot today. Indeed, starting a family especially in these times, requires courage and determination. So now they are both prepared to face their Creator and solidify love and commitment with the Lord's blessing and guidance.

As they face the altar saying their vows, one can tell they have come ready. They have waited six years in true, honest Christian living and they are now both ready to fare the hardships of life-- TWOgether. There will be friction. But, what's getting married for without the occasional spices? …

The garden reception at the Fort San Pedro grounds is not just superb, it is perfect for these two beautiful souls. It was attended by family and close friends- the celebration was wonderfully intimate.

While looking at the newlyweds, their faces glowing of gladness and wedded bliss, I know that Khouca and Jan-jan will live happily throughout their years. And as I exited the party while both the couple are dancing happily, I honestly prayed for them both. That the Lord may shower all His blessings to them and that they will have the glory of wonderful children that will come out from their union. For both of you, CHEERS!

Help... Writers- Missing you all!

This is definitely one of my dragging days. I feel that my lower back aches, reaching to the tippest of my toes. Who would be comfortable writing when feeling like this? Add to it the pressure of having to produce 3,500-word articles in a day. I'd say, whew! Honestly, the writing pressure is eating me. I feel the mind stagnate itself. What should I do? Should I quit now, or wait for a miracle? Or should I invoke Jonas' “writer's block?” Uh-huh Heeeelllppp writers!

After Sinulog '09

The celebration of the Sinulog Festival was finally over. I know that participants and organizers have spent tiresome days for the preparation of the said festival. So most probably, it comes as a breather for them to rest from their hectic practice schedules.

I'm also happy to observe that our Churches are still full of young people during Sundays. Proof that our deep religious beliefs is still deeply rooted especially when it comes to our dear patron Sto. Nino de Cebu. Throngs of church goers can be seen flocking to the Basilica del Sto. Nino with families and friends joining in the festive mood every Sunday or any other important feast in the Catholic Church. Every year, it is expected to increase whenever the Sinulog Festival is fast approaching. In fact when every novena starts, throngs of students, professionals and every faithful can be seen flocking to the Basilica to take part in the mass.

On another note, I also get to watch the Cebu skies light up brilliantly with wonderful fireworks at SM City the night before the fall of Sinulog Feast. Truly, fireworks are one of man's most captivating inventions. You can't simply help giving WOWS and AHHSS every time you watch its magic up in the sky. As a souvenir for this year, I got a new Sinulog shirt courtesy of my printing buddies at Ramos. Patricia and Anjolita, hope I'll get another one next year!

Harry Potter Prequel

Every Harry Potter fan surely anticipated the release of a prequel. In fact, I can't really get enough of the HP series. It's one of those stories that you just want to keep coming back for more. Just like chocolate and beer, there will never be enough Harry Potter for a certified avid HP enthusiast like me. Thanks to Khrizz of multiply and my new account, I was given the chance to come across the prequel again. Although the 800-word story is indeed very short but it's certainly worth my while.
The Story:
The speeding motorcycle took the sharp corner so fast in the darkness that both policemen in the pursuing car shouted,"Whoa!" Sergeant Fisher slammed his large foot on the brake, thinking that the boy who was riding pillion was sure to be flung under his wheels; however, the motorbike made the turn without unseating either of its riders, and with a wink of its red tail lights, vanished up the narrow side street.
"We've got 'em now!" cried PC Anderson excitedly. "That's a dead end!"

Leaning hard on the steering wheel and crashing his gears, Fisher scraped half the paint off the flank of the car as he forced it up the alleyway in pursuit.

There in the headlights sat their quarry, stationary at last after a quarter of an hour's chase. The two riders were trapped between a towering brickwall and the police car, which was now crawling towards them like some growling luminous-eyes predator.
There was so little space between the car doors and the walls of the alley that Fisher and Anderson had difficulty extricating themselves from the vehicle. It injured their dignity to have to inch, crab-like, towards the miscreants. Fisher dragged his generous belly along the wall, tearing buttons off his shirt as he went, and finally snapping off the wing mirror with his backside.

"Get off the bike!" he bellowed at the smirking youths, who sat basking in the flashing blue light as though enjoying it.

They did as they were told, finally pulling free from the broken wing mirror, Fisher glared at them. They seemed to be in their late teens. The one who had been driving had long black hair, his insolent good looks reminded Fisher unpleasantly of his daughter's guitar-playing, layabout boyfriend. The second boy also had black hair, though his was short and stuck up in all directions; he wore glasses and a broad grin. Both were dressed in t-shirts emblazoned with a large golden bird; the emblem, no doubt, of some deafening, timeless rock band.

"No helmet!" Fisher yelled, pointing from one uncovered head to the other. "Exceeding the speed limit by-by a considerable amount!" (In fact, the speed registered had been greater than Fisher was prepared to accept that any motorcycle could travel.) "Failure to stop for the police!"
"We'd have loved to stop for a chat," said the boy in glasses,"only we were trying--"
"Don't get smart-you two are in a heap of trouble!" snarled Anderson. "Names!"
"Names?" repeated the long-haired driver."Er-Well, let's see. There's Wilberforce...Bathsheba...Elvendork..."

"And what's nice about that one is, you can use it for a boy OR a girl," said the boy in glasses.
"Oh, our names, did you mean?" asked the first, as Anderson spluttered with rage."You should've said! This here is James Potter, and I'm Sirius Black!"

"Things'll be seriously black for you in a minute, you cheeky little-"

But neither James nor Sirius was paying attention. They were suddenly as alert as gundogs, staring past Fisher and Anderson, over the roof of the police car, at the dark mouth of the alley. Then, with identical, fluid movements, they reached into their back pockets.
For the space of a heartbeat both policemen imagined guns gleaming at them, but a second later they saw that the motorcyclists had drawn nothing more than-
"Drumsticks?" jeered Anderson . "Right pair of jokers, aren't you? Right, we're arresting you on a charge of--"
But Anderson never got to name the charge. James and Sirius had shouted something incomprehensible, and the beams from the headlights had moved.

The policemen wheeled around, then staggered backwards. Three men were flying-actually flying- up the alley on broomsticks-and at the same moment, the police car was rearing up on its back wheels.
Fisher's knee bucked; as he sat down hard; Anderson tripped over Fisher's legs and fell on top of him, as flump-bang-crunch- they heard the mean on brooms slam into the suspended car and fall, apparently insensible, to the ground, while broken bits of broomstick clattered down around them.

The motorbike had roared into life again. His mouth hanging open, Fisher mustered the strength to look back at the two teenagers.
"Thanks very much!" called Sirius over the throb of the engine."We owe you one!"
"Yeah, nice meeting you!" said James. "And don't forget: Elvendork! It's unisex!"

There was an earth-shaking crash, and Fisher and Anderson threw their arms around each other in fright; their car had just fallen back to the ground. Now it was the motorcycle's turn to rear. Before the policemen's disbelieving eyes, it took off into thin air: James and Sirius zoomed away into the night sky, their tail light twinkling behind them like a vanishing ruby.

Ben-Hur

My last days of December 2008 was spent here at Cebu City with my youngest brother. He was given cash as Christmas gift by my mother to buy new shirts and a pair of jeans. So off we went visiting malls and searching for the best “fits” for him. After the hassle and bustle (roaming malls is not really my thing), we hurried to go rest in my room.

We had dinner at a nearby barbecue stall and went to my Ramos barkadas for some drinks of beer. Although my brother is still in high school, I allow him to accompany me with these gatherings because I believe that exposing him to “realities” of life will be better rather than restricting him to have drinks with other people. I think that the more we restrict youngsters with their “new-found vices”, the more it will drive them to be rebellious. I want my brother to discover new things with me and thus be guided on what's really right and wrong. Actually, I am also learning from the process of teaching him the more important aspects of life.

Although I haven't been to Church for a while, I made it a point that we attend the mass that day so that I can impart to my brother that going to church should be part of his Sunday (if not everyday) routine. So off we went to Sto. Rosario Church which I have grown to love back from my College days at USC. The reading that Sunday was about the Holy Family. And the officiating priest during his Homily simply called families who have eleven children with them at the mass. He called it sort of a "Bring Me" game and promised to give a price of P500 from his pocket. Since no one approached him with eleven children, he proceeded on to call: "families with 10 children- nobody came up the pulpit; families with 9 children- still nobody came up; 8 kids- nobody stirred; 7 kids- nobody came yet; 6 kids- still none; at the count of: “5 kids! Bring me five kids, with father and mother...” At last, a throng of kids moved in front of the altar with the youngest carried by the mother. The people clapped their hands and the family received the P500 gift which the priest doubled to P1,000 so that the whole family can go to Jollibee after the mass, as he said. He then continued on to preach that the purpose of his “bring-me game” is to encourage people to hear mass as a family.

“How many of you comes to mass with the whole family?” This question still rang in my ears as the priest gave us his last blessings when the mass ended. What with everyone's busy schedules, it is in fact very rare that my own family goes to Church together. I myself find some excuse every time my Mother asks us to accompany her to Church. I made a resolve then to make it often to mass. And thankfully enough, I haven't skipped Church for three consecutive Sundays now. Not yet, anyway. So the mass we attended that day was really enlightening not only for my brother but for me, as well.