livycat YEARS IN CPU

My KIDS

December 2003, I became the Mommy of a lot of people. I suddenly had a lot of children. The amazing thing is ... I treated them like my very own. I love them all, care for them, and look out for them.

Then, one by one, they all went to start their own lives and I was really sad. The memories are starting to fail. So, I decided that before these memories are totally gone, I might as well preserve them and browse them at my pleasure and leisure.

	Arvain Lester Aligante Arvain, Noynoy, or Nonoy Black is my "subang", my eldest. Our relationship started with asking him to do repairs for my defective appliances and fixing or installing things in my house. Instead of calling handymen to do these jobs, I go to them and give him or the other work students these jobs so that they can earn extra money for their needs and their schooling. I would, at most times, give them a little extra on their pay, cook for them snacks, lunch, or dinner, or treat them out for a meal or movie. He would usually accompany me buy all the needed materials for the repairs and installations. Nonoy Black or Boy Black was the one who came to fetch me at home to join them in their IIEE-CPUSC Christmas Party at Sta. Barbara. That day, we, the College of Engineering Faculty and Staff, had our Christmas Party at the Centennial Plaza Hotel, which was followed by the Central Philippine University Faculty and Staff Christmas Party at the Promenade Park. After these two parties, I felt I can't stand another one and want to sleep and rest. An SMS arrived from Nonoy to ask me to come. I made my excuses and said I'm too tired and I don't know where that place is, etc. Nonoy was persistent and decided to come and fetch me despite of my refusals. When he came, I decided to go because I don't want him to feel like his trip was for nothing. Before we headed for Sta. Barbara, we went to buy Gilbey's Vodka at the now closed La Botica fronting WVSU Hospital. That night, they all became really drunk, having drank quite a bit myself. Fortunately, even when drunk, I get to keep my sanity. They vomitted all over the place and feed the pantat quite a lot. I took care of them making sure they changed their clothes soaked wet from swimming in the pool, made sure they went to sleep, and that they won't start fights with the people in the neighboring cottage. What I love and miss most about Nonoy is his humor. He can easily make me laugh. He is very respectful of me and cared for me greatly. He made sure I am never alone when I go out. He would call on the others to accompany me if he can't accompany me himself. I was quite terrified once when he fell of the roof of my house while painting it. I was cooking lunch when we heard a big crash on the roof and I was instantly scared. I ran out of the house, still carrying the laddle in my hands, and there he was laughing at what happened to him, while I was standing there petrified. I prohibited him from going up again because if anything happens to him, I can never forgive myself. Despite my objections, he went up and finished the job with Arnold. When I think back, I am glad he insisted on fetching me that day. My life would have been very different, boring and lonely. He still keeps in touch with me even now that he is in Saipan. He sends me SMS and calls me from time to time and leaves me messages in my blogdrive website. I'm very proud of Arvain and I know that if he works really hard and believes in himself, he will go very far in life. Arnold Eufan Arnold or Boy Petrov Vogilov is Arvain's partner or buddy. He is also a work student at the same time as Nonoy Arvain. While Arvain is loud and funny, Arnold is silent and just smiles often. Arnold is hard-working and I haven't heard him complain. He does everything to help his family. He is very helpful of me. Whenever he sees me, he would instantly come over to greet me and help me with my bags and stuff. My heart went out to him when he didn't make it in the board exam the first time. He wasn't close to me enough for him to confide in me. I haven't heard from him in a long time until much later when I felt that he has already recovered. Now, he is full-pledged Electrical Engineer. His hard-work paid off and God blessed him. What I can't forget about Arnold was when he got drunk one night in my home after drinking Petrov Vogilov Vodka, he was like a broken record saying thank you's over and over again. "I want to thank Mommy for being there for us, to boy baboy, to boy chickboy, to boy tulog-tulog, to boy negro, to boy black... I want to thank Mommy ..." We kept on laughing over his litany but he didn't stop until he finally dozed off. I pray the best for Arnold because I know that his family relies on him. He comes and visits me in the office from time to time and he gets to join us when he is available for outings. He currently works at Pepsi with Jojo Sonza. The picture below is the very first group picture ever taken while we had our very first outing. We went to Alubihod, Guimaras. We planned to go there in the morning but eventually ended up arriving in the afternoon because someone arrived at the meeting place late. We got ourselves a huge enough cottage. We didn't bring much eating utensils and ended up eating from the same paper plate over and over again. We drank gin and beer that night. Everyone got drunk. We played cards and truth or dare. We lost Marino at one time and we thought he drowned or something. So, off we went looking for him. Welson feel asleep while floating on my life vest and had to be towed back to shore. We were so happy!!! Everytime we were together, laughter never ends. Alubihod, Guimaras Elbert Anaud Elbert is my work partner. He is my anak who is workaholic like me. When he was still at school, I would usually ask him to be a member of the committee I am heading because I know I can rely on him to do the computer stuff and so much more. He is excited when I have a new project to do and is enthusiastic to do all things over and above what I asked him to do. Now, whenever I'm drowning in work, I wish he were here. Elbert is very creative. He did a painting and gave it to me. It is a painting of fruits with a big red apple in the middle, which he says reminds him of me. I'm huge, I like red, and I like food. Hehehe. Like me, he speaks in Tagalog whenever he feels like his Ilonggo is not at par. Elbert and I click in that area a lot. Elbert is sweet and childlike as I am. He reminds me of a boy who has too much energy and does everything in excess. No mediocrity in his vocabolary. At one time, he joined the choir, the poetry choir, and creative dance groups all at the same time in one university day celebration. Still, he went about his rehearsals without any sense of pressure. Some people couldn't juggle a single event's series of rehearsals and here he is juggling three. Elbert is a very thoughful person. He was the only one who thought of giving me a parting gift when he graduated. It was very special to me and I kept in my safe. He even made me two wallpapers for my computer at the office (shown beside). He visits my websites often and leaves messages there. I miss him and I'm glad I get to see him whenever he comes home to Iloilo or when I go to Manila, he comes by to say hello. Mark Louie Keh Mark is my only Chinese anak. He is Elbert's partner and buddy. They work together often. Mark was the president of the IIEE-CPUSC. He was busy with things to organize and yet he remains very calm and composed through it all. He is almost like the antithesis of what stereotyped leaders are. He is sweet and pleasing as contrasted to dominating and bossy. He is calm and composed as contrasted to harried and stressed-out. He is humble and low profile while others are loud and vain. When he told me that he was hired by Flour Daniel, I was so proud of him. Very few Centralians ever got hired there at that time and I was very impressed with him. Apparently, the people there are too. He doesn't say much and doesn't assert himself much but he works hard and works right. Lately, he told me that he might leave Flour Daniels for greener pastures. I told him that it is his prerogative. I advised him to think through it and understand the contract he is accepting before signing. I haven't heard from him for quite sometime now but I know he is alright. Design by Elbert Filomeno Sonza Jr. Filomeno or Jojo is special to me because he is the son of my high school teacher who is very important to me. His mother is the one to whom I confided a very sensitive problem at that time. When he became my student and was starting to join my "brood", I treated him with special care as a way of paying my "utang na loob" to his mother. Jojo became my anak on his last year of schooling. In other words, we didn't get to spend much time together as much as I spent with the rest. Jojo is also a friend and bandmate of my cousin, Fritz Gorospe. My cousin is the lead vocals while Jojo plays the drums. I have seen him play guitar as well. He is very talented. I was very honored when he confided in me his problems and I wish I was able to help him or comfort him at least. Like the rest of my mga anaks, he also has his problems and I was glad to be there for him when he needed a mother. What I remember most about Jojo was this one time I was walking in SM City and his family came too. When he saw me, he ran over, leaving his family awhile, telling them he is going to greet "Mommy". I was flattered. He is now working at Pepsi and helped Arnold get in too. Ferdinand Noel Martirizar Ferdi was my anak in the sense that he comes to me for advise on some things. He was an active student leader, having been elected as Central Philippine University Republic President. He is now the Building Manager of Glorietta Building D(?). He was an Ayala Young Leader when he was still in school and got hired by Ayala after he graduated. Ferdi was not the type of anak who comes along in any of my "lakads" or our outings. He is much too busy for that. Among my mga anaks, he is one of those who will go far because he sets high goals and works hard to reach them. The last time I saw him was when I went to Manila and decided to have a sort of "Anak" Alumni Homecoming at Chili's Greenbelt. Despite the prestige that comes with his current work status, he remained nice and humble. Group Pic at Alubihod, Guimaras