[Here’s a collection of photos taken during the SURPRISE DESPEDIDA party for DOC ANDY TAN which was staged as a tribute for DOC ANDY’s passionate, loving and devoted service for ASPAC, its mission and ideals. The surprise party was held at the ATENEO UNIVERSITY DORMITORY on October 21, 2017 after the 11th Board Meeting of the ASPAC which was conducted also at the same venue. MABUHAY KA DOC ANDY TAN!!!!]

 

Matapos ang halos araw-araw na pag-pa-PRACTICE¹,

Ang SURPRISE PARTY² kay Doc ANDY ay mistulang naging SUCCESS;

“HEAVENLY”³ nga ang syang naging UMPISA,

Kahit na merong naging kaunting ABERYA⁴!

 

 

Aba’y OPENING PRAYER was a BALLET NUMBER⁵,

Sa SALIW ng AWIT ng OPERATIC SINGER⁶;

Syempre di naman nakarating si ANDREA BOCELLI⁷,

Kumanta ng MALE PART na lang ay si Attorney WALLY⁸!

 

 

Umawit at hinarana si Doc ANDY ng SCHOLARS,

Isa-isa sa kanila’y nagpasalamat, tunay na mga “STARS⁹”;

Talagang truly CARING daw si Doc ANDY,

Nakikipag-chikahan pa sa kanila … Oh so very DANDY!

 

 

Pumasok naman itong mga dancing GHOSTBUSTERS,

Animo’y hinahanting mga ASWANG at OGRES;

Kasi daw si Doc ANDY ay talagang may 3^rd EYE…

ELEMENTALS at GHOSTS sa kanya’y nag ha-HI¹⁰!

 

 

Pagtapos naman nitong number na  pang-HALLOWEEN,

Aba umarangkada naman ang mga DANCING QUEEN…

Sa SALIW ng awit na DAHIL SA IYO…

Nagtiis sa kasasayaw si CINDY¹¹ kahit paa’y may KALYO!

 

 

Umariba din si LITO¹² kahit sya’y NO-ENSAYO!

Sabi niya’y sa CABARET¹³,  daw ay lagi syang DUMADAYO…

Kaya ang DANCING daw sa kanya’y just so EASY…

“It makes him so RELAXED and so very BREEZY!”…

 

Ang FINALE naman na tunay na ala-BROADWAY!

YMCA song ang sa mga DANCERS nag-pa-SWAY;

Meron pang PYRAMID pose ang siyang naging PANG-HULI…

Aba may CONFETTI pang pinasabog si KATTIE¹⁴!

 

 

Dahil sa mahilig sa LITSON¹⁵ si Doc ANDY as GIFT,

Aba’y isang PAMILYA ng INAHIN at mga BIIK¹⁶,

Ang dinalang LITSON nitong si Attorney RAUL¹⁷…

Mula sa inahing BABOY at BIIK, & the TABLE was FULL!

 

 

Kumanta din si NAP¹⁸ at lahat napaigtad…

Balladeer pala itong esponghadang NAP QUEJADA¹⁹;

Kaya sa masamyong himig ng awitin niya,

Lalong naging kaibig-ibig ang atmospera…

 

 

Hindi rin nagpatalo si Attorney Marylou²⁰,

Lumuwas pa mula BICOL ang PANYERA kong so COOL;

Umawit ng kalmado at ni walang DASKOL²¹…

Awiting kay tamis na nag-pabilib^21a sa

GUESTS at MADLANG PIPOL^21b!

 

 

Ang pangunahing yugto sa SORPRESANG kasayahang ito…

Ay nang igawad ni BETH²² ang kanyang REGALO;

She said: “The ASPAC was in shambles before Doc ANDY came…”;

“But like a JIGSAW puzzle it was brought back to FAME!”

 

 

MABUHAY KA DOC ANDY TAN!!!!

SALAMAT SA IYONG PAGMAMAHAL at MALASAKIT sa ASPAC pati na sa mga ASPAC SCHOLARS!!!!

=========================================================

[Legend: 1 – With the coordinated orchestration of Kattie Sy and Cynthia Ong; the practice-rehearsal to prepare for SURPRISE DESPEDIDA party started in earnest on October 13, 2017 at the Groove Central Dance Studio located along 13^th Avenue in Cubao, Quezon City under the choreographic direction of Mr. Diego Villarosa.

2 – The SURPRISE PARTY was planned to honor Doc ANDY TAN as outgoing ASPAC President, after a trail-blazing 2-year term replete with laudable accomplishments.

3 – When I first suggested the idea to Ms. Kattie Sy, the President-elect of ASPAC;  of opening the program for the DESPEDIDA party for Doc ANDY with a ballet rendition to be performed by my daughter via a dance-interpretation of the song THE PRAYER;  she said that it would be “HEAVENLY”.

4 – Perhaps, as everyone was excited about the PROGRAM, Atty. Raul Panlasiqui, who is ASPAC’s COMELEC Chair, who served as front-act EMCEE forgot to call on the BALLET PERFORMANCE as sort of invocation/opening prayer for the PROGRAM. It was thereafter realized and the OPENING Prayer number was called to do the performance.

5 – As earlier said, the BALLET NUMBER was performed by my daughter, Ma. Winnalee E. Young, a sophomore Loyola Schools student taking up BS Psychology. The ballet rendition was sort of an dance interpretation of the ANDREA BOCELLI-CELINE DIONE song entitled: “THE PRAYER”.

6 – The OPERATIC SINGER referred to is no other than the TENOR Italian singer, ANDREA BOCELLI.

7 – Andrea Bocelli is an Italian classical crossover tenor, recording artist, and singer-songwriter. Born with poor eyesight, Bocelli became completely blind at the age of 12, following a football accident. Bocelli has recorded fifteen solo studio albums, of both pop and classical music, three greatest hits albums, and nine complete operas, selling over 80 million records worldwide. He has had success as a crossover performer bringing classical music to the top of international pop charts.

8 – Attorney WALLY is myself… WALTER T. YOUNG; and the female counterpart in the contrapuntal song-rendition of THE PRAYER was done by my former office colleague, Ms. IRENE HALCON, by mimicking “CELINE DION’s” voice.

9 – “STARS”: Doc ANDY TAN consider the ASPAC scholars as STARS, as notably they have high QPI marks in the pursuit of their respective scholastic endeavors.

10 – It was reported that Doc ANDY TAN possessed the powers to communicate with ELEMENTALS and not merely by just saying: “HI”.

11 –   CINDY is outgoing ASPAC Board member, CYNTHIA  FRANCO.

12 –    LITO is ASPAC Board member JOSELITO B. REYES.

13 –  CABARET is actually a nightclub or restaurant where entertainment is performed. But, in the Philippines, the term acquired a meaning which is a place where you could dance the whole night with a host of many lady-dancers as long as you have the tickets to spare.

14 – KATTIE SY, our new President-elect, virtually served as the ARTISTIC Director for the SURPRISE BIRTHDAY PARTY for Doc ANDY and was nobly assisted by Ms. Cynthia Ong (“CYNTHIA”), etcetera. Though it was CYNTHIA who donated the POPPERS from which sparkling confetti got flushed out during the FINALE portion of the YMCA dance performed by the ASPAC parents in attendance, KATTIE’s name was used to achieve a RHYME. Incidentally, the POPPERS were actually churned out by my Law Office staff; namely: my ever dependable Secretary ROMELYN “ELLA” HADAP and one of our Paralegal Assistant at the Law Office, ENREQUE “LITO” LUTUC. Both of them confessed thereafter, that it was so very difficult to churn out the confetti from the POPPERS’canister, as it was so tightly encased.

15 – Doc ANDY TAN has been a generous donor of SABROSO Lechon during his 2-year term as ASPAC Prexy. According to the latest count, Doc ANDY has donated around 50 or more lechon aka litson in affairs and gatherings of ASPAC as well as in ASPAC-related gatherings.

16 – A BIIK is a PIGLET.

17 – Attorney RAUL is RAUL PANLASIQUI, the incumbent ASPAC COMELEC Chair. What Attorney RAUL brought were PIG-shaped and PIGLET-shaped bread with a similarly crispy and golden-colored crust (parang lechon talaga); courtesy of MAN TAO Restaurant.

18 – NAP is Napoleon Quejada, incumbent ASPAC Year-Level Representative.

19 –  NAP QUEJADA is the same Napoleon Quejada, incumbent ASPAC Year-Level Representative, as aforesaid. Esponghada refers to the wavy hirsute head of NAP who rendered his song dedicated to Doc ANDY as though a PRO.

20 – Attorney MARYLOU is Atty. MARYLOU DUKA CASTILLO, incumbent ASPAC Board member.

21 –   DASKOL means SLOPPINESS or FAULT or MISTAKE. The song rendition of my Panyera, Atty. MARYLOU D. CASTILLO was superb as it was sung so flawlessly.

21a – NAG-PABILIB is a Tagalog slang which means “TO IMPRESS” or “TO HAVE BEEN IMPRESSED”.

21b – PIPOL is a corruption of the word PEOPLE; and the same was used to achieve ALLITERATIVE RHYME.

22 – BETH is Ms. ELIZABETH REYES, incumbent member of the ASPAC COMELEC. BETH’s TOKEN GIFT for Doc ANDY TAN which she gave during the SURPRISE PARTY was a large daintily-framed JIGSAW PUZZLE which according to her was put up and meticulously configured by her husband. BETH said that Doc ANDY virtually made out a JIGSAW PUZZLE when he reformed and reorganized ASPAC from sheer shambles before, into what it is now…an effective, well-oiled and well-organized ATENEO Loyola Schools’ parents’ association.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

[Doc ANDY TAN is seen here delivering a talk from the rostrum at the LEONG Hall’s mini-auditorium during one of ASPAC’s affairs held last year. Doc ANDY TAN will turn-over his PRESIDENCY of ASPAC to the next PREXY to be elected at today’s ASPAC election. Indeed, SLOWLY but SURELY, Doc ANDY was able under his tutelage and leadership made ASPAC a well-organized and efficient organization that has served as a helpful link to the ATENEO University’s goal of making the Loyola Schools students as “men and women for others.” MABUHAY KA DOC ANDY!]

 

Ibig pong sabihin ng DESPACITO ay GANITO,

“SLOWLY DOES IT”, yan po ang TOTOO;

Kaya po itong si DOC ANDY TAN —

Animo’y pahinay-hinay, pero BATIKAN¹!

 

 

Marami ngang NAGUGUMILAHANAN,

Kung saan hinuhugot ang POWERS nyang TANAN;

Inspiradong-inspiradong tumulong sa ATENEO,

Kahit na sya’y TAGA-USTE² na ang kulay ay YELLOW!

 

  

Kaya ngayon siya’y tunay na TRUE-BLUE…

At  ONE BIG FIGHT na nga ang kanyang MOTTO;

Halos araw-araw ay nakatambay sa ASPAC Office…

Para bagang  sya’y nag-aantay ng exciting TSISMIS³!

 

 

Sa tulong ng kanyang FRIEND na si “RAVISHING”⁴ RAUL⁵,

RAUL PANLASIQUI po ang syang name nya na FULL…

Gradually ay naayos ang mga GUSOT,

Hindi na pwede ngayon ang PALUSOT!

 

 

No pwede na ngayon ang FAKE na GUARDIAN,

Talaga po namang sino man ay AALIBADBARAN;

Meron naman palang tunay na  MAGULANG,

Halos pinaghati pa ang kanilang ANGKAN⁶!

 

 

Hindi na rin pwede magloko-loko,

Dahil meron ng DISCIPLINARY PROCESS tayong totoo;

Kailan maikintal ang RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY,

Sa larangang ito, DOC ANDY’y bylaws PINAGBUTI⁷…

 

 

Bagamat yayao na syang ating PREXY,

Kasama pa rin naman bilang IPP^7a na SEXY⁸;

Marahil ngayong hindi na sya VERY BUSY…

Magkakaroon na sya ng LOVELIFE na truly OKEY⁹!

 

MABUHAY SI DOC ANDY!!!!

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[Legend:  1 – BATIKAN is Tagalog term for an EXPERT. Indeed, Doc ANDY is an expert consensus-builder and so very diplomatic and tactful in his moves and actuations. And these traits perhaps could be the very reason why Doc ANDY was able to heal the past divisiveness in the ASPAC. For which reason, Doc ANDY was able to achieve much laudable accomplishments as ASPAC’s Prexy.

2 – Doc ANDY is a graduate of a degree in MEDICINE at the University of Santo Tomas (“UST”), and UST is referred to among the “millennials” as USTE.

3 – Doc ANDY even has that flair of maintaining some kind of INTELLIGENCE NETWORK from where he would have access to news, info and even rumors from other schools along the Katipunan Row notably MIRIAM as well as from the high school department of the ATENEO. And these info would be most useful in Doc ANDY’s desire to get the brightest parents to eventually move up and emerge as remarkable officers of ASPAC. Indeed, Doc ANDY has truly internalized in his psyche and persona a sense of “paternal caring” and concern for ASPAC and its members as well as of its scholars.

4 – RAVISHING is used in this BLOG to mean “overwhelming with emotion” and/or “enrapturing”. And this ADJECTIVE truly describes Atty. Raul Panlasiqui’s (“Atty. Raul”) comedic antics as when Atty. Raul opens his mouth, all within hearing distance will surely be enraptured with laughs of LOUD GUFFAWS (from the male officers of ASPAC) and giggling which would seem  unending (from the female officers of ASPAC).

5 –  RAUL is Atty. Raul Panlasiqui who is currently the COMELEC Chair of ASPAC and the IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT of ASPAC prior to his designation as ASPAC’s COMELEC Chair.

6 – From what I have gathered — in ASPAC before, there was an officer who represented herself as GUARDIAN of a student in spite of the fact that the student was not in fact parent-less as a parent was representing another child who is sibling (ACTUALLY THE TWIN) to the student being represented by the “fictitious” guardian. And that “guardian”, made this arrangement up, to maintain her as an officer of ASPAC.

7 – Under Doc ANDY’s tutelage and leadership, the ASPAC’s bylaws was successfully amended to include a disciplinary process in its present text.

7a – IPP means IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT. And as IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT, Doc ANDY will serve still as member of the EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE of ASPAC, better known as the EXECOM.

8 – SEXY is used in the BLOG to mean “so very appealing and truly interesting” and “attractive”. Indeed, Doc ANDY is so very attractive with his elongated goatee and that seemingly pony-tail strands of his hirsute crown, dangling at the back of his head.

9 – Doc ANDY is a widower and that everyone in ASPAC is fervently praying that Doc ANDY would find his soul-mate and eventual his love-partner to make Doc ANDY much happier and even much SEXIER!]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

[My brother WILSON aka SON  is celebrating his 61st birthday today, October 18. Son has reaped a lot of professional achievements in his 61 years of life on earth. Son has been the Managing Director and Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Tanduay Holdings Inc., since May 5, 2010 until his retirement in 2015. In a concurrent capacity then, SON also served as Chief Operating Officer at Tanduay Distillers Inc., Asian Alcohol Corporation, Total Bulk Corporation, Absolut Chemicals Inc.,  and Flor de Cana Shipping Inc. until his aforesaid retirement in 2015. Presently, SON is the Chairman of Victorias Milling Corporation and continues to hold on to his post as Vice-Chairman and Trustee of the U E Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center, Inc. Son is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of the East located along C.M. Recto, Manila.]

 

As a LIBRAN¹ born on October 18, NINETEEN FIFTY-SIX…

He’s so ORGANIZED  — a trait that would avoid him getting in a FIX²!

He’s even DIPLOMATIC and DETAILS-ORIENTED;

Those personality DESCRIPTORS are truly HIGH-RATED!

 

 

  

Having been named after US President Woodrow Wilson³,

They indeed shared some parallels that’s worth to MENTION…

The US President was a GOLFER too,

As Princeton University⁴ prexy, he raised its standards… so TRUE!

 

  

 

Back to Wilson’s horoscope as a LIBRAN,

He’s DEVOTED and PASSIONATE, that’s in the matter of ROMANCE…

He’s SOCIABLE too and is focused on RESULT…

He’s so truly CONFIDENT sans any FAULT!

 

 

As a LIBRAN, he SPEAKS UP and SPEAKS OUT!

Does not beat around the BUSH…he truly is STOUT⁵…

Some would even say that he’s AGGRESSIVE as well;

That has made him UNIQUE, that’s truly so SWELL⁶!

 

  

 

‘Tis said that he takes the driver’s seat with AUTHORITY…

He knows too that his LIFE & that of his KIN is his own RESPONSIBILITY… 

He won’t settle for anything LESS…

An incomparable destination is his aim…as he eyes for the BEST!

 

  

He’s well-groomed as he keeps himself FIT,

That could be seen in the gait of his walk that’s quite FANTASTIC…

He truly walks with undeniable steps, which turns many HEADS;

That’s when he does his morning BRISK WALKS near the MEADS⁷!

 

 

   

Please don’t think that this BLOG is an EXAGGERATION…

It truly is just nice to have these things to MENTION;

And as a Chinese Zodiac Health advisory to SON…

He should try to avoid worry for just no REASON⁸!

 

Primarily… and as I am neither a HOROSCOPIST nor a SKYGAZER⁹…

He’s our clan’s BENEVOLENT SON,  PA, GRANDPA, HUBBY, UNCLE  and BROTHER…

He has reached achievements that are so COMMENDABLE…

He has received awards that are truly so LAUDABLE!

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SON!

=========================================================================

[Legend: 1 – Wilson is a LIBRAN having been born on October 18, 1956 and by encoding his birth date in a PC, you could read through and peruse via INTERNET his horoscope on both the conventional zodiac sign as well as the Chinese zodiac sign. Wilson’s Chinese zodiac sign is the MONKEY zodiac animal. Further, with regard to Wilson’s horoscope, I relied on these websites for details on his horoscope, personality and traits as well as advice on health:  http://www.thehoroscope.co/birthday-analyser/October-18-1956-horoscope-and-zodiac-sign-meanings-2491.html and https://www.sunsigns.org/october-18-birthday-zodiac-libra-vibrant/.

2 – FIX is used in this BLOG to mean a DIFFICULT or AWKWARD position; indeed, a difficult or awkward situation from which it is hard to extricate oneself.

3 – Wilson was named after U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, the 28^th President of the United States of America who served from March 4, 1913 up to March 4, 1921.

4 – As President of PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, Woodrow Wilson enhanced the quality of its faculty and raised the admission standards of the school focused on a serious study program. Indeed, Woodrow Wilson aspired, as he told the Princeton University alumni: “to transform thoughtless boys performing tasks into thinking men”. On the other hand, my brother WILSON is a GOLFER too. WILSON is also Vice-Chairman of an educational institution, a medical school — the UERMMMCI (i.e. University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center, Inc.) located in Santa Mesa, Quezon City. Finally, WILSON is also member of the Board of Trustees of a university, the University of the East which is located along C. M. Recto Avenue in the City of Manila.

5 – STOUT is used in this BLOG to mean DETERMINED, VIGOROUS and HIGH-SPIRITED.

6 – SWELL is used in this BLOG to mean EXCELLENT.

7 – Wilson, and his wife Len, do morning BRISK WALKS around the White Plains community which actually adjoins the Green Meadows Subdivision. Thus, MEADS is used in this BLOG to refer to the GREEN MEADOWS Subdivision. Actually, MEADS is another term for MEADOWS.

8 – Under the CHINESE ZODIAC HEALTH heading at http://www.thehoroscope.co/birthday-analyser/October-18-1956-horoscope-and-zodiac-sign-meanings-2491.html, it is written thereat that those born on October 18, 1956: “should try avoiding worrying for no reason”.

9 – SKYGAZER is used here to mean an ASTROLOGER or HOROSCOPIST or SOOTHSAYER.]

 

 

[This BLOG was supposed to have been published yesterday as it was Mommy Norma’s DEATH ANNIVERSARY. Not having a techie aid yesterday in my Law Office, as it was a Sunday (but a hectic day for us, as my daughters were scheduled to stage a dance concert at the IRWIN Theater at the ATENEO); I could not move Mommy Norma’s photo from VIBER to FB and into my photo gallery. Anyway, here is the FUN RHYME BLOG now. I decided to dwell on the FUNNY side of our Mommy NORMA in this FUN RHYME BLOG.]

 

It was in 2001 of October, particularly the FIFTEENTH,

When our Mommy NORMA reunited at HEAVEN’S SEVENTH¹…

Those days of dolorous mourning was then CONTAGIOUS…

Indeed, not to be sad and sentimental then was so very TEDIOUS!

 

 

But having passed those years without our MAMA,

It is now opportune to think and speak of her joyful SAGA;

Mommy NORMA was a bit comical and would even laugh so HYSTERICAL²…

That’s whenever she hears a joke or a tale though ‘tis quite  BANAL³!

 

 

I remember those days when we were YOUNG, us DE JONG⁴,

As Mommy NORMS⁵ taught my siblings those basics of MAHJONG^5a;

Mommy NORMA would entice them to PLAY with HER…

And she would PLAYFULLY CHEAT them with me as COVER⁶!

 

 

And as Mommy NORMS wanted a daughter as her first BORN,

She would even dress me up like I’m a dainty BELAMOUR⁷;

Would pin even a RIBBON on my crown, my HIRSUTE⁸

HEAD,

Would also garnish my dress, so lovely TRIMMINGS with SHINY BEAD!

 

 

Mommy NORMA was indeed an EXEMPLAR MOTHER,

She also was truly SYMPATHETIC, a TRUE PARAGON sister;

She was a CONFIDANTE to her younger female siblings…

And Mommy NORMA would be so helpful  in matters of the shillings⁹!

 

 

It would appear that among her siblings, Mommy NORMS was  so INDUSTRIOUS—

She would go into any business opportunity that would be PROFITABLY GORGEOUS¹⁰;

When there came a shortage of KEROSENE in the early 70s,

Our home turned like a STORE with KEROSENE cans lined up in 20s¹¹!

 

Days when I was a TODDLER, I would join Mommy NORMS in DIVI¹², 

And she would buy yarns of cloth to be sold to friends which she have, so MANY…

And those friends would finally reunite with her in HEAVEN,

Perhaps, they’d put up a business, but one  that’s EVEN-STEVEN¹³!

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[Legend: 1 – HEAVEN’s SEVENTH or the SEVENTH HEAVEN is believed to be the HIGHEST LEVEL of HEAVEN. It is so named from the belief that there are seven levels of heaven, the seventh and most exalted being the abode of God and the angels.

2 – Mommy NORMA would at times laugh so intensely to the point of crying due to extreme joy.

3 – BANAL is used in this BLOG to mean hackneyed or trite. Mommy Norma would laugh even after hearing the same joke for countless times.  I would also try to come up with a tale or a story for Mommy Norma, even though recycled but spiced up with some new inclusions; every time I would be so benighted and that I would expect her angrily investigating and inquiring as to why I got so benighted. Upon Mommy Norma’s opening the door (there was a period when Daddy Max was working out of the country particularly during his stint at the Vietnam War; and Mommy Norma was strictly imposing some sort of curfew among us then); I would start my story with the introductory: “Alam mo ba Mommy na si…). And Mommy Norma’s ANGER would sort of simmer down. But there were times too that Mommy Norma would cut me short, as she would lambast me with this line: “NAKWENTO MO NA SA AKIN YAN EH….” He,he,he… DI NAKALUSOT!

4 – I learned that our ancestry actually originated from the NETHERLANDS and that our great-grandfather migrated to the U.S.A. and his original surname was DE JONG (which actually means “OF THE YOUNG”). But the Americans were encountering difficulty in pronouncing the surname; thus, it was altered to DE YOUNG and eventually YOUNG. 5 – NORMS or sometimes NORMIE is another endearing name used by his kith and kin (especially Tio Castor Tobias, Mommy Norma’s eldest brother) when referring to Mommy NORMA. For the purpose of achieving rhyme, I thought of using DE JONG, to actually mean: “when we were youthful, we of the YOUNG clan”; just as not to come up with a line that would repeatedly say: “When we were YOUNG, we of the YOUNG clan…”.

5a – MAHJONG (/mɑːˈʒɒŋ/ mah-ZHONG, Mandarin pronunciation: [mä˧˥tɕjɑŋ˧˩]) is a tile-based game that originated in China during the Qing dynasty. It is commonly played by four players (with some three-player variations found in South Korea and Japan). The game and its regional variants are widely played throughout Eastern and South Eastern Asia especially in the Philippines and have a small following in Western countries. Similar to the Western card game: gin rummy, Mahjong is a game of skill, strategy, and calculation and involves a degree of chance.

6 – There was a time [perhaps to give her (i.e. Mommy Norma) available opportunity at home for a quick divertissement), when Mommy Norma started to teach my siblings (almost toddlers still then) on how to play MAHJONG. And she would give them seed money/capital (as low as Php 10.00 each, then I think) to use in the MAHJONG game. But eventually, as my siblings were still amateurish (and all of their eyes were always fixed and focused mainly on their MAHJONG tiles; not minding what Mommy NORMA was doing) in the game, they would eventually lose all of their seed money to Mommy NORMA. I would even see Mommy NORMA [as I usually would just act as KIBITZER (some sort of “MIRON”), as among all my siblings, I was the only one who did not want to learn the game because  in my earlier toddler years I was castigated and whacked by Daddy Max after catching me playing CARA y CRUZ with my friends]; playfully cheating them (getting a MAHJONG tile not from the “KAMADA”) as she would announce that she won the game via a “BUNOT”. And I would confirm to all of them the tile was gotten from the “KAMADA”.

7 – BELAMOUR means a beloved person of the FEMALE species.

8 – HIRSUTE is an adjective which means HAIRY.

9 – The term “SHILLINGS” is used in the BLOG to mean MONEY or OF MONEY MATTERS.

10 – GORGEOUS PROFITABILITY would mean IMPRESSIVE PROFITABILITY.

11 – When the shortage of KEROSENE happened, Mommy NORMA was able to scout for a source where to buy in BULK cans of KEROSENE (which was then the primarily used as FUEL for the gas stove which was popularly then). And deliveries to our house would bring multitude of KEROSENE cans lined up in rows within our residential lot then in Murphy, Cubao. Mommy NORMA was indeed always full of ideas on what business or livelihood opportunity ought to be done when an opportunity comes. I remember that when Lola Genia from Cebu would send us sack of corn; Mommy Norma will tell us to sell “BINATOG” in the streets of Murphy. When the ARANETA COLISEUM started construction in the early 60s, we all put up a vending stall selling “DINUGUAN” and “PANCIT” along the barbed-wire lined perimeter of the ARANETA COLISEUM’s construction premises. Indeed, Mommy NORMA was a very good COOK too; and that’s from whom WILMA inherited her COOKING prowess/expertise.

12 – DIVI is abbreviation of the word DIVISORIA, a shopper’s paradise located in the vicinity of Binondo, Manila where items, objects, commodities and things are sold at so very low/bargain prices.

13 –  EVEN-STEVEN means to be fair and equitable. The term was used just to create a rhyme and to highlight the fact that while it is usual that business sometimes involved bringing prices of the merchandize sky high to maximize on profit; I would believe that Mommy NORMA who is so truly business-minded would perhaps be lured to put up a business in HEAVEN but not too profit-oriented; instead SERVICE-ORIENTED to make the angels happy and contented.]

 

 

 

 

 

 [The birthday celebrant, WARREN (shown at left), is photographed here after his recent election as National President of the Alpha Chapter Alumni Association of the ALPHA PHI OMEGA SERVICE FRATERNITY (“ACAA-APO”)  at the Red Panda Restaurant along Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City.  Together with WARREN in this photo are:  Ms. Madel Kho and Danton Pajarillaga who both served as Past Presidents of the  ACAA-APO. HAPPY BIRTHDAY WARREN aka POTENG.]

 

You’re a LIBRAN and is possessed with a GOOD MEMORY,

You simply cannot forget who has a DEBT unto you to PAY;

You are deemed so VERY ENERGETIC,

A marathon runner and even a true-blue badminton ADDICT!

 

 

You are categorized as really  APPROACHABLE…

You seem too as always AVAILABLE,

An urgent request from kith and KIN,

You respond too EASILY as though ordered by a KING!

 

 

You prefer action rather than PLANNING,

And takes much INITIATIVE very much OFTEN;

You are surely GENTLE says your HOROSCOPE¹,

But you odiously hate a messy NINCOMPOOP²!

 

You are a PROUD PERSON for you’re GUAPO,

And so PASSIONATE even; that’s so very TRUE—

And you’re even deemed as truly LOYAL,

Your MAGNAMITY indeed, makes you so SPECIAL!

 

You are portrayed too as so COOPERATIVE,

You’re EXUBERANT — that means CHEERFUL and HIGH-SPIRITED—

You inspire CONFIDENCE in your FRIENDHIP…

You’re endowed with INTELLIGENCE and TENACIOUS SPIRIT!

 

The geomancer’s proposal for your apt CAREER³…

Is either as a manager or as a programmer or as a LAWYER,

But as you have me as your LIFELONG LAWYER…

Continue MANAGING your HEALTH with  PROGRAMS in your CHRONOMETER⁴!

 

 

The HOROSCOPIST says that you are LUCKY in HEALTH,

That’s because perhaps you consider it as your WEALTH;

With the timepiece that monitors your PULSE & HEARTBEAT⁵,

Your fitness-consciousness is really TOP-RATE!

 

But perhaps it is good to have time to RELAX⁶…

The regular MAHJONG⁷ is nice PARALLAX⁸…

From the shuttlecock⁹ game which is obviously PHYSICAL…

While the MAHJONG session is something that’s CEREBRAL¹⁰!

[WARREN is shown here at the BADMINTON HALL located at No. 6 20th Avenue, Murphy, Cubao, Quezon City after a round of the shuttlecock game on a Sunday morning. Shown with WARREN in this photo are: (From L-R) myself, Col. Johari of the Malaysian Army (then currently taking up a masteral course at the NDCP), Daddy Max and my brother Winston.]

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY POTENG* aka WARREN!!!!

* Warren’s nickname/sobriquet POTENG was originally POTENG-TENG. It is quite tainted with some kind of ribaldry; but funny. Warren  earned the sobriquet POTENG, a name which was given to him by TWO (2) of our more notable teacher-boarders [i.e. first of whom is Mr. Adriano Agor (“Agor”)who is an Ilocano teaching Industrial Arts at the Murphy Elementary School now known as Aguinaldo Elementary School]  during the mid into the late 60s in our Murphy home. The other teacher-border is Mr. Alexander “Alex” Libunao.

 

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[Legend: 1 – By encoding one’s birth date, one can read through and peruse via INTERNET one’s own horoscope on both the conventional zodiac sign as well as the Chinese zodiac sign. With regard to Warren, I relied on this website for details on his horoscope, personality and traits as well as advice on health:  http://www.thehoroscope.co/birthday-analyser/October-4-1964-horoscope-and-zodiac-sign-meanings-5399.html.

2 –   The word NINCOOMPOOP is derived from the Latin term “non compos mentis” (i.e. “not of sound mind”), and which means a silly or foolish person. The earliest known use of nincompoop spelling is from 1680. By definition, nincompoops are dumb, foolish, and can’t do anything right.

3 – The horoscope portion of the website also talks about the appropriate career path-guide and the recommended career paths, which as regards WARREN, the career-path choices are as: MANAGER, BUSINESS ANALYST, PROGRAMMER and LAWYER.

4 – CHRONOMETER is a watch.

5 – WARREN has a wrist watch which has some program-applications which could monitor one’s PULSE, HEART BEAT, etc.

6 – Per WARREN’s HEALTH HOROSCOPE in the website THEHOROSCOPE.CO, it is advised that WARREN has to : “allocate more time to RELAX”.

7 – MAHJONG (/mɑːˈʒɒŋ/ mah-ZHONG, Mandarin pronunciation: [mä˧˥tɕjɑŋ˧˩]) is a tile-based game that originated in China during the Qing dynasty. It is commonly played by four players (with some three-player variations found in South Korea and Japan). The game and its regional variants are widely played throughout Eastern and South Eastern Asia especially in the Philippines and have a small following in Western countries. Similar to the Western card game: gin rummy, Mahjong is a game of skill, strategy, and calculation and involves a degree of chance. WARREN, my Daddy Max and all my other siblings play MAHJONG regularly on Sunday evenings at Daddy Max’s home located at No. 82 19^th Avenue, Murphy, Cubao, Quezon City.

8 – PARALLAX is used in the BLOG to mean as ALTERNATE. The word PARALLAX derives from the Greek word PARALLAXIS which means “ALTERNATION”.

9 – The reference to SHUTTLECOCK game actually refers to the BADMINTON game.

10 – CEREBRAL is used in this BLOG to mean, of or relating to the brain or the intellect.]