hahahhaha

(Source: yugimutosmoved)

Lolo,

 It’s weird that I have learned about you merely through stories from Dad, pictures, and documents, yet I definitely feel the paternal connection that binds us closer. As a UCLA Alumnus, I have been able to see upfront what your passion, leadership, and community spirit during your lifetime has resulted in for L.A. Filipinos, even though you were a Trojan (grrrrrr!). I wish I could converse with you about all these things I’ve experienced as a Pinoy Bruin and how it has affected me and decisions for my future. I want to tell you about all the friends I made there, and how they sang for me in the middle of Bruin Plaza when I turned 21. Bruin fucking Plaza! It was a Saturday too and there were tourists! I also want to tell you about how your son needs to be engage in healthier habits. Why are there Klondike bars in the freezer?? He is missing a gallbladder. Also, I want to tell you about the lack of woman friend in my life. Because I think this is especially important, so I can prove to Dad that I can find someone and be independent. Besides the intangible connection, I don’t know what’s holding me back from just telling you.

Love,

Your Grandson

My Lolo (top row, 2nd to left) in front of Powell Library, UCLA.

I’ve been stuck on this letter for 3 days. When I first read the prompt, I had difficulty trying to find that “one” person who changed my life. Truth is, I know that I’ve changed, and I know how, but I cannot acknowledge one person. That’s when I realized that the design of the prompt is part of the challenge. So here it goes…

I forgot your name, but if it weren’t for your Public Speaking Class, I would have been extremely shy and useless in college and beyond. I’ve gone a long way, speaking in intimate settings, large crowds, indoors, outdoors, auditoriums, facilitating, entertaining, and most of all, helping out my community. Ever since, I’ve loved talking, and I love hearing people talk about themselves with me. Like a drug. It’s made me want to pursue Academic Counseling. If I were to teach a community college course, it would be Speech, because I understand how it can better one’s character. To say it changed my personality may not be accurate, but it made me more “at-home” with what I already was. Sorry for not remembering your name, but I will totally never forget you.

MjD

You caught my attention when you smiled and thanked me for helping you get an A on your previous English paper. So you came back again. The tutoring session felt like conversing with someone more than a stranger. We were in the computer lab and the lab tech gave us awkward glances, even though our noise was harmless. We were having fun as I tore up your paper; you even punched me on the shoulder. Ow! But you also had big eyes, and curly eye lashes like in Mulan, so it was difficult to escape the stare. I questioned your overt friendliness and quasi-flirtatious notions, but that was quickly reassured when a student on a nearby computer creepily smiled at our enjoyment.

Where are you now? Did you transfer out? I should’ve asked for yo numba.

MJD

Has this promise been kept? Cuz I don’t recall making any promise, so I hope the ending result was worth it.

MJD

Dad,

You scared me on Sunday night. The drive to the ER was a horrifying experience. Take better care of yourself. I hope the worst is over. The operation was a success, but it’s time to recover. Drop the work phone. Take better care of yourself. That way you don’t have to spend the night in a room with a snoring patient roomie to the monotonous beeps. That way, Anthony and I don’t have to fall asleep on stale foam chairs or window sills, dozing to the lullabies of monotonous monitor beeps. Take better care of yourself, K? I’m glad your back home.

Love,

Your Son

Do you ever have memories you can rely on to just laugh at?

Our brief stint running from security at Fantasy Springs Casino was the silliest moment in recent history, but you, Friend, get the prize for making it the most memorable. It is something embarrassing for all who were there, but it is also something that will not leave me for a long while. So the whole scenario sounds a little OFF from the beginning. The six of us take a charter bus filled with senior citizens from West Covina to a casino in the middle of nowhere, and we’re basically given $50 in free gambling money. Arriving at the casino, we decide to tour the resort and eventually walk into a conference room. Set-up for an event but vacant, we decide to re-enact a pretend conference of our own. Who came up with that idea, I don’t know.

Thanks Nancee, for uploading the photos from Pretend Con 2010.

Ok, so if I hadn’t actually turned on the mic and spoken into it, the day would have not turned out the way it did. But it was all for the better. Me saying “hello everyone” through the mic triggered a security guard to try to pry open the room partition (seen the picture behind me) to see who was in the room. But before he does, we all stop and panic, as if we truly are doing something wrong. Some of us run out the room, but not YOU. Hahaha. As if breaking grandma’s antique tea set you were asked not to touch at age 6, you decide to hide behind the table that was in plain view with the security guard. You could have not been more noticeable! Way to stay in the room and fend off the guard while we all run off! Hahahaha. I dunno, it’s one of those moments where you had to have been there. 

Well that shouldn’t have happened. But your act of reciprocity made me feel good. Not gonna lie. :)

MJD

There was a time this past year when it was incredibly awkward being around you. You’re depression, weird stares at me, revealing/mysterious facebook statuses that commented on hangouts we were both at, the expensive gifts, and the gift that was aimed a little too close to the heart. All at once, these things were coming at me and I didn’t know how to digest this at the time. But it seems to me that you were just trying to be a good friend. You’re good, don’t worry. MJD

Unimpressed. Bothered. Nonchalant. You came up to the my org’s table on Bruinwalk with a friend, and I had a very one-sided conversation, as you were as unresponsive as it gets (a few nods, a few blinks, tightly-sealed lips). I asked if you had any questions. “No.” I thanked you for visiting the our table. I thought to myself, “Well that didn’t work out well.” 

You’re welcome, Kapatid.

MJD