Dear Pamangkins

Dear Pamangkins, a book featuring a compilation of personal letters of the late Tita Nette (Dra. Josefina Bautista Magno) to her pamangkins was launched at the Dec 2006 Bautista family reunion.

Quoting from the introduction written by the eldest of the pamangkins Tish S. Bautista, "The letters are an amazing record of her meditations on God’s love for us. Over and over, we read from her letters how God knows what we need and how He takes care of even the smallest detail. We read of how all of us are called to holiness, and how the path to holiness can be through Opus Dei or Couples for Christ or some other way. We are given simple examples of kindness that the pamangkins can emulate. There is the gentle cajoling for the pamangkins to receive the sacraments of Confession and the Eucharist."

I am sharing a letter Tita Nette wrote in February 1999.

Thursday, 11 February 1999 09:59:17
Re: Seize the Moment

Dear Pamangkins,
I get very frustrated with this electronic age because aside from my inborn lack of talent for anything mechanical, I now have to deal with a server, to connect, and to send, which drives me crazy. First, I could not connect, then when I finally could connect, the laptop wouldn't send my queued messages because I think I punched a button which I shouldn't have and it froze the whole system. I had to call the technician to set things moving again. Now I cannot connect again, so I decided to write anyway and hopefully this message will find its way to you sometime.
I was at a small gathering in a friend's house the other night and I listened to a talk on Seize the Moment. The speaker, Joe Itchon, is visiting for a few days on business -- the usual credentials -- Harvard, big corporation, etc. and Opus Dei in addition. The theme of his impromptu talk was that we should not look at the past, it is gone forever, except if we have learned some lessons from it; we should not dwell on the future because it may not even be there. We should dwell in the moment now, because it is this moment which God has destined for us in a Divine Master Plan. He likened life to a symphony, where there are many, many instruments, all of them playing music. The music is composed of many, many notes, but each note has to be played by a particular instrument at a particular moment, in order to contribute to the symphony. If it is played at the wrong moment, it creates a discordant note and the symphony is ruined.
Our lives are part of a symphony and each one of us has a role to play. And our lives are made up of many moments, each moment having its own purpose. Each moment is very important and if we let it pass, it will be gone forever.
I like the message because it is a reminder that whatever we are doing now is an opportunity for us to be the "light of the world and salt of the earth." Each moment can be a nugget of gold that can be deposited as a treasure in heaven.

Love to all of you, Tita Nette
-------------------------------------------

Thursday, 06 Jul 2000 08:50:23 +0800

Subject: Daily work

Dear Pamangkins:

Last night, I read a quotation from Blessed Josemaria, Founder of Opus Dei, which impressed me.  He writes: "Sanctifying one's work is no fantastic dream but the mission of every Christian--yours and mine.  That is what that lathe-worker had discovered, when he said, 'I am overwhelmed with happiness when I think how true it is that while I am working at the lathe and singing--singing all the time, on the outside and on the inside--I can become a saint.  How good God is!"

We may not be lathe workers, but all of us have jobs which very often we find monotonous and boring or even a big burden, or we may not have a job at all and all we have are the daily tasks and chores in the home.  But it is in these "lathes" that we have that we are given the opportunity to find God and become saints by merely doing all that we have to do with love, and offering all of them to God, so He can sanctify them and us in the process.  And so we can sing with joy because just by doing our work, simple as a clerk's or challenging as an executive's, we are really becoming saints.  We are converting "the ordinary prose of life to beautiful poetry".  It is Opus Dei.

Love to you all,

Tita Nette

---------------------------

The book with a subtitle Letters on Life and Spirituality is not available in bookstores in Manila. If you wish to get a copy, write to me at tochs@excite.com

Casualty Blanket

Spotted: Casualty Blanket

That doubles as a ground sheet. Versatile, it is riveted and can be used as a tarp. Specs: 56x 84 inches, lightweight. One side is aluminized, the flipside dark coated (olive green). Aluminum side can be used as a reflector in case of an emergency during daylight. Blanket when wrapped can keep temperature down. Spotted at HMR along Pioneer St. priced at P 350.00.

A similar one was helpful to me in Banahaw, Apo and in Tawangan during cold, rainy conditions when I was too lazy to pull out tent during short bivouacs. It kept me warm, dry and alive.

Lipat Bahay-Kubaw

Saturday afternoon 11 November 2006, I saw Jong N. carrying a shoulder bag and a desk electric fan at the corner of 15th Avenue and Aurora Boulevard Cubao waiting for a ride towards the East. Perhaps going to Montalban? I thought. But with a shoulder bag and not a backpack? And an electric fan? Later on that day, I read the MFPI egroups message which said, “Kubaw is gone.” When I passed by 136 15th Avenue Murphy Cubao near the corner of P. Tuazon, all I saw on a Saturday night was a bakery and a tightly closed metal folding window with hardly any sign of action.

Kubaw is a two-story residence of Jong that can be considered an icon as important as among the institutions that were set up in the late 70s to early 80s such as the UPM, NMFP, PALMC, NMC, UST Mountaineering Clubs. MESAU among others. Its significance is as colorful as the history of mountaineering in the Philippines. It is a versatile space that was a sleeping quarter of out of towners mountaineers from Bicol, the Visayas and Mindanao conveniently accessible at the center of GMA. Pioneers have one way or another slept, got drunk, eaten, traded notes, stayed overnight at this address.

It is the original campsite at the lowland where there were spontaneous socials spiced up with beer and gin drinking, food from street hawkers and animated story telling participated in by seasoned, novice climbers and by standers.

Information, trails, incidences, equipment were traded, personal lives were exposed and recipes invented. Kubaw is a center at the time when the internet and email were not yet in fashion. It is the place to see mountaineers and connect with them even without the benefit of a text message. Whenever tragedy strikes related to climbing, this is where rescue operations are planned. Kubaw too is the source of reliable and update reports though unofficial.

To put a form to the function the place provides, the front space was leased for an outdoor store on friendly terms. A tradition it maintained was the annual Christmas party on the 25th which explains why no mountaineer left Manila on the 25th for Pulag. Bands performed. Yay O. prepared the food, St. Joseph’s Club helped fix up the place, Choy A. and Lex E. entertained. Banny D. would come home to check on Boy Ross. UPM and UP Org have not failed to attend. Guests brought drinkage favorite of which was Ginebra. Everyone contributed their anecdotes.

When one has a climbing syndrome when in the lowland, Kubaw is the place to go to reminisce memories of a climb. There would always be a warm body that would give a listening ear to any speaker.

At the turn of the century, Cubao has extended it address to Montalban venturing from trekking, spelunking to adventure racing.

My first encounter at Kubaw was in the late 80’s when Chang Guzman facilitated a spelunking in Peňablanca Cagayan. We were in the company of Negros trekkers like Snake who talked fondly of Kubaw. Through Snake, I was led to the legendary place where Jong stays. Years later, I found out that co-climber Mike P. of PALMC traced his climbing days at Kubaw.

My personal account represents only a small segment of what Kubaw stands for. While short, it was memorable enough. Kubaw is place composed of the experiences of the various parties that made it happen. As Kubaw can be considered a legend, it does not end with the move out of the tenants. Where it will be is regardless of the geographical address. Where it will go is in the hands of the stakeholders who would not let go of it.

For me for now, I can only express my profound gratitude. Thank you for letting me in, Kubaw.

Chito Razon 13 November 2006

Larawan nakaw sa site ni Banny Defeo http://www.geocities.com/bannydefeo/estor.html

Projecting a "Truer" Picture of the Pinoy Mountaineer

The successful ascent of Leo, Erwin and Romy to the roof of the world this May 2006 undoubtedly created a widespread interest to mountain climbing both to the current crop of climbers and to the uninitiated. Suddenly there is a surge of interest to alpine climbing which was then thought of as an exclusive domain of the westerners, Japanese,Koreans and Singaporeans.

The focus of the two media networks on team and individual expeditions built up a hype which may have distorted the picture of atypical pinoy mountaineering.

It is a race.
It is expensive and can cost you an arm and a leg.
Guides are vital and are key to the expedition.
Anyone with resource can make it to the top.
Success is met with recognition, failure with death.

Chiqui Roa-Puno's talk show "In My Life" aired over ANC 2 June featured mountaineers from UPM, Pilipinas Sierra, OCMI and AMCI bounded what thepinoy mountaineer is. The guests, Bernice from UPM, Fred from Pilipinas Sierra , Jay from AMCI and Louie M. from Ortigas CMI talking from their personalexperiences revealed the formal and informal values that guide them and the distinct culture that appear to bind them even if they do notknow each other.

A basic mountaineering course is a necessary foundation before onejoins the group to a climb.Harness is for scaling walls and is not necessarily brought inregular climbs.
Shoes with good traction and hard sole arenecessary. Mojos while popularly used are for certain terrains.

A backpack contains the essential kits to survive a climb: a minikitchen to prepare food, a tent for shelter, food and water provisionfor the body fuel.
It may not necessarily be huge.Equipment can be shared.
Women do not necessarily get special attention. They are treated asequals. But inarte women (also men) are despised.

You are responsible for your own self and should not pose as a burdento the rest of the group.
Young and old do climb (from the teens to the 70's).

A climb requires preparation degree of which depends on the type ofmountain.
Deeper relationships develop as one sees the core of each other goingthrough difficult and fun moments.Some groups abort their climbs should a member falls out during thetrek. There is such a thing as a point of no return where it is safer to complete the expedition than to descend.

It is more difficult to descend than to ascend. (The guests failedto mention through that there is less weight descending and one'stired body recovers from a sound sleep.)
Snakes are not a threat if you don't provoke them but the mosquitoesare a bigger danger.

The highest is not necessarily the most difficult.

The host was apparently awed by the positive values she spotted fromthe mountaineers. If she had some climbing experience prior to theinterview, it would have pushed her to ask, "Is the hardship duringthe trek all worth it? What happens at the campsite? Is therereally a race to the top? What roles do the trekkers play in a groupclimb? Is there really rivalry? What drives you from climbing overand over?" An insight to these queries would have bounded furtherwhat the pinoy mountaineer is.

The interesting talk was capped with the two sets of guests declaringthat the successful ascent to the top of the world and their safedescent made the pinoy mountaineer proud. It was a validation thoughlate that the pinoy with resources can. There is a pool of pinoymountaineers with the strength, skills and attitude who too can makeit to the summit of the world.May 2006 opened the possibility that the summit of Mt. Everest is notan elusive dream for a serious Filipino mountaineer. Thank you Leo,Erwin and Romy for showing us. You gave us permission for puttingyour dreams in ours too.

tochs 5June06

Why did the Everest climb trigger so much quarrel?

Read the Inquirer on the network war http://news.inq7.net/entertainment/index.php?index=1&story_id=77641

Read the exchanges in the peyups forum http://www.peyups.com/posts.khtml?mode=viewtopic&topic=27267&forum=5

Art's recognition of FVR and non recognition of GMA http://www.mb.com.ph/MTNN2006060165631.html

The controversy behind the 4th climber hotly contested in your favorite egroups mfpi and metropolitanms

Not to forget the two week protest in April in Nepal http://212.58.226.19/1/hi/world/south_asia/2707107.stm

And the moral ethics raised this climbing season if it is proper to leave behind a dying climber http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/5016536.stm.

It seems to be the price we pay for transforming this sacred recreation a race. Will John Muir's quotation still hold for us?
“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”

Adventure racing has changed all that. Reaching the summit of Everest just validated it.

Pinoy Blogs on the 3 Everest Conquerors

Wednesday, 17 May 2006 from 9AM to 2PM, we will find out if the roof of the world has been conquered by a Filipino. http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=38899

• 18 May, we will find out if there are now two Pinoy moutanineers who made it to the summit of Mt. Everest.
• 19 May, we will find out there there are now three Pinoy mountaineers who made it to the summit of Mt. Everest.

When the next one, your guess is as good as mine. Congrats!

-------------

Pinoy Blogs on the 3 Everest Conquerors

Dean Bocobo's Philippine Commentary-
http://philippinecommentary.blogspot.com/
Dave Quiboquibo's random ruminations-
http://ialman.livejournal.com/
Anton Diaz' Our Awesome Planet-
http://anton.blogs.com/

-------------

Famous first lines:
"the philippine eagle has landed."-17 May 2006 5:30 PM +8GMT. formal, prompted
"ang lamig dito!"-18 May 2oo6 11:35 AM +8GMT. real
"jiggy, yoohoo!"-19 May 2oo6 1:15 PM +8GMT. spontaneous, panalo

After all the hype has died down, i'd like to hear what the climb personally meant to them beyond the race angle and the unity story.
congrats po sa kanilang lahat at sa mga taong nasa likod nila

Crafting a vision 2 May 2006

5 December 1999, a motley group of climbers was invited by then MFPI President Butch Sebastian to craft a Vision Mission for the Mountaineering Federation of the Philippines Incorporated (MFPI).

Seven years ago, the vision was defined against the backdrop of what were then in the popular mindsets of the climbers:
-With a desire to climb complemented by a commitment to the preservation of the mountain eco-system
-With a sense of adventure tempered by a due regard for safety
-Whose enjoyment of the climb is bounded by a healthy respect and sensitivity for fellow mountaineers and the local communities they encounter.

We saw then a Philippine mountaineering community aware of both their right and duty to be responsible mountaineers leading to the statement of the mission-to promote responsible mountaineering by setting standards for climbing behavior ensuring:
-Our commitment to the preservation of mountain eco-system
-Development of skills necessary for safe enjoyment of climbing
-A healthy respect for fellow mountaineers and local communities

Over the past years, we saw the climbing community engaged in activities which were not directly taken into consideration then. Among them were:
-Number of climbers has grown in leaps and bounds re-classing the recreation from an extreme activity to a mainstream one which media gamely picked up.
-Competitive adventure sports which were not in fashion before gained acceptance and participation from the climbing community. Climbers provided a pool of winnable participants in either local, regional or international races.
-Expanding sights not only in tropical climbs but alpine as well.
-Opening up to the possibility that the Pinoy given the training and logistical support can climb the roof of the world.

Mission Vision practitioners say that a hard and fast rule to process check its relevance is to challenge whether the vision has been achieved, the stakeholders still share the missions’ sentiments, end result is doable taking in account a tangible goal, an execution plan, a visionary leader and more importantly is a shared purpose.

Consider that in spite of major developments, climbers still have a high regard for safety although un-quantified, there is still a consciousness to preserve the mountain eco-system although it appears not to high in priority and even with the differences in views amongst clubs, members, climbers and the manner to run the federation, there is still a considerable respect for the diversity of opinion. There are those though who clamor for wider representation. Some vouch for a stronger lobbying presence, geographical division and of late international accreditation. While there was a mention on skills, one noted the absence of physical fitness in the framework.

Is it time to re-visit the Vision Mission? Popular sentiment of the stakeholder which is composed of the member clubs, the individual members, incumbent officers, suppliers, communities we affect and the support groups we tap can give tell-tale indicators. All of them have stakes to protect. Each one has its own priority. Indifference, apathy, resignation at one and involvement, commitment, contribution at the extreme end offer hints is to whether the sentiments are still shared. Are the stakeholders getting more or less involved with the mission?

What I know is as we root for the first Filipino climber or the first Filipino climber or the first Filipino team to step foot on the peak of Mt. Everest, the climbing landscape has been changing immeasurably. Maybe so, it is time. Unless the community now has turned its affiliation somewhere else and just leave the MFPI to where it is.

What’s in your mind matters. What do you think?

2 May 2006

Pagaspas San Teodoro style 

Italy at the Extreme End 

Superb Harbor 

Cool clear water 

Aninuan and Talipanan 

12:30 Shadow 

From the shores of San Teodoro 

Wall of Attraction 

Waiting for a ride 

Teodoro and Puerto Photos by Marc Steven

Two Extremes in Oriental Mindoro

San Teodoro is 19 kms. south of Muelle in Puerto Galera, 45 minutes and P 35.0 by a passenger jeep. White Beach is 9 kms. north of Muelle, 15 minutes and P 15.0 by jeep. While only 28 kms. in distance, in pacing it is miles apart.

San Teodoro is a quaint small town whose main livelihoods are fishing and farming. The main town is divided by the highway, one east and another west. Several blocks farther down lead you to the shoreline which also serves as the town park. The three prominent structures in San Teodoro are the Public Elementary School, town hall which also houses the medical center and the Immaculate Concepcion Catholic Church. The right side of the highway steers you to the caves, mountain and over a dozen waterfalls the most famous of which are the Tamaraw and the Tukuran Falls.

Main social activity during Holy Week is the town folks milling around the blocks in pairs or in groups in the evening tagging along their cell phones. The younger groups in clusters claim their favorite social spots at the shoreline interacting via conversation and text messaging. Adult males typical in a small town hold their drinking sessions partly at their residences and at the streets. Pork barbeque grilled by an elementary school boy on vacation is sold at P 5.0 a stick. Locally made hotdog is P 3.50 a stick. On a regular day, the town is practically asleep by 9 pm. except tonight which is Holy Thursday where most of the overseas workers and Manila migrants of San Teodoro are in town, San Teodoro's lights are still on.

While seemingly quiet, the town gained notoriety for the assassination of its mayor in broad daylight at the church in April 2002 attributed to the conflict between the military and the underground movement. A military detachment stands right behind the church.

Time stops in San Teodoro. A mere two hour car ride from Manila, add an hour ferry ride and an hour of jeepney ride, you have moved back to the life in the 60’s where the only interruption to living is the simple meals.

But not for long.
Minutes and one jeepney ride later, we are in another world.  Barangay San Isidro, Puerto Galera, address of the world famous White Beach, a cheaper alternative to Boracay, destination of adventurers, backpackers, bohemians, non conformists, nature lovers, peddlers, generation x, peddlers and all sorts of characters changed the  pace from slow to fast and a the lifestyle from relaxed to stressful. It is noisy, busy, crowded and alive which sharply contrasts to the natural setting of superb harbor, rich marine life, dive sites, corals and the Talipanan-Malipunyo mountain range. Initially developed as a tourist spot in 1979, there are now over a hundred landmarks and cuisine that cater to almost any nationality and disposition.

You know you are headed for the future when your hundred pesos can buy you just three drinks compared to the 20 barbeque sticks in San Teodoro. In Puerto it is not just text messaging, it is broadband wireless fidelity right smack at the beach. Using a waterproof hand receiver, you are never out of touch with the outside world either in the stretch of San Isidro, Aninuan or Talipanan. Like the pace in Malate and in Eastwood, the world does not stop. Action is on a 24 by 7. (It makes one wonder how many cell phones and wallets have changed hands in Puerto today?)

Is it possible to go two extremes in two days? You just need a high tolerance for adversity to survive. Thanks to the hospitality extended by “Bo Derec” and the company of PALMC associates Ding and family, tropang Meridian and Bontoc for playing host to us in San Teodoro and to the company of generous friends Jonnell and Mark for all the other amenities.  The holy week season provided the backdrop to experience the extreme pace.

It was an experience "all so dazzling and diverse as to seem unreal" quoting the line of travel writer Amadis Ma. Guerrero. The entire enriching trip did not cost me a fortune. For me that seemed like the unreal part.

24 April 2006

T

Ortigas, Fort and Makati skyline with a surpise appearance of Mt. Arayat


Cathy's Photo Blog on Talim

Storytelling in Climbing

At the onset, I declared I will not write about the Talim climb which I helped

organize. After all what is telling about a 2½ hour climb to the summit at 436
M ASL, an hour of FX ride from EDSA Central to Binangonan and another hour of
boat ride from the wharf to Janosa.

Nine of us traversed the long stretch of Talim Island from North to South and
crossed the two towns of Binangonan to Cardona trekking through Barangays Janosa
and Lambac with no particular record breaking nor breakthrough moments that
March 4 and 5. Each one spent only about P 150.00 round trip.

I wouldn't I said until I spotted these quotations on storytelling.

Kate Mitchoff (2005), an American librarian suggests from the quote
"Storytelling is humanity's oldest form of literacy." that each human is born
with the ability to use verbal communication to teach, explain, and entertain.
The oral description of events, either real or imagined, is the practice of
storytelling.

Storytelling is technically defined as the art of portraying in words, images,
and sounds what has happened in real or imagined events. The oldest forms of
storytelling were oral: spoken words told from one person to another in an
effort to communicate a message or a feeling.

Reynolds Price (Akkadine Press) an author writes that the need to tell and hear
stories is essential after nourishment and before love and shelter. Millions
survive though without love or home but none in silence leading to storytelling.

I will not write about the thrill of trekking on a cool windy weekend nor of the
silence in the summit but the enjoyment of listening to the storytelling at the
socials and during the meals.

Who wouldn't treasure these precious times when Dexter started off the night
with the 7 days of paranormal at Madjas while Larry, Cathy, Errol, Therence,
Mike and Olga were cooking. He with Larry, Dom and Ding were on a special
mission to "feel the forces" of nature in Antique with a psychic and a medium
looking for a missing climber. He narrated the first two days of the journey
citing the fairies and the dwarfs in animated body language until the story
abruptly ended with the indoctrination of a revolutionary group.

He then followed it up with another first hand experience of the most recent
search and rescue operations at St. Bernard Leyte turning a tragic moment into a
light talk. Revealing anecdotes were detailed citing incidences like imported
sniffing dogs can only detect life forms only within 3 meters from the surface
and only for 30 minutes and the Taiwanese needing total silence when they
operate their sensors to detect life forms below the soil. Americans on the
other hand came with a fully backed up Logistics from air support to a well
balanced food supply whereas our very own Armed Forces do not even have bottled
water at hand. He showed admiration for the Baguio miners who can
systematically dig up long tunnels in hours. Stories were punctuated by
unexplainable behaviors of volunteers under the influence and highly dramatic
and sensational reports of internationally exposed alpine climber.

Before he gave up the floor for other dominant storytellers as Larry, Mike,
Errol and Cesar, he transported us to Halcon in another search and rescue
operations where he highlighted the dynamics of the various rescue team
operations and the interactions with the local government, the 505th and the
native Mangyans. Instead of feeling sorry for the victim, we took the narration
in stride without the sad feeling.

Our narrator was not really teaching, entertaining nor explaining but partly
doing everything. We the listeners did not care what details were real and
imagined. What mattered was we were so involved with the stories as if we were
there with him. He had the floor because we, too were polite and as Cesar said,
"if there is a bangkero, we do not interrupt, we wait for our turn." Cesar
waited for the next morning to narrate his own story.

Larry had to just inject his chronicle on how in February 2001 he, with Danny,
Bob and Wilbert reached the summit from the East side after our failed first
attempt. Our discovery of Suso was a result of just asking ourselves from Sucat
Expressway what's on top of the island?

While our bangkero shared with us themes that were not ordinary, the rest of us
were equally mesmerized with the short tales happening at the sidelights.
Everyone broke into spontaneous laughter when we recalled if Larry was frying
the bacon with cooking oil when checked by Cathy, or if Therence did not burn
the tapa even with the strict supervision of Errol, or if Mike was not spilling
the boiling water under the guidance of Olga. Cesar's way of story telling the
following morning was not just in words but in love songs that dated back in the
60?s revolving around the subject on what else but relationship. The presence
of Therence was sufficient to trigger a new wave of stories revolving around the
Americans from their food ration and intervention. Discussion led to division
but was amicably settled when Nalgene issuance for volunteers was taken up.

Reaching the peak to these passionate climbers seemed no longer enough. It had
to be capped with a satisfying meal featuring spicy Bicol Express, authentic
pasta and relaxed interesting socials full of stories and liquor. It was the
spontaneity of the story telling of the co climbers that brought the activity to
utmost fulfillment. This Talim traverse had its particular charm brought about
by the beauty of the island, started off with the cheerful FX driver, the
accommodating banca operator, and the hospitable folks of both Janosa Binangonan
and Lambac Cardona and the fine company of affectionate friends. Even as we
closed our adventure, we were treated to an exciting basketball match by the
boys of Lambac while waiting for our banca ride. As we sailed towards Cardona,
the flock of gulls somersaulting for fish for about an hour behind our boat was
an unexpected visual treat. The middle aged jeepney driver that drove us to the
other town of Rizal too had an interesting tale on his collection of heavy metal
loud music.

Like a story which has a beginning and middle, it had to end. The ending was
grand as Danny, a rated tri-athlete hosted lunch and another round of socials in
his neat house in Angono. As our most gracious host, the birthday celebrant
with his wife and brother Junior attended to practically all our needs. The
discussion at the round table that centered on men and women in a relationship
over draft beer, fried itik and pancit is in itself another rich source of
material for another story.

Trekkers make fine storytellers because the experiences they go through in
climbs merit narrating. Each moment is an involvement. For these reasons
alone, they are almost always alive. There certainly is no silence in their
company.

Before I end,

What story will Dexter make again to those he left behind in the city last
weekend?
What story is Cesar making about the rain that delayed our return trip?
What story will Mike report to his office about the cell phone he lost in the
taxi cab?
How do we say thank you to all those who made this event truly a memorable one?
What story will Andrew tell? This we have to hear.

Until the next episode.

Overhead in a typical pre climb assembly,
'Anong dala mo?
'Tent and stove ?dre.
'Ako naman tubig at bigas
'Ayos, sagot ko na ang kwento."


"A need to tell and hear stories is essential to the species Homo sapiens--second in necessity apparently after nourishment and before love and shelter. Millions survive without love or home, almost none in silence; the opposite of silence leads quickly to narrative, and the sound of story is the dominant sound of our lives, from the small accounts of our day's events to the vast incommunicable constructs of psychopaths."
-A Palpable God, (1997) by Reynolds Price (Akkadine Press)

Chito Razon 7 March 2006

Talim photos courtesy of Mike Pulido

Once Upon a Time

Foto by Banny Hermanos