As the month of March ends..... PART 2

My Forty Years: A Summary in Pictures

Pictures... pictures.... pictures.... Got loads of them. I am admittedly burara but surprisingly when it came to things that matter to me pala, I have them all in one bodega - my little room, Yes it may look like a bodega but it is in my little room where my creativity becomes endless, my best works and concepts materialized there. Oops, I am here now in this little room. My PC is here too and I squat on the floor now after breaking too many chairs. Geez! I got it all here! Even the tooth which I pulled myself! hahahahahahaha!






My Lola Nene ( Clemente ) had tons and tons of photo albums for her to showoff how life had been good to her and her family. I didn't know then that what she was doing was called documentation. I was glad to digitalize the pictures hoping all these memories can be kept alive forever. I want to show the pictures on this particular blog to share my life story as captured in camera as well as some special places, events and people who made quite a mark on who I am today.







I thank my Dad and Mom for bringing me into this mad mad world. How I wished though that my Lolo Titong ( Papang's Dad ) were still alive today for it would have certainly made a big difference in our lives. He died when I was only about 10 years old but my memory of his being a great man still lingers. Now that I am 40, I have this stinking feeling I got more than my share of his traits, among which are my zest for life, my being a dreamer ( and making dreams a reality ), and my being a responsible parent I guess. I hope though I would not have his 'Telly Savalas' head, at least not in the near future or none at all. I had the chance to know my maternal grandmother more, Lola Fely. She fought for her rights, very feisty. She lost her sight due to old age but her mind was still very brilliant. She gave her best shot 'til the very end until she finally left us just last year. That "nude statue" you see reminded me of the goodlife we had. It had weathered five generations and I am glad I still get to hold her once in a while. I must have thought she was a santo when I was little...






Straight from Marcopper Mines in Marinduque where I finished my highschool, I enrolled in U.P. College of Music, took voice, solfeggio and rudiments and had a brief stint with the world renown UP Concert Chorus, where I met some 'goodie two shoes' kind of guys who were auditoning for an a capella octet. Little did I know that this stint with the TUX would take a huge part in whatever 'music intelligence' I have now. We performed with only the best of the lot and my exposure to the production side of entertainment was cemented.More than these, it was like having enrolled myself in John Robert Powers for six years. Thanks to my Kuyas.






More than aiming for the stars, I went solo because of two things: I wanted to earn more ( no division by eight, :), and I wanted to prove I can make it on my own. Except that managers wouldn't touch me for they may have thought I knew I couldn't be fooled but I was actually very much willing to be used and abused, hehehehe.

Actually, unlike my elders who had good day jobs, I couldn't find one when I finished college because Tux was already all over the place and companies didn't think I could hack work while singing. So I did the lounges and did very well. I also produced my own shows and my own album. When I won over Rannie Raymundo, Side A, Bert Nievera and Artstart Band for the 1993 Awit Best Jazz Vocal Recording, I was happy na even when my album didn't make much money, hahahahahha!

I just wished I was in the era of 'Star In A Million' where winners got loads of prizes. But in my time I won the prestigious OPM-Fe S. Panlilio Scholarship for Professional Singers. Too bad the prize was only P15,000. Arggh!

But life really has a way of balancing things and if you listen closely to your spirit, it has a way of letting you know which road to turn. At one point I got burned out. I took rest then from there I simply followed the whisper...






I had a day job! Held on to it for six years while only making myself available on weekends. Gee I really enjoyed having a different life and succeeding in another field. I ended my stint there knowing fully well I gained so much more. I learned Corporate Communications and became a specialist.






But looking back now, God put me there more than anything else so I can have the after-office hours spent exclusively for my daughter Gela who was growing up fast. Good Lord Gela grew up nicely despite the odds. She possesses inner strength and I let her grow up to be a sweet survivor. I was able to put her to a good school and I couldn't ask for more. She is my greatest achievement.