The Name of the Game

I come by many names and roles.

I am a push and pull officer.

I am a daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, and friend.

I'm the better half of a whole, his significant other.

I am me.

I'm a mommi. Always and forever.

Okay, enough with the melodrama. Let's get to the fun part.

I like to go by Melissa. It's a name that my sister and I have liked from the start. But we forgot about it while choosing the name for our baby sister. So she ended up with Catherine Mae. I had no knowledge of the internet back then, that's why I spent hours looking for the perfect name (kuno) in a mini-baby book. (Don't blame me please!)

And so, during teen years, I always go incognito with Melissa. It's still close to my given name so it's not difficult to respond to it. I also like Reena (from nora roberts' Blue Smoke), short for Catarina. I use it during the KC08. I was inspired by Ahnn's Bella Lopez. In the book, Bella is Reena's older sister. Bella is short for Isabella. They have a brother Xander, for Alexander. I like the nickname stuff.

Here at work, I try to change the nicknames of people I work with.

Dashiel Anthony (Dash) became Anton.
Marie Ann is Marimar.
Mary Cris is Crissy.
Rutchy is CeCee.
Jophil is JJ.
Cha is Charity.
Thelma Jean is TJ.
Grace is Gracie.

At home, byang is Evy. Basti's is secretly spelled.
Nai-Nai was Monay. Before that she was Nene/Pane then Mona.

According to blogthings.com:

My Japanese Name is Toki Sato.
May French Name is Anais chabert.
I am Talita Santoro in Brazil.
I am Akela Iwalani in Hawaii.
And I best like my American Name, Melissa Lee Mitchell.

Melissa, must be fate.

I also like GooGoo Dolls' Name (Couldn't wait too fast, now there's nothing....I won't tell no one your name).

the best part in naming, no one can argue about it. It's your prerogative. No wrong spellings.

It's all up to you. Don't get me wrong, I like my given name. It translates to Princess; Darkness (i'm thankful for the semicolon punctuation. If not for it, do you think it would mean what I think it means?) What a thought.

Sanyang Express

All aboard!

Sanyang Express bound for Insanity Avenue, is now leaving! Get limited, front row seats to bedlam!

Note:From hereon until thereafter, this absolutely makes little sense. Don't blame me, as I've said, this train is bound for bedlam. You've been warned. Read at your own risk.

Choo, choo! Off we go!

That's what you usually get when you go on adventures with one of your best friends. The experience is briefly comparable with eating Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. When Ron Weasley said, you gotta be careful because when they say every flavor , they mean every flavor. (not that I've eaten one, mind you.)

That's how it's like. You think you already know what's coming then boom, it gets you in the face. I'm like, whoa! what hit me?! But it's only for a nano-second because the next thing I know, I'm doubled up laughing til my tummy hurt.

It's a visual thing. This is a very important truth. But those with excellent imagination can pull it off. almost, that is.

Anyway, do you know anybody who is without a clue yet seems to know a lot? Sounds contradictory, but believe me. I know such a person. one of my best-est friends. Know the adage through thick and thin, rain or shine? She's been that and more to me. More to the point that sometimes, I'm guilty of taking her for granted. But I've got this another theory that sometimes, it's a hallmark of true friendship, when you get to the point that you need not ask or feel guilty about asking from your friend/s favors; you're not coy about declaring what you need from them, even when they can't give you anything at all (especially money!) but the mere fact that I can ask them already means a lot.

It has been way for sometime now. I consider myself lucky to belong in her circle. Anyway I digress.

So I find myself on the platform, wondering whether to get on the train or not.

I was like, am I sure I even want to get on the train? I asked myself. So, with eyes closed and heart pumping, I jumped as the train started to move. Are there no other compartments? She seems harmless anyway!

Harmless my ass! She was anything but that. However it turned out to be one of the weirdest, right decisions that I made. And oh boy! Oh boy! What a ride it turned out to be. Still is. Such highs and lows.

It made me think of how friendships are formed. There is no friendship calculator that tells you should you be friends with this person or not, there is compatibility but there are no strict requirements at all. All it takes, is a moment much the same as love at first at sight, minus the attraction of course. This is not bizarro world folks. I think the most unlikely frienships formed are some of the lasting ones made. Well, I certainly hope so.

In life, I believe most decisions are basic or on an instinctive level, fight or flight. In this instance, I decided to take the chance. She may be off her rocker (wehehehehe) but hey, you couldn't find someone like her in this lifetime or the next. (song one in a million starts at this point).

So what am I saying? At the most inopportune moments, when you find yourself in the same boat as I did, with your eyes closed, heart and mind ready, take the plunge! Who knows, you'll get lucky, as I did.

Choo, choo!


Shoutout to CeCee! It's your time to shine girl!




PS. the original A-rated version of this article was lost. such bad luck last night.

Marie in wonderland

This is dedicated to Marie Ann who is experiencing many firsts alongside KC and Richard.

Talk about releasing your inner child. Most adults react to this like they know it along, yet have really no idea what it's about. It's not being childish at all, well, not like what most mean when they say it. It's not just like being playful or to horse around.

Watching Marie 3 weeks ago is a revelation. True, it's a laugh and most times, you don't know whether to be annoyed or not, but heck yeah, she knew how to enjoy in the truest sense of the word. Never mind what others say or think about you. And the best part, she's infectious.

Who in their right minds would be laughing their hearts out in the middle of a moderate to heavy traffic? Even Kuya Dante couldn't help but grin at her antics!

Rutchy's cellphone memory couldn't hold all the pictures we took. Too bad, Cha Cha kept the 45k cam most to herself. It was a marketing thing really, we all understood the reason behind it. But nobody's complaining except Marie of course (she and Cha-Cha has one of those girlfriend-constantly-fighting-scenes ;just like watching an anime really). Our memories are always with us (except if we'll contact Alzheimer's later - knock on wood thrice sound here).

Even this article wouldn't do justice to her at all. It's one of the those 'gotta be there to understand what I'm saying things'. But, trust me, it was a blast.

It never fails to bring out a laugh in me when I think about it. That's what you call a worthwhile experience. Take a bow Marie Ann, you certainly deserve it. (standing ovation!)