Cheers to Messrs. Graves and Cutler

Coming home late on a Wednesday evening, and my hands were full from my online reads, mainly of general interest, mostly links from my newly resurrected Facebook account, one read leading to another.  I'm a reading junkie, and you'd lose me easily on this one.

Must say, too that I am beginning to adjust (and like) reading from my tab.  MyJoshueBae has been pushing me to try e-books, free, lightweight and convenient,  but I insisted to do some old-fashion reading as I get a little physically attached with my books.  Currently my love affair with my tab is good practice for me.

CNN International Edition is one of my many favorite sites online.   So I was on this page, http://edition.cnn.com/2015/04/07/us/basketball-coach-dies-plane-crash/, another plane crash, and 7 more lives lost, all in their prime and in the apex height of their career.  I went to one of the side tabs that says "People we've Lost in 2015".  I sighed, it's only April.

Mr. Michael Graves, one of most revered contemporary architects of this generation, was one of  the premier speakers during the Asia Pacific International Trade Fair (ASPAT)* organized by CITEM in September 1996, Manila, Philippines.  Under the leadership of the late, Araceli Maria Pinto-Mansor, CITEM Executive Director, the Philippines hosted ASPAT as a pre-event for the Asia Pacific Economic Forum.

An online archive of an article written about ASPAT '96 in The Manila Standard.

Here in this article, the names of Messrs Michael Graves  listed as multi-awarded architect. and Philip Cutler, noted American furniture consultant.

I was 38 when I retired from government service.   Then it dawned on me, it's been 7 years since I left CITEM.  And may be a good 20 years or more since I got starstruck by the likes of Michael Graves, Faith Popcorn, Paola Navone, Melissa La'o, Lor and Ed Calma, Larry Alcala, Claude Tayag, Ramon Orlina, Presidents and Royalties etc etc,  and suddenly I pictured my young corporate self. fresh from the small city of Olongapo,  walking the Halls of the ITC Complex  fascinated about that small framed nice old American fellow and his favorite bow ties who always walked past everyone in really fast strides, Philip Cutler.

     Learning about Mr, Graves recent passing, got me curious about well Mr. Cutler in particular since I was in my early 20s then, and he must be somewhere between his late 50s and early 60s.  Mr. Cutler, loved and respected by his peers, friends and family.

Good old CITEM memories. I breathed life in the company of artists, technocrats, industrialists and government professionals.  My fertile training ground for my creativity, wit and stubborn tenacity :-) 

Nobody would notice but I want a quiet place for these memories, though brief and strictly professional, the likes of Michael Graves and Philip Cutler, and the many others I have come to admire in many different ways, came to my country and unselfishly shared their respective geniuses with us, and worked with CITEM, and yes, dined and wined with us, partied hard with us even :-).

With all my respect, thank you for the memories.

*This writer was privileged to be part of CITEM's Project Management Team which put together that once in a lifetime gathering of the world's big shots in the field of arts and design.  Thirty countries participated in ASPAT '96.  It was such an awe.  

Trivia:  JBG, my boss then and myself, were on our 6th month of pregnancy.   And I was a clueless bride arrgghhh

Havey, his son, and Sophie, my daughter are now 18 years old. 

Pixie dusts for Christmas

.

To my Mamang, Lolo Tatay, Lola Meding, Lola Bidang, my in-laws, Betong, Ronnie, Emer and Reden.  Celebrating your memories ...

To my homies ... 'in this together.

To my dearest darling, Sophie ...  i know, for her,  this sucks ... but a mother has to do what it's gotta do ;-)

to my best buds in the whole wide world ... thank you for all the lovin' ... dognuts, bok,  bengbeng, ML, batch, virginie, thermites, abiku, Phiayaya, Lolit Kulit, Lani Gel, Jena Gurl, Mykee, Nettchie, BenT, Fayie, CITEM luvies, GerryB, Minyang, Ca and GMA kiddies, GeloB, Davie, Laine,  Rye, Josh, Roxy Baby

To the love of my life ... love still

Me, cultivating solitude.

Bracken's Jose Rizal*

*My facebook is active from 12 noon - 12 midnight :) --- Kabitenya time LOL ... jusz add me na lang.  I promise to accept.  :) ... but that's just temporary, pag bumalik na sa dagat ang mga talangka sa utak ko, my FB will  be up and running as it should be.  Don't ask why ... you won't get it anyway, dont sweat, i don't get it myself.  LOL  Luka luka pa din ako.  Hey, 'course I cried over you,  for 6 months, but I've long moved on since then.  People do get over some people, ryte.  Ganun talaga.

(Sometimes, though, too ...  you don't  get over some people.  Ganun talaga.  I've conceded to my destiny.)

***


Here ... memories of you and Sophie ... and us.

This before or after Munich?  Funny, how you always wanted to join me in my trips and, your Visa, Schengen and US, always get declined those days.  But see, how far you've gone now.  Damn, of all places huh, why there!

Tito Denden and Soph at my old office.  Gearing up for CITEM's Kiddie Xmas party.

Answeet,  Lakas mo dyan, ini spoiled mo kasi, hump.  

That's us and my ol' ITSED crew.  Us jusz droppin by at the party.  You my ever persistent school bus. LOL

First grade, and you noticed me. I was an honor student and smelled sunshine, you my friend, was busy playing marbles, and smelled like sun . Remember this class pic, you brought this to CITEM, and showed proudly to Alma and Thelms  ... hey, I miss you, classmate.  God bless. — in Tanza.
***This is posted in my "Past Life" Album in Facebook

*********

eto na yung alaga mo ngayon, 1st year college na Tourism Management sa La Salle.  

Time flies ...

Still

My dear Phiayaya's and Rommel's wedding, June 2011.  There's my Dee, all smiles, with my anakish Mykee, a certified camwhore.  :)

Clearly, clearly I remember ...

My sweet Phia's and Omeng's wedding. Each time, it reminds me of ...

My lavander gown was expensive. The makeover session was intricate and expensive, too.  Thanks to Dee and Mommy Rose for taking me in with overwhelming enthusiasm.

Emotions were too much, just too much love going on, coming around ...  

The weather was cloudy.  The streets rippled.  It was going to be stormy ...  yet all of my closest of friends wore the sunniest disposition as I was.  Dee's smile was the sweetest.  Neng's embrace was so assuring.  I was in cloud 9.  It was such a perfect afternoon.  The best time for a wedding.

On my way to the Roldans, I got an overseas text message, telling me how much I’ve been missed. 

***

I was cruising Roxas Blvd. this morning on my way to UP Manila.  Passing by my much loved CITEM over a wide Thursday morning skies.  I remember only beautiful memories.  Just purely happy thoughts … knowing that I’m keeping old friendships, my silent and “star studded” accomplishments and contributions,  a recollection of a successful transition as a small town yuppie steadily moving up the corporate ladder, a suitcase of travelogues.  So I’ve got my name, in rough diamonds, etched in one of those halls.  My inner goddess getting a round of applause from the witches, and bitches and my par excellence ITSED Team.  Peace is so comforting.

I see Golden Shell’s rooftop.  And feel no grudges.  I left as planned  and stayed away on purpose.  Twasn’t a mean feat. It was a milestone considering my steady history of keeping, nurturing, anchoring lifelong relationships with friends their families, classmates, schoolmates, officemates, even exes and their families, too.  May be not the best, all the time, but I’m generally regarded really well, 'must say.  I deserve some credit for that :)

But then again.  I’ve made difficult decisions in life.  Leaving, staying away and keeping it just as that are one of those really hard ones I made ( I really hope I stop making them as options J ). 

Mark, yeah Mark, that Mark ...  was right when he said how hard it was to re-boot me after I shut down.  But what better choice do I have … all files corrupted, the systems gotta go.

Why restore when you can have a new lease on life.

The shut down only hurts in the beginning.  Don’t we all get used to something each time.  It breaks us, but doesn’t kill us.  The pain changes us but we don’t actually die from it.     It only hurts for as long as it hurts.  Then it makes a full stop.  Only God knows when.  But it ends.  I swear to that. 

***

Death is always a first time.

The memories of my dear Phia’s afternoon wedding.  The sleepless, happiest weekend before that.   My intoxication from love.   My reckless imprudence.  The price it cost me.  It wrenched my soul.   My baddest heart break, it was.  My second serving of mean feat.

I still couldn’t help but ask, whatever happened to all that love?

Everyone thought, but they're all wrong ... I'm not saying ... everything inside me is gone.
I have may be some years left.  I'm going down with this.  When everything else is rosy, but this one, I guess, I'm bringing this with me.

I haven’t forgiven myself.   I still hurt.   I love you still.   You just don’t know.