I cried milliliters of tears, lots of liquid, while watching the climax of Marley & Me. I shed ten times tears the combined Monsters Inc and Magic To Win. Mama was also crying throughout the end of the story. It’s so true that the movie pricked my heart. It used to be fun as I relate Marley to Lobo on their playful attitude. Then, all of the sudden, argh… So I went to Lobo and give him a powerhug!!!

Lobo and I are best buds for about 4 months and counting. We had so much ‘adventures’ together from the veterinary clinic visits to the simplest daily walks and runs. He’s bigger and getting bigger! Lumolobo si Lobo. He’s quite popular in our neighborhood now and everyone’s calling his name.

1. I guess his current and growing size is attributed to the dog food his veterinarian recommended. His dog food is lamb and rice and I assumed they are Eukanuba since these are stored in pink Eukanuba drums. He used to chow Bow Wow which is way cheaper than Eukanuba.
2. I brought him to the vet in fear that he’s having skin disease. The vet shot him with 3 solutions. They are effective medications that hairfall is reduced (from 100 to 2… haha…) And yes, the herbal shampoo he’s enjoying also contributes.
3. We are staying away from one house with carinderia when we dog-walk. She keeps on complaining about Lobo after my dog pooped some meters across her carinderia. Yeah, I know. But why picking on my big dog when other askals are doing the same when she’s not around at night. And hello, it was just once compared to all the dust the food she serves is getting everyday. Her carinderia is just inches away from the road.
4. If Lobo has a detractor, he has many fans. His recent fans include a bunch of kids, a group of young girls. They’re all dancing and circling Lobo to the beat of (the irritating) Marian Rivera’s song. They’re thinking of what gift to give on Lobo’s birthday.
5. He’s always craving for mangoes. We are located on a neighborhood with growing mango trees. When we’re walking, he hurriedly takes in ripe mangoes that I can’t rescue these mangoes out from him. Two days after, he’s going to throw up the undigested seeds.
6. He knows how to lambing. Tumitihaya siya and he wants us to rub his white chest. He also leans his head to our laps.
7. He’s still barking to signal that he’s about to pee or to poop.
8. He’s scratching the screened door hard while we’re eating our lunch or dinner. He would know as soon as he hears utensils bump with each other. We should get back to him after eating. He would make tampo barks and probably saying ‘bakit n’yo ako iniiwan dito? gusto ko rin kumain.’
9. He is quite a good weather forecaster. He doesn’t want to go outside if he’s feeling that it’s gonna rain in few minutes (even when the sun is shining). He loves to take a bath but rain is not his type.
10. He barks only on few persons. And I’m still figuring out the common thing among them. There’s quite a mystery about it.
11. We bought him a small electric fan operating on high noons and on evenings. He would stay in front of it most of the times.
12. He has no visible ticks and pleas compared before. Dot-sized pleas would only appear on the second day after he took a bath. Gee, he smells terrific too! That herbal shampoo is really good!
13. And he just turned 2 last week! Happy birthday, Lobo!!!

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I used to believe in the effectivity and practicality of ‘live in’ (or ‘living together’) before getting married. But the inuman session with the Punzkie clan is philosophy changing. I used to see live in as the experimental period of boyfriend-girlfriend before marriage. Hearing and knowing all those failed and broken marriage, I’m blaming it for the changes in personality and attitude of one or both parties only discovered when living under one roof. Marriage is thus overrated.

‘So, do you believe that such problems arise soon after boyfriend-girlfriend started living together?’, Kuya Aubrey, married and one of the cousins in the discussion, asked me.
‘Yes’, I answered.
‘In any marriage, from time to time, you would find something new about your partner – on how he/she thinks, feels or neglects, solves or complicates situations and problems. This is where love enters. This is where it should bind you together.’

Of course, I am moved. What’s greater than love? And maybe because of this, now I’ve decided that I’m getting married really soon. Lolz. Perhaps, at my early thirties.

One uncle said it’s kinda late to marry at my ideal age. He got married young – at the age perhaps of my father when I was born. My uncle’s friends are wishing that they should have married at a younger age like my uncle so that they could see their kids with degree and hopefully dignified. I replied and explained to him that at present day it would require investment, lots of blood and sweat, to establish a family and to provide it with basic needs and luxury. I guess even after one got a job after graduation, it won’t suffice.

More uncles have seconded. But it was later evident that they’re hoping for a longer time of gimmicks, girls and other benefits of bachelor-hood. Hehe. Although some of them believes that a single man could only save money once he runs a family. Seriously?

On a different talk, my aunt opened to me that she’s thinking the probable reason why my cousins, Kuya Ryan and Ate Elaine, both just few months older than me, aren’t deciding to get marry. A reason is that Kuya and Ate are still concern of the future of their parents (my aunt and my uncle) if they live another life with someone else.

Well, it’s really case-to-case basis. I’m ready once…

1) I have a recession-proof job in a managerial position
2) I have a stable clothing line or food business
3) I have earned my master’s degree or another bachelor’s degree
4) I have paid at least half of the total ammortization of the dream house and lot and dream car
5) My parents are happy and I can live not being dependent to them
…
100) I have found the right person…

Perhaps, I have already met her but in the wrong time and in the wrong place. Sigh.

Five years is short.

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A family from Canada went as balikbayan and fortunately the reunion fits their schedule. The parents bring their three sons, one of which is already Canadian citizen by birth. Since 1) It’s summer. 2) Tarlac’s a province. 3). They’re in the Philippines – what do kids expect? Yeah, operation tule (circumcision).

The rest seems to be the same. Monoblock chairs. Red table cloth covering rented tables. Videoke. Sand (but not meant for beach or swimming – Tarlac has a sandy soil.) Smell of Filipino dish being cooked. Mano. Bless. Lolo. Lola. Tito. Tita. Observing the kids, nieces, nephews and other younger cousins, it was like me years ago. They could be just waiting for this family gathering to finish and hoping to get back as soon as possible in urban happiness found in TV and in computer.

I’m not expecting something extravagant here. Since my time allows it (but if I’m still at the company where my brother’s working, I could be probably working at home) and meeting cousins is far exciting than DVD marathon, I attended the Punzalan reunion.

Unlike the past reunion, I’m now part of a group. I’m with the beer-gulping young adult seated next to the elderly. No one had figured out that I’m already at my quarter life (syempre, totoy pa rin ang itsura. Woohoo!) and drinking beer has been part of my assignments. Yeah, I’m used to be the geek, the quiet type. And now I’m mingling with them, listening to their views, tried-and-tested philosophies and life lessons.

Marriage has been the favorite topic. Kuya Ryan and I have been on the hot seat. I guess the ideal marrying age on our generation is 30 after Kuya Ryan answered the same number. It was a cool and kapupulutan-ng-aral discussion that it’s worth a separate post. One side is saying it’s okay to marry at young age while the other side is um, I don’t know if they’re regretting to abstain their singleness and gimmicks for life after they married their better halves.

Although the videoke as free and available as buffet, I have chosen the overflowing beer and laughter. My parents who are not used to seeing me in drinking warned me. But to everyone’s surprise, my alcohol tolerance level is above average now. I am trained. As for the resistance in videoke crooning, oh well, Punzalan clan members have a string of singing voice abilities written on the DNA. But not for me. Nahiya lang din ako.

Soon, Punzalan Reunion shall be organized by our generation. I’m thinking that since most of our batch earned degree in Information Technology or in Computer Science, we should add some technology on this. Facebook na ‘to! I’m thinking aloud lately. Online family tree?

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