when Friendster started plaguing the Philippines in 2003, i was one of those who got infected. i could still remember back then, my friend Dolly kept pestering me to accept her invitation and write her a testimonial. it took me a couple of months, i think, to give in to her pangungulit and that basically was how i got myself into this popular free social networking site.
anyway, if you're one of those who started Friendster 5 years ago, i'm sure you remember that the now comments section used to be the testimonials section. there, your friends can write what they think about you, your character, your hobbies, interests, antics, secrets...sort of a eulogy except that you are still alive to listen to it hihihi. as always, i took this task of writing testimonials for my friends seriously the same way that i expected them to be honest and witty and wacky when they write their "testi" for me.
too bad Friendster does not allow us to arrange these testimonials/comments according to our preferred hierarchy 'coz it automatically lists the most recent. right now, the comments in my main profile page are mostly birthday greetings and hi's/hello's from friends. the most interesting ones are buried down there...waiting to be unearthed and discovered by maybe somebody either doing a background check on me for lack of better things to do, an ex who wants to find out how my life went after i dumped him (nyahahaha! kapal ko talaga!) or most probably the current girlfriend/wife of an ex who wants to satisfy her curiosity about me LOLz
before these testimonials become totally forgotten and left to virtually disappear in the dust bins of cyber history, let me retrieve and immortalize them in this blog. let me remind you though that my friends wrote them voluntarily and willingly. They were not at all coerced, held at gunpoint, blackmailed or sedated and none of them owed me money or anything at the time of writing. Here goes...
Grace wrote on October 27, 2003: I've known Cay, (as we call her) since our highschool days. a funloving sweet girl who's a great guitar player. Small yet remarkable, she's sincere and true to the friendship we have. Though we have gone through life's up and downs, she was always there as a friend. She's a friend worth keeping for life. :)
Apple wrote on December 11, 2003: I will never forget the time we spent in Bicol. Grabe ang adventure naten dun ha. Dayuhin ba uli ang sili shed para lang magpictorial?? Well that only proves that we are a bunch of picture addicts!! hehehe....The first time i met carmel, i had no doubt she's someone i can get along with..Kaya nga di ako shy magsleepover sa house nya eh..Super linis ng bahay nyan..pwede kang magsalamin sa sahig!Pero hate ko na sya ngayon kasi super sexy na sya...ako tabachingching pa rin!!! God can be so unfair sometimes, hindi lang beauty at brains ang binigay sayo,ginawa ka pang sexy!!hehehe...Carmel, always take care..I wish you and your honey a more colorful lovelife..I will forever be grateful to dols for making our paths cross. Miss yah!!
Anne wrote on january 24, 2004: Ang KULIT! Ang layo ko na nga sa kanya, nakukulit nya pa rin ako. The power of technology huh!?!?! Khay and I are just so different (maingay cya, tahimik ako, and blah blah blah) pero I guess that's why we get along so well din. Also, pareho kaming mahilig sa music and books. Bruha, kung marunong kang mag-guitar, ako rin marunong na (slight!) he he he. But what really impresses me about her (and I've always been proud of) is that she is a very artistic person. She draws well, and my, the poems and the essays she write. Di ko na idadagdag ang iba pa nyang "attributes". Am sure my makukulit pa cyang magsulat ng testimonial nya har har har. To Khay, thank you for being the friend that you are to me. Our friendship has withstood time and distance and am very proud of what we have. Sana, one of these days makumpleto ulit tayo (GRAB'C). We have one lost sheep (whereabouts unknown!)he he he... and hey, thanks for the books! Love you and miss you ... :-)
Omar wrote on February 1, 2004: How do you even begin to describe such a complex creature as Carms? We'll, I'll take off from whence it all started, that is, from the time I first saw her. It was sometime in the middle of 1998 when somebody from our office introduced Carms to me. Immediately, I was charmed. She was like a warm ray of light in a cold, dark place. The months that followed, thus, were as wacky as one could imagine. As I got to know her, I liked her even more even as she was as talkative as the worse mother-in-law in the world. Yes, we talked a lot and like me, she has plenty of things to say about any topic. Although she had one advantage: she was more up-to-date on the latest showbiz tsismis, local or foreign. Not only that, she was particularly abreast with the latest "in terms or gayspeak, like, as what are popular nowadays, "papa," "papable," "faffy," "charing," etc. We also talked about our favorite TV show then which was the X-Files. We were fascinated and intrigued with the show so much so that we called ourselves after its main characters, Agents Mulder and Scully. I took delight in referring to Carms as Scully --- played by actress Gillian Anderson --- because like Scully, Carms is petite, pretty and intelligent (Sobra na to Carms, you really owe me for this!). As for Mulder, who was played by David Duchovny, I'm not sure what similarities, if any, the character had with me. All I know is that Mulder and Scully are good partners, both sexy, and good-looking. They also cared for each other deeply and could have ended up in each other's arms. (Hmm..what am I saying here?)
I resigned from our office in December of 1998. But since then, Carms and I never lost touch. She was busy (allegedly) with her work and busier still with her boyfriend. I was happy for her, of course, but there was no denying that a part of Mulder was jealous. I guess that's normal when friends no longer spend time together as much as they should, when all your friend's attention is devoted to another person.
Time, of course, has its own way of testing friendships. I can say with certainty that my friendship with Carms has stood the test of time. After all, here we are, still texting, seeing one another on rare occasions, spending a few minutes on the phone every now and then to say hello and "kumusta ba tayo dyan." Carms is still being makulit to me. She even prevailed upon me, against my better judgment, to write this testimonial. I grudgingly agreed after she promised to treat me to a sumptuous meal at my favorite restaurant (he he).
A person is truly blessed to have Carms as a friend. She is who she says she is, plus more. She's "makulit" but knows when to leave you alone; she talks a lot but listens sincerely when it matters most, she can discuss a lot of nonsense but will not back down from a serious or intellectual discourse, she speaks her mind and makes known her dislikes yet never judges another person, she is free as a bird but guards fervently her values, she's funny, wacky and hilarious but "malalim" at the same time, and most of all, she's so lovable and loves deeply in return. That's Carms. And she'll always have a special place in my heart.
Gracie wrote on February 4, 2004: Passionate. This word best describes my friend Carmel. From her relationships with friends, families, significant other, to pursuing her interests and hobbies, dreams and in almost everything.... She would travel far and wide just to see her boyfriend who is based in Cebu. And once she started a project, say cross stitching or puzzle, she would spend hours just to finish it immediately. I also remember one time she told me about her experience with SMART Communications. She did not let it pass, she wrote a letter to smart expressing her disappointment and even forwarded the letter to her friends.
Loving. This is another word that best describe Carmel. When we are together she would tell me stories about her family and other friends. She makes it a point to be with her family even if she is living independently now. Also whenever she visits her relatives in La Union she makes it a point to bring gifts for everyone. She is also very concerned with her cousins, all she wants is the best for them.
Love for cats. One thing we have in common is our love for cats. Super love nya mga cats nya. She buys groceries just for them. I remember one time when she went to Bicol for a three day vacation, she asked me to sleep over her place so that Yna, her cat, won't starve. The funny thing is that I have not seen Yna, so I thought the first cat I saw in front of her house is Yna. Yun pala ay isang impostor. Its good that I have not given her food yet but in the end, I shared some of the food also. There are more to Carmel than what i related. You should meet her...my super friend!
Rowena wrote on February 16, 2004: I call her ate khay. For me she is the best cousin in the whole wide world...she is always there for me whenever and wherever I need someone to talk to. She makes my life meaningful.. You know how? She is always there to preach me of what is good and what is bad. Wherever she is, she makes it a point that no one is worrying about her. She is very responsible and organized (ayaw nya ng masyadong makalat).. I remember the times I was in her house, ang linis ng bahay nya kahit na she's only home at night because she spends most of her time at work, although sometimes gumigimik. And I like her a lot because even if she has her own house, she makes sure that she visits her parents on weekends.
Pero di naman sa lahat ng oras eh mabait yan. Napupuno din yan, siyempre makulit din yan at masungit kung minsan, ika nga nila "Mabait na kaibigan, mapagmahal, pero pag nagalit..hmmm simulan mo ng magtago..Hehehe! one thing more as far as I know, pihikan yan pagdating sa boys, that's why I'm very happy for her now that she finally found the man who made her fall in love again..(I wonder what did her boyfriend do?) siguro talaga lang nainluv.. as of now i'm running out of words na, kasi naman she is everything na yata, ah basta no one would ever replace her in my heart as the best cousin in the world and I treasure every moment I had with her. ILOVEYOU COUZ!!!!!
Candy wrote on March 20, 2004: There are people from your past that you miss and even though it has been years since you've last seen each other you wish that they are somehow part of your life once again. Kahit lulubog-lilitaw basta you feel good knowing that they are there somewhere. For me, Carmel is one of those friends. We were roommates in College - very good times indeed! Feeling rockstars talaga kami. Ang galing ni Carmel mag-guitar and I was a very eager student. We played while others studied ;) hanggang may magpatahimik sa aming galing sa ibang kwarto. Siguro kung hindi political science si Carmel e shrink ang galing kasi rin nyang mag-advice. I text mo lang sya, kausapin o tawagan may maipapayo yan - wala pang hourly fee. I trust Carmel a lot kasi she can really keep a secret - o ayan wag mong ipagsasabi yung mga sinabi ko sa yo ha. Carmel is fun to be with and always stimulating ang conversation pag nandyan sya. I'm very lucky to be her friend at sa mga iba pang kaibigan nya - agree kayo di ba?'
Eder wrote on May 31, 2004: I love my Yaya, otherwise, no amount of pleading/persuasion/threats will induce me to write this. I met Maricar when we were both freshmen at UP. She was different then.Simple & natural (in short, fresh from the boondocks). As early as then,she can't be parted from her face powder.
Carmel is a real trooper. She never ceases to astound me with the extent of her craziness & wacky ideas.During a vacation out of town,she managed to make me follow her around like a nanny & photographer rolled in one.It amuses me how devoted she can be to her loved ones (2's; 3's and 4's).Blessed with a big heart (small boobs however), her capacity to care is boundless.
A friend you can depend on (lagi siyang may pagkain sa bag),Maricar is a great fellow to be with & a nice person to call friend. Did I say that she is a great yet tiresome model?With her scintillating presence (bola na to!) she can make a plain scenery radiate with great
effervescence.
Dolly wrote on June 16, 2004: To all weight-conscious people out there, Carmel's the girl to talk to: she's living proof that it's possible to drastically lose weight in a span of only a month without sacrificing beauty, taking any diet pills or slaving yourself to a treadmill. How she found the discipline to resist high-in-carbohydrates food or the lure of Coke is beyond me. All I know is that she's good in persuading other people to join her in fun activities like traveling, badminton, videoke and swimming. She endures my company in games of SCRABBLE and patiently jots down our scores. Even in games, she's highly organized, systematic and disciplined. In other words, she's so OC-OC like Kristine Hermosa in her latest movie with Aga Muhlach. And when you think you've known her well enough, she'll surprise you by doing the unexpected such as designing shirts, taking care of our house cat (and her kittens), bead crafts, or even assembling jigsaw puzzles.
Laya wrote on July 22, 2004: Carmel was my blockmate at UP.She struck me as someone who's madaldal & malakas mang-asar kung minsan...i guess little has changed then he
he.But it's always great to have her around...when she expresses her excitement about doing some fun activity,somehow you start feeling excited as well,& even if you're already excited to begin with,you'll still feel even more excited!I guess what's changed over the years is that she's become more fashionable, more maarte & more malandi he he.Although she's maarte,she remains a down-to-earth person who isn't hard to please.She has a strong mind...& I don't mean only in terms of her intelligence but also in terms of her determination.She's also organized & she amazed me when she told me that she gets high when she sees a pile of mess,in anticipation of cleaning it.Her strength of character is a beacon to all (medyo bola na to he he).Keep it up Carmel! :)
Helen Sophia wrote on November 27, 2004: Most attractive about this girl is her sunny personality. One look at her and you'll know she is someone open, and warm. But you should try talking to her, cause she makes sense. A testimony that beauty and brains women really exist! One thing though, beware guys, cause she may break your heart! haha...
Lia wrote on January 8, 2005: it was 1993 when i first met this girl who had an unwavering sunny disposition and a shrill voice. for the entire SY 1993-1994 she was a fixture in room 111 in kamia because her friend happened to be my roommate. i was certainly amused by her ability to talk relentlessly about anything under the sun. there was never a dull moment with her back then, one day she'd be playing the guitar the next she'd be dancing the lambada. other days she'd rant about school and teachers and the next she'd bet her friend that she could kiss longer than her.she'd sleep with a big mirror beside her.she talked me into getting a short haircut, to tack my shirt in and to learn to play the guitar. it has been almost twelve years since that fateful school year and we still are very good friends. i say we had grown so much from the time i got free lumpias from her and noel. i have seen her through her roller coaster rides (or relationships). i have seen how well she handled everything with so much poise...
Marinette wrote on October 3, 2005: Energy, enthusiasm, adventure -- these are the stuff that Carmel is made of. You can't help but be affected by her charm and love for life when you're with her, even the National Artist for Sculpture was enamored with her!!!! But what I cannot forget about Carmel is our trip to the Rice Terraces. I was tired, grumpy and dying of thirst during our 3 hour hike along the cliffs from Batad to Bangaan. I ran out of drinking water, but the wonderful friend that she is, she offered me her last drop (I didn't take it of course, but the thought counts).
Happy Birthday Girl! I wish you all the happiness in the world and most of all, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you find the perfectly crazy loving delectable guy you've always dreamed of, and hopefully you don't get bored with him in a snap ;)
Angie wrote on February 4, 2007: Carmel is always a revelation! There's always something new about her, never a dull moment when you are with her. We both worked at the Commission on Appointments for sometime, and now, looking back, I must say we indeed have shared a lot of good life experiences. She was the one who baptized my email monicker angelwolf54. You see I am already in my 50s, Carmel is only a couple of years older than my eldest daughter. Now even if we are distant in miles, she still manages to surprise me with her talent and intelligence. I love reading her blog and looking at her pictures! Galeeeeng Carmel! Hopes to be near you again soon!!!
Sheryl wrote on April 2, 2007: perfectionist and OC...she wants evrything planned kaya ayun, pagdating ng big event, isa na siyang malaking pimple na tinubuan ng tao sa kapupuyat at kawoworry! ha!ha!ha! even sa prospective hubby, won't settle for anything less than a nice-sounding surname. ang arte di ba! buti na lng pasado si Fil. Carmel Figueroa, how about dat?!
carmel is adventurous, forever reinventing herself, sneaky, deceptive, won't stop 'til u are trapped! but she gets bored easily so after she has demystified u, make sure u have other talents (e.g. bumuga ng apoy, kumain ng buhay na manok) to keep her awake...'coz when she says "ho-humm," it's time to pack ur things. kaloka...! but that's not all she is. in her normal sedated state, carmel is sweet, generous, defenseless, go-with-the-flow, down-to-earth, walang arte, willing to be tamed.
she can be as meek as a lamb or as fierce as a tiger, depends on her mood. when she flashes that enigmatic smile, u will be left guessing what she's up to. go figure!
Amy wrote on May 9, 2007: NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC: Don't ever permit the "happy-go-lucky image of Carmel fool you. Believe me, she is the detail-oriented, organized, strong-willed and thoughtful one among the members of our short-lived post-college sleepover gang (Remember Ivy, Allan, Reypots & Dante? hehehe). As a strong advocate for women's rights, she shows this through her independent lifestyle, education, work experiences and even in her literary outputs.
As a friend though, I can't help but be amazed by Carmel's vibrant character. Her positive and spirited nature is contagious! There's no dull moment if you're with her. Plus, her standard greeting ("Hoy, Oclarit!) just never ceases to make me chuckle this be thru SMS, email, etc.!!! When I saw her again last December 2006, I was completely delighted that she never changed a bit. She's still the typical Libran I know: CREATIVE as a writer, PASSIONATE in her relationships, SMART as me (hehehe) and of course, BEAUTIFUL inside/out!
The privilege of becoming Carmel's friend entitles you to the following: a free paperback copy of Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets; supplies of Bears and Hugs cologne; meeting her anti-virus (hehehe); and glimpses of Asia through her travelogues.
Lastly, here's what an 'ex' wrote in March 2004: She came into my life like a sweet surprise. Even until now, during quiet moments at my desk, I can't help but wonder and smile when I think about how lucky I am to have found her. In the year that has passed since we met, I have come to know Carmel very well. Her personality compliments mine perfectly. I am somewhat introverted and shy, she is friendly and easy to talk to. She makes friends easily. She can go hours and hours talking while I can go hours and hours listening. My opinion about a topic can be very objective while hers would be highly emotional. She loves to read while I settle for the movie version. She is more generous than I am. She is thoughtful, caring and very affectionate. Not to say that I am not but she is better than me in many ways. I am amazed by how much her friends love her...I too love her. I love the way she laughs. I don't know anyone who has a laugh like hers. I love the way her hands fit in mine...the way it feels when she cuddles up to me. I love the way she tells me she loves me out of the blue. I love the way she makes faces at me when we look at each other sometimes. There is so much more but most of all, I just love the way she loves me. It's a feeling like nothing else when you realize you've received the greatest gift of all. So honey, this is my tribute to you. I hope that with this, the world can get to know you for the wonderful person that you are.
hmmm...interesting, poignant, enlightening, heartwarming testimonials. FACT or FICTION? well, you heard them from my friends not from me so i guess that would be enough premise to consider the high probability that they're true. hahaha.
we had a fun Halloween night at the Taladua family's new house in Milpitas, CA. We had a great time carving pumpkins and going around the neighborhood to ask for treats. Racrac surprised us with his enthusiasm as he gamely walked the entire block in his Darth Vader garb without once asking us to carry him and unabashedly knocked on doors with the rest of the kids. That's my boy! And yeah, the whole gang voted for him to win Best Costume, his first award ever! hihihi...
We lingered there for a while, took pictures, savored the view. I was so happy to be there with Fil, Racrac and our fun-loving friends.
It was easy since he agreed to walk. If you have a baby or a child who doesn't walk yet, you can use a baby carrier (front carrier or backpack type) to secure your child. But even without it, the trail is so easy you'll survive.
By 12nn we have all packed our stuff and ready to leave but not without again seeing the falls. All of us descended to the base of the falls to once again admire its beauty and for a group picture. Like i would always do, i took a mental picture to remind me of a beautiful sight on a beautiful day in the company of beautiful people.
