One of the Chosen Few

This is CHARLES LOUIS N. JAYME

He was my classmate way back in St. Joseph's Academy Mandaue City where we finished grade school in 1990. He was a typical boy back then who would smell like the rest of the boys as we line up for class in the afternoon after a noontime Japanese game and a rematch right after dismissal at 5pm. Unlike the others, he never pissed anyone, played a prank on anyone. He was one of the famous altar boys who would serve the church after class and during masses in school. He was one of the smart boys in class too. After dismissal you'd find him at the church grounds with the rest of the altar boys. After graduation in elementary, he proceeded to Pope John Paul XXIII Seminary in Mabolo and we remained in touch for while. He'd call me after dinner i think from the rector's office while he and the rest of the seminarians would do the chores. Obviously it was not allowed and so more often than not, the phone calls would not get the usual goodbyes in the end but a mere "click" then a dial tone..that simply meant the rector was on his way. I could not quiet recall when those calls ended, perhaps he got caught or something but somehow it did.
In college, I'd see him in school and most often at the cemetery during All Saint's Day when he would be with the priests for mass. When I became I lawyer, I ran into him during the May 2007 elections where he volunteered as CIMPEL and i served as Legal Panel.
This year, our batch in elementary rekindled our friendship and I have come to be in touch with Charles again..

And just last June, he is now REV. FR. CHARLES LOUIS N. JAYME...
not all people have been blessed to have a friend like him.. me and the rest of my batch are.. but the funny thing is underneath the sacred robe, is the same Cha-cha we have come to know and that will not spare him from bringing the cooler or passing on a glass with ice for us..
He has chosen a path not many people are privileged to take..many are called but few are chosen but he sure is one of them.. God Bless you, Padz!

JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH.... OF EACH OTHER

....and can you blame us? It has after all been 20 years since we last saw each other and now it seems like we've been seeing each other everyday of every week, at least for some who can

oh but i do try my best to be present in most gatherings whenever my sked permits because these people make me forget a tiring day and its always fun being with old friends... amazing how we got to discover that our charm could still buy us free Bailey's at times or Tequila, i heard..bummer i wasn't around for a shot

except for some little bulges and tummies here and there, us girls look pretty much the same..yeah, we're PRETTY that is.. LOL

and so we decided last January that we shall be meeting once a month for the pay up of our dues and some planning. February was at Celso's Talaba farm..hmmm i actually can't recall if we were actually able to plan on something that day, if we did, I'm sure it's been amended or revoked already. As to when is the next gathering? i really don't know, duh we've been seeing each other everyday of every week well, almost..

and this one's from last night, like I said..we just can't get enough of each other, can't really blame us can you? :)

Blast from the PAST

after 20 years..... SJA Elementary Batch '90
1-10-10 @ Talamban Leisure Center

We get to have our firsts of most things that matter in life during our elementary years. And the simplicity of our lives back then as well as the carefree moments in school and the uncomplicated life after dismissal would make you want to go back to those times these days. I spent and finished my elementary years in St. Joseph's Academy in Mandaue City. Previously it was run by the ICM Sisters which makes us the sister school of St. Theresa's College in Cebu City. Though run by nuns, the elementary school of SJA is coed and highschool is exclusive for girls only. And so we had boys who had to wear shorts up until our graduation while the girls wear dark blue skirt with long neckties which we use alternately as wipes and hankies. After graduation, boys are compelled to go to other schools for high school while most girls would carry on with SJA. In my case, I, along with four (4) other classmates went to Science High. Because high school is another chapter of ones life where new adventures unfold, one tends to be occupied with it leaving behind the friendship and memories that were made back in elementary.

making up for lost time...

I belong to Batch'90 in elementary where I had my share of 1st... 1st suitor - in Grade 2! haha, yeah, I had a boy from 2-B who would do Menudo song and dance antics and shower me with Serg's chocolates and iced candy, he ended up with a broken arm after a performance; 1st rival -- apparently the suitor had a so-called admirer or was also the object of that boy's interest, can't really recall; 1st loveteam -- yeah, we were after all coed so teasing boys with girls was fairly normal; 1st crush -- uuhmm, i'd rather not talk about it, hehe :); 1st star performances-- i was after all leading them in our field demonstrations; 1st speeches, trainings, leadership and organization skills -- we had those trainings back then; 1st set of bestfriends and barkadas -- after spending 6-8 years together you will definitely become friends; 1st taste of independence (the kiddy version) -- back then, it was a biggie to be riding a jeep with out a nanny or the freedom to stay in school or the church after class before heading home or walking home with friends from school..it made us feel like adults which we were so eager to be at that time :) Well there were so many other firsts then but because of our age, we never get to realize just how fond and fun it were until years after..like 20 years after!

still the same kiddos...

After 20 years, we decided to meet up (finally!) We tried to round up our batch and gather for the much awaited and long over due reunion! At first, I'm sure people were a bit apprehensive as to how far people have changed for the last 20 years and if it would be an awkward gathering of sorts but one thing was sure, everyone who knew about it were so eager to go and it was a goo sign.. And so on January 10, 2010, we met and all the doubts were gone. The 20 long years of not being able to see each other and catch up on each others lives didn't seem to matter that day.. In an instant, we became children all over again .. we were all in agreement that this was one of the happiest times ever and that it was just a beginning..

this photo is just an understatement of how happy we were and how fun that day was..

At the end of the day, we decided that after twenty long years, that gathering was just a start.. We need to catch up on those many years.. and we need to strengthen our bond of friendship.

just like the old times..

In our elementary days in SJA we experienced our firsts... our gathering that day will definitely not be our last... :)