Friday, December 07, 2007

Forever Young

"Let’s dance in style, let’s dance for a while
Heaven can wait we're only watching the skies

Hoping for the best but expecting the worst

Are you going to drop the bomb or not?"

I’ve spent last Sunday with the most amazing, and not to mention, the most influential people I have ever met in my life --- my High School classmates.

Our high school batch is like the typical high school batch everywhere. There’s that weirdo geek, those varsity jocks, the art freaks, the tweetum ladies, the boy-next-doors, the snobs, the anti-socials, and me.


I can't believe I posted this one. :-)

Remember that high school classmate of yours who spends his entire day reading fashion/celebrity/teenage magazines yet still got the perfect score in that dreaded Physics long exam?

I was that person.

I abhorred politics so much that despite insinuations of power-freaks inviting me to join the student council, I digress.

When I was in my sophomore year, I was the youngest student ever to become our school paper’s Editor-in-Chief.

Every time I join Quiz Bees, Essay Writing Contests and High School Debates, I win first place.

I once argued with my English professor because I insisted that my interpretation of T. S. Eliot’s The Waste Land was the correct one.

At lunch, me and my closest buddies would put on facial masks, we wait for the masks to take effect while our professor is discussing Trigonometric Functions.
.
.
There I was, fashionably 3-hours late, looking at my classmates one by one. They do still look the same, albeit older and more successful… only to realize one thing… we never really grow out of our childhood.

We’re still that same high school geek… the same boy-next-door… the same varsity jocks… the same art freaks… the same me.

In between overflowing foods and drinks, I saw myself as the little high school kid again. The little kid who tried to find his place in a perilous society, who discovered his personal identity, and who finally found his home, his niche, his family.

I might have been away. I might have stayed forlorn for the past few years trying to pursue my personal career. I might have been to too many heartaches, too many tragedies, and too much pains. I might have been to too much joy, too much bliss, and too much happiness. And I might have left.

But in the end I’ve got to realize that I still do have my foot onshore… holding on to those memories I love so much and would never want to part with for the rest of my life.

And looking back I know I’ll still have them.

For just as always…

We are the same… then… now… and always… forever young.

49 comments:

aleli said...

hay.. remiscing highschool days. Mine was weird, because i graduated in a All Girls School! kaya weird din ang mga trip and ang pagkatao.. ksama na ako dun...

you're really good!! Gifted!!

link kita later..thanks..tc!!

bob said...

"Remember that high school classmate of yours who spends his entire day reading fashion/celebrity/teenage magazines yet still got the perfect score in that dreaded Physics long exam?


I was that person."

-----

wow. yang mga ganyang classmates yung gustong gusto ko dating barilin. hahaha! We call them "Mga Anak ng Diyos". Sabagay, anak din kami ng Diyos. Anak sa labas. hahaha!

we can all stay forever young, just be young-at-heart. :)

Dabo said...

Kunwari greeting cards ha.. i submit this to a greeting card company two years ago pero ala lang..ha ha..

anyway since i have no use for it bigay ko na lang sa iyo.. cheers to life and old friends
-- --


I’m sorry if don’t remember your birthday.
I’m sorry if no greeting cards were sent during holidays.
I’m sorry if I cannot apologize for the promise of a lasting friendship I made.
Though I admit it can be one of the silly things young people make: silly but true to me.

I stop at the street where we used to cross together. The faded paint on the pedestrian lane and dusty children’s crossing signs are still there.
I recall how fast we climbed the stairs when we are both desperate to avoid being late in our early morning classes.
Sometimes when it rain, I can feel the downpour over our head though we felt safe under your small and bright umbrella against the giant and dark thunderstorm.

Don’t accuse me of selective memory but if you can only see that Valentine’s are for the lovers and holidays could be just holidays on the reasons of their own.
Our time has been taken before, but your fears and tears are all here and your smiles and secrets still I keep.
Our time might not have been drawn special and red in every calendar around the world.
Because these are just the ordinary days…

Inside Text:

I am looking back and I’ve been doing this for a long time. How about you? I hope you miss me too.

-- -- -- --

remembrance is always a virtue and meeting old buddies is nothing but a dream come true.. yup forever young..

kalansaycollector said...

my high school life is one of my most treasured memories sa aking buhay. sobrang saya kasi ng hs at doon ko nakilala mga best friend ko at doon ko pa nakilala ang sarili ko ng todo.

kinda parehas pala tayo ng career path noong high school hehe... well ako naman pumasok ng politics, HSSC officer ako nun. hehe. staff din ako ng school paper pero hindi EIC. sumasali sa mga writing contest pero hindi sa mga quiz bee at hindi rin laging first place... well fifth place. haha. laging sumasama sa mga extra activities...

i miss high school.

***

educ high ka pala? true blue thomasian ever since ka pala. hehe

Anonymous said...

kinacareer mo talaga pagiging mysterious mo.. heheh.. naka-heart ba naman ang mukha. .waa! lol..

nakakamiss talaga ang highschool days.. :-)andun kasi lahat lahat na unforgettable funny moments

http://pc.batangyagit.com

Anonymous said...

High School. Pinakamasaya sa lahat.

Juzzie said...

so lahat ng pics na pwedeng ma recognize ka may nakablock talang mga stuffs... hehehe

I wont exhange my HS exprience with anything...on those times ako pinakamasaya and nag mature talaga! hahaha

miss it and love it!

tc!

arjay said...

haha. at talagang mey stereotypes pa. wow another gifted child. batang promil ka siguro ;)

Diablo said...

just by reading ur post, para na tuloy akong nakapunta narin sa reunion.

ang sarap talaga nito, friend. kakaiba ang high makasama klasmeyts.

Anonymous said...

sarap alalahanin ang high school days. ikaw ba yung nasa gitna? at talagang heart pa ang pinangtaklob sa mukha. ^^ malupit ka palang istudyante. ako matalinaw lang eh, nangongopya lang sa katabi.

KRIS JASPER said...

nice post nurse..

ang talino mo pala.

savante said...

So didja flirt with the hunky school jock?

Alvin said...

haha, you don't need to hide your face from me. naku simula yata sa ulo (anong ulo) haha hanggang sa baba (sa paa) eh nakita na kita haha.

oo naalala ko na din na nakasalubong kita sa school, isang malamig na umaga nuon haha.

Drake said...

I like this entry - makes me atrociously miss my high school! (*mixed emotions)

Galing, galing! (^_^)

ice said...

T_T
facial masks.. hee hee..

his face was hidden again.
=)


memories ever treasured.

Anonymous said...

talagang naka pamewang ah.. :)

nakaktuwa naman, na miss ko tuloy mga hayskul klasmeyts ko.. dati pag ka grad namin parati kami nagkikita kita.. ngayun maykanya kanyang buhay na,,,

philippe said...

yikes!

highschool was the most awkward period of my life. i had a girlfriend back then. that girlfriend was the first person i've told about me being gay. luckily, she is still my friend. first girlfriend to first girl-friend.

hay highschool...

Frankie Calcana said...

Kung merong pangit na high school life, saken na ata yun. I didn't enjoy high school. Dahil sa sobrang lampayatot ko noon, lagi akong binubully ng mga classmates ko. Nakasalamin pa ko, kaya mas lalo akong mukhang kawawa. Pag tapos na sila saken, sunod nilang ibubully yung classmate kong kuba.

Frankie Calcana said...

Kung merong pangit na high school life, saken na ata yun. I didn't enjoy high school. Dahil sa sobrang lampayatot ko noon, lagi akong binubully ng mga classmates ko. Nakasalamin pa ko, kaya mas lalo akong mukhang kawawa. Pag tapos na sila saken, sunod nilang ibubully yung classmate kong kuba.

x said...

i wasn't really able to enjoy my high school years as much as you did. im happy for you, ruff. you guys look like you had lots of fun in your barkada pic. :)

Maria said...

hate you.you made me miss my highschool days and the stuffs that we used to do. roar.

but u're right. we're forever young at heart because we carry the memories everywhere we go.

ruff nurse-du-jour said...

@ALELI: I’ve always thought that kids who graduate in exclusive (all-boys/all-girls) schools eventually turn out to be queers themselves. I don’t know, I think it’s got something to do with the social environment (?). Kindly elucidate me on this. :-)
~And I think it’s perfectly okay to be weird sometimes. Even I was labelled one myself and am in no way offended.
~Gifted… hmmm, I doubt that. Hahaha. But thanks anyways.

ruff nurse-du-jour said...

@BOB: When I was in high school, I have this notion that I was learning “less” when I was in the classroom. At home I could read an entire Chemistry book in one sitting, World History in two, and a thick English Novel in three. Wala lang, I just love studying back then. And thorough reading was one of my forte.
~“Mga Anak ng Diyos” --- that’s a title I’m too well aware of. Hahaha. Kidding.

After soooo many years and all, we still have *that little kid inside of us… preventing us from skyrocketing into adulthood too fast… too quick… too brisk.

ruff nurse-du-jour said...

@DAVENPORT BLUEBALL TOURNAMENT: I was utterly speechless with that message. No one has ever given me that spectacular a message but you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you thank you thank you very very much. No words could express how much I feel honoured and grateful for that sincere, poignant, and amazing message…

All I could say is……
Can you be mine, davenport?

Remembering is a gesture that is becoming too extinct right now. Good thing there are reunions (and rendezvous) that remind us that in a fast-paced world like this one, the value of friendship and loyalty never really goes out of style. We’re all forever young. :-)

ruff nurse-du-jour said...

@KALANSAY COLLECTOR: Sabi nga ni Carrie Bradshaw, After all, seasons change. So do cities. People come into your life and people go. But it's comforting to know the ones you love are always in your heart. And it’s really comforting to know that the people whom I’ve shared 4 amazing years with is truly, a taxi-ride away. :-)
~The guy beside me (on my left) was my bestest best friend ever. I’ve met him in freshman high and up until now, gawd, for more than almost 10 years, he’s still like the person I’ve known before… only better… Darn. I miss high school… again. Hahaha.

ruff nurse-du-jour said...

@DRAHCIR: Hahaha. For “privacy” purposes lamang po. My “heart” goes out to all of you, actually. :-) Expect more *shrouded images in the succeeding posts.
~Makes me want to sing Sharon Cuneta’s “High School Life, Oh My High School Life, Every Memories Kay Ganda… High School Days, Oh My High School Days, How Exciting Kay Saya…”

@BINO/GENO: Exactly. I couldn’t agree more.

ruff nurse-du-jour said...

@JUZ: Don’t worry juz, darating din yung time na wala nang naka-block sa mukha ko… just… not now. :-) Shy pa kasi ako eh. Hehehe.
~Ako naman, super immature pa ako nung high school ako. Lagi akong nakikipag-away, tapos dun din ako nagka-girlfriend (tsaka boyfriend hahaha), tapos dun din nangyari yung first experience ko, etc., etc :-)
~Pero dun din ako nag-mature (thanks to the experiences I’ve had and the people who have been instrumental in my coming to maturity) and for that I’m extremely thankful.

ruff nurse-du-jour said...

@ARJAY: Don’t we *just love stereotypes? Hahaha.
~Actually, inggit na inggit nga ako nun dati sa commercials ng Promil eh, knowing that “I skipped kindergarten twice” yung drama ko. Siguro kasi hindi ako nag-Promil. Nag-Bona ako. Joke. :-)
~But seriously, thanks Arjay. I’m flattered by your comments.
.
.
@CARL: And of course, we all know that high school reunions plus foods and booze ultimately leads to *that uber-juicy confession sessions. That’s the reason why I don’t drink *that much pag may reunions. How I hate those Freudian slips.

ruff nurse-du-jour said...

@COACH: Hahaha. Matalinaw pala ha! :-)
~Meron din akong classmate na ganun, sabi nya kung hindi daw sa akin, hindi daw siya makakapasa ng high school. Buti na lang pala tama yung mga pinapa-kopya ko. Kung hindi, baka ako pa ang nasisi kung bakit siya bumagsak.

~Hindi rin naman kasi ako selfish sa school eh, diba nga “it’s better to give than to receive.” :-) Hehehe..

ruff nurse-du-jour said...

@KRIS JASPER: Salamat po kris jasper. Hindi naman po ako super matalino, pala-basa at pala-aral lamang. Tsaka swerte lang din talaga. Hehehe. *Blush *Blush
.
.
@SAVANTE: Hahaha. Of course I did.
~Remember that high school classmate of yours who slept with the high school jock (during their school retreat)?

I was that person... :-)

And nope, I’m not kidding.

ruff nurse-du-jour said...

@LAD: Huwaaaaat!!! Oo nga lad, anong ulo yan? Hahaha. Ikaw din! Nakita na rin kita! I swear. Mula ulo hanggang paa.
~Dyuskolord, na-co-conscious naman po ako! *blush *blush ulit… Mag-meet na nga tayo lad! :-) Pa-christmas gift mo na sa akin. Hahaha.

ruff nurse-du-jour said...

@DRAKE: Ako din drake. Imagine, we have not seen each other for more than 6 years?! It’s nice to see old, familiar faces again and brush up on their personal and professional lives. It’s nice to see how much we’ve grown (though we’re apart) and realize that we have never really part at all.

ruff nurse-du-jour said...

@ALLEICARG: The look on our professor’s face (seeing us with facial masks)? Priceless. We were extremely vain back then that during lunch, we would share St. Ives products (apricot scrub, hydroxyl masque, facial toners, they’re huge back then) and Body Shop mud masks to the envy of our other classmates. See, we’re that special. :-)

ruff nurse-du-jour said...

@KINGDADDY: Actually kingdaddy, solo pic ko ‘yan eh. Nakisama lang yung 35 kong classmates. Hahaha. Just kidding. :-)

~It’s nice to see them again. And just as usual, they never fail to surprise me. They seem to blow my mind away. At in fairness, dumating yung ex-girlfriend ko ha! I was tempted on bringing my lover sana, pero wala eh. Kaya hayun, dumating ako ng single. Hahaha. :-) But who’s complaining, right?

ruff nurse-du-jour said...

@PHILIPPE: My high school life was the least awkward, actually. It was more of liberating. As for my case, it was my girlfriend back then who told me that I *might be gay. And I eventually end up as one. Hahaha. We used to date before, and we eventually broke up, but it was a fairly mutual decision.
~I saw her last Sunday, and unlike those uber-dramatic ex-es who freak out in the presence of their ex-lovers, we are very much congenial, and in fact, we are actually very good friends. Seriously. :-)

ruff nurse-du-jour said...

@KEITARO HANAZAWA: Haaaay, nakaka-sad naman yung kwento mo kei. Though I’m not really a big bully, meron din kaming classmate na nerdy nerdy looking na binu-bully nung mga classmates ko na mean people. Pero nung sophomore na ako, ako naman yung nang-bu-bully, hahaha. May kagalit kasi ako na classmate nun eh, pero after that incident, we became very good friends din.

ruff nurse-du-jour said...

@ACEY: Of course there were tough times, acey, but looking back at those blissful moments make it extremely worth the tears. And if it weren’t for those depressing times I wouldn’t be even more appreciative of those happy ones. And yup, it was sooo much fun. Sa Tagaytay yata yan, if I’m not mistaken. ;-)

ruff nurse-du-jour said...

@ICKA: The most precious memories I’ve shared with my high school peers? The *awkward prom night, my first girlfriend (who, unfortunately, was not in the picture above, hahaha), the promiscuity-laden Calaruega retreat, the yearly Recognition Ceremonies, and of course, the High School Graduation.
~And of course, the memories I’ve shared with the 49 people whom I’m with for the four years of my formative years? Priceless.

ruff nurse-du-jour said...

@ANA MARIA: I’ll see you when I get there! :-) Thanks for your interest by the way.

Anonymous said...

HI rufruf! My weekend or should i say sunday was a blast! Spending it with the Vegan Prince Mark and later with his hubby, ian! :)

I luv that song, forever yung, i don't want to perish like a fading horse... and diamonds are forever! its really an all time fave of mine. The version of alphaville, i think the original one and more upbeat, and also the version of laura branigan (+) the more moody melow version...

I can't put my self in ur shoes when it comes with my high school community. I don't even like attending our reunions anymore! MORe like the movie "romy & michelle's HS reunion...

Free pala kei every weekend din? Is this coming Sunday afternoon sounds interesting for a meet up? Trinoma perhaps? Greenbelt? 22ban? hehehe..

chase / chubz said...

i never attended any reunions.
really.

wow, genius talaga tong si papa ruff.
genius and a hotshot nurse. yikes!

move over! hot nurse coming through!

Anonymous said...

txs for the note..same to u young bro..i envy how many people u draw in to ur site and comment..keep u the great blogs! meri xmas.

Anonymous said...

life varies for uncertain reasons. good thing humor brings us everywhere,,, and im glad ure among those people who made it to the top. im so effin proud of u! ;) deym ure good! :D

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