kaBINGihan at kaBIANCAhan

ME

I’ve been branded as a woman with tough, brave spirits. Been called a tiger by my college students. My siblings, especially my youngest bro, think of me as their “lawyer”. Hahaha. Now, meet the real me. This may take a while to read, but hey, at my age I have gone through so much. I’m gonna tell you the real me, both negative and positive, depending on your point of view.

Voracious reader. My favorite authors are John Grisham, Jeffrey Archer, Robert Ludlum and Donald Goddard. I also read Danielle Steele, Tom Clancy, and other authors, but not much. I used to read until 4 in the morning, then on my way to the office, and every chance I get while in the office. I just love espionage and courtroom dramas. Love stories? Nah!

Elementary. In grade school, starting from 2nd grade (I was 7 yrs old then), my favorite reading material was the Reader’s Digest, and I can read it upside down! Funnily weird but true. This made me win every spelling contest I was made to join. *wink* Also, during this stage, I’d rather stay home than play with kids in the neighborhood. Add the fact that our nannies were very strict, and we always had three because we’re many, and they were scarier than Mom.

Responsible. After single-handedly bringing up and putting my two sons through college, I’d like to believe I am a responsible parent. I hope you agree with me.

Open-minded. On most occasions, I listen to ideas or opinions of others and readily embrace the same if necessary.

Nutcase. For some reasons, JC-Firemarshall gave me this name. Need I say more? Hmmm.

Ivatan. People of Batanes are called Ivatans. I was born in Quezon City but my parents are both Ivatans. It is also what our dialect is called.

Career. I served the Provincial Government of Batanes for seven years with 4 promotions. I was lined up for another one but my eldest son had a kidney ailment that needed us to be in Manila almost every month, I had to resign. In 1993 I taught at a franchise of AMA Computer Learning Center. After a semester I became the Education Coordinator. I held this position for a year before the franchisee ventured into another franchise – COMPUTERTOTS in Virginia, USA. My boss and I went there for a 2-week training. He on the franchise side, and me in curriculum development. When we came back to PI, my boss pulled me out of AMA and made me Asst. Director for Training and Support for his new franchise venture, the COMPUTERTOTS, Philippines. After a year, I was Director for Research and Curriculum Development. Today, I’m still into research and curriculum development, but focused on Math (Kinder through Grade 10). This time, for an NJ-based company. In November of 2009, I was hired by the United Nations Institute of Training and Research as a private contractor doing research and e-learning stuff. Since then, I’ve been working two full-time jobs – and I love it!

Amiable. That I’m friendly is a fact. But I’m choosy, too. Don’t get me wrong here. I can befriend anybody, but I choose whom to trust with things that are “privately Bing”. *wink*
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Education. I finished elementary and high school with honors. At 15, I was already in college. I took up BS Agricultural Economics at the University of the Philippines at Los Baños (UPLB). Then I studied BSE, Major in Mathematics at the Saint Dominic College, an affiliate of UST , and the only private school in Batanes. I also got my MA in Education in the same school. My last and final taste of school was at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) where I got my Masters in Public Administration. Whew! So much for school!

Rebellious, quote and unquote. Piss me one time, I will let you know. Piss me a second time, I may or may not let you know. Piss me some more, you’ll never hear anything from me ever again, but you will see an action. I’ve been trying to correct this attitude of mine because I know it’s not good but can’t help it. My first husband (the sperm donor of my two boys – I call him a sperm donor because his being a father started and ended there, seriously) got the shock of his life when I approached him with an “itak” which almost left him “earless”. The beatings were too much, and I decided I can’t take any more. Bianca’s dad, on the other hand, became unfaithful on the eighth year of our relationship, and it had to be when I was pregnant (and we waited 7 years for a baby!). I was ready to forgive, but I know I won’t be able to get it out of my mind as quickly as possible so what’s the use of holding on. Three years ago, a few days before his birthday, he came home with me and Bianca gone.

Maarte. I often hear this from my siblings and close friends. They have yet to get used to seeing me “alcoholizing” my hands every now and then. Before I seat on the toilet bowl, I have to wipe it first with an “alcoholed” tissue paper. At home, my spoon, fork, coffee mug, and drinking glass (together with Bianca’s) have a place of their own. I raise hell if I see somebody using my comb, or my utensils. Any violent reactions? Fine by me. I’ve gotten used to them anyway. A dozen more won’t make any difference, won’t make me less of a person that I am.

At 11, I was already in high school and began receiving love letters. There was this one letter I can vividly recall. It was secretly slipped into my school bag by Ofel, one of my friends. It came from her cousin, Bob, and she was too afraid or shy to hand it to me. It said in part, “Agnes, you are as beautiful as the papayas are in bloom in the morning” Bwahaha. Imagine the laughter I had back then and the ire because I had to be compared to a papaya flower! When I saw the guy, I confronted him and gave his letter back. By the way, I had to check his grammatical errors so the letter was full of red ink. I did the same with succeeding ones. Mean, little thing! The only letters I received sans grammatical errors were those from Nick. Those were the kilig days … hihihi

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At 15, I left the province to study at UPLB. Culture shock during my first few weeks at the women’s dorm! Some of the ladies were roaming around with just their bras and short shorts. Others were in the study hall with just their shirts and panties. OMG! A shy, small lass from the province was seeing things she’s not supposed to see! Well, I got used to it anyway, but never got the nerve to do the same. I even backed out from my swimming classes because we had to don bathing suits. I changed my PE to badminton and social dancing – tango, swing, cha-cha. hahaha

Guitar. This is the only musical instrument I can play. Haven’t strummed for years now but I used to be a guitarist at the church choir – from 6th grade to 4th year high.

Notoriously notorious … toink!

Eclectic. I get my philosophies in life from different people, and use whatever is applicable for a certain situation. Something like I don’t rely on Plato’s thoughts or teachings alone. That would be too boring – especially his platonic love thingy! Okay, raise your eye brows, and go figure what I mean I mean by this. Hahaha.

Stern. I always get the ire of people around me for being harsh and strict. I have dealt with students calling me a tiger, office staff talking at my back when I don’t yield to their demands. What the heck! I hate double standards. Rules are rules. Policies are policies. If you can’t live with that, don’t even come near me.

I just spelled my name – Veronica Erma Agnes.