YES WE CAN!!!

of koikois and voting

Believe what you want about polls, the U.S. presidential election on 11/4/08 will be tight as hate, caused by fear of loss of the status quo with the country’s first-ever black president, sets in. 

I pray that love will prevail and the campaign powered by hope will forever transform the divisive red/blue politics of America. I know that I am not the only one brimming with hope. Many of us, professionals of color in the area of law, are vying for the transformative power of an Obama victory.

I look to the harmonious koikois as seen at the Embassy Suites in Milpitas, where Cheller and JV had their reception, for a break from the furious election watching.

boda de cherryl y jv

Only-child Cheller relearned the importance of delegating work to those closest to her: Choorz, Bansoi and Ulyos. We were very happy to be there and share this moment with her mom: Ma Glo and Pa Rom. 

 

In my toast, I spoke about the fellowship in Cleft Court, where all 4 friends, with their respective struggles and bouts, came together as a family. I mentioned that JV and her will fight for what is just because they care; they will be there for each other’s aging parents and will choose love over the predictability of hate. Soi, amidst tears, recalled the quartet’s early Cali years. 

A quick take on Cinderella and her evil sisters.

THE RIGHT TO LOVE: NO ON PROPOSITION 8!!! 

California’s Proposition 8, looks to limit marriage only between a man and a woman. Regardless of your belief in the Bible, the Pope and the Church, there is no questioning that all people who love each other have a right to be treated equally under the law. So I was really touched by how JV, Cheller’s husband, made his opposition to unequal treatment of gays known. If only us young bloods can persuade our mostly conservative-Catholic parents to see that this is primarily a question of equality, not about imposing liberal values on others.

As such, I thought the photos below, outside of San Jose Cathedral, where JV and Cheller were wed, speaks to our right to just be and love:

the gardener within…

while in cali for a wedding, i wanted to find time to see the elders from my father’s side (Bardos’). i am glad i did. part of the drive to see tatay’s aunts (sisters of tatay’s nanay Fortang) was Americ’s story of how Lola Lingling’s health has deteriorated. (He was in NYC with Philipp this past summer to attend Lola Nita’s birthday celebration in Philly.) Americ was certainly right about Lola Lingling’s condition.

When we stopped by her place with Lola Memang, she was asleep and appeared unable to move from her neck up. We did not stay long at Lola Lingling’s but on our way out of her bedroom, Lola Memang kissed her in the forehead and told her she loved her. Out of respect, I touched Lola Lingling’s leg under the covers. 

Julius and I (together with our friend, Choorz) spent more time with Lola Memang and Carol at their place, which was only about 9 houses away from Lola Lingling.

I was really happy to see Lola Memang’s assorted garden with a lemon tree in the back; an apple tree in the middle lawn; huge sunflower (we tried some of its seeds); various greens, including cilantro (my favorite dish mix); a portion of the neighbor’s pomegranate tree bent towards Lola Memang’s garden so there was that also. Lola Memang mentioned how most of her plants were cutlings from various sources—other relative’s gardens, local parks and travels. Amazing!

Lola Memang also shared her stories of her bygone Plaridel years: when there was whale and deer hunting. She reminisced about the massive/communal whale hunt and the tools that the menfolk used (a la Whale Rider). Too bad that all of these bounty are now extinct because we had no means of conservation. (I wonder if their extinction had more to do with the more  rapid ecological changes in the tropics.) She also spoke of her aggressive and strong mother who made it possible for all but one of her children to be educated. She, like tatay, remembered how good of a cook her father was. Tatay often says that I cook like Lolo Sebastian. 

GI joe’s road taken…

The Road Taken (a reuse of Robert Frost)

On Saturday, we sent Joe off to his chosen path of joining the US Air Force. He will be dispatched for training tomorrow. May he find his path.

Born just a year after Camille, Joe makes a call at 24 years old that many of us, or at least I, never would at that young age. So to second what Binsky said that night, I respect Joe for taking a road (no matter where it leads).

Sixteen years after Daryl intergrated Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” in her elementary graduation speech, its message gave life to last Saturday’s event:

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I–

I took the one less travelled by,

and that has made all the difference.” 

That ALL of us, kita-kita cousins, were there that magical Saturday night speaks millions to how Joe’s choosing triggered in each of us the same question about our roads not taken. Most importantly, it gave us a flitter of hope that we still have the time and chance to take that road less travelled.

“Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.” Saturday was exactly that, a way back so that we can find our way towards less travelled paths. Saturday was, despite our self-made busy lives, an opportunity to return and go back, even if for just that flitting moment, to a time when the often numbing duties of adulthood (and aging parents) were far away and all we had in mind was the infectious need to get together, dance and have fun. We must ask: what path do we set for the youngest in our crew, Jason, below? As Daryl wrote in her reflection—are we to to play by adult rules and hold back (“limiting ourselves to what is comfortable…—enough with the shyness/hesitation/awkwardness.”) or be fearless in  our choices, no matter how scary, awkward, uncomfortable or unpopular?

Looking at the photos from this past Saturday makes it seem as if the arts gig of J+I the week prior, entitled, “Belonging & Redemption, Series 1″, set the stage for Joe’s send off. (A painting of a prayer for peace in the Middle East + a parachuting “G.I. Joe” hanging by the main door.) How fitting then that Joe’s despedida rekindled the same feeling of belonging and redemption in each one of us.

It was cathartic to bear witness to solidarity reaffirmed and kept tight by the varying links in our chain of friendship as cousins or brothers and sisters. 

I trust that Joe will find his way. In this spirit, I have chosen to upload mainly photos of Joe’s age group from last Saturday for he, together with Camille, represent the generation that has been the most and recently hard-hit by diverging choices. I end with Frost’s opening:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood

and sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveller, long I stood

and looked down one as far as I could

to where it bent in the undergrowth.

May we always take the road less travelled. Love to you Joe for choosing. “…the passing there had worn them really about the same.” 

wannabe architects

not only of buildings that surround us but of better, debt-free, unafraid to question lives…we pray…all the best to Joe on his journey. (more photos from Joe’s despidida on Saturday to follow)

 

As packed as NYC is, you can still find an empty spot, a void. 

lenapeeps art gallery 8 opened with POSSESSION (1)

Thanks to those who came to our gallery opening on Sunday, 10/5. My law office is also part art gallery in order to promote local artists, especially those from Bergen Hill area of Jersey City. Congratulations to local resident and primary artist, Michael Lindwasser, for the sale of some of his photographs. 

ALL are welcome to view the unsold artworks until January 2009, when we install series #2. A portion of our proceeds will go to the arts program of the local Abraham Lincoln Public High School. For more info, visit our arts-blog: www.artepara.wordpress.com.

condo “opened” for and as part of saturday’s jc artist studio tour

Thanks to Jeff, our wonderful neighbor, for capturing these shots during our arts gig yesterday at our condo. For art, we had painting, photography, installation, mixed media, video and yes, piano (de Julius). 

ALL OF THE HARD WORK THESE PAST FEW WEEKS IS WORTH IT WITH THESE!