SJCS MANILA BATCH 82 HOMEPAGE

 

by Noel Bautista

 

 

Dear batchmates, batch and kabatch,

FREE-FALL into that old reliable, human nature, and dip backwards blindfolded (plus arms outstretched, ala UP's Oblation) onto that eternal classic, common sense, and you just know in your heart of hearts why people attend batch reunions and batch-related events.

Reasons are myriad, but may be divided into 3 majors:

(1) Nothing succeeds like success. Wealth & success are great motivators for renewing ties or reconnecting with long-lost, long-forgotten or recently-found friends and compatriots.  Whatever the pretense for showing up, one just has to blab about one's fresh promotion, good fortune, giant commission (note: the setbacks of 2008 make preening all the more timely) and what better occasion than the annual get-together?

(2) Instant showcase. Whenever one reaches that point in life when the morning dew of youthful beauty is sought to be recaptured and re-savored, and one succeeds in doing so (or evolves into a monster in the process ), there develops the companion itch to show off your results.  The svelte / sculpted figure, tub of fat forever banished, reconfigured face are all wonderful incentives for making an appearance for the reunion that suddenly becomes the highlight of the season.

(3) Paging Mr / Ms Popular, are you here? Like it or not, we want to be remembered at the height of our popularity, when we are / were at our prettiest, handsomest, buffest, when our bodies were most defined, when we were ho tao and eye candy to everyone.  Whether or not we realize it, we dream of turning back a few chapters of that DVD entitled Our So-Called Lives (buti na lang me chapter search ).  Hoping against hope, kung kaya pa ng powers natin, we want to know if we are still popular.

Hypocrisy aside, YLB is not immune to the enumerations above.  We are just as human as the next batchmate, fallible to the whims and fancies of the vain and decadent eye.

However . . .

Given the unassailable fact that in 6 years and change we will be stumbling over the HALF-CENTURY mark (aray ! we promised Rosemarie, a 1-A buddy together with her loving hubby Ricky we would not remind them again...) we realized that it's rather late in the day to quibble over success (or lack of it), beauty (or lack of it), or popularity (or lack of it), in so precious an occasion, we went ahead and joined the fray.

 

The fray, of course, being the New Year's Party of Batch 82, held yesterday evening at the exquisite chateau of VeepCarol and hubby John.

Believe it or not, to a man (or woman), i discovered that, no one cared much for the above "conventional wisdom" reasons for joining reunions either.  Now, THAT was a pleasant surprise.

The first few personages we met, the overachieving batch officers and organizers, were ironically looking their gorgeous best, as if they were daring us to remember the above reasons.  StewardessTess, Rowena O., aforementioned Rose C., and was that Latina looker Melanie L. ?

 

Milling into a group and dangerously sounding like participants in a roundtable discussion, discussing interest rates, new approaches to education and B.I.R. corruption were IQ busters Susan L., Katherine A., Grace C. & Jocelyn C.

 

We couldn't catch too much of their conversation, but obviously very animated in their exchange of kwento - kwento were ArlynA., MaribethAngWong, IreneChua, Oly L & Alberto S.

 

Reliving their glory HS days were Jesse C., Ricky C., Wesley N., Wilson L. and Welfred C., most of whom were our classmates in Sec A throughout elementary.

 

In still another table, making small talk about how to spend their next vacay were Pilar A, Mary Ann O, Mary Jone & Carmichael.

 

Enjoying the game room were Philip A, wife Vangie and their son Jardine.

 

Basketball jocks Oliver U, Ronald L, Jeff C & Augusto Y were seen working the crowd and proving they still looked like the hunks of yesteryear.

 

So many more batchmates we saw and couldnt share more than a smile and nod with, like Sherwin L., and plastic surgeon Dr Jerry N., we just have to find another party in which get to know all of them, all over again.

 

Kudos to VeepCarol and hubby John, who very graciously lent the use of the palatial abode in Greenhills for that once-a-year shindig, where all '82 members turn into Cinderellas and forget being pumpkins and mice for the rest of the year.

 

And of course, lest we forget, props to the tireless efforts of Prez Ricky Ko Pio, Sec. BrotherKirby and all the rest of the Batch Officers who as always outdid themselves with this latest Labor of Love.  Take a bow po.

 

Thanks for the memories everyone !  And don't forget to share the pics !

 

YLB

NOel

 

PS.  Eye catcher lang po ang title, no intention to make anyone feel guilty

 

PS2. If we have omitted mentioning anyone, advance apologies.  Likewise, all who missed the event, inadvertently or no, were terribly missed.  See you next year !