Ysay…a dream friend came true!

Oftentimes, we were asked about our dreams. Mine are pasted in my vision board to which some I can proudly say I achieved already:

1. Dream Job - in HRD. Attained? YES! (I was fortunate enough to land in my dream job after graduation…and being an HRD head is super bonus for me…reason for me to be thankful to God for the awesome blessing!)

2. Dream Company – to be part of big time companies in food business. Attained? YES! (don’t be confused on my answer here. I’m still connected with BBPH, a telecommunications company but It’s really my dream to be part of San Miguel Foods Corporation, Jollibee, Barrio Fiesta, etc. since I really love to eat. But my current company has somehow helped me achieve that dream since they are paying me enough pesosessss for me to eat in a nice resto or explore great cuisines around the globe (wish around the globe nga…hehehhe) And that’s why I feel like I’m working with my dream company now. (Make sense?…none sense pa rin yata…)

3. Dream salary – $20,000 a month and using the 2004 conversion ha (P56 = $1) not the dollar conversion nung 1979 (kse 7.377 lang ang exchange rate noon) Attained? Not yet but Soon! Sooner! Soonest!

4. Dream Vacation – in Bohol, Palawan, Cebu, Davao (yep,mababaw lang akong mangarap kaya okey sa kin kahit local muna) and so I need some more pushing and convincing from myself to give in to the BDO credit card package tours that they are offering…”cge na Joyce,25% off na, zero interest pa. credit card mo na! swipe na!”

5. Dream House – a lake house complete with swans, crocodiles and anacondas. Then I’ll invite all my relatives, friends, officemates and countrymen to come over…then Barbeque party every weekend less alcoholic drinks syempre kaya gulaman at sopisdrink lang po ang pwede. (at yung mga pasaway,itatali sa anaconda)

6. Dream Guy – Matt Damon…mahilig kse ako sa writer na gwapo at magaling sumuntok.

7. Dream friend – YSAY MANUEL…(haaayyy..finally! Senya na mareng Ysay ha, mejo napahaba lang ang intro ko…)



Far from my expectations that I’ll be super close to Ysay Garcia-Manuel as there are lots of differences which I thought would be hindrance to continue what we have today…A SUPER GREAT friendship anyone would long to have. Yes, Ysay is everybody’s dream friend. I’m lucky enough to be part of her chosen few_super close_great friends (ehem!) Few things that I didn’t find it clickable at first though:

1. She’s 7 years younger than me – but even in that 7 years gap, I found her very mature especially matters of the heart. Maaga kse syang nagka BF (5 yrs old yata may BF na sya…heheheh)

2. She smokes and I don’t. She only stops puffing cigarette if she’s coughing hard or when she’s sick. I remember our IBM days when she can finish 3 sticks from IBM bldg exit door to FX terminal…that’s approximately 40 steps distance (so that’s 13.33 steps per stick…heheheh)

3. She loves cats and she takes care of them like her own babies (yun muna babies nya while waiting for the real ones.) so ayun, katabi nya mga pusa nya sa bed…kasabay nya ring maligo at mag-almusal. I hate cats naman kse sabi ng nanay ko, pusa ang dahilan bakit ako nagka asthma. Kaya hanggang ngayon,sinisisi ko sila pag nahihirapan akong huminga at may mala pusa akong naririnig sa dibdib ko. (good thing wala na kong asthma attack ngayon,nawala na sya nung grade 2 pa lang ako)

4. She’s a La Salle graduate kaya Inglisera, ako nama’y PUP graduate at malakas lang ang loob mag spokening dollars ((“So wats up Ysay? How you’ve been lately? Doin’ great yeah?”)

5. She’s a natural biba…intelihente. Ako nama’y kailangan munang magpractice sa salamin magsalita ng “intelligent talk” para kunwari matalino rin ako at kaya ko syang sabayan. (So what’s a computer Joyce? “A computer is an electronic device capable of performing mathematical and logical operations based on a set of forms or instructions to produce meaningful output…”)

6. I hate tardy people…isa yan sa “not so good” trait ni Ysay. But I’m so happy for the improvement kse disciplined na sya sa time nya (sabi ng bubwit ko na officemate nya ngayon…) Kung dati 1 hr syang late, ngayon eh 59 mins na lang daw (at least improving talaga mare ha…)

But Even with the differences, Ysay to me is really a dream friend…

1. She’s a secret keeper. No need to ask her to raise her right hand and recite “promise, cross my heart, hope to die” before you share her your deepest secret. You’re assured that it will remain a secret ‘till dementia and Alzheimer attacks her.

2. No dull moments for Ysay. Sobrang kwela. Talk to her in an hour and you feel a year younger, 4 hrs and you’ll feel like a teenager, and a day with Ysay will make you feel that you’re a baby again (maiihi ka kse sa sobrang katatawa kaya dapat naka diaper ka pag kakausapin mo sya ng matagal) Nakakabaliw syang kasama…Contagious laughter talaga when she starts talking.(di kaya boyoyong clown ka nung past life mo mare?)

3. We both love to eat hanggang sa di na kme makatayo sa sobrang kabusugan (usual line ni Ysay: mare promise,last ko na ang kain na ganito ha…diet na tlaga ako bukas ha…)

4. We almost have the same wedding anniversary (March 27 ako and March 28 sya, same year kme kinasal) And parehong gwapo at mabait ang aming hubby.

5. I clearly remember when she told me that she’s afraid of looking at the coffin. But when I was still in shock when Rey left me, Ysay took charge in taking care of Rey’s casket…even almost embracing my husband just to put the accessories and flowers.

We sure have plenty of great memories stored in my memory bank and a lot more to come especially if she’ll have her sleepovers at my pad again. Can’t wait for that time marekoy. I need your shots of laughter medicine again. Kitakits!