Who would care for a life like that sniffed in whiffs of incense, woven out as tapestry days of orisons and chants?

Baka naman mas malalim ang nahukay nilang katuturan sa mga ganoong gawi.  Para salinan ng kabuluhan, para lapatan ng mas matimbang na halaga ang buhay.

Hindi naman siguro sila lumalayo sa payong Aristotle: An unexamined life is not worth living. Kung hindi lang sinusuri ang sariling buhay, hindi na kailangang mabuhay.

Pero wala namang nagbigay ng karapatan sa sinumang usisero na suriin ang buhay ng iba. Iba ang pamantayan na ilalapat sa sariling pamumuhay. Mas tiyak na walang matino’t matayog na pamantayan na inilalapat sa sariling pamumuhay—kaya uungkatin na lang ang pamumuhay ng mga kakaiba’t natatangi ang pinaiiral sa kanilang buhay.

Baka naman sa pagitan ng mga oras na inilaan sa panalangin at pag-untag sa Maykapal, iba namang gawain sa maliming pananaliksik at paghalungkat sa katuturan ng buhay ang tinutupad nila.

That convent for all I care could be a front for a research facility for a thorough examination of life, say, viruses. Minute worlds of ‘em can be grown in Petri dishes no bigger than a saucer to hold a coffee cup. They must have sneaked into their modest abode a powerful electron microscope, hooked it up to a computer to get a console-size voyeur’s peek into the life of viruses—with a view to gleaning lessons and best practices that can be plied and applied into their seemingly inhuman lives.

Any sharp microbe hunter would confess that in all its shapes and sizes, the virus is the quintessence of stunning simplicity of life—a few strands of genetic material girded by protein molecules and nucleic acid is all a virus is.

Those wee critters are a hundred times smaller than bacteria. They’re a pathetic lot with no possessions to show—no central nervous system, no brain, a faintest resemblance to proof of life as an organism. They’re alien, not of this world.

But their powers are nothing short of a god’s. And who would dare argue they are not of divine origin?

For eons they’ve been at play, toying with the basic blueprint of life encoded in the so-called double helix configuration of the deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA.

They’re able somehow to reconfigure DNA…

And they’re better at such a job than the best genetic engineers available. Their grasp of biotechnology is out of this Third World na “Wowowee!” at “Eat Bulaga!” lang kayang isalpak sa utak, pwe-he-he-he!

Those brainless bits, they’re able to cut and paste the DNA strands of every living thing on the planet!

Ah, such unassuming ways can deceive. For all we care, they could have been tasked to work on evolution of the entire living species, all the life throbbing and thriving in this order of existence.

And those cloistered nuns could be doing stewardship on viruses, that’s what our snoopy noses might be hinting at whenever a whiff of incense wafts off from that convent.

They ponder on the intrinsic meaning of life and what exemplar could there be to diddle over but the life of viruses?

And did Aristotle not offer a counsel, “The unexamined life is not worth living?”

Mwa-ha-ha-haw!

GEMINI (Mayo 21 – Hunyo 21) Matindi ang impluwensiya sa iyo ng mga nakapaligid. Piliin ang sasamahan upang hindi maligaw ng landas. Masuwerteng kulay – cream. Masuwerteng numero 3, 18, 26, 37, 39, 44.

CANCER (Hunyo 22 – Hulyo 21) Kayang kaya mong iwasan ang taong maraming bisyo. Huwag mabahala dahil mananaig pa rin ang iyong prinsipyo. Masuwerteng kulay- blue. Masurteng numero, 2, 7, 4, 8, 26, 31.

LEO (Hulyo 23 – Agosto 23) Sang-ayunan ang nais ni mahal dahil makabubuti ito sa inyo. Masuwerteng kulay, indigo. Masuwerteng numero, 6, 12, 19, 29, 36, 43.

VIRGO (Agosto 23 – September 23) Huwag matakot sa kinakaharap na suliranin. May tutulong sa iyong tapat na kaibigan. Masuwerteng kulay gray. Masuwerteng numero 7, 11, 19, 26, 29, 33.
LIBRA (Sept. 24 – Okt. 23) Masisira ang iyong budget ngayon dahil sa maraming hindi inaasahang pagkakagastusan. Masuwerteng kulay red. Masuwerteng numero 17, 28, 33, 37, 39, 43.

SCORPIO (Okt. 24 – Nob. 22)
Tiwala lamang sa Maykapal ang kailangan upang hindi panghinaan ng loob sa kinakaharap na problema. Masuwerteng kulay green. Masuwerteng numero 3, 20,  29, 33, 39, 40.

SAGITTARIUS ( Nob. 23 – Dis. 21) Pakinggan ang kapatid na nakatatanda. Gawin siyang modelo upang maayos ang iyong buhay. Masuwerteng kulay- orange. Masuwerteng numero 9, 17, 27, 33, 39, 40.

CAPRICORN (Dis. 22 – Enero 19) Hindi mo kailangang maglangis sa nakatataas upang umangat ang iyong puwesto. Magtiwala sa kakayahan. Masuwerteng kulay red. Masuwerteng numero 2, 9, 14, 27, 31, 39.

AQUARIUS (Enero 20 –Peb. 18) Kasabay ng pag-angat ay pagka-inggit naman ng iba. Kailangan ng pokus upang hindi masira ang posisyon. Masuwerteng kulay- violet. Masuwerteng numero 12, 26, 31, 35, 39, 43.

PISCES (Peb. 19 – Marso 20) Pag-aralan ang lahat ng galaw ng kasambahay upang malaman ang kanilang saloobin. May isang nagtatampo sa iyo. Masuwerteng kulay blue. Masuwerteng numero 7, 5, 6, 9, 33, 44.

A get-together, a gathering of old friends, relatives, people who were colleagues at one time, or a group of people who had the same hobby or sports as you. A lot of people I know look forward to these type of meetings. But some are not that eager and it takes a lot of coaxing from really close friends or relatives for them just to show up.

A class or school reunion is the most looked forward to, or most attended compared to a family reunion. A big event such as a school or batch reunion should be planned very well. Its success depends a lot on the organizer or organizers. He, she or the group should be very resourceful and has time dedicated for this event alone.

Two months ago, I hosted a surprise party for a friend of mine who was once my “best friend,” she is actually the principal godmother of my daughter, and that’s how close we were.

But we had a falling out about four or five years ago when she left the country. Last June, I received a phone call from her that automatically patched up our friendship. There was no need to talk about our past. I did not waste time anymore and went to her hotel that evening with my two girls to soften the reunion. And we went out bar hopping while we both carefully and sincerely made friends again.

Before she left, I hosted a surprise party for her, I invited our schoolmates because our school was not that big. So, I called a few of our common friends and told them to call on whoever knows her to come.

We were not that much, we were less than twenty but it was a very wonderful gathering. I asked my kids to join us because I wanted them to know my high school friends and this is the perfect time for them to know more about who my friends are and me. I also wanted to show off my kids. That is how proud of a mother I am.

Next thing I know is that a bigger reunion sprung from that party. One of our guy friends made a Web site for our school and suggested a reunion. Cell numbers were given out and I spoke to some friends whom I have not spoken for eighteen years already.

Some friends were able to make it and some could not because of their work schedule. I was late and missed some good friends but we were planning another one soon.

To my surprise, I received a phone call from one of my friends and told me that a classmate of ours just passed away. I spoke to that friend days before he passed away because I was convincing him to pass by at least, he said he could not but promised to be present the next time. Little did we know that the next time was going to be at his wake. So sad, we could not believe it. He was so young to suffer a heart attack.

Reunions are sweet, it brings back memories, and it reminded me how I was in my younger days.

It made me check on myself. Were there any improvements? Of course our physical changes, but some characteristics remain the same. We should take advantage of this meeting, let us take a break and reminisce with friends. It gave me a refreshing feeling.

A blast from the past is like a booster for me, it inspires me to move on because I know that the past will be memories which will so good to look back on, not only for us but it is something we would want to share to our children. It helps them understand us and know us more.

Start a reunion or attend one, it does not only bring you together with old friends  but it also touches a part of you which you have not been before. God bless us all.

For your comments, reactions or suggestions, you may text me at 09206664744 or you can send me an email at frmexpressyourself@gmail.com, or you can visit our Web site, thecommuterexpress. wordpress.com.

Maaaring ganito ang nasa isipan ng batang nasa larawan habang hawak ang hose na walang lumalabas na tubig dahil sa nararanasang kahirapan ng tubig sa maraming lugar sa Kamaynilaan kaugnay ng kasalukuyang tagtuyot sa bansa. VIC RIVERA

Napag-alaman na humingi umano ng pera ang suspect kay Delia Manzo, 51, para pamasahe nitong papunta sa Cebu.

Ngunit nang tinanggihan ito ng biktima ay agad nagwala ang suspect at pinagsasaksak si Manzo, at tila hindi pa nakuntento ay inihampas pa ni “Roy” ang ulo nito sa semento.

Nang nakalugmok na si Manzo ay pinagbalingan naman ng suspect ang dalawang taon na apo ng biktima na si Timothy Andre at sinaksak ito sa lalamunan.

Ayon sa pulisya, naganap ang malagim na insidente sa bahay ng biktima na matatangpuan sa kahabaan ng Carlos P. Garcia Street sa Moriones, Tondo nitong Linggo ng gabi.    Jun P. Yap

Sinabi pa ng NPA na pinangunahan pa ni Eser ang ginawang pagsalakay ng mga militar laban sa mga NPA sa lugar, at nagbuo pa umano ang biktima ng isang intelligence network laban sa mga bandido sa lalawigan.

Ayon naman sa inisyal na imbestigasyon, naganap ang pananambang kay Eser dakong ala-una ng hapon kung saan ay gumamit ang mga NPA ng kalibre .45 at 9-mm na pistola sa naturang insidente.

Natagpuan pa ng pulisya ang apat na basyo ng kalibre .45 at dalawang basyo naman ng 9-mm na bala sa lugar na pinangyarihan ng pamamaslang.

Kinilala ang biktima na si Jess Lasin, isang residente ng bayan ng Limay doon din sa Bataan.

Napag-alaman sa inisyal na ulat na hindi na umano umabot pa ng buhay ang biktima sa Bagac Medical Center kung saan dapat gamutin ang mga tinamo nitong sugat.

Ayon naman sa inisyal na imbestigasyon, si Lasin ay napisak sa kinauupuan nito nang ang bus (CVL 510) na minamaneho ng isang Jeffrey Nohadera, 29, ay bumangga sa isang malaking puno sa gilid ng highway.

Ayon sa pahayag ni Nohadera, bigla na lamang umanong nasira ang manibela ng bus na kanyang minamaneho na naging dahilan ng naganap na aksidente.

Samantala, ang ibang pasaherong itinakbo sa Bataan General Hospital sa Balanga City ay nakalabas na rin sa nasabing ospital matapos gamutin ang mga sugat na tinamo nila dahil sa pagkakabangga ng bus sa punong kahoy.

Sinabi ni homicide investigator SPO3 Danilo Vidal na ang insidente ay nangyari dakong alas-11 ng gabi nitong Linggo sa kanto ng Abad Santos at Batangas Streets, sa Tondo.

Batay sa inisyal na imbes-tigasyon, ang special patrol unit na mula sa Manila City Hall ay nagsasagawa ng pagpapat-rolya nang mamataan nila ang magkaangkas na kalalakihan sa naturang lugar.

Nang tinangka umanong parahin ng mga awtoridad ang dalawang lalaking magka-angkas sa motorsiklo ay bigla na lamang umanong bumunot ng baril si Sayson at pinagbabaril ang mga pulis, kung saan ay napilitan na lamang lumaban ang mga ito.

Samantala, ang kasama ng suspect na nakatakas habang nagaganap ang barilan ay hindi pa nakikilala hanggang kahapon ng umaga.

“Observe proper clothing during weddings.  Failure to adhere to suggested attire may catch the attention of other churchgoers and may be distracted from their prayers,” sabi ni Rosales sa kanyang statement na nakapaskel sa Web site ng Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

Nauna rito nagpalabas na ng direktiba si Rosales kaugnay ng pagpapatupad ng “dress code” sa mga simbahan, lalo na tuwing Misa kapag Linggo.

Ipinaliwanag ni Rosales na ang panawagan ng Simbahan ay hindi nangangahulugan na dapat gumamit ng bagong “designer clothes” ang mga magsisimba, kundi yung mga damit na karapat-dapat lamang upang hindi maka-distract sa ibang nagsisimba o nagdadasal sa loob ng Simbahan.