The Frog Princess

My full name is MARIA REMEDIOS CECILIA BALDEO PENAVERDE. When i was in gradeschool i was called by my name REMEDIOS, no one ever called me MARIA…i guess it sounded too virginal or something. In fact, MARIA is probably the most unused name name. Unless siguro if you live in Spain or Argentina where half of the women are named MARIA. In highschool, i have a science teacher who liked calling me CECILIA. Thank goodness nobody thought of calling me BALDE to shorten my middle name, hehehe

Then there came my "bully baptised name" REMEDYAS….i was called that for 3 years by my personal bully (ang sos noh?!) Then there was REMY, RE-ME-DAI-OH….i have this busmate who wanted to make all our names sound classy coz his name couldn’t be anymore classier ( His name is Don Don) Then my sister for some weird reason started calling me "MEDING" she probably thought it was cute like KUTING!? Pero ngayong our labandera’s name is Meding, she stopped calling me by that. About time!

Then Essel came….actually at home, I am Ecel….the E as read in eat and CEL as in cellar. Then i have this caviteno teacher who couldn’t pronounce it right and kept calling me, eksel….more of like XL (as in the size!) Tapos i have this ka-choir who wanted to make all the girl names sound cute and sosy like Ana became NANA and Ecel became….well, what else? Easel.

But my nickname really is, Marecel….pronounced as Maricel with the i.

People asked me why is it spelled that way, why is it so arte?

well….

because it’s mine. it’s my name. so deal with it! hehehe =0P

The first time i laid eyes on Dan was at a Jaycee function, it was the same day that i was inducted as a baby jaycee. I remember i couldn’t take my eyes off Dan, he looked so gwapo in a polo and jacket (unlike the other guests who were in barong.) Dan stood out not only because he was underdress but he stood out coz despite the unlikely fashion, he wore the best bling bling that day…he had the sweetest smile that could give even give a woman wearing dentures a toothache.

Im not very fond of watching the news coz it depresses me, but when Dan is the one reporting, i take time watching what its all about. That time i didn’t know that he was a reporter so imagine my happiness when i saw him one morning reporting for a crime scene. i thought that would be enough. then…. today, while watching Star talk, Butch Francisco announced that Dan Campilan passed away due to a car accident that happen on his way back from a report. overwhelmed with the news that i just heard, i feel numb. im sad but not cyring, numb but full of emotions. a rollercoaster ride of emotions.

DAN CAMPILAN (GMA7 news reporter/ Ortigas Jaycees member) October 7, 2006. Rest in peace. He was 24 years old.

He will be missed.