Breathe in, breathe out, wax on, wax off! I’ve been chanting this mantra for sometime now, what with the load of work I have to finish. I can’t seem to get anything done. It’s overwhelming!
But then I go to the meetings and dance and song practices and I see the homecoming committee heads come in carrying bagful of stuff they’ve worked on or are working on for the upcoming celeb. I hear of talks of going to bed at 4:30 a.m. after working on the souvenir mag or sorting through pics or going through articles or other such stuff the batch would need for the grand alumni homecoming. All these over and above their office work, the clients that need attending to, the kids’ needs to be seen to.
It’s then I realize that my load is peanuts compared to the work the committee’s on. I also realize I’m surrounded by Batch 85’s own D’ Wonder Girls. Why are they Wonder Girls, you ask? Let me tell you.
Atty. Kristy. She’s all over the SMC place. Oh, excuse me…she’s all over the Metro. She’s off running around meeting printers, SMC nuns and teachers and alumni officers, photographers, potential sponsors, lights and sounds people, souvenir companies… the list goes on! She writes. She edits. She plans. Brings home people. Conceived PABOLASTIK. Incorporated Batch ’85. She also bears the brunt of complaints and protests and grumbles and objections. And yet you never see her without a smile. Shake that booty, girl!
Pia. She’s not just all over the place, she’ all over the phones, e-mails, FB and what have you. She’s our own private Idaho…este, detective I mean. She’s tirelessly looked for “missing” batch mates and is relentless in her pursuit to bring them all in and have them join in the fun. As co-chair, she meets people here and there and everywhere to work on the mag, on pics, accounts, registration, info updates, etc. She’s also been everywhere in the junk truck picking up…yes, you guessed it –junk. She’s generously offered Pia’s Pride to bring in food and stuff as well as drive people home and around.
Mela. The techie of the group. The cool and silent worker. She accepts work with a smile and silently does them without so much brouhaha. She’s worked with the web site developers and SMC web site committee for the design of our very own school web site. She’s kept account of the batch funds. Came up with the stage backdrop design and shirt designs. She’s actually used her leave credits to devote her Fridays on working on the PABOLASTIK drive.
Weng. She’s funny.
You thought that was it about Weng, didn’t you? Of course not! She brings in so much laughter she makes work fun. And what would PABOLASTIK be without her and her DUGYOTISTIC reports? Who’d have thought that working with junk could be enjoyable! She works just as hard as she does in making people laugh.
Mercy. Her decision to take a sabbatical from work is a blessing in disguise…a blessing for Batch ’85, that is. She’s created amazing songs and write-ups. Inspired Stellans, young and old, with her song and talk on how Stella shaped her (all of us really).
Atty. Ruth. She’s provided/referred our talented and patient choreographer, Tin, as well as our vocal coach and arranger, the Nonong Pedero. She’s certainly instrumental in drawing in considerable contributions.
Sairish Rosemarie. She’s arranged the photographer for the photo shoot and collected pics for the mag. She’s actually made use of her learnings from Mrs. La Torre’s class and worked on the Egyptian costume for her group.
Mina. She drives all the way from the South to spend weekends with her family. Yet she chooses to spend half of it to choreograph the group for the OPM medley.
Grace. She generously allows the committee (with mga pampagulong uzi like me) to hold meetings at their Tapa King branch along Libis and offers to drive people home especially when it’s particularly late and rainy.
The Falling Tears (Camille, Atty. Ruth, Cecille, Monet) lead the groups in the dance routines.
Other Wonder Girls. Elaissa gives her two cents’ worth of advice and provides inputs where needed. Karen has taken charge of editing and putting together the video messages. Agnes works hard at every activity and constantly helps out in the PABOLASTIK drive. Jen arranged the powerpoint version of the missalette for the mass. Mario prepared the AVPs (yes, in plural). Emelyn is the appointed poncho designer and maker for the group. Noi offered her catering services. The writers (Mae, Roxanne, Joan, Myra, Camille, Atty. Ruth, Mina, Mercy) and their moving write-ups. And many others who have helped in the various activities and have been generous with their talents and time and, of course, contributions.
Me…I wiggle my ears. I’m also a wonder girl but of a different breed - I’m the asking kind. I wonder and ask where these beautiful Wonder Girls draw their strength and energy from. What motivates and drives them to work so haaaard? I mean, they’re not after any grade or merit or approval. Their lives certainly do not depend on this. They don’t get paid to do all these. They’ve shelled out more than I ever could (and I’m not just talking money here). They’ve given back to Stella and to the batch more than what we deserve. They didn’t have to this…and yet they chose to.
Whatever happens on October 2 and beyond, Stellans Batch ’85 is soooo blessed to have such Wonder(ful) Girls! Wow and hats off and bravo and kudos and salute and good job and “galing” don’t seem to be adequate. But for now…these would have to do.
Thank you, Wonder Gels!
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