2006: The Year of Change

My friend Elbert Or writes in his blog:

I don’t remember if I blogged about it, but this year, according to a geomancer friend, was supposed to be a Year of Change for me and those in my immediate circle. Quite contrary to the common belief (or at least, it was our belief) that the year of the dog is supposedly a year of stability (dogs being stalwart and loyal creatures and all, remember?), this year is meant to bring in changes and obstacles aplenty.

Apparently, the same is true for me and my own immediate circle. Reviewing the events of the past 6 months, I'm startled at the numerous instances of great change and personal discovery. It's as if 2006 is the year that we reach a point in our lives, beyond which nothing will ever be the same.

*2006 is the year I take the big risk of giving up a lucrative and relatively stable job of inking comics to write, draw and publish my own comics here in the Philippines, as I search for comics jobs as a full artist abroad. Ilyn has also decided to quit the practice of architecture and concentrate on setting up a paper crafts business. We both took our leave of the UAP (United Architects of the Philippines) to concentrate on beginning new careers for ourselves.

I was able to self publish a comic book under my own legitimate publishing company for the first time, a personal milestone that I find great satisfaction in. And it's only the beginning.

*My friend and and Komikero Jonas Diego was able to establish a sucessful company, offering good employment to other Komikeros like Mico, Jerald and Neil, and a bunch of other artists, as the company continues to grow. Congrats, pare! He's got a lot of chnages himself in his personal life, but it's up to him if he wants to talk about it or not.

*Another friend of ours and another Komikero, Ryan Toledo, has relocated his place of work from Biñan to San Pablo and he began teaching with the start of the new school season next door at Canossa College.

*Our friend and another Komikero Rene Enriquez is having a baby with his wife Jolana for the first time and they're crazy excited about it. Check out Rene and Jolana's baby via ultrasound at You Tube.

*Our friend and Komikera Edjee Mendoza got married, rather unexpectedly, and me and Ilyn acted as one of the Ninongs and Ninangs. Incidentally, she and her husband Germer are also expecting a baby.

A friend of Ilyn is getting married next month, but with much relief, we're not Ninongs and Ninangs this time around.

*One of our good friends was at the house the other day to reveal to us that he's gay. Our initial reaction was, well, so what? For us, it changes nothing, but we are happy for him that he has finally admitted it to himself, and now he feels very relieved, and much happier as a result. I must admit, my "gaydar" is very strong and I knew about this about him for quite a while. I sense the same thing in a couple of my other friends, and I hope to assure them that to true friends, it really doesn't matter. We'd be happier for you because we can only imagine what it must be like to live with a secret, maybe fear, maybe denial, and how happier you will be once you just let it out and be honest about yourself to yourself and to others. As far as me and Ilyn are concered, there's really nothing to fear, as our good friend is now finding out.

*Our friend and another Komikera Cathy de Los Santos just moved to Germany with her better half Thomas.

*Friends are breaking up left and right. There's Elbert and Camy. There's another couple who broke up, but now are back together again, thank God. Ilyn has a friend who broke with her girlfriend of 10 years.

*Ilyn has another friend who, after practicing as a doctor for several years, finally quit to pursue what she truly wants to do and not what her parents have planned for her.

*Our dog Eugene himself has some changes that he and we have to deal with. Having gone through a life-threatening illness earlier this year, he now has to alter his lifestyle and watch his diet rather closely for the rest of his life. If plans push through, he will become a major character this year in my next project "The Adventures of Miko and Jec-Jec".

I'm quite sure more changes will come. I say bring em on!

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