Monday, May 27, 2013

MACRIMEL Caramel (the story of Papemelroti wannabie)




Values Education. In one of my high school tests, I surprisingly got an incorrect answer. Where should we display picture frames and family portrait? Answer: Bedroom and not living room.

Therefore, sa totoong buhay 98% of the philippine population is wrong. Anywhere we go, we find graduation photos and portraits sa sala ng mga bahay. Having a house of my own, I might (might pa lang, I can still change my mind) follow what I learned in high school. Personal pictures should only be displayed inside the bedroom. Actually, I already have one hanging in my room - my graduation picture wearing a sablay. 

So what should be hung in the living room? Abstract. Barrio Fiesta ala-Amorsolo. Sunset. Mother and child. As a child, I remember that there was a painting inside my grandparent's room which further led me to think that we were really rich. I used to still see it in the warehouse long after both of them were gone, but I could not find it lately.    

I am going for the vintage look so I got this greeting card from Papemelroti and intend to have it framed. Imagine, I kept it in a book for three years pending the completion of the construction of the house. The card is a picture of pinoy-looking Mary and baby Jesus. That's mother and child. What's interesting is that the Mary in the picture looks like my mother.

***

I visited Papemelroti store hundreds of times and was fancied by their items. But all along, lugi sila because I only bought few times. I am really engrossed with the aesthetics that would blend well with how I envision my interior design. Specializing in recycled paper, their name seemed to come from play of syllables coming from root word paper. Basically, it's quite a common knowledge that Papemelroti comes from first syllables of the names of the owner's children. Patsy. Peggy. Meldy. Robert. Tina.

"Ro" is Robert Alejandro, a journalist and partly my idol. Aside from being a Marvin Agustin look alike, he's much of my long lost who-I-want-to-be - an artist and journalist. I used to draw as a child but never prospered into something big. I got my aspirations in journalism from my sister and my closest association to it is handling the office's newsletter.

***
This reminds me of Macrimel or Chiekylyn. Macrimel is Mar-Elen, Cris and Mel, a contruction firm established by my father (ang yaman may construction firm!). Chiekylyn is RiCHIE, RicKY and MaLYN, a barangay basketball team managed by my father during his hey days. The former is composed of our real names and the latter is from our nicknames.

The construction firm no longer exists but we make fun of it once in a while. My kuya insists that it sounds like a brand of candy or coffe - Macrimel, Caramel. He then, had a basketball team Gelo15 (his son's name) instead of Chiekylyn. My sister owns a business which I can't remember at the moment. It's also  a combination of her daughters' names. We really don't have plans about business except for the solicited support for the farm - which is basically the compound where our new old house is/was located. We stand by each other for the children and pamangkins. One of the things I'm always proud of my family is that hindi kami nag-aaway away na magkakapatid.

Chiekylyn will always be part of childhood memories -at least for ate and kuya because I was too young then to remember anything, while Macrimel is a caramel gone sour.

***

Few months ago I inquired from a framing shop about this card. This is because I can't find any picture frame which is square in size. I've been in that shop before to inquire about having our wedding pictures compiled in an album. That day was one of the most difficult inquiries I had in my life. The frontdesk and all other personnel were away. All that I can talk to is the frame worker himself. Susme napakahirap kausap! 

Just the few days ago, I went back and chanced upon pleasant  employee to talk to. Just last night, I finally got it and felt happy about my framed project. This would be just first of the many pictures intend to frame - next project is a painting of a stream, which for sentimental purpose is like what my grandparents had. However, to avoid information overload,  I set a rule. There should only be one frame in each wall.

***

For the purpose of this post, I took the above picture and uploaded to Facebook because I forgot my connector. Apparently I received a comment from my sister.

"Alam mo ba, nang tinitignan ko to sa thumbnails, I was seeing mommy's face!"   




Post Script

I have this concern over the use of "hang" in the office (I am/was associated with many offices, I won't tell which). In a handbook, it used this phrase "hanged streamer". One clarification I found is from www.dailywritingtips.com .

The regular past tense of hang is hung, which would be used in all the examples listed above. However, there is one difference when it comes to hanging someone by the neck. In this case the past tense is hanged which means killed by hanging.

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