Rubylarians' countdown begins

After fits and starts, high class of '73 of St. Paul College (now University) of Quezon City is ready for its ruby jubilee on Jan. 12, 2013, a Saturday. Verge Gepuela, SPCQ Alumni Association president, just announced this: "Hi alumna! Don't miss our spuqc homecoming saturday jan. 12, 2013; 3pm reg'n; 4pm mass - pere chauvet chapel, father jerry orbos svd; 5:30 prog - theater ff by dinner - h.luce III plaza; 9-11 dancing: music by the rockin 60's ; rsvp spcq batch 88@gmail.com, reena or jet 09279062537." 

Picture above shows some "Rubylarians" who never quite lost their school spirit. Seated from left are: Eugene Mesina, Lota Alix Medina, Hayni Estrada Prudente, Audrey Agatep General, Concept Zamora Lazo and Jill Racela Narciso. Standing are: Ana Marie Earnshaw Rigor, Elaine Barretto, Vicki Narciso Valero, Miriam Gimenez, Bibit Esteva Llamas, Marissa Ileto, Tere Rey Evangelista, Babeth Lolarga and Adelle Nadres.

The dance team, led by Audrey (from row, center), found an ingenious way to hide eye bags, laugh lines and other telling signs of aging by wearing sunglasses and scarves. The other members of the team are, flanking Audrey, Maan Martin Soriano and Jill Racela Narciso. Behind them are cousins Ana Marie Earnshaw Rigor and Bibit Esteva Llamas, and Concept Zamora Lazo. I don't know if they will make good their threat to wear Afro wigs a la Supremes, bought dirt cheap in Divisoria, to disguise graying hair.

Another team, led by Marissa Ileto and assisted by Hayni Estrada Prudente, Vicki Narciso Valero and me, just put out the batch's slambook. That's a blast from the past there; slambooks had their heyday in the '60s and partly the '70s. It's our batch's way of reconnecting with classmates in the Philippines and abroad. Featured on the cover (brainchild of Marissa and Lulu Camello Pasamba) are our class rings apart from a light blue tint that hints of the denim brand Faded Glory. Below are more sample pages from the print souvenir whose pages are being further embellished by this blogger and her big-time scrapbooking nieces, Marga Susi and Jaja Jorge Susi, for added personal touches like the handmade slambooks of yore.

For the slambook dividers, Marissa and I chose songs from our era like this one made popular by Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. Len Guevara Lat, writing from the US, suggested James Taylor's "You've Got a Friend," and it is also included. Slambook na, song hits pa!

Here's an example of an info sheet that has been doodled on to reflect our classmate Mabelle Bagunu's personality today. She is vice president of Lopez, Inc.

The above two pages have the scrapbook look executed by my nieces Marga and Jaja. They are working feverishly in their home in Antipolo City so the slambooks will be ready by Jan. 5, 2013, the Saturday before homecoming day. These pages are not totally finished yet. Oodles of doodles will be added.

The back cover features a quotation from a letter of Paul, then imprisoned for his beliefs, to the Galatians: "Do not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."