August 21 - 26, 1961

August 21 - Monday


I woke up very early this morning. I wrote that sonnet in English that I was supposed to and I think some good old saint must have helped me because I wrote it in 15 minutes. It was a little lopsided but will do. Daddy made his first TV newscast at 11:45 to 12:00 PM this morning. Pretty cool! It is also Sr. Chantal’s feast day today. We all gave her gifts. I didn’t feel too well this pm so I stayed home and slept. I saw Jimmy Rogers on TV today too. Talked to Mercy over the phone this afternoon. She still thinks Mari Valles is the greatest but her heart also does somersaults when she sees that dashing Tony Ortigas, who is, I’m sorry to admit, about the handsomest thing 2 feet around La Salle. (I AM nauseating!) I’m a little excited about the party of Cookie Perez-Rubio on Saturday. I’ll know it’ll probably be a flop for me but I hope its not.



August 22 - Tuesday

Same old routine in school. This noon Marina and I went to Pier 9 to say goodby to Angela Di Vincenzi who leaves for Italy. She was a very nice girl and I’ll miss her. I ate lunch at Marina’s house. History is hard and I hate to study it but its awfully interesting. After school Marina and I went to the ANC for a minute. Marina is one of the nicest people I know and she can’t help being a little corny at times. Neither can I can get pretty horrible too. I went to confession today too. I’ve just noticed that my handwriting in here gets pretty hopeless, two months from now I won’t be able to understand a word I’ve written (Well, I guess it wasn’t that bad because 45 years later, I can!).Talked to Inger, Mercy and Marina over the phone. This pm I called Nena’s home and Nacho answered. Wanted to know if I was in Marina’s car. We saw him this noon on the way to SLV (San Lorenzo Village) I was hoping to see SOMEONE more interesting. I heard terrific records over xx this evening. Real cool, way out and all that jazz!!

August 23 - Wednesday - Marina’s Birthday

It’s been a good day in school. We sang Happy Birthday to Marina and I gave her a lovely night compact which I think she liked very much. The pimples on my face are all cleared up thank God, except for one little stubborn one now and then. My hair is behaving quite nicely too, but I know that probably next week, I’ll look a mess again. I went to the dressmaker this pm with Mom and then we went to the ANC. There were the most handsome Marines there. We just sat in the Sunset Lounge and chatted. I saw Bomber Johnson too. He is a very attractive young man. This evening I got the most pleasant surprise when the phone rings and a very attractive male voice asks for me and it was BUTCH CATALA! Thank goodness he couldn’t see me because I could feel my cheeks hot as blushing roses. We just chatted pleasantly about him, Inge and I. He kept laughing all the time, my pulse did some somersaults. I kept seeing those dimples of his. He is so very, very nice and charming and what a voice he has.



August 24 - Thursday

Its been a pretty miserable day. I was late this morning for school, nearly 20 minutes and of course I was unexcused. Then Sr. Chantal almost gave up the HSA’s place in the bulletin board to the aspirants because its been empty. We had a test in History and out of 20 I got 13 right only. I went to the dressmakers with Mommy and she sent to be made for me a lovely lime green linen suit. Daddy and Mommy had another bitter argument this evening. Primary reason: neither of them understands each other and never will. If I ever marry anybody I am going to make sure he thinks the same way I do. (I can’t even comment here - it is too easy!!!!!)I got that feeling of loneliness again. The “Father Knows Best Show” on TV was very nice tonight - all about Bud and Betty’s romantic adventures. This boyfriend of Betty’s was a living doll. What fabulous dimples. Mercy was all excited because she saw Butch today.



August 25 - Friday

This has been D-day at school. I’ve never had so many things go wrong at the same time. We had not less than 5 sermons from Sr. Mary Angela, Miss Juco, Mrs. Patag, etc. The HSA space on the bulletin board has been given to the aspirants though Sr. Mila was willing to give it to us but since our darling president of the HSA, Margot Pimentel refuses to take any initiative Sister decided it was useless. The whole day was on the razor’s edge. Sister called us stupid, etc. Marina had a fight with Nanette and I left that madhouse of a classroom before I went nuts. Its never been like this before! Mommy and Dad were at the end of their nerves too. I couldn’t even listen to the radio this afternoon. The maids did everything wrong at dinner making Dad mad, Mommy still more nervous and I held on to my nerves. I’ve got loads of homework and I don’t feel much like doing anything and all it does is rain, rain, rain...I feel like letting out a long, hearty scream!!



August 26 - Saturday

Margie and I went to the Great Wall Ad. Co. this morning to get our pictures taken for some advertisements on TV. I then went to the ANC after dropping Margie off at her house. I spent the whole morning with Marina and Mercy. This afternoon I went to a Spanish movie with Mom - “Abajo del Cielo de Asturias.” This pm Lita picked us up and we went to Cookie Perez-Rubio’s party. I had the premonition that Carlos Garcia would be there after not going to parties for a long time and I was right. He was there, he looked out of this world in a navy blue coat and tie. He smiled and said hello and twice or more while he was dancing he caught me looking at him. He danced all the time with lucky Kathy Bruns. Once, while Barbara Bruns was fanning herself, he knelt down for her to fan him and I was right beside Barbara and his face was about 2 inches away from mine. I just wonder if he heard the pounding of my heart. Those mischievous melting brown eyes, that curly brown hair and that terrific smile! Of course, he’ll never even give me the second thought of day. I’m not pretty like Barbara or even ???? like Kathy but I can dream can’t I?! If the day ever (probably never) comes that he asks me to dance, I’ll probably be so weak my knees will give way under me. What a guy! Cosme really bugged me tonight. He comes up to me and says “..que estas rajada?” (I have the clearest memory of this incident, in fact of many incidents of this party, now 45 years later...amazing what sticks in our minds...) Oh boy, one more crack like that and wham!! Mari Valles (his majesty himself) asked me to dance. My heart really pounded then, but I was very serious. Once I looked up while dancing and found him looking down at me. If my heart does that crazy offbeat when dancing with Mari - suppose I was dancing with Carlos??!! Mari spent half the night staring at Betina Kahn. I danced with Linggoy, Mari, Peps, Joey and Kenneth Brimo, period. But as long as Carlos was there, it was beautiful. Butch Catala called Conchita today and she nearly died. He might be at the Rizal tomorrow.