The magic of Nora Aunor

Nora Aunor is truly unsinkable. She’s been away for many years now but she still makes news. Few weeks ago, she flew to Japan for some beauty enhancement procedures. This was arranged by the Waray diva, Asteria Amoyo. I was invited by Asteria to fly to Japan to do an interview with the one and only superstar. Of course, I was excited and for a second, I turned white with glee as if I had been injected with a ton of glutathione, only to find out that I could not leave the country because of my frenzied schedule.

But as a rabid Noranian, my imagination ran wild. What if she comes home and does a teleserye with Sarah Geronimo? What if she comes back and does a Larawan (Nick Joaquin’s literary masterpiece)-inspired movie with the great Vilma Santos? What about a concert at the Araneta Coliseum? Possibilities are infinite for one of Asia’s Best Actresses.

Oh yes, people will say nasty things about La Aunor. That she could have been the richest star in this country, that she could have owned malls and a fleet of jets, that she could have bought houses in the enclaves of the rich and the richest. But she didn’t. And to me that’s fine. She chose to be who she is and where she wants to be. But she remains one of the greatest actresses of Philippine cinema. “Walang himala. Ang himala ay nasa puso ng tao.” And this is Nora’s magic lies. After decades of being the only superstar, she hasn’t really revealed everything that is in her heart.

Nora won the No. 1 International Best Actress of the Decade-Asia at the Green Planet Movie Awards held at Westin Bonaventure Hotel, Los Angeles. Bravo, Ate Guy! You’re really the only superstar!

Learning made easy

Ray Gapuz is inarguably the best nursing board reviewer in the Philippines. Not just because he topped the licensure exams for nurses in 1992 with a grade of 89.20, not just because he graduated cum laude (BS Nursing), and summa cum laude (MA in Nursing) at the University of Sto. Tomas but also because he is an excellent teacher. I have seen him do it many times. He makes his students relax. He is funny. He sings. He is an exceptional storyteller. He has the gift of clarity when he speaks. And he talks directly to his students like a friend would do. It’s easy to learn from someone who makes learning easy and fun. Ray Gapuz does all this. And he and his review center have a track record.

Gapuz Review Center has produced topnotchers and an awesome record of board exam passers. I remember a few years ago, having met a 62-year-old lady who passed the board exams under Ray’s tutelage. The lady became a Ray Gapuz disciple, always ready to tell her success story about how she hurdled the nursing board exam because of Ray’s guidance.

Last week, I came across an inspiring letter from another Ray Gapuz student who after trying eight times to pass the nursing board exam, finally did it.

Sir Ray:

I finally made it. It’s worth trying after eight times of taking the exam. I finally found the answer in your miracle box Mosby Essential Concept for the Philippine Nurse Licensure Exam. This was the only book I’ve read one week before the scheduled board exam. Ang daming lumabas na similar questions sa book ninyo in the actual board. Bongga talaga. I remember in page 389 picture illustration mostly lumabas page 26 Chi-square test, page 392 S.L.E. at marami pang iba. Ha, ha, ha. Sobrang bongga. You’re such a blessing to everyone. Self review was sulit with your Mosby book for NLE.

When I saw your big billboard in Fuente Osmena, Cebu, I said to myself, I will buy that book for me to pass the exam. Your book is not only for local NLE but also for foreign examination pattern of questions as well as like NCLEX.

Problems are part of our life. Let us not forget that the shortest distance between a problem and its solution is the distance between our knees and the floor. And the one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything that is why I never give up. It took me eight times, now finally God answered my prayers when I needed it most.

One of the most prevalent diseases affecting mankind today is anxiety. Our excessive worrying shows that we lack faith in the ability of our Heavenly Father to provide our needs. “Trust ye in the Lord forever for in the Lord is everlasting strength,” Isaiah 26:4. Worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but it never takes you anywhere. Once you enrol in R. A. Gapuz Review Center, make sure to buy his new Mosby for NLE so you will be worry free. Have faith, believe and pray. God is just a prayer away.

Lav u.

Emie

Someone once told me that inspired giving inspires giving. Ray Gapuz is one of the most giving people I have met in this lifetime.