The musical Christmas card I received

I received a musical Christmas card. It was supposed to play a Yule song but when I opened it, the music was Happy Birthday. Hehe.

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OK lang this birthday song. No problem. We’re celebrating Baby Jesus’ birthday. The sender made no mistake.

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One of the most welcome gifts to come my way this Christmas is a book entitled “Straight from the Heart.” It came straight not from any sweet heart but from my sister we all call “Ba.”

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This book is a compilation of prayers from the simple Sign of the Cross (this is also a prayer in case you don’t know) to the prayer of Mass Media Workers. It was compiled and edited by Rev. Fr. Mario Jose C. Ladrs.

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A portion of the prayer says: “Protect us from the temptation to use our positions of power to destroy the reputation of others. Instead help us to be instruments of peace and love.”

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My media colleague Loy Jurado gripes: “The SSS in the US sent me some documents. The envelope was stamped Nov. 4, 2011, here in Cebu Post Office. It was delivered to my house on Nov. 24. Wow! It took them 20 days to deliver my letter.” Loy lives in the city.

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From time to time I receivedin my email items that the heavyweights in my profession consider trash and therefore treat them as trash. Not me. If space allows, I give these trash some attention, the same attention which the sender apparently had given my column.

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Some items (queries) which might be considered trash: “Should Lapulapu City be hyphenated (Lapu-Lapu)?”

“Should there be a hyphen in Liloan (Lilo-an)?”

“Should Dalaguete by pronounced in our syllables (Da-la-ge-te)?”

Thanks to Ms. Myrna Sanoy for taking the trouble to ask. I am also taking the trouble of referring the queries to some experts. I also want to know.

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“Manoy Pedring (he’s older than me by one day, so I call him Manoy) said in a text message that Cebuanos and other residents of Cebu (including foreigners) should pray and thank God for keeping us always in His care. He said: “Mga dapit nga sa daghang katuigan wala pa makasinati og makalilisang nga katalagman nakatilaw na og katalagman.”

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Manoy Pedring, who gathers chicken manure for fertilizer for a living, was referring to Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and Dumaguete. “Di ta mo kompiyansa,” he said.