FAYEthful and True

ADN Summer Escapade 2018

Maine’s special surprise By: Faye Tolosa  (as published) Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:29 AM September 30, 2018

I should have believed Alden Richards when he said Maine Mendoza had “outrageous” ways to surprise people special to her. Well, I believed him, all right. But I never thought I would get to experience it firsthand.

This is a story of how THE Maine Mendoza went out of her…

All of us, as Christians, have faced storms of various versions. Life is full of trials. Sometimes, it seems like the wind is too strong or the waves seem so high.

Last June, I think I have faced one of the toughest times of my life. I hope I could say my faith never wavered at all, but that would be a lie.

Last June, I had to leave my job at the Philippine Daily Inquirer. In reality, they had to…

‘Brand New Blossom’

Cover of “Brand New Blossom” showing the Powerpuff Girls, popular cartoon characters from Cartoon Network. When I was around 7 years old, my mother bought me this book titled “Brand New Blossom.” It’s a pick-a-path book where the readers get to choose the next action of Blossom. You can make Blossom a bad girl, make her choose the “wrong” decisions, make her break the rules and go against her own…

You encounter a lot of people everyday. You bump into a stranger every once in a while and not give a damn. Sometimes you befriend a co-commuter you coincidentally ride the train with almost everyday. Maybe you got close to some vendor you buy candies from. Or maybe you meet someone again for the first time after 20 years and felt like nothing has changed. Or maybe you just meet someone and even…

Tips para iwas sawi, from a nonexpert, aka me.

Hey there, single ladies (and guys)! I have heard so many brokenhearted girls complaining about how they’ve been led on by some guy and how they felt like they’ve been betrayed, lied to or cheated on (Pinaasa nya lang ako! Akala ko lang meron, pero wala! WALA! WALA!). You see, I used to think that way, too. Photo from Poems Porn on Twitter But let’s stop and think. As a person, can we actually…

Sometimes I like putting myself to the test and pushing myself to my limit.  I’m not always a brave person. I may be adventurous, but I also get scared sometimes. But one thing I know for sure about myself is that once I put my heart and mind to something, I’m certainly going to make it. When I said I wanted to go with the team to Kalinga, I have had my heart set that I will survive that trek.…

To All The Friends I’ve Lost

Hi! I never thought I’d ever get to write this letter for you, but I also never thought I’d lose you. So I guess no one ever really thinks of losing a friend, right? I always thought that I will have you forever. But things happened and I don’t take it against you. Maybe distance did this to us. Or maybe growing up did this. Sometimes I think this is what aging does to people. Maybe the way you…

Her Silence (Mother’s Day)

A week shy of Mother’s Day, I was asked if my mom is a nagger. I replied with a laugh, and then a big YES. It was a funny question. But the next question caught me by surprise: “What makes a bungangera” mom special?” The first thing that came to my mind is her silence. At first, I thought it was going to be offensive, but then I realized that somehow it’s true. Her silence makes a “bungangera”…

One day, you’re gonna look someone in the eyes and all you’ll see is how certain he is of his love for you–the kind of certainty you’ve been longing for your whole life. And it’s going to be one of the most memorable moments of your life. The moment you see the finality in his eyes. The finality that he is in love with you and it’s not because he didn’t have a choice, it’s just that he didn’t…

If there’s one thing I learned the hard way, it’s that hearts are broken not just because of love life. These past few years, I have had my heart broken many times not because of a boy, but because of the church. Every time I hear stories about people who I consider family having misunderstandings and not being able to settle them, my heart breaks. Every time I see people who used to be friends,…

I never liked timelines. Timelines make me panic. Timelines make me feel like time is running out. Yes, time’s passing, but not really running out. I remember several retreats and homeroom sessions asking us to draw on a piece of paper a number line that would depict a timeline where we would put what we want for our lives some five, ten, twenty years later. I almost never did it. If I ever did,…

The moon… and its secret

​​The moon seriously looks so captivating right now. It’s so far yet so…present. There’s something so romantic about the moon. Or maybe it’s the night that’s mysteriously beautiful. I find beauty in the night–how it reveals the beauty of those that the moon chooses to highlight, yet perfectly hides in the shadows of the night the things it chooses to be kept in secret, until you look closely.…

​You deserve someone who would stay, but would be willing to take a step back when things get so overwhelming. You deserve someone who would sweep you off your feet, but would take things slow to wait for God’s perfect time. You deserve someone who wouldn’t give you flowers on Valentine’s day because Valentine’s day is just like any other day–a day when you are special, a day to let you know you…

Hi. I’m writing this because I have nothing better to do. Well I have. But I am too lazy to do it, so yeah. I have so many things going on in my mind right now. Like what time I’ll cook my lunch, or what time you actually got home last night. You see the relevance? There’s none. That is how random the things going on in my mind are right now. From point a to point z real quick. Last week, I…

​Minsan, para ‘kong 3210 ‘yung unang cellphone mo? ‘Yung Nokia mo nu’ng grade three ka? Minsan para ‘kong 3210 Sa gitna ng isandaang iPhone Parang isang 3210 Na iniwan ng may-ari sa isang mesa Sa loob ng Starbucks sa Makati Dahil may bago na syang iPhone Kaya nakalimutan nya Na may 3210 sya. Pero nung minsang masira yung iPhone nya Binalikan nya yung 3210 nya sa isang mesa sa isang Starbucks sa…

Don’t make me write about you

It has always been my fantasy To find someone I can write about No. Someone to write to Someone to write for Someone to write with. But if I write about you You have to stay. You see, there were people I wanted to write for About, with, to. But they won’t stay. I knew. Sometimes I start writing about them. But I won’t finish it. Because if I would, they’d be gone. Because I get scary. Once I…

​May isang nilalang na likha ng Maykapal Na biniyayaan ng napakaraming kakayahan Bumilang, magtuos, sumulat, umawit, tumula, magmahal Ngunit sa dami ng regalong ito, sya ay palagi pa ring nauubusan. Lingid sa kaalaman ng lahat, Sa gitna ng mga kakayahan nya ay Namumukod-tangi ang nanuot sa balat. Sumpa nya ang pagiging mapagbigay. Sa lahat ng ihinandog sa kanya ng Maykapal Buong buo nyang inialay…