Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Welcome Remarks & Words of Wisdom at a Wedding (WWWW)
(Delivered at the Traci Maynigo-Jason Myles Goss Wedding, May 26, 2013)




Good evening. On this day of unforgettable memories I stand before you as the Father of the Bride.

My name is Ben Maynigo.  In America, I have been called many names.  My Black American friends call me Ben MyNegro.  My Hispanic American friends call me Ben MiAmigo.  My American Indian friends who love to eat wild rice call me Uncle Ben.  And my Asian friends who are trying very hard to learn Italian keep insisting on greeting me BenGiorno in the morning and Ben a Sera at night!  They obviously need more lessons!

WWWW:  Welcome remarks and words of wisdom at this wedding. This is my role tonight.

On behalf of my wonderful wife, Tina, equally wonderful parents of Jason, Bob and Debbie Goss, and of course, the newly-weds Traci and Jason, let me welcome all of you to what I call the 8 Ps.

P no. 1 being Party – I welcome you to a celebration of fun, food and entertainment.

P no. 2 being Planning – I welcome you to an efficiently and effectively planned party resulting from one of the longest engagements I have ever known.

P nos. 3, 4 and 5 being Power Point Presentation - I also welcome you to a party that is so well planned that Traci and Jason through a Power Point Presentation outlined online the proposed activities and budget for the entire wedding to us parents.  I was so impressed that immediately after the presentation, I said, “Approved” - the way I used to do it as CEO of a small company in the Philippines.  Of course, Traci knew that in our household, I never had the approving authority.  You know, being only the Vice-President and Assistant Treasurer at home. But that was how impressive the presentation was.

This reminds me of how Traci convinced us to buy her a car in her senior year in high school.  She made a presentation both oral and in writing citing the reasons and arguments why.  We did buy her a used Volvo, which she even brought to Yale later in her college years.

Indeed, as efficiently planned as this wedding party has been, I am sure that you will celebrate with us not just for the fun.

About two months ago we attended the wedding of my niece, Claudia Denton Rockwood.  She and Greg are here today.  I described it as a marriage or union of two majors - two U.S. Air Force Majors. Today, we are also celebrating the marriage of two majors, two English majors - Jason and Traci, who have combined the unique talents of what I call P no. 6 and P no. 7 – namely, Prose and Poetry. Prose for Traci’s excellent and well-written essays and inspiring books; Poetry for Jason’s beautiful music and the poetic passages in the lyrics of his songs.

Traci is also an extra-ordinary and unique academician not only because she is the only one in my family who went to Yale, but also because she obtained more Masters degrees than her mother and me.  I am sure that very soon she will also be Dr. Pacita Manglapus Maynigo Goss.

Most importantly, tonight we are celebrating and witnessing a lifetime consortium or a Permanent union.

Earlier this year, my wife and I celebrated our 40th Wedding Anniversary.  A Facebook friend once asked me what our secret was.  I said, it’s quite simple.  We mastered the art of compromise.  Example: You live in New York and you plan to go out at night.  Your wife wants to watch a Broadway play while you want to watch the New York Knicks play.  Both are allowed to present his or her side convincingly and passionately.  Then, you come up with a compromise – well, in this particular case, the compromise is: watch a Broadway Play.  Simple, indeed!

Yes, Permanent union – this is the 8th and last P.  It means a union that is lasting, enduring, everlasting and forever.

Why 8?  In our culture, 8 is an infinitesimal number.  If you trace the number without lifting your pencil, pen or any tracer onward continuously, it will remain an 8 indefinitely.  So will the marriage and love of Jason and Traci.  ENDLESS! TIMELESS!

For this I say to both Traci and Jason:  May the 8 and Ps be with you always. And may you cherish this permanent partnership and endless love today, as you did yesterday; that you may cherish it tomorrow, as you shall forever!

Love you!




Post Election Tidbits




Team PNoy vs. UNA on Senatorial battle:


            Team PNoy:   9 Winners
            UNA:               3 Winners


Or
            Team PNoy:   3 Losers
            UNA:               6 Losers (UNA fielded only 9)


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Battle of the Bailiwicks:


UNA’s Three Kings: (Binay, Estrada, Enrile)


            MAKATI (Binay’s Bailiwick):
            UNA:               4 Winners
            Team PNoy:   8 Winners


                  Nancy Binay:      No. 3
                  JV E. Estrada:      No. 7
                  Jack Enrile:          No. 17


            SAN JUAN (Estrada’s Bailiwick):
            UNA:               4 Winners
            Team PNoy:   8 Winners


                  JV E. Estrada:      No. 2
                  Nancy Binay:      No. 14
                  Jack Enrile:          No. 18


            MANILA (Estrada’s Bailiwick):
            UNA:               4 Winners
            Team PNoy:   8 Winners


                  JV E. Estrada:      No. 9
                  Nancy Binay:      No. 12
                  Jack Enrile:          No. 18


            CAGAYAN (Enrile’s Bailiwick);
            UNA:               4 Winners
            Team PNoy    8 Winners


                  Jack Enrile:          No. 1
                  Nancy Binay:      No. 2
                  JV E. Estrada       No. 8


COMMENTS:  The results show that even in the bailiwicks of the Three Kings, UNA candidates lost to Team PNoy (8-4).   In Binay’s bailiwick, Jack Enrile lost; in Estrada’s, Nancy Binay and Jack Enrile lost; and in Enrile’s, Nancy Binay, JV E. Estrada, and Jack Enrile won.   In short, the Three Kings could not deliver for UNA.  Only Enrile delivered for the children of the other Kings. In fact, in Enrile’s bailiwick, Jack Enrile is No. 1 as expected.   In Binay’s bailiwick, Nancy Binay is only No. 3.  In Estrada’s San Juan, JV Ejercito Estrada is only No. 2.  In Estrada’s Manila, JV is only No. 9.


Team PNoy’s Three Aces (PNoy, Roxas, Drilon):


            TARLAC (PNOY’s Bailiwick)
            UNA:               3 Winners
            Team PNoy:   9 Winners
           
            CAPIZ (Roxas’ Bailiwick):
            UNA:               1 Winner
            Team PNoy:   11 Winners


            ILOILO (Drilon’s Bailiwick):
            UNA:               2 Winners
            Team PNoy:   10 Winners


COMMENTS:  The results show that in the bailiwicks of the Three Aces, Team PNoy clobbered UNA – only 3 of UNA’s candidates won in PNoy’s Tarlac; only 2 in Drilon’s Iloilo; and only 1 in Roxas’ Capiz.  JV E. Estrada and Jack Enrile lost in all three but Nancy Binay survived in all.


CONCLUSION: In the Battle of the Bailiwicks, UNA’s Three Kings lose to Team PNoy’s Three Aces.


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Battle of the Brands


Winning Brands:
No. 1 -                      “Poe”      (Daughter of Fernando Poe, Jr. and Susan Roces)
No. 2 -                      “Legarda” (former wife of Leviste; twice Senate                                                                                                                                                topnotcher; twice VP candidate (FPJ and Villar)
No. 3 -                      “Cayetano” (Brother of Sen. Pia Cayetano; Taguig Cayetano                                                                                                                      Clan
No. 4 -                      “Escudero” (Bicol’s Escudero Clan)
No. 5 -                      “Binay” (Daughter of VP Binay; Makati’s Binay Clan
No. 6 -                      “Angara” (Son of Senator Edgardo Angara; Aurora’s Angara                                                                                                   Clan
No. 7 -                      “Aquino” (First cousin of PNoy; Tarlac’s Aquino Clan
No. 8 -                      “Pimentel” (Son of former Senate President Nene                                                                                                                                             Pimentel; Cagayan de Oro’s Pimentel Clan
No. 9 -                      “Trillanes” (Military Rebel against Gloria M. Arroyo)
No. 10 -                   “Villar”  (Wife of former Senate President Manny Villar;                                                                                                                              Las Pinas’ Villar Clan
No. 11 -                   “Estrada” (Son of former President Erap Estrada; San                                                                                                                                   Juan’s Estrada Clan
No. 12 -                   “Honasan” (Gringo, military rebel against Marcos and Cory                                                                                                                     Aquino


Losing Brands:  Zambales’ “Gordon”; Bukidnon’s “Zubiri”; Cagayan’s “Enrile”;                                                                              Zambales’ “Magsaysay”; Palawan’s “Hagedorn”; Manila’s                                                                                             “Maceda”; Jesus is Lord’s “Brother Villanueva”.


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Kuwentong Barbero:


Tanong: Bakit sa karamihang lugar ang botohan ay hindi Straight Ticket?


Sagot:  Paano ang “Tuwid Na Daan” nasisingitan ng “Tatlong Daan” o kung minsan Dalawang Limang Daan.


Tanong: Paano mo alam na kasado na ang pagsingit ng kandidato mo at kung magkano ang bigay?


Sagot: Pagtinaas ang isang kamay at sabay sabing, “Give me five.” Siyempre, matuwid at maliwanag na limang daan.


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Ages of Winners


‘30s:  Aquino (36)
‘40s: Poe (44), Escudero (43), Cayetano (42), Binay (40), Angara    (40), Pimentel 49, Trillanes (41) and Ejercito Estrada (42);
‘50s: Legarda (53)
‘60s:  Villar (62) and Honasan (65)          


The influence of the New and E-Gen in the new Senate is unmistakably clear.


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