Heart-ful February

By: Veronica Leighton

 

February, the second and shortest month of the year, possesses the month with the love and heart, the reason of which the lovers’ occasion, Valentine’s Day, is being celebrated on this month. Here’s a short Funny Valentine’s story that I want to share with you, when i sent out a Feb Memo to the staffers addressing them as LOVERS & LOVEES, in which Elsie Sy- Niebar, senior editor & Notebook columnist, immediately replied, “I AM LOVELESS!” Whichever and whatever, with or without love, we must share our love, from our heart and mind, with people around us.

Dear Friends, forgive me for sharing great news shared to me by my Alma Mater, the University of the Philippines. It appears UP President Pascual proudly showed off a picture of me and my book of poems featured in a recent UP Alumni magazine!!! I wasn’t even aware they would do this–and therefore, I am tickled beyond joy! There’s nothing better than one’s Alma Mater being proud of its own daughter’s accomplishments! My husband and I have also been asked by UP’s top academic leadership to help address its institutional challenges in a series of academic leadership meetings scheduled this year. I am so deeply gratified to have this opportunity to give back to my Alma Mater who’d first given to me by honoring me with full academic scholarships from my A.B. to my L.L.B.! I know you all are happy to know this, too–thus, my sincere, humble sharing.

Advanced happy Valentine’s to you and Joe! Attached is my February 2015 column. Please acknowledge receipt.

I also state a request I’ve been meaning to ask you: In view of my impending trip to the Philippines and my demanding UP project, I request a sabbatical leave from writing my VIA Times poetry column. I also need this leave in view of my need to write and reserve new material for submission to poetry contests and literary publishers. You see, they require that a poem be unpublished in any form of media. We have been lucky so far in that I have had a wealth of material to share with VIA Times until now–when, 3 years later from my first column, I am afraid I am running out! Although I am indeed writing new material, I need to hold off of publishing them in order for them to be even considered in literary contests and by traditional book publishers. I think I may need this leave until the end of the year, unless some of the poems get accepted elsewhere for publication sooner and then I can start re-publishing them.

I hope this is okay with you? I certainly hope so, for I truly enjoy and feel privileged to be one of your writers.

Happy birthday to February girl, Girlie Pascual…
Chinese Horoscope…
Gong hay fat choy!
Lou & Baron
Mrdi Gras

Chicago, Il. – We are so happy to announce the Philippine American Cultural Foundation’s 2015 humanitarian missions in the Philippines. This year, PACF is partnering with the Samasama Project and the Illinois Philippine Recovery Operations (IL-PRO) in support of their medical and dental missions headed by Project Directors Doctor Ariel Tolentino, Baron and Louella Cabalona. The dates and areas of services are – Jan 28 in Bukidnon, Feb 1 in Lipa, Batangas, Feb 3 in Paluan, Occidental Minodro and February 20-22 in Devils Mountain, Alaminos, San Jose, Mindoro. PACF will also be supporting the Watts of Love organization founded and headed by 2014 Fil-Am Hall of Famer Nancy Economou. Next month, Nancy and her brother Kevin Kuster,