HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KUYA TOM RANADA

Dec 21, '08 3:47 AM for everyone

Happy Birthday, Kuya TOM RANADA!  - It’s December 21 and it’s Kuya TOM RANADA’s  birthday.  It also happens to be the feastday of his patron saint, St. Thomas, the apostle.  Like his patron saint, Kuya TOM is your typical quiet, unassuming doubting Thomas.  You will seldom hear him talk at XVD gatherings, but he’s always there – listening, observing, discerning. And video-taping and taking pictures of the proceedings.  Kuya TOM represents your ideal XVD character.  Less talk, more walk. He is also a sharp one-liner artist.  He can squelch a long-winded supposedly intellectual discussion or blog with his loaded one-line utterances.   I believe it’s time we started calling him something else, like “peeping Thomas;” or “squelching Tom” or “no-talk Thomas.”  Unlike his patron saint, though, Kuya TOM is always present at meetings and never late. Which is more than can be said about most XVDs.

Kuya TOM belongs to the prominent RANADA clan of the Ilocos and the super-active CKS Class of ’65.  He has been selling super-vitamins and supplements ever since his UP days.  If you want your picture taken, be extra friendly to TOM.

I have very little time for this blog but just so TOM doesn’t think I did not devote enought time and space for this announcement, let me cap this blog with a typical beerhouse story.

A guy walks into a bar and says to the bartender, "I want you to give me 12-year scotch, and don`t try to fool me because I can tell the difference."

The bartender is skeptical and decides to try to trick the man with 5-year scotch. The man takes a sip, scowls and says, "Bartender, this crap is 5-year scotch. I told you I want 12-year scotch."

The bartender tries once more with 8-year scotch. The man takes a sip, grimaces and says, "Bartender, I don`t want 8-year scotch like this filth. Give me 12-year scotch!"

Impressed, the bartender gets the 12-year scotch, the man takes a sip and sighs, "Ah, now that`s the real thing."

A disgusting, grimy, stinking drunk has been watching all this with great interest. He stumbles over and sets a glass down in front of the man and says, "Hey, I think that`s really far out what you can do. Try this one."


The man takes a sip and immediately spits out the liquid and cries, "Yechhh! This stuff tastes like piss!"

The drunk`s eyes light up and he says, "Yeah, now how old am I?"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AGAIN, Mr. Senior Sixtyzen.

reply

reply butchcelestial wrote on Dec 21, '08 . . . hahaha, if I were Tom, I'll be pis.......... hehehe . . . . Happy Birthday, Tom!

reply paga65 wrote on Dec 21, '08 Happy Birthday Tommy.

reply emanjyap wrote on Dec 21, '08 hapi birthday, Tom! welcome to the club

reply xvdph wrote on Dec 21, '08, edited on Dec 21, '08 60 is the new 40.

reply pcsokaka wrote on Dec 21, '08 Tom IS IT, as Kuya James says: No talk, more walk for the XVD cause/s.

reply tomranada wrote on Dec 21, '08, edited on Dec 21, '08 Thanks, Kuya. Thanks, guys. I am happy to join the club. If you want your picture taken, just smile. :-)

reply romesaluyot wrote on Dec 23, '08 Hi Tom, Happy birthday again. And thanks for your late night call while I was at the end-game of David Lettermen, my Lunesta for a good night sleep. I appreciate your conversations because there are always substantial news about our country, people and friends especially our XVD circle. As you know, these bits and pieces are as welcome as a rare patch of rain on a piece of parched African land in the Kalahari.Not to mention of course the occasional laughs that act as an MSG to an otherwise soporific conversation. With the rest of our group, may you have the best of everything always, with more of the bentleys, bling and bubbly. Have fun and spread it. Rome.

reply cecilpf wrote on Dec 23, '08 Tom, you always stand out in every way...in the XVD pictures, in your roots, in your profile ... a man left standing when everyone falls and stumbles. Keep on standing on. Happy Birthday...Kuya Tom! God bless and love you ever.