Friday, April 24, 2009

Postcard Friendship Friday, the eighth wonder of the world, and a new attorney


In January 2009, Marie Reed began hosting Postcard Friendship Friday at her blog, Cpaphil Vintage Postcards. Here's the premise in her words:

I would be thrilled if you joined us! There are no rules:) Anything goes! Please be silly and creative with this postal theme. Examples include: any type of postcard, a photo of a mailbox, mailman, a stamp image, postcard altered art, or simply a photo of something that you find 'Postcard Perfect' etc etc etc!

After you've posted for PFF come drop by this blog to share your link. A Mr. Linky widget will be in place every Friday! Mr.Linky makes it easier for me to find your blog so that I can be a comment queen! Happy PFF!



I've been signing in at Mr. Linky while noting that postcards at my blog appear mid-week for Old Postcard Wednesday. This week, however, I am actually joining the PFF community on Friday (!) with this beautiful postcard from a special person honoring him for a noteworthy achievement.......


published on back: BANAUE, Batad Village, Philippines
Imposing landscape of centuries-old Banaue Rice Terraces overlooking Batad Village and considered as the eighth wonder of the world.



I have written in prior posts about Dex, whose blog Thirty Thousand Fishes can be mysterious, brave, contemporary, poetic, and reflective because he himself is all those things and more.

At the end of this long post I explained how our blogging friendship evolved into a mother-son relationship with an importance to me that I am still unable to express here. And for a photo of Dex along with some background on his dreams following law school in the Philippines, click here........ All he had to do as a first step toward fulfilling his goals was pass this Bar exam in September 2008 (color emphasis is mine):
The Philippine Bar Examination is administered once every year during the four Sundays of September. It covers eight areas of law, namely: (1) Political Law, (2) Labor Law and Social Legislation, (3) Criminal Law, (4) Civil Law, (5) Commercial Law, (6) Taxation Law, (7) Remedial Law and (8) Legal ethics and practical exercises. It is considered to be one of the most difficult bar exams in the world, having a passing rate that averages in the mere 20%-30% mark, a waiting period of six months and limitations set for exam retakers. - Wikipedia


Dex wrote and mailed this gorgeous postcard on April 3rd while he was there with a team doing research on health. In his note he wrote that the Bar results were due to be released that same afternoon. Because of the difference in times between Philippines and Oregon I was online in the wee morning hours that day when his one-liner blog post popped up in my reader saying that the Bar results would be out any moment. I called him. Dex was standing on a veranda overlooking the river below waiting for friends to text him from Manila when the results were released, as there's no ready computer access in that remote area. He told me that he'd just mailed the postcard so I've been excited to see it ever since. The Philippine Supreme Court website would be releasing the news and Dex directed me there, but it was on standby. We decided not to wait on the phone and I said I'd try to reach him the following day after I got some sleep.

But I couldn't sleep! I stayed up until the prompt on the monitor flickered to life with sites where the results were available. I clicked on one titled GMANews.tv and started scrolling down the last name alpha list. And there was Dex's name. He passed the Bar, one of only 20% to do so, and on his first try at that! I called him immediately and he'd just had a text message.......it was truly one of the most exciting phone calls I've ever had in my life.

The Bar candidates who passed the exam will be sworn in at a ceremony this coming Tuesday, April 28. Dex said that he will place his signature in a book that has evidently been signed by every lawyer in Philippines since those records were kept. I wish with all my heart that I could be there and Dex knows this. In the meantime, I'm now seriously researching flights with future plans in mind.

There are many intriguing stories of friendship out there in the blogosphere. Marie Reed has become an impresario of some with her Postcard Friendship Fridays. And I truly think that Dex and I have one of the most awesome (in the true sense of that word) ties developed in the realm of bloggers. I'm so happy for you, Dex, and am grateful for you in my life.

.

19 comments:

Pearl said...

Such a Breathtaking postcard! Love it!!

Erin Davis said...

How wonderful that blogging led to such a special relationship!

Unknown said...

The postcard is beautiful, but your explanation outshines it by miles. And now, I'm crying, and it's not even 9am. Way to go, Lydia:>)

Beth Niquette said...

Wow! What an absolutely beautiful postcard! The word I would use along with breathtaking is stunning! Happy PFF!

Sreisaat said...

Wow, what an amazing friendship! Congratulations to you both :)

I've been to Banaue only once, and that was years ago, before the big earthquake that hit that area.

Happy PFF and cheers to you both!


Postcards Crossing

Kim said...

I love that picture. It's amazing and so unique.

Congrats to Dex!

MuseSwings said...

What a wonderful post and postcard! Congratulations to Dex and also to you for this acknowledgement of his excellent achievement!

dmarks said...

That looks like such a nice lush place.

Marie Reed said...

This story just crackled with excitement! I was high fiving the computer screen to hear that he passed his bar exam too. That is enormous! The beauty and depth of your relationship with Dex shows in each and every sentence. Huge huge hugs ! I'm so happy to see you any day of the week:)

Margo said...

What a beautiful postcard, Lydia! my husband has traveled to The Phillipines before and said it was amazing. Thanks for sharing the story of your friendship with Dex. I look forward to visiting him. Happy PFF!

Aimee said...

Wow, great postcard!

Looking to the Stars said...

Lydia, That is GREAT news! I am thrilled that Dex passed. keep me posted on your trip and meeting with him. I got goose bumps reading your blog and I read faster and faster to see if me passed :) Also, the postcard blog you joined sounds really cool!!!

Master said...

Hello from Pakistan!
Happy Postcard Friendship Friday!!!

I want to swap a postcard with world UNESCO heritage site from your country. Can you send me one such card?
In return I can send you a nice postcard with beautiful landscape from Pakistan - which I think will be a great addition in your collection?

You can leave me a comment at http://mycoolpostcardcollection.blogspot.com/

We can also make a blog link exchange if you are interested....

Best Regards
Yours Cheema

Elizabeth Halt said...

That is wonderful! Many congratulations to Dex! The area in the postcard is beautiful.

Lydia said...

@Pearl- I agree! Glad to have you here. :)

@Erin- I agree! Hard to imagine never having the kind of connections that blogging gives us.

@Distracted- Probably the first time my blog made you cry, and I understand why.

@Beth- Stunning, I agree! I have stared and stared at it. Happy PFF.

@Sreisaat- It's thrilling having someone visit my blog who has actually been to that beautiful place. Thanks for your good wishes. Happy PFF.

@Kim- Yes, congrats indeed. You being a lawyer understand the accomplishment. :)

@MuseSwings- Thanks; happy you enjoyed both. I hope Dex gets a chance to read these well-wishes in his honor. :)

@dmarks- I agree! I wanna see it someday.

@Marie Reed- Again I say that I hope Dex gets a chance to read these comments. He might be embarrassed a bit? Maybe not. Huge hugs in return and thank you for Postcard Friendship Friday.

@Margo- How exciting that your husband has been there. Wouldn't you just love to visit the rice terraces? Thanks for supporting Dex's blog, too. :)

@Aimee- Thanks, and welcome here. I'll be by your blog (and the other newcomers here) sometime this weekend.

@Looking to the Stars- It'll be some time before any trips take place. In the dreaming/research stage right now....
I hope you visited Marie Reed's blog, as it's one I think you will really love.

@Cheema- Thank you for visiting from Pakistan! That is very exciting and I appreciated your comments. I will find out what a UNESCO world heritage site actually is, and if I have a card from there I'll be happy to share. I will visit your site sometime this weekend.
I see you have adorable little ones!

@Elizabeth- Thank you for the good wishes for Dex. He deserves all these happy thoughts going out to him!
Wouldn't you love to visit Banaue? I'd love to see the photos you would come back with!

Nancy said...

What a wonderful post. You made personal connections with a blogging friend? He sounds amazing to be able to pass such a difficult exam on the first try. Thanks for directing me to this very uplifting story. I love happy endings!

Lydia said...

@Lover of Life- I'm glad you thought this uplifting. I hope you found your way to Marie Reed's blog via the link, as that is truly where I was directing you in my comments! :)

Thomas said...

My mom was from the Philippines. It is a wonderful country.

Lydia said...

@Thomas- It sounds as though you have been fortunate enough to visit the Philippines. I appreciate your visit and your comments. :)

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