ten-tenen-tennn

In the computing world, 1 and 0 are the binary codes that make up the building blocks of the computer’s intelligence. In today’s calendar however, it is something that a lot of people put significance upon simply because it’s an occurrence that will not be seen again for the next 999 years. Masuwerte daw ang generation nating ito dahil nabubuhay tayo sa mga taon kung saan nae-experience natin itong mga ganitong significant dates.

Nag-umpisa ito noong 01-01-01 where the most dreaded millennium bug was the biggest issue in the world of computers (and businesses of course). Ang daming issue na lumabas years before the turn of the century. Porke magka-crash daw lahat ng computers and chaos will follow. Kaya nagkaron ng Y2K compliance projects ang lahat ng negosyo na dependent sa computers – from government offices to private businesses. Ang daming kinita ng mga IT companies noon.

Sa mga wala namang magawa, meron din silang pinagka-abalahan. They busied themselves spreading rumors of doom dahil 01-01-01 daw ang tinakdang panahon ng pagkagunaw ng mundo. Kung sinoman ang nakaisip ng kalokohang ito, well, he definitely gained some followers dahil marami talagang naniwala sa balitang kutsero na yon. I’ve heard one story na meron daw mayaman na pinamigay na lang ang kayamanan nya hoping that he will go straight to heaven pagdating ng 01-01-01 na judgment day ng langit. Sayang hindi ako nakalapit sa kanya para naambunan ng katangahan, este, kayamanan nya!

Dahil ako naman ay hindi basta naniniwala sa hula, I chose to make my 01-01-01 uneventful. Ang natatandaan ko lang, I was holed up in my rented flat in Cityland Dela Rosa, pinapanood sa TV ang nangyayaring street party sa kahabaan ng Ayala to welcome the turn of the millennium. Hindi ko makalimutan na inii-magine kong mahulog si Regine habang kumakanta at bumibirit sa tuktok nong water falls ng Pen.

After that, hindi ko na matandaan ang mga event sa buhay ko during these supposedly significant dates. Can’t remember where I was or what I was doing when 02-02-02 came. Ang alam ko lang, I’m spending lazy days in Cavite ng mga panahon ng 03-03-03 then 04-04-04 came at nasa Saudi na naman ako.

Can’t even remember what good fortune came my way nong dumating ang 08-08-08. Parang wala. Samantalang sabi ng Chinese calendar, it should have been my luckiest year having Snake for my birth sign na maswerte daw during the year of the Dragon. Eh para namang kinain ng Dragon yong Snake kaya ayan, dumating ang 10-10-10 at nasa Saudi pa rin ako.

So we only have two years to go bago matapos ang mga significant dates na ito. After 11-11-11 and 12-12-12, we’ll have to wait for a thousand years to see them again. For now, let’s just be glad that we’ve made it this far. Amidst all the tragedies happening around us, pasalamat pa rin ako sa Diyos na hindi pa nangyayari ang end of the world na pini-predict pagkatagal-tagal nang panahon. And I hope It’s not gonna happen soon. Para naman ma-experience ng future generation ang 01-01-3001! Cool!