Memorable ‘conversationalists’

Click here to read Part I

(Second of two parts)

Private Conversations, aired every Wednesday after Headlines on ABS-CBN Channel 2, is celebrating its second anniversary. We’ve had over 100 guests and the fun, spirited sometimes risqué conversations continue.

This is the second part of Private Conversation’s "memorable conversations".

GMA – We invited her when she was Vice-President to guest on Private Conversation with Boy Abunda (PCBA). By force of unexpected historical upheaval, she became President. So on Jan. 20, 2001, she came to PCBA not as a VP but as President. We talked about the constitutionality of her government. I asked her how tall she was and she quipped, "4’11". I acquiesced. Today, amidst political and economic fracas, I feel she deserves a chance. Quite frankly, I like her taray. It makes sense to me.

Martin Nievera. He wrote a poem while we were having the conversation on air. He never ceases to amaze me with his poetry, music, philosophy, contradictions, honesty. And he blesses people like me with unconditional friendship. He talks from the heart.

John Victor Hansen – He revealed that he would cry as he would go through the stories in his own book, Chicken Soup for the Soul. His laughter was contagious. And he smelled rich!

Sheila Coronel – Tough. Courage was/ is written all over her. And when she talked about knowing when to stop an investigative story that endangers the life of a writer specifically in drug related exposes, she displayed her honesty and humanity. She also revealed the story about a public official who handed her a thick wad of bills for her lunch. She of course refused it.

Korina Sanchez – She would cry ’till she’d sleep. She talked about her public, the news and herself like a seasoned warrior. Korina always goes to battle prepared and beautiful.

Joe de Venecia – He announced the Rainbow coalition on the show. The man is inarguably brilliant. He discussed the global situation like your next door neighbor analyzing his sleeping habits.

Ed Angara – He crossed a river for years during his elementary days in Baler, Quezon. The man actually is not only intelligent, he is also funny. He was game at questions like how his first sexual experience was. He answered me with a cute, nervous laugh. Up close, he is actually presidential material.

Katrina Legarda – An engaging conversationalist. We talked about love, politics and the law. I pretended to understand. Ha! ha! ha! Kat is funny, bodacious and sexy. She also makes you feel safe. To call her smart is like citing her for contempt. She deserves a more sensuous adjective.

A real dwelling place

One can never completely describe the relief and joy that one feels when one truly comes home. The roads of our lives lead us to all sorts of places, all kinds of problems and infinite possibilities. At the end of a day, all that one desires is to come home, lay down one’s burden and allow oneself to be healed by the comforts of home.

For some of us, unfortunately, the road home is long, fraught with trial and difficulty. For some of us, the obstacles which bar us from reaching the healing havens seem insurmountable. That is when we need the help of Someone to lead us back, to lift us and carry us back to His dwelling place that we may see is also our dwelling place after all.

The Jesuit Music Ministry and Jesuit Communications recently released its latest recording from Himig Heswita and Friends titled Your Dwelling Place.

Your Dwelling Place began as a healing prayer concern. Moved by the positive response to the project, the organizers wanted to bring Your Dwelling Place to a bigger audience, hence this new recording. The album follows the structure of the original concert and brings together compositions by Jesuits Arnel Aquino, Manoling Francisco, Eduardo Hontiveros and Nemesio Que as well as works by other composers to weave a tapestry of warmth and comfort, of love and strength.

Your Dwelling Place is produced by the Jesuit Music Ministry and Jesuit Communications and is distributed nationwide by BMG Pilipinas.