I thought I was secure enough (that is, conceptually – denial #1) with the idea of growing mature (aka getting old – denial # 2) until that dreadful day of June 28, 2007 when I read the email posted by Nars (Narceo Bajet, Batch ’68) in one of the Varrons e-group chatters regarding the revival of Tudla, and I quote: “. . . tanda ko nga ay may nagsu-sulicit ng Gestetner so that a particular issue to be printed. . .” I don’t know about you, BUT I almost passed out reading that entry. Not because I disagree with what he is saying but because I got stuck with the word “Gestetner.” To be honest, I don’t even care what he was arguing about because there seemed to be a certain degree of “foreignness” to that word (denial #3). I don’t know how long my eyes were fixed on it (probably like forever!) before asking myself “What the hell is Gestetner?” (denial #4).

After a reasonable period of recovery with “tiny bit of flashback” that I could muster from the past (denial #5), I searched our old-reliable friend Google using “Gestetner + stencil + mimeograph” as keywords. What do you think I got? Not a good sign - there were “666” results. I swear I almost passed out again. If you don’t believe me, you can click the image

Sorry to digress. But the point of the search is this (and this is useful for those of you who are younger than me with a few years – denial #6): Gestetner was a machine very popular in the 60s to 80s and was used to reproduce copies of printed documents. The operative word here is “was”. It “reproduced” things. If you still cannot picture that in your mind because you are probably preoccupied with certain questions (like “how can it do that?”), an old relic image of a mimeo machine (see below) from Wikepedia can probably help you. Beyond that, I won’t be of help (denial #7) other than to tell you that mimeographing stencil machine like the Gestetner is one of the entries in the “Dead Media” website. Emphasis here: “Dead” as in kaput.

What's common between the two photos above? You decide. Nars in a 2006 photo taken in Los Baños. Above him is an old picture of a Gestetner mimeo machine.

This brings me to the question that probably gives a lot of angst for “younger” people like me (denial #8) – how could you ever admit to yourself (or even more, announcing it to the world) that you co-exist at some point in your early life with something already considered obsolete and dead? And who would admit to that? Well, obviously Nars did. Do I salute him for being so brave to state that fact? Absolutely yes. (If you are not familiar with Nars, the inset picture on the side may help).

BUT I’m not sure if I would be able to do what he did, now that my confidence has been shattered (denial #9) by reading an email sent by Kevin Latiza (the 2007 GV). First the context of the email: he was describing to me the picture below as follows: “. . . After me, they are sis Virna Langit (current head of Educ. Committee), Vrod Roven Tumaneng (current Varron Chronicler), and last Vrod Deo (the older-looking guy . . . current member of UPVAA). . .” (italics and underline mine).

Older-looking? Is he kidding? I stared at the picture (I encourage you to do the same). I did not even blink for seemingly infinite period looking at Deo (Amadeo Palacpac, Tanglaw ’96). I swear he does not look older than the others in the picture (no disrespect intended). And to think that I am just a little bit older than Deo (denial #10), I am wondering what Kevin would think when he looks at my picture - hopefully not in the same context as the Gestetner.

For now, that’s the word from the sentimental Varron. He is not allowed to go beyond ten denials. Otherwise, the shrink becomes too costly.

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