there should be stars for great wars
like ours

- Sandra Cisneros

While my semester is not entirely over yet (one more project to go!) I think it's safe to say that I am now officially free from the bondage of acads.

AND YES I FEEL LIKE DOBBY BEING GIVEN A SOCK. I AM A FREE ELF NOW.

(Wait let's let that sink in. Karla. Is. A. Free. Elf. Asdkfhaskl!!!)


But while this translates to freedom, I haven't exactly been lazing around all day this week (as much as I'd love that). Some of my friends and I volunteered to work at the Quezon City RTC to make an inventory of cases in an effort to decongest the court dockets. This is part of an initiative by The Asia Foundation to aid the Judiciary in the administration of cases. We've been assigned to the drug court, where we read and file cases in relation to RA 9165 from nine to five. To my surprise, despite the long hours, it's actually been quite fun. Perhaps it's because of the company, or perhaps it's because of the fact that by sorting through the files we're getting advanced lessons for Criminal Procedure (a subject for next semester). But regardless, it's genuinely nice to be immersed in the world we must now embrace as our own and not feel like it's dying to get rid of us. The staff, clerks, and even the judge whose sala we were working on were all very kind and welcoming.

In the last few days, I've come to realize a lot of things about school and the law profession in general. Some of them I already know, some of them things that just dawned on me this week - but all of them part of what would hopefully shape my way of looking at things in the next few years or so.

I wish I could write some more tonight, but I'm tired, and my body, as a way of celebrating my "provisional liberty," is eagerly trying to recover all the sleep I lost during the sem. Also, my parents and I are going to Baguio this weekend, and God knows how much I need the vacation - and a change of weather - so I'm trying to get as much rest as I can. I don't want to be all sleepy and cranky during the trip!

Well, there. I guess this is me kicking off my so-called vacation. Here's to hoping this summer is going to be every bit the break I need it to be.

From one of the readings for Legal Theory finals (..from which I got exempted! Rejoicing because it may be the first and only time I will ever be exempted in a law school exam! Seriously.) Even the strongest must sleep at times. Preach.




From an ad on the waiting shed just across Law. Does this mean that the benevolent landlord will accommodate one's beliefs, and allow his tenants to exercise them without hindrance? Justice Puno approves of this accommodation.




Justice Isagani Cruz, on substantial distinctions. Daaaamn. Rest in peace, Justice Cruz. I sure hope heaven no longer has arbitrary classifications, only valid ones. Like, I don't know... goodness? :))




Because Jollibee is holy ground, especially for Consti. I swear to God, everything we studied from 11 am to 11 pm came out in the exam. Apparently, this place is my good luck charm, especially for Consti. I don't know why I didn't embrace the idea sooner. (Looking at you, first sem. Remember that night of Dadole?) I love you, Jollibee. I'm sorry it took me so long to realize that. I'm a convert now. Your sacred ground is my safe haven. P.S. I can live on your burger steak and palabok forever.




But of course. How do you take exams in the theater behind this wall? Yep. In a grand manner.



#lastpush


__

Labels: law school, UP

there should be stars for great wars
like ours

- Sandra Cisneros

While my semester is not entirely over yet (one more project to go!) I think it's safe to say that I am now officially free from the bondage of acads.

AND YES I FEEL LIKE DOBBY BEING GIVEN A SOCK. I AM A FREE ELF NOW.

(Wait let's let that sink in. Karla. Is. A. Free. Elf. Asdkfhaskl!!!)


But while this translates to freedom, I haven't exactly been lazing around all day this week (as much as I'd love that). Some of my friends and I volunteered to work at the Quezon City RTC to make an inventory of cases in an effort to decongest the court dockets. This is part of an initiative by The Asia Foundation to aid the Judiciary in the administration of cases. We've been assigned to the drug court, where we read and file cases in relation to RA 9165 from nine to five. To my surprise, despite the long hours, it's actually been quite fun. Perhaps it's because of the company, or perhaps it's because of the fact that by sorting through the files we're getting advanced lessons for Criminal Procedure (a subject for next semester). But regardless, it's genuinely nice to be immersed in the world we must now embrace as our own and not feel like it's dying to get rid of us. The staff, clerks, and even the judge whose sala we were working on were all very kind and welcoming.

In the last few days, I've come to realize a lot of things about school and the law profession in general. Some of them I already know, some of them things that just dawned on me this week - but all of them part of what would hopefully shape my way of looking at things in the next few years or so.

I wish I could write some more tonight, but I'm tired, and my body, as a way of celebrating my "provisional liberty," is eagerly trying to recover all the sleep I lost during the sem. Also, my parents and I are going to Baguio this weekend, and God knows how much I need the vacation - and a change of weather - so I'm trying to get as much rest as I can. I don't want to be all sleepy and cranky during the trip!

Well, there. I guess this is me kicking off my so-called vacation. Here's to hoping this summer is going to be every bit the break I need it to be.

From one of the readings for Legal Theory finals (..from which I got exempted! Rejoicing because it may be the first and only time I will ever be exempted in a law school exam! Seriously.) Even the strongest must sleep at times. Preach.




From an ad on the waiting shed just across Law. Does this mean that the benevolent landlord will accommodate one's beliefs, and allow his tenants to exercise them without hindrance? Justice Puno approves of this accommodation.




Justice Isagani Cruz, on substantial distinctions. Daaaamn. Rest in peace, Justice Cruz. I sure hope heaven no longer has arbitrary classifications, only valid ones. Like, I don't know... goodness? :))




Because Jollibee is holy ground, especially for Consti. I swear to God, everything we studied from 11 am to 11 pm came out in the exam. Apparently, this place is my good luck charm, especially for Consti. I don't know why I didn't embrace the idea sooner. (Looking at you, first sem. Remember that night of Dadole?) I love you, Jollibee. I'm sorry it took me so long to realize that. I'm a convert now. Your sacred ground is my safe haven. P.S. I can live on your burger steak and palabok forever.




But of course. How do you take exams in the theater behind this wall? Yep. In a grand manner.



#lastpush


__

Labels: law school, UP

Hello, I'm Karla Bernardo. If you Google my name, you will find the Wikipedia entry of a Canadian serial-killer (and trust me, you do not want to read about that - but I'm sure you will because now you're curious), which is why I suggest you type Bombastarr instead so you can stalk me better.

I spent eight-and-a-half years of my life in the University of the Philippines, where I graduated with degrees in Creative Writing and Juris Doctor. It is also where I learned how to speak a bit of Italian, got a taste of the best tapsilog, and took striptease for PE.

I love telling stories, as much as I enjoy finding them.

<center><font style="color: #ffffff;">____</font>Want <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/09096636074047764491">more</a>?</center><br>

Featured Works

Stargirl (Cover story for Nadine Lustre, Scout, January-February 2017)
Surreal / So Real (at Scout)
Ode to a Great Love's 17-year-old Self (Love.Life, Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Postcard from Diliman (Youngblood, Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Writer for Philippine Law Register
A Call to Arms (January 2017)
Expecting the Expected (March 2016)

Former Writer for Stache Magazine
The Hero's Journey (June 2013)
The 8 People You Become In Your Youth (June 2013)
The Best Bad Idea That Is Argo (April 2013)
Mike Ross Remembers Everything You Don't (August 2012)
Style Between the Riffs (August 2012)
Book Lovers Never Sleep Alone (June 2012)
A Spectrum of Change (December 2011)
Digital Art (October 2011)
Elements of Style (June 2011)
In Her White Dress (All-Art April 2011 issue)

Morning After Pill (Fervore: Literary Folio 2013, UP Portia Sorority)
How To Make a Blueberry Cheesecake (Kalas: Kalasag Literary Folio 2011, UP College of Arts and Letters)
January 14th (100: The Hundreds Project, UP Writer's Club)

An Ode to The Pillow Book (at New-Slang)
Introductions (at TeenInk)
One by One (at TeenInk)

   

Recently

27(.5)
Endgame
Standout Songs: "Overkill" on Scrubs
You'll be out of the dark, yeah you'll get your shot
Music of the Night
Marrakesh Treaty: More access to books for the vis...
How we weep and laugh at the same thing
Something
Conflict resolution
Book frustrations

This Is How It Doesn't Start

this is how it doesn't start, in eleven parts

Labels

An attempt at poetry; Books; Bullets; Creative nonfiction; CW; Featured; Feeble attempts at poetry; Fiction; Finger exercises; Law school; Mixtape; Playwriting; Poetry; Senioritis; Shuffle Wednesdays; Summer; The Pillow Book; Thesis; UP

Archives

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Got a comment, question, violent reaction, love letter, or random piece of information you want to share with me? Just fire away. I don't bite.

(I changed my form and went back to Freedback because Ask.fm's being a bitch, requiring people to sign up for accounts before asking questions. Because I love you guys, I tweaked my ask box a bit, so that the questions will now go directly to my e-mail, but I'll be posting the answers still on my Ask.fm for convenience. TL;DR - I'll still be getting your questions so no worries. You're still free to harass me / send me your love.)

Answers

Most Frequently Asked Question

Are you a pornstar?
No, I am not a pornstar, stripper, or your friendly neighborhood call girl. It's just a fancy pseudonym with a long history, and two R's. Rawr.

Bombastarr is my personal blog and my little corner in the Internet since 2005. Yes, I started writing here when I was 13 years old (aka when I was very angsty, hormonal, and always gushing at the littlest things) -- ergo, you'd have to forgive me if you come across an old post that reeks of immaturity and slightly unpolished grammar. I did a lot of growing up here, and from the looks of it, there's still a lot of growing up to do, so I don't think I'll be leaving this place any time soon.

The domain, Bombastarr.com, was purchased on June 2014 and launched on July 2014, on the blog's ninth year (and fifth month, to be exact).

It's crazy to think that this blog is now thirteen years old, because (1) that seems like an eternity in internet years, and (2) that means if my blog were a kid, it's a teenager! That's insane.

Here's to more tales, explosive and otherwise.

If you've been living under a rock and think I'm a threat to world peace or an object of covetousness, sorry to disappoint you, folks: it's just a fancy pseudonym.

As in most things, it started in high school. It began as a joke between me and a couple of friends during our freshman year. We were practicing for a field demonstration dance which involved the use of shawls, and being the crazy-always-trying-to-be-funny person that I was (or I always attempted to be) I started doing poses with the garment. Someone started taking my picture using my phone, and one shot looked like I was posing for those B-list movies (or should it be R-list, as in R-rated?) of the vegetable-nomenclature variety. #IKYWIM. Hence, the word, "Bombastarr." Yes, very cheeky, I know, but for a 13-year-old, it was quirky enough to figure as a username. That was 2005, right around the time I trying to decide on a URL for a new blog. It's been a lot of years since, and what started as a joke became something I've eventually embraced as an identity.

Despite the many other chances I've gotten to permanently move (to Multiply, Livejournal, Tumblr, Wordpress; to a bigger platform where I can earn or use the blog as a venue for commerce), I've come to realize that Bombastarr is something I can never truly leave behind. It is a place I've grown to appreciate and love because it is a place I can call my own. It's a venue for my rants, my views, my writing. It is home, and it is who I am.

Bombastarr is a glimpse of my life: the thoughts, ideas, and stories that shape it into what it is, and what it will still become. This journal has been with me for all my crazy, often embarrassing adventures, but I'm sure there will be more anecdotes and feelings and people to write about. Which is something I'm really looking forward to. After all, you know what they say about the greatest stories - sometimes, there's still a lot that's left unwritten.

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