It's that time of the year again, where I get to pretend I'm not a stressed-out law student and dress up like a high school senior who got asked out to prom by her crush. Only in this scenario, I'm technically the one who did the "asking out," and I'm classier than your average teenager by not being decked out in sequins, tulle, and whatever glitter's left on your 2nd-grade arts-and-crafts box.

The end of Portia Week means the annual Portia Induction Ball, and of course, the Boyfriend and I were more than happy to play the role of prim-and-proper couple even for a night. As I've already been inducted the year before, no required cotillion dance for us this year, which means we got to enjoy it as normal guests this time around. Louie and I love joking around that the Portia Ball is our pseudo-Oscars (or actually, Star Magic Ball, if we're gonna be honest and real jologs about it), and we're secretly thrilled going about running errands just to prepare for this thing: picking up a dress, buying new shoes, getting a new tie — the entire enchilada. We very much like getting into it, #sorrynotsorry. Hey, we like the escapism of it all! Can't blame the exhausted engineer and perpetually sleep-deprived law student.

And now, let the photo dump begin:




I brought along with me my Re, considering its above-average performance at Tryst (see previous post). It's a pretty solid camera for daytime, no doubt about it, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it's not too shabby at night too, considering that it had no flash. Hence, I decided it was a worthy companion for the night. Just look at these pics I took inside his car. Pretty decent considering the low-lighting, right?

This is as "action packed" as we can get so far for this action camera. Lol. We'll be sure to bring it along legit adventures next time. For now, the most thrill it's going to get is on the dashboard of his Toyota.




Of course the night wouldn't be complete without some #fail on my part. Being the forgetful fish that I am (Dory is my spirit animal! What who are you? P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney!), I forgot to charge the camera from Tryst. Well, I was promised a week-long battery life, okay! I took a few more pictures with my Re when we got to the venue but eventually relegated the photo-taking task to Louie's trusty phone to take over for the night.

Thank you, Nexus 5, for the wonderful pictures!




It's funny how just a few years in law school have given me this awesome set of friends (and sisters!): we're all so different, yet we couldn't be more alike in all our crazies. I'm so lucky I have these girls to share my anxiety attacks and small joys with.


KARLIE & TAYLOR, aka Karla and Chrissa, aka #Khrissa :)) Don't you just love our colors? 


Sophisticated and classy would be an understatement to describe the venue. We held our ball at Light of Love, somewhere near E. Rodriguez. Much like last year, it was an events place that had the romantic garden scenery down pat. Look at all those pretty lights! Our hall, aptly named "Integrity," had a large balcony out in the back, extending towards the huge trees and vast gardens. It was a really lovely place; quite the perfect setting for anyone's teenaged rom-com and/or Disney fantasies. (In my head, I'm having Princess Diaries / Tangled flashbacks.)




<br /> Okay this is where I shall allow myself to be sentimental&nbsp;<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">—&nbsp;</span>if you're allergic to cheese, I suggest you skip this paragraph now! You have been warned! Scroll, scroooll, SCROOOOOOLL!

Okay this is where I shall allow myself to be a bit sentimental. I'm so incredibly fortunate to have this guy as my date. He's been such a patient, understanding, and caring man since Day 1, but most especially in the last few weeks leading up to this night. It's no secret that I'm still very much in shambles after what recently happened to my aunt. In fact, at some point, I almost didn't want to go to this Ball anymore, because I didn't like the idea of having fun so soon after someone's demise. It was Louie who reminded me that my tita wouldn't want me sulking (especially because of her) when I should otherwise be enjoying. She never liked it when I cried. And I knew she would've wanted me to glam up even for a night, especially since weeks before, when I was staying with her in the hospital, I showed her pictures of this dress. She loved it, and said it was so me. I went out last Sunday with the thought of how proud she would've been of the two of us, all cleaned up and pulling the whole thing off with the panache of primetime bidas ;) HAHAHA.

I'm super thankful to my mom and Tita Guada (papa's sister) for getting me through and helping me look this glam (Pagbigyan!) last Sunday. And to Louie, of course, for being the gentleman and awesome boyfriend that he is.

Louie has been more than just a boyfriend to me: he's been a great friend, support system, and partner. I'm glad to have someone like him who always knows what to say and do to make things better for me. This May, we're celebrating two years since our first official date. <i>Bilis!</i>&nbsp;But also, I get the feeling that, "What? 2 years pa lang?! It feels like I've known him forever!" :)) We always kid that we're such a "<i>loveteam</i>," and&nbsp;<span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 20.2222232818604px;">—</span>&nbsp;Kathryn Bernardo-comparisons not withstanding&nbsp;<span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 20.2222232818604px;">—</span>&nbsp;everyday I realize how true that is. We're real teammates. We make decisions together, we go through our problems together. We share in each other's daily defeats and small victories. But what I feel most grateful for is that he's just as weird as I am. I can't possibly think of anyone who is just as funny, quirky, and cray-cray. Buti na lang, hindi masyado halata when we dress up like this ;)












Too bad I didn't get to have a picture taken with our guest of honor that night, LP Honey Oliveros, who was at her usual wacky, funny, but nonetheless dignified self. She is the chief of staff of Supreme Court Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, who is also our sis. LP Honey reminded us of what it means to be a Portian — a woman of service, honesty, and above all integrity. Her anecdotes were laugh-out-loud hilarious, but not without a few morals behind them. It was a reminder of the long journey that awaits us outside Malcolm Hall. Being an excellent person isn't confined to the four walls of law school; in fact, the reckoning point will only begin once we step outside and find for ourselves our place in the world. I can only hope to look back on this night many years from now and finally be able to confirm for myself that yes, she was right. The road is long and the journey will be tough. But as we say, "All excellent things are as difficult as they are rare." In the end, it will all be worth it.


Capping off this post with more pictures of me and my weirdo-who-already-shaved-his-beard-o:

It's that time of the year again, where I get to pretend I'm not a stressed-out law student and dress up like a high school senior who got asked out to prom by her crush. Only in this scenario, I'm technically the one who did the "asking out," and I'm classier than your average teenager by not being decked out in sequins, tulle, and whatever glitter's left on your 2nd-grade arts-and-crafts box.

The end of Portia Week means the annual Portia Induction Ball, and of course, the Boyfriend and I were more than happy to play the role of prim-and-proper couple even for a night. As I've already been inducted the year before, no required cotillion dance for us this year, which means we got to enjoy it as normal guests this time around. Louie and I love joking around that the Portia Ball is our pseudo-Oscars (or actually, Star Magic Ball, if we're gonna be honest and real jologs about it), and we're secretly thrilled going about running errands just to prepare for this thing: picking up a dress, buying new shoes, getting a new tie — the entire enchilada. We very much like getting into it, #sorrynotsorry. Hey, we like the escapism of it all! Can't blame the exhausted engineer and perpetually sleep-deprived law student.

And now, let the photo dump begin:




I brought along with me my Re, considering its above-average performance at Tryst (see previous post). It's a pretty solid camera for daytime, no doubt about it, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it's not too shabby at night too, considering that it had no flash. Hence, I decided it was a worthy companion for the night. Just look at these pics I took inside his car. Pretty decent considering the low-lighting, right?

This is as "action packed" as we can get so far for this action camera. Lol. We'll be sure to bring it along legit adventures next time. For now, the most thrill it's going to get is on the dashboard of his Toyota.




Of course the night wouldn't be complete without some #fail on my part. Being the forgetful fish that I am (Dory is my spirit animal! What who are you? P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney!), I forgot to charge the camera from Tryst. Well, I was promised a week-long battery life, okay! I took a few more pictures with my Re when we got to the venue but eventually relegated the photo-taking task to Louie's trusty phone to take over for the night.

Thank you, Nexus 5, for the wonderful pictures!




It's funny how just a few years in law school have given me this awesome set of friends (and sisters!): we're all so different, yet we couldn't be more alike in all our crazies. I'm so lucky I have these girls to share my anxiety attacks and small joys with.


KARLIE & TAYLOR, aka Karla and Chrissa, aka #Khrissa :)) Don't you just love our colors? 


Sophisticated and classy would be an understatement to describe the venue. We held our ball at Light of Love, somewhere near E. Rodriguez. Much like last year, it was an events place that had the romantic garden scenery down pat. Look at all those pretty lights! Our hall, aptly named "Integrity," had a large balcony out in the back, extending towards the huge trees and vast gardens. It was a really lovely place; quite the perfect setting for anyone's teenaged rom-com and/or Disney fantasies. (In my head, I'm having Princess Diaries / Tangled flashbacks.)




<br /> Okay this is where I shall allow myself to be sentimental&nbsp;<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">—&nbsp;</span>if you're allergic to cheese, I suggest you skip this paragraph now! You have been warned! Scroll, scroooll, SCROOOOOOLL!

Okay this is where I shall allow myself to be a bit sentimental. I'm so incredibly fortunate to have this guy as my date. He's been such a patient, understanding, and caring man since Day 1, but most especially in the last few weeks leading up to this night. It's no secret that I'm still very much in shambles after what recently happened to my aunt. In fact, at some point, I almost didn't want to go to this Ball anymore, because I didn't like the idea of having fun so soon after someone's demise. It was Louie who reminded me that my tita wouldn't want me sulking (especially because of her) when I should otherwise be enjoying. She never liked it when I cried. And I knew she would've wanted me to glam up even for a night, especially since weeks before, when I was staying with her in the hospital, I showed her pictures of this dress. She loved it, and said it was so me. I went out last Sunday with the thought of how proud she would've been of the two of us, all cleaned up and pulling the whole thing off with the panache of primetime bidas ;) HAHAHA.

I'm super thankful to my mom and Tita Guada (papa's sister) for getting me through and helping me look this glam (Pagbigyan!) last Sunday. And to Louie, of course, for being the gentleman and awesome boyfriend that he is.

Louie has been more than just a boyfriend to me: he's been a great friend, support system, and partner. I'm glad to have someone like him who always knows what to say and do to make things better for me. This May, we're celebrating two years since our first official date. <i>Bilis!</i>&nbsp;But also, I get the feeling that, "What? 2 years pa lang?! It feels like I've known him forever!" :)) We always kid that we're such a "<i>loveteam</i>," and&nbsp;<span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 20.2222232818604px;">—</span>&nbsp;Kathryn Bernardo-comparisons not withstanding&nbsp;<span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 20.2222232818604px;">—</span>&nbsp;everyday I realize how true that is. We're real teammates. We make decisions together, we go through our problems together. We share in each other's daily defeats and small victories. But what I feel most grateful for is that he's just as weird as I am. I can't possibly think of anyone who is just as funny, quirky, and cray-cray. Buti na lang, hindi masyado halata when we dress up like this ;)












Too bad I didn't get to have a picture taken with our guest of honor that night, LP Honey Oliveros, who was at her usual wacky, funny, but nonetheless dignified self. She is the chief of staff of Supreme Court Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, who is also our sis. LP Honey reminded us of what it means to be a Portian — a woman of service, honesty, and above all integrity. Her anecdotes were laugh-out-loud hilarious, but not without a few morals behind them. It was a reminder of the long journey that awaits us outside Malcolm Hall. Being an excellent person isn't confined to the four walls of law school; in fact, the reckoning point will only begin once we step outside and find for ourselves our place in the world. I can only hope to look back on this night many years from now and finally be able to confirm for myself that yes, she was right. The road is long and the journey will be tough. But as we say, "All excellent things are as difficult as they are rare." In the end, it will all be worth it.


Capping off this post with more pictures of me and my weirdo-who-already-shaved-his-beard-o:

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

Tryst 2015: Soaked!
Aunt
Some loves never die
Required Reading: Dashboard Confessional and all t...
blue week
Mixtape: Love is a Bloodsport
Hi. My name is Karla, and I like crazy prints.
La famiglia
That moment when your Tax 2 professor asks you abo...
February wrap-up

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

February 2005; March 2005; April 2005; May 2005; June 2005; July 2005; August 2005; September 2005; October 2005; November 2005; December 2005; January 2006; February 2006; March 2006; April 2006; May 2006; June 2006; July 2006; August 2006; September 2006; October 2006; November 2006; December 2006; January 2007; March 2007; April 2007; May 2007; June 2007; July 2007; August 2007; October 2007; November 2007; December 2007; January 2008; February 2008; March 2008; April 2008; May 2008; June 2008; July 2008; August 2008; September 2008; October 2008; November 2008; December 2008; January 2009; February 2009; March 2009; April 2009; May 2009; June 2009; July 2009; August 2009; September 2009; October 2009; November 2009; December 2009; January 2010; February 2010; March 2010; April 2010; May 2010; June 2010; July 2010; August 2010; September 2010; October 2010; November 2010; December 2010; January 2011; February 2011; March 2011; April 2011; May 2011; June 2011; July 2011; August 2011; September 2011; October 2011; November 2011; December 2011; January 2012; February 2012; March 2012; April 2012; May 2012; June 2012; July 2012; August 2012; September 2012; October 2012; November 2012; December 2012; January 2013; February 2013; March 2013; April 2013; May 2013; June 2013; July 2013; August 2013; September 2013; October 2013; November 2013; December 2013; January 2014; February 2014; March 2014; April 2014; May 2014; June 2014; July 2014; August 2014; September 2014; October 2014; November 2014; December 2014; January 2015; February 2015; March 2015; April 2015; May 2015; June 2015; July 2015; August 2015; September 2015; October 2015; November 2015; December 2015; January 2016; February 2016; March 2016; April 2016; May 2016; June 2016; July 2016; August 2016; September 2016; October 2016; November 2016; December 2016; January 2017; March 2017; April 2017; May 2017; June 2017; July 2017; August 2017; September 2017; November 2017; December 2017; March 2018; April 2018; May 2018; June 2018; September 2018; October 2018; November 2018; December 2018; January 2019; February 2019; March 2019; April 2019;

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.

This blog is hosted by PhilHosting.net, and powered by Blogger. The layout is coded entirely by me.

Photo hosting: TinyPic, Photobucket
Question box: EmailMeForm, Ask.fm

Copyright © BOMBASTARR