ISKOLARRR :)
THINGS I LEARNED IN MY FIRST WEEK OF COLLEGE
- Never underestimate the traffic along Katipunan Avenue. So you think just because we live a few minutes from school and that a lot of jeeps pass by our dorm we can dilly-dally in the morning? Nah-uh. You're forgetting two very significant things: Ateneo and Miriam. With all the school services and cars taking up most of the lanes in Katipunan, we can't afford to not leave early. I've experienced feeling nauseous while riding the jeepney all because I was afraid of being late for my English class. Thankfully though, the traffic is moving (albeit very slowly) and once you get past Ateneo and Miriam, it's like blasting off to outer space: super bilis na.
- UP Diliman is bigger than the Vatican City. Yes, a fact so true it hurts. Because that only means getting lost in UP is really not impossible. The first few days we were so baffled by everything, from what jeep we would ride (Ikot or Toki?) to where we would eat. It was such a huge place that undeniably any freshman would feel overwhelmed. I actually brought my map with me every single day (Haha, everyday I'm tempted to sing "Backpack, backpack!" and call on The Map) but of course I don't bring it out on public for fear of being preyed on by the upperclassmen. Heehee.
- Despite its size though, UP Diliman is still a small world. Imagine, I cross paths with people I know a couple of times everyday! I saw former Paulinians, some acquaintances, and even Ayiene! I repeat, I SAW AYIENE!! :) Haha. I lab you Ayiene! 3 beses na tayo nagkikita! :) Haha, special mention siya dito. That's because we had no means of communications whatsoever, and yet we saw each other three times already! How cool is that. And take this, the other day Inna forgot her phone in the dorm when she left earlier than I did so I brought it with me because we planned that we would see each other after class naman. And who would've thought that the exact time we were looking for each other, we would walk by the same road?! Unbelievable, I tell you. Haha.
- Coins are treasures. To some, coins are burdens to their purses, always heavy and noisy. But to me -- well, imagine the look on a treasure hunter's face when he finally unearths the chest filled with gold coins -- it is undeniably vital. Just riding the jeepney almost every two hours is enough justification for their significance. I won't last a day without bringing out my beloved elephant coin purse. Sooo.. donations for loose change, anyone? :)
- Never leave home without your umbrella ella ella eh eh eh. This week we experienced major rains and intense heat, and in both of those occasions, we were able to survive thanks to the trusty folding umbrella. In times of crisis, it's your ultimate weapon. Right now, I don't know how I ever managed to leave the house without an umbrella before.
- It's okay to get stranded in the Gym. Our Walking prof stood us up on our first meeting, so Drea, Inna, and I were all stuck in the Ylanan Gymnasium because during that time the rain started pouring. We had no choice but to go inside and sit in one of the benches. And guess what we did? We watched the UAAP Basketball and Volleyball teams (men and women) and the UP Pep Squad practice! Our eyes were feasting! We didn't know where to look. We were surrounded by sweaty, hot, sexy athletes.. whoooooo! A fantasy for some of you perhaps. Haha :))
- Recite, recite, recite. Though it feels awkward at first to recite without having to stand up, I learned that the best way to get yourself known to the teacher is simply to raise your hand and answer your question. So what if you seem eager or excited? Unlike high school, your teachers don't know who you are, or who your sisters are, and you don't get to wear a nametag, so you really have to make an effort to get yourself known to the teacher -- in a positive way of course. All together now, "Yes, Ma'am!"
- Being too early is not always good. Inna's blockmate Regine and I apparently have Kas1 together so we went to our rooms after the three of us ate lunch at CASAA last Thursday. Our class was at 1:00 and we arrived at around 12:45. We came in with the teacher already discussing about Manuel Roxas. We were so terrified because we were late for our first meeting! My gahd! After about fifteen minutes or so, someone raised his hand and asked if he could leave because he still had to go to his Math class (which is practically on another planet.. the Math building is completely on the other side of the campus). I was a little shocked, I mean it has only been what, ten minutes? And then slowly it hit me. WE WERE IN THE WRONG CLASS! I asked my seatmate, and turns out we were in the 11:30-1:00 class!! It's a good thing the teacher didn't get mad at us or nobody else noticed. Haha. Regine and I couldn't stop laughing!! I swear I will never ever attempt to go inside a classroom again when I'm early for my supposed time! :))
- Walking is inevitable. Despite the presence of Ikot and Toki jeeps, walking is unavoidable. Because time is gold, you can't afford to ride a jeep that will still travel all around the campus when your next building is just a five-minute walk away. So everywhere you go in UP, people are walking, walking, walking, and yes, walking. Add the fact that my PE is Walking for Fitness (yeah, yeah, laugh all you want), and well, let's just see how sexy I get after two months. HAHA :P
- It's great to have new friends, even better when your old friends are friends with your new friends. (Haha, how many times did I mention "friends"?) So far, in my block, I'm closest with Andy and Jamie. I met Andy's friend Ria last Wednesday. Turns out, Ria is the classmate of Drea in Chem16. Then the other day, Andy, Inna and I ate together for lunch, and then later, Andy and Inna hung out while I was in my Math class. How cool is that? :) It's great that everyone gets along so well even if it's just the first week of class.
- Not all teachers are terrifying. My Eng11 and Math1 teachers are pretty cool. In fact, I think I'll be enjoying their subjects because they're so down-to-earth and very understanding. My SocSci and Physics profs are kind of scary and intimidating but I guess I just really have to find their "kiliti" so that I won't piss them off. It will probably take me lots of determination and perseverance to get the fear out of the way and let the Uno save my day. Haha, rhyming :)
- You can survive even if you don't have a television, Internet, and a microwave. Yes, because Inna and I were able to breeze through a week without all of these! Imagine that. It was not that easy of course, because we had to settle for a sometimes poor radio reception, rushing to the nearby Internet shop for printing of a paper, and eating out (in cheap but delicious restos around the area). But all in all, we survived! I'm so proud of us. Independent women.. Girl I didn't know you could get down like that, Charlie how your angels get down like that? HAHA THEME SONG! :))
- Super special ang Centennial Freshmen. As in! Instead of the usual kits freshmen usually get, we received a CD containing all the things we need to know to "survive" in UP. Sosyal ah, Flash pa. And in CAL (College of Arts and Letters), we got so many freebies too! Stressballs, Boy Bawang, poetry books, brochures, envelopes.. you name it, we got it! :) Ehem. I guess dapat lang naman noh. Centennial Freshmen only come every one hundred years. :)
and probably the most biased but for me the truest of all things I've learned and discovered this week:
- UP IS THE BEST SCHOOL FOR ME. (Take note of the ME part..) Despite the rally during our Freshman Assembly on our first day, the nerve-wracking pressure of maintaining good grades, the constant texting of my friends in Manila who have already seen each other this week, and the never-ending exhaustion.. I know I wouldn't be happier anywhere else :) I'm extremely proud to be a Centennial Freshman of the University of the Philippines, Artista deKALibre ng Kolehiyo ng Arte at Literatura :) Oh yeah.
I hope your first week all went well. I'm excited to read all about it in your blogs. Adieu!
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all my bags are packed, i'm ready to go.
WHOOOOOO! Everything's packed.. I'm moving tomorrow!I can't believe it. I'm really going to live in Katipunan! Whooo! :) Inna and I were texting this morning and we're both undeniably excited! Tomorrow we're planning on walking around the area and look for carinderias or small stores where we can buy real food -- that's because we're surrounded by fast food chains! No thanks, we don't want to become like the guy in Supersize Me. Haha. Anyway, on Monday, the four of us UPians Drea, Cars, Inna, and I are planning to commute inside UP. I tried it on my own this week and I was lucky I didn't get lost! All the upperclassmen were there for their enrollment so luckily I wasn't a lonely freshman who looked lost and disoriented -- though I really was! I'm excited to explore the whole place with the three other people I'll "share" it with. Haha, cheesy much. We're planning on hanging out at the Kalayaan dorm since Drea is going to stay there. Whee! UP life, here we come! :)
I'm going to be in college in three days. Three days. THREE DAYS. Whooooo! The first day of the rest of our lives. Nyak. Drama :)
Honestly right now I'm just too thrilled to think of anything else other than next week! Haha. I'll blog again when I get to Katipunan. I know we have WiFi in our dorm naman eh. Good luck sa pasukan guys! I know deep down, beyond the anxious face you show everyone else lies the excitement for the coming school year. AMININ NIYO NA! :) Hehe. Let's rock this school year!
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the geek in the pink (part 2)
Happiness comes in pink.
There it is, in all its pink glory, the Neo Empriva 572SVB -- and all mine! I've been lusting over this gadget all summer. You see, I thought my (geeky) life was already complete. There's nothing left out there to make my tongue go wagging for something drool-worthy, or so I thought. One fateful April day, as my dad and I were walking around Park Square in Makati looking for an Eee PC or a similar ultraportable (my dad needs one for his personal use) my ever-searching eyes came across this beautiful gadget. Lo and behold, it was love at first sight. Initially, I couldn't get over the color.. it was so pink, bubblegum and cotton candy would be so ashamed. Obviously the color was one of the deciding factors for me. Remember my V3x? Anyway, we found out that it had all the specs I needed:
- Intel Centrino Duo Technology
- Intel Core Duo T2060 Processor
- 1.6GHz 2MB L2 Chache, 533 FSB
- SIS M671MX + SIS968
- Intel Pro Wireless 802.11b/g
- 1GB DDR2 667MHz
- 80GB SATA Hard Disk Drive
- DVD Dual Drive
- 12" WXGA (1280 x 768) TFT
- SIS M671MX
- 10/100/1000 Gigabit LAN
- Wi-Fi enabled
- 56K Modem, 3 X USB Port
- 7 in 1 Card Reader
- 1.3 Megapixel Internal Web Camera
- Microsoft Vista Home Basic
- 1.8 Kg
And it's very affordable too compared with the other portable lappies out there. But my dad didn't buy it right away because he said we still have to ask my mom and also consider the price. It may be reasonable but money doesn't come easy. And anyway, I still had two months before me, I might see a better laptop. But all summer, I couldn't look at anything pink without having the Empriva 572SVB come to mind. Almost every other week we would go to different malls and try and get the best deals for this laptop, but always ending in failure. Either it was too expensive, or the pink ones were out of stock. Last week, I finally told myself, "This laptop is not for me." I gave up.
I guess the saying, "Be careful what you wish for, it just might come true," still holds true. Yesterday, after me and my mom's commuting adventure around the Metro (more about that later), my dad finally finally finally decided that he'll buy me one at Megamall. Of course, I was trying very hard to hold back every ounce of excitement I felt. I tried playing it cool. "Kung wala, okay lang, kahit yung sa bahay na lang muna yung dalhin ko sa dorm." But of course, deep down the geek in me was practically screaming, "I WANT IT NOW MORE THAN EVER!!" Haha. At last, all the waiting has finally paid off. No longer will my eyes look uncontrollably at the computer shop windows because I've got my hands on one right now.
My V3x now has a new best friend. Aww. My Pink Rangers :)
(A pink laptop... somewhat a contradiction to some, because usually pink doesn't go with the hardcore techie stuff. But the world is changing, and somehow the kikays in the world are turning geeky and proud. I'm one of them! Whee!)
-oOo-
Yesterday wasn't just about my new laptop, however. Since college is only a week away (what!? I've only got a week left!?) my mom decided we should try commuting all the way to UP, my dorm, and Trinoma. As most of you may know, I enjoy commuting, especially using the train. I'm not a newbie to the whole public transpo thing. I think it's one of the very important lessons my parents teach me. They wouldn't want me to be a poor little ignorant city girl. I know the intersections of MRT, LRT 1 and LRT 2. In fact, I think I can find my way home if you leave me anywhere in Metro Manila. Knowing how to commute is a necessity anyway, especially now that I'm in college. So yesterday, my mom and I tried to go to Trinoma, because from there I can find UP Campus jeeps. So we rode the jeepney from our house to Baclaran, then got down at Coastal and rode the bus to Ayala. I thought we were going to go down at Taft but the unloading section of the bus is far from the MRT station. So we went down at the Ayala station, and rode the MRT until North Edsa. Ayun, Trinoma na! (For the info of some, the North Edsa station exit is Trinoma na kaagad) We ate lunch and bought some things at Landmark, walked a little bit around, then looked for the jeepney terminal. We saw jeepneys lined up along the side of the mall, and rode the almost-full UP Campus jeep. We entered UP using the University Avenue, and it made its way around, passing by the CAL and AS buildings. Before it turned left (going to the CBA and School of Eco), we went down and transferred to another set of jeepneys in line, going to Katipunan. And finally, we arrived at my dorm. Woohoo! Now I know how to go to my humble Loyola Heights home (that's what my address said! Haha! Feeling sosyal na ako niyan!) from our house in Paranaque. The only thing I need to learn now is the route of the Ikot and Toki jeeps inside UP.
I was teasing my friend Nica, who is now studying in La Salle, because I know how I can get to her school using just the MRT and LRT even if she claims she's the more gala between the two of us. Kahit na she drives na.. I think I can go to more places compared to her. And cheaper pa because I don't have to pay for gasoline. Haha, peace Nic! :)
IT'S JUNE ALREADY. And we all know what that means. I can't believe school will start next week. And not just school -- COLLEGE. Somehow I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea. Sometimes when I mention school in conversations like, "Grabe nga sa school eh," it's still St. Paul that comes to mind. But a week from now everything will change. I'm really going to be a Iskolar! I. Cannot. Wait. :) I hope you all did your school shopping already!
Okay I have to go and transfer all my files to my new baby. Later, alligators :)
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the kanye effect
"That which doesn't kill me only makes me stronger."
-- Friedrich Nietzsche
I was reading an old issue of Elle lying around in our house when I came across this article entitled, "Neurotica: I Will Survive..." by Rachael Combe. Basically the whole article is about our immune system and how our body adapts when certain diseases spread like wildfire. Our body has a natural tendency to fight off the germs that attack our body, in the form of antibodies or white blood cells. As our body resist these pathogens, it builds up strength and stamina to withstand future viruses of the same kind. Let's take chicken pox for example. Once you get it as a kid, you'll never get it again -- you're immune. This leads to another point brought up in the article: kids who have been exposed to more pathogens and infections at a young age are less likely to contract more serious maladies when they grow up. It doesn't mean that getting all those vaccinations and staying indoors during the rainy season when we were young doesn't pay off. But being perfectly hygienic and clean also has it downsides. Our body does not get the opportunity to get into "auto-attack" mode because we wipe the germs clean right away even before our immune system can fight against it. In Taekwondo for example, you won't earn the higher belts just by knowing all the moves, you must be able to DO it and perform it yourself for you to store up the vigor you need. Same goes for our system. And using antibiotics or medicines for illnesses that are very minor (like colds) can only make things worse for us because "the weaker bacteria succumb easily, but the stronger ones hang on. At the same time, healthy flora and fauna in our system are wiped out... leaving a wide-open space for the nastier bugs to happier multiply."
So what do we do then? Eat dirt and run around naked? Not necessarily. The article concludes by saying that sometimes our body has to overcome the pathogens on its own for it to survive. Of course we still need to practice the common healthy habits like washing our hands regularly and getting enough rest, but basically trying to protect ourselves one hundred percent is futile. Paranoia never does good to anyone so might as well relax for a little while and let our bodies deal with it the way it should.
This really got me thinking.. if our bodies are capable of managing and handling these germs and bacteria, why isn't it as efficient as it is when dealing with other headache-inducing factors like stress, heartbreak, or anxieties? I mean, why doesn't it switch into "auto-attack" mode when these strike? Come to think of it, these factors have the same effect as the scientific pathogens: you can't get our of bed, you can't think properly, you can't sleep at night, and you need some taking care of. So haven't you ever wondered why we weren't created to have anti-stress-bodies to fight them off just like the white blood cells were created to battle with the viruses?
I guess in the same way our immune systems builds its stamina as it deals with the pathogens that our minds and hearts gets to store up on toughness and strength when attacked with life issues, don't you think? Maybe that's just really how humans are. In some ironically funny way, when we are damaged, we survive.
All together now..
:)
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new beginnings.
It's that time of year, the time I've been fearing yet looking forward to all the same. It's when new paths unfurl, new chapters unfold, new episodes begin. It's the dawn of a different era -- also known as College.
Today was La Salle's first day of classes. I woke up early just to greet my Archer friends and wish them luck. I spent the last weekend making kulit to my close friend Nica, asking her how she feels about going to college. As usual, I was even more excited than she was. I was able to chat a little with Kaila, Mendo, LA, and Nica a little before their classes began. They told me about their blockmates, their subjects (Trigo as the first class of the first day of your first year as a college student!? UGH), their professors -- everything a mother usually asks after her child's first day at school. Haha. After a few moments, my phone went back to its usual idle mode and I figured they were probably having their classes already. A little smile plastered across my overly-giddy face -- college na sila! Whooo! Ako rin, malapit na! I was certain my heart skipped a beat or two.
But it wasn't just a big day for the La Sallians, it was for me as well. Today, I went to our dorm with my tita and our helper. We cleaned the bathroom, fixed the bed, added some things.. it was like being on those reality shows where you redecorate a totally boring room into something really trendy. I customized my side of the room only, because I'm certain Inna would want to do her own. Most of my things were pink.. pink hamper, pink trash can, pink trays, pink caddies.. haha. Can you say Barbie?! Also, we bought some racks for the bathroom since I am in charge of that (Inna is in charge of the kitchen stuff). We also bought a mattress and some blinds for the windows. In general, I liked how our room turned out. Okay.. so it wasn't as fabulous as you may think it is because it's still unfinished, but I'm glad to say it looks a little more "homey" now. I think we're going back again this week to put some clothes and other things I might need. I can't wait to actually live there already! Inna and I are going to be like.. hmm, Monica and Rachel? Or Brooke and Haley? We'll see.. we'll be moving next week, I think? Whooo! Exciting :)
I can't help but think though, as thrilling as everything seems to be, soon things will really change not just for me but for everyone else. The "idea" of going to college that we all imagined in high school will almost immediately be replaced with the "reality" of being in college. Sometimes I still can't believe that I'm 16 and going to my dream university. It still feels like I'm just imagining all this somehow -- just like last year. But now they really are here, and things are bound to change. And unlike all the other changes in my life that I absolutely disliked, this is one thing I'm welcoming with open arms.
I can't wait for this new chapter to begin :)
(And that new chapter includes new notebooks and G-techs, I hope! I have a good excuse to get myself new ones, I just hope I don't drop and/or lose them because God knows how much they cost! Grabe! Parang gasolina lang ah! I still like it though. Haha. Admit it, you do too! :P Okaaaay.. this parenthetical sentence has gotten way too long. It must end. Now.)
P.S. I apologize for the lack of updates this week. I've been attacked by Laziness with a capital L. I don't know why I just couldn't get myself to write anything serious. Oh well. I'm back for real this time :) BTW, I still have more BKK pics to upload on my Multiply so just check it out there, okay?
Today was La Salle's first day of classes. I woke up early just to greet my Archer friends and wish them luck. I spent the last weekend making kulit to my close friend Nica, asking her how she feels about going to college. As usual, I was even more excited than she was. I was able to chat a little with Kaila, Mendo, LA, and Nica a little before their classes began. They told me about their blockmates, their subjects (Trigo as the first class of the first day of your first year as a college student!? UGH), their professors -- everything a mother usually asks after her child's first day at school. Haha. After a few moments, my phone went back to its usual idle mode and I figured they were probably having their classes already. A little smile plastered across my overly-giddy face -- college na sila! Whooo! Ako rin, malapit na! I was certain my heart skipped a beat or two.
But it wasn't just a big day for the La Sallians, it was for me as well. Today, I went to our dorm with my tita and our helper. We cleaned the bathroom, fixed the bed, added some things.. it was like being on those reality shows where you redecorate a totally boring room into something really trendy. I customized my side of the room only, because I'm certain Inna would want to do her own. Most of my things were pink.. pink hamper, pink trash can, pink trays, pink caddies.. haha. Can you say Barbie?! Also, we bought some racks for the bathroom since I am in charge of that (Inna is in charge of the kitchen stuff). We also bought a mattress and some blinds for the windows. In general, I liked how our room turned out. Okay.. so it wasn't as fabulous as you may think it is because it's still unfinished, but I'm glad to say it looks a little more "homey" now. I think we're going back again this week to put some clothes and other things I might need. I can't wait to actually live there already! Inna and I are going to be like.. hmm, Monica and Rachel? Or Brooke and Haley? We'll see.. we'll be moving next week, I think? Whooo! Exciting :)
I can't help but think though, as thrilling as everything seems to be, soon things will really change not just for me but for everyone else. The "idea" of going to college that we all imagined in high school will almost immediately be replaced with the "reality" of being in college. Sometimes I still can't believe that I'm 16 and going to my dream university. It still feels like I'm just imagining all this somehow -- just like last year. But now they really are here, and things are bound to change. And unlike all the other changes in my life that I absolutely disliked, this is one thing I'm welcoming with open arms.
I can't wait for this new chapter to begin :)
(And that new chapter includes new notebooks and G-techs, I hope! I have a good excuse to get myself new ones, I just hope I don't drop and/or lose them because God knows how much they cost! Grabe! Parang gasolina lang ah! I still like it though. Haha. Admit it, you do too! :P Okaaaay.. this parenthetical sentence has gotten way too long. It must end. Now.)
P.S. I apologize for the lack of updates this week. I've been attacked by Laziness with a capital L. I don't know why I just couldn't get myself to write anything serious. Oh well. I'm back for real this time :) BTW, I still have more BKK pics to upload on my Multiply so just check it out there, okay?
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i'm baaaaackk! :)
(More at Multiply)
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i'm leaving on a jetplane.
May 2006
SAWASDEE, Thailand!
Welcome me back into your arms :)
I'll be back, guys. Don't miss me too much. :P
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Dekada Nobenta.
Hindi ko alam kung bakit tila tinamaan yata ako ng isang "Filipino bug" at biglang ginusto ko ng magsulat sa wikang Filipino. Kahit sa aking Multiply ay tila ayaw ko na munang mag-Ingles. Inaamin ko na kumpara talaga sa Ingles, ay hirap na hirap akong magsulat sa Filipino. Bagaman sinasali ako ng mga guro ko sa mga patimpalak sa pagsulat noong hayskul (at nananalo naman minsan) at nakakakuha ako ng matataas na marka sa mga sanaysay na aking sinusulat para sa klase, pakiramdam ko ay hindi talaga natural sa akin ang magsulat sa wikang ito. Oo, inaamin ko yun, kahit na wala akong kahit ano mang halo ng dayuhang lahi. Hindi naman ako "English-speaking" pero pwede niyo na siguro akong tawagin na "English-writing." HAHA, ANO KAYA YUN :))
Pero dahil ako ay kukuha ng kursong tungkol sa pagsulat, ako'y naniniwala na isang mabuting katangian ng isang manunulat ay ang kanyang kakayahang magsulat sa Ingles, at siyempre sa kanyang sariling linggwahe. Kaya hayaan ninyo ako sa isang pagkakataon na ito na magsulat sa sarili nating wika.. at iyong pormal ha, hindi iyong pa-text.
Kagabi ay inatake ako ng nostalhiya. May nabasa kasi akong survey tungkol sa dekada nobenta (90's) na akin namang malugod na sinagutan. Mayroon itong animnapu't isang mga katanungan at mga pahayag na tungkol sa mga uso at sikat noong mga panahong iyon. Hindi maikakailang batang 90's ako, at sigurado akong karamihan din sa inyo, aking mga mambabasa, ay ganoon din. Tuwang-tuwa ako buong gabi kakabasa noong mga nakalagay doon, pakiramdam ko nga ay hindi pa rin ako bumabalik sa normal kong kalagayan mula sa biglang pananabik sa nakaraan. Tunay palang nakakagalak ang magbalik-tanaw sa nakaraan na tila kahapon lamang.
(Basahin ang survey na ito sa aking Multiply -- pero i-dagdag niyo muna ako sa inyong Contacts upang ito ay mabasa!)
Pero dahil ako ay kukuha ng kursong tungkol sa pagsulat, ako'y naniniwala na isang mabuting katangian ng isang manunulat ay ang kanyang kakayahang magsulat sa Ingles, at siyempre sa kanyang sariling linggwahe. Kaya hayaan ninyo ako sa isang pagkakataon na ito na magsulat sa sarili nating wika.. at iyong pormal ha, hindi iyong pa-text.
Kagabi ay inatake ako ng nostalhiya. May nabasa kasi akong survey tungkol sa dekada nobenta (90's) na akin namang malugod na sinagutan. Mayroon itong animnapu't isang mga katanungan at mga pahayag na tungkol sa mga uso at sikat noong mga panahong iyon. Hindi maikakailang batang 90's ako, at sigurado akong karamihan din sa inyo, aking mga mambabasa, ay ganoon din. Tuwang-tuwa ako buong gabi kakabasa noong mga nakalagay doon, pakiramdam ko nga ay hindi pa rin ako bumabalik sa normal kong kalagayan mula sa biglang pananabik sa nakaraan. Tunay palang nakakagalak ang magbalik-tanaw sa nakaraan na tila kahapon lamang.
(Basahin ang survey na ito sa aking Multiply -- pero i-dagdag niyo muna ako sa inyong Contacts upang ito ay mabasa!)
Noong maliit pa ako, siguro mga apat hanggang anim na taong gulang ang pagsibol ng aking kabataan. Nagsimula na kasi akong mag-aral sa nursery, lumabas ng bahay, makipaglaro sa ibang mga bata.. namulat na ako sa mundo. May pakialam na ako sa mga pangyayari sa paligid ko, at gustong-gusto ko matuto. "Only child" lamang ako, 
kung kaya't wala akong mga kapatid na kalaro at natuto akong aliwin ang aking sarili sa panunuod ng TV, pag-gawa ng kwento sa aking mga manika, magkaroon ng mga kaibigang nasa isip ko lamang, at kung anu-ano pang mga gawaing malilibang ako. Pero kahit ganoon ay mayroon naman akong mga kuya, mga pinsan ko iyon, na lagi kong dinadayo sa kabilang bahay. (Magkatabi pa ang bahay namin noon, nung Grade 1 lumipat na kami ng bahay, pero sa kabilang kalye lang naman) Sila ang nag-mistulang mga idolo ko pagdating sa mga bagay na cool, in, at sikat. Lahat ng nilalaro nila, gusto ko ring laruin. Lahat ng pinapanood nila, gusto ko ring panoorin. Natuto akong mag-laro ng Street Fighter dahil sa kanila, at nakilala ko si Super Mario dahil buong araw silang nagbababad sa TV at computer. Natuto rin akong kumain ng Milo -- oo tama, KUMAIN ng Milo, iyong sasalok ka ng isang kutsarang Milo powder at papapakin mo ito -- na siyang nagsimula ng aking tonsilitis. Malaki rin ang ginampanan ng tonsilitis ko noon. Namamana naman talaga sa pamilya namin yan, kaya wala na talaga akong ligtas doon. Kaya, lumaki ako na walang hilig sa tsokolate, kendi, at kung anu-ano pang matamis. Pero, pa-minsan-minsan, tumatakas din ako at nakakatikim ng mga matatamis kapag kasama ko sina Kuya Vincent at Kuya Lorenz. Palakihan pa kami ng paglobo ng Bazooka bubble gum (syempre, talunan ako). Hinahangaan ko talaga ang mga kuya ko noon, kasi wala naman talaga ko ibang pwedeng tingalain kundi sila lang.
kung kaya't wala akong mga kapatid na kalaro at natuto akong aliwin ang aking sarili sa panunuod ng TV, pag-gawa ng kwento sa aking mga manika, magkaroon ng mga kaibigang nasa isip ko lamang, at kung anu-ano pang mga gawaing malilibang ako. Pero kahit ganoon ay mayroon naman akong mga kuya, mga pinsan ko iyon, na lagi kong dinadayo sa kabilang bahay. (Magkatabi pa ang bahay namin noon, nung Grade 1 lumipat na kami ng bahay, pero sa kabilang kalye lang naman) Sila ang nag-mistulang mga idolo ko pagdating sa mga bagay na cool, in, at sikat. Lahat ng nilalaro nila, gusto ko ring laruin. Lahat ng pinapanood nila, gusto ko ring panoorin. Natuto akong mag-laro ng Street Fighter dahil sa kanila, at nakilala ko si Super Mario dahil buong araw silang nagbababad sa TV at computer. Natuto rin akong kumain ng Milo -- oo tama, KUMAIN ng Milo, iyong sasalok ka ng isang kutsarang Milo powder at papapakin mo ito -- na siyang nagsimula ng aking tonsilitis. Malaki rin ang ginampanan ng tonsilitis ko noon. Namamana naman talaga sa pamilya namin yan, kaya wala na talaga akong ligtas doon. Kaya, lumaki ako na walang hilig sa tsokolate, kendi, at kung anu-ano pang matamis. Pero, pa-minsan-minsan, tumatakas din ako at nakakatikim ng mga matatamis kapag kasama ko sina Kuya Vincent at Kuya Lorenz. Palakihan pa kami ng paglobo ng Bazooka bubble gum (syempre, talunan ako). Hinahangaan ko talaga ang mga kuya ko noon, kasi wala naman talaga ko ibang pwedeng tingalain kundi sila lang.Naging mahalaga rin ang naging papel ng mga yaya ko noon. Dahil parehong nagtratrabaho ang aking mga magulang ay kailangan talaga ko ikuha ng yaya. Galit ako sa lahat ng yaya ko noon. Rebelde ako. Ayoko matulog pag hapon, nagkakalat ako, kinakagat ko sila (bully ako!), lahat ng ginagawa ng salbaheng bata, ginawa ko. 
Pero hindi naman talaga ako salbahe. Nagkataon lang na masama rin kasi yung mga naging yaya ko, kinukurot ako at sinasabunutan kapag wala ang Mommy ko. Pero may mga pagkakataon din namang nagkakasundo kami. At iyong mga panahong iyon ay ang namulat ako sa mga telenovela at kung anu-ano pang ka-dramahan sa telebisyon. Iniiyakan ko talaga si Mara noon kasi sobrang sama talaga ni Clara! Pati si Via, iyong sa Mula Sa Puso (si Claudine Baretto yun). At si Chabelita! Naalala niyo ba siya? Iyong batang nakatira dati sa bahay-ampunan, mala-Annie ang buhay niya. Tapos kilig na kilig ako kay Angelu de Leon at Bobby Andrews sa TGIS. Kung gaano ako ka-kilig kay Nathan at Haley, ganoon din! Siyempre kitang-kita naman na ang baduy naman nila kumpara sa OTH, pero ano ba namang alam ko noon? Haha. Tuwing umaga rin nanonood ako noong mga kartuns na Tinagalog. Paborito ko noon si Sarah, Ang Munting Prinsesa. Galit na galit ako kay Lavinia. Nanonood din ako ng Cedi, Heidi, Judy Abbott, Julio at Julia (ang kambal ng tadhana.. haha!) at yung isa pa.. si Romeo ang tagapaglinis ng tsimineya? May nakakaalala rin ba sa kanya? Haha. Pero nakatikim rin naman ako ng mga edukasyonal na programa tulad ng Sesame Street, Batibot, 5 and Up, ATBP., Hiraya Manawari at ang aking paborito, ang SineSkwela! Talagang marami akong natutunan doon. Doon ko naintindihan ang fractions, parts of the plant, at 
marami pang ibang mga paksa. Sa totoo lang, lalo pang lumakas ang pag-hanga ko sa palabas na ito dahil lagi sa aming pinapanood sa St. Paul, kahit ata noong hayskul na kami. Ganun ka-"educational" ang programang iyon. At siyempre, sino ba namang makakalimot sa kanta doon? Tayo na sa SineSkewla, tuklasin natin ang si-yen-sha! Buksan ang pag-iisip, tayo'y likas na sayantist.. Tayo na sa SineSkela, tuklasin nating ang si-yen-sha! Kinabukasan ng ating bayan, siguradong makakamtan.. kaya't habang maaga mag-aral ng si-yen-sha, sa teknolohiya, ang buhay ay gagandaaaaa! (Amf, memoryado pa talaga ehh!) At mayroon pa, si Little Lulu! Adik na adik ako sa kaniya, kulang na lang bumili ako ng pulang damit na sobrang ikli para kita yung panty ko. Tawang-tawa ako sa kanya, pati na rin kay Tubby Tomkins at sa best friend niyang si Annie. Laking pasalamat talaga ng yaya ko sa mga palabas na ito dahil sa sandaling oras ng aking panonood, ako ay tumitigil sa aking kakulitan at nananahimik.. nakatutok sa TV.
Pero hindi naman talaga ako salbahe. Nagkataon lang na masama rin kasi yung mga naging yaya ko, kinukurot ako at sinasabunutan kapag wala ang Mommy ko. Pero may mga pagkakataon din namang nagkakasundo kami. At iyong mga panahong iyon ay ang namulat ako sa mga telenovela at kung anu-ano pang ka-dramahan sa telebisyon. Iniiyakan ko talaga si Mara noon kasi sobrang sama talaga ni Clara! Pati si Via, iyong sa Mula Sa Puso (si Claudine Baretto yun). At si Chabelita! Naalala niyo ba siya? Iyong batang nakatira dati sa bahay-ampunan, mala-Annie ang buhay niya. Tapos kilig na kilig ako kay Angelu de Leon at Bobby Andrews sa TGIS. Kung gaano ako ka-kilig kay Nathan at Haley, ganoon din! Siyempre kitang-kita naman na ang baduy naman nila kumpara sa OTH, pero ano ba namang alam ko noon? Haha. Tuwing umaga rin nanonood ako noong mga kartuns na Tinagalog. Paborito ko noon si Sarah, Ang Munting Prinsesa. Galit na galit ako kay Lavinia. Nanonood din ako ng Cedi, Heidi, Judy Abbott, Julio at Julia (ang kambal ng tadhana.. haha!) at yung isa pa.. si Romeo ang tagapaglinis ng tsimineya? May nakakaalala rin ba sa kanya? Haha. Pero nakatikim rin naman ako ng mga edukasyonal na programa tulad ng Sesame Street, Batibot, 5 and Up, ATBP., Hiraya Manawari at ang aking paborito, ang SineSkwela! Talagang marami akong natutunan doon. Doon ko naintindihan ang fractions, parts of the plant, at 
marami pang ibang mga paksa. Sa totoo lang, lalo pang lumakas ang pag-hanga ko sa palabas na ito dahil lagi sa aming pinapanood sa St. Paul, kahit ata noong hayskul na kami. Ganun ka-"educational" ang programang iyon. At siyempre, sino ba namang makakalimot sa kanta doon? Tayo na sa SineSkewla, tuklasin natin ang si-yen-sha! Buksan ang pag-iisip, tayo'y likas na sayantist.. Tayo na sa SineSkela, tuklasin nating ang si-yen-sha! Kinabukasan ng ating bayan, siguradong makakamtan.. kaya't habang maaga mag-aral ng si-yen-sha, sa teknolohiya, ang buhay ay gagandaaaaa! (Amf, memoryado pa talaga ehh!) At mayroon pa, si Little Lulu! Adik na adik ako sa kaniya, kulang na lang bumili ako ng pulang damit na sobrang ikli para kita yung panty ko. Tawang-tawa ako sa kanya, pati na rin kay Tubby Tomkins at sa best friend niyang si Annie. Laking pasalamat talaga ng yaya ko sa mga palabas na ito dahil sa sandaling oras ng aking panonood, ako ay tumitigil sa aking kakulitan at nananahimik.. nakatutok sa TV.Siyempre, hindi ko malilimutan ang libro. Bata pa lang ako, uod na ako na nakatira sa libro, este, taong palabasa na ako ng libro. Sweet Valley, Baby-Sitters Club, Baby Sitters' Little Sister (si Karen Brewer), Archie comics, Arthur (at ang kapatid niyang si D.W.), Nancy Drew at ng iba pang mga nobela.. lahat nabasa ko yan! Obyus na bata palang, nerd na ako. Kaya tuwang-tuwa rin siyempre ang mga magulang ko. At dahil din dito kaya mas sanay akong magsulat sa Ingles, sapagkat wala naman masyadong librong Tagalog noon, maliban sa mga Adarna books na may pagsasaling-wika o "translation," pero iyong Ingles pa rin ang binabasa ko. :))
Lahat din ng laruan nalaro ko. Mula sa Fisher-Price ViewMaster (Power Rangers at Pocahontas ang mga bala ko), Barbie (I'm a Barbie girl!), Polly Pocket (kumpleto ko yan, mayroon ako nung maliit pa talaga at nasa compact case, hanggang sa lumaki na sila at pwede nang bihisan), Happy Meals ng McDo, Cabbage Patch dolls, Casper, Baby All Gone doll (yung kinakain niya yung cherries at milk!), at ang aking paborito, ang Power Rangers! Dahil kay Pink Ranger, naging paborito ko ang kulay na Pink. Pero sa kasamaang palad, ang laruang ni minsan ay hindi ako nagkaroon ay ang pinakasikat pa noon: Tamagotchi. Kung nakakamatay talaga ang inggit, siguradong deads na deads na ako dahil hindi ako binili ni Mommy. Doon ata ako unang nakaranas ng depresyon, kasi lahat nag-aalaga ng virtual pet. Pero naka-recover din ako nang ibili na ako ng bagong manika. Mababaw lang naman ako :) Naniniwala ako na pinaka-astig ang mga laruan noong 90's. Hindi man kasing "advanced" o "hi-tech" katulad ngayon, ay tunay na nakapag-papaligaya naman. Hinding-hindi ko ipagpapalit ang mga araw na naglaro ako gamit ang aking imahinasyon at nagpanggap na nakatira ako sa Sesame Street. Madali lang naman ako mapasaya, at noon tila mainam naman ang lahat sa mundo.Siguro nga sa mga ganoong pagkakataon mo mapapagtanto na tumatanda ka na talaga. Kapag nakabasa ka ng isang artikulo o kaya lathalain na may kinalaman sa iyong kabataan, hindi mo 
maiiwasang mapangiti, matawa, at makaramdam ng halo-halong emosyon sa iyong pagsasariwa. Ngunit, matapos ng ilang sandali, ay mapapa-isip ka na rin kung gaano na kahaba ang lumipas mula noong mga panahong iyon. Ako nga, kagabi nasabi ko na lamang sa sarili ko, "Ha? Ganoon na pala katagal iyon!? Eh bakit parang ang bata pa rin ng 16?" Totoo palang malaki na ako, kahit hindi masyadong tumangkad, at lagpas isang dekada na ang dumaan magmula nang una kong mapanood ang Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Kay sarap talagang gunitain ang nakaraan. Iyong isa ko ngang kaibigan, kapag nagkaka-kwentuhan kami sa YM ay puro tungkol sa kabataan namin ang aming pinag-uusapan. Hindi kasi nakakasawang balik-balikan ang kahapong humubog sa pagkatao mo ngayon. Sino bang nakakaalam na ang simpleng pagbabasa ko ng Baby Sitters Club ang siyang pagmumulan ng aking hindi maikakailang pagkahilig sa aking larangang tatahakin: ang pagsusulat? Tunay ngang ang iyong kabataan ay isang mahalagang parte ng buhay, sa katunayan nga naniniwala ako na mas mahalaga pa ito kaysa sa pagdadalaga o pagbibinata, sapagkat hindi ka makakalagpas sa "teenage years" kung hindi ka pinatatag ng mga payak ngunit makubuluhan mong karanasan noong bata ka.
maiiwasang mapangiti, matawa, at makaramdam ng halo-halong emosyon sa iyong pagsasariwa. Ngunit, matapos ng ilang sandali, ay mapapa-isip ka na rin kung gaano na kahaba ang lumipas mula noong mga panahong iyon. Ako nga, kagabi nasabi ko na lamang sa sarili ko, "Ha? Ganoon na pala katagal iyon!? Eh bakit parang ang bata pa rin ng 16?" Totoo palang malaki na ako, kahit hindi masyadong tumangkad, at lagpas isang dekada na ang dumaan magmula nang una kong mapanood ang Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Kay sarap talagang gunitain ang nakaraan. Iyong isa ko ngang kaibigan, kapag nagkaka-kwentuhan kami sa YM ay puro tungkol sa kabataan namin ang aming pinag-uusapan. Hindi kasi nakakasawang balik-balikan ang kahapong humubog sa pagkatao mo ngayon. Sino bang nakakaalam na ang simpleng pagbabasa ko ng Baby Sitters Club ang siyang pagmumulan ng aking hindi maikakailang pagkahilig sa aking larangang tatahakin: ang pagsusulat? Tunay ngang ang iyong kabataan ay isang mahalagang parte ng buhay, sa katunayan nga naniniwala ako na mas mahalaga pa ito kaysa sa pagdadalaga o pagbibinata, sapagkat hindi ka makakalagpas sa "teenage years" kung hindi ka pinatatag ng mga payak ngunit makubuluhan mong karanasan noong bata ka.Hayy. Napahaba ata ang pagmumuni-muni ko. Napasarap ako. Kung nabasa ninyo lahat iyon, hiling ko naman ay natuwa rin kayo. Alam kong kahit na ikaila niyo pa, minsan din kayong naging baduy at madungis na batang takot madampot ng Bumbay.
BATANG 90's AKO, EH IKAW?
(Malaking pasasalamat sa GabbyDictionary, na naging tagapag-ligtas ko sa mga salitang hindi ko talaga alam ang Ingles, sa KidsWereUs, isang napakagandang website tungkol sa 90's, at sa Yahoo! para sa ilang mga larawan.)
*OMG, nosebleeeeed! :))
*OMG, nosebleeeeed! :))
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just a day, just an ordinary day.
So I promised Nikki D. that I'll answer the tag but because today is a very special occasion, I decided I'll modify it just a little bit.
TEN RANDOM FACTS ABOUT MY MOM
- She loves George Clooney. George is like my mom's Nathan Scott. Every time she sees her on E! News or Daily 10, or any other entertainment show I swear I see her eyes turn into hearts and she gets kilig like a teenage high school girl. :)
- Her favorite author is Danielle Steel. She has read every single one of her novels. I swear! When we pass by the Danielle Steel section in book stores, she always knows what's new, what's old, and what's just been reprinted. That's why it's kind of tricky to give her DS books because I don't know if she's read it or not. But luckily, the time I did buy her one, it was one of the new novels.
- She plays the piano. That's just one of the many things we have in common. I grew up in a family that plays the piano (my grandma does too) so it's just natural that it follows in the family. But admittedly my mom is the better player between the two of us. Among her sisters, she was the only one who really pursued this craft. She kept some of her pieces back when she was still studying so now, it's my turn to play them -- and fortunately I can still read them even if the paper is quite old and yellowish. Haha. Some of our favorites are Fur Elise and Minuet in G by Beethoven.
- She has more ear piercings than me. I only have two, one on each ear. But she has four! I can still remember the day she went home and suddenly she had two piercings on each ear! I was like, O_O! Haha. I think she also wants to get her belly button done.. and..
- She wants to have a tattoo. Not the real one, I hope. But she really wants to have one on her back, like Mandy Moore in A Walk To Remember. Between the two of us, sometimes she's the one who acts like the teenager because I have to stop her from getting all these on her! Haha.
- She looooves Koreanovelas. Our house is overloaded with Korean DVDs. Secret Lovers, Lovers, Lovers in Paris, Coffee Prince, How to Marry A Millionaire.. name it and she's watched it, even before they showed in on Philippine TV! Not only is she in love with the lead actors, but she adores the Korean girls' style -- from hair to fashion. Sometimes I think she can understand Korean already. Haha.
- She loves watching Date My Mom with me. It's our favorite show. Haha. We laugh at the moms because they're more eccentric than their daughters! And sometimes we pity the guy who picks the perfect mom but has the ugly daughter. LOL :)) She keeps on telling me that we should join that show and in the end she'll get the guy to say, "Ana, I do not want to date your daughter. I want to date you." NYE. Haha :)) But if we do join, I'm pretty sure we'll win! :P
- She was a Paulinian from St. Paul Manila, so we kind of understand each other when it comes to high school related stuff. It's not difficult to talk to her because she isn't close-minded. And I know she went through all the same things when she was in high school. She was also very kikay then (she was a member of PRU -- the club for the pretty usherettes), and a heartthrob too! She always had dates from La Salle, San Beda, and the Ateneo. I have a very strong feeling that if we became classmates in high school, we'll either be the best of friends, or the worst of enemies since we're so alike yet so different! Haha :) And did I mention she looked real hot in her Paulinian uniform?! Compared to her, I look like a nerd! :P
- She brought me to the Vanessa Carlton concert last Friday at Trinoma. She knows how much I love Vanessa, so we went all the way to Quezon City (from her office at Makati), and bought Php 1500 worth of shoes just so we can get tickets! Vanessa was sooooo amazing! IDOL TALAGA! I swear it was one of the best nights of my life -- and one of the best bondings with my mom! :P (I posted the pictures and videos at my Multiply, you can check it out there)
- SHE READS THE TWILIGHT SERIES. Yes. She was so intrigued by the series that I've been going gaga over, that she desperately wanted to know if it was worth all the money and traveling we did (we went bookstore-hopping all over Metro Manila just to buy the sequels). And so I let her borrow the first one, and needless to say, she was hooked! She read it in less than a week. And now she's in the middle of Eclipse. I don't know if she can get any cooler than that -- now she feels like every other teenage girl in the world: in love with Edward, and wants more! (We even surfed the Twilight Movie website together and loooooved every bit of it!)
Those are just 10 of the thousands of great things about my mom. She's not just my mom, she's also my best friend. We dress alike, we talk alike, we think alike.. I tell her almost everything! We may have fights or arguments every now and then, but that's just because I know she loves me. I know that one of the most difficult relationships to handle in life is one's relationship with your mom, but I also think it's one of the best. I'm so lucky to have her because (as Regina George's mom put it) she's not just a regular mom, she's a cool mom!
Happy Mother's Day, Mommy! I love you! :)
And Happy Mother's Day to your moms too!
And Happy Mother's Day to your moms too!
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ciento FRESHIEnto :)
MAY 5th, Monday
I woke up earlier than usual. My dad's driver picked me and my mom up at six in the morning. I picked my best casual-yet-serious-looking shirt, donned my favorite jeans, used my new white bag, and wore my new YSL sandals (aka Yari sa Liliw, haha), checked my Blue Clearbook of Important Documents, and off I went. This is it, I told myself.
I was greeted by the huge banner, "Mabuhay mga bagong Iskolar ng KAL!" as I arrived at the College of Arts and Letters, or Kolehiyo ng Arte at Literatura (KAL). I munched on my McDonald's fries with anxiety as I step inside the halls of my soon-to-be building. We were led by the security guard to the second KAL building at the back. There we were greeted by another welcome banner, and several students with their moms. All were eagerly waiting for the start of the briefing which will be given to us at eight o'clock. There I sat down and tried my best straight-not-excited face just so I won't look to eager, but I'm not sure how well I did, I'm not a theater major anyway. A few moments a later, another mother and daughter pair arrived and sat next to us. Our moms started talking, and so we started talking. Thus, my first ever friend in UP, Haila. She's from Marikina Science High School and is going to take up BA English Studies. After a while, we were escorted up the building and were welcomed warmly by the secretary of the dean of CAL, Señor Maranan. He was an old, kind gentleman who emitted that grandfather vibe. He told us his role in our lives as CAL students, and advised us as we take on this new journey. He kept on telling us that we are UP students, therefore we must be proud of what we have achieved just by getting into the school. So, a huge responsibility is on us: to study well and do good. Our school may not be as class or as "sosi" as the others, but we must get by because this is life inside the UP, everyone is equal, everyone is up for the same challenges. He gave us his two basic rules: 1.) We are not allowed to joined fraternities and sororities, and 2.) We should truly prioritize our studies -- no more gala or tambay. This made our parents extremely happy, my mom especially. More reminders later, and we were escorted to the other building to meet with our respective advisers.
I claimed my Form 5A and Student Directory, then immediately went to the second floor, Room 2061. It was there I was supposed to meet my future adviser, Prof. Los Baños (immediately followed by a chuckle inside my head, "LB in Diliman! Hahaha, funny,") By the stairs, I saw three other students waiting. One of them asked me, "Creative Writing ka ba?" to which I replied, "Oo." So we sat there, waiting and chatting. Two more arrived, and thus the completion of the Creative Writing students block B-11: Karla, Andee, Rose, Jamie, and Catherine. Yes, there were only five of us. We fooled ourselves into thinking that more will be coming but alas, no one else did. So we just spent the time chatting and getting to know each other. To my surprise, there were three Paulinians in our block! Andee was from St. Paul Pasig, Rose was from St. Paul QC, and of course, yours truly from Parañaque. I saw it as a blessing in disguise because we all got along really well already. But of course, our other two blockmates were great as well. We joked and laughed about different things, talking like we've been friends for a long time. After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, a tall, bald, macho man came and asked us, "Are you all CW?" Stunned, we nodded in unison with the realization finally dawning on us: It was Professor Los Baños.
I entered the room, with huge
I came out of the room probably with a stunned-slash-relieved expression on my face, which I'm afraid, kind of scared Andee. But I managed to smile at her before she went in, and I was finally able to breathe. I immediately went to my mom, telling her the story as I gasped my breath. We walked to the Office of the University Registrar (OUR) to finally get enrolled. Upon arriving, I told my mom I'll go in already since parents weren't allowed inside. And thus my first taste of the University of Pila. Everywhere you go, there's a queue waiting for you. Some long, some short, some quickly moving, some not moving -- but a line all the same. Thankfully there were a lot of student assistants who were there to guide us and help make everything easier for us freshmen. And good thing too that we were seated so it wasn't really much of a struggle. It was in the line that I saw Inna, who came from the College of Engineering. We didn't get to talk much though because the line moved right away and we were separated. I went to window after window, floor after floor, form after form. I was looking at my neatly arranged Blue Clearbook of Important Documents (special thanks to my Mom, who graciously and voluntarily did that for me -- because that's what moms are for right, Mommy?) and ensuring that I was doing the right thing on the particular step. And then it hit me, I was doing everything on my own. No Inna, no Mommy, no one to complain to or to ask someone else to do the job. Just me and my Blue Clearbook of Important Documents. Hence, another realization: in college, kanya-kanya na talaga.
After a perpituity of windows and tables, I was finally assessed. I still can't help telling myself that "Ang mura talaga sa UP," in spite of its overtness. I paid cold hard blue-green cash at the cashier, took my receipt and finally, finally -- I'M ENROLLED. Yahoo! :)
MAY 6th, Tuesday
Once again, I woke up earlier than usual. Tuesday is the orientation of the May 5 enrollees. With me is Inna, who asked if she could go with me because her parents are out of the country. We were both so nervous and yet, very excited. We didn't know what's in store for us but we're pretty sure we're ready for it. With huge dirty ice cream cones in hand, we braced ourselves as we made our way to the Diosdado Macapagal Hall in the College of Economics, where the orientation will be held.
Outside, I immediately saw my blockmates Jamie, Andee, and Rose. The other one, Catherine, was missing. But nevertheless we stuck together already. I introduced them to Inna and told them that we should sit together inside. One man approached the two of us and gave us fliers. Apparently, it's a group against the tuition fee increase in UP. We looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh -- not at them of course, but the fact that it's just our first day, and already there were people inviting us. Haha. Anyway, we entered the big hall after registering and sat there, anxiously but eagerly. Several minutes later, after everyone has settled, the program started.
The theme was: "Ciento FRESHIEnto, Isko Ako! The Centennial Freshmen Orientation." Just the title itself was already exhilirating. Obviously, this year is very special for us since it is UP's 100th (Centennial) year, and we are the Centennial Freshmen. That in itself is already quite a recognition :)
The emcees were very engaging, telling us to shout "Cheeseburger!" if they ask us how we were. It was funny, actually, especially when they ask all the colleges one by one and get different responses from each. The College of Engineering reply with such low voices because most of them are boys (except for Inna! Haha). The College of Music meanwhile, had someone shouting in a very high voice. And the Department of Library and Information Science -- well let's just say, he had no one else to say Cheeseburger but him. Yep, all alone. May mas konti pa sa course namin, thank God! :) They were extremely hilarious, even spoofing the other colleges that weren't there (haha, sorry College of Science, Home Eco, Educ, and the others! Haha) and giving us trivia, tips, and other whatnots about our future school. They got us really excited about the UP Fair and other events too! Now I can't wait for everything!
The Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Prof. Dr. Elizabeth Enriquez later gave her welcoming remarks. "Fresh na fresh pa talaga kayo, hindi pa nakakatikim ng kwatro (4) at singko (5)!" she said, to which an uproar of nervous laughter from the freshies followed. She told us how extremely lucky we were by giving us facts and numbers: we were one of the 12,000 who passed among the 66,000 who took the UPCAT, and 2,000 of the 40,000 who aspired to go to UP Diliman. Indeed we should be proud that we are Iskolars and are studying in the flagship campus of the state university. All throughout the program, the emcees kept on telling and reminding us how many great scientists, presidents, lawyers, national artists and other successful people graduated from UP. It was very overwhelming, definitely, but gratifying all the same.
The UP Concert Chorale and the UP Pep Squad were also there to welcome us! Grabe, I
was amazed by the UPCC's performance. They just came from Switzerland and Italy by the way, bringing home the grand prize for excellence in various competitions there. They were definitely world-class. Then the UP Pep Squad came and taught us the school cheers! Inna and I were looking at each other, already concocting plans inside our heads for the UAAP games. We live for UAAP, and now we're actually going to cheer for a school -- OUR SCHOOL! I had goosebumps while shouting the ever famous "U! nibersidad! ng Pilipinas!" cheer, with matching drums and actions! And yes, it was defnitely better than cheering with the UP crowd on TV.. and that was just the orientation! What more for the real actual games? :) They also taught us the UP hymn, "UP Naming Mahal." It was of course going to take some getting used to since twelve years of "Hark, children of the great St. Paul!" and "My goal as a Paulinian is this.." will forever be etched in our memory. But Inna and I swore that we're going to practice all the cheers and songs, and really shout our hearts out in upcoming events! Haha. School spirit, anyone? :)After all has been said and done, we came out of the hall feeling the exact same way we did when we entered; nervous and very, very excited. But I'm going to be the first to say that the orientation only sparked our excitement even more. Now we're starting to bleed Maroon, and we wouldn't have it any other way -- or color :)
ISKOLAR AKO! :)
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heroes are not born, they're built.
When your dad leaves for a business trip, your maid goes on vacation, and you don't have any siblings, that usually means you're stuck with your mom. And for some it's a bad thing. But for me it isn't.
So today, out of boredom (and laziness to cook and clean up, haha) my mom and I went to SM to watch Iron Man. She didn't want to go initially, saying that it's usually my dad who is my movie buddy and that she does not fancy those action-packed movies -- even suggesting the Aga and Anne movie. HAHA. But I won her over, using the fact that she used to have a huge crush on Robert Downey Jr. when he was on Ally McBeal, and that Gwyneth Paltrow would be in it. So Iron Man it was!
I enjoyed the movie! Sobra. It wasn't your average superhero movie because it was certainly interesting. First, the actors. I initially thought Robert Downey was too old for the role, but he carried his role well. And besides, Tony Stark's character obviously had some age, class, and experience, he was perfect for it. It was also quite a surprise to see Gwyneth Paltrow there because usually the leading ladies aren't really big A-list stars. It was refreshing to see her in a less serious role for once. The special effects were terrific too, and I think, unlike most hero movies, it really had a touch of reality in it. I loved how his "machines" were all so human because they talk back! Haha. My mom kept teasing me na baka sa sobrang ka-geek-an ko, I'd program my gadgets like that too. LOL :)
As some of you may know, I'm in love with superheroes. Not the comic-book-guy kind of love, but just a regular teenager completelylooking up to crushing on these fantastic (non)humans. I mean, who doesn't want to have superpowers and unwavering strength? I concoct thoughts of me wearing that red, gold, and blue costume and flying away as Wonder Woman. But what really captivates me more are those without the genetically altered DNAs though, the ones with only their willpower and resolve to change the world. Like Batman. And that's how Iron Man came to be. He was awaken to the truth that he was part of the problem, so he found a way to be the solution. It wasn't easy but his efforts did pay off. Well, I wouldn't really tell you all the ending of course, but do you honestly think there's a superhero out there who didn't deliver? :) He was still human though, no spider bites, no Krypton ancestry, no cosmic ray exposure -- just really mad Math skills.
It got me thinking though. His obvious passion for Math paved the way for his exceptional abilities. So did the creator and producers somehow want to send some kind of subliminal message that we should take Math and Science seriously because it IS useful in real life? Most of the superheroes are, undeniably, geeks and nerds who excelled in class right? Peter Parker and Mr. Fantastic, to name a few. Maybe in some weird way it will encourage all of us to do well in these normally hated subjects because it will be the key to "greatness." Haha.
Whatever, I'm going to be a writer anyway :P
And now the plates and silverware are summoning me. (Un)fortunately, I have to go and hone my superb dish washing skills. Since we have no maid, and because I am just the dutifully obedient daughter that I am (HAHA!), I have been volunteering my services and not complaining. You can call me Lababo Queen now. Haha.
Let me leave you with this.
Now this really, really, really got me thinking.
HAHAHA :))
So today, out of boredom (and laziness to cook and clean up, haha) my mom and I went to SM to watch Iron Man. She didn't want to go initially, saying that it's usually my dad who is my movie buddy and that she does not fancy those action-packed movies -- even suggesting the Aga and Anne movie. HAHA. But I won her over, using the fact that she used to have a huge crush on Robert Downey Jr. when he was on Ally McBeal, and that Gwyneth Paltrow would be in it. So Iron Man it was!I enjoyed the movie! Sobra. It wasn't your average superhero movie because it was certainly interesting. First, the actors. I initially thought Robert Downey was too old for the role, but he carried his role well. And besides, Tony Stark's character obviously had some age, class, and experience, he was perfect for it. It was also quite a surprise to see Gwyneth Paltrow there because usually the leading ladies aren't really big A-list stars. It was refreshing to see her in a less serious role for once. The special effects were terrific too, and I think, unlike most hero movies, it really had a touch of reality in it. I loved how his "machines" were all so human because they talk back! Haha. My mom kept teasing me na baka sa sobrang ka-geek-an ko, I'd program my gadgets like that too. LOL :)
As some of you may know, I'm in love with superheroes. Not the comic-book-guy kind of love, but just a regular teenager completely
It got me thinking though. His obvious passion for Math paved the way for his exceptional abilities. So did the creator and producers somehow want to send some kind of subliminal message that we should take Math and Science seriously because it IS useful in real life? Most of the superheroes are, undeniably, geeks and nerds who excelled in class right? Peter Parker and Mr. Fantastic, to name a few. Maybe in some weird way it will encourage all of us to do well in these normally hated subjects because it will be the key to "greatness." Haha.
Whatever, I'm going to be a writer anyway :P
And now the plates and silverware are summoning me. (Un)fortunately, I have to go and hone my superb dish washing skills. Since we have no maid, and because I am just the dutifully obedient daughter that I am (HAHA!), I have been volunteering my services and not complaining. You can call me Lababo Queen now. Haha.
Let me leave you with this.
Now this really, really, really got me thinking.HAHAHA :))
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how do i love thee T? let me count the ways.
I got tagged by Ceejae. Thanks to you, now I have something to blog about! Hoorah :)
And now I will tag: Ayiene, Cars, Mary, Ate Patty, Elise, and whoever wants to answer it :)
I'm off to sleep guys. I'm leaving tomorrow for Batangas. I'll be back on Thursday or Friday, I think. I still have to pack my things pa pala. Haha. Later y'all.
* New layout, by the way :) Tell me what you think about it, mmkay?
NAME TEN THINGS THAT START WITH A 'T'
- Ten Things I Hate About You. Who doesn't love 10 Things I Hate About You? I saw it again today, and I swear I was practically holding my breath in the mushy-kilig scenes. I even surprised myself by reciting along with the characters' lines because I still remembered them. It's one of the very few movies that you can really, really remember even if you've only seen it once or twice in your life. I wish I had a Patrick Verona in my life to woo me.. and read a poem to! Haha. Man, I miss Heath Ledger.
- Twilight. I can't get enough of reading Twilight news and updates! Anything related to it gets me really giddy these days. I want Breaking Dawn (the fourth book) already! I need my dose of Edward and Bella.
- Tree Hill. Thanks to my very, very good friend Nica, now I can watch new episodes of OTH! Finally! Even if Season 5 kinda sucks for Naley.. I'm still going to watch it! Oh the wonders of the Internet. What would I ever do without you?
- Plain White T's. (Okay, so it doesn't really start with a T) I was playing Shuffle again with my iPod and suddenly, it was "Hey There Delilah." I love that song. It always reminds me someone and something. And I like that it somehow complements another song I really like, Samson, for very obvious reasons. (Samson, Delilah, anyone? :P) Their other songs are pretty rad too. They are one of the few bands I don't ever get tired of.
- Tasty bread. Is that how you spell it? Basta, the square shaped bread from the loaf. Haha. It's my ultimate comfort food! Add in condensed milk.. ayy, hebeeen. :)
- Thailand. We're leaving on May 15! I think I'm going to start my countdown. I miss Bangkok already. I haven't been spending money on clothes or shoes because I'm saving it all for our trip. Suan Lum Night Market, Platinum Plaza, Chatuchak, Big C, Pratunam.. I'm coming soon!
- Touch My Body. I've got a really bad case of LSS over this song. I always hear it on the radio, and see it on MTV. It's a cute song, but when you hear it for more than five times a day it just gets tiring. And what line keeps repeating inside my head?
- Totally Spies. I miss being in grade school and wanting to be a secret agent. It was so cool back then! Now I'm 16 and I know better.. but I still enjoy watching the show. Its airtime on Disney Channel always saves me from boredom. It almost makes me want to say, "Thanks, Jer!" LOL :)
- Telephone. For the past few weeks, I've been disconnected with my phone. I barely touch it, and I don't even send GMs anymore! I just suddenly got lazy and I didn't really want to SMS people unless I have something to say to them. I only text my really, really close friends and reply only to important messages, but other than that, I'm bored with it. Haha, does this mean I'm old and boring already? :P
- Tattoo. Last night I stayed up until midnight because of Miami Ink and LA Ink. The dangerous and wild side of me wants to get a tattoo either on my lower back or left shoulder. I don't know, it looks sexy for me. I just don't have the guts to have myself permanently marked like that. But I admire the people in the show who get their selves inked for life, especially when it signifies a significant event in their life that they want to remember forever. And I really find the tattoo artists so awesome! They lead such interesting lives. They're sooo talented too. The customers just describe something, and whoosh, they suddenly come up with sketches that are exactly what the customers want! One day, I might get a tattoo.. henna lang. Haha :))
AWWWWWW.
(Photo courtesy of All Movie Photo)
And if you run your mouth and brag about this secret rendezvous, I will hunt you down.
And now I will tag: Ayiene, Cars, Mary, Ate Patty, Elise, and whoever wants to answer it :)
I'm off to sleep guys. I'm leaving tomorrow for Batangas. I'll be back on Thursday or Friday, I think. I still have to pack my things pa pala. Haha. Later y'all.
* New layout, by the way :) Tell me what you think about it, mmkay?
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megan's a fox.
I could not be anymore happier when I found out that Megan Fox is this year's Sexiest Woman In The World for FHM. I mean, who would ever argue? HOTNESS, babeeh. :)
I so totally have a huge super duper mega girl crush on her. The first time I saw her on Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, I already liked her even if she was the bad girl. And her character's name in the movie was Karla Santini, if I'm not mistaken, so that kinda makes me feel that we're connected in some way. Haha. I fell in love with her even more in Transformers! Probably one of the coolest movies ever, and she was there! Who would ever forget the "Baby, come back!" scene? She was such a babe, but she kicked ass. I wanna be like that. HAHA :)) Someday, you will be as hot as her Karla, someday!
I have got to tell Jeremy about this right away. He's my crush-mate when it comes to Megan Fox. Hahaha. And yes, we both agree that she is waaay hotter than Lindsay Lohan!
Dear Santa,
please make me as hot as Megan Fox
before Christmas. :P
Last night, I watched Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley, and I must say I am very impressed. I rarely find myself appreciating book-to-movie adaptations because more often than not, they do not give the novels any justice. But this one is an exception. I almost felt the exact same emotions I felt as I turned the pages of the book when i read it. The exact dialogs were used in the movie, and the scenes were not just the precise images of what I envisioned in my head -- they were even better, actually. And of course, the actors.. they truly delivered. The last scenes gave me chills! :) I am very delighted. It just made me fall in love with the book even more! I still believe in reading the novel before watching its movie counterpart, but the movie is definitely worth watching.
And since I am in my Classics phase, I have no intentions of stopping just yet! I'm in the middle of Sense and Sensibility. Coming up: Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and Emma. It takes a while to get used to the seemingly "deep" language, but once you get the hang of it, it's hard to stop. I'm actually finding the more grown-up novels very interesting. I still check out the Young Adult section of course, but lately I feel like I'm old enough to handle the more mature works of fiction. Besides, I am pretty sure that all this reading will pay off in my course anyway!
All my friends are currently having a blast this summer. Nica just left yesterday for Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Trixie is in Korea. Inna will leave for Hong Kong. Mikka is taking taekwondo classes. Cars just had an uber fun birthday party (Saw 2 na tayo! Haha). And me.. well, I'm going to Bangkok again this May. I guess you can say we're all really enjoying our last summer because after this, it's college baby! And who knows what will happen? I'm crossing my fingers!
May na next week! My, how time flies. :)
I so totally have a huge super duper mega girl crush on her. The first time I saw her on Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, I already liked her even if she was the bad girl. And her character's name in the movie was Karla Santini, if I'm not mistaken, so that kinda makes me feel that we're connected in some way. Haha. I fell in love with her even more in Transformers! Probably one of the coolest movies ever, and she was there! Who would ever forget the "Baby, come back!" scene? She was such a babe, but she kicked ass. I wanna be like that. HAHA :)) Someday, you will be as hot as her Karla, someday!
I have got to tell Jeremy about this right away. He's my crush-mate when it comes to Megan Fox. Hahaha. And yes, we both agree that she is waaay hotter than Lindsay Lohan!
Dear Santa,please make me as hot as Megan Fox
before Christmas. :P
Last night, I watched Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley, and I must say I am very impressed. I rarely find myself appreciating book-to-movie adaptations because more often than not, they do not give the novels any justice. But this one is an exception. I almost felt the exact same emotions I felt as I turned the pages of the book when i read it. The exact dialogs were used in the movie, and the scenes were not just the precise images of what I envisioned in my head -- they were even better, actually. And of course, the actors.. they truly delivered. The last scenes gave me chills! :) I am very delighted. It just made me fall in love with the book even more! I still believe in reading the novel before watching its movie counterpart, but the movie is definitely worth watching.
And since I am in my Classics phase, I have no intentions of stopping just yet! I'm in the middle of Sense and Sensibility. Coming up: Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and Emma. It takes a while to get used to the seemingly "deep" language, but once you get the hang of it, it's hard to stop. I'm actually finding the more grown-up novels very interesting. I still check out the Young Adult section of course, but lately I feel like I'm old enough to handle the more mature works of fiction. Besides, I am pretty sure that all this reading will pay off in my course anyway!
All my friends are currently having a blast this summer. Nica just left yesterday for Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Trixie is in Korea. Inna will leave for Hong Kong. Mikka is taking taekwondo classes. Cars just had an uber fun birthday party (Saw 2 na tayo! Haha). And me.. well, I'm going to Bangkok again this May. I guess you can say we're all really enjoying our last summer because after this, it's college baby! And who knows what will happen? I'm crossing my fingers!
May na next week! My, how time flies. :)
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we've only just begun..
I know every other UP-D Freshman out there has been rattling and panicking over the pre-enlistment for the past couple of days. The sudden crashing of the server, the fear of choosing difficult subjects, the apprehension over the schedules and order of subjects.. all these are more than enough to cause a newcomer to go berserk.
Yesterday, I finally got myself pre-enlisted. At first I was quite annoyed because of the thought that WE had to choose our subjects. We had blocks but we only had the core subjects enlisted, unlike the other universities where the school already arranges everything for the freshmen. However, I also realized what a great advantage that was. I was able to weed out the subjects I didn't like and wasn't really good at (aka CHEMISTRY) and at least be able to focus on the subjects I do enjoy. It also gave me and Inna, my future roommate, to have a class together which is PE. And at least I can work the subjects around and organize our subjects according to how convenient they are for us. I guess this is one of our perks. And now I'm completely satisfied with my schedule. Though of course there are still some classes I'd rather take, or I'd want to go home earlier, I have to make sacrifices. Compromise -- as Edward Cullen puts it.
So, I guess this is our first taste of the UP lifestyle -- the stress, the anxiety, and the excitement! They say nothing can ever compare to your first college experiences, especially when everything seems so awkward and unfamiliar. But I'm pretty sure I can survive my first year. I'm crossing my fingers! :) I caaaan't wait for June 10! Now I just have to know the route of the UP Ikot and Toki. Hehe.
I'm in B-11, by the way. Hello, future block mates, if you're out there! Haha. :)
Yesterday, I finally got myself pre-enlisted. At first I was quite annoyed because of the thought that WE had to choose our subjects. We had blocks but we only had the core subjects enlisted, unlike the other universities where the school already arranges everything for the freshmen. However, I also realized what a great advantage that was. I was able to weed out the subjects I didn't like and wasn't really good at (aka CHEMISTRY) and at least be able to focus on the subjects I do enjoy. It also gave me and Inna, my future roommate, to have a class together which is PE. And at least I can work the subjects around and organize our subjects according to how convenient they are for us. I guess this is one of our perks. And now I'm completely satisfied with my schedule. Though of course there are still some classes I'd rather take, or I'd want to go home earlier, I have to make sacrifices. Compromise -- as Edward Cullen puts it.
So, I guess this is our first taste of the UP lifestyle -- the stress, the anxiety, and the excitement! They say nothing can ever compare to your first college experiences, especially when everything seems so awkward and unfamiliar. But I'm pretty sure I can survive my first year. I'm crossing my fingers! :) I caaaan't wait for June 10! Now I just have to know the route of the UP Ikot and Toki. Hehe.
I'm in B-11, by the way. Hello, future block mates, if you're out there! Haha. :)
And before I forget..
Happy Birthday to my three very good friends,
Mikka, Trixie, and Cars!
Burger! Burger! Hahaha :) See you soon, guys!
Happy Birthday to my three very good friends,
Mikka, Trixie, and Cars!
Burger! Burger! Hahaha :) See you soon, guys!
P.S. Ang saya talaga ng PE namin ni Inna :D
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the psychology of a haircut?
According to the book Rapunzel's Daughters: What Women's Hair Tells Us About Women's Lives by Rose Weitz:
Some say getting a new haircut is like turning over a new leaf -- it's a sign that you desperately want to change your life for the better. More often than not, a drastic haircut comes after a bad break-up, or a sudden loss, or anything major happening in your life because of an unexpected turn of events. Or it could also be because a certain celebrity suddenly made it famous. Take the "Rihanna" look for example, which I am certain we are all aware of. I know of a lot of people who have cut their luscious, long locks to the now popular bob because the then-morbid cut is now considered cool, and you can walk around the city sporting the chin-length bob without having to be called "monay". Whatever reason it is, it just usually is associated with change.
Honestly, I'm not really a fan of change -- just as much as I dislike the overused "Change is constant," quote. I know that it is inevitable, and it is also healthy. But we frequently seem to have this notion that change is imposed on us, like life is the one altering the course of things in our daily routines. I think it doesn't always work that way. Sometimes it is up to us, if we want to transform ourselves into better persons, better individuals. When life gets boring, we have the option to go against the current and do something. We can say goodbye to our otherwise monotonous life if we choose to.
I just did. Okay, so nothing significant really took place.. but I do have my reasons! (aside from vanity purposes, harhar) I'm about to start a new life (i.e. college! O_o) so why not start with a new look? And besides, it's so freakin' hot! So yesterday, I said goodbye to my waist-length hair and hello to.. uhm, well, I don't know what this cut is called, but I'm pretty glad with it. :)
Hair is one of the first things other people notice about us -- and is one of the primary ways we declare our identity to others. In both our personal relationships and our relationships with the larger world, hair sends an immediate signal that conveys messages about our gender, age, social class, and more.It isn't really surprising that hair matters to a lot people, especially to us girls. It is after all our crowning glory, and especially in our generation's ever-evolving conceit, we cannot be blamed for valuing the part of ourselves that defines our personality more than any other body part. We show it off, we flaunt it, we consider it as part of our signature look -- that's how significant it is for some of us.
Some say getting a new haircut is like turning over a new leaf -- it's a sign that you desperately want to change your life for the better. More often than not, a drastic haircut comes after a bad break-up, or a sudden loss, or anything major happening in your life because of an unexpected turn of events. Or it could also be because a certain celebrity suddenly made it famous. Take the "Rihanna" look for example, which I am certain we are all aware of. I know of a lot of people who have cut their luscious, long locks to the now popular bob because the then-morbid cut is now considered cool, and you can walk around the city sporting the chin-length bob without having to be called "monay". Whatever reason it is, it just usually is associated with change.
Honestly, I'm not really a fan of change -- just as much as I dislike the overused "Change is constant," quote. I know that it is inevitable, and it is also healthy. But we frequently seem to have this notion that change is imposed on us, like life is the one altering the course of things in our daily routines. I think it doesn't always work that way. Sometimes it is up to us, if we want to transform ourselves into better persons, better individuals. When life gets boring, we have the option to go against the current and do something. We can say goodbye to our otherwise monotonous life if we choose to.
I just did. Okay, so nothing significant really took place.. but I do have my reasons! (aside from vanity purposes, harhar) I'm about to start a new life (i.e. college! O_o) so why not start with a new look? And besides, it's so freakin' hot! So yesterday, I said goodbye to my waist-length hair and hello to.. uhm, well, I don't know what this cut is called, but I'm pretty glad with it. :)
Ayun eh! HAHA :)P.S. Hindi ako magpapa-cheeseburger but I did promise Ayiene I'll treat her fishballs and isaw sa UP. At yung buko juice ko ha? I won't forget. Haha. :P
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outbursts in the sun burst.
Amidst the rage of the intense summer heat, is the fervent desire of one rather over-observant girl to rant about things that have been circling around her brain for a while. She wishes to write a proper post for each thought, however because of the randomness of these (due to laziness, apparently) she has settled on putting up just fragments of the brain waves just so she can satisfy the need to express.
(In other words, she just really needs to rant.)
In random order:
(In other words, she just really needs to rant.)
In random order:
- She spent her weekend at Camp Journey, the foundation dedicated to serving special children with her Tita and cousins. Her aunt was one of the founding members and had invited her to join the ten-day camp even for just the course of two days. Upon arriving at the venue in Sta. Maria, Bulacan, she was quite overwhelmed by the loving nature of the mentally challenged kids often stereotyped as wild and unruly. She was welcomed with open arms especially in her group, Red Pulvorons, and the children she briefly took under her wing: Em-em, Daday, Sarah, Totoy, Richard, Mark, Joshua and AR. With the help of fellow volunteers, she was able to share a part of herself to these children even if she has never seen them before. Despite only knowing them for a few hours she felt a connection with them, and though she doubts they will remember her, she will however remember them. She went there for a cause: to help change their lives. But apparently, it was her life that was changed forever. She learned that beneath the makukulit and pasaway exteriors of these kids are hearts that long for love, care, and compassion.
- She has been enjoying the time she spends each day to the classics. She is still in the middle of Pride and Prejudice (she admits she is having a hard time taking all the non-vernacular English in) and fesses up that she finds Mr. Darcy's indifference quite charming. Sometimes she puts herself in Elizabeth's shoes and wonders what it would be like to live in those innocent times, where everything from proposals to actual marriages were as simple as changing the TV channels. However, she wouldn't want to be put in the situation where she has to wed for financial purposes, which was quite a fad back then.
- Since her secret dream of becoming a writer apparently is on its way of being fulfilled and becoming real, she felt like a new secret dream should take its place. She believes that each of us is entitled to have that one secret fantasy that has a very, very slim chance of coming true. If it does come true (like hers did), that'll be fantastic because aside from the fact that it makes one extremely blissed out, it also makes way for another insane dream. So her new secret fantasy is to be involved in the Fashion industry. She loves watching Next Top Model and Project Runway! And yes, sometime she dreams of being on having a spread on Seventeen magazine, or having her designs featured on NY Fashion Week -- that would require drop dead gorgeous looks and talent though, which she completely lacks! She thinks this secret dream will remain a fantasy for good :))
- She thinks Robi of PBB is just simply adorable. And what made him gaga over her even more (aside from his obviously dashing looks, intelligence, and Ateneo lineage) is that he's going to study in UP Diliman next year.. DAW. That's according to one of her reliable sources. She and her future roommate Inna have plans of searching for him on campus and having a picture taken with him, and hopefully marrying him. Hahaha, LOL!
- While reading magazines this morning, she heard a rather familiar sound that she hasn't heard for quite some time already. Her heart leaped for joy as she rushed to her bedroom window and was delightfully surprised with what she saw -- rain! She is secretly delighted with the current weather here in Manila. With the arrival of the Tropical Depression Ambo, that just spells out more clouds and rain.. which means no more sweltering temperature! Since she considers herself the Scrooge of Summer Heat, this is really great news for her. She hopes to be able to use her umbrella ella ella eh for its real purpose: to shield her from the rain, and not from the intense UV rays of the sun. :P
- She watched videos of past UAAP Cheerdance Competitions of the different universities.. and was reminded of how soon the next season is! She can't wait to finally be one in the crowd cheering loudly. And now that she has a school to cheer for, the reality of her UAAP fanaticism being "official" (since she would be in college already) has dawned on her which made her enthusiasm level on a high! Soon she'll be one with the UP crowd shouting, "U-nibersidad! Ng Pilipinas!" :D
- She is quite thrilled by the hype that the Twilight series has been getting, and is amused by how the critics are comparing it to Harry Potter. Though she believes that they are completely different and that Harry Potter will never be replaced, she also feels excited and very much relieved to find that the rest of the world is with her in the current addiction. :)
And now that that's all out of her head, she's glad she can finally lull herself to sleep now. It just gets so tiring to be thinking of so many things at the same time, she's absolutely thankful for this blog for keeping her sane. :)
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meet daniel.
Everyone, meet Daniel Naht Anh. He's my newest baby cousin. He is the son of my uncle and his Vietnamese wife. I received this email with pictures of him yesterday. He's so adorably cute! He looks like a little cute siopao. Haha. I wish I can kiss and cuddle him right now. Unfortunately, he's in Vietnam and I don't know when I'll get to see him. But hopefully they come home soon because he's the first grandson of his lola. And when he comes home he can be sure of a certain Ate that will spoil him to death :) EHEM.Yesterday, I went to school and claimed my Form 137 from the Registrar. The first thing that came to my mind was a big sigh of relief that finally I completed the requirements from our school. It was placed in a long white envelope and contained that school seal. I opened it and looked at my grades from first year to fourth year. Surprisingly, I was still a little shocked. In my hands were the four years of high school basically, the grades that served as the "essence" of our student lives. I'd like to think that there's more to life than grades, but I still can't help but feel very much relieved that despite those times I wanted to just give up on my "good girl" image, I managed. I'm sure that everyone has experienced tremendous pressure from our teachers, and I'm not exempted. There came a time when I just didn't want to be the smart girl anymore because I was so stressed out with all the school work, I felt like a hand was pushing my head in the water and I couldn't breathe. But (as Bella Swan put it), I resurfaced. I still worked hard and I was so determined to prove them wrong that even I surprised myself. I turned out to be better than what I thought I was capable of. I'm glad I did. And as I look back on my Form 137, I felt like my old self is giving me a pat on the back and telling me I need not be afraid of what's to come. If I did it in high school, who says I can't do the same in college? :)
American Idol doesn't seem interesting anymore without Ramiele. Of course, my dear jason Castro is still there but subconsciously I know I'm watching because of her. And now she won't be there anymore. Kinda like the way I felt when Danny got booted out. :( But I'm still watching anyway. Last night, I fell in love with Jason even more because of his sweet and beautiful rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Did you know that that was the version of the song played in the last scene of one of my favorite movies, 50 First Dates? (What a long sentence! Haha) And when he stares at the screen.. oh those gorgeous eyes just make my heart melt ♥
I finished reading Eclipse this weekend. I really, really tried to read slowly and at least finish in two weeks. But I couldn't do it.. especially with how the events unfold as I turned the pages! I was in a state of shock after reading the last page. A part of me can't get over it because it was just so.. good. I can't think of any other word to describe it. I didn't want to leave the vampire and werewolf world just yet. You see, it's impossible to not get caught up in such a different world when you're reading. It's like an automatic switch is turned on, and suddenly my imagination transports you to another realm. Now I can't wait for Breaking Dawn. August, please come quickly! :)And now, I'm moving to the classics. I'm reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. My grandmother told me it's about time I give myself a dose of the classical novels they considered their "chick lit" back then. She said I'm surely going to need it for my course anyway. I think for the next week or so I'll be drowning myself in a totally different era -- of corsets and big ball gowns.
Sense and Sensibility, Wuthering Heights, and Jane Eyre: HERE I COME :)
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this got me laughing :))
You have to check this out. This is hilarious! :)) You should definitely try it.
Guess who? ♥
Take that! Apparently I look like Song Hye-Kyo and Zhang Ziyi. I've tried using my other photos and either one of them always shows up on my Celebrity Look Alike. I was laughing my head off yesterday, and up until now as I watch the morphing process. It's creepy in a funny kind of way. But it's not so bad, I mean they are considered two of the most beautiful Asians out there, right? Hmm. Does this mean supah-stardom isn't too far away? Then again the whole purpose of this website is to find your celebrity twin so.. down, girl. NYAHAHA :)
I was playing Shuffle with my radio this morning just to kill boredom. To those unfamiliar to this little game of mine, it's basically just getting your mp3 player set in shuffle mode. In the absence of an mp3 player (poor little iPod, I keep on forgetting to charge it), I used my FM radio. Then, ask a random question and the song or line that plays after you press the button would be your answer. Pretty easy. So just out of nowhere, I asked the question, "What is life?" And alas, it's Butch Walker with Mixtape. I sang along immediately with my roller brush as my mic. Halfway through the song though, I asked myself, "Life is a Mixtape!?" suddenly remembering my question. It got me thinking for a few moments. I suddenly recalled back in Grade 6. I know our generation probably didn't get that much experience with the cassette, but we did have our version of the mix tape -- the mix CD, of course. So CD burning was just beginning to become a fad, and since I belonged to the senti and dramatic class, we all wanted one! I was one of the people in class immediately listed down the songs I wanted on a one-fourth sheet of paper, gave it to my classmate who goes to a "pa-burn-an ng CD" (HAHA, that's what they called it!) and paid her Php 50, I think. After a week, I eagerly received my very own personalized mix only to be met by my classmate's words, "Wala yung ibang kanta na gusto mo kaya pinalitan na lang." I was very disappointed. I carefully selected those songs. But it was there already. Unfortunately, the forward/rewind buttons of my Discman back then were busted so I had no choice but to listen to all of it. I didn't like some of the songs, especially the rap and the metal rock ones (because I only listened to cheesy songs then, HAHA). However there was nothing I could possibly do because I was stuck with that crappy Discman. I don't know why I just didn't transfer to our other CD players, but I spent the rest of the evening listening to every track. There were so-so songs, unknown songs, but of course the few from the original list I made that were there truly made me happy. And isn't life like that? There are moments we really would rather just skip but we can't because there really are no fast forward buttons to click. Or rewind buttons to send us back to much happier times. Or pause buttons for the times we wish the world would stop when we do. But it doesn't. Life will keep on playing and playing and playing until it comes to its end. Only then can we truly say that we enjoyed the whole thing.
So I guess the bad songs (and the bad songwriters) will always find their way into our lives, but I hope we don't forget that there are good songs too, enough to keep us elated for the next tracks or so.
Hope you like the layout as much as I do. :)
I was playing Shuffle with my radio this morning just to kill boredom. To those unfamiliar to this little game of mine, it's basically just getting your mp3 player set in shuffle mode. In the absence of an mp3 player (poor little iPod, I keep on forgetting to charge it), I used my FM radio. Then, ask a random question and the song or line that plays after you press the button would be your answer. Pretty easy. So just out of nowhere, I asked the question, "What is life?" And alas, it's Butch Walker with Mixtape. I sang along immediately with my roller brush as my mic. Halfway through the song though, I asked myself, "Life is a Mixtape!?" suddenly remembering my question. It got me thinking for a few moments. I suddenly recalled back in Grade 6. I know our generation probably didn't get that much experience with the cassette, but we did have our version of the mix tape -- the mix CD, of course. So CD burning was just beginning to become a fad, and since I belonged to the senti and dramatic class, we all wanted one! I was one of the people in class immediately listed down the songs I wanted on a one-fourth sheet of paper, gave it to my classmate who goes to a "pa-burn-an ng CD" (HAHA, that's what they called it!) and paid her Php 50, I think. After a week, I eagerly received my very own personalized mix only to be met by my classmate's words, "Wala yung ibang kanta na gusto mo kaya pinalitan na lang." I was very disappointed. I carefully selected those songs. But it was there already. Unfortunately, the forward/rewind buttons of my Discman back then were busted so I had no choice but to listen to all of it. I didn't like some of the songs, especially the rap and the metal rock ones (because I only listened to cheesy songs then, HAHA). However there was nothing I could possibly do because I was stuck with that crappy Discman. I don't know why I just didn't transfer to our other CD players, but I spent the rest of the evening listening to every track. There were so-so songs, unknown songs, but of course the few from the original list I made that were there truly made me happy. And isn't life like that? There are moments we really would rather just skip but we can't because there really are no fast forward buttons to click. Or rewind buttons to send us back to much happier times. Or pause buttons for the times we wish the world would stop when we do. But it doesn't. Life will keep on playing and playing and playing until it comes to its end. Only then can we truly say that we enjoyed the whole thing.
So I guess the bad songs (and the bad songwriters) will always find their way into our lives, but I hope we don't forget that there are good songs too, enough to keep us elated for the next tracks or so.
Hope you like the layout as much as I do. :)
Guess who? ♥
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quickie post.
I just hate PLDT right now. Imagine taking away from me the only thing that really keeps me sane: The Internet. For almost a week already I've been dying out of complete boredom, getting so jealous of friends who have uploaded new pics or have just blogged, and just watching some lame ass shows on cable. The funny thing is I have all the DVDs and CDs of movies and shows to watch at home but I just can't bring myself to watch them yet. I really have no idea why. And because of that I've spent my days reading (and finishing) books. As of today I've finished three books since Sunday, and still currently reading Eclipse. Waah! I'm such a geek. Haha.
I was so happy last Sunday because I finally got myself a copy of Eclipse! I called all the Fully Booked, Power Books and National Book Stores in Metro Manila and only to be saddened by a "Sold out na po," from the branch manager. Even the Fully Booked at Bonifacio High Street disappointed me! But thank heavens for Fully Booked at Rockwell. I think it just might be the last copy in the Metro? Hmm. :) I'm trying, really trying, to read it as slowly as I can because I don't want to finish it right away just yet. So I temporarily placed it in my bookshelf first and only vow to read it before I go to sleep. Haha. Of course, that only makes me miss Edward even more! :)
I was so happy last Sunday because I finally got myself a copy of Eclipse! I called all the Fully Booked, Power Books and National Book Stores in Metro Manila and only to be saddened by a "Sold out na po," from the branch manager. Even the Fully Booked at Bonifacio High Street disappointed me! But thank heavens for Fully Booked at Rockwell. I think it just might be the last copy in the Metro? Hmm. :) I'm trying, really trying, to read it as slowly as I can because I don't want to finish it right away just yet. So I temporarily placed it in my bookshelf first and only vow to read it before I go to sleep. Haha. Of course, that only makes me miss Edward even more! :)
Yesterday was the Distribution of Cards. For the (outgoing) Seniors it also meant the receiving of our yearbook photos, souvenir CDs and DVDs from our Grad Ball and other main events. Everything was placed inside a brown envelope with your name written on it. I can't help but feel nostalgic all over again as I look at it. It's my last "souvenir" from SPCP, and it contains some of the best memories of my Senior year. I looked at my official yearbook photo, the one that looks like I had a nose job, and I can't help but laugh. I will forever be immortalized in this photograph. This is how the generations of Paulinians after me will remember me years from now -- with a nose job. Thank you very much, Photoshop. I also can't help but smile at my grades because they all turned out pretty good despite the hemorrhages our Periodic Exams gave. It was the highest average I've had in quite some time.. so I was extremely happy. All my motivation strategies worked! I successfully stirred myself to exert my best efforts especially in academics. My Senior mantra "Last year mo na to, Karla!" brought forth a positive effect! Haha. I hope I can continue challenging myself like this for the next years of my school life. GEEK MODE, activated! :))
Today is American Idol day! Yeheyy! I have a confession to make.. I think I'm falling hard for Jason Castro! Ayayay! I know the Archuletans out there will call me a traitor.. haha. But seriously, ever since their entry on the Top 12, Jason just becomes cuter and cuter every week.. especially the time he sang Michelle by the Beatles! I so love him already. :) Haha. I'm falling for the Dreadhead!
Dreadhead! ♥
I'm here blogging at my mom's office because my tita will fetch me. We'll be going to UP later to submit my Medical and Dental certificates. For the past few weeks me and my friends have been busy accomplishing our colllege-related tasks. All this school talk is making everyone in my barkada excited. My future La Sallite friends went their yesterday and reserved their slots, and checked out their future condos (sosyal talaga haha!), the future Thomasians have been learning how to commute to their school, the future Mapuans are getting ready for their future no summer break life (by making gala and outings!) and the UP peeps.. wala lang. Haha :)) Sa May pa kasi yung enrollment and everything else.
OMG I think I have to go already. Shoot, bitin ang Internet time ko oh. Anyway I'd really like to apologize, hindi pa ako nakakapag-bloghop masyado. But rest assured the moment our Internet gets fixed I'll be dropping by your blogs right away. I miss the Internet world so much! Haha. :)) Sorry for the sabog post.
Adios mi amigos! :D
[EDIT] Wooooow, God is soo good to me today! Aside from my successful submission in the Medical-Dental Certificates in UP, and my relaxing trip to Trinoma, I arrived home and found out we already have Internet! Yeheyy! :) I love this day! Okay, off to my bloghopping duties! [/EDIT]
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