Earlier this evening, I finally just sat down and played my violin. I haven't done this in months, save for a few times I was asked to perform and needed to practice. It's actually kind of hard to get into the mood in my house anyway, considering there are nine of us and the house is usually sorta noisy with the TV blaring and someone playing the guitar somewhere. It felt good. I kinda missed it - which is hard for me to truthfully say 'cause I'm not really attached to things or people. I don't like saying "I miss you" because I usually don't. But anyway, it was refreshing to be able to play properly again.
When I took Mul9 (Music of the Philippines) last year, my professor said, "Ah yes, architects are very musical people." Well, I'm not like some of those musically-inclined people who really feel their music as if it were a force touching upon their souls, like the way some people feel about their faith. But playing did give me a feeling of clarity, of peace. And it gave me some realizations as well.
Lately I've become extremely complacent with my work. And while my grades will still probably be in good condition, my attitude towards the work is not. I haven't been feeling the drive I felt last sem, which was probably my most busy and motivated sem yet. I was applying to two organizations, I was taking math and physics and design class with a challenging professor, and yet I mostly felt driven and pumped about my work. This sem I don't panic despite a big deadline nearing and not having finished my work. I just feel empty about it, and this perpetually brings questions to me as to whether or not I should shift.
I reason to myself that if I can't summon the enthusiasm to design at this stage, then I probably shouldn't bother continuing. At this point I'm not really sure as to what to do about my course. It's not something I'm surely passionate about - I'm usually passionate about whatever I have going on at the moment, but taking up Arki has never been that lifelong dream I had for myself. The thing is, I'm pretty sure nothing else is gonna make me happy so I might as well just stay. If only Arki were not such a hard course. People have misconceptions about the course, thinking all we do is draw whatever comes to mind and give the engineers all the hard work. Ha! If this were so, then I wonder why my engineer parents were not used to my sleepless nights during my first year. They never mention that it's like that in Eng'g, so I'm going to assume it's not.
Anyways, while playing earlier, there were the usual signs of not playing in a long time. My sound was strained at first, and gradually become more whole as I progressed. My back hurt: I wasn't used to keeping my posture anymore. I would hit the other strings at times, meaning my arm wasn't steady or in the right position. But gradually, the sound got better as I reacquainted myself with the nuances of playing. It was then I realized how similar playing music was like to my taking up Arki.
First of all, I wasn't born with it. I wasn't born playing violin, so I shouldn't beat myself up for not miraculously having talent in Arki. I learned how to play, and like that I should LEARN my craft.
Second, it takes discipline. When I first started playing the violin, I cried at how much my arms hurt keeping them up like that for an hour. But the more I practiced it became easier and hurt less. And gradually my sound grew richer, though still pretty amateur. I realize that this should apply to my course. It's gonna hurt at first. *cough*grade in Arch1*cough* It's hard, but eventually I should get there. I just have to work hard enough.
Third, I need to educate myself. I didn't learn the violin by myself - I had a teacher. And now that I don't have one, my progress is stalled. So if I don't learn from my professors and the people around me, I won't have much going for me in Arki as well.
Lastly, I have to WANT it. I lost interest in playing, sort of like I'm losing interest in my work. But if I want to succeed in anything, I have to regain the passions that pushed me into them in the first place.
I probably haven't articulated these points very poetically, and these words don't really encapsulate the feelings I was having earlier, but that's sort of it in a nutshell. As for my course, I won't deny that I still consider shifting. But there's always these realizations.. if I want it hard enough, I'll get there. :)
Friday, February 25, 2011
Monday, October 11, 2010
To be a UP student...
If this blog were a book, it'd be dusty and covered in cobwebs by now. I think of why I haven't written in so long, then I realize it's because: (1) I don't have the same free time I had before (despite being in a science highschool), (2) Facebook is taking over my life (can you relate? ;P) , and (3) there wasn't really that much to complain about in UP... Isn't there?
Being a UP student is one of the best things that ever happened to me. Why? Because:
1. I can totally relate to (almost all) the people here. It's like we're on the same brain frequency. And I don't mean that the way we think is better or lesser than other people, just that we think similarly.
2. I am amazed by the kind of educators in UP. I've been more or less "lucky" in my professors. They truly are the best of the best.
3. I'm given a lot of freedom. I choose my classes, schedules, and even professors sometimes. I get to choose what to wear to school and where I eat. Heck, I have the choice to even go to a class!
I could go on and on but that would take forever. I wanna talk about what it means to be a student.
As a student, your obligation is to study. Duh, right? But do we really do this? I will honestly say that I haven't been as true to this as I should have. No, I don't review in advance. I don't read the Physics or Math books nor do I read the required Arch17 readings. Yes, I cram reviewing for exams because I usually "understand" things during class. And what does it mean to study anyway? I think most of us, myself included, have been so disillusioned as to think studying is simply about reading the books or our notes and trying to memorize all this stuff.
The act of studying is "a personal effort to gain knowledge." To study is "to think deeply, reflect, or consider."
I admit, sometimes I feel too lazy to make an effort. Case in point: I did really badly in my Math 53 fifth long exam because I couldn't understand the topics discussed. I "tried" to study the topics myself, but I was unable to really grasp what to do, mostly because I lacked the time to really put myself into it. There was just so many things to do that night, I put the exam last. And come the exam itself, I felt the humiliation of not knowing what to do. It was probably the first time I ever felt so blank in an exam.
What did I do wrong?
First of all, I grew complacent and arrogant. I took the class for granted seeing as I had almost perfected all of the previous exams. I was in the perfect place for a flat uno and just because of my complacency I may have given that up.
Secondly, I didn't prioritize. I probably spent more time on Facebook than doing work. Nuff said.
And thirdly, I forgot that I wasn't simply taking the class because it was required, but for me to LEARN. Sometimes I think, what's the point in all these formulas? It's not as if I'm going to need to know what a hyperbolic inverse function is when I'm designing a building. But the thing is, you're not just learning Math or Physics or whatever course of study it is you're taking. You're learning DISCIPLINE. You're building CHARACTER. You're appreciating the tiny little details behind every thing that happens in this world, and eventually appreciating the higher being who does indeed understand all this.
So please don't ask about "unoable" GEs or "nice" professors. It's a General Education class, designed to make you a well-rounded individual! Your taking a class should be about learning something. About making an effort to understand things. About disciplining yourself. You're a UP student, so prove it! A UP student should understand that being human means choosing pleasures of the higher faculties rather than base ones. And the opportunity to appreciate these pleasures - literature, art, music, science - is being offered to you in UP. You can eat, drink, sleep, rest, have sex anywhere else.
Honor and excellence, people. That's the motto of UP. If your goal in a class is to learn, to develop yourself, then I think this will be easy. Unos aren't hard to get if you have the right attitude towards learning. What are grades but a reflection of you effort, your perseverance, your hard work? I understand it can be hard, but if you really want it you will push yourself and push yourself until you finally get it. There is no point in cheating. I'd rather fail an exam than cheat. I'd also rather have a failing grade than a grade I didn't earn, a grade given by an overly nice professor or by a professor who favors you over others. I admit I've had bad grades in my first semester because of professors who didn't teach much, or didn't teach rightly, but I lay fault on myself for not making an effort to find out what they didn't teach me. It was my fault for wasting the opportunity.
I understand that being in UP may mean having better work opportunities, but your taking a course shouldn't be about making money. It should be about fulfilling your purpose, about enriching your existence and the existence of others on this earth.
Please stop taking things for granted. And if you can, remind me as well.
Be a real UP student. Be honorable and excellent.
Being a UP student is one of the best things that ever happened to me. Why? Because:
1. I can totally relate to (almost all) the people here. It's like we're on the same brain frequency. And I don't mean that the way we think is better or lesser than other people, just that we think similarly.
2. I am amazed by the kind of educators in UP. I've been more or less "lucky" in my professors. They truly are the best of the best.
3. I'm given a lot of freedom. I choose my classes, schedules, and even professors sometimes. I get to choose what to wear to school and where I eat. Heck, I have the choice to even go to a class!
I could go on and on but that would take forever. I wanna talk about what it means to be a student.
As a student, your obligation is to study. Duh, right? But do we really do this? I will honestly say that I haven't been as true to this as I should have. No, I don't review in advance. I don't read the Physics or Math books nor do I read the required Arch17 readings. Yes, I cram reviewing for exams because I usually "understand" things during class. And what does it mean to study anyway? I think most of us, myself included, have been so disillusioned as to think studying is simply about reading the books or our notes and trying to memorize all this stuff.
The act of studying is "a personal effort to gain knowledge." To study is "to think deeply, reflect, or consider."
I admit, sometimes I feel too lazy to make an effort. Case in point: I did really badly in my Math 53 fifth long exam because I couldn't understand the topics discussed. I "tried" to study the topics myself, but I was unable to really grasp what to do, mostly because I lacked the time to really put myself into it. There was just so many things to do that night, I put the exam last. And come the exam itself, I felt the humiliation of not knowing what to do. It was probably the first time I ever felt so blank in an exam.
What did I do wrong?
First of all, I grew complacent and arrogant. I took the class for granted seeing as I had almost perfected all of the previous exams. I was in the perfect place for a flat uno and just because of my complacency I may have given that up.
Secondly, I didn't prioritize. I probably spent more time on Facebook than doing work. Nuff said.
And thirdly, I forgot that I wasn't simply taking the class because it was required, but for me to LEARN. Sometimes I think, what's the point in all these formulas? It's not as if I'm going to need to know what a hyperbolic inverse function is when I'm designing a building. But the thing is, you're not just learning Math or Physics or whatever course of study it is you're taking. You're learning DISCIPLINE. You're building CHARACTER. You're appreciating the tiny little details behind every thing that happens in this world, and eventually appreciating the higher being who does indeed understand all this.
So please don't ask about "unoable" GEs or "nice" professors. It's a General Education class, designed to make you a well-rounded individual! Your taking a class should be about learning something. About making an effort to understand things. About disciplining yourself. You're a UP student, so prove it! A UP student should understand that being human means choosing pleasures of the higher faculties rather than base ones. And the opportunity to appreciate these pleasures - literature, art, music, science - is being offered to you in UP. You can eat, drink, sleep, rest, have sex anywhere else.
Honor and excellence, people. That's the motto of UP. If your goal in a class is to learn, to develop yourself, then I think this will be easy. Unos aren't hard to get if you have the right attitude towards learning. What are grades but a reflection of you effort, your perseverance, your hard work? I understand it can be hard, but if you really want it you will push yourself and push yourself until you finally get it. There is no point in cheating. I'd rather fail an exam than cheat. I'd also rather have a failing grade than a grade I didn't earn, a grade given by an overly nice professor or by a professor who favors you over others. I admit I've had bad grades in my first semester because of professors who didn't teach much, or didn't teach rightly, but I lay fault on myself for not making an effort to find out what they didn't teach me. It was my fault for wasting the opportunity.
I understand that being in UP may mean having better work opportunities, but your taking a course shouldn't be about making money. It should be about fulfilling your purpose, about enriching your existence and the existence of others on this earth.
Please stop taking things for granted. And if you can, remind me as well.
Be a real UP student. Be honorable and excellent.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Should I Clap My Hands?
At least I follow two of these... The first and last, obviously. Hahah.
I am very happy. Seriously. Should I clap my hands? Or would that mean that I believe in fairies? Hahah.
"It's from Peter Pan, you illiterate."
The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger - a pretty good book, which I unfortunately haven't read properly, but have 'skimmed' (read random parts in random order) enough times to tell you what's gonna happen next and obviously quote pretty lines from...
Anyway. I'm happy.
Aaaaaaand, according to our survey, the top three reasons are:
1. I may now officially say that "I'm from UP" because I finally have the plastic card that proves it.
2. My phone line and, by extension, my internet connection is up and running after a number of grueling days, meaning that I can finally go online... and obviously have already.
3. I have just had a pretty good day which was not confined to the four walls of my home.
Hahah. This is the time when the very idea of staying home all day sickens you. If boredom could kill, you would have already given a pretty little speech about me a few weeks ago.
And to think, in a couple of weeks, we'll be suffering from a reverse of fate which will leave us pining for the boredom we've been deploring. Ironic. We humans are so fickle, always unsatisfied with what we have.
Arggh. I'm becoming an artsy-fartsy literate! Joke. Hahah.
Perhaps my mental processes are coming back. I seemed to have crippled them a bit when my infatuation started. I'm kinda happy it's gone, coz now I can focus, but it's kind of boring not having something (or someone :P) to think about. So I'm guessing that absence does NOT make the heart grow fonder. Hahah. Although my friend (not a classmate :P) keeps telling me (in a very teasing manner) something along the lines of: I bet if you see him again, it'll all come back.
Arggh again. Life was so much easier when I was.. genderless is not the term. Uhm. When I was emotionally detached from all those.. stuff. Now that it's started, it's likely to happen again. I've always been a romantic, but actually finding someone to fit the standard is shocking. Joke. What standard? All the 'requirements' fell away except the most important... Let's call it, 'convenience,' for want of a better term. And for ambiguity. :P *sigh* What happened to all that rigid control? Perhaps I'm just in love with the idea of being in love. Hahah.
Enough psychoanalyzing myself. Let me update you more clearly with the happenings of my life.
May 19 was Angel's birthday, which called for an overnight. It's pretty fun to stay up till 6am and wake up again an hour later. But going home and collapsing on your bed and being comatose for 6 hours is pretty big payback. Beats getting bored though. Hahah.
The 21st was my sister's enrollment in Mandsci. What does this have to do with me? Let's see... I know! How about the fact that she forgot her report card and had me commute all the way just to give it to her? Sure, spend some more time on your hair would ya. Joke. I actually didn't care, and still don't. Still, it's fun to get riled up a bit once in a while. No wonder I'm always causing trouble... Joke! Hahah.
Hmm. Joyce left on the 22nd. My mom didn't want me to come with the crying entourage who would be there to wave handkerchiefs at the plane. Somehow we ended up going to the mall. My dad wasn't around but my sis just got her driver's license... Hahah. You get the picture. I met up with Angel at the mall and walked around a bit. I was able to send a pretty senti email to Joyce though.
Saturday meant "Yearbook meeting." An excuse to meet up and chat. Hahah. Well, we did get a few things done. And then we spent another 3 hours at McDo, chatting again. Then I went to Robpi to meet up with a friend who needed a favor. And, I bought another book, one I'd always seem to read at National but never seemed to buy. So I bought it. Another one to add to the list. I think that's 7 or 8 now. Hahah. But it seems that I've almost finished it. I'm aiming to read all those books in my last 2 weeks of freedom. I know I can, I'm just too lazy.
Hmm. Sunday. Our church service was at the Center of HOPE in Binan, Laguna. We made some noise in their music room afterward. Hahah. We ate dinner at my tito's place back in QC, 9 hours after lunch. Imagine that.
TODAY.
Today I was scheduled... or in a British accent, 'sheduled,' for my Photo-ID stuff.
It's fun to commute to UP. I love taking the MRT when there are only a few passengers. Hahah.
So.. My ID picture-taking. It was pretty cool. And very fast. I was kinda nervous coz everyone had their own sob story about their ID pic. But I guess mine was pretty okay. I mean, I'm used to having horrible ID pictures, so this one was pretty okay versus my old ones. Hahaha. At least I was not veiled in a shade of pink.
It was so fast. While waiting, I chatted with the guy next to me in line. It was cool because he was pretty friendly and kinda cute. Hahah!
Next thing I did was to walk straight over to Archi. Katabi lang, please. Hahah! Kaya ang dali talaga noong enlistment ko eh. There I started an 'experiment.'
How long is it gonna take me to get from Archi to PE?
I swear, UP just seems to get smaller and smaller to me. It was pretty close. It took me around 10 minutes to get to the Alumni Center, walking leisurely, that is. So if Risah and I broke out in a dead run... Hahah!
After my experiment I went to Eng'g to meet up with my mom who went to UP earlier than me. I decided to go with her to her meeting with some people from UNICEF.
She made me her secretary in exchange for getting to eat with them. Swear, masarap talaga pagkain sa Chocolate Kiss (2nd Floor, Bahay ng Alumni). Mahal lang, pero malaki ang servings. Hahah! Naumay na nga ako eh.
Ayun. It really made me appreciate my mom. The projects she takes up are no joke. This meeting had my head reeling. I started to actually appreciate Research class because it actually helped me understand what was going on. Of course, how could I take notes if I couldn't understand a thing, right? Man. Eye-opener.
Well, since one of them was my mom's former stude, they decided to give us a lift. While we waiting for the car to come up front, a guy who looked like he just went jogging walked past me and into the Bahay ng Alumni. I glanced at him as he came close, then looked away, then I looked back again, realizing it was a television actor. Luckily, when I looked back he had already passed me, so I didn't look idiotic so much as disinterested in him. When we got into the car I started asking my mom if he saw that guy. And she was like, Oo, artista nga, ang gwapo nga eh! Hahah. Her co-teacher gave us the name, it was DJ Durano. Hahah.
They dropped us off at Ortigas station. We crossed over and walked to MegaMall. Met up with my dad. Did whatever they needed to do. Came home.
And here I am, typing this blog entry.
Oh, but I was able to chat with Joyce, and man, I'm telling you: it feels really good to converse with someone who understands. Like, I could relate with whatever she's experiencing now in Australia, and it feels nice to have someone understand me. I mean, I avoid making conversation about my experiences there because I may eventually cause discomfort on either side. But since she can relate, it felt really nice and very real.
And so. Here I am. Happy with the day. It wasn't extraordinary; I didn't find out that I had superpowers, or that I was actually adopted and my real parents just died leaving me billions, or some other whack thing.
But I had fun. I'm happy. At least I followed two of the instructions...
Comment please! In the chatbox, ok? Thanks!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Just Deposited: 1, 708 tears, 329 heartaches, and counting.
"Mother - that was the bank where we deposited all our hurts and worries." ~T. DeWitt Talmage
How many times have I cried in her arms? How many times have I relied on her to get me through MY problems? How many times have I looked at her and waited for the inevitable "It'll be alright" and reassuring smile? And, despite all this, how many times have I hurt her, challenged her, rebelled against her, knowing that she'd forgive me all the same?
I don't know.
Even if I did, the number may be too large for this screen... Immeasurable. Just like her value is.
"If the whole world were put into one scale, and my mother in the other, the whole world would kick the beam." ~Lord Langdale (Henry Bickersteth)
I don't know what I'd be if it weren't for her. Every contest, every medal, every award... I want them because I want her to be proud of me. I fight for them because I want her to smile and be able to say, "That's MY daughter." I sacrifice so much for them because I want her to know that she did a wonderful job as a mother.
A mother is a person who, seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. ~Tenneva Jordan
My mother could've written the book on sacrifice. She's been through so much for us; I can't believe I even allow myself to forget.
She is brilliant and wonderful and so unselfish. She could've been earning millions a decade ago but she gave it up. Because she wanted a better life for her children. Not for us to grow up with everything but her presence; but for us to grow up with something much more than all the toys in the world... her love.
How many of you can boast of a mother who studied for her PhD, pregnant and caring for 3 other children, while holding a part-time job and still getting a high distinction in class? How many of you have a mother who has endured so many fatalistic health scares and major surgeries and yet still goes to work everyday, uncomplainingly? There are four children in my household who can. And we are proud to be the offspring of such a strong woman.
A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. ~Washington Irving
Even if the world turned its back on me, I know, that my mother never will. Never. And it breaks my heart to think that I haven't shown her the love and respect she deserves. She deserves a child who will help her out without complaint, who will do anything to make her smile, who will never forget to say "I love you, thanks for everything you've done."
Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of little children. ~William Makepeace Thackeray
God could not be everywhere, so he created mothers. ~Jewish Proverb
I know I've been hardheaded about my faith. I appreciate the fact that my parents are such strong role models, showing me how much I should love God. And though I still look for the intellectual challenge, at least I have an inkling of how much God loves me. And that is through my mother.
Thanks for everything, Mom. I mean it. The hours of hard labor for my birth, the hours of tolerating my incessant crying. The days of worrying when we were away from you, the days of working hard to feed our stomachs. The years of patiently loving and forgiving us, the years of always having our backs.
Words may never fully express this but,
I love you. WE love you. Happy Mother's Day, because it should be everyday.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
I'm a Bran Muffin. Seriously.
WARNING: This blog post is extremely random. Not for people who get confused easily by topic changes. Oh, and not for people who are easily blown away by rushing wind, and get angry about it. Hahah. Don't say I didn't warn you. *wink, wink*
Just now, I'd been taking random quizzes on blogthings.com and one of them was:
WHAT KIND OF MUFFIN ARE YOU?
It sounds kind of silly, huh? As I was taking the test, I was definitely thinking, 'What is the connection of muffins to my personality?' Perhaps I should ask Marc or Mico to explain. Hahah.
Then the results came out, and honestly, I was expecting something quite silly. But no, I was proven wrong. Hahah. Read on:
You Are a Bran Muffin |
 Some people have accused you of being all work and no play. And that does describe you most of the time. You are very career oriented. When you're not working making money, you're working to improve yourself. You have very little room in your life for fluff. You want to live as good of a life as possible. You are competitive and driven. You like to surround yourself with other motivated people. While you are a go-getter, you are by no means self centered. Quite the opposite. You are a caring, together, and stable friend. You are grounded enough to be there for people. |
I was instantly laughing at how a muffin, of all things, could be used to describe a person.
It kind of reminds me of Paula Abdul's loopy analogies on Idol. Speaking of which, GO ADAM!!! It's special entertainment to see if he'll do something gay, like the time when he kissed Matt on the cheek after he [Matt] was eliminated... Hahaha!! But, seriously, I only want to watch a finale that has Gokey vs. Adam. Seriously. And I want Adam to win. Hahah!
Okay. Back to topic.
How flattering! Hahah! Maybe I should have a shirt that says, 'I'm a BRAN muffin.'
What will they think of UP then, if one of their Oblation Scholars walked around in that? Hahahah!
Unfortunately for those anti-UP people out there, I am very loyal to ANYTHING I am associated with, unless it's something simply inane. (in which case I will deny any connection to that thing whatsoever. hahah.)
Anyway... Perhaps I'll take the implications to 'lighten up.' (As if I'm not retarded enough already) ...Let myself have more 'fluff.' *grins*
[Kim, Mico, Melo, et al who know about ... : I bet you're laughing. Sshh!! Hahah. If you're gonna comment, do NOT name names!! My trust is sparingly given. Heheh.]
But I will definitely be needing some incredible time management to do that. 8 to 6, 7 to 2 - a schedule that just might kill me and turn me into a mindless zombie. Hopefully, Mandsci training will be enough to prepare me for COLLEGE.
STOP. If you can't be open-minded by a little "wind-y" joking, please click the little X at the top-right corner of the screen. If you think you can take, I repeat, a little JOKING, please continue. (I can't believe I'm trying to AVOID offending people. JOKE!!!)
I'm officially an Iska now!! (Well, according to the College of Archi Sec, that is. I have my Form 5, after all.)
Yehey! My favorite cheer is:
U-nibersidad ng Pilipinas (8x)
Matatapang, matatalino
Walang takot, kahit kanino
Hinding-hindi magpapahuli
Ganyan kaming mga taga-UP
U-nibersidad ng Pilipinas (4x)
Especially when the studes scream, 'matatalino.' It's hilarious to see them so proud of that quality despite cheering on a seemingly losing team. Oh, and I love the arm actions. Hahahahaha!!!!
Is it bad for me to want a jacket? A black one, and written on the back, something along the lines of, 'Fact: The Top 50 passers out of the 62,111 who took the UPCAT are called Oblation Scholars. Myth: I am NOT one of them.'
Hahah! Bagyo!!! Worse than Emong!!! Hahah!
Gosh. Maybe I should pray for humility and attend a 'Lower your self-confidence NOW!' seminar.
Oh man. This is SOOOOO random. And probably making your room VERY COLD. Hahah!
Don't say I didn't warn you! Just click the little X at the top-right corner of the screen if you find this distasteful.
Anyway, moving on.
I was out all week, it seems. Well, except Monday. After a grueling 6 hours of travel from Baguio, I think I deserve some rest, eh? Hahah.
A summary of my week:
Monday - lazing about the house.
Tuesday - Went to NSO to cram my birth certificate. (What a BIG difference one word, 'NSO,' in front of 'birth certificate,' is! Hahah!) Played on the computer of a UP IE professor, my mom.
Wednesday - Went back to NSO to get my birth certificate. Younger sister's one, that we didn't need anyway, was still missing. Went to UP, and played, again! Went back to NSO to get the unneeded paper.
Thursday - Advance(d - Wala daw?) Registration. From College of Archi, to OUR (magkatabi lang!! yehey!), would've gotten it done faster if I didn't have to go to Vinzons in the pouring rain with my ate to have my Form 5 stamped for exemption... At least I got to see Kim and Melo... Hahah. Dumaan sa Eng'g for ate. Payed only P178.50 instead of more than P22K. Went to Mega to meet up with our family ATM, este, my Mom... hahah!
Friday - Went to UP in the morning with my Mom. Was left behind by them (because most of the family was going to visit Batangas church again) to walk to my FOP. Met up with Melo, Risah, and Kim. Found a place for Melo to buy a quick lunch. Had the FOP, had fun. Went with Melo to the OUR and ate dirty ice cream with Kim. Talked to them the whole time up to the MRT about certain stuff... Hahah. Got down at Boni, met up with my ate. Went to Robpi to watch 'Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.' It was fun enough. I don't recommend it if you're looking for a great watch though.
Saturday - Went to my old school to meet up for the yearbook. Editor in chief was not present. Spent most of the time talking AGAIN about certain stuff... Went to McDo. Ate and spent the 3 hours laughing and talking. Went home.
Sunday - Celebrated Mother's Day away from our Mom. At least my ate made a card to be given to her, and I just had my message written down via text. Went to MegaMall to meet up with grandparents and cousin. Went home. Did stuff online. Wrote this.
Ok. That's it. It's too long now. I'll eventually find something to write that will actually stimulate your thinking process, instead of scramble it. Until then, ciao babes. Hahah!
Friday, April 24, 2009
4A Fanfiction Archive: You’re just not allowed to be nice
Genre: General
Rating: Anyone
Status: Complete
A/N: This is a oneshot, sort of a spin-off epilogue for the story ‘4Aver.’
Disclaimer: I do not own 4A. I only own my thoughts.
You’re just not allowed to be nice
Aura’s POV
Arggh. I HATE being sick. 'Coz when I get sick, everything happens. It could start out with a cold, then a fever follows, then cough, then I lose my voice because of coughing. I hate it.
Grr. But I won't complain about the reason I'm sick, just the fact that I am. Hahah. But I should probably explain why.
Flashback
I checked my phone after charging it. I hadn't been able to use it during camp, since I'm a good girl who followed the rules. Joke! Hahah. Feeling. It was more because my mom asked me to cough it up for safekeeping, and I used up all its battery on the way there, and I wanted to make friends. Hahah.
Anyway. So here comes a text from Cheska, basically saying that we were to have a meeting: April 22, 1pm, Mcdo sa MP. Okay.
Good thing my doctor's appointment was postponed. (Even doctors get sick!)
End Flashback
So that's the first part of what happened. Going on to the day itself...
Flashback
At 12:30pm I rushed out of the house into the pouring rain. Yes, my umbrella was out. Yes, I do have more sense than a cat. Moving on.
I flagged down a sidecar, got in it, had it take me to the salon on the intersection of our main street (I live in the extension) and a main road.
And I walked all the way to Rustan's Expresslane. Not far? What's the point? Okay, let me recast that: And I walked all the way to Rustan's Expresslane, ankle-deep in muddy water, in the pouring rain that made it seem like a typhoon was ravaging the city.
Okay. Then I had to wait for a jeep that wasn't full. My pants were soaked by then. It was like it took on a darker shade. And my shoes were drenched; I could feel the dirty water around my feet. Ugh.
Got on a jeep, finally, got down in front of MP, again giving my feet a luxurious muddy water bath. Got into MP, went up to Mcdo.
Lo and behold! Dalawa lang sila. Oh-em-gee. Kaasar!
Ayun. I walked up to Mara and Mariel, probably looking terrible, and said, "Through hell and high water, and now I look like _____." (Guess. Hahah.)
And so. Jacob came. Jellah came. Mariel ordered food. Cheska came. I ordered food. Melo came and his STLT (or COCC) finally worked up the nerve to join us.
So we bonded. I even said to them, "Uy. Pag wala pa nangyari, aalis ako ng 3pm."
But no. *Sigh*. We waited for LoAnn. It was around 4pm that we actually got to moving. There were 14 of us, 8 A'ers and 6 STLT-ers. Hahah.
The A'ers paired off while the STLT split into 2 groups. Melo was my partner, luckily. That way I didn't have to talk! Just smile and meekly say, "Salamat po." (Me, meek?!) Hahah.
So for 2 and a half hours, Melo and I walked around and begged for donations from sari-sari stores. If you don't know why, check your mail. If you still don't know, because you're someone I don't know, who for some creepy reason reads my blog, check this out: http://chrisjohnapostol.blogspot.com/
Then we met at Rustan's again. We went to LoAnn's house, which is coincidentally just walking distance from mine, which is why I call LoAnn my 'kapit-street'. There we counted the money.
And despite having traveled in the rain and being significantly less than the first group to do this (on April 17 - day of my camp), we were able to scrape up around P3000 from loose change. Loose change meaning: 5c, 10c, 25c, P1, P5, and P10 coins. And we had some help from very giving acquaintances and non-acquaintances who gave bills in denominations from P20 to P200. Hahah. Cool.
End Flashback
Yeah. So there. I came home late, around 8pm. So, I was out from 1 to 8pm, half of that unproductive.
I rested the next day, but I could feel the start of a cold. And against my better judgment, played games on Sporcle til 3am. I blame Angelo for recommending it. Joke! Hahah. Okay, I THANK Angelo for recommending it. Heheh.
So I'm sick. Apparently, so is Melo.
Good luck. Di na lang ako sasama sa Anime and Music Convention sa MOA bukas. Magpapahinga na lang ako...
BECAUSE... pupunta kaming Tagaytay on Saturday! Then we'll be attending church in Batangas. Next week, from March 1 to 3, we'll be visiting Baguio church naman. Hahah!
The End
Nope. Not yet. I haven't explained the title.
So, I texted Tricia, my churchmate. Haha. And told her I was sick. And she said, "Bawal ka lang talaga maging mabait." Or in English, "You're just not allowed to be nice."
I love that dry humor. But I value her opinion about my 'begging.'
To show people that 4A is a family, not just friends or classmates or acquaintances, but FAMILY, really means a lot to me. I didn't do it to be nice, or to make people think that. I did it because we're family, and FAMILY MEANS SACRIFICE. That's what pushed me to swallow my pride and ask for help. I LOVE MY FAMILY, BLOOD OR OTHERWISE.
THE END
Rating: Anyone
Status: Complete
A/N: This is a oneshot, sort of a spin-off epilogue for the story ‘4Aver.’
Disclaimer: I do not own 4A. I only own my thoughts.
You’re just not allowed to be nice
Aura’s POV
Arggh. I HATE being sick. 'Coz when I get sick, everything happens. It could start out with a cold, then a fever follows, then cough, then I lose my voice because of coughing. I hate it.
Grr. But I won't complain about the reason I'm sick, just the fact that I am. Hahah. But I should probably explain why.
Flashback
I checked my phone after charging it. I hadn't been able to use it during camp, since I'm a good girl who followed the rules. Joke! Hahah. Feeling. It was more because my mom asked me to cough it up for safekeeping, and I used up all its battery on the way there, and I wanted to make friends. Hahah.
Anyway. So here comes a text from Cheska, basically saying that we were to have a meeting: April 22, 1pm, Mcdo sa MP. Okay.
Good thing my doctor's appointment was postponed. (Even doctors get sick!)
End Flashback
So that's the first part of what happened. Going on to the day itself...
Flashback
At 12:30pm I rushed out of the house into the pouring rain. Yes, my umbrella was out. Yes, I do have more sense than a cat. Moving on.
I flagged down a sidecar, got in it, had it take me to the salon on the intersection of our main street (I live in the extension) and a main road.
And I walked all the way to Rustan's Expresslane. Not far? What's the point? Okay, let me recast that: And I walked all the way to Rustan's Expresslane, ankle-deep in muddy water, in the pouring rain that made it seem like a typhoon was ravaging the city.
Okay. Then I had to wait for a jeep that wasn't full. My pants were soaked by then. It was like it took on a darker shade. And my shoes were drenched; I could feel the dirty water around my feet. Ugh.
Got on a jeep, finally, got down in front of MP, again giving my feet a luxurious muddy water bath. Got into MP, went up to Mcdo.
Lo and behold! Dalawa lang sila. Oh-em-gee. Kaasar!
Ayun. I walked up to Mara and Mariel, probably looking terrible, and said, "Through hell and high water, and now I look like _____." (Guess. Hahah.)
And so. Jacob came. Jellah came. Mariel ordered food. Cheska came. I ordered food. Melo came and his STLT (or COCC) finally worked up the nerve to join us.
So we bonded. I even said to them, "Uy. Pag wala pa nangyari, aalis ako ng 3pm."
But no. *Sigh*. We waited for LoAnn. It was around 4pm that we actually got to moving. There were 14 of us, 8 A'ers and 6 STLT-ers. Hahah.
The A'ers paired off while the STLT split into 2 groups. Melo was my partner, luckily. That way I didn't have to talk! Just smile and meekly say, "Salamat po." (Me, meek?!) Hahah.
So for 2 and a half hours, Melo and I walked around and begged for donations from sari-sari stores. If you don't know why, check your mail. If you still don't know, because you're someone I don't know, who for some creepy reason reads my blog, check this out: http://chrisjohnapostol.blogspot.com/
Then we met at Rustan's again. We went to LoAnn's house, which is coincidentally just walking distance from mine, which is why I call LoAnn my 'kapit-street'. There we counted the money.
And despite having traveled in the rain and being significantly less than the first group to do this (on April 17 - day of my camp), we were able to scrape up around P3000 from loose change. Loose change meaning: 5c, 10c, 25c, P1, P5, and P10 coins. And we had some help from very giving acquaintances and non-acquaintances who gave bills in denominations from P20 to P200. Hahah. Cool.
End Flashback
Yeah. So there. I came home late, around 8pm. So, I was out from 1 to 8pm, half of that unproductive.
I rested the next day, but I could feel the start of a cold. And against my better judgment, played games on Sporcle til 3am. I blame Angelo for recommending it. Joke! Hahah. Okay, I THANK Angelo for recommending it. Heheh.
So I'm sick. Apparently, so is Melo.
Good luck. Di na lang ako sasama sa Anime and Music Convention sa MOA bukas. Magpapahinga na lang ako...
BECAUSE... pupunta kaming Tagaytay on Saturday! Then we'll be attending church in Batangas. Next week, from March 1 to 3, we'll be visiting Baguio church naman. Hahah!
The End
Nope. Not yet. I haven't explained the title.
So, I texted Tricia, my churchmate. Haha. And told her I was sick. And she said, "Bawal ka lang talaga maging mabait." Or in English, "You're just not allowed to be nice."
I love that dry humor. But I value her opinion about my 'begging.'
To show people that 4A is a family, not just friends or classmates or acquaintances, but FAMILY, really means a lot to me. I didn't do it to be nice, or to make people think that. I did it because we're family, and FAMILY MEANS SACRIFICE. That's what pushed me to swallow my pride and ask for help. I LOVE MY FAMILY, BLOOD OR OTHERWISE.
THE END
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Twilight Bash
Okay, okay. I was just bloghopping and I read this really intriguing post by Mico. It was about Stephen King criticizing Stephenie Meyer.
Of course, I had to look it up. In King's words, "[J.K.] Rowling is a terrific writer and Stephenie Meyer can’t write worth a darn. She’s not very good."
Now that's brilliant. I was wondering how long it was gonna take for someone credible to speak up about it. It also amused me how many comments the article I read garnered. It was around 1,500. Kinda reminds me of Yvonne's blog. Hahah.
Okay, so maybe I don't really have the right to say anything because I haven't read either (King or Meyer) author's books. I've read snippets; but that's all you really need, right? A good author writes anything and everything well.
When I read a bit of Stephen King, it was like... damn. I was positive I was reading a bit of a horror story that I definitely didn't want to finish for fear of nightmares. Wimpy? Whatever. I'd rather call it part of my incredible foresight. Especially after hearing the summary of the movie 1408. Since I'm talking about the movie, it's probably pathetic compared to the written story itself, but heck, the summary scared the shit out of me. I'm talking about a summary, here. Not even the movie itself. So if a really, really downplayed version is enough to scare me, what more if I actually read the book. FYI: I have a very vivid and wild imagination, being a somewhat writer and avid reader.
Stephenie Meyer was first introduced to me by my 'classmate' in LSC (review center). Why did I go to a review center? Yes, I would've passed without it, but I do think that aiming for an Oblation scholarship takes effort.
Anyway, back to the topic, my 'classmate,' who was also the cousin of my classmate in Mandsci, saw me reading The Vampire Armand by Anne Rice while we were there. She recommended Twilight, which was not yet that popular then. I said I'd look into it when I went to Powerbooks, and whoa! Look who's writer of the month.
Seeing the stack of books, I checked out the backs... Boring. Fluff. Okay, let's look inside; maybe it'll get better. Hmm. Why would I waste my money on something I could probably read on Quizilla or Fanfiction.Net? I'd probably read some faux version of it with the same story, summarized, and the protagonist changed to someone whose name is "____ (your name)." Or I could probably not waste my time and go find a more entertaining fanfic. There are some that are even better than the things they're based on. Case in point: a fanfic I once read based on the anime Detective School Q. The cases to be solved by the protagonist were even more complicated then the ones in the anime itself.
So there. There was a time when I became an obsessed hater. That was when I heard something about a comparison... Some idiot praised Meyer on being like Anne Rice. NO!!! Anne Rice is brilliant. No comparison. At all.
When you read Anne Rice, you are immersed in literary brilliance. Her books show you culture in a real world. It's like finding something really exquisite but still seeing the darkness and ugliness around it, which in fact serve only to enhance the brightness of the tiny beauty. Her characters are infinitely charming. But they are not without their flaws or weaknesses. If they are near-invincible, it comes with a cost. Her contradicting first two books in the Vampire Chronicles show how different mindsets and takes on life really change how a situation stands. I could ramble on, but perhaps that deserves its own post.
Okay, back to Twilight. I only watched the movie because it was a convenient time for me to meet my sister's kareshi. I have my reasons for using another language.
Okay, fine. Kinilig ako. Whatever, right? I'm a girl. A teenage girl. Get over it.
That still doesn't mean I read the book. I read some snippets because my friend liked it too, and she kept telling me all this stuff and invited me to read them. But even she agreed that Twilight is a feel-good thing. She said that it wasn't deep, it was just entertaining.
So I kind of got over my prejudice because of that. She's right. Why should I care enough to hate it? I should just get my entertainment and leave it be. Use the time reading Anne Rice instead of ranting about those inferior to her.
Ahh. I'm done. And just 'cause I said that I got over it, doesn't mean I can't have my fun, eh? Hence this post. It gets boring around the house, once in a while.
Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb72V_4N5ko
I think that's a good argument. Ciao.
Of course, I had to look it up. In King's words, "[J.K.] Rowling is a terrific writer and Stephenie Meyer can’t write worth a darn. She’s not very good."
Now that's brilliant. I was wondering how long it was gonna take for someone credible to speak up about it. It also amused me how many comments the article I read garnered. It was around 1,500. Kinda reminds me of Yvonne's blog. Hahah.
Okay, so maybe I don't really have the right to say anything because I haven't read either (King or Meyer) author's books. I've read snippets; but that's all you really need, right? A good author writes anything and everything well.
When I read a bit of Stephen King, it was like... damn. I was positive I was reading a bit of a horror story that I definitely didn't want to finish for fear of nightmares. Wimpy? Whatever. I'd rather call it part of my incredible foresight. Especially after hearing the summary of the movie 1408. Since I'm talking about the movie, it's probably pathetic compared to the written story itself, but heck, the summary scared the shit out of me. I'm talking about a summary, here. Not even the movie itself. So if a really, really downplayed version is enough to scare me, what more if I actually read the book. FYI: I have a very vivid and wild imagination, being a somewhat writer and avid reader.
Stephenie Meyer was first introduced to me by my 'classmate' in LSC (review center). Why did I go to a review center? Yes, I would've passed without it, but I do think that aiming for an Oblation scholarship takes effort.
Anyway, back to the topic, my 'classmate,' who was also the cousin of my classmate in Mandsci, saw me reading The Vampire Armand by Anne Rice while we were there. She recommended Twilight, which was not yet that popular then. I said I'd look into it when I went to Powerbooks, and whoa! Look who's writer of the month.
Seeing the stack of books, I checked out the backs... Boring. Fluff. Okay, let's look inside; maybe it'll get better. Hmm. Why would I waste my money on something I could probably read on Quizilla or Fanfiction.Net? I'd probably read some faux version of it with the same story, summarized, and the protagonist changed to someone whose name is "____ (your name)." Or I could probably not waste my time and go find a more entertaining fanfic. There are some that are even better than the things they're based on. Case in point: a fanfic I once read based on the anime Detective School Q. The cases to be solved by the protagonist were even more complicated then the ones in the anime itself.
So there. There was a time when I became an obsessed hater. That was when I heard something about a comparison... Some idiot praised Meyer on being like Anne Rice. NO!!! Anne Rice is brilliant. No comparison. At all.
When you read Anne Rice, you are immersed in literary brilliance. Her books show you culture in a real world. It's like finding something really exquisite but still seeing the darkness and ugliness around it, which in fact serve only to enhance the brightness of the tiny beauty. Her characters are infinitely charming. But they are not without their flaws or weaknesses. If they are near-invincible, it comes with a cost. Her contradicting first two books in the Vampire Chronicles show how different mindsets and takes on life really change how a situation stands. I could ramble on, but perhaps that deserves its own post.
Okay, back to Twilight. I only watched the movie because it was a convenient time for me to meet my sister's kareshi. I have my reasons for using another language.
Okay, fine. Kinilig ako. Whatever, right? I'm a girl. A teenage girl. Get over it.
That still doesn't mean I read the book. I read some snippets because my friend liked it too, and she kept telling me all this stuff and invited me to read them. But even she agreed that Twilight is a feel-good thing. She said that it wasn't deep, it was just entertaining.
So I kind of got over my prejudice because of that. She's right. Why should I care enough to hate it? I should just get my entertainment and leave it be. Use the time reading Anne Rice instead of ranting about those inferior to her.
Ahh. I'm done. And just 'cause I said that I got over it, doesn't mean I can't have my fun, eh? Hence this post. It gets boring around the house, once in a while.
Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb72V_4N5ko
I think that's a good argument. Ciao.
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