HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Enjoy the celebration while I watch bright expensive fireworks displays flash in the sky while Philippine snow falls all around me (falling hot cinders from fireworks)

I'll post something substantial later. Damn, it's 2008 already! Happy new Year! Hehe

Discovery

It's been more than or almost a month since my accident, my birthday, Christmas, New Years and our Bataan Ecotour. Now that's procrastinating. It's not that I don't have anything to write about. When school came back it swamped with work and stress so I put off writing about this year's Christmas until now. Add the fact that we have Discovery Channel back in our cable, it's been difficult for me to get away from the TV. I love watching Discovery

A month ago I was in an industrious mood - all I've been doing before Christmas was keep busy - play games, watch the new season of Avatar, watch TV, even read schoolwork just to keep my mind busy and not bothered by troubles. So I was surprised when I discovered that I lost my drive after Christmas day. Industriousness has always just been an excuse for me, work just a distraction. I hate idle times like vacation, it makes me think. Christmas this year was better than last year.

Our Bataan Trip was fun. I discovered alot of things, like facts about turtles, how incredibly bad the feeling of being wasted is, but what amazes me until now is the awesome power of the Law of Attraction. If you've heard one of my motivational speeches then you'd have an idea of what I'm talking about. I mean, it cannot be coincidence anymore!

This post is made just for me to put into writing most of my thought this past two months. It's very cryptic i know, but that's for the off-chance someone actually got to reading this. Don't worry, I'll understand what I wrote about, even if you wouldn't.*insert sly smile here*

Tough shoes

A tough shoe makes all the difference. I would know, I put mine through tests that would make any terror prof blush and my shoes never failed me. I walk miles in my shoes. I like walking. I walk from Petron Katipunan to campus and back everyday, not to mention the walking that happens going from point A to B to J within campus. I don't even mind walking all the way home from Ateneo. It's becoming often that traffic jams so bad occur that I can practically walk faster than the vehicles. So I just press on from Katipunan past the bridge, past the LRT station and onwards on foot until I see that I can get a ride when traffic is gone.

I'm not really a shoes kind of guy. That's my dad. I'm more on shirts. That's why I volunteered to help in the Ateneo alumni homecoming last Saturday as a marshal. Free shirt, free food, free beer and good music, not to mention what must be a very expensive fireworks display. Ateneo sure knows how to throw a good party.

Speaking of free stuff, my tita gave me these rubber shoes from the States a month ago. It's kind of too rugged for me. It's a little on the hard side. Maybe because it's still quite new. Anyway, I was wearing these shoes on my way school this morning. Because of that darn traffic I got a little later than usual so I decided to just ride a trike to make it to class on time. There was a cute girl in the trike so I rode on the back. Now instead of getting to know that girl, I got to know my tricycle driver instead. Mang Rueben the trike driver and I got chatty after something got stuck in between the shock absorbers and the rear wheel of the trike after entering gate 2 that brought the trike to a halt. The girl in the cab went down to see what happened and while we were waiting for Mang R to get the wheel removed I saw that I wasn't making much of a good first impression. Maybe because I had this stupid look on my face, or maybe she saw my dirty shoes. Yeah, I think it's that.

So since Mang Rueben's trike is lying in the middle of the road wheel-less, he and I got on another trike and that is where we got to know each other. He seemed troubled so I tried to calm him down with some small talk. I think that helped. So we went to the HealthDev building (across ISO) where I got to sit in a wheelchair for a while. that's because that was my foot that got stuck.

If your thinking it's impossible for something to get stuck in between the shocks and the wheel of a trike, believe you me, it can. It happened once with my camera, now it has happened with my left foot. It's not as bad as it sounds, or might have looked. Slightly embarrassing cuz it happened in the middle of the road. At least got to practice my wheelchair driving skills. Now I'll need to practice my crutch (saklay) handling skills.

It's my shoes that saved my foot for the most part. Those thick shoes took the brunt of the damage that would have torn any lesser shoe and my foot to shreds. My foot essentially stopped the forward motion of a speeding trike with sheer friction. It took one hell of a beating. Some of the designs on both sides of the shoes were shaved off. I shudder to think what might have happened if I were wearing chucks instead of those hard-ass shoes.

And these Ateneo kids bitch about not being able to wear slippers anymore because of the dress code. Thank God I wear shoes. Because by the end of the day, a tough shoe makes all the difference.

100 Truths (from lemarc and luz)

001. Real name : I choose to keep that a secret

002. Nickname: I wish I had a better nickname

003. Single or taken : Single

004. Zodiac sign : Sagittarius

005. Male or female : Male

006. Elementary : Lorenzo Ruiz De Manila School

007. High school: Lorenzo Ruiz De Manila School

008. College : Ateneo

009. Eye color : Dark Brown

010. Hair color : Black

011. Long or short hair : Short now

012. Shoe size : 8

013. Asthma? Yes

014. Are you health freak? If you call being OC about inhaling smoke, avoiding fatty foods, trying not to get sunburned and loving exercise being a health freak, then I guess.

016. Do you have a crush on someone? Of course. I'm a guy

017. Do you like yourself? Yes

018. Piercings : None

019. Tattoos : None

020. Righty or lefty: lefty

FIRSTS

022. First surgery : Does getting your umbilicals cut count?

023. First piercing: Never

024. First best friend: Some kid way back then

025. First movie made : a presentation for Fil class

026. First sport you joined: Chess I think

027. First pet : Dog

028. First vacation : Zambales

029. First concert : Orsem

CURRENTLY :

049. Eating : Nothing

050. Drinking : Nothing

052. I'm about : to get a good night's sleep after almost dying again in swimming class

053. Listening to : Silence

055. Waiting : for someone

057. Wearing : clothes

YOUR FUTURE :

058. Want kids? Of course

059. Want to get married? Of course

060. Career in mind? Professional tourist/backpacker

WHICH IS BETTER WITH THE OPPOSITE SEX?

068. Lips or eyes? Eyes

069. Hugs or kisses? None. Both are great, but for the sake of choosing hugs.

070. Shorter or taller ? shorter. I'm already short

072. Romantic or spontaneous? Spontaneous.

073. Stomach or arms? Stomach.

074. Sensitive or loud? Loud.

075. Hook-up or relationship? Relationship

HAVE YOU EVER :

078. Kissed a stranger : No

080. Lost glasses/contacts : Cellphones, googles yes

081. Ran away from home : in the sense that I ran towards a friends house away from home yes

082. Broken any bones : thank God no

084. Broken someone's heart : I...don't think so

085. Been arrested : Nope

086. Turned someone down : people offering me food or pamphlets

087. Cried when someone died : If characters in anime's count, then mebbe

088. Liked a friend : Yep

DO YOU BELIEVE IN :

089. Yourself: Yep

090. Miracles : I guess

091. Love at first sight : Hmmm...

092. Heaven : I guess

093. Santa Claus : No

094. Fairies : No

095. Kissing on the first date: Perfectly fine

096. Angels : Sorta

ANSWER TRUTHFULLY :

097. Is there one or more people you want to be with right now? Always

098. Is Superman really better than Batman? No. Batman pawns superman because he is richer

099. Have you had more than one boyfriend/girlfriend at the same time? Nope

100. Have u had a crush on someone secretly? every single crush

Coups d'etat and the Filipino Culture

The commotion over the supposed 'Trillanes revolt' yesterday is very telling of the Filipino culture. You've got to love the whole 'Bayanihan' thing we Filipino's got going, which is the basis of all the dynamics of coups and revolutions here in our country. 'People Power' anyone?

Yesterday was basically a repeat of the Oakwood Mutiny, with the call for support to the masses with the whole 'this is the Time' speech while the posse of the Senator took residence in a hotel while waiting for its supporters to arrive. See, the whole thing hinges on the arrival of supporters, aka 'the bayan'. Filipino's don't go shooting political opponents unless they'll remain anonymous about it. No sir, when it comes to high-profile revolts we prefer to do it bloodlessly if possible. After all popular support is the name of the game.

Trillianes whoever was thinking the right way, though on the wrong time. It's Christmas season, and no Filipino wants a tense affair that will blow away the Christmas spirit. Wrong time for a revolution - we like to enjoy our holidays.

When I said thinking the right way, what I meant was the takeover of the Manila Peninsula Hotel. Forget strategic defensible position - if your expecting a large group of people to show in support, you've got to show them hospitality Filipino style.

Of course the press was there in force. A news station must catch the blow by blow of the event. To do otherwise is unthinkable. Tsismis- er, the news must reach the masses. If there is no media coverage, then how can the revolters call for support or give statements?

You gotta give kudos to the level of dedication our reporters have.
The army kept telling them to leave the area but they wouldn't. Though the Filipino tendency to be 'usiseros' does get in the way sometimes (or maybe all the time?). If they weren't there, it probably degenerated into firefight, which I think at least one side wanted to happen. Tired of telling them to go the army tear gassed them anyway and even arrested a whole lot of them.

It was kinda entertaining to hear about the APC crashing into entrance of the Manila Pen. Like any good jeepney driver, they sure can fit any vehicle into any space they'd like.

And telling of what Filipino culture is indoctrinated into my generation, the fuss I hear around is not of the youth discussing the implications of this act, or if the country is in the throes of destabilization, or debating on who is in right in this affair. No, all I hear is the outcry of the teenagers who can't party into the wee hours of the morning and can't buy their usual midnight coffee from Starbucks anymore because of the imposed curfew.

How to be cool in school

I'm cool. And here's what I did today to be cool. On a already cold and rainy Christmas season day like this, I sat in an air conditioned class for one and half hour before taking a dive in the LS pool. I then showed off my coolness by walking around the pool in my revealing swimming gear, making sure to wait for a slight breeze to make that dramatic blowing-wet-hair look and shiverin- err, flexing my muscles, before changing back. Then I went to my next class, drying my hair for the next hour and a half with the aircon turned on high. I was so cool my feet were already numb. So cool in fact, all the while my professor was talking I was thinking "I'm cold I'm cold I'm cold I'm cold I'm cold I'm cold I'm cold".

Now that's the way to be cool in school

Now it feels like college.

1 year and a sem after starting college, only now do I feel like a college student. Only now, after going to our major subjects ( DS 101, DS 122), non-traditional subjects ( polsci or psych is not a traditional subject, compared to science, math, English) and meeting professors where our first impressions match their reputations, having a computer lab as a classroom, several tiered rooms, and going to a class with 60 plus students with seniors and juniors. To me the last 3 semesters felt a little like high school in terms of academic effort needed. I coasted on a carefree cloud of unstress day after day, just like in high school. After today I know that won't work anymore. I can already see the running the stressful road ahead paved with reading, readings and more readings with my professors behind chasing me like dogs from hell. And you know what, I'm not even stressing-ahead about it, not the least bit scared. I'm actually excited about it. We're finally Development Studies students! Yeah! Good thing it's Christmas season. Not that it's all jolly and such, but because Christmas season always puts me in a somber, almost serious mood. I think it's the thought of visitations and all that. Or maybe it's the cold.

By the way, after 3 something years with me, my cellphone number has been terminated already. Now I have a new globe number (just ask for it, the hell I'll put my contact number here). Kinda sad though cuz I'm sentimental about that number. it's weird, it feels like it was a pet or something, cuz I had it for such a long time. Got me through the best and worst of times ( High school). But, in a metaphorical sort of way, since I am "starting college" now , it maybe a symbol of discarding my high school attitudes. Heh. I'm over thinking it now. Better get back to my readings.

November, for Nostalgia's sake

Halloween is over, people are returning from their visits to the cemeteries and it's starting to get cold. Yup, it's November already and only so far to go before the year ends once more.

Yesterday I went to my High school friend's birthday - debut actually, which I only realized when I got there and felt horribly undressed and lacking a gift. It was a minor detail anyway(I hope). There a few of my HS friends got together to eat and catch up. It was fun to see them again, but more importantly, I was feeling nostalgic all night. One of them even said to me that I gained weight. All the weight I lost during college came back this sembreak. Now I'm back to my HS build, and they noticed it. Yup, nostalgic indeed. Anyway, I forgot how fun it was to hang out with them. I didn't even mind becoming a model for a moment. Who knew I was pretty if I became a girl. Hehe...ehemmm... moving on...

Before I started to write this post I looked back at all the posts I made in this blog of mine, just for the heck of it. I forgot how witty I can be, hehe. I must be losing practice. While reading back there are things that suddenly came back to me, like thoughts that are funny in hindsight, past events that I already forgot about and old forgotten musings about random things, like my first days in college. Eh, time flies..sigh*

Walking to church my mom just had to remind me about something I really like to forget about now and move on from. And she had to do it on this date, November 4, where what I'm desperately trying to forget started two years ago today. Now that, my friends, is being nostalgic.

Well, for the sake of nostalgia, I'll repost something I wrote a year ago that amuses me that went like this:
"its not like anybody comes here and reads what I post,meaning to whom I'm writing this now can only be cybernetic thin air, or even if say you a person is reading this, it was written not for you but only to satisfy the ravings of a madman who has found a better alternative than talking to himself, which is to just keep writing in his blog with knowledge that nobody is reading it so therefore assumes that he is in a way talking to himself, which is me. So therefore this elaborate explanation is only to entertain me, thinking that somebody will be reading this but knowing that nobody will, and so therefore have succeeded in accomplishing...what? To kill alot of time and get the satisfaction of expressing his notions of absurdity to a void that is the blog which neither listens or reads, and could therefore just be an abyss where one tosses one's thoughts to be lost forever."

Vigan Rocks! - A little too much for me apparently

I'm supposed to be back in Camarines Norte tonight instead of typing this post. But apparently I had way too much fun in Vigan for my own good. Stress probably was the trigger that brought back my asthma. I had to get a check-up to make sure I'm fit for my immediate departure, but I've been advised to rest for the rest of the week instead. I have to admit, I do have a tight schedule. But if I had my way, I'll be sucking it up and following my scheduled sembreak outings, which like I said, is supposed to be Camarines this week.

Well, Vigan was a blast. So worth it for the php900 we payed. Why? Cuz that's only transportation fee. We were taken care of by the Mayor Eva Medina, luckily Joana our ESSmate's mom. That meant a stay at Chavit's Baluarte Zoo, a shuttle around the city care of our own Tour bus and so much food. I actually lost my appetite by the second day because of all the meals we keep on eating. That didn't stop me from eating though. Who would, when all of it is just so delicious (and free!).

When not eating , we were touring the city. And we got to a lot of places. Vigan is a small city that the next stop on the itinerary wasn't even 5 minutes away. That meant no sleep-rest in the bus in between destinations. We went through numerous museums in the first day, on the second looked at the Vigan envi projects - the Bioreactor and the styro remolding machine, loom weaving and pottery making, and on the third day hanged at an awesome private beach resort. You can see pics of these at my multiply here http://stargazersplace.multiply.com/photos/album/51/Vigan_Ecotour_

I think my asthma came back when we went to the Bioreactor and the styro melting site. Well, the Bioreactor is where they turn biodegradable waste into compost-fertilizer and where they remelt Styrofoam packaging into tables. The fumes are noxious - well for me. Ammonia from the reactor and burning sytro smell. Who wouldn't love that.

Well, either that, or I was just really stressed. Lack of sleep from late night fun and no bus rest time (even from the inter-provincial night trip to and from Vigan) and hectic schedule all probably took a toll on me.

Well even if I was catching my breath already by the 3rd day, that wouldn't erase the fact that the Vigan Ecotour was a blast, both as a educational and recreational experience.

Oh how time flies

It's been more than a month since I've blogged. Now what was the last thing I said... oh right, the music survey (that was a good post by the way) - o good lord how time flies. Now if anyone it's God who knows there had been alot of things that has happened that I could have written about, like the ICC, or the Dress code issue or all sorts of stuff but sadly i haven't felt that nudge from above that compels me to unleash my literary sarcastic power of writing. Why post now? Well, this is a sort of obligatory post as not to let my blog die of uselessness.

Well, it's the end of this sem too and it's time to look back, and damn that's not a pretty picture. I've done miserably this sem, basically 70% slacked off and now facing a low grade. 2 are in danger, Fil and Eco (seriously, these subjects are darn as hell annoying), a low Histo grade that I can change given a high grade in my finals (memorizing asian terms just don't cut it for me) and our big mystery theo grade. My only good grade I have is French (guaranteed B, confidently A after Finals) and PE (Also A, too bad it ain't part of the QPI <_<).

Now I don't know what's wrong with eco, but I'm pretty sure 3 sections with an average of F means I'm not the only having trouble with it. There is still hope though in 3 things: The paper we submitted, ma'am hopefully curving the grade, and our finals. Here's to hoping.

Fil? Well, it's Fil, who wouldn't think its a hard subject. Problem here is I don't know my standing cuz we don't know the marks I got in my papers. All I have going is our long tests (again ,not a very pretty picture). Well, go Finals again.

And you know what, if these two already give a crapload of pressure, you gotta love the fact that both finals (my last hopes, miracle cures) are scheduled right after each other. I'll have lotsa fun studying for that.

I gotta blame this with my lack of inspiration - problem since I entered college. I have no driving passion, no muses to push me. All I got is looking forward to smoking my weekly 2 packs of cigarettes over at Blueskies .I'm sure nobody got the reference; you see Bluskies ironically is a fully enclosed air conditioned internet cafe where I play and where all sorts of people with no lives smoke like there's no tomorrow. Oh how I wish they all get a lung full of cancer someday for making innocent children life me breathe the crap they breathe - I seriously don't understand why they still need to light a new one, you could practically smoke using a straw.

Simply put, I'm bored out of my skull. Someone needs to compel me to work harder. Promising myself to study harder next time won't work (we all know that doesn't work). I need to promise someone else. And would you look at that, it's October once again.The sem's ending and a new whole new one is right around the corner. Oh how time flies...

Hari ng Sablay

A music survey I saw from Selene (http://bluednotes.multiply.com/journal/item/200/ ) that's just so cool. Haha. Try it out too.

RULES:
1. Put your music player on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. You must write that song name down no matter how silly it sounds!

1. If someone says "Is this okay?" you say:
I Could Not Ask For More - Edwin Mccain (Good answer. haha)

These are the moments I thank God that I'm alive
These are the moments I'll remember all my life
I've got all I've waited for
And I could not ask for more

2. What would best describe your personality?
Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Green Day (Nooo! Ang Emo!)

I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Don't know where it goes
But it's home to me and I walk alone

3. What do you like in a guy/girl?
Gemini - Spongecola (I like a girl who tells me what she likes? Pwede haha)

Let me know if I'm doing this right
Let me know if my grip's too tight
Let me know if I can stay all of my life
Let me know if dreams can come true
Let me know if this one's your's too
Coz' I see it
And I feel it right here
And I feel you right here

4. How do you feel today?
Hindi Ako Bakla - Bitoy (At least tama, kahit napakaridiculous. haha)

5. What is your life's purpose?
Prinsesa - 6 Cyclemind ( O rly? haha)

Dalhin mo ako sa iyong palasyo
Maglakad tayo sa hardin ng 'yong kaharian
Wala man akong pag-aari
Pangako kong habambuhay kitang pagsisilbihan
O, aking prinsesa

6. What is your motto?
Jeepney - Spongecola (Hrmm...)

Naaalala ko ang mga gabing nakahiga sa ilalim ng kalawakan
Naaalala ko ang mga gabing magkatabi sa ulan

7. What do your friends think of you?
Nassan Ka - Pupil (Benta! Laging akong nawawala. Haha)

Wala ka na
Wala ka na pala
Wala ka na
Nasan ka?
Nasan ka?
Nawala nang parang bula

8. What do you think of your parents?
Gitara - Parokya ni Edgar (Hrmm.. misunderstood child ba ako? haha)

Mapapagod lang sa kakatingin
Kong marami namang nakaharang
Aawit na lang at magpaparinig
Ng lahat ng aking nadarama


9. What do you think about very often?
True - Ryan Cabrera (Oh Gawd.. Haha)

You dont know what you do
Every time you walk into the room
I'm afraid to move
I'm weak
Its true
I'm just scared to know the ending
Do you see me too?
Do you even know u met me?

10. What do you think of your bestfriend?
Don't Cha - Pussycat Dolls (Tan@!$@ dapat talaga tinangal ko na yan sa song list ko dati pa. Shet ang inappropriate! Hahaha)

11. What do you think of the person you like?
Makaaasa ka - Rivermaya (Syempre for pogi points. Haha)

Darating ako
Sing bilis pa ng hangin
Sa oras na kailangan mo
Makaaasa ka sa akin

12. What is your life story?
Chiksilog - Kamikazee (Whaat?)

13. What do you want to be when you grow up?
Call me When your Sober - Evanescence (Heh, di tumama)

14. What do you think when you see the person you like?
Ambisyoso - Kamikazee (Ahaha Super benta to! )

Libre lang mangarap
Walang hanggan na pag-hiling
Libre lang mangarap
Managinip ka habang gising

15. What do your parents think of you?
Why Can't I - Liz Phair (Basahin nyo yung lyrics... ganun ba ako kasama na di makahinga parents ko? haha)

Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you
Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you
It's inevitable, it's a fact that we're gonna get down to it
So tell me
Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you

16. What will you dance to at your wedding?
Hump De Bump - Red Hot Chili Peppers (Pwede actually, para masaya :P )

17. What will they play at your funeral?
Sexy Back - Justin Timberlake (Pwedeng pwedeng! haha)

Come here girl
Go ahead, be gone with it
Come to the back
Go ahead, be gone with it
VIP
Go ahead, be gone with it
Drinks on me
Go ahead, be gone with it
Let me see what you’re working with
Go ahead, be gone with it
Look at those hips
Go ahead, be gone with it
You make me smile
Go ahead, be gone with it
Go ahead child
Go ahead, be gone with it
And get your sexy on
Go ahead, be gone with it

Get your sexy on
Go ahead, be gone with it
[Repeat 6 times]

18. What is your favorite hobby/interest?
First of Summer - Urbandub (Perfect! Stargazing w/ a girl i like, kung sino man yon :P )

Our song plays on
Parked car, night sky
Alone with you tonight

19. What is your biggest fear?
Photograph - Nickelback (Hmm..)

Every memory of looking out the back door
I had the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor
It's hard to say it, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye.
Every memory of walking out the front door
I found the photo of the friend that I was looking for
It's hard to say it, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye.

20. What is your biggest secret?
Keep Your Hands Off My Girl - Good Charlotte (What?? I'm not a jealous person!)

But the record keeps playing,
The same old song,
They say "Aha, ahha",
Keep your hands off my girl,
Keep your hands off my girl.

21. What song will be the title when you repost this?
Hari ng Sablay - Sugarfree (Perfect title ;P )

Ako ang hari ng sablay
Ako ang hari, ako ang hari...

After a Long Week

Finally got a solid 8 hour sleep ever since classes resumed from the mid-August Sem break and this is just to take stock on the highlights of my past week.

Finally did the Theo report we have been dreading since its announcement. Father Roche is vicious in his nitpicking and questioning. I don't know if he liked our report, was just arguing for the sake of better explaining it, or downright saying everything we said was crap. At least after the sleepless nights, consultations and our Gateway trip to finish our report (we went to Gateway before Theo class to finish it and prepare - who knew Gateway had a much better atmosphere to study in than school), it's practically finished now. I'm just wondering what our grade will be.

Watched Buwan at Baril, and I say it's pretty good. The individual acting and monologuing was superb and moving, though some people might not enjoy it because of that. Arwin kept saying it was boring even in the scenes of extreme drama. Well, some parts were a little boring, but overall it was good. Depends on your preference I guess. Went home late then got up early for NSTP

NSTP is fun. Fun only on that time when we are already teaching, but it's a pain for the rest of the week.

Had a nice chat with a taxi driver on my way to the ESS alumni party last Saturday.

ESS alumni party was fun. Didn't see the person I wanted to see, so kind of a drag, but was fun nonetheless. Went home late then waked up early for some tree planting.

ASEAN tree planting at La Mesa. There are some pics in my multiply (which i'm currently fixing right now) if you want. I was prepared (expecting)a day of tree planting, but it turns out it was just a ceremonial event for the spouses of the ASEAN delegates where we are just picture fillers. We were just there for eye candy, so that in the pictures the delegates were helping the Ateneans plant trees. There were just 10 saplings and only 4 were lucky to be able to plant theirs in the pre-dug holes without the help of the delegates. I should be the 5th but some dude helped me.
Well, at least after we were treated with a buffet lunch. And at least I finally got to visit La Mesa ecopark.

Well, that was last week. This week it's a Histo paper for tomorrow, a way to pull my grade for Econ, finish that Theo report and who knows what else. Got to go, French class in a few hours

Best Nightmare

I spent 2 hours stuck in traffic, in the process missing my Eco class, only to arrive in Ateneo just in time for classes to be suspended. Great.

Whoever does the deciding to suspend classes either are "napakasablay" or exhibit incredibly precise forecasting abilities: The rains let up after a while once the announcement is made, allowing students to go home and enjoy the rest of the day. No classes again tomorrow. Let's see how their forecasting powers fare then.

That's not the nightmare I'm talking about though. Ever had a recurring, truly terrifying horror movie-like dream? I just had one that scared me awake all night, and when I go back to sleep it would be the same one. Turns out to be the BEST. I don't know why, but it turned romantic (I'll spare you the details). It was a nightmare unlike any other. I woke up with a smile on my face and unwilling to sleep again(remember, it was a nightmare and I just had enough of that scary crap). If every nightmare was like this, then I won't mind having one every night.

If dreams have meanings, then I'm still psychoanalyzing this one...What does it mean to be in love with a ghost?

Atenista sarbey

(x) eat at Manang’s (First year love)
( ) learn the alma mater (Embarrassingly, not yet)
( ) get on the dean’s list (still working on that)
(x) sleep on a bench (benches sa org rooms, counted)
( ) be a TNT! (not really planning on that)
( ) jog around the campus in the evening (Nope - kailangan na kasing umuwi)
(x) visit the art gallery (Yup)
(x) know at least one xerox lady, manong, or technician by name (Ate Alma)
(x) get a Jesuit for a teacher (Fr. Roche)
( ) itch from higad bites (Thankfully wala pa)
(x) have gotten an F in something (Math)
(x) have taken a crap in school (nice CRs)
(x) watch a La Salle vs. Ateneo UAAP game (at least sa TV oo)
(x) give a powerpoint presentation (inevitable)
(x) study in the caf upstairs (mainit dun kaya ayoko na)
(x) watch a T.A. play (Kahit unrequired)
( ) sit on the SEC ledge and watch the stars (Nice idea)
( ) eat in Full House, Martha’s Kitchen, and Ken Afford (Kung alam ko kung saan yan)
(x) sleep in the lib (1st year hobby)
( ) visit Mr. San Andres (Nope)
(x) go to the chapel (after Madlum Trip)
(x) have gotten a pebble stuck in your shoe/slippers in the middle of the quad (Ya)
(x) cut class with your block to watch a movie (300 with english blockmates)
(x) sign up for those institutional (i.e. difficult but brilliant) teachers (unknowingly)
( ) go to CERSA night (Nah)
( ) have tried siomai rice - aka poor man's meal (hindi rin)
( ) fall in love ( Not yet)
( ) actually read the book you keep borrowing from the lib (Never borrowed)
(x) play cards during your free time (Once)
(x) dress in business attire (At least once)
( ) learn to stay awake for more than 24 hours straight (Wala pang need)
( ) have gotten side comments from ASSOC (what's ASSOC? Haha)
( ) take (and enjoy) Saturday classes (di naman ata counted ang NSTP)
( ) go to your immersion (malayo pa)
( ) eat Food for After Thought sandwiches (nope)
( ) get a boyfriend/girlfriend (Well...)
( ) take time to read the vandalism in the CR doors (Ang linis kaya ng CR)
( ) watch “Minsan Lang Sila Bata” and “Macho Dancer” for class (Kama sutra oo)
(x) do a last minute paper (Always)
(x) have spent a lot for 1x1 ID pictures (Every sem)
(x) get exempted from final exams (Natsci)
(x) attend a college mass (part of Ateneo life)
( ) play hide-and-seek in the mini-forest (Ma-explore nga yun)
(x) know where the best restrooms are on campus (of course)
(x) join an org (overloaded na nga ako eh)
(x) allow yourself to make mistakes-"the best things in life are complete mistakes" (Semper)
(x) take summer classes (Math)
(x) admire the sacred heart statue in the evening (The one in front of Gesu? then ya)
(x) make a video for a project ( Yep)
( ) have a crush on a teacher (Not really a crush pero cute naman sya)
( ) attend a Jesuit retreat (No)
( ) have gotten a parking ticket (No car yet)
(x) come to school in your crappiest yet most comfy clothes (Nung ginawa yung video)
( ) learn how to use the Bayantel pay phones ( Txt na lang)
(x) participate in school activities (Ako pa)
( ) catch the Blue Babble Battalion tryouts (Don't know what it means by "catch")
(x) ride a tricycle on campus (Hold on for dear life pag back rider ka)
(x) find a tambayan (Finally)
(x) admire the marikina valley at night (Pag-pauwi)
(x) go drinking along Katipunan (Ya, kasama si Julius. Nasita pa nga eh. Haha)
(x) learn how to beg for a higher grade (Not one on one)
(x) use your cuts wisely (Dapat lang)
(x) volunteer to be class beadle (Yup)
( ) had the worst lottery schedule for reg (Ang gaganda nga ng scheds ko actually)
(x) admire the trees on campus (Of course)
( ) have forgotten about your freecut and gone to that class (Never)
(x) eat in the ISO canteen (After cutting Math)
(x) be active in your org (Semper ESS)
( ) have signed up on an ACP class just because the girl or guy u like signed up for it (No, pero sumali na ako ng org just because nandun crush ko :P)
( ) get as many app forms as you can during the job fair (Too early)
(x) learn how to cram (Ever since grade school)
(x) sell tickets (or watch) an org-sponsored movie premiere (Watch yes, sell no)
( ) save money to Xerox all of your seatmate’s notes (Not all)
(x) have accidentally seen a make-out session (everyday? haha)
(x) check out the Meron Lagoon and Lambingan Bridge (Saan yung Lambingan bridge?)
(x) have dozed off in class in Bel right after a class in CTC/SOM/Comm. Bldg or vice-versa (Every T-th)
(x) learn how to work with groupmates from hell (Hell Ya)
( ) perfect the art of parking on campus (Again, no car)
( ) had a bad encounter with one of the guards on campus (Wala pa naman)
(x) develop a love for sisig (YES)
(x) learn how to pronounce “AEGIS” properly (Basta nagDoDotA, kaya)
(x) have used typing rooms at the library (Cramming)
(x) have reserved a classroom, AVR, etc. for a class or org function (useful skill)
( ) have asked the library for an endorsement to research in other libraries (Nope)
(x) have lost a perfectly functioning umbrella (One of many stupid things w/ Julius)
(x) have used consultation hours properly
( ) Looked forward to lab breakage refund, in case you didn’t break any equipment (No lab)
(x) visit the Guidance Office (Required)
(x) and Infirmary (Sumama lang)

Dammit I want to go to school!

After an unusually dry month of June and July the rainy season is now officially back to normal, ending fears of a drought - and an unwanted free day from school for me. Last night I discovered first hand how Katipunan turns into an inch-high fast moving torrent of water during heavy rains. Today I got the Philippine version of being snowed in - I'm flooded in. After classes are suspended for only Elementary and High School students I find myself unable to go to my class because outside my house the water is already knee deep.They said in other parts of the village it was already waist high, and there was no trikes to be found, so if I still wade through the flood I'll have to walk my way out. And this is what it looks like at our neighbors -

Dammit I want to go to school. I don't want to miss my PE class, today is intense workout day. Or theo, where I already cut once. I might miss something important (though technically I miss out on stuff since I find myself half-asleep most of the class). Well, it's the weathers fault. Here is a rainy day pic to lighten the dreary mood


PS: Just in: No classes tomorrow. And I was excited for my French dialogue I wasn't prepared for too...Zzz... I'm getting bored out of my mind! I've already memorized Iglesias' "The Ping Pong Song" because of the number of times I listened to it today.

Part of the Chain

This post has been delayed because of school work, and to delay further would just be ironic.

I went to the Gawad Kalinga Bayanihan Build last July 31, the Ateneo St. Ignatius day holiday. My involvement in GK has been a long time plan ever since last year, but I've never really gone for it because of academics and general lack of will power. Much to my happiness this time I've finally managed to go. A day of manual labor always appealed to me.

It turned out not exactly like how i imagined it to be. We went there, 100-something Ateneans and commenced our "build" where basically all I -or most of us for that matter- did was be part of a human chain passing along half-filled buckets of sand. We had a pretty long break where I ate lunch twice thanks to the very gracious hospitality of a local family who took our team in. An hour or so later we resumed our work then ended before the rains came with a Mass with Fr. Nebres.

I was a little disappointed, having just passed sand all day when I was expecting more hard work. But as the whole GK experience was concerned, I was pretty content. I made alot of new friends and finally got to experience what it was like to work as a volunteer.

on Wednesday I attended their Villages and Programs Orientation talk, and this is what I really wanna share. First, much to my amazement I found that the most of GK Ateneo's Village Coordinators are sophomores. Their already responsible for some of villages under GK Ateneo. When I saw that, I was amazed at the commitment and passion they must have that I said, "Damn, I want some of that", because for them to be VCs at this point they must have worked hard and trained when they were still freshmen. Arwin is also one, and I'm not surprised since I already saw how much he committed to GK last year.

Next was their programs. Much to my happiness and excitement they had their own Environment program, which if you know me by now then you'd know this is my passion. Being the pseudo-unofficial ESS representative to GK I found something I can help with that's my expertise. I realized integrating my ESS life and GK life won't be that hard at all and I saw this as a good challenge for me to do.

And then there was their last speaker, who's name keeps eluding me but who's speech doesn't cease to blow my mind. He was the most inspiring speaker i've ever heard - and that's saying a lot already coming from me. I don't get swayed by propaganda or get riled up from speeches from politicians, and not even Aragorn's speech in the RotK thrilled me much. But his speech was hair-raising in it's passion that it actually gave me a headache repressing the passion and fire I'm already experiencing right there in my seat. It's as if the Blue Babble drum line was playing a rallying beat in my head. He made our sand bucket relay operation that was terribly inefficient in my opinion sound so patriotic. One of my favorites was "You became the light and hope of the people that day, because you showed them that 150 Ateneans choose to help them build their houses during their holiday instead of just sleep all day."

The Bayanihan Build and the talk changed my opinion of GK. The 3 things I mentioned above showed me the passion and the commitment of their volunteers that when I see that, I become excited myself and become filled with the same empowering passion. Now I'll really become active in GK. Expect me to become unavailable in the near future because of attending builds and start expecting posts concerning my experiences in helping to build the nation.

You never know what you might learn on the road

You can never know where you might find something that puts things in perspective; You might find it while watching a movie, or even while underwater. I found one in a conversation with a grumpy sarcastic jeepney driver. The kind that seems to have a sarcastic comment to everything a passenger says like "Saan po ito? Paki sabi naman po kung saan bababa, drayber po ako 'di manghuhula." You'll never expect it right? You'll just think a driver obnoxious when he bludgeons his way past the mass of people out from the sidewalk of the LRT station, honking his horn like mad and clearing commuters out like a lawnmower through grass just to let his passengers off.

I bet you'll never guess that a someone like that will be a college graduate, with a degree in mechanical engineering from Adamson University no less. Or think that he regrets spending for an education like that when it will only be used to maintain his jeepney and ply it for the last 7 years because it was impossible to find a proper job. I'm thinking you won't imagine that he is heartbroken after his wife left him recently, saying he never thought that it would hurt that badly, that now he understands what kind of pain and desperation drives people to commit suicide. Now he is burdened to take care of his 4 young children, expressing his feelings through his snide comments to his passengers. I could see the expressions on the other people's faces. Some of irritation, others of amusement. But they could never have heard the whispered story of the driver I heard.

See that... a mechanical engineering graduate, who has been plying his jeepney for the last 7 years, who cries over the loss of his wife and now earns a meager living to support his children. If that doesn't put things in perspective, I don't know what will.

Madlum!!!

July 15th, Sitio Madlum Bulacan. ESS Ecotour. A day of spelunking, trekking, swimming and bonding. That day was just incredibly amazing. We had so much personal accomplishments that the Php350 we paid was more than worth it. We managed to climb and descend to places we never thought we could, squeezed through rock that shouldn't have been able to accommodate us, and jump from heights we haven't jumped off from. There is so much that happened that if I put it into writing it will be very very long. So I'll just try photo blogging. Photos taken from multiple sources. Visit ateneoess.multiply.com for more pics.




Crossed the river - Go Xie





Went Spelunking | ------->





Trekked ---------------------------------->








Yeah, we jumped from that :D








And just enjoyed swimming in the river


The most unforgettable experience for me there was in the river. Only a few people know what really happened, but there was a point there I got scared because it was deep. Ok, I have to admit, I was acting all tough on that trip; generally helping people and taking minimal help while in the caves and even helping friends from rock to rock while we were forging upstream.

Now looking back, I'm second guessing why I jumped in and let myself be carried by the current down the river. Did I do it because I was acting all tough? I know how to swim - kinda. I can get from point A to B, but if I don't get to B yet and I stop cuz I'm tired, then I'm screwed. I can't thread for my life. Much more to swim to save someone else's life. Anyway, I tried grabbing a rock and I don't really recall if I slipped or not.

We were floating down the river - it was in the middle part of the river and it was kinda deep - and I became worried cuz I can't touch the riverbed and I'm starting to tire. Good thing I managed to swim to the far side of the river (after swallowing alot of water), grab a rock and all four of us - 3 freshies and me were floating down - pulled ourselves out of the water and started laughing our lungs off. Well, that was a personal accomplishment for me right there. I survived the Madlum River! Haha. That river experience was just profound I tell you. But seriously, next sem I should take swimming lessons. Haha. Jumping off that cable 2 stories above the river was freakin awesome too.

The Universe is trying to tell me something...

Don't tell me you guys are superstitious. It seems only a couple - if there were any at all who read the previous post below titled "this ain't for the superstitious." And I thought that post would be fun. Anyway, that's not my concern now

~~~

I had like the best sleep yesterday in a long while. I felt so relaxed that I forgot I had school when I woke up and immediately fell asleep again. I was even having a good dream, which I don't remember much now, but I do remember I was trying to speak French then. Maybe it's because I had fun practicing my barok French with my friend the night before. If Anna is reading this, maybe she'll understand. She can read past internet text and get the hidden meaning of what I say, you know...

~~~

I'm getting this vibe that the universe doesn't want me to go to the ESS Madlum ecotour. First my NSTP orientation pulls me away from sign-ups during ESS Orsem. Then Nica said only those who signed-up and those who will attend the Wednesday (today) briefing can join the tour. Fine, I was a little pissed because of the unfairness, but I accepted it. They said I'll just wait for someone to back out then I can take his place, which someone did. Then I remember that DevSoc GA was scheduled the same time as the briefing. I really want to become involved in DevSoc this year, but I decided to just miss this one time for the briefing. Then last night they said there will be a guidance test for sophomores at the same time as the ESS and DevSoc meetings. It really seems that the Universe doesn't want me to go to Madlum. By the way, did I mention that since I'm the ESS' Gawad Kalinga point-person/liaison I should be active in GK activities as well, and that they'll be having a build this weekend, the same day as the ecotour? <_<

PS: Now that I'm typing this I just remembered we also have to pay for the tour together and after looking in my wallet, just realized that I don't have enough cash with me anyway. Great.

This ain't for the Superstitious.

If you believe in chain mails and hate passing them on, feel free to stop reading now. ACTUALLY NO, KEEP READING

I really don't believe chain mails. This one tells you something about Chinese astrology and if you won't repost/forward it you will have bad luck. Even though it says it comes from the 35 year old book, there's something about the wording and language usage that tells me the whole bad luck thing is a bunch of bullcrap on a stick, trust me. But if you still believe that stuff, by all means stop now. To quote Kenot from who's blog I got this from:
"I'm posting this because I want to share it, not to pass it. Feel free not to repost to your blogs or whatever."

If not for the unbelievably flattering accuracy of my zodiac description, I wouldn't have post this.Hahaha. Find yours and see if it's flatteringly accurate as well.


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Once you have read this, there's no turning back. Below are the original descriptions of the 12 zodiac signs, with traits from a book written 35 years ago by an astrologic predictor. Read your sign, then forward/repost it on, with your zodiac sign and label on the subject line, This is real deal, try ignoring it, and the first thing you'll notice is having a horrible day starting tomorrow morning - and it only gets worse from there.


SCORPIO - The Addict
EXTREMELY adorable. Intelligent. Loves to joke. Very Good sense of humour. Energetic. Predict future. GREAT kisser. Always get what they want. Attractive. Easy going. Loves being in long relationships. Talkative. Romantic. Caring. 4 years of bad luck if you do not forward.


VIRGO - The One that Waits
Dominant in relationships. Someone loves them right now. Always wants the last word. Caring. Smart. Loud. Loyal. Easy to talk to. Everything you ever wanted. Easy to please. The one and only. 7 years of bad luck if you do not forward.


LIBRA - The Lame One
Nice to everyone they meet. Their Love is one of a kind. Silly, fun and sweet. Have own unique appeal. Most caring person you will ever meet! however not the kind of person you wanna mess with ... u might end up crying... 9 years of bad luck if you do not forward.


ARIES - The Liar
Outgoing. Lovable. Spontaneous. Not one to mess with. Funny. Excellent kisser EXTREMELY adorable. Loves relationships, Addictive. Loud. 16 years of bad luck if you do not forward.


AQUARIUS - Does It In The Water
Trustworthy. Attractive. Great kisser. One of a kind. Loves being in long-term relationships. Extremely energetic. Unpredictable. Will exceed your expectations. Not a Fighter, But will Knock your lights out. 2 years of bad luck if you do not forward


GEMINI - Irresistible
Nice. Love is one of a kind. Great listeners Very Good in the you know where... Lover not a fighter, but will still knock you out. Trustworthy. Always happy. Loud. Talkative. Outgoing VERY FORGIVING. Loves to make out. Has a beautiful smile. Generous. Strong. THE MOST IRRESISTIBLE. 9 years of bad luck if you do not forward


LEO - The Lion
Great talker. Attractive and passionate. Laid back. Knows how to have fun. Is really good at almost anything. Great kisser. Unpredictable. Outgoing. Down to earth. Addictive. Attractive. Loud. Loves being in long relationships. Talkative. Not one to mess with. Rare to find. Good when found. 7 years of bad luck if you do not forward.


CANCER - The Cutie
MOST AMAZING KISSER. Very high appeal. Love is one of a kind. Very romantic. Most caring person you will ever meet! Entirely creative. Extremely random and proud of it. Freak. Spontaneous. Great telling stories. Not a Fighter, But will Knock your lights out if it comes down to it. Someone you should hold on to. 12 years of bad luck if you do not forward.


PISCES - The Partner for Life
Caring and kind. Smart. Center of attention. High appeal. Has the last word. Good to find, hard to keep. Fun to be around. Extremely weird but in a good way. Good Sense of Humor!!! Thoughtful. Always gets what he or she wants. Loves to joke. Very popular. Silly, fun and sweet. 5 years of bad luck if you do not forward.


CAPRICORN - The Passionate Lover
Love to bust. Nice. Sassy. Intelligent. Sexy. Predict future. Irresistible. Loves being in long relationships. Great talker. Always gets what he or she wants. Cool. Loves to own Gemini's in sports. Extremely fun. Loves to joke. Smart. 24 years of bad luck if you do not forward.


TAURUS - The Tramp
Aggressive. Loves being in long relationships. Likes to give a good fight for what they want. Extremely outgoing. Loves to help people in times of need. Good kisser. Good personality. Stubborn. A caring person. One of a kind. Not one to mess with. Are the most attractive people on earth! 15 years of bad luck if you do not forward.


SAGITTARIUS - The Promiscuous One
Spontaneous. High appeal. Rare to find. Great when found. Loves being in long relationships. So much love to give.
Not one to mess with. Very pretty. Very romantic. Nice to everyone They meet. Their Love is one of a kind. Silly, fun and sweet. Have own unique appeal. Most caring person you will ever meet! Amazing in the you know where..!!!
Not the kind of person you wanna mess with- you might end up crying. 4 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

Interview with a DS Major

I'm seriously starting to regret my committing to alot of things. This afternoon seems to be a foreshadowing of things to come. My CRC meeting clashed with Gawad General Assembly and apparently the cheer rally, all of which I wanted to attend. CRC took priority of being the first. Now it seems schedules will be swamping me throughout the year. I guess I'll have to pick up the technique of "picking which battles to fight" or I'll seriously get smothered by extracurriculars. Losing focus on my academics is something I can't afford to do.

It was a rather interesting time in the CRC meeting. By the way CRC stands for Coral Reefs Champions, the volunteer arm of the Institute of Social Order. I participated in their seminar in Camarines last October. Apparently it wasn't a one time stint. Now were called the "core volunteers" that will spearhead the next stage of ISO-CRC operations (Or that's what I understood our job description will be). It seems we'll be taking on a task bigger than ourselves. We were talking about ISO operations in Quezon, Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur, different NGO tie-ups, meeting with local volunteers and fund-raising activities. Daunting as I see it, but rewarding. I might get to see Camarines again and more.

I was surprised that, of all the other volunteers for CRC might be, the ones there were a bunch of DS majors. There were 8 of us, Ate Jaya, Kuya Lemarc, Mikey and me, the ones who went to Camarines last year and 4 other DS majors. I was surprised to know that they had served with ISO already and that they are more active than we are. Our Camarines stay was only 3 days. 2 of them stayed for a month.

I haven't really had much contact with the DS family. I'm more in touch with the ES majors with all my environmental affairs. Now I get to meet a bunch of them in the least likely place I would expect. It's great to meet them and all, but with that my distinction of being the only DS-ES cross (to my knowledge) is lost. I'm not unique anymore again. Haha.

Changes

I have absolutely no talent concerning picking color schemes or anything about design. Or coding for that matter. So I need some feed back on the changes I made on my this here blog. Like are the color text and background combinations painful to the eyes? Also if you can give a tip on coding blogspot that would be helpful. I like to put back my old star scape background but I don't know how do it.

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I have 4 applications to fill up tonight. ESS Finance AVP, ALAC, Gawad Kalinga and DevSoc applications form. Oh there is also the CRC they are calling us for on Friday. I hope this lot of extra-curricular orgs will fill in the relatively light academic load I seem to have that is very unexciting. Barring sudden shifts in subject matter or teaching styles, the only problem subject I can foresee is Socio-Anthro and perhaps Theo. The rest can be done with minimal effort.

Extracurriculars is what gives spice to my college life, and what probably saves me from going insane with the monotony of academics and being bored to death at the same time.

NSTP

Yesterday's NSTP orientation was just...useless. A poor recreation of ORSEM that only made us sit through 2 hours of heat trying to teach us something we have already assumed as the main job of NSTP. Aside from ordering our NSTP t-shirts, it was all a big fuss for something that could have been done in a classroom. As least that way we'll have fans

After that, I went with Julius and did the usual McDota routine - Eat first at Mcdo and play DotA, or the other way around; an old high school tradition. We were chatting in Mcdo when I spot a cute girl two tables over with a guy. I actually prolonged our conversation because I cannot bring myself to get up and go home even though it was already getting late. And all the while I was thinking she was there with this guy having fun and I'm here sitting with Julius talking about why we lost the game. Then it hit me; I'll never get a girlfriend this way. Sure it's fun to hang around with Julius, at least I have company, but I usually have to sacrifice the rest of my time and attention,that sometimes I feel like I'm suddenly cut-off from the rest of the world. The occasional man-date with Julius is fine and all, but dammit I need a girlfriend.

Today I had one of the most fun days I had for quite a while. It was with my friends after the cotillion practice for a debut this Saturday. We had fun talking around a table each with a plate of spaghetti, sharing old stories, making fun of each other, making jokes and just plain laughing our hearts out with every comment. It feels like I'm back in high school, and having fun like the good ol' days, the kind I never have in college. Ateneo has a more 'mature' kind of fun. Well, I am in college now, so I have to accept that.

I have a cute partner for the cotillion. It's funny though cuz 2 of my friends have taken a liking to her and vice versa. I know this cuz I'm an expert at reading body language - how come? Because that's what you learn at just staring at women for long periods of time. Anyway, my point in saying this is that I find it funny that they're forming this crush-triangle with each other while I'm the partner of the cute girl. Ain't it supposed to be me who's part of the triangle and not out of the loop, er, corners?

2nd Year has begun!

Actually me being a sophomore has started yesterday, but being so tired I decided to put off posting until tonight. Actually, I'm also tired tonight - maybe its that biodisk taking effect on me. Lol Julius.

Anywho, in a nutshell this is my take on my 1st sem as a second year student (Oh God time flies so fast make it stop. I don't want to grow yet that fast.) Sched's a drag, but I can't really complain once I compare that to my friends that are taking Nursing - 7 to 7 classes in a single classroom with only a short break. I should consider myself lucky (So should you).

As for my profs and subjects I already got a good first impression off them I think. I can't tell whether my Economics professor is good or not, but I can tell it will be hard to listen to her. History will be fun even though it's Asian, I expect this will be an easy B (ehhemm..) from our young freshly graduated teacher. Apparently self-defense PE class translates to Muay Thai (Thai kick boxing for those who don't know) which means we will be taught to defend ourselves wearing expensive mini-shorts.

Our Theo class has shown itself to be interesting. Fr. Roche comes highly recommended and with his introductory philosophizing I believe this course will be both challenging and fulfilling. What I fear is that Julius will engage him in a theological debate that will give Fr. Roche a heart attack in frustration. We will see tom if I'm right.

French = Fun. I know I'll love that course even if they give tons of requirements. Fil is... I dunno. I'm not a big fan Filipino. Our teacher is very gay though, it both sense of the word, and I don't quite see yet how will that translate into the course. And lastly our SA teacher appears to know what see is talking about, problem is we cannot hear what she is talking about. Tons of readings too.

First impressions in a nutshell. Quite a wordy nutshell

The Best Wedding Ever

It was the best wedding I've ever seen. It wasn't at all perfect, not like the fancy formal church ceremonies or the sunlit garden weddings filled with teary-eyed relatives. The sky was dark with clouds and it was raining fiercely. Only the groom's father was there, and even he was standing well away. There were no flowers, no fancy clothes, no bridesmaids and a best man, not even a ring. But there they were, the couple standing in the middle of the torrent, shouting their vows over the noise of the falling rain, and sealing it all with a kiss,heedless of the raging world around them even as if all was already coming to an end.

And all of this happened aboard a ship under attack by the Flying Dutchman.

Yes, I'm talking about that scene from Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End where Will and Elizabeth get married amidst the raging battle aboard the deck of the Black Pearl. I've gotta hand it to Jerry Bruckheimer and the rest of the PotC producers, for they outdid themselves with this one. It was spectacular to put it lightly, with the rain, the whirlpool, the CG creatures, the sword fighting, the cannon blasts and the flying chunks of wood.

All of this elements combine to make a scene reminiscent of the Lord of the Rings and it's "the-world-is-ending-so-we-do-what-we-can" dramatic vibe. It's sort of a weird mix of an adrenaline-pumping battle scene with a sudden mushy lovefest amidst it all that makes your (fine, my) heart warm before throwing you back into that adrenaline pool. It's a sanctuary from the action that you share with the characters, that for a brief moment, you see their perfect wedding where all there is is their love, even as the world around them is falling to an end, so to speak. It's the best wedding I've ever seen I tell you. By the way, sorry for the mushiness, I just enjoy romantic moments :P


SPOILER WARNING


It's kinda sad though that Will has to do his time as the Captain of the Flying Dutchman. For those of you who missed Davy Jones' explanation, he has the job of ferrying souls who died at sea to the other side of...well I guess the sea and do this for ten years, where every ten years he has a chance to step on land for 1 day. 1 day, every ten years - sucks ain't it? That's why Davy Jones is so bitter. Now if you connected the dots that means the cute couple of Will and Elizabeth can only meet once every ten years, as seen in the post-credit scene where Elizabeth walks to the shore with her 9-yr old son and see Will green-flash his way back into the mortal world.

Don't worry, the writers of the PotC says, for there was a deleted scene where Davy Jones continues his explanation that if Calypso met him on that day, his term of service aboard the Dutchman will be broken -the why poor ol' Jones is heartbroken. Now since Elizabeth met will that day, his curse was broken, and so presumably they lived happily ever after, well, until they make Pirates of the Caribbean 4. They just had to make do of a ten year separation -I guess that's better than nothing.

No such thing as a free lunch...or is there?

Julius was just here a couple of hours ago doing a sales pitch to my mom. For those of you who don't know Julius, he's my business-oriented blockmate who joined this networking company, Quest.net, who also wants me to join said company. I'll break this down for you the simplest way I can.

Quest.net is a company that sells different products like gold. Julius joined as an "independent representative (IR)", like an insurance salesman I guess. He earns his commission by selling the products of the company plus by getting those people to join the company too as IR's (=networking). To join the company you have to either buy something expensive like a $600 gold coin collection or sell a company product to two people. The bottom line is that the promise is as long as you remain active, you will continue to earn and if you are passionate, then you are paving your way to your own early retirement.

It is easier to buy something from the company than to get two people to buy something from a company you don't belong to to join. But that will mean shelling out a lot of cash to do so. That's where Julius comes in.

He said a client of his bought a product. That means he has the opportunity now to join the company, however, he doesn't want to take it. Now Julius is looking for someone to take this opportunity before it becomes wasted, and he is looking at me, or rather, my mom. You see, since last year he has been bugging me to join his company, and to be honest more than once has the thought crossed my mind of actually joining. Arwin and I even had the "December plan", the get-$600-somehow-and-join-Quest-by-December-2006 plan, which kinda lost steam along the way. But now Julius is offering the chance to join for FREE.

Sad thing is that I'm not yet of legal age, i.e. 18 to join legally. Oh how it's so fun and sad to be young. That's why Julius tried to pitch it to my mom instead, do that when I do become legal she can pass it on to me. But my mom is reluctant to join. I said just join for me and I'll do all the work.

I really want my mom to take this opportunity. As Julius says it, it's risk free AND totally free. I'm ready to take that challenge on. What attracts me is the for FREE part, but to be honest when I think about the work attached to it, the seminars, the training, the sales talks, I get discouraged and I hear a voice in my head goes "I don't want to do that". But that's why I like to take it now. The "for free" offer is only for a limited time, and scraping together Php30,000 to enter the company is something I'm not really keen on doing, given a much cheaper alternative is already on my doorstep.

Besides, that's how I get over my inhibitions and second thoughts. I stop thinking it over, close my eyes and just jump into it, head first risk and all. That's me, volunteer like hell and don't think while I'm doing it. So I hope my mom says yes. I see the opportunity dangling in front of my face and there are no strings attached. It really looks like a free lunch to me.

Eureka!

For those of you who don't read the newspapers, here is an interesting article from the Science/Health section of today's issue of the Inquirer that I'd very much like to share. The column is titled "Eureka!" and the author is Queena Lee Chua, who again for of you who don't know is a professor of math and psych at Ateneo. Let me share you the interesting parts of the article.

Math and Literature:Here is a poem by Mike Keith, a software engineer in the United States

Poe, E.
Near a Raven
Midnights so dreary, tired and weary.
Silently pondering volumes extolling all by-now obsolete lore.
During my rather long nap - the weirdest tap!
An ominous vibrating sound disturbing my chamber's antedoor.
"This", I whispered quietly, "I ignore".

Perfectly, the intellect remembers: the ghostly fires, a glittering ember.
Inflamed by lightning's outbursts, windows cast penumbras upon this floor.
Sorrowful, as one mistreated, unhappy thoughts I heeded:
That inimitable lesson in elegance - Lenore -
Is delighting, exciting...nevermore.

Ominously, curtains parted (my serenity outsmarted),
And fear overcame my being - the fear of "forevermore".
Fearful foreboding abided, selfish sentiment confided,
As I said, "Methinks mysterious traveler knocks afore.
A man is visiting, of age threescore."

Taking little time, briskly addressing something: "Sir," (robustly)
"Tell what source originates clamorous noise afore?
Disturbing sleep unkindly, is it you a-tapping, so slyly?
Why, devil incarnate!--" Here completely unveiled I my antedoor--
Just darkness, I ascertained - nothing more.

While surrounded by darkness then, I persevered to clearly comprehend.
I perceived the weirdest dream...of everlasting "nevermores".
Quite, quite, quick nocturnal doubts fled - such relief! - as my intellect said,
(Desiring, imagining still) that perchance the apparition was uttering a whispered "Lenore".
This only, as evermore.

Silently, I reinforced, remaining anxious, quite scared, afraid,
While intrusive tap did then come thrice - O, so stronger than sounded afore.
"Surely" (said silently) "it was the banging, clanging window lattice."
Glancing out, I quaked, upset by horrors hereinbefore,
Perceiving: a "nevermore".

Completely disturbed, I said, "Utter, please, what prevails ahead.
Repose, relief, cessation, or but more dreary 'nevermores'?"
The bird intruded thence - O, irritation ever since! -
Then sat on Pallas' pallid bust, watching me (I sat not, therefore),
And stated "nevermores".

Bemused by raven's dissonance, my soul exclaimed, "I seek intelligence;
Explain thy purpose, or soon cease intoning forlorn 'nevermores'!"
"Nevermores", winged corvus proclaimed - thusly was a raven named?
Actually maintain a surname, upon Pluvious seashore?
I heard an oppressive "nevermore".

My sentiments extremely pained, to perceive an utterance so plain,
Most interested, mystified, a meaning I hoped for.
"Surely," said the raven's watcher, "separate discourse is wiser.
Therefore, liberation I'll obtain, retreating heretofore -
Eliminating all the 'nevermores' ".

Still, the detestable raven just remained, unmoving, on sculptured bust.
Always saying "never" (by a red chamber's door).
A poor, tender heartache maven - a sorrowful bird - a raven!
O, I wished thoroughly, forthwith, that he'd fly heretofore.
Still sitting, he recited "nevermores".

The raven's dirge induced alarm - "nevermore" quite wearisome.
I meditated: "Might its utterances summarize of a calamity before?"
O, a sadness was manifest - a sorrowful cry of unrest;
"O," I thought sincerely, "it's a melancholy great - furthermore,
Removing doubt, this explains 'nevermores' ".

Seizing just that moment to sit - closely, carefully, advancing beside it,
Sinking down, intrigued, where velvet cushion lay afore.
A creature, midnight-black, watched there - it studied my soul, unawares.
Wherefore, explanations my insight entreated for.
Silently, I pondered the "nevermores".

"Disentangle, nefarious bird! Disengage - I am disturbed!"
Intently its eye burned, raising the cry within my core.
"That delectable Lenore - whose velvet pillow this was, heretofore,
Departed thence, unsettling my consciousness therefore.
She's returning - that maiden - aye, nevermore."

Since, to me, that thought was madness, I renounced continuing sadness.
Continuing on, I soundly, adamantly forswore:
"Wretch," (addressing blackbird only) "fly swiftly - emancipate me!"
"Respite, respite, detestable raven - and discharge me, I implore!"
A ghostly answer of: "nevermore".

" 'Tis a prophet? Wraith? Strange devil? Or the ultimate evil?"
"Answer, tempter-sent creature!", I inquired, like before.
"Forlorn, though firmly undaunted, with 'nevermores' quite indoctrinated,
Is everything depressing, generating great sorrow evermore?
I am subdued!", I then swore.

In answer, the raven turned - relentless distress it spurned.
"Comfort, surcease, quiet, silence!" - pleaded I for.
"Will my (abusive raven!) sorrows persist unabated?
Nevermore Lenore respondeth?", adamantly I encored.
The appeal was ignored.

"O, satanic inferno's denizen -- go!", I said boldly, standing then.
"Take henceforth loathsome "nevermores" - O, to an ugly Plutonian shore!
Let nary one expression, O bird, remain still here, replacing mirth.
Promptly leave and retreat!", I resolutely swore.
Blackbird's riposte: "nevermore".

So he sitteth, observing always, perching ominously on these doorways.
Squatting on the stony bust so untroubled, O therefore.
Suffering stark raven's conversings, so I am condemned, subserving,
To a nightmare cursed, containing miseries galore.
Thus henceforth, I'll rise (from a darkness, a grave) -- nevermore!

-- Original: E. Poe
-- Redone by measuring circles.

http://users.aol.com/s6sj7gt/mikerav.htm

Now for those Literature savvy ones out there, you would notice that it mirrors the tone and rhyme of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven", which I'll link here later here for reference. What's amazing about the above poem is that's a "constrained" poem, meaning poetry that obeys one or more artificially-imposed rules. Indeed what's amazing about it that it's constrain is that the number of letters in the words are equal to the digits of Pi; yes, that number in math we use to compute circles with that goes 3.1415-something. You can see it from the title already, 'Poe(3)E(1),Near(4) a(1) Raven(5)". Count every one if you don't believe me, though that is Pi to the 740'th decimal. Here's a link to a copy of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" since it will be too long for me to post.
http://www.heise.de/ix/raven/Literature/Lore/TheRaven.html

~~~~~~~

Xkcd - self-labeled as "A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language", this website contains one of the most intellectually romantic comedies in comic-style stick-figure drawings. Its the place for those romantic geeks out there like me (100% romantic, only 50% geek FYI). Here is my favorite

300 ways to kill boredom

I
just like to share an insight I had lately. I have been watching 300
over and over again (yes, that exaggeratedly awesome movie involving
300 Spartans and 10,000 abs), studying battle scenes and combat
choreography just because I had nothing better to do. Now to me this is
one if not the best movie I've ever watched, and its not just because
of jaw-dropping visual effects and fantastic moves. It, if you watch
carefully and look past the towering mountains of men they call those
hunks of abs with legs, also incorporate elements of a good story and
fantastic film I got to know from Literature class, Movie review
lessons and Reflection essay writing from Sir Serrano. Now I don't like
to go into a lecture, but to me this film is deeper than the man-gore
fest it appears to be.

One aspect of this film people
criticize is the presence of hideously deformed or mutant people, like
the hunchback traitor Ephialtes and the monster-like Immortals (seen
when a mask was knocked off). I've defended that this doesn't really
affect the story, but now I've gotten a better defense.One is that they
are symbolisms, caricatures of characters deformed by their corruption
(like the corrupt Priests of the Oracle or the Immortals). The better
one I have is that you will notice that parts of the movie are narrated
by the Spartan Leonidas sends home, Dilios I think his name was.
Regardless also note that this narration is the recollection of events,
events that he tells to the Spartan army before their charge at the
end. Now, recalling Sir Serrano's lesson about memory; memory takes
alot of artistic freedom. It can be affected by emotions and is
entirely subject to the interpretation of the person doing the
recalling. You get where I'm going with this?

The battle itself
is the narration of events as seen by Dilios, and therefore through
this narrative exaggerations like 1 Spartan pawns 10,000 Persians and
frightful enemies can be introduced without destroying the realism and
relative historical accuracy of the movie.

Lolz, applications of lessons, I never knew I'd see the day.

RULES: Each player of this game must start off with 10 weird/unknown things/habits about herself/himself as well as state the rules clearly. At the end, you need to choose six people to be tagged and list their names. No tag backs.

1.) Whenever I go out of the house I have that annoying nagging feeling that I left something important. Every morning before I leave for school I check my bag almost 5 times to make sure that the stuff I need are there but I couldn't get rid of that feeling. Sometimes though I did leave something behind, but I'm usually halfway to school by then. Oh yeah, this also happens whenever I sit down somewhere. I have that feeling I left something so usually double back twice just to really make sure

2.) I fall asleep immediately on trips. It's like having a switch to just turn of my brain. Even the 15-min trip to the mall I fall asleep in the car almost immediately. I even sleep on my 30-min jeepney commutes to and from school (Also trike rides for that matter). And with that I always wake up exactly on my stop (Katipunan-Petron or Makro). Only over-slept and missed my stop once - and that was the other day.

3.) I'm a really cheap guy. I like to call it thrifty if you will but in whatever case I hate spending. I actually find it weird that I'm the spendthrift in the family. my parent's find it frustrating when the want to buy me something like shoes because they're willing to buy me expensive ones but I'm the one who doesn't want expensive ones. I walk my way to Ateneo from Petron - everyday, even now during summer, because I don't like to spend for trike fare. I even refuse to turn on the aircon because I don't like to jack up the electric bills more. that's why it's easy being an environmentalist for me

4.) Whenever somebody offers me something, I always smile and politely say "No Thank you". even though I really want to accept it. I don't know why. Be it candy or anything, I will always say no even if I want it. Sort of automatic uncontrollable response. So when you offer me something and I say no, I may really want to say yes so ask again.

5.) I could easily tell you the title of a movie showing in HBO(or any channel) in less than 5 seconds as long as I have watched it before. Training I guess. Whenever my parents are watching something they don't know the title to they'll just ask me. Listening to the dialogue without looking or a passing glance at any scene, even an obscure one can identify the movie for me. I don't know if you'll believe me cuz that only ones who can really know are my parents. But I can really do it - As long as I've watched it before. hehe

6.) I'm allergic to math. Honestly, I'm not joking or speaking figuratively. I break out a cold when I'm doing math. I get a runny nose during tests. when you hear someone blowing his nose during a test, it's probably me. But as soon as i leave the room or finish the test, the colds disappear almost immediately. Migraines don't count as allergic reactions to math - thats just natural and apllicable to any test you don't like.

7.) I always sleep under a blanket. Can't sleep without one. Even during this summer heat and I'm sweating like a pig I have to be under a blanket. But I don't have a baby blanket, any blanket will do.

8.)I always cram. Seems perfectly normal for a student maybe, but I've never done something in advance. NEVER. I cannot do anything without a deadline. I've even got a system for it. I only do my assignments at 9pm onwards, anytime before is wasted any way I please. English papers, Lit papers, physics assignments and reports, everything. Finish at 12midnight or earlier, even if there are alot like an english paper and lit report at the same time. what I'll do is prepare everything so that I can cram it like hell the following day before due time.
And this works are due the next day.

9.) I sleep in my parent's room. Practicality and circumstance. Small house, and my room is converted into an attic storage room and my other room in the attic is as hot as hell because of the ceiling space. Also, I cannot sleep alone at night. In the dark I turn all paranoid and stuff (too much horror movies). I can sleep alone if a.) the TV is on (distraction because silence at the dark creeps me out) or b.) the light is on, though won't matter if I'm still alone. At day I can. But my parent's and I don't sleep on the same bed. Have this sleeping mat on the floor.

10.) I am afraid to watch one of my my favorite movies. Yeah, as emo as it sounds I'm afraid to watch A Walk to Remember, but not in a Aaaghh!!!-horror-movie-I'm-scared-type of afraid. I don't like to watch it because I'm afraid I'll turn all emotional when I watch it. It's still my favorite romantic movie, but I'm a hopeless romantic and that movie can just push me over the edge.


I'll wave the tagging other persons rule. Only few people read my blog anyway and there not the one's that's fun to do this game on. Hehe

Stargazing

Ever noticed I use the pseudonym (or whatever term is applicable) Stargazer alot? My blog is Stargazerspoint, my multiply is stargazersplace, my ym id is stargazer_xv and if you knew, most user names I use over the internet is Stargazer or something of the like. If you saw a player in an internet game with the user name Stargazer, chances are its me (of course there's a bigger chance that it's not).

Last April 21 I saw this exceptionally bright star under the moon. And to my frustration I can't look at it clearly or find out what it really is. I only had binoculars - damn good ones though, could see craters on the moon - but it still only looked like one big bright blur. Then I remembered that that night was the annual meteor shower that I've been trying to catch for the past couple of years, and sad to say, I have to wait another year to have the chance to catch it again.

That's why its become my mission to get me a telescope. No more noob stargazing with binoculars. Its time to become an amateur hobbyist stargazer.A telescope soon (timetable is set at before I turn 20) - I'll buy it with my savings, first job paycheck, cash I get somehow, through ebay, even if I have to make one myself. But through whatever way I'll have to get it somehow. It's more important than buying a car

I love to look at the stars. I love the way the night sky looks. i can't describe the feeling. It's peaceful, serene, perfectly calm and silent. The darkness just kind of sucks in all my emotions and leaves me in a tranquil state. Not to mention that the night sky is utterly beautiful and infinitely romantic. The stars look like diamonds up in the sky, and as cliche as it sounds there's no better way to describe them. And it's sad that only few people can admire them as they are, and only few people can ever truly see them. Its because lights from the city drown the starlight out from the skies and air pollution fouls up the air that you can't see them anymore.

And this is why I'm an environmentalist

The stars are more than just distant lights. They symbolize something more, an impossible goal, a romantic dream, distant guides; only to be admired, forever out of reach. Thats why I love looking at the stars, and that's why I 'm a stargazer.

Cheesy, isn't it? :p

Summer Sucks

Summer officially sucks. Yesterday I only got to enroll in my Math class and nothing else[PS: Summer enrollment procedure blows]. I didn't get the foreign language class I planned to take and that just made me guiltier for wasting tuition cash for 1 class. Now I'm supposed to go to a 1 and a half hour class at 7:30 in the morning everyday from Monday for to Friday for the next 6 weeks. Thats fare money being spent to go to school and back for one class. Disproportionate spending of cash for 1 stupid subject I tell you.

I just hate it when my plans go to hell. Its an annoying feeling. Its a feeling that everything is ruined. I dunno, I hate the feeling when i don't control the situation, especially one that I planned myself. I have my own way of planning things, and if all goes to plan it's like a well-executed military campaign. And you know whats its like when a military battle goes awry...people become pissed.

Last time one of my plans fell apart this frustratingly was last December and I hated it. Now my mid-term college life planning gets screwed up because of registration procedures. *Sigh*........... anyway, there's only one thing to do wen one's plans fall apart. Take a deep breath, and plan again accordingly.

By the way, the Monday registration thing for my job was clarified and it seems we'll take a different one, which means I don't have to miss first day of summer class. oh great, uninterrupted Math. Whoop dee dee. [/sarcastic]

Beating the Summer Heat


Every night for the past two weeks I would stay up till past midnight, listening to slow songs on Myx. And every night before I sleep I lay with my eyes open in the dark and look out my window, gazing at the stars and thinking how beautiful the moon is at this hour and how few people know it. And its at these times that I realize that…

GAWD!!! I’M SO EMO!!!





Maybe its just boredom that drives me to think this way. Hell, it’s been almost a month since I last posted anything. For some reason when I’m bored I get lazier and therefore since I don’t do anything I just get more bored. I’m already excited to go to summer class.

Couple weeks ago I received an email about a summer interview job from DevSoc. For those of you who don’t know DevSoc stands for Development Society, my home org and the job is surveying stint for Canadian International Development Agency Pearl-2 Project. Curious and motivated by the perks (cash, being able to put ‘researcher of the Canadian International Development Agency Pearl-2 Project’ In my resume eventually, workshop training. this counting as OJT hours and the satisfaction of getting my first summer job) I inquired and ultimately applied. Arwin said he was also interested but I don’t know if he applied too.

This is a great opportunity for a new experience but my concern is that I’m also gonna be taking summer classes. Of course academics have to come first (can’t believe I just said that) and this might interfere or worse have clashing schedules. I was reassured that it won’t, well, actually told we will be the ones who will make it work. They say that the project will only go through if they get at least ten participants, meaning ten survey subjects per surveyor at the most. They also said we will be the ones who will manage how we will conduct the interview and that we will be trained on how do it. Given that, I decided to apply, and waited if it will indeed push through or not.

And you know what, it did. I received a text yesterday saying that the orientation will be on Monday in Makati. I was excited because I was accepted but quickly became apprehensive. It was at 8 AM, on Monday, the first day of summer class. I’ll have to miss my first day of classes if I will attend the orientation. I hoped this was a one-time clash of schedules thing, because if this was only a foreshadowing of things to come then I’ll have to put my studies as a priority. Or at the very least be stressed out making this work without affecting my grades.

I guess I’ll attend the orientation. I’m hoping it will end early and I’ll be able to run back to Ateneo for my classes, depending on what schedule I get. Well, here’s to beating the summer boredom with a stress stick.

The Trap of a May Night...

My stressful week has just ended...And left me a cough and a nagging headache. Anyway, with the end of my hell week came our class play - and what an amazing play it was, if I do say so myself.

Well, to be fair I haven't seen other plays made by the other English blocks, but judging by our production, effort and teamwork, I say ours was more than an amateur class production. As Kevin put it, it was like a small event already by an org. In comparison, no high school production I've seen can match what we have put together. Not that I'm being cruel at my alma mater - on the contrary, I love my high school - I'm just saying that what we did was beyond that level.

Okay, so I may be exaggerating quite a bit, but you can't blame me: We've rented 500W halogen floor lamps, fabricated several house design props, transferred a complete sala set's worth of furniture from different houses to Cervini, fixed up the background of the venue, took quite an acting workshop (the main actors at least), produced two sets of tickets, took an effort to provide proper costumes, took ballroom dancing lessons (me included), got a cello-ist and violinist to play, set up a professional lights cue, reserved numerous places in the course of the month for practices and got the help of 3 Tanghalang Ateneo trained people to put our little production together, which, by the way lasted only in a little over 30 minutes.

But the result was spectacular (again, I may be biased. Right, I am biased). I was still a bit doubtful up to the presentation itself, but when it was play time, everything clicked together. I was amazed, I was stunned, I was awestruck. The lighting, the musical background, the acting - oh God the acting. the Actors performed beyond my expectations, and by the look of the audience, beyond theirs as well. It was truly a sign - this is college, and everything is up a notch. I wish some of my other friends could have watched it. Those who I have invited didn't come *sigh*



There was another memorable thing that happened during that Friday. I was asked to look for an amp for our play, and managed to borrow K's, which is in Anna's condo. Skipping unnecessary details, I came to Xanland with a copy of Ann's unit key since she said she might not be there and I could just pick it up myself. Arriving there I decided to ring the bell before trying to use the key. Waited 3 seconds and thought that nobody was there so I tried to open the door. To my surprise, I found it unlocked so I let myself in. Guess Anna was home. The bedroom was closed, and even as I was closing the front door I heard the bedroom door clamoring open. I quickly jumped into the kitchen, thinking I could scare Anna senseless. To my surprise, it wasn't Anna, but some girl I haven't seen in my life.

And the look on her face was priceless!It was pure terror. I was shocked at first but seeing that look just made me smile. Well, I may be cruel now: she was in the condo of her friend all comfortable when she suddenly sees a guy- not at all good-looking- she doesn't know invade what is supposed to be her safe zone. You could imagine what she thought -or felt. She could have thought Stalker, murder, kidnapper, burglar, mugger, and dare I say it, rapist?
Anyway, that shocked gasping look actually got repeated several times since there actually a group of girls inside the bedroom. Sensing it was getting out of hand, and that the girl I scared white may be suffocating already since it already must have been a few good seconds since she got a proper breath of air, I called Anna to finally end their shock. she realized it was me and finally explained to her friends. They were relieved.

Well, most of them anyway. I got the amp and left. Anna said that she herself was scared. Well, again I can't blame her. i am sorry for the girl I scared the bejesus out off. That must have been traumatic. Well, really my fault I guess. I was purposely approaching her while she was gasping her entire lung capacity out repeatedly after I saw that she was shocked and afraid. I was being naughty I guess. *sly smile*Hehe.

PS: When you live in a condo or dorm, don't forget to lock your doors, even when you are inside.