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.