Won't they "Everest"?

To watch Wednesday night's news and see Oracion conquer "the world's tallest mountain" is another symbolic victory for the Filipino people, much like the well(over)-publized Pacquiao-Morales matches. But is it really what its shown to be?

Though I am a Filipino and proud of it, I don't share the same enthusiasm or whatever warm-fuzzy feeling as those guys featured in the news. Maybe what they were feeling,or even you, was a sense of patriotism, tingling within as they see that Philippine flag fluttering in the oxygen-starved wind? Is it another nation-binding moment, or a clear-cut case of "the end doesn't justify the means"?

The point, as I see it, of sending a Philippine Mt. Everest Expedition team is to show the world the fortitude of the Flipino people and spirit by conquering the world's hightest peak and instill a sense of patriotism to the populace. They did show something, but I don't think it was the one they wanted.

I'll make it simple: they turned the whole thing into a network war. Even to the roof of the world they did'nt let go of competiton. All this happened just because Gma-backed Garduce announced he's gonna climb Everest ahead of the official Phil. expedition team. Not wanting to be upstaged, ABS-CBN rushed 2 people to beat him to it. There's no "I" in team, but apparently there's a "Leo" in it.

All I saw in this is the classic "crab mentality" already associated with us Pinoy's.
And with all this ratings-driven fiasco, how patriotic can you get?

Summer is over!
"Ulan, sinong di mababaliw sa ulan..", or so goes the song. Yup, I've been listening to the pitter patter of raindrops falling on the roof since last night, largely because the cable went out before I could watch my Thursday shows. It rained all day today too, which means good bye "..in the heat of summer sunshine.." and hello being "..nag-iisa sa gitna ng dilim at basang-basa pa sa ulan.."(get it? Blackouts and floods? hehe..) There's always something about rain..that makes me remember, reminisce. All that I could think about last night when I was listening to the sound of rain, was her. Maybe it's because of hearing the song whose the lyrics I wrote above(don't tell me you didn't get that..) over and over again. Either way, it sent me back to that wonderful time. I was even thinking what would it be like if I had this blog since then. I sure would have more to write about. Anyway, I sure have killed enough of my time and yours, so I should stop now. One last lyric though, and sing it with me this time..

"Naaalala, ko ang mga gabing, nakahiga sa ilalim ng kalawakan - naaalala, ko ang mga gabing, magkatabi sa ulan..."

[P.S. Like the new background? made it myself ^^,]

Regrets?

I was so tired yesterday that I've only managed to update my bloggy today. So tired because in fact, I went swimming. Oh yeah, I chose to join my classmates in a day of swimming instead of getting it off easy watching a movie in plush, air-conditioned Gateway. And how many times I've wished that I went to Gateway instead.

Our "class" of 12 people went to Serene Club Resort, up somewhere in Tikling, where the only thing I liked are the pools and the view. The pools were arranged in a terrace-like fashion, 3 pools positioned like a stair where you can drop to the next pool below. And let me tell you, dropping(not jumping, just dropping) 8-feet over and over again from one to pool to the next was fun and exciting, and a little head-jarring.

We ate a lot of food, some home-cooked and some we prepared ourselves on the spot. In fairness, they're good at grilling porkchop.

Half the time I tried my best to put a good distance between me and the rest of the group. I'm not being a loner, or "nagpapakasenti" or what others you might be thinking of. I was staying away because all of them were smoking. I hate cigarette smoke because I'm asthmatic and I think I even breathed a stick and a half worth of it just by standing next to them. Our cottage turned into a 15-square foot ashtray because of all the cigarette butts,ash,poolwater,ice,dirt, and softdrinks on the floor. And I didnt even bring slippers. I don't know if its a shock to you if I said the girls were the ones who sucked the most sticks, one of them even finishing 6 in the time it took for me to change and take a shower.

Aside from smoking, there was also drinking, though not alot mind you. The more conservative ones drank San Mig light and the more masculine ones were sipping down shots of brandy. We all tried at least once, including me just to show off and not be a wimp(I still dont get it why people like beer or brandy,because it still doesn't taste good to me).

To the part I hated the most. We contributed for our stay in the resort, and they managed to take Php 300 from me for the cottage, entrance and food, not to mention commuting fee for going there. Aside from losing a good chunk of my allowance, I lost my goggles! I've lost like 10 goggles in my lifetime and my father never liked it and sure as hell he won't like it when he finds out I lost another one. One minute somebody was using it and the next thing I knew it was gone. I spend a good chunk of my stay there combing the depths of every pool for those googles, but I never did find it. I always wished after then, that I went to Gateway instead.

If I had went to Gateway, what would have possibly happened? I wouldn't lost my goggles thats for sure. I could have watched Silent Hill, Mission Impossible and could have been treated to lunch instead of spending alot.

So do I regret my decision? Hell no. What's regret gonna do anyway? Pay back my monety and return my goggles? If it did then regret would have been a good thing. But what regret only does is blind you form seeing the real value of experiences you had, and the things you could learn from them. I don't regret joining my classmates, It was fun, I had fun. I wished somebody was there with me that could have shared it, because she wouldnt have put up with all of that smoking, that's for sure.

But if given a chance, will I choose to go to Gateway instead? Hell yeah!!

Choices,choices..

I'm in a bit of a fix here.Tomorrow is our planned class outing. Well, it was supposed to be this wednesday but "due to popular demand" they decided to move it up a day. And what do you know, it just had to clash with one of my friend's b-day celebration. Now I can't decide which one to go to!

Now let's weigh both sides. This is my senior class outing, and getting to have an escapade with them one last time before going off to college sounds fun. Getting treated to a movie (I do hope they plan on watching Silent Hill, or at least M:i:III) and lunch in Gateway sounds fun too. To be honest, our class isn't really "bonded" together- by that I mean think of the United States, or better yet the Philippines; one country,heavily divided. While I am being honest, I can say that I'm not that close with the group of friends I want to join in Gateway, since most of them are incoming 3rd-years and only Rj is my only real connection there.If I go swimming, I'll have to contribute something. If I go malling, I'd get to watch a free movie(again, I hope it's Silent Hill). Tommorow also,is a special day for me since its a special date between me a special girl, and since she is not here I really don't have a strong motivation to go with my classmates. And since I will be "alone" tomorrow, spending time with a couple (Rj and his gf) doing,well,couple-ly stuff, would feel wierd and akward for me. Third wheel, anyone?

I still don't know where will I go or who will i join. Well, you'll know who tomorrow. All I can say is this - I don't want to get a sunburn, or even darken..

Some of you might be thinking (eh who am I kidding nobody hasn't even read this yet) why have I not been posting often in my little blog. For starters, I rather not bore you to not coming back with irrelevant details about my daily life. I plan to post only important events or any of the sort, things that are more interesting to read. Who would want to read stuff like, "I watched tv today and met with my friends and we played and its so much fun", anyway? Well,I did resolve(again)to make this remaining vacation time worthwhile. I'll take up self-studying french again(pronounciation is a pain in the..) and I started fixing this place by adding a couple of links there at the sidebar; feel free to click away. I should also start shamelessly advertising my blog - how could anybody read it if i dont share it right?

I'm just a little bummed tonight, cause not only did she not talk to me much, she didn't even say good bye..