Tuesday, October 28, 2003
WE ARE OUT OF TIME, FOLKS
I succesfully enrolled in advance for 2nd Sem JOU2-1 today. Eric finished first and then he accompanied me around. I also happened to have runned into Apple at the CAD, which was some sort of a delight... because just the other day we were climbing Lourdes Grotto up in Baguio. o_O
The whole enrolling-in-advance process went as smoothly as possible. I didn't have to wait longer than ten minutes for anything. I was also lucky our adviser Mr. H. Palad was in the CAD office to hand me my Pre-Reg. form, which enabled me to enrol.
At the HF office, well, it's served as a makeshift dorm for some co-staffers and editors since the Unigames 2003 is in our campus for the past few days. I wasn't assigned to the coverage team so when I entered the place, I felt a bit alienated. The Associate Editor, Ate July, saw me for the first time in ages and I wanted to explain myself and show her I now carry renewed energy and inspiration to write. The phrase "To write is already to choose..." that is on my Black CEGP ID Strap is starting to make more sense now.
Mom had her check-up at the DLSU-HSC or UMC, since she's been coughing for days now and has been carrying symptoms of fever and cold. All around our campus, the Unigames still had its effect everywhere. And with the HF, the 3rd Broadsheet was released this past week and it is the first broadsheet that I don't have anything published in it... I failed to submit to HF Vol. 18 No. 3 and the La Salleno Vol. 11 No. 1. These two issues, were the victims of my "writer's block". It will also, hopefully, be the last two issues to not carry any articles of mine... meaning... from this point onwards... it's back to work!
The HF Midyear Seminar is the reason why I'm enrolling in advanced, since the scheduled enrolment for my class is on Wednesday morning... by that time we're already on our way to Batulao, Batangas.
Eric rode with us up to the highway and we stopped by Mercury Drug and Waltermart Manggahan in General Trias. Take note, the Wellcom in Waltermart Manggahan has a 7650 for sale... and to say, how many malls did I go to?! But even though, I wouldn't buy my new phone in a mini-mall. ^_^
At home I fixed up my 2nd Sem things like notebooks, course cards, registration forms, etc. I also organized my Academic Folder which I will be returning next week when classes begin.
Jose Angelo Garcia... or Joel... one fun HAPPY 19TH BIRTHDAY to you. I hope the tropa is there with you on your birthday at Eastwood Libis. I really, really want to go... but ever since they announced the HF Midyear is from October 29-31, I've had to live with the fact that I won't be able to attend that night out of partying. Joel, I know you might not be reading this, but I wish you and the whole tropa ONE FUN NIGHT on Thursday. Abbie, if you read this or something, please tell Joel in person. Thanks.
So, it's late now and I couldn't finish my documentation of the Baguio Trip. I lack time these days... so many things to do, places to go, people to see... but in another sense, it's all in what they call "time management".
I will be doing several updates and posts to all incomplete entries recently (Ara's Debut, Baguio Trip, etc.) when I return from Charles Huang Conference Center in Batangas. -out-
I succesfully enrolled in advance for 2nd Sem JOU2-1 today. Eric finished first and then he accompanied me around. I also happened to have runned into Apple at the CAD, which was some sort of a delight... because just the other day we were climbing Lourdes Grotto up in Baguio. o_O
The whole enrolling-in-advance process went as smoothly as possible. I didn't have to wait longer than ten minutes for anything. I was also lucky our adviser Mr. H. Palad was in the CAD office to hand me my Pre-Reg. form, which enabled me to enrol.
At the HF office, well, it's served as a makeshift dorm for some co-staffers and editors since the Unigames 2003 is in our campus for the past few days. I wasn't assigned to the coverage team so when I entered the place, I felt a bit alienated. The Associate Editor, Ate July, saw me for the first time in ages and I wanted to explain myself and show her I now carry renewed energy and inspiration to write. The phrase "To write is already to choose..." that is on my Black CEGP ID Strap is starting to make more sense now.
Mom had her check-up at the DLSU-HSC or UMC, since she's been coughing for days now and has been carrying symptoms of fever and cold. All around our campus, the Unigames still had its effect everywhere. And with the HF, the 3rd Broadsheet was released this past week and it is the first broadsheet that I don't have anything published in it... I failed to submit to HF Vol. 18 No. 3 and the La Salleno Vol. 11 No. 1. These two issues, were the victims of my "writer's block". It will also, hopefully, be the last two issues to not carry any articles of mine... meaning... from this point onwards... it's back to work!
The HF Midyear Seminar is the reason why I'm enrolling in advanced, since the scheduled enrolment for my class is on Wednesday morning... by that time we're already on our way to Batulao, Batangas.
Eric rode with us up to the highway and we stopped by Mercury Drug and Waltermart Manggahan in General Trias. Take note, the Wellcom in Waltermart Manggahan has a 7650 for sale... and to say, how many malls did I go to?! But even though, I wouldn't buy my new phone in a mini-mall. ^_^
At home I fixed up my 2nd Sem things like notebooks, course cards, registration forms, etc. I also organized my Academic Folder which I will be returning next week when classes begin.
Jose Angelo Garcia... or Joel... one fun HAPPY 19TH BIRTHDAY to you. I hope the tropa is there with you on your birthday at Eastwood Libis. I really, really want to go... but ever since they announced the HF Midyear is from October 29-31, I've had to live with the fact that I won't be able to attend that night out of partying. Joel, I know you might not be reading this, but I wish you and the whole tropa ONE FUN NIGHT on Thursday. Abbie, if you read this or something, please tell Joel in person. Thanks.
So, it's late now and I couldn't finish my documentation of the Baguio Trip. I lack time these days... so many things to do, places to go, people to see... but in another sense, it's all in what they call "time management".
I will be doing several updates and posts to all incomplete entries recently (Ara's Debut, Baguio Trip, etc.) when I return from Charles Huang Conference Center in Batangas. -out-
UNITED NATIONS OF BAGUIO
The Damage Report - Year 2 - Sembreak Week 2 of 3
Background Music: "Me Against the Music" by B. Spears and Madonna
NOTE: This is one of three weekly blog entries that summarizes and concludes a week during the Semestral Break.
IT was my second time up in Baguio in my entire life and within this year alone, and like my first time up there, I was with a group of... well, just guys. Not that I'm dissatisfied with being in the City of Pines with "other gentlemen", but I'm the type who'd like to go on vacation with a few girls to spicen things up... especially in the cold weather up there.
Anyways, this trip wasn't just a normal vacation... it was actually the first successful outreach and outing of the DLSU-D International Students Organization or ISO in recent day. The current adviser of the ISO is Sir Sieg, who I just met during 1st Sem Course Card Distribution.
Thursday night - The Departure
I picked up Aldrich at his house and we swinged by Waltermart Dasma to pick up Zubair. I met Zubair for the first time at the Waltermart Dasma parking lot, but I've heard about him since my Freshmen Year when Basil told me that he and the other Kuwaiti-raised guys had a friend in another school. Zubair moved from UST to study here in DLSU-D.
We arrived at the 7-11 in Dasma Bayan around 9 in the evening and waited for Sir Sieg and the rest of the cavalry. I was expecting to meet and greet other Filams from DLSU-D, but according to Sir Sieg's txts, only us and Yousef and the ISO President Jaime (raised in Europe, haven't seen this guy in person yet) would be going.
Turned out that Jaime wasn't allowed to go, according to his mom. The President of the ISO, not going on this trip? I didn't plead to ask further questions, I just went with the flow.
Yousef and Sir Sieg arrived and then we boarded a bus bound for Lawton. And so, our long road trip began. I was sitting next to Yousef while Aldrich and Zubair were sitting opposite sides of us. Sir Sieg was by himself behind Yousef and I.
I got to meet Yousef more, I also met him for the first time during Course Card Distribution. Yousef is a Pakistani, but was raised in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He was schoolmates with Abbie Almasco, Kevin Urquia (although he doesn't know him since Kevin's from a younger batch), and co-Feature Staffer at the Heraldo Filipino Gerelyn Isles (same batch as he was).
From Lawton we took a taxi and it drove us to Cubao where we went to the Victory Liner Bus Station. It was crowded with people headed up north. I suddenly became nostalgic over my trip to Vigan, Ilocus Sur last May. I was with the Heraldo Filipino then and I was with Eric, Maycee, our editors and our then-adviser Ms. Agbing (aww... I miss having her as our adviser).
Sir Sieg went to get us some tickets and he returned with news that all the buses to Baguio were fully booked until the 2:00am bus. And it was only 11:00pm at the time.
Sir Sieg and Yousef went to investigate the Dagupan Bus Station, which was a five-minute walk away. I was with Aldrich and Zubair. I got to know Zubair more while we were waiting for a txt message from Sir.
Speaking of txt message, I bought a Nokia 7650 early Thursday before the trip started in the evening hours. We went all the way to Festival Supermall where I bought it at Co-Green Telecom (like what classmate Katz said) for Php 17,600. It isn't the blue version, but that's ok. After the one year warranty is over, I'll change the housing and make my 7650 look renewed again in the future.
Sir txt'd and we walked down the night time streets of Cubao, where bus stations lined up on both sides of the big road. We arrived at the Dagupan Bus station and found out we could already board the bus. Aldrich, Zubair, Yousef, and I got off the bus after placing our bags down so we could buy some snacks. I took pictures with my 7650 at the places we bought things. I wasn't stupid, I did observe my surroundings before taking out my phone. There was no "yellow light" activity going on and I took my phone out discreetly.
We got on the bus and it departed Cubao at midnight. Same seating arrangement. Aldrich and Zubair to the right while Yousef was at the window to my left. Sir was sitting behind us. Aldrich was listening to the radio with his Nokia 7210 while Zubair was listening to his CD Player. Yousef was just sitting there while I was caught without a CD Player (it wasn't charged and I didn't want to bring the battery-adapter). Instead, I watched a few minutes of Debate on the TV screen in the bus.
It was a night trip so there was nothing to see outside the windows but a few billboards. As we left Metro Manila and entered Bulacan, the billboards decreased and all that was left to notice was how cold the bus was.
The first stop-over was in Tarlac (it's a major stop over for many, if not all bus liners between Manila and northern Luzon). I got out of the bus simply to defrost. I was freezing in the bus. The bathroom was dirty. Zubair didn't get off the bus. Aldrich and I got some Hot Coffee and found out we were the only ones the whole bus was waiting for. We rushed back onto the bus and sat down as quickly as we could.
It was funny as how the bus would speed across the empty streets of Tarlac and inside the dim lighting of the bus, Aldrich and I sat erect trying to avoid any coffee spillage. We wearn't exactly holding Starbucks in our hands. Our disposable cups didn't have lids, so we were struggling to balance the hot liquid.
I tried to go to sleep, but the air conditioning in the bus was just so cold it hurt my ears and face the most... since the rest of my body was covered already. I was already wearing the new Bench jacket I bought at Glorietta on Monday.
I thought there wouldn't be any further stops, but we stopped two more times. One in Pangasinan, I believe. The place had clean restrooms. And finally another stop in La Union before ascending the mountains into Baguio.
I had moments where I fell asleep... but then I could still hear the motors of the bus as it climbed higher altitudes. Then, around 4 or 5 o'clock on Friday morning, I could see the city lights of Baguio during the many curves and turns on the mountainside. The sky was dark blue already, and I saw the crescent of the moon overlooking one of the silouettes of the mountains in the distance. It was definantly a welcoming sight for sore eyes.
We arrived in Baguio and we got off at the bus station. Immedietly I began shaking and freezing due to the cold weather. We made our way into one of the canteens near the whole bus station. We all ordered some hot Chicken Mami soup to warm our stomachs and our bodies.
Friday morning - The U.N. Summit
After eating we walked all the way to this church overlooking much of the city. It was a sight! And, it was early morning. The cool air was still there while the sun was behind our backs, not on top of us. Our time to meet with St. Louis University - Baguio City was at 8 o'clock, but it was still 6 o'clock in the morning. Sir Sieg explained to me about the purpose of the whole trip and he also explained to me everything about the ISO. We had a few pictures taken and then we made our walk towards SLU. From our arrival at the bus station up to SLU, we didn't ride a single vehicle. Sir Sieg, during a conversation, mentioned that he loves traveling and the adventure kind of lifestyle. That's something in me that I've always wanted to develop. Maybe I'll ride with him on his other travels... of course, next time, with some girls to add some fun.
We entered SLU, a place I've wanted to see the moment I heard I was going to it. SLU's publication is "White & Blue" which was a contender against "Heraldo Filipino" during the 63rd CEGP Convention in Teppeng Cove, Ilocus Sur last May. "White & Blue" was competitive because all it's broadsheet pages are in color... unless, it was the issue they submitted to the CEGP that was all in color. HF won "Best Broadsheet of the Year" and our literary folio "Palad" won "Best Literary/Art Folio of the Year". We received two of the three major awards.
The campus was on the side of a hill in the middle of the city and it was overlooking this mountain that looked like it was built by a stack of houses. A tremendous sight in my opinion. The school was very welcoming. We proceeded to meet Ms. Viola Garcia, the SLU Registrar and head of the FSA or Foreign Students Association (the SLU version of the DLSU-D ISO).
She was very hospitable and kind. She always had this smile on her face as she introduced us to other foreign students at the university. She toured us around a little and then dropped us at this one conference room which looked like a Presidential meeting room... with the long and wide wooden table in the middle.
One by one foreign students came in. I was in culture shock for some odd reason. First, this guy from Nepal (who looks european) enters. He's already an alumni of SLU. Next, this tall guy from India comes in and greets us. His english is American slang. Following him was a group of Korean guys including the FSA President- Joshua. Three Indonesian guys entered and it completed, what I had called "The summit". I was slightly laughing due to all the culture shock (I mean, I was expecting to meet Filams too... but everyone in the room came from so many different places).
We had exchange of words and questions about each other, about each other's schools, about happenings and other sorts. It was a unique experience to meet these people. The FSA people are so close to each other. They have basketball games every Saturday night together. These people of different nationalities, studying together in Baguio. Wow.
[to be continued - all pictures to follow]
Up next:
* Friday afternoon - Korean Tour de Baguio
* Friday evening - Billiards and Padi's Point
* Saturday morning - The Dual Hangover
* Saturday afternoon - Apple and Jezire in Baguio
* Saturday evening - Pizza and Colt 45
* Sunday morning - Baguio Public Market
* Sunday afternoon - Descending the mountains
* Sunday evening - Chowking Cravings
Thursday, October 23, 2003
SENTIMENTS ABOUT BAGUIO
Tomorrow night I'll be meeting with Aldrich and Zubeir and a handful of International Students at DLSU-D (count: 2 or 3... hehe) at 7-11 Dasmariñas Bayan. We are joined together by the adviser of the International Students Organization, Sir Sieg. I think we'll be getting on a bus from Dasma Bayan and up to Pasay (I thought Cubao, are they the same?) o_O
According to a txt from Sir Sieg, we'd arrive in Baguio 6:30 AM and we'd meet with students of St. Louis University-Baguio around 8 o'clock Friday morning. So basically, the trip will be at night... which is something I haven't done since the College Editors Guild of the Philippines conference up in Vigan. The trips are always fun, in my opinion. Especially when you're with good company.
Lance isn't going. I've lost half my spirit on going on this trip because of his sudden backing out. The last time I was in Baguio was last April (with Joel and the guys) and Lance was also up there but we didn't meet in person. I was hoping Lance, Aldrich, and I could have additional bonding aside from our trip to Glorietta the other day.
Well, anyways... Aldrich is going and so is the Kuwaiti guys' (Brian, Basil, Karl) friend Zubeir, who recently transferred from UST to DLSU-D to join us. I haven't met the guy as much as we've passed by each other a few times and how he's "Friend of a Friend". Maybe this trip I'll get to know him.
I mean, that is the purpose of the trip right?
This trip is to meet new people from DLSU-D and from St. Louis University-Baguio. Even if we're just a handful coming from DLSU-D (like less than 10... hehe) I think it's still worth a shot. This is an organization I've never heard about until now and I want to show everyone how active I'm willing to be in it. What is there to lose?
And as an additional bonus, my classmates Apple and Jezire are planning on going to Baguio for this weekend. I hope I get to meet up with them.
So, this is my last blog entry for now. Wish us all a safe and happy trip. Good luck to Abbie, Len, and Lance with their paperworks on shifting! Good luck to all my friends and co-staffers like Kate at Heraldo Filipino for the coverage of the Unigames 2003 inside our campus!
I hope when I get back, things will be going great for everybody. -out-
Tomorrow night I'll be meeting with Aldrich and Zubeir and a handful of International Students at DLSU-D (count: 2 or 3... hehe) at 7-11 Dasmariñas Bayan. We are joined together by the adviser of the International Students Organization, Sir Sieg. I think we'll be getting on a bus from Dasma Bayan and up to Pasay (I thought Cubao, are they the same?) o_O
According to a txt from Sir Sieg, we'd arrive in Baguio 6:30 AM and we'd meet with students of St. Louis University-Baguio around 8 o'clock Friday morning. So basically, the trip will be at night... which is something I haven't done since the College Editors Guild of the Philippines conference up in Vigan. The trips are always fun, in my opinion. Especially when you're with good company.
Lance isn't going. I've lost half my spirit on going on this trip because of his sudden backing out. The last time I was in Baguio was last April (with Joel and the guys) and Lance was also up there but we didn't meet in person. I was hoping Lance, Aldrich, and I could have additional bonding aside from our trip to Glorietta the other day.
Well, anyways... Aldrich is going and so is the Kuwaiti guys' (Brian, Basil, Karl) friend Zubeir, who recently transferred from UST to DLSU-D to join us. I haven't met the guy as much as we've passed by each other a few times and how he's "Friend of a Friend". Maybe this trip I'll get to know him.
I mean, that is the purpose of the trip right?
This trip is to meet new people from DLSU-D and from St. Louis University-Baguio. Even if we're just a handful coming from DLSU-D (like less than 10... hehe) I think it's still worth a shot. This is an organization I've never heard about until now and I want to show everyone how active I'm willing to be in it. What is there to lose?
And as an additional bonus, my classmates Apple and Jezire are planning on going to Baguio for this weekend. I hope I get to meet up with them.
So, this is my last blog entry for now. Wish us all a safe and happy trip. Good luck to Abbie, Len, and Lance with their paperworks on shifting! Good luck to all my friends and co-staffers like Kate at Heraldo Filipino for the coverage of the Unigames 2003 inside our campus!
I hope when I get back, things will be going great for everybody. -out-
Monday, October 20, 2003
THREE BRATZ IN GLORIETTA
A rare chance for the three of us to get-together, and just us...
I'VE never had that amount of fun at a mall in quite some time! Aldrich and my best friend Lance went with me to Ayala-Glorietta to continue search for my new cellphone the Nokia 7650.
Originally I had the idea it would be the tropa get-together for the Sem Break, but instead a troubling cellphone (my Nokia 3210 is really throwing a fit over getting replaced soon) and lack of communication with the rest of the tropa (well, a third of the tropa is in the Saudi-Kuwait territory right now) brought out a little bonding between me and my co-military bratz Lance and Aldrich.
INFO: "Military Brats" are children of servicemen and women of the US Armed Forces. Though Lance and I are now "ex-brats", Aldrich is still a "brat", so together I guess it's safe to say we're "m-bratz".
My mom and her cousin and our driver got in the CR-V and we picked up Lance at Tejero. After Tejero, we all went to Aldrich's big house in General Trias to make paalam to his strict grandparents.
A Delegation from Vietnam?
I approached his grandfather in the back across the garden overlooking the swimming pool. The first reaction of the grandfather upon seeing me is that I was "from Vietnam"!
Vietnam?! Lance and Aldrich laughed. Um... ok.
After some negociations, Aldrich was able to go. We all got in the CR-V and headed for Makati City for our day at the mall.
***
High Noon @ Ayala G4
It wasn't traffic anywhere and we arrived at Glorietta exactly at noon. We separated from my mom and the three of us went around in search of a place to eat. Eventually we ended up at Subway.
I don't know what came over me since I was joking about everything under the sun with Lance and Aldrich. I mean, this was a rare chance for the three of us to get together... just the three of us.
The Conversation at Subway
What were we talking about at Subway? Lance asked Aldrich along the way "Have you ever seen your sister naked?" and then Aldrich asked in return and Lance asked the question from a different angle and then it got messy from there. All while we were eating our sandwiches.
The parts of my Subway Club were falling apart and when I finished my sandwich, I had a free salad in front of me.
After eating we walked around the mall and ended up in Penshoppe for a good, say... 30 minutes. Aldrich and Lance kept trying these hats on while I was looking at this nice bag that I wanted but since Aldrich already has the bag, I didn't want to "copy" him.
Penshoppe and Men's Fashion
That goes with about everything else in Penshoppe. Everytime I see a sweater, a polo, a shirt, a bag, a hat... it all reminds me of Aldrich, Karl, sometimes Mik and sometimes Basil. We're basically the "Penshoppe boys" of DLSU-D.
At least Lance found Oxygen. And at Bench, well, the clothes there are usually too big or too wide it gets irritating.
Lance and Aldrich bought a hat each and they left the place holding a shopping bag. I had my digital camera in my hand and I took pictures inside the store, even in the fitting room. I didn't have a shopping bag and I started to get depressed over not having anything purchased yet.
Meaningless, Meaningful Jokes
That's what made me joke even more. I was just a klutz walking with Lance and Aldrich. I made remarks such as "Aldrich, don't walk in the center... you make us look like your back-up dancers."
"With you two with me, I feel like I'm the 2nd Runner up in a Mister Pageant and you guys are Mister blah-blah and 1st Runner-up."
Then I started to joke politically.
"You know Aldrich, I've noticed some people stare at you and try to make papansin... I hope it doesn't make your head bigg-ER!"
As if his head is big in the first place... joke joke...
Speaking of "joke joke"... we slapped on the saying "Jokes are half meant." so everytime I came up with a political joke towards Aldrich, I'd slap on "Joke plus joke!"
Lance noticed. I'm sorry if I went overboard, but being with the two of them was just fun. When we're in this large party walking around the mall, the fun gets confusing when you have to contact the others... et cetera. But now, it was just us.
The Great Hunt Continues
We browsed the mall for a cellphone dealer and couldn't find any. We circled Glorietta 1, Glorietta 2, Glorietta 3, and Glorietta 4 and still no-where. We finally met up with my mom and our driver led us to Wellcom, which was located in this underground bazaar in Glorietta that reminded me of the mini mall in Baclaran.
We entered... and like in all places, the dreaded three words: "Out of stock."
I grew impatient and walked out and felt confident that somewhere in the mall, would be my Dark Blue Nokia 7650.
***
Out-of-Stock Everywhere
We went towards SM Makati and as we entered, some salesperson said the mall doesn't sell cellphones. Huh? We turned around and followed our driver as he led us towards "The Hub". Oh, we didn't see this place.
We entered and for a moment I had the feeling that my phone would be there. The place had samples laid out on these tall tables. Lance and Aldrich were asking why don't I get this or that instead... the Sony Ericsson Phone (Slogan: Pass it on...) is just plain and too small for me. Then, the other Sony Ericsson phone that acts like a Palm Pilot with the DigiPen was too complicated. Finally, the Nokia 3650 (as much as it's been available everywhere)... just doesn't appeal as greatly to me compared to a Nokia 7650.
The lady says "Phased out" and I'm like... "I can't breathe now... I've been to three malls and dozens of cellphone stores and yet, to no avail... can I find a Nokia 7650."
We walk out and I decide to txt my classmate Katz who bought her 7650 last week at ATC. She told me it's also available at Festival Supermall. I gave up looking at Glorietta and we all separated from my mom and walked around.
Namamansin sa Bookstore
Aldrich, Lance, and I ended up entering Tower Records and wounded up at the Powerbooks area. Aldrich read about astrology (I saw him read about his sign Virgo and his best friend Mik's sign Sagittarius). Lance read about his sign Aquarius. And well, you can call me mayabang in a way... I didn't need to read about my sign Cancer. Nor about any other sign, frankly. *cough*
I pointed at a book about Nostradamus and Lance told me that the current Pope is the last of the Popes or something like that and then I had him show me. I had Aldrich take our picture there.
There was some couple having an LQ right next to us and then they left as the girl cried and crashed into the guy's chest as they walked away. And there were these two girls that I felt "tried to make papansin" towards Aldrich when we were looking at Inspirational books. Lance was browsing through the Butterfly book that his ex-girlfriend Nikki gave to him (and I also read the book when my classmate Kate showed it to me)... it has a meaning to everyone. Great book.
The two early-20s women were being so loud next to us (next to Aldrich) and then as Aldrich and Lance left, one of the girls grabbed this book on the lower shelf and read in tagalog: "Women are smarter than Men... they always are... it's so true..." I was like: "Papansin!!"
I say I hate suplada girls... but in another sense, I'm a suplado guy... so there are girls that hate suplado guys. It's not like I want to be suplado, it's just I'm shy towards general strangers... and I do have bad eyesight.
Sampling the music
After about 30 minutes of book reading, we headed downstairs to Tower Records where we started sampling CDs. Lance stayed at Hilary Duff's CD while I went to Dido's and then to Jewel's. Jeez, how feminine naman. Joke. I mean, all the hip hop and R&B CDs where downstairs.
I listened to Dido and it was ok. I found Jewel's and listened to "Stand", which is her latest song according to Eric but I still haven't heard it. It sounded nice.
We went downstairs and that's where I listened to Outkast's CD, of which I'd eventually buy. The Outkast CD comes with two CDs and comes with hits "Hey Ya" and "The Way You Move". The names of the two CDs in one album was "The Love Below" and "Speakerboxxx".
I also listened to Jennifer Lopez's "Baby I Love You", her latest single which just sounds so friggin' dreamy I wish I had a girlfriend and we were at some park on a sunny morning enjoying Nescafe Chocolate, if there was such a thing.
Next to her album was Thalia and I had to listen to "Baby I'm In Love". Two different songs compared to Jennifer Lopez. Thalia has this voice that I find appealing.
I bought the CD and asked for any freebies and the lady gave me the September 2003 issue of PRESS [>] with Beyonce Knowles on the cover.
We left and cruised the mall again and basically we covered it. We walked into many stores in frantic search of something for ME to wear to Baguio. My mom gave me money and I bought a CD? She'll be so disappointed I didn't find any shirt or polo.
Some expensive window shopping
Instead, well... Aldrich beat me to this nice grey sweater jacket. It costs Php 1,400 and I turned it down. Then when Aldrich wore it, it looked nice and so comfortable! He reserved it since he didn't carry the cash. Lance was all trying to convince Aldrich to let me buy it since I carried the cash... but Aldrich was all like "I'll let you borrow it George when I buy it!"
How nice of you to say that Aldrich, na-touch ako. Joke... joke!
We went around and entered all these different designer stores. At "SUB" all the clothes there were black and white... since I was wearing blue... I felt strange entering the place.
Price tags read 3,400, 1,999, 2,500, etc. Yikes! Basically, nothing was below 1,000. We went into Mossimo and I saw this Leather Jacket, I was approaching it until I saw 9,500 on it's price-tag. I turned around and saw a nice summer-styled polo... saw the price... and ended up walking out of the store as discreetly as I could.
70% Off is still P2,000
Next was the Dolce & Gabbana episode. We enter and Aldrich and Lance help me look for a sweater. This nice saleslady spoke english to us and told us about these shirts on sale. She started unfolding several of them to show to us.
70% off daw. I looked at the tag and saw in red pen ink "P1,899" down from the originally printed price-tag "P4,999". It was a damn t-shirt and the fabric felt like any other t-shirt fabric. P1,899 on a t-shirt?
I walked out, but noticed Lance and Aldrich keenly looking at some polos in the small store. I returned inside and they handed me this memo looking thing. I thought it was a notebook but it wasn't.. it was a catalogue of the Dolce & Gabanna 2003 Winter line-up. Um... ok.
Aldrich loved this black cap there so he tried it on like how many times... hehe. He reserved it. After we left, Lance and I were talking about our trip to Baguio and how Lance was out of funds in going with us on the trip. I reminded Aldrich that we needed to help Lance fund his trip to Baguio and then I made one remark: "If you could buy that 3,500 peso cap, why not you just treat Lance and I to Baguio?!"
Aldrich froze up. He thought the black cap was more or less P1,000.
I looked at Aldrich and Lance did the same: "So what do you plan on telling the nice lady after you signed the reservation form and left the place with the goodbye smiles on their faces?"
I finally bought something useful
We went to /bench and I was now desperate to buy something. I saw a nice jacket and I tried it on in the fitting room. I didn't "feel" it was me and then Lance said "Stop saying you don't FEEL this and that... stop FEELING..."
That made me shut up and think about what I was wearing, not feel about what I was wearing. Cool, a tip to help me on deciding on what to buy these days.
I tried the black one, and it looked better on me compared to the vanilla-colored jacket I had on first. I was about to get it and then the lady says there's a rough brown one and when I tried it, I liked it. I bought it for P799.50 and that's exactly when my mom came in. Wheew. Just in time.
Vietnam, for the sake of it
We separated one last time for dinner and we decided to eat at Pho Bac, which was next to Subway. Pho Bac is a Viatmanese restaurant that we saw after we had lunch earlier. I joked "In celebration of my Viatmanese heritage and lineage..." which was connected to Aldrichs' grandfather's remark upon seeing me at his house in the morning.
Lance and I had the same meal... Cambodian Soup while Aldrich had Chicken and Lemon Grass and the Seafood Soup. All of us had bottomless Iced Teas and we just chilled out there for an hour... which passed by so quickly.
Bound for home
The mall closed and people were heading for the exits. We met up with my mom, my mom's cousin, and our driver and we headed for the basement carpark. After two digicam pictures, we got in the CR-V and then we listened to the Outkast CD which I bought.
We went across some streets in Makati and stopped at a Jollibee to let Lance use the restroom since it was an emergency... wow Lance. Aldrich accompanied him.
We listened to Magic 89.9 after Outkast was starting to sound "nakakasawa" for the duration of the night trip. Magic 89.9 had its "Monday Madness" so I txt'd them: "I'm mad as hell because I've been searching for a Nokia 7650 in three different malls and it's out of stock everywhere. From George of DLSU-D."
We dropped Aldrich and Lance at Tejero while we were loading gas at the Petron station and after they left, that's when they read my madness.
It was a fun trip. No Nokia 7650 came out of it, but being with Lance and Aldrich was just the best. It's something that rarely happens. Aldrich is always with Mik and with Mik the two are always away. Then Lance and I are with the tropa and the whole "M-Bratz" thing flourishes away.
The three of us share a common background and it's not everyday the three of us have time to get together and hang-out as M-Bratz. Thanks for coming guys.
A rare chance for the three of us to get-together, and just us...
I'VE never had that amount of fun at a mall in quite some time! Aldrich and my best friend Lance went with me to Ayala-Glorietta to continue search for my new cellphone the Nokia 7650.
Originally I had the idea it would be the tropa get-together for the Sem Break, but instead a troubling cellphone (my Nokia 3210 is really throwing a fit over getting replaced soon) and lack of communication with the rest of the tropa (well, a third of the tropa is in the Saudi-Kuwait territory right now) brought out a little bonding between me and my co-military bratz Lance and Aldrich.
INFO: "Military Brats" are children of servicemen and women of the US Armed Forces. Though Lance and I are now "ex-brats", Aldrich is still a "brat", so together I guess it's safe to say we're "m-bratz".
My mom and her cousin and our driver got in the CR-V and we picked up Lance at Tejero. After Tejero, we all went to Aldrich's big house in General Trias to make paalam to his strict grandparents.
A Delegation from Vietnam?
I approached his grandfather in the back across the garden overlooking the swimming pool. The first reaction of the grandfather upon seeing me is that I was "from Vietnam"!
Vietnam?! Lance and Aldrich laughed. Um... ok.
After some negociations, Aldrich was able to go. We all got in the CR-V and headed for Makati City for our day at the mall.
***
High Noon @ Ayala G4
It wasn't traffic anywhere and we arrived at Glorietta exactly at noon. We separated from my mom and the three of us went around in search of a place to eat. Eventually we ended up at Subway.
I don't know what came over me since I was joking about everything under the sun with Lance and Aldrich. I mean, this was a rare chance for the three of us to get together... just the three of us.
The Conversation at Subway
What were we talking about at Subway? Lance asked Aldrich along the way "Have you ever seen your sister naked?" and then Aldrich asked in return and Lance asked the question from a different angle and then it got messy from there. All while we were eating our sandwiches.
The parts of my Subway Club were falling apart and when I finished my sandwich, I had a free salad in front of me.
After eating we walked around the mall and ended up in Penshoppe for a good, say... 30 minutes. Aldrich and Lance kept trying these hats on while I was looking at this nice bag that I wanted but since Aldrich already has the bag, I didn't want to "copy" him.
Penshoppe and Men's Fashion
That goes with about everything else in Penshoppe. Everytime I see a sweater, a polo, a shirt, a bag, a hat... it all reminds me of Aldrich, Karl, sometimes Mik and sometimes Basil. We're basically the "Penshoppe boys" of DLSU-D.
At least Lance found Oxygen. And at Bench, well, the clothes there are usually too big or too wide it gets irritating.
Lance and Aldrich bought a hat each and they left the place holding a shopping bag. I had my digital camera in my hand and I took pictures inside the store, even in the fitting room. I didn't have a shopping bag and I started to get depressed over not having anything purchased yet.
Meaningless, Meaningful Jokes
That's what made me joke even more. I was just a klutz walking with Lance and Aldrich. I made remarks such as "Aldrich, don't walk in the center... you make us look like your back-up dancers."
"With you two with me, I feel like I'm the 2nd Runner up in a Mister Pageant and you guys are Mister blah-blah and 1st Runner-up."
Then I started to joke politically.
"You know Aldrich, I've noticed some people stare at you and try to make papansin... I hope it doesn't make your head bigg-ER!"
As if his head is big in the first place... joke joke...
Speaking of "joke joke"... we slapped on the saying "Jokes are half meant." so everytime I came up with a political joke towards Aldrich, I'd slap on "Joke plus joke!"
Lance noticed. I'm sorry if I went overboard, but being with the two of them was just fun. When we're in this large party walking around the mall, the fun gets confusing when you have to contact the others... et cetera. But now, it was just us.
The Great Hunt Continues
We browsed the mall for a cellphone dealer and couldn't find any. We circled Glorietta 1, Glorietta 2, Glorietta 3, and Glorietta 4 and still no-where. We finally met up with my mom and our driver led us to Wellcom, which was located in this underground bazaar in Glorietta that reminded me of the mini mall in Baclaran.
We entered... and like in all places, the dreaded three words: "Out of stock."
I grew impatient and walked out and felt confident that somewhere in the mall, would be my Dark Blue Nokia 7650.
***
Out-of-Stock Everywhere
We went towards SM Makati and as we entered, some salesperson said the mall doesn't sell cellphones. Huh? We turned around and followed our driver as he led us towards "The Hub". Oh, we didn't see this place.
We entered and for a moment I had the feeling that my phone would be there. The place had samples laid out on these tall tables. Lance and Aldrich were asking why don't I get this or that instead... the Sony Ericsson Phone (Slogan: Pass it on...) is just plain and too small for me. Then, the other Sony Ericsson phone that acts like a Palm Pilot with the DigiPen was too complicated. Finally, the Nokia 3650 (as much as it's been available everywhere)... just doesn't appeal as greatly to me compared to a Nokia 7650.
The lady says "Phased out" and I'm like... "I can't breathe now... I've been to three malls and dozens of cellphone stores and yet, to no avail... can I find a Nokia 7650."
We walk out and I decide to txt my classmate Katz who bought her 7650 last week at ATC. She told me it's also available at Festival Supermall. I gave up looking at Glorietta and we all separated from my mom and walked around.
Namamansin sa Bookstore
Aldrich, Lance, and I ended up entering Tower Records and wounded up at the Powerbooks area. Aldrich read about astrology (I saw him read about his sign Virgo and his best friend Mik's sign Sagittarius). Lance read about his sign Aquarius. And well, you can call me mayabang in a way... I didn't need to read about my sign Cancer. Nor about any other sign, frankly. *cough*
I pointed at a book about Nostradamus and Lance told me that the current Pope is the last of the Popes or something like that and then I had him show me. I had Aldrich take our picture there.
There was some couple having an LQ right next to us and then they left as the girl cried and crashed into the guy's chest as they walked away. And there were these two girls that I felt "tried to make papansin" towards Aldrich when we were looking at Inspirational books. Lance was browsing through the Butterfly book that his ex-girlfriend Nikki gave to him (and I also read the book when my classmate Kate showed it to me)... it has a meaning to everyone. Great book.
The two early-20s women were being so loud next to us (next to Aldrich) and then as Aldrich and Lance left, one of the girls grabbed this book on the lower shelf and read in tagalog: "Women are smarter than Men... they always are... it's so true..." I was like: "Papansin!!"
I say I hate suplada girls... but in another sense, I'm a suplado guy... so there are girls that hate suplado guys. It's not like I want to be suplado, it's just I'm shy towards general strangers... and I do have bad eyesight.
Sampling the music
After about 30 minutes of book reading, we headed downstairs to Tower Records where we started sampling CDs. Lance stayed at Hilary Duff's CD while I went to Dido's and then to Jewel's. Jeez, how feminine naman. Joke. I mean, all the hip hop and R&B CDs where downstairs.
I listened to Dido and it was ok. I found Jewel's and listened to "Stand", which is her latest song according to Eric but I still haven't heard it. It sounded nice.
We went downstairs and that's where I listened to Outkast's CD, of which I'd eventually buy. The Outkast CD comes with two CDs and comes with hits "Hey Ya" and "The Way You Move". The names of the two CDs in one album was "The Love Below" and "Speakerboxxx".
I also listened to Jennifer Lopez's "Baby I Love You", her latest single which just sounds so friggin' dreamy I wish I had a girlfriend and we were at some park on a sunny morning enjoying Nescafe Chocolate, if there was such a thing.
Next to her album was Thalia and I had to listen to "Baby I'm In Love". Two different songs compared to Jennifer Lopez. Thalia has this voice that I find appealing.
I bought the CD and asked for any freebies and the lady gave me the September 2003 issue of PRESS [>] with Beyonce Knowles on the cover.
We left and cruised the mall again and basically we covered it. We walked into many stores in frantic search of something for ME to wear to Baguio. My mom gave me money and I bought a CD? She'll be so disappointed I didn't find any shirt or polo.
Some expensive window shopping
Instead, well... Aldrich beat me to this nice grey sweater jacket. It costs Php 1,400 and I turned it down. Then when Aldrich wore it, it looked nice and so comfortable! He reserved it since he didn't carry the cash. Lance was all trying to convince Aldrich to let me buy it since I carried the cash... but Aldrich was all like "I'll let you borrow it George when I buy it!"
How nice of you to say that Aldrich, na-touch ako. Joke... joke!
We went around and entered all these different designer stores. At "SUB" all the clothes there were black and white... since I was wearing blue... I felt strange entering the place.
Price tags read 3,400, 1,999, 2,500, etc. Yikes! Basically, nothing was below 1,000. We went into Mossimo and I saw this Leather Jacket, I was approaching it until I saw 9,500 on it's price-tag. I turned around and saw a nice summer-styled polo... saw the price... and ended up walking out of the store as discreetly as I could.
70% Off is still P2,000
Next was the Dolce & Gabbana episode. We enter and Aldrich and Lance help me look for a sweater. This nice saleslady spoke english to us and told us about these shirts on sale. She started unfolding several of them to show to us.
70% off daw. I looked at the tag and saw in red pen ink "P1,899" down from the originally printed price-tag "P4,999". It was a damn t-shirt and the fabric felt like any other t-shirt fabric. P1,899 on a t-shirt?
I walked out, but noticed Lance and Aldrich keenly looking at some polos in the small store. I returned inside and they handed me this memo looking thing. I thought it was a notebook but it wasn't.. it was a catalogue of the Dolce & Gabanna 2003 Winter line-up. Um... ok.
Aldrich loved this black cap there so he tried it on like how many times... hehe. He reserved it. After we left, Lance and I were talking about our trip to Baguio and how Lance was out of funds in going with us on the trip. I reminded Aldrich that we needed to help Lance fund his trip to Baguio and then I made one remark: "If you could buy that 3,500 peso cap, why not you just treat Lance and I to Baguio?!"
Aldrich froze up. He thought the black cap was more or less P1,000.
I looked at Aldrich and Lance did the same: "So what do you plan on telling the nice lady after you signed the reservation form and left the place with the goodbye smiles on their faces?"
I finally bought something useful
We went to /bench and I was now desperate to buy something. I saw a nice jacket and I tried it on in the fitting room. I didn't "feel" it was me and then Lance said "Stop saying you don't FEEL this and that... stop FEELING..."
That made me shut up and think about what I was wearing, not feel about what I was wearing. Cool, a tip to help me on deciding on what to buy these days.
I tried the black one, and it looked better on me compared to the vanilla-colored jacket I had on first. I was about to get it and then the lady says there's a rough brown one and when I tried it, I liked it. I bought it for P799.50 and that's exactly when my mom came in. Wheew. Just in time.
Vietnam, for the sake of it
We separated one last time for dinner and we decided to eat at Pho Bac, which was next to Subway. Pho Bac is a Viatmanese restaurant that we saw after we had lunch earlier. I joked "In celebration of my Viatmanese heritage and lineage..." which was connected to Aldrichs' grandfather's remark upon seeing me at his house in the morning.
Lance and I had the same meal... Cambodian Soup while Aldrich had Chicken and Lemon Grass and the Seafood Soup. All of us had bottomless Iced Teas and we just chilled out there for an hour... which passed by so quickly.
Bound for home
The mall closed and people were heading for the exits. We met up with my mom, my mom's cousin, and our driver and we headed for the basement carpark. After two digicam pictures, we got in the CR-V and then we listened to the Outkast CD which I bought.
We went across some streets in Makati and stopped at a Jollibee to let Lance use the restroom since it was an emergency... wow Lance. Aldrich accompanied him.
We listened to Magic 89.9 after Outkast was starting to sound "nakakasawa" for the duration of the night trip. Magic 89.9 had its "Monday Madness" so I txt'd them: "I'm mad as hell because I've been searching for a Nokia 7650 in three different malls and it's out of stock everywhere. From George of DLSU-D."
We dropped Aldrich and Lance at Tejero while we were loading gas at the Petron station and after they left, that's when they read my madness.
It was a fun trip. No Nokia 7650 came out of it, but being with Lance and Aldrich was just the best. It's something that rarely happens. Aldrich is always with Mik and with Mik the two are always away. Then Lance and I are with the tropa and the whole "M-Bratz" thing flourishes away.
The three of us share a common background and it's not everyday the three of us have time to get together and hang-out as M-Bratz. Thanks for coming guys.
Sunday, October 19, 2003
A DEBUT IN SILANG
The Damage Report - Year 2 - Sembreak Week 1 of 3
NOTE: This is one of three weekly blog entries that summarizes and concludes a week during the Semestral Break.
COURSE Card Distribution concluded the week-long affair with Final Fantasy X. I spent most of the past few days playing FFX as if the game would expire tomorrow.
You can read posts previous to this to get details of what happened this past week, the first week of this three-week semestral break.
***
My high school batchmate Rom came with me to Ara's debut. We picked up Aldrich at his house and then sped into Silang, Cavite and into Ara's house. There, we waited for a while. I was the host but my co-host Ate Angge was sick, so she couldn't co-host with me. Instead, classmates Ayesha and Badge took Ate Angge's spot.
I rehearsed for a few minutes and we waited for Ara. Suddenly a van rolls up front and inside it are a bunch of my other classmates, including Eric who said he wasn't going but then he suddenly appears. Even more suddenly than that was when the front passenger seat door opened with my dorm mate Joel and his high school best friend Alex (who I last saw on the Baguio Trip last April 2003). What a surprise! Ara made her way to this vehicle and then the caravan began from her house to this location in downtown Silang.
The food was delicious and my hosting, well, wasn't that bad for a host that didn't have time to rehearse in general beforehand. Plus, the ordering of the 18 Blue Roses, 18 Candles, 18 Gifts were a mess... and it was because of Ayesha, Badge, and myself that we got it sorted out. I've only played host twice in my life. Once during the Miss Atheneum 2002 Pageant in my high school, which was a total wreckage backstage. And then now at Ara's debut. In both, I was never given proper time to rehearse.
I introduced Rom to everyone and the rest of the party was quite relaxed. No swimming pools and billiards tables, but just simplicity and Ara's strict parents. This was the fourth "Official" Debut I've attended.
In other notes of this debut, it was the venue of the first time I had a sip of brandy. Yes, it does leave that warm feeling in your throat.
Here is the event in the pictures:
The Damage Report - Year 2 - Sembreak Week 1 of 3
NOTE: This is one of three weekly blog entries that summarizes and concludes a week during the Semestral Break.
COURSE Card Distribution concluded the week-long affair with Final Fantasy X. I spent most of the past few days playing FFX as if the game would expire tomorrow.
You can read posts previous to this to get details of what happened this past week, the first week of this three-week semestral break.
***
My high school batchmate Rom came with me to Ara's debut. We picked up Aldrich at his house and then sped into Silang, Cavite and into Ara's house. There, we waited for a while. I was the host but my co-host Ate Angge was sick, so she couldn't co-host with me. Instead, classmates Ayesha and Badge took Ate Angge's spot.
I rehearsed for a few minutes and we waited for Ara. Suddenly a van rolls up front and inside it are a bunch of my other classmates, including Eric who said he wasn't going but then he suddenly appears. Even more suddenly than that was when the front passenger seat door opened with my dorm mate Joel and his high school best friend Alex (who I last saw on the Baguio Trip last April 2003). What a surprise! Ara made her way to this vehicle and then the caravan began from her house to this location in downtown Silang.
The food was delicious and my hosting, well, wasn't that bad for a host that didn't have time to rehearse in general beforehand. Plus, the ordering of the 18 Blue Roses, 18 Candles, 18 Gifts were a mess... and it was because of Ayesha, Badge, and myself that we got it sorted out. I've only played host twice in my life. Once during the Miss Atheneum 2002 Pageant in my high school, which was a total wreckage backstage. And then now at Ara's debut. In both, I was never given proper time to rehearse.
I introduced Rom to everyone and the rest of the party was quite relaxed. No swimming pools and billiards tables, but just simplicity and Ara's strict parents. This was the fourth "Official" Debut I've attended.
In other notes of this debut, it was the venue of the first time I had a sip of brandy. Yes, it does leave that warm feeling in your throat.
Here is the event in the pictures:
Saturday, October 18, 2003
AN ACADEMIC OVERDRIVE
I passed all my subjects. I will be typing the damage report in the morning. I'm too tired right now and I want to play some Final Fantasy X to get my mind off some things. As much as I am thrilled that I managed to pass the most important major subject in my course at this point in College... something my professor there said to me in private will always echo in my head. The disappointments on George-Edward A. Putong from Heraldo Filipino, from the AB Comm Channel, and from the Academics/JOU2-1 will end right here.
Tomorrow, I begin my journey to the top.
RESULTS THIS PAST SEMESTER
Speech and Oral Communication - Disappointing / Passed
- Ms. Ongcol explained to me how much I could have done better in her subject. I was very much satisfied with my grade because technically speaking, I've exceeded the allowed absences.
Philippine Government and New Constitution - Disappointing / Passed
- Mr. Estrada handed me my course card like normal and I managed to escape the line of one mark. Taking note, my Prelim 3.25 became a 0.0 during my Midterms. This had disappointed my professor greatly.
Basic Computer Operations - Somewhat Disappointing / Passed
- Ms. dela Cruz seemed eager to hand me my course card when I walked into the room 3 minutes after she had passed the other course cards to my classmates. I was expecting my grade to be slightly higher than it is.
PHED103 Exotic Dance - Disappointing / Passed
- My classmate Ayesha handed it out to everyone and I was disappointed because everyone I was talking to carried a 4.00 on theirs while mine was a 3.50. I had missed two practices for the Egyptian Dance. Once again, disappointing.
Art Appreciation - Disappointing / Passed
- This was the only course card that I missed since I arrived on-campus 30 minutes late due to traffic. I received mine at the Behavioral Sciences Department from the secretary. I was disappointed because I was expecting something a bit higher (despite lagging Prelim and Midterm grades). I mean, I did bare my chest and upper body when performing Tatarin at the Variety Show. Disappointing.
Reed103: Church and the Community of Faith - Disappointing / Passed
- Like in Reed101 exactly one year ago, my grade in Reed103 was lacking spice. It wasn't thrilling to see a line of one grade. As much as I enjoyed all the singing, reflecting, and activities... memorizing every detail of the Church wasn't in me this semester. Mr. Sepeda also expressed his disappointments.
Retorika - Satisfied / Passed
- This was a wildcard grade for me but I knew somewhere that Ms. Ambion wouldn't fail me. Retorika is the third and last of the Filipino-Tagalog subjects in our course curriculum. I survived it and when my classmates found out, they suddenly clapped out loud and cheered. How embarassing. They didn't have to make me have a scene inside the distribution room (JFH 101).
Comm Theory - Gravely Disappointing / Passed
- I knew this was the most crucial and most critical grade of mine this semester. Failing this subject would reduce me to an Irregular Student in Broadcast Journalism. This subject is the most important major in the first two years of Broadjourn and AB Comm. This was also the last course card to be given during the day. I received it in JFH 502 and Ms. Sigari expressed something towards me that I will never forget. She told me that she doesn't tell most of her students this, but that she had high expectations from me in her subject. As I barely passed her subject... I failed her standards. This is a wound for me that I hope will be an eye-opener. Come 2nd Semester, a new George Putong in Academics/JOU2-1 will rise.
I've had enough. No more disappointments. I will NOT fail anyone AGAIN.
I passed all my subjects. I will be typing the damage report in the morning. I'm too tired right now and I want to play some Final Fantasy X to get my mind off some things. As much as I am thrilled that I managed to pass the most important major subject in my course at this point in College... something my professor there said to me in private will always echo in my head. The disappointments on George-Edward A. Putong from Heraldo Filipino, from the AB Comm Channel, and from the Academics/JOU2-1 will end right here.
Tomorrow, I begin my journey to the top.
RESULTS THIS PAST SEMESTER
Speech and Oral Communication - Disappointing / Passed
- Ms. Ongcol explained to me how much I could have done better in her subject. I was very much satisfied with my grade because technically speaking, I've exceeded the allowed absences.
Philippine Government and New Constitution - Disappointing / Passed
- Mr. Estrada handed me my course card like normal and I managed to escape the line of one mark. Taking note, my Prelim 3.25 became a 0.0 during my Midterms. This had disappointed my professor greatly.
Basic Computer Operations - Somewhat Disappointing / Passed
- Ms. dela Cruz seemed eager to hand me my course card when I walked into the room 3 minutes after she had passed the other course cards to my classmates. I was expecting my grade to be slightly higher than it is.
PHED103 Exotic Dance - Disappointing / Passed
- My classmate Ayesha handed it out to everyone and I was disappointed because everyone I was talking to carried a 4.00 on theirs while mine was a 3.50. I had missed two practices for the Egyptian Dance. Once again, disappointing.
Art Appreciation - Disappointing / Passed
- This was the only course card that I missed since I arrived on-campus 30 minutes late due to traffic. I received mine at the Behavioral Sciences Department from the secretary. I was disappointed because I was expecting something a bit higher (despite lagging Prelim and Midterm grades). I mean, I did bare my chest and upper body when performing Tatarin at the Variety Show. Disappointing.
Reed103: Church and the Community of Faith - Disappointing / Passed
- Like in Reed101 exactly one year ago, my grade in Reed103 was lacking spice. It wasn't thrilling to see a line of one grade. As much as I enjoyed all the singing, reflecting, and activities... memorizing every detail of the Church wasn't in me this semester. Mr. Sepeda also expressed his disappointments.
Retorika - Satisfied / Passed
- This was a wildcard grade for me but I knew somewhere that Ms. Ambion wouldn't fail me. Retorika is the third and last of the Filipino-Tagalog subjects in our course curriculum. I survived it and when my classmates found out, they suddenly clapped out loud and cheered. How embarassing. They didn't have to make me have a scene inside the distribution room (JFH 101).
Comm Theory - Gravely Disappointing / Passed
- I knew this was the most crucial and most critical grade of mine this semester. Failing this subject would reduce me to an Irregular Student in Broadcast Journalism. This subject is the most important major in the first two years of Broadjourn and AB Comm. This was also the last course card to be given during the day. I received it in JFH 502 and Ms. Sigari expressed something towards me that I will never forget. She told me that she doesn't tell most of her students this, but that she had high expectations from me in her subject. As I barely passed her subject... I failed her standards. This is a wound for me that I hope will be an eye-opener. Come 2nd Semester, a new George Putong in Academics/JOU2-1 will rise.
I've had enough. No more disappointments. I will NOT fail anyone AGAIN.
Thursday, October 16, 2003
KIND OF IN THE MOOD TO SHOP
We went to SM City Bacoor today (yesterday we went to SM Southmall) and I was there looking for a Nokia 7650. In all the stores we went to, it was OUT OF STOCK. Some stores said a new shipment was due to arrive either on Friday or Saturday and the place that we have membership at (Wellcom) were completely clueless about their incoming cellphones. The rough translation of what this one guy said there would go like this: "We don't know when these cellphones arrive or where our cellphones come from. They just fall from the sky." Geezus Kryst. Some service.
I flipped my mood and actually got to buy a few things. In Southmall I had some things to buy but I just didn't bother buying them since I couldn't get myself a new cellphone. In SM Bacoor today, I bought myself a nice Black and Gray Wallet from Penshoppe. I also bought a new men's necklace from the SM Department store. When I was buying a blue long-sleeved polo for the debut this Saturday (which strikingly looks similar to the shimmering blue-lavender long-sleeved polo Aldrich lended me during the Newscasting Competition last February), I also bought myself this Tropical Island short-sleeved polo... the fabric of which was real smooth.
I bought another POCKETPAD. No, it isn't Pocketpad VII! Hahaha. I bought a memo yesterday at SM Southmall and today I saw a memo with a durable plastic cover on it... so I bought that one too. 23 pesos. I think it'll last longer, plus it has more pages. So what happens to the one I bought yesterday? Well, that one will become POCKETPAD VII. I like the one I bought in SM Bacoor so that'll be my current POCKETPAD (VI).
We went to the supermarket and they moved around the products. The fruits section is now wider and the chips went to the other side of the freezer area. The deodorant section disappeared! No, actually, it was moved to this small area. I couldn't find any good deodorants since the small area looked like crap. I guess I'll just have to wipe the DeoStick I have now dry to it's plastic core... the Plastic core showed up during the last week of classes.
We ate at Kenny Rogers' Roasters and afterwards we went around the mall one more time. We went home and that was that. By the way, Ate Lenny (daughter of my grand uncle who passed away recently) went with us.
***
Tomorrow: "Doomsday Distribution"
Eight subjects to release their course cards back in La Salle. Two conflict times with four subjects... and it's in the early morning so any chance of being with classmates in its entirety is probably an impossibility. I'm going to drop by the Heraldo Filipino and ask for any type of form if I'm going to advance enrol for next semester since the HF Midyear Seminar covers up the JOU21 enrolment schedule. I'm also planning to meet Ate Blaire of COM41, who will help me in meeting the rest of the International Students Society or Organization... I want to go to Baguio next week. Last but definantly not the least, I want to meet up with the tropa... I miss them so much... I also want to joke to my classmates and tell them how fat they got in the course of not seeing them in a week... hehehe.
We went to SM City Bacoor today (yesterday we went to SM Southmall) and I was there looking for a Nokia 7650. In all the stores we went to, it was OUT OF STOCK. Some stores said a new shipment was due to arrive either on Friday or Saturday and the place that we have membership at (Wellcom) were completely clueless about their incoming cellphones. The rough translation of what this one guy said there would go like this: "We don't know when these cellphones arrive or where our cellphones come from. They just fall from the sky." Geezus Kryst. Some service.
I flipped my mood and actually got to buy a few things. In Southmall I had some things to buy but I just didn't bother buying them since I couldn't get myself a new cellphone. In SM Bacoor today, I bought myself a nice Black and Gray Wallet from Penshoppe. I also bought a new men's necklace from the SM Department store. When I was buying a blue long-sleeved polo for the debut this Saturday (which strikingly looks similar to the shimmering blue-lavender long-sleeved polo Aldrich lended me during the Newscasting Competition last February), I also bought myself this Tropical Island short-sleeved polo... the fabric of which was real smooth.
I bought another POCKETPAD. No, it isn't Pocketpad VII! Hahaha. I bought a memo yesterday at SM Southmall and today I saw a memo with a durable plastic cover on it... so I bought that one too. 23 pesos. I think it'll last longer, plus it has more pages. So what happens to the one I bought yesterday? Well, that one will become POCKETPAD VII. I like the one I bought in SM Bacoor so that'll be my current POCKETPAD (VI).
We went to the supermarket and they moved around the products. The fruits section is now wider and the chips went to the other side of the freezer area. The deodorant section disappeared! No, actually, it was moved to this small area. I couldn't find any good deodorants since the small area looked like crap. I guess I'll just have to wipe the DeoStick I have now dry to it's plastic core... the Plastic core showed up during the last week of classes.
We ate at Kenny Rogers' Roasters and afterwards we went around the mall one more time. We went home and that was that. By the way, Ate Lenny (daughter of my grand uncle who passed away recently) went with us.
***
Tomorrow: "Doomsday Distribution"
Eight subjects to release their course cards back in La Salle. Two conflict times with four subjects... and it's in the early morning so any chance of being with classmates in its entirety is probably an impossibility. I'm going to drop by the Heraldo Filipino and ask for any type of form if I'm going to advance enrol for next semester since the HF Midyear Seminar covers up the JOU21 enrolment schedule. I'm also planning to meet Ate Blaire of COM41, who will help me in meeting the rest of the International Students Society or Organization... I want to go to Baguio next week. Last but definantly not the least, I want to meet up with the tropa... I miss them so much... I also want to joke to my classmates and tell them how fat they got in the course of not seeing them in a week... hehehe.
Wednesday, October 15, 2003
NOT IN THE MOOD TO SHOP
I had a golden opportunity in front of me earlier today when I was at SM Southmall. It was the 15th of the month, and I had my bonus allowance from my dad... I wanted to buy myself a new polo or two, the Matrix Reloaded VCD, a new book bag, among other things... but I didn't. I was there drifting in the mall which wasn't crowded... meaning it should have increased my chances of roaming to every corner of the mall.
I was away from my mom and my brother a few times, and when I was with them, I could roam anywhere I wanted to. I just couldn't. I felt like the only thing I came to SM Southmall for is to look at the Nokia 7650, Nokia 7250/7250i, and the Nokia 3650 and compare the three and hopefully buy one (Nokia 7650).
Tempted by the Nokia 3650
I went to the 2nd Floor and went store to store. My plan was to buy a Nokia 7650 at Wellcom, since we have a discount through our membership. We went inside and the guy tells us that the 7650 is out of stock. I also looked at the 3650 there and then the guy explained that the 3650 comes with a 64MB MultiMedia Card... which is just about the same as my SmartMedia Card for my Digital Camera. It was just so tempting! The prices of the two cellphones (Nokia 7650 and 3650) are just about the same. The Nokia 7250 and 7250i were drawn out of the picture entirely as it was also out of stock.
Txting everyone for advice
I txt'd anyone I knew who could give me some of their opinions. Abbie from the tropa, who replied several times (thanks Abbie!), Joel from the tropa (who never replied), Classmate Keith (who replied), Eric (who replied), and Kate (who didn't reply). All of those who replied suggested I get a Nokia 7650.
I finally decided but the stores were out of stock. Was the 7650 considered an old phone already or were they out of stock due to popularity? No way! It actually doesn't even matter... it's a good phone according to many.
Well, since I couldn't get myself a phone today... I just roamed around the mall and had no energy to buy any other things. I did buy myself two new notebooks for next semester (the contents of these notebooks will be irregular and advanced subjects... probably no majors... WAAAAAAHHHHH *CRIES*)... I don't want to think about that shit right now. Comm Theory... *mumbles insanely*
Replenished with a new pen and memo pad
I bought POCKETPAD VI... or, to everyone else it's just a plain memo pad. To me, it's the SIXTH memo pad to be dubbed as "Pocketpad". A Pocketpad is a memo that I've always kept with me and is always with me together with a FASTER-brand ballpen. Why? It's something I require myself to always have... as I've always said "A WRITER MUST NEVER BE CAUGHT WITHOUT PEN AND PAPER!"
Pocketpad V ran out of space two weeks ago, so lately my mind has been jumbled up a bit since I can't take down any side notes during the day.
I left the mall with a gift for my classmate Ara's Debut this Saturday, of which I'm not even prepared for. I'm one of the emcees and right now, I don't have anything to wear for Saturday. I want a blue long sleeved polo.
At least, now, I've decided what cellphone I want to get. And, now that I have Pocketpad VI, I can now jot down my other needs and plans for this Semestral Break... which includes a possible trip to Baguio with a handful of International Students at DLSU-D... someone that I haven't met in person has invited me to go with a group of "I.S." this October 23-25. Not to forget that the Heraldo Filipino Midyear, wherever it may be, will take place from October 29 to 30.
I had a golden opportunity in front of me earlier today when I was at SM Southmall. It was the 15th of the month, and I had my bonus allowance from my dad... I wanted to buy myself a new polo or two, the Matrix Reloaded VCD, a new book bag, among other things... but I didn't. I was there drifting in the mall which wasn't crowded... meaning it should have increased my chances of roaming to every corner of the mall.
I was away from my mom and my brother a few times, and when I was with them, I could roam anywhere I wanted to. I just couldn't. I felt like the only thing I came to SM Southmall for is to look at the Nokia 7650, Nokia 7250/7250i, and the Nokia 3650 and compare the three and hopefully buy one (Nokia 7650).
Tempted by the Nokia 3650
I went to the 2nd Floor and went store to store. My plan was to buy a Nokia 7650 at Wellcom, since we have a discount through our membership. We went inside and the guy tells us that the 7650 is out of stock. I also looked at the 3650 there and then the guy explained that the 3650 comes with a 64MB MultiMedia Card... which is just about the same as my SmartMedia Card for my Digital Camera. It was just so tempting! The prices of the two cellphones (Nokia 7650 and 3650) are just about the same. The Nokia 7250 and 7250i were drawn out of the picture entirely as it was also out of stock.
Txting everyone for advice
I txt'd anyone I knew who could give me some of their opinions. Abbie from the tropa, who replied several times (thanks Abbie!), Joel from the tropa (who never replied), Classmate Keith (who replied), Eric (who replied), and Kate (who didn't reply). All of those who replied suggested I get a Nokia 7650.
I finally decided but the stores were out of stock. Was the 7650 considered an old phone already or were they out of stock due to popularity? No way! It actually doesn't even matter... it's a good phone according to many.
Well, since I couldn't get myself a phone today... I just roamed around the mall and had no energy to buy any other things. I did buy myself two new notebooks for next semester (the contents of these notebooks will be irregular and advanced subjects... probably no majors... WAAAAAAHHHHH *CRIES*)... I don't want to think about that shit right now. Comm Theory... *mumbles insanely*
Replenished with a new pen and memo pad
I bought POCKETPAD VI... or, to everyone else it's just a plain memo pad. To me, it's the SIXTH memo pad to be dubbed as "Pocketpad". A Pocketpad is a memo that I've always kept with me and is always with me together with a FASTER-brand ballpen. Why? It's something I require myself to always have... as I've always said "A WRITER MUST NEVER BE CAUGHT WITHOUT PEN AND PAPER!"
Pocketpad V ran out of space two weeks ago, so lately my mind has been jumbled up a bit since I can't take down any side notes during the day.
I left the mall with a gift for my classmate Ara's Debut this Saturday, of which I'm not even prepared for. I'm one of the emcees and right now, I don't have anything to wear for Saturday. I want a blue long sleeved polo.
At least, now, I've decided what cellphone I want to get. And, now that I have Pocketpad VI, I can now jot down my other needs and plans for this Semestral Break... which includes a possible trip to Baguio with a handful of International Students at DLSU-D... someone that I haven't met in person has invited me to go with a group of "I.S." this October 23-25. Not to forget that the Heraldo Filipino Midyear, wherever it may be, will take place from October 29 to 30.
Tuesday, October 14, 2003
I'M FINALLY GOING TO BUY ME A NEW CELLPHONE
It's October once again, and last year around this time I made an upgrade to my blog back then... when it was still called ThirdCharM. I'm itching to re-establish my journal into Movabletype or Greymatter, which is based on a web server that I need to buy at Mobilehive. All the paperwork has been set for months already, the only thing left to do is to pay the sign-up fee and the first two months.
That isn't the only news and it's just small compared to this big news. My dad has approved and allowed me to buy a new cellphone... any good cellphone that I want. I want a phone which is obviously in color, uses polyphonic tones, has a built-in camera, and is a Nokia phone. My budget is 15,000 to 20,000 pesos and the three phones competing in front of me are the Nokia 7650, Nokia 3650, and the Nokia 7250.
The 7650 is my best bet at the moment and is probably the phone I'm going to get someday soon (if not tomorrow). I might get it tomorrow when we go to SM Bacoor or SM Southmall if the prices, features and initial housing color match my taste and budget.
First of all, the 3650 is odd-shaped. Although the initial housing colors are just as good as the 7250, the 3650 feels strange and I think it's still expensive since it has just been released. The only good feature I'm eyeing about the 3650 is that it has Video capture with sounds, and if I'm not mistaken, it's built-in camera is a bit more advanced compared to the 7650 and 7250. The screen size of the 3650 and the 7650 are the same.
The 7250, on the other hand, was the original "dream phone" I wanted. The initial housing colors are rocking and it's Express-On meaning I could find alternative original housings for the unit. The 7250, in my opinion though, is too small for such an expensive price. I don't want to buy some 22,000 peso cellphone and lose it since "I thought it was in my pocket but it wasn't."
The 7250 boasts the Radio feature, which I also want in a cellphone. But, come to think of it, I always end up listening to the radio eventually and it doesn't really matter much if my new phone doesn't have a radio. The 7250 camera is the worst of the three... the pictures looked blurred and small.
The 7650, which is the phone that I'm planning on getting, uses a Symbian Operating System. So we won't be seeing those Nokia "Messages" icon and menus. The Nokia 7650 looks like a PDA and it has Notes, Calendar, and To-Do Lists which are critically required in organizing my paperwork and articles back in La Salle.
So there, a new cellphone I've got my eye on. My last phone was a Nokia 3350, which was given to me when I graduated High School. Taking note, during High School I didn't really have a cellphone. I had the Nokia 3350 from April 2002 (when I graduated) up until December 2002 when it suddenly broke down and was considered a dead-set unit. Ever since the start of this year (2003), I've been using my brother's previous unit which is the durable and trusty Nokia 3210. Yes, the 3210... which I beefed up with a blue housing and a compact rubber guard.
The 3210 that's been with me since the start of 2003 actually made me feel safer and more secure. When I carried it with me, I felt like if I was going to be held-up, the guy would be disappointed I was carrying such an old model! Joke. I'm actually thankful this 3210 has lasted this long... even if it doesn't last in any phone call longer than just a few seconds. It's disciplined me to [Txt only] conditions. And I think I need to advance now to a more modern cellphone.
NOTE: I'm still planning on getting the cellphone, so if anyone who is reading this has any SUPPORT or OBJECTIONS to the Nokia 7650 I'll be getting, PLEASE TAG ME! I need your SUGGESTIONS, SUPPORT, and OBJECTIONS badly! Thanks.
It's October once again, and last year around this time I made an upgrade to my blog back then... when it was still called ThirdCharM. I'm itching to re-establish my journal into Movabletype or Greymatter, which is based on a web server that I need to buy at Mobilehive. All the paperwork has been set for months already, the only thing left to do is to pay the sign-up fee and the first two months.
That isn't the only news and it's just small compared to this big news. My dad has approved and allowed me to buy a new cellphone... any good cellphone that I want. I want a phone which is obviously in color, uses polyphonic tones, has a built-in camera, and is a Nokia phone. My budget is 15,000 to 20,000 pesos and the three phones competing in front of me are the Nokia 7650, Nokia 3650, and the Nokia 7250.
The 7650 is my best bet at the moment and is probably the phone I'm going to get someday soon (if not tomorrow). I might get it tomorrow when we go to SM Bacoor or SM Southmall if the prices, features and initial housing color match my taste and budget.
First of all, the 3650 is odd-shaped. Although the initial housing colors are just as good as the 7250, the 3650 feels strange and I think it's still expensive since it has just been released. The only good feature I'm eyeing about the 3650 is that it has Video capture with sounds, and if I'm not mistaken, it's built-in camera is a bit more advanced compared to the 7650 and 7250. The screen size of the 3650 and the 7650 are the same.
The 7250, on the other hand, was the original "dream phone" I wanted. The initial housing colors are rocking and it's Express-On meaning I could find alternative original housings for the unit. The 7250, in my opinion though, is too small for such an expensive price. I don't want to buy some 22,000 peso cellphone and lose it since "I thought it was in my pocket but it wasn't."
The 7250 boasts the Radio feature, which I also want in a cellphone. But, come to think of it, I always end up listening to the radio eventually and it doesn't really matter much if my new phone doesn't have a radio. The 7250 camera is the worst of the three... the pictures looked blurred and small.
The 7650, which is the phone that I'm planning on getting, uses a Symbian Operating System. So we won't be seeing those Nokia "Messages" icon and menus. The Nokia 7650 looks like a PDA and it has Notes, Calendar, and To-Do Lists which are critically required in organizing my paperwork and articles back in La Salle.
So there, a new cellphone I've got my eye on. My last phone was a Nokia 3350, which was given to me when I graduated High School. Taking note, during High School I didn't really have a cellphone. I had the Nokia 3350 from April 2002 (when I graduated) up until December 2002 when it suddenly broke down and was considered a dead-set unit. Ever since the start of this year (2003), I've been using my brother's previous unit which is the durable and trusty Nokia 3210. Yes, the 3210... which I beefed up with a blue housing and a compact rubber guard.
The 3210 that's been with me since the start of 2003 actually made me feel safer and more secure. When I carried it with me, I felt like if I was going to be held-up, the guy would be disappointed I was carrying such an old model! Joke. I'm actually thankful this 3210 has lasted this long... even if it doesn't last in any phone call longer than just a few seconds. It's disciplined me to [Txt only] conditions. And I think I need to advance now to a more modern cellphone.
NOTE: I'm still planning on getting the cellphone, so if anyone who is reading this has any SUPPORT or OBJECTIONS to the Nokia 7650 I'll be getting, PLEASE TAG ME! I need your SUGGESTIONS, SUPPORT, and OBJECTIONS badly! Thanks.
A SUNSET AT THE CEMETARY
In loving tribute to my special Grand Uncle
My grand uncle passed away recently and the funeral was last sunday. I wasn't exactly close to this grand uncle of mine, I mean, my mom's side of the family is really confusing... which is a kind way of saying "populated". The thing is though, of all the people in my mom's side of the family... we're closer to her cousin. His name is Kuya Henry, and to anyone reading this who are my classmates who rode with me to Katz Debut last July, he was our driver.
Kuya Henry is a Merchant Marine, but for the past few months it's been his vacation. His father (my grand uncle) suddenly got sick recently. Kuya Henry took my grand uncle, Ts'Tony (CHEH-Tony), to the hospital. I thought he got better there... until I found out of his passing just the other day.
Kuya Henry left barely a month ago and unfortunately cannot return to the Philippines this early. I personally feel terrible. Kuya Henry has been generous and caring to my family, especially my mom. He was our driver in many occasions during the just-completed semester.
I remember Ts'Tony as this old man who always had a smile when he saw my mom, my brother, and I. He has this enthusiastic facial expression and he actively asks questions about us all the time. How are we? How are our studies? Would we like a softdrink. I'd always catch him surrounded by friends of his around his age to, which is 69 years old according to my mom.
And to say, he's not a blood-relative of mine. Ts'Tony is actually the husband of my actual blood-relative... my Grand Aunt Solie.
I accompanied my mom to her native barangay Julugan, Tanza and we went to attend the funeral mass. After the mass, my mom joined the funeral march with other relatives while I rode in my CR-V. Our driver Kuya Jhong was driving. A relative and her company joined us in the vehicle. Our CR-V was part of a motorcade and of course, the drive would be bit by bit... beyond my dad's compound at Camp Saint Street (locally known as CAPOSANTO)... beyond Banana Island (the other side of JULUGAN)... and at the High Way... and into the Cemetary...
The ceremony took place and the location was quite further down... even further than were my grandparents were buried. It was emotional, as always, I didn't cry though... I just felt sad. I was observing those familiar faces in front of me and praying for them and for my grand uncle.
After the ceremony we left and then my mom met with my Uncle Teddy and then as much as I wanted to drive my own CR-V to get to the other part of the cemetary to visit my dad's side who were visiting my dad's mother's grave... I couldn't since the pain in my left eye and in the left side of my teeth was persistant.
Kuya Jhong took us there and then I saw my cousins on my dad's side. We took some pictures. We had to leave early since it was already getting late. I had my mom take a picture of me next to my car. Yes, this is the first post in my blog that I'm saying the "Satin Silver Metallic Honda CR-V Model 2003" is mine. I was in a slight argument with my mom last month saying "How come Paul gets a complete new PC system before my new cellphone?! I've asked for my cellphone way back then!"
She responded "We bought you a car already!! Ano pa ba gusto mo?!"
I suddenly shut up during that argument. I had always seen the CR-V as a Family vehicle or a Family car. Actually, right now it's the Family car. But I think what my parents mean is that in the long run, all my dad wants is that rusty old Service Owner jeep and my mom would agree with my dad... meaning the CR-V will be my car should I choose to work here in the Philippines and drive it around.
Awesome.
Well anyways, here's a post to his memory and a prayer for his family... and my mom's cousin Kuya Henry, wherever you may be.
Related tidbits: My Grandmother's 2nd Death Anniversary is this weekend.
In loving tribute to my special Grand Uncle
My grand uncle passed away recently and the funeral was last sunday. I wasn't exactly close to this grand uncle of mine, I mean, my mom's side of the family is really confusing... which is a kind way of saying "populated". The thing is though, of all the people in my mom's side of the family... we're closer to her cousin. His name is Kuya Henry, and to anyone reading this who are my classmates who rode with me to Katz Debut last July, he was our driver.
Kuya Henry is a Merchant Marine, but for the past few months it's been his vacation. His father (my grand uncle) suddenly got sick recently. Kuya Henry took my grand uncle, Ts'Tony (CHEH-Tony), to the hospital. I thought he got better there... until I found out of his passing just the other day.
Kuya Henry left barely a month ago and unfortunately cannot return to the Philippines this early. I personally feel terrible. Kuya Henry has been generous and caring to my family, especially my mom. He was our driver in many occasions during the just-completed semester.
I remember Ts'Tony as this old man who always had a smile when he saw my mom, my brother, and I. He has this enthusiastic facial expression and he actively asks questions about us all the time. How are we? How are our studies? Would we like a softdrink. I'd always catch him surrounded by friends of his around his age to, which is 69 years old according to my mom.
And to say, he's not a blood-relative of mine. Ts'Tony is actually the husband of my actual blood-relative... my Grand Aunt Solie.
I accompanied my mom to her native barangay Julugan, Tanza and we went to attend the funeral mass. After the mass, my mom joined the funeral march with other relatives while I rode in my CR-V. Our driver Kuya Jhong was driving. A relative and her company joined us in the vehicle. Our CR-V was part of a motorcade and of course, the drive would be bit by bit... beyond my dad's compound at Camp Saint Street (locally known as CAPOSANTO)... beyond Banana Island (the other side of JULUGAN)... and at the High Way... and into the Cemetary...
The ceremony took place and the location was quite further down... even further than were my grandparents were buried. It was emotional, as always, I didn't cry though... I just felt sad. I was observing those familiar faces in front of me and praying for them and for my grand uncle.
After the ceremony we left and then my mom met with my Uncle Teddy and then as much as I wanted to drive my own CR-V to get to the other part of the cemetary to visit my dad's side who were visiting my dad's mother's grave... I couldn't since the pain in my left eye and in the left side of my teeth was persistant.
Kuya Jhong took us there and then I saw my cousins on my dad's side. We took some pictures. We had to leave early since it was already getting late. I had my mom take a picture of me next to my car. Yes, this is the first post in my blog that I'm saying the "Satin Silver Metallic Honda CR-V Model 2003" is mine. I was in a slight argument with my mom last month saying "How come Paul gets a complete new PC system before my new cellphone?! I've asked for my cellphone way back then!"
She responded "We bought you a car already!! Ano pa ba gusto mo?!"
I suddenly shut up during that argument. I had always seen the CR-V as a Family vehicle or a Family car. Actually, right now it's the Family car. But I think what my parents mean is that in the long run, all my dad wants is that rusty old Service Owner jeep and my mom would agree with my dad... meaning the CR-V will be my car should I choose to work here in the Philippines and drive it around.
Awesome.
Well anyways, here's a post to his memory and a prayer for his family... and my mom's cousin Kuya Henry, wherever you may be.
Related tidbits: My Grandmother's 2nd Death Anniversary is this weekend.
Monday, October 13, 2003
EXAMS, LOVE, FUN AND DRAMA
The Damage Report - Year 2 - Ending Week #18
Background Music: "White Flag" by Dido
NOTE: This is a weekly blog entry that summarizes a series of events of a finished week in and around La Salle.
THIS PAST SEASON on "St. La Salle"...
"Shit. I'm late again!" George yells, after waking up. The dorm room light is dim.
***
Rainstorms rage across the lush green campus of DLSU-D. Camera views show Square Canteen, SBC, JFH, and the Rotonda area affected by the rains.
***
Abbie, Len, Basil, and Gail waiting outside of the Men's Dormitory compound. Close-up of Basil and Gail smiling and joking. Close-up of Len looking at Abbie. Close-up of Abbie looking towards the compound. Sequence images of other male dormers leaving the gate of the compound... Aldrich and Mik are approaching.
Played voice over of Mark talking to George: "I think you just need to be civil with each other."
Sequence imaging of George looking at Mark in his dorm room.
***
Night time in front of Len's off-campus dormitory in front of La Salle. Len talking to Lance. Sequence images of Alex and Jan Arian leaving campus and boarding a jeep off to play Ragnarok Online down the road. Len's voice plays over: "Kuya... (Lance)..."
***
Tony in the middle of their Buwan ng Kasaysayan performance in front of JFH. His voice really loud. Transitions with George at the Oval dressed in an Egyptian costume... weird Egyptian music plays. Transitions with Abbie, Len, and Joel doing their Indian dance. Transitions into an evening scene with dorm mates lifting Tony to his room. Lance holding Tony's hand as Tony squeezes Lance's hand while feeling pain in his upper chest. George entering the room.
George's voice on play-over: "Not again Tony... please... not now..."
***
George's voice still on play-over: "One more."
The sound of a bottle hitting the table. Night time scene at Inazalle. George with dorm mate Julius orders another San Mig Light.
George: "What can another light do?!"
Transition of images of George pouring bottles of San Mig light into glasses filled with ice cubes at separate occasions throughout the semester.
***
Scene transition of Lance talking to George at Square Canteen. Day time.
Lance: "What do you think?"
George: "I don't think I've ever seen you like this since 3rd Year with Nikki..."
Lance: "????"
George: "You're in love... and I keep telling you, a girlfriend isn't the only thing in the world to have..."
Scene transitions to Mark and Andrew accompanying Abbie down Lake Avenue at night. Scene transitions with Aldrich talking to Abbie at the gate that separates the POLCA Dorms and the On-campus Men's dorm. Scene transitions back to Lance and George at Square Canteen.
George: "...you still have academics don't you?"
***
George voice over: "If there's one thing I can take with me and remember always more than the rest of what's happened to me this past semester... it's the fact that I've met new friends and became part of this tropa..."
Sequence of scenes of the tropa eating out at McDo Waltermart... the tropa connecting tables at KFC... the tropa waiting for a jeepnee to ride together back to La Salle at the sakayan in front of AMA Cavite at night...
George voice over continues: "... it's this semester that every single night has been shaped differently from before..."
George sitting next to Tony's bed inside Tony's dorm room... Tony falling asleep... George holding a glass of water...
***
Sequence of images of individual moments with everyone in the NC14 tropa... Len crossing the street on the way to the campus... Brian and Alex heading off to their classroom... Karl, Basil, and Gail eating at Quiao Mao's Chinese Place at Square Canteen... George leaving the office of the Heraldo Filipino... Aldrich and Mik logging in at the Men's dorm... Mark talking to his room mates Dong and Andrew... Tony waving at Jan Arian at the SBC...
Lance voice over, echoes: "I'm not giving up. Why should I?"
The boys drop the girls at the E-House. Sequence of images of Abbie and Lance...
Abbie: "Good night guys!"
And now, the Season ender... [re-entering the perspective of george putong]:
Sunday, October 05, 2003
ONE HAGGARD FINALE
Carpe Noctem (Seize the Night) - Year 2 - Starting Week #18
Background Music: "Can We Still Be Friends?" by M. Moore
NOTE: This is a weekly blog entry that is posted at the start of the week prior to moving into my dormitory.
THIS is the last week of the first semester of my 2nd Year College. It has undoubtably been a very tiring semester. The intensity seems to increase, and to say, there was only one major subject this sem.
What made it tiring? Everything. Basically every pillar of my College life [Academics/JOU2-1, Heraldo Filipino, AB Comm Channel, and Dormitory/Tropa] carried with it some weight.
It was supposed to be a clean start for me. I wanted no grade lower than 2.00 for the Prelims, 2.25 for the Midterms, and 2.50 for the Finals. One crashed into the other and my grades were just satisfactory. Disappointments began to rise.
I wanted to catapult myself in the Heraldo Filipino with article after article being passed in to my section editor, with hopes of restoring their faith and confidence in me as a writer and as a newly appointed Junior Staffer. Well... what happened there? I lost my inspiration to write. Disappointments continued to rise.
With the AB Comm Channel members who are AB Comm 3rd Year and 4th Year students busy with Media Production and Theater Arts, I had the chance to take the opportunity at hand and head the shooting schedules. Though, I wasn't assigned to them, if I was persistent I could have produced something and it could've uplifted the Comm Channel today. What happened? Well... because they didn't call any meetings to secure shooting schedules... I didn't bother and look what happened. Disappointments kept on rising.
The dormitory situation was quite fine until a new person I met who I could relay my experiences to as a Broadjourn student (he's an AB Comm student, which have few guys... especially in the dormitory)... suddenly faints... collapses... experiences painful chest pain leaving me depressed, even traumatized at one point.
But, despite all that, something new emerged this semester. The existence, or my personal existence, in the NC14 tropa. This circle of friends secured every night was a good night to eat out and enjoy it telling each other stories and jokes and what else. I met Abbie Almasco and Len Barcelo of Polsci2-2 shifting into Broadjourn, they are Joel's classmates. Abbie is a balikbayan from Saudi Arabia. Len is Abbie's best friend and vice versa. I also met Gail, Basil's girlfriend, she's taking up Applied Biology (APB2-2)... she studies hard and she's involved in extracurriculars like the University Student Council.
The dorms also changed shape. From last year's solo building for the guys, it was now expanded into three buildings. Unlike in the previous year where I met everyone within one semester, I did not accomplish meeting every on-campus male dormer. I got to know roughly 70% of them, including the new batch of Kuwaiti guys like Karl's brother Kelvin and Basil's brother Fahad. Fahad joined the DLSU-D Chorale.
Kevin Urquia, is also from Saudi Arabia like Abbie. He moved in and became good friends already with Lance. I considered him my drinking buddy.. read about that later. Mark from last year and I became closer this semester. He joined us in our nightly dinners recently and got to know everyone in the tropa. I met his room mates in B7 Dong and Andrew. Andrew is probably one of the most popular guys on campus since girls think he's hot. Andrew was raised in Libya and he studied in a Seminary during his High School.
Changing faces did happen and same faces were still there. This past semester, I had an on-average 1 drink per week. I got seriously tipsy several times this past semester.
Memorable things this past semester...
- Tropa dinners where we would invade a fast food place and combine tables so we'd look similar to the painting of "The Last Supper".
- Our trip to Eastwood and our sleepover to Joel's Place inside Camp Aguinaldo. This tall drag queen dancing next to our circle on the crowded dancefloor at "The Basement".
- My classmates performing once again this year, and this time "Tatarin". And we didn't do it just once, we did it three times. Talk about "on demand".
- Although it wasn't a good memory, it has to be memorable. When I met Tony and how I told him my whole college life story in 1st Year as a Broadjourn student... in such a way to entrust my good memories of my Freshmen year towards him as a 1st Year AB Comm student. And after being friends with him, the moments where he collapsed and I had to rush him to a bed to get his medicine or to get some water for him. This was memorable in a some lonely way.
- Dancing half-naked the egyptian at the Oval during the PHED103 Mass Demonstrations.
- Meeting the new apprentices of Heraldo Filipino... and being very happy that my classmate Kate Mamon and my dorm mate since last year Thomas Wagan made it.
- Accepting Lance Prodigalidad, a friend since High School, as my best friend since we share genuine dialogue.
- The shock on my Constitution professor's face when he computed my grade which had crashed severely.
- Katz debut and Rona's debut... and riding in Upper's SUV or Starex Van.
- The closest I ever got to being drunk (if I was drunk... I'm not exactly sure) which was at Apple's house after Rona's debut... it was the first time I drank with my classmates and first time I was inside of a vehicle under the influence (i wasn't driving though).
That's pretty much a lot for one semester, and to say, that's not even half of what has happened. This week concludes this semester and I pray all goes well with the exams and the speech. I want to close the cap on this semester and secure it tight... with no loose ends.
***
Here are the four pillars, one last time for this Semester:
Academics/JOU2-1. It's supposed to be "Walterweek" or "Walterfest" as we eat out at Waltermart this week. We'll be studying of course and in Speech and Oral Communication's make-up class on Monday, I'll be giving my Final Speech and I'll be participating in my group's Speech Choir on the last scene of Moulin Rouge. Then, I'll be studying for the three written exams I need to take this week. Namely Constitution, Reed103, and then the hardest and most delicate one of all- Communication Theory.
Heraldo Filipino. I have a news beat on the possibility of getting Ogie Alcasid to perform at the Oval for Php 10,000 per song. Something the Faculty Association (FA) is talking about which our adviser Dr. Pil Garcia heard about. Other than that, there's the Midyear Workshop or Midyear Seminar next week. That, would hopefully be the thing to push me back into writing. And, during the Midyear Seminar, I want to bond with the apprentice as much as possible... and also bond with the others in Heraldo Filipino. I need to find my true essence as a writer again.
AB Comm Channel. No news and I think we can close this pillar down until next semester.
Dormitory/Tropa. I'm moving out on Saturday and cleaning the place since DLSU-D will be hosting the UNIGAMES 2003 and the dorms will be given to the visitors and athletes that are coming from afar. I think everyone will be around next semester with a few new people... that's my prediction. Within the tropa, we'll be eating out of course this week and I wrote those I've been close to lately a letter of encouragement for the Finals. I hope they like it. And, by the way, Mark helped me with this problem and I think everything should be okay again.
***
This is the last "Carpe Noctem" post of the 1st Semester of my 2nd Year College.
DEJA VU OF EVERYTHING
The Damage Report - Year 2 - Ending Week #17
Background Music: "P.I.M.P." by 50 Cent
NOTE: This is a weekly blog entry that summarizes a series of events of a finished week in and around La Salle.
I DANCED EROTIC this week. It was something I had been dreading all week, but since the performance was rushed things went by okay I guess. I remember dancing erotic with my partner... we both... and it felt hot and I was nervous... I was sweating...
[Rewind to the start of the week]
Monday - The REED103 Outreach Program
I was more late than ever this semester and Teenah was angry at me for the first "official" time. My group for the REED103: Church - Outreach Program, had been waiting at Gate 1 for over an hour. I arrived early Monday morning and rushed to get there but still I was late, very very late.
We traveled to some place of Dasmariñas that I've never been to before. Area J, I believe. We went to classmate Ate Jo's house and unpacked the school supplies we had all purchased. We decided as a group that our Outreach Program was to teach a class of 4-year old children that Ate Jo had access to.
We made our way down the street and onto a jeepnee and arrived at this garage turned into a classroom. The 4-year old kids greeted us innocently in chorus "Good morning vis-it-ors!!". I was in charge of documentation.
We first started off by greeting ourselves and serving the kids cookies and juice. Awww. I took pictures. Afterwards Teenah, Kate, Kay, and Ate Jo began teaching the kids. I took pictures of the kids and of my classmates teaching them basic things.
The feeling was odd at first, suddenly surrounding yourself in a room filled with four year old kids. Then, it started to get cute. As you watched them eat, as you watched them say their names... it was the innocent look in their eyes.
After playing "Trip to Jerusalem" wherein we had to sing songs since the radio wasn't loud enough, we gave out our giveaways. Pencils, Notebooks, Coloring books, the kids held onto their prizes and were dismissed.
Teenah interviewed the teacher. It's a charity kind of thing and the teacher has been teaching in that small garage since 1988. Meaning, the 1988 batch of four year olds are just around our age in College. Woah.
It was right there and then I felt something hit me. My loss of inspiration to write started to draw back piece by piece. I suddenly remembered in journalism we are exposed to different kinds of people. Getting to know the teacher and about her reminded me of the essence of becoming a journalist and of being an aspiring journalist. Although I didn't get all my inspiration to continue writing back right there, I felt nostalgic and recalled all the people I've met ever since the day I decided my calling was in Broadcast Journalism.
We left and we ate at Ate Jo's house. They cooked spam and chicken and it was tasty. I had three rounds of rice. We packed up and headed back to La Salle.
I proceeded to my dorm room and met with some dorm mates. We ate out and in the evening I worked on my Powerpoint Presentation for Basic Computer Operations. It was about "Tatarin and Egyptian Dance", and I was so addicted to it. I put the song "Baby Boy" by Beyonce into it and I had Alex help me burn it onto a CD for submission.
***
Tuesday - Debate and Drinking with Mark
I was tired and I missed both Speech and Comm Theory. I made it to Retorika for my debate (de-ba-teh). We were the first of four groups to debate. And I was the Unang Interpelaytor... basically the first interpeletor in the whole class so I had no sure idea of what I was supposed to do. I only knew what to do based on what I had learned, not what I had seen.
Our topic was about the Pregnancy Policy in La Salle and I was on the Negative Side together with others like Athena, Apple, Eric, Mark, etc. On the affirmative side was Cindy, who was the Unang Pagsasalita and the one I was supposed to question.
I questioned her as best as I could. "Sagot lang OO o HINDI!" I shouted in my imperfect tagalog. According to some people in the class, I had reached a point already with my first three questions. I screwed it up by not providing sure evidence and saying phrases like "Ayon sa... Ayon kay... Sinabi mo kanina...". Damn! And that I spoke english (even if I said "Sa Wikang Ingles... ARE YOU SURE WITH WHAT YOU ARE SAYING?").
After our debate, we were dismissed. We lost... oh well. I ate at Fiat with Eric and Kate and had an encounter there... but good thing things are a bit okay now.* Afterwards we went looking for a place where we could view our Powerpoint presentations. We went to Badge's dorm and picked up the others and then we ended up at the net cafe nearest K-Stuff. We were all disappointed since some features didn't show up in our presentations. My CD refused to load on the computer there.
We rushed to Constitution and had a lecture on Article VIII. And in Basic Computer we proceeded to the lab and then viewed our classmates Powerpoint presentations in the dimmed labratory. Sayang... kasi my presentation was about the class and our presentation of Tatarin and the Egyptian Dance... it was on a CD and the lab didn't have any CD-Roms. Comes to show how High Tech the computers in MAH are.
We practiced at the Museo grounds for the Tatarin and Variety Show for Friday's Art Appreciaton requirement. Performing in the show would mean no written exam for the subject. I was in conflict whether or not I would join the Tatarin dance, remove my shirt and wear nothing but cycling shorts and pinetree leaves. I decided, minsan lang ito and it's for the grade. I joined.
After practice I went to the dorms and we ate out at Inazalle. Len sang again like the Tuesday of the previous week. Aldrich joined and it was the first time I saw him with Abbie intentionally... I think. Mark fulfilled his promise to me and it was just the two of us as we poured each other a glass of San Mig Light. I ended up having a little over two bottles, and for the first time, I was able to control my tipsyness... I'm adjusting now! I wasn't that tipsy anymore.
We returned to the dorms and that is all I can remember.
***
Wednesday - On How to make a Theory
I was supposed to join practice at 0930 in the morning but I couldn't get myself out of bed until around noon. I took a shower, bought some food with Tom Wagan, and we both headed off to the Office of the Heraldo Filipino to attend the weekly staff meeting. I haven't attended a staff meeting in weeks, so I knew I was going to get the beating.
Actually, the editors were disappointed not angry... as I somewhat expected. I had legal basis for my absence anyways... like bad academics recently and the dozens of requirements professors have on the students of Broadjourn2-1. It was nice to get an update on things in the office. The La Salleno XI-1 is just about done and Features' Coordinator Joanna, after much hard work, has accomplished it.
We rushed to REED103 and there was supposed to be a long quiz. But then, Sir Aido said the photocopies of the long quiz wasn't available. We were also moved to JFH 209, our future classroom next semester for REED104, since another class had to use the OHP in JFH 201.
After class it was Art Appreciation and we had a long quiz followed by a meeting and a practice for the show.
I couldn't go to the tropa dinner (first absence in quite some time) since I spent the afterschool hours (up until curfew) at the HF office proofreading the La Salleno XI-1 before it was sent to get published. I txt'd Lance, who lost his cellphone this week, to buy me dinner... he forgot so I returned to the dormitory hungry.
I ate my "emergency kit" Nissin Yakisoba Chicken flavor and had two sodas to make-up for a lost dinner. Arrrg Lance. Joke. I created my theory for Communication Theory on Kevin's computer and saved it on a diskette.
***
Thursday - These are the last things
I rushed to NEBO to print my theory and my assignments early morning and was 45 minutes late for Speech and Oral Communication. Mendy and Christian were at NEBO but they somehow went ahead of me. I watched my classmates do their speeches and afterwards we headed to Comm. Theory and had a long quiz there. Ms. M. Sigari "squeezed" the last theory in and completed all sessions leaving the rest up to us for the Finals. In Retorika, I didn't have to attend but I watched the other two groups debate.
I didn't have much of a lunch and in Constitution Mr. R.J. Estrada discussed Articles IX to XI which concluded his sessions as well. And in Basic Computer, Ms. E. dela Cruz announced those who were exempted from taking the exam and that included me. It was the first time to get exempted from something in a very long time.
After class we had practice at the Alumni Building 2nd Floor, the site of our show on Friday. All hopes for achieving that "dream show" was fading away and instead of me working more on the technicals and the stage design, I diverted my energy to practicing how to dance erotic. My partner was Wilda. I was still complaining to everyone of how skinny I was and how I was having 2nd thoughts... yata yata yatta.
I brought in Joel's radio and we started to practice. After practice, which ended as it was dark outside, I headed for the dorms and then found out we'd be eating at the Chinese Place at Square Canteen right across the street. I joined the tropa there and enjoyed eating Sizzling Teriyaki. Rona and her boyfriend Ryan together with William and Joy dropped by and ate. It was a strange feeling having the two sides sit next to each other with me in the middle. My classmates and my tropa...*
We took our time eating there and we sank into our seats during our conversations. We dropped the girls to the E-House and returned to our compound.
I went to my room and the usual scene was there. Jan Arian, Tony, and Alex in the room. Mark joined me and sat with me on my bed. And I told him how deteriorated my friendship is with someone. Mark quickly pointed out important things to keep in mind and to understand. The considerate part of me was revived. The bitterness I had for this person was reversed and put back to normal. Mark restored me before the situation could have gotten far, far worse. With his advice placed into two simple words: "Be civil."
Those two words ignited a flame in me that defrosted my frozen heart towards a friend. Thanks Mark, no one has "saved me" entirely on that issue except you.
I fell asleep, exhausted.
***
Friday - Tatarin, a Variety Show, and then Tadtarin
Once again I was exhausted that I was late for the original call time set by Badge, our director for the show and Class Vice President. I made it to the Museo with Joel and the radio and eventually found myself eating pancit since Kay and them finished their outreach program and had extra. The pancit was delicious, perhaps really delicious since I was hungry. Meanwhile, another school came to the museo for their field trip.
We had a break and we ate at Fiat. After eating at Fiat, we returned to help William carry the VPAPU tripod from the JFH Theater to the Alumni Building 2nd Floor. It was heavy. At the Alumni Building, other classmates and propsmen (er, propswomen) arrived to start working.
Suddenly 3rd Year Psychology students stormed in and we had to give way since they were having a show too for Art Appreciation and they were scheduled before us. The whole JOU2-1 present retreated to JFH while I stayed with Tintin to help her paint the newspapers shaped into rocks. Teenah and Maycee were also with us and working with shaping the newspapers.
We rushed to REED103 and had our last session. We had a long quiz which was open handouts but I didn't have my handouts and borrowing wasn't allowed. Damn! The questions were somewhat practical (about half of them were practical) while the rest were purely objective. We sang the song "Next in Line" and we sang it loud to conclude REED103.
After making these boxes out of paper where we wrote answers to three questions of reflection, we rushed to the Alumni Building. Well, I mean... they did. I rushed to my dorm to get into my cycling shorts and to wear my formal wear since it's my first costume for Tatarin. I rushed to the Alumni Hall only to find classmates scrambling since the show had to start even if the stage wasn't ready.
I was frustrated! The show had to go on since another section had to use the venue after us. Shit! All the practice and we wearn't given the chance to perform our best. Damn. Tatarin happened and I was backstage going crazy over the sequencing, which blew up in my head. I danced with Kay in the formal wear and then I went backstage, stripped down to my cycling shorts, and had Mark assist me in putting on the palm tree leaves skirt thing.
And to say, the only actual audience was our professor in Art Appreciation, our professor in REED103 Mrs. M. Planas, and Kuya Rheyan (again!). The others were the incoming section that needed the stage badly. And those in JOU2-1 that wearn't performing where also in the audience.
Our part came and I felt so numb as I danced half-naked onto the stage area... which by the way, had no special lighting... it was just flourescent light which just makes me look more whiter... and obviously more skinnier. Yuck. But who cares, the objective was not to act stupid. If I looked stupid, I looked stupid. But if I looked stupid and acted good, I would be an actor.
I removed all my inhibitions and danced erotic. I closed my eyes... I caressed Wilda's arms and her sides... I gasped for air... I stared into her eyes... all in the name of art!! Take that Art Appreciation!! Woohoo!!
The 30 seconds of intense dancing ended with our classmate Jeff's shout "Guadalupe!!".
I rushed backstage and suited up in my formal wear and took a peek of who was on stage. Tatarin was finished and now the "JOU2-1's Teatro Four" were performing. Athena did this daring "Wag papa!! Wag!!" as she was mentally being raped by her "father".
After they performed I went to the audience area and joined Joel and them. Ate Angge and Kate Quisumbing each performed a song and then Ayesha, Apple, Ara, and Cindy did a Filipiniana Dance number... only to be cut off by our professor since we were out of time. Nats, Bianca, Kate Quisumbing, and them did another dance number, and had to cut it short too. And the grand finale, "TAD-TA-RIN".
Watching the spoof of "Tatarin" was humourous. Although it made me wonder if it had a political side to it on behalf of Broadjourn2-1. I mean, visually all those involved in "Tad-ta-rin" were the part of the class that had fully supported the Variety Show idea instead of re-staging Tatarin. Were they making fun of some people in the class?
I wouldn't think of it that way, but it does make you wonder. But heck, thoughts like that would dissolve into the humorous short skit done by members of the class.
Charmagne looked like a maniac in the middle as she chopped something invisible. People tried to stop her, suddenly Ara comes in holding a tranquilizer. She tranquilizes everyone except Charmagne and Bianca, who danced in like Dina Bonnievie (we all know Bianca has that Sex Appeal and how she could've carried the role of Dina Bonnievie in our TATARIN this past semester but she didn't want to). Bianca shaked her butt and was tranquilized while holding this giant stuffed bear. Charmagne was tranquilized by Ara eventually and suddenly the whole JOU2-1 was screaming when Ara climbed on top of the table and danced like Beyonce on "Crazy in Love". We were screaming because she entered the scene all conservative, and then she suddenly does something like that.
And then the grand conclusion, classmate Guiller enters and does a semi-sexy dance for Ara and then the show ended.
We rushed to clear the place of our props. All our hardwork was just rushed in the end. It was visually a disaster but the effort was perfect. I give the class a 4.00 for Efforts in putting the show up, but the show itself would get a 1.50. It was disappointing. But heck, it was over at last. We had a meeting outside on the first floor and I helped Tope and Guiller deliver the props back to the Stock room of Teatro and VPAPU.
The silence is broken
I returned to my dorm room and then Lance, Mark, and I joined Basil and Gail and we decided to eat out at Waltermart McDo. Kevin appeared with Aldrich, Mik, and Mik's classmate that we didn't know.
Taking in the advice from Mark, I spoke to Aldrich for the first time with genuine feeling. The last time I spoke to him was two weeks ago (I think) but even then I only spoke to him because I had to or it was just for the sake of it. I haven't looked him in the eye and spoken to him in about a month. But it was in McDo on Friday night and after Mark's advice on Thursday night, that I spoke to Aldrich.
Wait... hold on. All I said and asked was: "Aldrich... are you going to the dorm?"
He looked and answered and that was it. Just a few words to some people, but for others it could be eternity just burning. Taking note with Mark's advice, the problem isn't exactly solved. It's just been diverted to something else that won't affect the whole tropa. If my silence towards that friend of mine continued, it would destroy one part of the tropa slowly and bit by bit. At least, now, there's breathing room.
We returned to the dorms and I had Kevin and Lance sleep in my room since Alex and Kyle went home. Kevin was playing FFX and I fell asleep.
Saturday was just spent waking up around noon, cleaning the room, and having lunch at 3 o'clock in the afternoon again like on previous Saturdays. I got picked up and we went to church at bayan.
That ends the week.
Title explained: Deju Vu of Everything? The Outreach Program in REED103 on Monday reminded me of the NSTP days during 1st Year College. Tatarin on Friday during the show was the third time the class performed it. Dancing half naked (erotic) was reminiscent of dancing half naked at the oval during the Egyptian dance. The Variety Show on Friday after Tatarin was like a Part 2 of the Variety Show done by our class exactly a year ago for Literature of the Philippines.