Enzell: Life as I See It

Wounds

2011-11-12T19:12:00.006+08:00

Sometimes, the most painful wounds are those which hurt emotionally.

I should be thankful that I'm being handed all of these writing opportunities to exhibit my "talent", which would theoretically be writing. Writing scripts, articles, poems, stories, reflections, and other literary formats has become such a mundane and mechanical task for me that I fail to channel the art within me. Because after all, writing is an art; a skillful crafting of words interlocking with one another to form coherently weaved sentences. Though I may not be capable of drawing true-to-life figures (which seemingly don't look like drawings at all) or composing music of the likes of Mozart and Beethoven, but I had ingrained in my mind that the least form of art I could manage is to write.

I have the tendency to be blind to my own mistakes, but possessing terribly sharpshooter 20-20 vision when it comes to spotting the mistakes of others. Although everyone falls prey to this malignant behavior every once in a while, it is only now that this disease has been made known to me. It is eating up my insides, chewing away the last pieces of confidence I have left within me. I have shrunken into the size of a lepton.

I submitted an article almost a month ago, which will be read in front of the whole school within a few days. The thing is, my teacher proofread my work and returned it with the most number of corrections I have ever received in my lifetime. Incorrect terminologies, wrong placement of words, awkwardly-written sentences -- all of these shook the living soul out of me. Have I really been that blind?

Arghhh... I feel bad everytime I write. I will now head over to the corner to scrunch up and hide.

Bangon

2011-10-30T15:46:00.004+08:00

Life

2011-10-28T02:11:00.000+08:00

How much do we value our lives? Everyday, we are confronted by images of violence, oppression, hatred, corruption, and greed. Oil exploitation and wars in the Middle East, widespread hunger and poor healthcare systems in Africa, growing economic rifts between developed and developing countries, high corruption and weak governance within our own country – all of these images prevail within our present society. It were as if life were something replaceable, something that could be manipulated, and something which could easily taken away.

What can individuals like ourselves do? A single person cannot provide staple needs for everyone living under oppression, one person cannot uplift the world from economic and environmental issues, and an individual alone is incapable of stopping wars within a snap of a finger. One alone cannot change the world in its entirety, but it is from each individual’s action that inspires and compels others around them to emulate. Take Blessed Mother Teresa, for example, who embodied what it truly means to protect and nurture life. She had a deep desire to love God through wholesome service to others. Having glimpsed a world scarred by suffering and oppression, she devoted her life to work among the poorest of the poor. Simple, though, as her actions had been, Mother Teresa made the most out of her life to give life to those who had seemingly lost it. She said, “Little things are indeed little, but to be faithful in little things is a great thing.”

We are the living examples of a miracle, because the miracle of life is within us. To be alive; to be able to wake up to another day when others did not, to be able to experience the quality of life we possess which others could simply dream of, to hear, see, feel, smell, taste, and touch while others cannot – that, in its pure simplicity, is a miracle. This miracle should not be kept to ourselves, because it burns for the desire to be shared and made the most out of. We are the key to change the world needs.

In conclusion, here is a quote by Mother Teresa about life. May it instill in each one of us as we continue to nurture this miracle of life with passion and zeal in all our days.

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is a beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is life, fight for it!

Life’s Nut-thing without Choc Nut

2011-10-13T03:36:00.005+08:00

One of my fondest childhood memories was that of visiting our neighbor’s sari-sari store to secretly stash a bagful of sweet but bitterly tooth-decaying chocolates and candies, a crime which my childhood self could not easily cover up due to my mischievous, toothless grin. Like a kid on Christmas day, I would eagerly await the moment I unwrapped my ill-gained loot and greedily chomp them down piece-by-piece; each giving relief to my aching sweet tooth, tickling my receptive taste buds with vibrant flavors, energizing every neuron in my brain link-by-link, and – of course – appeasing the churning machinery that is my stomach. Of all the candies which stuck close to my heart – including the tantalizing sour bubble gum, Yakee!, the explosive tongue-color-changing candy, Pintura, and an assortment of melt-in-your-mouth milk and caramel chocolatey goodness, Curly Tops and Flat Tops – only one sweet adhered closest to me and made me feel satiated with all other cravings in an instant; Choc Nut.

Even with all the competent brands of chocolate hurdling across market shelves around the world today, people cannot help but dig deeper into their roots and reminisce the nostalgia of that distinctive red and white striped wrapper which never fails to bring out that childhood smile in everyone, regardless of the time or age. That unique powdery texture only Choc Nut could provide, coupled with an even mixture of peanuts and rich luscious chocolate packed compactly into a rectangular bar, will send you crumbling into pieces, sweeping you off your feet, and make you nuts for more! Delve into the crunchiness provided by the perfect combination of peanuts and chocolate, together with the buttery sweetness a single bite can hook you with. Let your brain waves transform into a mush and allow yourselves more of that saliva-dripping taste your impulse compels you to suffice. Priced at just Php 2.00 a piece, Choc Nut brings suprising delight in the smallest of packages. Both light to the pocket and light to the heart, this chocolate is surely a drop from heaven you surely wouldn’t want to miss.

Choc Nut is a clear representation of Filipino ingenuity and creativity. It resonates how simple pleasures such as these can bring timeless joy to both young and old alike. Because no matter what age one may be, or no matter how far away one is from his/her homeland, that person would continuously seek for that distinct manifestation of where they came from, of home. Antoine de Saint Exupéry’s highly praised book, The Little Prince, states, “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye.” More often than not, people relate happiness to wealth and success, overlooking the simple pleasures one can gain from simple things in life. Do you still find happiness in these simple pleasures?

Don't Break My Egg... My EGGy, EGGy Heart

2011-10-04T19:07:00.001+08:00

Today we had the egg drop challenge! It was a success!

That is all.

Misconceptions

2011-09-13T00:56:00.002+08:00

The weird thing about me is that even though people think I love to write, I actually don't. In fact, I hate writing. People also have this misconception about me being a bookworm. I read books ~~every now and then~~. Scratch that, what I meant to say was I read books during the summer break, but reading for leisure on a school day? Yeah, right. These are common misconceptions about me.

So what drives people to pick me as their scriptwriter, their playwright, their composer, their anything-writer in a groupwork? I don't consider myself the least a good writer. I guess I just trained my mind to write out of necessity. Writing was something required; a task needed to be completed. Right now, I don't find blogging as a tedious process since I'm basically babbling my thoughts into coherent sentences. But every time I'm forced to think of witty, funny, and creative storylines or dialogues, my mind goes blank.

Argh, I want to continue, but I really have a lot to do. :( I hate Tuesdays. Bye.

I am NOT Your Savior!

2011-09-07T00:17:00.000+08:00

It's 12 AM in the morning, and I'm just venting out my frustrations so as not to feel so bad anymore. I'm just sick. Not sick in a fever sense, but in the tiresome sense. I'm tired -- that's the more appropriate term. I'm tired of everything happening around me. Sometimes I wonder what's the purpose of life anymore, with the same monotonous flow and ebb of events, the same shades of gray, the same people, the same everything!

What am I talking about? I'm talking about me metaphorically carrying the weight of the world in my shoulders. It's as if all the responsibility was vested upon me and only me alone. I feel weak in the knees just thinking about such! In school, all I'm supposed do is perform my task and duty as a student. Nothing more, nothing less. Life wouldn't have been so hard for me had it not been for groupworks.

Ugh -- groupworks are the main reason why I hate school. Every time I'm assigned to a group, people sigh in relief. "Ah, here is someone responsible," they often say. Or "We're saved! Hallelujah!" I don't know whether to be flattered or downright mad. Sure, I'll do my task, but now my groupmates want me to fulfill their tasks as well. They think I can do it, that given the will, I can.

But it's just that I can't.

To those people who are still unaware, I am just a person. One person. I hate delegating tasks because nobody listens to me explaining! Why? Because when it comes down to explaining my thoughts, even I have trouble expressing them. It's something personal which I can't openly discuss in a conversational manner. That's why nobody listens. Sure, they may try, but in the end, who would bother doing a task for the group? And what consequences do I have to suffer to being such an introvert? Why, having to do all the tasks by myself!

Reality struck me once again across the face a while ago. One of my groupmates said, "Buti na lang si Fonqui ka-group ko. Masasalba niya tayo!" Which makes me wonder, what gives that person the right to say in front of my face that I'm going to do all the dirty work? All they have to do is sit back -- maybe even get the chance to converse with their fellow groupmates -- while I suffer. And in the end, who gets the grade? Everyone.

Judgement day. The teacher will blame me for not doing my task well. For being a bad leader. And worse, for being irresponsible. She'll say that I should've delegated all the tasks and that I should've done it on time. I never chose to be a leader, but sadly, do I even have a choice anymore?

Patch = Power?

2011-09-04T00:25:00.005+08:00

Theresians have been renowned for their simplicity, integrity, and most importantly -- concern for others. But does this "mentality" and "image" branch out only to the external means? Ningas kugon is the term to properly define it. Generous and caring in front of onlookers while selfish and self-centered under the shadows. There is a hint or a spark of goodness within each person, but sadly, this spark barely casts its light into a flame. I don't want to cast this out as a generalization, but I am very disappointed at the way my fellow schoolmates have been treating other members of the school community.

If you've heard about the caste system, wherein there is a hierarchy from the powerful and religious Brahmans to the unsung and ill-treated Untouchables, a system has developed through the years in my high school. The Patch System. To those who are unaware of a high school Theresian's uniform, its distinctions are the buttons sewn at the back and the oh-so-powerful "patch". A freshman starts of with a green patch, a sophomore with yellow, a junior with red, and a senior with blue. Now, this patch allegedly corresponds to your status quo within the school campus. Who are you to the eyes of your fellow school mates?

First Years are the most affected by this system. Here, they are considered "bottom of the food chain" and their lives revolve around the "Survival of the Fittest" concept. I've heard stories of upperclassmen bullying the lower year levels simply because they believed they had the "power" to do such. In the past, I have experienced being influenced to gang up and scare away lower batches for being "pasaway" and/or "disrespectful", but I had refused, declined, and rejected -- and always will.

In my First Year, I was told that I had no voice to speak out. When my ates passed by the corridors, I was obliged to move aside and give them space. Surely enough, out of fear, freshmen part like the "parting of the Red Sea" whenever older (not to mention more built) members pass through. That is why when I reached my Third Year, the year where I "garnered" the red a.k.a "bully" patch, my heart sighed relief. Not because of the power it supposedly empowered me with, but because of the freedom from being hurt or mistreated. But thankfully for me, keeping quiet was the safest way to stay out of trouble and I have not been bullied at all nor did I wish to bully.

Today I am a Fourth Year student and have friends from the First Year level who are funny and amazing people. They are no different from the rest of the year levels. In the same shades of grey, we are all the same. Your patch does not signify your power; instead, it signifies how much of an example you should be. I'm not talking about color of the patch -- I'm talking about the logo. Yes, our school logo. It is the name of the school you bring with you no matter where or when. Respect is not something you earn, it is something freely given to you from the beginning. It is the right of every person to be respected as an individual. Thus, let us put aside the mentality of respect only for the accomplished few and extend it to every human being.

What a Site!

2011-08-26T22:54:00.007+08:00

There are some sites I just can't live without. The Internet has become more than just a browsing tool -- it has become a multi-purpose entertainment and learning material. So many quality Internet sites are existing as I type, but even with the magic of having every website with a click of a mouse (and a few keystrokes), it's humanly impossible to visit all of them.

That's why I'm here to name some of the sites which help me go through life's difficult tasks and problems.

5. Grooveshark

Don't have enough money in your pocket to purchase albums from your local music store? Don't want to bother buying from iTunes or *cough* download them illegally *cough*? Well, there's a solution for you! Introducing Grooveshark! This allows you to browse through a lot (if not all) of the songs, create your own playlist, listen to the radio, and many more -- all for price of... no price at all. Instead of worrying about transferring songs to your MP3 device, Grooveshark allows you to listen online indefinitely so you don't have to worry about time constraints or pesky advertisements. All you have to do is search for the song you want to listen to, and voila! Your own Internet browser turned into a music player!

3. KhanAcademy

Trigonometry Woes

2011-08-04T19:18:00.003+08:00

Trigo test tomorrow! Actually, it's the inappropriate word to use "Trigo" since we haven't even tackled Trigonometry yet... but, still! Tomorrow is the day when hell comes forth from the underworld.

Kidding aside, Trigo is one of my favorite subjects. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of answering Math problems (especially complex ones that turn my brain into a mush), but with Trigo, it's different. I guess you can say that I find Math a challenge as well as an opportunity. Challenge: to find solutions which will satisfy my problem. This is what I hate about it. My neurons almost literally snap whenever a problem appears in my midst. Opportunity: to prove that I can do it (but I'm really can't).

When I first discovered I wasn't pull-out in Mathematics (there's a special class for students pursuing courses which require Math), I felt bad I picked Communication as my field of choice. I really didn't want to miss such an opportunity to learn at an advanced pace; to learn faster and to learn new topics. I really thought I wasn't good enough for pull-out, and that some things were just not meant to be.

For us nonpull-out people, the pacing is much, much, slower. Everything is explained carefully and repetitively so that everyone can understand. With most (if not all) of the people I look up to in Math gone, I started to become independent. Independent in a way that I couldn't always rely on others with my Math queries anymore. I knew that there would come a point in time wherein, I would have to answer others'.

So, I started pulling out quiz scores from out of a magician's hat. Don't get the wrong idea here, I don't really want to blurt out my grades in public. The grades I received were I very different from those I received from my previous years. It's probably because I have the time and opportunity to check and re-check my answers... but I have to remember -- DON'T RE-CHECK WHILE YOU'RE ANSWERING. Especially during exams. I'm really slow when I re-check my answers.

Ah, I'm sorry but I have to leave this open-ended because I have to study. I don't want to waster precious time studying for Trigo, Pinoy, and UPCAT exams. Ugh, UPCAT.

Circle of Life

2011-07-09T01:37:00.003+08:00

It's 1 AM in the morning and my hair is all messed up. And guess what *insert drumroll*: I'm still in my school uniform. I fell asleep on the bed while studying for the entrance tests and just woke up now. Oh. Gosh. Why on Earth am I having a writer's block in conceptualizing what to say? -__- Okay, let's talk about the events ~~a while ago~~ yesterday (ignore the fact that while writing this, I am smelly and, how can I put this in simpler terms? Ah, there we go: wasted).

I have to say, even though I usually despise Mathematics, I like studying circles. When I was reviewing at LSC, I had a hard time catching up with the lessons because there were some topics the school never covered yet, like circles and Trigonometric Functions. I had no idea how to solve for angles, arcs (I didn't know what an arc was back then!), within and outside the circle. The thing is, STC covers these topics during the Fourth Year of your high school life, whereas other schools have already covered these in their respective Geometry classes.

The formulas were difficult to memorize at first, which led me to switching them time and again. But then I listened to the Circle song, and it was so funny! I paid close attention to the drummers and the background music. It was sooo slow! The whole class was laughing all throughout the duration of the song. Not leaving out, though, that in one way or another, *cough* we learned. :)

I would continue to babble about the leadership training, but unfortunately, I have to take a bath to hide my carelessness. Good morning!

It's Audition Time Again

2011-06-18T15:56:00.005+08:00

While it's pouring hard outside (blame Typhoon Egay), I'm busy reading and critiquing audition articles for the Theresian Magazine. I was amazed there were a whopping 50+ students who auditioned for the magazine. During the auditions, all the seats in the classroom were occupied. We even had to resort to borrowing chairs from the adjacent classroom!

There was tension in the room. Silence filled the air. There was a hint of nostalgia within me, reminiscing my Third Year-self in the exact disposition just a year ago. I believe everyone wanted to grab the opportunity to be heralded a Theresian Magazine writer (or they wouldn't have auditioned in the first place!). However, the odds of being one of the lucky *bleeps incredibly low number* is preposterous and hard to grasp.

Even now, I still have no idea what I'm doing as an editor in the magazine, let alone a writer. Looking back, I see myself as that Grade 5 student, scrawny and undecided. When I first auditioned for the magazine, I was anxious beyond measure and my mind was withdrawn from the paper I had written on. I couldn't think coherently, let's leave it at that. The only reason why I had the guts to audition in the first place was because of my Grade 4 teacher. She said I was a, quote-unquote, "good writer" and that I should "consider joining the Theresian magazine". Which shocked me initially because I had no special talents whatsoever. It was only rightful that I was shocked because I didn't pass the screening anyway.

I had given up on pursuing my writing endeavors altogether, even though teachers recognized my written works every now and then. I don't know what sparked in me that gave me the courage to audition for the second time in my Third Year of high school, I just thought of giving my skills another chance. Now, more prepared and composed than ever, I faced my fears with tenacity and perseverance. It were as if time stood still as I wrote down on paper, being aware of only the subconscious and the paper which held my destiny. Words streamed out of my pen like a fountain, words which were strings attached to my heart. I knew in my heart, I had put everything into that piece of paper, and if, God forbid, it wasn't enough, then so be it!

Now, here I am, former News writer, now Literary editor of the Theresian magazine (still laughing at the thought), and I bid all of the students who auditioned good luck and God bless. :) And please don't be discouraged if you are not fortunate to make it through, I'm sure there will be other opportunities to exhibit your talents. Never give up!

Last Day of School

2011-03-15T19:39:00.003+08:00

It's over! It's finally over! I've waited and endured nine months of torture, requirements, quizzes, and tests. Today is the day I mark the end of the long and tiring journey. Today I celebrate my survival and the will to never give up.

Third Year life is hell on Earth.

First Year was a year of adjustments in preparation for the high school life ahead. During this time, I was the bunso and I lived life similar to that when I was in grade school. Life wasn't hectic. Sure, there were requirements and lessons which were more challenging to grasp, but in general, they were tolerable. I felt at ease, safe, and I adjusted to high school life quite well.

Moving up to Second Year, I experienced the wonders of Biology not to mention the countless requirements attached to it. I had to do pedigree charts, 3-D cell "cities", editorials, brochures, magazine articles, research papers, and many others which I cannot recall anymore. The exposure to more lab work was evident, the most memorable one being the dissection, in which I will never forget Nematoad, my frog. R.I.P., my friend. Thanks for helping me appreciate Bio more. Second Year was a lot more challenging, and yet, despite all that, it was also fun.

Now, when Third Year came along, only then did my life take a turn for the worst. I was culture-shocked with Chemistry, Geometry, Adv. Algebra, World History, Chem Lab and Research taking up our subjects for the entire school year. My performance in those subjects were similar to that of the previous years. It was only when our teacher rejected our groupwork which was one millisecond late (the teacher was already outside the classroom when we submitted) -- and we got a big fat 0 -- that my head finally came to its senses and said, "Ohhh, so this is Third Year life." That was when I was determined never to slack off again like I did in First and Second Year.

I went on "coffee marathons" and fell asleep at 12 AM when I was lucky, but usually, I could only attain slumber at 3 AM. I barely found time to eat breakfast, recess, lunch, and dinner. During breakfast time, I study. During recess and lunch, I attend meetings and finish requirements. When dinner time comes around, I, too tired to even eat, simply fall asleep on the bed. ~~Often with my school uniform still on.~~ Haha, kidding. Or maybe not.

In Third Year, I struggled just to be an Outstanding Student, something which did not occur to me during my early high school life. I literally pushed myself to my limit, because I would always tell myself that reason behind my not being an OS was that I wasn't doing my best. It bothered me and I felt that I wasn't living up to the expectations of my parents (even though they say they don't expect anything from me at all). I have the constant urge to question my behavior -- was I lazy, was I irresponsible, did I not do my tasks to others' expectations? But honestly, it doesn't bother me that much anymore. I just do my best, and if my best isn't good enough for that merit, then I guess I'll have to settle for being the best in being me.

Heartaches from History

2011-03-11T13:46:00.015+08:00

Breathe. My Third Year life is almost over. Soon I'll be able to attain peace. Maybe I'll even see heaven -- who knows? I just want to feel the overwhelming relief when I finish my last examination on March 15, 2011. The feeling that it's finally over. This hell hole I almost literally crawled into -- I'll be able to climb out at last and catch a glimpse of broad daylight after what seems like years of being deprived of it.

A while ago, we had our examinations for Algebra, Soc. Sci., and Religion. During the Algebra exam, I went on one of my "guessing games". Even though I know my answers are wrong, I feel a sense of invincibility. It's as if I don't care about the result of the test anymore. Here's an example of one of the questions and my very "logical" answer:

A group of students equally divide among themselves the payment for a broken laboratory instrument which costs P60. If 3 more people were added to the group, the share each one would've paid would be P1 less.
1) How many students are there in the group? 34
2) How much does each student have to pay? P934

Honestly speaking, I suck at Math. Let's leave the numbers to find their own solutions. As my friend once said:

My teacher wrote on the blackboard: x²+2x+3=0. She called my name and said, "Solve the problem." I obediently went to the board, got an eraser, and erased the equation from the board. Problem solved.

Another ~~disappointing~~ disheartening test was the Soc. Sci. exam. Yesterday, even when there was no classes, I woke up at 3 AM just to make a reviewer for Soc. Sci. "Who's That Dude?" is the title of my reviewer, because it contained all the people from the textbook which would "apparently" appear in the exam. I didn't leave the computer. All I did was write the reviewer, eat, write, eat, write, eat, study, sleep. I finished my reviewer and posted it online at around 6:30 PM. That's how long it took to write it. 15 hours and 30 minutes. A lot of which could've spent resting and studying for other exams. But I sacrificed my time and effort for Soc. Sci. alone, and I realized that my efforts were in vain.

Around 150 people, 20 dates (with the month, day, and year), and tons of other information -- I studied them all. I made sure that, since this was my last history test, I would make sure I left no information untouched in the book. And believe me, I didn't. Allow me to enjoy a moment to dump away all the names in my already overworked brain:

Lorenzo de Medici. Catherine de Medici. Henry VIII. Johannes Gutenberg. Anne Boleyn. Catherine of Aragon. Jane Seymour. Anne of Cleves. Catherine Howard. Catherine Par. Mary I. Elizabeth I. Edward VI. Gregory XI. Urban VI. Clement VII. Martin V. Balthasar de Beaujoyeulx. Francesco Petrarca. Giovanni Boccaccio. Desiderius Erasmus. Miguel de Cervantes. William Shakespeare. Plutarch. Laura. Sancho. Filippo Brunelleschi. Michelangelo Buonarotti. Raphael. Leonardo da Vinci. Isabella d'Este. Vittorina de Feltre. Caterina Sforza. Emilie du Chatelet. Mary Wollstonecraft. John Wycliffe. John Hus. Martin Luther. Katherine von Bora. Papa Boniface. Papa Julius II. Papa Leo X. Papa John Paul II. John Tetzel. Huldrych Zwingli. John Calvin. Ignatius de Loyola. Louis XIV. Prinsipe Henry. Bartholomew Diaz. Vasco da Gama. Amerigo Vespucci. Pedro Cabral. Christopher Columbus. Juan Ponce de Leon. Vasco Nuñez de Balboa. Ferdinand Magellan. Haring Ferdinand. Reyna Isabella. Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. Francisco Pizarro. Hernando Cortez. Francis Drake. Martin Frobisher. Henry Hudson. John Davis. Cornelis de Houtman. Giovanni de Verrazano. Jacques Cartier. Samuel de Champlain. Cavelier de La Salle. Claudius Ptolemy. Francis Bacon. Nicolaus Copernicus. Johannes Kepler. Galileo Galilei. Isaac Newton. John Locke. Baron de Montesquieu o Charles Louis de Secondat. Francois Marie Arouet o Voltaire. Jean Jacques Rousseau. Thomas Hobbes. Denis Diderot. Haring Frederik. Catherine the Great. Maria Theresa. Louis XVI o Louis-Auguste. Marie Antoinette. Marie Therese. Louis Joseph. Louis Charles. Sophie. Maximillien Robespierre. Georges Danton. Napoleon Bonaparte. Thomas Jefferson. George Washington. Nicholas II. Alexandra. Olga. Tatiana. Maria. Anastasia. Alexei. Paul I. Alexander I. Nicholas I. Alexander II. Alexander III. Vladimir Lenin o Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov. Anna Anderson o Anna Tsaikovsky. Arnold Joseph Toynbee. Charles Townshend. Jethro Tull. Robert Bakewell. John Kay. James Haregreaves. Sir Richard Arkwright. Eli Whitney. Thomas Newcomen. James Watt. Robert Fulton. Henry Bessemer. Wilhelm Gottlieb Daimler. Rudolf Diesel. Henry Ford. George Stephenson. Thomas Telford. John Loudon McAdam. Wilbur Wright. Orville Wright. Samuel Mors. Alexander Graham Bell. Goglielmo Marconi. Thomas Alva Edison. Samuel Slater. Karl Marx. Thomas Malthus. David Ricardo. Robert Owen. Adam Smith. Friedrich Engels. Francis Ferdinand. Gavrilo Princip. Arthur Zimmermann. John Pershing. Woodrow Wilson. John F. Kennedy. Harry Truman. Adolf Hitler. Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini. Ida Daiser. Benito Albino. Mimi Reiter. Eva Braun. Emperor Hirohito. Tsang Kai-Shek. Mao Tse Tung o Mao Zedong. Haring Emmanuel X. Friedrich Ebert. Esperanza Cabral. Angelo Reyes. Albert del Rosario. Armin Luistro. Hosni Mubarak. Moammar Gaddafi. Ali Abdullah Saleh. Essam Sharaf. Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Ricardo David. Eduardo Oban, Jr. Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah.

I may look like I'm showing off, but I'm simply stating a known fact. This -- was just a few of what I memorized, not to mention the dates and the places and the timelines. What frustrates me is that none of the things I memorized appeared. At all. Nada. Zilch. Imagine memorizing all this -- only to find out that none of the items came up in the exam. I was devastated because I wanted to prove that I can pour my heart and soul into memorizing a test, but all my efforts were wasted. I awaited my last history exam to at least be a challenging exam, but it was really general information. I could almost swear that had I not been able to study, I would've still gotten the same score. Maybe I should be happy that the test was as easy as 1, 2, 3, but only one word can properly define my emotions right now; hurt.

I feel guilty that I slept at 4 AM last night to read about World War II. I feel hurt that the exam didn't even have a single identification number. I mean, a history test where you don't have to memorize anything, where's the history in that? Maybe I should've predicted this would happen. Well, for whatever reason, this event has changed my view on history forever. I learned that history is about learning from mistakes. I've learned never to exert the same effort I did on this exam on any other history test. Anyways, I don't think I'll be seeing one in a looooooong time.

Backstabbing of Words

2011-03-06T10:25:00.002+08:00

What is wrong with people these days? I thought blogging was about venting out your thoughts and ideas, a way of expressing your deepest emotions -- but not to the point of exposing the ugly truth about people. Because after reading a blog which negated and opposed someone I admired, I cannot help but irk at the current disposition this society is in now. How simple words changed my entire perspective of that person and the author of the blog. These were people whom I looked up to. I can blatantly say that these are even teachers who are supposedly being role models to their students. But as of now, I cannot even grasp 'role model' as the proper description.

No, don't get me wrong, I am not backstabbing my mentors. I have a high regard for them, and I respect them with every part of my being. But what is a follower to do when his leader is taking up the wrong path? Do I follow my leader as every homely follower should? Wouldn't it be better if the leader reexamined his decisions and redirected his people towards the right path? Because I am simply doing what I am tasked to do; follow. But what is a good sheep without his shepherd? What will become of the lost sheep, abandoned by his shepherd?

Getting back to the point, this blog I read was by a teacher. This person expressed negative comments about my teacher, both whom I have high regard for. However, what the author of the blog wrote was beyond what my brain could comprehend, because I cannot imagine my teacher doing such acts of misconduct on others. My teacher is a good person. And I believe the author of the blog is simply expressing emotions of irritation and anger, which he/she may not be able to control.

The author of the blog knew what he/she was doing, even despite the dire consequences posting such words may lead to. I quote:

so, if you're reading this and want to spread it... think of what knowing of this will affect you, me, and the institution.

My school, this institution, will have its good image and character distorted again. I do not want to point fingers and put the blame on the accusers. I simply want to convey a message to students reading my blog, and I pray that they may make wise decisions in the things they post online.

Words are very powerful. They can make or break a person's life. Be careful with the words you choose, to whom you pertain these words to, and what outcome you wish to achieve from uttering such phrases. The Internet is a vast and limitless universe of information. But be aware: It only takes a click of a button for everything to change.

The (Un)Surmountable Mountain

2011-03-05T06:26:00.003+08:00

Time flies so fast. Before you know it, it's the end of the school year already. I'm already three years into my high school life. I've gone through a decade of studying in St. Theresa's College, Quezon City. Thousands of homeworks, groupworks, seatworks, projects, quizzes -- you name it.

I think you could say I'm no longer that freshman who started this blog three or four years ago. I've gone through a complete transformation. For one, I've learned to be a leader, to never step down when opportunities struck my way. I've learned to fall, because only such did I garner the strength to stand up again. I've also learned that there can be no true success without hard work and patience, such which I have endured for the past year.

I will be moving up another year level, and I am passing on the legacy of this humble red patch I wear on my school uniform. Taking its place will be the blue patch -- the symbolism of my last year in this school, but more importantly, it is the symbol of the last leg of my journey to much bigger things in life.

For the incoming juniors or the current sophomores -- be forewarned. What I have gone through is not a simple walk in the park. It is like crawling your way through mud, never stopping for a break, praying for the end of such grueling torture. Because you will be crawling your way upward a mountain whose peak so high you can barely catch a glimpse of the top, and you will have no one else to turn to but each other. Your classmates, your colleagues, they are the safety rope which bind you together and keep you strong.

You will be deprived of sleep and of food. You will be pushed beyond your limits. As you climb higher and higher, breathing will become something you would die for simply because, it is what keeps you alive. It is the driving force that gives you hope. Hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel. That there is a rainbow after every rain. That one day -- one day -- someone will reach the top of the unsurmountable mountain and make it conquerable once and for all.

I am almost at the top of the mountain, and although my journey is not over, I can already picture the glimpse at the top. All my hardships, my sacrifices, have been worth it. Because I know that when I reach the top of that mountain, I will get my satisfaction. I will be able to see that the purpose of my journey was not achieved in vain, but in triumph. I have waited long for that moment, and even if I have to endure a hundred more years of suffering, I will gladly take it. Because nothing will bring me down.

Here @ SM

2010-08-21T17:13:00.001+08:00

Hey , guys. I'm at SM right now. It's really boring waiting for your siblings to finish their derma appointment. But guess what's cool about being here -- there's FREE Wi-Fi! Haha, that's all for my extremely short post. :D

ZOMBIE! ZOMG!

2010-08-06T05:19:00.003+08:00

Here I am, the living zombie. I haven't been able to sleep for DAYS. My eyebags are the size of onion rings, and that's not a hyperbole. Everyday after school, I feel totally drained and empty that I don't even have the strength to answer my homework anymore. Homework's not my only problem, there's daily piano practice, choir practice, and tons of other errands I'm tasked with.

I AM A ZOMBIE.

Sleep is my worst enemy. If I sleep, I know that I'm in a death trap. You see, after school I'm so tired all my body craves for is sleep. If I give in, I won't be able to wake up until 5 in the morning! -_- Sleep prevents me from doing anything, and every single second is precious to me. I don't need sleep. It's a waste of my time.

Sleep isn't my only enemy. Now it's also food. Yesterday was the first day I felt completely hungry. I didn't have time to eat breakfast because I was doing my homework, I wasn't able to eat recess because I had to attend a meeting, I barely touched my lunch because of ANOTHER meeting, and when dinner came, I didn't even had the willpower to eat. I simply lay asleep on the bed, too tired to even move.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?! What is wrong with all these endless homeworks, tasks, errands, practices?! I'm so sick already from the endless cycle, I don't know what to do.

Third Year life is SOOO hard!

Part 2: A Message for You, Teachers

2010-03-17T00:14:00.016+08:00

Teachers are very important people in our lives. They do not only teach the knowledge they have gained in a certain subject, but they also possess the values and traits which we should emulate. Our teachers have sacrificed so much for us, and it was obvious that they did their work with love. Such as a quote from "About Work" by Kahlil Gibran states:

All work is empty, save when there is love.

It was obvious that they exerted so much effort and love in order for us to learn. They gave their whole heart and soul to teaching, and that is what inspires me. Teaching is a sacrifice unfavored by some of the society because of its low-pay and difficulty. Despite these problems, did teachers ever stop teaching? No! Because teaching is their passion and a way to express their love for society and for their students.

As a way of saying "Thank you" to all of my teachers, I have written a "short" message for each of them. If ever they feel popular and decide to search their names in Google, you have a thank you message waiting over here to be read. :) Everything is positive, nothing bad whatsoever. Promise!

Ms. Divine Balubar

Ms. Balubar, thank you po sa lahat! You were my second mother to me. You taught me how to become more disciplined whenever I wasn't. You always thought that I wasn't worthy of being called an OS because I was irresponsible and had poor eyesight (Totoo po!). I know that I should've been a better example to my classmates. I'm sorry if wasn't doing my best in Religion this 4th Quarter. I think I had 3 or more failing quizzes and it's only because I was too lazy to study. 'Di po kasi ako sanay sa pag-aaral ng Rel. :| I was used to quizzes like this:

Put a smiley before the number if you think it's good, and a "frownie" if you think it's not.
_:)_1. You stole your classmate's wallet.
_:(_2. You gave your clothes to the poor.
_:)_3. You ate burgers everyday and didn't share it.
_:(_4. You prayed.

This school year has taught me to become more serious in every aspect. Thank you, Ms., for believing that I can still do better. That I'm worth giving a second chance. :) Thank you for being a real caring class adviser. Even though you get mad, I know that you were only doing it because you loved TwoSix. Thank you, Ms. Balubar! :D

Ms. Angelica Tilos

Ms. Tilos, thank you for being the best Speech teacher ever -- but more importantly, thank you for being the best Palihan partner and facilitator a class could ever ask for. :) Throughout the past school year, you were my inspiration in speaking better and relating better with other people. TwoSix was a very difficult class to teach and handle, but you were able to overcome that feat and you taught us despite our obvious disrespect (We were too noisy!). I'm sorry Ms. if at times we were noisy and disobedient. Deep inside our chaotic minds, there's an emotion we've been hiding from you all along; love.

Someday Ms., I would like to speak the way you do. To gain the same confidence and skill which you have shared with us the entire year. Maybe, if time would allow me, I would audition for the Debate team. But for now, I'll continue to live out the message you were trying to teach us all throughout: Speak up! Thank you, Ms. Tilos! :D

Mr. Louie Dasas

Sir Louie, I can never forget the quote you gave us on our very first day:

It's not just getting there. It's the process of getting there.

I don't know how much I could thank you, Sir, for being a part of the "process" of getting there. :D You're the best ~~Biology teacher~~... wait that's wrong. You're the best SCIENCE teacher I have ever had in my 14 years on Earth. This isn't only because of the way you teach, but also because of your dedication to teach. I have never seen any other teacher work as hard as you do to provide the class with continuous Powerpoints, notes, videos, and other study materials. Never has a day gone in Biology class when I ever felt bored or tired. You were always ready to provide us with songs like the tunes of: "We went to school today, to learn about the cell..." or "Glucose! Oh, sugar sugar!" or "Formulate hypothesis, generate ka na ng test!" You made sure that TwoSix learned. Not only did you make sure we learned, you also made sure we had fun. And I'm sorry if we abused this benefit which you provided us.

Naaalala ko pa po noong inaral natin yung Glycolysis cycle. I really didn't understand the lesson, so did some of my classmates. When the school bell rang for lunch, we asked you for help. What I didn't expect is that you taught us the WHOLE lesson all over again; Glycolysis, TR, and (I forgot!)... kahit onti lang kami. Buong lunch period ka po nag-discuss, and I really admired that sacrifice. How you would do anything just to let your students learn.

Thank you, Sir Louie for the year that was. :) I may not remember the Krebs cycle 50 years from now, but I will forever cherish the process I did in understanding it. Maraming salamat po.

Ms. Irene Lluisma

Ms. Lluisma, words cannot describe how thankful that you became my teacher and how sorry I am that I appreciated it too late. On our first day of classes, you were also a new teacher here in STC, and you were kind enough to allow eating during classes. Even though it was against the Student Handbook, nobody bothered telling you because they didn't want to miss such an opportunity. I'm sorry Ms. if we were insensitive, because were like that almost everyday. Everyday was difficult for you because we barely listened, and instead we had our own little "discussions" inside the classroom. Our inevitable noise caused you to almost shout when you taught us, but it caused you to go through days of sore throats and voice problems. Not only did we waste your energy in teaching, it also changed your experience as a teacher here at STC.

I'm sorry Ms. if I was stubborn in learning Math just because I'm "sometimes" familiar with the lessons. I'm sorry if I tried to teach my other classmates while you were discussing. I knew that it was wrong but I couldn't help it. Masyado akong "excited" kasi eh. :) But despite all our mistakes and incapabilities, I decided to create a thank you message for you and all the teachers in the form of Math problems. It sounds crazy, but the message is from the bottom of our heart (or hypothalamus!) Here it is: (click image for a bigger size)

If anyone can solve this, Ms., it's you! We learned all of these complicated Math problems from you, and as impossible these equations may seem -- you made them possible for us.

Mrs. Sally Jambalos

Part 1: A Year of Firsts

2010-03-16T23:31:00.006+08:00

I haven't posted in this blog for a LONG time. This blog has been far too neglected and because of it, you have missed my entire second year life. Being a sophomore was the best experience I have ever felt in my fourteen years on Earth. Why? Because...

It was the first time I have ever watched in a cinema since watching the Incredibles so many years ago.
It was the first time I invited someone to my house (namely Smakle). I LOVE YOU GUYS. >:D<>
It was the first time I went to Bandfest and had the time of my life.
It was the first time I had friends who weren't just there to BE there, but friends who are there through thick and thin. I couldn't have endured my problems without you guys.
It was the first time I had a nickname besides the one my parents gave me. I don't know why it took so long for someone to "invent" the name Fonqui -- but Goco, you're a genius! Thank you for mistaking me as Frances F., because that made my surname Fonquillo, and gave birth to the nickname I will forever cherish -- Fonqui.
It was the first time I learned to cross the street past Gate 7.
It was the first time I entered Mcdo Banawe and Retiro, and 7-11.
It was the first time I learned how to order food by myself.
It was the first time I received my first gadgets; an iPod, a camera, and now a cellphone. I'm so thankful that I'm finally receiving the life I deserved. :-bd
It was the first time I talked to someone on the phone for a long time.
It was the first time I was invited to a house and actually do something non-school-related.
It was the first time I didn't sleep inside the bus to ignore everyone else. REVELATION: I sleep in the bus because I don't like talking to people, so sometimes I just "pretend". Louies! Alam mo 'to. :))
It was the first time I didn't always follow the school rules. Yes, that includes eating during classes, doodling, and... I can't tell the rest because the teachers might find out and catch me! :o
It was the first time I really took time to watch TV and get to know the celebrities. :)) It was like memorizing for a test. @-) How do you do it, Jecx?
It was the first time I felt that I was needed by my classmates. That I was somehow important to them. I never felt important my whole life, but now I do.
It was the first time I realized what it felt to be a person. How being confined all of these years was preventing me from accomplishing the real happiness in life.

Even though my classmates repeatedly say that I have no social life and no time for the real world, I'd like to say that they're wrong. I find it offending that they think I am still the person who I was last year, but I'm not. I started late in learning how to actually "live" for the first time. Won't you give me the chance? Slowly, I am recovering from all of the years I spent enclosing myself from the world.

Thank you for those people who never failed to accept me despite my slowness and my incapabilities to speak in the correct way (especially in Filipino). I always tell people that if I learned how to do normal tasks, I would have had a normal brain. If I didn't fill my brain with stuff meant for common sense (such as crossing the street) AND replace it with Algebra or any other difficult subject, I swear I would have been normal. I'm sorry common sense! I forgot that you were the most important learning of all.

Thank you for accepting me for who I am, Two Six. Without you I would have never learned how to fit in this world. You made me feel that I belonged. Thank you.

This is just Part 1 of the final messages I have for II-(6) Gregoria de Jesus and my whole sophomore life.

Bio: Chapter 2

2009-09-21T20:07:00.001+08:00

“Floods are usually caused by rivers or lakes overflowing their banks or by surges of ocean water during tropical storms. The Galveston Flood of 1900 in Texas was caused by a hurricane surge and took the lives of more than 5,000 people.

However, some floods, like the Johnstown Flood of 1889, are caused by failures of engineering. An earthen dam 14 miles (23km) from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, collapsed, unleashing 20 million tons of water. The dam had been constructed by a fishing and hunting club, whose members included some of the richest, most influential men of all time. They had built the dam to create a fishing lake, but ignored pleas from Johnstown’s civic leaders to strengthen its walls. After days of heavy rains, the managers of the club knew that the dam might not hold and tried to warn the citizens. But because there had been warnings before, most residents ignored the alert. The water crashed down the valley, sweeping up everything—houses, trains, horses, people—in its path. In the end, more than 2,200 people died.”

Time for Kids Almanac 2010 p.237
By: Time Inc. Home Entertainment
Published by: Time for Kids Books
Published on: 2009

“A flood is too much water in the wrong place. The water often comes from heavy rain that makes rivers overflow. Melting snow and ice are another common cause of floods. Storms can push seawater onto the shore. Dams (walls built across rivers to block some of the water) may break. Tsunamis may send walls of water over the land. Tsunamis are ocean waves caused by earthquakes or underwater landslides.“

Floods p.6
By: Michael Woods and Mary B. Woods
Published by: Lerner Publications Company
Published on: 2007

Bio

2009-09-13T17:05:00.003+08:00

Patawad kung nag-offline ako last Friday. Nasira yung computer namin tapos ngayon lang naayos. :( Please, gumawa nalang ako ng draft in case hindi niyo pa na-aacomplish. I-edit niyo or dagdagan, okay lang yon sakin. Kahit nga wag niyo na gamitin eh. :-<

SORRY.

Water is essential to sustain life on Earth because it is necessary for all living organisms to survive and flourish. In fact, the importance of water is so vast that most of the Earth’s surface consists of 75% of it! However, due to the imbalance in the distribution of water around the world, some regions have too much water and others too little. The imbalance wherein there is an excessive amount of water in certain regions is called flooding.

Flooding is one of the major environmental issues confronting the Philippines today. [It] occurs when a body of water rises and overflows onto normally dry land. (Gifford, 2005) Although floods are usually natural phenomena, there are some instances wherein human interference can start flooding. When not dealt with correctly, floods make an enormous impact on the environment and society. (John, 2003)

As Filipinos, it is important to know and understand the various problems of our country to be able to find a corresponding solution. The more information we know about flooding, what causes it and how it affects the biodiversity, the higher chances of us preventing floods in the near future. Through this research, it is possible to uncover the various sources of floods, may it be natural or manmade, thus taking us a leap closer in preserving and protecting Mother Earth. We believe that even the smallest of actions can help in saving the Earth, thus, this research covers a flood-afflicted area here in the arms of our country; [insert area].

Be curious always, for knowledge will not acquire you; you must acquire it. (Back, 1992)

Sources:
(Gifford, 2005) Flooding and Drought p.6
Published by: Evans Brothers Limited
(John, 2003) http://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/00758/en/disaster/flood/effects.html
(Back, 1992) Reader’s Digest, July 1992, p.144

Remembering Home

2009-03-22T16:33:00.002+08:00

It's been over a week, give or take, since I left Road B for good. In that street was the epitome of my childhood life, and saying good-bye was like letting go of a priceless belonging. Although the memories didn't turn out quite as well as they ought to be, I still cherished every event that occurred in that now-empty house. Alas, a week ago, it was still a home, my precious home.

Ever since March 10, our family has been gathering all the knick-knacks that would be worthy enough for the new house in Philam. Nothing ugly or filthy could ever enter that house because it would ruin the new lifestyle we were preparing. A lifestyle of luxury, style, and elegance. It's worked out so far, although I'm sure our bank account is creeping with cobwebs already.

Ah, Road B. It was the place where many holdapers and robbers hanged out at night, but was heavenly and peaceful in the morning. When I wake up, I heard no sounds of noise from the bustling city life. I only heard the sounds of chirping birds and a blissful morn. When I once had a sleepover at my cousin's house, I didn't feel the same feeling as I did at home. She lived in the city where cars and trucks roamed even at midnight. I couldn't sleep well because of the longing to go home. Home where the noise didn't have to rock me to sleep, home where I belonged.

The life I have now in Philam is quite different from that of Road B. Life in Road B could be considered a simple life, where we used to share rooms and belongings. Our items were gathered from who-knows-where and our room was no more than a sleeping ground. We all shared a bathroom, therefore, it often caused hot heads when one takes a bath for too long. We had countless pets, dogs and rabbits (not to mention rats), who we witnessed growing from birth to the moment of their death. We had a piano in which we played despite its long overdue tuning (many many years overdue). We had to give the house a make-over, because its ugliness would surely strain your eyes. It didn't matter to me what our house looked like, to me it was just the way I liked it.

Here in Philam, we have to ride a car to go anywhere, because of the high security they observe. We have such a big house that one can get lost if they were not given a tour. We didn't need to fight over things, because we had almost everything to ourselves; the bathroom, the bed, the computer, EVERYTHING. You could also get tired easily by just climbing up and down the stairs a bit. The television, the refrigirator, the oven, the dishwasher, and all the other appliances are nothing compared to that in Road B. Pfft, one can consider the appliances in Road B a shame, and should not be shown to the public. But here, our family is proud to present the most grandeur and luxurious gizmos around. Not my cup of tea, but it is to every else. They love our new lifestyle. But not me... yet.

Road B wasn't the only place I had been homesick from. I also missed the cradles of Project 7, where many locations have played a major part of my life. In Road B, our neighbor next door had a sari-sari store where we could sneakily buy candies and treats without short notice. Our other neighbor became my voice teacher with whom I learned to sing at a young age of 9. I didn't really enjoy singing, but it was because of those lessons that I became a choir member in school.

My mom's office was just a walking distance away, and I used to remember how we called it 'building'. Building, that dull gray office that still stands to this day. It has four floors, the last one being a roof top that arely anyone visited. We usually played computers there because there was only one at home, but because of the new house, we are bountifully supplied a computer each. We used to make paper planes and plastic kites that we usually set free on the third or fourth floor. We also studied there for numerous years, just inside an empty conference room. True, the building may have not been a home, but it had always been one to me.

A few steps away from the building lay that green house I call torture. It is in that house where I had to visit every week for eight years (and still counting) just to have piano lessons. Piano lessons, ugh. It would be a torture for any living being to tame fingers to play music. Although music has always been fascinating to me, the cost of learning so was not. And I have learned the hard way that learning needs practice. If you won't practice, you can never learn.

I wouldn't also forget the church in which we visited every week of my childhood life. It was the most magnificent place to be, with its marvelous chandeliers to its smooth wooden pews. Usually, we had to sit on the top floor where the choir was because we couldn't find an empty pew. Our family usually went to mass together, that is what one of our parish priest mentioned. He was also the one who blessed our new house. It was very seldom for one to find such a tight-knit family.

But the most unforgetable memories would have to come from our home. Not the house that stood on Philam, but that tattered house that stood on Road B. I recall of an instance when I was in Grade 1, my Practical Arts teacher told the class to draw our dream house. I thought, The only house I ever felt happy in was my house. And so I drew our ghastly gate, gray and lined with pointy arrows at the top. I stared at my seatmate's house, thinking she drew like I did. It didn't. Her house was a mansion with a fancy roof and countless windows. When my teacher went to look at my work, she said, "That is not a dream house, that is an ugly house!" I was taken aback by her words, but it was true. Maybe my house did look bad, but it was the only house where I could find true happiness.

Alas, it's time to pack my things and go. Go away from the memories I used to ignore, go away from the past I used to think of shamefully. I hope someday I can return back to that home, even if its title will forever remain a house.

I have to go memorize my piano piece. It's urgent, promise. Bye.

Twilight: Over-obsession? Part 1: Introduction

2009-02-07T21:25:00.004+08:00

How many months have past since I finished the entire Twilight Saga? Two, give or take a month, and the intricate details of the book cease to exist in my mind. If truth be told, it wasn't the story that struck me most. It was the response of the readers, young and old alike. The impact was so strong that one is tempted to buy the book, too (Pfft, peer pressure much xD). I, the stupid lamb, fell for that masochistic book.

I remember the first time Harry Potter hit the stores, it wasn't that famous. It was just like any other book on the dull cobweb-filled shelf. But in each passing day, the words of the book seem to attract more and more readers. From ground-zero, the book became a phenomenon (until Twilight came xD) -- a story that wasn't just written to tell a story. It was written so that we could be in the story. It's the why-haven't-I-heard-of-this-book-before statement that makes the book more thought-provoking by the second.

I have to admit, the Twilight Saga went through the same undertakings. More or less, it is the book that killed (or rather, put to rest) Harry Potter to make room for another scope of literature. Love, romance, gooey stuff -- any other topic would do besides silly wizards and magic. Those who have grown with Harry Potter through the years have, alas, grown tired of him. Now they chant, "Oh-em-geeeee!!! I'm like -- Mrs. Cullen! Edwarrrrd's mine! *growls at the other Mrs. Cullens*" instead of "I'm going to Hogwarts! Hoggy-hoggy warts!" Ah, the memories these words bring.

I remember those black paperbacks that were peculiar to me during the start of the school year. June. Rumors go about a heart-stopping, mind-boggling, spell-bounding book called Twilight. It was so enticing that even those who despise reading, read it! It was the talk of the town despite its hectic price and overpriced value. And, with the help of peer pressure *rolls eyes*, the book became a hit.

August. I bought myself a copy of this so-called book. Almost everyone in the campus has this book or borrowed one, so to say. The book was good, it was a worthy read. Well, there were a few flaws, but let's leave that part behind. It was a fantasy anyone would've craved for; the too-good-to-be-true characters, the too-good-to-be-true Edward, and the too-good-to-be-true love story.

Ok, I've gone tired for now. Maybe I'll give it a rest and put this blog post to my to-do list. That would be so awesome. Enzell here, signing out.

Environmental Message

2009-02-02T19:26:00.004+08:00

Back from a long day of school, with tons of stories in my head. If I had the time, I would've uploaded all of the photos from last Friday's outbound to Biak-na-Bato, which unfortunately I can't do right now. Homework is pounding me to pieces, so I have to prioritize my leisure time wisely. ~~Five minutes will do, right?~~ Wrong! I had to manually copy the whole thing!

So, I've just been given the copies of our group's innovative experiment; recycling paper. I'll take out all the gory details and stick straight to the point. I was given the task of writing an essay -- okay, that's wrong. I was asked to answer a question, not to write a long essay. The question was: Why must we engage in paper-making? So, since I have little time to explain anything, I'll paste my work here.

The essay says everything so I don't need to write an introduction or any details whatsoever (What a relief!). So, without further ado, viola!

Let's face it; the world is slowly deteriorating because of man's ignorance. Instead of nurturing Mother Earth despite being entitled "stewards of God's creation", we follow our instincts -- statisfying our hunger. Hunger for power and dominance, hunger to rule over this wasted sanctuary we once called home. For how can we call Earth as our home, if we ourselves cannot take part to care for her?

One of the things man is capable of creating is pollution. Pollution is becoming a major problem in almost every corner we visit. What's more is that even with the wealth and power of the government, the issue only gets worse and worse. Everyday, the dumpsites are filled with tons of garbage. Not all are necessarily useless, but when look at altogether, everything seems like junk.

Thankfully, research shows that more than 75% of the garbage we dispose is recyclable. 52% of this clutter is paper. Recycling is the process of taking a product at the end of its useful life and using all or part of it to make another product. The universal symbol for recycling is a triangle with three arrows. These arrows symbolize the three processes in which products may undergo; reuse, reduce, and recycle.

Due to the fact that paper is the most abundant recyclable material there is, it is not necessary to cut down more trees. Trees hold the life for many creatures, provide clean fresh air, and hold the soil to prevent erosions and landslides. If we recycle paper instead of consequently using a new one, we may as wee help our environment by doing so.

As students, learning how to recycle paper is essential in our lives. It may be just an experiment, yes, but the values from this activity may or may not awaken our indifferent minds from their slumber, We can rise above it and become students in our youth -- today. We can prevent our fate if react altogether as one community. Mother Earth needs you.

Or if you decide to ignore this message, here is an epigram to close my long, but hopefully meaningful, essay. "We will only realize the worth of the water till the well is dry."

So, that ends my environmental message. I better head back to my homework before my time is up. Bye!

Nikki's Say on 'The Brothers Controversy'

2009-01-25T10:51:00.005+08:00

I was bored to death, and so I wanted today's blog post to be extra special to fill up my empty schedule. I won't be blabbering about technology, so that topic can settle for next time. Luckily, I won't be doing the typing, either. Why? Well, while browsing over some lousy computer files, I found drabbles written by Nikki just last night. It's about Kuya Pao and Kuya Macky, my emo gothic brothers. I wrote about them before in my previous blog post, but I'd like to share Nikki's point of view.

Sorry if there are grammitacal errors here. It's fresh from "Drabble World" where I 'borrowed' (without permission xD) Nikki's drabbles. If doodles are pointless drawings, drabbles are pointless messages that usually make no sense, too. But this one has a little message:

pao and macie are still not moving on

hello there. i was going to tell you a story about two best friends. but i think they broke into pieces already. ummmm, so do you know pao ronquillo and macie ronquillo? they are so emo, i know. but the truth is, they pretty hate each other. let me get this straight, macie and pao fought last time and they didn't talk to each other since. what a shame. here are the details that i have to tell you.

pao:
-a big guy who is ready to fight anybody
-mustasche guy
-farts very eww-ly
-wants every tech in the world
-hates emo goth guys

macie:
-emo goth guy
-always listens to music
-loves to tickle little children
-very very very shy and quiet. that's for sure.
-hates happy stuff and gets along with emo stuff.

what they have in common:
-both are boys
-both sleep in the same room
-both don't talk to each other
-both do emo stuff when somebody talks about their brother's name or maybe more
-both are simply music lovers and pimple guys

so, yeah. those are my brothers and this is my story. it's a story that will truly break your hearts. get ready for the most sad story of all sad stories in this whole universe:

once, macie and pao were bffs nd were always together. eating, sleeping, playing and more, they were always there for each other and they always liked to sit beside each other. they always been together forever, and we didn't have a problem with that, so we left them alone with their eyes lifty up to the skies. one day, pao was bossing macie and macie got mad at pao. and then, that was when they didn't talk to each other for almost 2 years. and then, we finally realized that macie and pao didn't talked to each other for many moths already. then that's when we got to do our jobs. we asked each one of them if they had a brother or something, and they just became suddenly emo or they just simply change the subject. so we just told daddy that they were not talking to each other and he said that he could not do anything because they were just emo kids. then after a few more months, we asked daddy again and he said that maybe he would tell them that they should talk to each other so that they could talk to each other. so we agreed and daddy told pao and macie that they should really talk because they were brothers. and finlly, things worked out a bit. but pao and macie STILL didn't talk to each other, but they are willing to talk about each other. but not macie, he's just emo. but pao, uh huh, he's not emo, so he gave all the info we needed and here is what he said:

us:
"kuya pao-pao, friends na ba kayo ni kuya macky?"

pao:
"sabi ni daddy na dapat eh. kaya ganon."

that's all he said, and he went emo. but really, he really said that and got really mad for us aking him that question. so we stopped and went to macie man to ask him a brother-related question:

us:
"kuya macky, sino favorite brother mo? kahit sino pwede."

macie:
"ano ba!" *goes away*

yeah, he was listening to his music that time, but we were SO SURE that he heard it, because we talked to him and he heard and replied to us. so we don't know what to do with them. they are just emo emo emo, especially macie man. please, if you know this kind of 'sickness', please tell us so that we could solve this problem quickly. we can't complete this mission without a helper.

thank you and have a good day.

-from the siblings

Kuya Pao thinks I'm crazy because I'm using reverse psychology to trick him into his own good. He's trying to bring up hefty words as an excuse for not being closer to Kuya Macky. Bummer, I need a better thesaurus.

Technology: Help or Harm? Part 1: Chatting, Texting

2009-01-24T18:39:00.007+08:00

Nowadays, the youth are adapting quite well with the new technology Science has opened. Now, instead of rummaging through the heavy encyclopedias, we could open up the computer and get answers in a few clicks. We don't need to play boring (yes, boring!) board games all day to entertain ourselves. We've got video consoles like Wii, PSP, XBox 360, and a longer list of other gizmos. Why, even the trusty old computer has games up its sleeves. We can treat disesases that we never thought were possible to. Well, of course except for common cold, but you get the idea.

I would like to list the pros and cons of this rather vast topic. This would be Part 1 of a few other parts regarding technology. Today, I will be discussing about chatting and texting.Bear with me as I list them down mercilessly.

Pros

We can now communicate easily and instantly without having to wait a long span of time and without having to mail our message to the post office. It only takes seconds to write -- or rather, type. Before you could even say, "fsjqtz"... viola! Your message is sent.
It saves the environment to send text messages and IMs (instant messages) instead of the trusty, rusty pen and paper. You wouldn't need fancy stationeries or designs. Just download a free template of your choice and send it over fancily.
We can forward messages to several people at once. No need to re-write your love letters to your -- many secret lovers. Just copy and paste (without using glue, either xD) and send up to hundreds of copies of a single message at a time.
It's develops social relationships. If you're alone in the house, it wouldn't matter much if you IM your friends and enemies. Set up a webcam and it'll be like they're actually there. Who cares if you live on the other side of the world? There's no need to dig through the lithosphere.
It's either cheap or free. Need I say more?

Cons

Have you seen teens these days? To tell you the truth, they're likely to be more advanced in technology than adults are. They've got everything from cellphones to iPods. They have this need to have more of this technology (Pfft, peer presure much. *rolls eyes*). Sure sending messages is cheap and convenient, but the gadget itself? Money-hogger, I say.
Lol, y tlk wen u can ch@t? Yeah sure, it's quicker to shortcut words and stuff, but when used habitually, it can seriously ruin your spelling skills. You would almost always write the words in shortcut way, and would even mistake them for being correct. They can even use profanity "easily" by having shortcuts for them. Wait, that's a pro.
When you've got a cellphone -- and love it tenderly -- it usually gets higher importance than food or shelter. Students bring them to school rather than bringing their homework. Why, they IM even during Computer class (Blame Meebo for it. xD)! They would do all means to be united with their precious gizmos.
Due to the fact that people could forward messages easily, the gossipers can have their job done easily, too. All they have to do is write some gibberish about this person and that one, and then send. Everyone will get the message, and it will be the talk of the town. What if it wasn't true?
It's an addiction. Once you've got the gadget, whatever gadget it may be, you'll never get to take your eyes off of it. Everything is done so easily that -- you've got almost all the time to hog in the computer chatting with friends or texting in your room.

Funny thought, though. I remember Kuya Macky was chatting with me via IM. I couldn't hold the laughter on our conversation, so I Print Screened it. Now it remains a good thing to laugh about now and then, but also a good message to ponder about. Compare the differences to see which side you follow: (Click the image to read the IM clearly.)

Sadly, I was never given any of the gadgets an average person should have: cameras, cellphones, iPods, computers, and the like. It's probably because I need to keep my grades up and because I don't need one. So, I'm like the only person in the school who doesn't know how to use shortcut and read it perfectly. Bummer.

Well, that's that. It's your decision whether to heed my advice or not. Wait, did I give advice?

Overcoming Death

2009-01-10T20:49:00.004+08:00

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Time keeps ticking by the seconds, and in a blink of an eye, everything is lost. Sometimes, it's hard to accept the things we cannot change. We just have to move on no matter how horrible things get. I'm stuck within this oblivion -- I just want to escape reality once and for all.

Sometimes, life can become a burden. We tend to go no somehow, no matter how hard the road gets. But whatever is in store for us in the end, we have only our faith to rely on. Death is not necessarily a horrible thing. Only the mortal body remains here on this cruel world, but their other half is at peace 'out there'.

Grandpa passed away last January 3. It seems like a long time ago, but to my eyes, it seems only yesterday. Sometimes, I wish I could cry over this, but this happened all so suddenly. Life can be taken away anytime; even today and the days that follow. But grandpa was a good person, and I believe that he is safe now in the arms of our Creator. Nobody expects death anyways, we always think life last forever.

I tried to see how grandma reacted to the situation. A part of her accepted the fact, but the other is still devastated by the loss. Not to mention the disability Alzheimer's disease causes her. Having to witness the event again and again... is just unbearable. Such an important event in her life was blurred by her memory. I can only pray that everything goes well soon; that people can learn to move on. Maybe I'll write a letter to grandma sometime.

But there is a positive side to death. It's the fact that not everything dies altogether. This goes to show that life does not end in death, but rather, it continues endlessly in the lives of those who follow. Because of their existence, we have gotten a share of this beautiful gift called life. The flowers still bloom, the sky is still blue, the leafy trees still sway with the wind in their peaceful serenade.

With the school days kicking off again, I have no other choice but to move on. What's done is done; it cannot be undone like computers can. There is a purpose behind death, but for now I will leave it blank. Everyone has to die someday, anyways. In the long run, we should be grateful that we were given a seemingly short amount of time to relish life to its fullest. And that, my friends, is what makes death so special. There is one thing that I know for sure: it cuts the pain once and for all.

New Year with a Bang

2009-01-01T22:36:00.005+08:00

Another year passes by as we welcome year '09, unfortunately, with the bangs of fireworks and noise-makers. I had to comfort Cookie the rabbit so he wouldn't react so wildly with such noise. Animals like rabbits, dogs, and cats have higher hearing-sensitivity than humans. I feel bad for man's best friend whenever New Year arouses. You can never understand how it feels like until you are in the animal's shoes.

Firecrackers have been part of Filipino traditions for a long time. Whether young or old, rich or poor, many people suffer from the fatality of setting the fire... free. When will we ever learn that firecrackers aren't necessary for a bountiful year? Hard-headed people will ignore the thousands of messages given by the government regarding this, similar to the ignorance of smokers for their health despite the warnings on every packet they buy. Why don't they resent to noise-makers that aren't so harmful like banging pots and pans?

Here is an image of one of the fatal injuries from the Philippines. It's a solemn reminder for whoever wants to tackle with firecrackers. Please: don't ruin your New Year.

While my family was in the car during New Year's Eve, we passed by a lot of firecrackers exploding nearby. It was scary; it was like a bomb was thrown in front of you but without an intention. At least the records say that the injuries from these firecrackers have decreased by 40%, although a lot of illegal firecrackers have been confiscated by the government. Such fireworks were meant to be illegal because of the danger it puts people it like:

Lolo Thunder
Super Lolo
Bawang (Large)
Plapla
Watusi
Kwiton
Giant Whistle
Judas Belt (Large)
Og
Atomic Bomb

Avoid these and you may probably get a joyful yet safe New Year. Happy New Year to everyone, may there be many years ahead (without the bang)!

The Brothers Controversy

2008-12-31T16:16:00.005+08:00

I've been wondering a lot lately. It's about my two Kuyas; Kuya Pao and Kuya Macky. Over the past years, they have been best buddies I have observed their relationship recently and it is not going on well. Basically, everyone has noticed it but I would like to emphasize the situation. The brothers don't talk, don't interact, don't do anything together anymore like they used to.

For awhile now, the two Kuyas haven't been speaking to each other. Even though they're confined in the same room, they don't talk even a phrase. They have the same friends but they don't play together with their friends. For example, they play NBA in the PS2 but when it comes to multiplayer games, it is limited to one Kuya and his friend. Nobody else.

First off, you may want to familiarize with Kuya Pao and Kuya Macky. Believe me, overall they have NOTHING in common. But if you observe closely, they do share the same "hobby"; bullying. Tirelessly, they push us (Tinoy, Nikki, and me) around to do their chores. They are heinous, evil and 100%... BAD! Here's a brief description about them and their... undefyable facts.

Kuya Pao

17
Bully
Bearded and mustached
Fat and flabby
Loves farting at people
Loves getting new stuff

Kuya Macky

16
Mustached
Thin and white
Fast and low voice
Loves cracking people's fingers
Nicknamed "emo gothic guy"

Now, the thing that I wanted to know about is the reason behind their ignorance and hatred. I suppose boys are usually quiet and talk less than girls. That's a fact, but is it natural for boys to never talk to each other? This is becoming a strange observation between the two Kuyas. Why don't they talk? Why won't they interact in any way even in the tiniest bit?

Tinoy, my little brother, sleeps in the room where me and Nikki are. He talks alot with us during the night, even playing with us! When my parents thought that Tinoy was becoming "girly-fied", they tried to place him in the boy's room. Tinoy was exposed to a new world, the world of silence. He wasn't used to the kind of environment where people are ignorant and silent. And so, Tinoy cried and was placed back into our room.

I asked my dad and he said that there was an instance when Kuya Pao kept on commanding Kuya Macky. Kuya Pao treated Kuya Macky like a sidekick and Kuya Macky didn't like it that way. He rebelled and shouted against his rights. Ever since, my dad never heard them speak to each other. That is my lead story now.

Another theory is that they are afraid of each other. I interrogated each brother with random questions individually. First, I questioned Kuya Macky who in turn answered willingly.Once I reached the part when I asked, "Who is your brother?" He answered, "Tinoy." Frustrated, I clarified, "Your other brother!" There was no answer. I asked the same questions to Kuya Pao and suprisingly received the same answers. Discovery: they did not want to say the other brother's name.

What will happen to their future if they will not talk to each other? I cannot do anything to turn their luck around. They themselves must work something out to fix whatever relationship they have damaged. This is a solemn reminder to all those who come across a fight; is it worth a relationship?

Loss at Christmas

2008-12-28T16:45:00.001+08:00

After only two days of receiving my ultra-special Christmas gift, tragedy strikes again. Unfortunately, I will expose the truth later. For now, I will explain the wondrous Christmas I had had before it was ruined for good. The good things must have a little dosage of bad in order to abstain the balance. Too bad it didn't work out so well this year.

You know, my siblings (except for Kuya Pao) are watching Transformers upstairs... again. I think Kuya Pao is in his guitar recital, that's a relief. The movie kept on replaying two days ago or more. Transformers is on the television as soon as I on it. And they can't help themselves but watch it repeatedly, too. Transformers has awfully awesome graphics, I watched how they made it. It was so realistic compared to the other movies that resent to CGI when they can't do the stunts. This is a must-watch for all action movie lovers, but now I have to detach from this addiction.

I received an orange watch from my parents. It's an excellent replacement for my old black watch, but special mention to Achiie for giving the rad green watch.^_^ Also included in their gifts are books, a truckload of them. Let's see, a book about epigrams, an encyclopedia about technology (No, I am NOT a techie!xD), even a book that has a little bit of everything! There's a new chess board, too, to repplace the old one with missing pieces. And last but not the least, Crocs shoes! Those were wonderful gifts that made my life a little bit lighter for the season.

Santa dropped by on Christmas day bringing two wonderful rabbits we named Cookie and Cream. They were both small and adorable, and I was hoping they wouldn't end up dying like my previous rabbits had (It's a long story, trust me.) . Cookie and Cream were all fluffy and white, except that Cookie had black eyes and Cream had pinkish ones. Cookie seemed to be the energetic one, he always poked around the new surroundings. Cream was just - well, let's just say she was lazy and tiresome. She ate heavily which led to her fatness and untimely death.

Yes, two days after, I saw Cream lying unnaturally in the cage. I didn't know what to do because I knew I hadn't done anything wrong to them, I watched over them with my whole heart. Except when this happened, it tore me apart. We went to different places to get Cream cured, because it seemed that she had difficulty breathing. People were staring - yes, they assumed I was crazy - but all I wanted was to keep her alive. We rode a tricycle to different veterinary places; one had the doctor out and the other only took care of cats and dogs. So, we ended our search by going back home, spending P50 off my allowance for the traveling fee that never was. Cream had died moments after we arrived.

I dunno how to describe the feeling of loss, when a mother loses her child. Even in the tiny experience that I encountered, I felt a strange loss. A loss that I couldn't undo, one that I couldn't accept despite the interrelatedness of all this with nature's ways. Now, Cookie is all alone now, I could see the sadness in his eyes, too. Although my mom said to me clearly that rabbits don't have feelings. I feel like I'm overreacting. Rabbits aren't supposed to be taken to vets, they should be left in the house to perish like other rodents. But in my mind, this fact is too hard to accept. Death is one of the things that strikes without notice, and I had a good taste of it, too.

I hope we'll get a replacement rabbit soon. Bye!

Night(mare) Before Christmas

2008-12-24T19:27:00.006+08:00

Wow, I can't believe I haven't blog in such a long span of time. It must be right for me to come back the night~~mare~~ before Christmas. Somehow I don't feel the holiday cheer that I usually experience during Noche Buena. In fact, I'm tired of vacation and I'm homesick to return to - yup, you guessed it, school. I guess the reason behind my addiction of computers is my boredom. Now, there's no other choice but to open it and use it all day long until my eyes sore. What a Christmas this year brings.

I'm hearing carolers again outside the door. They're banging their tin pots and pans again with their "angelic" voices that loom throughout the night. That's the regular scenery in streets these days, somewhat entertaining as well as annoying. Hey, I've even heard them screaming, "Pulis na hubad!" instead of the regular "Feliz Navidad". Where is the real Christmas these days when even the simplest of songs are vandalized?

Yet again another horrible discovery has been revealed to me: my grandpa was diagnosed with cancer. It was only now that I realized it was happening, how it felt when - you are helpless. Then, I think about my grandma, how she would feel. She has Alzheimer's and everything she asks, she repeats it as if she never knew. My mother said that my grandpa is prepared to go, and that our current problem is my grandma. How will she react when she finds out? That, only time will tell.

Tonight, Santa Claus will be coming again for little Nikki and Tinoy. I'm not expecting any extreme gifts this year as I know that I already have too many things. Giving isn't the only thing about Christmas, but apparently when need to do so if we are to receive, right? Ah, how I wish I could fell what Christmas is like on the other side of the world.

That's all I could burst out tonight, hopefully there'll be a brighter day tomorrow on Christmas Day.

Congratulations

2008-10-24T18:43:00.002+08:00

Wow, it's a day before the climax of the school year; Family Day. After weeks of preparations, the big day is finally arriving, whether for welfare of everyone or not. It was only a half-day today to give time for the students to rest, and for the final installments to be placed (rides, booths, etc.). Of course, unlike the grade school days, the dance production will be a competition against other sections. I'm not certain who will win anymore, because I support every section for their determination.

The pressure is loosening already, because the General Rehearsal made students prepare for the actual production a lot easier. The freshmen were the second batch to perform in the covered court. The other year levels were great, and I would like to comment on their performance as an encouragement.

The juniors were so synchronised in their dance steps. They symbolized the six days of Creation. I loved the gymnastics they performed, especially the pyramids. It seemed so easy from the looks of it. The huge ring they held was an effective prop, and worked well whenever all of them were aligned. The jumping, tumbling, and running all sums up to a great performace indeed.
The freshmen, excluding our section (I couldn't watch our performance, duh), performed simple yet symbolical dance moves. I loved their costumes, because it brought out the colors of their dance performance. The formations differed from every scene. Each section represented a Theresian icon as a tribute to them. Our icon is Korina Sanchez, who has been news and information ever since.
The sophomores had different props that fit their respective Filipino dances. Their song was hyper and mesmerizing. Their dance moves were so choreographed that I couldn't even think of those moves. All of their costumes were colorful and unique. I can't remove the names of their Filipino dances anymore, which means I won't have a problem remembering it during Filipino classes!
Lastly, the seniors performed the most interesting dances of all. Each section had their respective costumes depending on the symbolisms they were assigned. The costumes were so creative that I couldn't picture making those myself. Their oversized symbols were so cute! Their song was addicting that everyone tuned in to the singing of "Ngansi Ba". Wow.

As always, I am unsure whether which section will win. Our class adviser assured us now, "May laban ang I-6!" All that's certain is that everyone was great, and the judges will have a difficult task of deciding the winner. It was a great performance, a great achievement, a great success. Congratulations to everyone!

Bacon: Support

2008-10-23T19:46:00.004+08:00

School was not an easy task today. Sure, it was a study-free day, complete with the small bag and the anything-will-do uniforms. But, everyone was pushed to the limits when they all went for the bacon. Perspiration, dehydration, and complications were all around the campus. With only two days left before Family Day, it was going to be difficult to follow-up the steps.

Our class was supposed to have an extended practice. However, due to the fact that we already had whole day practices, extending it would ruin our guts. So, every last drop of time was saved to practice, practice, and practice. It was hard now to do this, because we know that there is an ongoing competition between the whole batch. Especially when we watched them during the dry-run, it was like... wow. They were so much better than us, or at least I think so.

Our class adviser wrote on the board this morning, "We can always be better." I'd like to quote that we can be better, but not the best. It's making me more of a pessimist, but our class did not receive the support we desperately needed. It was not the bacon we were after, it was having someone to believe and support us despite the difficulties. The glory of winning is not as great as the support from the people who believed in us.

We stayed on the lawn during the afternoon of the practices. It was drizzling hard, and yet the other sections were persistent to dance, they were confident. We were advised not to get sick, so we waited for the rain to subside. Someone moaned beside me, "Magkasakit sana kayo." What a cruel thing to say, weren't batch mates supposed to be friends, too? I must say that they were brave enough to do that, because they want to win. Now, winning doesn't mean much to me.

Our co-adviser sat on the benches while we performed our dance. It was nice to be bare-footed on the soggy lawn. When we lied down, the clouds formed funny shapes and moved slowly like a mist. Most, if not all, performed exaggeratedly, and when we finished the whole thing, our co-adviser said, "Go, One...-Sixth place." I know, it was just a joke, but the feeling that nobody believed in us made winning impossible. And he just left us shattering our hopes.

Luckily for the other sections, they were watched and supported by their advisers (even ours), and they were so prepared. I hope I could say the same thing about ours, but only time will tell.

Family Day Preparations

2008-10-22T19:02:00.004+08:00

Tomorrow will be the dry-run for all of the dances from every batch. Somehow, I'm confident enough to say that our dance is worthy enough for viewing. Sure, the other sections may have an advantage of having good movements, many symbols, bountiful of formations, or impressive leaders. There's nothing extraordinary about our dance, except that we have no intention for a competition.

Our coordinator was joking with us on the don'ts in the Family Day. It's funny how she makes students laugh in the simplest of ways. "He's just my friend!" she said in a high voice. She was explaining that nobody should stay behind the bushes, under the tree, or near the "taniman" during the Family Day. Why? She said in the megaphone, "Don't go crying to me saying, 'He's just my friend!' Eh, bakit kayo nasa taniman? Tapos pupunta yung parents ninyo at sasabihin, 'They're just friends lang naman, eh!'" Ha ha!

The difference about today's practice was that it was the first time our co-adviser was with our class. He kept on promising the days before, but unfortunately, they were all broken. So far, the comments were that our class was not aligned, was not exaggerated, does not smile, and doesn't do the basic dance movements correctly. Ok, now it's got my hopes down.

Now, the people who were watching us were having a conversation. Our class adviser was joking about her high school years while we were practicing. She said that she was often the bully, and her behavioral report was not so good. Our co-adviser explained that he was the one who was always bullied. There were strange debates about physics that followed. Ha ha.

There are no classes tomorrow. Don't be mistaken, but it means that there'll be a whole day with dance-filled activities! Our class opted to have slips just to practice a bit longer, because we haven't finished our dance. Hopefully, it will be presentable in front of the whole batch, and we won't look like plain boring people.

Ok, I'll keep updated on the latest dance pro. news just in case a miracle will shower down. Thanks, bye!

Improvements

2008-10-21T21:16:00.002+08:00

Whew, just finished another of 'em hard Science assignments. It was all about the Periodic Table of Elements, and I'm assuming this is just an introduction to a much worse topic; Chemistry. It's not simple to say that the topic is hard, because I cannot see an atom or memorize (or familiarize) all the elements.

Speaking of Science, guess the most unbelievable discovery yet! This never happened before... ever, but today I felt like I won the lottery. My score had corrections in the problem solving part, which was supposed to be correct. So, 2 points were added to mine making it 142/165, the highest score in the whole batch itself. WOOT!

In our first Filipino quiz, I started the day wrong. My score was only 4/15, and if I fail to improve in my most dreaded subject, my grades will drop. In fact, if I hadn't reviewed my seatmate's notes in the very last second, I bet I received fat zero. I'll try to act more seriously this time.

Our dance pro. practices, on the other hand, went well. The rain poured heavily, therefore, flunked our efforts of practicing on the muddy grass. the class took refuge in our small classroom, where we learned a lot more than before. Everyone took of their shoes (some even their socks) just to practice the cooler moves prepared for us.

I realized that there is always hope, no matter how down things get. Even one of our new recruited choreographers said, "I really think we have a chance of winning. I can feel it already." So, there isn't any point of complaining when everyone can work together to solve the issue. I hope everything goes fine.

It's difficult to say which section will win, because we have never actually seen their dances. Instead of being competitive just to be in the top, we dance for the sake of doing it; to have fun. So, what does it matter if our dance is a little "baduy"? If everybody tried their best, chances of being mocked are low.

The rest of the day is unexplainable now, because I need to do the LH project assigned to me. Too bad it's due tomorrow. Bummer. See 'ya.

Like the Flowing River

2008-10-20T19:50:00.003+08:00

So much has passed by since my last post, even if it was just the other day. Maybe if I could gather all my thoughts already, I could get a clear direction on where my topic for today is going. Inhale, it's not the end of the world... yet. I don't know where to start. It's hard to gather the pieces which have fallen off your mind.

Yesterday:
Yesterday, we visited the morgue of an employee of my dad who passed away last week. I don't clearly remember how things rush up so fast. It's only a moment to realize that we are slowly losing the people in our lives. It's not believable that these events happen, but they have to, and all of us will go through the same fate.

Instead of playing the computer or surfing the Net as I always do during the weekends, I reflected. I thought of how addicted I am to the stupid computer, and that I needed a break from it. The computer is a mere confusion to my mind, therefore, it was not for me. It never was. So, I had to let go of blogging for a while, and look up to reality, where my heart belongs.

Quietly, I slid outside our entrance door and peered through the window. From a top-view, I could see my siblings huddled altogether in front of the computer. My older brother, Kuya Pao, bullied my little siblings just to snatch his chance at it. It's funny how people react to small things that don't really matter. I didn't want him to know that I was watching him, because such an act would lead to my... near-death (or something like that).

The rest of the day I helped in finishing my projects (since I'm not capable of doing them myself). Sometimes I would grab a snack and work in the corner, and sometimes I did no work at all. My dad helped me in making a parol, which was originally a group work from Palihan. Too bad it didn't stand out in class, my parol was ugly despite the hours of work it took.

Today:
Today is officially the start of our dance pro. practices, which meant less time for me to study. Yay! I brought a tall jug with me since I lost my other jug last Friday. Nevertheless, I found that jug on my seat just this morning. I know, my old jug may be smaller and older, but it was better that the new tall jug that I borrowed. It has the memories of my grade school life, and I'm not planning to lose it anytime soon.

I realized that the micropaper for Science was due today, and I knew nothing about it! Being the ultra-crammer that I am, it was possible to call me crazy for what I'd done. My Filipino project, the only perfect grading I had in the most difficult subject in the world... no! I... tore it to pieces on purpose. Just because of Science, I did whatever it takes to make my micropaper creative. But how can I do so when I can't even draw stick men? Dun. Dun. Dun!!! I have to rewrite it for clearance.

Dance pro. practices are still not progressing well, if you'd ask. But rather than explain the failure of it all, I'd like to share this story from the book "Like the Flowing River" by Paulo Coelho. Why would I say so? Read for yourself.

A boy was watching his grandmother write a letter. At one point he asked, ‘Are you writing a story about what we’ve done? Is it a story about me?’

His grandmother stopped writing her letter and said to her grandson, ‘I am writing about you, actually, but more important than the words is the pencil I’m using. I hope you will be like this pencil when you grow up.’

Intrigued, the boy looked at the pencil. It didn’t seem very special.

‘But it’s just like any other pencil I’ve ever seen!’

‘That depends on how you look at things. It has five qualities which, if you manage to hang on them, will make you a person who is always at peace with the world.’

‘First quality: you are capable of great things, but you must never forget that there is a hand guiding your steps. We call that hand God, and He always guides us according to His will.’

‘Second quality: now and then, I have to stop writing and use a sharpener. That makes the pencil suffer a little, but afterwards, he’s much sharper. So you, too, must learn to bear certain pains and sorrows, because they will make you a better person.'

‘Third quality: the pencil always allows us to use an eraser to rub out any mistakes. This means that correcting something we did is not necessarily a bad thing; it helps to keep us on the road to justice.’

‘Fourth quality: what really matters in a pencil is not its wooden exterior, but the graphite inside. So always pay attention to what is happening inside you.’

‘Finally, the pencil’s fifth quality; it always leaves a mark. in just the same way, you should know that everything you do in life will leave a mark, so try to be conscious of that in your every action.’

(Un)busy Day

2008-10-18T18:19:00.003+08:00

Wow, my schedule was originally a very busy day, but luckily for me, I escaped a few of my dreaded routines. Being a Saturday, I expected a busy day ahead of me. Instead, my schedule kept on moving ang moving ang moving... until there was hardly any "busy" part anymore.

In the morning, we ate at Red Ribbon. I had to answer a questionnaire on the quality of their overall service. Of course, we ate there almost every week, so there probably might be a day when they might ask, "Hey, do you like the food?". I suddenly remembered I had a dentist appointment today.

So, since there was nobody to fetch us to Nowee's house, my dad brought me and Kuya Macky (my older bro) to the dentist's. Kuya Macky went first, while I watched Nowee use her Multiply and Friendster. It was pretty cool, I wish I had one of my own, too. Snoopy (Nowee's pomeranian dog) was outside, and I could still recognize the small barks and the fluffy fur all over.

But when my turn came, the truth was finally revealed. I have cavities! At first, I was supposed to return to Nowee's house between Kumon and Piano lessons. My schedule in Kumon was moved, so my appointment was transferred to next week. Now, there was more time to adjust myself properly.

Soon after, I had to go to piano lessons, just a short walking distance from the office. It was difficult because my fingers were not properly positioned, and no matter what I do, they always remained abnormal. I'm currently studying Clementi Sonatina Op. 36 No. 4 Movement 1 ( long name, eh?), complete with mistakes and errors.

Today, Tinoy suddenly remembered an advertisement we witnessed in America. In the American telivision, you could find high quality ads that stick to your brain. The one Tinoy remembered was Geico.com, a site for car insurance. There was this 3D lizard in the tv ad, and we also saw jet planes soar into the sky, and wrote on the air with their smoke, "Go to Geico.com now.", and we just stared at it as if we were crazy.

Now, that the memory of Geico was with Tinoy, he said to me "Ate Ica, punta ka sa Guyko.com. You know you want to." I couldn't resist the offer and visited the lame site anyways. Now, that was one to complete my day. Good. Bye.

Palihan with a Twist

2008-10-17T17:32:00.007+08:00

Got tired from practicing for the dance pro, and not even interested in typing about Palihan. Sure, Palihan is fun and exciting, but the energy got absorbed out of me, taking my happy smile upside-down. Yes, that's the case, and it was all because of that dance pro. practice. Ouch.

Today in Palihan, we discussed about nature, but mostly on the garbage the Philippines produces. Just a simple PowerPoint presentation to jot notes on, nothing extremely good. Each Filipino produces around 0.3-0.7 kg of trash per day. The numbers got bigger when the whole Metro Manila was summed per day, month, and year. I don't remember the rest of the datos about trash, but the truth is, they were all negative facts.

After that, each class was assigned a cleaning area for them to sweep and, well... clean. Section 6 was assigned to fix up the cafeteria and the corridors on the first floor. But, fortunately (or unfortunately), the place was spotless and clean. We thoroughly rummaged the corridors only to find loose hair, lots of them in bundles. The job was done so quickly that we sneaked to the second and third floosr to do the cleaning there. But only those lousy loose hairs were spotted.

We had a parol-making activity after lunch. I, together with class numbers 25-32 (excluding me), made one unfinished parol. We tied the barbeque sticks together and cut plastics to make the tail. Too badthe rest of the frame got lost, except for the two tails me and Karen, my classmate, made.

Our co-adviser was having fun with the whole class with his "parol". He said that it was priceless and artistic but it was only a five-sided barbeque stick star with some extension beads. It was horrible, and since the tail of our would-be parol was still with me, I gave it to him and attached it. The whole class was saying how ugly it was, and really, our co-adviser never accepted the truth of their words.

Now, to the real issue. This dance pro. practice we were under the sun, literally. It was a hot day and we were behind the Information. It was so difficult to accept that our class will surely win last place, but I can't face it bravely. Here are the reasons:

Our costume is a T-shirt with a plain letter 'K'. No inspirational thing whatsoever, except for the added microphone which symbolizes the now famous Theresian, Korina Sanchez. Compared with the other sections, with added stars and shapes, and bright colors all over.
There is no cooperation within our class. We take too many water breaks and barely spend time for practicing. Everyone has lost hope, there was no way our class could win the bacon. They were too tired and un-spirited to follow instructions.
We don't learn anything new. We're stuck at 1:30 minutes for a total of 3:00 minutes all in all. Other sections are most likely to be done, while we never moved a second, we lost them. It's always with the tactic "Pratice makes perfect.", but can they accept that we're not technically perfect? Repeat and repeat, never moving forward.
Our leaders in the dance pro. are not very cooperative. Some stand on the cool shade while we work all day under the scorching sun. Some just say, "O, sumayaw na kayo.", but never put effort in helping us.
Another is that they're not really open to suggestions, and their dance moves weren't even decided by the whole leader branch, just one person herself. Our director cried because the "dictator" is now in the highest position, and all of the ideas are in one person alone.
The music was chosen and submitted by an anonymous student. It wasn't even fast enough to make cool flashy moves. It was plain and "inspirational" that's why it was chosen.
Our dance can burn your eyes... in a bad way. Wear your shutter shades. 'Nuff said.

Say Sequins

2008-10-16T19:18:00.006+08:00

So, I'm back after the forgettable day. I'm trying to receive a flashback right now, but my mind is blocked knowing that it's Palihan, a discussion-free school day, tomorrow. A little bit of computer surfing, and nothing more. I don't really remember what happened today. Wait. I think I have a small portion of it left to share.

Our class was going overboard during the whole day. Almost everyone was shouting and complaining about the correct pronunciation of 'sequins'. Paula, my classmate, opted to design our dance pro. t-shirts with sequins, and when she pronounced that word, the whole class corrected it with their own pronunciation. "Sea-queens", people with me shouted. But the decision was not final, there was a debate. "Sequence -- parang sequence of events!", the rest insisted.

The day was crazy with the sequins issue. Even when the teachers were around, we were shouting about it and never got the correct answer. Some consulted the dictionary, "\ˈsē-kwən\" was the pronunciation. But the Merriam-Webster, our only reliable source, failed to give its remark on our issue. We can't read it, so as to say!

The teachers were doubtful and had different answers. Our Filipino teacher said that the sequins issue has been a hot topic ever since the previous years. So, we were not the first in this stupid pointless subject. Even our English teacher did not know of it! How, oh how is this issue going to end?

But, really, it did come to a close. We decided that a sequin could be called "malaking bilog na makintab" so that nobody dared to quarrel. Of all the things we could fight about as a class, it was about sequins!

The rest of the day came with the exam results. And since I'm jolly pleased with the 'sequence' of events today, I'll tell you the rest of my academic day.

I got 140/165 in Science, a whopping score for almost anyone, but our highest was 141/165, a point higher than mines! I couldn't achieved a better score if I wasn't that stupid to fall for mistakes. And now I'm in guilt that I wasted all that effort.
The last of the test results were acceptable, Soc. Sci. was 83/100. As I said, the opinion part was hard and only few were able to shotgun that part. I dunno how I survived the hardest of all hard subjects anyways.
Lastly, but not really least, is TLE. For the first (or second) time in history, I got a highest test result! WOOT! Too bad it's only 73/90, the test had guessing parts, too. And I gotta tell, I'm not a very good guesser.

Bye, my brother's bugging me.

Lost and Found

2008-10-15T16:13:00.006+08:00

Just arrived from school, nothing that special. Today is the feast day of St. Teresa of Avila, our patron saint. We held a mass just in our campus, and we were dismissed at 2:30 PM! Classes weren't really starting with the usual discussion, so that was good for me. The Math test result was given, I wasn't the highest (duh), but my score was acceptable.

I lost my school shoes from the dance pro. practice yesterday. I had to give my excuse letter just to wear flip-flops! I thought I'd left those shoes in school, but it wasn't there. Before that, I kept looking for them at home, and wasted all the time without breakfast! Aw, and all along it was in the room where I originally placed it. Bummer.

What's more is that I spent all night finishing my Science homework last night. We were supposed to describe 25 terms from Matter and one had to search the Internet etc., because I barely believe anyone can memorize such knowledge. That's why I couldn't post yesterday, I used an extra intermediate paper for that homework!

Ana, my classmate, called me last night to ask if I had my Science quiz notebook. She lost hers and I, too, lost mines. She was lucky she had a "karamay" because we had to pass it the following day. I found mines right after she called, strange. So many things get lost, but I always find it the next day. Ha ha, it's so strange that I made a new definition for a loser.

los·er [loozər] A person who misplaced something

During Music, I was called to play "What a Wonderful World" again in the piano as an example. The piano there was so nice that I could press the buttons softly. That was our last period, and the bell rang for a dismissal with an ultra-shortened day. Jillian, my busmate, said the prayer on the megaphone for the whole campus. She was the best prayer leader ever. Even our coordinator congratulated her because of the expressions and feelings.

So, that was it for me. I'm studying the triangles and all, I have to go to Kumon tomorrow. Ciao!

Let's Get This Party Over With

2008-10-13T19:03:00.003+08:00

Ok. Today is my dad's birthday, but it's a lot more simple that last year's. Last year, we had a karaoke machine brought to the 3rd floor of his office (where the basketball court is), and everyone was singing and dancing to the music.

Special Greeting ALERT: HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!!

Anyways, I finished my TLE project, so that's a WOOT for me! Yay! I don't know what the teacher will say to me. It's varnished and fixed in the best way possible. There's even some extra design on the fruit basket to make it nicer.

This year, there isn't one. Just some of the employees and the caterers. The food was delicious, mind you, but this green stuff that I told Tinoy (my little bro) to get is AWFUL. I thought it was gelatin or some tasty treat, but it most definitely is not! I can't even describe the leafy stuff here, I can't take it.

This birthday, in particular, I learned that an old employee of ours had to move on. He was in a respirator because of a stroke. I hope that his family can overcome this feeling of loss. Even I, in the tiniest bit, feel sad today.

Now I need to do whatever homework I have left. I wish I can make it through the rain with Filipino and English, it's a pain in the neck. I can't wait for the exam results... SUPER impatience drags me to go to school earlier. Imagine 4 days without school!

Nowee is going to have her blog here on Blogger. Maybe next time I can post the information. For now, bye!

Boring, Boring

2008-10-12T16:20:00.004+08:00

Some people are just plain mean. I just did a favor in fixing Nikki's blog layout, and she totally ignored it. Ha ha, it reminds me of being left out. My siblings are over at the other computer in front of me. They're so obsessed with Warcraft that I had to use my bulky old laptop.

Today, nothing special happened. I stayed at home all throughout the morning. A Sunday, I can't time the moments because they fly too fast. I wish I could go back in time. The memories I had two weeks ago felt just like yesterday. I wish life had a rewind button.

Next year, I hope to join the Debate team. I saw this torn paper lying on the ground about auditioning, but I wasn't able to ask my parents. Ok, I'm getting more and more boring by the second. Sorry 'bout that.

Anyways, I got my last Twilight Saga book! Actually, I only borrowed it from Tinoy's classmate's mother. It's called Breaking Dawn, but I'm hoping to read it sooner in time, just not now. It's a hardbound copy, so I have to take good care of it. Imagine, a P799 book!

While my brothers went off to play basketball, I remained here with Nikki. I watched "Cats the Musical" in YouTube for a long time. Nikki's been telling me that I'm addicted. The songs (not to mention the cast) are so mesmerizing. It's just that I want to watch more of it.

My addicting song number is back. Yay!

"And you'll all say
Oh! Well I never was there ever
A cat so clever as magical Mr. Mistoffelees."

Tiring Day

2008-10-11T18:19:00.002+08:00

*Pant, pant, pant* After staying in piano lessons for over 2 hours, I'm finally free! I came way too early, and my piano teacher came way too late. I even got to practice all of my piano books twice and another piece I've been practicing secretly. Oh my, I'll never ever go to piano lessons early again.

Anyways, this morning we visited the new house. It's still being constructed, but the main features are evident, maybe 75% done in total construction. I brought my TLE project, a fruit basket made of wood, to the new house to let someone varnish it for finishing touches. I hope it's not that perfect or the teacher will be suspicious.

When we went to Kumon this afternoon, boy was it hard. It was all about those triangles and their terms. I don't want to face that again. Nowee, my cousin, was beside me during Kumon. She explained to me about her Math teacher, and how luckily blessed am I that she was not my teacher.

Nothing much has happened, just a tiring day that I really can't explain more. I gotta go.

Over the Weekend

2008-10-10T13:24:00.001+08:00

Whew! What a weekend that was. I've been so detached from blogging. I'm so so sorry. All the exams are done, and so is that Mastery Test. It wasn't easy, especially Filipino and English, but the product of hard work always prevails.

Today we (Nikki and I) have no school. That leaves us with a free day, right? NOT! Today, we're going to have a haircut because Nikki's hair is extremely long, ha ha, lucky not mine. But still, I have to go to the barbers too, so we don't have to go back and forth.

Let me give a brief overview of my exams.

Soc. Sci. was fairly easy, but when it was time to write an opinion, I had no idea what to say. It was so hard to understand the words, it was too deep for my brain.
Religion was very very easy. I can't imagine an easier test than it. But many of my classmates thought is was so hard, which makes me feel OP (Out of Place). Ha ha, it was so fun!
English was a killer. I thought it would be easy that's why I didn't study for it. But the identification, even the matching type could make your nose bleed.
Science would've been easy, easy enough for me. But the fact that it was 13 pages long didn't really make it look easy. There were pictures all over that's why it was long. Answers were practical, it was just in the brain to understand.
TLE was simply too easy. Tr. Joel made a whole reviewer that was much scarier. The test all appeared in my reviewer, except for the Simple Home Repairs. I had to guess in that part!
Gosh, Filipino. It was so HARD! The words were so deep that I had to guess their meanings. It made me feel like an idiot. Some topics weren't even discussed. I never want to see one again. No, no, no!
But everything went fine when I did the Math test. Easy, I thought. No wonder my classmates were so pressured. I didn't seem to find an error except for the one item that ruined my soul. I know I was wrong from the moment I wrote down the answer, and until now I regret it.

So, basically, that was it for the week. I want to add more details, ~~but I'm making a new blog about a tortoise, it's called Enzell: A Tortoise's Life. Similar, right?~~ Bye bye!

It's Raining, It's Pouring

2008-10-01T09:17:00.002+08:00

Ah, what a rainy day it is today! There's no school today, which means I have to study, do my project, and make the goody-two-shoes tasks for the day. I dunno why, but I'm worried I might fail the Mastery Test on Friday.

Well, that's that. It feels like a Sunday instead of a Wednesday. We were supposed to have Music period today, and we are very very late in our class, who knows by how many lessons. We have a practical test on piano playing. Each student has to play a memorized piece "What a Wonderful World". You can get a bonus if you play an accompaniment or sing or whichever extra you can do.

And, oh, I just ate barefooted a while ago. And I stepped on a COCKROACH! Yuck, ew, gross, no! It's so annoying that I have to scrub my foot with soap a hundred times. I learned my lesson now. Always walk with footwear.

Here's my worry list for today. I hope I can do everything on time.

I can't do my Kumon because I don't have one today. We weren't able to pay on time.
I need to "liha" the wood given to me for our TLE test. I don't have enough sandpaper.
I have to study for the Mastery Test and Examination. That just makes me more anxious by the second.

Ok. Things are set aside now, including you, blog. I need to go if I want to pass that test on Friday. Adios!

No school=WOOT!

2008-09-30T20:38:00.000+08:00

Yippie for the school-free day tomorrow! I've been wondering how long I still have to control my anger. The certain anger is towards my teacher, who constantly makes me want to rebel and fight with. Argh! She never really inspired me with the words she said to me, because I "nehvur" understood a word of it. From writing in the blackboard to saying simple sentences, you could never handle how much can learn. The moment you hear her speak, your ear's impulse ignores it COMPLETELY.

I was returning from the Computer Lab with a few of my classmates. We had an awfully nose-bleeding practical test, some weren't even finished. I was in the top of the line to go out because I made it through that nose-bleeding test, uninjured. Anyways, there were probably five of us returning to the classroom when we saw our Religion teacher. She smiled at us while she opened our classroom door. Ugh.

"Kuhyoh luhmang ang mhug-tetest nguhyon..." I can't write down any further. I'll just simplify it to make the readers understand. "Kayo lamang ang mag-tetest ngayon. Sige, kunwari nagsisimula na tayo para bumagsak yung mga late na darating. Bilis, kuha kayo ng 1/8 para sa long test. Kunwari lang, ha, para matakot yung darating. Kuha ka ng 1/4 para sa long test. O, Frances, ba't hindi ka pa kumuha ng papel? "

Um, well, I have several answers for that. One, we've always been reminded never to waste paper, and then she tells us to get one to fool our classmates? And when everyone gets their paper, she'll say "Dyoke lhung!"? Who does she think we are, joke-lovers? Another is that she told us to get a 1/8 first, and then a 1/4. How convenient is that for a long test?

I wouldn't want to harm or disrespect my teacher, so this isn't getting any farther. It's a special edition of my hatred, don't expect this everyday.

I need to go, my sister's bugging me. I'm writing in ScribeFire now, just checking if the program unglitched itself. Go, go, go!

This is I

2008-09-29T18:08:00.001+08:00

Ok. I'm humming the tune of "This is Me" again. It's not like I'm a fan of the Camp Rock movie, it's just so intriguing. Recently, I just learned that the song's title is completely wrong grammar. It's supposed to be "This is I". Ha ha! No wonder songs sounded so good. The wrong stuff sounds good, that's my opinion.

My classmate just called me to ask me the homework today. Her heartbeat got hyper during Science period so she was sent home. Bummer. I wish I was sent home, too. I don't wanna end up in my chair sulking.

Yesterday, I was busy finishing my Religion homework/project/whatever-that-teacher-calls-'em. That was tough stuff. It's hard to think of things to write in it, because I don't have any urge to put effort in it anyways.

What's more is that our deacon left our parish to preach in another place. Just some info to know. Our parish priest really depended on him to do important parts of the mass while he was sick or dizzy. I dunno what's left in our Mass. Nothing but the half of my heart.

Argh! I can't get ScribeFire to work. It's a blogging software that keeps bugging me because I can't get it to work in Blogger. I gotta tell 'ya, it's a PAIN IN THE NECK.

Little bro's studying now, I better be a good example. Ha ha. As if I would do that. But seriously, "I have to go away. I know, I have... to go... away."

I Have Returned

2008-09-28T14:01:00.003+08:00

So much has happened since my last blog post. It's about time I finally decided to return. This time, not more serious-ness or whatever you call 'em.

I have to do my Religion homework. Ugh. I'm not in the mood to do it since I'm starting to blog again. I also need to do the journal in English which started 13 days ago (I swear I didn't do any). Now it's so difficult to run this kind of problem when the Internet keeps hauling you back.

I'm so addicted to reading the Twilight Saga. I borrowed my classmate's book Eclipse, but sadly, I returned it before I could finish it. Everyone wants to have their own copy. I just can't get my own. Ha ha.

Woah, it's 2:00 and I haven't got the clue on what to do. Do my homework like all goody-two-shoes people adore? Or sit here waiting for my parents to scold me to death? Maybe I'll risk both, I love double trouble.

My brother's playing Warcraft... again. He's so obsessed into the game I dunno what's gotten into him. My older brother's not here, probably with my parents. Yes, I got a free day to myself without bullies and evil villains. But now, I feel like the evil villain. Mu ha ha ha!

Now I can think more evenly, I think my return to the blogging world isn't half-bad. Probably this won't be my daily task unlike before, but I assure that I'll do my best to keep this blog running.

Thanks again, see 'ya!

Wopping Weekend

2008-07-19T00:00:00.002+08:00

*This is a revival of the oldest posts. Time posted is unknown.

After a week's disconnection, I'm back. During the past week, a lot has happened. Let me list down some of the memories:

I got 39/37 in the Math long quiz, the only one in the batch (Whoa!). I was qualified to get an extremely whopping grade. The possibility of being exempted in a future mastery test is a plausible dream.
Ms. Austria was extremely red and a vain was popping out of her forehead during PALIHAN. We teased her and Sir Maki while they were having a silent conversation (Uuyy!). Josephine was flushed out, too.
Tinoy received a PSP for his birthday, isn't that ~~wonderful~~ spoiled? Among us five siblings, my little bro, gets something besides books?
David Blaine can levitate... not! After researching on his tricks, I was shocked to see that almost all of them are fake. Now, levitation is just some hoax to me.
Is it just me, or do I keep seeing Sir Edgar (previously Manong Edgar)? Every day, our class goes through technical problems and he always comes up and fixes them. We just can't help but bestow him the name "Sir".
We had five quizzes in a day once. Can you believe we could be hyper after all those? It was supposed to be six, but Mrs. Dignos traded her period for Religion and Music, so her long test was 'poofed'.
I have an obligation to do. But I don't think I've been doing the job assigned to me. Too bad you'll never know who and what was assigned to me. Mind you, I record your every word (Dun, dun, dun!).
We had our first earthquake drill on July 18, the same day a mysterious person predicted a massive earthquake in the Philippines. I can't believe they took that so seriously! Anyways, I believed there would be an earthquake, but in the end, it was just a hoax.

Too much info, so little time. See 'ya!

T.G.I.F.

2008-07-11T00:00:00.000+08:00

*This is a revival of the oldest posts. Time posted is unknown.

Thank goodness it's Friday! Another week of studying has come to an end. Today was quite extraordinary. During Math period, Ms. Austria gave the results of our quiz the other day. I got a perfect score of 22/22 (Yay!), so did my other classmates. We discussed the operations with decimals. Ms. San Andres gave us a surprise quiz, on the other hand, about the parts of the newspaper. She said that the quiz required no reviewing, but common sense. I got perfect again with a score of 9/9 (Ha!). Our Filipino period was interesting and different from the others. Mrs. Catindoy allowed us to create our haiku with the environment. I wandered alone while writing, but I enjoyed the activity. Again, we did not discuss the book entitled "Ibong Adarna". We would probably use the book next week. Ms. de Lara started our class with a reflection, but I left my Bible in the locker because I thought Religion classes were after lunch. She instructed us to create a reflection of our experience in life. My reflection left me teary-eyed trying to remember (Snicker.). After those solemn moments, Science period followed. Sir Maki gave us a ~~surprise~~ quiz on the Branches of Science. True, I did review for the quiz, but it only a quick browse around the notebook. My prediction is that I had two mistakes in the quiz. As we lined up after lunch, Raphaelle told me a story from a second year student. This is what happened. Sir Reyes, a Filipino teacher in their class, was complimented for being handsome by a student. He replied, "Hindi ako gwapo, ako ay isang magandang dilag." (Lol!). English period followed after lunch. Ms. Angeles let us finish our English slogan with our respective groups. There was so much effort put into doing it because we used tape to letter it. We were the only group who didn't finish, but luckily, we were saved by the bell. When we went to the Music Room, Ms. Miranda immediately reviewed us on our test about interpreting the notes she claps or plays. I got a score of 9/10 (Whew!), while others didn't get a really good score. I also got 16/16 in the seat work in composition. During P.E. period, we studied the basic positions in dancing. We also slightly learned the cha-cha. Josephine was my partner and I wasn't that confident in dancing. Oh well, there's my Kuya waiting for me. See 'ya!

Going Down

2008-07-10T00:00:00.000+08:00

*This is a revival of the oldest posts. Time posted is unknown.

Hello, world. It's late, again, but hyper-fever hit me tonight. Mrs. Catindoy continued her discussion on 'tula', such has happened during the past week. We didn't read the book entitled "Ibong Adarna" as I mentioned yesterday (Sob!). During English period, Ms. Angeles felt disrespected because we didn't remember our discussion yesterday. The truth is, ~~nobody really listened to her.~~ We continued reading the Bible with Ms. de Lara, and reflected with the book. After Religion, Sir Maki took over the show. We went to the Science Lab and performed our experiment on diapers. My fingers are still dyed with the excess food coloring our group used. Patricia's uniform was spluttered with food coloring, too, even though she wore a lab gown. That was a fun double period (Yay!). During lunch, I had no eating utensils, because we ate in the covered court. I attempted to use my hands to no avail, because there was food coloring on the rice (Yuck!). We rushed back to the cafeteria to eat my lunch while Mia and Alex designed my T.L.E. homework. My day was just about to reach its climax when Ms. Austria embarrassed me, totally. This is what happened. Karen just asked for the time from my watch, and we obviously looked bored. Ms Austria told the class that someone in front is telling the time to her seat mate. Those bored students could leave the room anytime (Me?). To my relief, Soc. Sci. period followed. It wasn't because I liked the subject, it was because I was free from the guilt and embarrassment. Ms. San Andres discussed the parts of the newspaper, while I shared my newspaper partially to Frances S.. T.L.E. period was the last of the day. We spent our time in the Conference Room, just like in Library Hour yesterday. Kate sang in the Wow! Magic Sing with a score of 96. The class sang together in another song entitled "I Will Survive" and we got a score of 27 (Lol!). Well, that's all for today. Good day!

Essence

2008-07-09T00:00:00.001+08:00

*This is a revival of the oldest posts. Time posted is unknown.

It's awfully late, but blogging is a must for me. During Math period, Ms. Austria gave us a quiz about fractions. The instructions were confusing at first, but it got easier once I understood it. We continued our discussion on 'tula'. We are going to start our discussions on the book entitled "Ibong Adarna", which I have read ~~with help from Tr. Joel~~ all summer. Science period was rather fun because Sir Maki asked us to draw our impression of a scientist. We weren't allowed to draw him, though (Ha!). Most of the class drew Einstein-like, but I drew Isaac Newton, or so I thought I did. My drawing looked awfully strange and unoriginal. After pondering with it for awhile, the drawing looked like a 70's Newton, so I renamed the scientist "Isaac Newton IX". What's embarrassing is that when everyone passed their papers, Sir Maki fished out mine from the middle of the bundle, and placed it in front. When he was about to leave, Frances S. called him "Sister Maki". During Religion period, Ms. de Lara discussed about the Bible as we reflected. I recognized that she and Mrs. Catindoy wore the same skirt except that the colors varied. Ms. Angeles gave us an activity in which we solve for the suspect. It was just like in Science wherein we solved "The Case of the Missing Computer Chip", but the new case was shorter. What is a cardigan, anyway? Library Hour was sort of boring, Mrs. Ortilla explained the house rules inside the library. Mia and Alex agreed that we won't go inside the library until our official IDs are made. So, the fREADom Hub will have to open without me (Sob!). It's a good thing Mia lent me her newspaper for Soc. Sci., or else I had no homework. Ms. San Andres didn't check the newspaper, so it didn't really matter. I also got 11/15 from the quiz (Sob!). Music period was the last, but definitely not the least. We had a game against the other group, and unfortunately, we lost. The objective was to guess the correct counting of notes from the other group's given clap. Before I go to bed, here's a phrase of wisdom from Patricia:

The essence is wonderful.

Oh, well. It's too late to say more (Yawn.). Bye!

Unleashing Talents

2008-07-08T00:00:00.001+08:00

*This is a revival of the oldest posts. Time posted is unknown.

Cheers for the new day! In school, the students had their First Quarter launching, which is about caring for the environment. It was similar to the launchings in Grade School. Our English period was cut off its double period (Yay!) because of the launching. Ms. Angeles gave the results of our quiz. I got 23/25 but upon receiving the paper, I felt a sense of perfection. Ms. Angeles advised me to audition for The Theresian magazine because she saw my potential in essays (What?!), which left me speechless. Sir Jeff was absent again during Computer period. Rumors say that his wife is going to give birth, but others claim that Sir is getting married. It was double period, so Ms. Miranda replaced him in the first period, while Mrs. Yalong took over the second one. We only did hands-on activities (Sob!). Religion period saved me from further depression. Ms. de Lara asked my row to give a reflection on our chosen verse in the Bible. I spoke without the shy personality Ms. thought I had. Impressed, she told me that I was an awfully good speaker (Blush.). During lunch, I attempted to buy my food for a change. It came to my realization that I made the wrong decision because the 'manang' gave me the wrong change; a P50 loss. Sir Maki gave us an easy quiz, and I made the wrong choice of letting Jia borrow my precious Science notebook (No!). Sir Maki talked about diapers and this saying got stuck in my mind:

All polymers aren't goopy like putty.

Mrs. Catindoy also gave a quiz, but we only checked partially, mine is 13/15. Filipino period consisted of our group's presentation from the chosen 'tula', I was the teacher giving out zero's. We had double Math period and sang the song entitled "Matharena". There were visitors during some of our periods, but I think they got a kick of laughter with us. It's after tutorial now, Tr. Joel already left. I have to read my Soc. Sci. book. Bye!

Nobody’s Perfect

2008-07-07T00:00:00.001+08:00

*This is a revival of the oldest posts. Time posted is unknown.

Back from school, again. It's just one of those days that really can't be special. Early in the morning, I showed Nikki a Theresian magazine with a picture of Sir Maki praying. Before I left for school, I brought along the Rubik's Cube Tinoy received from a party last night. In school, the morning started with Homeroom period. The activity was to stick a paper on your back and let people write their impressions about you anonymously. What's heartbreaking is that my paper only had three impressions; 'matalino', smart and intelligent. Everybody else had their paper filled with nice impressions. What a bad activity to start a day. Sir Jeff was absent during Computer period (Sob!), so he was replaced by a rather ~~chubby~~ sophisticated teacher whom I forgot the name. Computer period was boring though hands-on were my childhood past-time. Mia smashed my Rubik's Cube, but it doesn't matter ~~because I don't know how to solve one.~~ During Religion period, Ms. de Lara was sweaty. She recalled spending all night checking our quiz just so that we knew our score, which by the way was 24/30. What a kind teacher (Nods.). The results of my Math quiz was an acceptable mark of 18/20. Ms. Austria said I was the second highest since nobody got perfect (Jessica G. sung "Nobody's Perfect"). We had our first Group Guidance today (Yay!). Ms. Karen was kind and we had an impression of being extremely funny, not to mention naughty. Patricia's magazine of the Jonas Brothers was confiscated because she wasn't paying attention to Ms Karen. Mia, Alex and I had our lunch as usual. Sir Maki had a croaky voice, just like Kuya Macky's voice. Knowing that I did not review for my Soc. Sci. quiz, I expected it to be extremely difficult. After taking the test, however, it was actually easy. English was the last of the day, Ms. Angeles talked about verbs ~~although I did not understand a word.~~ Now I have to write Recollection letters to my Ate bus mates. But for now, Tr. Joel, the tutor, is waiting for me to study. Bye!

Happy-go-lucky

2008-07-06T00:00:00.002+08:00

*This is a revival of the oldest posts. Time posted is unknown.

Last night, I had trouble sleeping in my parents' room even though it was my favorite place to sleep in. It was so shivering cold inside that I kept tossing and turning until 3 AM. Waking up, I realized that it was Sunday, my only free day. Breakfast was simple, and as usual, I was the last to eat. Most of the day was spent playing the computer, reading K-zone (Woot!) and watching some television. My lolo, ate lunch with our family. He just arrived from a trip in Australia, and judging from his experience, lolo had a blast there. Nikki cried again because of Kuya Pao-pao. I got to tell you, Kuya Pao is a humongous bully and Nikki is one weird cry-baby. Lola gave us a bag filled with chocolate, which me and Tinoy, my little bro, snagged some secretly (Shh!). While Kuya Pao slept in the study room, I rummaged for old copies of The Theresian magazine, mainly in the High School section ~~looking for High School teachers.~~ During my Grade School years, the magazine was just and extra load to my bag. Looking back Reading reminds me of how precious those memories were. Now, I have to do my Soc. Sci. homework because I never bothered looking at my assignment notebook. Later, we'll go to church but for now, homework-time. See 'ya!

Tiring Day

2008-07-05T00:00:00.000+08:00

*This is a revival of the oldest posts. Time posted is unknown.

Hi, there. It's been a tiring day today, knowing the fact that it's a Saturday. This morning, my family ate at Jollibee instead of the regular breakfasts in Red Ribbon. I'm glad to see a change in meals. Then, it was a short look around in National Book Store, just beside Jollibee. I bought a new issue of K-zone (Yay!) so I won't be bored this month. Our new house is being constructed, it's painted now but not really finished. It's nice to see the progress of construction every week. Lunch was in the office, and it surely filled my appetite because

Lunch + Office= Air conditioning, computers, comfy chairs and a sleek table.

After a nice lunch, it was straight to the ~~army~~ Kumon Center. Not that I don't like Kumon, it's just hard to enjoy Saturdays with it. That's two hours off the day. And worse of all, piano lessons are coming up. I let Nikki, my little sis, go first. One word of advice if you want to learn the instrument:

Don't take piano lessons if you're not willing to play everyday.

That's all, thanks for tuning in.