The Reunion

It has been 10 years since I graduated from High School.

I know I should have initiated a grand plan kasi 10 years nga. Paano busy? Hay , rason-rason .. hehe ..

Anyway, all I had in my mind was a simple tapok-tapok na lang - simple kain, simple storya, simple inom (ug coke) .. haha

I was not really expecting a great turn-out because it was sort of a minadali na invite and a number are already not in Davao.

Nevertheless, we were around 20 who came at Bakbak on the 26th.

After story-telling galore, we decided to meet up again on the 28th.

And so we did.

Lingaw gihapon! Kahit hindi kami ganun kadami ... reminisce pud intawon oi! With our yearbooks at hand, we tried to recall, desperately, on those times na wala pa miy buot (until now ata wala gihapon .. haha)

I knew I had a great laugh that night.

And there was great food. Sakto pud sa amo .. ayos!

And mawala ba ang picture taking. Hala! Effort din minsan sa kaiisip kung anong ipose .. haha

All in all it was a fun night up until the wee hours of the morning. Food, softdrinks, videoke, picture takings, reminiscing, story-telling and friends .. what more can you ask for?

I think it was a great combination people since the ones who really attended do not really form one barkada. It was a nice mix of people kumbaga.

And so, I am looking forward 5 years from now. By 2012, reunion uli.

P.S. wala ako sa picture kasi ako ang nagkuha ;)

Home for the Holidays

A year ago, I spent December 19 to December 24 in the hospital fighting off dengue. I was ecstatic that I got to get home for Christmas on the 24th. But honestly, I wasn't really concerned that I had dengue. I was thinking more of just being well soon because I really hate doing nothing and just lying in bed :(

And so, this year, I was so happy that I got to finish 9 simbang gabi! They said that if you can complete it, make a wish and it will come true. I hope my wish will come true but I will found out later pa.

Christmas here at home is simple. We just exchange gifts and eat simple food. For this year, simple chocolate cake .. hehe. We just open our gifts and say our thanks.

I received a blouse from my sisters, earrings from my brother and sudoku from Elaine. Woohoo!

Part of Christmas are the parties. I have attended the LA Christmas party held by the applicants, which was actually fun. I had a great time hanging out with them since me and Bem were the first resident members to arrive.

Next was the third year Christmas party, the night after we had a 2-hour exam in Corporation Law (which was difficult!) and a lecture in Special Proceedings. Of course, people were expected to be late .. haha! It was fun nevertheless because the guys and girls were game! Sayang lang kay natalo ang girls sa charades .. what the!

The next one was just last Wednesday with my high school batchmates. The usual storya-storya gud! But its so nice because there are a number of people there that I haven't seen in years and they were there. Nice!

It was really nice that I am here for the holidays! Here in Davao, I have family and friends to celebrate the season with. And so far, for the past 26 years of my life, I am always home for the holidays :)

50 First States

Toynk!

I thought that the United States of America consist of 52 states.

50 lang pala!

Pataka lang jud ako .. hehe!

I thought may 51 states na plus Guam. 50 lang pala and hindi state ang Guam.

Kaya nga iba ang candidate ng Guam and ng USA sa Miss Universe.

Naisip ko din iyong episode ng FRIENDS where Ross desperately tried to memorize all the states. I thought 51 or 52 iyong ginamention niya. So, malamang hindi. I have to watch that episode again. Tsk ... tsk ... tsk

Ayan, hawd-hawd pa!

Sowee!

Mabuti pa pag-usapan na lang natin ilang islands meron ang Philippines.

High tide or low tide?

Top Chef

Foie Gras. Mascarpone. Saffron. Frita. Flambe.

Sequestered. Revocable. Donor. Estate. Tax.

Top Chef or Tax 2.

I think I'll talk about Top Chef first.

Just a while ago on cable tv, Ilan was chosen as the Top Chef in the Season 2 of the said Reality TV Show. From the very first two episodes, I chose Sam and Ilan as my best bets.

I was a bit sad that Sam didn't make it to the Top 2 since Marcel beat him to it. Nevertheless, I am happy because my early bets made the most impression - Sam with the most quickfire wins while Ilan with the most wins in the challenge round.

Yes, I know we are quite delayed with the Top Chef series. But who cares? I don't. As long as I get to watch it on TV and just be amazed on how they concoct such dishes, not too mention salivating with their very appealing dishes.

I am not a chef, nor do I dream of ever becoming one. I just want to cook and eat.

One of the things I am happy for myself is that I can cook and bake. Basically, it boils down that I can follow instructions. Of course, I have had my failures. But that's part of this skill.

I always look forward to watching Top Chef because I learn new terms each week. The first five words I mentioned I first heard of from Top Chef. And there's more to it. I just checked out their site for the recipes. And, as I have seen from the show, I don't know if most of the ingredients they have used are available on this side of the world.

But that doesn't stop me from hoping I could prepare meals close to what they do. I need not be a chef. I just need to cook and follow instructions.

I think I can get away with it.

If only I have enough time. Maybe I just do not make time.

There are a lot of things I really want to do in life. I just need to follow through it.

If I really want to cook well, I should find time to do it. I should find time to look for ingredients and for their alternatives. I should make time.

Ilan is just 24 years old, which means I am almost 3 years older than him. But I can see that he already found something that he is really great at with the utmost passion from him. He found time to follow through his passion.

But how can I make time when my mind can only take as much information and I have all these interests.

One at a time maybe.

We just had our Tax 2 exam. I was not able to review it but I felt it was less hard than the first exam we had in Tax 1. That is for me though. I think others think quite the contrary.

I hope we passed that exam.

At least, if I can't cook as half as great as Ilan can for now, I can say that I passed all my law subjects with flying colors. (I hope so)

And follow it through with passing the bar exams with just one take.

I really hope and pray.

Thinner

Back then, I was considered as "lampayatot".

After graduation, that's when I started to gain weight.

Why not? I had review classes from 8 am to 11 am. I eat, sleep, study, watch TV .... not much to do. I don't know but I had so much appetite during that time. My favorites were sisig and gata with kalabasa. I can even finish that one pack of Monterey sisig all by myself during lunchtime.

After that, I maintained such weight when I started working.

I was not really fat. Its just that I gained weight and people who knew me back when I was younger wondered why I am not that "payatot" anymore.

When I entered law school, my weight was 52 kilos. That was ok.

I know I have been losing weight over the past years.

Last sem break, my sisters were teasing me that I was really losing weight. I checked the scales ... 49 kilos. Ok.

During the past two weeks, more people were saying that I have really lost weight. I went back to the scales .. 47 kilos.

Just tonight .. 46 kilos.

My mom said this is alright since I am still not underweight. That is one of my concerns.

Another concern of mine is that I am not doing anything to lose weight.

I am not on a diet. I have never been on a diet. I eat when I want to eat as long as there is food. I do not eat when I do not feel like eating. That's about it.

My weight for now is ok. I do not dream of losing additional pounds or kilos.

Right now, I have to segregate my clothes. I have to separate the ones which are too loose for me. My mom even brought home some pants from her stocks last night because I don't have enough pants that fit me perfectly.

They say it must be stress. Most probably. I cannot think of any other reason.

But whatever it is, I think it has to stop sometime soon.

Maybe not too soon.

Maybe my body is just making some space for Christmas :)

Material Girl

One of the best advice I got before I entered law school was to "share materials, help each other".

Actually, it was in Bisaya - "magtinabangay jud mo!".

The one who gave me these words of wisdom was Shalu, who was at that time a fourth year law student at Ateneo de Manila. She is now practicing law.

I took her advice by heart.

Tonight, I "released" the transcribed notes from our first 3 lectures in Tax 2.

Just a quick rewind ... I got into this world of transcribing just last year for PIL. I started it when I felt I do not have any materials for that subject that was as concise as our lectures. So, I asked Joann for the records of our lectures.

Before PIL, I only transcribed one lecture in Labor Standards wherein bar questions were asked. That's about it until I got into PIL. Then, Credit Transactions came next. By third year, there were notes from Tax 1 and Succession.

I knew a number of law school students were already masters in transcribing at that time. I was in awer that they could do it because I felt I couldn't do it. I did not have enough courage to ask copies for them. Maulaw man gud ko .. honest. I just take whatever comes my way.

When Han, Karla and I found out that we were all transcribing PIL lectures, we decided to distribute the work. And it worked :) Thank you guys! That was the beginning of a new era.

The Tax 1 transcription was not meant to be as big as it became. It sort of started from a small group trying to divide the work until it was decided to be a class thing. I was really embarassed to get stuff from the other section, although, I know it was ok for them.

And for the first exam in Tax 1, the compilation of transcriptions by Blithe and I as well as digests from the class was released.

Please do take note that it was not all me. I had helped from Blithe and Felai for Tax 1 transcriptions. Salamat pud!

I was quite in a "are you sure?" mode whenever I hear that the transcriptions were the only ones they read (plus past exams) in preparing for the exam (huwat?!).

I am grateful that it is appreciated and happy whenever I hear that "han-ay pagkatranscribe". But I let them know that it is based on sir's lecture. I type what I hear.

Since Tax 2 exam is coming up, I got lots of reaction tonight. I heard that someone already asked if I already released Tax 2 transcriptions ... demanding? hehehe. I think they even said "na baka wala kay gikapoy na si Jazzie." Someone asked me if I already had some notes on Tax and I asked yes. I replied "ikaw?" Of course, this was in the spirit of fun.

There are people who can't help but be concerned. They apologize because they can't and won't transcribe lectures. Some would even find ways to let others help in the transcription. I ask them to digest cases .. hehe.

No apologies needed. I am ok.

As long as I can do it, I will do it. And as long as people will volunteer to help, I won't hesitate to delegate. If nobody wants to help and I can't do it anymore, I will stop. In the end, I am doing this for me and for anyone who can benefit from it. In the end, these materials are not the be all and end all of passing. One has to understand what all those lectures were about.

I know transcribing notes is not an easy thing. That's why I try to transcribe only what I can. If others want to contribute, why not, chocnut?

It is also hard for me to delegate when I know that there are people who want their materials to be respected. I have high regard for these people because they have really worked hard for their materials.

If they share their materials with me with utmost confidentiality, I keep it. If I get no instructions, I ask their permission whenever someones else wants to get a copy. If I do get softcopies of someone else's transcriptions, I do not forward it to my friends in the lower batch. I tell them to get a copy from the one who transcribed. Since I collate our class digests, I also make sure that all those who contributed will get a softcopy of the digests as well. I do not make use of the transcriptions and case digests of other people whenever I edit transcriptions. I do not even take a look at it. If I will use a part of the transcribed lecture or a case digest, I will ask permission. Otherwise, I edit and digest on my own. That is how I respect the materials of others.

As for my materials, I try to put it out there.

If I keep it within myself, it is hard for me knowing that I entered into law school with that advice from Shalu.

Until now, I still think of that time when I absent-mindedly forgot to ask some of my classmates if they have read this material and it turned out most of the questions from that material came out.

Until now, I still think of that time when I hesitated to ask a question during our group study, thinking it was a minor stuff, but such question was asked in the exam.

I do hope that people do not become dependent with such materials. In the end, it is all up to them.

I think it is also hard for me to share my materials for a few because this would mean that I would also pass the burden to them of keeping things. And if I decide to keep my materials for a few, and I found out that someone else got hold of a copy, I would feel sad and sort of disrespected.

So, rather than keeping it to myself, I try to share.

I share my materials. The burden is hard for me to carry if I do otherwise.

I just want those materials to be respected.

No, I do not mean that you recognize and thank me for those. In the end, passing a subject really depends on you.

Respect means that you do not take recognition for something that you did not do. You need not recognize me for what I have done.

Respect means that you pay it forward. Do not keep it to yourself. In the first place, such material was shared to you.

Respect means that you put such material into good use.

I know it is possible I will get some flak with the things I do. Maybe I do already get some flak. I do not know. But I know it is possible and I think that way so that if I got wind of such talk, it wouldn't be that hard for me to accept.

In the end, I just do what I can with the purest intention.

One more thing. I just want to emphasize the fact that this is not all me. I get help.

Jo Anne is helping out with Tax 1 lectures.

Blithe, Flora, Sol and Alia are all helping out with the Corpo lectures.

And the rest of the class are putting in their share in the case digests.

I am happy with the way we compiled lectures and digests for our subjects last semester - Lab Rel, Tax 1, Partnership, Evidence, Prov Rem and Succession.

I pray it continues this semester with even better results.

This is what law school is about.

For me, that is.

Close to Home

Two days ago, someone got killed right here on the street were we lived.

It was around after 6 pm when I got a text message from my sister telling me that someone was stabbed. The house is across the house 2 houses from us. Yes, really close to home.

I have been in this neighborhood since around 1984, I think.

Sure, there have been those "kawat" wherein we just discover the next day that some of our clothes are gone. Sure, we have heard shouting matches. But nothing quite like this.

It is really sad and shocking for me to come home that night and pass by that house where there is a "police line do not cross" and there are still few kibitzers and some policemen.

What happened was that the one who died is a father of two. His sons, I think the one is working and the other is studying at Ateneo, were not yet at home. He came to visit them. When he got home, he found a robber inside their home. I think he was a policeman. We believe that a fight ensued. He was stabbed. He shouted for help. The neighbors went to assist but he was stabbed many times and there was already a lot of blood loss. The robber got away by going "over the bakod" at the back of the house.

My sister was at home that time. She called 911 and and probably another of our neighbors, too. The pulse was already faint, as it was checked by my sister.

Police, ambulance and media came. The son, who was a student in Ateneo, also came home in shock.

I wasn't here at home. I was already in the library at that time. Coincidence of all, this is the only second time this semester I went to the library that early.

The robber was caught. He was a taxi driver of Maligaya. I guess he figured that during that time, no one stays at that house. He lives right behind that house. As the police were investigating, they went to the house at the back of the house where the crime was committed. When they arrived, the lights were on. When they were at the gate, the lights were suddenly turned-off. They became suspicious. I think the guy surrendered. There were evidence - wounds and some bloodied slippers I think.

What makes this more shocking is that this guy lives next to the house where my friend/classmate lives. We haven't talked yet as to discuss the details.

I feel sad for his family. He was just here to visit his sons, with all the groceries for them. And his son comes home with a scene like that.

Tragic. Very Tragic. And so close to home.

Point Break

I haven't watched this film yet, even though it stars pareng Keanu and even though I think I already passed by one of the beaches where they shot some scenes in Australia.

Anyhow, this is not about the film but this is about me about to reach my breaking point.

It is just weird that after posting the previous blog, here I am blabbering how close I am to breaking.

I did mention that I feel I need a break. And I think that I posted that blog so that I can be amplified by appreciating how much I can do and how much it affects people.

Right now, i have a lot of things in my mind. But when do I have not much to think of?

I think it boils down how tedious our subjects are this semester. We have four subjects on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. We have recitations and we have those quizzes, announced or unannounced. I have already been caught off guard twice. My oh my!

I know I can still do this. But I really need to do something extraordinary just to make things more different. I know I can handle this but I need a break, which I know is quite improbable during these times.

Just a new activity will do. Just a change to re-energize me. Just something to stop this madness! Hehe

Or else .. I do not know what happens to me thereafter.

Thank You

When I do things, either for myself or for others, I do not expect much except that it would produce great results.

Lately, I have been getting questions on how I am able to do the things I do.

I do not have any direct answer to that. I just do what I can do.

Some may wonder if I have time to do some other stuff.

Well, I do have time to watch PBB and some other series on television. I still take time to read the newspaper everyday. I get to answer sudoku in the local paper. I play some games on my laptop. I sleep 6 to 7 hours a day, except when there is an exam. I still eat. I check out my Friendster. I blog.

There may be some other stuff I haven't been able to do for some time now.

I haven't watched a movie in months. Hopefully, I could watch one tomorrow.

I haven't played badminton for a long time. I hope I could play soon.

But that doesn't mean I am not ok with things going on in my life.

I just go with the flow and do what I can.

At the end of the day, I am thankful for all the things I could do.

I really don't expect that much gratitude for people who can benefit from what I do.

I guess that's the beauty of it. Such state of mind does not lead to disappointment. If I get something in return, that would mean so much.

Yes, those simple text messages of gratitude make my heart leap.

Yes, those simple acknowledgment that I have helped makes my life worthwhile.

Thank you for the respect.

For me, it gives much more meaning to my existence.

Thank you for the thank you.

P.S. Emote na kung emote .. haha! I am not posting this blog so that others will say thanks .. hehe .. I just feel posting :)

Tuesdays with ...

Quizzes!

Yes, we had quizzes in all of our 3 subjects today! Toynk!

One was announced and the other two were suprise ones!

Ah, what a Tuesday!

Last night and this morning, I was able to transcribe a Tax lecture and made a reviewer and study as well for our Lab Rel exam.

Pretty productive right?

But it was not enough though. I got to read the article for our quiz in Problem Areas in Legal Ethics (PALE). It was a Philo article, which for me, requires much effort to decipher. I pray we did well in our quiz.

While waiting for our first period class, I was still confused whether I will study for PALE or read Insurance stuff for our recitation.

Lo and behold, we got news that the other class was having a quiz in Tax. This means we would also have a quiz. Toynk!

All I could say at this point was: "Wait a minute, kapeng mainit! Lord, anong kasalanan nagawa namin sa iyo?" :)

And so, our Insurance teacher comes in. Lo and behold again, she asks us to put away our books and notebooks. Tadaa ... a surprise quiz! hahaha

Hay! I never had this much quizzes in one day in Law School.

I guess it was bound to happen.

And it did!

I just pray we did well :)

Time of Your Life

This is one of those songs which struck me unexpectedly.

I can't remember the first time I heard it. But I just dismissed it as one of those pop/rock stuff that sounds ok but I don't know the lyrics ... hehe

Two days ago, I was watching ER. This song was sung during a service for a kid who died of cancer. The way it was sung was quite striking. At first, I just thought it was familiar. Until the last line was sung ...

The last time this song lingered in my mind was when during my last few weeks at work. This also meant my last few weeks in Manila.

I really like this song. I wish I could sing this while playing a guitar .. yah right!

Another turning point;

a fork stuck in the road.

Time grabs you by the wrist;

directs you where to go.

So make the best of this test

and don't ask why.

It's not a question

but a lesson learned in time.

It's something unpredictablebut in the end it's right.

I hope you had the time of your life.

So take the photographs

and still frames in your mind.

Hang it on a shelf

In good health and good time.

Tattoos of memories

and dead skin on trial.

For what it's worth,

it was worth all the while.

It's something unpredictable

but in the end it's right.

I hope you had the time of your life.

Connected

While channel-surfing late this afternoon, I caught a few scenes from Crash. I don't know but no matter how many times I get to watch that scene where the child gets "shot" but was protected by the cloak, I get goose bumps.

Anyway, watching Crash again made me think about how things are so interrelated.

I know this may sound so shallow, but I can totally relate this connection with my favorite TV shows.

Anyone who really knows me knows how much I love watching TV. One of my favorite TV shows is ER. Reruns are being played on the Hallmark Channel.

Just see how things are connected ...

... Noah Wyle (John Carter), my favorite ER character, is Lea Salonga's physician in an ER episode. And Lea is a definitely one of my favorite Filipino celebrities. Imagine how excited I was the first time I heard and watched the episode.

... Mariska Hargitay, of Law and Order:SVU, had a recurring appearance in ER as a love interest of Dr. Mark Green and an ER staff. I love Mariska's character in Law and Order.

... I love watching House. Omar Epps, who is now in House, played an intern in ER, who committed suicide by jumping in front of a train due to the pressure.

... George Eads, Marg Helgenberger, and Jorja Fox all had recurring parts in ER and they are now in CSI, another of my favorite shows.

... Nathan and Peter Petrelli's mom in Heroes also had a guest role in ER.

I know there is so much more connection out there but this is all I can think for now.

My mind is probably not working as it should. I am thinking of nonsense stuff .. hehe.

Change

The only constant thing in this world is CHANGE.

I am pretty we've all heard this line before. And I am pretty sure we agree with it.

Of course, there are little changes and some big ones.

As for me, I can't say that my life has drastically changed over the past few weeks or so. But, yes, there were a few changes which I had to do or chose to do. And there were some changes that just happened.

First - I had my hair "untreated". Every six months or so, I have my hair cut and treated so that it would be not that wavy.

My hair has changed ever since. When I was a toddler (see profile), you will notice that I really had straight thin hair then. When I was in sixth grade, my hair was thick yet still straight. Right now, my hair is thick and wavy. Ah, evolution!

I am not sure why it became wavy. One reason could be it was bound to be or that because I grew up having short hair. My hair right now is one of the longest I ever had. Longest here means just around shoulder's length.

We decided to go to another parlor this time around and tried a different treatment. My hair was already damaged because of years of trying to straighten or relax it. Every six months or so, it becomes wavy again.

Anyway, it is really wavy right now. Some wonder if "nagpaayo ko ug buhok." In a way, I did. There are those who don't notice me instantly because I wear my hair different now. I think we just got used to me tying my hair up.

Second - I think it is quite a change to feel quite at ease with 3 of my subjects last semester wherein I didn't worry that much as to the final exams. This was because I got the results of my exams before I had to take my final exam and the results were pretty nice. It is quite rare in law school to get all your past exam results before you take your final exams so just you know where you stand.

I do hope I can make it as well with the other exams.

Third - Classrooms and classmates. New semester means a different assigned classroom. I am now back to our 2-Manresa classroom, which is near the store where we could buy food .. hehe. And unlike the past semester, we are now fewer than before. Does this mean that we'll bond more? hahaha ...

Fourth - Teachers and Schedules. Out of the 8 teachers I have for this semester, only one of them is new to me. No past exams, no expectations, no feedback. Oh, well .. all the best to us :) And on Tuesdays, we have a "break" between 8 to 7 .. ngek!

Fifth - Our house. Christmas is around the corner and our house is all spruced up. Christmas curtains are up and so is our Christmas tree. Christmas stockings are already hanging on our doors and Christmas decors are set-up on the tables.

Merry Christmas and a Happy Change :)

What's up, ketchup?

What's up with me? A lot !!

We just had our last Bus Org exam. As usual, there were questions based on cases which I have read but forgot the rulings again. Tsk ...

We already had our final exam on taxing and it was taxing .. haha! It was our second to the hardest exam in Tax. I pray I did ok with that one.

What else?

I am currently on an "exam break". This means I will not be taking any exam in the next 10 days as my next exam will be on November 5.

But it doesn't mean I am going to relax. There is still so much to do. I am not sure if I can do all of those stuff I am planning ... taking a break, studying, arranging my stuff .. hehe .. such a busy life!

Too much to do with little time might be taking its toll on me.

My sisters are saying that I talk a lot - either to them or to myself. Either way, they can't figure out easily if I'm talking to them when words come out of my mouth. I can't either .. haha.

They also say that I comment so much on what I see on TV. Why can't I just be silent? I guess I am just exercising my right to freedom of speech .. haha. Take note, hindi lang PBB ang pinapatulan ko .. kahit commercials. (Pansinin niyo: halos every commercial gap lumalabas ang commercial ng Colgate featuring Carmina and her son Mavy .. hehe)

And look! I pose for pictures! Is that me?

What would happen next? :)

At Last ...

At last ..

... Aning and Ian got married !

... I was able to attend a beach wedding !

... I was able to attend a wedding officiated in the morning !

... I was able to witness a civil rites wedding !

... I was able to be a part of a wedding breakfast reception !

... I wore a dress after two years !

... I got to hang out and see some of my college classmates !

Best wishes to Aning and Ian :)

How To Save A Life

While channel-surfing, I happen to see a trailer of Grey's Anatomy where this song was used as a background.

Nice song indeed!

HOW TO SAVE A LIFE

The Fray

Step one you say we need to talk

He walks you say sit down it's just a talk

He smiles politely back at you

You stare politely right on through

Some sort of window to your right

As he goes left and you stay right

Between the lines of fear and blame

You begin to wonder why you came

Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend

Somewhere along in the bitterness

And I would have stayed up with you all night

Had I known how to save a life

Let him know that you know best

Cause after all you do know best

Try to slip past his defense

Without granting innocence

Lay down a list of what is wrong

The things you've told him all along

And pray to God he hears you

And pray to God he hears you

Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend

Somewhere along in the bitterness

And I would have stayed up with you all night

Had I known how to save a life

As he begins to raise his voice

You lower yours and grant him one last choice

Drive until you lose the road

Or break with the ones you've followed

He will do one of two things

He will admit to everything

Or he'll say he's just not the same

And you'll begin to wonder why you came

Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend

Somewhere along in the bitterness

And I would have stayed up with you all night

Had I known how to save a life

Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend

Somewhere along in the bitterness

And I would have stayed up with you all night

Had I known how to save a life

How to save a life

How to save a life

Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend

Somewhere along in the bitterness

And I would have stayed up with you all night

Had I known how to save a life

Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend

Somewhere along in the bitterness

And I would have stayed up with you all night

Had I known how to save a life

How to save a life

Happiness ...

Happiness

... is a family gathering

... is a friend who sees to it if I'm doing ok

... is a friend who calls to ask if anything is wrong

... is a friend who sends an advice

... is when things are appreciated

... is when people are grateful

... is when I am able to express my thoughts

... is when I am able to sing a song played on the radio or MYX

... is when I get to watch my favorite TV shows

... is when I able to do so much in so little time

... is when I feel I am blessed

I am happy. I am ok :)

One True Thing

Someone asked me before what is it I dislike in a person.

I had a hard time answering. I can't even remember what my answer was.

With the turn of events, I realized that I don't like those who lie to me.

I can handle those who stab me in the back (I think). That is their opinion. I don't have much power to change that.

But I when it comes to someone deliberately lying to me, that would be a totally different story.

I do not insist that others tell me everything. If they have stuff they are not willing to share, I would not probe. I know when to stop, most of the time.

But people who make up stories when they don't need to disappoint me. Hate maybe too strong a word. But it disappoints me. It frustrates me.

I know I am not much of an emotional person. I do not invest much on my emotions.

I do not trust people that easily. Trusting for me is a complicated thing.

I trust that people act and do the things they do in good faith. I do not assume bad faith in the exercise of their functions and in the performance of their duties .. hehe. But I do not trust others easily when it comes to what I think, what I feel and what I believe in. I keep it between myself and GOD most of the times. But, yes, I do share every now and then.

When someone shares something or tells a story to me and they tell me it's the truth, then, I believe it.

And so, when I know that all of those were untrue, I am disappointed. Maybe hurt. But not angry. I think I am not angry.

I am frustrated because I do not know what to believe anymore. I do not know if all those stories told were true.

I am a complicated person. But this is me.

No apologies needed. That's how I deal with things.

I stll have much to do assessing what all of this is about.

For now, things will be different.

Series of Events

I am currently in a state where there is a lot of stuff to do and a lot of stuff to think about.

There's law school.

Our exams are scheduled up until the last week of November. Good luck na lang jud sa amin. So far, I am very thankful because I have passed, with decent grades, all the exams that were already turned to us. I was happy as to my 82 in our first exam in Tax. I was expecting a 62. I was extremely happy with my 92 in our second exam. I did not expect it. It was too high for my expectation. And to think all my answers were correct in the second part wherein I expected the worst.

And of course, we still have recitations and quizzes and all those cases to digests. Swerte na lang din siguro ako since I have classmates to depend on when it comes to case digests. As in, contribute gyud. Joint effort! When the going gets tough, the tough gets going. We're all in this together .. so high school musical!

Then, there's all those weekends - from the bar exams to Dean's death and my lolo's death. I am quite thankful that I think I am doing well holding up my self in school and in life in general.

I had to make-up for all those study hours that I have missed due to such events. But I am quite thankful because I think I have been able to do well despite my circumstances. Dean and lolo would have been proud of me.

I thank my classmates as well who attended my lolo's wake. I really did not expect anyone from school to come since they do not really know my lolo. But they did. I also thank those who extended their sympathies and always made sure that I am doing well.

I am also thankful for those who appreciate all the stuff that I was able to do. I am not expecting anything in return except maybe some respect. But I pray that there will be no issues and all those stuff because things are pretty ok with me.

Then, there was our exam in our tax this morning. I think my 2nd exam was better, to think that our third exam was more of past exam questions. I was only able to review it only once. I didn't remember that much. I pray we did well.

And then, there's me .. all those things going through over my head, little stuff, big stuff.

I am thankful that I am still sane, or maybe I just think I am.

Lolo

He was 84.

My Lolo Harding, the father of my mom, passed away last October 5. I wasn't expecting that he'd leave us on that day. But yes, there were signs. Even my lolo was prepared for his time.

Here is the speech I made, delivered by my brother, during the funeral mass for my lolo:

Good morning everyone.

I know we are all grieving today for my Lolo Harding has passed away. But I know wherever he is now he’s happy and contented with what he has left us. I’m sure each and every one of you here today has something to share on how my lolo touched your life.

As for me, I grew up having my grandparents lived near our home. Lolo Harding was known to my elder sisters as Lolo Ipil since they still lived in Agdao before. Later on, he was known to us, the younger apos, as Lolo Emerald, named after the street where they live in Ecoland. It was pretty convenient for me to have my grandparents near our home since we could visit them whenever we want to.

I always welcome those events when we gather for special occasions such as Christmas or New Year or even those ordinary Sundays. But I guess those annual birthday celebrations would always be special. I remember most especially his last birthday where we celebrated his turning into 84 years old. That was his last birthday.

I will always remember those times when we visit lolo and lola, they always ask us if we have eaten and always lets us know that we could get Pop Cola from their tindahan.

For us, his apos, lolo throws a funny line to us every now and then. If we are on our way home after visiting them, he tells us that he will first call his helicopter so that his helicopter can bring us home. Until now, we do not where his helicopter is.

During the last month or so, he asked for sumptuous food – crabs, shrimps, lechon, barbeque, humba, among others. I was also happy because that meant that we would have more of those delicious food often than before. My lolo even managed to crack a joke when my sister brought crabs. He said that his doctor told him that he is allergic to crabs. Well, we knew he was joking since he was the one who ordered crabs and he is the one “allergic” to doctors.

With my age, I have not much to tell on how Lolo Harding lived his life before I became I part of his life. But I am pretty sure that I am thankful he became a part of my life.

I know that he lived well. As any other ordinary human being, he has his misdeeds, just like any human being and just like any one of us here today. And I know he has made amends with the One above. We may no longer see him but we’ll always have these special moments we shared with him. He will always have a special place in our hearts. I hope that we will always remember the good times we spend with him: remember his smile, remember him happily and remember him often.

On behalf of my lola and the entire family, I want to thank everyone here to celebrate my Lolo Harding’s life. Many of you came from deep distances and we are very appreciative. Thank you also to all of you who called, wrote, or visited over the past several days. The outpouring of love and affection displayed to my Lolo Harding has been overwhelming and a source of comfort to my family.

As to my lolo, we love you. You will always be missed.

Thank you.

Obstacles

I am on a blog roll!

But I shouldn't be. I have tons of stuff to do. But here I am!

We just had our Bus Org 2nd exam. I had two questions which I don't think I had the right answers. I flip-flopped.

I guess what frustrates me is that the other one was a case of which I have read. Unfortunately, I forgot the ruling again. Oh, well!

Good thing that the 15 acts wherein a special power of attorney is required was asked. That sort of uplifted my spirit since I really wanted it be asked since it's the only provision I truly memorized and it's worth 30 points.

Oh, well .. that's life. I have to move on.

There are more obstacles to overcome :)

A Life Well Lived

Dear Dean,

Thank you.

Thank you for the lives you have inspired.

Thank you for being one of the major reasons why Ateneo De Davao - Law School stands out.

Thank you for waiting for me to be your student.

Thank you for your passion for teaching.

Thank you for our Civ Pro, Prov Rem and Rule 65 - Certiorari discussions.

Thank you for fervently and meticulously checking our exam paper.

Thank you for letting us know the 4Cs - correct, concise, clear and complete.

Thank you for reminding me to use spaces in between paragraphs.

Thank you for letting us take a class picture with you.

Thank you for your prize to us for being the over-all champs in the Conflicts of Law.

Thank you for attending our victory party.

Thank you for attending that conferment on your last day at school.

Thank you for that last class in Prov Rem/SCA, even though you were tired on that day.

Thank you for I topped the last exam you checked and gave in Civ Pro.

Thank you for the lectures.

Thank you for that last exam in Prov Rem, though I would have loved that you check it.

Thank you for making us responsible for our actions and always be ready.

Thank you for encouraging me more to go the distance.

Thank you because you made me excited for an exam.

Thank you for inspiring a number of people.

Thank you for a life well lived :)

Post Ops : Bar Ops

This is definitely a post-ops blog!

September is the month of bar exams. I was sort of living a jet-setter life when I went to Manila in a span of two weeks!

I was there for the second week of exam. I was happy that I was able to help out and experience helping out in the bar exams. I got there Saturday evening and left for Davao Monday morning. I attended classes in the same evening and slept from 10 pm to 9 am the next day. Yes, I lacked sleep when I was in Manila. Aside from the fact that I had to wake up early, I also stayed late catching up with my friend :)

Oh, my Manila experience would not be complete if I would miss out in seeing celebrities.

I love Bonifacio High Street and Serendra! The shops, the fountain, the grass, the open area .. very nice. I like the fact that people were having fun out there babies and pets in tow.

Well, Rachel Alejandro, Christian Bautista, Paolo Abrera, Bobby Garcia and Beth Tamayo got to see me .. hehe

But the biggest surprise I had was when Juday saw me and I saw Ryan.

My gosh! Juday is pretty and really glowing! I could not blame her .. hello! si Ryan Agoncillo ata boyfriend niya .. hehe!

My friend said that Juday must be really caring that's why Ryan fell for her.

I said I can compete with Juday when it comes to being caring. But I can't compete with her being beautiful .. hehe. Honest man ako!

Ryan, on the other hand, did not reach my expectation. Maybe I had high expectations. Maybe I was just so amazed how pretty Juday is that I forgot about Ryan .. hehe

Anyway, I guess you can call that closure :)

And so, I went back to Manila on the last week of the bar exams.

We were around 14 students in the Cebu Pacific flight that I took. Unfortunately, I was not able to win those memo pads .. hehe

Anyhow, this trip was less strenous as I had just enough sleep.

Iwas ecstatic that I had the chance to see up close and hear Elliot Yamin. I was all by myself in Glorietta, but I didn't care. I waited for over an hour. I didn't move from my place since I had a pretty good view and I am pretty sure I would lose it once I leave.

So, what did I do while waiting? I opened my Bus Org book and studied, with matching dermatographs .. hehe

The next day was the final day of exam.

Now, that was fun! It was nice to be there to experience it and be part of all the picture taking .. hehe. I woke up at 3 am, arrived at our headquarters at 4 am, run some errands in between and left the headquarter at around 7 pm. Slept for an hour and then left for the LA party just before 10 pm.

The LA party was ok was well. I am grateful that we have lawyers who are willing to shell out a few bucks so we could all party :)

The next day was my Mall of Asia day, by myself again .. haha! And of course, I studied for an hour at Subway (hai .. for the love of law school!)

Monday night was fun as I get to hang out with Han and company. While waiting, I studied at Mocha Blends (Awardan na jud ko ani ba!) We had dinner at Dencio's and had the time of our life singing and dancing while on a "cruise". We went on a cruise wherein we were the only passengers. We felt we were rich. We had some videoke time and dancing with matching choreography as well. O, ha!

Tuesday was UP day! At last, naka-abot na rin ako sa UP. Siyempre, pa-picture jud ko sa Oblation .. hehe

The night was spent dinner with friends and comedy bar with classmates.

We had a great time at the comedy bar. But I was confused if nalingaw ko or nainsecure. Those gays had great voices and some of them are more pretty than me .. haha!

I am so thankful with the bar ops trip. And I thank God that rain didn't dampen the mood. And I thank God profusely for keeping me safe despite taking those cabs alone late at night .. hehe. Malakas jud ako kay Lord :)

Oh, well! That is my post-ops. I guess I have recovered already :)

Consistently Inconsistent

I told one of my classmates that I try to be consistently inconsistent.

For me, this means that I am unpredictable.

It is pretty hard when I try to create this image that this is me. It is quite hard because that means once I deviate, people will notice and will make a fuss over it.

Take for example - the way I dress.

I am not a fashionista. I am most comfortable with shirt, jeans and pair of rubber shoes. My comfortable boots come in handy, too. But I do comply with dress codes. I do not have difficulty when it comes to conformity.

Nevertheless, no matter how I try to be unpredictable, there will always be that part that I am expected to be just because of precedence.

Today, I was in my formal get-ups. Yup, formal blouse, boots and black pants with belt. I was in my "going to work" outfit. But I just found it funny when people started to notice that I had a belt on, that I was wearing this attire.

Actually, I try to wear my formal outfits every now and then so that I could still use my office clothes. Anyhow, I also decided on that outfit since I was going to report in our Bus Org .. hehe.

Anyway, what I am trying to say is that no matter how I try to be consistently inconsistent, other people will always have that certain perception of me. I have been wearing formal get-ups every now and then since I was in first year law school. Some people just didn't notice it. I do wear that kind of outfit every now and then.

This just means that I may be consistently inconsistent in my own eyes, but I radiate a consistent attitude or personality or aura when I deal with others. Yes, this goes beyond the way I dress.

Yes, I am pretty sure that there will be never-ending hirits when they see me all dressed up - make-up, no eyeglasses, dress .. the total make-over. I do have had offers of make-overs from a few people. When the right occasion comes up .. perhaps .. hehe

For now, I still try to be consistently inconsistent ... even if only within my own perception :)

Weird

I find myself really weird.

Here are 5 reasons why I know I am weird:

1. I tuck my shirt when I go to sleep (insert na kung insert). Laugh all you want .. hehe!
2. I read out loud my reply in text messages sometimes. Yup, I do not just read the text messages I receive out loud. As in, if my reaction is "ngek! naunsa?" you will probably here it from me as I am "typing" my message.
3. I do not drink coffee and alcoholic drinks. Yes, I have tasted them .. that's why I don't drink them ... haha! But I do drink those icy cold fruity choco frappes whatever. I think they are coffee. I do sip to taste test a new drink. Yes, I have taken a drink or two out of respect but I have never been drunk, not even close. But that's about it. A number of people I know ask how am I doing in law school without drinking coffee. I don't know. I try to sleep 6 to 8 hours a day. If there's an exam the next day, 5 hours should be good. I know, coffee is an anti-oxidant. Oh well .. I do love regular Coke though! But I don't drink it to keep me wide awake.
4. I eat candies during exams, preferably Snow Bear. If Snow Bear is not available, any menthol candy. I have been doing this since I was in high school. I had candies when I took the CPA board exam. I think I am allowed to eat them during the bar exam .. I hope!
5. I used to be a thumbsucker. When I was in Grade Four, I still found myself sucking my thumb in school ... nge talaga! After when I noticed that, and I think my Grade 4 teacher noticed it, too (bless her soul), I stopped doing it in school. I think I was in first year high school when I totally stopped doing it. Until now, I can't figure why I was such a thumbsucker. They say thumbsuckers are insecure people. I don't think I am insecure. But maybe I am. I do not just know it. I remembered when I was around 8 years old and my aunt rubbed "sili" on my thumb. I put sugar on it just so I could suck it, pero halang gihapon. They said that my thumb would deform. It did not. My left thumb is doing ok, with no traces of being abused over a number of years .. hehe

These are just a few of my quirks. There is a lot of stuff that I can still share, probably weirder than these 5.

I think there is no one in this world who really knows the whole me. Although, I know that what people see in me is the real me.

Hay ...

Hay ...

Kung kailan nag-decide ako na hindi ako mag-unlimited text,
saka ang daming nagtetext na ayaw ko naman na hindi ako magrereply.

Kung kailan ako lumipat ng pila dahil sa tingin ko mas mabilis dun,
saka naman mas mabilis dun sa pila na pinanggalingan ko.

Kung kailan naka-plano na ang gagawin ko sa buong araw,
saka may ibang bagay na kailangan isingit.

Kung kailan ang daming kailangang pag-aralan para sa exam,
saka naman ang dami ring kaso na kailangan basahin.

Kung kailan ko nabasa iyong kaso at lumabas sa exam,
saka ko nakalimutan ang ruling sa kaso.

Kung kailan ayaw ko tumulong,
saka may mga tao na hindi ko mahindi-an.

Kung kailan ayaw ko magpa-distorbo,
saka may gugulo sa akin.

Hay ...

Heroes

After waiting for a number of weeks, I got the chance to watch the Season 1 Finale of Heroes.

Well, I already got a chance to watch the 22 episodes and somehow, my sister and I wasn't able to get a copy of the final episode of Season 1.

Thanks to RPN 9, we got to watch the Season Finale Tonight.

And I was so happy!

Actually, I was in a panic mode when we found out that RPN is showing The Siege. What? It was already 8 pm. The movie, according to the schedule, was supposed to be shown at 9.

After watching a scene, I thought that the movie was about the end. And then, the credits showed. Yehey! Heroes na jud!

I was happy and ecstatic with the finale. Of course, there is the typical cliffhanger thing. But that is okay with me because that is in the tradition of Heroes.

Anyway, I got these quotable quotes from http://www.tv.com/heroes/how-to-stop-an-exploding-man/episode/1008067/trivia.html.

Mohinder: (opening narration) Where does it come from? This quest?
This need to solve life's mysteries when the simplest of questions can never be answered.
Why are we here? What is the soul? Why do we dream?
Perhaps we'd be better off not looking at all. Not delving, not yearning.
But that's not human nature, not the human heart. That is not why we are here.
Yet still we struggle to make a difference, to change the world, to dream of hope.
Never knowing for certain who we will meet along the way.
Who among the world of strangers will hold our hand. Touch our hearts.
And share the pain of trying.

-oOo-

Peter: I’m not saying it’s not tragic for you, I’m just saying…y’know, death is the one thing that connects us all. It reminds us that what’s really important is who we’ve touched, and y’know, how much we’ve given. It makes us realize that we have to be good to one another.
See your father, he’s the real hero. Not me.

-oOo-

Charles: I look in Peter’s eyes, I see compassion, empathy, but most of all I see hope.
This world won’t be saved on strength, what it really needs is heart, and that means Peter.

-oOo-

Charles: Because there has to be one that’s good, there always has.
And your heart has the ability to love unconditionally.
Like I told you, in the end all that really matters is love.

-oOo-

Claire: (about the bomb) This is insane! Nothing is inevitable!
The future is not written in stone!

-oOo-

Mohinder: So much struggle for meaning, for purpose and in the end we find it only in each other. How we share experience of the fantastic and the mundane. The simple human need to find a kindred, to connect and to know in our hearts ... that we are not alone.

-oOo-

Mohinder: We dream of hope, we dream of change, fire, of love, of death ... then it happens, the dream becomes real, and the answer to this quest is need to solve life's
mysteries finally shows itself, like the glowing light of the new dawn ...

I Am Happy

I am happy because ...

... we just had our exam in Evidence

... even though most exam questions were not previously asked,

at least, I have an idea of what I feel I ought to write

... even though my answer could be wrong, I felt that I really studied for our exam

... our class case digests seem to have helped us in our exam

... our group study or discussions seem to have paid off (hopefully!)

... people around me, in school or at home, look out for each other

... I feel I am on the right track. Just imagine, I just had my exam and I was already thinking of what I will be studying when I get home.

Unfortunately, I am already at home and I still haven't started studying anything.

Oh well, just taking a break!

Again

Another day at law school, another day of recitation for our labor relations class.

This is my third time to be called for recitation in our Lab Rel.

Everytime I get called, I pray that I would be able to get 75. Just 75. That would do.

For now, I do not have any idea what my grade in our recitation was.

Oh well, I almost made it quite okay today. Unfortunately, I bungled up with the cases, of which I have painstakingly digested (as in literally and figuratively).

Why do I not get some questions when it's my turn to recite in class?

Why do I get confused and get dazed with ma'am's questions?

Why do I get nervous?

Hahai ....

And for the third time in Lab Rel, I sort of failed myself again. Still not quite!

And again, not that I am complaining, I was "interrogated" with love life questions while waiting for our teacher.

Just the same, I gave the same answers ... hehe ...

Coincidence

Coincindences, great or small, amazes me.

I need not necessarily know the reason why such things happen or what they mean. All I know is that they happen.

It's great to know that you do things just because you want to.

Sounds vague?

There are times in law school where I take time to read bar questions and reviewers. I do not retype them all the time.

When we took up Obligations and Contracts back in first year, I took the liberty of looking for bar exam questions related to our topics for our third exam. I re-typed it, along with some questions from reviewers, and shared it. I think there were at least 3 questions that were asked from that compilation. Most of my classmates were also happy since they remembered the answers to those questions. I was happy for them. I was happy for me.

Unfortunately, there were just 14 of us who passed that subject :(

Whenever there is an opportunity and I have read all the basic stuff which I planned to read, I do enjoy group studies. It makes me remember things easily. In group studies I joined, there were questions that were asked that I was thankful that we were able to discuss it.

Last week, I also compiled bar questions for Provisional Remedies. Two questions came up in our exam. My classmates noticed. Some of them got the answer. I was happy.

The other class had their exam on Evidence last Saturday. Since I am still a "concerned citizen" as to my former classmates, I asked my former classmate "why is the best evidence rule a misnomer?", just to try if he already studied. I did not know the answer at that time but I asked him to look for it.

Anyway, I also told another former classmate if she had a compilation of UP Bar Questions. She said that she has. I checked it. I told her it did not include "the misnomer question". I gave her a copy since I had it photocopied.

I don't know what made me ask that question to them. I just did. It was the kind of question that constantly lingered on my mind. To think that it was not for my exam. And to think that I can't remember the answer to that question right now.

That question came up. I was happy because they knew the answer. I pray that they answered it satisfactorily.

I hope they did well. I hope we did well.

There are things that we notice because they make a big deal.

We notice these coincidences because they strike us.

If I would have asked 30 questions and none of it came out, it would not be as much as a big deal if 2 questions from such compilation were asked in an exam.

It's all about perspective.

It's all about how we view things.

It's all about our choice to take a look.

It's all about what we think matters to us.

That's when we notice these coincidences!

Veronica Mars

I was able to catch an episode of Veronica Mars the other day.

I am not an avid viewer of this show but I do watch it if had some time to kill and there are no better shows on TV.

Anyway, the detective stories - the racist and the drinking under the legal age - were quite okay.

But I am more interested in sharing Veronica's love life ... hehe.

Please pardon if I am not so familiar with the characters.

Anyhow, Veronica and Logan already broke up. Logan is already dating someone. This someone invites Veronica to her birthday celebration, which I believe was held at Logan's pad. And so, to show that she is not bitter and cool with everything, Veronica agrees to attend the party. She also asks her two friends to be her wingmen, para hindi naman siya magmukhang kawawa na siya lang mag-isa. Wallace says ok. The other guy hesitates, then, says ok. Wallace says that he thought he was going somewhere. And the other guy says that it was all right. Wallace mentions something about going in and not taking things in stride - something to that effect. He explains that this guy friend seems to be one of those who watches others play poker and thinks that he is actually playing poker. Wallace tells him to just go in.

Wallace and the other guy actually attended the party but they came ahead of Veronica. Anyhow, Veronica had conversations with Logan and the birthday celebrator. A cake was presented by Logan, with a picture of him and the birthday celebrator. When Veronica was given a slice of the cake, she got that portion with Logan's face on it - irony of all irony.

Veronica is pestered by some other guy. Off she goes to her other guy friend and asked her to pretend that he is her boyfriend. And the other guy, thus, pretends.

Wallace comes to Veronica and asks her not to lead this other guy friend because he will get hurt in the end.

And so Veronica gets to talk to other guy friend. He doesn't say anything and kisses Veronica and leaves.

On the way out, Wallace asks the guy friend if he's okay ... he says "he went in". He was smiling.

Veronica went after him at the elevator and asks him why he left. The other guy says that he should leave since the night could not end better. Veronica kissed her.

The elevator door opens. Logan sees them kissing.

Oh, see! Interesting scenario indeed. I am not sure where it leads and I am not sure if I will be able to see the next episode.

But that was pretty ok.

Don't get me wrong. I am still not a romantic person.

I just felt that the circumstances and scenarios in that episode were quite interesting!