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 :)