Halo-Halo Espesyal

Again, this is another of my halo-halo blogs wherein I just basically share the ice, macapuno, ube, sago, nangka, nata de coco milk, sugar, ice and leche flan in my everyday life .. haha

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Nagutom ako dun ah .. hehe

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My hair is still ok but it does not have that galing sa parlor effect. So, medyo pangit ang ends. Makabili nga ng blower .. haha! Nevertheless, I am ok with my hair and it is still better than the treatments I have had before. It is still straight and smooth!

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Do you believe in soul mates? I am not sure if I have crossed paths with my soul mate. But I do think that it is possible to have one in this so-called life.

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Mom's back and we are so happy. Aside from pasalubongs and the pictures, it's nice that mom is back here safely.

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I am happy for I know a number of people who passed the bar exams. Two of my batchmates in high school, Omar and Pillar, passed the bar exam. And so did Suseyline, a batchmate in College. Others were those I knew in law school and I am just happy for them. I am also ecstatic that Ruby Luy from our school made it to Top 9. Ayos! Galenga niyo oi!

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Nevertheless, I know of at least 7 people who did not pass the bar exam. Maka-sad. I prayed for them pa naman. I know malakas ako kay Lord most of the times. But maybe this is not the time for them just yet. I don't blame them if they sulk for a while. But they are pretty strong individuals and I am sure they will move on and start reviewing if they are really determined to become lawyers.

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The 2007 Bar Exams is said to be the hardest ever. Just imagine, they lowered the passing grade from 75% to 70% and adjusted the disqualificaction grade from 50% to 45% in labor, civil law and criminal law. If there were no adjustments made, only 5% of the ones who took the exam would have passed, instead of the current passing rate of around 22%. Our school's passing rate, although better than the national passing rate, was lower than last year. Tsk, tsk. I pray that when our time comes, things will be better.

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I was happy that our final exam for Tax 2 was a multiple choice type of exam. I was hoping it would be. This time, pinakita ni Lord na malakas ako sa kanya. I was praying for such type so those who were not able to study well can have an easier time. Yahoo! Nevertheless, kara-kara pud ko answer sa 55 questions kasi iexplain pa. So, from short hand na long hand na towards the end. From 2 or more sentences as explanations, I had one short sentences for explanations in the last 15 questions. I was able to answer only 15 questions in the first hour, thinking that there were only 33 questions. 55 pala when I checked it after an hour. With 30 minutes remaining, I still had 15 or so questions to answer. May na lang nahuman nako ;)

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Masarap kumain ng libre .. haha! Salamat :)

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A two-hour all girls conversation is one of the simple stuff I enjoy in life. With some food on hand, chika galore is one thing I look forward to. Enjoy jud!

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It has been quite some time when a few of my classmates got to visit our home. I had fun when 4 of us had lunch, merienda, watched Michael Clayton and played a little bit of Wii here at home. Lingaw!

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While having our make-up class today, shouts for joy were heard near the dean's office. The list of graduates for this year is out. They are the ones we are looking for to pass the next bar exams. More power to you guys!

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Change of plans but nevertheless an experience. I did not make the right turn so medyo nadelay ang dinner. Super apologetic intawon ko. Tsk tsk .. Anuyhow, first time ko kumain sa Bankerohan. Sarap kaayo ang bulalo na mainit-init pa .. hehe. Sundan pa ng 2 oras na videoke. Sali mo na 5 ka tao na lingaw kasama plus ako. Eto ang ma-miss ko after law school .. hehe :)

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I know it's summer but for the past week, it has been raining here in Davao City. Today was first rain-free day in a week, I think. It was sunny the whole day. It was the kind of day na masarap kumain ng halo-halo espesyal. Haha!

WeirDO!

Got a hair cut. Got my hair treated.

Tadaa! I've got a new 'do! And for two days I am happy with it. I pray it will last long though .. I, mean, it being this way na parang galing sa parlor parati .. haha ..

I first thought of having a really short hair, boy cut para less hassle. But I decided against it after a classmate told me not to shock her senses and after my sister told me na I would be super young-looking if my hair with my shorter. So, I settled for this 'do.

I guess the people in law school are not accustomed to me having short hair. I mean, I have had my hair short since I was a kid. Before I had my hair cut recently, my hair was the longest ever .. just an inch or two below the shoulder. And I just usually tie my hair up in school.

And so, I got some nice reactions and compliments from people. I am not sure if they are telling the truth or just say something nice for the sake of saying something. But I do appreciate the compliments. And I never had this much compliment from a hair cut as far as I can remember .. haha .. deprived?

I feel like I am kid, like my little cousin Kisay. I think Dora and I have similarites, minus the bangs .. haha. My classmate thinks that may pagka-sophisticated daw .. pwede pala akong maging ganun. Bagay daw sa akin. You guys make it really worth .. hehe

Oh, well .. let's see in a few days what happens with this new 'do! :)

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

There is only one TV show that can get me teary-eyed in each of its episode.

This show is none other EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION.

I admit that I am not a loyal follower of this show in a sense that I ensure that I get to watch each and every episode. I cannot remember the first time I got to watch it. I think this was shown in RPN 9, before it became C/S, but somehow I lost track of when it is supposed to be shown. Now, it is shown over at the Velvet channel and I get to watch it once in a while in its 11:30 a.m time slot on Saturdays. I do not think I can catch in on prime time though. I only get to watch it on Saturdays when I do not have exams on that day.

Anyhow, the whole concept is extreme makeover of a family's home. I think the criteria is that the family owns the land and the home needs a makeover, depending on the needs of its members.

Last Saturday, the design team made a new home for a family where mom and dad are both deaf and the youngest son is blind and autistic. The eldest son is quite normal. Given the circumstances, this family was really quite deserving of that home makeover - latest technology inside the house so that they could watch over their son on screens placed all over the house, fire alarm that doesn't alarm but rather blinks, labels in braille all over the house and the biggest swing one must have probable seen. You should have seen how ecstatic the kid was when he was on that swing.

Aside from that, there was a home make-over for a family wherein a child has special needs - because of some illness - and making sure such home was safe. There was another were they made room for like 4 kids where there parents died and their aunt, with her huge family, decided to make the kids part of their household as well. There was another wherein they lost their mom. Heartwarming stories indeed.

The design team is one great team and I can feel that they love what they are doing. Who would not be? They get to do what they love to do - construction, interior design and the works, and in addition, be of great help to other people. It's not just that they love what they are doing. I think they are blessed with what they do.

The contractors are amazing as well. You can likewise feel that they love what they are doing.

And there's the whole neighborhood who cheer the team on and welcome the family to their new home. Poster and cheers galore! The episode with the blind and autistic kid was more heartwarming in the sense that the neighbors, instead of clapping, shook their hands in the air - clapping in sign language. There was silence but poignant nevertheless.

This is indeed one great reality TV show and I am happy that there are people, sponsors included, who do such great work for such great people.

Pay It Forward ...

... and Back!

Pay It Forward was a nice film. I liked it but I do not necessarily love it. The concept was nice but I did not like the way it ended. I am ok with a lead actor dying. But not that way - dying with a single stab wound from a pocket knife most probably.

Anyhow, paying it forward was really a nice concept. Idealistic but probable. Three big favors for three other people. Not bad at all.

The thing is huge favors entail huge sacrifice. Huge sacrifice entails much decision making. I am not against granting big favors. But somehow it is not that easy to do. There are so many factors, depending on the circumstances, one has to consider.

As for me, when there seems to be no opportunity as yet to grant huge favors, small favors would probably do. It may be small but it is most likely to be done. If I can't give a ladder for a person to climb, I might as well provide one rung to that ladder. One at a time will do.

Now, with small favors, we can still pay it forward. And paying back would not be bad at all. While I do not expect people to pay back any thing that I have done for them, I am truly grateful for the simplest and smallest gesture of appreciation.

Those short thank you notes. Those simple thanks through text messaging. Those notes added when my stuff are returned. Thank you.

And as for me, I am grateful for those who help me out. I know I may seem to be an independent person. But everyone needs a helping hand. We get by with a little help from our friends so to speak. Although it is a conscious effort for me when I ask a favor from one person, it is quite rejuvenating for people who extend their helping hands for me.

Paying the kindness extended towards us would be great. But paying such kindness back to the giver is not that bad at all.

Lost in Translation

Let me know if you get lost.

I was born here in Davao City. I grew up here. But I do not speak Dabawenya. The Dabawenya is a dialect which is spoken by people who are not actually from the City of Davao.

I speak Bisaya. But Davao City is in the Island of Mindanao. Davao is not in Visayas. Bisaya is not taught in school. We just basically grew up with it.

I speak Tagalog. But not Tagalog as in the Tagalog that is spoken in Manila and the rest of Luzon. My Tagalog is a half-Tagalog, half-Bisaya actually. It is incorrect Tagalog and incorrect Bisaya. I have been told that some of my Tagalog or Bisaya, whichever is applicable, is wrong.

But I don't get offended. My dialect has a world of its own. I am pretty sure that most of you already received or read that e-mail as to the dialect that is spoken here in Davao. It is fun reading it, from my perspective that is.

The dialect that I speak, whatever you may call it, is also not taught in school. It has its way of evolving I think. There is the syntax of "gina" and "mag", the use of "gani" and "lagi" and a whole lot of prefixes, suffixes, and other words as well.

The thing is my mom was born in Bohol and grew up in Davao City. My dad is from Davao del Sur. So, they really know Bisaya terms. But I don't know why we end up speaking this dialect that we speak. I think it may be the influence in schools and office. I am not sure.

I find it quite funny when people adjust when they speak to me. Yes, I have had classmates, even way back, na maka-Tagalog ug ahat when speaking to me. I think they are feel obliged to speak in Tagalog (my Tagalog, that is) when they speak to me. Makaulaw minsan because they adjust even if I can perfectly (ok, most lang) understand Bisaya. And I also speak Bisaya baya. Parang makahiya kasi mag-effort pa sila for me when in the end, I can understand them either way.

When I worked in Manila, my Bisaya was honed. Funny, isn't it? I was living with people who spoke more Bisaya than we do at home. My seatmate in the office studied in Cebu. So, Bisaya jud! When I got home for the holidays, my brother made a comment na na-Bisaya na daw ko .. haha!

I also remembered that I was asked by one of our foreign managers if I think in my dialect and translate in English. Or do I think English then translate it in Bisaya or Tagalog? Or do I think in Tagalog then translate in English? It made me think .. do I translate words before speaking in English? I think what I said was I think in Tagalog then translate in English. Am I making sense or are you already lost? Hehehe ...

That manager also took note that I was at an advantage compared with my two other Filipino officemates. I can understand them with their Tagalog and but they cannot understand me fully if I speak in Bisaya .. hehe.

Oh well, I guess it all boils down on how we make sense out of everything - trying to adjust, trying to communicate and trying to understand one another and making this life more exciting.

Bits & Pieces

As usual, I have been doing and thinking lots of stuff.
So, here are some bits & pieces as to my current state of my mind.

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We had our 3rd Tax exam last Saturday. I am not saying that it was not hard. But I just like the state that I was in while answering our exam. Tuloy-tuloy ang current thought and things are quite familiar. Hindi ako nablanko. Simbako mabagsak ako, I will still say na I haven't that kind of exam where I felt ok in such a long time. And my favorite question, which I was really hoping to be asked, was the number one question.

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I was so ecstatic last night when I saw a post that a sequel to the X-Files movie will be shown this July. Oh my! I'm a big fan of this show .. as in! And I am so looking forward. Super looking forward!

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We had our Medico-Legal Friendship Games over the weekend. Sana mas maraming audience pero given the circumstances ok na rin. I prepared the questions for the Quiz Bowl and I was happy na it was well-received na it was within the category of Difficult, More Difficult and Most Difficult. Pero ang highlight para sa akin kay yung nag-commentator ako sa basketball nung Saturday. Dream come true! Since I'm a big basketball fan back in elementary and high school, I dreamt of being a sportscaster but I did not want to take up Mass Com kay daghan na ga-take. Anyway, at least, I was able to accomplish such dream. Next dream please!

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Oh my God! Wait! I'm so sorry! I can't believe what I saw when I watched sa youtube yung nanalo ng Binibining Pilipinas - World. Oh my God din talaga masabi ko!

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First time here in Davao na kami lang ng kapatid ko namalengke sa Agdao. We've done it before but we always had our parents around.

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I was asked if may crush ba daw ako sa law school. Sabi ko wala. Weird ba ako? I mean I appreciate what I see pero it does not mean my heart will leap (or does it .. hahaha) Ewan ko masyado na ako discerning parang I stopped having crushes.

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Conversation goes something like " si Y ikasal na". "Buntis?" "Oo." Hehe .. Pano na daw pagsinabi si Jazzie ikasal na? Eto ang pamatay na reply: "Ha? Ikasal si Jazzie? Sure ka si Jazzie ikasal?" Kaya walang nangyayari sa akin dahil sa mga hirit ko na ganito .. haha

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I was all by myself last night watching a rerun of Going Bulilit. Sigaw "Sunog! Sunog!" Tanong ni Hopia: "San nagsimula ang apoy?" Sagot ni Sharlene: "Nagsisimula po ang apoy sa letter A". Hilarious!

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That's all for now!

Drive Me Crazy

It has been over a year since I officially started driving.

I already got hold of two student permits way back in college but I somehow never got to that point of applying for non-professional driver's license. I was ok with the daily commute since it is just one ride from our home.

Anyhow, I eventually had the nerve to get a non-professional driver's license with my sister.

Everything was done one step at a time. Most of the time I practiced within our subdivision, my dad's office and SM nearby.

And then, the first time I drove to school I called up my friend and neighbour to accompany me in my great adventure. I was happy she was around although we had our nervous laughs nung namatay ang makina in the middle of of the road. And it happened twice that day.

Afterwhich, I am thankful for things have been ok. I am grateful for my everdearest classmates and friends who have been there being patient with me. It was quite funny at first because I always warn them whenever its my first time to pass by this street or this bridge or somewhere. I was always apologetic kapag namatay ang makina in the middle of nowhere.

I am still not hawd since I still have difficulty with parallel parking. As in, pinapawisan ako ng maraming singot in the two times I attempted this. And I thank the Jacinto boys for being patient with me .. hehe.

Napapraning pa rin ako pagmag-park. And mahirap minsan maghanap ng parking space sa school. But that's part of the deal.

I've had my share with scratches - twice sa gate. O di ba, yung hindi pa talaga gumagalaw ang natamaan ko. Mas ok nga iyon di ba? And there's another slight encounter sa bumper ng pick-up. But thank God, that's about it.

Once I was so near a flower pot but I told my classmate that it's alright since I am purposely moving away from the car of my teacher. Mabuti na iyong flower pot kesa sasakyan ng teacher ko .. hehe

I have had two interesting situations with our car. There was that one hot Saturday afternoon na namatay iyong makina but it won't start again. As in! And I was all by myself and I was in the middle of an intersection. Hala, nanawag intawon kina manong. Buti na lang may mga trisikad drivers and may repair shop na malapit. Gitulak intawon nila hanggang nag-andar. Ayon, nag-thank you ako. Nung medyo malayo ako, naalala ko na nakalimutan ko magbigay ng pangkape man lang sa kanila. Hay, na-stress talaga ako nun. Nahiya na rin akong bumalik kaya ipinagdasal ko na lang sila sa kanilang kabutihan .. hehe

The other time was when it was already nighttime and we had to get something. I already parked the car and I forgot to close (close ba ang tamang term?) the windows that's why I had to start the engine again. Eh, ayaw. Hala, my lady classmate and a tindero tried to push the car to no avail. Mabuti may auto shop uli. Chineck, wala namang problema. Tinulak ng 2 manong, umandar na. Hindi ko na nakalimutan magbigay .. hehe

Ewan ko pero in these 2 occasions, I feel so blessed. At first, medyo panic mode ako. But then, I realized na I just have to park the car kung anuman then I will call my dad and go about my business. Hehe ...

I am one of those motormouths. Yup, I sing to my heart's delight whenever I know the song being played on the radio. I know that I look funny as if I am talking to myself. The car I drive is not heavenly tinted. So, klaro jud. Ok lang, pasalamat na lang iyong mga tao dahil hindi nila ako naririnig.

There are still areas of which I dare not drive. But time will come that I will drive through those roads. I am no hurry. I am taking my time.

I am quite aware that with driving comes great responsibility. I remember my classmate saying that she would not drive just as yet because it may be the reason why she won't be able to take the bar exam (simbako).

So, everyday, I pray that I continue to drive safely. I know I am one crazy creature. But I am one crazy creature who tries to drive safely. So, help me God!