Belated Birthday

It's been two weeks since I turned 26. And it has been 2 weeks and 4 days since my last post.

It's not that I got lazy. I think I just got a lot of things to do lately.

When I turned 26 two weeks ago, it was quite simple ... no fireworks! But I was happy and at peace .. hehe :)

The day was quite simple. Like any other birthday celebrator, I was up until two - multi-tasking between studying and answering text messages. Until lunch break, I was busy with my phone and studying at the same time. I was busy forwarding messages that we had no classes in Soc Leg (a happy birthday indeed) and saying thanks to all those who sent their birthday greetings. I was happy because a lot of people remembered my birthday - family, high school friends, college friends, former officemates and friends in law school. And it was from different parts of the world - Davao, Surigao, Zamboanga, Manila, San Diego, LA, Arizona. I got a long distance call, an e-mail, a friendster message, text messages and personal greetings. I felt I was a celebrity ... hehe!

But aside from that, things were pretty normal. This means I was off to school at 3. We practiced for our Legal Pictionary, discussed stuff for the Conflict of Laws, conducted classes in Civ Pro. I had dinner with my seatmates before helping out with the props for Intrams. It was quite a nice day!

More than anything else, I am grateful that I am 26 because it means I have been blessed by God for 26 wonderful years. I need not enumerate those stuff that I am thankful for ... hindi talaga ako matatapos!

Just an interesting trivia whenever my birthday comes up - someone always end up asking for confirmation if my birthday on the 30th or 31st. Sometimes, someone even greets me on the 30th. 2 people just did greet me on the 30th ... lingaw!

On another note, although being 26 is not necessarily a milestone, I love saying I am 26 because a number of people say that I look younger (actually, gapalibre lang sila ... hehe). Basically, wala daw koy buot ... haha! Yes, I sometimes go to school wearing a backpack with Mickey Mouse on it. Yes, I wear pink rubber shoes. Yes, I can make the corniest hirits. Yes, I am 26.

Last Friday, on the way to school on a cab (cab daw oh!), the taxi driver asked me when would be our JS Prom. I was laughing and told him I am a law student, 26 years old. He was apologetic (hehe) and he said that I look like a third year high school student. Haha! To think, that he didn't see my backpack yet. I was in a polo shirt and khaki pants ha. I replied that I had my JS Prom 10 years ago.

To top it off, my sisters and I were eating squid balls last Sunday when this somewhat middle-aged lady, (between 50 to 60) looking after her apo, asked if we are sisters. We said yes. She pointed to my youngest sister as the youngest one. Right on! Then she asked me what year in school am I in? I answered, without any hesitation, 2nd year law student. She was shocked .. hehe! She thought I was still in high school. Take note, high school ha ... hindi college. And then she added that my sisters look like elementary students.

I do not know what is in the air why I look like a high school student even though I just turned 26. Maybe I am at peace ... Yes, I do think I am at peace. I am ok. Life is good. I just keep my faith in the Lord.

But now that our exams are piling up, I would not be surprised if in a week's time, I would look like older than 26 ... hehe ;)

Sounds Good ....

Life has been pretty ok these past few days. Here are some good news which I would like to share:

I passed all my Second Year - First Sem Subjects! I am so thankful !!!

-oOo-

Our next exam would be on February 9. No exam next week ... woohoo! We had our exam in Civ Pro last night (but it was quite difficult :( ) .

-oOo-

Conflict of Laws next week. I am quite excited because it is 3 days of sportsmanship and competitiveness and no classess ... go, 2nd year!

-oOo-

For the first time since high school, I would be playing a sport in an intramurals. Wish me luck in badminton! (I need it ... the girls on the other levels are quite good!)

-oOo-

My birthday is coming up ... I'll be 26 soon! I don't know why I'm like this ... I know I will be turning 26 but it seems I'm a 6-year old excited for her upcoming 7th birthday

-oOo-

Just be happy!

At last again

At last, I found time to blog after 38 days.

Congratulations to me for my 1st blog for year 2007.

Just in case you are wondering what I have been up to and what has been on my mind, here are some random thoughts .....

I was hospitalized from Dec. 19 to 24 for dengue. Yes, my early Christmas break was spent at the hospital. Actually, our last class for the year was on Dec 14. I got the fever on the 16th. Before I was hospitalized, there were times I cried because of headache and body ache. I really hate the feeling of doing nothing. It was just watching TV and sleeping and not much of eating. I even got bored watching TV

-oOo-

I wasn't able to buy anything for anyone this Christmas. It sucks since I did receive some stuff. But I really didn't have the time and the energy to buy gifts.

-oOo-

Good thing I had time to spend with my friends! I got to see Bajo after more than a number of years years. Since my brother was in the hospital from Dec. 27 to 29, we just stayed in the hospital and talk about stuff. Weird but nice!

-oOo-

I also got to be with Elaine, Maan, Farinah and Paula. We met at a hospital (again!) since Chikoy, Paula's baby was hospitalized for fever. Afterwhich, we, except for Paula, went out for dinner. We, minus Farinah, watched Mano Po 5. I am thankful for Maan and Elaine for understanding my choice not to watch Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo. Such loyal friends!

-oOo-

Because of my dengue bout, I miss a couple of get-togethers. I wasn't also able to meet up with great friends due to some other constraint. Sayang!

-oOo-

I passed my Property Subject, thank God! My first exam was 64. The second one was 77. So the third exam was a make or break deal. I got 83. My grade - 75! Yehey!

-oOo-

I got 85 in Public Corporation, 86 in Criminal Procedure, 89 in Elections and 93 in Land Titles. So far, so good. But I still have 2 subjects to worry about :(

-oOo-

My first exam in Civil Procedure is 89. Yehey! Although, I have to admit, I feel weird since I had a number of grammatical errors. As in is/are errors! Perhaps I don't notice because of my long sentences. I have to improve on that one.

-oOo-

I don't make New Year Resolutions!

-oOo-

I bought a P300 Globe card with 35 text last December 26. And I had to load again yesterday. I think I am in demand nowadays ... hehehe ... and I didn't even notice it before I checked the balance on my load.

-oOo-

Conflict of Laws, our intrams, is coming soon. Practices, practices, practices! Oops, I did not joing Cheerdance and Dance Showcase .. hehehe ...

-oOo-

But most importantly, I am turning 26 soon. I may not be able to literally use the excuse quarter-life crisis. But figuratively, I still can :)

Cry

Before I left for Manila to work, I felt that I was the type of person who cries rarely.

From then on, I think I became more sensitive. It was more easy for me to cry. Maybe it was the distance. Maybe all the emotions I kept all those years came out. I don't know why.

I cried when our pet Tootsie died recently. I cried when I explained to my mom when the father of my classmate/friend died. I cried when I told stories to my housemates when I was in Manila. I cried when I was asked if we could do our job. I cried when I felt I made so many errors. I cried when we left our sister in the US. I cried when she left to study for the US. I cried when my mom left for Davao and I would be working in Manila. I cried when the RP Basketball team lost against South Korea in the 2003 Asian Games. I cried when my friend broke up with her boyfriend. I cried when the older kids in Goin' Bulilit left the show. I cried when a cab driver told me about his faith.

But I haven't cried over Ryan-Juday. I don't think I will :)

Yes, I do cry. It may be for different reasons. I am just human. I may not be ultra-sensitive nor soft-hearted. But I cry. I just seldom show it.

Tootsie

She could have been Britney. My sister just beat me into naming her.

Tootsie was born last September 17, 2000.

Our dear and first-ever pet Tootsie died last December 7, 2006. She died of pyometra, something to do with her matres (english ba to?). We decided not to operate her because aside from being expensive (approximately P3,000), we felt she would be too old to undergo such operation. So, we let her go.

Before I left for school that day, I told her to wait for me to get home. When I got home, she was still alive, struggling so to speak. She had difficulty in breathing as the enlargement of her matres affected her heart. I was crying when I saw her. I said to her that it's OK, she can go now. (I can't believe I am still teary-eyed).

I'm pretty sure every one will agree with me that it hurts when someone we care for has to go, even it is just a pet. Before Tootsie, I was quite hesitant to have a pet in the house because I was pretty sure that it would be a great responsibility, even if I have 4 more siblings. I felt that eventually, we would let our helper take care of our pets (good thing that our helper loves dogs ... but we still do our share). But Tootsie was indeed a right decision.

Here are 5 reasons why I love Tootsie:

1. Her somewhat-curly hair

2. Potty-trained ... unlike our other dogs, Tootsie is the only one who underwent potty training ... she doesn't pee nor poo inside our house.

3. Being behaved when we bathe her.

4. The feeling I get when I caress her.

5. Her excited bark whenever someone from the household is around the corner.

I miss Tootsie!

I do not dream big when it comes to houses. A lake house would do .. if I were to live in another part of this world that is.

It would be nice to have a lake house with a mail box, a magical mail box that is. A magical mail box that be my connection to someone in the past or the future, any will do. A magical mail box that will be my connection to Keanu Reeves whom I will eventually meet ... aah, dream land!

After a long time, I got to watch The Lake House ... and I so love it! I was really planning to watch it on the big screen but law school schedule would not permit me to do so. And so, thank God it's Saturday, I got to watch it on DVD, pirated that is.

At first, I decided to watch The Break-Up since I thought it would require less concentration and I could do something while watching it. But what the heck! It's about time to watch The Lake House. And so I gave it my full concentration. Truly, no regrets!

It is a given fact that I am not a romantic person. But I did get teary-eyed in two scenes. One scene was when Alex was looking at a picture of his dad and him in front of the lake house. The other scene was when Kate asked where he could contact Alex when he saw the portrait of the lake house. I already had a feeling where the plot would lead me when Kate rushed to that guy in an accident. Add to that when Kate related such incident to Alex thinking that that guy who died probably had someone waiting for him or no one at all. I already envisioned myself with tears rolling having that feeling that Alex is already dead or is going to die ... but there were no tears :)

I love the film! Aside from the Keanu-Sandra tandem (of which I am a big fan since Speed), the plot was quite nice. I felt truly great after watching it. Sandra is one of my favorite celebrities. And Keanu makes my heart leap ... no kidding!

No Such Thing

There are a number of No Such Thing in Law School.

One of these is T.G.I.F. Yup, there is no such thing as T.G.I.F. in Law School. For most of the time that is.

Thank God It's Friday is a statement rarely heard from law students, from our school that is. Our lifestyle is not the same as that ordinary student who does not have a class on Saturdays. Our schedule is not the same as that regular employee who goes out on a Friday gimik after a week of hard work, which I did when I was still working ... I do miss that kind of lifestyle at times.

Dread may not be right term, for me that is. I do not dread Saturdays. It's just that we have our exams on Saturdays. So, we are all up Friday night up until early Saturday. I usually sleep up until 2 am and wake up depending on our scheduled exam. We had our Sales exam at 1 pm this afternoon. I slept from 3 am to 10 pm (I overslept ... hehe).

We still have one more exam for our first sem subjects. Afterwhich, it's full blast for our second sem subjects. Right how, we are still juggling all these stuff.

Though we may not have T.G.I.F., I still thank God for Saturdays!

Is it Christmas?

It is a well-known fact that Christmas is early here in the Philippines.

By this time, Christmas songs are heard on the radio and Christmas decors are all around the malls.

And when I got to school today, they already had their Christmas decorations on display. We have not yet put on the Christmas decors in our house. But, yes, there are already those kids singing those Christmas carols!

Sure, the Christmas season is here. Although, admittedly, I could not still truly feel it.

Don't get me wrong. I'm a Christmas person. I always look forward to this season. But it may take more time for me to warm-up to this season. (Warm up? Ang init-init na nga dito eh .. hehe)

Anyhow, I am still looking forward to the season to be jolly ... ho ho ho!

Well, it may be a stretch to call it divine intervention. But it is quite close to it.

We were supposed to have our 2nd exam in Criminal Procedure right this minute. But since no classroom is available for us to use since the undergrads are using it, we are instead going to have it tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m.

You see, I am not yet finished with studying for the exam. Our coverage includes Rules 112-117. As of today, I have not yet finished reading Rule 117.

The thing is I was ok with it having the exam today. I felt that whatever happens, happens. Although I wanted to really finish reading all those stuff, I felt that I could answer some questions. And in case I fail (simbako!), I am ok with it as fell.

And so it happened that exam was postponed.

Maybe my instincts are not right. Maybe I am not yet ready.

There are things that you don't pray for. But when it happens to you, you know that it is the right one for you. You could really call it divine intervention. Thanks, Lord !

Now, I have to go back and finish studying for tomorrow's exam.

Not Quite Sick

I have a feeling that I am going to be sick.

My throat hurts a bit and I am having a bit of a cold.

I started studying for our exam this Thursday. But I stop every now and then. I have not yet gained momentum.

Second Semester has officially started. What a way to start this semester :)

Under Renovation

For those who have been checking out my blogsite over the past weeks, it's quite obvious that this blogsite is under renovation.

I am superthankful to my dear celebrity friend (celebrity since she already became a guest host of Gameplan) Maan for the previous look and feel of my blog. That blog showed the child in me.

Nothing was wrong with my previous blog. I just felt that change may be good. And besides, I want to explore what I could do with this blog, without pestering my friends ... hehe. I know, that there is not much change .. just the template. I will take it one at a time and let's see how it goes.

Nevertheless, I'll try to continue to blog even with all the necessary readings in law school. Just bear with me if you notice some changes with this blog.

The truth and nothing but ...

No one can blame me if I take most of what I read of it as a fact, that there must be some truth to it.

But the thing is I don't take everything I read as a fact.

There are things that require more explanations. There are hidden agendas. There are miscommunications. There are misinterpretations. There are misunderstandings.

In the end, what the really matters is what I believe is the truth. Of course, I cannot vouch that what I really believe in is the ultimate truth and every human being in this planet should believe me. But I can honestly say that what I believe in is based on the facts and evidences presented before me. Some may be physical evidences which could just be corroborative or circumstantial. Sometimes it is just based on gut feel and intuition.

I pray that people may be more open minded. I do not blame other people if they are cautious. Self-preservation is human. But then, I do believe that good faith must always be presumed. Yes, I know it is hard. But it can be done. If one cannot presume good faith, make sure that there is substantial evidence to prove otherwise and that due process is observed.

This world is becoming a sad one. Even if one's intention is pure and honest, the name and reputation one has so preciously built could be shattered by some statements.

I pray that people will know that the truth and nothing but ...

I pray for this world.

Okay

It's been quite some time since my last post. But, what the heck, I'm not the only one .. hehe :)

It's not that there's not much excitement in my life right now that I don't have anything to right. Actually, I'm busy .. busy with law school ... hehe :)

No, I'm not complaining since I have envisioned that life in law school would be quite busy. I am even surprised that I don't find myself complaining ayaw ko na. That must be a good sign .. I hope :)

A former law school classmate of mine called up a week ago and wondered if we, her former classmates, still go out .. as in kain sa labas, badminton or nood ng sine. I told her not much. I have watched only 4 movies this semester ... Superman Returns, Click, The Devil Wears Prada and just recently, The Departed (which I am recommending .. it will not bore you). And we played badminton twice. I know it would be nice to do something different once in a while. But the thing is, I do not crave for it. I am okay for now.

I am okay despite getting a 64 in my first exam in Property. Of course, I was sad. And it did depress me. But I know I should not go on with such feeling because it would truly affect my next exams, sunod-sunod na baya. Basta, I used it as my additional motivating factor na lang. I hope I did well in my 2nd exam and that I will do well in the third exam in Property. Just enough to pull up my grade. I hope I'll do well in all of my subjects :)

Oh, well .. that' s it for now :)

They're Back ...

Survivor and Amazing Race are back!

I got to watch around half of the 1st episode of latest Season of Survivor and Amazing Race.

Sure, the teams in Survivor are quite controversial since it is based on race. I do not have anything against it though. It's just another way of classifying people. They have classified it before based on gender and age. I see nothing wrong classiying the teams based on race (this is my opinion). I don't think that if the ultimate survivor is a man, then men are superior to women. Nor do I think that if the ultimate survivor is somewhat younger it means that the youth are more empowered. Hence, if a Caucasian becomes the ultimate survivor this season, I don't necessarily think that Caucasians are more superior than African-Americans, Latin-Amerians and Asian-Americans.

I caught the last hour of the 1st episode of Amazing Race last night. The teams are more diverse than before. Bilib ako dun sa one-legged woman. Astig! Another thing that I was excited about last night's episode was that the first leg of the race was in China. Beijing pa talaga! I was ecstatic because I have been there, been that! Basta maka-excite iyong mapanood mo sa TV iyong napuntahan mo na ... hehe :)

Anyhow, I still do hope I will find time for these shows and some. You know naman law school, it's so hectic! Law School is an amazing race that I have to survive :)

Something New

It's red and it flips.

Yes, after 5 years and 8 months, I changed my mobile phone.

Yes, I have upgraded ... hehe! I am pretty sure a number of persons are happy for me since I was always talked about with my ever reliable Nokia 3210 phone.

How I love that phone .. no kidding! The 5 reasons why I love my Nokia 3210:
1. It has a memory game, which I play every night before I go to sleep.
2. Easy navigation.
3. Simple. Walang che-che bureche!
4. The never ending hirits I receive and give as to using a vintage phone.
5. The joy of less worry. In other words, the less likely possibility of having it stolen .. who would?

As to my new phone, it was given to me by my Mama Sang. No kidding, we call my aunt by that name. She is currently working overseas. She decided to change phones when she was here for a vacation and decided to give her 1-year old Nokia phone with me. I do not know the specific model. All I can say that it is Nokia, it is red, it is flip-type. No, it doesn't have camera, infrared, radio and all those extra stuff.

However, I am still thankful for this phone. My top 5 reasons for being grateful with my new-2nd hand Nokia phone:
1. Memory. I do not have to delete names in my address book.
2. Sent items saved. It gives me a better idea and evidence that I really sent something.
3. It's stylish, considering that it is in my favorite color.
4. Colored screen.
5. Sentimental Value. Of course, it is from my Mama Sang.

Kisay

At long last, I found some time to update my blog. It has really been quite some time and I know that I have so much to tell.

For now, let me tell you about Kisay. Ah, Kisay!

Kisay is my cousin who will turn 3 years old tomorrow.

She stayed with us during the summer last year and we so missed her when she left for Baguio, her hometown. Due to unforeseen circumstances, she is now staying with up until November.

Grabe talaga ang epekto pag may bata sa bahay! I mean, I am living a great life pero lingaw pag may bata talaga!

Sure, she eats up some of my study time unlike before. But she surely is a stress-reliever!

Here are my Top 5 favorite Kisay moments:
1. Kisay saying "joke joke lang". Obviously, she got it from my sister Johanna. Ang bilis maka-pick-up ng bata na ito.
2. Kisay singing Pinoy Ako, Breaking Free and Bituin Walang Ningning. Of course, hindi iyong complete. The important thing is makasunod siya.
3. Kisay combs my hair and fixes it as well. Sabi niya, tirintas niya daw buhok ko. Tagalog jud! Bisaya pa, salapid!
4. Kisay saying "hindi kita bati". Tagalog jud!
5. Taking pictures with her in our gaya-gaya pose :)

Not the Usual

I usually check my e-mails twice a week.

The last time I checked my e-mail was a week ago.

Over the week, I thought of how many IMPORTANT mails I must have missed.

The thing is I really didn't get an urgent e-mail this week. You know, the kind that I really have to send an immediate reply.

It's not that I am complaining. It's just that I am not yet used to not checking my mail.

Don't get me wrong. I am the type of person who can leave my cellphone at home and need not worry about it. But there are just some habits that are hard to break.

Nevertheless, I am quite grateful that I got some time today to check on my e-mail and Friendster account as well. It was relaxing to read forwarded messages and some Friendster updates ... requests, messages and testimonials :)

Right now, I am thankful that I have some time to take a break.

I have to eat my dinner though. Philippine Idol is coming up at 8:00 p.m.

Pressured!

Things are easier done if you really want to do it.

Not because you are tasked to do it.

Not because you are in a position to do it.

Not because you know you will be rewarded in the end.

Not because you are obligated to do it.

Not because you will be adored if you do it.

Feeling is better when you do something right.

When you know that you are not pressured to do it.

When you know that you really want to do it.

When you know that this is it!

I hope and pray that doing things would always be like that :)

Google it

Google has been officially been included in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

And I found out that one can actually google ToyNk and my blog would surely appear.

When I found this fact last Saturday, I was truly surprised. Surprised in a sense that I didn't had any idea that someone could actually read my blog and I do not have any idea who that person is. And that such person could relate to what I was actually blogging about. Yeah, I know, that's the whole idea of this blog thing. But I just didn't expect it.

I just liked the idea of sharing my experiences and sentiments that's why I decided to maintain a blog. My long-time friend Ien made the most valid reason - to update our circle of friends. Although, it's less personal compared to an e-mail since you really address such e-mail to that person, it's easier in the sense that you don't have to write the same things to your friends. Afterwhich, I could then send an e-mail separate from those that I blog.

Anyhow, the google thing was quite surprising. I wasn't really afraid that something was revealed because there's really nothing to be afraid of in the things that I write. It just surprised me! (How many times have I mentioned the word suprise? )

Well, google or no google, this is my blog .. I say what is in my heart and mind, open for the world wide web to know :)

Bluff

Bluff.

In desperate times, we do this during recitations.

As much we could, we try to answer a question rather than just saying pass.

Instead of passing, we bluff hoping that we could be right somehow.

I haven't passed in a recitation just yet (and I do hope that I will always be able to answer during rectiations)

I bluffed in our Elections tonight.

For the first time, I was called for recitation on a case I wasn't able to read. It's not that I intentionally wasn't able to read. Hindi na talaga kaya ng powers ko. I have already read the cases before the topic I was called for. But our teacher skipped. And I was called.

My saving grace was the digested case I had on hand, and with a little ingenuity (in other words, kunwari alam ko). There were some questions that I wasn't able to answer right away. But eventually got wind of it through leading questions.

One good thing I did was I prayed. When I had that strong sensation that I was called, I really went into deep prayer - closing my eyes and clasping my hands - while one of my classmates was reciting.

I think prayer did it. I was somehow able to answer as if I read the case.

I am one blessed girl but it took some time to get the shock off.

Thoughts

I have a wild and wide imagination.

Sometimes I forget what is real and unreal.

I have dreams.

Sometimes I am not sure if I could attain them.

I have expectations.

Sometimes I expect too much.

But I do hope for the best.

Then, something comes up before I even made the first step.

No time to expect.

No time to hope.

A burst in the bubble.

A door shut closed.

With no window nor roof opened.

Just waiting for someone to unlock that one and only door.

Heartbreaker

Someone just broke my heart.

Actually, it isn't just one person. It's the whole Red Bull team.

Red Bull broke my heart. They won over my San Miguel Beer team.

I have long been an SMB fan, ever since 6th Grade. I was duly influenced by three persons - my Dad, Elaine and Maan. And I am ever grateful to them.

After I graduated in college, I saw less PBA action. But I do try to keep up by reading the papers, which I do everyday. I was happy when a number of SMB players got to play in the last Asian Games where they placed fourth. Now, that was a heartbreaker. I kept crying on and on when they lost that game against South Korea to be assured of a silver. My housemates even tried to prevent me from watching the game for bronze as they were concerned that I was going to cry again.

But I did not cry again, although my heart was broken. I kept praying that SMB will win so they could enter the finals against Purefoods. Red Bull was leading all the way until SMB kept fighting back up until the last minutes. But Valenzuela made that shot. The ball was clearly off his hands with 0.1 of a second left.

Heart-breaking indeed!

Oh well, I am not the only one. Fans of Argentina were truly heart-broken when Germany won in their match in the World Cup. Larios afficionados were also heart-broken when Pacquiao won today.

At least I am not alone. And I hope Purefoods will win.

* I was happy when I saw the SMB logo. It was SMB's logo back in 1993-1994. I used to copy this logo and really tried hard to copy the mug.

The Justice League

Justice who?

Well, I'm part of the Justice League. No, not the Justice League you see on television. (But, I could be ... who knows?) The Justice League is the newest batch of LA applicants, of which I am proud to be a part of.

Last Saturday, there were 11 of us who joined this tiring but fun race around Davao. It was a race prepared by LA official members.

I wasn't part of the first two stations at AdDU since I was supposedly kidnapped and should be rescued by my fellow teammates. My team mates were the last to arrive at Shrine where they were to rescue me. But I never lost hope. The next task was to crochet a one-meter yarn. I volunteered, feeling that I still know how to do it. I was shaking at first. But I was so happy that we gained some ground and got to 2nd place. Then, we went somewhere in SIR to catch a ferry to Magallanes. We were able to catch the first team. They rode a tricycle to the ferry but I suggested that we just walk or run since that's what is written in the clue. We asked some of the organizers and they said it was okay as we still have money.

After we got to the right ferry, we reached Magallanes and dashed to Rizal Park. I was thinking that they would make us perform. Good thing, they didn't! So it was just a chopstick relay of some sort. Then off we went to Frissan where one of us needs to play billiard to get the clue. We got the clue and then we were off to 4Play! There, my teammates did some wallclimb. Afterwhich, we went to MTS to do shaggedy-shaggedy, skip rope 200 times and eat 6 bananas. I ate two! Then, we went to the Statue of David, listened to some kids rap, pose and get the clue. We were the first to arrive at the finish line at Times Beach! Woohoo!

I am happy with the Cool Blue Team! There's Sharone, who did the wall climb so fast, just enough for me to take a leak ... hehe! There's Kiko, who has so much stamina in him that he was always the first one to reach the place where we ought to go. There's Carlo, who was our team leader who brought the water and was so strategic with the chopstick. And of course, that's me, of which I could proudly say that my greatest contribution was the crochet thing. We rock!

Anyway, the race was really fun kahit kapoy! My legs are still sore but it was worth everything. There were times talagang gihingal na ako pero padayon gihapon .. slowly but surely!

And of course there's the rest of the Justice League, most of which are first year law students. There were only three of us who are already in second year.

Honestly, I really did think a lot before joining LA. Kahit sa pagtulog, I was still weighing the pros and cons. In the end, I decided to try it out and see if it works. So far, so good. I got to meet new people. And I like that! Let's see what the future holds.

Joining the LA was a personal decision and nothing more. I could go on and on why I decided to join and why I had second thoughts joining LA. But then I am here.

Justice League was nicely suggested. And I guess we were happy with it. We were thinking of something related to Pacquiao because of his fight. But we were concerned just in case he loses (which he did not!). Feeling superheroes, we decided to go with Justice League. We're law students and it's all about justice! Coincidentally, may last blog was about being a superhero .. hehehe!

One more thing, I was elected to be the batch leader. I did not pray nor hope for this one. I am happy that they trusted me. I hope I could deliver. Justice League could be Jazzie's League ... hehe ... But I wouldn't insist on that because we are all equal (char lang!)

I pray that Justice League would live up to its name. We will deliver!

Being a Superhero

Who doesn't want to be a Superhero?

I don't know who. But watching those superhero flicks would really make you think twice of wishing and hoping and wanting to become a superhero.

I just watched Superman last night. I watched it with my five other classmates. I planned to study yesterday, since we had no classes. But I succumbed to pressure and watched it with them. In the end, I only had an hour of study yesterday.

This is one of those times I want to be a Superhero. I want to do lots of things. I want to accomplish lots of stuff in such short a time. I want to be a Superhero so I could watch all the movies and TV shows I would want to. I haven't watched The Lake House and if I were a Superhero I could have probably watched it. I want to be a Superhero so I could read not just for law school but all those interesting novels that I long wanted to read.

Wait a minute? I don't think that those stuff I want to do defines a Superhero. I think what I really want are superpowers. But not really a Superhero. Makes sense!

Honestly, being a Superhero would still be cool! Saving the world from disasters - what a task! Being a Superhero may not be that bad at all. But then, I still have to ask Superman and Spiderman if everything is worth the sacrifice. I do hope it is :)

I Think ...

I think I think too much.

Maybe not always. But I really do at times.

I think too much of what to write right now. And then, mental block! There is no continuity.

I think too much of what to do. I do write my goals for the day. I write too much because I end up not doing everything. But that's okay. I just think too much of what to do for the day.

I think too much of what to watch. I am confused on whether to watch High School Musical or CSI or both. I may end up not watching anything.

I think too much of what to say. Or not say anything. Maybe I should I have said something. Or maybe it was a good idea that I didn't say anything when I had the opportunity. I would never know if I did not do was the right thing. Opportunity lost .. but I hope not forever!

I think too much of stuff. I worry about things.

I am not sure if that is normal. Heck, I am not sure if I am normal.

Thinking too much eats me up at times.

To get around it, I then just do it!

What a Lost!

What a LOST indeed!

Tonight's episode (Philippine time ... siyempre) was really cool.

This episode was probably the most thrilling one for me.

It was cool that they found the balloon and the grave.. But I really felt that "Mr. Gale" was lying. Sayid could not be wrong when he said that he knew "Mr. Gale" was lying. Masisira ang credibilidad niya. Naisip ko na they should dug up the grave. They did and they found out what they are looking for.

Tapos nandiyan pa iyong lockdown-lockdown thing. Exciting din iyon. Tapos may neon scribbles ba. And Locke needed "Mr. Gale's" help. I don't blame him. I would probably do what he did. But you'll know that something was really up with that "Mr. Gale" when he bargained for the help needed ... that Locke should protect him no matter what. No matter what pa talaga!

It was a nice episode. I can't wait for next week.

In the mean time, I have to get back to reality and read law stuff.

Actually, I'll just get some cases from the internet, print it and I would probably go to sleep na. But I'll wake up early tomorrow. I have a feeling that tomorrow would be a long day. And so it will be on Wednesday as well.

Protest Ad Cautelam

It's Latin. And I don't know what it means.

I had my first recitation in second year last night. The subject was Election law. Our teacher is the mother of one of my batchmates in high school. She was the one who gave the speech when I was graduated from kindergarten.

I was quite nervous that night. Sure, I read the cases. But I felt that I was not yet in the groove of things (sobraan siguro sa ka-high!). While reading the cases, I really couldn't think that straight. So our inital prayer was that absent si ma'am. If that doesn't work, I prayed that I wouldn't be called. If it doesn't work, I prayed that I would answer correctly.

My first two prayers weren't answered. I am not sure of the last one but I am ok.

Yes, I was asked what Protest Ad Cautelam means. I said "a protest subject to the petition filed with the COMELEC." I think my answer is somehow connected. Ma'am asked if I checked it out. Unfortunately, I was not able to at that time thinking that it wouldn't be asked and that I had an answer already. And so, she told me to find out. I checked the Black's Law Dictionary today but I didn't find out what that means.

The good thing is that she asked additional questions. I was still nervous but didn't buckle down. I answered, maybe not correctly. But I am ok. She said that if we are called and we are absent, she will give us a grade of 50 for that recitation. If we are present but passed on the questions, we will get a 70. So, worse case scenario, I probably got a 70. Bawi na lang next time at least hindi 60!

Honestly, I am not a big fan of recitations. I do not really believe that recitations per se motivate students to study more. It may be correct but not all the time. We had a subject where we had no recitation, but we still studied and did ok. Yes, we had quizzes every week. But between written exams and recitations, I'd choose written exams on any day.

Another thing, I usually have an inkling when I am about to be called. I would be extremely nervous .. no kidding! Cold hands shaking would be the most obvious sign.

During our class, it rained. I thought that it would be difficult to hail a cab and taking a jeepney would be a risk for me if it would rain harder since I didn't have any umbrella. I got home safely and quite dry. My other prayer was answered :)

First Day High

Nasasabik sa unang araw ng eskwela ...

Hindi rin ako masyadong excited ano? Actually, I was looking forward to being back in school but not that excited. Just enough to motivate to get back in school and to psyche myself that I can do this ... hehehe ...

First day back in law school was definitely a high for me! I had jitters, although I am not sure why. I had a slight shortness of breath, which could mean either I lack exercise or iniipit na ng spine ko iyong lungs ko. My knees sort of wobbled and my hands were a bit shaking. I kept complaining but it was nothing that I couldn't handle.

The biggest high I got was when my everdearest and longtime friend enrolled in law school. I sort of guessed it considering that she took the exam last year and she did some changes in her career. But I am so happy jud that she is in law school!

I was also high when I found out that my friend and my former classmate and another friend are classmates. Actually, it's quite nice kasi the three of us live in the same subdivision. Lingaw!

Of course, I was also happy since I got to see my classmates again. Astang chika gihapon namo ... hehe! However, changes are inevitable. Some of them are no longer in law school. Some are in law school but we're not classmates anymore. Oh well, I have to widen my social circle. Pero iba pa rin!

It was also nice looking at the list of first year students. There were a number of familiar names. I am not sure if they know but I have an idea who they are. Some of them are my former classmates, a sister of my former classmate, taga-Women's and taga-Ecoland. Feeling ko marami pa lang kilala but not necessarily kakilala, if you know what I mean.

Anyhow, I was also high when I found out that second honor pala ako. I am not sure of all the criteria for judging. All I know that I was a full time student, with no grade lower than 80 and I had an average of 86.76. Ok na siguro iyon kasi tinawag nila pangalan ko sa stage. Sayang, hindi ako pinakanta sa stage. Of course, happy jud ako nun. But I am not setting my hopes up too high because there are a lot of factors to consider. And it also adds pressure the more I think of it.

Just an added note, my mom's friend, who is a professor in law school, was the one who told my mom. He sent an SMS. So siyempre, happy ang family ko for me. I was still contemplating of telling them or on how to tell them ... kasi nga maka-pressure. Pero ok pa rin na they found out ... hehe!

May pakapin pa! It was a good thing that our teacher was absent because I forgot my class cards. Haha! Pagka-tanga na lang jud! Hehe!

That's it for now! Study muna ako :)

Reality Bites

Summer is definitely over since classes will already start tomorrow.

So to officially close my Summer 2006 (char lang!), I would like to pay tribute to my 5 favorite reality TV guys ... hehe ... pagpasensiyahan niya na. These were the guys who definitely made my summer sizzling (huwaat?)

1. Julijo - The 3rd runner-up in the Star Circle Summer Kid Quest. The pinaka-gwapong bata sa balat ng telebisyon ... walang stir! He is Sweet Tooth in the Colgate Commercial. He is also in Pediasure and Chunkee Chewy Soft Cookie and probably more commercials to come. Ang batang ang sarap halikan at kurotin! He may not be the most talented but he has the talent to become the next matinee idol (walay atik!). He may pilyo but then he is still a child. Oh, Julijo!

2. Sam - No, not Sam Milby! Sam Concepcion of the Little Big Star! You can see that he was born a performer, with good looks. He may not have the birit voice but his stage presence is truly mesmerizing.

3. Elliott - The 3rd placer in the American Idol Season 5. I so love his voice! I am so happy I have mp3s of his 4 performances ... woohoo! I hope to see and hear more of him!

4. Aras - The Ultimate Survivor in Survivor: Exile Island. Of course, Terry was more deserving but then he was not in the Final Two. And Aras deserves it, next to Terry, for he always gives his best in all the challenges.

5. BJ and Tyler - The team that spiced-up Season 9 of the Amazing Race. And of course, they ultimately won it! These guys deserve it. They were my favorites since the beginning. If they weren't around, this season would have been a blah, no kidding!

So, there you have it. My five ultimate guys in reality TV this summer!

Sightings

Yesterday was good day for Keanu sightings.

Yup, I am a big Keanu fan and I am not ashamed of it. Yes, I know that he might be gay. But so what? Saka ko na problemahin iyon if kami na ... hehe. Yes, I know that he might not be the greatest actor. Anong pakialam niyo?

Anyway, his movie, The Lake House, with Sandra Bullock is coming out this month. That's why he's practically around tinseltown doing the promotions.

I saw an article on the newspaper yesterday that he wants to get married. He says he is quite lonely and wants to get married and have children. Yes, he still continues to mourn the loss of his stillborn daughter and 1999 and the death of the baby's mother in 2001. But they already broke up in 2000.

If only he knows I exist ... hehe. He is actually 41 years old. I don't care. As if he cares that I'm 25. It has been years since his Speed days.

I also saw him last night on Jay Leno's Show. Actually, Kellie Pickler was sent to do interviews at MTV Movie Awards. Keanu and Sandra were there. Kellie is indeed one lucky girl, interviewing all those celebrities on the red carpet. She was actually hilarious. She did a matrix move and it was quite funny (for me).

I would probably see more of Keanu in the next few weeks with The Lake House coming up. Cool!

Looking Forward ...

I know. I am weird.

I am actually looking forward to my second year in law school. Sounds like a geek, right?

Actually, I am not yet bored. I wasn't actually bored the whole summer. Ok, maybe sometimes when I'm at my dad's office and there is literally nothing to do. There are still some stuff that I planned to do but wasn't able to do.

What did I do this summer? Here are the top 5 things I did this summer (but nothing amazing):

1. Movies - Good thing that SM offered a buy 1, 50% off on the second ticket up until last May 23. So I got to watch Eight Below, D'Lucky Ones (jologs jud!), MI:3, The Da Vinci Code, The Wild, X-Men 3: The Last Stand.

2. TV - American Idol Season 5, The Amazing Race, Survivor:Exile Island, Lost, CSI:Las Vegas, CSI:New York, Supernatural, PBB - Teen Edition, Game Ka Na Ba, Star Circle Summer Kid Quest, Law and Order:SVU. And it's true! I refer to the shows I watched in case I get confused what day it is ... hehe .. weird jud! Actually, these past two weeks, PBB messed up my TV schedule. 10 pm is AXN time. But then PBB decided to move its time slot that I could not see the beginning of the my favorite AXN shows. So lately, it has been a compromise. I got to watch Lost at 10 but I have to catch the CSIs on Sunday. Good thing patapos na ang PBB and it would be months pa before they start with the second edition. Yehey! Walang kalaban! And yes, I still do watch TV on school night!

3. Computer Games - Big Money, Bookworm, Wheel of Fortune, Family Feud, Hangaroo ... yup! I still get hooked on these stuff.

4. Scrapbook - I got busy with my Australian photos. I am about to be finished ... just in time!

5. Read - But not law books, not yet anyway! I got to read King of Torts, A Civil Action and a couple of novels by Mary Clark Higgins. Who says I'm a bookworm?

So basically, that's what I did so as not to get bored. Nevertheless, with all these stuff I was busy with during summer (career!), I am looking forward to school. The thrill of something different I guess, with a dose of familiarity :)

X-Men

tenenententen ... tenenententen ... tenenen!

X-Men: The Last stand rocks! It was gripping for me. And it was totally great to have such a fantastic hoard of mutants. I didn't even know a number of them. But watching X-Men was truly a thrill. Of all the movies I have watched this summer, X-Men stands out.

How great was it for me? After watching the film, I found myself doing a Wolverine (releasing his claws), an Iceman(freeze) and Pyro(burn baby!). I wish I could act it out in front of you ... hehe.

As usual, there will always be flaws. But rather than pointing it out, I'd rather share my favorite parts (spoiler ... watch out!). I love the Fast Ball against Magneto (Wolverine and Beast rocks!). I also love the Iceman and Pyro showdown ... astig! And the Juggernaut and Shadowcat marathon ... that was funny! I was thinking that it would be a Colossus-Juggernaut showdown.

I was happy that Beast is in this sequel. And I only found out that Kelsey Grammer of Frasier played Beast the day before it was shown. He looks good as Furball .. hehe .. but never imagined it.

As it was on the previous X-men movies, I am frustrated that Jubilee has no great part. She just exists, just like before! Jubilee is my favorite mutant. I know, she reallys is not that powerful. But eversince I watched X-men before, I could totally relate to her. She's Asian. She has short hair. She is youthful. She is spunky. I could be Jubilee. I used to kid around that I wasn't able to play Jubilee on the first X-men movie because I was reviewing for the CPA Board exam ... yeah right!

Another thing, no Gambit! This is another character I was looking forward to. Keanu could play this one ... I imagined him to be Gambit. But then he is already Neo and Constantine. Oh well, I'll look out for him in The Lake House.

To sum it all up, X-Men:The Last Stand is one fantastic film for me and making me wish I was an X-men!

Fever ...

I still got the American Idol fever ...

I don't know but I am still not over American Idol. I still dream about it. I watched the finale 4 times on Star World (not the whole show, just some parts). The songs that were sang during the finale are still in my head. I tried to sing Somewhere over the Rainbow and In the Ghetto via the videoke. I played A House is not A Home on ITunes.

My Tuesdays and Wednesdays will never be the same (O.A.)

(Quick Note: My IPOD is down and out again. Something is definitely wrong with it but I pray it goes back to the way it was)

American Idol Rocks!

I so love American Idol - Season 5. This is definitely my favorite season!

You can't blame me! This was the season I closely watched, starting from the auditions. And I enjoyed every minute of it.

The 12 finalists were a smorgasbord of talents. They were different in their own way. It was hard choosing a favorite. Some of them just grew on me.

The sultry Melissa, Mandiva, Kevin the Chicken Little, Sweet Lisa, Country Boy Bucky, Naive Kelly, Rockin' Chris, Falsetto Ace, Young Paris, Soulful Elliot, Amazing Katharine, and the Silver Fox Taylor.

The finals were two wonderful nights. I so loved the Results night. I really love the production numbers. My favorite is the Dionne number ... the medley was so nice ... as in! (Hay napaisip tuloy ako nagwish na sana I could be a part of a production number like that ... haha!).

I even liked the Clay Aiken and the Brokenote numbers. Ka-suwerte naman ng mga taong iyon .. kahit talunan ... they were able to sing on stage ... sa Kodak theatre pa!

Taylor and Kat were great. Honestly, I like Kat more. However, she's not that consistent, if you get what I mean. And Taylor is more unique than her. Taylor looked and felt more like an American Idol than Kat. I like Taylor, too. But he was no favorite of mine. I just liked him to stay each week because he was a unique soul.

So if you were to ask me who is my favorite, my answer would be Elliot. I just love his voice. I wanted him to stay each week because I want to listen to his voice. Kahit hindi ko alam ang kanta, nagiging familiar when he sings it .... I don't know, I don't know. I know he lacks some personality and he doesn't look like a celebrity. Heck, he could even be one of Frodo's companions. But he is so good! As in! Mabuang ako ... although buang na talaga ako! Aside from that, he is 90% deaf on his right ear and I think he has diabetes. In addition, he did not have any formal voice training yet he sounds so good. (Yehey! May pag-asa pa pala ako) I hope, by some weird stroke of luck, he'll do a show in the Philippines. And if he does, I hope he also sings here in Davao. And if he just stays in Manila, I would probably fly ... hehe .. over!

Anyhow, American Idol truly rocks! It brings out the idol in me! (Huwaat?)

Hirit

Hirit # 1

My dad went to Butuan to attend an IBP Sports Convention. They took the bus and some songs were played.

Dad: Kasabay namin mga medyo batan-on pa na lawyers. Lingaw kaayo mi sa bus. Gitugtog mga kanta sa barangay. Kana ganing barangay Edgar?

Jazzie: Barangay?

Johanna: Anong Barangay?

Dad: Kana gud barangay ni Edgar?

Jazzie & Johanna: Aah! Parokya ni Edgar!

Hirit # 2

Mom and JJ were watching TV Patrol world.

TV PATROL: 20,000 skilled workers kelangan sa Australia

JJ: Mom, 19,999 na lang ang kelangan ng Australia kung hindi nag-resign si Ate Ja noh?

Hirit # 3

This was some years back. I was still working in Manila. My dad was in Manila to attend to some cases. He sent me a text message while he was in Rockwell.

Dad: D2 ako Rockwell. Nood heavy damage?

Jazzie: (sa isip) Anong heavy damage? May Heavy Damage ba daw na pelikula?

After a few minutes:

Jazzie: (na-realize) Aaah .. Collateral Damage?

toynk!

Unexplained

There are things in life that we could not just explain.

One of those things is my IPOD.

Why? Well, it's up and about again. After 3 days of being dead, it resurrected (hmmm ... sounds familiar). As usual, I did nothing. But I am not complaining either. Why should I? My IPOD is working ... I do hope it lasts until kingdom come (hehehe ....)

Back to singing (and rainy days)

And then it was Aras ...

Aras who?

Well, for those who are Survivor fans, you know who I'm referring to. Yup, it's no less than Aras .. the ultimate Survivor of Survivor Exile Island.

The first time I knew Aras, I knew I would like him. Let's admit it. He has the looks. He even looks a bit like Ryan Seacrest. In short, he is artistahin ... hehe.

Of course, if one would look at the whole game (yes, Survivor is just a game), Ryan is only second to Terry, the fighter pilot, when it comes to who deserves it more. But then, Terry, was not in the final two. Having won almost all the immunity challenges, Terry was most definitely the most deserving. But since he lost the last immunity challenge, Danielle had the power in her hands. Choosing Aras was the better choice. She had better chances. But just the same, I knew she would still lose.

Aras was definitely determined. The competition between him and Terry was always something to look forward to. They were fiercely competitive, making the competition definitely exciting.

Anyhow, I am happy that Aras won. Until the next Survivor!

Ay, Ambot!

In Tagalog: Ay, Ewan!

In English: Oh, Whatever! (Tama ba to na translation?)

My IPOD is down and out again. I did all the things I did before. I even did not touch it for 24 hours. Just the same, nothing happened.

I am not sure but I asked the guys from Apple in Chimes if there is already an Apple/Service around here. He said probably next month. I do hope it gets fixed ... manually or spiritually, if you know what I mean.

Oh, well :(

It's Alive!

I am not sure what happened. My IPOD is back from the dead ... no kidding!

I called up Apple's 1800 number just this morning. They asked me for my IPOD's serial number. As I was about to end the call, I just happened to click on the Menu. Voila! It showed me the menu. What the? And so I checked on the songs. All 1361 songs were there. What the again?

I am not sure what happened. I tried everything I could do. I searched the internet for some help and did what was instructed. Nothing happened yesterday.

One thing though. There was a quick note on one of the sites saying let the IPOD rest for 24 hours and see how it works. Maybe some IPOD would work after. Mine just did.

I am not sure what to call it. Divine intervention perhaps?

Whatever it may be, I'm thankful my IPOD seems okay. Now, I'm not sure though if I'm ready to connect it to our computer ... hehe.

Back to School

I just went to my former school this morning for the enrollment of my brother.

I was happy to be back in my alma mater, just for the sake of being back. Of course, there were a lot of changes. Just last year, I sort of lost my way because the location of the offices have been changed. What can you expect? I have graduated from my school 9 years ago.

Anyhow, it was nice to see that there was this big tarpaulin announcing High School graduates of 2001 and 2002 who graduated from college (Ateneo de Manila, Ateneo de Davao, San Pedro College, etc.) with honors. We did not have something like that for our batch. Sure, it was sort of an advertisement. But it was still nice.

It was also nice to see some of my former teachers. There was Ma'am Luntao, Ma'am Francisco, Ma'am Bertulfo, Ma'am Buco, Ma'am Barriga (I still call her by her maiden name) and Ma'am Echavez. Of course, I say the same thing to them considering that they ask almost the same questions. I told them that I worked for 3 years but resigned to study Law. It was nice to hear them say that I've grown considering that I was quite small back in high school ... hehe. Small but terrible no more! Of course, there was those comments about love life (huwaat?). One of them told me not to get married just yet (as if!). Another one told me that if that's the case, then I would be part of the asosasyon (yup, there are still a number of teachers who are still happily single!).

Being back to school was quite nice indeed :)

Crash and Burn

My IPOD just crashed!

I am not sure if it is the right term. Nevertheless, it just means that my IPOD is dead, not functioning, totally no use.

Something went wrong when I was about to disconnect it yesterday. It would not disable. After I shut down the computer, I just pulled the plug. I forgot about the "do not disconnect" thing. Last night, I was ready to listen to those MP3s. Then, I found out that there were no songs. Huwaat? Ok, I'm cool. I had 1,361 songs. I just have to copy new MP3s then. I can accept that.

And so this morning, I tried to copy the new songs. But the computer was not able to read my IPOD. Huwaat again? And now, there's nothing on my IPOD. Nothing as in nothing! There is no indication that there is life in my IPOD.

I have to have this fixed. I have to find someone who can fix this. I think it still can be fixed. I hope it can still be fixed. I am not sure though if there is an Apple service center around here.

My 1 year and 7 months IPOD gone kaput! I will not cry though. But I will have this fixed ... soon!

Nasaan na ang Narnia?

Nasan na nga ba ang Narnia?

One of my goals last Christmas vacation was to read The Chronicles of Narnia. Unfortunately, I could not find copies of it that time. Around early February this year, it was available. But I didn't think of buying it since I would not have enough time to read it yet. And so, it was that such Christmas goal became a Summer Vacation goal.

Unfortunately, again, The Chronicles of Narnia is out of stock again. Why, oh, why? Just when I was all set to read it.

That's the irony in life, I guess. Just when you are looking for something, you could not find it. But when you are not on the look-out, it stares you right in the face. What a life!

Another thing ... I can't help but point out that if I were in Manila, I would already have The Chronicles of Narnia in my hand. I am pretty sure it is readily available with all the bookstores there. Back here in Davao, I have to settle for National Book Store. But I am ok. I have learned that here in Davao, choices would be limited compared to out there. But then again, I get to spend less compared to out there .. hehehe :)

Oh well, I have to settle in reading (again) Catcher in the Rye ... it's worth reading again:)

Just in case you're wondering, I haven't watched the movie, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.

Narnia is playing hard to get :)

A Purpose Driven Life - Delayed Reaction Part III

I read the book purposely during the Lenten Season. It was a great read :) It was as I expected. Not that my life or my perception about life really changed after reading it. It just sort of reinforced of what I have truly believed in.

Back when I worked in Australia, I have heard how great this book is. I looked for it but had difficulty in finding one. I saw a teenager reading it in a coffee shop. I saw another nice lady who also held it in a tram. She was with her significant other. Then, there was another man who seated right infront of them. I think he was from New Zealand. The man was definitely not from the city, if you get what I mean. They were behind me and so I just listened to their conversation. The New Zealand guy initiated the conversation. The couple was nice to him, even though he was a complete stranger. Then the New Zealand guy noticed the book and mentioned that he heard of that book and asked if it was nice. The lady said yes and asked the New Zealand guy if he had read it. The New Zealand guy said no but that he would love to. And that nice lady just gave to book to him, with all smiles. That was really nice :)

Anyway, here are my favorite lines from the book:

We worry when God seems silent on specific issues such as "What career should I choose?" The truth is, there are many different careers that could be in God's will for your life. What God cares about most is that whatever you do, you do in a Christlike manner. God is far more interested in what you are than in what you do. We are human beings, not human doings (This hit me - bull's eye! I can totally relate to this statement)

Your capacity to remember is a God-given gift. You may think you have a poor memory. But the truth is, you have millions of ideas, truths, facts and figures memorized. You remember what is important to you. (I have always believed in this. We choose what we memorize. Or sometimes, there are other factors we have to take note of such as time and interest.)

If you know how to worry, you already know how to meditate. Worry is focused thinking on something negative. Meditation is doing the same thing, only focusing on God’s word instead of your problem. (I do have this capacity. I worry - a lot- but I usually keep it to myself. Most of the times, people around me don't notice it. Thatss where my optimism comes in.)

God is never in a hurry, but He is always on time. Great souls are grown through struggles and seasons of suffering. Be patient with the process.

People rarely excel at tasks they don't enjoy doing or feel passionate about. (I agree. But sometimes, we only get to realize that we are passionate about something once we get to experience it. Although, there may passions that are short-lived. You enjoy doing it for some time and then, you feel you have to move on.)

When you are doing what you love to do, no one has to motivate you or challenge you or check up on you. You do it for the sheer enjoyment. You don't need rewards or applause or payment, because you love serving in this way. (Blessed are the few who get to enjoy this.)

Don't waste your life in a job that doesn't express your heart. Remember, the greatest things in life are not things. Meaning is far more important than money.

Do your own work well, and then you will have something to be proud of. But don't compare yourself with others. There are two reasons why you should never compare your shape, ministry, or the results of your ministry with anyone else. First, you will always be able to find someone who seems to be doing a better job than you and you will become discouraged. Or you will always be able to find someone who doesn't seem as effective as you and you will get full of pride. (I have always believed in this)

When God's at the center of your life, you worship. When he's not, you worry. (Correct!)

Holy Week - Delayed Reaction Part II

It's been over a week since Easter Sunday. But I can't help to share my thoughts on the Lenten Season.

It has been four years of not having spent the Holy Week here in Davao. And I sure did look forward to it.

After 25 years, I had just realized that Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday is NOT 40 days. I am not sure why I was not aware of it all those years. I guess I just presumed. It was easy to count the Lenten season this year because Ash Wednesday fell on March 1. So I just presumed that Easter Sunday fell on April 9. I was wrong. The 40 day count ends on April 9, Palm Sunday. Oh, well.

More than the prayers, I also read A Purpose Drive Life, a 40-day read. It added to my realization that the 40th day of the Lenten Season is Palm Sunday.

For 43 days, I did not drink Coke. It was a little sacrifice. I know I'm a big Coke fan. I can drink a litre of Coke in one sitting. I can even say na if makapatay ang coke, malamang patay na ako .. hehe .. no kidding! Although, I admit that I drank Pepsi once and drank Sprite/7-up 5 times. But that’s about it. But I fought temptation really hard.

But the thing that struck me most is the less conservative approach to the recent Lenten season.

While I attended the Ash Wednesday Mass, the priest said that for Catholics, fasting is to be practiced on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. What? No more fasting on all Fridays on Lent. It seemed to be that way as it was also posted. A more liberal approach I guess.

Next one I noticed was the shows on TV. They were going to show movies, not necessarily religious, during Maundy Thursday, Good Fridays and Black Saturday. This is on free TV, not cable TV. Survivor was even shown on Studio 23. TV during these days is more than the movies on HBO and the 7th Heaven Marathon.

As to Bisita Iglesia, I guess we made it right after a number of years on doing it first on Black Saturday then on Good Friday a few years back. It should be on Maundy Thursdays pala.

On Good Friday, we did the Stations of the Cross at Shrine. I used to think a few years back na medyo commercialized na. Mas lalo na ngayon. Vendors were all over.

I didn't go to the mall on Black Saturday. But I heard that it was full. D' Lucky Ones even opened this day, but I did not watch it though (not yet .. hehe).

All in all, there were changes. Changing times indeed! But I do hope that more than what I saw and experienced on my environment, I guess what is important is that change for the better for the inside :)

Swimming Beach - Delayed Reaction Part 1

This is the first in a series of Delayed Reactions. I was supposed to blog these events days before but I never got to it until now. So here it is ...

Tayo na sa beach ... tayo na't mag-swimming

Parokya ni Edgar's Swimming Beach was swimming in my head for weeks after our class planned to have beach party. I was really excited ... as in! Although, a week before the beach party, I decided to lower my expectation ... mahirap na pag masyadong mataas ang expectation ... baka hindi ma-reach ... hehe

Tayo na nga ... sino pa ba ang hinihintay natin dito ... naiinip na ako

We were to meet at Street Cafe, 7:30 a.m. I got there a little after 8:00 a.m. I am late, guilty as charged. My excuse? No taxi available ... no kidding. But I was not the latest ... hehe.

Time to relax ... time to go slow

It was really a time to relax. Isla Reta was an hour's trip from Sta. Ana Pier. But it was ok since we just talked on and on. Nag-reminisce kumbaga sa kabuangan namin for the past 10 months in law school.

And so, we got to Isla Reta! Ah, the water was clear. Yippee! And no low tide na as in low tide. But of course, we have to prepare our food. The mountaineering guys prepared fire while I helped out in preparing the barbecue. We then had our sumptuous meal na super makabusog sa kadami. Then some went swimming. Afterwards, we played 1-2-3 pass. I think ako pinakamaraming lipstick sa face ... hehe ... luoy :) And then, we went swimming.

Unfortunately, 4 of the girls have to leave since they were not going to spend the night on Isla Reta. So only 11 of us were left ... but we had fun pa rin.

Pagsapit ng dilim, lumalamig na ang hangin ... Sindihan mo na ang bonfire natin

We had our concert. With guitar in hand, we sang to our heart's content. Sayang, walang producer na nakarinig sa amin. Baka inofferan na kami ng contract (joke!). But I really had fun singing with guitar ... mala-MYMP ... hehe.

We had our bonfire. Binaba lang namin iyong grill kasi hindi pwede magbonfire sa sand kasi mangitim daw. Pero in fairness, bonfire pa rin.

I think most of them were tired as they slept early. There were 4 of us who slept at around 3:00 am na.

Maupo ka na lang at panoorin ang mundo

Ah yes! Just before 5 a.m., we were awake and just basically look at the world. There was the sea, the mountain and the fishermen and then, us.

Muntik na kaming maiwan. We were waiting for the boat at the wrong dock. Doon pa pala sa kabila. Good thing we made it on time :) So at around 6:30 a.m., we left Isla Reta.

Kalingaw mag-beach oi! I had fun ... no kidding! I hope my classmates had fun as well! Until the next gimik!

Jazzed Up

Need I say more?

This blog really did get jazzed up by no other than the princess of disguise (thanks jud kaayo ma! As in ... truly appreciate it ... I'll make bawi when we see each other ... hopefully soon!) What's really nice is that I just told the princess of disguise what I want generally, nothing specific ... and I liked it! She really read my mind!

The new look sort of reflects me ... childlike (in fairness, hindi childish). cartoonish (toynk ang dating) ... hehe ... hope you guys like it as well (if hindi, buot-buot, blog ko to ... joke!)

I think it's nice to get a new look every now and then ... just to awaken the senses kumbaga!

So, jazz it up!

**Raymart and Claudine's wedding is on TV right now .. hahai .. mukhang ang sarap ng food .. I'm hungry right now .. hehe