Sweat, Blood, and Tears

This is really bizarre, but I would be like this kid with all the work and all the stress I am under with. Next time, I'll be featured in a video as well showing me sweating blood. I am not complaining, I'm just saying.

MORAL: The blood is the lifeline of the body. This video is really uhmm, creepy. Lachrymal duct + blood = not fun.

Blowfish and Starfish

I had my immersion last August 28-30, 2009 at San Salvador, Masinloc, Zambales. I knew that it would be a great adventure, because of the diving, swimming and well, the thrill of meeting new people and living with them. That includes my immersion partner, someone who's not your classmate/groupmate, who's paired with you by your formator, to live with a foster family. I enjoyed the immersion. I really, really enjoyed it. I don't regret missing my midterm exam because I got to take it at a later date anyway.

The weather was on our side. Amen to that!

What do I think of my sunburned skin and uneven skin tone? Nothing, I just think of the experience and I feel like my sunburned skin is healing now. (Yeah I'm "molting" so what. Haha.)

What do I think of my scratch-free diving mask that someone accidentally took? Hmm, I'll just think that it's my gift to them.

What do I think of my immersion-mates? They rock! They're some of the coolest, funniest people I have met.

What do I think of the place where we stayed? Thank God I brought those trekking sandals. Thanks to my Mom for funding those sandals.

What do I think of the whole experience? I know I'm immersed.

Why do I keep on using "what"? Good question! I really don't know!

I got around 300 worth of pictures. A lot of them involve people, and there were a lot of scenery shots as well. I chose these two pictures because well, most of us could take photos of "amazing views" or scenes that could give you the "awww" moments but it's not everyday one could capture a starfish and a blowfish underwater. So yeah, I'm somewhat proud of these pictures.

Will I post an entry about the immersion experience? Yeah, sure. Just not now.

MORAL: There's beauty in everything. If you can't see it, maybe you just have to look more intently. Remember to rinse your sea-soaked camera with freshwater after use. Amen!

CO2

Yay! This is going to be my second post through the trial version of this blogging app. Like the previous post, I'm using my trusty phone to post.

When you're inside a tricycle and you're going to pass through gate 3.5 on a 4:30pm schedule, it'll feel like being in Makati and Manila (at the same time) while trying really hard not to breathe all the fumes from the mufflers / car exhausts. My lungs probably feel like it has smoked a CR-V's worth of carbon monoxide, and a Pajero's worth of second hand smoke. All cars coming from Ateneo, cars going to UP/Miriam area, all their fumes combined is the best lung-friendly combination out there. And you'll smell like crap in the end aside from paying that much for the trike fare.


MORAL: Whether you walk or you ride the trike, pollution and global warming will still get the best of you. They'll haunt you. Scary crap.

Kagats / Phone Blogging Trial

Ang sarap ng nangangamoy balm. Yung pangmatandang balm. Hindi pala pangmatanda, basta yung sanitary balm, yung amoy maanghang, amoy puro kagat ng lamok yung katabi mo. Nakaupo kayo sa may aircon ng train tapos umaalingasaw yung amoy ng balm. Feeling mo either pinutakte ng lamok yung katabi mo o may arthritis siya at nilagyan niya ng balm yung katawan niya. Tipong hindi mo alam kung saang parte ng katawan niya may balm kaya medyo lang, medyo ayaw mo dumikit.

Badtrip. Ako yung nangangamoy balm eh. Mga lamok ng Zambales, humanda kayo sakin kapag bumalik ako. Bobombahin ko kayo. Nagsilabasan mga kagat ko pag-uwi.


MORAL: Ganun talaga pag rural areas, chong. Bawal maarte, nakamamatay ang kaartehan. Joke. Ang paglagay ng Off Lotion ay hindi kaartehan. Nakalimutan ko lang talaga. Boo.

Sinubukan ko lang yung Wavelog pampost ng entry. Cool. Kaso trial lang eh. Try ko yung Scribe next time.

Internet Addiction and Mountain English

The topic in the ABS-CBN show Kalye aside from the previous topic (they have multiple topics per episode) on Kidnap, is Internet Addiction. One group who was really fond of the Internet and playing LAN games set-up their own Internet shop instead. They even customized the seats because their clients want reclining chairs when they play for 12 hours. They reasoned that while they're enjoying what they are doing, they're earning money in the process. One girl interviewed who considered herself an Internet addict said that, "sana pagnagka-anak ako, hindi sila maadik sa Internet, because it's not very good," then giggled. Then my dad and my yaya were telling me stuff like I'm always online and always typing stuff or something. "Mag-apply na kayo as typist." I'm like, "hello? I'm excused! I am on a computer course!" I think my dad just rolled his eyes on me.

Then switch to GMA and there's iWitness and their topic was faulty English. They went around to check the proficiency of Filipinos in English. It's common to see typos in signages around the metro, so aside from that, they interviewed random passers-by and elementary public school students. Lo and behold, the elementary school with the highest proficiency in English can be found in the rural areas of Mt. Province. NCR elementary schools? Not so good. Spell SCIENCE. S-C-I-A-N-S-C-E. English is not our national language, yes I know that, but when we're teaching something, make it real good not just in the theory part but in the application part as well. Written and spoken English are not mutually exclusive, you know.

MORAL: Development is good, bending it to suffice one's own personal interest while stepping on someone else's rights is not good. Internet is not bad, abusing it is bad. English is not bad, but some English are really bad.

*Next post would be my Immersion post. :)

Well Heek

Yes, dapat hell week yan pero dahil super duper ultra gasgas na ang term na "hell week" o yung linggong hindi mo alam bakit pero nagsabay-sabay ang lahat ng requirements at exams mo, "well heek" na lang. Dahil by that time, tagilid narin utak mo, at hindi ka na makaisip nang wasto. Good luck naman diba!

Medyo madami akong gagawin. "I really don't know (in Heads and Shoulders accent)" why pero talagang madami eh. Last week, may cumulative akong 4. Hindi yan QPI, pero 4 hours lang ang tulog ko nung pa-Monday, 3 hours nung pa-Tuesday, at 1 1/2 hours pa-Thursday. Walang silbi ang suspension of classes, kasi sa unang suspension, nagtrabaho kami for PM, samantalagang sa pangalawa naman, eh ganun din. Monday may hands-on at may ISA, Tuesday may Theo, at Thursday may Philo.

This week naman, kadiri rin. Monday, PM defense plus org meeting. Tuesday (yesterday) CompSim midterms plus R Stat. Wednesday R ulit plus Immersion meeting ulit. Thursday, Theo paper, CompSim prototype, cluster meeting, IC for org, ay sus. Haha. Friday, dapat may PM midterms ako, pero dahil cool ako at ang galing ng timing ng Immersion ko. Schweng! Go lang.

ARAL: Pray. Wala kang karapatang magreklamo kung hindi ka ako. Oh yeah.

Mang Inasal

Britney Spears's (there's an apostrophe s) song is Heaven on Earth. Yet, even if I listen to it, I'm still feeling otherwise. Yes, it's my 3 (and possibly even 4) weeks of living death, of agony, of pain. (Lenka and She & Him are playing while I study. I can't play songs I know the lyrics of because I won't be able to study. I'll just be singing the songs all night and day and night.)

Monday, August 17, 2009

I went to school early to study with my blockmate for our hands-on exam (the only exam in the lesson of R Stat) in Contemporary Database. Afterwards we'll be having our Information Systems Administration Long Test by 6pm. Then I'll be having my Theology midterm oral exam in the morning of Tuesday, plus some other extra-curricular commitments.

I thought our exam would be from 6-9pm, so I asked my dad to pick me up around that time. Turned out the exam was scheduled until 8pm only. We finished our long test almost an hour before the time so I just asked my dad to pick me up at the LRT station instead of the idea of withering out while waiting for him. My mom was there, so she treated us to the newly opened Mang Inasal near Puregold. Yeah.

When we were there, my mom was about to call the server. She was saying, "Kuya," when I corrected her, "Ma, ate 'yan." So she repeated, "Ate, ate, para saan po ito?" pointing at the dark orange stuff which turned out to be chicken oil, used to flavor your rice. The server told her, "Ma'am, lalaki po ako." Tralalala.

On our way home, my mom told me, "Anak, ok na sa akin ang maliit na bahay basta malaki ang lawn (but she mispronounced it as LOAN)." "Ma, gusto mo ng malaking utang? Loan?"

"Fine. Yard na lang."

Just now my sister asked me if I know our mom's new pet Garutay.

"Garutay?! Who's Garutay?" My mom was referring to our neighbor's dog, Kiray.

"Ang ingay ingay naman ni Garutay."

Now I'm so sleepy. I love my family.

MORAL: First day is still pretty much okay but sooner or later I'm going to run on zombie mode. I almost screamed to my horror when I saw dark puffy LV bags under my eyes. And I have no plans to sleep tonight (but a nap is highly considered) because I'm going to do my Theology which is not in my best interest. Really, Theology? I'm so sorry.

CDs From Heaven

Taylor Swift didn't release her first album here in the Philippines. Also, the album she released here is the international version - with a different cover, of Fearless.

However, I have a nasty trait that I tend to always want what I don't have (well, I think it's in our nature to want what we don't have). And at the first release of Fearless in the US, I wanted to have a copy of it. I really like Taylor's curly voluminous hair so I got to have the first version she released (and this is the lamest excuse I think I made). Since I'm a good girl, I got my wish. Aside from that, I got a copy of her first album. Yay! (Yes, when I have the first album, I've got to have those released before it. I'm just plain wicked like that.)

Eversince my blockmate Ave introduced The Hush Sound to me, they have been part of my music diet. I don't know if I'm just limited to the few record bars in my vicinity, but I can't seem to find the albums of the artists I listen to (yes, I admit I download a heck lot of music but I buy their stuff so there you go). Well, can't blame them, not yet mainstream or something. Gah. So, manna from heaven arrived and I got the three albums of The Hush Sound. Hurrah!

Last manna from heaven is Kate Voegele's first album Don't Look Away. The sad part here is that she just released a new album and well, there's no way I could get a copy of it but from the Internet (Amazon and the likes). This is sad. Oh well, I'm happy with what I have right now. When I finally got the six CDs, I thought I was going to cry. When my sister told me when I woke up one afternoon (YES I'm not a morning person!) that my CDs have finally arrived, I was super excited just like those kids you see in movies all excited to open their Christmas presents. "Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy (repeat until the parents just rip the gifts open so their kid would shut the heck up)."

MORAL: I still thank God I'm not hooked up with all those online purchasing. The power to spend your money with just a click is so tempting.

Stress ^ Next Level

Haha. This is going to be the best August-September of my life. I have done a lot of things I shouldn't have done. The words "prioritization", "responsibility", "role model", and "time management" have been sucked by a blackhole.

I'm so stressed on anticipating my death that I think I won't survive. I want a diploma, schmuck!

Crapolla! I watched 2 seasons worth (that would be around 26 episodes, and a whole lot of hours) of some TV series I shouldn't have been watching. I bought stuff wherein I should've been saving money (saving for nothing really). I should've been studying for the most neurotic 2 weeks of my life, but I didn't. I should've been starting a report that would engulf me alive but I haven't. I should be reading and stuffing ideologies in my hippocampus but I haven't done so. I shouldn't be downing 3 cups of brewed coffee (I only drink decaf and I'm more of a tea-person), but I just did because I'm in love with an inanimate object - the coffee maker. I seriously must look for decaffeinated coffee beans.

Now, my innards are all shaking because of stress, agony, anticipation of failure and death, and have I mentioned stress already? (Don't worry, I won't mutilate myself anytime soon.)

Thing is, I won't start reading/studying until the second bell rings. Really, I'm supposed to be engulfing academics right now but I just typed this entry. Great, eh?

MORAL: There are things you hate about yourself and things you really like about yourself. Like, I'm happy with my hair, my non-existent sense of humor, my stomach, and a few more things. Though I really hate one part of myself that when in crunch time, I float away. I suddenly think of theories of everything, I jot down stuff in a notebook, and I contemplate on life, wherein I'm supposed to study about how Aristotle lost his hair while strolling around figuring how a data center could produce a statistical analysis whether or not people want to buy insurance, all while believing in integral evangelization.

I always, always, always, (really) always wait for the emergency alarm before I get out of a burning building. I already noticed the smoke, but I won't go out.

I know it's a ridiculous thing and it's very irresponsible, but the thrill I get when I survive is out-of-this world (no, I don't do drugs). Tragic part is that when I'm stuck, I have no one else to blame but myself.