Random Ramblings

It's been a while sine I had a working computer at home, so I haven't been blogging much lately. But now that I've had my computer running again (at long last), here are a few things I wanted to get out of my system, since they have been screaming to get out of my brain for days now.
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Normally my family doesn't give alms to beggars, since in our society nowadays beggars are either shunned upon or feared as members of crime syndicates. But last Sunday, we just had to give alms. We were stopped right around 11:30am on Gilmore Avenue and Santolan Road (I'm not too sure, but it's on the way to Greenhills), when two beggars came knocking at windows. What I saw initially horrified me, but my initial horror gave way to pity. Can you imagine a still-long candle, but with melted wax running down the sides? That doesn't begin to describe the beggar that we saw. He looked like he had walked out of a roaring fire, with parts of his face burned and melted away, his eyelids were almost nonexistent, and from what we could see, he was also blind. The skin on his arms appeared to be scaly and dry, with burn areas visible almost everywhere. He was being led by a young boy from car window to car window, asking for alms. As soon as they reached the cab we were riding, we had the driver roll down his window, and we gave more than a hundred pesos, I think, which was certainly more than what the other people gave (horrified glances), but was certainly less than what the man needed. We drove away, still thinking about the man, and the pitiful state he was in.

I hope this catches the attention of the people who should be able to help him. I don't know whether the man will still be there, but even if he won't, I hope other people will take pity and try to help him as well.
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Behind the chapel in the Greenhills Shopping Center is a religious exhibit of little figures depicting the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary, and also a very detailed diorama of a Biblical town (Bethlehem perhaps?) which is nothing short of breathtaking. Words certainly do not do justice to the figures, as one should see the exhibit for himself in order to truly appreciate the artistry of the figures. Admission is free.

Christmas Blues

Well, it comes as no surprise to me at all that Christmas is once again approaching and, once again I face the season as a broke man. Financially broke, in case you were wondering. After fourteen Christmases (the first five having been all but forgotten because I was too young to remember), the twentieth Christmas of my life is by far the bleakest for my wallet.

Yeah, yeah, I know, I should've been more thrifty with my allowance, and all that jazz. But how does a guy like me balance a budget of Php200 per day? Minus Php50 for our class "paluwagan", minus Php40 for transportation, minus Php60 for lunch, minus Php50 for dinner, leaving me with basically nothing for the entire day but cobwebs in my wallet. Don't get me wrong; at one time I had more than Php1,000 for a week's allowance, but that was when I was going to school for a full week. Now, I go to school three days a week for studies, and three days more for my other duties, during which my allowance plummets to anywhere between none and a hundred.

New Year's Resolution: ask for an increase in allowance. Hey, it's my last year of receiving allowance from my parents, so I might as well make the most out of it. Anyway, I'll be paying them back as soon as I get a job.

Top 5 Reasons Why People Do Not Sleep at Night

5. Work keeps them up.
4. Time flies by so fast that they do not notice that it's already morning.
3. Insomnia.
2. They do not require lots of sleep, and can usually grab powernaps during the day.
1. They've forgotten how to sleep.

Vanity

Here's my most recent picture. Wala lang, I just felt like posting it here. So sue me. =Þ

Funny? Not Really

"The most important lesson in life: flush the toilet after use." - Prof. Melvin R. Matulac, instructor, Professional Ethics

The above quote may seem funny at first, and I certainly thought so. But then again, there was a reason why Sir Melvin brought this up to the class. This got me thinking - how is flushing a toilet after using it the most important lesson in life?

People are, more often than not, downright slobs when it comes to a lot of things - work, academics, hygiene, personality, and God knows what else. When caught in a jam, they cannot extricate themselves out of the mess they found themselves into. And in the event that they do get themselves out, they simply do not know how to clean everything up.

In our childhood days, we were taught to pick up after ourselves, be it our toys, our school stuff, leftover food, etc. So, why is it that we tend to forget these lessons that have been instilled in us even before we could speak properly? Is forgetting the past a symptom of growing up?

"Everything I need to know about life, I learned in kindergarten". True enough.

Now, I guess I need to pick up after myself. Mental note: flush the toilet as well.

WTF?!

I came to class late, but it seems as if we're not really discussing anything important here. In fact, I don't think there'll be a discussion now. Here I am, sitting in front of the computer in class, while my professor is also sitting in front of his computer, doing God knows what. My classmates are doing different things right now, some are studying for this subject, some are just browsing the Web, some are playing Yahoo! games, some are posting in journals, and some are plain bored.

Oh, well.... WTF?! Seems like the discussion is starting. Sometimes it pays to wait.

Oh, what the hell. Class in session.

Ang Mga Nagagawa ng mga Taong Walang Magawa (Things Done by People with Nothing to Do)

ASL? LOL? ROFL? ROTFL? BRB? GTG? Sounds family? Errr, familiar?

Yeah, yeah... Chat acronyms, what people usually say in chat rooms, in message boards, in emails, in SMS, and in almost any other form of electronica available today. But now, for the Pinoy chatter, there now are Pinoy versions of these acronyms available for use. Want to know what they are? First things first, let's define the given acronyms for the benefit of those who do not chat (or do not have a frickin' clue what these are)

ASL - Age/Sex/Location. Usually the first thing chatters ask each other. This usually opens the conversation, and sometimes this alone will end the conversation as well. (No way man, I was hoping to hook up with a 20-year-old girl living in QC, not a 48-year-old guy from Retroville or Nerdstown or wherever)

LOL - Laughing out loud. Used to show appreciation for a very good joke, a funny situation, or when the chatter is mentally deranged and laughs at almost every post.

ROFL / ROTFL - Rolling on the floor laughing. A more extreme version of LOL. This time it involves rolling on the floor while laughing. What's funny about this is that the chatter is still able to type in these letters while rolling on the floor laughing.

BRB - Be right back. Used when the chatter has to step out temporarily, either to get something to drink, or he / she has to go, either #1 or #2.

GTG - Got to go. Used when the chatter is leaving, due to a number of reasons, the most popular of which are the 2: (a) the chatter has to go somewhere; or (b) the chatter found out that the person he's / she's chatting with isn't what he / she expected the other person to be. (see quoted portion in ASL)

Having gotten this out of the way, here are the Pinoy versions of the acronyms.

ASL = EKL - Edad/Kasarian/Lugar, also Edad/Kan(bleep)/Lugar
LOL = TNM - Tawa nang malakas
ROFL/ROTFL = GSSHT - Gumugulong sa sahig habang tumatawa
BRB = BA - Balik ako
GTG = ANA - Alis na ako

Truly, the wonders of what extremely bored people can do.

(ps. potah mike, ala ka talaga magawa 'no? GSSHT)

In Mourning

This candle is offered for Prana Escalante, in the hopes that she may find her way back to the path of light. While I might not have known her, I sincerely offer my silent prayers, that she might not be disheartened on her journey. I also offer this candle to her family, that they may be able to find peace, comfort, and solace throughout these trying times. Realizing the evanescence and fragility of human life, I offer a silent prayer for the whole human race, that we might all find comfort and strength to withstand the trials life has in store for us.

May she find peace, wherever she may be.

Projects, Projects, and More Projects

It's only the second day of classes, but I feel as though I've been hit by a veritable tidal wave of projects (yeah, yeah, I'm exaggerating, but sometimes it really feels like it). But in all fairness, I'll enjoy finishing one particular project. In Multimedia Technologies, we've been given a combination Audio and Still Image project, in the form of a CD album containing at least nine songs which, at one point in our lives, have been very much influential or striking. I've already made an initial list of songs, but it's still in a state of flux, and I'm still replacing songs. But more or less, that list will comprise what I'll be doing for my project. Now, I'm also in the process of creating the lyric sheets, covers, cd labels and whatnot. I still have no idea on what my overall theme should be, although I'm thinking about a very minimalist concept, with a few pictures, and maybe a few artworks. Or maybe something else... Damn, I need a really kick-ass design which would be relatively easy to do. Anyway, I'm already on the drawing table thinking of designs, and if I think of something really awesome, then I'll start on it right away. I only hope that it wouldn't take me months before coming up with a design, though - that would really be such a bummer.

Videoke Time

Well, I guess I'm trying to be nonchalant about it, and I'm going to extremes to prove I'm fine without you, but in reality I'm slowly losing my mind underneath the disguise of a smile. Gradually, I'm dying inside. Friends ask me how I feel, and I lie convincingly, 'cause I don't want to reveal the fact that I'm suffering, so I wear my disguise 'till I go home at night, and turn down all the lights, and then I break down and cry. (Breakdown - Bone Thugs N Harmony feat. Mariah Carey)
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See, my days are cold without you / But I'm hurtin' while I'm with you / And though my heart can't take no more I can't keep runnin' back to you / See, my days are cold without you / But I'm hurtin' while I'm with you / And though my heart can't take no more I won't keep runnin' back to you (Unfoolish - Ashanti)
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I'm ready this time / I know that I'm no longer undecided / Don't wanna be a fool wondering what might have been (What Might Have Been - Lou Pardini)
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I haven't felt the way I feel today in so long it's hard for me to specify / I'm beginning to notice how much this feels like a waking limb, pins and needles, nice to know you (Nice To Know You - Incubus)
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These were the 4 most recent songs I've played on my MP3 player... Wala lang, just wanted to share it... ;)

Packing Beaches!!!

It's been said that a plenary session was a very long and arduous process, requiring tons of patience and drums of coffee. At first I thought that congressmen just wasted the people's money while participating in plenary sessions. Well, that was until I attended a plenary session as a delegate.

28-30 October 2004 was the date the 8th Civitas Asia Student Conference Series on Civic Education, Citizenship, and Democracy was held at the University of Asia and the Pacific. OSA informed me a few months ago that I would be one of the delegates that would represent UST in the conference. Well, it was a great opportunity, so I agreed to co-represent the school.

28 October came, and thus the conference officially started. At first a series of lectures were delivered by Prof. Mirshariff Tillah (UA&P professor from the Institute of Political Economy; on Civic Education), Ms. Shiela Coronel (PCIJ Director; on Philippine Mass Media), and Rep. Simeon Kintanar (Representative of the 2nd District of Cebu; on Participatory Governance). Like any other conference, it had its highlights, its share of delegates that were making lider-lideran, those who wanted to impress others by their eloquence but ended up making fools of themselves, those who really were very impressive, and those who were content to remain silent, contributing few ideas and thoughts.

I've met and made quite a few good friends, which is a little bit surprising given the fact that I'm not usually the sort of person who makes friends easily, but since we were going to work our butts off together for the next few days, I did. Most noteworthy would be Miggs (actually I already know him from the Leadership Congress in Caleruega), Ramil and Sherie (UST), AC and Tin (St. Paul - Manila), Marian (ADMU), Hans, Dean and Christian (FEU). These were the people whom I hung out with mostly during the conference. I made other friends as well, but I only got to talk to them during the plenary and during the banquet.

29 October - Final Party Night of the SMB Oktoberfest 2004. We were supposed to attend the Oktoberfest after the conference, but things got a little complicated, and the traffic was also very very heavy along EDSA, so we just decided to go to the nearest 7-11 and just buy our own booze, and have our own 'fest at the apartelle. It was around 10 or 11pm when we started, and we finished at around 3am. Miraculously, I was still able to find my way home.

30 October. As expected, I arrived late at the venue. Good thing the plenary session hasn't started yet, or I would've had a minor inconvenience. So begins the arduous plenary session. All in all, a total of 7 hours were spent discussing each group's proposed resolution, owing to the fact that a lot of delegates were raising too many points of inquiry, information, clarification, and too few amendments. My head was already spinning afterwards, since I only had about 3 hours of sleep. Well, eventually, we finished the session, and we came up with the final resolutions, and on to the banquet itself.

So ended the 8th Civitas Asia Student Conference Series, and in this connection I wish to move that discussion of this matter be closed. (damn, I think I still am reeling from the 7-hour long plenary.)

Visual Poetry

Just something I made up since I got inspired by a sunset photograph my friend took in Bolinao... It's going to be part of my new project, which I hope to finish by next year.

I Feel Like Singing...

The wonder of the world is gone, I know for sure
All the wonder that I want, I've found in her
As the hole becomes apart, I strike to burn, and the flame returns
Every intuition fails to find its way
One more table turned, around and back again
Finding I'm all lost and found, when she's not around
When she's not around
I feel it coming now
Give me what I could never ask for
Connect me and you could be my chemical now
Give me the drug you know I'm after
Connect me and you could be my chemical
When everybody wants you (the chemical, you're soul)
When everybody wants you (the chemical, you're soul,soul and)
Everybody wants you (soul, soul and)
Everybody wants you're (soul)
Give me what I could never ask for
Connect me and you could be my chemical now
Give me the drug you know I'm after
Connect me and you could be the chemical
You could be the chemical
You could be the chemical
You could be the chemical
You could be the chemical
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Whenever I'm in a rage, I like listening to this song, I dunno why... It's not an angry song, but still - maybe the fact that it's the entrance theme used by Kane in Raw makes it seem angry, as Kane is an angry, sick wrestler (or at least he projects that image). Give me what I could never ask for. Connect me and you can be my chemical now.

Retroville

The Philippine urban setting as it was in the early 1970s...

Discovered this picture while browsing around the 'Net... Kinda funny, but then again, the economy was more stable back then, SARS was virtually unherad of then, and the clothes (in my opinion) was way cooler... Sometimes I can't help but long for bell-bottom pants, boots, and open-necked shirts, with the retro long hairstyles... In my opinion, it was a saner time then... Sanity nowadays is almost virtually gone, with people suffering from one kind of psychosis or another... How we all long for sanity...

Thoughts on Graduation

College graduation. A special event which every college student dreams of. Every college student hopes to graduate on time, together with his batchmates. Nothing beats the experience of ascending the stage, taking your bows, and finally getting the one thing college students aspire for - the college diploma. 30 seconds of fame.

30 seconds. 30. seconds. Half a minute. What a college student gets after four (or in some cases, five) years of hard work, perseverance, headaches, migraines, ulcers, insomnia, and aching and blistered feet (the result of running all over campus trying to catch up with your professors in the hopes of getting them to accept your final thesis draft). Some would finally say, "Is it even worth the effort?"

Aaahhh... The price we pay for fame. But then again, fame is an expensive thing.

My New Home

I guess it's time to make some changes in life. But I'm not going to get all mushy and everything - what I meant was just a change in blogs. I'll still be updating the other site, but I'll be spending more and more time in here. I guess that's all for now... Still have a lot of updating to do. Whew.

Oh, I forgot... I changed the links, so the old link points to this new blog. Guys, I made it easier for you - you don't have to change the links. *headbangs*