Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Waking Up

Yesterday, I got home at around 9.40pm because I had a 6-9pm class every wednesday. I was really tired. I wanted to sleep so bad that when I got home I was already moody. I know, I'm moody when I'm sleepy. By 10pm, I tried sleeping, but no, no matter how sleepy I was I couldn't sleep. There was a point when I was half-asleep but my phone rang and the irritating noise of Homer Simspon singing "I am evil Homer!" irritated me and woke me up.

I tried sleeping, but I couldn't, so I just played PSP until 1:30am... BAD MOVE.

I have a 7.30am class today and I was supposed to wake up at 5:30am so I can avoid Katipunan traffic. I woke up at 6:20am. Darn it. I wasn't late for class but the stress level of the rush to school and the traffic really made me moody. I'm usually moody in the morning but add stress to that and my blockmates know that they better not talk to me. But, I'm no longer moody. Class was fun.

Seriously, getting up in the morning is really getting tough. Argh.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Quiz

We had our first quiz in Metrics.

Everyone was nervous. We thought it would be so difficult. My block had a group study in Matteo for 2 hours just to help each other out. It didn't really help much. hahaha

The quiz was relatively easy. It was certainly easier that expected!! YAY.

I think I did pretty well in that quiz. Yay!

Penmanship Class

That's what we did for Philo for a few minutes.

The first thing that Pasco said to class was that he didn't want to teach. He was tired because he had to accompany somebody somewhere early in the morning. But, we can't afford not to have the session because we were affected by the cancellation of classes last thurday.

Anyhoo, he taught Philo (for a few minutes). Then, he wandered off to his childhood memories. We talked about firecrackers, chinese garter, dampa, text, watusi, piko, jackstone, etc. He told stories about how his childhood was like.

Back to Philo (for a few minutes). Then, suddenly, the chalk started to make a schreech noise. He tried to write in script to minimize the noise.

Suddenly, "Anong letter yung hirap kayo na isulat sa script?"

We started giving him letters that were hard to write in script. I, seriously, don't even know how to write some of them anymore. We did thsi for like 15 minutes.

Seriously, the rumors are true. Pasco becomes unispired and tired by the 2nd semester.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Vandalism

I had a 7.30am class today. It's getting more and more difficult to get up and go to class. Argh.

Anyhoo, I was terribly sleepy in class, until... I saw this doodle on my desk. Picture this: a man's d*ck and pacman (the real pacman, not manny pacquiao) biting/ sucking/whatever-ing it. It was hilarious. I swear. Then, right next to the doodle: "Hindi ata Pacman. Fuckman ata. Lolz."

Excitedly, I showed it to my seatmate. She couldn't stop cackling. I told her to shut up because class was still on-going. haha

After class, i got a message from a friend that they were in the org room. I went straight to the org room because I was excited to see them. Yikee.

Of course I told them about the doodle I saw on my desk. BUT NO. They had worse. They showed me their reading for Filipino. It was about doodles you see inside the washroom. I read most of categories out loud. WAHAHAHA. That reading is too much for Freshies. All kinds of sexual jargon were there.

ADS, sorry for the profanity.

Freshies, I enjoyed tambay. Next time, bullshit!And, go to the spotsfest. You'll be my entertainment. And vice versa. haha

Come to the US

I got an email from my cousin from the States.

This is all it it said:

"come to the US pls it will be fun"

I really love that kid. Her name is Alex. I've known her through stories since she was around 4. She's half-Italian, i think. When she was 4, my mom would tell me that she was the sweetest kid ever and that she would affectionately call my mom "grandma in red" coz my mom would always wear the same red sweat shirt when she was in the US.

A year ago, she, with her mom, went to the Philippines. Instant click. They stayed here for like a month and she would always look for me whenever my mom would visit them in the hotel. Everyone noticed how much we adored each other.

When she got back in the States, she would even call me up to ask how my turtles are doing or did the dog grow already. She even asked my dad, who just arrived from the US, to give me a watch. Yep, she chose the watch I'm wearing to school now. Sweet.

Yes, Alex, I wanna go to the States. I hope (wish, actually) by May. *fingers crossed*

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Patience

Naubos. I swear.

I'm pretty patient as long as you don't get personal. I know that you don't like InTACT. I also never did. I volunteered to be a faci because I thought I can broaden my horizons and expand my cirle with being a faci. BUT NO. You guys are so ungrateful. I swear. I'm really nice to you already. I dunno why we can't seem to click. If I only got any of the Eco blocks, it would have been heavenly.

What's even more frustrating for me is the fact that right next to our class is the Eco block. They were with me right before we started class, and we had so much fun.

I tried to contain my anger in class. I know I'll "lose" if I exploded. I was about to explode. I didn't. I just released some steam. I just raised my voice and told you to settle down, don't push your issues and shut up. Lucero made you do that stupid presentation. I didn't.

Also, Lucero, you are to blame. This is your nth cut. You're sick? YEAH RIGHT. What kind of "professional" facilitator are you?

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Hosting

I was offered by the project head to co-host our home org's 2nd General Assembly/ Christmas party. I dunno if I want to. More importantly, I dunno if I can. Maybe, last semester, I could have but things, certainly, have changed.

I'm certainly more quiet and reflective this semester. (Oddly enough, last sem, I was asking God to lessen my noise. But now that I'm more quiet and reflective, it's driving me nuts. Be careful what you wish for 'coz you just might get it. Get it? I'm over-thinking things.)

I'm not sure if I can be extra perky enough to host it.

Still, depends on who I'm hosting with. If I'll do it with close friends, maybe.

Friday, November 21, 2008

You Missed Me?!

I didn't go to school yesterday because I only had 1 class at 7.30am. It was raining and sleep was all I wanted to do.

Today, my blockmate texted me that they (I assumed that "they" means my blockmates) missed me during class and that they had figured out that I didn't go to class because I was too tamad. You know me well. haha

During Metrics class today, another blockmate told me that they missed me during class. "Wow. These people really love me", I thought to myself. Not really. haha

Then she continues... "Templo missed you."

"Huh? Why?", i asked. "Is it because I did so well and made perfect sense during class the other day?", I thought to myself. Yabang.

"We we're talking about calories!"

"Darn it."

Wow, ma'am. Thanks.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Success and Histrocity

I was watching CBS News yesteday and they featured Malcolm Gladwell. He talked about how our histrocity (cultural/ historical/ familial background) affects or increases our chances to succeed in life.

For example, Bill Gates (Microsoft) / Steve Jobs (Apple) / Eric Schmidt (Google) were all born in the year 1955. And the computer boom started in 1975. All of them were 20 years of age back then. 20 is the perfect age to try something new (computers, back then) since you really don't have anything to lose. Basta. haha

It's really interesting. I want to buy the book.

Here's an article from Time Magazine:

Outliers: Malcolm Gladwell's Success Story

He started with the lawyers. "Why do they all have the same biography?" he wondered. "We take it for granted that there's this guy in New York who's the corporate lawyer, right? I just was curious: Why is it all the same guy?" It takes a special kind of brain to be curious about New York City lawyers. Such a brain belongs to Malcolm Gladwell, 45, author of The Tipping Point and Blink, the founding documents of the now best-selling genre of pop economics, which together have sold more than 4.5 million copies.

Slender, with elfin cheekbones and a distinctive bloom of spirally brown hair, Gladwell is one of those clever people who actually looks clever. His curiosity about high-achieving lawyers was the germ of his third book, Outliers, which will be published Nov. 18. It's a book about exceptional people: smart people, rich people, successful people, people who operate at the extreme outer edge of what is statistically possible. Robert Oppenheimer. Bill Gates. The Beatles. And yes, fancy lawyers.

Gladwell's goal is to adjust our understanding of how people like that get to where they are. Instead of the Horatio Alger story of success — a gifted child who through heroic striving within a meritocratic system becomes a successful (rich, famous, fill in your life goal here) adult — Outliers tells a story about the context in which success takes place: family, culture, friendship, childhood, accidents of birth and history and geography. "It's not enough to ask what successful people are like," Gladwell writes. "It is only by asking where they are from that we can unravel the logic behind who succeeds and who doesn't." Outliers is, in its genteel Gladwellian way, a frontal assault on the great American myth of the self-made man. (And they mostly are men. There aren't a lot of women outliers in Outliers.)

In some ways, Gladwell himself is, if not an outlier, then at least an outsider. He is both the son of a Jamaican woman in overwhelmingly white Canada and an academic kid from a working-class town (Elmira, Ont.). But the outsider had an in: his father, a mathematician, brought him into the rarefied world of the university. That context is not unconnected to his later success. "As a kid, 11 or something, we would go to his office, and I would wander round," he says. "I got that sense that everybody was so friendly, and their doors were open. I sort of fell in love with libraries at the same time." Now Gladwell, a New Yorker staff writer, specializes in milling crunchy academic material — psychology experiments, sociological studies, law articles, statistical surveys of plane crashes and classical musicians and hockey players — into prose so silky and accessible, it passes directly into the popular imagination in the form of memes. The most obvious candidate for memification in Outliers is a little gem Gladwell calls the 10,000-Hour Rule. Studies suggest that the key to success in any field has nothing to do with talent. It's simply practice, 10,000 hours of it — 20 hours a week for 10 years.

Outliers is a more personal book than its predecessors are. If you hold it up to the light, at the right angle, you can read it as a coded autobiography: a successful man trying to figure out his own context, how success happened to him and what it means. Gladwell is asking, as he puts it over lunch, "whether successful people deserve the praise we heap on them."

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Family Time

I enjoyed just talking/ tambay with my "family" a while ago. I know it wasn't apparent, but I was so happy to have seen you, my doughters. On our way down, we even saw Sir and friends. hahaha

I really love our family. It's one of the reasons why I enjoy school. Even though we don't get to spend a lot of time together, you're all so special to me.

Last week, I was talking to a friend. She said she liked our family. I couldn't help but gush about how happy and proud I am of our family. You have no idea how proud I am of you guys.

Bullshit session one of these days!! It's been a month.
Sir and Friends have been practicing so hard.

YES!

I'm absolutely excited for YES.

I had a meeting with my co-project heads a while ago to discuss YES. YES or Youth Economics Summit is a day-long seminar for HS kids. It seems so promising.

To be honest, at first (like 2 weeks ago), I was scared that I couldn't handle or I don't know how to handle org projects anymore. It's been 3 years since I headed a project. Back then, I was so used to doing org projects that it came so effortlessly. Seriously. But, my experience with YES is different. I had difficulty pulling things together.

But after that meeting, wow; I know we'll do well. I really believe we will.

2 months to go!! Actually, I'm not used to taking my time doing org projects.

I can't wait. I'm so excited.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Lovin' Dev Eco

WIN. For real.

I'm starting to love Dev Eco. I hope it lasts.

You know me, when I love a class, i really try to excel in it.

Just please stop telling us that we're not from a good course like ME. It hurts.

Still, i hope this "love" lasts.

I Wish I Were A Freshman

When I was a Freshman, i thought it was difficult. Ma20 was a pain. And it was worth 6 units. I was absolutely tired with writing the En12 research paper. Reading Fil11 stuff was crazy. Danton Remoto was crazy, in a funny way.

But, no one really told me that this (Junior yr) would be this damn difficult. Freshman year and Sophomore year is like chicken shit compared to this. Argh.

At least, with Calculus and Accounting, you can simply use logic and a bit of luck and you're good to go. But with Econometrics, it's like I see stars when i see those whatchamacallits. Stressful prof

I'd gladly take Calculus and Accounting again (over and over again) rather than what I'm taking now. I envy those Freshmen who think they're life's so difficult.

Dearies, wait 'til Junior year.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

On Freedom

After having "lunch" with some of my blockmates along Katip, i went back to Ateneo to read my philo readings. I didn't understand it.

The reading was about Freedom. I believe Skinner more than Sartre.

We are all bound by our histrocity.

We are controlled by our past behavior and external factors (environmental, psychological, and educational which shaped our present character and personalities.)

We are never free.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Lost Friend

After I was done with my Dev't Economics class, I went to Matteo to read my Philo readings. I got a message from a someone whom I've had a fight with for a about a month now. She said she wanted to talk with me because it's been hard for her not talking with me.

I replied: "I'm to the point that I'm not angry, but I just don't really care anymore. I don't know why we need to talk and if it will settle anything. I dunno. Give me a few minutes to think if I wanna talk."

I never replied again.
I know, it's a bit dramatic of me.
I've just been so down lately that I am too tired to think of things to tell her. I don't even remember the numerous reasons why I got mad at her. Maybe, it's time we talk.

Interestingly, a few hours after she texted me, I said "hi" to her, unknowingly. My blockmates and I were outside the library planning our lunch for my 7 and 1/2 hour break. My blockmate suddenly says "Oh my god. Guess who's coming." I panicked. I said "hi" to her. Then, i frowned. Damn you, blockmate!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Scheduling Failure

I got DS101 under the Leland De la Cruz, DS Chairperson, as my Free elective thinking that it will be credited for my Dev't Man. Minor. When I got into his class yesterday, i was really impressed by him. Though, the class is really heavy. He knew his DS Majors well. He recognized who were in their Soph. and Junior year. He recognized the non-DS majors too. And he really loves his students.

Unfortunately, DS101 will not be credited for my Minor. FAIL. He gave me the option to stay or choose another DS class that will be credited. I chose to move.

I just came from the Dev't Department to move to another class. I was moved to a 6-9pm class every Wednesday. That's another 4 and 1/2 hours break time for me. Wow. Why are all of our schedules so effed-up?

Fail.

Monday, November 10, 2008

School's So Stagnant

School's so stagnant and boring. As in. I don't know what to do my breaks yet because everyone's schedule has not yet been "finalized."

Errrr. I can't wait for school stress. Though, I hope it won't be too heavy.

Today is The Start of Change

If today was a foreboding of what's to come, then, certainly, a lot will change or has changed this semester. A lot happened today and I'm happy I'm back in school.

I had a huge chat with a friend; yes, you. But I won't divulge the details. I know you won't like it. Yes, i understand you but we really can't do anything about it. I think I'll spend a whole lot of time with you this sem (except TTH coz we won't really see each other). I'm looking forward to it.

Anyhoo, Econometrics= Ma11 + Ma20 + Ec102 + Ec111 + Ec112 + Ec115 + Ec116. Seriously, make or break. Break, break, break. Joke. Someone told me that when I don't believe I can't do something, it really affects my performance so... I encircled that A in the syllabus as my target grade. Whattajoke. I loved our prof, for now. If I fail this class (though, we believe, no one ever fails a higher Eco class because failing one will lead to a delay of a year which the department can't afford), maybe I should really find what I'm passionate about. Dancing and singing, right, ma'am?

Btw, people are extra jolly/ perky/ energetic today. Okay. I'm not really a fan of everyone being so energetic. Chill. I hope it dies down soon. It will, hopefully. And those that I expected to be jolly, were cold and aloof. I hope things normalize soon.

Tomorrow will be heavy. 7:30am class. Then, 4 and 1/2 hours break. Then, 4 and 1/2 hours of class. I didn't realize that my sched looked like that until last Saturday.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Classes Start Tom.

I'm so not into the school groove.
BUT, i'm excited to see all of my friends again.

Must do better this sem. Last sem was horrible. I hope I do well and have fun this sem.

Though, it really sucks that I only have 1 class for MWF. That means my TTH is absolutely heavy. BUT, that means I can devote my MWFs to orgs!! Yay.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

My Flash Disk Got Soaked

It’s laundry day today at our home.

I’ve been looking for my flash disk for a couple of days now. I thought I lost it. Turn out; I left it inside the pocket of my pants. Well, my pants, the flash disk included, were washed today. Nice.

“Oh no! My precious files! Oh no. I have to buy another one again for the nth time.”, I thought to myself. Well, not really. I’m just bored.

I didn’t think it’ll work still but, yes; it still does. And all the (useless) files are still there.

Lucky me. Weeeeeee.

Friday, November 7, 2008

My TD Kids Are Now Scholars

I was in the HS a while ago to inquire the rental cost of the HS CovCourts. Fail. It's darn expensive.

I was early so I decided to tour my blockmate, who's from LSGH, around AHS. I was so happy and excited while I was showing him around. I remembered a lot of memories. I really left my heart in the HS. There are still a lot of familiar faces that I said hello to. Of course, I visited OSA and our dear Officer Jenny. She was so shocked to see me.

Anyhoo, as we were buying from the cafeteria, I saw a familiar face. I wasn't sure, at first, if it was him. I stopped a few feet in front of him. We looked at each other, trying to remember who's who.

"Joe-Nel?", I asked.
"Uy! =)", gives me a high five.
And then we chatted.

He was my TD kid, 3 years ago. He was a grade five student at Barangka Elem; now, he's a sophomore at AHS, an eMboy pa. TD is a program in AHS where the Seniors go to various public elementary schools weekly to teach grade 5 or 6 students Math/ English.

I found out that the other boy is also now an Atenean. And the two girls are studying at St. Scho Marikina.

How fulfilling.
I'm happy I went back to AHS.
I'm happy that I saw my TD-kid-turned-Atenean.
I'm happy because I think I made this world, or atleast the life of my TD kids, a tad better.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Regular Reg

Regular Registration today. This will be my first in 3 semesters.
AISIS failed me. I don't have an eco elective yet.

Goodluck to me.
And I hope the lines are not long.
And I wish I can see people I like.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Early Morning Blues

I woke up at around 9.30am today. While I was still half-asleep, I felt excited about something. You know, the feeling you get when it’s a big day or when you know something good will happen.

After a few seconds, I forgot what I was excited about. And I realized that there’s nothing to look forward to today or a reason to start my day this early. I could very well sleep ‘til 2pm and nothing will change.

I hope I remember what I was excited about.
Or I hope that feeling was an omen that something good will happen today.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Christmas is in the Air

I’ve already bought my Christmas gifts for friends. We’ve already bought décor to adorn our home. I’ve already loaded my computer with Holiday tracks. And we’re planning to set up the Christmas tree over the weekend. All of these just to get into the spirit of Christmas.

Still, Christmas ain’t what it used to be. It’s certainly less exciting. It’s probably because I’ve already grown up. Christmas is for kids, I believe. If this is what it entails to be an adult (i.e. losing my wonderment and amazement at things that are celebrated), I think, I wanna be a kid again even just for the Holiday season.

Or is it just because I’ve already spent 19 Christmas celebrations without truly valuing and appreciating things that make Christmas truly special? It’s so easy to get caught up in all the fanfare. This Christmas, I want to be amazed again. I want to feel that warm and ecstatic feeling inside of me just because I’m around family and friends.

Merry Christmas! I hope I’m the first person to greet you.

Back To Reality

I left Manila last week with certain thoughts and problems that I have yet to address. And now, they've grown bigger (and bolder.)

First, my schedule for next semester. I enlisted online last Thursday to no avail because I am part of the 4th batch. I was supposed to take IPE as my Eco elective, BUT NO, there were no slots left. Actually, no Eco elective was available for me. The only elective left was Money and Banking which is exclusively for MeCo. So, i still don't have an Eco elective. I don't understand why I do not have an elective yet. I even went to the department a month ago to get my advisement and sign-up for the IPE class.

I heard from my blockmates that they tried calling up the department to fix their classes, BUT NO, the department secretaries repeatedly hung up on them. Rude.

It's regular registration for me on Friday. Darn it. I hope I can fix my schedule. Right now, my TTH is really heavy. And only 1 class for MWF.

Second, I have yet to finalize the plans for a project I'm heading for my home org. We did small planning during the EvSem but I kind of lost track of the things we talked about. My bad. It's not that the project is stressful, it's just that it's on the back my head constantly. Once I've finalized everything, i can forget about it. Though, I'm really excited because I love the people I'm working with. Seriously.And I'm really going to make that project the best, biggest, and fun(nest) project this org has ever had to prove someone that I can.

Third, lack of desire to pursue InTACT. Yes, I like my Freshies, but the class has been a burden, really. It's just that I've been doing everything for the class. I have a partner professional facilitator to handle the class, but I've been doing practically everything for the class. It's been too demanding for me. I have other commitments. I can't handle the weekly training sessions and the various activities that they make us go to. But I can't do anything anymore, one more semester and it's over.

Fourth, I'm excited for school. I can't wait to see everyone, especially you; yes, you. BUT, I'm so sick and tired of schoolwork. Argh.

Fifth, thoughts. I've been doing a lot of thinking over the semestral break and it's really bothersome. What I've blogged about still hold true for me.

It's just probably that I have too much time to think. Can't wait for school to begin again.