The CSB Experience 3: Doppleganger

The first term started off a wee bit odd. Not because I had 3 days worth of morning classes but maybe I may be suffering from a case of mistaken identity.

Get this, I saw this really-but oddly familiar girl outside the SDA. I saw her from afar and basing from her hair, type of clothes she's wearing and even her movements, I easily mistook her for some person I know from school. I yelled out her name and waved at her but to my utter surprise, she was actually someone else.

Nakakahiya!

Good thing no one else saw me doing that! :o

It happened again a few days later. This time, nasa malapitan na kami!

Just coming out from a dismissed class, I was waiting for an elevator in the 11th floor SDA when a bunch of students came to ride one as well. One of them looks exactly the one person I knew and I was like less than a few meters away from here. I waved my ahnd and called out her name but...

She didn't noticed...

I then realized that I made the mistake of mistaking a person for someone else... :(

I apologized the girl for my odd behavior and she said that it was alright. I never felt this so relieved, saving myself from total embarassment!

Just hoping it won't happen LOL!

Terminator Salvation

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Science Fiction & Fantasy

I'm still reeling from wounds inflicted by Fox's cancellation of my favorite sci fi guilty pleasure, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. The only way for me lessen the pain is for me to watch the latest installment of the Terminator franchise, entitled "Salvation".

T4 is set in the continuity of T3 and thus ignoring the events of TSCC. Viewers were introduced to a apocalyptic world after Judgement Day saw the rise of SkyNet, which in T3 became self-aware and perceived humans as threats. it then created terminators to hunt down humans to kill and/or harvest them for SkyNet's use.

The movie is led by Christian Bale as "John Connor", the one prophesied to lead the human race into victory and bring about the fall of SkyNet. In order to prevent this, SkyNet sent terminators back in time to kill John, or in the first movie, kill her mother. Other characters include Connor's wife from T3, Kate Brewster (or Kate Connor now in T4), a mute girl named Star, a cyborg (second lead) named Marcus Wright, and a very young Kyle Reese.

According to the continuity, Kyle was sent back in time by John to save his mother, Sarah, but was unaware that he was destined to become John's father. Thus in T4, John tried to look for his father because he knows that Kyle is the "key of salvation", for if SkyNet get theirs hands on him, there won't be any John Connor, so on and so forth. That's where marcus came into the picture...

Marcus was in 2003, a convict slated for death row. Before he died, he donated his body to Cyberdine Industries for medical research. But after Judgement Day, Skynet made him a cyborg, a cross between a human and a terminator. He has a conscious, a brain, and a living heart found inside a chunk of metal for a body plastered with human skin. He didn't knew that he actually brought Kyle to Skynet thus he needed John's help to save him.

I don't want to spoil much about the movie, save for the review, but at the movie's end was another open-ending giving us an idea that there's going to be another movie in the works.

My take:

The movie obviously didn't rely too much on special effects to drive the movie. Character development was more emphasized to produce a kind of storytelling relevant yet still entertaining. What's more is that because the movie was rated PG13 (the early films were R rated), it kinda toned down the gore and violence usually seen in the franchise including the TV series. The closest thing it could get was a guy in a submerged helicopter "chopped" to death by a eel-like terminator.

With the question about continuity, somehow it kinda made sense that John was indeed destined to die at the hands by a T-800 (special CG cameo by Arnold Schwarzenegger) as predicted in T3. In T4, John was almost unable to make it out alive but because of the sacrifice made by Marcus, John was able to live on longer (because T5 is sure to happen).

I wasn't able to see the early part of the 1st Terminator movie but I'm guessing that the John Connor that was portrayed there was already old when he sent back Kyle to the 1980's so hopefully, this is going to happen in a future film. There's bound to be problems with how the continuity is going to play out as far as T4 is concerned. T2 obviously changed the timeline completely by delaying J-Day (as how in TSCC, Sarah and John traveled 10 years into the "present" timeline to stop Judgement Day and in the end John was sent to the future, meeting his father-to-be Kyle Reese). But despite the changes occurred, elements of great importance are ever more present nonetheless like the meeting of John and Kyle as well as the existence of Sarah's taped voice recordings to John (special cameo by Linda Hamilton).

My not-so-good take:

T4 also have its own share of problems, if you could call them "problems" actually. the movie is split in two different points of view, one from John Connor, the other from Marcus Wright. Like a balancing beam, the movie is focused too much on Marcus and less on John. Although we get to see how his character played out, it kinda made me wondering whatever happened to John right on the middle of the movie. I guess it's just me because the actor who played Marcus was indeed a scene stealer for T4.

The supporting characters (Kate, Kyle, Blair, etc) were also given due relevance in the story and most if not all were used that necessitates their presence, not a one dimensional character hang onto a wallpaper.

I may have missed it but I feel certain that the trailer was a bit deceiving with what they showed early on. In the trailer, John said something about the futre was not the "future" his mother warned him about, but there wasn't a scene that showed him said that nor anything else in relation that would have made a great impact to the movie as a whole.

Nevertheless, the movie is still worth your Php150 movie ticket. There was never a dull moment and more or less, the movie is very satisfying indeed. It may have flaws but it is outnumbered by a lot of good points.

J Pics D40 Pics: Viva Las Flores De Mayo (Malanday, Valenzuela City)

Date: Saturday May 23, 2009
Location: M.H. Del Pilar Street and McArthur Highway, Malanday, Valenzuela City
ISO: 1600
Modes used: Manual, Bulb, Auto Flash (seldom used Auto Flash for quick snapshots i.e. ang taumbayan)

Vox Dei

Wow! Talk about fast and quick...

Can't believe I'm actually in one...

After going along the flow, I somehow got in...

Although it's been a while since I actually took something new...

Practice starts on this Thursday and Friday at 8...

J Pics D40 Pics: Obando

I forgot to have these photos uploaded. They were taken last March and were in my hard drive untouched. Kinda reminded that I have to upload them after I saw Michael and Chenee's pics during last week's Obando fiesta. :D

Nikko already posted some of the pics I took of him in his Multiply account, here are some more plus pictures of Obando and Arkong Bato.

The last time I've been in Obando's town proper was way way back. I was I think about 5 or 6 years old at the time. I remember the church and the large parking area in front of it and not much of everything else.

So without further delay, here are the pics. Enjoy!

*Some pics are not available for viewing






*Take note, tapos na iyung bahay na nasa likod ni Nikko :D







Model: Nikko Delos Santos
Location: San Diego Subdivision (Arkong Bato, Valenzuela City), Valenzuela-Bulacan Border, Obando Town Proper
Date Taken: Same time as "Shoeshine Boy"

Wet Pillow

Looks like weekends are more of a slow day for me. Nothing much to do but to stay at home, watch some TV and do a little Facebooking here and there. But if nothing good is on nor if no interesting new entries have entered in my Multiply inbox, I have no choice but to give myself a good nap on a generally clear and sunny Saturday afternoon.

Which I did...

Taking some time off on getting back at lost sleep is one thing but the feeling of waking up at almost 6pm with your head feeling weird, eyes swollen and your pillow as wet as sweat could make me convince that wasting time making siesta is possibly not a good way of spending precious time instead of doing more productive things.

So maybe napping is not the best way to spend my weekends after-all and neither feeding my addiction on checking updates on my accounts in Facebook, Multiply, Twitter, Yahoo! Mail, etc. Probably by next week, I'd be more organized with all the things I do both at home and at school. I want to spend my time well and use what's left of it succumbing to my vices but not as much as before (Hey, at least my vices are a lesser evil than having a vice in smoking and what-not! Hehehe).

And now I bid you adieu for now... XD

The CSB Experience 3: The First Day

Okay...weird first day I had a while ago. At least during the morning it was. First were the swarm of HRIM students in front of CSB Main, all wearing white. Then the increasing swarm of frosh in the SDA lobby. Good thing I went to schoool early, let's say 6:50am. My first class started at 8am.

Vidprod1 is the name of the my first and only class of the day. And I had quite a lot of familiar faces as classmates: Justine, Katriz, Jam, Alyssa-not-the-Matias, and classmates from past subjects. One thing I noticed later on: I'm the only guy in a class full of girls!

 

Vidprod1 is basically all about scriptwriting and my prof's pretty much veteran in his field of expertise. Sir Dodos in his orientation, encourage us to watch a lot of films and television shows to help us understand how scripts work. Good thing I'm planning on watching Terminator Salvation next week XD!

Later as the day progresses, I attended a meeting with regards to CG Overdrive '09 and everything that has to do with it. I finally got some clarifications with a lot of stuff about the event and I hope things go very well by June 15.

A half-day well enjoyed. Thank God, He is Good!

90210 Season One Finale Review "One Party Could Ruin Your Summer"

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

This is definitely getting a vote of 5 for reasons unknown! Hehehe kidding.

Got to watch the final episode of 90210's freshman season and I must say, I was stoked, speechless, and amazed. This is the kind of show that viewers of the series as well as of the whole 90210 franchise wanted to see from the new spin-off. Thanks to new showrunner, Rebecca Sinclar (credits include Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gilmore Girls), she was able to turn the show around and cleaned up the mess made by previous EP's, Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah, who took over from Rob Thomas (the series creator of 90210 and of Veronica Mars) who left because of creative differences with the other producers.

Note, skip the synopsis if you just want to read the review.

Synopsis: Picking up from the prom night episode, "Zero Tolerance", "One Party Could Ruin Your Summer" brings us to a D.L. after-prom party initiated by Naomi at her house in the Hills. Some of her West Beverly High peers bore some hatred on good girl Annie (they thought it was her who told her principal dad about one of the students' own after-prom party on the previous episode).

"Unconventional sex guy" Ethan became open about his feeling towards quirky bi-polar Silver despite being god friends with her beau, "Dixie" Dixon. bad booy Liam got turned off after he thought Naomi blabbed what he shared with her when Naomi's evil sister Jen (he didn't knew she was HER sis!) talked about it and as revenge, they had SEX (Eww, as if Jen being Ethan's "first" was not gross enough!).

Annie during the party found the one who first thought it was her who tattled about the party, drunk and vomitting. She asked Annie if she could drive her home (which she did). Meanwhile, Adrianna went into labor and had to undergo a C-Section. Navid accopanied her to the hospital, later followed by Naomi, Kelly (Silver's sister), Principal Harry and his wife Debbie, and surprisingly Brenda (Shanne Doherty) who appeared to Ad in two instances! Brenda wanted a child f her own that's why she went to China, so she could adopt a baby from that country. Harry and Debbie somewhat got high after eating some brownies they didn't know were laden with marijuana.

Naomi went home to check on the party, and when she found out that Liam had sex with a girl she was furious. She found Annie's *something* which was at Jen's possession earlier. She thought Annie had sex with him so she went downstairs to confront her. Liam found out he was used by Jen. Annie can't seem to comprehend but she was pretty much got the brunt of Naomi's misplaced anger, and so were the rest of West Bev, calling her a "Kansan Skank". Poor Annie also got doused with a drink.

Feeling angry, bitter, and betrayed, Good Girl blew her top like a volcano and cursed Naomi and the rest of the student body. She stormed out, but not without anyone knowing she called the police and finally "tattled" about the party as revenge.

Ending? Naomi's house was stormed by the police, Ethan kissed Silver, Silver was left with a decision, Dixon is now at odds with both Dixon and Ethan, Ad finally gave her baby up to the couple she called for her adoption, Navid was beside her the whole time, Liam was "kidnapped" by man-abductors, and Annie was droving off the road the next morning with a bottle of vodka she stole from the party. A car was following her with a sudden emphasis with the car's plate number. The end of season one.


Review: First of is my good critique.

Jen is the most b!tchy since she arrived two episode ago. Like a banana, every episode we got to see who she really is one by one with no definite reason of her true intentions. I wonder how this would drastically affect the rest of the characters come second season. Meanwhile, I'm amazed with Annie's sudden change of character from being a perky goody-two shoes to being a perky volcano. This is probably Shenae Grime's best highlight with her character since the show began. The change that occured to Annie would certainly impress a lot of people who've long been complained for being "perky perfect". Silver's character evolution really impressed me this season and I'm glad her old pre-bipolar self is back. I now wonder how the inevitably short-live love traingle would progress knowing Dustin Milligan (Ethan) is leaving in Season 2 (he'll be guest starring by then probably to finish up his storyline). The recurring series subplot, the adventure of the Wilson parents, never failed me to laugh my butt off seeing how this supercouple somehow gives viewers a brief escape from the main plot of the episode. I'm curious though how they would react with Annie's stint at the unmonitored party next season.

And yes, Kelly and Brenda are also back together on the season finale, although not together onscreen. The dream sequence also got me fooled when they showed a room of a dying Jim Walsh, Brenda's dad from the original BH90210 which turned out to be untrue (At least to give old viewers a break after learning of Kelly and Silver's mom returning to her alcoholism, and Donna and David being legally separated.). And yeah, I was amazed with the kind of closure given to Brenda who seems to be very happy adopting a child despite the drama she experienced for the past few episodes. Wishful thinking she could return to the zip once again for a couple more episodes. And finally, I'm just sick of brotha Dixon being a spoiled brat to his beau. In a good way, I got to feel my pity to Silver and anger towards Dixie. They don't call me a dedicated fanboy for nothin'!

Best highlight of the episode was the conluding scenes showing all the characters of season one. Outrating the rest of those scene is the closing shot of Annie driving off on the road. It's something people would have wanted but never expected that it would turned out like it. A thought-provoking and speechless cliffhanger ending indeed!

Bad critique? Ethan has got have the most ridiculous character development for season one. Not only have we failed to see more of his personal life in past episode, we never got to see who Ethan really as an individual. Writers made him more of a play thing between frienemies Annie and Naomi. Worst of all, he was given the impression of being a sexually-hungry guy after it was revealed he have long cheated on Naomi way way before (and I'm calling this child abuse, Jen!). And because Dustin Milligan is no longer going to be a series regular next season, I'm hoping that ever he still get to have his storyline end properly this fall, he get to end it well. Milligan's a loss to the show, since he is of all the members of the cast, the most charismatic actor who breathed life into Ethan.

Another letdown is the lack of a Kelly-Brenda scene on the finale. I just can't imagine that they've already seen each other off-screen unless it was mentioned onscreen. However, the participation of BH90210 alums in the spin-off is expected to become more minimal since Rebecca Sinclar already stated the need to focus 90210 more on its own core characters and not rely too much on past ones.

Somehow, 90210's future seems to be set on the right direction. Let's hope that 90210 by then become a stand-out and eclipse the success of its mother show!





90210's quotable quotes:

Annie: Screw you, Naomi! Screw all of you!

Liam: Give me my shirt.
Jen: I forgot how cute teenage boys can be when they're upset.

Debbie: The problem is, we can't drive anywhere because we're stoned.

One Life to Live

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Other

I've long been curious about the way America produce their own version of the soap opera, which in basic definition, is a drama serial aired in the afternoon and are mostly sponsored by soap and detergent companies (thus they are called "Daytime Soaps"). US soaps have done it all, even the impossible, the most exagerrating, the most overly-used, and outright ridiculous storylines one could not imagine.

ABC's One Life to Live is no exception. As in all other soaps, it boast of an ensemble cast lead by one actor that's pretty much carries the flame of the program. The show centers around the lives of residents living in Llanview (pronounced as "lahn-view"), particularly the Buchanans, Lords, Mannings, etc.

I don't need to tell you exactly the premise of the soap given its durability that had it lasted 40 years and still ongoing. As in most soaps in general, it features stories that are multigenerational, most often confusing, and at times relevant to today's issues.

Given the reputation that its sister soaps, General Hospital and All My Children, had had made to the genre's image, one cannot separate genre as a showcase of "SEX, SEX, SEX!" (quoted from a recent episode), half-naked hunks, and power-hungry vixens in addition to the fact that many 2nd to 3rd generation characters are blood-related or turn out to be NOT related at all.

Which leads me to the present storyline of One Life to Live that's been ongoing since November.

1)The Baby-Switch=Cousins Jessica Buchanan-Brennan and Starr Manning were both expecting babies due almost at the same time. The father of Jessica's baby died recently (or so I think) while Starr got pregnant by her boyfriend Cole Thornhart.

Jessica has a long history of multi-polar disorder, recurring when she's in a state of stress. She had two alter-egos, Tess and Bess. One time, when both Jessica and Starr gave birth, the former's baby (named Chloe) died because of a genetic disease.

Much of the agony took a toll on Jess's state of mind that one of her alters, Bess, took over and decided to switch Chloe with that of Starr's (named Hope). And without anyone seeing her, Bess switched the two babies and took Hope as Jessica's Chloe. Before she had who she thought of as "Hope" handed over to the nursery, she kept a lock of her not-her-daughter's hair and stored it inside her locket.

It left Starr devastated over the death of who she thought of as Hope.

Fast-forward to March 2009, Jess' sister is now suspecting that something's not right with the whole Chloe/Hope story and confided with her fiancee that the babies may have been switched. Marcie, a friend of Starr who she intend to give her baby to for adoption had she lived, also suspected something wrong with the whole situation so she decided to tell Starr of her suspicions.

Fast tracked to May 2009, the truth behind the baby-switch is about to unfold. The coffin of Chloe/Hope was unearthed for autopsy while Jess's sister finally confirmed her suspicions of the baby switch but is too afraid to tell her sister about it. This week, supercouple Starr and Cole (both are 17 years old FYI) will now find out who's the real Hope and who's baby was inside that coffin.

2)Todd and Marty-Todd Manning is Starr's dad while Marty is Cole's mom. They both shared a past together when back in 1992 Todd and several members of a fraternity raped a drunken Marty, leaving her traumatized. This whole storyline has been going on for more than 10 years and it shows no sign of slowing down despite the roles being recast by different actors (actors a replaceable in US soap world).

The latest update on this was that Marty, Todd, and two other women (Starr's mother and Todd's wife) were kidnap by one of Todd's ex-fratmen who was with him when the raped happened. Ex-frat had lost his mind because of guilt and is now focused on killing Todd. So he had him tied up on the same bed that Marty was on when she was raped, while her and the two others were tangled up in chairs. This week may be the culminating event for this chapter of the post-Marty/Todd rape story.

and this now connects to OLTL's story of the week...

3)Grandpa and Child=Rebecca, ex-frat's sister was in town to help her brother get his revenge on Todd. Last Friday was when she found out of Chloe/Hope's true blood relation so she kidnapped her while Jessica and current beau, Brody, were downstairs making out. She intends to use Hope as a way to torture Todd (who is unaware as of now that she's his granddaughter). Starr and Cole found out after coming home from Prom that both of their parents were somehow kidnapped based from Starr's traumatized brother.

4)Yo Soy Lola la Loca=Obviously this would appeal to mostly teen viewers are into the characters of Langston, Markko, and Lola. Cutting it short, before Prom Night, Lola poked several pieces of condoms that Langston's mom gave to her which Langston intends to use for her love-making session with Markko. Lola during prom got high after buying some drug inside the school ground and went home feeling much high and la loca.

Langston's mom and Lola's dad eventually found out what Lola did so they rushed to call the two lovers and warned them about the condoms. Good thing that Markko bought some over-the-counter ones for them to really have some safe sex.

A very high Lola came clean when she blurted out that she was the one who killed her mom (hundreds of episodes ago I think) but turns out her aim was killing Langston's adopted mother!

5)Gigi-Loves-Rex-That's Why=This one's ongoing since last March. Cole, Gigi and her son Shaun, and Bo Buchanan's son Matthew got into a car accident, leaving Matthew paralyzed while Shaun was later diagnosed and discovered he has leukemia. One way for Shaun to be saved from the frequent exposures of radiation resulted from chemotherapy is for a blood transplant compatible to his own blood. Somehow, an evil vixen found a way to save Shaun but because she's so interested of taking Rex away from Gigi, she blackmailed her on leaving Rex in order to give her what Gigi needs to save Shaun.

What I don't get is that Gigi had al he chance she had to tell the father of her son about the blackmail without ever letting the vixen know Gigi was breakinger her part of the deal. They could have pretend that they've broken up and seems liek this is going to get long as long as the 6-month old Chloe/Hope babyswitch.

I find the stories kind of ridiculous, exagerrated and but at the same time entertaining that makes you wanting more and more. Remember though that several sets of week's worth of episodes or less covers at least one day in the life of a Llanviewer so expect that the pacing to be slow time-wise. What could only keep yourself from dozing off would the character's interaction with each other. Their yapping and yelling is the main staple of the soap so depending on how man good writer they have, viewer are sure not to be bored at all.

Because after all, we only have One Life to Live.

PCD performing "Jai Ho" on One Life to Live: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LhQRZSKT5c

The Summer Experience 2: Looking Back...

Today's the last day of summer vacation and tomorrow...Well tomorrow is definitely the must watch time of the year. not only is it about me entering my third year in college, this also marks the first time my youngest brother will step in CSB as a college freshman. How cool is that?

But really, I felt I spend my FIRST summer vacation quite well, considering last year I didn't have a summer vacation at all, save for the last 2 weekdays left before school started last May 2008. I spent most of the summer then taking my advanced classes in Business Mathematics in order for me to catch up with my flowchart (which I intend to follow all throughout my stay).

I still have contact with at least two-three of my former classmates from that class, Doland (who I still have his YM), Raf (last time I've checked, he still has some last few units before graduating from SHRIM), and namesake named James. I pretty much still remember my old professors, Mr. Nocon (for lecture) and Mr. Santos (for lab), the former whom I recently bumped into yesterday.He didn't changed much after the past year but he did grew out a small mustache however.

Looking abck, I just can't belief it's been another year passed, a summer spent doing something othert than about school (for once!). I've been through a lot like 1)going to Ilocos, 2)accompanying my brother through his transition to CSB (and not UST as previously planned by him), 3)summer spring clean my own bedroom, 4)threw out most of my old stuff away, and 5)donated the rest to charity, etc.

I still have some things I've yet to take cared of with but I might have it done within the week or so. Nevertheless, it's been on rainy hot summer!

PS: It seems I got a dead skin stuck on my face. My parent's thought it's some sort of a scar but utrns out it's not. :D

The Summer Experience 2: The Last Great Summer Adventure of 2009

I need to streamline some stuff from my bedroom so I decided to have some old books donated this ongoing book donation drive run by 99.5RT which I did last Monday May 18.

But I got more than what I bargained for. I met one of the station's jocks, Sam Oh which I used to see on ETC's "Rated Oh" and now QTV's "True Confections". How good was that?

Didn't exactly noticed that she was still in the booth the moment I entered the station's premises (her show ended half an hour later by the time I came in) and I was utmost speechless the moment I saw her sitting on the couch checking something on her Mac.

My jaw just dropped like........ :O

I find her really, really nice. Not only that, she speaks Filipino like a true-blue Pinoy! Talk about being multilingual! :D

I just couldn't say anything else except maybe for a few words like "Sige po...ah..a-aalis na po ako."

She was more than happy that I donated books since it's all for a good cause. She and Slyde who was on deck at the time thanked me for the kind deed which I really I took it by heart.

Just can't believe that summer's ending. Tomorrow is back to reality, back to school.

But I'm not ending this season of TSE2 just yet! :D

Pics are now available for viewing here

J Pics D40 Pics: The Last Great Summer Adventure of 2009 =D

I need to streamline some stuff from my bedroom so I decided to have some old books donated this ongoing book donation drive run by 99.5RT which I did last Monday May 18.

But I got more than what I bargained for. I met one of the station's jocks, Sam Oh which I used to see on ETC's "Rated Oh" and now QTV's "True Confections". How good was that?

Didn't exactly noticed that she was still in the booth the moment I entered the station's premises (her show ended half an hour later by the time I came in) and I was utmost speechless the moment I saw her sitting on the couch checking something on her Mac.

My jaw just dropped like........ :O

I find her really, really nice. Not only that, she speaks Filipino like a true-blue Pinoy! Talk about being multilingual! :D

So here, paglamyaan niyo iyung mga nakunan kong mga pics ni Sam hehehe.

The Summer Experience 2: Majulah Singapura!

I've never been this excited since the day I found out I'm going to the United States for one year. Sure it's only for a week, but hey? It's SINGAPORE we're talking about! Here's the list of those who are going abroad next June 15-19 for CG Overdrive 2009 based from the ABMMA Yahoo! Groups.

*Courtesy of Mr. Isner Aswan (whom I know is having one heck of a time reiterating what he already said amidst the massive influx of moderated messages just gaining approval to be viewed in the groups site.)

The CG Overdrive '09 list of attendees has been sent to Singapore. Below are the
names of those who have enlisted successfully:

Abellana, Japeth
Aguado, Juan Paulo P.
Almachar, Brian Amiel T.
Ambrosio, Alessandra J.
Ang, Paul Sherwin Yu
Ang, Valerie Jo L.
Angeles, Raissa
Apita, Isidro A.
Aquino, Juan Fidel Q.
Arciaga, Melvin C.
Arreza, Carlo Jay
Atento, Mikhaela
Auditor, Mark Aaron
Balbido, Kristel Ann E.
Baldemoro, Michael Jeff D.V.
Ballaran, Anne
Barrera, Ma. Katrina E.
Batino, Jovita Lourdes
Bautista, Rhojie-Anne T.
Bautista, Simoun Christian B.
Belleza, Karlo Marco G.
Bernardo, Charmaine S.
Brillantes, Maria Luisa I.
Brodeth, Dylan
Buenviaje, Alezza Marie
Bustos, Andrei C.
Cabador, Miles D.
Cabanos, Eunice Marie D.
Cabiling, Aileen Ruth B.
Cabrera, Ralph Victor
Cadorna,Glennford Blanch D.
Cambay, Czar
Campanilla, Kristan Marie G.
Canlas, Clarence Paul A.
Caringal, Christiane Joy E.
Carola, Charlotte C.
Chan, Gregory Allan
Chan, Jenny
Chan, Lorraine Chua
Chen, Chia-Yi
Chen, Tai-Yao
Cheng, Jayneejoy Dy
Cheung, Sherman S.
Choi, Yeon Jin
Chua, Jesse Camille A.
Chua, Kristine Nicole Co
Consulta, Lorenzo P.
Cristobal, Ray Christian
Cruz, Jed Francis Revita
Cruz, Jessica Marionne
de Gracia, Elena Margarita L
de Guzman, Maria Katrina P.
de los Reyes, Rona Reina M.
De McCuttac, Angel Christine M.
Dee, Carl Anthony
del Rosario, Marie Vivien V.
dela Cruz, Cyntchira Mari P.
dela Rea, Mikki
Delatado, Kezia Carele
Delgado, Patrisha Sofia D.
Demetria, Demy Anthony Christian M.
Diccion, Ralph Matthew R.
Dionisio, Angel
Dizon, Dino Raphael
Elisha D. Santos
Espartinez,Nikki
Espinosa, Regine Amparo S.
Fargas, Michael Thomas R.
Felix, Pocholo DC.
Fenix, Sheena Belle
Fermin, Ermin Jay
Fernandez, Juan Gabriel M.
Foz, Vicente Paulo D.
Galvante, Michelle Corazon V.
Gamboa, Bradley Lance M.
Gapas, Erica Rielle M.
Gapasin, Carl L.
Garcia, Ehlorie Jayne A.
Garcia, John Paolo C.
Gaston, Paul Jantzen D.
Geronimo, Anna Katerina P.
Go, Kerwin A.
Gonzalez, Carlo Pocholo Cayetano
Guiam, Tristan
Habitan, Jaime Luis S.
Hafalla, Mari Hannah B.
Hidalgo, Beatrice Ann M.
Homecillo, Kaye Denise A.
Ilagan, Nicolo L.
Inumerable, Ma. Luisa
Isidro, Maria Therese V.
Isidro, Robert Michael V.
Jariol, Allain Andrew
Jorge, Richard Benson O.
Jota, Jose III
Keith, Gabriel William M.
Kim, Nari
Kiok, Kervin Lauren Cheng
Lansang, Jonathan
Law, Grace Anne P.
Lazaro, Jan Vincent
Ledesma, Kathryn Dale Gonzaga
Lee, Anthony Amos I.
Lee, Franz Andrew
Leonor, Rudolph
Li, HuiFang
Liao, Paul Michael S.
Lim, Aldrich
Lim, Aldrich Jesse P.
Lim, Jordan Ching
Lin, I-Ling
Lontok, Ericson
Lotho, Manuel
Lucero, Rainier V.
Luna, Katherine Noelle
Manapsal, Gerald A.
Manere, Carlo Martin M.
Maningas, Nonilon
Manlapaz, Vernon James
Manuel, Geschelle Dianne
Martinez, Jakin
Martinez, Marie Roxanne V.
Martinez, Wilfred
Martir, John Noel
Matienzo, Joseph Napoleon S.
Maxino, Dominica E.
Medina, Jacqueline Mae C.
Mendez, Joanna Gabriella E.
Mendoza, Christian Michael C.
Mercado, Rowell N.
Nakanishi, Rey Allan
Narte, Johanna May M.
Ng, Nathania Jo
Ong Chuan, Jeremy Joie B.
Ong, Janice Hope
Ortegoza, Marica Franzeska
Palomares, Matthew Emerson E.
Pangilinan, Cymbell Joy
Paredes, Patricia Frances T.
Paruginog, Emmanuel B.
Pascual, Arianne Criseyde P.
Penas, John Philip
Pineda, Karla Angeli Kaye V.
Pineda, Nicolo-David Lim
Plata, Russel Andreu S.
Ponce, Joanna Marie Nartates
Pornea, Charisse Mae L.
Portillo, Beatriz Celina
Pundavela, Meryl Anne M.
Quing, Danielle Christine
Ramilo, Ace Benedict Roxas
Ramirez, Alexandra
Raposa, Albert Jeffrey A.
Reinoso, Gabriel Luis F.
Reyes, Robert Michael Montallana
Robisnon, Lucille T.
Robles, Tito Kahlil Gibran III
Rocio, Ron Reiner S.
Rodrigo, Carmela
Rodriguez, Albert Joseph D.
Rodriguez, Cess L.
Romero, Marie Isoebelle M.
Rosales, Chrisancis
Rosales,Wyann Selwyn K.
Rosit, John Adrian A.
Roxas, Jeffric A.
Rubiano, Luigi
Salatandre, Maricris
Salazar, Ma. Czarina Lourdes C.
Samonte, Jennifer Bea Marie M.
Sandiego, Andre
See, Lorraine Anne M.
Si, Kevin Troy
Siat, Jamie Elora M.
Sinaban, Robert Dannielle J.
Sison, Mark Bryan S.
Sitoy, Martin Siojo
Sitoy, Natileigh Marie Therese S.
So, Jasper
Sta. Rosa, Arvin Joseph I.
Suaco, Ernest Paulo
Suguitan, Ranice Julianne G.
Sze, Sidney Sherwin Y.
Tabalong, Laura Mae E.
Tabin, James Christian P.
Taborda, Christine Joyce S.
Tac-An, Ezra U.
Tan, Christina
Tan, Crystal Tiffany C.
Tan, Jan Vyliam G.
Tan, Jeremy Lloyd
Tan, Mary Eleonor
Tan-Abing, Rommel
Tanenggee, Ian Immanuel
Teh, Desinira
Tinoy, Rhonel M.
Tolentino, Jonathan
Torralba, Joanna Marie U.
Torralba, Seth Osric
Torres, Joanna Marie
Tuano, Ma. Andrea Rosario
Tumampos, Austell Cyril G.
Umlas, Andrea May P.
Ushijima, Joji F.
Uy, Stephanie M.
Uy, Suzzane Joan Y.
Valdeavilla, Mary Xiardei
Valeriano, Maria Beanca Z.
Velasco, Maria Regina N.
Vengua, Lalaine Xylene S.
Villaflor, Juan Miguel
Villa-Real, Jamie Diane Marie F.
Villegas, David Laurence A.
Viola, Kriszel
Vitan, Jose Benito H.
Vivo, Ivy Marie
Wang, Tian Ge
White, Zachary
Xu Han Qi
Yap, Rainiel
Ypil, Erika Liana
Yu, Charlon Albert
Yu, Friedrich
Zafranco, Zerubbel Cyril D.
Zhang, Yi Yin


~Ang dami!

For more information, visit the CG Overdrive 2009 Website and the official website of the Singapore hotel we'll be staying at (at least for those who'll take the package offered by CSB): Orientus Resort Singapore

The Summer Experience 2: "...ala Benildean", Enrollment, and "Frosh Orientation" Relived Part 2

Enrollment Relived

     This was last Wednesday, May 13 2009. I accompanied my brother to CSB sometime around 11 to avoid an expected long line of late enrollees (as is my brother) inside the LRC Extension. We had lunch at the caf then later waited to while off the time in Plaza V. We went downstairs to the LRC just in time to mee an increasing line of enrollees accompanied by the parents.

      The LRC guys kept us pre-occupied by having us watch "Underworld" wherein two years ago, I remember me and my batch were watching Unang Hirit on TV. Afterwards the enrollment process began.

       Unlike years ago wherein enrollees had to go upstairs searching for the Accounting to pay their tuition, a representative of the accounting office was present in the LRC to administer check payments. At the worst possible event, my mom didn't read in my brother's enrollment procedure documents that he had to pay an additional Php200 as surcharge for being a late enrollee. I asked the accountant if its okay to continue with the enrollment process, and she says that we still could as long as we'd be able to pay off the surcharge as soon as possible.

       We did and we went through the process of 1)Encoding my brother's ID number : 10971556 into the CSB-ACTC main frame, 2)Underwent a very time-consuming physical exam (because it took too long for the doctors to examine each and every student freshman), 3)ID capture (which he will claim on 20th May), 4)Dental exam (he was told to have his teeth cleaned), and 5) have his urine sampled for the drug test.

Along the way I met up with some familiar faces like Willard (who's retaking his Reconse wherein we used to be in the same class back 3rd term 1st year), Ryan S (I'm guessing he's taking up summer class as well :D), and James (My former classmate in BMAT2x when I took up advanced summer classes for the subject) as well as M.A. (who was present in the area).

Then came the fateful day...

"Frosh Orientation" Rerelived

Last summer, I was mistaken to be a frosh by a 107 student. It just so happens that I wore green shirts throughout most of the week during much of the duration of FOP 2008.

It was to be repeated again last Friday May 15. Other than some familiar FOP vets, there are also some ID108 and ID106 orientors present during the IS frosh orientation.

I just happened to be in CSB that day since I'm going to pay some dues for my brother, his breakdown of payments for the first trimester since my mom want it so much as well copies of receipts for the first 2 terms of my sophomore year. In addition, I've also set up this date as the day I'm REALLY gonna give Jeco his tempting desire: the sukang Iloco he so wanted me to buy :D. (More on that later :)) )

I was to write in the permission slip to be given to me by the registrar my brother's ID number but I forgot what exactly was his ID number. So I went upstairs to the CSB Auditorium to look for Jorge and ask him what his ID# is. Instead, I was met by an orientor, forgot what her name is, but she asked me for my brother's name and I said "Jorge Habitan". She said she'll let him know I'm looking for him.

Another orientor approached and asked me what section I'm from, thinking I'm a frosh. This would have been a good opportunity to fool someone that I am one but no, that'd be too lame and nasty for an upperclassman like me. I clarified that I wasn't and she apologized that she called me a freshman :D.

I sure Jorge had seen what CSB has to offer as well as experience the same type of initiation faced by all incoming froshes around here (Anyone up for "sushi roll"?). I know he's going to like it here.

MANIGAS SIYA KUNG AYAW NIYA :P Hehehehe.

Malapit na...

Year 3 Premieres May 2009

The Summer Experience 2: "...ala Benildean", Enrollment, and "Frosh Orientation" Relived Part 1

Weird..As if it was only yesterday when I first walked into the halls of St Benilde wondering and searching "Where the heck is the accounting office?". Now two years have passed, now entering junior year, I relived the moments once again when my brother went to my school to live the "CSB Experience" as a Benildean.

Yup, he's taking up BS-Information Systems this school year whether he likes it or not. After some tumultuous events forced him to abandon his plans of entering the University of Santo Tomas, he finds a home to one of the schools he thought months back as the most likely he fall into in case his plans for USTe go awry. He even considers the fall-in as "the worst possible scenario". That's his fault so he had to accept the consequences caused by his lack of action.

"...Ala Benildean" Relived

      Jorge was saddened by the mere fact that his dreams of going to UST is going down the Arsenio Lacson drain. A day before we left for Ilocos, I went ahead executing Plan B: Confirming my brother's slot in one school he doesn't want to be in for the very beginning but took an entrance exam for it anyway: De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.

     I had all the things needed for the slot confirmation, documents, cash payments, everything. I was asked by someone from the admissions why it took my brother long to consider CSBV and I told her that someting happened on another school he so wanted to be in but in the end, got ended up in CSB.

Next thing I knew, his enrollment is scheduled on the 13th of May.

(To be continued...)

The Summer Experience 2: How Clean is Your Room?

Finally, I found the time to really  dedicate one whole day to clean up what supposed to be cleaned up years ago...My room!

I have waited for so long to throw out all the unnecessities that have accumulated inside what used to be a room shared by three members of the Habitan household. These include old notebooks, school books, used quiz papers, seatworks, workbooks, worthless board games, old newspapers, toys, PC game boxes and a whole lot more.

You could imagine all the dirt collected by those things, sitting their for as long as the seven years I've been back in the Philippines from abroad when we had the house renovated, my bedroom expanded, the space shared by my two brothers.

After a second expansion took place a few years ago, my two siblings moved out and I had all the room for myself as well as the rest of their stuff they left.

I actually wanted to have them all removed from my room because other than not my possession to begin with, they're making my room look all the more overcrowded.

Because there are way too many stuff, I had to put some of them in some place so I could make room for my own stuff. I even had some of my brothers' belongings place in a small cabinet found above my closet where my parents would usually place all their traveling bags and stuff. But over the years, that cabinet had turned into a landfill that could almost be compared to that of Rodriguez, Rizal (formerly Montalban).

The accumulating dust also poses as a health threat for me since I'm asthmatic. Any prolonged exposure to dust could lead me to an asthma attack.

So every summer, I dedicate one day of cleaning my room up and throwing some stuff away that is no longer needed. Unfortunately, that's easier said than done.

Me having have the largest bedroom of us 4 siblings, mines not that easy to clean considering the cabinets, drawers and even books that I have to clean up. Not to mention, my kuya forbids me of ever throwing his own stuff that's in my room. I so wanted to throw away those good for nothing PC boxes of his, especially at a time when my room got invaded by termites. They several of the PC boxes consumed as well as some very important things like my old photo album and some old books dated 20 years ago.

Jorge in his case has a lot of old huge puzzle books and board games he bought when he was 9 years old. he used to be found of puzzles thus he bought one too many. He also got interested on board games yet he couldn't find someone to play it with him (because most of us had already outgrown playing childish games). Looking back, I felt kind of bad for not being able to play around with my little brother more than I should have.

I was able to throw some stuff but not to a greater extent as to what I did just today and last Tuesday. I was able to remove about let's say 70% of the stuff I no longer need nor were they mine to begin with. There are still some stuff that had to be removed as well but I have to wait maybe either before school starts or another nth months for me to take care of it. But I'm just glad that at the very least I finally had some breathing space!

I keep some of the things that are of sentimental and important value to me. Among them is the large periodic table of elements that Jerico and Raymond gave to me when we were still 3rd year high school students as well as my old stuff I had brought home from the US back in 2003 including my old Polaroid camera which I doubt is still functional.

Among those I'm keeping are my increasing collection of college stuff I'll be keeping for portfolio purposes including my big ol'sketch of a Philippine Eagle which I had it masked tape it on my wall.

Goodness, there's only 5 days and 40 minutes remaining before school starts!

How Clean is My Room?

Took me 11am to 5pm to take out some stuff from the bedroom. At least it all paid off bigtime!

Can you spot the difference?

The Summer Experience 2: I Lurk, See I Learn

I was really planning on going to CSB for FOP week for reasons that I wanna see who the new blood are. In addition, I have to accompany my brother for his enrollment at the 13th and possibly accompany him again on the 15th for that day's FOP for BS-IS (Information Systems) froshes (I refuse to call them "froshies").

Surprised to see Gilbert and Carlo FOP'ing the second time around. So come MediaMax GA, I should expect a lot of freshmen recruited by those two the most :D. Lakas ng hatak kasi nila sa tao eh, knowing them after all. Also seen orienting freshmeat was Lance.

Something's off with the whole scenario though. I just couldn't lay my finger on it.

Seeing those innocent young froshes remind me of how my old block, DV1, were oriented back exactly 2 years ago. From that point on, we have grown, matured and learned. As we get older, we got wiser.

Seeing back those days, I realized how naive we were. Maybe even today we still are but not to the same extent as it was way back then.

I also realized how bad I was writing my own entries while I was still starting out wih my blog! :P

:D

J-Pics D40 Pics: 8 Waves Make A Splash

May 9, 2009

Who would have thought that the day would start showing some sun today after debuting with an early onset of drizzling rainfall?

Baliwag/Baluag, Bulacan. Some pictures were taken by Diannel, Jeco and Paolo

The Summer Experience 2: Kung Magkuwento ang Barbero

I was thinking of naming this one either 1) "Split Ends", 2) or "Shear Genius" but the thought of barbers chatting with each other while on the job really caught my tongue. I mean, what we don't know from what they're talking about while cutting our hair could be one of the most interesting and intellectual conversations ever produced?

After more than a month after my disastrous heck-of-a haircut last time in Polo, I decided to have my hair cut to this other barber shop I know in Tatawid for a change. In complete contrast to my usual choice of barber shop, this one has barbers that knows good hygiene, knows what "clean" means to their customers, and give full priority to every detail of every strand of hair needed to be cut according the clients' wishes.

Despite the sharp contrasts, there's always things barbers all have in common: magchika-chika.

I know right?

They chatter about a lot of things, with topics ranging local politics to daily life happenings. You'd be very surprise on how barbers would respond to issues. If you get t listen to their conversations carefully, you'll see how their responses reflect their intelligent viewpoints as citizens in our country.

Call them the "silent politicians", they debate on what should be done around this country, on how it should be run, or even how they believe a certain politico would affect us in whole after he is elected into office.

No wonder the Filipino barber is part of Philippine pop culture. We certainly don't see the superior mind and intellect they possess beneath the jeans and white tees we usually see from them.

Kung magkuwento talaga ang barbero!

The Summer Experience 2: Renewal

My thumbs are covered with ink...again...

On an unseasonably rainy summer May day (the 7th), I went off with my brother to go to my mom's office for us to be accompanied by one of her co-workers to DFA later in the afternoon to have our passports renewed.

But that would have meant braving the summer rains from our house until we arrive in Manila halfway down to the Metro coming from the North. Waagh! My shoes got wet and water got my socks soaking weeeeet!

Tito Noel, one of my mother's co-workers in DOF accompanied us to the Department of Foreign Affairs. Once there by half an hour before our 2PM appointment, we seated in a row of long wide chairs among the line of people waiting for their turn.

Cut short to 2:58PM....

".....HABITAN?!"

"Ooh, that's us! That's us!"

"Iyung si Jaime Luis muna...."

I got a hold of my application and I was like "Wow! Ang guwapo ko, ah!". Looking at that cute, handsome passport picture of myself...Dazzling...Charming...My eyes could melt a girl's heart (They are my best assets, you know). Ooh, feels so good to be myself! Mmm, mmm, mm!

Ang vain ko! :)) (Please, let me be like this just for once)

I compared this picture of mine taken last December to that I had way back March/April 2001. I still had some baby teeth, chubby and was the on my 3rd/4th month wearing glasses.

The DFA lady had me sign my signature on my application form confirming that what is written on it is correct and accurate. Next thing I knew I had to pay downstairs and show the lady the receipt and after that, I'm all done!

Unfortunately for Jorge, he's not old enough to have his passport renewed without the accompaniment of one of our parents. Papa's at work while my mom's at Camp Aguinaldo lecturing guys of the DOJ about the global financial crisis. Those dude don't stand a chance at my mother's taray powers. Bwahahahaha!

So in the end, I still am the lucky one hehehe. And, as how I said it on my status on Facebook, I'm inches away from my dream of going abroad again after such a long time!



Singapore, beware of my wrath!!

Reality and Dreams: Mala-"The Happening" and "The Andromeda Strain"

Wow...Another out-of-this world dream! This time, it's set  like a post-apocalyptic movie.

      In this dream I had last night, people started to feel sickly all of the sudden and slowly...one-by-one, they started to either 1)disappear, 2)fade out, 3)turn into liquid. Don't know how it all came to be but for sure my dream owe its existence from me having watched this 2-part mini-series aired on CineMax last Sunday titled "The Andromeda Strain" with a pinch of Mark Wahlberg's "The Happening".

       Then the cameras rolled to the hero in my dream. He decided "I'll go to Japan to see if I could find a cure!", and off to Japan he did! In a convenience store, he finally found the antidote that will stop the growing epidemic and could somehow bring back those who disappeared.

The focus of the dream suddenly changed when, on another side of the Earth lies a largely unrelated story of my dream's next heroine. She went to the palace to tell her dad the truth about her evil rival to the throne. The rival denied the accusation thrown at her (whatever that is!) and argues it's all a ploy to take back her claim to the throne. But the heroine brought out a tape that contains the rival's sinister plans.

After that, the dream ended. Weird, isn't it? I could even hear a song from "Si Mary at ang Lihim na Hardin" as a background:

High School~Feeling okey kay sarap! (Copied from Bebe)

1) Ano section mo nung 1st yr high ka?
~ BLESSED REGINALD

2) Eh nung 2nd yr?
~ ST  ALBERT!!

3) 3rd yr?
~ MOTHER F!

4) 4th yr?
~ DOMINIC (Dapat sa ka-palayaw ko pero hindeh!)

5) Anong best year for you?
~ 4th Year

6) Marami ka bang friends nun
~ Di ako masyado affiliated sa mga barkada pero I have friends here and there

7) Saan kayo kumakain kapag lunch?
~ Canteen o kaya sa may mini-garden

8) Saan tumatambay after school?
~ BAHAY!

9) Lagi ka ba late pag morning?
~ PAGBINAHA ALONG THE WAY


10) Nasuspend ka na ba?
~ EVER! Di kaya...Good boy ako, 'no!


11) Bakit?
~ Tinanong mo pa!

12) Have you ever danced on stage?

~ Sort of, counted ba ang roof deck?

13) Nanligaw ka ba noon? (for boys) May nanligaw ba sayo nun (for girls)?
~ Wala :(

14) Nagka bf/gf ka ba nung highschool?
~ Same as above

15) Sino all time crush mo nun?
~ It's already an open secret pero di ko pa rin sasabihin :D. Meteor Garden!

16) Would you go back sa HS?
~ YES!

17) Ano lagi mong binibili sa canteen?
~ Sampung pisong Ice Tea!

18) Overpricing ba ang canteen niyo?
~ Sakto lang sa baon kong Php50

19) Nakakita ka na ba ng multo sa school?
~ Hindi pa pero minumulto ako ng mga bullies, oo.

20) Have you ever sang on stage pag may program?
~ "Baby you're my destiny. You and I will never be..." PWEEEEGHHH!

21) Fave subjects?
~ 1st year -SOCIAL STUDIES (PHILIPPINE HISTORY)

~ 2nd year - SOCIAL STUDIES (ASIAN HISTORY)

~ 3rd year - SOCIAL STUDIES (WORLD HISTORY)

~ 4th year - PE/SWIMMING! (Di ko nagustuhan ECO)

22) Bumagsak ka na ba?

~ Science and Math. The school kicked my A.S.S.* because of those two areas!
*ACADEMIC SUPPORT SYSTEM

23) Have you ever been sent out?
~First Year nung English class namin ni Ms Mendoza (wala akong nakabisadong poem non tapos sinisi ko pa iyung panonood ko ng Dekada 70 para sa Social Studies :( )


24) Malayo ba ang HS bldg sa canteen?
~ NOPE

25) Have you ever ran in the court?
~ YUP

26) Varsity?
~ Proto/Semi-Varsity sa Taekwondo (Di pa siya official varsity while I was still there)

27) Do you miss your school?
~ Pretty much


28) Sino pinaka-dakila sa batch niyo?

~Iyung crush ko kaso maraming naartehan sa kanya daw


29) Ano mga awards mo nun?
~ Conduct Award at Loyalty Award (Plus 2 Silvers for my only 2 athletic exploits)


30) Mga advisers mo?


-- 1st yr: Ms Payson (Nagpakasal na)

 

-- 2nd yr: Mrs Rodil/The former Ms Enriquez at Mr. "Piolo Pascual" Castillo

 


-- 3rd yr: Ginang NUQUI!

 


-- 4th yr: Mrs JQ Quiambao


 



31) Naging officer ka ba?

~ OO...



32) May nakaaway ka ba nun?
~ MAY NANGAWAY SAKIN. SINUNTOK NIYA ULO KO SA LIKOD TSAKA NADURAAN AKO NG LAWAY NIYA. YUCK!


33) Anong role mo pag foundation day?

~ BUMMER

34) Pinaka close mo nun?
~ PINSAN KO...We're cousins eh


35) Pumasok ka ba sa CR ng opposite sex?
~Hell no! 

The Summer Experience 2: Fingerprint

This morning, I went to Valenzuela City's local COMELEC office found in Karuhatan/Maysan have myself registered as a voter for next year's election.

Kinda excited really but the nervousness lingers since I'll bear the responsibility of the more than 40 million Filipino voters of choosing the rightful leaders of our nation (in whole honesty of course!).

The day started with the rain and drizzles that affected the city past midnight the night before which was for the whole day hot, humid and dry. I went to Karuhatan with my sister who was on her way to the Valenzuela City Government Center along McArthur Highway to pay some dues. The Comelec office on the otherhand is found in front of City Hall.

Good thing thatI went there at a time when voter registration period is at its earliest. There were no long lines present and the process of registration is fast.

First I had to give them a photocopy of my valid ID (in this case my CSB ID card) complete with my signature and present address. Unfortunately that valid ID had bears no address so I asked if I could photocopy my other ID which bears my current home address.

After giving them the xeroxed copies of my ID's I waited for a while outside the Comelec office sitting on a chair until my name was called for me to fill in three identical application forms wherein I put my personal information and stuff. I made a slight mistake with the info about my parents: I wrote my dad's name wrong LOL! :D

After submitting the filled in (not 'fill out') application forms, I was told to wait for a bit until I'm called to have my fingerprints printed and stuff :P. There was a digital camera attached to the PC one of the Comelec officers is using and was told to look at it. I didn't have the chance to smile except to remove my glasses but seeing the photo, I kinda looked serious.

But then again, I still didn't have the chance to smile.

I was told to write my signature on a digital writing pad using a pen attached to it. The signature then is uploaded as digital data sent to the software prgram the officer is using. Afterwards, he pointed me to a computer fingerprinting machine, a small machine that could capture digital images of my fingerprints uploaded into the computer. There's a double pattern to it:

1=Right Index finger-2=Left Index finger-3=Right Thumb-4=Left Thumb and REPEAT!

Then to make it final, I had to wet my two thumbs with ink to print out my thumbprints to my three application forms. Next thing I knew, I'm done!

They told me to wait until further notice on when I'm going to get my voter's ID.

Now that's straight AND fast!

Reality and Dreams: A Professor'z Cry and a Birthday Boy's Sure Party

I slept a lot longer than I should last night. I called the night off passed midnight, only to end up waking up at 9am, although I had a short call of nature around 7 I still went straight to bed thereafter. By the time I woke up, I remember two dreams I had in my sleep, which I find it rather strange.

Dream #1

Me and the rest of my Sondesn class were summoned by my professor, Sir Zahn Yu. In my dream, he looked very disappointed as he looked at us. Based from his voice, he's not in a good mood (this is a dream after all, in reality he's jolly fun and active!).

He said something about us being unable to do what we were "supposed" to include for our finals project. He, in the dream, criticized the work we had saying that could have done it better than what we presented to him during Finals Week.

On me, he said I could have added something that would make presence of my existing work as well as remove a few unnecessities.

As the dream progressed, turns out there was an awarding ceremony of some sort. Had we in the dream passed our work in the best way we can give to Sir Zahn, certainly they could have ended up nominated on a category that recognizes our work.

Weird....

Dream #2

I always have this recurring dream sequence of me taking a bus or jeep route to a certain area in EDSA or whatever road found in Metropolitan Manila. This one's no exception.

My sister and I were, in the dream, looking for a bus that would take us to a friend's birthday party. We did but somehow took a shorter way to get there (make a turn and you're there so why waste money riding a bus?).

The house's exterior is covered with green plastic thingamjigs which serve as "windows" of some sort although the interiors looks awfully like the one in Jerico's new house in Paco. I'm not exactly sure whose birthday it was since the face of the "Birthday Boy" seems so vague, or at least not thoroughly seen when I was dreaming about it. Although I do somehow recognize a few of the party guests: Me, my sister, Paulo (Perez or Catalo) and one person whose foot is he had it raised and placed over the chair he's sitting on. One thing's for sure is that many those who came were Jamers.

The second dream I believe could be a premonition. Many of my premonitions come true but in a somewhat different form and setting but nevertheless still happen in an almost exact way. it could happen anytime soon I don't have an idea whose birthday though is coming up in the next few months though (except for Louie's who is 11 days older than me).

The fact that I still remember that may bolster the likelihood of it coming true except though for the first dream since I already took Sondesn last term last school year.

:D

The Summer Experience 2: "You're Always There When I Need You..."

"You're always there when I need you
Always there to see me through.

You've never let me down,
a friend that's always around.

You've been with me through good and bad,
Through all the seasons in my life

You've picked me up, you've made me glad
Through all the good times that I ever had

My only radio for life!
(With you, I never have to be all alone)

My only radio for life!
(You are the best friend that I've ever known)

Things may change, love may come and go
But one thing's that I know...

You are My Only Radio...For Life!"

I know that traveling to a far-away place could be draggingly long and boring so I see as a must to keep myself occupied by three things: 1)Have interesting conversation with me, my siblings and my cousins inside the car, 2)Listen to my Ipod, and 3)Turned the car stereo on to FM.

Last Tuesday, I kept myself tuned in to 99.5 RT using my CD Player (embedded with FM/AM radio, for the complete lack of a proper term on how to pu it )until later when its signal began to weaken by the time we're halfway through the SCTX.

Maybe when we were around Tarlac, my parents had the radio tuned into MOR 1031, a station whose signal came all the way from Bagiuo (A place I've never been to for life). Funny though that the first program we heard from it has its initials patterned after the station's name: Morning On the Rush. Same goes with the program following it, Movements Of Rhythm (which plays mostly RnB songs). One turn-off maybe while listening was that during 'Movements of Rhythm', the DJ conducted a contest for those who wanna get a prize for singing the "Speed Babad" jingle.

Talk about ewww...It's the worst jingle I ever heard. What's worse was that it's Piolo Pascual who sang the jingle in the first place. It makes the song a lot cheesy than it already is.

Anyway, 1031's signal began to weaken so we had it switched to another station.

Throughout the five days we've been in Ilocos, I've so far got hold of the following: 90.7 Love Radio Laoag, MOR 95.5 For Life! Laoag, Radyo Natin Candon City, 99.5 iFM-Laoag an Urdaneta, Magik FM Vigan, and one station I can't recall in the meantime but heard in Tarlac City as well as another in Ilocos Sur.

There was this one DJ I found rather irritating in terms of how he speak on the air. He sports a very foreign-sounding accent and I can't determine whether it's British or Australian (somewhat leans a lot more Aussie than Briton). I had my sister listen to his voice and she told me it's fake. And it's true, the DJ's accent is so not natural so why force himself to sound something he's not? Unless he's the type of of person who grew traveling all around the world and somehow formed a very exotic accent in English. I couldn't imagine what he would sound like if he spoke in Ilocano/Tagalog.

Most of the FM stations received by my radio are using mostly Filipino as its medium. On the other hand, there are those who uses English otherwise.

When I first got to Pagupud two years ago, my radio could also received signals from a local Chinese station all the way possibly from Taiwan, given its proximity to Ilocos Norte. For many of the AM stations I explored, most if not all use the local vernacular as their language medium. There is at least one station from AM I could remember, Aksyon Radyo.

During the early afternoons, if you're lucky, you get to listen to radio dramas spoken in Ilocano and Pangasinense (depending which province you're in) your nose will surely bleed.

When we're on our way home last Saturday, I asked my mom if she could have the stereo tuned to 1031 once more, we're already by taht time crossing the border between La Union and Ilocos Sur. We stayed on that station until we were already somewhere in Bulacan-NLEX. How far the Baguio station's reach still amazes me.

MOR Baguio's other programs also bears the stations initials like Mix of Rock and Music on the Road. There's one program that was not: Sabado Nights which plays old school rock and reggae. The best thing when you listen to this station is its very cool station jingle, as posted above. it's catchy, youthful, and suits perfectly of MOR's image as a music station.

I wish we had that kind of station here in Manila :D

The Summer Experience 2: After Two Years Part 2

We only spent our stay in Pagudpud overnight, for biyahe purposes, but I didn't waste time to enjoy what the white-sand beaches of Pagudpud has to offer. Some say it's the next Boracay but I say that it is, without the stench of crowding beachgoers by day, and the lost innocence of the evening by night.

The big bummer though was the unnecessary drizzle falling down in the area. The blue skies covered with clouds while strong winds blew hard and slow across the horizon.

The day after, we headed back to Currimao and stayed there for one final day.

The past five days have been a wonderful experience for me and the rest of the pack who were with me as well: My family, my cousins, and my tiyuhins.

On the 2nd of May, we left Ilocos for good and in a span of almost 10 hours. We made a quick stop in Vigan (which is in the middle of celebrating its own festivities) and had lunch near Plaza Burgos: Sinanglaw and a 355mL bottle of Pepsi. Yum!

Have I told you that from Pagudpud southwards, I've counted a total of 17 checkpoints, the last being in a town within Tarlac. My mom on the otherhand counted as much as 30 construction roadblocks starting in Ilocos Norte downwards. Hehehe.

Thanks to SCTX, we got home in Valenzuela as early as 10pm...yey! The trip in NLEX was exceptionally smooth, being able to take a turn to Valenzuela Exit and headed towards Maysan Road before emptying itself to McArthur Highway. We took a left turn to Gen. Santiago Street in Malinta and crossed the border to Santulan, Malabon which is in the middle of its May festival before taking a right turn to M.H. del Pilar northward to Arko.

And the next thing I knew, we were home....

END

Oh, yeah...I forgot to tell you. Here's another politico making his presence known via a tarpaulin of his we found in front of the municipal hall of Sinait, Ilocos Sur:

The Summer Experience 2: After Two Years Part 1

^Pagudpud two years ago (The first one was taken from a Nikon Coolpix camera)

Buti na lang, ngayong taon ay na-push through na rin ang bihaye namin patungong Ilocos Norte. Last yearf, hindi kami natuloy dahil hindi available ang karamihan, kasama ako na nasa kalagitnaan ng summer class sa CSB.

Sa awa ng Diyos ay nakasama ako ngayong taon. Akala ko noon ay hindi ako makakasama nung nalamang sa mismong huling linggo ng finals ko gaganapin ang trip. Buti na lang inusod sa April 28, kaya sama rin ako!


Mabilis iyung biyahe mula sa amin sa Valenzuela hanggang sa La Union. Dagdag ginhawa ay nung nagamit na rin namin sa wakas iyung South Clark Toll Expressway (SCTX). Hindi na namin tuloy kinailangang dumaan pa sa mga bayan sa Tarlac gaya Capas at Luisita.

Nananghalian kami sa dati namin kinainan sa may Bauang, Pangasinan, ang Oasis.

Tumagal lang kami nung nasa badang La Union at Ilocos Sur kami. Sa kasamaang palad, ang daming mga roadblocks sa daan gaya ng mga road construction at mga checkpoint sa Ilocos Sur. Alas siyete higit ng gabi na kami nakarating sa D'Coral, isang beach resort sa Currimao, Ilocos Norte.

Nung sumunod na araw, ako, ang kapatid ko't pinsan ay sabay na naligo sa dalampasigan. Ang saya nga namin. High tide nung panahong iyon pero sinubukan ng magpinsang bunso na i-explpore ang lugar. Grabeh kung mag-emo si Jorge...Katapat pa sa dagat heheheh!

Sa nalabing bahagi ng araw, deretso tulog lang ako. Medyo gusto ko ring magrelax din kahit papaano sa pamamagitan ng pagsiesta. Kinagabihan, pumunta kami sa bahay ng kamag-anak namin para kumain ng hapunan. Sarap talaga kailanman ng pancit miki...Mmmmmm.

Kinabukasan ay umalis kami sa Currimao, papuntang Bangui na nasa hilaga pa. Naglunch kami sandali sa McDonald's Laoag bago dumiretso na kami papunta sa bayan.

Nung dumating kami doon sa harapan ng munisipyo ng Bangui, malaking gulat na nakita namin ang isang malaking tarpaulin ng isang certain na politico:

Hay...grabeh...

Moving on...

Pumunta kami sa tenant ng lupain namin. Nalaman ko two years ago na may pag-aari kaming mga lupaing bukid sa Ilocos. May kuwento daw noon na ang lupa ang katumbas noon sa pera kaya daw sinasangla ng mga tao noon ang mga lupa nila sa great lolo ko na si Lolo Kiko Sibucao. Sa huli, may mga iba na hindi nakapagbayad kaya napunta sa kanya iyung mga sinanglang lupa. Hehehe...

Kaso, karamihan sa angkan ng mga Sibucao ay nakabase na sa Malabon pero taun-taon ay may pumupuntang kamag-anak doon para kamustahin naman iyung mga tenant at makapagbayad rin ng buwis namin sa munisipyo ng Bangui.

Nilibre pa kami ng kapatid ng tenant ng sariwang mais. Sarap!

Tapos non ay tumuloy na kami pahilaga pa rin. This time, patungo na kami sa Pagudpud...

^Pagudpud two years after (The second was from a Nikon D40)

Durugtungan...

Memories of Ilocos 2009 (DAY FIVE: Magsidalus ni Arubayan na) 4-30-09

Went to Vigan which happens to be in the middle of celebrating its feast day, so are the rest of the towns we passed through in much of Northern and Central Luzon. :D



^Yuck! Horrifying face!