The CSB Experience: Blazing in the Sea of Blue

I have long heard of stories and beliefs as people's views about Ateneo de Manila University. Although I couldn't say anything bad nor good about it because I haven't been there myself.

In fact, for the past few years I've been to different universities but never once did I think of going to ADMU. Basically, the reason for it is that it's simply too far for me to go to and besides, what reason do I have to go there in the first place?

That question though got an answer just a couple of days ago.

For more than a month now, I've been planning on joining this student filmmaking contest from an Atenean org, the Loyola Film Circle. It's called the Ateneo Video Open, a competition open to student filmmakers from different colleges and universities.



At the time, I was in the middle of doing my then current (and finals) project for Vidprod2, entitled "The Gift". I liked how the movie turned out although I still wished that it would have been better (better casting maybe for my lead character).



I made other films that are similarly good but given the mechanics that the AVO requires for their film screening, only "The Gift" has a good chance of not getting disqualified due to technicalities.

I could submit my entry either to my school's org affiliated to the LFC but I'm not sure if Kino Eye nor MediaMax knew about the event. I didn't notice any posters about the AVO posted around campus. Plan B of submission is to do it the hard way: Bring it over to Ateneo myself.

Crazy afterthought popped up all of a sudden but yes, it's the only way to do so.

The first time I went there was last Tuesday (Jan. 26, 2010). I thought everything was going to be okay all the way but I forgot to bring one requirement so I had to come back the next day.

Going to Ateneo is quite time-consuming, but fortunately, I didn't have classes at the time until later that evening. Hitched a ride at the LRT Line 2 in Recto then dropped myself off to Katipunan.



According to the street map at the station, ADMU is just a few blocks away but then again, it's quite a long trek. I don't want to take a tricycle/jeepney ride since I'm on a budget so walking seems to be the only viable option.



Once inside, I can't help but be amazed by what I'm seeing. Trees, benches, and wide open green fields dot the campus landscape.



Trying to figure things out around there, I ended up passing by this cool hang-out place near a parking lot, then later passed through a couple of brick-walled buildings then eventually ended up to my place of destination, the Manuel V. Pangilinan Building.




The building looks like a student center/mini-mall based from the number of establishments found in the first floor alone. They have an Apple store, a Figaro cafe, and a bookstore(?) among others. The LFC head office is found upstairs and finally, I got to pass my entry to them, including the last one, the registration fee the next day.



On the second day that I was there, I decided to walk around a bit in Ateneo, and maybe take some good rest sitting on one of their benches. By coincidence, I may have spotted a very familiar figure among the students I passed through, Abe. Not sure if it was him but I remember he's with some friends. I could have give him a shout and greeted him but I thought it'd be an awkward moment. Well, you know me...hindi mapagkali.



Just waiting for the one text from the LFC to know if I made the cut as one of their finalist. It's going to be my first time joining a contest such as this so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

:)

And I'm Blue Da ba Dee (The Ateneo Experience)

Had a nice time in Ateneo while I was there. I hope I could get the opportunity to come back again hehehe.

Went there yesterday (January 26) and earlier this afternoon (Jan. 27, 2010) to submit my entry for the upcoming Ateneo Video Open, an amateur student film festival open to students from different universities.

Here's what I got from the trip, enjoy!

The CSB Experience 3: The Third Third First Day (and the Rest of the Week)

At long last, the last term of the school year had finally started this week. I don't think that it won't even happen but it did!

Hehehe, got carried away there.

Right now, it seems like I have a very loosed schedule: one class won't start until past midterms on Monday, another 2 each start from 6pm until 3 hours later (one on Tuesday, the other on Wednesday). A lone morning class greets me on a Thursday while 2 more await on Friday.

I made an organized schedule just so I could make good use of the available free time opened up from my weird class sked. This includes me starting to take a few occasional trips to the public pool at nearby Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, costing only sixty-pesos per dip.



RMSC's "public pool" actually composed of three swimming pools: a diving pool, an Olympic-size pool, and a layman's 6-footer pool. No locker rooms though so I have to take an extra eye on my belongings lying next to the lifeguard's area.

My first day of class was on Tuesday, Webdev3 (Web Development). Compared to the past 2 web classes I had for last two-thirds of the school year, this one is more focused on the business side of web-design. One project we'll have to make before the term end is making a e-commerce website. Similar to how I did my Beauty ATBP website but something is added up.

The next class the following evening was Msciety (Multimedia in Society). The class is basically a start-up for my thesis so as early as now I'm prepping up already with all the research and stuff that I might face in the coming months. Just had to thank Ms Flores for gearing a lot of us with regards to making research projects, so at least we know what to expect.

Thursday, I had my first session for 3DAnim3. Feeling fortunate that I'm not ending up on Mr Gaw's class again. Then again, there is still the question on how I'll survive what seems to be another hard subject.

At least it's not the only one. Author2 focused on making a working interactive gaming program using the likes of Adobe/Macromedia Director. 2DAnim3 puts emphasis on animation post-production such that we develop our finished plates from the 2 animation pre-reqs into a fully-furnished animated short using Adobe Flash.

I already named my animated short as "The Soda Pop Can". (I'll try to upload my rough edit in the near future).


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Straying away for bit from my usual chatter about academics, the year 2010 brought about some interesting twists and turns for the students of CSB, particularly inside the multiple glass walls of the College's SDA campus. Here are some observations:

1) The SDA Caf has fully rid itself from the terrible army of broken chairs and got itself new more stable ones. To be specific, they made use of chairs similar to the armchairs used in the building's classrooms sans the arm.


2)  The Student Lounge has turned into another entity that does not bear the essence of why it was called a "Student Lounge". From being an glass-walled draw-table classroom exposed to be seen by passing students, it was turned into a "study area" although I doubt people would actually go there to study.

3) I thought it was only because of the long term-break why the school, as per what Jomar said in Plurk, about not seeing much students aroung last Monday, but I noticed there wasn't much student presence in the building, especially duing the noontime hours when a crowd of students would line in long queues in front of the lobby elevators or just hang out in the Caf at the 12th Floor.




4) Nikko introduced me into the hidden fantasy that is coffee jelly-said to be a best-seller among all the food served from Chef's Station-SDA. At 20-pesos, it's all worth it.




The term has just began but it feels like it's going to be an interesting one. Wishing I could make it past through this so I'd be few steps closer to graduating.

The CSB Experience 3: Look/Back

First Year

Second Year

Third Year

Looking back at the years, I can't believe I've reached this far. Already a college junior, can't help but feel a bit of nostalgia. From being a lowly freshman to a settled-down sophomore to a wised-up junior. I wonder what lies ahead as I enter my senior and (hopefully) final year in CSB.

As early as now, I feel like I want to get this whole thing over with. Third term has yet to start til Monday (Tuesday for me) but I'm thinking of planning some things ahead. For one, my upcoming on-the-job training (OJT) this summer. With the lengthening of the current school year until May 5, it ended up leaving merely 20 days of summer vacation to students.

20 days may not even be enough for most of us to even fulfill whatever is there to fulfill with our OJT. I read in the guidelines that we are supposed to earn as much as 25-thousand pesos, depending on what job we're taking. According to my academic adviser, I could have my OJT moved to the regular term so that I'll be able to earn the needed points at a much longer period.

Right now, I heard there's an opening on this certain media entity. Hopefully by then, the spot is still available.

For the third trimester (My 9th term of stay), I'll be taking the rest of the "3" subjects in addition to some additional prereqs like MSCIETY. Totalling 18 units for this term, there remains about 36 more units yet to be taken.

Hopefully, I can get myself through this long enough to do year 4 of "The CSB Experience". :D

Isang Taong Gala sa Morayta

"Taong Gala"... Someone who goes to different places near and far, places unexpected and place never before seen.

That best describes one aspect of who I am. To my own amazement, I can't believe I could go to places I thought I never going to go to in my lifetime. Say it's "luck", say it's a "stunt", all I could say is that it took only took guts to brave these diverse new waters.

Just a week ago, I made it a point to pass this finals project no matter what the cost. My professor told me I could give it to him in Morayta/Nicanor Reyes Sr Avenue.

Well, talk about a very far-out place!

In light of this, I'm determined to do this no matter what the risk is. Fortunately, I have a prior knowledge of the area, having been in the preceding UST-Espana area before so eventually got to pull it off without a sweat, in addition to discovering new routes on going to Morayta.

Thanks to Raymond on showing me the way to Central Market since from there I could just walk across Andalucia and straight ahead towards the tip of P. Campa before exiting to Morayta-Espana. Just from one side of P. Campa was our meeting place, McDonald's.

On the way back to the LRT, I just took a jeepney ride en route to Blumentritt but stepped off somewhere in Laong Laan. Rode another jeep towards Tayuman then just walked back to the nearest LRT station.

Talk being a tourist in Manila in such a inexpensive manner!

Reality and Dreams: A Meeting?

So far so good, all is well with my much-deserved trimestral break. Finally had one of those weekday siestas I used to have when I was younger when I was in kindergarten. The weather is hot but windy which makes up for a comfortable two-hour afternoon nap. And yet I still getto experience weird dream sequences that have profound meanings that I could only decipher.

One dream really struck me. It was brief but I remember that I was in this "mall", doing nothing but browsing through shops, stores and stalls. In one stall, I saw a very familiar face. I don't want to name him for the meantime but all I could say is that I've known him for quite sometime already.

Although we haven't met face-to-face in the physical world, we were online friends that would often engage in discussions on this online forum site (Pinoy Exchange). And we also happen to have common friends so at least we have a certain connection to each other.

If you wonder how I could recognize someone I only know through an online forum, it's that we're already friends in Friendster, Multiply etc so that pretty much explain it all.

Just the thought of a possible and actual meeting had me asking: "What if it's a foreshadowing of events", "Will it actually happen?", "Am I really gonna see him, as in, for real?".

Question that I want answered, questions that lead me asking for more questions.

A meeting foresaw in a dream, I may not count on it. But then again, it may happen. I'm no stranger to that.

The CSB Experience 3: Missed by a Slight Point

COURSE CARD GIVING DAY! The day where for some, the road ends, while for others, it is but a pit stop of another bumpy avenue. One thing that made this day very extra special is the fact that this particular time of the current academic year marks the final nail in the coffin of what could be the longest and seemingly unending trimester in recent DLS-CSB history.

This morning, I figured I'm going to get some so-so grades to few of the most mind-boggling classes I had this semester: 3DAnim2, Webdev2, Cadvis2 and 2DAnim2. The second one, Web2 I know I won't get more than just a mere passing grade because I feel unsatisfied with the work I passed during finals week. Not to mention the sudden disappearance of a link to one of my websites in the school's interactive e-class website. That definitely added insult to injury.

The first grade I got was from Vidprd2= 2.5. Followed by Webdev2= 2.0 then Cadvis2= 3.0 and later Author1=2.5.

By that point, a thought came up, thinking: "Maybe it's gonna be one of those "blink-it-you-missed-it" moments where there are instances that I'm an "almost" dean's lister.

Being a DL is very special to me. Not necessarily important but you get the perk on encoding your schedule ahead of the other non-DL students. I only got DL'ed once though.

Unfortunately, the last few course cards sealed my faith on ever becoming one as I got the results of my last two classes: 2DAnim2= 2.5, and surprisingly 3DAnim2 despite whatever the heck happened to my life the Saturday before (USB gone missing, Autodesk Maya working file I'm rendering for 3d2 finals was deleted by the school, among others).

My GPA for the second term is a few notches away from reaching the minimum required to be in the dean's list. Talk about being so close!

I may have missed it by a slight point, this doesn't mean I should stop from there. I work hard, I study hard, and I'll strive hard to achieve what I could achieve.

And by next week, there only 54 units left for me to complete.

The CSB Experience 3: Nailing Another Unending Term (Please, Matapos Ka Na!)

Hay...It's finally finals week! Yes, redundant use of words but I just wanna say FINALLY!

Why?

Because just for the heck of it, I'm so happy this term is finally coming to an end! I just have to submit my requirements and then I'm good to go. However, I'm still a bit worried about to stressful classes, Webdev2 and 2danim2. The're still a lot of things that I have to get done with the former while I should start sharpening my pencils on the latter. 3 out of the 6 days will be totally dedicated to these two so I could finally get it over with.

 There's still one class that I still have to fix before Saturday, 3DAnim2, but the matter's more controllable and achievable. Just have to make sure though that I furnish a back-up copy, OR ELSE!

So far, I'm done with the following:

1. Cadvis2
2. Vidprd2
3. Author1

I'm praying I come out alive by the end of the week. hay... Why don't you end already, stupid term?!! DIE!!

Reconnections: The Montessorian Reunion

Took me 8 years since the first one held in June 2002 to finally organize a reunion worth the time and effort!

Thanks to those who were present:

1. James
2. Aimee
3. Senelita
4. Jennie Rose
5. Andrew
6. Felipe
7. Zach
8. John Paul
9. Erickson
10. Lucky
11. Mangga
12. Angelique
13. Cheenee
14. Marvin
15. Carlos
16. Michael
17. Jamelle

We are finally as happy as can be! Hanggang sa uulitin!

"You"

You are like a naive person who gets easily manipulated by the evil.

You took back the word you spoke to me a year ago. How could you?!

  Of all people, why did you take it? You were the most unlikely until the moment I discovered your true inhibitions.

I look up to you as a role model, but why is it that you, yourself the stronger person, gave in to the pressure and became the complete opposite of a role model? Positive, lively, and energetic no longer, a shame.

Now, I don't even know who you are anymore...

The CSB Experience 3: Giving It a Period as a Year-Starter for 2010

2010 Anno Domini, the start of a new year and the dawn of a new decade. The year where we could start fresh and and make up for past mistakes. It's also a time to put an end to another never-ending trimester in CSB.

On January 4, it's officially Finals Week for the students of a college whose school year alone had extended to last as long as early May. Tests, deadlines, projects, all the works that needed to be done so we could start the final term of the school year already.

So what's my standings over finals? Well, here's what I have so far...

Done with:
1)Vidprd2 (Producing one individual film)
2)Author2 (Creating an interactive CD that was authored using Macromedia Director MX 2004)

Almost Done with:
1)Cadvis2 (Finishing the set of production logos; hopefully I'm done by Monday's deadline)
2)3DAnim2 (Putting in lights and have my 3d model hosue photoshopped by next Saturday)

So Far, Not Done Yet with:
1)Webdev2 (Website for Beauty ATBP, Client evaluation forms, etc)
2)2Danim2 (120+ plates of animation that'll egt linetested and burns it in a CD)

By next Friday, I have all but 1 project left to finish. Just glad that we're going to have at least an extra few days to rest off before continuing the remainder of the school year in mid-January.