The Cutting Room Floor of Memory

Caught in the crossfire

2008-08-23T01:35:00.000-07:00

Can't believe I'm blogging, that's what I really haven't done since god knows when.

Last Tuesday was QC day, hence no classes for Admu.
I went to Woodrose.
I sat in classes.
Talked with Momma C, Ginang, Miss Q, and Miss Almera.
Watched teams make props.
Sang with the chorale.
Watched the kids debate.
Got picked up, and did my after school routine: dropped by Rustans for merienda.

And for some reason, that all seemed very slow, and relaxing.
Just to show how much I missed it.

Advisory Grades came out thursday.
Heartbreaking. Not a single A.
I miss the feeling of getting a high school report card.

Judgment Day

2008-07-09T07:39:00.004-07:00

... is tomorrow. Unless of course, you think of it as Monday, when the results come out. But no, it's basically tomorrow.

I never thought I'd...
Study five days before a long test, continuously.
Solve almost every problem imaginable about conic sections.
Wake up early just to go to mass the day of the test
Been so praning about a test
Find 7 items in an hour and a half difficult.

That's ME for you. That's the wrath of the two diagnostic tests. Arrrrgh.

On another note...
I passed the ACGC auditions... miracle!! I was hoarse the day of the tryouts. But I actually pulled through.
It's heartbreaking how I can't watch the Australs finals tomorrow. Too much just goes on in a week.
I have this odd feeling that it's going to be like high school all over again.

On college, and high school

2008-06-19T19:22:00.000-07:00

Second week of college. And before I get into excessive whining, I'm going to concede that YES, it's lighter than fourth year HS. First weekend of HS and I was already drowning in work. This time, I'm actually not.

WORK - Is different. Even though I only have six subjects for the whole semester, kinacareer ng teacher for EACH subject. And yeahp, say bye bye to points for homeworks, seatworks, and quizzes. You have two long tests, the big fat requirements, and your midterm/final for a grade. Crapbag.

BLOCK - Been inactive for the week, sort of, compared to last. Bailed on block bonding last Thursday. But block's all good. :) T2 is love.

ORGS - ADS, ACGC, and MEA. I still have no idea whether this was the right decision. I really hope so though.

And lastly, second week consisted of...
1. Coming in right on time for Math. Mondays are just too hellish for words.
2. A harder Math test than last week's.
3. Having my umbrella turn inside out.
4. Walking in the mud and grass with a person who is intensely afraid of frogs. Funny experience. Panalo talaga.
5. Terno day: pink umbrella, white top, pink skirt, white shoes. I think I looked like a cake.
6. An impromptu literature presentation. It worked out.
7. Celebration in old spaghetti house over the fact that three roommates did not get into basic Filipino.
8. Signing up for orgggs.
9. A three hour dinner in KFC. We stayed until the place closed down.
10. Panic night: three roommates screaming at one another. We also hate answering the phone.

FRIDAY was...

Teacher's day so ADMU had no classes. Thus... it was the the day to visit WR.

Mobbed by underclassmen! :)) I CAN'T believe they're seniors.

Visited the teaaaachers. They miss us, :)) Thanked Ginang, I passed the diagnostic test! Momma C, Ma'm Buni, Mrs. Almera, Mrs. Adajar, Mrs. Sator, Miss QQ.

Batch 2008 Ateneaans! So many people there... :)

But basically...
It felt very home-ish. Compared to Ateneo, Woodrose is definitely a much smaller campus. But there's the aura of knowing that everyone knows everyone, you can curl up into a ball and sleep in the floor during breaks, that you're still a SUPER SENIOR, that you're still around batch 2008.
I MISS IT.
I have attachment issues, no kidding. And going to college was definitely one of them. Always a Rosette at heart. :)

So it IS true...

2008-06-16T03:37:00.000-07:00

Go at the pace you've been working with during the fourth quarter of your fourth year.

And in a week...

You'll realize you've ran out of things to do.

THAT'S THE BEST FEELING IN THE WORLD. :))

First Week

2008-06-14T01:17:00.000-07:00

So far... my first week in Ateneo has consisted of the following...

1. Free ES10 cuts, both times.
2. Sitting on the squishy third seat of a trike (there IS NO third seat of a trike... EXACTLY.)
3. Caffeine sampling - Figaro, SBC, and Starbucks
4. Katipunan flood - begging for a ride from an Eng blockmate, taking 30 minutes just to TURN AROUND katipunan, and running in the rain
5. Almost throwing up in Filipino, during that impossibly hard diagnostic test
6. Study, erm I mean SING ALONG night before a math test.
7. Gigantic study groups in Mateo Ricci
8. OVERSTUDYING for that math test.
9. Block lunch at Shakey's with two huge-ass grand slam pizzas
10. Being forgotten in the book claiming area when trying to get my Eng book. (no wonder we waited for so long and still weren't called).
11. A highly unsuccessful prank. (my roomate's lost. it's 11pm and we're still out in katips looking for her. Hindi nagbenta.)
12. And PAREF sightings in every corner.

The best pahabol, no work for the weekend. :))

Pahabol summer post...

2008-06-09T03:29:00.000-07:00

Very delayed summer update... Apparently, BUSY rin kapag SUMMER.

1. May 29 - US embassy and Playshop Showcase
Just arrived from HK and Macau that day, tapos full blast schedule ahead. The US embassy took FOREVER. Just to get there was bad (tree fell on the electric wires in Sucat, blocking off 3 of the 4 lanes), and waiting IN there was even longer. Finished just in time at around 5pm.
I made it to Tabu-Ejay-Kristina-Mikki's playshop showcase, Friends Forever/Class Act (the gay-er title was the real one, ata). It was a labor of love from Marga, Mica and myself. Intense distance just to get there (AFP at Aguinaldo, tapos traffic through Edsa). But otherwise, it was a cute show, great job guys!

2. May 30-31 MEA
I was seriously contemplating not to attend this thing, instead I'd sleep off and enjoy summer until I really had to get to Ateneo. But, I decided to go anyway... and didn't regret it. I really enjoyed the prepcourse, meeting ME groupmates, making guitar prototypes, advertising, bargaining, and mass producing (kinacareer natin, although it wasn't graded), singing Seasons of Love with my newly found FOB quartet (Pam-Steph-Adi-Bibo). Reaaally fun stuff, although physically and mentally draining. And... we won SECOND PLACE!! Despite the fact we were UNDERPAID WORKERS for the guitar business, we made bawi in the string-cup eklat and the AMAZING RACE. Yes, what we do just to get a few points. FOB is the BESTEST!!

3. May 30-31 Sleepover at Abby's and Eastwood Night Out
Seeing that my dorm wasn't ready in May, I slept over at Abby's condo during MEA. That meant, we tried getting used to North culture and living up here for the next how many years. It basically covered a night out in Eastwood with Ejay, with the Abby throwing up episode. Ejay was mean enough, to make a word out of it. From now on, "Abby" will be used to connote vomiting. That was kinda freaked.

4. May 31 - TEMPLE!!
Last night with the superbarkada. And pahabol, for that day my plans for the day were kinda whacked. Instead of going home that day to sleep and change, I stayed in Katips, bumming at Ejay's two person na naging one person condo, and watching the My Talent showcase at Eastwood (written by this palanca winning guy, REALLY GOOD PLAY. pinoy musical na brilliant.) So, I "improvised" by having my clothes brought by Gel to Temple. That meant, having to drag a HUGE bag around. But otherwise... it was SUPER FUN!! Last night bonding with the Paref barkada, drinks and dancing up until 1am. I will miss this SO MUCH!!

5. May 31- June 1 PIG sleepover
I hadn't seen the house in around three days. The last night because of a PIG sleepover. Basically, we were so tired that we fell asleep almost when we got home. Gel and I managed a few hours. The next day was themed CHILL OUT SESSIONS. We spent how many hours lounging on Gel's POOL CHAIRS. the bestest invention ever. Excellent for tanning, sleeping, and being bored. We looked like such spoiled bitches, kulang na lang cocktails. Pinahabol ung camhorring in photobooth and playing rock band. Kinacareer din yun. I LOVE PIG. I will miss ET.

6. May 3 - Registration
Enrollment in Ateneo... it was in one word, A MADHOUSE. After all the years enrolling and complaining about the WR system of enrollment, you learn to appreciate it. There were SO MANY PEOPLE enrolling, and it was really tedious. The waiting in line, the switching of rooms, the random numbers, the class enlisting, the cashier, the ID claiming was really really really, tedious. INTENSE. Luckily I was at 93, super kawawa the others. They were there until what time. I waited for Karen and Marga, who were my rides going home. By the time we reached ATC, it was 2pm and we were frickin starving. Atenistas na!!!

7. May 4 - Guidance Testing
This went pretty okay, the only funky part being the one with the pictures. Monmon and I wrote the same thing for the guy with the violin, same story-ish, with the main character being named Ejay (great minds think alike). After guidance testing, it was PAREF reunion by the doghouse. Hahaha, almost 30 people there. It's kinda kinda like we never left.

8. May 5-7 ORSEM!!!
First official days as Atenistas!! Campus tours, group dynamics, lectures, SOM nights, department talks, Orsem Idols, Ateneo cheers, Banana, Pacific Ring of Fire, and Chugga. Had the most gaaame TNT's ever... Patty and Bym. BLOCK T2!! BIG BLUE STICK! BIG BLUE STICK! Led the block during Mamera, and WON! :)) Boy Abunda and "Chris Tiu" during SOM night. Also, Indi-ang Jones and the Temple of Boom. Loved that department talk. I'm feeling the VIBES!! Mega PAREF reunions too during this time, including lunch meetings and the PAREF wall, such a great changing room hahahaha. :)) CHEER O FABILO ATENEO!!

Contenders for omnipresent during these days are Abby, Ejay, and MonMon. I can't believe how many times I saw you during the past two weeks. But walang tatalo kay Ejay. Blockmate na, neighbor-ish pa. From playshop all the way down to ORSEM.

SUMMER IS OVER. NOOOOOOO!! I really don't want this to end. Note that this is our LAST summer, as in EVER. Getting nostalgic na... CRAPBAG. I'm going to miss summer, and high school, and batch 08.

FIRST DAY TOMORROW!!

Are YOU my classmate/breakmate? Clickety-click pwese.

2008-06-03T01:37:00.000-07:00

Schedule for the first semester. It's very... COMPRESSED. Hmmm... the logic of having time in the morning and at night to cram, sleep, and the works.

Look for the little spaces in between, and please tell me if...

(a) you have a break the same time as me (lunch breaks are most appreciated)
(b) you're taking the same place as I am

and if you want... buzz me back with your schedule toooo!!

Blogger's notice

2008-04-28T02:05:00.000-07:00

I've stopped cross posting na to multiply, so now it doesn't have to look too publicized.

Blogger on break.

Will resume sometime May-ish, prolly for Madz Et Al.

To be revamped for COLLEGE.

Tribute series: BATCH '08

2008-04-04T19:00:00.000-07:00

Ever since I was a freshman, I attended the seniors' graduation, each time thinking "Crud, mine's getting nearer...". But, I never thought that time would fly by so fast. Last night, it was all over.

Each time, I always liked the ceremony, the rose offering thing being one of the cutest. But I never really saw how brilliant it really was, until I was the one graduating. Despite the fact I was one rehearsal day short (and thus, had to keep re-clarifying how to go up and down the stage, with a fear that I would trip, because I did during rehearsal), I felt it. It doesn't take tears (because note that I just cannot cry) to show that. Anxiety. Excitement. Nostalgia. Fulfillment. Love for my batch. The heat of the gym and caking make up was forgotten, thankfully.

Kudos to Patty's dad and Pola, whose speeches basically said everything that could be said about graduation. People say high school life is the best four years of your life. And for what it's worth, I'm proud of those years. If I would re-live high school, I wouldn't change a thing.

Dear batch 2008,

I can't believe it's been eleven years. That long time ago, we were lost little six year olds, the babies of the entire school. I remember taking the school tour thing, and we ran into the seniors, who seemed to tower above us.

And now, we're on the other end of it all, baptizing ourselves as "superseniors". At the start of the year, I remember how obsessed we were with our seniority. We'd laugh on why underclassmen didn't want to use our bathroom, how we were first in assemblies, and how some people just seemed to move in the cafeteria a la parting of the red sea when we were around.

When you look at the span of time from those cowering first graders to the super seniors we call ourselves now, it's safe to say that we've come a long way.

We've been accused of being academically weak, remember the time the awardees were countable by our fingers during the first quarter of first year? We used to be so pressured by the achievements of the batch above us, with nine gold awardees at graduation to match.

We've been accused of being uncontrollable, such as the times wherein sanctions actually existed? Or the time in which Ms. Aquino had to sermon-ize IIA?

But after eleven long years, we've pulled it off, and we've proven ourselves in more ways than we could imagine. Who'd ever think we'd have that passing rate in Ateneo? That we'd no longer become that faculty's worst nightmare? Or that we'd be the leading voices behind school spirit? That legacy is ours, batch 2008.

Yup, we've grown so much over eleven years.

It wasn't always so easy. Each high school year, we swore that it couldn't get any harder. We were proven wrong the next year, and the year after that. We struggled with failing marks, trying to be fluent in Pinoy for the first time in our lives, and rigid time constraints. We cracked under pressures of hell weeks, hell months, sleepless nights, barkada fights, promblems, and the regular troubles of growing up. But if there's anything we can be proud of, it's that we didn't give up. We wouldn't have stood onstage last night if we did.

And within the span of those eleven years, and through those times wherein we thought we'd just give up, we grew to love each other. In this batch, everyone knew everyone. We could still feel at home even with members out of our barkada. We found friends in our seatmates, groupmates, and teammates. We did struggle, but we did so together.

It's hard to believe that next year will be different. There's no other school that we can freely sleep in the corridors during breaks, stage fake boycotts, and kiss and hug each other randomly (without anyone thinking it's weird). No more online conferences until the sun rises, off key happy birthday renditions, and struggling to understand matter and form.

Every one of the 88 diplomas were the product of all our eyebags and sleep withdrawals. To the awardees, those medals and certificates and plaques are all well deserved.

Time will pass us by
But the memories we've had will always last

Today we say goodbye
As we all take one last glance

Tomorrow is finally here

I love you, batch 2008, and I couldn't be more proud of us. I wouldn't be part of any other batch. I was glad to have been your batchmate. The college world waits for us to kick ass, just as how we always do. :)

If you happen to be a part of batch 2008 (yes, even if you skipped the letter part due it's extreme length), please find the time to comment. I'd super appreciate it.

Tribute series: CHORALE

2008-04-01T04:49:00.000-07:00

Countdown to graduation: three days.

Before I ever got to love debating, directing, or anything else... (writing is the exeption, that was pretty inherent), I loved THIS. If three years of debate was going to be difficult to let go of, six years of chorale would be just as hard. But specifically, it was the last three years that really made the impact.

Two and a half years ago, we staged our first concert in Woodrose - Cantate Domino. That was the result of extreme sacrifice, saturday rehearsals, and gimmick time. And just as how we started in Woodrose, we ended there as well. Tonight was Voices in Thanksgiving, the last ever Woodrose Chorale show we'd ever have.

The show was, in a word, amazing. It went by so quickly (we were kind of shocked na first intermission na pala). But for the record, it was the show I enjoyed the most doing. Despite tired feet, strained voices, and rehearsals bordering on summer vacation, I loved rehearsing (and the pahabol narrations, program, and speeches that i wrote).

Just as I wrote in the program leaflet, WHY CHORALE?

Because it's the ultimate stress reliever. Doesn't apply to some, but to me, it definitely did. Nothing sounds better than getting the chord right for the first time. Thus, the chorale rehearsal despite the fact you will pull off an all nighter later is well worth it.

Because it's a production in itself. Where else do you get brilliant sounding harmonies, with fantabulous emoting and choreography?

Because you will then randomly harmonize any song, with your fellow chorale-mates.

Because it takes you places (literally, as far as Spain).

Because you have Miss K for a conductor. Like what Cassie said, "she's patient, most of the time." But you always know that at the end of it all, she's always proud of you, ready with kwento, and willing to randomly act retarded (i.e. mime-dance iisang bangka) for your enjoyment.

Because, there's that unspoken, unexplainable feeling that will always keep you coming back. There's just something you do, and always will, love about the Woodrose Chorale.

Chorale... the years that were...

Twenty plus songs in less than four months. Tedious, but the talk of the erm... town? for quite a while. Accomplishment for such a new chorale.

Performing in one of the most prestigious erm... venues? ever. Had fun with this one.

Note reading. Bua-ing. Every day singing. Grand chorale-ing. BAH. 5 days in CCP. All for missed exams. Worth it. Ten times over. At certain points, this was better than school.

Self explanatory. We sang with the Madz. (Yes, we're tight, apparently. Madz.)

Paraiso. Ambo Hato. Iisang bangka. Despite fourth place, it was finals all the same.

We love our school.

And we ended brilliantly, just tonight. Just a few hours ago.

But, we're not just a group of people that get together three times a week and sing endlessly. We're a family. That's what's so distinct about it.

Hours of rehearsals. A fat lot of practices, polishing, and "you're a half note flat, sort of. basta mali pa rin". But why? It's because we do what we love.

Basta't kasama mo ako
Iisang bangka tayo
Anuman ang mithiin, ay makakamtan natin.

I will miss singing with you, getting notes right or wrong with you, singing in the bus with you, foodtripping with you, praying to the 9 choirs of angels with you, camwhorring with you, and just plainly, being in chorale with you.

Pam. Cassie. Mikey. Stewie. Miller. Ding. Anbhie. Aimee. Bets. Terry. Louie. Jecca. Maxine. 2008 Soprano 2's. We may be the most ostracized voice in the world, but we're still family.

If you were involved in my chorale life in any way, please find the time to post a comment. Long or short, I appreciate it.

Tribute series: DEBATE

2008-03-31T03:43:00.000-07:00

Countdown to graduation: four days.

Just when I thought I was finally getting the hang of being captain. My time's up.

Three years is a long time. And looking back, I can't believe I've spent that much of my high school life debating. I remember when I first tried out for debate in first year. I didn't make it. I finally got enough enthusiasm to cancel a piano rehearsal in order to attend a second tryout that summer. After that, you know the rest.

Now, I'm going through the contents of my tribute box. Wait, I'll say that again. MY tribute box. Yup, I'm at the end of the road. College debating is unlikely, thus the debate road ends around here. It probably ended when... I partially turned over? When grands finished? No, but this one's for real. This team has a new captain, new newbies (ugh, redundant), and a new year ahead of them.

Life goes on after debate, of course. But for the years that were, it was a great three years.
Three years of memories... taken from the highlight of each year, the tournament that makes all the difference - PSDC/ IISDC

The year that taught me how to love debate.

The year that taught me how to love the team.

The year that taught me how to be what I thought I couldn't ever be - a leader.

Margie. Dani. Mikki. Sylvia. Bets. Giovs. Bea. Mica. Pola. Gaba. Abby. Chrissa. Pat. Nikki. Mica. Monmen. Tabby. Sam. Marianne. Maxine. Lexy. The SR teams of those years, as well as the other people I befriended over the past three years. You were the ones that made it happen.

The leap from 94.98 to 95.00 entails 0.02 points. As for Friday's graduation, I'm getting the former, not the latter. If you want to know where the last 0.02 is, this is the real deal.

Who'd ever thought a box of pictures, frames, t shirts, letters, and 10 things why debate will never be the same without me was worth three years. And mind you, it's worth a lot more than 0.02.

To the underclassmen whom the team belongs to now...
I can't imagine myself not being part of the family anymore. But, I know I can let go with no regrets because you're still there. The greatest measure of leadership is legacy. Looking at how you are now is the greatest feeling of accomplishment I can ever have.

There are people who believe that you can do something before you believe so yourself. That's my phenomenal team.

And when all those people believe in you
Deep enough, strong enough, hard enough, and long enough
Then it starts to reason
You yourself will start to see what everybody sees in you
And maybe even you, can believe in you too.

I never thought I could. But, guess what? I pulled it off. Captaincy. Things do often pay off, in ways more than I can imagine.

I love you guys, and I'll miss you so, so much. Thanks for an awesome three years. Because really, I don't think I could ask for much more.

Quirks...

2008-03-13T23:52:00.000-07:00

Just as how late the other blog is, so is this one (another pahabol). Here goes.

GRANDS - the super last tournament of all time. As in, last tournament of my debating career like, ever. But... it was PHENOMENAL. Two days of bootcamp training. Measure of intensity: lectures and debates galore. And, two hours extension per day (meaning we'd end at 8pm on both days.) But yeah, it worked. Props to Mikki and Dani, we made SEMIS! (suuuper happy). Senior and freshman support, plus gaba's barkada.
Pola's near death experience. Don't ever try facing backward, talking to people, when a manhole is just like two steps away.
Pulling up into the emergency room of the hospital, thinking it was the venue for the grands.
Getting lost. P Tuazon and D Tuazon are apparently two different streets. We went in circles for an hour and a half.
Upholding tradition. Dinner at high street, dessert at cupcakes. We re-lived the ball thing, but now we have those funny bell souding orange cylindrical whatevers.
Gaba's public speaking. Champion!! Hahaha. Seize the day. But time is gold. So, seize the root of all seizing, i.e. Kip Oebanda. Didn't really work. Xavier still seized the day. But well deserved finals, guys!

MOST - Mica's awarding. It was school spirit at it's best. We were only given like 15 seats, but we obviously have talent for sneaking in and stealing seats. Chorale performace, with a very small stage. But had so much fun watching it. Mica and Mundi's videos, super cute dance number, and the like. And, free food afterwards. Congrats Mica! We're proud of you!

RETREAT - Lots of praying. Lots of bonding.
Not really very much to say, except for Batch 08 is lalalalave. The activities were panalo funny, like the tarp flipping around thing (Patty and I did a demo with hands and a newspaper for sample. It worked). The sorry and thank you candles were great too... :)

For your enjoyment, the retreat was my SABAW moment. Here are samples of my super stupidity, proof that I have nothing left in my brain. Not that I'll need it for a while, so it's acceptable naman, hahaha. Presenting, cabin 31B sabawness: (yes, the cabins sounded like bra sizes.)

On the origin of gospel choirs:
Pam: I have specifications for a gospel choir. It has to be a black gospel choir.
Mikes: Yeah.
Abby and Isha: Racists.
Pam: Fine, it can be a while gospel choir. But the lead singer has to be black.
Isha: What's so great about black people ba?
Mikes: They have really powerful voices.
Abby: They have soul.
Isha: Yeah, but WHY?
Abby: Because they were slaves. And they have to scream.
XD Whaaaat?

Super quiet in the cabin. Noise outside.
Pam: I think I hear my name.
Gel: Pam. My phone.

On the discussion of nicknames:
Mikes: What do you think? I like the long one better.
Pam: It's unappealing. Guys, any name that's than one STANZA long is fun to pronounce.
Erm... Stanza? Every name is more than one stanza.

On prom.. and grammatical errors:
Abby: Guys, remember during prom?
Everyone: What?
Abby: The guy, the emcee.
Mikey: Oh yeah! Dutch and Dutchess!
Pam: *repeating to herself* Dutch and Dutchess. Guys, what's so wrong with that?
Everyone: It's DUKE and DUTCHESS!
Oops.

On the theme of holy week:
Pam: Yeah, I do the seven church visit.
Mikey; That IS bisita iglesia. You know, in the province, they have the PASYON. It's being stuck in the middle of nowhere, and every church has it there. You have these old ladies going waaahwaaahwaaah.
Note that Gel couldn't get over that. So much, that right after...
Pam: Kay guys, time to go. (for way of the cross).
Gel: Guys, where's the pasyon?
And take two... while already at the way of the cross.
Gel: *searching thru her folder* Guys, I can't find the Passion of the Christ.
Erm... there are some things that take a while to get over.

On college...
Therese: Yeah, is the fab four going to ateneo?
Abby: Yeah, except Cato. Wait, Miko's ateneo? What course?
Pam: AB Meco.
Abby: Ejay? Is he ateneo too?
Pam: Hoy, blockmate natin 'yun!
Abby: Ah, so yeah. Everyone's ateneo.
Therese: (with a lotta conviction) Yeah! And Jarvin's going to Anton!
Erm... Kinda close, Therese. You just missed it by two more E's... unless of course, there is a college that exists. Unlikely.

On the concept of time...
Pam (to Chrissa): We've been doing this everyday.
Mikey: Pam, we've only been here for TWO days.

On racism:
Pam: *making kwento about grands* Basta, one of them said that they were referring to Chinese culture, in which marraige is not taken seriously. And then, the Member of Opp said, that they were the only team in the finals that wasn't chinese. Kasi, chinese, like indians, daw, have this promiscuity thing. Where the debate was set up.
Isha: Pam, you racist!
Pam: I AM CHINESE!

On physics... or the attempt to sound like it...
(Therese has just killed a mosquito on the wall using a pillow)
Pam: (did not see Therese) It's impossible to kill a mosquito with a pillow. It's too soft.
Mikey: But she just did.
Abby: yeah, it's just physics. You know, torque.
Rest of the world:..... *kroo*
Pam: This HAS to go on the sabaw pad.
Mikey: Yeah! I mean, it's not torque, it's pressure!
Abby: Anong pressure? FORCE! You're sabaw too!

Ugh, okay there. Make fun of me. Laugh at me. Again... (like Miss Q.)

Week recap: the LAST week

2008-03-13T23:12:00.000-07:00

It was the peak of all stress, the deadliest of all deadlines, and the best yet worst five days of school we ever had.

1. Edsa day - the day which had no class, was basically used to attempt to cram everything that was due within the next four days. That included snapshots, IP, eco, and compo. In short, it was pahabol day.

2. The compo paper - it was hell-ish to do. You'd think that it was bad enough to write the research paper. It's worse when you have to do one, check another person's, and then rewrite yours. And yeahp, that was all graded. I am officially sick of media and social isolation. Potek, whatta hard paper.

3. The snapshots project - it ended up being a nobela. But as Gel's already posted it on her multiply blog, it was the BEST. If there was one project, we did not cram, it was this one. Buh-rilliant.

4. Thursday, the defense of all defenses day - for IP, Isha and I did not understand our IP at all. Basically, we made bola the explanantions to our results... but Merdegs did not ask us questions!! We don't know how.. but *whistling* we ain't complaining. It's just a matter to TRYING to look like you understand what you're talking about. Eco defense went well too. Shoot, two defenses in a day.

5. Council elections, and bequeathal - first, it was the tarp from the freshmen (thanks so much guys!! it was the sweetest) complete with superhero belts with our initials and team colors on them. Also, bequeathal. The day of long speeches (but really good ones, I might add.) It was hard to believe that we were the ones receiving the stuff last year. And, congratulations to grace, michelle, and everyone else part of next year's council!

6. The LAST DAY - the day of ginang's crying in class (phenomenal!!), taking pictures of everything in the school, and a lot of senti moments.

We're may not be seniors forever, but batch 2008 will always be the best batch I'll have. (Not that I have another batch... but yeah. you get it). Guys, back to the bottom of the food chain next yeaaarr.

Sa Wakas... Natapos na Rin.

2008-02-28T06:50:00.001-08:00

Just when we thought we wouldn't finish...

Week One

~~Pinoy kabanata teaching~~

~~Compo sources list~~

~~Eco business plan~~

~~WIT seminar and demo debate~~

~~Theology first module~~

~~Admu director's list dinner~~

~~SR prom~~

Week Two

~~Week long business venture~~

~~WIT - Woodrose Intraschool Tournament~~

~~Compo outline and notecards~~

~~Theology long test~~

~~Literature long test~~

~~Philosophy long test~~

~~Theology revised module~~

~~Chorale workshop performace~~

~~WR prom~~

Week Three

~~IP final paper~~

~~Physics long test~~

~~Health position paper outline~~

~~Compo final outline~~

~~Theology powerpoint~~

~~Idea 3rd invites~~

~~Break to the grands~~

Week Four

~~Literature snapshots~~

~~Compo first draft~~

~~Compo peer review~~

~~Compo final paper~~

~~Theology letter to parents~~

~~Theology letter to spouse~~

~~Theology reflection paper~~

~~Math long test~~

~~IP defense~~

~~Eco defense~~

~~Health QE~~

~~Calculus QE~~

~~Intrams turnover~~

~~Bequeathal ceremony~~

And tomorrow… it’s all over.

Not just the walang tatalo na workload.

Senior year is over.

Week recap: week before the last week

2008-02-25T03:02:00.000-08:00

This time, there aren't too many highlights... it was the start of defense week, but it's going to get madugo for me next week.

1. Batch epidemic - woke up Sunday morning, to a slight fever. But at no costs would I miss school. When I got there Monday... I found out everyone seemed to have the cold. Hahaha, coughing symphonies during class. It's a mixture of fatigue and well... fatigue. Really, what more do they want? We're falling asleep in class, we're coughing and sneezing in the process, and they still won't give us a break.

2. Idea 3 - last official tournament of all time, since grands doesn't exactly count. The multiply album says all. It was a crammed tournament, seeing that it was timed smack in the middle of hell week, erm month pala. Minimal training, and tough motions. Miraculously, Pat and I broke 16th. :) That got us enough to break to the grands, placing 9th with 22 points. Congrats to SR as well for making it at 13th.

3. Paref contingent bonding at Brothers' Burger - this was pure spontaneity. originally, the WR team thought we'd either just have dinner at town, go straight home in hopes that some of us would get more work done that way, or drop by Miko's 18th despite the fact we would be super super underdressed if we did. Somehow, the idea of brothers' burger just found itself there. Hahaha, so with my gigantic stack of GC's, I libre-ized the SR and WR teams. Soooo funny, super bonding, super eating (Nicky Santiago! Why didn't you finish my tira tira? I know you wanted to!), and super fun.

Funny quote: (sorry, I remembered this and I just HAD to put it)
James: There was this one time in which I was driving to town from my house, and I went too far. I ended up in Susana Heights. (note that's near Tagaytay).
Pam: Dude that's far!! Where was your house? Laguna?
James: No, in Hillsborough.
Pam: XD (beyond funny!!)

Oh, and RJ's names for his Coy fishes... I'm not going to put them... but that just cracks me up. It's really either bordering on freaking, or just plain funny. I love the names of the biggest one and the smallest one.

Cannot wait for grands public speaking finals - Raffy, Ceejaye, and Gaba. That's going to be the bestest. Grands on March8, super can't wait!

4. (the pahabol) Anticipating the extreme stress of next week - In my entire high school life, I have NEVER pulled off an all nighter. I just... haven't. But at the rate of requirements going on next week, I think I just might have to. Too much projects, too much tests. Not to mention special subject exams (which I would have gladly all taken next week). The call of the exemptions are just too tempting... we all DON'T want to take exams. We just DON'T.

OMG. FOUR DAYS. Just FOUR DAYS.

Week recap: academic/business venture week

2008-02-19T01:53:00.000-08:00

Almost as late as the previous post (and to think I owe a prom post!), but here goes. When we thought nothing would get worse than the previous week, academic week was demanding, both academically and extra-curricular wise.

1. eco business venture - For the longest time, I was dreading this project, coz I was really realy scared that we wouldn't be able to make profit, much less break even. Not to mention a change in suppliers three days before opening day. But, it actually worked out. Thanks to the kick ass advertising of my groupmates (even without visuals), and efficiency. Despite the fact my entrepreneurial skills are ZERO (i got a 17 on the NCAE), I enjoyed the venture. Tried to buy from every stand, one food per stall per day. Now, it's gonna feel weird without seeing the tables in the patio. WIth this whole week, one thing is certain - with batch 2008, it's always a party (even when selling!). Funniest thing ever was the last minute haggling of very tiny items at 1:05 friday.

2. WIT - Part two of the intraschool tourament I played tournament director to during my junior year. This year, medyo umasenso na, chief adjudicator na! But admittedly, it was a lot less work in my part (thanks and props to Pat and the rest of the juniors)... given that the incomings wouldn't be my ducklings no more. Congratulations to team IIA, although fermin refused to acknowlege that during the awarding, for winning the tourney. WIT is still classic fun, skipping class and escaping to the tab room.

3. Chorale Workshop - I actually conducted, sort of well, last friday! Despite the fact I wasn't the bestest teacher ever (having ditched the class at least twice), we still pulled it off. Actually in the senior division, our entire batch won! See, it just proves to show b'08 has talent, no matter what. And as for the song? It was stuck in everyone's heads for a while.

4. The terrors of that week: compo note cards and philo long test. I was forced to cut tuesday to even submit the notecards on time, and that was all for a measley 10 points. Those two, ugh. Don't even want to think about it.

5. The WR prom - refer to separate post. Did you really think I would put it in here?

Week recap: hell week

2008-02-15T13:36:00.000-08:00

This is it. Last four weeks of school. Week one. Hell week. This one's overdue, but I couldn't write week two without it.

1. Pinoy kabanata - after slaving over banghay aralins, mixing garage band over and over again for pangganyak, and having a powerpoint outline, banghay, and a script while talking, (plus taking over the whole period)... twas done, and ginang liked it :D first project of the quarter dooone.

2. eco business plan - potek. basically the eco business plan is equivalent in length to an IP. the only difference is that you have exactly one night to do it. this all killed us wednesday night, complete with the group watching the sunrise together. puyaaat.

3. minor pamatays: the compo sources (it's harder than most people think...) and the theology module. as usual, that's cramming at it's worst.

4. admu director's list open house - it just happened to be on the day of the SR prom, but my parents wanted to go so badly. it was kewwwl, although brainwashing all the same. wish I caught the whole thing. loved the speakers... :)

5. SR PROM. bad thing about this week was that I kept sleeping post midnight, thus heavy eyebags, but that's the wonders of concealer for you. preparation for this prom was kinda funny... in a word: panic. when at the parlor, I underestimated the amount of time it would take to get ready, so after that we were running around just to get everything done on time.
But otherwise, the plum dress did me well. :) plus, a non ouchie but almost lost corsage. Taking off our shoes on the dance floor, attempting to get in cuisine (didn't happen), and all in all a good night. Thanks to Miko, Stew, Ejay, Cath, Ranscee, Lexa, Cato, Therese, and Jarv... taaablemates!

6. The muntinlupa scholarship eklat. I just couldn't let this go... the panira of the weekend. Came home from the SR prom at 3, went to bed for two hours, to wake up at 530, why? There was a scholarship testing at bayanan at 7AM. Retaaarded. Piss off moment: I got there at 7, along with the other WR test takers... waited. waited. waited. 9am was the only time people started coming in. Tapos, we got to our orientation. then we find out - there's a maximum family income cost in order to meet the scholarship. We wasted our time.... pucha. Went home, slept until 2pm, tried to cram the monday requirements. :((

Delayed post, I know... week two to be posted... tomorrow? And just for the record... today is PROM DAY. 6 hours na lang.

Ironically... true.

2008-02-09T23:58:00.000-08:00

Haven't done blogthings in a while. Just found it pretty odd how most of this was true... or is it? Hit comment and tell me, please.

What Pamela Lauren Alvarado Chan Means

http://www.blogthingsimages.com/whatsyournameshiddenmeaningquiz/name.gif" height="100" width="100">

You are influential and persuasive. You tend to have a lot of power over people.

Generally, you use your powers for good. You excel at solving other people's problems.

Occasionally, you do get a little selfish and persuade people to do things that are only in your interest.

You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection.

You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive.

You have the classic "Type A" personality.

You are confident, self assured, and capable. You are not easily intimidated.

You master any and all skills easily. You don't have to work hard for what you want.

You make your life out to be exactly how you want it. And you'll knock down anyone who gets in your way!

You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone.

You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together.

At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together.

You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow.

You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily.

Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is.

You are a very lucky person. Things just always seem to go your way.

And because you're so lucky, you don't really have a lot of worries. You just hope for the best in life.

You're sometimes a little guilty of being greedy. Spread your luck around a little to people who need it.

You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something.

You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense.

You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun.

You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people.

You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts.

You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.

You are very hyper. You never slow down, even when it's killing you.

You're the type of person who can be a workaholic during the day... and still have the energy to party all night.

Your energy is definitely a magnet for those around you. People are addicted to your vibe.

You are balanced, orderly, and organized. You like your ducks in a row.

You are powerful and competent, especially in the workplace.

People can see you as stubborn and headstrong. You definitely have a dominant personality.

You are well rounded, with a complete perspective on life.

You are solid and dependable. You are loyal, and people can count on you.

At times, you can be a bit too serious. You tend to put too much pressure on yourself.

You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily.

You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind.

A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable.

You are truly an original person. You have amazing ideas, and the power to carry them out.

Success comes rather easily for you... especially in business and academia.

Some people find you to be selfish and a bit overbearing. You're a strong person.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

Overdue but...

2008-02-02T01:11:00.000-08:00

Fourth quarter happenings... or better yet, what's happened since exams ended. It's commonly called cramming everything that has to be done for the rest of the year in five weeks.

1. Pre proms - it's either you take is as a i-want-a-gathering-but-i-have-no-better-reason event, or taking it seriously: meeting everybody else in your table. For WR, after endless day changing (which still ended up being abnormally early, because we're all very busy people), and endless venue changing (because of people's permissions etc.), it became a power plant post exam de-stress day. Cultural (watching Sweeney Todd, the musical), discovering the inner child (Power station) discriminatory (shopping), and typical (dinner). SR's was endlessly on and off, (ano ba, tuloy pa ba?), but it ended up pushing through. Town after family day, thus pigging out in i-don't-know-the-name-of-that-resto-beside-cibo, and cafe breton. (highlight of the night: Cato's ability to carry anything...)

2. Giovs' debut - No candles no roses, just fashion and fierce poses. This debut wasn't scheduled conveniently to WR students, it being the day before family day. But, it was the coolest/kyottest. Venue was galing, a pavilion in the fort (which actually, should be venues for all events instead of hotel ballrooms coz you can pick your caterer), and super customized for Giovanna (in this sense, GioVanna, just the way Mikki likes to pronounce it). Theme was America's Next Top Model, thus with a fashion show (OMG, Mica Pena literally dressed up and made up!). Haaappy birthday Giovs, fabulous debut! :) Twas also a reunion of sorts, running into last year's seniors.

3. Family Day - I had exactly TWO hours of sleep that night. Coming in from Giovs', I got to the house at 1. Had cornrows done until 2. Slept at 2. Needed to be in Carissa's house before 5, so woke up at 4. But it was worth it, the mommy costumes were GORGEOUS. Although, they hurt like hell, esp. the earrings, we couldn't do choreography. And, the parade went REALLY WELL. We didn't end up winning it, but coming in second was really really great. Congratulations to Red, (thus, Gaba) for winning over-all, and to Blue for a first prize parade. OMG... that was the LAST family day. I was prolly super tired compared to all the other years, but it was worth it. I'll miss eeeeet!!

Now... THE REALITY OF FOURTH QUARTER --- all the listed have to be accompished in four weeks. Note we only have 20 days of school left. But, the teachers probably want to make them seem like the longest 20 days of our lives.

Physics IP
Literature Snapshots Project
Music Indigenous Composition
Composition Research (Term!) Paper
Economics Business Venture
Filipino Kabanata Alternative Class
Theology Lecture Module

Last stretch guys. It's going to be unforgettably... HARD.

An attempt to blog...

2008-01-18T17:24:00.000-08:00

I read over my entire blog just a while ago, and realized that I haven't blogged, as in literally wrote something journal-y, for a really long time. Given that I've been drained of creative juices due to the thousands of papers we had to write, I'm attempting to squeeze the last of it for an entry I won't feel bored or cringe at while reading. Funny how it's during senior year that I haven't really been writing (as in writing blogging). Maybe, it's the amount of creative writing essays or all these tribute sounding things that have been popping up that make me want to try it, again.

Okay, real na talaga. (I've been saying that a lot nowadays).

Post-exam sentiments. Unknown to a lot of people, I love exam week. (No, don't think I'm crazy. Read on and I swear you may change your mind). It's the only week in the quarter that teachers, and all orgs, clubs, and varsities, cannot give you anything to do. Thus, it only means getting home at 12nn, and having to study for just two tests, breathable when weighed against 5 quizzes, one play, and one project. Exam week actually allows you to get home on time (something rare in my case), finish promptly by 6pm, and all set to watch the AmIdol season premiere, live.
But even better than exam week is the end of exams itself. The time of the quarter wherein the WR population flocks to the malls (even as an entire batch when it comes to the last exam of the last quarter).
Yesterday was nothing different, same old last exam, same old feeling. It just struck one important sentence - fourth quarter. One month left. (Yes, exams are on March 5, guys).
Fourth quarter - it means a lot of things...
... fully packed weekends: Family day - campout - Father's day - SR prom - WR prom - idea 3 - exams - idea grands - retreat - grad.
But most prominently, it's that very odd feeling, of being so near to graduating yet not wanting it. One month flies faster than anything, it just depends how fast or slow you're going to make it seem like.
Is it supposed to be spent preparing for the year ahead? Hence, rapid discussions on what college is it going to be (ugh... I still bleed blue but yet... I dream maroon.), whom your dormmates are going to be (I still have one more opening!), and guessing who your future blockmates will be.
Or, rather, spent hanging on to every last second of being-a-kid-ness? Instead, is it swinging on the WR playground (despite the fact only grade 6 below are actually allowed... so... do so very late at night), doing "the good old things" (even stooping down to the grade school level, aka getting down and dirty with every arcade you can get your hands on, just... playing seriously this time).
Those two exist side by side (juxtaposed, much to the amusement of my batch). Every day is going to be that, the beginning and the end.
Senioritis - "I have a school, what the hell am I still doing here?" hence... the drastic drop of grades.
Senioritis - "This song will have to be learned next year." I can't wait to learn it! Wait... I'm not going to be here next year.
Senioritis - "Malapit na tryouts! New kiddies!" Wait... those aren't going to be my kids.
Senioritis - SUPER SENIORS! Although... we're not going to be seniors for very much longer. Back to the bottom of the food chain.

Kay game, I'm ready.

The dream is REAL.

2008-01-05T21:06:00.000-08:00

SENIORITIS. It's kicking in REAL BAD.

2007 Tribute

2007-12-26T15:18:00.000-08:00

What I do at the end of every year. This time, it's a little early because the girl was bored and had nothing else to do. Note: I got to do this with the help of my 2007 planner, just so i could remember the dates of when the stuff actually happened.

Once again, thanks to all the people who were part of at least one, you guys all made the year memorable.

1. Jan 3 - the first time I saw the outside of my house after three weeks of chicken pox. Hahahaha. :)
2. Jan 13 and 14 - IDEA 2. Redeemed for my non-breaking streak! Pola and I kicked ass... :)
3. Jan 26 - pre prom at Westgate. Funn! That included (which I only found out recently) a car breaking down, and a lost parking ticket. And just for the record, neither of those happened to me.
4. Jan 27 - Pam and Gel's spontaneous brothers burger food trip day.
5. Feb 1 and 2 - WIT. My first time to organize the inter school tourney. 10 packs of bread pan, fiddling with the tabs, and pretending that we took forever with a decision.
6. Feb 4 - CCP pasinaya. The last time I ever had a working voice until two months later.
7. Feb 10 - WR prom. the WHITE BALL. I need not say more.
8. Feb 11 - AAV chorale show. Show of the pagod and the paos.
9. Feb 23 and 25 - IDEA 3. Non break once again, but it was all good. Dinner at kitchen, where we discovered the debate team iced tea. I'm going to relive that this idea3. Promise.
10. Feb 28 - WSC elections. Losing not so gracefully. And... bequeathal ceremony pa. Sniffles.
11. March 3 - the three day project making geom-bayanan-lit box marathon day. And watching a play by night.
12. March 10 - the Idea grands. Last senior tournament ever.
13. March 15 and 16 - the Songs for a New World rehearsal boot camp.
14. March 17 - Ten songs, eight weeks, crew of six, cast of four, two performances. one moment.
15. March 22 - Debate tryouts and Sendoff/Tribute. Cried buckets of tears, with a papermelrotti box full of labors of love.
16. March 26 - Chorale recording at Sonolux. Last chorale gig with the seniors.
17. March 27 - Ka-sosy-han debate dinner at Intercon. Thanks to jeric and nav.
18. March 30 - Senior's grad. The last grad I'm going to watch... the next, is MINE.
19. April 12 - EK with the Villaflor family. Such family was founded here.
20. May 4 (approx..) - MOA day, highlight: the brilliant way of sliding past the curfew.
21. June 2 - SAT day.
22. June 8 - A1 recital. First one I ever watched, without me in it.
23. June 16 and 17 - Cebu trip. Crammed and panicked, plus no sleep, but fun all the same.
24. June 23 and 24 - Debate teambuilding. Crud, that's my team na pala.
25. June 26 - Last Manila Cathedral Mass. Ever.
26. July 11 - Grad pic day. Shucks, that realy implies something.
27. July 14 and 22 - Songs recording.
28. July 19 - campus tour
29. July 27 - UP campus tour (plus trinoma)
30. Aug 4 - UPCAT
31. Aug 24 - the BLACK BALL. Just kidding. Ejay's birthday recital. Party post midnight.
32. Aug 25 and 26 - Idea lite.
33. Aug 31 to Sept 4 - one of the most character shaping moments of my life. Nash DC.
34. Sept 12 - 17th birthday. That's all.
35. Sept 14 - ACET
36. Sept 28 - Intrams, trying to conserve voice while cheering.
37. Sept 29 - Voices in Harmony prelims, WR chorale kicked ass, FINALS!!
38. 1st week October - the High and Dry shoot. First music video.
39. Oct 7 - DLSU CET
40. Oct 12 - Isha's party
41. 3rd week October - the BOYCOTT.
42. Oct 31 - madrama na Halloween Party. Shoot the bunny. Erm...
43. Nov 7 - 11 - PSDC. Super redemption!!!
44. Nov 20 - Congress at Edsa Shang. Waking up at 5am.
45. Nov 22 - Real Love Revolution. We won first place, and 8 grand.
46. Nov 30 to Dec 2 - Shop-a-thon at the bazaar.
47. Dec 2 - Voices in Harmony finals night.
48. Dec 6 - WR 30th anniversary concert. Love WR. Love Chorale.
49. Dec 8 and 9 - IDEA 2. Unreal. Breaking second. Unreal.
50. Dec 16 - Concert at the park

Looking back at it, 2007 was probably one of the most eventful and memorable years of my life (not to mention that I didn't get sick at all this year). Here's to 2008!! :)

Recap: the 21 busiest days of Pam's life

2007-12-09T16:41:00.000-08:00

To compensate for the lack of blog entries over the past month... :) And just so you know, it's 12nn Monday, meaning I'm not in school... again. (I'm probably the second most absent person in the batch)

The past three weeks have been the busiest and most draining (physically, mentally, emotionally) three weeks of my life. Everyday I got home no earlier than 7pm, and average sleeping time was around 130am. Finally, I'm glad to say it ENDED, but it ended well. :D

Nov 20 EDSA SHANG CONGRESS - waking up at 5am to get to Edsa Shang dressed, made up, and vocalized by 8am. This was fun, in the sense that we got to skip the entire morning period - including pretending that the bus arrived late so we could miss the before lunch period as well. Hmm... the Isla ballroom was a lot bigger than I imagined.

Nov. 22 I KEEP LOVE REAL - there's no need for an introduction, seeing everyone knows what happened here. We won, first place, thus getting 100grand (50 for the school, 50 halved within the members). Great job guys! With technical problems and celebrity meetings, hahaha :D I got my first tarp because of this - pina impromptu na back up vocals plus filing papars. lol. (yeah, it's been my dream to have a tarp).

Nov. 30 and Dec 1 BAZAAR - the shopping marathon of all shopping marathons. The 8 grand from I keep love real helped a lot in that sense. I ran around the bazaar, three rounds, to get everything I thought I needed. I love bazaaaaaars :D

Dec. 2 VOICES IN HARMONY FINALS - the long awaited finals night. :) That was a day of ambo hato, paraiso, and iisang bangka. We got fourth place overall, which was sayang because only third up get medals, and second place in the contest piece. Despite the mistakes that were deathly obvious, we still did well.
It was right why the seniors super cried after the competition. It wasn't because we didn't place, but it was probably because there was no next year to get back for. The chorale did really really well, and it's really the result of our bootcamp-y training. All that was worth it, including the missed classes and periods. We seniors help jumpstart the chorale, and we can't be prouder. True naman, the rehearsals are exhausting, draining, and frustrating (I mean, one second out of time, how does that matter? apparently it does) - but I'm sure we'd do it all over again if we could just stay for another voices finals.

Dec. 6 WR 30TH ANNIVERSARY - Just when we were so exhausted Sunday night from Voices, we had to attend rehearsals every day after that from Monday to Thursday for half a day just to prepare for this concert. I have to say, I missed the whole performance high, it's really been a while. Kudos to Miss Cabs for organizing the show, I really liked it, including the family performances and the excerpts from other stuff. The chorale hasn't had a concert like that since... paco park two years ago. Also, thanks so much to batch 2008, who had an almost complete attendance - prolly one of the reasons why it was sooo full house that night.
Seniors, Cassie was right - this was our last major concert. And I'm super glad that it was in Woodrose, I mean, first concert in WR - cantate, last concert in WR as well. Ended it right, hahaha :) Great jobb!!! :D

Dec. 8-9 IDEA 2 - I was getting sick by Wednesday (dress tech for 30TH), and I was using my voice every single day. I was seriously doubting about whether I could function well during idea2. Turns out, I still did.
UNREAL. That was the only word coming out of my mouth during the break night, and over the phone with the alumni calling (plus mikki). Gaba and I broke SECOND. It was even funnier because Jayson made Gaba cry thinking that we had completely lost our last round (yes, WR A is a team of very praning people). But we apparently won it, giving us 8 points. The next day, we reached the semi finals, which was really good. :) Finally, gabs and I ranked in the top ten best speakers - me at fourth, gaba at fifth.Chrissa and Pat broke 14th, got to quarters, and Nikki and Tabby broke 16th, got to semis. Pola and Abby, thank you sooo much for fighting until the end... I swear this isn't the last. My kiddies!! UNREAL. SUPER UNREAL.
Congratulations to SR B - Sluggo and Nicky - for winning the invite!! Galing galing, with jokes to match pa. :D And congrats as well to Raffy for winning public speaking... panalo talaga!!
... "Sluggo! Assume the holy position!"
... starting the trend on... "C Borr was Jigglypuff in his past life"
... and what not to do when asking a WR girl to prom... PANALOOO!!
I have to say that I loved this tournament. Debate's second semester is turning up much better than the first... :) One more fight... Idea3!!! :D
Crud... I'm really going to miss all this... I'm turning over SOON!! :)

*** just for a final note: If you think this all came with no consolation you are absolutely WRONG. the downside is so simple... yet so WORRY-SOME. those are... MY GRADES. they're DISMAL. I'll leave it at that.

To the people I refer to as my kids...

2007-11-12T01:29:00.000-08:00

It quite ironic, because some of you guys are either my batchmates, or even worse, older than me. But it's mommy duck mode for a reason.

My dearest ducklings,

I mass novena-d for nine days straight, and spent Holy Hours reciting 81 sets of our father-hail mary-glory be when sem break started, only for one purpose. I guessed it would be futile to ask to break if it wasn't meant to be that way. I wanted only one thing - I wanted the team to do well. All I needed was to be strong enough for you guys, break or no break. Just anything, anything that would make PSDC memorable. After storming heaven more than I thought possible, I went to Ateneo with you guys, with four days that we called training.

I didn't think I'd get more than what I asked for. Who'd ever thought that we'd break four WR records? I didn't think we could get any better than last year's performance. But you guys outdid yourselves. From four breaking teams, to advancing to quarters, and the like. But best yet, I saw you guys enjoy yourselves, from debating to the moments at 1am before we were screamed at to sleep. In that sense, I knew that I did something right. In one way of another, you guys gave debate, gave this team, and gave me a chance.

I know PSDC, like all other tournaments this year, was an emotional roller coaster for me. You saw me at my best, as well as break down after round 7, seriously believing we lost. I may have doubted myself a thousand times over, but I never doubted you guys. I knew that you would deliver, that if it wasn't going to be me, you guys would make it.

Now, we sat through classes, shifting weights like the way we did during our rounds, or trying hard to sit still, knowing that we couldn't just stand up anytime (or worse, raise a point). PSDC is over and done with.

Not only is it the end of PSDC, but the end of the peak of the debate season. Seniors, it was our last national tourney, the last we've seen of that abandoned two (customed to squeeze ten) person condo, and the last we've seen of seclec c as a convening room (not as a lecture hall). It's just around now that every captain thinks not of the next training marathon, but of the turnover that's bound to happen in a few months.

But before we get to that, thank you so much for making our last PSDC memorable. It was during break night that I realized Mikki, Margie, Giovs, and everyone else was right. It was worth it, all the tears, prayers, sacrificed time and effort. I couldn't have asked for a better team.

Guys, in a matter of years, records will be broken all over again. But it's not really the point of it all. Break or no break, if there's one thing I'm proud of, it's knowing that you guys didn't give up on this, and decided to love it for what it is.

I'm not the hell of a debater, but for what it's worth, I'm really proud to have been your captain, to have been mommy duck Pam. I love you guys, so so much.

Mommy Duck

PSDC

2007-11-11T02:25:00.000-08:00

Top three signs of exhaustion: Run down on each of them and you'll realize exactly what I've been up to for the past 10 days.

1. My eye bags threaten to close almost every waking moment. Just today, it gave up at around 12nn. I had to sleep an extra 5 hours until I went to mass. Four hours of sleep, three rounds a day, and strictly three meals are just clearly not student friendly.

2. I'm suffering from severe back pains. In the 4 nights in Eagle Star, I was officially on the floor, every single time. (apparently, it just doesn't improve). Also, I lugged around four matter folders across ateneo every day.

3. I've officially lost my voice. It's the product of four hours of sleep per night and debating two rounds in SecLecB filled with a xavier audience of 100. Hangin lang lumalabas sa throat ko... even as of right now.

Yup... no questions asked. My life has revolved around matter briefs, cameras, running in the rain, triking in katips, and climbing umpteen flights of stairs to get to the mvp roofdeck... in heels. It's none other than PSDC - the Philippine Schools Debating Championships.

But in fairness, all the above exhaustion symptoms (which I'm surprised because I'm not sick yet) are WORTH IT. PSDC is exhausting - physically, mentally, and emotionally. But, it's the best national tournament I've ever had.

THE ROUNDS (how much time did the WR team spend training for PSDC? Four days. Of matter loading, and continuous rounds. The motions this year were not only extreme in length (super super super long!!), but pretty tricky. Here's the narration of Pam and Gaba's rounds)

Round 1 - Abolishing the presidential right to pardon. I knew this would eventually come out, but I refused to print anything on this. Luckily, Gaba had this. Funny thing in this round, our OG got lost (went to the wrong room, and slowed down the entire tourney sched by half an hour), which made Leloy reaaally mad, complete with sermon. Won this round.

Round 2 - EU and Iran (I could swear, this was not a prelim level motion). Gaba and I were super scared this time around, because we were in a room with ICA A, XS A, and PLC A, with the same adj. Miraculously, we got SECOND. I still can't explain exactly how it happened.

Round 3 - Carbon tax. We completely freaked out, because we had this motion in the list of motions during training, but we always refused to debate it. Worse, we were Opening GOV. (note Gaba and I have history of bad prepping) But, we happened to get SECOND, again. Turns out the opp clash was wrong.

Round 4 - Slavery in Africa. We got third in this round. Not much commentary here.

Round 5 - China and the Olympics. We were adjed by Faith, who had been disappointed with our performance during Nash dc. But this time, we kicked ass. I loved my speech this round.

Round 6 - Philippine Media. WE LOST. But funny bit of it, it was raining reaaally hard when the motion was released. It was either we went downstairs and back up to get to the building, or run in the rain. We chose the latter. Prep time is just too valuable, apparently.

Round 7 - Catholic Adoption Agencies. The miracle round. We prepped for the WRONG SIDE. We were opening opp pa naman, so when Jaime was delivering his speech, it was the only time I realized we prepped wrongly. I went into the podium with almost nothing. After a very bad round, I cried the minute I stepped out of the room. I was already swearing that we would get fourth this round, and thus not break.

I was prolly the most disagreeable person during the break night party. I couldn't even eat. I clung to Margie and Bets during the announcement of the break. Yun pala... we got SECOND in our last round. WR A broke 17th with 13 points.

JUST TO TIE IT ALL UP... WHAT I WILL MISS ABOUT PSDC...

1. Dressing DOWN for Opening Dinner - because of what happened last year, our entire team swore that we wouldn't go as bongga for this year's opening dinner. We followed theme pa rin, but we were generally in tops and pants lang. When we went inside, we realized (for the first time in WR debate history) we were UNDERDRESSED.

2. Skirt day - the ever famous WR national tournament tradition. I've done this six times, and I'm going to really miss picking out a skirt, and annoying everyone else to bring one too.

3. Walking through puddles in heels - Gaba and I make a very superstitious team. We seriously believed that each time we got wet whenever we walked to prep time, we would do well in the round. It backfired eventually, because the round that it rained and we ran in the rain, we lost. But still, we called it "baptism by water".

4. Eating out - McDo, Old Spaghetti House, and that other restaurant we happened to eat in. It's to compensate for all the energy we left out.

5. Squishing six people in a single room - trust me, this was very very difficult. It was because the aircon in the living room broke during the first night. So eventually, people sleeping in the living room moved to our room. Very, very, very squishy, but fun.

6. Not having to commute very much - we commuted a round total of TWO times only. On this point, we would like to thank Mang Jun and the WR van, as well as Mrs. Senson. Royal treatment I SWEAR, we barely walked or triked.

7. Waking up at 530am to go to mass - yeahp, we're a pretty prayerful team. All of us attended mass each of the three days. Trust me, it works. Most of the time, Gaba and I have to credit God for the rounds why we couldn't really understand how we placed in the top half.

8. Jamming - WR and SR teams aren't just debaters, we actually have the potential to become a band. Just kidding. We spent the night of the championship dinner (after that) in Eagle Star, singing along to Job, Concep, Nicolo and Sluggo's playing. Joseph's solo career shall launch soon. :D This went on until around 3am. Since we couldn't do eastwood this year, this one would have to do.

9. The seven minute speech song - music by Nicolo and Sluggo, lyrics by Nico Concep. I can't exactly disclose what this was really about, but it was THE BEST.

10. SR's condo condition - believe it or not, there was no furniture at all. It was a puddle of sleeping bags and matter folders. They tried to make us clean it, sorry, didn't work.

11. Sebastian's Ice Cream - we apparently lived near one of those shops. One time, we shared a pint at around 10pm, and just died.

12. Dressing UP for championship dinner - this time, we made bawi. We made ourselves up, wore cocktail dresses (side note: the juniors were actually confused at one point. They thought "Ejay's" was a designer. Just because, the seniors kept asking this: What dress are you wearing? I think I'll wear Ejay's. In truth, it means - I'm wearing the same one I wore to Ejay's.)

13. Maltesers - two bags in less than an hour. We're all addicts na daw.

14. Reunion - Bets, Mica, Margie, and Giovs! Well, they were all ADS, but it was super great to see them again. :)

15. The mystery of Nicky's stomach - seriously. We would all want to wonder, when does he ever get full? He consumed half the bowl of rice during championship dinner, and still insisted on going to McDo for a big mac because the dinner wasn't really "dinner" daw. The next day, breakfast consists of three sausage mcmuffins. (or as he defends himself, two mcmuffins and one sausage patty lang).

16. Poon singing during the championship dinner - Gaba, you are brilliant. I swear. He actually learned the alto part of stand by me in a matter of minutes.

17. Gaba's random song outbursts - Crap. I can attest to this the most, she does this all the time. all the time. all the time.

18. Hansky and the cookie obession - Hansky, like the rest of us, fell very quickly into the trap of Lexy's cookies. Just like Miko's cookie cake, they should be banned for being too good. You just can't get enough of it.

19. The unnamed crab (names are still available) - Thank you to Raffy for giving me the crab. Which at first, people thought was another animal but a crab - hello, small hands, orange, round, with big eyes!! It's the stress ball, so I'm surprised it didn't break from all the times we squished it when waiting for results.

20. Gaba breaking the curtain rod - sabi daw, it just fell when she touched it. Refer to the album, we have the pics to prove it.

21. The impersonations of the androgenous parental unit - the people who did this were extremely good... sounded almost real. But of course, it's so easy to identify. Job was panalo at this. Who exactly is this androgenous one... is that even how you spell?

22. The Pam impersonations - This I had to defend myself at certain points. But you have to admit, they were all true. I hate them for that, but yeah.

23. Camwhorring - God, we are just too BAD. 297 pics in four days. Camon. Plus, these guys love to steal my cam and return it with more pictures. Worse, they even did that to RJ's camera. We took it home for an entire night. The next day, it was whored.

24. Being able to miss school for two extra days (monday and tuesday) to train - This was good, because my philosophy was that knowing exam results would affect the debating. This was kind of funny at some points, because whenever I went to mass people would ask me why I wasn't at Ateneo yet.

25. The results. They were RECORD BREAKING.

WR A - broke 17th, reached the quarters, 9th and 15th best speakers of the tournament.

WR B- broke 7th (highest breaking WR team for this year), reached the quarters.

WR C - broke 20th, reached semis (first WR team EVER to reach semis)

WR D - broke 25th, reached octso (first fourth WR team to break)

Gaba won public speaking.

26. MY KIDDIES - I know I refer collectively to them as my kids (even if they're my batchmates, or older than me). But I will reaaally reaaally miss them, knowing that there is no next PSDC. BUBBLE! It's a different bubble from last year, but a bubble all the same. I love you guys, so so so much. *** I'm going to write a separate entry for this, I know it's sucky.

THE MESSAGES SECTION

1. Dani and Mikki - apparently, they coined all ten of us as their love children. (Okaaayy...) Thank you so much for training us, and bombarding us with matter. Despite the fact that it got really hard, and we really sucked at times, thank you for being patient with us.

2. Margie, Mica, Bets, and Giovs - thanks for taking the time off to help out and train us. Also, thanks for organizing the tournament, and for keeping us sane throughout. (Margie and Bets so knew who were going to break... they made me soooo scared!)

3. Job and the rest of the SR contingent - Get a job as a psychiatrist, and I swear I will hire you. Thank you so much for keeping me sane before the break. It felt really bad for me to break (being the one consoled) and that you and James didn't (being the one doing the consoling). But, it still holds true - one tournament doesn't change the fact that you're a REALLY good debater. The same also goes to the entire SR team, we know that you guys are amazing. With your super bootcamp-y training to go with that. :)

4. Michael and Leandro - I really think it should be credited here talaga, for admitting to the tabbing mistake. Background: they were the 32nd breaking team, but they realized that one of their points didn't count because Michael was part of a swing team during round 1. They admitted this to the adj core, super honest. You guys may not have debated, but everyone really values that honesty.

5. Erin and Kat - Prelims were extremely rough, but you guys made SEMIS. Super unbelievable!! :D New friends, hahahaha :))

6. WR B - Pat and Chrissa, you guys were amazing. Breaking 7th :D I really have to give props to you guys, since I knew that in the tryout ranks, you guys were team A (just that, Gaba hated the letter B. We just had to steal the letter.)

7. WR C - Abby and Pola. The rounds before the silent rounds were pretty rough for you guys, but see? Super pulled it off, and you guys advanced to the semis! Even with the uber hard motion, you guys did fine. (Abby - since philip here is a man, he refuses to look at the feminist side of the issue. At this, peterson goes "shame!" right after the part about philip being a man)

8. WR D - Sam and Mica. Here comes the "I told you so!" I knew talaga that you guys were going to make it. Even at a SOM room at round7, you guys made it :D

9. WR E - Lexy and Mon. I know that it was pretty hard not breaking, but I have to reassure you that you guys still did really really well. And, thanks for all the love and support the next day at break. :D (To the next record breakers, you have to get a WR team CAPPED. That's pretty hard.)

10. Gaba - I have to admit, I was really surprised when I found out that you were going to be my partner during PSDC. We've had a history of bad prep (included a fight over a set up in nash round 6), and we both had open wounds coming into this tournament. But, we eventually pulled it off, one round at a time. Thank you so much for being a really great partner, it was more than I could ask for. You carried me during some rounds in the prelims, especially when I had my latter round attitude problems. And this time, it really came through for you. I knew that the 9th best speaker would be you. And you know now, you never dragged me down dear, you were brilliant. For all the stepping on puddles, nine choirs of angels praying, and the like, I'm glad I debated with you. :D I'll miss that soo much. Thanks for sharing the crying moments as well as the happy ones.

SO AT THE END OF THE DAY...

What makes a great tournament? It's not just great results, althought this tournament did have brilliant ones. It's a mix of it all. WR Debate Culture is not just about debating. It's down to the nitty grittys - the debating, the dress up, the bonding, the late night jamming, and everything else. I'm proud to say that I was part of this debate family. I know I won't have a team like you guys.

I had already forgotten how it was to break. I spent nine days novena-ing for this tournament, complete with mass and holy hour. Margie was right, breaking this year felt like the sweetest thing. And Mikki was right as well, it was all WORTH IT. The pains of the nash non break, and all the frustrations throughout the year boiled down to this. I didn't think I was going to feel that. But we did. And three other teams did.

And now? Despite the exhaustion, the only daunting thing is this - I'm getting overwhelmed by the reality of NORMAL LIFE. Oh no. I've been on debate zone from November 2-11. That's ten days. One day, I'm convincing people that political pardon should be eradicated, running in the rain in Ateneo, and shouting my speech in SecLec with a predominant xavier audience, just so the adjes can hear me. And the next day? I'm dragging that same matter bag, just with senior text books, and listening to philo lectures.

*** There's a part two to this. I'll post it tomorrow ***

Yung pahabol na blog...

2007-10-28T02:09:00.000-07:00

Sembreak, sembreak, sembreak... SEMBREAK! After a pamatay na second quarter, we have what miller calls "the most well deserved sembreak ever." Thus, I'm going to make my catch up blog entry, seeing that I haven't blogged in almost a month. It's going to be called "October at a glance..." hahahaha.

1. Isha's party - yeah, the album was very late, thus the blog was very late as well. It was uber fun, complete with seventeen roses. This time, I prepared a speech (sorry gel! I didn't during yours..), and went waaay overtime (sina Cassie were already clapping). The entire party was cute, Spanish themed, original kaya. And... it officially marked the start of the prom asking season. Seniors ask early this year.
2. Art video showing - this one is very late rin. After the most pahabol shooting day, with the camera dying, we managed to pull together our art video. I think we did pretty well naman, considering the amount of time we had to edit. I'll post the final copy when I steal it from Kia. Mikes so agrees with me, we're having severe attachment issues with it. Even if it wasn't the best video ever, it was our group's brainchild! (the screenplay at the very least). I loved the other videos as well, great job guys! We are the last batch to do this project... for several reasons... hmmm...
3. The boycott - according to the "you know you're batch 2008 when...", we superseniors are professional procrastinators. But, around two weeks ago, we officially LOST IT. We put up posters relating every subject to stress and stuck them around our door. Guys, this is the start of... aktibista-ness.
Tulog. Hindi dito. Hindi Ngayon.
Sleep is not a factor of seniority.
Work. You demand, we supply.
And the like...
But, after what was five days of pamatay exams, WE ARE ON BREAK. Make the most out of one week guys...

Next blog: PSDC. THE LAST PSDC. *pressure* *shivers*

Scene one, take the square root of negative pi (non existent)...

2007-10-06T04:17:00.000-07:00

Just for my own comic relief... a little rundown on our shooting over the last week... :)

Highlights of the high and dry shoot:
1. Abby's throwing the bracelet scene... this one took FOREVER!! Because we had to throw the bracelet at an exact spot, which kept missing! We have SO MANY outtakes because of this.
2. Abby and David's park scene... I swear, having me around is a VERY BAD IDEA. Because, I am too anal retentive for my own good.
"Guys no. One more. The hands look too bouncy. You don't have an alter ego, it's still supposed to be emo! Bouncy is not allowed!"
3. Abby and David's double car scene... this was an emergency rewrite. And just when we were about to shoot... it started RAINING. But, we shot in the rain.
4. Therese's and my pushing in the park scene (with Marlo)... this one took forever as well. Emergency rewrite, since the shopping bags weren't going to pass this shoot, we decided to improvise - to borrow a poodle from one of the parkgoers. (Note, I can't really hold the dog properly, but oh well) Great... I looked like sharpay evans... slash paris hilton. And part two, giving directions is not as simple as it looks. Because follow me, does not equate to... go around the post. Note, that particular take was brilliant, but it just can't be used.
5. Being rained on. During the Thursday shoot, it began to rain real bad after I left. I was going to call the cast and check if they were okay... but then again, I thought: "wala yan, they'll just run into the gazebo and they'll be fine." Turns out, they panicked so bad that they forgot there was a gazebo. They ran all the way to amaw's garage. They only found out that they should have gone to the gazebo the next day.

Art video... will be up SOON. Witness me and my embarrassment - donning FOUR different kinds of PINK outfits. How GAY.

Intrams... Voices... and Idea1

2007-10-01T16:49:00.000-07:00

One of the busiest weekends there was... sadly, my parents were in Baguio... and TOOK THE CAMERA WITH THEM! Malamang, I couldn't take ANY pictures AT ALL! So... blog na lang.

Intrams... no matter what, I still LOVED our parade! (despite the fact my grade 6 line stepped out of the borderlines for the parade). It's the most hectic thing - doing intrams from 8 until 1, and then chorale until 1 to 4. Most people think it's easier than it looks, but it meant that I had to learn the add ons to the parade the next morning from 7:30 to 8, all in half an hour, plus I was the pinaka front right corner mommy. But... Worth it. I loved our mix, and I love our parade. Congrats to red for taking first place, as well as their parade with lots and lots of formations :)

Voices in harmony... a week of no cold drinks or ice cream, TRYING to sleep early, resisting the urge to scream during intrams, was all for TEN MINUTES: of singing Ambo Hato and Paraiso. And it was WORTH IT. We got in the FINALS!! 11 o clock pa lang we were at the music room doing intense vocalizations. And during the car ride there, plus the hours before going onstage... we prayed to the nine choirs of angels: most I've ever prayed. That's 81 sets of our father-hail mary-glory be, EACH person. FINALS! FINALS! FINALS! :) Plus, the car ride going back - me and my VERY BAD navigational skills
Pam: Yeah, you turn there, back into the highway.
Driver: So, left or right?
Mari: Left! Left! Left!
Romina: Wait, papunta ba tayo sa Edsa?
Pam: Right!! Ano ba?
Mari: Akala ko highway!
Pam: Nooo!! It's the Ayala highway we just came frommm!!
Bonding!! That was 7 people stretching out on the new big-ass wooodrose van. I'm ready for FINALS!

Idea 1.. well, one has to give up something, so I didn't debate in this one. But, I made sure to go the next day to see the kids. Abby and Chrissa broke ninth, plus Rox Sam and Gaba's public speaking. The best were the moments in between...
Abby: Pam, how do you spell villaflor?
Pam: Villa... tapos f-l-o-r.
Abby: Ah okay.
Pam: Why? What did you think it was ba?
Abby: Villa... tapos f-l-o-o-r (points to the floor, as in SAHIG)
Pam: Oh, so translated, it means house of floors?
Abby: Tama, the real one means house of flowers.

Ms Q: Southridge boys! We are going to leave you na!
Rox: Guys, break to semis is being announced na daw!
Abby: Guys!! Hurry up!
All the boys except Joaqy go inside the car.
Pam: What? You guys decided to leave your dessert na lang?
RJ: No, Joaqys waiting for it. Lets go!
Abby: Noo! You're going to make him walk to ICA with all your ice cream?
Chrissa: He's there na!
Joaqy goes inside the car, with 4 ice creams.
Chrissa: Hm, walang spoon?
Joaqy: Ahhhhhh!!!
Pam: Haay nako!
We didn't end up being late, just so you know.

Pam: Guys, sabi daw, Cato and Ejay are very sick, in Sagada.
Abby: How sick is sick?
Pam: High fever. And kawawa daw, the teachers aren't doing anything.
Ms Q: Kasi, they're not motherly.
Pam: Actually, they gave them ALAXAN.
Joaqy: WHAT?! So they have muscle pains na?!
Pam: (still reading) Sabi daw, alaxan cures everything.
RJ: So if I'm dying... I should be given alaxan. It cures everything.

Sam Lim: Sir! You CHANGED my life! By playing the piano at that opportune moment, I was able to find my pen! Thus, you're my favorite adj! --- that's Vinny Tagle.

Gaba: (during public speaking finals) So, when you're choosing from Paris Hilton and Jessica Simpson. Think about this. Paris Hilton, subplanks Kip and Hansky, who have nice pangas. While you have Jessica Simpson, subplank (squats to the ground) Patrick Cocabo.
Gaba won public speaking!! Panalo talagaaaaa!! :D

Thaaaat's all!! This week: Eucharistic flower carpet making (we have the gigantic circle this time!!), Filming for the art project, PSDC tryouts, SAT IIs, and DLSUCET. And just so you know... it's 12noon. The rest of the people are at school.

For the stressed, overworked, and dying...

2007-09-15T15:57:00.000-07:00

Just for your reading pleasure... my personal favorites are bold-ized.

"Slow Down Therapy" (author unknown).

1. Slow down; God is still in heaven. You are not responsible for doing it all yourself right now.

2. Remember a happy, peaceful time in your past. Rest there. Each moment has richness that takes a lifetime to savor.

3. Set your own pace. When someone is pushing you, it's OK to tell them they're pushing.

4. Take nothing for granted: watch water flow, the corn grow, the leaves blow, your neighbor mow.

5. Notice sun and the moon as they rise and set. They are remarkable for their steady pattern of movement, not their speed.

6. Quit planning how you're going to use what you know, learn, or possess. God's gifts just are; be grateful and their purpose will be clear.

7. When you talk with someone, don't think about what you'll say next. Thoughts will naturally spring up if you let them.

8. Talk and play with children. It will bring out the unhurried little person inside you.

9. Create a place in your home... at your work... in your heart... where you can go for quiet and recollection. You deserve it.

10. Allow yourself time to be lazy and unproductive. Rest isn't a luxury; it's a necessity.

11. Talk slower. Talk less. Don't talk. Communication isn't measured by words.

12. Give yourself permission to be late sometimes. Life is for living, not scheduling.

13. Take time just to think. Action is good and necessary, but it's fruitful only if we muse, ponder, and mull.

14. Make time for play - the things you like to do. Whatever your age, your inner child needs recreation.

15. Liston to the words you speak, especially in prayer.

16. Learn to stand back and let other take their turn as leaders. There will always be new opportunities for you to step out in front again.

17. Take time to read the Bible and inspiring words. Thoughtful reading is enriching reading.

18. Direct your life with purposeful choices, not with speed and efficiency. The best musician is one who plays with expression and meaning, not the one who finished first.

19. Take a day off alone; make a retreat. You can learn from monks and hermits without becoming one.

20. Pet a furry friend. You will give and get the gift of now.

21. Work with your hands. It frees the mind.

22. Once in a while, turn down the lights, the volume, the throttle, the invitations. Less can really be more.

23. Let go. Nothing is usually the hardest to do - but often it is the best.

24. Take a walk - but don't go anywhere. If you walk just to get somewhere, you sacrifice the walking.

25. Count your friends. If you have one, you are lucky. If you have more, you are blessed. Bles s them in return.

26. Count your blessings - one at a time and slowly.

and my all time favorite...

27. DIVIDE BIG JOBS INTO LITTLE JOBS. IF GOD TOOK SIX DAYS TO CREATE THE UNIVERSE, CAN YOU HOPE TO DO ANY BETTER?

There you go. You're welcome to comment on any one of them. Now, I have eco news reporting, art project, litt long test, and pinoy quizzes to finish.

The emotional roller coaster that is NAsH DC

2007-09-05T03:48:00.000-07:00

No matter what has ever happened... NAsH DC is always one hell of a tournament. It turned five years old this year (thus we got the plaque thing). I've only been around to see three of the NAsH-es... but I only thought one thing when I saw the video at the championship dinner: I'm going to miss this. Every NAsH DC has been life changing (and character shaping... naks!) And this is why... (my blogspot, which multiply is cross posted to, has been around long enough to witness my first nash dc entry, as well as my second.)

NASH DC 2005 - I experienced my first break ever. I was part of WR A, and I placed 10th, with Mica Tan and Ana Bets. In this year's nash, I actually learned to like debating. (pahabol: playing pants in between rounds, giovanna cooking oatmeal, sleeping in somerset - best condo ever!)

NASH DC 2006 - I called this the "best five days of my life" in the previous blog. I was part of WR A again, and placed 5th with Mica Pena and Abby Castelo. If the last year I learned to like debating, that year, I learned how to love the team. (pahabol: oprah marathons, having a crippled teammate, and a glass solid debate bubble)

NASH DC 2007 - This is probably the most character shaping five days of my life. This year, I didn't break in Nash Dc... I have the tabs but then again, I probably wouldn't want to look at them quite yet. But if there's anything I learned this year, it's the most important thing. I may have learned to love debating, and to love the team over the past years. But now, I learned how it was to lead the team that I loved for the longest time. And sometimes, it isn't going to be winning, it's about being strong. (which of course, had its very trying moments). But at the end of it, it was worth it. I saw the kids I had urged and (sort of trying to) trained get into the finals. We made WR debate history yet again.
And of course, nash dc isn't nash dc without the highlights of the tournament:
1. Manila Manor... thank you caaath!! we stayed in the 7th floor, subdivided into the good room (abby chrissa marianne miss q) and the bad room (me pola gaba sam). Watching HSM2 and Rent... (obviously, when miss q was alseep na)
2. ATTITUDE!! E EQUALS MC SQUARED!! No one will exactly be able to get the inside joke here... because it's all in the manner it's being said. I'm going to try to video it, and post. No matter what, no one can say it like mikki can! (or the other people who invented it with him)
3. My two obsessions: "the secrets to body language"... now I have learned the different ways of hand shaking. I didn't quite finish it... so raffy, you better bring it during PSDC. Oh yeah, and my new source of annoyance but obsession: Concep's PSP tetris game.
Pam: It's not fair! Do you have to be fast too! Why is the margin moving!
Nico: It IS fair. It's because you're losing.
Pam: Okay. Last na. Promise. I will win this.
Pam continues playing. Again. and again. and again.
RJ: Ano ka! You keep saying last na! Stop na kaya, you're getting stressed!
Pam: I KNOW! But I have to win!
And just so you know... I eventually gave up after around 100 tries. Just to show you, I was a video game girl up till i was 11. Old habits die hard.
4. Dinner at Fridays... I have never eaten so much with my team. Exaaaag!! We even fought with each other for the food.
Marianne Nav: (getting shrimp) Guys, it's stuck together.
Pola: okay lang, we can all get two. Keep it.
Nav: pero, tatlo siya kasi.
Pola: IBALIK MO UNG ISA!
5. Lovers at NASH: Mark Lonzaga and Raffy Galvez. As proven by Job during public speaking - they finish each others' sentences. Now, that's block voting for you!
6. Cath's hamster - Frappy, which I named Hansky! Speaking of hansky, he came during day one and watched our round.
7. drama during day three... in LSGH, if people know what I mean. Don't worry, ayus na.
8. the shirts which we couldn't get. debater... in my element.
9. sabi daw sa championship dinner: SR and WR are back together again. It can't be more true. Mega bonding over the past five days. Kwentizing... juicy but totally gross!!
10. stampede of people who came over to watch the finals. Mikes, Stew, Karen, Mon, Miss Q, Mikki and MIca (who ran from Ateneo and went on the LRT/MRT) and the rest. It was three rows of WR supporters during finals.

Thanks and big hugs goes to everyone... but most especially to:
1. Mikki, Dani, and Mica. I would not have made it out alive (really!) if not for you three. Dani, for talking sense into me while i was hysterial during break night. Mikki, for your monologo... I was still hysterical, but I swear I remember some of it... *thinks*, basta ung "it's gonna be worth it". Mica, for being the one calming voice... both over the phone and during the finals.
2. WR debate varsity nash team 2007. If there was any consolation, I was knowing that WR C and WR A were out there fighting and doing their best. I can't be more proud. And I know that I couldn't ask for more. Thanks to pola and gaba, we tried, and we fought. That's what matters.
3. Isha and Gel (ANO?!). There's not much to elaborate upon, but I have the bestest friends in the whole world. I just do. PERIOD.

A unique form of rant: WR08 HATES EGAY (ung typhoon)

2007-08-15T04:16:00.000-07:00

Pam's not-so-classic rant will be kept at three lines. again.

We seniors actually WANT TO HAVE CLASS. We do not want to have exams next week. As patty said, we'll SWIM if we have to. Dala pa PICKET SIGNS ---stewart.

How am I supposed to fix training sked, and register for NashDc on time now? I need those reply slips, and signatures!!

Pina-asa pa ako. I SERIOUSLY thought I would have FOUR DAYS of utter bliss : Friday-Saturday-Sunday-Monday, as in completely BURDENLESS, complete with 3 birthday parties and one gathering. Potek. Wala na... nakahalo ung exams, plus some are going to get cancelled.

recap: Pam's life is like a stack of dominos. If you dare budge one, you will change ALL of it.

Quickie...

2007-08-12T02:03:00.000-07:00

I don't have much to do... except blog. Again.

Exams na this week, but in truth... exam week is better than hell week.

Litt play tomorrow... *fingers crossed* kaya toh... I've lost my directing adrenaline (half an hour of "trying" to pull the one scene play together, I was tired na.)

IdeaLite is this week. *fingers doubly crossed*

Looking at my site... my last album has been ancient. I promise that I will post new ones. Starting tomorrow... so not documenting anything about senior year. Weeekk.

The schoolyear is one fourth done. That was so dragging but so fast.

UPCAT in five sentences...

2007-08-05T02:45:00.000-07:00

1. I had very sucky circumstances - Miel and I were seated on opposite sides of the room (coz I was left handed), I was right in front of the aircon thus I froze halfway thru math, all our chairs were connected by a bar and the guys to my right and left were very fond of shifting their weights (which I felt 24/7), the chairs were so close to each other such that the guys to my right and left were also very fond of putting their elbows on my table.
2. It took an hour to get in the building (I don't know why), half an hour to explain how to shade the circles, so our test started at 2.
3. English and pinoy were okay, suprisingly.
4. Everyone, including me, wants to kill math and science. (Walang anatomy, permutations, and trigonometry. Instead, we had astronomy. Wth?!)
5. One down, two to go.

Lists... and Reviews...

2007-07-30T23:35:00.000-07:00

The little foursome square at the front left of the IVA classroom is officially the post-it whore square. Every day, you will see the occupants of the desks furiously scribbling on "things to do" post its. Yeah, that's Ana-Katrine-Pam-Abby for you.

And after sleeping at 12:30am last night finishing the last of the to do list, guess how much I have to do today. THREE. Pinoy pabula - theo prayer - bio reviews. Unbelievable. So, I'll blog!

Regarding my earlier post about the Gel and Pam similarities, I have part two, now deemed as the Gel-Isha-Pam list. This took a VERY LONG TIME to do, considering that the three of us do not have much similarities. But here's the hard work we put into today's lunch period (trying to come up with this), at least the numbers we can fully express to the public...
1. We bond over sushi and fruitella. Two of the only food the three of us like a lot. (UP fishballs just might be the next one)
2. We want to get into ateneo REAL BAD.
3. We are anal retentive about our notes... as in class notes. We will cry if they get stolen. We take such good care of them.
4. We are extra hard working when it comes to projects. Not like we're horrible at tests and the like, but we have extra diligence with projects. All three of us will do a project single handedly if needed.
5. During prom season, our dates had abnormally similar surnames. We didn't do this intentionally, REALLY.
6. We are psychoanalysts, thus we should probably endorse the book called "kokology". Not that original though, but it still works.
7. We have identical facial expressions (people say we look alike. I contest, super. We don't... I figured we just pull on the same expressions.)
8. We spend our sleepovers watching disney movies. Great way to discover the inner child. If we get corny, we'll start singing along.

SHOUTOUT: The "Songs..." cast album is finally up... we spent two Saturdays trying to put it together (including emergency editing and redelegating of parts).
REVIEW: Surprisingly, it turned out better than I expected. I liked it a lot... actually, it kicks ass. :) Not that it's perfect, but it's pretty good (definitely better than the makeshift one from the play). I'd Give it All for You is buh-rill... :D It'll be playing on my Ipod for a few days... :D If you want one, you can ask me to burn you a copy.

FOUR DAYS TO THE UPCAT. enough said.

The stressball that is fourth year...

2007-07-19T00:59:00.000-07:00

More than two weeks without an update... I'm not feeling organized, so I'll just rundown random things...

Campus tour today!! Ateneo's was completely bitin, there was A LOT more to go to. UAAPs was very long (and the rest of the comments come from my class about it), La Salle was rushed but we amazingly squeezed in a lot of things. Who'd ever think it would be so draining???

Dying... workload is NOT FUN. It involves spending hours over a talambuhay/alamat/balita/pabula (basta pinoy related) and getting a big fat ZERO on a long philo essay. Everyone else knows the rest.

Just to prove that it's stress-y... I've already gotten semi-sick, wahaha. But I insisted on going to Micah's last friday, recording on saturday, and school on Monday. It was a matter of sleeping the WHOLE Sunday.

Over the next few weeks...
UPCAT is in TWO WEEKS!! omg omg omg omg omg...
but... ATENEO is THE WAY!! :) right abby? although we've been demoralized, we are still ateneo babies at the bottom of our hearts.

Stressball...

2007-07-06T16:40:00.000-07:00

Rundown on my schedule for next week... pray I get through it...

Monday - chorale, eco LT, physics LT, math Q, theo Q
Tuesday - piano, chorale sectionals, dinner out, trigo LT, art project
Wednesday - NAsH training, chorale at lunch, PE practical test, HP release
Thursday - relatives leaving, chorale, theo LT
Friday - kids training, philo LT, pinoy talambuhay
Saturday - recording day, integsem

quote from last week's training: "I will think outside the box, but first, what is the box, and how big is it???"

Seniority complex update...

2007-06-30T18:27:00.000-07:00

Three weeks in, so it's time for an update for everything going on... :)

Last week was the busiest ever, but still fun. I kept skipping class!! Hahaha
St. Josemaria tribute thing -- missed last period Monday, in between recess and lunch for Tuesday
Manila Cathedral mass went well, surprisingly better than last year (and shorter). -- missed the entire afternoon of Tuesday
I survived the launching of activities, I love our batch for being supportive. -- missed last two periods of both Thursday and Friday

The quote of the day for Friday: "stick to the status quo!"
It's the new catch phrase for the newbie debaters, it's apparently the fun way of stating your counterprop, they just KEPT USING IT!! I listened to that continously from 3 until 6.
And just when you thought it would stop, HSM onstage at Meralco that night at 8. Nice show, I loved the re-writes, made the songs seem less dragging. It was a trumpets reunion of sorts, saw Miguel, Eric, Micah, and Celine (Ken!! Why did you not come?!). Now, it's another hangover, according to Gel.

And pa-habol, made yearbook staff, literary team. Yaaay-ness!! :)

Just a quickie...

2007-06-21T02:00:00.000-07:00

More than a week into senior year, and the workload is GETTING there. So much to do, and waaay too little time. I really wish there were more hours in a day...

COLLEGE. This has been the theme of conversation for the past week, and it will not stop until graduation. A day doesn't go by without "what course are you applying to in Diliman?" "when and where is your UPCAT?" "who are you going to make pa-recommend from?" "when are Taft applications coming out?" and so forth. It's crazy. I've never seen myself, much more my batch, so wrapped up into something like THIS.

I'm savoring every day so far. I like the classes, at least most of them. Sleep deprivation and withrawal is simply PART of the senior process altogether, so I'm not complaining... yet.

And best of all, thank you for all the people who interceeded for me last June 2, 2007. It was worth it, I promise. Now, I couldn't be happier.

P.S. Who is taking the UPCAT on August 4 at the College of Business Admin 12:30 ? Please tell me, doesn't matter whether you're from WR or not.

The first of all the LASTS...

2007-06-15T04:48:00.000-07:00

I had promised to write about the first day of senior year... but I was tamad enough to postpone it to the third day... Here's a quick rundown, since I don't feel like making it sound essay-ish...

Super seniors!! Brought a camera to school, finally had it fixed, and took feeectures!! We screamed when we saw people we knew, screamed during assembly, etc. We're called the happy batch for something... :)

Feeling the senior-ness!! Walking first during assemblies at the gym, staying at the centre of the gym during those times, and all the other perks of being the oldest people in the school. Accdg to Gng. Samonte, a freshman held in nature's call because the bathroom was packed with seniors. Hahahahaha!! But... Gng swears that we will be in that position next year... so bask in the senior glory NOW!!

Busy-ness is BACK! Meeetings! Means... bye bye half of lunches :( And the WORKLOAD. Stress is when you wake up screaming and realize that you haven't gone to sleep yet. 4 homeworks, 4 quizzes, and that's the THIRD DAY pa lang.

IV-A!! :) We've been officially called the tenants who reside in the classroom of the extremes. I like the teachers so far, the lessons are hard, No Kidding. But I like how it's run. Litt is practically int'l relations with Jess.

Lots to do!! UP aaapppss!! I have to figure how to get it to the admissions office... and Cebu tomorrow!! :)

The so called... alter egos??

2007-06-09T01:37:00.000-07:00

I haven't been blogging much... work or outing every day (the life is coming back... a bit). So I'll squeeze out the last ounce of creativity I have for a final summer entry... (no events, again)

Ask me to describe myself, and I can give you pairs of pretty contradictory descriptions, my best friend Gel agrees that I can be at the extremes sometimes. Ask several people to describe me, and you'll wonder if they're describing the same person (of course, depends whom you ask). By then, I'm pretty used to the remark "Pam! You're the/so (insert word here)"
But, there are the times in which I get pretty surprised by the comments. I don't really get why, but when you really look at it... maybe I really am such. Here are the top two expressions, pretty much the ones I've been hearing all summer.

"CUTE / the CUTEST!" --- I found this very weird at first. I mean, I used to be the expert at acting baby-ish (heck, I did a baby accent throughout one workshop play, actually worked), but this is weird. I get this in the randomest circumstances (I dont get it!). It's a weird instance, specially when you're used to the "you're so seryoso". Variations include: "--huggable, --pinchable, --funniest". People who frequently say this: Isha, Miss Quesada (a teacher says it!!!), MonMen/baaaaby

"SCARY " --- I have been called "nice" a lot more times. (variations: being part of the nice barkada, being so unbelievably nice, etc.) But I've been called this. In a debate tryout survey, there were people who actually answered yes to the question "do you find pam scary?". Variations include: "---getting dictatioral". People who frequently say this: debate people, the unfortunate people who get to be part of my cast during productions. If you're part of the crew, I was probably worse.

"Paaam! You're the funniest!" "Wait, WHY are you laughing at me?!" "Paaam! You're the cutest!" (I put on a frustrated confused look at this point)

"Oh no, it's Pam the dictator. She has the mic again. Don't ever give her one of those."

"Pam has the scary manner kasi, when she gets on the podium, everyone just keeps quiet." (I just sit there, trying not to look scary, but I had already finished speaking.) (Funny thing is, I came from calm to scary in a year.)

The weird, the weirder, and the weirdest...

2007-05-31T03:11:00.000-07:00

Each player of this game starts with 6 weird things about you. People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state the rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave a comment that says you are tagged in their comments and tell them to read your blog.

Tagged by RJ, so since I don't have much to do, I'll actually comply to this.

1. I only drink from the rim of a glass/plastic cup/jug. I refuse to drink from straws, jug holes, and the like.
2. I don't sleep soundly without an aircon and a pillow, but not for the usual reasons (because it's cold, and because it's comfy/headrest/etc.) I fall asleep to the sound of the aircon humming, and the pillow is always on top of my back (i sleep on my stomach) ala "simulated hug".
3. I have an insane obsession with productivity. When very stressed, I DO long for a day of boredom (do whatever you want, etc.), but if I get TWO days, I will start complaining by day two.
4. I do not cry after the end of a major production (recital, chorale concert, theatre show). I love my mates here to pieces, and I'm pretty senti about these, but I just cannot cry. However, I do cry in one particular part of these productions: the prayer before we go onstage.
5. When faced with a lot of things to do, I cannot use the "sleep at 9pm, but wake up at 2am to do the work" approach. I HAVE to get the stuff done first, because my body refuses to sleep without the soothing fact "knowing it's done". Also, this approach is handy if you can't estimate the time it takes to get stuff done. Follow up, it's impossible to get me to wake up that early.
6. Suprises don't, and have never ever worked on me. it's either a.) i find out before it actually happens, or b.) something happens that ruins it completely. Many, and do I mean many, attempts have been tried. Example: during my two productions, I found out that I had a bouquet of flowers before the curtain calls. wicked - i saw my friend carrying it from her car, songs - "do you like carnations?" from gel was enough to give it away. There were much more, and worse to that. I swear, I do not deliberately do this, but surprises just never work.

I shall tag... my "family members"!! Carla Barretto (my mommy in the madrigal family), Trisha Calimon (my adopted mommy when I ran away from the mendozas) Cath Laureola (my twin sister from the villaflor family, whom I'm not exactly related to) Tasha Gaston (my apo from the songs... family, putek i'm a lola?!) Jarvin Villaflor (daddy Jarv from the villaflor family, who is actually not my dad) Cassie Manalastas (in two versions, my sister from the mendoza fam, and my supposed mother in law to be in the madrigal family, but it never really happened)

ADC, and to explain the lack of pictures...

2007-05-21T02:41:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted any new albums for months now, and the justification for that is... my trusty camera is broken beyond repair. I took it to a service center a week ago, and it's not fixable daw. Sigh. A new one will be coming, soon. That pretty much explains why I really wanted to take pictures of some events, but couldn't.

Ateneo Debate Camp, or ADC, was this weekend. For the lack of an album to document it, this blog entry will just have to do. This was my first debate camp, ever. (note: i never went over the past two years). And I havta say, it was pretty hard. The slots were limited to 32, and the best 32 were definitely there. Lectures, debates, etc... but here are the highlights. (which should have been taken by a camera)

1. Cupcakes! We went to Serendra after Day 1, courtesy of Audrey and her car. We were pretty much obsessed with the cupcakes.
--- "No! Take my phone, but not my cupcakes!" , Pola and Audrey (no, they didn't get hold up-ed, twas just for fun)
2. Dilemma: 12 people, one City car, 30 minutes to get to McDo from AHS and back for lunch. The answer was to take two trips, but in order to fit 6 people in the car, it involved someone being stuffed up in the trunk. (don't worry, there was air). During trip 1, it was Mikki (Albano). The funny thing was, it wasn't the stuffing him in the car that was weird, it was the getting out of the trunk when we arrived in the McDo carpark in Katipunan. He refused to do it going back though, since we all just ate.
3. Jess and his international relations lecture. Now that is the way to grab people's attention and make you listen up in class.
--- "So, can when can a state go to war?"
"When it's statehood is being threatened?"
"If I cut off your food, can you go to war?"
"No."
"Then it's WRONG. When can a state go to war?"
"When all other methods have been exhausted?"
"WRONG."
"When you are bombed?"
"Correct. Next question, is anticipatory response allowed? If state A launches a missle against state B, but the missle hasn't landed yet, can state B counter attack? Yes, the missle was already fired."
"Uh, no."
"WRONG. I'll ask that question again, is anticipatory response allowed?"
"Uh, yeah."
"Tell me why."

Heehee, should have brought a cam instead. But till then. :) I'm still rotting.

the temperament...

2007-05-15T02:30:00.000-07:00

The Choleric / Melancholic

The choleric-melancholic mixture combines two passionate and persevering temperaments to create a strong leader with the ability to envision a great plan of action — someone who is both meticulous and strategic. The tendency of the choleric to make hasty, often sweeping judgments will be tempered by the melancholic’s careful analysis and reflection. The tendency of the melancholic to be moody, hyper-critical, and slow to act will be counter-balanced by the optimism and practicality of the choleric. Thus, the choleric-melancholic will be capable of decisive -- yet well-thought-out— action and will be thoroughly productive.

If you are a choleric-melancholic, you will have a quick, analytical mind, possibly with a great attention to detail, with a strong sense of order and discipline. You will be more extraverted than a pure melancholic or a melancholic-choleric, and you are able to take on more projects and accomplish more things than a pure melancholic would be capable of. Furthermore, your pragmatism will receive the additional value of noble and high ideals, so you will likely be a very conscientious employee. You will likely have a strong analytical mind, holding other people and institutions to high standards. Both the melancholic and choleric temperaments retain their impressions for a long time—so you will have the capacity to persevere in achieving your goals—as well as holding onto to a grudge and being unforgiving!

Driven, yet self-sacrificing and a lover of truth, the choleric-melancholic can accomplish great things.

Little events of randomness...

2007-05-15T02:00:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in a while, considering the past few weeks have been completely dead. Debate camp is this weekend, relatives from the states arriving next wednesday... school in at least a month.

But anyway, here's little random happenings that I just swore I would have to blog about...

--- Monmen and I bonded in town sometime last week, but before actually getting there, it required that we stopped by WR because Mon had to get her books. I didn't know that until I got in the car, and we were already pulling up. Thing was, I wouldn't be able to go in due to the dress code. So it was a little side trip to the house across...
Mon: Paaaat!
Pat: (in pambahay, wondering what on earth was going on) Whaat?
Pam: Can I borrow a jacket? I'll return it in half an hour! I just have to go inside WR.
It's called the little conveniences of knowing people who live RIGHT BESIDE WR.

--- Over the weekend, my parents were fed up with the heat, and decided to go malling on both Saturday and Sunday, basking in the aircon. Satursday involved going to greenbelt, where I ran into Cath and her family. Sunday involved power plant. Coincidentally in Mango...
Cath: (from behind me) I knew it!!
Pam: Caath! You again!
Cath: Yeah, saw your mom. So I was like, Pam must be around here again.
Cath and I ran into each other on two consecutive days, in two different places, but with the same people each time. I have been seeing a lot of Cath this summer.

--- Crosstraining was yesterday, In RJ's house. We debated on social networks and law enforcement, RJ Chrissa and Me against Pola Nico and Mark. Mark and Nico were pushing the issue about user decline, and Nico was pushing it so bad even after the debate.
Mikki: (adjing with Raffy) Really Nico, SO WHAT if they lose money? It's not relevant.
Nico: (standing up, with extreme conviction) But it is important, because it's a business! It impacts the global economy!
Mikki: (on a sunbathing seat, not even bothering to look at Nico) It's a business/economic assertion on a legal motion. NO.
To make it short, Nico and Mark didn't back down on this waaay until we were back in the van going home.
Speaking of which, I accidentally referred to Mark as Raffy, ("Raffy comes up here and says..", when Raffy wasn't even debating). Ooops.
Dinner at MOA. Fun.

Two years...

2007-05-04T18:52:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday to my blog! It's two years old today... :) Been two years of posting about anything and everything. Reading back's just funny. This is officially the 100th post. (In multiply, it's definitely not. I just cross post.)

MOA day was fun.
Imax theatres (are nakakhilo. Don't go unless you are guranteed a back row seat)
Making use of the directory to find what we wanted (weird, nerdy, but it was the only way), Looking for a non existent Zara (which in truth, hadn't opened yet),
Splurging on Cold Rock (always get toppings, always)
Bringing take out into another resto
Discovering the inner child (in Timezone and Toy Kingdom)
"I want iced tea, with no ice." "That called tea, then!"
Learning something new... that I could have been killed a few months ago. Are you serious?! I didn't realize it at all. Really.
A never ending conversation about everything to do with music in general.
Aaaand finally... the cunning ways of sliding past the curfew. (that was clooose)

To randomness...

2007-05-02T22:56:00.000-07:00

A very, very short update to my very, very uneventful summer...

Subic was great :) Trekking (don't ever wear slippers, ever!) and night swimming, in a beach where we did not pay the entrance fee (we were 20 people) and at mga 9 in the night (when we had the beach to ourselves). That included an exhibition of sorts (na sobrang amateur but cutely unprofessional) and "swimming school" (teaching the people who didn't know how to swim exactly how. I'm not a patient teacher, trust me). Now THIS is what you do when you go to Subic (aside from raiding the outlet shops). Why did I not figure this out before?

Aside from that, the summer's been dull and boring. I just have to ask...
IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE STRESSED AND BORED AT THE SAME TIME?
Is it normal at the very least? Because that has been the current mood for quite a while. I don't exactly know how this happens, but really. Being used to a truckload of things to do 24/7, this is REALLY WEIRD for this girl. It's been happening for around three weeks now, but I swear, I'm hating it.

Our Macbook has arrived. I am in love it with it, it's puuuurrddy!! But first, I have to figure out how to use it. Macbooks are love. I want an internet router now, but as my dad says, one at a time. So I'll keep quiet for now.

Summer is half done. I enjoyed the first four weeks of it (March 14-April 14). But my life will come back in the last three. (May21-June11). Shows to watch, balikbayans, my friends are back, and the senior high starts. :) But first, I have to get through the month in between.

Humor post: from a journal of a 13 year old...

2007-04-22T21:43:00.000-07:00

Time to lighten up posting a little bit. The blog has been a current flood of stress, debate, songs, moments with friends, events, and the like. So for now, I'm going to blog about something I don't normally blog about... piano, and three summers ago (still the best summer to date, last year's comes in a close second). I dug up my old piano journal, and it's what I decided to blog about.

background: waaaay back in the summer of 2004 (when I was an incoming FRESHMAN - note, I'm a senior now), I joined the 10 anniv. A1 recital, and I was given a piece to play to accompany the ballet. Learning this piece gave me nightmares. It was not the musical director's fault, as I got the piece six months before. And four months practicing, I still couldn't get it right. I practiced it so much, that I memorized the piece a month before the recital, but I couldn't play it through exactly correct (with or without the piece in front of me). What made it worse was when I learned then that we were only 5 taking this special group class, and I was the only girl in the class. Needless to say, I HATED going to rehearsals, which were twice a week for three hours, and for the first few meetings, it was spent in UTTER SILENCE.

Each of us was required to write a journal, and a "notes" section. My 70+ entries worth of journal just contains self critiques and variations of the phrase "I'm dying... get me out of this!". The "notes" section was just a collection of mottos I had made to keep myself sane. I went over it today, and I couldn't stop laughing. I decided to blog them, for your reading enjoyment, with added notes.

1. patience is a virtue - this must be constantly exercised in the progress of learning, mastering, polishing, and memorizing my pieces for the recital. particularly: nocturne. slow practice, it takes patience, but JUST DO IT.
--- according to my journal entries, this was exhausted talaga. scattered all over 70 journal practice entries is how much I wanted to throw the piece in the trash can.

2. dont laugh of shake your head when you make a mistake, this applies even if the piano is horridly out of tune. really. still applies even if it is in your system to burst into hysteria.
--- there was this one rehearsal in which I couldn't stop LAUGHING whenever I made a mistake, I really don't know why. i just couldn't.

3. listening to pieces repeat over and over again 20 times for an hour is frustrating, but bear with it. you must NEVER attempt to stall the person who plays before you. it might backfire and this might happen.
--- there was this other rehearsal in which i really didn't want to play, so i stalled the person who played before me. this person ended up repeating over 20 times. I would have rather gotten it over with by then than listen to it repeat one more time.

4. don't ever, ever, positively, absolutely, without question freeze! Never! Don't ever let it happen... EVER! EVER! EVER!
--- there was this other, other rehearsal wherein I froze completely, and the dancers had to repeat. They were super mad, and I was super embarrased...

5. don't wall climb. you could miss a rehearsal and 3 days worth of practice.
--- I wall climbed with my friends a day before one rehearsal, and needless to say I couldn't move my arms the next day. I barely got through trumpets rehearsal and I just had to cancel piano. That was the worst phone call ever, telling my teacher WHY EXACTLY I had to cancel.

6. practice makes permanent. whatever you practice will be done during the performance
--- the trumpets motto. i still love it. during rehearsals, I was humiliated, frustrated, and on the verge of quitting. (I didn't, I didn't walk out. Although I threatened to the year after, but it's another story). But after May 28, 2004 , I delivered really well, and as for my little group class? it was the center of my kwento for months.

A1s on it's 13th annual recital now, and this summer is THE LAST IN CCP MAIN. I'm so jealous, and frustrated that I couldn't join it. Apparently, I was too late to enroll. Crap. Ah, who cares. Me and Trish will watch FRONT ROW. BEWARE... hahahaha :)

Attachment Issues

2007-04-20T06:27:00.000-07:00

I'm not used to having all this free time; that's probably the reason why I just keep posting entry after entry. This week has been the most unproductive of the summer (apr16-20). Sooner or later I'm going to run out of things to blog. Here goes.

Just as what Mica said during our senior tribute: I have attachment issues. Being half melancholic, I tend to live in the past sometimes. And that normally happens when the present is dull and boring. Like now.

______________________________________________

For the past month, things have been shaky about a restaging of songs. Finally, we decided against it, knowing that time constraints and schedules were not on our side.

Although, the natural thing to do with plays is the constant effort and determination to improve and make it better. "Songs..." was a makeshift, and as we earlier thought about, who knows how it'll be in a larger auditorium, better sound system, and maybe just a few more weeks of rehearsal.

But when you really think about it... When it comes down to whether or not a play was good, it's not in the quality of the notes that you hit, the lyrics that came out perfectly. it was what a frustrated and scared director told her cast five days before show, when nothing else could have been done anymore: Love your songs. Love the meanings of those songs. Love the play. Love what you're doing onstage, and it will show. You guys did exactly that. That's what it takes to give off a good production. Even through impromptu blocking, forgotten words, shaky notes, and singing while crying at the same time, it showed that the cast loved the play. These guys grabbed the audience during the last song. that's all a director would ask for, and I couldn't have asked for a more loving and supportive cast.

It's been more than a month since opening night, and I'm still hungover. The soundtrack still plays on my laptop as often as ever. A restaging of "Songs..." isn't needed to prove anything because my cast has already done that a million times over.

_______________________________________________

It's been a month in a completely other aspect, and I have to say that I'm struggling. Being captain of an unmoderated varsity, particularly something like debate, is harder than I thought. Its now our turn to help out train freshmen and sophs whom we now refer to as our kids. Its now our turn to head things and be the seniors.
Debate's really about coordinating, which is something I'm not the strongest on. But it's the way I'm going to finally learn how it's done. Although last year was total bliss, not too much responsibility and having the best team ever, it's time to make this year's team.
I've questioned my credibility to this captainship many times. But as our old trainor said: "you have to start believing that you can again."
I have to thank my officers, and my supportive members. I wouldn't have survived so far without you guys.

_____________________________________________

I'm not the candidate for best friend of the year award, clearly not. As much as I try to be, there are times in which I really fall short. Recently, the department is called availability: coming in late, leaving early, cancelled gimmicks, missed calls and the like. I did feel guilty a great number of times, particularly when there were times that I knew there was a gap forming. As on my part, it was the whirlwind of work, trainings, rehearsals, concerts, tournaments, reunions and plays.
But this time it's the other way around, the busy-ness part I mean. My besties are leaving for Spain tomorrow, (that includes the shopping splurge in barcelona, and the like).
Guys, thank you for always forgiving me for all the times in which I wasn't there for you guys. Have fun this summer, I'll be waiting for you in a month's time. Just like how you always used to for me.

Economy of words...

2007-04-16T07:08:00.000-07:00

I can go on about this forever, but to save everybody else from a long and winding blog. I will keep it at three lines.

I AM A MAGNET FOR PLANNING.

I WANT TO THROW MY PHONE IN THE TRASH CAN. MY BILL IS NOT PRETTY EITHER.

DON'T MAKE ME PLAN. EVER. SAVE ME.

That was Pam's classic rant. Just much shorter.

The product of six whacked people in EK...

2007-04-12T23:07:00.000-07:00

EK day was yesterday... super fun... :) And from that day we came up with this...

The SET: The section in EK with the realto that sort of looks like a New York Street. The family lives in the building called Brooklyn Apartments, which is located near the theatre. Rooms are for rent... :D

The CAST: the extended Villaflor family... :D
Jarv - daddy dearest
Isha - mommy
Cath and Pam - twin kids
Ejay - driver
Cato - yaya
and the temporarily missing...
Gel - cook
Miko - labandera
Patty - kid

The TWIST: Cath and Pam were born on the same day, and look "sort of" the same, but they're not exactly identical twins. Heck they aren't even full sisters. Cath is the illegitimate child of Jarv and Cato. (daddy and yaya). Pam is the illegitimate child of Isha and Ejay. (mommy and driver). Gel, the cook, is actually the child of Ejay and Cato (driver and yaya). Patty is the only authentic Villaflor, being the kid of Jarv and Isha.

Excerpt: Isha, Ejay, Cath, and me were riding Anchors Away while Jarv and Cato went to the first aid place. The two came too late to actually get on the ship.
"Thats... my wife, my kids, and my DRIVER! Ejay!! Keep your hands in your pockets!!" ---> daddy Jarv :D

Pictures to follow, care of Cathrine and her camera.

Feeectures...

2007-04-10T00:58:00.000-07:00

I can't blog on anything that'll probably happen this summer... since none of them would be worth enough of being blogged. So here's to randomness...

What I found while cleaning out my hard drive...

Freshman year... Loofah and friends... hahahahaha that's such a long time ago. We look baby faced pa rin in there.

Still the most intense game of scrabble ever... I lost, as in last place, just to say.

My first year in debate. Now, it's going to be my last.

Actually you find a lot more when cleaning your hard drive... really old forgotten videos... and grade school essays... hahahaha... there's even a copy of the gr.7 grad speech. We're getting old. Crap.

Summer update...

2007-04-01T01:05:00.000-07:00

What I have done over the past week... which will be the last productive week. ever.
Monday
1. chorale recording in Ateneo Sonolux. We all got so aliw the minute we entered the studio. It's a-la-No Idea, but the site is much prettier!! With the mics and headsets and all that... then we started getting reaaaally frustrated after a few hours. I don't remember how many times we did a take on this certain ending of a song... what song that was, I don't even remember. Basta it's the epitome of sobrang OC!! But I loved it anyway, recording is still the best.
2. sleepover at isha's house. Medyo bitin na naman, because I arrived so late, and had to go so early the next day. Anyone who wants to bond, watching disney movies and singing along with them is the great way to rediscover your inner child. Try it. Seriously.
Tuesday
1. funeral of my great aunt. Chinese burials are weird. You have all of these stops and all that. Nothing much said. I was so sleepy then.
2. spontaneity part two, cafe breton with gel and isha. This went in exactly the same manner as the Brothers episode the day after pre prom. Fun sobra. I love my friends for stuff like these. See, gel finally got her craving satisfied. After waiting for around 2 months. Hahahaha.
Wednesday
1. Patricia's graduation - my mini me niece graduated from kinder in TLC. Blast from the past talaga. I haven't been in there for ages, but it looks almost exactly the same. Can you believe I graduated from there... TEN YEARS AGO.
2. Lunch in town - the worst impromptu thing ever. Had lunch with Raffy, Monmen, and Mark. We TRIED to discuss the beach trip. TRIED to.
3. Recog practice - was recog practice. They didn't want to tell us any of the awards we were going to get. I could have done without this.
Thursday
1. Dinner at Intercon - I was the only junior this time around, but it was the funnest!! Also the most sosy thing ever... dinner at a hotel, tapos brenner pa afterwards!! Hahaha, but I loved it a lot! Thanks to Nav and Jeric.... :) Concep is the new SR captain, Mark is IDEA rep. Had so much fun, got home at 1am.
Friday
1. Recognition day - silver, still defending compo and subject awards. That's all.
2. Seniors grad - daaamiittt... this is the last grad that i'm going to that is not that of my own batch. Congrats to our debate seniors, who got medals for service to debate! Shattered dreams that night, right Pola? I will miss the seniors!!
Saturday
1. Yaninah's grad - my other niece, graduated from grade school in Zobel. Congrats! Lunch at Fridays after. :)

That is the last productive week of summer. Nowwww...

I am bored. Unbelievably bored. And it's always bad that you leave me with nothing to do but rot.
The soundtrack of "Songs" is finally up. We have to re do it. But it's not bad naman.
I don't want to go to Bicol this week. Noooo....
I was too late to join the A1 recital. Are you kidding me?!
This is going to be my last actual summer, and this is how I'm going to spend it.
I want to go abroad, but I overexploited last year.
Someone give me something to do!!! Aaanything!!

You realize that you've become... family

2007-03-24T01:27:00.000-07:00

The theme of the past two weeks has been letting go. Not the best thing to have drummed into you so many times, just with different people in different circumstances. But basically, I think this whole summer is also about letting go. In some instances, Cassie calls it "burying your talents in the ground." -- she was trying to preach to me about the parable of the talents in an attempt to make me restage the play. So "Songs..." was letting go, most definitely. I think I'm up for this summer's piano recital, which will eventually end up in letting go as well. I'm currently spending my first day at home, trying to finish my long delayed story, which may as well be the last as well. But what was and still is the most difficult to let go of is what happened over the past two days.

We had our debate tryouts two days ago. It's always pretty cool to have new members in our little team. Tryouts mean the start of a new debate season, which means intensive summer training. But that also means that it's time to say goodbye to our seniors.

It was more difficult this year than last, because this year, the seniors really grew on me. I spent summer training the kids with them, debated in every tournament with them, and spent many trainings and bondings with them. Our seniors. The ones who set a really high bar by breaking in each and every single tournament, and getting to the IDEA grands. But most of all the seniors that I really grew to love. That all the juniors grew to love.

We spent two days trying to put together a tribute. Believe me it wasn't easy. We ran around ATC and Festival in two hours with a very tight budget, but we insisted that we had to get them the best that we could. We spent hours looking for pictures, and pasting them in a scrapbook, whipping up 10 things that reminded us of them (which Gaba did), and the likes. We crammed it in the last hour before we went to ATC, even if that meant burning our fingers with glue guns (I love gaba and pola). And when we thought we were so tired, we just kept repeating: We love our seniors. We love Giovs. We love Mica. We love Bea. We love Nav.

But I guess it was all worth it when they opened it and started crying. Sign of a good tribute. The contents of a papemelrotti box of a treasure chest with a charm necklace, printed iron on Tshirts, a bulging scrapbook, and a stack of letters was enough to get everybody all senti in Italiannis, hahaha. Giovs, Mica, Nav, Bea. My captain, teammate, partner, and fellow prime. I'm going to miss you all so much! Debate wouldn't have been debate without you!

I'm watching our tribute video again. Pola did a great job putting it up. And what it says is right, when you've done everything from dawn to dusk to bedtime, and spent more than just training hours together, that's something. Debate is more than just throwing arguments and learning matter, manner, and structure. It's about realizing that you've become a family. Our debate family.

Now, the pressure is finally full blast. I'm facing a year of captaincy, and a LOAD of pressure. But along with all the other juniors, we swear we don't let you down.

I hate making projects. Making a "project" that isn't even graded is even more daunting. The tribute entails running around malls, coordinating undercover by using emails, and being dirt broke at the end of the day. But I'd do it all over again if we could get the seniors to stay.

WE LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH. WE'LL MISS YOU!

To restage or not to restage...

2007-03-21T06:01:00.000-07:00

The poll is up. Should the Gabay production of Songs for a New World do a restaging?

Hit the comment button, and state your name, answer, and justification. This way, certain people won't vote numerous times.

I cannot believe I'm even opening to that situation.

It's about one moment....

2007-03-18T05:55:00.000-07:00

I got this message from tabs... I think it's a good way to summarize what happened...
"24 hours has passed since our gala show, we all had mixed emotions. Some were anxious, some nervous, some were on the verge of peeing and crapping while others pretended to be calm. But if there was a word to be describe the show, I'd say the process was total bliss. Learning the chords, hearing them right for the first time, turon and cheez its, we had our ups and downs. Forgotten lines, injured knees, screwed lapels. But as cliche as it might sound, it was worth it. Who'd ever thought we'd all get to unite and imagine a new world? Who would have thought we were capable of creating music and not just singing notes? That day was just unreal."

After eight weeks of constant worry that things wouldn't push through, IT FINALLY HAPPENED. At 12nn and 6pm, Songs for a New World happened. To say a few words, things did not turn out how I expected them to be. Some were worse, but some were WAY BETTER.

MATINEE - Mics were horrible, too much feedback. Opening number off tune. Cassie and Panty were brilliant, though. You could see how much everyone was trying.

GALA - The definition of BRILLIANCE. Brought down the house.

I think thanks are in order first.

MS. MAGSINO and BRIDITH - Thank you for allowing us to do this production in the first place. Thanks for keeping me sane throughout the process, and reminding me to sleep and eat. I might have seriously lost it if not for you.

GEL, CATH, and ISHA - My lovely props movers!! Thanks so much for, obviously doing a really good job of moving the props. (Funny moment: during the gala, the candles weren't lit. The SMs only had two matches left. One of them broke, leaving them with one. They used a single match to light two candles, thinking they were gonna die) (Funny moment number 2: they forgot that there was no stool in the closing number, they pulled out the stool from the stage just a second before the lights came up). Also, thanks for rushing to help whenever we needed something (i.e. picking up the jacket, etc.) And lastly, thanks for really helping me when I thought things would go bad. (If you don't believe things went bad, can I just say that I broke down completely)

PATRICE - Thanks for taking and editing our poster and tickets. I do not believe anybody who says it's not worthy of being put up.

JARV - Thank you SO MUCH for mixing the minus ones in time for the play, for tweaking and editing the pauses, and most importantly: coming two hours before gala to bring your bigger soundboard so that things would sound a lot better. Thanks for taking that initative, in order for that gala show to be really good.

ZARS, MS. PANTALEON, and KAYE - Thank you for putting up the backdrop curtain for the show. For people who might think this was so miniscule: we made use of a cloth that we pleated in exact measurements and pinned manually on the walls using regular pins. It's not that easy.
They were anal about it, but that's what made it look nice anyway.

KEN - Thank you for the jacket. And thanks for the support you gave, even when you weren't able to see the show itself. I owe you a soundtrack.

ANA and CRIS - Lights and sounds SMs!! I really have to thank you both for the HUGE help you put into this play, almost taking it as your own. That includes calling people for connections, running around malls and supermarkets to get us stuff, writing sequences to that things wouldn't screw up, coming really early and leaving really late. I know issues kind of came up in the dress tech days, but I'm glad you guys stuck through it. This play would have not been the same without you. And, once again, I'm sorry for not opening auditions.

EJAY - Thanks for taking the time off to learn the pieces for the minus ones, although you had your own play to worry about. Thanks for being really enthusiastic about the whole thing, and watching the last rehearsals and the gala. Your comments were definitely appreciated. I know you don't lie when you say it was good. I'm glad to have heard that from you.

RICHELLE - Thanks also for recording our minus ones. Thanks for taking the time off to attempt the most difficult pieces of the show.

MS. KLIATCHKO - Although you didn't watch the show, those two songs that you heard were really important to me. Thanks for giving me the reassurance that it was vocally there. When Ms. K says its vocally good, it must be.

PIA - Thanks for coming to see both shows, matinee and gala. Thanks for reassuring me about things, and for recording the gala show on your Ibook. I want the soundtrack!

collectively, Miss K, Pia, and Ejay - I believed that it was a good show because you guys told me it was. Thanks for that support.

CHRISSA, POLA, and MONMEN - Thanks for the reassurance that I could actually do this show. Thanks for having faith in me in more than just this play, but in debate as well.

EVERYONE WHO WATCHED THE MATINEE AND GALA SHOWS - Obviously, thanks for watching, and supporting. To everyone who didn't, you're redeemed, but you definitely missed out on something.

SABS - I would have never survived this play without you. Thanks for being everything I was not, thanks for being calm when I wasn't. Thanks for being strong during the times that I thought it really wasn't going to happen. I owe you SO MUCH. The advertising, props, and all the technicalities go out to you. Thanks for going to SM as well to get all our stuff. Sabel is the backbone of the production. It wouldn't have happened without her.

TABU - You had an injured ankle two days before the show, and I really thought that you weren't going to make it. You also had the faultiest lapel in the show. Forgive your darling director, because in this production, you proved yourself to me in many ways. Thank you for pushing me on during this production from start to end, for dealing with your setbacks, for dealing with your mic, which was totally my fault. So much kudos goes to you, She Cries and I'd Give it All For You were brilliant during the gala!

PANTY - You mixed up your lyrics on both shows, and you almost tripped during rehearsal. Countless times have you offered to drop. But you covered up for your mistakes, and I'm forever grateful when you commuted to the first techincal run rehearsal. Raisa Panty is the voice behind "kaya yan!", the tagline of the show. As I said, King of the World was made for you, and you definitely showed that to me, both shows.

CASSIE - Despite your priorities of the past few months, I'm amazed on how much you grew to love this show, even if it was the most makeshift thing in the world. Thanks for helping out with the staging and polishing. Stars and the Moon and Flagmaker saved the play during the matinee, and still shone during the gala. I will forever give you food to make you happy if it's what it takes.

TASHA - The girl had her first lead in this production, and she definitely pulled it off, despite the fact we changed blocking last minute. Thanks for pulling strings to get this production together, including our wardrobe problems. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. You were brilliant in I'm Not Afraid of Anything, Christmas Lullaby, and I'd Give it All For You.

THE OPENING NUMBER OF THE GALA MADE ME BREATHE AGAIN. THE CLOSING NUMBER OF BOTH SHOWS WERE BRILLIANT, THE ONE IN THE GALA ALMOST MADE ME CRY BECAUSE YOU WERE LEAVING THE PERFECT LAST IMPRESSION.

I've watched many different shows before this one in order to get a good feel on what I was supposed to be doing. I learned this from them:

-We might not have had as much finances as that of The Littlest Empress, but for a makeshift production, it was definitely good. In exhausting connections, you see how much people are willing to help.
-We might not have had as much rehearsal time, polishing, and professionalsim as Once on this Island, but sometimes, when you're faced with a half baked play, the director can only do so much. Leave it to your cast members to save the show, and they will impress you.
-We might not have had as much support and natural acting as Platus: Tikboy, but as long as people believe it will happen, you're not alone. Sometimes you don't know how many people actually do. And as long as your cast loves the play, they will melt into the roles.

My cast lived out this message both onstage and off: so did my crew, behind the scenes
"HOLD ON, HOLD TIGHT. I KNOW IT'S DARK RIGHT NOW BUT JUST BELIEVE SOMEHOW THAT SOON THERE WILL BE LIGHT."
No matter what, as long as we kept going, this play was only improving more and more, even when I didn't see it.
"HEAR MY SONG, IT WILL HELP US SURVIVE ALL THE PAIN."
hearing those songs sounding brilliantly during the in between rehearsals erased the entire matinee impression. And whenever we would rehearse, I'd remeber why I was doing this. Tabu addressed this line to me during the gala, completely with impromptu blocking and actions.
"LISTEN TO THE SONG THAT I SING, AND TRUST ME, WE'LL BE FINE."
At the end of the day, we were fine, KAYA YAN!, in panty's words. And it was.

TEN SONGS. EIGHT WEEKS. SIX CREW MEMBERS. FOUR CAST MEMBERS. TWO SHOWS. ONE PRODUCTION, ONE MOMENT.

Thanks goes out once again to all of the people who helped in this production. I never knew it would be so many.

"And if all those people believe in you, deep enough and strong enough, believe in you. Hard enough, and long enough, then you just might start to see what everybody sees in you. And maybe even you can believe in you too."

From then, I believed I could really pull off directing something like this. I never used to, but thanks to them, I finally did. It's the tribute to theatre, as it's my last production. Thanks to all for helping me end it with a bang.

***shoutout: To anyone who saw the show, failed to see it, or simply loved the show, Pia is currently making a soundtrack (yes, it's a recording of the gala show). If you want a copy of it, please hit the comment button and include it in your comment that you want one. If you didn't see the show and are getting one, I won't give you one unless you swear to give me reviews on it. If you want to "see the show again", we have a video just in case you want to remember how bad the matinee show was and how brilliant the gala show was. I'm not giving away copies, but you're welcome to drop by my house and watch it with me. I swear I won't get tired of watching it over and over.

IT'S ABOUT ONE MOMENT. AND ON MARCH 17, 2007 6PM, IT WAS THAT MOMENT. Guys, thanks for being there to share that one moment with me.

Multi purpose: tribute to IIIB, debate, and songs....

2007-03-12T03:47:00.001-07:00

TEN SONGS. EIGHT WEEKS. SIX CREW MEMBERS. FOUR CAST MEMBERS. TWO SHOWS. ONE PRODUCTION.

After all those "will this thing really happen? kaya ba toh? is this really doable?" moments, I'm five days away to March 17, the showing of "Songs for a New World". The realization just sank in. This is really happening. It's not one of those cancel out shows, which happened a lot over the year. The tickets have been released, the IMs are circulating, the blocking is finally fixed, the minus ones are being edited for the last time.

Gawd, I'm scared to pieces. I'd love everyone to come and watch, and we'll really try our best not to disappoint. Thank you goes to so many people, such that I barely spent AT ALL for the production, unless you count rehearsal food. But I'll do that once the show's over.
Shyet. Last shot. It's about one moment. THIS IS IT.

Idea Grands!! Congrats to Bea and Giovs for making quarters, Mikki and Jeric for making finals, and Xavier (C Borr and Little Poon) for winning. :) But aside from the results, it was one of the most MEMORABLE tourneys ever!! Grabe, we squished every moment of bonding into a single day.

Our storming of McDo takeout in Katipunan in order to feed two very hungry varsities.
To Jeric... "Lloooossseerrr!!" by pola and gaba, complete with matching actions and tone.
Poch's phone call... we're so PROUD!
Raffy's grilled fat... what on earth was that? And passing around the saucer for Raffy's VAT. Professional leech talaga!
Cupcakes in Serendra... thanks to Mikki A and Ronnie for making libre!! Belated happy birthday to you both!!
The sign of too much camwhorring: everyone's batteries die na talaga.

The quote of the day: (in Serendra)
Nicole Gaba: I should have worn heels. I feel so underdressed!
Mikki Albano: Kasi, we put the ASS in CLASS. :D
Love that!!

That was our LAST TOURNAMENT. I will miss this debate season, it super rocked!

In two days' time, we're officially seniors. But I will forever miss IIIB. I love this class to pieces!! Haha, Steph is working on the block thing for next year.

Class bonding was definitely at its best. Matching pink and black jerseys with our class numbers on it. And our class lunch, baboys!! We super pigged out on how many boxes of pizza, but we love each other for that. And when it came down to a single liter of Royal for our drink, it was one sip each, I loved that!! :D

I love IIIB. Junior year was definitely the most stressful to date, but it's probably also the most memorable. The projects and all were the worst hell load yet, but I'd do it all over again if the class was always there to back each other up. :D

Burnt...

2007-03-06T05:11:00.000-08:00

There is not much more to be said.
I am burnt out, completely.
It's funny what four projects, two crammed quizzes, an upcoming captaincy, and a PLAY can do to you. Wait, it's not an ordinary play.
Sorry goes to all the people who witnessed my bitchy-ness.
ISSUES. Nothing is currently stable.
This is going to be the longest three days of my life.
Enough said.

Our lasts... :)

2007-03-01T04:22:00.000-08:00

I've gotten into the senti mode since last Saturday, and it hasn't gone away ever since. It's gone to its certain extremes, such as me actually crying. Yes guys, I've cried in school... again. Aaanyways, we just had our bequeathal ceremony, and although we're not the seniors, I still feel like we've had our many lasts, with the seniors anyway.

The seniors' last debate tournament - Upcoming IDEA grands!! :) But it was already my last for this season. The realization sank in during the bequeathal ceremony, I'm (almost) the captain of this varsity. I'm going to miss being Giovs' duckling, Nav's partner, Bea's fellow prime minister, and Mica's teammate.

The last chorale performance - The parents' night, which was last night. It was nothing special, just singing in the avr, getting starstruck with the new lighting system. I'll also miss our chorale seniors!! It's so ironic on how on the evening of our bequeathal, when gifts are supposedly handed down to the oldest people in the school, we play with the swings and slides on the grade school playground. We weren't exactly caring how much our pumps were covered in dirt, or how weird it actually looked. The day we get bequeathed is the night we rediscover our inner child. Not to mention jump pictures.

The last council elections - After so many weeks, it's finally done. And I really have to thank all the people who have supported MOVE. Although things didn't turn out the way we wanted, again, as Pola said, you'll always be the greatest campaign people ever. And my shoutouts, and greatest hugs goes out to Pola Lamarca. We worked together again, and once again, I'm really sorry. But sweetie, we shall conquer next year in the tourneys!!

It's March na pala. Thank God. February was such an emotional month. Not saying it was completely negative, such as the release of cards. :) But for the record, I've cried four times in a span of just a little under three weeks.

Just to lighten up the mood, I forgot to add something to the IDEA 3 post. The automatic faucet in GB3 hates Abby. But it loves me. No matter how many times Abby tried, she could not wash off the soap.

The infamous debate bubble...

2007-02-24T18:41:00.000-08:00

The last tournament of the year was this weekend, IDEA 3. Actually hindi pa tapos, quarters are on going right now. Yeah, you guessed it. Pola and I didn't make the break this time around. Points were 0-3-1.
Of course, it was super disappointing, considering that we were debating for WR B, who only needed a specific amount of points to get into the grand finals. When things have been okay for such a long time, a sudden loss hits much harder. (I mean, here's your incoming captain who still is pretty much inconsistent with rounds.) Hopefully 20 points will be okay enough to make it in. How bad did this loss feel? Not as bad as IISDC, probably. But it was worse than after, the after prom. Yeah, basically it was really bad.
One of the weirdest things of IDEA 3 is that this was the only local tournament in which we felt a "bubble" after. Nationals are proven, doi. It's all thanks to a little greenbelt dinner in Kitchen. (The mint iced tea is the new debate drink!!) Whoever could have seriously gotten me out of the "post debate break depression" is definitely good. And it was exactly that: an hour of debate kwento: debate couples (the nav and jeric story), pola's after prom adventure (the cutest!), giving mica r. advice for the prom, the new curtains in the WR avr... :)
It was my LAST tournament for this year. The last tournament in Giovanna's year. And although results didn't turn out, I still felt the debate bubble. I LOVE THIS VARSITY TO PIECES. Giovanna and Bea deserve that Grands. So do Mica and Nav, that Gaba and Pat are debating in quarters for. And we shall all be there in two weeks, supposedly studying for exams, but instead cheering on for our beloved seniors. (I have to get exempted!!!)
Debate's the varsity with the most misconceptions, but I'll have to atest to it. The strains of debating is probably 5%. The rest is 15% tournament high, 10% sosy dinners, 20% in between training kwento, and 50% bonding with your debate family.
About not breaking, of course it was one of the worst feelings ever. But in Kathy Nav's words: "Not breaking doesn't make you any less of a good debater. Some other factors like position, adjes, and opponents are just beyond your control. You guys did your best, and you guys still have next year. I'm sure you'll do amazing."
<3 debate... :) Grands na tohh!!!

Desserts... it's stressed spelled backwards...

2007-02-19T06:25:00.000-08:00

We're down to the last THREE weeks of school... and believe me, things are only getting waaay harder. The word STRESS is an understatement... I can still sleep, but I can't probably sleep peacefully until March 18th.

1. the campaign - it's on full blast.... I like to MOVE it MOVE it!!! :D let's go MOVE!! The campaign has it's ups... such as the daunting quad practice which turned out to be really fun, little road trips feeling like PAs... getting the tarpolines and getting take out. Staying till 8pm trying to perfect a five minute performance for tomorrow's quad. I'm not joking, I love my party, they keep me sane sometimes. But there's EXTREME frustration of being a campaign manager. Needless to say, it's worse than running. The competition and pressure lies directly on you, like being director for a production. A really huge production. MOVE campaigns are my primary drain of sleep... its extra hours up printing posters and planning, extra hours staying after school, extra hours early for school. Can elections come na?!

2. Songs... - speaking of productions, I'm already working on one. Undergoing severe play insecurities right now. And guess what, I can't quit. I've already tried asking. *tries to breathe* Kaya toh... 10 rehearsals to go, thats the maximum number I have left, seriously. And 3 of those rehearsals are going to be bootcamp days... I am forewarning my cast already. My inner bitch will be breaking out. To make matters worse, PLAY SEASON is starting. And you know how much worse I get whenever I watch a new production. I'll be watching three within the next ten days.

3. debate - LAST tournament of the year, is THIS weekend. Another cause of sleep deprivation. Pressure, because ONE of our teams is five points away from the Grand Finals, and we have to debate for them this Saturday. BREAK BREAK BREAK. This is it na talaga. And it's our "trial" for next year. No senior debaters. It's us juniors and sophs na lang.

4. acads - the pressure of getting gold the last time is sinking in. And the call of those exemptions are PRICELESS right now. Not for the grades, for REHEARSALS!!

Schedule for this week:
Monday - quad practice until 8pm
Tuesday - debate training until 730 pm, quad first thing in the morning
Wednesday - chorale until 530, two long tests the next day
Thursday - chorale until 6, Insular play gala show
Friday - bayanan, rehearsal
Weekend - IDEA 3
by the end of the week... I will have collapsed...

Prom hangover...

2007-02-13T06:03:00.000-08:00

5 ways in which you know people are still hungover last saturday's prom...
1. Almost everybody wears their prom earrings giveaways to school.
2. Talking about the food meticulously when we were supposed to be doing a religion seatwork.
3. The little kwentos about the tiniest details... such as "We got lost looking for our hotel room!" "I super hated the food!" ... and the works... these stuff happen in between, before, and after class.
4. People coming in at third subject just for extra sleeping time during Monday morning. I should have done that as well.
5. "The people who are simply spacing out during class, smiling softly"... according to Ms. Carillo.

Okaaay... here comes the long and winding blog about what everybody's been talking about for months... it got on full swing when the year started... and started to get frustrating during the last week... and now people don't stop talking about it. Here's my little attempt at trying to make things a little bit different.

First of all I'd like to thank Aton Valera for my gown, and South Salon for my hair and make up. :) It looked greaaat that night! :) Thanks to Edsa Shang that agreed to host for the night.

Thanks much for the WR prom committee, who did a really great job of organizing the event. It meant a really cool ceiling centrepiece... flowers and pearls on our tables (which we totally murdered in order to bring home certain pieces)... the cutest giveaways: earrings and shot glasses (I got both!! Hahaha)... and good food (although I could eat that much coz I swear I could feel my gown constricting)

Thanks much to the usherettes, (Monmen, Ina, Karina, and Fred among others) who helped us get around during prom. It makes things easier particularly when you were a tad late. (What do you mean a tad?!)

Thanks much to all the people who agreed to take my pictures for me during prom. Hahaha, thanks for standing my camwhorring moments.

Thanks much to our little after party crowd, I will try to list all of you (Jarvin, Gel, Miko V., Isha, Miko S., Anton, Cath, Dino, Therese, Ejay, Pola). Thanks for making the after party really really fun, singing the entirrreee night! And also for bearing with your stressed organizer as we were trying to sort out the payments. I probably don't want to organize stuff like that ever, but I think I'll do it all over again if it's that fun! Sorry kung bitin... I swear! Includes the people who walked in and out of the room... I failed to keep track of this...

Thanks much to the people in my table (Jarvin, Gel, Miko, Isha, BJ, Pin, Jason, Danna). It was so much fun picking at the flowers and stuff... hahahaha!

Thanks muuuuchh to our seniors!! I swear, I loved the senior tribute SOOO much! I really wanted to cry! Nav, thanks for the candle, which I lost... sorry!! Thanks also to the people who put the video together, it was super cool! I will miss the seniors A LOT, particularly our debate family!

Thanks to everybody whom I ran into that night that made prom really really fun... the dance "circle" hahahahah and all that... :) If I failed to see you at all that night, I'm reaaally sorry. I tried to look for most people. Everyone looked reaaally really pretty that night.

Thanks much to my dear besties Gel and Isha... who went thru the stresses of prom planning, date asking, hotel booking, dress fitting, accessory shopping, and my little issues (i.e. chicken pox, ruined dresses, the controversy, and all that) with me. Also for our little sleepover... what sleepover? Did we even sleep?

Mega thanks goes to Mikki... who also went through the hassles of the above, just differently. Thanks for the ride there, the ride back, and every single thing in between. (Includes the whole ID thing... can't believe I forgot mine!) And, I am still reaaally sorry for completely ruining the after plans (as well as everyone who planned that as well)

That was it na guys. The shots are up at the multiply site. Leech, comment, and do the works. Now, it's back to school, where things are completely merciless!!!

SFX: drumroll

2007-02-08T05:03:00.000-08:00

At long last... I haven't gotten this for a year and a half, seven quarters if you call it. I've wished, worked, and prayed for this all of last year. And finally, the unfolding of the long strip of white paper in the quadrangle...

95.41

Getting that gold award again has never felt this great. The non-breaks, play cancellations, and the whole hell hole of 2 months is finally worth it. I have never appreciated these numbers so much until now.

Sometimes things shake you. You'll realize that if you really want something, you're going to have to work for it. You don't get lucky each time.

The checklist...

2007-02-04T05:19:00.000-08:00

A lot is going on... A LOT. None of which are done yet, btw... so a-la-Nash-reply speech... I'll just go down a quick check list... on what the hell I'm supposed to be doing... (gaaah... I'm back to my time tabled life... I miss spontaineity)

1. WIT - actually this is done... it went well!! We got some possible new recruits... and it was actually fun to miss a lot of class to adj debates... and miss even more class tabbing...
2. Campaign - hasn't started... but being campaign manager has its perks and downfalls (such as shortened lunch). MOVE doesn't have a final line up yet... but anyway... it's currently on low priority...
3. Sendoff - gawd don't talk to me about this. I haven't started yet. I will, when I actually have the time to do so.
4. Prom - just finished up getting the last minute things... I'm going to spend the week breathing now... just those reaaaally minor details na lang... JUST GET IT OVER WITH NA! I swear, the planning and talking non stop is pretty fun a month before, but now it's just beginning to DRAG.
5. Songs... - there are play issues. No matter what production, whether it pushes or not, you cannot avoid play issues. Fingers crossed for a.) the song censoring, and b.) the accompanist, and c.) getting it actually done. Every waking moment where I don't do anything, it becomes natural instinct to pop on my Ipod and imagine the blocking.
6. Chorale - CCP fest today... it was good naman... miraculously, my voice came back minutes before we went onstage... Arimaonga was weird... I've been hoarse for weeks! Next concert, the 11th... the day after prom... how will our vocals sound?!
7. The dreaded doomsday - aka report cards... JUST GIVE IT OUT NA! And the sooner the better, it would be really bad to have people still hung over grades depression during prom night.
8. IDEA3 - no training, haven't been worrying about this. I broke in 2nd invites, and that's enough to keep me happy for the rest of the year.
9. Tryouts - don't talk to me about this either. No progress. Zero.
10. Catching up... again - I'M OFFICIALLY SLACKING OFF AGAIN. Bring me my report card such that I have motivation to study again.

Aaaand now... random quotes that are still the funniest...
- The frustrations of prom... the most common being dieting...
"I have one month before prom and look! I just ate four HUGE turons!" - Cassie Manalastas, during Songs rehearsal.
- On the IISDC dresscode... I posted this, but it's still pretty timeless...
"I'm not selling my soul! I'm just putting it up for rent!" - Nicole Gaba
- On the distance between me and my best friend's house
"Get in the car! I decided to pick you up!" "Gel, you do realize it takes two seconds to get to your house by car?" - Pam Chan and Gel Goquingco
- On criticizing the people who look particularly dead onstage... it's been overused, but still classic...
"You look like you're in front of a firing squad!" - Ms. Kliatchko (doesn't that just bring back memories?)
- On one of the worst topics to talk about during a pre prom dinner / dessert, but here it went...
"Hmm, what hurts more. A woman giving birth or a guy being kicked in the balls?" - Jarvin Villaflor (which I had to stand up and counter)
- On why you should always put others first...
"Have you ever realized that in movies, minor characters always die first? So you, being the shining star, should allow other people to go first, so at least you won't die first, and the little people will get to rub a little bit of stardom off you." - Roxanne Olanday, during the extemporaneous speaking...

Spontaneity... and my new obsession with lists...

2007-01-27T06:23:00.000-08:00

One of the funniest spontaneous moments of two bored neighbors... it's weird how I manage to do things like this despite my jam packed schedule... Thank God for Gel and her weird ideas...
(mini background: it was the afternoon after pre prom... Gel and I had compensated for our lost sleep over the past week. We found ourselves online... and then...)
Gel: Pammmm... I'm bored.
Pam: Wait lang gel. I'm revamping the debate powerpoint...
This goes on for a bit of a while... (at least until I finish the powerpoint and then I get bored myself) until...
Gel: The number one thought in my mind is... geom...
Pam: Hahaha. Prom is one of the last things in my mind right now.
Gel: I'm still so boreddd...
Pam: Gel, out of boredom. I'm going to list down the things preoccupying me in order of priority. One... where to get the minus ones for the play...
After a long list of what's preoccupying me... this happened to pop up...
Pam: Oh yeah. Also... how the hell am I going to waste all my gift checks?
(note: My mom got a HUGE stack of Brothers Burger gift checks worth 10,000, which is expiring on Feb.28)
Gel: Pam... let's go to Brothers and eat. Now.
Pam: Are you serious?
Gel: Yeah.
Pam: Do you have a car?
Gel: Yeah.
Pam: Are your parents willing?
Gel: Yeah.
Pam: I'm game, and I'm dressed. I'll get the gift checks.
Gel: G2g. I'll pick you up NOW.
Then followed a pig out session like no other. We ordered A LOT. The bill ended up a little bit over 400, so we had to order take out as not to waste the fifth gift check.
Pam: Gel, we were just in Westgate 12 hours ago.
Gel: I know. (stares outside the window at Cafe Breton, which happens to be across the street) Pam.
Pam: What?
Gel: I want crepe.
Pam: You just had crepe, last night lang!
Gel: I want another one.
Pam: Did you bring money?
Gel: No.
I will forever love Gel for that. Thanks dear, for all your odd and spontaneous moments. People with rough schedules need stuff like that. And to all, I still have A LOT more gift checks to waste. I'm not willing to give them away, hell no. But here comes the inviting of huge batches of people to Brothers Burger until the end of the month (it starts after prom).

And for the record... what exactly are the things preoccupying me... in order of priority...
1. Where are we going to get the minus ones for the play?
2. How are we going to fix Panty and Tabu's schedules for the play?
3. Is it possible to get my voice back in time for the concert?
4. Did I scrape that gold or not?
5. What's the motion for the demo debate on Monday?
6. What's due on Monday anyway?
7. Are we going to break in IDEA 3?
8. How am I going to waste all my gift checks?
9. Are we really going to scrap songs for the play?
10. Do I need a necklace to go with the tiny earrings I got?
11. Are my braces REALLY going to be removed this Friday?
12. Why is my dress taking so long?
13. Who's running for MOVE? What do I have to do to campaign?

But there's still the solitary thought: TEN SONGS. EIGHT WEEKS. FOUR PEOPLE. ONE PRODUCTION. WITH PROM, CONCERTS, TOURNEYS, EXAMS, TRYOUTS, SEND OFF, AND GRADES. CAN I ACTUALLY DO THIS? ARE YOU SURE? here goes...

Reasons... and more reasons...

2007-01-22T06:25:00.000-08:00

Just to probably explain all my recent tragedies... it's super ironic how things just... happen talaga.

1. Macbeth - I had to give this one up last year, and I really really didn't know why. To think about it, I would have blown off the entire xmas break rehearsals due to the pox, and it probably wouldn't have come together. Also, my grades are FINALLY looking up. Finally! And also, I have my new little directing gig... fingers crossed.
2. AJSS - I didn't know the reason for this either. Really, and I didn't see any way on how this could have been justified. Yun pala, the test was on the weekend of IDEA2. And I wouldn't have made it since I advanced to the quarter finals (after such a long time of successive losses).
3. Worlds - Hmm... the only probable reason for this is that I still love my team very very very much!

And also... thank God for these...
1. reasonable exam results despite the fact i crammed all of them the night before
2. my dress being finally fixed, and finished on time
3. moving IDEA 3 from Feb.10 to Feb.24 (I seriously would die if it didn't. Those five points mean A LOT!)
4. Miss K being kindhearted and allowing me to attend the concerts during Feb
5. my besties, for keeping me sane, as well as my other friends
6. the chemical peeling, thus my pox is not that noticable.
7. being able to sleep in peace now, since all of the weird and dragging issues are finally done with.
8. a new quarter... stress free!

And finally! Divine intervention!! : dear Lord, please make this "thing" push through. I promise that it will not interfere with everything else, and that I will super do my best. I will not be a dictator, and I will not be monopolizing. Please, please, please. It'll be the absolute last, and hopefully I'll come up with something you (and I)can be super proud of. PLEASE!!

Tables turning...

2007-01-15T23:49:00.000-08:00

First post for 2007!! Hahahahaha!! When I'm supposed to be studying for exams... I've decided to post anyway. Theme: for what seems like the longest time, my tragic cycle is finally ending!!
1. IDEA 3 - Pola and I brooookkeee!! :) After 2 tourneys of not breaking, this felt extremely good! It was kinda weird, since Pola and I had only debated together once before the actual tournament. But thanks to good motions, Mrs. Fermin's matter loading, lucky positions, and really great adjes, we won the first two rounds, thus bringing us to the top room! (where we lost). We were eliminated at the quarterfinals (went against Gica... helloooo), but we broke 12th anyway! And the best news yet, I finally don't qualify for Idealite next year! Yesh! Congrats to Bea and Giovs for breaking 13th as well.
2. Directing gig - okay, it's kinda early to post, since the petition was only submitted. But I think I have a good feeling about this. Please let this push through. Last na talaga... I swear.

since I'm on happy mode... I won't elaborate on the weirdly tragic parts... like how my prom dress is a total disaster, my pox is still there, and how IDEA 3 might be on prom day. Punyeta... how is this going to all be done on time?!

Tribute to 2006

2006-12-31T16:34:00.000-08:00

Year's ending again... and it's time for me to do the tribute all over again. After going through my posts for this year... here's the recap on the best highlights of 2006!!

Shoutouts!! Mega thanks to ALL the people who made this year memorable, especially those who spent at least ONE highlight with me!!

1. january 28 - IDEA 3... :) the time when we introduced debate to some would be debaters... and i was tourney director!! hahaha
2. february 4 - soph night!
3. march 10 - my first feature film!! florante at laura... hahahahaha still proud
4. march 24 - paco park presents!! Our end of year concert for chorale!
5. april 22-23 - subic trip with alana, carla, and mikki, mega fun!
6. april 30 - may 22 - Oxford, England : wow, this can’t be described…
7. may 26 - Oxford reunion at Power Plant.. J
8. june 1 - 14 - New Jersey, US
9. june 7 - Wicked!! At long last, and after endless bugging… Wicked on Broadway!
10. june 26 - Manila Cathedral Mass, the start of all the vocal strains…
11. july 1 - july 12 - Spain!! WMF, and mega shopping!!
12. july 22 - Celine's debut! the trumpets and oxford double reunion!
13. august 12-13 – CMLi BP! My first semi finals!!
14. september 1-5 NASH DC!! Breaking 5th… WR A!! So puh-roud!
15. september 11-13 Batch retreat! My birthday during a retreat… that’s originality.
16. october 7 - trumpets reunion! Wow… that took a while… but worth it!
17. october 24-28 chorale clinic! I will forever miss… BAH!!
18. november 2-3 debate bonding at bea o's… movie marathoning hahaha!
19. november 4 - crosstraining and trumpets reunion part two! To think I really wasn’t supposed to go to either…
20. november 6-10 IISDC… despite the results… I love my new sorority sisters!!
21. november 12 - CCP show… that was mega hectic…
22. november 24 - singing with the Madz at UAAP… starstruck!!
23. dec 9 - IDEA 1, WR made it to the finals!, chorale won 2nd at himig harana!
24. dec 16 - gold team won intramurals!

Hopefully '07 shall be better... but it's been great all the same!! Haaappy new year!

Month's update...

2006-12-22T18:15:00.000-08:00

Yeah... I haven't updated in forever... quick rundown of what's happened ever since...

1. Idea1 - Congrats to Giovs and Bea for making it into finals!!! :) And also to Mikki and Jeric for winning!! They're really good... damned. It was a PAREF finals!! :) Whell... me and Nav tried... debates were the weirdest ever, though. Naaavv!! I'm still reaaaally sorry!! And thanks to Margie for the letter... I liked it, although it was really inspiring.. :)
2. Decemberfest - wow, it's an innovative way to raise funds for the SR prom... :) Congrats to Reg, Suzy, and Gil for winning 2nd!! That was fun! :)
3. Himig Harana - congrats to the chorale, who won 2nd place during the competition!! All those practices of Ako'y Isang Pinoy and De Virgin Mary must've paid off... sadly, I wasn't with them during this one... Himig Harana and Idea1 were on the same day, decemberfest was the night of. Hahahaha.
4. Intrams '06 - Congrats to the GOLD team!! We won first place over all, as well as in parade!! Those cornrowing and shouting at the kids most definitely paid off!! :) Mitra, you super deserve it!! And congrats to Red for winning 2nd, and Green and Blue tied in 3rd. :)

But the main "issue" of the entire month is... GETTING SICK!! I've gotten sick twice in a span of a month, and three times in a span of two!! That's an outrage na talaga!! Nov.3-4 : the episode at Bea O's house, which involved me sleeping for almost an entire day after!! Dec. 1 : missed Ken's birthday due to this... but nothing prepares for the worst...
I HAVE THE POX. It erupted right after I got home from intrams. Therefore, I technically HAVE no christmas break. Which really sucks. We all know that pox takes a minimum of two weeks... and that's just around how long my break is. I'll be having Christmas and New Year with gigantic spots on my face, and all around.
What did I miss??? The christmas recital, gracie's party (holy crap!!), a trumpets gathering (again!), a family reunion, ateneo career test, and a LOT more!!
Now... I only hope and pray that....... I'll be considerably fine enough to go back to school on the 4th, and that there will be NO SCARS at all during prom. Is that too difficult to ask?!

Life in 2 weeks... a living tragedy...

2006-11-25T23:09:00.000-08:00

I'll just keep this one short... :) Rundown!!
... I miss IISDC...
... Report cards... pros: it's higher than the previous quarter... cons: it's still not pullable, and the computations came too late, if you get what I mean...
... Macbeth is cancelled... for the reason that it wasn't grade heavy enough... (No, i'm not upset over the fact that we aren't doing it... I'm just disappointed by the fact that we spent a whole month thinking that we actually were going to do it.)
... Life... is just going by waay too fast... and I can't exactly seem to keep up with it...

To the chorale, thanks so much for Nov. 24th. Singing with the Madz is such an experience, and thanks for the bonding in the bus afterwards, it made the traffic seem short. To my debate family, thanks for such a fun crosstraining!! Hahaha!! :)
And to you both, thanks for reminding me that these apparent "tragedies" are worth it. I wouldn't trade them for anything else.

WR Debaters are sorority sisters... :)

2006-11-15T05:53:00.000-08:00

It's been a little bit under hell over the past two days, so it's been hard to find the time to blog about IISDC. The teachers decided to give no mercy and imposed all make up tests to be taken today. Naturally, we died studying last night. But... the point is... it was well worth it. It's super hard to actually describe IISDC 2006, so here's the rundown on the highlights.
1. Mega SQUISH!! 12 people in Eagle star!! - Just when we thought that 8 people in a condo was difficult last year, we tried 12 this year. It took a lot of mattresses and fixing up every single day, lots of squishing, waiting for Gaba to turn off the lights, and sleeping on the floor. Imagine, the condo is originally for two people, and we fit six times more than that. Achievement! Well, it just involved having no space after all the bags were unloaded and after the sleeping bags were rolled down. But, that just adds to the fun of it!
2. No sleep, really - okay, so we still slept a little, but we would stay up each night for ages just doing absolutely nothing. First night, all the juniors got paranoid for the next day, so we spent around an hour doing "debate tutorials". The seniors found it ewwy, since when have we done that?
3. Opening dinner - it was dress up day!! After Ms. Q's severe screenings on which dresses were acceptable, we went to the opening dinner. Sorry, apparently we missed Reg's dad's speech. It was kewl though... the opening debate and "Bistagle" wahahahaha. But the whole point was the whole dress up thing. We were the only ones that looked so cocktail-y... in black, brown, and white only. And Mica wore a dress!! :)
4. Getting whipped by SR... TWICE! - Paolo and Justin beat us twice... damned...
5. Popular!! - we watched this uber old TV series while waiting for the next rounds... its halata na it's really old... but it was entertaining all the same.
6. America's Next Top Model, Project Runway, the OC, She's the Man, and What a Girl Wants... thanks Nikki for the DVD player!
7. Gaba's public speaking!! - IISDC could use hula dancers... and she practically demonstrated and lied about her "dream" which was really Ana Bets' dream but it worked anyway. Also, I wouldn't want to debate against Hansky... and dried mangoes!! Yes Hansky, dried mangoes make the world a better place.
8. The Mikki Albano accent... everyone in the varsity knows how to do this by now. It's just making each phrase very very low at the end.
9. The dream guys!! - we spent aaaagess talking about this one. Now, keep on the look out for Abby's poetic artist, Chrissa's boy next door, Nav's semi paranoid socialite, Giovanna's rich bachelor, Bea's star athlete, Mica's hot rocker, my free spirited bohemian, Gaba's ex seminarian, and Monica's charity boy. We'll see that someday!
10. The bento stand in Ateneo... we bought there almost every day.
11. Mica and Monica's tryke rides... right after, the two ran to bathroom, screaming for facial wash... "My pores!! They're filled with the pollution of Katipunan road!!"
12. Starbucks!! We bought here almost every day. :) Including eastwood where went all the way to starbucks to...
13. ... play chess! Six versus one! RJ versus Me, Jeric, Monica, Pola, Chrissa, and Ronnie!! And guess who won... RJ!! Hahahahahaha!!
14. Video games!! In powerstation!! Giovs is uber galing at Time Crisis... generally, Mikki got beaten in EVERYTHING... except the dreamcatcher. He got one of those pumpkin things. Hahahaha the cutest ever!!
15. Karaoke... okay, so this is where Mikki got revenge as well. He and RJ got the highest scores, 94 singing It's Raining Men. That's it! THe karaoke is sexist already!! Gawsh... and imagine 20 people in a single room!!
16. Taxi rides... we spent SO much on them! And thank you to Mark and Nico Concep for paying for the long rides.
17. Baaaaby? Sleep na baaaby... Monica's our BABY! And this really drives her craaazzyy...
18. Killer!! Hahaha, this is one way to actually pass the time. Someone actually got to win this game... wow...
19. Nav's malas... losing her phone... not breaking... and getting stung by a bee... poor Nav!!
20. Mica Pena wore a skirt to skirt day! It's a first guys!!
21. Giovanna and Cocabo!! The cutest!! :) And Giovanna is mad at Mikki for not helping... hahahaha...
22. Championship dinner - we all went to the dessert table first... fondue and the like. But Mikki was trying to discourage with his diet facts (did you know that blah blah blah...)
23. RJ's girls!! Pola and Gaba!! Laffytrip!!
24. The LETTER... which the guys did out of pure boredom... well they were in their "refugee camp" with white shirts...
25. MY NEWFOUND SISTERS - guys, IISDC had it's rough moments this year, like Bea getting sick and all, and me and Nav not breaking (we shed some tears over this one)... but I think results don't make IISDC the best, its the bonding and everything that comes with it. It's another of the best weeks of my life. Our debate bubble is still there, and I'm really going to miss it. Bea, Mica, Nav, Giovs... We will all super miss you! And I hope you guys had the best IISDC this year. Mica, I told you that you would break, you deserve it todo!! :) And congrats to Pola and Gaba as well for getting to quarters. (Oh yeah, Gica won IISDC). And like what Miss Q said, at the end of it all, we found sisters!! It's our big and happy debate family!! :) Kudos guys, and I love you all sooo much!!

Rent... She's the Man... Adriatico... and more...

2006-11-05T07:56:00.000-08:00

The post in between CCP Chorale Clinic and IISDC... hahaha... so far in between that has been non stop training... gatherings... sleepovers... and birthdays!
... sleepover at bea o's house!!... Me, Gaba, Pola, Mica, and Bea slept over... while the rest came throughout the two days... that was a lot of training (which was so matter heavy that we just had to make bola on what the stuff was about)... a lot of bonding... a lot of corndogs (Nikki ate SEVEN!) and a lot of movie marathon-ing!! it was a night of severe screaming... with She's the Man and Channing Tatum's soccer hot-ness... and Rent with Adam Pascal's singing... courtesy of Mica and Bea... naaaxx! Pola is the new Rent-head... she's so cute!! :)... Next day was kinda bad... I was stuck in the banyo for around 10 minutes... then I had to go home due to uber pain and I slept half the day and into the night...
...I missed chorale practice the morning after... but I managed to go to crosstraining in Margie's house with SR... it was still about making bola (except for the nursing part)... Mikki (Albano) and Jeric's team is good though... but at least I don't feel that rusty anymore... Mica is now an adj! Hahahaha... :)
...That night... I went to Cafe Adriatico for a get together/reunion/birthday celebration of Alana, Carla, Mikki (Villa), Annabelle, Ken, Micah, and I were there... discounts courtesy of Ken! That was a night of kwentos... going through ipods... camwhorring (Annabelle is horrible!! Hahaha I love you dear!) and stuff... I miss those stuff na! We should have it again sometime!... and Happy Birthday Mikki!
...Next day... was complete rushing... I did a spring cleaning of my expanding file and closet... thank God it looks organized now... and severe matter loading... shux I think I forgot how to matter load na... and cramming on the philo paper. In between though, was Aileen's surprise debut! It was the cutest! All the 18 candles were broadway posters... so cute! Happy birthday Aileen! I shall see you soon! :)
...And now, it's 12:12 am... of the first day of IISDC... Wow, I can't believe that it's the last one of Giovs, Nav, Bea, and Mica... they're going to be graduating!! Waahhh!! But I'm also super excited as well... :) Hopefully we do better than last year... :) I' m actually not going to school YET!! Bwahahaha!
Quote of the week: "I am not selling my soul! I'm simply putting it up for Rent!" - Nicole Gaba

CCP Chorale Clinic

2006-11-01T02:08:00.000-08:00

Wow... after an entire week... I am finally free! I managed to squish my exams into two days, thus giving me a study overload, hence my "singing debater" spoof award given by Miss K. This bloggie will be about.. the CCP chorale clinic! It hasn't been a week yet and I really miss it... I miss...
1. Going to CCP every day in a very cramped up van, which normally have five people squished in a single row... as well as the car rides going back. It's normally traffic, but there's the famous activity called camwhorring that keeps us entertained.
2. Our sectional rehearsals... I have stretched my vocal chords farther than Mindanao trying to hit the highest notes in those two songs... How on earth could Em, our teacher, manage to reach it so effortlessly?!
3. Our note reading classes... when we were so favored by Melvir!! Hahahaha... trying to read and sing the notes at the same time is hard. We had fun trying to come up with songs for the intervals! Hopefully my ears are more bionic now...
4. Our rehearsals... heck! Sabs and Roseanne are crazy about Melvir! But he's galing talaga... I like those imbento vocalizations... and being super inip na standing for an entire hour... I will definitely miss the Bulwagang Amado Hernandez rehearsal room... affectionately called BAH! And I'll also miss the rat which scurries on the cieling every day... he's now called Qoo... thanks to Bea DC.
5. The grand choir rehearsals... Mark Carpio's conducting is the cutest ever! And me and Cass discovered our new found love for Bass singers!! (drool!) And it's the best time to do something else because there are too many people...
6. Pigging out in Pancake House and Teriyaki Boy!
7. Fooling around in the Little and Main Theatre (memories!!)
8. Applying make up on almost everyone in the chorale... :) I should charge na... kidding!
9. Miss K's surprise... it was the cutest! Miraculously, we got our pitch correct without consulting a piano or a pitch thing thing.
10. Bonding! Which was more or less every minute... :)
11. Doing Arimaonga ten times again and again... I think i broke the bamboo na... and bua! -ing!
12. The whole thing... including the culminating concert, despite how nervous we were... It's an uber great experience! We should send the entire choir next year! True, choral clinic is daunting, tedious, and the like... but it's also a great chorale highlight, and a chance to bond!

I'm missing it terribly... but there's still Ateneo and IISDC within a few weeks! Ituring mong kahapo'y waring panaginip lang... ang bukas pangitain ay ganda'y sa isip lang... :)

To friendship... :)

2006-10-23T07:12:00.000-07:00

Shoutouts: Congrats to the sophos who put on their Broadway Excerpts today! Hairspray was galing... kudos! And the better news... our class finally approved Macbeth! That's one step done! (Shucks... theme... script... committee... cast...) Yaaay! One more shot at a production... I don't care, it's one more shot. :)
Off to three weeks of bliss... I'm not going to sit through classes! A week of chorale clinic, a week of sleepovers, reunions, bondings, and exams (ahh never mind), and a week of IISDC! Brilliant todo! :) But to the point... I guess I owe a nice big thank you to my besties... as well as all my other friends out there. I didn't have the time to write notes like I did before Spain so here goes...
Hey, you all already now by now that I'm super relieved to get out of the sight of classes for the next three weeks, and also the fact that you're all slaving for your exams. But again, I think you deserve a big fat thank you!
Thanks for bearing with me, I know I've been somewhat disagreeable or NR over the past days / weeks? I guess we all have our own issues... but of course, we know what to do if it gets out of hand.
Thanks for still having the patience to share things with me... no matter how much... I can't give advice on everything under the sun... but I'm glad you still manage to share stuff... dudes, there is still such thing as a cellphone over the next three weeks.
Thanks for being the ones that keep me coming back to school. I mean it. Sometimes days are just really rough, and we have those times when we just want to throw down our workload and quit. In more ways than one, you've stopped me from giving up completely.
To my besties!! Who knows what happens after three weeks, you get what I mean. But I can only rely on the hope that there will still be two people that I'll come back to class for.
CCP and Ateneo! Here I come! :)

On Macbeth...

2006-10-04T07:18:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to go on about a.) the philo long test, b.) the halos walang week of no classes and no electricity, or c.) the fact that we're going to idea1 this weekend with no training. Instead, I'll talk about what's been on my mind since a week back. Exactly one year ago was the "perfect Wicked run". And this year, theater season in WR has come, there's just one problem. There's a very large possibility that we're not going to do it.
It's more than just rehearsal schedules, finances (our money is going away fast!), a half hearted cast probably, a mediocre play, a clashing play with it, the pressure, the workload, intrams, my commitments to glee and debate, and the like. It kinda boiled down to this. "The point of a high school play is to make it visually appealing. What good are the best actresses with a witty script if you don't have the matching props and costumes and staging to go with it? Of course, it wouldn't matter to a true thespian. But your audience are simply going to be average reasonable people. With a production as big scaled as that, you're going to need lots of time, commitment, and sacrifice. It has to come off holistically good." It's not that we're not capable of pulling it off. But it's going to require a lot, and I don't know if we're all willing and ready to do that.
But on one hand, I've prayed so many times for this. Some of us have been wishing for what should have been a true junior legacy. And again, i'll just repeat what I always wished.
"... one more shot. Just one more to prove myself. That maybe I have some place in production or something. One last before I'll leave the theater bubble to be buried under a thousand music sheets and matter folders." ---- > sounds poetic... nah, probably it's just pathetic.

Sweet sixteenth...

2006-09-25T05:30:00.000-07:00

A lot to say... not much time to say it... I'm blogging about things that probably happened ages ago... so I'll just do my best...
1. Intrams - Gold won 2nd place overall during opening! And thanks to our continuing games, we're now in first place!! Booyah!! I liked our parade... super cool :) And it was funny to see Mica Pena still crippled but still ranting at the high school pep squad... where does she get the energy?
2. Batch retreat - hmm... this was different... it was a quiet form of retreat... but despite the fact that we lacked sleep a lot, and tried to stay awake during meditiation... it was a good retreat. It wasn't so batch-unity ish, but then we learned a lot about spiritual formation (wow, super woodrose!) and it was pretty good... inner peace :)
3. Sweet sixteenth - I spent this in the retreat... it was different way of spending your birthday, again, but it was cool! Thanks for all who greeted, gave palancas na birthday greetings, and thanks to Kristina Tan for taking the initiative of bugging the Oxford people to greet! Thanks to the Oxford group as well, and for Miss Q for getting me a cake.
4. Weekends - seriously, the past two weekends were the first free weekends I ever had since I came back from Spain... you can check, and that's true. These two weekends I have been possibly "out cold". I shut off completely... over sleep, and type till there's no tomorrow. And guess what, two days are not enough. But this weekend is IDEA1 na... bring it on!
5. I-stress - okay, this is going to be the crappy part of it all. I will take it out on my second journal na lang... but seriously, I have a new motto for the 2nd quarter: don't cram, and the grade whining has to stop. There are consequences to extra currics, so take them well.
6. 'Kads - lotsa issues going on... all I can give to you all are big fat hugs! Same goes to my odder pwends as well.
7. Debate - thanks to Giovs and Margie for being SOOO considerate and making training on Tuesdays or Thursdays... and I'm so sorry that I'm really sucky right now! I don't know why, but I just happen to suck so bad! Hopefully I'll get better by IDEA1. Thanks, no kudos, goes to Nav for putting up with it. :)

Update Part Two... "actually... you know!!"

2006-09-06T03:05:00.000-07:00

The best 3 weeks of my life... could have possibly been Oxford. The best 10 days of my life... could have possibly been Spain. The best 2 months of my life... could have possibly been the preparation of Wicked... the best 3 hours of my life... could have possibly been watching Wicked in the NY Gershwin... but the best 5 days of my life... is most definitely Sept.1-5, in Victor's words: "The 4th annual National Asians High School Debate Championship"
The varsity was suuuuper training for this thing for MONTHS, but because of the schoolwide epidemic... only 9 people ended up seeing the entire tourney through, which was completely juniors and seniors.
Major highlights of this year's NAsH DC... even with 6 debaters with the cold and one crippled debater... :)
1. Oprah marathons - thanks to Miss Quesada!! For three nights, no matter how tired we were, we would sit in the living room of Tahilan and watch Oprah, ung 20th anniv. 6 disk ed., and come to the conclusion that "We love Oprah!!"... "I look like I was dressed by a drag queen." and "What did you do today? Oh, I gave away 276 cars..."
2. The "insecurity phrase" - being Kathy Navs partner has finally rubbed off on me after IDEA 1, IISDC, and CMLI... :) the famous phrase "you know" is now in my vocabulary. Out of boredom, Mica Pena tallied the number of times I said it in my reply speech in the quarters... and that's 32 times in four minutes!! :) For those who don't know, insecurity phrases are that which you say when you feel insecure about your debate speech. "actually" is Pola's and Giovanna's. "ladies and gentlemen" is Mica Pena's.... but dudes, it doesn't match the ever popular "Mr. chair and members of this house" predominantly found among every other school. (shoot, I'm still talking in debate lingo...)
3. Fortune telling with panty liner cards - now, I am supposedly going to attend prom with an SR freshman debater who will have a tux that is color coordinated with my dress. However, I will ditch him and he shall ditch me midway thru the night. And I will spend a lot of time in the bathroom because... you know. :) And Chrissa will be taking a barok sounding adjudicator and will be wearing a trail train dress. And that adj will get together with one of her friends.
4. Camhorring - you can never get away with this with anyone. The debate varsity is just as bad as any other org in WR. The break night pictures definitely prove it... :)
5. Gaba's public speaking - this girl was the champion of NAsH DC!! "If I were the ghost of Pope John Paul II, I would go belly dancing!" and declaring her love for Patrick Cocabo, which 3 other finalists did, and talking about banana peels, Winnie the Pooh being a glutton, and pies! Let's go Gaba!! You definitely deserve it, pie-girl!
6. The most awesome results - we made WR debate history! This is the first time all 3 teams broke in a national tournament, with 3rd, 5th, and 11th place! Those three got into the top 8 teams that made the quarter finals, and WR B, giovs bea and nav, made it to the semi finals!! We were this close to being televised!! :) And Gabs won public speaking!! And plus, mega congrats to Pola as 10th best speaker, and Giovs and Mica for 6th best speakers!!
7. Mommy Bianca - suuuper thanks to Bianca Lagdameo, for accompanying us thruout the tourney, for requesting that Mica Pena and her team (me!) stay in the convening room to save prep time, and for being optimistic!! We love you, even when you didn't say a word when we were dying and you knew that we all made quarters!!
8. The infamous "DEBATE BUBBLE!" - the past five days suuuuuper made me, along with the 8 other people, re-love debate, if not love it for the first time! Debate is not just about the debate it self, but all the other things that happen in between. To the seniors, I love you guys so much for being encouraging, and super entertaining!! I'm super glad that I got to debate with you for 2 years! To the juniors, I have to MEGA thank you all for agreeing to help save what I really thought was a dying varsity!! Now, I "know that you know" what debate's super all about!! :) Here's to optional religion classes, extreme sports, naturalized presidential candidates, mandatory nursing services. manned space exploration, military tribunals, children's cartoons, US intervention, abolishing the WTO, civilian structures, and the parliamentary system!! Let's go guys!! This is our year!! IISDC na toh!!

... On a side note, I have missed a round total of 8 quizzes, dozens of homework, and lessons. There can't be anyone in batch 2008 who is more academically lost than me. And who will be, considering choir clinic and IISDC... :) but really, it's well worth it!!! :) debate, chorale, and the 'kads, you're the ones that keep making me go to school! :)

Update Part One...

2006-08-31T02:59:00.000-07:00

It's my attempt to make a super quick update of the other stuff that's been going on before I actually get to the biggie...
... Hell's medyo over na... at least all the exams are done... but here comes second quarter... and it's no joke...
... Cathrine's party!! Belated happy birthday Cath... x10! You had such a cute party... and all the food and dancing... had fun!!
... 30th PAREF Anniversary in UAAP... we were medyo off then... but at least we got ourselves a new arranger... and it wasn't too bad to start off the year... :)
... IDEA Lite... well, I wasn't able to go to this one... but my super duper congrats to those people who broke!! I'm sooo proud of "the debate kids who happen to be my batchmates"! Congrats to Pola and Gaba for reaching the finals, Mica Pena for getting 2nd best speaker, and Mica Reyes, Pat Austria, and Abby for getting in quarters!! Wow... debate has a future!! :)
... the epidemic... todo na toh... so many people are getting sick... including me... can you believe that I'm going to NAsH DC with it anyway? Hahaha... but I'm getting ahead of the point... :)
... the upcoming hell... uhhh... let's just not talk about it?

Update... finally!

2006-08-20T01:56:00.000-07:00

Bwaha... it's getting nakakatamad to blog na!! I haven't updated in a while... but anyway... the past three weeks have been extremely busy... krrrroo... so here's the update on life that seems to be always the same...
1. ish-kool ... HELL!! Sobra!! Just when we finished all the Spain requirements... here comes long test 2 week... and just when that finished... here comes project week... and after that... exams week!! Waaahh! Super stress... and everyone seems to have those grade charts and compute almost every day... I'm one of them... the paranoia is too contagious!! But exams are done... shyeet.... first quarter's done na?! No kidding... I don't feel that yet... but then again, how many days did I actually attend?
2. debate... we had our first tournament... CMLI BP at San Sebastian Recolletos... it was okay... semi finals!! Yaaayy!! But OMG... TH regrets the diversion of development funds to humanitarian aid?! What kind of a motion was that?! And I'm getting pissed na at Lite... when is it ba talaga?!
3. birthdays, birthdays, and more birthdays!! First up was Reg's party... ish-leepover and greenbelt!! Hahaha... the shots are up at my multiply!! Happy birthday again dear... suuuper late na... :) and next was Tabu's party at Laguna just this Friday! Shoot... I need a pool like that... hot springs!! and yesterday lang was Karen and Millers!! To summarize, that was dancing, and more dancing. :) Nice way to end first Q...
... and now... shooooooot.. exam results... gasp... :)

Absolute Randomness...

2006-07-29T23:25:00.000-07:00

Hmm... there's nothing interesting to post... so I thought I'd do with this...
5 Things that make me Happy... which do not cost anything...
1. Getting a story review... wahaha... these really make my day...
2. Letters... I don't care how random or senti they may be... Gel and Isha are living proof of this...
3. Reunions... and catching up with people I haven't seen in a long time... (Oxford? Spain? Trumpets? when is this...?)
4. Casual talk... the ones in all shapes and sizes... and lengths... particularly the ones that just go on and on without any stable topic...
5. Learning a new piano piece... haha, not all the time, just those ones that once you've finally got it, you can play it again and again for hours...

Sigh, the simple pleasures of life... tragically, life catching up after Spain is nowhere near it...
Friday's Philosophy Highlight: Miss Frim - "and that is why, it is very important to be EXPOSED." (at this moment, the same thing goes on in the heads of three people at the extreme front right corner of the IIIB classroom)

The secret to perky-ness!!

2006-07-23T01:49:00.000-07:00

Hmm... it's been more than a week since I've gotten back from Spain... 10 days to be exact... and I've been feeling pretty nostalgic because Spain was officially the last trip... out of the 10 days, 7 were the most perky days of my life... and the next 2 were pretty bad... and the one after that was back to perky-ness!! Here's the highlights of the most emotionally extreme days so far...
... Catching up!! OMG... I never realized this would be that hard... for the next one week... I'm still going to be taking my make up long tests... and so far, the ones I've taken haven't been so easy... I've gotten some really good scores... as well as some reaaaally bad ones... If I could freeze time for one moment, I would do so right now... I need it bad...
...Glee club and debate... things never change... well, except for the new members of Glee... oops chorale pala... I hate the schedules... they conflict a lot...
...Celine's debut!! OMG... the super highlight of last night and this morning!! Celine celebrated her 18th birthday in Prince of Jaipur in the Fort... the mega reunion of trumpets and Oxford!! Well... five people went in Trumpets... and 14 went in Oxford!! Basta mega fun!! It's super great to catch up on these people... I've missed them UBER much!! Check my multiply for photos... Alan, Pao, Julio, and Hanz are forever lafftrip!!
...Besties bonding!! Before Celine's debut... Gel, Ishie, and I had a sleepover at Isha's place the night before. That was made of todo kokology until 130 in the morning... wow... we're now so enlightened with self discovery... roight... twas fun anyway!! I love you both!!
...Socializing... La Salle Greenhills soiree... kewl sya... :)
...Story reviews... those make my day guys... thanks so much... the Files are growing on me na talaga...
...And the super panira of the week: History class debate... ewwwwwwwwww!! At first, Gaba and I thought this would be the chance to pull up already very low Histo grades... un pala... it was a semi-closed motion that was not obvious... and I was opp... meaning I didn't know the definition until the actual debate itself. And... my speakers already had prepared speeches... Now Ms. Fermin's pretty pissed at Gaba and I.. damned... and there's another one tomorrow... I hate class debates!!

To Spain!!

2006-07-12T21:19:00.000-07:00

I just arrived from my third, and last, trip... Spain!! Some 30 people from WR high school went around Pamplona, Barbastro, Valencia, and Madrid to attend the 5th WMF... suuuuuppperrr fun!! Again, an entire blog entry won't be enough to summarize the trip... It was like european rurals + shopping spree + road trip + amazing race put together!!
Instead of the usual number listing... here goes...
ESPANYA PEOPLE!! HERE'S:
To three, four, or five hours of sleep per night...
To three, four, or five hours of road trips to get from city to city...
To being fried under the sun for two hours at noontime just to see the pope... Worth it!!
To sandwiches almost every day...
To room 37 in Nest Hostels... and the bunk bed labeled number 3
To super sarap breakfast buffets...
To walking for one hour to the WMF site in stuffy, itchy, and heavy Filipinana costumes...
To the Valencia fair...
To camwhoring with Carme...
To cooking dinner with Sabs...
To watching the World Cup in Fridays... Italy won!
To hiking up to mountain shrines and cathedrals...
To being mobbed by the press... and singing for TV...
To our super fun volunteers...
To hating Luis... that could have saved us more hours of shopping time...
To Zara, Mango, and El Corte Ingles... panic shopping!!
To the best hotel room in Barcelona...
To seeing the pope up close...
To rehearsals in the airport...
To almost missing our plane...
To churros, gelato, and paella... and pina colada (daw)... right Abby and Stewie?
To my camera dying just when we entered the production studios room in University of Navarra...
To our super blistered feet... from running practically everywhere!!
To our matching Zara shirts...
To sleeping past the alarm...
To sleeping waaaaay past the alarm... Carme and Fred!!
To super whining for the next bathroom break... right Steph?
To not going 6 hours without talking about... yeah Abby, you get me now...
To Stewart and Abby's pointless debates... "Stop opposing me!"
To Piglet fashion!! Pink stripes...
To sleeptalking... Tabu and Stewie!!
To lugging our maletas down four flights of stairs... coz the elevator stopped working...
To fighting for the right to bathroom time...
To flooding the bathroom...
To getting lost in Barcelona looking for Zara... with Cris and Sabs...
To Karen's Spanish Phrases book... :) Let's go dear!! You know Spanish
To realizing that we were spoiled rotten in Oxford... compared to this... right Kristina?
To ISH-PAAAAAAIINN!!

I'm going to miss this so bad... you can't really compare it to Oxford... they're waaaay too different... but I love 'em both! World Youth Day in Australia next year guys!! I'm missing Spain already!!

First week...

2006-06-22T05:27:00.000-07:00

Hmmm... a lot going on... but I'm getting really tamad na to blog... Just a quick rundown na lang...
1. laryngytis - or however you spell... dammit... having that for quite a while... now I need to get enough voice to get me through the Manila Cathedral mass on Monday... help!!
2. glee club - have I missed that much? I have to learn loads of songs... nooo...
3. Welcome back Gel and Lex!! :D
4. IIIB - Love the class!! Still noisy... but it's productive clamor... right?
5. crazy-ness!! The week has been full of half-lunches and going home at 6... I'm exhausted... :)

I'll blog longer... when I probably feel like it. Be prepared for more seldom blogs... kakatamad right now.

To Wicked... Jersey... NY and much more...

2006-06-11T18:05:00.000-07:00

Hmm... the first time I'm actually going to post something in another country. It's Sunday, June 11, 9:02pm in New Jersey. Mikey's graduation just finished, and it's also my last day here... waaah... as of now... I'm feeling the not-wanting-to-leave feeling again. Cruuud... once I get back, it's back to school again. Two weeks in the US is clearly not enough (no amount of time anywhere will be anyway). But for now, a summary of what happened...
1. WICKED!! Awww yeah!! The girl finally got to watch Wicked. One of the highlight moments of my life is definitely June 7, 2006 at the Gershwin theatre, watching Wicked. It was a bit late to catch the original cast, but Eden Espinosa did a really great job as Elphaba. Kudos to the directors, it's absolutely brilliant!! The chorus carried a whole lot of the show, since most of the group numbers were the best ones. I'm so proud of our "Loathing" staging and choreography. That song is probably the closest to the original. The props and scenery are super gorgeous!! And the ad libs were so cute. They even added extra music excerpts for in between scenes. Heehee... I miss Wicked terribly!! I want to see a take two (okay... as if that will ever happen. Really.). To put short, everything was uber uber galing... and it's still probably my best musical. Now I can die happy. Waha, kidding. I loved NY sobra... now I have that little star thing I can stick to my door that says "DIRECTOR."
2. Shopping!! Oh no... Oxford got me waaaay too addicted to the damned thing!! I bought a LOT of stuff na... when I get home, I'm going to be 100% dirt broke. I have no money at all. Aside from the door thing and loads of sheet music (NY is the most accessible place for it!!), I got myself a few more clothes. Enough tops from Oxford though, I got the bottom parts now.
3. Fam bonding... kroo :) I haven't seen some of my cousins and other relatives in the longest time. So cute how they all came to watch Mikey's grad. Congrats Mike! You're now in college... that's me around two years from now.
Owkei... now it's back to school. I absolutely hate writing these "entries before school starts". I'm in no mood to go back to school. None. Hopefully, it'll be a good first day back. Or third, since I won't make Wednesday.

In between trips...

2006-05-30T00:09:00.000-07:00

It's been over a week since Oxford. Surprisingly, the week hasn't been all that bad. I'm still really pre-occupied no matter where I am. A quick rundown on how summer in here is so far...
... I'm now an acclaimed computer junkie... I log on to this thing for around three hours daily... reading fanfics... uploading pictures to multiply... and chatting...
... Reunions!! Yup, us Oxford people love reunions... last Friday was fun! We relived the tarot cards and hula... we watched Xmen and had dinner at Dencios... bummed around Power Plant... and we'll do that all again tomorrow in Greenbelt!
... School stuff: debate and glee club... just came from four hours worth of training... and there's now a "Pam's cup!". Too bad I wasn't here to witness it... and glee... three hours daily of learning songs...
... Lotsa inspiration to write... and it comes by the hour... on the hour...
... Gimmicking... with Danna and Issel, and Lana and Carla... doing some catching up... been a while na...
... Packing!! Yup... going to the US in two days... currently sad because the chance of watching Wicked is around 1 out of 100... sigh... but oh well... it's a trip anyway... maybe i'll go see another broadway...

Adventures in Oxford

2006-05-25T07:33:00.000-07:00

Okay... I'm going to attempt to cram everything that happened within the past month into a single entry. I could have done a little bit in Mices, but with the paying internet, it wasn't possible. So... a quick rundown on what happened in Oxford, England.
Three weeks is super not enough to see Oxford, which is really a town with a small city center. But it is enough to see a lot of sights, capture a lot of memories on camera, and come back home with a tight knitted group who cannot wait 5 days before calling a reunion.
To sum it up... 50 THINGS I WILL MISS ABOUT OXFORD...
1. Breakfast which only alternates between cereal or toast, nothing else.
2. The 45 minute bus ride in Stagecoach number 10, although it involves waking up earlier compared to the 15 minute bus ride in Oxford Bus Co. number 15.
3. Hanging out at CIE before class, and fighting over the limited number of computers with very slow internet.
4. Lounging in the couches at the Gladstone room, and sometimes even falling asleep in them.
5. Tim Wilson's little skits in his attempt to make class interesting. Tim Wilson / Mr. Robin Williams is an animator-goatherder-nanny-teacher-theater producer.
6. Camhorring in every way.
7. Screaming "Raaaaaaaalfff!!" whenever we need someone to take our picture.
8. Setting the camera timer and running to pose whenever #7 doesn't work.
9. Skating at the ice skating disco
10. Pretending to be hogwarts students when we went around Christ Church.
11. Waiting in line for almost an hour just to see the Queen pass by (we only caught her back)
12. Chesca and I trying to convince each other to buy something while trying to not buy something ourselves at the same time.
13. Mices-ing (going to the internet cafe) with Gracie, who would normally spend almost two hours in there.
14. Going to the super complete library in Oxford, with all the piano vocal selections you can think of.
15. Bicester village, and spending around two hours in FCUK alone, trying on clothes with Gracie and Celine.
16. Playing pusoy-dos and bullshit with Simpsons cards.
17. Squeezing into a single umbrella with Gracie and Kristina. That umbrella snapped a week later. Umbrella buddies!
18. Trying on bikinis in Bajan Blue with Chesca.
19. Getting lost in the Blenheim maze with Celine, Pisha, and Gracie.
20. Trying to find a bus that never really existed with Isha, Loel, and Tina. We thought there was a Stagecoach 15.
21. Clapping on squaky mountain in New College with my class and Sir Paul.
22. Splitting kebab kid meals with Gracie, my hamburger buddy.
23. Bowling, and trying to get the highest combined high score among teams.
24. Missing the bus and waiting an entire hour until the next one (Blenheim)
25. Hugging the tree where Tom Felton sat during HP4 with Chesca.
26. Tarot cards with Julio and Lovelife hula with Celine.
27. Shooting emo shots at Magdalen college.
28. The Loel Shot: Loel surrounded by a large group of girls.
29. Ice cream at Thorntons and Mrs. Fields with Kristina and Feliz.
30. Playing the "wa!" game thing. I'm still defending my title there!
31. Punting!! With Paolo and Ralf's squabbles and Reginald falling off the boat.
32. The ghost tour, (the most realistic ever!!) with all us girls screaming like hell.
33. Finding about more small worlds... right Pisha?
34. Obsessing over chocolate with Raychelle, and Maltesers!!
35. Ben and Jerry's at Bath, and running around trying to look for Lindsay Lohan, who Ms. Alice said was there.
36. Freaking out about a 110 pound bill in Meltz. I miss steak!! I found new steak buddies!
37. Trying not to look in Confetti during the naturists scenes.
38. Pouring over books for the Tower of London paper with Isha. (I won't miss the paper, but I'll miss the experience)
39. Picnics in Port Meadows and the University Parks
40. Alyana and Papa Julian.
41. Prawn Crackers obsession with Loel.
42. Republic, the kids section in Zara, FCUK, Miss Sixty, Next, and the Designer Sale Shop.
43. Freezing and looking for more clothes layers while watching Animal Farm.
44. The politics debate... Feliz's little victory.
45. Eating at Opium Den and Noodle Bar, just to satisfy our little rice cravings.
46. Watching We Will Rock You.
47. The incredible inspiration for writing that comes at every given moment.
48. My room at 21 Blackstock Close, even if the bathroom had no door.
49. Spending our last night at St. Giles Hotel in London. We stayed up until 430 am in room 1024, which belonged to Celine and Me.
50. (I will miss...) EVERYBODY!! Kristina, Feliz, Gracie, Pisha, Tina, Isha, Celine, Chesca, Paz, Alyana, Raychelle, Bianka, Stephanie, Jamie, Paolo, Craig, Ryan, Jigo, Kenn, Julio, Reginald, Hanz, Alan, Charles, Ralf, Loel. (Sorry if missed someone, I didn't mean to).

12 hours...

2006-04-29T07:40:00.000-07:00

Leaving tomorrow... leaving tomorrow... leaving tomorrow... leaving tomorrow... leaving tomorrow... leaving tomorrow... leaving tomorrow... leaving tomorrow... leaving tomorrow... leaving tomorrow... leaving tomorrow... leaving tomorrow... leaving tomorrow... leaving tomorrow... leaving tomorrow... leaving tomorrow... leaving tomorrow... leaving tomorrow...

Happiness is...

2006-04-25T07:05:00.000-07:00

Ahhh... my life has finally started!! Before I give a rundown about last weekend (Subic trip)... I'll rundown on happiness... starts now... leaving for Oxford in FIVE DAYS... until May 23... then it's glee club rehearsals for *toot!*... then leaving for the states on May 28... watching my cousin's grad.. and Wicked!!... and going to the west coast too... then coming back on June 15... then debate teambuilding (oh yes!!) in Tali (or Subic) on June 17-18... then a few tournaments (I miss these!!) and concerts (I miss these too!!)... then *toot* which has finally been revealed to as... SPAIN!! We're attending the 5th world meeting of families!! From July 5-16!!! Awwwwww yeah!! :) It can't get any better than this!! Laaaaaaaaaaaaah!! After three weeks of absolute boredom... come three months of utter bliss!!
Ok... went to subic last weekend... with Alana, Carla, and Mikki... all that will be summarized into... the top ten phrases that best describes our little road trip...
1. Guys... look at that car behind us... do you think the driver is the little kid's dad? Or brother? ... hmm... mukhang brother... he doesn't look like a dad yet... yeah noh? coz he would be putting his kid in the front seat and driving fast... no wait... he's not driving that fast... (this goes on forever until the car takes a turn and disappears)
2. The variations of the following phrase: Daaad... Mikki would like to know... Mikki would like to inquire... Mikki is confused about... Mikki is asking... Mikki's wondering... (basta you get the point)
3. A gigantic pizza that is as big as the round outside dining table in my house... 16 enormous slices...
4. Steaaaaaaaaakkkk!! I have three new steak buddies!! It all started the night before when Mikki suddenly sniffed the salpicao that the table beside us had...
5. An hour's conversation with Micah and Ken... awww gawd... that's bye bye to their load... and our battery... but it was SO fun!! Carla... your poor phone...
6. Kokology... the ENTIRE night... we did the entire book na... we should know each other by the inside out na... book two coming up next!!
7. BS!! To whatever you're going to put down next!! Hmm... that's a first... poor Carla... she can't lie...
8. "The spa!!"That's actually a hose found in the pool... that's our new love... Alana!! You missed the finer points of it!!
9. My very very very light tan!! But it's an improvement!! I went sunbathing for like... ten minutes... of course... it would have been longer if I had not been dragged... and thrown into the pool... Mikki you suck!! This just proves to show how utterly powerless I can be...
10. Wasting an entire loaf of bread just feeding fishes...
(due to the length... i just had to extend)
11. The slide for life... that's one priceless experience!! We should have gotten the 2nd swing on video... it's priceless!! It makes alll three look very disgraceful...
12. And the long winding car road back... which drained my Ipod... :)

I miss road trips!! Wahahaha... but now... there's my three months of bliss!! Well... maybe not completely... but still. :)

The whaaaat??

2006-04-14T03:29:00.000-07:00

It's Good Friday guys!! Shoot... if the last entry was about me rotting... now, I've officially rotten! Exactly last friday... i had surgery... (dun dun dun) on my TEETH! And believe me... it's not a great experience. Why? I broke my tolerance record due to this: I didn't go out for an entire week... as in no leaving the house... not even for mass... or to eat out... let alone gimmick (I turned down two!!). Hmm... I had no idea it takes one full week to get your face looking pretty normal. Now nga, the left side is still a little larger than the right. Ahhh... at least I'll be able to do stuff by Monday. Pretty much... I've memorized the TV schedule... compensated for all the hours of sleep I lost during the entire schoolyear... and felt the most useless... all in one week.
Now... I'm still extremely bored... and hungry... (fast & abstinence)... and I think my brain has rotted as well. I've sat here for around half an hour with Abby's debate homework... now... how do you check it?... waaaahhh... the wanderer has to be consoled. So BORED!!

Rotting...

2006-04-04T04:31:00.000-07:00

Summer update... I-am-rotting... as in literally rotting. I'm the type of person who hates wasting time... and believe me, nothing is worse than consciously knowing that you're wasting time. Normally, I'm sitting in front of the computer... where I am sure that I have an ass print on my chair... reading fan fiction... downloading... chatting... and TRYING to write... Sorry tabs, the summer has also melted my brain. Rotting... rotting... rotting... this is me for the next four weeks... it has been nothing but bum... with the occassional going out (oo nga pala!! I loved our UBE session at Danna's factory!! I love you all! :) )... debate training (training is great... when you're not the one debating) ... and band practice (hmm... I won't restate what happened last Friday.. the tagboard says all).
So more or less... the worst thing you can possibly to is... to make a person who hates wasting time AND loves to wander.... just... ROT... :( I'll be spending the week... swelling (stupid surgery!! why are my teeth that terrible?!) ... and editing Pola, Abby, and Chrissa's debate homework (oh yes... the only thing that's worse than doing debate homework is checking it)

Making mem'ries... that light the sky...

2006-03-25T01:27:00.000-08:00

"Il signore... mirende unostrumento de la vostra pace..."
"You and I will travel far together... till the time we have is gone together..."
"You came here like a mystery... I'm from a world that's so different from all that you are..."
"Need to find a place... guide us with your grace... give us faith so we'll be safe..."
"Nunc et in hora... mortis nostrae... a-mennnnnnnnn...."
PACO PARK!! After so many months of practices... and repeating The Prayer... Paco Park was a big success!! 21 songs... that were really really good!! Now suffering from PPD... post production depression... I'm going to miss the everyday three hour rehearsals... :) Congrats Glee Club!! i WUV you!! We pulled it off again!! I can't wait till the cd comes out... how did we sound kaya??? Hmm...
For now... it's training time... bring on the motions... :)

Confessions of a director??

2006-03-23T22:06:00.000-08:00

(Sorry... I cut out the last post and decided to make it sound better instead... :) true blue OC...)
DIRECTING... a lot of people dislike this job. What is the point of sleepless nights... diagrams and sequences... blockings... editing... and putting together a play... that you are most probably not going to be in anyway... right? And what's probably one of the worst stuff... is that if the play goes horribly wrong... who is at fault? yup, the director. It seems that its so much better just being in the cast (and in the limelight).
I've done that job... a total of two times this year... and one was a major production...whose rehearsal was better than the actual thing (grr!! i know what to do NEXT time na talaga!!) (ok, i'm not gonna mention it na) and the other a literal film that needed editing.... seems like hell? I don't know why, but I LOVE doing the plays anyway. What's super sad is that I won't get the chance to direct another play/film any time soon. Yup, I turned down the Charlie Brown directing thing for Gabay. (Carmela!! I'm still REALLY sorry!!)
It was more about sacrificing for glee club and debate. Well, actually a lot of debate. It's a dying varsity, and we have to keep it from dying, so that's something to do over the summer. I've been elected VP (and you more or less know what happens next year) ... thus assigning me to training pool (to watch over it... etc.). And I fought to keep glee. So that's where it all goes. Hmmm... maybe it's not so bad. Debate and glee, I still love you both.
Probably the thing that just makes it really hard is that I hear a lot about cousins and friends who are doing productions, or playing for them. And when I go and see each show (seen about three in a span of a month) it just makes me REALLY miss theater. I found out that I wasn't meant for the actual stage as a lead... more like behind the scenes. But I love that more.
Sigh... maybe I'm just not really supposed to be in the theater world... I miss directing!!!!
SHOUTOUT: 24 hours to Paco Park!! I hope it turns out good!! We've been practicing SO hard!! Good luck to us!! that's my next blog!!

48 hours to freedom...

2006-03-13T01:58:00.000-08:00

Ahhh!! Stupid hell weeks are over!! no mercy either... extra glee club practices and debate meetings for the tryouts... but it's all good... for now... since it's EXAMS na!! We had the first three today... five more to go... so TWO days!! Then it's all over!! Hahaha... excluding tryouts on Thursday and glee rehearsals every day until March 24... and then the baccalaureate mass... waaaahhh... seniors are leaving!! And that's us in the next TWO years!!
Seriously... it seems like I wrote my entry about not wanting to go back to school around mga last week lang... but that was the day before opening... and now, I'm writing this, two days before closing!! Thanks IIA!! We are officially the nosiest class in the history of Batch 08, but I loved a lot of memz!! What's Wicked (there I go AGAIN!!) without IIA? :)
Thank God... my little (little is an understatement) misunderstanding with *toot!!* has FINALLY been clarified!! It took me ALL YEAR!! Oh well... :) I can keep debate and glee!! But then... there goes next year's gabay play... that's because of the "democratic" elections held last week at the WSC room... :)
Two days to... SUMMER!!

And action!!

2006-03-10T05:05:00.000-08:00

Waha.... I haven't updated in forever... it's been two hell weeks since my last post... thanks to the no classes days... teachers started piling EVERYTHING up... including the achievement tests...
Whahaha!! We have the next "By the Door"!! Half of IIA shot Florante at Laura last weekend and over the span of Tuesday and Wednesday!! Twas SOOO funny!! It involved a lot of bloopers... and a lot of time trying to figure out how to work Movie Maker... :) The 13 takes of Pola (Adolfo), Kat (Laura), and Flerida (Monica) is the next Carmelita, Alejandro, and Victorina scene!! Pola's "patay N' siya!!" is the highlight of the whole scene... himala na Kat could do 13 times of the pointless running around while shouting "bitawan mo ako!" the whole time... and also the takes in my house (the camera panning scene!! Inna and Pat rock!!) and in Narra Park (guys, that's the best forest location we ever had... except for the people who kept staring at us...) Haaay... guys... that's our 20 point quiz... (19's not so bad...) and one of the last shots at IIA Candy Shop Productions... or probably the last...

Boring is an understatement...

2006-02-22T04:19:00.000-08:00

Life... is full of... school stuff... we get too much quizzes and all the other crap every day... WSC campaigns... GO MOVE!!... glee club rehearsals... the ones out on the field... and... nothing... there is NOTHING going on in my life... boring... is a clear understatement...

No further comments...

2006-02-12T03:06:00.000-08:00

Hmm... there's is NOTHING to blog about that was so interesting within the last week... except, of course, the report card results. And to save myself from self destructing, I took it out on my other blog. So yeah, negative. There... And second of all... I'm sick... Thanks to my lovely voice box... which finally gave way... not literally...
During Wicked... (crudd!! I don't go five entries without typing this word!!) I thought something would AT LEAST happen to my voice... All four (as in Glinda, Elphie, Fiyero and Boq) cast members would lose their voices (but not all at the same time)... but I wouldn't. And I was singing, directing, and debating at the same time.
And yeah... when did my voice give way? Oh yes... the employee's christmas party, which we had to sing for, and which was also the night right before A Xmas Carol... That was bad... seriously...
And for the past week... I've had on and off singing voice... and finally, Saturday, my beloved throat hurt more than ever... and then... poof! a cold... and now... I'm miserable...

IDEA 3... Soph Night... and updates...

2006-02-04T04:06:00.000-08:00

Hmm... a lot to blog about... but I'm getting more tamad than ever... so let's just try to summarize it...
IDEA 3 - After months of meetings and preparations... a lot of money spent... and a lot of begging from batchmates... we got mentioned as "a very organized tournament". And yeah... twas good naman... although I must have at least lost a pound with running around campus during round 1... I was uber exhausted... and to think... we never got a day off... And yup! We didn't debate pa... hel-lo... rusty much...
ACADEMIC WEEK - I never got to participate much... with the reason that I was tired from the weekend... I literally took the morning periods off during Tuesday just so that I could sleep... We won a lot though... quiz bee (yes! the curse is broken!) ... and we watched Macbeth... hmm... comments? Mica Pena deserves her title na... "Mica the great"... her class was really good... well all of them were... (and they did that in three weeks?) ... oh no... that's us pala next year...
PLAY UPDATE - Finally... I got to submit our pretty script and soundtrack to Carmela... aaand... thumbs up!! It got approved!! We are on our way!!
SOPH NIGHT - Twas like a batch party... just around double the people... it wasn't uber organized... but it was pretty good... (Miel!! you have reasons to be proud!!) A lot of dancing... and a few games... and there... I was just super super malas that day... One of those once in a lifetime experiences... wow... it's not describable really...
EMO METER - Hmm... currently in the negatives... for a lot of reasons though...

Comments...

2006-01-20T06:10:00.000-08:00

Short post... that I'm going to summarize into three little points...
... #1: Exams are over!! There is never a better feeling... no more stressing out... no more late night studying... no more CRAMMING!! There's still results... but let's just enjoy it for now!!
... #2: AmIdol is BACK!! I love the auditions... I super miss this show na!!
... #3: Call me insane... but I've decided that it would be okay to do Gabay's next production... directing it... I mean.... ok, there na guys... Wish me luck getting past... well... someone... No matter how many times I cried and got frustrated with Wicked... directing plays is still something I will not give up on...

Somewhere in between...

2006-01-14T03:00:00.000-08:00

It's been around 2 weeks since the last blog... and it's been a hell of projects and long tests that have been crammed... I don't know why the teachers do it... it's the weekend before 3rd quarter exams na... and we're still slightly suffering... but anyway...
After third QE's it's going to be... fourth quarter na... doi... pero the bad part is that sophomore year's ending na... and then we're gonna be juniors... point is, there are a lot of reasons why I don't want this school year to end... Cruud... I'm not ready to make a lot of desicions...
Mga 2 days ago... Tabs told me about this offer (what the? sounds weird...) that I could take for next year. Something I thought I wouldn't get the chance to do again. after I totally ditched the hopes for 4th year that is... Problem is, again, that a lot of things conflict it... and that's after I beg someone in school to let me do that... which happens after the first bargain which I have a probbie making... I think you kinda get the idea of what I'm talking about... I want it badly, coz I really miss those kind of stuff na... but I don't know how I'm going to be able to do it for one... coz there's a lot of ... stuff... happening on summer... and that's no trumpets and piano pa... I know I can't do everything... but I'm kinda willing to sacrifice for it... I hel-la don't know what to do!! Again... pffft...

Last for this year!!

2006-01-01T17:27:00.000-08:00

Wehe... it's 2006 na pala... and since everyone is doing the same thing... I'll do it na rin... My rundown on my favorite events of 2005...
1. Clearly... there's nothing I remember throughout January and Febuary of 2005... so I can't blog about anything there...
2. March 19 to April 2... I went to Europe over a span of two weeks... Vienna... Rome... and Paris!! I was supposed to see Pope John Paul II during his very last Wednesday when he goes out and gives papal blessings... but no... grrrr... but it was really fun!! I shall go back one day to see the entire Lourve museum... got 200 plus pictures for memz...
3. May 9... our band recording... I missed the very first one... but this was a super great mem!! Me, Alana, Ticky, Mikki, Carla, Pammu, and Eric... (or No Idea) recorded our second album...
4. May 10 - 11... band road trip!! Tagaytay!! Aww yeah... where we had a videotape of memz... walking on water... nestea plunge... personal scrabble.. .and by the door...
5. May 18... the day I nearly walked out of the CCP general rehearsal... it could not be helped... I cried in front of Michael, Trish, and Jess... wow... even my classmates haven't seen me cry...
6. May 19 - I kicked butt the next day during the CCP recital... I loved it!!
7. May 26 - Trumpets at Shang... we did the ways to grab any person's attention... you guys are still the best!!
8. June 2 - Alexa's farewell party... my paddywan left for Bahrain!
9. June 4 - Broadway Kids... my last trumpets show...
10. July 2 - SMMS... my first debate tourney... I got 9th... not bad for a newbie...
11. July 15 - Micah's party at red box... we karaoke-d all night...
12. August 19 - Tabu's party at Laguna... super fun!!
13. August 24 - IDEA 1... my first shot at a debate tournament... without a voice...
14. September 12 - my birthday... nothing much here though...
15. September 22 - the day I first cried in class... EVER!! thanks to a wicked rehearsal...
16. September 24 - 26 NASH DC... my first national debate tourney... we broke!! Somerset is the best hotel ever!!
17. October 7 and 8 - Cantate Domino... second day I had no voice... but it's the best glee concert!! I super miss those things na!!
18. October 10 and 11 - Batch Seminar... thanks guys!! I loved the hug part!
19. October 12 - Wicked technical dress run... I tripped over the mics onstage... and cried backstage...
20. October 14 - The last Wicked rehearsal at Kat's house... I'm never going to forget that... We were the most into it that day...
21. October 17 - IIA defied gravity!! Wicked!! It was a dream turned reality!!
22. November 7-9 IISDC... there's more to just debating... and I learned that here... we broke rin!! 21st place!!
23. November 25 - Report cards for 2nd quarter... missed the gold completely... but it didn't really matter...
23. December 4 - The charity concert in Laguna... we pulled it off... with a choir of FOURTEEN...
25. December 16 - World debates tryouts... I turned that down... instead... i went to A Christmas Carol... where I first hyperventilated... and did two shows... with no voice... again...

And that's to sum up 2005... looking at events 12 all the way down to 22, should I just have thrown all that away for a gold award during 2nd quarter... NOT A CHANCE... it's worth so much more than that...

A Christmas Carol...

2005-12-19T18:11:00.000-08:00

It's finally... Christmas break!! No more IP, which I died and slept at 2am for three nights just to complete... and cramming quizzes and long tests!! Sad part... was that we were so stressed and preoccupied with IP and everything that comes with it... that I only really really enjoyed the last two rehearsals for a Christmas Carol... the Gabay Play...
We had two shows... morning and afternoon... and it turned out a lot better than I expected... When I got to Narra that Saturday... I had almost no voice na... and I spent the morning communicating with hand signals... then came morning show... which Alana and Carla (and Mikki, but he didn't show up) watched... first line of the entire show... I screwed up!! I went out of tune! Plus... I tripped over my robe during the Marley scene (luckily we were backstage)... but everything else was kinda okay... Then after the morning show I was so hyper (because of the apple crisp donut... where do you find it!! it's my new obsession!! thanks pia!) I completely wasted my voice in between 10am and 5pm... but himala... the next show was 10x better! I just kinda... sang the first line around six keys lower... Miss K was watching... so I couldn't screw up... Everything was going fine until... the Vivianne scene.. (guys, I didn't even get the opportunity to pick my name, so give the me the right to spell it the way I want)... the "flowers" apparently got stuck in Joyce's hair... so I laughed... onstage... It could not be helped!! I tried to make it not too obvious... so when I got out of the scene... I nearly hyperventilated from laughing...
Now.. I shall miss doing that show.. ever since September... it was Wicked... NASH... concert... IISDC... Christmas Carol... and now... BREAK!! But it's not done yet... there's still PACO PARK!! Aww yeah... I love it!!