From http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6755208.html:

A well-known professional wrestler died of an apparent heart attack Friday at a Houston hospital.

Eddie Fatu, a 36-year-old Houstonian who performed under the name Umaga, died at Northwest Medical Center, a family member said.

The site reported that Fatu's wife found him Thursday night not breathing, with blood coming out of his nose.


**********

From the same article:

Fellow wrestlers and fans mourned the loss Saturday throughout the Internet and blogosphere. There were hundreds of anguished messages about his death on Twitter. On Facebook, a tribute page had 545 fans by Saturday.

Being a pro-wrestling fan since I was 5, it kind of amazes me how other more die-hard fans become affected by these unavoidable tragedies. I still have vivid memories of these entertainers gambling with death as they perform their signature moves meant to stun the opponent, waiting for the referee's 1-2-3. Growing up to watching WWE (formerly WWF) with my father and eventually my brother made me appreciate professional wrestling, unlike most girls who cringe at the sight of blood on the ring and who just don't get why we are all so entertained. I remember watching pay-per-views in rented Betamax tapes with some of our neighbors who happen to be drinking in our sari-sari store. I'd be the only kid sitting on the sala floor, eyes stuck on the TV, cheering every time Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart wins the much-coveted championship title.

Being a pro-wrestling fan provided me topics when talking with my male classmates. We would talk about who's vying for title matches, who has beaten who, who's really angry with who, or who has made alliances. We would chat about it all day as if it were real.

I have not watched WWE that much anymore (due to cable channel unavailability) but I never fail to do so every time I get the chance or come across it when I channel surf. And I feel like a kid again, only this time I would drool over Randy Orton and John Cena. ^__^

This is for all the WWE professional wrestlers whose careers I have watched rise and fall to a bitter end:

I an currently having a chat with Pola, the UPD MA student/officemate I mentioned in a previous entry. Iniinterview ko siya tungkol sa living arrangements ng Sanggumay Residence Hall sa UP Diliman. Apparently, naisip ko kagabi habang kausap yung kapatid ko na lumipat sa UP dorm kung sakaling matuloy ang pag-MA ko sa June. Namention niya kasi na sobrang tagal ko na sa 25B at kelangan ko ng mag-'move on'. Isa pa, mas mura naman sa UP dorm kumpara sa mga boarding house sa Katip. Kelangan ko na ng marami at matinding pagbabago sa buhay.

One more thing, it seems na mas lalong naaaffirm yung decision kong mag-aral. I hope everything will fall into place. I need a fresh start.

Time to pack those bags and leave the past behind.

Mikko's POP! Newsletter (http://meekowr.livejournal.com) never fails to amuse me every single time I read (and re-read) the entries. He wrote most of the posts during our college days, about our college travails. Reading everything again can really make one laugh like there's no tomorrow. Here are a few entries that involved yours truly:

http://meekowr.livejournal.com/24412.html
DALAGANG NAGLASING, SINISI ANG TOMADORA!

Isang dalagang nagngangalang Akor ang naglasing sa "TenB" nitong nakaraang Biyernes kasama si Avrilla Holiday at Mhurkayr the Relentless! Nagsimula ang engrandeng lasingan sa isang yayaan na matulog sa TenB. Pumayag ang tenant ng TenB na patuligin at magsaya ang tatlo sa kaniyang establisyamento. Bumili sila ng isang small batel ng GSM Bluu, isang maliit na GrandMa, isang black horz, at nagpahabol pa ng isang Guerrero! Sa kasawiang palad, tumba po ang lahat ng bote, ultimo ang isang 1.5 litro ng coke (na nagsilbing chaser sa shots ng GrandMa). Sandamakmak rin ang biniling sitsirya at may kasama pang 4 na regular flavored Lacky Meh Pansit Canton!

At nang maglasingan na ang tropa, unang na-tipsy si akor. Dumadaldal siya kay Mhurkay at maya-maya, sinisisi niya ito na hindi nakikinig! Ayon sa biktima na si Mhurkay, ang sabi raw ni Akor sa kaniya ay "Ikaw kashi ehhh, hendeh kah nakikinig! (tawa-iyak)" Pati rin si Avrilla, napagbintangan rin na hindi nakikinig! Matino pa raw ang dalagita sa estadong ito at nababasa pa raw ang mga text ni PEDOS! In fact, tinawagan pa nito si PEDOS sa kaniyang cellphone at ang pinagikutan ng usapan ay parang ganito:

AKOR: "Sandali, makinig kah kasheh!"
PEDOS: "Lasing ka na talaga Acor."
AKOR: "Si Mikay hindi kasheh nakikinig e."
PEDOS: " Hay, matulog ka na."
AKOR: "Ihkaw hang may problema."

Matapos ang pag-uusap tungkol sa hindi pakikinig ni Mhurkay, ay nakatulog na rin si Akor. Matapos ng insidente, naiingit ang dalawa dahil sa natamong kalasingan ni Akor kaya't napilitang bumili si Avrilla ng Guerrero para matamaan!

MHURKAY, INOSENTE SA PARATANG NI AKOR!

"Walang sinabi si Akor kaya't wala akong maririnig." Yan ang sabi ni Mhurkay nang siya ay nakapanayam ng POP! Wala raw nabanggit si Akor sa kaniya nung malasing ang dalaga. Ayon kay mhurkay, ang tanging sinabi lang ni Akor ay ang natutunan niya ang Samba sa kaniyang SA class. Kahit sinasabi si Acor na may sasabihin siya tungkol kay meeks, ay hindi na niya ito matandaan dahil nasabi niya ito kay mhurkay at si mhurkay na lang daw ang magsabi kay meeks. Ngunit wala ngang nabanggit si Akor kay Mhurkay kaya't papaano kaya malalaman ni Meeks? Nang itanong uli ni Meeks kung ano ang sasabihin ni Akor, ay naiba na naman at sinabing hindi raw tungkol kay Meeks ang sasabihin niya kundi tungkol raw sa ibang tao at narinig daw ito Mhurkay! Umabot pa kay PEDOS ang isyu at tila iniyak-tawa pa ng dilag ang naturang kaganapan sa kaniyang cellphone na ayon kaniya ay may halaga pang "300+" kaya't tatawagan daw niya si PEDOS!

DOBOL TROBOL KASAMA ANG PAMM

Dalawang beses umaligid ang tropang PAMM nitong nakaraang Martes at Sabado sa Robinson's Galleria at Eastwood/Club 650. Noong Lunes, naisipan ni Meekowr na mamili ng t-shirt sa Gale matapos sabihin ni Ada na mura ang mga graphic tees sa Robinson's Dept. store. Binanggit ni meeks ang ideya kay mhurkayr at kumagat naman siya. Nagustuhan rin ni Akor ang ideya at sinabing sasama rin daw siya. Kaya't nung Martes, magkakasama sina PEDOS, Akor, Meeks, at Mhurkay papuntang Gale. Maghapon silang naglibot sa naturang lugar at sinamahang mamili si Meeks ng mga t-shirt matapos kumain sa Chef D'angelo's. Naglaro din sila ng basketbol at sumakay sa Crazy Bus sa Tom's World. Ayon kay Akor, ang ipinagpalit sa mga tiket na nakuha ay:

based on YM message

akor: three MINISCULE ERASERS
akor: MICROSCOPIC TALAGA
akor: my pink bubble bottle!!!
akor: na inarbor ni ate!
akor: and mikay's chorva whatever

Hindi pa dito nagtatapos ang lahat dahil nung Sabado ay pumunta din sila ng Eastwood para kumain sa ice Monster. Naisip ni Akor na kumain sila sa Eastwood dahil ayaw niya pang umuuwi. Doon ay nilakad nila ang Eastwood hanggang Club 650 dahil hindi pa nagbubukas ang Ice monster sa Cybermall. At sa kanilang pagbalik ay may nakasalubong pa silang baliw sa bangketa! Nagpark ang tropa sa 3F 22 na pinamemorize pa ni PEDOS sa mga kasama.

DALAWANG ISTOKWA, RUMATSADA! PEDOS, KINAIN ANG SINABI!

Nung una ay hindi naniwala si PEDOS na makikitulog ang MM kina Akor. Akala ni PEDOS na nagloloko lang ang MM nang mabanggit sa kaniya nung una na makikitulog sila sa bahay niya. Sa Gale pa lang ay seryosong nagdedesisyon na ang MM na matulog sa bahay ni PEDOS. Ngunit nung nasa Sandiganbayan na, mangiyakngiyak na ang bata at napilitang bumaba ang MM kahit na sinabing maghuhunger strike ang MM at hindi bababa sa kaniyang sasakayan. Kaya't napagpasiya ng 2 na matulog na lamang kina Akor na agad naman niyang sinangayunan bagama't siya'y nalilito kung totoo nga ang gagawin ng MM o hindi. Madaling nagempake ang MM at agad na dumeretso sa bahay nila Akor at nakarating sila in 25 minutes tops. Ayon nga sa MM "Kung biro, biro. Pero kung seryoso, seryoso kami. Kakainin ni Pedos ang kaniyang sinabi!"

DORM, BUMAHA NG LUHA!

"Don't give her false hopes." Ito ang sabi ng isang lalaki na kasintulad ng refigerator sa isang babaeng may gusto sa kaniya! Ang inaasahang pag-iibbigang ito ay naganap sa iisang bubong lamang. nabalitang gumastos pa ang babae ng mahigit na 400 Php matapos makipagusap ng mahigit isang oras sa kaniyang cellphone na nakaline. Ayaw na daw ng lalaki ng pang-aasar at tila may ibang mahal na babae.



http://meekowr.livejournal.com/24087.html
BRENDA BONITA, HINDI NA BIRHEN ANG LABI!

May natiktikan ang POP na mayroong isang dalagitang hindi na birhen ang mga labi matapos
makanakaw ng unang halik sa isang young boy! Ayon sa dalagitang nangumpisal, nangyari ang
insidente nang nakipaglasingan ang dalagita sa mga prens niya! At sa isang di-inaasahang
"spin the bowtel", nacheklaan ang dalagita at sabay kuta ng prens na halikan ni guy si girl!
Aba, pers taym daw ito ng brenda bonita at natuwa sa naturang insidente.

ANG BAGONG DOMINATRIX NG BAYAN, ANG DIGITALLY REMASTERED NA SI MURKHKAYR!

Hindi na po Mikaylashalala ang pangalan niya kundi MURHKHAYR. Matapos manggaling sa matinding pageensayo sa Tibetan mountains ng Buddhist monastery ni Father Nebbie, naging isa nang hack and slash dominatrix na si MURKHKAYR! Mayeyesyes-yo ka-yo ni MURKHKAYR sa kaniyang dominating powerrs! Rarrrr! Mukhang maghehead-to-head na sila ni PEDOS sa susunod na eleksiyon!


http://meekowr.livejournal.com/23597.html
Mikaylashalala, balik aksyon na muli!

Matapos mag-edit para sa Short Film ng grupo ni Mikaylashalala noong Biyernes, sumabak na muli siya sa Philo at Eco classes! Maraming nagtaka sa kawalan niya noong Biyernes ngunit ngayon ay okay sa alright na muli siya!

IT NEVER FAILS, MERKS, IT NEVER FAILS.

I fell in love with Goldilocks polvoron the first time I tasted it. I think I was not even in school then, and Goldilocks was not readily available in Iloilo City at that time (it opened its first store in 2007, what-up!). My father, fresh from his usual seminars in Manila, brought these circular concoctions neatly wrapped in thin yellow cellophane as pasalubong to us. My oh my, the first bite seemed like eternity. It had this distinct taste that no other polvoron manufacturer could create, a taste that will surely make you beg for more. It eventually became a pasalubong staple whenever Tatay would have a Manila trip, and I could finish the entire batch in one sitting.

Fast forward to 2004. I was in my freshman year in the Ateneo and was going home for the semestral break when I chanced upon a Goldilocks store in Metropoint Taft. A plastic of polvoron costs P98 back then, and I think I consumed half of it (10 pieces) before I brought it home as pasalubong.

Yesterday, I was on my way to the Cubao LRT station when I decided to stop by the nearest Goldilocks store. I was eyeing the Banana Muffin at first since it could have it for breakfast the following morning. After having some financial battle with my conscience, I decided to get the Butter Macaroons (P35, pack of 12) since I am also an avid fan. As I was paying, I noticed that Goldilocks is finally selling their much-loved polvorons in small volume! At P19 for 3 pieces, it was enough to fulfill my craving. It definitely did.

I finished the last piece a few minutes ago, and yes, I still eat it the same way I did the first time I tasted it. If not biting it little by little, I would use my fingers to break it. I'd usually let it melt in the roof of my mouth, or chew it slowly until the fine grains fill the gaps of my teeth. Sheer bliss. ^__^

**********
For the past month, I have been saving money. Yes you read it right, I AM SAVING MONEY. Not because I am planning to buy something for myself (again), or I am going to give gifts to all my friends this Christmas. The real reason is, well, part of it is in preparation for grad school next year, but the bulk of it is that I just want to have money in the bank. I know it's weird, but after going through some unexpected turn of events, I have become more determined to start saving for the stormy days. And so I came up with ways to cut my daily expenses, and so far the most effective way is to always choose the cheaper yet possible alternative. One example: many money-saving tips suggest bringing cooked food from home to lunch as it is a lot cheaper than having to eat lunch in fastfood joints and restaurants. In my case, I can't cook at home, so the best alternative would be to look for the cheapest lunch available (which I luckily found). The same goes for all your other activities. You may splurge once in a while, but for everyday expenses such as food and transportation. Try it for a few days, and you'll see it get into your system just like that.

**********Speaking of splurge, I'm going to the Converse Mega Sale in SM Megamall later. Everything's discounted from 40-70%, so might as well try my luck. I could have some new Chucks at less than 500 bucks!

**********


It's a Friday. It's a 'monggo and chicharong balat ng manok for lunch' day. I love it. (-.-)

Kailangan kasi naming magbigay ng Christmas wishlist para sa exchange gift sa office. Since nasa mood ako magpakacreative, hinanapan ko pa ng pictures. Sa mga gustong magbigay, salamat in advance :)

I had to read this article for a writing task. Might as well repost it.



Neat People vs. Sloppy People
By Suzanne Britt

I’ve finally figured out the difference between neat people and sloppy people. The distinction is, as always, moral. Neat people are lazier and meaner than sloppy people.

Sloppy people, you see, are not really sloppy. Their sloppiness is merely the unfortunate consequence of their extreme moral rectitude. Sloppy people carry in their mind’s eye a heavenly vision, a precise plan that is so stupendous, so perfect, it can’t be achieved in this world or the next.

Sloppy people live in Never-Never Land. Someday is their métier. Someday they are planning to alphabetize all their books and set up home catalogs. Someday they will go through their wardrobes and mark certain items for tentative mending and certain items for passing on to relatives of similar shape and size. Someday sloppy people will make family scrapbooks into which they will put newspaper clippings, postcards, locks of hair, and the dried corsage from their senior prom. Someday they will file everything on the surface of their desks, including the cash receipts from coffee purchases at the snack shop. Someday they will sit down and read all the back issues of The New Yorker.

For all these noble reasons and more, sloppy people never get neat. They aim too high and wide. They save everything, planning someday to file, order, and straighten out the world. But while these ambitious plans take clearer and clearer shape in their heads, the books spill from the shelves onto the floor, the clothes pile up in the hamper and closet, the family mementos accumulate in every drawer, the surface of the desk is buried under mounds of paper, and the unread magazines threaten to reach the ceiling.

Sloppy people can’t bear to part with anything. They give loving attention to every detail. When sloppy people say they’re going to tackle the surface of a desk, they really mean it. Not a paper will go unturned; not a rubber band will go unboxed. Four hours or two weeks into the excavation, the desk looks exactly the same, primarily because the sloppy person is meticulously creating new piles of papers with new headings and scrupulously stopping to read all the old book catalogs before he throws them away. A neat person would just bulldoze the desk.

Neat people are bums and clods at heart. They have cavalier attitudes toward possessions, including family heirlooms. Everything is just another dust-catcher to them. If anything collects dust, it’s got to go and that’s that. Neat people will toy with the idea of throwing the children out of the house just to cut down on the clutter.

Neat people don’t care about process. They like results. What they want to do is get the whole thing over with so they can sit down and watch the rasslin’ on TV. Neat people operate on two unvarying principles: Never handle any item twice, and throw everything away.

The only thing messy in a neat person’s house is the trash can. The minute something comes to a neat person’s hand, he will look at it, try to decide if it has immediate use and, finding none, throw it in the trash.

Neat people are especially vicious with mail. They never go through their mail unless they are standing directly over a trash can. If the trash can is beside the mailbox, even better. All ads, catalogs, pleas for charitable contributions, church bulletins, and money-saving coupons go straight into the trash can without being opened. All letters from home, postcards from Europe, bills and paychecks are opened, immediately responded to, and then dropped in the trash can. Neat people keep their receipts only for tax purposes. That’s it. No sentimental salvaging of birthday cards or the last letter a dying relative ever wrote. Into the trash it goes.

Neat people place neatness above everything else, even economics. They are incredibly wasteful. Neat people throw away several toys every time they walk through the den. I knew a neat person once who threw away a perfectly good dish drainer because it had mold on it. The drainer was too much trouble to wash. And neat people sell their furniture when they move. They will sell a La-Z-Boy recliner while you are reclining in it.

Neat people are no good to borrow from. Neat people buy everything in expensive little single portions. They get their flour and sugar in two-pound bags. They wouldn’t consider clipping a coupon, saving a leftover, reusing plastic nondairy whipped cream containers, or rinsing off tin foil and draping it over the unmoldy dish drainer. You can never borrow a neat person’s newspaper to see what’s playing at the movies. Neat people have the paper all wadded up and in the trash by 7:05 AM.

Neat people cut a clean swath through the organic as well as the inorganic world. People, animals, and things are all one to them. They are so insensitive. After they’ve finished with the pantry, the medicine cabinet, and the attic, they will throw out the red geranium (too many leaves), sell the dog (too many fleas), and send the children off to boarding school (too many scuff-marks on the hardwood floors).

Yeah! Go Sloppy!

Nakasabay ko pauwi kahapon ang ultra bago kong officemate na si Pola. Kahapon ko rin nalaman na nag-MA in Journ siya sa Diliman (take note: Biology ang course niya nung college). Syempre naopen up ko rin yung plan ko na mag-aral next year, sabay tanong sa mga requirements and stuff. Naikwento ko rin yung pag-inquire ko last month, kung saan sabi ng nakausap ko ay tumawag daw ako sa ibang araw at busy sila sa enrollment. Then nag-offer siya na kuhanan ako ng application form :D Is this a sign, Lord?

Kahit excited akong mag-aral ulit next year (hello, kaya nga ako nagraraket ngayon para dumami ang pera), naiisip ko rin kung ano ang gagawin ko after kong makatapos ng MA in Film. Siguro may mga bagong techniques akong matututunan. Siguro magiging profs ko ang mga maluluphet na film people. Siguro makakagawa ako ng mas astig na videos kumpara sa mga nagawa ko dati. Pero, hindi rin naman siguro ako magiging instant in-demand director. Hindi rin naman siguro ako magiging the best-director-evah na kaya ng tapatan ang mga tipo ni Lino Brocka. Hindi rin naman siguro ako makakagawa ng pelikulang pwedeng pambato ng Pilipinas sa Cannes. Saan nga ba ako pupulutin after grad school?

**********

You'll know when you're drifting apart from each other when your routines are beginning to change..dramatically. Isang maluphet na halimbawa:

BEFORE: Nuod tayo Fmily guy. (text message, January 8, 2009)
NOW: Peram ng The Shining after mo (Plurk reply, December 1, 2009)

It's just kinda weird how simple things like this can be translated into distance. Nakakaloka lang din ang bilis ng mga pangyayari. Parang kelan lang kasi we were a WE, now YOU and ME na. o.0 Hindi naman sa affected ako ng bongga. Choice ko rin naman kasi ang medyo maging offline. Siguro kelangan ko ng magsimulang masanay. Ano ba ang nangyari?

**********

Natuwa naman ako ng makita ko to sa office email ko kaninang umaga:

Hi All,

Here is your TIN number.

7. Michelle Caligan - 285-841-070

Sa wakas, hindi na ako lost taxpayer!

**********

I will be posting my Christmas wishlist soon. Mag-iisip muna ako ng bongga. ^__^

I have 12 more minutes left sa DOS internet shop. Kakagawa at kakasend ko lang ng mga "tasks" ko sa pagraraket. Ganito talaga kapag malapit na ang Pasko (at mukha kang pera), lahat ng pwedeng iraket papasukan mo.

Magsisimba ako maya-maya. Tapos dvd marathon. Then dinner. Or both at the same time. Nakakamiss ang bum life.

Mahirap mang aminin, pero mahirap din palang makitang nag momove on na ang ibang taong pinag move on-an mo na. Yung tipong "I'll never get over you getting over me" pero is a much lighter note. Pero syempre, dapat wag paapekto. Dapat panindigan ang desisyon. Char.

Dahil kuripot ako, yung bagong biling dvd ko na lang worth 50pesos ang ibibigay ko bilang 'something breakable'. Tutal napanood ko na rin. Hahaha.

Nagugutom na ko, ano kaya masarap kainin?

Ir has been 28 weeks since I last posted something here. Masyado akong naging busy, plus wala rin naman na akong laptop at internet connection so medyo extra challenge ang pag-LJ.

27 days till Christmas na lang. Wala lang, nahawa lang ako sa mga nagkacountdown.

Saka na ko gagawa ng Christmas wishlist. Wala naman kasi atang ngkakatotoo dun so ipopostpone ko muna.

Galing akong St. Francis Square at Metrowalk kahapon sa kahahanap ng mga funky movies (at dahil sweldo kaya may extra moolah na pwede isplurge). Kaya sa wakas, mapapanood ko na ang The Big Bang Theory series. Meron na rin akong The Shining, Public Enemies, Zodiac, Fatal Attraction, and Talladega Nights. May dalawa pa akong comedies na nabili, Pineapple Express at Hot Rod.

I'm not quite sure how my DVD addiction started. I think mula nung una akong pumuntang Quiapo para bumili ng first set of DVDs ko, hindi na ako tumigil. Kung walang sasama sa akin papunta dun on a random afternoon, I'd travel alone. Actually minsan mas gusto ko ngang pumunta dun ng mag-isa kasi wala akong ibang iniisip kundi ang sarili ko at ang mga bibilhin ko. I won't be worrying about my companion's wallet (na baka maholdap) or baka mapadpad siya sa ibang eskinita at maligaw. Then I discovered the DVDs sold in Metrowalk. Yung mga tipong collectors' item. Syempre naloka ako ng bonggang bongga. Kaya last year, when my office was just two pedestrian lanes away from Metrowalk, madalas akong mapadpad dun para maghanap ng mga rare DVDs at kumain sa Yoo-hoo Barbecue.

Nagkecrave ako ngayon sa banana cake. Sana mawala na to bago mag-uwian at baka mapadaan ako sa Goldilocks ng wala sa plano. Wag ko rin sanang maisipang dumayo sa UP para lang bumili ng banana shake at kumain ng isaw.

Unang bunutan para sa Christmas Party kagabi. 'Something breakable' ang theme. Iba pa 'to sa ibibigay talaga namin sa 19. Maarte kami e haha. Maghahanap pa ko mamaya, sa 7 pa ang bigayan.

Masarap pala ang feeling na may raket on the sides ka, lalo na yung pwede mong gawin at your own pace and convenient time. Lalalalalala yun lang.

Parang may trend ang mga explanation ng mga tao sa akin every time nalalaman nilang hindi pa ako nagkakaboyfriend. HINDI KA KASI LUMALABAS. o.0

Hindi ako choosy sa characteristics ng lalake. Wala akong panuntunan sa kung ano dapat yung itsura at ugali niya. Yun nga lang, DAPAT KAIBIGAN KO SIYA. Within the circle of friends kumbaga. And since I am not the most sociable person in the world, kokonti lang yung talagang friendly friends ko. Ayoko ng random/blind dates or yung sineset-up with strangers or friend of a friend. Eeeeek.

May mga bagay na nakakamiss lang. Not that hinahanap-hanap ko, pero every time I look back, nakakamiss lang. HAHAHA.

Oh well, life goes on.

I was supposed to post this in my Multiply account, but due to weird account verification mishaps, I had to resort to posting it here.

It was super fun! Thanks to Ayee for letting me in, kahit sabi ng guard e puno na raw sa loob! At sa kaepalan ko rin ay naipasok ko si Kelvin! Wahahahahaha!
The night would not have been complete if Kelvin and I stayed mum and let rare opportunities pass us by.  At dahil dala ko si handy-dandy George, we took the chance to make our dreams (well, some of them) come true.

It's currently 3:04 AM in my cellphone.
I woke up at around 1:40-ish, since I fell asleep at around 10PM.
I have to start AND finish another main story, due TODAY.
I'll be making coffee in a while.
I have various handouts and notes on my table.
I don't know how to start my article.
I have not written a single word yet.

Who says college days are over?

1. Hedgehog stuffed toy from Toy Kingdom - the big one!
2. Rape of Nanking (book) - I'm not sure if Fully Booked has this, better check it outz.
3. Harry Potter 7 - any bookstore has this
4. Beerkada 9 - available na raw to sa lahat ng NBS branches.
5. Kikomachine 5 - not sure if it's already available.  sa SM North daw meron na.
6. Glen plushie  - available at beerkada.net
7. Made in Ateneo shirt - available at getblued.multiply.com or LS Bookstore. Small or Medium, yung royal blue with white print.
8. Matalino noon, lalo na ngayon UP shirt - avaiable at Maroons in UP Diliman Shopping Center
9. Banapple Banoffee Pie - okay na ko sa isang slice..pero mas maganda kung isang buo yung bibigay nyo :D
10. Barney Stinson shirt - available at gotdahlin.multiply.com..color green, Men's size na Small para maluwag
11. Havaianas - have to check pa kung ano magandang designs ngayon but I prefer yung brown varieties.  Size 36 :D
12. a new pair of rubber shoes - you have to bring me with you in case you're giving me this. :D
13. iPOD - okay, I'll spare you from this.  Me getting thiz for meself. But if you really want to give me one, iPOD classic 80GB is okay. :D
14. external hard drive - I'm fine with a 120GB.
15. portable DVD player - because Taffie will now be under the jurisdiction of my brother..no more DVD marathon nights for me starting June :(
16. The ultimate spa experience - Wensha FTW!
17. Family Guy shirt - I think these are sold in Greenhills..pwede na rin yung pajamas.
18. Beerkada shirt - available in Spoofs, Ltd. stores.
19. bag for work - maybe a handbag or a sling bag or a shoulder bag. basta yung pang writer sa isang newspaper. :D
20. The Return of the Prodigal Son (book) - I think this is available in Powerbooks.
21. Victoria's Secret Love Spell or Endless Love - body spay or lotion, it's up to you.  I'm okay with other fragrances as well.
22. PlayStation 1 controller - I'm planning to bring my PS1 sa dorm kasama yung TV.  Iisa lang kasi yung controller dahil, well, nasira yung iba.  And I'm not sure if available pa sa market ang mga accessories ng PS1, kaya kung may spare kayo or may PS1 na di na ginagamit..regalo niyo na lang saken yung controller! Phuleez!!!

It was a busy week, but I enjoyed every second of it.
In four days, I'll be flying back to Manila. 
In six days, I'll be starting in my new job, in a new office. 
In twenty-seven days, I'll be turning 22. 


OH YEAH.

Seventeen years akong tumira sa Iloilo.  DIto ako ipinanganak at lumaki, nag-aral mula nursery hanggang high school.  Then, I left for Manila to pursue my college degree in Ateneo.  I stayed there for four years, with the occasional sem, Christmas, and summer breaks that made me go home once in a while.  After graduation, I decided to work in Manila, too, and come June, it will be officially five years since I traded the mildly busy streets of Iloilo for the traffic-filled, heavily polluted nooks and crannies of Metro Manila.

As of this writing, I've been staying in Iloilo for two weeks, and will be staying for a couple more.  I went home for three reasons:

1. My brother's graduating from high school;
2. I want to spend Holy Week at home since I didn't get to do it last year; and
3. My contract ended with my previous company, and I want to "rest" first before working again (after Holy Week).

Sa dalawang linggong pagpirmi ko dito, parang andami ko ng hindi alam.  Parang lahat bago, hindi pamilyar.  Hindi ko na alam kung ano ang mga bagong tambayan.  Weird na mas natatakot pa akong maligaw dito kesa sa Manila (although there is a slim chance of this happening).  Weird na parang dayuhan ako sa sarili kong bayan (yak, nagpapakaprofound kuno).  But seriously, it's just weird that I am a native here, yet I feel lost and unfamiliar.

It does not end there, though.  What makes things worse is that I feel more "at home" in my little corner in Katipunan.  Mas matapang akong lumabas kahit madaling araw na, manood ng last full show sa Eastwood, magtaxi mag-isa, at gumastos ng ilang daan sa loob ng isang araw.  I feel so restless, as if I have to go out just to release all the enegy.  Pero lagay mo ko dito sa bahay at hindi ako lalabas until may magyaya sakin.  Minsan nga, tinatamad pa rin ako kahit pilitin pa kong gumala.

Then I realized that Iloilo has turned into a vacation place for me.  Umuuwi lang lagi ako dito para magbakasyon.  I try to do as many things and go to as many places as possible dahil matatagalan bago ako makabalik.  Yung mga damit ko, hindi na nililipat sa cabinet at nananatili na sa trolley bag, the same luggage I'll be taking with me when I fly back to Manila.  Even my bedroom has been transformed to my brother's bedroom, although some of my stuff are still in there.  Nag-aagawan pa kami ng kapatid ko sa kama, because the loser (which, most of the time, is me) gets to sleep on the folding bed.  Pero kahit ganito ang sitwasyon dito, iba pa rin ang feeling tuwing andito ako.

I might feel more comfortable living in Manila, but I will still call Iloilo my home.  This is where I can live as a bum and not be worried about not having money to feed myself.  This is where I can wake up late and not worry on what to eat since there is always food on the table.  This is where I can kill my time in a less stressful manner.  This is where I get to be myself, without worrying about what other people might think.

I'm not that familiar with Iloilo City anymore, but it's definitely worth spending my vacation here every year.

I've always had short hair ever since I was a kid.  If it wasn't a bob, it would either be chopped right above my neck or parted in the middle of my head.  My hair is really thick, plus it has the tendency to go buhaghag when not maintained thus it is more advisable to keep it short.  Because of such misfortune, eventually I had this little jealousy over other girls having pigtails and braids.  To make up for such loss, I would cover my hair with a big towel and pretend that it was my hair. WTF.

It was only during my college years that I had the chance to grow my hair longer than the usual.  I had to go to our suki salon every six months for a hair-relaxing-turned-hair-rebonding sessions just to maintain my hair's "look".  A few hours and a lot of money spent later, I finally experienced having loooooooooong and somewhat manageable hair.

This is what I was supposed to work on for the whole day yesterday (March 25), pero as usual, three-fourths ng araw ko ay napunta sa pag-iinternet. Buti na lang at natapos ko pa rin kahit papano, with some help from my father. Parang ako lang naging Class Valedictorian sa ginawa kong 'to. :)

Neway, here's my brother's Valedictory Address. He's graduating this Tuesday (March 31) and will be receiving get ready to inhale this 29 MEDALS. HAYUP. Sabi nga ni Mikko, baka superhero in disguise 'tong kapatid ko. Sabi ko, mana lang talaga sa Ate. :)

Our distinguished school officials headed by Division Supervisor Ms. Erlinda Gencaya, our school Principal, Ms. Elizabeth Orquiola, honored guest speaker [insert name here], dear teachers, fellow graduates, proud parents, friends, ladies and gentlemen, good evening.

I gladly stand before you tonight in a ceremony that commemorates the beginning of a new era for all of us. We are here to proudly tell the world that we have done it, that finally we have come to the end of this journey, and ready to take on the challenges of the next chapter. During this journey, we may have been wounded, driven to our knees once or twice, and told by many to surrender, but we never did. Instead we showed them what we are really made of, made them realize what we are capable of doing, and survived four years of sleepless nights and tons of requirements. Yes, at last, it is graduation day.

The tough high school years required a lot of hard work and perseverance, and we would not have made through if it were not for the love and support of the people around us. Tonight, we will celebrate this victory not only by ourselves, but together with everyone who have played a significant role in our lives. We would like to thank you, the people behind our success, for molding our lives inside and beyond our classrooms.

To our Alma Mater, the SPED-Integrated School for Exceptional Children, thank you for serving as our source of knowledge and moral values, and for allowing us to showcase our talents and giving us the opportunity to share these to the world. It is a privilege and a gift that we will always be grateful of.

To our teachers whom we consider as our second parents, thank you for unselfishly imparting not only your knowledge but also your selves to us, just so we will turn out to be holistic individuals. It is your instructions that have guided us intellectually throughout our entire stay in SPED-ISEC. Together with our lessons in grammar, numbers, science, and history, you taught us about life, reality, and maturity.

To our parents, who corrected us when we were wrong, encouraged us in our school life and started us on the paths we are continuously following, we are grateful to you for giving us the gift of life and for undyingly supporting us in all of our endeavors. To all the ‘nanays’ and ‘tatays’, may I simply but sincerely say thank you – thank you for your guidance, your understanding, your encouragement, your patience, your love, and for all your sacrifices to make this education possible.

Above all, we are thankful to the Lord for the numerous blessings He has showered upon us. Without His presence in our lives, none of this would have been possible. It is to Him that we accord all of our success and achievements.

To the Class of 2009, thank you for making the past four years really memorable. We have all made significant contributions to each other’s lives that we will bring with us wherever we may go. We came here as boys and girls, and we will leave as men and women – men and women for others and for the world.

To all the people who have become a part of our growth and maturity, we share with you the fruits of our labor. God has been so kind to grace us with friends and loved ones like you. For everything, thank you.

Our graduation day will serve as both a temporary end and a new beginning to a life filled with many twists and blind turns. It will not be easy, but no doubt, we will find resolve. Every member of this graduating class is gifted with a unique talent, so let us use this talent well and be the best person we can possibly be.

Our school officials, dear teachers, parents, and friends, you are all witnesses tonight as we bade high school goodbye and embrace whatever comes after. We may part ways, go to different universities, and have new friends, but our legacy in SPED-ISEC will always live. Thank you very much!

**********

Next stop, Ateneo de Manila University! :D

I was searching for possible additional Plurk friends and I ended up checking the Itchyworms' Chino Singson's page (thanks to my Plurk friends and college profs THE Marie Jamora and THE Quark Henares).  Di ko alam kung likas akong corny, o talagang nakakatawa ang pagkakareply ni Quark (notradio), o baka dahil sa thought na hayup sa ganda ang English ni Manny Pacquiao sa bagong ad nya.

I have decided to resurrect my LJ primarily because I have three weeks to spare before I officially start working again.  For the past week, I did nothing except the usual TV-DVD-Internet routine, with the casual eating and CR breaks in between.  So to maximize my time, I visited my left-for-dead LJ account that I created when I was an incoming sophomore (almost four years ago ftw!) and gave it a major overhaul.  A few clicks here and there and some copy-pasting, viola, here is the not-so-new but really improved mikayski.livejournal.com. 

Plus, my father's one of my Multiply contacts, so it's quite a challenge to keep some of my more personal entries from him. ^__^

I'll start posting tomorrow. :)