OmO. :3

Hello, hello! Today, we went shopping and I bought two cutesy items!

First up is a key chain from Comic Alley. That girl with the long, blonde hair is Tsumugi Kotobuki (Mugi, for short) from the anime K-On! She's, obviously, the keyboardist of Hokago Tea Time. My bunch of friends said I'm like her for these reasons: (1) she plays the keyboard, and (2) she is demure but easily excitable (nyah~). She's also a rich girl and brings tea and dessert for the club (her father owns a maid cafe, nyao).

The second thing is... a book! Yeah, some people may not consider that cutesy, but it's cute for me. Heehee.

The book on the right is Mermaid in the Basement by Gilbert Morris. I have never heard of Morris until a couple of hours ago. I bought the book because it was interesting: (1) it's set in 1800 (I think?) London, (2) the lead character is female, (3) it's a detective story, and (4) I smell romance in the corner. Haha! I was actually in a pinch when I bought this because there were two other interesting books: The Phantom Tollbooth and The Mistress of the Art of Death. Meh, the latter title is really piquing my interest... But it costs 115 pesos and that's the end of the dilemma. :P

Anyway, I also saw a lot of interesting things in the mall: a two-finger ring with a skull design (which is so Sunako Nakahara), cute pencil cases, a wolf plushie (so adorable~), Gundam OO merchandise (finally!), and a poster of a topless Kurosaki Ichigo with nun chucks. Haha!

If you think this is an Independence Day post, then you're wrong...

At eighteen and a half years old, I'm still like a kid rummaging through her mother's bureau - I don't know the first thing about make-up! Sure, I know about eyeliner, eyeshadow, lipstick, mascara, blush-on and all that stuff, but actually applying it is tricky. Yeah, I have watched and read about how to apply but it's hard when you're painting your own face. I have had make-up applied on me by other people, but I can't seem to do it to others or to myself. It's really frustrating, haha!

In the picture on the right, I tried applying pink eyeshadow and black eyeliner to match my clothes. The problem is, they disappear quickly because I have oily skin and the weather is freakin' hot. My mom says I should get waterproof make-up, but I bet that costs a ton. Also, the only make-up I could get along with are eyeliner, face powder, lipstick, and lip gloss. Even eyeshadow is a chore because I don't know which should come first: darker hues or lighter hues?

I'm getting the idea that the weather in the Philippines isn't suited for eyeliner. Once, I wore some and it was really hot. In the middle of the day, I looked like a bad version of an Addams Family member.

But, I am trying to learn, because I know I'll need it someday. :D

I love Bruno Mars and Ryota Miyagi, yo! But... *chuckle chuckle*

It's my sister's idea, really. And I want to thank you, yo! :D

Random stuffies~

Hi! This is the last Friday of vacation. Next Monday, we'll have to go to U.P. Diliman and dive into another year of academic work, yo!

*sigh*

*groan*

Ugh.

Summer is almost over and I think I haven't done anything absolutely productive - anime-books-fanfiction-games-and-drama things-wise.  Well, I did finish watching Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge live-action drama, post two stories (1 oneshot and 1 on-going), kept ourselves updated on BLEACH (manga and anime - strictly canon... sort of), re-watched and relived Slam Dunk, watched Season 2 of K-On!,  managed to read several books, downloaded a ton of DS games, almost done with Bleach: The 3rd Phantom, but it just is not enough, yo! For one, I wasn't able to get to the beach this summer. That is so dream material, yo!

*sigh*

Anyway, I'm happy with how things turned out. We manage to go on everyday. *grin grin grin*

This is one random post.

Oh yeah! My bebz and I (count 4 in that "bebz" word) went out this summer! We also had an overnight! Yay! All of us are in college now, except Reg-kun who graduated last April. Yay! It's awesome, really.

Also, this summer was full of firsts. I attended my first cosplay convention - Ozine Fest 2011, yo! I participated in a cosplay event as Sunako Nakahara from Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge in Hobby Fest 2011 (and got a lot of recognitions, yo!). Maybe it wasn't such a bad summer, after all.

*shrug*

Nyahaha. That is probably my favorite online laugh right now. So addicting... Nyahaha.

Muh. I still haven't posted any reviews which is so... Um... Lazy of me. Also, I haven't updated Broken, which sucks because I don't have anymore ideas (on how to make my OC non-hateable, ahem)! Plot bunnies, come on!

And, so, this totally random post stops here.

Time capsules

My letters to my father when he was still in the US... I refuse to divulge their contents here.

For two days now, our house is undergoing a major upheaval. My mom decided to clean out some cabinets and throw stuff we don't need away. Naturally, this involves a lot of dust - which is making my allergies rise up in rebellion - and sorting out. So, in the course of cleaning out, we uncovered a ton of stuff which were also buried in our minds. In other words, we clean forgot about them. But, looking at all these stuff, I am suddenly transported to another dimension - the past.

My unimpressive Candy magazine "collection"

Comics and K-Zone issues we bought over the years

I found my old identification cards all the way back to Kindergarten (which I will never be bothered to post here), the program guide during my piano recital, cutesy class pictures, and even letters to my dad when he was still in the US (which I, also, will not be bothered to post here... please be content with envelopes); he saved all of them and, reading back, they were funny-I-don't-know-why-I-wrote-that kind of letters. Just leafing through the pages of my favorite kids' magazine produced a lot of remembrances. There were exclamations (e.g. "Hey, Nintendo DS didn't exist back then!" or "Look, there's AJ Perez on the cover!" or "This is the magazine I brought during the staff meet and greet!") and questions (e.g. "This game was so popular back then... Why is it forgotten now?" or "Look at Lindsay Lohan in this picture. She's so innocent! What happened to her?").

A pastel painting I did in high school

My debut box

But, most of all, the question that needs to be asked is, "How much change did I go through since then?" It may be decades, a few years, months, weeks, or even days since I last held those things. In that incredibly short time that has passed, what lessons did I learn? What failures have I gone through? What ambitions have I achieved? How many notes have I played? How many pictures have I taken? What awards have I received? What have I learned thus far? How many books have I bought... and read? How far have I gone in this journey called life? These moments lead me to reflect on the questions above. But, seriously, I can't answer all of them. I don't know how far, because I never keep track. I'm not one to write down everything I've done in a day for the sake of remembering - that's because some of the stuff I do are downright stupid; in short, things I don't want to reminisce about. Everyday is a new day and I don't need to write stuff down. The materials I leave behind will do the talking for me.

DONE!

Hi! Today I finished reading two books: Ilustrado by Miguel Syjuco and K is for Killer by Sue Grafton. Thanks to the black out today, I managed to do so.

The last pages of Ilustrado was like walking in murky darkness or, ironically, swimming in muddy water. Gawd. At the very end, I didn't know who was really writing it. Gah. I can think of it all I like, and maybe I'll figure it out in a few days. Or not. Okay, so Miguel Syjuco really really really is a writer to be proud of. I love how he writes! It's so... Different. Quite unlike any foreign writer I've ever read. It's just special. I can, perhaps, compare it to another writer but I can't remember his/her name right now. I'll spend some time thinking about it. Ha, good luck with that!

Like I mentioned above, I managed to finish K is for Killer in one, hot, frickin' day. It was worth every minute. I just can't put it down! That's how exciting it was! PLUS (wait for it!) Cheney Phillips figures so much in Killer and no girl could ever resist Cheney Phillips. Trust me.

So, reviews will probably come up in a few days. Happy vacay! :>

New book

I bought The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams last Friday. It was worth 40 pesos.

I have no idea what this book is about, but I heard it was good so I just had to buy it over Amy Tan's A Hundred Secret Senses (worth 37 pesos) - which I see all the time in Booksale.

Anyway, we went to Fully Booked yesterday and I saw a copy of Going Bovine for about 700 pesos. Urgh. That is so expensive! I also found other books I like: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver and Pirateology. Of course, there was a copy of U is for Undertow, but I decided I'd purchase that when this semester is finally over. :D

I'm still looking for a copy of K is for Killer by Sue Grafton and a cheap copy of The Mephisto Club by Tess Gerritsen. Anyone seen them yet?

P.S. I find some books overrated, especially book-to-movie adaptations. :P

Two new books

I just bought a copy of Miguel Syjuco's Ilustrado, a 2008 Man Asian Literary Award and a Palanca Award. Back then, it was still unpublished so it's probably a really, really good novel. Plus, it's written by a Filipino and it's about Philippine history - stuff which I dig right now. It costs 288 pesos at National Bookstore. Quite a sale, if you ask me. I found it on the "Literary Winners" shelf. As soon as I came home, I covered it with plastic to take care of it. :) 

I also saw copies of Ang mga kaibigan ni Mama Susan by Bob Ong, Between a rock and a hard place by Aron Ralston, and Never let me go by Kazuo Ishiguro. Suzanne Collins' best-selling The Hunger Games trilogy is there - my dream buy. The next book I'll purchase from National is U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton. :) 

Christmas with Anne and other Holiday Stories is a lucky find. I left Booksale to meet up with my sisters outside, but since my aunt wasn't there yet, I decided to go back in. I went to the back of the store where the hard-bounds were. I don't usually go there because they're more expensive than paperbacks. While scanning the shelves, I saw it. It was right there, sitting. It's kind of battered, but it has seen a lot of years (printed in 1996). It's a rare find; I don't usually see these kinds of Montgomery novels around, except for the Anne series. It costs 40 pesos.

I also found a copy of Dr. Faustus, but since it's a play, I didn't buy it. Plays aren't my thing. :P

Of course, there were about five books by Michael Crichton, but they were all expensive. I found two copies of E is for Evidence by Sue Grafton; I already have those.

It's awesome how many books I've found in that store. It's the best shop in the world. :D

Second time in court

Today, we went back to the Quezon City Hall of Justice for a second round of our court reporting. This time we went to a hearing for the Maguindanao massacre (November 23, 2009 - 57 people were killed).

Before we were able to enter the court room, we had to pass a couple of security personnel. We were given square stickers so we can watch the trial. Cellphones weren't allowed inside so we had to deposit them outside the room, which means no recorder - take down notes!

Before the judge entered the room, pictures of the bodies were being passed around by lawyers. We got a couple of glimpses of the shots. They were grim and dark.

Dr. Felino Brunia, a coroner, was on the witness stand. He explained his findings after he performed autopsy on some of the bodies. The morning session involved direct examination - the prosecution lawyer asked the witness questions regarding the evidence. It was a continuation of yesterday's proceedings. I found it rather... exciting.

(Well, you can say that I'm morbid, because I admit that I am. I enjoy watching CSI, especially when Dr. Al Robbins, the coroner, is present. The description of wounds... uhh... excites me.)

The afternoon session was the cross-examination. It was rather like a tennis match, especially when the prosecution objects to the questions of the defense lawyer.

It was way better than our first court adventure, which was all arraignment - a very boring proceeding. I was able to write down a lot. It's a shame we weren't able to lay our hands on a transcript.

I found covering this trial exciting. My classmates were feeling drowsy, but I think I was very much awake. I enjoyed the cross-examination very much. I feel horrible for the witness, though. I don't want to sit on that chair, ever.

Anyway, I finished writing my first draft and I'll be editing it tomorrow night, maybe.

(Maybe I shouldn't really feel anything exciting about it, because for the families who lost their loved ones, it isn't.)

That's all for now. :)

Confessions

I've got a confession to make.

I am turning into a history buff.

Ever since my uncle first introduced me to Ambeth Ocampo's Looking Back, Dirty Dancing, and Death by Garrote, I have been hooked into his books. Right now I'm reading Rizal without the overcoat. I learned a lot of things about our national hero that makes him more 'human'. After that, I want to borrow Luna's moustache.

The thing is, history in Ocampo's essays came alive for me, unlike the boring discussions we used to get in classrooms. Graciano Lopez-Jaena was rendered real with that funny little anecdote about his dirty coat and how his peers would force him to write with a round of drinks. Commonwealth President Manuel Quezon was no longer just the face on a twenty peso bill. I found Andres Bonifacio and Gregoria de Jesus' story very romantic and dramatic, stuff for a primetime telenovela. Actually, the lives of all our heroes could be made into telenovelas, if producers only paid more attention to our history and culture rather than thinking that the people still like mushy love stories with a lot of violence.

It was also quite interesting that even though Jose Rizal is our national hero there is still so much that we don't know about the man. There are dozens of documents pertaining to him and yet students only know two facts: he wrote the Noli and El Fili and was shot on Bagumbayan (now Luneta). There are so many things we miss out on because we're too lazy to read and dig up all these interesting tidbits about our heroes that make them human. For instance, I discovered that Rizal is so thrifty that he would often leave the boarding house to stroll outside. He would look into the windows of restaurants and watch people eat. Then he would go back to the house with a straight face, leaving his landlady thinking that he had enjoyed a good meal. It is also interesting that Filipinos abroad before and today's Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) have something in common: they both longed for Filipino food. Our heroes had stocks of bagoong and in one essay, it was said that Rizal's specialty was pancit. Fancy Rizal, del Pilar, the Lunas, and their friends eating pancit in Madrid!

The point is, we would appreciate our history more if we only took the time to do more research. I'm dying to go to museums and risk the allergic reactions to see for myself what stuff our heroes left us. Given the chance, I'd love to go around Fort Santiago and see it with clearer eyes.

Can' take my hands off you...

SERIOUSLY. Yes, seriously, I cannot take my hands off you. No, I'm not talking about a species of the male Homo sapiens. I am talking about the best-est thing in the world for me: books.

Why?

First of all, I can't help but buy one or two books every week from Booksale. Hunting for the right book in a mountain of 'em is hard work but once you find the real treasure, it's the achievement of a lifetime. Like yesterday, I found a copy of Pinnochio by Carlo Collodi for 40 pesos. That book is rare to me because it's the first time I've seen it. I mean, I always knew [in my heart] that such a book existed but I've never seen it. So, yeah. It's a great achievement!

Second, books keep me company. Often, more than friends. I keep them around me for leisure and knowledgeable pursuits. Curiously enough, I am not drawn to academic and non-fiction books...

I learn a lot from books, especially from Michael Crichton's sci-fi books. It's amazing because most of these stuff are things I don't learn in school and would never bother reading about in the Science library. But when they're written by Crichton or by any other sci-fi writer, they pique my interest. The things which are hidden from us are revealed through books. While reading them, I am able to know what the life of a doctor, detective, or a writer is all about. Books also take me to places I've never been and will never be in. Take Libba Bray's Gemma Doyle trilogy or C.S. Lewis' Narnia, for example. It fosters a person's imagination and exercises the mind's creativity.

There are a lot more reasons why I love books so I wonder why some people don't read them or how they can survive without reading them. They're missing out on a lot of things. The world of books is so wonderful! :3

Of dust and allergic reactions

So this morning after we had our clearances signed by Ate Lita, she reminded us (me and Hannah) to remove the green covers of the foams on our beds because they're going to bring them to the laundry. Like a good dormer girl, I removed mine as soon as I got to the room [having nothing better to do]. If you must know, I am highly allergic to dust and therefore cleaning so, sure enough, I was soon sneezing like crazy. Seeing that my roommate did not remove hers, I had this great idea to remove it for her (since she was already gone). Turns it out it wasn't as great as I thought it would be. The inside of the green cover was covered entirely in dust and I was like horrified when I saw that. But I shrugged my shoulders and went on removing it [while sneezing...].

After the two covers were removed, I felt really hot and I was sort of having trouble breathing. I was also sweating profusely even though the electric fan was turned on. My face also began to itch. I thought it was because of so much dust so I applied moisturizer. I kept my bangs away from my face, having heard that it might cause irritation. The moisturizer wasn't working so I grabbed my facial cleanser and made a dash for the bathroom.

When I looked at the mirror, viola! The area below my eyes was swollen with mosquito bite-like marks and my eyes were red. I was instantly in PANIC mode but I told myself to wash my face first. I hurriedly did this and went back to my room. I was like, "OMG, OMG, what am I going to do?" [in my mind]. I was feeling hotter and breathing was becoming more difficult. It's a good thing that I remembered Regina [bebz] and her allergy adventures in high school. She was taking this medicine so I thought maybe I should try it too, hoping that the swelling would die down. I looked at the clock [in my laptop] and saw that it was 8:55 AM, almost only an hour left until class starts! I walked quickly out of the dorm [trying to remember the name of the medicine] -> into the Shopping Center [light bulb moment: ANTI-HISTAMINE!!] -> into the Pharmacy [some trouble about the medicine's name] -> back into my room again. I bought two tablets and drank one with water. I waited to see what would happen.

Sure enough, the swelling died down in a matter of minutes and by 9:30 AM my eyes were back to normal and most of the area beneath my eyes was "normal-looking." There some parts that were still swollen but it's not that visible so I was still able to [walk] to class, even though my nose was really stuffy from all the sneezing and my head was reeling.

But what's important is that I was able to think quickly about the anti-histamine tablets. If I didn't, maybe I would have lost consciousness or worse. I'm okay now. Boy, that was an experience. Thank God!!

(My sis said I should have taken pics but I didn't because I was thinking, "Ugh. I don't want to. I look ugly! NO!")

Introducing Camuchii

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2046321&id=1370242613&l=b11006904c

http://www.flickr.com/photos/20988085@N08/sets/72157623961150592/

These are some of the pictures taken with Camuchii - my new Fujifilm Z33 Waterproof Camera. :D

It's Mom's gift to me from Qatar.

Camuchii boasts 10.1 Megapixels but the greatest thing about him (or her or it...) is the ability to take pictures underwater. XD

Rant the Academy - Impossible? Naw.

Who'd ever thought the day would come when I would write about my alma mater in a not-so-nice way. But, ha! The day cometh! And here is the post...

Okay. First of all, I never would have written this if not for the outright stubbornness of the people in there. I have gotten hold of the facts and I, even if I'm done and over with that situation, am seriously irritated, to the point of frustration. This is not the Academy I've known when I was a kid. This is so much different. Gah.

The problems I got hold of are those that pertain to the fourth year high school's affairs. The first is about their "retreat" which was cancelled but is now on again and guess where... FONTANA. Surprise, surprise. I mean, what's up with that? You people took us there last year and I can't remember a thing about it 'cept the fact that my best friends and I slept in one room. That is the only memorable thing but all the others are absolutely crap.

Now that is not the only thing. One more is their refusal to hold a meeting with the parents. The reason? Because not all of them will come. Now what kind of an excuse is that? Splat. There goes your excuse. I think that even if not all of them arrive, at least they'll have a representative. Also, I'd think that perhaps half of the class would come so what kind of problem are you thinking of here?.. Let me tell you that the affairs of the graduating class MUST be discussed by the parents because they are paying for their children's fees and, after all, it's their children's graduation and retreat and not yours.

Pshaw.

Naw. I shall no longer continue this since I think I've said enough or something...

Wacky Day 2010

Okay. So this is probably the best day I have ever had in my stay at the Kalayaan Residence Hall. Why? That's because we had to wear costumes for the whole day! It's exciting, really. I've had the most fun dressing up and making up.

My costume is that of a female pirate. I can't post pictures now but it's composed of a cream blouse, black skirt, black scarf (which I used as a bandanna), black handkerchief, DIY choker, DIY eye patch, tattered left glove, and beads for my hair. I also used black eyeliner, two shades of dark eye shadow, and brownish lipstick. Ha-ha!

There were some dormers who didn't wear costumes. So KJ.. But most of us wore some! There were a lot of people wearing pajamas and bathrobes. XD Some of us were creative enough. I saw one who cosplayed the Joker in Batman, Tobi and Konan from Naruto, and other more characters!

It's weird but it feels good when people stare at you while you're walking to and from class. The feeling is so delicious that it makes you just SMILE. :) Also, it attracts the attention of everyone, especially your professors. My Kas 2 professor didn't call me for recitation because I was wearing a costume. XD

I had a problem with crossing the road though since my eye patch was covering my left eye. For goodness' sake, I couldn't see what was on my left side. XD It's a good thing we have things such as stop lights and traffic enforcers. :D

This week was...

One of the best I've had in UPD! It is one of the most stressful weeks but - thank God! - it's fun and oddly relaxing.

Well, let's start with Monday: We had our first exam in Math 1. To tell the truth, I wasn't very confident with my answers. More or less, I might be likely to get a score of 36 - 54. I forgot to write that there were no Toki jeeps that day (at least I didn't see one...) so I had to walk all the way to the Math building. It was my first time, by the way. It was quite far and my legs were aching when I arrived. Anyway, after the exam, I walked again to the OUR to check the 2010 UPCAT results. Ha! There were a lot of people, mostly students, who were running their fingers down the lists to see if their names are printed. I wriggled my way in and took out a piece of paper where my sister's and her classmates's names were written. I went to the 'S' section first and looked for our surname. Voila! It was there! And guess what? She was eligible to enroll in UP Diliman and will take the course BS Tourism. Yes, I could jump up to the ceiling. I sighed, relieved, and all the tiredness went out of me when I read that name. Unfortunately, only my sister and Kim passed. But it's okay. At least somebody passed. :)

On Tuesday, I lost a Scrabble fight. My wins still outnumber the losses, though, with 5 to 2. Oh well. One can't win every game. At around 11:00am, my J100 group mates and I went to Philcoa to shoot our presentation (Libertarian Theory). We had lunch at McDo; we also planned to shoot there. However, when my group mates were shooting the second scene, the guard noticed and told them that they'd have to stop or else the manager might get angry. No choice. We left the restaurant and decided to shoot outside. However, some street children tried to grab our almost empty sundaes (we were using them as props). They were really scary, I tell you. When they finally left us, we went to Mini Stop and decided to shoot there. It was a good thing that the people there allowed us. :) After that, we went back to U.P. Haha! This is one of the fun parts of the day! We shot a scene where all of us had to lie on our backs along the University Avenue!

Wednesday saw one of the best experiences I've ever had as a MassCom student. Yeah, yeah, this isn't going to be the last, I know. ;) During the afternoon, we went to the studios of TV5 and watched a taping of Who wants to be a millionaire? It was fun for a lot of reasons. Mainly because they fed us three times? Haha! It was also my first cut... Which turned out to be unsuccessful because Ms. Mata wasn't around. Also, we went back to the dorm by 12:30am or later - my first. I was really scared, you know? What if the guard didn't let me in? LOL. But I did get in and slept soundly.

We were supposed to have our buddy date - Yna and I - today but the first workshop (a requirement to be able to enter BroadGuild) was going to occur that day, 4-7PM. We had to re-schedule. The workshop was all about flash animation and layouting. It was fun. I got to meet my buddy and gained 11 trivias about Kuya Rhai. I also got to meet three other FG's who didn't come with us on the media tour. I went back to the dorm at around 7:20 and took out my dinner. Tiring day...

It's finally Friday and I'm able to go back home. We still don't have Lingg 1 so I slept until 7am. :) Kas 2 is better since I'm more familiar with the discussions (the beginning of civilizations in Asia). Oh yeah. We're going to have our first exam January 30, Saturday, from 10am - 12nn. As the days pass, I feel more and more calm about the exam. Thank God... We didn't have English 11 (again) so I was able to go home at 1:30, I think. I arrived in Pampanga at 5 in the afternoon.

Haa... Rest until Monday. I'm able to go home on early Tuesday morning since we won't have Scrabble classes. :)

To the UPCAT passers

Welcome to the club! :)

You have just defeated the first boss, which is the UPCAT, and is now heading towards the next one. Don't worry 'cause there'll be friends to help you get through it all, such as your batchmates and your blockmates which you will soon meet. I just got around to writing something for you, guys. Just some tips to help you survive.

1. Don't be over your head... Yet. At least, not until you grab that summa cum laude!

2. Always do and pass projects and assignments before the deadline. Some professors give additional points to those who pass before the deadline.

3. Know your professor do's and dont's. An easy subject can seem hard because of a professor; a hard subject can seem easy because of a professor.

4. Buy yourself a calendar to take note of events.

5. HAVE FUN!! Have a blast studying at one of the best universities in the Philippines!

Cheerio!

January 5, 2010

8:37AM - I won another Scrabble game in P.E. Yay! Something's odd, though. Whenever I chance upon a scrabble or a bingo word, my heart beats really fast. To date, I have played two scrabble words: LASTING and, most recently, ENCORES. It's such a weird feeling, you know?

We're having another game on Thursday. I'm pretty nervous about it, but I'm sure it'll be alright. One lose won't hurt, ayt? My standing is: 3 wins - 1 loss. My spread is 124, I think. That's a pretty high number and the opponents will just get tougher and tougher. I know that God will be there to help me, even without practicing in Scrabble Interactive. Yoshi~!!

I have just finished cleaning my electric fan. Phew. That's about ten minutes of no air. Thankfully, it's not yet that hot... That, I think, is one of the consequences of living alone: you have the obligation to clean everything or you'll fail during G.I. (general inspection) days...

12:22PM - I finished watching Paris Je t'aime. It's such a nice collection of French shorts that'll make one fall in love with Paris. The stories are so nice and simple and neat... *sighsigh* Makes me want to type a review. :)

Like all other days in the dormitory, I feel quite odd about the way the cafeteria (concessionaire is a nice word but it doesn't suit them, I think... XD) people shake the ladle when they're giving you food and all the good pieces drop out. I understand that they're trying to feed 500 plus students but it just doesn't seem right, especially since vacation just finished and we're all used to placing mountains of food in our plates. Bleh. I dunno. I feel that way. Sorta.

7:45PM - I have finished reading Emily Climbs by L.M. Montgomery. It's such a shame. I thoroughly enjoyed it and the ending was a cliff-hanger. It ended beautifully with: "Perhaps Teddy was only shy!" Oh, yes. Now that is a pretty sentence, no?

I have also posted three reviews on my blog: two for movies and one for the book. Such a dear that blog is. I miss it so. I want to write so much but I don't know what. There is so much inside of me that bubbles up to the top (like a volcano!)... Up, up, up! But when it nearly explodes, the pressure is gone and the bubbles fade into blackness. That is frustrating.

L.M. Montgomery-related articles in Wikipedia never fail to amuse me. I know they hold the truth. I have read it in her books so. She is such a dear. I wish I could have met her, or at least wrote to her. Why, even if I did not receive a reply I would have been very happy! I think she was good to her fans and perhaps even answered them personally. I want to be that kind of writer.

So many italics! Perhaps the fictional Mr. Carpenter would scold me. I hope not.

8:58PM - (The bell has just rung!)

I have just finished reviewing for my exam on Thursday. It is interesting to read foreign names out loud, especially those in French and German. They have a certain richness that you can find, for example, in pronouncing Le Roux. Yes, there is some magic in Filipino names but I find foreign ones queer and fascinating. Not so the American ones. They seem to be bland, lifeless, and colorless. That is my opinion and it is mine to say. :P

I MUST WRITE! Whenever this is on me, I feel that I have to write every time. This change comes down upon me only when I have just finished reading an L.M. Montgomery book. (Oh, see how influential she is!) The common man may not understand that but whatever. Tonight, I am possessed by Emily Byrd Starr. Pardon the use of the word. We do sometimes associate it with evil things. But isn't it good to be possessed by good spirits often?

I MUST buy myself an empty notebook to write my thoughts in when the laptop is inaccessible (such as when I'm reviewing). Sometimes the plot for a story comes and leaves like the wind. It is so hard to grasp, like the lady of Opportunity my high school English teacher taught us about. It's so fleeting and beautiful. The only problem with writing manually is that my right hand aches from the motion. I MUST find a way to remedy that.

(But come, I must stop writing, I think.)

I am lying in my bed while typing this up. It is a little painful but I like it this way. I can do two things at the same time: type and rest. Ah, some people would not advise me to do it because the bed loses it's sense of being a bed to rest in at night. I like it this way, though. It's so nice and comforting and soft that the words just pour out.

(Oh, come. I told myself that once the bell rings I MUST turn off this thing but here I am.)

Isn't must a splendid word? It makes you do things you otherwise wouldn't do. It's such a powerful force of a word.

I tie my hair up in an unkempt bun when I'm studying. Is it a trait I picked up from Violet Baudelaire of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events? (It is rather unfortunate that I have not read this volume yet.)

I am excited for tomorrow because we're going to have Lingg 1. I'm going to see my old friends again! But come 10:00 and it's a horrid time. Agh. History. And I still don't have the readings! That's because our professor (I will prevent myself from typing horrible descriptions.) has forgotten to give them to the lady last year. He is so impossible. His mannerisms are enough to infuriate anyone! (There it goes, folks.) It will also be English 11 day tomorrow. I don't dread it as much as I dread History. I do dread, though, discussing poetry. It is so deep and difficult that it chokes you like a "barbed wire snare." Say, that just came out of Sylvia Plath's Daddy! But, then again, I never much liked poetry. I do not recognize the works of Tennyson and Wordsworth. (But I do like Emily Browning's Sonnets from the Portuguese 43: How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.) Prose is so much better understood by common folk.

There now, I must stop. Really stop.

The soul of Emily's pen is at work again.

What did you dream about last night..?

Well, I had two dreams last night (three, actually - the third one was forgotten). They are all weird. :P I've been having a lot of weird dreams lately...

Anyway, here they are:

1. It was evening and my dad and I were the only ones awake. The scene is taking place in a bedroom. The visible things were a desk, chair, lamp, and a laptop. The lamp was turned on and I was surfing the 'net with the laptop. My dad was watching me from behind. Then, all of a sudden, I found out that all my accounts got hacked (including my e-mail address). The hacker turned out to be someone from KHQ. With that, I began to cry and thought about my Facebook applications. The dream ended with me regretting all the progress I had acquired in the games...

- dream end -

2. The second one took place during the early morning hours. I had just got back to the dormitory to sign in. Ate Lourdes was the one I was talking to. She asked me about my clearance so I took it out. Then I saw that it wasn't signed by my parent. I felt really nervous until she assured me that it was alright. I was immediately relieved.

After organizing my things, I got ready for class. I was wearing jeans, a white shirt, and rubber shoes. I went out of the dormitory. The sky was a monotonous gray. Since my first class took place at the Gym, I decided to ride a Toki jeep (In my dream, the dorm was in a different place). I hailed one and got in. My highschool classmate, Joshua, and two other students were there. I dunno how the heck he got there but he was there.

The jeep moved a few meters and then it stopped to wait for passengers. For some unexplainable reason, I went out and began to help two passengers ride the jeep. I was about to look for more students when, suddenly, the Toki left. I ran after it but to no avail. *sighsighsigh* So I decided to run all the way to the Gym.

Upon arriving at the Gym, I immediately went to GBR, my classroom for Scrabble. On the way there, I passed by some teachers who were taking pictures. Some of them were sitting on rocks beside what seemed like big, fat worms. One teacher was clicking away. I was disgusted by the appearance of the worms so I ran back to the entrance and found Regina there. I told her my dilemma and she lent me Joshua's number. I called him and found out that he was outside in the waiting shed. Regina and I went there. I asked him about my bag and he said that they were in the Main Library so we should go and get them. We were about to go when we saw Mrs. Magat (our highschool principal), Carmine, and one other student sitting on a table. We stopped to chat with them for a bit.

From somewhere behind us, we all heard the sound of frightened students. It turned out that a terror teacher was there (she actually looked like the actress, Dexter Doria). We ran off to different directions while Mrs. Magat stayed where she was. I grabbed Carmine and we entered the nearest classroom, locked the door, and tried to turn off the lights but they kept turning on and off, like disco lights. We let that be and waited for what seemed like an eternity. I could feel my heart pounding on my chest. Finally, the door was being opened (can't figure out how since we locked the door) by the terror teacher. We gasped noiselessly and waited.

The teacher opened the door and went in. When she wasn't looking, the two of us ran out of the room and walked stiffly away. As we were passing the room, we passed some students who were taking a Chemistry test that turned out to be really easy. Laude (my roommate) was among them. They were talking to themselves because their teacher wasn't looking. Carmine and I continued to walk away...

- dream end -

So weird, ne?

(Ooh. I just noticed. Some of my previous posts have questions as their titles. *shrugshrugshrug*)

What's on your watchlist?

Here's a list of the movies I want to see next year:

1. Sherlock Holmes

- Should I even explain this? Well, first of all, Sherlock Holmes is my favorite fictional detective. I mean, no one can help but love him. Haha! According to reviews, it's a great movie. They also say that Robert Downey, Jr. played the role well. I'm also looking forward to the action sequences, something different from Doyle's style (in the books, there was only a little mention of Holmes' fighting abilities).

I've been waiting for this all year and here it is, finally! It's my first Sherlock Holmes movie and I am not about to miss watching in theaters even at the expense of not eating all week. XD

2. Alice in Wonderland

- Johnny Depp looks awesome in the movie. It would also be nice to see Alan Rickman (Serverus Snape) playing Caterpillar. :)

3. Hanamizuki

- This Japanese movie stars two of my favorites: Aragaki Yui and Ikuta Toma. I have no idea what the story is but just the actors are enough to make me feel like watching it.

4. The Lovely Bones

- It's based on a book and it's a nice family movie with lots of drama. It's going to be fun watching this.

I would also like to purchase the book. :)

5. The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus

- This movie has Heath Ledger and it focuses on dreams, I think. It's full of magic and fantasy - two of the things I want to see in the arts.

6. Where the Wild Things are

- I only want to watch this 'cause my English 11 professor required us to. If she didn't, I would not watch this. Ever... Even if she says that it's a wonderful story. I only see a spoiled Carol.

7. Valentine's Day

- I'm not one for romantic, chick flicks but since this one stars Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner, I'm going to watch it. XD

8. The Spy Next Door

- It's a Jackie Chan movie!

9. The Last Airbender

- Yay~ Aang and the gang in a live-action movie! The kid who plays Aang is so cute! XD

10. Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader

- No matter that the two previous movies weren't that good. This is my favorite book from the series so it's worth watching. I hear that there are new things in it so quality and accuracy might improve.