That's what people do!

Crazy people, that is. Thanks to a friend, who will be left unnamed for "security" reasons, for sharing a YouTube video of a compilation of a certain product commercial. The video may or may not cause serious brain damage, convulsions, laughter fits, and differing views about an endangered species. Watch at your own risk.

I should warn you: Never say never...

I want to watch this movie

Dreamworks Animation's Rise of the Guardians started showing today in cinemas across Metro Manila and probably across the country. I have never watched any movie on its premiere so not watching ROTG today is not such a bad thing.  However, surfing around Tumblr has proven me wrong because of the spoilers in photo sets, .gif files and video clips. Now, I can't wait for the weekend when I can actually go to one of the movie theaters and see the film.

30 days and counting down

Let's be excited and countdown the days until Christmas. After all, there is only one month to go. And now, say goodbye to my right mind and hello to a confused list of priorities. On one hand, I have homework to do and lessons to do study. On the other, end-of-the-month, payday and Christmas sales are up and it's time for the annual presents shopping. My wallet is about to die from money hemorrhage, if it is not already dead.

Fluids, materials and possibilities

Having juniors and seniors in the same course as friends can help you anticipate what can happen to you in major subjects and the rest of your college years. One time, they were talking about thesis projects and summer internships. From then on, I can't help but let my imagination run wild about my future in chemistry. Will my internship be in quality testing laboratory or in a factory of one of the country's leading industries? Will I receive allowances? Will I do a good job in it? Or will I embarrass myself and continue to live as a failure? Will my internship lead to choose a thesis topic so astounding it works?  What if it fails? What if I can't finish it? Will I ever get published?

Website-hopping, I chanced upon a video about non-Newtonian fluids and its possible applications. The video got hold of my interest. I thought it can possibly be an inspiration for a thesis project. Possibly, because I am not yet sure about anything regarding thesis. I still have about a year to think things through.

I would love to have my project go around materials science with environmental applications. I think a project with these two together will be quite useful in the current state of the world. Not that the other branches of science are useless, I believe the two that I have chosen can deliver more important contributions in this day and age.

Riddle me this...

... riddle me that.

Logic Boat (c) xkcd.com

When randomly browsing the Internet happens to give you a very important lesson in life: common sense. Thank you, xkcd!

Not yet our time, but...

If you believe that the end of the Mayan calendar is equivalent to the end of the world, then you have five more weeks until the so-called Apocalypse.

Don't fret though. Scientists have found that neither the Mayan calendar ended to foretell the end of the world nor that the Mayan civilization ended. In fact, Mayan descendants still live on; the great empire, on the other hand, did not. The Mayan people had to disperse throughout Central America to survive because of an extreme drought a long time ago.

I found these information through an informative YouTube channel, the Sci Show. There are many more science-y stuff over there, so you better check them out. More to know about the "Apocalypse" in the Sci Show videos below.

Torn between education and vacation

I'm two weeks back in school for the second semester after a three-week semestral break, but I'm already itching for Christmas vacation, especially that I found out that it will be three weeks long again. I know, I know. It's pathetic to be looking forward for something that I still haven't earned, with classes only just began.

To keep my head in the game, I decided to find some sort of inspiration. It has been written that the mainstream thing any girl my age would do is to look for a guy of her preference (a face of a celebrity, the height of a skyscraper, a 160-plus IQ, etc.) and develop a crush on him and melt every time he passes and have friends tease her to death. And, voila, she's "inspired" to study, possibly to get good grades, but honestly, to get attention from the guy. However, I find this idea not feasible for me because (1) most guys are taken or prefer their own, (2) swooning and melting and daydreaming about guys eat up a lot of study time, and (3) having unattainable standards is the curse of a fan of many fictional fandoms. Sigh.

Flying in water

The sun was just above the horizon-- high enough to paint the world with golden sunbeams and confirm that dawn is over, low enough to only feel the soft warmth of the blazing ball of fire. I once read that the sun's light takes eight minutes to reach the surface of the Earth. I find it amazing that something from the past would be the very thing that can enlighten people to see the present and help pave the way toward the future.

A cool morning breeze blew.

A bit of water swelled into a small wave, encircling something invisible, growing a bit as it moved away, and instantly replaced by another small wave as soon as it left. One, two, ten, twenty, a hundred waves, and possibly more if they were left in peace, moved across the blue chlorinated water in uniform intervals like the tick and tock of a clock. Ripples. They have the same effect as dominoes falling down consecutively, only the waves become widespread, growing in all directions, instead of one linear motion.

Boo!

Sorry, I don't have a picture of me in a costume, but here's a chubby vampire spooking you for a happy Halloween.

Turning legal

They say that when a girl turns 18, her parents would dress her up in the most beautiful of dresses and throw her a party, with all their adult friends invited, as their daughter's debut to adulthood. It is when the parents present to the whole world that their daughter has reached the ripe old legal age, has blossomed into a supposed lady and is high time for her to choose a mate.

Hold up. Does that mean when I turn 18, I need to get married ASAP? I don't even have a boyfriend yet. Can't I just learn to drive and get my license first?

I'm home...

...and my semestral break has commenced! So, what have I been up to?

For starters, I am trying to devour as much books, movies, TV shows and food as I can in the span of my (almost) three-week vacation. I have luck on my side as I just finished "Nevermore" by James Patterson today, which I started yesterday while waiting for my flight in the departure area, and I am already in the second chapter of "Crossed" by Ally Condie. More books up ahead for me. Regarding the movies and TV shows, my sister and I are working together on this one. (Talk to me if you really want to know how we are doing.)

I have access to food, and lots of them for that matter. Tonight I'm cooking fried rice with sautéd shrimp paste (bagoong rice) and I hope it turns out just fine. I'm trying to be a good cook, though there's no need for that since I stay in a dormitory without a kitchen, but, still, I want to cook. And with that, I'll be sharing my creations every now and then and boast to the world how yummy they are. Ha ha!

I hope I have fun with this short vacation, and I hope you do, too. Oh, and do you have suggestions of books for to read or movies or TV shows for me to watch or food that you want me to experiment with? Go ahead and share them with me. I'll be more than willing to try them out.

Finals are too soon

Before I drown myself in the depths of the sea of lessons I have to review and suffocate from the lack of social life, I would like to take this moment to appreciate life.

*long awkward pause*

If anyone out there would like to share something extraterrestrial, supernatural, a witty bit of wisdom, now's the right time.

And then here comes some memes to keep us from getting insane as the final examinations week, a.k.a. "Hell Week", otherwise know as the death of me, gets nearer by the second, but let's keep optimistic, shall we?

True story. We just got the news today.

October started

Just when I thought I've seen it all, the Cebu dancing inmates steal the scene and dance to Psy's Gangnam Style. I found this out through a Rappler article and I just can't sit here and not share it. It seems that the Gangnam Style has not lost its touch yet. 

Halloween costume suggestions

I passed by a few toy stores today and they were already displaying costumes for Halloween. Since October is just two days away and Halloween is another month's wait, I decided to make a list of possible costume ideas that people with similar taste as mine would like. It's funny that I'm making this but I'm not really a fan of dressing up. Maybe I'll have fun this year and try doing one of these, even if it entails for me to cross-dress  So without further ado, here we go.

Polarity

This is really a super-duper late article that I shouldn't even be trying to finish because (1) the event took place weeks ago, (2) I still have homework and lots of them, and (3) remembering the night gives me the feels-- that falling sensation in the pit of your stomach, the instant increase of your heart beat rate, and the smile that doesn't leave your face until you realize that it's there. So here we go!

Nobody told me that a night with chemistry majors would be fun. It was a Friday night, September 14 to be exact, when our batch of applicants hosted a party called Polarity. It was a dinner party with a talent show featuring Inversion, our official batch name as this semester's applicants for the UP Association of Chemistry Majors and Enthusiasts (UPACME), and lots of fun games, which I organized. (Proud program committee right here!) It was a Noir-inspired night of mystery and madness and fun-- more on the happy-crazy-parteh side of madness, not the dark Imma-kill-you-and-torture-you-and-possibly-kill-you-even-more-when-I-feel-like-it. (Where did that come from?) Must be because of the three words: polarity, noir and inversion. Get it? Get it?

New Trailer

Today, a new trailer for the movie The Hobbit was released and I am more excited than ever for December 14, 2012. I'm not quite sure if The Hobbit will be released on the same date in the Philippines though, but I shall watch the movie on its opening week in eye-popping 3D no matter what. (Friends, save the date, OK?)

For everyone, here's the new trailer of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

Nothings on a Rainy Day

After a month-long hiatus in blog writing, it feels quite difficult to write non-academic articles. I have been writing laboratory reports and essays day in, day out this semester that I cannot see writing as a recreational activity or an exercise of imagination anymore. My usual excuse would be my academics and, well, my application process for an organization, but are they really valid excuses? Better time management skills and discipline to stay away from distractions (such as television shows, movies and the Internet) could have helped me do everything I want- both necessary and vanity- in all the proper time. Keyword is "proper".

I wish I have more thought-provoking things to say.

On the other hand, I have pictures as documentation of the events in the past few months. Nothing fancy, really. Just a few stolen shots of people I was with for the past 3 months.

Speaking of months, join me in celebrating my one year and three months of college life. Three cheers, everyone. Hep hep hooray! Hep hep hooray! Hep hep hooray!

Rain won't dampen the Filipino Spirit

From the deep abyss of her bed, the blogger gets up as if one of the living dead.

Somehow, I do feel like a zombie because of the consecutive days of suspended classes due to this infernal weather of torrential rains and strong winds that poured from the weeping heavens. I may complain about my academic hiatus (that I shouldn't have in the first place because I still have a pile of school work to finish) and how it made my mind mushy, but that would be very selfish of me. However, I would definitely tell everyone how proud I am of the Filipinos who helped their fellow citizens in the recent calamity. It should be noted that the calamity did not reach any storm signal. It was not even a typhoon but monsoon rains-- heavy monsoon rains that went on for more than 24 hours at that. It was also preceded by the typhoon "Gener", so I think the effects of the previous rains were not, uhm, washed off yet.

Alarm

The toughest battle I face is the battle that I go through almost everyday: waking and getting up early. Thank God for the weekends when I could extend sleep. Otherwise, say hello to Zombie Naj.

On BK's customer service

It was around seven in the evening, the time when the number of customers reaches its peak as it is dinner time, when I came to Burger King. It surprised me that there were many chairs and tables available in the store but I still had a hard time looking for one that was vacant. That was also the time when I met a guy who was fuming about the inconsiderate freeloaders who selfishly stayed in the store for the internet connection, to the inconvenience of paying customers. Last night, I sat with a stranger as I ate at Burger King, not because I wanted to know this guy but because I have nowhere else to eat. From his rants, to which I agree with, I believe that  Burger King should draft policies about its free in-store Wifi connection because freeloaders stay in the store indefinitely, actual buying customers experience inconvenience and the store might experience financial problems soon.

Hello, July

Last night, I ended June by cooking pasta for dinner and watching an LOTR marathon in HBO

One does not simply walk into Mordor.
Life is not a computer which can be screen captured, so I just took a picture of the TV.

Teaching Building

Finally! Here are some photo evidences of the new teaching building.

Institute's logo

Three floors of Chemistry

This is the new building of the Institute of Chemistry in UP Diliman. I'm so proud of my home institute! Can't you see the pride oozing in every corner and curves of these written words? I finally took some shots last Monday after our CWTS class (an alternative to the military training in ROTC).

By the way, our institute is accepting donations of cash or kind or air conditioner or room sponsorship. Names of the sponsors and donors will be engraved on a steel plate and displayed in a glass case at the first floor lobby, where anyone and everyone can see. Our institute, its teachers and us students will be very pleased.

Sully said he loves college

Is it because those who grew up watching Monsters, Inc. are probably tertiary education students by now? Sounds like Toy Story 3, doesn't it?

Maybe. Or maybe Disney has ran out of ideas that producing sequels and film adaptions of old books and series and video games are the next big thing-- big money-making thing, that is. I find this loss of originality and creativity very depressing, especially since a big part of my childhood was all about Disney movies and shows. Before, life watching the TV was colorful, fantastic, thrilling, inspiring and, sometimes, romantic. Now, I find the thrill gone. Most, if not all, of the movies have become cliché.

And that's the Monsters University teaser. It will premiere around this time next year.

Mike as a disco ball was a nice touch-- predictable but cute. And Sully, I wish I could say the same thing about college. In my present situation, it would take a miracle for me to finish my homework and have time to fool around. Frankly, I still miss high school.

Being Yourself

Why is this song always in the radio airwaves? I'm not annoyed though, just curious.

For those who can't understand, I am very sorry that it is in Filipino.


Yes, Ituloy Mo Lang by Siakol is a Tagalog song (if you didn't bother watching the video or didn't understand the song) about how it is alright to show your true colors. Its lyrics also has a deeper and wonderful message: don't let anyone stop you from being your true self. It makes the song versatile since it is not exclusive for the queer folks. Everyone has the right to be happy and to follow his own dreams, as long as they don't negatively affect other people. The message plus the musicality of the song deserves two thumbs up from this occasional radio-listener. I hope more songs with a similar message, or better one, and tune would hit the airwaves soon.

Over the weekend

My sister and I aren't masters of the kitchen. Heck, we rarely cook, having no skills to boast of; pancakes here, instant pancit canton there, but never a decent viand. As the need arises though, we have been learning, individually, how to cook simple to special courses through experimentation. (Yes, we are women of science.)

What's left of the diningding when I left the apartment.

Last Saturday, my sister cooked diningding, a Filipino dish with lots of vegetables and bagoong (the sauce part without the shrimp or fish bits). She cooked it perfectly: not raw, not overcooked and with just the right saltiness that I like. We always try to eat healthy if we can cook it since it's very toxic here in the city.

Back to School and Some Men In Black

Already harassed on the first week of school, I am. Not a good start for a post but it will do.

Yes, after only first three days of school I feel fatigued. I feel so weary since the first night that some unwinding this weekend should be on [top of] my to-do list. And what better way to relax on a weekend than to watch a movie in a cinema?

My sister and I watched Men In Black 3 earlier tonight. Seeing Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones way older than in the last MIB made me feel older, too.

My questions on Pac-Brad

After gathering my thoughts about the Pacquiao-Bradley bout earlier today, I have constructed a few simple questions to know your thoughts about it.

A little backgrounder first. Pacquiao lost even if his performance showed otherwise: more connected punches, almost knocked down Bradley twice (or thrice?). There were three judges as per policy and after twelve rounds, Bradley won by a split decision. This means one judge gave Pacquiao a higher score than Bradley; unfortunately, two did otherwise. And the news and chicanery spread all over the media and world like wild fire.

Of course, both boxers will still get money as per their contract.

Ocean Park 2012

To make my brother's summer vacation complete, we went to Manila Ocean Park this afternoon. The Oceanarium and Jellies, Dancing Sea Fairies, are so last year. This summer, we saw sea lions, penguins and the Musical Fountain Show, among all.

To make it quick, here are a few pictures of our exciting day.

First things first: a picture at the entrance.

Yeah, well, we'll try anything here.

Photos at the airport

Here's some pictures that I took at the pre-departure area in the middle of the night.

Sleeping baby! Hihi :">

I had to take a picture of this baby. She's one of the few children in the pre-departure area. They got on the flight before ours, but it was already past midnight.

Here are the pictures I took while waiting for a frappe. How can we not be sleepy with this around us?

 Remember what I said about an almost deserted airport?

Remaining passengers for the last flight of the hour.

I took this photo a few minutes before we got on board. Whoever's left boarded the flight with us.

Night at the New Dorm

First night at the dorm.

It's a new dorm. I just checked in today. I am trying to get the feel of my new home away from home, and as of the moment, I'm Kevin from Home Alone. (Good vibes, please? Because ghost stories are keep turning up in my mind.)

Forgive the low resolution. Taken by camera-phone.

Random things I do to pass time by

A few hours of sleep does not give me the rest that I needed from a sleepless night of wait and travel. However, it does not stop me from tagging along my mother and her sister to relatives on my maternal side.

I would be posting pictures of last night's travails right now, but I can't plug in anything into this laptop. This is my cousin's after all.

While they talk and catch up with the who, what, when, where and why of their lives, I sit on a big couch, freeloading-- food, Internet, throw pillows.

At the Airport

Nobody told me that the best way to start the first day of the month is to wait patiently for a flight in a nearly deserted airport.


It turned out that it is not the best experience after all. I discovered this fact ever so slowly tonight, or rather, this morning. This was my first time to fly without sunshine. With my mother and former elementary classmate, I fight away sleep as we wait for our plane in the dead of the night. It was made even harder by our fellow passengers who are lying on benches or leaning on the shoulder of whoever was beside them, apparently on their way to dreamland.

Goodbye, Summer

It's as if my heart is being squeezed like a stress-relieving ball and I don't think I'll get over this feeling soon.

It's past my bedtime already, I know, but I'm trying to prolong my stay here at home. At least my hours awake, that is. I still have some time to rest later since my flight is still tonight.

I have been packing my clothes and stuff in my suitcase for hours. Half the time, though, I wasn't even packing. I was just sitting on my bed with a lump in my throat that just can't go away. Up until now, I can't lock my suitcase yet.

Lez Miz on Christmas

You know what I want to see?

The musical Les Miserables performed in Broadway. Unfortunately for me, the Broadway run has already ended years ago. Now, it's all up to fate if I will ever experience Les Miz live on stage.

Sweets and Dogs

Excuse me for being melodramatic but the last lollicake to be eaten deserves a few moments in the limelight.

There's nothing significant about the R.

After two weeks of saving the lollicake, I have decided to eat it. This was a big decision for me since I have been keeping them from harm's way, such as my brother's binge eating. Being in charge of the lollicakes (self-proclaimed, but still) that are actually my mother's, I thought that it was high time for the last one to be gone for two reasons: one, it might expire sooner than I think; and two, I'm leaving for Manila soon.

Kitchen Duty

Trying new things is the best way to spend summer vacation. Next would be having a sleep-eat-sleep-only routine 24/7.

For this summer, I opted to learn how to cook (and practice yoga, but that's another story). If green thumb is for gardening, I just don't have whatever you call its counterpart for cooking. Yes, we sell longanizas and a lot of other food but that does not automatically make me a kitchen goddess. Cooking just doesn't come naturally to me. So one of the first things I did upon arriving home was declaring that I wanted a cooking lessons from our cook. Unfortunately, our cook got sick and I didn't get my lessons.

On the bright side, my family has a collection of cook books, which listed lots of dishes and desserts from all over the world. I enjoyed fantasizing that I was constructing culinary masterpieces. However, not all my fantasies end up only as daydreams. No. Many of them actually came true, thanks to my handy work.

How to brush your teeth

Writing how-tos and recipes can help exercise one's literary skills, I was told. It teaches the value of proper ordering and sequencing, even of simple ideas. It also teaches the necessity of using the correct action words. Writing step-by-step guides helps in practicing writing transitions as it deals with,well, steps after steps after steps. It also makes a wonderful topic when you have nada.

I won't say that I am an expert in brushing teeth but I find the task so easy that I don't even have to think when I'm doing it. I thought it will be effortless to write about it. What a fool I have been for thinking wrongly! I underestimated the power of these no-brainer tasks.

More Lollicake Pictures

I have taken pictures of the lollicakes my brother and I have been eating even though they are our gift to our mom on Mother's day. We have been consuming them very slowly, like having to ration food and water to survive. Except it's just for my pleasure of having a lot of one thing at a time. You know, the selfish, hoarder complexes of mine.

Anyway, here are the pictures I took:

Last Ten Days

The countdown for the last TEN days of summer vacation begins today. It's sad that break is almost over, but sadder still that I'm going back to school real soon. The first day of the school year will eventually become the first week. The the first week will just pass by and become a month. Before you know it, the finals are coming.

(c) numerologyzenzone.wordpress.com

But let's look at the bright side, shall we?

With the last days of summer knocking at my door, I suddenly realize everything that I have yet to do before classes begin. Being the student that I am, I cram everything in the last couple of days-- hours even-- before the deadliest deadline. Unfortunately, quality is foregone. I know that I should change, but cramming is just a bad habit that can't be easily, well,  changed. I'm sure you can understand, yes?

Selfishness and Lollicakes

Up until now, we haven't finished the lollicakes that we gave our mom on Mother's Day. You see, I don't let anybody get one and go, even f the cakes are technically my mother's. I have always been selfish with these things-- chocolates, stickers, pencils, stationery. In fact, there's a fine line between me being a collector and me being a hoarder. I just love the feeling of having many of one thing.

But selfish or not, I love taking pictures of the pretty things and pretty people, i.e. lollicakes and my brother. I feel less selfish when I share the pictures I have taken. See?

My brother's daily ration.

Happy Mother's Day

Talking about moms and how great they are makes me all sentimental and mushy, but I don't have enough words that can describe how I love my mom and how grateful I am for her. It makes me sad, though, that many people tend to forget how special their mothers are but magically remember on the second Sundays of May. Even worse, there are those unfortunate souls who don't even care about their mothers! I feel terribly sorry for them. So this isn't just for my mother, but for all the mothers out there.

I don't get to tell my mother how I love her every minute of the day, especially when I'm away for my studies. I try to find time to remind her how special she is for me. Fortunately, I get to celebrate her twice a year: her birthday and Mother's day. And today, my brother and I surprised her with something sweet and special, just like her.

Nanay (Filipino for mother) with her special treat.

Dark Shadows + Jessica Sanchez

I'm not a fan of vampire movies, especially since Twilight, but I have found an exception.

A few months ago, a friend of mine tagged me to a link to a movie trailer. She said that upon seeing the protagonist, she thought of me. When I watched the video, I knew what she meant. Can you guess why?

Sandman's Visit

The clock ticked and the clock tocked yet the Sandman has yet to visit me tonight. I have turned off the lights in my room to help me doze off. It was not completely dark; moon beams shine through my window, as if a car was parked directly outside with its headlights left on. I stare at the ceiling as I lie on my bed. Sooner or later, my eyelids will become heavy; I pray it's sooner.

As the silence fill my room, my ears become more accustomed to the sounds of the night-- quiet rustling of the leaves (whether by wind or animal, I do not know), hissing of the fan as it rotates and revolves, an occasional vehicle passing by, hooting of an owl, laughter outside my-- wait, hoot and laughter? I might have mistaken the hoot for a sound of another bird (for there are no owls in our area) but laughter?

I listened harder. It was faint. There was a shrill laugh, there was a deep laugh. There was a laugh that can be mistaken for crying but I was quite sure that it was a laugh. It was getting louder. There was even a laugh that makes you laugh as well. Then the laughter stopped, as suddenly as it begun. I frowned and decided, though half-heartedly, to sneak a peek.

In Ten Minutes

Let's try to learn something this summer. How about some history of English?

For under ten minutes, you will learn from this video the origins of the English language, how it grew and how it keeps on growing until today. It is informative. Its animations are just as fun. And for someone with an attention span of a little longer than a goldfish, this video works quite well.

This compilation of videos were taken from the Open University site. Videos of lectures and other informative videos of just about any topic under the sun is available in the website, too.

Lolli Cake

Tonight, my brother and I enjoyed some new treats: lollicakes. Yum!

Red velvet lollicake with pink frosting, butterfly candy and silver balls.

I first saw lollicakes in a booth during the Aklan Piña and Fiber Festival. These lollipops filled with delicious cake is so sumptuous (and cute) that I found it difficult to take the first bite. But when I started devouring it, there's no stopping me. How I wished I bought several more instead of just two.

Book Adventures

There were power failures in the afternoons for almost a week now. As if on cue, the website I'm in would fail to load and the electric fan would stop spinning. Then my laptop beeps, which supposedly meant that it was unplugged from a power source.

Disappointed and irritated, I would turn off my laptop having nothing to do with it anymore. But then I start feeling grateful. I finally have time to get back to the printed pages of a book that I have left for cyberspace.

With a book at hand, I would open a door that leads to open air above a rooftop. (A porch wasn't built but the door stayed.) Having no electricity meant no electric fan to move cool air around. Fortunately, the afternoon breeze would be cool enough to keep me from sweating like a pig. I would set a throw pillow by the door ledge and sit on it cross-legged. Then, I would dive into the book ready for some adventure.

Catching Up

I have a confession to make: I didn't continue with the jazz class. In fact, I never went back after my trial session. Even if I was 80% sure I was coming back, 20% still made a difference, plus my parents' unwanted but valid reasons against taking jazz lessons. Since the decision was finalized, it left me with no dancing but more time in my hands. What do I do?

Well, I caught up with my TV series. After all, I have been waiting the whole academic year to get up-to-date with my TV loves plus some new shows introduced by my sister and my cousin. On the line-up I have Smash, Revenge, Grimm, NCIS and The Big Bang Theory. And the list just keeps on growing. Having a cousin at home who follows thrice as many shows as I do is a blessing, except when surfing the internet.

Speaking of catching up, I have finally watched Step Up 3 in the idiot box. I just found out that the dance movie used the song Bust Your Windows in their tango routine. I was like, "Wow! We danced tango with that same song on senior year!" So nobody even cared to inform me about this coincidence? Or rather, destiny? I got goosebumps watching them tango.

New Look 2012

It's summer and my best friend said she is boring herself to death.

It's summer and I have time to tinker with my blog.

And so it began. I have commissioned my best friend again to work her magic in Photoshop to create a new banner and background for my blog. She accepted the job for nothing in return. And, voila!

From this...

...to this.

Payphone

"If happy ever after did exist, I would still be holding you like this"

While already excited for the official music video, let us listen to "Payphone" by Maroon 5 ft. Wiz Khalifa on repeat. For now, the lyric video will do. Time to memorize the lyrics!

Now my admiration  for Maroon 5 seems obvious, isn't it? ("Admiration" is a subtler word for what I feel for them, especially for Adam Levine, but it will do.) By the way, you're welcome! (Though the video has been on YouTube for, what? Three days already? Ha!)

Jazz Class

I tried the new Jazz dance class yesterday. As usual in Kalibo, I came in late. When I arrived, the class was already doing warm up exercises on the floor.

Arms stretched trying to reach the pointed toes. Knees kept locked to stretch the muscles of the legs. Arms gracefully moving in circular motions. Stiffening the abdomen muscles to make sure the exercise is done correctly. (Let's see if I get toned abs after this.)

When I said I wanted to go dancing again, I thought of the beat and the rhythm rushing through me, making my body move in harmony with the music. I thought of the twirls and shakes and sways and the joy I get going through the choreography. I thought of the satisfaction I get from all of these.

Aklan Piña and Fiber Festival 2012

Look what I found today!

See my shadow?

After Ten Days

When I said I was on vacation mode this summer, I was thinking on taking a break from a lot of things, like counting molecules and differentiating radicals. But a break from one thing can lead to another. And so my blog is not as up-to-date as I would have imagined for this summer. Nonetheless, I am back with stories to share, although not everything can be told in one go.

i baked 'em, them brownies

Step Up 4

Activism is when you fight for a cause, usually something political or social. Often, demonstrations or rallies are the common course of action. That is, with placards and shouting and walking on streets and all-night vigils. Can there be any artistic forms of activism?

Yes. Dance.

April Fools

Because there is no better way to celebrate the first of April than to make a fool of oneself.

I have been playing around with the Webcam Toy. I'm not really sure how my webcam vanity started but I have been enjoying it grandly. And here are the evidences. Take your pick.

This is the way to fool around.

Caricature of Me: big eyes and big teeth.

Summer Plans

After almost an hour looking for taxi, my sister and I were able to bring home all my stuff from the dorm. It took us 2 cabs riding in convoy to take all the bags full of my clothes, school supplies, more bags and what-not to her apartment. Plus my bucket and electric fan. Packing them all was both tiring and shocking. I was overwhelmed by the amount of things I kept in my room. You see, nothing must be left behind. I was kind of embarrassed by all my huge baggage that I paraded from my room to the lobby and out of the dorm.

I packed my whole house. Ha!

So there you go. I was cleared and I left the dorm. Goodbye, Kalayaan Residence Hall. I will miss you and all the adventures and mishaps that occurred within your walls. I am a freshman no longer.

The good news? Summer vacation officially started! And since I won't be taking any summer classes in UP, I can do LOTS of things in the upcoming 2 months.

The Hungry Games

With all the hype about The Hunger Games, I can't help but feel left out. You see, I have not read the book nor watched the movie. My sister discouraged me to read the books a few months back. She explained to me why and the reasons will be left undisclosed. On the other hand, I don't want to watch the movie before reading the book. (I have learned my lesson from HP the hard way, thank you very much.) Then I found this newly uploaded video by reallyannoyingorange.

It was a laugh-fest as my friends and I watched this. And take note that my friends have read and watched THG already. I believe that their opinions are legit. If you enjoyed THG, I guess you'll enjoy The Hungry Games, if not annoyed by Orange. Totally worth the watch.

And that's that. All I really want was to mention The Hunger Games. Ha!

Dance, Dance

I have been listening to Kimbra's songs today. I'm beginning to memorize them, actually. Here's Kimbra's Good Intent.

After watching several music videos of Kimbra's songs, I have realized how much I really miss dancing.

I have been used to performing at least once a school year since nursery. Having none in my college freshman year is... unnatural? atypical? different? Whatever. But seriously, it's a new feeling for me. I really want to get down on the floor and do my thing. The beat, the music, the choreography, the all-night practices, the costumes, the final performance: I miss them all! Oh how I wish I can turn back time and keep on dancing like there's no tomorrow. Or at least, enjoy the performance again. Good times.

Lift it All

Oh God, why am I crying? I should be studying for my Finals tomorrow. Lord, help me get through this phase. I know I am not the only one in this world who feel stressed and frustrated, and college might just be a petty problem relative to those of millions of others'. But sometimes, I get carried away and forget why I'm here. And forget that Your always there waiting for me. Now, I lift it all to You because what I do is all for You!

Finals start tomorrow

"I'm going home, to a place where I belong

Where your love has always been enough for me"

- Home by Daughtry

Simple Ideas

I was just scanning through my Facebook notifications when I saw that my friend tagged me to a link she shared. I checked it and found out how awesome the site is. Awesome because I found this video:

This video is entitled "How simple ideas lead to scientific discoveries" uploaded by TED Education. It's inspiring to know how simple ideas can turn into ground-breaking discoveries. It is awesome to think that long ago, people before were able to discover all those things even without the technology that we have today. It was even more fun to watch the video with Adam Savage in it.

Silly Boy

It is not new to see a child, or the driver's family, in the front seat of jeeps, especially if that child is the driver's. So when I rode a jeep earlier today on my way back to my dorm, a little boy next to his driving father was no surprise anymore. I would have loved to protest against this for the sake of the child's safety.

But safety issues are not my agenda here. I am here to tell you about the little boy who rode the jeep as his  father worked.

Naughty, naughty.

Finals

Lookie what I did with Meme Generator!

Ha! Well, that's just about it. To all students out there whose final examinations are coming, may you be an Isko from UP, an Atenista, a Lasalista, a Thomasian or any college student for that matter, be strong, have faith and study hard. Even if you have piles of homeworks to do like I do, keep calm and finish them all. Don't let your inner demons turn you into a lazy bone. We can do this!

And this is what I do to when I'm supposed to finish my pile of school work. Teehee.

Fantastic Flying Books

Here's a copy of this year's Academy Award winner for Animated Short Film The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. Enjoy!

Ever since I heard it during the Awards night, I wanted to watch it so bad that I am becoming impatient for summer vacation to start. Fortunately, I have found this link in YouTube. A big thanks to Sheena Mae Amit for sharing it in Facebook. Air hugs and kisses to you, Sheena!

Now, about the film. I do not want to spoil it to everyone so I'll just say two things I got from the film. First, books give color to your life. Second, never give up on anything you do.

By the way, you might want to bring some tissue because there might be water works along the way. Trust me, I know.

A Night of KontraKultura

Before the month ends, I want to share some photos of what I'd like to think as the highlight of this month, and probably one of the nights I shall cherish as a college freshman.

You see, UP-Diliman held its annual UP Fair on February 14 to 18 at the Sunken Garden. Each night was sponsored by organizations, fraternities, sororities and what-not. As in any fair, there were concerts, food, anything-for-sale bazaars and rides (the perya way). I was not fortunate to ride the Ferris wheel, Space Shuttle or whatever rides there were. But I am happy to have stood in the middle of the Sunken Garden with hundreds of people to watch bands after bands on a Wednesday night, a school night. I do not regret staying up late on a school night.

So there I was enjoying the KontraKultura concert, taking pictures of the many celebrities on stage, including Gary V, Yeng Constantino and Spongecola. I want to shout a big THANK YOU to Nikki Tan for lending me her DSLR for the night (though longer lenses would have been nicer in my spot in the crowd). The concert and the camera made me a happy child that night.

It's the KontraKultura: A Date with Destiny.

Le Kalay Wacky Friday

Finding free time for me is hard, especially during the previous weeks when I have long exams, quizzes, plates and data sheets to face. I was not only busy with acads stuff but with events in my dorm and in my school.

Our dorm held the Kalayaan Residence Hall Week (Kalay Week, in short) from February 7 to 11. Themed after the movie "No Other Woman", Kalay Week was baptized as "No Other Dorm". Our house council prepared different events for each day, like eating contests, open house and, a Kalay trademark, the Wacky Friday. Wacky Friday is the day when most, if not all, residents of the dorm wear anything and everything, as long as it is not nothing. We go around campus in our wacky outfits. We even had a parade around our academic oval.

Here are some pictures of Wacky Friday, most of them I took.

(Part of the) Wacky Friday Parade

A Photo Show and Tell

I feel that I owe my sister some love for her birthday.

Last night, I was not able to hug and kiss her because she was just on her way home from a trip. But I was able to text her at a little passed midnight. I hope she felt the sincerity.

I woke up this morning and saw her sleeping in our room. They might have arrived when I was sleeping. We did not get to have much time together. I was preparing to leave because I had to go back to my dorm in the UP Campus.

Before leaving, I woke her up to tell her that I have to go. At the door, I gave her my gifts: a template "Happy Birthday" greeting, a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Wait, it was more of a cheek-to-cheek thing. Was that enough?

Ain't A Song About Love

Recent status updates by my Facebook friends show mixed emotions about tomorrow. There are those who are super excited to spend time with their love ones and paint the town red. They really want to spread the love. A couple of couple friends make it a special occasion. On the other hand, there are those, such as I, who keep tomorrow as ordinary as possible. I am not bitter (well, maybe for my Chemistry long exam earlier) nor philophobic. I just have no obligation to keep a certain someone feel loved for one day. But mind you, if I have a special one, I would not need Valentine's Day to show how much I appreciate and care for him, right? There are certainly many days in a year for that.

Moving on... All the single ladies (and gents), put your hands up!

I have been listening nonstop to Joseph Vincent's S.A.D. in YouTube after my depressing Chemistry long exam (which I do not want to talk about). His song was like an anti-depressant. Honestly, I can partially relate to its lyrics. And I am sure many others can, too. V-Day makes singledom a little bit more obvious. And as the song says, Valentine's Day is Single Awareness Day. On another note, the song has this nice tune that I can't help but be LSS-ed.


Joseph Vincent has many other songs, so I hope you guys can also check out his official YouTube channel and listen to his other songs. By the way, he has a cover of Parokya ni Edgar's Gitara for all the Filipinos.

Here comes February

It's that time of the year again when florists' sales go up, chocolates and candies go off the shelves, and the lovebirds paint the town red. Yes, it is February. And yes, 13 nights to go and it is Valentine's Day, the day of the hearts, the day of dates, the day of that four-letter word that makes the world go whoosh! LOVE. Yipee! (Though I really prefer thinking Christmas as the Day of Love.)

Whew! It seems that we have just ushered in 2012 yesterday and now we are into the second month. How time flies by when you are having fun with sky high piles of school work to finish, right? But, hey, let's not start the month ranting about my life, shall we?

Just Test Takers Passing

I was one of the lucky people who first shared the link in Facebook and spread the word that the UPCAT results finally came out. I have checked the results and so far most of the people I knew who took UPCAT passed. I just don't know whether it is their first choice or last. But even so, CONGRATULATIONS, future freshies!

Just about this time last year, I got excited with all the test  results coming out. Boy, I was so happy head over heals when I saw my names in every results site of the entrance tests I took. After getting the results, I had the time of my life deciding where to study.

Pasalubong Festival 2012

My body is sore, I want my voice back, I have a stuffy nose and a mountain of schoolwork that should be finished tonight, or before day break tomorrow. But before I write speeches, journals and a kick-arse formal report on an experiment, I would like to share yesterday's highlights.

Kalayaan Residence Hall, my dorm in UP, held a Pasalubong Festival (Pasa Fest, in short) yesterday where dormers brought the specialties of their regions. Pasalubong is a Filipino term for a traditional homecoming gift, so everything yesterday was given for free to everyone, dormers and visitors alike.

Happiness

Have you seen this?

When I first saw this commercial in the idiot box, tears blurred my vision. At first I thought it was a teaser for a new film. But then, a Coca-Cola billboard appeared and it hit me: here's another of Coke's advertisements with a twist.