Game Fez

After one whole week, the Vicente Hao Chin, Sr. Memorial Cup 7th National Inter-Scholastic Table Tennis Championships finally came to a close yesterday night. It was a nerve-wrecking, jugular-popping, heart-stopping experience from emceeing the ceremonies, printing out certificates, writing as a ghost-writer, counting prizes, counting scores, and playing our hearts out. And as much as I'd like to say I'm done and over with it (all this stress), just like how my other teammates are probably so happy and relieved about, I can't.

For some insane reason I was left to make the souvenir program. The souvenir program is something that is ideally given at the start of the event, something like a playbill you can buy before watching the play. But since this souvenir thing is to be given out two weeks after the event, I suppose it's something more like a scrapbook. A scrapbook that looks like a playbill. I'm supposed to have two people helping me, if what I remember is correct. But one is in Batangas and the other in Kalinga. I don't know. I guess I'm alone.

So yeah, here I am on break but stressing like I've got some major project breathing down my neck.

I just keep on reminding myself that I have at least one thing to be happy about: our team (Ateneo team B composed of Aneka, Ice, Iya, and Kim) won third place in the Women's Team event. No medal, but we've got a trophy!

photos by Analyn Yap

Confessions of an Ex-Blockmate

Clicking through photos, looking at wasted happy faces,
happy faces without my face to count among,
I am afraid that my friends have forgotten me.
Then this feeling of loneliness settles within my heart.

I've got no place to belong.

But I take a second look at their smiling faces,
A second glance and a second thought.
Then I say to myself -
Everything's fine, at least they're having fun.

I don't really need a place to belong.

Once in a while, some words are exchanged:
I miss you, I miss you too
But we both know
Things can never be the way that they used to.

I think I'm happy though,
even if things are like this.

I don't regret anything, the moving... nope, I don't.
We've had some memories, good ones alright
And I know we can make more of them,
In infinite, to be exact.

I just can't help it though
I feel a little bit sad now and then

Rory's turned one year some time ago
I saw the banner while riding someone's car, can't remember who
Had flashbacks of what we used to do, familiar faces warm laughter...
At this point I stopped, and held my heart

You can't turn back time,
you can only look forward to what it can bring
and to what you can do.

On our way home from a class trip
My new classmates were having a discussion in the car
Talking about someone, I asked who
He said a name -- an ex-blockmate of theirs

Then I wondered
Is that what they call me now too?

Wrapped and Ribboned

I think I know what I want for Christmas...

Brad Pitt's bike.

~ * ~
If a star can do it, so can you.
Pick up a bike now why don't you.
~ * ~

Curve Ball

SO. I just found out that I'm exempted from my Physiological Psychology finals this Saturday. Nyahaha! And... I'm still in disbelief. Yep. That's right. This subject was the one I was failing. I don't get it. My third long test must have been high. Yeah, that's probably it. I mean, wow. Really wow. All that going to school on a Sunday and donating blood was definitely worth it. Bonus points, beybi.
...
I'm free! I'm free o free o free. Sembreak officially starts today yo! Now I must wait for the rest of my subjects. I really hope I get into the dean's list this semester. I need to even out my units across the three semesters I have left before graduation.
...
SEMBREAK HERE I COME!!! hahahahaha

The Big TWO - O

I can definitely say that it has been a good twenty years, from the view point of a daughter. What you have together has been, and still is, an amazing marriage that's jam-packed with life and love. Thank you for being the greatest, mom and dad.

Happy 20th Anniversay!

At Nasaan Ka?

Exponential

This is probably my nth tumbler of coffee for the past few days. I think I've averaged about two a day. And well yes, I'm still not done studying for my finals. I'm actually in a cram. But I'm trying to keep the panic at tide. Nothing's going to help if I just let the panic flow in...

Bleh, what am I saying?! I've been subconsciously panicking since Saturday night!

Tempting

I know I shouldn't, but i still really really REALLY want this (I wouldn't mind this one either).

It's either someone gives me one or I will buy one.
Or something like that.

Finals week. Oh my. I have to start studying. Must start. Must must must. What am I doing? Doing nothing. Study Aneka, study!

Talk about Zeitgebers

I woke up today, thinking it was still morning, only to look over at my clock and realize that it was already one hour past noon. It gave me a jolt at first, but then I remembered that today was a holiday. Nevertheless, I've got things to do (a lot of things to do!) for this week and the next. I can't afford to be sleeping in just now. The weather's not helping though. That's why I woke up at such a time. It's been raining non-stop since 1 am, so just visualize -- rain outside your window, its sound, the cold cool air, the warm blankets, soft pillow, dark room -- who would not want to sleep in to this?! So yeah... I got up (despite not wanting to), had lunch, and gulped down a cup of coffee. Will be going back for more caffeine, definitely. I need something to combat this oh so wonderful mood for being lazy. It's tempting, really. really.

Was a bit exhausted from yesterday. No, actually, I've been exhausted from the past week. I realized my sleeping pattern has shifted because no matter how tired I am, I always sleep past 12 midnight -- around 1 or 3 or 4am. It depends. Sleep deprivation can screw you over bad.
But yeah, anyway, last night was the bonfire. I wasn't sure I wanted to go, but I went anyway. It's been ages since the last bonfire, I was still in high school the last time, so I might as well give this one some time. I came from a make-up class for physiology class, then went straight to Bel field. First thing I faced: massive number of people in blue. Second thing I faced: Being lost and not being able to find my friends. Third thing I faced: A sea of mud. You know, it also rained during the last bonfire. It was also held at bel field. It was also bathed in mud. Nevertheless, just like this one, it was flanked with people -- die hard Ateneans bleeding blue with pride of a championship.

At some point I just wanted to go home already, tired and muddy was not a state I wanted to be in. I was reunited with my brothers and mother after some time, as well with Hali's classmates. I ended up spending the bonfire with my brother's high school classmates: Jude, Jum and Janko. Hahaha. Standing around trying to figure out what to do, skirting the mud bathed field, scavenging for food, wolfing down a steak dinner, singing our Alma Mater song to the lighting of the bonfire and fireworks -- it was all good. It was fun, somewhat.

We didn't finish the whole event, we just wanted to see the bonfire get fire-d, so right after that we headed home. On the way, I realized katipunan was definitely Atenean's turf, everything was bathed in mud prints.

We should have bonfires more often, ergo we should win the championships more often.
I wonder, next time, will the field be muddy too?

Check out my semi-cleaned-by-tissue shoes, remnants of yesterday still attached. Before my attempt at cleaning them, nothing of the white parts could be seen!

Hep! Now on to work, on to work.