Moving Forward!

Yes, I am alive!

I can't say "I'm back" though, for one main reason: there is no assurance that I am indeed back on the blogging, and if this time it is for real. The past three months were a whirlwind of learning and adjusting to new people, places, things... New life, perhaps?

What I can say is that my blogging would still be intermittent bordering on nil-nada-zilch. Aside from the fact that I rarely use a computer outside the office now, when I do, I always end up choosing to do other things. I love writing, especially if it's recording my daily life experiences, musings, and whatnot, but sometimes I find comfort in just keeping things reserved. At some point, I felt like I was on the verge of winning the Queen of Overshare crown. As much as it sounds like it's a royal award, I don't think I would like that.

Anyway, this will probably be the last of my journal entries...

For the year! Haha! I don't think I can ever let go of this blog. I've deleted a ton of things that contained years of memories; all those posts prior to the first entry of the rebirth of this blog, and I'm not about to put this all to waste. I will keep this like it's treasure.

I probably won't be writing as frequently as I did when I was in school; back when I had time to write endlessly because I always put off doing my homework. Haha! And I probably won't be writing as much about the details of my life, just because. I never really worried about security or stalkers or whatever; I always believed that I was responsible for everything I published and I still hold that idea that everything that goes on here will be accountable to me. It's just that life gets pretty mundane one moment and super exciting the next. I guess if I write about everything from both ends and everything else in between, I would run out of things to say, and I wouldn't want that. Or if I keep having words to say, which is mostly the case, I would become less interested in what life has for me.

I want to keep this blog for... I dunno. I don't wanna have a purpose for this anymore. Maybe this creature of habit finally found her kryptonite at breaking the writing habit, I don't know. It would be sad but rest assured that I will be coming back. To write about a new career opportunity, to write about family, to write about life and love, to write about the random things I always do, to write about what what drives me to go through day to day...

That said, I will be moving forward, with myself, with work, with family, with love... With life. I am now keeping a journal (yes, the old school one!) and so far have been unsuccessful at making the quota of writing one entry a day! Haha. Quantity doesn't deem to important nowadays when all that matters is that I write with the heart and the mind in the same direction.

Thank you, 2011. You have been an amazing, amazing, amazing year. No words for the greatness you have brought into my life. Welcome, 2012. I have high hopes with you!

And to you, my friend, here's to yet another year gone by and to another year to make hella awesome memories again! Cheers!

Emancipation

For the past months, I have not veered away from the topic of thesis in most of my blog entries. I'm more thankful that you stuck around for this long than I am sorry that this is getting sickening for you. After all, I don't have a particular theme for my blog, but me. Haha, pardon the narcissism if that's how you see it because not once have I intended for this to be in such way; just my online memory box. Anyway, back to the issue.

I hope and pray that THIS shall be the last of my thesis-related blogging saga, because today, my thesismates and I are finally emancipated from all requirements of our degree program's curriculum.

In behalf of Meryl and David of Working Lunch Productions, *insert magical chimes SFX* behold, all 55 pages of nine laborious yet fulfilling months of thesis goodness, hard-bound for the University Archives!

Sure, graduation is a month and a half away but I can't dwindle into idleness, right? Thus, September 1 marks the onset of an uncertain future.

Today's Specialty: Grilled Steak

We carnivores have our own preferences when it comes to how we want our steaks to be grilled: rare, medium rare, medium, or well done. Before that, though, we make sure we have the cut that is just right: filet, ribeye, strip, T-bone/porterhouse, or sirloin.

Today, 16 different cuts of steak (me included) were grilled. No matter how hard each steak cut wished to be grilled rare, the cooks wanted them all medium to well done. It's not exactly a bad thing for all of the steak cuts; how we were grilled actually helped to get the flavor out, almost to the point of charring. The bottom line is that each steak is cooked enough, ready for the October celebration!

Below: (1) Steaks aka thesis groups (2) condiments, garnish, flavoring aka thesis project (3) party time! [Wow, incoherent images in one collage. Tsk. I need more than my REM sleep tonight.]

Pardon the metaphor, it's a metaphor of the hungry! Haha.

My group's defense wasn't exactly exemplar or stellar but we couldn't be more satisfied about how everything fell into place, even if some needed a bit of adjusting. October graduation, here I come! :)

Tried and Tested Thesis Today

Oh, for the love of alliterations. The title is an alliteration, my favorite form of poetry. I think the photo pretty much says it all: video worked, we're satisfied, it feels surreal.

End Credits

I've been all about end credits today, more specifically, about thesis. My bestfriend-sister-thesismate and I finally got through most of the hurdles in this thesis-making marathon! Even our thesis mentor said we're 90% done, so YAY! No other way to express this overwhelming happiness, but YAY!

Non-thesis news: RED UNDERWEAR MYSTERY NO MORE!!!

One of my favorite cartoons, Shaun the Sheep, has this mysteriously funny ending credits. I've been searching for a YouTube clip of it for over an hour now and I dunno if it's just that I can't find the right keywords or that a clip of it isn't available anywhere. I'm sorry, I'll just have to describe it to you:

I have always wondered why, at the end credits of the show, the sheep are staring at the red underwear then at you then back at the underwear, and then at you, as the text scrolls up on the left side. Well, as much as I found it difficult to find a video, it was too easy to find a forum that discussed it. (Yes, it is that intriguing that people talk about it online. Haha! Oh and yes, there's a Shaun the Sheep forum!)

Anyway, my ultimate question has been answered, finally! Now I know! Hahaha!

That's interesting ending credits for you! ;)

Knowing that we're 10% away from when my life really begins, I can allow myself a good rest as I count sheep (woohoo pun intended) tonight!

A Few More Hops

I smell it. I hear it. I feel it. I see it.

A hop away and I can finally taste it! No, not the carrot, silly. Haha.

The taste of sweet success that awaits at the end of this unbelievably long, tedious, and laborious tunnel of hard work and anvils and anvils of sacrifice that rested for months too long upon my shoulders. (Whoo, what a mouthful. Of carrots, haha JK.)

I dreamed with my eyes wide open. I took a leap of faith. I ran blindfolded. I slept with my mind fully awake.

A few more hops and this bunny will get the prized carrot she has yearned for so long.

One last hurdle and my life, in the real, big, bad world, begins.

Doing What You Love

There are certain things that seem ordinary to a lot of people but not to you. It ignites the tiniest spark of interest that grows into this uncontrollable wildfire of ideas that results into an overwhelming mass of motivation and eventually, fulfillment.

Most people won't give a hoot that I love exhausting myself with backstage and media productions. In fact, some might hate such activity. No matter how much hassle it is when interspersed with college and family responsibilities among other things, I do it for the love of giving into what makes me happy. Sure, the demands can be improbable, but that doesn't mean I can't improvise to make the tasks possible; tried and tested, my friend: four years! I lived through four years of bureaucracy by bending but never breaking rules because I know I will only be truly happy to know that I tried and risked, at the least. I do what I do because I love how people of all walks of life become a part of my success and fulfillment.

By doing what you love, you add a little extra effort in and the inevitable extra exhaustion hits rock bottom to the point of power depletion. Doing what you love makes all the effort and energy spent worthwhile! The payoff is always the trophy and gold medal to your seemingly endless marathon, knowing that from the gun start, you have been determined to breeze through it all to the end.

Sometimes, though, I feel that what I do is thankless. (Believe you me, I'm not yearning for credit where it's un/due; four years with my school org taught me that. It's just that I'm a person, too, and I hit rock bottom sometimes. Haha.)

I worked as production assistant today, to a project that my friend is producing, care of the production company she's currently connected with. And I realized that the thanklessness I felt/feel is not always the case with the industry I'm moving around in. It depends with the client/people you're dealing with, the weight of the workload, and the massive amount of pressure upon your shoulders.

In contrast to what I experienced with previous projects (I'm not about to specify where these projects took place and who are involved, haha), today taught me that regardless of your passion in what you do, external forces (such as people's understanding of your task, purpose, or whatnot) determine the intensity of fulfillment that awaits you in the end.

When people understand what, why, and how you do what you love, you're on the way to trashing the idea that your productiveness equates to nothing more than just exhaustion! Ultimately, just make sure you do it out of your own free will and not obligation or coercion. What matters is what's practical and I say practical is whatever makes your heart leap for joy. ;)

One Hundred

I have a hundred ideas stuck in my head and I can't bring myself to start writing them down. I've been hibernating from blogging for the past week (or weeks?) for reasons not obvious but I'll say it anyway... God, I'm tired. I'm always tired when I get home after a long day of video editing. Last week was extra tiresome, especially last Thursday.

As in every university, students have involuntarily created a jargon that creates an identity unique to, for instance, La Sallians. One, among so many is Happy Thursday, a notion where each Lasallian's weekend starts on a Thursday night. At least that was the case for three-four years until this school year started wherein students were expected to have six-day class weeks instead of the four-day ones for which I'm very well used to. Haha. So anyway, I haven't had a Happy Thursday in a really long time but June 16, 2011 broke the uneventful Thursday streak!

DLSU Centennial Celebration: 100 Years of Lasallian Presence in the Philippines

DISCLAIMER: Given that this post is way late for a recap or at least to recount the day's events, please do not expect this entry to have such contents. As this blog has been a journal for a good number of years (yes long before this revamped version), this entry will contain no more than my insights and what not. Haha. Besides, there are too many news articles, personal blogs, and photos and videos by now, all documented that day fully. Simply, you cannot get them here, haha.

Anyway. Better a late post than to never post at all. Hah! So when I said that last week was extra tiresome, I wasn't even *this close* to exaggerating. I was up and about from dawn until a little after midnight the next day; oh, and not much sleep the day before that as well, if that's any clear visual of the situation, haha. So anyway, I was a part of the centennial celebration production team so last week was pretty much pandemonium in my eyes.

This is me, spotted by a good friend Camille Go, while at the stage, doing what I love to do. This photo is priceless! Hahaha.

I don't look very happy there, yes? Hah! Can you blame me? It's part of the happiness: all the confusion, stress, and pressure... It all boils down to getting through it all and feel happy after everything, realizing that once more, I made things happen. Well, it's not just me, duh, but simply being part of a big success, knowing how my contributions, huge or tiny, helped in managing the audience's experiences.

Like what our group's adviser said in our pre-production meeting: "This is not a simple production or show we're doing on Thursday. It's more of a big production where we manage the experience of our audience." (Well, that's not verbatim because he talked too fast, but that's the gist. Haha.)

This was the grandest production that ever happened in my life, YET... And probably my last with the Green Media Group. :') *sniff* I have shared a spectrum of emotions with the group I considered my family in the university for four years, the group with which I built my world around. Let this entry be my medium to express how thankful I am for what GMG and CAO has given to me; trust, knowledge, and experience.

Thank you to everyone who believed I can do things. Thank you also to everyone who doubted that I could, because I think I just got better and stronger. :> Haha! No, really, I can't imagine what has become of me now if not for GMG; not that I'm a big somebody now, but I know that I can break boundaries and still know my limits.

I have been given the rarest of opportunities to serve and lead. I may not yet be the person I want to be but it's all in the works. You have trusted me a hundred percent, expect that I give back to you a hundred times more.

I Get Crazier By The Hour!

The moment we got home from the mall... *snap*

I posted the photo on my Facebook Wall.

I missed Maroon 5 once so I made it a point not to miss Maroon 5 Live in Manila! (2011)! Woohoo! Uh, bronze tickets, not bad. HAHA. Well, I wanted more but I couldn't ask for more. I don't think I deserve any better; thank you, daddy! ♥ :)

Then I find myself posting it on Twitter.

See you, @adamlevine, you one of a kind god of perfection; so hot that heaven kicked you out to live with mortals.

As if one photo wasn't enough, I had to post it on on two (now, three) media. And tagging/mentioning/replying to Adam Levine (I can't even choose one photo from the Googled images oh my) in a lusty fan-girly message. God bless my soul. Hahaha!

High School Kids On A Saturday Night

So we play the old-fashioned game. It's a cliché and I like it.
In case you're wondering what that nip-slip of a photo is behind the card:

Text Message Day

I really have no idea what to write right now. Last night, February 13, I had some things on my mind I wanted to blog about on a day like Valentine's Day. I was too sleepy and I thought it would be more apt to write about V-Day on the day itself; like, how mine went and all.

This morning, I received several text messages from this boy that went well with the day's "theme" but not with the days tasks. It's really confusing. A bit stressful, too, given all the things I needed to accomplish. The text messages turned into an invitation to dinner on Friday, yay! About time. Haha! Anyway, it was the usual vague conversation but at least we got one detail right. Only for it to be retracted because of inconsistencies with his schedule, which was a bummer; but he did try to redeem himself right away. We settled on a casual Thursday dinner.

That said, I can't deny the giddy feeling that's been fluttering in my tummy. Hihi.

That said, I'm not easily swayed. This morning, I sent a really mushy text message to the best girl friends that a girl can ask for! And I stand by what I said, which I sadly can't retrieve from my phone with such uhmayyyzing performance; try, deleting messages on its own. *_*

My friends (or sisters?) taught me how to be thankful for what I have and not yearn for what I don't or can't have. Aren't they just the best? :) You wouldn't know, but I tell you, they simply are. ;)

Ugly title.

Go, Shoot!

Yes, thesis-related entry. Don't skip this, no ranting this time!

My thesis group, Working Lunch Productions, finally got the "go" we so longed for from our thesis mentor last night. We literally exhaled a sigh of relief; a loud one, at that. Meryl can attest to that, haha.

And just tonight, David texts us about showing us something so we should go online right away. Here, take a look at this and tell me one good reason why I shouldn't get the least bit excited about shooting!

Thanks to Hannah Adriano for the logo, and I assume, Michael Pujol and David for this animation!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

[Automated post! Since I'm probably too busy having the time of my life back in Davao where my family and friends who I love are at. And besides, I don't have internet connection. Haha.]

To share the holiday cheer, here's an e-Christmas card for all of you!

(Please click link!)

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!

The End of The Beginning

Officially done with THESIS A! The meeting/orientation or pep talk/party or what have you that we had with our thesis mentor this afternoon was overwhelming. It made me realize how much I have to be thankful for since, yun na nga, after all the painstaking days and nights trying to perfect our proposal, well, I can't say that it's perfect per se, thereabouts.

And as it all ended, it's time to welcome the holidays with a merry cheer! (Whuts.) And after that, I come back to reality that the end of this term is only the beginning of a life-altering academic challenge!

Working Lunch Productions, lunchmates, we've only just begun! Let's go for gold! *wink, nudge*

P.S. / O.T.

I'm quite sad that the Philippines lost the first leg of the AFF Suzuki Cup to Indonesia by 0-1. It's the first time that I have ever been excited about a football game and we lost. *sigh* Anyway, we just need to score two goals on the second leg and we're good to go!

Almost Done

Last academic class for the day, week, month, term, year, degree, ever... Over!

Steady-awesome day.

(Photos to follow. Nothing much, just something out of boredom. And shutter happy-ness. Hihi. Thanks to Meryl in advance!)

I Love College

I know I've been wanting out for quite a while now, but thinking about the responsibilities that await... Nah. I don't ever wanna rush college. Ever. Sure, there'd be times I'd fee like shiz and just give up. I know in the end it's not that easy after college anyway.

There's never an easy way out of anything. However, though, there will always be temporary bliss; especially when you're with people you love!

Orgcom, cheers!

(Photo by Therese Ong @ Rooftop, 7:00ish PM)

College friends, drinks, memories! Cheers to college!

Working Lunch Goes Working Sunday

My thesis group, Working Lunch Productions, covered the Marian Procession at Intramuros, Manila today. Actually, it was just Meryl and I. Our other group mate, David, couldn't make it because of a tennis game he had to play in; something like that.

Anyway, I just wanted to immortalize this day. I don't usually go to religious festivities unless it's required in school or mandated by the family. So today's Marian Procession was sort of an I-have-no-other-choice kind of thing. We need to have footage of this annual event, happening only every first Sunday of December sponsored by the Department of Tourism and the Intramuros Administration, for future use for our thesis project.

I bought the family some souvenirs. Haha. Just to remember this day by, you know?

Armed in Meryl's SD video camera, and her in her DSLR, we trooped around and along Aduana-General Luna Streets to cover the main event. We didn't clearly know what was going on, what was about to happen, what we were supposed to do. But I think we managed fine. Haha. I really enjoyed the bulk of it, specially the part where we had to cross the street where the procession starts; which meant that we had to weave through the thick sea of devotees! Man, that was crazy. We had to join the crowd for a bit, hopping and clapping in rhythm with the brass band and devotees' chants, before we found refuge onto the other side. That was really nice.

And, December 6 edit... SOUVENIR SHOT!

Thanks to Meryl for the photo!

December Kicks Off Nicely

What a feat. Our thesis proposal paper is done.

Well, the format's still on the works as of tonight but uh, I think we're good to go. I shall now informally part ways with sleepless nights and zombie waking hours. Hello, bed, pillow, and blanket!

To celebrate this joyous day (HAHA), it ended with a chill bonding experience with my GMG babies. My self-claimed little sister, Arlene, Nikkai to me, turned 19 last Saturday. Her birthday treat was loud, tiring, and tipsy. It was awesome. I missed that feeling.

So, hello, hello, baby December. Keep all the good things coming!

Here's a webcam snapshot of Meryl and I on a quick breather from all thirty pages of words, words, words, and more words. Apt isn't it? Camcorder template, video thesis? Haha, la la la.

From The Heart to The World, BIDA: Be The Change!

Last weekend was the deadliest, most tiring, and equally fun weekend of my life so far. I was recommended by the Cultural Arts Office Director to be a facilitator at the CEAP Bidahan youth camp, with two other officers from the same office. I was iffy at first, thinking that it would be such a hassle, with thesis and the term nearing its end. But I met new people who are now good friends of mine; that alone takes away all the worries and doubts. I also gained so much experience in facilitating a large group of people with a vast set of unique personalities, as well as in dealing with different kinds of situations. I still have so much to say! But I'm still tired from those two days, so here I am, reporting that I am still alive after all the mental, physical, and emotional chaos I went through last week.

Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP)

BIDA: Be the Change (Bidahan) 2010 Youth Camp

November 27-28, 2010 | Assumption Antipolo

From the heart to the world, BIDA: Be The Change!

Earth keepers, ethical leaders! Ate Misyel Avelino pep talks all facilitators at the Faci HQ, aka Bat Cave!

Facilitators from DLSU (CAO, SLIFE, DO, LSPO) with Sir Lysander and Sir Jupiter!

The fusion of crazy facilitators that is DLSU and CSB! The oldies couldn't handle us. Hehehe.

More photos!

Butterfly Twin Popsies with my newly-found cousin, Margie!

Ever so kulit duo from LSPO, Nino and Chase!

Co-facilitator Aya and I with the brains of Bidahan, Mr. Rene Salvador San Andres!

Thanks to Geom (in blue) for bringing us to untouched girls' room with a shower head!

Okay, so on my way to the wash room to brush my teeth... Let's just say there were so many interruptions that led me to this... The most dyahe fan photo that Paolo Santos will ever have. Haha. He was cool about it anyway!

On to the next day...

I have to admit. I like sleeping on the floor but I hate waking up to find that I was on the floor all night. My back, hips, and joints won't stop screaming at me. But at least I was wearing the panda socks that Joh gave me. Hihi.

The trio just can't stop bonding. Haha.

Forcing a smile despite the extreme exhaustion.

Time to go home!

The Wait

... is almost over!

I mean, I waited one full year, three extra terms, for this.

I hope all goes well. With this term's thesis proposal paper and last academic course, and a major at that, and next term's thesis production and practicum. Let this be it!

And can I just add? The "Final Page" of the enrollment process has never meant this much, that it felt so real, until today. LET THIS BE IT! THESIS IT!