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.

On Hold Until Further Notice

Taking a breather from thesis as I fly my butt to my home town, Davao City, tomorrow morning and come back to Manila after a full seven days. I feel guilty for putting things (namely thesis and nothing else) on hold to go on this mini-vacation. I can't help it though if my life was pretty much planned and The Bureau (Adjustment Bureau reference) suddenly decides to adjust my life plan.

I think we need to breathe once in a while. Sometimes, literally, especially when people and certain circumstances just do not make a good match and will eventually cause your blood to boil, your face to burn, and your sanity to go down the drain.

So grab that yellow tape and bind all your worries away... Until further notice! ;)

The Final Wrap

"It's a wrap!"

You have to know how amazing that sounds. I've been saying the same phrase with the same amount of energy and conviction for six different days. Today, I overflowed with determination and hope that it will be the last time. I am confident that we have enough material to work on so that this extended time for our thesis completion will finally happen.

Although, I can never be too sure, especially when it comes to our thesis adviser's assessment of our finished product; the project that has been in the works for too long, in my honest and semi-bitter opinion, haha. Time to make this video super great! I pray that God sends down the Holy Spirit to guide us in every step that we make from now on; every minute detail. May Jesus live in my heart and keep me strong, confident, and determined... Now and forever!

Thank you to today's amazing crew: Gio San Pedro, Kay Adre, and AJ Cabrera. I'll speak for Meryl Algenio when I say: Thank you and we deeply appreciate all your help today! We love you!
Please, let this be a wrap. Let this be THE WRAP! Amen!

June 2011 Graduation

APRIL FOOL'S!!!

Holding On

Whenever I complain or consider giving up (but not really), I hear from my family and friends the overused clichés that are: "Konting tiis na lang!" or "Malapit na! Kaya yan!" or "Hang in there!"

Given the Chairman's recent adjustment of my life plan (The Adjustment Bureau reference), I can only shrug my shoulders and reply: "Well, konting tiis pa pala." or "Malayo pa, pero one at a time. Kakayanin." or "That's what I've been doing; I'm gonna hang on some more."

When you've pretty much planned your life and some undesirable circumstances try to mess with it, you're up against the natural flow of fate. Or whatever it is that's trying to set your life on track. Sometimes it's just you, but you know, you can't have everything within your reach all the time. This time, it's out of my hands.

So I've press-released to my family and closest friends that I'll be finally graduating in June 2011, and suddenly, we had to defer our thesis for another term. So I won't be graduating in June, as planned; and I shall wait for October to get my hands on that college diploma. Who knows, we might be able to produce one hell of a thesis video as we are given more time to perfect it. I felt broken and devastated but I'm back on my feet and I have more heart and motivation to still be in the race.

Because really, there's nothing more to hold on to but my own determination, hard work, and positivity.

. . .

An ellipsis is a series of marks that calls for an intentional omission of words, or a provocation of thought, whatnot. Right now, an ellipsis best describes my current state of... Speechlessness? Oh, not even. The fact that I have these words now makes it null.

It's just that... I can't bring myself to be any more forcibly optimistic in the same way that I can't let myself delve into pessimism.

I am capable only of apathy and numbness; I incessantly fall into a pit of endless space that I can't seem to decide whether I'm sinking or floating. I cannot decide if what I see is black, white, or gray. I don't know if it's colored, either. Even my knowledge of colors seem to be subject of doubt.

Un-think, un-think, un-think, please... All these undesirable musings; these musings that do not seem far from reality. It comes into full circle, I realize, as reality, yet again, proves to be unworthy of cognitive desire. But it has not happened yet. I hope it won't, that mind-boggling possibility.

I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing. I'm holding on, I'm holding on, I'm barely holding on to you.

I can't sleep. I'm too busy fighting with the demons in my head.

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!

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!

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.

Slack No More!

I am a student. I am an artist. I am a leader. In all, I am a student-artist-leader.

Being a student isn't much of a choice, when I look at it now. I have to get quality education to be able to achieve at least the practical things in life, with convenience. Being an artist... Well, I'm not the conventional artist you have in mind; not even the one I had in my mind! Being part of a media and production organization under the office that advocates culture and arts made me an artist in my own terms. As William Ernest Henley wrote in Invictus: "I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul." Whether or not my student organization decided that I was leader material after all, I am a leader in more ways than one. In the end, they did decide that I could lead; so lead, I do try.

Given all those, I should at least be at my best always. Don't get me wrong, I try.

It frustrates me that I only realized how a slack I've become (thesis-wise) after my thesis group got approved on the first reading. Sure, it was all overwhelming at first. The happiness was like drugs, I tell you; not that I do drugs at all, haha! Anyway, the happiness, I think it sent useless fumes to my brain and told me to hold off everything about thesis. Time wasn't wasted at all anyway when I focused on my only class for the term. That went well, too, so it's all good. It's just so frustrating that we had a three-week (or so?) head start for research and all that paper stuff!

Now that the storm's gone (literally; goodbye, Juan and Katring), everything seems to be calming down. Things are falling into place, one by one, the way it always does! I just hope I don't let opportunity slip away again. Like what David said this afternoon: "When the opportunity's there, you just have to get it!"

So farewell, slacker vibes! Leave me be! Come to me, productivity!

That Driving Force

I feel compelled to explain myself again, why I haven't posted a single entry since... Since... See, I can't even remember. And yes, I'm that lazy to even check. I just want this entry to be over with. I feel forced to write this entry because...

THIS IS SUCH A MEGA AWESOME DAY, OKAY!!!

For the past few weeks, I've been too occupied with school and everything else; what with my visiting relatives and best friend for life staying here at our home for three weeks, plus homework and readings from my only class for the term, a deadly kind of concentration and determination for a successful topic thesis proposal, and a heap of tasks for my extra-curricular activities, I'd be lucky to have energy and time to visit my blog.

As I have mentioned, I've been focused on thesis ever since my thesis group met with our mentor. After several visits to our prospective partner organization, consultations with our thesis mentor, and a number of working lunches with my thesismates/lunchmates (as I fondly call them), we have come to this day. I have to say, I expected for our proposal to be approved right off the bat. Our mentor said so, too. Hihi. Turns out, we had to defend our topic. I haven't slept enough since Monday and it hurts. (Emotionally and physically, motherhen.) And I've been trying to nurse this gradually increasing pain in my right eye. Migraine, anyone?

Anyway, fast forward to today, please. Ladies and gentlemen, the driving force behind this entry...

APPROVED!

Approvato, aprobada, genehmigt, approuve! It all translates to: HAPPINESS.

(Thanks to Meryl for the printscreen. I can do it myself but... See, I'm that lazy.)

So as I've said, we had to defend our topic. That happened at 1PM today. Guess what, we did well, probably. Uhm, no. MOST LIKELY. Haha! The moment we sat for defense, the Department Chair said, "I have no questions. I approved this." Huh! What is, I was sure we would get approved no matter what? Hahaha. Fine, I'm too sure of myself that it must hurt. But I was, and I guess I was right to have stuck with the conceit. Haha.

I wish for more bright sunlight and wonderful clouds. (Pun intended. Supertyphoon Megi is on its way to this part of my country. No, please, no. Gah.)

Best Weekend Yet

I believe I had the best weekend of the year yet.

Last Tuesday, I received news about what lies ahead for me in the next three terms of the incoming school year. I pulled an MIA (missing in action) Wednesday because the news from Tuesday has not sunk in yet. Oh, and because I had to cram a project and study for an exam. Thursday was another MIA day, but mostly from obligations and other responsibilities. It was a chill-day Thursday where everything's already perfect except for the parental issues that come and go. Frustrating.

Anyway, I'm here to word-vomit about my weekend. And to me, and other four-day-class week students, the weekend starts on a Friday!

Friday was awesome! I spent the whole day with my best bud, Bru! We went Greenhills shopping in the morning, lunch at Savory Chicken, chilled at Gelatissimo, a little more shopping at Greenbelt in the early afternoon, and wasted away chatting at Starbucks until sundown. I missed Bru so much, and now that he's back in Davao, I miss him again! And very late that night, I sat and bonded over coffee with my mom and two ate cousins! Looong day but it was hella good.

Zippo necklace I bought for my bud for P80!

At Topman. Yes, we both tried on a shirt. No problem for him, see. Ugh, I can be such a boy sometimes! Haha!

Chilled at Gelatissimo! Love you, bud!

Goofing with my mom at Bo's Coffee. Two cousins' photos were too goofy for this entry that they might have me killed if I put them up. Haha! Baboy! (Inside-joke!)

Saturday was majorly super mega ultra awesome! I met up with Lexie at the MRT Magallanes Station so we could go to the Shang together. We met up with thesis-mates Tracy and Nadine, went to Cartwheel Foundation, Inc. (their chosen organization for thesis) where Joh was, to help them prepare for the night of their lives, the event!

I got to do what I do best, event production! Well, by best, I may not be that good, but event production is something I believe I can really manage long-term. I acknowledge all the panic and stress pre-, during, and post-production. It's part of a long process that involves mega fulfillment in the end! So, to my three amazing friends: Joh, Tracy, and Nads, thank you for giving me the opportunity to take part in producing your event! I know I do those stuff in GMG but I think your event gave me satisfaction that's totally in a different league!

Being the Green Media Group person that I am, I spent an awful lot of time running from the stage, where the AVP was located, then up the tech booth for lights and sounds. Above is me taking a breather in the tech booth. Hahaha.
[Photo courtesy of Therese Ong]

Oops? Photo size fail? Haha. Okay, I'm lazy to re-upload. Make do with this, please. Thanks. Haha. So above is a photo of 8 lovely Org Comm girls as production crew; 3 thesis-ers and 5 friendly helpers. Haha. Plus! The thesis group's mentor and three other professors from the panel. Congrats again, girls! ;)
[Photo courtesy of Lexie Cerezo's camera. I think. Haha!]

How nice is it that the event title fit squarely with what the night really was? A NIGHT TO REMEMBER: Cartwheel Foundation, Inc.'s recognition dinner held at The Legend Villas, Mandaluyong City. A night worth remembering, definitely.

AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME.