And yes, it's been a while.
.:Strange:.
Few things can intimidate me more than have a revered person express an obvious negative emotion or sentiment towards you, be it anger, or worse, disappointment. It even gets worse when that sentiment is veiled in a cryptic message. I seem to have run into that kind of deal this past week, and mind you, it’s very… unsettling.
I ran into Mr. Callasanz last Tuesday, and he asked me about my plans after graduation. I realize that my plans at this point have very little to do with Philosophy, and that, to me, did not seem like an issue at all. I honestly love Philosophy, but I realize that Philosophy doesn’t really love me back that much. I cannot begin to explain how frustrating it has gotten to me that this is the case. I’ve worked pretty hard in my Philosophy subjects, but whatever it is, something is holding me back from really excelling in it, as is characterized by my B+ last semester with Dr. Barbazza. At the same time, things in my Comm life have been shaping up immensely well lately, what with my moderate success in Radio 1 at RX and all…
Mr. Callassanz quietly listened to my plans, asked me about marriage, then afterwards…
“Marcelle, my only advice for you is, magpaka-ugat ka.”
I hate it when people talk in riddles.
I don’t know if he was trying to tell me that I should know better what I really want to do with my life, or if he wants me to still go and try to teach Philosophy, but I don’t want to flatter myself by assuming the latter. I honestly don’t think I deserve as prominent a rub from a “main eventer” like Mr. Callasanz for him to actually express a marked disdain over my not trying to pursue a career in teaching Philosophy after I graduate, especially considering that I was NEVER his student in Philosophy to begin with. I was merely a student of his in poetry, and at the same time, other than Dr. Barbazza, I never knew any other “devil” than Mr. Bulaong, anyway, which essentially points to a limited repertoire of Philosophical mentors.
Mr. Bulaong was no help, either, when I asked him about it. He only mentioned that Mr. Callassanz’ statement to me was a lot more direct than what Mr. Bulaong got that led him to teach Philosophy, anyway. Yes, there is a similar pattern, but I know Mr. Bulaong aced Mr. Callassanz. I had him for just poetry, and I only hacked a B+. This, I believe, is telltale of how unqualified I view myself as far as teaching Philosophy goes. With that in mind, I can’t help but smile at the flattering thoughts some of my classmates bestow (undeservingly) upon me, about how great I am at Philosophy and all that. Unfortunately, that just really doesn’t represent the status quo.
I am fond of Philosophy, and yes, I would have to say I am quite competent with it. In spite of that, I am far from getting anywhere with what I have in Philosophy, given that my predilection is already towards communications. If I were to assume, whether or not the assumption is right, that Mr. Callassanz really wants me to go and teach Philosophy, I would have to say that he sees something in me that I simply don’t. I don’t see what makes me so different from all the other people I know who are quite good at Philosophy. For that matter, I see no reason as to why I should even be considered before Philosophy majors themselves. All these things, when considered, spell out the fact that I really shouldn’t so much as expect myself to be teaching Philosophy any time soon.
I’m a bit paranoid about what he had to say, and talking to one of my Philo classmates about it did little to alleviate it, as she was on a “go Marcelle” mode, which, while flattering, really does little for me. Ah, well. I guess I have to get used to all of this until the end of the schoolyear. I do want to teach, but aside from financial considerations, I also do not feel I am capable, much less, patient to actually go through it without a hitch. I hope clarity will come along and pick me up soon enough…
.:Taboo:.
In Philosophy class, I recently committed one of the biggest social blunders imaginable… we were talking about Plato’s reason to not justify suicide, and then after Mr. Bulaong gave Plato’s explanation, he adds further that Plato believes you will be reincarnated into a pig if you commit suicide. He then warns everyone about the next time they eat pork chop… to which I blitheringly replied, “Lest you run into Miriam’s son…”
What’s wrong with my above statement? Two things, actually…
1. Miriam’s son is an Atenean.
2. Someone beside me suddenly piped up, “Hey! That’s my friend!”
You can tell that my mouth was too fast for my brain…
.:Debating Never Dies:.
On the last minute, I decided to push through with my debating for the rest of this schoolyear. I don’t know. I guess I realize I have only this left to prove, as far as I am concerned. Nonetheless, I don’t mind. I had a good time with the debate, anyway, and it’s funny considering Mavic was wondering if I were gay.
Why do people ask that during the times when I’m not pretending to be one? Heh.
Nonetheless, I’m doing fine with my debating, though it’s far from completely smooth-sailing… I guess it helps me that I’m not that gung-ho about it, so I have a healthy bordering on lackadaisical attitude about it. Varsity accreditations, for instance, was rather quick for me, as I didn’t even make it to the third round. That fact, notwithstanding, I discovered that Dione (a.k.a. C.P.#8.) actually smokes, which strikes her off, and adds Rachel Reyes as C.P. #12 in one felling swoop. I didn’t even try out for varsity adjudication, considering I wanted to get to Quiapo and have my non-saving copy of Megaman Zero replaced.
.:Gone Are The Good Old Days:.
… when I’d constantly look at all the nice comments I get in my blog. I guess I can’t help but feel a bit bad about it, but then again, it’s my fault, really. I haven’t been up to snuff with my writing lately, nor have I been keeping up with my columns, movie reviews, and Philosophy. I guess I can try writing well again, but with some dead wood out and the fact that I really don’t plug myself as much as others can and do, then I suppose I can’t expect too many comments in my weblog anymore… or my LJ, for that matter. That’s too bad, but that’s the way the ball rolls, I suppose.
To think I’ve been doing this blogging business for only a year and a month long… ah, well.
.:And Turvey Does It Again:.
Lest I pre-empt what Startxt would let his subscribers know, I had to take out some info I wrote about Brad Turvey the last time. Now that the cat is out of the bag, I can now freely mention that he will be the new Channel V VJ starting this December. Unfortunately, I have no access to Channel V, so I have no idea how he does with it. He has another huge thing lined up for him, but I’m not at a liberty to say that until it’s also over and done with. ::grins::
Anyways, I haven’t been able to train for the past two weeks for my Radio 1 due to my annoying schedule that left my M-W-F starting off at 8:30 in the morning. It sure castrated my time in the booth, so I was thinking of training solely on Saturday, but the problem with that is the fact that I have to wake up after sleeping late due to Smackdown…
Nonetheless, last Thursday, Brad, Chico, and Delle had two of Brad’s co-VJ’s join in on the Morning Rush, and I must say, it was fun. Let’s put it this way: I’m sick of seeing Heart Evangelista’s face just so I can watch a video I know Myx would play… that lady has been on top of my annoying people list already. Moving on, the two VJ’s there were fairly okay, and I know Brian Gomez was rather captured in the moment… heh. I guess I’m just a bit out of the typical, neh? Things were pretty fun there, though.
That's how my week has been. And yours?
Saturday, November 29, 2003
Friday, November 28, 2003
Monday, November 24, 2003
Oh, I suppose the weekend was quite enjoyable, to say the least. Friday was marked by the fact that there were no classes due to ACP, and I took that as the opportunity to stick around at Grace's house, after we saw Scary Movie 3. I don't exactly recall what I was up to after that, but I think Grace left her house before I actually did, because I was too busy working on tournament results and the like. I didn't try to go and catch up with my ACP anymore, instead choosing to just skip it altogether. Knowing me, and the fact that I don't take cuts with my classes, there's no reason for me to worry about four or even nine cuts in my M-W-F classes... heh.
Nonetheless, when I got done with all that, I then went off to the arcades for a short while. I was at Megamall around six in the evening to eight thirty, just trying some new stuff with SVC. I'm getting tired using my regular characters, so a change would be refreshing.
Smackdown was great last Friday night. Heyman is certainly golden on that mic.
Saturday turned out fine, though only ten people went in for the tournament. In spite of that, I'm still glad that the tournament went well, and my Ric Flair deck has been showing signs of bad construction that I realized only now. I'll work on it soon enough. Plus, I'll get started with Team Angle as well.
I had a great time playing Smackdown: Here Comes The Pain. Though the counter system is a bit disorienting, the game is absobloodylutely great. I hope to play more of it soon... anyways, it was a great first run for me, and helped me ease into a slooowww Sunday afterwards.
Don't look now, but I'm beginning to feel insecure about my writing again. This person has been coming up with a lot of great stuff to write about, that I can only do without the temptation of internet access. Considering that my home computer is busted, I don't have that benefit...
Sigh. There go my plans of completing my novel before I graduate. Perhaps one chapter?
Nonetheless, when I got done with all that, I then went off to the arcades for a short while. I was at Megamall around six in the evening to eight thirty, just trying some new stuff with SVC. I'm getting tired using my regular characters, so a change would be refreshing.
Smackdown was great last Friday night. Heyman is certainly golden on that mic.
Saturday turned out fine, though only ten people went in for the tournament. In spite of that, I'm still glad that the tournament went well, and my Ric Flair deck has been showing signs of bad construction that I realized only now. I'll work on it soon enough. Plus, I'll get started with Team Angle as well.
I had a great time playing Smackdown: Here Comes The Pain. Though the counter system is a bit disorienting, the game is absobloodylutely great. I hope to play more of it soon... anyways, it was a great first run for me, and helped me ease into a slooowww Sunday afterwards.
Don't look now, but I'm beginning to feel insecure about my writing again. This person has been coming up with a lot of great stuff to write about, that I can only do without the temptation of internet access. Considering that my home computer is busted, I don't have that benefit...
Sigh. There go my plans of completing my novel before I graduate. Perhaps one chapter?
Saturday, November 22, 2003
Marcelle finally got his transcript of grades from school, and you’d be surprised. Here’s the list, sans P.E. and ROTC. And yeah, so Marcelle’s putting himself over again. Big deal…
FIRST YEAR, FIRST SEMESTER
Eng 12- B
Eng 13- B
Fil 11- C+
E.S. 10- C
E.S. 12- C
Math 11- D
FIRST YEAR, SECOND SEMESTER
Eng 14- B+
Lit 101- B+
Fil 12- C+
Physics 1- C+
Physics 2- B+
Math 12- B
SECOND YEAR, FIRST SEMESTER
Filipino 14- B+
Comm 100- A
Comm 101- A
Psych 101- A
Theo 121- B+
SECOND YEAR, SECOND SEMESTER
German 1- B+
Sci 10- B
Comm 109- A
Comm 160- B+
Hist 15- A
S.A. 21- A
THIRD YEAR. FIRST SEMESTER
Comm 102- B
Comm 147- A
Comm 170- A
Eco 102- A
Philo 101- B+
THIRD YEAR, SECOND SEMESTER
Comm 110.7- A
Comm 161- B+
Hist 165- A
Philo 102- A
Theo 131- B+
FOURTH YEAR, FIRST SEMESTER
Comm 103- A
Comm 111- A
Comm 115.5- A
Hist 166- A
Philo 103- B+
Theo 141- B+
Ergo, Marcelle will need a 4.0 this semester for his Cum Laude. Can he do it? He can try…
Anyways, Marcelle managed to talk to *jaded* last Wednesday. It was fun, because they were talking about Marcelle’s “ecchi dog”, as well as the possibilities of kuwatro o kuwarto in U.P., as the Ateneo is a bit too… close-knit. She was assuming Marcelle would be uber-generous to his oriental students, but instead, he was planning on… nah, never mind. The conversation even jumped to ICA, and being a swimming coach for the students there… *jaded* is really being corrupted by the minute… heh. Marcelle even gave the 411 on how he finds certain people’s looks… ah, well.
Marcelle then headed off to La Salle to meet up with Tsumenki, though he played a few games at the arcade first, racking up a neat winning streak with Tessa before losing after 14 wins. And yes, that’s with a mercy round. Tsumenki was great conversation…
Marcelle then heard from Grace, who came back from her three-day retreat. She had a ghost story to share, stories about an ecchi priest, and the fact that some people who did her wrong didn’t use the chance to apologize to her. That’s the problem with people who do you wrong: they expect YOU to be the one to approach them all the time. Ironic, neh? It’s not like you were the one who offended them to begin with. It’s not you who undermined their friendship, nor was it you who disregarded everything they did for you in the past over one perceived mistake. Poor Grace. Nonetheless, her conscience is clean. That’s good enough, no doubt.
So far, it seems as though Marcelle’s only problem subjects may be Theology and Comm 107. Comm 107 provided him with a pretty intimidating teacher who grades with a bell curve. Marcelle has to push himself a bit more with this jabroni, and he shouldn’t look past the other subjects as well, especially not Mr. Bulaong’s Philosophy 104. Just because Marcelle has aced him before does not guarantee he will do it again. He has to watch himself carefully lest he fall into the pit of overconfidence, which is not something Philosophy is about. Philosophy begins by knowing that one does not know anything…
And the most quotable quote so far, from Mr. Bulaong: “My God, we’re using Plato to justify rape!”
Ah, well. Moving on, Grace and Marcelle saw Scary Movie 3 just last night. For a comedy, Marcelle is giving this film a flat A. Amazing comedy, and definitely a step up over the second installment to the series. So here goes another review on the backlog list… ah, well. It’s fine. Funny thing is, prior to watching the film, Grace left Marcelle in the arcade, and when she came back about an hour later, Marcelle was still on his first game, having won nine times against two challengers who, between them, used Iori, Earthquake, Chun Li, and Geese Howard. The copycat Geese who was fighting Marcelle was outclassed on all fronts, from doing the infinite combo (Though Marcelle would only do it twice before ending it. He’s not that evil.), to catching a jumping opponent with Geese’s super, to comboing his Exceed move, the second Geese player was outclassed tremendously. And yes, there WERE mercy rounds.
Nonetheless, things are going fine at this point. Lots of things to accomplish, though. Marcelle can live with all that.
FIRST YEAR, FIRST SEMESTER
Eng 12- B
Eng 13- B
Fil 11- C+
E.S. 10- C
E.S. 12- C
Math 11- D
FIRST YEAR, SECOND SEMESTER
Eng 14- B+
Lit 101- B+
Fil 12- C+
Physics 1- C+
Physics 2- B+
Math 12- B
SECOND YEAR, FIRST SEMESTER
Filipino 14- B+
Comm 100- A
Comm 101- A
Psych 101- A
Theo 121- B+
SECOND YEAR, SECOND SEMESTER
German 1- B+
Sci 10- B
Comm 109- A
Comm 160- B+
Hist 15- A
S.A. 21- A
THIRD YEAR. FIRST SEMESTER
Comm 102- B
Comm 147- A
Comm 170- A
Eco 102- A
Philo 101- B+
THIRD YEAR, SECOND SEMESTER
Comm 110.7- A
Comm 161- B+
Hist 165- A
Philo 102- A
Theo 131- B+
FOURTH YEAR, FIRST SEMESTER
Comm 103- A
Comm 111- A
Comm 115.5- A
Hist 166- A
Philo 103- B+
Theo 141- B+
Ergo, Marcelle will need a 4.0 this semester for his Cum Laude. Can he do it? He can try…
Anyways, Marcelle managed to talk to *jaded* last Wednesday. It was fun, because they were talking about Marcelle’s “ecchi dog”, as well as the possibilities of kuwatro o kuwarto in U.P., as the Ateneo is a bit too… close-knit. She was assuming Marcelle would be uber-generous to his oriental students, but instead, he was planning on… nah, never mind. The conversation even jumped to ICA, and being a swimming coach for the students there… *jaded* is really being corrupted by the minute… heh. Marcelle even gave the 411 on how he finds certain people’s looks… ah, well.
Marcelle then headed off to La Salle to meet up with Tsumenki, though he played a few games at the arcade first, racking up a neat winning streak with Tessa before losing after 14 wins. And yes, that’s with a mercy round. Tsumenki was great conversation…
Marcelle then heard from Grace, who came back from her three-day retreat. She had a ghost story to share, stories about an ecchi priest, and the fact that some people who did her wrong didn’t use the chance to apologize to her. That’s the problem with people who do you wrong: they expect YOU to be the one to approach them all the time. Ironic, neh? It’s not like you were the one who offended them to begin with. It’s not you who undermined their friendship, nor was it you who disregarded everything they did for you in the past over one perceived mistake. Poor Grace. Nonetheless, her conscience is clean. That’s good enough, no doubt.
So far, it seems as though Marcelle’s only problem subjects may be Theology and Comm 107. Comm 107 provided him with a pretty intimidating teacher who grades with a bell curve. Marcelle has to push himself a bit more with this jabroni, and he shouldn’t look past the other subjects as well, especially not Mr. Bulaong’s Philosophy 104. Just because Marcelle has aced him before does not guarantee he will do it again. He has to watch himself carefully lest he fall into the pit of overconfidence, which is not something Philosophy is about. Philosophy begins by knowing that one does not know anything…
And the most quotable quote so far, from Mr. Bulaong: “My God, we’re using Plato to justify rape!”
Ah, well. Moving on, Grace and Marcelle saw Scary Movie 3 just last night. For a comedy, Marcelle is giving this film a flat A. Amazing comedy, and definitely a step up over the second installment to the series. So here goes another review on the backlog list… ah, well. It’s fine. Funny thing is, prior to watching the film, Grace left Marcelle in the arcade, and when she came back about an hour later, Marcelle was still on his first game, having won nine times against two challengers who, between them, used Iori, Earthquake, Chun Li, and Geese Howard. The copycat Geese who was fighting Marcelle was outclassed on all fronts, from doing the infinite combo (Though Marcelle would only do it twice before ending it. He’s not that evil.), to catching a jumping opponent with Geese’s super, to comboing his Exceed move, the second Geese player was outclassed tremendously. And yes, there WERE mercy rounds.
Nonetheless, things are going fine at this point. Lots of things to accomplish, though. Marcelle can live with all that.
Thursday, November 20, 2003
My string of luck obviously had to end at one time or another…
Apparently, my Theology professor, Mr. Dy-Liaco, was handed down an order to no longer allow internal transfers. Of course, being a Theology professor and all, this ensured that he wouldn’t be disobeying such an order anytime soon… such a retransfer would essentially mean that my classes on M-W-F start at 8:30, which in itself is not a problem for me, as I can wake up early enough to begin with. The problem does step in when we consider that this means I have to find a way to resolve its inevitable conflict with my Radio 1 schedule. What this essentially means to me is that my enjoyment of the Morning Rush will be cut short on some days, AND my training for Radio 1 will either be extremely short at about only an hour or so per pop, or I need to overhaul my training schedule completely. I’m sure as Hades not prepared to do that.
To make matters worse, I seem to have botched his first quiz… while it’s 5% of my final grade, so it shouldn’t really unsettle me too much, I still feel that it was my irresponsibility that got me that wake-up call to not be lax with this semester, of all semesters. Quite a stern reminder, actually, that I should still act as though I’m after a 4.0, so that if I do need a 3.7 and aimed for a 4.0 instead, falling short of that mark wouldn’t be so bad, as falling short of 3.7, neh? Ah, well.
Grace is going to have a three-day retreat where Ichi and madame sky got married. I’m fairly skeptical of the value of retreats, but I hope that whatever happens, it makes a positive impact on Grace. She’s been having a lot of undeserved stress being piled up on her as of late, and I do believe she deserves far better than that. Here’s to a more refreshed and energetic her after the retreat…
I’ve already seen Matrix Revolutions for a second time, and I do believe this calls for an eventual review of the film. Let’s see the things I owe all of you already: a top five list, a review of the Phone, a review of the Rundown, a review of Identity, a review of Matrix Revolutions, hmm… three papers on the Matrix entitled “We’ve Been Had”, “Aletheia Revisited”, and “The Onetological Argument”; and a translation of my Philosophy paper on freedom and the existence of God. Quite a load of work I have cut out for me, but I don’t mind, really. I’ll get to work with most of them soon enough…
So what else is there left for me to speak of? I seem to be completely lackluster with my writing as of late, and I’m not too inclined to make any promises on whether or not that will change soon. Far as I know, I really just write what and when I feel like writing, and I can only hope that it is met with approval. What I do believe I would like to take a shot at talking a bit more about is what Imo had to say about defending our course…
First of all, she’s already said everything that had to be said: No one has the right to say that AB Communication is JUST AB Communication, much less believe that an idiot can actually get Cum Laude grades if they’re in Comm Arts, but not necessarily so if they’re in, say, BS Management. It doesn’t necessarily follow. People take their courses obviously because they want to work in the future, but some have the somewhat enviable advantage of ALSO picking a course that they would enjoy, and not just take merely for the sake of graduating and ensuring a high-paying job. Here is where I focus my attention on, far more than Imo actually did in her piece, by giving a very simple case in point. Let’s talk about a certain friend I have who took a course that many people cry over, yet this person in particular not only takes it all in stride, but even with a big smile on her face. Yes, let’s take Sacha Chua as a clear example.
Is Computer Science hard? I’ve taken the basic class (as a sit-in) for a semester, and I would have to concede that yes, it really is. Is it enjoyable? That’s a matter of opinion, but since my grades were never involved in the equation, then personally, I’d say “yes”. Bottom line is, in Sacha’s case, you just KNOW she loves the subject. It’s almost a substitute for that three-letter word that starts with an “s” and rhymes with “pecks”, as far as she’s concerned. On second thought, yeah, it IS a substitute for her… but I digress.
Is this perhaps to say that Sacha is some godlike figure who should be revered for being so good in Computer Science as most Comm students are in their course? Hades, give me a break. She’d be the first to admit that she’s far from anything godlike. In case most of you didn’t know, she didn’t exactly graduate with honors, and you can attribute it to her little premium for grades. More important to her would be the learning experience, and as Smith would say, “it is inevitable” to have fun for her, and that is, after all, what counts. Sacha picked Computer Sicence not because it was easy, but because it was what she believed would make her feel fulfilled, more than anything else. It’s not such a difficult concept to get a hold of, when you think about it, really. It’s all about trying to put one’s self into the other’s shoes, and seeing if one is actually capable of excelling the way another has excelled. While this in no way intends to mean that different courses are 100% equitable, it likewise means that there are more than one ways to skin a cat. And exactly how many cliché’s have I been dropping here already? ::laughs::
So we scan the horizon for people who complain about their courses, and bemoan the fact that a Comm major seems to be breezing through their subjects. I’ll concede one fact: I will most likely be working under the next BS Management major who comes along. They will most likely have more fun than I would , financially speaking, after graduation. That, in no way, tells me that being a Comm major is cheap in any way, whatsoever. I am personally enjoying myself where I am. Place me in a different course, and I most likely will not, nor will I feel any fulfillment in there. What this essentially boils down to is what the person is more inclined to do, and don’t even think for one moment that coming up with ideas for advertising, or writing news articles, is going to be a walk in the park compared to making a thorough accounting of what ABS-CBN made in block time revenues last year. If you love numbers, numbers will be easy and/or fun for you. If you like writing, writing will be easy and/or fun for you. It just so happens that this is the status quo for most Comm majors. Don’t think for one moment that it’s guaranteed that it will easily work for you. As the cliché saying goes, “Objects in the rear view mirror appear closer than they are”.
Otherwise, Sacha should already be posing in FHM as the next movie star Viva wants to add to the “Hot Babes” roster. ::chuckles::
I knew that’d make sense…
Apparently, my Theology professor, Mr. Dy-Liaco, was handed down an order to no longer allow internal transfers. Of course, being a Theology professor and all, this ensured that he wouldn’t be disobeying such an order anytime soon… such a retransfer would essentially mean that my classes on M-W-F start at 8:30, which in itself is not a problem for me, as I can wake up early enough to begin with. The problem does step in when we consider that this means I have to find a way to resolve its inevitable conflict with my Radio 1 schedule. What this essentially means to me is that my enjoyment of the Morning Rush will be cut short on some days, AND my training for Radio 1 will either be extremely short at about only an hour or so per pop, or I need to overhaul my training schedule completely. I’m sure as Hades not prepared to do that.
To make matters worse, I seem to have botched his first quiz… while it’s 5% of my final grade, so it shouldn’t really unsettle me too much, I still feel that it was my irresponsibility that got me that wake-up call to not be lax with this semester, of all semesters. Quite a stern reminder, actually, that I should still act as though I’m after a 4.0, so that if I do need a 3.7 and aimed for a 4.0 instead, falling short of that mark wouldn’t be so bad, as falling short of 3.7, neh? Ah, well.
Grace is going to have a three-day retreat where Ichi and madame sky got married. I’m fairly skeptical of the value of retreats, but I hope that whatever happens, it makes a positive impact on Grace. She’s been having a lot of undeserved stress being piled up on her as of late, and I do believe she deserves far better than that. Here’s to a more refreshed and energetic her after the retreat…
I’ve already seen Matrix Revolutions for a second time, and I do believe this calls for an eventual review of the film. Let’s see the things I owe all of you already: a top five list, a review of the Phone, a review of the Rundown, a review of Identity, a review of Matrix Revolutions, hmm… three papers on the Matrix entitled “We’ve Been Had”, “Aletheia Revisited”, and “The Onetological Argument”; and a translation of my Philosophy paper on freedom and the existence of God. Quite a load of work I have cut out for me, but I don’t mind, really. I’ll get to work with most of them soon enough…
So what else is there left for me to speak of? I seem to be completely lackluster with my writing as of late, and I’m not too inclined to make any promises on whether or not that will change soon. Far as I know, I really just write what and when I feel like writing, and I can only hope that it is met with approval. What I do believe I would like to take a shot at talking a bit more about is what Imo had to say about defending our course…
First of all, she’s already said everything that had to be said: No one has the right to say that AB Communication is JUST AB Communication, much less believe that an idiot can actually get Cum Laude grades if they’re in Comm Arts, but not necessarily so if they’re in, say, BS Management. It doesn’t necessarily follow. People take their courses obviously because they want to work in the future, but some have the somewhat enviable advantage of ALSO picking a course that they would enjoy, and not just take merely for the sake of graduating and ensuring a high-paying job. Here is where I focus my attention on, far more than Imo actually did in her piece, by giving a very simple case in point. Let’s talk about a certain friend I have who took a course that many people cry over, yet this person in particular not only takes it all in stride, but even with a big smile on her face. Yes, let’s take Sacha Chua as a clear example.
Is Computer Science hard? I’ve taken the basic class (as a sit-in) for a semester, and I would have to concede that yes, it really is. Is it enjoyable? That’s a matter of opinion, but since my grades were never involved in the equation, then personally, I’d say “yes”. Bottom line is, in Sacha’s case, you just KNOW she loves the subject. It’s almost a substitute for that three-letter word that starts with an “s” and rhymes with “pecks”, as far as she’s concerned. On second thought, yeah, it IS a substitute for her… but I digress.
Is this perhaps to say that Sacha is some godlike figure who should be revered for being so good in Computer Science as most Comm students are in their course? Hades, give me a break. She’d be the first to admit that she’s far from anything godlike. In case most of you didn’t know, she didn’t exactly graduate with honors, and you can attribute it to her little premium for grades. More important to her would be the learning experience, and as Smith would say, “it is inevitable” to have fun for her, and that is, after all, what counts. Sacha picked Computer Sicence not because it was easy, but because it was what she believed would make her feel fulfilled, more than anything else. It’s not such a difficult concept to get a hold of, when you think about it, really. It’s all about trying to put one’s self into the other’s shoes, and seeing if one is actually capable of excelling the way another has excelled. While this in no way intends to mean that different courses are 100% equitable, it likewise means that there are more than one ways to skin a cat. And exactly how many cliché’s have I been dropping here already? ::laughs::
So we scan the horizon for people who complain about their courses, and bemoan the fact that a Comm major seems to be breezing through their subjects. I’ll concede one fact: I will most likely be working under the next BS Management major who comes along. They will most likely have more fun than I would , financially speaking, after graduation. That, in no way, tells me that being a Comm major is cheap in any way, whatsoever. I am personally enjoying myself where I am. Place me in a different course, and I most likely will not, nor will I feel any fulfillment in there. What this essentially boils down to is what the person is more inclined to do, and don’t even think for one moment that coming up with ideas for advertising, or writing news articles, is going to be a walk in the park compared to making a thorough accounting of what ABS-CBN made in block time revenues last year. If you love numbers, numbers will be easy and/or fun for you. If you like writing, writing will be easy and/or fun for you. It just so happens that this is the status quo for most Comm majors. Don’t think for one moment that it’s guaranteed that it will easily work for you. As the cliché saying goes, “Objects in the rear view mirror appear closer than they are”.
Otherwise, Sacha should already be posing in FHM as the next movie star Viva wants to add to the “Hot Babes” roster. ::chuckles::
I knew that’d make sense…
Saturday, November 15, 2003
Things seem to be going pretty much all right with me. It appears as though this is going to be a mighty interesting semester, as I’ve met up with all but one of my professors already, and they all seem to be a fairly good bunch. Nonetheless, if only I were sure about the 3.7 and not needing a 4.0, I would’ve certainly wanted a professor err… different from Mr. Bulaong, who I am taking for a third semester already. With that stuff in mind, needless to say, you can expect this jabroni here to post a bit more often.
To my regular readers, see that “Sign My Guestmap” there in my links? Do sign in there. I suppose I’d like to know who still bother to read my blog, considering the exodus of comments I’ve been getting the past few months. And yes, I may forgive, but as I do say all the ruddy time, I never forget… why do people seem to forget all the time, neh? It sickens me, the stench of short-term memories running around, disregarding one's merits and flaws in an instant with little more than a fleeting idea planted into their mind as though they were some pawn by the will of the machines... it is such that has trapped them within their own Matrix of delusion... a sad, sad fact that they fail to realize.
Speaking of the Matrix, yes I've seen the third part last Tuesday. I'll certainly write up a review of it, but I believe I might need a second viewing first before I actually go and start writing. It's a bit disappointing, but I'm overall satisfied with it. I mean...
SPOILER WARNING!!!
The best twist a movie whose EVERY possible twist has been theorized would simply be... no twist at all.
END SPOILERS!!!
Anyways, how was my Radio 1 and Campus Central last Saturday? Why, I thought you'd never ask... let me tell you that Campus Central should've already been a dead portion, but I carried on with it, anyway. Apparently, I was the first person to do Campus Central in months, but anyways... nonetheless, things were going really well for me the first two batches. I was merely reading off my tips for enjoying the last day of sembreak, and that was it, really.
However, come the third batch of my tips, I heard another voice talking while I was on air. Chico was mimicking every single word I was saying, and he completely threw me off the track. I was having a hard time regaining my composure until Delle told Chico to stop because "Marcelle looks like he was having a heart attack". Looks like I failed that test, as to whether or not I would be capable of performing under distraction... but still, it was fairly fine, actually. After that, I had a short tournament in Club Arena with the bare minimum of eight players. My Ric Flair was doing better than expected when I tried out my deck with some of them.
Right after that, I went right back to RX for Radio 1, and the topic me and Matrix picked for discussion was "Non-politicians you would want to have as president of this country." Interesting answers came in, as some people predictably gave Chico and Delle, and a few other DJ's as entries. Some even voted for Matrix, whose real name was actually Wilburt. As proof of what kind of people want Ping Lacson, they insisted on mentioning his name EVEN IF HE'S A RUDDY POLITICIAN. For lack of a better answer, I gave "Mike Enriquez" at the end of the show, and played up the I'm-not-biased-because-he's-from-La-Salle-I'm-from-Ateneo-but-I-picked-him-anyway game with Matrix. Even more interestingly, I've been handling the disorienting console quite decently, though I made gaffs here and there due to the fact I didn't exactly train with ALL the music in the computer, and not a single CD in sight.
My first hour was fun, as I was manning the board. Yeah, I sure made a few mistakes here and there, but I got to play mostly the songs I wanted to hear, and I liked that a lot. The second hour was pretty fine, as Matrix took over the board, and I was looking into the replies. Funny stuff, really.
After the show, I just went straight home... ah, well.
Wednesday (Quite a fast forward, actually.) was fine, as I was once again in the La Salle area, just playing SNK vs Capcom, which I seem to be not as good at anymore, what with everyone getting the hang of using the counter dash against Geese Howard. I'll have to practice a bit more with Tessa, though. Looks like she has a glitch I can use to my advantage... I met up with a friend who was exceedingly nice to talk to. I'm glad she actually took the time out to chat with me, as beating up people trying to cheat my Geese Howard has started to get boring towards the end... heh. Even ran into Mac, and the yaoi jokes abounded once again... ah, well. I wonder when the pariah status will ever be reneged, neh? I suppose that explains why I have a vampire policy: do nothing unless given license to do so.
*jaded* and I have been talking a bit lately. She's still as fun as ever to talk to, and yes, she still thinks I'm leading her soul to corruption with all the things I talk to her about... I'm exceedingly glad she didn't get the entrende when I told her about "cutting her hair"... nonetheless, I'm pretty much doing well lately, and things are picking up.
Film class with Fr. Nick was funny again. For Asian film, we viewed "Shall We Dance", which was about a guy who tried to start dancing because he saw a girl who tickled his fancy, who happened to be a dance instructor. Abby was sitting in on the class (As she intends to all the time...). A few memorable lines?
Fat Guy: Do you really think I'm disgusting? Does my dancing really make you sick? The last girl I loved said the exact same thing about me, and I wasn't even dancing at the time. (You can tell I looked into somebody's direction at that point.)
Mr. Yamaguchi: You see, I took up dancing (Or is it CS21? Heh! ::winks::) because of you...
Believe me: it was a funny and dramatic film, and I'd love to watch it again. Now THAT movie deserves an A- at the least, whereas Matrix: Revolutions deserves about a B+...
See you jabronis next time!
To my regular readers, see that “Sign My Guestmap” there in my links? Do sign in there. I suppose I’d like to know who still bother to read my blog, considering the exodus of comments I’ve been getting the past few months. And yes, I may forgive, but as I do say all the ruddy time, I never forget… why do people seem to forget all the time, neh? It sickens me, the stench of short-term memories running around, disregarding one's merits and flaws in an instant with little more than a fleeting idea planted into their mind as though they were some pawn by the will of the machines... it is such that has trapped them within their own Matrix of delusion... a sad, sad fact that they fail to realize.
Speaking of the Matrix, yes I've seen the third part last Tuesday. I'll certainly write up a review of it, but I believe I might need a second viewing first before I actually go and start writing. It's a bit disappointing, but I'm overall satisfied with it. I mean...
SPOILER WARNING!!!
The best twist a movie whose EVERY possible twist has been theorized would simply be... no twist at all.
END SPOILERS!!!
Anyways, how was my Radio 1 and Campus Central last Saturday? Why, I thought you'd never ask... let me tell you that Campus Central should've already been a dead portion, but I carried on with it, anyway. Apparently, I was the first person to do Campus Central in months, but anyways... nonetheless, things were going really well for me the first two batches. I was merely reading off my tips for enjoying the last day of sembreak, and that was it, really.
However, come the third batch of my tips, I heard another voice talking while I was on air. Chico was mimicking every single word I was saying, and he completely threw me off the track. I was having a hard time regaining my composure until Delle told Chico to stop because "Marcelle looks like he was having a heart attack". Looks like I failed that test, as to whether or not I would be capable of performing under distraction... but still, it was fairly fine, actually. After that, I had a short tournament in Club Arena with the bare minimum of eight players. My Ric Flair was doing better than expected when I tried out my deck with some of them.
Right after that, I went right back to RX for Radio 1, and the topic me and Matrix picked for discussion was "Non-politicians you would want to have as president of this country." Interesting answers came in, as some people predictably gave Chico and Delle, and a few other DJ's as entries. Some even voted for Matrix, whose real name was actually Wilburt. As proof of what kind of people want Ping Lacson, they insisted on mentioning his name EVEN IF HE'S A RUDDY POLITICIAN. For lack of a better answer, I gave "Mike Enriquez" at the end of the show, and played up the I'm-not-biased-because-he's-from-La-Salle-I'm-from-Ateneo-but-I-picked-him-anyway game with Matrix. Even more interestingly, I've been handling the disorienting console quite decently, though I made gaffs here and there due to the fact I didn't exactly train with ALL the music in the computer, and not a single CD in sight.
My first hour was fun, as I was manning the board. Yeah, I sure made a few mistakes here and there, but I got to play mostly the songs I wanted to hear, and I liked that a lot. The second hour was pretty fine, as Matrix took over the board, and I was looking into the replies. Funny stuff, really.
After the show, I just went straight home... ah, well.
Wednesday (Quite a fast forward, actually.) was fine, as I was once again in the La Salle area, just playing SNK vs Capcom, which I seem to be not as good at anymore, what with everyone getting the hang of using the counter dash against Geese Howard. I'll have to practice a bit more with Tessa, though. Looks like she has a glitch I can use to my advantage... I met up with a friend who was exceedingly nice to talk to. I'm glad she actually took the time out to chat with me, as beating up people trying to cheat my Geese Howard has started to get boring towards the end... heh. Even ran into Mac, and the yaoi jokes abounded once again... ah, well. I wonder when the pariah status will ever be reneged, neh? I suppose that explains why I have a vampire policy: do nothing unless given license to do so.
*jaded* and I have been talking a bit lately. She's still as fun as ever to talk to, and yes, she still thinks I'm leading her soul to corruption with all the things I talk to her about... I'm exceedingly glad she didn't get the entrende when I told her about "cutting her hair"... nonetheless, I'm pretty much doing well lately, and things are picking up.
Film class with Fr. Nick was funny again. For Asian film, we viewed "Shall We Dance", which was about a guy who tried to start dancing because he saw a girl who tickled his fancy, who happened to be a dance instructor. Abby was sitting in on the class (As she intends to all the time...). A few memorable lines?
Fat Guy: Do you really think I'm disgusting? Does my dancing really make you sick? The last girl I loved said the exact same thing about me, and I wasn't even dancing at the time. (You can tell I looked into somebody's direction at that point.)
Mr. Yamaguchi: You see, I took up dancing (Or is it CS21? Heh! ::winks::) because of you...
Believe me: it was a funny and dramatic film, and I'd love to watch it again. Now THAT movie deserves an A- at the least, whereas Matrix: Revolutions deserves about a B+...
See you jabronis next time!
Thursday, November 06, 2003
Just a short update.
If my math is correct, I actually need ONLY A 3.7, not a 4.0, to make it to Cum Laude. Reg today was great. I have a near-perfect schedule, and my teachers have no horror stories attached to their names.
Anyways, I have to double-check my grades with the registrar to know for sure if I need a 3.7 or a 4.0...
If my math is correct, I actually need ONLY A 3.7, not a 4.0, to make it to Cum Laude. Reg today was great. I have a near-perfect schedule, and my teachers have no horror stories attached to their names.
Anyways, I have to double-check my grades with the registrar to know for sure if I need a 3.7 or a 4.0...
Wednesday, November 05, 2003
More biographical entries. I haven't much energy for my usual scathing commentary, save perhaps for the latter part.
24 October, 2003, Friday:
I was working on finalizing my thesis with Imo, and am I glad that's all over and done with already. Pretty exhausting day, though we did end up in U.P. to have the thesis bookbound. Fine gem of a burger joint there in U.P. I'm glad I decided to try it out, really. Nonetheless, I found out that I was being tasked to do Radio 1 Campus Central on Saturday, although the actual Radio 1 shift was potentially going to be cancelled because Chico had to attend to that Creamsilk event in SM North... ah, well.
Anyways, all that work for the thesis would well pay off, although I still had to get the CD the following day, considering that the CD burner in the Comm Department was busted. Nonetheless, I suppose I can either submit it on Saturday, or if I feel particularly lazy, on Monday.
Abby and I met up by pure chance in the cafeteria, and we were just talking. She was helping me out a bit with my Radio 1 Campus Central tips, which was quite useful, as all three of the tips I came up with were from either her or Grace. She's going to be in campus for the rest of the semester break, as she has another play to work on. All the luck to her, I suppose.
Major screw-up in the offing, as Grace's video camera got broken, and I seem to be the culprit. I wonder how much of an arm and leg this is going to cost me... bah Gawd. Talk about miserably unlucky, neh?
25 October, 2003, Saturday:
Due to the Creamsilk event, even my Campus Central stint for RX got canceled. Delle looked really stressed out, and then Bruce Romano even dropped in on them. Purple and Ralph Waldo were likewise in the booth. I didn¡¦t stay too long, as I had to go to Mel's (Imo's friend. Not some other Mel I know.) house to get the CD Imo burned for our thesis. I didn't feel like turning it in on Saturday, though, as the effort to go back to Ateneo all the way from Ortigas was a wee bit daunting for me.
I've been trying out some neat tricks for Geese Howard in SNK vs. Capcom, and I must say, there's very little that can keep me down at this point. Geese is really reliable, but I just need to analyze how to defeat that annoying Zero to ensure that I'll stay at the top of my game. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Anyways, Geese's MAX Mode combo is top-notch. It's easy to execute, looks flashy, and deals a whole lot of damage. I tend to rely on his poking abilities to build up my meter safely, then launch a full scale assault when I'm almost at MAX and then try to break my opponent's guard meter. Works wonders for me, most of the time. I managed to rack up a total of 21 wins with Geese last time out in University Mall. Of course, when they expect mercy rounds, that number might drop a bit, but you can be certain I don't intend to lose often with this game...
Dhalsim is next on my list of characters I want to learn, as is Chun Li. I'm okay with Tessa, Mr. Karate, and Terry, and maybe I'll try Zero, once I figure out what his infinite combo is all about. Not that I'd do it on human opponents, though... ::winks::
After all that, I headed off to Greenhills for my tournament. It didn't push through, though. Too few people showed up, thanks to my newfound rival, Ragnarok Online. Heh. Nonetheless, I moved the tourney to November 15, and here's hoping for a better turnout by then. It's been a rather exhausting day for me, and here's hoping the last two weeks of my semester break will yield a lot of rest for me...
27 October, 2003, Monday:
Nothing big happened on Sunday. I was mostly home, except to go online with my siblings, though I don't recall doing any blog-hopping whatsoever at the time. My memory seems to be failing me... I really don't recall much what happened on Sunday, but I really think I didn't go out, anyway. I recall sleeping for a long while...
Anyways, Monday was great. I finally submitted my thesis requirements to Sev Sarmenta after I listened to the Morning Rush with Chico and Delamar. Funny stuff that Chico's been up to again, so it seems. He's on this misery kick, and it's pretty entertaining, though the question of where it's all coming from begs to be asked. Don't you just hate all the cryptic stuff? I didn't really get to train with them because I felt way too exhausted. I suppose I had no choice but to just go and skip training today, but well, at least I'm done for this semester. I just have to wait for my grades, and... wait. Let's stop there. :)
I headed off to La Salle afterwards to meet up with Annabelle, aka Chiyo. Grace was insisting that she resembles Abby, and I guess I have to say there's quite a lot of veracity in that statement. If only I had a scanner or something, I'm pretty ruddy certain I can prove it... anyways, Annabelle was really nice, though we didn't have that much to really talk about. I guess there's a bit more ice to break between us, as it's only the second time we've met one another, and the first one could hardly be considered a real encounter. Can you say "Flavor of the Month"? Heh.
Nonetheless, more SVC madness for me. I'm beginning to talk about this stuff about as often as some people I know talk about Ragnarok already... anyways, I'm being much less ruthless now, and even giving out mercy rounds already. Funny thing is, I went wrong with my code for Geese and selected Kasumi, and I ended up getting 13 wins with her. She's a pretty good character, actually. The only thing Geese has over her is a genuine projectile, but I love her Exceed move, as it's a great counter move, and if you know how to use it, it'll hit every single time. Or rather, you'll take a hit every single time, and then beat them into oblivion...
As for RAW Deal, I finally concocted myself a really formidable Ric Flair deck, who usually starts off with an 8-card handsize, twice that of his basic starting handsize. Pretty impressive, considering his ability needs him to have cards in his hand. I didn't really give much of a though for the two RAW foils I had to chuck away, or the two other Ric Flair specifics I didn't find a need to keep on me. Let's face it: Ric Flair Smackdown is the way to go.
28 October, 2003, Tuesday:
Grace and I met up today to get her camera to a repair shop. Apparently, there's no choice for me except to shell out around five grand for that ruddy camera. I'm too exasperated to vituperate about it for long, save for the fact that it's totally annoying. That accident could've well been avoided, and now, I end up paying quite a tidy sum to have the bloody thing repaired.
Forget it. I don't want to talk about this day for one more second.
29 October, 2003, Wednesday:
Finally, some much-needed Radio 1 training. And what a deal that was! Delle was alone this time, which led people to suspect that she and Chico had a tiff, as it was Delle who was absent on Tuesday. I was helping her out, and she was really grateful. She did mention that she never handled the Monster's Riot before, so she suddenly had to handle it today, and she handled it very well. She was fun to talk to, and so were ma'am Lea and ma'am Lally. Nonetheless, Chinggay was surprised at my sheer dedication to train on a regular basis, though I think it's more because this is my only year in Radio 1, really.
Chico was absent because... I'm not at a liberty to tell. At least, not here.
Would you believe it? I¡¦m going to be on air next Saturday, 8 November, 2003, at Radio 1, RX 93.1, 8-10 in the evening.. I love these shameless moments for me to promote myself...
After the rather grueling training with Delle, I went straightaway to La Salle, where I still did not see any of the usual suspects. Besides, aside from SNK vs. Capcom, I had to meet up with Shunichi Sakurai, who wanted to get a charger for his GBA rechargeable battery. That took me all the way back to SM Centerpoint. Grace and I met up shortly thereafter, and sadly, we didn't get to watch Identity as this was the day the news broke out that we have to pay 5,000 for camera repairs. Am I glad my mom offered to help by shouldering 2,000 of the cost. To think I still owe her 3,000...
30 October, 2003, Thursday:
This was a splendid day, as we used this day as our opportunity to go ahead and visit our faithful departed in Himlayang Filipino already. You might say it was an interesting trip, considering that we even had a television set on in the mausoleum and all¡K nonetheless, it was a pretty okay day, though I must say I wasn't too keen on sticking around there, what with all the bad blood and heavy aura emanating from my aunt. It was otherwise fine, though, and my cousin, Mikee, who's only about a little over a year old, is a splendid little angel.
31 October, 2003, Friday:
Got to see the Rundown tonight with the family, after trying to get a bit of rest for myself, what with my being underslept and all over that ruddy camera. In spite of that, I suppose I owe a review for this film, as I think it deserves about a B+ for it. It was a fun romp with a paper-thin plot, and in spite of its shortcomings, I must say that this film really showcased the first wrestler I know who can really make it big in Hollywood.
01 November, 2003, Saturday:
Radio 1 training again, and it was funny because I got to join in on the Hot 10 that day as well. Chico and Delle were exclaiming "Shut the doors!" when I told them I'm walking to the station as I spoke to them on the air. It was a good training bit for me, as I really felt more and more confident on the boards already. Chico confirmed that Radio 1 would indeed be on November 8, and I suppose I'm more than ready for it by then...
Anyways, the training was pretty cool. The Hot 10 wasn't so interesting, but in spite of that, Chico and Delle had their inimitable ways about them that kept things going regardless.
Grace and I then met up at her house, where I just talked a bit with her before we went off to Greenhills, only to find out that Virra Mall was closed, so that family bit will have to be put on hold. Due to the sudden change in plans, Grace and I ended up watching Identity, which, again, I intend to review. I give the film a flat A for the whole deal, and I must say, it was one of the best mysteries I've seen in quite a while.
03 November, 2003, Monday:
Nothing happened on Sunday. At least, nothing too important. Monday was certainly a great day, on the other hand. I got my grades for last semester already, and would you believe it?
History 166: A
Elements of Screen Art: A
European Film: A
Thesis: A
Theology 141: B+
Philosophy 103:B+
QPI: 3.83
Okay, so I'm putting myself over again by indicating these grades. Nonetheless, if my calculations are correct, this simply means that I still have to hit a 4.0 next semester in order for me to be Cum Laude. Here I was half-hoping to just get a 3.67 so that I'd stop thinking about it... it's not meant to be. If only I had the money to overload just a single subject. That'd make my bid for Cum Laude nigh-on guaranteed. Ah, well.
Anyways, I suppose it was fine, regardless. Abby and I were talking a bit again, and she was sticking out her tongue at me when I pointed out what I needed to do this coming semester just to get to my goal. Easy for her to do... she's nearly there. She did ask me, though, if I would gun for it had she not been my yardstick for academic success. Considering I picked the pentagon back in Children's Forum, which stands for "never content with the status quo" (Though I must admit, I picked it back then as well so that me and Christine would have the same choice...), whereas Abby picked a circle, "preoccupied with sex", that is rather telltale of what is the real deal...
Anyways, one of our classmates, Malou, was intrigued over the inside comments we were lobbing at one another, and she was given the quick explanation that me and Abby went a long way back... around seven years, more or less. Malou even offered us pastillas, or as Abby would call it, espasol. Heh. Quite surprising how different our status quo is nowadays, considering where we came from. I'm pretty glad of how it went, though. Broadcast will be restarted. More on that next time.
Got to speak with an old friend. Carla, from RX. She's got a boyfriend nowadays... I suppose that was only a matter of time.
Mich celebrated her birthday the day before, Don is celebrating his birthday tomorrow. Greetings are in order.
Yaiba is a lucky schmuck. Really. He's currently at an overnight beach party with Kendra and Sacha. I'm sure if Elbert heard about this, he'd happily do impressions and leave wrong, wrong images running around in my head again...
Is it just me or is the ¡§Yes Yes Show¡¨ by PnE their funniest song throughout their entire career?
04 November, 2003, Tuesday:
Pretty busy, actually. I met up with Brad Turvey today, who apparently has been trying to improve his Counterstrike skills. Fun stuff, as we were mostly talking about video games, a bit about what's up with the NBA, and all that. With Mandy Moore coming to the Philippines, one has to wonder what this means for her partner in the Penshoppe ad... :)
After the show, Delamar had a nice chat with me. She was asking me about my thesis, and my plans after graduation. She was a very nice person to speak to, and I felt really confident about my chances after graduation. Chico recently purchased a palm pilot. I recall him talking about considering one just last Saturday. Talk about acting quickly.
Ah, yes. Radio 1 Campus Central, 6-9 AM on Saturday. Yes, I will be on air in the morning and the evening, 8-10. :)
Afterwards, Grace and I watched another movie. That¡¦s three films already. This time, it was the Phone. I want to review this film... an A-, no doubt.
Things have been pretty haywire in politics lately, and that's been the main topic we've been considering. The chances of us getting a good president the following six years come 2004 are really slim, as names coming up for consideration seem to be: Fernando Poe Jr., Ping Lacson, Danding Cojuango, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and Raul Roco. Other names that pop up but not as strongly are Noli De Castro and Gringo Honasan. This is just too much. When the least evil we can come up with is the incumbent president who is more of a puppet than a leader, and a brilliant man who has a wife with shades upon shades of Imelda Marcos, we are in so much trouble...
Worse, look at what they're trying to do with the few good men we have left in government. Take a certain chief justice named Hilario Davide for example...
If he¡¦s so rich, where is her family's Mercedes Benz? Isn't that odd? The family isn't directly benefiting from all this "corruption¨, so it seems.
And who, pray tell, are the people behind this act of "searching for the truth"? Why, Mr. "I'm Erap's puppet in Congress" himself, Rep. Fuentabella, as well as Danding Cojuangco's very own son and nephew. Hmm. Is there a connection? Right. There is. Estrada was effectively ousted by Davide's recognition of GMA's presidency. Cojuangco is running afoul with Davide thanks to his own shady deals.
In a classic show of noticing the speck in somebody else's eye while a plank is hanging around their own, these congressmen want to look into the funds of the judiciary, a separate and co-equal branch of government, as though it were at their beck and call. As if this assertively obtrusive behavior wasn't enough, they failed to try and investigate their own fund. Pork barrel, congressional budget, call it what you want, but hey, if they should do some accounting, maybe they'd want to start with their own before they look into something that is not even being declared as conspicuous by the Commission on Audit, which by their actions, they are efficiently declaring as incompetent.
Forget jurisdiction. I can't even begin to fathom how these congressmen resent the Supreme Court for stepping into their business, when they started it. I can't begin to fathom the lack of arithmetic skills they possess, expecting a full zero balance and liquidation of funds all throughout any given year. Juridically speaking, they have no right to look into it, much less impeach someone who already had others attempt to impeach him on a previous occasion within the year. Even if we were to disregard that, we are looking at sheer inanity here with a move that is so politically motivated, and damaging to the morale of the country, as the only bastion of the country that seemed to be above reproach, more than any other sector of the country, is now under fire. No, Davide is not the judiciary. But he sure as Hades represents it.
I'm not going to touch on evidence and counter-evidence. I'm sure Maia's done that already. I want to point out a bit more the ramipercussions that these actions are causing. Firstly, it's wreaking sheer havoc on our economy. That in itself is quite bad. The peso has hit an all-time low against the dollar, such that not even Estrada's term has experienced.
Even worse than that, is the impending class war Estrada's goading statements are causing, as he is making Davide out to be a part of the elitists whom his own kind are trying to protect. He then appeals to the masses to not be misled. How ironic that this very plea is what is misleading the people. Wonderful, neh? He¡¦s got it all worked out, so it seems. Now, when his incendiary comments do cause a class war, everyone is simply, for lack of a better term, screwed.
Lovely country we have, neh?
24 October, 2003, Friday:
I was working on finalizing my thesis with Imo, and am I glad that's all over and done with already. Pretty exhausting day, though we did end up in U.P. to have the thesis bookbound. Fine gem of a burger joint there in U.P. I'm glad I decided to try it out, really. Nonetheless, I found out that I was being tasked to do Radio 1 Campus Central on Saturday, although the actual Radio 1 shift was potentially going to be cancelled because Chico had to attend to that Creamsilk event in SM North... ah, well.
Anyways, all that work for the thesis would well pay off, although I still had to get the CD the following day, considering that the CD burner in the Comm Department was busted. Nonetheless, I suppose I can either submit it on Saturday, or if I feel particularly lazy, on Monday.
Abby and I met up by pure chance in the cafeteria, and we were just talking. She was helping me out a bit with my Radio 1 Campus Central tips, which was quite useful, as all three of the tips I came up with were from either her or Grace. She's going to be in campus for the rest of the semester break, as she has another play to work on. All the luck to her, I suppose.
Major screw-up in the offing, as Grace's video camera got broken, and I seem to be the culprit. I wonder how much of an arm and leg this is going to cost me... bah Gawd. Talk about miserably unlucky, neh?
25 October, 2003, Saturday:
Due to the Creamsilk event, even my Campus Central stint for RX got canceled. Delle looked really stressed out, and then Bruce Romano even dropped in on them. Purple and Ralph Waldo were likewise in the booth. I didn¡¦t stay too long, as I had to go to Mel's (Imo's friend. Not some other Mel I know.) house to get the CD Imo burned for our thesis. I didn't feel like turning it in on Saturday, though, as the effort to go back to Ateneo all the way from Ortigas was a wee bit daunting for me.
I've been trying out some neat tricks for Geese Howard in SNK vs. Capcom, and I must say, there's very little that can keep me down at this point. Geese is really reliable, but I just need to analyze how to defeat that annoying Zero to ensure that I'll stay at the top of my game. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Anyways, Geese's MAX Mode combo is top-notch. It's easy to execute, looks flashy, and deals a whole lot of damage. I tend to rely on his poking abilities to build up my meter safely, then launch a full scale assault when I'm almost at MAX and then try to break my opponent's guard meter. Works wonders for me, most of the time. I managed to rack up a total of 21 wins with Geese last time out in University Mall. Of course, when they expect mercy rounds, that number might drop a bit, but you can be certain I don't intend to lose often with this game...
Dhalsim is next on my list of characters I want to learn, as is Chun Li. I'm okay with Tessa, Mr. Karate, and Terry, and maybe I'll try Zero, once I figure out what his infinite combo is all about. Not that I'd do it on human opponents, though... ::winks::
After all that, I headed off to Greenhills for my tournament. It didn't push through, though. Too few people showed up, thanks to my newfound rival, Ragnarok Online. Heh. Nonetheless, I moved the tourney to November 15, and here's hoping for a better turnout by then. It's been a rather exhausting day for me, and here's hoping the last two weeks of my semester break will yield a lot of rest for me...
27 October, 2003, Monday:
Nothing big happened on Sunday. I was mostly home, except to go online with my siblings, though I don't recall doing any blog-hopping whatsoever at the time. My memory seems to be failing me... I really don't recall much what happened on Sunday, but I really think I didn't go out, anyway. I recall sleeping for a long while...
Anyways, Monday was great. I finally submitted my thesis requirements to Sev Sarmenta after I listened to the Morning Rush with Chico and Delamar. Funny stuff that Chico's been up to again, so it seems. He's on this misery kick, and it's pretty entertaining, though the question of where it's all coming from begs to be asked. Don't you just hate all the cryptic stuff? I didn't really get to train with them because I felt way too exhausted. I suppose I had no choice but to just go and skip training today, but well, at least I'm done for this semester. I just have to wait for my grades, and... wait. Let's stop there. :)
I headed off to La Salle afterwards to meet up with Annabelle, aka Chiyo. Grace was insisting that she resembles Abby, and I guess I have to say there's quite a lot of veracity in that statement. If only I had a scanner or something, I'm pretty ruddy certain I can prove it... anyways, Annabelle was really nice, though we didn't have that much to really talk about. I guess there's a bit more ice to break between us, as it's only the second time we've met one another, and the first one could hardly be considered a real encounter. Can you say "Flavor of the Month"? Heh.
Nonetheless, more SVC madness for me. I'm beginning to talk about this stuff about as often as some people I know talk about Ragnarok already... anyways, I'm being much less ruthless now, and even giving out mercy rounds already. Funny thing is, I went wrong with my code for Geese and selected Kasumi, and I ended up getting 13 wins with her. She's a pretty good character, actually. The only thing Geese has over her is a genuine projectile, but I love her Exceed move, as it's a great counter move, and if you know how to use it, it'll hit every single time. Or rather, you'll take a hit every single time, and then beat them into oblivion...
As for RAW Deal, I finally concocted myself a really formidable Ric Flair deck, who usually starts off with an 8-card handsize, twice that of his basic starting handsize. Pretty impressive, considering his ability needs him to have cards in his hand. I didn't really give much of a though for the two RAW foils I had to chuck away, or the two other Ric Flair specifics I didn't find a need to keep on me. Let's face it: Ric Flair Smackdown is the way to go.
28 October, 2003, Tuesday:
Grace and I met up today to get her camera to a repair shop. Apparently, there's no choice for me except to shell out around five grand for that ruddy camera. I'm too exasperated to vituperate about it for long, save for the fact that it's totally annoying. That accident could've well been avoided, and now, I end up paying quite a tidy sum to have the bloody thing repaired.
Forget it. I don't want to talk about this day for one more second.
29 October, 2003, Wednesday:
Finally, some much-needed Radio 1 training. And what a deal that was! Delle was alone this time, which led people to suspect that she and Chico had a tiff, as it was Delle who was absent on Tuesday. I was helping her out, and she was really grateful. She did mention that she never handled the Monster's Riot before, so she suddenly had to handle it today, and she handled it very well. She was fun to talk to, and so were ma'am Lea and ma'am Lally. Nonetheless, Chinggay was surprised at my sheer dedication to train on a regular basis, though I think it's more because this is my only year in Radio 1, really.
Chico was absent because... I'm not at a liberty to tell. At least, not here.
Would you believe it? I¡¦m going to be on air next Saturday, 8 November, 2003, at Radio 1, RX 93.1, 8-10 in the evening.. I love these shameless moments for me to promote myself...
After the rather grueling training with Delle, I went straightaway to La Salle, where I still did not see any of the usual suspects. Besides, aside from SNK vs. Capcom, I had to meet up with Shunichi Sakurai, who wanted to get a charger for his GBA rechargeable battery. That took me all the way back to SM Centerpoint. Grace and I met up shortly thereafter, and sadly, we didn't get to watch Identity as this was the day the news broke out that we have to pay 5,000 for camera repairs. Am I glad my mom offered to help by shouldering 2,000 of the cost. To think I still owe her 3,000...
30 October, 2003, Thursday:
This was a splendid day, as we used this day as our opportunity to go ahead and visit our faithful departed in Himlayang Filipino already. You might say it was an interesting trip, considering that we even had a television set on in the mausoleum and all¡K nonetheless, it was a pretty okay day, though I must say I wasn't too keen on sticking around there, what with all the bad blood and heavy aura emanating from my aunt. It was otherwise fine, though, and my cousin, Mikee, who's only about a little over a year old, is a splendid little angel.
31 October, 2003, Friday:
Got to see the Rundown tonight with the family, after trying to get a bit of rest for myself, what with my being underslept and all over that ruddy camera. In spite of that, I suppose I owe a review for this film, as I think it deserves about a B+ for it. It was a fun romp with a paper-thin plot, and in spite of its shortcomings, I must say that this film really showcased the first wrestler I know who can really make it big in Hollywood.
01 November, 2003, Saturday:
Radio 1 training again, and it was funny because I got to join in on the Hot 10 that day as well. Chico and Delle were exclaiming "Shut the doors!" when I told them I'm walking to the station as I spoke to them on the air. It was a good training bit for me, as I really felt more and more confident on the boards already. Chico confirmed that Radio 1 would indeed be on November 8, and I suppose I'm more than ready for it by then...
Anyways, the training was pretty cool. The Hot 10 wasn't so interesting, but in spite of that, Chico and Delle had their inimitable ways about them that kept things going regardless.
Grace and I then met up at her house, where I just talked a bit with her before we went off to Greenhills, only to find out that Virra Mall was closed, so that family bit will have to be put on hold. Due to the sudden change in plans, Grace and I ended up watching Identity, which, again, I intend to review. I give the film a flat A for the whole deal, and I must say, it was one of the best mysteries I've seen in quite a while.
03 November, 2003, Monday:
Nothing happened on Sunday. At least, nothing too important. Monday was certainly a great day, on the other hand. I got my grades for last semester already, and would you believe it?
History 166: A
Elements of Screen Art: A
European Film: A
Thesis: A
Theology 141: B+
Philosophy 103:B+
QPI: 3.83
Okay, so I'm putting myself over again by indicating these grades. Nonetheless, if my calculations are correct, this simply means that I still have to hit a 4.0 next semester in order for me to be Cum Laude. Here I was half-hoping to just get a 3.67 so that I'd stop thinking about it... it's not meant to be. If only I had the money to overload just a single subject. That'd make my bid for Cum Laude nigh-on guaranteed. Ah, well.
Anyways, I suppose it was fine, regardless. Abby and I were talking a bit again, and she was sticking out her tongue at me when I pointed out what I needed to do this coming semester just to get to my goal. Easy for her to do... she's nearly there. She did ask me, though, if I would gun for it had she not been my yardstick for academic success. Considering I picked the pentagon back in Children's Forum, which stands for "never content with the status quo" (Though I must admit, I picked it back then as well so that me and Christine would have the same choice...), whereas Abby picked a circle, "preoccupied with sex", that is rather telltale of what is the real deal...
Anyways, one of our classmates, Malou, was intrigued over the inside comments we were lobbing at one another, and she was given the quick explanation that me and Abby went a long way back... around seven years, more or less. Malou even offered us pastillas, or as Abby would call it, espasol. Heh. Quite surprising how different our status quo is nowadays, considering where we came from. I'm pretty glad of how it went, though. Broadcast will be restarted. More on that next time.
Got to speak with an old friend. Carla, from RX. She's got a boyfriend nowadays... I suppose that was only a matter of time.
Mich celebrated her birthday the day before, Don is celebrating his birthday tomorrow. Greetings are in order.
Yaiba is a lucky schmuck. Really. He's currently at an overnight beach party with Kendra and Sacha. I'm sure if Elbert heard about this, he'd happily do impressions and leave wrong, wrong images running around in my head again...
Is it just me or is the ¡§Yes Yes Show¡¨ by PnE their funniest song throughout their entire career?
04 November, 2003, Tuesday:
Pretty busy, actually. I met up with Brad Turvey today, who apparently has been trying to improve his Counterstrike skills. Fun stuff, as we were mostly talking about video games, a bit about what's up with the NBA, and all that. With Mandy Moore coming to the Philippines, one has to wonder what this means for her partner in the Penshoppe ad... :)
After the show, Delamar had a nice chat with me. She was asking me about my thesis, and my plans after graduation. She was a very nice person to speak to, and I felt really confident about my chances after graduation. Chico recently purchased a palm pilot. I recall him talking about considering one just last Saturday. Talk about acting quickly.
Ah, yes. Radio 1 Campus Central, 6-9 AM on Saturday. Yes, I will be on air in the morning and the evening, 8-10. :)
Afterwards, Grace and I watched another movie. That¡¦s three films already. This time, it was the Phone. I want to review this film... an A-, no doubt.
Things have been pretty haywire in politics lately, and that's been the main topic we've been considering. The chances of us getting a good president the following six years come 2004 are really slim, as names coming up for consideration seem to be: Fernando Poe Jr., Ping Lacson, Danding Cojuango, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and Raul Roco. Other names that pop up but not as strongly are Noli De Castro and Gringo Honasan. This is just too much. When the least evil we can come up with is the incumbent president who is more of a puppet than a leader, and a brilliant man who has a wife with shades upon shades of Imelda Marcos, we are in so much trouble...
Worse, look at what they're trying to do with the few good men we have left in government. Take a certain chief justice named Hilario Davide for example...
If he¡¦s so rich, where is her family's Mercedes Benz? Isn't that odd? The family isn't directly benefiting from all this "corruption¨, so it seems.
And who, pray tell, are the people behind this act of "searching for the truth"? Why, Mr. "I'm Erap's puppet in Congress" himself, Rep. Fuentabella, as well as Danding Cojuangco's very own son and nephew. Hmm. Is there a connection? Right. There is. Estrada was effectively ousted by Davide's recognition of GMA's presidency. Cojuangco is running afoul with Davide thanks to his own shady deals.
In a classic show of noticing the speck in somebody else's eye while a plank is hanging around their own, these congressmen want to look into the funds of the judiciary, a separate and co-equal branch of government, as though it were at their beck and call. As if this assertively obtrusive behavior wasn't enough, they failed to try and investigate their own fund. Pork barrel, congressional budget, call it what you want, but hey, if they should do some accounting, maybe they'd want to start with their own before they look into something that is not even being declared as conspicuous by the Commission on Audit, which by their actions, they are efficiently declaring as incompetent.
Forget jurisdiction. I can't even begin to fathom how these congressmen resent the Supreme Court for stepping into their business, when they started it. I can't begin to fathom the lack of arithmetic skills they possess, expecting a full zero balance and liquidation of funds all throughout any given year. Juridically speaking, they have no right to look into it, much less impeach someone who already had others attempt to impeach him on a previous occasion within the year. Even if we were to disregard that, we are looking at sheer inanity here with a move that is so politically motivated, and damaging to the morale of the country, as the only bastion of the country that seemed to be above reproach, more than any other sector of the country, is now under fire. No, Davide is not the judiciary. But he sure as Hades represents it.
I'm not going to touch on evidence and counter-evidence. I'm sure Maia's done that already. I want to point out a bit more the ramipercussions that these actions are causing. Firstly, it's wreaking sheer havoc on our economy. That in itself is quite bad. The peso has hit an all-time low against the dollar, such that not even Estrada's term has experienced.
Even worse than that, is the impending class war Estrada's goading statements are causing, as he is making Davide out to be a part of the elitists whom his own kind are trying to protect. He then appeals to the masses to not be misled. How ironic that this very plea is what is misleading the people. Wonderful, neh? He¡¦s got it all worked out, so it seems. Now, when his incendiary comments do cause a class war, everyone is simply, for lack of a better term, screwed.
Lovely country we have, neh?
Monday, November 03, 2003
In a rather unexpected turn of events, I seem to have disappeared from the face of the internet for a full week.
Pardon me. I seem to be missing something. Oh, right. An internet connection.
Still, all is written down in word format, and when I transfer it to a diskette, I'll be eagerly uploading some of my more recent updates I should've been posting...
Ah, yes. Radio 1 on November 8, Saturday. This time, it's sure. :)
Pardon me. I seem to be missing something. Oh, right. An internet connection.
Still, all is written down in word format, and when I transfer it to a diskette, I'll be eagerly uploading some of my more recent updates I should've been posting...
Ah, yes. Radio 1 on November 8, Saturday. This time, it's sure. :)
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