Empty Seat --

Just finished reading Craig Thompson's Carnet de Voyage -- a three-month chronicle of his travels through France and Morocco -- (it's a lovely, lovely read!!!)

There is this scene in the graphic novel where Craig is sitting alone in his hotel room and the caption is "Two hotel beds to myself"

I know what that feels like --

When I went to the UK four years ago, I was alone --
it was so strange to be sitting in an airplane and not have anyone to talk to or lean on (to sleep)
it felt weird to see all these pairs and groups going around and I was always walking by myself
the worst is going back to the hotel room, seeing the two beds and knowing that no one will sleep on the other bed

~sigh~

Resil Mojares once wrote that all traveling is solitary -- when I read that, it made sense and I didn't question it.

(But I would still rather be solitary with someone else than be solitary on my own.) ^_^

* * *

Sweet like candy to my soul --

Spent the early part of last night watching Dave Matthews videos with my J -- we got the DVD as a present for my bro who is a huge DMB fan.

It's a DVD that contains all the DMB videos from the earliest to The Space Between.

When the video for Crash into Me came on (it's my favorite DMB song), I got goosebumps all over --

I really like it that I have my J to share all these experiences with. ^_^

* * *

Tempus fugit!

August is a few days away and it is the last month before the -ber season. Where does the time go? ^_^

My bro has a clever way of keeping track of the days -- he does it by the holiday food. August is Mooncake festival (well, actually it's in September, but we start buying and eating mooncake as early as August 15). October is Halloween so it's candy corn season and then December is the big Christmas feast (fruitcake -- yes, my brother actually loves the stuff). January, February and March are birthday months in my family so it's cake, cake and cake. April is Easter so it's the chocolates and Easter candies.

Etc. ^_^

A new development --

I haven't talked about this, but this is something that I've recently discovered about myself --

I like Nutella.

Ask my J and he will tell you how I always wonder what something would taste like with Nutella -- donuts, cookies, brownies, ice cream, cake, chocolate bars, etc.

... I don't know why I'm blogging about this.

Oh well. ^_^

* * *

Link goodness! --

My friend C has this link in his LJ -- it's Chuck Palahniuk's writing workshop --

* * *

Because of the new Lomo --

I remember that I still have a roll of Ilford 1600 (which Fuji now sells ^_^ -- they have up to 3600, but it's B&W) in my supersampler -- will probably bring it around and take pictures again.

The problem with the higher ISOs is that I don't think our film developing places here can manage them -- I get the sense that the photographs could be processed better --

(But I will still have fun with this roll of film ^_^)

Hmmm -- A new monitor or this?

My monitor is dead -- well, it has been for a while. It was part of my old system but, since I didn't have enough money to get a monitor back when I replaced my old PC, I still use it.

The colors are all wrong and it isn't very clear anymore -- my J complains about it and tells me that I will ruin my eyes even further because of it.

I was planning to get a new monitor with this week's sweldo -- but look at the new lomo --
It looks so cool! I think I want it. ^_^




...one's tears are never explained.

-Louise Gluck, "Parable of Faith"



* * *



"Rain, rain, go away" --



It was raining so hard yesterday!  We got stranded in Katipunan for 4 hours!



I felt bad for my EN10 class because I dismissed them at 4:10 and, by then, 

the streets were already flooded.  I couldn't even get across to National Bookstore.



I sought refuge in my brother's office -- but my shoes had suffered by then.  ~sigh~



My bro and I decide to trek out again at around 5.  OMG, you should have seen the 

people!  Everyone was walking -- it looked like a scene from The Day After Tomorrow.  

We checked Gate 2 to see if it was passable (and it wasn't), so we walked to Gate 3 

and was able to cross over from there.



We knew we were going to stay stuck in the area for quite some time, so we decided to 

get a pizza and have dinner while waiting for the flood to dissipate.



D of Octopus was nice enough to give me a pair of slippers from his store and he 

joined us for dinner.  Our friend M called and asked to seek refuge in the store -- 

he had been on the road since 4 that day (and, when he called, it was already 7!)



We finally decided to bite the bullet and try to go home at 8.  (It was the right 

decision -- the route we chose was relatively clear and we were able to get home in 

40 minutes)



I was sooo tired last night!



(I wanted to blog about this last night but I was so tired na!)



* * *



I discovered this poet through a friend of a friend's blog -- Louise Gluck



Check our her poems!  



* * *



Thank God it's the Weekend! ^_^ Yay!

"He was the first part of all my joy..." --

I was browsing through the V:tM Book of Nod and I came across the Toreador's words to his childer --

In quiet, you will know beauty
In beauty, you will know truth
In truth, you will know love
In love, you will know quiet

... ganda no?

I've always considered myself Toreador -- they're the clan I have the most fun playing (and the most success as well ^^)

These lines are so beautiful -- I just wanted to share them. ^^

* * *

Midterms!

Wow -- can't believe I have to go through that again --

But this time, it's different -- I am teacher now. ^^

I can sense that my students are apprehensive about it, but I am trying to reassure them by reminding them that with midterms comes the knowledge that sembreak is just two months away! ^^

* * *

Looking forward to watching Imelda this weekend with my J ^^

* * *

Oh, and Ice Monster is now open in Katipunan -- it's beside Aeon Books

Watched King Arthur --



^_^

I would agree with most people that King Arthur wasn't the "wow!" movie it set itself up to be --

My J and I were supposed to watched Kill Bill volume 2 this weekend, but when we checked the movie skeds, it seems Powerplant replaced Kill Bill with Mean Girls -- we decided to go to Theater Mall and watch King Arthur instead.

(But we had fun at the hardware store later that day ^^)

Was listening to the CD If I were a Carpenter in the store --

Everything I want the world to be
Is now comin' true especially for me
And the reason is clear, it's because you are here
You're the nearest thing to heaven that I've seen

I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I've found ever since you've been around
Your love's put me at the top of the world
- "Top of the World", Carpenters (version I listened to is performed by Shonen Knife)

(... I really, really love my J.) ^_^

* * *

Am in the store right now -- I'm glad it's the weekend and I get to spend time with my sibs and my J
-- things are getting hectic with my sibs but am glad I still get the
chance to sit down and catch up with what's happening to them.

* * *

New place!

There's a new donut place that opened along Katipunan -- it's called Cello's Doughnuts and Dips -- my J and I tried the C's and dip (Toblerone) and I thought it was okay --

The good thing about them -- and it was my youngest bro that pointed this
out to me, is that they're open at 7am -- imagine waking up and getting
warm, freshly-baked donuts -- yum!

I'm terza rima, and I talk and smile. Where others lock their rhymes and thoughts away I let mine out, and chatter all the while. I'm rarely on my own - a wasted day Is any day that's spent without a friend, With nothing much to do or hear or say. I like to be with people, and depend On company for being entertained; Which seems a good solution, in the end. What Poetry Form Are You?

So many movies to watch! --

Around the World in 80 Days
Greenbelt 3 Cinema 1: 12:50 PM 3:30:PM 6:10:PM 8:50:PM 11:30 PM
Power Plant Cinema 2: 12:00 PM 2:40:PM 5:20:PM 8:00:PM 10:30 PM

Kill Bill volume 2
Power Plant Cinema 4: 11:30 AM 2:10:PM 4:50:PM 7:30:PM 10:10 PM

King Arthur
Greenbelt 3 Cinema 2: 1:20:PM 3:50:PM 6:20:PM 8:50:PM 11:20 PM
Greenhills Cinema 2 : 11:00 AM 1:40:PM 4:20:PM 7:00:PM 9:40:PM
Power Plant Cinema 6: 11:50 AM 2:30:PM 5:10:PM 7:50:PM 10:30 PM

Hmmm ... I wonder if this will kill me:
Kill Bill at 11:30 (ends before 2:10)
King Arthur at 2:30 (ends before 5:10)
Around the World in 80 Days at 5:20 (ends before 8:00)

... all in Power Plant.

Seen on someone's t-shirt --

Live to the point of tears

... wow, di ba?

* * *

I really like this image from Spooner by Ted Dawson. ^^

This comic strip series is something me and my J enjoy reading -- discovered it in one of this year's Free Comic Book Day comics.

* * *

Got my first paycheck today -- yay! ^_^

* * *

This is mine to remember --
(line from Annie Lennox's "A Thousand Beautiful Things" -- thanks C)

This is what I like about us --

We would be sitting quietly, lost in our own thoughts and then, one would ask the other "What are you thinking?" and the other would answer...

... and it always ends up that we would be thinking the same thing.

It happened again this afternoon and my J asked me if he should still be surprised -- and I smiled and asked him "What do you think?"

Before dinner, we were just lazing about with a bag of chips (I got it this weekend -- yes, my J and I love our potato chips) while watching the shows on ETC --

After dinner, we watched Will and Grace with my bro --

And he calls after he gets to work to tell me that he had fun today ... and I told him "I did, too."

^_^

* * *

Synchronicity! --

If anyone asks you
how the perfect satisfaction
of all our sexual wanting
will look, lift your face
and say,

Like this.

When someone mentions the gracefulness
of the nightsky, climb up on the roof
and dance and say,

Like this.

If anyone wants to know what "spirit" is,
or what "God’s fragrance" means,
lean your head toward him or her.
Keep your face there close.

Like this.
... (it continues)

- "Like This" by Rumi

So I was chatting with my friend C and he was telling me how he loves to dance and twirl around -- I told him it reminded me of the dervishes of Persia. I tried to remember the name of the Persian poet who was also a dervish --

Rumi --

I searched for poems online and found this one, which I thought C would like because it was intense -- I gave him the link and copy+pasted the first part of the poem on our chat log --

It seems he's been searching for this poem since he started with Quill -- he never knew the poet who wrote it, but he tried to remember the poem --

And then we found it tonight -- yay!

It always pleases me when things work out and everything falls into place. ^_^

Big Band Fun Concert!

CONCERT DATE: Saturday, July 24, 2004
VENUE: Ateneo High School Covered Courts
CONCERT TIME: 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
GUEST ARTIST: 60-piece Philippine Youth Symphony Orchestra (ages 10 - 20 years old)
CONDUCTED by Professor Francisco Feliciano and Maestro Romeo San Jose

And the best part is: Admission is FREE.

* * *

Amazing Race 5 is on! It's sooo much fun to watch. ^_^

My J and I agreed that we'd probably be terrible at it. (We both get very indecisive at the most crucial times -- e.g. choosing where to eat or what to order from the theater snack bar...)

But I think we would have fun pa rin ^^

Got this from one of M's friends --

1.ANO STUDENT NUMBER MO?:
940+++ (Yes, I am that old)

2.NAKAPASA KA BA OR WAITLISTED?:
I passed. ^_^

3.PANO MO NALAMAN ANG ACET RESULT?:
Letters were sent to my school in Iloilo.

4.FIRST CHOICE MO BA ANG Ateneo?:
No -- was just supposed to come to Manila for the summer and ended up staying here and submitting the requirements for Ateneo.

5.ALAM MO BA ANG ACET score MO?:
Yes -- believe it or not, my lowest score was in English.

6.ANO ANG FIRST CHOICE MO NA COURSE?:
Humanities

7.SECOND CHOICE?:
IS

8.ANO COURSE MO NGAUN?:
Graduated from IS

9.MAY PLANO KA MGSHIFT:?
I did shift during my sophomore year -- just thought that IS was more flexible (and the fun people were all there)

10.CHINITO/CHINITA KA BA?:
I think so. ^_^

11.TGA ATENEO HIGH?:
No.

12.NAGENJOY KA BA SA ORSEM?:
Yes and No. I didn't enjoy the days I was with my English section -- Merit kasi kaya medyo snobs. Fun when I was with the Hum block.

I experienced another ORSEM during my junior year when I volunteered for Talks and Tours (ORSEM) -- fun!

13.SAANG GATE KA PUMASOK NUNG FIRST DAY?:
Gate 2

14.NAKAPAGDORM KA NA BA?:
No.

15.NAGKA-F KA NA BA?:
Yes, for one theo131 orals. My first and only. ~sigh~

16. NAGKA-A?:
Yes.

17.HIGHEST GRADE:
A

18.LOWEST:
As a final mark? C+

19.WORST EXPERIENCES SA AdMU:
Junior year - our Psy100 paper was due the next day and I was editing our paper (50++ pages) when the power goes off.

20.LAGI KA BANG UMAATEND NG KLASE?:
For the first three years, perfect attendance. During my senior year, no.

21.ANONG ORG MO?
I was inactive in all of them.

22.MAY SCHOLARSHIP KA BA?:
No.

23.ILANG UNITS NA NAIPASA MO?:
All of them

24.NANGANGARAP KA BA NA MAGLAUDE?:
Yes. ~sigh~

25.KELAN KA GAGRADUATE?:
Graduated 1998. Hoping to graduate 2005.

26.FAVE TEACHER:
DM, Dr. Brion, Mr. Respeto, Prof. Torres, Dr. Evangelista

27.WORST TEACHER:
None.

28.FAVE SUBJECT:
Creative Writing: Poetry with Dr. Brion, all my Lit classes with Prof. Torres

29.WORST SUBJECT:
None. Am a nerd.

30.FAVE LANDMARK SA AdMU:
Foyer, Lib steps

31.BUILDING?:
SocSci

32.FAVE KAINAN:
Clubhouse, Food for Thought

34.ESTUDYANTE BA ANG BINABAYAD MO SA JEEP:
Would take the trike

35.LAGI KA BA SA RIZAL LIB:?
As an MA student, yes.

36.NAGPUNTA KA BA SA INFIRMARY NUNG MINSANG NAGKASAKIT KA?:
Yes. This one year when I decided to fast during the Fridays leading to Holy Week.

37.MAY CRUSH KA BA SA CAMPUS?:
Yes.

38.BF/GF?:
Senior year, yes.

39.MAY BALAK KA BA MG-MS, PHD?:
Am taking my MA now.

40.ANU-ANO ANG MGA na-PE MO?
PE 101, walking, weights (don't ask), forgot the fourth one

41.KAMUSTA NAMAN ANG BLOC NYO?:
Fun yung course block ko.

42.NAKAPANOOD KA NA BA NG GRADUATION?:
Yes.

43.MEMORIZE MO BA ANG ALMA MATER SONG?
Yes.

44.MEMORIZE MO BA ANG FABILIOH?
erm...

45.E ANG HALIKINU?
erm...

46.E ANG BLUE EAGLE SPELLING?
erm...

47.MEMBER KA BA NG TEAM ATENEO?
I don't know -- don't think so.

48.CNO PABORITO MONG UAAP BASKETBALL PLAYER?
I watch but I don't pay attention to that

49. NAKAPERFECT KA NA BA NG EXAM?:
Yes.

50.ANO AYAW MO SA HELL WEEK:?
The papers! Exams every period =P

51.DITO KA BA NATUTO UMINOM NG BEER OR ALAK, MANIGARILYO?
Yes.

52.DITO KA BA NADEVIRGINIZE?:
No.

53.ANO GUSTO MO SA SKUL NATIN?:
The trees, the lib, the teachers

54.ANO AYAW MO?
Now? That the registrar's office is in Bel and everything else is in Xavier Hall.

55.BUMILI KA NA BA SA A-SHOP?
Yes.

56.MAGANDA BA ID PIC MO?
Yes. Especially the one I have now.

57.MAY GINAWA KA NA BANG ILLEGAL SA LOOB NG CAMPUS?
No.

58.NAKABILI KA NA BA NG GAMIT SA NATIONAL KATIPS?
Yes. I love that place. (But I don't like calling Katipunan "Katips")

59.NAGSTARBUCKS KA NA BA SA KATIPS?
Yes. Whole wheat bagel with cream cheese ... yum!

* * *

Will be out of town this weekend --

Will miss my J terribly -- I haven't left yet, but I can't wait to be back on Sunday.

Let's do the math --

In 1978, there were 4,151,846,000++ people in the world.
There are currently 6,440,982,750++ people in the world.
The Philippines has a population of 82,000,000++ people.
Every second five people are born and two people die, a net gain of three people.

Based on this, in a group of 23 people, at least two have the same birthday.

n choose p = n! / p!(n-p)!

<-- this is just part of the calculation ^^ (and the number is in the billions)

* * *

^_^ --

Chat log with P:
P: malapitin ka sa rare permutations no? I mean, meeting up with someone who was born on the very same day...and actually getting together with that person.
Me: oh my! yeah! i'm having someone calculate the odds for me -- i'm trying to figure out a bit of it myself
P: the odds, man. just imagine. hehe
Me: ^_^ -- am fate-alistic eh --
P: i guess, God doesn't throw dice.

When P typed that line, it made me smile. ^^

Try not to get worried
Try not to turn on to
Problems that upset you
Don't you know
Everything's alright
Yes everything's fine
And we want you to sleep well tonight
Let the world turn without you tonight
If we try
We'll get by
So forget all about us tonight
- Jesus Christ Superstar

* * *

Free Comic Book Day --

As always, it was fun -- it's always a nice feeling to be giving away things for free (and I like seeing how people's faces light up when you give them something extra ^^)

Thanks to G and C for helping out during the day -- owe you guys. ^^

* * *

Uncharted Territory --

I've ventured into territory that I've only heard of before -- now that I'm in it, I'm not quite sure what to make of it.

All of it is new to me -- these sensations and thoughts and I'm operating on blind faith and instinct.

I'm probably reacting to it this way because it's unknown to me -- but, deep down, I know that everything's alright and everything's fine. ^^

This is what I like about my sibs --

My bro is back from his one-month fellowship in New York -- he's suffering jetlag so he was awake when I woke up this morning --

HE asked me what was new and I told him about the new CCG we (people at the store) are all playing now -- the Marvel VS CCG. He listened as I was telling him how we got into the game and how we managed to get cards really cheap.

When he finally spoke, all he said was "Teach me how to play it."

^_^

* * *

FCBD! <--- exclaimed in the same tone as "TGIF!"

Today is Free Comic Book Day -- as is our usual practice, we will be giving away comic books depending on the number of stamps you have accumulated in the past month.

Fun fun fun! I'm excited ^_^

* * *

Three months into this --

And I find that I absolutely adore my J.

* * *

New Comic Strip to check out --

Spooner by Ted Dawson