five more sleeps before halloween 2011

It's this lazy feeling when you just wanna lay in bed all day long because you have hang overs of October 25. It used to be a date to me but not like this year. 2011 is different. It values October 25 like it was no other.

October 25 is the day when we formed our clique six years ago. That was October 25 2005. Friendship is a vital stamina. I am a nostalgic person and I like telling people time and again when I met my friends or when did we did some excursions etc. And yes, that night was fun. I saw Lara Faye earlier that day. That was a Tuesday and then all of a sudden they just dropped by the house. I guess it was Je and Ron who accidentally came by and then we contacted Regine and Isaac to come over. Daryl wasn't there but we knew in our hearts he is a part. Later on the group expanded by adding Daryl, Jophet, and Edison. Now we have all in all 12 members of a close group which transcends all virtual groups we are in.

October 25 is also the birth date of several individuals who have special spot in my heart. First Aljon who applied for apprenticeship April of 2009. Our meeting happened in GMA Cavite and thanks to Mark Anthony Dominguez for hosting us in their place. I had such a nice day. From that day on, we became friends. Sadly though, we lost our touch and never met again yet. Hopefully one day. Another one who was born October 25 is Kristine Dote. I met her first in 2009 during my volunteer work in Batangas City. She was very active as my student and got 100 in participation. I can sense a bit of my personality in her. Her interest and willingness to learn is very much appreciated. Given a chance I would like to share more of my knowledge and skills to her and help her to be the best she can be in her craft.

Photo of Kristine Dote and me together


Another tween who seems to be very happy as of yesterday is Christine. She just came back from Manila, had her vacation there, she narrated to me all the stories she have had in there being her first trip to some malls in Quezon City particularly in Trinoma and SM North Edsa. Truly, semester vacation can do something good to tired and saturated college students. And before I forget, my friend and high school classmate Jejomar Collantes also did celebrate his 24th birthday yesterday. I am very happy for him.

Photo of Christine during her vacation in Quezon City

Photo of Christine with Barney

A photo of birthday boy Jejomar Collantes

All is well yesterday. But today, something positive continues to thrive as my favorite basketball team in NCAA won their peat. San Beda Red Lions were the champions of the recently concluded NCAA Men Basketball competition. Jake Pascual did great in running and maneuvering as well as Rome de la Rosa. Both were quite noticeable in the first game. The game earlier featured a very different Jose Carmelo Lim who was totally fearless and fiery. No amount of words can be said about the Super Twins of San Beda Red Lions. The twin lions, Anthony Paul and David John Semerad exposed their intense passion this afternoon as they jump off the players of San Sebastian. Good job to all of them and let's yell for a congratulations.

Photo of Semerad twins during one of the games

How many days before trick or treat? Well I just hope it will be sunny and free from all worries.

with eyebrows and heart beatings

After a beautiful day yesterday siyempre kasi birthday ni Sir Arwin, I have to enjoy naman a sunny weather brought by October 14. This date is way too special. Kaya nga sinikap ko na proper ang rituals after waking up from bed. Medyo masakit lang sa balikat at sa mga joints kasi nga minsan na lang mangyari ang ganitong workout since hindi naman nagbabago ang physique features ko... ayun payat pa rin, still nothing is wrong with maintaining a body exercise aspart of daily regimen. Kaya lang heto ngayonlang ulit naulit yung talagang complete military exercise with shibashi at vocalization. Nice to do it every morning, pakiramdam ko lahat ng mangyayari sa buong araw tama kapag ganitoang ginawa ko. Siyempre after that,isang masarap na breakfast.

Rivers do not drink the water they carry.

Trees do not eat the fruit they bear.

Clouds do not bath in the rain they reproduce.



Meaning.. WE are meant to GIVE even if we get NOTHING from it.

Measuring life by what others do may disappoint us,

but measuring life by what we do will make life meaningful."

== Ynelle Laureta

Ang ganda no, yan naman ang susunod na mantra na dapat bigkasin after the breakfast hahaha!

Its been one year mula noong bumisita kami ni Genesis sa SM San Pablo. That's my first time to be there at kakaunti palang ang stores noon. Ngayon may movie house na. Ang laki ng improvement mataposang isang taon. I wonder, sa isang taon na lumilipas ang dami mga nagbabago sa isang lugar, henerasyon, tao, at bagay-bagay. We just have to be better.

I am proud of my heart.

It's been played, stabbed, cheated, burned and broken,

but somehow still WORKS. :')



If you'll read all my posts written on my Wall,

you will somehow know how i felt,

how i feel, and how i am feeling now.



And if you'll read all my Notes too,

then you will get to know me BETTER.

We wanna go on ang pursue our lifetime dreams. Ako ganun ako, as I wake up. Yung inspirasyon kasi para magpatuloy, maaalala ko siya tuwing sasapit ang araw na ito. Maaaring maraming nagbabago sa isang taon but somethings never change even if lumipas pa ang pitong taon.

Gaya na nga lang siguro ng pagalala ko sa isang importanteng bagay na naganap noong October 14 2004. Sem break noon, masaya ako kasi hinintay ko yung araw na maibibigay ko yung mga letters na sinulat ko sa mga kaibigan kong 4th year highschool noon. Alam ko dismiss na sila by 4pm kaya pumunta ako noon sa school. Miss na miss ko na noon ang Saint Mary's feeling ko 20 years na akong graduate kahit na seven months pa lang. Siyempre hindi ko lang basta ibibigay yung mga letter. May isang importanteng bagay pa. Oo, gusto kong makita noon si Lara Faye. Ang tanging bagay na puwedeng magpasaya sa akin that time. Siguro hanggang ngayon naman. But I wanna be safe. Ayokong isipin na hanggang ngayon sa kanya pa rin umiikot ang daigdig. I'll do her a favor pag iwinaksi ko na ang thought na yun. Let her be free and let me be free.

Hindi lang talaga maiwasang maalala ko yun ngayon. Iba kasi yung saya. Sa case ko ibang-iba. Siguro kung nagaaral ako noon sa isang ordinaryong pamantasan mabilis ko siyang malilimot in a span of year pero hindi ganun ang nangyari. I was trapped.

At noon ngang naibigay ko na ang mga letters, nakita ko siya kasama ng mga classmates niya sa OLMM. They were rehearsing para sa presentation nila sa Ana Kalang festival which will be on the night of October 21 2004. Pinanood ko yun. Pero noong nakita ko siya, ang laki agad ng pagbabago niya. Una parang umitim siya, tumangkad at humaba yung buhok. Seven months,.yes seven months kong hindi nakita yung unang babae na minahal ko.

Tapos na yun. Wala rin namang nangyari noong araw na yun. Hindi naman kami nag date. Hindi kami nagusap at makalipas ang seven years, unfortunately, hindi rin naging kami. Sabi ng isang wise man na iginagalang ko; kung mahal mo raw ang isang babae pursue her. Ginawa ko yun. Hindi ko siya sinukuan. Pero hanggang doon lang ang kaya ko eh. Hindi ko na kayang maging si Superman. And she finally said yes to another man. Ayoko nang maging complicated ang lahat.

Well kaninang umaga pinuntahan ako ng kapitbahay ko to inform me na may libreng SSS registration sa may palengke. I guess here's one interesting story again. This time it's a different kind.

My SSS Friday and The Girl Whose Name I Do Not Know

Ok sinabi ko na hindi ako makakapunta agad noong umaga kaya sabi ko sa hapon na lang after lunch. Tinotoo ko naman. Kahit tinatamad akong kumuha ng SSS number ngayon kasi Friday at sa hapon ko pa balak maligo, inisip ko na lang na mahalaga yun for the future if I am really thinking of Leuthor, Le' Riz, and Lance. Isa pa, wala kahit kailang masama sa libre. Libre nga eh. Kung kukuha ako nito sa ibang araw kung kelan kailangan, rush! Mahal! Malayo! Sa San Pablo pa eh mamamasahe ako noon at I might have other important things to do by that time. Eh ngayon wala!

Kaya naman sumama na ako noong hapon. Siksikan rin, ang daming nagtatanong. may kumukuha ng form para makapagregister. Hindi ko alam may para sa personal registration at meron ding para employed membership. Ang dami ko pa talagang hindi alam. Hindi pa talaga ako puwedeng maging Daddy. Habang kagulo sa pila at nagpi fill up kami ng mga forms naisip ko lang na sana I have all the insurances I need. If I have a family and a chance to have it all just to secure the future of my kids lalo na education nila pati na sa retirement ko at maging sa kamatayan gagawin ko para sa kanila.

Maya-maya pa guess what kung sino ulit yung nakita ko. Last year, I mentioned about her

"Ang saya ng Thursday na iyon kasi sa pagsakay pa lang jeepney ok na. Sakto yung jeep papunta ng SM San Pablo. Sa jeep na iyon nakasakay ko yung isang dalaga na taga-Bambang. Shit! As in parang premonition siya na on that same day pinapalipat na yung feelings ko sa ibang babae. Pero sana magkita pa kami ulit para maconfirm ko kung siya na nga yung puwede kong ipalit kay Faye. Ni hindi ko nga alam ang pangalan niya."

I never thought na makikita ko pa ulit yung girl. Hanggang ngayon hindi ko pa rin alam ang name niya. Actually, nakita ko na siay ulit prior to today. Pero nalimutan ko yung prayer ko na sana makita ko siya para ma confirm ko kung siya na nga yung puwede kong ipalit. At nangyari yun ulit kanina. Nakita ko ang isang babae na nakita ko rin sa ganitong araw last year. Wala namang imposible doon. Taga dito siya at taga rito rin ako pero isn't that serendipitous? I don't know, hindi ko na alam. Bahala na! Hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin kami magkakilala. Ayoko namang umasa ulit sa wala. Sana I can find a way to know her at makausap siya.

As of now I will remain positive. Alam ko there is a right time and a right person. Importante I have my SSS number now. Finally another augmentation to my existence. Next paper please! =)

all because they are winners

To whom success is due,success follows.Most often we think that it is hard work, perseverance and lots of practice that makes one a winner. Most often, it is owning that moment that defines victory as in the case of the recently concluded UAAP Season 74 with Ateneo Blue Eagles rising as the champions. By this time, Ateneo already entitled for their fourth peat after winning four straight years in the championship.

I am not to give all the details of the first and second game between Ateneo and FEU Tamaraws [let's leave that to the more shrewd commentators who can deliver blow-by-blow accounts of those two fantastic yet disappointing [for the part of FEU fans] games. This blog entry is simply a summation of an overflowing personal sentiments that should be aired freely in my OWN corner of this web universe. Being a supporter of the FEU Tamaraws from 2005, the time of Arwind Santos hitherto, I am a bit in hysteria learning that they were defeated by the giant Eagles. Yet on a second thought, their being in that position opposite to Ateneo is a success.

Looking at the early predictions about UAAP standings, nobody could have thought of FEU reaching the finals. It was Adamson whom we thought would make it to the last peak. FEU did quite a good job this year. Only that perhaps they weren't really prepared to defeat Ateneo with the kind of strategies they've shown us. A stronger defense and offense must be maneuvered if they want to bring down Jericho Wall of the Blue Eagles. Let us remember that the powerhouse top five of Ateneo is not a joke. They are tenaciously serious in winning this game. It is evident with the kind of cheerdance they'd deliver in the cheer dance competition. As if telling us it is ok not to have any awards from that contest because their focus is on winning the much coveted title. So there they were, they lost the cheer dance without any awards and UP got it.

Honestly, I cannot be close-eyed with the fact that their Top Players are gifted with impeccable athletic talent. They were the names etched in this years collegiate basketball history and I have this feeling that more is to be written about this guys.

Let me start with the UAAP Season 74 Finals MVP,Nico Salva who just made 13 straight field goals which showcased his surreal ability as an athlete tinted the hue of his blossoming early career. Salva, his surname reminds us of SAVE, salvation, salvage. Accidentally or incidentally, whichever way it is, his surname speaks of his heroic character. If he can save he must be a hero. And a hero he is in the heart of Ateneans.

Second, the man with a funny hair but with a long, long surname; Kirk Long. His arms may be average but we call him long and longer than his family name is the memory that he will leave behind as he will soon leave the UAAP Stardom beng in his senior year. I like how he dribbles and how he do the free throw shots. He has a noticeably vigor stamina which enables him to endure the game up to the 4th quarter if only without a foul. His hair is disgustingly distracting to their foes which for me is an advantage.

We cannot let this discussion pass without talking about the Rookie of the year who is no other than Kiefer Isaac Ravena. His family name reminds me of a breed of eagles which is appropriately melodious to their team's name. But according to research Ravenna is a village in Italy. Either way, he already made a sultry definition to his last name and that is quite an epic in itself. More to come next year with this boy. He is just in his early year as a management communication student in Ateneo so there is nothing to worry.

Lastly, the one who intrigues me the most; the Big Guy. Greg Slaughter, who became the male banner of the Ateneo Blue Eagles this year reminds us of the Philistines behind a jumbo warrior named Goliath. And being the Goliath of Ateno we expect him to be "big but lazy" or "big but maybe" actually, we were proven wrong by his enormous acts that brought goose bumps to several teenage girls regardless of their academic institutions an university affiliations. Greg Slaughter for me is the most promising basketball player of the next generation. He has the skills, the height, the aptitude, and probably... the looks. Being imported from the Vizayas Basketball domain, he wowed us with his vividly spectacular play style and rebound assistance that was never before seen in the game of the Ateneo Blue Eagles, not even during Chris Tiu's time. There is more we can expect from this guy.

Filipinos are fans of basketball. The rivalry flamed even more by the Universities and Colleges made it even more exciting for teenage players and aficionados. Our teens are looking for icons, for somebody they can look up and identify with. Being sporty, they will really search for it in the hard court and this guys are who we have as of today. Let us help them strengthen their template by providing a healthy competition and an environment supportive of athletic and aesthetic endeavor. In this way, we also lessen juvenile dillemas by opening the portals of creative outlets to be busy of. Their future is in the hands of those outside the hard court.