Promise

 

I won’t let you give up on a miracle

’cause it might save you.

- Miracle, Paramore

 

Transitory

The McDo-Morning-with-dad equation

= 6AM wake-up call + Freezing-morning walk / jog * ”Growing up (growing out?)” talk + Happiness at the morning calm (x the form of a free Frap)

Rainbows

No matter what happens, rainbows and dreams still exist.

Circle

“Soliddd..”

This is me and a group I never thought I’d be with up to today, my grade school classmates (here we go again, haha.. but I love them :D). None of us really thought we’d be driving each other to go to the “dream” theme park when we were young (the ONLY “theme park” in the Philippines, Enchanted Kingdom), nor that we’d still hang out even after we’ve met so many other interesting people in high school and college and work— these are things we all did today. And more. We hung out and talked like never before. Whatever connections we had we still there apparently. Life is awesome that way :)

I want to still be able to take a similar “unite” picture of us a decade from now.

***

*Sniff*

“What will happen to us now?”

*sabay hikbi uli*

***

Will A. really end up becoming a pastor? Will L. become a sell-out commercial or indie director? Will Z. go to Australia for good? Will J. and  T. end up being together? Will our restaurant/jetsetting/drag-racing/hospital-/school-building/true-love-seeking dreams come true? I wonder what kind of person will I be then? 

Our troubles and tears are dust and drinking jokes ten years from now, I bet; I’m excited.

Hooray for age and old friends :)

Wreath

 

When it arrives

The darkest of nights

Let me have my back turned

And not realise

 

The story’s coming to an end

I’ll never be just giving in

I’m living by the rolling dice

It’s closure but it’s in disguise

 

- To An End, Marit Larsen

Just say it

This has been a very testing year for me and some people I know. That’s why for Christmas, I realized I didn’t want anything anymore than to be in the company of people I love.

As we were about to leave her house, one of my grandmothers whispered apologetically to me for not getting me a proper gift. I merely hugged her tightly and blurted out, “Lola, wala akong gustong kahit ano kundi ang magkakasama tayong pamilya.” (Grandma, I want nothing else but be with the family.)

I shocked myself as soon as I said that. I’m never that open in speaking in “telenovela” lingo. But a lot has happened this year; I feel like I understand better now. I think I understand now why some inspirational buffs tell you to just say what you feel at certain moments, or to certain people. There’s no point in keeping ideas to yourself at a certain moment because it could be all gone the next day. So say what you’re thinking about now, share it while you can.

Normally, doing this could be considered rude or intriguing or cheesy, but I guess I don’t care about those anymore. Life is too fleeting these days. It must be the fast-paced cultures I’ve observed lately; it must be the people I hang out with these days. It must be that I’m “growing up” and feel that I’ll miserably face regret again if I keep things to myself or in secret like before.

Well, I feel lucky of this Christmas revelation, so I’m sharing it through this blog as my gift to everyone who stumbles on this entry. So go take your chances, and speak out!

Merry Christmas! :]

Namamasko pow!

I was feeling really really generous today. Or maybe because these kids were so happily singing out-of-tune and with-all-the-wrong-Christmas-carols-lyrics in front of my house that I decided to check out how, err, happy they looked.

In exchange for pamasko from my own wallet to these street/house-to-house children carolers (super super rare occasion), I asked for a picture:

Merry Christmas everybody!

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Farfalle

Sometimes, you just want to give yourself away, no? The day before Christmas, I decided splurge on materials in making gifts and in ingredients in cooking a Christmas dish as a promise / peace offering to my family..

I love making stuff out of raw things– be it art, crafts, or food (err, these three doesn’t sound so delicious together..).

Especially so, too, if you’re making it to give to others!

The world it turns with us

 

A tribute photo to one of my favorite songs by my favorite band of all time, Urbandub:

 

 

 Endless a Silent Whisper

 

The night belongs to us 

We’re caught in a world of our own 

We cling to the hope it would change for us 

Is it in vain? Is it too late? 

Why did it have to be you than I? 

I heard the news today. 

 

Embrace so much tighter

This could be our last together 

Heaven sheds tears for the wounded hearts 

Our forever has been torn apart 

 

Our vast religions won’t help us answer 

What was pre-destined for us to have since long ago, 

It’s hopeless.

The world it turns with us.

 

Hold me in closer, don’t let go of me 

Now we close our eyes and let go to the night 

The night we feel alive.

 

Is this the beginning of our last dance? 

Once around the floor, can we do it again? 

I feel the thrill from words we say, I love you. 

 

UP Para sa Bayan photos

UP Para sa Bayan -- The crowd in awe at the landing parachute gliders-- and yes, that's Quezon City Mayor Sonny Belmonte on the right :D

Leadership, excellence and service– the three pillars that make University of the Philippines have recently been “personified” in the recent Hail UP Oblation photo shoot, and UP Para Sa Bayan, a one-day public service fair of UP colleges and alumni offering free services for the Filipino last Saturday, December 13, 2008.

I roamed around this event, and got free blood and sugar, a health & lifestyle one-on-one consultation, and a portraiture lesson! Click here for more photos from my camera and more details about the event.

My on-the-spot portraiture lesson by UP Centennial artist Mar Bongalon

 

Silent drill formation

Other highlights of the day:

• Kasalang UP, a mass marriage of a hundred couples, with QC Mayor Sonny Belmonte doing the “funky”/cool-toned honors and marriage vows
• UP Vanguard parachute tents! I love seeing the faces in the crowd looking at it ^_^ They’re all in awe.
• UP Vanguard silent drill exhibition —I miss rifle-passing/throwing from COCC. These guys were all snappy and alert!
• The Hail UP Oblation photo shoot

Hail U.P. Oblation pictures!

The Hail UP Oblation photoshoot was legendary! It made me want to take off my clothes and pose for my alma mater as well! :D (Kung pwede lang sana e!)

Hail! U.P. Oblation centennial photo shoot

An incredible, breath-taking experience! Click this link for photos from my camera.

Very “alive” human oblations

Of course these Oblations were very alive themselves! View their funnier photos here.

 

Thanks to all the models who participated in this centennial shoot! Our National artist Guillermo Tolentino would’ve been very proud! You did the Oblation monument, and UP, more justice than it can ever receive in its lifetime! To inspire the gathering of a all these people, and “sacrifice” themselves, er, visually by doing something potentially embarrassing (and you did it anyway!). We’re all super proud of you guys!

Let’s do what we can to keep the spirit of Filipinos in the minds of many :) I excited to see what the AP and Reuters photographers came up with! 

Hail! UP Oblation photoshoot

UP Oblation Run fans and enthusiasts! Finally, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get that perfect angle of a human UP Oblation: A photoshoot of 100 U.P. Oblations–minus the masks, and all that running!

Attend “Hail! U.P. Oblation“, a grand UP Centennial photoshoot in UP Diliman’s Amphitheater, on December 13, Saturday, at sunrise (6 A.M.).

Yeah there’s that six A.M. calltime.. but then again it’s once-in-a-lifetime! You’re gonna be telling your grandchildren about this event (especially if you’re one of the models, or know one of them)! So go! ^_^

More details in the press release below:

A hundred male University of the Philippines alumni, students, faculty, and staff will pay tribute to the UP icon, the Oblation, via a unique photo shoot on December 13, 2008 at the crack of dawn. The “100 Oblations” event will be one of the closing activities of the UP Centennial celebrations.

Called “Hail! U.P. Oblation”, the historical and visual gathering is estimated to take place at 6 a.m. at the UP Diliman Amphitheater behind Quezon Hall where the original Oblation monument stands. The event will be covered by foreign and local media organizations and professional photographers. The best photographs from Hail UP Oblation are being planned to be featured in a future UP Centennial coffee table book.

All are invited to witness this once-in-a-lifetime human ensemble and photo expedition as one of the final events of UP’s one hundred years of service to the country. Unlike the men of the Oblation Run, the 100 Oblation models will be wearing specially designed trunks with stylized fig leaves.

After the photo shoot event, “UP Para sa Bayan”, a public service fair offering free medical, dental, legal, veterinary, health promotions. education workshops, as well as traditional and non-traditional amenities, will take place at 7 a.m. The entire University Avenue and the UP Academic Oval will be filled with 100 tents offering various services to the public for a day.

Both Hail UP Oblation and UP Para sa Bayan are organized by the UP Alumni Association special committees. 

For more information, please visit the Hail UP Oblation official Multiply portal, or contact the committee through Misha (0920-901-51-07), Debbie (0917-791-39-24), and Bev (0915-847-91-19), or through email (hailupoblation@gmail.com).

For UP Para sa Bayan, please contact the UPAA office at 929-8327, 920-68-68, and 920-68-71.

Who is the UP Diliman student, exactly?

Someone’s releasing groundbreaking findings about the “UP stereotypes”. 

A recently conducted study by a class in our Communication Department attempts to generalize the new Isko’t Iska with numbers and facts in KaleidoISKOpe: Silip sa Bagong Iskolar ng Bayan on December 4, 2008 at the CMC Auditorium, from 1-3pm.

Here’s the spiel from my classmates Sheena and Kayc:

 

So you think you know the true Isko and Iska? Think again! These findings will surely bust commonly held notions and stereotypes on UP Diliman students. A glimpse of our research findings:

Grade Conscious. Most UP Diliman students work hard for incentive grades. 

Loner no more. 76.5% of UP Diliman students are organization members. 51.5% of them belong to more than one org. 

Party harder. 70.8% of UP Diliman students have gone clubbing. 

On the go! More UP Diliman students own laptops (53.1%) than desktop computers (41.1%). 

Readings galore! Photocopying books is more popular than owning original copies. 

My Ride. 25.1% of UP Diliman students drive their own cars. 

Non-Smoking Campus. 65.1% of UP Diliman students have never smoked and do not plan on smoking while still in UP. 

Academic Integrity. UP Diliman students find cheating and plagiarism unjustifiable. 

Just say NO. 84.8% of UP Diliman students have never had sex while in UP. 92.4% have never taken prohibited drugs.

Sexy time! 10.6% of UP Diliman students have had sex while in campus and they are willing to do it again while in UP.

Intrigued? Know the numbers. Go beyond the statistics. 

Watch KaleidoISKOpe: Silip sa Bagong Iskolar ng Bayan

CMC Auditorium, Dec. 4, 1 – 3 PM.