Last September 24, we were scheduled to have our graduation pictures taken for the university yearbook. Quite early, isn't it? Unlike other students from different colleges, we are not that 100% convinced of graduating on time. Although we will be doing everything just to get our thesis done, there's still a possibility of failing.

However, that uncertainty did not stop us from going to that photo shoot.

From my point of view, those pictures, which are currently being Photoshopped, will serve as a motivation for me to graduate. Haha. The two photo shoots we had from two different studios did not come cheap. Hell, it cost more that my Japanese Spitz when i bought her. So in order not to waste those pictures and to not lose all its worth, I SHOULD graduate.

You know I think the mere fact that I'm always putting the 'I SHOULD graduate' idea in my head makes it obvious how desperate I am.

The following pictures are not my official pictures. These are NOT taken using DSLRs. These are through my point and shoot Sony Cybershot digital camera at Colorpoint Studios. =D

Sneak Peek

I'm no angel

Since we did two photo shoots, I have two sets of Toga Pictures. One from Colorpoint Studio, and the other from Red Images, the official photographer of The Thomasian 2008. =D

A few days from now is the graduation picture taking. I still haven't bought any dress and the shoes to match it for our group picture.

A few days from now is the graduation picture taking. I'm still in doubt of my brace color but it's too late to have the dentist replace it. I should have opted for pink and not whitish gray. Maybe I'll just ask the photographer, if he isn't charlatan, to edit my braces and remove it using photoshop.

A few days from now is the graduation picture taking. My eyebrows are not shaped the way I want them to be. Small zits are appearing because of the sleep I'm not getting. But then again, i'll ask the photographer to take care of it using photoshop.

A few days from now is the graduation picture taking. My mom told me to take the best package of the bunch. It means, the most expensive one. This is her dream, to put a framed picture of a girl in a black toga.

A few days from now is the graduation picture taking. When I was a freshman in college, I have seen quite a number of graduation pictures and my reaction was always the same. "Why do people look way older on graduation pictures?" The only answer I got that I could still remember was, " It's because they intentionally make you look older, the lightings, the make-up, and everything." I'm not quite sure if that is the case.

A few days from now is the graduation picture taking. If I fail any subject, I don't march on March. That is one thing I fear more than anything else.

A few days from now is the graduation picture taking. If our thesis will get rejected, which I HOPE NOT, I'm gonna have to tell my mom that there'll be no framed girl this year.

A few days from now is the graduation picture taking. AND I AM GONNA GRADUATE!

Let's go TIGERS, let's go!

The thomasian crowd were unstoppable with their cheers as the tigers emerge victorious in the playoff between UST and FEU earlier at the Araneta Coliseum. The tigers are still in the hopes of retaining the title as champions but this time, for the 70th season of the UAAP.

TIGERS! Rawwr!

At first, I planned to go with my classmates. But since they backed out, I ended up going with my sister. My sister who is, just like my mom, has more tiger spirit than me though neither of them is from UST. Have I told you they watched a game between UST and another school last season 69 alone? Without me? And FYI, the game was sold out they had actually bribed a security guard just to let them in.

Sisteru

Anyways, the game that just happened between UST and FEU was a do or die game. The pressure was on big time. The losers go home and wait for another year to try their luck. And the winner advances and continue their hopes toward the championship series.

The game was almost sold out. Probably all those with a hefty heart for school spirit and those seniors like me, who feared that it would be the last game of their college life, went to see that game.

Early on, the tamaraws were at the lead on the scoreboard. I admit, I kinda lost hope at the start of the game not taking into consideration the many minutes left for the tigers to catch up. At the second quarter, Japs showed his A game that started the momentum of the team. As the game progressed, the tigers showed confidence in the way they played. They were shooting here and there and every basket counts. Defense was also great. Of course, I was cheering. It probably was my favorite cheer that game because of the triangle (diamond or whatever!) your hands create as you chant "O! Depensa!" and because it was the most used cheer that time. Indeed, it was very effective. Everytime that cheer went, no tamaraw was able to penetrate our court! =D Hence, the tigers trailed by at much as 20 points during the game.


The "Go, USTE!" cheer proved to be of many purpose. It is the traditional cheer, the morale booster cheer, the encouragement cheer, the good luck cheer, and the SHOW OFF cheer. Yes, as often as a tiger scores, the "Go, USTE!" cheer was heard. Loud, proud and boasting with school spirit.

This is the second best game of my life, after the championship game last season. Throughout the game, I was praying, "Lord, just this one, before I graduate. Kahit hanggang final four lang." Yes, prayer answered!

Personally I don't talk about my love life, be it the past or the lack of it. It's just too complicated for me to tell. And I am not a good story teller. Sometimes I'd end up sending the wrong message thus people will either not get me or they'll be too bored to care. So I just prefer to shut up. Shutting up has its own rewards. For one, i can conserve the few memories I have left (FYI: I think I have short term memory). Shutting up also spares me the time to explain why certain things are the way they are. Lastly, it saves me from the emotional spikes and surges everytime I go back to memory lane. Nothing sucks like unresolved relationships --when there's no closure. So I have sworn not to tell anyone about the most complicated issue known to man, that is, my love life.

When I can't really help myself, I share my 'love life' with two types of people. One, the person who won't remember a thing. It's good to vent out my emotions to people whom I know won't remember anything. I mean it's fun. They're too busy to care about their own issues to even remember but still they're also too kind to listen to my endless illogical and sometimes surreal feelings. Pasok sa isang tenga, labas sa kabila.

The second kind of person is the real friend. The real friend is the one whom I can share everything with without him/her taking it against me. The one who does not pretend to know what I mean, because he/she too felt it one way or another. They're the ones who know, without me saying it, that every word that comes out of my big mouth is said in confidence.

I am saying all of these because earlier one of my classmates waved my ex-boyfriend's name in my face-- all caps, bold and embossed in 90 point black font.

SHE SAID HIS NAME.

In jolly, blissful, cheerful euphoric tone.

I'm like, okay, that was really unnecessary. I know you guys are acquainted but what the hell?? Don't you feel like that was a bit insensitive or harsh even? You know I don't talk about him because we're not in good terms nor are we civil when we see each other. You know we don't converse. Not even the words "Hi" or "Hello" are exchanged. We don't even raise eyebrows when we cross paths in school. You don't even hear me say his name. Don't you think it means I don't want to talk about him? Did it even occur to you that although we were not the best couples back then, the feelings I had for him were still real. And you clowning about our past is really not helping. I could take this all so subtle if it were just anybody, but from a friend?

She was right there in my face...

I hate situations like this when I can't control what I'm supposed to feel. I'm supposed to take it like it's not a big deal because really it's not. But I felt agitated. Maybe it's not the way how this person said his name. Maybe it was his name.

++

This is the edited version... I didn't know why the said incident infuriated me that time. I shouldn't have felt that way since I usually don't. This was the first time it happened. Maybe I was putting our very inconvenient lack of civility in my head too much than I should be. So there. =D

Sobrang daming kinasasangkutang issue ni COMELEC Chairman and former Mandaluyong Mayor Benjamin Abalos. Naalala ko pa nung high school ako sa isang science high school, ininterview namin siya sa kanyang opisina sa WackWack para sa isang high school project. For one, super lucky kami nun at siya ang nainterview namin. Sobrang warm ng presence niya at sincere ang kanyang pananalita. Talagang mararamdaman mong leader siya. At hindi niya pinaramdam samin na istorbo kami sa oras niya. Dahil dun, tumaas lalo ang tingin ko sa mga Abalos.

Pero kamusta naman ngayon, nung naging COMELEC Chair siya parang siya na lang lagi ang laman ng balita. Buti sana kung maganda, eh puro katiwalian naman. Slowly, nawala ang respeto ko sa taong ito. Lalo na nung panahon ng eleksyon. Kasagsagan ng mga fabricated election returns at mga biased decisions towards electoral disputes na against sa mga kalaban ng administrasyon.

It's so sad. Meron kang taong binibigyan ng respeto pero madidisappoint ka na lang kasi malalaman mo na hindi pala siya deserving sa respeto na yun. Bihira na lang akong humanga sa mga government officials, madidisappoint pa ko. Sayang.

Virus talaga tong administrasyon. Hinahawahan ng kabulukan ang mga opisyal.

He may cease to exist but his songs will forever remain as a reminder to everyone that once, a great musician has walked into the face of this planet to give joy to everyone's life.

Meet my afternoon man, Jeff Buckley.

1966- 1997

10 years after his death, Jeff Buckley's songs still remain constantly on the airwaves because of their cunning beauty. Although I feel sorry that he will no longer be able to offer his beautiful music to the world, I am still grateful for everything he's given.

Jeff Buckley is officially my afternoon man since his airing time on my iPod is during the afternoon. While I'm taking a bath, while I'm traveling to school, while I'm crossing Lacson Avenue and then Espana Blvd. While I'm walking along the side of the university and off to class he's still my companion. haha. Well, at least for the past weeks this is my iPod routine. So whenever you see me in school with my iPod on, expect me to be in a gloomy but peaceful mood. Not that his songs are gloomy and all, it's just the internalization phase.

I suggest you listen to him best in the afternoon. Then everything will come smooth sailing afterwards. I don't know, maybe it's just me and my nostalgia but what the hell. Just listen to him. He's definitely one of the greatest artist of our time. Deep Beautiful Melancholic in every sense of it. =D