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If you’re a Filipino currently residing in the Philippines like me, then I think you must’ve also heard about the Wu Chun (bottom right) and Calvin Chen (top right) mania. I first became quite familiar of this Wu Chun when my classmate would always skip playing balls to watch Hana Kimi. Also, because of another series that goes by the title “Romantic Princess”. Ultimately, they’ve come to visit the country. As I watch the two Taiwanese from the band Fahrenheit on TV, I couldn’t help but reminisce the F4 days. Really. It was summer and I was an incoming sophomore high school when they hit the screens and captured the hearts of everyone. The sight of Chun and Calvin singing one of their songs also reminds me of how the music of F4 conquered the local music charts for months even though without the lyric subtitles, it totally couldn’t be understood. Hearing the two speak quite some good English was another interesting thing. I have always believed that if you are a celebrity then you should at least be able to speak some basics of the universal language. I know, for sure, that girls all throughout the country have gone mad while facing their television sets. Here in the dorm they were yelling unstoppably. I even heard of one in the other dorm who actually rolled on the floor. Say what?!

• Annex - A dubbed drama with a “band” on the backdrop
• Lower Wing A - A multi-genre drama *winner
• Upper Wing B - A verse choir (was it?) with harmonic gestures › “If I weren’t a woman on this stage…”
• Lower Wing B - A dance number with “singers” lip-syncing › Clumsy by Fergie
• Boys’ Wing - A game show with Erap as the host plus Lobo and Dyosa advertisements (woot~! bias? Lol)

People were yelling and cheering all throughout. I’ve come to realize recently that there will always be something one can get — entertainment — in every acquaintance party. It only takes the guts to attend. The snack — hotdog and marshmallows on stick, sandwich, bihon, and iced tea — was not as, uh, enjoyable as the previous years, I’d say. *shrugs* Maybe the House Council should really be headed by a senior. It was only during last year (our junior year) in which no senior ran for candidacy. But anyway, I believe things will eventually go with the flow. Ah! I forgot to mention that instead of having dress codes per wing this year, we decided on “profession codes” instead. We were geeky nerds. The others were composed of the dark emos, Sunday dressers, executive forces, and model fashionistas. After the snack was a special number for one of the dormers who recently turned 18 — a little debut party, that is. After a few picture-takings, we left for Omp’s Corner to you-know-what. It was incompletely planned. We went back to the dorm minutes past midnight. I was glad to see that there were still people dancing in the bare lobby (heard the disco lights got broken). From then on, I never rested until 2AM. Got off the bed today at 11.

I woke up Saturday morning and noticed a cold and dull atmosphere. I jumped into the conclusion that there’s a brownout and it was confirmed when I reached my UPS and it didn’t turn on after one switch. Frank, a typhoon at around 140 kph (according to one SMS I received that day), was devastating the island of Panay — the island where I’m in. Together with the absence of power was the absence of water. Usually, when there’s no electricity, there’s still water (that goes up to the second floor). But it was not the case. We had to struggle to acquire water because it was scheduled. Apparently the generator for it might have been under repair or something. I even experienced bathing in the rain in the inner court of our dormitory. It was a rather cool experience. The tandem of the two was not easy, especially the water that is a daily necessity. And the electricity you say? Argh!

Frank did not only cause the loss of electricity, for it drowned most of the below-sea-level Iloilo. I never thought that almost all places in this province are flooded when rain pushes itself too far. Many houses were reported to have been destroyed, roofs blown away, and people staying on top pf their houses. Aklan was also greatly inflicted. I wonder whether Boracay got hit too or it still remains as “beautiful” as what people perceive it to be. Then there’s this vessel that got turned upside down by the strong waves near Sibuyan Island in Romblon. The news says that the captain’s announcement to abandon ship came too late that only 56 among the more than 700 passengers survived. Such a disaster. I read in the newspaper today about a girl calling out for help because her parents and 5 siblings were aboard that ship and seemed to have not survived. Can you imagine that?

So what did we do the entire time? Well, everyone was playing “Killer’s Game” where you form a circle and look into each other’s eyes and one of you happens to be a killer and if he/she winks at you, you’re dead. I did not join because I thought that playing it without any proper consequence is lame. Then there was also this game “Seven, Seven, Bang!”. It’s actually fun, but still, I didn’t manage to join. And of course, there’s Tennis and Badminton every afternoon. People did everything they could do that can possibly entertain. Yesterday Zeny, our previous dorm president, was talking about the conspiracies of Filipino showbiz. It was surprisingly worth listening to. At night we went to Omp’s Corner and drank six bottles (liters) of Red Horse. Today two of my dormmates played BINGO. Yep, you read it right, only two of them. Nonetheless, it was amusing watching them. It was only past 2:00 this afternoon when the power was finally restored. No more dark and early nights, at last.

Life is just like a Tennis ball. It jumps up, and it jumps down. I still tend to play Badminton and Tennis alternately and the mood I’m ending up with also alternates. Satisfied, frustrated, satisfied, blah. In Tennis I’m getting more and more insecure each day. The Biology freshman student I was referring to in Sports-Minded proves her Palarong Pambansa (national competition level) skills. In Badminton it’s a different matter though. I’ve been playing with my classmate John Paul and most of the time we just have fun in between our matches. Last Tuesday we played against that research assistant from the BioSci Division and the teacher whom I’ve heard have played in the nationals before. We lost but going on as far as having a deciding set/game and a close score was satisfying enough. Tonight it was a match against JM and Duan — three matches which acted like three sets. Then it was against Sir Faina and that girl from the Clovers. All the games were friendly tonight, and it was not as exhausting as the last ones.

On my way home I met my classmates Mary Glo and Schiren. Glo was asking me if she could borrow my Biology 20 notes (since she’s taking it up this semester) while Schiren told me that I looked more haggard than ever. I brushed my hair aback with my right hand and…

Me: Excuse me.

* ROFLOL³ *

Glo: Nelson, nawindang ako! (I was blown away!)

And oh, our teacher in Literature 2 (World Lit) is apparently cool. Rock ON!

A parlor game followed the dinner. It was the “Hep-Hep-Hurray!” from Wowowee. I never considered it as the most hilarious thing in the world but it turned out to be so! Even just in the trial where Jaycel was the one who made the mistake was so funny already. Staying over their place for the night was out of my plan. But since they really bought something for us to drink and RJ and Charles (they’re present dormmates) have no longer any way of entering their dorm that late, I decided to stay. The bottle to heat up the night was a long-neck Tanduay (The rhum has a website!?). Many backed out, so I and Charles ended up finishing the only bottle. I don’t know why many dislike it, when there were softdrinks and water to push it down. Or it could be that I simply drink any hard drink that is served in front of me. Haha. But really, for the record, I have never experienced puking from drinking. It in fact easily puts me to sleep. It was already 30 minutes past 2 when I laid while the others were still singing their hearts out in the Magic Sing. I woke up about 5 times and saw that the others were still asleep. I didn’t time-check at all but on the last one I glimpsed on the outside and saw that there was already a pocketful of sunshine. I was awoken next by David’s voice. When I looked around, I realized that I was the only one who was still not up. RJ and Charles already left (Mga traidor! ) Walking back home to the dorm with David and Dux was sunny and serene.

1. “Why Komsai? I will find my reason here.”
2. “Computer makes money, and money makes the world go round.”
3. “I believe in 10 years there will be a computer revolution in the Philippines and I want the graduates of the University of the Philippines to lead that revolution.” *nosebleed*
4. “Gusto ko lang tapatan si Bill Gates.” (I want to compete against Bill Gates.) *sorry girl but you’ll still have to pass over me lol*
5. “Because I love computer, I love science, I love computer science.” *flirt!*

We simply had to cheer after hearing those answers. And we, upperclassmen, also introduced ourselves and gave some pieces of advice. This year’s number of enrollees is the highest, ever since the course started here as well as for the entire college. They’re 41, and I do hope the number will stick until the day of their graduation. Talk about their number, we really need some serious manpower in the acquaintance party (I can’t wait!). Six (or seven) of them are from Mindanao. When it ended, I stayed for a while in the lab in an attempt to aid the team who’s working on the computerized quiz bee for the upcoming IT Week in Iloilo. I realized that I no longer am capable of helping them since the codes are not mine in the first place. Ah, plus the mood swings too. So I just walked away and went to my guardian’s place. Unfortunately, they were not there. But it’s okay, I just left the cake I brought to the person who was left to stay in the house.

I have been alternately playing Tennis and Badminton lately. There was this tough Badminton player whom I saw playing last Monday night and I just couldn’t help but get nervous and excited by the mere fact of playing against him. Well, tonight, I just did. I was together with my roommate in first year. We lost, but it’s worth the sweat. I only had two games for tonight. And in Tennis, well, there’s also a new player. It happens that she’s a girl, so no need to worry in that case.

Last night was the Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition Plus’ Big Night. I got the copies saved on my cellphone, just like the 1st season. I’ll be posting them both.

Season 1 (Saved: 23:57:13 03-06-2006)
279,390 (18.5%) - Clare
293,234 (19.4%) - Gerald
313,032 (20.7%) - Mikee
626,562 (41.4%) - Kim

Season 2
186,523 (10.91%) - Beauty
314,582 (18.39%) - Nicole
588,116 (34.39%) - Robi
620,934 (36.31%) - Ejay

The 1st season got me watching more. Perhaps because I was still a teen at that time too? The Big Four was featured in ASAP today where three of them was accompanied by singers (I can’t believe two of them — Jay-R Siaboc and Nikki Gil — lip synced!) while the Big Winner was with season 1’s winner. Some of the songs sang got my attention, and I just had to download them, now that all music in my hard drive appears to have been inscribed magically in my head already. I found Elliot Yamin’s “One Word” (I’m not sure if it was really what Erik Santos sang though) and Marie Digby’s “Say It Again”. Her music video’s cute!

Edit: I woke up from a bad dream today. I was about to return a VCD to a music store in a mall by simply carrying it in my hand. I was then suddenly apprehended and was charged for shoplifting (or something like blaming me for bringing the disc in a way that looks like I stole it)! Anyway, I’m trying to make myself super busy while classes still haven’t started yet. Updating my sites, that is. The last one I spent many hours with was our OJT project, which is now up in the right place. Damn, IE6 and its ancestors are really rightful of being vanquished.

The enrollment yesterday went smooth. It was as if during my first year, where I was the second to finish the whole process (after being kindly guided by a female classmate). I think I’m not really the actual second this time though, but the feeling’s all the same. I started the day by getting up around 10 minutes past the hour of 7 and going to school 50 minutes later, breakfast-less. Grabbing the copy of grades at our department and having my Temporary Form 5 signed by Ninong (that’s what I call one of our teachers who’s now also the department head ) didn’t take 2 minutes or so. Without the said form signed, one cannot even pass the first station. A big thanks to my classmate whom I hitched the printing of mine! While waiting for the actual forms to be printed, I talked to the parent of one of my high school schoolmates who are incoming freshmen. We’re just neighbors back home, but our families never got a chance to be acquainted with each other. When I introduced two of my classmates who’re from Aklan to her, I was fascinated to know that she used to live there and hearing here speak their dialect was another fascinating thing! Finally, our teacher came out of the “printing room” and called us to get our forms. The Cash Office was the next stop but I didn’t have money at hand yet so I had my ATM account checked. The next thing was I was already paying the amount of P4,541.50 and had my form stamped. I am a student already.

Unpacking my things at the dorm almost took forever. C’mon, why is it very hard for me all the time? I had, like, 5 boxes stored in the stock room. Of course, I no longer practice pulling all my things out. With all the things I currently have, it’s like I have no plans of going home at all. Nonetheless, since this is supposed to be my last year, I thought of finally using some things I never or rarely used — my electric fan, mouse pad, Green Apple notebook, and Fuchsia pillow I received during the Christmas Party in the freshman dorm where I used to exist. I hope things will turn out fine in my new room. I still need to accomplish a few more things for the following days, like visiting my guardian and updating all the websites that I own. Summer (and OJT) of 2008 is legitimately over. Memories bookmarked, I will try to backup.

• Hill 70 Escapade
• Bonfire at OWL
• First Basketball shot
• Four three-point shots
• Fire Exit Escape

Regina Spektor - The Call

It started out as a feeling
Which then grew into a hope
Which then turned into a quiet thought
Which then turned into a quiet word

And then that word grew louder and louder
‘Til it was a battle cry
I’ll come back
When you call me
No need to say goodbye

Just because everything’s changing
Doesn’t mean it’s never been this way before
All you can do is try to know who your friends are
As you head off to the war

Pick a star on the dark horizon
And follow the light
You’ll come back when it’s over
No need to say goodbye

You’ll come back when it’s over
No need to say goodbye

Now we’re back to the beginning
It’s just a feeling and no one knows yet
But just because they can’t feel it too
Doesn’t mean that you have to forget

Let your memories grow stronger and stronger
‘Til they’re before your eyes
You’ll come back
When they call you
No need to say goodbye

You’ll come back
When they call you
No need to say goodbye

Lyrics from SongMeanings

If you want a copy, I uploaded the one I downloaded in RapidShare (second time so far). Hurry, while supply lasts. Download

For three consecutive days now, I haven’t been getting some adequate sleep. The other two days I got myself to work on our project so that eventually I will be able to achieve 200 hours of work by the end of the week. So far (over the weekend), I’ve done 28.55, which leaves me at least 25 hours or so to complete the number of hours required. Today is a different thing though. Aside from the fact that I’m still wide awake 6 hours past midnight and I have to report to school by 8:30, I no longer have plans of sleeping at all, being too much afraid of waking up very late and not able to attend to my members. Err, actually, unlike the previous ‘nights’, I was drinking Generoso brandy with four dormmates while downloading PC games here. I didn’t know that life could be much more easier with DAP. Maybe I’ll just bring with me a pillow and blanket in the lab’ratory about 2½ hours from now.

So I guess that’s it! Adios amigos!