I'm finally back home. I missed all of you guys... As usual, I'm feeling a lot of things right now.
We won, first place, in the Regional Ozone Quiz held in Bangkok... After a close fight, we got on top, and stayed there until the final round ended, and we won! We won about USD 1500. Of course, as you already know, half of it goes to the school, and half of it is further divided between Lawe and me. So, after applying math, I get only USD 375. Well, that's not so bad. But still...
It was really fun. Being away from school for a few days (but not too much), being with new people, and making new friends as well. It really was a unique experience that I would always treasure.
We're going to go to Montreal in September. I'm very excited. I mean... it may not be fun or something... I could picture myself sitting in a conference room, being bored to death by overly long speeches and other legislative processes, while having to be presentable because I am a representative... Still, in spite of all that, it's a new place to visit. New experiences... Anyway, back to immediate reality now... I'll have to get my ACET moved, if possible. Hopefully I won't miss much this time. I might miss the Sayaw Interpretasyon, though. Ma'am Cion will just assign me to do something else. Go GLUON!!! RARR RARR RARR!!! You (not we... wala naman ako dun eh...) can do it! Don't worry; manalo man Gluon o hinde, libre pa rin sa birthday ko...
I'm a bit sad right now... My grades have fallen short of what I expected them to be. Physics is okay... Econ is only 1.25; I needed 1.0... And there's Pinoy... I can get a 3... I feel... different somehow. My friends console me, saying that it's okay... we did win an international contest... but still, kung hindi man ako maka-DL ngayon, i'll be a bit depressed. Don't worry though, hindi naman ako ganun ka-emo or pathetic na magpapakamatay ako dahil lang sa grades... Still, as I said twice or thrice already, I'll still be a bit depressed.
I'll just look forward to the future. There is still hope. There are still the people I love, who will care for me and always be with me. Of course, I will be there to care for them and be with them. There is still a life to live. There is still a future.
Now for the less serious part... I'm just going to spend my time talking about, well, new stuff. There's a lot of new things coming...
Before I die, or kill myself (joke) I would like to play StarCraft II... We've all been waiting for it... and finally, it is coming!!! New units for the three races... and favorite units will be back as well. Still, there is something... People are all arguing about the new Dark Templar - about how it looks. Some people want it to look more like the original one. Some dislike the weapon. Some dislike its concept art. Isn't that just stupid? I mean... what's supposed to matter is the unit in-game. If it's still similar to the old dark templar in terms of usefulness, then that's good. Because, otherwise, it would die to a Colossus, maybe even an Immortal, and to a Planetary Fortress as well.
Finally, to all of you who don't like "the new Dark Templar", what can you actually do about it? Complain like hell to Blizzard? You can choose to skip out on everything else in StarCraft II, but that's not Blizzard's problem. There are a lot of people who would still play StarCraft II, even with the new stuff they don't like.
That keeps StarCraft II going. Whatever happens, I'll try to save up for it. Even though it's most likely that my current PC can't handle it, I'll save for it so that I can upgrade my PC...
There's also Ragnarok Online 2: The Gate of The World. Yes, I know most of you are already sick of RO. Well, I'm looking forward to it anyway. It's going to be a nice game, I know it... Just you wait... RO2's going to be a lot different. In RO1 news... there are already 3rd classes! I mean, they're already planned for existence when Episode 13 comes. According to, well, Gravity, 3rd jobs will continue from 2nd jobs, AND NOT TRANSCENDENTS. Transcendents still have an advantage over them though. Well, I don't know what exactly that means, but I am so very excited!
Finally, please comment on the new archetype in Magic - the Planeswalker! Most of the people seem to say that it's so f'n wrong. Yes, the duelists are supposed to be the planeswalkers... Yes, planeswalkers just can't summon planeswalkers; that doesn't sound right. Yes, planeswalkers were never made into cards because they were beyond being mere Creatures. But then, what can you do? You can choose to not play Lorwyn. You'll be missing out on the rest of the set, though.
Still, I'd like to think of how Planeswalkers are to be different... here's a little sample that Joel and I sort of thought up. It's not in any way real...
sample card
Venser - 2UU - 2/2
Legendary Planeswalker - Human Artificer
Blink (At any time, you may remove this card from the game. Return it into play, and enchant it with all auras previously enchanting it, if any, and put on it all counters of any kind previously on it, if any.) [A sort of ability that all Planeswalker cards have, which Planeswalkers are known for... that is, all cards with Planeswalker archetype immediately have this ability]
3, TAP: Put an artifact card from your hand into play tapped.
...Well, wala lang. Just a product of the imagination... If Urza was ever into a Planeswalker card, Joel thought, he would have something like "All Lands are Urza's Power-Plant, Urza's Tower, and Urza's Mine in addition to their types." Well, I'm still excited about Lorwyn.
Now is a great time to be alive... WIth so many new things coming our way... And, it's more than that.
We're friends again... Still, sometimes, I can't believe it, but we're friends again. It's like everything is back to normal. He even trusts me again. I'm so thankful... I'm so grateful for having another chance at this friendship... I won't intentionally do bad stuff this time.
Thank you, [you know who you are]. Thank you so much. You even console me in my grades dilemma and stuff... Thank you for trying to make me feel better. I'm happy for you, that you're doing well in life. I know that things will turn out okay, because you're there for me all the way. Of course, I'll also be there for you, to help you if I can... to console you if you need to. I'm sorry if I'm a bit paranoid about you treating me as though nothing had happened. It's just... too good to be true. Still, I believe now... I trust you now when you say that you're my friend again... Thank you so much...
I'm glad you're my friend again.
Oh, and as for all the personality tests out there.
I belong in Limbo. I'm mostly dependent.
I'm here in Bangkok right now... After a 3 hour flight, I'm finally here.
It wasn't that much of a long journey. I was quite nervous at the airplane though. I was expecting my ears to explode, or hurt badly, or something. Well, that didn't happen.
It's fun so far...
I'm gonna go home by 23 August, or Thursday. I'll be at Manila by 6:30 pm, +8 GMT. Well, I'm not exactly expecting a welcoming committee...
Bad news... I'm only going to be given my 400 USD tomorrow.... Don't have it yet... All I have is about 300 pesos, which is essentially worthless... for now...
The 2000 prize money has become just 1500... and 1000 will be taken for the school... So, i only have 250 USD... damn... don't worry though, I won't forget to get all of you souvenirs. I'll also log on whenever I am able...
And, well... I'm happy right now... He's my friend again... He's given me another chance. I may screw up again. I can't promise that I won't. But it's going to be different this time... Same as before, but different.
Thank you guys, for being there for me.
Thank you for forgiving me.
Thank you for being my friend again.
Thank you for giving me a chance.
I'm dedicating this contest to you. I'll do my best.
All my bags are packed
I'm ready to go
I'm standing here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye
But the dawn is breaking
It's early morn
The taxi's waiting
He's blowing his horn
Already I'm so lonesome
I could die...
...Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go
cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
Don't know when Ill be back again...
There's so many times I've let you down
So many times I've played around
I tell you now, they don't mean a thing
Every place I go, I'll think of you
Every song I sing, I'll sing for you...
...Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go
cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again...
Well, I didn't mean anything by that. It's not addressed to anyone. That's why i removed a lot of parts.
Anyway, I'm going to leave on Sunday, 10:30 am. Still don't know when I'll be back. Probably on Thursday, maybe Thursday afternoon. I'm a bit excited. I'm a bit depressed. I feel so many things at once. I don't know...
A lot of things happened. Once again, I did something stupid. And, unlike before, I did it intentionally this time. How stupid can I be... to hurt the person who trusts me most?
I just hope that we could be friends again. I hope that everything would be back to the way it was before. I hope that eventually you would trust me once more. I will do what I can... everything I must do... to gain your trust back. It's the most important thing to me.
If you will really not trust me anymore, or ever again, I just wish that I could simply be your friend again. I know that you must think that I'll simply screw up again, and hurt you again. Well... I can't really promise change. I can't really promise that I won't screw up again. I know that now. I will do my best to get your trust back. I will do my best to become a better person. Even if I would sometimes hurt the people I care about, I still would try to change for them. It would be better that I had memories with you, both happy memories and sad ones, rather than none at all.
I'm sorry for disappointing you. For hurting you. For betraying your trust.
Thank you for forgiving me. At least, now, I can think clearly. Thank you... Thank you so much.
Please, give me a chance. I may screw up this time... It may only be a matter of time until I screw up again... But, I will try to never hurt you again. I hurt you this time of my own will, thinking I could use you. I will never do that again. That I can promise you, and I do promise you that now.
I know you feel that my words are empty now. I could only hope that eventually you would listen again.
Sorry for the emo post, everybody. Wish me luck in Bangkok... Although, right now I'm worrying over the cultural presentation... And the quiz itself...
Tomorrow, we're going to perform the Reader's Theatre. For me, it's more than just 14.6% of my English 4 grade (which i desperately need to cunter my Fil grade.) It's also a critical binding experience that determines if Gluon will stay together.
One of the reasons as to why Sampa is so close is the fact that we've all gone through experiences we can all relate. We were all trying our best to win that Paskorus. We would practice every day until we got tired. I remember going home very late, because of practices. It was a very unforgettable set of experiences. Still, when we look back on that, it seems surprising as to why we did not win - we had Red, and Tobit, and Soph, and Iya, and of course, Kim and me (just joking... but we really did sing, and put our all into it.) We didn't win because of... a lot of things. However, the fact that we didn't win didn't bother us at all. We were all in it together, and we were proud of it. We were happy. We had done our best, and gave it all to God. That's one of the reasons as to why Sampa is so close. In fact, there are only a few groups as closely-knit as us.
I just hope something like that happens for Gluon. No offense, but I don't want it to turn out like Sodium did. Sodium was close, yes. The Ramayana was a significant bonding experience. All of that fell apart during the Di-Kumbensyonal na Musika or whatever it was. Since then, we had a general lack of motivation; we were a bit apathetic. Still, days with Sodium were memorable, and like Sampa, they are close to me as well. I got to make new friends, and I got to know people more. More importantly, I grew up when I was with them. All of the stuff that happened to me last year helped me change myself, and Sodium was there for me. Not like Sampa, but still, I could see that most of them cared. Thanks, guys.
Now, I look forward to the future. Hopefully, our Reader's Theatre becomes a success.
I also hope I do well in my upcoming contest also. My parents keep telling me to study, because they certainly don't want me to be unable to answer anything. Still, I'm not exactly just doing nothing. It's not that I am not studying. It's just that, I am still busy with requirements... I also imagine that I'd be steeped in requirements too, like Tobit, and Steph, when I get back. Still, I just hope I can enjoy time there. I'd definitely enjoy a break from all the pressure, and all the requirements. But I would never want to be away... Away from my special family and friends. I just hope that I don't let everybody down... Wish lawe and me luck... Don't worry, I won't forget to get souvenirs. I'm gonna miss you guys...
It's been so long since I posted... anyway... right now, I feel so confused... and worried...
The suspension of classes has been quite unnerving... i am grateful for the free time, but we have to do the life sci poster... and my portfolio... and a whole lot of other requirements... There's also the Reader's Theatre... I have to get that remaining 14.6 percent. I have to get 1.0 in english to counter my abyssmal grades in Pinoy this quarter. And, there's also physics, the main subject this year. I have to get a good grade in physics to get my grades up. I am a bit worried about CAT; if i actually get low on it it will push me down, and i can't afford that...
On the other hand, i am quite excited by the Perio scores. I did exceptionally well in English (99/100... yes, curse me if you want to...) and I also did good in Bio (44/50.) I passed Math barely at 19/30, and I got a relatively high score at physics (28/35.) I'm a bit excited at Chem and Econ... and I don't even want to know my score in Pinoy... Ma'am Cion's Pinoy is just like Sir Args' English... in the sense that they are both extremely lethal... if only i could appreciate Filipino Literature like English Literature... You can't blame me, though... Biag ni Lam-ang is no Iliad... and, don't get me started on the Hinilawod... I hope that literature "under the pen and sword" (or, during the Spanish period) is more "understandable"...
Sorry for all the GC talk (not referring to anyone at all, sorry if you're offended) but I really can't think of anything right now... other than grades... I just feel... so many things at once...
There's also the contest.. I'm leaving in about 10 days' time... I'm leaving for Bangkok, with Lawe from muon, and we're gonna participate in the Regional Ozone Quiz. It's, in a few words, a mix of chem and soc sci. Atmospheric chem is relatively easy to handle; it's the soc sci part that bothers me... We have to memorize names of heads of institutions and agencies and stuff. We have to familiarize ourselves with the Montreal and Kyoto Protocols, and trust me, you will find more interesting reads than these legal documents. Why is it that legal documents always have to be long-winded and boring to read? It's just so... circular... and boring... and long... to think that you'd need an entire paragraph just to say one thing... yes, you need to make sure that there are no loopholes or exceptions... still... i don't want to study the whole document, which is why hopefully Ma'am Andaya would summarize it for us...
I'm going to be away from 19 to 23... that is, from Sunday to Thursday next next week... wish us luck... and hopefully i don't miss too many requirements. Hopefully, we would also win the competition itself... Hopefully, I would be able to get souvenirs for most people... That depends, of course, if i have money to spare. Hopefully, I'll also be able to keep in touch with you guys... We're gonna stay in a hotel for a few days, before the competition proper, and it has internet access... i just hope that there's someway i could contact you people... kahit internet cafe man lang...
Wish us luck... not only with the contest, but the requirements that we have to pass before we leave and the requirements that will flood us when we get back...
PS: Reader's Theatre isn't going to be moved at all.. While Sir Args has a point, still... damn...
In the other side of the heart,
there lies pain.
Pain that shatters your life apart.
Pain that is simply too painful.
In the other side of the heart,
there lies the truth.
The truth that pains like no other.
The truth that is simply too harsh.
The truth that you seek to hide
From the eyes of the outside world.
With a mask on your face
And a hood over your eyes
You pretend it isn't there.
It's easy to lie to yourself,
to tell yourself that it doesn't matter
as long as the person you love
is happy and content, even without you.
It still is there,
in the other side of the heart.
And yet you have to accept it.
You cannot change it.
It is immutable, irreversible.
You have to endure the suffering.
Is there only sadness and pain
in the other side of the heart?
I do not even know.
Perhaps there is hope.
The truth, painful as it is,
may be changed, before it is too late.
Never let go of this life.
Never give up your chance.
It's the only chance you get
To make things right.
>>Um... wala lang... anyway...
pm just owned UPCAT's head for n gold!
pm just drew first blood!
>>wala lang... hehe
good luck sa third/last blood! kaya niyo UPCAT. Mas mahirap pa simulation...
Finally, the day comes. The day/s when our fates are decided...
What is it with the UPCAT...? I mean... how can i just get 70% on a test made for 2nd~3rd years? It's... just... well... anyway...
Good luck, Batch '08 (the great!)! We can do this! Rah rah rah (whatever... hehe...) But she does have a point... But then again, only she and javert were like that... I don't see ma'am orate or ma'am sanchez saying that...
Expect more decent posts after the UPCAT. I'm just gonna relax... for now... and picture myself eating Egg McMuffins... or whatever they were, basta, I like them... mmm.... food...
See some of you all tomorrow... especially all of us first blood people at the school of econ (dami namin eh)... good luck also to the last-blood people... sana naman hindi kayo masyadong mapagod, dahil may talong peryo pa bukas sa monday at may CAT practical pa (at may CS practical ata ung mga web dev...) look on the bright side... at least the perio isn't math... well.. good luck rin... keep your hopes up... kailangan hindi tayo magpatalo sa previous batches... kailangan 90-something percent sa atin ang pumasa...
And don't forget... number 2 monggol pencils, and erasers, and your testing permit are the only things that you are required and allowed to bring... except for food. mmm... food... And i think you can't bring cellphones as well... that might not be confirmed... read the rules... finally, it may not really matter when you wake up, it's most likely that you'll walk from philcoa/commonwealth until you get to your testing center... sana naman hindi ka mapagod papunta sa testing center na hindi ka na makaisip sa test...
Good luck. Hope you remember what you've studied.