I'M MOVING

to a NEW and UNIFIED blog account. I hate saying goodbye to this one but here it goes...to the world forgot me...CIAO!

Moved to: http://sjhooray.blogspot.com

I'm Dead. Haha! But I'm Touched. :']

(Click to enlarge.)

Sometimes Things Change...Forever

Sigh. :( Nakakalungkot kung dahil lang sa isang mababaw na away ay magbabago ang lahat sa isang iglap. Tulad nalang pag nag-away kayo ng bespren mo dahil sa isa mong simpleng inosenteng pagkakamali at dahil dun ay nakayanan niyang hindi ka kausapin makalipas ang dalawang linggo. Nagbago siya ng number (hindi naman dahil sayo pero kahit na, ayaw niyang sabihin bagong number niya sayo). Iniiwasan ka na niya. Pag nagkasalubong kayo, "hi" nalang ang sasabihin niya at wala na yung "hoy!" sabay hampas ng aklat niyang malaki at mabigat sa ulo mong muntikan ng magutaytay. Kapag sabay kayong kumain at hindi ka niya kinausap...at kinausap niya yung iba niyong kasama. Yung di din nagtetext o nag-YM nalang kasi may utos. Yung tipong may PATLANG na talaga na naghihiwalay sa inyo. Gustohin niyo man makabalik sa dati pero hindi na maari. Hindi. Higit sa lahat, unti-unting nakakalimutan niyo na ang isa't-isa. Yung tipong di ka na niya kinukwento at di mo narin siya kinukwento. Nakakalungkot. Lalo na kung matalik mong kaibigan yun.

Shallow-osity

I read one of my friend's blogs and just realized how shallow I have become. I was a writer once; at least I could say I was. Writing was my passion and my daily philosophy. And it didn't stop there. When I would write, I'd write of the most detailed things that only a writer could see. Now, I didn't just lose that vision but I lost my way of thinking as well. It seems that all the verbosity vibes that used to reign over me in my history had evaporated into thin air and just left me like this---plain, old, pathetic writer. Why on earth do I even call myself a writer when I am not even one. Where the hell is the Sj that people would look up to when it comes to English, Grammar, Literature, and Passion? Where is the Sj who could make-up stories that are unique and are read by people? Where is the Sj who could compose a musical in one day? Where is the Sj who could write a song, so meaningful and so emotional, in less than an hour? Where? I don't know. I wish I could speak the way I did before---full of authority and certainty. I hate myself. I hate how my stupidity is scaring the shit out of me. I mean, I can't think of any words that could make you think or believe that I wrote such unfathomable pieces before---and these pieces are lost and drowned with terrible memories that made my writing lose its very own essence. I have lost my pride. Where is the writer who didn't just make her readers proud but herself as well?

CHECK THE SKY NOW

Naka-smile yung two stars and yung moon. :) Happy holidays, Everyone. :)

I Will Miss Ryza For One Thing Alone

There are about a million things I’m supposed to be missing Ryza for. One of which is that we have our McLabs Lunch at, of course, McDo. And when we badly are cost-cutting, we end up lunch-ing out at either Noel’s or Agno (and then bringing the food to our tambay place, the Gazebo). Another one could be that Ryza is always if not my seatmate, my frontmate or backmate if there’s such a thing, in all of my majors. She, too, is my singing buddy whom I can confide with my deepest musical dreams, hopes, ambitions, and prehistoric stories. She always, always, always, laughs whenever we are together no matter how crappy her day is going. Most of my friends, whenever they are not in the mood don’t even smile. Ryza makes effort to even smile or giggle. She is my confidante as well as my diary and I guess, in some little way or whatever, I am hers too. She tells me the most frank stuffs like what she hates about me straight to my face, which is by the way the best way to confront a friend. Ryza is my story buddy ranging from fictional characters to real-life situations from melodramatic to cheesy romantic talks. Ryza is, well, my academic buddy as well. Her motivation to keep her grades up semi-motivates me as well…but not to the fact that I want to beat her. Unlike other people. Ryza is my practical friend. When we talk, we don’t talk nonsense or materialistic stuff. We talk about the real thing, honey. What else? Ryza believes in God the same way I do and we look at things at almost the same angle. We love each others’ likes and hate each others’ irritants. So I guess, I (will) only miss one thing about Ryza…I will miss how much she’s become a part of me. She is me. (Sorry Labs kung binaba ko level mo for this one. HAHA!) It’s like losing a part of me knowing that I won’t be having lunch with her for the next term, that I won’t be singing songs with her for the next term, that I won’t be crushing on her crush next term, that I won’t be hating flowers with her next term, that I won’t be simply UBE-ing with her next term in class, at the Gazebo, or anywhere.

She says it will be hard but it will only be for a term. I guess I never really realized when people say “it seems like forever” until now.

A LABS Christmas Photo :]

Haha! Laughtrip! :]

Random Thoughts

1. Namimiss ko na ang mga Hanna-Barbera Cartoons (e.g. Yogi Bear, Flinstones, Jetsons, Tom & Jerry Original, Scooby Doo Original, Johnny Bravo Original, Smurfs, Josie & The Pussycats, Hong Kong Phooey, Top Cat, Space Ghost, Atom Ant, Captain Caveman & Teen Angels, Addams Family, Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss, Quick Draw McGraw.) and I suddenly feel so nostalgic of my childhood memories.

2. I feel very terrible and sad. I miss being on stage. I mean, I know my potentials and if only I was allowed, I would join any org like NOW. Sigh. I miss singing, dancing, performing and acting on stage. Heck, I even miss being on a band. Damn. :(

3. I miss my HS best friends. It seems that we haven't talked in like years and I think that I fear that we really are drifting apart. :(

4. I still wish that flowers should die.

5. How come I can't have my love life? Sigh.

6. I wish this term to end now. Along with its gazillion requirements all due next week! GRR!

7. I am officially re-crushing on the used-to-be BFF who made me laugh so hard yesterday.

8. I am wishing. Wishing. And wishing. For happiness to return.

Goodbye, Twilight?

The Wrong Message

Hear This Article Here.

By Mark Earley
10/3/2008

A Closer Look at the 'Twilight' Series

Note: This commentary was delivered by PFM President Mark Earley.

Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series has been getting a lot of press lately—especially since the fourth book in the series, titled Breaking Dawn, was released on August 2 to huge sales. And come November, the movie version of the book will be hitting theaters nationwide.

The message you might have heard is that these teen romances take a strong stand against sex before marriage and are therefore a great way to get that idea across to kids.

Well, ordinarily I’d be overjoyed about a popular mainstream series of books for girls with a pro-abstinence message. But in this case, I’m a bit more concerned than overjoyed.

You see, there are other messages in the Twilight books that are very real and very strong. And some of those messages are downright alarming, and you and I need to know about them.

Our blog, The Point, goes into the books in much more detail. But the basic storyline is this: A teenage girl named Bella falls in love with a mysterious, much older vampire named Edward. She wants to become a vampire like him so they can be together forever. He refuses to have premarital relations with her, and that’s the message that many parents and educators are concentrating on, and feeling good about.

What they’re failing to notice is this: Bella is completely without self-confidence. She’s constantly putting herself down and treating her boyfriend as some superior being, using terms like “god” and “angel” to describe him. She looks down on herself just for being human, and wants to lose her humanity as soon as possible.

In turn, the vampire Edward has disturbing habits like sneaking into Bella’s room and watching her sleep, eavesdropping on her and her friends, encouraging her to deceive her father, and even disabling her truck and kidnapping her to keep her from seeing other friends.

Put all this together, and you have one very unhealthy relationship—and this is what’s being viewed by far too many teens and adults as the greatest romance since Romeo and Juliet.

Just to cite one of the most obvious concerns, we’re living in an age of Internet predators, where it’s easier than ever for criminals to reach teenage girls and lure them away from home. And here we have these books celebrating a girl who’s willing to throw away her family, her friends, her identity, and her life for a stalker with controlling, even abusive tendencies.

Is this really something parents should be pushing? Are we trying to create a generation that’s naïve, gullible, and lacking in self-worth, or a generation of intelligent, strong young people who can stand up for themselves and for what is right?

I want my daughters to practice purity, but I want them to do it because they know and embrace God’s will, and because they understand that they’re created in God’s image and have infinite worth and value.

I don’t want them to do it—or to do anything—because they have no will of their own and are being dictated to by some boyfriend who makes them feel inferior. And I certainly don’t want them idolizing a character in a book who lets herself be treated that way.

So the bottom line is, be sure you are reading what your kids are reading. That’s a message that my family—and families everywhere—ought to take to heart.

Today's BreakPoint Offer

ReWired teen worldview curriculum from BreakPoint and Teen Mania.

For Further Reading and Information

Gina Dalfonzo, “’Twilight’: The Old Bait-and-Switch,” The Point, 31 July 2008.

“No Sex Please, We're Vampires,” Newsweek, 21 July 2008.

“The Truth About Teen Girls,” Time, 11 September 2008.

Gina Dalfonzo, “In Love with Death,” National Review Online, 22 August 2008.

Gina Dalfonzo, “Fiction Matters,” The Point, 26 August 2008.

Disappointments & Hopes

dis⋅ap⋅point⋅ment [dis-uh-point-muhnt]
-noun
a feeling of dissatisfaction that results when your expectations are not realized

Yesterday began with such promise. I wanted things to be perfect and quite happy for me. Instead, I only got disappointed with many many many things which I will indirectly talk about now.

First, I was late. Like, hello? This isn't news at all. BUT, I was late and I have a scheduled quiz on my first class that day. This is STILL not new. What else? I was late and the driver is this so-called kaskasero and was driving me mad. Late, dizzy, and pissed off.

While trying to be patient with Manong Kaskasero, I was texting one of the BFFs at school, B, and she was, as always, talking about her problem. Her problem seemed to be about the same person every blockmate is pissed about. That person is a skank. Nothing new AGAIN. What else? Then I got pissed off because of her problem which was the giving of Nth chances to the Skank who does not help in groupworks. NOTHING's new.

Finally, I arrived my class and AT LEAST, in this class I was happy. My professor indirectly told me that I was getting a high grade. HAHA! :) Praise God. :)

Next, I was supposed to meet S who told me that we would meet in Andrew. I went down to the main grounds and then returned to Andrew after eating Agno's Bacon Mushroom Melt Sandwich. I returned to Andrew only to hear that the meeting was called off because of an emergency. Ok; no reason to be mad.

Then, B & I shared an UBE morning. We went to the SC Office because she happens to be the Treasurer for EdGE '07 Batch Assembly. We went there to find an empty room without the tasks to be done. We went down and amused ourselves with the Bazaar and the IamNinoy Aviators. After which, we bumped into Cheska and we brought her to the Bazaar as well. Then we stayed at our fave spot (Gazebo) and I slept while the Block5 and B were bonding. I woke up when Philip arrived. We talked, joked around, and just had another reunion till S texted B & I to help him. We left immediately and rushed to the Auditorium. He needed help with his costume. We helped him choose several outfits (with the Migs' style folding and my long sleeve folding and my neck tying skills). Philip and I were already late for our afternoon class. We rushed to Andrew building. I bid farewell to B since she wasn't watching the show because she wasn't allowed.

SPEECOM brought forth the greatest disappointment ever. First, there was that fact that I missed my peroid. And my tummy is raving mad. Next, there was A's text telling me that my so-called company for tonight's show is not showing up for me but for another girl. GRR! Then, a very intriguing panel discussion from the first group (Andoy, Marlo, Jumi, Ron, Biboy, Quino, and Justin) was presented with their topic on the Bible. Anyway, what made it intriguing was the Q&A part wherein, for a few seconds there, we had an argument. They failed to ansewr my question simply because they contradicted what they already said. UGH. To make things worse, it's as if the presence of Justin there (who chose me to give the question) is very disappointing. Sigh. I guess, we're back to square one wherein we don't talk. Most of us in class already were talking about the "sabaw" moments of the discussion and here goes Miss Sulpot Eksena who told us not to talk about the session and let go of it already. Like, yeah right. DON'T BE A HYPOCRITE! I know that you know deep down that you love to talk about how other people's performances are terrible. And yes, don't you EVER pretend like you don't do it cause you forget, I KNOW YOUR DEEPEST DARKEST SECRETS and I do have proof. >:)

Anyway, I was still so sad that day. It was raining hard and it was a good thing that I talked and walked to the main campus with Gayle who will be performing on the show later as well. I returned to the Innersoul Booth to check up on A only to find out she was not there. I decided to go to the nook instead and check things up online. C texted me as usual and since I was in a terrible mood, I replied in my bitchy way. We got into an argument via text until A arrived and I went to the booth again. I was telling A how miserable my day was and looky hooky, she was having a miserable day as well. She was tired, sad, and nostalgic of her performance days. So, we decided to eat our hearts out. We walked over to the SPS food stall since it stopped raining already. We returned to the Yuchengco Lobby and sat on the floor. We ate our chips while talking our emotions out. She explained that my supposed "company" was really sorry for ditching me and that she didn't even reply to his texts. Anyway, while we were starting to feel happy again, Diether Ocampo appeared before our eyes. At first, we thought it was a prank because people were very busy with their booths and then POOF! they were all running towards him with their cams and the media was there in a flash of lightning. A was starting to become all jelly with his handsomeness. BUT I was distracted because my supposed "company" for tonight appeared out of the corner of my eye (with a girl) and looked at A with an apologetic look on his face. He definitely overpowered the handsomeness of Diether. BUT he was not mine for the taking. Clearly, he doesn't even care about my existence. He cares about A and the other girl he's accompanying for the show tonight. Kamon, hamon. As if I really hoped he would accompany me (someone he knew for like a second). Ok, yes, I did think that he would. So, I was disappointed. BUT not mad. He asked if we were mad and I quickly said no. We moved back to the booth and he and the girl sat on where A & I were sitting earlier. I turned my back on him just to avoid being hurt. Haha! Kamon, hamon. He was clearly looking at A and still scared that A would be mad at him for ditching me. She wasn't. She was just pissed off that he said yes and then he says no, I can't. And A's upset because the girl he's taking to the show later is the girl we both envy (in terms of getting the guy we're both crushing on). Haha. Anyway, he left minutes after still looking at A while he passed by.

Moving on, while A & I were watching over the booth, we were taking several test shots because I was planning on surpising S by attending the show later. His wish was that he would have a photo of himself singing. I decided to walk around the lobby for a while only to see my good old friend Luigi. We talked for a while and did some catching up. I was happy that we were still friends although he shifted to a different college already.

I returned to the booth and told A that I hope I would be on of the show's raffle winners since they're giving away 20 pairs of Havaianas. A gave me two magazines which are free for the show. Since A was part of the production team, she had to leave and since the show was about to start, I, too had to leave. We parted ways and I headed for the auditorium entrance.

The show was about to start and A went to see me to get some Strepsils which S was asking for. He was really surprised to see me there. :) Hooray! Anyway, just when I was hoping that nothing will disappoint me anymore, the guy and the girl he accompanied for the show arrived and sat a row behind me. To make things worse, the girl was flirtatiously smiling at him and was trying to fix his shirt. And what else? He saw me looking at them. GREAT! GRRRR! ARGH!!!! So, I panicked and smiled back then texted A with my panic/angry mode some 411s but she couldn't go out of the backstage already. People were starting to fill the auditorium and I really didn't want to change my seat because I wanted to document S' performance with videos and photos and my seat was perfect for documentation purposes already. And just when my day was about to be really bad, it got worse when the Org0-mates of the girl sat beside and in front of me. SIGH. :(

Only one thing kept me from breaking down and crying...S.
It was his birthday concert (it's his birthday today).
I have to keep myself together.

I enjoyed it. S really showed off his talents amidst the problems he's going through.
He was powerful and fabulous.

BUT I had to leave early. I didn't finish the show. And yes, according to A, I did miss the best parts; especially when A was called to sing two encore songs even if she was not performing on that show. She texted me that she did cry (on stage?) Haha.

A, you did some awfully powerful tricks. I'm happy for you. You got to sing, to write the whole script, to do S' write-up, and to create the souvenir program. Bravo.

All in all, my day was terrible.
BUT my friends are all happy.
And I'm very much proud of them.

That's what L-A-B-S are for. :)

hope [hohp]
-noun
the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best