The Juice - Setting the Limits

‘Twas a cloudy December afternoon. It was our Christmas break, a two-week hiatus from all the tedious school work. Not only was it a break for school work, it was also a break from all the wacky loops of college and dormitory life. Vacations, for me, grows more boring every year. I love my family, and I miss them, but friends bring a genuine thrill in your life.

I decided to pimp my dull life up and take a stroll on the slowly decaying Clark. Everything at my hometown is getting more silent. Helmets on bikers, no firework policy on New Year’s Eve, strict curfew at 10pm and many others have contributed to the dying vigor of the community. It is a safety and security issue however, though too much cautiousness may lead to lackluster living.

I dressed on some decent clothes (because I wear torn boxer shorts at home) and went off with my coin purse, in case I get hungry and decide to eat. With me is my MP3 player to give me a beat while I walk. I am currently addicted to optimistic and upbeat club music; it gives me the smile when I listen to them.

I went to the playground, not to play, but just to sit down on the monkey bars and feel the province breeze. Clark is a nice place to unwind, and that’s why 24/7 I unwind – making me really an unproductive piece of living flesh. On the far side of the grassy patch however, there are annoying kids – noisy enough for their voices to be heard amidst Kesha going wild on my earphones.

They are holding a tumbler of juice. I removed the earphone from my ear, trying to discern what the commotion is all about. Yes, those kids are battling as to who gets to drink first.

Silly kids. I did not imagine myself screaming to the top of my lungs for a sip of juice, unless I am totally dehydrated and fighting for my life. After some undecipherable words, they stood from the log and walked away. As they walked, juice spilled, leaving only half of the original quantity for them to drink.

“Bobo! Hindi mo muna kasi tinakpan! Natapon tuloy!” the older girl said to the smallest girl in the group who was holding the tumbler as they walked.

The girl cried, looking at the juice as it wets the dry soil.

I ignored them, tuned it to my MP3 again and realized that I was not able to turn my player off while I was listening to them. The song playing was “Just a Dream”. What a great time.

I guess that we should set the LIMITS first before feelings and words get spilled, or we end up crying over what we had lost. Worst, people may scorn us for what we have done.

10 minutes after, I stood up and went home – without eating.

Firework by Katy Perry: The Tagalog Lyrics

PAROL

Iyo bang tingin

Na ika'y dumi

Na hinahangin;

Walang tutunguhin?

Iyo bang tingin

Ika'y manipis,

Sa isang ihip

Ika'y liliparin?

Iyo bang tingin

Ika'y naaapi

Na dumaraing

Pero walang dumidinig?

'Di mo ba alam

Na may pag-asa pa;

Sa'yo ay may kislap

Bigyan mo ng ilaw, tanglaw,

Sigla't galaw!

Sa'yong sigaw

Saya'y umaapaw!

Dahil ika'y isang parol!

Sino ka, sabihin mo!

Pamanghain mo-oh-oh,

Sinumang hadlang sa'yo-oh-oh!

Dahil ika'y isang parol!

Pakita mo ang kulay mo!

Pagmalaki mo oh-oh

Kung anuman ang sa iyo-oh-oh!

'Wag mong isipin

'Ka'y walang silbi

Natatangi ka't

May'rong halaga.

Kung alam mo lang

Sa'yo'y nag-aabang,

Matapos ang ulan

Tiyak aaraw.

Baka 'yong dahilan

Pinto'y nakasara,

Para sa pagbukas

Ay tama ang iyong landas.

Puso mo'y kidlat,

Manggugulat,

At pagka oras na…

Bigyan mo ng ilaw, tanglaw,

Sigla't galaw!

Sa'yong sigaw

Saya'y umaapaw!

Dahil ika'y isang parol!

Sino ka, sabihin mo!

Pamanghain mo-oh-oh,

Sinumang hadlang sa'yo-oh-oh!

Dahil ika'y isang parol!

Pakita mo ang kulay mo!

Pagmalaki mo oh-oh

Kung anuman ang sa iyo-oh-oh!

Ring! Ring! Ring!

Ikaw ay nagniningning-ning-ning!

Ang iyong saloobin-bin-bin

Huwag matakot sabihin-hin-hin!

Dahil ika'y isang parol!

Sino ka, sabihin mo!

Pamanghain mo-oh-oh,

Sinumang hadlang sa'yo-oh-oh!

Dahil ika'y isang parol!

Pakita mo ang kulay mo!

Pagmalaki mo oh-oh

Kung anuman ang sa iyo-oh-oh!

Ring! Ring! Ring!

Ikaw ay nagniningning-ning-ning!

Ring! Ring! Ring!

Ikaw ay nagniningning-ning-ning!

An Annoying Kid :)

An Annoying Kid
Words by Kenneth Manuel

He holds a green accounting book; the cover is almost worn out of daily use and the pages look as old as that of a decade-old dictionary in a public library. His class starts at 8:30am and ends at 11:30am. He is going to have a quiz in accounting and that evening before, all he did was to finish the paintings required in Humanities. All he knows is the residue of what he absorbed during the discussion.

Walking down the street, he sighs, pauses for a while and looks around. Nothing has ever changed. The sidewalk never runs out of pedestrians and vendors. The air is still barely breathable – polluted and utterly suffocating. That old woman with a big mole on her right cheek is still puffing out a cigarette stick, just like what she does every morning. There is still the pesky barker that he never fails to see every day, calling for passengers for a five-peso tip from the driver. The passengers wait inside the jeepney frowning, for the barker continues to claim that the jeepney can accommodate two more passengers wherein it is already a can-of-sardine situation inside.

He does not have a choice. He still has a long way to go before he gets to school, and time is not at his side. He boards the jeep, tries to sit even just a bit, and ends up hanging with only a square centimeter of his slacks touching the tarpaulin-covered chair. The driver, without any concern to the student, relentlessly drives away from the terminal and onto a long trip at the clogged roads of Manila.

He notices familiar faces. The guy next to the exit is the same person he saw from the nearby internet shop printing a feasibility study. The long-haired lady beside the guy is his girlfriend, and their shoulders are lax with each other. The lady is also holding a plastic cup of coffee from Starbucks, a frappuccino. The old woman beside the lady is a prostitute. Beside him, on the other hand, is a man looking with sticky eyes at the uniform of the girlfriend of the guy in the internet shop.

This is commonplace. Nothing is really exciting for him. Life, as he knows it, has been a cycle – continuous, repeating and analogous. There are little surprises, but not that much to turn the situation around. He just barely sits there in agony as he waits for someone to say ‘para’ and give some space for him to sit on.

He stares at his Accounting book, trying to recall the discussions they had. He tries his photographic memory, remembering how those financial statements are made in the whiteboard. He remembers the face of his professor, makes a straight face and draws his eyes outside the jeepney.

He saw the newly renovated McDonalds building. Aside from a handful of memories, nothing is significant with that building. The fancy, colorful façade is a contrast to the solid metal color of the surrounding buildings. There is a new playground – a paradise for the youngsters. The renovation also boasts life-size statues of the McDonalds characters outside.

That is one change. Everything else did not change at all. The jeepney hurled away and the bright hues of the McDonalds building slowly fade to a dot.

A cellphone rings.

“Ohhhhhhh!” the lady with the Starbucks cup screams.

Quality Starbucks coffee spills in the floor, along with islands of whipped cream and chocolate syrup. He, along with everyone in the jeepney, stares at the wasted drink as it creeps down the cracks of the metal floorings of the jeepney.

Shortly thereafter, his book slips from his hands, with the page that he was reviewing landing first on the coffee-soaked floor. It is a total mess. He picks it up and half of the book became brown with coffee. He gives up reviewing. He is annoyed. He cannot recall the lessons anymore.

He arrived at the school just on time, however, he failed in his quiz. Going back home, he sighs, pauses a while and looks around. Nothing has changed.

The next day, he holds a green accounting book; the cover is worn out of daily use and the pages are wrinkled from the coffee accident yesterday. His class starts at 8:30am and ends at 11:30am. He needs to make an extra effort in understanding accounting and the evening before, all he did was to review for the upcoming Humanities long quiz.

Walking down the street, he sighs, pauses for a while and looks around. Nothing has ever changed. The sidewalk, the air, that old woman and the pesky barker still remains. The passengers are still frowning. They, too, are tired of the punishment that everyday life brings.

He boards the jeep with little energy, and just like yesterday, familiar faces come up. Life is not a box of chocolates as Forrest Gump said, it is a box of junk foods with no variety and thrill at all. Every day is just dull; life is a monotonic art.

He notices another lady, this time far from him, holding a plastic cup of tea, a slight difference from yesterday’s cup of coffee. He placed his accounting book inside his bag, thinking that to mix coffee, tea and paper in a book is a worse idea than not listening in the discussions inside the classroom.

He sees a child kneeling, instead of sitting, in the jeepney. Her small head is peeping on the window, precariously inside as what her mother instructed her. Her improper position in the jeepney is something new to his sight. He ignores the lass, makes a straight face and draws his eyes outside the jeepney.

Minutes after, the lady finished his cup of tea and properly threw it in the trash bin behind the gearshift. The lady put on her headset after disposing the cup and everything went on normally – lacklusterly.

“Wooooooooooooooo…………..,” the girl shouted in awe. Far from sight is the McDonalds building.

He, along with everyone in the jeepney, looks at the girl as she is the first person to break the seemingly unbreakable silence in the jeepney. Her shout is very audible, and it catches the attention of everyone. An old woman sleeping on the ride is awakened and tries to apprehend the child by making a disgusted hiss. The lady who just put on her headset was also disturbed, but resumed as soon as she saw what it was all about.

“………..oooooooooo……..,” the girl is not yet finished getting astonished.

The girl is really struck in awe. The sparkle in her eyes is filled with genuine happiness. The jeepney passes in front of the new face of McDonalds. She let loose of her hold on the window railing, and clapped her hands upon seeing the spectacle nearer. From her kneeling position, she tried to elevate herself a little bit and pop her head out of the window.

“………..oooooooooo……..,” the girl continues her long expression of wonder.

Everyone from the jeepney has drawn their eyes away from the child, yet he remains staring. “Why was she amazed? Is there anything to be amazed of?” These are the questions he asked himself.

“………oooooooooowwwww!!!” the girl ends his astonishment as the building becomes too far away to be seen.

Her head is still tightly tilted to the direction of the building of McDonalds. She still wants a view of it, but can no longer have one. The jeepney continues to creep slowly on the highway.

The girl now sat properly. Her legs, with those little Barbie shoes, are swinging joyfully. Her smile, even though her teeth are incomplete, is full of glee. The vibrance of her colorful dress is infectious; it makes you want to smile more. The girl, noticing that the student is looking at her, waves and smiles, along with an innocent wink.

He smiles – the same way that the girl smiles. That is one smile. Everything else did not change at all, except that it did enlighten and inspire another person.

He waves hello – the same way that the girl waved hello. That is one wave, yet it was unusual enough to start something – the waking of happiness, the recovery of vigor, and a new pair of eyes to see the world.

The next day, he holds a green accounting book; the cover now wrapped in transparent plastic and the pages less wrinkled than that of yesterday. His class starts at 8:30am and ends at 11:30am. He is going to have a report in Management and the evening before, he had prepared to impress his teacher. What motivates him is the simple blessing of life.

Walking down the street, he sighs, pauses for a while and looks around. Everything he sees has changed. The sidewalk never runs out of pedestrians and vendors. The air is still polluted and dangerous, but is still breathable. That old woman with a big mole on her right cheek is still puffing out a cigarette stick, and he realized that he is still lucky to be well-dressed. There is still the pesky yet approachable barker that he never fails to see every day, calling for passengers for a five-peso tip from the driver. The passengers wait inside the jeepney frowning, yet looking forward for the day to come. Who knows what the day holds for them? The barker continues to claim that it can accommodate two more persons despite the can-of-sardine situation inside, and it just makes him think that sometimes he has to sacrifice.

Yes, there are familiar faces, but now, he looks at them with happiness.

Now, every time the jeepney passes at the new McDonalds building, he can’t help but smile. Happiness is a state of mind, and the world is just a matter of appreciation. We just have to look in front, behind, beside and inside us. Smile. :)

Special thanks to Mr. Prince Aian Villanueva for the main concept.

Si Ambo :(

Si Ambo
Kwento ng isang lalakeng umiibig sa isang tricycle driver

Tula ni Kenneth Manuel

Ang araw nga’y palubog na,
Kumakagat na ang dilim;
Mga bumbilya’y sindi na,
Bituin sa dagat ng itim.
Naglalakad na pauwi,
Pagod sa mga aralin
Ngunit loob ay ‘di sawi
Dahil siya’y kikitain

Ang pangalan niya ay Ambo,
At kami ay magtatagpo;
Habang trike niya’y tumatakbo,
Tabi kaming nauupo.
Nakatutok siya sa daan
Para bang merong karera;
Ititigil ang sasakyan
Kung sa’n ako nakatira.

Ambo ang sa kanya’y bansag
Ng mga kapwa driver n’ya
Sa toda, ang tanging dilag,
Namumukod ang ganda n’ya.
Driver lang s’ya sa paningin,
Pero sa aking isipan
Ay kaysarap niyang dalhin
Du’n sa altar ng simbahan.

Akin siyang kikitain
Kahit hindi man n’ya tanto;
Patuloy siyang mamahalin
Kahit hindi man n’ya gusto.
Ako ay nag-iilusyon
Na akin ang puso niya –
Isang pagsintang piksyon,
Isang nobelang pantasya.

Sa malayo’y naghihintay
Para lang aking masakyan
Traysikel n’yang nakahanay
Sa kantong naging sakayan;
Nakangiting nakatitig
Sa bawat kilos niya’t galaw,
Puso ko ay pumipintig
Sa isang patagong tanaw.

Nasa dulo na ng pila
Ang trike niya na makalangit,
Dali-dali at sumigla
Walang sinayang na saglit,
At wala pang isang kurap,
Ako ay nakangiti na
Tumungo sa kanyang harap,
Bumati ng “kamusta na?”

“Aba! At ikaw na naman?”
Ang sa akin ay bati n’ya,
“Pagkakataon nga naman,
Kailanma’y ‘di pumapalya!
Tara na at sumakay na;
Sige, ngayon, libre kita.
Oh, ayaw mo? Edi ‘wag na!
Maglakad ka na papunta!”

Ako’y lalong napangiti,
‘Di dahil sa kanyang biro
Mula sa kanyang pagbati,
Puso ko na’y naglalaro;
Nagmabilis na’t sumakay
Alinsunod sa sabi n’ya;
Puso ko’y sumasabay
Sa ingay ng tambutso n’ya.

Gabi-gabi ako’y sakay,
Sa kanya ako’y suki na.
Ang biyahe patungong bahay,
Huwag ng matapos sana;
Sa porma n’yang mamasada,
Sa ngiti n’yang pantunaw,
Sa natatangi n’yang ganda,
Siya lang ang nangingibabaw.

S’ya lang ang para sa akin
Kahit s’ya ay drayber lamang;
Sa toda’y magpapakain,
Siya’y makatuluyan lamang!
Buong kalye’y magdiriwang
Sa araw ng aming kasal;
Hindi ito pangarap lang,
Ito ay desisyong pinal!

“Huy! Baka matunaw ako,
Kung makatitig ka sa akin!
Wala na ba mukha ko
At natunaw na sa hangin?”
Biglaang pabirong banat
Nang kanyang mahalata
Na tingin ko’y nakalapat,
Malagkit sa kanyang mata.

S’ya’y nakangiti sa akin
Kahit pa ako’y nabuking;
Tila may ibig-sabihin
Mga mata n’yang kay ningning.
Ako ba’y namumula na?
Ano ba ang nalaman n’ya?
Puso ko ba’y nabasa na?
Ano ang nasa isip niya?

Ako ba’y magtatapat na,
Pag-ibig ko’y ihahayag?
Gagawin ko’y tama sana,
O, ‘di ako mapanatag!
Ambo, hindi ko na kaya;
Ako’y bulkang sasabog na!
Ano ba ang aking pasya
Sa bugtong nitong tadhana?

“Baka gusto mong bumaba,
Nakatulog ka na yata?”
At sa aking sobrang kaba
Hindi ko na nahalata,
Biyahe ko pala’y tapos na,
Ubos na pala ang oras;
Pagkakatao’y wala na,
Heto’t aking pinalampas.

“Ambo, ito ang bayad ko,”
Akin na lamang nabanggit.
“’Di ba, libre na, sabi ko?”
Kanya namang pangungulit.
At hawak ang pambayad,
Kinuha ko kanyang kamay,
Akin sanang ilalahad
Ang puso kong iaalay.

Ngunit sa aking paghawak,
Ako’y may naramdaman –
Singsing na gawa sa pilak,
Suot sa palasingsingan.
Sarili’y ‘di napigilan;
Pangarap ko’y lumisan:
“Ikaw ay iimbitahan,
Ako ay papakasalan!”

Isang Gabi, Isang Blog Post

Makati na naman ang aking mga daliri, tila ba naghahanap ng gustong gawin. Hindi na yata sanay na nakatambay ng matagal na walang ginagawa. Pinagod ng sandamukal na projects at exams nung unang sem, o marahil sa kakalaro ng o2jam sa kung kani-kaninong laptop. Napapiano ako sa lamesa, dinadrum ang kutsara’t tinidor sa plato at pindot ng pindot sa pader na wari ay may pintong de-code para pumasok. Baliw na yata ako.

Binuksan ko ang computer. Hindi na mapakali ang mouse pointer sa screen sa kakapaikot ko. Naghahabol yata ng keso ang mouse. Natuwa ako sa keyboard. Ang sarap pindutin. Pero habang tumatagal ay naiinis na ako dahil paminsan-minsan ay hindi kumakagat ang letter M at N. Matanda na kasi itong keyboard namin, sobrang gamit sa mga nagdaang projects, blog posts at liham na kailangang itayp at sa kaka-Dota ng kuya kong walang habas maging Godlike.

Nainip ako. Tila walang hanggan ba ang paghihintay ko. Inaabangan ko ang guard na umakyat dito sa kwarto ng tatay ko upang magcheck, hanggang sa mapagtanto kong wala na pala ako sa dorm. Lalo pa akong nainip. May tumulo. Pawis mula sa aking baba patungo sa aking damit. Napag-isip-isip kong mainit pala, hindi ko man lang nahalata habang maaga. Binuksan ko ang electric fan sapagkat walang magandang bentilasyon sa kwarto ng tatay ko kung nasaan ang kompyuter.

Pinihit ko ang switch sa likuran nito. Hindi sumindi. Hindi pala nakasaksak. Tumayo muna ako sandali at binuhat ang bentilador palapit sa saksakan. Sinaksak. Sinindihan. Biglang umingay sa tahimik na kwarto. Unti-unti nang nanggagalaiti ang aking daliri dahil sa hirap pindutin ng ilang letra sa keyboard. Dumagdag pa ang letter R. Sa sobrang inis, pinwersa ko ang pindot. Umalog ang buong computer desk at nahulog pa ang isa sa mga speakers mula sa itaas.

Ang daming laman ng utak ko. Nakakaasar. Parang gusto kong ilabas ngayong gabi. May problema. Wala akong kausap. Tulog ang tatay ko, wala na ang lahat ng tao dito. Alangan namang kausapin ko ang aso namin na sa ngayon ay nakatitig sa akin habang nakahiga sa kama. Nagtayp na lang muli ako, ngunit parang walang patutunguhan ang pagtatayp kong ito.

Maya-maya, may naramdaman ako sa aking paa. Nakiliti ako ng kaunti. Alikabok na dumaan. ‘Yan ang nasa isip ko. Nanatili sa aking paa ang kumikiliti. Alikabok na dumaan at napatigil. At sosyal na pala ang mga alikabok, may isip na at napapatigil. Sandali ay tumigil ako sa pagtatayp, tumingin sa aking mga paa at napasipa ng malakas. Ipis. IPIS! Napamura ako. Namura ko ang ipis na walang masamang intensyon kundi mangiliti. Namura ko ang ipis na sana man lang ay nagpaalam bago halayin ang aking paa.

Umalog muli ang computer desk. Ballpen naman ang nalaglag. Kasama ng ballpen malaglag ang aking panga, na napanganga sa sobrang sakit ng pagkakasipa ko sa desk at sa pagmumurang binigay ko sa walang pakundangang ipis. Bumalik na lang ako sa aking pagtatayp.

Matagal ko na palang hindi nauupdate ang blog ko ng matino. Wala ng bagong tula sapagkat mahirap maghanap ng inspirasyon sa gitna ng pagkabagabag ng utak mo sa grades mo ng first sem. Mahirap singitan ng konsentrasyon at oras ang mga pangyayari sa mga nakaraang buwan. Napaisip tuloy ako kung ano ang magandang paksang pwede kong ilathala sa blog ko ngayon.

Hindi ko namalayan, eto, nagtatayp na pala ako. Nawili na yata ako sa pagtatayp ng kung anu-ano. Pero napapaisip pa din ako ng magandang topic – ng mas magandang topic dapat. Medyo lugi na kasi ang blog ko at wala ng bumibisita.

Kumurap ang bumbilya. Ito na naman. Nagbabanta na naman ang dakilang brownout. Takot ako sa dilim, at kailanman ay hindi ko pinangarap ang brownout. Kumurap muli ang bumbilya, at ngayon, kasabay na niyang kumurap ang electric fan, (at aba, kumukurap ang electric fan?) at dahil doon ay napa-ctrl+s na ako, o sa madaling salita, SAVE.

Malaki na ang trauma ko sa ganyan. Nagtayp ka ng isang mahabang nobela, isang research paper, o isang dakilang powerpoint presentation na nagliliparan na ang mga letra sa labas ng screen dahil sa kaartehan sa animations, at biglang nagbrownout. Ang sarap tumunganga sa harap ng monitor mong nangingitim ang screen at sabihin sa sarili mong hindi mo na-save. Ang sarap titigan pa ang screen na sa gitna ng itim ay pilit mong hinahagilap ang file mong pulbos na sa ere. Sunod ay sisigaw na ang babae sa internet cafe, “oh out na, magbayad na, wala ng kuryente!” na ang akala ay lahat ng tao sa shop nila ay naglalaro lamang at mga walang pake sa mawawala sa kanila kung nagbrownout. Ito, bayad naman at uwi ng luhaan.

===

Napangiti. Natuwa naman ako sa pagreminisce ng past sa pagrenta ng computer sa internet shop. Maya-maya ay napansin ang calculator at kaunting papel na maraming sulat-sulat sa harap ng monitor. At aba, may nag-aaccounting na rin yata dito? Nawili ako sa calculator. Ang liit. Namiss ko tuloy ang aking scientific calculator na pagala-gala sa dormitoryo.

Tinignan ko ang papel. At aba, accounting nga. Dolyar pa ang kinokompyut. Namangha naman ako sa nagkokompyut nito, dahil libo-libong pera ang nakataya sa mga computations dito. Sulat-kamay ng nanay ko ang aking nakikita, at nagtaka ako kung anong dolyares meron ang nanay ko.

May mga salita sa baba, at ako ay napangiti na abot hanggang tigyawat sa pisngi. Mga recipe na tunog pamilyar kapag binasa, pero malayong malayo sa panlasa. Para bang narinig ko na dati pero hindi ko pa natikman. Binasa ko pa. Gulay naman ang aking nabasa. At aba? May bulaklak, prutas at kung anu-ano pa? Bahay-kubo yata na exotic ang mga halaman.

Alam ko na ang kahulugan kung bakit ako napangiti. Nanay ko nga pala ay dakila ng alagad ng Zynga, ang developer ng mga larong Farmville at Cafe World. Nalamangan na nga ako ng nanay ko sa Farmville sa tiyaga niyang maging haciendera. Level 60+ na yata siya sa kwento niya sa akin bago siya umalis.

Naalala ko tuloy nung naglalaro pa ako ng Farmville. Hindi ko talaga akalain na nakapag-aksaya ako ng napakaraming oras. Nagsimula sa pagkaadik ko sa Restaurant City, hanggang sa lahat ng uri ng nakapanununog-oras na laro ay pinatulan na. Tumatalong aso hanggang kalangitan, tira-tira bola na parang zuma, tanim-tanim at luto-luto, bahay-bahayan, at pagtayo ng imperyo. Ang dami ko palang sinayang na oras na sana ay ginugol ko na lang sa pagbilang ng buhok ko, baka doon ay may napala pa ako.

===

O yan, ang haba na pala ng naitayp ko. Pwede na pala itong blog post. Oha oha. Sa simpleng daldal, may pangblog na. Sige, magandang gabi. Magfafacebook na ako XD Yeeaah. Tapos na magtayp. :)

200 Bagay na Mamimiss Ko Ngayong Sembreak

start...

200. Salamin sa banyo na hindi ko na makita ang mukha ko sa labo.
199. Si Kuya Dagasdas, ang paborito kong guard.
198. Ang paborito ko namang janitor. Itago natin sa pangalang “smiley”.
197. Ang room naming St. Peter of Verona,
196. ...at ang kama kong Bed4A
195. Ang pag-aabang tuwing 8pm na mabuksan ang aircon.
194. Pagpapatugtog ni AJ ng kanyang sounds.
193. Ang paglalaro nila ng basketball, at ang aking pag-iisa sa kwarto.
192. Awayan sa Sun Broadband ni Kuya Jef
191. Ang minsang tambayan, ang Circulation Section
190. Tugs Tugs Tugs sa elevator
189. Isama na din ang ghost experience doon.
188. Ang stargazing sa rooftop na wala man akong nakita.
187. Pagpapapage ng mga nilalang
186. ...lalo na kapag nakalimutan sa baba ang susi.
185. Sungkitan ng pinto gamit ang tinidor
184. Corporate days: ang araw na madalas late.
183. Alingawngaw ng o2jam sa kwarto.
182. ...pati na rin ng sigawan kapag poker tour.
181. Ang saya na hatid ng pusoy dos
180. Ang pagbantay sa akin ni Jovie kung nagtoothbrush na ba ako.
179. Malagkit na titig ni Kuya Isko. XD
178. Paglolog-in at paglog-out sa lobby
177. ...at pati na rin sa pagtakas sa paggawa nun.
176. Paliligo sa cubicle, na ang tanging depensa mo ay kurtina
175. ...at kung napagtripan, ang kwentuhan habang naliligo.
174. ...pati na rin ang basaan.
173. Ang pamatay na orchestra kapag may nagbabawas.
172. Ang kanta ni Charice na walang sawa sa dorm.
171. Konting tambay sa MiniStop paminsan-minsan.
170. Ang libre ni Kuya Jeff sa Chowking. Hooray!
169. Ang libre ni Elvin sa Starbucks. Hooray!
168. Ang adventures ng tito ni Juvs.
167. Ang mga lalake sa buhay ni Potpot. Ehem.
166. Ang pagpunta sa Food Laboratory para kumain.
165. ...na naging Cafeteria na.
164. Pagkain sa lata slash canister.
163. Ang malupit na aquarium week ang meal. Muntikan na akong magkakaliskis
162. Ang di-malilimutang palabas sa banyo gabi-gabi.
161. Si Bagyong Basyang, at ang pagdilim sa dormitoryo.
160. Mga pagpupuyat para sa review. (70% daldal.)
159. Usapang Bleach sa kwarto na hindi ako makarelate.
158. Ang panandaliang pagkaadik sa World of Goo
157. Ang dakilang pambabawal ni Kuya Kevin.
156. ...at ang sweet na loveteam nila ni Ate Gretch
155. Ang pagpuslit kay Mahrooz sa loob ng dorm.
154. ...at ang madalas niyang pagtambay sa lobby.
153. I don’t want to walk this earth if I got to do it SOLO!
152. Pagpapak ng milo, hanggang sumakit ang ngipin ko.
151. First reading from the book of ganito ganyan.
150. Pagrorosaryo gabi-gabi.
149. Mga biglaang pagdating ni Fr. Ponce sa library. Behave agad eh.
148. Ang piyesta sa dorm kapag mag-uuwi ng pagkain si Kuya Danny
147. ...at ang libreng film viewing ni Kuya Danny
146. Ang pang-iisnab ni Penpen.
145. Club M, Pods, what else?
144. Ang mga kababaihan sa dormitoryo...
143. ...at naman, ang mga kalalakihan din.
142. Ang pag-ulan ng mura sa kwarto
141. Ang kalayaan magsalita ng kahit anong kabastusan sa mundo.
140. Music video ng Plants vs. Zombies
139. Ang maya’t mayang pagdaan ng kalesa sa Intramuros.
138. Ang paghahanap ng pagupitan, bakeshop, carinderia sa isang historical site.
137. Binyag Arriba. Wisik wisik.
136. Pagkabadtrip sa quizzes.
135. Ang mga nagsasalita habang natutulog
134. Ang katripan ni Charlie kapag siya ay naka-high.
133. Ang experience ni Elvin sa pangalawang gabi niya.
132. Ang mga usapang rooftop.
131. Choco Pinipig Bulilit at Cream Bar. Yeah!
130. Maging HM ng isang araw.
129. Pakinggan ang UST Singers sa CCP.
128. Kumain ng giant pizza ni Fr. Ponce
127. Magpapintura ng berde sa kamay para sa Basilisk
126. Titigan si Sir del Rosario habang nagdidiscuss.
125. Magpakahyper-active tuwing English time. Bakit kaya?
124. Magprusisyon sa kahabaan ng Quezon Avenue.
123. Tagumpay ng buhay: Makatawid ng buo pa ang katawan.
122. Movies!!!
121. Pamamalo kay Heidi
120. ...pati na rin kay Grecy!
119. Makinig ng hindi sinasadya sa mga kwento ni Ate Janine
118. Umindayog sa piano with beat ni Ma’am Marco
117. Ang samahang LABS, na marami ang taksil.
116. ...isa na dun si Hanna. Hahaha.
115. Pakikitulog sa kama ng iba. (may mangyari man o wala)
114. Konting private moments with Kuya Pars.
113. Astig dance moves ni Kuya Janjan. Headspin? Yeah.
112. Signature laugh ni Fr. Ponce. Walkie talkie.
111. Ang rehimeng itim ni Sir Kenji, na hindi ako pinatulog
110. Unang gabi sa SM Manila. Kain kain.
109. Pamimili ng damit (at pakikipag-agawan) kasama si Charlie
108. Paghagilap ng maraming grocery.
107. Wafer delight moments.
106. Pagtatayp ng lecture dati.
105. Katripan magpicture sa laptop.
104. Out of my League super interpretative dance.
103. Steamed scenes with Kuya Junjun XD
102. Concentration game na ang ending eh mukhang puno ng powder.
101. Pagkislap ng mga fireworks sa MOA.
100. Haplos ni Elvin. :)
99. Yakap ni Kuya Janjan. :)
98. Landi ni Potpot. :))))))
97. Pang-aapi ni Potpot sa aming lahat palagi.
96. Pag-inom sa drinking fountain
95. Pagbalik-balik sa nagbibigay ng uniform.
94. Ang ligaya sa Araneta.
93. Pagsakay-sakay sa LRT. (tren tren poot poot)
92. Pagmamahal.
91. ...maging na ang pagmumura.
90. Mga breakers ni Juvs.
89. Sumali sa quiz bee na ang ending ay nakakatawa
88. Mapalabas ng classroom during logic time.
87. Masampolan ng pilosopiya ni Charlie.
88. Makakita ng mga kasama ni Snow White in real life: Penpen and Heidi.
86. Humandusay sa saheg ng cafeteria sa sobrang inip.
85. Maging leader ng mga cheer booster hanggang mawalan ng hininga.
84. Gumawa ng official tarpaulin.
83. Pagkanta ng Alma Mater Letran, na hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko alam ang lyrics
82. Kumausap sa buhay na talino, the AC4As.
81. MakiFC sa mga HMs.
80. Umakyat sa Father’s Community sa Letran, at kumain muli.
79. Ibalik ang athleticism sa aking buhay.
78. ...at magserve sa volleyball ulit.
77. Maghawhaw ng plato o canister.
76. Kumain sa styro, na may bayad na 5.
75. Maglamay kasama ng Lemon Square, Cup Noodles o ng Nestea kapag kailangang magpuyat
74. Makinig sa mga kwento ni Elvin tungkol sa assets ng kanilang pamilya.
73. Makinig din sa salaysay ni Jovie tungkol sa mga physics, math at chemistry.
72. Pakinggan si Allen tungkol sa babae.
71. Pakinggan asarin si Potpot.
70. Pakinggan ding magbarahan sina Kuya Janjan at Charlie
69. Mga maiinit na gabi sa iba’t ibang kama (with all the 1st year male scholars) XD
68. Magwalk trip sa Intramuros
67. ...hanggang umabot na ng Rizal Park.
66. “Pot, ang ina mo” XD
65. Umilag sa nagliliparang shuttlecock at volleyball sa loob ng kwarto.
64. Makatulog na ang mukha ay nakadapa sa accounting book.
63. Magcrumple ng maraming journals at ledger.
62. Kumanta ng “Magbabayad”
61. Maglaba at maglaba. Pinakanakakatamad sa mundo.
60. Makakain ng banana cue, the La Cantina version
59. Antukin sa klase ng sobra sobra.
58. Mawalan ng scientific calculator (nasan na kaya?)
57. ...at pati ng Flash Drive
56. Masita din sa pagbanggit ng “USB”.
55. Ang palaging tumatawag kay Charlie. Tsk. Tsk.
54. Ang pag-akyat kama ko sa kama ni Kuya Raymart.
53. Mga makabuluhang pananaw ni Kuya Heway.
52. Pumunta ng Dangwa para sa bulaklak.
51. Dumayo sa mga seminar para lamang sa pagkain.
50. General Assembly. Lalo na yung sa MathSoc. Imba may foods.
49. Tusukin ang puwet ni Potpot.
48. Pagtawanan si Kokey (alyas Jovie) HAHAHA.
47. Bilangin ang balbon ni Kuya Janjan
46. Bilangin ang ipapa-laundry
45. Mag-alburoto din sa nawawala sa laundry.
44. Umungol ng umungol ng umungol ng parang toot toot.
43. Bumoto para sa student council. Pati yun diba?
42. Magsuot ng necktie at humawak ng canister at the same tie
41. Ang punto ng pagsasalita ng mga taga-Pangasinan
40. Magbanatan ng imbe-imbentong knock knock jokes sa gabi
39. Samahan si Elvin na bumili ng candy daw.
38. Makipag-usap ng marangal kay Charlie.
37. Pumasok sa Manila Cathedral ng nakapambahay
36. Humagilap kung saan pwede magpabookbind.
35. Mapansin ng maraming guard dahil sa improper haircut.
34. Makulong sa labas ng dorm dahil sa curfew
33. Magtiyagang lusutan ang mahigpit na wi-fi ng Letran
32. Ang hindi pagtawa ni Jaubrey sa mga jokes ko.
31. Mapalala ang aking fear of flying balls.
30. Hindi makarelate sa kwento tungkol sa mga relasyon.
29. Patuluin ang laway habang tulog sa unan ng iba.
28. Makipag-DARE!
27. Umawit ng papuri sa pinakamataas nitong nota.
26. Magsulat ng sandamukal na essay sa isang subject.
25. Ang gitara ni Ate Ira
24. Ang away ng North vs South!
23. Magdownload ng kung anu-ano para sa laptop
22. Punuin ang whiteboard ng logic terms
21. Pumatong at patungan.
20. Pumasok ng illegal sa Letran kasi nawawala ang ID
19. Magkaroon ng bomb threat.
18. Magkaroon ng hostage.
17. Pamimintang sa akin ng mayabang ni Kuya Isko
16. Si Natre. Imba.
15. Ang pambaba-“baboooOOOYYY!” ni Kuya Jethro
14. Pagtingin sa Lance at sa Letran News ng sariling pangalan
13. Pagkabaliw sa Finance. Baliw din kasi yun eh.
12. Mga imbang banat ni Mellot. OP. HP.
11. Mga pa hard-to-get ni Charlie.
10. Katawan ni Kuya Raymart. Yeah :D
9. Magsuot ng uniform ng Letran.
8. Makipag-agawan kay Penpen (no match.)
7. Mag7-11 kahit anong oras.
6. Pumunta ng underpass. Wala kasing underpass dito.
5. Puwet ni Allen. Parang pambabae. HAHA.
4. Idol Mendez. Idol at nakakadaan kami sa gate na pang-elementary.
3. Golden potatoes. Ang aking paboritong salted fries.
2. Kumaway sa mga second year na palaging nakaupo sa red tables ng first floor.

At ang LAST...

1. IKAW na nagbabasa nito. :) makamiss kayo :)

Sh*t. Two days pa lang, homesick na ako. XD

In My Own

Restless eyes in the most sullen backdrop,
A fragile soul amidst a world of gloom.
A consuming disease I cannot stop,
Yet I am just sitting in my own room.

These calling voices I keep on hearing,
The face of sins against a heart so dead,
A silent scream, my desperate crying!
Yet I am just lying in my own bed.

These deterring, self-inflicted bleedings,
This pain that I received from nobody.
To loneliness, dwell, and to sorrow, sing,
Yet I am just here in my own body.

Good Morning Araneta! (Part 2)

There’s a passage, and from those passages are rumbling noises. We entered one hole from the wall, and as I ascend to the GA seats, the noise becomes eminent. It was MAYHEM!!! It was WILD!!! Pure energy is filling in Araneta! It was really, really noisy, and everything was like going wild as College Wars is about to begin. We hurried up, for chairs are precious resources at that time that could quickly be gone. Unfortunately, there are no more chairs available in the GA, so we have to stand at the back.

The view was just awesome. Well, I thought that I’ll be looking at dots. In fact, the centerstage is not that far. The dome is BIG, and when I say big, I mean it, it’s BIG! The ceiling is huge, and I’m running out of synonyms for the word ‘big’. The area is really wide, and adding to the thrill of being in the Araneta is the energy out of the competing schools. Everyone was cheering, yelling and beating drums, and with nine competing schools, the heat of the war is just burning the whole coliseum. Nine bands, each with hardly-beaten battalion of drums, and nine squads, each with an army of cheerers and yellers that has their vocal cords trained to scream out a hundred decibels, add to that nine student bodies, all screaming out their school yells and cheers, all in an effort to be the loudest, and therefore, the most supportive among the rest.

“Arriba! Arriba! Arriba Letranista!”

Everyone is on high, as everyone is cheering against one another. For minutes, it was like that, an endless exchange of drum beats, yells and cheers.

The lights closed, and everyone screamed! Whoooo! The show is about to start. As a freshmen from the province, the excitement is overwhelming, and I can’t help to stare at the spotlights swimming around the whole seating capacity of the Dome. Someone spoke, and introduced the hosts.. wth! It was Iya Villania along with KC Montero. (or was that JC? I don’t know, but I am certain of his last name.)

Of course, with that, everyone screamed, specially the girls in the audience: they constituted 80% of the total sound energy released.

The opening ceremonies was prepared on a scale I rarely see. Though it was a little bit biased over the side of the San Sebastian (because they are the host school), I found the opening really great.

Who wouldn’t call it great if one will see Kyla, Jay-R, John Prats and Billy Crawford singing and dancing on a free live show? Hahaha!

“Let the Games Begin!” shouts Iya and KC.

The nine colleges and universities included just yelled out their energy after hearing it, and the opening ceremonies concluded. Now, on to the first game.

As the utility team is removing the set-up for the hardcourt to be revealed, we went to some vacant seats left after the opening ceremonies. Some schools already went home, for they do not have their teams competing on the later games. At last, after two hours of standings, we sat.

Now, I get why bottled water is not allowed. It is because they sell items here at skyrocketing prices. You can purchase a glass of iced tea for P60-, and a hotdog sandwich for P60- too. Very affordable, right?

I am anticipating the removal of the black mats. I am longing to see the logo of “the Big Dome” in the middle of the court. I only see it in TV, and I cannot wait to see it personally.

One by one, as the rectangular sheets were removed, bit by bit, the logo is revealed. A minute or two after, at last, the long wait is over. The long seen trademark of Araneta that was once just on my television screen, is now just a couple of meters away.

Moving on, the games is about to start. The line-up is introduced, and as each player is called, some cheering squad is ready to yell out their throats for their team. Unfortunately, our star player is not around, and I only knew about it after the game.

For the first time ever in my entire life, I was thrilled by a basketball game.The “Arriba Spirit”, as they call it here in Letran, comes alive when competing with other schools. Wahahaha! I was also screaming my throat, larynx, Adam’s apple, alveoli, lungs and bronchi like hell every time there’s a steal, a rebound, an attempt to shoot, a fastbreak, a tight defense and a foul – in short, every time!

I was raising my bag in mid-air everytime we make a point, and we were screaming cheers and yells against Baste all the time. “Beat Baste! Arriba Letran!” became the battlecry of Letranites throughout the game. Maruz, my female seatmate, is also going wild beside me. She was screaming as if her life is on the line. haha :)) The game was tight, with Baste winning the first and third quarter. The fourth quarter was one thrilling quarter, for we are in an exchange of leads. Letran will lead, Baste will tie, then Baste will lead and so on. It was one hell of a game.

It is really enthralling to see half of Araneta, all wearing blue shirts, standing and raising their hands every time the Knights score in a shot. The feeling of having a team to support, and a school to support really sank deep in to me. Everyone was just screaming in joy and boastfulness everytime Letran scores, and our band just starts the beat in and we scream some of our endless cheers. And so is Baste, the yellow army just screams out on every score that is added to their team, accompanied by some drum beat and cheers.

The last minutes of the game were the most exciting, as in I watched half of it standing, in thrill of all the three point shot attempts, and on dismay at the misses, for we are trailing shortly behind Baste. The last seconds of the game were marked with desperation, with Baste gaining a firm lead with the successive free throws.

To conclude it, the Letran Knights lost by six points to the defending champion, San Sebastian Stags. We are defeated, but the experience I gained has just purchased me a victory in my life.

THE END. hahaha :D what a nonsense ending XD

Good Morning Araneta! (Part 1)

Wahaha! And this is my first blog post about my college life.

Araneta. Araneta. Being inside of this Big Dome was just a dream back then. Mentioned on our history books, being the venue of major concerts, and being the past home court of PBA, who would not want to be in it? With a said capacity of around 20,000, I surely want to be one of the fraction of a percent of the population that could get their butts in to sit in one of the chairs.

It was our Theology1N class when someone from the Office of the Chairman of the College of Business Administration and Accountancy (CBAA) knocked at the door.

“Scholars, scholars,” he said.

The hot topic back then was our requirement in P.E. to watch the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) opening ceremonies at Araneta Coliseum, with tickets priced at P50, (and that was the cheapest.) Good thing, we, the special, so loved scholars of this institution, were exempted at PE and NSTP, for we have review classes for Advanced Accounting to attend to, in exchange for the grade that they’ll give in PE and NSTP.

I have no plans to go, but I want to. But I do not want to spend P50 for a general admission ticket, which seems to me like a place so far far away from the centerstage that we can only view moving dots, where in fact, they are a whole cheering squad. So what is the sense of spending P50. The other tickets are priced at three digits, and with that sum, I considered it a luxury.

“Bibigyan tayong ticket,” my co-scholar said.

That was the talk of the town during our lunch break, that scholars will be given free tickets as sponsored by the VP for Academic Affairs, who was also in charge of bringing us in into the scholarship. He is the father figure in the scholarship program. Some have already received their tickets, while I have little interest in getting one, because I never wanted to waste fare and effort to go to Araneta only to watch dancing dots.

“Pupunta ako!” everyone confirmed.

So as not to be an outcast, I forced myself to join. On the other hand, it is another experience of riding the MRT (or LRT, I still do not know which is which.) and another new landmark to go to.

We got our tickets, and everyone was complaining that it was just only a GA ticket. (GA- General Admission). The second year scholars however, were reminiscing their freshmen moments at Araneta. They are also at GA, and they can remember the sound of drums banging their head like hell. GA was the noisiest part of Araneta as they described, because you’ll sit “with the whole band beside”. “Masaya!” they commented. Though sometimes, what is happy for them is sometimes annoying and uncomfortable to me. Anyways, gotta give it a try.

The next morning was an ordinary one. I have to roll again on my bed before finally waking up, for my biological clock is still asleep, though I need to get up early. Our first year leader asked us to wear blue, when I am supposed to wear brown. My blue shirt sucks, that’s why I do not wear it that often. Our leader said that what we are going to wear should have a significance to Letran, and that is – BLUE. Red is for San Beda, the ultimate rival of Letran. Yellow is for San Sebastian (also called Baste) and Jose Rizal University. I forgot the other colors and the other schools.

Now, I am on the thrill of riding an MRT (or LRT). Wahahaha! The Central Station is just a walking distance from our dormitory, and that makes me have access to some parts of Metro Manila. Along the way, I saw my new favorite, the Waffle Time stand, and I specifically like the Swiss Choco waffle. There is also a Siomai House stand there, but I never tried to eat there yet. Soon, I will! Anyways, it is just my second day to ride an MRT, and the thrill of paying the exact coins to get a card that you’ll swipe in to pass through a turnstile sparks my mind that I am living in New York… (concrete jungle where dreams are made off!!! Sing with me!)

Then, we waited for the next train to come. I have only watched this in movies (Slumdog Millionaire?) and now I am experiencing the thrill of riding in a train. There are many passengers, maybe because the early morning rush hours are not yet over. And since there are many passengers, we patiently stood for two stations before walking on a long footbridge to another station. There, the new train is empty, and I got a chance to sit.

We are now heading for Araneta! Woohoo! And as we pass stations, more and more students come in at the train. First are the red ones, with blood red t-shirts proudly claiming that they are Bedistas. Letran vs. Beda has been a hot rivalry ever since, for blue and red combine to make dead violet, haha!

On the third station, yellow fever comes in – the students of Baste. They are Letran’s first opponents in the basketball event after the opening ceremonies, and for a fact, they are the defending champions in Men’s Basketball, whereas Letran is the defending overall champion for the whole NCAA.

How I love the train ride! It makes me wanna sing in to the tune of Empire State of Mind whenever I see those towering skyscrapers at a distance. Yes, a new world has opened up to me. The soft murmur of rails soothes me, and the female voice that tells the passengers on which station are they in now makes me have that LSS, though it is not a song, it’s a phrase.

At the Cubao-Araneta station, the train went empty. The half-filled train all drained out in that station, for everyone is going to be in the big event. We walked in past Gateway, and to the footbridge leading to the Coliseum, marked by a whole wall picturing the view of Araneta in a full-housed PBA game.

And there goes the Big Dome, big as I assume. We are still outside, and we went down the stairs to fall in line. The line for GA ticket holders is different from those of Patron, UBox and LBox. The line to GA is lengthy, and I have to wait for about two minutes to finally surpass the strict inspections of the guard. Surprisingly, no bottled water is allowed, and that made me wonder why.

There’s a passage, and from those passages are rumbling noises. We entered one hole from the wall, and as I ascend to the GA seats, the noise becomes eminent.

and to be continued.. :)

---oh sorry, it is LRT Line 1 and 2, as corrected by Mr. Manuel Ayson... hahaha :D he was laughing at me because of this. :))

We Are Never Anyone Else

This day, we visited our grandmother in Pandacan. They have transferred to a new house, and with that, I have to familiarize myself with a new route again. *Sigh*. Manila is such a crazy network of interlocking roads with different names. Welcoming us was Timmy, her seven-year old grandson and my cousin, who was watching SpongeBob at that time. He is an English speaker, that’s why I kept my mouth mostly shut on the minutes that we have stayed there. He is with his mother (effectively, my aunt) and our grandmother.

Aunt: Look at Kenneth, Timmy.
Timmy: (staring at me)
Aunt: He is tall and handsome
Kenneth: (laughing inside)
Aunt: (continues to talk) and he is also smart! He is a scholar.
Timmy: (stares down at the coloring book he’s holding)
Aunt: You should be like him Timmy!
Timmy: I’m not Kenneth. I’m Timmy.

Be yourself. Will you let someone chew the meat for you before you eat it, or will you take control, do it on your own, be yourself and eat it? Remember, we are never anyone else. It is either we let them draw our path before we take it or we choose where to go.

The Checklist

College life is here! Yes! And of course, I would not spend my college life wastefully, I need to make a checklist of what I need to do, to change, to learn or to get! It is similar to a resolution, only it is done before a change in the phase of life.

If you are an avid reader of WP, you’ll be well aware that I’ll having a great shift in my life. From studying in a not-so-famous college and living in the green pastures of an air base at Pampanga with my family, to studying in a 400-year-old nationally-renowned college and living in a dormitory along the crowded streets of Manila – and that is for four years (if I maintain my scholarship, that is.)

At this point, I made a checklist for my college life. I am going to setup my short- and long-term plans in my college life. Here it goes…

1. Know Manila – first off, I need to know a hefty load of jeepney routes, of labyrinth-like roads and the twists and turns around Manila. I’ll learn what to ride on where to go, for I’ll be living there soon! It is really unlike here in Pampanga wherein there are only up to jeepney routes at a time and they are even color-coded.

2. Learn the piano – for all my life, I have been desperate for this one instrument – the piano. (I exaggerated it, my passion for it began on high school.) Never mind the guitar, the violin, the flute or the drums.. I’ll prioritize the piano! (But if I have no choice, I’ll try to learn the guitar.)

3. Publish an online novel – nothing fulfills a writer’s heart than for his write-ups be read. I have so many ideas in my mind, but I can’t seem to find the time.

4. Master body language – non-verbal communication accounts for 93% of the total message we relay, the words just make up 7%. I want to be a master of body language, to learn the signs and to try to control it. Currently, I am reading books with regards to those topics.

5. Learn more of Photoshop – if life will allow me, I want to learn Photoshop more. I am amazed at what I see in some sites, and I want to learn them too! I need to learn professional-style editing! Hahaha!

6. Be a great speaker – sometimes, I also need to drop the pencil or hold loose of the mouse, well, I have a voice box to use. I want to learn how to control speed, rhythm, pitch and the other factors that makes a speaker a great speaker.

7. Join the school paper – once a writer, always a writer, and that’s why the urge of being a campus journalist still runs in me.

8. Serve God more – at number eight, my favorite number, is one thing that I not just want, but I need to do. Serve God always.

9. Change my face – haha, not the face transplant, but just some improvements on my impoverished face. Pimple removal, skin whitening – all in a gradual and a natural way. Haha!

10. Improve my vocabulary – I am planning to read more and more books about words and wordplay. I just want to know more words in the English language to improve my writing ang speaking.

11. Master Sudoku – this is one simple-looking number-placement that I want to master. Being one of my pastimes when I am totally bored and any gadget is not in place, Sudoku is such a brain-trainer. Currently, I can’t finish Very Hard puzzles, and I can barely hang on to those of four-star difficulty. I want to nail ‘em soon!

12. Read the Bible and Devotion books – this is one habit that I would like to spark up in college life. Everyone needs their daily dose of God’s words in their lives to enlighten our minds, to jump start our daily routines and to end well before we sleep.

13. Gain weight – aaahhh. This is one physical change that I have wanted for so long. I want to gain weight; I want to build more mass; I want to have those kilos. Having a cute face is not enough, if you have a body that is really thin and a BMI that is rated as severely underweight! Haha!

14. Get organized – My new year’s resolution for 2012 (see tumblr) – get organized is going to be one of my college resolutions! Because I am living all alone in a shared room, I’d better get organized on my things before I see my underwears flying off the windows of our third-story room.

15. Continue poetry – How about a Tinig ng Torpe XXVIII?! Poetry is one of my hobbies, ever since I was eight years old and I have no plans on quitting over it, instead, I’m gonna read more poems and get myself even more inspired to write more.

16. Update WhitePanorama – if I fail to follow Internet on wherever he goes, as much as possible, I will still update WhitePanorama. I’m still working things out on how.

17. Go back in Pampanga – of course, my heart is at my hometown, and I need to go back home, maybe at least once a month, or once every two months.

18. Watch an NCAA game – and since I am in Letran, the defending champion on the NCAA, I can’t miss the chance to watch out an NCAA game. They say the thrill of seeing the athletes of your school compete against other schools is different, and I’m gonna try it here! Arriba! :D

19. Get my Plurk to 100 Karma – I won’t let my four years of college life pass without bringing my Plurk to the fullest Karma! I gotta find a way to update it daily in spite of being busy and in spite of the absence of Internet connection!

20. Study colors – if I’ll learn more of Photoshop, I should have that passion to learn colors. On the tip of the iceberg that I know, colors express different emotions, have their certain pairs when it comes to combination and has a profound effect on the one seeing it. I want to learn how to use them, the hues, the brightness, the shades, the tints, the saturation etc…

21. Remember the days – I want to keep a record of all significant events of my college life. It will be similar to a log book, and not necessarily a diary. I just want to keep in track of the important events that, who knows, may change my life in the future.

22. Be a little less selfish and a lot more compassionate – I want to be that friend that I never came to be when I was in high school. After I touched, and I was burned, now the lessons have been learned. I guess I’m off to a better Kenneth and college life will be a good start.

The last four are SECRETS.
The first one involves an examination, the second one involves clothes, the third one involves one of my profile pictures in Facebook and the fourth one involves a promise I made to someone. Promises are made to be broken, but as much as possible, you should not break it. Hahaha.

That’s it. I’ll have some blog posts as each one of them are being checked out of the list. I just hope I can complete them, or at least just accomplish half of them. My checklist is so fragile as I see it at the moment.

Make your own checklist, I suggest. Plan for your life.

The Balloon That Will Never Come Back

ABOUT THE STORY: This is my first story to be ever published in WhitePanorama. This is about a 13-year-old girl who ended up hoping that the balloon will come back. What’s behind it? You should probably read it. This is not based on any actual experience and the characters are all fictitious, much like all short stories. I’m just trying out my skill in short story writing. I hope you like it! Hahaha! Here it goes, The Balloon That Will Never Come Back.

Sunshine is touching my skin, and not only my skin, but all the trees, all the people and the towering ferris wheel. Everything seems so alive. Look, that kid has ice cream all over his face! Haha! That man over there is doing some magic. I want to take a closer look, but I am being pulled by my brother to a hotdog stand. He’ll buy us some hotdogs to eat.

We were in an amusement park, because my brother promised to me last week that he’ll bring me here if I pass all subjects in our examinations. It was really hard reviewing, but all those hardships had paid off today. The amusement park, from its name, never fails to amuse me. The wonder of such a big wheel carrying people, spinning slowly and bringing everyone up to heights they never reached, simply amuses me.

“I want to ride that big wheel, Kuya!” I told my brother.

“But the ride costs eight times that hotdog you are eating. It is too expensive.” My brother reasoned out.

“Eyyyy. If only we had enough money,” I said as I continue to stare at the height of the steel wheel.

I was biting at my hotdog mindlessly because I am focusing my attention at how high the ferris wheel reaches. I wondered if the birds will surround me if I am at the top, or if I’ll be able to peek in at the window of an airplane. I guess it will take some time before I know if those things were real.

My brother noticed me gazing high at the ferris wheel. He held my hand and started to pull me.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

He did not answer my question, and all I can do is to helplessly follow him wherever he leads me. I wanted to look back at the ferris wheel, but I cannot for I’ll trample in the way. Finally, he stopped. In front of us is an ugly looking clown.

Clowns never fascinated me ever since I was young. They look like they have been playing with Crayola so obsessively that they decided to put the colors permanently on their faces, in an application so thick that they look like aliens. If they can only do magic without coloring on their faces, I will love them so much.

I can’t look at the clowns, for I can’t stop to laugh with ridicule when I look at them. I was staring at the clown’s right hand. His right hand is the same as the right hand of my brother, brown, with five fingers, and not painted. I looked at my hand, and realized that it is the same as his, too. After all, that clown is still a human, only masked to put joy on some kid’s faces.

“Hey Riz!” my brother called me.

“Her name is Riz?” the clown asked.

“Oh, ahmm, yes,” my brother answered.

“Do you want me to put her name here?” the clown asked more. I have no idea on where was he going to put it for I was looking at his right hand.

“For free?” my brother asked.

“Yes,” the clown said as he slowly pockets his hand. “Hold this for me,” the clown said as his hand pulls out the pocket with a permanent marker, “now, how do you spell it?”

“R – I – Z … Riz,” my brother replied.

There was a squeaking sound as the clown writes it, and interested, I looked up to see what is going on. It was a pink balloon that the clown is writing on.

“Riz, it’s done,” the clown smiled and gave the balloon to me.

I was shocked. Why was he offering a balloon to me?

“Hold it Riz, it might fly,” my brother warned me.

Scared, I grabbed it and I held it with my hands clenched very tightly around the string. We left the clown, and the clown was now writing a new name on a different balloon, and I assumed he’ll give it to that child in front of him.

“Why did the clown gave this to me?” I asked.

“He gave it to you because I bought it for you,” he answered, with that smile on his face that releases the angel inside of him.

My brother, is not actually my brother, but just a family friend. His name is Hans. He sleeps in our house sometimes, plays with me really often and sees me at school always. I do not have any brothers, really, and he plays that role for me. He is my best friend, though he is three years older than me. He knows me well, and I know him, too, and he has shared a lot of stories with me.

“Just take care of that balloon, Riz. That is my gift to you for being great in your exams,” my brother said.

“Errr…,” I said playfully as I hug him tight around his waist, “that’s really touching Kuya.”

“Pink. That is your favorite color, right?” he asked.

“Yes! That’s why I like this balloon so much now,” I said.

That was five months ago.

Today, things are different. His memory still keeps playing like an endless filmstrip rolling in my mind. But to him, I’m down to being an acquaintance, a familiar face around the corner, a part of the past that has been forgotten. I lost my best friend, and all I can do was to stare at him with his new best friends. Yes, he had replaced me, but I can never replace him. Every time I see him, I wish I was one of his friends, so that I can be with him. As of today, that is a mission impossible.

Four months ago, I was with him in a park. I am holding an ice cream on my left hand and the pink balloon that he bought me on my right hand. He was at my side, and we were happily chatting with the calm breeze.

“Kuya, I have something to tell,” I said to him in a childish manner.

“Sure. What is it?” he asked.

“I’ve been feeling this for a long time now,” I said, “And I guess this is the right time to say it.”

He was just silent, but the smile on his face was slowly disappearing. I do not know if he was just curious, or he knows that he will not like what he is about to hear.

“I know it is not right,” I continued, “but Kuya…”

“I LOVE YOU.”

There was that two-second pause in time. The witnesses were the withered trees that are just starting to bloom for spring, and the wooden benches lining up the pathwalk. Everything was silent, except for the breeze gently whispering to the grass.

With a sudden flame in his eyes, he grabbed my hand forcefully and shook it hardly. I was shocked; I have never seen his face like that. His once calming eyes were looking at me piercingly and his once caressing touch became painful. He shook my hand so violently that I dropped the ice cream cone in my hand to the pavement below, only to be consumed by the heat of the sun.

The balloon, yes, the balloon that could have been the only concrete memory of him to me, went out of my grasp. I was in shock. The string slowly slid off my palms, and without me noticing, it was soon out of my reach, floating in a seemingly endless sky. I was looking at the balloon as it slowly floated away from me. It was getting smaller and smaller, until it totally vanished from my eyes.

“Why?! You do not know what you are saying! You do not know what will happen!” he said to me in a tone I never heard before. I never saw him angry before, and that was the last face that he gave in front of me – a face that will haunt me in my dreams until now.

He left me standing there, with a dropped ice cream cone in front of me. I was staring at him as he was walking away fast from me. I was not able to answer his question, for I really don’t know why I love him – until now. The breeze is still blowing, and I guess the balloon is still flying somewhere.

Just as the balloon flew away, so is our friendship. I remember seeing the balloon go smaller and smaller as it floats farther and farther away from me; it reminds me of how our friendship diminished in such a short while -- a terminal to our friendship. I took the risk to exchange it for love, but little did I know that with it, I have let go of the string of our friendship and let it drift away.

Until now, I always go to that park – on that very place where I dropped my ice cream cone. I look up the sky, and talk to myself, “will that balloon ever come back again? Will our friendship ever come back again?”

Four months later, here I am, still searching for the balloon that will never come back.

Seniors Shockwave Alert: Behind the Scenes 2

All the while kami lang ang nagpapraktis sa sarili namin. Well, we are seniors, we’re independent. Haha. Mga bandang last two days lang kami nagpraktis with the faculty’s ears hearing us. Ayun. Pressure yun. Paano eh malapit na ang laban.

Nagkaroon pa ng issue. Eto ang issue na hindi ko makakalimutan. Dapat daw iuusog ang English Week to Monday. Pero dahil may quiz bee kami sa Monday at kailangan kong bitawan ang newscasting para sa quiz bee, may nangyari, at dahil sa akin yun.

Eh paano. Binuhos ko lahat ng efforts ko dito. Presentation, script, balita, praktis, ideas, pull-out.. nakamindset na ako na lalaban sa English Week. At ito pa ang higit sa lahat, ang experience na maging isang newscaster. Nung second year may newscasting kami pero hindi ganun kaperformance level ang nangyari nun sa akin. This is the big stage. I want to be there. Kung papapiliin nga ako eh iiwan ko na lang ang quiz bee for the newscasting kasi this is a once in a lifetime experience.

Mangilid-ngilid na luha ko nung malaman ko I will be forced to quit. Ayokong magquizbee. At ang bigat sapuhin ng bagaheng pinabuhat sa akin. All of a sudden nanlumo ako, and that was two days before the competition. Di ko yata matitiis na sumagot ng question ng quiz master habang maiisip ko na iniwanan ko ang newscasting team.

Ayun. With the powers of Ma’am Gamboa, nangyari ang dapat mangyari. Tuloy ang English Week kinabukasan. Masaya, kasi makakasama na ako. Kinakabahan, kasi ang pressure lahat ay nasa akin. Sabi nga sa akin ni Lara, kapag natalo daw kami ako ang pinakamalaking kahihiyan sa balat ng Systems nun.

Gumagawa kami ng props nun nang dumating ang balita.. Nagkaroon lang kami ng late na lunch bago nun, dahil inaalam pa namin kung ano ang mga kailangang bilhin para sa aming mga props, kung paano ba ang design ng set at etc. Ayun, kinukulayan ng iba ang ginuhit kong isda sa manila paper at may nagugupit sa kabila.

Abalang-abala na ang buong Systems kinahapunan, sapagkat matindi rin ang kumpetisyon pagdating sa Jazz Chant, at talaga namang iyon ang inaabangan ng karamihan.

The day before, ayan na, sabakan na sa general practices. Meron na kaming master plan, ang cue kung kelan lilipat ng slides sa presentation, at ang cue din kung kailan magpapalit ng sounds, all with full description para madalian ang operator. Ang operator pala namin ay si Jzhanel para sa powerpoint, at c Keroy para sa sound effects. Oha. Pwede na kaming professional news team, camera man na lang ang kulang.

Syempre. Praktis praktis na kami. Nag-iimbento na ng poses, kunyaring pa-entrance at saka mga konting pakulo para maliban sa informative kami, entertaining pa.

Nagpraktis kami sa Multi Purpose Hall. Nandun ang Jazz Chant ng second year kumakanta sa tono ng Bad Romance. Nandun din yung mga Jazz Chanters ng Seniors, nagpapraktis. Litaw na litaw boses ni Jefran, eh napano, trainer nila. Todo sigaw din si Vhinna at si Kevin, feel na feel ang pagwalk down the road.

At yun, katapos ng Jazz Chant ng Sophomores, nag set-up ng table at tinesting ang stage presence namin. Ang daming nakatinging mata, at yun ay for the first time. Nakakaconscious, pero ito ang daan para sa pagkapanalo. Si Ma’am Gamboa ang sama ng tingin sa amin, para bang ang daming imperfections, o sadyang kabado lang ako kaya tingin ko masama tingin nun.

At ‘yun, dumating ang Teen Patrol ng first year habang nagpapraktis kami. Nandun si Ma’am Tan at saka si Ma’am Mendoza. Waaah?! Ititigil ba namin ito o tuloy?

Ifast-forward na natin dahil mahaba na yung natayp ko. Ayun. Nandun na sa loob ng classroom ng Ampere. Ang mga classmate namin nag-uumpisa ng bumaba, kasi may program. Konti kaming natira sa classroom... ang newscasting team, si Sir Dungca, si Ma’am Gamboa at ang bagong special staff, si Princess.

Yun. Make-up. Make-up. First time kong maging feeling artista. Haha. Ayun. Picture-picture din sila. Tae naman talaga at sinabihan ko yung nanay ko na humagilap ng coat para sa akin at nakalimutan daw niya. Pinagpipilitan niya yung puting jacket, sabi ko hindi pwede, at pwede daw. Anyways, no choice naman ako kaysa naman wala akong dalhin. Dinala ko na rin. Amp. And it turned out to be really wrong.

Nagmukha akong doctor, at may inedit pa ngang picture si Lara comparing me to a pale-skin, red-lipped, white-dressed doctor from the Twilight movie series, and that was Dr. Carlisle as far as I can remember.

Hanggang sa sinubukan kong hiniramin ang coat ng kapatid ni Carmela, dahil napressure ako dun sa coat nung first year! Haha! Tapos may live television pa ang second year, at tilian naman ang mga sophomores sa nakita nila.

At ito, ang third year, ang pinakamatinding kalaban palagi. Matapos nilang manalo sa Intrams, mahigpit na ang mga mata namin sa kanila. At yun, dumating ang Entertainment News nila. Tawanan ang buong MPH kay Ezra sa paggaya niya kay Boy. Iba ang hatak ng entertainment news nila, samantalang sa amin ay formal ang dating, with the Best Female Newscaster two years ago reporting.

Nakatambay kami dun sa mga Transformers sa gilid ng MPH. Picture picture ang buong cast. Kinakabahan kasi baka mabulol kami. Kinakabahan kasi baka matalo. Hanggang yan na, umpisa na. Umakyat na kami sa stage, ako kunyari confident na confident. Syempre seniors, kailangan ipakita na sanay na sa ganitong pressure.

At sinet-up na ang presentation. Pati ang sounds ready na.

Tumugtog na ang intro, at naglakad na kami na Kareejil patungo sa gitna. Hanep ang pressure. Ang tindi tumayo sa harap ng maraming tao na parang nagmomodel. Ayos lang sana kung emcee eh, medyo hindi na ganoong kalaking factor ang itsura. Pero dito, isa ito sa matinding puhunan.

Nakakatigas ng paa na tumayo doon, para bang ayokong tumingin sa mga tao dahil baka pinagtatawanan nila ako. Madalas kasi, mukha na akong clown ngayon. At yun, katapos nun magsasalita dapat si Lara, pero tila ang boses niya ay naglalakbay pa sa buwan. Hindi niya marinig ang sound effects na signal niya na kailangan na niyang magsalita. Ayun, nadelay tuloy ang aming headlines.

At yun, ang pamatay na intro, kailangan na naming sabihin ni Kareejil ang title ng palabas. Haha. and 1, 2, 3 go.. Seniors Shockwave Alert. Ay. Walang pumalakpak. Wala talaga kaming impact.

Hanggang nagsasasatsat na ako ng balita. Nakikita ko si Ma’am Malig nangingiti. Di ko alam kung magaling ako, nagkakamali na ba ako o sadyang mukha lang talaga akong clown kaya ngumingiti siya.

At iyon, konting pahinga. Commercial break. ‘Yan ang isa sa mga pakulo namin na unique sa iba. Meron kaming commercial break. Una yung “First Love” commercial ng McDo na paborito ko. ‘Yun, epektibo naman ang method at lahat napakanta ng Huling El Bimbo. At lalo naman nung lumabas ang mga batang Tondo sa commercial ni Manny Villar. Ang unang plano pa nga ay i-remake ng SPCF version yung mga commercial na yun, yung tipong Ampere daw ang mga bata dun sa commercial, total kamukha naman daw namin.

Pagkatapos ng commercial, of course, we’re back. At dun na nagsimulang magkabuhol-bohol. “Back to you Kareejil” pero sa script ako na ang kasunod. ‘Yun, natigilan kami ng konting sandali, nagpapakiramdaman kung sino na ba ang magsasalita talaga. Kinuha ko na lang ang mic at dumakdak, kahit mali.

At astig ang field reporter namin. Isa pa ‘to sa SSA Originals. Ayun. Si Lara, ang aming senior correspondent kuno, ay live from Cotabato! Haha! Astig. At ‘yun, kumuha kami ng ilang cooperative usisero sa camera, at ang cameraman namin ay si Jefran. Nag-away sa spotlight si Paul at si Chino at ang nanalo ay si Chino. Hahaha. At yun, nung natapos na siyang magreport, binalik na sa akin ni Lara, “back to you, Kenneth,” sabay tingin sa akin mula Cotabato. Hahaha!

At tinapos namin ang newscasting namin ng parang wala lang. Yun. Masasabi naming tapos na. Pero nandiyan pa ang mga judges para kami’y husgahan. Syempre kinakabahan, pero sabi naman ng mga coaches namin eh ayos lang naman daw ginawa namin. Ganoon naman palagi ang mga coaches, palaging nagchecheer up.

Dinaan namin ang kaba namin sa marami pang papicture picture. Kami na ang huling event nun, kaya pagkatapos ng newscasting, awarding na agad. The moment is truth, ika nga. Kabado. Kasi ang dami na ngang napagdaanan ng newscasting team. Unti-unti, tinatawag na yung mga awardees. Nanalo si Jehriel sa kanyang pagkaleon. Si Yu, hindi pinalad, pero ayos lang, dahil sa kanya nauso ang “alms”. Ang Jazz Chant, hindi rin naging champion, pero ayos lang rin. At ito, newscasting na. Nakatayo lang kami sa likod ng mga bleachers.

Isa-isa tinatawag yung ibang year levels. Hanggang dalawang year level na lang ang natitira. At ‘yun, si Ma’am Malig ang nag-aannounce ng winners, isa ‘yan sa mga expertise niya. Alam niya kung paano mambitin, at kung paano magdagdag ng thrill. Feel na feel pa ang diction palagi.

...

...

PANALO KAMIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHA!!!! CHAMPIOOOON! :)))))))))))))))))))))

the end :)) hahaha!

Seniors Shockwave Alert: Behind the Scenes

Ke: This just in everyone. A military craft had crashed in a residential area at Cotabato Province, killing at least 8 people. Live from Cotabato, on the crash site is Lara Jimenez. What happened there Lara?

La: Yes, Kenneth… (continue…)

Questions:
1. Aside from a civilian death, is there any other civilian injured on the crash?
2. We have been hearing rumors that the plane crash was a sabotage. Is it true?

Ke: Thank you for that important update. Again, that is Lara Jimenez reporting live from Cotabato.

Ka: Reminders everyone, our KAAKBAY field trip will be at February 13, and to all the seniors and juniors, our prom night will be at February 26.

Ke: These are the rocking..

Ka: The shaking…

Ke: the Breaking

Ka: the shattering news of the day.

Ke: this is NEWS, and this is…

ALL: Senior Shockwave Alert.

Ke: Up next is Ma’am Gamboa’s Noontime Show, stay tuned.

PLAY: 13 – Outro (Last Music)

===========================================

At iyan ang aming last lines sa aming newscasting. Parang kelan lang simula nung unang praktis.. parang kelan lang simula nung sobrang pressure.. parang kelan lang nung nagchampion. Haaaay. Nakakamiss nga naman. Ang sarap balikan.

Eto. Excited na ang buong Ampere at English Week na, dahil sigurado nandiyan na ang kaabang-abang na speech choir competition. Since first year tila ba yan na ang aming forte, speech choir. Marinig mo lang ang speech choir, lahat nagiging active ng sumali. Para bang pagkain, maamoy lang nila lahat na e titingin.

Paano kasi, gustong gusto namin bumawi sa pagkatalo namin sa The Secret of the Machines, meron kasi kaming dalawang kasama na humihiwalay daw ang boses. (at nagmalinis pa siya.) Dagdag pa dun, iba kasi kapag speech choir, nandun yung palaging walang klase kasi puro kayo praktis, tapos ang saya pa, kasi astig yung mga choreography. Tapos syempre, payabangan na rin sa ibang year levels. Syempre fourth year, expected champion.

Ayun. Isang araw, pumasok si Ma’am Alfonso sa room namin, gaya naman ng palagi niyang ginagawa. Excited kami lahat, dahil alam naming mag-aannounce siya tungkol sa English Week. Malakas ang bulung-bulungan tungkol sa speech choir, kasi nga marami ang excited para dito. Lahat kami nakangiti, na tila ba nag-aabang ng katuwa-tuwa mula kay Ma’am, pero hindi kami natuwa sa narinig namin.

Wala daw Speech Choir. Napalitan daw ito ng Jazz Chant. At nandun pa rin ang Storytelling, Dramatic Monologue at Newscasting. Eh ang hanap namin speech choir, pero wala daw.

“Ano daw?” yan ang tanong ng marami matapos sabihin ang Jazz Chant.

Bago nga naman kasi sa pandinig. Kahit nga ako hindi ko alam kung ano ang ibig-sabihin. Ang kumakalat naman ng definition eh speech choir na kumakanta at tunog-tao. Unang pumasok sa isip ko papaputok kami ng kilikili, magrarap kami sa harap at magbebeatbox sa harap ng basang-basang microphone. O kaya magtatambol ng tiyan o mananapok ng ulong walang laman, oha, pwede ng musical ensemble. Dagdag pa rito, 20 lang daw ang maximum na pwede sumali. Bale, dahil mas konti kayo, mas nakakahiya, kasi mas makikilala ka.

Marami ang nadiscourage, at kakaunti lamang ang sumali sa Ampere ng Jazz Chant.

Ako naman, dahil hindi ko tipo magJazz Chant, ayun, sumabak na lang sa mundo ng pagiging isang newscaster. Lahat na yata sinubukan ko eh.

Naaalala ko pa nun, ang mga auditions na kayraming udlot. Kabado pa kaming mga nag-aaudition sa faculty room nun. Nahihiya kasi maraming mga teachers ang nanonood, at magrerecite kami ng news piece sa harap ni Ma’am Gamboa at Sir Dungca. Buti nandiyan si Amir, ang savior naming lahat, kasi siya lang ang may dala ng news piece, the rest nakikishare na lang. Haha.

At nalaman nga namin na kami na ang official newscasters ng fourth year level. Amir, Kenneth, Lara, Danielle and sino kasi yun? Aaah. Oo. Naalala ko na. Si Kareejil. Ayun. Pinagplano na kami kung paano ang flow ng programa. Nagmeeting kami nun sa kalahating bakante ng faculty room, pero wala mang nangyari kundi usapan at tawanan. Paano medyo sabay kasi sa mga quiz bees at dance competitions kaya ultimong naghahatid ng balita, busy gumawa ng sarili nilang balita.

Umabot na kami sa puntong si Ma’am Gamboa na ang nagmeeting sa amin, at napagdesisyunan namin na magkaroon ng dalawang balita kada kategoryang hinihingi sa patimpalak.. Local news, Foreign, Sports at Entertainment. Sunod na naging assignment namin ang maghanap ng balita. Kinagabihan nun, lahat pa nagPM sa akin, nagtatanong ng balita o kung nakakakuha na ba ako ng balita ko.

Sa orihinal naming plano, ako ay isang sportscaster, dahil kailanman, hindi ko pinangarap na maging bida sa isang soap opera na wala namang ginawa sa mundo kundi umupo sa gitna at maghatid ng balita. At isa pa, mahirap kunin ang damit ng isang main anchor. Ayos din kung weather. Di ko bagay mag-entertainment, at pang-main anchor din naman ang foreign. Kaya’t minabuti ko ng manatili na lang sa sports.

Naaalala ko pa ang aming mga pull-out days. Haha. Ang mga patawang birada ni Amir kay Kareejil, at wala na kaming mapraktis kundi ang paano tumawa. “F-*-*-k-U Kareejil,” sasabihin ni Amir, pa-thank you naman itong si Kareejil, pagkarinig niya eh, “back to you, Kareejil.”

Dati nun, no permanent address pa kami kapag praktis. Minsan, sinubukan naming tumambay sa hagdan, sa faculty room, pero ang ending namin nun sa harap ng science building, hanggang sa sumugod na lang ang mga third year.

Ayun, dumating din kami sa puntong kailangang isipan ng pangalan ang aming palabas. Alangan naman biglaang pasok na lang na walang title. At syempre, kadikit ng title ang motto ng mga nagbabalita. Kung pwede na lang sana na “time is gold” eh.. pero walang konek. Suggestion nila eh “may pakpak ang balita...”, pero kahit kailan ay ‘di ko maimagine yan.

Since ako ang pinaggawan nila ng skrip namin, ako na rin ang nagsubok na mag-isip ng pangalan. Seniors Shockwave Alert kako, buti naman at walang nagreklamo. Yun, tuloy tuloy na lang ng praktis hanggang sa kalaunan, nadeport ako at naging main anchor na. Waaah!

Dumadaan ang araw, at hanggang sa dalawang araw na lang eh time to perform na. Ayun. Kinailangan na magdownload ng sound effects para sa dakila naming palabas, gumawa ng powerpoint presentation para sa aming ipapakita at isaulo na ang mga dapat isaulo. Hanep na ang pressure.

All the while kami lang ang nagpapraktis sa sarili namin. Well, we are seniors, we’re independent. Haha. Mga bandang last two days lang kami nagpraktis with the faculty’s ears hearing us. Ayun. Pressure yun. Paano eh malapit na ang laban.

Nagkaroon pa ng issue. Eto ang issue na hindi ko makakalimutan. Dapat daw iuusog ang English Week to Monday... Pero...

....to be continued.

the second part will be posted Saturday after midnight :)