graduate, we gotta graduate...

Last Monday we had our photoshoot for graduation. We had this toga shot, corporate look shot, sablay shot, and creative shot. And boy was it tiring! (and our sablay shots were kinda, sablay. aaagh.)

12-1 sched ended at 7. Sheesh. But it was fun playing around the dressing room with blockmates.

I was ze colorful nerd for the creative shot. 

K5 loves. <3 Let's all graduate together, k. Monday was at the same time, the deadline for the submission of the 2nd draft of the thesis proposal. Haggard look for some of us, but who cares? We're just too happy with the idea of graduating.

After the shoot, it was back to work, back to doing things for us to graduate.

Fifteen books I've read that will always stick with me

It's all over Facebook, and I now wanna make my own list!

1. Genesis -yes the book from the Bible. First Bible verse I memorized was Genesis 1:1 in kindergarten.

2. Revelation -yes, THAT Revelation. That last book from the Bible talking about beasts and scrolls and other scary stuff. Second verse I memorized was Revelation 3:20.

So much for first and last books. XD

3. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens -first novel I read when I was in second grade, I think.

4. Dracula by Bram Stoker -creepy.

5. Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift -great story. I found the ending reaaaalllly weird, tho.

6. Hope for the Flowers by Trina Paulus -Stripe and Yellow and the caterpillar pillar! This yellow book I truly liked.

7. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee -opened my eyes to the fact that people are oppressed in the real world. Didn't think much about racism until I read this.

8. Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice -very... Interesting.... Vampires of the same kind as in Bram Stoker's... not like other vampires people drool over these days.

9. The Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsela -haha guilty pleasure in reading chick lit. So what if the story promotes capitalism anti-feminist ideas, I liked reading them. My apologies to my professor in Gender and Feminist studies. Haha

10. Dune by Frank Herbert -oooooh, sand worms. The first of the series with Paul Atreides aka Muad'dib was great. Again, "ooh, sand worms!"

11. Elements of Journalism by Kovach and Rosenstiel -gaaah what a nerd. I did read the whole book. The book reminds me of one of the best professors in Journalism, Professor Yvonne Chua. Classic -the book and the prof. XD

12. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro -just finished reading this and it was sooooo sad, but the writing style was superb. Like the book better than the film because the book focused on the butler thing, not on a love story.

13. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare -and The Taming of the Shrew, if I may add. Romeo and Juliet was depressing because I really can't understand their...ugh. But I find pleasure in reading it, still. Same with The Taming of the Shrew, but it made me laugh (duh, a comedy, duh).

14. Perfume by Patrick Suskind -oh this creepy story! Don't exactly know how those scents in the story smell like, but the description made me feel all stinky, I HAD tO take a bath to move on. And the creepy ending could just haunt me and give me nightmares.

15. Not Even A Hint by Joshua Harris -Guarding your heart against lust. Gave me a different view on love and lust. Sadly, I gave this book away one Christmas. :( After reading this, I wanted to buy "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" but until now I haven't.

Back from the mountains!

I'm back from our class field trip! Lakbay-aral in Mt. Banahaw. As for pictures, we don't have any cos we're losers like that. lol jk. We have two pictures taken by another group. From the eight of us, none thought of bringing his own camera (all thinking others will bring cameras anyway).

We three members from our original group were merged with a group of five from another class.  We conquered the Mount Calvary in Laguna. We were passed judgment upon in the Husgado cave. We crawled like worms and walked like ducks in other caves. And we got "baptized" in the Banahaw rivers for at least three times. Now hooray! I got home with a box of cassava nilupak, a chunk of ube/yam, and lots of scratches and bruises!

I missed my bed (we slept on the floor), my stuffed toys (couldn't just hug my group mates sleeping beside me. Haha), and the Internet (couldn't even use my phone because there was no signal!). But but but, I've to say I had fun. It was exhausting but definitely fun. Last time I climbed a mountain was three years ago in Romblon (and oh we got stuck in an island. Good times, good times.). Last time I slept on ground was five months ago (in Isabela, we camped in the middle of a field. I slept inside the tent, others in the open, and some on the hood of a car. Haha.). Now I'm like, OHMYGOSHHHH! I miss OJ! T.T

This post isn't about OJ, so I'm going back to the Banahaw trip. The food was great, the view from the mountain was great, talking with and having group mates was great (helped me keep my sanity, really. thanks guys!), everything was great xept my bruises aaand the bus rides (I hate bus rides. I get cranky.).

We learned through experience. We saw how different religious groups live side-by-side, with the common understanding that Mt. Banahaw is sacred. Now I see that these people are truly devoted to their belief. Makes me stop and think how far I can go endure for my faith. These people go up to the mountains and exert that much effort regularly for their belief. How much effort am I exerting for what I believe? After reaching the top of Mt. Banahaw, I was sooooon happy (not because of the view, and the feeling you've achieved something) for the Lord has forgiven our sins by grace through faith. Climbing up there was the literal "taking up the cross," and it was exhausting.

Now I'm home, resting for the whole day because by whole body hurts even after taking pain relievers. Last night I was also happy at the sight of Christmas lights hanging so beautifully in trees around the nearest mall. Was thinking how come 1/3 of the year is Christmas - all 'ber' months are "Christmas Season." And this iPad I'm using right now... I was like, "who! Dad has an iPad! I want one! I want one! I want one!" haha. Seriously, I want my own. Christmas gift, anyone? XD

How to Kill a Mockingbird

Over dinner, my younger brother (age 13) asked me if I have a copy of the book "How to Kill a Mockingbird." I was laughing when my sister's "guy friend" who came over our house exclaimed neither had he read the "How to Kill a Mockingbird." Obviously he didn't get to read even the cover page to get the title right.

Students should be given more books to read. It's the only way to teach them how to write. As a professor once said, "reading is writing," so read read read. I'd read more literature books if I had more time to spare. I actually like classes that require book reviews. And watch films. hehe. So I have this 'Film and Literature' class right now. I wish they made us read more books in high school. And I wish they don't make the prices of books too high because of tax. I wish the government cared  more about education. I wish our school were to be given a higher budget. I wish...

Well anyway I told my brother I don't have a copy of "How to Kill a Mockingbird" but I do have Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" and that it's such a great read. I have no idea if there's a guidebook on How to Kill a Mockingbird (might be giving a step-by-step guide on how to kill a mockingbird nicely).  I think my brother's still wondering if he got the right title of the book.

what princes like

A sloth who sleeps for hundreds of years, a flat-footed girl who runs around with one slipper, one who eats anything shiny from weird-looking strangers (read: apples with odd colors from an old witch), and eeew -one who kisses toads. Seriously Prince Charming, what's wrong with you?