Posted on: November 30, 2004
Unknowing to the majority of those who visit my blog, I have created a new layout just two days ago. It took me hours before I finally finished it. It was a clean and simple layout which I modified from Kubrick's skin. I tested it and every component worked out flawlessly. So there I was giving myself a pat in the back whilst republishing my blog.
It was perfect, or so I thought it was.
It worked fine in my Firefox browser but I had to check if it worked in IE. Everything was loading fine but then the sidebar didn't appear. I tried refreshing the browser but it didn't work.
Five hours of work in front of the computer just wasted because of browser incompatibility.
Sigh. I had to revert back to the dull black layout of mine.
Anyway here's a screenshot of what my blog could have looked like...
So much for that. On a brighter note... I PASSED MATH 11. I only found out this afternoon on my way home. I was so happy about it I left the UPM campus with a big grin on my face. Thinking about it right now makes me smile even more. That definitely made my day.
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I'm working on a new layout again. Hopefully I get to remodel my blog before the year ends. A new year, a new look... hehe expect for it... coming soon in 2005.
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Posted on: November 28, 2004
I had to blog about the movie. It's one of the best that I have seen this year. I have to say that I greatly admire the character of the protagonist in the movie. No wonder our pastor always say that we need people like Viktor Navorski in our country.
The movie is noteworthy for a lot of things. What striked me was when Amelia told Viktor what Napoleon gave Josephine as a wedding present. Napoleon gave her a gold locket with the word 'destiny' inscribe on it. Amelia knew that it wouldn't work out with Viktor, but who knows destiny would say otherwise in the future. That we may get to see if ever Spielberg makes a sequel to the movie, which is rather unlikely.
My point is destiny speaks a lot to all of us. Yes, we live our lives and we make the choices, but destiny paves our way in life.
I'm such a sucker for these kind of things. It's a long and complicated story. But it all comes down to my belief that we all have our destined soulmates. I'm still looking for her, for 'the one'. I guess I've seen her already. I'm just not sure if she's really IT.
Destiny will reveal her to me. In the meantime, as Navorski puts it, "I will wait" on destiny's promise. I will find her... someday.
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Posted on: November 26, 2004
The Unversity of the Philippines is well known for student activism. While I was catching up on my Histo II class, a group of students were shouting slogans against the infamous budget cuts on the UP. The academe has the reputation of instilling nationalism among its students. Every year it pumps out fresh graduates full of cause and idealism. It's ironic, however, to think that out of the same university comes great minds that corrupt the government. Eighty percent of officials who work for the government graduated from the UP. I'm not implying that all of them are corrupt. But there are bad people out there. A famous example would be President Marcos. He was a UP graduate, a top notcher in the bar exams even, and his legacy - he drowned our country in debt. Something we will never be out of for a long time.
One would ask what was wrong? Marcos had the makings of a great president. He was intelligent and eloquent. He could give impromptu speeches. There was no other Filipino president like him. But contrary to what Plato says, in my opinion, intelligence should not be the sole and foremost basis in leadership. However I'm not saying that we should vote for the not-so-intelligent people. Our country has already experienced the opposites. Look at Erap and Marcos, they were different from each other but they shared the same fate, didn't they? It takes heart, not intelligence, to be a good leader. He must have a servant attitude. One will never know how to lead, unless they first learn how to serve.
In our Soc Sci II class we discussed Platonic views on the ideal government. On his writings about the government, Plato talked about the restrictions in leadership. Our prof identified the items using her so-called spidey principles. Basically to become a good leader, one must live an austere life. An idea so far-fetched in the Philippine setting. Privileges is synonymous to a high-ranking official. It comes in different forms, from pork barrels to travel tickets paid by the government. But with money flowing everywhere one could only want more. Hence the corruption that's polluting our country. It has spread in every government department even in the AFP. Millions of tax payer's money are wasted in building private properties for the leisure of the selfish and corrupt officials. Leadership is not about privileges. But tell that to the senators and congressmen out there and they'll tell you you're crazy. No wonder it's hard for them to let go of the disputed pork barrel. They'll be losing their source of revenue. Take away the incentives and privileges in politics and you'll have a scarcity of politicians. Why would a person be a congressman or a senator anyway? Money is always the issue here. Seldom do they run for these positions because of genuine desire to serve the people. I guess it's one of the reasons why our country never progresses. But there is always hope. As Rizal would say it only takes civic consciousness and a national identity for a country to be really independent. And when each and every Filipino share those two qualities, there is more than hope. That itself is a solution.
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Posted on: November 24, 2004
I had a long and exhausting day. This afternoon our group (there were 10 of us) visited one of the AKAP Bata daycare centers in Tondo, Manila. After dropping down in Divisoria we walked along narrow streets packed full with crowds of people. People where everywhere. There were street vendors to my right and jeepneys were passing on my left. It was claustrophopic. We had to walk in a line following Ms. Percy as to avoid the hustle and bustle of the area. Given the fact that there are a lot of snatchers in the Philippines we were extremely cautious of surroundings. Somehow it reminded me of Souq back in Abu Dhabi. Vendors where everywhere selling every kind of goods imaginable. I even caught sight of a stall selling sex toys. Isn't that illegal here? But then again nothing really is illegal here. People will find ways to break the law no matter the consequences. Take piracy for example. In that area alone there were dozens of vendors selling pirated DVDs and VCDs. People will do anything just to make a living. Who can blame them? It's a jungle out there. Everybody needs to do something to survive.
We walked a long distance and before long we were standing in front of a house built under a bridge. At first I thought that we were at the teacher's house and would discuss the program there before heading out to the daycare center. I later found out that the cramped space inside the house was actually the daycare center itself. Ms. Percy said that she had thirty students. There were ten of us and we were already having a hard time breathing inside. I couldn't imagine twenty more staying under the same roof. Anyway after settling down we discussed certain issues concerning the children who attend in the center. That's when I found out that we weren't dealing with public school children but rather children whose parents can't even afford sending them to a public school. According to the teacher the children and their parents were "the poorest among the poor." One of the kids didn't have parents to support him anymore. Why? Because his father, a drug addict, was shot and died, while his mother, also a drug addict, is locked up behind bars. To whom does he go to? Unfortunately no one. He feeds only when generous people offer him food. He's half-naked and he doesn't even have a birth certificate. He's literally a non-existent citizen of the RP.
Our group's role in the daycare center is to come up with a Christmas program for the kids. We discussed the things that we need, the solicitations that we had to do, and the preparations we have to prepare. All of this so that we could somehow even just for a day, make the young ones happy. I could remember the faces of the kids as we left the area. One raised his hand asking for a high-five. I gave him one and the others started asking the same thing. As I walked away they were telling me, "Kuya, wag kang umalis." There was also this kid holding a plastic wrapper of an ice candy shouting as I turned my back, "Kuya wag mo akong iwanan. Babalik ka ha?!" I was heart-broken for a minute. No matter how much I pity them, I knew that pity won't help. At least we're doing an effort to make them happy even if it's just a while. I hope things would go well during the Christmas party on December 8.
On a jeep, as I reminisce on the innocent faces I saw just a while ago, a realization dawned on me on how lucky I am. I'm studying in one of the best academe in the country, enjoying the pleasures of life, and I have my parents to support me all the way. The others were not that fortunate, but is it their fault? Why do people have to suffer this way? Why does life have to be so unfair? I may never be able to answer these questions but I do know this. Hope is out there; and for as long as we continue to hope, our dreams are not that far-off. Dreams.... it's what keeps most of us alive today. If only we could rest in peaceful slumber, not afraid of waking up. If only we could dream for eternity..... that my friend is a dream in itself.
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Posted on: November 22, 2004
Cavite has the best south bound provincial buses. Compared with the other south bound buses and those that go to Las Pinas, Cavite's buses is luxury defined... 60% of buses that is.
This morning I rode on the crappiest bus I have ever sat (or even stood) on. Its greasy and worn down facade is nothing compared to its interior. Let's just say there's not enough breathing space, it really stinks inside, and there's not enough leg room between the seats. Also, the three seaters on the bus are really meant for two and a half people. The guy who gets the last half would have to bear sitting on a single butt cheek with the other hanging losely on the other side. It gets worst, what if the people who sit on the same row as you are fat? You'd be supporting your whole body weight on a tiny portion of your butt cheek using only your legs for balance. Sino ba naman ang di mangangalay dito e isang oras ang biyahe mula Maynila hanggang Cavite. The last time I rode on this bus I was the guy who gets half a seat, bearing the agony the entire trip. Well at least they offer student discounts and they don't play Love Radio on their systems. "Kailangan pa bang imemorize yan?" Arghhhhh I hate that station.
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As I walked out of the school gate I saw Ms. Pangindian so I ran up to her asking the results of my removals. She told me that she still hasn't checked it because back then I still didn't have the permit. She also said that I shouldn't worry because there's a great possibility that I have passed the exam. That's a relief. I still have to wait for the results though before I could rejoice. I was looking for a bus (avoiding the one mentioned up there) by now on taft street and just a few yards from me stood Ms. Pangindian and another math professor, who according to conspiracists, is actually her girlfriend. We all got on the same Cavite bound bus and it's quite obvious that my former math professor lives in Cavite (with her girlfriend nyahaha!!!).
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Posted on: November 20, 2004
After 2 days on medication I have finally recovered from fever and the allergic reactions I have with mosquito bites. Actually the fever happened right after I posted about the mosquito issue. It frightened me to say the least because I thought I had dengue. I had all the symptoms: high fever, chills, headache, back pain, etc. I read about this disease, it could make a person really weak and it usually takes weeks for a person recovering from dengue to regain his strength.
That morning we went to the doctor for a diagnosis on my illness. To my relief she said that the allergy caused by the mosquito bite and the fever are seperate entities. They are not related to each other. The most likely cause of my fever, according to her, is UTI. So for that she gave me antibiotics and some paracetamols to kill the pain. For the allergy she prescribe antihistamines. I had to take this pills at a regular time interval and in a day I consume 9 pills. They are effective though. The following morning I was feeling all better already. I wanted to go to school but then again the doctor advised that I give myself a 5 day resting period. I don't want to make things worst so I just stayed in bed.
Today I'm all well. I even attended my PI 100 class. First thing I noticed when the students started to come in was that I was the youngest among them. They were graduating students, save ate Lee and her batchmates who are only third year students. Good thing ate Lee is my classmate because I would totally feel OP in the classroom. We didn't have a formal lesson because Sir Esguerra was busy with his charity work for Panginuhod. We just took attendance and Esguerra gave us an orientation on the subject. PI 100 is like a continuation of History 1. Without a good foundation on History 1, you will have a hard time with Rizal. How lucky of me to have been under Esguerra's History 1 class.
Anyway just for the record, it kinda occurred to me the thought of me dying. Not that i'm afraid to die but it's just that I feel my life here on earth is still incomplete. There are still many things that I have to learn and experience. A lot of people I know of are afraid of death itself, I on the other hand am afraid of dying without leaving a legacy. I want to die knowing that I have made a change and that when I see Christ in heaven He would embrace me and say "Well done my good and faithful servant."
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Posted on: November 19, 2004
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Posted on: November 17, 2004
Finally I got my schedule finalized this afternoon. The timings are great but the bad news is I have a Saturday class. The good thing about it is that it's sir Esguerra's PI 100 and my sister shares the same class with me. Though I've never experienced being classmates with any of my sisters, they(Ateleejoyce) spent more than a decade together in the same classes. Having a sibling as your classmate is such a big advantage. Bad stuff aside, you could share notes or help each other out. And to think that most of the students enrolled in that class are graduating students I wouldn't mind having someone I know with me on that class. PI 100 with my sister would definitely be interesting.
Anyway this is my schedule:
Mondays and Thursdays
Math 1 (MHD)
11:30a - 1:00p
Comm II (MHG2)
2:30p - 4:00p
Tuesdays and Fridays
Nat Sci II (TFA2)
7:00a - 8:30a
History II (TFD1)
11:30a - 1:00p
SocSci II (TFE)
1:00p - 2:30p
Wednesdays
NSTP (LTS)
9:00a - 12:00p
PE2 Table Tennis (WEG)
1:00p - 3:00p
Saturdays
PI 100 (SBC)
8:30a - 11:30a
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Does a mosquito have a preference when choosing its victim?
I have been a victim countless times by these pests. Oddly enough, I have observed that they prefer to feed on me. Why? Well in a class of twenty-four students I am the only one who gets bitten. In an effort to provide an explanation I looked around the ever so helpful internet and come up with the following generalizations.
#1 Mosquitoes, according to the National Geographic Channel, prefer the color blue
- I wear a blue tshirt every now and then but they still bite even though I wear a different colored t.
#2 According to some people, mosquitoes prefer sweet blood.
- So they're saying that my blood taste better than others? Could be...
#3 Female mosquitoes, according to Encarta, generally feed on blood while the male feed on plant juices.
- Hehe I like this one. You draw the generalization for this :)
My point is I get a mosquito bite every now and then. Like vampires they stalk on their victims and then they suck the precious plasma out of their body. You wouldn't know that they were there. You would only realize when you see
the mark. Moments after the bite, the toxins from their saliva makes the bite area swell and itchy. I can handle this but if they're all over your body, well it's another story.
Last night I woke up and my body was swelling all over with these marks. My hand was swollen up and I was itching all over. This happened a lot of times before but today was different. It was all over my body (exaggerated). I tried not to think about it because the more I scratch the more itchy it becomes and the more it swells. At least the swelling died down and I got to sleep peacefully. This afternoon however it came back and if last night was bad, today was worst. My parents told me to get a doctor's opinion on it right now. I didn't want to because all I know is that this is an allergic reaction because of the consequent bites from the mosquitoes.
After bitten many times there are two things that could possibly happen to a person. He/she could become immune to the bite or he/she could develop an allergic reaction to it. I thought I was the latter. I was stubborn enough to know that I'm right that I hesitated at first to get a doctor's opinion. In my observations it all starts with a bite and it gradually it turns to this uncontrolable nuisance. But I have to obey my parents.
Our relative who lives just nearby is a doctor. When we asked her opinion she said that it was an 'allergic reaction'. So I'm right but she said that it couldn't have possibly come from mosquitoes. "Why not?" I asked myself. She said that it could have been from caterpillars (which I highly doubt because there are no green plantations around me) or from pollen brought by the wind. That's when I realized that a majority of allergic reactions come from pollen in the wind. No wonder I sometimes used to itch all over when I was way back in Abu Dhabi. But this was different. It's itchiness with swollen red marks all over my body. And to think that sometimes I can feel the bite of the mosquito itself before I have the rashes I'm not entirely convinced. Anyway she gave me pills that will deal with the allergy. I have to try this for some time to see if it works. Well if not then it only means one thing... the mosquito is the culprit... I have to blame it all on those pests.
It's raining hard and whenever it...
rains > breeding places for the pests appear > mosquitoes are born > mosquito bites > I rant about the bites on my blog... :)
(PS: To my parents - Sorry if I have to be stubborn about this. I have my beliefs and when I think I'm right I'll hold on to that. But I'm only human and I do make mistakes. At least Mom and Dad I get to learn from them. Don't worry too much about me. It's great to know that you guys are concerned about my health and for that I can't thank you enough. I love you mom and dad. I am so blessed that God gave me earthly parents like you. You guys are the best! Luv yah)
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Posted on: November 16, 2004
I finally got an account in deviantart.com!
Check it out at :
zephyr02 (click the link)
I was inspired by the creativity of some of the artists and photographers at the site that I spend this past week learning about photo manip on Adobe Photoshop. Haha, I'm loving my newfound hobby.
Can't wait to get my hands on dad's SLR camera.
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Posted on: November 15, 2004
If a picture could a paint a thousand works, this basically sums up my encounter with God on top of prayer mountain.
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Posted on: November 13, 2004
After browsing through a forum that dealt with "weight gain" I found out that there are a lot of people who share the same problem as I have. I could totally relate with thier posts about people calling them anorexic where in fact they are just normal people who have a hard time gaining weight. I don't understand why it's rude to tell a fat person that he/she is fat, while making snide remarks about the skinny physique of other people is not. I had my share of embarassments. I got used with comments like "You look like a toothpick" or "You're so thin. Are they feeding you?". But later I found out that they prayed for me in church because of my physique. Sheesh. This has got to stop. I better gain some weight or else I'll be ridiculed by a lot of people.
Food is not an issue. I eat whenever I can. When there's food on the table I eat. Whenever I'm outside or in Robinsons Place I eat. I eat food that dieticians wouldn't even consider touching. But after 2 weeks I only gained a lousy kilo. People normally complain about how fat they are but now right before you is an example of the minority who rant about their skinny physique.
Maybe it's just because I have a higher metabolism rate than normal people that even though I am consistent in stacking up the carbos my body just quickly turns it to energy. You gain a pound today, you'll lose it tomorrow. It's every girl and every other body-conscious people's dream. It is my nightmare.
My family is behind me in my quest to gain weight. Come to think of it they're the one's who started this "skinny issue". Every day I would get emails from my parents telling me that "Son, you'll look a lot better if you're a bit fat." My mom even sends recipes of my favorite meals so that my sister could cook them for me. I appreciate their concern but they overdo it sometimes.
I'm totally commited to gaining weight. I have a height of 5'8" right now and I weigh 55 kilos. That's 9 kilos short of the ideal weight for my height. Nine kilos... how hard could that be? Gorging yourself on Big Macs every now and then would do the trick.
Anyway I have the will and the fortitude to get there. Okay, I go to go now. Still have to attend the birthday party of my cousin and you know here in the Philippines whenever you have birthdays di mawawala ang handaan . It's chow time... nyahahaha!!!
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Posted on: November 12, 2004
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Posted on: November 11, 2004
I watched The Incredibles with my sister and ate Avi after classes were over. Before the movie started we got to watch a short animation, usually done by Pixar in all their movies, about a sheep that learned to get through his downs in life by bouncing and bouncing his worries away... it was something like that. Anyway my sister could totally relate with the movie. You'll know why when you visit her
blog.
The Incredibles is just like any other superhero flick. You have your villains and of course your heroes who in this movie are the Supers. They are the typical family who lives in the suburbs trying to make a living after the government has decided to isolate the superheroes from the public. Being superheroes, living a normal life is not easy and so goes the story. Even though it was intended as a family film, I personally don't think little children should watch it because first of all there are lots of scenes that portray graphic violence. Also you have words like "mediocrity" and "suffice" in the dialogue between Mr. and Mrs. Incredible. Man, a month ago I didn't even know that words like those exist. I could imagine a 5 year old kid scratching his head asking, "Mom, what does mediocrity mean? Is it some kind of a vegetable?" And the mom replying, "No dear, it means medyo madamot... medio - crity." Did you get it? Haha, di ko rin gets e. (zephyr wishes to apologize in his corny attempt to prove out his point)
Anyway we had our share of laughs in this movie but I find Finding Nemo more humorous than The Incredibles. Bottom-line is that it teaches the viewers that responsibility towards your own family should always come first.
Thought(s) for the day:
- Contrary to popular belief, metrosexuals, a word commonly used in the Philippines to describe guys who indulge themselves over their personal vanity, is actually a term synonymous to gay people. According to our professor Joey Ogatis (who by the way is our professor again in Comm II) metrosexual is actually a euphemism of homosexual. It is being gay said in a less harsh word. Come to think of it, UP has lots of them metrosexuals. :)
- I ate one of the best burgers I ever had in my entire life at Wendy's Burgers. For a price of P 125 you would ask yourself if it's worth it. I tell you IT IS WORTH IT. Advertisements tend to exaggerate their products but not in Wendy's Burgers. What you see is what you get. Their fries are so long and big that it makes the fries of every other fast food chain look like ants. It's uber delicious. Its quality and quantity paid for a "worth it" price.
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Posted on: November 10, 2004
After reading several article on the internet about photo manipulation I finally came up with a version of a grunge bordered photograph of myself. Check it out folks :)
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Posted on: November 09, 2004
The secret to a good haircut is when your hairstyle fits perfectly with your face that no one would notice you had your hair cut. People, especially those who get to see you everyday, could be very accustomed with the way you look that a radical transformation in hairstyle is often frowned upon. Fortunately for me only a few people noticed that I cut my hair short, AGAIN. Or maybe they were just being kind not to blurt out that I was having a bad hair day. The only comment I ever had when I went to school was from Jessy, who upon seeing me smiled and said, "Uy, bakit ka nagpagupit?" I don't know what to make of her question. To me it sounded more like a statement. It was more like "You cut your hair?! It doesn't look good on you." But then every question deserves an answer and with a rather shallow logic I told her that well my hair was long so I needed to cut it short.
Today marked the start of classes. While everyone was busy checking out their room assignments I was minding my own business checking out the available schedules. Things would be a lot easier for me if I knew my grade in Math but sad to say my professor hasn't even checked my removal exam. Apparently she is enjoying her vacation and has not yet returned to her department where in her box lies my permit that gives me the right to know the result of my removals. There are only two possible outcomes, it's either a 3.0 or a 5. Passing Math 11 would relieve me of a burden to take the course all over again. Failing would do so otherwise. As a result of me not knowing my grade in Math, I have to cancel my Chemistry and Physics subject because Math 11 is a pre-requisite of the said subjects. Whether I pass or fail I do not plan to take up these subjects because as I said earlier, I am shifting to another course and apparently Chemistry and Physics are not accredited in their curriculum. Taking them up is just a waste of time.
With Chemistry and Physics cancelled, I have three subjects amounting to 9 units left in my Form 5A. The minimum number of units one can take is 15 so I have to fill up the gap with a lot of GE subjects that could be credited in the PolSci curriculum. I finally decided to take up Nat Sci 4 (Geology), PI 100 (Life and Works of Rizal), and Histo II (The History of Asia). All that is left of me to do is to find a non-conflicting schedule for these subjects, enlist them, and after that I'm done! I like to note that for the last two subjects mentioned above I am pursuing to get professor Esguerra's classes. Terror as he might seem, he taught me how to think critically about anything and everything. His profound views and thoughts have challenged me in every way. In him I can say that I tasted what UP is really like. I am looking forward to be in his classes. It would be a great honor.
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Posted on: November 06, 2004
I woke up 2 kilos lighter than yesterday. How can someone lose two kilograms overnight? My sisters would die for an ability like this. O well, better stack up on the carbos. I'm targeting to gain 5 kilos by the end of this month.
Last night I got to chat with some of my friends back in AUH. One of them told me that everyone in PNS, even the teachers, read a copy of one of my post. It made me wonder how they got the link of my site because I never shared my blog with anybody else except my family. No harm done. It's just that the world doesn't need to know about my ramblings on life. But what she said to me yesterday I was convinced otherwise. NO need to elaborate on that though. It's our secret.
I've been spending more time with my guitar nowadays. I'm getting quite good at it. Big thanks to powertabs.net. For me it's the best site by far for guitar tabs. Not only does it provides the tabs but also the notes. You have to download their software to view the tabs.
I better go back to supersizing myself. I think I need a haircut... I definitely need a haircut!
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Posted on: November 05, 2004
Sem break's finally over. In 3 days i'll be back in the same hallways, attending the dreaded classes, and meeting the requirements our new professors would expect of us. After all of this is over I will give myself a well deserved pat in the back.
I got my Form 5A but I still have to take up late registration. I have finally decided that Dentistry is not my calling. It never was though. I wanted to study IT but too bad UP doesn't offer one. ComSci is equally good but considering that I have to take 27 units of Math for the whole course, no thanks! The alternative.... Political Science. I never cared about politics before. In my younger days I thought of politicians as liars and frankly a lot of them are still now. But living here in a politically ridden country, I had second thoughts. My history professor, yet again, is all to blame. He enforced into me the desire to learn more about the system. I've always asked myself, "What made the Philippines turn out like this?" Too all it is easily answerable by corrupt politicians, a faltering economy, lack of good leadership, and a lot more. But I want to find out the root of the cause. This is something alot of people are ignorant of and frankly I am too. So there goes my interest. Expect me to become a future politican someday... well maybe not!
Sem break was fun. I slept, channel surfed, read books, then slept some more. It can't get more productive than that. Can't wait for next sem break to come.
Sheikh Zayed died, Bush won, Kerry Lost, and I am still awake at 1:24 in the morning. I'll be dozing off in 3 - 2 - 1....
zZzZzz (*The author is currently sleeping and will go back online tomorrow afternoon, sorry for the inconvenience)
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