i was supposed to have a fun and exciting weekend. APMC-Palarong Med was the UAAP of medical schools, and i was stoked to be participating in it. this marks the first time that i represented my school in athletic events. it was really fun, and i guess i had too much of it because i forgot to text my girlfriend the whole day of Sunday. that was really a jerk move in my part. that ruined her day and well, my day as well.
i am still angry at myself for it. i really have this sickness of forgetting things when a lot happens too fast. i should change this habit of mine. i've been piling up a lot of these "jerk days" in my girlfriend's mind. maybe i'm too involved at what i do. i should balance all of this. because of this i am having bad days again. my girlfriend doesn't want to talk to me at all and it's pretty much been a hard time for me. too bad i spoiled a lot of good stories to tell her. i should really get it together next time. i should know how to slow down.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Valentines
i still don't know how to correctly spell Valentines. Some of them have the apostrophe, thus written as Valentine's, in memoriam to a certain priest who believed in love and was then canonized as a saint.
i'm feeling good today. but my body hurts. my day got the early start at around 5:30am. went jogging with the folks. they have started to jog around every Sunday and this was the first time i cam with them. glad to see them leading healthier lives thru exercise. though dad still won't quit smoking, and i don't really blame him.
running around the public cemetery was fun. the clouds were there to delay the onset of sunshine, and the morning winds were cool and crisp. after running we decided to play badminton at the local court. my sisters tagged along and it became a family event. suddenly we did a lot of stuff together today, and it was totally fun. couple that with the fact that me and my girlfriend went out on saturday and that gives me a really, really good weekend.
actually, i have a lot to be thankful for this week. i'm almost there, trying to finish 1st year medicine on a high note, and the final push that i have been waiting to mount on my grades. we just finished a set of exams this week, and not only did i pass all of them, but got rather high grades.
it's victories like these that do my soul so much good. it inspires me and allows me to realize that much of my hard work does not go to waste. and it also makes me like our subjects more. just keep pushing. my girlfriend always said to me that "motivation gets you started, but discipline is what gets you there". she always says the best things.
i hope to finish this year on a high note. i also wish that everyone enjoys their lives right now, and enjoy the days. man, i am so euphoric right now.
so lighten up, be happy and keep pushing. Happy Valentines Day.
oh, almost forgot, this makes post no. 200 for me. goodie!
i'm feeling good today. but my body hurts. my day got the early start at around 5:30am. went jogging with the folks. they have started to jog around every Sunday and this was the first time i cam with them. glad to see them leading healthier lives thru exercise. though dad still won't quit smoking, and i don't really blame him.
running around the public cemetery was fun. the clouds were there to delay the onset of sunshine, and the morning winds were cool and crisp. after running we decided to play badminton at the local court. my sisters tagged along and it became a family event. suddenly we did a lot of stuff together today, and it was totally fun. couple that with the fact that me and my girlfriend went out on saturday and that gives me a really, really good weekend.
actually, i have a lot to be thankful for this week. i'm almost there, trying to finish 1st year medicine on a high note, and the final push that i have been waiting to mount on my grades. we just finished a set of exams this week, and not only did i pass all of them, but got rather high grades.
it's victories like these that do my soul so much good. it inspires me and allows me to realize that much of my hard work does not go to waste. and it also makes me like our subjects more. just keep pushing. my girlfriend always said to me that "motivation gets you started, but discipline is what gets you there". she always says the best things.
i hope to finish this year on a high note. i also wish that everyone enjoys their lives right now, and enjoy the days. man, i am so euphoric right now.
so lighten up, be happy and keep pushing. Happy Valentines Day.
oh, almost forgot, this makes post no. 200 for me. goodie!
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
This and That
i haven't blogged in a while, for reasons which include:
a) too much NBA 2K10
b) school activities and school stuff
c) the absence of my mood to write something
there are days when i was too lazy to do anything online. i wouldn't post anything on twitter and tumblr, no new pictures at multiply and no one to chat away with.
everybody else looks like they're too busy to be disturbed. while i do away the time with watching tv series, studying and doing extracurriculars. i should be guilty of cyberslacking. i am also guilty of having too many commitments which have put various strains on my relationship with my girlfriend. there are days when i wished that medical school would stop being so demanding already. or maybe it should be me who would try and give up some of the things i enjoyed doing at school. i don't really know for sure. maybe i should just aspire for more understanding in our relationship. we both know this is one tough test, and i wish that we would be resilient enough to withstand the trials and injustices (damn schedule of mine) the path i have chosen has given me.
i stand by the maxim "if you don't have the time, make the time" but my belief towards it is being put into the test. i should take concrete steps to improve the conditions for the two of us. i know that i could cut the fat out. maybe that's what i should do.
so that's how i have been since last night. or in some nights for the past few weeks. nothing drastic happening though. i just know and believe that we (Mae and I) will be able to pull through four years of this together. if i need to invoke Divine Intervention then i am fully prepared to do so.
moving on, i just received an email from Haloscan saying that they would discontinue the free commenting service and allow us existing users to import our accounts unto a new service which needs to have annual payments. i say fuck them all with their corporate money-making asses. there are many ways to generate revenue aside from directly putting prices on you products.
updates from the school side of things: 2 months to go and i will be wrapping up First Year medical school. i hope i would be able to do enough in the stretch run and get exemptions for physiology and community medicine. anatomy is still up there, but it is a long shot. i should pass psychiatry and biochemistry via a final exam. then i could pay attention to the summer leagues.
18 days from now the APMC-NCR sportsfest will be held in Pasig, and fortunately i qualified to get into the team. i hope we have fun playing the other schools from Manila. i wish we could win the whole thing. our team is stacked and i think it would come down to who wants it more.
the NBA All Star weekend is happening next week. so far my teams (Boston, Miami, OKC) are doing good. but i hope the Heat get some help in the off-season. they should resign Wade first before anything happens. i haven't been able to watch any live games, but it looks like Charlotte and Memphis will delight me if i get the chance to watch them on TV. i'm a sucker for great defenses, and the Bobcats under Larry Brown play one of the best perimeter D's in the league.
that's all for today. stay safe everyone!
a) too much NBA 2K10
b) school activities and school stuff
c) the absence of my mood to write something
there are days when i was too lazy to do anything online. i wouldn't post anything on twitter and tumblr, no new pictures at multiply and no one to chat away with.
everybody else looks like they're too busy to be disturbed. while i do away the time with watching tv series, studying and doing extracurriculars. i should be guilty of cyberslacking. i am also guilty of having too many commitments which have put various strains on my relationship with my girlfriend. there are days when i wished that medical school would stop being so demanding already. or maybe it should be me who would try and give up some of the things i enjoyed doing at school. i don't really know for sure. maybe i should just aspire for more understanding in our relationship. we both know this is one tough test, and i wish that we would be resilient enough to withstand the trials and injustices (damn schedule of mine) the path i have chosen has given me.
i stand by the maxim "if you don't have the time, make the time" but my belief towards it is being put into the test. i should take concrete steps to improve the conditions for the two of us. i know that i could cut the fat out. maybe that's what i should do.
so that's how i have been since last night. or in some nights for the past few weeks. nothing drastic happening though. i just know and believe that we (Mae and I) will be able to pull through four years of this together. if i need to invoke Divine Intervention then i am fully prepared to do so.
moving on, i just received an email from Haloscan saying that they would discontinue the free commenting service and allow us existing users to import our accounts unto a new service which needs to have annual payments. i say fuck them all with their corporate money-making asses. there are many ways to generate revenue aside from directly putting prices on you products.
updates from the school side of things: 2 months to go and i will be wrapping up First Year medical school. i hope i would be able to do enough in the stretch run and get exemptions for physiology and community medicine. anatomy is still up there, but it is a long shot. i should pass psychiatry and biochemistry via a final exam. then i could pay attention to the summer leagues.
18 days from now the APMC-NCR sportsfest will be held in Pasig, and fortunately i qualified to get into the team. i hope we have fun playing the other schools from Manila. i wish we could win the whole thing. our team is stacked and i think it would come down to who wants it more.
the NBA All Star weekend is happening next week. so far my teams (Boston, Miami, OKC) are doing good. but i hope the Heat get some help in the off-season. they should resign Wade first before anything happens. i haven't been able to watch any live games, but it looks like Charlotte and Memphis will delight me if i get the chance to watch them on TV. i'm a sucker for great defenses, and the Bobcats under Larry Brown play one of the best perimeter D's in the league.
that's all for today. stay safe everyone!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Something about working hard
when i first dove into medical school, i knew i had to work hard. harder than i've ever worked in my almost 15 years of schooling prior to this. the sheer volume of information being thrown at you is immensely daunting and tiring at the same time. a lot of adjustments had to be made: new school, new environment, new traditions, events, academic cultures, new challenges and new people to commune with. days in medical school were really long and dragging, with 4 hour lectures being the norm and extensions being considered normal procedure.
on top of that, mounting responsibilities at home and being away from my girlfriend. really nasty stuff. especially when you don't see each other for weeks primarily because I had four exams in the coming week.
this was the shit i had to put up with for the first few months. i was already ticked off that i couldn't get the lessons as quickly as others did. my big ego wasn't ready for much disappointment. there were times that academic failure and other problems mixed into a very deadly cocktail which was enough to break me down. somehow i needed to acknowledge my vulnerabilities. i needed to get my act together because medical school was not going to give me anything for free.
i needed to put it the work. i also needed a system that would provide me with the blueprint and motivation that i desperately wanted for me to make it through.
i started by opening my eyes a little bit. chopping up stuff, not really biting off too much, savoring the small victories like passing quizzes. from the start i knew i was in a disadvantage but i did not imagine the discrepancy to be really big. fortunately for me, that huge gap is constantly being closed upon by me every single day.
i put in the work, and trusted myself that i could make it though. whatever the ramifications of my work i would gratefully accept. success was hard to come by, but as the New Year turned, i somehow got it.
i got it. somewhat. passing medical school truly is hardwork and dedication. and it is almost always never enough. i needed to become a sponge. soak it in. learn as much as i could. things would turn out well. i trust that they do.
i just need to work on it.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
i've got a bad feeling
at last! the aforementioned four exams are finished. as of airtime i only know that i have passed 1 exam.
this week has been a mixed bag for me. because of too much time being taken up by studying (i have not been able to make any advance readings in the neurosciences), it has taken a toll on all other things in my life.
an indicator i often use is the current relationship i am in. i really need to put time in it, considering the fact that me and my girlfriend are not really living in the same vicinity (21kms is a long way, mind you).
and every chance i get, i would have to take it. any missed chances may result into something more catastrophic. no matter how tired i may be after this week, i really need to see her this weekend. if i need to bring my study books then i will. the fact is i really need to see her.
i hope she understands where i am right now. i also hope she will understand the major mind fuck that the glorious schedule makers have made for me. (god damn it final exams why do you have to be deep into the summer?) we really, really need to talk. we miss each other too much.
ika nga eh, kulang lang yan sa lambing.
this week has been a mixed bag for me. because of too much time being taken up by studying (i have not been able to make any advance readings in the neurosciences), it has taken a toll on all other things in my life.
an indicator i often use is the current relationship i am in. i really need to put time in it, considering the fact that me and my girlfriend are not really living in the same vicinity (21kms is a long way, mind you).
and every chance i get, i would have to take it. any missed chances may result into something more catastrophic. no matter how tired i may be after this week, i really need to see her this weekend. if i need to bring my study books then i will. the fact is i really need to see her.
i hope she understands where i am right now. i also hope she will understand the major mind fuck that the glorious schedule makers have made for me. (god damn it final exams why do you have to be deep into the summer?) we really, really need to talk. we miss each other too much.
ika nga eh, kulang lang yan sa lambing.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
just to get the sluggishness out of my system
exam week starts tomorrow. 4 days of exams. somehow i still feel that i am lacking reading materials for my exam. i still wish i can do great starting tomorrow. i am quietly trying to prove to myself that i can get things done and that there would always be time for everything.
so that would be all for now.
so that would be all for now.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
i should post something here!
unfortunately, because the guest lecturer for physiology got sick, our classes were cancelled and we had the rest of the day off.
what did i do? i downloaded games for the itouch. and copied pictures for the anatomy practical exams next week. will do studying later after i find something to eat.
got measured for the basketball team unis before going home. i wasn't really interacting with the higher batches and was a little quiet because i was the only freshman on the team. haha! hopefully the jerseys turn out great. i have a lot of expenditures to keep track of in order for me to save money. good thing i cut back on travel fare going to school because i can hitch a ride with dad.
anyway, i would be implementing my "study in the morning" regimen tomorrow. actually i have been doing it for the past 2 days and it has netted good effects towards my learning.
almost a whole week of exams ahead next week. and team practice also starts next week. a lot of activities!! but i know i can do it. besides, i once read from a book that "the busiest people always find the time to do things" and i think that this maxim should be applied. if you don't have the time, make the time.
what did i do? i downloaded games for the itouch. and copied pictures for the anatomy practical exams next week. will do studying later after i find something to eat.
got measured for the basketball team unis before going home. i wasn't really interacting with the higher batches and was a little quiet because i was the only freshman on the team. haha! hopefully the jerseys turn out great. i have a lot of expenditures to keep track of in order for me to save money. good thing i cut back on travel fare going to school because i can hitch a ride with dad.
anyway, i would be implementing my "study in the morning" regimen tomorrow. actually i have been doing it for the past 2 days and it has netted good effects towards my learning.
almost a whole week of exams ahead next week. and team practice also starts next week. a lot of activities!! but i know i can do it. besides, i once read from a book that "the busiest people always find the time to do things" and i think that this maxim should be applied. if you don't have the time, make the time.
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
21 months
TONIGHT!
- study biochemistry and other subjects
- upload files
- check the interwebs for something
- update the itouch (supposed slang term for the ipod touch)
- study powerpoints
- text marathons with my girl! hooooooo! (we are 21 months legally acknowledged today and around ??? months together. hahaha! :P )
- study biochemistry and other subjects
- upload files
- check the interwebs for something
- update the itouch (supposed slang term for the ipod touch)
- study powerpoints
- text marathons with my girl! hooooooo! (we are 21 months legally acknowledged today and around ??? months together. hahaha! :P )
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Inspiring words from the Great Forrest Griffin
"Being honest with yourself is the best way to live life because it keeps you from having massive falls. After all, if you think you are unbeatable, and then get your ass served to you on a platter, your whole world comes crumbling down. That's when excuses start to flow, but who's buying them?
No one.
Not yourself,, not others. If you can admit to yourself that you simply got beat by a better fighter, it dissolves the lies and allows you to be a happier person.
Although it is depressing to admit to yourself that you will never be the best, it is liberating at the same time. Instead of trying to be better than everyone else, which is existentially arrogant, you can focus on being the besr that you can be. Even if you can never defeat the Anderson Silvas and BJ Penns of the world, you can take pride in the fact that you did the most you possibly could with what you are given. You can take pride in every accomplishment. What more can you ask for?"
- Got Fight? The 50 Zen Principles of Hand-to-Face Combat
inspirational shit for all of us.
before i go to school tomorrow
again! school beckons from yonder! from this moment on i would devote time for study and catchup reading. the 2 weeks given to us were spent on many events (christmas, new year, anniversaries) and hopefully i would be able to balance them along with school work.
for now, lemme get in my proposed resolutions for the coming year:
1. trim myself down - eat sparingly, exercise more and watch what i am eating
2. pay off outstanding credit - enough said
3. save money!! - god damn!
4. devote more time to studying - no more excuses!
that will be all. thanks a lot if you are reading this. comment away! :)
for now, lemme get in my proposed resolutions for the coming year:
1. trim myself down - eat sparingly, exercise more and watch what i am eating
2. pay off outstanding credit - enough said
3. save money!! - god damn!
4. devote more time to studying - no more excuses!
that will be all. thanks a lot if you are reading this. comment away! :)
22 and 14 years
my folks have been married for 22 years today.
and my youngest sister TJ turns 14 today. she stands 5'8". :D
I was going to type a post today
but i guess i'm gonna do it after i wake up tomorrow.
that was one good day with her :)
Friday, January 01, 2010
2010!!!
it is a New Year everyone! welcome to the new decade, the decade of the teens.
after a little bit of surfing, i noticed that a lot of people recounted what happened to them last year. some of them would name them highlights of their year, others remember them for the memories and still others will remember 2009 for the lives lost/tragedies that have befallen them.
life gives us no other choice really, but to move forward and face the new year with hope and the certainty that something big would happen as the year runs its course. so here I am to tell everyone to DO SOMETHING this 2010.
- get a job!
- get good grades!
- follow your dreams! (inspirational shit yo!)
- make that hobby of yours into something really productive (forge money perhaps!)
- trim that holiday fat!
- find that person you've always wanted! (wow cheesy!)
just do something that would enrich your life or the lives of others! don't lounge around and sit there. go out and get things done! Peace!
yes dad, those sparklers are the safest to use
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Two Days!!!
Tagaytay was freezing! haha! everytime the wind blew chills run down my whole body..
but now i am back home! arranging new apps and updating/getting DLC (downloadable content) from others. the new problem now would be the battery life of the Ipod! :P
since yesterday afternoon my sisters have been hooked to the games i got in my ipod, so i am doing them a favor right now and getting them some more addictive games to play. :D
tis the coming of the New Year! enter the decade of the teens! 2010 here we come!!
and for 2010, i would try a new blogging style: calling it burst-fire posting! short posts and pictures only! :D
Have a Safe New Year everyone! Peace!
but now i am back home! arranging new apps and updating/getting DLC (downloadable content) from others. the new problem now would be the battery life of the Ipod! :P
since yesterday afternoon my sisters have been hooked to the games i got in my ipod, so i am doing them a favor right now and getting them some more addictive games to play. :D
tis the coming of the New Year! enter the decade of the teens! 2010 here we come!!
and for 2010, i would try a new blogging style: calling it burst-fire posting! short posts and pictures only! :D
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Ipod apps are crazy!
before anything else, i am writing this because my family and myself will be out for two days frolicking in tagaytay. because of this i am not certain if i can blog while out there or not.
so here i am, less than 24 hours removed from concluding the crazy shit of adventure i was pulled into while looking for the gadget i would be treating myself to.
now, just to leave my thoughts on the said subject, i am just confused to why items are at their least of number AFTER Christmas day. usually in my mind i assumed that malls stock up before and after the holidays. before when people are rushing out to buy gifts and after because kids like me already have their money to buy shit.
in my case, i just wanted a lousy 32GB Ipod Touch. SM Bacoor didn't have it, so wasn't able to buy last Saturday. Robinson's Manila didn't have either, and it was a Monday (yesterday), the first day of the week, where in my mind AGAIN i ASSUMED stocks will be replenished, but alas, no Ipod Touch anywhere was within reach. in my mind again i silently cursed the individual who hoarded the units, if there as such a case. (haha)
Mall of Asia ALMOST didn't have it, but by the grace of God somebody forgot to look inside 5th Avenue (though i would not initially recommend buying from them, their service was pretty neat) where i got my hands on my dream gadget.
somehow the battle has been won, but the war has just begun..
APPS! the reason why i bought this son of a bitch and didn't want a laptop. supposedly it can do ALMOST ANYTHING with the right app at hand, so here i am now wasting my day learning the jargon (jailbreaking and shit) while looking for the apps i wanted.
i also needed to rearrange my music and videos which would suit my taste.
after much wrangling and struggling with the internet and its plethora of forums about ipods, i finally have the apps i wanted, which includes:
- a document reader which can read ppt and pdf files
- a flashlight
- apps for my subjects in med school (biochem and neuroscience!)
- 2player games!! (for me, my family and my girl)
i also came to the conclusion that Apple products do eat the shit out of our brains. but they still are pretty fucking handy.
so here it is in its current form right now. it's been a pain in the head, but it's all worth it.
hope you all have a safe New Year ahead!! see you in a few days! :)
so here i am, less than 24 hours removed from concluding the crazy shit of adventure i was pulled into while looking for the gadget i would be treating myself to.
now, just to leave my thoughts on the said subject, i am just confused to why items are at their least of number AFTER Christmas day. usually in my mind i assumed that malls stock up before and after the holidays. before when people are rushing out to buy gifts and after because kids like me already have their money to buy shit.
in my case, i just wanted a lousy 32GB Ipod Touch. SM Bacoor didn't have it, so wasn't able to buy last Saturday. Robinson's Manila didn't have either, and it was a Monday (yesterday), the first day of the week, where in my mind AGAIN i ASSUMED stocks will be replenished, but alas, no Ipod Touch anywhere was within reach. in my mind again i silently cursed the individual who hoarded the units, if there as such a case. (haha)
Mall of Asia ALMOST didn't have it, but by the grace of God somebody forgot to look inside 5th Avenue (though i would not initially recommend buying from them, their service was pretty neat) where i got my hands on my dream gadget.
APPS! the reason why i bought this son of a bitch and didn't want a laptop. supposedly it can do ALMOST ANYTHING with the right app at hand, so here i am now wasting my day learning the jargon (jailbreaking and shit) while looking for the apps i wanted.
i also needed to rearrange my music and videos which would suit my taste.
after much wrangling and struggling with the internet and its plethora of forums about ipods, i finally have the apps i wanted, which includes:
- a document reader which can read ppt and pdf files
- a flashlight
- apps for my subjects in med school (biochem and neuroscience!)
- 2player games!! (for me, my family and my girl)
i also came to the conclusion that Apple products do eat the shit out of our brains. but they still are pretty fucking handy.
hope you all have a safe New Year ahead!! see you in a few days! :)
Monday, December 28, 2009
Facebook?
relying on my vast guesstimation skills, i can safely say that around 3 out of 5 Filipinos have a Facebook account. with the other 2 being either a complete luddite or somebody who still clings to his/her Friendster account (count me in!)
allow me to share my thoughts as a person smack in the middle of this Facebook thing stuck on the outside looking in:
- Facebook is a social-networking site, like Twitter, myspace, hi5, mobo and the many other sites which exist in the interwebs that aim to connect people and establish communication lines
- As my friends and classmates in med school tell me, the apps are what separates Facebook from other sites. they have the "addicting" games and apps which encourage participation of other "friends" which allow you to unlock additional features
- The biggest draw about Faecbook though is it allows my folks (i.e. Mom) to reconnect with other friends and "tag" each other in photos (meaning somebody may see your face and tag it so that you will be notified when your are included in the picture)
- as i have read in the news and from stories of friends, Facebook allows families and clans (CLANS!) to reunite via the interwebs. it reconnects pretty much everyone to long lost friends to whom we have lost numbers or emails
with all of these advantages, i still do not feel the need to get into Facebook for the following reasons:
1. i am old-school thus a friendster account is what fits me (and kudos to those who erase their friendster accounts in favor of facebook because they decrease the massive clutter of unused accounts but at the same time damn you for leaving the site that nourished your socializing needs)
2. i already have a multiply and a twitter account. these two cover my needs just fine (in terms of uploading pictures and stuff)
3. AND! i already have a site to patronize when it comes to flash games. go to this site if you want true gaming goodness.
Facebook has been a bad influence to my classmates in med school. a lot of them are absent in class lectures due to games such as Restaurant City and Pet Society.
so there.
"Fcuk Facebook in the face!" - Funny People (2009)
allow me to share my thoughts as a person smack in the middle of this Facebook thing stuck on the outside looking in:
- Facebook is a social-networking site, like Twitter, myspace, hi5, mobo and the many other sites which exist in the interwebs that aim to connect people and establish communication lines
- As my friends and classmates in med school tell me, the apps are what separates Facebook from other sites. they have the "addicting" games and apps which encourage participation of other "friends" which allow you to unlock additional features
- The biggest draw about Faecbook though is it allows my folks (i.e. Mom) to reconnect with other friends and "tag" each other in photos (meaning somebody may see your face and tag it so that you will be notified when your are included in the picture)
- as i have read in the news and from stories of friends, Facebook allows families and clans (CLANS!) to reunite via the interwebs. it reconnects pretty much everyone to long lost friends to whom we have lost numbers or emails
with all of these advantages, i still do not feel the need to get into Facebook for the following reasons:
1. i am old-school thus a friendster account is what fits me (and kudos to those who erase their friendster accounts in favor of facebook because they decrease the massive clutter of unused accounts but at the same time damn you for leaving the site that nourished your socializing needs)
2. i already have a multiply and a twitter account. these two cover my needs just fine (in terms of uploading pictures and stuff)
3. AND! i already have a site to patronize when it comes to flash games. go to this site if you want true gaming goodness.
Facebook has been a bad influence to my classmates in med school. a lot of them are absent in class lectures due to games such as Restaurant City and Pet Society.
so there.
"Fcuk Facebook in the face!" - Funny People (2009)
Saturday, December 26, 2009
What do you want this Christmas?
what's up everyone? how did your Christmas this year go? did it go well? did something happen unexpectedly that made the season merrier and jollier? did you receive what you fervently wished for this year?
i have had a wonderful experience this year, for the sole reason that it was our family's turn to host the huge annual reunion of my father's clan. since October we have already been planning for it and yesterday everything went fairly well. the sole point of Christmas for us is having to celebrate it and sharing it with everyone else. seeing the smiles of the children and the old folks while they were participating in the activities we have prepared was really fulfilling.
but what I did on Christmas is not what I wanted to talk about, but rather what i wanted to get this season.
you see, after my birthday (which falls around the middle of the year) Christmas is the other occasion where i allow myself to buy gadgets which i terribly want (or need, if rationalized. haha.)
last year, i got my PC. this year, it was a tussle between a netbook and a new Sony Ericsson phone.
ever since i saw the Kita (or Yari by international codename), the Sony Ericsson creation has occupied the top of my list for Xmas gadgetry. it was the high-end gaming phone, sporting a 5.0 mpixel camera, walkman 3.0 player and the hands-free motion sensor which allowed for gaming ala Wii. it was the direct upgrade from my old phone (the k770) and i really wanted to buy it once it hit philippine shores.
its tag price: P14,600 on Sony Branches (and it's bound to go down once other retailers get their hands on them too)
on the other side of the discussion, i also wanted a netbook. either a Lenovo S10-2 or the HP Mini 311 or 110. the thought of buying a netbook was a practical investment for me because of my schooling. med school demands so much printed paper that we actually changed inks 3 times during my first sem because i was too happy of printing powerpoints and pdf files. nowadays i have accustomed myself to reading ppts and pdfs on-screen (by adjusting the monitor brightness). so for the sake of not throwing away ink, i wanted to buy a netbook.
tag price: S10-2 - P22900; HP Mini 311 - P27300
so the debate raged in my mind for several weeks, practicality (netbook) versus luxury (phone). i termed it luxury because my phone still works and i should be in no hurry to replace it. haha!
but something happened that changed my mind on the whole Xmas gadget i was going to buy. i was introduced to the ipod touch.
it was during our HS batch reunion a week ago. some of my former classmates were rocking their ipod touch units and i dabbled around with them since i was the unofficial DJ that time. it was back then where i had an idea..
i have a lot of classmates in med school who use their ipod touch not only for sounds but for very helpful apps as well. that is where i got to experience the multi-functionality of Apple's brainchild. the apps, the sounds, the built-in speakers. everything about the ipod touch was real good. but then the idea struck me down..
i didn't really want a laptop.
nor could i use a new phone because a lot of slider phones (including the Kita) have a bad habit of breaking down (and besides, i really wanted a candybar, not a slider phone).
that is why the Ipod touch tops my list this year. the 32GB version (really huge space here!) is retailed for around 15k. very negotiable to my folks. and with all factors considered, getting an ipod solves problems in sounds, practicality (plus points for being integrated with my PC) and entertainment (apps galore!).
and so, the 2009 Xmas Gadget would be the Apple Ipod Touch 32GB. That is what i want for Christmas. :)
i have had a wonderful experience this year, for the sole reason that it was our family's turn to host the huge annual reunion of my father's clan. since October we have already been planning for it and yesterday everything went fairly well. the sole point of Christmas for us is having to celebrate it and sharing it with everyone else. seeing the smiles of the children and the old folks while they were participating in the activities we have prepared was really fulfilling.
but what I did on Christmas is not what I wanted to talk about, but rather what i wanted to get this season.
you see, after my birthday (which falls around the middle of the year) Christmas is the other occasion where i allow myself to buy gadgets which i terribly want (or need, if rationalized. haha.)
last year, i got my PC. this year, it was a tussle between a netbook and a new Sony Ericsson phone.
ever since i saw the Kita (or Yari by international codename), the Sony Ericsson creation has occupied the top of my list for Xmas gadgetry. it was the high-end gaming phone, sporting a 5.0 mpixel camera, walkman 3.0 player and the hands-free motion sensor which allowed for gaming ala Wii. it was the direct upgrade from my old phone (the k770) and i really wanted to buy it once it hit philippine shores.
its tag price: P14,600 on Sony Branches (and it's bound to go down once other retailers get their hands on them too)
on the other side of the discussion, i also wanted a netbook. either a Lenovo S10-2 or the HP Mini 311 or 110. the thought of buying a netbook was a practical investment for me because of my schooling. med school demands so much printed paper that we actually changed inks 3 times during my first sem because i was too happy of printing powerpoints and pdf files. nowadays i have accustomed myself to reading ppts and pdfs on-screen (by adjusting the monitor brightness). so for the sake of not throwing away ink, i wanted to buy a netbook.
tag price: S10-2 - P22900; HP Mini 311 - P27300
so the debate raged in my mind for several weeks, practicality (netbook) versus luxury (phone). i termed it luxury because my phone still works and i should be in no hurry to replace it. haha!
but something happened that changed my mind on the whole Xmas gadget i was going to buy. i was introduced to the ipod touch.
it was during our HS batch reunion a week ago. some of my former classmates were rocking their ipod touch units and i dabbled around with them since i was the unofficial DJ that time. it was back then where i had an idea..
i have a lot of classmates in med school who use their ipod touch not only for sounds but for very helpful apps as well. that is where i got to experience the multi-functionality of Apple's brainchild. the apps, the sounds, the built-in speakers. everything about the ipod touch was real good. but then the idea struck me down..
i didn't really want a laptop.
nor could i use a new phone because a lot of slider phones (including the Kita) have a bad habit of breaking down (and besides, i really wanted a candybar, not a slider phone).
that is why the Ipod touch tops my list this year. the 32GB version (really huge space here!) is retailed for around 15k. very negotiable to my folks. and with all factors considered, getting an ipod solves problems in sounds, practicality (plus points for being integrated with my PC) and entertainment (apps galore!).
and so, the 2009 Xmas Gadget would be the Apple Ipod Touch 32GB. That is what i want for Christmas. :)
Monday, December 21, 2009
TV. Reunions. Rockband.
i just got home this afternoon after spending the whole night with high school friends. it was a fun night of swimming, drinking and merry making. a lot of stories to tell, catching up to do and memories to rehash, plus endless picture taking. and laughing. and more laughing. oh, did i already say laughing?
since there were a lot of the people and there were a lot of drinks, a lot of them ended up drunk. as in shit drunk. or fucked drunk. there were some of them who can really hold their alcohol but majority of them (exclude me because i do not drink) were really out of their mind doing random funny stuff every man and woman from college has done.
in spending the night with these guys, i fondly remember the days of high school, of which life back then was simpler and a bit more black and white. by also combining this hindsight with the present time, i appreciated that although some people have changed (for the better, i guess) they essentially remained as the same boys and girls i have met four years ago. basically the main difference of then and now may be the prevalence of alcohol in their systems which is probably one of the greatest lessons college could ever give.
(i even drank a shot of (fake) vodka. it was water that was in the glass. i'm getting used to this fake drinking. haha. it gives the people around me a sense of peace since they think that they have persuaded me to drink. i bet my ass i won't.)
in the bus going home, my former hs classmate vincent and i talked about how the quality of TV has sunk to an all-time low, especially in the local front. Shows have lost their originality, and most of us are stuck with old movies being remade into series or fantasy series where special effects aren't so special or simple, crappy love stories ala Daisy Siete which i abhor to the death.
the glut of TV programming has forced writers into creating content which simply captures your attention and BARELY makes an effort to improve upon their product. this happens way too often in the local TV where afternoon dramas kill the shit for sheer stupidity and lack of emotion.
(still my favorite afternoon drama scene: involves the main kontrabida who, after having a dialogue with her mother pulls out a sniper rifle from under a living room table and points it to the main couple happily picnicking in the garden. though a sniper rifle is in many levels of awesome, using it in point blank is a thing monkeys are more prone to do and WHO THE FUCK HIDES A SNIPER RIFLE UNDERNEATH A LIVING ROOM TABLE? epic fail.)
for me, playing video games beats local tv on any day, (i would rather listen to AM radio. believe me, Ted Failon is one awesome bastard.) and on this day i was able to experience the sheer coolness of the game they call ROCKBAND.
peripheral-based music games are the rage right now, with the original Guitar Hero opening the flood gates to bigger and better games. Rockband allows 4 players which consists of 2 guitars, 1 mic and 1 drum set. it's like Dance Dance Revolution of the older days, where you need to follow the keys or indicators to score points on a certain song.
what makes the new-age peripheral games (guitar hero or rockband) really sweet is that when a note is missed, the song does not play correctly. that core of the game is what really takes the cake for me, giving me the illusion that i myself am the one manning the instrument of choice (which is the drums in my case) and playing the beats to the song. really fun shit. especially when you have the full 4 player team. i honestly think this rockband should be in every house party because it is the best instant multiplayer game out there right now.
so thus begins my love for Rockband. i hope to get a few more sessions of this during vacation. drumming is really good cardio. haha!
the first weekend of my vacation was a blast. had an awesome saturday and sunday! and rockband made my day today. :D
P.S.
playing That's What You Get by Paramore got me my best score for the day on Rockband. :D
since there were a lot of the people and there were a lot of drinks, a lot of them ended up drunk. as in shit drunk. or fucked drunk. there were some of them who can really hold their alcohol but majority of them (exclude me because i do not drink) were really out of their mind doing random funny stuff every man and woman from college has done.
in spending the night with these guys, i fondly remember the days of high school, of which life back then was simpler and a bit more black and white. by also combining this hindsight with the present time, i appreciated that although some people have changed (for the better, i guess) they essentially remained as the same boys and girls i have met four years ago. basically the main difference of then and now may be the prevalence of alcohol in their systems which is probably one of the greatest lessons college could ever give.
(i even drank a shot of (fake) vodka. it was water that was in the glass. i'm getting used to this fake drinking. haha. it gives the people around me a sense of peace since they think that they have persuaded me to drink. i bet my ass i won't.)
in the bus going home, my former hs classmate vincent and i talked about how the quality of TV has sunk to an all-time low, especially in the local front. Shows have lost their originality, and most of us are stuck with old movies being remade into series or fantasy series where special effects aren't so special or simple, crappy love stories ala Daisy Siete which i abhor to the death.
the glut of TV programming has forced writers into creating content which simply captures your attention and BARELY makes an effort to improve upon their product. this happens way too often in the local TV where afternoon dramas kill the shit for sheer stupidity and lack of emotion.
(still my favorite afternoon drama scene: involves the main kontrabida who, after having a dialogue with her mother pulls out a sniper rifle from under a living room table and points it to the main couple happily picnicking in the garden. though a sniper rifle is in many levels of awesome, using it in point blank is a thing monkeys are more prone to do and WHO THE FUCK HIDES A SNIPER RIFLE UNDERNEATH A LIVING ROOM TABLE? epic fail.)
for me, playing video games beats local tv on any day, (i would rather listen to AM radio. believe me, Ted Failon is one awesome bastard.) and on this day i was able to experience the sheer coolness of the game they call ROCKBAND.
peripheral-based music games are the rage right now, with the original Guitar Hero opening the flood gates to bigger and better games. Rockband allows 4 players which consists of 2 guitars, 1 mic and 1 drum set. it's like Dance Dance Revolution of the older days, where you need to follow the keys or indicators to score points on a certain song.
what makes the new-age peripheral games (guitar hero or rockband) really sweet is that when a note is missed, the song does not play correctly. that core of the game is what really takes the cake for me, giving me the illusion that i myself am the one manning the instrument of choice (which is the drums in my case) and playing the beats to the song. really fun shit. especially when you have the full 4 player team. i honestly think this rockband should be in every house party because it is the best instant multiplayer game out there right now.
so thus begins my love for Rockband. i hope to get a few more sessions of this during vacation. drumming is really good cardio. haha!
the first weekend of my vacation was a blast. had an awesome saturday and sunday! and rockband made my day today. :D
P.S.
playing That's What You Get by Paramore got me my best score for the day on Rockband. :D
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Smiles and High Fives
today was a fun day. today is also the 1st day of my vacation. 2 weeks. not really much, but enough for me to study, chill out, hang out with old classmates and buy stuff.
tonight i finish my christmas shopping. the gift is almost complete, but it still needs one final touch. i hope i could do that in the best of moods so that it would turn out to be one of the best things that i would have done. only the best for my girl. :)
in other news, i have revamped the blog's appearance as you can see. got tired of the xml skin i was using, though xml was fun because it was easy to customize, finding good skins are such a chore. which is why i reverted my template to the classic html. thus, the new look. will be putting up links when they are available. so for those visiting this page, don't forget to drop your links in the chat box. thanks in advance.
this afternoon was the first time i drove from the house to the mall. i'm really having fun driving. though the side thoughts of causing accidents aren't really allowing me to let go. someday i'm going to be a great driver. parang sa racing lang. hahaha!
ate 2 servings of puto bumbong today, which means dinner will be delayed tonight.
received a lot of things from my girl today. one of them was a Keroro Gunso pillow.
me and my girlfriend still laugh so hard when we see it. :D
so today is the first day of my vacation. and today ends with a great big smile in my face. :D
tonight i finish my christmas shopping. the gift is almost complete, but it still needs one final touch. i hope i could do that in the best of moods so that it would turn out to be one of the best things that i would have done. only the best for my girl. :)
in other news, i have revamped the blog's appearance as you can see. got tired of the xml skin i was using, though xml was fun because it was easy to customize, finding good skins are such a chore. which is why i reverted my template to the classic html. thus, the new look. will be putting up links when they are available. so for those visiting this page, don't forget to drop your links in the chat box. thanks in advance.
this afternoon was the first time i drove from the house to the mall. i'm really having fun driving. though the side thoughts of causing accidents aren't really allowing me to let go. someday i'm going to be a great driver. parang sa racing lang. hahaha!
ate 2 servings of puto bumbong today, which means dinner will be delayed tonight.
received a lot of things from my girl today. one of them was a Keroro Gunso pillow.
so today is the first day of my vacation. and today ends with a great big smile in my face. :D
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Tough luck
i had one of those days today. days where i just had to be in really, really bad situations. flunked 2 exams i was supposed to pass.. felt really bad because of something. ate lunch alone. had too much alone time today.
i haven't posted anything new today because i was busy studying for the last set of exams for the year. too bad all the preparation went to nothing. so much for hoping of blogging about something really inspiring today. the thing is, i don't really need inspiration right now. i have it all thanks to my girlfriend. but after that, it all boils down to me. i'm supposed to be angry at myself right now because i failed. but i should know better not to be too hard on myself.
if there is one thing i learned from watching and reading about the Houston Rockets, it's always push, push, push and when you're tired from pushing, push a bit more. their team is a well-coached and tireless bunch. a team too wise for their collective youth. almost all of their players are easy to love (though i miss von wafer. wtf von, leaving Houston for Olympiakos? are you kidding?) and are smart, high IQ ballers.
of this hardy bunch, i particularly love Shane Battier. the no-stats all-star. the guy who is assigned the task of locking down the opposing team's leading scorer, a task i also love doing in basketball. he's smart, tough and has a big heart. he's someone i like to emulate for his utter dedication in both practice and in games. i got my "not too high, not too low" philosophy from him. life, just like a basketball game, doesn't always go the way we want to. because of this, we learn how to adapt ourselves when celebrating victories and accepting defeats. not everyday has to be your day, and from this fact alone we should accept the propensity of life to get out of whack for reasons we sometimes cannot control. after all, how would we be able to appreciate life's perfection if we do not know what its imperfections are? i would definitely love to apply Shane's philosophy of doing his routines without fail, without expecting the outcome. that way, maybe i could be more efficient and effective in doing the things that are occupying my day-to-day life.
i should start today. be more determined. be more prepared. they say preparing well is winning half the battle. like Shane and the Rockets, unimaginable adversities are bound to come time and time again, but like them, i should not let defeats deter me in pursuing my goals. i should chase, push, scrap and claw my way through to get a hold of my dreams.
maybe one of these days i'm going to get really lucky. only time will tell. but until then, it's back to business. i have to prepare again soon.
** in other news, i have ditched the thought of buying a new phone this Christmas. i'm going to buy a lenovo s-10-2 netbook instead. a new 2GB memory stick and maybe a new case would do my sturdy k770 a good facelift.
i haven't posted anything new today because i was busy studying for the last set of exams for the year. too bad all the preparation went to nothing. so much for hoping of blogging about something really inspiring today. the thing is, i don't really need inspiration right now. i have it all thanks to my girlfriend. but after that, it all boils down to me. i'm supposed to be angry at myself right now because i failed. but i should know better not to be too hard on myself.
if there is one thing i learned from watching and reading about the Houston Rockets, it's always push, push, push and when you're tired from pushing, push a bit more. their team is a well-coached and tireless bunch. a team too wise for their collective youth. almost all of their players are easy to love (though i miss von wafer. wtf von, leaving Houston for Olympiakos? are you kidding?) and are smart, high IQ ballers.
of this hardy bunch, i particularly love Shane Battier. the no-stats all-star. the guy who is assigned the task of locking down the opposing team's leading scorer, a task i also love doing in basketball. he's smart, tough and has a big heart. he's someone i like to emulate for his utter dedication in both practice and in games. i got my "not too high, not too low" philosophy from him. life, just like a basketball game, doesn't always go the way we want to. because of this, we learn how to adapt ourselves when celebrating victories and accepting defeats. not everyday has to be your day, and from this fact alone we should accept the propensity of life to get out of whack for reasons we sometimes cannot control. after all, how would we be able to appreciate life's perfection if we do not know what its imperfections are? i would definitely love to apply Shane's philosophy of doing his routines without fail, without expecting the outcome. that way, maybe i could be more efficient and effective in doing the things that are occupying my day-to-day life.
i should start today. be more determined. be more prepared. they say preparing well is winning half the battle. like Shane and the Rockets, unimaginable adversities are bound to come time and time again, but like them, i should not let defeats deter me in pursuing my goals. i should chase, push, scrap and claw my way through to get a hold of my dreams.
maybe one of these days i'm going to get really lucky. only time will tell. but until then, it's back to business. i have to prepare again soon.
** in other news, i have ditched the thought of buying a new phone this Christmas. i'm going to buy a lenovo s-10-2 netbook instead. a new 2GB memory stick and maybe a new case would do my sturdy k770 a good facelift.
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