PRIVATE TIME!!!!

been a bit delayed in updating this blog because of a LOT of readings. I can now officially count the UP Main Library as my second home as I spend almost the same time there that I spend in the boarding house.

The title of this post refers to a term we learned about time as an important concept in history. Seems there are more than one kind of time that historians are concerned about...this one refers to a person's own time - especially his or her frame of reference when making an entry in journals, diaries, or in the case of the "techie" generation - uploading a post in a blog. So subong private time ko!

I'll be dividing this post into sub-posts highlighting some of the happenings these few days. Enjoy! ~ ditch


Rolling...Rolling...

The above post title (PRIVATE TIME) I learned from my Historiography Professor. Si Prof Diokno. Nakakatuwa si prof because the instant she walked into the room the first thing that popped into my mind was...Tina Turner? hahaha

Actually she's a mestiza fusion of Tina Turner and Queen Latifah. And boy Prof Diokno can be intimidating when it comes to her demeanor, but behind that lies a wellspring of knowledge and historical expertise. Feeling ko ma-alam gid ko ni kay Prof, but as she put it, we will have to go through a LOT of suffering (sangkatutak na readings for instance...). My subject load this sem has two subjects that she's teaching. So every Monday and Thursday, from 8:30 until 11:30 we will have to "suffer" through Prof Diokno. But it seems that I will be a willing masochist to her Marquis de Sade. God help us all...

And we are also in a roll in our Kas 112 with Prof Dante. The easy-going professor also proved to be formidable in his knowledge of history, detailing historical facts without the aid of notes. His manner is not severe (unlike Prof Diokno) and he is quite liberal in his attitude in class. As one upperclassman put it' "Kahit matulog ka diyan kay Sir, OK lang sa kanya." But then you still have to read and study and fulfill all the requirements or else patay ka. Like for the MAP EXAM for instance, which will be tomorrow. God help us all...

The Outsiders (sort of...)

Sooner or later I'll be having a few acquiantances in this world of UP...and so I did. Here's a brief survey of each of them detailing the bits of info I have acquired so far. Some of them may be prospective "friends" and I hope as the months pass by we'll get past the acquiantance phase and really get to know each other. The commonality that we all have is that we are outsiders in a sense - most of us are outsiders to UP (non-UP grads) or to the program (most are non-BA History) or to Manila (most are from the provinces, like me). Ok, here they are...the OUTSIDERS (sort of)


Kathy - tukayo sang akon sister but this one is quick to correct that her name (Catherine) is spelled with a "C" not a "K". From the province of Bulacan. Quite chatty, which I like since we're often seatmates. A college teacher from PLM (Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila) and my source of materials from the National Library.

Bert - if I'm Dexter, then Bert is Mandark. hehe. A native of Rizal. A BA History graduate from UE and works parttime at McDonalds. My partner in the main library and sometime co-conspirator in photocopying the copious readings in our Kas 10 and 199 courses.

Jet - Tall, mestiza and sexy. hehe. now sporting a new haircut with a Jedi padawan hair braid hanging from one side. Kaprobinsya ni Kathy. UP Journalism graduate but has professed interest in teaching History. Like someone I know back home...

Lovely - from my Kas 112 class. An Education student majoring in Filipino. Bonded kay pareho nga teacher and she's half-Ilonggo. Had given her a copy of the regions and the provinces with their respective capitals in preparation for our map test - actually she copied my kodigo when we met by chance in the main library. Hails from Mindoro. Plans to get a perfect score in the Map Exam. hehehe

So that's it. The few others will have to wait until I gather sufficient info (what am I? the CIA?). Hopefully this ragtag band of strangers will become more than outsiders to each other and become a group of friends. Hopefully...


Ilonggo Envy

sometimes in this big place one feels lost and empty...nakakadepress yung mga readings ko about the 3rd Philippine Republic combined with the hustle and bustle of everyday student life (boarding house stuff, school stuff, library stuff, Manila-life stuff) that it's often a relief to be able to hear some aspect of home...it always makes me smile to hear Ilonggos engaging in conversation, and to meet my fellow Ilonggos in the corridors (some of them former students of mine). Bisan mag hi or hello lang or mangamusta basta kabati lang tono kag tingog sang Ilonggo. I saw an announcement posted in the Shopping Center inviting all Ilonggos to a basketball game of all things...ma-ano ko 'to, matanga? haha : )

so oftentimes I find myself texting my former co-teachers para makahagilap tsismis just to be able to communicate in my native dialect. hay, the simple pleasures para pamatay mingaw...


Stand Alone 1.05