Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Small World

1. met two of my former students at SM North a few weeks ago. Jeff and Kent were just strolling along the Skygarden when they bumped into Ditch...

2. bumped into a college batchmate at SM North, THE Annex. He's one of the staff in a computer shop there.

3. Two weeks ago I was walking along C. Recto Avenue and was passing by Kalai when I was hailed by another former HS student. Leanne of UP Miag-ao was one of the participants in a Debating Competition held here in UPD. Unfortunately, I never got to see one of the matches.

4. Just this afternoon I was waiting for the northbound train at Ayala MRT Station when out popped Jison, another former student. A quick exchange of greetings followed before I was swept by the wave of human bodies into the train car. we played kumustahan via text messaging. Turns out he's enrolled himself in a university here in Manila. Goodluck.

Monday, April 27, 2009

The Weight of The World

My Song of the Moment...parang Coldplay mixed with Peter Gabriel...whew...



THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD
(Editors)

Keep a light on those you love
They will be there when you die
Baby there's no need to fear
Baby there's no need to cry
Every little piece in your life
Will add up to one
Every little piece in your life
Will it mean something to someone?
You've used my broken bones
Back together we ...?
Lift the weight of the world
From my shoulders again
Every little piece in your life
Will add up to one
Every little piece in your life
Will it mean something to someone?
Every little piece in your life
Will add up to one
Every little piece of your life
Will mean something to someone
You touch my face god whispers in my ears
In my..
There are tears in my eyes
Love replaces fear
You touch my face
god whispers in my ears
In my year (ear)..
There are tears in my eyes
Love replaces fear
Fear
Every little piece in your life
Will add up to one
Every little piece in your life
Will mean something to someone
Every little piece in your life
Will add up to one
Every little piece of your life
Will mean something to someone

Friday, April 24, 2009

Progress Report

Natapos ko na yung Book du Jour ko -- yung Mitrokhin Archives. The Philippines was only mentioned once. hehehe

Umuusad ang Kas 208 Paper kahit papano. Next week sisimulan na yung Kas 205, kasi ito next sem na talaga yung deadline. brrrrrr...

Kakabagot walang magawang intellectually stimulating. I am beginning to understand Pebi's complaint with jobs that do not make her 'think'. hehe Kaya kanina pumunta akong lib at nagbasa ng doctoral dissertation ni Milagros Guerrero. Yung Luzon at War. Of course, kuha tayo ng notes parang nagre-research sa paper - pero in truth - light reading na talaga 'to...Diyos ko.

Naubos na ang mga komiks sa Powerbooks. Kakabasa hindi kakabili. Eto capsule reviews ko sa mga nabasa ko:

TRESE - Astig...female version ni Constantine humahanting ng lahat ng uri ng maligno, laman lupa, ligaw na kaluluwa, aswang, elementals, at kung anu-ano pa sa kalakhang Maynila. Anu ba talaga yung mga kambal, ha?

ANDONG AGIMAT - Visually stunning...conceptually superb...reminded me of the movies "Nightwatch" and "Daywatch". In fairness, kinilabutan ako sa part na naghasik na ng lagim si Mariang Makiling. Wow!

KIKO MACHINE KOMIKS - Taga-UP ang gumagawa nito. Rakenrol!

LIFE IN PROGRESS - Revenge of the Nerds...and Dinosaurs...I still want the artist to feature the Smashing Pumpkins in Zeke's shirt...

And regarding my dilemma...I have already made up my mind. Period.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Ang Taray Ni Lola

Nobel Prize-winning scientist turns 100, tells Mussolini to kiss her ass.


"Kiss my ass, Mussolini."

read the article here.

Honored with another scientist for groundbreaking work on the development of cells and organs, Montalcini claimed that her mind is still in superior condition - even more so - than in her youth.

She was literally forced to relocate her work from the laboratory to her bedroom because of Mussolini's anti-Semitic policies. Now she could really say that her best work is done in bed. hehe

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Susan Boyle for 2009!

Don't know who this amazing lady is? Check out the youtube vid of her performance on "Britain's Got Talent"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luRmM1J1sfg

The female judge had it right, we have grown so cynical and shallow that we would easily dismiss people who do not fit our profile of talented (which includes 'attractive', among other things). Watch the initial reaction of the crowd to her as she stepped onstage. I myself dismissed her as just some fluke. But once she started singing...Oh...My...God...

This was a breath of fresh air. I have been viewing this vid for hours on end and it still gives me goosebumps. In this sh*tty world of ours, it is the rarest of delights to see a person reach for his/her dream despite the odds. Susan Boyle's moment reminds us of the power of dreams, as well as reminding us of how quickly we can judge a book by its cover. A truly humbling and wonderful experience for me.

Her song was very, very fitting for her. I wish her all the best in the competition. God bless you, Susan.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Printer



A wise man once said: "Never let the printer know that you're in a hurry."

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Ewwwwwwwwww!

If the news featured in Lenard's post is to be believed, anime enthusiasts should brace themselves for the impending apocalypse.

Because this guy...



will play this guy...



Not pictured: Ditch's agonizing shriek of incredulity - The Horror! The Horror!

Goodbye...Solzhenitsyn

bwisit na cashier's office, di tumatanggap ng payments for enrolment. Next week pa raw. E di wala na akong pambayad nyan! Joke! hehehe

Off I went to Orange to blow of some steam. Blasted oversized scorpions in The Forgotten Ruin, displacing my ire at the accounting office of UP. Naka-level up na, nakapagrelease pa ng kinikimkim na asar. Win-win scenario 'di ba?

Next stop was the budget bookstore at Trinoma to snatch Solzhenitsyn's Gulag Archipelago from their shelves. This book I found last Monday while sifting through their stacks. Since I did not have my budget ready that time, I discretely placed the book at the back of the display shelves, hiding it behind some obscure titles.

It seems my tactic failed. Solzhenitsyn was nowhere to be found when I came back to the shelves.

Nyeta.

OK lang...bawi naman ako sa binili kong comic book. Julius Villanueva's Life in Progress. I can relate to the general nerdiness. Plus na feature ang Wilco, Sonic Youth at Nine Inch Nails sa mga T-shirts ng mga characters, especially Zeke. haha. Maraming references to comic books such as John Constantine, Spiderman, Green Lantern, The Hulk, Batman, Calvin and Hobbes, Peanuts, Archie, atbp. There was even mention of Soylent Green. Rakenrol!

O Siya, gawa pa ako paper. Babasahin ko pa si Mitrokhin, baka ipagpatuloy ko ulit si Dostoevsky, next time na lang yan si Solzhenitsyn. Whew!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Some Thoughts

WARNING: Serious stuff up ahead. Excessive rumination and reflection – accompanied by prolonged ponderous thoughts – may result to premature aging, depression/euphoria/both at the same time (depending on the weather or the phases of the moon), or worse, sudden enlightenment, the achievement of nirvana, and the transcendence of earthly pleasures (Earthly pleasures? Nooooooooooo!). Let the games begin. Ohmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm….

Met some of my classmates while lining up for enrolment this morning. While ate angie and sir arnel were taking on 6 units of coursework this summer I, on the other hand, signed up for residency status; I won't be attending classes this summer but I could still avail of library services. May mga utang na kailangang bayaran. Mga papel na kailangang tapusin. Now is the time 'ika nga...

Now I am at a cusp in my peyups adventure. And Gracia's unexpected text got me thinking of what could be my last school year here in wonderland and the possibilities in store for my future…

It has long been decided that I will only get to have 3 years here in UP. I have anticipated that this would be sufficient to finish all the required coursework but given the pace I have taken (leisurely is the adjective that comes to mind) in dealing with my studies, my thesis work will not be covered within this time period.

This led me to queries regarding the MRR (Maximum Residency Requirement?) in our graduate study course and we were told we had six years to gain an MA. I plan on teaching again after my third year of study in UP, granting that I don’t add another INC to my “illustrious” career (hehe). My heart is most definitely set on reclaiming my “employed” status at 2010, no matter what. (huwaw)

Unfortunately, mapping out my strategy for the next year and all this thinking of my future led me to confront some dilemmas I had been hesitant to face for a while.

As far as I know, Manila has a lot of opportunities for employment. This place is teeming with schools, colleges, and universities and if I were to make the necessary risks and venture out into the field, I might be able to snag myself a decent job teaching somewhere in the metropolis. I confess that I had been keeping a copy of my resume but I still have to tweak and edit a few spots if I were to decide to look for employment here. And to be honest, this resume is nothing less than “bad ass”, if you know what I mean. Gaining employment here would provide me a means (though how sufficient I have yet to figure out) to extend my stay here in Manila, continue working on my thesis, and finally gain a measure of independence I have been yearning for. The picture is still a bit fuzzy – the economic side of this is still unclear, to be sure – but this is the possible future that I envision if I stay in Manila.

Then, there is that persistent call to go back to Bacolod. My initial promise to myself when I set on this journey was “Mabalik gid ko sa Bacolod.” My former colleagues, through various means, would also echo this sentiment – that I am welcome to come back anytime. And I do admit that going back has its advantages. First, competition wouldn’t be that fierce – considering that being a UP graduate student gives me an edge. Though it would be better if I already have an MA tacked on my name, this is as good as it gets for now. But still, who wouldn’t want me? (not like that, you pervs…wholesome tayo)

I am confident that I have amassed additional knowledge and skills that would serve me well once I return to teaching. And personally, I am yearning to go back to the classroom and regurgitate the fruits of knowledge that I have gorged on these years...spewing the rich brew of predigested facts mixed in with chunks of viewpoints gleaned from a varied mix of primary and secondary sources upon the eager youth who hunger for knowledge, with mouths agape and eagerly awaiting. (eww gross…I know)

But coming home with “unfinished business” would entail quite a few challenges. I have already pictured out a complicated scenario involving me in Bacolod, several boxes of photocopied documents, residency status for about a year, several trips to Manila, the stress of balancing workloads, etc. This scenario would require me to take on a part-time teaching load. The advantage here is that I am home and the amenities here would surely help me balance my books – and my sanity. Plus, three years is enough time to craft a “bad ass” thesis.

Here’s the timeline: source gathering 2nd semester 2009-2010; residency or LOA, whichever is most advantageous; one full year to make the research proposal; come back to UP for summer enrolment in thesis course; adjust schedule for research proposal defense; work on thesis for another year; submit on third (final) year; oral defense (brrrrr); constant travel to Manila anticipated; hire research assistant if there is a need. Kayang kaya kaya?

Kaya nga ng guitarist ng bandang “Queen” (he majored in astronomy and submitted his dissertation almost 20 years late, if I’m not mistaken), ako pa? hehe (take note though, that dissertations are afforded a longer time for completion but twenty years? Come on!)

(If you still haven’t noticed, aside from crafting letters for “varied purposes and occasions,” making schedules is another talent of mine – comes with the OCD, I guess)

All this thinking makes my head hurt…pretty soon I’d be punching out permutations and probabilities, but – never mind that.

So, this LONG blog post in my belief is fitting this Holy Week; the time when we are urged to reflect on what we were these past few years, what we had done to get to where we are now, and what the future holds for us. Christ had to deal with some pretty big decisions during his last few days on Earth and he ended up saving humanity from damnation. Though I aspire less loftier goals, I do hope and pray that I be guided to make the right choice as I figure out the rest of my life.

Have a blessed week, everyone.

Friday, April 3, 2009

It's Coming...



Next week daw dito sa Manila. Tamang-tama sa mga gustong magpenitensya hehe

Thursday, April 2, 2009

I Just Realized...

...after chatting with the Kas kids at SC a while ago...

Hindi ka matatawag na totoong estudyante ng UP hangga't hindi ka nakakaiskor ng INC...

Pero kung ikaw ay isang masugid na estudyante na kahit minsan ay hindi nakatikim na maging isang "kapanalig" ng INC - hehe - isa lang ang masasabi ko...

HINDI KA TAO! HALIMAW KA! HALIMAAAAAAAAAAAW!

hahahahahahaha

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Page One

Well, after a few days of just being plain LAZY, I finally started tapping on my laptop and squeezing out a few words for my Kas 208 paper.

Just finished ONE page.

Yep, ONE FRAKKING PAGE.

That's where all the trouble started.

I'm not too happy with the way I started my Introduction. Placing a quote without any context to it resulted to a very loooong explanation on the first paragraph providing said context. Better revise this one tomorrow. But I'm happy with using the headline as the centerpiece of my Introduction. Emulating Leon Wolff, I guess...hehehe

Writing the second paragraph...

Sh*t. Where did I get this? [scans notes] must be from Welch...wait a minute...yeah, I read it from Welch but I didn't put it in my notes....huh?!...WTF?!

Third paragraph...

Should I read Foucault? [scans notes] Yep, I think I need to. Him or the other structuralist/postmodern guys...

[ditch scratches head, remembers something, winces]

Oh, Sh*t...Reading E. San Juan, Jr. almost gave me a headache and now I have to tackle postmodernity? F*ck!


Page One is done.

TTDTS

Things To Do This Summer:

1. Continue writing my Kas 208 paper

2. Continue writing my Kas 205 paper

3. Knock a few points off my IQ by watching videos on these websites:

www.fndfilms.com
www.britanick.com

You've already seen a sample of the vids from FND (The "Plate" Video). Here's something from britanick