sem break log: day 1

and so, here we are again. after the most toxic semester, both academically and emotionally (hopefully...), we poor imed students have again been granted heavenly peace and pardon in the form of the sem break. the last few months have all gone up in smoke, but with a few ashes left to sweep away. i'll be hoping to recount some of the more *memorable* events in the next few days.

in the meanwhile, though it is called a "break" for good reason, i do still hope to accomplish some awaiting tasks and promises over the next three weeks. seeing as how my task list for the last sem break didn't look so completed as i would have wanted, i'm anticipating my apparent laziness and setting categories based on importance and imperativeness.

things i *absolutely* must do:
1. revamp this site, css-compliant
2. get started on christmas gifts
3. download some 50-odd retro/oldies songs for my dad

things i can try to do:
1. shopping for clothes and stuff
2. learn to cook
3. download some songs of my own
4. organize my pc
5. finish some games or novels

things i should be doing normally:
1. update this blog more frequently
2. exercise and/or work out
3. try to gain some *good* weight

hmmm... this doesn't look as hard as i know it will be. guess we'll see after three weeks.

sem break log: day 2

**this may seem sort of cryptic and strange and all, but just to give people an idea of what this semester was like, and what transpired. don't try understanding the vague or unrelateable stuff, just take it as it is. and forgive me for all the weird "nerdovia" references and royalty tendencies. this is what happens when megalomania is left free for too long. besides, a literary masterpiece like this couldn't be left without a bit more praise going out to its co-author.**

On the 145th day of our reign over the great realm of Nerdovia, We reaffirm

PAX NERDOVIA

    Not everything is as simple as it seems. Everything has an ulterior motive, everything has a higher purpose. Nothing but pure chance could have brought us together; nothing but shining fortune could have forged these bonds we treasure today; nothing but God-given providence could have formed this all-powerful entity, this close, devoted family we now know as INTARMED 2011, as the kingdom of Nerdovia. Perhaps, not even chance, fortune, or providence; it could only have been fate.

    From the very start it was obvious that we were something special. We had a family in ourselves, complementing the one we had or taking the place of the one we left behind. Lunches, movies, outings, studies, we shared them all. Conflicts we may have undergone, but none could have lasted in light of our unity. The plight of one was the plight of all. And as such, our civilization attained new heights, basking in the glory of our achievements.

    A year passed, leaving us in full splendor. Then came the glorious season of the sun. Our coronation stood as a testament to our lasting unity. By declaring PAX NERDOVIA, we held the promise of undying peace, the averting of strife and dissension. These were truly magnificent times, things could not get better.

    And so they didn’t. Our second year came, and along with it our second trial. We had passed the first: to see if we could come together as a class. Now it was to test our commitment to that which we have established. Toxicity and stress reached unimaginable levels as we have never before experienced. Then, that which we feared most happened: change.    

    What happened to PAX NERDOVIA? It was to be our source of strength in these trying times. Our closeness and our harmony were to be our vanguards against strain and toxicity. Our unity and friendship were to guide us during this taxing period. We were to form stronger bonds with each other, to call upon for strength and hope. Though these new ties may be with a select few rather than with the whole class, it is perfectly normal and acceptable.

    But something did not go right. Be it an adverse reaction to change, personal defense mechanisms, or just sheer apathy, something went wrong. Bitterness crept among us, rocking the very foundation of our friendship. Why is our class unity in doubt? Why suggest fragmentation? Our friendship was never a question at the beginning; why must it be questioned now? If anything, if at least, it is this friendship we must maintain. To any degree, we still care for one another.

    We believe that in these times of stress, we can still find solace in the thought that we belong to this group. We believe in all the experiences, the memories, all the things that bind us together.  We believe that this class is not meant to divide and fall, but to rise above all, united as we were destined to be. We still believe that deep down, this class holds a big place in our hearts. We still believe in PAX NERDOVIA.

To the greater glory of Nerdovia,

Rex Nerdoviae

27th of the 9th month, 145th  day of His Majesty’s Reign.
Essence of Pax Nerdovia // RN+LB

sem break log: day 3

it's been the third ambiguous day of the sem break, and it's hit me that i've gotta get started on my assigned tasks. just to sum up, here's a run down of my day today:

8 am - woke up, washed up, ate breakfast
9:30 am - sat down on the computer to download some of my dad's long line of oldies, ate lunch (sometime in between)
3:00 pm - let the pc rest, went upstairs, caught some zzz's
5:00 pm - started a new game in DMC3 (leaving my SMT:N hanging, but i'll get to that too)
7:00 pm - ate dinner, got back to downloading a few more songs (but the damned internet's not cooperating, insisting on breaking down and disconnecting every few minutes)

and here i am now. a couple of hours gone, and not to any bad use, but still a bit unproductive for my oc-ness. i tried getting a head start on other tasks, but the cd-rw i got from migz containing the imed pictures isn't reading properly on my cd drives, putting a damper on my pc reorganization and blog reconstruction plans. i might try opening the cd tomorrow at my dad's office pc. the internet wouldn't let me access w3schools.com properly, another hitch. i organized the data i gathered for my christmas presents, but without another mall visit, i don't have the materials to get started. i'll be heading to up manila on thursday to search for long-overdue class cards, as well as a quick run to rob place for supplies.

and speaking of trapped in the house, today was crucial because of one saving grace: being able to watch pinoy big brother again. yes, you heard me right. i got my first taste 2 weeks ago at a study group, and i've been hooked ever since. last week didn't go so nice for tv-viewing, owing to the heavy load of the last week of the sem, but at least i get to follow it throughout the rest of the sem break. i really don't know what's got me so addicted to the whole thing, but one thing's for sure: local tv finally got something right to my tastes.

hehe, so maybe its not as real as it would like to be. more than half the housemates are good-looking, high-class socialites. the big brother voice depiction sounds more senile than omniscient. the house is just too amazing. but still, the tasks are fun to watch, as well as how the housemates react and comply to them. watching the different personalities clash and compromise is also surprisingly appealing. and *hopefully* the emotions they're showing are as true-to-life as advertised. as for favorites, i'm sad that i wasn't able to start the whole series, to see how the people evolved as life inside the house went on, but right now, i'm rooting for uma, nene, cass, and jayson. not to say i'm voting, of course, but it'll be fun to watch how things play out.

sem break log: day 4

damn, i can't believe it took me the whole day.

sadly, it wasn't anything on my awaiting list of tasks, but i still had to allot almost all daylight hours to the activity. of course, i'm talking about getting my non-pro driver's license. at first, it started out just to replace my lost student's permit, but when loopholes and connections started coming together, i was able to replace my student's permit and apply for my driver's license all in one fell swoop. an 8-hour long fell swoop.

i first went to my dad's office, where we waited for one of his personnel to accompany me. in the meantime, i was able to transfer my pictures from the defective cd to a newly burned one, and was able to copy them all to my pc at home. anyway, kuya rick came, and we headed off to the lto. upon arriving, a few minutes of chitchatting with the guy at window 7 got me the go-ahead to directly apply for my non-pro license, with just a few snags for the replacement of my student's. while waiting for the paperwork to come through, i got a drug test across the lto compound. this took some talking too, since i didn't come with any valid id except for a notarized consent form from my dad and photocopies of his id. after some searching, we found a place that would accept my deficient credentials. a little urine, medical exam, then we're on our way back to the lto.

upon arriving, they took my picture for the students, then we waited. waited and waited. until an announcement came that the whole computer network was down nationwide. that really pissed a lot of people off, including me. thus we had no choice but to retreat and return another day. got home around 11, started transferring my pics, then at 12 i got a call from an lto official, saying that the system was back online. i contacted my dad, and we were back to the lto by 1. then came more waiting. and waiting. and some payments, and the written exam, and the "practical" exam. luckily, i brought along my wheel of time book 1 to pass the time, but the anticipation of hearing your name called over the pa system, and the disappointment of not hearing it can become taxing. at around 4, the finished product finally arrived. finally.

oh yeah, did i ever mention why i had to get my student's permit replaced? for the third time, by the way. because my stupid wallet had to get snatched, that's why. happened around mid-september, on a jeepney ride back to my condo. i had my bag just sitting beside me, while i was talking to my friends. then a weird, grimy man came with a huge duffel bag came up, sat beside me, and placed his bag beside mine. i swear i felt my instincts acting up just then, but i regretfully ignored them. it wasn't until i got home that i realized that the front pocket where my wallet should be was half-open, and that consequently, my wallet was gone. my wallet, including my school id, student's permit, 3 atm cards, my gentxt and powerbooks card, some pictures, my high school id, and some 100-odd pesos inside. it was really so bitter, actually, that the person only snatched my wallet in the hopes of high immediate cash returns, and would be disappointed finding only 100 in it. if he had only known how miserly i could get, maybe he would have strayed away and chosen a more likely target.

oh well, i've learned my lesson. there was nothing important that really couldn't be replaced, except for my high school id. and after all the disappointment and vigilance sermons i got from my dad (i could not believe the number of times he used the word 'lackadaisical' on me), that was sure to be one unfortunate experience i won't forget anytime soon.

sem break log: day 5

it's been another slow day at home, with my list of activities extending to the tv, ps2, pc, eating, or sleeping. same old same old. *yawn* i'm starting to get tired of the sem break already.

but if there's anything to remedy an idle mind, it'll be idle hands. meaning, just have something to do. and with that, i've got just the solution.

enter project overhaul.

that's my little nickname for my blog renovation activity for this sem break. and today i've officially taken the first steps towards remodelling proper. i've returned to w3schools and looked over the css tutorial once again (though i won't profess to knowing anything more than the basics). i've tried some of the application stuff on the site, and saved the reference list. i also saved a copy of the text file of my current tabulas stylesheet, which is officially a disaster, to say the least. i also downloaded firefox *finally* so i got to see the crapfest my layout becomes in non-css-compliant settings. my pictures are arranged and ready for uploading. i've also got my basic concept site all planned out in my head. i fiddled with photoshop a bit, to see if some of my plans would turn out ok, but it looks like some of them would be near-impossible to accomplish with my level of skill, or would at least be very difficult to pull off.

unfortunately, though it would seem that i have a ton of time to burn on this, there really isn't. i've got other awaiting tasks, some more imperative than this one. and its not like i'll be spending the whole vacation at home. friday, i'll be trooping off to manila to retrieve classcards, repay money, and scour rob place for some needed supplies. next week, my high school friends and i *hopefully* will be having an out-of-town get-together. and again, knowing me, i'll probably be putting this off indefinitely for tv and ps2 escapades.

i'm running it through my head, and i hope i can look forward to finishing this little stint by next week. it'll take me much more to complete project overhaul than an online tutorial, tons of group pictures, and an undefined idea in my head.

but at least, it's a start.

sem break log: day 6

what's left to say? nothing much actually. just another unproductive day at home.

oh yeah, aside from this.

my flickr album

i haven't quite uploaded all the images i plan to (dial-up's a pain, really) but there're quite a few in there. might want to take a look.

enjoy.

sem break log: day 7

not even a week and i'm already trooping back to manila.

well, there's always something that comes up. be it available grades, meetings, or random errands, the sem break just has to be disrupted one way or another. but it's not like i'm complaining; in fact, it was a half-welcome siesta from the vicious, repetitive cycle i've adapted at home. if only it wasn't so mind-numbingly tiring.

my original plan for today was just to head off to manila to try and retrieve some class cards or grades, and purchase some supplies in robinsons. however, a persistent classmate asked for her compensation for the play expenses, and since the money was accidentally left in my care, i had to take responsibility for it. and lastly, a localized panic came in the form of the nmat applications. nmat, for national medical admissions test. being imed students, it's not so much of a big deal for us, but it was still a requirement for our entry into the college of medicine. and the application period came as a blow to us, not just because it was made aware to us just now during the sem break, but the deadline would be in 2 weeks, and the college wouldn't handle our applications for us. and presto, just another thorn in the proverbial ass.

i headed off to manila around 7:15, arrived 8:15, late for our set meeting time. but it turns out, the others wouldn't arrive until 9. good thing i brought my wheel of time book 1 along for the ride. maan, mac and i rode 3 jeeps to get to the makati office and burned P500 for each application form we got. we headed for glorietta to meet pat and to have lunch, but something about g4 made us so lethargic that no one would take charge and choose a place to eat. i tried to make suggestions, but no one would be enthusiastic or even the least bit receptive to the ideas. we ended up eating at maxim's tea house just because we didn't have much time left. we took a taxi back to manila, and by the time we arrived at the cas, our classmate who was waiting for the money was long gone. hehe, my bad. we then went to rob to have id pictures taken, and to have an application form lbc-ed to bicol. it was then to upcm to fill up application forms and to have them verified, and then practically everyone left their accomplished forms with me, with the testing fee, since i would be returning to the office next week, with a driver in tow. that was 1300 a pop, easy. if only i wasn't so trustworthy and righteous.

well, it was extremely exhausting, and the expenses incurred are unspeakable, but like i said, a welcome interruption. 6 days of pure lethargy at home has made me realize that i actually miss being in manila (but not for the toxicity and stuff), being with my friends, being in a liberated environment. today just reminded me of that, and gave me a little respite from the boredom and loneliness. so if anything, i should thank the nmat for that.

and oh yeah, pat came to the cm with the biggest high for me. meaning, she brought our humanities 2 art critiques. these were from any artwork we would have chosen in a ccp exhibit over a month ago. and it turns out, i got a 1 for the paper. and my professor wants a copy of my essay. haha, what an ego boost. in fact, i read my essay over again just now, and i realize that it could possibly be my best-written academic work ever. and that's simply amazing, considering this paper took me nearly 8 hours in cramming time, with 2 classes cut in the process. but maybe that's just what it takes, a little delinquency to juice up the creative process. i'm actually considering posting the entire essay here, but its 6 pages long on word. maybe just the introductory poem i made, as a taste test.

hehe, beware of growing ego.

sem break log: day 8

there's just something about business and politics that makes it seem so distant to me. case in point: today, around noontime, lunch at the celebrity place gazebo, celebrating the birthday of one of my uncles, the husband of my ninang. me and my dad were ushered to the table of the celebrant, who was with another friend. introductions were made, and just as soon as we'd sat down and set our plates on the table, then did the politico-economic discussion begin.

just as my stomach was slowly filling up with lechon, lumpia, and the random viands they had prepared, i was also being peppered with meaningless acronyms and baseless jargon, at least to my ears. my tito's friend, apparently another economics buff, made out corporate names and business positions like nobody's business, as my dad just sat there, picking crab with his fingers, nodding in understanding, or satisfaction, or both. i just sat there, eyes darting from one speaker to the other, swallowing all they spewed out without really digesting anything they said. goldilocks and red ribbon, jollibee and magnolia, nearly every prominent brand name received a tongue lashing from them, or at least a guest mention. dirty bookkeeping, ipo's, family-run businesses, corporate privatization, calling to mind a few of the terms they used. times came when one would give a line, half chuckling, then the other would burst in hearty laughter, while the slightest intention of the joke escaped me. looking at them, it was as if they had been friends for the longest time, or at least business acquaintances from far back, not the random relation found in that very party.

by the time they delved into politics, i had my nose buried deeply in the book i had brought. but still, my ears pricked up at the mere mentionings of 'gma' and 'bayani fernando' and 'spare parts' and 'binaril sa paa' and whatever topic their conversation had drifted to. half the time i couldn't help grinning, and these times i had to push my face even deeper into the pages, in fear of being thought of as mocking or insane.

but still, it was a smile. a smile, in amusement, as i watched these two grown men babble on like gossiping teenagers, albeit over more mature topics. i could just imagine myself in a couple of years, enthusiastically discussing patient histories or hospital management or health legislations, all as if talking about the weather. at one point in the afternoon, my dad was asking what the function of the pancreas was. it took quite some self-restraint not to just butt in and scream "for secretion of digestive enzymes and hormones", specially when someone mentioned it was for filtration.

am i glad that i chose such a clean profession, saving lives.

sem break log: day 9

ah, sleep...

if time is the most valuable commodity in the world, as so profoundly put by wilson (whose blog went back online just recently, with the promise of a "treat" for me), then sleep would be the most economical (i couldn't think of any english adjective which really grasps the essence of 'sulit') luxury to spend it on. sleep, as an investment, would yield the greatest returns. it can also be amassed in large quantities for later use, has long-term benefits, has *nearly* zero side effects (save a slight and lingering addiction to even more sleep), is readily available...

okay, so maybe it's not as readily available as i'd like to think. it's just that any time we could scrape off our extremely taxing class schedule would be used for practices or study groups rather than opting for relaxing slumber. and any spare bits and pieces we can muster up hardly make up for what we've lost over the span of the semester.

and so, sticking true to what i've said above, today has been a day devoted nearly to gaining back that essential resource we coin as sleep. after hearing mass early in the morning (as in quarter to 8 early), i went back to my room, getting back another 2 hours of lost slumber. lunch and early afternoon reading followed, before another wave of drowsiness hit, and i succumbed to another 2 hours more. now i'm here, catching up on online trivialities, reading my way through "the eye of the world" (which i am so close to finishing, maybe this week, so i get to buy the second book soon), and just waiting for pinoy big brother to come on.

after that, another journey through the land of peaceful darkness, nary a dream to disturb the silence.

sem break log: day 11

ten days, lazy hours at a time, late sleeping nights, several put-off tasks and what do i have to show for it? it's not that kind of fantasizing, for any green minds out there. well in fact, i'd have the eye of the world, book 1 of the wheel of time, by robert jordan.

i don't even remember where i've heard of this book, or the entire series, but i know i've been searching for the first book for the longest time. and when a copy finally resurfaced in powerbooks megamall, i wasted no time, and it's been a whirlwind adventure ever since. intertwined within a massive fantasy world were the lives of several unlikely characters, revolving around an epic yet compelling story touching on the topics of destiny and the role every life, every person has in the greater pattern of things. for the past week and a half, i've been eagerly following the travels of rand al'thor and company, sharing in their pain and ecstasies, watching them grow and develop into the heroes they were predestined to become.

i've always had a hyperactive imagination, to say the least. the brunt of this 'eagerness' was directed towards my interest, bordering on fascination, on the world of fantasy. this was usually expressed through my insatiable obsession with rpg's, but books also played a critical role. and here, jordan arrives at the perfect combination of story, characters, setting, and presentation that caters exactly to my tastes. the story may be a tad simplistic, since all fantasy works would involve the good-versus-evil theme, but the variations included and the inclusion of new story concepts and elements hold it high above others. the characters are all you would expect in a fantasy novel. it becomes classic, in a sense, since most of the stereotype character molds and classes in the genre were fitted to a t; the unexpected hero, the love interest, the primary villain, its subordinates and lackeys, the resistance, the lone warrior, the archer, the juggler, the healer. however, classic does not restrain the novel from having its own brand of character. the complex personalities and relationships formed in the novel give it an unparalleled depth and richness. the world they live in follows the same trend as the characters: predictable yet entrancing at the same time. the grand cities, the quaint villages, the spanning fields, the desolate wastelands; the detailed environments simply added to the majesty of the novel.

lastly, but undoubtedly the most important of all, the presentation jordan makes use of throughout the novel comes off me just right. let me make an unsolicited comparison: lord of the rings. tolkien comes up with a great blend of story, characters, places, and events which makes the trilogy the masterpiece that it is. however, something in his presentation, in the narration of the story comes across as a bit lofty and dragging. i have some issues about the story crawling along for the sake of some high-falluting description or monologue. the wheel of time, in my opinion, solves this problem nicely. it goes along on its own pace, slowing down and speeding up as needed. i actually spent this morning rushing through the last 100 pages, revelatory and action-packed as they were. its as if the content of the novel directs the reader as at what rate to read the story. and yet, jordan doesn't sacrifice complexity for digestibility. descriptions are still present, yet they are mixed just right as to allow the continuous flow of the story, rather than stopping at a certain paragraph just to fully ingest a picture.

far as i can say, based on my limited repertoire of read fantasy novels, the wheel of time definitely ranks above all others. there's just something in it; it was as if i was actually playing an rpg rather than reading it. everything about it reaches over to the gaming aspect of fantasy which i can fully visualize, yet it remains a book at heart with its complexity and depth and use of imagination.

i just can't wait for book 2, the great hunt.

sem break log: day 12

finally, project overhaul's making some headway (it's obvious that i haven't really done anything since the last time i mentioned it). it just took a finished novel to get things started. that, and a wrecked ps2 controller.

it's quite funny that something on the top of my tasks list this sem break would only be attended to once all my other *distractions* have either been accomplished or removed. finishing the eye of the world left me with no alternative activity during long downloading sessions (which i have been doing regularly, for the sake of my dad's song list) other than pocket tanks, which is a blast in itself but it gets a bit repetitive once you get the hang of difficulty 10. my only other option, which is to entirely ditch pc time for the ps2, just got pushed aside owing to my malfunctioning controller. it's weird actually, it was working perfectly two days ago. but just as well, for the sake of other tasks.

today, i just finished the basic plan for my blog. it's nothing too techie or artistic, actually. it might be considered remotely creative, but it's just something that's been brewing in my mind for quite some time. i also figured out how to do most of the layouting stuff; its just the actual encoding that might give me some difficulty. i also ran through w3schools ' html tutorial and found some useful tips as well.

watch out in the next few days. i just might prove myself this time.

sem break log: day 14

the last two days have been a whirlwind of events, the next more tiring, and more fulfilling, than the last.

thursday saw me commuting my way to up manila, for a repeat of my tasks there last week. upon arriving, it was a beeline for the cas, to retrieve classcards, both mine and migz'. after nearly an hour of romping around, tracking where the cards had been disposed to, i finally got a near-complete collection (hum 1, we will have to meet yet). and i must say, not too shabby, if i do say so myself.

after grade-hunting, it was off to the cm to have another nmat form signed. unfortunately, the college sec wasn't available anytime during that day, so i had to leave the application and id forms behind, praying that they'd be signed by that afternoon. meanwhile, a couple of hours in rob was just the ticket to pass the time. i bought the great hunt, book 2 of the wheel of time, and had my powercard replaced after not-too-many a hassle. i also *finally* got around to buying my 'materials' for christmas gifts (not saying a word here, at risk of being found out). when i finally got back to the cm, the college sec still hadn't returned, so that blew my plans of accomplishing and passing all the nmat forms that day. still, it was of no consequence, as i had other things lined up for that day.

i had kuya peter drop me off at g4, where i met up with some adelfa friends for a 3-o'clock meeting time. note: 3-o'clock, and it was two-and-a-half hours later that we finally all got together. two and a half hours spent wandering around glorietta, burning money in the arcade, and a snack or two. when everyone finally came, the first order of business was a studio pic, after a long long time. and around this time, i was stressing out big time, since my dad was expecting me to come home for another dinner date he had set, and was pestering me and telling me off through the phone. his timing sucked, actually, setting that night out on the exact same day as the planned adelfa thing, a few minutes after i told him of my plans.

anyway, commuted directly to the place, where i got there first, soon after finding out plans of changing the venue. at least they had the mind to pick me up at the resto. it was a hearty dinner at muang thai, at least for all the trouble. and afterwards, i romped to tomas morato, where my friends had relocated to music match, a ktv place, where we burned three dark hours singing our lungs out. though it wasn't a laguna overnight trip, the fun and laughs we had that night made up *a bit* for what we would have had otherwise.

i wake up 7:00 early friday morning, after arriving home around 1:30 am. i get kuya peter to drive me around in unbearably heavy traffic. first, we went back to the cm, where the forms were duly signed, then to makati, where security hassles got the best of me since i left my wallet, and subsequently all forms of identification, at home. luckily, jimjim came sauntering into the building at about the same time, and i just had him pass the forms for me.

after that, it was another long drive home, and another couple of hours to make up for lost sleep. i had plans to go to sm north, actually, but tomorrow's another day.