A little less than 24 hours

There are three things running in my mind right now:

One, it's almost 4 in the morning and I'm not yet sleepy. Two, I have to finish watching the whole season of House, well the 5th season to be exact. Thirdly, I still can't accept the fact that 2009 is about to end in less than 24 hours.

It's not that I'm sentimental or what, but I just noticed that as we grow old, time runs faster than we have previously thought or expected. Maybe because all the things we do are just already a routine, or cycle or whatever...

I suddenly have this thinking of not leaving my childhood days. I mean, it's fun to be a kid again. But it's crazy if I ACT like a kid. Seriously.

So yeah. Two-Zero-One-Zero. Welcome.

Looking back...

2009 is almost through and admittedly I have lots of experiences which somehow contribute of making me a better person. Let me just narrate some of them.

January. I together with my classmates in BIO 150 (Principles of Ecology) went to Davao Oriental for a field work. We originally planned to leave Davao at around 5 am but due to some circumstances, we left Davao an hour and a half late. Anyway, that night have changed everything, well at least to some. I have known some secrets from my classmates and the reason behind their annoying personality. Now I understand and know them better. I believe that there’s a reason behind a person’s personality.

February. Another trip again. Again, it was my first time to spend an overnight stay in Talikud Island, Samal. Mind you, the place, which I believe is better than Panay Island’s famous Boracay. Anyway, I regret some of the moments of this trip. It’s just, I’m just too afraid to interact with her. Whatever. But yeah, eventually I learned on how to communicate with her. And right now, we’re good friends.

March. The last month of the second semester. I was a bit worried with my standing in Biochemistry. But I didn’t take it seriously, leading to my first singko. I flunked Biochemistry because of my negligence. It was my first time to experience this. I thought I was a total failure and honestly, my mom was very disappointed to me. Well, thanks to my ever supporting friends, they cheered me up and it took me one week to accept the fact that I HAVE to retake Biochemistry (CHEM 160) the following semester. It hurts, but it was really my fault.

Also this is the month where I finally decided to take Dr. Ruth Gamboa’s research on sea cucumbers as my thesis topic. I was brave at that time. Oh yeah, don’t worry, I don’t have plans to change my thesis topic. I love Marine Biology. I love my thesis work despite the fact that I have to do this all alone.

April. I tried to resume my online business, that is designing Multiply pages. I get paid, of course but I grew tired of it. It’s just, I wanted to have an adventure, you know. Summer classes in UP Mindanao were suspended due to lack of funds. God-only-knows-the-real-reason. Jeez. So yeah, this month, I went to the Airport Tower more often, met the Research Team of my thesis, hang out with my high school barkada, eat, sleep, read books and a whole lot more.

May. I just learned that my good friend, Chippy made it to the US (University Scholar/ Chancellor’s List) with a GWA of 1.31. She promised to treat us some mouthful pizza from Greenwich. ‘Til now, the pizza is but a lifelong dream. *Sigh

June. School again. Oh for Chrissakes. The enrolment was indeed a long and dreary process despite the registration is already available online. Well, I just have to wait for the waiver, which allows us to take Biochemistry and Molecular Biology simultaneously. Oh well. Good thing Sir Toto exerted so much effort. I miss his smile. Also, this is the month where I met the juiciest and loudest batch of BS Biology.

July. I decided to join the Cheerdance competition. I made a promise to myself that before I graduate, I shall join the cheerdance competition. Also, I together with Dr. Ruth’s research team went to the Vanishing Island. There, I met some foreigners who are willing to help to sustain the ecological balance of Vanishing Island. They were so great and brilliant. Unfortunately, July ‘s the saddest month of my life. My dearest cousin, Yayo passed away. It was painful to my part since he died a week before my birthday. I’m going to miss his jokes and emotional outbreaks.

August. I turned a year older on the first day of August. Guess I have to enjoy the last year of teenage life. Sadness once again ruled on this month. Our dear department chair, Dr. Severo T. Bastian, Jr. passed away. All of the sudden, he was gone. The once radiant hallways of CSM are now filled with loneliness. No one can replace his cheerful smile, his dimples and his jokes. But yeah, that didn’t hamper our cheerdance spirit. We, once again ruled the arena! For three years straight, we won the cheerdance competition! God, I miss the feeling of being the champion. :)

September. After all what happened, we went to Initao, Misamis Oriental for our field trip in BOT 150 (Plant Ecology). No words can express how much I love that trip. It was the best field trip (so far). Okay, September was very stressful, most especially when you’re taking ZOO 113 (Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy). I can’t imagine that I survived this subject! Kudos to us who endured sleepless nights just to memorize the pathways of blood, the origin-insertion-action of the muscles from head to toe and the infamous CRANIAL NERVES! Who wouldn’t forget the Y!M conference the day before the second long exam in BIO 101 (Molecular Biology)? Hahaha. Sabaw moments. Glad that I made it to the finish line. Also, I can’t forget Ondoy’s rage. But hell yeah, Filipinos are strong.

October. At last, after two semesters, I passed Biochemistry, well not just passed, but I got a deserving grade. Anyway, the semestral break was a bit short (only two weeks) and I only have limited time to renew my scholarship. But I still managed to squeeze my barkada’s beach outing. Ha! And I won’t return to that expensive beach resort. You know, for every move, they charge you. Ack.

November. Ah, school resumes. Brand new semester, new schedule, new subjects, same old classmates and same old professors. Nothing really happened… ah! I handled so much haters since I joined Tumblr last May. HAHAHA. They’re funny, you know.

December. HAHA! This month is very memorable. I got drunk for the first time, thanks to Animal Physiology lab. And yeah, celebrated Christmas just the way it is, together with my family and friends.

This year made me reflect some of my weaknesses. And through these, it made me a better person. I just want to thank my family for the never-ending support, to my friends who made me realize that life is not a piece of cake, to my newfound friends (both online and real life), thank you for letting me intrude… no… joke… thank you for being one of the best things that occurred in my life. And to the Almighty Father, even if I rarely profess my faith to you, you know I’m thankful that you’ve guided me throughout this year, through the ups and downs and from laughter to tears. I humbly ask for Your continuing guidance this coming year, 2010.

Happy New Year everyone!

Vantage Points

Honestly, I didn’t notice that my last blog entry was three days ago. Apparently, I haven’t noticed it. Lol.

Here goes nothing.

11.08 pm, December 30

I am a little bit anxious of school. It seems like I’m craving for an extended vacation. I still don’t want to return to the cynical world of UP. Ack. And yeah, on the eve of Christmas Day, my Genetics professor gave me 10 (or was it 11?!) readings about the latest technologies in Genetics as well as Molecular Biology. Due to my excitement, I hurriedly downloaded it because I was so keyed up with it. I THOUGHT it was an article from Newsweek or Time or better, NatGeo. Exhilaration abruptly changed to disillusionment when I realized that the readings were actually research papers of doctorate students in States. WTF! Yeah, I can still manage to understand those basic concepts but heck… overall, it was waywardly confusing. Heck, I have already finished encoding my notes in MST 6. Confusion… I am really confused with our exam schedules. Daaaahh, I had just texted my Zoology prof asking if we will have our first long exam this Monday, January 5. WOW. We’ll be starting our new year with a BANG – banging our heads due to confusion. Enough of this trash.

She didn’t reply to me. Ayayay caramba. I just hope she just ran out of credits or she can’t reply to me since I’m a Globe subscriber and she’s a Smart user. Hay naku =/

Okay, two days after Christmas an online buddy posted a link about it. Ever heard of a politician who brutally beat a 56-year old father and his 14-year old son because of simple misunderstanding? Not yet? Well, I doubt you actually didn’t care the news lately. Yeah, I have read Bambee’s blog about it the day after the actual incident. I can see the sincerity and honesty of her entry. First things first..

What’s the motive of Bambee of writing a blog about it? According to n-ASS-er, it was just a hoax and even claimed that the beaten family provoked them first. Bambee didn’t even know you for Christ’s sake. So what? Who cares if you’re the son of the DAR Chief? You’re still human. It only shows that your comportment faultily needs psychoanalysis. You act as if you are the most powerful asshole of the world. If people do not recognize you, is it already a good basis to thrash people? You are dangerously playing with your wits. Do not ever use the name of God as if you’re innocent.

“Ipinagdadasal ko po n asana lumabas ang katotohanan” --> What the FUCK. GO TO HELL n-ASS-er.

Okay so I’m pissed big time with this ass. I don’t know. But I think he didn’t deserve to be respected as a politician or what, after what he had done to those innocent people. Ack! Okay, so I’m ranting even if I’m not affected with this infamous indignity. It made me realize that some people are blinkered – they just assume that if they’re famous, they can do whatever they want even if how sinister it is.

(read the full article here:
http://vicissitude-decidido.blogspot.com/2008/12/world-is-fucked-up.html)

The world is indeed fucked up. =|

On the lighter side…

I somehow enjoyed my short break. After like two to three weeks of non-stop brain action, I shoddily need a break.

I do not need to read a certain novel like a bat out of hell.
I do not need to scuttle things.
I do not need to rush meals just to reimburse my sleep scarcity.

Not at all!

This Christmas break, I just need to relax, take a mouthful of air and chill. Oh yeah, this is life. But I shouldn’t stop exercising my brain. Cosseting with mind games like Sudoku and Text Twist is also a good activity. Haha.

Plurk plurk plurk. Once again, I cordially invite you to create an account to this electrifying social-network site. Add me! Hahaha. Mind you, I’m a million times more talkative than in multiply! HAHAHAHA. Plurk isn’t that boring if you have lots of online buddies.

(http://www.plurk.com/renzybenzy)

Okay, so it’s been an hour and a half since the first word of this entry. Boy, I haven’t noticed the time. 23 hours and 33 minutes to go before 2009! I really enjoyed 2008. Lots of adventures and realizations in life…

Oh yeah, I just want to add some things in my goals for the year 2009:

• Publish an article in a local newspaper. I have just read that they’re accepting contributions anywhere, anytime. I just need to email it though, haha.

And…

• Read the works of Tom Clancy.

That’s it. I think this is going to be my last blog entry for the year 2008, I THINK, uhhhh, yeah.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Of Resolutions and Aspirations

In the year 2009, I will:


Be a good boy to momma and dodda dear. (T__T)

Be a responsible dog owner, well they haven’t took a bath for almost a year already, although I just had injected Ivomek, a drug used to repel unwanted ticks, fleas and parasites.

Explore the deepest realm of Mother Nature.

Enjoy the last year of teenage life. I’m turning 19 this 2009. (T__T)

Read Mitch Albom’s books. Damn, I haven’t read all of his books, except Tuesdays with Morrie

Celebrate when he reached his one-thousandth blog entry in Multiply. Yey. This is the 759th entry. Lol.

Climb Mt. Apo. WAAAAIIIIIT. I don’t have plans to mislay my limbs because of that strenuous climb. Maybe, spending a night at Camp Sabros, Kapatagan, Davao del Sur is enough. I’m already contented on having a breathtaking view of the highest peak of the Philippines. I just hope it won’t explode since Mt. Apo is still active. It’s a dormant volcano, like Mt. Pinatubo.

Learn to appreciate small things. Wait, I’ve been doing that since 2005. Okay, so appreciating smaller minutiae of life is better.

Ride to the longest zipline of the country – Camp Sabros.

Refrain from saying the PI word. Use fuck instead. LOL.

Write something that is sagacious.

Have more adventures this year (hopefully).

Try bungee jumping at Macau (how I wish).

Try not to be vain.. TOOOOOOOOOT. Wait??! Is that for real?! My God.

Just sleep than to cram if I didn’t understand the lesson and tomorrow’s gonna be the exam. Who cares if I’ll fail? It’s my own fault and grades do not make me richer and healthier. Lol.

Be a drug dependent – caffeine.

Connect with my long lost aliens.. ack.. I mean.. friends and classmates from high school.

Compose songs. YEAY.

Study about the principles in photography. Nope, this is just one of the things that allay me from stress aside from piano, music and photomanipulation.

Talk in front of the mirror more often. I’ll just imagine that my imaginary best friends are getting more garrulous than ever.

Download discographies of DJ Tiesto. House-Techno-Trance music is LOVE.

Learn how to play the guitar. Ugh, maybe it will take a decade. My hands only touch the piano. What do your hands touch? (N__N)

Learn how to drive a car. YEY. I have a license but I don’t know how to MOVE a car.

Try not be a beach bum this year, instead, I’m going to be a mountain bum. How’s that huh?

Be more extra careful and vigilant to his personal things.

Desist to something. Wait, I can’t control it.

Try to live in a healthier lifestyle. What is the use of those dumbbells in my room? Wait, those aren’t mine though.

Try to attend Eucharistic celebrations more often. This year, I attended only five Sunday masses. I still believe in God, but sometimes laziness would ponder every Sunday morning.
And hey, sometimes I feel like I’m acting a newborn Atheist. Caramba. (T__T)

Try to grow my stubble for a week. I wonder what I will look with all those clumped black pigments all over my chin and cheeks. Hmm.

Most of all, I will have an undisturbed sleep (14 hours at least) every weekends.

---

How about you?

What are your goals this 2009? :)

**WINK WINK**

I LIKE THAT ______!
Ooops mouth-to-mouth resuscitation! CLEAR!

Seven Years of Melancholy

Davao City used to be like this during Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Smoky…
Bright lights of the sky…
noisy…
dangerous…
alive…
severed hands and heads…
severe asthma attacks…
no breaks for medical and fire personnel
dirty…
stray bullets…
guttural cries and woes…
Auld Lang Syne…

UNTIL

In the year 2001, the city had transformed into an everlasting tranquility of boredom and wellbeing.

At least we’re getting used to it. It’s been seven years since the last flight of kwitis, whistle bombs and baby rockets. Furthermore, we don’t have to worry on stray bullets and other firecrackers that can cause fire and death. Isn’t that peaceful and lovely? Take note, sparklers aren’t even exempted on the firecracker ban.

Siiigh. Don’t fret; I can still watch some of the spectacular firecracker shows across the country on TV.

7 days to go before the Ox Dynasty! Let's party!
(never-ending guestbook party!)

Image from: RJ Nalunat (http://rjnalunat.multiply.com)
LSS: Turn Back Time - Aqua

T GEE I EF

T G I F

in English: Thank God it's Friday.
in Tagalog: Hay salamat sa Poong Maykapal at Biyernes na.

but in our native tongue: PISTEEE. MIDTERM CRISIS NA! EXAM NA NEXT WEEK. YATI RA.

So yeah we had a final schedule for our midterm exams, and I promise to myself that I will perform better than the previous exams (though the results were GOOD, except for one. Just don't ask.)

January 16, 2008 (Wednesday) 2.30-4.30 pm - Chem 17 Lab 1st long exam
January 17, 2008 (Thursday) 2.30 - 4:00 pm - Comm 3 (AH3) Departmental Midterm Exam
January 22, 2008 (Tuesday) 4:00 - 5:30 pm Nat. Sci 1 (MST1) 2nd Long Exam
January 22, 2008 (Tuesday) 1:00 - 2:30 pm - Bio 3 Lec 2nd Long Exam - plant part
January (3rd week-4th week)* - Math 14 - 2nd Long Exam
January (3rd week-4th week)* - Chem 17 Lec 2nd Long Exam
January (3rd week-4th week)* - Bio 3 Lab MOVING Exam

[* - subject to prior change]

Let's do simple math, shall we?

Lab reports to answer, plus grueling assignments, plus surprise quizzes, divided by 24 hours, multiply by the number of neurons present in my brain, minus by the number of hours of my SLEEP, plus the number of hours of mere consciousness, minus the price of bluebooks, minus the ink of my gtec, plus the number of coffees that I had drank since last week

YIELDS TO THIS ANSWER:

Yes. A zombie. WHY? Well. Just take a look on my simple equation. It results to dreadful eye bags, heavy eyes, freaky DIET, nosebleed, blood dripping from my nose, ears, mouth, eyes (eew), sleep deprivation and most of all, MENTAL INSANITY. Crazy. Baliw. Buang. Sha-gue.

Oh yeah, our planned field trip to Camuigin was canceled due to the stern decision of our Dean. He had the point though but hopefully the place would be outside DAVAO CITY. Yeehee.

Haay. This is the REAL Life. Things are getting tougher than last sem and it would get harder next year and the following year, and the year after the following year until I reached the Med school. Oh yeah. So, again and again, I would like to reiterate this to myself that CRAMMING and PROCRASTINATING are subtle forms of BAD HABIT - not a GOOD ONE which I formerly believed way back in high school.

Back in our PE class, about 9 hours ago, I checked my weight and guess what?! I DECREASED BY ALMOST 6 POUNDS! Damn it. Last sembreak, I weighed a good 107.5 lbs., and now? I'm only 102 lbs. God. I wish that I could still manage to weigh a little more than a hundred ten, but because of accumulated stress, that would be way TOO IMPOSSIBLE :(. So I once played Table Tennis and I already proved to myself that I am a CERTIFIED JAR-HEAD. Jar head. In tagalog or bisaya - BANGA. Such a crappy loser whothinksheknowshowtoplaytabletennisbutinfacthedoesnot thing. Hahaha. But at least I had a two hours session of physical exercise good for at least twice a week. HAHAHA. Out of seven games, I only had two WINS and 5 LOSES. Hahaha. I just laugh at this because I really ENJOYED table tennis despite of the numerous number of loses.

When I got home around 5pm (and it was drizzling moderately hard enough to categorized it as a light rain), I was playing the piano to relieve my mental stress when my mom, dad and brother arrived. They brought something important.

A wall clock for my room. Para maging PRANING SA ORAS.

DONUTS. yumyum.

MILK TEA - an answer to my stressful day

Even how stressful UP is, I still love Oble's academic institution. It is the place where young and bright minds meet on a chaotic and entropic environment. UP will always be UP. BTW, before I end this post, let me leave you a song entitled: UP ANG GALING MO sang by the UP Centennial Band. Promise, LSS to lalo na kung ika'y taga UP :))

please click the play button.

Narito kami [nagpupugay]
Sa [unibersidad] ng aming buhay
[Ikaw] pa rin ang [binabalikan]
‘Di pa rin malilimutan
[Ikaw ang UP naming mahal]

Salamat sa iyong mga [guro]
Salamat sa inyong pagtuturo
Taglay niyo ang kahusayan
Taglay niyo ang karunungan
Hinubog niyo kami sa kabutihan

Sandaang taon na tayo
Lagi ka pa rin sa aming puso
Kaya’t kami sumasaludo
[UP ang galing mo!]
UP ang galing mo!

[Wala nang iba pang maihahambing]
Sa [talino] mo’t [angking galing]
Daanin man sa siyensya
Hi-tech man o kahit ano pa
Ikaw UP ang [nangunguna]

Sa iyong mga dugo ang kasaysayan
Dumaloy sa [pag-unlad] ng ating bayan
Sagisag ka ng kagitingan
Bandila ka ng kalayaan
Pag-asa ka ng mamamayan

Sandaang taon na tayo
Lagi ka pa rin sa aming puso
Sandaang taon na tayo
UP ang galing mo!
UP ang galing mo!

Sandaang taon na tayo
Dangal ka ng Pilipino
Sentro ka ng pagbabago
UP ang galing mo!

Sandaang taon na tayo
UP ang galing mo!
UP ang galing mo!

Hopefully I could still manage to survive the so-called "HELL WEEK". Au revoir. Good luck to ALL OF US.

The Year that WAS

In a few hours, the Philippines will welcome 2008 with a BANG, well except for Davaoeños since firecrackers are prohibited in the city. 2007 has been a tough year for me. Well, these are some remarkable things that I've done in the year 2007.

I SLEPT the whole day before an exam.
I OVERSLEPT during our FINALS. Haha. 8.30 am ang finals ng Chem16, 8.35 am na ako nagising. My God. My prof just laughed at my funny situation.
I ALMOST lost my cellphone. Good thing, I just forgot to get it from Cocok. Haay.
I learned to appreciate small things in LIFE.
I became more happy in my life.
CONTENTMENT is the biggest lesson that I've learned in my LIFE.
I still maintain my optimistic view in life.
I still managed to maintain my rank in college (same as highschool), despite the VERY HIGH standards of my university.
I skipped DINNER just to compensate my sleeping hours, most especially if it's our midterms and finals.
My views in life had become broader than in my previous years.
I had chose my friends WISELY.
I had learned to ride an HH or Habal-habal. HAHAHA.
I had been suffering from INSOMNIA lately.
I had been addicted with CAFFEINE. Ooooh. I prefer ice-cold coffee than hot coffee.
I had been susceptible to diseases like flu, fever and asthma more frequently due to accumulated stress.

I missed my highschool friends. I missed my alma mater. Well new year's coming and I don't have a clue on what wuld be my life for the upcoming year.

Gummy bears are totally addictive, well most especially if they had a song dedicated to them. So, before I end this post (This would be probably my LAST POST for this year), I would like to leave you a CUTE and CHARMING SONG entitled: I am your Gummy Bear, sang by Gummy Bear!

please click the play button since I didn't activate the autoplay. Thanks.

Oh I’m a gummy bear.
Yes I’m a gummy bear.
Oh I’m a yummy tummy funny lucky gummy bear.
I’m a jelly bear.
Cause I´m a gummy bear.
Oh I’m a movin’ groovin’ jammin’ singing gummy bear.
Oh yeaoooh.

VERSE 1
Gummy Gummy Gummy Gummy Gummibär
Gummy Gummy Gummy Gummy Gummibär
Bai ding ba doli party
Bamm bing ba doli party
Breding ba doli party party pop
Bai ding ba doli party
Bamm bing ba doli party
Breding ba doli party party pop

REPEAT REFRAIN

Ba Ba Bidubidubi Yum Yum
Ba Ba Bidubidubi Yum Yum
Ba Ba Bidubidubi Yum Yum
Three Times You Can Bite Me
Ba Ba Bidubidubi Yum Yum
Ba Ba Bidubidubi Yum Yum
Ba Ba Bidubidubi Yum Yum
Three Times You Can Bite Me

VERSE 2
Gummy Gummy Gummy Gummy Gummibär
Gummy Gummy Gummy Gummy Gummibär
Én vagyok a gumimaci
Gyere már gyere velem
Gyere táncolj már kérlek get get party pop.
Én vagyok a gumicummi
Cicci meg a kodile a mambó csoda
Pápé gyere már és táncolj party pop.

REPEAT REFRAIN

Oh Oh Oh Oh badudi party didi
bab bi du bi dam gummy bear
Oh Oh Oh Oh bi du bi dam dam
ba du bi da bi didi gummy bear party pop
REPEAT REFRAIN

Six freakin' HOURS to go before 2008!

The PIG'S remaining DAYS

The end is near.

It's like saying goodbye to Piglet, Babes, the three little pigs, PEGGY, idig-idig [my alleged pet pig when I was young], BABOY and alike.

The end is near.

I've finally finished and completed the arduous yet exciting Bio 3 (Biodiversity) Lab Reports. I've finished not just one lab exercise, but three life-long exercises. I am half through with my heavy home works and school works. I can now concentrate with my upcoming Chemistry long quiz.

I am almost through.

My friend as well as my classmate, July, stated that these home works almost killed her festive mood in today’s holiday season. I agree with her. I second the motion.

My friend Geva, a BACA [Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts] student said that she didn’t know how to start her midterm projects as school resumes this January 3, 2008.

Inna gave a comment on one of my friendster account. She said that it’s quite difficult to locate those pesky answers on our lab reports in Bio 3.

My good old pal Chippy AKA Kim [Krista] didn’t have plans to study for her upcoming long exams in Microbiology and Animal Science.

Fred Egg had tremendous assignments on his SocSci subjects.

Neil would only worry if it is January 2, 2008. For now, he’s gonna enjoy the festive spirit of the yuletide season.

Life is always difficult. You should deal with it.

While I was busy on answering my Bio 3 Lab reports, Carmi texted me that we should have some quality time together with my barkada at the mall (G-mall). Uggh, again?! So we finalized our plans by midnight.

Life is short and full of surprises.

I’m still suffering with my severe flu and my head aches so bad when night struck. I drank two medicine tablets and good thing my head ache went off. Eventually, mom gave me a cool massage on my forehead, head, back and chest. She surprised me.

Life is so sweet and wonderful.

I crave for fruitcakes. My friends find me weird for I find fruitcakes delicious.

Life is a sophisticated thing. Life is WEIRD.

I’m quite anxious with the upcoming year, which is the year 2008. I really don’t know what would be my fate in the next five days.

Destiny shall linger upon one’s life. It is a mysterious paradigm.

I’m going to sleep early. I’m going to meet my old friends within the next 10 hours.

Life is sweet, delicate and a wonderful gift from GOD. Five jittery days before 2008 !!!