The Stir of Professionalism

On a small gathering…

Neanderthal: Uy, college na pala anak mo? Saan and anong course? Nursing ang kinuha niya no?
Homo Sapien: Hindi nursing kinuha ng anak ko. BS Bio, sa UP.
Neanderthal: Wow UP. Pero bakit Bio ang kinuha niya? Nag Nursing nalang sana siya.
Homo Sapien: Mag memed siya ehh and ayaw niya talaga ng Nursing.
Neaderthal: Naku, kung di siya magmemed, baka teacher LANG ang bagsak niya.
Homo Sapien: Wala namang ganyanan..

The moment I learned this conversation from a credible person, I was really disappointed with that Neanderthal. I got thwarted by her statements not because of the alternate profession the moment I’ll graduate, but because of the word “lang”. Lang is but a single word with a deep meaning that can sometimes entrench into one’s feelings and emotions.

Admittedly, I don’t want to be a teacher. It’s not like the profession itself, but it lies on the talent. Being a teacher is NOT an easy task. One must have perseverance, patience and self control. Often times, I don’t possess at least one of these positive attitudes. Sometimes, I’m not patient. Sometimes I can’t control my mood which may inflict certain clashes in the environment. Though I have perseverance and determination, still it would not help to enter that kind of profession. Also, I don’t have the talent and passion of teaching. In that way, there’s no way that I could be a good teacher. That’s why I opt to be a doctor or a research scientist rather than to be a teacher.

Whenever I could see a great teacher, that is, her teaching strategies are very effective plus I can learn a lot of things from her lectures, I would be amazed by her talent and skills. Sometimes, I thought of being a teacher when I graduate but a minute or two later, I realized that I can’t be that great. Siigh.

Another thing to wage about is this Nursing matter. Since the dawn of the new millennium, a lot of high school graduates have been enrolling through different Nursing schools. The trend went exponentially higher compared to the the last eight years. A lot of people thought that when one took Nursing, one will get rich once he’s working abroad.

Reality check:

• Don’t you think all of the nursing students really love their course? I do know a few people that they’re just following the latest trend but deep inside, they really loathed their course (nursing) for a certain reason. Sometimes they just followed on what their parents have suggested when they’re still in high school.

• Don’t you think that the expenditures are all relatively the same when you work in abroad and in our own country? We know a lot of people are amazed with the burgeoning future of a nurse who works abroad. They are more encouraged to work in a foreign country most especially if the value of dollar is high. Let’s do simple math shall we? First a nurse who works on abroad earns at least Php 140,000 per month (assuming that he works for at least three years). That’s very high compared to a nurse who works here in the country. But if you calculate all of the expenses, like food, rent (shelter), electricity, water, personal expenses, “padala-for-relatives” and etc. it will only mean the same thing! It will solely depend to the bread winner’s frugality and thoughtfulness.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not against to those people who took nursing as their course in college. It’s just like there are some people who can’t comprehend the real meaning of success. People perceive success as a person with lots and lots of properties and money. Some may see a rich business tycoon to be successful. But don’t you think he’s happy on to it?

But it’s still nice to know that there are some people took Nursing because of the reason that they love it. They have the real passion and determination to become a successful nurse. No heartaches and no hard feelings. As long as the ardor’s there, that would not be a problem. Now that’s the real attitude of a nurse.

“Man can never be satisfied with the things around him”, that’s what I’ve learned during one of my Economics lectures back in high school. Okay, that’s human nature, I guess. But being successful or success, in my own POV means that you’re happy on what you’ve accomplished on to your life. If you’re happy to live in a simple live in a simple life, then you’re successful. If you’re happy to be charitable, like what Mother Teresa did in Calcutta, India, then you’re successful. If you’re happy to teach students, then you ARE successful.

Being successful is not hard to attain, as long as there’s happiness.

Earth to Neanderthal, EARTH TO NEANDERTHAL! Forgive me for that insolent name. But please, do not underestimate teachers. Also, you don’t need to take nursing to become rich and successful. Such a shallow mentality. Forgive me. I just want to express my insights.

Thanks to the “lang” word, FCOL.

the final judgment

And this entry is not just for you, but for everyone else.

Well, there’s nothing wrong of judging people, right? What’s the work of the judges in a contest? They must determine on who’s the best among the contestants. What’s the work of the judge of the court? They have to discern whether the criminals are guilty or not.

These two examples have the right to judge because in the first place, they have their own BASIS in which each and every people agrees on to it. The judge of the contest has its own criteria to follow while the judge of the court has to abide with the Philippine Constitution and to some legislative laws.

But my concern runs with a judgment without bases and evidences. I have to admit, when I was younger, I used to practice this bad habit. But I’ve learned a LOT of things about it. Yes, I do believe in karma and I would always muster self discipline just to avoid that bad attitude. I know, I don’t have the right to tell you about this, but it’s just there’s something that bothers me and I need everyone else to be aware by its malevolent presence.

I knew a lot of people who have this kind of attitude. Personally, I really hate it when they judge a person on to its PHYSICAL LOOKS. Come on people! I’m sick and tired of it. Who cares if he looks like a skeleton? Who cares if her nose looks like a tomato? Who cares if she’s like a human pig? They’re still human. They still have feelings about it. What if they’ve heard all your discriminating judgments? I think having an imperfect face is not a basis to judge a person’s personality, for crap’s sake! And I REALLY DON’T BELIEVE that a perfect face exists on to this planet! Yeah, they looked perfect, from head to toe. The question is, are they happy about it? There are some people who are still not happy about their life, and that’s another story.

Okay, here’s another thing. Judging a person according to his face is VERY RUDE. But, it’s just a shallow thing. Duuh. But hey, judging one’s personality is yet another thing. As we all know, I really hate it when people judge a person according to the basis of “first impression”. SCREW THAT AXE’S CRAPPY ADVERTISEMENT, because first impression doesn’t last! You still don’t know the person if you just base on to your first impression to him! At a first glance, he’s very silent and very “suplado”, but if you know the real story behind his life, you’ll get to know the reason why is he like that and yadahyadah.

So, if you want to judge a person, be sure to have your strong and CREDIBLE basis about it. If you don’t have bases, just keep your mouth shut and concentrate on to more significant things in life.

One last thing.

Back in high school, I asked my classmate kung bakit ang hilig niyang manglait ng mga tao. Her answer was VERY SHALLOW.

“Wala lang. Hobby ko lang kasi. Masarap talagang manglait.” (And boy, she’s very proud about it)

And then I replied, “Bakit? Kung sasabihin ko sa harap ng pagmumukha mo na ang TH (trying hard) mo, masarap pa rin ba ang feeling mo?”

And then she was stupefied by my reply.

Oo nga naman, the beauty of human nature. Siiigh.

First Day. First Week. First Love :)

And I have to compensate with the new time zone. Jetlag perhaps, but no! I didn’t go out of the country. I didn’t cross six to eight time zones westerly. I didn’t spend my summer vacation in Hamburg, Germany or in Vienna, Austria.

For two months I have changed my body clock drastically and I have been suffering from insomnia. I don’t know. I can’t help myself. I’m alive most especially right after midnight. I feel tired during the day but active when the night blankets the blue hue of the sky.

Everyday, I have to wake up at least 6.30 am to 7.00 am. No, my house isn’t fifty kilometers away from school, it’s just I’m fond of doing unnecessary things whenever I woke up. After breakfast, I usually watch some morning shows before hitting the ice-cold shower.

I have met my new set of professors and I felt that they’re good and nice. And right now, I’m in the mood of hitting those books and read the lessons in advance. You know, I have made a promise to myself to do better than the last semester (though, my performance last semester was good), still, I just want to try and determine my physical, mental and emotional capacity towards my attitude and interest in school. Through this, I can determine when and where the right time is and place to balance leisure and studies.

Let’s thank God for Friday. I can’t imagine life without Fridays. Whatever! That’s utterly impossible!

And yeah, I just noticed that everyday, even if I do have a hearty breakfast, I’m always hungry. Ugggh. Prices of rice and viands in the university canteen are skyrocketing due to the high prices of rice, raw materials, gasoline, livestock and many more.

Every Juan in the country has experienced these kinds of predicaments. But there’s only one thing that Juan didn’t experience since the start of this trend: the HEIGHT of our dearest PRESIDENT.

And so, most of us have our own supply of rice just to recompense the burden.

One thing, I’m really hooked with Oishi’s commercial.

MANGA! MANGA! MANGA! MANGA!
MELON! MELON! MELON! MELON! MELON!

Demented Thoughts

I have searched for your aura
from the scorching heat of Sahara Desert to the cold and bitter Artic Tundra
I felt that I'm all alone
Whisking, whistling 'til I'm blown
Away away away.. far, far away
Despair and dismay
You left me in oblivion
And I thought my life, with your presence, is an endless horizon
Where are you? Where are you?
You have left my life askew
I have asked a million queries
My soul is already battered and weary
I don't get it. I can't find you.
And I thought that I was blind since the dawn of my existence

The Sunset of Summer Sunshine

The anxiety that I’ve been experiencing for the past few days had caused two unusual and painful zits in my ass. Darn.

This is my second blog post for the day, and yes I’m a bummer. Whatever!

But hey before we end the summer season, let’s have a quick review about my summer vacation. I just want to share some insights about it, okay? Haha.

I remember that during the third week of March, during the height of our final examinations in school, I would always fancy that school’s over. I can’t wait for another sleepless and grueling weeks to follow. Scantiness of sleep and soupy mornings are quite normal to us. Yes, finally! We’re getting used to the bloody lifestyle of a UP student. Sigh.

And ‘lo and behold, on the first day of April, I finally breathed the aroma of summer. The rays of summer sunshine caressed my stressful soul. Yes! So I would like to say my provisional adieu to my Chemistry and Biology books and handouts. We shall see each other again in the next two months.

I was quite disappointed with my parents’ decision since they didn’t allow me to join the summer class. I should be taking SSP7 (Hitchhiker’s Guide to Mindanao), and AH4 (Literature). But, I understand their decision. Yes, I have longed for this kind of hibernation. At least, I did enjoy my summer break, even if I only stayed within the premises of the city.

I have learned how to manipulate images in Adobe Photoshop. I have learned how to play with the CSS (cascading style sheet) Codes, essential on creating cool layouts in Friendster, Blogger and Multiply. I’m glad that somehow, some people appreciated my works, and this motivates me to create more and more cool layouts.

I have learned how to deal with online business. I’m desperate of getting some money. Nahihiya talaga akong humingi ng pera sa parents ko, most especially if it only answers my caprices, not on useful things like electric and water bill, food and of course, the internet bill. I have entered this layout-maker-business-of-whatever-company since I only have twenty five pesos in my wallet. The good thing was I have clients. Actually, it was an exciting and fun experience to deal with them. No, I’m not an Economics major to deal with the right supply and demand stuffs or a ComSci/IT major, the only possible person that can decipher those codes. It’s just my favorite past time. At least, I did something productive in my summer break, well, aside from sweeping those unwanted craps sa bahay ng mga aso ko, and cleaning my own room.

I have traveled beyond my imagination. During summer, I always ask my dad what does Buda looked like. I have seen numerous pictures of Buda (from my friends’ online album and I really want to go there. Since they (my parents) didn’t allow me to join the first summer escapade in the beach, an hour away from the city (through boat) since it’s quite dangerous to cross the desolating waves of Davao Gulf, I thought my summer was a bummer. Ugggh. No money and no adventures. BUUMMMER! Thanks to Aiai, my parents finally approved to join her unique eighteenth birthday celebration at Buda, an hour and a half away from the bustling metropolis of Davao. Finally!

In my life, I thought walking through the thick fog in the national highway, diving into one of the hidden waterfalls in the city and to experience intense cold weather of the mountains would be nothing but a dream. I was wrong. I have hiked through the mountainous trail of Buda and I have crossed numerous boondocks that lies majestically along the national highway.

Even if I haven’t gone to Hongkong, Singapore or even Boracay, this was the most memorable summer break that I have experienced.

And right now, I’m looking forward to have the most memorable semester of my stay in UP, and hope that it would not be memorable since it’s a disastrous one. Oh no.

I have to sleep early starting today. My vegetables.

Let's do the SOSYAL HIGH!

There goes little Johnny clinging and hugging his hardbound books of Calculus, Physical Chemistry and Molecular Biology. You can rarely find him in groups of three or four for he prefers to be with his books. And hey, don’t forget about Mary! She doesn’t want to be a loner. If only she joins Miss Universe, she would have won the Miss Congeniality title. But hey, the hardcore heartthrob Andrei prefers to be on the gym always but sometimes he wants to be serious on to his studies. Girls (and homos) go gaga on to him. But the ordinary Andy prepares his day in an ordinary day. He’s just a commoner, but who cares? He just wants to be true to himself.

Meet Chenelynn. She has an artificially blond hair. Her hair’s very stiff since her hair’s not that straight. She only thinks of boys and boys and Andrei??! Naah. She wears “original” Gucci eyewear, Vuitton bags and shoes in which someone saw her in the local chiangge buying all of these alleged original stuffs. Together with their gang, composed of grotesque zombies namely Chenes, Chorva, Chekes and Chukchak, they strut and stride in the campus, as if they were the stars. But heck, most people think they just want to fake their status in life. They lived in a life full of pretensions and treachery.

Meet the social climbers of the society.

A social climber is someone who seeks social prominence by obsequious behavior. Some define it as a parvenu, one who has suddenly risen to a higher economic status but has not gained social acceptance of others in that class.

I studied in one of the private Catholic-Chinese school here in Davao. Admittedly, some of my classmates were sons and daughters of rich Chinese business tycoons in the city. Ironically, you can’t pinpoint someone or somebody if he’s the son of Davao’s Lucio Tan. They just dressed in a simple way. Often, these rich kids are very humble and they just want to be simple, plus most of them excelled in their academics. I believed that they have their own vision to be successful in the near future.

Well obviously, those unhealthy mandrakes of the society want to be famous, like the sons and daughters of Davao’s Lucio Tan. Social climbers hunger for fame and power. Also, they bully those girls (and even boys), as if they don’t want to see their faces in the planet anymore! They want these two greatest things at their hands in an instant! So the desperate solution for this fraught act is this:

Buy those fake Benetton Bags, straighten their curly hairs, apply some rainbow wonkiness to their hairs, buy this and buy that and etc!

But no, I’m not against of buying fake Vuitton bags, I mean, who wants to buy the original one wherein it costs almost a million bucks, right? Let’s be practical for God’s sake!

The bottom line is this: Let’s be true to ourselves, right? I mean, living in a life full of treachery, lies and pretensions is really hard. Why should we just live within our normal self right? Straighten your personality Chennelyn and company. I know each and everyone of us want to have a peaceful life.

Now this really intrigues me. Why do these malignant mandrakes opt the more difficult way than the easier way? Well, they did follow Robert Frost’s poem though:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference

Well, they have taken the less traveled road. I do think Robert Frost intends to choose the less traveled road to have a brighter future, that is, if you endure those challenges and dilemmas in life. But these mandrakes have chosen the less traveled road, yes they want challenges and alike, but will they be successful when they reach the end? Isn’t it hard to realize that your efforts to be on top wouldn’t be that great if you just live in a life full of lies?

Reality bites, I guess. Wake up zombies! Let us think of this way: Each and everyone of us are unique with each other. We can be famous in different ways. You can be famous in the field of Science. You can be one of the recipients of Nobel Prize in Physics, Chemistry, or Medicine... Who knows? You can be the next recipient of the Pulitzer Prize. You can be the next Mother Teresa. You can be the hero of your baranggay.

But then again, who wants fame? Each and every one of us deserves to have privacy. It’s just a matter of time and fate to determine our life in the future. Let the six billion souls of the planet be illumined. You know, life is wonderful. Let’s enjoy life, okay? We must be true to ourselves. Stop social PIRACY. So you want to be like Chenelynn? Think again. I know most of you don’t want to loose your friends, dignity, self-esteem and respect. You don’t want to have a pitiful life, do you?

Human cloning is yet another issue though. :)

Despedida of Desperation on a Depraved Society

I have two pairs of eyes. I have a 20-20 vision, so perfect and aptness glistened on my world. I have a perfect nose. I can smell everything, from the putrid smell of sewer to the sweet fragrance of flowers in May. I have two pairs of ears. I can hear the beauty of God’s creation. I have a complete body organs and functional systems. They work according to their function and they act in systematically.

He only has one eye. His other eye suffered from the wrath of Lucifer. He only has one kidney and he’s weaker. The evil tooth fairy pulled out all of his teeth by using her magical pliers. He’s getting weaker. And yes, he doesn’t have a complete body parts. He is not perfect.

But no, perfection can never be attained by everyone else. People nowadays are becoming more desperate on to this decisive period of time. People lived in a harsh environment. They are suffering from hostility and immorality in this gratuitous community. Money is not an issue after all; it’s in the people and in the leaders who rule our country. Likewise, mutuality between the two sectors must be observed. Crisis is everywhere!

I have watched The Correspondents a while ago and I realized that people are finding ways just to earn money, that is, to support their family by giving shelter, food and drink. I was stunned by those people who were featured in the show. One donated his left eye in exchange of Php 150,000. I believe in this saying na “Ang perang galing sa hangin, ay mawawala na parang bula.” Another man donated his WHOLE SET OF TEETH for just Php 1,200! You see, he can’t eat nor chew the food well and sometimes his gums bleed whenever he chews hard food like biscuits, meat and etc.

I say that the body is the most sacred gift from God. You know, everything in our body is irreplaceable, even with the help of the latest technology. I mean c’mon! Even the latest technology has its own glitches and flaws. You can’t replace the whole EYE (except for the cornea). You can’t totally replace your damaged cochlea, auditory nerves and olfactory nerves. Everything in our body should be subjected on intensive care.

But what do these people do? They just donate their own kidneys, livers, eyeballs, corneas, teeth, kneecaps, blood in exchange of money. But wait! There are other alternatives that can generate revenues, right? It’s just, people can’t think clearly if they’re subjected to desperation. Admittedly, I chose the worse decision whenever I’m desperate. Does that count as a psychological imbalance? Desperation can lead to depression, I guess. They do whatever their body can endure, whether pain or morality, as long as they don’t ran out of ideas just to thrive and survive the hostile society.

I’m not mad at them. I pity them since some of them aren’t paid by those gruesome crocodiles. C’mon. They are the ones who are unfortunate in their lives, in terms of education and livelihood and it’s quite IRONIC to think that they’re the ones who are deceived by the highly educated citizens of the community!

This is just one hell-of-an example of Cancer in society. Just think of this simple thought: Men are different from cars. We do not sell our body parts like those SPARE parts of cars. Selling our body is an immoral act. Our body is sacred. It’s such a degrading act if we do that dissolute thing. Why do such people commit such things like these?

And the answer for that query? Poverty.

Poverty (also called penury) is defined as deprivation of those things that determine the quality of life, including food, clothing, shelter and safe drinking water, but also "intangibles" such as the opportunity to learn and to enjoy the respect of fellow citizens. Poverty could make everyone insane. It thus has damaging effects on the society. According to Wikipedia:

The capacity of the state is further undermined by the problem that people living in poverty may be more vulnerable to extremist political persuasion, and may feel less loyalty to a state unable to deliver basic services. For these reasons conditions of poverty may increase the risk of political violence, terrorism, war and genocide, and may make those living in poverty vulnerable to human trafficking, internal displacement and exile as refugees. Countries suffering widespread poverty may experience loss of population, particularly in high-skilled professions, through emigration, which may further undermine their ability to improve their situation.

But I am certain that these predicaments in our society could benefit somehow on to each and everyone’s well being. It makes us stronger and helps us realize that this is just a part of our everyday life. Unfortunately, there are some people who have a weak heart and low self-esteem, which eventually leads them to suicide. It just saddens me whenever I hear some news about a man who commits suicide because of poverty.

Let’s just hope that desperation would leave us and she will give her final goodbyes to us soon, VERY SOON. Let’s just hope and pray for that, even if it’s quite impossible. But who knows right? Nothing’s impossible! Let’s just wait for the GOLDEN KEY.

..Save all the poor and set the children free..

BUDA - Davao's version of Baguio City

Finally I’m back from the cyber world! Yeehah. I really missed this thing, but hey! I will never forget and regret my wonderful experience on yesterday and today’s adventure. HAHAHA!

Since the second week of May, we, together with Aiai (the birthday celebrant), decided when and where will she celebrate her eighteenth birthday. She wants to have a memorable experience on to her eighteenth birthday. YEEHAH! And so, after giving all of our efforts and suggestions, we finally agreed that she will have her debut party at Buda. At first, my parents were hesitant (and yeah, that’s their role whenever I want to have an adventure), but then it seems like napapagod na silang mageexplain about the cold weather in Buda, the cold and foggy mornings and evenings and etcetera. But then, because of my plea, they finally gave their final decision: SASAMA NA AKO. At last!!

So yesterday, I have prepared my things by nine in the morning, uploaded some videos in my site, ate my lunch and finally left my domicile. We rendezvoused at UP and due to some minor commotions with the driver and to some minor confusion we left at around 3:40 pm instead of the planned time, which is 2.00 pm sharp (Ye know, Filipino Time. HAHAHA!)

Tara! Biyahe Tayo sa Buda!

Let's do the Yuri High!

It was a smooth and rainy ride. Mother Nature made us enthralled by the beauty of the lush pine forest, rich foliage and the picturesque view of the mountain ranges. We finally arrived at the Island in the Sky (the venue) at around 5pm. And yes, Davao City pa rin ang Buda, haha!

Picturesque view.

Grabe! Ang lapit lang na Jollibee! Pa deliver tayo?? =)))))))

We unpacked our things and cooked for our dinner. And yeah, the dinner was indeed sumptuous. Kumain kami ng Thai Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry, sosyal much. NAKS! Scrumptious, delectable, PALATABLE.. burger! Burger! Burger! After dinner, me together with Aiai, Princess and with the Food Tech pipz talked about anything under the sun – from school, love life, crushes, high school life, ghost stories sa dorm, academic pressure in UP and many more. Others went upstairs to prepare a surprise for Aiai’s special day.

SO YEAH! This part was full of fun and excitement! Aiai’s 18 memories and 18 “party” balloons! HAHAHA! Just look on to our silly faces.

Ang ganda ng balloons namin! :))))))

Ugggh! My HAAAAAAAAND!

It was indeed very cold on that night. Ang tubig lang nga sa gripo, sing lamig ng tubig na nasa loob ng ref! GRABEEH! We can’t see anything outside since there were no street lights on the highway (except for the faint outline of the fog that hovers the night). The air was very cold, daig pa niya ang aircon sa bahay! It was almost midnight but we were now on to our respective beds. Aiai and her buddies slept at the living room while I, July, Mon, Yuri, Sir Jong and Neil slept at the attic. We opted to leave the window open. We just talked everything under the sun, mostly from our teacher’s experience in UP. At heto pa, bentang benta ang joke ni Neil. HAHAHA! =)))))))))

Neil: Bibigyan kita ng trabaho, 10,000 pesos per day ang sweldo, i-lista mo ang mga pangalan ng mga NOISY sa PALENGKE.

HAHAHA. Grabeh. But the girls below had a funnier conversation. They just talked about their wishes and dreams to marry this one guy. Kahit anong pilit nilang ichange ang topic, bumabalik pa rin sila sa “main” topic nila. HAHAHAH. Diba Girls? HAHAHA.

Finally, at around 1 in the morning, we decided to close our eyes and sleep like ishlseeping beauty.

I woke up at five twenty in the morning and I was beguiled by the scenic view of the garden in our window. The sky was blue and we our morning was greeted with a heavy fog. Zero visibility. But yeah, it was realllllyyy COOLLLDDD! Imagine, tatlong layers na ng damit ang sinuot ko, giniginaw pa rin ako! HAHAHA =))))

The dawn is breaking.



Nasa highway sila. COOOOLLLD!



Kamiiii rin!

We had some random pictorials in the HIGHWAY! I also realized that Buda is the BEST PLACE to commit SUICIDE. Diyos ko, ang saya niyan kung madaganan ka ng eighteen-wheeler truck or ng bus! HAHA! Ayos niyan, hindi ka talaga mabubuhay since ang layo ng hospital, (Eh Jollibee nga 76 km ang layo, how much more ang mga hospitals sa Davao!).

Monster truck madness.

The fog lasted for about three and a half hours. It finally dissipated at around nine fifteen in the morning. Well, we decided na maligo sa Epol Falls, about 30-40 minutes away by foot from the rest house. We walked in the highway, and admittedly, it was dangerous yet exciting. HAHAHA =)))). We bought strawberries and entered the wilderness. It was my first time actually to see a waterfall. I thought sa tv ko lang yan makikita (sounds OA, but true), but then, nakakita na talaga ako ng waterfalls! WEEEE. I’m so happy. The water was refreshingly COLD. Some did photo shoots in the falls.

The death march. =)))))))

We're down down in an earlier round!

Papasok pa lang kami!

Heto and makikita namin kapag naghihiking kami to Epol Falls. :)))))

It was a fun and an exciting trip that I’ve experienced. There were no dull moments and all we have to do is to enjoy the last two weeks of summer!

Somehow, this is the best summer vacation that I’ve experienced. I learned new things, hiked for almost an hour and was almost attacked by asthma due to fatigue (yan kasi, kulang sa exercise!), discovered the wonders of Mother Nature, and have a close encounter with Mr. Fog.

Sir Jong and his girlfriends. HAHAHA. JOKE LANG! :))))))))

Kaming Lahat.



Epol Waterfalls!

Once again, Aiai Lagmay! HAPPY EIGHTEENTH BIRTHDAY! =)))) WE LOVE YOU. Awwww. =))))))

So yeah, I know we have to say goodbye to the rest house and to Buda, but as what the infamous McArthur have always said during the World War II to the Filipinos: I SHALL RETURN, or better, WE SHALL RETURN.

Bye bye Buda!

And now, it's DORA THE EXPLORER'S turn:

What was your favorite part of the trip..BLINK BLINK.. I LIKE THAT TOO!

The Quest of Sir Marione of Kingdom Lancelotte

For five days, I have ventured the most breathtaking expedition in my entire life.

It all started with a mysterious phone call. It was five eighteen in the morning and the dawn was about to break into the mytical eastern horizon. The bluish hue of the sky marks the beginning of another ordinary day, or otherwise.

The voice behind the phone was indeed cold and stern. He faxed me some pictures, depicting a lifeless nude body with a startling mark on his frail chest. I turned the picture upside-down and I can’t believe what I saw on the picture. Illuminati - a secret brotherhood. Illuminati literally mean “the enlightened ones”. As a Harvard professor of Art and History, Illuminati’s aim was to trounce the foundations of the Catholic Church, particularly in the Vatican. They were sworn enemies since the dawn of Renaissance Period.

I flew from Massachusetts to Geneva, Switzerland in just an hour. I rode on to this uncanny plane in which the pilot claimed that it was a Boeing X-33.

I was welcomed by Maximilian Kohler, the director of CERN. I was still mystified of this by the death of one of their great Physicist, Leonardo Vettra. Apart of it, I was amazed by the interior of the complex. There, I met the late Leonardo Vettra’s adopted daughter, Vittoria. She was indeed beautiful and no doubt, she was one of the finest Physicist, or Biophysicist to be exact in this complex.

Little by little, I was informed that an antimatter was about to explode in the next six hours. We went into the depths of the complex. There I witnessed the antimatter annihilation. I knew in an instant, The Holy See will be the largest crater in the world.

Still baffled with her Vetra’s untimely death, and with the surprising existence of the Satanic Cult, Illuminati, we flew another hour to our next destination.

The Roman afternoon sun glistened on to Leonardo Da Vinci Airport’s tarmac as the Boeing X-33 made its way to the hangar. We were directly transported to Vatican City, the smallest country of the world, the city that lies within a city. The Tiber River of Rome silently snakes its way to the lush Mediterranean Sea as we flew around the vast skyline of Rome.

The Swiss Guards

I noticed that the St. Peter’s Square was jam packed with tourists and media vans. Dang, later I realized that it was the Vatican’s sacred tradition, the Conclave. This was done fifteen days after the Pope’s untimely death. Perfect! The Holy See sits in a ticking time bomb. Illuminati had planned this malevolent war.

Some time later, we received an anonymous call, describing and illustrating that the next few hours would be deadly. Four cardinals, the preferetti (the Papal candidates), were abducted by this merciless group.

I have made my way to the secret archives, endured the “oxygen-deprived room” and solved numerous puzzles just to chase the Hassasin. We have traveled from one church to another, only to discover that we’re late and the cardinals were dead. Also, they were mark by an ambigram text, representing the four elements – Earth, wind, fire and water. The path to the Church of Illumination must have a subtle clue on to its statues.

Let the lofty angels guide you.

The Ecstacy of St. Teresa

"…his great golden spear…filled with fire… plunged into me several times…penetrated to my entrails…a sweetness so extreme that one could not possibly wish it to stop." - St. Teresa

I was almost killed by the Hassasin, and I could only see evil on to his spiteful eyes. He kidnapped Vittoria. Time is running out. More and more people flocked to the St. Peter’s square just to witness the countdown and the allegations about the Church and CERN.

I have failed to save the four preferretis. But I will give on to these series of predicaments and tragedies.

Finally, I have found the Church of Illumination. It was indeed dark and sinister. I found Vittoria together with the Hassasin. Armed only with an iron spear, we fought together. I have to admit, he was indeed stronger than me. My body’s already tired. But I felt that God’s presence was within me. The killer fell down into the balcony. He didn’t shout and I only heard a snap from his spine. His body was twisted along with the cannonballs a hundred feet below the balcony.

It was not the end. We still have to catch up. Save Vatican, Save the Camerlengo from the treacherous 11th Hour Samaritan – Maximilian Kohler. We used the secret shortcut going to the Holiest place on earth, the Il Passeto. We caught Kohler branding the Camerlengo – the sixth brand. Instinctively, one of the Swiss guards gunned Kohler together with the captain of Swiss Guard, Capt. Rocher – an Illuminatus.

Suddenly, the Chamberlain ran outside the St. Peter’s Square, going inside the Cathedral. Twenty minutes left ‘til doomsday. We went to the secret catacombs. I was stunned, the Chamberlain’s not acting weird, he was right. The antimatter was hidden from St. Peter’s tomb. The Illuminati wants to destroy the foundation of the Catholic Church – both figuratively and literally. Four minutes, and we dashed from the crowd to the helipad. Yes, I thought we would dump the canister in the open sea, but no, it would be dangerous. The Roman quarry would be great but the Chamberlain flew higher and higher. I was terrified by his decision – a heroic suicide. But then he jumped off the helicopter with a parachute. I have no choice but to jump also, without any safety devices. Then an explosion occurred. I can feel the searing heat of the shockwave. The night was transformed into daylight by a minute or two. Then it went normal.

I thought I saw God. Total blackness. I can see His hands reaching out for me. But no, I was still conscious. I was rushed to the nearest hospital. I’m alive, yes, I’M ALIVE. I went back to the Vatican and I was surprised that Vittoria kissed and hugged me. I never thought that I escaped death right at this moment.

I remembered when the late Kohler handed me this secret video camera. It was small. It was a recorded video, at least an hour ago. It was when Kohler and Chamberlain spoke about the secrets of the antimatter. A leakage occurred on Leonardo Vettra’s secret work. But still we were all thankful that the Vatican was saved by the treacherous attack of the Satanic Cult, the Illuminatti.

And then it hit me. I was on the living room, doing nothing. I have not ridden the Boeing X-33, I may not meet Vittoria Vetra, or the Chamberlain, or the Hassassin, or Maximilian Kohler, but it was not a big deal to me since this is one of the greatest adventures that I’ve experienced in my entire life.

Back to reality, I have to feed my dogs, clean the table, wash the plates, and drink some ice cold coffee.

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate;
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimm'd
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;
Nor shall Death brag thou wanderest in his shade
When in eternal lines to time thou growest
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

The Eighteenth Sonnet
William Shakespeare