Category Archives: buhaykolehiyo

The CSB Experience 2: How I Met Your Buddies (And Others As Well)

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    I don’t know what’s happening but I’m meeting a whole lot of people from left to right, right to left, and in-between. New people, not-so-new people, and friends of friends whom I haven’t met, and friends of friends whom I haven’t heard. plus friends of friends of friends as well as friends of friends I see but never greet and meet and became classmates with, hehehe. :duleng:

I’m being discreet so baka malito kayo. If you could let me mention some names, I would.
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  Last term I met two of Mandy’s buddies, Andy and Yana.  All I can say is that they’re fun! then there’s Coco, Jeff’s high school BFF (joke!) who is very lively (I bore you aren’t I?). then I also have this classmate which is the girlfriend of a firend of my schoolmate who is also the blockmate of my other classmate in my other class last term. Then there is a set of friends of my acquiantances taht I have known since last term for which their unique individuality is their greatest asset. Confusing, yes.

    Right now, I just met many of :toot: (and friends)’s  friends from her (and theirs) other classes, and we just had a very intelligent conversation when I had lunch at the SDA caf. Meanwhile I am also classmates with the boyfriend of my ex-classmate who is also the friend of my schoolmate as well as the blockmate of my other ex-classmate. Meanwhile I’m also classmates with his friend who is the buddy of my previously mentioned set of friends. A former classmate from last term is also buds with the aforementioned and we’re all in one class.

    Meanwhile my classmate from summer class is also my classmate for this term. He knows one of my former classmates from last term who is also my classmate in two classes for which us three are in one of them.

    My co-member in MMX is probably a blockmate of one of my friends as well as classmates with my other blockmates last term. He’s my classmate in one class and we got along well. Now my two-pair buds also have this classmate whom I’ve met while making tambay at the Caf.

    I’m finally classmates with many of my co-members of MMX who are friends of my blockmate’s co-alumnus. They range from the frequent participants of MMX activities to the frequent cosplayers during one of MMX’s events.

Hagggh! Nakakalito naman ‘to! Pati ako naduduleng!

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Reality and Dreams: Singkwentay Sais, When History Repeats Itself

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     I have another Reality and Dreams moment when I felt as if history repeated itself once more.

     It was almost more than a year ago when a foreigner driving a car approached me while I was on my way home from school somewhere in Hulong Duhat (Hulo 4 short). He asked for directions on where to go. First thing I said to him that he mustn’t drive at the road he was in because he’s going the wrong way and it is a one-way road. Second, I told him the route on where to go to Monumento, which costed me a lot of English to say that he needs to turn left out to Gen. Luna Street just before he could go pass the Aglipayan church in Concepcion and turn right to Gov. Pascual straight. Third, I told him to ask any traffic enforcer to help lead him into his destination.

   Now for this time around, I was walking distance away from my subdivision: Just got out from a jeepney I was riding on, crossed the street and simply walk my way home. Just before I did that, a silver SUV passed by and stop. The window from the driver’s side opened and, turns out, a foreign wearing a turban called me out and asked me for directions.

Turban Guy: “Hey…Do you know where Polo Mercury Drug is?”

J: “Yes, you need to drive straight that way (pointing at M.H. Del Pilar Street) to get yourself here. You’ll see a sign that says ‘Mercury Drug’ at the side”

TG: “Ah OK, is it not the one over there pointing at the opposie direction of M.H. del Pilar, meaning the other Mercury Drug along Acacia, Malabon)”

J: “No it’s not…”

TG: “Is this ‘Arkong Bato’ (pointing downward)?”

J: “Yes, this whole area is Arkong Bato, you will have to go in that direction (pointing northward). You’ll end up in Polo. You know you’re there if you see a church, a plaa and a marketplace…”

TG: “Thank you very much!”

J: “Your Welcome!”

And there you have it! What’s next, a Dutch tourist?

 

 

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Media High Life – Philippines

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To future journalists out there, you should learn a thing or two about the evils of sensationalism gripping Philippine Journalism. This video was made more than tem years ago but te situation still hasn’t changed…
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Feb 1996
Rough, raw and competitive – that’s journalism in The Philippines.

TV Patrol, the most popular Programme leads the way with sensational stories and starstruck scandals. Imelda Marcos, overthrown a decade ago, is now a big Filipino personality. She even cracks jokes about her shoes. Chris Aquino, daughter of Cory, is Manila’s answer to Oprah Winfrey. Much to her mother’s disgust, she delights her audience with a kiss and make up session with Marcos’s son, Bong Bong. Father Jim Reuter and journalist Sheila Coronel are among the few dissenting voices who call for a more responsible media. But with its new found freedom, it looks like the media will continue to rebel for some time yet. />/>/>

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No Strings Attached-The Last Bow (Part 2)

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 I never put my heart really into practicing violin because of my parent’s expectations for me to be good by constant practice. They have to know that because of the kind of routinic schedule I had in high school, it leaves no room for me to practice at any given time I choose. If there is such, I usually spend it on purely rest.

    Though I am that way, i make sure that I know what I am playing. To do this, I would always memorize my pieces by simply reading the notes (basic notes for violin is usually easier than piano). It proved to be very substantial as I was able to put into heart my Suzuki pieces easier so the problem on playing properly is my main concern now.

   My instructor noticed my improvement and that’s what motivated me to continue staying in St. Cecilia much longer. It was because of this that I dropped everything attached to my name (except to TKD for which I tried to rejoin but something happened bad).

   Anyway, it seems that after being into violin for so long I finally ad the chance to prove my worth as a violinist when St. Cecilia had its Christmas recital for which Fred was also a part of (that was the time I invited people from II-MOF to come over and watch but none came). Almost there really but not quite yet.

   Next recital occured a few days after I graduated high school. PIeces I played were Andantino and Perpetual Motion in G Major.

Biggest jaw-dropper was my attempt to to continue to study violin while on my first year in college but my being a member of the CSB DebSoc makes it difficult for to committ to either one of them. So in favor of what wieghted the most to my heart, I chose to drop DebSoc and continue on with St. Cecilia.

My most recent recital was earlier last April where I played Etude and J.S. Bach’s Minuet 1 with piano acompaniment from Sir Jun, Fred’s teacher. And I got a plaque of recognition for being a part of St. Cecilia.

The thought of leaving resurfaced again sooner after. And after putting much thought into it, I decided that I should quit violin.

Quitting violin doesn’t mean that I’m going to completely let go of something that became a part of me for the past four years. It was because of he sense of fulfillment and achievement that I felt the moment something that I do got recognized by many.

I have to delay my announcement to my instructor who was there for me all these years because I will have another recital this June in QC. Sir Jomar was a great teacher, a good friend, and good to have conversations with. I shared to him all my thoughts about everything from school to family to anything out of the ordinary. So I owe him a lot so  will give my best so that all those years of hard work and sacrifice won’t put to waste.

I don’t have any regrets at all but praises that I was able to prove something for myself. To prove that I can stay on to one thing and practically love it in the process.

Napatunayan ko na sa sarili ko na mayroong bagay na talagang mapapnindigan ko sa ganoong katagal na panahon. Masakit man na iiwan ko na ito, ang mga alaala ay mananatiling magpapataba sa puso ko.

I will always have a special place for the violin. PEACE!

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No Strings Attached-The Last Bow (Part 1)

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    After close to four years, I have made what could one of the biggest decisions in my life: quitting violin. Yeah, seems so low and unworthy to be called as such but the truth is, this wasn’t the first time I decided to quit violin for good.

 

    It all started way back in July 2004, 2nd year high school. Ms. Mangali who used to be my music teacher in 1st year handed out flyers for those interested to join the St. Cecilia Music Studio. It offers lessons in voice, guitar, piano, and violin. I was rather intrigued by their violin lesson offer as unlike the rest, it is a very unconventional instrument at a time when the youth of today take interest in learning how to sing, to play the guitar, and of course to play the piano (a long tradition of piano tutoring have been passed down to us from my mom’s side of the family whose relatives were exposed to learning piano).

   At that time, my mom had me signed up for piano lessons without my permission which coincided with me joining the St. Cecilia Music Studio. I still remember my first session with my instructor, Sir Jomar. There was traffic on the way to school so I have to walk my way across Maysilo until I got to ride a tricycle in Tonsuya to take me straight to Bayan/San Agustin.

   I signed up for a group lesson and initially there were three of us. Ate Kristine Lacqueo of Batch 2006 and of course, the future guitarist of FOREPLAY, Kelvin. The two of them then were of a higher playing level as I was still new to violin, a neophyte. In third year, Kristine had to drop out citing problems with her inevitable thesis project for Ms. Flores’ Fundamentals of Research (for which I got an A- when I passed my thesis a year later). Keb, however, simply dropped himself out. So I was the only one left.

   Usual training starts with a warm-up by right-hand and arm in bowing position and trying to play out a string starting from the C-string, then D, then G, then E followed by set of “Hanon”-like fingering exercises called SEVCIK (I dread SEVCIK but it’s the only to correct my fingering especially the pinky). After that was WOLFAHRT, a training book for violin beginners where I play out a set of notes setted up as a musical piece. Last but not least is the playing of the Suzuki pieces where I played Sinichi Suzuki-modified versions of existing violin pieces.

   I always have the thought of leaving violin as early as the year I was starting out. But there were a lot of factors that affected my decision-making. Pressure from my parents is one, another is the fact that my parents invested a relatively pricey violin for me to enroll for this so I stayed on (so I put all my dread to piano which I continued until earlier last year).

It was kinda embarassing for me to have people know that I’m studying violin. It actually comes out in their minds that I’m good at it but it’s not as easy as i really seems. Take a look at the poor girl from Music Ministry who plays violin during masses, many students poked fun at her for playing poorly. The truth is, you can’t expect somebody like her, a young violinist to play ala Paganini right away. It takes years of practice to really master the art of violin.

   

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The CSB Experience 2: Akala ni Sheena ay Yung Malaking Matipuno

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    Last Saturday, I went to school for my actual first and only class for that particular day (not counting my 6 days-a-week BMAT last summer) which is PETWODA (Dance). I wonder if my last prof for the week would a a guy or a woman since I had for the past threen terms of my stay in CSB a ratio of women to men professors fixed at 5-6:2-3 (1st term: Sir Raffy, Sir Intecom/Gepsych, 2nd: Sir Intecom/Gepysch, Sir Vincent, Sir Erwin, 3rd: “Coach”, Sir Comsk2x. For the 1st term so far, I have at least one male professor and the rest are females.

    Turns out, I have another male professor in Petwoda and the female prof that day was a substitue.  Now I wonder who among the PE guys profs I see almost everywhere everyday would be…As long as he bears the name “Conrado Contrera”.

    During C-break last Wednesday a PE professor (obvious as he was wearing jogging pants, typical for those under PE) accidentally dropped a copy of his PE core syllabus. I picked it up and surprised that it was a copy of the Petwoda syllabus. I gave it back to him the paper and he thanked me then went on to his way. First thought: He might be the “Conrado Contreras” that I was looking for.

    I then asked Hoogie who is his prof in Petwoda and he said it’s a guy. I asked if he goes by the name “Conrado”, he said yes. I asked if that guy matches the decription of the person I saw in the Caf earlier, he said yes.

    A day later, I was having lunch at the Caf again, this time seating next to Sheena and Aje (They’re waiting for Inna and Jenny who both have all of their classes in SDA). Aje left for a while, and I was stucked with Sheena. we then talked about our Petwoda professors. And when I specifically described my prof as “matipuno ang katawan”, the first thing came in her mind “Matipuno?”. She aksed if the guy was buff, I said “Pretty much..”. She said that it could be the bodybuilder PE prof that I was talking about. I thought about it at first but it wasn;t him.

    I do see that professor Sheena was talking about everyday as well but he’s too big for just being “matipuno ang katawan”. And I couldn’t really imagine a bodybuilder dancing very gracefully (a myth among fitness buffs that is still a center of debate).

    Well anyway, I’ll be able to know who is actually Mr. Conrado Contreras when I do get to meet him today at school.

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Reality and Dreams: Dream Party

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    I don’t know what was going on inside my head this morning…Earlier past midnight I already felt wasted caused by the events occured yesterday. The last thing I did before finally going to sleep is that I was listening to a live broadcast on DWRT-FM where a concert is being held somewhere at Eastwood and closing that event was Bamboo.

    When I finally got myself to sleep, I began having weird dream sequences. One dream that i ahd is that I was already awake and my dad kept on nagging me to go back to bed. At first I thought it was all real but what made the difference is that I somehow can’t move my body so I assume I was having one of THOSE dreams again.

    Second dream was that I thought I heard something that made our vehicle, a Toyota Revo, make :vroom: :vroom: and that someone opened our gate..weird. Just this morning when I was actually awake, a family friend was aksed b y my mom to bring her to one of her trips in Manila using our Toyota Revo.

    Third final dream sequence, I had a “hangover” of sorts as I saw myself partying with my former blockmates in DV1 partying right where it started…Eastwood. I was so asleep that I never noticed the light of day about to reach beyond my windows. the only concious thing I did while still asleep was turning off the electric fan as I was feeling shivers all over my body. Probably the reason for this was that I was using my CD player that can receive FM signals for the past half-hour or so before going to bed in the first place…

    Kuya started waking me up and without my knowledge took, once again, my earphones….Grrrr…

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