it's been quite a while

yup, it really has been since i last posted some stuff here. i haven't even been writing regularly in my journal for cw10 since last thursday.



lots of stuff have really happened. a while ago, i went to cello's in katipunan with some of my orgmates for some doughnuts. i just had my molar bands placed last saturday so i wasn't sure if i could eat, but surprisingly, i could bite into their doughnut because they were so soft. i ordered the cheese-topped one. it's so good. i gotta try the other toppings - m&m, oreo, strawberry, peanut butter. hopefully, when that time comes, i could bite with my teeth already and not just suck the whole thing into my throat, which i have been doing with everything that gets inside my mouth for the last 4 days.



*





i went home to dagupan last weekend. i borrowed some anime from mark and i also brought home the ones i've bought. i really spent quite a fortune on that one. 2 rats anime - the store in robinson's metroeast that i'm buying from - had a sale this november at Php35.00 per cd so i bought some. all in all, these are the titles that i brought home: trigun (series), serial experiments lain (series), weiss kreuz/knight hunters (series), hellsing (series), escaflowne (movie), perfect blue (movie), akira (movie), blood: the last vampire (movie) and the angel sanctuary (movie). a lot huh? consider that trigun and weiss kreuz have 26 episodes in all - so that amounts to 13 cds per series. the only ones we've been able to watch is trigun. astig! i loved it. now i understand it. i also liked their sound effects. he's like a gun-toting kenshin himura only with lots more goof and he almost has an un-hero-like aura to him. yep, people wouldn't even think he was the widely-renowned Vash the Stampede, the humanoid super typhoon. i really love this one. haha! too bad i wasn't able to watch hellsing. i've seen some parts of the first episode and i must say it's quite good. i like the animation. plus, iba ung dating. astig talaga. i watched it with my brothers and sister, though kevin likes to sleep whenever we're watching it. the ending was quite bitin. i didn't fully comprehend what vash really is. but it's an entirely different world for them. right now, i still can't get the opening theme and the theme during the break in the series.



*





this is from mars's post on friendster: 25 things to annoy people. enjoy!



1. Sing the Batman theme aloud inside public toilets while waiting for someone to finish.



2. When falling in line, face at the person behind you, then walk backwards when the line is moving.



3. Ask people what gender they are, and ask again to make sure.



4. Practice making fax and modem noises during coffee break.



5. Ask the taxi driver to turn the radio on, and the meter off.



6. Learn Morse code, and have conversations with friends in public

consisting entirely of "Beeeep Bip Bip Beeeep Bip..."



7. Speak only in a "robot" voice when talking to a superior or boss, always use "Yehes Mahaster".



8. Blow your nose as loud as you can when some one is eating.



9. Ask a fastfood crew for a ketchup packet then stomp on it, then ask for another one. Say please.



10. Name your dog "You."



11. Claim that you must always wear a bicycle helmet to work or class as part of your "astronaut training."



12. Erect an elaborate network of ropes in your backyard, and tell the neighbors you are a "spider-man."



13. Finish all your sentences with the words "according to my mom".



14. Disassemble your pen and "accidentally" flip the ink cartridge to someone's table.



15. Shout random numbers while someone is counting money.



16. Adjust the tint on your TV so that all the people are green, and insist to others that you "like it that way."



17. Perform tribal drums on someone's computer monitor while theyre using it. Make sure to make direct eye contact to the user while doing so.



18. Staple papers in the middle of the page.



19. Scream "he's gonna die later" inside movie theatres everytime the lead actor is onscreen".



20. Set alarms for random times.



21. Change the channel five minutes before the end of a movie.



22. Chew on pens that you've borrowed.



23. Stare at static or color bars on the TV and claim you can see a "magic picture."



24. Call a radio station then request for the national anthem.



25. Wear a clown outfit on weddings.



*



well, 'tis all for now. i gotta run.

umuulan kasi

it's quite a rainy saturday afternoon. i was supposed to go to robinson's metroeast to buy some anime vcds (namely knight hunters and serial experiments lain) from 2 rats when at mcdo, where alessa and i ate a late lunch/early dinner, it started to rain. and with the water flowing, so did my spirits dampen. besides, i don't want to go to the mall with my feet dirty from sloshing around on the streets in this rainy weather. so i decided to go straight home and just surf the net. i decided to study first - either acads or music, i decide later, coz' i haven't been able to do much in the morning. i just read john grisham's bleachers and i haven't finished it yet. novels are really bad for me. i would sacrifice studying for my acads and even music just to read a book. anyway, this one is quite a different fare from the usual grisham thrillers. there are no courtroom travails here and certainly no lawyer. it's about a football coach who was so famous he was the one who put that town into the map of the US and he is about to breathe his last and his influence on those boys he coached. so there were a lot of game flashbacks and of course, i couldn't relate much at all. it's so hard to imagine and i'm not really a fan of football. i've also tried reading some children's pocket books which also touched on football and the most i could understand were touchdowns and quarterbacks, and some tackles. this one however had much more: nose tackles, linebacker, punt - a whole new vocabulary. however, even if i couldn't understand it, i could still feel the energy as i read along. that's why i couldn't put it down. if alessa wasn't going home to sta. mesa, i could've stayed in our room all day and finish it before finally going down to take a bath.



so that's that. since there haven't been many updates here - haven't even posted the details of our checkout dive in batangas - i'm planning to post my two journal entries which is my assignment for my cw 10 class. our prof, sir butch guererro required us to keep a journal everyday even if the entries are only one paragraph long till the rest of the sem. and for our next meeting, he'll be checking it so i should have either 5 or 6 entries by that time. anyway, i've been dutiful, doing it since thursday, writing on the late hours of the night and well into the next day. anyway, just for an update i've posted them already. so just scroll down and you will find them.

friday, nov. 19

11:55 pm, friday - nov. 19



a terrible thing just happened!



a while ago, i let out a whole slew of my most secret of secrets - one that even my roommate doesn't know about. she is also my orgmate and after our GA which ended at past 6, some of us stayed behind to just catch up and exchange stories. we were among the two who stayed behind. at first, everyone was having serious discussions with whoever they were talking with. then afterwards, their talk turned to "chismisan" or "pagpapa-isyu" already. this one orgmate of ours tries to link the others to other orgmates of ours. of course, they were all bluffs. then another mem came along and the linkages became true. i mean she said the truth when she was asked the question and it's totally fine for her because she can get away with it - she's known for everyone knowing who her present "trivial pursuit" is. i, however, am unlike that. however, when i was aked the question a second time, i felt like it was a time when one can't evade the questions and should answer them truthfully. i thought it was one of those inuman sessions that everyone bares their hearts out. and well, what do you know, right after i finished, everyone was ready to go home already coz' it was already nearing 10 pm. and only then did i realize that not everyone bared their hearts out. oh my gosh! what a terrible thing.



it was like only two of us gave out but mine was a real issue, new gossip for them... stupid me. when i was asked that question the first time, i said there was none because i only had one person on my mind and it didn't account for much. the second time i was asked, two other people came to mind and i got excited and i thought i should have my say too since the others did. so i eventually gave out some descriptions, even explaining that the other one just developed/realized recently while the other one is still in the developing stage. like the transition states in chemical reactions, it could turn into a full-fledged one or it may not.



i even gave out quite particular clues because everyone was trying to guess who those people were and it wouldn't matter if they didn't know but obviously, i didn't think that way that time. and with plenty of them, i'm sure they'll come up with a name. but anyhow, i gave out. goodness, and there were 4 people i mentioned that seemed surprising to them, and one person whom they focused upon. issue na talaga 'to!



oh, and good news. i've regained my sense of self or whatever you might call it (see previous post) after the GA and all those talks. but remember: don't be excited and stupid at the same time.



hay...



12:17 am

thursday, nov. 18

11:26 pm, Thursday - Nov. 18



the music on the radio plus the lack of solitude in this room and the fact that i just took a bath have driven the darker feelings i've been having earlier. i've had plenty of words running through my head in the bathroom but as soon as i left it, all the words flew away. however, since i'd like to think about them, i'd try to recall them as much as i can.



toward the end of my bath, i realized i had been philosophizing. that's a new concept i learned in my philo 1 class this afternoon. it's all about asking questionnn and/or re-asking them to reach some truths. so what have i been philosophizing about? it's about my fucking existence... for the nth time. about the things i'm doing or not doing right now. and my nature as a person. if you must know, i was feeling less and less worthy as the day wore on. and ugh, do i hate that feeling.



there's this big stage that i want to be a part of, quite a grandiose stage from my point of view but not so much for others. at least, not for the majority of the people in this world but for the majority of the people i know. i have been trying to involve myself in the affairs of that stage for almost two years already. but that's te only thing that i've done. i've just tried. sure i listen to discussions, try to involve myself with people and participate in events but there's something lacking in me that does not drive me to develop myself, my skills or my talent if i do have that. perhaps it's my lack of initiative or motivation or whatever. it's one of my dreams, one of the things i wanna do with my life but after so many promises to myself that i will do what i need to do, i still haven't progressed. i'm still at the same level i was at two years ago. and to think many others have gone so far ahead i couldn't possibly catch up with them.



i have long wanted to be a player. but until now, i'm still a spectator. goodness, what is the root of my problem? i know i want to live a meaningful life, one that i would not regret. but am i inspired enough to live it? it's been bothering me for so long. sometimes i think i don't have a purpose. i just live day to day, trudging on and just passing through all the things that are coming toward me.



and then there's this very nature of mine that i don't really like. i'm sure there are quite people but i know they're not as quiet as me. i've been with these people for almost two years already but lots of times when i'm with them, i just sit there and listen to all of their conversations. i am amused at or interesed by the things that they say but i don't venture a comment or suggestion or anyhing. i just ponder the thought over in my head and smile a little smile to myself or stumble upon a realization all by my lonesome. sure there are times when i'm also speaking which in itself is a rare occasion for me when i'm in a large group but my silent days outnumber those of my talking days. and then i feel so insignificant, so unworthy to live. i fancy myself as an absorber, one who just listens and absorbs everything. but to make good relationships, i know i have to do more than that. and the fact that i can't or don't do any of those frustrates me. I HATE MYSELF RIGHT NOW.



12:04 am

have a nice day!

i had quite an enjoyable day today. i have realized much of what's gonna happen to my career because of our prof in food micro. our first serious subject in our course starts with her and we end it with her still. that's ok. she's a great teacher. she really has so much to give the students. but she's a strict teacher and i guess that's good because it's going to be a good training ground for all of us. nung una kakatakot siya sobra pero kanina (it was only our second meeting for this sem), hindi naman pala siya ganoon. during the first day kasi, i was late in our class, arriving about 10 minutes late (labo kasi ng mga toki, walang dumadaan kung hindi oras ng mga klase ng umaga i.e. 7am). iba rin yong atmosphere. there was a like a sense of foreboding in everyone of us. anyway, after the class, my classmates related that by 7am, she was already inside the classroom. so even though they were early, they didn't get to make chikahan. and then saktong-saktong 7:30 am, the start of our class, she started talking. grabe. it's good that mabait naman siya. buti naman wala pa akong prof na mako-consider kong terror. anyway, she insists on speaking in english coz' that's how it is in the industry. and she also related different stuffs about the industry. we found out that only one bottle of yakult is safe for daily consumption. and there were those who are given all six in one day. think of the implications that the bacteria strains in that drink will do to their colon. that's the first sign of smiles from the whole class. then afterwards, in our lab class, it was said that she was the one responsible for getting fit out of the market, that cleanser for vegetables and other raw stuff.



anyway, till next time again. i have lots more stuff to do!

hassle ang kumain

right now, i'm in the middle of my second hour of net-surfing in this computer center sa ever-popular JP Laurel St. sa Area 2 dito sa UP Diliman Campus dahil siyempre, dito mahahanap ang pinakapopular na Lutong Bahay, kung saan ako at ang aking mga kasambahay ay kumain ng hapunan kanina. and there i was, deviating from my usual fare of rice and sinigang na baboy, my favorite dish from that place, for two straight days already. kahapon, dahil wala. ngayon naman, dahil di ko nakita na meron pa.



well, nowadays hassle ang kumain. for me, that is. you oughta know, i just had braces put on last sunday. however, they haven't placed my molar bands yet, which i found out this afternoon is the real reason why people with braces are in pain and are forced to go on a diet, so that means the little hurts i'm experiencing now are nothing compared to what i would soon experience when my molar bands are already in place. goodness, all for a nice set of teeth. yup, mejo sumasabit siya ngayon sa lips, kaya mejo may sore dun sa lower left lip ko. haay.. and i get to be a bit vain as i can't go out without carrying a mirror around. just a small one which i got from my sister because she got braces first before i did. since i'm not used to it, little foodstuffs get stuck in between the braces and thus, the need for a mirror so i can properly pinpoint which locations i need to uh, "tongue" (pardon the term) so that i could get them out. and since my classes usually don't provide much time for lunches, i just get by with as little as monay and sometimes nothing at all. which brings me to something else.



i've been wanting to eat monay since the sem has started - missing it for more than a month already - but then i bought one awhile ago and it wasn't what i was expecting to see. hell, it was not what i thought my Php10.00 would buy. it wasn't warm and it wasn't the same monay bread that we used to have. well, that's all for food today.

done with the reg

i was finished with my registration early this morning, after going to bed early last night (around 9pm) in a horizontal fashion that transversed alessa's bed (i only had my head on my own bed and the rest of my body on my roommate's) not bothering to fix my bed after a very long and quite stressful day.



clambering upon the dagupan bus' cold interior back in dagupan, i spent an hour waiting for another of their company's to pass by as the bus we were riding in took a sharp blow to the front tire and had to be brought to some repair shop. we were in the middle of the north luzon expressway by then having just got out of pampanga and the sun was just rising up. eventually, the sun had fully risen and those passengers left standing by the road were given their early morning sunshine and heat. so i arrived in UP a little before 9am.



and then i went to get my classcards. i got a 1.0 in my geog1 class and i don't think it's one of those cases wherein the teachers are just so lazy or they don't think about what grades they give but i think i really deserved that grade.



this weekend, i and alessa will be off to anilao, batangas for our 4 check-out dives that are required for us to be certified divers. it's our first time to dive outside of the pool. yesterday, we had a review session, still in dive republic with giovanni, one of our classmates in PE, and an older guy - one of their students. i'm quite excited already. however, i think i need to get another pair of swimsuit, since i only own one and we'll be doing two dives a day.

of noodles, halloween, Undas and old movies

right now i'm alone here at home. and this is going to be the longest for me mom went to bolinao to fix her papers since her birth certificate is not registered. big problem, that is. anyway, i'm just biding my time here, trying to post as much as i could, enjoying the last few hours here at home, before another sem breaks out - and before i troop for another meal of some simple noodles - yeah that has been like my staple for lunch for some weeks already, be it instant noodles or one of those pista noodle ulam. and since i'm alone, then another noodle it is.



speaking of bolinao, some 16 of us in my mother's side of the family had a sort of roadtrip last sunday. destination: bolinao. however, since the purpose of the trip is a discussion between my mom and her siblings and their cousins who reside there and it was slated in the afternoon, we had lots of time to spare. after mass at 8:30 am, we left dagupan at around 10 am, passing through binmaley, lingayen, labrador, bugallon, sual, alaminos and bani - not necessarily in that order. we dropped by lucap in alaminos, home of the famous Hundred Islands. we ought to have done some island-hopping but the exorbitant price pulled us back to the van after taking some photos though there wasn't much of a view since we were still very far from the islands. this was probably one of the rare times when my mom and her siblings were complete. as for us cousins, there were still a lot missing.



after that, we ate lunch at some carinderia, considering our number and the price of commodities nowadays. but i was fine with it. i'm used to it already. and then, some more roadtripping til we reached our destination. nothing much to do. we ate some more at lolo ruben's house (one of the last remaining grandparents of ours -->his wife is still alive and they just recently celebrated their golden wedding anniversary<-- who is the brother of our grandfather), taking a tour of the poblacion courtesy of our parents of course.



their discussion was very quick (it was just about their lands for our grandparents were landed people) and when they came back to the house, they were all having a loud digression about what had happened. obviously, it didn't turn out well. so while they were drinking and eating and talking, we were watching the horror specials on TV since nothing else was on and it was the only one that most of us could agree to. from nginiig to mel and joey (when did jay get out of their show?) to another show which i couldn't remember. the funny thing was one of my younger cousins, bodjie is her nickname, was telling everyone that what we were watching was corny (i have to agree with her about nginiig - i don't like the format at all. it takes the scare out of the supposedly scary experiences and the 3 hosts have nothing better to do than blurt out mundane stuff which is so expected of what they're doing.) anyway, we were watching nginiig at that time. earlier, they found a channel where wrestling was being shown. she along with some others wanted to watch it but since they were outvoted, we were watching the horror programs. so she was telling us to change the channels and everything, then when the moment she glanced at the TV she saw a ghost suddenly passing through in the scene that was being shown and she shrieked and snuggled herself between me and her other cousin. well, everyone was laughing, i most heartily of all. hahaha!!! it still makes me smile much to this day! hahaha!!!



we left bolinao around 8pm. i thought i wouldn't be able to catch the philippine premiere of the grudge, albeit a dubbed tagalog version on gma. well i did. i've been wanting to watch it a very long time now, and now there's a hollywood version coming to our shores. on the other network, they were showing the phone, of course dubbed in tagalog too. well, i watched it. sure there were some spooky scenes but it wasn't enough to merit it as a really scary horror film. it was kinda expected. the ending was left hanging. in short, when i was expecting a good scare, i was left with none, so that i didn't rush to sleep after the movie ended. and i was alone with my sleeping brother in the other house. but no, not even a bit spooked at all.



***



last monday, filipinos around the country trooped to the cemeteries and other burial places to remember their dearly departed. well, we had an early one in bolinao last sunday, visiting our lolo's grave and churning out some ridiculous answers to bodjie's ridiculous questions. then last monday, we went to mangaldan, for our grandmother's side of the family (again my mom's side. dad made it early in binmaley last sunday when he went to their ancestral home for some gathering with our relatives from that side). 'twas a really sweltering heat that accompanied all the visitors. i was sweating a lot. fortunately, we ate in the nearby market afterwards even though i was still sweating heavily for a time after we started eating. pancit, halo-halo, empanada, cake. we all left for home full.



***



last saturday, i was able to watch some snippets of the highly popular a walk to remember. since mom was washing clothes since the laundrywoman didn't show up, we were assigned to hang the clothes out in the sun so my viewing was interrupted many times. i rediscovered the movie and actually quite enjoyed it because, one thing, it was able to make me shed tears. you really felt the intensity of their acting, you really felt the feelings of this ill-fated but good looking lovers (oh yeah, shane west, i find out once again is oh so gwapo), especially when jamie confessed to landon that she's sick. his tears almost immediately wrenched my heart.



yesterday, i was so lucky that i saw the movie starting on the same channel and i was actually able to watch the movie in full. however, there were no tears for me that day. i even rekindled the opinion that mandy moore was so OA, with her lips turning into a certain shape when she's talking or singing. so disappointed was i, who was looking for another chance to clean my eyes. yeah, just for that sole purpose. so when am i going to get that chance again?



***



i was also finally able to watch interview with the vampire. and of course, brad pitt is still that uber gorgeous guy. while i was watching i was thinking kirsten dunst is so goddamn lucky to be able to play with these 3 sexy and charming guys. need i mention them? even at the sake of melting in envy, i tell you that they are brad pitt, tom cruise and antonio banderas, who playes Armand (i've bought Anne Rice's book on him but i haven't finished reading it yet). goodness, what an experience it could've been. and to think she was still oh-so-young back then.



***



aside from that movie which i've been wanting to see (which now i have and which has now led me to want to read all of anne rice's novels), i have a few more that i wished to see before this sem's outbreak but which unfortunately would have to be saved for the christmas break or for the next sembreak *sigh*. i wanna watch ocean's eleven, shark tale, a cinderella story (after seeing the preview a while ago), the ring (japanese version - hoping for a good scare), and i'm forgetting some other things. anyway, good thing i was able to watch cradle 2 the grave last time. astig ni jet li. and he's so kawaii!



ayway, till next time. get *funked!

What's better than...? commencement speech of butch jimenez to UP's class 2003

i copied this directly from the email i received. this is truly inspiring. everyone should read it again and again.



Manila, Philippines



This speech was delivered during the commencement exercises of the UP

graduating class of 2003 by Mr. Butch Jimenez, the youngest commencement

speaker in the university's history. He once dreamed of doing so, and it

came true!!! :-) Students wished they had a pencil or paper to jot down

notes during the speech; some even wished they had a tape recorder. Some

members of the faculty found his speech practical, refreshing, and funny!



Butch Jimenez, head of PLDT's media and strategic communications

department, delivered this speech at the UP Diliman Class 2003 commencement

exercises.



---------------------------------



What's better than...?

By Butch Jimenez







Better than being negative



As college students, you're just about to set sail into the real world. As you prepare for the battleground of life, you'll hear many speeches, read tons of books and get miles of advice telling you to work hard, dream big, go out and do something for yourself, and have a vision.



Not bad advice, really. In fact, following these nuggets of truth may just bring you to the top. But as I've lived my life over the years , I have come to realize that it is great to dream big, have a vision, make a name, and work hard. But guess what: There's something better than that.



So my message today simply asks the question, What's better than...?



Let's start off with something really simple. What's better than a long speech? No doubt, a short one. So, you guys are in luck because I do intend to keep this short.



Now, let me take you through a very simple math exam. I'll rattle off a couple of equations, and you tell me what you observe about them. Be mindful of the instructions. You are to tell me what you observe about the equations.



Here goes: 3+4=7, 9+2=11, 8+4=13, and 6+6=12. Tell me, what do you observe?



Every time I conduct this test, more than 90 percent of the participants immediately say, 8+4 is NOT 13, it's 12!



That's true and they are correct. But they could have also observed that the three other equations were right. That 3+4 is 7, that 9+2 is 11, and that 6+6 is 12.



What's my point? Many people immediately focus on the negative instead of the positive. Most of us focus on what's wrong with other people more than what's right about them. Examine those four equations. Three were right and only one was wrong. But what is the knee-jerk observation? The wrong equation.



If 10 people you didn't know were to walk through that door, most of you would describe those people by what's negative about them. He's fat. He's balding. Oh, the short one. Oh, the skinny girl. Ahhh, 'yung pango. Etc.



Get the point? It's always the negative we focus on and not the positive. You'll definitely experience this in the corporate world. You do a hundred good things and one mistake-guess what? Chances are, your attention will be called on that one mistake.



So what's better than focusing on the negative? Believe me, its focusing on the positive. And if this world could learn to focus on the positive more than the negative, it would be a much nicer place to live in.



Better than working hard



We have always been told to work hard. Our parents say that, our teachers say that, and our principal says that. But there's something better than merely working hard. It's working SMART.



It's taking time to understand the situation, and coming out with an effective and efficient solution to get more done with less time and effort. As the Japanese say, "There's always a better way."



One of the most memorable case studies I came across with as I studied Japanese management at Sophia University in Tokyo was the case of the empty soap box, which happened in one of Japan's biggest cosmetics companies. The company received a complaint that a consumer had bought a box of soap that was empty. It immediately isolated the problem to the assembly line, which transported all the packaged boxes of soap to the delivery department. For some reason, one soap box went through the assembly line empty. Management tasked its engineers to solve the problem. Post-haste, the engineers worked

hard to devise an X-ray machine with high-resolution monitors manned by two people to watch all the soap boxes that passed through the line to make sure they were not empty. No doubt, they worked hard and they worked fast.



But a rank-and-file employee that was posed the same problem came out with another solution. He bought a strong industrial electric fan and pointed it at the assembly line. He switched the fan on, and as each soap box passed the fan, it simply blew the empty boxes out of the line.



Clearly, the engineers worked hard, but the rank-and-file employee worked smart. So what's better than merely working hard? It's working smart. Having said that, it is still important to work hard. If you could combine both working hard and working smart, you would possess a major factor toward success.



Better than dreaming big



I will bet my next month's salary that many have encouraged you to dream big. Maybe even to reach for the stars and aim high. I sure heard that about a million times right before I graduated from this university. So I did. I did dream big. I did aim high. I did reach for the stars. No doubt, it works. In fact, the saying is true: "If you aim for nothing, that's exactly what you'll hit: nothing."



But there's something better than dreaming big. Believe me, I got shocked myself. And I learned it from the biggest dreamer of all time, Walt Disney.



When it comes to dreaming big, Walt is the man. No bigger dreams were fulfilled than his. Every leadership book describes him as the ultimate dreamer. In fact, the principle of dreaming and achieving is the core message of the Disney hit song, "When You Wish Upon a Star".



"When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are; anything your heart desires will come to you. If your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme. When you wish upon a star, as dreamers do," as Jimmy Cricket sang.



But is that what he preached in the Disney company? Dream?



Well, not exactly. Kinda, but not quite. The problem with dreaming is if that's all you do, you'll really get nowhere. In fact, you may just fall asleep and never wake up.



The secret to Disney's success is not just dreaming, it's IMAGINEERING. You won't find this word in a dictionary. It's purely a Disney word. Those who engage in imagineering are called imagineers. The word combines the words "imagination" and "engineering."



In the book "Imagineers," Disney's CEO, Michael Eisner, claims that "imagineers turn impossible dreams into real magic."



Walt Disney explained there is really no secret to their approach. They just keep moving forward-opening new doors and doing new things, because they are curious. And it is this curiosity that leads them down new paths. They always dream, explore and experiment. In short, imagineering is the blending of creative imagination and technical know-how.



Eisner expounds on this thought by saying that "Not only are imagineers curious, they are courageous, outrageous, and their creativity is contagious."



The big difference with imagineers is that they dream and then they DO! So don't just be a dreamer, be an imagineer.



What's better than vision



You must have all been given a lecture at one time or another about the importance of having a vision. Even leadership expert John Maxwell says that an indispensable quality of a leader is to have a vision. The Bible also makes it very clear that "Without vision, people perish." So no doubt about it, having a vision is important to success.



But surprise! There's something more potent than a vision. It's a CAUSE. If all you're doing is trying to reach your vision and you're pitted against someone fighting for a cause, chances are you'll lose.



The Vietnam War is a classic example. Literally with sticks and stones, the Viet Cong beat the heavily armed US Army to surrender, primarily because the US had a vision to win the war, but the Vietnamese were fighting for a cause.



In the realm of business, many leaders have visions of making their company No.1, or grabbing market share, or forever increasing profits.



Nothing really wrong with that vision, but take the example of Sony founder Akio Morita. He did not just have a vision to build the biggest electronics company in the world. In his biography, "Made in Japan," he reveals that the real reason he set up Sony was to help rebuild his country, which had just been battered by war. He had a cause he was fighting for. His vision to be an electronics giant was secondary.



What's the difference bet ween a vision and a cause? Here's what sets them apart... No one is willing to die for a vision. People will die for a cause. You possess a vision. A cause possesses you. A vision lies in your hands. A cause lies in your heart. A vision involves sacrifice. A cause involves the ultimate sacrifice.



Just a word of caution. You must have the right vision, and you must be fighting for the right cause. In the end, right will always win out.



It may take time, and it may take long. But if you have the right vision and are fighting for the right cause, you will prevail. If not, no matter how sincere you are, if you are not fighting for what is right, you will ultimately fail.



the Bible, which says, "To whom much is given, much is required."



Having been given the opportunity to study in UP, no doubt, much has been given to you in terms of an excellent education. Don't forget that in return, much is now required of you to use that education not just for yourself, but for others.



And as you move up and start reaching the pinnacle of success, even more will be required of you to look at the welfare of others, of society and of the country.



A final review:



* What's better than focusing on the negative? Focus on the positive.

* What's better than working hard? It's working smart.

* What's better than dreaming? Imagineering.

* What's better than doing something for yourself? Doing something for your country.

* What's better than a vision? A cause.

* What's better than a long speech? Definitely, a short one.



Thank you and congratulations, UP Diliman graduating class of 2003



"Excellence is not a destination; it is a continuous journey that never

ends."

the subolites

right now, the subolites are in baguio for the org outing and sem planning. it's an all expense paid trip according to the text i received yesterday afternoon, with limited slots only. however, as much as i wanted to as i know i will enjoy it and that i'll be able savor the cool baguio air one last time, and maybe pick up some genuine lengua or two (the last time we bought there, they sucked! whatever happened to the lengua? don't buy any good samaritan product. it's really awful. but i would gladly recommend the ube at tantamco's foods --> i'm not really sure 'bout the name but it sounds close and you'll find their stall coz' it really stands out in the market) before plunging into the abyss of more chemicals and molecular bonding theories and other analyses for another sem in my pretty life. pretty? not quite. more like uneventful. anyway, i hope the guys are enjoying right now. and i wonder what they've planned for the sem. i've never been to any sem planning event yet. but i'm all ears at the next GA. yeah, now i'm gonna be able to attend our GAs. i wanna post the article i made for the Silew, our official newsletter which was given out to the highschool participants of our recently concluded Padunungan 2004 held last NOvember 28-29. i dunno, just for a little self-gratification. heeehee...



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Becoming a Subolite



After a grueling sem, one thing that makes me feel happy is the fact that I’m now a member of the UP Subol Society. Yes, I just applied the past semester and after all that I’ve been through, I finally attained membership status after undergoing the final rites last October 23.



Just like every organization, an orientation is held so that the person will have an idea about what the organization he wants to apply to is all about. However, I wasn’t able to attend the orientation of UP Subol, and after asking a friend who attended the orientation the things that were discussed, I contacted one of the officers and asked if I could still apply. She said I could and after one of my Geog1 classes, I went to the tambayan to sign my application form, be briefed about the application process and get my copy of the sigsheet. There, I officially became an applicant.



It’s not this year that is the first time that I’ve heard of this organization. In fact, when I was in my third year and fourth year in high school, I participated in the group category of the quiz show they hold during their sembreak. I also learned that some of the alumni from my high school are members of the org. And since I had a cousin studying in UP, my mom and I were speculating when she would join this org.



Then I myself got admitted to the University of the Philippines Diliman. During my first year, joining a provincial organization was not in the list of the things that I wanted to do at that time. My mind was focused on other things. It didn’t even occur to me that I would ever be involved in one, what with my academic load and all other things in between. Yes, I did hear about it every now and then. During my second sem, I had a Chemistry professor who was an alumna of UP Subol and classmates who’re either applicants or members. I wasn’t really expecting this. Then come my second year and I was hurled into a wild ride I was glad I undertook.



Since I already had experience in applying to an organization, I wasn’t really willing to go through the mandatory stuff that applicants do like having the members sign your sigsheet, completing your tambayhours at the org’s tambayanand other stuffs asides. And with the many activities I had to make time for, I wasn’t even sure I could devote enough for my application in UP Subol.



Subolite. That’s what you call a member of the UP Subol Society. My first impression of Subolites is that they’re warm and friendly. I don’t really remember everything that happened when I made my first tambay or who were there at that time. All I remember is that I left the tambayan feeling at home. It’s like I was one of them already. I thought about it afterwards and I reasoned that it was probably because it’s the second org that I’m applying to; or it’s because the members are all friendly and easygoing – just laughing and cracking jokes; or it’s because of the bond that I feel with them because we all come from Pangasinan. But whatever it was, it was a good feeling. And you can’t just shrug off anything that makes you feel good.



Because of my weird schedule, I haven’t been able to make regular appearances at the tambayan unlike my other batchmates. I also hadn’t had a chance to get to know all of my batchmates. I didn’t even know all the original members of the batch nor was I present when my batchmates elected our batch head. And I did miss a lot of GAs.



I could say I met most of my batchmates during the tambayan jazz-up since there were many applicants that day. That was the activity for that day and we were at the receiving end of the wrath of Mr. President, or so they said. Well, some of us cleaned the surrounding area, some redecorated the bulletin board and the others painted the table and chairs marine blue (the color of the paint). The messages and doodles written on the table were finally covered though I think it would have been fun if we could still write on it. Anyway, they’re blue now and blue is the official color of the org.



So with that gathering, I was able to learn stuffs about the rest of my batchmates. I also got the members present to sign my sigsheet which is easily not one of the most creative ones around given my lack of artistic abilities. I was also given a view of the personalities of the members whom I only saw that day.

After the jazz-up, my buddy and I went out for our day-out along with two other members. Being treated to food and learning different things about my buddy, that day was really, really, really okay. I must say this activity of the member and his/her buddy-applicant going out for a day is a really good bonding session and an effective tool for the applicant to feel closer to the org.



A few more tambays and I was beginning to feel quite at home with my co-apps. Now the next thing lined up in our calendars was the talents’ night. This was a difficult task since our schedules wouldn’t allow us to meet for practices. What we were going to do was already planned out and we had scheduled plenty of practices but not everyone would be able to make it. We were having problems about that, especially with the nature of our presentation. Eventually, the night came. We were laughing so much before our presentation started that I was fearing things wouldn’t go well. Well, that didn’t come true for I believe we all left the venue quite satisfied, and if anything, happier than during the rest of the day now that we’ve accomplished it. And what’s more, this time we have been able to really bond as a batch.



The second to the last hurdle before becoming a member is the formal interview. Beforehand, we had to review the constitution and the history of the org. If you must know, that was one of the most uncomfortable moments of my life because not only do I have to wear something which I’m not used to wearing, I’m also grilled by the members and it’s no simple Q&A, plus they also made me do various things that I’ve never done before (given that I’m a really shy person). Those have been really long and draining three and a half hours. But I can tell you that was another learning experience not only about the org (there’s always a reason behind everything that the panel asked or did) but also of myself. You’ll be amazed at what you can do under very close scrutiny, and that’s also within sight and earshot of many other people. It also made me realize things that I didn’t take much thought before.



At the final rites last Saturday, Mr. Marjohn Sante, a former UPSS Diliman president, told us that one’s love for the org is not entirely proven by making tambay or being present during the org activities. Pure love is when you feel it in your heart of hearts, so to speak. I know the members really love this org because what they do is driven by their love for the org. Devoting time to the affairs of the org and making sacrifices are not for one-night-stands only, if I may use that comparison. That’s why I’ve come to love this org and the people behind it.



So what makes a Subolite? Apart from being a Pangasinense, it’s the love for the UP Subol Society and its ideals, supported by the camaraderie built from the diverse experiences of the members together.

soundtrip and some ponderings on the 1st of november

i've been having a soundtrip for the past 3 hours: from excerpts from the miss saigon soundtrack to excerpts from another broadway production the flower drum song, to some of the songs from a walk to remember, and now, i'm getting some sort of electronic fix from both fatboy slim and the beastie boys..



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well, it's the first of november (right now, i'm hearing hanson's penny and me)..undas. i've only been familiar with that term last year. i dunno why people didn't use that word years before. yes, i do clearly remember that they (the press, my parents, other peeps around me) did not use that word to refer to all souls' day many years ago...



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i'll be staying here at home for some 24 hours more before i lug my bag back to UP. it's been near a month since i last thought about, lived and breathed school. i still haven't picked up my grades. but i'm quite happy that i passed my chem. chem 17 at that, the boon of many students who need it like me. i know it's because my prof is so kind, that's why. it's not a flat 3.0 mind you. so guys, take my advice. go for mr. edwin de ocampo.



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guess what i've been up to most of the sem? aside from spending a lot of time in front of this pc and achieving nothing (seriously, iv'e wasted a lot of hours here doing nothing - not even editing my blog's layout which is badly in need of one), i've been stuffing myself up. it's not that i couldn't stop myself from eating even though i'm not hungry. i did that for one day but i really think i was hungry the whole time so i ate a lot. what i'm talking about is that this is the only chance i get to be able to eat different varieties of foods. when i get back to school, it's gonna be the same old thing again, no dinekdekan, or kineler, or ube, or another foods that i used to eat here and which i'll be only be able to eat now. even if i'm quite full, if there's something new on the table during meals, i'd try to get a taste of it. so naturally, i end up taking in more than what my body should. so any slimming down tips anyone? goodness, i don't think anything works for me. i so envy ness's mom. ness is my batchmate in highschool. i just saw her mom last saturday. and i was so amazed at her transformation. she's not really that fat before, just the typical mother who's in her 40s. well now, she looks like she's just in her late 20s. imagine that.