being thankful

there are days that really get me down. i begin to think i've been so left out on the good and lucky breaks of life. then i complain. A LOT. but a few days ago, i got into a small conversation with a neighbor on how she's living her life, and to challenge her, i talked abt things i did at her age. its amazing how much stuff i came up with:

- i've biked! i've kayaked! i've rapelled, wall-climbed, mountain-hiked, snorkeled, beach-hopped, jet-skiied, rode an inner-tube (similar to skiing wherein you're dragged out on the water by a boat, only you're on an inflated tube)...
- i've seen amazing sights - the Grand Canyon in Arizona, a marine sanctuary, dolphins, Chocolate Hills of Bohol, the changing colors of autumn leaves in Frisco, the snowy mountains of Colorado, sunsets at Manila Bay, beaches and more beaches...
- i'm very adept at public transportation, hence i can get away when i want to, and not have to rely on someone else.
- i have parents that trust me and support me, a family that thinks of me, even when i'm far away from them.

gack, and the above are just the tip of the iceberg. the realization that dawns on me (how really LUCKY i am) is not like cold water hitting you hard on the face. its more like a comforting breath of fresh air, gentle enough for you to take notice, reminding you that all is well, REALLY.

then two days ago i went cherry picking. yesterday, i bought fresh sweet corns straight out of an Amish farm (really really good). i mean, i should really, really, be happy i get to do those.

wow. somewhere out there (up there, actually), someone is smiling for me. it pays to stop, and think of the times that you should be thankful for. and that there ARE going to be more moments like those that WILL come. i now have a smile on my face.

thank you thank you po.

grrrr.....

karma hits me big time... or the law of murphy (what comes up must come down). something like that. whatever. the fact is m now stuck with probably worst lab partner in class for bio.

some notes...

- enter new theory: it's an asian thing. for some reason, i'm beginning to believe asians have a slight intellectual advantage. or maybe its simply because asians are just more hardworking. pero man, i'm so happy i got an asian as my lab partner. kahit tuloy sobrang metikuloso namin, ok lang!!!

- CH is so far doing ok with chemistry. maybe because of nice-looking tutor before classes? hmm.. does CH need to be inspired to do good with grades? "oh, will you be there next semester"? ahmmm, ahehe (pacute tendencies bubbling on the surface) :P

- chem prof comments on how i always ask him questions: bullet-style daw. thought he was getting annoyed (always ask to be sure, i say), gusto naman daw nya. keeps him on his toes daw?

- nice to have college friends (nya, of course. but take it from a perspective of one that has been too home-bound lately). and its surreal to have say, some friends from canada. then one from nepal. others syempre from within the area. different colored folks pa. laughing. joking. its like.. woah... then comes parts where you're teaching them stuff abt the lessons. wow. nice feeling (then you get to practice your english, too).

- gak. that comment again. "you speak english so well..". if i had a penny everytime i heard that...

- getting very used to riding buses now, hence getting better acquainted with different routes, road layouts (prefer this over private transpo, where you're only concerned where you're going). walk home from bus stop is still 45 minutes long though. sigh.

- happy that i'm being trusted to drive the car going to school (automatic!!! weeeeee!!!). now nice neighbor has allowed me to drive HIS car to gym, too! wohhoooooo! parallel parking practice na lang, and i can take that driving exam! i want my own car. i so want my own car (but dang, where do i get that money?).

- must study for bio now fu's. shooo! til next time!

waaah...

i'm dealing with chemistry already. the professor has a rep for bad student evaluation (gulp) and for flunking most of his class (double gulp). now i have another class, biology this time, and the first thing the professor says is 'biology 111 is tough'.

WAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!

some funnies...

chem professor to his class: does anyone know abt the ddt? (he later says its the dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane)
guy: i heard it was a wrestling move (boisterous laughter from all the guys, me included since i watched the sport before)

----

pastor to a somewhat female populated audience: we now come to 1 timothy 2:11.... "a woman should learn in quietness and full submission. i do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be slient. for adam was first, then eve. and adam was not the one decieved, it was the woman who was decieved and became a sinner (he proceeds to read the rest of the chapter really fast. after a second of silence)... WELL, what do you know? we don't have time already! see you next sunday!"
(laughter from the guys, and some women)

----

pastor: (after saying a prayer) greet one another...
me: (turns over to the right) hi!
angie: hi, i'm angie, nice to meet you finally!
me: (to myself: haaaaah?)
angie: i saw you working at Tanger (an outlet area), i've been so wanting to talk to you!
me: (nya!!! napasobra ata tambay ko dun sa stores na walang binibili lagi, napagkamalan ako tuloy na saleslady!!!)

trouble brewin' over at pinas

on second thought, when did trouble NOT brew over pinas?

here are some comments i made on a PEX forum (with some small edits):

i'm no expert, after all, but this is my 2 cents worth of neutral (?) comments. feel free to argue or support.

- on the "choosing the lesser evil" issue
honestly, this is not a statement of justification. evil is evil. period. its all on one level, neither is on top or bottom of the other. the end DOES NOT justify the means. break the law, or sin, isn't that the same?
and evil perverts. so something that starts out small, will grow bigger and bigger. its a disease, a cancer.

- on the "the prez is the savior of the country" comment
such a bold statement. its particularly cringing to hear, especially when you see that supposed "savior" just encircled with factors that say otherwise. there has been no CONSIDERABLE improvement to really boast about.
besides, there ARE always people better for a position. no one person can claim to be a savior, given his/her weaknesses. i just noticed she hasn't even admitted to any of hers. an image of presupposed invincibility is just a facade and strategic ploy, whichever way you look at it. pwedeng panakot, pwedeng may tinatago.
and like RedParo2 said, no one is indispensable.

- on blaming past administrations and current situation of the country
really, when the government spokesperson(s) say these to justify the hard road a president is taking, i mean, its just plain juvenile. that's why candidates RUN for elections, and that's why people vote for them. its their promise and, once elected, their bloody job to make the country better, no matter how bad the odds.

- on "no permit no rally", on banning possession of tapes, wiretapping law and punishing its violators
wow, a government is threatening its own people. the people that placed them in the office.
what happened to democracy and freedom of speech? the government as a general rule should be prepared for backlashes and negative sentiments. there will always be people that will never be pleased. the important thing is that the GOVERNMENT DOES ITS JOB and DOES IT RIGHT.
on the other hand, invoking the wiretapping law (originating from the administration of Marcos, a dictator no less!) as a measure to curb the distribution of these tapes is absurd. trust the people to think for themselves. and on technical issues, for it to be a valid wiretapping issue, a person has to admit first that he/she has been illegally wiretapped, right?
the only thing that CAN be allowed to file against Ong (and others) is the one abt destabilizing the country by false accusations/informations against the administration. or maybe libel. but not the provisions of the wiretapping law.

- on edsa 2 rally-ers
sigh. i want to look at this in a way that the people that went there had WELL-MEANT intentions, but unfortunately, MISPLACED trust. they can't be altogether guilty of the latter. i didn't go (and have been berated for lack of country support. but i voted!). the reason was i began to think that the concept of edsa rallies were being abused.
on second thought... i will admit in saying i did cry when gma was being inducted as president. not because it was a momentous occasion. because i felt sorry for erap. not for the stuff he did, but for the betrayal and loneliness he must feel. his allies have all deserted him for the new man (or woman) of the hour.

- on resignation issue
in a weird way, i do not want presidents to voluntarily resign just like that. there is the country to think about. one must perform duties as the immediate responsibilities require them to do, but it is only ethical and proper that he/she steps down and begin to turnover duties temporarily to a legal, competent substitute to act on their behalf.
this way, in GMA's case, she can submit herself to the legal court that REQUIRE her to defend herself, as a person and as a President. the President cannot be, of course, asked to always step down for court proceedings whenever accusations are thrown at her, but we are talking abt the elections here, and it questions the validity of her qualification for the position.
and when the court thing pushes thru, it just can't be allowed that she remain a president. to really assume the "innocent until proven guilty" scenario, she cannot do anything - good or bad - that will affect the opinion of those that will judge her.

agree ba kayo? really, its so sad, its not even funny anymore. and to think pinoys are known to be humorous even at times like this.

still, i will have to say i DID smile when i saw one joke that was being supposedly circulated, regarding the tape scandals:
new ring tone: "Hello... Hello Garci"

hallooooo!

hallo, blog! nice to see you again! (and yes, you too dear readers. yes, both of you)i haven't been writing, have i? sorry sorry. things have been a'changing, and poor lil me had had barely just enough in her to keep up.

but i've been doing a lil writing (just not enough posting). so just for starters, or something as an appetizer, i'll be talking abt the following in the following days (or whenever i have the time to):

- comments on more series/season finales i've watched
- first days in school (ack! didn't i tell you? i'm back to studying again!)
- first days in gym (do i hear snickering?)
- other miscellaneous

i'm not promising i can give full stories now, baka short notes na lang.

aah, whatever whatever. shooo! i'm not myself today, and might be like this for some time. its either i'm finally going insane or i've just began to taste my first awakening of sorts in a long time.

shoo shooooooo!!