Like a Kid

Oh what joy it is to join my nephew Aedan in watching this year's Disney on Ice presentation at Araneta Coliseum! I felt like a kid once more by just sitting and watching the star-studded show wherein Disney characters like "The Classics" Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy, "The Princesses and Princes" and "The Toys and Pets" of different movies and TV shows have presented their selves in a 2-hour show that actually made me teary-eyed at the end! FTW. XD

I definitely missed my childhood afterwards, leading to a day of flashbacks and a little regret that I didn't really enjoy being a Disney Kid back then! LOL. Now, I wanna watch all the movies that I have missed and movie parts that I've skipped. LOL! But yea, I never knew I'd miss those times when I just watch the good old Disney shows of my generation and dream that someday I'll find a prince charming. :))

Here's a picture of me and Aedan. This is a failed one because we were blurry, but then I like this pic coz it's candid! On another note, I'm getting hooked with Lookbook. o_o IDK but there's something with LB that makes you think of your next "outfit of the day" HAHA So there, I posted a new look! XD

Ciao for now~~ xox.

Leopard Christmas of a Biologist

Here I share to you my Christmas outfit for 2011! :D It has been a tradition to myself to choose a one-of-a-kind outfit every time we celebrate Christmas. Well, that "tradition" actually started only a few years ago after realizing that somehow the clothes we wear tell something about who we are. :D So for this year, I chose to "express" my Biologist vibes! :D

I opted for a dress with a leopard print! What made me choose this is the blue-to-green base color of it. It is unusual to get a leopard dress that has this color 'coz most of the time we only see the brown kind or the white one with blue leopard print. :D I definitely LOVED this outfit because it has green tones, and more often than not, I associate green color for Biology, particularly Botany, due to it being the study of plants. :D

For my make-up, I'd like to emphasize on the eyeliner and lip color! I totally like the cat's eye effect LOL, so yea.. I used Nature Republic Simple Gel Eyeliner in Dark Brown. It's actually my first ever gel eyeliner so I have good feedback on it! :D And then for my lips, it's Nature Republic's Petite Cherry Rouge M23 that I blogged about before. :D

I also wore a Christian Siriano sandals to match the grey tones of the dress. NOW, you may realize the reason as well behind me choosing a turquoise shade of nail polish! ^-^

For my accessories, I had a red bow earrings from Y.R.Y.S. (a gift from my thesis partner, Bea), A Lady Bug (Family Coleoptera) ring from Jellybeans which I bought months ago, and a rhinestone-filled watch from Fossil (a gift from my sister abroad). :D  I didn't wear my watch and ring anymore during the Christmas Day itself (hence I don't have it in the other pictures!^-^) coz we were only at home la~~

I decided to make a LookBook account because I was really influenced by you, dear bloggers! :)) This will be my first entry and "look" and I hope we can support each other through this. LMAO. So yea, HYPE ANYONE? :> ^-^ I love looking at all your style and it made me wanna hype them and fan you all! So there, I decided to make one. lols. :D

So to end this entry, here are few more pictures! :D

MERRY CHRISTMAS

P.S. I want to thank my cousin Emem for being my photographer! ♥ Lovelove!

Our Savior is Born!

As they say, this is the season to be jolly. But with all the series of unfortunate events that we've experienced, can we really still afford to be jolly?

I believe that Christmas is one of the best seasons to reflect. I, myself, had my own downtime for the past 2 months where a couple of news led me to become emotionally unstable. In fact, even now -- this Christmas -- I still get teary-eyed because of the recent past. At times when I'm just alone, I can't help but reminisce moments I wish I could do all over again with the people I cherish. There are times that I can't really understand life -- times that I ask God what our purpose is, how come things happen all of a sudden, and why can I just not be hurt after all these. Nonetheless I come to think again... I guess these life dramas make me realize how important my family and friends are to me. It also made me learn more of My God which brought me to a deeper understanding of my faith in Him. :)

Despite the tragedies of life, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE HOPE.

That is, for me, an accurate statement.

In my case, I am still on the process of standing up. I was very much affected by the death of my uncle not just because I can't see him or feel his presence on Earth anymore, but also because of my relatives who are still unable to move forward after such unfortunate event. I can't seem to move on when they are still mourning. It makes me even sad because I think that life is really too short and that anything can happen in a blink of an eye.

But as I have said, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE HOPE! And that can only be genuinely gained THROUGH HIM and IN HIM. :) I know in myself that I can't be sad for a lifetime. I shall live my life according to my purpose. :) I believe that Christmas is the time of the year that leads me to hope once more and rejoice to the fact that in the end, there will be a Savior who shall reunite all of us in His Kingdom. It makes me calm to think that despite all the life dramas, there is a God who will make us realize that EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY.

For that, I thank the Lord, my God! I pray that I can have the peace of mind as I move forward and continue my life and purpose on Earth. I shall not fear death or any other tragedies. It is the REALITY and acceptance of reality shall make us stronger people with deeper and more meaningful faith in God.

So, now I say YES! Yes, even though we are confronted with miseries or life tragedies, we can still afford to be jolly in this Yuletide Season. Christmas is a reminder that WE HAVE A SAVIOR who shall redeem us! and for that we shall rejoice. :D

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

PS: Here are a couple of pictures of our handa to thank the Lord God for all the blessings and welcome Jesus Christ, the Newborn! :D

Christmas Eve



Christmas Day!

Turquoise Lurve

Just had my mani-pedi last night at Grace Salon and decided to have a glittery turquoise nail color from Opi (Austin-tatious Turquoise) for a change. I was definitely inspired by the color that's why I modified my current theme to match both! LOL! ^-^

Not really endorsing my phone la~ I just needed something to hold so that my nails can be seen better in the cam. Did that make sense? HAHA Whatever. #Weirdlikethat

One more close up! I hope you see the glitters there. ;)

Fast Fact

I like the colors pink, purple, and aqua. ;) But among the three, aqua is the bomb since it makes everything so calm and my eyes get relaxed with such color. I perceive turquoise as a darker shade of aqua so I chose that nail polish color. (sorry if I'm wrong or what. That's just my perception XD )

Two days to go and our Bro Jesus Christ will be born! \:D/ #eggzzited.

Christmas Entries Evolution

By chance, I was able to read the past Christmas entries I've had since 2004 and somehow realized how my way of writing has changed from a really carefree kind to a relatively mature one. Here are some screenshots of my past entries. (Click the pictures to zoom in)


Year 2004.I was 12 years old back then. Reading this made me remember the feeling I had during that time I wrote this blog post. I felt that even if my family members were present, I can't seem to find the true happiness I should've had felt. I guess I was searching for something "deeper" about Christmas. Please don't get me wrong, I didn't mean to be a brat in this entry. ;) Theoretical things are what we learn in school, and I guess I felt uncertain. Nevertheless, I think that my interrogation of what the real spirit of Christmas was made me eagerly search for a deeper meaning. I believe it was THAT MOMENT that initiated everything -- my understanding of myself and my God. :)


Year 2007. This is more of a gratitude entry for my friends both in the online and offline worlds. I received a lot of gifts and I was thankful for them. I believe I became more optimistic during this year. I can still remember that I really felt blessed while writing this post. I'd let my life be open for "everyone" especially after stepping in the blogopshere. Blogging has become part of my daily routine ever since 2004... and knowing wonderful people who changed my perspective in a way made me become a better person. I AM CERTAIN that I've become MORE OPTIMISTIC because of the blogging community I've grown up with. I am really thankful. ^-^ (I'm currently having goosebumps, lah~~) XD


Year 2008. Being able to bring smiles on the faces of the kids of Antipolo was the best thing I've experienced in this year. My Student Council mates and I were blessed to be given a once in a blue moon opportunity to be part of such project and become the student body's representative to share the blessings we receive everyday. This year was also the first time I sang carols together with my high school classmates who are actually my neighbors. :) I miss singing carols with them! Everyone's so busy in college now that we only cope with one another through twitter or facebook. :)

As I think about it, my Christmas 2011 is quite different from the past Christmas celebrations I've had. This year I became more open to prayers. I love the feeling of talking to Him and just sharing my thoughts as if He is really there as a friend. I may not receive a lot of materialistic gifts this year, but what's really important is our reflection as we anticipate the coming of Jesus Christ. :) May we find the real spirit of Christmas despite the unfortunate news we have received recently.

We may falter along the way in this materialistic world, but fear not for Christ shall come and set us free from despair ~SG

The 15Q Tag

Finally after 1283754738 years, got the chance to vlog again! All thanks to my sis Gail of Pseudolavie for tagging me. :) Here are 15 questions I answered truthfully. LMAO. My fave question is #11. :>

I also have an online "gift" at the end (aka Silent Night recording) for all of you. :>

Happy Holidays!

All thanks to Gail of Pseudolavie.Com. ^-^ I'm now tagging: Esma, Chiui, Dipika, Patricia, Chelsea, Phyllz, Claire, and those who really wanna do this tag! :)

Pure Culture

Just wanna share you the petri dish I had for Microbio a few weeks ago! We were tasked to isolate a pure culture of a specific microorganism. :) Just feelin' oh so proud of my work! LMAO. :) Today I finished revising my Introduction (Research Methodology subject) which I passed an hour ago online. :) I got to clean my room as well! Til next time. ;)

I desire.

To desire, as they say, is to wish earnestly for something. We long for things because we think or feel that it can satisfy our needs and wishes. It can be an object, an emotion, an achievement and whatnot. As a person, who doesn't aspire, desire? I bet no one... because as a human being, we naturally want to attain self-fulfillment. Hence, we do something about it in any way possible. :)

A few days ago, I received this

salmon pink rose

It's been roughly a year and 7 months since I last received a rose this beautiful. This is actually a kris kringle gift from a blockmate. I did some researching over the net and found out that salmon pink roses meant "to desire for something/someone". :D I truly love this gift for I had a couple of realizations again.

First, it led me to another self-check session! It's my way of knowing myself more -- knowing what I really want in life. ;)

I realize that I desire so much... too much, maybe. :D For instance, I want to become a pediatrician, an inspirational blogger, write my own book, perform on stage for a musical, and publish my own scientific journals as a biologist. I even have this thought of getting my hair blonde, changing my whole wardrobe with one-of-a-kind clothes and all that! I always think that miracles can happen like getting back my perfect vision of 20/20 I used to have, getting thin and even taller and becoming a model or better yet an ambassador of an organization. Personally, I always dream to marry a man that is worth my existence (obsession as it may be, I find Tegoshi Yuya potentially good as a hubby lah~ XD ) But seriously, I pray that I can have a family of my own, living our lives in prosperity and in happiness. :D I plan to build a house inspired by Koreanovelas like the one Hyun Bin had in Secret Garden...and eventually call it a home. :D I want to travel the world, and touch other people's lives as well. My desires as stated above can be outrageously witty or even out of my range; others... well, they can be achieved in God's time. ;)

Second, I shall desire not to seek people's attention, but to do good deeds and bring good news for His glory.

I can desire all I want, daydream like forevuh, but there will always be a limitation (i.e., we can't be the person we wish we could be if there were MORE EXCITING things set before us as written in God's will).

I told myself before that the moment I stepped into school, I was in for the wild ride! It's like I accepted a contract wherein I can be crashed into pieces if I flaunt, or reigned The Holy One if I do good. LOL! *crazy me starts here* But you get my point? It can be really stressful when you are pressured by the society you are in. Hence, I initially thought that I MUST DO GOOD; If not, then I'm out of this game.

I always felt that way before. I did things because I want others to think that I'm good -- someone who is intellectual, responsible and all that. But then, I realized that I WAS living a life of a puppet on string. During that time, my only wish was to stay on top... and if I fail to reach that "threshold potential" of success in order for me to get going, I'd be sad about it.

As I grew, I accepted the fact that I cannot have all the things I long for. :) All I have now on Earth will be gone when I reunite with Him, so I have set my mind to do things or deeds that can nourish my soul. :) I now think that my life on Earth must be used efficiently for the glory of God. I feel that the spotlight must not be put upon me. Rather, my life shall be utilized in order for others to see The Light who is Him. :D

Sharing you my thoughts is the best way for me to start anew. :) This Yuletide season, may we continue to set our goals right! It's never too late, so there! Have a merry holiday, everyone!

Nature Republic Petite Cherry Rouge M23

I have this penchant for pretty pink lipsticks nowadays that whenever I go to cosmetic shops, the first thing I visit is the counter for lipsticks and/or lip care. Since Nature Republic is already in town, I might as well visit the place, I said to myself! :D I bought a couple of things from them making me an official member/card holder yesterday #thingsthatmakemegiddy

So here is my current fave lipstick! ~ Petite Cherry Rouge in Light Pink. It's relatively small compared to the usual lipsticks I have but considering that it costs half the usual price of lipsticks around 500 bucks, this is already a good buy! It has not dried my lips, so it's a good thing!  It also has this mild, not really that distinguishable, cherry scent so it doesn't really irritate the senses. I've been using it for days already. :D

Took under daylight condition


Took under fluorescent light condition

So there! I wonder if this is how I cope with stress lately. XD Instead of eating, I go buy some pretty things that make me happy and girly at the same time. Till next time! Xox~

P.S. Nature Republic is located at the 4th floor of SM the Block

Tony Moly Lovely Stick in Blossom Pink

I bought this lovely lipstick in Tony Moly 2 months ago and I just want to share how great a purchase this is! It's code in Tony Moly Berry Berry Lipstick is PKLS05. :D  If you like shimmery lipsticks, this one's a must in your collection! The packaging, as you can see, is so pretty and I  bet no one can resist buying something this kawaii, ne? :D

What I like about this lipstick is the fact that it never dries my lips out! It actually can do wonders when it comes to moisturizing my lips! :D Some may not like too shimmery lipsticks, but in my case, I really do like it. Another thing is whenever I wear such shade, I can't help but feel so "young" HAHA Seriously!

Even a mere lipstick can add up to your whole get-up, right? :D Right now I'm resisting on putting too much make-up that would cover up my pores lately coz I get to have blemishes due to stress, lack of sleep, air pollution, etc. What I put on my face these days are the medications recommended by my dermatologist and something that would add color to my lips! ^_^

Here are a couple of pictures to end this entry!

Can I call this "Kiss from Dara"? LOL!

Questions:
1. Do you have interests in shimmery hot pink lipsticks?
2. What's your favorite make-up in your kit that add accent to your get-up (e.g., putting eyeliner, mascara, lipstick, or some blush?) :)

December: Shall Recover!

If you were a relative, you'd know how devastating my November was to me. It's like a month long of instability, indecisiveness, and literal mourning -- not only for me, but for my whole extended family. It's not easy to move on, and I know that there will be times that even if I try to make myself busy with academics, the moment I sit and just think freely, the thoughts of the recent past would flashback out of nowhere. It's not the typical sadness someone can get from heartbreaks nor in teenage dramas; it's more of [protected] a life and death kind of thing. Life can be taken like a breeze, y'know? So swift that you can't even catch up! The catch in this "drama of my life" is that it's not just one event, not two, but three.

If you're a recent reader, you'd know a couple of unfortunate news about my offline life. I haven't spilled all the beans yet actually, coz I bet no one would want to get negative vibes. But even if I don't want to make it a big deal, like sharing it all over the world like a boss through blogging, I just can't let the "unhealthy" vibes eat me up.

It's funny how easy-go-lucky I can be especially in school-- just LOLing most of the time with my blockmates and all. But when I get time for myself, alone... WOW That'd be another story -- a totally opposite story! I think I also have the problem, ne? coz I can't really open up with closed friends when it comes to personal matters. It's weird of me that I can ACTUALLY talk about it more here in this blog than with people I know personally, don't you think? Hmm. I guess it's part of my personality not to let others see how weak I can get when it comes to things or people I cherish the most :')

So for the times I get to be emotional and a little weird, THANK YOU READERS! You may not notice but every comment you make -- the stories you share, the quotable statements, advices, and even the silliest jokes you type... they all make sense to me. They make me feel better! If I can just really extend the tightest hug to each of you, you know?
[/protected]
ANYWAYS, As the title says,

I shall recover this December!

SM North EDSA, The Block Christmas Tree

It will be a good Healing Month for me. I must not let the past hinder me from enjoying life to the fullest and making this place better with my existence, ne? XD I know it's gonna be tough, but with God, with my family, and my friends (online or offline), I hope I won't forget to stand up! Please pray for my fast recovery. I want to regain the optimism, the hope, and the love. :)

Trying The Curls

I attended a symposium about Microbiology last weekend and was tasked to be an usherer for the said event. I tried curling my hair for the event... Now I'm thinking if I'd get a perm or just let my hair stay naturally wavy and just do whatsoever hairdo when needed. Here's a picture!

Hello curly hair! I find it really new whenever I curl my hair. I seldom do it! :)) But I like the outcome.

As usual, I have no ample amount of time to blog for hours or even visit your homes but I'll try after NMAT! :D I just thought I needed this break (aka blog in the middle of academic life) because I feel like I need to talk and share some stories with y'all before I explode in insanity! Till here!

What I'm Up To

My first week back to school = speechless. Pressure is everywhere! We are being bombarded by requirements and self-realizations now that we are in 3rd yr 2nd sem. It's like all the batteries I've "recharged" for my system to get back and win the battle is about to drain! LOL. XD I have four major subjects this semester which comprises Developmental Biology, Research Methodology, Microbiology, and Animal Physiology. Right now, I'm still a little bit relaxing, but I know things will turn out to be really REALLY toxic just before Christmas break commences. We shall prepare for the first blood shed of the semester aka exams #Exaggeration

Just awhile ago, we had a seatwork in Micro Bio Lab. The task was to draw examples of the following microorganisms -- under Protista, Fungi, and Eubacteria. Here's a piece of paper of what I submitted! LOL

On another note, here's what I just ate for dinner! ~Pomodor Sechi and Panini bread~

Pomodor Sechi and Panini bread

This was given by my sister as a "pasalubong". I can't ask anything greater than having a family who's there anytime. We never fail to cope with one another either through text messages, phone calls, get-together's or food treats!! ^-^ #blessed

'Til here!

PS: I decided to leave my previous account. I'm now tweeting at @OUJOHARU You can follow my twitter account, which I ALWAYS update! :D

Forever Young

Got a new phone under my dad's name -- Samsung Galaxy Young. I like how Young was put at the end of the phone's brand name. I'm using a SMART sim for this phone, and hopefully this phone will be used especially for acad-related stuff like PDFs and research. HAHA I know, I'm such a weirdo(?) XD

It was my first day of classes yesterday. Apparently, only 1 out of 3 professors showed up and we only spent 15 minutes for that subject. Sometimes I think, I should've not gone to school on a first day because more often than not there'll be no such thing as "classes" anyway. :D Nevertheless, seeing my blockmates was good! Whenever I see my friends, I can't help but smile. IT's as if the mood that I got from the past mishaps turned into a more optimistic one. That's what I like about being busy and getting things to work on -- I can distract myself away from bad vibes.

Here I am alone again at home. My parents usually eat breakfast at Mcdonald's on Saturdays, and they take food to go for me to eat! :D Ciao for now.

Lookout for a Loved One

Three of my relatives are now reunited with God -- my uncle-in-law, grandmom-in-law, and my dearest uncle -- all from the mother side. The death of my uncle affected me the most. We used to celebrate family occasions together, especially Christmas. What makes life in this world so unpredictable is the fact that the day before he died, we were still able to talk over the phone and sing a song merrily. I had no idea, instinct, nor ESP that it would be his last hello from him, last conversation with me. Although I know that we are souls and that we wander around... and we can be fortunate to see them in the next life, the feeling of losing a person whom you are used to be with especially in times of merriment... it's the last thing I'd want to feel.

For the past days my cousins and I were the ones who stayed at the funeral to look over the place. My usual lookout hours (while others are asleep) is from 1-6AM. During that span of time, I pray and talk to my uncle, study for NMAT, and watch over my relatives who were asleep. I feel so sad but I need to be strong. Life will be tougher the next time, I know. Only few people close to me know about this. I just wanted to let my sad feelings out; thanks to this blog and of course to you my netfriends!

On another note, here are two tags I got recently from two of my blogfriends, Gail and Esma. Read on to know more about me! ;)

Gail's Tag:

• Thank and link back to the blogger who gave you the award


• Share 7 things about yourself


• Pass it along to at least 15 fabulous bloggers


• Contact the bloggers you awarded to let them know about the award

1. My height is 4"11.5' Yes, I still need a 0.5 inch to be 5 feet. Nonetheless, I say I'm 5" tall! LOLOLOL crazy height!
2. I use Heinz ketchup for fries and Jufran for chicken! #exclusively XD
3. I am very much into Jdorama and Kdrama, so if you are too, then we are Asian Drama buddies! lmao
4. I like singing and blending in esp in a choir
5. I wanted to learn breakdance but yea, fail XD I love dancing tho!
6. Milk tea is one of my favorite drinks
7. I believe in past lives

Esma's Tag

• 1. In what part you and me clique? Jdorama and Kdrama fan! That was the very first thing that popped out my mind, hehe


• 2. How long we've been known each other? I guess less than a month... :)


• 3. Extreme sport that you really want to do? Not really sporty. The only sports I learned because I need to pass the subject is swimming. Thanks to it though, I can now swim! LOL


• 4. Peanut butter or chicken ham mayo sandwiches? Peanut butter sandwiches are my fave with matching coffee!


• 5. Would you like to be my friend in real world? Why not, Esma! ^^ I think it would be great to know someone from another country. I hope I can learn your language too. I have this goal (sort of) to learn different languages so that when I tour the world, I can communicate with everyone freely :)


• 6. What course/job that you into? I'm taking up BS biology right now as a pre-med course. Hopefully, I get to graduate as a pediatrician.


• 7. Risk taker or play safe? I play safe now. HEHE


• 8. Do you find me attractive? Lol Yes! Love your hair too.


• 9. When is your birthday? May 3 :D


• 10. Like SNSD too? I like hearing their songs but not really a fanatic. I am more into Jpop especially NEWS and Arashi! :D


• 11. You are an early bird or an owl type of person?Both. :D I need to become a night owl person especially because there are a lot of things to study, however, I must not sacrifice time in the morning so I get to be an early bird when needed so as not to be late for class! If I have free time, I see to it to sleep and rest. :D

The Hot Seat

I think this is yet one of the tags that make me think a lot. LOL! Thanks to sis Mei Chagas for tagging me with the trending tag which I just answered a couple of days ago (see this post) So here's the 3rd tag I'm answering! :D

1. What is love?

Love is when you do your best to understand something/someone even if it’s not easy. It also lets you sacrifice some things when needed. It will also make you happy in the end. (What I mean about happy in the end is not just about YOU being happy. More often than not when we love, what makes the other person or thing happy outweighs what you desire for personal satisfaction. We are more concerned of what they feel, what they want. So basically, it doesn’t guarantee YOUR HAPPINESS. You get to realize love when it’s not just all about you, you and you.

2. If you can only eat one kind of food to eat in your entire life, what would it be?

PIZZA! Everything’s in it ;)

3. What is your ideal age to get married?

I guess I’d say 32. I still have lots of years to learn and become a full-pledged doctor. I hope I can settle on my own before getting married. I also want to enjoy my life being single with my girl-friends!

4 How do you gain self-confidence?

I condition myself! I believe that it’s all in the mind. You cannot be confident enough, if in the first place you feel bad about yourself. Do what pleases you –- may it be make-ups or great clothing, good grades or even be good at sports. A good support system with friends and family is also a factor. I gain lots from them, emotionally and spiritually!

5. What is your greatest fear?

I cannot think of anything that I fear the most.

6. Are you in favor of the RH Bill? Why?

Yes. I do not believe that it destructs morality nor does it make people sex-inclined. RH Bill has more to say, and as a bill, it does help in rearing children, taking care of the whole family (by family planning), and parents, especially the mothers.

7. If you will be the president of the Philippines for a day, what is the first thing you will do?

Hold a State of the Nation Address and say what I believe is the problem of the country, request for everyone’s cooperation, and convince them that whatever the government does, if the people of the country don’t take part, then problems will stay as is.

8. Why do you think people celebrate Halloween?

Well it has become a tradition already. I do believe it’s still celebrated today because of the costumes and candies.

9. What kind of food will you never eat even if you will be given one million dollars for it?

Anything that will make me a cannibal.

10. Who is the most handsome guy in the whole world?

Seriously now? TEGOSHI YUYA =)) How I wish I knew him really, (well I somehow believe I knew him in my past life[click here for the crazy stuff], LOL!) But if you know him personally…. as a friend, can you introduce him to me? XD *okay stay put Sandra and control your fangirling side*

11. What do you think of me? :)

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It doesn't fade away

It's always great to hang out with long time friends once in a while. I get to be really busy when school starts to roll! You see, most of them study at the same university, so they get to hang out or eat lunch together. But in my case, I only get to be connected with them, well most of the time, through facebook or twitter and be more connected to my college circle during school months.

Don't get me wrong; I don't have any grudges on any of my friends now in college! :D  I just tend to miss the old times. FYI, most of my high school friends were also my kinder-to-gradeschool classmates, so I have lived my childhood and adolescent years with them. It was pretty hard to be away from them after high school, but then again life must go on! So, I had no choice but to adjust. :]

The girls of the gang!

Gladly, some of my high school friends and I were able to enjoy a day full of laughter and craziness in TriNoma-MoA-SM North Edsa. Yes, that was one loaded day! :D The girls and I ate lunch at TriNoma and waited for the four men (who had their basketball practice somewhere) to arrive. It was great catching up with them! The moment we talked, it was full blast! :)) I can't really narrate everything in here, but summing it all up, it was one heck of a conversation -- no dead air! Everything's just in-sync with one another; Just like the old times.

We watched Paranormal Activity 3 at 4:15PM. The whole movie was effin' crazy! We almost died in our seats LOL. Afterwhich, we strolled around the mall and went near Manila Bay, took pictures and had more stuff to talk about! Who can forget to take 'pictorials'! :)) Here are a couple of pictures. From L-R: Andrea, Tin, Me, Joan, Fae

We were lucky enough to see some fireworks too!



All 11 of us (some are not in the pictures) had an FX ride back home and had dinner at Tokyo Tokyo, SM Annex.

...and so I say, cherish those who are dear to you with all your heart

2nd Sem Sched

WARNING: Crazy stuff ahead

Here's my schedule next semester! :) All subjects except for one,which is NatSci4, are major subjects. I am really hoping that I get to be more serious with my studies this time. I often think of the future and all the responsibilities which lie ahead of me. I always say to myself that I'll do better next time, but there are really those times that I just want to "rebel" out of stress and not study for one day and do all things to relax my mind and body, thereby, making me quite easy-go-lucky for the rest of the sem.

I hope and pray to learn how to manage my time wisely this time. I know that the road I am taking, like everybody else, is difficult to surpass. There a lots of challenges, yet I have to be optimistic, stay strong, believe in my capabilities and keep my faith to God. I want to become a doctor. I must have the drive to achieve this. So help me God.  :]

Pardon me for the silly design of my schedule! XD The one on the right is Tegoshi Yuya, and I'm on the left side. LOLS! Fine fine, You can say I'm addicted or obsessed or whatever, HAHA, but I really admire this guy coz of his talents. He can be more beautiful than me if he were a girl, damn! :)) Plus, can you believe that I had this really crazy moment wherein I actually cried while watching the music video of NEWS entitled "Aki no Sora"? Yes, my dear readers, it was weird for the fact that while crying I actually had a burst of emotions as if I missed him and all. Being a pastlife believer, I suddenly thought that MAYBE we knew each other during one of my past lives. HAHA OKAY, I don't want to let you read more of my craziness. :)) So yea, I don't know, maybe stress has brought me up to this point! LMAO. XD

PS: I'll be seeing my highschool friends later! :D *next entry, that is!*

Tagged!

Thanks to Grysh & Sakura for tagging me! They tagged the same thing so I have 22 instead of 11 questions to answer! I'm loving this. #feelingartista LOLJK!

Rules:
1. You must post these rules.
2. Each person must post 11 things about themselves in their journal.
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and create eleven new questions for the people you tag to answer.
4. You have to choose 11 people to tag and link them on the post
5. Go to their page and tell them you have tagged him/her.
6. No tag backs.
7. No stuff in the tagging section about “you are tagged if you are reading this.” You legitimately (AKA, really, truly, with all honesty)have to tag 11 people.

Grysh's Questions

1. How old are you? I'm 19 years young! ^_^


2. When did you start blogging? I started blogging in 2004 using Blogspot. :D


3. Are you fashion-forward? Somehow, I guess.


4. What is your favorite ensemble? The usual plain colored top, jeans, and FitFlops! (I have a couple of fitflop pairs XD, and I love wearing them)


5. Do you play any musical instrument? Unfortunately, I haven't mastered any instrument though I used to play the guitar before...


6. From what country are you? Philippines


7. Would you rather be an ugly tree or an emotionless rock? Emotionless rock -- in terms of biology, the ugly tree wouldn't be standing there if it weren't for the emotionless rock that would have undergone weathering to provide soil for the tree's nutrients and minerals. :D So somehow, I see the rock as an essential thing. It's good that it doesn't have emotions too! Because if it did, it'll surely think twice whether it must provide for the tree or not.


8. Are you still a student or are you already working? I'm still a student, currently on my 3rd year of pre-med in UPM


9. How do you see yourself 10 years from now? Hmm.. this is quite difficult to answer coz I've been dreaming of becoming a pediatrician, an inspirational blogger, and a theatre actress. XD I don't know if they can be combined but we'll see after 10 years! LOL.


10. Is 10 years too much? How about 5 years from now? I guess I'd be studying for Medicine Proper. :)


11. Honestly speaking, would you do this tag? I just did! ^_^

Sakura's Questions

1. What do you think of me? Friendly, Kawaii, Smart


2. Where are you from? Philippines


3. Do you love blogging? Yes, I do love it! It has become a pastime


4. Tshirts or buttoned shirts? Either actually. Tshirts for schooldays, Buttoned for more formal occasions :D


5. Ballet flats or sneakers? (for girls) Sport shoes or sneakers? (for guys) ballet flats


6. Sling bag or backpack? sling bag


7. Sennheiser or Audio Technica or Dr Dre? I haven't gotten any of those. ;)


8. Facebook or Twitter? Twitter! I can totally post anything in there.


9. What is your favourite music group/band? NEWS♥ Unfortunately (and it's really heartbreaking) Yamapi and Ryo already left making them 4nin!NEWS (okay this is /wrist time!)


10. What is one thing that you always wanted to try but don’t dare to try? Ballet! It's too late for my not so flexible body and I need a lot of time to be able to do it now that I'm busier than bees.


11. What is one thing that you tried but didn’t do well? Singing in very high notes with my original voice! I can only sing high notes or do the head tone in falsetto. I want to really have that "powerhouse"  belting-out voice. :D

So now, I'm tagging 11 people!

Kristina Trish Dipika Abhie Adrenia April Chiui Cassie Geneve Jamie Sheng

Here are your questions: (Theme: YOUR FAVORITES) What/Who is your fave...
1. Color?
2. Food?
3. Drink?
4. Music Genre?
5. TV show (Kdrama/Jdorama/etc)?
6. Actor/Actress (that inspires you)?
7. Get-up?
8. Scenery of Nature?
9. Perfume?
10. Dessert?
11. Musical Instrument?

Yakimix on a Friday

Yakimix recently opened their SM North Edsa branch! We usually eat at DADS or Saisaki for that ultimate eat-all-you-can experience, but just for a change, we tried Yakimix out. :D The ambiance was really great! The moment I saw the place I was like, "Now I know the reason why most people would choose to eat here rather than the other buffet restaurants out there". Being a maki lover, I had to try almost everything that is in the sushi/maki section! XD It was my first plate. LOL! Of course I didn't miss the tempura goodness! =))

I also did some grillin' at their smokeless grill. The marinated stuff were good! They were yummy, IMO, especially those asparagus and carrots wrapped with bacon, haha! You guys must try 'em out! I thought the "stress left-overs" from my acad-related life were relieved after I tried the smokeless grill. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take pictures of everything I ate already because I got carried away, LOL. I ate a lot and ended up having a really happy stomach! XD

And oh, about the ambiance, here's the buffet table! Really pleasing to the eyes, eh? :)

It has almost the same price as any other buffet restaurants we went to, so I guess the price was worth it! I was really full after anyway! NO DOUBT ABOUT IT! :D

Question:

Do you skip meals just to get your stomach all set for that one time-big time Eat-All-You-Can Experience? :D FYI: I didn't eat the whole day except for breakfast just to make my stay in Yakimix at dinner time worth it! XD

Feeling Christmas-y!

I decided to make the second theme for my SGCom Baby! :D It's a Christmas-inspired theme with crimson, green, and gold colors as the scheme. Here's the before and after shots of my site! As you can observe, I'm very much into earthy colors these days! Influence of BS Biology? HAHA Nah.

On another note, my feet still hurts coz of our Panigsahan 2011 last Sunday! It was an amazing race held in UP Diliman-QC Memorial Circle for our Hum2 Class. It was actually a game for "plus points" in our grade! How generous can our professor be! :D But yea, my feet still hurts like it's gonna break any moment now! LOL

PS: my family and I are planning to eat at Yakimix tomorrow! I'm so excited ^^~ It'll be my first time to eat there fyi; we usually eat at DADS or Saisaki whenever we eat at buffets! :D

Say WA!

Not really a pro ecologist yet, but hey, I'm grateful that I passed our Ecology subject. Just this afternoon, my professors in Ecology already sent our grades, and fortunately, I got exempted! I totally needed a treat so wallah!

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="550" caption="Cake from Breadtalk and Milk tea from BubbleTea"][/caption]

I had some milk tea and sweets to celebrate. Junior first semester sure is one hell of a sem! I know that somehow grades will be a little down compared to my previous performance as a sophomore but nothing is more important than passing all my subjects now and stay regular. Hopefully, I get to be exempted for the rest of my subjects so that I won't take any finals. I want to have some rest already! I had more than enough sleep deprivation. XD  I can say that sembreak starts now though. :D

So what did Ecology contribute to me as a biologist? Well, I can say it taught me a lot regarding the interplay of various factors in nature -- both biotic and abiotic factors. I never knew ecology could be so interesting. I mean, knowing the interactions among the organisms and why they behave that way... and how abiotic factors could affect the rest of the ecology and all that! The scope is really broad, but it's just amazing how everything is connected! :D

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="In love with the Mangroves"][/caption]

The best part of Ecology, IMO,  is our fieldwork in San Juan, Batangas. We got the opportunity to explore the association of mangroves and learn more about them - the competition among different species and within similar ones. The whole experience of getting grubby and sweaty was the best part for me! I'm not really sure why I liked that exhausting part but, it  was the reason why I enjoyed the Mangrove Adventure! Learning while getting dirty ang drama! :D

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Say WA! "][/caption]

Here was our class picture after the fieldwork! Can you spot our professors? HAHA, I bet you can't but they're the ones sitting at the right-most side in white shirt and with shades (Sir Sed) and left-most side standing and carrying a black bag while holding a hat (Ma'am Lacdan).  The view is really relaxing too! Just a perfect spot to unwind and stay away from the troublesome acads for the moment. :D Most of us were doing the WA pose (our mouths wide open as if saying the word WA). XD It was popularized by our Ecology lecture prof (Sir Arnold)  [not in the picture]. He said whenever a predator captures a prey, it would say WA then eat the prey! :D

Such a wonderful experience, indeed. :) Thank you Ecology professors for sharing with us your knowledge! Till we meet again, ecology. :)

Saturated

A lot of things to think about... a lot of things that bug me.. Distractions are everywhere. I'm thinking too much , eh? Maybe. I just hope... [protected] I can surpass all my endeavors for the 2 weeks.I hope I won't take finals anymore! Please help me Lord, God [/protected]

Shara's Unbirthday Party!

L-R: Me, Joyce, Eireen, and Caila

We celebrated Shara's 18th birthday (college blockmate) last Saturday in AFP Club House. Her debut's theme was Alice in Wonderland, so we had to at least be "inspired" of one of the characters in the story. I tried to be an inspired Cheshire cat for that night. Well, I obviously failed to be REALLY inspired of cheshire cat! I just wore a purple dress and had a pink-purple combo of eyeshadow! :)) LOL

On another note, I bought the Tony Moly Berry Berry Lovely Stick PKLSO5 the same day as the debut .It's one of the darkest shades of pink in Tony Moly. The pigment is good, in my opinion. I had to reapply it for a couple of times though, maybe because I didn't have any lip primer on. 4/5 stars for this! :D

So here was the CheshireCat-inspired look!

P.S. I've been missing in action for the past weeks. As you all know, semester will end soon so requirements are all piling up until the 3rd week of October! :D Ciao for now!

William

Superb! One word that, in my opinion, best describes WILLIAM - a rap musical about the English poet and playwright William Shakespeare, directed by Maribel Legarda. It is an original play by PETA which is said to cure students' Shake-fear and turn it into Shakes-peer - a friend to everyone (del Rosario, 2011).

To be honest, I've not yet seen nor had a role (during my high school years) in any Shakespeare plays; Not even the famous Romeo and Juliet or Hamlet. But after watching the show, I was enthused to know more about Shakespeare. The words in his works sure are never-racking, mind-breaking, nose-bleeding and whatnot, but damn, his works were grand! His works ARE grand.

This show has not defeated its purpose, in my case. :D  Not only did I learn to appreciate the life and works of Shakespeare, but also made me realize how important my life is. How worthy each second of my life is!  As he had said:

Let every man be master of his time -- William Shakespeare, Macbeth

Being the master and not the slave of time... doing what you can do and not holding back.. having the opportunity to cherish what life can offer when you still have time.. these I learned by watching William.  I seldom watch plays, but I'm grateful for watching this one! Definitely a must-see show! Cliché but true. ;)

After the show, I was lucky enough to meet some of the cast:

(L-R) Anj Heruela (Estella), Me, Hapster Constantino, Meann Espinosa (Ms. Martinez)


Rico Del Rosario (TJ) and I


And two of my most favorite promising theater actors, Ian Segarra (Erwin) and John Moran (Richard)! I'm really looking forward to see them more in PETA's upcoming projects. :)

Somehow, my passion for Performing Arts also has grown by watching William. That passion for singing... dancing.. , so is my budding ardor for theater acting. I am not a professional yet, but I'm hoping that sooner or later, I can try it out! ;)

William play dates are August 14, 19-21, 26-28, September 2-4, 9-11, 16-18, 23-25, 2011 with shows at 10:00 a.m. and 3 p.m. The PETA Theater Center is located at No. 5 Eymard Drive, New Manila, Quezon City. MORE INFO at Broadway World: Philippines

The Crossing...Train Rides

Odd as it seems, I find train rides relaxing. One would engage himself in a very tough battle going inside it at first, especially when it's crowded with people; nevertheless, when almost everyone would have gotten off,  I find the impression of trains mild and serene as if it's giving me space -- that "space" I need to breathe in, breathe out... stay calm and sane...away from the unsettled pace of the people that have bounded me initially. Kudos to Monumento Station for being the main get-off of the masses BTW! :D

Within that intimate, personal space I get from the almost vacant train, I find a moment of stillness. I rarely get calm these days, you see. Reality/Life nowadays is giving me a hard time, but I'm trying... not to feel down nor frustrated. I know I've been always a happy bee! An optimist! But there will always be a limit to everything, so I'm encouraging myself to drive the happy hormones out and just be.. well, happy!  :p

I will never blame academics for this though, coz maybe it's just really part of the routine of being a typical college student -- we need to get stressed so we won't be at ease all the time. After all, the Actual Life (away from the books, more on reality bites) has more to offer than the amount of stress we get from cramming the readings, almost not hitting the sack every night, and getting the pens and brains ready to battle out the revolting examinations! ;)

The usual Berso Sa Metro quotes situated at the top sides of the train are one of the unique things I get from riding the train. They make me reflect the moment I read them, and they are really effective especially when I'm in the middle of anxiety. God knows when I need some words of motivation, words from The Almighty!  :]

On another note,  life , as they say, can be compared to train rides. There are a couple of stations where you can get on and off, go for shorter or longer paths depending on your choice and then decide when to stop and get off the train. You can even decide if you want to go back, or just move on and go to the next station. We, likewise, get to be on different stages in our lives wherein each stage serves a mixed platter of blessings and difficulties. It's up to us now on how we'd take the platter! ;)

Questions: How do you get over life difficulties? Are you happy and contented with the way you are living now? || Do you ride trains? Do you feel the same when you get on a train (that feeling of calmness when it's almost unoccupied by people)?