The Surplus Shopping!

MicroBlogging Mode: I shopped for tops today and was successful in buying three tops for a price of Php999.00. It seems pricey for some but for me this is a good buy already! :)) It's hard to see clothes that you really like that are not so expensive. :) So there, just sharing the three tops I got! All from Surplus Shop. :D

Escaping Reality

REALITY -- I guess this is that one word that worries me a lot. :) It's vague in the sense that life is very much a game. You get to be happy for a moment, then all of a sudden you'd be under the rain. You think you are "getting there", being successful and all... but then you realize it's only a pinch of what you can really get from this world. You get to fight in a battle thinking that you are prepared enough to face everything, then you get stabbed in the back without you knowing. No warning signs; and I guess that is something about reality that we can't totally erase. However, I know all of us have wished to at least escape reality for a moment. We have our ways on doing it and for me, that is when I watch Asian Dramas. :)

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="K-Dramas I've recently watched. :)"][/caption]

It really helps a lot especially when I need encouraging words of wisdom about life or scenes that I know I can relate my life with. Well, there are also those times I'd just love to get all giddy and smittened! :D I've talked about how I couldn't resist a day without watching even a single episode of a drama, right? Though I want to share it all, I bet this online diary would eventually be a review blog once I do that, so I'm "controlling" myself not to get into reviewing 'em. :D  But then again IMHO, Jdoramas are really on top of the list when it comes to learning life principles or even re-learning them. :)

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Top 4 Jdoramas that had an impact on me :)"][/caption]

Maybe some of you may disagree with me about this "escaping reality" thing, because I honestly sometimes would wish I didn't get this far in making too much escape from the real world. Sometimes we people can get really attached to the fake worlds we make that there's a tendency not to decipher which world is which anymore. I'm guilty of that! :D But I regret nothing... because for me, it's part of molding myself.

So I always have that reality check in my system, so not to confuse myself of where I am now. :) I know in myself I've changed alot. I am influenced by the society I am in and my addiction to this world of Asian TV Shows. :D  Whatever words I learn either from this society or from the shows I watch that in my opinion are worthy of learning, I adapt. I carry them over as life principles in the end. :)

I'm not that grade school Sandra anymore who had this all goody-goody image nor that person who's gotten high grades and all when I was in high school. I've grown to expect not only the best but also the worst things that can come to my life. Although in truth, no one can really escape reality, of course there would be those times that we can't really help but make a world out of our ideals.

But how much we try to get away, in the end we'll come to a realization that there's no such thing as a real escape from it. We can only face life for real and be ready for what may come. Although there is no assurance of being successful in the end, at least we can say we did something! :)

So how about you? What's your way of "escaping" reality?

An Interview with Atom

It happens once in a blue moon to meet credible personalities around, and fortunate enough, we got the opportunity to interview one of the most promising journalists of this generation, Mr. Atom Araullo -- journalist, activist, and a fellow Isko. Getting to know more about him is quite fascinating for: one, he answers well that you can very much see how well-rounded a person he is; two, he can crack jokes that are still substantial, meaning you can still learn something from the humor he delivers; and three, he's a very down-to-earth person. His way of thinking and life principles are very inspiring, and for me, that is something that made me look up to him the moment our interview was over. #trulyaninspiration.

On another note, Sis Yesha tagged me! So here's 10 things about me.

Rules:
-Each tagged person must post ten things about themselves.
-You have to choose and tag ten people.
-Go to their blogs and tell them you tagged them.
-No tag backs.
-Have Fun

1. I do not eat seafood except mussels, shrimp, and fish, though I really don't have an allergy for them (ie crab)


2. I have a HUGE liking for jdoramas/kdramas/tdramas or yes Anything about Asian Dramas!  XD There's no single day that I don't watch at least an episode of any drama. Yes, even if there's an exam the next day. lols!


3. I'm very fond of roaming and trying out beauty products when I go to malls (and usually end up buying something from Korean cosmetics)


4. Dancing and singing are my two hobbies I'm really into.


5. I have three towels when I take a bath -- for the hair, the body and the feet.


6. I have dissected frogs and cats for educational purposes, and it amuses me how life can really be complicated (with all the systems and organs in the body working).


7. I'm a frustrated photographer especially when it comes to nature photography. I guess my exposure to BS Biology and fieldworks awakened my sense of being a naturalist.


8. I can sing in low or high tones(but not the highest tones made by sopranos as in the highest ever! LOL) When the choir needs a bass or a tenor, I can sing their parts. I'm an Alto by the way :D


9. I've tried gun-shooting during my highschool years for ACP training and it was really fun! I thought it was a good stress reliever. :)


10. I can stay all day staring at the computer and of course do something to pass time. HAHA!

So there. :) Now I'm tagging Lianna, Gia, Alyanna, Noemi, Krizelle, Chi, Venus, Dueny, Clint, and Ren.

Fieldwork in Ilocos

A couple of weeks ago, my batchmates and I went to Ilocos Norte for our fieldwork in Bio115 (Taxonomy of Higher Plants). We were tasked to visit various biomes of the province and get a couple of specimens to be preserved as our herbarium specimens (project). It really sounded as if it's all about study, work, and get tanned under the sun, but then I was definitely wrong about that assumption! :D Not only did we learn more about nature, but my batchmates and I also got the opportunity to bond to make up for that toxic college life. I guess this served as a complementary to make up for the summer vacation we were deprived to have. LOL!

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Batchmates and I had dinner first at KFC at 6PM"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Day 1: Botanical Garden of Northwestern University in Ilocos"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption=""DormGirls" at Momaay's Crib! :))"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Day 2: Had a tour of Diff. Biomes; Taking a Lil Rest with Bea and Jeuz"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Saw the Bangui Windmills (Energy Source) as well!"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Toured known places in Ilocos for Day 3 as a "reward"(?) :))"][/caption]

Definitely one of the best memories I've had for summer class! One more thing is the surprise of our batchmates during our 2nd night for us, three girls, Liezel, Anya and I! We have our birthdays on 3 consecutive days of May (May 1-3). We weren't expecting anything at all. I was actually already asleep that time and yet they woke me up, called Liezel and Anya as well, who were outside because they were being "entertained" by my batchmates I guess so that they won't get suspicious or something. We were all awake in the middle of dawn! :))

They even ordered pizzas and colas for us to eat. They're the best college batchmates ever! :) #trulyblessed.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Look how surprised they were and how "bangag" I was that time after they've woken me up! :))"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Birthday Pizza with Happy Bday Initials. :)"][/caption]

Bonding with Mom and Defending the Caveman

This day was absolutely one of the best summer weekend getaways I've had considering the fact that most of my weekends for summer are spoiled by academically-related stuff. My group and I have this project in Bio 115 Course (Taxonomy of Higher Plants) needed to be passed by the end of classes and so we decided to do it awhile ago. Thanks to mom for accompanying me there though! If it weren't for her, surely I wouldn't be able to go there easily. :D I was surprised to hear that the gardeners of the place knew a LOT about the plants they take care of. They really know what varieties they've been caring, their scientific names, and even the distinct characteristics and families the plants belong to! Nature really has its ways to amuse us, especially for aspiring biologists like us. :D So anyway, mom and I had lunch at Caramia, ATG and ate chicken & pasta.

On another note, our Comm III Class, together with Professor Anna, watched Defending the Caveman at RCBC Theatre this evening.  The monologue focused on how men and women have been made different in so many ways. From the beginning of time, being cavemen & women in the jungle, up to this present time in this modern world, there are these differences in culture, opinions, and way of understanding things which are inevitable. It is there and will always be there; however, the challenge starts in a relationship when one questions: how will you manage these differences? :)

It is directed by Mr. Michael Williams and Ms. Cathy Azanza-Dy, two award-winning veterans in the field of theater play. The role of the caveman is played by Mr. Joel Trinidad -- an actor, director, and playwright. It's a one and a half hour monologue. It was supposed to be for those who are in relationships, but if you are single, just like me, yet would want to know more about how relationships work despite the differences of sexes, then you better watch this show. Joel Trinidad is a very effective actor. The show had an impact on me; I cannot explain the feeling but all I know is, now I know more, if not all, about how men would act and why they are like this and that in a couple of situations. Same goes for men who would want to know about their women! ;) I highly recommend you to watch it. They have two more shows for this month -- on May 20 and 21, 2011 8PM at RCBC Theater. Email them [cteshows@gmail.com] for ticket inquiries. You can also check their website for upcoming shows if you're interested. :)

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="299" caption="Joel Trinidad, monologue actor, and I after his successful show at RCBC Theater"][/caption]

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's to your moms! I hope you had a great day celebrating it together with your beloved mothers. We ate lunch at Yellow Cab after attending Mass. It was a simple celebration with only the three of us left at home -- my mom, dad and I. My two sisters are now married and are living with their own families already. We regretted not bringing our own radio at YC though since t'was Pacquiao's fight during that time. XD  Nonetheless, we're so happy knowing that he won after we've eaten our scrumptious lunch! :)) Since it was raining really hard that time, we decided to just have a continuation of our celebration this weekend, and hopefully by that time we can go places! :D

I know I've been missing in blogging action since the middle of April. There are just a lot of things to do in the offline world that I have somehow lost my way in the blogging world. I just want to grab this moment to thank you all for the greetings you've sent me last May 3 in celebration of my 19th birthday. I feel so blessed and loved by you guys. I can't help but smile when I see your greetings in facebook, twitter, or even personal messages. It's my first time to keep track of the facebook wall posts I get for my birthday and I'm really happy to see the continuous flow of greetings for a day or two in my profile! THANK YOU SO MUCH. ♥

I've been living this life for 19 years now and I must say it's an accomplishment to live it in the best way I can. Right now, I know I have more to experience in this world. I don't know how many lifetimes I've lived but I'm grateful that somehow I've managed to really experience my life being the Sandra I am today. Expressive much? But seriously, I am very  happy to live a life surrounded by people who I would cherish through a lifetime. Love y'all!  :]

On another note, just want to share you what I'm drinking now. A Serenitea Wintermelon! The other two are for my sister. She has a craving for milk teas right now, eh? :))