This shall be my last post for this year. That is if I won't be able to sneak in some Internet cafe at some arcadian province. In a matter of hours, the whole family will be having an out of town vacation for a week. We'll be back here from Baguio, which sucks every New Year since only a few make paputok, on the evening of January first.

I'm done packing my things, which I actually hate to do twice every year. It just takes up so much of my time and that's very tiring. I brought the usual things for this event but I also needed to study for long exams in Pathophysiology and MCN so I had no choice but to bring several old and heavy books. It sucks I know. A part of me will be trying to enjoy the vacation and the other part of me will be collapsing onto her book and attempt to review.

I'm going to miss these communist cats who do nothing but mew and groom and play and purr and eat a bag of Friskies. Last night I slept with Paris and Nicole. Those are the name of my pets. They're very cute. They keep purring and squeezing their little heads in on my neck. Which felt really soft and warm like koosh balls that are not meant for crushing because if I do I'd kill my pets and become a killer of communist cats which is not good.

Okay I'm going. Ciao bella.

Santa Clause Is Coming To Town is one song that I really hate to hear every Christmas season. Especially when Michael Bolton sings it. Ugh. Each time I get to hear even one line of the lyrics on the radio I feel like throwing an execrable fit. It's terrible.

I never had faith in Santa Clause so I do not believe in Santa Clause. He's nothing but a legendary figure. Saint Nicholas may be associated as the real Santa Clause some time in the 4th century lost somewhere in the Asia Minor, but he had died a long, long time ago so bye-bye Santa.

Should there still be a Santa Clause today, well I presume he must be merely an apparition, or some fat, red object in people's hallucinations. Santa must be crazy if he ever shows up in the Philippines. Here there are generally no chimneys where he could squeeze himself and his presents in. Plus the metropolitan atmosphere is so dense with noxious carbon monoxide that Santa Clause and Rudolph and other red-nosed reindeers (if there are any) could get ill and die and fall to the biologically dead Pasig River.

The traditional image of Santa clause is totally obsolete. Santa tries not to deviate from the norm so he appears to change in a more modern look. He's no more wearing the outrageous red costume. He's into yellow now. And he finally shaved his long fluffy beard. He now wears white makeup and blood red lipstick. I believe you have seen him around. This is how he looks like now.



Ronald McDonald is my Santa Clause.

Feliz natal, amigos.

Today was phat. This day, I have:

- awaken early to pay my good friend a visit on her birthday. I left at around seven in the morning and I told my parents that I'd be back home after two hours. My traffic on the road had been very smooth this morning. Everything went easily and every passenger inside the jeepney seemed unharried. It's unusual, I know. I myself have never experienced this situation during school days since I have always been caught in horrendous traffic jams.

- arrived at the meeting place late, as always. It turned out that this friend I'm meeting with at some fast-food chain had been waiting for me for about half an hour. Well the day was just so fine and for some reasons it didn't like to be ruined by some bad vibes. I was so bad I didn't care if I arrived late or not but we really need not talk about this. Besides, I gave my friend a priceless collection of antiquated books as Christmas present.

- gotten lost for about ten minutes before we finally got to the place of my friend who's celebrating her birthday.

- met a bunch of funny kids in my friend's house.

- gone to some old supermarket for grocery.

- eaten the best pasta with pesto sauce in the entire metropolis. No exaggeration. I still am salivating for it.

- also eaten countless sticks of barbeque.

- cut out letters and stars from felt paper and gold foil to help decorate the church my friend's family attends to.

- had a second serving of the pasta with pesto sauce. And another... And another... Until my stomach bloated.

- not kept my promise to my parents that I'd be back home at 9a. I decided to go home at 2:30p and arrived home at about 5p.

- eaten huge servings of gambas and siomai when I got home.

- played with the communist cats in the house. They would always distract you from whatever you are doing because they always want to have a share of your attention.

- eaten two big servings of shrimps, calamares, asparagus, siomai, and chocolate cake for dinner. By midnight I would probably have myself intoxicated with alcohol. When that time comes, I won't be sure of what I'm celebrating about.

I realized that all the best things in life could be obtained today. I hope we won't run out of these even just for a day.

Maligayang Noche Buena, mga kaibigan. Magpakabusog tayong lahat.

After the Noche Buena, I will be packing my clothes for the annual family vacation. Albeit it has always been like this, same car, same places, same food, same people to see, et cetera... Going for a vacation never really bores me.

Starting on the 26th, five days from now, we leave Manila and head for the following:

Ilocos Sur

My father grew up in Amarao, a dusty barrio in Santa Cruz, Ilocos Sur. That's where we stay every vacation. Our house there is a dead spot. Cell phones are futile. One needs to go to the barren river nearby to get at least a bar of signal from the cell sites. My experiences in Ilocos Sur used to be dreary and lousy. First off, the house is old, large, and quite eerie. Every summer, it is hot in the house during the day although very cool at night. And the heavens are very clear and filled with stars. The marvelous sight makes my very happy. Second off, because the place is short of signal, the only channel in the television is ABS-CBN. Mind you, Manila's ABS-CBN isn't the same in provinces. ABS-CBN there is sort of more inferior. I don't know. But nevertheless, I still could not bear watching teleseryes and afternoon entertainment shows. But just recently my uncle applied for Dream Cable so we were able to watch cool films and other television shows in the house. Third off, the taste of spring water is so repugnant you'd start to think you aren't really drinking water. Fourth off, our other relatives on the father side don't always go to Ilocos Sur, so we often spend vacation alone. The house in Amarao has a huge lot. There are big trees, a pigpen, a chicken stall, a rice mill, and a big hut, too. The big hut is where we usually eat on some special occasions, usually when our other relatives come over.

Bangued, Abra

This is where my mother grew up. Only a trip two hours north from Santa Cruz, Ilocos Sur and we're there. At the welcome tunnel of the province (remember the tunnel in Coca-cola's Carl Kalabaw?), I usually yell out the loveliest, most striking name I know: Brasil! And it echoed so loudly the engkantos of the forest must have been deafened. Haha. In Bangued, there's no problem with telephone signals and cable networks. My siblings and I are happier staying in Abra because we have cousins about our age there. In Amarao, almost all of them are married. In addition, we have our favorite Lola Garit, Mama's auntie, our very cute grand aunt who kisses affectionately by not kissing at all. I cannot explain well how she does it but she just presses her lips to your cheek and she'd breathe real hard at the same time. Like she tries to swallow you through her pug nose.

I encourage you to go to Bangued on a Holy Week. They have 'libot,' a religious procession, and the event the natives call, 'abong-abong.' On the many streets of Bangued, people construct huge dioramas that speak of Christ's sufferings. Those scenic representations are best seen at night as the designers of the diorama often make use of black lights and pieces of neon-colored paper. Personally, I think the 'abong-abong' gives a better feel of Christmas instead of Holy Week.

Vigan, Ilocos Sur

I have only been here once but I already fell in love with the place. I would give anything to visit her again. I haven't given up anything yet but we're finally going back to Vigan next week! Her high school instructors who are getting married in some place in Vigan had invited my youngest sister, Ciarra to their wedding. The entire family will be staying in some very chic casa for a night only since it's expensive to lodge in a hotel. We slept overnight at Villa Angela, the same casa Tom Cruise slept in when he went to the Philippines during the shoot of Born on the Fourth of July. During my previous stay there, I dearly enjoyed walking along the cobble stone streets and dining buffet at the Cafe Leona, sipping on the exquisite chocolate-eh. Astig talaga.

Baguio City, Baguio

Hay, magfi-Filipino na 'ko dito. Masaya rito lagi. Para sa pamilya namin, mura lang ang magbakasyon dito sa Baguio dahil may tatlong palapag na bahay kami rito. Wala na akong masabi pa dahil kumpleto lahat ng gamit pati na ang cable sa telebisyon.

Parati kaming pumupunta sa Baguio. Pare-pareho nalang ang pinupuntahan namin dito: sa Camp John Hay kung sa'n kami nagpi-picnic, sa Philippine Military Academy (PMA) kung sa'n may mga sundalo (ano pa nga ba?), sa Burnham Park na sobrang boring na puntahan, sa ukay-ukay kung sa'n makakabili ng damit na rejected pero imported, sa palenke kung sa'n kami bumibili ng paborito naming Tantamco's Ube Jam, tigsa-sampumpisong lettuce at iba pang pangkain namin pati na rin ang carrot keychain ko, sa Tam-Awan Village kung sa'n tumatambay ang mga kilalang pintor, iskultor, mga Igorot at iba pa, sa Session Road na laging nilalakaran kung sa'n madalas kaming kumain (Star Cafe da best), sa Antipolo Building sa Session Road kung sa'n kami bumibili ng mumurahing libro, at syempre sa gusaling sumira sa makasaysayang Session Road, ang SM Baguio na kung sa'n may malawak na terrace na nakikita ang buong lunsod ng Baguio.

Minsan parang boring na rin pumunta. Pero hindi e.

That aside, the cool atmosphere is the only thing that makes us want to go back to Baguio again... and again... and again...

Yesterday was as big as my stomach. Warning: This is the longest post I've ever made in my blog.

December 19, Sunday

7:00a

December mornings are the best ever. I am swathed with soft chill even without the electric fan on. I woke up under my white Ilocandia blanket and found my new kitten, Nicole, still sleeping and cuddled comfortably on my side. I could have gone back to sleep but decided to get up anyway and start surfing the net because I'm starting to miss it badly. I didn't stay that long in front of the computer, though. After twenty minutes or so I logged off, shut the computer down, and went back to bed. That was my breakfast.

9:17a

I felt my sister prod my arm. I found myself under the warm sheet again, this time without Nicole. She must have gone downstairs to the kitchen to eat Friskies from the plate under the working table. So I got up to follow her, resolving that I should make my brunch as well. I made my way to the kitchen bare foot and got some lettuce, a tomato, and Caesar dressing out of the fridge. Mama's there at the working area preparing sweet and sour, its recipe she got from the Sassy Lawyer. My mother is preparing a potluck for the Christmas party in the afternoon. In five minutes I had my Caesar salad with toasted bread ready. And in ten minutes I was through eating them. And in half an hour, my family would be attending a Sunday service in a house about twenty blocks away from ours. I got upstairs again to take a bath and dress up.

10:00a

The place in the house that holds the Sunday service is pretty small but very comfortable. Its facilities are complete. They got a/c's, overhead projectors, holy bibles, musical instruments, microphones, a podium, and whatnot. Meanwhile the living room is where Sunday schools are held. Lots of cute and smart children go there. All in all the room could accommodate around twenty-five persons at most. Pastors Art and Melissa are the owners of the house. They have three adorable kids and one of them is a sophomore who studies in MaSci. I remember she once told me she doesn't like her current adviser, Mrs. Carteciano, a very old (you won't ever see a strand of black/gray hair on her head) but beautiful Biology instructor who, as a matter of fact, remains one of my favorite teachers ever. I just don't get why she dislikes her. The praise and worship was swell and afterward Pastor Art talked about freedom with Jesus Christ.

12:00nn

We had a Christmas party at Tito Art and Tita Melissa's backyard. Their entire lot is actually very huge -- 500 square meters. So you could only imagine how big their backyard is. The event was more like a children's Christmas party and I felt like being in first grade again. Gazing upon the uberlively children alone could dearly lighten you up and that pretty feeling only happens once in a while so that makes it such an exquisite experience.

Lunch in the party was superb. I drowned myself in plastic cups full of soda. I ate Polly Garilao's chocolate cake, pancit, focaccia from Bizu, rice, and broiled chicken. I took another serving of these foods. And another. And another...

In every game you participate in, you get a loot bag. It doesn't matter if you win or not. That's how great the party is. At the end of the party my sisters and I got a bag full of candies, chips, and chocolates. I wish I never had to grow older each day. Haha.

3:00p

Show was over and my bloated family got inside our Revo parked just outside the house. Ate Nikki wanted to have her pedicure while I finally decided to have my already long and unkempt hair trimmed. So Ate Nikki drove toward a famous and cheap salon outside Merville. We both dropped off and Papa drove the car home. Soon after, I had my hair trimmed and got happy about it. At that time my sister was still getting a foot spa so I decisively went ahead.

6:00p

I couldn't get rest despite having eaten so much at the party. I did nothing except play with the kittens. The Philippine Madrigal Singers will be performing at the Greenbelt 3 lagoon at 8p and it excites me a lot. I could not contain myself.

7:30p

We just left the house and we're getting late for the Madz. I believe there won't be any seats left for us at the lagoon. All my family members will be watching the best performance of December save for Ciarra, my youngest sister since she'll be attending a Youth for Christ Christmas party at the Prime Towers in Makati. Well personally, she made a big mistake about choosing this party over the free Madz presentation. I can't blame her for having a different taste though.

8:10p

Indeed we went there late but what the heck, we only missed the Madz's first song. Uh-huh. I felt I just had a full body massage for free. These guys are so professional and I could justify how well they performed. I am no expert on music but I'd like to prove it to you anyway. First off, there maybe just twenty of them singing but their voices are as loud as thirty persons in a particular chorale wound sing it. Second off, the lagoon is a huge and open space but the Philippine Madrigal Singers could sing so clearly and resoundingly as if you really are in a theater. Third off, they have no conductor guiding them. They're so good they have no need for a conductor. Fourth off, they sing their songs while sitting. Even one of them, the leader of the group, was 'paos' but how they sang the songs was utterly superb anyway. It made no difference at any rate.

I closed my eyes and once again I felt as though I've been hearing the songs straight from a loud stereo when in reality the sound is coming from the group of people sitting just a few meters from me. Ah, I have died a million deaths just hearing them sing.

9:10p

My favorite pyrotechnics followed. It took all my breath away I almost died of asphyxia.

I met with my really big niece, Lara, and she enjoyed watching the computerized pyrotechnics as much as I did. Her big Irish daddy, John, just arrived in the Philippines and he's so happy to be here with his wife and daughter. John is a huge man and works in a casino abroad. I often laugh inside whenever we both strike up a conversation because I really find the Irish accent funny. Sometimes when he's not around, my sisters and I are messing around speaking the Irish accent. I have read about three-fourths of Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes before and during that time I could not help smiling because I keep remembering John and his funny intonation.

We hung around the Cafe Havana. I ate gambas, bread, and pizza along with a glass of Absolut Kurant. My brain was getting a little depressed now.

We could've stayed longer in the restaurant but this young waitress kept approaching our table, telling us that they're going to have a party at 9:45p. In other words, it means that she wanted us to leave immediately so they could get on with the party.

10:30p

John is a huge man with a crazy gust in nightlife and drinking. So we went to Cena, a chic restaurant in Greenbelt 4 for desert. I had a white chocolate espresso mousse, which tasted too sweet for me, and a glass of Bailey's and coffee to go with it. Outside it was chilly. The half moon is high up the starless sky. The garden beside this cafe is decorated with little yellow lights and the trees are festooned with bulbs placed inside capiz balls. I am drowsier now than when I was in Cafe Havana. I emptied my bladder frequently so I felt much better. Papa and John are talking at the end of the table. Mama and Ate Lena, John's wife, are chatting on the other side. I sit in the middle with my sisters who are busy eating dessert and drinking margarita and frapuccino. I drank my Bailey's to the last drop, then stare at my food that's eaten halfway already.

We finished at around 12mn and John and Papa had finished around four bottles of beer each. Meanwhile I did not finish the cake. It was too sweet.

December 20, Monday

1:00a

At the Prime Towers, we picked up Ciarra who, at this time, looked so haggard as if she needed to eat some food.

John is just like any of us in the family who has a huge appetite. Just when I thought we could go home now and get some good rest, John said he still wanted to check out on some bar or restaurant where we could stay in for one more hour. I was nonplussed. But I can't blame his jetlag.

Off we went to the North Park nearby. It's one of my family's favorite restaurants. We love Chinese food as much as we love Japanese delicacies. We sat on a long table and ordered our midnight meal. We had about five servings of siomai, countless bowls of tasty broth, and cups of warm tea.

1:45a

At long last we had satisfied our hunger. We're finally happy. We drove John and Ate Lena back to Prince Plaza and went home. My breathing went slow. I'm drifting away and now I'm saying hello to Dreamland.

I can never tell when I could finally start losing some weight. This shall be the last time I'll ever eat like that. I never thought my rugae could contain that much food in my stomach when I haven't even shat for the last 24 hours.

THEN:

Ten months ago, February 12, 2004, the time when I was in crutches, my left foot was recovering from the traumatic car accident, the College of Liberal Arts held a program for all colleges in school -- the Book Parade. The procedures for the event were simple really. Participants in each college should creatively present any Shakespearean play on stage for 7 minutes only. The CLA teacher who handled CN chose our block (BSN1-2) to represent the entire college. She told us to play Macbeth because the plot is just simple and if presented through pantomime, it could be finished within seven minutes. To cut this explanation short, that day we made a very good performance and unlike everybody else, we did not exceed the seven-minute limit. We ended up as the unanimous champions of the first ever Book Parade.

Unfortunately, there never will be a Book Parade. And so the CN remains the undisputed champion forever.

NOW:

I was reading MS Word documents in my neat folder and I run across this 'essay' that I made on March 29, 2004. I posted this on my previous block's Yahoo! Group two semesters ago. I just feel like sharing the thoughts behind the essay to you. And yeah, this one's about Shakespeare's Macbeth. It's supposed to be spooky and all but I felt ridiculous while I wrote this one. Haha.

It started on a very dreary afternoon two days before I made the essay, March 27, 2004.

"...I forced myself to get hypnotized in front the
television. Despite being as idle as a vegetable while lying on our couch, I made myself a bit productive by engrossing myself to watching educational programs like Discovery Channel, of course. At the time, one of Discovery Kids'
programs (I totally forgot the name of the show) is being shown -- the series talked about science mysteries, by the way. As the show moved on, I got a little spooky and all, especially when they started to talk about the 'Curse of
Macbeth.' (Have you heard about this?)"

"...I was taken aback when I finally heard about the curse. It is claimed that when 'any company produces it,' quotes lines from the play, or just utters the title of the play, inflicts bad omens. And I mean BAAAD omens... calamities,
bloodshed, accidents, unexplained deaths among the actors or people behind the scenes... you get the picture."

"The news got me very curious which consequently aroused my interest in knowing more about it... I got more bits of information from the Internet. Generally, the sources I've read say that Shakespeare added real 'black magic incantations' to the lines of the weird sisters in the play, which was not liked by the folks because for them, these chants are highly valued or respected. So what they did
was they put an eternal curse to the play and to all of its productions. (Sorry, I do not feel like adding parental citations)"

"... sources that I got from the Internet... have made
a long list of the disasters that happened during the productions of Macbeth from year 1606 (year when play is first produced) up to the present."

Afraid of being inflicted with bad luck, the superstitious refer to Macbeth as 'the Scottish play' instead. Like Voldemort in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter is referred to 'he-who-must-not-be-named.'

I remember the time we were playing our pantomime version of the play, my classmate uttered the title of the play that signaled the start of the production. And another said a few lines of the weird sisters (which contains the name of Macbeth in it) backstage, just for effects.

I didn't think we've encountered bad omens that day or afterward except maybe for our cheap trophy that had been knocked down and broken twice but that was it. Yeah, maybe Maybe the spirit of Macbeth spared us from his evil attacks because unlike the other productions... we did a pantomime. Haha.

Officially, I have reached my Christmas vacation. But I still have to go back to school on Saturday for a four-hour make-up class in MCN. I love MCN. It's one of my favorite subjects so MCN is worth going to school this Saturday for.

As always, I got no money to spend for the holidays. In fact, Ate Pam is in UP Diliman while Ate Nik is in UP Manila -- both of my sisters are there to marvel at the lantern parade. Meanwhile, I'm obviously in the house, slumped on a chair in front of the computer, blogging away my thoughts. I may have no money but generally it's not really a big problem for me since Christmas means food and food satisfies hunger so Christmas will never make me go hungry. That's more crucial for me this vacation. Hehe. My Mama keeps asking me what we would like to have for Noche Buena, the greatest banquet of the year. Here's my roster:

• Garilao's Chocolate Cake




• Only people from Merville and others who have tasted Polly's delicacies know this. Their chocolate cake is totally BEYOND compare. Special events are not special events if the Garilao cake is missing.




• Fiesta Ham


• Pasta


• Baked Tahong


• Calamares


• Red Wine


• Ref Cake


• Breads




• Baguettes


• Ciabatta




• Tastes good with or without strawberry jam spread on it.






• Caesar Salad


• Ice Cream


• Chocolate Bars

The Noche Buena will be swell for sure. But I'm trying to visualize what I would be doing the rest of the vacation. I am left with many things to do as a matter of fact. I have to study for two long exams to be held on the first week on January and prepare some FNCP in CHN and a report in Pathophysiology. With all these that need to be done before the 2nd of January, I don't know if I could gladly enjoy my two-week Christmas hibernation.

This morning I had a very hearty breakfast, so plentiful that I did not bother to eat brunch nor lunch this afternoon. No, I am not trying to cut back on food. Anyway, this is actually the first time I've ever found Don Henrico's Buffalo Wings delectable. I didn't like the flavor when my family first ordered their Buffalo Wings years ago. I suppose this food tastes better when taken home and eaten the next morning. It's soo good! Even the garlic dressing that goes along with it tastes delicious, too!

Talk about food and Christmas...

I seldom bother to read between the lines of songs but I suddenly paid attention to this very famous Christmas song and now I'm wondering... what could be the meaning behind this?


Kay Sigla ng Gabi

Kay sigla ng gabi, ang lahat ay kay saya!
Nagluto ang Ate ng manok na tinola,
Sa bahay ng Kuya ay mayroong litsunan pa!
Ang bawat tahanan ay may handang iba't-iba.

Tayo na giliw, magsalo na tayo!
Meron na tayong tinapay at keso.
Di ba Noche Buena sa gabing ito,
At bukas ay araw ng Pasko!


Did you notice anything odd here? The second stanza says:

Tayo na giliw, MAGSALO na tayo!
MERON NA TAYONG TINAPAY AT KESO.
'Di ba NOCHE BUENA sa gabing ito,
At bukas ay araw ng Pasko!

I wonder if this is the song of poor Filipino families celebrating Christmas Eve with nothing to eat but merely bread and cheese. The older sister has 'manok na tinola' and the older brother has 'litsunan' in his house. The neighborhood has prepared varied foods as well. And yet these 'lovers' have bread and cheese for Noche Buena. (Meanwhile, come Christmas Eve, I'm having the food listed above). Even then, I can surmise that these lovers are still happy that at least they got something to celebrate Christmas Eve with.

This song appears sad and happy to me. Sad because in reality many indigent Filipinos still have nothing much to eat on ordinary days, let alone this Christmas season. Happy because being with loved ones matters to them most, making their 'pagsasalo' a more unforgettable event.

I don't know how to play volleyball but I love the sport and I think I shall forever just remain a spectator of volleyball games, most especially Leila's games. My badminton days are over and now I'm stuck in this entire second semester trying to play volleyball as my PE. Today was horrific. I mean, it's been ages since I last played this sport. And just this morning I was compelled to hold this lightweight rubber ball, toss it above me and hit it with my radii for fifty consecutive times! My arms hurt so terribly afterward that very conspicuous, small, and ugly patches of hematoma start to appear under my skin.

My good friend sent me an early Christmas present this morning. Even before I took her gift, she warned me that it's not something anyone would describe as pragmatic but she reassured me that her present's cute anyway. So I unwrapped it soon after we parted and I found out that a flower ornament is indeed not a practical gift. But I find it so cute, so soft, so girly, and so flamboyant. My classmates are attracted to this radiant little thing as well and that thought makes me happy, too. Immediately when I got home this evening, I hung it outside my bedroom door and it looked so appealing that you have got to visit my house to marvel at it.

Now, on more personal matters:

For the record, I have a huge crush on my Pathophysiology instructor. I am learning so much from him. He's a doctor. He's very brilliant and funny and gay. I believe I have never been taught about the human body the way he had been teaching us. And from this, it was easy to conclude that my Anatomy and Physiology class last semester was nothing but a gargantuan joke.

Pamela Wan is a mammoth piece of joke as well and I think Block Five deserves a re-take of Anatomy and Physiology because it was very unjust for the CN to place us in the hands of this psycho last semester.

Good night for now. The thrombi in my life shall break loose tomorrow. I hope. I hope.

I have decided to read a novel at long, long last. There's a very interesting book I found on my sister's bed. It is Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife. She borrowed it from her best friend who, some weeks ago, sent me an e-book version of the Rule of Four. Finishing about one-fifth of the book, I have concluded that this isn't an orthodox kind of love story. To justify, Audrey wrote her story in a very unconventional way -- each chapter was set in different time frames, the two main characters kept changing their ages. I was very confused as I started to read the first few pages but the story slowly unfolds as you continue to delve into it. The love story is so unique since the woman falls in love with a man who has a Chrono-displacement disorder: he time travels. I am not so good in giving people a background of what I'm reading but I'm hoping you'd get to read this novel anyway.

The night is cold as hell and I love it that way. At least my family could cut back on electricity while we sleep throughout the night. There's one problem, though. I have a cold that's really a pain in my butt. I keep sneezing my brains out, blowing my nose hard so that it interferes in all my daily activities, which especially include my sleep. My nose gets stuffy it's hard for me to snooze.

That aside I'm alright. This semester seems so much better than the previous one and I think I have already found my favorite science subject after a decade -- MCN. My teacher is so beautiful and so good at explaining the topics to us. There are also times when she's funny, or tries to be funny. But there are times too that she bores me whenever she starts to use the overhead projector because I tend to get sleepy when the room gets a little dim. I always look forward to this subject because I'm learning so much. We were supposed to have a make up class in her subject today (Saturday) but I was informed that she had to attend to her pretty little daughter who got sick. Sayang.

Today I spent most of my time doing basically nothing. I was happy to prepare myself some green salad with Caesar dressing and toasted bread for breakfast. I ate two more heavy meals afterward and these pleased my stomach very much. I took a nap in the afternoon and began to read The Time Traveler's Wife soon after I woke up.

This is one dreadful post. I better go back to bed and continue reading.

Yesterday, after my duty in Aurora Quezon Lying-In Clinic (that's in Tondo, not in Quezon province), I went to meet with my Mama at the Ayala Center not only because I was so distressed to be walking along the smelly Divisoria that afternoon, but I also had to buy stuff for my next duty.

So I rode the LRT and MRT, dropped off at the Ayala Station, and dashed toward G4's main entrance. Anyway, there was some sort of commotion at the threshold. I thought the security guards were doing some thorough inspection (finally) in the customers' bags that's why the queue was long. But I was wrong because upon getting there I realized that the one causing the fuss was Bayani Agbayani signing an autograph for the lady security guard.

Enough of Bayani, he's not important in the scene anyway. After successfully walking ahead of the actor, I continued making SMS to my mother, my eyes concentrated on my cell phone's number pad. But as I made my way in front of the Marks and Spencer store, I suddenly began to look up and... there she was walking opposite my direction -- the famous curly-haired Hawaiian -- now standing two feet away from me. And she had managed to look straight at me. It must have been because of the white uniform I was wearing that time that made me very noticeable.

My brain was processing so slowly that I halted right there like a creature frozen during Ice Age. Her face was damn familiar I just could not guess her name right away.

CAMILE VELASCO.

And then my jaw dropped to the cold marble floor. I did not know she'd be here! That she'd be having a concert with Martin Nievera today (December 10)!

After what seemed like an hour, I had managed to walk ahead but this time my legs were wobbling. Like a sudden rush of ATPs waiting to be consumed, I agitatedly sent SMS to my friends and Ate Nik, telling them that I just bumped into Camile Velasco. "I should have asked for her autograph but did not!"

Believe me, I have never been to an international artist's concert. And this is actually my first time to ever run into some American Idol. Somehow I regret not being able to ask for her autograph.

But after about ten minutes of walking inside Glorietta, I saw her again. But I think she saw me first since I was all in white. This time I smiled, gained enough self-confidence and coolness, and went toward her. Our dialog went like this:

Trish: Hi! May I ask for your autograph?
Camile: Sure. (Smiles)

*While getting my small notebook and black pen...

Trish: I already recognized you a while ago. I was just too stunned when I saw you. (Ano raw?)
Here. (She received the green notebook and my black Pilot ballpoint pen.)

*Silence
*Camile looks at the notepad then...

Camile: Who should I write this to?

*Tough question. I'm not a fan of Camile. Boy. I wasn't even aware she's having a concert here. But I guess my gay friend who's an avid fan of Camile would love to be recognized...

Trish: Uh, BREN! And... TRISH! (Yes!)
Camile: How do you spell that?

*I spelled out our names. My face was getting really warm that time.
*Silence.

*I believe I was blushing all over while she was writing her inscription yet I was so shy to look at her face. Instead I had managed to take quick but careful look at what she was wearing. I regret I don't own a camera phone. Had I only owned one, it would have been ubercool. She was dressed in a tiny black tube (the one that only covers her bosom) under a brown jacket that fits her pretty well. Her pair of capri pants has the same color as her jacket. And her black pair of slip ons seemed appropriate to be used for window-shopping in Glorietta. Her long nails were painted green and she wore so many bracelets. I even noticed she wears a gem-studded, star-shaped necklace, which I think looks really cute on her. Camile's about my height and is so kayumanggi. She is a very beautiful Filipina.

*Camile handed me my pen and notepad back.

Trish: Thank you very much!
Camile: You're welcome. You have a nice day!
Trish: Thanks! You, too!

The end.


In case you are curious about what she wrote:


Olympus Camedia: C-450 ZOOM

It says, "To: Bren and Trish, love life!!" I don't understand her end greeting (the bating pangwakas). Anyway, the signature wrote: Camile R. Velasco.

She seemed so pleasant when I asked for her autograph. I think that would be enough compromise to my having failed to get Leila Barros' autograph the last time she visited the Philippines.

Napakasayang mag-aral ng asignaturang Maternal and Child Health Nursing. Hahaha! Ang saya talaga!

Everybody is all-ears to the teacher whenever she discusses a particular MCN topic, trying not to lose even a single detail of what she's saying.

I am not telling what usually goes on every MCN time because that would be partly incriminating to anyone that belongs to Block 3. Hehehe.

I shall be wearing the white uniform tomorrow morning. I keep telling my pals that I am getting excitement as much as I'm getting fear while the duties in the hospitals approach. I always try to envision the future. I suppose I will have experienced the real stench of lochia even before the start of Christmas break. Or by the end of January, I will have delivered a baby, cut an umbilical cord, and examined a deadly placenta.

Hah! I believe this will be the hardest task yet. I have NEVER handled patients before.

This one, I could already call my way of life. I can't imagine being away from this computer for more than two days. Admittedly, part of my life is firmly tethered to e-mails, yahoo groups, friendster, and web logs. The reality of being here in front of the pc, typing away all my thoughts with this black keyboard, elates me dearly. And yet my heart breaks every time I don't get to cadge some of my time for Internet.

I can literally hear the spirit of Christmas. I believe this would be my best Christmas yet. I have indulged my soul by feeding it with forty-five songs blissful enough to be termed anodyne-for-the-hungry-psyche. The songs to you may seem as ordinary as the pair of denims everybody's wearing -- most of them are Christmas songs -- yet they are sung by the most prestigious chorales in the country. I have heard all of them sing for free and that makes the rare experience more exquisite.

Every Friday to Saturday evening of this month at Greenbelt 3's lagoon (where the lights there go changing every ten seconds), free singing performances are held. I was able to marvel at the presentations of the UP Singing Ambassadors (UPSA) and the UP Concert Chorus. Their voices were put in consonance so precise it's like you're hearing the music straight from a stereo. The best way to appreciate these kinds of performances is to close your eyes, keep silent, and relax as you soak up the soothing effect of the really good music they're making.

Last Saturday evening, Augie and I went to see another singing performance not in Greenbelt 3 this time, but in PhilAm Life at UN Avenue. My ka-barkada in MaSci, Sharon, invited us to watch the concert of UP Manila Chorale since she was among the many applicants in that choir. Boy, did all of them sing their hearts out. I will always remember how they sang the 'Carol of the Bells' that night. It was as faultless as how the Philippine Madrigal Singers would sing it. And our Sharon's passion for singing emanated throughout the entire recital. Some people are gifted with so many talents and it pleases me to know that these can be developed and honed through school organizations like the one Sharon got herself mustered to.

By the way, join me watch the Philippine Madrigal Singers on the 19th of December, 8p, at the beautiful lagoon of Greenbelt 3. The favorite pyrotechnics would follow at 9p.

And yes, the UP Manila Chorale would be singing Christmas songs on the 24th at ABS-CBN's Magandang Umaga Bayan.

Due to schoolwork, and sometimes laziness, plus my 'fluctuating' fervor for reading materials other than books related to my course, I have not read the newspaper for months. This is not healthy in the same way that my being fat is not healthy. It's a realization now that my problem lies not only physically but mentally as well. Although news reports can be seen from wide screen televisions to keep me updated, the results are just not the same when you get informed through reading. My philosophy is that televisions are made generally to make people idle that's why it's always nice to hang out before the wide TV screen, with the sacred remote control in hand. You really don't have to think when you're watching the TV because TV loves to spoon-feed ideas to people (except maybe when you are watching a really intelligent film, or a quiz show and whatnot) and you need not burn too much calories when watching TV since the remote control does all the switching channels and stuff. Meanwhile in reading you sometimes tend to get a mental fatigue from trying to understand the concepts and using your imaginations all throughout (although that seems more exciting to me).

Like most average students, I like it when classes are suspended. This week, I only spent twelve hours in school because of suspended classes. I admit I'm enjoying the scenario because I can hibernate again. But with the tumultuous catastrophe happening in the entire Philippines, I doubt if I'm ever going to have a happy hibernation until the end of the week.

I love nature. This is to me the most obvious form of God's greatness. It made me realize that all creations are made on purpose, and that all are symbiotic with one another, whether one organism benefits or gets harmed.

I love nature so I discipline myself by not harming it. I find it very easy to throw refuse on the proper trash bins but I don't understand why many others don't know how to properly dispose of their garbage. A huge number of the entire population spit everywhere while men love to void on walls and electric posts. As a result, we get loads of floods in the metropolis because the road drains get clogged with all sorts of trash. And then we initially blame our government for our own mess.

I love the nature. But sometimes I feel guilty for not being able to take better care of our resources. I know how to water the plants but all my life I believe I have never really planted a tree. Everything is easier said than done. Again we put all the blame to illegal loggers for being so downright deviant and then the government for overlooking the situation. Nobody (or only a few) really sees that the fault is on all of us because we did not do our part in looking after nature although we know what to anticipate if we don't take care of it.

Neil Cruz is right when he said in his previous column that nature is already revolting against us. Chickens and pigs are packed closely with each other when being transported for slaughter and in some cases this caused the animals to get serious illnesses like bird flu and FMD. The losses caused by these viruses have been tremendous. The animals have been quarantined and slaughtered, and their carcasses burned. If the British had not fed the dairy cows scrapie, the cattle would never have had Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or mad cow disease. Nor would the humans be prone to getting Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a fatal neurodegenerative disorder by consumption of beef from BSE-infected cows. Landslides and flashfloods would not have occurred had we replanted trees in the deforested areas.

The signs are everywhere. We just have to look more closely to them.

Four practical reasons why the best time of the year for me is Christmas:

1. The Cool Atmosphere

Christmas atmosphere is never harsh and is always favorable for rest and learning. I always look forward to this time because everywhere I go my robust body just never fails to sweat profusely. The classrooms I go to have installed a/c's but they don't really work. And I still have a vivid memory of how my first semester was spent in that very hot, window-less room. It was a gas chamber there and although we did not actually breathe cyanide or anything of that sort, we almost died from asphyxia. We inhaled one another's expired carbon dioxide. Despite that, the class reporters assigned that time were turned numb and apathetic so they continue to discuss although nobody in the room was really listening. The place was so sizzling an inferno that nothing can ever be processed in our roasted, dehydrated brains.

2. Lights Galore

Christmas lights are so much fun to marvel at, amigos. Makati City, particularly Ayala Center, is more glamorous at night during the advent of Christmas season. Its entirety is festooned with lights of varied colors and by the malls' thresholds stand humongous Christmas trees with their peaks almost reaching the high ceilings. Even the lampposts by the city's highway are also Christmas decorated. I am not too dense to not recognize beauty exuded by these lights especially on occasions like Christmas. In fact, it isn't necessary for me to go to Makati to appreciate it because Barangay Merville alone glistens like Ayala Center on Decembers. The area surrounding Merville Gate 1 glitters like gold because of the bright curtain lights carefully hung on the big trees. Nature is absolutely lovelier with lights placed on them. I love how the homeowners pretty up their houses every December. Almost all of these houses are beautifully titivated but Korina Sanchez' ancestral house has the best decoration above all of them. Try going around Merville and you'll see why.

3. Food

Relatives are easily reunited over food. And Noche Buena is never an ordinary feast in the Laoagan clan.

You must have guessed by my growing size and my drooling mouth how much I anticipate the coming of December 24. And that means I don't have to explain my crazy gust for delectable food.

4. No Classes

Above all, there are no classes... no duties... no teachers to frustrate me... and no assignments or other tasks to make me feel uberharried the entire day.