Unravel Life 2

Fact: Another hiatus just went by.

The usual stuff: Apologies for that quick time skip, truly, those bouts of writing 'depressions' are getting quite frequent. And here's what happened to my life during those 31+ days that I'm gone:

1. Election just started on my university and like the one in United States, there's a lot of cutthroat business going on- I guess that's the way things are. Since I'm not a campaign manager of one of the parties anymore, I've been criticizing both sides with biases off the bat this time. Both parties have their own share of bad blood, but I have to admit, both also have good things to offer to this university. Politics, really. Confusion and interest mix like cookies and cream.

2. My report on COMA 101 had begun and just finished last week. It was probably the hardest thing I've ever done on my academic life, next to reading multiple essays in one night. For one thing, it isn't just like any normal report- the professor (an eagle, with eyes and claws sharp as Excalibur) has this tendency to eat you alive if you make one, tiny mistake. Guess what? He ate me. Two minutes before I finish my last report, he noticed one mistake with my argument and decided to play with me for a while. And played, he did.

3. I'm getting addicted to online games- again. The first was Special Force, an online game with the likes of CounterStrike. I know, I know. It's a brutal little game, complete with happy-looking guns and blood-splattering grenades, but it's really addicting. The second was (and still is), surprisingly, Ragnarok Online. The fad was over years back., I know Why the sudden comeback? Free server, baby. I don't have to pay LevelUp Games anymore! Though those nifty internet cafes might celebrate my frequent return to Cubicle 13.

4. Academics are mediocre. Unlike last semester where I could surely say that I'll get a high grade on ALL my subjects, this time, it's a total mess. I don't know, maybe it's the subjects, surely it can't be me. I've been studying DOUBLE time, and there was no weekday when you can't see me reading my books. It's hard comprehending and memorizing at the same time. Arrrghh. I got to bring my grades up to my standards, or a Honor Roll at least.

5. I'm watching Heroes. It's actually great. The characters are superb, and the plot- totally engrossing. It's the same cliche, really, multiple characters fiinding out they have totally cool powers, save-the-world plot, a shady organization to mess things up, and a totally evil villain to mess BOTH the organization and the heroes up. However, the execution of the cliche, I'm happy to say, is actually not cliche. There's timeskips, surprise threads pulled out like a rabbit out of a magician's hat... wow. Simply outstanding. Don't fail me, Heroes!

6. I finished Death Note, the anime series. Probably the most wicked anime I ever watched. Law of Ueki, which was my favorite anime before, was beaten 10 to 0 with this totally intelligent work of art. The characters are magnificent, unique in their own ways, but it's the plot- the plot was the key. Don't expect that you'll know what will happen next. Just as you think the antagonist will win, the protagonist will pull an ace that will spice things up. And THEN the antagonist pulls another ace that was actually predicted by the protagonist which was in turn was predicted by the antagonist. TOTALLY COOL. Watch it, please.

That's it. I've been quite busy watching and studying, but please, I'll try to blog again. Don't worry, I'll be back- and thanks for reading this post. ^_^

Fact: Cutting a post into halves is really a bad thing.

Here's the second part of my second Expectation List of Happy Grades and First Impressions, cut earlier due to server maintenance and rabbit/terrorists taking over my university for the past few days. They're cute, that is true, but when they get hold of a rifle, get ready to run.

5. SOSC 2: Social and Political Thought

What? Obviously, this subject deals with politics and its cute little branches. The primary objective of this class is to discuss the different political ideas made by great thinkers throughout history, and try to apply it to the present society at large.

When? 7 to 8.30 am, Tuesdays and Thursdays

Although I was somewhat perplexed to hear that Plato would like to fool the society with a false religion just to create the perfect society, this class had taught me that politics isn't that bad. The professor is not only great at her job as a teacher, but she knows her politics very, very well. Her head is filled by quotations from the Politics (Aristotle), The Republic (Plato), other books whom titles and authors I forgot, and even know some parts of the Constitution by heart.

Coolness. I haven't seen anything bad with this class yet (although the professor had this tendency not to give the right answer until somewhat uttered it by accident), except that it's a 7 am class. Why are my favorite classes have to be the first things I have to face every morning, where I'm still half-awake and near conscious?

Expected Grade is 1.50

6. CWTS 1: Civil Welfare Training Service

What? This class weighs no units, meaning it doesn't hold any merit in my GWA, so I don't really care what happens here. Anyway, if you really want to know, this subject teaches you creative ways how to clap (e.g., Yehey Clap, Storm Clap, Iraq Clap, among others) and also tips on how to critique a map. And oh, there's something about helping others, but I'm not sure if it's part of the curriculum.

When? 10 to 1 pm, Tuesdays

Three hours of pure boredom.

Not only does the class forces you to humiliate yourself (luckily, not alone, but with your groupmates) in front of everybody, our class is also not conditioned for learning. The good thing is, even the moderators and professors who handle us are expecting it. A normal CWTS class don't have to be a large class, we were supposed to be divided into groups (each with an individual moderator)- but since there aren't available moderators on a Tuesday, we were treated as one big family.

I made a lot of friends, sure, but learning more about the concept of 'helping others'? Not really.

I give credit to the moderators, though. They work hard to keep our asses stuck on the seats, and they had this [evil] tactical strategy to spread the remaining moderators around the room to spy whether who listens and who does not. When they see you dozing off, they list down your name on a pad of paper. No reprimand, no deduction in grade. They just list down your name.

7. SPCM 102: Voice and Diction

When? 1 to 2.30 PM, Tuesdays and Thursdays

It's the best of times, it's the worst of times.

Have you ever felt this emotion where you really want to love something but couldn't because it hates you? I did. Last year, when I was still a freshman, I was freaking scared of SPCM 1. I even put it in my Main Objectives in Life to pass the damned subject. However, as the days went by, I surprised myself by giving cool speeches (humorous speeches, meant to insert information in the audiences' mouths while they are laughing their ass off). And so, I garnered a high grade.

And then SPCM 102.

If you haven't met me before, then know that I have this serious lisp. My upper teeth are separated to each other, which causes me to articulate 's' and 'z' like a snake. And no, I don't know Parseltongue. Anyway, since this is a voice and diction class for God's sake, you may have already presumed that I am doing bad on it. Not to the point of failing the said subject, but my hopes of getting a high grade is as slim as a malnourished stick.

And oh, great teacher and great class. It's just the cursed lisp that is making me look dumb.

Expected Grade is 2.50.

That's all there to it, and I'm really sorry that this post is late. Now get off me and make me sleep. Haha. Have a nice day, everyone.

Note: This post was not checked for inconsistencies and errors both in grammar and spelling. This means that within this post lies a whole load of shitty English. My apologies.

Fact: A common subject here in my university weighs 3 units.


1. COMA 101: Language in Communication

What? Since we are a theoretical class, we study the different kinds of communication theories conceived throughout the years, how they were made, and how they could be applied in contemporary times.

When? 7 to 8.30 am, Wednesdays and Fridays

I love how the teacher teaches this class, but he has this bad habit of branching off from his main dialogue (which sometimes takes 20 minutes or more, depending on how much fervor he puts in it). I'm not saying it's bad, it's just that we could have covered much more readings if we increase our pace a bit.

The readings are quite numerous, but unlike ENG 4's set of essays and poems, they are not that difficult to understand. This would have been a great subject if not for it's 7 am setting, and God knows how much I hate waking up at 5.30 just to get ready for class.

Expected Grade is 1.75

2. HUM 2: Art in Society*

What? The main objective of this subject is for us to learn more about art, its elements, medium and the like. This is somewhat of a practical class, since it allows us first-hand how to create our own artworks.

When? 8.30 to 10 am, Wednesday and Fridays

My class professor knows the trade firsthand, so needless to say, she's good. Her style of teaching is also as good as her works, since I was able to comprehend what the hell is going on without even laying a finger on my readings. Yes, she's definitely a time saver.

Anyway, the subject itself is just as good, and I was awed that there were other great artists besides Da Vinci, Michaelangelo, the Egyptians, and the like. This is one of the subjects where I could sit back, worry about nothing, and just enjoy the show. The only problem I have is that this subject is a financial vampire. The payment for the field trips I could have spend in blogging, or much better yet, Coke Float.

Expected Grade is 1.50

3. SPAN I: Spanish Elective

What? This class reminds us that there are other Spanish words besides 'Si', 'mesa', and the famous 'adobong pansit sa binagoong'. The class tries to teach the students how to read and speak basic Spanish phrases and words.

When? 10 to 11.30 am, Wednesdays and Fridays

I suck at Spanish. The teacher is good, but I just don't have the mouth to perfectly say, 'Como esta?', 'Yo soy Kenneth, un estudyante gwapo' or even 'Dos mil otso'. In fact, I believe the only phrases I could utter correctly are the derelict 'Si', 'No', 'Que mal!', 'Hola!' and 'Mi gwapo, tu feo'. I couldn't really blame the professor- she manages the class well, and on top of that, she knows her Spanish as I know my cookies.

I'm trying my best, though. The bad thing is that the reading materials are also in Spanish, so I can't study them ahead of time. Hell, I can't even study them even after the discussion is over. I hate taking notes, I prefer to listen and understand, but for this subject- I have my paper and pen ready for the occasional scribble and doodles.

Expected Grade is 1.75

4. ENG 4: Masterpieces of World Literature

What? A reading class that deals primarily with the literature of first-world countries, ENG 4 tries to tackle how the best books in the Republic of Letters revolves around the three main concepts: love, war and conquest, as well as colonization.

When? 2.30 to 4 pm, Wednesdays and Fridays

This, probably, is the first ever subject that challenges to prove myself as a dedicated bookworm.

Although I like reading, this class is so damn difficult. I could read the essays and poems in two days, sure, but understanding them? I have no freaking idea. Add in the vast multitude of readings, 250 pages alone for the concept of love, and you get a subject that forces you to chip in at least an hour or two every night so you could [have a chance to] understand the discussions.

The teacher is cool, he even won a Palanca Award, but his voice could be compared to Jigglypuff. Not that I need his voice for a round-trip flight to Dreamland, since sleep forces are everywhere- I'm exhausted (mostly due to the consecutive classes I have in the morning), the room is humid, the discussion is boring, and the readings provide a nice pillow for my head. My eyes may be open, but my brain is already fluttering with the birds on the sky.

I know. I'm doomed.

Expected Grade is 2.25

Note: I decided to cut this post into halves, one for my Wednesday-Friday classes, and another one for the Tuesday-Thursday. I might post the other half later on, so please bear with me. Thankee.

*I forgot if it's Art in Society, or just Art. I'll check it out later on.

Fact: Movies are recorded using photographic films.

The Dark Knight*, the sequel to the movie Batman Begins (of which I failed to see, but it doesn't really matter, the sequel is still just as great), is a totally wicked movie. I just watched it last night, and to tell you the truth, I was freaking gripping my seat all the time. It's an awesome must-see, and to quote my brother on his blog, "You cannot NOT watch it." Not doing so would not only make you look like a loser when your friends start to brag their ass off...

Friend One: Hey, guys- have you watched the latest Batman movie?
Friend Two: Shit, man, I just did! It was damn good!
Friend Three: (in a scary voice) Why so serious?

Your friends laugh, leaving you scratching your head.

Friend Two: Heh. What's your favorite scene during the movie?
Friend One: No question, it's the scene with the two ships-
Friend Three: Comown! It's my favorite, too!
Friend Two: Nah, I like the scene when Joker bombed down the hospital...
Friend Three: I like Joker's expression there. Very funny.
Friend Two: Not as funny as those who did not watch the movie!

Your friends laugh again, as you slowly retreat to the shadows.

...but you would also miss what may be one of 2008's best movie flick. It's that good.

Anyway, I'm back to my vice again- reading fiction books! I just finished reading The Face (Koontz, 2003) a week ago, and although the ending isn't that explosive (ala Harry Potter, Book 6), it's a terrific good read. With a book I just bought for 30 pesos at a local bargain shop, it seems unfair that I got so much fun reading it. Quality, now I know, does not go with price.

I have one thing against it, however: the book is so fun to read that I could not freaking stop flipping the pages until my roommate pleads to turn off the lights. Aristotle's Politics, of which I am required to read for the exam this week, was even put on hold as I read Koontz' damn book. Multitasking is definitely not an option when reading The Face.

Writers, I know we asked for fun and excitement, but please- let your readers catch their own breath at least for a second! Isn't it too much to ask to place boring scenes in there so we could have some sort of restroom breaks?!

With The Face finished and locked in a vault deep in the ocean, I judged that Politics could wait for one more day and decided to borrow another book from my brother's library**. Having heard from a friend that the book was good, I settled on Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. Not only does it have a blessing from a friend, it was also featured on Fully Booked's Top 100 Books of the Last Century. It must be really good to garner that much appreciation.

I just hope it doesn't meddle with my academics anymore!

That's all for today though, so yeah- thank you, and have a nice day ahead! :)

*No link! I implore you, if you haven't seen the movie just yet, avoid being spoiled and watch it now!
**My brother had this quest to read every book on the Top 100 list I briefly mentioned earlier, which is not to be confused with his quest of dining at the Top 134 restaurants in the Philippines. Cool, isn't it?

Fact: July 24 was a fun-packed day.

I just love birthdays- and yes, even if it's not mine.

Rash, who just turned 18 the day before yesterday, is one of my well-liked friends in Block X4. With her charm, wit and peaceful disposition, Rash has this unnerving ability to just get along with everyone. It isn't then a surprise that she was one of the block's most prized members, for not only is she nice and appealing, she is also one of those who helps maintain the tranquility and joy within the block. Not making her special during her special day, especially since she is away from her family and homeland, is definitely out of the question.

And it's not one of those surprises that only last for a moment, because what we plan guarantees that the fun never stops (at least during the whole day). Yes, dear reader, what we plan is an all-day birthday surprise; there is no safe haven for you, birthday girl!

I don't know who suggested what the surprise will be (I have this assumption that it was the Westbrook Girls), but upon hearing it, I was definitely excited to be a part in it. The basic idea is this: As the day progresses along, Rash will receive 18 gifts from 18 boys, boys who- in some way or another- have a connection with her (these boys might or might not know her, and vice versa).

OK. The gifts aren't a problem, with the help of our block president's 'special friend', we have acquired 18 cute souvenirs- small bottles containing a blade of baby orchid, planted on gel sacs of different colors. It was the boys that were a problem, either our university lacks the sufficient boys we need, or our block just don't know that much boys. Boyhunting is definitely in need, and luckily, 98% of my blockmates are females. No problem there. I think.

Anyway, to start off the birthday surprise, the block gave Rash- through a batch 08 boy who I understood was being seduced by her (or was it the other way around?)- a large paper bag, one of the 18 souvenirs, and a note saying our greetings as well as a warning that she would bring the paper bag with her the all day.

For where else will she put all those bottles? :D

Immediately, the block received a message from Rash, asking what the hell is going on as well as her thanks. Ayeen, the block president, and I decided to meet up to look for more boys. We still need 5 more, and we still have to 'orient' those boys who will be giving the bottles. However, since there are no familiar boys in sight and the heat is now beyond overwhelming, we decided to refresh ourselves with my fave drink nowadays, Coke Float. Yum, yum.

And yes, I intended to include Coke Float on all my posts. Haha.

Anyway, the surprise did not end in disaster after all. With no boys and the day almost over, the block decided to recruit girls and to leave some of the precious souvenirs on her dormitory. It's not part of the basic plan, but it's the thought that counts, anyway. Heh. To top it all off, Rash received all of the cute little bottles, as well as the happiness a debutant and a friend deserves to have.

Happy birthday, blockmate! Have a great year ahead of you, and enjoy life being an adult.

As for you, dear reader, you have my thanks, and have a good day ahead of you.

Fact: You cannot, however hard you may try, resist to blog one way or another.

Last Official Update: April 15, 2008 (the three subsequent updates were deleted, save for the very dramatic May 30 post, since they were never intended for this blog. They were cross-posted from my own Multiply site, which you have probably concluded right now as a-site-filled-with-very-cheesy-and-corny-posts*. Anyway, I'm a damn cheater. Even on the web.**)

Day Today: July 23, 2008

More than a couple of months have passed since I last posted here in my blog, which I could either blame my lazy ass or the universal excuse by writers known as 'writer's block'. Yet, even if I would like to, I cannot really blame anyone- yes, even my own ass- because I know, and I believe, that it was myself that I should blame. Ever since this semester began, I noticed that my life became a bit duller, exciting blog-able events had lost its appeal on me, and that not a piece of good literature had left my hands. The raging, adventurous soul within me had lost its fire, and with it, the curiosity for everything.

It wasn't because there's nothing to write about, no, I could mention five events right now that is absolutely delicious to write; it's just because I became ascetic.

But why the sudden hermit-like lifestyle, you ask? If you asked me that question a week ago, the only reply you will get from me would be, "Problems, problems. Everybody has them. But nah, don't you bother about me, I'm OK." However, the more I thought about it, I realized that I was a fool- it wasn't the problems that were causing me my lonely disposition, it was the very fact that I withdrew myself from the public that were complicating things.

It was rather, I admit, a simple revelation of the shocking truth.

So, here I am again, blogging, doing what I try to do best- writing. A new wick had been placed, a new fire was lit up. A long excuse post for the four month absence was posted by the deranged author, lying viciously to capture the reader's emotions off-guard. A dry, humorless joke was placed at the end of the post, which the author bet wasn't noticed. The author laughs- he loves shifting in third-person without apparent reason.

Haha. I guess this is all I could write about. I'm back, that's all I'm trying to say. :)

And although I know I will not be writing until the end of days, I hope I'll be able to stay here for a long time. Have a good day, eat your vegetables, and thankya for reading.

*This doesn't mean you can't add me! Be cool, let's go forth and Multiply.
**This is a footnote. Did you know (1) that footnotes during the 14th century was literally written on the amputated feet of prisoners, and that (2) I was absolutely lying when I said the first fact?

Fact: This is a beginning of a new me.

Summer, in a nutshell, was a little bit of that, a little bit of this.

My stay in Davao was uber-magnificent, which could only be compared by my brother's frequent restaurant hopping and Thursday nights at UPLB. Mother is always complaining about how thin I look (she suspects it had something to do with my long, dirty hair- something the Parentia Familia Sentillas highly disapproves of), and my Father and I are always on each other's tails. And let's not forget my nice brother- he who cooked delicious meals everytime I complain that the worms in my stomach are planning to revolt against my ironclad rule over them.

Yet it seems that I have to leave this safe sanctuary a little bit earlier than expected (a month, actually), as I still have my admission exam in Diliman to get over with.

So, May 12- the day of my BA Comparative Literature admission exam. I quickly made a friend in the examination room- a bubbly young man whose name had escaped my thoughts. I was really feeling confident that day, confidence resulted from the dangerous blend of pride, high expectations and other things I hate to speak of. So, with this confidence at hand and my trusty black pen on the other, I set off to take the exam.

It wasn’t easy- but it wasn’t that difficult either. There were only two questions, each one contributing half of the total grade. It wasn't easy because (1) it's an essay exam, and I am supposed to fill up a blue book or else face eternal damnation, and (2) I have to rack my brains remembering what my professor taught us back in my HUM 1 and FIL 20 days. However, it wasn’t that difficult either- as the same professor had exposed us to these kind of exams . If you really want to know, here are the two questions listed:

(1) Discuss one critical approach employed in the study of literary texts. Identify this approach and give its axiomatics (e.g., nature of literature, the relationship between literature and other social practices, role of author, etc.), its key terms/categories/critical terms, and its main exponents (theorists or critics); and

(2) write a critical essay applying the critical approach discussed above to the story “Karma.”

I began to write down everything my mind catches, using Formalism’s defamiliarization initiative as my spearhead and Professor Dumlao’s technique of breaking the text into little weenie parts and criticize them at the barest perspective as my approach. It took me about an hour and a half to finish the whole essay, and with confidence and mind as happy as a sunny plain, I passed my blue book to the proctor.

I failed.

I first believed it was a joke, a terrible joke, stop kidding around, will ya? It couldn’t be. I asked the Department Secretary again- with my hands shaking and my heart beating like an Indian drum. And with a voice darkened only by the Devil itself, the same response reached my ears.

“No one passed the exam.”

My second initial response was brief acceptance. OK, I told myself, so they rejected you. At least you’re going back to your friends in Los Banos, ayt? Come on, bring that smile up, and show them how brave you are to face the truth. Did I see a smile just now? Good, good. Keep that up, Kenneth, and let’s call Father and tell him the bad news.

And then I cried. I wasn’t a total breakdown as I expected it to be, yet it’s still a cry nevertheless. I called my father, telling him to ‘call them, call them, maybe they’ll be afraid of you and tell you the truth that I passed’. As I leaned on the telephone booth in front of what I deceived myself to be my future college, eyes as red on a field of roses and hands folded into fists, people began to look at me with curiosity and interest. Never badly in my life do I want to show them my middle finger, and tell them to fuck off and mind their own businesses.

The third response was the feeling of being caught in a nightmare. As reality began to dawn on me, the more I began to lie to myself that it’s just all a dream. Yet this feeling quickly evaporates, leaving me with the truth I don’t want to acknowledge before in my past- that I am a mortal like everyone else in this world, that I am no God that can do everything with anything.

The fourth and penultimate response was one of sadness and relief. In order to compensate with the depression that was flowing in my bloodstream, my mind began to weigh down how much do I really want to transfer, and why. Can’t I study literature in Communication Arts? Won’t it be the best for your health if you live in a greener place? Aren’t you glad to be in a school where there’s an actual mountain inside the premises?! Yes, I know- some of my arguments are feeble, even pathetic, but it did make me cozy and happy- at least for a little while.

The final response was of acceptance, with episodes of depression getting lesser and lesser. This is the state where I am now. Having accepted the truth, I began to go back to my happy old self- the Kenneth everyone knows. Yet, of course, there’s that part of me that will never heal- the part whose only desire in life is to get revenge and laugh as it destroys everything that rejected it in the past…

Nah. Whatever.

Summer’s still not over, though. No more with the whines and cries, baby, because it’s time to have some fun. Well, see ya, dear reader. Thanks for having the patience to read through all this dull post, and have fun with the last days of summer. ^_^

Fact: Kingdom Hearts II is a mix of Disney characters, Final Fantasy and... well, OCs.

I just finished KH2 last night.

Like always, I like it. The animation was good, the gameplay better. I was quite disappointed with myself, though, I didn't reach Level 99 AND I didn't have Fenrir nor the Ultima Weapon. I doubt you could understand what I'm saying, but basically speaking, I didn't complete the game 100%. I only cared for the storyline, but at the end, it was too late to turn back. Still, 5/5 stars for Kingdom Hearts 2. A nice sequel. Hope to God there's KH3!

Hmmm. Anyway. Summer's going fine, I'm currently reading Stardust by Neil Gaiman. I watched the movie before, and I thought it was really good. Now, I regret not reading the book earlier. Gaiman's writing is special, dazzling even. Inspiring. And for another useless fact about myself, I always mix Gaiman and Coehlo up. Damn them. They write so well. I wish I could complete my novel.

And oh, I want something new to do in the Internet. In hopes of having something fun to do, I found a site called RentYourSoul. It's fun, and there's a chance you'll win 10 dollars to you and your chosen charity. So, how to play this happy game? You just take a picture of your soul and hope that it will be chosen in the random draw. Easy, isn't it? For more information, just go to the site I linked above. ^^

Well, that's for today. Thanks, and have a grand time. :)

Fact: You transfer from other school, you shift from other courses within that school.

My transfer business in Diliman is in jeopardy.

You see, I really thought the only requirement for transferring is a GWA of 2.25. I have a GWA of 1.8, which is way above the requirement. But then, yesterday, I got a tragic news that still haunts me today. It seems, since I am transferring to the Department of English and Comparative Literature, my average grade in English subjects must be 2.00 or higher. My total weighted average for my English subjects, dear reader, is 2.1.

But it isn't the end of the world. Actually, there's only a 20% chance that I won't get accepted in the department, since the one I talk to wasn't sure if it's only Eng1 or Eng2 that would be included in the grade average. It seems my HUM 1, amidst a literature subject, can be considered as an English subject since the department tackled it years back. And when I asked the department itself about it, the SA (student assistant) told me that Eng2 isn't really included since they don't have it in the department. The problem is, all of these stuff are just speculations.

Here's my list of possibilities:

1. Eng1 and Eng2 only, average is 2.12. I won't get transferred.

2. Eng1 and Eng2 only, average is 2.12, but sees that my total GWA is high. Favorable.

3. Eng1, Eng2 and Hum1 (or SPCM1), average is 2.00 (or higher). Favorable.

4. Eng 2 not counted. Favorable.

5. There's no really such rule that the English GWA must be 2.00. Favorable.

As you can see, the odds are favorable with me. However, I am not satisfied with these odds, as the chance of not being transferred still poses a threat against me. Having a really confused head right now. Help me, anyone who knows how to transfer to the English Department? :(

Fact: Love is wild and harsh.

She rejected me.

That makes it six consecutive heartbreaks for the past three years. I have grown accustomed to rejection, hell, it's my holy friggin' bestfriend when it comes in love. I don't even know why I told her that I like her- knowing that she's too much for me and I should have stayed my mouth shut. OK, I admit. I was hoping a little she'll like me too, hoping a little that my good attitude would compensate my horrible looks and empty wallet.

Clearly, it wasn't enough. It took only one sentence of nine words to throw all that hope in the trash bin.

I told her it's OK, I understand, that's the way of life. A very obvious lie, of course. I am not OK that time, I assure you that. We talked a little more, but the pain in my heart was too much that I have to cut the conversation short. And then, out of the blue, the rage began.

I was angry at her, angry at myself, angry at God, angry at the whole wide world.

I threw all my books in a cardboard box, cursing all the time. I'll point at one book and whisper with grim hatred, 'Cyrano de Bergerac, you fuck shit, I took your advice, and newsflash, baby: She didn't like it.' or at another book, 'Ed Kennedy, freaking loser, how come you got Audrey when you're only a taxi driver for God's sake'. I swear, if my roommates were there, they really would be surprised by my sudden outburst. And if fiction characters are real, they'll surely kill me for showering them with curses.*

Rage subsided for exhaustion and realization. After a few minutes lying in my bed, I realized that I shouldn't have burst like that. I anticipated the rejection, I should have remained calm. It was hope. I shouldn't have hoped, even for a little. It took only an ounce of hope rejected to throw my books in a cardboard box.

What more if I hoped a lot?

I'll burn the dorm to its very foundation, more than likely. Haha. Thankfully, I'm moving on right now. Little shots of depression here and there, but I'm moving on. And my books are back on their places, thank you very much.

*Although I was angry by that time, it was quite funny to talk to books as if they were alive. Very nice. Try it at home, folks. Just make sure the doors and windows are closed. Tata. ^^

Fact: The first sure way of getting readers in your blog is to be a reader in other blogs.

I want to know and mingle with Filipino bloggers.

No, wait. That's not it. I want to make friends with Filipino bloggers (and maybe some international ones too, but I'm not aiming that high yet).

No more am I a solitary person in the world of blogging. I want to be read, and I want to read. Give and you shall receive, said hath the good man in skinny jeans. The problem is, no one of my close friends are blogging. They either (1) stopped blogging when their high school years are over, (2) update their blog twice a year (in Friendster, which I grumpily accepted as a blog), or (3) simply think that blogging is a waste of time. So, if this is a game of Connections, I am freaking not connected to any blogger at all.

Except my brother, but that's not counted since he blogs in Multiply, which is just an improved version of Friendster (haha, I really don't like Friendster if you have noticed).

And then Erika comes along. At last, after years of drought, I finally met a real life blogger. Inspired by my brother's past blogs and hoping that I could use Erika's blogroll to my evil schemes (kidding), I set off to create a new blog. Which is the one you're looking at, if you want to know. So, primary goals for this blog: express thoughts and make new friends. Coolness.

Before I forget, UtakGago's back from limbo! I really thought he was gone after his main site disappeared. Hoorah! Damn famous, this guy. I couldn't even believe he goes to the same school as I am. I hope I could meet with him someday. Hahaha. ^^

Well, that's it, thanks for reading. I really don't have anything new to blog about, sorry. Later, maybe? :3

P.S. If you have some blog in your mind that you want me to read, let me know! That's one way of narrowing my search for affiliations here in the blogosphere. Thanks!

P.P.S. Bad day yesterday. Really bad day. I could have be in Davao if not for the solitary class card that I didn't get from the teacher yet. Dammit. If all else fails, I'll just pass my grades for evaluation and retake the subject in Diliman next semester. Three thousand pesos wasted. Thanks a lot.

Fact: Summer marks the full growth of vegetables and other land foodies.

Summer's here.

I'm not liking it... yet.

Classes just ended last week, and I'm still stuck at school- collecting damn class cards from teachers that seem to disappear from the dimensional plane of reality itself. I only need one more, dear reader, one freaking class card to escape the hell of solitude. Please, dear God, if you're reading my shitty blog, please let me see my class card tomorrow morning- sitting comfortably on my professor's pigeon hole.

OK, so why do I hate staying at school during summer? Well, apart from the fact that I should be in Davao right now, here's a list of the things I hate in Los Baños during the summer:

1. Stores in Grove Street (aka Street of Many Stuff) are closing. Yes, you heard me right. It took me 40 minutes to find another internet cafe, because my favorite internet cafe- which is supposed to be 24/7 for God's sake- closed for the summer earlier.

2. Dormitory is closing, dormmates are leaving. I don't really love my dormmates, except for a certain number of people, but I would rather have them than the eerie silence that replaced them when they left for their provinces. Thankfully, I'm leaving tomorrow.

3. Dormitory is closing, dorm canteen just closed. OK, I think this is damn karma. I criticized the dorm canteen so harshly (if you haven't read it yet, see my criticism for Tita Tess Canteen here) that God punished me by by closing it down, letting me see its importance in my everyday life. Now I have to walk 0.5 kilometers just to satisfy my hunger. Holy macaroni.

4. UP Los Baños becomes the ultimate ghost town. I'm imagining I'm in some kind of a horror video game when I go down the lower campus (especially the Humanities Building and surrounding lands) to find my daily foodie. No soul at all. Makes me feel alone. Awwww. Trash that.

Anyway, I have to hunt for food now. I have this feeling that the remaining stores will close down when the clock strikes 6. Haha. Bye for now, and have a nice day. ^^

Fact: In the UP System, a grade of 1.00 means you're in for a treat while its counterpart, 5.00, means you're one step closer to the cute little world of burning hell.

Yeah, first semester is damn shit. I'm still a struggling freshman back then, so I could not really take all the blame. And besides, I was really expecting high grades that semester. What I could not understand was why the holy freaking macaroni of living angels I got a grade of 2.5 for a subject where I was expecting a 1.00. Partly my fault, anyhow. I keep complaining and shitting about it, even though I didn't ask the teacher why. Oh well. I still hate her. What's done is done.

So I vowed revenge.

Enter second semester. Frowning face and burning eyes, I set off to reclaim my lost honor, the fuel that keeps my evil pride running. I resorted back to my old high school tactic- do not study, review and comprehend. I have this theory that once you have understood something very well, you don't have to study about it anymore. So I focused harder during my classes and relax more during my breaks. After a few weeks of the semester using this tactic, I made my Expectation List of Happy Grades and First Impressions:

HUM 1- Expected Grade is 1.75

"Yey, Professor Dumlao is my teacher. Perhaps I could garner a 1.75 again like what I did back in Fil 20. Perhaps, perhaps."

SPCM 1- Expected Grade is 2.00

"Shit. I'm not into speeches. This is a bad subject."

PSY 1- Expected Grade is 1.00

"Hmmm. The teacher looks crazed, but testimonials from others say it's easy to get a 1.00 from this subject."

MATH 2- Expected Grade is 2.00

MATH 1- Expected Grade is 1.00

"Fun subject with Prof. Loyola as my teacher. Another 1.00 maybe."

SOC 130- Expected Grade is 1.50

"Seems like a hard subject, but everyone says my professor gives high grades. Nothing to worry about."

And now, after 5 months of hardship, tears and blood, here's what I have gained:

HUM 1- Teacher did not release results yet. Shit.
SPCM 1- True Grade is 1.50

"It seems I could associate my writing with speaking after all. Very nice."

PSY 1- True Grade is 1.75

"Really fun professor, but she makes really hard exams and quizzes. I'm literally pushing back tears when I saw my grade. I was really expecting a 2.5 or 2.75 from her. Thank ye, God and kind professor."

MATH 2- True Grade is 1.50

"Thanks to my ever helpful roommate as well as sleepless nights comprehending formulas, I was able to harvest a good grade."

MATH 1- True Grade is 1.25

"Darn, I should have done an additional project. Still, 1.25 is not far from 1.00. Another hook to bring my grades up."

SOC 130- True Grade is 2.00

"Not expected with a professor who gives high grades, don't you think? Still, it's a good one, so no complain here."

Fact: There are 20,000 high-class restaurants all over the world.

OK, here's the story. My brother, ever the wise spender, has made this self-proclaimed quest to gain the ultimate bragging rights: to dine at the top 100 restaurants here in the Philippines (he already has 12 or 13 crossed off The List, I think). I'm not really into food like my brother, who watches every culinary show in TV with bubbly delight, but since I'm bored and nothing to do, I decided to criticize my own set of restaurants. Not the five-star restaurants my brother goes to, I have neither the money nor the formality, but I'm going to criticize the quarter-star restaurants here in Los Banos.

Haha. With that explained, let's start criticizing! Weeeeeee!


Foodie Name: Tita Tess Canteen
Where: New Dorm, Evil Road, UPLB, Laguna

Why: Well, since this is my dorm canteen, I eat here every-freaking-day. I'll start here, since this is the place I could criticize with the most confidence.

Food: To my very own dorm cafeteria, I give them 6 smiles of satisfaction out of the possible 15. Normal everyday food, and they tend to repeat the meals throughout the week. Suspicious. Anyway, common and repetitive they may be, some of the meals they serve are quite delicious. If you happen to pass here in my dorm, I recommend the fish fillet and the chicken barbecue. They're good.

Price: This canteen, like every canteen on the world, only burns 1 hole in your wallet out of the possible 5. Convenient.

Staff: I'll give the staff P5.00 tip out of the possible P15.00. They smile at me when I buy stuff, that's good, but they have this bad habit of banging my change on the counter. Damn annoying. I have my palm held up, ready to accept my change, but what do they do? They freaking place the bills and coins on the counter like grenades from God's hand. They're helpful, though. They better be.

Place: I have two certificates for Tita Tess Canteen. The first certificate is the 'Certificate of No Fetus Confidence.' I have no doubt that they don't serve fetus in their meals. I have this fear that what I'm eating is fetus, so I tend to observe my meal first before diving in. Satisfyingly, there's no ears or eyes in my foodies. The second certificate is the 'Certificate of Nice Ambiance'. They have paintings hanged on walls, and there are enough florescent lights for me to see my food better. Pretty good place, with pink curtains and all.

Overall, I'll rank Tita Tess Canteen as 'not worth the adventure, but good'.

Well, I think that's it. Stay tuned for more (I'm going to criticize Tita Tess' rival next, the infamous Family Circle Canteen), and thanks a lot for reading. Have a nice day! ^^

Fact: There are different kinds of ghosts- wraiths, poltergeists, phantom, etc.

I saw a ghost last night.

It was 8.30 pm when I finished doing my blog last night, and since there were no dorm jeepneys on weekends, I was forced to walk the half-kilometer trip back to my dorm. When I finally arrived at the Evil Road-Main Street intersection, I stopped for a moment to pray and to increase the volume of my walkman to the max. With a long breath of air, I resumed walking.

After a few minutes, I reached the point of the journey where I have to walk past two abandoned houses to reach the happy place known as New Dorm. Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell you about the abandoned houses. Along Evil Road, there was these two derelict houses complete with broken windows, creeping vines and unhinged doors. Freaking unholy. Like every haunted houses in every ghost stories, let us assume something pretty evil happened there.

And then the fog appeared. Not thick, I could still my surroundings, but it was definitely there. I hastened my walking, looking straight at the lamp post that marks the end of my journey, resisting the urge to look at the abandoned houses. And then- the most scariest event in my life happened. It lasted only for a few seconds, but still- it was so scary. Imagined or not, it's for you to decide.

The fog materialized to something that looks like a person. I stopped along my tracks, too scared to move. To my great surprise and fear, the foggy person stepped toward the abandoned houses and then turned its freaking foggy head to my direction (or what seems to my direction, it has no face, fortunately). And then, as if it was nothing but chocolate cake left on public CR, it vanished into thin air.

I ran the remainder of the trip toward New Dorm (no screaming, I still have some wits to protect my reputation, haha), with songs from High School Musical blaring from my earphones.

Like I said, the truth is for you to decide. As for me, I was terrified. I would never walk that damn street in the night- alone- again.

P.S. Ironically, I slept well that night, and I even have some good dreams. Hmmm. A compensation for the scary experience? Maybe.

Fact: Back in the 70's, a school's formality was based on the food served on the cafeteria.

Good food = good education. Surprising fact.

Anyway, classes just ended! Well, at least for me, others still have to take their finals exam, but still- CLASSES ARE NOW OFFICIALLY OVER! After a frantic day of exams, projects and hunting down missing teachers, the dreaded Hell Day is finally over the rainbow. The adventure is still not over though- I still have to collect all my class cards so I could transfer to Diliman. Great. I have to clean my rifles, these teachers could be so nasty sometimes.

Second thought, everyone. Block dinners. Perfectly fabulous. All that food, all that talking (especially the gossips, haha), it's definitely worth the time. It's great to talk with blockmates that I have lost connection since the end of the first semester. Fun. We talked until midnight, which is of course, bad for my dormitory record. When I got home that night, the night guard and I have a lovely discussion:

Night Guard watching TV. I walked casually toward the hallway.
Night Guard: Psssssssst.
I looked around, my eyebrows raised.
Night Guard: May late permit ka?
Scans brain for possible excuses. Found one.
Me: Late permit? Ano ho yun?
Night Guard: Di mo yun alam?
Me: Di po. May curfew po pala ang dorm?
Terrific lie. Watches Night Guard battling with his own conscience.
Night Guard: Oo, 10 pm.
Me: Di po ba pwede na warning muna for now..?
Night Guard: Sige, sige. OK ka naman yata eh.
Disturbed by that comment, but forces a laugh. Thanks Night Guard and resumes walking.

And there you have it. Haha. Thanks for reading, and good day ahead. ^_^

Fact: UP Diliman hosts the first Oblation, which was made by Prof. Guillermo Tolentino.

I went to UP Diliman yesterday to take care of my transfer papers. It was my first time there, and I have to say, the place was absolutely fantastic. Here's a summary of my day yesterday, from the moment I left Los Banos to the time I went back:

Fact: The first Blogger theme is a simple black and white template.

Just tweaking my blog, everyone. After 5 hours of searching the Internet for XML templates, I finally decided on this cool parchment template. I'm still searching for a minimalist template though, like the ones I used back in WordPress (not that I don't like Blogger, not at all). If you know places where I could find such templates, please let me know. Thanks. ^^

Anyway, a life update. First of all, a grand adventure involving my trip in Manila for the Holy Week. I'll blog about it soon, if I ever have the time to relax from all these projects in school. However, amidst all the evil projects and speeches, there's something to be excited about. It's summer vacation next week! No more long nights doing some group project, no more boring lectures, no more studying for some long exam, no more academic shit to untangle!

Just me and my sweet old computer.

OK, one of my groupmates just called me right now. Sounded mad and frantic. Here's our cute little conversation, translated to English:

Phone rings.
"Hello?"
"Where are you?"
"Wha-?"
"We're already here. Where are you?"
"I don't understand."
"There's a group meeting today. I texted you earlier."
Eerie silence here.
"Oh, yeah."
"You coming?"
Hesitance for a picosecond.
"OK."
Sigh from other line.
Hang up.

In case you're wondering, I didn't really forgot I have a meeting. I just like the feeling of having everybody wait for me. Pretty evil, I know. Haha. Got to go now, though. Thanks for reading, and have a good day. ^^

Fact: There are almost 120 million blogs on the whole wide world.

I didn't expect the blogosphere to be so damn massive. Personal blogs, political blogs, celebrity blogs, entertainment blogs, religious blogs, educational blogs, derelict blogs, kitten blogs, splogs, blogging blogs, you name it, they got it. And not just the blogs, even the bloggers themselves came from all walks of life. Anyone can blog. Your teacher might have a blog. The thief that stole your purse earlier might now be selling it in his blog. Heck, even that cute dog you saw earlier might have one. Needless to say, blogging is one of the latest fads of the 21st century.

And it was of no surprise that I myself was hooked.

First of all, an introduction. I am Keniwa Sentuna, a 16 year old college freshman from the Philippines. My hobbies include writing short stories, reading second-hand books, deciphering Leithold's famous TC7, and of course, blogging. My favorite motto is 'Eat hodie , sileo laxus , opus cras'. I just love to eat delicious foodies and to place my lazy ass on something that isn't on a classroom. Aside from eating and resting, I also like to search for new facts about the world we live in. This is the reason why my posts contain a Fact just before the main feature- so all of us could learn something new along the way.

I guess this is all I have to say for now. Let us know each other more as time passes. Thanks for reading my personal blog, and welcome to Unravel Life.