Slumber Party

At this point, I am probably the best description for the term "physical wreck".

I just got home from the "Slumber Party", which saw the sun in as well as another day of school. Because of this, I don't think I am sane right now and my body is crying out for much needed sleep.

When I think about it, it was "Sorority Boys" from hell!

Actually, I was able to get around 30 minutes of light slumber. But aside from that, it was an all-nighter in every sense of the word. But thank God we were productive, being able to make up for a lot of lost time.

Because of the tremendous amount of work we were doing, our best friends for the night were water, chips, Coke and a pack of Winston Lights. These were the "drugs" that kept us working continuously throughout the night.

I believe coffee would have helped me a great deal. But since at 21, I still harbor hopes of a miraculous 2nd growth spurt that will carry my puny 5'9 up to 6 feet, I refuse to touch coffee. Thus, I was very contented with my 1.5 Liter bottle of Coke which I consumed in a span of an hour and a half.

And right about now, the words "Ensembles", "Promotions", "Costing", "Marketing Mix", "Evoke Set" and whatever Comm jargon is running out of my ears! But like I said, I'm glad we were productive.

On a sugar high, we were calculating costs, establishing marketing strategies and goals as well fixing the product until the wee hours of the morning.

By 2, many of my groupmates were already out of it. Thank God I wasn't- I was still working steadily. In fact, I could say that I was more awake then than I was at say, 11:00.

Sometimes, it does pay to be a crammer (countless all-night papers and reports) and to live in Antipolo, where an average student's full night's sleep is something of a luxury.

But actually, I'm happy about the way I'm wired. I may be feeling sleepy late at night, but once I hit the 12:00 mark, I'm fine. I can work all the way up to the next day. And I have done this several times back in High School.

All I really need in cases like this is a sleep boundary- even a 20-minute nap will do. I just need something that will set apart one day from the other. I claimed my sleep boundary at around 3. But since I was pumped with adrenaline (and sugar), I forced myself to sleep at around 3:30.

I was up again by 4. This time, my purpose was to shower before the rest of the groupmates got up. The reason for this is that I like to shower long and uninterrupted. I guess I wouldn't be expecting interruptions at 4 in the morning.

Thing is, I love taking a bath. At home, I need an hour in the shower tops. Undoubtedly, I would take some time even if I wasn't home.

But ever notice that no matter where you take a bath, even if you may be showering in the world's classiest shower, you never really feel clean until you shower in your own home?

Although I don't like working under extremely harried circumstances, I actually had a lot of fun in this "slumber party", with me being one of the girls. Thankfully, it really was an "all-night work session" without any ditzy nail-painting... though there was gossiping. The tsismis I didn't mind.

But a good thing that came out of it was that most of us in the group got to know each other more. Our block has always been so void of "Block Bonding" and now was a good time to get to know each other better. This was especially since we are all facing working together in another setting sometime in the next schoolyear.

The night had a lot of high moments- like all of us getting scared by a Slam Man (which looked so real) that was placed behind a door. Or just simply laughing at the shallowest of jokes.

Either way, if slumber parties are supposed to promote bonding (in the most general sense), then indeed I came from a slumber party cum work session.

But at the rate and amount of work we were doing, it just got me fearful thinking that this was only 2 Comm subjects. This is only the beginning.

* * *

... and do I finally get to settle down? The answer is nooooo....

After catching a little shuteye here at home, I'm expected at Makati at around 6. The family is watching a play called "Dream Girls" (no, it's not raunchy, in case you might think otherwise) at Greenbelt.

I love watching plays. And after all the work, I do need to unwind for a few hours. But I'm really afraid I might sleep through it anyways...

Must have sleep.........

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Femme Fatale

Over lunch, I was trying to "womanize" myself.

Remeber Mel Gibson's character in "What Women Want"? During the first half, (if my memory serves me right) he had to think of ways to market stuff like a home waxer, panty hose and other girly thingies.

His mission was to get in touch with the female psyche. Well that was what I was trying to do to be able to figure out how to market Ensembles, which is the object of our group's marketing plan.

But as a 21-year old, hot-blooded male, how do you actually put your finger on the pulse of the 25-30 year-old female psyche? I mean, I shop with my sister, but take it from me: she is not your mainstream shopper. She's no normal shopper, that's for sure.

It doesn't help that I'm the only guy in our 7 member group. There are 5 girls and one that is... well, in between. So more or less, I believe that they've got some idea.

But I hate to be left out, since I love this subject (Principles of Marketing) because it's so practical. And I feel that I can contribute and help make strategy, if only I knew where I was coming from.

The product isn't bad, really. It's just that I want to come up with a marketing plan that will raise the public's consciousness of the existence of this brand.

Actually, we're panicking slightly since we have less than a week to work and we're just scratching the surface.

I have a feeling trying to think like a woman isn't going to help. I was going to my groupmate, "Mama, is that man chaka? when I realized I was more "gay" than woman.

I don't think I'm going to pull this off. Gad. The things I do to pass this course!

But I think I'll still be feeling sort of "woman-y" and "one-of-the-girls" tomorrow as we are going to have an overnight group meeting.

I like to call it "an all-night work session" but the rest of my all-female group prefers to call it a "slumber party"!

I think I'm in trouble here. Give me the Boys Night Out any old time... please!

* * *

Since I didn't have class in the morning, I decided to kick back a little and catch what was going on with the war on CNN.

I ended up going down memory lane once again. I swear, there's really something about summer that makes me sentimental.

The latest bout of "senti" was brought about by watching weekday morning kid TV. First, there was Sesame Street.

Sesame Street takes me back to my childhood. Those days when Ernie and Bert were innocent and when it was such a treat to see the feet of any of the muppets! I remember being thrilled at seeing Oscar's feet before.

This was the pre-Elmo days. Watching it awhile ago, I just realized that Sesame Street has a really twisted sense of humor. Now I know who I can attribute mine to...

After that (on another channel) came Bananas in Pajamas. Cheap, shallow and corny. But then again, I'm not a kid. But I remember those summers when I forced myself to endure them for some reason.

Maybe because I found the tagalog version of their song really funny, "Si B1 at B2 ay laging magkasama..."

And then Princess Sarah comes along. I only come to realize now how melodramatic it is- just as bad as a Filipino soap opera! Angelika dela Cruz could pass for Sarah.

Lavinia was truly evil, and she sounded like Cedie (Ang Munting Prinsipe). A flood of memories came over me.

I remember those summers when I was in Grade School when my morning wouldn't be complete without watching Cedie at 10:00. Later on it was Von Trapp Family Singers, then Peter Pan, then Sarah. The last I remember watching was the very tragic Dog of Flanders.

A little on the Von Trapp Family Singers- one of my biggest frustrations in life is watching the whole series but never the last episode. The first time it was ending, one of the infamous brownouts occurred. The 2nd time ti was shown, I was at school. I still await the day I get to see it end.

There was "Kambal ng Tadhana" after that but I never bothered with that. That was the time when I was also really engrossed in WWF... but that's another story.

I still look back and feel pretty old, as I believe these shows were on air around 10 years ago.

Those were the days...

* * *

Regret always comes in the end.

I learned today that I passed Theo by the skin of my teeth. I got a 3.

Initially, I was rejoicing that I narrowly missed failing. It later sunk in that although I passed, it was only a measly 3. It sucks when you know that you could have done better had you exerted just a little more effort.

I took the subject for granted and I was careless. There is no one else to blame but myself.

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Running on Empty

First expense of the day: Php 89.00. Lech!

Cramming is going to be the death of me. And it's going to send me to the poor house as well!

I found myself at Coffee Cal at 7 in the morning, typing out the last 4 pages of my Lit paper which was due at 7:30. I made it, thankfully.

It's annoying how I didn't even plan to cram in the first place. It was just that a harmless, 5-minute nap turned into a 2 hour slumber. Always happens to me, unfortunately.

And I have also discovered this uncanny gift of turning off the alarm clock while I am asleep. I set it, but I wake up the next day to find it off or on the floor.

But call it a small miracle, divne intervention if I may, I woke up without prompting at 3 a.m. Normally, I would have slept through the night.

It would have been more economical to finish the whole thing at home- there was enough time. It was just that our helper was so noisy cooking breakfast and I absolutely cannot make a paper with background noise.

Thus, my muses (late as usual), visited me in Coffee Cal. At that time, 89 bucks isn't such a big deal since submitting the paper is what matters. You just feel the loss later in the day.

And what a loss it was. I had 2 hours of light sleep and 60 bucks in my wallet to see me through the day. I was literally running on empty.

Funny how I've been finding my wallet empty more often than not these past few weeks. To think I haven't been spending on anything grand.

On the contrary, I've been squirelling 75% of my allowance into "The Boracay Fund". This is a fund I'm building up for a trip my High School friends and I are planning later in the summer.

More than just saving, I am also testing myself to see if I can indeed save. Period. It's a test of will and discipline. I'm pretty certain that my dad would sponsor my trip- but I want to show them that I can pay my own way. This will also reduce the guilt factor by no small measure.

Unfortunately, this Boracay fund has been leaving me very penniless, as I try to exist on a very meager budget. And my cramming isn't helping my cause either!

I've never really been good with money. But now, it pains me when I have to take money out from my Boracay Fund box since each peso in there was lovingly saved by myself. It's my ticket to paradise, when all of this is through.

Come to think of it, when the time comes for me to use the money for its intended purpose, I think I'm going to cry (think Whoopi Goldberg in Ghost giving a checque to the nuns).

* * *

My Freudian slips never end! I'm starting to appear like some depraved feak!

My Comm group was meeting today and discussing where to spend the night on Friday since it appears that we might have to do over time.

I offered the condo my cousin and I are supposed to share, since it is furnished and vacant at the moment.

Sam asks, "So you mean, there's nobody there to disturb us or anything? Nobody lives there now?"

And I (without thinking, as usual) reply, "No one. In fact, last semester, Lianne and I were able to do a group thing there for the whole day!" Talk about loaded phrases.

I only realized my mistake when all of my groupmates were looking at each other and snickering. My stupid mouth.

* * *

For some reason, I had free time this afternoon. I decided to watch Ring 0. At long last! 3 months after buying it, I am able to watch the whole Trilogy!

The movie wasn't what I expected. I was expecting the shock value, the horror, the scary video in the least.

What do I get? A melodrama. A love story. A costume party. Now I feel bad for the infamous Sadako.

I wish the creators of The Ring stopped the first time around. Watching Ring 2 and 0 has made The Ring totally lose its legend.

Only going factor in the movie was Sadako. Who would have thought that that hairy thing would turn out to be such a hottie?

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Precarious

My whole existence is hanging in the balance because of a measly Lit paper. I am hanging precariously, awaiting what is to happen.

I'm finding the Divine Comedia of Dante rather ambiguous. The whole point of Purgatorio (one of the books) is elusive of my understanding.

So how am I supposed to write a paper relating the Purgatorio to ANY article/book/poem or what have you, when I don't even know where I'm coming from.

It doesn't help that consulting with the teacher is like stepping into the Twilight Zone. I feel that my mind warps whenever I talk to him and that I am on another plane of thought, way beyond understanding of any human being but the Lit teacher himself.

Sabog is the word to describe him. And this annoys me because I would like to monimize contact with this person as much as possible. Unfortunately, I also want to pass. So I have to deal with it.

But I absolutely cannot deal with his brand of sabog. It's maddening. It's so hard to extract a decent consultation out of him. Where are the sane Lit teachers of my earlier college years?

In any case, consultation did not help. In fact, it troubled me all the more- aside from being troubled by my paper, I am now also troubled by my teacher.

Thus, when in doubt: gym.

Going to the gym after a long absence is one of the hardest things to do because you've lost your momentum. You've got to psyche yourself up to visit that torture chamber all over again. I mean, the thought of going back to punish your body isn't exactly enticing.

And I haven't gone for 3 weeks, mainly because of school stuff.

But as the back of my cousin's Fitness First membership card says, "Motivation is what gets you started but habit is what keeps you going". The person who wrote that definitely knew his market.

Besides, funny as it may sound, the gym is one place where I can think clearly. This is because I don't really interact with anyone, so I get 2 and a half hours to think about odds and ends. And since I am active, my mind is also active and my thoughts get flowing.

Many a good essay has been mulled over on the treadmill. Many of my great Sim houses have been conceptualized while running. Also I get to daydream, plan and what have you since otherwise, the treadmill would be exaggeratedly boring. "Treadmill Thoughts" I like to call them (even if the machine is more of an elliptical)

But since the Purgatorio is still one hazy concept, no amount of time on the treadmill has led me to think of a great paper that will knock the socks of my Lit teacher. And that is my goal for now.

But as of now, well, I am the "epitome of agony" as Alba would put it.

This is absolute Inferno thinking about this paper for Purgatorio.

* * *

Before leaving school, I spent around 30 minutes with Andre, Yangey, Lluevee and Bry. I needed this chart for my Lit paper for Dre, and I also needed to vent.

I found myself laughing for 10 minutes (I am notorious for the continuous, 15-minute long laugh). Boisterous, raucous laughter that feels really good.

I realized 2 things: 1. I haven't laughed that way in a really, really long time. And 2. I've been really busy that I've been void of the company of many good friends.

How sad is my life. Thank God the school year is almost over. 2 weeks to go. I am so counting the days....

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An Alba Afternoon

An afternoon with Alba is never boring. How was I to know that one afternoon would be more action-packed than a whole day in school.

I mean, high point is that I'm got a great score for my last test in Family. Low is that I took an exit exam in Theology, keeping my fingers crossed that I make it.

But 3 hours in Alba's unit? Woah.

It all started with Alba's blog. I've been fixing it up since Saturday and trying to get it up to her obssessive-compulsive standards.

Since she needed help today, I was there to offer my services. Hehe! She makes me feel like the HTML guru that I am not.

An hour of swimming through symbols of HTML, Alba comes back in with news that there's some commotion in school.

True enough, I look out the balcony of her condo and there are 3 police motorcycles, a tow truck and a Mitsubishi Pajero gone the wrong way up the school driveway.

Sometime during the commotion, Alba goes "You'd make a great journalist". And I know what brought about that remark.

It is the mere fact that I am tsismoso. And proud of it.

Many of my blockmates can attribute to this fact. I am able to fill them in on the latest tsismis that is making its way through the grapevine.

Who says guys are not tsismoso? Between you and me, that is a fallacy. We guys like to hear the dirt- we just don't spread it around as much.

Aside from having a network of well-placed sources, I absolutely HATE not to be in the center of the action. I love being in the middle of things. And I always like to be in the know of what's going on. Curiousity always gets the better of me.

For instance, there was a time when a car caught fire a block away from school. And I just had to be there. I was at the front line, intently taking a video of the whole thing for no reason in particular.

Because I was really intrigued by the little commotion, I literally drag Alba down from the 7th floor to come with me as an "innocent bystander" amid the fracas.

A side show was the unmanned tow truck driving itself backwards along Pearl Drive. Sauntering along the small crowd of students, we weren't getting any information. Alba wanted to go back but I refused until I got wind of what was going on.

Finally, Alba asked the guard of the condo. Apparently, some student tried to escape being towed but found himself (by chance) chased by 3 motorcycle-riding policement. And the tow truck of course. That was it.

More action was adding more stuff to Alba's blog. It's worth checking out.

Objectively speaking, that wasn't much of a happening. But it was an afternoon with the very interesting Alba, and it sure beats a boring day.

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Sunday Slowdown

After an action-packed and busy week, today was the way I prefer my Sundays to be spent: sleeping!

Not that I'm complaining about my clan's twice-a-month tradition of eating together on Sundays. It's just that I do need my rest, especially after being in school 6 days a week. Sunday is my only respite.

Thus today, I literally slept all day! I woke up at 6 for mass at 7. Had breakfast at 8 and by 9:30, I was back to sleep. I woke up for lunch at 1 and was sleeping all the way 'till 7.

And I feel great! I feel like a cellphone who was running on "Battery Low" for quite some time and only had the chance to recharge now. Yep- I'm recharged!

My dad had every intention to go malling today, watch a movie, eat out, hang around and shop. But I was adamant on staying home.

Since I'm the only one left studying, things have gotten pretty much relaxed around here and it seems that no one wants to settle down for the weekend. I'm the only one stuck with papers, readings and all that sort.

People have been forgetting that I do need the time to study and rest.

And I have this nagging suspicion that this Sunday will be one of the few rest stops I'll be having in the coming weeks due to the finals and presentations up ahead.

* * *

I am glad that my dad has reached breaking point in dealing with our camera, a Canon EOS 500.

Over the past year, the camera has made numerous trips back to the service center for one thing or another. And up to now, we never know when it's going to let us down again.

It failed to work during my sister's graduation. It screwed up during our family reunion last December and out of 12 shots of my lola, all of them came out blurry.

The latest incident was the Equatorial celebrations and the wedding my sis attended. While many pics came out fine, a lot of them were blurry.

Another trip to Canon diagnosed the problem: the lens. It had fungi and a whole host of other problems like the Auto Focus function which refused to work. Replacement lens was Php 13,500.

The camera was 10 years old and we had no idea what else would go wrong with it, my dad and I made the next best decision: a new camera, purchased yesterday!

We are now the proud owners of a Nikon F55, based on the recommendations of a lot of people. My dad was so excited about his purchase (they gave us 5 free rolls of film, 36 shots each) that he promptly put it to use yesterday at my cousin's dinner, totally upstaging my cousin's parents.

* * *

A little more on past fads. I got to remembering a few more today.

Does anybody remember having a pager? I had one for about 2 years back in High School. And I was pretty proud of it- it was a Motorola Scriptor Flex and pretty much top-of-the-line as pagers go.

I remember always having to spell out "Bundi" to the operator as "Bravo, Uniform, Nancy, Delta, India" to ensure that my name would come out right. This was after a whole slew of messed up names such as "Bunji", "Bunyi", "Boodi" and the like.

And who can forget the "garbled message"?

With fashion, I can still remember those shirts with a hood. I also recall Vans sneakers and rolling the cuffs of my jeans outwards!

Haha! If people now say "Yuck, how Eighties!", I can just imagine looking back at the Nineties 5 years from now!

* * *

And the blogging fever spreads! Alba has a blog! Alba has a blog!

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