Bar Chuvachu

If you're currently on deck for the 2005 Bar Exams, then you might find this handy.

If you're from UP Law, please make it your daily habit to visit the LSG Blog for announcements and whatnots.

Alrighty, enough pimping for the day :)

Dying Young

Last week, I received an SMS asking for prayers because the family of a carpoolmate was attacked while they were touring Tiananmen Square in China.The details were very sketchy, but later on that evening while watching the news, it was revealed that Mia and her parents were stabbed by a deranged man. The motive is still unknown. There are speculations that it might have been a racial issue or perhaps the Madrigal family was just at the wrong place at the wrong time, and hence became the random target of this crazed killer.

Mia's father did not survive the attack and died immediately. Mia and her mom underwent several operations but, sadly, after the second (?) operation, Mia joined her father. Mia's mom, on the other hand, managed to pull through and is now said to be recuperating from her injuries.

Mia is just as old as my sister (18 years old). She is an incoming sophomore at UP-Diliman. She's quiet, well-mannered and thoughtful. I looked at her Friendster profile last night and I was again struck at the pointlessness of her death and the waste of such a promising life. Rest in peace little one.

Last night, I received another SMS asking about a HS batchmate. It seems as if Che received a message asking for prayers for the eternal repose of Millette Caudal's soul. A quick check with other HS classmates verified that the SMS was not a hoax, Millette did jump off a building yesterday morning.

I do not know why she committed suicide and I wish people would not speculate in a Boy Abunda-Kris Aquino way. Let's just remember her without any whispers and patronizing airs.

Keep safe everyone.

Post-It

Note to self: Renew driver's license first thing tomorrow morning!

I can't believe that I've been driving around with an expired license. But more than that, I can't believe that the expiration date totally slipped my mind! I'm usually not OC but I normally take note of important dates such as renewal periods, food expiration dates and American Idol screenings. I knew that printing out monthly calendars rather than keeping a yearly planner, as I used to do, was a horrible idea. So there, my sense of balance and structure is now severely skewed.

I dug up my old planners a few weeks ago and I realized that my blogs have taken their place. My old planners were a happy mix of diary, journal, academic calendar, menstrual chart and savings tracker, now, my blog is my diary/journal. For the year 2000, I had this Paris-inspired planner and during a specially creative/boring time (take your pick), I painted the pictures with various shades of nail polish. You think the Eiffel Tower already looks nice, but wait til you see it all pink and glittery. I tell you, you haven't lived until that very moment you do.

My planners were also silent witnesses to the development and unravelling of past relationships. A solid proof that things were no longer as peachy as before, was the (recorded) fact that the once daily dates had eventually dwindled to a bimonthly event. Yup, I listed down each and every single movie, restaurant, gimik etc. What can I say, our first loves makes saps of all of us :)

Anyway, as aforementioned, I now resort to monthly calendars printed out from Calendar Home and they're strictly for academic purposes only. Although the "academic-only" denomination was inadvertent, I guess I just don't have the time nor inclination now to doodle hearts, pizzas and other what-have-yous on my calendar. Besides, a peremptory glance at my usual schedule would show that it does not merit heart and pizza doodles. At present, I do all my "doodling" through my blog, hence the constant template changes.

The point of this pointless post is just to remind myself to renew my driver's license and also a second reminder to please try and aim for a decent-looking license picture this time. Remember, that that is considered an official picture and the one which will most probably be used if and when you become infamous and your face needs to be flashed on tv to warn others. Isn't that enough reason to smile for the camera?

Boracay Bits

Sun is bad. Water is good.

But water is at its best when sun is at its worst.

So now my back and shoulders are bad.

Ouch!

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I never thought that fabric softener could be so sexy but I guess it all depends on whose shirt was washed with it. Forget Armani and Calvin Klein, Downy is the way to go. Of course, it also helps if you're 6'1" tall, buff and boyish-looking. Mini-flings rock! :)

Mini-Break Part One

Unlike my previous summers, the summer of 2005 was not met with giddy vacation plans nor prepared for with miserly tendencies. This summer, I planned to work, to gain valuable skills (preferrably related to my chosen field) and to get paid (money is always good). So together with some friends, I submitted resumes to law firms about a month before classes ended and prepped myself for the upcoming interviews.

However, unknown to me, the mothers had decided that I would be attending my cousin Francis' graduation from med school in Cebu. I was rudely informed that I had no say in the matter. My pitiful cries of protest were met with "Your kuya Francis attended all your graduations from pre-school to college. The least you could do is go to his graduation too. No ifs and buts about it. You will go to Cebu. You will have fun. Dammit!". Then to make matters worse, Francis informed me that he would be going to Boracay with some friends after the ceremony and that I was welcome to come if I wanted to. By this time, I had already resigned myself to the fact that I would be pushed around all summer long, so I just gave a deep sigh and gave in. "Sure, I'll go to Boracay with you. As if I have a choice..."

How utterly sad, to be forced to go on an all expenses-paid (sana with pocket money...) vacation. How utterly sad indeed... :)

So this here's my "See-you-all-later-I'll-be-going-on-vacation" post with the official "See-you-all-later-I'll-be-going-on-vacation" picture.

I'll be seeing you all in a week or so. Be good children!

My Favorite Sin

Dr. Vicky Belo, Cris Aquino of Beauty Tours and Holidays and some woman from the Department of Tourism were on Private Conversations with Boy Abunda last night. Apparently, the DOT is actively promoting beauty tours in the Philippines. For the uninitiated, beauty tours or beauty holidays are tour packags which include cosmetic surgery and then a tour of the country. For example, a balikbayan from the US wants to have some liposuction done to remove her saddlebags, she can then get in touch with Cris Aquino and in turn he'll arrange her operation as well as her accomodations in some tourist-y spot for her post-operation healing/holiday (think The Farm in Lipa or Mandala Spa in Boracay). If you think that's weird, in South Africa there's such an animal as a safari-beauty tour. So instead of living it up in Boracay, the patient can go on a safari (bandages and all).

Question, why do the self proclaimed beauty experts use themselves as the models for their beauty products? If I wanted to look eternally young, I sure wouldn't go to Elvie or Ellen. I mean have you seen them lately?! They look like Goldie Hawn and Meryl Streep in "Death Becomes Her". I swear, Elvie and Ellen are not human anymore.

Vicky Belo, on the other hand, is about 3 steps shy from becoming an Elvie or an Ellen. She'd better be careful because from some angles, she already looks more feline than human.

Still, the beauty tour/holiday program seems very interesting because for the price of a regular cosmetic operation in the US, you can get two or more operations done in the Philippines, plus a vacation thrown in with the package. So why settle for mere liposuction when you can also have your eyelids and boobs remade? Come one, come all to the Philippines for a brand new you :)

Sabitski-isms

On Pretty Girls

Mick: In our dance, the girls were supposed to kiss the boys, but the boys didn’t want to be kissed because the girls weren’t pretty like Tavee. Everybody likes Tavee!

Jill: But Tavee only likes you huh?

Mick: I know! I don’t know what she sees in me!

On Retiring

Santi: Charmaine ruined all my plans! The way I figured it, I could retire by the time Mick turns 18 and that’s only 12 years from now. I’ll be 37 by then so I could retire before I reach 40! Then she had to go and get herself pregnant, now I have to postpone my retirement for another 6 years! Harumph.

On Vanity

Drago: Melo, how can you face your problem if your problem is your face? Admit it, it’s a lost cause.

On Time Perception

Jill: I can’t believe tatay already left for work. How am I gonna get to school now?

Melo: You know he always leaves early on a Monday.

Jill: Today’s Tuesday.

Melo: So?

On Love

Mick: Loola, are you a girl?

*Lola: Yes.

Mick: So you have a vagina?

Lola: Yes.

Mick: Can I see it?

Lola: No.

Mick: I don’t love you any more!

*Grandmother.
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Today was supposed to be a free day because The Boss had a OB-GYNE convention in Davao for two days while Dr. Romero had to attend a parents' orientation in her daughter's school. I already had a day of sloth planned. I wanted to spend the day curled up with Rahel and Estha because they've been such wonderful companions for the past few days. Then make a trip to the mall to replenish on skivvies and make it home in time for the booting out in American Idol (We're down to the magic 7!). A yummy day, in short.

Unfortunately, The Boss missed her early morning trip to Davao (It's their fault for booking me so early. They know that I'm a late riser) so the mini-break was rudely scrapped.

I also can't go to Batangas with my blockmates because Friday and Saturday are the busiest days for the clinic.

I'm so wawa :(

So this is what it's like to be in the rat race.

Working Girl

Working 9 to 5 what a way to make a living!

Well, not really 9 to 5, more like 10 to 6:30. And I'm not really doing this for a living, more of like a summer temp job while my mom's secretary is on leave.

So anyway, a few weeks before the end of classes, I was already agonizing over what to do during the summer break. The old standby of going to Cebu for the entire summer, just didn't appeal to me anymore. I wanted to be more productive, to develop skills, to get paid! Then Ate Neneth's father's cirrhosis worsened and she had to immediately leave for Dumaguete. Guess who was "volunteered" to do her job at the clinic?

For the past few days, I've experienced first-hand what the word "multi-tasking" really means. There's the phone to be answered, files to be sorted, questions to be fielded, books to be balanced, medicines to be dispensed, reports to be typed and all this time I have to be at my most pleasant best. Frowning is a no-no, scowling more so.

I've learned, much to my surprise, that I do have a patient side after all. And that, if I continue with my "work now, eat later" ways, I'll probably die earlier than expected.

This was my fifth day on the job and I've pretty much adjusted to the workload, so my mom, or rather "The Boss", feels that it's about time to up the ante a bit and now expects me to check the patient's blood pressure and do some laboratory testings on the side as well. Bring it on.

With the way my workload keeps evolving every few days, I now wonder what the next few weeks will bring. Brain surgery perhaps?

But in fairness, I am developing new skills, spending my days productively in an air-conditioned office (away from the nasty heat!) and getting paid to boot. So it's all good. The Jill is happy.

It's Out!

After months of waiting, around 5,000 people and their family and friends can finally stop holding their breaths (it's really not the results that kill you, that's another thing altogether, but the waiting and anticipating). The 2004 Bar Results are out.

Jary Sanchez of UP Law took the top spot (yey!!!). After several years of drought, UP Law finally made it to #1! May this be the start of a never-ending trend for the college :)

I still don't know what the pass-fail statistics are and I have no idea yet whether or not my friends passed because the list from the supreme court webpage is currently taking 70 million years to download and I'm wary of asking my friends Jill: Bar results are out! Yey! Congratulations! Friend: How could you be so insensitive?! I didn't make it! Waaaaahhhhhh!!!. Of course I'm exaggerating, but you never know. As much as this a moment for celebration, these are also sensitive times.

Still, number 1 pa rin :)

Woohoo!

A Cryptic Message

Trens roxas eis ti Plokeing quert loppe eis yop prexs. Piy opher hawers, eit yaggles orn ti sumbloat alohe plok. Su havo loasor cakso tgu pwuructs tyu InfuBwain, ghu gill nug bo suloly sispunsiblo fuw cakiw salo anr. Happy birthday to me!!!! Hei muk neme eis loppe. Treas em wankeing ont sime ploked peish rof phen sumbloat syug si phat phey gavet peish ta paat ein pheeir sumbloats.

Aslu unaffoctor gef cak siructiun gill bo cak spiarshoot anet cak GurGanglo gur pwucossing pwutwam. Et tam neque pecun modut est neque nonor et imper ned libidig met, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed ut labore et dolore magna.

Aslu unaffoctor gef cak siructiun gill bo cak spiarshoot anet cak GurGanglo gur pwucossing pwutwam.

P.S.
For pictures of the Portia Ball, please go here.

Digressions

The best time to post an entry is when you really, really have to be doing something else rather than making another silly blog. So here I go.

I'll be taking my last exam tomorrow! (Yey!) But I have to back on the 7th for the final paper consolidation. (Boo!)

I haven't done my part for the consolidated paper yet! (Boo!) But it will only take all of 10-15 minutes of pure encoding. (Yey!)

I finally figured out what caused my recent spate of allergies (Yey!) . Apparently, it was me and my kakikayan. So note to self: Like oil and water, Kinis papaya lotion and Off lotion don't mix (Boo!)

Why was I using a papaya soap and lotion combo in the first place, and one named Kinis at that? Bakit ba?! E maarte nga e. :)

I've been feeling very lethargic the past few days so I jogged at around 6:30 this morning (Yey!). It was one of my better jogs because, as it turned out, it actually rained early this morning so there was none of that icky summer humid feel in the air. (Double Yey!)

I've been surfing Oldnavy.com for some internet shopping and I'm thinking of getting this in turquoise and white, this and this. What's cool is that the shipping fee is only $5 regardless of how many items bought (shipped only in the US) and I can have it delivered to my tita's house in Ohio. So when she and her family come home to the Philippines in June, I'll have all my goodies ready in time for school (Yey to the infinity!)

Another thing to do when when the books beckon for your last exam is to go back to sleep. So here I go!

Zzzzzzzzzzz......

Farewell

The Pope is dead.

For someone who has never taken to the pomp and pageantry of the Catholic church, I'm surprised at my reaction over the death of the embodiment of the Catholic church.

Maybe it's because for a Pontiff he never "pontified". He accomodated different religions and espoused respect for the various beliefs. Which is more than what can be said about the fanatics (a.k.a. More Popish than the Pope)

He wasn't perfect. His conservatism alienated scores of Catholics. But he also brought scores back into the fold. Maybe it is true after all, stripped of all the teachings and ideologies, all we really need is one great man/woman.

And that is my two cents' worth.

Bulletin Board

For all the mommies and daddies of hip and happening babies, this one is specially for you:

I’m selling baby slings, specifically rings slings at 1,000 pesos (delivery fee of fifty pesos in Metro Manila and shipment fee to province to be paid by buyer outside of Manila). The sling fabric is 100% breathable cotton and is best for our warm climate. Each sling uses nylon rings (and soon also aluminum rings) that have gone through a 250 pound pull test. Can carry babies up to 35 pounds.

Baby slings are better than most carriers in the market because when used correctly ensures a child’s correct positioning. Most plastic carriers in the market do not because the baby is positioned such that he/she is hanging by his or her crotch. Also in those carriers when the baby is carried facing the mother/father, with each step, the child’s knees are pushed backwards. So there is undue stretching and stress on the babies hip joints.

Plus most carriers in the market are made of plastic and so not breathable.

The slings are also a great help for Breastfeeding mothers because they can actually nurse their babies’ hands free!

If you want to read more on the benefits of carrying babies in slings click on the link below:

http://www.kellymom.com/parenting/sling.html

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/5/T051100.asp

Please contact me through 09178433891, 9317660 or

ryankachupi@gmail.com for orders

Here is a picture of my baby in a sling and i'm also attaching pictures of the current fabric i'm using for the sling. The cotton twill is thicker than the stretch and the linen. We buy fabric on a regular basis so if you want to suggest a color or style of fabric then maybe we look for it for you:-)

Ella



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I first met Isabel through Diane's blog.

It's sad just how much someone so young has had to endure in her short life.

Cards and letters to show support will be very much welcome. Snail mail it here:

Isabel Coupland
5000 Inspiration Dr.
Hilliard, OH 43026
USA

Keep safe everyone! Happy weekend!

Relationships

Lately, I've found myself reevaluating my relationships with the people around me. Like with my mother, I've realized that I'll be so much happier and at peace with myself if I just don't listen to what she says. It sounds mean, but it's really not. I am who I am, not who she wants me to be. I read Cosmo but that doesn't mean I sleep around. I like my hair the way it is and no amount of insulting or nagging will get me to change the way I dress. Deal with it.

You'd think that at twenty-five years old (turning 26 in a few days) I'd have long buried all these mother issues in some forgotten and unmarked grave, but surprisingly they're still very much around. Because she gave birth to me, she knows all the right buttons to push. And push them she does.

Moving on.

When you find yourself counting the number of times you've done someone a favor and then setting this off with the number of times they've done something for you, you know you're in big trouble. Moreso when there's a big discrepancy in the number and you find yourself resenting them for that.

Sometimes I wonder, if we weren't pushed into each other lives because of the close circle we keep, would we still seek each other out just to be friends? Why do I always allow them in after they disappoint me? Would I do the same again now?

With the advent of Friendster, the word "friend" has lost some of its magic. There are friends and there are friendsters. The former is for inconvenience, the latter for convenience. Inconvenience meaning that you make time for them; you lose sleep over them; you cry just because they're crying too and when you have nothing more to say, you just stay. Convenient friends are good when you're happy or perky (and they like you best too when you're happy and perky) and generally they're fun to be around, but when pretending to be happy is already killing you, it's your inconvenient friends you turn to.

Friendsters you can have a lot of. With inconvenient friends, one will suffice.

So how do I end this? I think I'll just sleep on it and hope that by tomorrow the feeling won't be as strong. And that maybe the sensation of being used and abused won't be as prevalent. But what if it's still there even after a good night's sleep? Oh well, what's another friendster or two.

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My civpro finals are finally over! However, if I don't pass that course, my law school life would also be over. So it's a little too early to celebrate just yet.

It's funny how I didn't do any "holy" stuff during the Holy Week (save for the coerced attendance at the Easter Vigil Mass) but I now find myself praying like crazy because of Civpro and Credit. To each his/her own god, I guess :)