OMG!! My dad's phone bill just came and my WAP charges amounted to Php500++!!!!

That's Php500 for checking the kikay exchange dashboard for, at the most, 10 minutes every day for 4-5 days (just had to approve the new comments) while I was in PGH with my dad.

At first, I thought the Php0.075/kb charge was a steal (Globe has an ongoing 50% off promo up to the middle of October) but when I checked kikay exchange, a single page would amount to 400+ kb or so! I did the math and it wasn't pretty. So afterwards, I would just go down seven floors and cross the street to the internet cafe behind Farmacia Fatima. After all, what's Php40/hour when compared to Php100 per website right? Sure it smelled of stale pansit and other weird things, but it was way cheaper. And cheap is the most beautiful word in the dictionary imho.

Anyway, I just outed myself (admission of guilt) :p but if this post can help even just one person to not make the same mistake I did then it will all be worth it.

The moral here is to be smart and switch to Smart! Smart charges Php10/30mins, regardless of the kilobyte count unlike Globe which charges Php0.075/kb downloaded, and since a webpage can take anywhere from 300-800kb to download....you do the math.

The only good thing about the other Globe services is G-cash and I'm sure they're already eager to fuck that up too.

This post is would not have been possible without the free wifi in La Carmela de Boracay.

Be back on Friday :)

It hasn't been an easy week. In fact, the entire month has been utterly horrible. And with that out of the way, I would now like to look at the brighter side of things (because I'm perverse that way).

Anyway, my dad's operation went well. Thank you so much for everyone who left a note, sent a message or silently included him in your prayers.

He was transferred out of the ICU last night and he's now in the regular hospital room. However, he developed a cough and so was very uncomfortable for the most part of last night. Thankfully though in spite of the coughs racking his body, his heart rate never went down too low or too high. It was just a minor complication, not really anything to worry about. I was admittedly disturbed though when he started babbling incoherently, it was probably from the stilnox which was supposed to help him fall asleep but instead made him delirious.

He's resting right now and is slowly regaining his appetite. His IV line will be removed later during the day and he'll probably be allowed to go the bathroom by himself by tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. It was just that blasted cough that derailed his efforts at recuperation.

After my dad's bypass came the news of Maddie's ASD. Poor baby and mommy :(

What is it with my family and faulty hearts?! As my dad said last night while under the stilnox curse: This is sabotage.

The only good thing to look forward to is the last bar weekend. One more to go and I can finally kiss this odious month goodbye.

Our little princess lounging in her Disney Princesses bed. Don't make your sister cry Mick! It's bad for her heart :(

Third weekend summary:

Commercial Law: I love you comm law examiner! You're the best! May you be showered with every single blessing in the universe, then multiply that by two pa.

Criminal Law: Pak you.

D'oh!

M: Sira ang phone, walang dial tone. Pakitawagan ang PLDT para ireport.
J: Tawagan ko ang PLDT para ireport na sira ang telepono?
M: Oo, tawagan mo...o sige, si Ate Neneth na lang sa clinic ang tatawag at mag-rereport.

(That's what I'm talking about)

****

*This happened a few minutes ago while I was talking with a Globe CSR

J: Good morning. Our Globe bill is overdue, can I still pay it online or do I have to pay it at the Wireless Center (actually, Globe Business Center pala, Wireless Center is Smart :p)?
G: I'm sorry ma'am, your call has been rerouted to the pre=paid inquiry and we do not have the facility to answer your question. If you can just dial xxxxx
J: Ano?! I'm just asking where I can pay an overdue bill, kung pwede pa ba online or dapat sa office na. Hindi na kailangan ng postpaid or prepaid information yon.
G: Ok mam, kindly hold on for a few seconds
(music plays)
G: Sorry to have kept you waiting ma'm. You're asking if you can pay an overdue bill online right?
J: Yes.
G: Yes, you can pay an overdue bill online if the bank accepts your payment. But to be sure, please visit a Globe Business Center after you've made your payment online.
J: Right. O sige, thank you na lang.
G: Thank you very much for calling ma'm!

*My question obviously wasn't included in her script:p So much for thinking on your feet.

With my two girls.

These days, it's so easy to get caught in the personal dramas around me.

I was mistaken to think that the Bar would be the end all and be all for me for the first three quarters of this year but apparently it was not meant to be. When life decides to take you for a ride, it definitely takes you on a wild, rollercoaster ride (na may paikot-ikot pa).

Anyway, the worst isn't over yet and my dad will be having his by-pass this Monday in PGH. So after the 3rd round of examinations I'll be hightailing it to Padre Faura (with Rem stuff in tow) and then spend the next few days in another hospital room.

The good news is that PGH is near a Robinson's Mall and so at least I'll have somewhere to stretch my legs every now and then, unlike Asian Hospital which is conveniently situated in the middle of nowhere.

And in other news (see? I kinda know what's going on pa rin naman): Cris Mendez was killed by the Seekers of the Light; Erap was pronounced guilty by the Sandiganbayan for plunder (all 4 billion pesos of it) and there's something about a ZTE telecommunications deal which involves the ever controversial Comelec Commissioner Abalos.

And the world continues turning.

*********

Something very strange happened in Kikay Exchange today. I was editing a post and after I hit the save button, that post and its comments disappeared! And if that wasn't weird enough, three posts also disappeared along with it!

Very, very weird and extremely suspicious.

I'm watching you.

I've finally begun putting tags on my posts. It's actually quite addicting but considering that I've been blogging for years, I think I'd better stop now before I spend the whole night caught up in an organizing frenzy. That's another thing to look forward to after the Bar.

On to the second weekend. I guess my nerves had already settled so I was able to sleep last night. I remember thinking "I hope I finally get some sleep..." before losing consciousness and then waking up to the 4am alarm :p

I wasn't feeling as queasy too so that meant buffet time! But the Century Park spread wasn't that particularly tempting. I had a bowl of "make your own" arroz caldo which was so runny and watery (it should have been congee instead) and some bread and pastries. I'm obviously not the best person to bring to a buffet. Hindi sulit :p

Regarding the civ exam: mahirap siya.

Regarding the tax exam: mahirap din siya.

If this is the trend for the last two bar weekends, I'd better start studying for the comm law and crim exams ASAP. Redemption!

That's about it. Gotta prepare my things because I'll be staying at the hospital tonight and tomorrow. It's actually a pretty decent place for studying and my dad's not a demanding patient so it's all good.

Later.

After today's early morning call, I think I'll be cutting back on chinese food for now. And say a final goodbye to McDonald's (I've been weaning myself away from the golden arches for a while now so it won't be that difficult).

An MI is no laughing matter that's for sure.

So scrap the honey-lemon chicken from North Park for this Saturday's dinner. I'll have a plate of pasta with tomato sauce instead, good for the heart.

I think should chronicle my Bar experience if only for the sake of posterity and as a tangible reminder of what I went through if my future self suddenly wants to go on a reminiscing journey.

The first Bar weekend was horrible!! I asked for a 4am alarm and tucked myself in at around 10:30pm. I figured that with almost 6 hours of sleep under my belt I could battle demons and slay dragons but that's not what happened. Hours and hours later, I was still wide awake even after praying the rosary twice (the first time, I couldn't remember the mysteries and started panicking because if I couldn't remember something I've supposedly known for a significant portion of my life, how in heaven's name was I supposed to remember something I just crammed a few hours ago?!). I called G several times during the night practically hysterical while either pacing the room (while Roch the roommate slept like a baby) or rocking back and forth on the floor. The Urian/Famas people should have been there for my award-winning ways :p

That wasn't my only drama moment, I also gave a sis a hard time for not delivering my dinner. Only to find out that I was supposed to text my food order but I didn't, hence no food delivery. I should have stopped there but my already frazzled self had to say: So you just assumed that I would go out to buy my own food? You didn't even think of confirming why I didn't text a food order?

And then I got so upset that I ended up crying. The pathetic thing with me is that I always cry when I'm pissed or upset, while the tears hardly ever flow when I'm sad. It's only when I'm frustrated or mad. Which makes me non-eligible for a dramatic angry tirade because I'll probably end up blubbering instead of doing a Cherie Gil and demolishing my opponent with a single well-placed barb.

Anyway, I've already apologized and will definitely text my food orders for the following weeks :p

After the very short but tension filled ride from Sheraton to DLSU, we had to make our way through a throng of people in order to get inside the campus. We must have inched our way towards the gates for almost 30 minutes (at least it seemed that long) while the guards checked each person's ID and exam permit and looked through our bags (probably for explosives, because some desperate examinee might suddenly decide to take everyone with him after vainly struggling with the exam). I was already drained and exhausted even before I reached my assigned room and was just counting on the cup of coffee I took earlier (desperate times na nga) to kick in and the chocolates in my goody bag to get me through the next four hours of poli.

On to the Bar exam. The poli exam was a revelation, it more or less revealed what we (and probably the entire lawyering profession) suspected these past few weeks. Afterwards, it was funny how everyone berated themselves for studying all sorts of things (like the Yalta formula and the different conventions) when 90% of the questions could have been answered by merely consulting the Constitution. Oh well, it's always better to be over-prepared than to be caught with your pants down.

The Labor exam was loooong but fair. The questions were the "either you know it or you don't" type. There was no off-tangent question although I did manage some creative writing early on in the exam (doctrine of codetermination anyone?). My hand hurt after three hours of almost non-stop writing so I don't think I'll be doing any scribbling from today up to next Sunday.

Round Two means civ and tax and, taking off from poli, I think I'll set aside my commentaries and tips for civ and will bury my nose in my civ codal first before anything else.

As for tax, bahala na si batman.

P.S.
Happy birthday Peachy and Maddie!!


Walking back to Sheraton while chatting with Vivian and Omar. G took this shot. He was on his way to La Salle to meet me as I went out but na-late siya so I saw him on the street na lang. But in fairness, we were supposed to meet at the hotel and seeing his goofy grin really perked me up after the battery known as Labor exam.


Post-Bar dinner at Tokyo-Tokyo. Notice the tired and dazed eyes that even the thick glasses couldn't hide.

DIZIZIT! Wala nang urungan :)

Thanks to everyone who texted or left a comment expressing their support and encouragement. It really meant a lot to me :)

For all the "Go go go!" and "You can do it!" messages I received, I was still floored when my historically composed uncle sent a message of support saying, among others, that "We love you" :p I guess he really wants another lawyer in the family that badly hehehehe

Anyway, I'll be packing my things for the hotel in a few minutes (just woke up from a timed hour and a half nap because the very bibo people in our house were vacuuming the cars at 7am!!!!! Grrr....) and I'm still sorting through the things to bring during the overnight at Sheraton. The original plan was to pack light (clothes for tomorrow, bottled water and codals) but after Mark R. made me promise to bring him some Law Center materials I guess I'll have to bring out my big bag after all.

And I'll definitely bring a jacket. It said so right on the exam permit "Bring a jacket or risk dying from pneumonia" or something like that.

Wish me luck!