Miss Universe

Today's the finals in the Miss Universe pageant competition. The world was waiting for this big day to happen, and now the waits is over. I'm excited to know who's going to be the successor of Pia Wurztbach's crown. If you had asked me for my bet, I would have answered Miss Philippines again. But she was only in the top 6. The crown goes to Miss France. Congratulations!

I am proud Pilipina, and I noticed lots of discussions, even bashing been thrown to Miss Maria Mika Maxine Medina. I think this is unfair. Every woman in this competition did represent her country very well, and it would have been very unlikely that Miss Universe would go to the Philippines two years in a row. Of course I'd love her to win for the Philippines, but I think we can be proud of her to be in top 6 among so many competitors.

I think that speaking well in English is not really the way to win the crown. After all, this is Miss Universe, not Miss English. Miss Medina was criticized for not speaking English well, but I think it is not a huge problem, if she can express and say the words right, and speaks a better English than 95% of all netizen who criticize her.

Anyway, congratulations to Miss Iris Mittenaere, the new Miss Universe!

Corrupt police

Is it only in the Philippines where policemen known for being good for nothing? You always hear awful things what many policemen do. Just like what happened in Camp Crame: a wealthy Korean was murdered by policemen. According to the news, the Korean guy was kidnapped for ransom. I heard that the poor guy have given around 50 million Peso to the policemen already, and again they demanded for some more. When the Korean didn't give in, he was abducted and being brought to the camp. They cremated his body, and his ashes was flashed in the toilet. And know what guys? The sad thing is these bad guys uses his golf materials for his cremation. Isn't that too much?

Nowadays people value money more than anything in the world, even dignity. What these bad policemen did had brought the good ones a bad reputation. It causes their job. I know there are so many who are good policemen, I feel pity for them, because their troops are shameful. What they did to the Korean was so cruel, after giving everything he ended up losing his life. I hope this will not happen again. Justice will be served!

More midterm exams

Good morning everyone! Today is Thursday here in the Philippines. I wish us all a blessed day!

I'm still in bed, so before getting up I decided to write down my thoughts. As usual, Thursday is not so busy for me,  I don't have much to do today. I only have one class later this afternoon. My busiest day is Wednesday when I always need to wake up very early in the morning for school. Well, it is the only day I have a full load in school. All other weekdays are easy.

Today is my midterm exam in "Speech Communication 2". I'll be home early. Whenever an exam is on, we can go home right after we answered the questions or after we presented our part in every subject. If you know what you're doing, then exams are hassle-free. After the exam, I will go eating at some place and chill a bit to relax.

Communication Midterm Exam

I just got out from the school room. I'm still breathless even though this was not P.E. I've just been through the oral test from my Speech Communication instructor. WOW, now I know the feeling of being one of those candidates competing in a pageant. My heart is still pumping too fast even now. That was intense! Today was my very first time trying to survive a Q&A test with so many questions asked by my teacher.

The test works as follows: you stand in front of your teacher, and you have to answer her question with just a limited amount of time. I was so nervous that I ended up answering the question suboptimally. I am not satisfied with my answers. I could have answered better if only my brain had cooperated while I was inside the room. I did not like the time pressure to answer so quickly. I could have given here a really good answer with more time. But it's too late now, no more second chance.

Well, at least I made my grade for midterm already. It doesn't matter how it is. Anyway, my answer was nice, but too short. But I still hope I got a fine grade. I'll find out later when the midterm is over.

P.E. Subject

It's already getting late in the evening here, but since I am still up, I think I should tell you guys what I did earlier in school. I had just one subject today: P.E. This is physical education, and what we did was learning dance movements. As a person who is not very talented in dancing, it took me a while to catch the movements our instructor taught us. So when the time came for me to show what I've learned, I was kind of nervous performing in front of my P.E. classmates. This was already part of the midterm exam. The highest score was 24, while I only got 17. No complaints, I'm grateful I got above 13 which is the passing score.

The P.E. subject makes me feel uncomfortable as I do not like performing in front of the class. But I did it. I can't wait to finish this subject. Just 3 more months, then all P.E. is gone. I hoper there will not be any P.E. in next semester.

Short night

Good morning everyone! I assume that five hours of sleep is not that bad to begin my day. I fell asleep very late last night and I still managed to wake up early. My eyes needed more sleep but my brain says NO. Hence, since I cannot go back to sleep, after writing my thoughts, I will start reviewing my notes for the midterm examinations.

I have so many things to do today. I need to practice for the dance moves in P.E. It's a pressure for me since I am not good at moving hands and legs in any rythmical coordinated manner. That's just one of all the stuffs that I need to review. In speech communication-1, I have to record myself while doing tongue twisters. It is going to be our exam. I have to pronounce everything in the right way. My instructor will judge this for the midterm. Thinking of all this makes me stressed.

Second semester midterm exam

The midterm examination date got rescheduled to 25th of January. I think the school did this so that the students can have enough time to review for the upcoming exams. I'm fine with their new examination schedules. Anyway I don't have problem with any changes that might happen sooner or later.

I have only five subjects this semester, and I'm almost half way to finish the semester, so all is good. I can keep up with whatever changes the school will decide. After this midterm, the ACLC Week is coming. That's a week for sports and outdor activities, like dancing or basketball. Those of us who are not part of any activity do not need to come to school. I am excited, it's going to be a long good rest day away from school for me. The upcoming exams put some pressure on me, but I will be fine, and I look forward to relax after the exams.

Parasailing

Do you know parasailing? This is a beach activity where you are up in the air on a parachute connected by a long rope to a boat. The boat drives against the wind, which pulls the parachute and you up in the air. Back in 2014, when I was on Boracay, I saw parasailing the first time. But on Boracay were so many activities to do. That was my first time doing zip line and horse back riding. I watched the parasailing but I was too nervous to even try it. Who would have thought, I've got to try it in Bali. This time I was more courageous.

Now I know the feeling of being swept up in the air. I'll never forget the moment where I was being wrapped into the harness that is connected to the parachute. I was so nervous thinking I might fall down. But as soon as I was in the air, all panic was gone. Seeing the entire world from high above was amazing. I saw the beach view from above, and the sea, and everything was cool.

Later I learned from someone with experience that parasailing on Boracay is even better. In Bali, it was kind of short. On Boracay, you stay much longer in the air. I missed my chance to do it on Boracay but I am happy to experience it in Bali. If someone would ask if I will try parasailing for the second time, my answer would be yes. Why not? I will definitely try it, if I'll be given the chance to do it.

Dreams

We all have dreams about future and life. Some dreams can never be achieved. I am also a dreamer, but I want all my dreams come true. My dreams are simple. The very first thing is that I want to finish my studies. I want to graduate from college. I want to prove to others that they are wrong about me. I want a normal life, a decent job later when I graduate, so that I can support not just myself but also my family. I hope that God gives me many more years to live. I have faith in God. Either way I'm ready with whatever is going to happen when the time comes.

But for now I'll keep on digging, until I become satisfied. Life is not a race, I'll keep it slow. I ignore those people that are trying to drag me down, and I forget my difficult past, and try to live for the future. Right now I am happy with my life, and I love myself for what I am doing. That's very important.  Because if we don't love ourselves,  then how can we have a good future? We would always be jealous at what others have achieved without being content about what we ourself have achieved. We should learn to look at ourselves, so that others don't find a way to drag us down.

Tanah Lot Temple in Bali

The Tanah Lot temple is one of the most visited temples in Bali, Indonesia. It is a tourist attraction since it is located on the western side of Bali inside the sea. Many painters and photographs have captured the beautiful sunset at the temple. I visited this temple on the last day of my Indonesia trip. And a picture can prove that I really had been there.

The Tanah Lot temple is one of the most famous temples in Bali. The only problem is that at high tide, you can't go inside the temple so easily. It was placed in the ocean and is surrounded by water, so you will get wet feet. The only way to get close to it is to remove your shoes and wear just short shorts if you don't want to get totally wet while going there. But then inside, you would need to wear a sarong again, as short shorts are not allowed.

I did not go inside. The photos I made outside the temple were good enough. There is also a small park nearby to spend time, and a couple of art markets on the streets to buy paintings. I wish I could buy paintings there, as everything was very beautiful and I am an art lover, but it was outside my budget and too difficult to transport to home. Anyway, I am happy to share with you guys that journey. I hope that those who plan to go to Bali don't miss to visit the Tanah Lot temple. And another thing, if you're going to visit Indonesia, better you do it in their best season, not in raining season.

Bali Temple

Bali in Indonesia is known for having thousands of temples. Bali is predominantly Hindu, however with influences from Buddhism and Islam. And since I have been to Bali I should share to you my experiences going inside a temple. The first temple that I visited was called Pura Puseh Batuan. It is a popular tourism attraction on the way between Sanur and Ubud, and it is nearly 1000 years old. From the Hindu temples in Singapore, I learned that you need to go barfoot in the temple, but that's not the case on Bali. Instead, before you enter the temple area, you need to wear a sarong around the legs. You can rent a sarong at the entrance, and of course a small donation for the Hindu gods is expected. When you are inside the temple, you can take as many pictures as you like. Unlike a mosque or a Christian cathedral, a Bali temple is not just one building but rather an open area with many buildings and structures, with many gods and goddesses displayed in the area. This first temple I've been in was really nice inside. It was clean and at that time not as crowded as temples in Singapore.

If you go to Bali and you want to visit a temple, there are so many possibilities. Simple ask around where is the next temple. But not all temples are open for tourists. Or rent a car with driver. The Bali drivers also act as tour guide and know the best temples to visit. But be careful and find a nice driver, because some drivers only bring you to shopping places where they get a provision from your spendings. Anyway, renting a car in Bali is easy. In the tourist areas, you can find drivers for rent sitting near all the hotels.

On top of Marina Bay Sands

Looking back to my first Singapore trip, as I admired this beautiful country as a tourist, of course I didn't leave without visiting the Marina Bay Sands Hotel sky deck. This iconic hotel looks like a ship on three towers, and it is the most famous landmark of Singapore, besides the Merlion statue. You can see both on the picture here (me in front on the water-spitting Merlion and the hotel in the background).

Yes, I came to climb on top of the hotel one night. It is about 200m high and has a swimming pool, restaurants and the sky deck. The swimming pool is only for rich hotel guests, and I cannot afford to stay a night in that hotel or in its expensive restaurants, hence I visited only the sky deck. You have an amazing view from there to the entire city. All the other skyscrapers look so tiny from here. Even the Singapore Flyer, the world's tallest ferris wheel, looked so small from here. I did not ride the Flyer, as I think the view from the skydeck is much better.

Though, while I was on the very top, I felt nervous, because I am always scared of heights. Being 200m above ground gives me a mixed feeling. It isn't even the tallest building here, the UOB Plaza building is about 80m taller, but for me this height is enough. Still, I'll be forever grateful, that once in my life, I had been there.

Wheather and laundry again

When I have nothing better to write, I write about wheather and laundry. It looks like today we will get some sunshine. The skies look brighter than the past few days. So doing laundry is not a bad idea right now. I have so many dirty clothes to wash because I could not do laundry when it was raining all the time. I put my dirty clothes on a stack in the corner, and the stack was so high, it hurts my eyes just by looking at it. I am just one of those who don't like to have a lot of dirty clothes in a corner.

I begun washing my clothes one hour ago, glad now I am almost done. Keeping myself busy is just a good idea, as I don't want to think too much about what recently happened. I don't let anyone drag me down for nothing. Simple things like the sunny weather or the fact that my laundry is done can make me happy again.

To that anonymous drama queen

Some people try to be really cruel to me. I live my life thinking everything is okay. I try to be happy, try to do good in my life, and I try not to hurt anybody. I am not bad to anybody. Being happy is not easy, sometimes I fight a serious battle deep inside and then I pretend to be a strong person. Sometimes I feel weak. Somebody is trying to attack my weakness.

What happened recently was a cowardly attempt to hurt me. Somebody created a fake facebook account under wrong name and tried to spread very bad rumors about me. Those rumors are very unacceptable, inappropriate, and nothing of it is true. The language used in those rumors was very dirty, low level and full of hate. That anonymous person seems extremely jealous of my life in order to spread such rumors. Come on! How deep must somebody fall to be jealous of me? I am just a schoolgirl, trying to do good in college, that's nothing special, no reason to be jealous! Except for a person who is out of her mind! I had never imagined that somebody could hate me like that. It seems ridiculous to me. I have an idea who could be that drama queen, but I just feel pity for her.

The rumors spread among my classmates, because the drama queen added my classmates to a facebook group. Just to clarify again: nothing of what that idiot claims is true. Most of my classmates are very smart, certainly smart enough to recognize that this is just bullshit talk from a hater. Why would they believe somebody who obviously uses a wrong name in facebook? After all, we get a good education in ACLC college, therefore we can distinguish between nonsense text written in facebook by a cowardly pathetic looser who is hiding her face, and the real me that you can meet face to face attending college every day. And if one of my classmates really believes that nonsense, oh well, that's then just stupid and she should know better. But I am lucky, most of my classmates are smarter than that.

Did all this affect me? Well, yes, I am weak, I find the entire situation embarrasing. I think everybody would feel like that. I do not think I deserve this. But at the end, I think I am okay but there must be something deeply wrong with that sick person who has nothing good in her life except spreading false rumors. This is sad for me, but much more sad for her. We should have pity with that poor drama queen!

Raining raining raining raining ...

Am I just so unlucky right now to be in this mess? All I can hear is this raining since I woke up. I don't think this is going to stop at all. It's raining so hard right now and the skies is so dark.

I heard from the radio that there is a low pressure area in Borongan, that could be the cause of this non-stop raining. From the window, I can see it is becoming windy. It looks nearly like a typhoon, even there isn't one. The weather is the same in Tacloban, I called my classmate earlier, and asked her if it's raining there. I will have problems going to my boarding again as it's probably flooded right now.

I hope this rainy season to stop as soon as possible, so that students do not skip classes. Honestly who would want to come to school with a weather like this. This happens almost everyday. So annoying, really! Such a burden to me, as I live far from school. I hope this raining will stop soon!

Beaches in Samar

I did not know that we have so many beaches here in Samar. Recently I asked my cousin who often visits Manisangay. Nearby our place, there are at least two beaches. Both beaches are busy when it is weekend. The places get crowded, cottages are occupied, so if you have plans to go for a family outing on weekends, always ask for a reservation earlier that day to be sure you have a cottage reserved. This holds at least for the cottages at Panay Beach.

Canhugas is also a beach which is called Canhugas Nature Park. But as of now, there is no cottages built there yet. The place has just been discovered, even though it gets busier recently. The place is still under construction. We all hope it's done in 2018. I'm so excited to see what's the outcome of their work later this year, or next year.

Slow internet in the province

When I'm in Samar I get always the slowest possible internet connection. I pay the same as in Tacloban but it is just so much slower. Once I am inside the house my phone doesn't have any signal. So if I want my mobile data to work, first I need to go outside the house and stay by the road. Just like now, the internet connection does work, but I cannot always stay here long time. It's the same problem during day time, too hot to stay here. The best time to use internet here is in the afternoon if is not raining.

There are some places here in the province where internet connection works just fine. But I am not lucky, as I live in a small barangay which has poor signal. The signal tower is not really close to our place, therefore the signal is weak. That's how province life is: everything works slow. The only reason I come home often is because that's the only time I can be with my family. I may not able to be with them when I am working abroad or when I'm not living in Tacloban anymore.

Drugs in the neighborhood

So last night, I and my auntie went to bed early when we started talking before going to sleep. We talked random things, from my school to my love life. She is very curious. I answered her every questions honestly. Later that night, she suddenly mentioned to me about someone from our barangy, who just got arrested earlier because he was selling drugs. I actually knew the guy because he is the father of my batch mate in elementary school.

I was shocked after I heard the story, I really can't believed he did sells drugs. I mean he has a loving family, in fact he has a daughter which is a licensed teacher and is already working, aside from that his son has also a decent job. His children can really provide their needs. They even have store, so what is with the drug thing? I considered him as a respected person as he was before. I really had no idea that he could be a drug pusher. Now according to my auntie he is still at the police station. If the accusations are true, then he really did embarrassed his family. I feel sorry for her daughter who is my friend.

Painting leopard

I just started painting my leopard. That's what I did the past afternoon here in Samar. This is an oil painting set for beginners which I got as Christmas gift. It is still a long way to go, before I will have finished it. It takes time. Painting isn't easy, shading is so difficult, especially when painting a leopard. Too many small spaces that I need to shade carefully, as I don't want the sketch to get messy. It would be uninteresting to stare at, if my painting looks dirty. I will paint slowly, it doesn't matter whether it takes long time until I'm done.

My back is hurting, but seeing how my painting starts to have a life from colors makes me feel relieved. I can't wait to finish painting my leopard. When I get done with it, I'll put it on a frame perhaps to make it  look more interesting, and so it won't get dirty. My auntie wants me to display the painting in the house when it is done. Yes. We'll be hanging it to the wall somewhere in the house. I'm excited with the outcome. I hope I can finish it soon.

Internet in school

Back to school again tomorrow, on Monday. Wait, what? I'm still in Samar? Lol. Kidding!

My subject for tomorrow is just one in speech communication, and it will start at 4:30 pm. So if I go back to Tacloban at noon, I won't be too late for school. I'm planning to leave by 12 noon. I will be in the city around 3:00 pm. If I arrived on that time, then I will still have some time to wander around the city.

Usually, I don't really stay in school during longer breaks, when my next subject is still away. It would be boring, as there is not much to do. We have WiFi in school, but it doesn't work most of the time. So instead of waiting for the next subject,  I and my classmates go out, find something to eat, go to mall, checking shops even when we don't buy. We still want to see what's new in the store inside the mall. Looking around keeps us busy until the next subject. We only stay at the classroom during short breaks or when the internet works well. It's really annoying when internet doesn't work. We are paying for our internet so that we could do online research but it's always too slow. So annoying! I think it become really slow when too many students are using internet at the same time.

Suicidal

I think only coward or losers do give up with life too quickly. Just because there's something wrong with you, it doesn't mean you should end your life. No matter what problem or type of life you're in, you can always do something better for yourself.

You should never think you cannot do anything useful, not just for yourself but also for your loved ones. We can do anything, all it takes is courage to build it up. Be positive on things, and good things will come to you in the right time! Never stop believing that one day you can achieve your goals!

A person with dreams would never stop working for his/her dreams. Dreaming is actually good, but what is bad is when you dreams without doing anything. If your past wasn't that awesome, then forget about it, and start making a new one! Build yourself again, and be eager to get what you really deserve!

Sunday morning

Just got home from the church. It is Sunday morning here, so that means church day for us Christians. I admit I don't always attend mass, I rarely go. But I woke up early today, so I decided to go to church and it was good. The Weather seems fine today, the skies are cloudy. It didn't rain since earlier. I can feel the heat touches my skin. It's getting hot today. After washing laundry, so many clothes hanging outside to get dry. I think thick clothes easily get dry with this kind of weather. It is good, as I have my jeans washed, I hope everything gets dry before I leave. I don't like taking heavy wet clothes back to the city, as the clothes get smelly when they are not fully dry.

We all need this kind of sunny day here. Raining all the time is depressing. People here are more lazier when it is raining. They stay most of the time inside the house wasting their time waiting for better weather. So today is a good sunny day for us.

Jeans

I think I'm one of those jeans lovers who are obsessed of jeans. I really can't go out without wearing a comfortable denims. Whether I am traveling, going to school or on a wash day I always wear jeans. That's always my best choice. I am not a girly person when I am outside. People won't see me wearing skirts or short shorts or even a women dress.

I used to wear those women dresses few years ago, but I am just like the season, I've changed. Back then, I hated Jeans. I never wore one. It was only after typhoon Yolanda when I started wearing jeans because I lost all my other clothes in the typhoon. I got used to it, until it became my favorite attire. Jeans and long sleeves and a pair of shoes will always be my favorite. I can wear that everywhere, and jeans last longer than regular dresses. But it depends on your choices, if you go for a branded ones, then it will surely last long time. I have about 15 pairs of branded jeans, and I think for a women like me, those are enough.

Hurray, weekend

I am done with today's classes. It means my rest day begins today until Monday morning. I feel relieved, as I don't have to do anything. I just want to relax myself. Or maybe come home to Samar. I don't want to bore myself here at my place for doing nothing. Going to home is a great idea. I can eat my favorite fresh vegetables there.

It's better when I am at home. I don't have to worry about anything. Food is just there, and you don't have to go far to a mall just to get something to eat. Even vegetables are nearby our house. It is so easy living in the province. The sea is just there, and you can easily go and catch fishes. And then your day is solved. You won't be depressed if you know how to live as a real province person. I can do what a province girl is capable of doing, for instance I know how to catch fishes. The only reason I don't go to the sea that often is because I don't want to get darker. My skin tan is already dark. I have to stay away from the sun for a while.

Lack of energy

I feel like I needed a body massage right now, as my back is hurting, and my body doesn't seems to have much energy. I am thinking of making a cup of coffee which I barely do, I don't really drink coffee. I never liked coffee, but at times like this, I feel like I really need one.

I tried going back to sleep, but my mind didn't want to stop thinking randomly, so I decided to just write, while I am still figuring out what to do. If only I can sleep more, I could, as I don't have to go to school now since my class will start at 5 pm this afternoon. But if I go back to bed, I will only laying awake, but not sleeping, I know, I've been through this number of times. 

It's almost 9am here, I do have enough time to prepare. I think if I eat something, as this could help me to gain some energy to begin my day. 

Sleepless night

Have you ever been in a situation where you are in bed already but couldn't sleep because too many random thoughts coming to your mind? Suffering from over-thinking is unhelpful and can cause harm such as lack of sleep and depressions.

This rarely happens to me when I am about to sleep: That feeling when you're too tired and ready for some good night sleep, but suddenly your mind starts circulating and makes you wide awake. I had this scenario last night. When I am in a situation like this, I don't feel tired just yet, my body goes back to being fine as if I had not been a tiring day. It is only in the morning when I wake up from too little sleep that I feel so weak, just like now. My body needs more sleep! I feel like I don't even have enough energy to start the my day. I hate this! I want to stop myself from thinking too much, but sometimes there's no way I can avoid it when depression is attacking me.

Nicer weather

The weather is getting better. Going back home from school without flooding all over the road makes me happy. The past few days, it was worse: I walked on the road with water up to my ankle, my shoes and jeans got wet and dirty. That time it keeped on raining. I was soaked when I reached my place. I had no way to dry my shoes, so I was devastated from what happened. I never liked when my jeans and shoes get so dirty.

Glad today the skies was bright and it didn't rain. But yesterday, when it was raining, I forgot taking my umbrella with me, that's why I got so wet. I'm glad I didn't catched cold from that night. Next time I will not forget to bring an umbrella. I'll make sure to always have it on my bag. But I hope the raining stops for this month, so that I will not have a problem going to school.

Cold night and rain

Just another cold night for me here. As usual, my fan is off. The Rain has not stopped since morning, the streets outside my place is already flooding from too much rains. I hope this stops tonight as I'd be going to school tomorrow. If this continues to rain, I might have a problem going to school tomorrow. I hate it when my shoes get too wet, since I will be sitting in school all day with wet feet.

Before I get to the cab and jeepney station, first I need to walk for about five minutes. From there I can ride to town. Normally, this short walk is no problem as I am used to it already. But when it is flooded, it's difficult to walk there with dry feet. Shoes also get very dirty in rain. I hate the rain, it can ruins my day so quickly. Rain itself is not so bad, when you have clean streets, but it depends on which road you walk. Mine is too dirty and too wet.

Midterm soon

I just got back from school. I had only one subject today. This is good enough for me, an my brain can handle it and I am not too tired. I'm so glad that classes are now normal, unlike last week. Today we had discussions in speech communication. This is fun, since most of the rooms are now occupied with its own instructors discussing.

Even today there were still students taking special exam. So the head of the school have decided to move the midterm examinations to January 25th this month. Well, we should all be thankful that we have enough time to review the learning material, and be ready for midterm. We have two more weeks to prepare.

After midterm, two more exams, and then there is summer break. It would be two months vacation for us students. Plenty of time to cherish during that time. And then it is going to be stressful days at school again. Well, at least I'm going to be closer to finishing my studies.

Miss Universe 2016

On this month the reigning Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurztbach is about to finish with her reign as a Miss Universe. It's been an amazing journey for her since her win. She did what she actually promised she'd do. I hope that she can be a good example for all Philippines beauty queens that are going to compete this year.

This year, Miss Universe 2016 will be held here in the Philippines. From our country, the contestant will be the amazing Miss Maxine Medina, who is also with beauty and brain. Even though, in my opinion, I think it would be hard for the Philippines to win the crown this year again. Back to back wins barely happens for the same title.

We will see what's going to happen. I'm not losing hope, miracle can be happen at anytime. Good luck to Miss Maxine Medina! I hope you'll get it to the top.

Cold month

Good morning everyone! Have a blessed day to us all. It is Friday morning for me here in the Philippines.

So cold this morning! I haven't even used the ceiling fan. But still I am freezing to death. The whole night, my fan was off, and right now I feel like I need a hot drink. I normally don't drink coffee,  but I am willing to have a cup of it right now.

Okay, okay, you guys near the north pole have much more cold that I have. We have no snow and the temperature does not go below 0 degree Celsius. But we Filipinos are used to 40 degree Celsius, so when it drops to 15 degree at the night, we feel like freezing.

I wonder why it is so cold right now? It is already January. I thought December is the coldest month here in the Philippines. My mistake, January seems colder. If this kind of weather stays like this, then the owner of this boarding house would be lucky to pay less electricity bill. I don't know how much a ceiling fan can cost in electricity in a day. But either way it can help them lower their electric bill.

At this time, I want to drink something hot, I will be making a hot coffee, or if I get lucky, I can have Milo instead of coffee. Time to get up off the bed! ;)

Assassin's Creed

Just got out from the cinema. The movie was great, and worth watching. I've got to watch it in the new cinema located at the third floor's extention of the Robinson mall. The new cinema is huge, and comfortable, unlike the old ones. Well, I'm not sure about cinema 7, since I've only been to cinema 6. It was crowded, most sits were occupied. This shows that the movie was good.

Back to the movie: This is the best movie I ever watched so far in 2017. Joke, well, it is true, since it is the only movie I have watched so far this year, hence it must also be the best. I like how the movie is filmed. Assassin's Creed was once only a computer game. I found this out a few years ago, and even watched videos in YouTube, still I never got enough. Glad they made it into reality, not just a game. I hope you guys will watch the movie too. If you're into a movie like that, then Assassin's Creed must not missed it in the cinema.

2017-2

Good morning everyone! Today is Thursday here in the Philippines. It is really the 5th of 2017 now, truly a new year for us. I hope everyone is starting the new year accordingly. I believe that we need changes in this year. More peace in the world would be good. It could also be a new job with a reasonable salary, and those who were single last year, I think now is the best time for you to find the love of your life. Don't give up, and keep looking! If you failed last year, remember there will always be a next year. But you're given the free will to make things happen this year. Never waste the opportunity for you to get what you think you deserve.

Have faith with God! And just keep doing the right thing, then you'll be okay. If your life was a mess in the past, don't forget that right now you're just in the beginning of new year. You have so much time to make everything right for yourself. If you're a student, then study hard, and if you're an employee, then work harder. Hard work will pay off. Good luck!

Messed up painting

Yesterday afternoon when I started to paint, someone said oil painting is really difficult, and I said yes, even though I had no idea. I didn't believe it was that difficult, until I tried it myself. And yes, I know now that it is really difficult. It was the very first I tried painting with oil, and I messed it up right in the beginning. So funny! Looking at my work, makes me stop for a bit and wonder, if I ever get to fix what I've messed up already. I shaded it with dark paint, and I guess there's no way to fix it.

I really failed, but a promise is a promise, I'll continue what I've started doing. To see if I can still make the painting good by shading it, until it is done. I'll be finishing it, after I checked my school. Good luck to me again! 

Movies

I wasn't in the city for a while. Many things happened while I was gone. I've missed few great movies already. Assassin Creed is now showing too, I've been waiting for it. Now it is finally showing in cinemas. One of these days I'll get to watch it.

I love to watch new movies in cinemas, when I don't have school and I'm bored and there is an interesting movie, I'll just buy ticket, and enjoy myself. Whenever I am watching, I don't usually buy popcorn or any kinds of food. I'm not really into eating when I am watching. Except for drinks. I sometimes get a soda for myself, but it rarely happens.

Some people are having problem watching movies alone. But I am fine with being alone. I can watch without companion, as long as I can afford to buy a ticket, then I'm cool with it. But I know people who doen't  enter cinemas when alone. They say it is not fun to watch without friends with them. So they miss many movies. But I see lots of movies alone.

Lazy wednesday

Good morning! It's Wednesday morning here. I'm still in bed, so I decided to write while I'm still laying. I was supposed to get up early and prepare for school, but I received messages from friends telling me that we will not be taking the exam today. Even some of my classmates are not back here in Tacloban yet. Some are planning to come back on Friday. So this means class will start next week, that's what most students says. But even I am informed, I cannot really be sure.

Yesterday when I was on my way back to my place, I passed by my school and saw there were students in school. Now I'm thinking I really need to check it myself if we will be having classes today. The only problem is, if my other classmates don't come to school, and I know some can't come,  it would be a mess. Instructor would probably not going to start lecturing with just few students around.

Back in Tacloban

I just got back here to Tacloban. It's been a while since I left for Samar, I had the longest vacation this second semester. It's all good. I was with my family for two weeks.

Tomorrow is School time for me. I have a full load of subjects tomorrow. It's going to be a depressing day for me. Well, the feeling is mutual with other students also, who are returning to school. 

I still have to take the exam along with my other classmates. It would be the last exam we'll be taking for prelims. This month will also be our midterm examination. Too little time we have now. Teachers need to stop skipping their lectures and need to teach us, otherwise our heads will stay empty for midterm. 

Overcrowded van-van station

It looks like I am unlucky today for going back to Tacloban, I've been waiting for a van-van for 3 hours already, until now I am still here. I didn't know that days like this are full of passengers going back to Tacloban. This is first time it ever happen to me that I see such a large crowd waiting for van-vans. It is probably because the holidays are over for everybody and all need to go back to the city for work. I wasn't expecting anything like this today as it is already 3rd of January. I thought I'd be getting in to van-van easily.

I should have travelled yesterday, but maybe it was the same as today. This is so annoying, I should have known better. Well, next time I'll make sure not to be in this situation again. I wonder why it is still busy as it is already Tuesday. This isn't right, I need to be back in Tacloban today, because tomorrow is my exam In CRM. I hope I can find a seat in a van-van, I'll keep on waiting until I am able to find one.

Painting equipment

One of the Christmas gifts that I received are some color painting equipment. It is a good start and opportunity to try oil painting. I been longing for painting materials since a while, but it is expensive here in the Philippines, and now that I have some, I'm not going to waste the opportunity. I can't wait to share with you guys my work. I haven't tried oil painting before, but I'll do my best just to learn. I know oil painting is difficult, but trying won't hurt. I already promised myself not to get mad if ever I fail. Art is my passion, and I've given the opportunity to finally paint, thanks to the person who gave me this Christmas gift. I didn't think I would get it so fast. Now I already have mine, I can paint anytime I want. Thanks God! And good luck to me!

Learning biking

I didn't know it is so difficult to learn biking until I tried. After falling many times, getting bruises, here I am learning already. It's been more than a week since I started practicing. The bike that I got for myself is not that high, in fact it looks like a kid's bike, but it is not. At first I had a hard time, my legs and arms hurt. But after a few days everything went to normal. And then, when I fell from the bike, I didn't get hurt anymore because I jumped down easily.

I am happy with my bike, since it fits me. Others are complaining about my bike saying it looks like a kid's bike, and some don't like the pink color or the Hello Kitty logo. I replied always: Color and size don't matter, as long as I can learn how to balance it is good enough.

I even tried motorbike already, and I am happy to say that I know how to control a motorbike now. I am just having problem on how to drive at the beginning because the motorbike is heavier when standing than when it is running already. But I hope I can drive alone without my someone's help soon.

2017

The new year is now there, and 2016 will be history to us all. It is time that we should forget the past, and starts with new future. Forget everything bad that had happened this past year, and focus on this year!

I know we all had encountered some bad times during the whole previous year. I think it is better now to forget. It is now 2017, a new year that everyone of us must change for the better. If we do the same things as last year, then expect nothing will change until this year again ends. Days, months and years come and go so quickly, that if you always keep doing the same thing, nothing ever improves. Every new year is a new chance to do things better. Live as you like, just don't forget, you are living with a new year!

Communications exam

Whenever somebody asks a question suddenly to me and I want to answer the question right away, the problem with me is that my brain doesn't cooperate. It becomes useless and empty. Glad that my teacher doesn't question me in the exam when everybody is around. She does it in a one on one setting inside the classroom. This means: I am with her alone in the room, and even though everyone can sees us from outside since we have a glass wall, still they wont hear us talking. The door is locked.

The advantage of being inside a classroom with just a teacher and yourself alone is that it is less embarassing when you need to start thinking. There are no classmates who start laughing or distract you. At least for a while, you can think, and when the brain eventually kicks in to start working, you are able to talk and answer your teacher's question with confidence. Yes with confidence, because no one is listening except your teacher. You wouldn't think of anyone would laugh at your stupid answer if it is. The teacher might want to laugh but she would surely keep it for herselves. But classmates does sometimes laugh or even correct you loudly. And that's embarrassing.