skyrocket high

Feel free to give whatever kind of answer you want to give.

(I'll explain later on.)

The rain was in full blast when the bus dropped me off in front of the IMM Building.  I was ready to make a dash for the entrance.  It wasn't too far off but far enough that I knew I would still get reasonably drenched.  But an old lady sitting at the bus stop called my attention and pulled out her umbrella.  In a severe voice she told me, "Don't run in the rain!"  She stood up and accompanied me to the entrance.

She was a short woman with short, predominately grey hair.  Her clothes were dark.  I wish I could remember the color of her umbrella.  I was too bewildered and too grateful to take in all the details.

Along the way, she spoke to me in broken English:  "You don't have to hurry.  Look at the road--wet.  When I was a girl, I also run in the rain.  Don't!  Don't run!"

Like the doofus that I am, I couldn't say anything aside from "Thank you!"  Even though her umbrella did little to keep me from getting wet (it did keep my head dry though and I'd rathered she didn't get wet in the process of helping me), her action, her words, and her company were and are more than enough.

Human kindness.  There's more than enough hope for all of us yet.

If you haven't eaten what meal you're supposed to eat, I suggest you skip this post.  It's one of those days when I can't seem to think of anything but strange thoughts, some of them unpleasant.  This falls under unpleasant, but I thought it would be fun to note it down.

Out of all things that exist, I hate cockroaches the most.  I loathe cockroaches.  Cockroaches are one of the few things that could stop and reduce my thoughts into unintelligible dribble (the only coherent ideas left are usually 'run' and 'fuckshittanginalintik').  Just thinking about the cockroach's brown-black body with its many legs and antennae, also the crunchy sound its body makes when it hits the ceiling as it flies, gives me the heebie-jeebies.

That said, I don't think I've ever killed a cockroach until today.

When I throw things down the garbage chute, I move fast because the first time I opened it, I got to see a cockroach.  So now, it's openthrowslamshut.  A few minutes ago, when I opened the chute, my eye caught something moving, so I moved even faster:  opnthrwsht.  When I shut it, a cockroach's head was hanging out and its antennae were still moving.  I grabbed a mop and used its handle to shut the chute's door tighter.  The antennae movement stopped.  I was screaming "Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!" the entire time inside.

I proceeded to wash the utensils I've used for dinner when one of my clustermates entered the kitchen to throw something.  She was disturbed at first by the head hanging out, so she moved as fast as I did when throwing her things.  I was watching out of the corner of my eye and I realized I was able to decapitate its head from its body.  The sight was disgusting.

I take no satisfaction from this.  I have no intention of turning into Laura, Scourge of All Cockroaches.  I hate cockroaches and I will always wish I could be as far away from them as much possible.

:(

PAG-HAYA: Tatlong Kuwento tungkol sa Kakaibang Pag-iral ng Pag-ibig

A fundraising project for FA 198 (Seniors’ Creative Project), thesis class of Theatre Arts Majors under Glenn Sevilla Mas at the Ateneo de Manila University. Pag-Haya will feature the plays Bahay-bahayan by Jacky delos Reyes, Tagay by Jo-Anne Quiros, and Isang Libong Tula para sa Dibdib ni Dulce by Layeta Bucoy. Directed by Rayna Reyes, senior Theatre Arts major. The show will run from August 13, 15, 16, 20, 22, 23 (Wednesday-Saturday) at 7:00 pm with 3:00 pm shows on August 16 and 23 at the Fine Arts Theatre, Gonzaga Hall, Ateneo de Manila University.

Tickets are at P120 each. For inquiries please contact Mikhail Hirang (Marketing Head) at 09175220905 or at mikhail_hirang@yahoo.com
RESERVE YOUR TICKETS NOW.

SUPPORT PHILIPPINE THEATRE!

TO ALL MY FRIENDS! PLEASE PLEASE I NEED YOUR SUPPORT! THANK YOU SA LAHAT NA RIN NG NAGPARESERVE AT MAGPAPARESERVE! I'LL REALLY APPRECIATE IT!

ililista ko lahat ng kilala ko para alam ko kung sino ang mga susuporta.. =) maraming salamat

It's already been a week since I've been in Singapore.  Looking back, I could say the transition from home to living alone in Singapore was smoother than expected.  My friend Davy (dah-VEE; from Cambodia) and I agreed that although we always miss home, we don't feel homesick.  Although, I have to admit, there were points when I felt incredibly lonely.  (I don't expect those lonely attacks to disappear.  But, fight lang.)

Still, as activities begin to increase, I'm becoming more and more enthusiastic and excited.  I might sing at the program launch, but that's a big 'might.'  Because if they're going to let me sing, I'll have to break a few copyright laws.  Now, we don't want that do we.  (And this might just be all bravado.  Do I actually have the nerve to sing in public here?)

1.  Where do you buy your groceries for the week? Or other stuff?  (From Mahar)
There's a small supermarket called Nanyang Supermarket in Prince George's Park Residences itself.  It's incredibly accessible.  Also, a few bus stops away is FairPrice which is a bit cheaper than Nanyang Supermarket.  There's also Cold Storage over at Holland, a few bus stops away too.  But I don't think I need to go there.  I find Clementi easier to go to.

2.  'Til when'll you be there?  (From Kuya Brian)
Till the first week of December, I think.

3.  Have you met the other awardees?
Yes, I have.  A lot of them are from China and I've been mistaken (again) as one of them by the group itself.  The others are Indonesians, Vietnamese, Malaysians, Cambodians--they're all very interesting.  (I may have missed out some nationalities.  We weren't asked to introduce ourselves to each other as an entire group, so that kind of sucked.  I got to meet a few of them though.  Like Joe from Indonesia, Vincent from Malaysia, James from Hong Kong, Tee and Trang from Vietnam, Jeng from Thailand, Grace from China--actually, a lot of them from China, I just can't remember their names.)

4.  No Caucasians?
I haven't met any Caucasians yet, unless you'd consider the two boys from Kazakhstan I was able to talk to in the canteen.  Awhile ago though, during the seminar, I was sitting beside two French boys.  They were a bit noisy during the talk.

5.  Are you learning Singlish?
I'm picking up bits and pieces here and there.

6.  So what's in store?
Hahah, to tell you the truth, at this point, I have a very vague idea.  We'll be linked to a volunteer network so we'll be doing some community service.  (Which I am looking forward to, despite how it smacks of NSTP.)  School will be starting within a week.  I still want to take a look at the musical theatre program they have at La Salle-SIA.  I still haven't visited a lot of places and I guess I should mingle more with the people here.  And maybe pick up Mandarin in the process, I don't know.  I can't really foresee what's in store.

New photos up from my short trip to Orchard and some buses I found funny:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/shedunnit/

1. Do random people come up to you speaking in Chinese? (From Oli)
They don't come up to me, but initially, I'm always spoken to in Mandarin.  (Unless I'm speaking to an Indian.  Indians, I'm convinced now, have very pretty English.  I mean, it's accented, but I like the way their voices lilt.)  I always have to apologize and say I can't understand Chinese.  I've been mistaken as an exchange student from China twice and once from Vietnam.

2. Have you been on the MRT?  How was it?
Yes, I have!  I went to Orchard alone yesterday.  The trip to and from Orchard takes about an hour when combined.  I like riding the MRT, especially standing up.  Sitting is more comfortable, sure, but staying up and trying to keep your balance on the MRT is a fun game for me.  And there are always old people.  I'd rather let the elderly have the seats.

3.  What was in Orchard?
Fucking expensive things.  So I entered Takashimaya (a mall) and was greeted with all these brand names like Cartier and stuff like that and I was just laughing throughout my stroll.  I was WTF-ing left and right at the prices.  I will never understand these expensive things.  It was even kind of sad when I saw this woman compare her bag with the Louis Vuitton bag of another woman who passed by.  (Even Watson's is expensive.)

But Kinokuniya is in Takashimaya.  It's an incredible bookstore and I actually got lost in it for a couple of times.  I bought three books and I highly doubt I'd be buying again.  The prices are pretty much the same as the prices in Fully Booked, but considering my allowance, books are a luxury I could skip.  I also like the foodcourt in Takashimaya.  (I've noticed though, Japanese food is incredibly expensive here.  Not only in Takashimaya, but also within NUS.  A meal begins at the range of around seven dollars, so around P210 here.)

I also visited Lucky Plaza which can be likened to the old Greenhills Shopping Centre.  I walked around Orchard Road for a while and dropped by Scotts Road (I didn't see the soup restaurant, Kyla!).  There's just a lot of people and a lot of shopping that can be done, if you're into that kind of thing.  I was looking for the ice cream sandwich vendors but I wasn't able to find them.  There's some construction going on at Orchard, so that may have made seeing their stalls more difficult.

4.  Have you explored NUS?
Not completely.  But today, I did go to the Student Centre, the Music Conservatory, the Cultural Center, and the Central Library.

The Student Centrei is basically a student centre with all kinds of services available from taking passport photos to a foodcourt to a student lounge with billiard tables.  The Music Conservatory was kind of a let down because it felt like no one was there, but maybe that's because I didn't go inside exactly.  I was walking the perimeter and was hoping, like in UP, to hear instruments playing.  But there weren't, so I moved on to the next building.

The Cultural Center is wonderful.  It's a big museum with three floors.  Admittedly, I'm not an art buff.  I like visual art, but I can't call myself an afficionado.  I could have spent more than half the day there, but I decided not to overload my brain.  I only explored the second floor that contained South East Asian art.  It took me around forty-five minutes to look at each and every piece and read what was written.  One floor is really huge.  I'll be back another day to explore the other floors.

I wanted to dance when I saw the Central Library.  It was incredibly nice.  I was only able to explore two floors, but those two floors are enough for me.  One floor is like the administration center of the library where you could borrow and return books.  There's a huge computer area.  There's a lounge.  There's the multimedia library and the news archives.  There are two theatrettes.  The other floor contains the books.  Hahaha, rows and rows and rows of books.  They have a good number of theatre books, but their music books left me a bit disappointed.  I'm guessing there's a library at the conservatory.  Still.  I could live in that library and be happy.  (I may not be an art buff, but I am a bookworm.  And I'm glad I don't have to buy books anymore to be able to read.)

Funny thing that happened in the library though:  I couldn't initially check out my books because the expiry date on my card was 2000.  Both the librarian and I were bemused.  Do I look like I was an NUS student eight years ago?  They fixed it after ten minutes.  So, go effective library staff!  They were friendly too.  And I like the fact that I could use the telephone there for free.  I have fallen in love with the library.

5.  Bad food experiences?
I hate to say this, but yes, one.  I didn't eat it.  Not that it was bad exactly.  So there was this canteen at the Sports Complex (near the registration site) that seemed to specialize in Chinese food.  I decided to try out this "Minced Meat Noodles" thinking it'd basically be bits of meat on egg noodles.  Apparently it was some Chinese person's idea of spaghetti.  I'm not ordering it again.  (Not that it tasted bad.  But it was really just a weird experience.  I couldn't stomach it.)

6.  How was laundry day?
It was very successful, thank you very much.  My clothes came out clean and nothing shrunk.  I can now say I know how to use a damn washing machine and a dryer.

Thank you for the well wishes, everyone!

Hahah, I think I have to remind myself that I don't have to behave like a tourist now that I'm in Singapore.  What I mean is I don't have to fill each day with activity, hopping from one point to another.  There's plenty of time for that.  And why do I say this?  Because I had a list of things planned today except I find myself tired from fixing bank matters to registration to looking through all the organizations they have in NUS.

But it's been a good day so far.  I'm just tired.  My SingTel number is 840-951-30.

1.  Are there cute boys?  (From Jorja)
Depends on how you define cute boys.  If you like Chinese guys that look like girls, yeah, I've seen some.  If you like dorky Chinese guys, yeah, I've seen some also.  If Indian guys that look like Aladdin is more to your liking, yeah, I've seen some.  If you like Caucasian guys that look a bit like Hugh Grant or like a bulkier version of Gavin Creel, yeah, there are.

Honestly though, it's the girls that are incredibly pretty here.  I've seen some really pretty Indian girls with those deep, dark eyes.  The others have long skinny legs or just really nice bodies.

2.  Mas maganda ba ang work ethics? (From Reg)
So far and non-theatre related, I would think so.  When they said registration would begin at two, it really began at two.  But these are all just systems.  When classes begin, I'll update you.

3.  How did you find the bank?
The bank I went to was POSB-DBS Clementi Branch.  I now have a nifty ATM-like card.  I didn't have any problems at all, so it was good.  I actually enjoyed my time signing up for an account.  The staff was really friendly.

4.  How did registration go?
You know, I read in one weblog that it only took him twenty minutes.  The registration itself took me less than that.  So, yes, it was short.  The lines though, hahah, are a totally different story.  Admittedly, I wasn't as efficient because I made some mistakes.

I was supposed to go to registration first before applying for my student's pass (immigration-related).  But since I did it the other way around, I didn't realize I was to get a specific document from registration first.  So even though I was in line for quite a while, I had to leave without anything done.  Like I said, the registration itself was efficient.  I show my admission letter.  I get a package.  I get a call number.  I wait for my call.  I register and then done!  But after that, I had to go back to the long student's pass line.  So, yeah, go me.  I was there 2PM, I got done at 4PM.

5.  How are the organizations?
There are a lot of them, that's first.  They fashioned the org fair in such a way that you're going to have to go through each and every organization.  If you walk fast, you might not get approached, but chances are, random organizations will approach you.  I concentrated on the Arts organization.

They have NUS Stage, which just began last year.  They don't have musical theatre (boo), but they might in the future.  At the moment, they're looking more on the production side.  I also looked at the NUS Choir.  I'm actually thinking of joining that one.  They have auditions though and rehearsals are Mondays and Thursdays until 6:30-9:00PM.  Not that I mind, mind you.  It's just that I have no idea if there are still buses at that time so I could go back to my dorm.

I'm still wondering if I'll be allowed to join though.  Under this programme, I'm already attached to a volunteer organization, so maybe I'll be asked to devote my time to it.  We'll see.

6.  Do you still get to sing?
Believe it or not, I still do get to sing and it's a big relief.  No one seems to mind when I'm singing in my room (I keep the windows closed).  I don't belt as loud though.  I still haven't asked where I could get the key to the music room.  (By the way, I've looked again.  It's a keyboard!  That's why it's not covered and here I was already nursing resentment towards non-musical Singaporeans.)

And, I admit, I sing everywhere and anywhere here.  I had to wait long lines today.  I got bored, so I kept singing under my breath.  I didn't get weird looks and no one was paying attention, so whatever.  Somehow, music keeps boredom and loneliness away pretty well.

7.  Did you bring a book?
No.  But I have a book now.  I was approached at the bus station awhile ago by this NUS Christian Org and they gave me this book written by the people who wrote "Left Behind."  So, yeah, I have a book now.  Not something I'd want to read, admittedly, but I don't have a book and the bookstore at Clementi doesn't carry fiction books, so I can't complain.

8.  Ate anything interesting?
Because I was at Clementi, I decided to grab brunch at the food court there.  I bought iced coffee with kaya toast.  The iced coffee was actually good, but maybe it's just because I was thirsty.  The kaya toast was nice and interesting, but it's not a "whoah, omg, kaya toast."

So three days have practically gone by and I'm doing fine.  Admittedly, I haven't done laundry yet (I intend to do so on Wednesday or Thursday).  I'm pretty sure that that 'fine' will be a different story by then.  But generally, I'm adjusting well.

I could write in narrative form, but that isn't very fun to do.  I actually intended to video log, but it's just too much work, so I intend to write Singapore-related entries in Q&A Format instead.  If you have your questions, just comment below and I'll try to answer them in the next post.

Some pictures here:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/shedunnit/


1.  How was your flight?
NAIA's system has to be fixed.  Everything is slow, from Travel Tax to Luggage Check-Ins to Immigration--if everyone else weren't stuck in the same position I was, I'm pretty sure my flight would have left me.  So, yes, it was stressful at first.  There was nothing much to do during the flight itself but sleep.  There was occasional turbulence so it was fun.  And the lavatories were clean, so that's a big plus for Cebu Pacific.  Planes and clean bathrooms make me happy.

As an aside and despite everything, I was excited in the airport.  The feeling that an adventure is beginning and everything?  Yeah, it hit me.  It was also funny how the guard near the entry point was talking to me while we were waiting for our bags to be checked.  For example, "Madalas po ba kayo rito?  Parang nakita ko na po kasi kayo eh.  Stewardess po ba kayo?"  And I was just like, "LOLZ.  NO."  But it was nice.  I usually take instances like these as good signs, that everything would be all right.

2.  How is Singapore?
It's very orderly and clean.  I can understand the bus routes.  I know where to cross.  It's a very walkable place, so I'm happy.  Weather-wise, it's a lot like home.  Except without the storm (if there's still one there).  Also, when it drizzles here, no one really bothers whipping out an umbrella.  The drizzling isn't very strong anyway.  (Still is irritating when you're wearing glasses.)

3.  How are the people?
Though their English gets to me at times, they're actually very nice.  As long as you're polite and direct to the point, they'll be nice to you.  I haven't encountered anyone masungit or rude yet.  And yes, some of the Indians do have a distinct smell.

It's fun, meeting all these people.  So far, I'm good friends with two Cambodians, Davy and Amara.  Yesterday, when we had this event that gathered the residents of PGPR, I met people from Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the locals, of course.  As for the people in my cluster (we're all girls), I'm on a smile-basis, which is fine with me.

4.  How is the food?
I admit I haven't been very adventurous with food.  So far, what I've eaten are okay.  I haven't eaten anything that I've hated, but neither have I eaten anything I'm crazy about.  I don't want to eat too much either.

5.  How's your room?
My room is small.  It's 3m x 3m.  I hated it in the beginning, but it's not so bad now.  It's small enough for the ceiling fan to cool it.  I wish the windows were bigger though and that it smelled more of air than of stuffiness.

6.  How are you?
I'm doing well.  I'm lonely and I miss people back home, but that can't be avoided.  But I like the fact that I'm learning to manage on my own.  I commuted entirely by myself today (I encountered new friends yesterday and so we went together).  I'm looking forward to other things I'm going to have to learn to overcome.  Classes haven't even begun yet!  And money and laundry.  Those two things are always at the back of my head.

7.  How's the dorm?
It's cool.  I love it.  I mean, I may not be crazy about the rooms and the bathroom's dark (and the cubicles are small), but everything else is nice.  There's a supermarket in the dorm.  There are two foodcourts and three cafes, I think.  There are basketball courts and tennis courts and badminton courts.  There are music rooms with pianos in them (!!!).  There's a gym.  There's a playground.  There's not much of a view, but it's pretty much green.

Also you get this cool kind of key they call a transponder.  You use it to open the main gate of your cluster hall and to open the door to your room.  It's a button, actually.  There are also keys for this drawer valuables are kept in.

8.  Did you go to church this Sunday?
Yes, I did.  I got lost at first because I wasn't observant and I got off at the wrong stop.  But after walking around for thirty minutes (or longer), I found it.  The mass here is pretty much the same as the mass back home.  (Meaning I got sleepy.  Kidding.  A bit.)  I like our songs better.  It was fun trying to follow the melody of songs I totally haven't heard of.  I don't think I did badly, singing along.  The only familiar one was the Alleluia, because they also sang the Celtic version.

Sometimes, I overlook the fact that older people (i.e. my father's generation) know how to use technology.

While on our way to my grandmother's house, my father began his spiel with the topic of blogging.  He talked about Bryan Boy (dwelling on the fact he's gay.  Oh, papa.) and how interesting the blogging world generally is.  He has a friend that blogs regularly, he told me.  My father couldn't help but share to that said friend that he has a daughter who blogs too.

"Really?" the friend asks brightly, "What's her name?"

"Laura Cabochan."

And his friend types my name on to his laptop.  On to Google.

"Wow, fancy that," my father's friend says, "Someone has the same name as your daughter!"

This surprises my father.  "Really?"  he asks.

"Yes! Let's see . . . she's a famous stage actress and she's married to Edward Norton."

My father assured me they laughed for a significant while.

----------------------------------------------

I leave in roughly around four days.  A substantial post about it would be written soon.

STAT WARS is a good game to play.  Emjo, Cess, and I had a lot of fun.  Cess got new friends because of Emjo's brainchild.  People added her on YM just to greet her.  Emjo was supposed to dance during talent night, but she called me gay.  And some people might have actually believed her because I got messages.  Cess and I eventually folded.  Emjo won this round.  She won't next time.

Cess accused Emjo of birthday stealing.  I think that would make a great plot.  In honor of Emjo, I will write something in the tradition of Stephenie Meyer just to express my high regard.  I'll post it sometime this weekend; I just need to stir the plot a little bit more (add in a few secret smiles here and the right kind of heroin there).

Thank you to those who didn't make fun of my post made of whine.  Hahah.

I cut my morning classes today and I feel guilty.  Yes, I feel like crap (colds, itchy throat, dry eyes), but I'm not running a fever.  I would have gone, really, but when I woke up at around 5:30AM my brain began to lecture.  "Laura," it said, "Your colds will not get better if you continue to push yourself like this.  You hate itchy throats.  You want to rip out your throat when you have an itchy throat.  Your head is aching.  Do you want to put yourself through four hours and thirty minutes of tiring classes you'll be leaving eventually anyway?  Do you want to be "the girl who sleeps on tables" to all ID students?  Do you want to sleep on those painful monobloc FA chairs again?  Rest!"

So I decided to do so.  It was difficult at first because "Purpose" kept playing in my head for reasons I couldn't understand.  It was a "shut up, brain, I'm trying to sleep" situation all over again.  But I went back to sleep eventually and woke up four hours later still sporting a damn itchy throat that deserves to go to hell.

I still feel guilty about cutting classes.  I mean, maybe I could have waited until tomorrow to rest.  But I have a workshop to run tomorrow.  And rehearsals today and tomorrow.  And a dozen other things to deal with.  I guess better rest now before I begin completely losing my mind.

I just wish, you know, that the Office of International Programs could be more efficient.  All right, Temasek isn't answering e-mails--then call the damn foundation!  Because, really, it may not be a hassle for the junior nominee because he's going for his JTA.  But me?  I feel trapped because here I am studying unnecessarily when I should be fixing my LOA and immigration papers because the end of July isn't that far off.  August isn't that far off.  Except I can't be certain-certain because there's no official word.  And as long as that official word isn't out yet, my senior year is still on the line.  I just want to scream, "Hey fuckers!  I had so little help with my application.  I was made to wait for more than a summer for results.  I had to enroll and spend money.  Even though I willingly gave up graduating this year for this opportunity, remember I also signed a document promising not to back out for the sake of Ateneo's name.  So, please, please, please, the least you could do is pick up a damn phone and call.  I need that answer so I could get on with my life.  Because at the moment I feel stuck.  Stuck and lost.  Which is a frustrating feeling because how can you be stuck in something familiar yet feel completely, utterly lost?"  Yeah, sure, I'm made of pretty strong stuff but it's getting more and more difficult to stay focused.  And to top it off, I have a fucking itchy throat.  How peachy.

No, I'm not in a bad mood.  Or emo (yuck, come on).  It's like, it might be more comfortable to just be a kitten buried neck up in sand and have bucketfuls of water pour down my head.  At least the future would be a little more certain that way (I mean, as it is, the future is never certain).  I'm just getting tired.  And I have an itchy throat.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/62nd_Tony_Awards

Hurrah for In the Heights!

Hurrah for Lin-Manuel Miranda!

Hurrah for Laura Benanti!

Hurrah for Patti LuPone!

I've always been a fan of xkcd and this is my favorite 'series' of theirs:

Journal 1
Journal 2
Journal 3
Journal 4
Journal 5

Pride and Prejudice?  Pfffft.  Stick figures do it better.

(Peace, Austen fanatics!)

Is boring. Why is everyone else posting theirs?  Now, if I had my way, my schedule would look like this:

But just to jump into the (normal) bandwagon:  all my classes are on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  I'm glad the batches that followed had a better time with AI(am incompetent)SIS.

And I love Death to Smoochy.  And this isn't only because I look up to Edward Norton.  (Okay, I admit, 'look up to' is putting it mildly, very mildly.)  I personally think it's a fantastic movie that doesn't take itself too seriously, but cares about what its message is.  And I love its message.  Go Smoochy.  But that's just me.

Norton said in an article how it's a pity that kids these days don't get to watch quality children's shows anymore.  I agree.  My personal disdain lies towards books.  I don't think people watch over what children read anymore.  What happened to the Newberry Award winning novels?  What happened to classics like Secret Garden and A Little Princess?  Why are children under the age of 12 reading Anne Rice novels?

I learned this from Cynthia Voight's A Solitary Blue:  no matter how smart a child is, if he doesn't have the maturity to appreciate the depth of the book--don't let him read it.  You might end up raising a smartass instead of someone smart.

This is why it will always be bros before hos.  Another House/Wilson conversation deserving posterity.

omi4eva2000: I am greeting you an advanced happy birthday, House. Because Wilson
omi4eva2000: s
omi4eva2000: body clock is odd.
Laura: This is too advanced for me.
Laura: :P
omi4eva2000: It is possible I will suddenly fall asleep unknowingly.
Laura: It's like--just going to be May 21.
omi4eva2000: OH FUCK THAT.
Laura: You plan to sleep an entire day and a half?
omi4eva2000: I THOUGHT IT WAS MAY 21 TODAY.
Laura: LOLOLOLOLOL
Laura: OMG.
Laura: I am so going to post this.
omi4eva2000: NOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
Laura: OH. To never live it down.
omi4eva2000: My reputation as a sane, awake person.
Laura: Questionable!
omi4eva2000: Shite.
omi4eva2000: Seriously.
Laura: I shouldn't have been brushing my teeth.
Laura: LOL. Wait lang.
omi4eva2000: What day is it today?
Laura: It's May 20. A Tuesday.
omi4eva2000: Dangnamit.
omi4eva2000: I thought May 22 is Wednesday.
Laura: Check your calendar
omi4eva2000: Yeah, I just did.
omi4eva2000: Oh LOL.
omi4eva2000: I'm sorry.
omi4eva2000: At least I can say I greeted you first.
Laura: That's all right
Laura: YEAH. YOU BET YOU COULD.
omi4eva2000: :D

Welcome to the Convent of Saint Vhizhiminda Kahlula, home of the Dumbstruck Sisters. 

History says Saint Vhizhiminda Kahlula was born during the seventeenth century in Eastern Europe.  She was a notorious drunk in her earlier years, with a vocabulary of expletives as wide as the Pacific Ocean. She would grab children by the hair, shove their faces into cow dung, and laugh.  She would throw curdled milk to the laundry of her neighbors.  One night however, when she was in one of her intoxicated states, it is said that God visited her hovel.  No one knows for sure except that the following morning, Vhizhiminda stopped talking and began engaging in acts of charity.  She died saving a puppy from a speeding wagon.  Her entire village mourned the loss of such a virtuous woman.  The day after her death, some of her neighbors swore they saw her spirit washing blankets by the river.  The day after that day, some children saw her ghost feeding birds in the meadow.  More and more sightings followed that everyone was convinced a miracle had occured.  The entire village agreed Vhizhiminda Kahlula was a saint.

So the Dumbstruck Sisters attempt to emulate their patroness.  They were silent to the bone.  They forgave each other when they were shoved going down the stairs; they knew none of them could ever say "Excuse me."  They were a peaceful group, with a lot of things better off unsaid and said among them.  They were united in silence until one faithful morning; during their sun meditations, a loud exclamation shattered the quiet air, shattering centuries of peace along with it.

"Oh, porkchop!"

It echoed painfully.  Nothing could have been more eloquent.  No one moved.  No one admitted.  One by one the sisters returned to their rooms, each of their hearts heavy for their own reasons.  One nun took out her gun.  Another rushed to the comfort room for priests.  Another pulled out her teddy bear from her drawer, hugged it, and began rocking back and forth.

The hunt for the culprit had begun.

Because I'm such an open book, this meme might get boring if I answer with things everyone most probably knows (like how I bite my toes while on a standing position when I get stressed and stuff like that).  So I've decided instead to share ten facts people most probably don't know about me.  I'm suspending my usual rule of "true, false, or means nothing."  With a meme like this, it's a bit dangerous to misrepresent yourself, don't you think?  (God knows how many believe I want my wedding on the moon.  Like, guys, do you think I'd aim that low?  I want it to be in a damn black hole.  Everything will be over and done with before you can say 'divorce.')

I was tagged by Jorja, Tricia, and Rayna.

1.  A year ago, around February or March, I had the (mis)fortune of catching a pervert in the third floor MVP Ladies' Comfort Room.  It was one of the most interesting events in my life:   from the brief period of believing that shiny thing 'floating' from the adjacent cubicle could be magical to outrage that someone just peeped at me to the almost hardcore Charlie's Angels feel as I waited for the bastard to walk out the comfort room to hearing his ridiculous, psychologically disturbed explanation.

2.  When bored and humorless, I exercise to Richard Simmons VCD's (they were original).  There is no denying that that one hour would be an extremely gay experience.  Highly recommended.  (To those who don't know who Richard Simmons is, educate yourself.  Use Google.)

3.  I don't know how to ride a bike.  (This is why I wonder if I should study how to drive now.  It's like jumping to Level 10 when you can't even get pass Level 2.)

4.  I have been told by a priest that I walk like a nun.  You work it out.

5.  There was a period in my life when majority of the songs I knew were of a different language (aside from English and Filipino).  For the longest time, I would only sing Sakamoto Maaya songs and, admittedly, anime/game songs.  (I'm a fan, all right?)  There was also a time when I knew all of the Spanish songs in Selina's album.  I still kind of know Bidi Bidi Bom Bom and will always have fun singing Techno Cumbia.

6.  I still don't understand why, but I used to be a fan of TVXQ, a Korean boyband.  They have pretty voices and all--but, I just can't understand why anymore.  I just get scared when I watch them now.  Wilson could be witness to that period.  I would like to think my taste in boys have improved.

7.  I don't like sweet things, maybe aside from dark chocolate, ice cream, and fruits. There are days I'm in the mood for sweets, but most of the time, I'd rather eat something else (or drink something else for that matter). 

8.  Unlike what some people think, I do know how to commute and I have commuted before.  Not as hardcore as others, but I can.

9.  I have a boyfriend called Armando.

10.  This post has been in my Drafts folder for over three weeks.  It's hard to be truthful, interesting, and be a smartass at the same time.

I would have to admit.  Making things up is so much more entertaining than the mundane facts of my life.  If I'm in the mood, I'd repeat this meme applying my usual rules.

Here's where I indulge a bit in sentimentality:

To everyone who supported Monday Nights, New Voices - Manila, thank you!  Yesterday was a blast.  And quite frankly, I miss it already.  To the rest of the April batch and everyone involved, it was so fun.  Rony, thank you for giving me the opportunity to sing your songs.  I hope I get to sing more of them in the future.  Mahar, you're slowly making everything I've been thinking of come true.  Thank you for all the effort you're putting into this project of ours!  (More of yours than mine, I insist.)

Hi, everyone!  If you have the following programs, please PM/Text/YM me ASAP.  I will love you forever if you do:

1.  Blue Revue Program
2.  Sweet Charity Program
3.  Stages of Love Program
4.  Hope for the Flowers Program
5.  High School Musical Program
6.  The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee Program
7.  Sister Act:  Back in the Habit Program
8.  Bat Boy Program

I just need to photocopy some pages that will provide documentary evidence of my co-curricular activities.  This is for an application.  If we could meet tomorrow morning or Saturday that would be fantastic.

And just for the record, gathering all these is a pain.