Posts Tagged ‘high school’

In Tagalog…

{ Saturday, April 26, 2008 @ 10:32 pm } · { Life, Lokal, Writing }
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Nais kong masanay magsulat gamit ang dalawang wikang naniniwala akong pareho ko nang alam na alam. Ang isa, dahil nagagamit sa pang araw-araw na usapan (ito ‘yun), at ang isa naman, dahil nagsososyal-sosyalan ako ‘pag may kasamang ibang tao (No, that’s not true, I’m only making biro you know). Kung kaya’t napag-desisyunan ko na ang susunod kong mga isusulat dito ay gagamit ng parehong wika. Hindi ko na lalagyan ng pagsasalin ang mga ito. Malaki kasi ang posibilidad na ang mga isusulat ko sa wikang Filipino ay tungkol sa mga bagay na ‘di naman nakaka-interes sa mga hindi nagsasalita ng Filipino. Pero kung ang gusto mong paniwalaan ‘eh tamad ako, kaya ayokong magsalin ng mga isinulat ko, pwede rin naman. Hehe. :P

Kung nagtataka ka kung bakit ko ito naisipan, ‘yun naman ay dahil ayaw kong mawala ang mga bagay na natutunan ko. Oo, ibig kong sabihin na madalas ako nagsusulat gamit ang Filipino dati. Nung hayskul (at oo, Filipino ang salitang “hayskul”, itanong mo pa sa kahit sinong guro sa Filipino).

Nagsusulat ako noon para sa pahayagang Filipino ng eskwelahan ko. Mas-masaya kasi magsulat ng Filipino nun ‘eh, lalo ‘yung mga maikling kwento at tula. Simple lang ang mga salita. Halos lahat magka-sukat at magkta-tugma. At mas-makatotohanan ang dayalogo ng mga tauhan sa maikling kwento. At sa Filipino, pwede kang mag-English paminsan-minsan. Pero sa English, ‘di ka pwede mag-Filipino. Kasi kung gawin mo ‘yun, it’d sound so kakaiba like this, right? ‘Di kagaya ng kung sabihin kong “Hindi naman gaano weird ‘yung ganitong sentence, diba?”

Medyo naging mahirap din dahil aminin na natin, mas-nirerespeto sa Pilipinas ang mga pahayagang Ingles kaysa Filipino (kaya mas-malaki ‘yung budget nila para sa English newspaper. Totoo ‘yan, kasi kung ‘di totoo, bakit sila may scanner, kami wala? At saka bakit nung nasira ‘yung mouse nila, napalitan agad? ‘Yung sa’min hindi?! (wahaha lumang isyu :P )). Pero masaya pa rin kasi naramdaman ko na dahil nga hindi masyadong nakatutok sa’min ang administrasyon ay naging mas-malaya kami para gawin ang mga nais namin.

Kaya naman, titignan ko ngayon kung ganun pa rin ang mangyayari. Magiging mas-malaya rin kaya ang pakiramdam ko sa tuwing susulat ako gamit ang Filipino? :)

The South in All Directions

{ Saturday, April 12, 2008 @ 1:01 am } · { Life, People }
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Just when I thought I’ve finally ventured out into the unknown, or at the very least, the unfamiliar, something strange happens, and I remember two things:

1) It’s a small world after all; and
2) Sometimes, cliche’s like that can be comforting

Today (It’s technically April 12, but since I haven’t slept yet, when I say “today” I mean April 11), one of my officemates (W1) treated us (our team and some other friends from different departments of our office) to dinner, as a celebration of his passing the Bar Exam. Just in case I haven’t told you, I work in one of the buildings in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. And since W1 was treating people from the office, he decided it would be better if we ate somewhere nearby.

We chose Kabisera (ng Dencio’s), which is located in Bonifacio High Street, just a few blocks away from our office. We actually just walked to get there. Since I’ve had the same job for 2 years, I’ve gotten quite familiar with Bonifacio Global City, and actually saw how the Serendra-Bonifacio High Street area developed. I’ve been there several times over the past 2 years, beginning from the time that there were hardly any stores open, and until now, when it’s become one of the typical places to hang out in. Anyway, my point in telling you this is because despite my having gone there several times before, I’ve never actually seen anyone I know (except people from the office, whom I expect to see anyway). Well, I’ve seen some celebrities (Mikel Campos!! Manny Villar! (Oh, wait, this one’s a politician)), but so far haven’t run into anyone I know from school (either college or high school), that is, until a few hours ago.

I was on my way to Kabisera’s rest room when I saw someone I recognized–a girl from my high school. We weren’t really close friends, although we did know each other because we were classmates in grade school as well. Anyway, I guess she still remembered me because when she saw me pass by, she waved her hand. I smiled and waved back, as if we were old friends, even if we’re not really. Back in high school, she was one of the most popular girls (she’s extremely pretty, by the way), and me being an Outcast Genius (hehe, take this quiz to get the joke) naturally wasn’t very good friends with her. Even if we were classmates for several years in grade school, we never really talked to each other when we would see each other in the hallways, or in the canteen. She had her friends, I had mine, and it wasn’t like we were enemies either. I guess, our worlds then were just too different (and distant) from each other, that we didn’t really care. Eventually though, we went to the same university in college, and although we still didn’t become friends (we had different courses and didn’t run into each other much in campus), I guess as a courtesy, we gave a polite nod during the few times that we saw each other in the hallways.

I guess I’m mentioning this now because it actually felt a bit weird for me when she smiled and said hello. We’re not close friends after all, but I’m thinking that there could be a slight chance that she felt that same way I did when we saw each other–that we’re both not that far away from home after all.

Okay, that’s probably too sentimental (not to mention presumptuous), but you see, I live in the South of Manila (that is, the Parañaque-Muntinlupa-Las Piñas area), and having lived here all my life, I feel that I’ve been more sheltered in my youth than most people. I’m not accustomed to commuting in the city, interacting everyday with people I don’t know. I got used to going to a mall where I would know the names of every other person passing by, and so when I would be in a place that’s not ATC (or SM Southmall or Festival Mall), I tend to feel like I’m somewhat out of my comfort zone. Perhaps, that’s the reason why every time I see a familiar face, be it a friend’s or a random person I used to pass by in school, I feel a bit more comfortable, because if I still see someone from home (and when I say home, I mean the South of Manila), then that means I’m not that far away, right?

And by coincidence, just a few minutes later, as my officemates and I were leaving the restaurant, I again saw someone who studied in my high school. This time, I didn’t greet her at all. Apart from the fact that she didn’t see me anyway, she’s a year older, and so I’m quite sure that she doesn’t know me. I only even know who she is because she always used to win quiz bees and stuff, but we’ve never spoken to each other. Still I found it weird seeing 2 people from my high school on the same night, in the same restaurant that’s not in the vicinity of our homes, where I usually see people like them.

Things got even weirder for me later on, because on my way to the restaurant where I would meet with my mom (so we can come home together), again, (but in a different restaurant this time–T.G.I.Friday’s) I saw not just one, but 3 more people from my high school (they were all together though so I guess that counts as one). One of them, I knew pretty well, so I said hello and I even chatted with her for a while.

Anyway, on the way home, I got to thinking about how often that actually happened–that I would see someone from my high school in a place that’s somewhat unfamiliar to me, or far away from home, and even though he/she isn’t my friend, I’d feel a bit more comfortable.

One of the times I most appreciated it was this time in college when I’d stayed late in school to watch a concert, and again, because I’m an Outcast Genius, I actually watched it alone. Anyway, it finished earlier than I expected so when I asked my mom if she could come and pick me up, she said she still wasn’t finished with her work, and will be able to pick me up only after another hour or so. It was then that I felt how alone I was, because I has nothing else to do but wait for her at one of the benches near the school gate, and because it was past 9PM, there weren’t too many people around. Only one or two people would pass by every 10 minutes, and I didn’t know any of them. I was getting really bored, and was almost asleep when I heard someone call my name.

He was also one of my classmates in high school, and again, someone I wasn’t very close to, but occasionally saw in the hallways and said hello to. He asked me if I was waiting for anyone, and I said I was, but that she wouldn’t be there until after an hour or longer. He said he was on his way home, and was about to say goodbye, when I remembered that his house was actually only around a kilometer away from ours. So I said to him that my mom could actually drop him off at the entrance to his village, if he wanted. And of course he agreed, because that would mean that he wouldn’t have to take the bus, and wouldn’t have to shell out any more money (except for the tricycle). So he stayed, and I wasn’t anymore bored because I had someone to talk to.

I feel really lucky to still be surrounded by familiar people, despite all of the time that’s passed since high school. Even though not all of them are friendly or nice, and too much familiarity can actually hinder people from improving themselves or moving forward, still, sometimes you get so distracted with learning more and more about the big big world, that I think it’s quite alright to have these reminders every now and then that you’ll always have something to go back to, you know, just so you won’t get lost completely.

On another note, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my mom and my brother who both celebrated their birthdays this week! :D

Doodles No More

{ Tuesday, April 8, 2008 @ 12:35 pm } · { Event, Life, People, art }
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(Click on image to enlarge)

Hola Patolas! The 2nd Mangaholix AniManGaming Convention is just a few weeks away! Can you believe it? I can’t. But then again, of the two of us, I’m more likely the only one who knows (unless you’re one of my close friends from high school) how long it’s been since the people behind Mangaholix have wanted to produce comics on their own, and hold their own conventions. I have to admit I had my doubts about such big dreams becoming reality, but I guess the world is a lot nicer to people with dreams than I originally thought.

Did I ever think that my friends would hold their own animangaming (this, by the way, for those of you who don’t know, is a combination of the words anime, manga, and gaming; meaning the convention covers those 3 areas) convention? Of course not. Not, cynical little me, oh no. I thought they’d be doodling behind their notebooks forever. Okay, that’s a little harsh, considering I’d seen how their art has improved through the years, but good artists aren’t all that’s needed to make a good comic. Enter, the other people invovled whom I didn’t know in high school. I guess they covered the marketing strategies, and all the other official stuff, and it’s mostly due to them that my friends have come this far (that is, of course other than because of my friends’ hardwork (naks, may ganon?)), but I think it’s cool to have so many people collaborating on something that just used to be a dream, or a joke that you would throw around at parties along with the other crazy ideas that you never thought possible.

Of course, success (or fame?) doesn’t come without a price. I guess it’s inevitable, especially with a big group of people, that because of all this commercialization and official-ness, the get-togethers with high school friends at the local fast food while doodling each other’s faces and making new private jokes is no longer possible. And neither are the free art workshops where you could just hang out and talk to the other artists whom you’d feel like you’ve known for a long time but really have just met that day (and then never see again, haha!). Not that I’m an artist, but I did meet a lot of people, despite the limited no. of Saturdays I spent on that workshop. (Even if I wasn’t a participant of the workshop and I just, er, handed out sandwiches. :P ) I guess I managed to make a couple of new friends along the way, and still see some of ‘em now in events like these.

I honestly liked how things were before, when everything was just fun and games, and we didn’t have to think too much about money, and legal issues, or strategic marketing (not that I think about those things now, I’m no longer part of the comic group after all, but I can imagine that they (those involved) are thinking about it). It was fun, just drawing (for them), and thinking up weird concepts, and joking about cosplaying (and then eventually going through with it :P ). But I guess change is inevitable (whoa! did i really say that?! :P ) and I’ll just have to accept that this is how things are now:

There’s an Animangaming Convention on May 21st of this year and

  1. Two of my friends from high school are right in the middle of all the organization and preparation (being the Editor-In-Chief and Circulations Manager and all)
  2. My other friends who are in a band (The Kagaws) are playing during the event, along with a number of other bands, some even mainstream popular, such as Urbandub and Kala.
  3. My closest friend who’s into comics won’t be able to attend because she has Saturday classes (she’s reviewing for the architectural board exam taking place in June); and
  4. Neither will I. (Because I have Saturday classes as well–I’m learning Nihongo.)

So, this is really just an advertisement for those of you who can come. I really hope you do. I was at the 1st Mangaholix Convention last year, and if this one’s anything like that, then it’s going to be a LOT of fun.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation / Friends are the Cooliest Creatures in the World

{ Sunday, March 30, 2008 @ 3:44 am } · { Life, People }
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And so, holy week is completely over and its aftermaths, and I think I accomplished quite a number of things; first and foremost having cleaned my room (Okay, so it’s not that clean still, but it’s an improvement from its previous state, trust me), and second is having bought me my own computer! Yehey! And I used my own money for it (well, it was mostly mine, haha we’ll get to that later), although I realized now that the road to owning new and somewhat expensive stuff is a long and hard one. For one thing, although I bought it for myself, and I was the only one who saved up for it, several people were actually involved (my brother, who enumerated the specs, my friends who went with me to the mall to get it and helped me carry it home, and my friend who set-up the OS and other programs). Blame it on my being the youngest child and having been used to everyone else in the family involving themselves in the decisions I make. Hahaha, or because on my own I’m really very indecisive and therefore cannot be trusted to make good decisions. :P

Anyway, what I really wanted to write about was how I spent my summer vacation. Huh?!!? What vacation?!?

Okay, for those of you whom I haven’t told the story to yet (meron pa ba? :P ), I actually filed a leave for last Monday and Tuesday (yes, this is a late post. It took longer than I expected for the computer to be set-up, and have it connected to the internet), so I could (you guessed it!) clean my room and buy a computer (!). I eventually was only able to make the time to go to the mall on Tuesday, and because I didn’t want to go alone (because I don’t know the first thing about buying computers), I asked my friend J1 to go with me. And just because I needed more people to help us carry the computer back home, I asked my other friends J2 and J3 to come with us (Don’t blame me for their names, they all really start with the Letter J).

So here’s what’s so cool about it: J1,2 and 3 are my friends from high school. And for the last year, we’ve all pretty much done the whole college thing and have had boring desk jobs for a year or so. Magically, these past few months, all of them have resigned from their jobs. J1 to finish school, J2 to go back to school and review for the board exam, and J3 to find another job she really really likes. Point being, last Tuesday, since I was on leave, all of us were free. :D

We went to the mall! Hehehe, it was to buy a computer sure, but that wasn’t all we did. We ate pizza at Shakey’s, ice cream at Jollibee, bought flip-flops, looked at cellphones, and well you know, what do people do at malls anyway? It was very reminiscent of our high school days, when just after the quarter exams (which only required us to be in school ’til lunch time), we would go to the mall and do whatever. :P So my friend J3 said, “It’s our summer vacation!”

I completely agree. So okay, it’s one day out of 365, and hardly like a real summer vacation that has at least 2 months, and you get to go to the beach or bum around at home memorizing TV network schedules, because you’ve no homework or anything else to do, but lately, days like that, when all your closest friends are free and you can go to the mall and just hang out, have become quite rare. So I’m glad that I at least got one day like it. :)

And here is where I mention my thanks to J1, who helped me buy a computer, in more ways than one. Hahaha! So instead of writing this like a narrative, I think it’ll be more fun to tell you this way what happened:

[J1 was left at the counter of PC Express, waiting for me as I withdrew the money I needed to pay for the computer (Php35,100!) I was buying.]

Me: (bursts through the door of PC Express, and goes straight to where J1 is standing) Meron tayong problema.
J1: Ano?
Me: Well… Ngayon ko lang nalaman na may limit pala ang pag-withdraw daily, hanggang 20,000 lang. And, hindi naman ako maka-withdraw over the counter, kasi ‘dun ka lang pala sa branch kung saan registered ‘yung account mo pwede mag-withdraw over the counter.
J1: Ganun? So, paano?
Me: So… (looks hopeful) Meron kang 15,000?
J1: HA?!?!?!?!

But the real twist is this: Last Tuesday was J1’s birthday.

So haha, I’m so the bestest friend ever! Hehehehe. Mabuti na lang meron siyang Php15,000 and really, if it weren’t for the 20,000 rule banks had, I so wouldn’t have needed the favor! Hehehe. :P

Thanks much to everyone who helped!! Mahal ko kayong lahat!! XD Oh, and belated happy birthday to J1! Isipin mo na lang na nilibre mo na’ko for your birthday… for the next 22 years! ;)