Sunday, December 30, 2007

New blog address

As you can see, I have changed my blog address from http://cow-incognito.blogspot.com to http://missmontreaux.blogspot.com

If you try going to the first address, you will see a huge "CLICK HERE" which would direct you to this site.

So you might wonder who Montreaux is, and why I name almost everything after him. My first e-mail, which is fawkes_montreaux@yahoo.com was named after Fawkes (the Phoenix in Harry Potter) and Montreaux. I also use Montreaux as my username in a number of online accounts I own. I even useD it as a password.

Here he is:


Nah, NOT Dan! Montreaux is the DOG who (yeah, I just used who) was with Dan in the Face pictorial. See, I adore Siberian Huskies and the very first time I saw this sweet cute nut (and it was in 2001) was like love at first sight XD. So from then on, I have decided to use that adorable name hoping for some of his cuteness to rub on me. LOL. Apparently, it's effective. Haha.

I have also decided to remove the Cbox since
  • no one's leaving messages in it anymore
  • the color clashes with the new layout, and I am too lazy to customize it and copy-paste the codes again
Well, I think that's all for now. I have LOADS to blog about, but I'm itching to go and play Mario. (After 928756286758275868 years) I have finally gotten past Kappa the Devastator! PWAHAHAHAHAHA..

Ciao for now, and

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

I miss Mr. C.







Children sleeping
snow is softly falling.
Dreams are calling
like bells in the distance.

We were dreamers not so long ago.
But one by one we all had to grow up.

When it seems the magic slipped away,
we find it all again on Christmas day...

Believe in what your heart is saying,
hear the melody that's playing.
There's no time to waste,
there's so much to celebrate.

Believe in what you feel inside,
And give your dreams the wings to fly.
You have everything you need,
If you just believe.

Trains move quickly to their journey's end.
Destinations are where we begin again.
Ships go sailing far across the sea.
Trust in starlight, to get where they need to be.

When it seems that we have lost our way,
we find ourselves again on Christmas day...

Believe in what your heart is saying,
hear the melody that's playing.
There's no time to waste,
there's so much to celebrate.

Believe in what you feel inside,
And give your dreams the wings to fly.
You have everything you need,
If you just believe.

Just believe.


*thanks to www.lyrics007.com

Friday, November 30, 2007

Night Classes

I will be taking my Chemistry classes 7-10pm next semester (spring) at the School of Mines.



I still won't ask caffeine to keep me awake.

or will I?

Oh no.


*to those who were looking for the "Supercow Game crack"...Well, I don't have it.

Saturday, November 10, 2007

I finally found love!




At last! After a year of my quest, I finally got Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist". Waldenbooks and Borders were always running out of this beauty so it was only a week ago that I have gotten the chance to buy it. I'm itching to read it, but as usual, I have LOADS of schoolwork to do, so I have to wait until sembreak (which will be on Dec 21 @_@). Oh well, at least I have it now. My new LOVE. :)

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Belated. :)

Before anything else, I would like to share this blog link to anyone looking for a good laugh.


And yes. It's Inday's blog. The Harvard-worthy maid. :D

* * *

Our (Ben, Jewilyn, and me) birthday celebration at Romjin's place, San Jose Tarlac City, Philippines.

Kam said there were lots of food, I hope they saved some for me! Hahaha. As if. :P

Anyway, I wish I was there with you guys.. I miss you so much! It's nice to know na after 3 years of high school graduation, you still hang out with each other and still pull off the same ol' jokes.

*Wait til I get my hands on you, June and Louie! Horse huh?! LOL. :)



Thursday, October 04, 2007

Recalling Birthdays





This is the very first (post)card/greeting I received for my birthday. I know its an automated greeting from the University, but--what the heck. I'm getting a 22 oz soda for free! (problem is, I have no idea where that snack bar is)

Well, at least kahit automated, naalala nyang birthday ko. Hindi siya nagmalfunction, o kaya nabura yung memory nang biglaan. Buti pa yung computer, naaalala yung birthday ko.

I have always thought about how my 18th birthday would turn out. I have always hoped that by this time, I'm a 3rd year nursing student at SLU, and I would be celebrating this special day with my family and friends. I never ever dreamt of wearing a gown on that day. Everyone would be in their most comfortable outfits, having fun. Well, these all changed when we got here.

Now, I don't want any parties. I just want to stay home and spend time with my family. A nice DVD would be nice with some popcorn and Dr. Pepper (my favorite ).



I miss being a kid.

This was taken on my third birthday. Take note of the fashion trend those days. Mom, my aunts, and ate Tina would roll some ground rice (?!) for sampelot while I steal some food from the table. Me and my cousins were running around the house, with the string of our balloons tied on our wrist. Ah, yes. Balloons. Lots and lots of balloons make up my birthday. They were tied on almost every chair, every handle, and every kid's hand, while a bunch was kept in the bathroom to prevent other kids from getting them (they're exclusively for me, Mom made sure of that).


This is my favorite picture of me and Inang, my grandmother (I think this is our only picture together..hmmmm). And this was on my first birthday. I terribly miss her. I just hope she gets well real soon. I keep praying for that.

That white cloth you see with lots of cut outs holds a lot of memories. It was used for (I think) 5 or 6 birthday celebrations, and that same tablecloth was also the one used when Sir Gherold spoke for our Values Ed. class *sings "I remember the daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay" XD* and that's what I wrapped around myself when I "joined" Ms. UN (I was Ms. Israel). I wonder where it is now.

I miss home so much. Wish I could go back, even just for a day. It's been years since I had a really fun birthday celebration. I miss celebrating it with family and friends. I miss being happy knowing I lived for another year.

Monday, October 01, 2007

Desktop Transformation and Profile Backgrounds

Because I was tagged by DipDeep, I have to post a screenshot of my newly transformed Windows XP desktop (I did it just last night--so his tag's a perfect excuse for me to boast my desktop's new look.. hehe)

Note: Start Copy Here!
My Desktop Free View Instruction:

A. Upon receiving this tag, immediately perform a screen capture of your desktop. It is best that no icons be deleted before the screen capture so as to add to the element of fun. :D

You can do a screen capture by: [1] Going to your desktop and pressing the Print Scrn key (located on the right side of the F12 key). [2] Open a graphics program (like Picture Manager, Paint, or Photoshop) and do a Paste (CTRL + V). [3] If you wish, you can “edit” the image, before saving it.

B. Post the picture in your blog. You can also give a short explanation on the look of your desktop just below it if you want. You can explain why you preferred such look or why is it full of icons. Things like that.

C. Tag five of your friends and ask them to give you a Free View of their desktop as well.

D. Add your name to this list of Free Viewers with a link pointing directly to your Desktop Free View post to promote it to succeeding participants.

Here it is!


I have always loved the city lights of Manila at night. This kind of scenery holds a lot of memories, especially during that time when we were fetching dad from the airport (once every year) and I was itching to go home so that I can see my pasalubongs. I sat on the car, staring out of the window at night, gaping at the tall buildings, huge billboards, and bright lights, while listening to the mellow songs from the car's stereo. My, I do miss the Philippines--and the people in it.

I have very few icons on my desktop because first, I do not actually use these shortcuts to navigate. I'm used to clicking the start button and choosing the application rather than double-clicking the desktop icon. Second, I find it messy to have loads of icons in my desktop. No offense to those who have gazilion icons in their desktops ha. It just means that you're busier than I am.

Let me see... I'm tagging:

Eniala
, Liza, Yana, Lin, and Martin.

* * *

I'm making profile backgrounds for Friendster, Myspace and Multiply. You can also use them at Blogger. I'm also planning to make headers, content boxes and reply boxes for Multiply. All you have to do is send me the CSS of the theme which pictures you would like me to modify. You can browse lots of Multiply themes at http://customizedthemes.multiply.com.

*I'm giving credits to the websites and people who own the pictures I use, so don't worry about being sued (as if. XD).

Here are some of my work:



*I'm still working my way around Photoshop so they're not really that good. And I have no *ideas* to start with, so I have an excuse :D.
*The pictures are watermarked because I want to know who will be using these, so basically, you have to let me know first if you want to use them, so I could give you the one with no watermarks.
*If you would like to request for backgrounds, please e-mail me at graceradcliffe@gmail.com (and not by leaving a comment here or in the tagboard).

* * *

We will be dissecting cats tomorrow. *dies*

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Quote for the month:

Recognition should not be viewed as something that we have to achieve, but as a reward for what we have done.




Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

Sunday, September 02, 2007

Weight Issues, Fall Semester, and because I was Tagged.

I was fixing my closet last night when I realized that 8 out of the 9 pants that I brought from the Philippines don’t fit me anymore! I’m guessing one of them just shrunk in the wash because it was labeled size 13 and I’m a size 12 (anobayun, tama bang i-broadcast ang size? LOL). 90% of my shirts don’t fit me anymore too, and I was so disappointed when I tried them on and nearly ripped them when I took them off. I cannot hide the horrifying truth that I AM IN MY FATTEST STATE, and what’s worse is that I’M STILL GETTING FATTER—and guess what I’m doing now. I’m eating again.

*sigh*


What’s WORST, for me at least, is that I will be taking Chemistry—my nemesis. I have NEVER gotten a decent grade on this subject and I don’t know if I ever will. My other classes would be Chem Lab, Anatomy & Anatomy Lab, and Psychology. My Anatomy and Psych professors have received good reviews in Myspace and I hope that it would be the same for me.

Tuesday will be the start of classes for Fall Sem. This is the very first time that I will attend on-campus classes—and I mean on the actual university, unlike that of Spring Sem where I just had classes on the nearby high school building “rented” by the university. This also meant that I should drive to the campus (which is 30 minutes away) all by myself, 4x a week. I just came from from my practice and I’m happy everything went perfect this time. The last time I drove, I stopped beyond the white line and nearly bumped on a new (I don’t know if it’s really new, but it sure looked like it) Honda CRV.


Well, I’m off. Thanks for reading and God bless y’all. :D

P.S. If ever you know any form of dieting which really works, and does not involve starving myself to death, please share it to me. I want my clothes back. :D

* * *

8 Things About Me


1. I shudder at the sight of a lotus seedpod.



2. I LOVE Squidward Tentacles.

3. I love the color green.

4. I love sinigang.

5. I'm bad at singing.

6. I am a pre-nursing student.

7. I love cows, and I love to eat beef. ;D

8. I'm a Harry Potter, Hale, Lifehouse, and Sarah McLachlan fan. :)

I'm tagging Tristan, Wey, Jafita, and Juneneng. :D

* * *


In other news, I MUST HAVE this shirt.

Saturday, July 28, 2007

A Tribute to a Hogwarts Professor

I made this video this afternoon out of the blue. I hope you'll like it. :) Snape is a hero.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

ALOHOMORA: A Look on How Harry Opened Doors in my Life

Sonorus!



12:08am--7 minutes ago, the last book of Harry Potter was released: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and I'm pretty sure a number of people are already lined up now at Walmart and Borders to claim what they have long been anticipating.

Seven years ago, after I graduated elementary, I was a "kicked-out-of-the-top-ten" student who had no clue of what skill I possess, and it saddens me whenever we're asked to introduce ourselves and share what talents we have. I had nothing to share. I didn't know how to dance, sing, play an instrument, or eat live chicken (;D), I had NO interest whatsoever, so I just said that my talent is in drawing, although I know I'm really bad at it.

I felt worthless.

November 2001-Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was shown. Dad heard it's phenomenal so we decided to watch it. Boy, I was mesmerized by Daniel Radcliffe. I can vividly recall that I was madly crushing on Westlife's Kian Egan and I felt "wrong" to "fall in love" with another boy. Next thing I knew, I was proclaiming Daniel's name in every corner of TSU Laboratory School, with matching scotch-tape-scar sticked on my forehead. I was so crazy about Harry Potter, or rather, DANIEL RADCLIFFE that I admit I've gone to great lengths to find money so that I can watch the film for the second time around, and see Dan again. I was so obsessed, and there's no doubt I was his biggest fan in our school at that time.

Back then, I didn't know how to use the internet. My cousin, Ate Dhang, once invited me to surf the net with her in the internet shop named "Cyberspace" (if I remember it right, this shop is no longer in existence now due to bankruptcy). I was in front of the computer, with no idea of what to do. Then, I saw the address bar, and remembered the Harry Potter website from its movie poster. So I typed:

www.harrypotter.com and pressed "Enter"

It was as if I was transported into another dimension-- the World Wide Web. It was then I discovered Yahoo! and learned to save pictures of Dan. I had approximately ten diskettes filled with Harry Potter pictures.

July 2002- My friend, Hiroko, gave me a Bloomsbury book of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. She knew I love Harry (or Daniel), so when her father sent her 2 copies of the book, she did not hesitate to give the other one to me. It was then I felt myself being plunged into Harry's world. It was one of the best feelings I had. My mind was wandering into the grounds of Hogwarts, seeking for the Chamber, wondering who Tom Riddle was and if he's really handsome. I finished the book, thinking about the events stated in the second book that were not in the first movie.

October 2002- Our second-year field trip, where one of our destinations is Uniwide Superstore (Science of Man and Aquatic Thingy). There, I purchased Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I HAD no idea this was the FOURTH book. While we were eating our lunch, I saw that my friend Tristan bought Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I asked him why he bought the fourth book, and he was like: "Huh? Third kaya ito". I showed him the book I bought and he said "Fourth kaya yan, tignan mo sa spine". True enough, it was the fourth book. Nevertheless, I still read it, without having a clue of who Sirius, Buckbeak, Pigwidgeon, Crookshanks, Professor Lupin, and Professor Trelawney were. I spent an almost sleepless night mourning on Cedric's death.

Jeen, another friend of mine, also knew how I love Harry (yes, it's Harry now, not Dan) and told me that she has the third book, and if I would like to borrow it. Well, who am I to say no? So there... I read the book in about a week and understood everything.



January 2003-First day of classes for the year 2003. Susan, another friend of mine, received Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone as a Christmas gift. She let me borrow it and I was able to read the first book.

Finally, I have read the all the four books.

July 2003-Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was released, and Tristan was one of the first people in our campus who had it. I mustered all the skills I have and tried to persuade him to let me borrow the book. At first, I had to photocopy the first three chapters until he has finished reading it. After 2 readers who apparently were ahead of me in borrowing the book, I was able to read it aside the workload I had for our quarter exam. It was very devastating for me when I read the death of Sirius.

Harry Potter opened a whole new world of opportunities for me. Through it, I discovered my passion for writing. It's the reason for the VERY LARGE improvement in my English. When I was in third year high school, it gave me the courage to try out for our school newspaper, and much to my surprise when I was chosen to be one of the Editors. Harry Potter had a very significant contribution on how I wrote essays. It expanded my vocabulary and improved my grammar. I helped me find joy in writing. It inspired me to write poems-- something I thought I can never do. There was also an amount of vast joy when I saw my writings published on the school newspaper and see my name on the Editorial board. It was a dream come true. A dream I thought was nonexistent.

When I was in my senior year, I tried again for the school newspaper--and thank God I got the position I have always wanted. I wrote articles both inspired by the Holy Bible and Harry Potter.



I never saw Harry Potter as an invitation to an occult, and it never became a reason to doubt my faith. I saw Christian values embedded in the book--the value of unity, sacrifice, courage and friendship, and the power of LOVE--the foundation of all Christianity. Remember? It was LOVE that defeated the most powerful Dark wizard Voldemort.

I joined the Press Conference and fortunately, I won. My entries were all influenced by the Holy Bible and Harry Potter, except for the last one (which was based on my personal life). The choice between what is right and what is easy had been the core of most of my analysis. That was the main message of Dumbledore's speech on Cedric's death.

All of these, I owe to Harry Potter and of course, to God.

July 2005-Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was released. This time, I was already in college, and it was my classmate Charm who lent it to me. It was a huge burden to carry around the stairs of Saint Louis University, to tell you the truth, but it was worth it. I love the story, and again, grieved upon someone's death--this time, it was Dumbledore's.

I also tried for the University newspaper, not having a shred of expectation that I would be accepted, since it is a Nationally Acclaimed publication (it won the first place for the best University newspaper in the Philippines that year)and I just tried out for fun, and because Jay-R encouraged me to do so. "Wala namang mawawala sa'yo eh." My jaw just practically dropped when I saw my name posted on the lobby's blackboard and Tristan texted me, saying I got accepted (Tristan's layout Editor. Yoohoo!). Unfortunately, a week after our oathtaking, I received my Chemistry grade and it was not good-- that's why I decided to resign.

Six years after I got to know Harry Potter, I now face the last book of his life (darn, the song "It Only Reminds Me of You" suddenly began playing). I have pre-ordered the book at WalMart and I hope it will arrive soon. I have read the spoilers, and heard JK Rowling read a part of the first chapter. It suddenly occured to me that this is the end--the end of Voldemort, the end of Hogwarts, the end of the story. I completely understand why Rowling cried upon finishing the book. She treated Harry like an imaginary son, and finishing the last book of the series may seem as if she bade goodbye to a son who will never come back, and what's painful is that it was her who ended everything.

It hurts to imagine myself finishing the seventh book, and after reading the last page, I will close the book and heave a deep sigh. I know a lot of characters will be killed. I know a lot will be sacrificed, and I know that this closes the doors of Hogwarts--this will close the door of Harry Potter's life. We would not expect anything now. Reading the first six books will only deliver a flashback. It's sad to think that I will no longer have something to look forward to in the magical world of the boy wizard.



Goodbye Harry Potter; until we meet again.



Silencio.

Monday, July 16, 2007

Heart, Harry Potter and Havaianas

07/13/07

Simple things, a million thanks (to God)

Have you ever thanked God in prayer?

Most of us know how to thank Him--for our lives, for our loved ones, even for the pair of jeans mom gave. But have you ever tried praying without asking anything?

I myself have never done such thing. I pray, thanking God first, because I'm alive, my family's safe, etc..etc..then, I would ask Him for this, and this, and this. In fact, the time I spend saying my intentions are far longer than my acknowledgement. One of the reasons I do not pray without asking for something is because I'm afraid God won't give me something if I have stopped praying--and the safety of my family is the very first thing I ask of Him, and I don't want Him to stop providing that.

What a stupid reason.

I'm not saying that we should not ask Him for anything. What I'm trying to say is that we should at least banish the belief that God will kill us if we don't ask Him to keep us alive. Most people reason out that the misfortunes in their lives occur because they lacked, or failed in prayer. While those who feel have fulfilled the requirements of prayer, and deed, blame God.

Why do we measure God by how He answers our prayers? Why do we even measure His Godliness?

Sometimes, the occurrence of events I did not even ask for, and the absence of opportunities where I devoted a time of prayer seemed to point out a conclusion that God actually does not exist. But then again, I wake up to the realization that if a child can surprise her parents, what more pleasant shock can the Most Supreme give? Also, if we could say no, what might be the reason for God to not do the same thing? Besides, God's "no" usually meant better things than what we've asked for, and I know most of us have experienced this too.

* * *

For now, I want to thank Him for a number of simple things. One, for "telling" me how to operate this thing. Two, for helping me answer my assignment (2/3 down, 2 and 1/3 more to go! Procrastinate! Procrastinate! LOL). Three, for helping me recover that 2/3 of assignment I made in the last 2 hours (just when I thought I lost it and have to start over again). Four, for that ice cream bar I found "abandoned" in our freezer. Fifth, for this grape juice which I grabbed instead of a soda (diet daw) and lastly, for the resistance against sleep(ing again) which I just developed in the last few hours.

* * *

07/14/07

Composition 101

I promised myself to write (or type) ALL my blog entries (excluding those which would convey extreme anger ;D) in ENGLISH. This is to practice my English skills which, I think, is currently nonexistent.

I read my old blog entries (those I made when I was still studying in SLU) which mainly contained different forms of rants about Chemistry, Ana-Physio, and (the ultimate) Microbiology. I must admit that I'm not that good when it comes to writing, but I felt there's something considerably wrong about my current style of writing. Back in high school, I can construct an essay in less than an hour with only less than ten corrections. Now, it takes me about two and a half hours to write a simple essay--and with corrections NOT less than twenty. Also, my grammar is becoming worse (if you happen to find a sentence in this entry that's grammatically wrong,please tell me).

* * *

I bought this thing for two reasons:

First, to minimize the the time I'm spending in front of the computer, and spend more time on my studies. I admit that once, or twice, I found myself Googling modem cards and ways on how I can connect to the internet with this gadget. Then I shook the thought off. Besides, I wouldn't want to surf the net in the speed of Dial-up (not that I'm being sarcastic, but hey, we must admit that it is slow) which may take me an hour of just browsing around Friendster.

And second, to write (or type) my thoughts. I have been imagining myself sitting on the car's backseat, writing thoughts while on our way to downtown Rapid City. I'm glad I can finally do that now.

* * *

We're going to watch Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix tomorrow. We're supposed to watch this movie Friday night, but thanks to my Speech Criticism assignment, I had to postpone the event. This is the first time I'm going to watch a movie in this country, and I hope we won't "get lost".

I surfed the internet, looking for some pictures which may give me an idea of how the moviehouse looks like, because it puzzles me on how seven cinemas can fit into a small theater. If you have watched some episodes of Disney Channel original shows (That's So Raven, Hannah Montana) you would see that their theater seemed tad too small. But of course, the staff's not stupid enough to fit a hundred chairs inside their studio; what on earth am I thinking?

I'm certainly not looking forward for Cho and Harry's kiss. I just hope I won't see people kissing personally while watching the film. :)

* * *

This is the only "free night" I have for this week, and I found it productive to spend it creating a blog entry. Ate Tina, my cousin went online a while ago and told us that Inang's in our--i mean their :D--house, so we talked with them via Y!M, with both our webcams on. Darn, I miss them so much. I just Photoshopped a picture of me and my cousins (on my fifth birthday) this afternoon. It's nice to look back at the time when they were in my age. Kuya Joseph was thinner, Ate Jessel had no fashion sense, Kuya Vannie did not know hair gel exists, Kuya Ryan did not know how to pose for the camera, Ate Thea's the master of the toy "Magic Spring" and Ate Edang's hair was straight-er (and I am still as cute as evah. LOL).

* * *

I am mortally afraid of insects that can fly (with the exception of butterflies), and when I came out of the shower a while ago, I saw this black grasshopper-like-but-much-much-smaller thing on the bathroom counter. I froze while its antenna were moving up and down, as if saying "Alert! Alert! Don't even dare come near and kill me." Well, I didn't get near it, nor even thought of slamming it with my slippers. I just let it go on with its business. I brushed my teeth and when I glanced at the countertop again, it was gone. I hurriedly ran my fingers through my hair. Who knows, it might be on me and planned to sleep on my pillow *shudders*.

* * *

Well, I guess that's it for now. It's 12.33am and I have to sleep.

This gadget is the best one I have ever purchased online. I'm happy I thought twice first before buying an iPod. This thing works like a laptop, organizer, calculator, video and music player all rolled into one!

07/15/07

Harry Potter 5

On our way to Carmike 7, the local theater downtown.

I don't know if it's just me, but it seemed that watching Harry Potter is a curse for me. I most certainly hope the "curse" won't affect my speech grade. NoOoOoO!!! It can't.

As much as I would like to write this blog while watching Harry Potter, the reminder before the trailer to turn off cellphones made me desist. Also, I don't want to annoy my seatmate and all the other moviegoers.

Before sharing my thoughts about the movie, I would like to share this line I heard from one of those movie trailers:

"Even the smallest light shines in the dark".

Those were not the exact words. But I think it still conveyed the same meaning.

Okay, we now move on to the movie: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I have to warn you that this may contain spoilers.

The movie went "too fast". One second, Harry's in Privet Drive, the next one, he's already in Grimmauld Place. There seemed NO explanation whatsoever of what was happening, which will definitely disappoint people who haven't read the book. I mean, hello! Some people watch the film adaptation so that they don't have to read the books. What's the use of the film if you have to read the novel to understand it? Mom's one of those people. While we were watching, she was always asking me who were the characters and what earth they doing there. I just gave her a "Mamaya, Ma. Kailangan kong magconcentrate. :D" Second, there was no proper introduction of the characters. While I absolutely adore Tonks, there was no explanation of who she is. And why was Lupin not in the scene when they rescued Harry in Privet Drive? And where is Mundungus Fletcher?! Third, Quidditch, one of the most anticipated parts of the story was NOWHERE in the movie, and there was no "Weasley is our King", and Ginny becoming the new seeker. Fourth, I certainly think they MUST replace Mr. Michael Gambon as Dumbledore. HE CANNOT PLAY THE PART, and he seemed proud to say that he hasn't been reading the books to help him in his portrayal. MR. GAMBON, I SUGGEST YOU RECONSIDER THAT STATEMENT AND READ! You do not justify Dumbledore's role! Well, the upside of that is that I won't feel sad when I see him die in the 6th installation. Fifth, I also adore Grawp. Sixth, I so looooooove Luna Lovegood a.k.a Evanna Lynch! She is perfect for the role! Seventh, I am totally disappointed with Sirius Black's death scene. Why the heck did they remove the sound of Harry's scream and replaced it with music? It should have been more dramatic. It should have made me cry. It didn't. Eighth, I am totally mesmerized with the Ministry of Magic scene in the end, especially in the scene where Voldy & Dumby were dueling. Ninth, I am rooting for the Ron-Hermione love team and I'm glad this movie showed development with regards to their relationship. Lastly, I would like to comment on Cho and Harry's kissing scene. WHY ON EARTH DID IT TAKE THAT LONG?! I THOUGHT IT WOULD ONLY BE LIKE A SMACK OR SOMETHING?! DARN YOU DAVID! AND IT TOOK THEM WHAT? 30 TAKES! Pssssshhhhhhhh..

All-in-all, I give this movie 8/10. The best movie for me in the series is still the second movie: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Then, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, followed by Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, then this film, and obviously, the film I like the least is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Five down, two to go! (Geez, I don't want these to end. :( )

Anyway, we're here now at Scheel's and I could not believe that mom is actually considering buying a pair of Havaianas (because her home slippers are already causing her feet to ache).. Wait. She's buying a pair of Havaianas. She offered me to buy myself a pair too, but I hesitated because I promised myself not to buy such expensive stuff.

"Bumili ka na kasi, diba sabi mo,matibay naman 'to".

"Ay naku, Ma. Kahit po kasingtibay yan ng bato, tsinelas at tsinelas pa rin yan. Ang mahal mahal! Ok na po yung tsinelas ko sa bahay."

"Hay, bahala ka ngang bata ka". :D

* * *

I still have to think of an indictment/persuasive speech topic. Do you have any suggestions?

* * *

I recently bought Bob Ong's ABNKKBSNPLAKO for inspiration. Wey quoted a few lines from the book and it helped me realize some things. I'm planning to purchase his other book, Stainless Longganisa, after Summer Semester.

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I'm off to do my Composition101 assignment. I hope I'd be okay with my English now.

Friday, June 15, 2007

The Pope wore shades


Bono & Pope John Paul II, 1999

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I totally love this picture. I first saw it in TIME magazine, but I left that copy in the Philippines, so I just Google-d it. Nothing's wrong with wearing shades, of course. Although it clashed with his outfit, Pope John Paul II really did look like one funky Pope. Ah, we miss him.

Monday, May 14, 2007

another miracle from God

Today was my very first day for Summer. I'm currently taking College Algebra and was answering some problems when I felt like I was being told to check out our Philo 200 professor's website and check out if he has already released our grades. so I went to

http://www.bhsu.edu/artssciences/asfaculty/cfollette/phil200.htm

and checked out my grade.

Just imagine my surprise when I saw that I, represented by my chosen number ****, got a really good grade on our Final Exam!! Yes, and hanggang ngayon, di pa rin ako makahinga sa tuwa. I was crying silently and thanking God for such a miracle--although napapaisip din ako na baka natypo error si sir. I pray to God na hindi nga. I found the final exam soooo difficult na feeling ko e swerte nako sa C.

As I kissed my mom last night, ngumiti siya and I went up to my room and cried. Alam ko kasi na nadisappoint ko na naman sila. Wala na, mababa na naman ang grade ko. Ang bigat sa loob, parang diko kaya. Tapos na guilty pa ako kasi binilhan pa ako ng damit when we went shopping kahapon. I feel so unworthy. Feeling ko, sana ginawa nalang nila akong tagabitbit. Magdadalawang linggo na akong ganito ka-down. Para akong sinasakal.

When I saw my grade, I was so happy na feeling ko tinangay na ng hangin ang mga problema ko. I was so thankful to God. Lahat ng ito naging posible dahil sa Kanya.

Naalala ko tuloy yung Post-It note na nakadikit sa may study table ko.

Trust in the Lord
Have faith, do not despair
Trust in the Lord.

P.S. God, I will do na what I have promised.

Friday, May 11, 2007

pets, nostalgia, and mistakes

Because I posted my blog in the Blog Review Thread of TeenTalk, I thought it would only be fitting to post some updates regarding my crappy life for the past few weeks. So, here they are.

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May 5, 2007--we had a very special visitor. Okay, so we had Tom, Uncle Ross's friend, but nah, he's not the special visitor I was talking about. I'm talking about his pet dog--the super adorable yellow Labrador--Willie.

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Awwww. Just look at that nut! Isn't he cute?? *freaks out*
Anyway, I was so thrilled to have a pet dog even just for 2 days. Tom went here in SD to attend some kind of convention for gold miners thingy and he went there with my aunt and uncle and left Willie with us. Mom and Dad love dogs too and they allowed me to postpone my designated household chores to play with him. He's a jolly dog (not Jollidog--he's not food.. LOL) and he perked up my sinking happiness. We played fetch, walked (and ran) around the neighborhood (while he peed on every mailbox we passed and for the finale, pooped on the lawn of the last house.. ), lied down while I scratched his stomach , danced, and last but definitely not the least, CAMWHORED (pictures here!!) Willie is a very disciplined dog I won't hesitate to admit that he's more obedient than me. LOL

But then, Sunday came. We left for Church. As much as I want to go home early to play with him, my parents insisted on shopping at the mall, and it was about 3pm when we got home--and found that Willie (and his owner, Tom) had gone back to ND.

And there, it ended--my temporary happiness.

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Goodbye Willie, 'til we meet. Thanks for livening up my life.
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Speaking of happiness, it's been a long time since I last laughed heartily. I just came to realize that ever since we left the Philippines, I've never been lonelier. I miss our relatives, my friends, our house, my room--and most especially, my pets. I never knew such longing will exist when they're not around anymore. I long for the softness of their fur, their paws, and how harot they were everytime they greet us at the gates of our house. It was a very big difference of that when returning from a trip and being welcomed by cheery barks and cats that rub their heads on your jeans, wanting to be cuddled than that, upon arrival at the doorsteps of this house, I'm about to go straight to my cold, lonely room.

Every night, I always open up my high school yearbook. Memories seemed to jump out of every page. While flipping its pages, a pang of nostalgia hits my heart--like a bunch of needles soaring to pierce the balloon of happiness in my soul. I long for the happy moments we shared-- the pranks we played, the jokes we cracked--the impersonations, the laughter. I miss them all. And it hurts me so much when it crosses my mind that these will never happen again.

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Spring Semester 2007 officially ended on Tuesday, May 8, 2007. With that, I have taken my final exams for SOC 100(May 2) & PHIL 200.

This sem started so well I never knew it would end so badly. My grades were on constant high, but it went downhill ever since I got very low grade on a quiz on Philo. The final exams were so difficult my hopes for a decent grade were fading.

Naalala ko tuloy nung September 2005. I failed on Chem (midterms)--my first ever failing grade. It felt as if the whole world had swallowed me. I was so discouraged. I cried the whole night and prayed that I won't wake up the next morning. It was so depressing. I was so down. But still, I had my friends and relatives who comforted me and helped me increase my grade. And then, with God's help, I was able to pull it off for my finals.

Now, I feel alone. I can't confide this problem with my parents. I have given them enough disappointment. I can't give them more. Yes, I know God's there, but it seemed as if my problems have deafened me from His words. I feel so far away from everyone.

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SDSU sent me a mail yesterday, asking me for an international transcript evaluation where I paid a whopping $160 and was required by my Algebra professor to purchase an Internet service for $80 and a calculator for $35. WES required me to ask a copy of my transcript from SLU, but my former University hasn't replied yet. So there goes--Filipino procrastination, will cause the delay of my transfer papers. Darn it.

I hate my life now. As far as happiness is concerned, I'm no more but dead.

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To the people who are reading this, I am sorry to have given you such an inappropriate update. But thanks for reading it anyway.

God bless us all.

Thursday, February 22, 2007

the first month of spring sem

i enrolled late for the spring sem and i was left with no choice but to enroll in Sociology 100 and Logic 200 (Logic 200 is one of the options for Humanities. i planned to take up Spanish 100 & 101 but i was late nga for enrolment and Philo 100 and Logic 200 were the only available subjects). i currently attend these classes from 4pm-7pm. i was not used to attending night classes and i was afraid i might fall asleep in one of my classes.
january 24, 2007-SOC 100 (my first time to attend)
mom and aunt esther accompanied me to my classroom (i was running a bit late and i needed help finding my room ) we ran into someone and asked her if she knew where room 13 was. the woman stared at me and said
"oh! these are college classes, not high school"
i grinned at the wall beside me (yey! mukha pa pala akong high school student. wrihihi) then explained that i am indeed a college student. she raised her eyebrows and pointed down the hallway where r13 was located, and i ran for it.
i entered the classroom with a strong urge of going back to the hallway and run back home--the usual. but of course, i figured out that this is what i have been waiting for so long and i might as well get into it.
so there, i scanned the room for a vacant seat and fortunately found one that suited me. the table third row on the left side of the room. perfect. i never wanted to take a seat where i am the (what i have labeled) "center of destruction".
the discussion went well, as i have expected, for the lessons are quite the same with what i have taken for my sociology when i was still in the philippines, with a few exceptions regarding class rules:
1. you can recite without raising your hand
2. you can interrupt the teacher
3. you don't have to stand when reciting
4. you can put your leg on the seat beside you (kung nangangawit ka)
5. best of all, you may eat in class
our prof permitted us to do anything as long as the act doesn't disturb anyone..
the only exception is sleeping. one of my classmates (bet he's tired from working) was caught sleeping and the professor just screamed at him
"HEY YOU!! YOU!! DO NOT SLEEP!!"
january 30, 2007-PHIL 200 (we did not have classes on jan 23 because our prof told us so--pardon my dumb reasoning)
our lesson was quite interesting. i was just disappointed because our prof e-mailed me to prepare chapters 1 & 2 in the text, and well, you know me (do you know me? LOL)--"preparing" meant taking notes and answering available exercises. mehn.. i did all of that in like, 3 days!! and we only tackled 2 or 3 pages (out of the 60+ that i have studied) T_T wah! nasobrahan ata ako ng kasipagan..
well, i have learned my lesson--from now on, i will only take note of bold, italicized words in the book, and i will not answer the exercises. (my nose bled when i answered the first batch.. haha! brain's not capable of too much info)
what's (still) funny was that my prof kept pointing out mistakes the author of the book have committed--and that he only required that book because it would be weird if he didn't.
*sigh*
so there.. my first month of school here in the US.
i still don't have any friends here.
HELP!!