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This is a poem entitled "Loneliness" written by Edward Estlin Cummings or popularly known as E E Cummings. At first look, one would not think that it is not a poem. The poem needs deeper understanding.
I had a difficult time understanding this poem but even if I am not so sure if my interpretaion is correct, I would still share waht I understand about it.
Being all alone makes us feel lonely. There are also times that we are not alone but we feel lonely. Something is lacking. For me, the phrase "a leaf falls" which is inside the parenthesis is significant. The use of a leaf(singular form) implies something. Why will the leaf fall? I guess that the phrase means that there is sadness. When we feel lonely, we become sad. We feel so down like we are falling. For me, the leaf stands for the person who feels lonely. The remaining leaves are the people around the lonely person.

ThE LooK

I believe that the eyes are more powerful than any other organ of the body. By looking at the eyes of a person, one can immediately tell what that person feels. The eyes are the windows to our souls. But sometimes one cannot tell what that person feels because some people can hide their emotions.
Have you ever experienced being looked by someone and then it later bothered you? A look leaves a person with mystery. A look may mean something and it lasts longer than a kiss. That is what the poem "the look" is all about.
The poem talks about a girl who was haunted by a look of a lover. Two men kissed her but those kisses did not last. The look prevailed but the kisses were gone. A single look may mean a lot to a person. You can even say something by just looking. A look is very expressive. By just looking, you can already express your love to someone.
Do you believe in love at first sight? Me? No, I do not believe because how can you love a person you just saw. You need to know more of that person. Yes, you may have a good feeling towards that person but I tell you, it is not love. It can be infatuation or admiration but not love.
Many people passes in our lives. Sometimes you think that they're staying for good. There are times when we think that it is already love that we feel but you will soon find out that it's not. The heart knows if that love is the right one. When you love, use your head and your heart. Balance the two organs. Listen to both.
In my own experience, I had a lot of suitors and I'm not bragging. They all say that they love me but I do not easily believe them. They court me and ask me if when will I say yes. I am afraid to say yes to them because they might just use me for other purposes.They give me gifts and all those stuff toys but giving material things does not mean that they love me. They always say I love you to me even of they have not met me yet. On this day, they say they love me but on the next day they are with another girl. I had three boyfriends already but in all of those relationships, there was no love involved. There was I time when I thought that I was already in love but I soon found out that it was just infatuation. I had this childhood friend and he asked me if he can court me and I satd yes. When I went to Leyte, he said that he will not court me anymore because he do not want to disturb me in my studies. He said that he will just wait for the time that I will be ready. I was happy to hear him say those words. He was not thinking of himself and I can truly tell that it is love he feels. It all started with one look.

A Soldier by: Robert Frost

He is that fallen lance that lies as hurled,
That lies unlifted now, come dew, come rust,
But still lies pointed as it ploughed the dust.
If we who sight along it round the world,
See nothing worthy to have been its mark,
It is because like men we look too near,
Forgetting that as fitted to the sphere,
Our missiles always make too short an arc.
They fall, they rip the grass, they intersect
The curve of earth, and striking, break their own;
They make us cringe for metal-point on stone.
But this we know, the obstacle that checked
And tripped the body, shot the spirit on
Further than target ever showed or shone.

Love: An act of will not of the heart

Love has been a very controversial issue since the beginning of time. Among the most asked question is that what should be followed when deciding about matters of love. Is love an act of will and not by the heart. Most people are confused with this topic and I am also one of them. Let us first tackle on the function of the heart and the brain.
The heart does nothing but pump blood that circulates in a person's body. The heart is not responsible for a feeling of love that a person feels towards another person. It is the brain that is truly responsible for it. The brain releases neurotransmitters called dopamine. This kind of neurotransmitter is the one involved or responsible for natural high. When a person is in love, biologically, it means that there is a dopamine rush that makes us feel good.
It is a common misconception that the heart is the one responsible for the feeling of love. Why does the heart being associated with love? Long ago, the heart was once thought to be the center of all thought process, not the brain. Therefore, all emotions were associated with the heart. As the belief that the heart was the seat and center of emotions faded, the love association stayed in place due to the tendency for the heart to race in response to adrenaline caused by meeting an interesting person of the opposite sex.
The truth is I am also confused with this topic. I guess the brain and the heart should go together always because one cannot say that he/she is in love because her brains tell him so. In the movies, you can always find conflicts like who should be followed in making decisions about love. Is it really the brain or the heart. Some says that the brain is above the heart and therefor it should be always followed.

Him and his 36 bummers

After the harsh punishment we had, I immediately ran to our classroom and cried. I can’t stop the tears that were falling. It was tears of anger. I was really furious at that time because of what had happened. It was just fine if he had given us such punishment if we had done a great mistake but the big deal was the punishment was too much. He did not even consider that there were girls who were having their menstruation. He even asked us if we have menstruation but he did not exempt us from his punishment. He was very inconsiderate. He was too abusive of his powers.

When I was inside the room, I cried and cried until I was able to lose my breath. All of the people were shouting with anger, some were crying, and some were hugging each other. When he came inside, some of the girls confronted him. I can’t keep the pain and so I busted out my emotion that time. I shouted at him. After all that I have said, I loss my consciousness. I can still remember when Eldee and Nico carried me toward the faculty room because I was half conscious. My hands stiffened because there was no oxygen in my body. The teachers were in panic. They called the nurse in the clinic and asked her to pick me up. A little later, I was shocked to see Jessa in the faculty room. She also lost her consciousness.

When the nurse arrived, we were then brought to the clinic. In the clinic, the nurse helped us in breathing because we were catching our breath. Dan, Eldee, Nico Martin, and Neil stayed in the clinic with us. They made us feel better. Still my eyes were teary but I felt better.

When we were already fine, the nurse gave us some food and so we stood up and ate together. There was a lot of food and while eating we were also talking of what had just happened. A little later, Novelyn and Yolike arrived. Yolike laid herself in the bed and she was able to sleep. She said she was very tired and she could hardly breathe.

While eating, Novelyn told me what happened when I loss my consciousness. She said that everyone was shouting at Richard and they were very angry. She also said that Richard shouted saying “I demand for respect!” When I heard what Novelyn said, I was again mad. How could he say such thing? Respect? Does he even know what respect means? Isn’t he out of his mind? Isn’t it a respect when we still executed his punishment for us? At the first place, respect is not demanded; it is earned. He is a leader and if he wants respect, he must also respect his own cadets.

When we were done eating, we went back to the campus and as I entered the classroom, I saw Richard talking with his girlfriend as if nothing just happened. It’s as if he did not even noticed me. He did not even sorry. His heart was made of stones. If his girlfriend was in our platoon, I don’t think he can do such an act of punishing us. A little while, we had a gathering. When we were all busy, another incident happened. Gayle’s wallet was stolen. Her three hundred pesos was gone. Our officers inspected our bags and our pockets. It was already the second time around when Gayle lost her money. The thief took advantage of the intense situation to grab Gayle’s wallet and took her money. The officers did not found her money in our bags and so we suspected that the thief already hid it somewhere.

When I arrived home, my mom asked me about what have happened. And so I told her all about it. She was very angry because of it. She said that Richard should also be punished for abusing his powers. She also said that she will go to the principal and to the adviser. She also wanted to talk to Richard.

How I want to be remembered after I leave high school

High school life is the best part or stage of being a student. It is the time when we gain a lot of friends and start to fall in love. When I was still a freshman, I had a hard time dealing with people. I only had a few friends because I never talked to anybody. Time came when I became part of a group called FAJJYMAESS. FAJJYMAESS which stands for FLorianne, Aiko, Jessa, Jezza, Yolike, Michelle, April, Ernestine, Sunshine, and Shallunah. They were my first group of friends. At first, I thought that this group will make it to the end but I was wrong. Our real personalities were shown and it was hard for us to adjust. We found ourselves with another group of people but still we remained as friends.
When I was in second year, I found myself together with Juna, Novelyn, Yolike, and Jessa. They became my new set of friendships. I was able to adjust to their attitude because our personalities are somewhat alike. I found happiness with them. The real me showed up. The talkative, clumsy jezza that no one see med to noticed. I was not afraid to show the real me. I gained a lot of friends. I learned to accept trials as challenges. I became stronger.

We always hangout together and chat with each other. Every time we talk, our voices are very loud. We always laugh at each other joke especially when someone mispronounces the words. We love each others company.

When we were in third year, we did not become classmates but still hangout together. In our classroom, I was again with other people. I was with Yolike and Ernestine. They were my former group mates in FAJJYMAESS. Even if I had different classroom with Novelyn, Jessa, and Juna, nothing has changed.. We always talk aloud. We even establish a group called SJB or the Samahan ng mga Junior Boyz.

When I was in third year, I became more and more clumsy and talkative. They always say I’m very clumsy. Clumsy is the best word that can describe me. I do not know what is in my feet that make me such a clumsy person. I do not want to change that clumsiness of mine because that is what I am known for and that is how I gained a lot of true friends. They accepted me for that clumsiness.

We are about to graduate and I want to be remembered as the clumsy person they have ever known.

ReSeArCh ArTiCle

Products containing nitrate/ phosphate are disposed by 15, 278, 808 households, 5, 899 industries and 3, 392, 361 agricultural lands. Products which we use everyday like soaps, detergents, fertilizer and cleaning agents contain nitrate/ phosphate substances. According to Ansar and Khad (2005) phosphates and nitrates could cause algal bloom. Algal bloom means that there are 1000 algae cells in one milliliter of water sample. Algae count could help determine the niters/ phosphate absorption in different bodies of water since there is obvious connection of both. Algal bloom poses real danger to the environment. When this population of Algae die, they use up the oxygen gas that are needed by other organisms which leads to their death in the process. Nitrate/ phosphate substances arrive at different bodies of water through both direct and indirect sources.The water sources used in the study were a lagoon found in Ayala Center Cebu; a river in Kamputhaw; and a well found in T.Padilla. Every water source was affected by both direct and indirect sources. A water sample of 30 mL was taken from each source for five days using the same method all throughout those five days. The samples were also taken during the same time of the day. The algae counts were taken using only a drop from each sample using a light microscope.The counting came up with the following numbers of algae from each sample after five consecutive days of gathering: River having the greatest mean number of algae of 17.4 or 194.88 algae cells per mL while the well had the least having only 2.6 algae cells per drop or 29.12 algae cells per mL of sample. The lagoon had 6.2 algae cells per drop 0r 69.44 algae cells per mL of sample.The study used ANOVA or Analysis of Variance to determine if there is significant difference in the Algae counts of the three samples. The data's significance was tested at a five percent level of significance with (2,12) degrees of freedom and compared them with the tabled value of 3.89. The test came up with an F- ratio of 3.81 which is greater than the tabled value thus the Null Hypothesis was neglected. The action meant that there was no significant difference in their algae counts and there is no significant difference in the river, lagoon, and well in terms of nitrate/ phosphate absorption. It has been also found out during the course of the study that the three sources of water are not contaminated with nitrate/ phosphate since their algae counts are far from the limit of 1000 cells per mL of sample.Out of the data gathered and findings, we therefore conclude that the water sample from Ayala lagoon, Kamputhaw river, and T.Padilla well do not differ. The sources of water have the same amount of nitrate/ phosphate contamination.
Based on our findings and conclusion, we recommend the future researchers to conduct a replication of the study but with more days of gathering the water samples. Another replication of the study may focus on another water sample especially those near factories.

Journey to past

The day after the March 9 incident of the Babaytan Girls, my group went to the Rizaliana Museum which was located in the University of Southern Philippines. We were scheduled for a visit in the museum. When we arrived at USP,we hard a hard time dealing with the security guards because they won’t let us in. Luckily, after the long talk with them, they let us in. We immediately went to the museum. The University of the Visayas was also having their visit in the museum. We hesitated to go inside because we were just three and they were many but we swallowed our pride and we went in with them. They were already staring at us but we did not care. We continued taking notes on what we saw. We also listened to Mr. Lucio Pulmones’ discussion. He was the museum curator and he was the one that we interviewed a week earlier before we visted the museum.
According to Mr. Pulmones, the Rizaliana Museum came to life because of clamor in 1950 for a repository for the personal belongings of the Philippines' national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. The things of Dr. Jose Rizal were brought by his sister Doña Rinidad Rizal when she visited Cebu in the year 1951. Among those things were Jose Rizal’s coat, vest, socks, and other valuables.
According to Lucio Pulmones, the museum curator, the museum is the only one in the Philippines that holds the biggest collection of Rizal's artifacts. The museum has the rare collection of the 1909 Jose Rizal postcards with excerpts from his masterpiece poem "Mi Ultimo Adios." There are fourteen postcards because there are fourteen stanzas in the poem. The museum also has the original Katipunan flag and the photographed manuscripts of Rizal's written works, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, both of which were donated by Atty. Lourdes Cabrera Tabañag.
Inside the museum, we found interesting thingsowned by our national hero. We saw the original sketck book of Rizal making Josephine as his model. We saw photos of Rizal’s foreign associates, namely, Prof. de Wrecker, Dr. T.H. Pardo de Tavera, Dr. A.B. Meyer, Luis Taviel de Andrade, Francisco Pi y Margall, Dr. Ferdinand Blumentritt, Dr. Rudolf Virchow, and Dr. Lorenzo Marquez. We also read Josephine’s letter to Rizal. Because it was already old, we had a hard time reading it. We also was Josephines’letters to the director of of "Oceania Española" defending Rizal from the director's unfair attack and the campaign against Rizal.
We also saw other interesting things of Rizal and that includes his report card, letter from Paez, and a statuette of him withhis dog Berganza. In a glass box, Rizal's winter vest, his high collar, his shirt cuff made of white cotton, his checkered winter coat, his blue striped cotton summer pants, a pair of his brown striped socks, his evening wear, and his undershirt aws preserved. Also housed inside the museum is an item donated by Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal.
It was a replica of the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which Rizal carved while he was studying in Ateneo.
There are lots of interesting things to see in the museum and we enjoyed listening to Mr. Pulmones. We stayed longer than UV because we took notes.

It is like journeying to the past.

SJB

In UP, there exist a lot of groups and SJB is one of those. SJB or the Samahan ng mga Junior Boyz. It was established when we were still in third year. To be a member of the group, one must comply with the requirements. One must pass the initiation process. One must also have a girlfriend and one must have an SJB name. For any offense, butt slap is the punishment. The group believes in the all for one and one for all policy so if you commit an offense, all of the members will have your butt slapped.

Let me introduce the members of the group. Lets start with Anjeanette or Anjo; the commandant of the group. This person never runs out of energy. She is also the legacy holder for sports. Even though she holds that legacy, still she remained humble. She values sportsmanship. She is not just inclined with sports but with music as well. When she sings, it will take anyone’s breath away. With her as the commandant, no wonder that the group surpassed all other groups. Next on the list is Mary Grace, also called Mario. She is the brains of the group. This girl has a very interesting personality. She is a consistent honor student but despite her intelligence, she still has her feet on the ground. She is not just a good friend but also a good classmate. The third member is Aiko; the songwriter. This girl is blessed with many talents. Singing, dancing, acting, songwriting, name it. This person is close to my heart because she was my first friend in UP. Anyone will enjoy chatting with her. Next will be Shydel or Wendell; the singer of the group. This girl holds a very strong personality. Everyone knows her for her being frank and straightforward. She was blessed with a nice singing voice. Beware of this person because she’s dangerous. She is also a good friend of mine. Next is Yolike or Yul; the artist. She is the artist of the group. She was gifted with such creative hands. She is also one of the people so close to me because we were classmates for already four years. She was also the first person who talked to me. This girl is a good and helpful friend. She will never let you down when you’re in trouble. The sixth member is Novelyn or Ivan; the clown. Why clown? Because she always keep us laughing. She always has that smile that can take anyone’s sadness vanish. She is also a good confidant. Next is Juna, also called Janu. “The Baby.” She is the baby of the group because she is the youngest. This girl possessed the beauty that could launch a thousand boats. She is not just a beauty but also an intellectual. This girl wants to be discovered someday. I love this girl because she’s very kind and simple. The eighth member is Doanne or Dylon; the friendly. This person is everybody’s friend. She is very gregarious and kind hearted. Blessed with a great singing voice and dancing skill, this person never seems to remain humble. Next is Jann or Jairus; the drummer. I never expected that this cute lady will be a good friend of mine. She is very talented. She’s not just good in acting, dancing, wriring, and directing. She’s good in playing the drums. I know that this lady will soon become famous as she dances in the rhythm of life. Next is Ella or Elias; the kikay of the group. This person is also one of the most famous in UP. She is gifted with good speaking ability and acting skills. This kikay always has something to say. Next is Christille; the feeler. She always wanted to be part of the group. This feeler never fails to captivate us with her heavenly voice. The lat member is yours truly. With these talented members, SJB became the best group.

Bonding for Lyf

Last Saturday, we had our batch retreat. I woke up at around 5:30 am. I immediately prepared the things that I’m going to bring and placed them on my bag. After packing my things, I took a bath. After bathing, I dressed myself up and after a few minutes Shydel arrived in our house. She was bringing a lot of things; we then waited for Jessa because we will go to the supermarket to shop for goods that we will need. It was funny because we had a deal that we would speak Tagalog inside the supermarket and if anyone of us speaks another language aside from Tagalog will buy something for us. All of the people who hear us ask us if we came from Manila. After buying the things that we need we then headed our way to UP high. Assembly time was at eight in the morning at the UP grounds.

We had a psychological activity facilitated by Madam. Maglasang. We tackled on the possible outcomes of different situations that we might experience. We were grouped and we shared our answers to our group mates. Our answers were quite the same. Maybe it’s because of our age and mentality. After discussing with our group mates, we then discussed our answers as a class.

After the discussion, we had another activity called plus delta. We were then divided into two groups. One of the groups will sit in the chairs forming a big circle. They are asked to close their eyes. The other group will say something good or positive to the ones seated in the circle. As I was listening to what they are saying, my eyes became teary and later on my tears were starting to fall. I never thought that they appreciated the small things that I’ve done for them. I did not even know that I was kind and talented. The things that they told me made my heart fat. They always say “way kalimtanay ha.” Of course I will never forget you guys.

The bond of friendship that we had created was already something. It was strengthened by the pressure and trials that we have encountered. I was really glad to hear them say nice things of me. When it was already my groups turn to say positive things of them, I cannot stop my tears anymore. I told each one of them what I feel and how I appreciate their presence.

After that activity, I realized that the bonding we have created was already something. During lunch break I did not eat because I ran out of money because of the things I bought from the supermarket. When the jeepney arrived, we immediately got our bags and hurried ourselves to the jeepney.

In the jeepney, we had a deal and that was to speak Tagalog all throughout the trip to St. John’s Mission. If anyone in the jeepney speak another language aside from Tagalog will have a punishment. The trip was so fun because the road to St. John’s Mission was going up and down. At last we arrived in the venue for our retreat. I have been there once so I was not that amazed. The place was very suitable for reflection.

Sigh..

Last March 9,2006 was an unforgettable day for me and for all the Tan girls. It was a hot and sunny day. My throat is itching and the hot sun dried my lips. During our CWTS period, we were made to practice the so called "pass and review.” It will be our tribute for those teachers who are retiring. We practiced marching in the open field. At first, it was just fine and the heat of the sun was tolerable but later on, my knees and feet became weak. It was already painful and we were seldom given a break and if ever we were given, it was only about one or two minutes and we were made to run if we would get something. After running, again we were made to practice marching.

When the first period of our CWTS was about to end, April Gamboa stopped marching ans told out commanding officer that she was feeling dizzy and when I looked at her, she was already pale and she was catching her breath. Our commanding officer then ordered her to move out of the platoon. We were also given a two-minute break. I was happy because at least , we could rest even if for a few minutes. Suddenly, our commanding officer said “sige kakuyap sad mo tanan para makapahuway sad mo!” My blood pressure rose up and I was starting to be furious. Even if he said it in a manner like he was just joking, I was very angry about it because it was very sarcastic. Its as if she doubts April.

After the two-minute break, the bell rang for recess but we did not eat because we lost a lot of energy that we could barely walk. I was not really comfortable because I was having my period then. After the break, we were asked to carry the chairs from the classrooms to the Arts and Science building for the UPHS examination. It was very tiring and when we arrived in the AS building, we were all catching for our breath. We then seated ourselves in the chairs we carried. I thought that it was going to be our final task but I was wrong. When we were already heading our way to the other campus, we were surprised to see our commanding officer counting. We immediately ran to form our formation but the other members of our platoon arrived late and this made our commanding officer very angry that he gave us thirty-one bombers as punishment. It was hard for me because I have menstruation and he knows it. He was very inconsiderate. After the thirty-one bombers, I was already dizzy but we were given an additional of five bombers. For me, it was injustice. I certainly do not think that we deserved that kind of punishment. My tears fell because of anger and after the pamamaalam I ran immediately to our classroom. In the classroom, another breathtaking incident occurred.

My FriEndShiPs....

Do you know the secret behind a contented and happy person like me? Well, its not a secret anymore because almost all of the people know it already. Lets just say that the reason or shall I say reasons behind my contentment and happiness are not things nor events but people. They are the people closest to my heart, the people I am with everyday, and the people who know me well. They are Ms. Juna Rose Dinglasa, Ms. Jessa de Erio, Ms. Yolike Alverio, Ms. Novelyn Lao, and Ms. Shydel Raya. They are talented people with such interesting and unique personalities
I’ll proudly introduce them one by one. Lets first start with Juna also known as Jai-Jai; the actress. We were classmates when we were sophomores. She is not just a beauty but also an intellectual. With her childish behavior, one might think that she is just a twelve-year-old girl. She is a very good confidant and a very true person and that’s what I like about her. With her beauty, body, intelligence, and talents, no wonder boys go crazy over her. Who’s next? Okay, lets move on to Jessa or Ja-Ja; the book lover and my long lost twin sister. She was one of my first friends in UP. She was my classmate already three years and we’ve spent unforgettable moments together. We share a lot of common things like eating, dancing, and burping. She is like a sister to me because what happens to one of us happens to the other. She is fun to be with because we always hangout. Next on the list is Yolike or Ai-Ai; the artist. She is a very caring and patient person. She loves reading books and making masterpiece out of scraps. We enjoy each others company because our personalities are alike. She may be patient but when she bursts into anger, watch out. Next in line is Novelyn; the artist. She is also one of the most artistic person in our batch. This person never fails to make all of us laugh. She is a humorous and amiable person and I love her for that. We became friends because I accidentally pushed her when we were still freshmen. It’s funny because we do have a lot of similarities and one of those is the type of guy we like. She always has that big smile that could take away your anxiety. She is so close to my heart and I admire her. The last on the list is Shydel or shedyl; the singer. This friend of mine has a very colorful and strong personality. This talkative girl never runs out of words. I like her because she is frank and straightforward. We hang around always because she is just a distant neighbor of mine. These people that I mentioned earlier are the people behind a happy and contented person named Jezza. We all have differences but despite all those, we still have that what we call chemistry.

sTaRgAzInG

Isn’t it delightful to see stars? I really like to see them twinkle and it gives me a relaxing feeling. Last Friday, the University of the Philippines Stargazers Society had an overnight stargazing at the UP high grounds. It has been a puffy evening but it did not stop us from having an overnight. We were also happy to have Mr. Christopher Go; a NASA recognized Filipino astronomer. He gave a short lecture of the latest discoveries and information in the field of astronomy.

After the lecture, we went out of the LEADER and went to the soccer field. We laid ourselves down to watch the stars but we could not see any. The moon was very big and very bright but the clouds covered it. Because we cannot see any stars or meteors, we then went back to the LEADER and watched a movie entitled Shatter. They were all screaming so loud and they were tremulous. Some of my classmates including me already saw the movie and so we were not much frightened. My classmates decided to go out of the room because the movie was stopped because it created a loud noise and we might disturb the neighboring houses. We went to our mats to lie down and sleep but I could not. Some of my classmates were already asleep and some were doing other business. I just spent the night texting with my cousins and friends.

When it was already midnight, the wind grew thicker and there was extreme coldness in the place. We were all trembling in the coldness of the night. We hugged one another to generate body heat and lessen the coldness that we experience. Later on, I found myself sleeping but a little later I was awakened by the voices of my classmates. It was around
1:00 am when and I felt the cold breeze all over my body. I was able to sleep again but not that long. I again woke up at around 3:00 am and my classmates were still awake by that time. Some of them were playing cards and some of them were talking to each other. This time, it was much colder and so we covered and hidden ourselves underneath the sarong. We were also much closer this time.

I even had a dream; a bad dream. I dreamt that Novelyn and I was experiencing a hold-up situation and we were running because the hold-upper was chasing us. I did not know what happened next because I heard the noisy alarm of the freshmen and it woke me up.

When it was already six in the morning, everyone was already awake and it was already time to fix the mats. Theresa then called every one of us for the picture taking. After the picture taking, we fixed ourselves and went home. When I arrived in the house, I took a bath and took my breakfast because I am again going to school for our recollection.

Even if there was no star in the sky that night, I was still happy becausev I was with my close friends and classmates. It was a bonding time for all of us especially for the Seniors who are about to grasduate. I will always cherish that moment.

KYSD

Last Feb.25 and Feb.26; 20o07 was our KYSD or the Know Your School Day. It is one of the major activities in UP high. It is the time when students get the chance to experience being one of the Faculty members and UP staffs. Everyone is qualified for any position. One must apply for the position he or she wants to replace. The available positions are the position of the principal, subject teacher, guidance counselor, clerk, and PED or Professional Education Division Chairperson. It is same as applying for a job because one must fill in an application form and submit it to the person he or she wants to replace..

It’s a fun-filled experience because it is not usual to see your classmate being the principal or teacher of the school. I never experienced being a teacher because I am afraid to try. I am afraid because they might not understand my teachings.

We started with the formal opening of KYSD. After the flag ceremony, the students who were accepted for the different positions were given their Identification Cards. After that, Mr. Daniel Nellas handed the key of responsibility to the student principals.

Dan Henry Montano and Gabrielle Roxanne Cabunoc became our principals, Stacey Kaye Fortuna became our guidance counselor, Ella became the Professional Education Division Chairperson and

As for our teachers, Elaine Reyna Miranda became our Filipino teacher, Shydel Raya,. Christine Marie Nolasco, and Sunshine Enriquez, and Eldee Balolong became our Social Science teachers, Jann Kristel del Mar and Michael Angelo Joaquin became our Calculus teachers even though we were not classmates, and April Rhiz Dichos became our Computer teacher. They became our teachers for two days. It was fun enjoyable. We also learned a lot from them. It is great because you can easily approach them and ask questions from them without any hesitation.

Our teachers were also happy because they were given the chance to relax and rest. During the KYSD closing, the teachers were asked to sit at the front seats of the open stage. Each year level prepared a presentation for the teachers. We also bought tokens for them. After the presentations, we gave them the tokens and I can see it in their eyes that they very much appreciate it. Some of the teachers even cried.

After the activity, I realized that it is not easy to be a teacher because it is indeed very stressful especially when you have hard headed and noisy students like us. It is not easy to prepare the lessons that you will teach your students.

After I graduate, I will never forget these teachers because they became my second parents and they have molded me into a better person. I owe them everything I am now. Without them, my life would have been such a mess and I would not have any direction. These people will always have a special place in my heart.

This is one of the activities that I will never forget and I will always treasure.

Prom?.....

JS prom or the Junior Senior promenade is already fast approaching. Isn't it exciting? Its a once in a blue moon experience for all of us. Its an enchanting and romantic evening when we get to experience what is like of being prince and princesses.
Enough of those ragged clothes and childish behaviors because its time to experience formality.
Its the perfect time to reveal the other side of ourselves. Lets not be ugly ducklings. For once, let us be the swans.
Last year, we had a fun-filled experience with the previous batch. It was a successful one. We had Waterfront as our venue and it was the perfect place for that special occasion. There was good ambiance in the place. Everybody was beautiful and handsome in their gowns and tuxedos. I did not even recognized some of my classmates because of the total change in their appearance.
I thought that the promenade was not going to be a successful one because during the intramural s, our batch and theirs had a quarrel. But then I was wrong because it was indeed perfect. We had the chance to bond with one another and we treated each other well as if nothing happened between the two year levels. I was glad because our escorts were very gentlemen and they were kind to us.
When it was already dancing time, some of my classmates asked me to dance and I did not say no. It was my first time to dance formally and i was happy with it. My classmates were also busy dancing with their partners and I find it cute.
During the announcement of awards, i was glad that Juna became the Junior princess. She deserves it because she was very beautiful that night and she was able to carry herself well. She look so elegant in her attire. Nico became the Junior prince and he also deserves it.
Now, we are again going to have our Junior-Senior Promenade held in Waterfront Cebu because we all think that it is the perfect venue. You will really enjoy there and your money will be worth it. Everyone is already busy preparing for their attire. I haven't secured a gown and so my mother and I went to the bridal shop and see the gowns that are for rent. I fitted a lot of gowns and we transferred from one shop to another. Most gowns were already reserved because many schools will have their prom on the same date as ours. Among those schools are UV, USC, CIT, and Science High Cebu. After fitting several gowns, at last I found the perfect one. Its just simple but I find it nice and attractive. It was already very tiring and so we had the gown reserved and the owner told us to pick it up on Thursday.
Now I'm looking forward to a fun and successful promenade with the Juniors and I hope that it would be enjoyable as the previous one.

A little thing called love…

Is love just a little thing? Well, I guess it’s not because if it’s just a little stuff, it would not hurt a person that much. Sometimes we forget the true meaning of love. We often interchange infatuation and love. These two words are somewhat alike but it does not really mean the same thing. Infatuation is a state of being inspired with a foolish passion. It is just temporary love and not a real one. It does not last unlike love which lasts even after death.

How do we know if it’s already true love? What is love anyway? The truth is there is no exact definition for it. Each of us has our own denotation of love. The bible also has its definition of love. According to the book of Corinthians, “Love is patient, kind, without envy. It is not boastful or arrogant. It is not ill-mannered nor does it seek its own interest. Love overcomes anger and forgets offenses. It does not take delight in wrong, but rejoices in truth. Love excuses everything, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.”

Ms. Rodel, our health teacher, defines love as an indescribable feeling that only a feeling can understand. Yes, I believe that it is only a feeling which can understand another feeling. If there is no love in a person, that person would never understand or feel love no matter how you express it. For me, true love has no agendas, no attachments, no ideas, no demands, and no conditions. True love is when you go beyond its plain definition; it is when you are already willing to give without asking anything in return. It is absolutely indescribable because I myself cannot find the right words to express my perception of love. To understand it well, you must be able to feel it with all your heart. According to an article I have read, our minds can talk about love, but they can't actually experience love. Love can only be experienced through feeling. Many times we confuse the experience of love with the word or idea of love. You can say the words "I love you," and not be feeling love. You can also feel love when you think you can't or shouldn't. Love is a very strong feeling. It can even drive anyone crazy or insane.

Among the most famous definition of love are: “love conquers all,” “love is blind,” “love makes the world go round,” “love hurts,” “love is a many splendid thing,” “and many more.”

How would you distinguish true love from a phony one? Actually, I still do not know and I’m still searching for answers to this question. I can’t explain the topic well because I myself am confused.

As the song goes, love moves in mysterious ways and its always so surprising when it appears over the horizon. Do not look for love because love itself will find you.

After 10 years.......

The truth is that I still do not see myself ten years from now. I am still wondering what would be my life after those years. I am still confused of what course to take up in college. Ever since I was in elementary, I really wanted to be a successful teacher because I really wanted to teach little children. As I entered high school, that want suddenly vanished. After wanting of being a teacher, I wanted to be an engineer because that is the dream of my mom and also because of the high salary. But I don’t think that I could stand the mechanical plates. How about being an architect? Yes, I would also want to be an architect but we cannot afford the tuition because architecture is quite expensive. I just came from a middle class family and me and my siblings are into school. My sister took up BA Psychology in the University of the Philippines Cebu. She told me that psychology is fun but somehow difficult and they have lots of research papers. I definitely hate those stuffs. My friends also told me that if I would take up psychology, I would be the first one to be insane. Nest in line, Nurse? Actually, I never considered nursing as my profession because I really don’t like to be a nurse. My best friends are all taking up nursing but that does not change my decision. Many of the students in the Philippines are taking up this course and that is because they want to earn dollars. Who doesn’t want to? I myself want to go abroad and earn dollars but not by being a nurse. They are too many and the demand for nurses abroad is starting to become low and I think everyone would have that opportunity of going out of the country.
A week ago, the results of the UPCAT or the University of the Philippines College Entrance Test and I was lucky to pass. I passed Business Management in the University of the Philippines Tacloban Campus. BM was my first choice when I took up UPCAT because my sister told me that is quite an easy course compare to all other courses in UP. My mother wants me to take up college in UP because she wants me to have a UP diploma. I would also want to have it because having one is something to be proud of. When you have that, work will be easy to find. But TOFI or the Tuition and Other Fees Increase was already approve which means it will be already expensive to study in UP. From two hundred per unit, now its already six hundred per unit. That’s about three hundred percent increase. Oh, where would I take up college? It’s becoming a headache already but one thing would be sure, that I would a successful person after ten years. I am already sleepy. So guys thanks for reading my blog and good night.

The problem with men and women is that......

The problem with men is that they seldom cry. Through the years, men were viewed to be strong, cunning, and brave. All these time, these men have been living in this stereotypical society that demands so much from them. Perhaps this is the reason why they were not able to live a life that is free from judgments and criticisms; a life they could live by just being themselves. These men behind their muscular built puts up a front showing the whole world that they are strong and brave and that they are of total control to everything. Even in times when they are down and helpless, they still pretend to be calm and strong. This is because they are afraid to show their emotional side and what they truly feel deep within with the fear of being labeled as weak and coward. It seems like the act of crying is a taboo. Still, no one can blame them for it is the society itself that has molded them.

“Boys don’t cry.” That is what people say. But don’t you find it unfair? In the real sense of crying, it is not really a girl thing at all. Crying per se has its own biological basis. Crying is part of human nature. It is a normal thing to cry. It is basically there for survival purposes but with the society we live in, the real sense of crying has been corrupted. What these men should understand is that crying is something not to be ashamed of. I appreciate those men who cry. Once in a while, they also need to cry and pour out all those emotions because crying is indeed healthy for it allows a person to be free of stress, of anxiety, and somehow it makes us feel relieved.

The problem with women is that they are always viewed inferior to men. Women are viewed weak, coward, and somehow helpless. I thought we already surpassed that state of gender inequality but look at who are on top of all those big companies right now. Henry Sy, Lucio Tan, the Ayala’s? They are men.

This all started during the Spanish colonial era when the rights of women were abused. They think that women should stay in the house and take care of the children, cook, and everything. Aren’t they insane? I mean we have equal rights and capabilities.
Women are not weak! They are just emotional but at least they are able to express effectively not like men. Women can do what men can so why put a barrier between these two sexes?

I also think that the problem with women is that they are very unpredictable. Sometimes they are timid but sometimes they become wild. Sometimes quite but sometimes talkative. I heard many boys complain that girls are unpredictable and moody. That’s true. I myself would say that women are unpredictable. I also don’t know why.

Anyways, that’s all that I can say and thanks for reading my blog.

Sinulog fever

It was a sunny day; I was awaken by the loud voice of my sister telling me to get up. It was the feast day of Sr. Sto. Nino and we will attend the second mass. I rushed into the bathroom and took a bath. After bathing, I immediately dressed myself and took breakfast. When we were all ready to go, I locked the doors and the windows of our house. There were a lot of people who attended the mass. We could hardly get inside the church because of the huge number of devotees. There was pushing and pulling towards the entrance of the church but at last we got in.

After the mass, there was again pushing and pulling but now, it was towards the exit. It took us a long time to get out. When we arrived home, I was asked to buy something in the mall and so I brought my sister with me. We bought something to eat. There were lots of people in the streets and there were lots of vendors. When we got home, I was surprised to see Shydel sitting in our sofa. She invited me to have lunch in their house. We first fetched Kimberly and then off we go.

After eating, we filled three bottles of water for us to bring. We decided to go to Robinsons and so we started to walk. There were lots of people along the streets and we stopped over to watch the dancing contingents. After awhile, we continued walking towards San Carlos University. We could hardly pass because we were blocked by a number of people. We realized that Robinsons was on the other side and we cannot cross the streets so we went back from where we started and we were able to cross the street. There was sweating all over our bodies. We walked along Jones Avenue and we saw the other contingents. We stopped over a stall of wallets and we bought for each one of us. At last we reached Robinsons but we did not get in immediately because we were still sweating. The crowd grew wild and we went to see what’s happening. It was Angel Locsin. She was so pretty in personal. After that, we went inside Robinsons and we had window shopping. We grew tired and so we squat ourselves on the floor to rest. When we had enough rest we went out of the mall. We saw April, our classmate. She was left by her brother and so she went with us. We again walked along Jones Avenue and the crowd began to scream because the Kapuso stars passed. We were star strucked by their beauties. There was Patrick, Nadine, Jennylyn, Bakekang, Budoy, Sheryl and many other stars. We then continued walking and we decided to go home because we were already tired and it was beginning to dim.

For me, it was the best Sinulog I had ever experienced. I really enjoyed a lot.

Friends 4 lyf

If you would ask me who occupies the biggest space in my heart, I would proudly say that my bf’s do. BF’s, short for best friends. These people have greatly influenced my life. They are the best thing that ever happened to me and I consider them one of the most important treasures in my life. They are not worth millions, they are priceless. If I were to describe them, I would say that ‘Nothing compares.”

They have been with me all the time, in laughter and in tears. They were with me through the rain, the storm, and the typhoons of my life. I always count on them especially in times of trouble and sadness. They always have shoulders ready for me to cry on. I also have shoulders for them to cry on. It’s a mutual relationship between us.

We have shared lots of moments together, moments of happiness, sadness and everything. I always cherish the times when we laugh and cry together.

We have different personalities but as time passed by we have learned to adjust to each other. Sometimes, we quarrel but that only makes our friendship stronger. The world may turn its back against me but I’m sure never will they. I can’t afford to lose them. I would rather lose a boyfriend than lose them.

My tears are already falling as of the moment because every time I share things like this, I can’t help but cry. I don’t know why. Graduation is fast approaching which means that we only have less time to be together. I will indeed miss them so much because aside from my family, they are also my reason for continuing life. They taught me to be stronger and molded me into a better person. I am nothing without them.

Other people may have all the riches but I don’t care at all. Money can’t but true people like them anyway. What will I do with money if I would be lonely? I’d rather be a pauper with lots of friends than a multi-millionaire with maids.

Imagine life without friends, wouldn’t it be so lonely? Would you enjoy life? Would you feel contentment? The answer is a definitely NO. I have not known of anybody so happy being alone. I’d rather die than be alone in this chaotic world and carry all the worldly problems by myself.

Every time I share my problems to them, I feel so relieved. They always give me comfort anyone can’t give.

] Family is a different thing. I can’t choose between my friends and them because both are of same importance to me. There are things that you can share to your family and not with your friends. There are also things that you can share with your friends and not with your family. They have the same value.

If time comes for us to walk on different paths, they will always have that special place in my heart and nothing or no one could replace them.