dual*ities

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there are beginnings. there are endings.

and then there are continuities...
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This time last year—on the first day of 2005—there was something that I did for the first time. I learned how to blog.ü I knew then that is was gonna be a different year for me. After all, I just resigned from a job that I loved to complete my graduate studies, and to enable myself to, later on, chase a dream. Hence, I thought then that it would be the perfect time to keep an online journal (apart from my old-style, actual journal, which I still update once in a while) of the things I would do and learn for the year.

True enough, 2005 turned out to be a very different year from what I had gotten used to. It was, for me, a transition year, or an in-between phase, as I fondly call it. I was traversing the divide that separates me from where and how I wanted to be, endeavoring to bring into completion erstwhile commitments that have been keeping me from taking the big leap. Indeed, my typical days in 2005 were so unlike my over-scheduled days of the previous years, where I was balancing work, studies, and more work, among other things. It was different, yet it was memorable all the same. For it was during that year that I was able to touch base with myself once again, and do things that I barely had time for in the previous years. I was able to be my own boss. To relax. To spend time at home. To drink more than 8 glasses of water a day. To do things at my own pace, my own time. To make mistakes. To choose the projects that I wanted to do. To attend basketball games, even on weekdays.ü To wait. To accept “rackets.” To procrastinate. To be OC. To not be OC. To think about the past. To think about the future. To be fickle. To be patient. To be open to new possibilities. And basically, to just be.

I was constantly waltzing back and forth, yet remained in my place. I was ever-changing, yet the same.

Just like my blog.

In the span of 12 months, my blog went through 55 posts, 2 URL shifts, 4 template make-overs, and 3 title changes. It’s not usual for me to make changes like this so often. My close friends could attest that I’m pretty much a stable and grounded person, who stays with one thing for a long stretch of time. In fact, I’m the type who rarely changes the way she looks or dresses, knowing that it is not the basis of the change that happens within. But in 2005, having two minds and wanting constant movement were realities to me. After all, it wouldn’t be good to stay on the same ground when what you ultimately want is to take the big leap. And this, I guess, was reflected in how this blog evolved in the last 365 days. It was ever-changing, but it embodied (although in a limited way) where and how I was in my so-called in-between year.

It’s now 2006. And I believe I’ve come to the point where I am ready to take actual steps toward higher grounds. I’m ready for another chapter in my life which is bound to be a very different from the previous ones I’ve lived. There are stories that are waiting to happen. And these, I feel, deserve another page…another place in which they could come into themselves.

This post, however, is by no means an ending. It is not exactly a beginning either. It is simply a transition—very much like what 2005 has been for me. It is, both literally and figuratively speaking, an in-between link to what is yet to come.ü

Hmm, it’s been way too quiet in here lately. I guess I was so caught up with projects here, there, and everywhere in the past few months that I failed to catch up with all the happenings in blogworld. But I wasn’t gonna let the holiday season pass without dropping in and giving proof of life.ü And what better way to do it than by doing a countdown to 2006? And this isn’t just your usual New Year’s countdown, but one that involves the fulfillment of some unfinished business—that is, three “tags” from ages ago that I haven’t responded to. Hehehe.

Let the countdown begin!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Ten…

Nine…

Eight…

SEVEN Songs…

Tag courtesy of: Little Timoune

Original instructions: List seven of your favorite songs of the moment in your journal and force seven other people to repeat this process or a puppy somewhere in the world will be sad.

Modifications: Since the year is almost over (and also because the puppy in question is probably already all content and happy now knowing that a lot of blogheads all over the world did this survey in its honor), I decided to change it up a bit by doing my seven (7) favorite songs for 2005. Here goes [in no particular order]:

• Hand in My Pocket (Alanis Morissette) - Re-emerging this year as part of Jagged Little Pill’s 10^th year Anniversary release, this song could very well be the story of my life for the past 3 to 4 months—that is, juggling two (or three, or four) acts at the same time*. [*More about this on my subsequent post/s.*]

• For Now (Cast of “Avenue Q”) – This song is from that hit musical which I fondly refer to as “Rent meets The Muppets.” It speaks of the “temporary-ness” of things, which was very much my theme during most of 2005.

• All These Things I’ve Done (The Killers) – This one’s an upbeat song with a grave, almost desperate undertone. Before Mr. Brightside ever became a hit, there was this song. And it actually reminds me of the story of The Prodigal Son (yes, the one on the Bible). If ever they make a movie or play (rock/modern-day version) of that parable, this should be its theme song.

• Ang Ating Araw (Dicta License) – I like songs that have nationalistic undertones, and which speaks of hope. This is one of those. The band’s style isn’t so bad either—ala-After Image meets Francis M.

• Posible (Rivermaya) – Here’s another song that speaks of what Pinoys can do, if only we put our minds and hearts into achieving our goals. It was very much a fitting theme song for the 23^rd SEA games, where our athletes, for the first time in the history of the games, collectively bagged home the gold and made us momentarily (but only momentarily) forget about Garci, Ate Glo, et al.

Too bad, the Pinoy Big Brother Theme (ak.a. Pinoy Ako) by Orange and Lemons got more airtime, even at the games. The song’s not bad. In fact, I like the lyrics. But gosh, can anyone spell o-v-e-r-k-i-l-l?! (Plus, it’s involved in a rip-off controversy, which does not really speak well of Filipino artists.)

• Clocks (Coldplay) – The song is so three years ago, but it has always reminded me of time-pressured sports in general, and basketball in particular. Hence, I think it perfectly captures how seriously I took the collegiate basketball games to heart this season. 40 minutes (but 2 hours, really) of heart-stopping hardcourt action (gosh, I sound like a Studio 23 ad for UAAP) —that’s my idea of good, (not-so-)clean weekend fun. Harhar. As the song goes, nothing else compares.:)

• Kind and Generous (Natalie Merchant) – I dug this up when I was doing my Acknowledgments for my thesis, and it stuck with me since then. The words of the song would be something that I’d tell all those who, in one way or another, helped me out with my research and made the whole experience bearable and rewarding.:)

Six…

FIVE Career Paths…

Tag courtesy of: Kaladkarin and May8

The Question: “What five things did you want to be when you were a kid?”

My Answers:

• Artist - This has been my dream for the longest time. My mom and dad are both artists in their own right, so picking up on what they did best came naturally for me when I was a child. In my elementary years, I’d often be the class representative or the school’s entry to art contests. I became identified with art-related endeavors, that my classmates even tinkered with my surname and called me “Artist-Luis”. Haha. Eventually, I grew tired of the "label". I didn't like being pigeonholed, even then. Hence, in high school, I tried to keep a low profile in the art scene. No more major art contests for me at this point, although I’d still be always in charge of art projects (e.g., bulletin board, set and costume designs) in class and in the clubs I joined. My dreams of becoming an artist then took on different shapes—that of being a cartoonist (since I did make comic strips for the school paper then), a Disney animator, a children’s book illustrator, and so on and so forth. But never did I train formally to become any of those. In College, I illustrated for Heights, but the issues of the said publication were too few and far between to truly help me hone my skills. And those are probably the reasons why, even at this age, my drawing and painting abilities never progressed beyond grade school level. Tsk, tsk.
  

• Writer/Poet – During my latter years in grade school, my teachers started sending me to literary contests and workshops. This surprised me in the beginning, since I was used to joining art—not writing—contests. I enjoyed writing short stories and poems both for class and as a hobby, but I never thought I could do it competitively. Then I became part of the now-defunct children’s group called Talented and Gifted Philippines where, in one of the sessions with a young poet, I got convinced that one could actually make a career out of being a literary artist. But in high school, as I belonged to a class full of talented budding writers, I realized that I was kindergarten level compared to those who really took writing seriously. Reality took over, and this dream had to take a backseat as well.

• Performer/Singer/Actress – Oh yes, you better believe it! I had this “ambition” when I was, perhaps, about 4-6 years old. And I “blame” my relatives for it. Hehehe. They made me model clothes for C.O.D. [at age 3], got me to be the muse of the ADMU basketball team [at age 2-3], join Santa Cruzan parades, sing Lea Salonga's songs during Christmas parties, and dance to disco tunes during family get-togethers. Good thing that I woke up early on to the truth that I was better off doing my stuff at the background…errr, designing sets and costumes for people who did not have stage fright.:)

• Advertising Executive – When I was about 2 or 3 years old, my mom—who was then an Art Director at Basic Advertising—would actually bring me to her office. There I was, one chubby little kid amidst all those creative busybodies who were working on selling ideas to the public. Of course, it was only later on that I understood what they were doing, and their dynamism amazed me no end. I soon realized that I, too, wanted to be in the business so I could also come up with those brilliant tv and print ads. (And no, it wasn’t even about the money.) In College, I even minored in Marketing and took up mostly Advertising-related subjects as my electives, in the hopes that these units would help me pursue a career in the said field.

• *Whatchamacalit* - I did not know what to call it then. But I knew I wanted to do something for the benefit of “our less fortunate brothers and sisters”(as our teachers would call them). As early as our grade school years, my schoolmates and I have been exposed to urban poor communities in Tondo and Malate. Later on, when I joined the High School Outreach Club, I got a chance to interact with the street kids of Pasay and with the IPs (“katutubos”) of Pampanga and Zambales as well. Since then, the sense of wanting to make a difference in the lives of these people never left me. But the big question was: “How?” I never dreamed of becoming a teacher. And I did not want to become a nun (although later on, I realized that I wanted to become a Jesuit ü). So how, indeed?

It was only later on, after College—in fact, during my JVP years—that I realized that what I wanted to be become was a development worker. I didn’t have a name for it when I was younger, but I guess my “nose” for it helped me follow this track, even though it was not a very popular career option among my peers. Well, at least it sounds better than having a job called "whatchamacalit."ü

Four…

Three…

Two…

ONE Sentence…

Tag courtesy of: Anj and May8

Here are the rules to the tag:
1. Delve into your blog archive.
2. Find your 23rd post (or closest to).
3. Find the fifth sentence (or closest to).
4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions. Ponder it for meaning, subtext or hidden agendas.
5. Tag five people to do the same.

My 23^rd post was entitled Ch-changes, which was all about the 100^th episode of the original Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) series. The 5^th sentence of the entry reads:

“This time, the victim was a Las Vegas showgirl
who goes by the name Wendy Clancy.”

No subtexts and hidden meanings there. I was just plainly narrating the story. But if one moves on to the succeeding sentences, one would learn that the “Wendy” mentioned in this text is really a “Walter”. And that’s where the subtexts and nuances emerge.

So what does this topic say about me?

• I believe that the truth lies beneath the surface.
• I am sympathetic to the LGBT community. I admire and respect these individuals for having the courage to be themselves. Diversity rules!

Truth. Courage. Respect for each other. Come to think of it, these are things that I hope and pray for as well for the country and its people for 2005.ü

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

And with that, let the fireworks begin!ü

It’s been a while since I’ve gone nature tripping. Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I’ve had a real, honest-to-goodness vacation. In fact, the Sagada-Banaue adventure that I had with my friends this past week was, for all intents and purposes, my first (and probably last) vacation this year. It was wonderful to just while away the time, with the earth on my feet, the sky on my head, the wind and rain on my face, and good friends by my side. Despite the long hours of travel, the odd-hour lunches, and the endless hikes, it was actually a very relaxing holiday. It was like we were in a time warp, with no sense of time, and free from the daily grind of city life. It’s the kind of trip that I’d call physically challenging, but restful for the soul.

Anyway, lest I launch into another kilometric narrative (which I tend to do a lot lately), I’d just let our photos from the trip do (most of) the talking:

Day 1 (October 30) : Echo Valley

Day 2 (October 31) : Sumaging and Lumiang Caves

Day 3 (November 1) : Bomod-ok a.k.a. Big Falls

Day 4 (November 2): Banaue, Batad and Bangaan Village (UNESCO World Heritage sites)

What do you know? After 68 million years, our college batch finally has a yearbook!!! Just when everyone has almost given up all hope of ever having an Aegis ‘97, our batch was saved from eternal oblivion with the announcement of the completion of our very own yearbook. Never mind that the “look” of the said yearbook is a lot less fancy than what was originally envisioned (translation: plain and ordinary). Never mind that the faces on the photos don’t look like us anymore. Never mind that the baby pics and barkada poses that we submitted are nowhere to be seen in any of the pages (and will never actually be returned to us) because some guy lost all of them! Never mind those. At least, we now have something that we will be remembered by as a batch.

Come to think of it, the on-going concern about the yearbook—or rather, the lack thereof—was the only thing that our entire batch really “bonded” over. I mean, even our Blue Roast (the supposed equivalent of a graduation ball in our university) was, for lack of a better word, a flop. Even people from other batches noticed that a lot of Batch ’97 graduates do not even know each other. But the long wait for Aegis ‘97 somehow gave us a common cause—something to complain about together and look forward to together.:) I’m just glad that all that waiting was not in vain.

Anyway, upon claiming my copy this morning, I couldn’t help but take a trip down memory lane as I browsed through the pages of our much-awaited annual. I excitedly pored over its glossy pages to hunt for pics of old classmates, orgmates, and friends, as well as those of batchmates who I never actually met before I joined JVP (but who I now consider to be my good friends). I alternately laughed and marveled at the accuracy of some of the write-ups. I was also constantly surprised to learn some tidbits about some of my batchmates who I only became friends with after college. But generally, based on the write-ups vis-à-vis what I know of my batchmates at present, it seems that (almost) everyone has, in one way or another, become an improved version of his/her younger self.:)

When I came across my own write-up, I almost didn’t want to read it.:) And when I did, I was sort of cringing all the while, because: (1) some of it doesn’t sound like me (the way I know myself now); and (2) a lot of it does sound like me. Harhar. In other words, it made me acknowledge that, indeed, a lot has changed (especially in terms of the exteriors), but at the same time, the core of me is still very much intact. And it is that very same core that has enabled me to grow into the person that I am today.

As Rosing used to tell the volunteers:

“We do not really change.
We only become more of who we ought to be.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It’s funny, but all this yearbook business has made me realize that I am now actually in the same boat as my circa ’97 self (when I just graduated from college). Like the fresh-grad POL, I just finished an important chapter in my life—one of academic import at that. Also, like in those days, I am presently a bum. Harhar. But at the same time, I’m chasing a dream, waiting in the wings for a chance to fulfill a promise to myself. Life has never seemed so full of possibilities.

In fact, these past four weeks have been some of the least stressful ones in my adult life. Not that I had a lot of down time. There was always something to do or somewhere to go to. But the big difference was that I had complete control of my time, and I can choose to do whatever I wanted to do, when I wanted to do it. In short, there was little time pressure. Even the revisions I had to do with my thesis, and the processing of my final revised manuscript, proceeded in my own pace, my own time.

Like many things in life, such arrangement has its advantages and disadvantages:

Main advantage: I can do all the nothing I want--the kind of nothing that actually amounts to something valuable. In the past three weeks, I’ve been able to catch up with friends from almost all areas of my life. Three weeks ago, it was JVP gimmick week. Two weeks ago, I got to spend quality time with my friends, ex-officemates and former “kids” from Pathways. Last Friday, I watched a lovely play where some of my buddies from my home orgs—ACIL, JVP and Pathways—were present. (And some of them didn’t even know each other before that day.) Then, just last weekend, it was road-trip and food-trip galore in Quezon with my high school classmates!

Main disadvantage: Dwindling funds! Although I’m still (thankfully) not in the red, I realize that my savings can only take me so far, especially at the rate that I’ve been spending my money on "rest and recreation" activities these days. And with the effects of E-VAT soon to be kicking in, income-earning part-time work is something that I’d very much welcome these days.

Come to think of it, this is something that my 21-year-old self did not have to worry about.

Hmm, some things do change after all.:)

Yesterday was a day that revolved around boys, boys, and more boys. Hmmm, never thought I'd actually say that. Hehe. But yeah, that would be the best way to describe the first day of the month of October 2005. And it was a truly memorable one indeed.

The Blue Angels meet the Blue Eagles

The fun started with the morning's festivities at the Ateneo Grade School Fair which traditionally coincides with the school's celeration of the Feast Day of the Guardian Angels. I got invited to attend the salu-salo of Grade 1-Guijo (Maita's class), and boy, was I glad that I went. I do make it a point to visit the fair every year, but I never actually attended any of the classroom parties before. I didn't realize that those things could be so much fun, not only for the kids but for the parents, the guests and, may I say, the class adviser as well. The work that the teachers and parents put into the event was simply amazing! And the themes that each classroom had to adopt just added spice to it all. Maita's class, in particular, adopted the theme "UAAP" (basketball, in particular). As such, everything about 1-Guijo's celebration--from the kids' & parents' uniforms to the room decors to the party games--revolved around that theme. Every detail was painstakingly attended to. And all these just for a class party. I was impressed.ü

There were two highlights in that celebration, in my opinion. The first is the "Just Got Lucky" surprise dance number that the kids presented to their parents (yes, complete with dance movements straight from the Bagets era). The entire routine was, of course, led by their versatile class adviser who made it all the more interesting to watch.ü But really, the sight of dancing little kids was just sooo adorable! Evidently, their parents thought so too.ü


The second highlight was the parents' surprise to the kids. Just when they thought the party was ending, some of the Ateneo Senior team's basketball players came for a visit! These cagers are practically heroes in the eyes of the boys, so you can just imagine how excited they were when the players came. First to arrive was JC who stayed for a photo and autograph session with the kids. Then he had to leave to visit his brother's classroom, but not before promising to come back to show the boys how to dribble a ball.ü Then came LA, who could only spare a few minutes because he had to go to his brother's classroom as well. But he did stay long enough for a few autographs and a short photo session. Then JC came back for the promised "dribble" session. However because of lack of floor space, the kids and parents requested for more photo ops with him instead. He willingly obliged.

Throughout all these, Maita's bebe boys SWARMED around the players. Some chanted. Some had their t-shirts signed. And some pesky boys from other grade levels even "crashed" 1-Gujio's party to join in the fun and have their rubber shoes signed! And of course, the excited, doting parents (and equally excited guests such as myself) surrounded the little boys and clicked away with their cameras. It was an amusing sight. But a heartwarming one as well.ü

Here are some snapshots from that event: (Click photo to enlarge)






Needless to say, the arrival of some of the Blue Eagles raised the celebration level several notches higher. It was a big, big treat to both the kids and adults alike. It was a pity though that the other players couldn't come. Some had valid reasons, such as having to go to class or take an exam. But we were told that some weren't able to make it simply because they had a late night and, hence, had a hard time getting up from bed on a Saturday morning. Hehehe. Which reminded me that big as they are, these players are really just little boys too.ü They may be hardcourt stars who are idolized and even hero-worshipped by many, but at the end of the day, they are no different from Maita's bebe boys--not just because they all say "opo" all the time (harhar), but because they too need all the encouragement and guidance they can get. Hmm...I actually could name a couple of people who'd be more than willing to personally give them all the encouragement and guidance that they need. Hehe. But that's another story altogether.ü

Note: For more photos from this event, click here.


Big Boys with Big(ger) Voices

All things to all men, they say they are. And these past two nights, the Jesuits proved that that line is more than just a catchphrase that they use for recruitment purposes.ü They showed that aside from being priests/brothers, experts in their respective fields, and all-around geniuses, they too are talented singers and musicians, effective marketing people, and efficient waiters. Hmm... so okay, maybe I exaggerated a bit regarding the "efficient waiters" part. Harhar.

It was the 40th Anniversary of the Loyola House of Studies (LHS) and, instead of the traditional celebration, the Jesuits from the said house decided to hold a musical event that would feature homegrown SJ talents as performers. They set up the LHS lobby like a resto bar, with a small stage in front, several round tables and chairs, several couches, and several banigs (native mats) with throw pillows in front of the stage. Then, they aptly called the event "Cafe Loyola". And of course, like in most resto bars where bands hold their gigs, guests of Cafe Loyola had to pay a cover charge of P40.00 (consumable) upon entering the place. But for every extra order of any item-- a bottle of beer, a glass of wine, an order of turon, or a plate of chicharon-- one has to pay P40.00. Forty pesos, of course, stands for the number of years the LHS has been in existence. Clever, isn't it?

Turns out that the P40.00 ++ per person fee was very much worth it. After all, it's not everyday that you hear older Jesuits performing broadway or Sinatra songs, young novices singing to the hits of Evanescence or Hale, Jesuit scholars playing electric guitars, or the Father Provincial singing My Funny Valentine. And it's not everyday that one gets to place orders to Jesuit scholastics and see them struggle with balancing trays of food and drinks, thus giving a different meaning to the word "service". So yes, it was a very interesting night indeed!



The night was made even more worthwhile by the fact that JVPs--without actually planning to--came to the concert and found themselves huddled together right in front of the stage, sitting on banigs. Very JVP indeed! There must have been about 20 of us--including Fr. Kreutz!--who were present in the show. We could've held a GA or a JVP Mass right then and there.ü And in true JVP fashion, we were a bit rowdy too. Case in point: When everybody was shouting "More! More!" to the Father Provincial for an encore, the JVPs were saying "More [loud] funding [softer volume]! More funding!" Tama ba naman 'yon? Hehehe. But in fairness to us, we did behave properly when it mattered.ü

My only source of disappointment that evening was the fact that Kid (another brother) did not get to perform his Miss Saigon routine for us.:( Apparently, he did it the night before, and couldn't anymore because they had to stick to a different line-up that night. Too bad. He would've brought the house down with his "winning performance," as always. Other than that (and the fact that there were instrumental breaks that went on for too long), I have no complaints. It was a superb night of music! All the performers (well, almost all) were amazingly gifted with musical and vocal abilities. It made us wonder whether having a "good singing voice" is part of the criteria for accepting one into the order. Come to think of it, I really wouldn't be surprised if it is.ü

Note: For more pictures from this event, click here.

"For all that has been—Thanks! For all that shall be—Yes." This quote by Dag Hammarskjöld best summarizes Fr. Ben Nebres’ message to the ADMU community during the send-off mass in honor of the 3 basketball teams held last Saturday evening. 'Thanks’ for a wonderful UAAP season, with all its ups and downs, struggles and victories, he said. And ‘yes’ to whatever we might face from now on.

That, of course, happened a night before the teams’ appearance in the UAAP Final Four matches. By now, it’s no secret what the results of Sunday’s games were: The Lady Eagles made it to the finals (hurray!), the Blue Eaglets will face UPIS once more for another crack at a finals berth, and the Blue Eagles finally bowed out of Season 68 with another heartbreaking loss to DLSU.

Of all those games, it was the loss of the Seniors’ team to their archrivals that affected the Ateneo community the most. Every other Atenean that I know was devastated by it, to say the least. In fact, after the ADMU-DLSU game, my friends and I had to have an extended “venting session” at Pizza Hut Bistro-Gateway and Starbucks-Katipunan to find some sort of "closure".ü We also went to visit the Church of Gesu to seek solace. Hehehe. I guess nobody from our circle really expected our team's title bid to end so abruptly. Sure, I initially didn’t expect the Seniors’ team to make it as far as the Final Four this year. After all, the team is, by and large, still composed of relatively untried players (who barely got playing time last year) under a new coach (even though that coach is the legendary Norman Black). But then, the team’s tremendous improvement midway into the season—which enabled them to sustain a 7-game winning streak—suddenly woke me up to the fact that the Season 68 Championship was within the team’s reach. And in truth, against most of the other schools, the Eagles played splendidly and effectively, especially in terms of defense. But the fact remains that against their archrival La Salle, our boys were simply INTIMIDATED. To put it simply, DLSU has a more cohesive and better conditioned team. I don’t care for their players’ half-court/off-court antics, but one has to admit that they really had the Eagles’ number this year.

But then again, regardless of the Blue Eagles' frustrated bid for the title of UAAP champs, Fr. Ben’s message still holds. There are, after all, many things to be thankful for this season. The team’s collective effort has become more visible this year, resulting to many won games. Players who used to squander the ball a lot have now become go-to-guys in their own right. Even the second stringers have stepped up and contributed quality minutes coming off the bench. And of course, no one can forget the heart and intensity shown by veterans LA Tenorio and Magnum Membrere, who gave their all even when the odds were up against them (especially in the last game against DLSU). For all these, 'Thank you, Blue Eagles!' And true, this may be the end of the UAAP season, but there will be many other future endeavors in which to learn and grow. It is, in many ways, the beginning of better things to come. And to that, we say, 'Yes, we are ready!'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Days after the send-off mass for the basketball teams, I realized that Fr. Ben’s message applies to my own affairs as well. Just last Friday, I finally defended my thesis before a brilliant and very gracious panel of experts in the field of social psychology and social development. Thankfully, the result of my defense was way better than that of the ADMU Seniors’ team. Harhar. So yes, after the long, seemingly endless race that was my thesis (and my masteral studies for that matter), I can now safely say that I've finally crossed the finish line.ü And for that, I am truly, truly grateful—not only to my adviser and panelists, but to all those who offered their assistance, support and encouragement throughout the past 7 months. Of course, just like any thankful person, I celebrated the occasion by making the most of the weekend that has just passed. Saturday night, after the mass at Gesu, I had dinner with my ex-officemate Alex at Gayuma. Then, we joined some of our Pathways friends at Zak’s House, spent some time at Saguijo Bar in Makati, then went back to Zak’s house for a few drinks and loads and loads of laughter until the wee hours. The next day, Sunday, my basketball buddies and I met up earlier than usual to prepare to go to Araneta, grab a quick lunch, and cheer our hearts out during the games (both the Juniors' and the Seniors'). And although our team lost, we did manage to cheer each other up. For this gift of companionship, I truly am thankful as well. 'For all that has been—Thanks!'

Now, my post-thesis defense celebration period (as well as the “mourning” period for ADMU’s loss ü) has come to an end. Another chapter in my life is about to (hopefully) begin. As of yet, I’m not quite sure how it will unfold. But as always, I sure am ready to be taken for one exciting ride. 'For all that shall be—Yes.'