Sa iyo, UP, Maraming Salamat

After a very hectic morning, I received a thank-you card from UP Office of Admissions for helping with UPCAT this year. This card is way cooler than the usual boring A4 sized letter they sent last year.

I wish the examinees good luck and hope that those who will qualify deserve to be in UP.

Mabuhay!

 

Sue Sylvester

I love her. I love her sarcasm, her wits, her attitude towards winning. Of course she’s nasty and works dirty, but she’s got the attitude.

Plus, she sounds like she’s the mother of Sheldon Cooper. Here are some of her witty lines

~

What kid is gonna choose glee club over football? It would be ridiculous.

You’re right, Will. I have been trying to destroy your club with a conviction I can only call “religious.”

I’ll often yell at homeless people: ‘Hey, how is that homelessness working out for you? Try not being homeless for once.’

Find your voice. Stomp that yard. All that crap.

Caning works! And I think it’s about time we did a little more of it right here… yes, we cane!

I’m going to ask you to smell your armpits. That’s the smell of failure, and it’s stinking up my office.

Your delusions of persecution are a telltale sign of early stage paranoid schizophrenia.

Every time I try to destroy that clutch of scab-eating mouth-breathers it only comes back stronger like some sexually ambiguous horror movie villain. Here I am, about to turn 30, and I’ve sacrificed *everything* only to be shanghaied by the bi-curious machinations of a cabal of doughy, misshapen teens

I love her. I love her sarcasm, her wits, her attitude towards winning. Of course she’s nasty and works dirty, but she’s got the attitude.

Plus, she sounds like she’s the (real) mother of Sheldon Cooper, only athletic. Here are some of her witty lines. Will try to upload more, later.

~

What kid is gonna choose glee club over football? It would be ridiculous.

You’re right, Will. I have been trying to destroy your club with a conviction I can only call “religious.”

I’ll often yell at homeless people: ‘Hey, how is that homelessness working out for you? Try not being homeless for once.’

Find your voice. Stomp that yard. All that crap.

Caning works! And I think it’s about time we did a little more of it right here… yes, we cane!

I’m going to ask you to smell your armpits. That’s the smell of failure, and it’s stinking up my office.

Your delusions of persecution are a telltale sign of early stage paranoid schizophrenia.

Every time I try to destroy that clutch of scab-eating mouth-breathers it only comes back stronger like some sexually ambiguous horror movie villain. Here I am, about to turn 30, and I’ve sacrificed *everything* only to be shanghaied by the bi-curious machinations of a cabal of doughy, misshapen teens.

 

What Sembreak?

I really can not believe it. Am I growing old already? No semestral break plans now. Very busy with archaeology and teaching. And even if I have time, I don’t have money to burn for travel. Have many responsibilities and bills to pay. I am really getting old.

 

How To Become an Ecotourist

• Travel in the spirit of humility, showing appreciation for things you see.
• In wilderness areas remain on marked trails, keep 20 to 30 feet (six to nine meters) from wildlife, do not take anything (plants, rocks, shells, seeds, animals), do not introduce anything (plants, seeds, animals) to the environment.
• Never litter or leave waste in a wilderness area; when at sea, don’t dump plastic or non-biodegradable garbage overboard.
• Don’t interfere with protected areas or scientific research.
• Remember your cultural background is one among many; show respect for the way other people think and do things.
• Study before you go, learning local customs and several phrases so you can be courteous and communicate with local people.
• Don’t expect or demand special privileges because you’re American.
• Respect the privacy and dignity of local people; ask before taking photos.
• Don’t bargain below fair price.
• Never purchase products made from endangered plants or animals, including orchids, cacti, sea turtles, crocodiles, snakes, lizards, pangolin (anteaters), ivory, wild birds and their skins and feathers, coral, furs of spotted cats, marine mammals and polar bears. For a specific list, contact the U.S. Customs’ “Know Before You Go” pamphlet.
• Don’t give local kids candy or encourage them to ask for handouts.
• Don’t make promises to local people that you cannot keep.
• Do support and contribute to local conservation efforts.
• Keep a travel journal to help you reflect on and remember your daily experiences.

Got this from: http://forests.org/archive/general/ecotrule.htm

 

Where to stay in Bandar Seri Begawan

In case you happen to stumble around (read:Backpack) Brunei – Bandar Seri Begawan area, YMCA Youth Hostel (Pusat Bellia) is actually open and running. I blog about this because this is where we actually stayed (being the cheapest place around, B$10) and that while reading Lonely Planet’s Southeast Asia on a Shoestring 2008 Edition (latest), it states that it is closed.

The only problem with Pusat Bellia is that usually there is no receptionist to accomodate guests. We waited for 30 minutes and literally no one is around! But it’s cheap and the rooms have air-condition and the rest rooms (shared) are clean. Men aand women have different hallways though. But most likely you are the only people here so there’s no problem.

 

Hello.

So much have happened. I can’t even remember most of them.
September passed by — and I cant recall what I did.

Oh probably teaching & attending my geology classes  & worrying about my lab paper.

In fact, I have a theoretical and practical exam for my geology in a few hours time. But I’m too lazy to read or review.

Will still be v. busy in the following months, but I will try to update this blog once in a while. I’m more active in twitter as well.

Later, WordPress.

 

Thanks to Twitter

You see, few days ago I posted via Twitter another archaeology frustration: lack of online scholarly articles available to UP. I have been following the Biblical Archaeology Review at Twitter when it followed me ages ago. While checking my references for an article I was doing, I was surprised that one of them was published by BAR, and so I posted this:

A few days later…

You just don’t know how ecstatic I was, getting the  free article I very much needed. And the publisher itself giving it to me! I was extremely happy when I actually received a mail!

See? Twitter can help even in our academic endeavors! LOL.

Thank you, Biblical Archaeology Review for the article.

 

Sorry for ranting.

I post this so I may remember my sacrifices.

To be honest, I never knew taking up Masters in Archaeology would be this hard. I’ve spent last summer in Batangas and there I learned what hardship meant. (Seriously. The fieldwork itself is not difficult, just some people around.) In archaeology I have learned how to deal with difficult circumstances, and most especially difficult people. It’s really hard for me because I also have a full time (& very demanding) work.

And in all fairness to me, I have sacrificed a lot for the sake of my studies. It dawned to me only last night how much time, energy, and efffort I have given (most of which never seemed to be reciprocated).

You see, yesterday was Saturday. Saturday meant free day, rest day, friends day. But every saturdays starting last June was spent at the discussion room of our hall, studying geology, usually for six bloody hours. It was okay for me, most of the time, since I have always loved the sciences. However, I was more than tired when I went to class yesterday since Friday before that was a field activity of my another laboratory class. We traveled 300+ kms for 18 friggin hours. I woke up 3am friday night and slept 11pm that day.

And then that Saturday geology class. To make things worse, a lot of my friends seem to miss me. I was invited to the following:

- Claire, Rea, and Reza invited me to Dolce at Timog (which we scheduled a week ago)
- Andrew, Carla, and Harmond invited me to Lasertag
- Nike who’s going to London sooner invited me for a dinner
- Oliver and his family are going out to dinner at Racks
- Lala and her friends are going to Tagaytay
- even my geology prof invited us to Sarah’s for a drinking session

Imagine, all of that for yesterday! And you know what? I turned them all down!!! I was close to tears because it is not me to refuse meeting up and socializing with friends. But I am dead tired by 2pm. I arrived home at 5pm, had a dinner, check my mails, then slept with a heavy heart.

My graduate school could have been easier and more bearable if not for some negative people. I’ve met some girls who’d gossip other people’s lives and I am not comfortable with that. They love to rumour about other people and God knows they talk about me too behind my back! I just think that if they have issues, why can’t they tell that to that person? I am close to snapping, I promise.

Sometimes, to justify everything, I just tell to myself that if this doesn’t kill me, it will only make me a better person. I see this as a challenge I need to overcome. I will not quit.

I want to be archaeologist, yes. I wanted to be an archaeologist, more than, and among, many other things. But I’m starting to get frustrated.

 

In between work, I (may) blog.

Like this hazy lazy rainy afternoon. I am currently at UP Main Library, and have been here since past 1:00pm. I am semi-productive: in between researching and writing, I am tweeting, plurking, facebooking; I have downloaded the latest Firefox, tried Google Chrome. Stalked people at Tumblr.

I blog now to share some reasons for making me look forward the succeeding tomorrows:

1. Powerbooks have been on Sale since July (?). I got a few books and will post them after the end of the month, because I am not done with bookshopping, because:

2. National Bookstore will hold its annual Sale on the last week of August (meaning this weekend?!) according to the salesperson I met last night at Glorietta 5. I was supposed to buy The Last Lecture but she advised me to buy when they are on sale na.

3. August, then September, then October!!! I am soooo looking forward for October because that would mean that hell  first semester would be over na!!! Yehey!! Yahoo!

4. BTW if my annual body calendar is still in function, my instincts tell me that Mango will hold a sale in September. I am not (surprisingly) looking forward to fashion sales lately because as what Ros have told me last friday, I have to “replenish my wealth” after the backpacking trip we had.

I would most likely blog again tomorrow afternoon after my classes. For now I am to resume my semi-productive day. (By finalizing the semester’s teaching schedule).

 

Today I Turn A Year Older.

Last year was a blast.

My lifesong was Avenue Q’s Album, because I am an embodiment of the whole musical. 

It’s one of the most memorable year of my life.

To be perfectly honest, I cannot even believe myself when I realized I’m just 22 last year (Seriously, I’m only 22?!). Then again, I also cannot believe that I am already 23. (What have I done with my life so far? I’m already done with 1/3 of my life!)

I welcomed my birthday this year by getting broke, going somewhere really unfamiliar, with only one backpack, some few bucks, and a laptop with me. It is life-changing and awakening, to say the least.

And today, I woke up 5.30am with a jetlag (since I only arrived yesterday evening) . Went to the university, gave my students an exam. Later, I will reply to the dear people who messaged me a birthday greeting. This afternoon I will start writing the historical background of our archaeological site at Batangas. In the evening, me and my colleagues and friends are having a small dinner. After dinner, I will write some lessons I learned from the trip. (Which I will also post here.)

This year there will be no drama, only adventures. I never had an easy life, and I will not pray to have one. Because if I’m always, always, in my comfort zone, then how will I grow? So I accept all the challenges life has planned for me, and I plan to conquer it all. I’m done with whining and pleasing people and holding myself back for the sake of others. I will stop insisting and I will let go of things not useful, things lost, things making me feel negative.

I am forever grateful to God for making me feel sad and suffer at times because how can I experience the fullness of joy if I dont know how pain feels like? He made me live the way I am supposed to live: Carrying daily struggles and struggles of my life, and at the same time, the opportunity to maximize myself. I do not blame God for all the misfortunes my life had (and boy, they were big!) because I believe God won’t give us a burden we cannot overcome.

So even though, there are times when I wish I wasn’t born this way and in this context, I am still thankful to God. It made me who I am today.

This year, my lifesong is: Drive by Incubus.

 

I’ll see you soon, WordPress.

“Adventure is a path. Real adventure – self-determined, self-motivated, often risky – forces you to have firsthand encounters with the world. The world the way it is, not the way you imagine it. Your body will collide with the earth and you will bear witness. In this way you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness and bottomless cruelty of humankind – and perhaps realize that you yourself are capable of both. This will change you. Nothing will ever again be black-and-white.”

 - Mark Jenkins

 

Hay, World.

Hello WordPress. I miss you. I have so much to say to you but there are a lot of things to do first. Will talk to you soon. I promise.

 

All I Want for My Birthday Is This:

Marshalltown 4″ Heavy Duty London Style Pointing Trowel w/ Archaeology Holster

Forged from a single piece of high carbon steel

Good for cutting compacted sediment & compressed soils

Tempered, ground, & polished

Extra Stiff blade

Holster made of rugged construction with long-wearing protective insert and riveted belt loop

~

My birthday is next month pa naman so you have time to buy it online and ship it to Manila! (Yes, sadly it is not available here.)

Yay! Thanks in advance. xx Hahahaha

 

 

Now, if only “MMDA Art” Looks like this.

Photos taken during our Manila Photoshoot.

And our last message to the politicos pushing for that stupid Con-Ass:

 

Keychains & Travels

Why is it that when friends travel abroad, they usually give you keychains as pasalubong? Do they remember you when they see keychains at markets abroad? Do they know how clumsy you are losing keys so they buy you tons of keychains?

Take this image, for example:

tralalakeychainsgalore

(Mask Key Chain from Korea, Three Keychains from SG, Thailand Keychain)

These are keychains given to me by various friends. WHAT WILL I DO WITH THESE? They did not give me any other choice but to start another useless collection of Keychains From Around The Planet.

This sunday, three friends are flying to Singapore for a conference. I specifically asked them NOT to buy me keychains! Hahaha. Because one more and I can put up a store!

I would like to thank my friend JJ for being creative enough to buy me these cute elephant and turtle jade figurines from Thailand and the crystal rosary from Myanmar (having Myanmar goods is a luxury, since only few foreigners are allowed in the country as of the moment. JJ volunteered for WHO last summer).

 
 

Ako kaya, when can I travel abroad and buy keychains for friends? 

—

Tomorrow, Laffy’s gonna have a baby sister! I’m excited and ecstatic! Hope she turns out to be good!