Signed Blooms

These questions are like haunting, right? Those are the first two questions Sophie got from a man named Alberto Knox. These are simple questions that become complicated the more you think about them. It’s like the more you try to find an answer the more you can’t think of a valid, concrete one.

Sophie's World is like my "all-people-on-earth-should-read" book. It was just the "perfect" book, well at least for me the first time I read it. (I was then a high school student, turning 15, like Sophie.)

Just imagine how Gaarder allows the reader to play an important role and be a part of the story. Oh, man! It's just amazing - asking yourself those haunting questions like Sophie did, and reading Sophie's story together with Hilde (in Hilde's world) while reading the latter's story at the same time in your own world—it's just insane! It's like you've become so eager to see what's written on the last three pages to end this whole craziness but you can't because you know Hilde feels the same way but she bears it, reading words after word, page after page, and you want to prove that you can bear with her and thus can do nothing but try to cease all the excitement you feel inside.

However, I think only those who love philosophy or at least once wonder about the mystery of life will bother to finish reading it. It's the kind of book that is very interesting for those who are into it but is very, very boring for those who are not.

I'm sure fans of Sophie's World think that those who read it but did not come to like this book are kind of odious. Haha. And I'm not excluding myself. It's like screw them 'cause they don't give a damn about life, Philo and stuff. Haha. But yeah, we have different interests and we should respect that. But still, it's just...hmm...a shame.

Well, after all it's my "all-people-on-earth-should-read" book. I'm sure you'll feel the same way for your own too.

"It might sound like Augustus trying to justify himself to Hazel but still, I hope, someday, I can look up the sky and say, "Aha, I lived a fruitful life. I'm thankful...deeply thankful."

It has been more than a week since the commencement exercises. It wasn't the best graduation ceremony ever and surprisingly, way less fun than what I've expected.


College Recognition

Imagine sitting alone on the last row of the seats allotted to graduates with no seatmate to talk to for the entire program! Take my sablay off and I'm no different from parents and guests who were arguing for seats. Poor me! And not to mention, that at least two of the other graduates and I was wearing the same dress. Haha. It's a relief that I don't know them.

Commencement Exercises

I admit that the commencement exercises is a bit better than the college recognition (and so is the medal). If it wasn't for those tactless people sitting at the back, the event could be much better. And also, being called after the cream of the crop, isn't a good thing really. Everyone thinks I kinda looked pitiful considering the difference in our cheers. Hahaha. I didn't notice it when I was on stage so it didn't really bother me until they told me that. I guess there are times when you wish to graduate without the laude thing after your name.



But still, graduation is a good thing. That sense of accomplishment makes everyone feels fulfilled, not just the graduates but their parents as well.

And because we're now graduates, we can have our photo taken with Oble without having to worry about the curse of delayed graduation. Seems like a tradition for me. We also had our photo taken with these famous sunflowers that blooms during graduation time.

Yes, it is a good thing though it haunts us to find ourselves and be more independent. And because our degree program spares us from taking a board exam, we start to wonder what to do now...where to go next?

"UP Life? Yes, it's full of uncertainties...but that's what makes it so exciting! Happy graduation! Congrats to all of us! Aja, aja! Gambatte!"

That was the last paragraph of the acknowledgment section of my SP docs I was writing a few days ago. Yes, that's right! Magsasablay na ako! I'm part of the BIG day and only God knows how happy am I.

Submitting hardbound and CD copies of my thesis last Tuesday cemented my name on the list of this year's graduates.

Final Requirements for Graduation

Yes, they're all green, one of my favorite colors, ang kulay ng tagumpay for Batch 2014 UP Manila Computer Science graduates.

After four years of barely surviving UP life, I finally MADE it. It's been a rocky and tiring journey, indeed. To those who've been part of this joy ride, thank you. 진심이야.

The university will not set my calendar from now on. Form 5 will not dictate my schedule anymore. Woaah... [insert my name here] is all grownup. But let's not concern ourselves about those matters in the meantime. I just want to enjoy the present to its fullest.

I congratulate all the graduates. And to those who are still struggling, this post is for you, too. You're almost there, I know that. Konting push na lang. Aja!

God has always been good to me that I received much much more than I deserve. Thank You.

행복 해요... 정말 행복 해요.

Because of our country's complex history reflected by our different cultural heritages, Filipinos became a group of people with different beliefs and traditions. From Catholicism to Islam among various religions, from political to social institutions we are divided by different ideologies and philosophies. 

One of the places where one is sure to witness and experience Filipinos' various beliefs is the so-called "Holy Mountain" - Mt. Banahaw. It is a three-peaked volcano complex located between the provinces of Laguna and Quezon. The mountain is a popular pilgrimage site and millenarian sanctuary.

Green and Ripe Raspberries at Bangkong Kahoy Valley

[1] Secular Religions. In Rational Wiki. Retrieved from http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Secular_religions#Environmentalism_as_a_religion on March 5, 2014.

[2] F. Quibuyen. (1991). “And woman will prevail over man:” Symbolic sexual inversion and counter-hegemonic discourse in Mt. Banahaw - The case of the Ciudad Mistica de Dios. Retrieved from http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/handle/10125/15378/801.And?sequence=1 on March 5, 2014.