Scary, Confusing Times

We live quite near Fort Bonifacio... and quite frankly, I'm scared to go out of the house. Late this afternoon we went out to buy supplies at the grocery, but a trip that was only supposed to take half an hour took two instead, thanks to re-routing due to blockades. We had to go through two checkpoints, NOT a pleasant experience. It's different seeing it on the news and seeing the crowd gathering in Fort Bonifacio firsthand. I'm so worried sick about all the goings on, and especially because there are so many fellow UP students who will be gathering in front of Oble tonight, preparing to rally tomorrow. I just pray that they will be safe.

Am I a coward for wanting to play it safe, for staying at home instead of fighting for freedom in the streets? I think not. I am a patriot, and I love my country dearly. But I do not believe that marching in the streets and going against the government is the way to save the country.

Busy busy (palagi naman e!)

Things I Did Within the Week:

1) Attended a master class with THE Evelyn Mandac (aaaaak!!)
2) Attended a lesson with THE Evelyn Mandac (aaaaaak again!!)
3) Attended a most interesting conference (The Art of Work) with scholars and student leaders from UP, DLSU, ADMU, PUP, UST, San Beda, basically all over
4) Had a lively debate on the topic: "Pinoy Big Brother is a social pathogen."
5) scrambled as usual to fulfill all academic requirements for my subjects for the week
6) managed to find time to read books 2 and 3 of the DUNE series
7) watched in horror as EDSA-Revolution-ish scenes were played on t.v.

Oh my, only three weeks left of classes. Oh no oh no. Am nowhere near ready for any of our voice lit class recitals.

Another ANAWIM outreach performance is scheduled for our Theater class next week Saturday, woohoo! Kaya namin ito.

Kababawan : Got a copy of the old DUNE movie today, what happiness! :)

Hmm...

A peaceful Sunday.

If you've got time, click on http://kevan.org/johari?name=gabitwin .

Last night, Tata and I watched my college's 90th anniversary concert at the CCP. It started at exactly 8 pm, and by 10 pm, it was only the intermission. Sad to say, I hadn't anticipated the length of the program (I estimate it would have ended at 11:30 or midnight), and we had to leave during the intermission because I had only asked permission to stay out until 10. Yup, Ms. Goody two shoes... that's me.

I can't post a review of the concert because I wasn't able to watch all of it. Sadness. Oh well. There's always next year.

Still... hearing Mozart's Ave Verum Corpus sung live, with a live orchestra, is really quite something.

Saw Before Sunset today, on t.v. What a fantastic movie!!? Made me rush to get a blank notebook and start scribbling my thoughts, longhand. Blogging is still not quite as fulfilling as writing in a REAL diary. I've missed scribbling. Will do it more often.

A Most Exciting Day

Finally, the weekend's here! I FINALLY have time for a quickie (a quick post, that is... you dirty minded reader, you...) :)

Set out extra early today, and got to my college at 6:50 a.m. I managed to reserve the ONE AND ONLY available practice room on Fridays, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m., and had a VERY productive 2 hour practice session. Afterwards, I was so tired and hungry, and a bit hoarse, but there's nothing like the feeling of contentment, knowing that one has practiced extremely well.

Tata and I set out from UP at 10 a.m. to have a look-see at ANAWIM, "the home for God's poor," for our Theater class outreach production there next Saturday. What we thought would be a quick trip turned out to be an ADVENTURE!?!?! We got lost countless times, and had to ask for directions from all sorts of people. The online map was far from accurate. It was also misleading. If you look at the time, you'd think ANAWIM was a couple of minutes away from Batasan. But NO!! It's all the way in Montalban, Rizal. Sa kabukiran, literally. Pictures to follow.

ANAWIM turned out to be a small but clean place, situated in the center of rolling hills and green fields. An ideal place for a retreat, really. The place was very quiet, and very spiritual. Tata and I got to see some of the people who now live in ANAWIM... and it was heartbreaking. The old and the autistic, all abandoned by their own families. Most likely, ANAWIM will be their last homes. I look forward to going back next Saturday, and I will NOT come empty handed.

Made our way back to UP with little incident, this time taking the LITEX route which turned out to be faster (saved half the travel time!!). I had been expecting the worst, and had resigned myself to coming late for my MuEd class. Luckily, I made it back to UP in time. I made a hurried trip to my locker, deposited some books, got the required readings, ran to the Office to buy my 3 palitaws from Miss O... and when I got to the classroom, there was this huge sign on the door: NO CLASS TODAY. REPORTING RESUMES TUESDAY.

Honestly, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Classmate Krina was so happy at the prospect of having free time, she was skipping up and down the hallway. Hehe.

I went back to the B.H. and did a lot of catching up reading. I am SOOOO behind, honestly.

At 5:30, went to pick up Tata at A.S. and then we proceeded to Archi, where we met up with the Arki peeps. The 11 of us somehow fit inside Richard's van, and we made our way to Shakey's Katipunan, where we had dinner to celebrate Rich's 20th birthday. Had LOADS of fun, and laughed myself hoarse at Christian's antics. Ate so much ice cream, I'm sick of the stuff. Talk about BOTTOMLESS ice cream!!

(Aside: Richard's birthday was on the 8th... and so was Enrico's and Kuya Reggie's. A joint shout out to my three friends!)

another week to face... haaaaay

I'm burning out. Only a college junior, with two more years to go before I graduate, and I am no longer as enthusiastic about facing the upcoming week as I once was.

(sigh) Compared to the 100% of before, I feel only 60% of the enthusiasm now.

On the bright side... I found the January 2005 issue of BBC's Music magazine for sale, only 100 pesos!?!??!?! With a free cd of Brahms and Schumann string quartets included??!?!?!??!?! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! :)

That made my day. :)

Belated Happy Birthday to my classmate, soprano Kimberly Kwok!

Goodbye Miss Page...

It was Joan Page's birthday on Friday, the 3rd. Her 81st. How I wish I could live as long as she, and look as gorgeous as she! She looks twenty years younger, I swear. She's leaving the country today, but I understand she's hoping to come back next year. I hope she comes back. :)

It was so nice to have met such a charming, generous and sweet woman. I call her a White Filipino, the polar opposite of the Brown American. She just happened to have been born white, but she is a true Filipina in her soul. She should be made an example of, and I only hope that when my Brown American countrymen hear of this American's love for all things Filipino, they will be ashamed of themselves.