Sniffing Good Morning Coffee

As I drag myself into waking up this morning, I thought today feels just like any ordinary day. Just like any regular day, a cup of coffee with a few bites of bread/cake. It isn't like an extraordinary day when I feel like shouting "Good Morning" to everyone. Today, a smile and a hello would do. But then I sniffed a loophole somewhere and thought of several things I am thankful for over the past days.

There was no telling how I could ever pass that chemistry exam, but for some divine intervention, I did and somehow and in some way, I am filled with hope once again. Now I am in good energy to really rock my professor's world as I prepare for our third exam. My professor emailed me my score, and really, I find it thoughtful of him to have replied with my score even if i did not ask for it. Oh and I know how hard he tries to make us learn chemistry with ease if possible, but then I think the very concept of chemistry is just hard to imagine just as atoms are hard to fathom (atom-fathom-phantom-atom). I just need to learn where those electrons are coming from, and to which direction do they go when they're hungry? And why are electrons donated? why are they withdrawn? It's like they try to talk to me sweetly and comfortingly but that it's in a different harsh language and so I don't get to appreciate what it tries to tell me. I just wish chem and I gain a little chemistry so I understand him better.

And then there was my UPCM interview. It was also Kuya Herbert's deliberation day, and my mom had a hard time getting us both ready for the day. I think between the three of us, she was the most stressed. My brother and I debated who will have mom for the day. I won just because he's a giving brother, and he resorted to have dad with him instead (in spirit, of course). It was a marvelous day for us both. Well, i guess a semi-marvelous for me since I don't know the results yet. The interview caused me both anxiety and comfort, and now that it's done, everything is abandoned to Him. After the interview, my mom and I rushed to my brother's deliberation. He was the only student who had his family with him. We got there late. Jurors were already asking him. And can I just say, I'm so proud of my brother! He did very well. I was wondering where he got his answers to their questions, because during the preparation, it did not seem like he thought of those details. I must say, it was a suave delibs for him. He impressed everyone, and he deserves his award, Best Thesis.

And well the last thought I have in mind is how I'm thankful for a longtime friend. It's wonderful to have seen him mature and grow up to be that high-spirited young man. It was a rough start for our friendship, but who would have thought we'd be as good friends as we are right now. After all those drama and shiz, you finally grew a little humor in your stash. To you: Live your music well, sing your life with cheer and simplicity. And this drama, which i don't know why i'm doing, only wishes to thank you for being such a true friend. Really. Thanks, Dino.

e: i have a riddle for you!

e: what has 2 heads, 2 noses, 8 legs and a tail?
k: ehm, i don't know. what?
e: it's a cowboy on a horse!
k: but that's just 6 legs!
e. oh. i thought people have 4 legs.
k: you have 4 legs?
e: *looked down* nope, only 2.
k: whew!

Of Mermaids and Princesses

e: i believe in fairies and mermaids and princesses!

k: *whisper* i'm a princess

e: really? who's your prince?

k: i don't have a prince yet.

e: aww well that's sad.

k: no, it's not.

haha i was not fighting with the kid. i thought to myself, do i need a prince to be a princess? i thought i only need to be a king's daughter to be a princess. and that alone made me happy. :) 

I like fairytales, but not to the point of living one for myself. i never believed in happy endings, but I believe in happy beginnings that's never ending. If i were to write my own fairytale, I'd start it with "Today, Karen woke up with a smile. Blah blah blah" instead of starting with "Once upon a time..." So that everytime it's read, it's as if my fairytale starts over and over again; starting with a smile, ending with a smile again as the princess gets to sleep. The setting will not go beyond a day, because just as I try to live my life, I go from one day to another, enjoying the here and the now.

"And she lived her day as happily as she could."

ogre chem.

sometimes it feels like i can predict what you'll say next. like when i try to read you, i nod and feel i understand what you try to tell me. i respond to you so you know i do understand. i don't get much response from you, but i was close to being convinced that we were digging each other well. 

oh chem. why do you have to make me feel this way? why make it appear like i know you enough, when in truth, you hide a lot of things from me. quit playing games with my head.

Be Informed: A Prelude

The issue on the RH Bill has not yet waned. Though I have not heard much of it from my friends, people in the congress are still on it, advocates of both sides are still fighting for what they believe in, and all of us under the law are still affected by it.

The thing is, this issue is not just an opinionable matter wherein you're asked whether you're PRO the bill or AGAINST the bill, and then you choose. It's also not about hearing both sides and deciding which is good for you. These are not enough. You have to know what the bill exactly states. You don't just trust anyone telling you what it is about, or worse, to simply believe what they say it fights for. You will be enthralled by how they put it always in the positive note, or discouraged by how the against group is always contradicting what the pro bill would say. The thing is, to be convinced is not the best way to form a conviction. To have conviction is not merely to be encouraged/discouraged to believe in something, but to actually own what you know, own what you want to happen, believe in it and you act on it. 

I understand how doing that will not exactly win me people to side with me in opposing the bill. I also understand that there are people who have real conviction on pushing the bill to be passed. But for that matter, the point is for people to know what they are standing for, not to be indifferent, at the same time, not to be closeminded. 

Given the picture that both sides claim they are pro-life, pro-family, and pro-choice, how would you know to which should you side on? The easiest way is to know both of their proposals, and see what's more convenient to follow. Sometimes we give in to what is surfacely appealing. But do we really know what the bill exactly states?

Given the situation that they both claim the same values, family, life and freedom, is there a way for you to know objectively what these values really mean? The answer is a big, bold YES. Know what it really means to value these three things, and see which side is being true to these values.

The RH Bill to me pretty much responds to the problems as if those were the only correct responses. I say, we be critical and see how these responses will make an impact to the society in the long run. And by impact, I mean it to be both positive and negative.

They say to be smart is to know the right things, I say to be wise is to be critical and know better how to go about the wrong things. It's not about hitting the question with the right answer, but a matter of changing your failed responses to a right and fitting response. 

15 liters

"If a liter of fruit juice can make 5 glasses, how many glasses can 3 liters make?"

e: 15?

k: 15 what?

e: 15 liters.

k:... hmm close, but that's not correct.

e: oh, 16 liters?

haha! ^.^

wisdom

"The great drama in life is the struggle to surrender the person I am to the person I ought to be" - Karol Wojtyla

Good Things

It's not necessary to see/experience evil to be able to appreciate the good. The good is beautiful in itself and it won't be difficult to appreciate it on its own. (Caro, 2009)

And I agree with her. Though contrast allows us to see things better, beauty or good in itself will reach a point wherein it's sufficient for you to appreciate it for what it is. Much like love --- you don't necessarily have to experience hatred or indifference in order to appreciate love. These abstract and intangible goods have their own beauty that no comparison nor contrast is needed.

Today

I choose to make every minute count.

4:30pm

and i'm counting the day by the minute. 

1-minute-blog entry

let's see how the rest of my day goes.

let's see how the rest of my 810 minutes go.

ho ho ho. happy ho day :)