This year, as any other year, was filled with ups and downs. But if I summed everything up, I can say that I’ve been happy in 2007. This year was not about denying my emotions or the circumstances I’m in but about deciding what I do with them. I chose to be responsible for my happiness. And somehow, I was…and I am.

But I guess I will always remember 2007 as the year I chose to face a certain truth about myself and, to a certain extent, embraced it.

~
Highlights of the Year

• I graduated cum laude.
• I got through my first year of med school. And I’m beginning to visualize myself as a doctor, finally.
• We formed the new college publication, starting my possible journalism career as the Art&Graphics editor and as a contributing writer.
• My team won the year level quiz bee and I was part of the team that won 2nd place in the college quiz bee.

But I slacked off during most of my second year so I have a lot of catching up to do.
Me in 2008 = + !

It’s also worth noting that this has been my most prolific year in my almost 5 years of blogging even though I was only active in April, May, November and December.

Relationships-wise, 2007 was a huge improvement over 2006. I was able to mend broken friendships and establish better relationships with my classmates. I remained in touch with my barkada and I was even able to reconnect with old friends. But more importantly, I shared this year with people I care about.

Though the last few days have been stressful and harrowing, I am left with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude. For the the year that is about to end, and for the one about to begin. For another year of opportunities. To love. To change. To be.

As the last remaining hours of the year come to pass, I find myself thinking of RENT. Indeed, there is no other way to measure a year or the entirety of our lives than by the amount of love we have given and by the amount that we have been privileged to receive.

Happy New Year to all! :)

I can’t have the entry on bitterness and wankers be the one up on this special holiday. :)

Happy Christmas everyone!

Today was “talk-down-to-us” day, from our statistics lesson in commed to the formation activity we had this afternoon. That’s a total of 6 hours of being presented basic statistics and basic Catholic/Christian/Lasallian concepts as if we were encountering them for the first time. We we’re actually asked to collectively read a piece called “You’re Special” (…you’re special..you’re rare… and like anything rare you have value…). And while I actually agree with the sentiment, the way it was presented to us was downright insulting (condescending! condescending! condescending!). Anyway, I’ll cut this rant here. I don’t want to have the headache I slept off to recur.

Just for Tonight

I’ve been busy this past week with our exams (as usual) and with the production and solidarity committees for the college’s yearly interbatch talent competition (JFT). Aika’s and my ideas were hits that night. A lot of people loved the batch shirt we designed. Even the other batches and doctors wanted to know how they could get one. Our other idea was to incorporate several live action Super Mario scenes (inspired by this) and to incorporate Kasou Taisho, the show behind this and this and this, on our play/production. My classmates choreographed several fight scenes using the fake special effects concept. We had tons of technical difficulties but we were the only batch who got the whole room laughing.

The first years’ play run very smoothly. And I loved the third years’ production. It was smart, well-written, well-acted and funny. We knew we’d most probably get last place as most batches do on their second year (due to time constraints). We were prepared to lose the production and the chorale but we expected to win the solidarity (which we did win) and band awards. So when it was announced that our band “lost” by 0.5, a lot of us were disappointed and pissed. Even I was teary-eyed with rage. Nawalan kami ng gana. I personally felt it was disrespectful. Sobrang ibang level ang performance ng band compared sa other batches. The other bands were good but they weren’t good enough to beat our band. My batch had the better singers and the better musicians. They were the best band of the night. Period.

After the results were announced, there was a bit of a lag before the “winners” celebrated. I think everyone knew who deserved to win. This is something I’m not taking back should anyone from the winning batch/band come across this entry. /rant

After that, inuman hanggang umaga.

“The Golden Compass”

Yesterday, I went out to dinner with several of my friends and classmates, most of us not having had a decent meal for the last two days because of JFT. After dinner, 4 of us decided to watch The Golden Compass.

I loved the movie. While I don’t discount the existence of God, I am currently having issues with organized religions and so I agree with some of the movie’s sentiments. By now it’s obvious that I’m not in the mood to elaborate on anything so I’ll just share what my friend told me after the movie: the guy an empty seat away from her was masturbating the entire time. Yuck!! I told her he probably got off of the bears. Yep, it was definitely the bears.