I’ve been at a lost as to how I was going to write here again. I needed something compelling…like my batch’s basketball team’s first EVER win. It was three years in the making, their second to the last game as a team. 51-61. It was an awesome game with everyone contributing and Peter unexpectedly making such great plays. He was the embodiment of the team: I think he was good all along but yesterday was his time to shine.

We were all screaming and jumping around and taking pics after the game. One would think we just won the championship. It sure felt that way.

This summer was definitely one of the best I had in terms of productivity and just sheer fun. Too bad it’s over.

Classes started last Wednesday. We were expecting an ‘orientations only’ first day so we didn’t realize that we were getting a lecture until it was already halfway through a doctor’s discussion of integrated management of childhood illnesses. After class, I finally left losersville and saw Iron Man.

I like third year so far. I’ve finally moved to my bigger, cheaper new dorm room. My friends live nearby so I won’t feel as alone as I did last year. I didn’t get a tv or an internet connection, my biggest time wasters last year, but I’ll be online on most weekends. I’ll do my best to still visit all your blogs.

~
Watch this!

I was the girl on top. I sat on my friend’s shoulder while she sat on our other friend’s shoulder. We first tried this out on a pool during our last immersion in Pampanga. It was a lot harder to do with the waves crashing on our bodies so we were really happy in the clip.

This was taken in Puerto Galera. I was there with three of my friends last May 6-8. It was a trip I thoroughly enjoyed. We stayed at Whitestone resort where even though we just used the room for sleeping, just the cr was worth every peso we shelled out. Aside from hitting the beach several times, we got henna tattoos, rode a banana boat,

went to Tamaraw falls and swam in ice-cold water, shopped at the local wet market, cooked sinigang, went snorkeling, had a pre-birthday celebration and got full body massages. On our last night, we laid our sarongs on the sand, lay down ourselves and just hangout until 4:30am. 300 photos and 11 shooting stars later, we were back in Manila just as it was getting drenched by heavy rains.

I was out of the house almost every day until classes started. I had my lessons per usual, I hang-out with a friend (oh hai Red!) at Starbucks making logos among other things (we were still sorta productive, right?) and I had to move all my stuff to my new dorm.

Last May 11, I attended my friend’s graduation party turned mini high school barkada reunion. She graduated cum laude from UPLB and she’s entering law school this June. My other kabarkada also graduated cum laude from UP-D last April. I’m so proud of both of them. Another kabarkada is going to take up med at USTe this June. I swear everyone in my high school barkada is an overachiever.

Yesterday, I went to the annual MIND (Movement of Idealistic and Nationalistic Doctors) convention. I was alone when I went there last year. At least this time I was with a couple of students from the college. I think last year’s convention was better though I must say I was thoroughly entertained by the accomplished Dr. Tony Oposa.

MIND is organized by Dr. Willie Ong. I don’t always agree with what he preaches (especially his love tips) and I admit to raising an eyebrow at his decision to endorse VitaHeart but he’s a guy whose good intentions have won me over. I admire his passion to help people. And though he seems ordinary, he has done an enormous amount of good.

This rock was a hit with my family cause it looks like it’s flipping you off. We picked it up on the beach on the second day of our family/mini-baranggay outing in Subic. I know it looks like something else. But I didn’t point it out ’cause I was with my very young cousins.

The first day was an epic waste of time. And on our last day, my newly retired grandfather decided to give us a “tour” of the place. We went around in circles with the highlights being:

“This is where my office was (abandoned building).”
“This is where we ate breakfast/lunch/dinner/merienda.”
“I frequented this casino (repeat several times).”
“I bought canned goods here.”

And from my uncle: “This is where I parked and slept while waiting for him.”

Fun times.

It wasn’t all bad though. The 3 hour (11am-2pm=sunburn!) swim was fun. And I got my tong-its game back. But one of the best things I did was hang-out on the swings with my sister and tita. We were discussing our future (lalim, pare).

My sis is graduating this year and my tita is an incoming nursing junior. What we all have in common is our desire for independence. We all recognize our family’s inability to let go off their offsprings. My tita calls it ‘close family ties’, I want to call it emotionally unhealthy. So far, the only proven effective ways to move out has been through marriage and/or rebellion, none of which works for me. I plan to move out without marrying anyone or becoming a bigger black sheep than I already am. I will leave the country for independence.

Escape Plan:

• Third year in med school
• Clerkship/Junior Internship
• Internship + Phil Board Exams
• USMLE
• Residency in the US
• Practice for a year or two or come back immediately
• Take up Multimedia Arts.

My sis is choosing between getting a job or taking up a second course (Advertising/HRM/Culinary Arts/a fashion related course) or taking up a masters degree. But she is ardent about running her own hotel someday. My aunt also has plans to go abroad. We might even leave on the same year. When we come back, we all considered moving in together.

Anyway, as Shari’s multiply site says, one shot at a time. The first thing on the list starts in two weeks but the most urgent thing at hand is a trip to the beach with my friends. More sunburn, overlapping tan lines and hopefully more than 3 hours of fun.