What’s with the Pig flu scare??

I’m really not fund of watching t.v., and today, I am actually a lot more hesitant to give it a click, all because of the media’s narrowness on their swine flu reports.

Apparently, an average Filipino by now may die becuase of a heart attack or nervous breakdown by merely clicking his remote control. Imagine listening to how many people have been infected by A(H1N1) or Swine flu, or how many schools have been suspended because of a scare of an unsterile student, or much more the pandemic effect of the strain of the virus that can go on vacation inside your system by just taking a gasp of breath. Now tell me if the noodle won’t work? Sheesh. Is the media really trying to save lives out of information dissemenation or trying to kill a person by scaring off their last nerve?

According to World Health Organization (WHO), the overall severity of A(H1N1) pandemic influenza is MODERATE, based on scientific evidence available to them and from its Member States on the pandemic’s impact on their health systems, and their social and economic functioning.

Taken from their website, the moderate assessment reflects that:

• Most people recover from infection without the need for hospitalization or medical care.
• Overall, national levels of severe illness from influenza A(H1N1) appear similar to levels seen during local seasonal influenza periods, although high levels of disease have occurred in some local areas and institutions.
• Overall, hospitals and health care systems in most countries have been able to cope with the numbers of people seeking care, although some facilities and systems have been stressed in some localities

Now, I’m really not sure if these facts are stated on the news? I wonder what the mortality rate does this flu have to become so alarmed for in fact the Philippines experiences a lot of different kinds of flu especially at this time of the year where it rains and shines an hour after the other? I wonder how many people have died out of thousands that have been infected? Has it been reported that a lot of those who acquire the flu recovered? Has it been mentioned that there is a cure if you acquire the disease? Why does the media sensationalize only of the facts that could make your heart beat like a mad rabbit other than compensate the alarm?

Is the cause of the societies fear brought by the new influenza strain virus A(H1N1) and its moderate effect that could be prevented by precautionary actions? or is it because of the media who acts like Death Ripper or the Grim that would drive you to Hades?

Piapot Swine Flu

Creative Swap here I come!

After the long wait, I am finally in! Thanks to my sister PM and Caryn, Creative Swap here I come!

1. What kind of creative things are you into?

I really do love making personalized cards which mostly are drawn or beaded, cross-stitching, and paper folding (origami). Sometimes i do make key chains out of shells too!

2. How would you describe your personal style?

I love variations, i don’t usually stick to one style, anything goes.

3. What are your favorite colors?

My favorite colors are yellow, blue and white.

4. What is one craft you would like to learn?

This one is tough, i really would like to learn how to make flower arrangements and play piano, but i think it will never happen, so I might as well try painting!

5. What other hobbies are you into?

Well, besides burning my neurons, I love listening to the melodies played by the saxophone, and watching DVD’s! I also love reading literary folios which is comprised of different kinds of poetry. LOL

6. What items do you really wish you had right now?

I wish that i have a set of oil paints and brushes for my painting dream! or maybe different kinds of papers, inks and beads for my cards that I would really, really enjoy crafting!

So there you go whoever my creative swap partner will be. I am very very excited, I really can’t wait!

Hot or Cold?

It has always amazed me how ironic things can be and how relative truth can be taken.

Sometimes, you smile of the things that gives you warmth in the coldest of days, that warmth that embraces you and secures you out of any harm, and just wonder of its magnificence and endure the utmost serene feeling.

But it is also in my greatest wonders to see how things can turn around, how cold the warmth was turned, that cold sweat run down your spine and you can’t do nothing but stand still, frozen from the irony of life that the greatest things you have, are your biggest fears as well.

* * *

Please listen to this, I have been watching the DVD Korean series Boys Over Flowers, and bumped on to this lovely piece of music. I have always loved the sound of the saxophone, I hope it paints a smile on your face too!

Sedentary No More to come!

This week is my final week of vacation – no more, no less. And the past few days I really am pushing myself to enjoy things that I wouldn’t be able to do when classes starts. And I think I am doing quite a good job too! LOL

First, I am really not good with ‘techy’ stuffs. Though I know how to operate a computer, and log on to the internet, most of the times I brake techy things without even doing anything! (i think?) LOL

But anyway, you see the picture above is my character in ROSE (Rush On Seven Episodes) On Line, and since this Monday I have been able to hit it to higher levels. My sisters often teases me how much a wimp weak my character is since I wasn’t able to play it. But now I am taking the last laugh of the last laughs! The photo was taken when it was level 116, and now it’s 144! Now tell me if that wasn’t good?

Second, I was able to stay at home for the longest time without even thinking of deadlines or projects and reports that I have to do elsewhere. I was able to stay longer in my cozy bed that I share with my little sister Kulot, wake up around 10 in the morning, and most of all, eat the delicious food my mom cooks in the kitchen every two hours! Yey! (seriously.)

Now tell me if that wasn’t fun?

Piapot’s blushing…

My blog is as good as dead. And, ifyou’ve been passing by my neurotic site, I really don’t think that I have anything else to explain. Honestly, it is quite a shame on my part (as a campus writer) to actually admit that I have been quite off in wiriting that started early last summer.

To tell you, I really don’t know why, but all of sudden, it seemed as though I can’t write anything that is worth reading, or worse I can’t even start to type a single word every time I open this account. Suddenly, I am having a writer’s block, and it’s definitely no defense mechanism for my laziness. I am trying hard, it’s just that it seems as though my fingers are all soar that I couldn’t even tap a single letter from my keys. I just hope my neurons are not too fried to cause such!

Anyway, this post is but a comeback. I am actually replenishing my brain with positive aura to be diligent enough and post something worth reading for my readers, or reader. For a fact, what pushed my fingers to tap my keys today is because of one reader that keeps on visiting my dead blog hoping to see something new here, and she’s not just any other reader, she’s also my friend since high school, and she’s no other than reichan.

Apparently, this is the Neno award given to my blog from reichan. And when I read her post about this, I was really overwhelmed and a bit ashamed from what she wrote about me being a good writer and all that is why she’s giving it to me (i just hope she’s not bluffing! LOL), even if cobwebs start to pile in my poor blog for quite a long time. But what the heck, thank you very much! I think this will keep me going!

So, to go on with this award, it came with a question and a tough one too! here it goes: “Why do I love blogging?”

First, I love blogging because I am able to express my neurotic brain’s ideas and share some of the best and worst situations in my crazy life.

Second, I love blogging because here, I can harness my writing skills that will surely help me a lot in the campus pub.

Third, I love blogging because it connects me to fellow bloggers, friends and loved ones all over the globe.

Fourth, I love blogging because sometimes it drives me nuts to think about what I am suppose to write and teaches me how to be diligent enough up to my last nerve!

Now, it’s about time to share some love, and I am now passing this award to Joyful Chicken, for he never fails to make me laugh each time I pass by his site, to Batopik, whom I found out to be as old as I am, and lastly to BW, who has always been an inspiration.

Piapot Legally 18

I just turned 18 three days ago. And i know that most of you guys have already known about it. And this blog post is just my own share of experiences to what exactly happened the day I was legally 18. LOL

anyway, at exactly 12am text messages came flooding in my cell phone, though i wasn’t able to appreciate a lot because i was in deep slumber until i read them all somewhere around past 5am or so, when Mother Goose and Don Domeng woke me up in their own version of Happy b-day! (awwww…)

Here are some of the text messages because I will not be able to finish this post if i type them all…

Piapot! hapee berday.. Hehe… Wish u ol d best!.. – Papo

Uy kapatid. HapPy birthday. Legal n. Alam na!Haha – Ched

Happy Birthday inang – Basilio/Ian

Pia!. happy birthday.. ..uy dlga n,haha! Mis q na kayo, ingatz plge! -Papa Bear

Hapi bday pare ko… mwaks… – pare ko

Happy birthday! – Semenaristang Unggoy

Ate pia! happy birthday! more bdays and blessing 2 come! miss u., GB..^^ – Anne

Happy 18th birthday may God grants all ur wishes keeps u safe n healthy we love u! – Dad and Mami

May u continue 2 b d sweetest, charmest, prettiest, lady i know and may our good lord always give you d desire of ur heart. hapy b-day! luv u! – Ate Jha

Hapi birthday. Read from Musang’s blog that it’s ur 18th bday. Debutant ka na pala. Stay as sweet as u r. – Kuya

Now isn’t that sweet huh? Anyway, for all those who greeted me that day including the numbers whom I don’t know exactly, thank you very much from the bottom of my hypothalamus!

* * *

Now, since It was my birthday, and my 18th b-day that is, there was no debut party with gowns and 18 roses or what so ever, but i had something better! I asked my mom to prepare just a simple family dinner for us and a few guest that I want to share my day with, but when i got home… Mother Goose prepared a feast!

Here's Me and my Mom with her home cooked goodies! Yum-yum!

If you were able to read PM’s Mother’s day special post, you would not argue on how delicious my mom cooks! She’s actually the best cook ever with her not-so-secret ingredient that she claims to be just a little dash of ‘L-O-V-E’.

here are some of the dishes in a closer look:

Mother Goose's Perfected Menudo

Chopsuey and Beef in white souce

spicy Laing

The rest of the Good Stuff!

And of Course, my home-made Sansrival B-day cake, courtesy of PM! What more can I ask for with my name printed on it?? Yum-yum!

I also received this boquet of flowers from Vin

anyway, here’s me with the most important people in my life who were able to attend the party…

Special People in my Neurotic Brain's Life

In the photo are my family and some friends, including our mentor in the student publication who did not care to travel all the way to our far off home!

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my parents, Mother Goose and Don Domeng for bringing me into this world with such great parents, Mami and Dadi who were not included in the photo because they came a little late, and the other three most important men not only in my life but for the whole family:

Kuya and his two great sons, Kuya Alex and Kuya Nap, who have always been there for us no matter what just like our big brothers, thank you very much! and I love you all! Umwaks!!

Now… now… Am I one lucky girl? A happy Day with Special people around. What more can I ask for? Nothing else but to give them the best in return!

Joke Time!

(Dinner table, past 7pm)

Piapot: “Nakita niyo ba yung cookie ko na sa ref?” (Have you seen my cookie in the ref?)

PM: “Oo. Kinain na namin yung cookie mo na Mrs. Fields. Di naman masarap. Kaya binigay ko na lang kay papa, haha!” (Yes, we ate it already. It doesn’t taste good so I gave it to papa, haha!)

Don Domeng: “Masarap naman ah? Pero di naman ako bibili ng cookie na yun 40 pesos mahigit ang isa.” (Its good? But i won’t buy one of those cookie, it costs 40 pesos each.)

Piapot: “Dapat masanay ka ng kumain ng ganon Pa, yun ang kinakain ng mga mayayaman! 200 plus yata ang isang kahon nun eh tapos six pieces lang.” (You should be immuned to it Pa, that’s the food eaten by royalty. I think a box of that costs 200 peso plus.)

Don Domeng: “Bibili na lang ako ng isang kahon na Sky Flakes, mura pa! Tsaka dilis na lang ang kakainin ko… (I’m just going to buy a box of Sky Flakes, it’s even cheaper! And I’m just going to eat dilis (a kind of small fish fried to crisp)

kahit na… (even though…)

mayaman ako.” (I am royalty.)

Doraemon: “Wenk… wenk.. wenk.. ano ka ngayon? ah!”

Angels and Demons Part II

Two days ago, my bestfriend/seminarian texted me out of the blue to do him a favor. Unfortunately, because of the summer vacation he’s been staying in the province and out of prison San Carlos Seminary for his out of school duties as a soon to be priest. And with his presence near by, he has all the time in the world to bug me – and in the bussiest times of my life.

Anyway, here’s our text conversation:

Phone beeps: “Konichiwa…  Konichiwa… KO-NI-CHI-WA!!!!!” (message alert tone volume level 3)

Text message:

Seminaristang Unggoy: “Hoy, may ginagawa ka ba?” (Hey, are you doing something?)

Piapot:“Marami. Hindi ako sanay ng walang ginagawa.” (A lot. I’m not used to doing nothing.)

Semenaristang Unggoy: “Good. Gawin mo to at idagdag mo sa mga ginagawa mo.” (Good. Do this and add it to the things you have to do.)

Piapot: “Ang alin?” (Do what?)

Semenaristang Unggoy: “May scanner ka ba? (Do you have a scanner?) Meron akong less than 100 pictures galing ng seminaryo. (I have less than 100 pictures from the seminary) I have to scan them for our movie presentation and I need it Friday morning. I’ll give it to you after your class. Pakisave mo na din sa USB mo.” (Please save it on your USB.)

Piapot: “Ano? May klase ako eh hanggang 6?” (What? I have classes until 6pm?)

Semenaristang Unggoy: “Humanap ka na lang ng uutusan. Salamat.” (Find someone to do it then. Thank you.)

Piapot: “Hmpf!! Demanding!!”

So that’s that. Setting aside the number of photos that i scanned I had my eyes on this one:

This is a photo taken inside San Carolos Seminary’s Dormitory. I can’t explain why I have an unusual feeling by merely just looking at it. When I asked the monkey-semenarian about it, he said that it was taken by a priest inside the seminary around 1960’s, but I’m not so sure if that priest was already a priest by then or still a seminarian.

Upon looking at it, I don’t know what to feel. It seems as though my emotions are torn apart from the mood of the photo, it’s setting and the aged look. If we consider the number of years you have to stay inside the seminary away from your family, maybe that’s one factor that has shown from the picture. Second, how hard it is to stick to the commitment of celibacy. And third, the sweet and bitter life of being a servant of God, to be good but to be a human; to be real but to be divine and to be selfless enough to give yourself for everybody who needs it.

So, that’s what my neurons have been processing inside my fried brain

Now tell me. What’s yours?? =)

A Confession of an Addict

I can’t help it. Everytime i hear about it I just can’t help myself to ignore it.

I’m an addict.

A Pope John Paul II Youth Camp Addict!

Pope John Paul II Youth Camp is a camp site  located at Peas, Limay, Bataan, and every summer, the Diocese of Balanga helds a three-day youth camo for the youth of Bataan. And as for me, I just can’t help it to stop my legs from dragging my body up to that place!

I don’t exactly know how i will be able to tell you guys why exactly, but i feel really secure and close inside that place, like nothing is capable of harming you and that you are in the presence of something divine or sort. Each day spent inside the borders of the youth camp is for spiritual growth specially, but more than that, it makes me grow and learn in every aspect of my being, that makes it irresistable for my soul. Phew!

Now, here are things that i’ve learned from the three-day youth camp in a day to day basis… Here it goes:

Day 1 (April 15):

Movie Review about Society and Corruption – honestly i was not able to watch the movie because i still had my classes going, but i was able to make in on time during the session with the Director of the film, (which i actually forgot his name because i don’t like him so much) and was very lucky to pull some great insights!

“Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.”

There is an existing absolute in this world, but how we deal with it is infinite.

We are a part of the big and real picture (existence of corruption in the country) outside the television scree, and the hope lies in our own actions to make it right.

Being a good Christian and a good Catholic is hardcore, but what is important is that we try and strive to do good. We are not God, and we can’t be God, we all make mistakes, but what’s important is that we strive to follow His teachings.

With the present condition of our society, blaming the past generation for their indispensable gift of corruption neither blaming ourselves about the pitiful state of the economy at this point in time is useless without proper action. What’s wrong is that people always get stuck on the blaming part.

My generation has been referred to as the most oppressed, depressed and manipulated  generation of all times, but if the elders of the society are all succumb to this what will there be in our future?

Day 2 (April 16)

Morning Mass

“Your sins do not defy who you are.”

“Spread your roots deep under the ground. Be grounded on your faith despite any obstacles, be grounded on Jesus.”

“Sometimes you feel you are unworthy to lead because of your sins, but don’t let this stop you.”

-Fr. Joshua

Day 3 (April 17)

LUBID Activities! here are some snopshots on our high events!

this is called the LEAP OF FAITH

Up the ladder I go!

40ft above the ground

now isn’t that fun??

The Big C

Yeah, I’m talking about the big “C” here – but honestly, it has nothing to do with tumors and cysts on your body.

Apparently, it is something alike cancer that some people are terrified to have, because to some extent, people nowadays seem to be lacking of it, or fearing it, or worse terrified about it. And for men who plays a lot of girls one after the other, it’s something that will surely bring cold jitters on their skin – COMMITMENT.

No, this blog is not about relationships and heartaches, actually it has nothing to do with it seriously, but just plain commitment period.

Just when school is about to start, it has already been postponed, but our duties and responsibility inside the campus paper is nothing close from postponing. Apparently, everything to be done was already planned two months ago, and the only problem is implementing it.

Since my seniors and their seniors have already graduated and left the university, including PM, Kuya Rem, and Ekoy, the core group was comprised of only nine members left, and sadly, only four of us are showing everytime a meeting was called. I wonder why, but maybe it has something to do with commitment.

During PM’s reign as EIC of the school paper, I was only in my first year of college then, and this issue was of primary concern. It’s just that, most of the people around are just too preoccupied with other things happening in their lives, or taking the organization less seriously placing it below the priority list. Unfortunately, I felt the same then, all because I was still searching for my own place inside the organization. But what we have now is different, everybody knows everybody already, we have been together and worked together before, but they seem not to get the point.

Being in the campus press is hard, honestly I can’t even tell you how difficult it is and wouldn’t make you believe unless you felt the stress, the pressure and the likes inside the organization itself. Alas, the respondents’ view and opinions on what we write is also an ache if they would take it positively or negatively which we in return would of course defend and stand on what we have published.

I am a little worried on what’s going to happen especially now that we are just starting the semester and already facing such. But I believe that we will make it through. I’m feeling that, from the loss of our senior mentors, my brothers and sisters inside the publication were rattled. But I know that the time will come that they will learn to stand on their own and depend on their own skills and abilities so their confusion on commitment will be resolved. I know that this year will be tough, for most of us are newbies in our own sections and positions handled, but just as what have been thought to us, when things go tough, you just have to be tougher.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light!