Sbuctirical Blah

You are in the past and you should not be here

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 01:37:00 +0000

Go here: http://subcritical-blah.blogspot.com/

international skeptics day

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 08:04:00 +0000

Orange-helmeted warrior. I only knew Purple. Never thought they could come in different colors.

This blog looks new. I've just looked at my new blog layout and it looks nothing like its past self. A change not necessarily for the better... but nevertheless it's still a change. 'Cause that's how things are, they change. Having constant natures which aren't exactly just that.

The layout is not only fancy, but revealing. Of the past, that is. Post titles and pictures are the first thing you see, surely a layout that invites judgments. And let me say this: I can't help but cringe at the sight of the poorly written titles. Ugh, and don't even get me started at my earlier posts.

Making me cringe then... well, yes. A sigh of relief. That writing style is behind me now. What I have to work on is a new writing style, one that is badly represented by years of past entries. But they're still there and I don't plan on putting them down and neither have I thought of moving to a new blog. Eh, however bad these posts are, they were once products of my writing and if you were to accept this blog, you are to accept everything that's good and bad about it.

* * * * *

Yada yada yada past posts are badly written. Who cares. October 13 was called the International Skeptics Day, and I had to ask myself: what am I skeptical about?

Then there came "Oh, a good idea for a blog post" thought. What first came into mind was religious claims. Too tiring to write. People's understanding of their own thoughts and behaviors came next. Just the thought tired me out. Human feelings, love, destiny, fate. Blah, mind sitting in the couch of boredom can't handle such big ideas. Sure, I had studies and data to back them up (yes, I did some research). But gee, I'm on break. That writing's saved for school.

Those were the big things, those which I did not want to dwell in so much. Why? 'Cause it's a never-ending loop of questions and assumptions. I have more things to do and I still have this thing called life.

But then there are the small things. One thing I've always been skeptical about are multivitamins. I mean, how do they really make us healthy? Anyone could go, sure, no-brainer: our bodies need vitamins and minerals for its daily functions and the food we take in usually don't provide us with the complete array of this fantastic shizznit. Take in those capsules and voila, the next thing you know you're shiny and good to go. Like Superman with his cape. Like Scooby-Doo with his Scooby Snax. Or like that little kid, having nothing but an orange helmet on, fights bacteria and viruses thrice the size of his head.

But I still don't get it. Neanderthals might've already had a concept of afterlife. I mean, they put flowers in their graves, right? But why weren't they able to come up with multivitamins... from crushed fruits and herbs, I suppose.... since artificial methods weren't available then?

Multivitamins. If they were that great, why don't we just all take multivitamins instead? No square meals, just that plain supercapsule.

My point here is, I'm not sure about if multivitamins could really make us healthier. Cockroaches have been here for millions of years and the last time I checked in our local pharmacy... nope, no cockroach multivitamins. And don't even get me started on antioxidants.

yes, still here

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:19:00 +0000

And she spoke words of wisdom

To the basement people, to the basement

Many surprises await you

Just a quick post, here. Been almost a year since I last wrote an update. I guess there had been way too many things that happened. School, orgs, and all that. Things I'd rather not say in public. Which, of course, just made you want to know more about what these things are.

Or maybe you just don't care and I know why. Why am I writing these posts anyway. Why maintain this blog. One (compound) word, self-entitlement. It's the age of self-entitlement, people. Facebook asks us What's in your mind? Twitter asks What's happening? And do you think people really give a damn about your answers? Doubt it. Do they care? Hell no. But it's here where the expecto patronus of these sites actually become weirdly shaped smoke figures: they make us think that we're important. That we're all fuckyeah or itsbitch.

There. I think I deserve a fuckyeahmarcfajardo website. Someday, I say. Someday. But it's not going to be itsmarcbitch.

I think I'm important. I think this blog's important. And I think you do care, after all -- There, that's why I felt the need to update this blog. Longer and fancier posts are for the coming days. Sembreak's on, so I'll have plenty of time to do that. Maybe.

Things to buy:

1. Good punctuation and grammar

2. A working sense of coherence

3. Proper line breaks

4. Humor (optional)

Minsan nga magta-Tagalog ako rito. Nase-stress ako e.

workin' and stressin' like a boss

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Tue, 10 May 2011 19:34:00 +0000

No it's not this fancy. But do go on and read...

So my half of the office is empty. The other half is busy. I don't know if I should see that as an opportunity to laze around, dance along the halls of bumhood, or just sleep. Or maybe it's a really sad thing, to be grappling the fast disappearing reins of sanity, as no job nor task, not even the most menial one was left to me. But there's this one group task that I should be discussing with the others now. I dunno. Probably all the energy remaining in my soul left me, channeling theirselves to astral planes. Anyway, an office presentation. We are to do a hand mime to the song What a Wonderful World but what makes me uneasy about the whole idea is we don't know where to get the black light. I know, tragic. It's like dancing rave without glowsticks. Or PBnJ without J. Or without n. Then it'll be like PB sandwich only. Same as with the hand mime without black light. It'll be like PB. So witht that, I thought of having a skit instead, or maybe parody an ad. Sure, it sounds easy. But with the limited time to practice and stress-worn bodies and humor, people might not just get what we mean. And we'll sound like robots beep beep beep self-destructing in bleep bleep bleeeeeeeep. Or not. Maybe we'll sound just like normal human beings. Yes, only under abnormal doses of shame and humiliation. Like a gazillion times higher than what is normal. It'll be like social suicide. We'll be martyrs, burned at the stakes of public attention. We'll be like effin' Joans of Arc. But please, we don't need to be saints. Just let us get on with that group presentation. And get back to our happy lives. But for the moment, we are to practice in the wee hours of the morning and be like weeeee because neither of us had enough sleep. Fun fun, think about fun. Now you know what it is. Okay, I'm staring at my desk right now. Here's a book, one by Roberto Bolano. 2666. That novel with a dark heart, a project impossible for the hurried reader. They say it's the magnum opus of one of the greatest Argentine writers, one that challenges the limits of a novel and arises from it victorious And I share the same opinion. It'll take me months to read and decipher fully what this book says. From philosophers and lines to names and even their defining characteristics. Every section is its own story. This reminds me that at home, I still have four books which I have stopped reading halfway. There was Atomised by Houellebecq. Great take at the situation of the modern world, where everything humanity cherished slowly turns into elementary particles. Too bad that when I was already on the second half of the book, I had to take a very long break from reading. When I came back at it, I didn't know who the fuck was Christiane. Only to know she's been in the story for two, three chapters now. Screw this, I thought. I forgot what I've been reading and might as well set it aside then get back to it later. At home, I also left Atlas Shrugged. Interesting novel, though very lengthy. Reading it was like following a TV series. Good. Too bad the movie didn't do it justice. So they say. I think Atlas Shrugged needs a very creative mind to make its full potential shine. Have something substandard and you get a dialogue-heavy movie about businessmen doing business. Yes. Lastly, there is Le Monde de Sophie. No, I'm not putting that in French because I think it sounds classy. Or it'll make me sound sophisticated. Sound well-travelled. Because really, I have no means that can make me sound classy, sophisticated, or well-travelled. Maybe it's just bad acoustics. So that's how the book is really called. It is Gaarder's most well-known work written in French. And don't you start making those judgments again. Yes, to practice my French. Left with the third chapter for I found translating tedious. I'll get back to it if my French is good enough to dominate France itself. Or just good enough to pass an intermediate French class. Ok, since now we're in books. I am reminded how much I want to buy Danielewski. Experimental forms challenge me. Obviously, with a book written in French and a 1000+-page novel about businessmen, I haven't had enough challenges. So there's that, a novel written in cryptically configured font sizes and colors. And page placements. So there's him. I also want Coupland, Ishiguro, Murakami, Pamuk, Desai, and Rushdie. I might have forgotten a few more people but right now, I couldn't think of them. Or I just don't want to. Okay, on with my office computer. It sucks. Oh, I remember. I've listened to this French podcast earlier. Well, it was about transgenders in the Philippines and the topic's interesting. Anyway, what piqued my interest really more was they had most of the interviews in our university. And my Psych101 professor was in there. Nice! So people are walking past me and I don't know what to do. If I should pretend that I am my boss and work on self-given tasks. Or pretend that my boss really gave me tasks and I'll do it. Or just pretend working. Okay, the coast is clear. Moving on. I'm hungry.

bees. bees with tires!

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 08:26:00 +0000

Let's have a toast for the completely irrelevant.

I was about to start this post with something like "I haven't been blogging in a while" but that's stating the obvious. Looking at what I've just typed... well, I've done it anyway. And this is the point of no return! So I'll leave that statement as it is. Don't meddle with what nature gives you, and now nature gives me an opening sentence which I didn't really plan. I'll just stay at the center of the circle and let things take their course.

So I'm thinking of a better starter for this post. By that time, I could have already written something with the length of a decent blog post. You know what that means? Say, if this were to be your average, everyday narration, my beginning would be where the denouement could have been. But if you're the mindwhore who's always hot for mindfucking, I don't think my structure would be of surprise to you. The content, however, will be. It's appallingly bad.

I don't know. Exactly because I'm letting things run their course. Whatever you're reading right now, it's from the earthy hands of these things. Creatures from miles underground, where light is only from the quiet glow of magma. They resurface to write a blog post. What makes me think they're all earthy... and made up of earth? Ask them. I drift like a wave on the ocean. I blow aimlessly like the wind. I am different from ordinary people.

There. I've begun my post with an amorphous body of thoughts. After all, is art not about shapelessness? Well, not really, but... there is what they abstract, right? Anyway, that. The unnamable is the eternally real. But I won't call this thing "art".

Should I blog to tell about the things which I've been doing? Thinking? But why even ask. I don't even think there's are eyes out there, aside from mine, which are treading on the letters of that lonely wasteland I call my blog.

Pretty much the same story. Well, the last time I checked, my life has setting, charaters, plot. Conflict, that I still have to think about. I can say I am consumed by a burning sense of freizeitstress. And I'm getting something here: I haven't really told anything.

My thoughts are becoming shorter and shorter. It's a sign.

just something to fill it in

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 09:55:00 +0000

There's evidence to suggest that velociraptors had feathers. FEATHERS! Now what does that tell you?

I only blog when I feel like writing, or when I feel I can still write like a human being.

That's why there's quite a long hiatus here. I don't know. Probably there's already the writing and literature classes to keep me occupied. Or the list of to-read/borrow books. Or the to-see/watch movies and shows. Or the list of to-learn-over-the-break-but-I'm-quite-certain-I-won't-be-able-to-do-so things.

Yes, I'm busy... at least in my book, that's how "busy" is defined.

By having lists which you will then later delete.

My train of thought sucks.

Speaking of trains, I'm into this book right now, Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (and believe me, it really has something to do with trains).

(This section is supposed to be where I shall ramble childlessly how I like the book, why/where I bought it, what have I read/heard about it, et cetera. Of course you don't want to hear that. Well, there's Wikipedia to tell you much. Or go to those spoilers sites if you think this book is another not-too-good-for-me-because-some-blogger-I-don't-really-understand books. That is why you don't see such mass of words right now: it's going to make my writing seem even more childish... that is, if it's smart enough to resemble that of a child's)

I mean, so far, I think the book is good. Just its sheer length excites me, not to mention its relevance to a fairly new system of philosophy. Awesome.

Oh, literature.

I've created this need to stock up on literature... particularly the short ones: poems and short fiction. Aside from the fact that photocopying these genres are more economical, I think given my biological and cognitive constitution, all I can write are pieces not exceeding 500 words. I think if I am to write something which exceeds that limit, I'll spit out a paper-saliva ball. Or a paper-saliva replica of the Eiffel Tower and/or Pieta... because I'm awesome.

Like I said, the break is coming near. Well, I'm supposed to be thinking of the final exams (or not. I mean, who does that?)... not.

So I'm thinking of the things which I could do over the break, like

Yes.

After this mindless ramble, smart people would go about discussing and commenting about current topics like... I don't know... donuts? Well, I think I can do that right now here, but I plan to put that off for the next post, because with that, it can be assured that the next post has more substance. Well, at least there's going to be something which you can call substance.

So I think I have to end it here. I mean, the sole reason why I wrote a blog entry is that I'm tired of playing tower defense in Warcraft and I'm too lazy to start a new photomontage.

I like photomontages: they have the right to make no sense (like the one at the beginning of this entry).

I think I have the right to make zero sense. Does that make me a photomontage? I mean, photomontages can be awesome sometimes.

What else did I miss?

I like listening to song covers.

I'm hungry.

Wow, I just questioned my own existence.

See that? I'm

thinking!

*s ha k es*

Oh...

my....

No, seriously. Literature's effin' awesome.

I'll go write something more sensible next time.

I'm just plain bored.

come fly with me

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 03:37:00 +0000

User: Is the sky gold?
Cleverbot: No..?
User: What color does the sky take?
Cleverbot: Blue.
User: Really? Why?
Cleverbot: Because I'm Voldemort and that Potter kid got away from me again.

Haven't blogged for a long time and I'm not surprised why. I think it's easy to see why I don't... it's either I'm too lazy to blog, I have something else to do aside from blogging, I am bored but blogging might make me even more bored, or I'm just to lazy to blog. Yes, I'm lazy.

So, my last post's dated May 30. Sweet. It's like the post which is both for May and June... which means I don't have to feel bad for not blogging for the whole month of June because I have a semi-entry for June (and the other half's for May). Awesome. Actually, I was thinking what if I make this entry a July-August one. But seeing how exams are being scheduled, that's gonna be weird.

Anyway, so why haven't I blogged, well aside from the obvious reason that I'm one hell of a lazy person... politics. I mean, come on. Well, thinking of it, the whole thing started when the first organism breathed, but it's just that time in Philippine politics when everything's about leaders and whatnot. Okay, this might make me sound incoherent and apathetic... but yes, I think politics is something I might have strong opinions about, but I'm uncomfortable articulating every point I make, thinking that I'm not well acquainted with political matters; I view things in a way the common people might view them... which, judging my readers (if there are any), isn't part of that fraction of the populace. My readers are awesome (so if you're reading this, you know what kind of a person you are). But seriously, I do like listening and reading stuff about the current political scene, but I guess my opinions won't be as... say strong compared to what are already out there. I did not blog about politics to avoid redundancy (or is this one of the things I make myself believe to not think that I'm just bored with life).

And.... there was the World Cup. Now I'm not even sure if that's what it's called officially. I've never been such a huge sports fan. I don't know, probably whenever I tune in to sports channels, it's either golf or car racing. The only channel where I chance to see football is TV5Monde... commentaries en français. Surely, that doesn't help someone like me. Yes, it makes me feel bad that I was only able to follow Eurovision (which is 49% cheese, 49% workings of politics, 1.5% weirdness of the performers, and 0.5% music) but not the World Cup. If you can't see the connection, so do I. I'm weird. But I think I'm gonna acquaint myself more with the field of sports anytime soon... as long as school doesn't interfere... or laziness.... or boredom... or... yeah.

What else should I say... I'm getting addicted to ellipses, eh? They show the moments where I'm actually thinking. Yay for me!

Then there is school. Funny that the last time I blogged, school wasn't part of my life yet. Now it is. It's not going huge, hot, and pulsating at me yet... but yeah, definitely feeling it. I know you've had enough of school, okay, I do too but if there's really nothing for you to blog about, might as well talk about it. Okay, so school. I'm liking my subjects so far... and I'm thinking I do have awesome profs. A quick glance at my subjects will tell you that I'm into literature, pretty much the whole range: "low art" to "high art"; the "art" and the art. Which is which, who's to tell. But I'm sensing that's how things are. So yes, not one of those moments where I get to geek out. Well, in the strictest sense, I geek out but not in the conventional sense. Or what is conventional anyway? Am I making sense?

Languages are still a thing for me, but like what I've said (or really, typed), it's all about literature... and it still involves languages. But the languages I'm about to type about in this paragraph are the languages I'm studying when there's no need to do so, because I'm a Psych major, and Psych majors are supposed to be brain nerds and not go crazy about languages their country nor the writers/researchers in their field use. Yay for long and hard-to-understand sentences!

Oh, recently, I got sick. Well, I know I'm sick, but that time, I was literally sick... like with viruses (fact: neither viri nor virii exists) and whatnot. I know it's a virus because I caught the colds. Isn't colds caused by viruses? I'm definitely sure they are. So there, and with that, I can say my body overreacts to foreign bodies (oooh, foreign bodies). The first day I felt bad, my throat felt like hell (yes, I've been in Hell and oh I wish you were with me). My throat really hurt (because of foreign bodies) for like the first hours of the day and I can't sleep. Okay, I'm sensing you should not be knowing this but all I'm saying my immune responses went ballistic even it was just only the first day. I thought I had fever. Fever you're my flame, you give me fever.

Now, what I'm doing is I'm streaming Kick-Ass, because Monday is Movie Day, but I should really be studying for the upcoming exams... and reading about the next topics since we were told about them... but that's gonna be lame because you're not supposed to study while watching movies. Yeah.

I've returned to DoTA and I've tried better item builds. That shows too that I haven't studied much. I'm damned to the deepest and darkest corners of Hell. Home sweet home.

My mind's flying... won't you fly with me let's fly, let's fly away. If you can use some exotic booze, there's a bar in far Bombay. Then, let's float down to Peru, for in Llama land there's a one-man band and he'll toot his flute fo you. Come fly with me, let's take off in the blue.

pop goes the world

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Sun, 30 May 2010 13:19:00 +0000

Love, my aim is straight and true:

Cupid’s arrow is just for you,

I even painted my toe nails for you...

I did it just the other day

Whew, this is tough... writing something without actually knowing what to write. See, I don't normally force myself to do something which I can't really do. However, seeing this blog slowly die out as weeks pass by, I just have to. Now, I'm forcing myself to write something just to fill the gaps.

So what have I been doing the last weeks? Nothing. My mind wasn't functioning. When you put your brain in vacation mode, it shuts down. Completely. It's only when you smell intelligence that brain's supply of oxygen kicks in.

I've made several attempts. I've tried learning basic Portuguese grammar.... and I have to say it was amusing and interesting, but the way memory decays quickly makes me think I've rusted this newly learned skill quite early. I've brushed up on my French grammar, but I thought there was nothing to brush, and from there, it was failure #2. Trying to revive knowledge of Arabic writing came as failure #3.

Failure #4, which I can say is the latest failure, is when I tried to suddenly rush blood into my brain with analysis of the Greek economic crisis. It went well at first, but the dynamics of maintaining equilibrium with a union currency (mixed with EU's politics into the mixture) just pulled on my mental tendons too much. Hence, I turned to pop culture.

There was American Idol, season 9. Faildol. To fill the spaces I'm about to leave with complete lack of things to say, I'm going to cite this article (knowing that you could just click the link and read it in its entirety). I just agree with every word this article had to show its readers, and I'm just going to give you the list: what should AI do to keep its fame away from a not so unlikely coma (on bold are, for me, the strongest points):

Get rid of Ellen DeGeneres
Tell Kara DioGuardi to chill out
Bring back Paula Abdul, please
Recruit more great guest judges and mentors
Keep Ryan Seacrest from going insane
Don't predict the winner too early
Don't pack the top 24 with too many soundalikes
Don't pack the top 24 with past-season knockoffs
Make sure the best contestants don't exit too early
Bring back the Wild Card
Change the elimination process
Keep tween girls and their moms from voting
Clear some more songs, already
Do away with all the old-fashioned weekly themes
Choose Simon's replacement very, very wisely

I also had started streaming So You Think You Can Dance, season 7. I just like how they handle eliminations. I've always liked that show... but they're tweaking it: a contestant-former contestant pairing, and only 10 would make it (and from the pilot episode, I can say that 10 would surely be the best... awesome people making it through).

Then, there was the recently concluded Eurovision Song Contest 2010, held in Oslo, Norway. I just love me some European stuff. European pop culture sounded awesome, considering my recent frustration with dealing with a European stuff but failed (rewind: Greece and EU). That kept me busy and was my neuronal liniment. There were 39 entries, and I thoroughly reviewed them all in my fairly new blog (very rough, still). For one thing, that blog was supposed to be a place where I'll write smart stuff. Eurovision isn't the perfect prototype for "smart" for many people... but yeah, I'd rather have those 39 posts there than have them all here. Germany's Lena with Satellite (whose strange lyrics I had in the beginning of the post) is this year's winner, followed by Turkey's maNga with We Could Be The Same (Linkin Park thrown in with Europop), and third was Romania's Paula Seling & Ovi with Playing With Fire (a very good dance track). Again, this and the other entries I have reviewed in my new blog.

Lastly, my liaisons with CRS. I was given more than what I needed, yet I was left wanting more. Please, remember the good times, CRS... don't leave me.

P.S.

I can't think of a title... all I thought was Gossip's new track.

Congratulations, Germany. Cyrpus, Armenia, Israel, and France (include Lithuania too), too bad you didn't make it.

I'm looking at everything I've written and I'm convinced that I've been a failure.

"Meetings" with high school friends: keeping me sane.

crayon parties and the future generations

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 00:25:00 +0000

Weeeee... crayon parties.

I don't know why this blog is still running.

For a moment, that sounded like the life of this blog is dependent on its viewers, but as it turns out, it subsists by the lack thereof. For one thing, I'm not a celebrity to expect a huge number of viewers. You know, celebrity blogs are quite interesting. For a moment, the posts keep coming, with the celebs (or their publicity staff) sounding as warm and friendly as ever. Then at some point, readers begin getting tired of the celeb, the blog either dies away (which more often than not drags with it the celeb) or it sparks a huge controversy. But first of all, why do people read celebrities' blogs?

Because they care.

So Twitter asks "What are you doing?", or sometimes "What's happening?". I could also remember Facebook asking such questions, but since I have already set mine in French, all it says is "Exprimez-vous"... and as the shiny-eyed newbie that I am, I answer them whole-heartedly. Now reading my pathetic responses from the outside, I can't help but ask "Who cares?". From that springs the question: "Why are my blogs still alive?".

I feel inclined to answer "BOREDOM!". Well, that sounds logical enough. I would like you to answer a question (yes, you reader who comprises the 1% of my page views, 99% being from bots and spammers): why are you reading this?

So assuming you're still reading, I could now rant about whatever comes into my head.

Summer classes. I really regret cancelling that one class after knowing I can use that to get myself one or two more classes. But I don't put the blame on myself, for Mahjong classes are stimuli with extremely negative valence that out of impulse, I had to run away from it. I failed to see the other stimuli which can be a bit postive. Oh well, at least I'm at home, doused in a thick sea of ultraheated gases while learning Portuguese, American Sign Language, and brushing up on French, plus my attempts to read and write fiction. Yeah, summer. Oh, I forgot that summer also meant random urges to eat excessively and the lack of physical activities.

JB Lamarck, Chapter 7 - On the influence of the environment on the activities and habits of animals, and the influence of the activities and habits of these living bodies in modifying their organization and structure:

First Law - "In every animal which has not passed the limit of its development, a more frequent and continuous use of any organ gradually strengthens, develops and enlarges that organ, and gives it a power proportional to the length of time it has been so used; while the permanent disuse of any organ imperceptibly weakens and deteriorates it, and progressively diminishes its functional capacity, until it finally disappears."

With that, I'm ought to have a bigger head (with enlarged Broca's and Wernicke's areas), larger hands, more sweat glands and adipocytes, jelly-like skeletal muscles, and hollow bones. By then, I could disperse my thermophilic spores and spawn a new generation of humans. The horde of this new breed of organisms would create a nation much more powerful than America, European Union, China, and Nigeria combined. My progeny will transform this planet into something much more awesome, and you humans will become their petty slaves. Oh, that deserves another post.

So aside from these predictions, I think that summer is about wasting time. If time is some sort of nonbiodegradable polymer (or a heavy carbon-emitting substance, for that matter), I could easily be The Destroyer. Yes, I always find myself dumping time wastes everywhere. An obvious example of which is writing this post. Another one is posting it.

I have no idea of what I'm saying. I'm learning languages to be understood by more people, but the opposite's happening with me... such are the wonders of life.

I want a Sedaris book. I have actually read a couple of chapters from Naked (I've just found an audiobook torrent while typing this, and... no, I'll go with the book) and some parts of Me Talk Pretty One Day and I can tell it is so far some of the funniest works I've ever read. Seriously. It's not that kind of funny which I use to describe intellectual things which I find enjoyable. No, it's genuinely funny and in a normal human way. Oh, if I only copied the first paragraphs (which got me hooked) and post it here... I would. Here's something I found here, though... it's something from the book.

D Sedaris, Chapter 1 - Chipped Beef

.... And it's true, we're terribly good-looking people. They're using my mother's profile on the new monorail token, and as for my father and me, the people at NASA want to design a lunar module based on the shape of our skulls. Our cheekbones are aeronautic and the clefts of our chins can hold up to three dozen BBs at a time. When asked, most people say that my greatest asset is my skin, which glows--it really does! I have to tie a sock over my eyes in order to fall asleep at night. Others like my eyes or my perfect, gleaming teeth, my thick head of hair or my imposing stature, but if you want my opinion, I think my most outstanding feature is my ability to accept a compliment.

So from my time wasting sessions in various malls, I was able to develop a book wishlist. I'll post that sometime... when I can't think of anything else (as if this is anything else).

One thing struck me: I'm a Capricorn, thus I'm more likely to have my opinions expressed in a wry and dark way... and how desperate of me to resort to, according to one of the best TV shows I've ever watched (but still hasn't finished), "mass cultural delusion that the sun's apparent position relative to arbitrarily defined constellations at the time of your birth somehow affects your personality".

and it begins now...

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 07:50:00 +0000

Stretched out on a blanket in the sand

Kids of all ages diggin Disneyland

'Cause it's summer

Summer time is here

If songs can describe what I'm feeling right now, they can be Train's "Hey Soul Sister", Smash Mouth's "All Star", or even Sugar Ray's "Someday"... those which can make you lay down and sigh as you marvel at the lack of things to do. Yes, all I'm trying to say is it's already summer for me, and I'm glad that my mind feels light and no weight burdens my shoulders. The only thing I'm worried about are those PE classes.

Call me weird... whatever, but I'm getting the feeling that CRS leads us to raunchy and wild rounds of love games while showing to you an unreadable poker face. It wants our loving... wants our revenge, but we should first bare those teeth. Oh, I'm getting the idea that CRS deals only with the beautiful, dirty, rich... so let us stop telephoning now. Once the cow has been killed, don't make burgers yet... let's make sure first that we got the subjects you need. If all else fails, just dance... but that doesn't fill your units up. If UP has a religion, CRS is the creator of the universe.

So hopefully, this is the last time (for a couple or so weeks) that I'm going to talk about school... and il est car c'est déjà le commencement de mes vacances. With that, I'm going to have a sem ender.

Here's how it's going to work:

Psychology gave me quite a different perspective for looking at things. So instead of the usual ratings (5.00 lowest, 1.00 highest), I'm going to rate the subjects now based on intensity and valence (-5 extremely aversive, 0 neutral, +5 extremely pleasant). Weighted average will be used, 0.15 for Lessons, 0.30 for Professors, 0.15 for Classes, and 0.40 for Unoableness. Alors, on va commencer.

CHEMISTRY16 - General Chemistry

Lecture: K. Carillo

Laboratory: M. Bucsit

Lessons: +2

If you're not the science type of person, you might need to struggle with this one. That one is like gasping for air in a suffocating sea of concepts and computations. However, with years of learning, practice, and expertise (or if it comes natural, just simply years), you could have developed your own breathing apparatus, and that gives you a higher chance of survival. Seriously, stock knowledge helps.

Professors: Lec:+4, Lab:+2, Ave:+3

(lec): Plenty of extra points. The most downtrodden among the most unfortunate quartile of the population can find refuge in given problem sets. Given the volume of these bonus points, one is allowed to hope for the best.

(lab): If you like details, raise the lab rating a couple or so notches. For me, these details prolong the laborious process of controlling your homeostatic processes. However, details can be good for they can really help.

Classes: Lec:+3, Lab:+1, Ave:+2

(lec): Powerpoint presentations either build or shatter your interest. The size of the class also lends itself to social inhibition, thus if you want to make it through safe, toughen up that mass of gray matter. Beware of violent bouts of random shouting of words.

(lab): This relatively low score can be for the fact that I'm not so keen about UP's laboratories: quite poor ventilation, chairs are not enough for everybody.... yeah.

Unoableness: +3

This is because of my own set of professors. To raise this even further (if possible), turn your radars on and scour the forest for more benevolent creatures.

OVERALL RATING:

+2.70, not bad for a 5-unit Science course.

ECONOMICS11 - Markets & the State

Lecture: G. Sicat

Discussion: L. Abainza

Lessons: +3

You can either totally love or totally abhor Economics. It is quite a mathematical course, but with an introductory subject, it's all made simple. Yes, there won't be any appearances of derivatives, integrals, etc., but you'll feel more like a secretary: you should know how to filter information, write them, and work them out.

Professors: Lec:+4, Dsc:+1, Ave:+2.50

(lec): Someone who got his doctorate in Economics from MIT and was one of the founders of NEDA... seriously, how can you not be amazed with that? He definitely know what he's teaching but he doesn't show off; he makes everything so sized down and easy that sometimes the lecture is all about making stuff easy.

(dsc): Having an active NGO worker/accountant, one can expect that a couple or so things would be added. Yes, and sometimes it can get confusing. Homeworks are quite regular, hence the low score.

Classes: Lec:-2, Dsc:0, Ave:-1

(lec): Spacious room, large class, dim lighting, excellent temperature, regulated ambient noise (a.k.a. lecture)... it's the perfect setup for sleeping. Indeed, I've seen some who are blanketed with bags and/or books, some who are snoring, and some who seemed to have just woken up, fondling all sorts of electronic stuff. Nice.

(lec): Weirdly shaped room, 30x3. Can be quite inconvenient for moving around, etc. The good ventilation and lighting redeems it.

Unoableness: +1

When you sleep, the shining 1.00 is far from reach.

OVERALL RATING:

+1.45, a lec-only class with an air suitable for studying will help.

BIOLOGY1: Contemporary Topics in Biology

Lecture: S. Jacinto

Lessons: +4

As an introductory course, I can say that this is not yet heavy. Again, just like other science courses, prior knowledge about the subject helps, especially that her quizzes beg you to show your complete set of intellectual ammunition.

Professor: +4

Definitely not monotonous and boring; challenges, even obliges you (for points) to think and recite. I guess there should be additional points for environmentalist undertones in almost every lecture.

Class:+3

It's quite a large class, but is somehow kept alive. Quite an amazing feat by itself.

Unoableness: +2

Quizzes are major sources of your future 1.00, and they are not easy. With this one, you're in for a tough fight.

OVERALL RATING:

+3.05, and can be worth taking; recommended

ENGLISH10: College English

Lecture: A. de Ocampo

Lessons: +4

More of current events/general information class rather than one for English writing. This does not only teach you how to write, but also what to write. If you're not the type who doesn't like excessive thinking, brace yourself for a difficult an hour and a half's worth of class.

Professor: +4

She teaches you how to write, and can guide you in every stage. She is also quite knowledgeable that she can fill you in about every topic you can possibly think of.

Class:+4

Each one is encouraged to recite, and there is no wrong answer. The class isn't so big, so telling about stuff wouldn't be too scary. The movies and readings are more of neutral stimuli.

Unoableness: +2

You might think you're doing well, but the scrutiny put into each paper can be enough to pull your expectations down.

OVERALL RATING:

+3.20, a good English writing course, indeed; recommended.

PSYCHOLOGY101: Introductory Psychology

Lecture: E. Manalastas

Lessons: +5

Amazing way to start off with Psychology. At first, I thought it always have to be about appearing as scientific and statistical as possible. Here, every angle is given a relatable human face, and hence being alienated proves your existence not as a part of the human race.

Professor: +4

The complete opposite of the stereotypical terror prof. He always finds a way to make things different and exciting... and can sometimes blow the hell out of more conservative people. What I find unfortunate also is that time flies by so quickly when you're having fun.

Class: +4

Class isn't so big, room is in excellent condition, from temperature and colors and all... prevents you from dozing off really. Songs and movies were put in, but if multimedia was only more heavily involved, this class could have been exquisite.

Unoableness: +3

Quizzes are tricky, experiments can be confusing to deal with.. overall, enjoying these things makes things ilghter. Hope for the best.

OVERALL RATING:

+3.75, if it's because of the sheer awesomeness or a manifestation of a cognitive bias, I can't be sure; highly recommended

---------------

That was long. I better leave now.

teeth and brain sap

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:34:00 +0000

What's in the brain that ink may character

Which hath not figured to thee my true spirit?

(a bit of Shakespeare always does it)

So I'm done with all my papers, and that left my brain leaking copious amounts of creative juices. In this time of intellectual drought, when the fields of ideas and coherence are dried up, many would think that I'm actually in a good situation. Trust me, it isn't.

I've crammed all the schoolwork I had to do, and that I think was too much for my brain to handle, thereby leaving my neuronal mass punctured. The gaping hole smiles at me. I love brains.

So I really don't know what to write. Probably I was just pressured to do so, since it's almost like two months since my last post. Not too good.

I don't know what to write: yes, like you've probably read that here so many times. Let me tell you one thing: everytime I use that phrase, it's always true. Now, I don't know what to write because I'm too tired of DoTA and I'm too bored to do Rosetta... yet I don't want to hear my brain fluids gushing into oblivion. That's why I'm making this brain juice jam. Enjoy.

Aside from punctured brains, I just want to say how crazy the sun is. People would say that the sun is smiling on us. Yeah, one hell of a smile. I bet sun's smile right now flashes the morphological evolution of teeth dating back to the era of thelodonts and gnasthotomes.

Isn't it obvious that I, indeed, can't think of anything else that I had to inject mundane objects into this rather exquisite brain-based dessert?

Oh, and there's American Idol. Okay, fine... my current biological constitution predestines me not to become a music person, but rather as a critic. And with that, I can well say that I failed. However, I can sense which masses are normal, benign, or malignant. See, I know that they've already chucked out amazingly unique and talented people only to keep the stare-able ones. Don't get me wrong though, some who are still on the competition are good... but that is, some. So I think this season begun as a failure, but could redeem itself only if it prevents the metastasis of these future Biebers and Cyruses (and oh do I fear that day).

I hate the summer air. Too think with ultraheated gases and pollutant particles.

I'm looking forward to summer classes, though. If there's a hint of truth in whatever Lamarck had said, then it can be true that if a body part is seldom used, it can be discarded. I don't want my skeletal muscles to waste away, hence with (I hope) three PE classes, I could keep my muscles until I evolve into an airbender (which reminds me, The Last Airbender looks interesting... not necessarily stunning).

Alright, my brain crashed.

Portuguese sounds funny... if only Brazil isn't economically promising, I should have gone for Afrikaans. South Africa is like the United States of America. They have more Caucasians, I think, compared to other parts of Africa.

I resent those days when I worked so hard to master Banehollow and Kardel. Ezalor and Atropos spell G-O-D-L-I-K-E.. that is, given the optimal item and skill build, ideal lane and team situations, and a balanced distribution of skills between two teams

(but bursting my bubble... yes, I have done GODLIKE but only once, and in an AI map with a bunch of normal guys in my team, and easy ones, one insane on the other).

I don't think DoTA is a psychoactive drug. If it is, at least I don't have to ingest, inject, snort, or sprinkle it over my pulsating brain (if it is still alive, that is). It has to be safe.

I thought of writing a sem-ender actually, hence the apparent lack of depth in my narration. However, I still have a a good bunch of classes and I'm still waiting for some of my classes to end. By then, it'll be a proper sem-ender. Another think I'm waiting are my final grades. May the forces of the universe lead me to utopia.

Have I already said that I'm already stopping myself from writing any further?

No? Okay, there.. I've said it. I really have to stop now.

And oh, the word verification thing is working now... so if you're a bot trying to comment on my posts, die.

electric kool-aid

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:39:00 +0000

Say that being a full time college student is the best thing in the world and you'll taste the sweetness of a freshly shot bullet.

Please, let me take a break. Let me escape the world of parahumans and increasing cost industries. Spare me the burden of identifying chemicals which I won't ever encounter in my everyday life. Please.

One thing with thinking is that it's really addictive only when you are thinking of the things you would really want to think about. Yes, I guess there's a rule in thinking: think only of the things which interest you. However, one thing with the univ is that it does not 100% interest me. Doing a little bit of Math, I find myself 20.75% interested in school (no, you are not supposed to believe that I actually did Math. It is just those kinds of statement add brains to what is rather lacking of it).

With this information, one may ask: why not quit college instead? Haha, good question! Actually, I find that question answerable only by "if only I could...". Yes, if only I could, I surely would. By then, I might be finding myself as the greatest daytime/nighttime sleeper, or the greatest Warcraft player... or even the greatest TV watcher, or the greatest potato chip eater... or simply the greatest person ever.

Those people who are saying school is cool are mentally diseased. They have brain tumors which move about by wings and tentacles, plus they have night vision, detect extremely high and low sound frequencies, and stinging cells to kill unwary prey. The deformity is just so high up there in the evolutionary ladder; too complex that they could actually see school as cool.

However, there might just be a trace of truth in there: school is cool only if you take away the subjects, lectures, and paper work you are forced to do and take. Hell, now that college awesome: a place for the intellectuals to grow and be free, as opposed to this menagerie of mental savages who are burned and slaughtered each day. Okay, maybe up to some extent, school can be cool, and so I'm taking back my word: those brain tumors don't have the awesome night vision.

Before I go on with my rant, let me know that I'm really sorry for dragging you into matters about univ life. See, I know it hurts to think about university and all the horrors it unleashed into our supposedly happy and peaceful lives. Comrade, we are together in this battle, and it hurts me too. I just find myself needing to let it all out, and perhaps you need to do the same too. Just... take a deep breath, channel all the hate and anger, and hit the one nearest you... or not.

Okay, so let me go on. Indeed, as the iron-nickel core of the Earth draws all things towards it with the force equal to (Mass1 x Mass2 x Gravitation Constant) / (Distance of Separation) ^2, college is dragging my life down. Here, I can't pretend that I'll do Math, since the gravitation constant for school, assuming that the extreme hatred of people to it displaces it from the spacetime continuum, would take on a different value. Of course, I won't waste my time computing for that.

Don't let me enumerate the trials I've been through. The task of enumeration scratches and opens the lacerations of those things I, if ever, would enumerate. Then, the pain would feel like lead being added to the already heavy burden of my stressed and worn-out corpse, thereby leading me closer to the center of university life's dark abyss.

School is a necrophile, and when it does things to you, it is always hot, steamy, and bloody. Yes, it'll toss you around, slam you against the wall, then it will whip you until you ache. Finally, it'll spank you because you're such a naughty little college kid. Trust me, I've been there.

School makes me want to be a hippie. I would soon travel in a vibrant, hand-painted minitruck, have reggae blasting out of the speakers while smoking marijuana because I love the rivers, the trees, and I want peace for the world.

Yeah, and quit school.

I want to get a new haircut... but I don't know what kind.

I've seen an old-ish copy of The Electric KoolAid Test... to buy or not to buy. In the same store was Sedaris. Same question.

date of the senses

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:52:00 +0000

Writing about the five senses proves to be a hard task; making it suitable for general patronage is even more daunting

Dear Reader,

The following are the things you need to keep in mind while reading the story:

1. I've tried my best to keep this story as short as possible. Believe me, if you only knew what could have happened in the story if I made this any longer, you would be thankful.

2. For some reasons, certain parts remind me of Owl City's songs. Mind you, I've got Neruda, Jones, and Gaye for inspiration. I did not mean it to sound like Owl City's lyrics. That is not a bad thing, though... I guess.

3. I'm writing something about a date of the senses; sitting in wild grass and eating fruits is not a sign of being in a low socioeconomic class nor does it imply a lack of taste. Think: if I made it classier, I'm appealing to only one sense: the sense of materialism. We have five sensory modalities here, and I don't see materialism in it.

4. I don't usually write in this... way. Forgive my horrible writing skills.

5. Despite all this, I'm hoping that you'll have fun reading this. It's going to be fun because it could be nice... or fun because it's just so poorly written.

=========================

We are here, beneath the spreading tree branches with our feet sunk on yellow knee-high grass. Let's leave our things behind. Hush. Make no sound. Listen as the wind ripples across the sparkling seas. Feel it sweep past through us, cool and gentle . Hear the sighs of the leaves and the daffodils, and watch them stir to life and dance. Awakened they may be, but still, they move with such hypnotizing languor. All at once, the skies are set ablaze , and the earth is set on fire . It burns with delight. It burns with passion. We are lost in a world of warm hues .

Let's climb that tree. Let's heed neither the roughness of its bark nor the pains from scratches on our feet and arms . Breathe in the dusk’s sweet perfume . Let the last rays of sunlight cut the threads of our earthly fears and pierce through the knots which bind us to human lies. Let's stay here, and feel how high up above we now are, leaving our troubles and pains below on sunburnt soils.

Pick an apple and hand it to me. I shall take the first bite. I will let my teeth sink into its red and waxed skin, going deeper to its white and crisp flesh. My tongue longs for its juices , as the desert does for the first drop of rain. It is sweet , and now, you can have it. I hand it to you, but your eyes cast loving nets into my oceanic stares . I fell into those dark still pools, plunging into an endless sea of bliss. There are more fruits in the tree, and let's take with us some more. Tonight, we shall dine on romance.

Now, the sky loses its rosy blush . Close your eyes. Put your hand over my chest and feel my heart beat. Its beats resonate with yours. Feel the heat of my body spread across the lovely lines and valleys of your palm. Listen how our hearts beat like war drums , sounding heavy notes to urge our bodies and defeat the lingering presence of inhibition. With your touch , my soul unfolds and smoothes itself out, freshening and fluttering in the afternoon wind. I'll take your hand and guide it into mine, pressing my fingers against yours, palm against palm . The last breaths of the daylight waft your scent under my nostrils. Let me reach out to your soul.

Darkness falls. The moon goddess comes on her chariot, pouring silver moonlight over the landscape with a pale face smiling on us. We see the stars, blue , shivering in the distance. Let's listen to how the words unspoken reverberate through the air, like battle cries rushing our blood through our veins. What kind of substance must our bodies be made from when it rises with warmth like bread in the chill of the night?

Let's go up the hill and scare ourselves tonight. Let's set fire to the sticks and leaves we've piled. Divide it? No, for we shall burn it as one big pile, as we have gathered them. Let the fire roar and send sparks up to the skies, where they shall be mixed with the stars. Watch us the first thick rope of smoke drift away as the flames begin to dance to a softer beat . All its former rage turns into crackles , its warmth like loving arms, wrapped around us. Let its orange light rouse the creatures of the night and marvel at the night's splendid youth. The crickets went first, filling the night's air with an ensemble of shrill calls . Beetles zoom past with a monotonous low buzz . Watch the moth fly in a bouncy and erratic path, only to rest on a tree and flash its brown wings. Hear the nightingale sing .

You have a small iron pot, I have chocolates. We have small bottles of cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika, and maple syrup. Together, let's be like renegade wizards concocting our own potions for delight. Slice the apples while I'll melt the chocolate. I peer in the pot, only to find the rich liquid glow a warm earthy hue against the blazing fire, breathing in its distinct sweet smell . I'll take the first slice; dip it into the pot, put in some paprika. The mild juice of the fruit led the bitter, sweet, and spicy tastes to a symphonic dance of tastes . I watch you take yours. I wonder how cinnamon went with it. Come on, let's feast our hearts away, doused in the warmth of the bonfire.

Let's lay on the ground once more, on the soft grass which gives off a faint glow . Now, the world is in deep slumber with a bone white blanket. It lets out a low moan making the earth tremble. Eerie. The night takes a deep breath and exhales the smells of sleeping fields and forests . Beside us, the fire slowly dies, letting out one long wisp of smoke , like a finger of a dying woman reaching for the pitch-black skies. We look at each other, and the moon looks so alive under our skin. Let's lie down and let our aching joints and muscles rest. Let's weather our minds into peace. Let's fall asleep... and dream.

Let our dream call the northern lights and make the stars fall from the skies.

a bad santa: soup, sugar, and carbs

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 02:45:00 +0000

These are mankind's newest method of self-destruction. EAT!!!

I want to start with something like a metaphor. It's nice to begin posts that way. They make it look like you've got something really good in mind... but that's the point: they make it look like.. even though a sensible topic is nonexistent in your head.

I want to hear my Muse sing... to awaken my mind so that a fresh idea would sprout from my rather barren mind. I think she's away, eating donuts and playing Warcraft, or lying in the bed for one year now, listening to podcasts. Crap, how I wish I could live like that.

So, while my Muse is fattening herself, leaving my thoughts stagnant, I am here to do one thing: kill boredom. See, Warcraft, believe it or not, could get repetitive... well, sometimes. I always play as Kardel or Lycanthrope: unusually difficult characters to begin with. But that's life. Sometimes, you just have to be ridiculously unusual to pave way for more unusual things. I'm doing it right now. And I'm so unusual.

My last post was talking about how stressful it is thinking about the beginning of a new semester. Screw it. Going through the actual thing is hell. I don't know. I get tired and sleepy, and before you fully appreciate the blessings of a good night's sleep (if such a thing would exist), you're in for another day.

What's the use of hating these things if you have to deal with them for like... three years more. Fine. I am a huge fan of school because the euphoria is like that from chocolate and marshmallows. School is soup. It's a mix of random protein, fat, and water. Things with less density float in it. I wonder how dense my brain is.

Here's one thing: my posts usually sort of enumerates events and go into details. Well, I do that because I have something in mind. Now I don't, hence the randomness of this post. Randomness is beauty, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Behold me, for I am the beholder.

I like books. I want to read, but I don't know what holds me back from doing so. I've got this book.. really good: Le Monde de Sophie. Yes, it is in French, and I have to tell you, reading in French is not the easiest thing to do. I've read every page three times before I could go on with the next. Oh well. That's life: sometimes, you have to go through certain things many times because the level of comprehension we're made with cannot always process all the stimuli our environment bombards us with.

I'm in the process of finishing Kite Runner. Good story. I could see a world of drama in the ending. It's new to me. It had always been suicide or some sort of tragedy for me. Well, in reading at least. My story hasn't reached yet its ending... or so I think.

I like donuts. I always did. I'm not into shakes anymore... probably because I get thirsty really fast. I'm not saying shakes don't quench thirst... it's just that maybe sugar and other stuff they put into shakes draws water from your throat.

I'm catching up with movies. I'm not a huge movie fan, nor could I write a good criticism of it. I do better reviewing literary works (or so I was made to believe). But having said that.. yes, I've watched quite a volume of movies... probably thrice as much as I used to.

Holidays are coming. Holidays mean calorie overload. I have put it in my wishlist that I need sugar and carbs. Probably I don't know what I was wishing for. Could that be a good thing?

It feels good to write as you think. But I don't think my wrist and fingers love the idea as much as I think they would. I want to go into Shakespeare again. Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth are good ones... I've started A Midsummer Night's Dream and now, I want to continue it. I'm supposed to finish Tom Jones and Le Monde de Sophie too.. but.. I don't really know what to do.

I want many things for Christmas. But I want Santa to guess them. I haven't bought gifts yet. I'm a bad Santa.

I really don't know what I'm writing here. Sorry.

A merry calorie-filled Christmas to all!

Be easy with cholesterol.

it's about to start - hers did throb more

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:12:00 +0000

It's just randomness

Say, cold Kill

Ask Father too -

Sister Harlot, flick his hard stiff circle

Picking, yet away from crafting?

Time is running effin' fast. Really. It's like my last post was about the nearing end of the first semester...then, some days later, the damned thing is here again. Being filled with activities devoted to gaining weight and divorcing one's self from any form of physical activity, my semestral break's rubbish.

I used to think that going to univ makes you lose weight, thereby giving the signature pallid zombie-esque look - devoid of life and vitality. Yes, my view hasn't changed. But semestral breaks give you the sick look of gluttony.

Frame the fever, Salt Cat

As clean from good coupling,

Who is at Blaze?

Oh well. I kept my mind focused on more normal thoughts. I read editorials, reviewed random things I used to deem useful... yeah, pretty much what an ideal college student would do. I saw my blockmates, heard more stories, saw... more. Guess what happened.

We squirm - eat a hard candy

Give up, secret concrete hole

Your greed and anise rot,

Flick was decay. Fool?

Anyway, too trivial for a casual reader. Let's see.. I played Audiosurf quite much. It's fun. And.. try TwitterMagnets. It's like this twitter-inspired site for those who enjoy poetry and randomness. It stimulates the mind in weird and amusing ways. The italicized stuff are those poems I made. I do know most of these "poetry" don't make sense... because I stick to my rule that I should use at least 90% of the words or so... for if I won't, where's the challenge? I bet modern music is loosely based on this kind of randomness.

Spat from those Fates

Listen and perhaps

Know more about this liquid steel?

Judder. Embrace joyness

So... next episode of Glee's supposed to be aired on November 11. That sucks... big time. Like, school is already out feasting on my brains once I see it. And... I really don't know what to say. I just wanted to share my literary masterpieces with my readers. Hahahahaha.

A shade? I pick our circle

Die, and their porcelain needle

Could speak of decay

Reproach my amiss father, shiver

My poems are more macabre than funny, aren't they? At least that's how I see them. You know what's weird? Me. I guess I'm just so stressed and tired and shocked and... all that I can't think normal. Enrollment really gets.. tiring. It's like going on a fieldtrip, without the enjoyment, tour guides, and bus games. But people were like wild animals... that's the amusing part.

Hot delicious coffee

And cloud of nude ghost?

He pierces her, brining me to

The Man-Breeze, and less

I submitted that bit of literature to Twitter... yeah, for you... but I don't want my username with it. It smothers filth and grime on my rather clean name.

I just don't know where to put these poems. I like them, but I can't let them occupy kilobytes of memory. Here's where they all go. Landfill of literary crap, I guess, hence the blog title. Choosing one which doesn't call for high expectations is just so genius of me. I like how Gordon Freeman and Jonathan Coulton think about things.

Besides, I want to type something while downloading heaps of podcasts. I listen to three podcasts each time... showing only how much time I have to waste... it isn't like I'm working on something.

Presidential candidates for 2010 are just... unexplainable. One minute you like them, another passes by, then you detest them. I don't like Philippine politics.

digesting a semester: 1st sem, a.y. 09-10

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 12:46:00 +0000

Don't mess with the ninja-professor.

The semester has ended. I'm just waiting for the finals and *poof* goes first semester. Quite a wild ride, I should say.

It's strange. A few months back then, I've always itched for this semester to end, thinking that all were too monotonous and repetitive... and bland and whatnot. Now, I feel sort of... sad. I mean, for things to end. I hate endings. They make me feel uncomfortable. It's sad and relieving at the same time. I really regret feeling bored for this semester. I should have gone through it as if I'm excited everyday. Or not.

Anyway... I'm hanging by the few hours of us possibly having electricity (although I wish brownouts go *poof* too), and I'm here to... make most out of these hours.

Let's talk about my subjects and professors. Probably some experiences, thoughts, suggestions, etc. might come in. I don't know. I'm just typing as my CNS dictates me to do so.

Math17 - College Algebra & Trigonometry

Instructor: C. Canlubo

This is one hell of a crazy class. Crazy in all aspects.

Lessons: It's crazy. You look at the syllabus and things look slow and safe, but when you're actually there, you take leaps, skips, all with extras to make this bloody subject even bloodier.

The class: Even crazier. You get exemption questions, out-of-nowhere jokes and stories, talks about ChalkZone and stray animals and whatnot. This is definitely more than what I expected.

Grades and requirements: Quizzes, long tests, problem sets, midterms, finals, and bloody boardworks. I should say, quite considerate for a UP Math instructor, considering the notoriety of this rather violent subspecies of Homo sapiens.

Uno-ableness: It depends. If you're a Math monster (curse you, why have you existed), lucky you, and the chances are good. If you're a normal person like me... just make miracles and a relatively high score isn't so... impossible.

Overall rating: 1.50

Anthro10 - Bodies, Senses, & Humanity

Instructor: E. Valientes

If you don't like readings, don't dare. Readings were pouring in torrents for the first weeks. What's good though is that lectures don't purely rely on them. They're more like... supplements, should I say. In short, you don't have to really read them. Hahaha.

Lessons: Good. Neither too slow nor too fast.

The class: It's just like one would expect from a normal class. Of course, films and documentaries also show up, interesting or just downright lengthy. Fortunately, this class is a normal one. Hurray for UP.

Grades and requirements: A few quizzes, midterm exam, and group works. I really haven't seen how he give grades, for that one quiz where I should have seen it was graded... objectively.

Uno-ableness: I really am not sure... but I think if there's no reason to do so, he would not give you an appallingly low score.

Overall rating: 1.50

Geog1 - Places and Landscapes in a Changing World

Instructor: P. Placino

This is definitely a must-take GE.

Lessons: Clear lessons, not to mention, socially relevant. You really know what to expect from a class for you are asked to read stuff first, but don't expect the lectures to be solely based on the book. I really don't remember a lecture where half of it came from the book. Here, you don't have to get really bookish. PowerPoint reduces the dullness of the whole lecture.

The class: Quite normal, yes. You'll tend to get really quiet as points cascade one after the other. However, you don't really need to take down notes, though. Why, for tests? There's no need for that.

Grades and requirements: Long exams, daily group works, recitation, and a couple of reviews. This subject is not demanding. Grades? I haven't seen them yet.

Uno-ableness: Likely. And if you're the type who asks sensible questions, or who does good in group works, expect an unexpectedly good score... that shining 1.00. Too bad I am neither of those kinds of people.

Overall rating: 1.00

Comm3 - Speech Communication

Instructor: E. Valerio

If you want a relatively unique and wild class, and your schedule don't demand so much time, please take this GE.

Lessons: Mostly group works and reports. I'm not even talking about the requirements. These are basically all you would do. Strange, eh? Many have thought so, too. You might be asked to buy the book at first, even though you'll find it quite... superfluous.

The class: Ridiculously dynamic. Of course, what else do you expect?

Grades and requirements: A couple of reviews, tons of group works and out-of-class projects, a demo speech, and a rather tedious final project. If you know you've done well, expect the best.

Uno-ableness: Again, I'm not so sure. But if you're one hell of a communicator/speaker, again, expect the shiny 1.00. And again, I am not that kind of person.

Overall rating: 1.25

French10 - Elementary French

Instructor: E. Papong

For the price of having your tongue twisted and bent for a correct French pronunciation, you get buckets of plus points.

Lessons: The syllabus is faulty in the sense that it just teaches the phrases without giving the students some grammatical foundations. Under my instructor though, syntax and whatnot are explained as the discussion deems it necessary. No, not hardcore French syntax and grammar (although that might have been good... at least for me), but just what is needed. Work on the pronunciation, though.

The class: Like what one would expect from a language class. Asking seatmates French questions, and sort of those stuff. With audios and dialogues which are rather hilarious and twisted, all of which you imitate and discuss, this class is not boring.

Grades and requirements: Quizzes, long exams (oral and written), and a final exam. The grades? A +0.25 on finals score for perfect attendance, oral exams taking scores not lower than a perfect score, and even more +points whenever you get a high score for a certain exam.

Uno-ableness: Likely, as long as you read the lessons, keep a French dictionary. If not, don't be sad, I'm quite sure it's going to be extremely difficult to fail this subject.

Overall rating: 1.00

PE2 - Duckpin Bowling

Instructor: A. Juliano

Just throw bowling balls across lanes and get a passing grade no matter what.

Meetings: A complete set, 10 frames, 3 balls each. This is basically how a day in PE 2-BD is.

Interactions in class: You'll get to share your strikes and failures with your lane-mates, but not with the instructor. To tell you honestly, he is seldomly there.

Grades and requirements: As long as you could hit at least one pin per ball and you come to class regularly, you shall not fail. But, make sure you're doing relatively good, because the 1.00's are for the tournament champs only. Lucky you if you're in such a team. Too bad if not, since the lanes give lives to each ball, thus you see them move about and take crooked paths. Amazing.

Uno-ableness: You need skills and luck, either of the two. I had neither. However, if you took this and had this lethal combo, expect the light at the end of the tunnel. (Crappy ways of saying "expect an uno. Help me think of more.)

Overall rating: 1.25

So how do this combo of GEs weigh to me? Quite light... far from demanding, yet gets stressful at times. A good way to start off four years of torture... really.

Please, I'm trying not to sound mean. I am not mean. I'm a good-hearted person. That means... if you want the truth, make my descriptions more... realistic, if you catch my drift. Hahaha!!!

I already have a schedule ready for the second semester, but I'll see if better subject/time/location/instructor combos show up. Still, I'm really undecided what and what not to take.

I hope I won't get this bored for the next semester. I really don't like how I got through this semester. I feel so rubbish about that. How I wish I was able to reciprocate such... energy and warmth. *sighs*

I've started watching Glee.

Whew, this post is lengthy.

modern taoism: hibernation and much more

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:02:00 +0000

Ketsana and Parma tried their luck in the Philippines, because here, Kanye West won't interrupt.

I hated the storm. We all did. Tempers bursted out into flames as things worsened by the second. Mine heated like napalm.

Lucky me, though, all of us were safe. The interiors of the house weren't even touched by rain water. It was as if Luck was on our side. Too bad, though, as if Luck couldn't be omnipresent. To all those whose lives were worsened by this cursed mass of gusting winds and heavy precipitation: I wish Hope lights up a new path for you to tread on and start anew.

As for my problems of little importance, I was cut away from internet connection for such a long time. And oh... I forgot to mention that I represent that small fraction of the population who stayed at home while chaos was breaking and had broken loose. Yes, I know, I'm lucky to be alive, luckier to be safe, even luckier to have a home, still luckier to have water and electricity, luckiest by having classes suspended... but, things are different when you know internet is so close yet so unreachable.

I was in hibernation. Instead of snow, though, there were oceans of rain water. No, I fed neither on grass, berries, insects, nor fish... but there were potato chips, chocolates, and pancit canton. I wasn't tucked in a ground hole,for I got cozy in my own home. To store fat for the next season: Hell Season. (The whole thing seems to be paying off. I'm fat.)

(This post is absolutely directionless)

So I was stuck at home for a week, deprived of internet and telephone connection, and with the TV set on news (as my dad wants it). Perfect life. I was also running short of podcasts, and the only book I am to read is Thoreau's agonizingly long essay. Happy days. All I had in my mind was to burn time, but school work screams in my head, telling me one week is ticking away, and the next thing I know, it's Hell Season.

I played lots of Plants vs Zombies and Warcraft tower defense games. Hell yeah, internet couldn't stand a chance when these are around (keeping things ridiculously positive here). And.. yes, I played Plants vs Zombies... and Warcraft. Have I even mentioned how I wasted my time away with Plants vs Zombies? There was Warcraft too. *forced big grin*

I finished two tower defense games which I haven't even spent time on before, and am now 2 or 3 waves away from finishing two more. I did this out of sheer boredom. You know what kind of things was I able to do out of this oh-so-pleasant condition? I translated my sister's Grade 3 notes (Civics & Culture) into French... plus some passages from C&P and 1984.

I've quite done my part to prepare myself for the Hell Season. A bit of Math and Anthro and heaps of French were the stuff I dealt with. Great.

Life was boring. The pressure of Hell Season made it more boring. The absence of internet made life perfect... in the sense that boring is perfect, because if it wasn't... then my life is flawed? No. In fact, the whole thing cleansed me. Modern Taoism.

Think positive. Tomorrow's another day.

French seems to sneak into present media around me: songs, movies. I had nothing to do with it.

I want to try AutoTune. Don't you just hate Kanye?

on europe, books, and donuts

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 07:34:00 +0000

Indeed, why have I chosen a Psychology course over a more European-sounding one? And... is that Spain's flag below that of Germany? Weird.

A few weeks more, the next thing you know, the semester's going to end. Have I made the most from it? No. My brain became a useless mass of neurons this semester. There are few more weeks... let's see if I could spark some more brain activity.

For the past weeks, I've doused myself in all things European... with languages, books, movies, music, etc. Not with the people though... nor the landscapes and sceneries.. *sigh* how I wish I could. One thing which ate my week (for good) is Cine Europa. I've started watching the movies a bit late, though. Due to the inconvenience brought about by school and time, I was only able to watch 3 out of those 12 movies.

The first one was [.REC]. Ridiculously good. First minutes looked like it was up to nowhere... but that beginning made the whole film. The really wicked parts came nonstop later in the film. The normal-looking scenes suddenly turned to rollercoaster rides of gore, fright and claustrophobia. The low-budget feel of the movie disconnects it from the glitters of a high-budget, commercialized movie. It is so close to reality, that when I researched a bit about the movie, no sets were needed for this one. The first-person-game-of-reality feel of the whole movie is what made it brilliant.

Then, I watched Friegesprochen (that was hard to spell). Set against a peaceful image of Germany was this melodrama. The story, based on infidelity and the complexities it brings along, was quite directionless. That, I think, made the whole thing looked natural. It lacked the rigidly scripted feel. With that, the film is good. I have to tell, though: you won't feel too good after this. It's rather tragic.

The last one was the oldest of all the films: S čerty nejsou žerty (even harder to spell... and pronounce). A basic story... a fairytale, that is. A good family movie.. if not for the vintage feel into it. I thought that this could be something Czech fathers of now might have watched when they were kids. It looked really old, and the effects weren't too good. Anyway, the story is, again, really good. Nothing deep nor depressing. A good family film... but please appreciate the vintage-ness of it.

The others I wished I would have watched were Die Welle, Toi et Moi, and probably De Laatste Zomer (German is so hard to spell). But... Cine Europa ends today. *sigh*

The fanaticism to all things European doesn't end there. Now, I'm studying French more intensively than my other subjects. Yes, I know, quite irresponsible for someone like me... but that's how life goes. Another thing, I have started basic Portuguese... but I mix those two quite often... so the focus now is more on French. Then.. the music I'm listening to has European roots. Schubert, Chopin, Vivaldi, and Mozart -- talk about fourth year MAPEH. However, now that I'm listening to them not because of reports or quizzes, I'm enjoying music the way it should be enjoyed.

Then... what else. After months of reading hiatus, I've resumed reading, and now, I have just finished Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. Again, I'm just so amazed how Rodka and I have the same thinking patterns. Really interesting. A trip to the bookstore led me to think about buying Sedaris, Rushdie, Murakami, or Garcia-Marquez. Tell me, who among these authors is worth buying?

So.. that and a bit of PopCap games, more failures in Math, sacks of Anthro stuff, and heaps of lazy days and indecisiveness made the past weeks. Too sad extensive soundtripping wasn't able to become part of the list.

I normally do reviews of movies I watch and books I read... but I'm a bit... tired, and not in the mood to do so. I don't want to think it's about the brain again... I'm not yet deranged. I like donuts.

as easy as 1, 1, 2, 3, 5...

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 04:35:00 +0000

What you see is certainly not what it is.. but how I wish...

I'm not so keen about math -- well, that's one euphemism to describe that useless numerical crap which acerbated my mood... which drew out the joy in life and filled the void in with burning rage and ire. I hate math.

But as they say, life must go on. Yes! Besides, as we theorize it: Math is there for Psychology students for them to have a first-hand experience of anger, depression, and anxiety -- all emotions necessary for understanding numerous mental illnesses. See, I'm not doing so bad after all. I'm on the right track.

Well, life is not all about failing, is it? Thinking of this question more makes me want to agree that life is about failing, but... anyway, as I was saying, life is more than frustrations. It still has the elements of stress and cramming into it. Hey, those aren't as bad (yes, lifting the spirit up).

This week had been really busy. Let's start off with the last bit of failure: the midterms. I don't know what went wrong. I studied. I didn't cram (well, a bit.. but, let's say I didn't so it would seem I have this good student image). I did bad. I felt bad. Now, most likely, I'm going to score bad. Big time.

Moving on with the more positive things, I went on a fieldtrip for Geography1. Cool. It's geography (thanks, Captain Obvious!). A trip on rural Laguna and Quezon is something which can shatter the nauseating monotony of school life. Lush greens, clear waters... churches of the Spanish era. Sounds more like something off of a brochure or something... but yes, it was good. What I didn't like, though: long trips, heat of a car's interiors after being drenched in afternoon sun, and long walks and hikes.

Another thing which got me occupied is my pursuit for French proficiency. Univ's libraries are wicked; quite ancient books.. but yes, really good. In fact, I have this French grammar book with me for a month now and I'm learning a lot. I was able to straighten my crooked ways of translating and writing in French, although I have to say, with all the tips and tricks, I'm much slower. Slower can be better, though. I'm also thinking about Portuguese (which is a bit easier), but no, French first.

Then.. yes, the lighter notes of this rather Beethoven-esque symphony: reunions and birthdays. Relatives came home (which happens every 4 or 6 years). I saw again my cousins, now one of them celebrating his birthday. What's good was three people were celebrating their birthdays, all one after the other. Good. Those ate my weekends up.. but who cares, birthdays are better than schoolworks.

(This is becoming really long for a useless post)

Then, I've become addicted to Plants vs Zombies and those other PopCap goodies.

Yay! What a good way to end this post.

Seriously, my writing skills are.. *cricket cricket*

My mental speed is .. *deafening silence*

And overall energy is .. *drools*

I need to rev up these engines (ooh, body as a machine. Anthro10).

Happy Birthday Angelo, Elliot, and Camille.

fusion of poetry and quantum physics

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 04:40:00 +0000

It's the land of sweets and joy.. and joyness.

There was not an hour in the past weeks when I wasn't tired and sleepy. I don't know if it's all in the metabolism, the environment... or is it just me. Whatever the cause is, I felt strange. It's like all energy were stripped away from me. Nevertheless, worldly stuff brought me back to reality and forced me to get going.

Exams are even closer. I don't like it. Papers and requirements are showing up, all in different shapes and forms... some good, some bad. Now, I'm supposed to write a reflection paper.. but.. my head hurts (or I'm just thinking it is).

By the way, new addictions include Portuguese, Charlie the Unicorn, 90s music, and a bit of Facebook applications.

(This is clearly going nowhere)

So.. I really have nothing to say (or just too lazy to think). However, notes in Facebook in which I was tagged led me to The Surrealist. Here are stuff which I was able to get. Wicked.

---------------

The Slogan Generator

Put your name in, and generate a slogan for each question

1. What do you say to yourself every morning?

Go on, get your Marc out

2. What do you want other people say about you?

They drink Marc in the Congo

3. Someone asked you out, your answer is...

A different kind of company. A different kind of Marc.

4. How would you answer a booty call?

Tense, nervous, Marc?

5. How would you introduce yourself to someone you really like?

Bring out the Marc!

6. ...to someone you dislike?

Happiness is a cigar called Marc

7. You're in a conversation and you suddenly feel the need to pee, how would you excuse yourself?

Feel the Marc

8. Your parents ask you why you got home late, you say...

Race for the Marc

9. You're failing a subject, you say...

Marc born and bred

10. The love of your life asks you to marry him/her, what do you say?

America's most trusted Marc

11. Your bf/gf is breaking up with you, you tell him/her...

Makes you feel Marc again

12. Someone told you you're an asshole, you tell them...

No one does chicken like Marc

13. What are the best words to describe you?

Grab life by the Marc

14. If you're going to have a movie about your life, the title is...

Why can't everything orange be Marc?

15. Your last words before you die..

Please don't squeeze the Marc

---------------

Trivia about Marc

1. You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching Marc!

2. Devoid of his cells and proteins, Marc has the same chemical makeup as sea water

3. You can tell if Marc has been hard-boiled by spinning him. If he stands up, he is hard-boiled!

4 There are six towns named Marc in the United States.

5. It's bad luck for a flag to touch Marc.

6. In the 1600s, tobacco was frequently prescribed to treat headaches, bad breath and Marc.

7. If you keep a goldfish in a dark room, it will eventually turn into Marc!

[this is good. it's... sneaky]

8. Fish travel in schools, but whales travel in Marc.

9. Every day in the UK, four people die putting Marc on!

10. Long ago, the people of Nicaragua believed that if they threw Marc into a volcano it would stop erupting

title is inspired by this news item:

http://bit.ly/Rm1xX

fault line: when chaos cracked open

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 07:47:00 +0000

If I kept the rule, this post would be two weeks late. Good thing I already dumped it, or else it would make me rush two weeks' worth of content. Anyway, within two weeks, chaos was cracked open into my life. I can't remember how exactly chaotic... but let me ruminate on these bits of memories:

These weeks were filled with KAPPistahan stuff. Just so you know, it's an event for CSSP students and freshie blocks get to perform. There. We performed. We, of course, practiced first. However, I can neither dance, sing, nor act, and that gave my blockmates a huge headache. Everyone were dead tired, muscles ached, sweat poured, heaps of time died. Yes, we have put effort into the whole thing as one block, and that, I guess, is enough to make as more bonded and unified... more one as a block.

School work banged its cup against the bars of my mind, constantly making noise and disorder in my life -- quizzes, requirements, and whatnot. They drain life. They made these past weeks monotonous. They make time appear disturbingly short. Everything were in shades of pass-or-fails.

Organization, though, is still dynamic and active. I see it as a marketplace for energy. You get energy by giving energy. You get something by giving something back to it: that's how I want to see the whole process. Yes, if I still had the energy and time to participate in their activities, I would never hesitate. I was able to be in the Acquaintance Party and a team building seminar. The whole thing was, indeed, tiring and sometimes violent, but it was sheer fun.

Family gatherings popped in just recently. It's shocking how time and genetics make your relatives look strangers to you. However, there was this element which drew me into them, but the weird feeling of doing so told me to do otherwise. I like to see them again, though.

The thing with these events is that there was no single second between each event. One lead immediately after the other. No exaggerations here. Another thing is, each event if mutually exclusive of each other; complete disconnected and unrelated to each one. That called for an exceptionally adroit juggler and balancer. And where did chaos came in? When I neither had the time nor the skill to do these faultlessly. These weeks had a fault line.

no one's really color blind

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 11:18:00 +0000

Q: What's a blonde's favorite nursery rhyme?

A: Humpme Dumpme.

Q: What would Martin Luther King be if he was white?

A: Alive .

Q: How was copper wire invented?

A: Two Jews fighting over the same penny .

Q: What's yellow and goes "cheep, cheep"?

A: A Chinese prostitute.

Before everything else, I want to say that the title was inspired by the awesome Avenue Q. Many had already recommended this to me, but I've only started listening to it just last night. I heavily regret it. Anyway, yes, everyone's a little bit racist because it's fun and cool. Only stupid people take racist jokes seriously.

So, I've been staying in the uni for a month now.. and I barely saw that one month pass by. Now, it's like midterms and quizzes are showing up... and they're not the prettiest things to watch. Well, aside from heavier lessons and related stuff, there are other things with which I've been busy with, inside and outside of uni.

Inside the uni and outside classes, it's org time. I'm currenly applying for PUGAD Sayk. Cool. Members are uber nice and friendly... quite a crowd to be with. Application process, to me, is a new strain of fun. Tiring but still fun. Speaking of Pugad, we had this team building thing this morning, and crap was it tiring and violent.. and extremely tiring.. and absolutely fun. First game was sort of a game of precision.. sort of my thing. First throws were promising, I was even able to hit a cup (because it was a modified verion of tumbang preso). For the next throws, I slowed up, and eventually gave up. Voila, another proof that I have a very low stamina.

Second game was a human version of an arcade game which I have never played, and in which I didn't join because I was still catching my breath. StIll, groupmates were amazing to watch. Wicked with physical stuff.. so unlike me. Third game was, by far, the most intense a game can get. Violence is written all over the place once we were playing the game. It was so intense that we had to carry and drag people, pull on violently other people's limbs, and to put our weights on them just to prevent them from escaping. It was aptly called War of the Worlds. Nice game.

Outside uni, I've met with former classmates. Great times. Two words, I think, are strong enough to describe the whole thing. Updated on each other's stories, told jokes, sang songs in different voices. Indeed, those were good times.

PS
I don't think a four-posts-per-month rule is good. It's not like everyweek, there's something amazing taking place. I think the problem lies on how I see things.. but, whatever. Besides, I have things to do.

on first week: delirium and heat

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 03:33:00 +0000

June is ending and yes, I don't think I'm going to live up to the 4 posts per month rule. It's not that I'm busy... I just got sick. That, of course, incapacitated me to write something because who knows what would I write while I was in... delirium, I might say. (Speaking of delirium, I'm really now into Crime & Punishment.)

So since I've already started with Crime & Punishment, let me continue with it. I have to say, I share many thinking patterns with Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov. For instance, he chooses to take longer routes and get quite lost instead of taking the shorter ones. I, too, do that, particularly in UP. Instead of going to CAL from AS the extremely short way, I went to OUR, 'round somewhere to reach Vargas, then finally to CAL. Another thing, Rodka tends to think too much and develop these arguments with himself. I do that... not only in UP, but anywhere. One thing is not common to us though, and that he had already killed someone, and I haven't done it.. yet.

And about the first week. Let me think... nothing much. I mean, it's all classes and lectures for me... and being lost on purpose. Another thing, I was always hot in UP (literally), always sweaty, exhausted, et vraiment fatigué...and lost on purpose. Yes, there was nothing much.

So everyday, I have my Math17 classes. For now, Math seems to like me... unlike the Math I had in high school. Everything's fine with it. I kept on blowing my nose in classes (which I hope my professor didn't mind), and I hardly recite... but sure, everything's fine. However, I feel lessons are about to get bloodier, and I hope by that time, Math would still be as good to me.

Tuesdays and Thursdays, it's PE, Anthro10 and Geog1. PE's really, really cool. I mean, the truth that the facilities are sucky is already established.. but so what? I mean, the class, as our professor puts it, is a way of relieving stress, and we're expected to do nothing but enjoy. That, I have to say, is purely wicked. No target scores.. no targets or whatsoever. Cool. Extremely cool.

Anthro and Geog classes are good too. The topics are really interesting and I think I can study those without feeling nerdy. Human nature, essence of humanity, consequences of globalization -- all timely topics which I am hugely interested with. However, because again of my colds, I couldn't participate much. Now, I think I'm feeling better, so I really hope I could participate in the next classes.

Wednesdays and Fridays, it's Comm3 and French10. Comm is fun: less theories, more applications, and it serves like an injection of culture into our rather class-bound lives. Really cool. French, too, is good. For me, enjoying it is effortless, and that's because I already "studied" French while I was on vacation, and what's left for me to do now is just to enjoy it.

So tomorrow's the Department Orientation, next week is for block building activities. Brilliant stuff. I just can't wait (actually, I can wait.. but that was said to create a marvellous air of positivitiy).

got tagged through facebook

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 09:20:00 +0000

The picture has nothing to do about this post... but gee, I was astounded by the results. Does this mean that my brain is a balance between a male and female brain? Really?

Two days left and I'm off to a more merciful version of Dante's Inferno which most people call student life... college, particularly.. maybe the something like the seventh or eighth circle. Anyway, this post would probably one of those last blows to vacation's boredom.

This post would contain those people's notes in Facebook in which I was tagged. I would answer them here, though not entirely. I would take a sizeable part of these notes and let me answer them here.

============

Tagged by Ma'am Suarnaba

All About Books

(9 out of 18 questions here)

1. What author do you own the most books by?

I do not own some of the books I have already read, like Great Expectations, Romeo & Juliet, and Don Quixote. Probably because it's some sort of a series, I would say C.S. Lewis, Chronicles of Narnia (got too lazy though to buy the last two books).

2. Did it bother you that both that question ended with a preposition?

Not really. I'm quite guilty of that... "error".

3. What fictional character are you secretly in love with?

All of those female characters I've read were into some sort of scandal. I like reading those types of tragedies. None, I have to say.

4. What book have you read the most times in your life?

I don't actually reread. That's why I have my books in relatively pristine states.

5. Favorite book as a ten year old?

Interesting question. Actually, I was once an HP fan, but I don't own HP books. I've read them all from my elementary school's library. I think I was the first borrower of those books.

6. What is the best book you’ve read in the past year?

Past year... my memory's impaired. American Gods, I guess (I can't remember what I've read in the earlier months).

7. If you could force everyone you know to read one book, what would it be?

I would have said Orwell's 1984, but I think dystopian themes aren't for everyone. But yes, I would still force them. It would be very noble of me if I've said The Bible, though.

8. What book would you most like to see made into a movie?

Most of the books I've already read are already classics.. made into movies long before I was even born. However, I assume those were not so good quality-wise. I would like to see 1984. I think it would be brilliant if they can capture the sci-fi side of it.

9. And . . . what are you reading right now?

Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. Really good.

============

Tagged by Arianne, Aura and Mico

100 Things

(25 out of 100)

1. ONE OF YOUR SCARS, HOW DID YOU GET IT?

* I'm scarless. Haha!

2. WHATS ON THE WALLS IN YOUR ROOM?

* my bookshelves.

3. WHAT MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN TO?

* All sorts: Britpop, pagode, bossa nova, jazz, alternative, indie, techno, trance, etc.

4. WHAT DO YOU WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW?

* To get those innermost desires materialize. (ooh, interesting)

5. WHAT IS YOUR ZODIAC SIGN?

* Capricorn

6. DO YOU GET SCARED IN THE DARK?

* Sometimes, especially if I'm strangely expecting for some inscriptions in the walls, ceilings... someone else's face, etc.

7. IF YOU COULD EAT ANYTHiNG RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

* Newly baked cupcakes, muffins, and/or biscuits. Have that with caramel ice cream. C'est paradis.

8. DO YOU HAVE A PET RIGHT NOW?

* Lots.

9. WHAT KIND IS IT?

* Mostly dachshunds, but we also have one pitbull.

10. WHAT ANNOYS YOU MOST?

* Although I can be one in rare cases... extremely dumb and senseless people with rubbish sense of humor. Luckily, haven't found one with that array of weapons.

11. YOUR WEAKNESS?

* Math. Techie stuff. Sports.

12. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?

* They say it's after the saint (Mark), but I think mine is the Anglicized version. The second name, I don't think so.

13. DO YOU WISH ON STARS?

* No.. but I used to.. when I was a lot younger, and air pollution wasn't that heavy.

14. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?

* It makes taking notes a lot faster and easier. I don't care if others can't read it. Haha! Yes, I quite like it.

15. WHAT COUNTRY DO YOU LIVE IN?

* Philippines.

16. WHAT IS YOUR MOST EMBARRASSING MUSIC?

* The rubbish they call "music" made by those Disney stars... and any song sung by Willie Revillame. Irks me a lot.

17. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?

* Yes... eccentricity in its most acceptable and desirable form (ooh.. I think I can start calling myself that).

18. DO LOOKS MATTER?

* Yes, and those who answered "no" to this are liars. Evolution favored that mechanism, and even we are already modern as far as evolution is concerned, a part of our neo-cortex is still reptillian and animalistic in nature. (That's off of Gen Psych lectures)

19. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?

* Caramel.

20. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE COLOR(S)?

* I can't see why one can't just guess it: green.

21. HOW MANY WISDOM TEETH DO YOU HAVE?

* One and a half.. hehe... I mean, the other one's showing up, and the other is showing signs of emerging. I don't like how they are positioned. Really.

22. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO?

* British radio.

23. FAVORITE THING TO HATE?

* Sounds racist... but I love to hate black people... no, not all of them.. but those only who are hate-worthy. Kanye West?

24. WHAT IS YOUR HAIR COLOR? EYE COLOR

* Black for the hair, a dark brown for the eyes.

25. HEIGHT?

* 5 ft 11 in. (would want a couple of inches more, though)

============

Tagged by Arianne

My Autobiography

(deleted stuff which are redundant, or those I'm feeling lazy to answer)

Chapter 1

1. Middle name: Villamil

2. Nickname(s): Marc.

3. Current location: Mandaluyong.

------------------------------------------------

Chapter 2

1. Do you get along with your parent(s): Yes.

2.Are your parents married/separated/divorced? : Married.

------------------------------------------------

Chapter 3: Favorites

1. Season: Fall

2. Shampoo/conditioner: (doesn't really matter) Head & Shoulders

3. Favourite Thing: Leisure time

------------------------------------------------

Chapter 4: Do You..

1. Dance in the shower? No.

2. Do you write on your hand? No. It's hard to rub off.

3. Call people back? Always.

4. Believe in God? Yes.

5. Any bad habits? Indecisiveness on almost all decisions.

6. Any mental health issues: None, as I know it.

------------------------------------------------

Chapter 5: Have You..

1. Sprained stuff: NO.

2. Had physical therapy: No.

3. Gotten stitches? Yes.

4. Taken painkillers: Yes.

5. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling: Diving... a very amateur attempt.

6. Thrown up at the dentist: No.

7. Sworn in front of your parents?: No.

8. Had detention? No.

----------------------------------------------

Chaper 6: Who/What was the last

1. Movie(s): X-men Origins: Wolverine

2. Person you tackled: Douglas Quijano

3. Person you talked to on YM: Angelo Romasanta

4. Thing you touched: The letterD on the keyboard

5. Thing you ate: Cinnamon Roll

6. Thing you drank: This thing with sago

7. Thing you said: "Anong oras kakain?"

8. Place you went: CMSHS

boredom, en faux français

noreply@blogger.com (MFajardo) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 05:09:00 +0000

In this wide ocean of boredom, one relies on his resources to survive. However, at some point, these resources would get exhausted, and with that, he needs to resort to his innate response mechanisms which are, more or less, animalistic.To sum these all up, I'm here to write about nothing... writing because my autonomic nervous system felt like doing so.

Je m'ennui beaucoup

I don't know... I'm bored... as always. Like it's not that I'm complaining about it... boredom can be a good thing, but it can get monotonous, and I just like to break monotony by doing something other than switching between windows and tabs with nothing on... or copy-paste-ing back and forth certain files from my MP3 to PC vice versa.

Comme un ouvrier

One thing: pay some respect to factory workers, for I can say that I have tried putting myself on their shoes with the thing we did yesterday. To give you a run through of our task, before us was a humungous pile of papers... of letters addressed to every voter residing in Mandaluyong (if I, in anyway, sound like a retard, feel free to correct me). What we ought to do was fold the paper in a certain way, two folds, stapling them after below a logo, and sorting them by street names. Sure, when I walked in, it seemed... fun (strangely, I thought it was). As the numbers of letters were growing exponentially, I lost that quantum of zeal. I started tossing things (yes, luckily, I was involved in sorting... the bit where you would use gray matter) like a pro when I was obviously not. It lasted for almost a quarter of a day or so. Monotonous. Kudos to factory workers who are doing pretty much the same things for decades.

La Grippe A

About the Influenza A virus subtype hemagglutinin 1 neuraminidase 1: it's scary. It's like one minute we're nowhere in the list, now the virus is spreading like crazy.. well, that's how they make it look like. One day, you hear one case, the next day, one university's infected, and now, one whole campus and two large malls... what's next? It's scary.

Français effrayant

I should be writing something in French here, but that calls on a bit of work. See, as I write French, I want to make it as complex as possible, so along the process, I get to widen my vocabulary. For now, I'm working on passages from my books... most of which are classics. For instance, I've worked on a paragraph from Dostoevsky's Crime and Punisment. Tried my hand at it: terrible. Consulted a language learning site, and the results were far from what I did. Bottom line: I suck at translation.

J'y réponds

Lastly, I've been seeing posts about Query, and who knew we also have one. Tried it, and picked out three questions (I can't remember exactly what the questions said. I just remembered the thought).

If you have to talk about something for 3 minutes, what would it be about?

I've recently listened to this brilliant discussion about the concept of beauty. They tackled beauty in a deeply philosophical manner. It was a nice conversation and it's something which I think everyone could relate with. Yes, I think it would have to be something within that range.

If you were to be a lifeless object for one day, what would you be?

This is a tricky question. Hmmm.. LHC, maybe? so I could be the very first witness to those smashed particles. Also, I think I would like to be some sort of a vehicle for those humanitarians working with the United Nations. That is a noble job, I think.

If you were to go back in a period of time, when would it be?

The Enlightenment, where I would have to live in Europe, preferably England of France. It's amazing. It's like minds were in a healthy rage about anything and everything sensible while breaking free from the rigid principles of the Middle Ages.