Thesis has been the only thing occupying almost 100% of our brains for the past weeks. I’ve got to admit that it has gotten me worried until now. Well, of course, I know it’s natural. But really, THESIS 1 is spelled in capital letters in my head right now. It’s like writing an expository essay. It’s just that the latter sounds easier.

How I wish doing our thesis is just like writing a literary essay. Slack times would at least be justified as that kind of essay doesn’t really squeeze your brain if it flows out of you naturally. Oh, thesis! Why can’t you be easy? Why can’t you be simple? Can an essay help just be enough for us to solve this problem?

Six more months, and this will be over — hopefully. Please pray for us! Everyone’s desperate. Or at least I am.

The University of San Carlos Industrial Engineering Acquaintance Party 2010 is my 5th and last one in my college life. Sunday, August 29, 2010, after our Imperial Palace adventure, we went straight to Cebu White Sands.

True to the theme, It’s a Kaleidoscope World, everyone and everything was colorful! It’s a contrast to last year’s λευκό — a Grecian White Party. The people were dressed in colorful attires. Even the tables!

The program started with a mass. Then there were games and sports. Thank God it didn’t rain! Since I already ‘graduated’ from the IE Council, I wasn’t busy during the party at all. My friends and I just stayed in our table, looking at the people around, talking, cam whoring… Duhh. We just left to have our picture taken with 3 of our IE teachers.

D’ Hacienderas with Engr. Cabilao, Engr. Ponla, and Engr. Gimena.

After the games was the IE Perfect Match. It was basically a Q&A portion with the pairs. It started getting funny here because of the hilarious trio — Densio, Dean, and Larkins!

Some of the nominees.

The leisure continued until dinner at 6pm. I ate mine later than the others since we had a little practice of our song numbers for our batch presentation. The food was okay. At least I finished it. What followed was the Mr. & Ms. IE. You could hear laughters all the way because the contestants, the emcees, and the IE people were craaazy! Hahaha. The winners were the representatives of Batch 2012 (4th year).

Batch 2011 pair: Leo and Cecille.

After the pageant came everybody’s favorite part — the batch presentations! This time, all of the batches did some dance numbers. Career na career! But of course, the Batch 2011 (5th year) presentation was the best! Hahaha, biased! Here’s a collage of some snapshots during our batch presentation (click to enlarge):

1. Boy Band (I danced)
2. Korean
3. Retro (I danced)
4. Boys
5. Unison

I actually have a video of each part but I haven’t uploaded it yet (blame the slow internet connection). I’ll just update this post once the videos are up already.

After the dance was our tribute to the teachers. Ainee & Nina sang Journey (Lea Salonga), Mary & I sang Thanks to You (Tyler Collins), and the four of us sang At Your Side (The Corrs) together. A video presentation by Jessa was also played. Did anyone’s heart swell? Hehe.

The jamming sessions started after our presentation. The announcement and awarding of winners also happened during that time. There was a raffle draw. As expected, I didn’t win anything. Hahaha.

I enjoyed the party because of so many reasons: our batch presentation was great (it had to be since we exerted effort to practice! ), we were able to make our teachers (and all IE’s) smile, and just everything! I’m glad my last acquaintance party with my USC-IE family was gratifying. Thank you!

There wouldn’t be a next time for me as a student at the party, but let’s see if I can join when I’m a professional already. Bwahahaha.

Free pic by Photo Mix (click to enlarge). Just don’t mind the typo’s.

After our batch practice for our acquaintance party presentation last Saturday, August 28, 2010, Pam, Aimee, Shalee, Leslie, and I went ahead to the place in the afternoon. After checking in, we settled down and waited for the others. When Judith, Ainee, Mary, and Chad arrived, the vanity sessions started! Yeahhh! After some time, we then decided to use the swimming pool and continue the vanity underwater.

Pam brought her underwater digital camera. What else to do? Cam whoring again!

That’s all we basically did at the pool! There was a misadventure but thankfully, it was resolved later. We went back to the room and… Yes, continuation of the you-already-know-what. That’s what happens when the group’s got so many cameras! Crazy!

After spending some time debating over what and where to eat, we finally decided it to be some pizzas and spaghetti at MB’s Tavern, where we also met with Lester and Eric. Pam’s and Ainee’s treat for dinner! Yahoo! I had eaten a lot, specially that I love pizza and spaghetti! We also surprised Ainee with a cake for her birthday on the next day.

We went back to our room at Imperial Palace, and did some spontaneous activities for the night. Since we weren’t able to bring playing cards, we just had charades and Pinoy Henyo! The consequence for the losers? Figure it out.

Watching TV and eating junk food, ice cream, and others made us sleepy. Ainee took a nap. When the clock struck 12am, we woke her up with some shouts and pillow hits, and greeted her a happy birthday! Yeeey!

Sleeping time came. The boys were the ones who used the beds! Haha. After all the talking and laughing, we finally dozed off at the wee hours. It’s just weird that we were able to wake up early in the morning! I mean, not like almost lunch or something.

But yeah, we still took a nap some time after we had our breakfast of cake and pizza (from last night). We cleaned up the place after everyone was able to take a bath, and we checked out at 12pm. We headed over to Gaisano Grand Mall to have lunch.

Major major fun right there! Big thanks to Pam for bringing us to Imperial Palace! It’s my first time there, and I think I won’t be able to go there unless it’s for free! Hahaha. And thanks, too, to Ainee, Judith, Mary, Aimee, Shalee, Leslie, Lester, Chad, and Eric! It was a totally awesome experience! Sa uulitin? Hahaha.

Photo credits: Pam and Judith.

UP Cookout ’10: Magpakabana, Manginlabot, to the eXtreme! happened last August 13, 2010. It was Friday the 13th, but duh. Thirteen’s my favorite number, so no worries. I went to UP alone at around 6pm. Jessa and I planned to meet there at 7pm [+]. I arrived just in time to watch the sky lanterns! They were cool. Too bad I wasn’t able to bring my camera. Anyway, Rabsin was the first friend I met at the place. Jessa came later. Rabsin was pigging out, eating hotdog sandwich after his shawarma rice! He even had siomai & tempura! Hahaha. It’s good that he shared the latter pair with us.

We joined the people at the grounds when Aimee and Eugene came. Jessa brought her sarong, so we were able to sit on the ground. We were really amused by the fact that the songs performed for Kantahan were songs from the 90′s! Boy bands, girl bands… Nostalgic! The numbers for Sayawan were, uhh, pretty ordinary. I mean, I wasn’t impressed to the highest level. Hehe. Bandahan was good, though I don’t know most of the bands. Muhaha, I suck, yeah? While the show was going on, Jorich, Clado, Tianexx, and Bryan came. Power of CBS!

I wasn’t watching the show on stage all the time. I lied down when bands performed, just letting my ears do the work. So I was kind of stargazing, too, thanks to the clear skies.

We went hunting for food late at night. The show went on until the wee hours. Rabsin, Aimee, and Eugene went home ahead. The last part was Rampahan. I was lying down (again) most of the time, but I did see some of the contingents. The pair from UPSTAGE caught my attention. Hahaha. And I heard they won the segment.

The Cookout survivors made it again! We’re the same people — me, Jessa, Bryan, Tianexx, and Jorich. We went home right after the show ended (didn’t stay for some dancing and stuff), at around 5am.

Overall, UP Cookout ’10 was okay. I think I enjoyed ’09 more. And I think there were more spectators that time, too. But at least I was still with my friends. Till next year? Let’s see.

When talking about things like this, I can always say women are the targets. Why, who’s the more narcissistic gender, anyway? That’s just my opinion, by the way. Ladies are more likely to get plastic surgeries, unless you’re some kind of a bad boy/criminal chased by the police that you just had to change how you look. Anyway, it’s not just the face that girls are trying to improve. There’s the body, too! What part? You guessed it — the breasts.

So Miami breast enhancement and Miami breast implants are quite popular, huh? I’m a girl, but I’m not really into those stuff. Very uncomfortable. Why not just be contented with what we have? This post is open for arguments.

It was last June 20 when I did my 100th origami star and made a deal with myself — to make myself happy all the time, or at least most of it. I did pretty well during the first week after the deal. I felt great enough that I pushed myself to look for something more to feed the feeling. I wanted to feel light. Then I came across this book in our shelf that my mom bought (and read) way back 2008. I had planned to read it during the first few weeks of this year, but I had too much in my mind at that time. Last June 29, I finally decided to start reading it.

The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren has been my company for forty straight nights. Every night, I read one chapter (each chapter has a point to ponder, a verse to remember, and a question to consider after it) and spent some time reflecting on the points, tweeting some verses and striking quotations, and answering the questions.

Through those nights, I realized I didn’t know so much about life after all. It was just after every chapter was made clear that I learned to accept my ignorance and open up to the wonderful new knowledge. Those things made me change some of my life’s perspectives. They also strengthened my faith in things I already believed in. There were times when doubt arose within me, but I remained open-minded and trusted that everything I was grasping was the truth.

It’s a little sad that I wasn’t able to find a reading partner right away. I just found out some time later that Jessa or Aimee could’ve done it with me if I just told them immediately after I started. Though I managed to do it alone, it’s still more effective to do the reading with a partner (or buddies) to have someone to share your thoughts and discuss the details of each chapter with.

Yesterday afternoon, our teacher mentioned something that attested to one of life’s purposes mentioned in the book: mission/evangelism. He said that it’s a crime not to share to people the things that you have learned (provided that they are not confidential matters or secrets of other people). As I have finished the book just yesterday (August 7) and am still enjoying its effect on me, I would just like to say that The Purpose-Driven Life is a great read. I’m happy now that I got some enlightenment straight from the shelf. And I want to share it with you.

For the coming days, I’m hoping to be able to blog about my learnings and realizations about the five life purposes: worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry/service, and mission/evangelism. And I’m hoping (and praying) that soon, you’ll start, continue, and finish your 40-day spiritual journey, too, so that together, we’ll all be living a purpose-driven life.

Learn. Connect. Commit. Act. That is the general thrust of this year’s Mandaue Business Movement (MBM 2010) and also for the One Cebu Business and Sustainability Summit 2010. After the recently concluded Mandaue Run for Life 2010, the One Cebu Business and Sustainability Summit 2010 will be on August 9, 2010 at the Cebu International Convention Center, Mandaue City.

One Cebu Business and Sustainability Summit 2010 will be attended by top business executives. The business summit has the theme “The Sustainable Business Revolution: A Call to Action“. The intent of the summit is to leave the participants with an understanding of what they need to do to contribute to sustainable development and the strong commitment to do something about it.

The Sustainable Business Revolution: A CALL TO ACTION!

What is this all about?

Experts agree that making the shift to a sustainable business economy is critical to the future of the Philippines and the world. Without making that leap, the environment we so cherish will continue to deteriorate at an increasingly rapid pace, which in turn will affect the quality of life for all of us. by taking on the challenge of “becoming sustainable”, we as a business community can reverse that trend and truly create a lasting legacy of sustainable long term growth for business, our community and the natural world around us.

Making that happen requires a “revolution” both in thinking and in action on the part of business leaders throughout the world. In this first of a series of summits, the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry will be hosting in 2010 and 2011, you as an attendee will have a unique opportunity to join that revolution and build a sustainable business legacy or your company, you community, and our country.

What will I get if I join this event?

LEARN why sustainability is so important and what you need to do to make the transformation in you own business.

CONNECT with major business leaders who have made the leap to sustainability and who can help you with your own challenges, as well as with other attendees around you who may provide unique partnership opportunities going forward.

COMMIT to specific steps you company needs to take to move into this new world of sustainable business.

ACT on the first of those steps you just committed to, so that when you go back to your company afterwards you are already moving toward your long-term goals.

Who should attend?

CEO’s and other Senior Executives within corporations, Senior Government Policy Managers, Investment Executives, Educational Leaders, and members of Business Support Organizations.

Varied talks from Environment, Technology, Energy, Business, Social Development, and to Advocacy given by prestigious speakers! Like Alex Lacson, Antonio Meloto, Jr. and many more!

One Cebu Business and Sustainability Summit 2010 is organized by the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce & Industry and in partnership with the Province of Cebu, Mandaue City and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

For more information about the One Cebu Business and Sustainability Summit 2010, you may contact and register at:

Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry
3/F FCB Financial Center Building,
AC Cortes Avenue Corner P. Burgos St., Alang-alang,
Mandaue City, Philippines, 6014

with telephone numbers (032) 4202252 / (032) 4202232.

I started my August very early in the morning, as did all the other runners. I was with my Cebu Bloggers Society family and some of my IE friends during the Mandaue Run for Life 2010. Everybody was prepping up, though others not properly (like me). Hihihi. The gun started at 5am for the 15k runners, and a little later for the 10k runners. All of my friends and I signed up for the 5k run, so we went a little after the start of 10k.

I admit, I’m not used to running a long way, so I kinda lost my breath after the first turn! Haha! I had to regain it by walking, so I did with some of my friends. I wasn’t alone after all. Agnes, Aika, Wil, and I continued the run-walk-run scheme all the way. Alay lakad? Hehehe. I guess the four of us finished last among our friends.

With my CBS family after changing outfits.

With my IE friends who are still in their running outfits.

We weren’t into winning the marathon but enjoying it to the fullest. At least it’s for the benefit of Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry‘s medical mission and the Dasig Kabataan Foundation.

The Mandaue Run for Life 2010 was just the opening salvo of the Mandaue Business Movement 2010. A lot of events are still coming up. For more information, please visit the Cebu Bloggers Society site.

Cargo liners are an automobile accessory most often used in the bed of pickups and in vehicles with interior cargo areas, such as SUV’s, station wagons, hatchbacks and crossovers. Cargo liners for pickup truck beds are usually made of heavy-duty all-weather materials such as plastic or rubber.

So you see, it’s as what its name denotes. Most of the time, cargo mats are installed by car owners to protect their vehicle. Items placed in the bed area of the truck can cause damage to the paint during transit. When this happens, the metal of the vehicle is exposed to different elements, so it may rust and corrode. Not a good thing.

If you’re a car owner and you’re just too OC about it, you better have a cargo mat in your car. Better safe than sorry, as they say.

When you haven’t got sufficient knowledge or information about a topic, you can’t write a custom essay with meat. And if you don’t even understand the topic well enough, you won’t be able to make a convincing composition about it. That’s why some just let others make it for them, and some just buy custom essays. Makes life easier for them.

But when it comes to school work, it’s not supposed to be made by outsiders. Though there is an academic writing service, still, students ought to make it by themselves. It’s not that I find it easy. Academic papers are really challenging. But isn’t it part of being a student?

It’s not necessary to use technical terms all the time. Clarity and conciseness are more important as long as the readers could understand. In our thesis’ case, the review of related literature is the longer part of the introduction — a minimum of 10 pages. The words used are just understandable, except maybe for those we can’t do anything about. Stochastic. Deterministic. They’re what they are.