The aftermath.

What a devastating weekend it has been.

I wouldn't even try and elaborate how badly we were hit by typhoon Ondoy because the effects are so obvious. It came at an unexpected time, and the results are completely distressing especially because it hit so close to home, literally. It's not just something we saw on TV, it really happened to us, our families, our friends.

I was stuck at the dorm Friday evening because my Saturday classes weren't suspended until late that night. So the whole Saturday, I was just inside my room, with my phone, iPod, and laptop charging. I was anticipating the blackout. I couldn't leave because in front of our room, it was already starting to flood and our kitchen had started getting wet. I just decided to finish my due papers while waiting for the rains to stop. (Un)fortunately it didn't, but thankfully I managed to finish three papers! That's the only bright side to all this I guess. I had no choice but to stay in and just write, so yes, I was able to do two reaction papers and one short story.

I spent the night with Trixie, my friend, at the third floor. When we went out for dinner at the store just beside our dorm, we saw the whole Katipunan strip was dark and flooded. Apparently, we were the only ones (I think) whose electricity didn't get cut. Thank God for that. I am really thankful that I had Trixie with me that night, otherwise I would've gone crazy since the Globe signal was already starting to fail me and I had no way out. I started frantically texting my friends, asking them how they were especially the ones in Cainta, Rizal, and Marikina. That night we watched the news and saw how terrible the situation was in the nearby areas.

I commuted home to Paranaque the next day and thankfully arrived home.

I feel lucky that we weren't as distraught here in Paranaque, but a part of me also feels guilty that most people out there are suffering while I was just here at home playing Wii and watching TV. So yesterday, I went to UP with some of my friends to help out with the relief operations led by the University Student Council. We helped out in the packing at first, and eventually were deployed to Old Balara a few minutes outside UP. Thankfully their area wasn't as devastated because the flood has already subsided, but they were still in dire need of food and clothes nonetheless. It was actually quite nostalgic for me, it made me remember our Community Extension Service subject way back in fourth year high school. There really is no greater feeling than knowing you have helped someone in any way possible.

The only thing we can do right now is really try to help. I hope everyone else goes out there and extend their helping hand to those who were greatly affected by Ondoy. Please, if there are relief operations around your area, do your part and reach out. :) Even the smallest contributions matter.

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I had to leave the relief operations early yesterday though for my scheduled anti-cervical cancer vaccine at my mom's office in Makati. I was actually quite nervous because I've been hearing that it's really quite painful because the medicine was viscous. But I'm used to getting shots anyway, so what the hell.

Now my arm still hurts. *tear*

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Three of my friends went here last Monday for RockBand. Hindi talaga papatinag sa bagyo :))

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My v3x finally gave up on me last Tuesday :(((

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OCTOBER NA :O

Taking back Wednesday.

You are everything I want,

'coz you are everything I'm not.

And we lay, we lay together

just not too close, too close

How close is close enough?

I just want to break you down so badly

I trip over everything you say.

I'm gonna make damn sure

You won't ever get too far from me.

This is the anthem of a confused admirer (?)

And an addicted Rockband player (!!!)

I know, I know. We suck. Rockband kahapon at kanina. We just couldn't resist it. :)) But hey, at least there are musical and emotional nourishments. I did drums AND vocals at the same time for Dashboard's Hands Down, and I was the top performer! \m/ Fulfillment! Haha. It's just sooo addictive. Darn, we have such a high-maintenance hobby. CrEngg, I think we should be serious about the "RB fund." Somebody bring a can and collect. Haha, LOL.

I can't wait for the semester to end. I am feeling absolutely stressed, I can almost feel premature wrinkles forming and pores clogging on my forehead. Ahhh stress. Stress motivates me to work harder but also makes me want to procrastinate. Oh, it's a vicious, never-ending cycle. I just hope I come out of this sem alive.

Thank goodness for Rockband. Keeps me sane.

Or not.

In PanPil17 class this morning, I think I was seeing the colored notes scrolling along the tiles while I was staring at the floor. My foot suddenly started tapping and my hands suddenly did air-drumming. Oh no.

Roooockbaaaand!

"Risin' up, straight to the top

Have the guts, got the glory

Went the distance, now I'm not gonna stop

Just a man and his will to surviiiiive.."

CrEngg and I are having some serious Rockband withdrawal issues.

For the last few weeks, my college barkada and I have been having at least one Rockband session along Katipunan every few weeks or so. I know, I know, it's expensive and irrational but someone almost always comes up with a good enough excuse for us to while away the hours rocking out to 30 Seconds to Mars and other epic rock anthems.

We are good students. Really, we are. We work hard.

But apparently, we rock harder! HAHA.

It's a good thing we're almost 20 in our group which is why splitting the bill is quite easy. However, it still is pretty expensive. Php300/hr -- that's how many lunches we have to give up to finance our newfound vice?

But of course, priorities come a-knockin' and reality eventually sinks in: the sem is about to end and we are students with requirements we have to finish. So, yeah, no more Rockbands for us. At least for now.

Our lunches and afternoon tambays are spent in collective silence/trance -- everyone has their earphones on, and is silently playing air guitars or air drums along with their favorite Rockband song. I even have a Rockband playlist in my iPod now. I SWEAR. We seriously got it bad.

But until the sem officially comes to a close, no Rockband.

And (maybe) no blogging for me.

:(

In true rockstar fashion, I shall end this post with a big, epic finish:

*enter epic guitars and drums*

THE EEYYYEEEEEE OF THE TIGEEEEEEEEERRR!!

Dun! Dun dun dun! Dun dun dun! Dun dun duuuuun!

*start blog hiatus*

Blowing and bursting, coming and going.

It's surprising how things turn out the way they do in the shortest span of time.

Like how a bubble bursts. It's this beautiful, mysterious entity of color and vibrance. They always make you want to look at them, hold them, and figure them out. The swirls and the shades are an invitation; they lure you in.

And just when your finger reaches out, finally gives in and touches it -- it's gone.

There wasn't anything close to the joy of blowing bubbles as a kid. Seeing them magically appear from the wand, chasing after hundreds of them, jumping up and down to pop them, and suddenly finding them all gone -- it was priceless. You never get tired of all the bubbles. You just keep blowing, chasing, popping again and again. It was always such a freeing experience.

But the first time I came really up close with a bubble was one time in first grade while washing my hands. I just discovered this trick of rubbing your hands together hard, then forming a circle with your index finger and thumb. (Yes, it was a new trick for me.) At first, it didn't occur to me that it was a bubble. Bubbles are supposed to be round after all, I thought. But then, suddenly I saw all these colors swooshing around like paint that spilled all over the floor in kindergarten art class. In it was a plethora of different shades all in motion. It was so fascinating. How did this enigma come to be?

And before I knew it, it burst.

The first few seconds were quite a shock. Where was it? Why did it go so suddenly? How did it happen? I was only seven then, with no background on physics and how the water molecules interacted with the soap to create this film and suddenly make it disappear.

Many times in my life I've come across beautiful mysterious bubbles. Sometimes a situation, other times a fact, and sometimes people. They always draw you in but just when you're about to start appreciating their florid intensity, you lose them. Not always physically, but yeah, at some point we just can't really bring them back.

I was washing my hands today after coming home (to the dorm) from school when this thought occured to me. Isn't it sad? I mean, why bother then if everything will be taken away from us anyway? Why touch it when it will eventually pop? Why reach out when it will inevitably disappear?

But then, the thing about bubbles is that it doesn't really matter if it pops. That's how bubbles are -- they come and go. But you can always rub your fingers again; you can always put the wand back in the bottle again and blow. There are always a thousand more bubbles to be made for every one that goes.

I guess life will always be unfair. It will give some and take some. It doesn't always end up the way you want it to. But then again, I never really stopped enjoying blowing bubbles as a kid even if they all pop and burst anyway. All I ever wanted in bubbles were the splash of color and the momentary fascination. That even just for a moment, they enthralled me. And I guess that's all that matters, right?

I put my index finger and my thumb together again. It's been too long. Time to make more bubbles.

A random simile.

It was like hearing the epic opening riff of 23 by Jimmy Eat World for the first time after three months of not playing it on your iPod.

09 09 09.

You know what's frustrating?

It's when in class, you learn about poetry and fiction and all the elements that come along with it: character profiles, tone, setting, space, location, and your professor tells you, "As the writer, you always have the power to manipulate them."

And yet you look out the window and you realize, you are powerless. Because all you can ever get to control are the events on a piece of paper.

Oh hello, Friday.

Inspiration always strikes me in the most ungodly of hours.

Wow, I can feel countless all-nighters ahead of me.

Well, as long as the creative juices keep flowing, I don't care what freakin' time it is, as long as it does. After all, that's what coffee is for.

Good night~