Day something. After a lot of delinquency and the hiatus-part, I’m back here at my Kiasu Crossover. Let’s not go over the details but I’m back to one of those I’ll-make-a-decision-and-I’m-pretty-sure-my-parents-would-get-angry times of my life. I’ve been talking about studying abroad and I honestly was far more excited the first time I heard it. But with the fact that it’ll probably cost us over a million, and with my age wherein I think I should be separated from them and finding a way to live alone, I can’t bear to have them pay more for something which should have been finished a long, long time ago.
I went back to Cebu City (Philippines) last March 08 with my Aunt and Cousins. I finally had a great feel of how life is here. Yes, I’m still here. Some of my cousins go to work during the day and I stayed at home or stroll around the nearest place I can go to (ie. malls, food-chains, coffee shop, etc.), though most of the days I do movie & TV series marathon.
For over a month, the highlights of my life here are resort hopping, strolling around the city and visiting beautiful urban places. I get to meet a lot of people in a very short span of time in spite of the dialect-barrier. I rate my Cebuano fluency to 1/10 though. I have high respect for people around here because they’re very, very nice. I’ve never felt so safe away from home in my entire life. The fact that there are no trains and there’s only one Guitar Freaks at the two TimeZones I visited makes me sad but generally, I love it here.
Btw, I mentioned in one of my blog (Multiply blog) that I was supposed to visit HK on May 24 to see L’arc-en-ciel’s Concert. Fortunately, I got the money from my parents but I decided to use the money to get myself an apartment here so I can run-away from home and stay here rather than fly away to another country. I already got one by the way and it’s pretty cheap for a really decent unit. Next stop is to get myself into the market reasearch firm where my cousin works - this part I already got again. Secondly, I’ll go get myself an internet connection at the apartment so I can do home-based stuff to add to my budget.
These and all the stuff that I’m planning for the future, are currently kept secret from my parents to avoid any violent reactions in the meantime. I need to save enough for my own study abroad, which is of different country and different course. Let’s not count chickens before the egss hatch, we’ll get there someday.
I’m still far from the highlight I’m aiming for, but I’ve been hoping for something better in the next few days and months. I was really fortunate when I was sitting by the office lobby and talked to this girl who applied together with me. We were talking about how I got here and how I am so poor with the dialect when suddenly the talking shifted to religion. I found out that she’s a Christian as well and I INVITED MYSELF over at their church. We’ll attend another church on Sunday to comply to an invitation from her boyfriend.
Day yesterday. I went back to Manila last weekend because my Dad already got back and I was supposed to cosplay Amila Reith from Magna Carta but sadly, my costume wasn’t finished. I was digging along the stuff he brought when I got my hands on 4 bundles of little figures from Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny. I was ECSTATIC and opened one and connected the arms and feet of the figures. Here are pictures if you care. (I apologize for the picture quality) I also went to Ozine Fest (which is an Anime convention FYI) last Sunday and got a picture of the really cool band, NEOTAKU.
I mentioned about the resort hopping and all the trips, I’ll go over them on my next update.
*enters nostalgia theme song* Babababababa baba… [The J.D. (Scrubs) version if you don’t mind.]
In the name of procrastination and all the procrastinators on earth, the part two took more days than what was originally intended. No, let me count, it’s exactly 8 days, 3hours and 27 minutes. Nevertheless, as long as my mind takes on a good leap to the world of optimism and moral conduct, I guess I’m good to go.
…………………
Christmas this year is good. I get to spend it with my family (unlike last year), and I’m glad. I’m still hoping that I’ll get to celebrate it with them in the succeeding years, as much as circumstances calls for. And even though my plans tag me as selfish, I’ll (expected of me) stubbornly pursue it with all my strength. I’ll try my best not to let restrictions get to me, not even curfews. Unluckily, I gained back some of the pounds I lost. Glorious food is glorious after all.
As far as my childhood is concern, I can’t remember that I’ve loyally believed Santa Claus and his reindeers exist. For one thing, houses here doesn’t have chimneys, and that we lock our house doors at night. I’ve recognized my parents handwritings on gift cards every time too. So, no childhood dream was lost when I actually found out that anyone can dress up as Santa Claus. All senselessness aside, our family never had the tradition of gift-openings, with that said, I got a bear I picked from a mall bazaar (while we were looking for gifts for my mom’s godchildren) and like a spoiled-brat, asked my mom to buy it for me. I got a nightmare when I slept while hugging it though. I was broke so I never got the chance to buy gifts and be a Santa myself this year. Hopefully next year.
NEW YEAR. NEW CHALLENGES.
I can feel my heart skip because of the sound and smell of a new year ahead of me unlike last year when the only thing that rang me was the cruel reality that the holiday season has to end one way or another and I have to go back to school. Honestly, 2007 gave me a really bumpy ride all throughout the year. I experienced a lot of firsts, and unfortunately, most of them were not pleasant experiences at all. But looking back and savoring the bitter truth of the so-called unpleasant experiences, I never failed to look forward to another day because for me, it means another chance. Though it sounds like someone running towards the comfort of the word “hope”, we can’t deny that every time the clock ticks there’s always the chance that we can snap out of it and twist our lives a little, to a direction we want of course.
The celebration in all was good though. One thing, it was nice watching the magnificent fireworks at our front yard (c/o neighbors - since I was slightly hysterical about the thought of using fireworks/firecrackers of any kind in our household), food and wine all-together looks good on the table, lastly, eating them with everyone was heaven indeed. During the previous years, I used to call everyone in my phonebook at the strike of midnight, but since it has increased in number, I just rang their phone. Lol. Hopefully, their nice ringtone conveyed my warm greeting and reached their hearts.
I’ll delay the new-year-welcome post for this. Lol. Fyi, I’m not trying to sound like a NEET/otaku because it takes more than you can imagine to become one and I don’t intend to be one. My first time seeing Comiket event pictures, and it felt like those anime conventions I’ve gone to here in our country, huge crowd and cosplayers everywhere - except for the (very) big difference in the booths of course. Like here, who would’ve thought they’d name this booth after the “Nice Boat“.
I’ve been trying to organize and convert my MP3s and after hours, I’m still stuck with artists who’s names start at A. Anyway, since C73 has already ended, I’ve assumed that there’ll be pretty and generous netizens who’d share their blessings, and I wasn’t in vain. There’s a 3-volume packet of C73 doujin music up for grab, and I’ll be trying out some to see if they’re really good as how they say (Need. more. seeders.) I’m specifically opting for fripSide’s NAOproject!, I’ve Mania Tracks v.1 (Good! another I’ve stuff) and some others.
It doesn’t really matter to me now if what type of anime (or if they’re not even anime) the soundtracks are, as long as I’m listening to good music here. Btw, off-topic thing, anyone knows how I can fix my Podcast? I mean, it’s good they’re showing Japanese music goodness and all, but hey! what about the video games?!
EDIT: I uploaded the song. I might do the same from here on.
Lots of things I vowed to mention right now, all the things missed and part of breaking the hiatus as well. First off, Wordpress upgrade and new layout (refreshing for a new year), lame line art and color of the bunny-girl-in-maid-costume done by me - supposed to be a splash page for some work I’m doing right now. I’m still trying to find time to update the music playlist (for those who listen).
…………………
LOOKING BACK.
I just realized that I haven’t ranted about how my birthday was, well, I wasn’t in good shape that day (as far as I can remember), and it didn’t felt like I’ve gotten wiser too (No. I don’t know how it feels like.) But the messages and the greetings, close people or not, those I didn’t expect they’d remember/know, even those random numbers who sent SMS, I was glad. Hey! the world still loves me…prolly. Haha!
Learning. Wouldn’t it be brilliant if we could learn everything there is to learn with just one go and live for the rest of our lives in that state? But we can’t, in a world capable of turning copper to gold and make Gundams and their beam sabers, we can’t stop learning and be left out. In college, there were tons of things I had to learn and take to heart, some lost and some retained. And in the midst of torturing laboratory animals and mixing colorful and smelly chemicals, sometimes I just felt like shutting my brain down. But remembering the sad and fun-filled moments those circumstances gave, (not to mention their significance) I think I miss them again.
Playing. For me, going out is as important as bumming around the house, both give the same level of contentment and happiness. That is why, as much as possible, I try not to miss the chance of going out with friends, be it swarming about the crowd or enjoying a pointless conversation ’til morning. I (will) miss those and every little thing that goes around with it.
Practicing. Time is the most essential thing when you try to enhance that gift each one of us have. Because I’m perfectly bad with schedules and no matter how many karats time naturally has, it all doesn’t make a difference to me, I can’t keep up with whatever practicing I need to do. I never learn, so for the past years I never bothered writing it down in my New Year’s Resolution list (at times when I had one). Drawing, music and writing - I was never at my best. Discipline, please don’t leave my vocabulary.
Family and Friends. It is normal for people to dive into a little of emotionality when speaking of family, whether you have or you don’t have one. No family has never experienced problems, meaning my own family is not an exception. It may sound a little too TV-drama, but I mean it when I say that my family is the only thing I’ve been proud of since then on. I can probably say the same with my friends, even though I’m the type who is not fond of borrowing ears and shoulders from them. People already have enough problems in their system, I don’t want to make them responsible of what advice to give me. Though it’s trivial that I feel happy when people share their problems to me, meaning they trust. Ah! so confusing…
Myself. Honey and Clover series made me realize how simple-minded I am, it hurts when I can’t understand most of their complicated feelings. I mean, it would have been good if all ends with ‘…and they lived happily ever after’ then end of story.Hurts even more when sometimes, even though we try to add a cup full more of knowledge to the ingredients, it’s still not sufficient. Ah! But it’s so filled with humanity - not being able to understand most things. (Yah, I got that from Minami Kana-sama. Lol.) Kidding aside, just look at what this year made me. But what makes me glad is God made His presence known, continuously giving those mornings I needed to make up for all the shortcomings and conquer challenges.
…………………
This aren’t all the things so let me continue with part 2 on my next post. I’m pretty tired and is a bit too busy. Here’s something for everyone:
“Every time you wish something, keep your eyes wide open, focus and know exactly what you want. No one hits the target with eyes closed.” - Paulo Coelho
Surgical Operation: Yes, I need one - that’s what my mom thought after showing her a 0.5cm radius lump at the back of the palm side of my right hand. I was thinking that it’s probably a result of using too much computer (the way I hold the mouse is rather odd because the way my computer desk is designed). It doesn’t hurt or anything, except that I feel a slight strain that extends halfway towards my elbow whenever I twist my wrist upwards. I’m not scared of any operation or even the hospital (I love staying at hospitals), I wanted to get rid of this before it renders my right hand incapable of any work - my right hand is my life.
Pest Control: The spiky-legs, wings-buzzing, flying or not cockroaches to be exact. We rode a bus home after visiting an anime convention a few days ago, and just when I was excited to sit by the window of a three-seater of that bus, I let off a shriek - the shriek of threatening horror - after seeing cockroach-es of various sizes and colors, black and brown, some about 3cm long but most looked liked the eggs they came from just hatched a few hours ago. We tried to look at the other side, but the creepy crawlers are everywhere. As much as we wanted to get off, we decided to endure the nightmare before us. The bus conductor even said, “They don’t bite. They’re our pets.” - WTH!
Sandman Operation: Probably a continuation of the previous operation. I’m not really a person who remembers dreams that often, but since the cockroach incident in the bus, I dreamed of the cockroaches and anything about the cockroaches. I even dreamed about loosing 3 tooth at the front and getting serious abscess in my gums - because of cockroaches again. You wouldn’t be able to imagine how strict I’m right now about brushing teeth 3 times a day and flossing every now and then.
Hate-man: I’ve been called a man-hater for who knows how many times, just because I give near-cruel comments about guys and their [most of the time, twisted] ideals. My dogmatic tendencies tends to emerge on times like those, but don’t get me wrong, I really don’t hate men - in fact, I’m a friend to most and a fan of good-looking ones. Just because (in general) guys are practical, straight to the point and possesses witty humor. But when they start to show you that they’re aware of your difference in gender, they start to lose the coolness of being a guy. It’s sad I think that way. Lol.
Mission not Impossible: My parents have been convincing me to stay in Manila for Christmas and New Year (instead of going back to the province where I had a vacation), and now that I think of it, I might as well go with their suggestion. The papers needed for abroad are 60% finished and approximately, I won’t be there for the start of school year in February. But they’re saving for my trip and stay, I was thinking if I should actually get a job and help them or maybe just so I can do something while I have nothing to do XD - though I still need to talk myself into it.
![[Alcot] FairChild GM Original Soundtrack](http://kiasucrossover.one-square.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/alcot_fairchild.jpg)
![[IOSYS] アルバトロシクス](http://kiasucrossover.one-square.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/iosys.jpg)
![October Fest 2007 [Metro Walk]](http://kiasucrossover.one-square.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/octofest.jpg)
