wala lang

When you expect more, you get less. When you expect less, you get more.

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Ilocos trip, PIChE-JCL LTS post on the way. :D For the meantime, see partially finished photo album. *clickme*

sem break

I went to the PIChE Quizbowl Luzon Eliminations yesterday at the Adamson University (in Manila). Of course, the UPD team scored another first place, but the top 5 teams will compete in the national finals sometime next year (in Cebu, I think). I met my EC friends (they're all the people I know (ie care to see) there, aside from the contestants, Carlo, Ivanz, Dale, Jecho, Benjo, Jabells and Eds), which really means nothing, aside from our time-space selves being close to one another.

Anyway, I finished the CE main write-ups I was assigned to edit (I did the assigning so, haha.) at the Inhinyero office. I had DH withdrawal the whole day yesterday because I was detached from my daily habit of soaking up with the DH DVDs. Today, however, I finished first half of the season 3 DVD. At first I thought that the DVD contained only Episodes 1-12 but there was a pleasant surprise a while ago when, after Ep 12, the DVD kept going. It was playing the 13th episode! Of course I checked the Title-Chapter menu and it said Title 2 Ch 1, and had 7 hours left to play. I thought that I'd spend my Friday doing nothing but to edit the EE, EM and MetE write-ups, but now I have something to look forward to.

There are still no significant display of grades on CRS (the 125 grade is there, but we already know that). The processing day was also moved to Oct 27 instead of 26, which blows because I cannot wait if I get my CE22.

And I keep getting fatter. Totally my fault.

not overrated

The outing was super-fun, aside from the torn pair of pants and the tollway police stopping our jeep twice. Even sand in underwear is fun.

First of all, congratulations to the hard-working OutingCom. Alagang-alaga ang mga KEMers. They know that KEMers are such babies and would want everything set-up for them (no offense). And also, for the safety reminders, which were timely.

Next, to the Executive Council, thank you for the wonderful Team Building Activities and mushy chummy activity *winkwink* (Grabe, enjoy na enjoy kayo dito.) I really think it helped a lot.

To the MemCom, especially VP Vany, congratulations to all of us. I honestly believe we had a very good and talented batch of new members. I hope they prove themselves worthy.

To all KEMers (those who were there), thank you for a fun outing. It was fun catching waves (not surfing but jumping only) and lying on the mini-river meeting the sea.

Some people who had some discoveries:
-Ana discovered she could work as a wave predictor. She calls a wave, then it doesn't come.
-Ceres discovered she could play angst-driven darts. More angst, more points.
-Jasser discovered he cannot reach the high notes without hand movements.
-Hannah discovered she can dance without inhibitions to a rap song.
-Sakura discovered that I should be an officer of KEM.
-Ivanz discovered he should have brought a towel to a swimming trip.
-Janine discovered that ethanol, when ingested does crazy (than usual) things to the body.
-Jerome discovered that ethanol should not be ingested at all because of chest tightening.
-Jerome and Ceres discovered that they cannot play correct frisbee at the beach.
-Rhonda discovered that "ramdamin" is not a word.
-Maynard discovered that most people cannot recognize his voice.
-Manong driver (homebound) discovered that not following rules can actually get him into trouble.
-Billy discovered he will not get any darker no matter how long he spends time under the sun.
-And a billion more discoveries due to little strips of blue paper.

And now, back to school. I mean Desperate Housewives.

the sem that was

I am days behind everyone else, like the CRS-related post season. Just about everyone has posted their "my sem is over" posts. But I am delayed for a good reason. My sem actually ended just yesterday when we finished our Visual Basic project for 124 (clap clap to Hannah and Von). And I was not very ecstatic about the end of this sem. I am still worried about my grades. See, my goal for my GWA is now higher than my goal for the rest of my college life, which was a 2.00. Actually, I did not plan on setting goal GWAs when I thought about college, because I just wanted to get a degree and enjoy doing it. But then, due to my need to actually get into college, in the financial aspect, I needed a scholarship. How lucky I was to get one with a relatively high GWA requirement. I was supposed to get 2.00 every sem. And it was really hard for me because I'm a lazy student. I will rely only on my memory for an exam if it can make me pass (but it doesn't do the trick). Anyways, some interview last summer (for my intership) woke me up. The interviwer asked me why I didn't set high goals (i.e. aiming for the Laude status). I did not know how to reply to that. So, now I set my 1.75 goal. So that I can be Cum Laude. Mainly, due to the awakening, parents, relatives, board exam review discounts, resume content. I guess, just about everything. But I can conclude now that I don't set serious goals if I see there's no possible way of achieving it. I'm not too lazy, I'm just a bit afraid to take risks. That's why I did not take the 172 finals. Nyquist plot? You're kidding me.

I am feeling a bit sad because this sem is the last before my last sem, ever. It occured to me that I really loved school all the time, from Nursery up to now. Why? Because school's fun. It's boring in class, but aside from the requirements and classes, it's very fun. I like being a student because you have less cares because your elders think that you have too much on your plate with the 4-10 subjects that you have. And I like learning. And I still don't want to grow up and belong to the adult community where all they talk about is...Politics (haha, private joke among Zsappy's party visitors).

I have mixed feelings about this sem. I did not really enjoy much of my subjects this sem. I was angry all the time. The instructors are so evil this sem, at least in my point of view. (To everyone, esp. the instructors, please don't take offense. Hey, students antagonize professors all the time, but they still love them.) I'm just glad this sem is over. I am a bit excited about graduating, actually, and getting out of school. But the working isn't very attractive as of now.

Well, I am mostly happy, because at least I can rest and watch DVDs.

surprise, surprise

it's the same potato balls

If you didn't notice, I put "balls" on my blog name. This is just a tribute to the potato balls of a certain Japanese food stall outside Engg. They taste like kamote. Nothing special. I'm reverting to the "ball-less" blog name in a few minutes.

And so, finally, 125 is over for me. In a good way, please. I think almost all of us have the same level of happiness, or lack of it towards the 3rd exam.

The 141 presentation (on mass balance) was okay. In fact, much better than we expected. I am learning to appreciate instead of just complaining.

Yay! It's sem break already, and I can't help but be sentimental about graduating. And to think that I might not graduate due to plant design/crs failure, or unexpected failure in a class (which will give my parents right to strangle me). I loved my college days. I was very stupid. And now it's coming to an end. And still no career path!

There's still a sem (Tuesday to Saturday schedule!) for that. [Will post schedule detail later.]

banking

Today was my first banking experience. Uh, not really because I was cashing checks since first year college (for my scholarship), and the ATM withdrawals for Mama/Lola (in fairness, they receive the whole amount). But today, I applied for my first bank account. I was supposed to do this years before but 1) I am scared because back then, I wasn't at least 18 yet, and 2) I'm lazy as a log. But now, the urgency of my JG Summit paycheck encashment (actually, no hurries, but it may be taken away e.g. loss of funds, other similar cases) has pushed me to make a bank account and deposit my money. Mama told me to open at PS Bank because it was near, and not a lot of people go there, unlike Landbank, which handles the City of Muntinlupa accounts, therefore long lines. She told me that I would go by myself today because she has a few meetings (it's wednesday, of course there's work!) and couldn't accompany me. But I made a way. Of course, I acted like a big baby for making Mama come with me to the bank for my first account. What mother won't be proud of her child's firsts? Luckily, a situation came up where in bringing Mama along proved to be useful. See, she told me that I should bring only 500 php to open the account. Turns out that 2000 php is required to do that. [And 2000 is the maintaining amount (oh no!).] I had 1500 php and I had to ask Mama for another 500. Di ba? Buti na lang. So, the filling of forms took very long, and I had to repeat some because of a decision I made early in college. That was when I signed my IDs (UP ID and passport). I sign my name differently now, and I was required by the bank person to sign my name like I used to sign on the IDs. It was difficult for me, but I did it. Heck, there was only a tail of a Z's difference between the then and now signs. The bank session ended as the bank person taught me how to deposit money. And now I have a bank account. Hello adult world.

Another inch of my feet in the adult world is our 141 lectures. I didn't think there was going to be hardcore accounting/fianance/money work in my chemical engineering career. Turns out, it's one of the main jobs of people who graduate from this course. Very adult and boring.

What's not boring was the ENTER-U. I was the quizmaster for this, and I looooooved it. (Despite the aching throat because by the end of the contest, I spoke for 5 hours straight. Interview+Enter-U.) Congrats to the winners: Jecho, Rhonda and Brylee. And to the runner-ups, who, however, did not win any money: Shey, Dale and Maynard. Congrats also to Hannah, Von, Duane, Jasser and Torts. :D Fun.
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On the bitter side of things. Please. Let's just end this. Okay. Or Barney may have to perform a colonoscopy on you using his (big) dinosaur hand. You have been warned.