I haven’t written anything here in such a long time that I really don’t know where to start. I mean, my last entry is dated a year ago. Basically, let me try to sum up everything major that happened to me in as few words as possible. I got my heart ripped out nearly three months ago. I haven’t fully recovered yet, but I try to look on the bright side.

The self-centered jackass I dated for over a year taught me everything that a good boyfriend shouldn’t be. He also provided me with a lot of fresh material for writing. I mean, for some twisted reason, getting my heart broken motivated me to write love stories again. I guess it’s my way of coping, you know, my way of reminding myself that there’s still hope and not to give up on love. Okay, I know I sound really cheesy, but I firmly believe that right guy for me is still out there. I don’t really believe in kissing a couple of frogs just to get to him, and maybe he’ll come around soon enough. In the meantime, I’ll just concentrate on myself. I can’t help it. I’m a romantic.

Also, I’m quite pleased to say that my sick sense of humor is still somewhere inside of me. It was just hibernating for a while. The pages are coming pretty quick, compared to before. No promises but I’ll probably to update faster nowadays. A new story is also in the works. I wasn’t really planning this one. It just sort of snuck up on me, you know.
 

1. I'm no longer an Engineering student. I'm officially a Liberal Arts major but I miss my friends from engineering like hell.

I was really busy last 2007 since I graduated from high school and started college in the span of a few months. I barely touched a book, much more open my word processor. Upon searching my "archives" I was sadly disappointed to find that I'd barely written anything for 2007. I guess, I have to make up for it this 2008. I also scrambled to get some reading done before the year ended during Christmas Break.

Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events Books 1-4
I finished them all before the New Year. Yay! I've always wanted to read ASUE, but I always hesistated to buy the books because they were a series. Finally, I decided to take the plunge. I'm glad to say I wasn't disapponted. Lemony Snicket is an original author with his own style, one you'd never regret reading. I laughed throughout the books, and the author makes fun of you and of himself at the same time. There are some great writing techniques thatr you can learn from LS's books.

Dreamcatcher by Stephen King
I've been tackling this for a couple of months now, and I finally had enough time on my hands to actually finish it. It's one of the few sci-fi books I've read, so I really don't have anything to compare it to. All I can say is the shit-weasels and Mr. Gray almost gave me nightmares.

Everything's Eventual by Stephen King
I really had to include more SK books in my reading list before 2007 ended since he's my favorite author of all time. This short story collection was really awesome, Classic King I might say. He just gets better and better with every book, and he never runs out of fresh ideas.

Castro's Daughter by Alina Fernandez
At first, I thought this book was a magic realism wannabe, but then I changed my mind. I barely read nonfiction, so reading about Fidel Castro's illegitimate daughter was definitely new for me. It detailed not only Fidel Castro's personal life, but also the men in Alina's life as well. Her affairs (four marriages and various other boyfriends) were pretty interesting.

My IQ is above average which basically means I was given a little extra when it comes to brains. I admit that without malice or pride. I'm merely stating a fact. Growing up, I've gotten used to people asking me about academic stuff, like what does this word mean or how do you spell this or that. I was always the "smart one," never the pretty one. People have treated me like this my whole life that being in my situation now is oddly refreshing...

I think I've mentioned quite a few times that I'm an engineering student. Weird, huh? A writer studying to be an engineer. Could this sentence possible be a bigger paradox? But then, being an engineering student, I've found myself among a bunch of geniuses who were certainly overdosed on brains during their conception. I, with my above average brains, often find our lessons difficult even if I listen to the class discussions and write down every single word that the instructor writers on the board. My classmates--who are mostly boys, by the way--barely even listen. They don't take notes, and they talk during the discussion, but when the teacher gives an exam... Voila! They come up with perfect scores.

For the first time in my life, I'm average when it comes to academics. I'm the one asking how to solve this problem or whatever. I don't have to worry about getting high scores on every single exam, because I'll disappoint my teachers. Sure, I still study a lot, but the pressure to be "the smart kid" is gone. Surprisingly, I can breathe for the first time in my life.

It's raining here in the Philippines. Today also happens to be a Saturday, and surprisingly I have nowhere to go and nothing to do. Well, finals are in three days. (Insert nervous nail-biting here). I'm supposed to be studying right now, but I'm really not up for it. My brain just isn't functioning... 

So, I decided to do a little reading just to warm it up. I've been reading Dreamcatcher by Stephen King for more than a month now, and I haven't even made a dent in it yet. [Sighs] I remember back in high school when I could finish books like that in two days max. It's not that my reading speed has decreased. There just seems to be so many things to do these days, old friends to reconnect with, new friends to meet with, homework to do, exams to study for (ehhhm), and tons of other stuff that I've probably forgotten about.

College just seems so busy that I barely have time for all the things I used to love like web design, writing and reading. I haven't written anything--except blog entries--since college started. I thought I was gonna be able to write some more once things got settled, but it was just the exact opposite. I haven't updated my website in such a long time either... and reading? I haven't finished a book in over two months. The more days I spend in college, the less time I have.

It's really the rainy season here in the Philippines. Everyone's lugging umbrellas and thick jackets around.

Anyways, public transportation here can really be a hassle, the traffic lights and the unlimited stops. But then it can be pretty interesting sometimes... Like today, I was on the "jeepney" with a Chinese-looking guy and a little girl, most likely his daughter. The kid looked about five, and the guy looked about 28-30. What I noticed at first was that they didn't look like ordinary people. I'm not saying they looked like freaking aliens. I mean, they looked like "rich" people. But then the clothes they were wearing looked like they were bought from a thrift store. The little girl's shirt and jacket were one size too small for her, and the dad's jeans had tears on it. Plus, his sneakers were most definitely older than me.

My imagination just went wild. Who could they possible be? Hmmmm...

Was their story like a Spanish soap opera? Was he a rich Chinese business man's son who was disowned because he married someone beneath him? Then, he and his lady love produced a darling daughter, but... Alas! She passed away, leaving her family behind.

Or was their story somewhat like an action movie, complete with the heist and billion dollar diamond? Were they just pretending to be poor while planning to rob a bank somewhere? Maybe the little girl was just a front for multi-million syndicate based in China.

Hmmmm....

Which of the two? I guess I'll never know, since I'll probably never see them again. I guesss having to go on public transportation isn't so bad after all. You get to "meet" tons of interesting people.

I've been really lazy these past days. I've barely written anything, while a new short story or new chapter has been long due. It's the rainy season again here in the Philippines, and the cold weather just makes me want to curl up in my pajamas and stay in bed all day. A new Stephen King novel would be an added bonus. Hmmmmmmmmm...

Anyway, even if it's raining, I can't stay at home today. It's my friend F's birthday! Woohoo! He's turning seventeen today, and I most definitely have to be there. 'Til here. Gotta go get ready.

We had chem lab today, three torturous hours of hell... for other people.

If you have my classmates, chem lab--possibly the most boring place on earth--wouldn't be so bad. I swear, I spent 75% of those three hours laughing. I've mentioned that there are only four girls in our class of 38, right? Well, the majority of the class are immature boys who happen to be hilarious.

While the teacher was prepping us for our next experiment, M and H got bored and decided to entertain themselves. They were seated in the back so Mrs.S couldn't really see what they were doing. H got this idea... They got a box of matches and decided to play pick-up sticks. I was laughing so hard my sides started to hurt. I mean, we're supposed to be in college already and they're playing something I last played in the first grade. I forgot who won between the two of them though. (P.S: I hated pick-up sticks in the first grade since I always lost.)

Another thing that made my sides hurt... W, arguably the most gorgeous guy in our class, was almost through with his experiment when he accidentally spilled it all on the table. I expected him to slam his fists on the table and roar. I was sadly disappointed though. He was started jumping up and down like a little girl while shrieking. Never saw that one coming.

I really couldn't imagine college without the bunch of guys who make me laugh everyday. To be honest, I'm a little scared about the second semester. Some of my classmates have already decided that they're going to shift courses, two of my closest guy friends included.

Hmmm... I guess college is all about getting used to change.

FJ and I have known each other since the seventh grade. Throughout the entire four years of high school, I remember saying only one sentence to him, "Can I borrow your calculator?" We didn't have any classes together, so that basically destroyed all chances of our getting to know each other. We had some mutual friends, but guys usually stuck with guys. 

On the first day of college, I was really scared. I mean, I didn't know anyone there. I sat by myself and refused to wear my glasses because I was worried people would think I was a geek. It was the first day of school after all, and I didn't want to be branded into my classmates' memories as the nerdy girl. I didn't want it to be high school all over again. On the second class, I turned around and saw him sitting in the back. For the first time, we smiled at each other. Since no one was sitting next to me, he asked if he could sit there and I said yes. You have no idea how I relieved I felt when I saw his face in that classroom. Sure, we didn't talk in high school but it felt good seeing a familiar face in a sea of people I didn't know.

He told he hadn't made it to the first period because he woke up late. I thought that we just had that specific class together. At first, we just talked about our old school, and how weird it was to actually be in college. A total fish out of water story. We kept on talking and I found out we were studying the same course. We checked each other's schedules and I saw that we had all the same classes. We were still shy around each other, and I had no idea where our conversations would lead. I didn't know a thing about the person sitting next to me.

We barely knew each other, yet we didn't have a choice. 

As hours turned into days, I realized that there was more to him than the usual smiling face.  He comes from a well-to-do family, but you could never tell by the way he dresses or acts. Basically, he's the best--if not the nosiest--guy friend a girl could ever have.

1. He's the one who makes fun of me, but...
2. He also happens to be the one who's willing to beat up other guys for doing the exact same thing.
3. He screens the guys I like--even if I repeatedly ask him to leave me and my crushes alone--to see if they're "good enough" for me. He'll never let me live it down if a guy without his seal of approval breaks my heart.
4. He listens to all my rants about the bitchy girl in class and the Neanderthal who tried to ask me out. Even if he pretends he's not listening, I know he is.
5. He volunteers to fix my computer. All I have to pay him is lunch--while I would've spent a ton on a "real" technician.
6. He's the one who exhales patiently when he asks how much space there is on my hard drive, and all I do is blink at him while the look on my face says, "Huh?"
7. He lets me bully him into carrying my stuff.
8. He's the only one I would ever copy Chemistry homework from.
9. He's the one who copies dances from morbid commercials just to make me laugh when I'm pissed off.
10. He's the one who makes up morbid dances just to piss me off.
11. He's the one the girls at our old high school never really appreciated, a diamond in the rough I might say. (I'll never tell him I said that though.)
12. He's the one I could never imagine college without.
    
     

Finally, it's a Sunday and I actually have time to just be lazy and catch up one some reading.

What I'm reading now:

A Time To Kill by John Grisham
 When his daughter is raped, Carl Lee Hailey sets out to do what any father would want to do. He guns down the two rapists and that's just the beginning of the story. Carl Lee Hailey happens to be black while the two rapists were white. It might be the 21st century, but it seems that old social issues still haven't died down in the South. Now, Jake Briggance, Hailey's lawyer, has to convince an entire town that his client is not guilty. 

This the first JG book I've ever read, and I'm just getting used to the Southern setting and the law jargon. The story reminded me of an adult version of To Kill a Mockingbird. However, A Time to Kill isn't as gripping as I expected it to be. I'm already halfway through the book, and nothing that will keep me up at night has happened yet.

What's next:

Dreamcatcher by Stephen King
Dreamcatcher is about a group of childhood friends who have to face something they all tried to forget. I must say I can't wait to start this one. I love Stephen King's work and I'm really excited to read one of his few science fiction works.

Deception Point by Dan Brown
Let me a guess who's starring in this book: A nerdy yet attractice intellectual and a gorgeous archaeologist/researcher/physicist. I'm kidding. Even though the characters seem to be stereotyped in Dan Brown's books, they never fail to keep me on the edge of my seat.

My reading list ends there. Hmmm... Hey, I just noticed something. They're all male writers.Okay, I've decided that maybe, just maybe, I need to limit my romance novel consumption.

Wohoo, I'm online again. I don't know why but blogging at an internet cafe just isn't the same as blogging at home. Something's just not right. I mean, I have no problem sharing my thoughts with strangers (like in this blog, for instance), but I just freak out when said strangers are right behind me waiting on every word I type. That's just creepy.

Anyway, I've been reading other people's blogs lately and a lot of them have been doing this. Since I have nothing to do at the moment, I'll give it a try... 

1. I wanna know what's going on in your life, and I miss talking to you everday, I hope you're okay, and PLEASE PLEASE don't get back together with him anymore. You're too good for him.
2. Same with you. Don't get back together with him, or do I need to slap you with a notebook just to convince you? [Sighs] Okay, okay, I know it's your life, but still...
3. You're a jerk and you were never worth my time.
4. You're pretty and you just don't know it. Just wait until we become full-fledged adults, and you lose a little weight. All their jaws will drop.
5. Leave me alone.
6. You make my days more bearable, and I actually wanna study algebra now because of you.
7. Your girlfriend isn't really serious about you, and you're not really serious about her. Where the hell is your relationship going?
8. There's a lot of fish in the ocean. You're a great guy, and it's her loss if she can't see that. P.S.: Don't spend too much on her birthday present. She probably won't even appreciate it.
9. I'm glad we're friends. College wouldn't be the same without you.
10. Take your time before you REALLY fall for this guy. If he makes you cry, the three of us (you know who we are) will go over there and stuff his face with teddy bears.

Lunch break! I had two midterm exams today. I don't have much time to get into the gritty details, so I'll just type up the summary. I'm at an internet cafe so there isn't much privacy. (Wow, that rhymed.)

Theology
I fell asleep while studying algebra last night. Sighs.  I only got to study Theo on the ride to school, and I got there fifteen minutes before the end of first period. Basically, my entire exam was rushed. It was a good thing most of the questions were true or false. I never would've made it if it was identification. I had to rack my brain for the entire Apostles' Creed. I haven't prayed that since high school.

Algebra
Wohooo! I'm pretty sure I'm going to pass. At least, I think I'm going to. Our teacher must've taken pity on us because only ten percent of our class passed the prelim (I'm proud to say I'm one of them. I suck at math so that really means something), so the questions were supereasy. Hehe.

However, I can't relax yet. Trigo midterms are next week. Gotta hit the books!

Okay, I know what I'm about to say might make me seem like the biggest anti-social freak on the planet, but I just have to let this out. When I was in high school, boys were an unknown species to me. Sure, the dumb jokes they cracked in class made me laugh and I got used to the fact that they always chased after the so-called pretty girls. But did I ever get close to a single B-O-Y? Before dirty minds start to cloud over, I'm not talking about THAT kind of close. I'm talking about actually getting to know someone, hearing what they have to say and knowing them well enough to be able to predict what they're gonna do next.

I'm a college freshman, just in case you're wondering. I'm taking up an engineering course so it's no wonder most of my classmates are testosterone-charged males. However, knowing that didn't exactly prepare me for what I saw when I walked into the classroom on the first day of school. There were four girls in all--counting me. The rest were boys. My eyes turned to huge marbles. I might've aced my high school classes, but I certainly wasn't prepared to deal with a classroom full of complicated boys.

At first, we just eyed each other warily. You never know what's going on in their minds after all. I laughed along with everybody else during class, but it stopped there. I never strayed from my own inncer circle of friends because I was too scared and too shy to even try to cross the line. 

Somwhere along the way smiles and hellos were exchanged. I've forgotten who went first, but I'm willing to bet one hundred bucks it wasn't me. Then, unbelievably we started talking. As in, actual conversations. I heard what they had to say, and I discovered they were a lot like me.

They're shy when talking to girls. They always want to look cool, though they end up looking like dorks most of the time. I guess you could say that showing off will always be part of a boy's nature. They care about what girls think, even if they don't always want to let us know.

Also, I discovered some things that made my guy friends sweet in an annoying sort of way...

Even if he looks like he's not listening, he actually is. How many times have I been shocked by a guy friend who remarks on something I randomly said two weeks ago?

No matter what popular opinion says, not all guys are players. There are actually a few good ones out there. I have a friend--who shall remain unnamed--who's liked the same girl for over a year. She keeps on rejecting him, but he insists on being persistent anyway. 

And here's the most sweet yet annoying thing I uncovered about boys through my guy friends...

They DO fall in love. It's just that they don't fall that easily.

I mentioned that I finished watching Hana Yori Dango in my last entry. Now that I've finished it, I have absolutely nothing to do except stare at my computer screen all day. Hmmm... I should just go with the flow and do something random.

It's summer here. The heat here in the Philippines is really starting to get me. I should be used to it by now since I've been living here my whole life, but I just feel like there's something different about this summer in particular, you know. I just feel like there's something missing, and I don't know what it is. Crazy talk, you might think, but I just don't know how to explain it. Have you ever felt that way? It's like the days are being flashed in front of you, and you're just sitting there watching everybody else live their exciting lives. You get left behind.

I don't wanna be left behind.