Good luck, Sis!

One day to go and Ate will already be hurdling the make-or-break Nurses' Licensure Examination. For the past months, I've seen all those stressful preparations she went through. From their whole-day reviews to their nerve-racking pre-Board examinations. Luckily, she topped these exams. Hence, I am confident enough that she will do the same on the real thing.

I've always wanted to be a nurse. But, eventually, I got stucked in a really boring and dull course. I never really had a choice. It was maybe out of desperation. Well, yup. I really think I was really desperate. My mother once asked me why I decided to take up such course. But instead of answering her question, I just gave her a fierce glare. Then, she understood. I never hated her, nor my father, nor anybody for this, because there is really no one to blame. I guess, I just have to accept things as they are. What I do is, I just try to make the best out of the things that I can manage to do. (Uh-oh... Here I go again..) Well, Ate will just have to do what I've been craving to do and fill in the missing piece in my now-shattered ambition.

Anywayz, to Ate, I wish you all the very best of luck! Break a leg! I know you can do it. I'm praying for you.

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Angels and Demons

I just finished Angels and Demons, and it's another superb read. Well, what did Dan brown wrote that you can not consider superb? Brown's fictions are always great and mind-twisting that putting down the novel is always the hardest part of the ritual. Although critics wrote stuffs about the flaws in the novel, still it has become a bestseller. Here is a review I found at Shelfari.

It takes guts to write a novel that combines an ancient secret brotherhood, the Swiss Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire, a papal conclave, mysterious ambigrams, a plot against the Vatican, a mad scientist in a wheelchair, particles of antimatter, jets that can travel 15,000 miles per hour, crafty assassins, a beautiful Italian physicist, and a Harvard professor of religious iconology. It takes talent to make that novel anything but ridiculous. Kudos to Dan Brown (Digital Fortress) for achieving the nearly impossible. Angels & Demons is a no-holds-barred, pull-out-all-the-stops, breathless tangle of a thriller--think Katherine Neville's The Eight (but cleverer) or Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum (but more accessible).

Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is shocked to find proof that the legendary secret society, the Illuminati--dedicated since the time of Galileo to promoting the interests of science and condemning the blind faith of Catholicism--is alive, well, and murderously active. Brilliant physicist Leonardo Vetra has been murdered, his eyes plucked out, and the society's ancient symbol branded upon his chest. His final discovery, antimatter, the most powerful and dangerous energy source known to man, has disappeared--only to be hidden somewhere beneath Vatican City on the eve of the election of a new pope. Langdon and Vittoria, Vetra's daughter and colleague, embark on a frantic hunt through the streets, churches, and catacombs of Rome, following a 400-year-old trail to the lair of the Illuminati, to prevent the incineration of civilization.

Brown seems as much juggler as author--there are lots and lots of balls in the air in this novel, yet Brown manages to hurl the reader headlong into an almost surreal suspension of disbelief. While the reader might wish for a little more sardonic humor from Langdon, and a little less bombastic philosophizing on the eternal conflict between religion and science, these are less fatal flaws than niggling annoyances--readers should have no trouble skimming past them and immersing themselves in a heck of a good read. "Brain candy" it may be, but my! It's tasty. --Kelly Flynn

What makes the novel more interesting are the ambigrams of the Illuminati brotherhood. I always wonder how the artists make such perfect graphical figure, that even if you read the word upside-down, it would still make sense. Here are a few examples:


Geez, interesting, isn't it?

Faith Check...

Here is an excerpt from Dan Brown's Angels and Demons, that i want to share with you.

***********************************************************************************

"Father," Chartrand said, "may I ask you a strange question?"

The camerlengo smiled. "Only if I may give you a strange answer."

Chartrand laughed. "I have asked every priest I know, and still don't understand."

"What troubles you?"

Charland took a deep breath. "I don't understand this omnipotent-benevolent thing."

The camerlengo smiled. "You've been reading scripture."

"I try."

"You are confused because the Bible describes God as an omnipotent and benevolent deity."

"Exactly."

"Omnipotent-benevolent simply means God is all-powerful and well-meaning."

"I understand the concept. It's just... there seems to be a contradiction."

"Yes. The contradiction is pain. Man's starvation, war, sickness..."

"Exactly! Terrible things happen in this world. Human tragedy seems like proof that God could not possibly be both all-powerful and well-meaning. If He loves us and has the power to change our situation, He would prevent our pain, wouldn't He?"

The camerlengo frowned. "Would He?"

Chartrand felt uneasy. Had he overstepped his bounds? Was this one of those religious questions you just didn't ask? "Well... if God loves us, and He can protect us, He would have to. It seems He is either omnipotent and uncaring, or benevolent and powerless to help."

"Do you have children, Lieutenant?"

Chartrand flushed. "No, Signore."

"Imagine you had an eight-year-old son.... would you love him?"

"Of course."

"Would you do everything in your power to prevent pain in his life?''

"Of course."

"Would you let him skateboard?'

Yeah, I guess," Chartrand said. "Sure, I'd let him skateboard, but I'd tell him to be careful."

"So as this child's father, you would give him some basic, good advice and then let him go off and make his own mistakes?"

"I wouldn't run behind him and mollycoddle him if that's what you mean."

"But what if he fell and skinned his knee?"

"He would learn to be more careful."

The camerlengo smiled. "So although you have the power to interfere and prevent your child's pain, you would choose to show your love by letting him learn his own lessons?"

"Of course. Pain is part of growing up. It's how we learn."

The camerlengo nodded. "Exactly."

"Innovation and Creativity that Matter..."

"Don't be just job-seekers, be job-creators!" This is Sir Jo's most famous line... Sir Jo, a licensed engineer, proficient teacher, and a certified entrepreneur, always encourages us through this dogma. And, indeed, he succeeded on that.

Four Pylonites have already ventured into their own enterprise, using their skills and ingenuity in photography and multimedia as their main capital. Endowed with incomparable adeptness in scores of computer applications and creativity in capturing precious moments and wonderful things, these four brilliant Pylonites created ARCKE Multimedia Solutions and Services.

ARCKE is actually the acronym of the names of the founders. Here they are:

Opppzzz, nope! They are not into escort service... (laughs) They are just showing how petty and crazy they are... (haha) Nevertheless, you are actually looking at the most talented and skilled artist-entrepreneurs (ehem..)

ARCKE Multimedia Solutions and Services offers tons of services- from lay-outing to webpage designing, photography to video coverage, and still a lot more.... Indeed, innovation and creativity that matter....

Anywayz, the reason I mentioned ARCKE, is that I want to post our pictures taken at their studio..(haha)

Awesome Entrecard Features

It has been quite a while! Geez, I'm sure, you guyz, have missed me... (*wink*) I've been doing charity jobs...(kidding) Actually, my friends are venturing into their own enterprise, and they just opened last Sunday. We helped out and even spent overnights there. We also helped in preparing the food for the grand opening of ARCKE Multimedia Solutions and Services.


Anyway, when I checked on my e-mail, I was surprised to receive this mail from the Entrecard Team. Now, you can add multiple blogs to your account. It's really cool! Imagine, you will be able to choose whether to link your account with another EXISTING account, or to register a NEW BLOG with Entrecard, and automatically link it to your account. This is indeed an awesome feature of Entrecard. Now, I will no longer have any hassles logging into my other blog to easily drop cards to other sites.


Entrecard also has a new e-book to help you on the basics of Entrecard and guide you along the way. Download the e-book on this link:

http://entrecard.com/static/entrecard_official_ebook.pdf

I'll blog about ARCKE and our escapade later. I'm still waiting for the pics...

Deception Point

I've finished reading another Dan brown novel... And as always, it's another superb read....

Right now, I'm reading Angels and Demons, the Da Vinci code prequel...

Deception Point is another page-turning Dan Brown thriller. It is about the clashes of power between the US president and a senator who wants to own the presidential seat, and the infringement of NASA and NSA to dirty-dig the senator.

Here is a book review from Shelfari:


The time is now and President Zachary Herney is facing a very tough reelection. His opponent, Senator Sedgwick Sexton, is a powerful man with powerful friends and a mission: to reduce NASA's spending and move space exploration into the private sector. He has numerous supporters, including many beyond the businesses who will profit from this because of the embarrassment of 1996, when the Clinton administration was informed by NASA that proof existed of life on other planets. That information turned out to be premature, if not incorrect. (This story is true; I repeat, Dan Brown's research is very, very good.) The embattled president is assured that a rare object buried deep in the Arctic ice will prove to have far-reaching implications on America's space program. The find, however, needs to be verified.

Enter Rachel Sexton, a gister for the National Reconnaissance Office. Gisters reduce complex reports into single-page briefs, and in this case the president needs that confirmation before he broadcasts to the nation, probably ensuring his reelection. It's tricky because Rachel is the daughter of his opponent. Rachel is thrilled to be on the team traveling to the Arctic circle. She is a realist about her father's politics and has little respect for his stand on NASA, but Senator Sexton cannot help but have a problem with her involvement.

Adventure, romance, murder, skullduggery, and nail-biting tension ensue. By the end of Deception Point, the reader will be much better informed about how our space program works and how our politicians react to new information. Bring on the next Dan Brown thriller! --Otto Penzler

Thank you.. Farewell...

Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.
-- Dr. Seuss

For three years of working at Holy Child, I already have envisioned myself graduating and still being a part of my HCH family. As my previous posts could have divulged, I hated being there- hated being taken advantage of by the nuns, and loathed being disparaged (in any way) by some people. I often thought of making a "hate post" right after I step out of the vicinity of the hospital. I wanted to let go of this repugnance and abhorrence I've been keeping all these years. I wanted to curse everyone who have made my stay there miserable. I have outlined all the words in my mind, until something made me change my mind.

I tried to look at the bright side and thought of the advantages I gained. I then realized that my stay there had been fruitful after all. I wouldn't have learned so many things if it were not because of the people who have been my mentors there. I wouldn't have learned to read the undecipherable handwritings of doctors, the ICD codes of diseases, the paging stuffs at the info, the diets appropriate for certain illnesses, the processing of Philhealth and HMO claims, BP taking, and still a lot more. Furthermore, if it were not because of my being at HCH, I wouldn't have met the people who have influenced quite a great part of my life.

When I bid goodbye to everyone, I suddenly felt a lump on my throat, which is the last thing that I expected. Then I realized that I will surely miss so many things now that I am no longer a part of the family. I know I had my fair share of miseries while being with them, but there are also a lot of things that I am very thankful of them. The knowledge and learnings that I have acquired are incomparable. Surely, girls my age are not given the same chance that I got.

Now, whenever I think of all those things, I can't help but smile and be grateful because even if things did not go on as I expected, there are still tons more that I could be thankful about.

To my HCH family, thank you for being a great part of my life. 'Keep serving the humanity', as your mission goes. =)

Who could this be?

I woke up this morning feeling exhilarated. Well, why not? I had this crazy dream about someone I barely know, and who happens to be my instant crush when I woke up. Sounds ridiculous, right? But yeah, right after that dream, I instantly fell in-love with the person (aw?). I don't have the slightest idea why he appeared on my dream, when I did not even think about him before I went to sleep last night. Hmmn..., was that a product of my subconscious? (haha) Anyhow, the dream was fantastic, er... far-fetched, I guess.

Anyway, this guy I am talking about is my sister's classmate (I'm not quite sure...) They are friends, that is. I met him during my sister's graduation. During that time, I played Ate's official photographer, and I took a lot of pictures of her with her crazy friends (he's one of those). That was just it. We became friends after then. You know, the smile-and-nod-kind of friends...lol. We never even got a chance to talk, that is why having him in my dream is something that I never did take at face value (haha).

For my curious readers, here's a picture of him... See, I'm not even hesitant to let you have a glimpse of my mysterious dream guy.

Wahahaha! See, how generous I am...? Did that help feed your curiosity? Or stir it again? C'mon Porteurs ..., wanna guess...?

For the World's Greatest Mom...

Dear Ma,


How could I ever thank you for everything that you did for me? How could I ever repay you for all the goodness and support that you've shown me?

You carried me in your womb for nine months and delivered me healthy. You fed, clothe, and sheltered me. You gave me the best things that you could manage to offer. And you've been very supportive to me all throughout.

When I was very nervous during my knee-jerking first day in school, you were there to give me your reassuring hug. You helped me with my perplexing assignments and encouraged me to study harder. You've been with me through my best and my worst. You've always been a part of my endeavors- you always support me during my trying times and celebrate with me during my triumphs. We cried together, laugh together, and faced together our adversities.

For my confidante, my best friend, my mother, let me express to you my warmest, sincerest THANK YOU for everything. I love you more than you ever think I do. Happy Mother's Day, Ma...!

Janjie

Absurd Perfidy

It was early morning on a Sunday when he called me- says he wanted to talk about something. He is always like that. He would just call me when he has problems with his girlfriend or another feud with his dad. He would text me when he needs someone to listen to his rants and rambles towards his family and girlfriend. He would fetch me in the house during the wee hours of the day and talk about his trifling issues. For ten years, I've served as his confidante, his listener, his adviser, his best friend.

We've spent our lives together. He has been a part of my family, and I to his. It was a short encounter in grade school that started our friendship. From then on, we became inseparable. We became very close that people around us began teasing and ragging us, but we were not bothered. We continued to become friends, and we swore not to keep any secrets from each other. We were both happy with each other's company, until I realized that I can no longer put up with our promise. He has been loyal to our friendship, but lately, I became doubtful of my own fidelity. Despite all these, I remained to be his best friend.

When we went to college, we realized that the world we used to live in will not be the world that we will be living in forever. We mingled with different people and met different friends, until it has become apparent that it is not always "us" forever. Still, we continued our friendship, though it is no longer the kind we used to have. We rarely see each other until I found out that he is already going out with somebody. I tried to hide my disappointment towards him and continued concentrating on my studies. I busied myself with a lot of things, and he continued with his life with other people. This went on for months, until the day he called me.

I am already expecting his rants and angry outbursts. Well what else would I be expecting? He only calls me to have someone to listen to his grumbles. But it's fine with me. I just consider it a "pay-off" for my infidelity. For I have become disloyal to our friendship and unfaithful to the promise we made. After all these years, I am keeping a secret that could either ruin or mend our friendship-I am in-love with my best friend.

Holy Cheaters

Isn't cheating a sin? Cheating on people is also like cheating on God. Isn't it quite a shame if God's servants and prime followers are cheaters themselves? Isn't it disgraceful and appalling to fiddle on people while a crucifix hangs on your neck? And what could be worse than taking advantage of people while wearing a ring that signifies your lifetime union with God? I know I'm being harsh. But, I am just perturbed by this.

When I was still a child I used to regard nuns very highly, but this deference changed later on. I have been working for this congregation of nuns, uhm, not really for them, but for the establishment managed by them. At the start, they seem good and concerned, but later on their real colors eventually just prevailed. They have not justified their vocation, well... as far as I.., and the other employees are concerned.

As what I know, nuns must show selflessness in their acts. That is what God taught us, and they should have been good role models and show this virtue to the whole humanity. Apparently, they have not, and they even prove the contrary. What they have demonstrated to us is how good businesswomen they are. You know, just concerned of the profits, and all that. They even nitpick on other people and..., believe it or not, backbite and say ill things on other people's back. Oh well, it seems like it has become their way of life. They even say silly things among themselves.

Generosity is a virtue one must possess- sharing what you have and giving out to the poor. I just don't know if they are even a bit concerned about this. It has become a tradition to the establishment to celebrate Christmas and New Year through a mass at their small chapel. After the mass, people got used to feasting over the little preparation these nuns prepared. But it seems that they grew tired of sharing their abundant blessings to their own employees when one Christmas, they decided to not prepare anything. The reason? They are afraid at the thought that it would become a custom and people will look forward to it, and that would just mean, they will have to spend some of their "hard-earned" money to feed these people during Christmas eves. That's just horrendous, isn't it?

There was a time when one of their employees requested for a pack of carbon papers because they no longer have supply for their office. And this nun (who is known for talking on walls instead of the person concerned), gave the employee a stern look, gave her a box of carbon papers, and after this employee left, she kept on talking to the walls again, murmuring to herself nonsense things about the employee and the carbon paper. (Whew, I didn't know they can also be this petty).

Never did I imagine that nuns also cheat on other people. That is, if you call not giving employees the right salary and benefits that they deserve a form of cheating. Anyway, these are just some instances. There are still a lot that I prefer not to mention here. I am appalled just by the thought of it, you know. I will never cry over spilled milk- meaning, what I experienced is never that trivial. I can still vividly remember some of their atrocious acts, but I'd rather not write it here. I will spare you some of the details, for now. I'll write about it when I'm ready.