bulalakaw

I transferred school.  Catholic too, but I'm getting used to it.  So, I'm with the San Beda Red Lions now.  At least I feel like more of a Gryffindor than a Ravenclaw, and that's a good thing.  

And I know it's a little late for this, but I'm finally feeling like a law student! ^.^  I actually study and read cases nowadays.  Still far from the standard law student addiction (my classmates claim they average eight eight! study hours a day), but I'm getting there.  The only catch is, since I'm doing some actual studying now (a first for me, really), I now only have tolerance for the tellies during my free time.  I used to love reading.  But now, reading Murakamis and Vonneguts during my precious free time seems like such a chore.  Oh, well.  Price to pay and all that. :)

* * * * *

It must have been last month that I was eating with my classmates at some Kentucky Fried Chicken.  


Suddenly my classmate (and friend, I think) D, who doesn't eat, erm, land animals meat (she's okay with seafoods), blurted out that if we only knew how KFC treats their chicken, we wouldn't support KFC too.  Naturally, our curiosities are piqued and we cajoled her into telling us in grisly details how Colonel Sanders maltreats his fowls.


But why, oh why, couldn't I keep my mouth shut?  I then started arguing with her.  Asked her if it would make her feel better if the chickens were allowed to roam in the farm, and then killed afterwards.  D gave me the standard "animal rights" routine.  


Don't get me wrong.  I do believe in animal rights.  But I just hate it when people invoke animal rights, or ethics as a whole, only when it's convenient for them.  After all, if you're talking about morality and principle, you can't afford to be wishy washy and stand at the middle.  You can't say that cute, furry animals have rights, and ergo ought not to be killed, and then not be outraged when ugly, crawly insects are killed in macro.  You can't protest the slaughter of human transmissible virus infected animals, nor criticize Burger King for allegedly using kangaroo meats, or condemn eating any meat in that case, as barbarous and cruel.  You can't do any of these thing with any credibility without protesting for the closure of all insecticides company for the deliberate and even useless 'murder' of all those insects.  In animal rights, you can't just talk about the cute animals, that's all.


* * * * *

Oh, but I shouldn't have said anything.  Why am I so adversarial?  Why do I view every opinion I hear, contrary to mine, as an invitation for a useless, pointless debate?  And this is why I don't have boyfriends.  Being argumentative is highly unseductive.  So says Robert Greene.

I don't think I'd want to stay in my university much longer. 

I'm studying Law, yet we have a Theology subject?  To make matters worse, their prim, snotty-nosed, self-righteous thinking is REALLY getting on my nerves.  For example...

1.)  A professor told us that there's something fundamentally wrong with people who masturbate.  And he is considered to be one of the best professors in the University.  Imagine that.

2.)  They're just too damned suck-ups!  We have to throw a party for each of our professors' birthdays.  PLUS, we had to have individual Christmas parties for each of them.  And that's not including the class Christmas party without the professors! *rolls eye*  I'm fucking dizzy with all the Christmas cheer.

3.)  They're the most bookish (read: dogmatic) bunch of people I've ever met!  They won't even let you think, I swear.  Why analyze a case yourself when all the explanation you'll ever need (because it's what the professors want to hear anyways) are in the textbook? 

4.)  We have to pray before and after class for each subject!  If I pray anymore than I already did in that school, I'd be a saint!

And those are just some of it.  Believe me when I tell you that I can write and write and write the things I HATE about this school. 

* * * * *

You see, I originally came from my country's State University (where you will never want for freedom).  But now, I'm in this Catholic University (I'm agnostic, yes), supposedly the second-best University in the country.  And I'm missing my old University like crazy.  Each year, a fraternity in my old University does what is called the Oblation Run.  

Neophyte-members run throughout the Social Science building, every 12 o'clock noon at December 16, absolutely starkers.  It's a great tradition, and a testament to just how much freedom and individuality are valued in the University. But this year, there were also naked girls who run with the boys! 

And I missed it.

Last weekend, I attended the Human Rights Congress of our school's Human Rights organization.  It was no big deal, really.  We, as recently inducted newbies, didn't actually participate in the Congress.  We were just the event's organizers. coughslavescough.

Anywho, this barrister, Atty. R, who's also an alumna of our Human Rights Center (and who I've been pining for since we've met him last October), was there.  He's just... incredible. 

Really, he should be made illegal.  If I were a man, I'd have him excommunicated from society.  It's just not fair for the rest of the male population.  Imagine: he's a lawyer working for an environmental group, he looks like an adult Harry Potter (actually he looks more like Noah Wyle with the glasses).  No kidding.  And even though I wouldn't go that far, a classmate even said that he's better looking than Noah Wyle.  Sigh.  Can you just get any better than this guy?  He's cute beyond belief, he's intelligent, and he's a Human Rights advocate! [/squee]

Back to the story.  In the Congress, Atty. R was constantly with another alumna, Atty. T, who's a very pretty and witty lawyer of a government funded organization concerning peace talks with rebels.  I happen to like Atty. T very much. 

I was squeeing, and telling a very close friend of mine about the Harry Potter look-alike lawyer, and how I fancy him and such, and how close he was with Atty. T.  I told my friend I wouldn't mind if they got together, since I'm very fond of them both.

My friend then said that Atty. T and Atty. R wouldn't go well together since they're both good-looking.  She has this theory that good-looking couples will beget rotten-looking children.  So she said that if Atty. R cares about evolution at all, he should choose me instead of Atty. T.

Should I be insulted or what? 

I think the worst part of this is that my friend is actually serious.  She really talks like this all the time!  I'm one of her very few friends because I happen to be extraordinarily resilient.  She doesn't mean anything by it, really.  It's just such a downer after that hormone-induced high...  Oh well.

Going to watch GoF later today with no_such_nick (who i love desperately...)!!!!

I'm back!  Gawd, I missed my room.  The immersion was a real fruitful experience, which sadly, I'm not too coherent right now to give justice to.  I've slimmed down, I think.  Living in the mountains did me a lot of good, in more ways than one.  And I hope that as much good as it did for me, I have helped the community which adopted me even half as much. 

Honestly, I didn't mind not having the luxuries that my own home provides, everything there was good enough for me.  Except when I have to poop.  Dearie, how do you get used to pooping in the wilds, holding your breath, half-expecting a snake to slither past by while your at it, half-expecting someone from the village to see you.  And when you're done, it seems like everybody knew what you were up to.  But other than that, it was perfect.  No, I take that back.  The immersion wouldn't have been as perfect without the uncomfortable poopings.

* * * * *

On other news, not long after I got home when our marks for last semester were released.  In an uncanny imitation of Professor Trelawney (especially since I have just about Ron's aptitude in Divination), I failed Constitutional Law.

Amazing really, that I should foresee that, considering that out of all our midterms, it's the only one that I passed.

* * * * *

Hooray! to ladyofthesnitch for her Christmas card project! *is jealous for not thinking of it herself*

erm, i'll be leaving for two weeks starting tomorrow, so i'll be MIA for awhile.  it's for our school's human rights center semestral break internship.  i'm pretty excited about it.  here's the deal - you and a partner will be staying with a surrogate family for two weeks.  in the mountains.  and your surrogate family are part of the indigenous people. without mobile phones and other gadgets.  and though i shall miss everything else,

i'm excited.  for the filipinos out there, i'm going to mindoro, and staying with the mangyans.  galing, no?

[rant]  the only problem is, i can't help but be bothered whether i'm doing this for the right reasons.  ventures like these should be undertaken, only secondarily for the experience, but more importantly, it should be because you want to help.  i don't want to be just another arrogant middle class thinking that she knows what's good for everyone else.  and i HATE, HATE it when people do charity to make themselves feel better. 

helping should be more about the people you help, and less about yourself. [end of rant]

*****

i got tagged by fernmariposa:

ten things i'm grateful for today:  er, sorry.  i don't quite know how to work out the lj cuts yet.  so sorry if i clogged your ljs.

1. we won't be seeing each other for a half month, so i'm grateful i spend the whole day with my nephew.
2. i finally bought this candy i've been craving for for the longest time.  it's always out of stock!
3. velvethope and  friended me!  she's one of my favorite fanfic writers, yes.
4. gasp.  i was the featured member of hg_daily yesterday.  but i only found out today.
5. my friend who borrowed my HBP, texted me today.  she'll be returning it!  yay. 
6. i bought myself a new cap and hiking slippers!
7. it's my favorite cousin's birthday!
8. i ate A LOT.  that's good, right?
9. daniel radcliffe, i only found out today, has his hair cut.  yay!  i HATED it when his hair was long. 
10. i finished this mark haddon book today.

i'm tagging, hmn... no_such_nick , bohemianvixen, jadelollipop, danabird11, and seekergal.  just ignore this if you've already done this thing.  *hugs*

Happy Birthday mginner !!!

i know i only ever know you in fandom, but i always enjoy reading your posts! *grin*

i'm flunking constitutional law.

i'm incorrigible.

i just finished my Criminal Law exam today.  it was actually easier than i expected, but i never want to underestimate bad luck....  especially since i only studied this morning, for the afternoon exam!  i'm a professional crammer since 1997, thank you!  and then, after the exam, i made the mistake of dropping by the bookstore.  patay.  everytime i drop by a bookstore, i just HAVE to buy something, even though i'm friggin' broke. 

i bought another neil gaiman.  it is my ambition that i own his complete works.  i bought doll's house which features one of my favorite gaiman characters, Rose Walker.  she's just too darn lovely.  AND, she's got red hair! 

everytime i encounter a red head, i always think of my beloved ginny.  it doesn't matter if the rest of the hp fandom hates her so much.  i love her enough to make up for all the hate.

i hate myself. 

it's less than three days before our first exam, and i still haven't gotten around to some serious studying yet.  what's even more maddening is that i appear unconcern about it all, and what my apprehension all boils down to is that i'm worried that i'm not worried enough about failing.  it's incredible. 

*****

i've read this fanfiction in SIYE - http://www.hgnetwork.co.uk/siye/viewstory.php?sid=8935, which i can't stop thinking about, in spite of my impending doom, ever since i've read it.  i've read it countless times already and i cried in each one of them.  that's pretty weird for me.  i never cry in movies (well, ok, Toy Story 2 made me cry), and the only book so far that's able to make me cry is Silas Marner.  this story is just fantastic.  one of the most heartbreaking piece of literature i've encountered, fanfiction or not.

it even bothers me a bit how i can be so affected by this story of fictional characters, when i have pressing issues of my own in real life.  let's face it, people are rarely that fierce, or loyal, or grand, in reality as they are in fiction. 

anywho, back to the books (the school books)...

hi, andrea, in case you're checking if this is really me. *grin*
i've finally succumbed to the lj trend. scary, i know. 

i actually opened this lj account waaay back in august (the OCers will know why) but it's only lately that i really am convinced that i want this and i am going to maintain this.  phew.  now that that's over...

*****

i'm actually sick right now.  it's a week til final exams and frankly, things are looking rather bleak.  the only good news is, half the class are failing as well.  only one person passed our civil code midterms (we all attempted to throw her from the third floor, but no such luck), eleven passed criminal law, out of forty-five.  aren't we brilliant?

and now i'm sick and all i wanna do is sleep, eat, and visit my favorite hp fansites.     

*****

on other news, my bestfriend just started her own lj account, on my insistence.  i thought my lj looked rather shabby without a friend, but now, i have no_such_nick .  *loves*

wow.  first entry.  feeling promdi tuloy ako... *grins*

i wonder if anybody ever reads these stuff...  anywho, to future friends, i think you ought to know that i'm an harry potter geek so bear with me if most of my entries will revolve around the boy-who-lived. 

i'm also very protective of my privacy so i will only divulge the most general details about my real life identity...  like the fact that i'm twenty-two years old but actually feels a lot older than that!  or that i study in probably the most konyotik school, sa minamahal kong Pilipinas, in existence.  i'm taking up law. 

aside from harry potter, my other addictions include: star wars, jollibee, neil gaiman, erik morales the boxer (pero kay Pacquiao pa din ako!), U.P. Diliman, a U.P. professor, my nephew ( the most excellent kid in the world!), books in general, the beatles, john lennon, anne rice, and samurai x.

pleased to meet you.

* * * *

a while ago, a close friend and i got together.  nothing fancy, kumain lang kami ng subway dahil sobrang patay na patay ako dun...  it was her birthday two days ago and so i brought her flowers.  she's already working in makati as an HR specialist.  less than a year pa lang and already, she's bored and bummed out of existence. 

ewan ko ba.

ang aga-aga namin ma-disillusion.  parang napag-iiwanan kami ng panahon.

CYNICS!