The Host Club is now open! [peminista v.5]

[24 October 2005] GASC = The Greatest Debate and Biggest Soiree of the Year

Less than three weeks ago, I was asked by my co-student council member if I would like to go to Cebu for a conference of UP student councils, since the 4th year SC members could not come due to their Special Studies. I told him that I was going to ask permission from my parents, but honestly, I was not too thrilled about the idea since it's a "business" trip, and I'm already having my semestral break. Surprisingly, my parents said it was okay (and Cristal's too, knowing that I would be going). I left for Cebu on October 21, Friday and I just got home this morning (though I should've been home yesterday).

Definitely, I have no regrets going to Cebu this weekend.

The General Assembly of Student Councils (or GASC) is held every year, usually twice but can be more than twice if the need arises. It brings together all the Student Councils from all University of the Philippines campuses. It is not just some meeting wherein all the SCs plan projects or whatsoever, but more importantly, the GASC reviews and amends the Codified Rules of Student Regent Selection (CRSRS) before the 2nd meeting of the GASC, which is the actual selection of our Student Regent (SR).

Just a Point of Information (OMG... hehehe), the Student Regent is the representative of the student body to the Board of Regents, which runs the whole UP system. I learned upon reading the CRSRS, just a few days prior to the GASC, that an SR's job is so hectic that s/he actually is strongly recommended to file a leave of absence. But anyway, I learned from all of this that the SR is very important.

The revision of the CRSRS uses Parliamentary procedure, which I don't have an idea of. If I can remember it right, we might have had that kind of debate back in high school, but I was never good at it and it seems different from what I've witnessed during the CRSRS. Fortunately, Gian, the Chairperson of the Nursing Student Council, lent us a copy of concise explanations of the Parliamentary procedure based on the Robert's Rules of Order.

It says that "Parliamentary law is a system of maintaining order in organizations. It provides an approved and uniform method of conducting meetings in a fair, orderly, and expeditious manner." Hehehe... yeah, right. What happened on Saturday and Sunday was almost nowhere near orderly (actually, even fair).

And so, I say that it is the greatest debate I've ever seen. I've already heard from Donn Mc, a member of the UPM-USC, that the GASC can get very dirty. And I indeed witnessed what he meant. I can just imagine how dirtier can Congress and Senate meetings get. For example, someone makes a motion. Instead that this motion be voted upon by dividing the house (if a concensus is not reached), some people would object and object and object for the nth time to divide the house, even if it is soooo obvious that there are 2 sides existing in the assembly. Instead, they would do everything in their power to make you withdraw your motion.

There was a time last Saturday that two people were already hogging the microphone to themselves because the two were having a great time debating on something. The presiding officer couldn't even do anything. I can't even understand them anymore since they were speaking, or rather, shouting, right after another.

And what's really frustrating (but actually funny

) is that we went to Cebu, hoping to come up with a revised CRSRS, but ended up just amending the HOUSE RULES. It would be such a looooong story if I narrate everything that happened, and so I would not put it here, but I could tell the story personally.

The GASC also became somewhat a soiree, not strictly speaking an evening party, but a meeting of acquainted and unacquainted people. I knew no one but Cristal, of course, and Donn Mc, whom we just formally met a few days before the GASC to brief us on what's going to happen. Before I knew it, I was rubbing elbows and shaking hands with UP student leaders. And being with them, watching them speak during the deliberation of the House Rules, made me feel extremely stupid. All I did was listen and make a vote if needed (but you have no idea how much that vote counts, so I guess that's still signifcant, hehehe). I thought that maybe it came with experience, as some of them are not first-timers in the GASC, which is why I would like to be in the assembly next year (assuming that I run for SC again and I can convince my groupmates to do our SS without me for 4 days at the most). Maybe I can finally get to make my own points of orders or privileged speeches. And of course, I would like to meet again my colleagues from the different UP campuses.

Even though I am excited to attend the next GASC (which will be this November to resume with the revision of the CRSRS itself, FINALLY), I also fear that the next meeting will much more "brutal".

Kudos to the silently-formed "alliance". Congratulations to us all for making a milestone in GASC history. I look forward to having caucuses with you guys again

[08 October 2005] And the semester ends (almost!) with a PART-EIH!

So far, there have been only 2 instances wherein I was able to party with my college friends: my 18th birthday celebration and this year's PH sem-ender party. I actually just came from the latter

. Just imagine how much fun we've had that I couldn't even wait til morning (oh wait... it is morning!), to post an entry about it.

Siguro nga nakaka-dalawang party pa lang kami, but both had made those nights two of the most memorable nights of my life

.

The night actually started as if we were not meant to go partying that night. Kris, Sharon, Tal, Ryan, Krissy and I stayed at Kris' dormitory after our Biostat exam (except for Tal, Sharon and I, who still went to Paco Park to see Sir Nikos perform), dressed and made ourselves up there (ang Plan A... hehehe), even watched "Red Eye" (Korean version) to kill time, then went down at 8:30 to meet up with Rox, Francine and Det at Rob. Aba... pagbaba namin, ang lakas ng ulan! There were 6 of us, and we only had 2 umbrellas with us. We decided to take a cab, pero mamalasin nga naman, wala talagang dumadaan. Sinabihan naming girls si Ryan (our hero!) na mag-abang ng jeep or taxi sa may Apacible... mga ilang balik at mga ilang inches ng basa ang jeans ni Ryan, wala pa din. Fortunately, sa nth time na balik ni Ryan sa "post" niya, may jeep na rin na dumaan! And so, we rode...

We arrived in front of Rob and faced another problem... baha! Manong jeepney driver was kind enough to drop us off in front of the covered area (see? not all jeepney drivers are jerks...), but noooo... lahat ng area baha. Di nga nabasa mga ulo namin, paa naman namin ang nabasa. Eeew, leptospirosis

! Di pa nga nakaka-party, wasted na mga itsura namin. Anyway, we finally got inside the mall and met up with the others, and we even ran into Sir Trinidad and Sir Robidillo!

The option to get a taxi was, again, forgotten. As we got out... well, we couldn't even get out that much. And daming tao, and all of them wanted a ride as well... so we decided to walk. Ay grabe, ang layo pala ng 3 blocks. At buti sana kung di kami naka-heels, kung di umuulan at lahat kami ay may payong, kung hindi baha... Heck, even the sidewalks were flooded! Pero, may dumating uli na savior! Una jeep, sunod pedicab. And FINALLY, we arrived at the Fluid Lounge.

PARTY!!!!

Julie, Kalvin, Leona, Diana, Nicie, Tal, Macoy, KC (or Block 24), Krissy, Sharon, Kris, Ryan, Francine, Det, Rox and I (of Block 23) were the only ones from our batch who attended the sem-ender party. Sobrang sayang at konti lang kami dahil sobrang saya rin naman kahit halos may sariling mundo na kaming mga Juniors dun. We basically danced and drank

. Halos hindi kami tumigil kakasayaw, para rin hindi malasing, na hanggang sa pag-uwi ko eh napapasayaw pa din ako

. Pwede na kaming makipagsabayan kay Gary V. at matatagalan na namin yung dance marathon na task nung mga unang weeks ng PBB.

Kala namin papunta lang kami mamalasin, pati pala pauwi! We didn't realize how far Fluid Lounge was from Kris' dormitory. We found out for ourselves that there is indeed a great distance in between the two places. I swear I'm going to have blisters on the sole of my foot. And we though it wouldn't rain anymore, but it did. Geez. Then, one of Francine's sandals got broken, and we were just about to cross Taft. Of course, we can't just leave her there. Good thing my dad is already around the area to pick me up, so I told him to pick us up at the corner of Taft and Pedro Gil. Yehey! Kris, Ryan and Rox went ahead and walked since we all can't fit inside the vehicle. And finally... LAND! After 10 years... we're back at Kris' dorm.

While I'm still here typing (it's 3:37 am already!), di ko alam kung saan sila ngayon, nagpapaumaga dahil yung iba ay napagsarhan na ng dorm, yung iba naman eh napagsarhan na ng LRT at MRT. Sayang nga eh, I wouldn't want to be anywere else than where they are right now.

Lagi naman kaming magkakasama sa school. We watch movies occasionally, play arcade games, sing videoke, eat together... but we do these all in RP. We've had plans of going out beyond the walls of Robinsons' , pero never natuloy. Ngayon, kung kelan may pagkakataon, wala naman ako. I guess I just had so much fun with them during the night that I didn't want it to end just yet...

Oi, kwento nyo na lang sa'kin mga na-miss ko!

Sa uulitin ha?!?

Oh, and BTW, kayo pa lang ang some of the few na nakakita na sa'kin na maging ganun ka-"energetic"...

. Hehehe.

[06 October 2005] DLSU-FEU Game 2 of Finals, UAAP Season 68

This is the UAAP season wherein the DLSU-ADMU rivalry in basketball has died down (geez, Ateneo really sucked during their Rounds 1 and 2 games with La Salle

), and a new rivalry arises between the DLSU Green Archers and none other than this season's champ, the FEU Tamaraws.

My brother and I watched Game 2 of the Finals (pero sa TV lang, at magkahiwalay pa kami ng TV na pinapanooran... hehe). Grabe, ang galing... sobra. Based on the 2 games, the two teams were both deserving of the title. Kasi talagang ang galing nila pareho. But for me, although I was also cheering for DLSU since my brother goes there, I thought that the Tamaraws deserved to become champions more than the Green Archers. They lost only 2 games during the season, at grabe naman talaga ang performance nila every game. And I absolutely have no complaints with Arwind Santos being MVP, and him and Mark Isip belonging in the Mythical 5... coz they really rocked. Mga halimaw sila

.

It must've felt really great for the Tamaraws, winning both games from behind. Mas gusto kong panalo yun kaysa yung matambakan yung kalaban. Pero sayang din talaga for La Salle, kasi they were really so close to winning. Pero mas gusto ko rin naman yung matalo ng ganon, yung lumaban ka hanggang sa dulo at di ka sumuko.

I salute Joseph Yeo, JV Casio, Jun-Jun Cabatu, Cholo Villanueva, TY Tang, Paul Maierhofer, and of course, Ryan Arana for doing a good job all through-out the season and making FEU go through hell first before becoming champions. FYI, Ryan Arana scored the most points during Game 2 (but he got fouled out! okay lang, galing naman eh!). And like Sam of PBB, mahal ko na rin si Arana... hehehehe

.

Congratulations to the FEU Tamaraws for winning the championship!

[01 October 2005] Two

When I entered the Glee Club in St. Scho Manila when I was in high school, I was initially placed in the Soprano 1 section. But after our first quartet exam, Ms. Gretch re-assigned me in the Soprano 2 section. Not because I can't hit high notes, but because I have a sharp ear. In SSAA arrangements, you'd see many accidentals in the S2 line.

When I entered the UP Manila Chorale, I was also placed in the S1 section. But after being asked by Sir Nikos to sing S2 in Pater Noster for our performance in the College of Medicine, I wanted to go back to being a Soprano 2. I told that to Sir Nikos early yesterday, and he told me that he just might do that and maybe I can "bring some sanity" to that section. Then at rehearsal time, he officially made me a Soprano 2.

(Break lang... okay, some "Paul" from some company and called. My dad won something, but he was still asleep so I told him to just call again later. Then he told me that I had a nice voice, and asked me if we could talk some time. WTF. What a jerk.)

It would be hard to adjust... I would have to restudy every piece I know that has an S2 line. But that's okay. I got bored of singing melodies. I want a challeng. I want to harmonize, mag-"segunda", as some may call it. My dad even told me that even at a very young age, mahilig na ko mag second voicing. I'd probably end up as a back up singer in a band if I do enter one.

Unfortunately, I think I've disappointed someone by getting re-assigned to the S2 section. Apparently, he's more impressed sa mga taong bumibirit. And you know what really annoyed me? Yung ipagdiinan na yung ibang section naman eh hindi pinapansin. Mga matataas lang na nota ang pinapalakpakan ng mga tao. Ganun pala... why don't you just watch a solo concert of a high-pitched diva? I entered a choir to harmonize. A choir without its sections is incomplete. Butas, kung baga. Chuwariwaps, as Sir Nikos would call it, like us would complete the chord that makes the music beautiful.

I could hit high notes, and at the same time, I know how to do in-between notes. Lagyan mo pa yan ng sharp, flat, natural, I can do it. And that's better than both being S1 or S2.

So if anyone else would think less of me just because I got "demoted" from S1 to S2, I think you need to get educated.

I would definitely enjoy holding sectionals for the Soprano 2s.