NOTE: I DID NOT TAKE THIS PICTURE.
This picture was googled: http://tourism-philippines.com/images/manila-yatch-club1.jpg.
We cleaned up near the Yacht Club which is here (above) or so I think since it looks so much different.

Today didn't start off like how I had hoped it would start off but it ended up becoming something that went beyond my expectations.

For starters, I was running late. Lara (I love you, Lara) was waiting for me while I dashed around madly in my room trying to look for my pouch bag where I put everything inside (electronics, wallet, USB, t-shirt, etc) but I couldn't find it. And then I thought that I couldn't find the flag that I made for my group, BASA. When I finally found it (I couldn't find my pouch which was where my wallet was so I ended up stowing away my money in a pretty darn safe place.) we went on our way. One minute after we left my house, I had to go back to grab my slippers (just in case, which, by the way, I ended up NOT using.)

I won't bore you with all pre-bus moments. You should all just know that everyone just sat there and talked. Nicole was my bus-mate during the whole day. We talked nonstop.

It rained most of the time. The rain only went away for about two hours which was good enough time for us to clean up 1/16 of Manila Bay. There were people who talked about the enviroment and how we contribute to the degrading as well (did you know that when we use the bathroom, we use up more than 10 gallons of water? And that's just the BATHROOM.)

BASA was composed of: me, Nicole, Tanya, Mara, Leah and Lulu. I couldn't have asked for a better group. I think teamwork is completely CRUCIAL when one cleans Manila Bay. We didn't just CLEAN 1/16 of Manila Bay (Manila Bay was HUGE! It would have probably taken us thirty years to clean the whole thing) we went through sipises (cockroaches that are in the water- actually, they aren't as gross as I thought they would look.), trash, dead piles of things, more trash, rain, bad smell and more sipises. We even SEGRATED our own trash.

I have to say, Tanya is one of the bravest people I've ever met. Sure, bravery can come in all sorts of forms, sizes and names but it was the fact that Tanya (who had no rubber gloves and had to borrow Mara's because, mind you, hers broke after giving someone a high-five... that must have been one powerful high-five) braved her way to the shores of Manila Bay and grabbed fists full of garbage which she handed to us and helped put in the garbage bag. There was even a sipis that went in her shoe! She didn't scream because Ms. Villaruz was behind her (smart girl.) But she did say that it was hairy. Tanya even managed to find a complete set of jack stones (minus the ball, I think.)

Yes, the whole batch found millions of different and intersting things in Manila Bay. Bea Con's group found an arm of a Barbie doll, Lara's group found five pairs of shoes (we found a wedge. You know, the shoes, wedges. Only it was the heel part so I guess that makes it a wedge.) but I don't think that anyone's could have beaten what our group found (we only knew what it was after we picked it up and threw it in the garbage bag and while we were segregating.)

A dead rat.











Finished barfing yet? Ahahaha! Truth be told, it wasn't as gross as you would have thought it would be. We actually couldn't tell what it was exactly. When Tanya picked it up, we all thought that it was a branch of a tree. I mean, it didn't look brown, it looked black, yeah but it didn't have ears and a tail for crying out loud. I asked Tanya about it and she said that you wouldn't have known it was a dead rat unless you touched it. I mean, held it.

Okay so maybe it kind of had the shape of a rat. But it wasn't furry. It looked like some maggots found its way into it waaay before it washed up on the shores of Manila Bay. But it didn't look like it felt like a feather. While we were segregating (Mara was tallying, Leah and Lulu were grabbing all the non-biodegredables while I was holding up the other trash bag) Leah held up the dead rat (which looked like a twig) and asked if it was non-biodegredable or biodegredable (or I think she held it up and said a number since we were tallying the non-biodegredables first) when someone went, "That's not a twig. That's a dead rat!"

Leah sort of looked at it and went, "Really?" Before placing it back inside. We all stepped back to look at it. When Tanya and Nicole came back (they went back to the shores to pick up some more trash) someone went, "You know that group picked up a dead rat." And Tanya goes, "That's my group." in a very nonchalant way. I felt pretty proud when she said that. Even though it was a dead rat and all.

While you're picking up trash, you don't think you're filthy. It's only after. It was like rolling in the world's urine I tell you. I scrubbed twice as soon as I got home. We ate lunch at the yacht club (I love you Mara who finished my pancit and my iced tea), were dead tired to the world and sweaty beyond words.

As I said, the rain fell down a few hours later. That's while we were on the boat picking up the litter (there was BARELY any left since the first two sections cleaned it up already). But yes, when it rained, only half of my face got wet on the boat. It was only when we docked did my whole face get wet. Amazing, I know.

There's actually a lot more that happened after but it's more personal stuff that remains to be set to PRIVATE (or so I feel for now) and since I'm kind, that will be saved for another blog.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY LOLO!!!

Yay! My laptop is finally fixed! Ooh, and guess what?
JUMPER~ JUMPER~ JUMPER!
Yes, the keys are fixed too!

Right now, I'm installing Yahoo Messenger and the CD that imports pictures from my Canon. I just finished installing Microsoft Office. It's not the new Office (I think it's 07 or something) it's just the 03. But who cares, right? I just have to fix some of my documents before loading them in here.

I haven't begun to transport my photos and music in here. Photos are not a problem for me. it's just the music- you know, viruses. Eek.

Hmmm... all that's left now is iTunes.

Cheerios (Ahahaha, get it? Cheerios <SPELLING?!> as in cheery-o? I'm such a loser.)

Right, my laptop is acting very crazy right now. It's got TONS of viruses making it hang every so once in a while, which is very annoying. Some of the keypads don't even work such as J-u-m. The reason why I have those letters in this entry right now is because I have to copy and paste every so now and then.

I' m going to take my laptop to the repair shop later today. Hopefully they can fix it within the week. Right now, aside from trying to complete my homeworks (Histo and Fil!) I have to remove ALL of my files before I take this to the repair shop.

Yeah, thought I'd let you know. I won't be on-line for a while. So this mAY be my last post for the week. Darn. And it's a monday.

Rest in Peace michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett.

"This is the final curtaian call."

Well, normally, I would LOVE to rant about not having any classes for the next ten days BUT, I already ranted in the carpool yesterday so there's no need to. Besides, it would be very long and not to mention, tiring for me to do so. BUT, just to say:

Yes, I'm pissed/sad that classes are suspended for two whole weeks. This means Saturday classes and perhaps prolonging the school year and shortening our summer.
Yes, I would prefer Saturday classes to shortening our summer.
Yes, I am not the only person in the world who is pissed/sad that classes are suspended. There's Pau, Lara, Trish, Pia (I think!) Karen and so on.
Yes, I am confined in my room right now but honestly, I don't plan on staying cooped up for long. My limbs demand stretching.
No, I don't have swine flu.
No, I don't know who has it.
Yes, Miss Villafania did a TERRIFIC job of announcing the suspension of classes to us.
Yes, we were given PILES AND PILES of homework.
Yes, not only am I sad at the thought of shortening summer and Saturday classes but I also feel sad because I was really game for the school year! I love my classes and my subjects and I was getting used to all of my teachers!
Yes, the title above came from The Fairly Oddparents.

and yes, the whole situation IS bittersweet.
And yes, I should be doing homework right now. I will. Right after lunch. AHAHAHA.

Lots of schools are empty now. Lara told me that La Salle is too. The college, I mean.

Anyway, aside from the homework and the reading to do, I have other plans in mind. PHOTOSHOOTS! Hazzah! I can't wait!!! In fact... a little idea just popped up in my mind right now... Ooh... one of my friends, Auti, http://autiness.multiply.com/photos/album/147/sharkboy_and_lavagirl# had a photoshoot not too long ago. I'm looking at her Multiply right now feeling inspired.

Oh and another point I would like to stress before I sign off (yes, this entry is very short. Homework calls. And not to mention, the bathroom.) Another thing that I despise about classes being suspended is the fact that I'm in junior year- the most important year. Well, so is senior year but still, you get the point! It'll be hard as it is "to pick up the pieces and move on" or whatever but when you're a junior- everything makes a difference and everything COUNTS. Grrr....

I'm not that paranoid with swine flu. Okay, maybe I take a little bit of precaution but I'm not paranoid as, well, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

I feel like I'm in the Middle Ages right now. But with electricity and all. So THIS is what the black plague must have felt like.

Oh yeah, for Chemistry, we're supposed to have a food journal of some sort. I plan of ordering a large box of pizza and finishing it on my own. Just to put something interesting. I'm not going to hide what I eat. I'm going to show the world. AHAHA. I just read Garfield comics this morning so you can't blame me.

I love that cat.

Just thought I'd drop by and upload something. Only from the communities that I've joined, Ben Barnes and Tom Sturridge (No complaints though. Ahahaha...)

There's nothing much to say anymore except that damn, school is starting soon. DRAT. DRAT. DRAT.  In a way, I'm excited, and in another way, I'm very nervous. I really hope that no matter what, The Ladybugs will still get to have lunch together!

Yes, this turned to THIS:

in truth, those aren't my fingers. those are pia's.


AHAHAHAHA.


Proud parents
I'm proud that I've made my mom so proud! MYMP- AHAHAHAHA


Pia graudating!


I received my certificate months prior.


PHOTOGRAPHY FOR THE YOUNG AT ART
left to right: Sir Tino, Matthew, Ashwin, Mauro, me, Pia and Daphne

PS- All the students accidentally finished the food before the parents (minus my mom) even arrived. When the parents came at last and opened the pizza boxes to find out that they were empty, everyone went, "That was supposed to be for them?" AHAHAHA.