Phenomenal Thursday Nights

I spend my Thursday evenings with 40-plus co-students listening to this tall forty-something wide-eyed sleep-deprived (I think) guy rant about Marx, Luis, and Catholicism all in one breath. For three hours, with no breaks at all.

This is maybe not your idea of a perfect Thursday night. Some find this boring. Some spend their Thursdays at home lounging around or at the streets (or bars) partying, as if Thursday is their Friday.

But for me, these Thursday nights are the "high" of my relatively uneventful school/university life. (If you're wondering what's my low, my answer in two words would be: Anthro One.) Aside from reports, ACLEs, quizzes, poem analysis, practical exams in Fencing, I don't really look forward to anything. Except for this class.

My professor (who I shall not name). He's like Joey De Leon/Tito Rod/Sir Esguerra rolled into one. He's funny and has that weird, uniquely Pinoy sense of humor. Plus, he's very, very smart (ask Peter Blau). when he's talking you'd know that he knows what he's talking about. And no matter how far-fetched (and nose-bleed causing) the concepts he's trying to teach us are, he'd find a way, an example to make you understand. Before you know it, you'd find yourself agreeing with him.

No, this blog is not about his greatness. So I'd stop here.

One of the many things he taught us is that we don't really understand what other people are going through perfectly, exactly. Because we are, simply, different individuals. We are shaped by our lived experiences, the environment we have, and the people we interact with.

Also, he told us, "The one you love is the one you have to set free." No, this is not a Joe D'Mango class. What he said basically is this: You don't own anyone. Even the one you love. So, let them free.

One more thing. Phenomenon. He said that for every person, there is that one defining moment called "phenomenon" which shapes, molds or forces a person to change. For my professor, his son is his phenomenon. When his son came into his life, he started thinking more about his health because he realized that he wants to see his grandchildren, suddenly.

As I walk the streets of Vito Cruz and Dominga, on my way home, I find myself thinking: What (or who) is my phenomenon? When is it coming or going to happen? Has it happened? Or is it happening now?



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*This is a cross-post from my Multiply page.

House-hold

"No one can describe themselves in ten words, why would we want to hear anyone else do it?"

-Olvia Wilde as Dr. Thirteen, House M.D.

New words to live by

From Mr. Gino Dela Paz:

1) Aspire to only post things that are inspiring. The world doesn't need more negative energy than it already has.

-You're not the first to tell me that, Gino. Pero, nonetheless, being the second makes the message all the more pressing and important. From now on, no more emo posts. :s

2) The less you spill about yourself the less you have to clean up in case of an online emergency.
-Okay. No more emo posts na nga.


From the Supreme fold of the Philippine Star:
thumb lashing - to be reprimanded through SMS
gr7 - less than "gr8" (great)
serial chiller - person who does nothing but bum
retox - to consume alcohol after a hiatus

Unusual.

Unusual ang style ng damit na ito.

Isa sa mga nakakatawang bagay na resulta ng isang Friend Day. Syempre, marami pang iba (mula sa ibang Friend Day) pero ito lang ang pwedeng picture-an. (Bawal sa Powerbooks eh).

Isang hapon, habang naghahanap ng board shorts si Ren para sa isang party na kanyang pupuntahan...

Am: Uy Ren, ayos 'tong damit na 'to.
Jecy: *nung makita ang style ng damit* (see photo above) Oo nga, Ren bagay na bagay 'to sa'yo. Unusual.

Hindi verbatim ang pagkaka-translate ko ng usapan between Am and Jecy kasi matagal na 'tong nangyari. :) If you want to see for yourself ang Unusual styles, punta kayo sa Rob Department Store. Meron doon. Madami.



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*This is a cross-post from my Multiply page.