branches

Although I am an only child, I never felt alone growing up. I was raised with 2 boys and spent all my childhood years living with them. Although not in blood, they really are my brothers.

I guess I got my boyish behavior from them. I have what they have. (I even also had an undercut hairstyle, just like they did in elementary.) I play what they play; we’re always competitive against each other—even on Battle City, or on trading pins, or on trump cards, or on habulan. Being smaller than the two of them, I even get hand-me-down clothes from them. I liked their boyish clothes.

Just like ordinary siblings, we also fight. We also have kampihan and sumbungan. The two even punch each other with me in the middle (and hence I also get hit!). We even shoot each other with pellet guns! But fights don’t last long. We just forget it and play. Then, we’re happy again.

But it seems so long ago now. Kuyang married a few years ago already. He now has 4-year-old Keng, and he and his family live abroad. And now, the youngest of us three is getting married. He already proposed to his girlfriend of 10 years. As much as I should have known that they will soon settle down, it’s still news to me. I don’t know what to make of it. Of course, I wish them well, and I’m excited to have another pamangkin. And I honestly think the two are perfect for each other.

I guess I just feel a bit lonely now that those two boys have their own family now. I, on the other hand, have an uncertain future on marriage and family life. It’s just that our path has branched into three. And I guess I just miss the time when we used to be one hell of a team. Well, life takes us into so many places. Although I miss them, I am happy where life has taken them.

I hope our children will be as close as we once were. =)

fighting, speeding, and transforming

While everyone was falling in line for Harry Potter, I was lining up for Transformers. But because of the HP craze, the lines in cinemas yesterday were craaaazzzy! What used to be a 10-minute queue was now more than an hour. Thanks to that, I had no choice but to watch the last full show.

The movie was action packed. I bow to that. I’m glad I had watched it in a cinema; the experience wouldn’t be complete if I had watched it just at home. Sometimes I wonder if the director or the outfit was just showing off their skills in CG (is that what they used?), though I’m yet to see the robots do kung-fu. haha. However, as eks pointed out to me last week, I find the story part, and the usual Transformer movie humor, a bit, ahm, unequal with the fight scenes. But I’m fine with that. I watched to see robots fighting, and fancy cars speeding AND transforming. =)

At times though, probably because I’m already sleepy by the time the movie started, I feel like I missed a scene. Probably because the scenes were so fast (or I’m too slow). I couldn’t figure which are the good and which are the bad guys, err, robots. Looks like a clutter to me at times (much like my documents in bad need of document management software). If it’s in 3D, I might have gotten a headache. haha. Nevertheless, it’s a good movie experience.

Harry Potter, see you in 3 weeks! =)

weekend pugon

The MMDA’s campaign against smoking in public seems working a bit. I’m guilty for prejudging that it wouldn’t work at all. There are still a few students in nursing uniforms hiding near a smelly creek to smoke. The urge must have been that overwhelming to welcome that water’s stink. haha. Still, the number of smokers in our school’s area has largely diminished. There are still cigarette vendors, but they’re now hiding their merchandise. Reminds me when I use to buy methamphetamine. Joke!!!

Kudos to Mayor Lim for effectively scaring people of imprisonment or a 500-peso fine. I haven’t seen an MMDA or a police officer confront a smoker yet, though their presence is a warning already. They just have to sit outside the police outpost near the school.

There’s one thing though: the anti-smoking campaign works on weekdays only. On weekends, the university belt again is one big pugon. haha.

missing baby bro

Casper had been staying with me here in my apartment for several months now. That’s one of the reasons why I like living in this place—because Casper can stay here with me. All the other places I lived in here in Manila ban dogs in the units. Hmp. This time, I thought, I’d spend time with him and stroke his furs on his tummy as often as I can (he loves that!).

This week though, I am alone in the apartment. Casper stayed in the province. I don’t think buses would allow him to board. And I don’t want to leave him alone in the house for long hours when I’m in school. I just want to stay I miss him.

I miss the fact that everytime I come home, Casper always welcomes me back. He wags his tail in excitement, even if I was gone for just an hour. He looks funny when he runs around the house, especially now that he’s getting fatter (vets say he needs a diet–safe diet pills perhaps?). I miss it when he always sat or lie near me. If i am to look for him, I just have to look on my right or left. He’s always so close. I miss it whenever I am about to go to sleep, he would jump in the bed and lay beside me, rubbing his furs with my skin. Then after a few minutes, he’d go down and he’ll sleep just fingers away from my bed.

I miss everything about him, all his peculiar characteristics and his attachment to me. Well, we love each other awfully lot (see Casper & Me—yeah, inspired by the movie). And the house is awfully silent without him.

the plan

I’ve had the most interesting assignment in law school. It wasn’t really much an assignment, but something to think about. The class is called Legal Counseling.

The professor said that most students, when asked what they wanted, they said they want to be a lawyer. But what kind of lawyer? What field? That’s too general a term. When he graduated from law school and passed the bar, he was”at a loss”. He practically took the first offer that he got. He started working on receivership, reviving “dead” company. It was a job that would have him fire employees. Then, he transferred to a firm and was assigned to intellectual property. But in a big corporate firm, when you’re just starting, you’re practically “making coffee” for the seniors. Eventually, he floated to family law. And he fell in love with it. He said he likes drama, that’s why he’s enjoying family law. Kiddingly he said, I love “breaking family”. His point? It took him several years before he knew what he really wanted. It isn’t as easy as flipping a military challenge coin. (He also warned us, don’t expect a good salary when you graduate, but it will come.) So he asked us to make a 5-, 10-, 15-, and 20-year plan and reflect on where we’re supposed to go.

He shared what other students had said, with matching humorous remarks. He said if you want to earn big money, go to corporate law. Not much need for litigation. Lawyers in big corporate firms occupy themselves making “motion to dismiss”. If you want an altruistic feeling, go to PAO. If you want action, then go to litigation.

He also shared what one of her classmates wanted, and she got it. She just wanted to be a trophy wife. =) She thought that if she’s a lawyer, people won’t look down on her, even if she’s just a trophy wife. After years of laborious law school, she’s now living a comfortable, relaxed, high-society life. Sounds like she got herself a good plan. =)

good morning, sunshine!

I just want to share to you my dose of sunshine. Have a bright day! =)

priority

Yesterday, a classmate collapsed while she was being grilled by the professor during recitation.

It must have been caused by anxiety and fatigue. I’ve already heard of students fading while in recitation, and I thought it was a joke. Now I know it’s not.

During our freshmen orientation, a speaker told us that nervous breakdown isn’t uncommon in law school. However, as far as I know the student who collapsed, the incident wasn’t solely caused by anxiety of not knowing the answers or faiiling. She is a good student.

She has also been working since we started our first year. I can always relate to her, knowing fully well the double effort a working student should exert to pass law school. Studying law full time as it is is hard enough. She doesn’t necessarily have to work, but she likes doing things all at the same time.

When I saw her suddenly kneeling on the floor, holding on to the back of a chair, initially, I do not know what to make of it. What’s happening? Then when I saw the face of the professor, I realized that she collapsed. Panic mode. It’s a good thing she’s conscious;  my nervousness subsided a little when I rushed to her.

A few months ago, we talked about resigning. School and work everyday is becoming more and more difficult, especially that our school isn’t really appropriate or welcoming to working students. We know where we want to go (and we do not need a compass or a top 10 golf gps for that) and where we’re heading, so the idea now is to prioritize. In two weeks, she would be resigned. I wish it had been earlier, though. The event could have been prevented.

bed (and think) weather

It has been raining for days now. My friend calls it bed weather, and I could not think of any term more fitting.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this weather (without panicking for food and flood!). It’s not often that you get to sleep all day and not to worry for office the next day. Another thanks to JPR!

I initially planned my no work/no school days maximizing the time for work and school (silly, i know). But how could anyone resist the lulling sound of the rain? I ended up returning to bed several times a day for 2 days. Sarap!

Aside from sleeping, this weather makes you reflect and think. The calming sound of the rain is so relaxing that it puts the mind at ease, making one think clearly. In-between sleeping, while sipping my hot brewed coffee and listening to nothing but the rain, I contemplated upon so many things, the past, the present, and the future. They are not arranged thoughts, but nevertheless, they are thoughts coming freely.

I finally accepted that getting a private healthcare plan or at least a Medicare part D plan for my parents are near impossible. I guess I should finally move on to another plan, after years of convincing myself that it could happen. I am accepting that resigning is the right thing to do. After months of mentally preparing, I am still afraid, although it will be over soon. I already conjured a half-baked plan for sustenance (at least I have a plan!). Finally, I should aim fora healthier lifestyle. =)

Last, I realized that resigning isn’t that bad. With time in my hands, maybe I could now squeeze a little sports time in my life, among other things. Now, next week may be more exciting! =)

blind curve

I’ve been thinking of so many things this first week of classes. Perhaps this is the blind curve before the turning point.

• I should resign this week (or early next week).
• Should I say goobye to people in the office? My initial-but-being-swayed plan is to just disappear.
• Which is more stressful? Always looking for work or always looking for time?
• I want to live by the lake, like those photos in kayni’s blog (also see Table Rock real estate). I wonder if there are affordable lakefront communities in Luzon.
• When will that darn condo unit reopen?
• I miss my school buddies who transferred.
• I hope to survive this semester (especially taxation and civil procedure) and not be the weakest link in the class.
• Two out of three professors who almost caused me a heart attack are my professors again. Funny.
• And why the hell do I always get called, unprepared, on the first day of class?

disappearing act

When all my officemates were too busy to notice, I silently packed the small action figures in my desk, took my Mickey Mouse mugs from the pantry, and cleaned my desk. I guess I’m ready to go soon.

I’m preparing myself to leave work, thinking of things to balance the absence of permanent work. I guess I have to make freelance jobs work for me, my parents have to file social security disability, and maybe we can have a little business on the side. Just a few more years (hopefully just two), and I’d be out of law school.

I guess what I will not be ready to do is to say goodbye. Somewhere along the way, I’ve developed a (serious?) problem on goodbyes. I have a hard time saying goodbye. I don’t want to talk about them: the experiences we had, the good times we shared, the future for me, the we will miss you part.

I worked for 6 years in my old office. When I knew I was leaving, I filed a leave weeks before and never said goodbye to anyone. Now in my current office, I only told people I needed to inform that I’d be leaving and asked them not to tell anyone. I guess I’d just disappear again.