A Post for 2010

I don't have a single post for 2010. The blog title says "20 years old and counting", and here I am, going to turn 22 this 2011. Hence, I am going to devote this post to the year I graduated, entered the "real world", and turned 21. I'm going to make my descriptions brief because I'm cramming a whole year into a single entry.

1st Quarter (January to March)

The months of January and February were my final months as a real student. Selling vegetables was the most memorable and most painful school requirement for me. I never liked waking up in the wee hours of a Sunday morning and ending it by 9 PM. Saying goodbye to Philo classes with Jean Tan was a great relief. I regret I took her class. For finals week, I cannot remember much. It was kind of a blur and I already knew I was not going to be cum laude.
March was a very relaxed month. A few job interviews.. And my first job interview was with McKinsey of all companies! Well, I got rejected. But I'm glad Chris Beshouri was kind and honest enough to tell me that the career is not for me (goodbye to the P150,000/mo salary though :( ). For this month, I had my first silent retreat and the "it's wild men!" Laguna trip. I don't think the silent retreat made me more spiritual, but it was a good opportunity to reflect in solitude. If I could go on another silent retreat, I would (and I might make it 5 days) :)

Laguna trip was an adventure! The PoPeR (Poor People Roadtrip) group really took the pauper theme to heart by commuting all the way, not to mention mishaps like Verns's sprained ankle.
What else conspired during the month of March? Grad ball (awarded as the temptress :|), Blue Roast (gave my rose to Chu), graduation (graduated Honorable Mention.. still a good feat).

2nd Quarter (April to June)

"Welcome to the real world she said to me, condescendingly..."

Ah yes the real world. I knew I would reach this stage. But before that, there was the Davao escapade with the dormers :)
Job hunting was a tough time. It's not easy, I swear. I hate how the Ateneo faculty conditioned us that ME students were in demand. Well, I have to admit, we can get a job, but not in the ones we desire (which are usually management trainee programs). It deflated our ego, but maybe it was all for the best. But I have to admit that period was depressing.

3rd Quarter to 4th Quarter (July to December)

I really like to thank PLDT for giving me the opportunity to be part of their company. It was the first decent job offer I grabbed (sorry Ayala Land, but your offer was just too low for someone from the province). I met new friends, got mentored by a great boss, and learned some new things. But the company and the job just wasn't for me. And luckily, I was accepted in a company I greatly admire (and I'll be starting in it this January 17!). Thank you PLDT for giving me sanity when I needed it the most.

Other Notable Things to Mention

- CSI Nights
- Organika
- T2
- Dormers
- HS Friends
- Bohol :)

Probably My Only Post For this Year

My first entry was about my mother's longing to see her own children get married and produce grandchildren. One year later, nothing has changed. I just find it annoying that being a single 20-something is seen as a problem by some. It's not my priority right now and I wish people would let the happy single people go on with our lives. And hey, if it comes, it comes.

Months Ago...

My siblings and my mother just finished watching Mamma Mia

(the conversation went something like this)

Mother (to me): When you get married, I'll surely help in planning your wedding
Eldest brother: No, I should be the one planning your wedding. For sure, I'll do a better job than mama.

Me (thinking): okay... :|


It was during this time that the daughter of the close friends of my parents got married. I was 19 this time, and my 3 older brothers (aged 23, 25, 27) were all single. The only brother that had a girlfriend that time is unattached at present. Children of the friends of my parents (who are within the age range of me and my siblings) are getting married and/or having babies. My mother has 3 best friends and 2 of them are already grandmothers (the other one is single and unmarried). My mother really wants to have her children getting married. I swear she also wants to have grandchildren.

I'm still 20 years old right now, and I'm not entertaining thoughts about getting married and having children. Sorry to disappoint you mom.

looking back: Delta Site

I received an email from yahoo informing me that all websites made in geocities will be closed.  So I took one last look at the site I made back in 2nd year HS.  It was supposed to be my personal website for my 2nd year section, but it became a links page for Neopets freebies.  Hahaha.  I had fun looking at the tagboard, the people and the subjects part of the website.  I had the most fun with the subjects part as I read the description I made for each subject.  Even back then, I was sarcastic (e.g. "Have fun in Chemistry with its happy long hours of laboratory work and its very easy tests.  How could you not fail in Chemistry when it's this fun?").  And even back in 2nd year, Ian already occupied internet space (e.g. "Single-sealed organisms or single-celled organisms, that's part of our lessons in Health.  For more information about Ma'am Makara's pronunciations, just ask Ian O. Palermo.").

It was also fun looking at the love teams back in high school.  I'm pretty sure almost all or if not all of the mentioned love teams are no longer relevant.

LOVE TEAMS:
Jesther and Geraldine
Arjay MJ
Melvin and Keith
Paul Sheen and Marnelle
Neil Mark and Jerese
Zachary and Kristy

Here's the About Delta portion:

"Delta is the first section of the second year Pure Science Curriculum in MSU-IIT Integrated Developmental School.  There are two curriculums in 2nd year, the Pure Science  and the Applied Science, and both are science curriculums.  The sections in Pure Science are Delta and Epsilon while the sections in Applied Science are Zeta and Omicron.

        People think that the students in Delta are quiet and serious.  Some of us are serious (*cough*Lolo Jesther*cough*) but most of us are not serious.  There are times when all of us are serious, like studying for an upcoming test or just copying the homework of other people.  Another thing, we are not quiet.  Well, maybe some of us are quiet but many of us are really very noisy.  Why is Delta noisy?  Fact is that many of the noisy people from the different sections in 1st year have merged into Delta.  I think that's all that I can say of my beloved section and hope you enjoyed what I wrote."

---> The way I wrote was so immature.  But then, weren't all of us very immature back then?

Oh yeah, the guestbook contained lots of very amusing entries like:

"What is your name?

ian_soy_f8_k8

Please enter your comments?

wla lang...soysoy love neil mark
ian love marnelle
faith love ------
keith love sr ayop"

"What is your name?

emma despi

What is the title of your website:

florante at laura

Where are you from?

bisong sa akong mama [buang :))]

Please enter your comments?

day angeli, musta man"

"What is your name?

ian

Where are you from?

palermo

Please enter your comments?

hello....i would like to greet my classmates in ateneo...lav ya.." [wah Ian, ako na nuon ang na-Ateneo. hahaha]

senior's syndrome?

I've been catching up with high school friends the past few days.  One common topic in our conversations is on what will happen to us after we graduate.  We can't help but talk about it - we're already 20 or turning 20, and many of us will graduate in a year's time.  That reality just seems so near.  I don't want to think about it yet.  I don't want to.

Do You Remember 01: Kinason

Memories that make one smile or laugh :D


Kadumdum pa mo atung magsturyahay ta sa high school na walay limtanay pagdako natu?  Basta naabot ta ug sturya kanang dako na kunuhay ta dayun ang mahitabu kay successful na kunuhay kaayo ang usa dayun makatagbo dayun ug usa na tindera or tindero na lang diay sa merkado.

Kadumdum lang ko ani kay gatabi mi ni Kara.  Ana ko niya na walay limtanay maskin matindera na ko ug isda.  Naabot dayun mi atung si Jepoy mamaligya na lang ug kinason.  Hahaha.  Wala lang.  Nalingaw lang ko sa kinason :))

Play By The Rules

If you comment on this blog I will:

1. I'll respond with something random about you.
2. I'll tell you which song or movie you remind me of.
3. I'll pick a flavor of jello to wrestle you in.
4. I'll say something that only makes sense to you and me.
5. I'll tell you my first memory of you.
6. I'll tell you what animal you remind me of.
7. I'll ask you something I've always wondered about you.
8. I'll tell you my favourite thing about you.
9. I'll tell you my least favorite thing about you.
10. If you play, you MUST post this on yours.