Are we done here? Because I have to go get fired.

I'm supposed to be doing a portfolio entry in English on an obituary for Caesar.

I had no idea how to do one, of course, so I asked mom to bring me home a few copies so that I had framework for it.

I opened the first page, and saw the name of an attorney from a few days ago. All over the page, there were just these names of people who died and relatives who I didn't know and it was just overwhelming for me. It's so... saddening to realize that hundreds to millions of people will be combing through an obituary page everyday and when the day finally comes that it's your turn to have your name show up there, they're going to look through it and feel nothing.

No, actually, it isn't sad. Not even pathetic. I just really don't know how I feel about it.

The past week and four days have been stressful.

There was the Poveda Interaction, which was exhausting. I had this envelope with a form with blanks for names and contact numbers/addresses that I didn't get to fill up. Plus, there was this point where I accidentally said something rather embarrassing and slightly mean to a girl I was with (Arrie, her name was.) and she ended raising all this hoo-hah about how I was "not forgiven". It would've been a pity, too, since she was so cool, but she eventually "forgave" me and things were only slightly tense after that. Turns out, Lawrence [his nametag read Laurence] and a girl named Alexa were our facilitators. It was great, because we got an airconditioned room (but unfortunately only 3 girls) and they didn't force us into doing anything we didn't want to.

Somewhere later, Frances, another girl, started talking about shows. It turns out, I watch more cartoons than I realize. And she, JV and I were the only ones on Team Peyton (yes, from One Tree Hill) (yes, Payton Yao was in our midst) (but no, that was not a pun on his name). Then at Lunch, everyone scampered off elsewhere leaving only Walter, Charlie, JV, Arvin and a few other people with us. Lawrence, dressed in full Freddie Flinstone gala, did this adorable/hilarious chair-banging (and I do not mean"banging") thing. Too bad it was just a monoblock [that word fascinates me]. Which reminds me, there was a part in the interaction with the girls upstairs in the "1-D Math room" where Payton suddenly looked at Lawrence's costume and noted, "Since when does Freddie Flinstone wear pants?" Lawrence looks down at his jeans, then quips, "E, ano, gusto mo wala?" Yes, I will leave you to Lysol that image from your mind.

So anyway, when everyone eventually came back, we had a sort of Scavenger Hunt (which the saucier people syncopated into "Scav Hunt". Jeez... it reminds me of the time when a bunch of coño girls came over to our school and asked Henry and me where the "Caf" was. Turns out, "caf" is kolehiyala-ese for "cafeteria". I literally had to pause and register before I understood what they were talking about.) where we were supposed to do some rather lurid things (the ten of us who were members (why am I thinking of such green things right now?) of the male population had to dance like women in front of two other groups (the girls had it easy), and Lawrence had to eat a cracker with sardines (?) on it (probably an innocent but rather gross reference to a Soggy Biscuit). Although, I'm not sure if that's as lurid as the man-gyrating thing). Eventually, Alexa and Lawrence, the two game-est people in our group, each ate half a bag of peanuts (?) and sang the chorus of that High School Musical song (thank God there were peanuts (?) to mangle their voices. I might have gone huramentado on someone if I had to sit through THAT song again). We won the Scavenger Hunt. By a mile. And then I got to rub it into Lee Panopio's face. Nyarharhar!

But the victory was bitter sweet, because there was this damn nice song which I heard but couldn't decipher the lyrics of (it came from the green iPod which they were drawing songs from) and eventually, it ended without me knowing what it was. All I know/can remember is that it was a guy singing, fast-ish beat, and a line that goes "She said, 'Aaaaah' " wherein "aaaah" goes into falsetto, although I'm beginning to think that that was actually a prolonged "I". I saw Frances dancing to it and singing along, but for some reason, I didn't ask.

Then we had a talk. A Povedan, a Xaverian, and a Povedan-Xaverian couple. It was alright, but not exactly good. I was able to pay attention to everything, but it didn't get my blood racing, and I had to roll my eyes at some of the things they were saying.

Then, of course, there was the bandfest. I hated that part most. Why? Let's just say the bands that performed were not the greatest ones I had ever heard. Peterson with that costume of the green, one-eyed monster from Monsters, Inc. Blech. That is a thought best left for days when a cold shower is necessary, but no water is handy.

Then there was Kenn's Chinese Speaking Contest, which was a load of fun, considering all the bonding I got to do, and the places I got to visit, and the people I got to see and meet, but equally exhausting and tiring all the same.

I got to Xavier at about seven something. I went to check the workroom for any sign of life (the school is actually deserted on Sundays) but found only a creepy light on. Kenn texts that he's there, so I went back down to Gate 1 and found him in a really cool costume. All white (with interesting shoes) and then an auxilliary clothpiece that I can't seem to name. I listened to his Jay Chou album (依然范特西), especially this really interesting song called 聽媽媽的話 which features Jay doing all sorts of falsettoes. The laoshi's come and we all hop aboard the bus.

H3's Candidate!

Okay, now something I find really... weird... is that laoshi suddenly mentions how I'm a good friend for showing up. I just don't know what to make of that *thinks: "What, and miss an opportunity to camwhore [Kenn]? YEAH, RIGHT!!!"*. No, but seriously. I mean, of course the praise is nice, but it just felt disorienting. That was not the primary motivation when I decided to come. What was it, then?

Anyway, as He Laoshi [Hazel Wong, people] appears. Kenn gentlemanly-ly (wtf???) opens the door, steps down, and allows her to get in. Camwhoring ensues. Kenn rants shamelessly about how Mr. Hernando is rather... well, let's just say he's not Fr. Guy standard. I mean, really, I thought Fr. Guy was bad--well he's a seraph compared to this guy. I honestly couldn't agree more. I got most of Kenn's little Random Rant on video, too. He laoshi was laughing at the end.

So we wait a bit, and 田老師, 余老師, 莊老師, and 莊老師's little girl (who He laoshi was been known to give inappropriately large amounts of PDA to). Then 余老師's other son, 王忠德 (I think) is also joining. I end up sitting in front, Tian laoshi, Yu laoshi, Zhuang laoshi, her daughter and He laoshi in the row behind me, the four teachers who came first in the row behind that, and Kenn and Jean Paul at the very back.

We arrive at St. Peter the Apostle (it's a school) (篤學培德) and schlep on over to "Hope Hall", where the whole competition is supposed to take place.

The road on the way.

The way to Hope Hall.

Ye laoshi and Kenn prepping.

Jean Paul's props.

The Chinese Teachers. [Pre-Contest]

Kenn and Jean Paul listening to sick parts of House, M.D.

那幾位尊敬評審.

Kennzo is at ease. And in all white.

This guy's costume was a bit... lacking in imagination. His costume was a green shirt. That was it.

Of course... this girl was a bit on the overdoing side.

11, yo. (Hello, Henry.)

Our very own Kenn was just right. Didn't mind Lee Hom-ing with his number, either! He laughs in the face of danger and competition. Or modelwhores.

This guy. THIS guy was the guy who blew the crowd away. He did damn good.
That's Jean Paul!

Alright, so anyway. There were to groups. The first group was the group that recited 猴子救月 a.k.a. 猴子撈月. Honestly, just hearing the story once or twice was okay. But at the third repetition, it became 無聊. The fourth til the nineteenth, well... you can just imagine. Still, during Jean Paul's turn, I got really psyched up.

The next group recited something called "五個手指" which was basically my oral test, so I knew it by heart. There was this awfully saucy girl that went up on stage. Hated her sauciness. Annoying!

So a bunch of people (that weren't from Xavier. Boo.) won, and we all went home. But Kenn went with his family (Mom and Dad) and Jean Paul with his Dad and Mom.

Since Ye Laoshi was holding her camera when she went upstage to receive her certificate, I took her picture for her.

Kennzo, in his all-consuming post-speech After Glow.

Time to go home. :(

When we did, I stayed for a while, saw Fr. Guy, and when he asked me how Mr. Hernando was, I told him to ask Mr. Hernando what I told him. He got scared and said "Never mind."

The thing was that Mr. Hernando had asked me how his class was last time. I told him straight. "It's not up to Fr. Guy's standards."

Of course, he expected some sort of explanation, so I gave him one.

Really, I've got my mind wide open for this Hernando guy, but I want Fr. Guibelondo back.

Guess who's using traditional characters now?

陳奕迅 - 全世界失眠

想起我不完美 你會不會
逃離我生命的範圍
想著你的滋味 我會不會
把這個枕頭 變得甜美

想起白天的約會 忘了晚上的咖啡
只怕感情如潮水 遠離我夢中的堡壘

一個人失眠 全世界失眠
無辜的街燈 守候明天
幸福的失眠 只是因為害怕閉上眼
如何想你想到六點 如何愛你愛到終點

一個人失眠 全世界失眠
無辜的街燈 守候明天
幸福的失眠 只是因為害怕閉上眼
如何想你想到六點
如何愛你愛到終點
如何愛你愛到終點

想起我的時候 你會不會
好像我一樣 不能睡
想像你的曖昧 我會不會
數不到綿羊 一雙一對