Positive Feedback and Idealistic Exodus

So I guess now I have time to talk about what's been happening lately.

A few weeks ago, I did a prayer for the school over the P.A. system in the morning in Chinese. I prepared for it for a week with Ye laoshi, and it went great--the response was good. Martin's class thought I was a teacher (yays).

Then this morning, I did a prayer with Lawrence at the General Assembly. While fretting over how long my hair was, how I would say things, where on Earth Ms. Magallona was, et al...

It was freezing cold this morning. I felt happy.

I got there at seven with Lawrence and we practised here and there, til Lee Panopio and Gabriel Juanengo came and hung around. Then the lady for the powerpoint came, so I patted my pocket for my flashdrive... it was not there! I remembered how I had left it on the computer table at home. SHIT!!!

I ran to her and raised Cain, worrying and trying to think of a plan, and many times, as I turned around in the still-empty HS gym, I smelled this flowery scent that reminded me so intensely of America (Minnesota), coupled with the cold weather, that I was struck immobile and rendered speechless for several moments. And I turned around and around, Windstruck style, and I could feel the intensity of the cold, and finally, I collected my wits and ran back to Lawrence to ask if I could have my copy of the prayer... only to see my flashdrive on top of it. *phew* I copied the powerpoint, gave instructions to the lady, and then waited.

People filled in.

Ms. Magallona was missing in action (she later says that she was watching). We go through the National Anthem and Pledge to the Flag before Lawrence and I walk up stage and stand there like idiots for about a minute while the lady and the Able services sort out the projector problem for our powerpoint. Yeah, we crammed this last night. Ms. Magallona even called to check up on us, and eventually we finished. I called Lawrence up, and his mom answered the phone. (We spoke in Hokkien. Wicked!) (Okay, so it was like 10 words tops. STILL!!!) Back to the present, eventually, the powerpoint shone, and I walked up to the Mic and read out St. Martina's biography from my cheat-sheet. It was then that I realized that it was more of a graphic-novel-like description of her death rather than a biography. It was then that I also realized that my legs were shaking. Seriously, I couldn't move them. They were just shaking and shaking... but my entire upper body was working fine. I wasn't even nervous... strange... involuntary reaction?

Anyway, Ye laoshi told me later that I did well, and 我的緊張聽不出來. Yay! Well, we also attempted to write Traditional Chinese. Laoshi wasn't bad at it. But we had a riot learning 鬱, which is just 郁 in Simplified. Mwahahaha!

So Lawrence said the prayer (with markedly less nervousness than me), and we descended from the stage and returned to our classes.

What a day!

I've been doing lots of these for the school lately... Let's wait 'til the Chinese mass and Unplugged.

[Idealistic Exodus comes next time!]

為你生, 為你死, 令我對我看不起

First of all, Happy Birthday Kennzo!!! Seventeen... man, you're old! Hahaha! Joke! I prefer the term "mature".

You know what? JV has been an amazing friend throughout the years. Today proves it:

He basically suggested that I suggest opening a Hokkien club to Mrs. Abad. Amazing... I simply would not have thought of it.

I've already got all these ideas... we have Mrs. Lydia Uy, Maria Go, Benita Ngo, etc... they could teach Hokkien to us. They could teach us the colloquial pronunciation vs. the literary one, read poetry, refine our grammar... and it's a cultural shindig that, hopefully, the school will eat up.

The language of instruction will also be Hokkien...

Amazing. I'm gonna suggest it tomorrow...

Today, I had a 閱讀測驗 in Chinese. Funny!

Then a Filipino LT. I felt like crying after.

Then a Science Alternative Assessment make-up. I felt like crying even more after. We are destined to fail.

Then Kenn's birthday celebration thing. Aww... we surprised him. He's happy. That's more than I can ask for.

Then I had some Peppermint and went home. I felt dizzy and nauseous from the coffee.

Glorious Morning

Friday, 19th of January, 2007

It took a bit of effort to get myself out of bed this morning. Eventually, I got myself out of the house, weighed down by several things. I had my normal school bag, a plastic bag with a pot inside it, a plastic bag with a plastic container and two kinds of wire whisks, the paper bag with expensive oils and beeswax, my water jug, my badminton racket, my bags for my P.E. clothes.

Just as we exited the gate, the first thing I saw (from the inside of the car) was a man (20 something) with a bike, yellow shirt, and an unforgettably euphoric grin on his face. Like a super-hot girl had just agreed to go on a date with him or something. I turned to my right. Another man, in his late 40's (probably) this time, also positively glowing with delight, white shirt and backpack, smiling one of those million dollar smiles that I'd missed seeing on my own face.

The car began to move. I realized that as it went, the smiles seemed to disappear, and the people were so... stoic. That dampened my spirits. On the lane that we lived in, the sun rose on its east side, while the road to school was to the west. Seldom had I seen the literally blinding sun, rising above the buildings and trees (complements of our Mayor's beautification project in time for this year's elections), spilling brilliant orange-gold sunlight all over our car. I can almost somehow... zoom out and above the road and imagine what I would look like, front seat of the car, light pouring in through the windshield, genuine smile.

I feel like I'll only ever be happy if I was sad before that.

But today, looking back through the windshield near the trunk, the car moving back and that eternally resplendent sunlight on that condo across the street getting farther and farther away, I felt so... regretful. Or repentful. And then I turned around and saw one person--a lady, pink top, also in her 20's, bag on her shoulder--on one slab of the blue-gray road lain thick with marigold, illuminated like a cold fireball had descended on that spot, and lit up her face like a million Christmas dinners.

She was smiling. And on the parts of the road that were covered by shadow, the other people were humble and nonchalant. I wanted to be like that woman, bathed in bright warmth and smiling because things were better, just better, and you couldn't and didn't have to explain it. It was what it was, and rationalizing could be so exhausting.

The car arrived in school and I walked towards my classroom, hundreds of feet away, still pondering my revelation.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Soc Sci came and went with a quiz.

We flunked our Science Alternative Assessment.

Filipino followed Soc Sci suit.

Math saw a continuation of our discussion on circles, dabbed with libido. (Unrelated: Mr. Sy was talking about his Junior Prom when this teacher from the other section knocked on the door. Mr. Sy was going, "No, I did not get my Prom Date drunk." then imitated the gesture of pouring wine into a glass. Then the teacher knocked again, and when Mr. Sy saw and hurried to the door, the whole class erupted with laughter.)

Our Chinese teacher got mad at us for being irresponsible students again.

English came with a discussion on Animal Farm and the sketching of our Fable characters.

P.E. came with the Intrams. We won... 5th place.
------------------------------------------------------------
I went to the ITC to sit and wait for Lawrence, who had told me he was free to practice Chinese today (that makes three days in succession).

While walking through the nearly deserted place, I saw a couple sitting in one of the dark-cream couches and realized they were parents attending the Family Interview for Gr. 7's entrance into H1. The guy's suit was... well, let's just say I'd kill to have one of those. Although Mom would say it'd make me look old.

Like that polo shirt we saw in Van Heusen. It was DAMN HOT!!!! But Mom said it makes me look old. Personally, I don't see what's wrong with it. It's my "style".

Anyhow, I keep moving til I see a teacher. It was Mrs. Lydia Uy (Gong laoshi, but I'm not sure which "gong" that's a surname it is... It could be 龔, 鞏, 宮, 公, 貢 or any other Gong's that I don't know about). We had a very interesting discussion on Filial Piety. At the same time, I learned a ton of Hokkien, like 體諒 (theh diong) and 驕傲 (kiao ngo). But moreover, I was surprised that I could actually understand most of the stuff she was saying, even when it was getting deep. She'd say stuff that, I'm pretty sure my mom would say, people usually only find in textbooks. I felt really proud of and surprised at myself, because I could put what she was saying together in my head instead of getting completely lost. Still, it took a bit of effort. Guess it means I better be practicing my Fukien more...

Lawrence and I later went upstairs and started talking to laoshi and Lawrence began chickening out and stuff (but all things were resolved). Eventually, I started teaching Lawrence the complexities, and the beauty, of the Hokkien dialect, namely Hokkien-to-Mandarin conversion (Mandarin "f" becomes either a "h" or a "p" in Hokkien), Colloquial and Literary pronunciations of the same characters (大 can be "tua" or "tai"), that Hokkien indeed has a tonal system (of 7), voiced initials, some grammar, vocabulary and such. All very interesting and fun.

Then laoshi and I started teaching him about Weather and the Seasons. At about six, we went home.
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Here's a Mr. Sy joke for you all:

Q: What's the difference between a hormone and a vitamin?

A: Well, you can't make a vita min.

(Yes, those're two words.)


Now go to this page:
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/songInfo.cfm?bandID=166296&songID=1128512

And enjoy the music. Lyrics are here:

"Kite High!" by Sacha Sacket

Driving on a newfound road
I’m riding on my favorite road
Hand’s out surfing on the wind
I’m lost in all the Ülster green

Heading out for Malibu
To slide inside the mercury
I’m no longer scared of seaweed
I’ve got nothing left to be

I’m Kite High!
Nothing’s gonna stand in my way ever
I don’t need one reason why

Everyone is holy
Everyone is holy
And I’m just waiting here to see
How far faith can throw me

‘Cause they were screaming for me
Lost inside an angry sea
So sure those were dark shark fins
But I just saw the dolphins

I’m Kite High!
Nothing’s gonna stand in my way ever
And I don’t need one reason why

I’m Kite High!
Nothing’s gonna stand in my way ever
I don’t have one reason why

We're meant to be; the stars are screaming it

I checked Wikipedia. My opposite (in this case, the good opposite/the natural partner) as a Gemini is a Sagittarius. I knew it.

Haaaaay.

Thursday:

I got called by Mr. Santos and we just sort of reviewed that sheet that I filled up last year, for guidance. I hadn't realized how much I'd changed since.

Ate up all of Soc. Sci.

While I was trying to talk, my really bad cough and cold got in the way and I had to keep pausing to negotiate this bad sore throat that I couldn't clear. Plus, a lot of phlegm.

Anyhow, Lee Panopio brought along this strange fake gun thing (CAT? I don't think he's part of it though) to English class, and then Ms. Magallona asked if they could use it for some activity. He replied, "You want to play with my stick?"

Long, blank silence.

Then, we made Julius Caesar sound like a really gay book. Ms. Magallona herself even commented once, "We chose Julius Caesar for H3 because supposedly, it's the novel without any sex, but my God, this class..." And then that day, "You even made fun of the word, "ho", I mean, c'mon..."

Yeah, see the characters in the book kept saying, "Peace, ho!" or "Stand, ho!" or "*random word*, ho!" and every single time, we'd over-emphasize it. Hilarious! And Ms. Magallona was really cool about it, laughing and laughing along with us. Wicked!

And then there were... Titinius and Clitus... whose names appeared quite frequently in the book, and Clitus' (assigned to Richmond) name was repeated by almost every character in Act 5 rofl.

Also, Science time, Mr. Chua had a fit because while I tried to teach in class, all of us were noisy and wouldn't listen, so he made us learn Combined Gas Law in 15 minutes. Quite effective, if you ask me. The class sure learned its lesson. The following day (today), the class paid attention.

Last, for Thursday, I had a "session" with Ye laoshi and Lawrence. It was... not very fruitful. Next time!

So, today... I was asked by Laoshi to do the prayer, and I had to rewrite it the day before. Then I wrote it this morning and went up. Then laoshi came up shortly after and said she was there to say the prayer in case I didn't show up. I asked if she didn't believe I would show up. She said she did, but she knew sometimes people might get caught in traffic or something might happen (as apparently, that's what happened last year). So we practiced one more time, and she told me to read slower.

I said the prayer, and laoshi told me I did really well. I went back down. The only person that even considered it was me was Hamilton, who was outside and had just written out the attendance sheet when I arrived. He said, "Nice one, Allen."

I said a shaky thanks and went inside. No one commented, much to my relief.

I was very nervous. I dunno why, though.

We also finally performed in Chinese. We did quite well, I think, although Kenn missed some of the important lines that we'd be graded on, he kept the whole thing running the whole time, and for that, I'm thankful. It's over. But I also got regrouped. From the original Kenn, Walt, Mark (Ong), Audren and me, it's now Henry, Audren, Kurt (See), Spencer and me.

Oh and speaking of which, Spencer and I have been talking lately. That's very strange. Mostly about Heroes. He liked Heroes 5 and 4.

Speaking of, a while ago, during the Gathering (yes, the Gathering), we were asked what kind of heroes we wanted to be. I imagined the ability to control water (since that just utterly fascinates me), but then I thought of the ability to heal people. Just imagine--if I could do that, I could take away peoples' pain. I think that's a very powerful gift--to be able to ease their suffering.

I'd love to be able to do that for some people.

I flunked so many quizzes today.

Soc Sci, English, but not Math. Thank God.

I got my card, too, and I got an 85 in math, when i was convinced the highest i'd get was an 80.

99 in Chinese, and I wasn't even trying. My goodness.

90 in English... Boo.

At least Filipino was reasonably okay.

C.L.E. 95 hth... (How the hell?????)

Thus ends another blog entry.

Some quotes from teachers:

Mr. Sy

- "Choking the chicken!"

- "Rubbers!"

- "I'm married... that's like the living death already."

- mr. Sy (that decapitalized "mr" will kill the O.C. people. I love being cruel.): "*in reference to Mrs. Manatad* You know who's a good teacher?" *points to the classroom where she is currently teaching*
Stanly: "So you bow down to her?"
Mr. Sy: *pretends to bow down* "I am not worthy to lie in her dirty bath water." *grimaces at self*
Raphie: That's horrible!
Kenn: Have you ever been there?
Mr. Sy: *bad sign*

ms. (CRUELTY to the O.C.!!!) Magallona:

- Ms. Magallona: "Given Brutus' premium on honor, do you agree ... *reads the rest of the question, that asks whether you agree that how Brutus died, given his view on honor.*"
Henry: Do you mean we have to give other ways to die?

So that's all folks! Have a great weekend! (I know I will)

Sometimes, it's hard

It's hard to wake up in the morning. It's hard to force my body out of bed and keep my engine running the whole day because sometimes, it just gets so damn hard to think and keep up with everyone. It hurts to talk, it hurts to think, it hurts to smile... I mean, I never thought I'd get to that point, where even my smiles could be used against me. God, it hurts to even breathe.

And Gian wonders why I'm always so morose, as he puts it.

Everyone has their own motivation. Everyone's got that force pushing them forward when they need to rest and want to lag behind, or pulling them along when they get lazy. Lately, I feel like I haven't got enough of that force on my back, or around my wrists.

Maybe I just need someone or something to fall back on. I just feel like I've lost a lot last year, and I'm hoping this year pulls itself together for me, because I seriously don't think I could deal with it if my life fell apart any more.

And no, this isn't me angsting it out. This is me trying to actually assess what's wrong and how I can fix it, if I can at all.


Hmm... I hope summer works out better than this year. It's been a year of changes, and that's hurt me a lot. I've lined up a whole bunch of activities this summer to keep me busy, and maybe get out there and meet some people so that I won't be so tied down.

Maybe sitting sleepy has worked before, but it's killing me right now.


I really wanna go to Canada. I actually pretty much envy those people that got to go there. I had originally just wanted to get out of here because there really wasn't a lot going for me a few years back (3 i think). Just a lame, day-to-day thing for me. Then I got the barkada together and it was something fresh and different and I just wanted to get in there and live it up with them, and who knew? Maybe I'd formed the kada that could stay together through it all.

Now that a lot of the stuff that's kept me wanting to be here has disintegrated, I haven't really got a lot to stick around for.

And so, for the first time in what's been ages, I'm going to say it out loud: I am going to Canada. I used to just need it--well now it's a decision.
=============================================

Mr. Hernando came into class yesterday and in the first few minutes had chastised us on this certain blogger on Tabulas (yes, TABULAS, so I'm out of the question) that apparently slammed him. Well, I can't say I'm sorry for the guy.
Honestly, Mr. Hernando is a good person, I'm sure of that, but I am positive that he is not the right teacher for our class.

Mr. Hernando was first reprimanding us, and then all of a sudden, it became something of a contest about who was better than who. We were just High School Kids, and he had an Ateneo diploma, so he was better than us. We were spoiled rich brats and he was this street-smart whatever, so he was better than us. I understand where he's coming from, but the lengths he went through to press his point, and the things he said just lowered my opinion of him much, much more.

And there's that business with Fr. Guy that seems to be making a comeback with Mr. Hernando. He was over-generalizing us again. I have never, in my life, laughed at his accent. Ever. How dare he assume that because of ONE person's blog, the other THIRTY SIX are like that as well? How can he assume we have the same sentiments? It's not fair of him to do that.

So it's a pride issue, and an attitude issue.

Fr. Guy asked us to 'give him a chance'. We did. A whole quarter's worth of chances. I'm sure now, thank you very much. He's not the right teacher for us--Fr. Guibelondo is.

I need to talk to Fr. Guy about this.
=======================================

I've been having a lot of revelations lately. But then again, I've also been forgetting them. Often.

You see, when I have a revelation or sudden stroke of inspiration, it's usually at extremely inopportune moments (like examen, or during a very hard Filipino test). Then I say I'll write it down later, and then completely forget to do so--heck, I even forget that I even had a revelation!

I suppose it's God's way of telling me that those revelations are really only to be cherished in the moment. Thing is, I really wanna share them with you devoted (HAH!) readers (double HAH!) of my blog.

That's another thing. I've been attributing a lot of things to God lately. Everything that happens to me, I'm somehow able to automatically trust that He has a plan for me (and even though I can't remember how right now, it was actually proven that there is a reason for the things that happen to me). I feel like I've really gotten closer to God (wherever he is, and however "being close" to God feels like) over the past few months. I'm definitely much more faithful than I was last year.

And can you believe, I've actually started praying at night, just before I go to sleep. It's not something I do rigidly--usually when I remember to (that's quite often). What's so amazing about that? You might ask. I mean, hey, loads of people pray before they go to sleep.

Well, you see, it's special and amazing to me, because praying before I go to sleep is something I have never done before these past several times. Not even as a child.

And the things I pray for are so much... better. I always pray for mom and dad, and their happiness (whatever that may mean for them, because it seems to be in such short supply these past few years), whereas before, I prayed quite a lot for them to understand me. Well, those prayers of mine were never answered, but suddenly, having them understand me doesn't seem as important as making an effort to understand them.

Although, that's not to say that I would never want them to understand me. In fact, just a while ago, while listening to Mr. Chua's lecture and his oh-so-...explosive demonstration (haha, Panopio), I was thinking back to those days when I'd beg mom "Please, ma, just listen to me." and that look she'd have on her face that completely rejected me. I felt so frustrated that I couldn't get her to listen to me. It hurt. A lot, actually.

I guess all things do come to those who wait, because now, she's the one begging me to open up to her, and it feels good to make her feel what she made me feel back then, and not feel a grain of guilt when she gets frustrated at me for being impatient, or taciturn with her. You really have to walk a mile in someone else's shoes before you can understand them. Or rather, you really have to make someone walk a mile in your shoes before they will learn.




Well, I think I've ranted enough for today. Good day, folks!

I'm still waiting.

我們的愛 就像 天戀地

Yes, I'm blogging. BLOGGING!!!!

There are several things I need to address, as they have been coming to me like baseballs out of a machine the last few weeks.

1. Aaron Lines music = Canada
2. Dreams
3. Mahjong!!!
4. iPod Nano
5. Going back to school
6. Driving lessons
7. Levels of fluency in Chinese

These are the things that've been running around in my head all month.

1. I was listening to Aaron Lines' Old Days New the other night on my iPod. It was dark in the room, 9 or 10 pm, and I was on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. I tried to listen to the lyrics, because I seemed to have forgotten them already, and when I did, something about the texture of his voice, or the things I imagined when I heard the words, or the tune, or something just fractured inside me. All those times that I'd said "I miss Canada." were usually just putting words to something I knew that somehow I really felt inside, but at the moment, couldn't exactly call up. In short, I didn't really wholeheartedly mean it when I said "I miss Canada."

But that night, it was like that song was the final push through the brick wall of numbness around (as corny as it sounds) my heart. Because for me, my heart is where I store all my feelings, everything I've ever felt, but I've been able to somehow encase them in something of a quod of numbness such that I am not automatically tearing up every time I call up a feeling.

And whatsmore, I had already begun to somehow fear that I'd grown used to not missing Canada; that perhaps I'd numbed myself out and would never be able to feel what I used to feel for Canada way back when. The truth of the matter was that I just had to adapt--stop talking about it and thinking about it and move on.

But that night, that night I was really touched. That song knocked down the last brick and I felt so hurt and vulnerable and frustrated and passionate and alive because I knew that I loved Canada and the months and years couldn't weather that. That somewhere, deep down, under the right circumstances and situations (and music), there was a way that I could break through to that well inside of me where all those loving, lovely memories of Canada and the feelings I've always harbored for it are just there, waiting for me to tap into them again and drink up like there's no tomorrow.

I really think, and believe that that experience somehow... humanized me quite a bit. It was good to feel those feelings about Canada. Actually, it was good to just feel.

I don't care what some of you might say (I think you know who you are), I love Canada, and that's that.

2. I've had some dreams lately. Actually, not just lately. A few months now. Mostly about Henrison and Jackie. See, at one certain point in time, they were my two best friends in the world.

Then, at another certain point, I lost both of them. Just like that. Nothing stays, does it?

And then the dreams started. There was this one where Henrison and I were just talking to each other. He was laughing (something he hasn't done in my presence for a while now), and I was throwing in some retorts.

That struck a cord in me. Why? Well, talking isn't something we really do much anymore. Just talking, like normal, was amazing.

And then... I woke up. And went to school.

With Jackie, it's not so much talking as remembering some of the things we did. It was like a film of old memories all knitted together in one dream. There was that first time we met at her house, then when we talked at the Couples thing at her house again, and then the first gimmick with her, and with Lyndon and Adrienne, then the variety shows, and talking with her on the phone.

So far away.

I just felt sick when I woke up. At myself.

Then the other night, I read the gigantic card that they gave me during my birthday last year. And everything Jackie wrote there... I wonder if she meant any of it? Or if she did, I wonder if she still means it. All those texts she sent reassuring me--where are those now?

I felt like crying.

3. On to lighter things (no, John Mayer will not like me at all), over the last few days of last year, I learned to play a nifty little game called Mahjong. While the whole world was abroad or having gimmicks or spending time with their families, I was playing Mahjong with my grandmother and brothers. You see, I began watching this movie on YouTube (yes, EVERYTHING is on YouTube these days) called "Kung Fu Mahjong 2" ("雀聖 2: 自摸天后" Although 雀 literally means sparrow, here, it's used as a shortened version for 麻雀, which is the Cantonese/Hokkien term for "Mahjong" (麻將 is Northerner/Shanghainese). So if we were to translate the title literally, with 雀 to signify Mahjong, it would go, "Mahjong Sage 2: The Goddess of Self-Pick"). Anyhow, I found how Fanny, the main character, would yell out "自摸!" very interesting... and decided I wanted to do it myself.

So I asked Ahngin to teach me Mahjong. After about five minutes, I had gotten the hang of it and asked my brothers to play with me (bringing the total number of players in the family to a grand total of four).

So watch this video: It's the first part of Kung Fu Mahjong. Take note of what Fanny says from 01:59 seconds until 02:50 seconds. I'll transcribe it below:

Fanny: (draws a 三銅) 自摸! 清一色銅子! (draws a 七萬) 自摸! 混一色對對糊!

Other ladies: 差住! 差住! 差住! 差住! ...

Fanny: 自摸! 發財么九對對碰!

That's what I wanna do!

And on the last day of break before school... on the last game I played that night, I got a 自摸. Life was good.

As soon as school came, I started asking people who played. Kyle, Jacques, Edrian, Paolo, Pierre, Rod and Ivan all play. Kenn apparently does, but I'm not too sure. Walter used to, but doesn't anymore. Ryle plays on his cellphone. Enrico wants to learn.

Why does NO one know how to play Mahjong? Sad, sad batch.

Kyle is very good though--he plays frequently, and he apparently knows all the terms in Hokkien. Very cool.

Anyway, I'm arranging some sort of Mahjong party on the 13th (Saturday) just for four of us, so we can play, and who knows? It might become a habit.

Apparently, He (何) Laoshi (that's right, Hazel Wong, people) also plays. Apparently, she's been playing since she was five. How old is she now, like... 30 something? She's year of the ox... so...

Elsewhere, a lot of Chinese teachers know how to play. Very nice. I will have to organize something.

MAHJONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4. I bought myself an iPod Nano. It's blue. I love it. I miss having an iPod. And this time, this one is all mine. No sharing with brothers. No more having to wash out their songs and put in mine.

Damnit, I should've gotten the red one. Oh well.

It's great to have portable music with you everywhere. Whenever you feel the need to listen to a tune, just whip the iPod out and you're a few spins on the wheel away.

5. Going back to school has just been a serious headache. I've fallen asleep in class more times these past few days than I have the whole year. That's all I've got to (and need to) say about that.

6. DRIVE!!!!!!!!! I can drive! Yes, yes, I can!

Well... sort of. Andrew and Alex did a good job of making sure I learned to drive the manual before the automatic. The first time, I killed the engine a few times because I kept forgetting to press down on the clutch or something. By the end of the night, I was able to go forward and reverse already, but very badly.

Today, I got started with the automatic, since the manual had been taken by the driver to do some errands. I drove it like a pro! MAN!!! The automatic is LOADS better than the manual.

No clutch, no weird waiting, no slow-release of whatever and then slow-press down on whatever just ME AND THAT BABY!!!!!

Driving gooooood.

7. Levels of Chinese. Strangely, my Mandarin did not suffer at all over the break, although I hadn't even thought a single word of Mandarin. Actually, the break was all-Cantonese, such that my Taishanese has suffered immensely, as I now have this strange, off-kilter accent when I speak it. My Fukien is fine as always. I shall practice Taishanese!

So ELSEWHERE, here's what my playlist looks like right now:

阿杜 - 下雪
陳奕迅 & 梁漢文 - 拔河
許志安 - 爛泥
劉德華 - 練習
光良 - 都是你
光良 - 第一次
陳慧琳 - 兩個世界
周傳雄 - 寂寞沙洲冷
陳奕迅 - 兄妹
陳奕迅 - 單車
陳奕迅 - 大開眼戒
陳奕迅 - 明年今日
陳奕迅 - 全世界失眠
孫楠 - 燃燒
張智霖 - 愛情已死
古巨基 - 愛得太遲
古巨基 - 愛與誠
古巨基 - 夢中人
王心凌 - 我會好好的
陳慧琳 - 心太軟
陳慧琳 - 體會
郭富城 - 愛的呼喚
陳奕迅 - 十面埋伏
陳奕迅 - 夕陽無限好
周杰倫 - 髮如雪
周杰倫 - 晴天
許志安 - 他送你回來以後
陳慧琳 - 對你太在乎

Note: This is my Chinese-Only playlist. I have English and Filipino songs as well. Don't be afraid.