Promise Yourself

Whenever I have time, I do read quotations online. Since I'm too lazy to finish reading a book, I seek inspiration from those random lines I get to see through browsing Facebook or Twitter. Below is just one of them--a poem by Christian Larson. It's something worth reading, indeed. :)


“Promise Yourself

To be so strong that nothing
can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity
to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel
that there is something in them
To look at the sunny side of everything
and make your optimism come true.

To think only the best, to work only for the best,
and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others
as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past
and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times
and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself
that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear,
and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world,
not in loud words but great deeds.
To live in faith that the whole world is on your side
so long as you are true to the best that is in you.” 

― Christian D. Larson, Your Forces and How to Use Them

I Didn't See This Coming

My Preliminary Registration Form which was given last May 22 as part of our enrollment procedure.

I was overwhelmed when I got my class cards last March. Yes, I did expect high grades but I didn't know some of them would be much higher. 

The point here is that I didn't had any expectation as far as my grades are concerned which, of course didn't lead to my disappointment.

I just felt very blessed and thankful to the professors we had this semester  for giving us the grades that we truly deserved (with exception to one which  is already obvious). And of course, I must also give credits to myself for without those sleepless nights and huge amount of caffeine I took in, I'm just as sure I won't have the guts to post a blog like this. Moreover, some blockmates of mine became helpful in understanding fully some of our lessons especially with the one I got a grade of 3.00. I really thought I won't pass this subject!

I'm putting my hopes up to attain high grades this coming semester or maybe just fair grades that I do deserve. This year will be a critical one as what was told by those ahead of us. A lot of effort is what we truly needed to survive this school year. I may not be so ready to start it off, but I'm very sure I will give my best shot to end this year with flying colors. 

So help me God.

Third Year

I will officially be a third year college student this coming June 4! What gets me excited is to see the old faces I used to see two months ago, bond with them again so as to create new memories. I am also thrilled to meet new professors who'll be handling our major subjects although we already have a clue with one of our subjects. On the other hand, I'm feeling anxious with our two minor subjects which will be Physics 2 and Math Analysis 1 having 4 units and 5 units, respectively. I admit I'm not that good at Math but since I passed Algebra and Trigonometry, I believe I can also surpass these two challenging subjects!

First Project

"Architect. One who drafts a plan of your house, and plans a draft of your money."

-Ambrose Bierce

Just about a month ago, my uncle asked me if I can draft a floor plan for a 3-storey house that he's planning to build. This house will be erected just as where his current house is situated. I was already with him at that time together with my other two other uncles to buy some stuffs at Quiapo. It was actually on the spur of the moment that he sought help from me since he didn't know that a sophomore Architecture student can already design one. A moment later, we went to his house and he right away showed me their land title where the position and the location of the lot is plotted. We literally had an in-depth discussion about the spaces that he wanted to have in his house where he, his wife and his two daughters will reside. For a while, I felt like I was already a full-blown architect where my uncle was my client. As I was making a discourse with him with a pencil and a paper on hand, that great feeling that I sensed inside brought me to a pedestal where I plumed myself for being entrusted on this endeavor. Employing a licensed architect was probably not an option for him for some reasons and the floor plan of an engineer didn't satisfy him were most likely the reasons that he confided it to me.

When I reached home, I was exhausted already for having walked quite a long distance and also due to the scorching hot weather that afternoon. I hit the sack and decided to work the day after.

Without knowledge on CAD programs, I had to stick with my drafting table and T-square for the assistance. For a few hours, I sketched on a piece of paper the things that we had agreed upon yesterday. Planning was really the most vital stage than the exterior look of the structure because you need to be painstakingly careful and accurate with how you will locate the spaces on your lot; the spaces must correlate with each other with of course respect to the direction of the sun, the wind systems, adjacent structures, and all. What became a challenge was that both the right and left sides of the house should be built with a firewall which meant that windows can only be placed on the front and rear sides of the house. Eventually, after asking suggestions from a few friends, I was able to make a solution. Going back, I then laid down the paper and began drawing. The deadline of this task will be a week after and that's why it took me few days to work on it.

The day of the meeting came and when I arrived at his house, I got a call that he'd be coming late at night. I simply left the house plans to the maid and went home afterwards. I returned the next day and was surprised that revisions were already drawn and indicated. My uncle actually had a change of mind. New spaces were added and there are those that were removed. I wasn't disappointed at all since I was one of a heck very eager to do this. Besides, I was 'paid' to accomplish this task. I made the necessary revisions and another week passed and I showed it to him once again. History must had repeated itself for he wasn't there yet when I arrived. Few days had passed and I got a feedback from my father telling me that my uncle liked the second one I made. Maybe few revisions are only to be made but overall, he was satisfied.

I wish to show the drawings that I made but since they were not final yet, I opted to post them soon instead. What I will show you here is the house model I made using Google SketchUp 8 which I got to learn after watching tutorials on Youtube. To make it more presentable, I experimented with 3ds Max Design even without knowledge on it. Here it is:

This is not yet the final appearance of my work which I plan to modify in the coming days.  

I am totally a noob on these CAD programs. I'm just glad that I was able carry out something by learning it by myself. I really need to practice more as soon as time permits.

Start!

So today I finally decided to compose a blog entry after exactly six months. How lame that I even forgot the address of my website. Thanks to Twitter from  where I saw my friend's post that referred to a blog and that's how I brought myself here.

It's vacation time yet I can't amply say that I'm currently devoting my time to rest or pleasure. I've been to two swimming outings already but they have long past gone. On my part, I can't look forward to possible excursions anymore for I don't have any means to afford them anyway. This is how the life of a dependent teenager goes and sometimes, I just can't help but say, "Sana pasukan na!" though at the back of my mind I only wish to be given allowance.

But then, there have been few things that I was able to carry out in the past three weeks. One of them was to finish reading the book 'The Pilgrimage' by Paulo Coelho. I enjoyed how it made me feel like I was reading a Bible since it gave me an account on how a Christian must live a good and satisfying life after undergoing such arduous journey. Also, it instilled me the importance of time that it's something that doesn't always proceed at the same pace for we're the ones who determine how quickly time passes (Seems that I should have written a separate blog on this). 

Second, I was able to learn how to use Google SketchUp for the first time! Yeah, I still don't know how to manage all of its tools and some techniques that I might know but I'm just glad that I'm learning it. Funny how boredom was the reason behind it.

What I need to focus on right now is to get myself busy. I have LOTS of plans to accomplish this summer and I don't want to leave them as they are so I should better kick my ass off and S-T-A-R-T!  

Drunken Words. Sober Thoughts.

Hindi mo malalamang totoo ito hangga't 'di mo susubukan.

               Natatakot ako dati na uminom ng alak dahil baka ilang laklak lang, mawala na ako kaagad sa sarili ko. Baka magsabi na lang ako ng mga bagay na sa isip ko lang tumatakbo. Baka kung ano na lang ipaggawa sa akin ng mga kasama ko, sundin ko. Baka gumawa ako ng bagay na pagsisisihan ko.

               Hindi ko alam kung bakit sa mga napapanuod ko sa TV maging sa mga naririnig ko tuwing kinagabihan ng fiesta, mga nagwawalang lasing ang tumatambad sa tapat ng bahay namin, sumisigaw, nagwawala, at madalas may kaaway na kainuman din niya. May napanuod naman ako sa balita kailan lang na may dalawang lalaking 'di magkakilala, nagkatinginan lang, nagpatayan na. Nakakalungkot isipin na may mga taong nagpapadala sa emosyon nila 'pag nakainom sila. 

               Hindi pa man ako dumarating sa edad na 18 ay natikman ko na rin 'yung bagay na kinasasabikan ng mga kabataan sa henerasyon ngayon. Sumunod ang paninigarilyo, ang pag-inom ng alak ang pangunahing aliwan ng mga taong gustong magsaya o 'di kaya'y gustong kalimutan ang problema.

               Ako 'yung tipong tahimik na tao, 'yung hindi agad naglalabas ng saloobin at hindi nagbabahagi ng mga pananaw ko sa iba't ibang bagay maliban na lamang kung class recitation ang senaryo. Ako 'yung tipo ng taong hindi agad nagtitiwala sa mga taong kakakilala ko pa lang, closed book, ika nga nila. Pero dumating na rin ang pagkakataon na dahil sa alak ay malaya kong naibukas ang sarili ko tungkol sa mga bagay na hindi ko normal na nasasabi. Sa panahong iyon, alam ko ang ginawa ko. Malinaw pa sa akin ang napag-usapan namin ngunit ang mga salitang nabitawan ko, tila ayaw ko ng balikan. Hindi ko lang lubos akalaing kung babasahin ko ang naging usapan namin sa FB chat ay masasabi ko pala ang mga ganoong bagay. Hindi ko ito pinagsisihan dahil nasa sarili ako noong sinabi ko ang salitang binitawan ko doon at patungo naman ito sa iisang bagay. 

               Nakakatuwa lang isipin na dahil sa alak, mas naipapakita natin ang natatagong bahagi ng ating sarili na kadalasan nating itinatago. Dahil sa alak ay mas nagiging bukas tayo sa mga bagay na pilit nating ibinabaon sa isipan natin. 

               Hindi natin maitatangging parte ang alak sa bawat okasyon sa pamilyang Pilipino. Tunay ngang nakakadagdag ito ng kasiyahan dahil napapahaba nito ang kwentuhan maging seryoso man o iyakan ang tema ng usapan. Kailangan lang nating isaisip na lahat ng sobra ay nakakasama. Magkaroon pa rin dapat tayo ng kontrol sa ating mga sarili at siguraduhing ang isip pa rin natin ang naghahari sa buong katauhan natin.

Futile Days

         This is to share how lazy I can get by not updating this blog site of mine. I made a promise to myself weeks ago to at least post a blog or two every week, and as you may see, so far my last entry was during Mother's Day. I'm detesting myself now for bumming around during the past days. I've done nothing worthwhile since time immemorial. Yes, I mean it. On certain occasions, I force myself to open a book, the only book available (the least I have since that's what my brother is majoring) is Psychology (which will be one of my subjects this coming semester), and read it starting from the authors' descriptions up to the first five pages, and from there, I stop. I can't even recall what I've read and understood; If I've understood them, well, that's still a question.

        Next Monday, on the 6th of June to be particular, I will come to class as a sophomore already. I'm expecting a lot of things to change, of course, for the better. I'm referring not to the looks of my blockmates (because I love them just the way they are, especially YOU), not also to the facilities we have, but to the subjects we would be facing, and by that, I'm including the professors: to teach as effortlessly and as challenging as their examinations are, and to be fair as the spring and autumn equinoxes are giving day and night. But especially, I'm expecting more from myself: to be productive each day and during every opportunity life's giving me. I'm hoping to improve my rendering techniques both in handling watercolor and color pencils, which for sure I will let come into being. I'm hoping also to be firm with my decisions, and not to waste any chance that will be given to me; my plan was to get semi-active on my extra-curricular activities, and to apply once more as a Student Assistant at ITC (Information Technology Center, the one that's responsible for handling and updating the PLM website and Facebook, and other matters which involves technical matters, apparently), but I'm again promising myself to be involved on the latter for this sem only. With regard to my extra-curricular involvement, I was appointed by the UAPSA former prex to be the 2nd year representative, and since I'm willing to try it, I accepted the post. I just don't know what responsibilities it will leave me but I'm just so sure that it'll be just so light that it won't interrupt my studies at all.

        This year and in the years to come, I'm gearing up to be productive as I can be, and set my direction straight by focusing on my studies. But I'm not closing my doors to that 'momentary beating' of my heart that if that comes, so be it. 

      I guess this is it for now. Tomorrow I'll be getting physical with some high school friends at Badminton City and will proceed to ITC afterwards. Uhh, my fail, I mean later. Good night!