I've been seeing the 10-people-that-annoy-you memes. And as much fun as that is to blog about, it doesn't really require much thinking because everyone is just annoying. LOL! We can even add to that 15 and probably go on until pass 100. So let's do the opposite. 10 people that I appreciate. =) Not in any particular order, whatever comes to mind goes.

1. Good Song Writers. Now, any one can just write any songs and be popular just because it sounds catchy. Even if the songs don't even mean anything! It's just a bunch of words together put in a beat and ta-da! it's a song. But it's different when someone has the gift of actually writing songs. When I hear the song and I feel like the song is speaking to me, or as if I went through the exact same thing, or even just a story that touched my heart. Then puts in a melody that I can't get tired hearing... that is beautiful.
   
2. Healthy People. I have the deepest respect for healthy and fit people. It is not hard to shake off the laziness. Oh no. But people who are determined to stay fit and understand the importance of it really have good self-control. By the way, there's a difference between skinny people and fit people. There's a balance here. Healthy eating and exercise. Not eating is just horrible. People who don't eat are sick (in both sense of the word).
3. Hated Leaders in a Democratic Country. The fact that they are hated yet still able to rule the country is so hard to do. Just imagine, the people that leader is leading is humiliating him/her all the time but he/she really can't do anything about it. Best example, George Bush. I actually admire him for actually staying there no matter how unpopular and hated he is. People have compared him to baboons, threw whatever at him, so disrespected yet he still was able to not get mad at the people of his country (in public). He pretty much didn't care what people thought of him.
   
4. Patient Customer Service. I've worked at customer service, and man, people think they can just do whatever. Return products that was last sold in Canada 5 years ago. Obviously it's been used! But people who actually have patience with annoying customers, I admire. My Ate Janet from Toys R Us is my hero. I actually loved working with her and I watched her how she handled customers gracefully no matter how bad the day is. It's like every transaction is so poetic. HAHA!
5. People working with children. Children can be the most awesome people to the most irritating beings in this planet. Teachers, babysitters, etc, who work with children and that are loved back by the children deserves a reward. An example would be my Grade 2 teacher, Ms. Yu. (haha, Miss You). I was in a rowdy class, except for me of course. (LOL) But she knew how to handle each and everyone of us. We kinda felt that we were loved by her. Another one is Signora Bassett. She was my Grade 11 Italian teacher. No matter how loud our class got, she never screamed at anyone. She would even spend her own money just to make her class enjoyable. Every week, we got gelato, Baccio (Italian chocolate), and many other Italian desserts. Yumm!
6. Animators. I enjoy watching animated stuff because I know how hard it is to make them. It takes years of sitting in front of the computer and a drawing table just to get a feature film finished. YEARS! I love how they can make things that can't usually happen in real life become real. Animators are pretty much the new Special Effects team in the movies. 
7. Missionaries. To the people who unselfishly give up their lives and get out of their safe zone just to be able to follow to footsteps of our Savior. People who would even go through endangering their lives just for the Great Commission! WOW! That truly is letting go of their own dreams and ambitions, and taking in God's dream, His plan. I admire these people and we truly need to support them.
8. Inventors/Designers. Without these people, our lives right now will not be as easy as it already is. People think ideas come out so easy but no! It takes a while (could be years) to make an invention work or a design to be implemented smoothly yet still look appealing to the eyes. Really good designers that reinvent things by making a simple adjustment to an already existing thing is so obvious yet so ingenious! I admit, sometimes I get jealous. I want to be smart and creative like them! 
9. University/College Graduates. I respect the people who give importance to education and to actually pursue getting a good one. To y'all who got diplomas and degrees, I cannot wait until I am one of you guys! If you have a Master's ... WOW. 
10. Witnesses. I am not one of you guys, at least not yet. But I am so-so-so amazed at the people who are willing to admit their wrongs, their hurts, and their broken dreams and share it to people and show how God has used their tribulation and adversaries to let His glory shine through them. To let everyone see through them and admit their defeat at a point of their lives. I do want to be one of you guys, but this is truly one of my fears. For everyone to know who I really am or was... that's a hard thing to be honest about. 

Yup, that's my 10 that I could think of right now. That list actually took a while to write. Why don't you try it out. =)

Yay, I reached 50.0 popularity!

Aww...

And they whine, whine, and whine...

Saturday

I had a fun weekend! Saturday night, we had another movie night with my movie buddies: Hanie, Jen, BJ, Ate Phen, Ate Sheelz, and Kuya Carlo. Kuya Marvin was going to tag along but he had to take care of the wee ones. (Aww, Coco and Bekah!) So we went around 8 PM to AMC near where I used to work. We waited for Ate Sheelz and Ate Phen a bit so we had a little walk around the place. We watched Wolverine and it was good. I love how he said, "I'm Canadian," when he was told to serve "his country." His wife looked so beautiful. I'm not sure if she's Canadian but she looks a bit like a Canadian native. But yeah, I'm not going to retell the story. I recommend it, it's good!

Sunday

Sunday was a bit busy for me. I totally felt bad to God about it because I didn't want to be like Martha that she was too busy to worship God. I was looking for the overhead projector (you know, the old-school one that needs transparencies) everywhere in the church because I was leading Praise and Worship for the children. I was running around and I'm like "Ah! sorry Lord, I'm sorry Lord! I can't find it!" Then I gave up looking for it and prayed some more, "Ok Lord, maybe I don't need it. You got me." Kim is my volunteer to play the piano. (Yay! Training) She wasn't prepared either because we couldn't find the chords. But surprisingly enough, it wasn't a disaster. The kids were paying attention and they actually participated. The message was good as well. I'm glad Jaren came to the Water Conference because God was able to use him through what he learned from the conference. It was great, the kids had fun! I'm not so worried about whether they are learning it or not... God will do the rest.

There were a bunch of meetings all at the same day, too. There was the Mother's Day presentation meeting and the Online Ministry meeting. (The two I attended, there were more, lol). Time to appreciate our mothers... I guess I have to make this good. My mom will probably have just a few more years to celebrate that day. She looks worse and worse everyday. Gah. The Online Ministry went pretty well. We talked about a lot of things and we're actually doing the plans now. We're not starting the project right away because summer is going to be busy. But a plan has been made. Yay!

Monday

I received a random phone call from Kuya Marvin. He called asking me if I wanted to go riding with them (+ Kuya Al and Dielsen) because Ate Phen didn't want to be the only girl. They initially called Ate Jeline but she couldn't because she was with Sam. So they called me and told me to ask permission from my dad. My dad said yes and of course I went! I wore a red biker jacket with matching helmet. Dielsen and I matched - yeah, I looked so pro. HAHA! I didn't even know our destination, but I was just excited to go biking. We went all the way to Milton to visit Kuya Marvin's best friend's new house. It looked so cute. Perfect for a small family, but I don't think I can buy a house that small. I have to think about the Diolanda clan. Of course, I would always want them over. But yeah... we didn't stay long because Ate Phen and Kuya Marvin had to go pick up the babies because they told Kuya Carlo they were going to leave them with him for only a couple of hours... it was more than a couple already, haha. I was riding with Kuya Al and Dielsen was following. We went to Bubble Republic because they didn't want to go home yet. I had Taro Coconut chiller with tapioca, Kuya Al had Hot Green Apple Green Tea, and Dielsen had Lemon Green Tea.

Today I woke up so sore.... but it felt great. I stretched and worked out.

So that was it! Enjoying my freedom days before I go back to school. I love you May, boo April! (LOL)

No, I don't know a Shamus. (Pao does. That guy that keep knocking at his window, haha)

What a great way of telling this story. (lol)

I stayed up so late last night so I can help do Reputation quests in Seven Star Stage for the guild. I was so tired that it transformed itself to typing out inappropriate things such as "If I zoom in on my character, I can see my wizzy's butt." YUP! Poor <Kakashi1122> had to see me on my bad, tired, hyper side.

Today feels different. The fact that I know what exactly is wrong with my mom and how long (or how short) she's going to live is just way beyond my preparation point. We're trying to get a kidney donor for her but according to the doctor, here in Canada, it would take 8 years until we get one. Um, I would rather have my mom just have her few years than make her suffer through the weekly hospital visits until she gets a kidney. My dad said we could get someone from the Philippines who is willing to donate their kidney and take him/her here and do the operation. We'd have to get in contact with a doctor there and find a patient. We'd have to pay for their airfare, and hopefully the government will give that person a chance to be an immigrant for saving a Canadian's life. (If not, oh well.)

What's funny is that, remember my friends-only post about the drama in the game? Well, one guy who stayed in our guild who lives in the Philippines was online last night and we asked him if he knows anyone who has connections with the doctors back there. He said his uncle works in the hospital as HRM and knows a lot of doctors and patients. We thought it would be great if he talked to his uncle first if he's wiling to help us then contact us after. I hope things go well. No rush, in God's timing I guess...

This sucks. I don't even know my mom. I live with her... but I barely even know her. She doesn't tell stories about her past. All she does at home is yell and cook. LOL! Well, less of that now actually. She's nice now because she doesn't want to be remembered as the yelling and nagging mom. The stories I hear about her are from my aunts and uncles. I retell it to her and she just smiles to agree that it's true. She doesn't even add on to it.

I wonder if she'll live long enough to see me get married. Or to meet her grand children. Or see my youngest brother get married? haha! I hope so... because I won't even have a lot of stories to tell my children about their grandmother... I want her to tell it herself.

Man, whatever happens to her in the future is none of my business. =) You can do it, Ma!

Don: It's my birthday!

Papa: When?

Don: Tomorrow!

Papa: Why?

Don: Uh. What do you mean? Uh, I was born?

Papa: When?

Don: Tomorrow!

Mama: That's confusing... you were born tomorrow?

That's how it started, a few hours before my little wee brother's birthday. He is now a teenager. He is almost taller than me now. (He better be!) We want to do something fun for him since we don't celebrate his birthday much. Last year, my dad ditched him for some men's fellowship thing. This year, I want him to be excited for his birthday like when I was a kid. Because when we're older that's when birthdays feel like ordinary days... it's not his time to feel that already.

Happy Birthday DONDON!

2nd Kings is for you...

To my readers who have read about my double zero (00) pants that I've been winning over, well I'd like to introduce to you, size (kids) 14 denim (stiff, non-stretchy) pants. After a year of not wearing them, I attempted a fight with it and I am SO HAPPY to announce that I won! To my surprise, it wasn't much of a struggle. My work out and healthy diet is actually paying off real quick! I say, let's all do it. So we all can have summer bodies. Haha.

Today, I didn't do much of it because I was so dizzy. I blame it on that one night I played Talisman Online with my guildies. (+Kakashi1122) BTW, if I may correct the entry, we weren't at Seven Star Stage, we were at Spider Catacomb.

I haven't talked to Pao the whole day today. I've been trying to call him and usually he would pick up so fast no matter what he's doing (sleeping to pooing). I called 4 times already and no pick ups so I'm a bit worried. It's so unlike him.

I went to UTM today to pick up my one and only book for the Spring session. I got an email from the school last night saying I should be careful upon entering the school premises since there is a UTM strike going on. The email didn't say anything about what it's about but it encouraged the students to learn about it. Naturally, I warned my dad but we drove there and nothing happened. It was so quiet, I was a bit scared that the bookstore might be closed. Walked to the bookstore and bought the book. I skimmed through it and it seems pretty straight forward. Something that I've learned before. Why do course descriptions make it sounds so much harder?

Anyways, I'm going to sleep now since we have plans for tomorrow. IKEA to get a desk for me and then we'll ask Don-Don what he wants to do for his birthday celebration. We had ice cream cake for him tonight. I didn't even have any because it looked so nasty to me now. All that sugar, yuck! (LOL) I'm keeding? I don't know.

JenJen might study in Waterloo...

AND GET THIS... she was offered the course even though she turned down the interview... OFFERED. She's already admitted she just needs to accept it. She was offered the course she applied to.

NOW... SERIOUSLY... NOT JUST ANYONE GETS THAT. The best people gets that. MY SISTER GOT IT!

YEAH YEAH YEAH HAPPY DANCE!

Now it's time to get my parents to say yes... =D

It's so so so so hard to look at her... I don't want to hug her, greet her, nor say anything to her. I don't want to talk to her. It's just so hard. Maybe because I'm angry, or maybe because I'm just going to cry. Maybe I don't even know how to talk to her in the first place. Maybe I don't want her to tell me to take care of everyone. Or maybe because I'm afraid she'll say goodbye.

Oh Ma, stay strong.

I just finished my very first class of Spring. It still feels the same, as if I didn't have a year break from school. I haven't seen anyone I know yet. I have a 4-hour break because there's no tutorial for my lecture yet. We start tutorial on Wednesday and the breaks between won't be so bad. This time I wish I had a phone. But I seriosuly cannot afford one. I also wish I have a car, so going home won't take as long as public transit. And if I can't afford a phone, I obviosuly can't afford a car. Haha!

My dad finally put together my desk at home! There's still a bit of a mess in my room but it won't take long just to fix that up. I finally have one of my works framed for display in my room. I just need a few more smaller frames for my lino prints and photographs. My dad will add the curtains for my closet today. I'm excited! MY OWN ROOM! The only problem with it is the vent. It's so badly placed that I can't arrange the furnitures without blocking it. So I have to live with it in the remaining days in our house.

Kuya Mavin called asking me if he can pick me up at school today to go to the meeting. I didn't have a problem with it until he told me I have to bring the jacket and the helmet for the motorcycle. Hmm... I don't want to look silly carrying them around. So, I'm going to go home and get picked up there. =)

Anyways, I want to play Restaurant City but this computer needs a Flash Player update. Bleh.

This is here simply for personal image archieving purposes.

=) That is all

Psalm 33:6 (NIV)

"By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth."

Haven't posted these regularly... but I haven't stopped!

Inaluxe's Blogspot has a lot of awesome prints. Check her out!

For the first time in my life, I used a drill...

I drilled a hole into my wall. (10 holes. 6 has screws, 4 were mistakes. I are n00b).

=) I want to make more holes.

WEE!!

Ever wondered what an Art and Art History Major does? Well, it doesn't matter if you do or not. I'm showing you anyways.

I promised my friends that I will post up more of my work up here on my blog. I just don't have the patience for it. But I decided to document my first project of my spring term. I apologize for the lack of light in some of the pictures.

Most of my work starts on the floor. I have a desk but that's just for organizing purposes. I study, draw, carve, and play Restaurant City on the floor. This is a version of my research. I was researching different kinds of patterns and how to make it move on the canvas. .

The tracing paper and the lino

The carving tool I use.

Carving the lino

Ink it up =)

Let it go through the press.

Black and White

Colored

There you go... Print Media for 2 months!

"In everything set them an example by doing what is good..."

- Titus 2:7a

Now deacons, advisors, commitee members, bible study teachers, let us all attend Sunday School in the morning. =) Let's set an example so other members will attend as well. If it's a priority, you will have time.

My right hand hurts. The carving and hand writing is just killing my hand.

Anyways, wood block prints are starting this week will post pictures up possibly next week. I finished all my assignments and exercises with half an hour to spare. Yay! Thank you, Lord. It's a lot of work and I admit I am extremely tired but I don't feel stressed with my school stuff.

Pao visited me yesterday with a tupperware full of pasta mixed in tomato sauce. It was nice of him to bring me food. I was SO HUNGRY. We didn't really hang out because I have so much to do. I'm glad he understands. After my class I went home and crashed on my bed. I intended to have a half-an-hour nap, but I was deep in my sleep for 3 hours. I suck at power naps. If my brother didn't wake me up for dinner, I would have probably woken up this morning.

Anyways, I'm heading to class now. Time to hand this CRAZY amount of work. I can't believe I did this. Woohoo!

And I am desperate for You, Lord.

I am still alive and breathing.

Or maybe you should run for cover. LOL!

Signifier: It's my day off.

Signified: I have homework to do.

It just never ends. Squeezing three courses of two academic terms into 2 months is hard work. As you can tell (or maybe I shouldn't assume that), the semiotic theories are taking territories in my head. I finished two projects in 3 weeks for Print Media. Currently working on etching on zinc plates. Splashing acid everywhere may not sound fun but it is. I still haven't posted the outcome of project 2 woodcut, I will do that once laziness leaves my system.

I'm surprised I haven't gone crazy yet. The holistic living idea helped me a lot. A Children's Ministry worker for a church in Waterloo, I forgot her name, introduced this idea to me at the Water Conference. She said that people find it hard to volunteer their time especially to the Children's Ministry because they see it as another part of their schedule to juggle. But it's not about juggling parts of our life, it's living it as a whole. It's not about having a healthy academic life, and unhealthy spiritual life... or a healthy social life and and an unhealthy career life. It's simple about having a healthy life altogether. I don't know if it makes sense at all, but I feel that I can accomplish so much without feeling so stressed about it. I'm sure I'm made to do real great great things, but God didn't plan that I'll be stressed out for it.

I'm going to Joshua Revolution tomorrow for the youth leaders. I don't know if it was such a great idea that I agreed to it. But so many people aren't going already. It's going to fun since Ate Sheelz is going. I love her. I love spending time with her. Haha! I know, I'm such a fan. I hope it doesn't take long though, Kuya Carlo and I have to go straight to my sister's cotillion practice for her debut.

Anyways, I have nothing else to share. Not much goes on with me other than the usual. 

Thank you to all the people who complimented on my lino work. I feel like such an artist. Haha!