The Term That Was

Finally, after another grueling term, it is term break once again. The finals week was the deadliest. We had to submit 85 papers compiled "creatively", a psychological evaluation of our patient, a take-home final exam which was given as such since if we were to answer it in class, it would take the entire term [as in], and a personal case history project.

Don't think that only the numbers make these tasks impossible. I tell you, it's not just it. To come up with 85 papers, you must have read 85 chapters of Yalom's book, think of designs to make it artsy fartsy, and have it ringbound. I am so resourceful that I merely placed them in a clearbook. Hehe. For the psychological evaluation, of course, I had to adminsiter and interpret psychological tests. The standardized tests were relatively easier but tell me, do you think it is easy to determine my client's stress level by simply looking at his drawings and reading the stories he made up? Hell No. Would it be easy to answer a 6-question final exam worth 230 points? Obviously not. Lastly, how easy is it to attach a mental disorder to yourself, make a social history that leads to it, have a discussion, conceptualization, and treatment? Not so much.

Imagine my joy and glee when I got our course cards along with the PPG. I didn't have any grade lower than 3.5! Yehey!! A 4.0 and a bunch of 3.5s!! [VERY] Hardwork really pays off..and it pays off very well.:) So off to Tagaytay we went right after the nerve-wracking course card distribution and spent lots of fun, dvd marathons, chills [from the cool air and the scary movies], beers [for them though], chips, and great food. Oh, the PPG. We are always together through the worst and best times.:) By the way, this term is so memorable for us for the reason that PJ's question, "gano katibay ang pundasyon ng PPG?" was answered. Uber strong. Unbreakable.

I was back at home late afternoon of Sunday. What better way to cap the weekend with a nice sumptuous dinner with the person who helped me with everything from answering tests, lending me his flash drive when I couldn't fine mine, typing the 85 papers and burning them on a CD, providing me a nokia charger [even that], fixing my deactivated mylasalle account, doing my on-line enrollment for me, going with me for my search for which UMPC to purchase, taking me out to "chill" and bearing with my bad moods from all the tiredness, ETC. Did i mention that he bought me this delectable and pretty cake that night only to satisfy my craving the night before? SWEET.:)

Speaking of cakes, this little princess will be a little less younger in a couple of days..5, as of this writing..:) Gifts are welcome.:)

Thanks in advance, mwaah!

First for the Year

What a year it has been. Indescribable. I can't believe it is now the start of another.

Yesterday was the start of the third term in school. I can feel the stress starting to arise pretty soon. The first term was great! Why not? We now have the PPG[TG] and the rest of MSPsycP! Research was demanding, tedious, and tiring. ClinFo had a deadly take home exam. Xgrothe made us suffer weekly written tests to be followed by temptations of alcohol and pulutan! Yeah. That's how we were last term. Always hanging out, drinking and dining. May it be cheapy Tulyase, Dematisse, Giligan's, or Greenbelt, there was always beer around. Come course card distribution day, our smiles reached both ends of La Salle. We had really high grades! Yey!!=) We may be partying hard, but we're still studying!! We have two classes with Sir Bob this term. I'm certain I'd be uploading more pictures of us and our beer bottles! But, I'm also sure there would be more cold sweat and endless nights typing papers and answering neverending homeworks. Good Luck to us!=)

* * *

I spent my Christmas holidays with Tita in Bacolod. 10 days still wasn't anough. I love Bacolod! Food is always delectable though affordable! I can't get enough of the La Paz Batchoy at 21 Restaurant. Fine Dining at a cheap price. I wasn't a fan of that noodle meal until I've tried it there. I finish an entire serving! Same goes with their fresh lumpia. I don't usually eat those since it has veggies but the ones from 21 are irresistable! Their lychee shake was oh-so fresh and their Plantation Iced Tea was oh-so-yummy! The very famous Calea Bakeshop didn't fail me. Every cake I tasted, whether chocolate or not, seemed to release endosphins in my body for they made me so happy! The pesto pasta and the lengua entree at the Bascon Cafe was everything it needed to be and more! No exaggeration! I can't go on musing on everything I ate there 'coz I might run out of days. Haha. It simply goes to show how great the food in Bacolod is for having a maarte girl like me be soo into it. I hope I get to go back there ASAP. I wouldn't mind flying by myself again..as long as I could get there!;)

* * *

Blossom has been going through something over the holidays. It has been a tough time for her and I'm glad she's now ready to fight and win this battle. Of course, buttercup and I are on her side to support and back her up. We're thinking of making cute banners with "Go Blossom!" Watchathink?

OMG. PPG.

I didn't know what to expect when I applied for graduate school. I knew it was supposed to be more difficult than undergraduate [of course] but I didn't know the type of people I was going to be with. I was fearful that they may be a bunch of oldies, a group of geeks, a class of corny people or whatever.

During the entrance exam, I sat beside this particular girl. From what I recall, our only communication was her asking me what course I am applying for. "Clinical Psych", i answered. "Ikaw?" "Clinical Psych din." That was it. Since she looked my age, I was glad that I have a chance of having a classmate as old as my mom.

Enrollment came and I was with my colleague from ACS, Karen. She told me we had to wait for someone else. "Si Mitch, yung dati sa sourcing..kilala mo ba yun?" Surely, I knew her from ACS. I was already in another company when she came there but we were introduced when I went back for a visit. We only exchange a couple of hi's and bye's and that was it.

First day of school came around. As I went inside the classroom, the girl I took the exams with turned out to be my classmate. Her name? Sha.

Second day of school came around. It was the only class I had with Mitch and Sha. That class was Group Therapy and Processes. Xgrothe for short.

After a couple of meetings, our professor named our trio--the PowerPuff Girls. Why? According to him it's because we are always cheerful and on-the-go. Plus, when he's in front, he sees us girls always smiling at the back "looking like cartoons." Hence, PPG. Mitch, having the longest hair was Blossom. Sha and I both adored Bubbles. However, according to Sir Bob, "kung Bubbles kayo pareho sana nag B1 B2 na lang kayo!" Haha. So Sha became Buttercup.=)



In such a short span of time, the three of us were inseparable. We would go out and hang around. We share everything as in EVERYTHING about our lives. We keep each other's secrets. We gave each other advices. We took hundreds of pictures. We wore the same colors of clothes. We disliked the same people. Above all, we love each other.=)

When I feel a tinge of sadness in me, the PPG are the first people I look for. They let me vent out, then they speak their minds and hearts. After which, they make me smile, laugh, and be happy without effort! Haha!=)

I can't imagine life without them now. We should have been friends waaay back.=)

I love you Blossom and Buttercup!=)

Matters of the Heart

I have a heart problem. Please don't tell me that you think it's related to my boyfriend and I. Puh-lease. I'm talking about a medical condition. I won't try to elaborate piece by piece. It's as simple as this: I am prone to a cardiac arrest anytime. I can't be too giddy, too sad, too angry, or too worried. My doctor prescribed me a medicine I must bring everywhere I go if ever something happens. I never took it from the day I had it. Not until last night.

I was really feeling tired the entire day though I was at home. I had a class at 6pm and usually, I prepare myself at 2:30 so as not to be late since I tend to take too long. Yesterday, I felt like not going to school but I don't want to absent myself. I'm honestly trying to be as serious as I can be with school because I know that whatever I do now will have an impact on what I can be years from now. I left the house at past 5. I was already outside the gate when I went back to take an aspirin for the reason that I was having chest pains. Halfway to school and the pain was still there. It was getting worse. I ignored it. It was 6pm when my face flashed in the monitor of the ID scanner. I got scared because the pain was still there and it was unlike those I had before. In the past, it was just like a headache. Last night, it was excruciating. I couldn't take my medicine 'coz tita accidentally brought it with her in Bacolod. I texted mommy to pick me up for it.

It was the first time I asked my mom to do that. I didn't realize she was going to call my sister, and then my sister was going to tell her COSCA friends, Rey, and then Rey was going to call tita who is a thousand miles away. In class, I was acting normally. Hello? I don't want to let the world know that I feel like I might collapse any time soon or something. I had no idea that Rey kept on calling me at my Globe mobile and that Arem and my sister are running around La Salle looking for me!

I answered Arem's call and he told me to meet them at the Central Plaza. Imagine my amazement when on my way out of Miguel, he was on his way in, sweating! When we got to the central plaza, turned out aside from the two of them, Ate Tina, Elaine, and Rolan were there waiting for me!

I answered Rey's call and he was so worried about what was going on. FYI, I didn't tell him anything 'coz I didn't want to bother him at work. Plus, I don't want to make a big deal out of it. Although they already did!

It was my first time I took that medicine. It was sublingual, I had to place it under my tongue until it dissolves completely. Weird.

I concluded that I almost had 'it' since I was super stressed and sleep-deprived because of school lately--papers for research, SLEs for xgrothe, reports and what not. It had been more than 6 months of rest for me so I guess the sudden stress attack constituted to it.

Anyway, I really got surprised about how people reacted last night. It felt satisfying to have people who are real friends. It felt good to know the people we can count on in terrible times. It felt nice knowing people care about you. Heaven is indeed a place on earth.:)

To Arem--you are a great person :) I hope you and Sandy truly become a couple!! Seriously!!:) thank you!

To Elaine--you are lovely in and out :) thank you!

To Ate Tina--Happy Birthday!:) stay sexy!;) thank you much!