JI by June. 💉😱

I can't believe it's finally happening. 

I can't believe I'll be a 4th year med student this June!!

Fourth year is basically training to become an actual healthcare worker. By this time, we are expected to deliver quality care to the sick directly as junior interns - applying what we learned, both theoretical and skills-wise, during the 3 tormenting years in medical school. That is.. if I have retained anything. 😳

Internship starts in 2 days.
My first rotation, Internal Medicine.
My current emotional state: a mix of 🙏😭😆😰.

What scares me the most is the thought of not being at par with the expectations that the patients, the consultants, my family, and that I have of myself. The pressure is high and room for error feels like it should be non-existent. Especially since we're dealing with actual human lives here. Without a doubt I know I would be going through mental and physical agony. Becoming a slave intern, the bottom of the healthcare pyramid, and the added burden of being a natural introverted lady, would for sure drain all the passion I have for medicine.

But despite all this negative insecure thoughts of mine, I know I will manage. As I always have over the past years. Or else I wouldn't have gotten this far, right? I just hope that the combination of sleep deprivation, poor eating habits, and fatigue would not burn me out so much. I hope the drive to learn, finish med school, and compassion triumphs over the bone-deep exhaustion of internship.

In other news, CLERK NA AKO FRIENDS!! 😊
Continue to guide me Ya Allah. Alhamdulillah for everything I have. Alhamdulillah for everything I had. Alhamdulillah for everything I will have.

---

Let me just share how the last few weeks of third year was for me.

I now understand why people call it TIRED year.
It's because you get sick and tired of medicine. It was really tough during the last few weeks. Everyday was a day of breakdown, tears, and madness. I felt like all my best efforts were not being recognized and the remaining confidence that I have with myself dwindled away with it. It was the worst. I was at it again with why I chose to be here, constantly questioning myself if I have accomplished anything, if I will ever make it as a doctor. I was in a constant battle with myself that I even considered myself borderline depressed.

But as they say.. only the brave remains. Things changed for me when I accepted reality. It was exhausting but more than that I was human. I thank my lucky stars for surrounding me with such supportive family and friends. They were there watching at the sides, constantly checking up on me, despite me pushing them away. They believed in me when I didn't even believe in myself. I thank these people for keeping me sane. I swear, I owe all this to you.

Done with 1st year Medicine! ☕

It's actually been a month since vacation started.
I was waiting for the grades to come out before I write an entry to.. you know, not hex it. But it's actually been days since the full grades were out and I was way too busy being unproductive. (ಠ⌣ಠ)

2 weeks after the last school day, I attended a 3 day Basic Life Support/First Aid Training. This was a requirement for 2nd year and to be honest I didn't really want to attend because duh, SUMMER. But long story short, I'm glad I went. I learned how to perform CPR, the Heimlich Maneuver, bandaging, transferring patients, dealing with burns, cuts, bleeding and a lot more. There were written exams and practicals but it was grade school easy, nothing you can't handle. We also had a (pretend) mass casualty on the last day and I was assigned a victim, so all I had to do was lie on the floor with my fake intestines out while I bleed uncontrollably and wait for rescue. It was really fun, almost like a team building seminar. Then at the end of every day it always gets me saying "this is what I want to learn". You know, the actual stuff. What they do, what doctors do, when in an emergency situation.

My school year in a nutshell has been crazy. If you have read my previous med school posts then you probably have an idea how intense it has been. First year was tough. I had to deal not only with so much reading and learning but I also had to manage my sanity. As what my sister (who is now a consultant) once said, medicine is not just about IQ but also EQ. I had a lot of ups and downs during my first year and my grades barely even cut for second year. You know that feeling when you were young, when you thought you were really special and on top of your class most of the time? Well here I was pretty average. Everyone was smart, cool and #goals and it just hurts your self esteem knowing people are excelling and you're just there, stuck in the mud and hardly even moving. I had a REALLY hard time adjusting. I'm sure everyone did, some were just good at hiding it. But came second trimester and I learned to pick myself up and strive for a better me. It wasn't the *boom* "change has come" kind of moment, rather it was a slow but sure one. After all, a little progress is still a progress. By the end of my 1st year, I got used to being a student again and I think I've finally adjusted. So first year, people say it's when you learn all the normal stuff - Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry. I learned way more than just that and I could confidently say that I grew as a person.

Good job, Ahj! We'll get that MD in no time! 👊

---

For all those who are still unsure of whether to pursue medicine or not, you better stop and ask yourself if you're ready to risk a lot of things. It takes a really strong desire to finish and faith in yourself would cover most of it. I too had a lot of times I've thought of quitting and for multiple reasons too, but it has never come to a point of wanting to leave. I do get envious of non med people because they're currently living the life. I do want to be independent again, get a job and earn my own money instead of asking from my parents. I want to travel the world, go on a shopping spree, eat good food with good company and be careless too. But I also want to save lives. I want to stop the pain some are suffering from. I want to learn about the wonders of the human body. I want my parents to be proud of me. And I really want to wear a doctor's coat. *wink*

Cheese in the Trap + Reply 1988

Wow. Kdramas nowadays just keeps getting better and better. My expectations for the next ones are soaring!! It used to be just about getting butterflies in the stomach, but now I feel all sorts of insects inside me. Lol

Cheese in the Trap

"Drama depicts the delicate relationship between female university student Hong-Seol (Kim Go-Eun) and her senior Yoo-Jung (Park Hae-Jin). Hong-Seol works part-time due to her family's poor background. Yoo-Jung is good looking, gets good grades, athletic and has a kind personality, but he has a dark side." [MyAsianTV.se] -emphasis on the dark side.

I don't regret watching this while I cram for the next days test. I'm a total sucker for slice of life dramas and this one was pretty good. Watching this made me realize how the past (like your upbringing for example) can really affect the future you. There were scenes where you start to feel for the actors.. but then again, every character was pretty much psychotic. Haha. You start to love, hate, get annoyed but in the end its all gonna make sense. A very mature drama that deserves a lot of credit. While I understand why a lot of you hated that ending, I for one could not think of a better way of ending it as smoothly. I mean, what's not to love? One last thing, the leads got together before the drama ended. I rarely finish dramas that gets mushy and ekk. It gets boring from there most of the time. This was an exception though. Watch it then look me straight in the eyes and tell me they weren't goals. I dare you. I freaking dare you. Haha. This ship was absolutely sailing. <3
Rating: 9.5

Reply 1988

Set in the year 1988 at a neighborhood in Seoul, South Korea. Five families live on the same alley road. [MyAsianTV.se] 

Marking this as one of my new faves! It was wholesome - family, friends, dreams, romance, school, etc. The story is basically just the plot and the thrill here is to guess who the future husband is. It didn't took much mental effort to guess who it was though. But I think the main point of the story was being with people you love most and growing up with them through everything. I envy their clingyness so muchhh. Never a dull moment with these people. :) Cried rivers when it ended huhu. I even had to watch behind the scenes for me to feel better. But these guys.. they sure are dorks in real life. It's like they weren't even acting! Aigoo cute little dorks. I really couldn't say much except WATCH IT. Oh and heads up on episode 18. That scene.. it's gonna play in my head forever.
Rating: 10+

(I just started watching Youth Over Flowers-Africa and everyone will def agree with me when I say that Park Bogum is Choi Taek in real life. Haha.)

(Not) your average med student.

The thing about med school (or any dream for that matter) is that on your way there, it's really easy for you to say you want to give up. You feel that this isn't what's for you and that maybe, nothing would ever come out from all this hard work that you're giving.


Five friends have already given up on that dream of becoming a future physician. And to think that they are the ones who embody so much potential of becoming one. It's bittersweet, sad to see a friend leave and quit her long time dream yet happy for them for realizing what they really wanted to do after all this time.

“It wasn’t that my job was too hard or that I wanted to give up, it was that I realized I could live a much bigger, more meaningful life than I was currently living.” [Shelby Earl on why she ditched a successful career to make music]

Many times I too wondered if this really was for me or if I was only brainwashed into thinking that it was. In my case however I work so hard, harder than some even. Staying up several nights, missing out on important events in life, hammering away studying tirelessly and sometimes fruitlessly, until something comes out of it. It's not that I haven't thought this through before applying, I have, many times. It's just that I never thought it would make me miserable most of the time which is the major reason behind all this doubts. I did not nothing but to complain about how hard it was (see my previous blogs). My analogy to a friend was: "It's like going to some unknown place without a map or any navigation in hand, and all the people around you don't know how to speak your language. You also don't know if you're going the right way or if you're ever gonna reach your destination." Basically, it's a huge risk.\\\ Is it worth it?

Strangely enough, right when I'm in the verge of quitting, I'm suddenly reminded about why I'm there (or STILL there) in the first place. [Woops. If you're expecting for some revelatory moment, don't. Ask me about why I pursued medicine, I won't be able to give you a straight answer.] I thought hey, no one was making me be there. And if I wanted, I could just switch paths. However, I didn't. And I was even willing to stay up several nights for it. Which means that I myself really wanted this, that I see this as something really important FOR MY OWN personal growth. I mean, I had my fair share of happy moments too! It wasn't all bad. The feeling of fulfillment that I get from pursuing medicine has trumped over misery and stress. I grew drastically (mentally, emotionally, even physically lol) over just a short period of time and that's what keeps me grounded. Yes, I may be having a pretty tough time in school now but I believe it is a good move for me in the long run. Who knows, this may even be key to my success? Well, it's still too early to tell and I can only hope for a bright future. But for now, I'll stay.

Oh and also, I was born a warrior eh. *Wink wink.*

---

Over christmas break, I was able to finish two dramas and several movies. Just wanted to make short reviews before forgetting the feels.

[KDrama] Fashion King
The worst. First episode and I've received warnings about how terrible the ending was. True enough, the whole drama was pointless. It was anything but fashion. It went from series of unfortunate events to death real quick. It was dark, gloomy and there was probably never a happy scene. Idk. I didn't finish the whole thing and skipped to the last episode which was terrible by the way. Like what is up with that ending? Rating: 4/10

[KDrama] Twenty Again
One of the most memorable scenes here was when the lead, after realizing how her dream of becoming a pro dancer has passed, cried her eyes out because she knew she can never take the time lost back again. Almost 20 years spent as a stay-at-home wife and only when a major event did she realize she had tons of things she wanted to do. Certainly no one wants that to happen and the saying "Live each day like it was your last" is a bit cliché. But the lesson I got here is to value the present as much as the future. On the downside, I felt little to no chemistry from the casts. Rating: 7/10

[KMovie] Twenty
A (really fun) movie I can relate to. It had the same concept as twenty again drama but straightforward. Here we see the life struggles of twenty-somethings and as twenty-something myself, I relate wholeheartedly. One thing I got from the movie is that there are three roads and not just two: (1) follow-your-dreams road, (2) do-something-practical road, and (3) the-free-spirit road. Hands down to Kim Woo Bin, he was the man here. The funny man lol. Rating: 10/10

[JMovie] Flying Colors
I need weekly dose of movies like this, please. The ending was expected but the script was really nice. Tons of quotable quotes from this movie! As expected from a Japanese movie.\\\ I liked it probably because it had a dash of psychology and because I could relate to it. Oh and that metaphor with the egg scene, two thumbs up. The cram teacher was a good speaker too. He just makes you want to study, a lot. Haha. Rating: 8/10

What have we become?!

This may be my first ever serious blog post. I just really had to share my thoughts on all this because if I don't I won't be able to move on.

I've just had it with current events lately.

It's a week long holiday and I have a lot planned - meet deadlines, study and more studying. Oh but I really shouldn't have surfed the net and dug for information. Why? Because everything online right now is so depressing and scary that I just want to lock myself in my room or travel really really far away from this planet, away from all this bullshit and suffering and hopelessness.

Alma Moreno - Karen Davila Interview

Yes, she's only human. But why on earth would I vote for someone who doesn't even know shit about the law. Filipinos who comment on the said post were no different, commenting on how she doesn't understand English, how she used to be a rated SPG actress, how excessive her gestures are.. asdfghjkl. GISING PILIPINAS. Everyone is missing the point. OMG Please. I am begging you. Don't be stupid and please know your leaders beforehand. What really grinds my gear is not Alma Moreno herself. She is just a mere representation of incompetent leaders who ended up as high officials in the government because of fame and money. Again, GISING PILIPINAS. Simple lang naman eh. Who we want is someone competent and would handle major economic problems FOR THE GOOD OF PEOPLE and not FOR THE GOOD OF THEMSELVES.

Tanim Bala Gang

I. Can't. Even. with this one. Where has humanity, respect, morals gone? Our local system must be so messed up the people gave up on everything and went to the dark side. Wala na silang kinakatakutan ba. Reading about all the modus operandi and realizing how people are becoming more and more DESPERATE really scares me. It's not safe out anymore. You can't trust anyone anymore. These people are not afraid to turn their back on their fellow out of despair - these people who you consider as a kababayan.

(MANILA, Phils.) Drug-crazed man takes kid as hostage

Watching the video felt like I was the one about to be stabbed in the heart as my heart ached from the girl's plea for freedom. We've lost all morality, sense and most importantly, control over our lives that we dare to risk it (and some one else's). Although he was put to rest and the girl was set free unharmed, the thought of it happening again is not impossible. The power of drugs is inconceivable.

Paris Attacks

Do I even have to say anything about this one?

I am a Muslim, they are Muslims (probably), and Islam is the religion of peace. We have different views on what the Holy Qur'an dictates but I am absolutely sure that that is not what it teaches. I may not be the most religious but I am most positive that the Almighty Allah did not ask us to kill our fellow, even if that fellow does not have the same beliefs as you do.

Everything is so messed up. I pray that this will all be resolved and that happy days will soon come after so much sufferings.

One semester down! ✌

HELL YEAH! It's finally the long awaited semester break!


I've never been so appreciative of breaks. Before it's usually just "Oh it's vacation already? Okay." but now it's like "FREAKING END THE SEM ALREADY!"

It feels like such a huge accomplishment to have finished a semester in med school. My brain was way past its limit and it's incredible how I'm still functioning despite the solid sleepless nights. Though compared to the first few months of it, I think I've finally adjusted. I'm slowly getting the feel of things and the adrenaline rush is kind of addicting. One reason why I decided to pursue medicine? I like learning. Those 'eureka moments' you get when integrating concepts are like having unlocked a level in a game. Priceless. Anyway, enough school talk.

I have a bucket list of things for this break.
1. One big thing that I would be doing is to go hiking. I've always wanted to try it but it usually ends as a day dream. But after the arduous 4 months in school, some soul searching is def a need to reinvigorate my tired mind. Making it real this time. In fact, the date it set and reservation is booked! Yasss. #AHJventures
2. Restore health - lessen the risk of non communicable disease. Med school is stress and eats up so much of my time. I gained a lot over the 4 months and based from all the laboratory work we did in class (bp, heart rate, respi, etc), I'm out of shape. I have to work out and watch my intake. Bring back the athlete in me!
3. Pampering is a must. Need to have my hair done, get my facial, my dental, and all that girly shizz I haven't done for so long. Must. Unzombify. Self.
4. Errands, errands, errands. Stock up on my supplies, tidy up the room, update the board of memories, preparations for the second semester, and get my voters ID. I'm gonna slack off but not entirely. I mean I still have responsibilities. Ugh.
5. Restore relationships. Family bonding and ahhh social life. Probably gonna meet up with friends and catch up. Med school has made me anti social, it's scary.
6. Last but not least, implanting my self in bed. I need sleep - lots of it. I'm just gonna snuggle up in my PJ's, catch up on series, movies, and well.. life and do nothing the rest of the day. Happiness is not setting up an alarm for the next day. Weeee.

2 months into Med School

Just thought of updating the blog world on Ahj's #MedLifeCrisis.

Only 2 months in and I think I've gone through all the possible mood there is. Every single day I find myself so out of it I feel like my brain cells are killing themselves to have a peace of mind.

What worked during undergrad years may not translate to med school.
I don't study much when I was in college. I only pick up a book the night before the test, and usually (but not always) I get good grades still. Med school on the other hand is a bitch. Cramming does not work and believe me I learned that the hard way. Slowly but surely I've learned to adjust my schedule, i.e when we have quiz/exams the next week, I study A WEEK BEFORE. Though it did improve my grades a little, it still wasn't enough to really get high grades. So aside from getting a head start, make sure to really digest EVERYTHING you've read. Eat, sleep and breathe the information. It really takes a lot of understanding and memorizing if you want to get through tests unscathed. But please don't torture yourself. Set time to play and be human again. (I play games and watch series/movies on my tablet during break times)

Tons of group work, I cry.
I'm not afraid to admit that I'm more of a one man team. So it's no surprise that I do poorly when it comes to group/lab works. The reason being is that I tend to think slower compared to others, not because I'm stupid but because I tend to think about things more critically. I'm also really shy and conscious. I care a lot about what other people think and if you know me on a personal level, you'll know I really hate disappointing others. I am thankful though for being surrounded by wonderful groupies who also sidelines as really good friends. I learn a lot from them and they actually are the ones who give me strength (cheesy pero totoo). It's not all bad if you think about it. Group works now would really help in the future. I'll be part of a team later in my chosen field so I better learn to socialize now if I want to survive later.

Not going to turn this into a novel but the prime reason for posting was because last week and especially the week before that I was at my lowest. And I am very happy to say I survived though I didn't think I would. So it just shows that no matter how terrible or suck-y your situation is right now, the sun will rise again tomorrow and who knows what the tides will bring. (Also I have piles of readings to finish so I'll go ahead)

I LEARNED AND WILL SURVIVE.
As long as I don't lose sight of what's ahead, I'll be fine.

My 1st week in Med School.

I have to admit, I went psycho during my first week in school. I expected it to be.. well, not easy - but more of a challenge as compared to college. After going through my first 5 days in class, I realized that it's a whole new level of nerd.

Let me enumerate my thoughts during the first few days.

1. What trap have I gotten myself into. Right now, I don't know who I am, where I am, or what I'm doing.

2. I'm afraid of dead or severely injured bodies. I know it's weird that I pursued Medicine knowing one of these days, I will def be in contact with them. I don't know, I thought maybe I could handle it.

3. Lectures would last for about 2-3 hours. Back in college, it was bearable to go through these lectures without trying so hard. For the lectures that I have now, I struggle most of the time to not doze off and to keep my sanity in check. The reason I lose focus is because half of the lecture, I don't even know what we're talking about anymore. Which brings us to my next thought..

4. You are at a disadvantage if your PreMed is not a hundred percent science. Well, not really. A little background about me if you don't know already, I graduated BS Psychology. Most of my classmates finished Biology, Medical Technology, Nursing, etc. I do know some who still thrived regardless of their previous course. But my point here is that there are a lot of things that I don't know.

5. Low grades. It's the first week so there were no formal grading of performance just yet. But just by the looks of it, I think I'm doing pretty bad as compared to my other classmates.

6. I know no one. Not all my college buddies went to med school. In fact, I was the first one in my circle of friends who actually went. So basically during my first day, I was completely alone. I wasn't really worried about making new friends - I mean that's easy, you can just talk to someone and voila! A friend. My worries were: "What if I can't find my way to the next class?", "What if schedules/rooms changed, how will I know about it?" and also "Where the hell are my classmates going and where are they buying these Manuals from?". In short I was completely and utterly lost. 

So there, my first week jitters. But if you think about it, it's all part of adjusting.

1. Med school may or may not be my life long dream. But series of events led me to this place and at this exact time, so it's likely that I am here because I was fated to be here. Remember that not everyone is. You have to own it.

2. First week and I was already exposed to a cadaver. Not the whole body, but parts of it. Initially I thought I won't be able to handle it, but it was not as bad as I thought it would be. We actually had our laboratory discussion with the cadavers right in front of us. As in I could even hold hands with him/her if I want to. So what I'm saying is that, I freaked out over nothing. Why worry about something that's not even there yet.

3. It's okay to doze off. You're not a robot. You need sleep too. Just don't worry so much about not getting it the first time. You can always ask, read references, or watch videos to better understand the subject. There's always an option to be resourceful.

4. I don't care if your a Psych major, Business Major or out of this world major, as long as you prep up and review, everything will be clear to you soon. Besides, you can always use your Psych background as an advantage. You know very well how to manage emotions. Just don't let stress get to you. You know perfectly well how to maintain a healthy mind, body and soul - YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF YOUR OWN PSYCHOLOGICAL STATE.
5. I experienced an extreme let down of self esteem earlier this week. You're grade conscious, I know. But isn't everyone? It's just a matter of building up confidence. Don't focus too much on other people but rather focus on yourself and your potentials. Keep in mind what the lecturer said: "From a thousand applicants, only 400 of you were chosen. This means you're the cream of the crop. You're above average." and by that she meant all.

6. No friends? No worries. To be honest, I went through a lot introductions with a lot of people before I finally met my group. I did make a slight effort to look for a group I'd fit in but eventually, the group found me. There is no denying that you will definitely be part of a group with people having the same thoughts/personality as you. So no rush. Eventually I got to know most of my classmates. And they're pretty cool actually. 

I'm not telling you it's going to be easy, I'm telling you it's going to be worth it. For all the incoming Medschool freshmen out there, lighten up. If you're tense, that's normal. You're simply in a state of adjustment so don't beat yourself up. You only need to do 3 things: KEEP CALM, STUDY HARD, AND BECOME A DOCTOR.

---

I read through some threads about first week experiences in medschool. It seems I wasn't the only one. In fact, quite a number shared the same experience. See here.

Left Behind.

What the hell did I just watch.

This is seriously the worst film ever to be shown in theaters. I mean why is it even there in the first place? SERIOUSLY WTF. I  enjoy watching end of the world films and since Nicolas Cage was in it I decided to go see the movie. But what did I get in return? Poor acting, terrible cinematography, and highly inapt music. I mean who the hell plays country in an action scene? Left Behind does! *sigh* It was distressingly bad. There's a story, yes. And obviously it had a religious message (no, I won't talk about the religious discrimination that transpired because I understand that it wasn't intended for all viewers especially non-christian viewers.. just gonna say it was a bit insulting is all). They should have developed the plot more. It could have been something more.. rate worthy. I feel sorry for Nicolas Cage.

Rating: 3.5

(I really should have trusted the 1/5 critics rating from clickthecity.)

Pepper Lunch
In other news, I just found a new favorite dish!

I've been here three times. I didn't like it at first because it was bland and the meat was too thin. Later on I found out I was eating it wrong. Foolish me forgot to add sauce. *facepalm* Now that I learned to drown it in Honey Brown Sauce I crave for it all the time! I want to eat here at least once a week. If only it weren't too pricey. But.. but aghhh meat~

Rating: 10

WTF: Where's the Food.

Maginhawa QC Food Festival
October 11, 2014

I love Maginhawa. It's truly QC's food Mecca and I'm very lucky (whenever I have money that is) to be living close by. Me and my friends would really love to try all the restaurants there someday. And as if the world is giving us permission to do so, Maginhawa became one of the host for the 75th QC Anniversary!

I'll keep the reviews short but meaty (pun intended).

1. Stuff Over Burger Cafe

Place was small but intimate. Great for chilling when alone or with a good friend. Not advisable for barkada meetings, definitely. Service was fast. Price was reasonable. The burgers, though the meat was yummy, the bread was something you can get out of the grocery store. It wasn't chewy at all, matter of fact it was crunchy and cold. Same goes for the fries.

Rating: 7

2. Crazy Katsu

I expected a lot from this place since a lot of people I know said good things about it. Though it wasn't entirely a let down, something was off. Maybe it just wasn't the Japanese food I was looking for that day? Probably. I tried out their best-seller and for me it didn't feel like the best, sorry. Price was fine. Service too. Place was nice and could accommodate a few more than Stuff Over Burgers.

Rating: 8

3. Taste of Heaven

YUMMY. It did feel like a taste of heaven. This is the best milkshake I've ever had so far. Then again, it was the only milkshake place I know. Haha. I went here twice already and it still makes me want to try out other flavors. Cut a long story short, I'm lactose intolerant but they make me crave for their milkshakes whenever I'm in the area.

Rating: 9

4. Cha Dao Tea Place

What can I say, an ordinary milk tea place. Not the best one but good enough to quench a thirst. The lady in the counter was nice too, points for her. :)

Rating: 7

5. Katz Diner

After hours of travelling Maginhawa, we had our lunch at this newly opened (not sure) restaurant along Malingap. It had this homey feel to it. I think it was the owner, a very sweet old lady, who personally handed me their menu. I was so touched for words at that time. Haha. The place was almost packed and it may be because they just opened but I noticed they were a bit agitated. Personally I think it's great they were because it makes them watch out for every customer. Food was fine, good enough to leave my empty stomach satisfied. Price was a bit expensive. But I will probably come back to have brunch or something again there someday.

Rating: 9

Looking forward for more Maginhawa Adventures with my favorite people! The best feeling is to eat good food with good people. This is what makes me happy.

- - - - -

Highschool King of Savvy
(Wrote this weeks ago. Only posting them now.)

Some of you might hate me for this. But that was the worst ending for a drama ever.
Didn't like it at all. I may have been expecting something different or I might have an unreasonably high standards for drama endings but for me that ending was just messy and sorta lame.

*SPOILER* What ever happened to the other characters? I want to see the progress between the director and that lady. What about his parent issues? What about the older brother? And that wedding! What is up with that. I have a looot of questions. The ending felt unfinished. It felt something like "Screw it, do whatever you want for the ending." It just wasn't well thought off, you know? *END SPOILER*

Seo In Guk and Lee Ha Na's acting were adorable though. Usually after leads get together it gets real mushy and lame. Theirs wasn't. And for that, I'm giving you a fair score.

Rating: 6.5

Movie Marathon

Obsessing over Step Up at the moment.


Watched Step Up 5 earlier this week and decided to watch all the others as I got home. I'm no dancer but I just love watching people dance. This is one of the many reasons I love kpop: they're flawless and they always make me wish I could do whatever that is they're doing. I mean dance.. everyone can do it. Some are just better than some but certainly everyone can dance. Certainly.

Now before I go all Shakespeare over it, here's what I think. Step Up 3 is THE best. I know some of you might disagree, but let's just agree to disagree.

Step Up 3: the neofly light dance was way dope. And that water dance? Oh c'mon, not everyone can look like Moose when playing with water. Some will look silly. Step Up 5: I get that since it's Vegas, they had to make use of so much light. But well, there's just too many that it gets distracting. The fire and sand dance was cool though. Step Up 4: Loved the suit dance. Step Up 1: Channing Tatum. Step Up 2: I can only remember the Bounce dance.

Long post short, the best dancers where robot man and Moose. Lead male and female? Sorry if I sound a bit harsh but I think they're just visuals.

Rating (by order/sequel): 8, 6, 9.5, 8, 8.


Here's another movie I saw when I was busy bumming around. 500 days of Summer. I thought this was one of those films that got popular because of the hipster feels. It did feel hipster, but it also had a deep story but not 'Japanese' deep. The message was pretty straight forward but yeah, it was meaningful. It gives you something to contemplate about, how some of us are blinded by fate and destiny which complicates things, really. We may not always get what we want. Like what that one dude said about his girlfriend being nowhere near his dream girl. But he likes it that way because her girlfriend? She's real.
Again, let's agree to disagree. I for one don't believe in those things. When people ask me about it I honestly couldn't care less. Nothing is forever. If it comes, it comes. If it ends, it ends. It's simple. Why make it complicated?
"Most days of the year are unremarkable. They begin and they end with no lasting memory made in between. Most days have no impact on the course of a life."
Rating: 9

Diary ng Panget.

One of the very few local films I've seen.


I don't always watch local films. Especially ones as cheesy as this. Maybe it's just me but they're just so predictable. And quite frankly, this one's no different.

There IS something about this film that made me like it though. Aside from the cast and OSTs, the film had those cute-funny scenes that gets you kilig. I have to admit, I fangirled a bit back there. Was it really necessary for James Reid to show off his bod like all the time? *shows abs* Woops, I guess it was. =)))
Years ago, when I still had that mushroom hair of mine, I happen to bump into him. Back then he wasn't as macho as in the film. But hell yeah, he's really handsome in person. Why must my hair be crazy looking back then? Ugh.

Anyway, story-wise, everything was anticipated. The scenes leading up to these anticipations were "cool cool cool" (Community's Abed as reference). They picked the right people for the role. It was cheesy yeah, but I was up for cheesy. I recommend you see it when bored and looking for something to pass time. No major lessons found here.

Rating: 7.5
Don't get me wrong people. I like Indie films, a lot. Just not these type.

These fellas deserve more views. I've seen their other covers but since this is SHINee, I just had to post it. They're really mysterious too. They cover their faces with masks or they sometimes film their behinds and lower bod, if you're into those kinds of stuff. But as for me, their voice was enough to like them. Why wear mask you say? I don't know. Because they believe people should listen to them and not mind their physical appearance? That or they wanted to be distinct. Either which, I root for them.

Walking dead.

I can never get any more bum than this.

It's been a week since I've become a total shut in. My day goes as follows: wake up, eat, go back to sleep, surf the net, play with kudut, starve, mental collapse sometimes leading to a nap, headache, eat (a lot), wash up, pray, and finally, surf the net until I fall asleep. Every now and then I also manage my Restaurant City. RESTAURANT CITY FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. I have so much free time I now have time to play it again which is just sad.

For the first few days, it felt rejuvenating. There was even a day I never saw daylight because my heart, mind and soul decided to sleep in. Yeah, I'm practically a sloth. But now that a week has passed, my brain started nagging: "What are you doing with your life right now." "I wonder what the future holds for you." "I believe you have stuffs to do." "You're gaining weight." yadda yadda yadda. It's only been a week but it felt like a long time has passed. And because of fasting, everything 'seems' so draining (or so I thought). I have to change that mindset though. I'm trying so hard to find the motivation to un-bumify. And I have to find it quick.

One of the many reasons I keep procrastinating is because of this new show I'm watching. It's called 'Roommate', a Korean reality show which involves 11 celebrities (combination of idols, actors, athletes) living under one roof. Kinda like PBB minus the big brother, all the drama, and the eviction. It's all fun and games with this one which for me looks more legit. My only frustration is that it's still airing so I have to wait like a week for the next ep. Agh.

In the mean time, please enjoy this new MV of EXO. I know I am.

It's that time of the year.

And so it came, the Holy Month of Ramadan.

For a whole day until sun down, we refrain from eating and drinking. Like the gif, I don't know what or how to feel to be honest. It may seem rather extreme for some people and at some point I would have to agree with them. But let me tell you this, pitying us doesn't help.

I'd like to take this opportunity to explain on behalf of my brothers and sisters. People see this practice as something dreadful. It's been years since I started this religious observance. Truth is, I'm kind of used to it. And really, I don't mind doing it. It's my choice and it's not like I'm compelled to do it (well, we sorta are). Just a friendly reminder for some of you: when someone you know is fasting, instead of feeling sorry for us, encourage us. The month of Ramadan is considered a sacred month when we fulfill our obligations as a believer of this faith and not as robots merely fasting for compliance. In short, we don't see fasting as savagery but rather a salvation. I'll give you some time to let that sink in.

Ramadan Mubarak!

Master's Sun

Synopsis (wiki.d-addicts.com reference):

Joo Joong Won (So Ji Sub) is a cold and ambitious CEO, who measures all human relationships through money. Tae Gong Shil (Gong Hyo Jin) is a sensitive assistant, who suffers from insomnia, due to her ability to see ghosts after an accident. Joong Won will learn to trust Gong Shil and falls in love with her.

What a strange drama. It was different, I'll tell you that. For one, they weren't too fashion oriented like most dramas I know. There was not one outfit, that stood out. Here the lead usually wears ragged jeans and a worn out shirt and she's pretty jolly about it. Not sure if it was intentional but it felt down-to-earth, which for me is something good. As for the story.. points for being funny and cute. The story line was thought-provoking, but you lost me at the far end. This is embarrassing but I really don't remember the ending. Guess it wasn't that memorable. Basically, the synopsis is.. as it is. Just add the tragic story of Mr. CEO and you have the whole drama in front of you. It was still a good watch though. Seo In-guk was a plus!

Rating: 7

The Burger Project.

So much burger win on this one.

Everyone knows I'm not much a fan of burgers. The only burger I ever crave for is the cheeseburger of McDonalds. That is.. mainly because of the cheese. However last May 30, us Três Marias (Me, Kapatid and Filar) went to Burger Project to try out their all famous create-your-own-burger. To give you an overview of what went down that day, let's just say it veered me away from what I was accustomed of.

So they give you this check-list of things you want to put in your burger. It was tempting to mark whatever floats your boat, but of course you would have to consider the taste when laid down together. As for me, I was quite pleased with my creation. It turned out fine, taste-wise too. Serving was huge and service was fast. Needless to say, I left that store with a satisfied tum tum. Down rating a bit though because it was pretty hot inside.

Rating: 9

Congratulations to those who've noticed a change in my template.

I've been meaning to work on that for a while now but never had time to do so. I knowww, it's rather simple, but sometimes you just have to keep things minimal and easy, thus, the minimalistic concept. You have to admit, it looks professional. Well, what can I say? I grew and matured. Hahaha.

Sorry for not keeping up lately. In fact, I have lots of draft pending in the dashboard. Apologies for I am still trying to adjust to the whole work schedule. I'll try very hard to do so in the future. Pinky swear.

Emergency Couple.

It's been 123456789 years since I've made a review of this.

I don't even know where or how to start.
I do remember having that fluttery feeling during the mid-episodes. The first part, meh, not really feeling it. But things escalated when the romance started.

Why did I watch it? Simply because it was a medical drama. My comments to that? Awesome possum. A medical drama of interns was a first for me. It was interesting of course and I have to admit, I learned a lot. The life in ER is kind of hectic. I should prepare myself well.

Song Ji Hyo was super adorable here! I mean.. she's always adorable, she's Song Ji Hyo. But her character was very different from when I first saw her in Princess Hours. I don't know about others but "Blank Ji" really does suit her. Haha. Anyway, things got REAALLY BORING when  the two of them (I'm not saying who) started going out (as in all other dramas). In fact, for the last episode, I was hoping it would end soon. Just a question though, why do they all want a divorce? And how could they bring that up so easily as if choosing what flavor ice cream they're going to pick? Aigoo.

Rating: 7.5

On another note, let's talk about my work. I realized I've wrote some terrible things on that last post. Not really regretting (nor am I sorry) I wrote those. But I guess now that I have a clear mind, it was obvious I wrote out of rage. For those of you who're asking about it, don't. I got over it and now that I had some time to reflect, I realized it was all part of growing up. To become professionally successful in what I do. No, I'm not bitter. If anything, it's a learning experience for me. Thank you for worrying and for all the pep talks but really, I feel and am doing awesome now. Thanks.

In fact, something really great happened yesterday. :')

Work + life = ERROR.

Work should only stay within the four corners of your office.

Been stressing out over work lately. Either because I'm taking this too lightly or too much, I can't tell. Those two weeks have been hell, I'm sorry, but it's true. And you know what ticks me off the most? The fact that I'm forced to be someone I'm not.

I just had my first mess up for the year. Constantly I've been told that I'm too meek and timid. Yes, I agree, but is that such a crime? Introverted people like me have been looked down upon on for so long. I am VERY frustrated about the fact that they kept asking me to be their definition of 'charming'. Someone loud and emphatic. Well.. sorry for being acquiescent. Sorry for being contained and respectful. Sorry for not stepping on someone's privacy. And I'm sorry for not being 'charming'. 

YOU EXPECT ME TO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT? No. I'm not sorry. But it's you who should be.

(c) Kapatid

I'm glad I have them. I need them now more than ever.

We hung out at Ally's All Day Breakfast Place to have.. lunch. Hehe. I had the breakfast favorite, Beef Tapa, while Kapatid and Filar tried out their create-your-own-pancakes. Cut a long story short, it was worth it. The tapa was delicious, pancakes were fluffy, the proportions were more than you can handle, and the service was fine. Small and intimate place. I like it.

Rating: 8.5

After that we wandered the streets of Maginhawa to look for a quaint chill out place. It took a while but we stumbled upon this let loose tea room, Antiteasis: Books & Brews. 

AHHH detoxifying all negativity. I'm not a fan of teas and don't know much about them so I tried out their recommended cold Teekanne strawberry raspberry. It was heaven I tell you. Kapatid had cold vanilla I don't know, while Filar had hot orange I don't know. Hehe. We stayed for a while and played board games, not realizing it was already dark out. 

Antiteasis, I'll be back often.

Rating: 9

Project Assistant.

Well will you look at that. I'm now employed.

OMG. I'm officially a grown up!
Will report to the office this May 5 as Project Assistant. I was actually hoping to land a job as an HR Assistant since that was what my course offers, but to be honest, for me this was way better. We basically handle projects like fairs, conventions, workshops and the like while making connections and partnerships. I don't know about you but for me it seems fun. An HR Assistant does a lot of paper work, encoding and monitoring just within the company's boundaries. Here I get to go over that boundary and extend my connections. Yep, I like it. Let's just see if I still do after a month or so. :)

I started computing and learning about salaries and realized how unfair the tax system here is. 30% of your salary goes to the government, minus the other fees like insurance. Let's say you earn 50k a month. Subtract the tax and you'll only be left with 30k. As a citizen, yes it's my duty to pay taxes. But now that I'm employed, I'm starting to feel how much a loss it was for the Filipinos who worked so hard but were cheated by our very own, the pork barrel. How insensitive was it for them to take all the money for their personal benefit (now I really sound like a grown up lol).

Re watching this because it's cute! :">

I can't wait for the comeback. And please have a reality show again, jaebalyoo~ I miss their quirkiness! 

I Hear Your Voice

This drama made me cry so much.

“An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. If we lived by that law, then all the people in the world would be blind.” Lots of quotable quotes from this drama. Definitely a new fave. I liked how the story was fast-paced, unlike usual dramas where the story seems to happen in a few days or a month or so. This one was a huge ball of.. case study. Lol, pun intented.

This is actually my first legal drama. And I've never had the slightest interest of becoming a lawyer. After watching this, I still don't. Haha. But it did spike my levels of justice. People don't do crime just because they want to, they ought to have a reason. But what I've learned from watching this? Those people are weak. And I don't blame them for being so. Rather, I pity them. I pity how they don't have anyone by their side to tell them not to risk their lives and live like a beast. #muchfeels

Long story short, I LIKED IT. The story, the characters, the setting, up to the gadgets and fashion, everything. I loved the lead actress, Lee Bo Young! Her strong, bold, sophisticated yet comical character is really admirable. It suits her quite well. Also, I still can't believe Lee Jong Suk was in this. I was all OMG-faced the first few episodes. Yoon Sang-Hyun, Lee Da-Hee, and even Secretary Moon from Cheongdamdong Alice was in it. Just... WOW. The perfect cast. Anyway, it was wayyy good. I'm all depressed yet again because another good one ended and I'm left to deal with these feels. #sigh
Rating: 10

In other news. Got me my new baby! :3

Tried and tested, it's good for what it's worth. It's lightweight, easy to use and very cute! I've always wanted my own sewing machine. And it's about time I put my 4 years of sewing in to good use. Don't be fooled, I'm still just a rookie who still has lots to learn (like getting a job now that I'm unemployed for example). But yeah, having fun so far. :)

92 facts about AHJ.

Found this on FB. This used to be a thing back then. Haha.

A friend tagged me 3 years ago and said I had to answer the same questions. I have lots of it pilled up in my fb account, some of which I didn't bother to read. #sorrynotsorry

WHAT WAS YOUR:

1. Last beverage = Coke, bleh.

2. Last phone call = Dale.

3. Last text message = "Haha yuhhh. Any, balitaan mo ako sa results niyo pagreleeeeaaaase. :)"

4. Last song you listened to = Not A Bad Thing by J. Timberlake

5. Last time you cried = April 20, 2014. Around 2 am, I think?

HAVE YOU EVER:

6. Dated someone twice = Hm.. was that a date? IDK.

7. Been cheated on = No.

8. Kissed someone & regretted it = Yes.

9. Lost someone special = Yes.

10. Been depressed = Of course.

11. Been drunk and threw up = Never.

LIST THREE FAVORITE COLORS:

12. Orange.

13. Red.

14. Blue Green.

LAST YEAR (2013), HAVE YOU:

15. Made a new friend = Lots of new friends.

16. Fallen out of love = Hm... I wasn't IN love, so no?

17. Laughed until you cried = Definitely.

18. Met someone who changed you = Yes?

19. Found out who your true friends were = Yes.

20. Found out someone was talking about you = No?

21. Kissed anyone on your FB friend's list = No.

GENERAL:

22. How many people on your FB friends list do you know in real life = Lots.

24. Do you have any pets = Two turtles. Haha.

25. Do you want to change your name = There are times.

26. What did you do for your last birthday = With family.

27. What time did you wake up today = Around 1pm.

28. What were you doing at midnight last night = Trying VERY HARD to sleep.

29. Name something you CANNOT wait for = Independence.

30. Last time you saw your Mother = An hour ago.

31. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life = Memory.

32. What are you listening to right now = One For Me by SHINee.

33. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom? = No.

34. What's getting on your nerves right now = That cockroach, ugh.

35. Most visited webpage = Watchdrama, meta picture and 9gag. Don't judge.

37. Nickname = Ahj or Nanah.

38. Relationship Status = Single.

39. Zodiac sign = Virgo.

40. He or She = She.

41. Elementary = HFS

42. High School = HFS

43. College = MC

44. Hair color = Dark Brown.

45. Long or short = Medium.

46. Height = 5'4

47. Do you have a crush on someone? = Yep.

48. What do you like about yourself? = What's not to like? Jk lol.

 49. Piercings = None, kahit ears. :(

50. Tattoos = Never.

51. Righty or lefty= Righty.

FIRSTS :

52. First surgery = None.

53. First piercing = Ears.

54. First best friend = Alyx.

55. First sport you joined = Volleyball.

56. First vacation = Laguna?

58. First pair of trainers = Ha?

RIGHT NOW:

59. Eating = No.

60. Drinking = No.

61. I'm about to = Watch episode 13.

62. Listening to = Moon River Waltz by SHINee.

63. Waiting for = Something that's never gonna happen.

YOUR FUTURE :

64. Want kids? = Twins.

65. Get Married? = Yes.

66. Career? = Medical Doctor.

  

WHICH IS BETTER :

67. Lips or eyes = Eyes.

68. Hugs or kisses = Hugs.

69. Shorter or taller = Taller.

70. Older or Younger = Older.

71. Romantic or spontaneous = Romantic.

72. Nice stomach or nice arms = ABS. HAHAHAHA.

73. Sensitive or loud = Sensitive.

74. Hook-up or relationship = Fixed.

75. Trouble maker or hesitant = In between.

HAVE YOU EVER :

76. Kissed a stranger = No.

77. Drank hard liquor = Never.

78. Lost glasses/contacts = YES!

79. Sex on first date = WTH.

80. Broke someone's heart = IDK? Ask them.

81. Had your own heart broken = Yes.

82. Been arrested = No.

83. Turned someone down = Yes?

84. Cried when someone died = Yes.

85. Fallen for a friend = Yes.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:

86. Yourself = OF COURSE.

87. Miracles = Yes.

88. Love at first sight = I think so?

89. Heaven = IDK.

90. Santa Claus = No.

91. Kiss on the first date = No.

92. Angels = IDK.