To Linnaeus

    How time flies fast!

    It has been 10 months since I met you guys.And now, we're heading on for third year.We'll be on different sections, and we'll have new teachers.We'll have new classmates(I'll be happy to have anyone of you as my classmate this third year),and sadly,others will leave for new schools.

    Nonetheless, I was glad to be in section Linnaeus.I'm thankful to have friends who are friendly and cheerful.I'm blessed that I enjoyed my sophomore times with you.

    Thank you for everything.Thanks for your company.Thanks for your kind friendships.Thanks for caring and helping in times of need.Thanks for the good times, and all those times.Thanks for the nice time at the acquaintance party.Thanks for the enjoyment that we had at the field trip.Thanks for every getaway that we had at SM after classes and every activities our school had.Thanks for the happy Christmas party.And thanks a lot for the rainy,yet joyful farewell party we had at Enchanted Kingdom(that was,again,my first experience at EK).Thanks for the joys, for the laughter.

    For those people whom I might have hurt in words or deeds,I extend my utmost apologies.I really have tended to do the wrong things or utter the wrong words without thinking.Again, I apologize.

    Here in Linnaeus, I have learned to be friendly.I was turned to be a better adolescent.I have trained myself to be a person of integrity, and a person of cheerfulness.Okay.My seriousness still remained, but as I went on through my sophomore days here,I had turned to a person who laughs out loud and joins in conversations a lot better.In short,I grew to become sociable at the least.That was an improvement.

    In addition,I have also learned various things in life in these sophomore days at the four corners of the Linnaeus classroom.One is that,maybe the biggest lesson of them all,as I have said in the poem "Me",I'll not always get the attention of people,though it might give you the term "forever alone".Anyway,I still remember those times when I realize that you are still there,still caring and serving as my close companions.I'm not forever alone, and I shouldn't be.

    I also found another thing at Linnaeus.That was my vulnerability to be envious.To be honest with you,I had been envious,not really jealous,with some of you when you got higher grades on our quizzes or exams,or higher ranks at the end of quarters--but not this final quarter..Sorry if that might have dispirited you.You know,I still have to accept things and learn from them..Therefore,I have learned to never mind those feelings of envy,or just don't respond to your envy for it would lead to a bad effect on you and the people around you.Yet, it would be better for you to ignore envy.

    I also saw the value of friendship in Linnaeus.There,we helped in times of need,especially when we were chasing on deadlines.(Never mind the nuisances.)Now,we survived those challenges at last!Thank you,Lord!I also saw in each of you how close you have been to each of your closest friends in the school.How nice it is to relish what we are now--from individuals from different freshmen sections to friends with close ties and even pairs(do you know what I mean?Wala akong kinalaman dyan).

    It was great to be with you guys.It was fun.

    And now, let me extend my words of gratitude and advice to each of you.

    Jeo:Take care and keep well.
 
    Joebert:You're a kind friend.Congratulations.Wish you all the best.
   
    Paulo:Thanks for being kind and nice..Mag-iingat ka lagi.
   
    Francis:Hello.Hope you'll work on your studies well.May you stay still to be a sincere friend of everybody,including....
   
    Arbby:Pogi rin ako.Study better,and stay happy.
   
    Christian:Hope you'll remain to be earnest in your faith in God.Stay good and work well on what's ahead.Do you have any sci-fi book there?
   
    Elias:One of my wacky classmates,yet a gregarious one.Keep well on your studies.You're a cool friend.
   
    Jordan:Classmates since 1st year.I was happy to be your classmate again.You're really a friendly friend.Thanks,Kuya Jords.
   
    Jerel:One of my closest friends this second year.Thanks for your company.May you still appreciate your utmost talent.Stay humble and kind and patient.Sorry for those misunderstandings.Wish you the best.
   
    Migs:Stay nice and amicable.Nakakatuwa ka rin eh.
   
    Gabby:Let me give you this word:r-e-s-p-e-c-t.Keep well and I hope you'll remain to be a nice friend.Do you have any sci-fi book there?
   
    Boris:Not Yeltsin....You're one of a kind--jolly,always laughing,wacky,yet obedient.I'll miss your kakulitan.Thanks.May you keep your studies well.
   
    Roi.....or Vills:I'll also miss this guy:kind,jolly,happy,sociable and nice...Thanks for being an amiable and understanding friend.May you still enjoy reading books.God bless your studies...have faith in Him :)
   
    Lyka:I just found it out that you delight in reading books.Anyway,thanks for being nice.You're a jolly companion who will make us laugh[:-)].Keep well.
   
    Ruziel:Thanks for being a good friend.I'm not masungit..Haha..Study well.
   
    Lovella:My first seatmate in the class.Fellow avid reader and writer.Thanks for being a nice friend.Keep writing!It has great potential.I'm accepting collaborations someday(share lang).May you continue to study well.See you on FictionPress(Maybe.)
   
    Justine:Hmm...Also a fellow avid reader...Thanks for being a gentle friend.I apologize for those times when I had joked you too much.I hope I have understood you enough.Keep well at school(:bd).
   
    Queenie:A keen reader.Thanks for being a kind and enjoyable friend.I'll miss that laugh(Hehe).And congratulations.Keep reading and reach for the sky.
   
    Dominique:Diligent and intelligent and a kind friend.Keep up your good work.
   
    Hmm......I hope you've learned your lessons.
   
    Valerie:The president of the class.You're really a kind friend.Thank you for your nice friendship and for liking our posts(Hehe).May you continue to study well and prioritize it as well.Stay happy.Good luck and God Bless.
   
    Miccaela:Yes.I'll also miss your kakulitan.Keep well and do your best.Stay happy.Thanks.
   
    Shaira:Intelligent.Continue to do your best.

    Lourdes:Thanks and keep well...I won't get obsessed.
   
    Elaine:From the planet of Venus....Just joking...It was good to find out you're a good writer.Keep on writing!It also has great potential..How about if you make a blog as same as mine?[:-)]Thanks for being a good-hearted and gentle friend.Continue to do your best and stay happy and laughing..Good luck to you and God Bless.

    Annalyn:A kind friend, and thanks for that.I remember that time during the first project in Bio when I just picked strands of hairs......(Let the story speak for itself)Good luck and your friends will really miss you.

    Chea:Congratulations.May you continue to do your best.Stay happy and kind.

    Angelica....Okay,Gel:One of the friends I had been close to.Thanks for being a nice friend--a gregarious and merry one.Keep it up at school.Advice:keep your tongue well.

    Jireh:Kind...nice...intelligent and athletic.Keep it up.Thanks.

    Samantha:Thanks also for being a good friend.Ingat.

    Sophia:Simply nice...May you keep it up and take care.

    Nikka Chelle:Hmm...Thanks for being a very understanding and amiable friend.It's nice to hear ideas and thoughts from you..Study well and prioritize it.Stay happy.

    Krizel:Keep on writing...Good luck and keep your faith in the Lord.

    Pauline:I'll miss this friend.Thanks for being a gentle and friendly friend...For listening and for the conversations..Good luck and aim high on your athletic career...Keep it up on your studies.God Bless.

    Finally......Patricia:I'll also miss her friendly countenance..A fellow reader and writer too(Good in English)..Keep on writing,and I encourage you to create a blog.Thanks for being amiable and good-hearted..Thanks for the nice conversations,and I'll miss those funny times.Good luck on your studies and on your family..I'm also open for collaborations on any writing piece[;-)].God Bless and keep well..


    Full of "keep well" phrases(I got it from Teddy Boy Locsin; just watch "The World Tonight" on ANC before they close each program) and synonyms of the word kind....What else could I say?

    Hope you'll enjoy this simple vacation,and may continue to trust and have faith in Jesus Christ.He loves us all.

    I'll miss you all.....and see you either on Facebook and on June,for many.

    Thanks and God Bless.

    And so it goes.        

***

    And now,here's an OPM song from The Dawn for you.

Inside The Classroom

    As another school year comes to an end, I just figured out one particular thing. For many months, I came to another realization. It might not be always, but my behavior changes every time I go to school. My attitude towards people might be good...or worse.

    Since my adolescence at high school, I'm turning to be a new person. Not really new, but reformatted. Nonetheless, I'll be honest with you. As a freshman, and in my own opinion, I was turned to be a mess. Yes. They say I'm the kind of person who is spiritual or religious, who gives pieces of advice. However, that attitude I had toward my fellow students wasn't that nice. They say I'm quiet and serious, yet my behavior wasn't that kindly. I behaved as if I was, as a lesson I read in ODJ was titled, de-baptized.

    Nevertheless, it was just temporary.Maybe, it was just because I'm new to being an adolescent, to being a growing person. I've learned the lessons and I went back on the right track.

    I went back to the true Adrian.

    And perhaps I enjoyed second year because I treated people well, and I also became a friend, a companion to my fellow sophomores. Though I'm quiet and serious at times, I found time to be wacky and quirky(That was an advantage to me).

    However, I also turned bad at those times. As I say it, I had been too much.

    One thing is that I abused joking around with others. One day, I imitated my classmate's laugh. That person's laugh made me laugh a bit. Though, I had imitated her too much that she remained quiet at me, that she didn't talk to me. I turned blue, with a bit of red; but I have to understand her. She really doesn't want to be bantered too much. And I'm sorry for that. No problem, the problem has been settled.

    Not only in that way my behavior and attitude becomes bad. I also had offended others. I made insults without thinking. I did wrong things without thinking. I behaved in some immoral way. But I tell you this: not always.

    Again, I have learned lessons. I'll put them to action, of course.

    I look forward for the upcoming school year, that I'll try keeping my behavior righteous, virtuous, and exemplary. I'll continue to treat people as I want them to treat me. May in deeds and words, I'm right and worthy to be called a Christian. I have to discipline myself.

    There's a lesson here: Think first before saying or doing anything--especially when it might affect the person in some negative way.

***

Here's some music you won't find on YouTube,yet it is,once again,cool music for me.

From Visible Targets.

Here>>http://thepostpunk80sunderground.blogspot.com/2012/02/visible-targets-autistic-savant-12-mlp.html

Good grief!

 
    For the last time, I took the final tests I'll ever have as a sophomore on the last day of our finals. However, instead of answering the tests as easy as a pie, I endured the final examinations in despair, in disappointment, and in depression.

    I'll struggle to explain this. Before that day, I spent most of that day reviewing for Social Science and Algebra(though English is also one of the final tests). I spent most of that time looking back at the lessons in Social Science. It was a stack of data, a bunch of files. As the impeachment trial played on the TV screen, I am on my table reading every notes that I had since the very beginning. I struggled being sleepy, and I took breaks lying on a sofa. I finished my review, together with Algebra, at about half past 9-that included my dinner.

    The next day, that day, I took the test. English was good enough, and I hope what I got is passing.

    Then came the next one: SocSci. Die hard SocSci test. It really meant to be challenging, and of course, it'll be a piece of cake not only if you review it(or read it), but also if you remember it well. Again, it was not as easy as a pie. But this first. The class thought there were no hopes for anyone from us to be exempted from that exam, as most from the other section were blessed to be. Nope. Some of us were blessed to. Nope. I wasn't blessed, and I knew I failed to pass the semi-finals of SocSci for me to get my advantage.

    The surnames were said. The surnames were written on our dear blackboard.

    Wow. Blessed are they. Me, no more lucky. As the fictional character Adrian Mole put it in his diary, "Just my luck!". I faced the consequence of ignorance, less productiveness, and a lost book. I lost my opportunity for a delightful bonanza. I'll admit it, I haven't thought of some of the exempted guys to be exempted. I just thought them for what they have reached throughout the class. Guys, I really apologize for that.

    Yes. I was jealous of them. I was jealous that they've rejoiced in victory(again?). Even though, I wouldn't let that feeling make me do some sin or hurting against them. But, I was jealous. That's it. And maybe that made my answering the test somewhat worse than bad. I left some items "blankety blank". Why should I struggle to answer them if I forgot them to my surprise? If I just scanned as fast as an HP Inkjet the notebook before the proctor came.

    Good grief!

    Nay. My mood had swung. My safe assurance of at least a passing grade, I think, wasn't received. I suddenly got depressed, frowning all the way to recess. Frowning all the way until Algebra began. I told two of the lucky ones in Filipino, "Buti ka pa. Na-exempt ka pa. Habang ako, mukhang babagsak sa test." Translated to English(and I hope it was translated good enough), "You're lucky. You were exempted. As for me, I think I wouldn't pass the test." Both were, let's say, surprised. One doubted if she had done something wrong to me. I just said that I'm just melancholic.

    Algebra was alright, though I just made guesses on some questions. I'm still hoping I'll pass. Please. It's the finals. Even just for the finals!(I passed one time, thanks to additional points.)

    Back to SocSci. The melancholic mood didn't last long. I finally turned back to normal. I decided to borrow my friend's tablet for TapTap, just to bust my stress. Nevertheless, I couldn't do nothing but to hope and anticipate for either pass or fail.

    Have you thought of me as somewhat bad or jealous, or proud of myself throughout of what I wrote? I would accept it if it was jealous. But let me tell this.

    I have learned something about this. It was Friday afternoon, everybody were doing anything that they like. I had a conversation with an athletic and friendly friend. We talked about her and her interest-sports. I had also my share of the talk. Then came this moment when I asked the question she asked me earlier that afternoon: "Am I a good classmate?".

    Her reply: "I see that you're good. But you're good depending on your mood. But you're not mean." And as an example, she cited my depression that final day of the examinations. That was a good example, and she noticed my mood during the exam on SocSci. She said, as I could remember, that my mood shows that I want to be the only one victorious or supreme. Yup, it was jealousy. It was as if I always wanted to be an America or Soviet Union*--maybe it's UK in it's other face as I saw it in a very old issue of National Geographic Magazine that I have.

    I remember also that afternoon, I finished a YA(Young Adult) novel from June Foley-Susanna Siegelbaum Gives Up Guys. I liked the story, and I was curious of what will happen throughout the story. I don't care if it seems to you that it's something girlish. There are boys in the story, and I can somewhat relate to them and to the story. It was a cute story of friendship and love. Let's get to the point. Susanna Siegelbaum, the lead character, realized she was jealous of her best friend, Annie Cassidy, because of her boyfriend Robby.And specifically, she also admitted that a lot of time she wanted to be "the center of attention, know all the answers and make all the rules". Relating to what my friend said, I was also that way.

    I've realized that I had been proud, and I was somewhat underestimating others. I've learned that if I want to win, I have to do what I could. I want to focus on taking opportunities and not missing them.

    I was humbled by that SocSci exam. I was refreshed to the value of humility. I have to control my jealousy. Nevertheless, I thank God I don't act to my jealousy. Jealousy and envy don't make sense.

    I hope that next time, I would not lose any book in school-they're precious and just for free-and I also hope that next time I'll take any test, I'll commit myself to understanding the lessons and reviewing them like I did in elementary; and the tests would not be anymore a good grief.

*America and Soviet Union are superpowers(the U.S.S.R. was), especially in the time of the Space Age and the terms of Reagan and Gorbachev, I think. Correct me if I'm wrong.

***

Thanks for reading! If you have any comments, and if I have any grammatical error, just feel free to comment. Comment it! I'll be glad to receive your comments. If you like, you may also recommend this to others, or recommend things to me.

***

Now, I would like to share these songs to you, from Donald Fagen and Rick Springfield. Enjoy. 

Portrait of A True Woman

Google's home page in celebration of the Int'l Women's Day

   Last January 1st, I had a chat with a close friend of mine. She asked me, "What is a true woman to you?" And that question sparked an ideal topic for me to blog about.

   Here am I to blog about it.Welcome back to my blog.I missed Dispatch for many weeks and days,since I toiled for school,for grade's sake.I am coming back with this topic.Let's get started.
  
   First, a true woman is beautiful inside.Each and every Eve are made in God's image, and they are blessed to have faces of either beauty or strength or uniqueness.A true woman is kind and gentle.Loving and caring.Fair and just.Honest and not making tricks.She is also not a flirt.

   A true woman has respect on herself.She is not be regarded as any item of lust.She should never exploit herself in clubs, just to earn a living for her poor family.It's a disrespect for herself to pose on any dirty periodical, exposing her body, or worse, her naked self.It's a disrespect for herself to project her very body-even exposing her bosom or hiding it for the purpose of exposing it-on those glossy pages,provoking men, especially voyeurs, to lust over those dirty photos.She just makes their eyes wonder on sin.I do believe it disrupts her dignity as a woman.I hope you get my point.

   Furthermore,she shouldn't provoke a man's lust on either film or video.She shouldn't engage in any disgusting act for the sake of entertainment and pleasure of the viewers.I wonder why things in our world are getting as sinful as this.

   I'll tell you this: A girl is no toy.She is no sport.She is no object.She is human.

   Moreover, a true woman is godly.She has faith and trust in God.She is not solely relying on her own,but also on the Supreme Being, who loves and cares for her.

   A true woman is simple.As one of my teachers say, simplicity is beauty.I do agree.For me, just seeing a woman with a simple-tied hair is beautiful.You don't need many jewels.You don't need many bright dresses. Just dress nice, comb your hair well and be yourself...Be simple.

   And also, a true woman is graceful.Graceful in her own charm.Graceful in her own talent.Graceful in her relationships.

   That's my view of what a true woman is. Graceful. Godly. Lovely.

   If you're not contented yet with what I wrote, just give me a comment. 

   In celebration of the International Women's Day, God bless the women.Empower the women.

***Dedicated to a friend named Con, who asked me the question that made this essay(is this enough for an essay?)***