Clouds in My Coffee

(derived from reclusion perpetua , which means permanent imprisonment. But mine means perpetual seclusion from the world.) "Next time na makita kita, graduate ka na, ha? " That was the last words of the CPH dean from her sermon a while ago. A few hours before our small chat, someone called and informed me that the dean did not approve my request for MRR extension, that she left a note for me to read. I ditched my plan for today, headed to CPH right away and settled her demands. " Hindi ko pipirmahan yang letter mo hangga't hindi ka magko -commit sa thesis mo ." This, on the other hand, was my thesis adviser's reprimand when I approached her last week to file for petition to extend my residency. After my adviser's "high mass," I called Ms. Jean of the Music Department right away to tell her that I was forced and thus will definitely take a leave for the whole semester. I reported back to my adviser and told her that all is settled. She immediat...

... than to have an incredible dream out of an inspiration from a special mentor... ... to make a crucial decision to fulfill that dream, which almost jeopardized my life's first theme... ... to tell my skeptic parents about this decision and make it really happen in front of their eyes... ... to sacrifice significant amounts of time, effort and resources just to make that dream come to life... ... to have friends along the way who share that common dream... ... to meet other great mentors in the process of learning how to achieve it... ... to sometimes face reality about my limitations and hindrances in fulfilling it... ... to break away from those obstacles and make miracles in the progress... ... to slowly evolve from an amateur pupil to an able musician... ... and finally to play the violin beautifully for the wedding of my first violin mentor as gratitude and tribute for the inspiration that she gave me, to be a violinist, right from the very beginning? There's no other gr...

This is a sonnet for my violin, who is my companion during the hardest times. Lead me, love, from the hymn of solitude To the music of departed shadows As it begins with a humble prelude Of whistles from the navel of sorrows. Calm on my chest, you my cheek caresses As my flowing tears deem you their shelter. With dead leaves dancing, cold breeze embraces Our warm bodies in the changing weather. Must your kind soul hear my soliloquy? Must you desert me under the full moon While I let you hum your own tragedy? But fate has brought us to this mellow tune. Let heaven weep for our mournful anthem. Sweetly we perform the lovers’ requiem.

I can't help it. I just have to spill it. I love Lady Gaga. Before, I told people that Lady Gaga might be a Filipina because " Gaga talaga siya! " when the music video of Just Dance was released and ruled the charts. Everybody knows that it's about wasting the night away with liquor or whatever depressants one might think of, a vice I removed from my system because of old age. But what's striking about the video is her freaky outfit. Enough said. But I love her music nevertheless. In fact, it was Poker Face that comes to my mind when I remember my hops along the streets and subways of London with my cousins last spring. But my fascination with Lady Gaga intensified these past few days just because I was browsing Youtube. I don't listen to the radio anymore so I have no updates on what songs are in now, but since I watched Bad Romance on Youtube, I have been singing and watching that same song over and over again for these past days. I am absolutely impresse...

Let's see now... I am currently working part time as a professor in Santa Isabel Music Department. I'm handling Statistics class for undergraduates and masters students, Measurement and Evaluation and Economics. Somehow, I have widened my horizon as a teacher as I improve my teaching methods in statistics while learning new subjects to teach. Good thing technology is better now in Santa Isabel. I am also "rushing" my thesis work in MS Epidemiology. So far, my adviser has approved my topic. Next step: review of literature. It's still a long way to go. But in addition, I took two penalty courses this semester: Seminars in Epi and the dragging Evaluation Research. I could have taken easier subjects, but something told me that I needed them. The Evaluation Research class is really something. Master and DrPH students were merged in this subject, so imagine the tension, not to mention that it is a UP class. I remember a case study report done by a DrPH classmate where a...

I never expected the feeling after is so heartwarming. At first I only wanted to get it over with, but when it ended, everything changed. I was referring to directing a school musical play in Immaculate Heart of Mary College, Parañaque last January 8 and 9. On a night just a few weeks before the play, I stepped into the school campus despite the heavy traffic just to spit the bad news - I wanted to quit as director. but the Franciscan sister who invited me to do the job pleaded to take my word back. That morning the same nun was nagging me to work on the script right away, plus the tickets and invitations. "That wasn't part of my job!" I ranted on everyone in Santa Isabel about my situation. "I was just invited to help them, not take all the burden!..." But that was weeks ago, last year. We only had a serious practice about a week before the play and everything was in a rush, almost close to impossible. The committee members, teachers, complained on the rush wor...