#its always totga with them

[tiodolma]

in s2 merlin and morgana both really got potential love interests that were killed off in just one episode

freya's death kept merlin in loyalty to gaius and arthur (to servitude)

alvarr's death led morgana to be more readily accepting of morgause's later influence (to freedom)

Destiny fucks.

[semitascriptorum]

Flash Fiction Eleven: A Day to You

“Goodmorning world!!” Josipina said 

Josepina waking up with full energy as always she is the the Daughter of the old mayor here in alabang their family has been bullied or named as The One Day Billionaire Family. 

“Goodmorning mom what are you cooking?” josepina said while looking at her phone.

“Goodmorning anak off to work?” mom of josepina said.

“yes ma kailangan mag work work alam mo naman we need to make sure that kailangan naten makabangon ulit bago ako lumagpas sa calendaryo” josepina chuckled. 

Josepina left the house and ride a jeep to work at call center while she was waiting for the elevator to be open suddenly there is a muscular and tall guy stand beside her. 

The elevator open she enter ignoring the man because she doesn’t care to any man anymore because she only believe in love once. 

Josepina starts her day with clean mind and do all the work.

Exactly 5pm josepina is ready to go home she waited again to the elevator to be open then the man is beside her again.

Jacob reviewing the file of the details about the employee of their company  then he is the shock when he saw the name of her first love.

“Josepina Esmeralda Yuno” jacob said while his stomach has butterflies. 

Jacob waited to the lobby of the building so he can see Josepina. 

After 30 minutes of waiting, jacob saw a woman very stunning women tall, white skin, fit and everything like a model and jacob is to stunned to speak because she saw the lady she always dreaming to see again. 

Jacob went beside her so he can caught the attention of Josepina but to his surprise Josepina didn’t even look at him or give attention to his presence. 

“Damn, this girl is really my type and i cant even stop loving her.” Jacob whispered 

When the elevator open he watch Josepina go out.

While Jacob goes to his office and cant stop thinking about josepina.

“did she really forget me?” jacob asked himself with pure of guilt. 

Its already lunch when jacob see himself on the floor where Josepina working. Jacob see how committed josepina working and he dont know what to do or to act. 

Jacob waited for the time and accidentally see Jospina waiting for the elavator again. Heart of Jacob beats so fast again. 

But josepina doesnt care at all on his presence jacob feel ignored by the love of his life. 

when the elavator open jospina go out first and jaacob follow josepina by eye. 

After the long day of Jacob, tend to rest and party with his friends. but suddenly his dad call.

“Jacob be ready we have a campaign to do this evening.” dad of jacob said.

“ok dad” jacob answer without any emotions. 

Jacob take a deep breathe and take a shower. he choose to wear a blue polo shirt and straight cut beige pants. he also wear the necklace that josepina gave to him when they are 16. 

“Hello stacy wheres my dad?’ jacob asked the secretary of his dad..

“Goodeveing sir your dad is inside his office waiting for you.” stacy said

Jacob nooded and proceed to the office of his dad.

The campaign started and Jacob sitting and just watching how his dad will convice the people to vote him. and suddenly he saw Josepina standing with her friends like they are waiting form someone. 

Jacob starts to speak on the stage doing the things that why he is there.

Josepina (pov)

“Josepinaaaaaaa” Yanna said Best friend of josepina for 15 years.

“yes??? i’m here in the kitchen pasok ka” josepina replied

“Lets go Friday night? girl we deserve to have fun or i should say YOU deserve to have fun!! kaya tara na nag wwait na sila sa plaza susunduin na nila tayo! go take a shower” yanna said

“Hay yanna kahit kailan talaga!! okay chill wait gonna get ready na” Josepina replied.

Josepina wears Blue top and a Mom jeans with high heals wearing her gold watch and necklace. Josepina and yanna go to the plaza while waiting for israel their friend to pick them up.  While waiting they saw a little campaign that they are not interested but yanna poke josepina to look at the speaker. 

“girl diba si jacob yon? yungg totga mo??” yanna said with full of excitement. 

“ha asan, Ohh so pogi ah kamusta na kaya yan?” Josepina said without any emotions 

Josepina is shock because of the super unexpected thing that she saw today, then Israel is there and they are ready to go now. suddenly someone hold the arm of Josepina.

Jacob held the arm of Josepina. 

“oh hello? do i know you?”Josepina said to Jacob pretending to not know him.

“ Come on Josepina I know you remember me, I keep looking at you even your parents didnt allow me to be with you.” Jacob said with full of sadness in face. 

“ oh jacob! hello how are you? its been a year haha” Josepina said with weirdness.

“can we talk?” Jacob said. 

To be continued…..

[hayniacblog]

ok i have a theory and theres like 5 of you left on here so i dont feel weird posting it.

but looking back at wild blue and now totga... hunter recently has talked about his voice change and how hes always been insecure about his voice. which obviously he shouldnt be because hes amazing??

anyways i feel like with the more vulnerable and unique songs hes been putting a filter on his voice. im fully aware hes talked about letting those metophorical filters down but maybe hes doing it unconsciously?? who knows but anyways heres the theory:

so since mrs rona hunter has been making this album almost entirely by himself aside from the things he cant do. which i think is great, however it seems like theres a filter on some songs. in night and day for example (and dont come at me i love that song it was my most played song of 2020 probably my fav hh song ever) theres that weird voice filter thing which ive gotten used to but it doesnt NEED to be there. it doesnt bring anything extra to the song for me id rather just hear his natural voice. however that song is different than any other song hes ever written/actually produced and put out. which i understand why because its the first song that full on implies sex. of course secret love hints at it but this one really says ‘girl you make the stars come out’ which i mean👀👀

Now with TOTGA again love it, i think its a bop but is it just me or can you barely hear his voice? the music is great but the entire point of the song is the lyrics and to hear him sing; and to me it sounds like theres some kind of filter. now i could be wrong and thats the entire reason im putting this on tumblr bc i could just be over thinking but i enjoy hearing these songs live so much more simply because theres not all of the overlays and filters.

i know that was just like a LOT lol i just felt like i needed to put it out there in case anyone was thinking the same thing? again i dont want anyone taking this as i dont like his songs bc i do i LOVE them. It just feels like hes leaning into things that are covering up his talent rather than enhancing it. its really hard to explain but if you know what im talking about pls tell me im not crazy lmao... or you can tell me im crazy thats fine. if you dissagree 100% get it. truth is no matter what he puts out im going to listen and probably love it, but it just something that i havent heard anyone say. just because were his fans doesnt mean we cant make criticisms or observations. (which i wouldnt even call this a criticism bc thats not my intention but yeah) and as all amazing presentations end: so... yeah.

[violaamarysblog]

TOTGA?

Mary Ann Viola

 My life is simple like a typical student who goes to school, after class hang-out with friends then go home that’s my life before.  Until one day it change like a snap!. I was in senior high school this moment actually, this moment I feel like I’m old because senior high school is like college that’s everybody says and also our teachers. But later on it’s like also a high school. I’ve met different people with their different personality and it’s fun to know them because they are proud to their personality either they are not virgins, cheater, fuck boy and fuck girl, and heavy drinker and it doesn’t care to them. It’s new to me because in my junior high school it’s more on academics but we also know to have fun, but not just like them. I was in grade 11 when my friend introduce me to her classmate and it’s ok because my friend said to me that her classmate admire me due to my dancing skills and academic performance in school. I met him, his nice, good looking, rich-kid, generous and sweet. We became close because my friend is also his friend. He started calling me “mahal” every time he see me and it bothers me because he has a girlfriend at that time. Every time my friends heard that, he calling me “mahal” they teased us. We became buddies, he tell me his problem and about his life. But later on aside from calling me mahal everyday he also gave me chocolates, pay for my lunch every time. He introduced me to his girlfriend that I’m his future girlfriend because he love me and I was like why did he say that to his girlfriend. I realized that our closeness is need a limitation. It is vacation I was in Makati when he started to reach out again to me and he also said that they broke up of his girlfriend after the graduation of it. We talked every day and it’s kind of special for me because his willing to give all his time just to talk to me and it builds something new in my heart. Until one night he said that he still love his ex and his going to pursue her again and saying sorry to me. That night I very mad angry on him because I think he just play my feeling, I said to myself that I’m not going to talk to him again. It’s our 1st day of school and we need to fall in line according to our tracks and luckily the next line beside us is their line. I was hiding in the back of my friend because I don’t want to see me by him. His calling my names many times but I decided to ignore him. He tries to apologize to me every day for what he did to me. It takes a month before I accepted his sorry. We became friends again like what we are in grade 11 and started calling me mahal again but in that moment I don’t believed him anymore. For the 2nd time he is serious and saying to all my friends and family that his going to court me. We started to build a special feelings towards each other. And for our 1st date we want to go in taal church and in order to allowed me my friends nee to join us in our 1st date. His the 1st guy I’ve introduce to my family especially to my parents. The weeks goes by our feeling to each other is growing more, we are always together in school, we txt and call each other, he became close to my family and it feels me in peace. One day he ask me to be his girlfriend but because I’m still not allowed to have a boyfriend we stick to be in the level of M.U. He started to become territorial he wants me to stay away from all my classmates which is boys and because I’m tired arguing with him I stay away from them and only allowed to be friends with girls only. It’s a 2nd month and he always surprise me, every morning he gave me flower, chocolates and letters. We also went to church every Sunday because that’s our babe time. We also promise to each other that if we are going to absent, we need to write letter and he always make letter for me even though his not absent it’s simple but it’s more valuable for me “it’s the thing that counts with the thought, not the price itself”. There’s one night happened to him when his drinking with his friend, he was actually to have intersex with a gay, he told me after the day happened. I actually don’t know what to react but because I love him I still accept him and forgive him. On our 2nd semester we need to do our research so he gave me his laptop because my group does not have laptop. In order to help him I’m the doing his assignment, activities, and projects while doing my research also. We actually shared money that time he always gave me his allowance so we can save money and use if we’re going to go out anytime.  Time goes by its been 4 months since we are M.U, we are in library I’m doing my research still and his playing games on my phone after I’m done I’ll try to check his phone and suddenly see in 1 icon there’s a group of nickname their of different call sign, I ask him about that and said to me it’s nothing because I trust him I believe him. On his birth day I surprised him on school I both cake and gift and gave it to him my whole classmates singing happy birthday to him in order to help me to surprise him, actually that time he had grouch to me because he think I forgot his birthday. Then it’s the month of October, my best friend birthday and also his friend, we decided not only us but my whole circle of friends surprise her that day it’s October 16. My friend treat us and he insistently that his not going to eat instead his going home because he need to meet up his friend but I also insist to him that finish the food and then you are freely to go home.I’m going in Tanauan 1st before going home to print our research, but later on, he insist that his going with me and it’s weird because I thought he want to go home that time. We are in Tanauan and his using piso wifi and I remembered that he has a 2nd account that actually I don’t know only his 1st account that I handle, my friend told me that in every 2nd account there’s something hiding their so I got curious and ask him that I want to see his 2nd account. Suddenly his making excuses that his not the one the using his 2nd account it’s his cousin and he doesn’t remembered the password anymore. So for what his doing I got more curious and said to him, ask your cousin to give you that account and he do that. Before I see the account his explaining to me immediately, that’s makes me want more to see the account, and that’s the end of our relationship he cheated on me to a girl who is older than us. I’ve found out that in that day his going to meet that girl and go somewhere that’s why he want to go home early. That time and that day October 16 I felt pain in my heart, I cry a lot and I hide my emotions to my family, it’s hard to accept that the man I trust the most is the one who is going to broke my heart like a snap!.

 It is my 1st heartbreak I don’t know what to do, so my classmate ask me to join them to drink alcohol so in my 1st time I drink alcohol just to fade the pain that I’m feeling. I also don’t go home that time my only excuse to my family is I’m doing my research so they can allow me, but the real is I’m with my different classmates and drinking and having fun they helping me to erase all the pain in my heart. That time also I don’t focus on my studies, I always got lower score in our quizzes which is not me, then my friends saying that I need to focus because we are graduating. Then my ranking inside the school for high honors went down, so I got with honors on graduation. Until I’m not ready to let ho of him so even if he cheated on me I still chase him because I’m scared losing him but he said to me it’s too late because they are already together of that girl. That time the pain is twice than before because it’s only 1 week that I didn’t talk to him he immediately had a new one. I was listening to a one song that time  “ In another life, I would be your girl, we keep all our promises, be us against the world, In another life, I would make you stay, so I don’t have to say you were  the one that got away”. 

[metanoiathewrising]

Revonoia: The Rebirth

             The quote “music brings people together” may be both the most cliché yet accurate description of Revonoia’s archives. Along the years, the band proves how robust music can be. This is justified as the band then again had its debut during Brigada Eskwela ’22: Concert for a Cause.

            Revonoia started as Bandalism on early March 2020. The band was composed of five singers and 2 instrumentalists, back then. Now, the band is composed of four singers and four instrumentalists.

            Paula Deduque is the main vocalist, while these are the sub vocalists: Rizzle Garcia, Irene Gabion, and Aelia Deligero. The instrumentalists are the following: Francois Del Rosario (drums), Jherome Fulo (rhythm), Stephen Aninipot (lead), and Sam Lazarito (bass guitar).

            Last June, the Special Program in Journalism (SPJ) was held at Sorsogon National High School. The band rose up again. Even if they were short in time, they managed to find the missing pieces of the puzzle. They found their drummer and their bassist.

            This band wouldn’t be formed without the help of other people who also play music. Someone guided them throughout their practice and some made them borrow instruments, so that they could practice and perform.

            Despite the challenges they faced during their rehearsals, they executed it perfectly during their performance on the SPJ week. However, they didn’t get the chance to perform their last song, which is their TOTGA (The One That Got Away), ‘Ang Huling El Bimbo’, an original song of Eraserheads.

Meanwhile, after their performance on the SPJ Week, a month has passed and a teacher at their school (SNHS) invited them to perform for a concert for a cause that happened last August 15, 2022 at the school's covered court.

           “Ang saya sa feeling, lalo na kasi nagpay-off yung hardwork namin. Especially, kasi very limited yung time to practice namin.”, Aeila Deligero said.

Irene Gabion said that it was very fulfilling on their part because they didn’t expect for the band to be united once again.

           Aeila also added,” Actually, talagang kinabahan ako that time kasi hindi pa masyadong polished yung performance and it was also my first ever concert experience na kami talaga yung nag perform, I mean in my part kasi namroblema kami sa blending, pero with the help of friends, I was able to calm down and enjoy the show.”

          “Speechless,” Stephen Aninipot said, he was too stunned to even speak.

Rizzle Garcia said that it was very worth it, all the hard work paid off, it was so fulfilling that seeing everyone’s smile behind their masks because it was still very visible because of their eyes, as people call it “eye smile”, and that made me have the drive and motivation to perform well.

​ The fulfillment is always something felt whenever we achieve something great. A great fulfillment after a great performance is something they should always feel. The bond that was made stronger through the years despite these trying times. Revonoia, the band that was made from a ridiculous joke yet consists of very passionate people. A passion that no one can ever take away from them. A band that lives by the power of music will always remain alive.

​

THE END

[youraaaa]

February 16, 2018

10:37pm

 To my TOTGA (The One That God Allowed),

 Hi! For sure, you will be surprised reading this novel-like letter for you. But wait! Look at the date above when I wrote this. Yes, 2018, how many years had passed? I don’t know why I suddenly had the urge to write a letter, maybe I wanted to ease the pain that I am going through right now. Oops, sorry… It’s all about you, not me. So let me start…

Totga- The one that got away. I had so many totga in my life. But I wanted it to be The One That God Allowed because I know God has the right ‘One’ prepared for me.

At the point of your life now when we haven’t met yet, how are you? Are you happy and contented? I hope you are doing fine. Are you in a relationship? If so, I hope you are still enjoying exploring and learning things about love and commitment. It is okay for me so when the right time comes, we’re already matured and we’ll be able to handle our relationship. Are you sad? If so, I hope I can be right beside you just to cheer you up, bully you (sorry but I am a bully) and wipe your tears away (if you are a cry-baby). Are you experiencing a heartbreak right now? If so, all I can do is to pray for you; that you’ll be able to recover from your wounds, be happy and to love again. Are you lost? Are you having a hard time right now? I hope you are clinging to God because He is our rock, our fortress, our saviour and our Lord. You may not know what He is doing but trust His plans. I hope you are enjoying your season, your journey where you need to explore life and to develop yourself.

To be honest, I want to meet you at this season. I want to talk to you until we are drained exchanging our wonderful stories. I want to hug you in times like this; where I am lost, fixing myself and longing to meet you. I want to hold your hand, to travel in the beautiful places with you and to worship the Lord together. I want to know your very soul, your heart. I want to touch your face and look at it even if it is annoying. I want to bully and laugh with you. I want to understand you. I want to reach you. I want to know your family, your life and your hobbies. I want to love you. My heart longs for you. I want to meet you very soon. Where are you now?

But I know it is not the best time for us to meet. I have to endure it and enjoy the season of waiting. As I am writing this letter for you, seems like God is speaking to me right now. All the things written on the 3rd paragraph is like God talking to me how He is longing for my love. He is waiting for me too. Waiting for me to know Him more. I have to be faithful and obey God. I want His will be done because I know it is all for our own good. So let’s trust His love and plans for us. His plans are far better and bigger than ours. In this season of waiting, I promise to enjoy my journey with God. I promise that I will fix myself. I will rise up and walk my life with faith. I am suffering from many sickness-mild depression, migraine, insomnia, low immune system, etc., (in short, I am not a healthy person) my self-esteem was gone, past wounds, I lost my job, and I am still uncertain what the future lies ahead. But don’t worry, I know God is with me. I know that these storms shall pass. I just have to believe in Him. The few slammed doors and unanticipated plot twist happened to me is just the beginning of a new chapter- bigger, bolder, better, and brighter. God serves as my light in the darkness. I hope in your season, you too are clinging on God’s love. He is the greatest provider. I will surrender everything to Him just like what He wants me to do.

On the other hand, I am also grateful that God placed different people in my life for a reason, in seasons. I guess you are grateful too, right? Through them, we had learned many lessons which made us to be a better person. My friends helped me to know more about God that’s why I am thankful. We are continuously changing through the grace of God. I am also grateful why it happened and why it didn’t happened. God is just protecting me. He wants me to reach Him out. And day by day, I am so ecstatic and amazed knowing Him.

At a time like this, I hope you are really okay and enjoying your life. We can never fast-forward time nor request God just to make our paths crossed. Chill, and stay put! We still have lots of time to make ourselves complete. And I hope that by the time when God allows us to meet, we’re already a complete and matured individuals. I don’t have any idea when is the right time, maybe one, two or three years from now, but we have to be strong. I’m sure you too are excited to meet me, to see how I looked like, and to know my heart. My presence may not be there, rather, I may not be right beside you, but you are always tucked in my heart. I am always praying for you. I will patiently wait for you no matter what it takes. I hope you are also praying and longing for me. Actually, I was planning to give you this letter once I already know that ‘you are the one that God allowed’. I’m sorry it took so long but what’s important is we finally have each other. Isn’t it amazing?! There are billion people in the whole wide world and it’s just you? HAHAHAHA! Brace yourself because I will annoy you forever.

You know God is really amazing, right? He is the perfect matchmaker. I thank Him for many heartbreaks, lessons, people He sent me for a season just to teach me lessons, and for molding me. Why? Because from all the failed relationships (by the way, I only had 3 ex-boyfriend at this time haha, 1st it takes 4yrs, 2nd 2yrs, and last 6 or 9months) and almost relationships/ totga (the one that got away), it all leads to you. Yes, JUST YOU (KIDDING! HAHA), ONLY YOU, YOU- My soul mate and my other half. I am thankful because it is you. I couldn’t ask for more. Seems like the missing piece of my soul finally found its place. We are so blessed. This letter gets too cheesy, and I know you are so ‘kilig’ where your smile almost reached your eyebrows. HAHAHA!

Thank you, TOTGA. You never gave up searching for me. After all we’ve been through, our hearts found its way to be together. The search is finally over! May we grow together with Christ as our center. Praise the Lord for He made our paths intertwined. He is the greatest author of our lives so we should forever praise and follow Him.

I love you and I always will. (SORRY NA! I AM A HOPELESS ROMANTIC AND A FRUSTRATED WRITER SO I’M A SWEET, CLINGY AND CHEESY GF. BEAR WITH IT! OR ELSE I WILL KICK YOUR ASS!). Are you still breathing or did you die because of kilig? HAHAHA KIDDING!

 Your TOTGA (THE ONE THAT GOD ALLOWED),

A

2/17/18

[buttercookiesncream]

To My One Got Away,

Today is , March 21,2020.

The day you decided to forgive me on what I have done.

I thought, everything will alright, But I guess I was wrong.

Today is the day that you choose to let go of the relationship that we both take care of.

I promise Everything to you that I will love you unconditionally. I always remind you that no matter what will happen I will never let Go of this relationship that I've fought Hard so many times.

But today I'm sorry, I'm sorry if I am the one who broke that Promises that I always whispered in your ear, on How great man you are. I'm sorry if I loosened up a bit and choose other Person to be my other source of strength. Im sorry if I got tempted and made a decision that will broke the both of us and lastly Im sorry if I am the one who cause you Pain.

You shared to me, How happy your dream was, I came to your family gathering, meeting your Auntie Jeneth and You are happy because Finally I meet your family. That was your always dream about that one day, I will meet them.

But due to my mistakes, your dream will just remain your dream. I commit a mistake that Made of us miserable. I tell you everything, I told you what I did. You kept telling me that you're on a Goodmood because of your dream, But because of my decision I ruined it.

I don't want to let you go, But I guess. This is the best way. You always said that you want to be free from me. And yes this day April 21,2020. The day That both of us will be end.

Thankyou so much Aiz. My heart was in pain and broken but I guess its time for me to let you go and The best thing that I will do was to set you free.

I will always remember on how the both of us meet. How I was captivated by your smile and your eyes that Always twinkle everytime you talk about your passion.

You will be my son, from jason, My baby, my yaya (yayain sa altar), my totga, My Jason who thought on how life can be cruel.

Thankyou for appreciating me jason. Thankyou. I love you so much

Love,

𝓙𝓸𝓷𝓷𝓪 𝓜𝓪𝓮 𝓜𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓲𝓷

[angeltriestoblog]

Sophomore year recap, vol. 1

Funny how I only ever go on this blog to give sporadic life updates, which are honestly just lengthier versions of what goes on my Instagram dump. But, I'd hate to let this practice die—plus, I love to write, so it continues for another year. I recently wrapped up my first semester of sophomore year—yet another testament to how fast time flies by—and it's safe to presume that it was the most rewarding chapter of my stay in Ateneo, thus far. I admit I did spend most of my freshman year in my comfort zone (while still managing to make my fair share of rookie mistakes, go me!). Although I don't completely blame myself for not being able to adjust from the get-go, I do admit that my life would have been much easier if I didn't take so long to warm up to the idea of embracing change and taking risks. Upon realizing this, there was a certain pressure that came with it to make up for lost time and try to do as much I could before my body eventually gives out.

For starters, I became more active in the three organizations I am a member of, all of which demanded so much of my energy, and pushed my brain power and time management skills to the test, but were very fulfilling to be in nonetheless. (A little note from Editing Angel: This is where this post starts to look a little bit like a LinkedIn profile.)

I signed up to be a part of the Sanggunian, the student government of the University, under the Commission on Mental Health, since I am an advocate for challenging the stigma that surrounds this issue, as well as providing the proper support to those who need it. I was eventually put under Secretariat, where I was in charge of the databases and documents, taking minutes of the meeting, and updating attendance and post trackers. Although it wasn't the department I had originally planned on getting into, I did enjoy learning about the more technical side of the team and took pride in the fact that I was able to put some of the lessons I learned in ITM over intersession to good use. And by that I mean conditional formatting, but whatever ok!

But, at some point the forces of the universe decided to pull some strings and bring me to my first choice: Humans of Ateneo (HOA), a page that aims to share stories of those within the Ateneo community with the hopes of inspiring others. To this day, I work there as a literary editor, who is basically in charge of transcribing recordings of interviews and turning them into the text posts our audience sees on their Facebook timelines. I love what I do right now, because not only do I feel endlessly inspired by each story of resilience I encounter, but also fulfilled since I am partly responsible for getting that story out there for the rest of the world to see. But, I guess it wouldn't be entirely wrong to say that my favorite story so far has to be Mayor Vico Sotto's, especially because HOA Core (minus Marice, and plus Yanna) and I travelled all the way to Pasig City Hall to hear it from him in the flesh. I can confirm that he is definitely more good-looking in person, that he establishes eye contact when he speaks, and that he is one of the most insightful and substantial human beings I've ever met.

Since being a part of the team, I have also had access to opportunities both within the sub-commission and Sanggu, as a whole. I've been given leadership positions that allowed me to step up to the plate, one of which was directing a video we launched in celebration of World Mental Health Day. My co-project head Bel and I had to conceptualize it from scratch based solely on a spoken word poem given to us, and plan and plot its shooting over the course of one week—definitely a feat given our conflicts in schedule, and the unpredictable weather. Next year, I'll be pretty hands-on when it comes to manning the Peer Support Group of our commission, as I have been assigned as a member of the core team, so that's definitely something to watch out for.

I've attended active listening workshops to help me be better in tending to the needs of others: by either providing them with a newfound support system, or sharing sound advice. I was a part of the sub-core team behind Humans of Ateneo: IRL, where prestigious alumni were invited to speak on their journeys, much like three HOA posts come to life. I also ended up emceeing a freshman drug talk all by myself, because I was only informed at the very last minute that my co-host had other commitments to attend to. I remember practically shaking from the nerves and squealing right in front of the speakers that day, but I managed to pull through with more confidence and less awkward finger guns than I thought possible.

I think this is the org where I took the most initiative and was therefore the busiest, but I didn't mind at all because I was surrounded by such wonderful people. I met most of my team over intersession during a workshop that I wasn't even wholeheartedly willing to attend (because it coincided with what was my last chance to catch Ben&Ben live on their Limasawa Street tour), and thus wasn't expecting much out of. But, we meshed so well together almost instantly as we opened up to one another about experiences and secrets we only would have shared to our closest friends. The acceptance and belongingness was palpable from that point on, and it continues to manifest in how strong our bond is right now.

Aside from that, I got in The GUIDON, the University's student publication, as a Features writer. This is going to sound like such a humble brag, but I honestly didn't expect to be accepted. I'm well aware of how rigorous the week-long application process is, I got the news from friends who failed to make the cut and even saw it for myself during the general assembly they held specifically for applicants. I remember checking my e-mail and being greeted by a list of requirements I needed to accomplish for both of the staffs I applied for: mock articles, interviews, live tweets that all needed to show my unique writing style and authentic take on issues both in and outside the four walls of the campus, that were so overwhelming in scope that I had to call up a friend just to yell in her ear for 10 straight minutes. For the next few days after, tears were shed, friends were ghosted, drafts were created then scrapped, fished out of the Recently Deleted folder, and revised in an endless and vicious cycle—I don't think I had ever written as eloquently, gone as long without checking my phone, or listened to only one playlist on loop for literal days prior to those moments, and yet I was still very unsure of my chances because I knew I was up against some tough competition: veteran staffers of high school publications, and liberal arts majors who looked like they had more personality in their thumbs than I did in my entire body. I remember beating myself up for backing out of my second choice (hi Vantage), which would significantly decrease my chances of getting in. It's just that I knew I was incapable of submitting anything that wasn't half-assed at that point, and I couldn't bear to show them anything that I myself could not give an Angel Seal of Approval.

Thankfully, all of my hard work paid off eventually. Only two days after I had submitted the folder containing my requirements to the respective editor, I was working on a paper in a cafe (the table adjacent to the door of Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Robinsons Galleria, to be very exact) when I received the acceptance letter in my inbox. I burst into tears, crumpled to the floor, and replied with the most articulate response I could muster: “SKLDFJSDLKFJSDLKFJSDLFJSLFSDKJ THANK YOU SO MUCH I am literally crying in the middle of this coffee shop.... thank you.... so much....”

As of this writing, I've published two articles under Features: one about the ghosting phenomenon that remains prevalent in romantic relationships, and another about the experiences of Ateneans with autism spectrum disorder. My job honestly feels like both work and a vacation at the same time, because it allows me to talk about a diverse set of topics with interesting people who are experts in the field, while doing what I feel like I'm best at. But, since a part of me will always consider Vantage my TOTGA, I took on some extra work for them and wrote a film review on "G!", a movie that came out as part of the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino earlier this year, which has proven itself to be the worst I've seen in my entire life for reasons I cannot even begin to explain. I didn't necessarily have high expectations of it upon seeing the trailer, but I hyped myself up for it nevertheless. I even bought tickets for me and my friend Christine online because I was afraid that they would be sold out, and we dashed out of our MSYS classroom as soon as our professor said goodbye to book a Grab and hurry to SM North EDSA to make it to our screening... only to barge in the theater and see that we were the only two people in the cinema. I mean, there was one couple in the far corner, but they didn't look very present. In addition to that, I did a food review on a JSEC stall called Chopsticks. I honestly think that food is the most challenging topic to write about, because it's hard to convey how something tastes. When someone asks me to describe the viand I'm eating, I often end up just giving them a spoonful so they can see for themselves. But, I hopped on it anyway, because how could I even say no to sampling an entire menu of Chinese food for free? Several plates of dimsum and chicken later, I gave them a well-deserved five star rating and consider myself as a frequent diner. The experience was made extra fun since I was able to chat with the owner of the business, and my photographer who turned out to be someone I followed on Instagram way back in 2015 and admired for how clean and curated her feed was! (Hi, Kim and Alexis hehe)

As if all of the things mentioned above weren't already enough, I also covered a talk on the future of scientists in the Philippines (which I also have an article on—this goes to show just how diverse the scope of my work can get), attended workshops on feature writing and the relation of journalism and mental health, participated in a rally against professors involved in sexual harassment cases in the Ateneo (pretty badass behavior, if you ask me!), and became a facilitator for a high school publication in this event called Point One. I guess I have The GUIDON to thank for my lack of writer's block: they've managed to keep my brain running on hyperdrive, and my creative juices flowing more than they ever have before.

Last but not the least, of course I chose to stay in my home organization, ACTM. Although I didn’t run for any position or apply to be a part of the Leaders Core (yet), I did my best to make myself visible and show my support in any of the events we participated in or projects that we spearheaded. I signed up as a part of the logistics subcore for the annual Prepcourse, where I helped out with set design and ran some errands for officers in the different booths they manned throughout that day. I honestly have a soft spot for the project, since I remember that the first time I felt genuinely happy during freshman year was during my own Prepcourse (Orsem didn't really do it for me, sorry friends) so even though I missed the chance to be a facilitator, I still wanted to be a part of the event in some way. I also hung out with blockmates and friends all throughout Tambay Week, supported our candidates for Mr. and Ms. SOM, as well as our dance team for RIB eliminations, and dressed up as Kim Possible for the annual Halloween party we held—I was even able to go with Ron Stoppable, thanks to my friend Iverson, who dressed up as him as a surprise.

Although the obvious highlight of my stay in ACTM so far has to be attending LEAP, a three-day leadership training seminar in Iba, Zambales. I remember this particular moment where I was wandering around the beachfront, lowkey frolicking in the water, while my groupmates were playing capture the flag. (In my defense, I was never the physically adept type of person, and knew I'd be helping my team out more if I stayed out of the playing area and cheered on them from the sidelines. But, anyway, I digress.) I could see the golden flecks of sunlight glistening on the waves, and the froth from the seawater hitting my toes, and when I looked back beyond the shore, I saw my friends having fun, running back and forth across the sand. As cliche as it sounds, I couldn't help but mutter to myself, "Wow."

Because at that time last year, I clearly remember being slumped on my couch, scrolling through one LEAP-related IG story after another, feeling this sense of FOMO that I didn't know how to deal with. On one hand, I hated that I wasn't part of something that looked equal parts fun and value-adding, but at the same time, I knew that if I were there, I'd be sticking out like a sore thumb and suffering all the more because I was at the point where social interaction had become physically painful for me. Maybe that's why this LEAP was extra special to me: besides all of the great people I met and the insights I picked up along the way, it served as a reminder of how far I've come, and how much farther I have to go during the rest of my stay in college.

(That honestly would have been the perfect way to end this post, but I have so much more I have to cover. How anti-climactic.)

Aside from my newfound love for organization life, I gained a lot of new friends and strengthened the ties I have with old ones. Back then, I was very selective of those I talked to and let in my circle: I let first impressions get the best of me, or allowed shyness to take center stage every time there was a chance to meet new people. Now, I'm close to both blockmates and batchmates: I go to their birthday celebrations, support events that they're a part of, hang out in their condo units to binge on fastfood, or sometimes just sit on the Matteo Steps with them in the middle of doing requirements to vent for 10 minutes before begrudgingly returning to our tables.

I miraculously also had time to sneak in some pretty fun stuff in my schedule despite my workload. Although I wasn’t able to prioritize making content for this blog, I got my writing on the national paper! It was in the first semester of my freshman year when I heard about Inquirer Youngblood from my English professor. Apparently, they accept essays about any topic under the sun from anyone aged 29 and below. Since I felt there would be no harm in trying, I crafted this little piece that aimed to show a different side of being an only child, as opposed to the “spoiled and entitled” stereotype that is usually stuck on us. I didn’t get my hopes up so as to not be disappointed, so when a couple of days had passed and my article wasn’t showing up on print, I gave up and moved on. Good thing my friend Bea sent me a photo of the September 8 issue of the newspaper (coincidentally the same day I got accepted into The GUIDON!), or else I wouldn’t have seen that I got published. I admit that even though writing is all I’ve ever really known since I was young, I’m not a hundred percent confident in my skill, nor do I always see the purpose behind what I do. But, it’s instances like that, that remind me of why I keep at it.

Another capital-G Great thing that happened was getting tickets to the UAAP men’s basketball championship game! As someone who made Ateneo her dream school at age five because of how much she loved the Blue Eagles, witnessing them end the season with a sweep and a championship was everything to me. And getting to do so with my closest friends in my block just made the experience even better than it was. Also, seeing Renzo Subido play in person—all my friends can attest to the fact that I was facing a huge moral dilemma mid-game, because every time he made a basket, I would end up cheering for him. (With a face like that, how could I not though)

I even found my way back in the gig scene after a long hiatus, with no less than Ang Bandang Shirley, Over October, and Munimuni welcoming me back with open arms. I had got tickets on a whim with my friend from my days as a full-on K-Pop stan, Reanna, even though it was the weekend before a big Accounting exam, if I remember correctly. But, I have no regrets: I have a feeling that very few moments in life can make me feel the way I did when Umaapaw (one of my favorite songs in the world) was being played right in front of me. Surprisingly, I didn't cry when that happened—same for Wait and Sa Hindi Pag-alala, but then again maybe I was too dazed to process what was going on.

I saw Ben&Ben just a week ago, which served as the perfect way to cap off this stressful semester. The last time I saw them was way back in October 2018: conflicts in schedule due to prior commitments, or location issues kept getting in the way that it's like they had to take matters into their own hands and head on over to Ateneo just so I could see them again. Although they didn't perform my favorite song, I can't exactly say that I was disappointed because nothing really beats the feeling of seeing them and singing along to tracks that have served as the soundtrack of my life, and are practically etched on my heart. (I am actually tearing up just writing this paragraph god am I emo! I miss them already, wow! Just wanna hear Araw-Araw live, what do I do about this!)

I also managed to finish all 10 seasons of Friends despite my irregular viewing patterns—I started it during our trip to the States before the school year began, and constantly teetered between watching one or two episodes as a reward for finishing a reading due the next day and binging one season during rare weekends that do not require working on deliverables but honestly could have been used to get ahead in lessons. This is a pretty big deal, considering that I have the attention span of a sleep-deprived cockroach and haven't finished a single White People Show since... well, Austin & Ally back in 2017 (which I actually marathoned on Dailymotion, but that's a story for another day). But, I guess there's just something special about this group of pals going through the motions of their everyday lives in the eccentric, sometimes borderline stupid ways that only they can, because I admit: the emotional investment was and is very, very real! I personally identify myself as a Chandler-Rachel hybrid now (thank you, Iverson), try to see which character the people I meet are like most out of fun, and argue to no end with anyone who ever claims that Ross and Rachel (1) were on a break, and (2) are endgame.

Most importantly, I was able to do all of this and still clinch a spot on the Dean's List. I started this semester on an optimistic note: I found all of my subjects interesting, and the professors who taught them, engaging. I'd even make notes on the readings the day before they were to be discussed in class, complete with pops of color here and there courtesy of my fineliner pens and Stabilo highlighters. But, once I reached the halfway point, my motivation started waning. Papers and quizzes, oral exams and video projects were thrown in my direction at breakneck speed: I often found myself cramming output for the sake of having something to submit, and not even having the time to look at readings due for discussion the following day. It came to a point where I thought of shifting out, because I felt I wasn't doing well enough in my majors to justify my stay. Sounds pretty stupid when I look back at it, I guess I simply mistook extreme stress and fatigue with falling out of love with the only program that I ever wanted to get in when I was applying for Ateneo. Thank God I didn't give up though, or else I wouldn't be able to enjoy the fruits of my labor right now. I honestly wasn't expecting stellar grades, considering the number of extracurricular commitments I took on, but now that they're there, I'm not complaining at all! Shoutout to my favorite professors of the semester: Mam Vaswani, who taught me that there is always room for improvement even in my own area of expertise; Sir Atienza, who made lectures feel like casual kwentuhans (or sometimes even chillnumans); and Sir Rebato, who broke the world record for longest patience in the world.

I guess it's safe to say that I am the happiest and most content I have been in a while, and although I am afraid of jinxing it, I feel like it's only gonna go upward from here. I am beyond excited to see where the new year and semester take me, because I know I'll do my part in making sure it's even better and brighter than this one. If you read up to this point, you deserve a pat on the back! Maybe you only scrolled to this point to see if there were any pictures with your face on them, but who cares! It adds to my website traffic, so thank you, happy holidays, and I wish you nothing but love and light always!

[flxblog]

Pinoys in US, Canada thrilled to see their Kapuso idols

Sikat Ka, Kapuso! concerts take social media by storm

GMA Pinoy TV’s Sikat Ka, Kapuso! was a huge hit among Filipinos abroad as the back-to-back shows featuring Kapuso Drama King Dennis Trillo, Ultimate Star Jennylyn Mercado, Kapuso Premier Drama Actress Lovi Poe,Pambansang Bae Alden Richards, Kapuso comedian Betong Sumaya, and Kapuso Primetime King Dingdong Dantes took New Jersey and Toronto by storm.

The shows held at the Newark Symphony Hall, New Jersey last April 7 and Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto last April 8 were flocked by excited Pinoys who came from different parts of America and Canada. Fans travelled all the way from New York, Florida, Texas, Michigan, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton, St. Laurent and Montreal, Ottawa, and Windsor just to see their Kapuso idols perform on stage and get the chance to take photos with them.  

The Kapuso abroad also took to social media how much they enjoyed watching Sikat Ka Kapuso! which became a trending topic over the long weekend.  

"One of the best shows I've watched in years,” Joyce Andes-David wrote on Facebook. “[It was] filled with fun, laughter and such wonderful talent and all out performances. Grabe! We're still talking about it!"

“Very entertaining. We were laughing from beginning to end!" said Marilyn Gacilos Abiva from Queens, New York.

Jocelyn Escanlar, a GMA Pinoy TV subscriber from Cambridge, Ontario, wrote that even though they always see the artists in their respective TV programs, seeing them in real life is a totally different experience. “We knew they were tired because of their hectic schedule/jet lag and yet their performance level was very high,” she said.

“The experience we had is something that we wish for every Filipino / Filipino at heart to have. Even though it was cold in Toronto and we are far away from the Philippines, the show made us feel like we were back home. It was a night that we truly enjoyed and will not easily forget. Thanks to GMA for bringing them to Toronto, Canada,” Jocelyn added.

Instagram user @mahalo005, meanwhile, said “I’m so happy! Worth it pagpunta ko dito, galling pa ako sa Texas. Thank you Kapuso napakabait nilang lahat. @aldenrichards02, di ka pa rin nagbabago mabait at gwapo ka pa rin! I had so much fun! Thank you Betong, Dennis, Jennylyn, Dingdong, Alden, I love you Kapuso!”

Twitter user Ems noted the positive things about the show. “Ganda ng team work ng 6 artists, they blend well. Ganda ng repertoire ng show. Nanonood sila ng TOTGA. I heard screaming Liam and Alex both in New Jersey and Toronto. The audience enjoyed the show. Congratulations! @gmapinoytv,” she said.

The Kapuso artists, despite the cold weather, tirelessly prepared for the shows and gave their all to provide the Kapuso brand of quality entertainment. They offered a variety of song and dance numbers that reminded the audience of home as well as laughter and kilig that the crowd surely loved.

Dennis expressed his gratitude to his fellow Pinoys for the warmth they received during their brief stay in the East Coast. “Kung gaano po kalamig dito, ganun naman kainit ang pagtanggap ninyo sa amin. Salamat po, mga Kapuso!”

Jennylyn also thanked everyone who supported their shows. “Maraming salamat po sa lahat ng mga nagpunta. Sa uulitin! Magkita-kita po tayo!” 

Lovi was nothing but grateful for the love and energy that the audience gave her during their show. “That was amazing. Napawi pagod namin sa inyo. Maraming salamat, mga Kapuso!” On the other hand, Alden said that spending time with his supporters in the US and Canada was his way of saying thanks to them. “We’re very happy to see them. Maraming salamat at sana makabalik po kami, napakainit ng pagtanggap ninyo sa amin,” he said. Betong said seeing the venue filled with an excited crowd really made him forget about his jetlag. “Ibang iba yung pagtanggap nila sa amin, lalo na nung pag-labas namin sa stage, ang daming tao! Binigyan ako ng energy boost ng mga tao! Sana hindi po ito ang ating una at huling pagkikita and please subscribe sa GMA Pinoy TV para lagi kayong amazing!,” said Betong.

Lastly, Dingdong acknowledged the Kapuso abroad for coming together to enjoy the concert with them. “Alam ko marami sa atin ang napapasaya ng GMA Pinoy TV, mga Kapuso of all ages. Thank you mga Kapuso! Sana makauwi kayo sa Pinas very soon!”

Sikat Ka, Kapuso! is a GMA-produced event which aims to bring Filipinos abroad closer to home via its international channels GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV, and GMA News TV International.

Partner carriers in the US and Canada also joined the party. Representatives from Charter Communications and RCN attended the New Jersey show while Canadian carriers Bell and Rogers set up booths at the Toronto show.

For more updates on Kapuso events abroad, follow GMA Pinoy TV on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram (@gmapinoytv), and visit the GMA Pinoy TV official website at www.gmapinoytv.com. (30)