Of Latin incantations and the Nicene Creed

Today, my family and I attended the mass at "Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary" church at Sitio Gaboc, Manolo Fortich. The said mass served as a thanksgiving mass for the church's benefactors. Everything went the usual way except that, well uhm, the entirety of the mass was recited in (aww gaawd) LATIN ! It wasn't actually my first time to hear a mass in straight Latin, but still...

One thing that also caught my attention amid the mass was the recitation of the Nicene Creed. I kinda learned about what Nicene Creed is in one of our RS classes at school. This prayer is a modification of the Apostle's Creed and I never thought that this is still used today. I was just kind of amazed, that's all. :p (The mass booklets consisted of both the English and Latin versions of the Eucharistic rites but as you can see above, it's the English version which I managed to photograph.)

When the mass ended, I was still in a daze. Dazed from all the mind-boggling Latin prayers and utterances. Thank God I still can understand the word Amen which by all means kept me on track of the mass. :p

-amdg

It's okay not to be okay

So while I was doing my random clicking and viewing on Youtube few days ago, I stumbled upon this piece of good music by Jessie J—Who You Are. I watched the song’s music video and at first, I thought it was going to be dull. I was like, ‘Aha! So someone can actually make some scrappy music video by just plainly facing the camcorder. Lemme try this myself and let’s see.’ But as the song continued on and the lyrics started to become clear and comprehendible to my ears, chills started running down my spines. I was then like, ‘Damn! Jessie just did it again.’ And I remembered her previous songs: Price Tag, Nobody’s Perfect, and Who’s Laughing Now. All of which conveyed a certain special message. All of which left a deep impression on me (which I believe is a trademark of a good and beautiful music :p).

So if you’re now feeling low, stressed, defeated, and you think the whole world is closing in on you... that everyone’s sabotaging against you--- take a break. Soothe your soul. Serve your ears with some good music. It’ll help. Somehow. :p

MV link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2WWrupMBAE

Who You Are

by Jessie J

I stare at my reflection in the mirror:

"Why am I doing this to myself?"

Losing my mind on a tiny error,

I nearly left the real me on the shelf.

No, no, no, no, no...

Chorus:

Don't lose who you are in the blur of the stars!

Seeing is deceiving, dreaming is believing,

It's okay not to be okay.

Sometimes it's hard to follow your heart.

Tears don't mean you're losing, everybody's bruising,

Just be true to who you are!

Who you are [x11]

Brushing my hair, do I look perfect?

I forgot what to do to fit the mould, yeah!

The more I try the less it's working, yeah

'Cause everything inside me screams

No, no, no, no, no...

(Chorus)

Yes, no's, egos, fake shows, like BOOM,

Just go and leave me alone!

Real talk, real life, good luck, goodnight,

With a smile, that's my home!

That's my home, no...

No, no, no, no, no...

(Chorus)

“It's okay not to be okay.” Hmmm. Is that a smile I'm seeing on your face right now? Oh yes it is. :))

PS: SEMBREAAAAAK na namo! Bleeehh! XDDDD

Cooking prodigies

Yum yum yum.

Since Junior Master Chef Pinoy Edition aired on Philippine TV, my weekends began to be filled with aromatic smoke-filled kitchen-esque imaginations of myself peeling vegies, grinding spices, boning fishes, chopping, slicing, sauteing... cooking! Well, truth is, I really can't cook. Good thing I'm still capable of imagining! Anyway...

The kids in JMC really amaze me! I mean, I can often hear them utter jargons which are peculiar only for professional chefs. And honestly, even at my age now, I still can't manage to cook an egg properly. But here they are, displaying their cooking prowess and proving each episode that cooking--for them-- is as easy as breathing. * envious * At their tender ages, they already seem to know how to cook every sort of edible things-- from pastries to desserts to foreign dishes to outta-this-world delights! UH-MEY-ZING! Each episode is just so mouthwatering. Each dish they manage to pull off every challenge is just so heavenly to watch! Nakakatakam panuorin. Surely, they do know their stuff.

The following are my bets in JMC:

Bon apetite! :)

Buckling up for this roller-coaster ride

For those of you who are thoughtful enough to ask how I am doing right now or whether or not I’m still alive, good news (assuming that you think it’s good too): I’M STILL ALIVE. And kicking.

Okay. So the last time you heard from me probably was four months ago just before my summer classes began when I decided to make an account of my AY ‘10-‘11 second semester roller coaster ride. I was technically a freshman student then–clueless and terrified. The ride was undoubtedly wild, not to mention, unforgiving. Its ups, downs and loops were nauseating, unpredictable and extreme that it literally shook and threw some of its passengers out of their seats (You’ll get a clearer picture of this when you’re taking up Accountancy. Swear!). Glancing back, I just couldn’t help but be thankful to God that I survived.

Hey, hey. Before things ripen into drama, let me fulfill first my purpose of writing this account–which is basically to make a recap of everything that transpired during the short period of time I was dormant.

***

Scorching tough summer

I originally planned of making a separate account of my summer classes experience but as you may have noticed, it unfortunately did not materialize because of uhm, well, laziness getting the best of me. Anyways, last summer was actually my first summer term here in college. I had Rizal, World Literature, and Applied Chemistry. I was at first flabbergasted of how insanely fast the lessons were covered. Everyday was a marathon of taking up as many chapters or lessons as possible, leaving us by the end of the day perplexed and worn out. Major examinations were held every after two or three weeks and yes, it was tormenting. But, when I finally saw my triple ‘A’ final grade for all the three subjects, boy, I was floating on cloud nine!

Welcoming the freshies

 

ORSEM or Orientation Seminar is a three-day orientation for the freshmen which is usually held a week before the opening of classes. It is an annual university event which started in the year 2008.

Sporting my yellow I ROCK ORSEM ‘11 shirt, I, together with my blockmates, mustered all my courage and confidence as I faced the freshmen last June 1 to 3 for the ORSEM 2011. It was actually unplanned when I enlisted myself to be an ORSEM volunteer. Honestly, I was only swayed to do it because most of my classmates were taking part of it (now that’s a cool volunteer right there! XD). But in the end, I surprisingly found myself enjoying, feeling and rocking the entire colorful event.

Off to the next level

 

Things are much more different now that I’m a second year student. Apart from less-Facebook, more-Face-your-Books policy that I am now setting for myself, here are some of the new things about me and around me which I think are worth sharing:

• I am currently taking eight subjects, namely: Eng. 20, Math 13, BA 1, Econ. 20.1, RS 20, CWTS 1, PE 3 (badminton baby!) and the ever-whatever ACCTNG 4 (Financial Accounting 1, all about assets).
• The university now adopts the M-Th, T-F scheme which means that there are no more lecture classes on Wednesdays (except for some laboratories and PE and NSTP classes).
• Two of my new blockmates are Koreans. I do not know how to spell their names so uhm, let’s just proceed to the next.
• Xavier University has a new president. His name is Fr. Roberto C. Yap, SJ. His hair has a natural bounce and I think he is a great person.
• The university just opened a new college–College of Computer Studies and erected a new building–P41 M Magis Student Complex which looks dashingly gorgeous from the outside.
• And because we’re now sophomores, we are now officially members of JPIA or the Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants, an org for the BSAc students. In fact, JPIA held a couple of weeks ago its JPIA Week culminating program which we had the chance to take part of. It was a night of fun and glam as the Accountancy students competed neck to neck in various competitions, including the Search for Mr. and Ms. JPIA for which our block candidates were Sheena and Leonard. There was also an awarding for the previous semester’s DLs (oh, did I already mention that I was one of them? Wuhahaha)
• I just learned like three weeks ago from my FFP teacher, Mrs. Bobadilla, that my Synthesis Paper in FFP (a subject of mine last year) was actually published in the June issue of the Xavier Magazine (not same as The Crusader). How cool is that? I mean, this is huge deal baby! :P
• Our boarding house is now much more lively because of the boisterous new bunch of freshmen in the house. XD

***

Changes are indeed mushrooming in almost every corner now. What's more is that they happen in almost a split-second. Yesterday I was the anxious freshman, and now I’ve grown to be the more confident sophie. And as constant as these changes are, is the understanding that life must continue on. That the roller-coaster ride is still on. That the ups and downs and loops are still there–unpredictable and extreme. That I'm still gonna keep my grip firm. Still gonna work my butt off. Still gonna buckle up for whatever lies ahead.

(PS: ayha pa nahuman amung midterms. YEEEAAAAHHH!! XDDD)

Bittersweet

It was just last year when I had mine. And today, they had theirs.

And as I watched them march on stage—on white togas and all—I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic about my own high school graduation.

As I watched them receive their diplomas, I remembered how rewarding graduation could be—how the four painstaking years of toil seem to suddenly become so brief.

As I listened to some deliver their speeches, it was like I was hearing again my own voice—the shivering voice of a graduating student who was afraid of what’s waiting ahead of him, but at the same time joyful for reaching such significant moment of his life.

As I watched them swarm around in front of the cameras for their final group pictures, I couldn’t help but miss my high school classmates and schoolmates. Now I realize I should have taken more pictures with them. I shouldn’t have kept the camera on my bag just because I knew that uploading our photos afterwards would be tiresome and a long process. I should have been more patient.

As I looked at the graduates’ proud parents who seemed ready to shout to the world that today their son/daughter is finally graduating from high school, I also wanted to see again the smiles on my parents’ faces—the proud faces of the two great persons who made my high school graduation come into existence.

As I heard them sing their graduation song, I too just couldn’t help but replay in my mind our own graduation song—that song which bespeaks both the happiness of success and the pain of parting.

As I felt the joy emanating from their very souls, my soul too just couldn’t help but rejoice and feel proud of seeing another batch of students who will soon traverse their individual paths towards their dreams.

I know how it feels to finally reap the sweet rewards of your labor.

I know how it feels to finally part ways with your high school friends. It’s painful.

I know it’s frightening to leave your comfort zones. And you think you’re not yet ready.

I know also that it sounds exciting.

The feeling, the mixed emotions— yeah I know it’s overwhelming.

It’s indeed a lot to take in. And it’s bittersweet.

But don’t worry a thing now. Just savor the moment.

Frown and cry because you’ll soon part ways with your friends. It’s normal.

But don’t forget to also smile. Smile because you’ve made it. It was hard-earned, and you deserve it.

Today is your time. Claim it. Cherish it. Live it.

‘Coz a year ago, we had ours. And today, you had yours.

Congratulations MFNHS batch 2011! =)