::Thursday, June 21, 2007::
Gasp. My first art class starts in a few hours, and I'm shaking like Outkast's polaroid picture >_O

Why so nervous, I rhetorically ask myself? Because my first two students are witty, and think art classes are useless, since their idol, world renowned Van Gogh, never took art classes. What's worse is that I've never met them before either, or maybe I have and I just can't attatch a face to their names, so I have no idea what to expect.
Yet it's nevertheless exciting. Both kids love abstract, and abstraction just so happens to be my favorite style. So...we'll see how this will turn up.
And this is the start of my now busy summer. Thank God, being confined at home for long hours with nowhere to go has raised my insanity level to an unbearable amount. Next weekend will especially be busy; according to my calendar, I teach four kids everyday with the exception of Thursday, when I teach seven. HHHHHhhhaaaa. ><
My little studio is set up in our basement, where I've got a covered table, decent lighting, and shelves of art supplies which I got cheap since Rag Shop is *sniff* closing.

Alright so backtracking a little...last Friday was when I finally bought a freakin Wii. Willowbrook had only 3 Wii's in their shipment, and Jessi and I, being the cool people we are, bought all three; for me, her, and the Deseos, who were also on the desperate Wii search. I'd say it's definitely worth the 9.99 on the console, but the rest of the 'accessories' are mad expensive. I mean, a .99 remote? A remote charger for .99? Games for .99? This is just as bad as Apple's accessories.

On Saturday was when our family and the Deseo's went to Keansberg Shore!


It was especially a good day, since the tide was low and not many people were there.


Of course Monika and Jezreel had fun with the boogie-board and alligator float. Although I didn't bring my swimsuit, you are able to travel about 50-100 ft out into the sea and the water is still knee high.


Moi with those two poos ^_^


After going to the arcade and eating, Jez and Monika went back to create a sand castle with a huge-ass moat.


Lo' and behold. The Bambilla's were there too, celebrating Caren's birthday. Caren went out with her friend on the roller coaster rides while Sarah, Grace and Dave were creating a sandcastle of their own.


Sigh. It was such a peaceful day overall. It's because of the Filipino blood in me that I am so drawn to the beach <3 <3

Aiyah! The kids are coming soon! I must go!

::Friday, June 8, 2007::
Bah...I wake up from a nap to find that the right side of my head is throbbing. I swear I slept on my left side the whole time so it's probably from my scalp being pulled too tight when tied into a ponytail. Yeesh. Is it GOD's way of telling me I should add an entry? A weird interpretation indeed but I'll definitely go for it.
Hm, so I have to start by taking back what I concluded in my last entry, last week was amazing! On VERY (I cannot emphasize that enough) short notice, my cousin from the Philippines, Ate Bisten, has arrived here in Jersey. Actually she's been interning in Miami since March in an immigration law firm (my God...) before coming up here. The last time I've seen her was when i last visited the Philippines, so that's got to be...ten years?

Well THAT proves how much time I've been attempting to get in touch with my ethnic roots...

Now when I said she came on short notice, I meant I was glancing at my email at 1am and learned she would arrive on our doorstep in 13 hours. Blame Louise and Ate Bisten's lack of internet access. Problems include running around and cleaning the damn house, and thinking of what we could do during the weekdays when I don't have the car. So last Wednesday, Ate Bisten shows up, as spunky and as pinay as I last remember =) For most of that day I would ask about how the rest of the family's doing back home, what she's been up to, and sharing some pictures.
So Thursday and Friday, once my parents were off to work and Monika's in school, Ate Bisten and I had intense bonding time. First we would wake up at 10 am to eat waffles, then go on long walks to show her around town. We've talked about basically EVERYTHING (that needs additional emphasizing too), from her adventures and hilarious misadventures in Miami, to a suspect from a famous case she studied hitting on her, to rumors and updates amongst the family, to general music taste XP.
The most amazing part is that...we've realize that our view of the world, and our ourselves, are almost identical! Every problem she's emotionally experienced, I've felt, and whatever confusion has dwelt inside me, she understands. Whenever we try to explain our own interpretation of something , we could easily finish each other's description. What ‘s so amazing is that I feel much less alone and misunderstood, regarding my thoughts and actions, because Ate Bisten has committed them too. Now I’m not trying to sound all cheesy or anything, but I just cannot stress the sensational feeling you feel when you meet someone who sees and understands who you are. Ate Bisten especially since she knows my family and has seen what I’ve gone through to be who I am now. I truly thank God for the long walks awe had and the time Ate Bisten and I spent in understanding who we are =D

Alright! Now on to some pictures! Because of course, if you haven't been to the states in a decade, how could you not spend at least one day in New York? For the long walks we took previously, I said how they were "practice walks" for our New York adventure. This includes: walking around Timesquare, Rockefeller, visiting Natural History, the Met, MoMa, walking across Central Park, visiting Tita Lina and Michael (family friends), eating at John's Pizzeria, walking around Soho and Chinatown, then back up to the top of the Empire State Building.

Could you do that in the span of one day? No. You can't.



Yup. That's both of us alright, in the middle of timesquare at 9am. Don't let my long pants deceive you, the temperature was a sticky and scorchy 85 degrees.



Tita Lina, Michael, Ate Bisten and I at John's Pizzeria. Tita Lina insisted that we should just eat at our place, but Ate Bisten wanted to taste AUTHENTIC New York Pizza. It was totally worth it though, because their pizzas was one of the best pizzas we've tasted. The funniest part was that Tita Lina ordered another pie, and once our second pie was placed down, I spotted a small little hair on top of a small slice of tomato. Normally I wouldn't report such a small thing, but I told Tita Lina anyway. Of course she freaked out and asked for a completely new pie. Michael, Ate Bisten and I were cracking up as we saw the confused waitress take away the pie, and show it to the pie-makers [they were like 30ft across from us] who were frowning. I really hope I didn't get someone fired ><
A little side-story. Michael isn't a direct relative, but a very close family friend who'se lived in the Philippines for a couple of years. Most of the time at the restraunt Ate Bisten, Michael and I were reminiscing of the times we all hung out in Lola's Van, the Bataan graveyard, and of course, spooky Bataan stories. XP



Chinatown! Of course I had to get some siopao for mom and dad. Little did I realize once I purchased them, that I would hafta carry 12 steam porked buns to the top of the Empire State Building. Damn.



Michael [who tagged along with us after Tita Lina left] and I on our way to Little Italy. Ate Bisten loved the idea of taking 'candid' pictures, so she would have Michael and I first walk a bit, and then ask us to turn around.



Kidrobot! Where I got Jessi's birthday donuts XD



This has got to be the best picture of all. Well, not only was this taken while we were online to Empire's Observatory Deck [see me carrying that box of siopao?] but the best part is HOW we were able to keep this picture. Sorry to say I cannot reveal how, due to my paranoid feeling that someone who reads this could be linked to the FBI XP



And finally, us three on 86th floor of the Empire State building, behind the gate that overlooks the Queens. We stayed there for about an hour, just gazing over the horizon. Despite the harsh winds, it was quite relaxing. Ate Bisten stated that she wouldn't mind if she could just stay up there forever, looking over the city.

Sigh, but of course, all things had to come to an end. We parted with Michael and took the 11pm bus back home. One thing I was really greatful about was seeing her smiling happily while we went through the city. I guess you don't appreciate New York as much until you see it through a tourists eyes.
And now she's left our house and will be leaving for the Philippines either tomorrow or Sunday. It makes me sad thinking about it. But hey, because of her, I just might make a friendster account so as to keep in close contact with her, along with my other cousins waaaay on the other side of the world.
So until my art classes start, I guess I'll just be here at home. With milk, brownies, and Dragonball Z. XD

::Tuesday, May 29, 2007::
HAPPY 17TH BIRTHDAY TO MY DEAR JESSICA!



Ha ha. I look like such an ass in that beach picture; but when I'm with you Jess, I don't care if I act like a big fool! As long as it keeps you happy, I do not mind <3.

Alright so this was my weekend, in pictures:



So Saturday morning I bring Jezreel and Monika to this little fair in honor of Youth Appreciation week. I kept nagging them to try out all of the rides there (99% of the "rides" were either inflatable castles or inflatable slides) but they'd rather go to the art booths and work on the crafts. Now I know that as an artist, I'd appreciate this gesture more, but instead, I was too impatient and wanted to move about instead of sitting there and watching them make stuff ><.



But I DID manage to coax them to wrestle on this inflatable ring. Monika basically PWNED Jezreel; she wouldn't even let Jezreel stand up!



The main reason why I chaperoned those two is becuz we were invited to Lissa's birthday party! Hooray! Those three are reunited once more!



And of course, we were the three eldest in the party. But we [hopefully] didn't mind.



So Jessi, Meeks and I basically hung out together while watching the rest of the nine-eleven year olds play games. One game I found hysterical was when the kids divided into partners, and one half went to the other side, and must run to find their respective baseballs with a large bag over their head. Their partners were to call out their names, guiding them to their baseballs. The sight of a bunch of bags with little legs protruding out and running was priceless.



Surprisingly, some of Lissa's friends were the students I taught during private art lessons with Mrs. Z! Jeanna and Chris here are one of my favorite students <3 <3.

Afterwards, Mico, Jess and I decide to do some shopping...well mostly them. I was dead broke at that time. Sigh, it was so good hanging out with them again- even though its mostly me and Jessi, Mico's usually hanging out with other friends, or busy at home.

So that was all Saturday [yeah I lied. I mean to say 'Alright so this was my Saturday in pictures']. Today, as a celebration of Jessi's birthday and passing her Road Test, we both hung out by playing some good ol' n64 and shopping. Ah, the memories that raced through our mind when we played Pokemon Snap and the ORIGINAL Mario party. We've almost forgotten how "box-like" the graphics were, yet the games are awesome nonetheless. In fact, that's what I've been spending most of my time doing now, trying to beat Pokemon Stadium 1 & 2, since I never came around to finishing them. I hardly think it's worth it, since I've forgotten how strategy doesn't really play a crucial role in beating the trainers. Damn.

Well, that should about wrap it up. Since I'm not working these days are painfully going by. However, that is all about to change when my COUSIN FROM THE PHILIPPINES COMES OVER! And that means the next few entries will probably filled with our adventures at home/new york/wherever!

::Thursday, May 24, 2007::
Trust me. I DO feel really bad that the days between each entries are quite long. I guess that it comes to the point that I only write when I feel like expressing myself to some non-specific void out there. So here comes another entry, dedicated to you, dear void.

Overall, the outcome of this computer with the wiped-out hardrive is not as bad as I thought it would be. The virus protectors are in trial-use (we never re-install after the trials expire, so I guess once that happens, the comp's life is doomed again), and the downloading time is super fast. Benjay taught me how to upload ipod music without the use of a program, but the only hassle is reorganizing the itunes playlist. Only downside I care about is that my limewired Adobe programs are all gone, meaning this layouts gonna stick around for awhile. But I guess its all fine, it'll make me less dependent on this computer once I return to Pratt.

So until the end of June, I'll be lounging around the house, watching movies, playing video games, or SLEEPING. Ahh, feeling once again like a good ol' bum. That's one thing I miss about New York, I could just hop on the subway and do whatever the hell I want. But now, nope. Especially not here.
But no worries, because the end of June is when I open up my art classes! Unlike last year, when I would teach to only a few kids once a week for the whole summer, I will be opening up pre-paid sessions: one session consists of five 1 1/2 hr classes. Collaborating with mom, I sent out flyers to not only Church, but to Monika's friends and a Chinese Church my pastor knows. The children can study watercolor, drawing, or pastel, but I am open to other medias children want to concentrate on. For instance, one girl, Becca, loves drawing manga-styled figures, and so I am offering to teach her animation. In fact, just right now I finished outlining what I'd be teaching Becca, so I'm real excited about that.

So...why am I doing this? Two reasons. Next semester at Pratt is when I start taking Graphic Design classes, but Pratt can be such a prat [HA HA] because we have to buy all the expensive materials ourselves. So all my hard-earned money will be for a Macbook, and whatever software they want us to buy later on. The other reason is well, it's a MINISTRY. These summer classes will be especially exciting because I'll be outreaching to not only the kids a the church, but to all of Monika's friends as well. I don't know if I've mentioned it here, but there are soooo many more kids in the church, some who I am not even close with, Jezreel or Monika. Whenever I watch the kids do their artwork, its fun talking to them about what's new, and what they've been going through in their lives. There are times in which the kids open up, and so through the classes and talking to them, God uses me to get through to the child, and thus he/she feels better. I don't know, it's a pretty fulfilling experience that I can't seem to express by mere words. ^_^

...But these upcoming fun times will have to wait. And so until then, you'll find me here, sitting on the chair or lounging on the couch, thinking of what better things I could be doing at the moment but am too lazy to do ^_~.

::Thursday, May 10, 2007::
Alright. New archive. New entry. Three days out of Pratt. Am I happy?

Eh, not really.

Mom's already yelling at me for waking up late and how I can never hear what she says at 6:00 in the freakin morning. There's nowhere fun to go, unless you have a car, which of course I lack. Spring allergy season is killing me. The computer tower just returned from PC Richards and they wiped out our entire hardrive, meaning all of my songs, files, and artworks have been deleted. Have I complained too much? ><

I think I need some food.