I rarely go out. But when I do...

First post for 2012. Soooooorry. The first quarter of the year has been the busiest months of my college life. Seriously. I am lucky to even get to post this entry. Hahaha! 

Anyway, today was the first time I went out (as in out, out) this summer and of course, where will I be? 

Manila! 

Nah, I didn't really went around Manila today. I was just at Mendiola, Manila. These pictures just made it look like I strolled the whole day.

It's also the first time that I used the monochromatic feature thingy on my camera. I'm glad I used it because I get to have the vintage feel that I wanted although I could also get that from Photoshop. :p

So many first times happened today. Yay!

I hope everyone is enjoying the summer. Even though I am just stuck here at home (with occasional getaways), I am really happy to have this much needed break. So much happened these past three months that I wasn't able to post here, even though I have made some attempts (ehem. drafts.)

And lastly, were you able to feel the cold summer nights last week? I loved it. :)

Cheers to summer 2012! XOXO.

***

So, the title of this post says it all.

These pictures actually started the vintage feel today. A really old model of a radio and a typewriter from the office of my mom. I always see these things every time I go there. I don't know why I took pictures of them today.

We went to Arias Street to check out an apartment. Since we are residing in Cavite and my brothers and my mom are studying/working in Manila, it's good for them to just live nearby during the weekdays. Last year, they were staying at Bicutan during the weekdays --- still far from school. So here, no more long rides home next school year, brothers! Welcome back to Manila after four years!

Here's one out of the three musketeers, Daniel! Go follow him on Twitter! Haha!

After I took these photos, I had a eureka moment! I'll collect street/road name shots from now on. Let this be my driving force to go out of my bedroom, then out of our house, and explore the world. Wish me luck! *game face on*

Arias Street is actually just in front of the Malacañan Palace. Awesome! And for a little trivia, here are 10 things you may not know about Malacañan Palace.

These shots were taken on our way home to Cavite. I do not know the name of the building on the first photo. I just took a shot on the red light. The second photo is the Millennium Clock in front of the Rizal Monument, Roxas Boulevard, Manila.

More shots on our way home. I took it from inside our car. It's cool that these photos were clear despite our not so clean windshield. :p

I rarely go out. But when I do... I am always happy. :-)

Celebrate Christmas the Ginebra Way.

First time to attend a fan gathering. Yes, first time. Loser me. :p

My brother and I arrived at the venue a few minutes before seven in the evening, December 26. We were so nervous that we didn't know how will we enter the gazebo. Good thing Ate Arlynn saw us, and we went straight to their table. It was the farthest table from the entrance facing the basketball court, and nearest to the sound system.

Hello, Ginebra friends! ^_^ Haven't seen you guys in forever. :p

Here are some of the familiar faces a few minutes before the party. Familiar faces since I frequently bump into them on Facebook, Twitter, etc. :p

Friends from Panatiko.tk *wave hand*

First time to see these Ginebra fans in person.

Maybe someday.

I was just roaming around the UPLB Freedom Park with my friend Flor at around nine in the morning one Tuesday to take some shots of the campus field when these kids caught my attention. Being a sports fan myself, I am genuinely happy seeing kids play. Maybe they were just doing this for fun but these kids could be the hope of Philippine sports years from now.

Smile!

^_^

Christmas is just around the corner.

(c) kayecabal2011

One Star Worth Reaching For

Basketball have always been one of the sports most loved by the Filipinos. For most people, it is just a game being played on the street sides. For some, it is a profession and a source of income. While for others, it could be a dream. But not for me. I believe that basketball is not just a hobby, a dream or even a job. It is definitely much more than that.

I am a dreamer seeking to make a mark upon the world. After being in the BS Mathematics and Science Teaching degree program at University of the Philippines Los Baños for three years, I shifted to BS Development Communication. For me, this one big move seemed impossible. So many things to consider. So many things to lose. But even if shifting almost required me to move heaven and earth, for me, it's worth a try, I am proud to say that I did it.

Switching roads was never easy. There's the fear and anxiety, then there's the pressure. But more than anything else, all I ever wanted is just to be one step closer to my dream... a dream that I turned my back against, as i went on pretending to be something that I am not. For me, my three years lost being some place else may have been too long, but it was never a three years of regret, of pain, or of bitterness. In fact, I will be forever thankful because if not for those three years, I would have never realized just how much I wanted to be in a different path, and I would not be brave enough to go through anything just to be there.

Being a sports fan, it has been my long time dream to become a sports caster. To me, sports is not just a game but a passion and a lifestyle. I have this one sports team that I have been cheering on for over nine years already, and I just fell in love with their never say die brand of play. This team would definitely make one believe, even if seeing them play for the first time, that this team is definitely above the rest. Others may say that it is just a useless addiction, but to me and to the legions of fans of the squad, there is just this unbelievable magic that no one can't resist.

No one believed in me when I said that I want to enter the broadcasting field because of her passion for the game. Some thought that it is just a short term plan, but to me, it is so much deeper. That is one of the reasons why I decided to prove to everybody else and of course, to my self as well, how dedication, passion, and determination can bring you to some place special.

There are many people who give up their dreams just because they thought of fulfilling it is impossible. There are also some who would go for it only to fail in the end. For me, failure could happen to anyone, but to fail without even trying is the worst regret that I could ever have.One prominent sports personality once said that it is better to fall on the roof than not trying to reach for the stars. This is true. Because at the end of the day, all you have to do is to believe that your dreams are worth chasing after, and that there is always that one star worth reaching for.

______________________________
This is an edited version of an on-the-spot article I wrote for my Journalism class.

On the Internet

The Internet is the most accessible broadcast medium for me as of today. Since I could connect to the Internet from my mobile phone, I could be updated with whatever is going on wherever I am. Even during the weekends, I still choose to go online at home rather than to watch the television. Unfortunately, we do not have a radio at home and so I still get access to the radio through some live streaming sites online. I have been an Internet addict for years now and I could say that this broadcast medium is indeed very important in my everyday life. I regularly check on my Facebook, Twitter and E-mail which make me connected to other people. It has also become my habit to check on a few sports sites for updates on sports development. yahoo.com, inquirer.net, philstar.com and gmanews.tv are also some of the sites that I check for updates on current events. There is also my blog which has become my avenue to express myself. And of course, my news-based multiply.com site dedicated to my all-time favorite sports team which has given me so many sports-related opportunities. So yes, the Internet is really important to me because of so many reasons. And I could also affirm that utilizing the Internet as a broadcast medium has been very effective, at least to me and to the most people I know. 

Having access to the Internet for almost every day, I could say that it still needs improvement. Although it has been my version of a companion medium, there is still its negative side that should be addressed for it to become a better broadcasting medium. One thing is the reliability of the information that we see online. Since almost everyone has an access to it and could change its contents, there should be something that could be done for the users to assure the validity of the available information. I hope for the total eradication of malicious sites and contents that could also be harmful to our computers, laptops and mobile phones. Another is to improve the network connections so that the Internet could be accessible wherever we are… even in far away kingdoms. Since it could be beneficial to people, provided that we access the Internet responsibly, it would be great of these benefits will also reach places far from the main cities. After all, the Internet could be a perfect way to bridge gaps between people separated by space and time. 

_________________

Original date of composition: 17 November 2011

Goodbye, SemBreak 2011

Today is officially the last day of the break. I will go back to school tomorrow, go to class at eight in the morning, and so on and so forth. You know the drill.

I was pretty much a bummer throughout this break. I have watched different television series, movies and all. I even spent the most of it here inside my room since I am not really used to going out, plus, I live really far away from the city. But being at home didn't make my vacation less exciting and less memorable than the others. I really had fun.

Now, I have already packed my things and about to leave the house in about an hour or two. I will really miss sleeping at seven in the morning and waking up at three in the afternoon. Yes, I am a vampire. I hate the sunlight. :)

Positivism is the key to a better lifestyle. You can quote me on that.

Cheers to the new semester! Bring it on, acads! I can take you!

Courage does not always roar. 

Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 

"I will try again tomorrow.”

  

-Mary Anne Radmacher