FINALLY.

GIRL CRUSH

KENDALL JENNER IS MY GIRL CRUSH 😍

The Mirror of Life (Essay Prompt)

Literature is a reflection of life. Each form of literature represents a significant human experience, which allows its readers to ponder and reflect on their own experiences. It is a piece of reality written into words. It is often said that Literature gives its readers insight into the human condition. Yes, I believe it does, for there's more to the character, setting, plot, conflict and theme; as this can be seen in the stories discussed in class.

In the tradition of Greek mythology, heroes must always leave the lives they once knew in order to go on a quest - to seek greatness. It is in their leaving that their stories of adventure, romance, and heroism are made known. The Odyssey by Homer taught us that the journey to Ithaca is long and hard. In life, we all have that Ithaca - one we consider as our goal. Some of these goals may seem too far to reach or we may encounter challenges along the way. We may even find ourselves hopeless or close to giving up. However, it taught us that with the right attitude, and mindset; we will eventually get there no matter how long it takes. We should never give up similar to the character of Rorschach in Alan Moore's Watchmen. He continued to seek the truth up until the very end and refused to keep silent about Ozymandias' action to justify the destruction and maintain the supposed "paradise" he created. This just goes to show that the end does not justify the means. Even if one's intention is good, but the manner of execution is morally wrong; especially when it involves thousands of lives or humanity - it will never be justifiable. This can be related to the issue of death penalty here in the Philippines. Yes, there's the good intention of bringing it back but I also believe that no one has the right to condemn a person's death or to deprive a person of his/her life especially in our culture wherein we are predominantly Christians. We each have our own culture - what may work for others may not exactly work for us and vice versa which can be depicted in Chinua Achebe's work Things Fall Apart. Chinua Achebe is a Nigerian Novelist who wrote in English to educate western people about the culture in Africa. 

With that said, culture, customs and religion are depicted in the works of Literature.  Things Fall Apart showed us all of those and highlighted the differences between a tribe's culture before and after the coming of Christianity. The author is the perfect product for she is the Nwoye to the story - Christianized and educated in the west yet still carries the culture of the Africans. This leads us to another main point of how literature gives insight into the human condition for where else will a writer draw his/her inspiration if not for his/her own experiences? Thus, making it more relatable and close to the heart of many readers. Since it is from her own personal experience, it is safe to assume that others are going through it too and may even find themselves in a character or two from the story. Just like Nwoye, some people are willing to embrace the change while others are Okonkwo's (in their own way) who remain grounded in their values and principles in the face of changing times. The story ends with a commissioner planning to write a book allotting only a paragraph for Okonkwo despite the many things he can say about him and considering Okonkwo's countless greatest achievements; he was worth nothing. Similar to how Gregor Samsa was treated when he turned into a verminous bug. His family just turned their backs on him because they found him completely useless since he can no longer provide for the family. It is a sad reality that some people are only nice/talking to you when they need something from you. Otherwise, you would not matter to them. The perfect example of this is during elections. During the campaign, politicians become (1) visible; (2) start having projects named after them; (3) shake hands, dole out money and throw a feast. But what happens after? These people whom they once needed votes from are disregarded - worse, they steal their money for their own selfish and personal gains. With Gregor Samsa's story, we can see that the love and care he has for his family was not reciprocated; thus, causing his death. This is familiar in Borges' Eugene Onegin's interpretation of unrequited love. Here, we saw that it is possible to fall in love with someone who cannot love us back in return. Many of us can relate to this "we want what we can't have" or to simply put it - one-sided love. There are many reasons why we like/love a person but there's only one reason to keep that love going and its called choice. The choice whether or not we will fight for the person or let it hold us back. These choices reflect the kind of person that we are in the persona of characters in the different stories. 

Truly, Literature is the discourse wherein humans meet or at least find similarities in terms of experiences. That's why we have an element of literature which is the theme - a universal idea or lesson being portrayed in the work. This is what connects literature to the real world because most of these are true to life. The point of literature is to exist beyond the writer and co-exist with the writer's experience despite being written at different times and in different context in the hopes that it could connect with other people in order to give them a glimpse of "a slice of life".

READING IS A CLASSIC

... and a wonderful sem as well 🌹

ENGLISH 12 CLASS

I never thought I'd be able to survive this class. It was such a struggle. English 12 (World Literature) is not an easy course especially when one is full load this semester. And, that's exactly what happened to me. Every week or two, we had a new required reading. I am not really a fan of reading but I do read during my leisure time and I do not always finish the novels because of scarced time. However, in this class I learned to manage my time, and not to give up. Although half-way through the sem I just felt like dropping the subject because I could not take the workload anymore, and I felt bad that I could not fulfill my responsibility as a student. My professor always did her part. She went to class promptly even if she knew that some of us did not read and it upset her. I felt guilty because I was not doing my part and there's no excuse for that. For some stories, I read but did not finish in time for discussion, which is why I could not actively participate. There were days when I went to class...clueless of the story. But, I'm happy and proud to say that even if its too late I ACTUALLY FINISHED READING ALL and look it's the end of sem already; Woohoo I made it - I survived! This would not have been possible if it weren't for my pretty professor's (who looks a lot younger and less stressed than me in the photo) encouraging words, kindness and understanding. She could have easily failed me or let me drop the course but then she didn't. She challenged me and pushed me to try harder with the words "You can do it! I believe in you." Trust me those words were very powerful; thus, I'm now officially a graduate of English 12 class under Ma'am Mirasol. Thank you Ma'am if you're reading this HAHA i know what you're thinking... Nope, it's not BOLA! I hope I made you proud :)

P.S.: I've read more in this class (given we only had 16-18 weeks) more than I have ever read within a year!

The Ballerina in Me Still Exists

Going back to my first love - Ballet! I started dancing ballet at the age of 4. I learned different genres namely: Classical Ballet, Jazz, and Contemporary. I have been dancing for the past 14 years and only had to stop because of College. However, this does not mean that I lost my skills (more of rusty already) and my love for dance. I'm just taking a long break but I'll definitely be back soon!

Who Killed Him: the Wife, the Driver or the Neighbor? (Entry 10)

A graduating law student was tasked to handle a murder case as this will be the last and final requirement before he marches with his fellow batchmates. If he successfully solves this, he will pass the subject. But if he fails, he will have to repeat the whole subject again and be delayed for at least one more term. The legal document was handed to him and here are as follows:

One morning, there was a lifeless body of a man found lying on the floor of Apartment 1-B. He was covered in blood and according to the police investigations he was stabbed approximately 20 times to death with his hands tied up. However, the corpse still has to undergo autopsy. There were 3 suspects named: the wife, the driver and the neighbor. Here is how they were described by other people who knew them.

The Wife

- is married for 10 years and has three kids

- owns a pastry shop

- leaves the house at 8 am comes back at 6 pm

The Driver

- has been working under him for 3 years already

- found another better paying job and planned to resign by the end of the month

- works from 7 am up to 5 pm

The Neighbor

- is a human rights lawyer; single

- the boy who lives next door 

- has a different schedule everyday

After several interrogations and cross examinations, each suspect came up with their own alibi. When asked "where and what they did the day before the said crime?", each responded with:

The Wife: 

"I went to the grocery to buy ingredients and my daily routine includes a regular visit to my pastry shop (which is open 24/7). However, that day I was not feeling well and so I decided to get some medicine and go home early. I was home by around 3 pm."

The Driver:

"I went to work at 7 am and drove the boss to his office. After, I drove Ma'am to the grocery then to the pastry shop then to the pharmacy back to the house. I then left to fetch boss at around 4pm and we were supposed to be home by 5 pm if he did not answer the phone call."

The Neighbor: 

"I left the house early for a court trial. Afterwards, I had lunch then met with another client for a new case that I will be handling. Then, I visited my other client in jail before I headed back home to change and prepare for my friend's party that night. It certainly cannot be me who killed him because I was out the whole night clubbing and I have not even gone home yet ever since I left my house."

The law student scratched his head. He sighed deeply and thought harder. Every time he felt like he found the answer, he'd take a step back to think again. Until, he finally came up with a suspect in mind. He only needed to ask them one question in order to affirm his suspicion. And, so the next day the law student asked: "Where would you be right now?"

The Wife answered: I'm having lunch out or probably just staying in the Pastry shop.

The Driver answered: It is my day-off. I'll most likely spend time with my family.

The Neighbor answered: I have a trial case to attend in court. 

With the following statements and the follow up question, WHO DO YOU THINK IS THE MURDERER?

The law student was right of his suspicions and he successfully solved the case. He passed his last and final requirement and was very proud to say that he will be graduating on time. When asked how he figured it all out, his answer was: SIMPLE. Trial courts are closed on Sundays which means that there is no court hearing for that day which makes the neighbor-lawyer the culprit. He lied in answering a simple question which made the law student doubt the authenticity of his other statements, and allowed him to look into the neighbor more. In addition, further investigations were conducted and the police found out that the man was poisonously drugged. There could be no other suspect but the wife. Immediately, he had both of them arrested.

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Backstory: The wife was having an affair with the neighbor. Afraid to be caught and separated from each other, they both plotted a murder scheme for her husband. Meanwhile, the husband knew of this secret love affair which explains why he had both (the neighbor and his wife) of them followed by a secret agent. The same secret agent was the one who called the man (husband) to meet up with him in his office and check the photos. So, what the driver said was actually true about the phone call because he needed to head back to his office to meet with the secret agent and this can be seen in the call records/history. Also, the results of the autopsy found that a poisonous pill spread throughout the victim's body. The victim did not just die from the stabs he received but also from a pill intake which was believed to be given by the wife hours before the crime scene since the wife dropped by a pharmacy to buy those. Both were also found drinking in a club and checked-in in a hotel. They were obviously together the night the crime happened and it is presumed that they both committed the murder first before they celebrated the victim's death. It is clearly an attempted murder.

Case closed.

The Different Phases of Tatyana (Entry 9)

Visit her FB (not updated) page:

http://www.classtools.net/FB/1513-GwQPtE

To know more about her! (copy-paste the link to the searchbox DO NOT JUST CLICK IT; the direct link won't work)

My new family 💛  #KAISAisLife

WEEKEND GETAWAY

TOUR 181 HOTEL IMMERSION 2016

Photo (c) Jessa Osorio
Edsa Shangri-La Hotel

ADVENTURE DAY WITH MY BESTIES
Ft. PotAIO, PotatoBELLA and PotaTONI
ECON 100.1 CLASS - Aio's House - AS - Drove around UP (stole Aio's car btw.) - Mad Potato Head Aio welcomed us back!

I am the Master of My Fate; I am the Captain of My Soul! (Entry 8)

The Lottery of Babylon by Jorge Luis Borges teaches us to question the idea of God, Fate and Chance. The company is a metaphor to God wherein all players have the same and equal chances. It is in control of man's luck whether to reward or punish them. Given that they all have the same opportunities in the lottery game, this is when fate or destiny steps in. It is a matter of luck for them to be chosen - good or bad. A draw can turn a prisoner into a rich man's robe or cause the death of an innocent person. Here, the author shows that we all have the same worth and we all deserve the same probability of fortune as the other.

In my opinion, it is good that Borges presented how we all have equal chances in this life. However, I do not think we should be dependent on fate and destiny alone. It is not God who rewards nor punishes us; it is man's doing. Everything that we do has its corresponding consequences. Also, we all live in the same world where we can choose to be anyone we want to be. He is only there to guide us and to direct us towards living a good life. In the end, it is still up to us to decide how we will make use of our lives. Some may have luck on their side, and some otherwise. But, I believe this should not stop us from wanting to be better and dreaming bigger. Life will not always go the way we want it to be but that does not mean we should give up on it. We always have a choice. And every choice we make will surely affect the outcome of our lives. Let's always remember we are the master of our fate, and the captain of our soul.

Childhood Memoirs

I've always loved playing in the playground and so it makes me happy whenever we pass the CHK gym. Here's a video of my BFF and I taking a few minutes of our time just to play like little kids again. Hope you enjoy 😊

Love in the Face of Unrequitedness and Heartbreak (Entry 7)

Love is shared between two people. But, what happens when you love someone who cannot love you in return? As weird as it sounds, we want what we can't have. Knowing that we cannot have them makes us want them even more. Why is that so? Simple. We see it as a challenge.

This reminds me of the story about Adam and Eve. They could eat anything they want but not the forbidden fruit. Yet, they still did. There was something in that fruit that made it look so attractive. Again, I believe it's knowing that they can't eat it as compared to all the other fruits that added to its value. This brought the desire to have the fruit even more. 

So, if you do not want to experience unrequited love or heartache, then make sure to not fall in love in the first place. Or at least that's what they always say. Because with love, comes pain and it may eventually lead to heartbreak. At least, with the pain comes the realization that it is real. Although I believe, some heartbreak may or may not be worth it. It's up to you to decide. Remember if you never let yourself fall in love, then you will never have to worry about getting over a broken heart. But then again, you'll never know if you're capable of loving. It is only when you fall in love that you will know how great the love you can give. The reason why one may get hurt is because he/she has loved truly and deeply. 

Heartbreak is the most painful thing you will ever experience but it is also the best lesson you can learn. It does not only teach you to love but also to pick yourself and get back up - to move on in life because there are far more many beautiful things that await you. I honestly would not wish this for anyone because I myself have gone through it. Trust me, it isn't a pleasant experience but looking back it did make me stronger and better. I have grown into the person that I've become. If I did not go through it, I don't think I'd be the same Antoinette writing to you right now.

Strolling Along the Streets of Tsim Sha Tsui

Shopping. Disneyland. Peking Duck. Fried Rice. Wanton. Harbor Square. Bee Cheng Hiang. Egg Tarts. Almond Cookies. Leather. Fireworks. New Years Eve. Countdown. Hospital. Bonding. Love. Family. Friends. Blessed. Grateful. Customs. Salvatore. Independent. Second Home. Sky Tower. MGM. The Venetian. Buffet. Taoist temple. Ruins of St. Paul. Fast MTR. Salad. YSA. Cold mornings. Reconnected. Moving on. Soul Searching. Happiness. Rio Casino. Delayed flight. Fashion. lobby WIFI. Shamrock. Pasalubong. Duty Free. Lacoste. Loafers. Goodbyes. See you soon.

Hong Kong - Macau 2016

ELECTION 2016

Anyone can be a leader but not everyone can serve with the heart. This is something I believe to be important and it is also my main reason for running as your next AIT SC Councilor. 

Choosing to run was not an easy option. It required a lot of thinking, discernment and divine intervention. At first, I rejected the offer because I did not want to be half-hearted in running. I want to make sure that when I commit myself into something I will really fulfill my duties and responsibilities and exert my best effort. Despite, the many things that held me back, there was only one reason that pushed me and that is the burning passion to serve. 

I grew up believing in servant leadership - putting others before me - and in what I can offer to the community. And so i thought “why should i stop myself from serving others?” when I am capable and competent yet still remain to be grounded on my principles.

And that’s why I chose START together with Kaisa because i believe in their principles: Service, Transparency, Accessibility, Responsive Leadership and Thorough Consultation while at the same time fulfilling my responsibilities as a student. Lastly, If there are people who believe in me, then why shouldn’t i believe in myself?

Again, I am TONI Duque, your next AITSC Councilor!

2nd Year, BS Tourism – Consistent University/College Scholar - Member, UP Club for the Environment and Tourism, 2015 - present – Member, UP Student Action for Responsive Leadership in Tourism, 2016 – present – Executive Chairperson, Fast Research and Development Committee, DLSU, 2013 – Head, Contemporary Dance Club, 2011 – 2012 – Math Merit Awardee, Assumption College, 2012

🎤 so TONI's what you want, what you really, really want! 😊
#activAIT #STARTsaAIT #KAISAsaUSC

What Does It Mean To Be Human? (Entry 6)

We can eat, drink, sleep, dance, sing, cry, laugh, walk, run, write, read, speak, and many more. On the other hand, we can also murder, kill, judge, criticize, ostracize, rape, bully, discriminate, etc. The list goes on with the limitless possibilities we can do. But the question is: What does it mean to be HUMAN? Can one stop being human while still being alive?

To answer this, we must first answer the question what is it to be human? To be human is to have the ability to communicate with one another. It is also being able to understand abstract ideas that require the use of logic and reasoning. And lastly, our capacity to feel, portray and express our emotions is a distinct characteristic that only humans like us are capable of doing. All those things I mentioned are things that set us apart from other species. 

If that's our very definition of what it means to be human, then I believe that yes, it is also possible to stop being human while still being alive. This can be seen in Gregor Samsa's Metamorphosis. When he turned into a verminous bug, he lost the ability to speak. However, he was still capable of communicating through his movements. At the same time, he was still thinking aloud although his thoughts could not be heard. And he could still feel. On the other hand, since he can no longer work, and provide for the family... he was seen as useless. In fact, he was a burden for them. These people stopped caring about him. They grew tired of him. The man whom they once loved, was literally treated as an insect. It was as if they were just waiting for him to die until he did.

In that story, we can ask ourselves who among them was truly human? Was it Gregor's family who abandoned him and killed his hope little by little or was it Gregor who, despite being a bug, was still able to share his thoughts and feelings to those who could hear his silent words?

To be human, is to be selfless. In being selfless, we are able to feel and understand others. Given that we do, we do not just stop there but instead, we do acts of kindness, and be compassionate towards others. We only have one life. We might as well make the most out of it by touching the lives of other people. It is what I believe will make us truly human as seen in the story of the Metamorphosis.

Looking through Different Lenses (Entry 5)

There was never a day my parents and I never fought. If it's not mom who's mad, it's dad. They are always mad at me even with slightest things such as being late by 5 minutes, or eating little and slow. Aside from that, I feel that their expectations are far too great that I cannot live up to it. They expect so much from me - to be good in both being a student and a daughter. Yet, I always feel like I fail them. That no matter what I do, it's just not enough. However, all these are caused by misunderstandings brought about by miscommunication.

My parents have always been busy with work in order to provide for us while I put all my time in studying so that I can make them proud. With our busy schedule, and lack of time, it's almost impossible for us to meet and spend quality time. We do not get to update each other nor do we get to make kwento like before and I understand why. But somehow, this has affected my relationship with my parents. I feel that they do not know me anymore or that they know so little about me. To add on to that, our age gap and growing up from two completely different generations have been causing more misunderstandings. For instance, my parents imposed a rule that I have to be home by 12AM sharp. And I hate it because, nowadays parties start late. By the time I leave, that's when the fun starts and so I always miss out. Also, I am not always allowed to go out. At the very most, once a week. I do not understand where they are coming from but when I ask them, they always say "it's for your own good." Where's the "good" in that?

It's fair to say though that there were times I'd be home past my curfew and I'd go out more than once a week. Well, I'm grateful when they would let it pass and forgive me. However, there was this one time that they were very mad. And I had to explain. I needed them to see where I was coming from. To understand me. I'm already 2o turning 21 this year yet I feel like I still do not have the freedom to decide for myself. That's the only time I understood them. It's not that they did not want me to have a life. But it's because they wanted to protect me. It sounds cliche doesn't it? But really, they said that the world is scary. It can be dangerous. Anything can happen to me when I'm out there. Worse, they won't be able to do anything or they'll be too late. They understand that we are a partying-til'-the-wee-hours-of-the-morning generation but they just cannot change their protective instinct just like that. And as much as I think that it is safe (people doing drugs for example seems normal to me), they think that it is dangerous and it can destroy lives- my life to be specific. They wanted me to achieve my dreams and become successful even if it means I'd see them as evil monsters because they love me. They only wish the best for me. As my parents, they want to guide me in the right path/direction and help me grow into a better person. Because of that, I remembered what they always say: "My success is their success. My happiness is also theirs."I live in a time when my motto is "You Only Live Once" while theirs was "You Live Only Once" and those two are very different from each other. The latter gives more emphasis on living life and its importance. It tells us to make the most out of the precious life we have and serves as a reminder.

With that said, I always misunderstood them. I believe it is because I was too busy that I never made time for them; thus, creating a big misunderstanding between my parents and I. They wanted me to go out once a week so that I can spend the rest of my time with them but I failed to see that. They wanted me home early because they couldn't sleep knowing that I'm not home yet and it makes them feel anxious. I always wanted it my way and asked them to understand me when I could not even do the same for them. Now tell me, what better love can there be than that of my parents' love for me? I am truly grateful and be more than blessed to have them. Sorry and thanks mom and dad for the love you both continue to give to me. 😊

POLARIS 💫

POLARIS

• Northern Star

• Located in the constellation of Ursa Minor, the Little Bear. It sometimes also goes by the name “Stella Polaris.” The seven stars from which we derive a bear are also known as the Little Dipper. Polaris, the North Star lies at the end of the handle of the Little Dipper, whose stars are rather faint.
• My AC Highschool Barkada: Andi, Angeline, Apples, Alexa, Cheska, Marian, Maia, Sage, Zoe and of course myself included!

Trivia: When you are lost in the woods, just look for 🌟 in the sky and walk towards it. Follow where it leads you and you will surely find your way back!

Similar to how these friends of mine, mean to me. Especially, in those times when I feel down and I do not know who I've become or I suddenly feel like a lost soul, I know I can count on these people to remind me of who I am and to help me get myself back together. They are surely the ones to have my back, and I know that they will always be there for me no matter what. So, when I feel like I'm losing my direction in life, I just need to look for them and for sure these people will help me best with their good, and inspiring words of wisdom. I love them as much as I love gazing at the stars above me... which is always!

My Dear Little Brother Bear 🐻

I love my little bear's kisses, cuddles, and ATTENTION!

WHO IS YOUR PRESENT DAY HERO? (Entry 4)

Hero (n.) - A person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.

Present Day Heroes (pronoun) - He, She, You, Me, They, Few, Many, Everybody, and I?

Heroes are not made. Heroes are born. Born out of circumstances and rise to the occasion when they feel that they are needed and are in belief of what they can offer to this world. It has been said many times that heroes reflect the values of a given culture or generation. But, let us first see and understand the Filipino culture of today.

Filipinos are very happy, fun and loving people. In our society, we value our close ties with our family and friends. On a bigger picture, we love our motherland - the Philippines - because it is our home and how can we call it a home without the people who dwell in it? For many, Manny Pacquiao is considered as a hero. This explains why whenever he has a fight there's no traffic; it's as if everyone's just home watching his game. While we, Pinoys, take pride in his glory. 

Today, what do we consider as a hero?

In the past up until the present, Jose Rizal and Ninoy Aquino are two of the most legendary heroes. If you come to think of it, they both have something in common. They both died for our country. But does one really have to die in order to be called as such? Heroes like Efren Peñaflorida, Tony Meloto, and Gang Badoy have emerged. One thing they all have in common? They have invested in the youth. Yes, these people focused on educating and training the youth because they believe that the future of our country lies in their hands. I can say that I am very privileged to be part of this subgroup because this only means that I, too, can be a hero someday. That it is not too late to contribute something to my country. It is about time for a paradigm shift - the Filipinos are worth living for! Everything we do, must be directed towards the betterment of the Philippines. We have to work for the common good. With the little sacrifices that we can offer, and in putting others before ourselves, I believe this can make a hero in us.

Good? Better? Best? Ultra? Mega? SUPER....HEROES! (Entry 3)

Some have argued that our fascination with superheroes stems from our desire to believe in perfection or in the possibility of transcending the human in us. Why, then, are we attracted to less-than-perfect or even flawed superheroes (as proven by Watchmen hitting the spot as the best-selling graphic novel of all time, Magneto having more sympathizers than Professor X, and Clark Kent in his latest incarnation is no longer his goody two-shoes/naive farm boy self)?

The answer is SIMPLE - the changing times have brought a paradigm shift and a new definition to the word "Superhero". In my opinion, flawed superheroes or less-than perfect ones show us that anyone can be a hero even those who are weak, imperfect and evil. It is much more relatable since we, as human beings, are flawed too. We are capable of committing mistakes and making bad judgments. That, I believe, is the common ground for humans and superheroes.

Instead of focusing on their strengths, however, they are highlighting the weaknesses. From there, these superheroes draw their strength and work on their flaws in order to be better. This is precisely because we are all a work in progress. Also, it is easier to distinguish good from evil especially if one starts out with a dark past until he/she eventually gets out of it and is pulled towards the good side. There is more gratification and fulfillment upon seeing the change in our very eyes. Always remember that a good story plot is not one that ends well but rather one that shows how the characters have developed through time. In this case, what makes a superhero as one is how he/she faces the same problems as we humans do yet stands out with how different they choose to handle the situation.

Pain is Better Shared. (Entry 2)

Is there such a thing as Right love, Wrong time? Or maybe it is just not meant to be? Those are the perfect descriptions to Calypso's love for Odysseus. And I believe it is also what I myself went through. I once fell in love with a guy who I thought I would be able to spend eternity with. But I was wrong. From the start, we both had our priorities set and sadly, to him it was all ranked and it does not matter what my ranking was because clearly I am no longer his priority. As for me, each was of equal importance because I thought "kaya naman!" 

And so, I started to dream of our future together. However, it was only my dream. Just when I thought we were both in it together. He, on the other hand, started making his own without me. I understand that at this age it is normal to prioritize our dreams over love but what I could not accept was how his dreams were greater than his love for me that it ate it all up - he even killed the little hope i had left in me. It was like everything I did for him was nothing and that he was always ready to leave when he had the chance to. So, when the day finally came, he made his decision. And it just was not me. Sad to say, but maybe it is true - there is a reason why people come into our lives. It was time for our love story to end so maybe I can focus on myself - in being better. And I can only wish him well. It is time to let go now in order to allow us both to continue with our own lives without being in each other's arms. This is such an unfortunate fate I share with Calypso and that somehow I can say I understand how she feels because despite Calypso being a goddess who can provide everything she was just not good enough for Odysseus because his heart was already filled and there was no more space for her just like it was for me and the guy who I fell in love with. So, the next time I fall in love, I will make sure that his heart belongs to me and he can love me whole-heartedly.

The Surrealism in My World (Entry 1)

Often times, when we hear of the word Fiction, we associate it with fantasy, supernatural powers and adventures in another world that is usually created by our imagination. 

But, we also tend to forget that there is more to the entertainment, laughter and story plot twists it brings - there is a hidden truth that has yet to be uncovered. Sometimes, fiction shows the best realities or even the things that go unnoticed because it is boundless both in writing and in thinking . We are free to think deeply and endlessly simply because with fiction comes the uncertainty and limitless possibilities. This can be put to use by authors who write even the most nonsense things you can ever think of or 

For example, Harry Potter could have been set in New York but why did it have to create another world - Hogwarts - where most things happened but the main character Harry Potter, himself, is a human being with special abilities? How can that be? In Hunger Games, the characters do not have supernatural powers but rather, they were competing in a computer-generated world that is ran by none other than humans. What does this mean or imply? 

The two examples truly show that with fiction nothing is impossible. Just how it can use simple humans into doing extraordinary things, it is also capable of fusing both the realities of life and the what ifs in life. This can be seen when a fictional character’s strength may also be its weakness or its flaw may be its greatest lesson - its safe to say that through these characters we learn what to be and what we ought not be.

In my life, fiction works like the wind. It is not physically seen as it is more of created by the mind but its impact can be felt strongly within me as I, too, am battling with myself and in life. I am a character in my own story. And it helps to know that I am not alone. With fiction, it made me think that "Hey! Other's have had it worse but look at how strong they became after going through such a thing." So, in a way, it served as an inspiration or that of a strong force that helps me pull myself together in difficult times. One of my favourite fiction is The Mocking Bird by Harper Lee. Yes, the characters are made up but it was set in a real country and depicted its era perfectly - the time where racial discrimination was evident. More than Atticus Finch's heroism as seen in the story, his words of wisdom really had an effect on me especially the quote "You never really consider a person until you consider things from his point of view... until you climb inside his skin and walk around in it." With that said, Fiction does not only make reality more interesting but it also gives it more life so that these realities will be a part of our imagination until it turns into a dream that can someday change reality.